* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. OKAY. [00:00:02] GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. [Call to Order / Moment of Silence / Pledge of Allegiance/ Agenda Adoption ] WE ARE FORTUNATE AND BLESSED TONIGHT TO HAVE DR. DANIEL BALTIMORE FROM THE MOUNT NEBO BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN SURREY COUNTY TO COME AND LEAD US IN OUR INVOCATION, DR. BALTIMORE. LET US PRAY. OUR FATHER WHO OUGHT IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THOU WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, ACTUALLY IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US TO STAY OUR DAILY BREAD AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASSED AGAINST US. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. BUT THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. LORD, WE'VE GATHERED HERE, WE'RE TEACHING YOU PRESENCE, INVITING YOU TO COME WITHIN OUR MIDST AND DIRECT ALL THAT WE SAY AND ALL THAT WE THINK AND DO. GOD IS A GOOD COMMUNITY. YOU'VE KEPT US FOR A LONG TIME. YOU'VE KEPT US TOGETHER FOR MORE THAN 370 YEARS. NEITHER US NOR OUR ANCESTORS OR OUR FOUNDERS HAVE DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT ALL THE TIME. BUT GOD, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, YOUR HAND HAVE ALWAYS GUIDED US IN THE DIRECTION OF RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE CEASED TONIGHT, THAT OUR WILLS BE LOST IN YOURS, THAT YOUR WILL BE DONE AND NOT OURS. WE DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING. BUT THANK YOU THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING. GOD, AS WE COME, WE PRAY YOU BLESS US, BLESS THIS COMMUNITY OF FRESH, MAKE US ONE IN THE SPIRIT OF FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT. BLESS THESE BOARD MEMBERS AND THESE MEN AND THESE WOMEN WHO'VE BEEN SET HERE TO DO THE WORK OF THIS COMMUNITY. GIVE THEM THE WISDOM THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM YOU AND GIVE THEM THE POWER TO DO THAT, WHICH IS RIGHT, BUT DO IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT HUMILITY REIGNS AND SPIRIT OF SPIRIT, OF HUMBLENESS, THAT IN THIS PROCESS, THAT SOMEHOW LEVEL OVERCOME HATRED, AND SOMEHOW THAT THAT UNDERSTANDING WILL NEUTRALIZE ANGER. AND SOMEHOW, LORD, THAT UNITY WILL PREVAIL OVER DISCORD AND DIVISIVENESS SOMEHOW. LORD, THAT IN THIS PROCESS THAT THERE'LL BE BIRTHED, A FRESH WILLINGNESS TO WORK TOGETHER AND INSTEAD OF WORKING IN DISCORD, GOD, WE LOVE YOU TONIGHT. YOU HAVE ALL POWER. WE HAVE NONE. WE HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO UNLESS YOU REVEAL IT TO US. GOD, WE HUMBLY BOW OUR HEADS BEFORE YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ARE OUR SAVIOR. YOU ARE OUR GOD. KEEP US IN, DIRECT US AS ONLY AS YOU CAN. THEN WE KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY, WE BLESSED AND WILL BE BLESSED ALSO. IN THE NAME OF JESUS THE CHRIST WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. WE THANK DR. BALTIMORE FOR THE HEARTFELT INVOCATION. AND AT THIS TIME, WE DO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. MIKE, WE ALL STAND FOR THE PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE. I'M GOING ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH ONE NATION OF GOD, INDIVISIBLE FOR LIBERTY, JUSTICE ALL. WE WILL NOW OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS. UH, BEFORE WE ADOPT THE AGENDA, THERE IS A STATEMENT TO BE MADE BY OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD, AS WELL AS THE CITIZENS WHO GATHERED HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I WANTED TO PROVIDE BRIEF BACKGROUND AS TO WHY IT WAS NECESSARY TO CANCEL THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE FIREARMS ORDINANCE. AMONG THE NUMEROUS CHANGES MADE BY THE 2024 GENERAL ASSEMBLY WAS ANOTHER CHANGE TO THE NOTICE PROVISIONS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS FOR PUBLIC HEARING. THESE SECTIONS HAVE BEEN CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. NEW ORDINANCES OR AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING ORDINANCES MUST BE ADVERTISED TWICE ON JULY 1ST. THE CHANGE TOOK EFFECT. A CHANGE TOOK EFFECT, EXCUSE ME. THAT REQUIRES THE FIRST ADVERTISEMENT TO BE WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THE MEETING. AND THE SECOND, NO LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING. SINCE THE OLD WAY OF HAVING THE SECOND ADVERTISEMENT, THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE [00:05:01] THE MEETING NO LONGER MEETS THE NEW SEVEN DAY REQUIREMENT, THE PUBLIC HEARING HAD TO BE CANCELED. IT WAS MY OVERSIGHT IN NOT REMEMBERING THAT THE CODE CHANGE TOOK EFFECT ON JULY 1ST. AND I APOLOGIZE TO THE CITIZENS FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. PERKINS. BOARD MEMBERS, AFTER HEARING, UH, A STATEMENT GIVEN WE DO HAVE BEFORE US OUR AGENDA FOR TONIGHT AND AFTER PERUSING THE AGENDA AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER IT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR AGENDA? IF THERE BE NONE, WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA. MR. CHAIR. MR. PIERCE. I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT, ADOPT THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT. HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE. AYE. AYE. GOT ONE IN THE CROWD OPPOSED? THE AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED. UH, WE HAVE FIRST BOARD [Consent Items] MEMBERS OUR CONSENT ITEMS, FIRST BEING THE APPROVAL OF OUR DRAFT BOARD MEMBER MINUTES FOR JULY THE SECOND. OUR SCHEDULED MEETING FOR JULY THE SECOND, 2024, APPROVAL OF THE DRAFT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WORK SESSION. MINUTES FROM OUR SESSION ON JULY THE 18TH. APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS PAYABLE FROM MAY TO JUNE, EXCUSE ME, MAY TO JULY. AND A RESOLUTION FROM VDOT PROJECT ADDITION TO SECONDARY ROUTES, UH, SECONDARY ROUTE SEVEN 80 ON LAND AND DRIVE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ON OUR CONSENT ITEMS? IF THERE BE NONE, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF OUR CONSENT ITEMS. SO MOVED. SECOND. PROPERTY MOVED. AND SECOND. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? IF NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE. A. AYE. OPPOSED? OUR CONSENT ITEMS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED. WE NOW MOVE TO OUR NEW [New Business] BUSINESS AND WE WILL TURN THIS OVER TO STAFF TO PRESENT NEW BUSINESS TO THE BOARD. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN PIERCE BOARD MEMBERS, AND THOSE WHO ARE ASSEMBLED. GOOD EVENING. UM, ONE ITEM FOR NEW BUSINESS THIS EVENING IS THE PROPOSED LIMITED SCOPE REASSESSMENT. UH, WE DO HAVE WITH US THIS EVENING MR. DON THOMAS WITH WINGATE APPRAISAL AND ALSO MR. JONATHAN JENKINS, WHO IS OUR COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE. UM, THEY CAN PREPARE TO COME FORTH, BUT AS YOU KNOW, BOARD MEMBERS, UM, THIS DISCUSSION, UM, CERTAINLY IS NOT A DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD BEFORE. UM, THE COMMISSIONER REVENUE HAS ADVISED THAT PER DISCUSSION WITH MR. THOMAS, THAT, UH, A LIMITED SCOPE REVIEW WILL BE NECESSARY FOR TAX YEAR 2025. UM, IF MR. THOMAS, ARE YOU PREPARED TO COME FORTH, SERVE WITH YOUR PRESENTATION? YOU MAY DO SO AT THIS TIME, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, ON BEHALF OF OUR COMPANY, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT, PROBABLY WANT CONTINUES TO MIC, SIR. YOU, YOU CAN MOVE IT TO WHOEVER YOU NEED TO. PROBABLY ONE OF THE LESS FAVORABLE TOPICS THAT YOU'LL BE, YOU'LL BE DISCUSSING. BUT THAT IS NONETHELESS AN ESSENTIAL TOPIC, I THINK, FOR YOUR COUNTY. AND THAT IS THE, THE PROSPECTS OF WHETHER YOU SHOULD ENGAGE IN A REASSESSMENT EFFECTIVE FOR A JANUARY 1ST, 2025. UH, I HAVE A, I HAVE A HANDOUT HERE THAT I, REGRETTABLY DIDN'T GET INTO, UH, INTO FORM IN TIME FOR IT TO BE PRESENTED AS PART OF YOUR BOARD PACKET, BUT I COULD DISTRIBUTE THAT. THANK YOU, SIR. AND THIS, UH, THIS HANDOUT DOESN'T, UH, REALLY, UH, DOESN'T REALLY PLOW IT ANY NEW GROUND AS, AS THE OLD SAYING GOES. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS THAT, UH, THAT ARE SOMEWHAT RELEVANT AND, AND IMPORTANT TO THE, TO THE TOPIC. UM, AS THE, UH, AS THE FIRST BULLET POINT EXPLAINS, VIRGINIA POLICY AND STATUTE ALLOWS FOR REASSESSMENTS TO GO AS LONG AS SIX YEARS IN BETWEEN REASSESSMENT CYCLES. THAT'S PART OF THE, PART OF THE CRITERIA INVOLVES POPULATION AND WHETHER YOU'RE A COUNTY OR A CITY. BUT NONETHELESS, YOU CAN, IF AS A COUNTY, GO AS FAR AS SIX YEARS IN BETWEEN CYCLES. AND THEN UNDERNEATH THAT, I THOUGHT IT WAS, I THOUGHT IT WAS INSIGHTFUL TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE THE, THE, A FEW OF THE PAST, UH, SERIES, PAST REASSESSMENT CYCLES, EFFECTIVE DATES FOR THOSE. AND YOU'LL SEE EVERYTHING START STRETCHING BACK INTO THE 1999 WHERE WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A COUPLE YEARS AND, UH, A REASSESSMENT WAS DONE FOR 2001, THEN 2003. