Feb 18, 2026 Joint Work Session – Board of Supervisors and School Board

[00:00:03]

I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING

[A. CALL TO ORDER]

HERE. MR. WEBB. HERE. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TO ORDER. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MR. ELY. HERE. MS. TAYLOR. HERE. MS. WOKION.

HERE. MS. ANDREWS. HERE. MS. CHRIS. HERE. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE LED IN INVOCATION TONIGHT BY MR. FORD PUGH, AND MR. HAMILL WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE PLEDGE.

LET'S GRACE HEAVENLY FATHER.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOU CONTINUED BLESSINGS. WE ASK YOU TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS SAFE, WATCH OVER US AND GUIDE US IN THIS WORK JOINT SESSION TONIGHT, AND BE WITH US AS WE GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.

AMEN. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE. ALL RIGHT, THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MR. CHAIR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND. I HAVE A SECOND.

FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MR. PHILLIP HUGH? YES. MR. HAMILL? YES, MR. FORD PUGH YES, MR. WEBB YES, MR. COCK. YES, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA APPROVED. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SECOND ROLL CALL.

PLEASE, MISS TAYLOR, MISS BOCCHIONE. YES, MR. ELY YES, MISS CHRIS. YES, MISS ANDERS.

YES, OKAY. BUT THAT WILL MOVE

[B. WORK SESSION]

TO HEAR THAT LIST THIS EVENING, THEY CAN COME UP AND PRESENT THOSE IF YOU'D LIKE. YES, SIR.

WE'VE GOT CITIZENS OUT HERE, SO ARE WE PUTTING THIS UP ON THE SCREEN OR NOT? WE'RE BEING TELEVISED. THERE'S NOTHING TO BE ON THE SCREEN.

OKAY, THAT'S FINE. YEAH. I JUST THOUGHT I'D ASK. YOU'RE FINE.

ALL RIGHT. MY BOY. QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? IF MR. BARNES CAN KIND OF GO DOWN THE LIST OF WHAT. WHAT THE CARRYOVER FUNDS ARE BEING USED FOR, I'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU.

I CAN SEE YOU NOW. HELLO.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, CHAIRMAN COX, BOARD MEMBERS FOR BOTH PARTIES, AND ALL OF OUR FRIENDS BEHIND US. AS REQUESTED, WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO GO OVER THIS LIST OF PROJECTS. I APOLOGIZE YOU DIDN'T GET THIS IN ADVANCE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS A MYRIAD OF PROJECTS THAT ALL, EXCEPT FOR ONE, HAVE COME OFF OF OUR APPROVED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. THESE ARE LISTS OF PROJECTS IN THE WAITING.

THEY HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF THE FAITHFUL AND GOLD STUDY. FROM YEARS AGO UP TO CURRENT NEEDS, FROM OUR ROOFING CONSULTANT, ALL THE WAY THROUGH. AGAIN, THE APPROVED CIP LIST THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED EARLIER THIS SCHOOL YEAR. SO, STARTING WITH THE CLEMENTS ROOF, ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE CLEMENTS ROOF WAS REPLACED IN THE SUMMER OF 2021. WE HAVE NOT HAD THE FUNDING TO DO THE REMAINING 60%. SO THAT IS OUR BIGGEST PROJECT ON THE YEAR. WE ALREADY HAVE APRIL MCKELVEY, OUR ROOFING

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THE ROOFTOP UNITS AND THE BOILERS AND ALL WORK FINE, BUT THE CONTROLS WITHIN THE CLASSROOMS, YOU'LL HAVE A CLASSROOM OVER HERE THAT'S 70 DEGREES COMFORTABLE, YOU'LL HAVE A CLASSROOM OVER HERE THAT'S 82. AND THE ONE CONNECTED TO IT 64. AND IT'S ALL ABOUT THE AIRFLOW THROUGH THOSE VAV BOXES.

HARRISON AND SOUTH BOTH HAVE WET WELL SEWER PUMPS. BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY ON THE LINE. THEY ARE NOT FAILING AS OF YET, BUT THEY ARE VERY OLD AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR TEAM IDENTIFIED YEARS AGO. THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT ON THE LIST, BECAUSE WHEN THEY FAIL, IT'S IT'S HALT SERVICE FOR THOSE. THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY CARPET. WE HAVE NO CLUE HOW OLD IT IS, BUT IF SOMEBODY ASKED ME TODAY IF I THOUGHT IT WAS ORIGINAL, I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT OLD.

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT IN THE LAST 15 TO 20 YEARS OLD.

THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS SOME TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES. WHEN WE REDID THE AUDITORIUM SEVERAL SUMMERS AGO, WE DID SEATS, CHAIRS, CARPETING, LIGHTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT WE DID NOT DO ANY OF THE ACTUAL TECHNOLOGY WITH THE PROJECTORS, SCREENS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THAT'S ON THERE. WE'VE ESTABLISHED A PAINTING SCHEDULE ACROSS THE SCHOOL DIVISION, AND MOORE IS FIRST ON THE LIST. IF YOU'VE BEEN IN MOORE, AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T LOOK UP, THANKFULLY, BUT IN MOORE. THERE'S LOTS OF HIGH AREAS THAT GO UP, PROBABLY 30, 35 FEET UP IN THE AIR AND HAVE NATURAL LIGHT THAT COMES IN. THE PAINT UP THERE IS PEELING REALLY, REALLY BAD.

IT'S IN VERY POOR SHAPE AND IT'S JUST 27, 28 YEARS AT THIS POINT OF HEAT. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE CONTRACTORS TELL US MAYBE THEY DIDN'T USE THE RIGHT PRIMER, BUT 28 YEARS OF HEAT SITTING UP THERE LIKE THAT, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HEAT RISES, NEEDS TO COME. AND THE QUOTE FOR THAT WE GOT LAST SUMMER, I BELIEVE, WAS IN THE $40,000 TO $50,000 RANGE, SO THE REMAINDER OF THAT MONEY WOULD JUST BE TOUCH-UP PAINT.

AROUND THE BUILDING WHERE THE KIDS HIT THE WALLS. WE HAVE A SMALL PAINT CREW THAT WORKS IN THE SUMMER. IT'S TWO RETIRED GENTLEMEN FROM OUR TEAM, AND THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN, BUT THIS IS GOING TO CALL FOR SOME COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE.

FIELD NETTING FOR THE STADIUM FIELD. THAT WOULD HELP WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY OF FLYING OBJECTS IN FIELD HOCKEY AND BOTH SOCCER SEASONS.

IT WOULD HELP WITH FOOTBALL, BUT IT'S IDEALLY FOR THAT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN SEEKING FOR SOME TIME. OUR GRADUATION STAGE. THAT WE ROLL OUT EVERY YEAR IS CURRENTLY ABOUT PROBABLY 30 DIFFERENT PIECES, AND WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE PLYWOOD TOPS EVERY COUPLE YEARS. IT WAS DONATED TO US MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

IT'S IN REALLY, REALLY ROUGH SHAPE. WE SPEND AS MUCH TIME FIXING IT EVERY YEAR.

WE PUT IT OUT INSTEAD OF, AS WE DO, GETTING IT OUT FROM THE SHED AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER. SO WE'VE GOTTEN A QUOTE FOR REPLACEMENT STAGE AND THAT SHOULD LAST US. ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, 15, 20 YEARS LIKE THIS ONE HAS. UM, IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE, AT SOUTH HARRISON AND PRINCE GEORGE HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE NEVER HAD AIR CONDITIONING IN THE CAFETERIAS, IN THE KITCHENS, EXCUSE ME.

THE DINING ROOMS ABSOLUTELY HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF AIR CONDITIONING IN THOSE THREE SCHOOLS AND NEVER HAVE.

IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE BROKEN AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT. NEVER INSTALLED, NEVER DONE. WE EXPERIMENTED THIS PAST YEAR WITH SOME MINI SPLIT UNITS IN THE BEASLEY KITCHEN, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT EITHER, THAT WE PULLED OUT OF OLD WALTON. AND IT HAS... IT'S NOT THE PROMISING, COMFORTABLE FIX YOU'D LIKE TO SEE, BUT IT'S A HECK OF A LOT CHEAPER THAN HAVING IT INSTALLED. WHEN WE DID THE SYSTEM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL THREE YEARS AGO, THE QUOTE TO ADD AIR TO THAT KITCHEN AS PART OF THE BIG SYSTEM WAS LIKE $130,000 JUST FOR THE KITCHEN. SO THIS IS A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT ROUTE TO AT LEAST GET THEM SOME COMFORT IN THE MONTHS OF MAY, JUNE.

WE'RE NOT THERE MUCH IN JUNE ANYMORE, BUT MAY AND AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, FOR SURE. AND IN THE LAST PORTION OF THE MONEY IS MOBILE LIGHT PLANTS LIKE WE SET UP FOR FOOTBALL GAMES, BASKETBALL GAMES, BIG EVENTS. WE CURRENTLY POSSESS ONE. WE OWN ONE, AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DONATED THAT TO US YEARS AGO, AND THE REST OF THEM WE HAVE TO BORROW. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THOSE ADDED TO OUR FLEET SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RUN. BORROW THEM FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT FOR FOOTBALL AND THE BIG HOME BASKETBALL GAMES, WHERE WE SET THEM UP RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF THE PARKING LOT. AND THAT IS THE LIST WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS. AVAILABLE IF YOU ALL ARE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO EXTEND IT BACK TO US.

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? I'M GOOD WITH IT. I MEAN, SO FAR, EVERYTHING I SEE, YOU KNOW, LOOKS LIKE IT'S WARRANTED AND NEEDED.

YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GET FURTHER IN THE AGENDA, AND I'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, TELL THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOME OF THE THINGS ARE I'M LOOKING FOR, POSSIBLY. YOU KNOW, THE REASON... PART OF THE REASON I WANTED TO HAVE THIS MEETING IS SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS Y'ALL ARE GOING THROUGH. AS A SCHOOL BOARD AND

[00:10:01]

TO GET THEM FIXED AND GET THEM ON A PLAN TO REPLACE THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT LIKE I SAID, ONCE WE GET FURTHER DOWN IN A COUPLE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS, I THINK WE CAN TALK MORE FURTHER ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF. BUT SO FAR, EVERYTHING I SEE ON HERE LOOKS FINE TO ME.

WELL, I'LL SPEAK MY PIECE.

WHAT I HAVE FLOATED TO OUR BOARD IN SOME OF OUR BUDGET SESSIONS IS THE CREATION OR RECREATION OF A WHAT WE USED TO CALL FUND 301. IF I'M CORRECT MYSTERY, THAT WAS THE CAPITAL FUND AND OUR OLD FINANCIAL SYSTEM. IT'S FUN 311 NOW, RIGHT? BUT WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT IS CREATING THAT FOR THE SCHOOL, WITH CARRYOVER FUNDS TO GO INTO EACH YEAR FOR THE SCHOOLS. THEY WOULD BE FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND ALSO HOPEFULLY TO START BUILDING SOME MONEY TOWARDS THE NEW BUILDING. SO THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT IN IT. I KNOW WE USED TO HAVE IT. I THINK IT SURVIVED ONE YEAR BEFORE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DONE AWAY WITH IT. BUT I FIGURE THAT'S A WAY THAT WE CAN PUT THE CARRYOVER FUNDS TO USE.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, LET'S BE HONEST, WE SEND THE CARRYOVER FUNDS BACK TO YOU ALL. YOU'VE GOT YOUR BUDGET YOU'RE REQUESTING.

IT BECOMES UNSUSTAINABLE BECAUSE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO HAVE TO COME SOMEWHERE TO COVER THINGS. SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT THAT'S MY OPINION AND MY THOUGHT ON IT. SCHOOL BOARD? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. WHEN WAS THAT ACCOUNT VALID? 2004. SO IT WAS BEFORE ME, AND WERE YOU ON THE BOARD? I WAS ON THE BOARD. OKAY. A LONG WHILE AGO. I WAS ON THE SCHOOL SIDE AT THE TIME. IT WAS WAY BEFORE US. AND IT WAS JUST ONE YEAR? I THINK IT SURVIVED ONE YEAR. AND IT WAS FORCED TRIP, CAPITAL? IT JUST, IT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU REQUEST TODAY. OKAY. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR ACTUAL REVENUES THAT EXCEED ACTUAL EXPENDITURES, AND THAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT REVERTS TO OUR GENERAL FUND-FUND BALANCE. AND YOU GUYS, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS ANYWAY, HAVE COME TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REQUESTING REAPPROPRIATION, TYPICALLY FOR CAPITAL. PROJECTS AND PURCHASES. IT IS ALMOST IDENTICAL. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST MAKING THE REQUEST THAT IT GO TO THE CAPITAL FUND IN DIFFERENT CAPITAL ACCOUNTS. I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT, MR. COX IS SUGGESTING IS THAT WOULD BECOME AN AUTOMATIC THING. THAT IT GOES TO THAT FUND? RIGHT.

YES. OKAY. SO WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO PUT SOMETHING IN OUR BUDGET ADOPTION, RESOLUTION TO THAT EFFECT, OR CREATE... SOME TYPE OF ORDINANCE, WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK WITH LEGAL TO SEE IF THAT'S NECESSARY. BUT THEN WE WOULD CERTAINLY NEED CLARIFICATION. DOES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WANT CLARITY ON HOW THAT MONEY IS BEING USED, OR WOULD THE SCHOOLS HAVE LATITUDE TO USE IT AS THEY CHOSE? SO CERTAINLY, ALL OF THOSE DETAILS WOULD HAVE TO BE NAVIGATED AND ARTICULATED SO THAT IT COULD BE MANAGED.

SORRY, I'M SORRY, MR. SCOTT.

GO AHEAD, MR. WILLIAMS. NO, GO AHEAD, ROB. I GUESS MY QUESTION TO THAT IS, IF IT'S MORE THAN 1% OF YOUR BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. SO HOW WOULD THAT WORK AS FAR AS PUTTING THAT BACK IN THERE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND I KNOW SOME YEARS, OR A LOT OF YEARS, IT IS. YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT, THE $1.8 MILLION, DOES NECESSITATE A PUBLIC HEARING. WHICH WOULD BE TWO, RIGHT? WHICH HAS TO BE ADVERTISED TWICE. AND IT'S TYPICALLY, WE REQUEST AUTHORITY FOR THE BOARD. ASKING PERMISSION TO ADVERTISE IT.

AND THEN, A MONTH LATER, THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS HELD AND THE BOARD DECIDES WHETHER TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO WOULD THAT STILL HAVE TO TAKE PLACE? IF IT WAS OVER 1% I WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL TO SEE IF THAT IS A REQUIREMENT, BUT YEAH, WE WOULD PROBABLY.

WE WOULD NEED TO NAVIGATE THAT. WELL, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IT'S ABOUT CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

JUST TO KEEP US IN THE LOOP, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER DENIED GIVING YOU YOUR TURNOVER.

WE'VE ALWAYS GIVEN IT BACK TO YOU. THE ONLY THING WE'VE EVER ASKED FOR IS WHAT LINE ITEM AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SPEND IT ON. FOR US, IT HELPS US. SO WE KNOW WHEN CITIZENS ASK US, WILL YOU JUST APPROVE? OR THEY JUST SPENT THIS MONEY, WHO APPROVED IT?

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BECAUSE WHEN Y'ALL HAVE BEEN COMING BACK OVER, YOU'RE GETTING YOUR LINE ITEM, WHAT'S GOING OVER THERE? WE TURN AROUND AND APPROVE IT. IT GOES TO THE LINE. I'M GOING TO DO YOUR WORK. THERE'S NO DELAY OR ANYTHING. IT'S JUST A TRIP ACROSS THE STREET.

BUT IT KEEPS EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE SO WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AND KNOW WHAT MONEY IS BEING GONE, WHERE AND FOR WHAT. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE CIP. I DON'T KNOW WHAT BENEFIT IT WOULD BE BECAUSE IT STILL HAS TO BE SOME COMMUNICATION. THE MONEY'S GOT TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR, AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. AND I GOT BEAT UP FOR THIS BECAUSE I MADE A STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC. ONCE WE ALLOCATE THE MONEY, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT. WE DO WITH THE CATEGORIES, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S IT.

WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT.

WELL, I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE KIDS. I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SCHOOLS. I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE CITIZENS' TAX DOLLARS. THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT BY THAT STATEMENT.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S MY POINT.

SO, MR. COX, I'M SORRY. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR MR. COX, BUT YOU GUYS GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. SO, AND TO YOUR, AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. SO, TO THAT, WOULD YOU DO, WHEN YOU PUT THAT MONEY IN THERE, IF IT'S 1.8, WOULD YOU SAY, OKAY, IT'S 1.8, BUT $250,000 IS GOING TOWARDS SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION? OR IS IT JUST 1.8? YOU GUYS SPEND IT HOW YOU WANT? I MEAN, I CAN SEE THAT HAVING A DISCUSSION AND YOU SAYING, OKAY, HERE'S YOUR CARRYOVER MONEY, BUT WE WOULD LIKE IT BECAUSE STATE CODE SAYS IT HAS TO BE GIVEN BACK TO YOU AND YOU ALLOCATE TO US. SO I GET THAT. SO IS THAT WHAT YOUR POINT IS? I'M JUST TRYING TO GET CLARITY SO I UNDERSTAND FOR MOVING FORWARD. THAT'S ALL.

WELL, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, MR. ELY, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN DOWN INTO THE WEEDS WITH IT. BUT WHAT I ENVISION IS THAT WE WOULD PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER TO DISCUSS IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FAIR AND EQUITABLE ON BOTH SIDES, WHAT IS REQUIRED, WHAT CAN BE COVERED, THAT KIND OF STUFF.

AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LIKE MR. WEBB JUST SAID, TRANSPARENCY AND WORKING TOGETHER. ALL FOUR. I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU MADE YOUR STATEMENT LAST WEEK IN THIS MEETING, I WAS LIKE, UH-OH, SO I NEED TO UNDERSTAND. SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO TAKE A CERTAIN PORTION OF THAT AND PUT IT IN A FUND.

FOR NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, I GET THAT, OR IS IT JUST GOING TO ALL BE THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WE DECIDE WHAT WE DO WITH IT? SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOR CLARITY. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH TRANSPARENCY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOR MYSELF SO I UNDERSTAND. WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT BECAUSE I'D HATE TO TIE THEIR HANDS. THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS, WE NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR ASSETS, AND THAT'S REALLY GOT TO BE FRONT AND FOREMOST. AND IT'S JUST AS MUCH FOR THE KIDS AS WELL AS FOR MAINTAINING THE ASSETS THEMSELVES. IF YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU SAW FIT, THAT'D BE GREAT, BUT I'D HATE TO SEE. WITHOUT THE RIGHT UNDERSTANDING. OR SOME TYPE OF WRITE-UP, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT, WHICH CAN GET CONVOLUTED AS HELL ANYWAY, TO HOW IT'S WORDED. TRY TO SACRIFICE SOMETHING TO MEET THIS ONE GOAL. WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING OVER HERE, LIKE A ROOF OR HVAC SYSTEM, SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO IT, SO YOU KIND OF PUSH TO PUT IT IN THAT FUND. I DON'T THINK I COULD AGREE TO THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST ME.

LIKE I SAID, THIS IS NOT ANYTHING COUNTERINTUITIVE.

IT'S JUST AN IDEA I HAD THAT WE COULD FILL OUT AND HAVE DISCUSSION, AND WE'RE HAVING A GOOD DISCUSSION ON IT. SO, MR. COX, IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO GET A PLACEHOLDER FOR THE MARCH MEETING TO COME BACK? THAT'S HOW YOU ALL FEEL. WE CAN DO THAT. OKAY, THAT'D BE FINE.

