[CALL TO ORDER]
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THIS IS A WORK SESSION, AND OUR FIRST ITEM IS THE DISC GOLF UPDATE.
[WORK SESSION]
MR. ROTZOLL.BOARD MEMBERS, I PUT TOGETHER A SMALL LITTLE POWERPOINT.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A VERY BUSY AGENDA, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
MR. ROTZOLL, HOW ARE YOU? I'M WELL. AND YOURSELF, MR. CARMICHAEL? LOOKING GOOD BUDDY. THANK YOU, SIR.
ALL RIGHT. I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR DISC GOLF COURSE AND WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE PLANNING ON CALLING IT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT PINE VALLEY, AT SCOTT PARK.
NOW, DON'T JUST SEE THAT ON A BIG SIGN AS THAT SOUNDS DISTINGUISHED.
I THINK I PRETTY MUCH HIT YOU GUYS WITH THIS BEFORE, BUT ANYBODY THAT'S IN ATTENDANCE DOES NOT KNOW.
INSTEAD OF HITTING IT WITH A CLUB AND AND GOLF BALLS, YOU USE A DISC.
AND JUST LIKE GOLF, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET YOUR FEWEST NUMBER OF STROKES OR SHOTS.
SCORES ARE ALSO KEPT ON SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR IT'S AN APP FOR YOUR PHONE.
AND IT ALSO SHOWS THE COURSE LAYOUTS.
WHY ARE WE BUILDING A DISC GOLF COURSE? DISC GOLF IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING SPORTS IN MODERN TIMES.
33% INCREASE FROM 2019 TO 2020 ALONE.
THE NUMBER OF DISC GOLF COURSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE GONE FROM UNDER 8500 TO 9300 IN TWO YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR A WHILE, BUT WE WERE APPROACHED OR I WAS APPROACHED BY RICHARD SCOTT AND JAY RISHER, WHO WHO WANTED TO DESIGN THE COURSE AND DO MOST OF THE DO MOST OF THE WORK VOLUNTEERING.
FOR ANYBODY THAT IS FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW SECTION OF SCOTT PARK, IT'S THE COURSE IS GOING TO START RIGHT AT THE RIGHT WHERE WE HAVE THE SPLIT RAIL FENCE RIGHT NOW.
SO YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF HOLES THERE.
BUT THEN AGAIN, I DON'T PLAY DISC GOLF.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF WHERE THE ENTRANCE AND WHERE THE BEGINNING OF THE COURSE WILL BE.
A LOT OF TIMES THIS GATE IS SHUT JUST TO PREVENT VANDALISM AND SUCH IN THE BACK AREA OF THE PARK.
THE REASON THAT WE STARTED IT AT THE FRONT WAS PEOPLE CAN PARK OUTSIDE THE GATE.
THEY CAN START THE COURSE THERE AND WALK IT.
THIS IS A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE ONE OF THE COURSES.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE THROWING BASICALLY THROWING A FRISBEE THROUGH THAT.
AND THE GOAL IS TO HIT IT IN THE IN THE BASKET.
WHICH IS SLOWED DOWN BY THE CHAINS AND DROP THE DROPS RIGHT IN THE BASKET.
WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY DOING SPONSORSHIPS.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING SPONSORSHIPS FOR A WHILE AND WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE STEP UP AND DO THIS.
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IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME THING ON THIS.ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHAT YOU WILL DO IS YOU GET YOUR SPONSORED AD, WHICH IS EIGHT BY 11, AND IT WILL BE UP IT WILL STAY UP ON THE COURSE PERMANENTLY.
THERE'S ALSO SHORT AND LONG TEES.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO DO BOTH OF THOSE, IT'D BE 600 BUCKS.
AND THE COURSE WILL BE FREE AND PROJECTED TO BE OPEN LATER THIS SUMMER.
DO ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HOW MANY HOLES YOU HAVE LEFT THAT HAS NOT HAVE A SPONSOR.
THINK ABOUT TEN. I EXPECT ONCE WE GET IT UP AND GOING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO GO A LOT QUICKER.
DANIEL IS A BIG DISC GOLFER, SO I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM HIM ON THIS.
SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE'LL PRESENT TO BEASLEY.
MAYBE THEY CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON P.E.
CLASS OR KNOW THAT WOULD BE PRETTY NEAT.
AS PEOPLE SCHEDULE THEIR FRISBEE TIME, YOU JUST YOU JUST WALK UP AND START PLAYING.
YOU KNOW, YOU GET YOUR OWN DISKS.
DANIEL HOW MANY DISCS? SO YOU CAN BUY A STARTER SET AT DICK'S SPORTING GOODS FOR LIKE 20, $30.
BUT TO START WITH, YOU NEED A PUTTER AND THEN A DRIVER AND THEN LIKE A SHORT DISC, MID RANGE DISC.
BUT MY PROFESSIONAL DISC GOLFERS WILL HAVE 30 DISC WITH THEM.
CORRECT. THEY HAVE SOME WHERE YOU THROW BACK HANDED.
SOME REGULAR, SOME CURVE TO THE LEFT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT DISC AND DIFFERENT DESIGNS AND WE HAVE SOME VERY, VERY ANXIOUS, PERSISTENT PEOPLE THAT ARE HITTING US UP ABOUT WHEN WHEN THIS IS GOING TO BE DONE.
I MEAN, THERE'S A COUPLE OF HOLES THAT YOU CAN PLAY RIGHT NOW, BUT ACTUALLY EVERYTHING UP BY THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST, THAT'S NOT GOING TO INCLUDE ALL THE SIGNAGE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT AT THAT TIME. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE FUNCTIONAL.
VERY GOOD. NOBODY HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT IS A PLANNING AND ZONING FEE SCHEDULE, MRS. WALTON. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. STOKE, MR. WHITTEN.
IN YOUR PACKET TONIGHT UNDER TAB TWO IS A COPY OF THE STAFF REPORT FROM ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE MAY 26 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND PLANNING AND ZONING STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND TO YOU THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT REVISING AND REORGANIZING THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR PLANNING AND ZONING ITEMS, WHICH IS CONTAINED IN CHAPTER TWO OF THE COUNTY CODE.
AND WE'VE ALSO MADE SOME CHANGES IN LANGUAGE, MORE MODERN LANGUAGE IN OUR ORDINANCES.
BUT THE FEE SCHEDULE HAS NOT HAD THE ASSOCIATED RELATED CHANGES TO THAT.
ALL THESE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE EXCLUSIVE TO JUST CLARIFY EXISTING LANGUAGE AND ORGANIZE A SIMILAR FEES IN THE SAME SECTION.
THERE ARE NO FEE INCREASES OR NO NEW FEES.
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SUCCINCTLY FOR OUR STAFF.NO ACTION WAS REQUIRED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THEY DID HAVE QUESTIONS AND THEY DID WANT ME TO FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATION TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL AND ALSO WANTED TO REITERATE THAT THERE ARE NO NEW FEES OR INCREASES.
AND THE ITEMS IN RED ARE THE CLARIFICATIONS, AND THE ITEMS THAT ARE STRUCK THROUGH EITHER HAVE BEEN REWORDED OR RELOCATED IN THE FEE SCHEDULE.
THEY HAVE EITHER BEEN RETITLED OR MOVED.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING YOU SAW.
WE DO FEEL LIKE THAT THIS WILL ASSIST OUR CUSTOMERS AND STAFF AND DO HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER LATER ON YOUR AGENDA THIS EVENING.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OR GO INTO ANY OTHER CHANGES, YOU SEE.
I'M GOOD. YEAH, I'M GOOD AS WELL.
CAN YOU LOOK AT YOUR FIRST PAGE OF PRICES WHERE IT SAYS SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO BZA IS $250, AND THEN DOWN YOU HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE OF 50 BUCKS AND THEN IN RED PLUS 304 TOO TO THE BZA.
SO THAT READ THE PLUS $300 YOU SAID THAT WAS MOVED FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE AND PUT THERE.
WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN $50, BUT A BZA VARIANCE APPEAL IS 350.
SO WHAT WE ARE CLARIFYING IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DOUBLE DIP YOU AND CHARGE YOU 350 WHEN YOU GO TO THE BZA AND THREE AND 50 FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT'S ACTUALLY A REDUCTION IN THE CURRENT SITUATION.
I'M GOOD. SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS.
AND WE'LL CONSIDER IT AGAIN THAT THE AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE REQUESTS.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE BROADBAND FIBER UPDATE CASEY LOGAN AND LANE CHAMBERS.
AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND NEWLY APPOINTED COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR STOKE.
MR. CHAMBERS IS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
HE IS ON VACATION IN TURKS AND CAICOS AND HE'S PROBABLY HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT A LONG WAY WE HAVE COME SINCE WE FIRST STARTED THIS BACK IN AROUND 2018.
A LOT OF GOOD THINGS. WE'VE WE'VE OFFERED FIBER TO THE HOME, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, TO OVER 9000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES WITHIN OUR COOPERATIVE SERVICE TERRITORY THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTIES WE SERVE, PRINCE GEORGE, SUSSEX AND SURREY.
SO WE REALLY HAVE TAKEN A LOT OF STRIDES FORWARD.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.
WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE ANY OF THIS IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE FORESIGHT FROM THE PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO INITIATE THAT FIRST $1 MILLION INDUCEMENT GRANT FOR US TO BEGIN WORK.
AND AGAIN, THE FOLLOW UP GRANT THAT YOU ALL WOULD GIVEN US TO TO DO MORE IN THE COUNTY.
LET ME START OFF BY JUST GIVING YOU AN UPDATE OF OUR STATISTICS.
SO WE'VE PASSED 9033 HOMES AND CONNECTED 3644.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S ALL THROUGH OUR TERRITORY.
BUT PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY IS OUR HIGHEST TAKE RATE AREA.
THE RESIDENTS OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY, THEY NEED THE TECHNOLOGY, AND MOST LIKELY A LOT OF THEM HAVE DONE WORK FROM HOME THROUGH THE COVID PERIODS THAT WE'RE JUST COMING OUT OF.
HERE WE GO. RIGHT HERE. THIS ONE MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARD TO SEE.
[00:15:03]
FOR EVERYBODY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESOLUTION, IF YOU ALL HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU.BUT THIS TALKS ABOUT PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY SPECIFICALLY.
DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT MAP RIGHT THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THE AREAS HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT WE'VE PASSED 3335 HOMES IN THE COUNTY.
AND OUT OF THOSE, 1632 HAVE TAKEN THE SERVICE, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 89 PENDING APPLICATIONS.
SO THAT BASICALLY EQUATES TO A 52% TAKE RATE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL HOMES PAST, BASED OFF OF THE INDUCEMENT GRANTS THAT PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY HAS GIVEN US, WE'RE ROUGHLY $600 PER HOME FROM THOSE $2 MILLION BASED OFF OF THE 3335 WE'VE SERVED.
SO OUT OF THE $3.5 MILLION, ROUGHLY HALF OF OUR TOTAL COSTS HAVE HAVE COME FROM GRANTS RECEIVED FROM BOTH THE COUNTY AND FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IT COSTS US ROUGHLY $2100 TO PASS A HOME AND THROUGH THE COUNTY AND THE FEDERAL FUNDING OVER RIGHT AT 50% OF THAT HAS BEEN SUPPLIED FOR. SO WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE A LOT FASTER.
I BELIEVE OUR FIRST CONTRACT WE DID WAS FOR 500 HOMES.
AND IN ADDITION TO THE TAKE RATE THAT THE MEMBERS SEE THE VALUE IN IT.
MAYBE WE'VE GOT TO ZOOM OUT AND DO IT.
JUST MIGHT NEED TO ZOOM IN ON THIS ONE AS WELL A LITTLE BIT.
IF NOT, WE CAN KIND OF TALK THROUGH WHAT I HAVE IT HERE IN FRONT OF ME.
THE DARK GREEN SHADE RIGHT THERE IS WHERE ROBIN IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
OUR TURN AROUND RIGHT NOW IS BETWEEN TWO AND THREE WEEKS FROM APPLICATION TO SERVICE.
AND IF YOU LOOK, THE ORANGE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS ARE PART OF OUR 2022 BUILD.
NOW THEY DO HAVE MOST OF THEM HAVE COMCAST OPTIONS.
AND NOW THEY HAVE FIBER TO THE HOME INTERNET AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION. WE ARE DOWN TAVERN ROAD AS WELL.
BUT THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT HIGHLIGHTED FOR SOME REASON HERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, THE ONES THAT ARE NOT HIGHLIGHTED ARE EITHER GOING TO BE REPRESENTED BY DOMINION ENERGY TERRITORY OR IT'S GOING TO BE REPRESENTED BY AN AREA THAT IS CURRENTLY SERVED BY COMCAST.
SO I THINK THERE ARE STILL SOME OUTLYING AREAS IN THE COUNTY THAT HAVE NO SERVICE THAT WE'D BE GLAD TO TALK WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BUTTONING EVERYTHING UP THAT WE CAN ON OUR SIDE.
I-95 USED TO BE A BIG BARRIER TO US.
HOWEVER, WE'VE INVESTED IN INFRASTRUCTURE WEST OF 95 NOW, SO WE CAN BUILD BACK TO ANYTHING ON THAT SIDE IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR US TO CONNECT MORE TO MORE HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MAP BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I KNOW THE MAPS USUALLY KIND OF TELL MOST OF THE STORY WHEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE KIND OF THINGS.
YOU DON'T MIND GOING TO THE TO THE LAST SLIDE? AND I KIND OF INCLUDED THIS SLIDE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO HERE GOING FORWARD LOOKING, IF ANYTHING, THAT'S AVAILABLE THROUGH THE STATE, THE VATI AND THE BEAD FUNDING, BEAD IS THE NEW $42.5 BILLION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PASSED THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACT THAT WILL BE PASSED DOWN TO THE STATES FOR DEPLOYING BROADBAND INTERNET SERVICES.
I MADE A NOTE IN THERE SAYING THAT'S A 120 REQUIREMENT.
THAT'S 100 MEGABITS DOWN AND 20 MEGABITS UP.
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THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE THAT MUCH OF A STIPULATION HAS BEEN PUT IN FOR THESE KIND OF SERVICES.AND IT REALLY FORWARD LOOKS OUT ON WHAT A HOMES NEED OR A BUSINESSES NEEDS MIGHT BE IN THE FUTURE TO GIVE THEM THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE THAT THEY NEED. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE OFFERING FIBER TO THE HOME, WHICH IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF OFFERING AND MEETING THESE SERVICES AND THE BEAD FUNDING ITSELF.
EVAN FINEMAN IS OVER THAT WHOLE PROGRAM NOW AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND OF COURSE, HE CAME FROM VIRGINIA AND WAS OVER THE VATI PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, 100% CONNECTED.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP THE COUNTY WITH.
AND THAT LEADS, OF COURSE, TO THE FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE MIGHT BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN WORK WITH PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, EITHER THROUGH A VATI TYPE OPERATION OR ANY KIND OF OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THE COUNTY OR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MIGHT HAVE FOR US TO DO THAT.
BUT I KNOW WE GET GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE CITIZENS OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? YEAH, I HAVE ONE AFTER MR. WEBB, UNLESS HE HAS TO SAY WHEN I'M GOING TO SIGNAL STRENGTH.
STRENGTH? I KNOW WE'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE.
AS YOU BUILD ON, DO YOU ALL HAVE A HIGH LOW THAT YOU TRY TO STAY IN BETWEEN? BECAUSE I HAVE GOTTEN A FEW CALLS.
PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH IT. DON'T GET ME WRONG.
BUT THEY'RE STARTING TO EXPERIENCE FROM TIME TO TIME WHERE THE TV MAY GET FUZZY OR THEY MAY HAVE SLOW TIMES TRYING TO HOOK ON THE INTERNET, WHICH THE LAST TIME WE TALKED THAT HAD TO DO WITH SIGNAL STRENGTH.
YES. AND WE DO HAVE A AND WE DO HAVE A SCALE FOR THAT.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF UPGRADING OUR ELECTRONIC INFRASTRUCTURE, OR I'M GOING TO USE THE TERM HEAD IN MORE OF A BROADER TERM TO WHERE WE WILL HAVE MORE CAPACITY AND LESS LATENCY FOR THAT.
AND SO WE'RE NOT BUMPING UP AGAINST THOSE LEVELS AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND CONNECT MORE HOMES.
WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE THAT IN? WE'LL HAVE THAT COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
YEAH, THE CURRENT SUBSCRIBERS TWO RULE BAND, THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE GETTING A NOTIFICATION.
WE'RE DOING ALL OF OUR WORK BETWEEN 12 A.M.
AND 3 A.M. TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT FOR THE HOMES BECAUSE WE REALIZE A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK FROM HOME NOW, SO WE'LL BE DOING THOSE WORK AROUND MIDNIGHT TIMEFRAME TO LESSEN THE IMPACT. AND BY THE TIME THEY GET UP THE NEXT DAY, THEY'LL BE AGNOSTIC TO WHAT OCCURRED OTHER THAN THE SPEED SITUATION IN THE LATENCY SITUATIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN SEEING WILL BE REMEDIED AT THAT POINT.
ALL RIGHT. YES, SIR. IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH DOMINION? BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY FOLKS THAT ARE ON DOMINION THAT ARE SOME OF THEM LIKE A HOUSE, A COUPLE OR SOMEONE TWO HOUSES DOWN MIGHT BE ON PRINCE GEORGE ELECTRIC AND THEY'RE ON DOMINION AND THEY CAN'T GET IT.
BUT YET BECAUSE HER SERVICE THROUGH DOMINION, THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S REALLY THE PARTNERSHIP WE'VE HAD WITH DOMINION IN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
OTHER PARTNERSHIPS WE'VE HAD WITH DOMINION WERE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE PRINCE GEORGE HAS, I MUST SAY, HAS SO MUCH CONNECTIVITY IN TERMS OF THERE ARE PLACES UP HERE AROUND THE COURTHOUSE AREA AND BIRCHETT ESTATES AND THINGS THAT HAVE AN OPTION.
DOMINION CANNOT OFFER FIBERS FOR LEASE, SO TO SPEAK, IN THOSE AREAS.
THAT MIGHT BECOME A COMPETE AREA.
SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT THAT.
SO IT'S A REALLY HARD DETERMINATION, SO TO SPEAK, IF DOMINION CAN CLEARLY SAY THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO OFFER THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE IN A COMPETE SITUATION, BUT THERE ARE AREAS THAT IF WE CAN GET TO IT, WE WILL.
ON THE ELECTRIC SIDE, WE ARE BOUND BY TERRITORY ASSIGNMENTS.
THEY'RE PRETTY CUT AND DRY ON WHERE WE CAN SERVE AND WHERE THEY CAN SERVE.
[00:25:05]
YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT AND WE CAN GET A GOOD BUSINESS PLAN TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.SO THERE'S NOTHING RESTRICTING US FROM DOING IT, I GUESS.
YES, SIR. BECAUSE I MEAN, FOLKS ARE LIVING PRINCE GEORGE, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M ON DOMINION.
WHEN AM I GOING TO GET IT? SO, YEAH.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE, YOU ALLUDED TO IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WHEN WILL RULE BAND BE ABLE TO COMPETE IN AREAS LIKE WHERE COMCAST IS, LIKE WHERE I LIVE, COMCAST, I WOULD PREFER BEING A PRINCE GEORGE RESIDENT TO SPEND MY MONEY ON PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY BUSINESSES.
BECAUSE THAT'S OUR PROMISE TO OUR ELECTRIC MEMBERS.
IT'S REALLY HARD FOR AN OUTSIDE ENTITY TO COME IN AND COMPETE WITH AN INCUMBENT PROVIDER.
THAT'S THE TAKE RATES AS WE SEE NOW IN PRINCE GEORGE, 2%.
AND THEN THUS, YOU KNOW, NOW THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO WHERE IT'S NOT A COMPETE ANYMORE.
IT'S NOW LISTED AS UNDERSERVED.
SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO THOSE AREAS.
WE WE DIDN'T START IT TO GO COMPETE OR TO BE A COMCAST OR A VERIZON FOR THAT MATTER.
BUT WE WILL START. I KNOW THAT'S A LONG ANSWER, MR. BROWN, BUT COME THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL BE IN SOME COMCAST AREAS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SERVED.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR.
I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO WHAT MR. BROWN SAID. IT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION IF HE HADN'T ASKED.
I'VE BEEN A FIRST CHOICE ELECTRIC CUSTOMER ALL MY LIFE, AND I MOVED OVER THERE AND I SAID, WHAT'S THE DEAL? I CAN JUST ABOUT SEE MY HOUSE.
I ASKED HIM, WAS THERE SOMETHING HE COULD DO? AND HE SAID DEFINITELY NOT.
SO AND THAT'S THE SAME SITUATION YOU ARE WITH WITH COMCAST AND YOU FOLKS AT THIS TIME ALSO.
SO I AGREE WITH WHAT MR. BROWN SAID. THE SOONER THE BETTER.
YES, SIR. WELL, MR. HUNTER, THE ONE GOOD THING IS NOW WE CAN GO TO THOSE AREAS.
AND JUST LIKE YOURSELF BEING A DOMINION CUSTOMER, WE DO NEED HELP IDENTIFYING WHERE THOSE AREAS ARE AT BECAUSE WE WE JUST DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO COMCAST DOESN'T PUBLISH A TERRITORY MAP.
BUT IF WE KNOW ABOUT IT, I KNOW OFF OF ROUTE TEN WE'VE EXTENDED A LOT OF PLACES TO GET TO DOMINION ENERGY CUSTOMERS JUST BECAUSE THEY SAW WHAT'S IN THE FIELD AND THEY CAME UP TO US AND SAID, HEY, WE DON'T HAVE IT.
WE SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TO POST TO AND WE'LL BRING IT TO YOU, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
SO AS LONG AS WE KNOW ABOUT IT, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD AT MAKING PLANS TO GET THERE.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR, BECAUSE IF WE PUT THE WORD OUT YOU.
WELL, MR. BROWN, YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN REAL QUICK WHERE THE UNSERVED HERE FOR THAT REASON DOES GO BACK TO THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A CHEAP PROPOSITION.
BUT SOMEBODY ACROSS THE ROAD THAT WAS ON DOMINION COULDN'T GET IT.
SO I MEAN IF WE START IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CLOSE BY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM DO HAVE THEM NOW THEY GET NOT NOW THEY DO HAVE IT AVAILABLE AND. FULL TRANSPARENCY, WE FACE THE BIG BATTLE WITH OUR MEMBERSHIP SAYING WHY ARE YOU GOING TO SERVE A DOMINION HOUSE BEFORE WE SERVE THE PRINCE GEORGE WHITE HOUSE? AND THAT'S THAT WAS A REAL, REAL THING FOR US.
BUT WE STILL ARE HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO AND AND THAT'S HOW WE STRUCTURED.
[00:30:02]
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR.YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU BOARD. THANK YOU.
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR GOOD RELATIONSHIP IN THE FUTURE.
NEXT IS A DISCUSSION OF A NEW POSITION FOR YEAR 23.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. STOKE AND MR. WHITTEN.
I'M COMING BEFORE YOU TO DISCUSS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A POSITION CONTROL CHART CHANGE FOR FY 23 FOR A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
THE BOARD DID INCLUDE AS ONE OF ITS STRATEGIC GOALS IN HIRING A DEDICATED PIO.
THE POSITION IS PROPOSED AT A GRADE OF 317 WITH A SALARY RANGE OF 56,484 TO 90,374.
THE POSITION ADDITIONS WOULD REQUIRE MODIFICATIONS TO THIS YEAR'S CONTROL CHART.
WE ARE LOOKING TO ADVERTISE AND HIRE FOR THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND IT IS PROJECTED TO BE FUNDED FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND CONTINGENCY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
YEAH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT YOUR QUESTIONS, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.
I TAKE THAT TO BE A GOOD ANSWER TO YOU.
THANK YOU. AND WE'LL JUST NEED TO ADD IT DURING THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA TO OUR AGENDA.
THE NEXT IS A DISCUSSION OF DEPUTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR POSITION FOR F Y 23.
THE RAPID POPULATION GROWTH IN PRINCE GEORGE FAR EXCEEDS THAT OF THE UVA CALCULATIONS.
AND WITH THAT COMES INCREASED CONSTRUCTION, BUSINESS TRAFFIC AND CALLS FOR SERVICE.
ONE AREA THAT'S OFTEN OVERLOOKED IS THE NEED AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS PREPARING AND MAINTAINING OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONS TO PLAN, PREPARE AND RESPOND TO CRITICAL INCIDENTS AT ALL OF ALL SIZES. AS THE NUMBER AND SEVERITY OF EMERGENCIES, PANDEMICS AND DISASTERS GROW IN OUR COMMUNITY, SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND ACROSS THE NATION, SO DOES THE NEED FOR PRINCE GEORGE TO STRENGTHEN OUR TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS.
DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, OUR DEPUTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WAS PLACED IN A VITAL ROLE THAT WAS UNABLE TO BE FILLED BY OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WORKING COUNTLESS HOURS, ASSISTING IN SETTING UP AND PROVIDING TESTING LOCATIONS, ATTENDING NUMEROUS MEETINGS AND NETWORKING TO ENSURE THAT THERE WERE PROPER MEDICAL SUPPLIES ON HAND. MR. HUNTER APPLIED FOR GRANTS, COORDINATED EFFORTS TO PROVIDE VACCINES THAT AIDED IN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE POSITION COORDINATED, ORGANIZED AND TRAINED OVER 35 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CERT TEAM.
BY DOING THIS, WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, MITIGATION, RECOVERY, AND THE INCREASE OF POTENTIAL FEDERAL GRANTS AND DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS. THIS POSITION IS CURRENTLY ON THE POSITION CONTROL CHART AS PART TIME AND IS PARTIALLY FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT.
WITH THE RECENT UPCOMING RESIGNATION FROM THE POSITION CURRENTLY HELD BY MR. HUNTER. WE ARE SEEKING PERMISSION TO BRING THIS BACK TO THE BOARD AT ITS AUGUST MEETING.
AS A POSITION CONTROL CHART CHANGE.
IT'S CURRENTLY ON THE POSITION CONTROL CHART AS A 0.5, WHICH IS A PERMANENT PART TIME POSITION.
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE IT FULL TIME.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS? NO, I'M FINE WITH AUGUST.
NO, MR. HUNTER WAS GOING FULL TIME.
HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE RETIRED FROM THE PART TIME.
[00:35:02]
OH, HE WOULD HAVE. HE'S A VRS RETIREE.YOU'RE ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO BRING IT BACK IN AUGUST? YES, MA'AM. PERMISSION GRANTED.
I'M GOOD. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.
NEXT IS A DISCUSSION OF RECLASSIFICATION, OF ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION TO PLANNING AND ZONING.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MR. STOKE. MR. WHITTEN.
BEHIND TAB FOUR IN YOUR PACKET TONIGHT IS A ISSUE ANNOUNCE FORM FOR A REQUEST TO RECLASSIFY A CURRENT POSITION IN THE PLANNING AND ZONING DIVISION FROM ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2 TO A PLANNING AND ZONING TECHNICIAN. AND AT TONIGHT'S WORK SESSION, I WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW WITH YOU WHAT THE REQUEST IS, WHY, WHY STAFF IS REQUESTING IT AND WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
THE CURRENT ADMIN SUPPORT VACANCY IN THE PLANNING AND ZONING DIVISION IS ACTUALLY DUE TO A RECENT PROMOTION FROM THAT DUTIES TO THESE CDCC OFFICE MANAGER.
