[00:00:01]
[Call to Order / Moment of Silence / Pledge of Allegiance/ Agenda Adoption]
AND GENTLEMEN.THE HOUR HAS ARRIVED FOR US TO COMMENCE OUR SEPTEMBER BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR THE YEAR OF 2024.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE, UH, HAVE ON OUR AGENDA FOR OUR INVOCATION.
WE HAVE A PASTOR WASHINGTON HERE TO LEAD US IN ADVOCATION.
SHE'S CO-PASTOR OF, UH, FIRST BAPTIST SPRING GROVE.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU, LORD GOD, FOR BRINGING US HERE TO THIS PLACE THIS EVENING FOR KEEPING US, LORD GOD.
FATHER, I ASK FOR YOUR PRESENCE HERE TONIGHT, AND I THANK YOU FOR IT, LORD, AS WE GATHER TOGETHER TONIGHT, LORD, WE PRAY FOR YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
WE PRAY FOR YOUR PEACE AND YOUR UNITY IN THIS PLACE TONIGHT.
WE THANK YOU LORD GOD, THAT YOUR WILL BE DONE AND YOUR KINGDOM COME RIGHT HERE IN THIS MEETING.
WE THANK YOU THAT WE'RE ALL HERE FOR THE COMMON GOOD, LORD GOD OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY.
AND SO WE GIVE YOU PRAISE AND GLORY THAT YOU WILL HAVE YOUR WAY.
GIVE US WISDOM, PEACE, AND UNITY.
WE NOW CALL OUR MEETING OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR THE BUSINESS OF SURY COUNTY, AND NOW WE WOULD OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
WE ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, OUR PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN THE MIDST WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE AGENDA FOR OUR MEETING ON TONIGHT, AND THERE IS A NEED FOR SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO CALL MS. PERKINS TO ADVISE US OF THE AMENDMENTS.
I RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION FROM THE ATTORNEY REPRESENTING A ES REQUESTING ON A S'S BEHALF THAT THE APPEAL, WHICH IS, UH, SET ON THE AGENDA UNDER NEW BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER ONE, UH, REGARDING SYCAMORE CROSS SOLAR BE DEFERRED UNTIL YOUR OCTOBER MEETING, UM, YOU ARE ABLE TO CONDUCT THAT DEFERRAL AND STILL BE WITHIN THE STATUTORY DEADLINE BECAUSE THE REQUEST HAS BEEN BY THE APPEALING PARTY AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO EXTEND THE STATUTORY DEADLINE.
AND I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE ANOTHER MATTER, BUT I DEFER TO MS. ROLLINS.
UM, GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN PIERCE BOARD MEMBERS, MS. PERKINS, MR. HARRISON, AND TO ALL THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE.
THERE IS ONE OTHER, UM, AMENDMENT WE NEED TO MAKE TO THE AGENDA AT THE REQUEST OF STAFF UNDERNEATH THE NEW BUSINESS, UM, UNDERNEATH CONSENT.
UNDERNEATH CONSENT, THERE IS A UTILITY EASEMENT TO PRINCE GEORGE ELECTRIC CO-OP FOR LP JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL AT THE REQUEST OF STAFF.
WE WANT TO REMOVE THAT FROM THE AGENDA UNTIL THEY RECEIVE FURTHER CLARIFICATION FROM HRSD.
MS. PERKINS AND MS. ROLLINS BOARD MEMBERS.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO REFER THE NEW BUSINESS AND ALSO TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER FIVE FROM THE CONSENT ITEM.
OTHER THAN THOSE TWO, UH, ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA, COULD WE HAVE A MOTION AT THIS TIME TO ADOPT OUR AGENDA CHAIR? MOVE WE, UH, ADOPT THE AGENDA WITH THE PRESENT CHANGES? HAVE A MOTION HERE WE A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
OPPOSED? THE AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
[Consent Items]
BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT ITEMS WE HAVE ON OUR CONSENT ITEMS APPROVAL FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MINUTES OF AUGUST, 2024, APPROVAL OF OUR DRAFT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WORK SESSION, MINUTES OF AUGUST THE 15TH, AND WE DO HAVE A RESOLUTION, UH, ON OUR CONSENT ITEMS ON TONIGHT.AND I'M GONNA REQUEST THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE PULLED ONCE WE ACCEPT OUR CONSENT ITEMS SO THEY CAN BE OFFICIALLY GIVEN FROM THE BOARD TONIGHT.
AND ALSO, WE HAVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT, UH, WITNESS, VICTIM GRANT, AND ACCOUNT PAYABLES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 2024, AND A RESOLUTION FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2024.
[00:05:01]
THOSE ARE OUR ITEMS ON THE CONSENT.WE HAVE, UH, SIX CONSENT ITEMS. CAN WE GET A MOTION ON OUR CONSENT ITEMS? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT ITEMS. HAVE A MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
OPPOSED? I WOULD CONSENT ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[3. Resolution: Senior Recognition Mr. Proverb Henry Judkins]
TO BE, UH, PULLED AND PRESENTED TONIGHT IS A SENIOR RECOGNITION FOR MR. PROVERB HENRY JENKINS.AND AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA ASK THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DENVER, MR. DREWRY, WILL PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, MR. JUDKINS AND HIS DAUGHTER CARMEN ARE HERE.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAND UP AND, AND, UH, LET ME, LET ME READ THIS RESOLUTION TO YOU.
UM, THIS IS THE REC RECOGNITION OF MR. PROVERB H JENKINS FOR REACHING THE AGE OF 90 AMONG OTHER THINGS.
WHEREAS MR. PROVE H JENKINS, A RESIDENT OF THE DRON DISTRICT OF SURREY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, OBTAINED THE AGE OF 90 YEARS ON AUGUST 2ND, 2024.
AND WHEREAS MR. PROVE H JENKINS SERVED HIS COUNTRY WITH HONOR AND BALLOR THROUGH THE MILITARY AND IN THE HELICOPTER SUPPORT TEAM, AND WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE DRON TOWN COUNCIL, WHEREAS MR. PROVERB H JENKINS MARRIED LILLIAN BAILEY IN 1959.
THEY WERE MARRIED FOR 65 YEARS UNTIL SHE PASSED AWAY IN JUNE OF 2024.
WHEREAS MR. PROVE H JENKINS AND HIS WIFE HAD TWO CHILDREN, CARLOS JENKINS, WHO PASSED AWAY IN MARCH OF 2018, AND CARMEN JENKINS, WHO WAS ALSO A FORMER MEMBER OF THE DENVER TOWN COUNCIL AND IS NOW A MEMBER OF THE SURREY COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION, WHEREAS MR. PROVE H JENKINS RETIRED IN 1979 IN DRON TO PURSUE HIS PASSION FOR FISHING.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SURREY COUNTY WISHES TO RECOGNIZE THIS MILESTONE IN MR. JENKIN'S LIFE AND THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS HE HAS MADE TO MAKING SURREY COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL CITIZENS.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SURREY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEREBY EXTENDS ITS HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO MR. PROVERB H JENKINS, FOR HIS ENDEAVORS AIMED AT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY, AND RECOGNIZES MR. JENKINS FOR HAVING REACHED THE 90TH YEAR OF HIS LIFE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE ORIGINAL OF THIS RESOLUTION BE DELIVERED FORTHWITH TO MR. JENKINS, AND THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE SPREAD UPON THE RECORDS OF THE SURREY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UH, DO YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A WORD, SIR? IF YOU PLEASE GO TO THE MIC.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE BECAUSE OF MY BIRTHDAY.
THIS IS, IT SEEMED LIKE, IT SEEMED LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, BUT I WAS ALWAYS ASKED, YOU KNOW, AT MY BIRTHDAY, DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS OR DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS? I ALWAYS SAID, NO.
BUT THIS TIME I COULDN'T SAY THAT
UH, FROM THE TIME THAT, UH, IT STARTED, UH, TO GET THIS 90TH BIRTHDAY, UH, PEOPLE, UH, THAT, UH, I HAD HAD TO MEET WITH, UH, ESPECIALLY MEDICAL PEOPLE, LIKE DOCTORS AND NURSES, AND THEY SAW MY, UH, MY, UH, BIRTH OR MY TIME, AND THEY SAID, OOH, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE, UH, 90 YEARS OLD.