I MEAN, I'M JUST ASKING, IS THAT SOMETHING? MR. BARNES, DID YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT? WE PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED A PLACEHOLDER FOR THE MARCH 10TH MEETING. IN ANTICIPATION OF EITHER GETTING YOUR APPROVAL.

OR THAT. WE WOULD NEED TO GO THE PUBLIC HEARING ROUTE IF IT WAS OVER THE 1%, WHICH IT IS.

SO WE SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF PLACEHOLDER THERE ALREADY.

YES, SIR. I HAVE PUT A PLACEHOLDER ON THE MARCH 10TH AGENDA TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE THE PUBLIC HEARING. FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF UP TO $1.839 MILLION, WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT OF WHAT YOU REVERTED TO FUND BALANCE. IF EVERYBODY'S IN AGREEMENT, WE CAN GIVE THEM A CONSENSUS TONIGHT. SO THE 10TH WOULD JUST BE A FORMALITY.

IN ALL HONESTY. MR. CHAIR, I HAVE A QUESTION. DO Y'ALL, AND MR. BARNES, RIGHT NOW, OUR SIDE OF THE STREET IS WORKING ON, I CAN'T THINK OF THE WORD OF IT. WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OUR ASSETS AND WE'RE DOING LIKE A SPAN OF LIFE. WHAT ARE THEY CALLING THAT, TJ? DO YOU REMEMBER? WELL, IT'S A LIFE EXPECTANCY. YEAH, LIFE EXPECTANCY OF LIKE, OUR COOLERS, OUR CHILLERS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE STUFF.

DO Y'ALL HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT Y'ALL DO? SO WE HAVE A WONDERFUL...

WONDERFULLY THICK STUDY. I'D LOVE TO BRING IT TO YOU, TO SHOW YOU ONE DAY, IF YOU CARE, TO READ IT. ABSOLUTELY.

IT WAS DONE, I CAME TO THE COUNTY IN 21, SO I BELIEVE IT WAS DONE IN 20 BY A COMPANY CALLED FAITHFUL AND GOULD, WHERE THEY DID THAT.

FOR EVERY INCH OF EVERY BUILDING THAT WE HAVE,

[00:20:02]

BUT THAT IS WHERE WE USED TO HAVE USED THIS TO BUILD OUR HVAC NEEDS AND OUR ROOFING NEEDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO WE DO HAVE THAT. THE DIVISION PAID FOR AN OUTSIDE SERVICE TO DO THAT. AND THAT IS WHAT WE USE TO BUILD THESE LISTS OF AREAS OF IMPORTANCE, WHAT ROOF IS NEXT, WHAT LARGE HVAC UNIT IS DONE.

RIGHT. AND WE GOT A VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD START ON THAT WITH COVID MONEY, THANKFULLY. LOTS OF AIR REPLACEMENTS, ROOFTOP UNITS, AT AT LEAST FOUR SCHOOLS, COMPLETE SERVICE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL WITH A ROOFING SCHEDULE, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HOPING TO WRAP UP THE CLEMENTS PROJECT. OKAY. I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THIS BOARD.

WE WANT TO, ONCE WE GET OUR STUDY DONE, KIND OF PUT THEM SIDE BY SIDE TO SEE, OKAY, PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY'S GOT A ROOF THAT'S DUE IN TWO YEARS. Y'ALL GOT A ROOF THAT'S DUE IN FIVE, AND THEN KIND OF BUILD OUT.

THAT WAY, EVERYBODY KNOWS, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO ALLOCATE X AMOUNT OF TAX DOLLARS TO THIS, THIS YEAR, AND THIS, THIS YEAR, AND SO ON, AND SO FORTH. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CAPABLE, IF WE COULD DO THAT, IF STAFF COULD DO IT. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR DR.

LYLE AND MR. BARNES, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT... IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO DO SOME OF THAT BECAUSE IT MAY BE ABLE TO SAVE COST. IF WE HAVE A ROOF IN THREE YEARS AND THE COUNTY HAS A ROOF IN THREE YEARS, WHAT? THE SAME PERSON DOES, AND I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR YOU, MR. BARNES, THE SAME PERSON DOES BOTH ROOFS AT THE SAME TIME, WE MAY GET SOME COST SAVINGS IN THE COUNTY FOR THE SAME PERSON TO DO BOTH ROOFS AT THE SAME TIME. MR. BARNES, YOU'RE WELL-ADVERSED TO THAT THAN ME. I THINK IT'S GOING TO MATTER A LOT HOW THEY LINE UP, WHAT TYPE OF ROOF IT IS, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, THE SIZE.

BUT THAT TRICKLES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HVAC, ASPHALT PROJECTS, ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, ABSOLUTELY SURE. WE'RE HERE TO DO ANYTHING THAT MAKES LIFE EASIER FOR US AND YOU ALL. WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. DRURY'S TEAM. WE'RE HERE TO BE ONE WITH YOU ALL, NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE TACKLING.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT.

YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. I JUST WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE SOMETHING TO THAT. THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT, AND THE ROOFS WOULD BE DIFFERENT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CHILLERS, BOWLERS, AND STUFF LIKE THAT, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE AND ALL, A PM, ANY VENDOR WILL GIVE YOU A BOOK, AND THEN YOU'RE MORE OR LESS, THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK YOU SHOULD DO, BUT YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING A PM. A PM IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD KICK OUT, WHICH MR. ENIX IS WORKING ON.

HE'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT. I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE NOT. YES, SIR. I WORK IN THAT FIELD.

IT'S PREVENTIVE, PROACTIVE, SO YOU DO THE PMS, AND YOU LIST WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOU ALSO CHECK CYCLE TIMES.

SAMPLES OF THE COOLANT OR THE CRYOGENIC, WHATEVER IT'S USING, AND IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA ON WHAT KIND OF MAINTENANCE.

THAT'S HOW YOU BUILD YOUR MAINTENANCE HISTORY, WHICH ALSO HELPS YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S GETTING TO THE END OF LIFE, SO TO SPEAK, WITH THE COST AND ALL, BECAUSE WITH THE NEW SAP SYSTEMS AND ALL, YOU CAN TRACK ALL THAT IN A PUSH OF A BUTTON. IT'LL TELL YOU WHAT IT'S COSTING YOU TO MAINTAIN IT FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. IF THE PM'S DONE CORRECTLY, IT CAN ALSO IDENTIFY SOME THINGS SO YOU CAN FIX IT AND SAVE YOURSELF A TON OF MONEY. WE'VE GOT A GENERATOR THAT DOESN'T HAVE A PMO. HE'S WORKING ON IT NOW, AND IT HASN'T BEEN SERVICED IN A WHILE. SO IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT THAT TEND TO GET MISSED, EVEN IF YOU'RE WORKING OFF OF A LIST. IT'S EASY TO LOSE THEM. YES, SIR. MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD ASK A QUESTION. DID WE, OR DID YOU ALL TAKE THAT THREE-RING BINDER AND HAVE YOU LIFTED THE INFORMATION OUT OF IT TO MAKE A LIVING DOCUMENT? OR IS IT? ARE WE JUST OPERATING OFF THAT ONE SNAPSHOT IN TIME THAT WE PAID FOR? SO, FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAVE THAT ONE SNAPSHOT. WE ALSO HAVE IT ON ELECTRONIC VERSION OF IT.

THAT WE CAN GRAB AND PULL FROM IT. WE'VE USED IT FOR EVERYTHING, FROM WE JUST HAD TO DO AN INDOOR AIR QUALITY REPORT, AN ENTRY LEVEL REPORT, WE'VE GOT FOUR YEARS TO FULLY DO IT WITHIN SCHOOLS. WE WERE ABLE TO GRAB THAT INFORMATION OUT OF THAT UNIT. WE RECENTLY ADDED A NEW SOFTWARE PACKAGE CALLED OPERATIONS HERO THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS SCHOOLS. IT'S GOT A PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE LEG, IT'S GOT A LEG FOR WORK ORDERS, IT'S GOT A LEG FOR FIELD TRIPS, IT'S GOT A LEG FOR, IT'S GOT DIFFERENT TABS THAT YOU CAN GO THROUGH. SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF INCREASING THAT AND MAKING IT BETTER. IF THERE'S SOMEBODY ON THE COUNTY TEAM THAT, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, MAKES OUR, HELPS US, GUIDE US, MAKE OUR PROCESS BETTER, WE'RE OPEN EARS AT ALL TIMES.

AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE PAID FOR THAT AT SOME POINT, WE AS TAXPAYERS IN GENERAL, BUT WE DON'T JUST LET THAT DOCUMENT AGE, RIGHT, THAT WE'VE LIFTED THE INFORMATION, AND AS WE DO UPDATES, WE'RE MAKING THOSE NOTES. AND IF WE ADD THINGS, WE ADD THOSE TO THE LEDGER AS WELL. YES. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING MORE ON THAT, BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION IF WE COULD PIVOT JUST FOR A SECOND. THE COMMENT YOU MADE, MR. CHAIR, ABOUT POTENTIALLY USING THE 311 FUND FOR THIS, WOULD THAT BE A CIP STYLE, JUST SO TO UNDERSTAND? SO MY QUESTION FOR THAT WOULD BE, IS THAT THE SINGLE LINE ITEMS ON THIS LIST, NONE OF WHICH GO OVER A MILLION DOLLARS INDIVIDUALLY. SO IS THE THOUGHT

[00:25:02]

BUT THEY WOULD BE THINGS WITH DETAILS THAT HAD TO BE WORKED OUT BETWEEN THE BOARDS IF WE EVEN WANTED TO CONSIDER GOING THAT ROUTE.

THE THOUGHT I HAVE WHEN THE WAY YOU MENTION THAT IS THAT WHEN I SEE THINGS ON THE LIST THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT SECURITY, AND I THINK IN THE PAST, WE'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, REFERENCING THESE THINGS AS BEING URGENT, I WOULD HOPE BECAUSE SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, $75,000, $47,000, THESE SEEMS LIKE THESE WOULD BE LINE ITEMS IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND THEN ANYTHING THAT WASN'T SPENT AT THE END OF THE YEAR WOULD GO TOWARDS THE 311 ACCOUNT, WHICH WOULD GO TO SOMETHING LIKE A SCHOOL OR SOMETHING MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS, RIGHT? AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD KIND OF THE CLARITY OF. BECAUSE IF YOU DID THE MILLION DOLLARS PER LINE ITEM, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THESE WOULD QUALIFY FOR A CIP STYLE. IN THE WAY, AT LEAST I THINK, ON OUR SIDE, THE WAY THAT WE DO CIP. SO THAT COULD BE ME, AS A NEW MEMBER OF THE BOARD, JUST ASKING A QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION. I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT IF YOU'RE GOING BY INDIVIDUAL LINE ITEMS. WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL WITH IS SOME PEOPLE CAN CONSTRUE THAT AS YOU'RE TRYING TO GET UNDER THE WIRE. JUST LIKE CORPORATE, YOU USE A P-CARD, YOU GET A $5,000 LIMIT.

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SPLIT ORDERS. YOU GET A $10,000 BILL AND YOU SPLIT IT ON TWO DIFFERENT INVOICES AND THEY CATCH IT. YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET SUSPENDED OR GET TERMINATED FOR IT BECAUSE YOU'RE COMMITTING FRAUD.

THAT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS INTENDED FOR. TO MS. DRURY'S POINT, THE TOTAL AMOUNT PUTS IT OVER THAT 1% AND THAT'S WHAT DICTATES THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. LEGAL WOULD HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT, BUT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD TO DO IT, AS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD. BUT IT'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT IS BEING LOOKED AT, NOT THE LINE ITEMS. SO I GUESS, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THEN, MR. WEBB, IS THAT A CIP, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THIS LIST OF ITEMS ON A CIP JUST BECAUSE THEY ADD UP TO 1.8 MILLION.

THE CIP HAS INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS THAT ARE INDIVIDUALLY 1 MILLION. AND SO NOT THAT WE WOULDN'T GO OUT TO TRY TO AVOID THE NOTIFICATION.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, BUT THAT THESE SINGLE LINE ITEMS WOULD NEVER BE ON A CIP BECAUSE THEY DON'T MEET THE THRESHOLD. THIS WOULD BE MORE PLANNING. WE'D SAY, OKAY, WE WANT TO DO THE CLEMENTS ROOF THIS YEAR. THAT'S $900,000.

THAT WOULD BE IN THE COURSE OF NORMAL BUDGETING. I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION OF TRYING TO CLARIFY THE USE OF 311 VERSUS THIS PROCESS. WELL, AND REMEMBER, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED, BUT IT ALSO COULD BE, LIKE ANY OTHER SCHOOL COMES OVER WITH $1.8 MILLION CARRYOVER THERE WITH A REQUEST, AND THEY MAY HAVE ONLY $800,000 WORTH OF PROJECTS. THE OTHER PORTION CAN GO INTO THE 311 FUND.

RIGHT. YEAH, EVERY LINE ITEM ON HERE, IN MY EXPERIENCE, COULD BE CONSIDERED A CIP BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY DRIVEN BY A DOLLAR AMOUNT.

THAT'S MY INTERPRETATION ON IT. IS THAT HOW WE'VE USED CIPS IN THE PAST? I THOUGHT IT WAS A MILLION DOLLAR MINIMUM.

NO. SIR? ANYTHING OVER $50,000. ANYTHING OVER $50,000? YES. $50,000.

OKAY. WE DO HAVE SOME LINE ITEMS UNDER $50,000, BUT THERE ARE MORE ON THAT LIST. YES, THERE ARE.

OVER THAT. BUT THAT'S MORE, THAT'S NOT THE NORM CONSIDERED TO MOST UCIPS. MOST UCIPS, YOU THINK IT'LL BE A LOT HIGHER THAN THAT. THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS? MADAM CHAIR, MR. CHAIR, ONE MORE THING AND I'LL BE QUIET. SO, MR. HAMILL, WHEN WE HAD OUR BUDGET SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I THINK IT WAS FOR SCHOOL BUSES, BUT DON'T HOLD ME TO IT. WE HAD A LINE ITEM IN OUR BUDGET FOR CONTINGENCY OF A MILLION DOLLARS. AND WITHIN THAT BUDGET, SOME OF THESE THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE THROUGH THAT. LINE ITEM WITH THE CONTINGENCY.

BUT WE HAD TO HELP FUND THE BUSES SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND THAT MONEY, CONTINGENCY MONEY, WENT TOWARDS THOSE BUSES. SO THE CONTINGENCY MONEY HAS NEVER BEEN PUT BACK IN OUR BUDGET FOR THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS.

IT JUST HAS NOT. WE JUST, TO BE HONEST, IT JUST HADN'T GONE BACK IN.

SO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, COULD... 47,000, 25,000, 45,000, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS BE PAID THROUGH CONTINGENCY? ABSOLUTELY. BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT BUILT BACK IN OUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO. SO THIS IS HOW WE GET THOSE PROJECTS DONE. I NEED TO DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT MIXING WORDS.

WE'VE CUT AIR CONTINGENCY BACK QUITE A BIT, BUT AIR CONTINGENCY, THE INTENT OF AIR CONTINGENCY, IS FOR AN UNKNOWN. CORRECT. AN UNKNOWN. CORRECT. YOU GOT SOMETHING THAT BREAKS AND YOU GOT TO FIX IT. CORRECT. YOU GOT TO GET THE MONEY SOMEWHERE.

RIGHT. SO RIGHT NOW, IF SOMETHING BREAKS AND WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, WE HAVE TO COME TO YOU GUYS AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED THIS MONEY

[00:30:04]

WE HAD TO PUT KIDS ACROSS THE STREET. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT. WE HAD TO COME OVER HERE AND ASK FOR THAT, FIND IT. SO. I THINK I'M RIGHT ON THAT. MR. BARNES? YOU'RE RIGHT. WE'VE HAD TO DO THIS SEVERAL TIMES.

THAT'S WHERE THAT COMES FROM, MR. HAMILL. THAT'S THE KIND OF THINGS THIS FUND WOULD ELIMINATE. WE'D HAVE THE MONEY SET ASIDE IN BUILDING PROJECTS. MR. COX, IF I MAY, JUST COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY. I INADVERTENTLY SKIPPED THE MODULAR UNITS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. I DON'T WANT THIS TO COME OUT IN A MONTH AND SOMEBODY SAY, WHY DID HE SKIP THAT? JUST GOING THROUGH THE LIST, I APOLOGIZE. BUT THAT IS REPLACING TWO MODULAR UNITS WE JUST REPLACED, WE TOOK OUT FIVE AND BROUGHT IN THREE DOUBLE UNITS AT BEASLEY. THEY WERE 20 PLUS YEARS OLD. ROTTEN SHAPE ROOFS LEAKING, A TEACHER'S FOOT WENT THROUGH THE FLOOR. THERE ARE THREE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THEY'RE IN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AGE AND SHAPE. AND AFTER TALKING WITH MR. MCALLISTER, THE PRINCIPAL, WE WOULD. THE PROPOSAL FOR THIS MONEY WOULD BE TO TAKE THOSE THREE, HAVE THEM REMOVED AND BRING TWO NEW ONES IN, AND THEY WOULD JUST BE ONE BIG OPEN ROOM. THE ONES AT BEASLEY HAVE A WALL IN THE MIDDLE, SO IT'S TWO CLASSROOMS. THE HIGH SCHOOL USES THESE FOR PE OR FOR HEALTH AND DRIVER'S ED.

AND THEY CAN HAVE 40 TO 50 KIDS IN THAT CLASSROOM, SO THEY DON'T WANT A WALL. SO IT WOULD BE REPLACING THE THREE MODULARS THAT ARE IN DAILY USE AT PRINCE GEORGE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE MOVED UP, APOLOGIZE FOR SKIPPING THAT. I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO. WE MOVED UP CALLING THEM MODULAR. WE USED TO CALL THEM EDUCATIONAL COTTAGES, EDUCATIONAL COTTAGES. ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? ALL RIGHT, MR. WEBB I THINK YOU WERE ASKING FOR CONSENSUS. I MEAN, IF IT'S NEEDED, I'M GOOD WITH, I'LL GIVE, I'LL AGREE TO IT. THEN THE 10TH WOULD BE A FORMALITY.

SO HERE'S, MR. CHAIR, THE ONLY THING I'VE GOT, IF WE'RE GOING TO PUBLICLY DO A, IF IT'S OVER THE 1%, THEN WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC'S INPUT BEFORE I AGREED TO ANYTHING.

MR. CHAIR, DOES MARCH 10TH MEET OUR NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS? WELL, THAT WAS GOING TO BE, IF YOU HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, THAT'S GOING TO BE, THAT WOULD BE THE INPUT.

RIGHT. BUT BACKING UP, MAKING SURE FROM TIME FRAME. I DON'T. I DON'T HAVE THE LIST. I WOULD NEED THE LIST FIRST. AND ALSO, I DO NOT THINK WE WOULD HAVE TIME TO ADVERTISE TWICE TO CONFORM TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON MARCH 10TH. THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY WHEN WE WOULD NEED TO COME. REQUEST AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE THE PUBLIC HEARING, REQUEST AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE. AND THEN WE WOULD ADVERTISE AND HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING, PROBABLY AT THE FIRST APRIL MEETING.

MR. COX, IF I MAY, THE ONLY ITEM ON THIS THAT IS SOMEWHAT TIME-SENSITIVE WOULD BE THE ROOFING PROJECT. AND APRIL, OUR CONSULTANT, HAS AGREED TO START WORKING ON THAT, EVEN WITHOUT FULL APPROVAL. SO WE'RE WORKING IN THAT DIRECTION, HOPING AND GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTING THE MONEY BACK, IF YOU ALL CHOOSE TO GIVE IT, AFTER THE PUBLIC CONSENT. SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S NOTHING HURT WITH WAITING. I'LL SAY THAT I'M 100% IN SUPPORT OF FIXING THE ROOF.