IT GAVE STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO REASSESS THE NEEDS OF THE DIVISION AND LOOKING AT THE VACANCY THAT WE HAD AND THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THAT THE PLANNING DIVISION ACTUALLY NEEDED AT THE CURRENT TIME.
THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE POSITION BE LOOKED AT TO RECLASSIFY BACK TO A TECHNICAL POSITION, WHICH DOES ENCOMPASS SOME ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES AS WELL.
AND THE POSITION IN THE PAST HAS BEEN CLASSED AS A PLANNING TECHNICIAN, NOT ONLY HELPING THE PLANNERS WITH TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THEIR JOB, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO HAVE MORE IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL CONVERSATIONS WITH CUSTOMERS AT THE COUNTER, BEING ABLE TO ASSIST WITH CASE DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS HELP WITH ONGOING LONG RANGE PLANNING PROJECTS THAT WE ARE STRAINING TO ADDRESS AT THIS TIME RIGHT NOW WITH OUR CURRENT WORKLOADS AND OUR CASELOADS.
THIS CHART IS FROM OUR ANNUAL REPORT THAT WAS DONE IN AT THE END OF DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, AND IT SHOWS THE STEADY INCREASE OF TOTAL PLANNING PROJECTS OVER THE YEAR.
AND WHILE WE DO HAVE TWO STAFF, TWO FULL TIME PLANNERS, I DO COUNT MYSELF AS A HALF PLANNER AS WELL, SPREADING MYSELF THROUGH THE FOUR DIVISIONS THAT I DO OVERSEE.
I DO DEVOTE MOST OF MY ATTENTION TO THE PLANNING.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE HAD THAT A BIG JUMP FROM 2020 TO 2021.
SO I WANTED TO LOOK AT WHAT IS OUR CURRENT TREND? THIS CHART HERE IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT COVERS ALL TYPES OF PLANNING PROJECTS, SOME THAT MAY ONLY TAKE US A COUPLE OF HOURS TO COMPLETE, AND SOME OF OUR CASELOAD CAN TAKE US 40 TO 60 HOURS TO COMPLETE.
I WANTED TO CONCENTRATE ON MY YEAR TO DATE COMPARISON TO THE MAJOR APPLICATIONS THINGS LIKE LARGE SITE PLANS, REZONING, SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, THE THINGS THAT ARE TAKING A LOT OF STAFF RESOURCES TO HOPEFULLY IMPART TO YOU THE WORKLOAD INCREASES IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR VERSUS THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF LAST YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN THESE MAJOR APPLICATIONS AND WE'RE ON TRACK TO HIGH HAVING OUR HIGHEST VOLUME SINCE WE BEGAN TRACKING. AND THE ITEMS THAT TAKE US THE MOST TIME.
WE'VE SEEN A 250% INCREASE IN 150% INCREASE.
SO THIS TO OVERVIEW THIS POSITION.
WELL, THAT WOULD NOW BE CALLED A PLANNING AND ZONING TECHNICIAN.
THEY WOULD HAVE A PLANNING BACKGROUND.
THEY WOULD HAVE TECHNICAL SKILLS.
[00:40:03]
FOR BOTH THE BCA AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND ALSO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH OUR COUNTER INQUIRIES.I WOULD CROSS TRAIN SOME OF THE PERMIT TECHS TO DO SOME OTHER BASIC ADMIN SUPPORT FOR THE PLANNING DIVISION THAT THIS POSITION MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ENCOMPASS, BUT IS A GOOD MIX OF SKILL SETS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE INCREASES IN THE WORKLOAD EFFICIENTLY AND GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS VACANCY AND PUT THE RIGHT RESOURCES IN PLACE.
THE FY 23 BUDGET IMPACT FOR THIS YEAR WOULD BE 15,939 SALARY AND BENEFITS AND FUTURE BUDGET IMPACT WOULD BE 19,000.
AND THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE PROJECTED BETWEEN WHAT AN ADMIN SUPPORT SPECIALIST'S SALARY WOULD BE AND THE A PLANNING AND ZONING TECHNICIAN WOULD BE.
WE ARE NOT ASKING TO INCREASE OUR POSITIONS OR ADD ANY NEW JOBS.
WE ARE JUST ASKING TO CHANGE THIS POSITION BACK TO SOMETHING SIMILAR THAT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
NO INCREASE IN AUTHORIZED POSITIONS FOR THE DEFENSE DIVISION.
AND AGAIN, THE TOTAL IMPACTS AND MY REQUEST TONIGHT IS IF THE BOARD WOULD CONSIDER SIMILAR TO THE PIO REQUEST FROM MS. HURT TO CONSIDER ADDING THIS POSITION CHANGE TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS AN ITEM THAT IF FOUND FAVORABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADVERTISE FOR THIS VACANCY AND LOOK FORWARD TO A POTENTIAL HOPEFULLY BY SEPTEMBER 1ST START DATE. BE HAPPY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
MISS HURT IS HERE WELL TO SUPPORT ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
I GOT ONE. WHERE IS IT 15 NINE COMING FROM? WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE EXPENDITURE INCREASE.
GENERAL FUND. MS. DREWRY HAD INCLUDED THAT IN THE ISSUE.
YES. HOWEVER, WE ARE A RECOVERY DIVISION.
WE DO CHARGE FEE. SO THERE IS SOME RECOVERY? NOT MUCH, BUT THERE IS RECOVERY.
MS. WALTON, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE PLANNED TO HAVE A FULL TOP DOWN REVIEW OF OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. AND SO.
I GUESS MY CONCERN IS KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THAT PENDING.
THE PIECE I'M STRUGGLING WITH A LITTLE BIT IS BECAUSE WE SEEM TO DO A LOT OF WILL ELIMINATE THIS WE'LL RENAME SOMETHING AND THEN SIX, EIGHT, TEN MONTHS LATER IT COMES BACK WHERE WE'RE READY TO ADD SOMETHING BACK.
AND I'M JUST MY ONLY CONCERN IS KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A TOP DOWN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE COMING.
YOU KNOW, THE RESULT OF THAT COULD BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION OF HOW TO REALIGN OR CLASSIFY JOBS OR WHATEVER. SO THAT THAT'S JUST MY ONLY RESERVATION RIGHT THIS MINUTE.
SO JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WHERE MY.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CONCERNS. DOES THE BOARD WISH TO ADD THIS TO THE AGENDA? I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE, HASN'T IT? SO IF YOU GET THREE PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO EDIT.
ALL RIGHT. PUT IT ON AND TALK ABOUT IT.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. STOKES, MR. WHITTEN.
[00:45:02]
SINCE I CAME ON BOARD WITH THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GARAGE EXPANSION AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT POSITION, THESE ARE MAJOR STEPS IN THE DIRECTION AND REDUCING THE OUTSOURCING OF VEHICLES CONSIDERABLY.ONE ISSUE THAT HAS BECOME EVIDENT IS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL HOURS OR MORE EACH DAY THAT THE SHOP AREA IS LEFT WITH NO GUIDANCE PROVISION WHILE I'M IN MEETINGS OR PERFORMING OTHER TASKS. THE GARAGE ALSO OPERATES ON TWO SHIFTS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HOURS FOR POLICE OFFICERS ON NIGHT SHIFT.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE EXPANSION.
THIS WILL CREATE SAFETY ISSUES.
IF THERE WERE AN ACCIDENT AND NO OTHER EMPLOYEE WERE IN THE AREA TO ASSIST A SUPERVISOR PRESENT AT ALL TIMES ON THE OPPOSITE SHIFT FROM THE FLEET MANAGER WILL ALSO ENSURE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES ARE STAYING ON TASK DURING ALL BUSINESS HOURS AND WILL PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY DURING THOSE HOURS.
THIS, IN TURN, HAS FAST TRACKED THIS REQUEST TO THE PRESENT.
DUE TO THE LACK OF SPACE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, WE WILL NOT HAVE SPACE IN THE SHOP FOR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS WHY I'M REQUESTING THE RECLASSIFICATION OF A CURRENT POSITION TO ASSUME THE SUPERVISOR DUTIES AS A WORKING SUPERVISOR.
WE WILL PLAN TO INCLUDE THE TECHNICIAN POSITIONS DURING THE FY 24 BUDGET.
HE HAS APPROXIMATELY 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD AND HAS WORKED TO TRAIN TECHNICIANS AND MECHANICS AND HAS THE ABILITY TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR EVERYTHING FROM ELECTRONICS TO SMALL ENGINES.
AUTOMOBILES AND BUILDS POLICE CARS.
THIS RESTRUCTURING WOULD ALLOW THE SUPERVISOR TO OVERSEE SHOP OPERATIONS AND ENSURE SHOP EFFICIENCY.
IT WILL ALSO HELP KEEP OTHER TECHNICIANS ON TASK, RESULTING IN HIGHER TECHNICIAN AND MECHANIC PRODUCTIVITY AND VEHICLE TURNAROUND TIME WILL BE REDUCED AND ALLOW THE ABILITY TO HAVE A SUPERVISOR'S PRESENCE DURING TIMES WHERE THE FLEET MANAGER IS OUT OF THE OFFICE OR WORKING ON HIGHER PRIORITY ITEMS. THE EXISTING APPARATUS TECHNICIAN IS A GRADE 311.
THE FLEET SUPERVISOR WOULD BE RECOMMENDED AS A GRADE 316.
WE HAVE PROVIDED A DRAFT JOB DESCRIPTION AND AN ISSUE AND ANALYSIS TO INCLUDE THE FISCAL IMPACT.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
I ALSO HAVE MR. SIMMONS AND MS..
HURT AVAILABLE IF ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ARE NEEDED.
COMMENTS. I THINK HE HAD A QUESTION.
YES, MA'AM, I GOT ONE. WHEN YOU STATE WORKING SUPERVISORS AT SHORT TERM, IS THAT GOING TO BE A LONG TERM, LONG TERM? AND THIS IS WHERE THIS CONTINGENCY ALSO.
YES, SIR. YOUR ADOPTED GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY FOR FY 23.
THE NEW FISCAL YEAR IS JUST OVER 725,000.
SO WE'RE STARTING THE YEAR QUITE HEALTHY WITH CONTINGENCY AND THAT WOULD BE THE SOURCE.
IT'S ALL. YOU'RE ASKING PERMISSION TO BRING THIS BACK IN AUGUST? YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT.
YOU HAVE PERMISSION? I'M FINE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THAT'S THE END OF THE WORK SESSION.
SO I CALL A RECESS UNTIL 7:00.
YOU GOT TO HIT IT HARDER THAN THAT.
TURN YOUR OR CALL THE BOARD BACK TO ORDER.
[INVOCATION]
WE WILL NOW HAVE OUR BOARD'S INVOCATION.HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU THIS EVENING JUST TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO ASSEMBLE ONCE AGAIN TO HANDLE THE MATTERS OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
[00:50:01]
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU WATCH OVER EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.ALLOW US TO WORK TOGETHER TO HANDLE THE BUSINESS OF THIS COUNTY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ALSO ASK YOU TO WATCH OVER OUR FIRE, OUR EMS, OUR POLICE, ALL OF OUR CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS COUNTY. AND HEAVENLY FATHER, LET US WORK TOGETHER IN A HARMONIOUS WAY TO DEAL WITH EACH OF THE SITUATIONS AS THEY COME UP TONIGHT.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK ALL THIS IN YOUR NAME.
AMEN. WE'LL NOW HAVE A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WOULD YOU LEAVE US, MR. WEBB? THANK YOU. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
DO WE HAVE PEOPLE SIGNED UP? MRS. KNOTT? YES, MADAM CHAIR.STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU'LL HAVE 4 MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I LIVE AT 1204 60 PRINCE GEORGE DRIVE.
I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THE PROPOSAL FOR GUN RANGES FOR SETTING UP TARGET SHOOTING IN YOUR OWN YARD.
THIS IS ON THE BASIS OF AT 300 FEET IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, 300 FEET FROM EVERYTHING.
IN TERMS OF ACREAGE, TWO ACRES IS 300 FOOT PER SIDE.
NOW, ASSUMING YOUR TARGET IS 100 YARDS AWAY, WHICH IS STANDARD FOR A RIFLE, THAT'S ANOTHER 300 FOOT.
SO NOW WE'RE TALKING 12 ACRES.
SO I BROKE THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT BY OUR POPULATION.
WE HAVE 96,000 ACRES IN PRINCE GEORGE AND 43,000 PEOPLE.
92% OF THE POPULATION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES, AND THAT'S UNDER THE STIPULATION OF A PERFECT 12 ACRE RECTANGLE. SO I'M ASKING THAT WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS OR AT LEAST LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS BECAUSE THEY'RE RIDICULOUS.
DO YOU WANT TO ISOLATE 92% OF THE POPULATION TO NEVER BE ABLE TO TARGET SHOOT IN THE YARD AGAIN? THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MS. LAYLA MYERS.
LAYLA MYERS, DISPUTANTA, VIRGINIA.
SO I'M SPEAKING ON HIS BEHALF.
AND HE ASKED YOU TO LIMIT SUCH PRACTICE.
HE NEVER MENTIONED ANY ACTUAL INJURY TO ANY PERSON OR ANY PROPERTY.
THE MAIN THING THAT COMPLAINANT IS UNHAPPY WITH IS NOISE.
TO MANY OF US, THAT'S THE SOUND OF LIBERTY.
THAT NOISE YOU CALL THE SOUND OF LIBERTY.
I NEVER HEARD GROWING UP IN A TOTALITARIAN SOVIET UNION SOCIALISM DICTATORSHIP.
TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW IT.
THE NOISE ISSUE IS BEST WORKED OUT BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORS.
SHOOTING IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHT AND RESPONSIBLE FIREARM OWNERSHIP.
PART TARGET SHOOTING IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF RECKLESSNESS.
YOU PRACTICE TO IMPROVE YOUR ACCURACY TO MAKE SURE YOUR SHOT HITS THE INTENDED TARGET.
EVERYONE WHO OWNS A FIREARM IS ADVISED TO PRACTICE TARGET SHOOTING REGULARLY.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE ONE THING YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS TO MAKE ANY DECISION BASED ON MISREPRESENTED FACTS.
[00:55:03]
FACT THE TRAGEDY IN CHESTERFIELD EIGHT YEARS AGO DID NOT DEAL WITH TARGET SHOOTING.IT WAS A CELEBRATORY SHOT FIRED IN THE AIR ON THE 4TH OF JULY.
TRAGICALLY, THE BULLET CAME DOWN AND KILLED THE CHILD.
AND I HOPE THAT SOMEDAY THE GUILTY PERSON WILL BE FOUND AND PROSECUTED.
NOR SHOULD WE ALL BE FEAR DRIVEN TO JUST DO SOMETHING WHERE THERE IS NO PROBLEM? I URGE YOU NOT TO RESTRICT RESIDENTS FROM EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY BASED ON SUCH OUTLIER CASES.
IT IS THE RURAL SETTING WHY MANY OF US CHOOSE TO LIVE IN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
IN SUMMARY, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SHOOTING SAFELY IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY ON THEIR PROPERTY FOR YEARS.
LET'S PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MR. WILLIAM BROOKS.
I STAND HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY? IN A SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY COUNTY.
WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO BE LIKE THOSE AREAS.
WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE SOMEONE IN SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR GUNSHOTS.
I DON'T WANT TO HEAR HELICOPTERS FROM FORT LEE FLYING OVER TOP.
I DON'T WANT TO HEAR NOISE FROM DIFFERENT FACTORIES.
I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THE RANDOM AIR RAID SIREN GOING OFF AT RANDOM TIMES.
THE NOISE IS BEING MADE ON EM, SO IT'S NOT MY BUSINESS.
WHAT ABOUT FORT LEE AND FORT PICKETT WHEN THEY START SHOOTING? ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? GOVERNMENT THEY CAN'T SHOOT AND TO STOP BECAUSE IT'S DISTURBING THE PEACE.
WHERE IS THE PROOF THAT THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY THAT THERE'S BEEN ANY NEGLECT IN TARGET SHOOTING SAFELY? HOW ABOUT LET'S STAY ON TASK FOR PRINCE GEORGE AND STOP TRYING TO MAKE THIS A CITY AND FOCUS ON FIXING OUR SCHOOLS AND TAXES? IF YOU WANT SIGNATURES, WE HAVE SIGNATURES.
JUST SAY WHEN. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER SIGNED UP? YES, MADAM CHAIR. KEVIN FOSTER.
MADAM CHAIRMAN. KEVIN FOSTER, 138 HOLLEY BERRY LANE.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION IF I COULD APPROACH THE BOARD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MR. WHITTEN. MR. STEWART.
I WISH TO SPEAK TO YOU ON AN ORDER OF BUSINESS YOU HAVE TONIGHT THAT IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.
812 PROPOSED REVISIONS FOR GRIEVANCE.
[01:00:03]
A COUPLE OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT TO YOU.I DO NOT BELIEVE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE PLACED ON PROBATION FOR NONCOMPLIANCE DUE TO MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS AT THEIR STATIONS SHOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THIS GRIEVANCE POLICY. THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED BY THE LEADERSHIP AND THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S NOT SPELLED OUT IN THE VOLUNTEER SECTION IS WHO ULTIMATELY DECIDES ON THE FAILURE OF EACH PARTY TO COMPLY WITH ALL SUBSTANTIAL PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES? THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND COUNTY ATTORNEY ARE ALL NOTIFIED.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT SPELLED OUT IN THE VOLUNTEER SECTION.
WITNESSES TO A GRIEVANCE PANEL HEARING ARE MOST OFTEN THE KEY TO RESOLVING THE GRIEVANCE.
THE COUNTY AND THE GRIEVANCE SHOULD HAVE SOME WAY TO HOLD WITNESSES ACCOUNTABLE TO TESTIFY, RATHER THAN JUST REFUSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND JUST REFUSE TO SHOW UP WHEN ASKED.
IT'S NOT FAIR FOR EITHER SIDE, THE COUNTY OR THE GRIEVANCE.
SINCE WE HAVE A COMBINED SYSTEM IN PRINCE GEORGE, I BELIEVE THAT THE VOLUNTEER SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE THE FIREFIGHTER AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN PROCEDURAL GUARANTEE ACT IN SECTION 9.1.3 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
THIS SHOULD BE REFERENCED IN OUR VOLUNTEER GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK? NO, MA'AM. THAT'S ALL THAT I HAD SIGNED UP? YES. DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO COME FORWARD? HELLO, EVERYONE. COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME? I'M MARLON DANCE.
I LIVE AT 385 OLD KESWICK LANE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY.
I'M A LIFELONG GUN OWNER, GUN ADVOCATE.
I OWN A STORE, DANCE, SPORTING GOODS.
THERE HAS BEEN ZERO PROBLEMS OTHER THAN A COMPLAINT FROM ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ALL THE TIME IN ANYTHING.
WE HAVE A NOISE ORDINANCE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THIS PROBLEM.
SO I THINK AS IT STANDS, WE SHOULD LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? YES, SIR. SCOTT CAMPBELL, 18 130 SOUTH CRATER ROAD, SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, VIRGINIA.
MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE BEEN UP HERE MORE IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS THAN I'VE BEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
TONIGHT, I GOT THREE THINGS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
FIRST IS THE GRIEVANCE POLICY.
MR. WEBB, YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE GRIEVANCE POLICY WHEN YOU GOT OUR VOLUNTEERS ON IT, WERE YOU NOT? YES, SIR. YOU WERE COMMITTED TO IT? YES, SIR. YOU LOOKED OUT FOR US.
ONCE AGAIN, THESE FOLKS, THE SAME EXACT THING GOING ON HERE WITH THIS GUN THING.
YOU KNOW, I COMMEND THAT YOU ALL PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER.
I WISH YOU ALL HAD DONE THAT FOR US.
VOLUNTEERS FOR THE GRIEVANCE POLICY.
THE COUNTY ORDINANCE THE SAME WAY.
MR. BROWN, YOU TOLD ONE OF MY MEMBERS TODAY THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH HIM.
WELL, THAT'S THE FARTHEST FROM THE TRUTH.
I SAT IN A MEETING WITH MR. STOKES. MR. STOKES, AND I ASKED MR. STOKES, MR. CARMICHAEL ASKED HIM TO MAKE IT EASY TO READ.
MR. STOKES TO BE ABLE TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES.
[01:05:02]
HE HASN'T BEEN TO ONE OF MY FIRE MEETINGS.WE HAVE NO AVENUE BUT TO COME UP HERE AND VOICE OUR FRUSTRATIONS ONCE AGAIN.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, I AM WILLIAM STEELE.
I LIVE IN 19921 DISPUTANTA GOD'S COUNTRY.
SORRY. JUST BE COUNT AS GOD'S COUNTRY.
NOW SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
FIRST OF ALL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, DURING OUR STRATEGIC MEETINGS, WE HAVE PUBLIC INPUT.
AND THE TOP PRIORITY IN THAT PUBLIC INPUT WAS BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT, MR. STOKES AND HIS OFFICE AND NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
WE HAVE GOTTEN WITH OUR COMMUNITY IN DISPUTANTA.
CAN WE TAKE STEPS TO BRIDGE THAT GAP? WE MEET WITH MR. BROWN ONCE A MONTH AND WE DISCUSS THESE PROBLEMS WITH MR. BROWN. SO I WANTED TO THANK MR. BROWN PUBLICLY FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH US AND DISCUSS ALL CURRENT EVENTS IN THE COUNTY WITH US AND INVITE ANYBODY TO JOIN US.
AND OF COURSE, ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND.
ITEM NUMBER TWO, MADAM CHAIRMAN, AS YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD IS KNOWN TO BE THE HIGHEST TAXING BOARD IN THAT HAS PASSED A BUDGET SINCE AT LEAST FISCAL YEAR 218 WHEN I STARTED MONITORING THIS.
YOU JUST PASSED THE LARGEST BUDGET IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY.
THE STATE HAS ELIMINATED ITS PORTION EFFECTIVE JANUARY OF 23.
THIRD AND FINAL, AGAIN SPENDING.
BOARD PLEASE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT STOP INCREASING THIS GOVERNMENT.
WE WANT TO PUT IN A PIO WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS A PIO, WHEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A PIO OR IT HAS A PERSON THAT DOES THAT, SURELY WE CAN COMBINE AND SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY.
FOLKS, YOU ARE KILLING US WITH THE TAX BILL.
WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO REDUCE THAT.
SOME ATTEMPT TO TRY TO REDUCE THAT BILL.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU SIR. [APPLAUSE] IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK? GOOD EVENING, BOARD. PHILLIP HUGH, I LIVE AT 4813 TAGUS ROAD.
I CAME UP HERE THREE MONTHS AGO TO DISCUSS THE ADVISORY BOARD.
THEY HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
THEY CAN SPEAK, GET THINGS OFF THEIR CHEST.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT HASN'T BEEN DONE, BUT IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
AND THAT'S NOT TAKING PLACE UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.
ALSO, I AM AGAINST THE 2A POLICY THAT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR I OWN 11 ACRES AT MY RESIDENCE AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TARGET, SHOOT OR DEER HUNT. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SUE BARGER.
I LIVE ON CONTINENTAL FORCE DRIVE.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE IGNORE THEIR RIGHTS.
THEY DON'T OWN A GUN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO OWN A GUN BUT KNOW HOW TO USE ONE, HOW TO HANDLE ONE.
YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW OUR RIGHTS, TO EXERCISE OUR RIGHTS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T DO THAT.
THEY DON'T TEACH THEIR KIDS ABOUT GUNS.
[01:10:06]
WITH THEM ABOUT GUNS.I'D LIKE TO TIE THAT WITH TODAY ABOUT THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND THE TARGET SHOOTING.
WE'VE GOT TO PRACTICE OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
WE'VE GOT TO KNOW HOW TO USE THAT GUN.
WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THAT PRACTICE UP.
NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK? GOOD EVENING, FOLKS. GOOD EVENING.
BUT Y'ALL NEED TO CONSIDER WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS COUNTY.
I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE THE SIXTIES.
THE MILITARY TAUGHT ME TO SHOOT.
I'VE TAUGHT MY GRANDKIDS TO SHOOT.
MOST OF IT WAS DONE IN THE BACK YARD.
I CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TO NO RANGE.
AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE CAN'T EITHER.
WE CAN'T EVEN AFFORD TO BUY HIM ON THERE.
YOU CAN'T HUNT BECAUSE THERE'S NO LAND LEFT.
AND YOU CAN'T HEAR THE GUNSHOTS.
I'VE GOT AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE AROUND ME TO SHOOT ROUTINELY.
I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE, BUT I KNOW THEY SHOOT.
I KNOW WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
I CAN TELL WHAT THEY'RE SHOOTING.
IT'S GETTING HARD TO BUY THE MARBLE TO SHOOT THE DAMN SLINGSHOT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A BACKUP HERE.
WE GOT A DAD GONE GOOD COUNTY HERE.
OUR RIGHTS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY.
AND PEOPLE ARE SITTING ON THEIR BUTTS JUST WATCHING TV.
I'M SORRY, BUT I'M GETTING A LITTLE TIRED OF SEEING US WALKED ON.
MOST OF US DON'T DO ANYTHING WRONG.
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GETTING THE HAND SLAPPED AND TURNED BACK OUT TO DO IT AGAIN.
OUR LAWS ARE GETTING SCREWED UP.
OUR COURTS ARE GETTING SCREWED UP AND OUR PEOPLE ARE GETTING SCREWED UP.
AND I NEED TO GET OFF OF HERE BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE.
Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. [APPLAUSE] MADAM CHAIR, I NEED A NAME AND ADDRESS OF THAT GENTLEMAN.
SIR, WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS? IS THERE ANYONE ELSE NOW WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I LIVE AT 10908 IRONWOOD DRIVE.
THE AS A FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN BORN AND RAISED IN NEW JERSEY, I FIND IT HARD THAT WE'RE SITTING HERE LISTENING TO A COMPLAINT FROM A VERY SMALL POPULACE OF THIS COUNTY. 20 YEARS IN THE MILITARY TRAVELED THE WORLD TRAVELED THE UNITED STATES, DECIDED TO SETTLE HERE IN PRINCE GEORGE NOW TO SEE THE SAME THING THAT IS GOING ON BACK IN NEW JERSEY. ALL THE RESTRICTIONS.
NOW WE'RE STARTING TO DO THE SAME THING HERE.
WHY WOULD FOLKS WANT TO COME TO PRINCE GEORGE IF WE'RE GOING TO START ACTING LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND US? WE'RE NOT D.C.
WE'RE NOT THESE OTHER LARGE COUNTIES.
WE NEED TO KEEP PRINCE GEORGE PRINCE GEORGE.
THANK YOU, SIR. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
I LIVE AT 9897 HINES ROAD IN DISPUTANTA.
I OWN 12 ACRES OUT THERE BY PLEASANT GROVE.