AND I SAID, I WOULDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
IN SOME CASES, SOME CASES I DID.
BUT ANYWAY, I WAS THINKING THAT, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT MY DOING.
YOU SEE, I SAID, GOD DID THIS.
YOU SEE, BECAUSE HE BLESSED ME.
ALL OF, HE BLESSED ME ALL OF MY LIFE AND ALL OF MY LIFE.
HE DID THESE THINGS, AND HE DID MORE THAN JUST THE LOOK OF WHAT I AM.
HE GAVE ME THE INITIATIVE TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT I LIVED AND THAT LIFE WAS LIVING FOR HIM.
AND THAT'S WHY HIS BLESSINGS WERE GOOD FOR ME, AND I THANK HIM FOR THAT.
UH, I THEN, AND I THANK HIM FOR WHAT I AM NOW, AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
GOD HAS TRULY BEEN GOOD TO YOU.
[00:10:01]
YOU WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET, BUT YOU GAVE IT AND I, I WAS LOOKING FOR THE 90-YEAR-OLD MAN IN THE CONGREGATION.YOU SIT RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ME, SO GOD HAS TRULY BEEN GOOD TO YOU.
AT THIS TIME, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, WE MOVE TO OUR, OUR FIRST ORDER BUSINESS, WHICH I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE SUCH A CROWD HERE FOR TONIGHT, AND THAT IS OUR PUBLIC
[1. Public Hearing to Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Establish Twice A Year Tax Billing for Real Estate and Personal Property]
HEARING, AND WE ARE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO STAFF NOW FOR PRESENTATIONS ON OUR PUBLIC HEARING.UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TONIGHT, THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A TWICE A YEAR TAX BILLING CYCLE FOR REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
THIS MEANS THAT THE CURRENT ANNUAL PAYMENT DUE ON DECEMBER THE FIFTH EACH YEAR WILL BE SPLIT INTO TWO PAYMENTS, DIVIDING THE YEARLY TAX PAYMENT INTO TWO SMALLER INCREMENTS, JUNE 5TH AND DECEMBER 5TH.
IF APPROVED, THIS WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR TAX YEAR 2025, WHICH MEANS THAT THE FIRST ONE HALF PAYMENT WILL BE DUE IN JUNE, 2025, AND THE SECOND PAYMENT WILL BE DUE IN DECEMBER, 2025.
I HAVE PREPARED JUST A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOUR INFORMATION TONIGHT TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO ASSIST YOU IN YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
THE FIRST SLIDE INDICATES WHY THIS IS BEING CONSIDERED.
THIS IS BEING CONSIDERED BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION AS ADVISED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO INCREASE CITIZEN SATISFACTION IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF PAYING ANNUAL REAL ESTATE TAXES DURING THE DECEMBER HOLIDAY SEASON.
LEADING TO HIGHER CITIZEN SATISFACTION TWICE A YEAR, TAX BILLING CAN MAKE IT EASIER FOR RESIDENTS TO MANAGE THEIR PAYMENTS, POTENTIALLY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS AND IMPROVING OVERALL COLLECTION RATES.
HOWEVER, WE DO WANT TO ADVISE TONIGHT THAT CITIZENS, AS THE TREASURER OFFICE HAS INDICATED, CAN STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO PREPAY TAXES ALL AT ONCE.
THE TREASURER DOES ACCEPT PAYMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IF A TAXPAYER DESIRES TO PREPAY.
BEFORE I GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I DO WANT TO ADD THAT THIS IS FOLLOWING A WORK SESSION THAT WAS HELD BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON AUGUST 15TH, WHEREBY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DID DIRECT STAFF TO, UM, HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TO DRAFT THE DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED BY A COUNTY ATTORNEY.
THIS, UH, SLIDE RIGHT HERE SHOWS THE PREPAYMENT NOTICE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD LEARNED WAS THAT CITIZENS MAY HAVE NOT BEEN AWARE THAT THEY CAN PAY ALL YEAR LONG.
THIS PAYMENT NOTICE RIGHT HERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE, AND WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT OFTEN BOARD MEMBERS AND CITIZENS THAT YOU MAY NOT NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
BUT WE DO WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN POSTED TO THE TREASURER'S OFFICE PAGE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENS REGARDING THIS PREPAYMENT NOTICE.
THIS IS A SECOND NOTICE THAT WE DO PLAN ON PUSHING TO LET CITIZENS KNOW THAT THIS OPTION IS AVAILABLE.
JUST THE SAME, THE REQUIREMENTS, IF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR ELECTS TO ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE THIS ORDINANCE, OBVIOUSLY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ALL, UH, WE KNOW THAT THE BUDGET IS TYPICALLY ADOPTED IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
IF THE BOARD DOES ELECT TO MAKE THIS SWITCH, THERE WILL BE OBVIOUSLY ADVANCED BUDGET ADOPTION.
SOME LOCALITIES DO ADOPT THEIR TAX RATES IN APRIL PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL BUDGET ADOPTION, BUT I DO JUST WANNA MAKE IT KNOWN THAT THIS, WHICH WOULD MEAN AN EARLY ADOPTION OF OUR SETTING OF OUR TAX RATES LIKELY IN APRIL.
AND I DO WANNA ADD THAT THERE IS A BUDGET CALENDAR REVISION THAT HAS BEEN DRAFTED.
UM, I DO HAVE THAT FOR YOUR INFORMATION, AND WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND PREPARE THAT EARLY IN THE EVENT THAT YOU DECIDED TO MAKE THIS CHANGE SO EVERYONE CAN BE AWARE OF THE, UH, ADDITIONAL TRACKS WE WOULD NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN EARLY ADOPTION OF OUR TAX RATE, IF NOT BEFORE BUDGET.
[00:15:01]
ALSO, YOU WANNA BRING INTO CONSIDERATION THE FACT THAT THE BOARD HAS, UH, ALREADY APPROVED THE LIMITED SCOPE REASSESSMENT, AND OBVIOUSLY WE DO NEED TO HAVE THESE PROJECTIONS IN CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE PREPARING OUR BUDGET.JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT'S INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND SPEAKING WITH OUR COMMISSIONER REVENUE, AND OBVIOUSLY WE DO HAVE A TAX RELIEF FOR THE ELDERLY APPLICATION THAT'S NORMALLY DUE IN MAY.
UM, THE SUGGESTED DATE, IF THIS WAS TO BE APPROVED, WE WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THAT DATE.
IT WOULD BE AN EARLIER DATE, AND THE SUGGESTED DATE IS APRIL 1ST FOR THAT IN THE WORK SESSION.
YOU DID HEAR FROM OUR COMMES, UH, COMMISSIONER AND OUR TREASURER THAT LIKELY THERE'S ADDITIONAL STAFF RESOURCES AND OBVIOUSLY MAILING COSTS WOULD BE A FACTOR AS THIS WOULD BE A TWICE A YEAR TAX BILLING.
IN TERMS OF STAFF RESOURCES, I CAN ADD THAT OBVIOUSLY WE WANT ALL OF OUR OFFICES TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL FOR ANY CHANGE THAT IS IMPLEMENTED.
AND IN TERMS OF STAFF RESOURCES THAT CAN COME IN THE FORM OF DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S PHYSICAL BODIES OR WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S CONTRACTUAL SERVICES OR OTHER OPTIONS WHEREBY THEIR OFFICES MAY BE, UM, CREATE SOME EFFICIENCIES WITH THE NEW, UH, SOFTWARE BILLING SYSTEM THAT WE ARE CURLING IN.
THERE'S A WAY ALSO THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING THEM WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
IF THIS WAS TO BE APPROVED, OBVIOUSLY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IF THIS WAS TO BE APPROVED, THE TREASURER, THE COMMISSIONER, THE COUNTY, EVERYBODY WILL BE COMMITTED TO EARLY EDUCATION OF OUR CITIZENS OF THIS CHANGE.
THE IMP THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW BUILDING SYSTEM.
THIS SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY COULD TAKE ANYWHERE FROM SIX TO 12 MONTHS.
STAFF HAS PRIOR, PRIOR TO THE BOARD RECOMMENDING THAT WE, UH, MAKE THIS CHANGE HAS ALREADY LOOKED AT VIABLE OPTIONS FOR A NEW TAX BILLING AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEM.