IN UPDATING THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT TO SOMETHING BECAUSE I'M NOT ALL-KNOWING, AND A CITIZEN MAY COME UP AND ENGAGE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT AND ENLIGHTEN US ALL. YOU NEVER KNOW. SURE.

BUT, NO, LIKE, AS FAR AS THE ROOF GOES, ABSOLUTELY, I WILL SUPPORT THAT 100%. AND MOST OF THIS STUFF I AM GOING TO SUPPORT, AND I THINK THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY WOULD SUPPORT IT AS WELL. THANK YOU, SIR.

BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO COME UP AND SPEAK. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT. HEY PATRICK, CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR ME REAL QUICK FOR THE MOBILE LIGHT PLANTS? SO YOU SAID THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT GAVE US ONE SET THAT WE USE AT THE FOOTBALL GAME.

WELL, ONE OF THEM THEY GAVE US. WE BORROW THE REST OF THEM FROM THEM.

THEY'RE THEIRS. WE JUST GO PICK THEM UP FRIDAY MORNING, WHEEL THEM DOWN THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TOWABLE, AND TAKE THEM BACK. ANYTHING IN HERE, AS YOU ALL CAN SEE FROM THIS, WITH THE REMAINING BALANCE, HOW IT RUNS DOWN, IT'S JUST A FORMULA AND A SPREADSHEET. IF YOU CAME BACK TO US AND SAID YOU NEEDED...

CHOP OFF $100,000, WE WOULD START AT THE BOTTOM AND GO UP. SO IT'S ALL REMOVABLE. YEAH. I WAS JUST ASKING, LIKE, IF THEY WEREN'T PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH LIGHTED AREAS.

THEY ARE. IT'S JUST MORE OF A, IT'S PROBABLY TIME FOR US TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE MORE OF OUR OWN IF WE NEEDED TO SHAVE OUT. THAT IS TWO OF THEM, THAT COST. SO IF WE NEEDED TO SHAVE ONE OUT, WE COULD. OKAY. ESPECIALLY ON BIG FOOTBALL GAMES, WE COULD HAVE FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM OUT IF WE HAD THEM.

THANK YOU. MR. CHAIR, AS CLARIFICATION, IF WE WERE TO ADVERTISE SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND YOU CAME IN WITH THE 1.8 MILLION NUMBER AND THROUGH CONVERSATION, WE WERE TO DISCUSS MAYBE SHAVING SOMETHING LIKE MOBILE LIGHT PLAN, ARE WE ABLE TO HAVE A LOWER NUMBER, OR DO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE NUMBER BASED ON WHAT WE ADVERTISE? MS. DREW. I BELIEVE YOU CAN APPROVE A LOWER NUMBER. I DON'T THINK IT COULD GO HIGHER. YEAH. BUT I

[00:35:02]

WE'RE GOOD? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, AND THAT IS A DISCUSSION ON INSURANCE COMBINATION. AND THE SIMPLE QUESTION, THIS TELLS HOW FAR WE GO INTO THIS, ARE YOU ALL INTERESTED IN COMING BACK TO THE COUNTY AND HAVING A SHARED PLAN? I'M GOING TO DEFER TO SUPERINTENDENT AND MS. SMITH ON THIS. SO I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW HOW, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO REALLY KNOW. SO HOW LONG AGO, I GUESS I NEED TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS FIRST.

HOW LONG AGO WERE THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD TOGETHER UNDER THE SAME HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN? 2022, I BELIEVE. OKAY.

SO WHY WAS, I GUESS, AGAIN, I'M ASKING, BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE, WHY WAS THERE A DECISION MADE TO SEPARATE? I WASN'T ABOUT IT. BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAD MORE EMPLOYEES, AND I BET MR. RURY HELPED ME.

IF I'M SPEAK, I'D TURN HERE.

THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAD MORE EMPLOYEES AND I THINK THERE WAS A LARGE CLAIM FROM THE COUNTY THAT YEAR. AM I RIGHT? AND I THINK IT MADE, I GUESS AT THE TIME, NOT NOW, MADE SENSE FOR US TO BREAK AWAY BECAUSE THE RATES WENT DOWN FOR THE COUNTY, BECAUSE WE HAD MORE EMPLOYEES.

SCHOOL DIVISION BECAUSE MORE EMPLOYEES THAN THE COUNTY.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WHEN WE WERE COMBINED, TYPICALLY SCHOOL WOULD BE 75 PERCENT, COUNTY WOULD BE 25 PERCENT OF THE MEMBERSHIP IN THE COMBINED PLAN. I KNOW IT VACILLATED FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

SOME YEARS, THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES WOULD HAVE BAD CLAIMS YEARS. SOME YEARS, THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS WOULD HAVE BAD CLAIMS YEARS. SELF-INSURED PLANS EXPERIENCE THOSE. I GUESS DIFFERENCES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

I CAN'T SPEAK DEFINITIVELY ABOUT THE FULL DECISION ABOUT WHY THE SEPARATION OCCURRED.

IT MAY BE THAT YOU GOT BETTER RATES GOING TO THE LOCAL CHOICE. IT WAS A MORE AFFORDABLE OPTION FOR YOU. I BELIEVE SO. WHEN YOU WHEN? THE SCHOOL DIVISION SPLIT ON JULY 1 OF 22. RIGHT. AND OF OF COURSE, WHENEVER YOU CHANGE PLANS, THERE IS A PERIOD OF CLAIMS RUNOFF, LIKE, 18 MONTHS PAST THE DEPARTURE DATE, MEDICAL CLAIMS ARE STILL COMING IN. SO I KNOW YOU GUYS CONTRIBUTED SOME CARRYOVER FUNDS TO CLEAR UP THE DEFICIT THAT HAD THAT ACCUMULATED IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND BALANCE FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE. I KNOW THAT NOW YOU GUYS HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLAN STRUCTURE, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT RATE STRUCTURE. YOU CONTRIBUTE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS THAN THE COUNTY DOES. I THINK YOU CONTRIBUTE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS TO THE HSA ACCOUNTS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES ON THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN.

SO IT IS DIFFERENT NOW. SO WE HAVE NOT DONE A DEEP DIVE AS TO WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY IN COMPARISON TO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY. BUT I THINK THE DECISION WAS MADE BECAUSE IT WAS THE MORE AFFORDABLE PATH FOR YOU GUYS.

CORRECT. THAT'S MY BELIEF.

TO ME, THAT'S FINE. I MEAN, THAT'S YOUR OLD CALL. I'M JUST GOING TO, AND DR. LYLE KNOWS WHERE I'M GETTING READY TO GO WITH THIS, BUT THE SCHOOL DIVISION IS NOT, FOR ME, NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO PICK UP EVERY DOLLAR THAT IT CONTINUES TO GO UP. I THINK OUR QUOTE THIS YEAR WAS LIKE 10%, AND THEN THE NEXT ONE, DR.

LYLE GOT WAS UP TO 23% THAT IT COULD GO UP. SO I THINK, DR. LYLE HAS MET WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE TO TRY TO CHECK THE INSURANCE. MY PERSONAL OPINION, I'M ONLY SPEAKING FOR ONE PERSON, IS I THINK THAT KIND OF DISCUSSION NEEDS TO START IN OCTOBER. OR SEPTEMBER FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, RATHER THAN THIS ONE. BECAUSE WE'RE PRETTY MUCH ALL HANDS ON DECK AT THE MOMENT, SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.

UM, I'M SORRY YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY AGAIN? NO, YOU CAN GO AHEAD. SO I GUESS I AGREE WITH YOU 100% ROB, THAT THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO THIS YEAR, BUT I WOULD ENTERTAIN IF IT'S.

IF IT'S COST BENEFIT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COUNTY TO STAY SEPARATE AND COST-EFFECTIVE FOR THE EMPLOYEE. I AGREE WITH 100% BUT I THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD, WE SHOULD, WHEN WE GO OUT, BECAUSE THESE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE JACKING IT WAY HIGH. I THINK EVERY LOCALITY IS EXPERIENCING IT. I THINK WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO DIRECT OUR STAFF ON BOTH SIDES, TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER. TO GO, HEY, IF WE COMBINE FORCES THIS YEAR, ARE WE GOING TO GET A BETTER RATE FOR THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS? AND IF WE'VE GOT TO FLIP-FLOP EVERY FIVE YEARS AND SEPARATE AND GO TOGETHER, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A NIGHTMARE FOR STAFF.

BUT I WOULD BE CONFIDENT FOR

[00:40:03]

SO FOR FY26, THEY INITIALLY CAME IN AT LIKE 11%. AND THEN IT CAME DOWN TO 2.6, THE INCREASE. NOW FOR FY27, THEY INITIALLY TOLD US IT WAS GOING TO BE A 10% INCREASE, WHICH WAS AROUND $700,000.

BUT THEN THEY CAME BACK FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND SAID, NO, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A 10% INCREASE. IT'S GOING TO BE A 23.4% INCREASE.

SO THAT'S WHY WE SAID WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER OPTIONS. BECAUSE THAT'S JUST, THAT'S REALLY NOT FAIR TO OUR EMPLOYEES OR FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION. AND PIERCE IS WHO IS TRYING TO GET THE LOWER? YES, MA'AM.

THEY'RE SHOPPING IT AROUND TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET US A BETTER RATE. OKAY. AND I'M GOOD WITH NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, THE TWO SIDES GETTING TOGETHER AND SEEING WHAT IT WILL COME TO. I THINK ASKING MS. DRURY AND MS. SMITH RIGHT NOW, IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS BUDGET CYCLE, WOULD ABSOLUTELY PUT THEM IN OVERLOAD OF WHAT THEY ALREADY ARE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR TO THEM. THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. THAT'S YOUR FUTURE.

YEAH. YEAH, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT IN A... GOOD MANNER, A COMPLETE MANNER. I DON'T KNOW THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE LOCAL CHOICE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A PENALTY OR SOME PAYOUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO MAKE FOR LEAVING THAT GROUP. I ASK HER TO LOOK AT THE ANNUAL CONTRACT. SO I ASK HER TO LOOK TO SEE IF THERE WOULD BE ANY PENALTIES IF WE WERE TO NOT RENEW WITH THEM.

GOOD EVENING. YES, OUR CONTRACT WITH PIERCE GROUP IS YEAR TO YEAR. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THAT CONTRACT THAT HAD A PENALTY, BUT AS FAR AS THE LOCAL CHOICE, I'M NOT SURE, BECAUSE THEY BASICALLY HANDLED THAT FOR US. ALSO, WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER GROUP AS WELL THAT'S DOING SOME RESEARCH FOR US AND TRYING TO FIND SOME OTHER OPTIONS. SO WE'LL HOPEFULLY HEAR BACK FROM THEM, MAYBE THIS WEEK OR HOPEFULLY NEXT. THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK ON THAT FOR US AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN.

SO WE'LL SEE. BUT RIGHT NOW, 23% IS JUST, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN AFFORD THAT. WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE. WE'RE LOOKING AT 5.1% AND WE FELT VERY FORTUNATE. I HAVE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASES, SOME OF THEM AS HIGH AS 20. SO WE FEEL LUCKY. NOT ALWAYS. WE PAID 11% INCREASE IN THE YEAR WE'RE IN NOW. MR. CHAIR, QUICK QUESTION. NOW, WHEN WE GO AFTER THESE INSURANCE COMPANIES, ARE WE CONTACTING THEM SAYING, WHAT WILL YOU INSURE US FOR? ARE WE PUTTING AN RF, YOU KNOW, A BID PACKET OUT TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS OUR EMPLOYEES, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO INSURE THEM AT? I MEAN...

WE ALSO HAVE, THEY USE THE PIERCE GROUP AS THEIR INSURANCE CONSULTANT. WE USE A COMPANY CALLED MARK 3, AND THEY ASSIST US IN SHOPPING IT OUT. AND NOT ONLY IS IT JUST ABOUT COST, IT IS ALSO ABOUT THE LEVEL OF DISRUPTION IN PROVIDERS AND MEDICATION, IT IS A VERY COMPLEX ANALYSIS THAT WE PROBABLY COULD NOT HANDLE IN-HOUSE. WE CERTAINLY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MARK III. WE DID SHOP OUT OR HAVE MARK III SHOP IT OUT FOR US A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO LOOK AT OPTIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, ANTHEM IS ONE OF THE BIGS. THEY HAVE THE BIGGEST DISCOUNTS. THEY ARE WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE GORILLA IN THE ROOM. YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR US, BECAUSE WE'RE SELF-INSURED, ARE ALSO VOLATILE. THE MOST VOLATILE THING IS STOP-LOSS.

OUR REINSURANCE, WHEN WE HAVE CLAIMS THAT EXCEED $150,000, THAT GETS MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE EVERY YEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE AND MORE CLAIMS THAT EXCEED THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT EVERY YEAR. BECAUSE MEDICAL COSTS AND PHARMACY COSTS ARE QUITE BIG FOR CERTAIN CONDITIONS, CERTAIN MEDS. ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.

BUT WE HAVE ASSISTANCE IN SHOPPING THAT OUT BY PEOPLE WITH THAT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE THAT DO IT EVERY DAY.

ABSOLUTELY. AND IT DOES HELP US NEGOTIATE. IT MAKES 100% BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOUR EMPLOYEES COVERAGE AND THEY GO TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL AND THEY CAN'T GO BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COVERED. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT DISRUPTION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER.

OTHER QUESTIONS? I MEAN, THE ONLY REASON I WANTED TO ADD IT TO THE AGENDA, OBVIOUSLY, I HAVE MORE INFORMATION NOW THAN I HAD LAST NIGHT. JUST TO DO THAT COMPARISON, DID NOT KNOW THAT THEY WEREN'T

[00:45:01]

PLAN. BUT JUST LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO THOSE CALCULATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR. BOTH OF US ARE HAVING RATE INCREASES. GOT ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

IF I HAVE A CONSENSUS ON MY BOARD, WE'LL DIRECT MR. RORY AFTER EVERYTHING CALMS DOWN THROUGH THE BUDGET SEASON.

TO REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL AND MISS HURT AND START DOING SOME COMPARISONS AND WORKING ON TOGETHER, BRING BACK TO US NEXT YEAR AND WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE. YEAH, WELL, THERE THERE IS A LITTLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS, SO SO WE WOULD HAVE TO NAVIGATE THAT. I KNOW YOU CAN DO A CHALLENGE AND WE CAN CHANGE OURS TOO. YEAH, ALL RIGHT, MISS. NOT IF YOU WILL CALL ROLL FOR CONSENSUS. YES, MR. FORD PUGH? YES. MR. WEBB? YES. MR. COGGS? YES. MR. PHILLIP PUGH? YES. OKAY, VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM ONE IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT CLARIFICATION. LUDLOW, ARE YOU GOING TO HANDLE THAT? THEY DO.

HANG ON. YOU DON'T NEED TO CALL FORD. OH, OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. HOLD ON. HOLD ON A SECOND. WAIT, JUST A SECOND. SORRY. CAN YOU... CALL ROLL FOR CONSENSUS WITH US.

SURE. MS. ANDREWS. YES. MR. ELY. YES. MS. CHRIS. YES. MS. BOCHION. YES. AND MS. TAYLOR.

YES. MR. CHAIR, DID WE NEED TO DO ANY ADJUSTMENT ON THE FIRST LINE ITEM FOR THE SAME? I'M NOT SURE IF WE DID CONSENSUS AS FORMALLY ON THE FIRST LINE ITEM. THE CARRYOVER. NO, WE GOT. WAS IT GOT A PLACEHOLDER? EXCELLENT.

OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY.

GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, BOTH SCHOOL AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CHAIRMAN COX AND CHAIR ANDREWS. THIS EVENING, WE JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT OR A DISCUSSION FOR A PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT BY THE SCHOOL BOARD. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS CAME BACK AS FAR AS FORMALITIES. WHAT'S THE DESIRED ROLE TO BE HELD BY THE SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS, A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES. AFTER STAFF DISCUSSION INCLUDED, WOULD THEY LIKE TO JUST SERVE AS A SCHOOL BOARD LIAISON, NOT DIRECTLY PARTICIPATING, BUT REPORT BACK DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD? SCHOOL BOARD NOT DIRECTLY PARTICIPATING IN DISCUSSIONS? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION? PROVIDING COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD DURING PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF. PREVIEW OF APPLICATIONS THAT WOULD BE HEARD BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION DURING THE BUSINESS MEETINGS.

THAT FOLLOWED THE WORK SESSIONS. ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL BOARD BY SPEAKING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON PARTICULAR APPLICATIONS. SO KIND OF AS AN AS NEEDED BASIS. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL MIGHT NEED SOME INPUT BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AND RELAYED BACK TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SERVING AS AN ADVISOR, ADVISORY, NON-VOTING PARTICIPANT, OBVIOUSLY, IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DISCUSSIONS AND DELIBERATIONS ON VARIOUS APPLICATIONS. SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THOUGHT PROCESS WHEN THAT DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE, OR IF WE COULD FORMALIZE ANYTHING THIS EVENING, OR ALSO COME BACK AND FORMALIZE IT ANOTHER TIME AS WELL. TIM GRAVES TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT, BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA THAT WE COULDN'T JUST HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON THERE. AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME, AND I THINK I'VE MENTIONED IT TO MS. FOKIAN AND MS. TAYLOR, THAT I THINK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS TO APPOINT THEM. I THINK WE WERE JUST ON THERE AS LIKE, ADVISORY TO KNOW. WHAT WAS GOING ON? BECAUSE AT ONE POINT WE DID NOT KNOW, LIKE WHEN NEW SUBDIVISIONS WERE COMING, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. OKAY, AND WE JUST ASSUMED, WHICH IS NOT GOOD, THAT WE COULD BECAUSE THAT WE HAD THEM ON THERE BEFORE, THEY JUST DIDN'T ATTEND.

OKAY, AND THEN, SO WOULD YOU THINK, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO FORMULATE, WHETHER, IF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WOULD CONSIDER MAKING THOSE APPOINTMENTS, IF IT WOULD BE AN ADVISORY? DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION THIS EVENING? HOW THAT MIGHT, WHAT YOUR PREFERENCE MIGHT BE, AS FAR AS IF THAT WAS SOMETHING TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS? AGAIN, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SERVE AS A LIAISON AND NOT DIRECTLY PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS, OR IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, AGAIN, PROVIDING COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, LIKE, READ. READ THE DOCUMENTS AHEAD OF TIME, BE INCLUDED IN BRIEFINGS, AND COME AND PROVIDE THOSE COMMENTS PUBLICLY ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. AGAIN, NOT VOTING. BUT THEN AGAIN, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, JUST AS NEEDED, REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL BOARD ON SPECIFIC ITEMS. MR. WEBB HAD SOMETHING. MY EXPERIENCE,

[00:50:02]

BUT YOUR BOARD WOULD HAVE TO AGREE THAT THEY CAN SPEAK FOR THE BOARD. LIKE, I CAN SPEAK FOR THE MPO, GATEWAY, WHOEVER'S ON, WHATEVER. WE'RE THE ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT'S REPRESENTED TO THE VOICE. WHEN A VOTE COMES, SHE'S ON IT NOW WITH ME. JEFF SOKOS IS ON IT.

BUT THEIR ADVISORY, THEY WERE NOT VOTING. IT NEEDS TO BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IF YOU MAKE IT A VOTING POSITION.

THAT'S THE WAY I UNDERSTAND, THE WAY THE RULES GO. FEED OUT'S THE SAME WAY. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT, SUPERVISOR WEBB, BUT I GUESS MY UNDERSTANDING WAS, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY CAN BE A VOTING MEMBER. I THINK THAT WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO BE SPECIFICALLY LISTED. THE CODE IS CLEAR AS DAY. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS TO APPOINT THEM. THEY'RE AN EX OFFICIO OR NON-MEMBER, MORE OF LIKE AN ADVISORY TYPE AS PART OF THAT BOARD. OKAY. WELL, I'LL CORRECT MYSELF THEN, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE QUESTION ON THERE ABOUT WHETHER YOU'D BE ADVISORY OR. LIAISON OR A VOTING MEMBER. AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD CLARIFICATION.