[01:15:05]
I USE THAT TO TEACH MY KIDS AND MY FRIENDS, KIDS AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS HOW TO RESPECTFULLY HANDLE AND DISCHARGE FIREARMS. I USE ALL THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY MEASURES WITH BERMS AND BACKSTOPS, STEEL TARGETS.MOST PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY AROUND ME THAT TARGET SHOOT NOWADAYS ABOUT THE ONLY THING WE CAN TARGET SHOOT WITH IS A RIM FIRE 22 LONG RIFLE, WHICH MAKES VERY LITTLE NOISE WHATSOEVER. I'D HATE TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPENED TO WHERE FOLKS LIKE ME THAT WERE RAISED WITH FIREARMS AND TAUGHT THE RIGHT WAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TEACHING THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO RESPECT AND HANDLE FIREARMS CORRECTLY.
[APPLAUSE] IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? GOOD EVENING, BOARD. JOHN BRUSCHETTA, 110 PINE TREE COURT HERE IN PRINCE GEORGE.
ORIGINALLY, I'M FROM NEW YORK.
BUT I REALLY WAS DRAWN TO THE PRINCE GEORGE AREA BECAUSE OF THE SANCTION OR THE SANCTUARY THAT IT WAS FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND TO SEE IT COME UNDER FIRE HERE.
IT KIND OF REMINDS ME A LITTLE BIT OF BEING IN NEW YORK TO HAVE TO KIND OF WORRY AND WONDER ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR TRAINING IN AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
YOU KNOW, BEING A PROPERTY OWNER HERE.
BUT IT'S JUST IT'S TERRIBLE IF THIS MOTION WENT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ALSO, TOO, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I WAS IN HISTORY CLASS, BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, I THINK THE PART OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT THERE IS THE LAST PART IS SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT.
I LIVE AT 9230 COUNTY DRIVE, DISPUTANTA.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO AT LEAST BRING TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION IS THAT WITH THE POLICY THAT I HAVE SEEN THUS FAR, AND PERHAPS I HAVEN'T SEEN THE DETAILED VERSION OF IT, THERE APPEARS TO BE A LIST OF EXEMPTIONS FOR DWELLINGS AND SO FORTH.
IF IT'S YOUR OWN PERSONAL PROPERTY.
SO THE 12 ACRES, ETC., THAT PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION IS A VALID CONCERN.
BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PROPOSAL STATES.
HOWEVER, ALL OF THOSE THINGS BEING WHAT THEY ARE, THERE IS AN ASPECT OF THIS WHERE WHY BOTHER WITH THE LAW IN THE FIRST PLACE? IF WE HAVE TO HAVE A LIST OF EXEMPTIONS THAT INFRINGES ONLY ON JUST A FEW PEOPLE THAT OWN ONE OR TWO ACRES AT A TIME, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE DRASTICALLY AFFECTED BY THIS.
WE'RE ESSENTIALLY GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS JUST TO ENACT A LAW THAT IS NOT NECESSARY.
IF THE FEAR IS SAFETY FOR NEGLIGENT USE OF A FIREARM, THAT LAW ALREADY EXISTS.
THERE'S ALREADY RAMIFICATIONS AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION OF NEGLIGENT USE AND SO FORTH.
SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AN UNNECESSARY RULE IN LAW.
AND NOW THEY'RE BEING PUT IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
THERE'S NO NEED FOR ANY INVESTIGATION OR NEED FOR ANYTHING UNLESS THERE IS DAMAGE DONE.
[01:20:04]
YOU'RE PUTTING THE POLICE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE CONFRONTING A ARMED CITIZEN AND MOST POLICE ENCOUNTERS ARE THAT INVOLVE WITH VIOLENCE ARE VERY RARELY PREMEDITATED.A LOT OF TIMES IT'S PASSION, FRUSTRATION.
WHY ARE YOU AT MY HOUSE AND YOU GRAB A GUN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SECOND AMENDMENT.
SO THAT PUTS THEM AT HIGHER RISK.
AND THEN THE OTHER ASPECT OF IT AS WELL IS THAT THINK ABOUT THE SITUATION WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, GUYS.
THIS IS NOT A NORMAL AMERICA THESE DAYS.
I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AS USUAL HERE IN THIS BOARD, AND I LOVE SEEING THAT.
THAT'S DEMOCRACY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS WHEN THE REST OF US SHOWING UP HERE WITH AN ORANGE STICKER, WE HAVE CLEARLY MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE HERE AND A TON OF PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T MAKE IT TONIGHT BECAUSE NOBODY KNEW ABOUT THIS UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON, THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ASPECTS WHERE WE'RE MORE THAN TWO.
IF DEMOCRACY EXISTS, WE OUTVOTE THEM IN THAT REGARD.
AND SO I GUESS THE CONCERN HERE IS WE LIVE IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE SEEING THE SECOND AMENDMENT UNDER ATTACK ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND IF THE LAW DOESN'T EXIST ON THE BOOKS, THEN AS I SAID BEFORE, THE POLICE ARE NOT PUT IN A SITUATION AND WE THE PEOPLE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO EXERCISE OUR RIGHT AND GO FORWARD FROM THERE. BUT IF A LAW DOES EXIST NOW, IT PUTS THE POLICE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THEIR SAFETY.
WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING GOOD COMING FROM OUR GOVERNMENT, COMING FROM OUR NEWS, GO DOWN THE LIST.
THESE ARE NOT NORMAL AMERICAN TIMES THAT ALL OF US USED TO ENJOY.
IT'S A WASTE OF THE BOARD'S TIME.
[APPLAUSE] ANYONE ELSE LEFT WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.
IF NOT, THEN I CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[ADOPTION OF AGENDA ( Part 1 of 2)]
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US ADD ITEM A13, WHICH IS THE POSITION CONTROL CHART CHANGE ON THE PIO POSITION.
THAT WOULD BE A13 AND AN ADDITION OF A 14, WHICH WOULD BE THE POSITION CONTROL CHART CHANGE FOR THE FLEET SUPERVISOR.
THOSE TWO ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA.
AND WITH THAT, MADAM CHAIR, I'LL SECOND IT.
THANK YOU. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[ORDER OF CONSENSUS]
NEXT, WE HAVE THE ORDER OF CONSENSUS.IF NO ONE WISHES TO PULL ANYTHING OFF, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
WE ACCEPT AN ORDER OF CONSENSUS AS PRESENTED.
THE NEXT ITEM IS PRESENTATIONS AND THERE ARE NONE.
SO WE MOVE ON TO THE SUPERVISOR'S COMMENTS, AND I'LL START WITH MR.
[SUPERVISORS’ COMMENTS]
WEBB. THANK YOU.ALL RIGHT. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING TONIGHT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING AND ACTING ACCORDINGLY.
I KNOW THIS IS A PASSIONATE SITUATION.
IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE BLOWN UP LIKE THIS.
I'M NOT I WANT TO SAY THIS TWICE.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU WHERE I'M IN 100% SUPPORT OF THIS.
THIS IS NOT MEAN WHAT I'M GETTING READY TO SAY IS 100% IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
BUT WHAT YOU DON'T NOT HAVE IS I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD SEVEN YEARS AND IN SEVEN YEARS WE HAVE HAD THE BEST I CAN COUNT BECAUSE I'M NOT KEEPING TRACK OF IT AS I HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF THIS.
I OWN ONE. THE MILITARY, RIGHT ON.
[01:25:03]
AND THEY CALLED POLICE.OKAY. THAT IS NOT SMART GUN OWNERSHIP.
IT'S NOT GOOD HANDLING OF A WEAPON.
AND A LOT OF THE CASES IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS HAVE BEEN IT JUST EXACTLY THAT WE'VE GOTTEN PHOTOS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN BULLET HOLES IN THE GLASS IN THEIR HOUSE.
IT WAS TOO ROUND. BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE OR THERE.
COULD'VE BEEN A KID PLAYING WITH A B.B.
GUN. WHO THE HELL KNOWS? IT COULD BE, BUT MOST TIME WHEN A ROCK HITS, IT USUALLY DOESN'T PUT A PERFECTLY ROUND HOLE IN THE GLASS.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE THAT OR TRY TO JUSTIFY IT OR ANYTHING ELSE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO STATE THE RECORD CLEAR THAT WE HAVE GOT UMPTEEN PHONE CALLS.
IT'S NOT JUST THESE TWO PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT, SIR, IT'S NOT A DEBATE BACK AND FORTH.
I'M NOT I'M JUST MAKING A COMMENT.
AND PLEASE, I STATED UP FRONT I WAS NOT TRYING TO PROMOTE OR SUPPORT THIS.
I WAS TRYING TO GIVE YOU ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE WERE AWARE OF THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF.
SO WE DO NOT WIND UP HAVING TO SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF.
IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN SOMEWHERE.
YOU ALL MAY BE PERFECT AT EVERYTHING YOU DO THINK EVERYTHING YOU DO IS FINE.
WE'VE GOT CITIZENS THAT NEED TO BE EDUCATED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THINKING THAT WAY.
THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT THIS SITUATION TO UP TONIGHT.
IT'S WHAT'S ALMOST BROUGHT IT UP IN THE PAST.
ONE MORE TIME. I'M SAYING THIS BECAUSE THIS IS TJ SPEAKING.
I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THE BOARD.
I'M TELLING YOU, THERE'S ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO A SITUATION.
IT DOESN'T MAKE ONE RIGHT OR ONE WRONG.
IT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY. THANK YOU, MR. WEBB. MR. BROWN.
THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA IS SUPERVISOR COMMENTS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AS WELL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
APPRECIATE THAT YOU COME OUT AND VOICE YOUR OPINION AND MAKE YOUR OPINION HEARD.
I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE DEALT WITH SITUATIONS OVER THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, AND NONE OF THEM YET HAD COME TO THIS ABOUT MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT I'VE DEALT WITH SITUATIONS DOWN IN THE CARSON AREA, OFF OF LANSING ROAD, WHERE THE HOUSES ARE SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AND SOMEONE WALKING OUT ON THEIR BACK PORCH AND JUST SHOOTING OFF A GUN FOR HOURS WITH AN ELDERLY LADY THAT LIVED NEARBY THAT WAS JUST HORRIFIED.
AND IT WENT ON FOR DAYS AND FOR HOURS.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS TONIGHT, AND THIS IS AGAIN FROM MY COMMENT.
AND IT'S IT'S SAD WHEN I RECEIVE A CALL FROM MR. TRAYLOR TODAY BECAUSE HE FEELS THAT HE'S BEEN THREATENED WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE SENT HIM THINGS TO TELL HIM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RUN HIM OUT OF THIS COUNTY.
AND WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH WHAT HE ASKED ABOUT OR BROUGHT TO THE BOARD OR DISAGREE.
NONE OF US HAVE THE RIGHT TO FEEL INTIMIDATED OR THREATENED.
I'VE HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME BY COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE MADE JUST BY BEING A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD THAT I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT I COULD EVEN BE IN MY FRONT YARD AND WORK OR MY GRANDCHILDREN THAT LIVE NEXT DOOR.
[01:30:09]
AND CAME THROUGH MY SUNROOM WINDOW AND LANDED IN THE FLOOR IN MY KITCHEN.YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT'S IRRESPONSIBLE GUN USE.
HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE SMALL MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT TREATING EVERYBODY THE SAME BECAUSE THOSE THAT DON'T WANT TO HEAR GUNFIRE ALL DAY LONG ON A SUNDAY, THAT'S THEIR RIGHT AS WELL, THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT ON A SUNDAY OR THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT FOR SEVEN OR 8 HOURS IN A GIVEN DAY. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS, BUT I WILL AGREE WITH MR. WEBB. IT'S NOT JUST ONE OR TWO.
THAT'S NOT 40 SOME THOUSAND PEOPLE, THOUGH.
I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, MR. HUNTER. I CAN'T TOP WHAT'S BEEN SAID BY.
MR. WEBB AND MR. BROWN BUT YOU FOLKS THAT CAME HERE AND SHOWED RESPECT AND MOST OF YOU DID.
LIKE MR. BROWN SAID, THIS IS A SUPERVISOR'S COMMENT, NOT SOMETHING TO BE.
Y'ALL HAD YOUR RIGHT, YOUR TIME TO SPEAK.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY CONTROVERSIAL THINGS.
BUT I, TOO, BELIEVE THE MAJORITY OF THE PRINCE GEORGE PEOPLE SHOW DUE RESPECT TO GUN USAGE AND GUN LAWS AND JUST THE USE OF GUNS.
I WAS THE POLICEMAN HERE FOR 37 YEARS.
I, TOO, SAW A LOT OF MISUSE OF GUNS.
BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS THERE'S A SMALL SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT DO ABUSE OTHER PEOPLE'S RIGHTS, THAT DO THE RAPID FIRE.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T DO RAPID FIRE, BUT SOME PEOPLE JUST DO RAPID FIRE.
BUT ALL I'M SAYING IS JUST BE RESPECTFUL TO ONE ANOTHER, LIKE MR. BROWN SAID. MOST OF THESE THINGS CAN BE WORKED OUT.
IF YOU TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND TALK ABOUT IT.
LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID, IF YOU READ WHAT IT'S WRITTEN INTO IT, IF IT WAS WERE TO BE CONSIDERED, IT WOULDN'T AFFECT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE 300 FEET FROM YOUR PROPERTY LINE.
BUT AT ANY RATE, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND AND HAVING THEIR SAY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
THINK ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND HOW YOU'RE AFFECTING THEM.
AND IF YOU DO THAT, THEN THINGS WILL WORK OUT BETTER.
THANK YOU. OUR SUPERVISOR'S COMMENTS.
I'M SORRY, MADAM CHAIR, SINCE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE ADVERTISED AT 7:30.
ALL RIGHT, WE DO NEED TO GO TO THOSE.
OK. MADAM. MADAM CHAIR, JUST BEFORE WE DO THAT, I NEED TO MAKE ONE CLARIFICATION.
[ADOPTION OF AGENDA (Part 2 of 2)]
THE A14 THAT I ASKED TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA SHOULD BE FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING.I'M SORRY. NO, I DID NOT. I HAD SAID IT WAS FOR THE FLEET SUPERVISOR, BUT THAT'S IN AUGUST.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT THAT FOR, FOR THE AGENDA.
IS THAT OKAY? MR. THANK YOU, WHITTEN. DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT? SO DO I NEED TO GO BACK AND MAKE A DIFFERENT MOTION ON THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA TO MAKE IT CORRECT? I'M ASKING. YES, WE WOULD NEED TO AMEND THAT MOTION.
MADAM CHAIR, IF I'M IN ORDER, I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA THAT A13 WOULD BE THE PIO POSITION AND A14 WOULD BE THE PLANNING AND ZONING TECH.
THANK YOU. AND I SECOND FOR A VOTE FOR CLARIFICATION.
[01:35:08]
IT'S NOW TIME, PAST TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING.[PUBLIC HEARINGS]
PUBLIC HEARING P1, SECONDARY ROAD ABANDONMENT.GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. STOKE, MR. WHITTEN.
THIS EVENING, UNDER TAB 25, IS A REQUEST FROM VDOT TO ABANDON A ROAD SEGMENT OF COMMUNITY LANE.
AND THIS EVENING, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A SHORT PRESENTATION ON THE REQUEST.
AND MS. CRYSTAL SMITH WITH VDOT IS ALSO HERE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
VDOT HAS IDENTIFIED A SEGMENT OF COMMUNITY LANE BASED ON SOME RECENT NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA THAT THEY HAVE RECOMMENDED FOR ABANDONMENT. THIS ACTION WOULD REMOVE THAT PORTION OF THE ROAD FROM THE STATE SECONDARY ROAD SYSTEM AND FROM MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY.
THIS ACTION DOES REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING AND THE BOARD'S RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ABANDONMENT.
THE SEGMENT OF ROAD BASED ON THE VDOT'S RECORDS IS ACTUALLY WITHIN A PRESCRIPTIVE EASEMENT.
SO IF THE ROADBED IS ABANDONED, THE UNDERLYING LAND WOULD RETURN BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PROPERTY OWNERS, WHICH ARE THE TWO ADJOINING PROPERTIES.
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE SECTION AFFECTED BY THIS REQUEST.
IT STARTS JUST WHERE THE PAVEMENT CHANGES.
COLOR JUST PAST THE ENTRANCE TO THE PAVILION ON THE RIGHT.
THIS IS A PHOTO LOOKING WEST FROM THAT SAME LOCATION TO THE SECTION OF COMMUNITY LANE THAT WOULD REMAIN WITHIN THE ROAD SYSTEM. YOU CAN ALSO IN THE DISTANCE SEE THE NEW ENTRANCE TO THE 7-ELEVEN FACILITY THAT'S ON THE CORNER OF ROUTE 460 AND REEVES ROAD.
THIS IS AN OVERHEAD VIEW OF THE AREA IN QUESTION BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT BEGAN.
THIS IS VDOT'S GRAPHIC ON WHAT SECTION OF ROAD ALONG WITH THE DESCRIPTIVE MALL SEGMENT. AND THIS IS THE OVERHEAD SHOT OF THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT AND THE SECTION OF ROAD THAT VDOT IS REQUESTING TO BE RECOMMENDING TO BE ABANDONED IS THAT IS CONTAINED WITHIN THAT BLUE OVAL JUST BEYOND THE DIESEL PUMPS.
AGAIN, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED BY THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
A RESOLUTION WILL BE SENT TO THE ENGINEER VEDA, AND THIS ACTION WILL REMOVE THE PORTION OF THE ROAD.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK MS..
CHRYSTAL SMITH IF SHE HAS ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME.
GOOD EVENING. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL.
I THINK JOLIE DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING THE PROCESS AND THE PORTION THAT WE'D LIKE TO ABANDON.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE THOSE.
WHO WE WILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE ROAD NOW.
IF THERE IS NO NEED FOR MAINTENANCE BEYOND THE NEW IN THE STATE MAINTENANCE.
THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR MAINTENANCE BEYOND THAT, THERE'S NO PUBLIC NEED PAST THAT POINT.
OK. AND HOW MANY HOUSES DOES IT SERVE? THERE ARE NO HOUSES BEYOND THE SEGMENT THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO LEAVE IN OUR SYSTEM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, MA'AM. YOU CAN PROCEED ON HOW THE BOARD WISHES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION AT THIS POINT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES, WE HAVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
YES. NOW OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION TO THE PUBLIC.
[01:40:05]
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST? THIS ABANDONMENT OF THE ROAD.I CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TURN IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
BOARD MEMBERS. WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? MADAM CHAIR, THERE'S NO DISCUSSION FROM ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
ALL RIGHT, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
THANK YOU. P2 IS A PUBLIC HEARING LEASE AGREEMENT FOR USE OF A PORTION OF PRINCE GEORGE CENTRAL WELLNESS CENTER AND THE PRINCE GEORGE YOUTH WRESTLING ASSOCIATION.
MR. WHITTEN. YES, MADAM CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MR. STOKE, THE PRINCE GEORGE YOUTH WRESTLING ASSOCIATION IS A NONPROFIT GROUP DEDICATED TO YOUTH WRESTLING, COMPETITION INSTRUCTION AND COACHING.
THE ASSOCIATION HAS LEASED A PORTION OF THE CENTRAL WELLNESS CENTER SINCE JUNE 2015.
IT'S THE PART THAT USED TO BE I BELIEVE IT WAS THE CAFETERIA.
THE CURRENT LEASE EXPIRED MAY 31, 2022.
THE NEW LEASE TERM WILL BE BACKDATED TO JUNE 1ST, 2022, AND IT'LL GO THROUGH MAY 31ST OF 2023 WITH TWO SUCCESSIVE THREE YEAR RENEWAL TERMS. IF THE COUNTY GIVES RENEWED NOTICE OF THE RENEWAL AT LEAST 30 DAYS PRIOR, LANGUAGE HAS ALSO BEEN ADDED TO THE LEASE THAT STATES IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. THE COUNTY MAY USE THE LEASED PREMISES THAT ROOM FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES.
IN ORDER TO LEASE REAL ESTATE OWNED BY THE COUNTY, THE BOARD DOES HAVE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING.
THE LEASE IS ENCLOSED IN YOUR PACKET AND THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, MA'AM. NO, I'M GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. I'LL OPEN UP THIS MATTER TO THE PUBLIC.
THERE'S ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS MATTER.
YES. LILA MIERS, 8711 SECOND [INAUDIBLE], DISPUTANTA, VIRGINIA.
I HEAR WHEN THEY GET TO THE COMPETITION LEVEL, THEY'RE DOING AMAZING THINGS.
THEY ARE PUTTING PRINCE GEORGE ON THE NEWS.
MY CONCERN IS THAT THAT ROOM IS DILAPIDATED, THE PAINT IS PEELING.
WE DON'T KNOW. PROBABLY NOT ALL OF THE DON'T KNOW.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT OUR PRECIOUS KIDS IN THERE, THEY'RE SWEATING.
THEY'RE RUNNING THERE FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF.
I WAS SHOCKED EVERY TIME I BROUGHT MY KID IN THERE.
I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED FOR THOSE KIDS.
SO IF WE CAN SPEND THE MONEY THAT WE'D LIKE TO SPEND, LET'S SPEND THEM ON GIVING THE KIDS A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT TO BE STRONG ATHLETES, TO BRING PRINCE GEORGE GOOD AWARDS IN THE WRESTLING COMPETITION, WHICH THEY'RE PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF, THOSE GUYS WHO ARE TRAINING THEM.
I'VE BEEN TOLD BY EVERYONE, WOW YOU LIVE IN PRINCE GEORGE.
YOU'VE GOT THE BEST WRESTLING COACHES THERE.
SO PEOPLE OUT OF THE COUNTY KNOW THAT WE CAN TRAIN OUR KIDS.
PROBLEM IS, WE NEED TO GIVE OUR KIDS A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT TO TRAIN IN FOR MONTHS.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK FOR? AGAINST THIS LEASE AGREEMENT.
SEEING NO ONE ELSE COMING FORWARD.
I CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON P2 AND TURN IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
WHAT DOES THE BOARD WISH TO DO? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND WE'LL.
LOOK INTO THE REQUEST OF THE PUBLIC, BUT WE WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DO THE LEASE.
AND I'LL SECOND IT. ALL RIGHT, CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
[01:45:13]
IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, THE REQUEST OF CHRISTOPHER AND MARICELA CLARK TO PERMIT A GOLF COURSE ON A RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL ZONING DISTRICT.HELLO. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. STOKE AND MR. WHITTEN.
AND AS YOU HEARD, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A GOLF COURSE WITHIN AN RA ZONING DISTRICT.
SUBJECT PROPERTY IS APPROXIMATELY 48.48 AND A HALF ACRES IN SIZE, AND IT'S LOCATED ON GOLF COURSE DRIVE AT 8399 AND 8401 GOLF COURSE DRIVE. A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP CALLS FOR AGRICULTURAL USES IN THAT AREA.
GENERALIZED MAP. ON THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE LOCATION OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY OUTLINE IN RED AND WITHIN THE SURROUNDING AREA.
ON THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE SAME PROPERTY OUTLINE IN BLUE IN 48 AND A HALF ACRES.
THIS IS PART TWO OF THE TWO OF THE PARCELS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS REQUEST ARE FROM THE WHAT BECAME OF THE FORMER PRINCE GEORGE GOLF COURSE WHEN IT WAS SUBDIVIDED INTO FIVE FIVE ACRE LOT SUBDIVISION CALLED WHILE THE NAME IS CHANGING AS IT'S BEING DEVELOPED RIGHT NOW BUT IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION SO TWO OF THOSE LOTS WERE SOLD TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S THREE PARCELS INVOLVED AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE ZONING MAP.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE AERIAL VIEW, AGAIN, PART OF THE FORMER GOLF COURSE.
IT WOULD BE A REACTIVATION OF THAT GOLF COURSE.
THE SAME PROPERTY OWNER ALSO OWNS THE CHESTER PLANTATION BUILDING AND HAS APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD TO OPERATE AN ASSEMBLY HALL IN THAT BUILDING. AND SO THIS IS THE SAME OWNER.
AND THE ENTIRE PROPERTY WOULD THEN BE USED FOR THIS GOLF COURSE.
THE AND I'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE SUBDIVISION THERE.
SO THEY WOULD USE THE EXISTING FAIRWAYS, GREENS AND CLUBHOUSE LEFT BY THE FORMER COMPANY THAT OPERATED THE COURSE AND WOULD ALSO USE A PORTION OF THAT HISTORIC CHESTER PLANTATION BUILDING AS A CLUBHOUSE FOR THE GOLF COURSE BUSINESS.
THERE'S NO NEW BUILDINGS PLANNED AT THIS TIME.
AGAIN, THEY WOULD UTILIZE EXISTING FEATURES, INCLUDING THE EXISTING PARKING AREAS.
HOURS AND DAYS OF OPERATION WOULD BE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
THE THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE GENERAL LAYOUT OF THE NEW GOLF COURSE THAT IS PROPOSED.
THE RED LINES ARE THE ACTUAL HOLES AND THE BLUE LINES ARE THE WALKING PATHS BETWEEN THE HOLES AND THE YELLOW NUMBERS ARE EACH HOLE. BUT YOU GET THE IDEA IT'S NINE NINE HOLE GOLF COURSE.
THIS IS JUST A QUICK PHOTO, RECENT PHOTO FROM THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMENTS WE FOCUSED ON THE EXPECTED IMPACTS ON ADJACENT PROPERTIES AND ROADWAYS IS EXPECTED TO BE MINIMAL TRAFFIC ON GOLF COURSE DRIVE DURING OPERATIONAL HOURS. THIS WOULD BE LESS THAN ANY TRAFFIC THAT WAS PRESENT WITH THE FORMER GOLF COURSE.
THE THERE IS WITH THE GOLF COURSE POTENTIAL FOR STRAY BALLS TO TO END UP ON ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
BUT. THERE'S NO CHANGE TO THE ZONING.
THIS IS JUST A LAND USE SPECIFIC REQUEST.
AND IT'S SEEMS TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THOSE SURROUNDING LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES, WHICH WILL RISE UP AS THE FACILITY AS THE SUBDIVISION IS DEVELOPED. AND WE FOUND THAT IS GENERALLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAD A STANDARD COMMENT.
[01:50:08]
THAT WILL BE IN USE HERE.THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAD NO OBJECTION TO THE REQUEST.
RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS ARE IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.
THE STANDARD BUSINESS SIGN CAN BE LARGER THAN WHAT THESE CONDITIONS ALLOW FOR.
SO THIS IS IN KEEPING WITH THE THE NATURE OF THIS AREA THAT IT'S IN.
SO IT WILL BE SMALLER THAN WHAT IS NORMALLY ALLOWED FOR BUSINESS.
SO THAT'S A GENERAL CONDITION, SO THAT IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT ARISE, THEN THIS CAN BE ENFORCED.
I THAT CONCLUDES THIS PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I CAN ANSWER THEM AND FOR STAFF AND THEY ARE THE APPLICANT.
CHRISTOPHER AND MARCELLA CLARK ARE ALSO HERE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. NOW OPEN THIS UP TO THE PUBLIC.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS EXCEPTION, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
OR I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
JUST WONDERING, THOUGH, AS A RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY, IS THERE ANY I WOULD IMPLORE YOU GUYS MAYBE TO ASK IF THERE'S ANY ANY BENEFITS THAT'LL BE KIND OF GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS EITHER FROM THE THE THE GOLF COURSE CLUB OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, LIKE PERCENTAGE IS OFF OR TEE TIME, STUFF LIKE THAT.