UM, THE CURRENT SYSTEM, UM, COULD ACCOMMODATE A CHANGE FOR A BILLING CYCLE OR WE COULD TRANSITION TO A NEW SYSTEM IN LATE FISCAL YEAR 2026, DEPENDING UPON THE ACTION OF THE BOARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WENT, WE WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD MAKES THIS CHANGE, THE COUNTY WILL STILL NEED TO SPEND RESOURCES FOR A NEW BILLING SOFTWARE SYSTEM.
IN FACT, ONE, THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING, AS I STATED, A NEW FINANCIAL SOFTWARE SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION THAT REQUIRES A CHANGE IN THE BILLING SOFTWARE FOR ASSESSING AND BILLING TAXES.
FACT, AS STATED, REGARDLESS OF THE TWICE A YEAR TAX BILLING CHANGE, THE COUNTY WILL STILL NEED TO INCUR THIS COST.
THE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT OUR COMMISSIONER AND OUR TREASURER AND THE COUNTY IS UTILIZING, UM, IS DATES BACK TO 1995.
SO AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THIS, UM, IMPLEMENTED, WE WILL STILL NEED TO INCUR A COST TO MAKE THIS CHANGE.
FACT OPTIONS ARE STILL BEING EXPLORED WITH THE MOST RECENT OPTION COSTING ABOUT $330,000, AND DO NOT HOLD ME TO THAT NUMBER.
I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT MR. JENKINS, ALONG WITH OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT AND FINANCE, ARE WORKING ON OPTIONS FOR A NEW SYSTEM THAT WILL NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD ELECTS TO MAKE THIS CHANGE.
NOW, WHAT WOULD A NEW BILLING CYCLE LOOK LIKE IN FISCAL YEAR 2025? REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES WILL BE DUE.
THAT IS A FULL YEAR OF YOUR TAXES, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN ASSESSED AND YOU WILL BE GETTING YOUR BILLS FROM THE TREASURER IN OCTOBER AND FISCAL YEAR 24 25.
THE FIRST ONE HALF OF THE REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES WILL BE DUE.
AND I CAN SHARE THAT I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER ADMINISTRATORS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS CHANGE, AND THEY HAVE STATED THAT IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS IMPLEMENTED, THEN OF COURSE, NATURALLY THAT FIRST JUNE 5TH PAYMENT WILL LIKELY BE TOUGH ON INDIVIDUALS.
UM, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT PAYMENT THAT WAS JUST MADE IN DECEMBER, 2024, THIS ALSO WILL CREATE A ONE-TIME CASH INFLUX.
AS I STATED, SOMETHING LIKE THIS DOES TAKE IN GETTING USED TO, AND FOR THAT FIRST TIME CHANGE, THAT DATE RATHER THAN BEING JUNE 5TH, CAN BE EXTENDED BY THE BOARD VIA A RESOLUTION WITHOUT PENALTY INTEREST FOR AN ESTABLISHED TIMEFRAME.
SO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, IF YOU ELECT TO DO THIS, THEN OF COURSE, AS WE HAVE DONE PREVIOUSLY FOR TAX EXTENSION, UM, DEADLINES WITHOUT PENALTY INTEREST, YOU CAN CONSIDER ANOTHER TIMEFRAME TO CONSIDER THAT FIRST PAYMENT OUTSIDE OF THE JUNE 5TH DATE IN FISCAL YEAR 25, 26.
THAT SECOND ONE HALF OF THE REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES WOULD BE DUE.
THAT'S THE DECEMBER THE FIFTH, 2020 FIFTH PAYMENT.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THAT FOLLOWING, UH, YEAR IN 2026,
[00:20:01]
THAT FIRST ONE HALF OF THE REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES WOULD BE DUE.NOW, THIS ITEM RIGHT HERE, AS I STATED EARLIER, OBVIOUSLY YES, IT WILL CREATE A ONE TIME CASH INFLUX IF YOU ELECT TO IMPLEMENT THIS BECAUSE OF THAT FIRST JUNE ONE HALF PAYMENT AT THE SUM AT JUNE, 2025.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I JUST WANNA GO AHEAD AND SHOW IT JUST FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES.
SO THIS IS THE CASHFLOW IMPACT.
NOW, THIS SHOWS THAT, AND WE SHARED THIS ALSO IN THE WORK SESSION, THAT YOUR REAL ESTATE, YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION TAXES, WHICH EVERYONE KNOWS IS THE MAJORITY OF THE REVENUE THAT THE COUNTY RECEIVES.
IT REPRESENTS ABOUT 60% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE FROM TAXES.
SO BASED ON THE CHANGE, IF IT IS PASSED OR APPROVED, THE JUNE 5TH, 2020 FIFTH ONE-TIME CASH INFLUX FOR THOSE VARIOUS SOURCES, REAL ESTATE, PUBLIC SERVICE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY COLLECTIVELY WILL GENERATE $13.5 MILLION AS A ONE-TIME CASH FLOW.
IF YOU DO NOT INCLUDE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY, IT KINDA SHOWS AT THE VERY BOTTOM RIGHT HERE THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN, UM, THE, THE PERSONAL PROPERTY AND WITHOUT THE PERSONAL PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S JUST FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES TO SHOW YOU WHAT 1 CENTS ON THE TAX RATE MEANS FOR THOSE VARIOUS REVENUE SOURCES.
SO WITH THAT STATED, AS WE KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY HAS MANY NEEDS.
THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOLS HAVE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE TO UPKEEP, MAINTAIN, REPLACE, AND OBVIOUSLY IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS TO HAPPEN FROM SOME OF THE OTHER DISCUSSIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATORS, THAT THE BOARD WAS ABLE TO FOSTER DIALOGUE REGARDING THE USE OF THOSE FUNDING SU FUNDING SOURCES, AND ALSO THEY BROUGHT IN THE ASSISTANCE OF THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO DISCUSS, UM, THOSE, THAT CASHFLOW IMPACT AND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS THE, THE, THE MAIN POINTS OF THE PRESENTATION, UM, TONIGHT, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UM, BOARD MEMBERS.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SLIDES TO SHOW, BUT JUST WANT TO KIND OF SHARE THE, THE TIMELINE, WHICH IS THE, THE MEAT OF THE DISCUSSION ON TONIGHT.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD COME TO THE DAAS AND STATE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE BOARD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
SO THE FLOOR IS NOW OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
MR CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISORS, I'M HENRY GOODRICH FROM THE DENVER DISTRICT.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SARA COUNTY IS TRYING TO SOLVE ITS CASH FLOW PROBLEM ON THE BACKS OF PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY FARMERS.
NOT ONLY ARE YOU PROPOSING THAT I HAVE TO PAY HALF MY PROPERTY TAXES IN JUNE INSTEAD OF DECEMBER WITH SEVERAL OF MY LANDLORDS HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY'RE GONNA WANT PART OF THEIR RENT IN JUNE SO THEY CAN PAY THEIR TAXES.
ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO BE PASSED DOWN TO THE FARMER AND WE HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO PASS IT DOWN TO.
I'M A MID-SIZE FARMER AT BEST, BUT BETWEEN PROPERTY TAXES AND EARLY RENT PAYMENT, I'M LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY 30 TO $40,000 OF EXPENSES IN JUNE THAT I NORMALLY DON'T INCUR UNTIL DECEMBER.
THAT IS NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR ME.
ADDITIONALLY, I'VE HEARD THAT IMPLEMENTING THIS PROCESS COULD COST A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE A CASH FLOW PROBLEM BY SPENDING MORE MONEY.
PERHAPS A MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE APPROACH WOULD BE TO LOOK AT THIS AS A SPENDING PROBLEM AND NOT A CASH FLOW PROBLEM.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY STAFF AND CITIZENS OF SUR COUNTY.
UH, MY NAME IS GLEN SLADE BACONS CASTLE DISTRICT.
I CAME HERE THIS EVENING AS A SARA COUNTY FARMER AND LANDOWNER, AND TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M OPPOSED TO THIS TWICE A YEAR TAX PROPOSAL.