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KINDA GET THE PATTERN THERE. I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE YEARS, BUT YOU KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE, WHERE ALL THIS GOES. YOU DO SEE, FROM 2010 TO 2016, THERE WAS [00:10:01] INDEED A STRETCH OF SIX YEARS. SO, UH, AND THEN WE'RE BACK ON TO, UH, 2022, UM, TO, UH, ANOTHER, ANOTHER STRETCH OF SIX YEARS. SO, SO THEN WE HAD TO RESPOND TO THE MARKET, OR IT WAS DESIRABLE TO RESPOND TO THE MARKET. AND, UH, AND IF YOU'VE STAYED IN TOUCH WITH THE NEWS AND YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT REALTORS ARE SAYING AND WHAT LOCAL BUYERS AND SELLERS OF PROPERTY ARE SAYING, THEN YOU, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT THE MARKET HAS NOT, UH, CRATERED. IT HASN'T TANKED. UH, IT HASN'T, UH, REALLY PLATEAUED YET. UM, BUT, UH, AND FROM, FROM WHAT WE COULD TELL. BUT, UH, NONETHELESS, THAT BRINGS US TO THE POINT AS AS TO HOW DO, DO THE CURRENT ASSESSMENTS IN SURREY COMPARE TO THE MARKET VALUE, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, THE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION WILL, UH, AND IT'S NOT ONLY FOR SURY COUNTY, BUT FOR EVERY LOCALITY IN THE STATE, UH, ANNUALLY DETERMINES A STATISTICAL MEASURE OF HOW THE ASSESSMENTS COMPARE TO THE MARKET VALUE OF THE PROPERTIES. AND, UH, AND IN THE CASE OF SURY COUNTY, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SITTING IN ABOUT 88%. AND, UH, I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER JUDKINS OVER THE YEAR, OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, AND HE'S BEEN PROVIDING ME SOME SNAPSHOTS OF DATA THAT INDICATE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEVEN YEARS, SEVEN MONTHS INTO THE YEAR, AND, UH, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH REMAINING YEAR TO MATERIALLY AFFECT THAT NUMBER. THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY WHERE YOU GO. SOMEWHERE AROUND 88% IS WHERE YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA BOOK THIS, THIS, UH, THIS ASSESSMENT IF NOTHING IS DONE FOR TO, TO THE CONTRARY. NOW, IN 2022, WE WERE ABLE TO BOOK A A 100%, UH, UH, STATISTICAL MEDIUM FOR OUR, FOR OUR, FOR OUR RATIO. AND THE SAME GA WENT SAME, WENT FOR 2020 THREES EFFORT. AND THAT WAS A LIMITED SCOPE OF APPRAISAL THAT WE, OUR COMPANY CAME IN AND HELPED YOU WITH ON 2023. AND THE LIMITED SCOPE, UH, ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ANALYZE THE AVAILABLE DATA, UH, WHAT'S IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN THE MARKETPLACE AND WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SOLD. AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS AS TO HOW, UH, WHAT SEGMENTS OF THE MARKET ARE RESPONDING TO THE, TO THE, TO THE WELL, WHAT'S, HOW THE ASSESSMENTS ARE RESPONDING IN CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE MARKET. AND, UH, AND THAT CAN ALSO BE TIED TO LOCATION WITHIN THE COUNTY. SO, SO THAT MEANS THAT WE WOULD DO A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THOSE, COMPARE THE RATIOS OF THE ASSESSMENTS TO WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEEN SOLD, UH, THE QUALIFIED SALES THAT IS, AND THEN, AND THEN WE WOULD, UH, MAKE APPROPRIATE MODEL CALIBRATIONS TO REFLECT THOSE NECESSARY CHANGES. UH, THAT MEANS THAT WE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY VISIT EVERY PROPERTY IN THE COUNTY. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ASSESSMENTS HAVE A, HAVE A REPUTATION AS TO BEING SO PRECISE OR SO IMPRECISE AT TIMES. AND THIS DOESN'T REALLY MAKE THE, UH, THE PROCESS ANY MORE PRECISE. I WILL, I WILL GUARANTEE YOU THAT, UH, IT DOES, IT DOES, UH, HAVE SOME, UH, ROOM FOR VARIABILITY BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT VISITING EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY AND NOT MAKING A, UH, A KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND NOT DOING A, AN INTERVIEW OF PROPERTY OWNERS AS WE WOULD DURING A FULL, UM, WHAT WE WOULD CALL A CONVENTIONAL REASSESSMENT. SO THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE THE WAY THAT OUR COMPANY WOULD PROPOSE TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION. AND, AND OF COURSE, THE SITUATION BEING THAT THE, UH, THE, THE RATIO OF ASSESSMENTS IS ABOUT 88%, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING OF MARKET VALUE AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, OBVIOUSLY, IS THAT YOUR, YOUR BASKET OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE LOCALLY ASSESSED, UM, THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD DO, BUT THE BASKET OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE ASSESSED BY THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION AND THE, UH, RAILING PIPELINE DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION, THOSE PROPERTIES OBEY, IF YOU WILL, THE SAME ASSESSMENT RATIO AS DO THE LOCAL PROPERTIES. PROPERTIES ARE LOCALLY ASSESSED. SO WHEN YOU LOSE 1% OF, UH, OF RATIO LOCAL ON THE LOCALLY ASSESSED PROPERTIES, SO DO THE PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATIONS LOSE A PERCENT OF RATIO AND REVENUE CORRESPONDINGLY. SO THERE'S THE IMPORTANCE. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN A PARTNER WITH SURREY COUNTY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I THINK OUR, I THINK OUR HISTORY WITH SURREY COUNTY GOES BACK INTO 1979 WHEN WE DID OUR FIRST REASSESSMENT HERE. SO WE'VE GOT KIND AN IDEA, WE'VE KIND OF STAYED IN, IN, IN CONTACT WITH YOUR, YOUR SITUATION. AND PRIMARILY THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF JONATHAN, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF WHERE THINGS ARE. SO, YOU KNOW, AND IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT YOU'VE GOT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S WITH US OR WITHOUT SOME OF THE FIRM. SO, UH, SO WE ARE, WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME. YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE EFFECTIVE FOR JANUARY 1ST, 2025. NOW, OUR, OUR, ALSO, IT WOULD BE ESSENTIAL, OUR, ALSO, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE MOST DESIRABLE, IF NOT ESSENTIAL, TO GO AHEAD AND BUILD IN A THREE MONTH EXTENSION, WHICH IS ALLOWED FOR BY, BY STATE LAW. SO THE, THE EXTENSION WOULD ALLOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE, UH, THE ENTIRE PROCESS COMPLETE DECEMBER 31 [00:15:01] OF THIS YEAR, WE WOULD HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL MONTHS, MARCH 31 TO, TO COMPLETE THE, UH, THE REASSESSMENT. THAT MEANS THE DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS THOUGH, IS JANUARY ONE. SO, UH, SO THAT WOULD, THAT'S SO THAT WE CAN ANALYZE THE FULL YEAR OF DATA. THAT'S A, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND IT'S, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ANY JOB, BUT MORE IMPORTANT FOR SURY COUNTY TO GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO GET THE MOST UP-TO-DATE DATA AND THE ANALYSIS. SO WITH THAT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, WE ARE IN, WE'RE THE 1ST OF AUGUST RIGHT NOW. SO TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU IDEALLY, UH, WHOMEVER YOU WOULD PUT UNDER CONTRACT, WHETHER IT BE OUR FIRM OR SOMEONE ELSE, AND I REALIZE WE, WE WOULD HAVE TO, ACCORDING TO THE VIRGINIA PROCUREMENT ACT, WE WOULD HAVE TO COMPETE FOR THIS, FOR THIS WORK. AND WE INTEND TO DO SO BECAUSE WE JUST, UH, WE JUST INTEND TO DO SO . UH, BUT IT WOULD, UH, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE UNFAIR FOR ANY, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR CONTRACTOR, WHOMEVER IT WOULD BE TO, TO EXTEND THIS, UH, LATER IN THE YEAR, MUCH LATER THAN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER, BEFORE YOU WOULD GO UNDER CONTRACT WITH ANYONE, WHETHER IT BE US OR SOME OTHER FIRM. SO, SO I WANTED TO, I WANTED TO ALSO ST TOUCH BASE ON THAT. NOW, THE MARCH 31, UH, UH, EXTENSION DATE THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD, UH, ALSO BUILD INTO THE, THE AGREEMENT, UH, IF, IF WE WERE DOING THE WORK, UH, MEANS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD, WE WOULD CERTIFY VALUES BY MARCH 31. AND THEN THAT MEANS THAT FROM 30 DAYS, UH, FROM OUR LAST HEARING DATE, THE APPEALS DATE, THERE CAN BE THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION SET UP THEIR, THEIR NORMAL, UH, UH, ROUTINE THAT, UH, WOULD ALLOW ADDITIONAL APPEALS THAT THE ASSESSOR EITHER DIDN'T SATISFY OR HADN'T HEARD TO START WITH. SO THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR BOARD OF, UH, BOARD OF EQUALIZATION THAT WILL, WILL STEP IN AND, AND, AND HANDLE APPEALS AFTER THE, UH, THE REASSESSMENT OFFICE WOULD FINISH THEIR WORK. SO THAT WOULD TAKE WHATEVER TIME THAT, UH, AND I THINK TRADITIONALLY, SIR, UH, LIMITS THAT TERM. UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, UH, 90 DAYS OR IF IT'S 120 OR I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DAYS THE, THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION NORMALLY GETS THEIR TERM, BUT THEY DON'T SIT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR NORMALLY HERE IN SURREY COUNTY. SO, SO THAT HAS TO HAPPEN. SO, UH, SO ANYWAY, THAT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH, UH, UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, IMPRESS UPON YOU TONIGHT IS THAT NEED IS THE NEED IS THERE, AND THE NEED IS BECAUSE YOUR RATIO IS, IS, IS FALLING. UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO, TO PREDICT WHAT IT'S GONNA DO AFTER THIS YEAR, BUT WE, WE, UH, WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT OUR FIRM OR, UH, UH, OUR FIRM COULD COME IN AND, AND PERFORM THE LIMITED SCOPE REASSESSMENT LIKE WE DID IN FOR 2023 AND, UH, AND BRING THE, UH, RATIO BACK INTO, INTO PLAY. UH, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'LL DO A BLANKET, UH, ADJUSTMENT TO ALL PROPERTIES. IT MEANS THAT WE'LL ADJUST PROPERTIES AS THEY, UH, APPEAR TO BE, TO APPEAR, TO NEED TO BE ADJUSTED, AND THAT WE'LL CALIBRATE ACCORDINGLY. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE, IF YOU WANNA, IF YOU, SOME OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE HANDOUTS IN MY, OR PAGES IN MY HANDOUT, UM, ARE MORE JUST INFORMATIONAL, BUT THE, THE PAGE THAT SHOWS THE, UH, THE MEDIAN SALE PRICE IS PRETTY INSIGHTFUL. UH, AND THAT'S THIS, THIS GRAPH, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, IT'S LIKE THE THIRD PAGE IN, UH, THAT ONE I'LL SHOW YOU THAT, UH, ACCORDING TO THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS DATA, UH, IT SHOWS YOU WHAT THE MEDIAN HOME SALE PRICE IS DOING IN SURY COUNTY. AND, UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE WANNA, I WANNA ALSO SAY IS THAT SURY COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF DATA COMING THROUGH. WE HAVE A POPULATION OR A PARCEL POPULATION OF ABOUT 6,000 PARCELS HERE. AND, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF DATA TO BASE BIG ANALYSIS OFF OF . IT'S, SO YOU HAVE TO REALLY HAVE TO GET INTO IT AND, AND, AND YOU HAVE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND AS FAR AS THE LOCATION IN THE COUNTY AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S DESIRABLE AND THE MARKET AND WHAT'S MOVING THE MOST. AND, UM, AND TO THAT POINT, UH, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE, UH, UH, THE, THE PICTURE EXAMPLES THAT I'VE GOT IN HERE, UH, WERE TAKEN FROM THE JULY TRANSFERS RECORDED IN THE CLERK OF COURT'S OFFICE. THERE'S ABOUT EIGHT EXAMPLES, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THAT WAS QUALIFIED AS A, AS A QUALIFIED SALE FOR THE MONTH OF JULY EIGHT EXAMPLES. SO THAT KIND OF SPEAKS TO THE, TO THE LIMITATION OF DATA THAT YOU HAVE HERE WHEN YOU, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACTIVITY AT THE MARKET. SO, UH, SO I GUESS TO, TO SUMMARIZE TO, WE KNOW WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU SHOULD DO BECAUSE OF THE, OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE, OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE ASSESSMENTS AND HOW THEY WALK, LOCK HANDS, WALK IN HANDS, WALK IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE, UH, WITH THE ASSESSMENTS OF THE LOCAL, UH, LOCALLY ASSESSED PROPERTIES. AND SO, YOU KNOW THAT, UH, FROM, FROM WHAT I'M CAN TELL YOU THAT YOU NEED TO KIND OF MOVE ALONG WITH THE PROCESS IF YOU WANNA GET SOMEONE UNDER [00:20:01] CONTRACT. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING HARD TO WALK THAT RAZOR'S EDGE HERE, NOT TO PROMOTE WING GATE, BUT SO MUCH. BUT, BUT WE HAVE HAD A, A LONG, A LONG SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR COUNTY, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERY BIT OF IT. AND SO, UH, AND LIKE I SAY, WE INTEND TO COMPETE WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. WE INTEND TO COMPETE ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR BUSINESS. AND WE APPRECIATE THE TIME THIS AFTERNOON. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO DO SO. UH, CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. JUROR. UM, WILL THE REASSESSMENT RESULT IN CITIZENS PAYING MORE REAL ESTATE TAX? IT'S DEPEND. IT DEPENDS. IT DEPENDS. MOST LIKELY YES OR NO. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE TAX RATE DOES, RIGHT? AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF ANALYSIS THAT I'VE DONE SO FAR HERE, MM-HMM, , THERE ARE SEGMENTS IN THE MARKET THAT WON'T RECEIVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF CHANGE AS OTHER SEGMENTS. MM-HMM. , I COULD BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC IF YOU'D LIKE. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. , WHICH SEGMENTS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? LET'S JUST TAKE, LET'S JUST TAKE THE, THE HOUSING MARKET. THAT'S THAT A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING. MM-HMM. , UH, HOUSING THAT ARE 300 AND 350 AND BELOW. MM-HMM. ARE GOING TO GET RACKED HARDER THAN THE HOUSE THAT'S $700,000. GOTCHA. THANK YOU. THAT'S THE BEST I CAN, THAT'S MY QUESTION. YEAH. THAT, THAT PRETTY MUCH ANSWERS IT. YEAH. , THANK YOU. SO THE, THE, THE COMPLETE ANSWER IS IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE TAX RATE DOES, RIGHT? UH, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT MM-HMM, THAT'S WHAT I, I EXPECT TO SEE. AND THAT'S NOT ANYTHING UNIQUE TO, SIR. WE'RE SEEING THAT IN ALL THE LOCALITIES WE WORK, OF COURSE. YEAH. MM-HMM. , IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? THERE'D BE NONE. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IS THIS AN ACTION ITEM? YES. ARE BOARD MEMBERS YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, UH, ACTION ITEM TO DECIDE WHETHER TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT WITH WINGATE, PERFORM A LIMITED SCOPE ASSESSMENT FOR 2025, WHAT WOULD BE THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, MR. CHAIRMAN? IF, IF I MAY, UM, AS, UM, AS MR. WINGATE INDICATED, THIS DOES HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. SO, UM, IF THE ACTION ITEM COULD BE TO, UM, AUTHORIZE STAFF TO PROCEED WITH INITIATING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, AND CERTAINLY WINGATE IS WELCOME TO, TO COMPETE FOR THAT PROCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. BERGS, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD, UH, UH, ATTORNEY, THIS HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. SO, UH, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE ON AUTHORIZING STAFF TO PURSUE THIS, UH, CHAIR? CAN I MAKE A POINT OF ORDER MR. HOTTY? UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE, UH, COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE HIMSELF AND GET HIS RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BOARD. THANK YOU, MR. HOTTY. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. HOW'S THAT, MATE? GOOD EVENING. UM, AT THIS TIME, WHAT YOU'RE GOING, WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE FACED WITH MAKING A DECISION ON IS WHETHER OR NOT, UM, TO PROCEED WITH HAVING A LOWER RATIO, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY DETER END UP WITH, UM, POTENTIALLY A, A FALLING, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE REVENUE FOR THE NEXT, FOR 2025 TAX YEAR 2025. WE'RE NOT TALKING 24, WE'RE TALKING 25. UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE, THE ASSESSMENT OF ALL PUBLIC SERVICE WOULD BE BASED ON, AS WE HAVE NOW, AN 88% RATIO VERSUS WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE BY HAVING A REASSESSMENT TO GET EVERY, TO GET YOUR RATIO BACK TO A HUNDRED PERCENT. OUR RATIO FOR, UM, THIS YEAR WAS 97.4, UM, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING UNIT 4 24. SO, SO I MEAN, FROM, FROM OUR OFFICE STANDPOINT, UM, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF THE BOARD DID CONSIDER TAKING SOME SORT OF ACTION, UM, REGARDING REASSESSMENT IN A LIMITED SCOPE WAY. UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET YOUR RATIO BACK TO A HUNDRED TO A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, YOU KNOW, SO WHEN, YOU KNOW WHEN FOR PUBLIC SER FOR THE PUR PURPOSE OF PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION ASSESSMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY STANCE AT THIS POINT AS WELL. QUESTION MR. JENKINS? ABSOLUTELY. IF, IF WE DON'T TAKE ANY ACTION, DO YOU THINK THE RATIO WILL CONTINUE TO FALL OR DO YOU THINK IT'S STABLE? IT'S HARD TO SAY, UM, BUT YOU'RE ALREADY GONNA BE AT LEAST DOWN 10 PER ALMOST 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS SOMEWHERE YOU CURRENTLY ARE FOR THIS YEAR. SO YOU WOULD BE FALLING FROM 97 TO SAY 88. MAYBE YOUR BEST WOULD BE 90. YOU KNOW, IN A GOOD SCENARIO, IT MIGHT, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TRACKING, YOUR WORST SCENARIO COULD BE AS LOW AS THE LOW EIGHTIES. SO, MR. DUNCANS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, MOST MUNICIPALITIES RUN IN THE EIGHTIES NORMALLY, THAT THAT MAY BE THE [00:25:01] CASE. UM, I, I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYWHERE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, A ANOTHER LOCALITY THAT HAS A LARGE PUBLIC SERVICE PRESENCE IS LOUISA COUNTY, AND THEY WORK TO ENSURE THAT THEIR RATIO IS AS CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PERCENT AS POSSIBLE AS WELL. WELL, THEY ALSO HAVE THE, ANOTHER NUCLEAR PLAN AS LIKE WE DID. MM-HMM. , THAT'S, I UNDERSTAND THAT BENEFIT, BUT IT'S JUST THE TAXPAYERS ARE MY CONCERN. I UNDERSTAND. BUT, UM, A, A CONSIDERATION OF THE TAX RATE SHOULD BE DONE. I, I, UM, WOULD CONCUR THAT AS, UM, AS MR. THOMAS MENTIONED, MM-HMM. , UM, SHOULD THIS BE TAKEN, THE TAX RATE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL. MM-HMM, , THANK YOU. MR. JENKINS, YOU HAVE A COMMENT FROM STAFF? YES. UM, MR. JENKINS TO, UM, PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE? MM-HMM. UM, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, RATIO BEING AT 97.4% MM-HMM, , UM, JUST SO THAT THE BOARD IS AWARE THAT THAT RESULTED IN, UM, TAX REVENUE LOSS OF APPROXIMATELY $412,000. SO ANYTIME THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RATIO, EVEN DIPPING BELOW THAT, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE IMPACT ON PUBLIC SERVICE, UM, THAT WE HAVE AT THAT RATIO WAS TO BE ACCESSED. UM, YOU KNOW, MUCH ANYWHERE BELOW THAT. UH, 100%. AND ALSO I WANT TO ADD, UM, TO REFERENCE IN TERMS OF THE EXTENSION, UM, THAT MAY BE REQUIRED BECAUSE BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU ARE AWARE, THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION ON YOUR PART IN TERMS OF, UM, LOOKING AT A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR TAX BILLING. YES. SO WE JUST WANT TO JUST MAYBE ASK A QUESTION, UM, IF WE DID NOT, UH, IS THAT THREE MONTH PERIOD ALWAYS REQUIRED IN TERMS OF EXTENDING THE TIME NEEDED TO DO THE REASSESSMENT? WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT IF WE DID NOT EXTEND IT BEYOND THE THREE MONTHS? JUST TO MY STANDPOINT ON THAT, UM, IT WOULD NOT ALLOW IT FOR THE SCOPE OF THE WORK TO BE COMPLETED AS, AS MR. THOMAS STATED EARLIER, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TO ENSURE THAT THAT RATIO IS A HUNDRED PERCENT BASED ON SALES FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE CURRENT YEAR. BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ALREADY TO THIS POINT OF THE YEAR AS IT IS, AND SOMETHING WOULD NEED TO BE IN PLACE FAIRLY SOON IN ORDER TO ALLOW THEM OR WHOEVER WOULD BE HIRED TO, TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. THANK YOU, MR. JUDGE. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BOARD MEMBERS? I, I WOULD JUST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, BOARD COURT A LOT OF FLAG FOR WAS THE SIX YEAR WINDOW WHEN WE HAD OPEN, AND THEN WE HAD TO DO THE REASSESSMENT AFTER THAT SIX YEARS. IT WAS EXTREMELY, UH, CUMBERSOME UPON THE COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH THAT BIG DIFFERENCE. AND IF WE ARE AT, AT THIS POSITION NOW, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO CURTAIL THAT. THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT LOSS. $412,000 WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY WITH 97 FOR 97. IF HE HAD, IF HE HAD A 97. IF HE HAD 97. SO AGAIN, WHAT WOULD BE THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, THE CHAIR, MR. HARD, I THINK, UH, BASED UPON THE RECOMMENDATION, I, I ASSUME BE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE, UH, COMMISSION REVENUE, UH, I MOVE THAT WE GO AHEAD AND, UH, APPROVE STAFF TO TAKE ACTION TO, UM, INITIATE, UH, BIDS FOR THE, UH, TO CONDUCT A LIMITED SCOPE REASSESSMENT. SECOND HAS BEEN PROPER MOVE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? NO. HAVE ONE NOTE, MR. JURY. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA PRESENTATIONS, YES. UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, THERE ARE NONE. THERE ARE NONE. SO WE'LL MOVE TO OUR [County Administrators Report] COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. YES. UM, WE DO HAVE JUST TWO ITEMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE FIRST WE'RE GOING TO ASK MR. RENEE CHAPLIN TO COME FORWARD WITH AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN ELLIOT, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MADAM ADMINISTRATOR ROLLINS, MR. HARRISON, AND MEMBERS OF THE SURREY COUNTY. UM, I'M GOING TO START FIRST WITH A SMALL PRESENTATION WITH A FEW LITTLE HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT, UH, OUR LOVE WORK SIGN. MANY OF YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE LOVE WORKS IN VIRGINIA, AND A LOT OF THE, UH, LOVE WORK SIGNS THAT YOU SEE IN A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES. AND I KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED, UH, HERE IN THE COUNTY AND, UH, ACTUALLY DECIDED UPON TO, TO MOVE FORWARD. UM, I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY EXCITING PROJECT, AND WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO KIND OF LOOK AT SOME OF THE, I KNOW THEY'RE A LITTLE SMALL. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY ARE. BUT, UM, THESE ARE SIGNS THAT ARE EXAMPLES ALL AROUND VIRGINIA. AND YOU SEE, THEY'RE VERY UNIQUE. ALL OF THEM HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS, DIFFERENT DESIGNS, DIFFERENT PATTERNS, DIFFERENT MATERIALS, UH, BUT THEY'RE ALL, UM, THEY'RE ALL ABOUT LOVE. AND I THINK THAT'S A, A VERY [00:30:01] NICE THING IN THIS DAY AND AGE. THIS PARTICULAR SIGN IS, UH, THERE'S TWO OF THEM HERE, UH, THAT YOU'LL SEE THIS ONE DESIGN HERE IS A 3D DESIGN BUILT, AND IT IS PAINT PAINTED ON A WOODEN BASE. THEY'VE GOTTA BE VERY STURDY BECAUSE YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA WEATHER WELL OUTSIDE, UM, RESISTS THE FADING AND MOISTURE AND ALL OF THAT. ALL OF THEM'S GONNA HAVE TO BE TOUCHED UP FROM TIME TO TIME BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS. BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU WANT SOMETHING WITH A REALLY GOOD DESIGN THAT HOLDS UP. SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS NEXT ONE RIGHT HERE WITH A LOT OF HAPPY PEOPLE IN FRONT OF IT, IS ONE THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED THAT, UH, IS REALLY COMPILED OF A LOT OF HISTORICAL PICTURES OF SURREY COUNTY. THIS IS NOT THE EXACT DESIGN, BUT WE HAVE A HUGE, HUGE GALLERY OF PICTURES OF, OF THE COUNTY THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN THROUGH THE YEARS, AND THAT HAVE MORE CURRENT PICTURES AS WELL, THAT DEMONSTRATES SURREY COUNTY AND A LOT OF THE BEAUTY. SO THIS PARTICULAR SIGN IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON TO PICK UP AS WE HAD A, A MEMBER OF, UH, THE COUNTY THAT HAD LEFT, UH, THE COUNTY. AND SO THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN, UH, RENEWED AND WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. AND I WANTED EVERYONE TO SEE, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD PROPOSE HERE, UH, JUST IN FRONT OF THE FARMER'S MARKET THERE IN THE OPEN FIELD. UH, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE PLACE IT IN AN AREA THAT IS, UM, LAID OUT THE CORRECT WAY. WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE MEASUREMENTS RIGHT NOW, SO TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FABRICATION SIZES WILL BE, BUT IT SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. AND WE WOULD BEGIN THAT PROJECT, UH, RELATIVELY SOON. RIGHT NOW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THESE SIGNS IN SURREY COUNTY. YOU CAN SEE THERE'S ONE ON DRAGONFLY HILL FARM, THE SUNFLOWER FARM, UH, HAMILTON AUTOMOTIVE, AND THEN AT THE SURREY MARKETPLACE IS THE MOST RECENT ONE. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S KIND OF NEAT IS, UH, LYNCHBURG HAS, THEY TOPPED THE LOCALITY SO FAR, AND THEY HAVE 11 OF THE LOVE SIGNS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CAMPAIGN THAT'S STARTING FEEL THE LOVE IN SURREY COUNTY. AND SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS SEE PEOPLE TO, TO BUY INTO THIS AND, AND HAVE THESE VERY UNIQUE SIGNS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT ONES. AND, AND WE KNOW WE CAN BEAT LYNCHBURG. WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA OUTDO LYNCHBURG. SO SURREY COUNTY, YOU CAN FEEL THE LOVE. SO, UM, I THINK IT'S A, A REALLY GREAT THING THAT WE HAVE NEW, A NEW APP THAT WE CAN DESIGN TRAILS, JUST LIKE THE CULTURAL TRAIL. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE THOUGHT WAS, IF WE END UP GETTING A A, A FAIR AMOUNT OF THESE SIGNS, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GO AROUND THE STATE AND TAKE PICTURES OF THIS WITH THEIR FAMILIES, AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE ON THEIR BUCKET LIST TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE MOST PICTURES OF THEIR FAMILIES IN FRONT OF THESE SIGNS ALL OVER THE VIRGINIA. SO WE WANT THEM TO COME TO SURREY COUNTY, WE WANT THEM TO LEARN ABOUT OUR AGRITOURISM. UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR APP, WE CAN CREATE OUR, OUR FEEL THE LOVE TRAIL. UH, WE CAN CREATE, UH, ALONG WITH OUR AGRITOURISM. SO AS OUR FARMERS HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL SIGNS ON THEIR FARMS, IT ALSO HELPS PROMOTE THEIR AGRITOURISM EXPERIENCES AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER OUR BUSINESSES. AND I'M JUST DYING TO SEE WHAT SOME OF OUR COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES WILL COME UP WITH FROM SOME OF THE IDEAS BECAUSE, UM, IT'S REALLY AN ENDLESS THING HOW YOU CAN COME UP WITH THE DIFFERENT MATERIALS THAT YOU WOULD USE TO DESIGN THESE SIGNS. SO I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU FOLKS MIGHT LIKE TO SEE THIS EVENING THAT, UH, WE, WE ARE WORKING ON. THANK YOU. THAT'S THE LAST OF MY VISUAL, BUT I DID WANT TO GIVE YOU, UH, AN UPDATE ON THE SURREY MARKETPLACE, LLC. UH, ON APRIL 24TH, A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY WAS RECEIVED. AND ON APRIL 25TH AT THE EDA MEETING, MRS. CHERYL WHITE CAME BEFORE THE EDA TO THANK THE EDA BOARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT THROUGH THE PROJECT AND THE BUILD OUT OF THE SURREY MARKETPLACE. SHE STAYED, SHE STATED THAT THE BUILDING LOOKED WONDERFUL, OF COURSE, AND WAS WELL WORTH THE WAIT. AND I KNOW IT WAS A VERY HAPPY DAY FOR EVERYBODY SINCE THE CONSTRUCTION WAS FINALIZED. UM, AND WE HAD HAD SOME DELAYS. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THAT HAD HAD THAT DONE ALSO. UM, IT PASSED THE V DS EXP INSPECTION THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND SHE FURTHER ADDED THAT THE STORE WAS UNDERGOING SOME FINAL, UM, SYSTEM INSTALLS THAT THEY WERE DOING THE POINT OF SALE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, STOCKING, HIRING, TRAINING, AND GETTING READY FOR THE OPENING DAY. SHE ADDED THAT THE OPENING DAY WOULD BE AROUND THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE. MANY OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE COUNTY ITSELF IS VERY EXCITED FOR THE OPENING OF THE SURREY MARKETPLACE. AND AN OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE HAS BEEN SENT, UH, TO THE SURREY MARKETPLACE, LLC, REQUESTING AN UPDATE AND STATUS ON OPENING AND, AND NEXT STEPS. ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION, NO OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE HAS BEEN RECEIVED AS OF YET, UH, FROM THE SURREY MARKETPLACE. AND I WILL DEFINITELY [00:35:01] KEEP YOU APPRISED OF ANY UPDATES FORTHCOMING, BECAUSE WE, WE ARE WAITING ON AN OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE. UM, IN ADDITION, THE ALIUS FURNITURE AT THE RESTAURANT MEXICAN RESTAURANT HAS ARRIVED. I SAW IT MYSELF YESTERDAY. UM, IT IS STACKED TO THE CEILING, UNFORTUNATELY IN PAPER . BUT, UH, DID SPEAK WITH LOUIS, UH, PEDROS AND HE SAID THAT HE WILL BE OPENING THE RESTAURANT HOPEFULLY IF EVERYTHING GOES TEXTBOOK BETWEEN, UH, THE THIRD AND FOURTH WEEK OF AUGUST. SO WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY HE COULD HAVE ANOTHER DELAY. THERE'S SOME SLIGHT PUNCH LIST THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE CON, THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM AS HE'S GONE THROUGH AND, AND EVALUATED THINGS AS WE EXPERIENCED WITH OUR OWN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. UH, BUT HE IS VERY, VERY HOPEFUL AND I SPOKE WITH HIM AS RECENT AS YESTERDAY. SO, UH, BUT THE FURNITURE IS STACKED IN THERE 'CAUSE I SAW IT YESTERDAY AND IT'S STILL ALL WRAPPED UP IN THE PACKAGING AND EVERYTHING. IT'S VERY FULL, BUT IT, BUT IT LOOKS GREAT AND I THINK IT'S GOTTA BE NICE. OH, AND WE HEARD THE SOUND SYSTEM AS WELL. THEY WERE TESTING OUT THE SOUND SYSTEM, SO SOUNDS LIKE A FUN PLACE. OKAY, THANK YOU, MS. PERKINS. EXCUSE ME, MS. CHAPLIN, MS. PERKINS RIGHT HERE BESIDE ME. UM, [Additional Item] YES, CHAIRMAN ELLIOT. UM, I'M GONNA ASK CHEF TURNER TO COME FORTH, UM, TO PRESENT JUST TWO ITEMS. UM, CHEF TURNER. YES, MA'AM. CHAIRMAN ELLIOT, MR. PIERCE, UM, MEMBERS OF BOARD. GOOD EVENING. I COME TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, BUT WE JUST COME BACK TO REITERATE ONCE AGAIN THAT WE HAVE NATIONAL OUT COMING ON THIS TUESDAY AT FIVE 30 TO EIGHT O'CLOCK. SO WE ARE INVITING EVERYBODY OUT. UM, WE GOT A LOT OF THINGS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND, AND FOLKS HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY, VERY HARD TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND GET ALL OUR VENDORS AND GET ALL OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OUT TO, TO KIND OF BE OUT TO SHOWCASE WHAT THEY HAVE FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO WE INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME ON OUT. WE GOT SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR OUR KIDS, FOR OUR ELEMENTARY KIDS, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS, AS WELL AS OUR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS. SO WE INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME ON OUT ON THIS ON TUESDAY, AUGUST THE SIXTH, FIVE 30 TO EIGHT 30, WE'RE GONNA HAVE FREE FOOD, HOT DOGS, HAMBURGERS, FRIED FISH, AND ALL KINDS OF GOOD EATING. SO Y'ALL COME ON OUT. UM, SO WE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE SECOND THING. WHAT WAS THE PURCHASE SERVICE WEAPON? OH, YES. OH, AND YES, I'M SORRY. YES. ANOTHER THING IS WE ARE REQUESTING ALSO, UM, THE BOARD TO APPROVE, UM, THE, THE PURCHASE OF, UM, LIEUTENANT, UM, LORI LANE, WHO ACTUALLY RETIRED ON MAY OF, UM, 15TH, UM, THE PURCHASE HIS WEAPON FOR $1. SO, SO WE JUST ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE THAT, UM, PER THE VIRGINIA CODE, IT ALLOWS, UM, THE BOARD TO APPROVE THAT SUCH THING. SO WE'RE JUST ASKING Y'ALL TO APPROVE THAT. SO THANK YOU SHERIFF BOARD MEMBERS. YOU HEARD THE REQUEST FROM, UH, SHERIFF ON THE PURCHASE OF A WEAPON FOR A RETIRED OFFICER. LES ROY LANE. RON OFFICER LANE, DO WE HAVE A, A MOTION FROM THE BOARD, MR. CHAIR? MR. PIERCE, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, UH, MR. ROY LANE TO PURCHASE HIS, UH, FIREARM, UH, FOR $1. HAVE A MOTION, HAVE A SECOND, SECOND BEEN PROPERTY, MOVE IN SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING AND SIGN OF AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? YOU GOT TO GO AHEAD. THANK Y'ALL. YES, SHERIFF TURNER DID NOT MENTION THAT ON YESTERDAY. UH, HE WILL BE DOING A LITTLE MINI CEREMONY FOR SOME NEW OFFICERS, UM, WHO GRADUATED FROM THE ACADEMY. SO I WANT TO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE NEW OFFICERS WHO HAVE JOINED THE SRA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. OKAY, AND MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. UH, MR. ROLLINS, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE, UH, [For Your Information] IN YOUR PACKET YOU HAVE THE COMMISSIONER REVENUES, UH, ASSOCIATION, ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE. WE HAVE OUR INVESTMENT LETTER FROM MAY, JUNE. AND FOR REPORTS [Reports] ALSO IN OUR PACKAGE, WE HAVE THE BUILDING OFFICIALS REPORT AND REPORT FROM THE BLACKWATER REGIONAL LIBRARY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE REPORTS? IF THERE BE NONE, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO [Public Comments] OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WE WILL TURN THE REQUIREMENTS OVER TO OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND WE'RE GONNA ASK MR. HARRISON IF HE'D BE THE TIMEKEEPER FOLLOWING. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. RULES FOR CITIZEN COMMENT, PERIOD. TO ENSURE THAT [00:40:01] THE AFFAIRS OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES MAY BE CONDUCTED IN AN ORDERLY MANNER TO ENSURE THAT ALL PERSONS DESIRING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON MATTERS PERTINENT TO IT ARE AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, TO PERMIT PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE, TO OBSERVE AND HEAR THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD WITHOUT DISTRACTION, AND TO PERMIT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THE BOARD TO CONDUCT COUNTY BUSINESS WITH MINIMAL DISRUPTION. THE FOLLOWING RULES ARE ESTABLISHED. A, EACH PERSON DESIRING TO SPEAK MUST SIGN UP IN ADVANCE OF THE OPENING OF THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD ON THE AGENDA. B, EACH SPEAKER SHALL BE LIMITED TO A PERIOD OF THREE MINUTES PER COMMENT PERIOD. WHEN TWO MINUTES HAVE PASSED, THE SPEAKER WILL BE REMINDED THAT THERE IS ONE MINUTE REMAINING. C. SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP MAY USE THEIR ALLOTTED TIME ONLY FOR THEMSELVES AND MAY NOT DONATE THEIR TIME TO OTHER SPEAKERS. D SPEAKERS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO USE AUDIO, VISUAL MATERIALS OR OTHER VISUAL DISPLAYS, BUT MAY PRESENT WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS TO THE BOARD MEMBERS. E COMMENTS MUST BE CONFINED TO MATTERS, GERMANE TO THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND SHALL NOT BE CUMULATIVE OR REPETITIVE. THE BOARD MAY PREVENT OR DISCONTINUE COMMENTS FROM ANY SPEAKER THAT ARE IRRELEVANT. F SPEAKERS SHOULD ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH DECORUM, LOUD, BOISTEROUS, AND DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS WELL AS OTHER WORDS OR ACTS TENDING TO EVOKE VIOLENCE OR DEEMED TO BE A BREACH OF THE PEACE. INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT ABIDE BY THIS POLICY AFTER A WARNING WILL FORFEIT ANY REMAINING SPEAKER TIME AND BE ASKED TO RETURN TO THEIR SEAT OR LEAVE THE MEETING. G THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD OR TIME FOR DIALOGUE WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS. QUESTIONS WHICH ARE RAISED DURING A COMMENT PERIOD MAY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD BE RESPONDED TO BY COUNTY OFFICIALS AFTER SUFFICIENT TIME FOR APPROPRIATE INVESTIGATION, H SPEAKER SHALL REMAIN AT THE PODIUM WHILE ADDRESSING THE BOARD, EXCEPT WHERE AN ACCOMMODATION HAS BEEN GRANTED IN ADVANCE. I SPEAKERS SHALL NOT BE INTERRUPTED BY AUDIENCE, COMMENTS, CALLS, WHISTLES, LAUGHTER, OR OTHER GESTURES. INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO DO NOT ABIDE BY THIS POLICY AFTER A WARNING WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING. JAY. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE PROHIBITED FROM CAMPAIGNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE OR OTHERWISE ENGAGING IN ELECTION RELATED SPEECH IN THE MEETING ROOM WHEN NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO AN ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD. THESE RULES RULES DO NOT PRECLUDE PERSONS FROM DELIVERING THE BOARD TO THE BOARD OR TO ITS CLERK, WRITTEN MATERIALS, INCLUDING REPORTS, STATEMENTS, EXHIBITS, LETTERS, OR SIGN PETITIONS, OR TO PROHIBIT PERSONS FROM PRESENTING ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT GERMANE TO THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD, TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR TO THE BOARD THROUGH ITS CLERK OUTSIDE THE CONTEXT OF THE PUBLIC MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. PERKINS. UH, WE FIRST HAVE, UH, MS. HELEN EGGLESTON, MR. CHAIRMAN, OUR BOARD MEMBERS, MS. PERKINS, MS. ROLLINS, WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY, I'M GONNA SAY IT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO ALL OF YOU. IT'S NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK ON ANYONE, BUT I SAY IT WITH ALL SINCERITY AND I HOPE YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHEN IT COMES TO TIME FOR THE CITIZENS OF SARA COUNTY TO OFFER COMMENTS. WE WHO ELECTED YOU TO THIS BOARD TO REPRESENT US, YOUR CONSTITUENTS. WE COME FOR DIFFERENT REASONS AND SOME OF US COME WITH ADVICE OR SUGGESTIONS. SOME COME WITH REQUESTS AND SOME COME WITH APPROVALS AND SOME COME WITH COMPLAINTS. OUR FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS GUARANTEES THE CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO ASK