JUST BE INTERESTED. NAME AND ADDRESS.
MS.. WAYMACK NAME AND ADDRESS.
WAYMACK HIS NAME AND ADDRESS? YES. HE DIDN'T GIVE THAT.
YOU DIDN'T GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
OH, SORRY. 110 PINE TREE COURT FROM EARLIER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS? THERE'S. MADAM CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, RICHARD WORLEY.
I REALLY THINK, YOU KNOW, USING A A OLDER GOLF COURSE AND AND REVAMPING IT AND HAVING THE WALKING PATHS, I GUESS YOU'RE DOING WALKING PATHS VERSUS GOLF CARTS.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DRIVING RANGE.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT. BUT YEAH, I'M ALL FOR IT.
AND I THINK IT'D BE REALLY GOOD.
ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS EXCEPTION? IF NOT, I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TURN IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
MADAM CHAIR, JUST BEFORE WE MAKE THE MOTION, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE LANDOWNERS, BECAUSE WHEN THAT GOLF COURSE CLOSED DOWN AND IT WAS RUMORED AND THEN CAME TRUE, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SELL THE PROPERTY AND PUT HOUSES ON IT, IT IT CREATED QUITE A STIR IN THE COUNTY.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU'RE REPURPOSING SOME OF THIS PROPERTY TO STILL PROVIDE GOLFING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER THEM GIVING DISCOUNTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE CAN ONLY APPROVE WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN USE THE PROPERTY FOR THAT.
SO WE CAN'T ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
AND SO, MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO THERE'S NO FURTHER INPUT.
[01:55:05]
I WOULD MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVED THIS SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUEST.SE 2205 SUBJECT TO THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS THAT WERE LISTED.
THANK YOU. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
WE MOVED TO P4, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING OF A SPECIAL EXCEPTION FOR POWELL CREEK SOLAR.
THE FIVE MEGAWATT FACILITY IS PROPOSED ON APPROXIMATELY 47 ACRE PORTION OF THE 631 ACRE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND THE DEVELOPMENT AREA.
AND THE ADDRESS OF THAT PROPERTY IS 14 921 JAMES RIVER DRIVE.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE ZONING MAP.
THE WHOLE AREA IS ZONED GENERAL AGRICULTURAL.
THIS IS A VIEW OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
THE PLANNED CATEGORY OF USES IN THE FUTURE IS AGRICULTURAL, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND COMPATIBLE USES WITH AGRICULTURAL USES.
AND THE AREA TO BE DEVELOPED, IF APPROVED, IS OUTLINED IN RED.
THERE ARE SOME DATES ON HOW ON THE PROGRESS THIS APPLICATION MADE.
THEY ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION, BASICALLY A DRAFT APPLICATION IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, AND THEY SUBMITTED THEIR OFFICIAL APPLICATION EARLY THIS YEAR. THEY HELD A COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT THEY LED ON MARCH 2ND AND MARCH 15TH AT BURROWSVILLE ROTARY CLUB.
THE SUMMARY OF THE REQUEST AGAIN, ITS FIVE MEGAWATTS GENERATING FACILITY.
THOSE ARE THE BASICALLY THE TREES AND FENCING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AGAIN, THE TOTAL PARCEL SIZE IS 631.
THE COMMUNITY SOLAR GARDEN ALLOWS OFFSITE ENERGY CUSTOMERS TO SUBSCRIBE TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE ENERGY OUTPUT OF THIS FACILITY IN EXCHANGE FOR A CREDIT ON ENERGY BILL. I WON'T GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL THAT THE APPLICANT HAS A PRESENTATION FOLLOWING THIS.
THEY MAY SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
DEVELOPED THE STAFF REVIEWED THIS IN-DEPTH USING THE SOLAR ENERGY FACILITY, SITING POLICY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD AND THE DESIGN OF THIS FACILITY AND THE DRAFT CONDITIONS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR THIS REQUEST COMPLY WITH THAT POLICY. THIS PROJECT IS NOT EXEMPT FROM PAYING MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAXES, SO THAT WILL GENERATE THAT NEW REVENUE TO THE COUNTY.
THIS VIEW SHOWS THE CONCEPTUAL LAYOUT OF THE FACILITY.
IT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THIS.
THE ENTRANCE ROAD IS ON JAMES RIVER DRIVE, JUST ONE ENTRANCE ROAD.
THE ACTUAL AREA COVERED BY THE PANELS I THINK IS AROUND 30 ACRES.
SO AGAIN, 47 ACRES IS BEYOND JUST THE PANELS COVERING ON THE LAND.
[02:00:02]
AND YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGE WITH THE FACILITY AFTER 3 TO 5 YEARS GIVING TIME FOR THE TREES TO GROW.BASICALLY THERE'S A STRIP OF TREES THERE.
SO YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE THE PANELS ACCORDING TO THE SIMULATION.
THIS IS ANOTHER VIEW FROM JAMES RIVER DRIVE TO SHOW THE CHANGE.
THE PANELS WOULD BE OBSCURED BY THE ROW OF TREES.
THERE WOULD ALSO BE FENCING WITH WIND SCREENING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY.
THIS IS ALSO SHOWING THE ADDITION OF THE ROAD TO ENTER FOR MAINTENANCE.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING STAFF REVIEW COMMENTS.
WE MENTIONED THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS WILL BE MITIGATED BY THE CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN, A SPECIFIC TYPE OF PLAN FOR MANAGING THE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC AND WHERE IT IS AND WHAT ITS IMPACT ON THE ROADWAYS.
THE VISUAL IMPACTS WILL BE MITIGATED BY THE EXISTING AND PROPOSED VEGETATIVE BUFFERS.
AGAIN, THAT BASICALLY MEANS TREES AND SCREENS AND SHRUBS AND THE SCREENING WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SITING POLICY SUCH THAT THE PANELS ARE EFFECTIVELY NOT VISIBLE FROM A PUBLIC ROAD OR ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL HOME AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETED.
THE APPLICANT HAS MET THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.
THE STANDARDS THAT ARE IN THAT SITING POLICY WILL BE ENFORCED THROUGH THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
THE POLICY HAS ALL THAT DETAILED.
THE REGARDING THE FISCAL IMPACTS STAFF CONDUCTED AN ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACTS FOR FACILITY.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOTING THAT IT'S SUBJECT TO THE MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAXES.
AGAIN, JUST AN ESTIMATE AND VERSUS WITH THE FACILITY.
WHAT WOULD THE REVENUES BE VERSUS IF WHAT THE FUTURE LAND USE IS? THE FUTURE LAND USE IS AGRICULTURE.
THAT WOULD BE IF IT IS NOT DEVELOPED OR IF IT IS DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN, IT WOULD BE BASICALLY NO CHANGE FROM WHAT IT IS NOW IN TERMS OF REVENUE TO THE COUNTY. SO IN SUMMARY, NOT GOING INTO A BUNCH OF NUMBERS HERE, THE IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THE PROJECT, IF DEVELOPED, WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE COUNTY OF AT LEAST 868,000 OVER THE EXPECTED 40 YEAR LIFE.
AND THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO 18,470 PER ACRE.
THE INCREASED REVENUE COMPARED TO CURRENT AND FUTURE LAND USE WOULD COME PRIMARILY FROM MACHINERY AND TOOLS, TAX REVENUE AND INCREASED REAL ESTATE LAND VALUE FOR THE DEVELOPED PART OF THE PARCEL. AND THERE'S JUST A NOTE ABOUT THAT NEW LAW ON JULY 1ST.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM OTHER AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS, THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION RECOMMENDED A INVASIVE INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN TO PREVENT INVASIVE SPECIES BEING INVADING THE PROPERTY WHEN IT'S DEVELOPED.
THERE'S A CONDITION TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THAT IS COMPLETED AND THAT TO AVOID ANY NATIVE SPECIES ON THE ON THIS THE CURRENT. THEY NOTED THAT THE CURRENT ACTIVITY WILL NOT AFFECT ANY DOCUMENTED STATE LISTED PLANTS OR INSECTS.
THEY SAID THERE ARE NO STATE NATURAL AREA PRESERVES IN THE PROJECT VICINITY.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION WILL NOT NEED TO REVIEW THIS.
IT WILL BE THE WORK WILL BE PERFORMED BY DSU.
SO BASICALLY AN OUTSIDE AGENT, THE STATE AGENCY WILL REVIEW THIS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES DURING THE SITE PLAN REVIEW, WHICH THE SITE PLAN REVIEW IS A DETAILED ENGINEERED REVIEW. REAL ESTATE ASSESSOR SAID THIS IS MAY BE SUBJECT TO ROLLBACK TAXES.
[02:05:01]
THERE'S A CONDITION TO ADDRESS THAT.THERE'S A LONG LIST OF CONDITIONS THAT WILL APPLY TO THIS IF APPROVED.
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THOSE ARE HERE.
IT'S I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT'S IT WAS WHAT WAS AGREED UPON IN THE POLICY OR MORE THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE FACILITY. THERE'S A WORDING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES HAPPEN BY THE CERTAIN DATE.
THEY MUST BE REMOVED AND THERE'S FUNDING SET ASIDE FOR THAT.
BASICALLY THE LAST ONE THERE IS JUST SAYING THIS IS SUBJECT TO MACHINERY, TOOLS, TAX.
IF THE MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX IS IS REVENUE TURNS OUT TO BE BELOW A CERTAIN AMOUNT, THE APPLICANT HAS OFFERED TO PAY CASH PAYMENT ON TOP OF THAT TO REACH A THRESHOLD.
AS I MENTIONED, THEY DID A SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD DETERMINATION.
THEY FOUND THAT THIS REQUEST IS IN SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND THEN THEY ALSO HAD A SEPARATE SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
AND THEY THEY REVIEWED IT AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, AGAIN, SUBJECT TO THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
AND THERE WERE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS DURING THE HEARING.
THERE WERE PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THE HEARING.
HE'S HAD CONCERNS ABOUT LOSS OF AGRICULTURAL OPEN SPACE.
STAFF NOTED THAT THE EFFECTIVE LAND IS NOT CURRENTLY FARMED AND THE TOTAL ACTUAL DEVELOPED PART OF THE PROPERTY IS ONLY SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY. SO THE REMAINDER WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED.
IT COULD REMAIN IN AGRICULTURAL USE DEPENDING ON HOW THE LANDOWNER DOES THAT.
BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SOLAR PANELS, THIS PROPERTY CANNOT BE DEVELOPED WITH MORE THAN 7047 ACRES.
IF APPROVED, THE HE HAD A CONCERN ABOUT THERE BEING NO BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY DIRECTLY.
STAFF NOTED ACCORDING TO THE APPLICATION MATERIALS PRESENTED BY THE APPLICANT, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COST SAVINGS FOR DOMINION CUSTOMERS, BUT DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY THERE WOULD BE NEW TAX REVENUES GENERATED, MOSTLY FROM THE MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX REVENUE WHICH WE COVERED.
AND THEY HAD A CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPOSED ENTRANCE LOCATION.
WE JUST NOTED THAT VDOT REVIEWS THESE ON A STANDARD STANDARDIZED BASIS.
THEY HAVE MEASURED SITE DISTANCES THAT MUST BE ADHERED TO.
SO WE'RE RELYING ON THAT ENGINEERED ASSISTANCE.
THE. MR. STEVENSON ALSO ON JULY 8TH PROVIDED ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
HE HAD A CONCERN THAT ABOUT WHETHER THERE WAS FALSE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT.
THE INFORMATION HE WAS LOOKING AT WAS PROVIDED BY STAFF, AND IT WAS NOT A COMPLETE, EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF NATURAL RESOURCE ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES IN THE AREA.
IT WAS JUST A SUMMARY NOT TO GO INTO TO IN DEPTH.
BUT THE COMMENTS IN YOUR PACKET ARE THERE THE AS TO WHETHER WHAT CULTURAL RESOURCES ARE IN THE AREA. THE APPLICANT WILL ADDRESS THAT THEY DID A ONE MILE SEARCH OF THE DATABASE, STATE DATABASE, SO THEY'LL ADDRESS THAT TOPIC.
OK. A LOT OF INFORMATION TO COVER.
SO THAT CONCLUDES WHAT I HAVE FOR NOW.
IF YOU BRIEFLY WELL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, I'M READY TO ANSWER THEM.
I WILL SAY THERE'S ALSO A FEW MORE SLIDES FROM THE APPLICANT.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
[02:10:06]
I HAVE A QUESTION.MY CONCERN, MR. GRAVES, IS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE JUST WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE STRATEGIC PLANNING.
TWO KEY THINGS TO ME CAME OUT OF THAT.
ONE WAS ABOUT KEEPING OUR GREEN SPACE GREEN.
YOU KNOW, THE LIST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.
SO I GUESS THAT'S MY CONCERN IS KEEPING THE GREEN SPACE GREEN.
I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AT SOME POINT LOOK AT PLACES IN THE COUNTY AND DESIGNATE THEM AS KEY AREAS FOR SOLAR PANELS IF NECESSARY OR SOME TYPE OF OTHER, WHETHER IT'S BATTERY STORAGE OR WHATEVER.
BUT WE CONTROL THAT BY SAYING THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT WOULD BE BEST SUITED FOR THAT VERSUS JUST CONSTANTLY GRABBING UP GREEN SPACE. SO I KNOW YOU SAID THIS ALL FALLS UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT AGAIN, MY CONCERN IS THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN IN IN IN THE WORKS THAT TO ME THIS OR ANY FUTURE RIGHT NOW, SOLAR, SOLAR FACILITIES OR FARMS WOULD KIND OF TO ME GO AGAINST THAT PRINCIPLE.
AND I'M GOING TO ADDRESS THIS TO MR. WHITTEN. YOU KNOW, VERY HONESTLY, WHERE I STAND TODAY, SIR, I'D LOVE TO SEE US HAVE A MORATORIUM ON ON THIS STUFF RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE GET SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, MORE DEFINED, LIKE THE STRATEGIC PLAN FINALIZED AND THEN WHATEVER OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE UPDATED, WHETHER IT'S WHATEVER POLICIES THAT THE OFFICE USES.
I JUST THAT THAT'S WHERE I AM ON THIS TOPIC.
BUT YOU KNOW, MR. GRAVES, BACK TO YOU.
JUST MY CONCERN AGAIN IS WE'RE SLOWLY BUT SURELY INFRINGING ON THE GREEN SPACE, NOT NECESSARILY WERE HOUSES, BUT YOU PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT TRAVEL THROUGH THERE.
THAT'S LESS AREAS FOR I MEAN, BASICALLY BEARS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ARE STARTING TO MOVE CLOSER INTO WHERE PEOPLE ARE BECAUSE WE'RE PUSHING THEM OUT OF THEIR OWN NATURAL HABITAT.
SO THAT'S JUST MY COMMENTS ON THAT, SIR.
MADAM CHAIR, JUST TO RESPOND TO MR. BROWN'S QUESTION REGARDING THE MORATORIUM, IT WOULD NOT BE LEGAL TO DO A MORATORIUM ON SPECIFIC ZONING USE.
BUT YOU CAN'T DO A MORATORIUM THAT WOULD NOT BE LEGAL AND WOULD VIOLATE DILLON'S RULE.
UNDERSTAND? BUT THAT'S MY COMMENT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, CONCERNS? THIS WOULD MAKE? WHAT NUMBER ARE WE AT WITH SOLAR FARMS IN THE COUNTY? I THINK THIS WILL BE THE FIFTH APPROVED, LET'S SAY AT LEAST FOUR PLUS OR MINUS ONE.
MS. WALTON, I BELIEVE I ASK YOU, NOT TOO LONG AGO, DID YOU KNOW THE NUMBER? MR. CARMICHAEL YOU REFERENCING THE ACREAGE NUMBER? HOW MANY DO WE ALREADY HAVE IN SERVICE? HOW MANY APPLICANTS DO YOU HAVE? AND IS THIS THE NEXT ONE TO BE HEARD? IN SERVICE, WE ONLY HAVE ONE.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE.
WE HAVE APPROVED TWO OTHERS THAT ARE NOT UNDER DEVELOPED YET.
THIS WILL BE NUMBER FIVE ACREAGE WAS BY YOUR POLICY YOUR DESIRED LIMIT FOR THIS USE IS 2.7% OF THE COUNTY'S ACREAGE.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE ABOUT 460 ACRES LEFT IN THAT DESIRED LIMIT.
AND YOU'RE TAKING THESE APPLICANTS IN ORDER AS.
YES, PAPERWORK, NOT WHO FINISHED FIRST.
YES. IN THE ORDER AS THEY CAME INTO YOUR OFFICE.
YES. AS LONG AS IT WAS A LEGITIMATE APPLICATION THAT CAN BE PROCESSED.
IT HAS TO BE A COMPLETE APPLICATION.
YES, SIR. WITH 400 AND SOME MAKERS LEFT.
DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? THE APPLICANT DID.
HE DID HAVE A FEW THINGS, COMMENTS THEY WANTED TO MAKE AS PART OF THE STAFF REPORT.
[02:15:03]
ALL RIGHT. DOES THE APPLICANT WISH TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME FORWARD.MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
I'M A DEVELOPER AT APEX CLEAN ENERGY.
I WORK ON OUR SMALL SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS AND WHAT WE CALL DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE BRIEF HERE TONIGHT.
THE FIRST IS THAT APEX IS A VIRGINIA BASED COMPANY, AND AS SUCH, WE REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
WE REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS COUNTY AND WE REALLY CARE ABOUT ITS RESIDENCES.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR.
VIRGINIA'S SHARED SOLAR PROGRAM ALLOWS VIRGINIA RESIDENCES, RESIDENTS AND VIRGINIA BUSINESSES WHO ARE CUSTOMERS OF DOMINION TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY OR TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE POWER THAT PROJECTS LIKE THIS PRODUCE AND IN TURN FOR SUBSCRIPTION, THEY WILL RECEIVE A REDUCTION ON THEIR MONTHLY UTILITY BILL.
NOW THAT REDUCTION IS NOT YET FINALIZED, BUT AND IT'S STILL BEING DISCUSSED AT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL, BUT IT IS ANTICIPATED RIGHT NOW TO BE ABOUT A 10% SAVINGS ON A MONTHLY UTILITY BILL.
NOW, BEYOND JUST THAT, ENERGY SAVINGS, WHY DOES THAT MATTER? WELL, SIMPLY PUT, IT IS SHARED SOLAR OR COMMUNITY SOLAR CREATES THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE BENEFITS OR ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF SOLAR ENERGY.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT MOST FOLKS DON'T ACTUALLY OWN THEIR OWN ROOF.
MOST BUSINESSES DON'T OWN THEIR OWN ROOF.
SO THEY'RE LOCKED OUT OF ROOFTOP SOLAR.
IN ADDITION, A LOT OF FOLKS CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR ROOFTOP SOLAR, COMMUNITY SOLAR OR SHARED SOLAR LIKE THIS OPENS THAT DOOR UP FOR A LOT MORE FOLKS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
IN ADDITION, SHARED SOLAR ALSO PROVIDES IMMEDIATE LOCAL BENEFITS.
FOR EXAMPLE, OR NAMELY ECONOMIC INVESTMENT OR LOCAL ECONOMIC INVESTMENT.
AND UPGRADES TO LOCAL GRID INFRASTRUCTURE.
LASTLY, RELATED TO VIRGINIA SHARED SOLAR PROGRAM, WHICH WE PARTICULARLY THINK IS A GREAT BENEFIT, IS THERE IS A CARVE OUT FOR LOW AND EXCUSE ME, LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FOLKS OR LMI FOLKS.
AND PROJECTS LIKE THIS ARE COMMITTING TO A MINIMUM 30% SUBSCRIPTION OF MY FOLKS.
AND WHY DOES THAT MATTER? THAT MATTERS BECAUSE MOST LMI FOLKS DISPROPORTIONATELY SPEND A HIGHER AMOUNT OF THEIR ABILITY.
AIM TO HELP TO REVERSE THAT TREND.
THE THIRD POINT THAT I WANTED TO WANT TO COVER SOME OF THE KEY TENETS OF THE PROJECT.
THERE'S A DISCUSSION ABOUT ORDER OF APPLICATIONS COMING IN.
Q POSITION IN THEIR INTERCONNECTION QUEUE.
IN ADDITION, AND AS MR. GRAVES SHOWED IN HIS PRESENTATION, THIS PROJECT IS COMMITTING TO SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPE SCREENING OR WHAT HE REFERRED TO AS BUFFERING, SUCH THAT IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MINIMIZING VISUAL IMPACTS TO THE PUBLIC.
THE ENTRANCE, LOCATION, PARKING AND LOADING WERE AT LEAST INITIALLY ACCEPTABLE TO VDOT AND THEY REVIEW OF OUR APPLICATION AND THEIR COMMENTS AND OF COURSE WE WILL WORK WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT WE GET FULL APPROVAL DURING FINAL SITE PLAN APPROVAL.
THIS PROJECT IS AS A SHARED SOLAR PROJECT, WOULD PROMOTE EXPANSION OF A DIVERSIFIED LOCAL ECONOMY.
UM, RELATED TO THAT, TO THAT PARCEL AREA OR THE PROJECT AREA THAT MR. GRAVES IS SHOWING, THAT'S BEEN CLEAR CUT NUMEROUS TIMES.
IT'S BEEN PLOWED A BUNCH OF TIMES, SO OUR LAND DISTURBANCE IS GOING TO BE VERY MINIMAL.
[02:20:05]
SO WE'RE NOT CONDUCTING ANY MASS GRADING AND AVOIDING ANY POTENTIAL.THIS PROJECT DOES NOT DISTURB HISTORIC ARCHEOLOGICAL OR CULTURAL SITES.
AND THAT TAKES ME TO THE FINAL MY FINAL AND FOURTH POINT.
EXCUSE ME. TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISTURB THOSE HISTORIC ARCHEOLOGICAL OR CULTURAL SITES, WE UTILIZE VIRGINIA'S CULTURAL RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM OR VCRIS.
THEY HAVE A DATABASE WHERE YOU CAN SEARCH AREAS FOR ANY FINDINGS OF THIS SORT.
AND TO ORIENT YOU HERE A LITTLE BIT.
ALL RIGHT. THAT GREEN PART IN THE MAP ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THAT'S OUR PROJECT BUILDABLE AREA.
THAT PINK OR PURPLE PART, THAT'S OUR 631 ACRE PARCEL.
SO THERE'S NO NO DISTURBANCE THERE.
THERE WERE TWO HOUSES. THERE'S A TABLE ON THIS SLIDE.
THERE ARE TWO HISTORIC HOUSES ON HERE WITH DISTANCES AWAY FROM THE NEAREST POINT ON THE PROJECT.
THAT IS AN APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF CIVIL WAR TIME.
AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE IS A NON OPERATIVE ARCHEOLOGICAL MILL ALONG KIND OF POW CREEK AREA.
AND IN LOOKING AT THE DISTANCE OF THESE THESE SITES AND IN EVALUATING OUR INTENTIONS THROUGH ENGINEERING AND THROUGH OPERATIONS OF THIS PROJECT, IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT WE WILL HAVE ANY DISTURBANCE ON THESE ON ANY OF THESE SITES.
IN ADDITION AND I THINK VERY IMPORTANTLY.
FROM IF YOU WERE STANDING AT ANY OF THESE SITES, EVEN IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE VISUAL SCREENING THAT WE'RE COMMITTING TO ALL THAT BUFFERING, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE OUR PROJECT. IN ADDITION, WITH THE ADDITIONAL VISUAL SCREENING, IT WILL NOT BE VISIBLE AT ALL.
MADAM CHAIR, IF IT'S ALL RIGHT BY YOU.
HE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS WELL.
HELLO. I'M [INAUDIBLE] AT 1409.
JAMES OVERDRIVE, DISPUTANTA, VIRGINIA.
WANT TO SAY HELLO TO THE SUPERVISORS AND WELCOME, PRINCE GEORGE.
COMMUNITY. I'VE BEEN FARMING ALL MY LIFE AND ACCORDING TO THIS 40 ACRES.
I'M PROUD TO BE A PART OF VIRGINIA'S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.
SOLAR ENERGY REPRESENTS A UNIQUE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR LANDOWNERS IN VIRGINIA.
AND DEMONSTRATES TO THE NEXT GENERATION HOW WE CAN STIMULATE THE ECONOMY WHILE BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW OPEN THIS UP TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS PROJECT? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WILLIAM STEELE, DISPUTANTA, VIRGINIA.
I STAND HERE OPPOSED TO THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION AND REQUEST THAT THIS FORCE CEASE USING SPECIAL [INAUDIBLE] AS A WAY TO FURTHER DESTROY A RURAL CONSERVATION AREA.
CALLING THIS PROJECT A SOLAR GARDEN.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY SOLAR GARDEN.
REALLY? IT DOES NOT DIMINISH THE FACT THAT THE SPECIAL EXEMPTION IS JUST ANOTHER WAY, ANOTHER ACTION THAT PROMOTES INDUSTRIAL CREEP INTO OUR RURAL CONSERVATION AREA OF PG COUNTY, OF WHICH BASICALLY ALL OF US LIVE.
[02:25:04]
WHILE I'M OPPOSED TO YET ANOTHER POP UP SOLAR SITE, I'M NOT GOING TO STAND HERE AND REMIND YOU OF THE FALSE AND DISTORTED INFORMATION THAT THESE POP UP SOLAR COMPANIES SPEW OUT IN ORDER TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD TO PASS THIS SPECIAL EXCEPTION.EXPECT SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO OUR PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
ENHANCE OUR ECONOMIC BASE AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES GALORE.
OH, AND WE'LL PROTECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WITH MINIMAL IMPACT.
THE PURPOSE OF A SPECIAL EXEMPTION IS WHEN A PROJECT HAS OR PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OR SUBSTANTIAL BENEFIT TO THE DAILY LIVES OF ALL CITIZENS OF THE LOCALE.
CAN THIS BOARD STILL SHOW US ANY TAXPAYING RESIDENT OF THIS COUNTY SUBSTANTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFIT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THESE OTHER SOLAR SITES THAT WE PUT IN? OBVIOUSLY NOT BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU SENT US THE HIGHEST TAX BILL SINCE FY 18, WHEREAS THE SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT THAT THESE SOLAR SITES ARE GIVING US, WHAT I AM HERE OPPOSED IS THE USE OF THESE SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS THAT THIS BOARD FREQUENTLY AND FREELY PASSES OUT EACH AND EVERY TIME SOME INDUSTRIAL ENTITY WANTS TO INVADE OUR RURAL CONSERVATION SPACE, AND ESPECIALLY FROM AN OUT OF TOWN COMPANY LIKE APEX HERE, THEY'RE NOT FROM OUR COUNTY.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR COUNTY.
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN MAKING A BUCK.
THE PLAN STATES ACREAGE AVAILABLE FOR THE SOLAR SITES AND THREE LOTS I BELIEVE THEY ARE.
GO TO AN N3 SITE AND BUILD AND CLOSING.
I STRONGLY URGE THE SUPPORT WE'VE GOT TO STOP EATING AWAY AT OUR RURAL CONSERVATION AREA.