HONESTLY, SIR, WE SHOULD HAVE WROTE THAT BETTER, TO BE HONEST. I THINK THAT WAS MORE OF A STATEMENT.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I COULD HAVE READ BETWEEN THE LINES TOO MUCH.

WHO KNOWS? THAT'S MY BAD.

WELL, AND WHAT I ENVISION, AND THIS IS ME, IS THAT. WE HAVE A MEMBER FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT SITS ON THE COMMISSION THAT'S PREPARED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

SUCH AS IF WE BUILD A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT HERE, WHAT SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO IMPACT, HOW IS THE SCHOOL POPULATION RIGHT NOW IN THAT BUILDING, WHERE BEFORE? WE DON'T HAVE THAT. WE'RE LACKING THAT ON THE PLANNING COMMITTEE. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY VALUE.

IT'S VALUE ADDED TO HAVE SOMEBODY ON THERE TO ANSWER THOSE KIND OF QUESTIONS. WHEN THEY COME UP, AGAIN, AS FAR AS VOTING, NO, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE A VOTE, AND THEY REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE A SAY IN ANY BUSINESS OTHER THAN SCHOOL-RELATED STUFF.

BUT I'M ALL FOR IT. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD ASK, I KNOW WITH SOME OTHER ROLES. WHEN WE HAVE, WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS, I GUESS IT'S REZONING CASES, I BELIEVE, THERE'S A SECTION OF PAPERWORK THAT INCLUDES INPUT FROM FIRE AND POLICE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW WHY, MAYBE I WAS THINKING THAT THERE WAS A SCHOOL SECTION ON THAT, BUT THERE MAY NOT BE.

THERE IS. OKAY, SO THERE IS SOME INPUT AT THAT LEVEL, I THINK, RIGHT, THAT IS SAYING THAT THIS WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON X, Y, AND Z SCHOOL, SO ON, AND SO FORTH. IF THEY'RE FIELDED. HOW DOES THIS ROLE, AND IF YOU READ THE LAW SECTION, I'D LOVE YOUR INPUT ON THIS, HOW DOES IT DIFFER? HOW DOES THE ROLE DIFFER FROM THAT INPUT THAT COMES THROUGH ON THE PAPERWORK? SO I CAN START OFF JUST BY SAYING HOW I EVEN BEGAN TO RESEARCH THIS WAS. I DID HAVE A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY CALLED ME AND QUESTIONED. THERE WAS A PROJECT COMING THROUGH. AND IN THAT PACKET THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECEIVES, THERE'S A SECTION FOR THE SCHOOLS, AND IN THAT SECTION, IT SAID THE SCHOOL DIVISION SUPPORTS GROWTH AND WOULD SUPPORT THE PROJECT, WHAT I KNOW ABOUT, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE HIGH SCHOOL. WAS AT MAX CAPACITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND THEY JUST WANTED TO KNOW, LIKE, FROM THE SCHOOL SIDE, WHY DID YOU GUYS WRITE THAT? AND I SAID, I HAVE NO CLUE, RIGHT? SO I DIDN'T KNOW. I WAS BEING QUESTIONED. AND I'M LIKE, NO, I DON'T THINK WE FILLED THAT OUT. SO I STARTED TO DO SOME DIGGING AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS, AND THEN I WAS INFORMED THAT ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS GO TO MR. BARNES. AND MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S JUST MORE OR LESS A COPY AND A PASTE THAT IS PUT ONTO THERE. WHICH THAT THEN LED ME MORE TO DIG INTO THE CODE AND READ IT, AND YEAH, SO IN THERE IT STATES THAT THERE, I BELIEVE, THERE'S SEVEN MEMBERS THERE'S APPOINTED, AND ONE OF THOSE IS AN EX-OFFICIO OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

TO PROVIDE THAT INPUT AS FAR AS IN THOSE DEVELOPMENTS, TO HAVE THAT VOICE. SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW, LIKE, ALL OF THAT HAD GOTTEN STARTED.

AND THEN I REALIZED THAT EVERY YEAR WE DO APPOINT SOMEONE TO THE BOARD, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE.

SO DURING OUR ORG MEETING, YOU KNOW, I JUST BROUGHT THAT UP.

THAT WE DO NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS TO GO AND START PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, INPUT ON OUR BEHALF, AND THEN, YOU KNOW. MISS BOKE, ON, SAID THAT SHE'D BE MORE THAN WILLING TO STEP INTO THE ROLE AND DO IT. SO AS FAR AS, I THINK IT'S JUST MORE OR LESS, AND HOW I READ IT, AND I MEAN, I HAVE IT, THE CODE, YEAH, IT'S JUST THAT, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, IT WAS JUST MORE OR LESS LIKE AN ADVISORY. THEY DON'T

[00:55:01]

RIGHT, AND I THINK, FOR ME, THAT'S WHERE I STRUGGLE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK AS A BOARD, BUT WHEN I HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE COMING TO ME TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE BUILDINGS AND THESE GROWTH, AND WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO PUT THEM, I MEAN, I AGREE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE SUBMITTING TO A PLANNING DEPARTMENT. WE SUPPORT GROWTH. SO WE'VE NEVER TURNED ONE DOWN. AND I THINK THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE MS. VOLKE ON, GO OVER. AND TO REALLY SHARE TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS.

THAT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT THAT IT REALLY DOES HAVE ON OUR SCHOOL DIVISION. THE ONLY OTHER THING, MS. KRISTA, THAT I DO ADD TO THAT IS...

RECENTLY, THERE WAS ONE FOR, I BELIEVE, THE DEVELOPMENT ON TAKISH THAT WOULD END UP BEING MIDDLE ROAD. WELL, I ALWAYS PUT A REMINDER IN THERE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, WE PROBABLY COULD ABSORB THAT, BUT DON'T FORGET YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED ONE. DOWN ON CRATER ROAD, NEAR NANNY'S BARBECUE.

THAT'S LIKE 150 HOUSES, THAT IS THE VERY BOTTOM TIP OF MIDDLE ROAD. BE IT AS IT MAY, THAT'S HOW IT WAS DRAWN.

SO I DO ALWAYS TRY TO PUT A REMINDER IN THERE THAT THIS IS NOT, WE'RE NOT JUST RESPONDING TO THIS REQUEST. WE'RE ALSO RESPONDING THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE A AND B. AND NOW THIS IS C. I'VE NEVER, THOUGH. LIKE, I'VE WATCHED THE PLANNINGS, HAVE EVER HEARD THEM EVEN MENTION, LIKE, THE SCHOOLS.

LIKE, IT'S NEVER. IT'S ON THE PAPERWORK ONLY. RIGHT, BUT IT'S NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT'S WHY, FOR ME, I JUST FELT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET A VOICE ON TO THE PLANNING, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT FROM OUR SIDE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SUPPORT AND DON'T SUPPORT, ULTIMATELY. BECAUSE YEARS AGO, WHEN I WORKED IN PLANNING, I DON'T THINK THAT WE GOT EVERYTHING. THE SCHOOLS GOT EVERYTHING. AND THEN JULIE WALTON, I TALKED TO HER ABOUT IT, AND THAT'S WHEN STUFF STARTED.

YES. WHEN SHE WAS THERE, WE HAD A RUNNING CHART OF WHAT WAS AND WHAT PROCESSES.

AND WE DON'T STILL GET THAT RUNNING CHART UPDATED ALL THE TIME, BUT WE ARE VERY MUCH INCLUDED WHEN NEW STUFF DOES COME ALONG FOR OUR. YOU KNOW, WHAT, IF, WHAT SCHOOL WOULD IT BE? WHAT IS IT, HOW WOULD IT AFFECT YOU? AND THOSE THOSE LINES? AND IF

[01:00:01]

OH, YES. YOU CAN'T HANDLE ADDITIONAL, AND WHAT WOULD WE DO WITH ADDITIONAL STUDENTS? BECAUSE THE OVER CAPACITY OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU BUILD, IT AFFECTS IT. I'LL SPEAK ON IT. IT'S GOING TO COST $245,000 FOR EXTRA TRAILERS OR MODULAR HOMES, MODULAR REPLACEMENT ADDED. YEAH, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO HEDGE YOUR MONEY. THERE YOU GO. THAT'S HOW YOU FIX IT.

THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER. AND THAT'S NOT JUST GETTING THEM.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM HOOKED UP WITH EVERYTHING. YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU. THAT DID ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION, WHICH WAS REALLY REGARDING THOSE OFFICIAL COMMENTS. HOW THAT WOULD BE COORDINATED. SO I FELT LIKE WE COVERED THAT WELL.

UM, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, AS FAR AS THE ATTENDANCE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE ANSWER THIS EVENING. BUT YOU KNOW, HOW OFTEN WOULD THEY BE THERE? THAT IMPACTS OUR STAFF AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A CHAIR WITH A LABEL AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. SO AGAIN, WE DON'T NEED AN ANSWER THIS EVENING UNLESS WE FEEL LIKE WE COULD.

SO I ALWAYS PLAN TO BE THERE.

AND SHERRY TAYLOR IS HER BACK UP. THANK YOU. AND THEN, FINALLY, THE LAST QUESTION WE HAD WAS JUST ABOUT THE TITLE.

SHOULD WE CALL THAT PERSON A REPRESENTATIVE, A LIAISON, AN AFFILIATE? ARE THERE ANY THOUGHTS THERE? EX OFFICIO MEMBER. YEAH, THERE. YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT THE CODE SAYS.

YEAH. OKAY. CHAIRMAN COX, THAT COVERS ALL THE QUESTIONS WE HAD AS A STAFF REGARDING ANY KIND OF PROPOSAL THAT WOULD COME BEFORE THE BOARD. OKAY. SO WE'LL BRING IT BACK UP AND DISCUSS IT AT A REGULAR BOARD MEETING? YES, SIR. OKAY. Y'ALL GOOD WITH THAT? THANK YOU, VERY GOOD. OKAY, AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MISS ANDREWS. THE NEXT TWO ITEMS ARE SCHOOL ITEMS. MY PAGE. OKAY, SURE, SO I GUESS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEASLEY, THAT'S THE NEXT ITEM. OKAY, WHERE WILL Y'ALL GIVE US THE LAND TO GET THIS, TO BUILD THE SCHOOL, AND HOW SOON WILL YOU GIVE US THE MONEY? WE NEEDED IT FIVE YEARS AGO. WOODEN NUMBERS? NOT OUT OF JUNK. I'LL GIVE YOU THIS GREAT ANSWER. IT DOESN'T MATTER. I'LL START. SOME OF Y'ALL KNOW I AND MR. COX ACTUALLY WENT TOWARDS A BUILDING. IT REMINDED ME OF WHEN I WAS IN THE THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE BECAUSE IT HASN'T CHANGED. IT HASN'T CHANGED.

YOU'RE RIGHT. I THINK... I EMPLOY EVERYBODY TO GO LOOK AT IT IF YOU HADN'T SEEN IT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PUT ON OUR RADAR. I THINK WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AS TWO BOARDS AND HAVE A GOAL AND TRY TO MEET THAT GOAL. I CAN TELL YOU, RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN DIRE STRAITS WITH A BUDGET.

Y'ALL WATCHED IT, YOU SAW OUR ISSUES WITH THE ASSESSMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT. WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING OUR HOUSE IN ORDER AND HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THIS JOINT MEETING AND FUTURE JOINT MEETINGS. SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, IDENTIFY A GOAL, AND TRY TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL IN A TIME FRAME. NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO WRITE AN OPEN-ENDED CHECK, BUT THEN WE'RE RAISING THE TAX RATE TO $2, AND THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.

BUT I THINK WE DO MAKE STRIDES IN LOOKING AT IT IN THE FUTURE TO GO, OKAY, HEY, WE KNOW WE NEED TO REPLACE IT. WE KNOW THIS IS WHAT IT COSTS. WHAT CAN WE PLEDGE FOR A NEW SCHOOL? DO WE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, FOR INSTANCE, WE'VE GOT A PENNY THAT GOES TO FIRE EQUIPMENT. WE'VE GOT TWO PENNIES THAT GO TO FIRE APPARATUS REPLACEMENT.

DO WE AS A BOARD DISCUSS MAYBE ALLOCATING A PENNY? AND THAT ACCRUES, AND ONCE IT HITS A CERTAIN THRESHOLD OF, YOU KNOW, 20% THEN WE GO AFTER. THE GRANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THIS YEAR, THAT WHAT'S IT COVERED? 30% RIGHT? DO WE LOOK AT THAT KIND OF COURSE OF ACTION, WHICH I THINK WE DO? BUT I'M ONLY ONE BOARD MEMBER.

DO WE LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND SAY, OKAY, WE ARE PREPARED TO SEE THE EFFECT IT CAUSES? AND TO SAY, OKAY, WHAT'S THE? AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY. THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF SCHOOL, YEAH, WE'RE PAST IT.

BUT CAN IT GET US FIVE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A FUND TO THEN START CONSTRUCTION OR

[01:05:03]

BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS OF HOW WE PROVIDE FOR OUR CHILDREN, BUT ALSO HOW WE TREAT OUR CITIZENS AND THEIR MONEY. THAT'S WHAT MY THOUGHT IS, AND I'LL PASS THE FLOOR TO THE NEXT ONE. MR. WHIPP. I'M NOT IN DISAGREEMENT WITH THAT, BUT HERE'S THE FACTS. NUMBER ONE, IF YOU BUILD IT, YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU PUT IT. YOU'VE ALSO GOT TO HAVE ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.

WILL IT BE NEXT YEAR? I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NOW. FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, MAYBE. I'LL SAY IT ONCE, I'VE SAID IT A HUNDRED TIMES. I KNOW IT'S NEEDED.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT, BUT WE'VE REALLY GOT TO TAKE CARE OF THE ASSETS WE HAVE NOW.

ROOF LEAKS, CHIP AND PAINT, HVAC SYSTEM AND STUFF. TO MAKE IT AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE FOR THE KIDS AND THE TEACHERS WHILE THEY'RE IN THE BUILDINGS. IT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO. THE BUILDING'S GOT TO BE MAINTAINED. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE ANOTHER WALTON. WE SPENT MILLIONS ERADICATING THE MOLD AND EVERYTHING IN THAT BUILDING, TRYING TO HUSTLE. TO TRY TO BUILD THE SCHOOL AT MIDDLE ROAD. SO SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. WE CAN LOOK AT SOME PLANS AND SEE WHAT IT IS, BUT THERE IS AN IMPACT.

EVERYTHING'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT. I KNOW AT ONE POINT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF A PLAN TO COMBINE SCHOOLS AND MAKE MIDDLE ROAD, OR, EXCUSE ME, MAKE MORE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND BUILD A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IS THAT OFF THE TABLE? AND NOW WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? OKAY. I THINK, GO AHEAD. I THINK THE PLAN WAS WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMBINED.

THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS GOING TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL TO PUT 6, 07, 8, AND BUILD A NEW HIGH SCHOOL ALONG WITH A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO BUILD A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THAT PRICE TAG CAME BACK AT LIKE $300 MILLION. $210 MILLION.

$210 MILLION. IT WAS UP AT $150 FOR ONE OF THEM. THANK YOU. PEOPLE HAD NIGHTMARES. I KNOW MR. STEELE PROBABLY CLIMBED THE WALL BECAUSE IT WOULD RAISE TAXES. BUT, YOU KNOW, SO WE BROUGHT BACK AND WENT TO BUILD AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ADD ON TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN GO THAT ROUTE BECAUSE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WOULD BE CHEAPER. WHAT I WILL SAY IS, WE CAN'T, I THINK, MS. CHRISTA SAID IT, YOU CAN'T KEEP PUTTING LIPSTICK ON A PIG. AND THE MORE BEASLEY SITS, AND THE LONGER IT GOES WITHOUT BEING REPLACED, THE MORE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO TO IT.

TO KEEP IT UP AND RUNNING. NOT TO MENTION THAT IT'S AN OUTDOOR CAMPUS AND KIDS ARE HAVING TO WALK FROM CLASS TO CLASS OUTDOORS. YOU KNOW, SAFETY IS A BIG CONCERN, BUT KID PEOPLE ARE GETTING IN SCHOOLS THAT AREN'T OUTDOOR CAMPUSES. SO I UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL RESTRAINTS WHEN WE MET THIS FALL. BUT THEN THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT DISCUSSION CAME UP ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT MONEY WAS GOING TO BE USED AND A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WAS GOING TO BE BUILT. AND THEN YOU FIVE GENTLEMEN OR GENTLEMEN, SHUT IT DOWN THAT YOU WEREN'T GOING TO DO THAT. AND SO WHEN MIDDLE ROAD WAS BUILT, OR THE CIP WAS BACK THEN, IT WAS TO BUILD TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. I THINK, MR. COX HELPED ME WITH THIS. TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. AND UPGRADE THE HIGH SCHOOL AT THAT TIME.

SO WE BUILT ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THEN THERE WAS A STATEMENT WE COULD BUILD ANOTHER ONE WITHIN FIVE YEARS. WELL, THAT'S WHEN THEY THOUGHT THE DEBT WOULD, IN 2027, WE'D BETTER BORROW MORE MONEY. WELL, OBVIOUSLY IN 2027, THE DEBT IS WHAT, SIX MILLION DOLLARS I THINK YOU CAN BORROW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO WHILE WE UNDER, THE FIVE OF US UNDERSTAND THE RESTRAINTS, WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THE LIFE EXPECTANCY. OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT SCHOOL, AND THEN WHERE DO YOU PUT IT? AND THEN DO THE PLANS? DO YOU DOWNSIZE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE SO IT'S NOT AS EXPENSIVE AS MIDDLE ROAD? I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'M NOT WILLING WHENEVER THE SCHOOL IS BUILT, I'M NOT WILLING TO COMPROMISE THE INSIDE JUST TO BUILD A SCHOOL. SO WHATEVER THE TEACHERS NEED AND WHATEVER THE STUDENTS NEED, THAT'S GOT TO BE IN THERE. WE CAN DOWNSIZE IT TO MAKE IT LESS SQUARE FOOTAGE, TO MAKE IT, THAT'S WHERE YOUR COST COMES FROM. WE CAN

[01:10:02]

SO WE HAVE TO RELY ON YOU GUYS.

BUT THE SOONER YOU CAN DO IT, THE BETTER OFF. IT'S GOING TO BE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR STAFF AT THAT SCHOOL. BECAUSE, LIKE MR. WEBB JUST SAID A MINUTE AGO. WE DO NOT WANT ANOTHER WALTON. MISS KRISTEN. I HAD CHILDREN THERE THAT LIVE THAT.

SO WE JUST WE DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN, AND YOU GUYS AND THIS COUNTY DOES NOT WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN, MR. I GOT A QUESTION FOR SCHOOL AND BY NO MEANS OF MY SCHOOL EXPERT AT ALL. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT FROM A COUNTY SIDE IS, YOU KNOW, WITH FLEET, THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S ALL ABOUT REDUCING. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

IS THERE A WAY TO, LIKE, COMBINE SCHOOLS AND BUILD A BIGGER SCHOOL, OR ADD ON TO A SCHOOL AND THEN IT'S LESS MAINTENANCE? YOU'VE GOT ONE ROOF, YOU'VE GOT ONE, YOU KNOW, ONE LOCATION TO MAINTAIN. IS THAT FEASIBILITY TO EVEN LOOK AT? YOU KNOW, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW.

WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT GOING ON THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, DOING A FEASIBILITY STUDY, BECAUSE WHAT DO Y'ALL NEED? IS IT 80 CLASSROOMS OR 40? I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED.