AS A FARMER, I PAY MY TAXES AND LAND RENTS FROM MY CASH PROCEEDS OF MY
[00:25:01]
CROPS, WHICH I HARVEST IN THE FALL.MY, MY RESOURCES ARE VERY LIMITED IN JUNE, AS IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY TO BUY SEED, FERTILIZER, CHEMICALS AND PAY OTHER FARM EXPENSES TO GROW A CROP, I WOULD'VE BORROWED EXTRA MONEY IN ORDER TO PAY MY TAXES AND, AND FOLLOW THROUGH ON ALL THESE TAX PROPOSALS IN JUNE.
SO THIS WILL PUT A VERY LIMITED, UH, HARDSHIP ON ME.
UH, I HAD A, ABOUT A 10 MINUTE PRESENTATION, BUT I SEE I'M ON LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, SO I I'M TRYING TO CUT SHORT.
TWO MINUTES, TWO MORE MINUTES.
UH, THIS, THIS PROPOSAL IN JUNE WOULD ALSO HAVE, I'D HAVE TO PROVIDE MY LANDLORD'S, UH, TAX MONEY ALSO AS THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR TAXES ON THEIR LAND IN JUNE.
SO THIS WILL PROVIDE UNDUE LOSS ON ME AND MY FARMING OPERATION.
I UNDERSTAND IT WILL HELP THE CANADA TAX FLOW, BUT IT WILL SEVERELY DIS DISRUPT MY TAX FLOW.
I WILL SURELY HOPE THAT YOU WILL VOTE NO ON THIS PROPOSAL.
GOOD EVENINGS COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND STAFF.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SARA COUNTY AND I'M A FIFTH GENERATION FARMER THIRD IN LINE HERE TONIGHT.
MY FAMILY AND I CURRENTLY RAISE CROPS ON ROUGHLY A THOUSAND ACRES OF OWNED AND RENTED LAND IN S COUNTY, PRIMARILY IN THE CARSLEY DISTRICT.
WE ALSO ADDITIONAL HAVE ADDITIONAL ACRES IN SUSSEX COUNTY AS AN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN WITH THE REQUIRED BIANNUAL REAL ESTATE TAX PAYMENTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
OUR FARMING OPERATION CURRENTLY SEES AN AVERAGE OF 25% OF OUR ANNUAL EXPENSES IN JUNE AND JULY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE TYPICALLY ONLY RECEIVE 5% OF OUR AVERAGE INCOME IN JUNE AND JULY, AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS FOR HALF OF OUR REAL ESTATE TAX.
LI LIABILITY IS CERTAINLY ANOTHER BURDEN ALONG WITH OUR OWN TAX LIABILITY.
WE ALSO MAY BE FACED WITH CONTRACT CHANGES ON RENTED FARMLAND.
MANY OF THE PRODUCERS IN THIS COUNTY TAKE PRIDE IN FARMING NEIGHBORING LANDOWNER'S FARMS, AND WE TYPICALLY PAY LAND RENT IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR AFTER THE MAJORITY OF THE CROP HAVE BEEN HARVESTED AND CASH FLOW IS INCREASED.
ONCE AGAIN, I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY TO PLAY A BIG ROLE IN KEEPING SRA COUNTY A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
GOOD, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M MIKE DREW FROM THE DENVER DISTRICT CHANGE TO TWICE YEAR TAXATION.
MY PERSONAL OPINION, IF YOU WANT TO HAUL THE AG PRODUCERS LIKE YOU JUST HEARD YOU, YOU DO IT.
I'M A LANDOWNER AND USED TO FARM FULL TIME, BUT NOW BRAD THAT JUST CAME UP HERE, I RENT MY FARM TO HIM.
THEY PAID ME FAITHFULLY IN NOVEMBER AND I TURNED AROUND AND EVERY BIT OF THE TAX, I MEAN THE RENT THAT COMES INTO ME, I DEPOSIT IN THE BANK AND TURN AROUND AND WRITE A CHECK FOR TAXES.
I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO GO TO BRAD AND TELL HIM THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE THE CONTRACT AND NOW HE'S GONNA HAVE TO PAY ME HALF THE RENT IN JUNE.
I HAVEN'T RAISED HIS RENTAL RATES AND ON AND ON AND ON.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE FARMERS DO IT.
SOMETIMES UH, THEY IT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF RISK AND I'M SURE BRAD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR, YOUR GROSS EXPENSES ARE, BUT THEY'LL WEIGH UP THAT TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF INCOME.
I DON'T WANT TO NICK 'EM ANYMORE.
IF YOU WANT TO HARM MY ELDER FOLKS WHO OWN LAND, DO IT THIS DECEMBER AND THEN TURN AROUND IN JUNE IS NOT GONNA BE BE GOOD.
MAYBE THIS COUNTY SHOULD THIS WINDFALL FOR A RAINY DAY.
THE COUNTY NEEDS TO STOP HERRING AND DECISIONS AND CONSIDER UH, WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL THE BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE.
THE COUNTY NEEDS TO CONSIDER TIMING OF TAX PAYMENTS ALONG WITH TAX LAND USE, TAXATION AND ELDER TAX EXEMPTION.
THE LAND USE TAXATION, THE SYSTEM LOOKS AT INCOME POTENTIAL TO VALUE AG AND FOREST AND
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OPEN SPACE LANDS.LOCALITIES USE IT AS A PHYSICAL TOOL.
REVENUE DOES GO DOWN WHEN YOU IMPLEMENT IT, BUT EXPENDITURES GO DOWN MORE.
ON AVERAGE, A HIGHEST REQUIRE A DOLLAR AND 16 CENTS IN SERVICES FOR EACH DOLLAR TAX IS PAID.
FARM AND FOREST LAND REQUIRES 37 CENTS IN SERVICES FOR EACH DOLLAR TAXES PAID FARMLAND AND FOREST IS REV.
REVENUE PRODUCING AND HOUSES ARE NOT.
NOW I'M NOT NEGATIVE ON HOUSES, I'M JUST, THAT'S WHERE THE SERVICES AND THE EXPENDITURES ARE LOCALITIES.
THINKING ABOUT THIS HAVE HIRED ME TO ASSIST THEM IN DEVELOPING A CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE LOCALITY OR ASSIST IN MANAGING THE LAND USE TAXATION PROGRAM.
IOWA WHITE PRINCE GEORGE JAMES CITY, THEY ALL HAVE TWICE A YEAR TAXATION.
THEY ALL HAVE LAND USE TAXATION.
THEY IMPLEMENT 'EM AT THE SAME TIME.
SUSSEX AND SURREY HAVE DECEMBER TAX PAYMENTS.
WHAT OTHER LOCALITIES HAVE DONE? 92 LOCALITIES IN VIRGINIA HAVE LAND USE TAXATION.
32ND, SIR SURREY COUNTY DOES NOT.
WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD, WE DID INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THE ELDER TAX EXEMPTION.
THE INCOME AMOUNT IS DECEIVING IS GROSS INCOME AND IF YOU RECEIVE MEDICAID INSURANCE, YOUR INCOME IS BUMPED UP TO THE BENEFITS RECEIVED.
IN SUMMARY, IT'S NOT INCOME THAT YOU CAN GET FOR YOUR LIVING EXPENSES, IT'S THE END OF THE YEAR STATEMENT INCOME.
THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN, A POPULATION WE ARE IN THE LOWER FIVE IN THE STATE.
THANK YOU AND I WILL WRAP IT UP.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO SLAP PEOPLE.
OLIVE WHITE HAS LAND USE TAXATION, 71 CENT TAX RATE AND 56,300 ELDER TAX.
IT DOES NOT HAVE LAND USE TAXATION.
IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE, DO YOU LIVE IN SURY OR SMITHFIELD? SOME HERE.
SIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR AUTHORITY.
THANK YOU MIKE EGGLESTON TENDER IN BLACK WATER DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.
SOMETIMES WE'RE PRODUCTIVE AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE WASTING TAX COUNTY RESOURCES AND TIME TAXES TWICE A YEAR IS LUDICROUS.
WHEN I TALKED TO FARMERS AND RENT SUCH AS MYSELF, THEIR RESPONSE WAS, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? DOMINION FARMERS AND LAND OWNERS ARE SOME OF THE BIG TAXPAYERS IN SURY AND MOST THAT I'VE TALKED TO, NONE HAVE BEEN FAVOR OF THIS.
I PERSONALLY THINK IT'S A BIG BOONDOGGLE TO PAY THE COUNTY PAY PAYROLL WITH MORE EMPLOYEES.