WE'VE GOT TO STOP DESTROYING OUR RURAL ENVIRONMENT BY CONTINUALLY ALLOWING THESE SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS, ESPECIALLY EXEMPTIONS TO THESE OUT-OF-COUNTY COMPANIES THAT DO NOT PROVIDE ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO OUR COUNTY, DO NOT GIVE EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO OUR COUNTY, AND DOES NOTHING BUT EAT AWAY AT OUR CONSERVATION AREA, WHICH I LIVE, WHICH ALL OF US LIVE.
I CAN'T HELP OR REMEMBER THE GENTLEMAN BACK THERE SAYING, HEY, WE'RE LOSING OUR HUNTING GROUNDS.
THIS IS WHY WE'RE LOSING OUR HUNTING GROUND.
THIS IS WHY WE'RE LOSING OUR RURAL SITE IN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A I'M EMBARRASSED TO EVEN USE THE TERM GARDEN ANYMORE.
THIS IS AN ENCROACHMENT INFRINGEMENT INTO OUR CONSERVATIVE SPACE.
AND THAT'S WHAT PG COUNTY HAS.
YOU HEARD THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MS.. THANK YOU, MR. STEELE. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO COME FORWARD? MY NAME IS JOHN TABB.
I LIVE ON JORDAN PARKWAY IN THE NORTHERN PART.
IF I LOOKED AT WHAT WAS PUT UP THERE ORIGINALLY, TALKED ABOUT A PLOT OF 631 ACRES, OF WHICH THIS WAS 47. SO MY CONCERN WOULD BE.
ARE THEY GOING TO BE BACK HERE TWO YEARS FROM NOW WHEN ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT 631 UNTIL WE WALK THE LINE HAVING A 631. MORE EXCEPTIONS AND SO ON.
THANK YOU, SIR. ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL WAIT FOR YOU.
GOOD EVENING. I'M [INAUDIBLE] JACKSON, LIVE AT 9013 POLE RUN ROAD.
I FEEL LIKE IT IS A ENCROACHMENT ON OUR AGRICULTURAL AREA AT ALL.
BUT THE THING THAT'S REALLY KILLING US IS ALL THE HOUSES.
I GREW UP AT THE SAME PROPERTY.
I MOVED THERE WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD.
[02:30:03]
THEN I KNEW EVERY CAR THAT WENT DOWN ON THE ROAD.I KNEW WHO IT WAS, KNEW WHERE THEY WERE GOING.
I HAVE A QUESTION AND I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY CAN ANSWER HERE NOW, BUT HOW MANY HOUSES BY RIGHT MUST A HERETIC PUT ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY? JUST A ROUGH GUESS. IN THEORY, THERE WOULD BE 631 DIVIDED BY FIVE.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT IN THEIR HEAD REAL QUICK.
IT'S REALLY OPEN GROUND UNDERNEATH THIS.
AT SOME POINT WHEN YOU OWN LARGER ACREAGE, ESPECIALLY WHERE THE TAXES ARE GOING, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? DOES MR. HERETIC HAVE FOR SOME INCOME ON THAT PROPERTY? HE'S AT THE AGE HE MIGHT NOT CAN KEEP FARMING IT.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT WITH A LOT OF THESE FARMERS.
THIS FARMLAND THAT'S AGRICULTURAL AREAS ARE GOING TO RESIDENTIAL USES.
YES, SIR. PLEASE COME FORWARD.
[INAUDIBLE] MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] LEE AND I'M ON REEVES ROAD.
I DON'T USUALLY COME TO THESE MEETINGS, AND I NORMALLY DON'T GET INVOLVED.
BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SOLAR FARM.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE IS A LARGE SOLAR FARM ON REEVES ROAD.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME IN MY BACKYARD BECAUSE THE ELECTRIC BILL IS NOT GETTING ANY CHEAPER.
MY QUESTION IS, WHO'S GETTING THE BENEFITS OF IT? BECAUSE WHAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE POWER FROM THIS SOLAR FARM IS GOING NORTH UP TO PENNSYLVANIA, NEW YORK, AND THAT WAY WE'RE NOT EVEN GETTING ANY OF THE POWER FROM THIS SOLAR FARM.
IF WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS CORRECT, I CAN'T VERIFY IT.
I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW IF FEW PEOPLE KNOW.
WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE GETTING FROM IT? WHAT HAVE ANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY GETTING? I KNOW WHAT THE COUNTY IS GETTING.
THE COUNTY IS GETTING TAX MONEY OFF OF IT.
BUT WHAT BENEFIT IT IS TO THE COUNTY PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE WHEN THEY GIVE UP THEIR LAND? WELL, THEY DON'T GIVE IT UP.
IT'S EITHER DOMINION OR THE CORE.
I DON'T SEE WHERE THE PEOPLE GET ANY ANY ADVANTAGE OUT OF THESE SOLAR FARMS. NOW, I DON'T THINK SOLAR FARMS ARE A BAD THING, BUT I DO THINK THE PEOPLE ARE OUGHT TO GET SOME OF THE BENEFITS.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT PUTTING A MAN.
MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO THINK OF WHERE THE PROFITS ARE GOING AND WHO'S GETTING THEM, BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT COMING IN THIS COUNTY AND THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT BENEFITING FROM IT AND WE'RE LOSING THE LAND.
I SEE IT. AND I COULD BE WRONG.
AND LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NORMALLY GET INVOLVED IN THIS STUFF, BUT SINCE I GOT THAT SOLAR FARM UP THE STREET AND I LISTEN TO THIS GUY PUTTING IN ANOTHER ONE DOWN THE ROAD AND I KNOW THERE'S AN APPLICATION IN FOR ANOTHER MAN THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM ME, HE WANTS TO PUT A SOLAR FARM IN HIS PROPERTY.
BUT THERE AGAIN, ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE BENEFITING FROM IT.
AND MAYBE I SHOULDN'T SAY ANYTHING, BUT THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE SOLAR PROJECT? HOW YOU DOING, MIKE COVINGTON, 16121 NORTH PEARL LANE.
I JUST. I WAS ENCOURAGED BY MR. BROWN EARLIER, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAY HAVE TAKEN A LITTLE MORE TIME COMING UP WITH MAYBE AN AREA OR TWO, A COUPLE OF AREAS OF SORT OF SET ASIDE FOR JUST KIND OF DEVELOPMENT.
[02:35:02]
YOU'VE GOT AN INDUSTRIAL PARK AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH SOLAR DEVELOPMENT, ROOFTOP SOLAR THEY CAN HAVE ENTERTAINING.MAYBE THAT'S AN OPTION TO KEEP OUR GREEN SPACE IN THE COUNTY.
BUT I GUESS I WOULD JUST YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAS APPROVED AND PUT IN SERVICE THAT TOOK A BUNCH OF AGRICULTURAL LAND, A BUNCH OF HUNTING LAND DOWN THERE, 400 MEGAWATT SOLAR FARM DOWN THERE ALONG WATER CREEK ROAD.
REEDS ROAD. YOU KNOW, 80 MEGAWATT SOLAR FARM.
I MEAN, IT'S IT'S JUST A START.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE START.
IT'S GOING TO KEEP SNOWBALLING IF WE DON'T TAKE A STAND AND COME UP WITH A BETTER PLAN, PERHAPS.
AND EVERY ROAD YOU TURN ON IN THE COUNTY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A GLASS FIELD.
SO LOOK LIKE A MIRROR LOOKING BACK AT YOU.
AS TO THIS SIGNING UP FOR THE BENEFITS OF SIGNING UP TO SOLAR.
I'D ENCOURAGE ANYBODY THAT'S GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO PAY RENT.
YOU GO PAY RENT TO PRODUCE BACK ON DEMAND.
IT'S GOING TO BE FREE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF HIDDEN COSTS IN THERE.
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD FOR YOU.
THANK YOU, SIR. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? SAY NO ONE ELSE.
YES, SIR. MADAM CHAIR, IS IT POSSIBLE TO RESPOND AND DURING COMMENT AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
LET ME CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, THEN YOU AND YOU MAY RESPOND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE FIVE OF YOU THAT GOT UP HERE AND SPOKE.
I DO APPRECIATE IT. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR FEEDBACK.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO SUMMARIZE A COUPLE OF THINGS, JUST SOME NOTES THAT I WAS TAKING.
I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS ON PRIVATE LAND.
WE ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING THIS ON MR. RYAN HERETICS PRIVATE LAND.
MAJORITY OF THIS IS GOING TO BE.
THE MAJORITY OF HIS LAND IS GOING TO BE, AS IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, IT'S GOING TO BE GREEN, OPEN SPACE.
THAT'S WHAT'S ALWAYS BEEN USED FOR.
YOU SAW SOME OF THE VISUAL SIMULATIONS.
THE CLICKERS AROUND. WE COULD GO BACK TO THAT.
BUT SOME OF THE VISUAL SIMULATIONS WILL SHOW.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE WHEN YOU DRIVE BY.
NOW, I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS JUST DON'T LIKE SOLAR IN GENERAL, BUT IT'S GOING TO.
THE INTENTION IS FOR THIS TO BE GREEN.
AND I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE, TOO, THAT THIS LAND IS MOSTLY ALL CLEARED ALREADY.
REALLY NOT CHANGING IT THAT MUCH.
WE'RE JUST ADDING SOME TREES FROM THE ROAD.
BUT I DO GET I DO HEAR THE CONCERNS.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU GUYS.
AND WE REALLY BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY SOLAR BECAUSE OF THE REAL BENEFITS THAT IT BRINGS PEOPLE.
THERE WAS ONE QUESTION ABOUT ONE STATEMENT ABOUT THE ARE WE GOING TO COME BACK AND TAKE MORE? WE'RE GOING TO BE CONDITIONED TO THIS SECTION OF THE PARCEL.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ENCROACHING FURTHER.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ALLOWED UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF THIS PERMIT, AND NOR IS IT OUR INTENTION.
AND IN TERMS OF THE FINE PRINT, I COMPLETELY AGREE.
PLEASE DO LOOK AT THE FINE PRINT.
THIS IS A REAL THING THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS AMERICA.
IT'S HAPPENING IN A COUPLE OF DOZEN STATES NOW.
PEOPLE ARE SIGNING UP THOUSANDS.
IT'S REAL. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS HERE FROM THE BOARD? I HAVE ONE STATEMENT.
PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE IT, SO BE IT.
[02:40:05]
WE SAT DOWN WHEN WE HEARD SOLAR FARMS WAS MAKING ITS WAY INTO PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, AND WE MET AND WE PUT TOGETHER A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL ACREAGE THAT WE WERE ACCEPTABLE IN ALLOWING TO HAVE THESE SOLAR FARMS. I, FOR ONE, I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO SEE ANOTHER ONE.BUT IN ALL FAIRNESS, MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD DOESN'T GO CRAZY AND TAKE AWAY YOUR RIGHTS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO ON YOUR PROPERTY.
BUT IF YOU PUT YOURSELF IN MR. HERETICS SITUATION AND YOU FARM 641 ACRES ALL YOUR LIFE.
AND YOU GET TO THE AGE WHERE YOU NEED SOME SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME AND YOU WANT TO TAKE A PORTION OF 47 ACRES AND MAKE INCOME FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY. I DON'T THINK IT'S MY RIGHT TO SIT UP HERE AND TELL HIM WHAT HE CAN DO AND WHAT HE CAN'T DO WITH HIS PROPERTY IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BOTHER ANYBODY ELSE.
AND I'M SURE IF SOME OF Y'ALL WHO GOT UP AND SAID THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYMORE GREEN SPACE TAKEN FROM THIS COUNTY, IF YOU WERE IN HIS SITUATION AND YOU OWN THAT 641 AND YOU CAME UP HERE AND ASKED PERMISSION TO DO THE SAME THING, THAT'S ALLOWABLE.
THEN YOU WOULD HAVE HEARTBURN IF WE TOLD YOU YOU COULDN'T DO THAT.
THAT'S JUST MY FEELINGS ON THIS.
AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO Y'ALL.
GOOD. THIS IS WEIRD. NO GOOD, SIR.
YOU WERE MAKING A MOTION. NO, I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE A MOTION.
NO. MADAM CHAIR, I THANK YOU, MR. CARMICHAEL. I RESPECT YOUR INPUT.
WE STATED THE AMOUNT OF ACREAGE.
WE SAID IT WAS 400 AND SOMETHING.
WHERE MY CONCERN WAS IS WE SHOULD HAVE SOME SAY IN WHERE THAT 400 AND SOME ACREAGE IS INSTEAD OF ALLOWING IT TO BE WILLY NILLY, POP UP OVER HERE, POP UP OVER THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, MR. HERETIC, I TOTALLY GET IT.
AND I UNDERSTAND YOU OWN THE LAND AND YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO ON YOUR LAND.
I DON'T THINK THAT THIS BOARD IS IN A PLACE YET.
WHERE? WE HAVE A BETTER GRIP ON WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
AND I KNOW WHAT I SAID EARLIER.
I KNOW WHAT I SPOKE ON EARLIER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST, MR. HERETIC, FOR YOU, I WOULD SUPPORT THIS, BUT I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE LEFT AND COME UP WITH A BETTER PLAN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON THIS, SO THAT IT'S JUST NOT POPPING UP ANY AND EVERYWHERE.
BUT I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN SIT BACK AND DICTATE WHERE THIS AREA IS GOING TO BE AT.
AND YOU AND YOU DRAW MAP UP ON WHERE WE WANT SOLAR FARMS. AND THEN WHEN WE GET TO THAT PLACE, THE PEOPLE THAT OWN THE LAND DON'T WANT TO SELL IT FOR SOLAR FARMS. THEY DON'T NEED THE MONEY LIKE SOME OF THESE FARMERS DO OUT THERE THAT'S BEEN FARMING.
SO WE'RE KIND OF FORCING THE SOLAR FARM AREA ON CERTAIN REGIONS OR A CERTAIN REGION OF THIS COUNTY, NOT EVEN KNOWING IF IT'S EVER GOING TO MATERIALIZE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THERE MAY NOT WANT NO PARTS OF IT.
SO THAT'S THAT'S THE REASON FOR MY COMMENT.
I MEAN, CLEARLY, WE'VE DEFINED THOSE AREAS IN THE COUNTY AS WELL.
SO BUT THAT'S NOT ABOUT THIS TONIGHT.
SO. SO THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR INPUT, MR. WEBB. AT THE RISK OF IRRITATING, SOME PEOPLE ARE UPSETTING YOU.
I'M GONNA SPEAK MY MIND. I SPOKE BEFORE FOR ANOTHER GENTLEMAN THAT OWNED PROPERTY ALL HIS LIFE AND SAW A WAY TO GENERATE SOME INCOME AND STILL KEEP IT IN HIS FAMILY LINE LATER DOWN THE ROAD.
THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD PEOPLE DON'T WANT HOUSES NEXT TO THEM.
I GET IT. HOWEVER, WE ALL NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IT'S NOT OUR PROPERTY.
WE DIDN'T PAY FOR IT. WE HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING THE TAXES ON IT.
[02:45:01]
IT'S NOT A ONE OF Y'ALL SITTING HERE TONIGHT.IT CAME IN HERE FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT STUFF WHEN ARGUING THE SAME THING.
IT'S MY PROPERTY. I WANT THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT I WANT WITH MY PROPERTY.
I JUST DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING.
YOU'RE NOT. IT'S NOT A FAIR AND EQUITABLE WAY TO DO IT.
BE THANKFUL HE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT 125 HOMES IN THERE.
RIGHT. AND AND AFTER IT GOES UP, IF YOU LOOK WE LEARNED WE LEARNED A LOT WITH THE REEVES ROAD.
WE MADE SOME MISTAKES WITH THE FIRST ONE.
WE LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT A YEAR DOWN THE ROAD AFTER THIS GROWTH COMES UP, YOU WON'T EVEN UNLESS YOU KNOW, TO LOOK FOR AND YOU WANT TO IT YOU RUN RIGHT BY IT AND WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW IT'S THERE. SO I GOT TO TELL YOU, I'M STRAIGHT UP.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF HEARTBURN WITH THE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.
AND I WILL SUPPORT THIS MAN'S REQUEST 110%.
JUST LIKE I HAVE MR. THACKER AND EVERYBODY ELSE, IT'S THEIR PROPERTY.
I'M SORRY. THAT'S JUST MY POSITION.
YOU CAN HATE ME. EXCUSE ME? YOU CAN HATE ME IF YOU WANT TO.
BUT I'M BEING HONEST WITH YOU.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HATE YOU, MR. WEBB, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW, THEY'RE OUT IN THIS AUDIENCE FEEL THE SAME WAY WE DO.
ANY MORE COMMENTS? YEAH, WE'LL SAY THAT.
I AGREE WITH WHAT MR. BROWN SAID TO BEGIN WITH ABOUT US INCHING AWAY AT THE GREEN AND TAKING AWAY OUR GREEN COUNTRY COUNTY.
BUT WE'RE ALSO TAKING IT AWAY.
IF WE PUT A BUNCH OF HOUSES OUT THERE.
THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY ABOUT MR. HERETICS REQUEST IS THAT AT LEAST HE'S GOING TO HIDE IT AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
IT'LL STILL BE THERE, IT'LL STILL BE CHUNKED AWAY, BUT AT LEAST IT WON'T BE IN OUR FACE.
I CAN'T SAY THIS. I DISAGREE WITH WHAT HE WANTS.
FOR THE ONES THAT PARTICIPATED OR WERE PRESENT FOR A STRATEGIC INITIATIVE THING WE HAD BACK BEFORE.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONSULTANTS, AND MR. STEELE, I'M NOT CALLING YOU OUT, BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW FOR A FACT YOU HAPPEN TO BE THERE.
YOU CAN EITHER PLAN TO TRY TO GET STAY AHEAD OF IT OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE PLAYING CATCH UP.
AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE PLAYING CATCH UP ON MULTIPLE LEVELS RIGHT NOW.
SO I MEAN, IT'S GREAT IF YOU'VE GOT 6000 ACRES OR WHATEVER OR YOU'RE HAPPY WHEN YOU'RE 25 ACRES OR WHATEVER IT IS, HOLD IT SACRED BECAUSE THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE PEOPLE. UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE.
PROPERTY IS GOING TO GO TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
KIDS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT IT.
AND THAT'S OUT OF THEIR CONTROL.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER. IF YOU CAN'T CONTROL IT, YOU CAN'T DO WHAT? SOMEONE'S WORRYING ABOUT IT.
AND WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY WE'VE GROWN FROM UP TO 43,000 RESIDENTS.
PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO OUR COUNTY FASTER THAN WE CAN KEEP UP WITH IT, AS MR. WEBB SAID. BUT LOOK AROUND THE LOCALITIES THAT ADJOIN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY.
KNOCK ON WOOD, WE HAVEN'T MADE THE NEWS OF THE SHOOTINGS AND THE KILLINGS THAT.
OUR FELLOW BORDERLINES, CITIES AND COUNTIES HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING, UNFORTUNATELY.
ALL I CAN SAY, IT'S HARD TO SIT BACK.
AND I APPRECIATE IT WHEN I GOT IT.
THAT'S MY LAST. THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? YES, MA'AM. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
THANK YOU. WE NOW GO TO P5, PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE DNA OF PRINCE GEORGE.
WE'LL RUN OUT OF TIME, CHIEF BEEMAN.
[02:50:02]
OKAY. I THINK IT'S 11:00.BUT I THINK WE'RE STILL GOING TO RUN OUT OF TIME.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
MR. STOKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME BACK.
I WANTED TO GO OVER JUST A FEW THINGS.
OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, MYSELF AND MR. STOKE HAVE SAT DOWN WITH EVERY VOLUNTEER CHIEF, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMPANY, ONE CHIEF AND PERSON PROVIDED IN RED LINE BY LINE OF THE PROPOSED FIRE ORDINANCE TO EACH OF THEM.
WITH THE LAST MEETING HELD AS A GROUP ON JULY NINE, 2022, AT 1800 HOURS.
ALL CHIEFS WERE PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMPANY THREE CHIEFS THAT WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND.
IN FACT, SEVERAL OF THE CHIEFS THAT I'VE TALKED TO OFFLINE ACTUALLY SAID THAT IT LOOKS GOOD TO THEM.
I THINK YOU'LL FIND THIS ILLUSTRATION.
AS YOU WILL FIND, THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT, WITH VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS, FOLLOWS THE VIRGINIA LAW AS MUCH LIKE MOST LAWS SUCH AS VIRGINIA ONES ILLUSTRATED HERE. ACCREDITING BODIES, THE JOINT COMMISSION, NFPA NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION AGENCY THAT GOVERNS FIRE SERVICES.
THAT CHANGED FROM TIME TO TIME.
FOR THE VOLUNTEERS, THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE BY THE BOARD, IF APPROVED, IS ACKNOWLEDGING NOT ONLY ACTIVE MEMBERS, BUT WE SUBSEQUENTLY DEFINED WHAT ACTIVE AND ACTIVE SUPPORT MEMBERS, ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, ALL OF WHICH UNITING THEM, AND AN ORDINANCE WHICH IS KIND OF VAGUE IN OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE.
THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE SYSTEM THAT PRIOR TO THE CHANGE ARE RECOGNIZED WERE NOT RECOGNIZED FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX CREDIT BECAUSE THEY WERE LISTED AS MEMBERS OF STATIONS NOT CURRENTLY LISTED IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE SUCH AS STATION SEVEN AND STATION EIGHT.
SO SYSTEM VOLUNTEERS, LOGISTICS, THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO THOSE STATIONS.
CURRENTLY, SUBSTATION THREE IS STAFFED 24 SEVEN BY CAREER PROVIDERS.
BY APPROVING THIS ORDINANCE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS AFFORDING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THIS STATION THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE SOME OF THEIR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE LIVING CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE FIRE STATION.
I ACTUALLY CONTACTED LIBERTY INSURANCE BECAUSE ONE OF MY MEMBERS ACTUALLY TOLD ME ABOUT THIS AND THEY FORWARDED ME TO THEIR UNDERWRITERS AND THEY CONFIRMED AND I CAN'T SAY THIS HAPPENS TO ALL OF THEM, BUT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL THAT THAT WILL LOOK AT THIS.
SO BEFORE THE BOARD ASKED ME TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT WAS LAW AND WHAT WAS PUT IN THERE BY ME, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS ACTUALLY RECEIVED THIS, BUT OUT TO THE SIDE OF THIS, IF WE SCROLL THROUGH AND SHE CAN JUST KIND OF SCROLL THROUGH, YOU WILL SEE IF YOU ARE PROVIDED EVERY SINGLE SECTION, EVERY SINGLE PARAGRAPH NOW FOLLOWS VIRGINIA LAW.
WE MADE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO READ.
THE ONLY SECTIONS THAT I TECHNICALLY WROTE MYSELF WAS WE ACTUALLY PUT IN VOLUNTEERS, ACTUALLY DEFINED UNDER THE VIRGINIA CODE TITLE 27, BUT INACTIVE MEMBERS, ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, HONORARY MEMBERS ARE NOT LISTED IN THERE, SO THEY ARE NOW LISTED IN OUR CURRENT ONE.
RIGHT, SO THAT IS ALL IN THERE.
THERE WAS OTHER SECTIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT AND WE TALKED ABOUT MULTIPLE TIMES AND AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYTHING WAS ADDED FROM THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I HAVE. IN FACT, BOTH THAT DOCUMENT AND THE OTHER DOCUMENT THAT WAS DISCUSSED THAT I DIDN'T CONSULT WITH, I HAVE EVERY EMAIL TRAIL FROM EVERY OFFICER WITH THEIR SUGGESTIONS OR WHATEVER THEY THOUGHT NEEDED TO BE DONE WITH THIS OR THE GRIEVANCE THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED LATER ON.
SO WITH THAT, I'M JUST ASKING FOR IT TO GO FORWARD AND I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
[02:55:04]
ANY QUESTIONS, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH.COMMENTS? THANK YOU. I OPENED THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS CHANGE, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MADAM CHAIRMAN. GOOD EVENING, KEVIN FOSTER 138 HOLLY BERRY LANE.
I'M THE ONE CHIEF THAT DIDN'T MEET WITH CHIEF BEEMAN BECAUSE HE REFUSED TO MEET WITH ME AND MY ASSISTANT CHIEF AND MY PRESIDENT ON MULTIPLE REQUESTS.
IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT THIS WAS GOING ON DURING MY GRIEVANCE PROCESS.
WHEN CHIEF BEEMAN SITS UP HERE AND SAYS, OTHER CHIEFS SAYS, LOOKS GOOD TO ME.
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT TELLS ME? THEY HAVEN'T READ IT.
I COME TO YOU TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO HASTILY MAKING CHANGES TO A COUNTY ORDINANCE.
WITHOUT PERFORMANCE OF SOME SERIOUS DUE DILIGENCE AND INPUT FROM MULTIPLE FACETS OF THIS COUNTY.
THE CURRENT ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRINCE GEORGE COORDINATED FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED IN JULY OF 2014, AND ONLY MR. CARMICHAEL REMAINS WITH INSTITUTIONAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AS TO HOW WE CAME UP TO THE ADOPTION OF THIS SYSTEM.
IT HAS SERVED WELL FOR EIGHT YEARS, WITH MINOR MODIFICATIONS MADE IN AUGUST OF 21.
IN MY OPINION OF HOW THIS SYSTEM CURRENTLY WORKS, WE CANNOT HAVE AFFORD TO HAVE A MODEL OF OPERATION THAT DOES NOT PROMOTE THE BEST INTEREST OF COUNTY CITIZENS RATHER THAN THE BEST INTERESTS OF INDIVIDUALS.
IT ELIMINATES THE COUNTY'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE ESSENTIAL AND HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF VOLUNTEERS AND THE NEED TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION.
THESE CHANGES WILL ULTIMATELY ELIMINATE THE COMMUNICATION AND CONSIDERATION OF ALL VIEWS REGARDING THE PROVISIONING OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THE WELFARE OF THE COUNTY CITIZENS BY VOLUNTEER AGENCIES.
I'M VERY GLAD THAT CHIEF BEEMAN HAS ADDED BACK THE WORD VOLUNTEER TO THE NAMES, BUT I'M DISAPPOINTED BY NOT KEEPING THE PROMINENT NAMES OF DISPUTANTA, CARSON, BURROWSVILLE AND JEFFERSON PARK, THE ELIMINATION OF THIS AND PUTTING PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, DISPUTANTA, DIMINISHES THE ROLES, THE SACRIFICES AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THESE COMMUNITIES WITHIN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY PLAYED IN ESTABLISHING WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
THE REORGANIZATION OF THE FIRE AND EMS BOARD IN THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE NOW ALLOWS FOR CAREER STAFF TO BE PART OF THE BOARD AND CONTINUES TO MAKE THE FIRE CHIEF THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD. CAREER STAFF HAVE THE ABILITY FOR INPUT BASED ON THEIR DAILY ASSIGNMENTS, AND THE CHAIR OF THIS BOARD SHOULD ROTATE OR BE ELECTED WITH THE FIRE CHIEF HAVING A VOTE AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE MEETING.
NO DIFFERENT FROM HOW THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FUNCTIONS WITH THIS BOARD.