WELL, IT'S 39 AND WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GROWTH. WE DON'T NEED TO BUILD FOR WHAT WE HAVE NOW. WE'VE GOT TO BUILD FOR THE FUTURE. AND I THINK EVERYBODY CAN AGREE WITH THAT. RIGHT. I WILL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, NON-NEGOTIABLE FOR ME, I DON'T BUILD TAJ MAHALS. AND I WILL NEVER SUPPORT A COUNTY BUILDING OR SCHOOL BOARD BUILDING THAT'S GOING TO BE A TAJ MAHAL.

PRACTICAL BUILDINGS IS WHAT I WILL SUPPORT. BUT, LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T KNOW, AND IT GOES BACK TO GETTING OUR SCOTT ENOS AND MR. BARNES TOGETHER, LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR CURRENT ASSETS AND SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING, THIS IS GOING, BECAUSE IF WE'VE GOT ANOTHER SCHOOL, THAT MAY BE GOING AND WE CAN. YOU KNOW, AND I'LL JUST THROW IT OUT THERE. SO, LIKE, SOUTH, RIGHT? I KNOW A LOT OF THE KIDS THAT WENT TO WALTON ARE STILL GOING TO THE MIDDLE ROAD AND THEY'RE COMMUTING FROM THERE. IS IT POSSIBLE TO MAYBE LOOK AT SOUTH AND DOUBLING SOUTH IN SIZE? IF WE WERE ABLE TO, LIKE, ACQUIRE LAND AROUND IT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IS THAT AN OPTION? I DON'T KNOW, IT'S JUST A THOUGHT. I'M NOT A TEACHER, BUT I WAS ALWAYS TOLD. JUST STATISTIC WISE, WHEN YOU RUN BIG SCHOOLS LIKE THAT, AS THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS IN THE CLASS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I MEAN, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR BIGGER, CLASS SIZES BIGGER. SO I'M NOT REFERRING TO, LIKE, BIGGER CLASS SIZES. I'M REFERRING TO, LIKE, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, SAME FOR SOUTH. YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHT OF WAS IF YOU TOOK SOUTH AND DOUBLED OR TWO-THIRDS THAT CAMPUS, RIGHT, NEW LUNCHROOM, NEW OFFICES, NEW SCHOOLROOMS, AND BUILD, YOU KNOW, ADD 50-SOME CLASSROOMS TO IT. RIGHT, PLAYGROUNDS, ALL THAT YOU UPDATE THE CURRENT SCHOOL WHILE YOU'RE DOING IT, AND THEN THE UGLY WORD NOBODY WANTS TO USE YOU REDISTRICT.

BUT THEN YOU'RE, I DON'T WANT TO SAY YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE. PRACTICALLY YOU'RE LOSING A SCHOOL TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY MAKE YOUR BUDGET KIND OF GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST A THOUGHT. I DON'T KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M NOT SAYING. I THINK DOLLAR WOULD BE BASED ON SQUARE FOOT. SO, LIKE MR. ELY SAYS, AS FAR AS INSIDE AND THAT, NONE OF THAT MATTERS, RIGHT, IN THE BEGINNING. WHEN YOU TALK DOLLARS, THE ONLY THING YOU CAN REDUCE DOLLARS, SO LET'S JUST SAY WE GOT A QUOTE WHEN OUR SCHOOL CAME BACK AT $50 MILLION, AND YOU GUYS SAY, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO GIVE YOU $40. THE ONLY WAY TO REDUCE IT, $10 MILLION, IS SQUARE FOOT,

[01:15:02]

OKAY. SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE SQUARE FOOT THAT I'M REFERENCING. IT'S THE AFTER COSTS OF BUILDING IT.

BECAUSE IF WE BUILD ANOTHER SCHOOL INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. THAT'S SOCCER FIELDS, BASEBALL FIELDS, LAWNMOWERS, STAFF. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT ALL OF THIS THING THAT GOES INTO IT. WHERE? IF YOU TOOK EXISTING SCHOOL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TEACHERS THAT ARE THERE NOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TEACHERS THAT ARE AT BEASLEY. IF NOT MORE, BECAUSE YOU'RE BUILDING THE CLASSROOM. I'M NOT SAYING, PUT MORE KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM. YOU'D BE FIVE, NOT, I MEAN, YOU'D BE ALMOST OUT A THOUSAND KIDS BETWEEN THE TWO SCHOOLS. WHAT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU'D HAVE ONE PRINCIPAL. I. WHAT'S THE LIKE SPAN OF CONTROL THAT'S DRIVEN BY THE STATE, THE NUMBER OF PRINCIPAL BASED ON PER STUDENT. OKAY. SO IS IT... TWO PRINCIPALS AT 500. I MEAN, I SEE THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS, I DON'T KNOW. BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY WERE SAYING HAVING MORE AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE 01,200 STUDENTS THAT CAN BE THERE NOW. SO COMBINED AND PUTTING ALMOST TWO SCHOOLS IN THERE. RIGHT. BECAUSE, I MEAN, PERSONALLY FOR ME, I DON'T THINK, I MEAN, I KNOW. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP COSTS DOWN, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. WE DON'T GET MONEY VERY OFTEN, AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SMALLER SCHOOLS AND WE'RE GROWING LIKE WE'RE GROWING, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUTGROWING THAT SCHOOL IN NO TIME, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE ADDING COTTAGES TO THOSE SCHOOLS. RIGHT. JUST LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOL. I MEAN, JUST LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOL. I MEAN, WE ARE OVERRUN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. WE CAN'T GET THE NINTH GRADE OVER TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO...

YOU KNOW, WHEN DO WE DO, WHEN DO WE DO SOMETHING TO THE HIGH SCHOOL? SO ALL RIGHT, I GUESS THE OTHER THING THAT THAT, I GUESS, SHOULD BE SHARED. SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD? BECAUSE I, I WENT TO CLEMENTS, IT WAS EIGHTH AND NINTH GRADE, SO Y'ALL WANT TO PUT NINTH GRADE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL? THAT'S WHAT EVERY. THAT'S HOW IT RUNS RIGHT NOW. OKAY, OUR NINTH GRADE IS AT CLEMENTS, RIGHT? BUT IT'S PART OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, RIGHT. OUR EIGHTH GRADE IS AT CLEMENTS.

BUT IT'S PART OF MORE. THAT'S HOW WHEN YOU'RE... THE SOL SCORES ARE... THE SOL SCORES AND EVERYTHING. OKAY. NINTH GOES TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.

EIGHTH GOES TO MOORE. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT MOVING THE GRADES BACK TOGETHER AND PUTTING THEM IN THE SCHOOL. SO MY QUESTION IS, IS IT 6TH, 7TH, AND 8TH, OR IS IT JUST 7TH AND 8TH? SO WE NEED... 6TH, 7TH, AND 8TH.

6TH, 7TH, AND 8TH. SO YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A SCHOOL TO HOUSE THOSE THREE GRADES.

ALL RIGHT. I DON'T AGREE. I MEAN, MAYBE THAT IS THE CONSENSUS.

THAT IS NOT MY... GO AHEAD, MS. WILL. I REMEMBER SOME DISCUSSIONS WAY BACK WHEN, COME UP PERIODICALLY. IT ALSO GETS INTO, YOU CAN GO UP, BUT YOU'VE GOT STAIRS. IT GOT INTO WITH THE LEVEL OF THE AGE OF THE KIDS AND THE HAZARDS THAT WE'RE HAVING. STAIRS VERSUS HAVING ONE FLOOR SCHOOL.

THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS THERE, AND THE OTHER CONCERN WAS DEPENDING ON THE MATURITY IN THE AGE GROUP. YOU COULD ACTUALLY CREATE MORE ISSUES HAVING YOUNGER KIDS WITH, OLDER KIDS WITH, ESPECIALLY THE WAY TODAY'S WORLD IS. I KNOW THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS AND I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THAT IN MY HEAD BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED ABOUT KIND OF COMBINING ALL.

THEORETICALLY, IT'S CHEAPER TO GO UP. IN MOST CASES, AND YOU DON'T SACRIFICE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE. AND I THINK THE HIGH SCHOOL, WE WOULDN'T GO UP, THE WHOLE HIGH SCHOOL, WE WOULD GO UP IN THE FRONT OR IN THE BACK TO ADD CLASSROOMS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL. YOU CURRENTLY HAVE. YES, AND THAT'S PROVIDING THAT. THE STRUCTURAL STEEL AND EVERYTHING WHEN THAT SCHOOL WAS BUILT WILL SUPPORT THAT ADDITIONAL WEIGHT, I THINK BECAUSE IT WILL BE ADDED ON TO THE SCHOOL. IT WAS NOT GOING OFF ANY EXISTING STRUCTURE, UH, THAT WOULD COME OFF EITHER THE FRONT OR THE SIDE. THEY WOULD BUILD AN ADDITIONAL WING.

RIGHT, BUT THEY WOULDN'T GO ON THE HIGH SCHOOL NOW.

BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT. WE ASKED THAT QUESTION. WE DID ASK THAT QUESTION. MOST TIME BUILDINGS, WHEN THEY'RE BUILT, UNLESS IT'S PLANNED FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, THEY'RE BUILT STRUCTURALLY.

[01:20:02]

NO. IT WAS NORTH? THE SQUARE FOOT IS SMALL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, NORTH. IT'S ALL BASED ON WHAT WOULD BE THE SQUARE FOOT.

AND AS FAR AS, I JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE, AS FAR AS. OUR NUMBERS HAVE ACTUALLY DECLINED. I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE THERE'S TECHNICAL. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH, WE CAN'T LOOK NUMBER-WISE. AND I THINK, FOR ME, THAT IS REALLY WHAT DRIVES MY DECISION, BUT I ALWAYS SAY, OUR NEEDS OF OUR KIDS ARE GROWING DESPITE THE NUMBERS GOING DOWN. IT EASILY ISN'T BUILT FOR A PT, AN OT, A SENSORY ROOM.

DURING THOSE TIMES, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT. SO I THINK FOR ME. WHEN WE WENT OUT AND DID THE FEASIBILITY ABOUT TURNING MORE INTO THE ELEMENTARY AND STUFF, I MEAN, YEAH, EVERYTHING SOUNDS NICE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MONEY, WE NEED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY. AND THE, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY, BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK WOULD BE TO BUILD A NEW BEASLEY. AND THEN ADD THE ADDITION OR THE RENOVATION TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT WAS SUBMITTED IN, YOU KNOW, TO...

TO THE CIP. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO ADD REAL QUICK AS FAR AS THE WHOLE BEASLEY THING. I THINK FOR ME, I WAS THE ONE THAT HAD TOLD ROB THAT, YOU KNOW, I GET CALLS FROM, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY. JUST SAYING HOW? I'M A TAXPAYER TOO, RIGHT, AND I CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE. I MEAN, THEY CAN FILL OUT A FORM AND SAY, HEY, I WANT MY CHILD TO GO TO MIDDLE ROAD, BUT IT'S NOT GUARANTEED. AND WHEN EVERYTHING CAME UP ON THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT, THEY WERE COMING BACK SAYING HOW I THOUGHT THEY DON'T HAVE NO MONEY. YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THEY GETTING THE MONEY AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT KIND OF, I'M LIKE, WELL, I'M NOT SURE. SO THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS, I GUESS, ASKED FORWARD. WELL, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY. THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FUND THE BUILD OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF THEY WOULD HAVE THAT MONEY.

TO BUILD A WASTEWATER, I GUESS. SO THAT WOULD JUST BE THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I HAVE, AND I GET IT, BUT LET'S JUST SAY THE BOARD DID PASS IT.

WHERE WERE YOU GOING TO GET THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO FUND THAT? MR. CHAIR, I HAVEN'T REALLY OPINED ON THIS YET. SO I THINK THE BIG PIECE, AND MR. WEBB, I KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO SAY THIS PART, IS A GOOD PORTION OF THAT WAS GOING TO COME OUT OF UTILITIES, RIGHT? IT WAS UTILITY DEBT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UTILITY DEBT, THERE'S DOLLARS OVER THERE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FEES, THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT ALSO, PART OF THE REASON WHY I KNOW I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A TAX INCREASE. THERE WAS NO WAY AROUND IT, AND I WAS PRETTY SURE IT WASN'T JUST GOING TO BE ONE TIME. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE IT SEVERAL TIMES, IT WAS GOING TO GET QUITE EXPENSIVE. I'D ASKED THE QUESTION LAST NIGHT IN OUR WORK SESSION, THE SENSITIVITY OF, MR. ELY, YOU'D MENTIONED THE $6 MILLION.

MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS, AND OF COURSE THIS IS, MR. ROY CAN ALWAYS CORRECT ME ON NUMBERS.

ON THIS, THE SENSITIVITY OF $6 MILLION IS SOMETHING BETWEEN $350,000 AND $500,000 A YEAR IN TAX REVENUE. SO IF OUR BUDGET WERE, IF YOU JUST SAY, IF NEXT YEAR WE WERE TO LEVEL FUND, BUT THE BUDGET WENT UP BY JUST A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

ON THE $180 MILLION, WE COULDN'T DEBT FINANCE WITHOUT RAISING TAXES. THAT'S HOW SENSITIVE WE ARE. YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR OUR TAX RATE WENT UP 10.5% JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TAKE EQUALIZATION. WE KEPT THE RATE THE SAME. WE COULD HAVE GONE TO 73. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAME REVENUE. WE KEPT IT AT 82. IT'S 10.5%. WE COULD HAVE GONE TO 75. THE STATE MANDATED ON RAISES IT WAS 75 WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MAX. WE HAD TO HAVE AN INCREASE EVEN AT 75, BUT THE IDEA IS WE KEPT IT AT 82. THE COST PER PENNY...

THE VALUE OF THE PENNY, PER THE COUNTY, IS ABOUT $416,000. THE ROUGH AVERAGE PER CITIZEN OR PARCEL OWNER IS ABOUT $40 A PENNY. AND SO, FOR EVERY $6 MILLION THAT YOU COULD FINANCE OVER 15 YEARS, IT'S ABOUT $0.1.2. OR ABOUT $40 A YEAR PER PARCEL. THE BIG THING THAT I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE HAD THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HAVING THE EX OFFICIO MEMBER ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, WHAT CENSUS IS SAYING IS THAT FOR EVERY 50 HOMES, WE'VE GOT A CLASSROOM WE NEED.

[01:25:01]

SO FOR EVERY 50 HOMES, IF YOU WERE TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL IN ITS ENTIRETY, TO ENCOMPASS NEW GROWTH, IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS. A CLASSROOM TO BUILD WITH THE GYMNASIUM AND THE LUNCHROOM AND ALL THE HALLWAYS AND EVERYTHING. AND SO WE'VE GOT THE GROWTH PRESSURE, SO ANY SCHOOLS WE DIDN'T NEED BEFORE THAT, NOW WE NEED, WE'RE GETTING COST PRESSURES BECAUSE OF GROWTH. THAT WE DON'T HAVE, THE MONEY'S NOT COMING FROM ANYWHERE, WE DON'T RECEIVE THAT IN PROFFERS, NOT THE TOTAL AMOUNT. AND SO THAT ENDS UP BEING ON THE BACKS OF TAXPAYERS.

BUT ALSO, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, WITH THE MIDDLE ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IS THAT A 50-YEAR SCHOOL? DO WE KNOW HOW LONG THAT'S SUPPOSED TO LAST? WAY PAST ITS LENGTH. I'M SORRY, MIDDLE ROAD, ELEMENTARY, WHAT WE JUST BUILT, ACTUALLY.

YEAH. RIGHT. SO YOU SAY 50 YEARS, RIGHT? YEAH, 50 YEARS.

SOME OF THEM ARE 60 YEARS OLD, BUT YES, 50. SURE. I WENT TO BEASLEY. THE HOPE WOULD BE, FOR ME, IS THAT YOU WOULD SAY, WHAT IS THAT SCHOOL GOING TO COST IN 50 YEARS, AND WE SHOULD BE SAVING TOWARDS THAT NOW TO REPLACE MIDDLE ROAD ELEMENTARY. I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'VE RUN INTO IS WE HAVEN'T SAVED TO REPLACE THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND NOW WE'RE RUNNING INTO ISSUES. AND SO IT'S THAT BALANCE OF CIP. IT'S THESE ADDITIONAL THINGS ON THE SHEET WHERE WE'VE GOT OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO FIX. THE EXISTING SCHOOLS, WHERE FOR EVERY PENNY, IT'S $40 TO THE TAXPAYER. IT'S ONLY $6 MILLION TO BORROW OVER 15 YEARS. IF THE NEXT SCHOOL IS $50 MILLION, WE ALREADY RAISED THE TAX TO 10% LAST YEAR. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T NEED A SCHOOL, BUT WE'RE VERY PRICE SENSITIVE.

THE TAXPAYERS ARE VERY TAX SENSITIVE. I KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING WE HEARD A LOT IN THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE.

AND SO THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHY WE KEEP HAVING TO RUB BETWEEN THE BOARDS, BECAUSE I THINK WE PROBABLY ACKNOWLEDGE WE'VE GOT SCHOOLS WE NEED TO REPLACE.

BUT WORKING TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND, HOW DO WE OFFSET THE COST OF A NEW SCHOOL, PLAN FOR IT, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE TAXPAYER FOR SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FUND FOR 15 YEARS MINIMUM, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S $40 A YEAR, BUT IF THE ASSESSMENT GOES UP NOW, IT'S... IT'S $45 A YEAR. IT'S $50 A YEAR. FOLKS ARE ALREADY HAVING A HARD TIME AT THE GROCERY STORE. THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME WITH INSURANCE. WE'RE FEELING IT IN OUR BUDGETS. THEY ARE AS WELL. SO THAT'S JUST THE BIG PIECE THAT I LOOK AT. YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. WE HAD THE STUDY DONE WITH THE THREE-RING BINDER.

WHERE WE KNOW AT ONE POINT HOW MUCH THE SCHOOLS NEEDED TO KIND OF COVER, KIND OF WHAT THOSE PROJECTIONS WERE.

BUT I HOPE WE'RE DOING IT WITH OUR NEW SCHOOLS AS WELL.

BECAUSE WHILE IT PROBABLY WON'T BE ANY OF US ON THESE BOARDS IN 50 YEARS, REPLACING MIDDLE ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LET'S HOPE. THOSE FOLKS IN 50 YEARS ARE GONNA FEEL THAT AGAIN.

IT'S WHAT, 3% A YEAR, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COVID AGAIN TIMES 50 YEARS, THAT'S GONNA BE A MONSTER TO REPLACE. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SCHOOLS WHO'VE GOT TO DO IT, TOO. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE THOUGHT I COME WITH WITH THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT.

IT WAS SOME EXTRA MONEY, MONEY CAME FROM OTHER PLACES THAT LESSEN THE IMPACT. IF YOU SPENT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY ON SCHOOLS, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERABLY MORE IN TAXES. AND I KNOW I'M CONSCIOUS OF THAT. I'M A TAXPAYER MYSELF AS WELL. AND WE HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME FROM CITIZENS, THAT. LAST YEAR REALLY HURT. I THINK THAT TAX INCREASE WAS LIKE FIVE.

DEPENDING ON YOUR HOME, IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM $350 TO $500 A YEAR IN ADDITIONAL REAL ESTATE TAX.

AND THAT WAS WITHOUT SCHOOLS.

SO THAT'S MY PIECE FOR THAT.

MR. CHAIR. I GOT A QUESTION.

WOULD EITHER BOARD ENTERTAIN LETTING STAFF WORK ON ALMOST LIKE A CALCULATION? THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU.

BECAUSE TECHNICALLY, IF YOU TAKE OUR COSTS, LET'S JUST SAY THAT AN ESTIMATE WITH THE GRANT AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE CAN GET TECHNICALLY.