WHY DON'T YOU WORK AND TRY ATTRACTING MORE BUSINESS? SUR COUNTY TO FORM A BROADER TAX BASE.
DON'T SOLVE YOUR CASH FLOW PROBLEM ON THE BACK OF US SAYS A SOLUTION TO THIS CUTS YOUR SPENDING.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE BACON'S CASTLE DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS THAT A WISE MAN ONCE TOLD ME NOT TOO LONG AGO, MAYBE TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, THAT INTENT DOES NOT ALWAYS EQUAL IMPACT.
I BELIEVE THAT EACH OF YOU WHO WILL HERE TONIGHT UP HERE SITTING THERE MAKING THIS DECISION HAD GOOD INTENT.
AND I'M GONNA BELIEVE THAT YOUR INTENT WAS REALLY ABOUT HELPING CITIZENS IN THE TAX AND THE ECONOMY IN WHICH WE ARE TO FIND A WAY TO DIVIDE THE MONEY THAT COMES TO YOU INTO TWO PAYMENTS SO THAT WE COULD BETTER AFFORD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PAY OUR TAXES SO THAT WE COULD GET SERVICES.
I BELIEVE AND TRULY BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS YOUR INTENT.
I DO ALSO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND, AGAIN, THAT INTENT DOES NOT ALWAYS EQUAL IMPACT.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST TO YOU IS TO STUDY THIS A LITTLE BIT AND DETERMINE HOW YOU CAN GO BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL INTENT OF HELPING THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY PAY THEIR TAXES IN A MANNER IN WHICH THEY COULD BETTER AFFORD, BUT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO NEED TO DO IT.
AS SOME OF THESE FARMERS HAVE SAID TONIGHT, SO THAT THEY CAN DO THAT, UH, IN A WAY THAT BENEFITS THEM AS WELL.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UP THERE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME WOULD LIKE TO BRING UNDUE HARDSHIP ON THE FARMERS AND OTHER CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
I KNOW THAT TAX FLOAT IS A PROBLEM.
IT'S A PROBLEM FOR ALL OF US, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE GOOD INTENT.
YOU WANT TO HELP THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, AND I WOULD JUST URGE YOU TO STUDY THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AND SEE IF THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH YOU
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CAN GET THE INTENT THAT YOU HAD DONE WITHOUT HURTING A LARGE PORTION OF OUR COUNTY CITIZENS.I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AND WALTER, YOU KNOW, I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS MAY A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE'S, THIS ONE MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE OTHERS STATED FARMERS THAT THERE'S, IF YOU SIGN THIS AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SPEAK, IF YOU COULD STAND, I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS AS QUICK AS I CAN SUBMIT.
WE MOVED TO SURREY COUNTY OVER 20.
IS THAT BETTER? OH, WE MOVED TO SURREY COUNTY OVER 20 YEARS AGO FOR WHAT HAS BEEN EXQUISITELY CREATED PEACE, TRANQUILITY, BEAUTY, AGRICULTURE, HISTORY TO LIST A FEW.
AFTER WORKING AT A COMPANY THAT DEALS WITH SO MANY FARMERS, I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT FARMERS' LIFE.
IT'S NOT THE EASIEST TO LIVE AND WE ARE BLESSED FOR EACH ONE OF THEM FOR PROVIDING FOR THE CITIZENS.
WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO FIGURE OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR YOUR COST PRODUCTION AND NOT KNOWING WHAT YOUR PROFIT WILL BE AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND THE EXPENSES DUE, IT BECOMES OVERWHELMING.
HOW MANY OF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BE MAKING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR? WELL, THAT'S WHAT A FARMER HAS TO FIGURE OUT.
THIS TAX SUGGESTION IS BEYOND BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THE FARMER AND LANDOWNERS.
A FARMER TAKES OUT A CROP PRODUCTION LOAN AND USES IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO PAY FOR FERTILIZER, SEED, CHEMICALS, ET CETERA, AND THEIR TIME.
MOST USE WHAT THEY PROFIT AT THE END OF THE CROP PRODUCTION TO PAY FOR TAXES AND LAND RENT.
IF THEY'RE HAVING TO ADD IT TO THEIR LOAN, THEY'RE PAYING INTEREST ON SOMETHING THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN FULLY PAID AT THE END OF THE YEAR FROM THEIR CROPS.
INTEREST FREE LANDOWNERS ALSO WILL BE AFFECTED SINCE MOST LAND.
RENT TO PAY FOR THEIR TAXES WILL BE PROBABLY ASKED FOR A HALF A PAYMENT IN MAY FROM THE FARMER.
MS. JANET MONAGHAN COULD NOT BE HERE, BUT THIS IS HER QUOTE, WE ARE AGAINST THE TAXING TWICE A YEAR.
THAT'S JUST NOT HOW FARMERS GET PAID.
THE COUNTY NEEDS TO STOP AND CONSIDER THOSE IN AGRICULTURE.
THEY NEED TO REVISIT THE HIGHEST TAXPAYERS IN THE COUNTY, THOSE WHO OWN LAND, TIMBER, ET CETERA.
THEN LOOK AT THE OCCUPATION OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS PAYING THE HIGHEST TAXES.
MANY ARE FARMERS TWICE A YEAR.
TAXING DOES NOT WORK FOR FARMERS.
THE QUICKEST WAY TO RUN A FARMER OUT OF BUSINESS AND KILL AGRICULTURAL IN YOUR COMMUNITY IS NOT TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS.
YOU CANNOT SPEAK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF YOUR MOUTHS SAYING YOU SUPPORT FARMING, BUT NOT LISTENING TO WHAT IS BEST WHEN IT COMES TO TAXING YOUR LOCAL FARMERS.
WHY ARE WE TRYING TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT'S NOT BROKE? DO WE PAY TAXES ONCE A YEAR? YES.
CAN YOU PAY MONTHLY TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR DECEMBER BILL? YES, YOU CAN.
SECOND, YOU CAN PAY WHENEVER YOU LIKE WITH NO PENALTY.
SWITCH OVER TO THE NEW BIANNUAL AND IF YOU MISS YOUR JUNE PAYMENT, YOU'RE PENALIZED.
IF THE COUNTY STAYS WITH THE CURRENT TAX PROCEDURE, EVERYONE WINS.
MAYBE EVEN SEND OUT REMINDERS IN JUNE THAT PAYMENTS CAN BE ACCEPTED EARLY.
BUT DO NOT SAY YOU'RE IN SUPPORT OF THE FARMERS AND DO SOMETHING THAT WILL HURT THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES TIME.
WE ARE TO PAY FULL PAYMENT IN DECEMBER.
MY NAME IS ELVA CLAYTON FROM THE CLAREMONT DISTRICT.
UM, I'VE BEEN PAYING TAXES IN THE COUNTY FOR 60 PLUS YEARS.
I DO HEAR THE PLIGHT OF THE FARMERS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE CITIZENS THAT IT'S A HARDSHIP ON IN DECEMBER? UM, I AM IN SUPPORT OF TWICE YEARLY BILLING.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED IT, I'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF IT BECAUSE IT'S A HARDSHIP FOR ME AT THAT
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TIME TO PAY IT ALL AT ONCE AND THIS WOULD MAKE IT EASIER.I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FARMERS THERE ARE IN THE COUNTY, BUT I BUT IT'S BY 6,000 POPULATION IN SURVEY.
THE REST OF THE CITIZENS WANT IT.
I DO UNDERSTAND THE PLIGHT OF THE FARMERS AND I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THAT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE WORKABLE FOR EVERYBODY TO GET SOME RELIEF, NOT JUST THE FARMERS.
THANK YOU HELEN EVANTON,
MOST OF WHAT I HAVE TO SAY HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID BY THE FARMERS AND OTHER SPEAKERS, BUT FARMERS FARM OWNERS, LAND OWNERS THAT RENT THEIR LAND MAKE UP THE LARGEST SECTION OF TAXPAYERS IN THIS COUNTY OTHER THAN DOMINION POWER.
WE, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE TREASURER'S OPTIONS THAT ARE GIVEN TO US, FARMERS ARE BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOME AT THE END OF THE YEAR ARE CHOOSING THE ONCE A YEAR TAX PAYMENTS.
AND THAT IS CERTAINLY REASONABLE AND IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE WITH A TWICE A YEAR ONLY, YOU WILL BE ESSENTIALLY FORCING THE FARMERS TO PAY TAXES WHEN IT WILL BE NOT ONLY INCONVENIENT BUT VERY DIFFICULT.