THE GOVERNMENT. AND YOU HAVE THE HONOR AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES OR PETITIONS. THE PETITION THE GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE. THIS AMENDMENT GUARANTEES US THE RIGHT TO ASK YOU TO PRO PROVIDE RELIEF FROM WHAT WE DEEM TO BE A WRONG ACTION OR THROUGH LITIGATION OR THROUGH GOVERNMENT ACTION. AND AS A BOARD, YOU DON'T ACCEPT CRITICISM WELL FEW OF US DO. HOWEVER, IN THE ISSUE OF EXEMPTING YOURSELVES FROM YOUR OWN GUN BAN AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS EXCEEDS ANY PRIVILEGE YOU MIGHT HAVE. AND I'M ONLY GONNA TOUCH ON THIS SUBJECT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE LATER IF YOU WISH TO CARRY AND A GOVERNMENT BUILDING AND CONSIDER REPEALING THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING GUN BAN SO THAT ALL CITIZENS WITH A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT MAY ONCE AGAIN CARRY PEACEFULLY IN THOSE BUILDINGS. [00:45:04] IF YOU FEEL THREATENED BY SOMETHING SOMEONE HAS SAID OR POST ONE MINUTE REMAIN POST ON FACEBOOK, THEN YOU SHOULD TAKE LEGAL STEPS TO STOP THE I'M NOT A FACEBOOK FAN AND I WOULD NOT HIDE MY GRIEVANCES BEHIND THE COMPUTER SCREEN OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THAT'S COWARDLY. HOWEVER, I DO HAVE THREE PETITIONS TO ADDRESS. I STRENUOUSLY OBJECT TO YOUR BORROWING $10 BILLION AT THIS TIME WHEN THE COUNTY IS ALREADY IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEBT. REAL ESTATE TAXES ARE BECOMING UNMANAGEABLE FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE ON FIXED INCOMES. THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY NEED A GROCERY STORE. AND I JUST UNDERSTAND FROM MS. CHAPLIN THAT IT IS COMING. I HOPE IT'S NOT ANOTHER EMPTY PROMISE, BUT WE NEED THAT GROCERY STORE NOW. A LOT OF OUR SENIOR CITIZENS REALLY NEED THAT GROCERY STORE. WE NEED A TRADE SCHOOL IN THIS COUNTY. SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ALL OF THEIR LIVES. THREE MINUTES. SHOULD I FINISH? NO, THAT'S YOUR TIME, MS. . I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS WE NEED. YES MA'AM. TRADE SCHOOL, THE GROCERY STORE, AND STOP BORROWING MONEY. NEXT WILL BE MR. MIKE TON. I HOPE YOU REALIZE HOW LUDICROUS BORROWING $10 MILLION THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN TO BUILD A SWIMMING POOL UNLESS YOU GONNA KEEP IT OPEN AT NIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR A LIVING SO THEY CAN ENJOY IT. AND MY COMMENT, I'LL SAY MOST OF IT LATER, IF YOU WANT TO WEAR A GUN, JOIN THE MILITARY LIKE A LOT OF US IN THIS ROOM HAVE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SIR. NEXT WE MISS SUSAN COVELO APPROACH THE CLERK. THANK YOU SUSAN VELA CLAREMONT. MR. ELLIOTT, YOU WERE QUOTED IN THE SMITHFIELD TIMES IN 22 AS SAYING, I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE ANYBODY'S WEAPONS FROM THEM. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP THE WEAPONS OUTSIDE THE BUILDING. SHOULDN'T WE COME UP WITH SOME OTHER SOLUTIONS SUCH AS NOTIFYING THE PROPER AUTHORITY, UPGRADING SCREENING, OR ADDING MORE SECURITY IN THE MEETINGS? I WOULD SUGGEST BEFORE YOU ISSUE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING THAT THE BOARD MEET AS A WORK SESSION AND POSSIBLY DISCUSS IF THERE'S ANY OTHER OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN DO BESIDES ARMING YOURSELVES AT THESE MEETINGS. ACCORDING TO A BOARD MEMBER'S POST ON FACEBOOK, HE TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY AND THEM PEOPLE DO NOT LOVE SURREY COUNTY. THEY LOVE ATTENTION, CHAOS, AND GRANDSTANDING. THEY PLAY BULLY ONE WEEK, DEVIL'S ADVOCATE THE NEXT WEEK, AND THEY PLAY VICTIM WHEN THEY'RE CALLED OUT. THAT'S WHO THEY ARE. MS. C HOW THIS, I'M SORRY, THIS, HOW IS THIS GERMANE TO THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY OR FACEBOOK POST THIS, THIS IS FOR BE STRICTLY FOR BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY. THIS IS BECAUSE IT CAME FROM A BOARD MEMBER. IT, HOW IS THIS ENTERTAINING BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY? THAT'S MY QUESTION. IT'S PERTAINING TO YOUR, UM, REQUEST TO CARRY A WEAPON. AND THESE ARE MY ISSUES ON WHY I DON'T THINK Y'ALL NEED TO BE CARRYING A WEAPON. CONTINUE. DO I HAVE EXTRA TIME NOW? CONTINUE. STAFF HAS CALLED OUT 10 PEOPLE AS LIARS AND DISCRIMINATORS OF SKIN COLOR. AND ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER STATED THERE WERE FIVE CITIZENS THAT CAME TO A BOARD MEETING THAT DO NOT WANNA SEE GROWTH. I WAS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT DAY AND I SPEAK AT PUBLIC COMMENTS REGULARLY. SO YES, I TOOK MUCH OFFENSE TO THESE COMMENTS BECAUSE I HAVE ONLY BROUGHT LEGITIMATE ISSUES OR CONCERNS TO THE BOARD. I PERSONALLY HAD AN INCIDENT WITH STAFF AFTER A MEETING THAT I WOULD CONSIDER [00:50:01] HATEFUL AND EMAILED MY CONCERNS ABOUT CODE OF CONDUCT BEING BROKEN AND INTIMIDATION. AND THE ONLY THING THAT I RECEIVED FROM STAFF WAS THE INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED. NOBODY REACHED BACK OUT TO ME TO ASK ME ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. AND MR. ELLIOTT, YOU DID ADVISE ME THAT YOU REACHED OUT FOR SOME CLARIFICATION, BUT NOT BACK TO ME. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN HARASSMENT, MISINFORMATION, AND HATE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE. THE POSTS THAT I HAVE GIVEN ARE EXAMPLES AND I JUST LIKE TO END WITH A QUOTE THAT OVER A HUNDRED DIFFERENT PEOPLE, CITIZENS FROM SURREY HAVE LIKED AND LOVED ON FACEBOOK. IT'S OKAY TO HAVE AN OPINION. IT'S OKAY TO DISAGREE WITH SOMEONE'S OPINION. IT'S NOT OKAY TO HUMILIATE THEM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT THINK THE SAME WAY YOU DO. SHOW SOME RESPECT. SOCIETY NEEDS MORE OF IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. LITTLE GOOD EVENING, CITIZENS. MY NAME IS JUDY LITTLE AND I AM FROM THE BACON'S CASTLE DISTRICT AND IT SEEMS A LITTLE STRANGE SITTING ON THIS SIDE RATHER THAN UP THERE. GOOD TO SEE YOU, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR CONTINUING THE GREAT JOB OF RUNNING SURY COUNTY. WE APPRECIATE YOU. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO REPRESENT THE SURY COUNTY AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE SOCIETY. UM, I THINK EACH OF YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION FROM OUR GROUP OF CONCERNING THE USE OF ONE OF THE VACANT BUILDINGS ON THE COURTHOUSE GROUNDS. THOSE, UM, BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR A LONG TIME AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT CONDITION THEY ARE IN, BUT WE ARE ASKING THE BOARD TO ALLOW US TO OCCUPY ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS. I DON'T KNOW, WHICHEVER ONE OR JUST ONE THOUGH. AND THE PREFERENCE WOULD BE THE OLD JAILHOUSE. THE OLD JAILHOUSE IS IN VERY INTERESTING. UM, WELL BUILT AND I FEEL LIKE THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE FOR THE AMERICAN S SOCIETY TO MEET. SO THAT REQUEST IS WHY I AM HERE TONIGHT. I HOPE YOU WOULD CONSIDER THE USE OF THAT, UM, BUILDING BY THE SURREY COUNTY, AFRICAN AMERICAN HERS SOCIETY. WE HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE ABOUT 2003. WE, WE'VE HELD SEVERAL EVENTS IN THE COUNTY. WE RIGHT NOW AND AT THIS TIME MEET AT THE PARK AND RENTS BUILDING. SO, UM, A COMMITTEE OF BOARD AND THE SOCIETY TALKING AND WORKING OUT WHATEVER PLANS TO OPERATE THE BUILDING WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. LITTLE. UH, WE HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE, THE REQUEST AND I KNOW STAFF IS LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT BUILDING WOULD BE MOST SUITABLE. AND SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE OLD JAIL, UH, HOUSE, I'M SURE STAFF WOULD LOOK INTO THAT FOR YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBER. I JUST DID THE REST OF THE NEXT WE HAVE, UH, DR. DANIEL SHAY. ALL RIGHT. FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK CARLOS AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. UM, I'VE NEVER ONCE FELT UNSAFE HERE WHEN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ALLEGES SOME CITIZENS DON'T LIKE BLACK PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP, FAILING TO ADDRESS THAT IS WRONG. POINT OF ORDER. POINT OF ORDER CHAIR MR. THAT WAS NOT COMMUNICATED IN ANY FORM. WHEN A SUPERVISOR CLAIMS HATRED IS SO PREVALENT THAT HE FEARS FOR HIS SAFETY AT THIS VERY MEETING, NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT PERSPECTIVE IS WRONG. POINT OF ORDER. WHAT SUPERVISOR, UH, SAID HE DIDN'T FEEL SAFE AT THIS MEETING? WHEN A SUPERVISOR CLAIMS HATRED IS SO PRE SUPERVISOR, CLAIM HATRED. UH, SUPERVISOR HARDY. MR. HOW YOU CARE TO RESPOND, SIR? UH, ARE WE GONNA GO BACK AND FORTH? DOCTOR? FINISH. UH, CHAIR. OKAY, CONTINUE. MR. DR. SHEA. I BELIEVE THE RULES ARE SUCH THAT THIS IS NOT A QUESTION, ANSWER OR BACK AND FORTH. IT IS NOT. CONTINUE, SIR. THANK YOU. WHEN SUPERVISORS HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SHOOTING EACH OTHER, SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG, DISARMING CITIZENS HERE, THEN ARMING YOURSELVES WOULD BE WRONG. WHEN CITIZENS FEAR TO BE HERE AND ANOTHER CITIZEN SAYS THEY SHOULD STAY HOME, SUPERVISORS SHOULD REBUKE THAT LANGUAGE OR BE WRONG AND LOSE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD. DO YOU KNOW WHO ELSE IS WRONG? I AM. [00:55:02] I AM WRONG. I'LL TAKE YOUR SILENCE AS AGREEMENT THAT I'M WRONG. THAT'S A SMALL AGREEMENT, BUT IT'S A START. MR. ELLIOT, WHAT DO YOU AND MS. BREWERY HAVE IN COMMON? MS. ROLLINS, HOW ABOUT YOU AND ME? I'M REFERENCING THE SAME THING THAT