BIG PICTURE WISE, THE COUNTY IS ONLY LOOKING. I THINK 25 MILLION, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO FUND THE WHOLE ENTIRE 50 MILLION IF WE COULD GET THAT GRANT, IF WE COULD GET THE ADDITIONAL. I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I WAS TALKING TO THE REP AT BDOE. THERE'S SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT AS WELL WILL HELP DONATE TOWARDS SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, TOO. SO I GUESS IF YOU'RE DOING THE MATH, IF YOU WERE TO TAKE AN ESTIMATE, LET'S JUST SAY OF 26 MILLION, I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS, OR FIVE, TEN YEARS? BECAUSE INSTEAD OF FUNDING SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO IN TWO TO THREE, BY KEEP PUSHING IT DOWN THE ROAD, WHAT HAPPENS? I MEAN. WHEN THEY DID THAT STUDY IN SEPTEMBER, MICHELLE, IT WAS 59 MILLION, IS WHAT THEY SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE. I THINK, AND WHEN I'VE TALKED WITH MOSLEY, AGAIN, IT COMES

[01:30:01]

THAT'S WHERE THE RUB IS, BECAUSE YOU CAN MAKE CHANGE ORDERS TO EAT YOUR LUNCH. I'M NOT OPPOSED, IF I MAY, ABSOLUTELY. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO WHAT MS. PUGH JUST RECOMMENDED AFTER THIS BUDGET CYCLE. AND THAT'S FREEZING. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HIT YET.

WE'RE GOING TO DO UP AT A STATE LEVEL. SOME OF THE STUFF I'M READING IS PRETTY SCARY. IF IT PASSES. AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE IMPACTS ON BOTH SCHOOLS AND COUNTY.

RIGHT. AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE BY CHOICE. IT'S GOING TO BE A MANDATE. WE'VE ALREADY GOT SEVERAL UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN, WELL, IF IT STICKS TO WHAT IT IS, WHEN YOU SEE HER PRESENTATIONS AND IT SAYS MUST DO, I CALL IT A MANDATE. IF YOU'RE TELLING ME IT'S MUST DO, JUST TELL ME I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

I'VE GOT TO DO IT. ALL RIGHT.

SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. DO YOU ALL KNOW WHY WE WOUND UP ON MIDDLE ROAD? THERE WAS A BIG TO-DO ABOUT THE YANCEY TRACK AND SOME OTHER THINGS. WE GOT A PIECE OF LAND UP HERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BEASLEY, OKAY, AND I HAD SOME PEOPLE CALL ME.

THAT LAND WAS DONATED FOR A SCHOOL. IT HAD WATER, SEWER, AND A TOWER. HANG ON A MINUTE, BOBBY, I'M SPEAKING. ALL RIGHT. BACK THEN, IT WOULD HAVE COST $3.5 MILLION TO RUN THE UTILITIES, WATER AND SEWER, TO THE YANCEY TRUCK, NOT POWER. $1.5 MILLION UP HERE. IN TODAY'S DOLLAR, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IT HERE THREE, FOUR MONTHS AGO, WHEN MR. HOLCOMB WAS HERE. TODAY'S DOLLAR IS THE WAY. THE COST INCREASE WOULD BE $13.5 MILLION TO RUN THE WATER AND SEWER TO THE ANSI TRACK. I DIDN'T EVEN ASK ABOUT IT UP HERE. YOU CAN JUST TAKE THE RATIO AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE DIFFERENCES WOULD BE. AND THAT'S BEFORE YOU EVER PUT A FOOTING IN THE GROUND. SO, TO YOUR POINT, IT IS GOING UP THERE. BUT AT THAT TIME, TO GIVE YOU ALL WHAT YOU NEEDED, THAT'S WHAT WE COULD AFFORD.

WE ALREADY HAD THE PROPERTY.

WE HAD THE WATER AND SEWER.

HOPEFULLY THE ROUNDABOUT WILL BE PUT IN THIS YEAR. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT EVEN BEFORE Y'ALL STARTED BUILDING THE SCHOOL. STATE WORKS AT A WHOLE DIFFERENT SPEED THAN EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.

BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THAT, ALL RIGHT, SO JUST WANT TO GET THE BOARD'S INPUT. WHAT MY THOUGHT IS MAYBE LOOKING AT GETTING WITH BETSY, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, NOT NOW. I MEAN, YOU CAN WORK ON THIS AFTER THE BUDGET, ALL RIGHT, BUT GETTING TO THE NITTY GRITTY AND SAYING, OKAY, IF WE DID A PENNY, IT'S GOING TO BE 416, 000. IF WE DID TWO PENNIES, IT WOULD BE THIS. AND THEN LOOKING AT IT, TO SAY, OKAY, IN 10 YEARS YOU WOULD HAVE THIS, OR FIVE YEARS OR FOUR YEARS, RIGHT? SOME OF THAT BARN THAT WE'VE GOT NOW WOULD BE PAID OFF, AND THEN WE WOULD GET AN IDEA OF, OKAY. YES, WE'VE GOT SOME MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THOSE ARE GREAT FOR ONE-TIME EXPENDITURES AND RAINY DAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. ALL RIGHT? TO A POINT.

TO A POINT. I AGREE WITH MR. WEBB ON THAT. WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL.

BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS ALMOST LIKE A PLAN THAT SAYS, OKAY, IF WE DID THIS FOR FOUR YEARS, IT WOULD GIVE US THIS. IF THE SCHOOL WAS ABLE TO DO COST SAVINGS AND PUT IN THIS MUCH OF A PERCENT, IT WOULD GIVE US THIS. AND THEN BE ABLE TO GO, OKAY, ONCE WE MEET, AND THIS IS FOR FINANCIAL, NOT ME, TO GO 20% OF A SCHOOL WITH A 30% OF A GRANT, THEN WE COULD PULL THE TRIGGER ON GETTING IT DONE. BUT TO ME, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY, THE ONLY WAY I SEE MOVING FORWARD AS FAR AS A PLAN TO GET THIS DONE. BECAUSE, LET'S BE REALISTIC, WE'VE NEVER HAD ONE. AND I THINK JUST... MY BACK OF THE NAPKIN MATH, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T VOTE ON ANYTHING WITHOUT FINANCE WEIGHING IN ON IT. $25 MILLION OVER 30 YEARS WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE THREE OR FOUR PENNIES OF REAL ESTATE FOR 30 YEARS, WHICH AT $40, $120, $160 A YEAR TO THE TAX THAT THEY WOULD BE PAYING. IF YOU DID IT OVER 15 YEARS, YOU'D PROBABLY BE CLOSER TO FOUR OR FIVE PENNIES. AND THAT WOULD BE IF YOU HAD TO FINANCE THE ENTIRE 25, AFTER ALL THE BONDS AND STUFF, OR THE GRANTS. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT SENSITIVITY COMES INTO.

IF YOU WERE GOING TO TRY TO NOT RAISE THE TAX RATE, YOU'D HAVE TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO CUT TO GET THOSE THREE TO FIVE PENNIES. DO YOU THINK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING, BECAUSE THEY'VE RAISED SO MUCH AND WE HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW? LET'S BE REAL ABOUT IT. AND I THINK FOR ME, THAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST THING. I'M A TAXPAYER, I PAY ALL THIS. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO SHOW? AND THERE IS A NEED, AND I GET IT, YOU ALL HAVE LOTS OF NEEDS. WE HAVE A FIREHOUSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT FOR YEARS, I MEAN, JUST THE TALK

[01:35:03]

PEOPLE ARE COMING SAYING, STOP RAISING MY TAXES, I'M NOT GETTING ANYTHING.

BUT I THINK, FOR ME, WE ALL AGREE THERE IS A NEED, WHETHER A BEASLEY, A HIGH SCHOOL. AND NOW TO SIMPLY JUST CONTINUE AND TURN AROUND AND SAY WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED IS THERE.

MAYBE IN FOUR TO FIVE YEARS, I GUESS I'M NOT SURE THAT I OKAY.

ALL OF US CAN ONLY DO WHAT WE CAN DO. I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE JLARC STUDY IS GOING TO COME BACK AT. BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR FIVE YEARS, AND THEY'RE CUTTING EVERYBODY SHORT. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IMPROVING, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY MOVEMENT ON SOME OF THAT STUFF. AND SOME OF IT HAD TO DO WITH ASSISTING WITH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY MORE ON IT. SO THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN TABLED. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON ON OUR END WITH THE BUDGET IS JUST IN THE REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE.

IF WE WERE TO, IF WE WERE TO EVEN TRY TO FUND EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING ASKED, WE'D BE OVER A DOLLAR FROM 82 CENTS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT IS POLICE CARS THAT YOU HAVE TO BUY, POLICE CARS WE HAVEN'T NEEDED BEFORE, RIGHT? YOU'VE GOT NEW FOLKS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE CARS. YOU HAVE MORE FIREFIGHTERS, YOU HAVE MORE FIRE TRUCKS. YOU BUILD THE NEXT FIRE STATION.

THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T NEEDED IN THE PAST, BUT DUE TO GROWTH, WE'RE FEELING THOSE PRESSURES.

AND SO WHEN FOLKS SAY, OH, MY TAXES KEEP GOING UP, BUT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING FOR IT. IF THE POLICE FORCE HAS TO GROW BY 25% OVER X NUMBER OF YEARS, THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THERE'S ANY DIFFERENCE, BUT THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT HAD TO GROW DUE TO THE NEEDS OR CRIME RATE, OR WHATEVER THAT WAS. SO I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT'S LIKE, MAN, THE TAXES WENT UP 10.5% LAST YEAR. WHAT DO I SEE? AND, YEAH, IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD TO SAY THAT IT'S ANOTHER FOUR OR FIVE YEARS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THE SCHOOL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT. RIGHT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD BECAUSE OUR VERY FIRST MEETING WITH THE ROLLOVER. IT WAS THE ROOF AT BEASLEY AND I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WELL. WHY ARE WE GOING TO GO DUMP MONEY INTO A SCHOOL THAT'S BEYOND ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY, RIGHT? WHY? I MEAN, I GET IT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME PUT THE TRASH CAN AND COLLECT IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, KEEP ON GOING.

BECAUSE WHY AM I GOING TO KEEP PUTTING ALL OF THIS MONEY INTO THIS SCHOOL WHEN IT'S BEYOND ITS? YOU KNOW? AND I THINK, WHAT YOU'VE SAID, THAT, MR. COX AND MR. PUGH CAME, AND I DO ENCOURAGE THE THREE OF YOU AS WELL TO SET UP AND COME OVER TO SEE IT. I MEAN, I JUST, THE NEED IS THERE. AND LIKE ROB SAID, I MEAN, I'M JUST TIRED OF PUTTING LIPSTICK ON A PIG.

WE'VE RUN OUT OF LIPSTICK. I DON'T EVEN THINK THEY SELL ANYMORE FOR IT. AND I REFUSE JUST TO DUMP ANOTHER DOLLAR INTO THAT SCHOOL. SO WHEN WE SAY, I HATE TO SEE ANOTHER WALTON. I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE OR CAN SUPPORT EVEN ANOTHER DOLLAR.

GOING INTO THE SCHOOL, KNOWING THE CONDITION IT'S IN, KNOWING PEOPLE KNOW THE NEED.

IT'S THERE. IT'S BEEN THERE.

AND I JUST. MS. CHRIS, I'M GOING TO RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE.

BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TEACHERS AND THE KIDS' SAFETY. SO YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO. BUT IF THAT'S ALL YOU CAN AFFORD. FOR THE MOMENT, I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU RETHINK THAT, AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO MAINTAIN IT. BECAUSE I'VE READ ENOUGH... COME WALK THROUGH IT. I UNDERSTAND.

MA'AM, I'VE BEEN THROUGH...

THERE'S ASBESTOS IN THE BUILDING. SO, I MEAN...

WHAT? ASBESTOS OR ASBESTOS, I MEAN, IT'S... WHEN'S THAT COME OUT? THAT'S GETTING INTO A WHOLE DIFFERENT ANGLE.

THAT'S NOT MY POINT. IF Y'ALL KNOW IT... EVERYBODY ELSE SHOULD KNOW WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO ERADICATE IT, JUST LIKE WE DID THE OTHER SCHOOL.

THAT IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN.

YOU JUST SPIT OUT. YEAH, THE SCHOOL IS BAD. I MEAN, THEY'VE BEEN IN, THEY'VE TOURED IT, THEY'VE SEEN IT, THE BATHROOMS. I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO SUGARCOAT IT ANYMORE, BUT I AM TIRED OF PUTTING MONEY INTO THIS BUILDING AND PUTTING OUR KIDS IN THAT SCHOOL AND OUR TEACHERS IN THE CONDITION IT IS IN. AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR TAXPAYERS THAT PAY MONEY FOR THEIR KIDS TO GO THERE, AND THAT'S WHAT THEIR KIDS ARE SUBJECTED TO. I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU ON THAT PART. I'M DISAGREEING WITH THE STATEMENT YOU MADE, RESPECTFULLY. IT'D BE LIKE, ME GOING AND TELLING YOU, GET IN THIS CAR RIGHT HERE, AND I KNOW IT'S UNSAFE. AND I KNOW IT'S UNSAFE. I'M RESPONSIBLE. THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

AT ANY LEVEL, IT'S NOT RIGHT.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, UNTIL WE CAN DO IT, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO A REFERENDUM. CITIZENS AREN'T GOING TO CARE FOR THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF CITIZENS THAT DON'T HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL. I BROUGHT THIS QUESTION UP AT THE CHAIR-VICE CHAIR MEETING. YOU'VE GOT PRIVATE SCHOOLS COMING UP.

YOU'VE GOT OTHER STATES THAT

[01:40:01]

WE'VE GOT A GROWING POPULATION OF SENIOR CITIZENS, RETIREES.

THEY'RE ON FIXED INCOMES. THEY MAY SUPPORT IT FOR A WHILE, DEPENDING ON HOW TIGHT IT GETS. WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, WHY AM I PAYING TAXES TO THE LOCALITY FOR SCHOOLS? I HAVEN'T HAD KIDS IN SCHOOL FOR 30 YEARS. NONE OF THEM EVEN LIVE IN THE COUNTY. I'VE NEVER CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I USE THE AMBULANCE AND THE POLICE.

BINGO. THERE'S A CATCH. PEOPLE PICK THE PHONE UP. THEY EXPECT TO HAVE THE SERVICES. A GENTLEMAN WROTE AN EMAIL A WHILE BACK THAT THE BOARD GOT CC'D ON THAT. PEOPLE ARE MOVING FROM SOME OF THESE BIGGER LOCALITIES THAT WANT TO COME TO A RURAL AREA. THEY CANNOT EXPECT TO HAVE THE SAME SERVICE LEVELS THAT THEY WERE GETTING FROM WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

THEIR NEIGHBORS IS ONE OF THEM. THE SHOPPING CENTERS, GROCERY STORES, RESPONSE FROM EMS, POLICE, FIRE, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

BUT ANY PERSON IN THIS COUNTY THAT PICKS A PHONE UP AND CALLS AND HAS GOT SOMEBODY HURT, ESPECIALLY A FAMILY MEMBER OR ANYBODY, THEY PICK THE PHONE UP, THEY DAMN WELL EXPECT SOMEBODY TO BE THERE IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. AND NOT HAVING ENOUGH EQUIPMENT, NOT HAVING ENOUGH PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO THOSE TYPE OF ISSUES WHEN THEY'RE LIFE-THREATENING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. OKAY. PUSH FOR A WASTEWATER TREATMENT.

YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE MONEY SOME WAY, SOMEHOW TO FUND IT. IF WE LOOK AT A SCHOOL WITH THE CONSTRUCTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WITH THE MATH, WE'RE LOOKING AROUND $25 MILLION, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAN YOUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT, WHICH DID NOT EVEN GUARANTEE REVENUE. SO THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING IS THE NEED IS THERE, SO TO SIT UP HERE AND JUST CONTINUOUSLY SHOOT IT DOWN OR KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, I THINK, IS...

I'M NOT FAIR. I'VE NEVER SAID I'D SHOOT IT DOWN. I'VE NEVER SAID THAT. LET'S BE CLEAR. WE HAVE TO KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, OKAY, FOR ME TO SUPPORT ANYTHING. AND THAT GOES WITH ANYTHING WE DO IN THIS COUNTY. AND I'VE BEEN THAT WAY THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD. HAS IT ALWAYS AGREED WITH EVERYBODY? NO. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO IN TO WHERE THIS MONEY NEEDS TO GO. AND THE BIGGEST PORTION OF IT THAT THIS BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IS PUBLIC SAFETY. AND Y'ALL SHARE THAT WITH THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS OR ANYBODY ON YOUR PROPERTY. I'LL REST.

MR. CHAIR, I THINK WE HAD AN ASK THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A GROUP THAT WOULD GET TOGETHER TO WORK ON THIS. I'LL SAY I HAVE AN IDEA THAT I'M GOING TO THROW OUT THERE. MR. CHAIR, I HAVE A COMMENT. WHEN YOU GET DONE, GO AHEAD. I'M ASKING MY BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION. CAN WE PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER THAT CAN MEET? TWO BOARD MEMBERS FROM OUR SIDE, TWO BOARD MEMBERS FROM YOUR SIDE, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE FINANCE GROUP, AND PUBLIC CITIZENS. SO WE CAN START LOOKING AT, ONE, WHERE DOES THE SCHOOL NEED TO BE? WHAT SIZE SCHOOL DO WE NEED? WHICH I'M GOING TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, FROM MY TIME, YOU NEED ABOUT A 900 STUDENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND THERE'S NO WAY AROUND THAT. BUT THAT AT LEAST PUTS US ON A PATH OF GETTING... THINGS IN ORDER AND READY. YOU KNOW, WE SIT HERE AND KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE MONEY. WELL, WE CAN HAVE THE MONEY, BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO BUILD BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT. SO LET'S FIGURE OUT WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO. LET'S FIGURE OUT THE NEEDS THAT NEED TO PUT IN THE BUILDING. AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME THIS COMMITTEE FINISHES UP, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA FOR NEXT YEAR. I MEAN, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE BOARD ON MY SIDE. THE MONEY IS JUST NOT THERE THIS YEAR. WE ARE, WE'RE BASICALLY, WE ARE FACING AND LOOKING AT WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON THIS SIDE. SO, BUT THAT'S MY SUGGESTION, IS THAT WE PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER AND GO OUT THERE. AND LET'S LOOK, SEE WHERE WE NEED IT, WHAT WE NEED, GET THE PUBLIC'S INPUT ON IT, AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO THE JOINT MEETING. I COULD AGREE WITH THAT. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A PLAN. YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN ANYWAY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU HAD THE MONEY SITTING RIGHT HERE ON THE TABLE. SO IS THAT AMENABLE WITH Y'ALL? WASN'T THERE ONE OF THOSE BEFORE WHEN YOU WERE ON THE BOARD? OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. AND IT BRINGS BENEFIT, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU GET INPUT FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU GET INPUT FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, BUT YOU ALSO GET THE VERY IMPORTANT INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND WHAT THEIR PERCEPTION IS. IT GIVES YOU ALL A CHANCE, IT GIVES A CHANCE

[01:45:01]

BUT SITTING UP HERE AND WORRYING ABOUT THE PENNIES AND HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO DO TO FUND IT, HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO PAY IT OFF, DOESN'T DO US ANY GOOD.

TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING. SO, BUT ARE YOU ALL AGREEABLE TO THAT? I AM. ARE WE ALL AGREEABLE TO THAT? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. I SAID I WAS. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S DO THIS. WE WERE LOOKING TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH Y'ALL, PROBABLY IN SEPTEMBER. LET'S KICK THIS COMMITTEE OFF IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, OKAY? AND I'LL HAVE FURTHER EXPLANATION WHY WHEN WE GO OVER THE NEXT TOPIC. YEAH. SO IF THAT'S OKAY WITH Y'ALL, FOURTH QUARTER, WE KICK IT OFF. MR. CHAIR, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE MR. ELY DIDN'T HAVE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT MEANINGFULLY CONTRIBUTE TO THAT QUESTION. I'LL DEFER FOR NOW BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TIE INTO THE NEXT ONE.