AND IN ADDITION, ESTIMATES ARE THAT IT WILL COST TAXPAYERS AROUND A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO IMPLEMENT THIS NEW SYSTEM.
NEW STAFF WILL NEED TO BE HIRED.
SOFTWARE COMPANY, CONTRACTORS, DIRECTOR, FIT TAX OFFICES.
NONE OF THIS IS MENTIONED IN YOUR PROPOSAL AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE INEXPENSIVE.
I MUST REMIND YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ALTHOUGH IT MAY CAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO SAVE MONEY MONTHLY, PUT A LITTLE ASIDE MONTHLY SO THEY WILL BE PREPARED FOR THAT DECEMBER PAYMENT OR PAY IT BY THE MONTH THAT OPTION IS AVAILABLE TO US.
WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY IT ALL IN JUNE AND THEN IN SEP AND, UH, DECEMBER.
NOT THIS BUSINESS OF RUNNING THE COUNTY, NOT JUST YOUR DISTRICT, BUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY IS YOURS.
AND NOT JUST, WE ARE JUST NOT MADE UP OF DAY WORKERS, BUT HARD WORKERS WHO ARE MANY, MANY TIMES OR IN THE FIELDS WHEN YOU ARE IN BED.
I'VE SPOKEN STRONGLY TONIGHT AND EVERYBODY HERE THAT HAS SPOKEN HAS SPOKEN STRONGLY.
30 SECONDS PER SECOND BECAUSE I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
I'M THE DAUGHTER OF A FARMER, THE WIFE OF A FARM OWNER, AND A LOVER OF LIVING IN A FARMING COMMUNITY.
I HATE TO SEE THAT DESTROYED OVER MONEY THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE COLLECTED AS YOU ARE PLANNING TO DO IT, MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. ROLLINS, BOARD MEMBERS, WE COME TOGETHER TONIGHT, THE FARMING COMMUNITY TO ASK YOU, YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS TWICE A YEAR TAXATION FOR SURREY COUNTY.
IT'S MY OPINION, IT'S NOT GOING TO BENEFIT TIME.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS AND THE REST OF OUR STAFF HERE TONIGHT.
I'M JUST A LANDOWNER, A HOMEOWNER.
UM, WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS, I WAS VERY AGAINST IT.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND I, UM, ALREADY HAVE A TOUGH TIME IN THIS ECONOMY MAKING ENDS MEET.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL TO GET BILLS PAID.
UM, WE TRY TO PUT MONEY ASIDE IN SAVINGS TO PAY OUR, UM, TO PAY OUR TAXES AND EVERYTHING AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
LIKE I SAID, I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 34 YEARS.
I NEVER KNEW, UM, THAT THE TREASURER'S OFFICE HAD THE OPTION TO PAY MONTHLY BY INLY HOWEVER MUCH YOU WANTED.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S NOT FAIR TO CITIZENS WHO MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO FORCE THEM TO PAY TWICE A YEAR AND CAUSE THEM TO HAVE INTEREST IF THEY CAN'T MAKE ENDS MEET AT THAT TIME.
UM, I THINK THE COUNTY SHOULD BE IN THE BUSINESS OF
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HELPING CITIZENS, NOT PUNISHING THEM FOR THINGS.UM, SOME OF US HAVE MORTGAGES.
UM, MY, ALL OF MY TAX STUFF COMES OUTTA MY ESCROW ACCOUNT.
UH, IF FOR SOME REASON MY ESCROW'S SHORT BECAUSE MY CURRENT COMPANY KNOWS THAT WE PAY YEARLY, THE ONUS FOR THAT'S GONNA BE ON ME.
UM, ALSO WE CALL IT A ONE-TIME CASH FLOW, BUT IN ALL HONESTY, IT'S THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY WE'RE GONNA GET AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE GET HALF OF IT UPFRONT, WE GET THE REST OF IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GETTING EXTRA MONEY.
UM, WE'RE NOT DOING, I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY, WE OBVIOUSLY NEED MONEY TO HELP MAKE CITIZENS THINGS RIGHT, BUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAX MONEY WE GET.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S DIFFERENT IS ANY OF THE INTEREST AND FEES THAT ARE COLLECTED FROM THE CITIZENS.
BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS THOMAS MAYS.
UH, I RESIDE AT 1 2 2 9 2 ROYAL HIGHWAY IN, UH, THE TOWNSHIP HERE OF SURREY, UH, AM IN YOU'RE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.
UM, KIND OF ALWAYS BEEN FELT LIKE I'M SOMEONE THAT HAS, UH, PRETTY GOOD VOCABULARY AND CAN EXPOUND WHAT HE'S THINKING TO TO INDIVIDUALS, BUT UH, WHEN I READ ABOUT THIS AND STARTED, YOU KNOW, UH, SEEING THINGS IN THE PAPER AND TALKING AMONGST THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, I'M NOT SOMEONE WHO'S ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, SO I KIND OF GOTTA GLEAN IT OUT.
UM, QUITE FRANKLY, TO YOU AND THE PUBLIC, I WAS PRETTY DUMBFOUNDED.
I WAS AT A LOSS FOR TRYING TO THINK WHY THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, UM, MEMBERS OF THE BODY THAT ACTUALLY GO OUT AND LABOR HARD FOR A WHOLE PERIOD LIKE I DID TO RUN AND GET ELECTED FOR SOMETHING WOULD EVEN CONCEIVE OF, OF THIS KIND OF WHAT I'VE CONSIDERED AN ILL-ADVISED NOTION.
AND I USE THOSE WORDS CORRECTLY.
I THINK IT'S ILL-ADVISED AND WHAT I'M SAYING THERE IS AGAIN, LIKE THE LADY SPOKE OF A MOMENT AGAIN HERE ABOUT YOUR INTENT SHE THINKS IS, IS PURE.
YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO BE HELPFUL AND, AND HAVE OPTIONS, BUT ADVICE IS COMING TO YOU FROM SOMEWHERE.
IT IS JUST NOT IN MY PERSONAL OPINION AND, AND A BUSINESS OPINION AS WELL.
HAVING A FAMILY BUSINESS FOR 30 YEARS THAT WE HAD TO LIVE WITHIN OUR BUDGETS, WE JUST COULDN'T REACH OUT AND TAP INTO THE PUBLIC TO GET SOMETHING IF WE NEEDED IT.
UM, BUT THAT IS, THAT ADVICE IS NOT SOLID.
IT NEEDS A LOT OF REFLECTION AND TIME TO DO THAT.
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU JUST CAN'T JUMP INTO EASILY.
UM, UNLIKE STANDING HERE FOR THE FARMERS, UM, I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST NINE MONTHS ANOTHER PART OF THE POPULATION IN THIS COUNTY, WHICH IS THE AGING ELDERLY COMING INTO MY COURTROOM, SITTING DOWN AT OUR DESK THERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT THEY'RE PROBATE AND WILLS ON, OR A LOT OF US HERE DON'T HAVE WILLS WHATSOEVER AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING.
UM, AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A PAYMENT PLAN, THIS IS WHAT MAKES ME DUMBFOUNDED.
THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO COME IN AND PAY WHAT THEY CAN WHEN THEY CAN.
AND IF YOU ADVERTISE THAT CORRECTLY AND SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO GET THAT WORD OUT, THEN THE FEARS OF ANOTHER LADY THAT SPOKE BACK HERE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NEEDING SOME RELIEF BY HAVING A WALL IN THE SAND WHERE YOU OWE SOMETHING ON A DUE DATE IN JUNE AND THEN THERE'S PENALTIES TO IT.
UM, AGAIN, JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
UH, WE'VE GOT A CASH COW THAT OTHER AGRICULTURAL COUNTIES AND RURAL COUNTIES WOULD KILL FOR WITH A PIPELINE BASICALLY OF CASH COMING OUT OF A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO HELP, YOU KNOW, FUEL, UM, OUR NEEDS HERE.
AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, UM, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M USING THIS PULPIT TONIGHT TO SAY THAT 90% OF THE AGGRAVATION I'VE HAD SINCE I'VE COME INTO OFFICE HAS BEEN DEALING WITH FINANCIAL MATTERS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION.