MR. CALHOUN SHARES WITH MR. HARRISON, MS. PERKINS, MR. PIERCE, MR. HARDY HAS SO MANY MORE, WE'RE ALL WRONG AT TIMES. FLAT OUT WRONG. HOW DO I KNOW THIS? BECAUSE WE'RE ALL HUMAN. WE SPEAK WRONGLY. CHOOSE WRONGLY. JUDGE WRONGLY, POINT A CONCERN. AND THEN WE DIG IN. FOR, TO ADMIT WRONGNESS WOULD BE WEAK OR WOULD'VE BEEN. WE'RE ALL MORE OFTEN THAN WE MIGHT PREFER TO ADMIT WRONG. AND IN THAT WE CAN FIND CONNECTION AND EVEN SOME WISDOM. LOOK AT ME. WHAT DO YOU SEE? I'LL TELL YOU WITH CERTAINTY THAT WHEN YOU SEE ME, YOU ARE AS WRONG AS I AM. WHEN I SEE YOU IN OUR EYES, THERE'S A GAP WHERE THE OPTIC NERVE PENETRATES THE RETINA. MEDICALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S OUR BLIND SPOT. AND WHAT DO WE DO? WE FILL THAT SPOT IN WITH WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE. THAT'S HOW WE'RE MADE. THAT'S HOW WE'RE WIRED. OUR VERY HUMANITY INCLUDES WRONGNESS. WHEN WE FAIL TO ADMIT OUR HUMANITY, OUR IMPERFECTION, WE GUARANTEE MORE WRONGNESS. SO WHEN I AM WRONG, WHEN I'M LESS KIND OR WISE OR PATIENT THAN I'M CAPABLE OF, I APOLOGIZE. AND NOTICE I SAY WHEN NOT IF BECAUSE I'M HUMAN. I'M CERTAINLY AT TIMES IN THE WRONG. ABSOLUTELY. CERTAINLY. AND AS A LEADER, NOT OF YOU, BUT OF MYSELF, I ADMIT MY HUMANITY AND STRIVE TO BE THE BEST PERSON AND LEADER I CAN BE. I CHALLENGE EACH OF US TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU DR. SHEA. YOU'RE WELCOME. THERE WERE NO OTHER, UH, FORMS FILL OFF PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO AT THIS TIME WE WILL MOVE TO BOARD COMMENTS [Board Comments] AND WE WERE CALLED ON MR. DREWRY WITH MUCH RESPECT. LADIES, FIRST. OKAY, THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU TO ALL THE CITIZENS WHO WERE BRAVE AND SPOKE UP AND WE'RE JUST REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND FOR THE CITIZENS AT HOME WATCHING THIS, I DO HEAR YOUR CONCERNS AND YES, UM, WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES AND ISSUES TODAY. SOME GOOD NEWS THOUGH. MICHAEL AND I MET WITH A HIGHLY RESPECTED GROUP IN RICHMOND TO CONSULT WITH THEM AND ASKED FOR HELP ON THE COUNTY'S RECENT ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM. THEY WERE TERRIFIC AND WE HOPE TO START THE BALL ROLLING IN SEPTEMBER. THEY SPECIALIZE IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND BUILDING TRUST. WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE ARE A DIVIDED COMMUNITY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE. THIS IS A CHOICE. OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, I WILL BE ASKING MANY OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE AND IT WILL BE YOUR CHOICE. WE CAN WORK TOWARD A MORE UNITED FUTURE AS A COMMUNITY AND TRY TO IMPROVE AND GROW. OR WE CAN CONTINUE TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AND IT WILL NEVER CHANGE. SO IT WON'T. WE REALLY DO HAVE A CHOICE. AND THANK YOU ALL. MR. . GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MR. CITIZENS. UH, REAL QUICK FOR CONTEXT. THE UH, LETTER OR THE NOTE MR. VEO PUT OUT WAS IN REFERENCE TO MYSELF IN A BACK AND FORTH CONVERSATION WITH, UH, DANIEL SHAA. FEEL FREE TO GO ON FACEBOOK AND READ IN HIS FULL CONTEXT. UH, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO DO THAT. ALRIGHT, SO MOVING ON. UM, JUST WANNA REPORT OUT. IT WAS A JULY WAS A VERY, VERY BUSY MONTH. MONTH, UH, STARTING OFF WITH OUR 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT THE REC CENTER. IT WAS A GREAT JOB, GREAT CROWD, UM, GREAT EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY. I SAW FOLKS FROM AS FAR AS I THINK SUFFOLK TO PETERSBURG. SO IT'S A GREAT THING. WE HAVE SOMETHING IN SUR COUNTY. WE CAN GET SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES TO COME AND SUPPORT. IT'S ALWAYS A WONDERFUL THING. UM, ALSO IN JULY FROM THE 12TH THROUGH THE 15TH, UH, SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS AND SOME STAFF TRAVELED TO TAMPA, FLORIDA FOR, UH, THE ANNUAL NACO CONVENTION. IT WAS A GREAT TIME, GREAT TIME TO GET OUT AND, UH, COLLABORATE WITH, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBERS FROM, UM, OBVIOUSLY IN VIRGINIA AS WELL AS, UM, NATIONALLY. UH, I WON'T TOUCH TOO MUCH. A FEW THINGS WE TOUCHED ON. UM, THERE WERE 159 SCHEDULED BREAKOUT SESSIONS. WE TRIED TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER. UM, OBVIOUSLY WE COULDN'T HIT ALL OF 'EM BEING THAT MANY OVER FOUR DAYS, BUT, UM, DEFINITELY LEARNED A LOT. LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, THE NEXT CONFERENCE. UH, STATE LEVEL AND NATIONAL LEVEL. A FEW THE THINGS WE ATTENDED THE FIRST TIME ATTENDING ORIENTATION. UM, AGRICULTURAL, AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL AFFAIRS. UH, COMMITTEE. OUR SESSION, UH, COMMUNITY ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT POLICY, HUMAN SERVICES EDUCATION, [01:00:01] UH, TRANSPORTATION POLICY, UH, FOSTERING CIVILITY AND PUBLIC DISCOURSE. RURAL ACTION CAUCUS, UH, VIRGINIA AND NEIGHBORING STATE'S BREAKFAST. THAT WAS A GREAT ONE. UH, WE TALKED TO OUR STATE PRESIDENT, MR. LYNCH FOR A WHILE. AND, UH, THE CLOSING BUSINESS, BUSINESS MEETING. SO AGAIN, IT WAS A GREAT TIME AND, UM, HOPEFULLY NEXT TIME ALL BOARD MEMBERS CAN ATTEND SO WE CAN, UH, LEARN AND, UH, FELLOWSHIP TOGETHER. UM, ALSO ON THE JULY, JULY 18TH, I ATTENDED THE HR PDC, UH, MEETING IN CHESAPEAKE, ALONG WITH THE, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. IT WAS A GREAT, UH, ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION WITH, UM, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FROM 7, 5 7. SO IT'S SOMETHING I CAN HEAR, UH, INCORPORATE HERE IN SURY COUNTY. UM, IT'S VERY ENLIGHTENING CONVERSATION WITH REGARDS TO OUT MIGRATION AND BOOMERANGS THAT OUT. MIGRATION IS YOUNG, PROFE UH, PEOPLE WHO, UM, I DON'T LIKE IT. HERE WE ARE LEAVING, YOU KNOW, SO SOME OF THE TOPICS WERE HOW TO KEEP OUR YOUNGER POPULATION HERE AND THE BOOMERANGS ARE FOLKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, GO OUT TO COLLEGE, UH, MILITARY AND COME BACK TO THEIR HOMETOWN AND LIVE. SO IT WAS GREAT, GREAT CONVERSATION. UH, SOME OF THE ITEMS DISCUSSED WERE, UH, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION, JOB MARKET, UH, STARTING SALARIES, SCHOOL SYSTEMS, CAREER UPWARD, UH, MOVEMENT, AND THE IDENTITY OF HAMPTON ROADS. SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE TRY TO TACKLE WHEN WE GO TO THOSE MEETINGS. UM, THEY'RE NOT MONTHLY, KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY SCHEDULE 'EM KIND OF QUARTERLY, BUT MORE THAN QUARTERLY, I GUESS. I DON'T KNOW. IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT TIME AND GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE IF YOU WANT TO. IT IS ACTUALLY ONLINE IF YOU WANNA CHECK OUT THE, UH, IT, IT WAS OUR VIDEOTAPE, UH, HR PDC VA.GOV AND CLICK ON THE MEETINGS LINK. ALL RIGHT. AND LASTLY, WANNA RECOGNIZE GREAT JOB BY, UH, EVERYONE INVOLVED. I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS SAW IT ONLINE. IT WAS A GOODSON PATH, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT SITE. IT LOOKS, UH, FANTASTIC. SO THAT IS THE PLAN FOR I THINK ALL THE SITES TO BE UPGRADED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CITIZENS, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOUR TAX DOLLARS, UH, AT WORK. SO, UH, CHAIR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HARDY. MR. CALHOUN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO, UH, UM, UH, THANK EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN IN ATTENDANCE HERE TODAY AND OUR LINE. I'D LIKE TO, UH, THANK THOSE WHO SPOKE THIS EVENING, UM, PROVIDING THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS. UM, APPRECIATE MS. CHAPIN PROVIDING US THE, UH, THE UPDATE. AND AS WE DISCUSSED IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, THE LOVE WORK SIGN. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SURREY COUNTY. UM, ALSO ON THE UPCOMING NEW, UM, UPCOMING OPENING DATE FOR THE MEXICAN RESTAURANT. HOPEFULLY THE THIRD OR FOURTH WEEK, UH, THIS MONTH. AND I SURE HOPE WE HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT FROM MR. WHITE ON THE, UH, RESTAURANT, UH, AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN VERY SOON. UM, SHERIFF TURNER, I WISH YOU WELL ON, UM, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, AND PLEASE TELL MR. LYNN I SAY CONGRATULATIONS AS WELL ON HIS RETIREMENT. UM, AGAIN, THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S PARTICIPATED TODAY AND ONLINE OR, UH, UH, HERE IN PERSON. UH, AGAIN, AS I ALWAYS SAY IS IF YOU DON'T SPEAK UP, WE DON'T HEAR YOU. SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME AND PROVIDE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, UM, AND HELP US GROW AS, AS HAS A COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT. HOME. MR. PIERCE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UM, AS ALWAYS, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. UH, THANK EVERYONE THAT'S WATCHING FROM HOME. UM, JUST WANT TO GIVE A FEW SHOUT OUTS AND THANK YOUS. UM, REAL QUICK, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE NEW OFFICERS THAT ARE, WILL BE ON OUR NEW, UM, DEPUTIES. UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT. YOU AND SHERIFF, UM, 65 AND UP INITIATIVE. WE HAD ANOTHER FEEDING PROGRAM, UM, UH, LAST SUNDAY, I BELIEVE. UM, AND WE HAD, UH, NIXON BARBECUE AGAIN. WE HAD WHAT I BELIEVE, FRIED FISH, COLE SLAW GREEN BEANS. SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE NEXT ONE, I BELIEVE IN AUGUST. UH, CHECK OUT THE FACEBOOK AND YOUR LOCAL CHURCHES. ALL RIGHT, IF YOU'RE NOT RECEIVING ANY, UM, LETTERS AT YOUR LOCAL CHURCHES ABOUT THE SIX FIVE AND UP INITIAL, PLEASE CONTACT. UM, PLEASE CONTACT THE SOCIAL SERVICES, PLEASE. THANK YOU. UM, THE LOVE SIGN. THANK YOU STAFF FOR THE LOVE SIGN AND THE PRESENTATION. I'M EXCITED TO SEE, UM, UM, WHAT COMES TO THAT, ESPECIALLY ON THE APP WITH THE, UH, LOVE CULTURAL TRAIL. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA TO GET PEOPLE EXCITED AND COME INTO RE COUNTY. UH, WE NEED A LOT OF LOVE HERE, AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO KIND OF INITIATE THAT. SO THANK YOU. UM, NACO WAS A GREAT, UM, EXPERIENCE. I TOO, UH, WAS ABLE TO ATTEND, UH, UM, NOT A LOT, UH, NOT A LOT ABOUT AGRICULTURE, BUT I KIND OF LIKE WENT OUT TO DIFFERENT THINGS TO SEE WHAT OTHER LOCALITIES ARE DOING THAT ARE NOT, AREN'T QUITE FITTING TO US. FOR [01:05:01] EXAMPLE, I WENT TO A AI SMART TECHNOLOGY, UM, SIT SESSION, AND IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW URBAN COMMUNITIES ARE ADAPTING TO THE TECHNOLOGY, THE NEW WAVE OF THINGS, AND NOT LOOKING AT TODAY, THEY'RE LOOKING AT FIVE TO 10 YEARS FROM NOW. UM, AND, AND, AND LIKING, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AND SEEING HOW WE COMPARE THAT TO S COUNTY. I'M HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THESE GREAT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF ARE ABLE TO ATTEND TO GET THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BRING BACK SOME OF THESE, UM, INTRIGUING IDEAS AND, AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO HELP BETTER OUR COUNTY. SO I, I THINK THAT WAS ONE THING I BROUGHT BACK, AND I'M DITTO OFF SOME OF, UH, WHAT MR. HARDY SAID AS WELL. UM, I THINK SECOND WEEK IN JULY, UH, WAS FOUR H CAMP. I DROPPED MY KIDS OFF THERE AND THEY ENJOYED IT. I MEAN, THEY REALLY ENJOYED IT, STILL TALKING ABOUT IT. BUT, UM, WHAT, WHAT WAS, UM, EYE OPENING TO ME WHEN I DROPPED THEM OFF TO SEE THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE YOUTH IN S COUNTY. SEE A LOT OF THE CITS AND COUNSELORS THAT WERE, UM, AT THE FORAGE CAMP AND IN BELIEF, UM, THEY HAD FIVE DIFFERENT LOCALITIES REPRESENTED, SE BEING ONE, UM, PORT SMITH, NORFOLK, UH, SUSSEX, AND I'M MISSING ONE. UH, BUT YOU GUYS GET TO WHAT I'M GETTING AT, RIGHT? . THE POINT OF THE MATTER IS THAT S WAS REALLY, REALLY NOTICING THE, THE LEADERSHIP THAT WAS COMING OUT OF THERE AND GREAT THINGS COME OUTTA S COUNTY. SO I'M, I'M, I'M REMEMBER ONE OF THE COMMENTS, UM, ONE OF THE, UM, CITIZENS MADE ABOUT TRA UH, TRADE SCHOOLS. AND I AGREE. YOU KNOW, WE NEED THINGS TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GROOM OUR YOUTH. UM, NOT ONLY THE YOUTH IN SCHOOLS, BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES LET'S BE REAL. UH, SOMETIMES, UH, WE MAY PLAY AROUND IN SCHOOL. WE AT LEAST GRADUATE. THEN WHEN WE GET OUR BE OUR YOUNG ADULTS, WE MAY, YOU KNOW, REALIZE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I MESSED UP. LET ME GO BACK AND CORRECT THAT. AND I THINK TRAINING SCHOOLS WILL HELP, YOU KNOW, UM, CATCH SOME OF, CATCH SOME OF THOSE THAT YOUTH. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, AUGUST 19TH, TALKING ABOUT YOUTH AUGUST 19TH BACK TO SCHOOL. SO GUYS BE PREPARED. I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE KNOWS, BUT ON AUGUST 19TH, IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO YOU SEE THOSE BIG YELLOW BUSES BACK IN THE ROADS AGAIN. SO PLEASE, UH, PLAN ACCORDINGLY. ON AUGUST 12TH, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, BOARD MEMBERS RECEIVED, BUT WE ARE HAVING A SUPERINTENDENT LUNCHEON. UM, SO IF YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO COME, UM, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT TO, UH, THE BOARD, UM, EXCUSE ME, THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE. UM, JUST WANNA REITERATE WHAT, UM, SHERIFF, UM, TURNER SAID ABOUT AUGUST 6TH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. IT'S ALWAYS A FUN EVENT. MY KIDS ARE LOOK EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO PLEASE COME OUT AND BRING SOMEONE, UH, TO ENJOY THIS, THE FESTIVITIES. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS IT LIEUTENANT LANG? YES, LIEUTENANT LANG. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU MR. PIERCE. AND THANK ALL BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND ALL CITIZENS AS WELL. AND WE THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. WE HAVE A, UH, NICE, UH, GATHER UNDER THE CITIZENS OF S COUNTY HERE ON TONIGHT. UH, MY, MY COMMENTS WILL BE BRIEF AND FIRST THING I WANT TO ADDRESS. 'CAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOUR CHARACTER IS CHALLENGED, YOU HAVE TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF ABOUT THE BOARD MEMBERS TALKING ABOUT SHOOTING EACH OTHER. WE WERE IN A WORK SESSION AND IT WAS IN A PLAYFUL, JOYFUL MANNER WHERE MRS. DREW, SHE'S HERE AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ARE HERE. SHE ASKED ME, WELL, WHAT YOU GONNA DO, UH, MR. ELLIOT, IF, UH, YOU GET UPSET WITH ME, YOU'RE GONNA SHOOT ME PLAYING? AND I TOLD HER, I SAID, NO, MR. DREW. I SAID, THE ONLY WAY I WOULD PULL MY WEAPON ON YOU IS YOU PULL YOURS ON MINE. AND EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM LAUGHED. SO IT WAS NO THREATS MADE TO ANYBODY. I AM A TRAINED FORMER POLICE OFFICER. 14 YEARS PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY. I WAS IN THE MILITARY AS A MILITARY POLICE OFFICER. I KNOW HOW TO HANDLE MYSELF. I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HURT OR HARM ANYONE. SO I WANT TO GET THAT OUT THERE. 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT, UH, REVEREND ELLIOT SAID HE WAS GONNA SHOOT ANY BOARD MEMBER THAT IS A FALSITY. SO I WANT TO CLEAR THAT UP. AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR COMMENTS. AND, UH, I WANNA ADDRESS THE NACO MEETING THAT WE WENT TO, INTO, INTO TAMPA. IT WAS A VERY BENEFICIAL CONFERENCE FOR THE MEMBERS OF SRY COUNTY, THE CITIZENS OF S COUNTY. UH, I WAS ELECTED TO BE ON A STEERING COMMITTEE. AND YOU GET THINGS HERE IN NACO THAT YOU DON'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE. YOU HAVE TO GET OUT INTO THE WORLD AND SEE WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING. I'M GOING TO BE ON A TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE STEERING COMMITTEE TO HELP GET FUNDING FOR S COUNTY, FOR OUR ROSEWAY, OUR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE SO DESPERATELY NEED. WE COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THAT IF WE WEREN'T AT IN THE, UH, THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. I'M IN COMMUNICATION NOW WITH THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S IN CHARGE OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION. AND WE MADE THAT CONNECTION IN NACO. SO IT WAS A VERY REWARDING, UH, EVENT THAT WE WENT TO IN TAMPA. AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO ASK THAT ALL THE CITIZENS WILL HOLD THE BOARD MEMBERS IN PRAYER. THERE ARE ISSUES AND THERE ARE THINGS [01:10:01] THAT WE NEED TO TACKLE IN THE COUNTY. UH, BUT I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE HERE, YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE OF THE BETTERMENT, YOUR DESIRE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF SURY COUNTY. THAT IS WHY I'M HERE TO TRY TO DO WHAT I CAN DO TO MAKE SURY COUNTY A PLACE THAT EVERYBODY BE PROUD OF. SO IN SAYING THAT, I WISH EVERYBODY, ALL THE CITIZENS OF SURRY COUNTY, NOTHING BUT LOVE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. IF THERE'LL BE NO OTHER COMMENTS THERE BE YEAH, I'M GONNA DO THAT. NOW. IF THERE BE NO OTHER COMMENTS, WE WOULD ENTERTAIN, UH, A MOTION. WE NEED A MOTION FROM THE BOARD BECAUSE THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE CALENDAR, UH, FOR OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING AND OUR UPCOMING WORK SESSION. MS. PERKINS? UH, YES, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. UM, THE, THE MOTION THAT, UH, WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR IS A MOTION TO AMEND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, MEETING CALENDAR TO CHANGE THE SEPTEMBER MEETING FROM SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2024 TO SEPTEMBER THE 15TH, 2024. AND THAT WOULD BE AT 6:00 PM IN, IN THIS, IN THIS ROOM. AUGUST, AUGUST 15TH. SEPTEMBER 12TH. SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER. I APOLOGIZE. SO IT WOULD BE MOVING FROM SEPTEMBER 5TH TO SEPTEMBER 12TH. CORRECT. THANK YOU, MR. RU. FIRST, FIRST, UH, MOTION ON THE FLOOR WOULD BE, UH, TO, UH, CHANGE OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE BOARD MEETING TO SEPTEMBER THE 12TH. COULD WE GET A MOTION, MR. CHAIR? MR. PIERCE? I MOVE THAT WE CHANGE OUR SEPTEMBER 5TH MEETING TO SEPTEMBER 12TH. HAVE A MOTION. GO. HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. BEEN PROPERLY MOVE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OUR MEETING HAS BEEN CHANGED TO SEPTEMBER THE 12TH. AND DO WE HAVE A, ANOTHER MOTION FOR A WORK SESSION? UH, YES, MR. CHAIRMAN. UH, THE, THE MOTION WOULD BE TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING, UH, TO, UM, AUGUST THE 15TH AT 5:00 PM UM, DO WE HAVE A LOCATION ON THAT? THE EOC, THE, AT THE EEOC CONFERENCE ROOM, UH, WHICH IS ON COLONIAL TRAIL. AND, UM, THAT WOULD BE FOR A WORK SESSION ON THAT AUGUST 15TH DATE, AGAIN AT 5:00 PM COULD THEY HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN UNTIL AUGUST THE 15TH AND 5:00 PM FOR OUR WORK SESSION? SO MOVED. SECOND. THANK YOU. Y'ALL ADJOURN. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.