AND, YEAH, SO. AND DID YOU ALL SAY, I KNOW YOU HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL GOT TO SAY WHAT YOU HAD WANTED TO SAY. I JUST KNOW THAT THE DISCUSSION, LIKE MR. COX SAYS, ABOUT DOLLARS AND CENTS IS IRRELEVANT AT THE MOMENT.

BUT IT IS THE BIG PICTURE.

OKAY, IT IS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. THE OTHER ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS. IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TAX RATE AND WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, OKAY? WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CUTTING THE TAX RATE, AND I KNOW DURING THE ELECTION, THAT WAS A BIG, BIG THING, OKAY? CUTTING THE TAX RATE, HELP ME MEASURE IT WITH THE NUMBER, AND I THINK WHEN YOU CUT THE TAX RATE, IT'S $148,000. AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL DIVISION. IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THE PERCENTAGE OF SHARE.

RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THAT. YES, SIR. RIGHT. SO THE PENNY IS $416,000, AND WHEN YOU TAKE A PENNY AWAY, I THINK A THIRD OF THAT COMES AWAY FROM THAT DOLLAR, WHICH IS $148,000. SO THAT'S THE BIG PICTURE FOR ME. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE, AND I'M A TAXPAYER AS WELL, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MY TAX RATE GO DOWN.

BUT I WAS ELECTED TO DO A JOB OVER HERE. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CUTTING THE TAX RATE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HURTING SCHOOL DIVISION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HURTING KIDS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HURTING STAFF. SO THAT'S FOR ME, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M GOING TO LEAVE ON THE TABLE FOR NOW. WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO TO MOU, WHICH IS ANOTHER BIG TOPIC FOR ME THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO DISCUSS. I'LL JUST LEAVE THE TAX RATE AT THAT. ALRIGHT, SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS IN THE BUDGET SEASON, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION AMONGST THE BOARD ON WHO WE WANT TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE. WE ALL DO THE SAME THING. WE CAN EXCHANGE NAMES. AND THEN WE, LIKE I SAID, WE CAN LOOK TO KICK IT OFF IN THE FOURTH QUARTER AND GET THINGS GOING ON IT. AND LIKE I SAID, AND WE NEED TO SET DOWN BOTH BOARDS AND HAVE A, BASICALLY, A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT. YOU KNOW, LOCATION. IN THE LOCATION, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, ARE THE UTILITIES ALREADY THERE, OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO RUN THEM THERE? AGAIN, THAT ADDS COST. WHAT TYPE OF BUILDING DO WE NEED? WHAT SIZE BUILDING DO WE NEED? YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE... THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT TO BRING BACK. ARE WE GOING TO PURCHASE LAND OR NOT? EXACTLY. WELL, NOT US. I SAY, WE'RE ALL TEN PEOPLE DOING THE SAME THING. ARE EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT ON MY SIDE? GOOD WITH THAT. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.

ARE WE STILL GOING TO LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL PORTION OF IT AS WELL? ONCE WE GET THROUGH WHAT'S NEEDED, THEN WE CAN START LOOKING AT WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST AND HOW WE FINANCE IT.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE EVIDENCE.

YEAH. AND I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU.

BUT IF I START PUTTING $5 IN A FUND, IT'S GOING TO GROW REGARDLESS, AND THEN I CAN BUY A VEHICLE. I DON'T WALK OUT HERE, WELL, I'M FORTUNATE I CAN GO OUT HERE AND BUY SOMETHING IF I WANT TO.

BUT IF I BUY IN A BIG PURCHASE, I SAVE FOR THAT PURCHASE, AND THEN I GO BUY IT. WHETHER I NEED IT YESTERDAY OR TODAY, I BUY IT WHEN I CAN AFFORD IT.

NOW SOMETIMES I'LL PUT, YOU KNOW, $10,000, $20,000 DOWN AND FINANCE THE REST OF IT.

BUT I MAKE IT AFFORDABLE TO MYSELF. SO WE'VE GOT TO DO THE SAME THING WITH CITIZENS. SO IF WE DON'T LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT THE MONEY IS FUNNY THIS YEAR, AND I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO BENEFIT THE CITIZENS, AND THEN ALSO BENEFIT THE CHILDREN, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I LOOK AT IT FROM BOTH WAYS HERE.

OKAY, GUYS? I DON'T WANT Y'ALL TO TAKE THAT THE WRONG WAY.

WE'RE ALL DOING THE SAME THING.

RIGHT? BUT I'VE GOT TO KNOW FOR THE PLANNING THAT I'M DOING NOW, FOR THE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE. AND IF I'M ABLE TO, AFTER THIS BUDGET, GO, OKAY, HEY, IF I DO, THEN I KNOW I HAVE THIS MUCH MONEY AND THIS

[01:50:03]

OKAY. I GOT A QUICK QUESTION.

THIS IS A BETSY QUESTION. IS NOT TODAY. IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN SEND ME AN EXPLANATION OF HOW THE DEBT FALLS OFF AND IF THERE'S ANY BENEFIT IN PAYING DEBT OFF EARLY TO OPEN UP FUTURE DEBT? THERE IS A SECTION OF OUR ADOPTED CURRENT YEAR BUDGET BOOK THAT HAS AN ENTIRE SCHEDULE OF WHAT'S COMING OFF, WHEN, OUR ANNUAL PAYMENTS AND WHEN.

IT ALL FALLS OFF. WE DID A BIG REFUNDING IN 2020. AND PRETTY MUCH CAPITALIZED ON ALL OF THE REFUNDING OR REFINANCING THAT WE COULD DO. INTEREST RATES ARE MUCH HIGHER TODAY. SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SAVE ANY. WE'RE PAYING VERY LOW RATES IN COMPARISON TO TODAY'S MARKET. WE TYPICALLY REQUIRE OR LEAN ON DAVENPORT FINANCIAL TO HELP US EXAMINE THE MARKETPLACE AND WHETHER IT'S COST BENEFICIAL.

TO DO REFINANCING, BUT THE RATES TODAY ARE MUCH HIGHER.

I'LL PROBABLY JUST GO BACK AND RE-WATCH THAT DAVENPORT DISCUSSION FROM THE WASTEWATER. RIGHT, RIGHT. THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT'S AFFORDABLE WITHOUT RAISING THE TAX RATE.

RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LEVEL FUNDING DEBT AMORTIZATION SCHEDULE, AND, YOU KNOW, TO FINANCE $30 MILLION OVER 30 YEARS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REAL NUMBERS ARE. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES REALLY ARE, OR WHAT THE COST IS GOING TO BE BASED ON THE NEEDS.

BUT FINANCING 30 YEARS AT 5%, THE DEBT PAYMENT IS $1.95 MILLION A YEAR, WHICH IS A NICKEL. SO I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, ON THE NEXT, I HAVE THAT, I CAN SEND IT TO ALL OF YOU SO THAT YOU CAN PLAY WITH NUMBERS AT YOUR LEISURE.

YOU CAN CHANGE THE TERM. YOU CAN CHANGE THE PRINCIPAL YEAR FINANCING, BUT WE HAVE BEEN USING MOST RECENTLY 5% FOR 30-YEAR FINANCING. I'M NOT SURE THAT'S IN LINE WITH TODAY'S MARKET. WE HAVEN'T DONE A BORROWING OF THAT MAGNITUDE IN A WHILE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU.

BUT THERE IS A SCHEDULE IN OUR ADOPTED BOOK, BUDGET BOOK, FOR FY26 THAT HAS ALL OF OUR DEBT. OKAY. THANK YOU.

SURE. ALL RIGHT. SO. BOARD GOOD WITH THAT? IS EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? GOOD. ALL RIGHT, SO WE WILL MOVE THAT DIRECTION ON THAT. SO, YOUR NEXT ITEM.

YEAH, I KNOW WHAT THE POINT IS.

OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND WHAT IT USED TO BE AND WHAT I GUESS WE'RE WANTING IT TO BE.

YOU WERE ON THE BOARD. YEAH, SO. MR. REED BROUGHT IT UP LAST NIGHT. AND IT WAS STARTED BACK IN 2007, THE MOU, AND IT WAS AT 43 PERCENT. CURRENTLY, I THINK THIS LAST YEAR AND I DON'T KNOW THE FORMULA AND I'M NOT A MATH PERSON TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE ALL THAT OUT. IT'S CURRENTLY DOWN, I THINK, TO 37 PERCENT. AND THAT'S BASED ON THE ADM OF THE SCHOOL, WHICH IS THEY'RE PROJECTING FOR 26 27 BE DOWN. 80 STUDENTS, I BELIEVE IT IS, AND COUNTY POPULATION. MY PERSONAL BELIEF IS THAT THE MOU FIRST QUESTION IS IS WHAT MOU ARE WE OPERATING ON? THE OTHER THING IS, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE MOU BENEFITS THE SCHOOL DIVISION. YOU CARVE OUT FOR ONE AT ONE PERCENT APPARATUS, YOU CARVE OUT THIS, YOU CARVE OUT THAT, AND NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CARVING OUT SOMETHING ELSE. AND YOU WANT TO TAKE CARRYOVER MONEY AND YOU WANT TO PUT IT IN A FUND TO, AND THIS IS WHERE I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, YOU WANT TO TAKE CARRYOVER MONEY AND YOU WANT TO PUT IT IN A FUND TO FUND A SCHOOL. WELL, YOU CAN

[01:55:02]

AND I'M A VERY GRACIOUS OF WHAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE FOR US FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. AND TO MR. PUGH'S POINT I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND HIS POINT, BUT I JUST BELIEVE THAT. THE MOU, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHICH ONE WE'RE OPERATING UNDER. BECAUSE THE LAST ONE THAT I WAS A PART OF WAS NOT SIGNED BY THE SCHOOL DIVISION. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN OPERATE ON A MOU THAT'S NOT SIGNED BY BOTH PARTIES. AND I JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT OVERALL, IT IS FAIR TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION. WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION AT CHAIR, VICE CHAIR IN THE FALL, AND I ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION OF IF WE COULD JUST LEAVE IT AT ONE NUMBER AND IT NEVER MOVE.

AND I USED A NUMBER OF 40%.

AND THEN THAT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME WHY THAT COULD NOT BE DONE, BECAUSE IT WOULD. IT COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC THINGS TO THE COUNTY, AND I'M NOT ABOUT THAT, OKAY? BUT I THINK THE BENEFIT OF LEAVING IT ONE NUMBER, THEN THE GOALPOSTS NEVER MOVE.

OF WHERE, AND THEN THE SCHOOL DIVISION UNDERSTANDS OF WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE, WHAT THE DOLLAR IS DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, THE TAX REVENUES, THE FIVE REVENUE SOURCES THAT ARE THERE. ME AND MR. WEBB HAD A CONVERSATION LAST WEEK ABOUT THIS. I KNOW WHERE HE STANDS, SO, YOU KNOW, HE'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY HONEST.

WITH ME ABOUT THINGS OVER THE LAST EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AND WHEN HE AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THOSE THINGS. SO I APPRECIATE IT. BUT I JUST THINK THAT AND MR. COX, YOU, I THINK YOU WERE PART OF SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS BACK THEN.

THAT THE MOU THAT I THINK IS BEING OPERATED UNDER IS NOT FAIR TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION AS A WHOLE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT OBVIOUSLY, PROBABLY IT CAN'T HAPPEN THIS YEAR. AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS, AND I'M PROBABLY GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, AND I PROBABLY KNOW. THE ANSWER I'M GOING TO GET, IS. ARE YOU GOING TO OPERATE UNDER THE CURRENT MOU FOR THIS YEAR'S FUNDING? CHAIR? YES, SIR. WHICH ONE ARE YOU CALLING CURRENT? WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, NOT THE ONE THAT NOBODY COULD AGREE TO. WE'RE TRYING TO ABIDE BY THE ONE WE DID HAVE. WHICH YEAR? THE ONE WE HAD PRIOR TO COMING UP TO WHERE WE ARE.

COULDN'T GET AN AGREEMENT ON MOU WITH THE GUARANTEED NUMBER.

AND IF YOU LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS, WE'VE ACTUALLY GIVEN YOU MORE MONEY THAN WHAT YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN.

BASED ON THE ADM AND WHAT THE TAX RATE WAS. MY STATEMENT WAS THAT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND ALL THAT. I'M NOT ARGUING WITH YOU. RIGHT. SO THERE'S SOME DOWNSIDES TO TRYING TO GET INTO SOMETHING THAT'S FINITE, BECAUSE WHEN IT SHIFTS, THERE'S IMPACTS. HEY, IF WE COULD DO 40%, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE AFTER, AND THE TAX RATE COMES DOWN, Y'ALL GOT TO TAKE THE SAME HIT.

EVERYBODY ELSE IS BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING IT. RIGHT. AND BEING A HOLLER AND SCREAM AND SAY, HEY, WELL, WE NEED MORE. WE GOT THIS. WE GOT THAT. WE WANT A NEW SCHOOL. Y'ALL PROMISED A NEW SCHOOL. YOU WORK WITH US FOR A NEW SCHOOL. WE DON'T CONTROL ALL THAT.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO IS DO WHAT WE COULD TO GIVE YOU AS MUCH AS WE COULD, EVEN WITH YOUR NUMBERS GOING DOWN.

WHICH THAT CONCERNS ME A LITTLE BIT. I KNOW ABOUT THE WELDING COUPON AND ALL THAT STUFF, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE NOT PLAYING OUT RIGHT BASED ON THE POPULATION. NOT ALL THE TIME. IT'S CYCLICAL. IT MOVES.

Y'ALL ARE OVER RIGHT NOW. 75.

NEXT YEAR'S PROJECTED TO BE DOWN 84. YOU COULD BE DOWN.

THE ONE YEAR I BOUGHT INTO IT WHEN CHRIS JOHNSON WAS STILL ON THE BOARD. YOU'RE EXPECTING TO HAVE AN INFLUX OF STUDENTS COME FROM FORT LEE. AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

CORRECT. BUT WE GAVE YOU THE MONEY BASED ON WHAT THE PROJECTED INFLUX WAS. SO, I MEAN... IT'S GIVE OR TAKE. I'M CONCERNED WE'RE TRYING TO GET LOCKED INTO AN MOU BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A CONTRACT YOU CAN'T MEET. OR SOMEBODY'S GONNA GET THE FEELINGS HURT AND COME BACK LATER AND SAY, I WISH WE HADN'T DONE THIS.

REAL QUICK, MS. DREW YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, OR? WELL, I PRETTY MUCH JUST COPIED THE HISTORY SLIDES THAT I SHARED WITH YOU ALL LAST NIGHT INTO A WHOLE SEPARATE POWERPOINT. THAT JUST EXPLAINS HOW THE MOU OR THE REVENUE SHARING CALCULATION. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE, WELL, WE ARE NOT OPERATING OFFICIALLY ON ANY MOU. YOU KNOW, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED SOMETHING IN AUGUST OF 2019, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD PROVIDED CHANGES TO THAT. THAT WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE BASIS OF THE CALCULATION. IT WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, REMOVED PRISONERS FROM EDUCATION. OUR COUNTY

[02:00:02]

YOU KNOW, WE SHARE IN THOSE SOURCES, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THE PERCENTAGE HAS DECLINED OVER TIME BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE CALCULATION WAS ESTABLISHED. AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THE POWERPOINT AND GO THROUGH THE HISTORY. YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEO FROM LAST NIGHT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT LIVE, BUT YEAH, IT EXPLAINS THE HISTORY. AND WE DO USE A FIVE-YEAR ROLLING AVERAGE OF YOUR FALL MEMBERSHIP, K-12, TO WELDON COOPER'S POPULATION ESTIMATE OF THE JULY 1 OF THAT SAME YEAR. THEIR JULY 1 OF 25 ESTIMATES ARE NOT PUBLISHED YET. THEY NORMALLY HAVE THOSE OUT LATE JANUARY, BUT... THERE IS A MESSAGE ON THEIR WEBPAGE THAT THEY WERE DELAYED IN SOME OF THEIR DATA BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN. SO THEY'RE EXPECTING THEM, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, IS WHAT THEIR WEBPAGE SAYS. SO I CAN'T EVEN REALLY UPDATE THE PERCENTAGE USING THE HISTORICAL CALCULATION. AND IF YOU WATCHED THE VIDEO LAST NIGHT, NONE OF THOSE SHARED SOURCES, REAL ESTATE TAX, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX, CONSUMER UTILITIES OR SALES TAX ARE PROJECTED TO HAVE ANY GROWTH BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND FY27. SO THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO EVEN SHARE IN THOSE SOURCES. ANYTHING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO IN OUR BUDGET IS GOING TO COME FROM HOPEFULLY SHIFTS OR REDUCTIONS ELSEWHERE, LARGELY, OR OTHER REVENUE SOURCES. THAT, YOU KNOW. AND I THINK THEY HAVE SOME GROWTH. IF YOU GO BACK TO SOME OF OUR BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT I HAVE SAID THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BE FLAT BECAUSE THERE IS NO EXTRA FUNDING COMING IN FROM THOSE SOURCES THIS YEAR.

BECAUSE THERE'S NO ASSESSMENTS, THERE'S NO ANYTHING. SO THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BE FLAT AND THAT THIS COUNTY HAS SIDE THINGS TO DO. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS THINGS TO DO. MS. CHRIS SAID EARLIER JUST BECAUSE OUR NUMBERS DROP DOESN'T MEAN THE NEEDS DROP, BECAUSE IT'S EVER EVOLVING.

THAT. YOU KNOW, STUDENT SERVICES GOES THROUGH THE ROOF WITH KIDS THAT NEED HELP, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS CONTINUE TO GO UP, WHEREAS, YES, WE. IT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO LOSE 84 STUDENTS, BUT THE SERVICES CONTINUE TO TO RISE. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN'T HAVE A MAYBE A FIXED NUMBER. I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT CAN BE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE CLOSER. AND I'M JUST NOT, AND WHEN I HEAR, OH, LET'S CARVE OUT SOMETHING ELSE, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M, THAT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT THAT SITUATION WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT CARVING OUT MORE MONEY TO PUT TO SOMETHING. I UNDERSTAND THE POINT, BUT WE HAVE A JOB TO DO, TOO, AND CARVING OUT MORE MONEY. THIS TAKES LESS MONEY, TAKES MORE MONEY FROM THE COUNTY. AGAIN, FROM THE SCHOOL, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S RESTRAINTS TO BUILDING A SCHOOL, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A JOB TO DO TO FUND THE SCHOOL WITH STUDENTS AND STAFF. MR. CHAIR? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, SO I NEVER LOOKED AT IT THE WAY YOU'RE PUTTING IT, RIGHT? THAT IF WE SAY A PENNY IS THIS, THEN THE PENNY GOES TO THAT FULLY, AND Y'ALL DON'T GET YOUR SHARE OF THAT PENNY. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I'M SAYING, IF YOU CUT IT FROM $82,000 TO $81,000, THAT'S $148,000.

THAT'S ROUGHLY THE NUMBER.

YES. SO I CAN AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING NOW. OKAY? I THINK, AND THIS IS JUST ME, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ALL PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY. WHETHER IT'S A SCHOOL BOARD OR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE'RE ALL FRENCH GEORGE COUNTY.

ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO START LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE CAN DO TOGETHER, I.E. THE INSURANCE, I.E. IF IT'S GRASS CUTTING, I.E. IF IT'S A LIGHTING CONTRACTOR, WHAT HAVE YOU. AND BY LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS, IT WILL FREE MONEY UP, HOPEFULLY, TO BE ABLE TO PUT IN NEEDED AREAS THAT Y'ALL MIGHT SEE FIT TO. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? I COME UP WITH SOME COST SAVINGS IDEAS.