I DO NOT THINK YOU'RE LIVING WITHIN THE BUDGETS.
SO THIS HALL NEEDS TO BE REVISITED.
AND, UM, I'M TOTALLY ADAMANTLY 100% AGAINST THIS AND I THINK THAT YOU'LL RULE THE DAY IF YOU DO IT AND IT'LL BE LIKE A CANKER SORE ON SOMEBODY THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BLOSSOM RIGHT OUT THE USUAL PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY THEY, YOU KNOW, DISAPPROVE SAID THREE MINUTES, SIR.
THANK YOU, BUT IT'S GONNA COME TO HAUNT YOU LATER.
ROBERT CHANDLER BACONS CASTLE DISTRICT.
I DON'T RENT MY LAND ANY LONGER.
HOWEVER, I GREW UP ON A FARM AND RANCH IN TEXAS.
WE FARMED 2,500 ACRES AND RAN 800 TO A THOUSAND HEAD OF CATTLE.
I FULLY COMPREHEND WHAT THE FARMERS IN THIS ROOM ARE TRYING TO TELL YOU.
AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR IN JANUARY, WE BORROWED MONEY AND FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR WE BORROWED THAT MONEY EVERY DAY TO PAY
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BILLS AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN HARVEST TIME WAS DONE, SOMETIMES AS LATE AS NOVEMBER, OUR WEATHER WHERE I GREW UP WAS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN IT IS HERE.THEN THE FARMER COULD PAY HIS BILLS.
I WAS ASKED BY MY REPRESENTATIVE WHAT I THOUGHT OF THIS PLAN AND I TOLD HIM EXACTLY WHAT I FELT AND HOW I FELT.
I WAS ALSO ORIGINALLY TOLD THAT THE FARMERS WERE GONNA BE EXCLUDED FROM THIS PROCESS.
AND THEN I ASKED WHO WAS GONNA DETERMINE WHO THE FARMERS WERE AND I SAID, I HAVE A FARM NUMBER BUT I DON'T FARM.
AM I GONNA BE REQUIRED TO DO THIS? THE ANSWER WAS NO.
BUT THEN THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHO WAS GONNA DETERMINE THE FARMERS.
I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT OPPOSED TO THIS.
JUST LIKE PREVIOUS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THERE IS ALREADY IN PLACE A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO PAY THEIR TAXES WHENEVER THEY WANT TO.
THE EXCESS $13 MILLION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET.
I WAS AT THE 15TH OF AUGUST MEETING AND THERE WAS ALMOST GLEE FROM THE PEOPLE THAT SAT AT THAT TABLE ABOUT HOW THEY WERE GONNA GET TO SPEND $13 MILLION.
SHAY SURY DISTRICT, UH, NOT A FARMER.
I UNDERSTAND EVERYONE HERE HAS BEEN SCREENED FOR ROTTEN FRUIT AND ROTTEN TOMATOES.
SO I WAS JUST GONNA SPEAK MY MIND.
UM, PERSONALLY, I LOVE TWICE A YEAR TAX BILLING FRUIT.
UM, I, I, THAT'S THE WAY I PAY IN IN OTHER, UH, COUNTIES.
UM, IT'S REALLY CONVENIENT FOR ME.
THE PROBLEM IS HOW TO IMPLEMENT THAT HERE.
IF THE GOAL WAS JUST TWICE A YEARLY BILLING, IT MAKES THINGS A LITTLE EASIER.
THE TEST OF ANY CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT IS, WOULD YOU SWITCH SIDES? AND WHEN I LOOK AT THINGS HERE, I WOULD, IF I HAD TO PICK A SIDE, I WANNA SIT ON SURREY COUNTY'S SIDE, NOT THE CITIZEN SIDE.
IF THE GOAL WAS SIMPLY, HEY, LET'S TAKE SOME OF THE HEAT OFF AT THE HOLIDAYS, THEN LET'S GO TO TWICE A YEARLY BILLING IN DECEMBER.
COLLECT HALF AND KEEP COLLECTING HALF IN JUNE, DECEMBER, JUNE, DECEMBER.
YOU MIGHT SAY THAT MAKES NO CASH FLOW SENSE BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE COUNTY'S GONNA BE COLLECTING, WE'RE GONNA LOSE SIX MONTHS.
WE'RE GONNA, THAT CASH FLOW IS GONNA GO AWAY.
BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THE CITIZENS TO DO.
I HEARD MR. SLATE ON THE WAY IN, AND BY THE WAY, GREAT JOB WITH THE, UH, ONLINE, UH, ABILITY TO HEAR THE MEETING AS THEY COME ON IN HERE.
MR. SLATE SAYS HE'S GONNA TAKE, I'M TAKE OUT A LOAN.
THE CITIZENS ARE FINANCING THIS.
SO IF I'M GONNA SWITCH TABLE, SWITCH SIDES OF THE TABLE, SWITCH IT THE OTHER WAY.
OR IF YOU WON'T SIT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE, IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO THOUGH I LIKE MY MY TWICE A YEAR TAX BILLING AND OTHER LOCALITIES, I DON'T SEE HOW WE GET THERE FROM HERE AND NOT HEARTLAND CITIZENS.
THANK YOU ANY MORE FROM THE PUBLIC? IF NOT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
KATHLEEN WEIDNER DEN DEN DISTRICT.
UM, I'LL BE REITERATING SOME OF WHAT WAS ALREADY SAID SINCE YOU MAY ALREADY PAY AHEAD OF TIME.
IT'S SIMPLY, UM, A MATTER OF SAYING, I'M PUTTING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AWAY BECAUSE I KNOW MY TAX BILL IS COMING DUE OR I'M GOING TO WALK MYSELF OR DRIVE MYSELF TO THE TAX OFFICE AND I'M GOING TO PAY THIS MONTHLY OR EVERY SIX MONTHS ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL CHRISTMAS.
SO THAT'S A MATTER OF BUDGETING, PERSONAL BUDGETING.
UM, AND UH, AS FAR AS THE UM, TIME OF YEAR FOR THE FARMERS, THAT WOULD BE AWFUL TO DO THAT TO THE FARMERS.
I'M NOT A FARMER, BUT I TELL YOU THAT THAT'S AWFUL TO EVEN THINK OF DOING THAT TO THE FARMERS.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING AS FAR AS UM, THE JUNE THING, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE PLANNING VACATIONS DURING THAT TIME, SO I DON'T KNOW IF LIKE THE HOMEOWNERS EVEN THINK OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT NO MATTER WHEN IT FALLS, WHETHER IT'S IN JUNE OR DECEMBER, IT WOULD
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BE FOOLISH, REALLY FOOLISH TO SAY, HEY, GO AHEAD AND WRITE ME A BILL FOR JUNE AND IF I DON'T MEET THAT JUNE DEADLINE, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PAY INTEREST ON THAT.THAT WOULD BE TOTALLY FOOLISH WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO PAY THAT BILL ANYWAY AND NOT EVEN HAVE TO WORRY IF YOU RUN A LITTLE LATE ON IT BETWEEN JUNE AND JULY OR JUNE AND AUGUST OR WHATEVER.
SO THAT JUST DON'T EVEN HOLD WATER THERE.
WHAT I SEE THIS AS IS THE COUNTY DOES BENEFIT FROM THE JUNE AND DECEMBER THING BECAUSE IT IS A MONEY GRAB FOR THEM BECAUSE AGAIN, EVIDENTLY THERE ARE, UM, BILLS COMING DUE ON THESE LOANS THAT WERE APPROVED
WHERE MY MONEY CAN SIT IN MY BANK ACCOUNT IF I WANTED TO SIT THERE JUNE, JULY, AUGUST ALL THE WAY TO DECEMBER AND MY ACCOUNT CAN GRAB THAT INTEREST.
UM, I'M KIM HAYNES, UH, FROM SURREY COUNTY.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I, WE'RE NEW TO THE COUNTY, WE'VE ONLY LIVED HERE FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND I DID MAKE A PHONE CALL WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR TAXES AND NOBODY TOLD ME THAT I COULD PAY IT EARLY BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY TWICE, I ALWAYS THOUGHT EVEN SUFFOLK COUNTY, WHEN I USED TO LIVE THERE THAT DECEMBER WAS KIND OF A CRAPPY MONTH TO PAY YOUR TAXES 'CAUSE IT'S CHRISTMAS.