THERE'S A SECTION IN HERE THAT TALKS ABOUT HAVING THE FIRE AND EMS BOARD, NOT REVIEW PERSONNEL POLICIES AFFECTING VOLUNTEERS IS A HUGE MISTAKE AND FEEDS INTO THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTING UNION MENTALITY OF REDUCING THE VOLUNTEER RANKS, WHICH WE SEE SO FREQUENTLY.
HOWEVER, THIS CONTRADICTS NAMING THE ENTITIES WHO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
THIS AUTHORITARIAN, AUTHORITARIAN AND DICTATORIAL APPROACH COULD CAUSE GREATER PROBLEMS FOR THE COUNTY SHOULD THE FIRE CHIEF EXHIBIT PERSONALITY CONFLICTS WITH DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEERS.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU NOT TAKE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE COUNTY ORDINANCE, SEND THIS BACK TO THE FIRE CHIEF AND THE CURRENT FIRE AND EMS BOARD TO HAVE WORK SESSIONS WITH INPUT FROM MANY SOURCES, POSSIBLY A COMMITTEE, AND INCLUDE IN THE PUBLIC.
[03:00:06]
YEAR AND AS YOU KNOW, IT TAKES SOME TIME TO LEARN ALL THE ASPECTS OF DELIVERING QUALITY SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS.RON FRAZIER 11301 FIRESIDE DRIVE.
I'M WITH DISPUTANTA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THIS CAN BE SHORT BECAUSE HE COVERED ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I HAD ON MY SHEET.
I AGREE WITH HIM AND I WANT TO ECHO THAT.
I URGE THE BOARD TO KICK THIS BACK AND LET US GO THROUGH THIS.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE FORM A COMMITTEE WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD COMMITTEE COMMITTEE, MAYBE A MEMBER AT LARGE CITIZENS, WHAT HAVE YOU COMPRISED OF VOLUNTEERS AND CAREER STAFF TO LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE, SEE WHAT INPUT THEY WANT, AND GO FROM THERE.
Y'ALL HAVE A NICE NIGHT. THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GREG [INAUDIBLE], 7509 WOODRIDGE PRINCE GEORGE, VIRGINIA THIS EVENING.
MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I STAND BEFORE YOU AS THE PRESIDENT OF PRINCE GEORGE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS REQUESTING AND REPRESENTING ALL THE FIRE PAID PERSONNEL IN PRINCE GEORGE.
YOU AGAIN CHOSEN TO PLACE THE LIVES AND PROTECTION OF OUR CITIZENS AT YOUR TOP PRIORITY.
YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO ADD PERSONNEL, PURCHASE NECESSARY LIFE SAFETY EQUIPMENT, OVERHAUL OUR OUTDATED HOSE AND SUPPRESSION EQUIPMENT, AND MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO UNIFY OUR DIVIDED DEPARTMENT WITH ADDITION OF A FIRE CHIEF AND ENFORCE SAFETY STANDARDS.
WE HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO ENSURE THE COMBINED EFFORTS AND RESOURCES OF OUR ORGANIZATION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICE TO OUR VISITORS AND OUR COMMUNITY. THE CURRENT FIRE CHIEF, CHIEF BEEMAN, IS TRYING TO COMBINE FORCES, RESOURCES, OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTED NATIONAL AND STATE STANDARDS TO ENSURE THAT WE INDEED ARE PROVIDING THAT HIGHEST POSSIBLE SERVICE.
THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT IS PLACED NOW FALLS SHORT OF OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE NEED.
NEEDS OF OUR DEPARTMENT AND A FEW NOTED ITEMS DOES NOT INCLUDE RECENTLY ADDED REORGANIZATIONS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY NEGATIVELY IMPACTED TO THE RESIDENTS OF THEIR 24 HOUR STAFF STATIONS. IT CURRENTLY HAS PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES IN THE CURRENT ORANGE THAT DO NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE FULL VOICE EXPERTISE OF ALL OF OUR ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, LEADERS AND ASSETS.
THE NEWLY PROPOSED ORDINANCE, AGAIN, FIXES THESE ISSUES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, REALIGNS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH WITH STATE NATIONAL STANDARDS AND ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE, TO ORGANIZE AS ONE UNIFIED ORGANIZATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE UNIFICATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE SET FORTH IN THE ORDINANCE WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT HELP US TO BETTER OUR SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF PRINCE GEORGE. I'LL CLOSE TONIGHT AND ASK YOU THAT YOU CONTINUE TO PLACE THE RESIDENTS, VISITORS, PROVIDERS AND SERVICE MEMBERS AT THE TOP OF YOUR PRIORITY LIST, PLACE THE NECESSARY TRUST AND FAITH IN THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE PLACED IN THE FIRE AND EMS ORGANIZATION, AND KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO BE THE FOREMOST IN PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE CITIZENS OF VISITORS.
PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY. THANK YOU.
SCOTT CAMPBELL, 18130 SOUTH CRATER ROAD, SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, VIRGINIA 23805.
I WEAR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT HATS.
I'M A BUSINESS OWNER IN THE COUNTY OWNED LAND IN THE COUNTY.
I'VE BEEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE 38 AND A HALF YEARS.
MY FATHER WAS A POLICE OFFICER HERE IN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
I'VE BEEN DEDICATED TO COMMUNITY SERVICE SINCE I WAS A KID.
JUST LIKE MANY OF THE VOLUNTEERS HERE HAVE.
SO YOU ASK ME, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT DOES THAT DO? DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS.
[03:05:04]
WE HAD AN ADVISORY BOARD HERE.MAYBE WE HAVE ZOOM MEETINGS AT 6:00.
I'M THE ONE HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
ME AND MR. STOKES, HE HAD THIS MEETING.
I ASKED THAT NIGHT TO HAVE AN EMAIL COPIED TO ME SO I COULD COMPARE APPLES AND ORANGES TOGETHER.
I SEE YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED IT AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S FAIRLY EASY TO READ THROUGH AND GO THROUGH.
SO I ASK US TO TAKE A STEP BACK.
LET'S HAVE SOME WEIGH-IN ON IT.
IT'S GOING TO DIRECTLY AFFECT US.
YOU, MR. BROWN, MADE THE COMMENT WE NEED TO GET A HOLD UP HERE AT THE BOARD.
WE NEED TO GRAB A HOLD OF THE REINS.
OKAY, SO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SOLAR FARMS. YOU SAID THE BOARD NEEDED TO GET WE WANTED TO PUT A MORATORIUM ON THEM, FOR ONE, YOU SAID, YEP, YEP, AND THE BOARD, NEED TO GET TOGETHER WITH SOME THINGS AND WRAP THINGS UP.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID, RIGHT? IN REGARDS TO SOLAR FARMS. YES, SIR. OKAY, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID. WELL, I'M SAYING THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH THIS.
WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH SOLAR FARMS. I WANT TO DO WITH THIS POLICY.
I THINK WE NEED TO ALL LOOK AT IT BECAUSE IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT WE'VE ALL GOT TO GO BY.
WE LET ONE MAN COME IN AND REWRITE THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT, ASKED US FOR INPUT.
WE GAVE HIM INPUT. IT DIDN'T MAKE IT INTO THAT ORDINANCE.
CHANGE I'VE CHANGED IN MY LIVELIHOOD FROM WHEN I WAS A KID TILL NOW.
PEOPLE DON'T LIKE IT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BENEFIT EVERYBODY, NOT JUST 2% OR 3% OF THE ORGANIZATION OR 4% OF THE ORGANIZATION. WE'RE LETTING LET'S JUST SAY 10%.
WE'RE LETTING 10% DICTATE TO 90%.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WE DON'T NEED CAREER AND I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WE NEED VOLUNTEER.
ME AND THIS GENTLEMAN IN THE BACK JUST HAD A CONVERSATION.
WE KNOW THAT. SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE NEED TO ALL GET ON THE SAME PAGE AND WORK TOGETHER AS ONE AND FOR A COMMON GOAL FOR THE CITIZENS OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY AND FOR THE FOLKS TRAVELING THROUGH PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY TO AND FROM WORK EVERY DAY.
THAT'S WHO WE OWE OUR TIME AND EFFORT TO.
HE'S WRITTEN MORE POLICIES, CHANGED MORE THINGS.
I JUST WANT TO SEE SOME POSITIVE THINGS DONE TO THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO TO BE BETTER ON MY VOLUNTEERS.
WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE BETTER FOR THE CAREER STAFF? SOME DAYS THOSE GUYS RUN, RUN, RUN, GUYS AND GIRLS.
I'M SORRY. THEY RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
LISTEN TO THE SCANNER. I DO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO HELP THE FOLKS IN THE STREET THAT'S DOING THE WORK? THESE POLICIES AIN'T RUNNING CALLS.
I ASK YOU TO COME BACK FOR ALL? WE'RE GOING TO BE GOVERNED BY THIS.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? YES JOHNNY NUGENT 11373 CEDAR RUN RD SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE.
I SAT HERE AND LISTEN TO THIS MEETING TONIGHT AND HAVE LISTENED TO EVERYTHING GO ON, AND ONE THING I WILL GIVE CREDIT FOR, FOR MR. STOKES BECAUSE HE IS NEW IS HIS PREDECESSOR WAS VERY BIG ON TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT.
LET STUFF BE SEEN. THAT'S WHEN WE HAD THE ADVISORY BOARD, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE WENT TO COVID, EVERYTHING GOT CLOSED UP, CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.
WE'RE BACK OUT OF THAT. THERE'S STILL NO MORE TRANSPARENCY.
THIS DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF YOU IS NOT THE SAME DOCUMENT ON YOUR WEBSITE RIGHT NOW FOR YOU.
MR. [INAUDIBLE] SAID THIS EVENING HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF Y'ALL GOT THE DOCUMENT, AND A COUPLE OF THINGS HE SAID THAT WAS INCORRECT IN THIS DOCUMENT IS, ONE, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT STATION 8 NOT GETTING THE TAX CREDIT.
STATION 8 DID GET THE TAX CREDIT.
AS PRINCE GEORGE EMERGENCY CREW.
ONCE THEY DISBANDED, IT WENT AWAY.
SO THE SYSTEM VOLUNTEERS WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THAT CREDIT THEN.
[03:10:06]
IF NOT SEEING NO ONE COMING FORWARD.I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE BOARD.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY JUST A FEW COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE THAT CAN BE MISLEADING.
WE'LL START WITH THE LAST ONE, STATION EIGHT.
THE THE LOGISTICS CHAPLAIN AND THE SYSTEM VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO STATION SEVEN, STATION FOUR, I HAD ORIGINALLY ASKED THEM, SAID THAT THEY WOULD BRING THEM UNDER THEIRS BEFORE I GOT HERE, AND THAT WAY THEY COULD GET THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.
THEY DID NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO STATION SEVEN.
THE MEETINGS I HAVE MET WITH YOU GUYS MULTIPLE TIMES ON THIS ORDINANCE SINCE JANUARY.
I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE THE ZOOM MEETINGS IN OUR LAST ZOOM MEETING, AND WE ARE GOING TO I THINK I ANNOUNCED IN THE LAST ZOOM MEETING, WHICH, BY THE WAY, I RECORDED THAT WE WOULD BE RESUMING THE IN-PERSON MEETINGS IN AUGUST.
I HAVE A ZOOM MEETING THAT WAS ALSO RECORDED WHERE WE WENT THROUGH THIS LINE BY LINE WITH EVERY SINGLE CHIEF THAT ATTENDED THAT MEETING, AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND ANY OF THE COMMENTS.
THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE THAT THEY WEREN'T INVOLVED.
BUT MR. STOKES, THE ONE WHO PERSONALLY PRINTED IT AND HANDED IT TO HIM.
THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT SOME OF THE ORDINANCE.
THIS IS THE SAME DOCUMENT THAT YOU ASKED ME TO PUT IN THERE.
THIS FOLLOWS LAW, EVERY BIT OF IT.
NO MATTER WHO MAKES THE DECISION, IT WILL ULTIMATELY BE ME THAT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE PRESENTATION THAT I GAVE YOU THIS PARTICULAR THING.
ALL I DID WAS ADD THE LAW TO THE SIDE.
THERE WAS ALSO A COMMENT MADE THAT I REFUSED TO MEET WITH STATION ONE.
CHIEF, MR. STOKE IS UP THERE WITH YOU.
MR. STOKE DIRECTED ME HOW WE WOULD HAVE THIS MEETING.
WE WOULD ONLY MEET WE WOULD ONLY MEET WITH THE CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT WITH MR. STOKE. HE REFUSED TO MEET WITH US.
I DO HAVE THAT DOCUMENTATION AS WELL.
SO WE DID ATTEMPT IN EVERY WAY.
TO MEET AND GO OVER EVERYTHING.
EVERY SUGGESTION THAT WAS MADE.
MADAM CHAIR, I DO WANT TO STATE.
YES, I DO WANT TO SAY ONE CLARIFICATION.
THAT WAS A CHANGE THAT WAS MADE THIS AFTERNOON.
SO I DID WANT TO MAKE CLEAR FOR THE RECORD.
THANK YOU. DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY COMMENTS NOW OR ANYTHING? YES, MA'AM, I DO.
ALL RIGHT. LOOK, I UNDERSTAND CHANGE IS HARD.
IT'S INEVITABLE, AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S HARD.
THERE'S USUALLY A LOT OF RESISTANCE TO IT.
I DON'T HAVE THE TENURE MR. CARMICHAEL'S GOT, BUT I'M PROBABLY THE NEXT BEST THING TO IT.
EVERY ONE OF THEM. I THINK I MAY HAVE MAYBE I MISSED TWO A COUPLE WHEN I WAS HURT, BUT THAT'S IT.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO THE ADVISORY BOARD.
I GOT THE CREDIT FOR TRYING TO DO AWAY WITH THE TAX CREDIT FOR THE VOLUNTEERS.
I WAS PUT ON THE SPOT ONE NIGHT.
WHAT WAS MY RESPONSE? THAT CAME OUT OF YOUR GROUP.
[03:15:03]
SO IT WAS ALL ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE THINGS FAIR AND EQUITABLE.THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE THING CAME ABOUT WITH THE BYLAWS.
YOU CAN CHECK THE MINUTES THAT ARE BEING EITHER ONE OF THEM.
I'VE MADE THIS STATEMENT HERE BEFORE.
WE HAVE GOT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING.
SOME OF THEM ARE THE ONES THAT YOU ALL AGREE TO.
IT'S A POLICY YOU CAN'T HAVE AN CBA ON IF YOU'RE NOT CLEAN SHAVEN.
THAT'S THE CITIZENS PAYING FOR ALL THAT.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO PULL TOGETHER.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT UNIFIED, WHAT IS UNIFIED WHEN YOU CONSTANTLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHY THE PAID AND THE VOLUNTEER NEED TO BE SEPARATED? I DON'T GET THAT. EVEN IN THE DOCUMENT THAT WE WERE HANDED TONIGHT FOR THE BILL OF RIGHTS, FOR THE FIREFIGHTER, IT LISTED IN HERE THREE TIMES FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, IT DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT PART TIME.
THE WHOLE THING ABOUT TAKING VOLUNTEERS OFF OUT OF THE COUNTY POLICY IS TO CLEAN IT UP BECAUSE TECHNICALLY GUYS ARE REALISTICALLY YOU'RE NOT PAID EMPLOYEES.
I'VE SAID 100 TIMES THAT VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS COUNTY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE, BUT I KIND OF GET CONFUSED WITH WHAT IS ACTUALLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OR THE BEST INTEREST OF ANY PARTY THAT HAPPENS TO HAVE OPPOSITION TO SOMETHING.
WE TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT.
CAN IT BE BETTER MANAGE? YES, IT CAN, BUT HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE PAY THAT MAN TO TRY TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE.
LIKE IT OR NOT, HE'S RESPONSIBLE.
ANY OF THE VOLUNTEERS CANNOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE FUN OF YOU.
I'M NOT TRYING TO TALK DOWN TO YOU.
HE MAKES HIM RESPONSIBLE, WHICH MAKES US RESPONSIBLE AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE ANY CITIZEN HAS GOT THE RIGHT TO ASK WHY'D YOU DO THIS? IF YOU KNEW THIS, WHY DID YOU ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN? I'M SORRY. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT WE KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS.
WHEN YOU SAID THERE MIGHT BE SOME VERBIAGE THAT YOU DIDN'T AGREE WITH OK, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNICATION THAT HASN'T TAKEN PLACE , AND DIDN'T TAKE THE TIME.
IT'S TOUGH. WHEN YOU WORK FULL TIME JOB.
YOU GOT KIDS, WHATEVER OR BUSINESS.
IT'S TOUGH TO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THAT ROLE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE EFFORT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, AND THIS SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN WORKED OUT SIX MONTHS AGO, AT LEAST THREE MONTHS AGO, THREE MONTHS AGO.
YEAH. I THOUGHT IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL, MR. WEBB. OBVIOUSLY HEARING THERE'S A DISCONNECT SOMEWHERE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SIT UP HERE , AND PICK WHO I BELIEVE AND WHO I DON'T BELIEVE.
THAT'S NOT MY PLACE, BUT I ASKED FOR A CLEAN COPY.
I READ IT. I COULDN'T DISPUTE IT BECAUSE I'M NOT IN THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION NO MORE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GO THROUGH EVERY DAY.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING--THAT'S WHAT I READ ON THE CLEAN COPY.
BUT SINCE THERE IS A DISCONNECT AND THIS IS JUST ME SPEAKING, THIS IS NOT THE BOARD.
I'M TIRED OF KICKING IT DOWN THE ROAD.
I WANT THE VOLUNTEER CHIEFS AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS.
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CHIEF BEAMON IS DOING AND AGREE.
AS LONG AS IT'S THE LAW AND IT'S THE STATE OR LOCAL LAW.
[03:20:03]
, AND I KNOW MR. STOKE IS SO BUSY IN HIS NEW ROLE AND SO MUCH THAT'S EMPOWERED TO HAVE HIM CONTROL.I WOULD ASK MR. STOKES TO HAVE A CLEAN COPY OF THIS AND PERSONALLY GET WITH EITHER THE ATTORNEY AND CHIEF BEAMON AND MAKE SURE EVERY CHIEF GETS A COPY OF IT. GIVE THEM A DEADLINE OR WHEN THEY NEED TO TURN IT BACK INTO WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS OR CHANGES AND THEN GO OVER THE CHANGES.
SO I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE.
IT WAS RECEIVED BACK, AND THE CHANGES THAT THEY WANT TO SEE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED, AND IF ANY, NEEDS TO BE ADMITTED INTO THIS POLICY, THEN IT GETS ADMITTED, BUT I WOULDN'T PUT TOO MUCH TIME OR LET TOO MUCH TIME LAPSE BECAUSE I WAS COMFORTABLE WHEN I READ IT AT HOME.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO ANSWER THAT.
THAT'S JUST ME. IT'S GETTING TIRESOME REALLY, BUT 60-70 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COUNTY AND IT WON'T HURT TO TAKE A FEW MORE DAYS FOR YOU TO VERIFY THAT EVERYBODY'S HAD A SAY SO.
IS THAT A MOTION? NO, THAT'S MY COMMENT.
ALL RIGHT. THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN REALLY MAKE COMMENT OR NOT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE A DIRECT CONFLICT.
OKAY. SO I HAVE TO AGREE WITH WHAT? BOTH MR. CARMICHAEL IS SAYING YET WHAT MR. WEBB HAS SAID.
IT'S BEEN PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS WRONG. THIS IS RIGHT, AND IT'S BEEN MANY YEARS OF KICKING THIS CAN AROUND, AND I CAN'T SAY THAT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH A COUPLE OF THE LONG TIME.
VOLUNTEER FIRE CHIEFS SAY THAT THEY HAVEN'T FULLY UNDERSTOOD OR FULLY HAD THE.
OPPORTUNITY TO COMPREHEND IN QUESTION IT, AND THAT TOO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT EACH OF THEM MEET WITH.
I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU MEET WITH MR. CHIEF BEAMON AND MR. STOKE, AND EVEN DAN, IF NECESSARY, WHATEVER THEY THINK IS NECESSARY TO LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, AND I THINK CHIEF BEAMON HAS OFFERED WHAT HE FELT LIKE, OFFERED THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND FELT LIKE THEY DID RESPOND, BUT APPARENTLY SOME OF THEM DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY RESPOND.
I WANT THEM TO FULLY RESPOND, AND WE CAN GIVE THEM ABOUT WHATEVER SOMEBODY SAYS TO THE NEXT MEETING? IT SHOULDN'T TAKE LONGER THAN THAT TO READ THIS DOCUMENT.
LIKE MR. WEBB SAID, WE'VE GOT TO DO IT IN UNITY.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE UNITY UNITED AND AGREE WITH THESE THINGS, AND THAT MAN RIGHT THERE IS THE ONE THAT IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACTION THAT ANYBODY DOES, WHETHER THEY'RE VOLUNTEER OR PAID.
WHEN THAT SIREN GOES OFF, SOMEBODY HAS TO RESPOND AND SOMEBODY NEEDS HELP.
BOARD MEMBERS IS THERE A CONSENSUS THAT THIS WILL NOT BE A MOTION TONIGHT? MADAM CHAIR, YOU WOULD NEED A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO A SET DATE IF YOU WERE NOT PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION TONIGHT.
[03:25:04]
IF THERE WERE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE THAT ARE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN IT WOULD NEED TO BE RE-ADVERTISED FOR ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.DOES SOMEONE HAVE THAT MOTION TO PUT FORWARD? YOU CAN GENERALLY SAY THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD.
I MEAN, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GET ALLOW MR. STOKE AND HE CAN TELL US HOW LONG WE CAN PUT IT.
30 DAYS, IF YOU THINK THAT'S ENOUGH.
JUST MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS.
WELL, I WILL POSTPONE IT TO AUGUST 9TH TO ALLOW MR. STOKE TO DO WHAT WE ASK OF MAKING SURE EVERY CHIEF HAS BEEN AWARE.
EVERY COMMENT THEY HAVE WRITTEN HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND SPOKE OF, AND THEY GET THE ATTENTION.
I'D JUST LIKE TO PUT IT AND I KNOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOTION.
CAN I MAKE FURTHER COMMENT BEFORE I SECOND? YOU CAN ONLY COMMENT IN REGARDS TO POSTPONE REGARDING THE MOTION TO POSTPONE IT HAS TO BE RELEVANT TO POSTPONING THE ITEM AS LONG AS IT'S RELEVANT TO POSTPONING IT.
YOU WANT TO WITHDRAW ALL YOUR MOTION? I WANT TO ALLOW HIM TO SPEAK.
WELL, NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT I'VE GONE OVER THIS DOCUMENT WITH CHIEF BEAMON, AND HE'S EXPLAINED IT TO ME, AND ALL THE RELEVANT THINGS AND WITHOUT BEING EXPLAINED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I ASKED HIM ABOUT.
THAT'S THE REASON I WAS GOING TO SECOND THE MOTION.
POSTPONE IT UNTIL THEY CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
THE ONLY REASON. I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION.
THAT'S ALL. SO I'LL GO BACK WITH MY MOTION TO POSTPONE IT TILL THE 9TH OF AUGUST.
I'LL SECOND IT, AND WE'LL MOVE FROM THERE SINCE WE HAVE A MOTION.
I HAD QUESTION ON THE MOTION, SINCE WE'RE GOING TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT.
THE CONTEXT OR THE DEFINITION MEANT BY THE STATEMENT MADE OF THE VOLUNTEERS NEED TO BE REINED IN, WHICH IS NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT , BUT YOU ALL TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY ALL THE TIME.
MADAM CHAIR SINCE THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO TAKE ROLL.
CAN I MAKE A QUESTION, THOUGH, BASED ON THE MOTION? SURE. YOU CAN HAVE A QUESTION.
BECAUSE THE COMMENT WAS MADE FOR TO GIVE WHATEVER TIME WAS NECESSARY.
THIS IS BEING POSTPONED UNTIL AUGUST 9TH WHERE WE WILL MAKE A DECISION ON AUGUST 9TH.
AUGUST 9TH. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
THIS WILL COME BACK ON AUGUST 9TH.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ADVERTISED.
NO, THIS IS JUST NOW POSTPONED ITEM.
RIGHT. OR ONLY IF ANYTHING GETS CHANGED AFTER HE TALKS.
OKAY. WE NOW GO TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS.
[REPORTS]
GOOD EVENING. I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS PRETTY QUICK.YOU ALL HAVE A LOT OF IMPORTANT BUSINESS GOING ON.
I DID WANT TO MENTION TONIGHT THAT THE NO THRU TRUCK RESTRICTION IS STILL MOVING FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT. FDR HAS BEEN PLACED ON ARWOOD ROAD.
[03:30:05]
THAT WORK IS STILL NOT COMPLETE.WE NEED TO DO SOME DITCH WORK.
IT'LL BE TAR AND CHIP ON TOP OF THAT.
AND WE STILL HAVE SOME PATCHING TO DO THROUGHOUT OUR WOOD ROAD.
OKAY. THE DRAINAGE REPAIRS STARTED ON JORDAN POINT ARE ON HOLD CURRENTLY FOR AN ADDITIONAL SPECIALTY PROJECT THAT OUR CREW IS ON. WE PROBABLY WON'T START BACK ON THAT UNTIL PROBABLY AROUND AUGUST , AND THEN I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT I HAVE STAFF CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO POSSIBLE OPTIONS FOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON PAUL RUN.
THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE CONCERNS ABOUT THE CURVES AND NARROW SHOULDERS AND CONCERNS LIKE THAT FOR SAFETY OVER ABOUT A THREE YEAR PERIOD, AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE SAFETY FUNDING, WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY TYPE OF OPTIONS FOR THE USE OF THOSE SAFETY FUNDS.
THERE'S NO GUARANTEE WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING THERE, BUT WE ARE KIND OF INVESTIGATING AND WE'RE GETTING OUR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING TEAM INVOLVED TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE.
ANYTHING FOR ME? THANK YOU, MA'AM.
IF YOU COME UP WITH ANYTHING, PLEASE SHOOT ME AN EMAIL.
SORRY WE HELD YOU UP. SO SORRY WE KEPT YOU SO LONG.
THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THAT'S FINE.
THE NEXT REPORT IS THE CIP DISCUSSION BY BETSY DREWRY.
BOARD MEMBERS, MR. STOKE AND MR. WHITTEN.
THE BOARD HEARD A VERY SIMILAR PRESENTATION TO THIS LAST YEAR.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, THE BOARD SUSPENDED THE FORMAL CIP PROCESS IN FY 22 AND 23 BECAUSE OF FISCAL IMPACT AND BECAUSE OF LIMITED DEBT CAPACITY TO BORROW UNTIL 2027.
WE ARE TRYING TO RESERVE FUNDS FOR PERHAPS ANOTHER LARGE SCHOOL PROJECT OR COUNTY PROJECT.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO SUSPEND THE FY 24 PROCESS.
AGAIN, WE WOULD NEED TO START THAT IN JULY OR AUGUST IF WE WERE GOING TO DO IT FOR THE FY 24 BUDGET, BUT OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO SUSPEND IT AGAIN BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE LIMITED CAPACITY FOR ANY LARGE NEW PROJECTS UNTIL 2027.
HANG ON, DEAN. WE'RE GOING TO SIMMONS.
SORRY, MR. SIMMONS. WE'RE GOING TO BUMP YOU.