YEAH, 100%, 100%. I'M NOT

[02:05:03]

MR. COX, WAS THAT THE LAST JOINT SESSION WE HAD? YES, SIR.

AND MAYBE MR. WEBB WAS, TOO.

BUT THIS JOINT SESSION WE HAVE HAD TONIGHT HAS BEEN FAR MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN THE LAST ONE WE HAD, HOWEVER MANY YEARS AGO THAT WAS. AND, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST. HERE'S, LIKE I SAID, ME AND MR. WEBB TALKED LAST WEEK ON SEVERAL TOPICS. SO I DON'T WANT TO COME UP HERE AND SOUND LIKE I'M BEING GREEDY. I'M NOT.

I'M JUST COMING UP HERE SAYING, HEY, IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT? AND WHEN I HEAR THE WORD CARVE OUT FOR SOMETHING ELSE, THAT MAKES MY RADAR GO UP AND GO, UH-OH, THAT'S NOT GOOD, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE CARVING OUT ANOTHER CENT TO PUT.

IN THIS PLACE OR ANOTHER, AND I KNOW YOU NEED APPARATUS, AND I KNOW YOU NEED FIRE TRUCKS, AND THEN THOSE THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE. BUT THE SCHOOL DIVISION NEEDS THINGS TOO, AND WE CAN'T CARVE OUT ANY MORE MONEY THAN ONE COMES OUT.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND MR. TO MR. COX'S POINT EARLY ON ABOUT THE CAREGIVER MONEY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WHEN WE HAVE, IF THERE'S A COMMITTEE FOR THAT, MAYBE THAT'S WHERE WE DO TALK ABOUT, OKAY, IT'S 1.8. WELL, SCHOOL DIVISION, CAN YOU TAKE $200,000 OF THAT AND PUT IT IN THIS FUND FOR A SCHOOL, AND IN 10 YEARS, THAT'S $200,000 OR WHATEVER? THAT IS, $2 MILLION, WHATEVER THE MATH IS. THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN PROBABLY HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, JUST TO SAY NO. THAT, FOR ME, THAT WOULD BE A NON-STARTER FOR ME. SO WHAT I MEAN, AND I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY.

YOUR POINT OF VIEW? WHEN YOU HEAR ME SAY, CARVE OUT. YEAH. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE LOOK AT WITH BOTH DIVISIONS TO GO, OKAY, HEY, IF WE DO THIS, WE KNOW THE EXPECTATION OF WHAT IT COSTS BOTH BOARDS.

AND WE'RE SAYING, HEY, THIS IS TO GO STRICTLY TO THE SCHOOLS. AND MAYBE WE PUT IT IN AN MOU. MAYBE WE SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS THAT FURTHER.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL, THIS IS THE STARTING POINT.

THIS IS THE TALKING POINT, IN MY OPINION. TO GET IT, GET THE BALL ROLLING, GET IT GOING, YOU KNOW. AND AND AFTER THIS MEETING, WHETHER WE'RE ALL UP HERE TOGETHER, WE ALL SHOULD BE TALKING TOGETHER. WE SHOULD ALL PICK THE PHONE UP, SAY, HEY, WHAT DO YOU GOT GOING ON? AND, YOU KNOW, MEET TWO BY TWO, OR, YOU KNOW, AND THEN HAVE THESE MEETINGS QUARTERLY.

WHAT HAVE YOU? SO WE CAN NOT LOSE THE MOMENTUM THAT WE'RE BUILDING TONIGHT. WELL, MR. HAMILL WAS IN OUR OFFICE THE OTHER DAY AND HE AND I HAD A CONVERSATION AT OUR OFFICE THE OTHER DAY.

SO, YEAH, I MEAN, AND I KNOW WE ALL HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU, DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBERS. AND AGAIN, MY RADAR WAS UP COMING IN HERE THIS EVENING BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHICH DIRECTION IT WAS GOING TO GO.

BUT I APPRECIATE FOR ROB THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD THIS EVENING IN THE DIRECTION. THEN IT'S GONE AND MR. COX, I DON'T KNOW WHO SPEARHEADED ON YOUR SIDE, BUT I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.

I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR US BOTH TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT AND FOR BOTH OF US TO GIVE OUR OPINIONS. WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE PUBLIC AND GIVE OUR OPINION.

TO GET BACK TO YOU, FIVE GENTLEMEN ON YOUR SIDE AND THE FOUR LADIES AND ONE GENTLEMAN ON THIS SIDE. SO, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE IT. I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS BUDGET CYCLE, AND I THINK THE DISCUSSION, AND WE'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, I THINK THE DISCUSSION OF CARRYOVER MONEY NEEDS TO HAPPEN EARLIER THAN NOW, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE PUSHED UP AGAINST, WELL, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE TWO HEARINGS. WELL, THAT PUTS IT INTO APRIL AND MAYBE MAY. OKAY. WELL, NOW WE'RE UP AGAINST, WELL, WE CAN'T GET IT DONE BY JUNE 30TH. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT MONEY ROLLS INTO THE CIP, AND WE'RE ABLE

[02:10:02]

BUT IF WE CAN ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING AND LOOK AT IT THE MOU AS OKAY, IS THIS LIKE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE? AND LIKE MAKING SURE THAT IT'S SUPPORTING THE STUDENT OUTCOMES? AND WE CAN ALL COME TO AN AGREEMENT. BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHERE THE DISCONNECT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT SOMETHING.

BUT MAYBE IT WASN'T EXPLAINED IN A WAY THAT, OH WELL, THAT MAKES SENSE. JUST LIKE YOU SAID, PHILIP, YOU KNOW, ALL RIGHT. SO I MIGHT GET IN TROUBLE FOR SAYING THIS.

THEN DON'T SAY IT. I WON'T SAY IT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE ON A TIME RESTRAINT. HEY PHILLIP, MR. PUGH. I THINK YOUR LAWYER, JUST LIKE, CRINGED.

HEY, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

ALRIGHT. ANYTHING OVER 1% WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE, CORRECT? ALRIGHT, SO I THINK THE TIME RESTRAINT IS THE ROOF, CORRECT? CORRECT. AT $900,000, COULD WE PAY FOR THAT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN JUST KEEP THAT CARRYOVER MONEY BACK? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YOU COULD DO AN APPROPRIATION FROM FUND BALANCE FOR THAT ONE PROJECT, THAT ONE MEETING, BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE UP HERE PUBLICLY SAYING IT, IT HAS THE APPEARANCE OF TRYING TO...

BY NO MEANS WOULD I EVER WANT TO DO THAT. I AM NOT AGREEING WITH WHAT HE JUST SAID. IT WAS JUST A QUESTION. T.J. WEBB'S NOT GOING TO JAIL. IF I MAY, I HAVE A SUGGESTION. SEEMS LIKE I'VE GOT SUGGESTIONS TONIGHT.

THERE YOU GO. THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED THE CONSENSUS. HOW ABOUT IF WE FORM A COMMITTEE? MR. COX, YOU'RE PUTTING US ON A LOT OF COMMITTEES HERE.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER, SO I AGREE IF WE GET TWO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, TWO BOARD MEMBERS FROM MY SIDE, MS. DRURY, Y'ALL'S FINANCE PERSON, AND MAYBE DR. LYLE AND MS. PUDLOW TO START AFTER BUDGET SEASON, BUT TO REVIEW THE MOU AND COME BACK IN OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, HENCE THE OTHER ONE, STARTING LATE, BUT TO BRING BACK SUGGESTIONS. SO THEN THE BOARD CAN GET TOGETHER AND DISCUSS WHAT OUR COLLECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE HAMMERED OUT WITH YOU ALL, AND YOU ALL HAMMERED OUT WITH THEM. I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA GET IT DONE. I MEAN, I THINK US SITTING UP HERE, HAVING A CONVERSATION WHERE WE'LL BE HERE TILL MIDNIGHT. WHEN I'M GONNA DO IT AT MIDNIGHT. I KNOW I'M JUST SAYING, WE'LL BE HERE FOR A WHILE UNTIL WE GET IT RIGHT, AND, YOU KNOW. I'M GONNA REPEAT MYSELF.

WE HAVE DONE CONSENSUS BEFORE.

I UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT, AND IT'S JUST AND ALL THIS IS TRANSPARENT. 99% OF STUFF ON THIS LIST IS A MUST-DO.

SO, I MEAN, I'M SORRY. IF THE PUBLIC COMES UP AND SAYS, NO, WE DON'T WANT YOU SPENDING $900,000 ON A ROOF, WELL, YOU BETTER LOOK OUT FOR ALL THE REPAIR BILLS COMING FORTH.

THIS STUFF NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE A CONSENSUS, UNLESS LEGAL TELLS ME WE CAN'T.

WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE, IN GOOD FAITH, SO THEY CAN GET MOVING ON WHAT THEY NEED TO, MOVE ON TO MEET THE TIMELINES, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A CONSTRAINT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT. AND THEN WE DO THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT DRASTIC, WE CAN PULL SOME STUFF OFF THE LOWER END OF IT. THE TOP END STUFF HAS GOT TO BE DONE. IT'S GOING TO COST US MORE MONEY IF WE DON'T.

THAT'S MY THOUGHT. ALL RIGHT, SO YOU'VE HEARD MY SUGGESTION ON THE COMMITTEE. I WOULDN'T REMEMBER WHAT Y'ALL'S THOUGHTS.

I'M OKAY WITH IT. GOOD WITH IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO MOVE IT CLOSER THAN SEPTEMBER. WELL, Y'ALL START MEETING, OR WHOEVER'S ON THE COMMITTEE STARTS MEETING AFTER THE BUDGET CYCLE. AND MS. DRURY HAS TALKED TO ME ABOUT MOVING THE MEETING TO SEPTEMBER, BECAUSE THAT WAY IT GIVES TIME FOR ALL THE CLOSEOUTS. RIGHT.

SO WE HAVE MORE FACTUAL. WE HAVE UNDERSTANDING. YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU GOT. YEAH.

OKAY. THAT'S WHY THE SEPTEMBER TIMEFRAME. MS. TAMMAN? I COULD SUPPORT A COMMITTEE. MR. WEBB? YEAH, I'M GOOD. I SAID THAT TO START WITH. I'M GOOD.

IF THAT'S THE WAY WE GOT TO GET IT DONE, THEN I'M GOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT,

[02:15:02]

DO I HAVE A SECOND ONE? I CAN DO IT. YOU'LL DO IT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO MR. WEBB AND MR. HAMILL. PEW AND MR. HAMILL. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T THINK I SPOKE UP, BUT I GOT IT. I'M SORRY. I WAS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN ASSIGNMENT.

SO, MR. PEW AND MR. HAMILL. I SERVE ON PLENTY OF COMMITTEES. IT DON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO ME. FORD PEW.

FORD PEW. OKAY. WELL, FOR ME, IT'S PASSIONATE, SO I'LL BE GLAD TO SIT ON THAT COMMITTEE WITH MR. FORD PEW AND MR. HAMILL. I MEAN, I CAN, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO. WELL, SHERRY, COULD YOU DO IT? YEAH, I CAN DO IT. BECAUSE IT WOULD BE MEETINGS AFTER.

YEAH, IT WOULD BE IN THE EVENING. IT WOULD BE IN THE EVENING, RIGHT? YEAH.

24-7. THANKS FOR IT. WE GET IT.

SINCE BOBBY'S JOINING US ALL THESE MEETINGS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS, I'LL ASK MS. PUDLOW TO REACH OUT TO DR. LYLE, AND YOU ALL CAN LOOK AT A SCHEDULE, AND WE CAN GET MOVING ON THAT ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE BUDGET SEASON.

OKAY? OKAY. BACK TO MY QUESTION. YES, SIR. SO IT'S A NO-GO ON A CONSENSUS.

NO, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A NO-GO. WE JUST, I WANT TO GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY FIRST. THAT'S FINE.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO DROP.

BUT, MS. DRURY, YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT? YES, I IMAGINE THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE CONSENSUS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD FOLKS TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE ROOF PROJECT. WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ADVERTISED AS REQUIRED. WE WILL HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS WITH YOUR APPROVAL AFTER THAT PUBLIC HEARING.

LEGAL? Y'ALL GOOD? GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR. HASSAN KINGSBURY, THE NEW COUNTY ATTORNEY. SO CONSENSUS IS USED WHEN YOU GIVE DIRECTION AND EVERYBODY AGREES. SO THERE ARE MANY MOTIONS THAT YOU WON'T HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DO THINGS BY CONSENSUS.

UNLESS SOMEBODY DISAGREES, THEN YOU NEED A MOTION. MY CONCERN WITH CONSENSUS ON THIS, THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME ACTION THAT'S GOING TO RESULT FROM THIS CONSENSUS. SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE JUST BRING THE ITEM TO A MEETING AND TAKE ACTION.

IF YOU'RE GIVING STAFF SOME DIRECTION TO RESEARCH, THAT'S A CONSENSUS THING.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING AND SOME OTHER THINGS. I DON'T THINK THIS IS APPROPRIATE.

TO MOVE BY CONSENSUS. ALL RIGHT, LET ME REDIRECT. SO WHAT I JUST HEARD YOU SAY AS FAR AS A PHYSICAL ACTION, DOES THAT STILL MEAN THAT IF WE'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS? THAT THEY CAN'T GO AHEAD AND GET THE WHEELS TURNING? SO THINGS ARE READY TO GO SO THEY DON'T MISS THE TIMELINE? THAT'S FINE, BUT I HEARD ABOUT. IF THE SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC HEARING HAS TO BE VOTED ON, THEN THAT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING FOR CONSENSUS. YOU CAN GIVE CONSENSUS FOR STAFF TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. BUT IF YOU'RE GIVING CONSENSUS FOR, YOU SAID, A PUBLIC HEARING HAS TO BE NOTICED. WE TYPICALLY FORMALLY BRING THE BOARD A DRAFT ADVERTISEMENT AND GET AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. THAT IS REQUIRED FOR A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT EXCEEDS 1% OF OUR CURRENT YEAR ADOPTED BUDGET. AND THE 1.8 IN ITS ENTIRETY DOES. YOU KNOW, I JUST GOT THE LIST TONIGHT.

OF COURSE, I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE DRAFT AD. THAT TAKES A LITTLE TIME. AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE TYPICALLY DO FORMALLY GET PERMISSION FROM THE BOARD BY RESOLUTION TO ADVERTISE A PUBLIC HEARING.

I'VE GOT A QUESTION ON THAT.

SO YOU CAN HAVE THIS READY BY TOMORROW, RIGHT? NO. I'M PLAYING WITH YOU. YOU WANT A STRAIGHT ANSWER? SO WHEN YOU GET IT DRAFTED UP, WE COULD CALL A SPECIAL MEETING TO APPROVE IT. EITHER THAT, OR WE CAN PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT. WELL, I'M THINKING EITHER THAT TUESDAY NIGHT OR BEFORE, BUT EITHER WAY, THAT'S LEGAL.

YOU AGREE? OKAY. THANK YOU.

I'LL SOLICIT SOME HELP. I'M GOING TO SAY, LET'S MOVE IT.

LET'S PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR TUESDAY NIGHT. IT'S NOT

[02:20:01]

THANK YOU, MR. KINGSBURY.

OKAY, Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO BRING BEFORE THE BOARD? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY COMMENTS ON THIS SIDE? QUICK QUESTION ABOUT ROLLOVER MONEY. THE 1.8, WAS THE $1.8 MILLION THEIR TOTAL CARRYOVER FROM ALL CATEGORIES, ALL FUNDS, AND THESE PROJECTS NEATLY FIT INTO $1.8 MILLION, OR WERE THESE PROJECTS PLANNED AND THEY JUST CAN'T DO THEM THIS CALENDAR YEAR OR FISCAL YEAR? MR. BARNES? THAT'S OKAY. MR. BARNES THOUGHT HE WAS GOOD FOR THE NIGHT. HE DIDN'T LEAVE IN TIME. I'LL REPEAT.

REPEATING. SO, 1.8 IS THE TOTAL REQUEST FOR CARRYOVER FUNDS.

HOW DO CARRYOVERS WORK? ARE THESE PROJECTS WHO EQUAL UP TO $1.8 MILLION IN THE BUDGET, YOU JUST CAN'T SPEND THEM IN THE FISCAL YEAR, AND SO WE'RE ROLLING THEM OVER TO NEXT YEAR? OR DID YOU HAVE $1.8 MILLION IN ALL CATEGORY FUNDS? AND THESE... ARE THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN USE CARRYOVER FUNDS, TOO.

PART TWO. OKAY. WE WERE, THIS JURY TOLD US HOW MUCH MONEY WAS THERE AFTER THE AUDIT. RIGHT.

AND WE BUILT THE PROJECTS FROM OUR CIP, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE OR TWO, TO FIT THAT FUNDING THRESHOLD.

IF THE LAST, I DON'T HAVE MINE IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT LIKE THE LIGHT PLANTS, IF THAT HAD BEEN MORE OR LESS THAN WHAT IT WAS, WE WOULD HAVE TRIED TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE ON OUR CIP OR REPAIRS WE NEEDED DONE TO FIT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.

OKAY. THIS BOARD, THAT'S JUST HOW CARRYOVERS WORK. THEY CAN'T GO TOWARDS EDUCATIONAL USAGE, STUDENT-FACING FUNDING. IT HAS TO BE CIP. IN THE PAST, I BELIEVE THAT'S HOW IT'S WORKED.

BECAUSE WE'RE PUT UP AGAINST THE TIME FRAME NOW, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. WE HAVE TO DO THAT, AND THEN WE CAN'T GET THEM DONE BY JUNE 30TH. SO IN THE CIP, IT ROLLS OVER. SO THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN WE SUBMIT IT. IT'S THERE. BUT IT'S IN THE CATEGORIES, WITHIN WHAT'S IN THE LINE ITEMS. THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, MR. PUGH. AND, MR. PUGH, YOU KNOW, WHAT REVERTS TO FUND BALANCE, WHEN YOU DO A REAPPROPRIATION, IT IS TYPICALLY CONSIDERED ONE-TIME MONEY. IT'S LIKE YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT. SO WE TYPICALLY DO THAT FOR CAPITAL ONE-TIME USE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A FINANCIAL POLICY THAT SAYS ONE-TIME FUNDS SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR RECURRING EXPENDITURES. SO IF IT WAS A ONE-TIME INSTRUCTIONAL NEED, THAT'S ONE THING, BUT TO SUPPORT SALARIES OR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, THERE'S NO FUNDING SOURCE TO SUPPORT THAT IN FUTURE YEARS. IF IT'S YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT. CHROMEBOOK REPLACEMENT COULD BE ONE-TIME.

WELL, IT WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AT SOME POINT, CERTAINLY. THEY HAVE A SHELF LIFE, BUT... OKAY. YEP. ALL RIGHT. I DON'T THINK IT'S A TONIGHT THING, JUST FOR MY EDIFICATION THING.

THANKS. YEP, I'M GOOD. I'M GOING TO LET YOU ADJOURN FIRST.

OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS TO BRING BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD, I TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

AND BEFORE YOU CALL THE ROLL, I JUST WANT TO TELL THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THANKS. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY PRODUCTIVE NIGHT, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THIS MORE OFTEN. OKAY.

ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MS. TAYLOR. YES. MS. FOKIAN. YES.

MR. ELY. YES. MS. CHRIS. YES.

MS. ANDREWS. YES. I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION ON OUR SIDE TO ADJOURN. MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. MOTION ON THE SECOND. MOTION BY MR. HAMILL, SECOND BY FORD PUGH.

ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MR. FORD PUGH. YES. MR. WEBB. YES. MR. COX. YES. MR. PHILLIP PUGH.

YES. MR. HAMILL. YES.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.