OUR NEXT REPORT IS DISCHARGING OF A FIREARM BY MR. WHITTEN. YES, MADAM CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MR. STOKE, THIS IS A PRETTY QUICK PRESENTATION.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A POLICY DRAFT.
THERE HASN'T BEEN AN ORDINANCE DRAFTED.
THIS IS JUST FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES AND FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD.
SO FIRST SLIDE IS WHY WAS THE COMMITTEE FORMED? THERE WERE TWO CITIZENS THAT RAISED CONCERNS.
ONE RAISED A CONCERN DURING THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD AT A BOARD MEETING, AND THEN A SECOND CITIZEN WHO IS INVOLVED WITH HER, WHO RAISED A CONCERN OF MR. STOKE REGARDING THE RECKLESS HANDLING OF A FIREARM.
I BELIEVE THE RESIDENT WAS SHOOTING AT GEESE THROUGH HIS KITCHEN WINDOW.
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DID PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE OF STAFF AND CITIZENS WHICH INCLUDED HIMSELF, MYSELF, THE CHIEF OF POLICE, THE SHERIFF, AND THEN FOUR CITIZENS DALE TRAYLOR, BEVERLY ROGERS, MARLIN DANCE, WHO SPOKE EARLIER, AND TOM GUESS, WHO'S A LEGISLATIVE LIAISON FOR DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND RESOURCES. SO WHAT DID THE COMMITTEE DISCUSS? WE MET TWICE IN PERSON ON JUNE 1ST, 2022 AND JUNE 17, 2022.
I PUT TOGETHER A SPREADSHEET SHOWING ADJACENT LOCALITIES, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET.
SO THIS REALLY JUST ISN'T TARGET SHOOTING.
THIS IS DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS. SO THE OPTIONS FOR THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION IS THE NULL OPTION.
THERE'S NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT THAT WE PASS A DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS ORDINANCE.
WE COULD SELECT ANOTHER LOCALITIES ORDINANCE TO COPY, OR WE COULD CONSIDER THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDED OPTIONS, AND THIS WOULD BE THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE. THIS WOULD BE THE OPTIONS THEY RECOMMENDED.
[03:35:02]
WE HEARD FROM MR. [INAUDIBLE] EARLIER TONIGHT.SO THE OPTIONS RECOMMENDED FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE THAT YOU CANNOT DISCHARGE A FIREARM WITHIN 300 FEET OF A DWELLING. THAT COULD BE STRUCTURE AS WELL.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A DWELLING.
IT WOULD NOT APPLY TO A PERSON'S OWN DWELLING OR BUSINESS.
SO ON MY PROPERTY, IF I WANTED TO SHOOT CLAYS, I COULD DO THAT ON MY OWN PROPERTY AS LONG AS I WASN'T 300 FEET FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S DWELLING, MY NEIGHBOR'S DWELLING.
WE'D HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING, BUT THAT'S JUST AN OPTION FOR CONSIDERATION.
THE COMMITTEE ALSO DISCUSSED LANGUAGE WHETHER TO REQUIRE A BERM OR BACKSTOP.
SO WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE TO DISCUSS THAT.
SO THE OPTIONS CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE WERE THE NULL OPTION DON'T REQUIRE BACKSTOP OR BERM, AND BASICALLY, IF THAT WAS THE CASE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD JUST GO OUT AND LOOK AT THE PROPERTIES, SEE IF YOU HAVE A BACKSTOP OR BERM.
THEY WOULD DO WHAT THEY DO NOW, JUST COMMUNITY POLICING AND EDUCATING THE CITIZENS.
THE SECOND OPTION WOULD BE THE PROJECTILE CAN'T LEAVE THE PROPERTY.
SO THAT WOULD STATE THAT IF THE PROJECTILE DID LEAVE THE PROPERTY, IT WOULD BASICALLY BE PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE OF A CRIME UNLESS YOU HAD PERMISSION TO DO SO BY THE NEIGHBOR.
SO IF YOUR NEIGHBOR SAID YOU CAN USE THE BACKSTOP ON MY PROPERTY BUT AGAIN, THAT HAD TO BE WRITTEN PERMISSION AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S OPTIONAL WE COULD DISCUSS IF WE WANT TO ALLOW THE NEIGHBORS TO GET PERMISSION.
THE THIRD, AND THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDED OPTION.
THE THIRD OPTION WOULD BE TO REQUIRE BERMS OR BACKSTOPS.
THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE MOST LIKELY BE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD BE OUT THERE LOOKING AT THE BACKSTOP, MAKING SURE IT WAS ENGINEERED CORRECTLY.
SO THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL TIME CONCERNS ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT LOOKING AT THE NRA DEFINITIONS A BACKSTOP'S DEFINED AS A DEVICE TO STOP, REDIRECT OR CONTAIN BULLETS AND A BERM IS DEFINED AS EMBANKMENT, A NATURAL EMBANKMENT USED FOR RESTRICTING BULLETS IN A GIVEN AREA.
ANYONE WHO WAS DEFENDING LIFE OR PROPERTY, IF THERE'S AN EXEMPTION UNDER THE STATE CODE FOR KILLING DEER ON FIVE ACRES TO PROTECT YOUR CROPS. ANY OTHER DISCHARGE OF FIREARM THAT'S COVERED SPECIFICALLY BY LAW AND FOR HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS AND ALSO STARTING ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS AND ANY CEREMONIAL OR PATRIOTIC DISPLAYS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I'VE GOT CONCERNS WITH THE 300 FEET.
OKAY. [INAUDIBLE] DOESN'T GIVE YOU THAT ON EITHER SIDE IF THE HOUSE IS NOT PERFECTLY ALIGNED.
THEN THAT TAKES AWAY FROM THAT.
I'D SAY IT'S A MOOT POINT TO ME, AND IT'S MADE A GOOD POINT.
IT'S SERIOUS WHAT WE GOT GOING ON.
JUST LIKE THAT KID YOU GOT KILLED FROM THE 4TH OF JULY ACCIDENT.
IT'S AN ACCIDENT, BUT SOONER OR LATER, SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN.
I CURRENTLY AM NOT IN FAVOR OF DOING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
ON ALL THE CALLS HE'S GETTING AND WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO FIND.
THE RICOCHETS ARE PROBABLY WHAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST IF IT'S NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS OR SOMETHING.
YOU'VE GOT KIDS AROUND IN THE POOL LIKE THE ONES THAT WE GOT CALL LAST YEAR FROM.
[03:40:02]
MULTIPLE TIMES.THAT'S SERIOUS, AND IF IT WAS MY HOUSE, I'D PROBABLY BE LIVID, BUT THAT'S MY STATEMENT AND WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED A RECENT FOIA REQUEST FOR ALL THE SHOOTING REPORTS SINCE 2019.
SO IF THE BOARD WANTS TO SEE A COPY OF THIS, WE JUST COMPILED THAT, IF THAT'S HELPFUL FOR THE BOARD.
YOU'D HAVE TO RANK THEM, JUST THE REPORTS IS NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.
WHAT TYPE OF REPORT? WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT WAS FOUND? I MEAN. RICOCHETS UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO GO LOOK IN THE TREES AND ALL, YOU'LL BE LUCKY, IF YOU CAN FIND IT.
I CAN UNDERSTAND WITH THE CONCERN.
WE NEED TO DO SOME MORE INVESTIGATION OR RESEARCH.
TO BE HONEST, I SOMETHING WE HAVE TO FIND SOME AMENABLE SOLUTION, AND I GET IT.
MOST OF THE FOLKS SITTING IN THIS ROOM OR PROBABLY EVERYONE SITTING IN THIS ROOM ARE RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS, AND THAT IS NOT THE INTENT TO HANDCUFF OR HANDICAP OR TIE UP ANYBODY'S HANDS THAT IS DOING STUFF IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY, BUT WE ALSO, OUT OF DUE RESPECT TO THOSE SAME CITIZENS THAT REPORT TO US OR TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVING CONCERNS WITH SOME THINGS GOING ON, WE HAVE TO FIND SOME AMENABLE SOLUTION SOMEWHERE AT SOME POINT, AND IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE BECAUSE AS WE ALLOW MORE AND MORE HOUSING HERE IN THE COUNTY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HOUSES CLOSER AND CLOSER AND CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER, AND SO THIS PROBLEM WILL NOT GO AWAY BY ITSELF.
SO I HAVE TO AGREE WITH WHAT MR. BROWN JUST SAID.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK ONE OF THE ANSWERS IS WHAT MR. BROWN DID WITH HIS NEIGHBORS DOWN THE ROAD, WENT DOWN AND TALKED TO THEM, AND THEY CAME UP WITH AN AMENABLE SOLUTION, AND THE PERSON WHO WAS SOMEWHAT SHOOTING ERRATICALLY OR WHAT HAVE YOU AGREED TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE AND RESPECTFUL TO THEIR NEIGHBOR? BUT LIKE MR. BROWN SAID, ALSO, AS MORE HOUSES COME IN, THERE'S MORE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T PRINCE GEORGE BORN AND RAISED WHO AREN'T USED TO HEARING GUNSHOTS NEXT DOOR AND ALL THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WAS SOMEWHAT WHEN I WAS COMING UP ALL THROUGH THE YEARS. A WAY OF LIFE.
YOU HEARD IT WAS NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT TODAY, AS PEOPLE MOVE INTO THE INTO THE COUNTY FROM OTHER LOCALITIES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT PROBABLY WILL FASTER RESPOND TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ACTION AND TO US, AND MY ONLY COMMENT IS SAME AS MR. BROWN AND WELL, ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS REALLY AT THIS POINT.
I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A RULE IN THE BOOK.
I DON'T BELIEVE AS OF YET THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS CAN CAN ACTUALLY GO BY FAR AS DISTANCE , AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THE ISSUE FROM WHAT I HEAR YET, BUT IF YOU TAKE A SUBDIVISION LIKE WILDWOOD FARMS OR HUCKLEBERRY HILLS, THE HOUSES ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, AND IF SOMEBODY GOES OUT AND STARTS SHOOTING THEIR WEAPON RIGHT IN THEIR BACKYARD, 75 FEET FROM THE NEXT HOUSE OR THE NEXT STRUCTURE, IF YOU WILL, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING IN THEIR RULES THAT SAYS THERE'S A DISTANCE THAT THEY HAVE TO BE FROM A DWELLING OR AS YOU PUT IT, SHELTER.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ISSUE THAT I'VE SEEN WITH SOMEBODY, THANK GOD HAS NOT GOTTEN HURT OR TARGET SHOOTING HAS CAUSED OR HAS BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO LOOK CLOSE IN AND BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE YOU COULD HAVE FIVE ACRE SUBDIVISIONS OUT THERE AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET THAT FAR , BUT THESE CLOSE HOUSES AND THESE SUBDIVISIONS, IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
I'M NOT SAYING TABLE IT FOR ANOTHER DATE.
IF SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN AND THEN WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE COMMITTEE MAYBE CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO SOME OPTIONS OTHER THAN THE ONE SO FAR, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY OF HOW DO WE ADDRESS THINGS WITH THE HOUSES THAT ARE LOCATED SO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER?
[03:45:02]
BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, DOWN OFF OF LANSING, WHERE I HAD GOTTEN THAT ONE CALL, I MEAN, YOU WOULD TAKE ABOUT 15 STEPS AND YOU WERE AT THE NEXT HOUSE.THAT'S HOW CLOSE THEY WERE BECAUSE THOSE ARE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR GETTING TOGETHER ANYWAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WHITTEN. SURE. MR. SIMMONS CONVENIENCE CENTER LOCATION.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MR. STOKE. MR. WHITTEN.
Y'ALL ASK US TO COME UP WITH A LOCATION FOR THE CONVENIENCE CENTER.
WE CAME UP WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] PROPERTY AND WE WANT Y'ALL WANTED SOME OPTIONS OF WHERE THIS COULD BE LOCATED ON THAT THE IT CAN BE LOCATED FOR A FULL SERVICE CONVENIENCE CENTER.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE KALANTARIANS.
I'M VICE PRESIDENT ARCHITECT WITH GUERNSEY TINGLE.
WE'RE WORKING WITH DEAN AND PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, LOOKING AT A NEW CONVENIENCE CENTER.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I HAVE A BUTTON. OH, I HAVE A BUTTON.
JUST ONE SECOND. SO THE PROPERTY, AS DEAN MENTIONED, IS THE [INAUDIBLE] PROPERTY.
IT'S LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF PRINCE GEORGE DRIVE AND EAST QUAKER ROAD.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO MAKE THIS PROPERTY SIMILAR TO THE UNION UNION BRANCH CONVENIENCE CENTER.
YOU CAN SEE THE AERIAL VIEW HERE AT UNION BRANCH.
IT'S WOULD BE A FULL CONVENIENCE CENTER.
AGAIN, YOU SEE THE PROPERTY, THE INTERSECTION THERE PRINCE GEORGE DRIVE NORTH, SOUTH EAST QUAKER ROAD IS GOING EAST WEST THERE.
WE'VE GOT THREE POSSIBLE LOCATIONS WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE NEW CONVENIENCE CENTER.
THEY ALL HAVE PROS AND CONS WITH THEM.
AND I WILL LET TIM DEAN WEIGH IN ON THOSE.
GOOD EVENING, TIM DEAN WITH DRAPER AND ASSOCIATES.
WE'D HEARD SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE COUNTY AND STAFF ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT VEHICLES QUEUING, GETTING INTO THE EXISTING FACILITY, WANTING TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS GOOD SEPARATION SO YOU DON'T HAVE TRAFFIC JAMS, TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND THINGS.
SO WE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS ALONG EAST QUAKER WHERE YOU MIGHT GAIN ACCESS AND THERE'S TWO LOCATIONS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE WHAT I'LL CALL CATTLE GATE AND GRAVEL ENTRANCES AND STUFF. SO LOGICALLY, IT MADE SENSE TO TRY TO UTILIZE EXISTING POINTS OF ENTRY INTO THAT PROPERTY.
NOW A COUPLE OF OTHER FACTORS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WAS SOME OF THE QUEUING.
SO IF SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO GET INTO THE CONVENIENCE CENTER, THERE'D BE PLENTY OF ROOM TO BE ABLE TO PULL OFF THESE QUAKER KIND OF WAIT IN LINE TO BE ABLE TO GET IN AND GO ACROSS THE SCALE, DROP OFF YOUR LOAD AND TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE.
SO WE KIND OF PICKED AN ARBITRARY NUMBER RIGHT NOW, ABOUT 200 FEET COMING OFF THE ROADWAY.
SO YOU'D HAVE ENOUGH ROOM THERE, AND AGAIN, ABOUT TWO ACRES IN SIZE.
THE LOCATIONS ALL WOULD HAVE GOOD SCREENING TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.
SO YOU'D BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT THICK STAND OF TREES THAT CURRENTLY IS ON THE PROPERTY RIGHT NOW.
SO AGAIN, WE KIND OF PICKED THOSE LOCATIONS BECAUSE OF THE SEPARATION FROM THE INTERSECTION TO GIVE IT A LOT OF ROOM, BUT IT WOULD GIVE YOU ENOUGH ROOM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVENIENCE CENTER THAT'S EQUIVALENT OR BETTER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE NOW FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT.
WE DID TALK WITH VDOT AND AGAIN, KIND OF GETTING BACK INTO SOME OF THE PARAMETERS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, AGAIN, 5 TO 6 VEHICLES BE ABLE TO CUE IN WITH TRAILERS, 8 TO 10 WITHOUT A TRAILER. WE HAVE HAD PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH VDOT, AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME TOO, THEY'VE SAID THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO HAVE A TURN LANE JUST BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND SUCH WOULD NOT BE SUCH THAT YOU'D BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A TURN LANE TO EITHER ENTER OR LEAVE THE FACILITY.
THE COUNTY MAY WISH TO MAKE EAST QUAKER ROAD A LITTLE BIT WIDER.
[03:50:03]
SO YOU MAY DESIRE TO HAVE A WIDER ROADWAY.PRETTY SIMPLY WITH THAT, AND AGAIN, YOU COULD DO IT FROM THE INTERSECTION TO THE ENTRANCE.
SO THERE'S SOME SOME PROS AND CONS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN GO BACK ONE.
THERE WE GO. THE OPTION A IS COMING OFF OF PRINCE GEORGE DRIVE.
OPTION B IS COMING OFF OF EAST QUAKER AND THEN OPTIONS IS ALSO COMING OFF EAST QUAKER.
B IS RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE ROADWAY.
IT KIND OF PUTS SOMETHING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
MAY CONFLICT WITH SOMETHING OR ANOTHER INTENDED USE.
OPTION C IS PRETTY ISOLATED, SO OVER IN THAT SOUTHEAST CORNER AND REALLY GIVES YOU A LOT OF LEEWAY AND FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE REST OF THE PROPERTY INTO SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT DOWN THE ROAD.
THEY'RE SEPARATED FROM THE ROADWAY.
THEY'RE NOT IN LINE WITH ADJACENT DRIVEWAYS ACROSS THE STREETS.
ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT AS WELL, TOO, IS THE ELECTRICAL SERVICE.
RIGHT NOW, THREE PHASE POWER IS PREFERRED FOR THE OPERATION AND THE EQUIPMENT.
THERE IS NO THREE PHASE POWER ON EAST QUAKER.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO UPGRADE ALL THE POLES TO WHEREVER THE ENTRANCE IS TO BRING IN TO THE SITE.
THERE IS THREE PHASE ON PRINCE GEORGE DRIVE, SO YOU'VE GOT THAT ON THAT SIDE OF IT.
THERE ALSO IS NO PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER OUT THERE, SO YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE A WELL SYSTEM FOR ANY POTABLE WATER OUT THERE AS WELL AS DRAIN FIELD FOR SANITARY OR COME UP WITH THE PUMP AND HAUL SYSTEM.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT A VERY HEAVILY USED OR DEMAND FOR THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES.
SO THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO FOR THE PROPERTY.
SO WITH THAT, WE JUST WANTED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY COMPACTORS ON THE SITE, CORRECT? YES, THERE WILL. OR AT LEAST AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'M TOLD THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE COMPACTORS.
I'M NOT AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, BUT I'M TOLD THEY WOULD LIKE THEM.
YOU AND YOUR BRANCH WOULD NOT REQUIRE [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH, BECAUSE UNION BRANCH DOESN'T HAVE COMPACTORS.
NO. SO THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT WE WERE MODELING AFTER UNION BRANCH.
SO I'M SURPRISED TO HEAR COMPACTORS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DESIGN THIS SO IT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT FOR THEM AND FOR US.
SO IT COULD REQUIRE A COMPACTOR OTHER THAN JUST A DRIVE OVER LIKE YOU HAVE AT UNION BRANCH.
SO THAT'S WHY THE THREE PHASE POWER WAS REQUESTED ON THE SITE SO THEY MAY HAVE DUMPS.
SOME OF THE SITES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, I'VE LOOKED AT AND OTHER LOCALITIES STILL HAVE THE DROP OFF.
SO YOU CAN THROW STUFF IN THE DUMPSTERS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE COMPACTORS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD TRASH.
THEY CAN HAUL MORE TONNAGE IN A SMALLER CONTAINER.
GOT YOU. I RECKON THE DIRECTION THAT STAFF IS LOOKING FOR IS WHICH ONE OF THESE OPTIONS THAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE FOR GUERNSEY TINGLE TO CONTINUE WITH AS FAR AS DESIGNING A SITE IN THAT AREA, HOW FAR OFF 156 IS OPTION C? OPTION C IS LIKE 200 FEET OFF OF 156.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT HOW FAR IS THE ROAD GOING BACK TO C FROM 156.
ALL RIGHT. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE DISTANCE FROM THE ROAD TO THE SITE.
YEAH. I MEAN, BETWEEN THE THREE OPTIONS, I KIND OF LIKE C BETTER.
ONLY BECAUSE B I AGREE IF WE PUT IT THERE AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUTURE PLANS STICKING IT ALMOST RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, WE'RE ASKING FOR TROUBLE AND I WOULD BE CONCERNED OPTION A WITH TRAFFIC BACKING UP ON PRINCE GEORGE DRIVE.
[03:55:05]
SO FOR ME, I WOULD I WOULD SAY C WOULD BE THE WAY I WOULD BE LEANING.ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DIRECTION.
WE'RE GOING [INAUDIBLE] COMPACTOR.
YEAH, WE'RE GOING WITH THE COMPACT, RIGHT? WELL, YEAH, BUT I MEAN, WITH THE THREE PHASE POWER, SO IT'S ALSO HALF COMPACT.
[POSTPONED ITEMS]
MR. HALTOM.GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS BOARD.
I WON'T GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE THING AGAIN, BUT I WILL KIND OF GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE.
AT THAT MEETING YOU ASKED TO HAVE TO MEET WITH THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AT JORDAN ON THE JAMES, AS WELL AS BEECHWOOD MANOR AND EAGLE PRESERVE TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE AGREEMENT, AND WE MET WITH THEM AND WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING HERE IN THIS ROOM, AND BASED ON THAT, WE HAD ONE CONCERN REGARDING THE AGREEMENT ITSELF.
THERE WERE SOME OTHER CONCERNS REGARDING WATER QUALITY THAT WE DID ADDRESS AS WELL THAT WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT AS IT PERTAINS TO THE PRO RATA SHARE AGREEMENT, WE DID HAVE ONE CITIZEN INPUT THAT SUGGESTED THAT IT MAY BE MORE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO ACCEPT THE CASH PROFFER IN LIEU OF THE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ALONG BEAVER CASTLE ROAD AND AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE WORKED WITH IT, THE CONTRACTOR OR THE DEVELOPER THAT IN LIEU OF PROVIDING A CASH CONTRIBUTION TO BUILD A FUTURE WATER TANK, TO GO AHEAD AND IMPROVE THE EXISTING WATER LINE ALONG BEAVER CASTLE FROM A FOUR OR SIX INCH UP TO AN EIGHT INCH LINE. OUR RESPONSE BACK TO THEM WAS, NOT ONLY CAN WE NOT BUILD A WATER LINE TO THIS TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND UNTIL THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE DONE, WE ALSO CANNOT BUILD A TANK WITH THAT CASH UNTIL THE WATER MAIN IS DONE THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED IN THAT TANK. SO THERE IS SOME LOGIC THAT THE DECISION DID HAVE.
UNFORTUNATELY FOR US TO DO ANYTHING TO MOVE FORWARD, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THIS COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DONE ALONG BEAVER CASTLE TO MAKE THE CONNECTION FROM A UTILITY PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT IS IN OUR MASTER PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO I DO STILL RECOMMEND THAT WE DO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AGREEMENT AS IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN, TO ALLOW CHAPEL CREEK DEVELOPERS TO GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE THIS COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT INCREASE IN THE FOUR INCH AND SIX INCH LINES ALONG BEAVER CASTLE, UP TO AN EIGHT INCH LINE.
IT'S ABOUT 1800 TO 1900 FEET OF NEW WATER MAY NOW BE INSTALLED.
THEY HAVE ABOUT ONE YEAR TO COMPLETE THAT AFTER THE EXECUTION OF THIS AGREEMENT, AND WITHIN THAT ONE YEAR, WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET THE DESIGN, THE PROCUREMENT DONE AS WELL TO FOR THE ROUTE TEN EXTENSION AND BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD AS WELL TO GET APPROVAL TO AWARD THAT CONTRACT AND HOPEFULLY GET THAT MOVING FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AS WELL, ASSUMING FUNDING WILL BE IN PLACE.
I THINK BASICALLY WE JUST WAITING FOR THEM TO TALK TO THE RESIDENTS.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
HALTOM, THANK YOU FOR I HEARD THAT MEETING WENT VERY WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME ALL RIGHT, MS. WALTON, SMART SCALE.
[ORDER OF BUSINESS]
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MR. WHITTEN UNDER TAB 13.
IN YOUR PACKET TONIGHT IS A REQUEST FOR A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR OUR SMART SCALE PROJECT APPLICATIONS THAT ARE UNDERWAY CURRENTLY.
VDOT HAS REQUESTED THAT LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES ADOPT CURRENT RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT.
[04:00:03]
CONSIDER A NEW RESOLUTION WITH THE CURRENT DATES SO INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET IS A SAMPLE RESOLUTION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ABOUT THE PROJECTS.
MADAM CHAIR, MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND. DO I HAVE A MOTION? YES, HE MADE A MOTION.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. YES, IT WAS MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
NOW FINALLY, CAROL BOWMAN AND STACIE ENGLISH.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR WAYMACK BOARD MEMBERS MR. STOKE AND MR. WHITTEN.
CAROL BOWMAN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PRINCE GEORGE REGIONAL HERITAGE CENTER, CAME TO THE JUNE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING TO REQUEST $100,000 TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT EXHIBITS FOR THE FIRE AND EMS MUSEUM THAT'S LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE AREA.
THIS MUSEUM WILL GO IN THE HISTORIC JAIL BUILDING BEHIND THE COURTHOUSE AND WILL SHOW THE HISTORY OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY'S FIRE AND VOLUNTEER FIRE AND EMS CREWS.
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROJECT OUT OF THE TOURISM CONTINGENCY FUND.
A SAMPLE MOTION AND RESOLUTION ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR BOARD PACKET.
CAROL IS HERE WITH ME TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WE DID SAY THAT WE WOULD DO THIS.
SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF US.
ALL RIGHT. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, LADIES. SORRY YOU HAD TO BE SO LATE.
MR. HALTOM. GOOD EVENING AGAIN.
GOOD EVENING, SIR. THIS ISSUE IS, AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME CAPACITY ISSUES WITH OUR CENTRAL WATER SYSTEM, NOT ALLOWING ADDITIONAL CONNECTIONS RIGHT NOW TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS IN PLACE.
SO TONIGHT, I'M BRINGING TO YOU ANOTHER WAIVER REQUEST THAT'S FOR [INAUDIBLE] JOINT VENTURE LLC, WHO INTENDS TO DEVELOP A 7500 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING ALONG COUNTY DRIVE.
ITS LOCATION IS ESSENTIALLY NEAR THE BULLETS AND ACROSS FROM LOVE'S.
SO AT THE TIME, RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE JUST REQUESTING THE ABILITY TO REQUEST THE WAIVER TO INSTEAD OF CONNECTING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES WITH WATER AND SEWER TO BE ABLE TO INSTALL A WELL AND SEPTIC SYSTEM SO THEY CAN CONTINUE ON WITH THEIR PLANS TO CONSTRUCT OUT THERE.
SO TONIGHT, WE'LL BE COMING AND ASKING FOR AUTHORIZATION TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING SO WE CAN HAVE THAT WAIVER REQUEST, A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE AUGUST BOARD MEETING. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO BUILD THERE? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK TOO.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SOME TYPE OF A LANDSCAPING BUSINESS.
BUT FOR THE USE OF THE WATER SEWER, IT'S A SMALL OFFICE SPACE.
SO IF I'M AT BULLETS LOOKING ACROSS TO LOVE'S, IS IT TO THE RIGHT OF LOVE'S OR TO THE LEFT, TO THE RIGHT? WELL, YOU'LL BE STANDING AT LOVES.
IT'S GOING TO BE ADJACENT TO BULLETS ON.
YEAH, GOT YOU. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ALLOW THE PUBLIC HEARING ON WHAT DATE? AUGUST 9TH. AUGUST 9TH.
WHO WAS THE SECOND? MR. CARMICHAEL.
[04:05:02]
HALTOM. MRS. WALTON IS NEXT.A RESOLUTION TO [INAUDIBLE] A PUBLIC HEARING.
MADAM CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MR. STOKE. MR. WHITTEN, UNDER TAB 16 OF YOUR PACKET IS A REQUEST FROM STAFF FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AUTHORIZING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING FEE SCHEDULE CONTAINED IN CHAPTER TWO OF THE COUNTY CODE.
AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER AT THE WORK SESSION, THERE ARE NO FEE INCREASES OR NEW FEES.
IT IS REORGANIZATION, SOME LANGUAGE CHANGE AND REGROUPING OF SIMILAR FEES.
YOU MAY HAVE [INAUDIBLE] WHAT YOU WENT OVER WITH.
YES, SIR. THE WORK SESSION ITEM.
THIS WOULD BE THE AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE AUGUST 9TH BOARD MEETING.
ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
OH, GOOD EVENING CHAIR WAYMACK MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MR. STOKE. MR. WHITTEN, I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CONTINENTAL MOTEL.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS CLOSING ON THE PROPERTY.
WE EXPECT TO CLOSE JULY 18TH, WHICH IS NEXT MONDAY.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE DEMOLITION OF THE MOTEL SHORTLY AFTER CLOSING.
WE ALSO ARE GOING TO GET A PEST FUMIGATION FOR THE HOTEL TO KILL ANYTHING AND IT BEFORE WE DEMOLISH IT, AND WE HAVE A LEAD PAINT TEST SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW.
SO ONCE WE GET THE RESULTS OF THAT, WE CAN SCHEDULE THE DEMOLITION.
SO LIKE I SAID, WE WILL WORK WITH PRYOR HAULING TO SCHEDULE THE DEMOLITION.
SO A SAMPLE MOTION AND RESOLUTION ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR BOARD PACKET AND I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MR. STOKE TOLD ME YOU WERE DOING THE DEMOLITION [CHUCKLING] YOU KNOW.
OH, I CAN TAKE A JACKHAMMER TO IT.
MADAM CHAIR THEY GET PUSHED BACK BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE ALREADY SUPPOSED TO HAVE A [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH, BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL BEEN WORKING ON GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOTEL.
HOW HARD CAN THAT BE? WELL, THEY HAD TO SERVE THEM WITH EVICTION NOTICES.
YEAH, THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
[INAUDIBLE] WAS RUNNING BEHIND.
YEAH, MR. STOKE MENTIONED THAT.
YEAH. SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT, CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
DENIED! [CHUCKLING] I'M MESSING WITH HIM.
BOARD, MR. STOKE. MR. WHITTEN. RECENTLY WE HAD A GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ARISE WITH AN APPLICATION DEADLINE OF THE 15TH OF THIS MONTH IN TWO DAYS.
THIS PROPOSED GRANT WOULD BE FOR FUNDING ONE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AT HARRISON ELEMENTARY.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EIGHT SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY.
HARRISON IS THE ONLY SCHOOL MINUS ROWANTY THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A ASSIGNED SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
THE SCHOOL FUNDS OFF DUTY RESOURCE OFFICERS AT THAT SCHOOL EVERY DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT REQUESTS FOR THIS GRANT APPLICATION IS NOT TO EXCEED 125,000.
[04:10:06]
WHICH ALSO I BELIEVE WE HAVE THREE SCHOOLS CURRENTLY UNDER GRANT.I DO NOT BELIEVE WE'LL HAVE TO PAY THAT MATCH REQUIREMENT ON THOSE THREE SCHOOLS AS WELL FOR FY 23.
WE SPOKE TO THE GRANT COORDINATOR TODAY.
SO I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT FIGURES.
IT'S ABOUT $16,000 PER SCHOOL THAT WE'RE REQUIRED FOR A MATCH.
SO THERE ARE SOME SAVINGS THERE, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE, I BELIEVE, NECESSARY IS VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT, AND THAT'S $52,426.88.
THE FUNDING IS GUARANTEED FOR A YEAR, BUT THERE ARE FOUR YEAR GRANTS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A GRANT NOT FUNDED FOR THE CONTINUATION GRANTS FOR FOUR YEARS.
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS WHAT THE STATE WOULD DO WITH YEAR TWO, THREE AND FOUR.
IT COULD BE A NO MATCH REQUIREMENT WHERE WE COULD GET BACK TO A MATCH.
DO YOU HAVE THE MONEY FOR THE EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLE? NO, SIR, THAT'D BE A REQUEST OF YOU FOR GENERAL FUND, BUT AS I DID MENTION, I BELIEVE I'M CORRECT IF I GOT CORRECT INFORMATION WHICH CAME FROM [INAUDIBLE] THAT WE WILL HAVE A SAVINGS ON EXISTING GRANTS NOT PAYING THAT MATCH THIS YEAR.
CHIEF, WITH THIS BEING THE 12TH, ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET IT IN BY FRIDAY? YES, SIR, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH READY TO GO PENDING.
OKAY. SO IT'S KIND OF KIND OF CLOSE FOR.
YES, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MR. STOKE, THE HOPEWELL PRINCE GEORGE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE LODGE 17, IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN TIMES OF NEED.
THE FOP HAS LEASED A ROOM IN THE CENTRAL WELLNESS CENTER FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS.
THE NEW LEASE TERM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WOULD BE AUGUST 1ST, 2022 THROUGH JULY 30TH, 2023, WITH A RENEWAL OF TWO SUCCESSIVE THREE YEAR TERMS. WE'RE TRYING TO GET ALL THE LEASES THERE ON THE SAME CYCLE OF ONE YEAR TO START AND THEN TO THREE YEAR RENEWAL TERMS, AND AS I SPOKE EARLIER, IN ORDER TO LEASE A REAL ESTATE, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WE'RE REQUESTING AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON AUGUST 9TH.
CORRECT. I DID ADD THAT LANGUAGE AND SECTION TWO.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING. MADAM CHAIR, IF NOBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I SO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE HOPEWELL PRINCE GEORGE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE TO LEASE A PORTION OF THE CENTRAL WELLNESS CENTER THAT WOULD COME BACK TO US ON AUGUST 9TH.
THANK YOU. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
MR. WHITTEN? YES, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THE NEW LEASE TERM WOULD BE AUGUST 1ST, 2022, JULY 30TH, 2023, WITH A RENEWAL OF TWO SUCCESSIVE THREE YEAR TERMS WITH THE OPTION OF THE COUNTY . I ALSO ALSO ADD THE SAME LANGUAGE THAT THE COUNTY CAN USE THE ROOM IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
THE PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE ADVERTISED TO BE HEARD ON AUGUST 9TH.
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
NO DISCUSSION. WELL, JUST ONE LEGAL QUESTION.
THAT'S FINE. YOU'RE BASICALLY YOU'RE JUST RETROACTIVELY APPROVING IT.
JUST I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WE DID THAT EARLIER TONIGHT WITH THE WRESTLING CLUB.
THE LEASE ACTUALLY STARTED BEFORE.
SO YOU'RE ONE OF THREE OR MORE PEOPLE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST, SO YOU CAN
[04:15:01]
[INAUDIBLE] ON IT. OKAY.SO I MOVE ON THE MOTION TO ADVERTISE.
SECOND. THANK YOU, CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
YOU'VE BEEN HIDING THAT ALL NIGHT, MAN.
I'VE BEEN WATCHING. I'VE BEEN DOWN AT MY OFFICE.
THAT'S WHY MY TIMING WAS SO EXCELLENT.
[CHUCKLING] GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MR. STOKE. MR. WHITTEN, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS WITH YOU THE AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR OUR THIRD PARTY PAYMENT PROCESSOR, ELECTRONIC PAYMENT PROCESSOR, OR WHICH IS BASICALLY OUR ABILITY TO ACCEPT PAYMENTS ONLINE IN VARIOUS FORMS TO JUST CREDIT CARD, DEBIT CARDS, ETC..
AND THIS HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SNOWBALL EFFECT ON SOME OF THE OTHER SOFTWARE AS WELL.
FOR THIS SOFTWARE TO GET UPGRADED, WE HAVE TO UPGRADE OUR TYLER CASH HEARING PRODUCT, WHICH IS WHAT THE TREASURER AND MANY OTHERS USE TO TAKE PAYMENTS, AND AS A RESULT, THE NEW PRODUCT OPTION OR EXCUSE ME, OUR EXISTING VENDOR IS NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTED UNFORTUNATELY IN THE NEW VERSION OF THIS CASHIERING SOFTWARE.
SO THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE, WE WERE GIVEN A FEW CHOICES AND MANY OF US GOT TOGETHER AND WAIT THEM OUT AND WE FEEL THAT IT'S IN THE COUNTY AND CITIZENS' BEST INTEREST TO GO WITH PRODUCT, TYLER PAYMENTS WHICH IS ALSO A PRODUCT RELATED VERY INTEGRATED WITH OUR [INAUDIBLE] SYSTEM. SO AS FAR AS OUR OPTIONS GO, THIS WAS AGAIN, THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE BOTH FOR THE COUNTY AND FOR THE CITIZENS AS WELL. HOWEVER, IN THE BAD NEWS SIDE OF THINGS, THAT THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE TO THE AMOUNT OF THE CONVENIENCE FEE THAT COMES ALONG WITH USING CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS. CURRENTLY, OUR VENDOR HAS 1.4% AND THE FEES WILL BE GOING UP TO 3%.
AGAIN, THIS IS A CHARGE THAT GOES TO THE USERS.
SO WHOEVER IS PAYING THEIR BILL WITH THAT CARD INCURS THAT FEE.
CITIZENS DO STILL HAVE THE OPTIONS FOR COMING HERE AND PAYING IN PERSON OR BY CHECK AT NO EXTRA COST, BUT IF THEY WANT TO USE THE ONLINE OR CREDIT DEBIT SERVICES, THOSE FEES DO GO ALONG WITH IT. ON THE POSITIVE SPIN OF IT, THE NEW PAYMENT VENDOR DOES BRING US SOME ADDITIONAL OPTIONS THAT WE DID NOT OFFER BEFORE.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ELECTRONIC CHECKS AS WELL.
[INAUDIBLE] LIKE THE ELECTRONIC CHECK.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DATA ON WHAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT CHARGE FOR THOSE YET.
WE JUST KNOW THE CREDIT CARD FEES AND THE ELECTRONIC CHECKS DO HAVE A FEE.
IT'S A FLAT FEE OF [INAUDIBLE] E CHECK IS A 1.75 CREDIT AND DEBIT IS 3%.
YES, SIR, AND CURRENTLY WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCEPT E CHECKS.
WE'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER.
THERE'S NEVER A GOOD TIME TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, CERTAINLY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MAKING THIS TRANSITION AGAIN BECAUSE THE SOFTWARE UPDATE HAS GOT TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO FIX SOME PROBLEMS THAT SOME DEPARTMENTS ARE HAVING WITH THE SOFTWARE. WE GOT TO FIND THAT SWEET SPOT OR A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN WHEN IT'S RIGHT TO GET THESE GUYS GOING SO THEY CAN DO THEIR WORK BETTER VERSUS IMPLEMENT CHANGE LIKE THIS.
I JUST HOPE WE TEST EXTREMELY WELL BECAUSE MISS VARGO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU HAVE ANY GLITCHES COME DECEMBER WHEN REAL ESTATE PAYMENTS ARE DUE AND NOW SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING FOR. ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH WE WOULD IMPLEMENT THIS IN OUR [INAUDIBLE] SYSTEM.
WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS OUR PRODUCTION, OF COURSE, AND WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS THAT WE CAN PERFORM TESTING IN AND REALLY WORK OUT THE BUGS AND TWEAK THINGS BEFORE WE APPLY THOSE CHANGES TO PRODUCTION.
SO WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO THAT AND SO WE COULD HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE GOING INTO THIS.
[04:20:02]
REMEMBER, CHECK THE PRINTING OF STUFF BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS ONE THING WE HAD LAST TIME WHERE THE PRINTERS WEREN'T WORKING.UNFORTUNATELY, THE MOST TIMES AN UPDATE TO FIX ONE THING BREAKS ANOTHER.
IT'S KIND OF THE CYCLE, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT WE TRY TO MITIGATE THAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN ANYWAY.
OKAY. MR. BROWN'S CONCERNED WITH ALL OF THAT CHANGE.
SO THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT FOR SURE.
SO, MADAM CHAIR, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I WOULD SO MOVE THAT WE AUTHORIZE THE AWARD OF THIS CONTRACT FOR SERVICES TO TYLER PAYMENTS, AS WELL AS PROVING A TRANSFER FROM CONTINGENCY TO COVER YEAR ONE COST OF $5,990. SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
THANK YOU. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
YOU'RE WELCOME, SIR. NEXT, WE HEAR FROM MS. DREWRY. YES, MA'AM.
DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ITEM THAT YOU JUST APPROVED.
TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT OTHER PAYMENT TYPES THAT OUR ERP SUPPORTS AND CHARGE A FEE, WE NEED TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE SO WE ARE REQUESTING AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE TO BASICALLY ALLOW THE ACCEPTANCE OF CREDIT, DEBIT OR ANY OTHER PAYMENT TYPE THAT TYLER SUPPORTS AND CHARGE THAT FEE TO THE CITIZEN.
SO THERE IS A RESOLUTION IN YOUR PACKET THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE AN AUGUST 9TH PUBLIC HEARING.
A LOT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON AUGUST 9TH.
SO ANY QUESTIONS? NO, MA'AM. NO.
I'LL MOVE ON THE RESOLUTION AS CHAIRMAN TO ADVERTISE.
WE HAVE RESOLUTION APPROPRIATION FOR THE SCHOOL OPERATING FUNDS, STATE REVENUES.
THE SCHOOL DIVISION RECEIVED THEIR GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVED FUNDING AMOUNT FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SUFFERED SOME LOSSES IN A FEW AREAS AND MADE SOME GAINS IN OTHERS.
THE NET IMPACT IS AN ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN THEIR STATE REVENUES OF $413,018, AND SCHOOL BOARD DID APPROVE ACTION ON JUNE 22ND TO AMEND THEIR BUDGET AND MAKE AN APPROPRIATION REQUEST FROM YOU FOR ADDITIONAL STATE MONEY IN THE AMOUNT OF $413,018 DOES NOT HAVE A LOCAL FUNDING IMPACT.
THERE WAS SPECIFIC INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THE SCHOOL BOARD PRESENTATION AND IN THEIR PACKET, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. NO QUESTIONS.
IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. SO, MADAM CHAIR, I SO MOVE THAT WE APPROVED THIS SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION OF $413,018 IN ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
ALL RIGHT, CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
YOU. REVISED PERSONNEL POLICY.
MRS. HURT. IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT I'M DOING IS I'M COMING BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH AN UPDATE TO THE COUNTY'S GRIEVANCE POLICY BACK ON JUNE 14TH AFTER PRESENTING REVISIONS TO THE BOARD.
IN ADDITION, I DID TELL THE BOARD AT THAT TIME THAT I MIGHT BE LOOKING INTO FURTHER REVISING THE POLICY IN ORDER IN REGARDS TO THE PANEL PROCESS, SINCE WE DID HAVE A RESIGNATION OF A PANEL MEMBER.
SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE BROUGHT BACK THE FOLLOWING CHANGES, AND I DID LAY A COPY OF IT AT YOUR DESK TONIGHT BECAUSE THERE WAS ONE REVISION FROM WHAT YOU WERE SENT, AND I WILL EXPLAIN THAT.
SO IN SECTION 30.2, WHAT I'VE DONE IS ADDED THE WORD PERMANENT TO THE PART TIME EMPLOYEES.
[04:25:02]
JUST TO CLARIFY THAT TEMPORARY PART TIME DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO GRIEVE.I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I SAID PERMANENT PART TIME.
I MADE A REVISION YESTERDAY ON 30.2 UNDER NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS WHY I PLACED THAT AT YOUR DESK WHERE DEPARTMENT HEADS DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO GRIEVE, SO I DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO GRIEVE.
HOWEVER, IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION VERY RECENTLY THAT LOCAL DSS DIRECTORS ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE AT WILL EMPLOYEES, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, AND I DID HAVE MR. WHITTEN LOOK INTO THAT AS WELL.
UNDER THE VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 63.2-219.
SHE IS THE ONLY OUTLYING DIRECTOR THAT WOULD HAVE THAT RIGHT IN SECTION 30.5.
I REMOVE THE LANGUAGE FOR VOLUNTEERS AS THERE WOULD BE AN INTERNAL POLICY FOR THE VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE THAT WILL MIRROR THE COUNTY'S GRIEVANCE POLICY IN SECTION 30.6, PAGE FIVE.
SO THERE'S ONLY CLARIFYING THE NEW FORMS THAT ARE IN PLACE UNDER STEP FOUR, UNDER 30.6.
THE PANEL PROCESS IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO THE POLICY.
THE NEW PROCESS IS THAT THE PANEL WILL CONSIST OF THREE PEOPLE.
ONE PERSON WOULD BE CHOSEN BY THE GRIEVANT.
ONE PERSON WOULD BE CHOSEN BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND THE THIRD PERSON WOULD BE CHOSEN BY THE FIRST AND SECOND PANEL MEMBER WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS.
IF THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS CANNOT AGREE ON WHO THAT THIRD PANEL MEMBER IS, THE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE FOR PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY WOULD WOULD APPOINT THAT THIRD PANEL MEMBER. THE ENTIRE PANEL WOULD BE IN PLACE WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF THE GRIEVANCE REQUEST FOR THE PANEL HEARING, AND IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, THAT THIRD PANEL MEMBER WILL SERVE AS THE CHAIRPERSON.
THE SECOND PARAGRAPH CLARIFY THE RELATIONSHIP EXCEPTIONS TO THE GRIEVANCE.
ON PAGE SEVEN, IT IS STATED THAT NO MEMBER OF THE GRIEVANCE PANEL WILL BE PAID BY THE COUNTY.
THE PANEL WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE IS NOT PAID BY THE COUNTY, SO THAT'S NOT CHANGING ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST PUTTING IT IN WRITING.
ONE PURPOSE WILL REALLY TO PURPOSES FOR THAT IS THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT WHOEVER THE GRIEVANT CHOSE TO BE THEIR PERSON, TO FEEL AS THOUGH THE COUNTY WOULD PAY FOR THEIR PERSON TO BE ON THE PANEL.
NOR WOULD WE WANT TO PAY FOR WHO THE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE APPOINTS TO BE ON THE PANEL.
THERE IS IT'S NOT WRITTEN IN POLICY, BUT I CERTAINLY DID DISCUSS IT WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND ALSO, MR. STOKE, THAT IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE REQUESTS MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT REIMBURSEMENT, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED, IT'S NOT AN ACTUAL PAYMENT FOR SERVING ON THE PANEL.
IT'S JUST A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE MILEAGE IF THEY'RE COMING IN AT A LONG DISTANCE.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE PUT IN PLACE.
IT ACTUALLY CAME UP IN A GRIEVANCE THAT WE HAD, AND MR. WHITTEN HAD TO CLARIFY THAT, AND IT IS IN THE CASE LAW STATES NO AUTHORITY TO SUBPOENA WITNESSES PER 1987-88 REPORTS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
PAGE EIGHT IS CLARIFYING THE NEW FORMS AND REMOVING THE VOLUNTEERS UNDER NUMBER 12, SINCE THEY WOULD BE COVERED IN THEIR OWN INTERNAL POLICY , AND THEN ON THE LAST PAGE, NUMBER NINE REMOVES THE OLD SECTION 30.7 SINCE THE PANEL PROCESS IS PROPOSED TO CHANGE.
LET ME STATE WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE COUNTY'S GRIEVANCE POLICY.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT OR AUTHORITY TO APPROVE INTERNAL FIRE AND EMS POLICIES.
THE VOLUNTEERS ARE BEING AFFORDED THE SAME RIGHTS UNDER THEIR POLICY.
I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
WHAT WAS ASKED OF US IS THAT WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE IT A LAND IN UNIFORM.
SO THEY DIDN'T FEEL THEY WERE LOSING RIGHTS.
[04:30:02]
WHAT THE VOLUNTEERS SAW IS THEIR COPY OF THEIR INTERNAL POLICY.I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THAT.
THE DIFFERENCE IS FIRE AND EMS. THE ONE BIG DIFFERENCE IS FIRE, AND EMS WILL HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PERSON WHO WILL BE INVOLVED WITH COLLECTING THE FORMS AND MAY POSSIBLY BE SITTING ON THE PANEL HEARING AS A TIMEKEEPER.
THAT WAS THAT'S KIND OF BEEN MY ROLE IN THE COUNTY'S GRIEVANCES, BUT ON THE COUNTY SIDE, MY ROLE STILL STANDS AS HR HAT FORMS WOULD BE RETURNED TO ME.
MR. WHITTEN'S OFFICE AND I WOULD WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE ALL THE FORMS WERE PROPERLY ALIGNED.
SO STAFF IS ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE CHANGES TO THE COUNTY'S POLICY THIS EVENING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN OUR POLICY IS REVISED, FIRE AND EMS INTERNAL POLICY IS ALSO BEEN REVISED, WHICH YOU HAVE A COPY AND WILL BE SENT OUT FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING TO ALL VOLUNTEER STAFF, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS , BUT AGAIN, AS YOU EXPLAIN THAT POLICY FOR THE VOLUNTEERS IS GOING TO MIRROR EXCUSE ME, MIRROR THE POLICY THAT WE WOULD BE ACTING UPON TONIGHT.
ABSOLUTELY. OKAY, BUT WE'RE NOT APPROVING [INAUDIBLE].
NO. NO, SIR. WE ARE MERELY APPROVING THE COUNTY.
WHEN APPROVE THE COUNTY POLICY IT AUTOMATICALLY GOES ONTO THE VOLUNTEERS.
WHEN YOU APPROVE THE COUNTY'S POLICY, IT IS REMOVING THE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COUNTY'S POLICY, AND THEN IN TURN, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS AN INTERNAL POLICY OF THE SAME EFFECT WILL ROLL OUT TOMORROW.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE WORKING THROUGH A PROCESS LIKE THIS, WHEN WE ASK FOR THE FEEDBACK, WE NEED IT SO THAT WE CAN PROCESS THINGS TIMELY BECAUSE THE PURPOSE IN THIS WAS TO PUT THEM SO THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY ONE IS APPROVED AND THEN THE OTHER ROLLS RIGHT OUT SO THAT THEY'RE NOT LEFT WITH GRIEVANCE RIGHTS.
SO I'M STATING THAT TO SAY THIS BY YOU APPROVING THE COUNTY'S POLICY, IT DOES REMOVE THE VOLUNTEERS.
IT JUST IS IMPORTANT THAT AS YOU PASS HOURS.
THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE RIGHT NOW AT LEAST SECURES THEM GRIEVANCE RIGHTS.
IT CAN BE WORKED ON AND REVISED INTERNALLY, WHICH DOES NOT NEED TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD , BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT THE LAST MEETING BECAUSE WE SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT IF WE MADE A CHANGE HERE, WE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE A GAP WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS WOULDN'T HAVE GRIEVANCE RIGHTS.
SO THIS IS PUTTING THIS IS THEIR INTERNAL POLICY.
BUT THEN THAT'S BETWEEN CHIEF AND THE VOLUNTEERS, IF THEY WANT TO.
I DO WANT TO STATE THAT I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO WORK TO FIND SOME HAPPY MEDIUM, BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, I DO WANT TO RESTATE THE SAME RIGHTS THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAVE ARE THE SAME RIGHTS WE ARE GIVING TO VOLUNTEERS, AND I DO WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO OTHER LOCALITIES THAT HAVE GRIEVANCE RIGHTS FOR THEIR VOLUNTEERS, PERIOD.
SO THE FACT THAT THEY'RE GIVEN THE SAME EXACT RIGHTS AS THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO ME SPEAKS VOLUMES.
IT MAY NOT BE WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THE BEST SOLUTION.
EVERYONE IS BEING TREATED EQUAL.
WHAT'S THE BOARD'S PLEASURE? MADAM CHAIR, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, I MOVE TO APPROVE.
I'LL SECOND IT IF NOBODY ELSE DOES.
THANK YOU. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, AND I'M STICKING WITH YOU BECAUSE I HAVE THE NEXT ONE THAT WAS.
OH, OKAY. YOU GOT THE NEXT TWO, DON'T YOU? I THINK YOU HAVE THE NEXT TWO. YEAH.
I'M GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE NEXT TWO.
OKAY. WE GOT ABOUT 14 MINUTES.
[04:35:01]
I'M GONNA TRY TO ANCHOR. I THINK WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE THAT STATES THAT BYLAWS STATE THAT UNLESS WE SUSPEND THE RULES.[CHUCKLING] ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT.
DO YOU WANT TO ANNOUNCE THE NEXT ITEM? A13. IT'S THE PIO POSITION.
SO YOU'VE HEARD THIS EARLIER THAT YOUR WORK SESSION.
I DON'T THINK THAT I NEED TO GO BACK THROUGH IT ALL TO REPEAT IT.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT IS THIS WAS PART OF YOUR STRATEGIC GOALS IN HIRING THIS PIO.
WE DO HAVE A PREPARED JOB DESCRIPTION THAT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY BOTH MR. STOKES AND ALL COUNTY DIRECTORS THROUGH THE PROCESS TO ADD ANY INPUT THAT THEY HAD INTO THIS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE COVERED THE BASES ON A VERY GOOD JOB DESCRIPTION.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING A PROPOSED GRADE OF 317 WITH A SALARY RANGE OF 56,484 TO 90,374.
WE EXPECT 75,093 TO INCLUDE ALL SALARY AND BENEFITS, AND THAT IS ASSUMING THAT THE PERSON COMES IN, OBVIOUSLY PLACED UPON THOSE STEPS, THEY COULD COME IN LESSER OR A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT THAT'S OUR BEST GUESS ON A STEP SIX.
SO I'M JUST SEEKING PERMISSION TO ADD THIS.
I WOULD REALLY BE HONORED TO MAKE THIS PROPOSAL OR A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS.
WELL, I'LL SECOND IT IF YOU [INAUDIBLE].
MM HMM. WHO WOULD THAT PERSON REPORT TO? MR. STOKE. YEAH.
THE NEXT ONE IS A14 THE PLANNING POSITION.
YES, MA'AM. MADAM CHAIR AND MS. WALTON PRESENTED THIS EARLIER AT YOUR WORK SESSION FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING TECHNICIAN LOOKING TO RECLASSIFY HER ADMIN SUPPORT SPECIALIST TO INTO A PLANNING AND ZONING TECHNICIAN LOOKING FOR MORE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE TO ASSIST IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE THIS CHANGE EFFECTIVE.
THE FY 22-23 BUDGET WITH AN IMPACT OF 15,939 FROM THE GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THAT.
ANY MORE BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD? I BELIEVE THAT'S IT.
I'M SORRY, MR. WHITTEN DIDN'T YOU SEND US SOMETHING THAT SAID WHEN WE GET READY TO ADJOURN, WE NEEDED TO SUSPEND SOMETHING? THAT WAS A SEPTEMBER MEETING.
IT WAS SOMETHING WITH THE MINUTES OR SOMETHING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I SO MOVE.
OH, BOY. WHAT A MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.