AND SO I GOT PAID THIS BIG OLD TAX BILL AND THEN I GOT CHRISTMAS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE TWICE A MONTH THING I TOTALLY GET, BUT NOBODY EVER TOLD ME THAT I COULD BE PAYING IT ALL ALONG.
AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO GET OUT TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IF I'M A NEW PERSON AND I'VE ACTUALLY MADE A PHONE CALL TO THE TAX PEOPLE AND ASKED HOW DO I DO THAT? AND THEY'RE TELLING ME DECEMBER, BUT THEY'RE NOT EDUCATING ME THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAY IT MORE TIMES DURING THE YEAR, THEN THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A NICE THING TO KNOW.
THE OTHER THING IS IF, IF YOU GUYS ARE GONNA COLLECT THIS MONEY, UM, EARLIER BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BUDGET ISSUE, I, I MEAN I'M A BUDGETER AND MY WHOLE THING IS IF YOU GOT MONEY FOR THINGS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PAY, YOU PAY THEM WHEN YOU GET THE, WHEN YOU HAVE THE CASH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TEACH MY CHILDREN IS YOU DON'T BUDGET FOR SOMETHING YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR.
WHEN THE MONEY'S THERE, THEN YOU BUDGET, THEN YOU PAY THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO PAY.
YOU DON'T PAY THINGS IN ADVANCE.
SO THE OTHER THING THAT I'M UM, A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE FARMERS FOR, FOR REAL BECAUSE WE, WE DO LEASE OUR LAND TO THE FARMER.
THIS YEAR WAS NOT A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR OUR FARMER.
UM, OUR CROP DID NOT REALLY PRODUCE ANYTHING AND FOR HIM TO HAVE TO, HE'S GOTTA PAY US A LEASING FEE AND THEN HE IS PAYING HIS TAXES AND THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAD A BIG CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I'VE NEVER LIVED, WELL THAT'S NOT TRUE.
WHEN I WAS A KID I LIVED IN MY FARMING COMMUNITY.
BUT, UH, NOW I'M SITTING HERE AND I'M SEEING HOW HARD THESE FARMERS ARE WORKING AND THEY ARE OUT TO DARK AND THEY'RE WORKING THEIR BUTTS OFF JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEAT AND THEY DON'T LIVE FAT AND DRIVE FANCY CARS.
BUT I JUST THINK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY GOT TO EITHER REVISIT THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, AND LOOK AT SOME THINGS, FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
AND IF YOU GUYS CAN PAY YOUR TAXES EARLY, I MEAN WE CAN.
SO WE MIGHT AS WELL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT IF THERE'S A QUESTION OR ISSUE FOR PAYING TAXES TWICE A YEAR.
MA'AM, CAN I GET YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU'RE FROM AGAIN, PLEASE? KIM KIM HAYES.
RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE BUS.
OKAY, MY NAME'S ETISON AND I'M IN THE UH, SURREY DISTRICT AND SITTING BACK HERE LISTENING.
I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT THEN I'M SITTING HERE LISTENING AND THE ONLY THING I CAN COME UP WITH IS THAT THE BOARD IS NOT INTERESTED AT ALL ABOUT ALLEVIATING PAYMENT ISSUES WITH THE CITIZENS THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
THE ONLY THING I CAN SEE THAT THE BOARD WANTS IS THAT $13 MILLION, WHICH IS A BURDEN TO THE PEOPLE SITTING OUT HERE.
UM, SO I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, ONCE, ONCE YOU LEAVE SOMEPLACE AND YOU THINK YOU GOT SOMETHING IN YOUR MIND, YOU GO BACK HOME, ALL OF A SUDDEN FACEBOOK POPS UP AND YOU'RE TOTALLY CONFUSED NOW.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHEN I SAW THE SLIDE EARLIER, IT SAID, OKAY, I CAN PAY ONCE A YEAR.
UM, OF COURSE, LIKE SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER, I'VE GOT A MORTGAGE, MY MORTGAGE COMPANY SENDS THAT OUTTA MY ESCROW.
[01:00:01]
JUNE, IF I'M EXPECTED TO PAY IN JUNE, CAN I STILL GO TO ONCE A YEAR WITH MY MORTGAGE COMPANY OR AM I GONNA HAVE TO PAY TWICE A YEAR AND GET PENALIZED IN JUNE BECAUSE MY MORTGAGE COMPANY'S ONLY GONNA PAY AT THE END OF THE YEAR.SO THAT WOULD BE MY QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION, SIR.
I WILL, I WILL GIVE YOU MS ON THAT MS. PERRY.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN? YES? YES, MS. ROWLAND.
UM, MAY I ASK, UM, AFTER THIS GENTLEMAN SPEAK THAT WE ASKED MS UH, THE TREASURER IS HERE, I THINK, IS MS. RUFFIN HERE THE TREASURER? YES.
UM, BECAUSE THE PREPAYMENT OF TAXES, I THINK THERE'D NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE CURRENT ON THEIR PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE PREPAYMENT PLAN.
IS THAT CORRECT MS. MS. RUFFIN? THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
I'M SORRY I HAVE A COLD, BUT NO PROBLEM.
I WAS TO GET THROUGH THIS, UH, NUMBER ONE, YOUR NAME, SIR? OH, I'M SORRY.
MARVIN THORNTON AND I LIVE IN THE
I OWN A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED ACRES.
PAYING TAXES ON A HUNDRED ACRES IS A LITTLE BIT STEEP, BUT IT GETS DONE.
I ALSO HAVE A FARMER THAT LEASES A PORTION OF MY LAND TO GET THAT DONE.
WE ARE DEALING WITH SOMETHING LEGAL ALSO, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IN A BUSINESS WORLD, I WOULD HESITATE TO TAKE MY FARMER TO COURT IF YOU DON'T PAY ME ON TIME BECAUSE THAT MONEY IS NEEDED BY YOU GENTLEMEN AND THE COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD STUDY THIS JUST A LITTLE LONGER SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST FIGURE OUT THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE LANDOWNERS, FOR THE FARMERS BECAUSE THAT'S A TICKLISH THING.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONSIDER.
I'M TOTALLY AGAINST IT AS A LANDOWNER AND I'M SPEAKING FOR MY FARMER ALSO WHO I EXPECT PAYMENT SO I CAN PAY MY TAXES ON TIME.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NOW WE WILL ENTERTAIN COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
MR. HARDY, UH, WELL I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY ONE THING FIRST 'CAUSE MR. INFORMATION STARTS AND IT AND IT ROSE.
THERE'S NOT A CASH FLOW ISSUE IN SHELBY COUNTY.
SO EVERYBODY SLEEP WELL TONIGHT.
UM, WE LISTEN TO A LOT OF, UH, WONDERFUL CITIZENS TONIGHT.
UM, I WANNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS MATTER AND HAVE A WORK AND SCHEDULE A WORK SESSION FOR THE BOARD.
WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BOARD MEMBERS TO, I WOULD SECOND THAT HAVE A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
THIS ITEM HAS BEEN TABLED AND, UH, BASED UPON, UH, CITIZENS' COMMENTS, I, UH, LOOKED INTO MY CRYSTAL BALL AND SEE THAT WE WILL PROBABLY BE TABLING THIS AND WE HAVE A DATE SET FOR OUR WORK SESSION ON THE 17TH OF THIS MONTH.
WOULD THAT BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE BOARD MEMBERS? IF YOU CHECK YOUR CALENDAR RIGHT QUICK, MR. CHAIR? I NEED TO GO, UH, CHECK MY CALENDAR AT HOME.
IS THAT DATE WELL? OKAY, MR. CALLON, IS THAT DATE GOOD FOR EVERYONE ELSE? WE CAN GET A, UH, REPLY FOR MR. CALLON? YES, THAT'S A TUESDAY THE 17TH.
AND WHAT TIME ARE YOU PROPOSING? TUESDAY 17TH AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
OKAY, MR. JUROR? I, I BELIEVE IT WILL WORK FOR ME.
I HAVE ONE CONFLICT, BUT IT'S MINOR.
WE WILL 10 TENTATIVELY WELL, WE WOULD HAVE, WE WILL HAVE A QUORUM.
WE WOULD, UH, IF, IF WE NEED, UH, A ZOOM OR HOWEVER WE CAN GET ALL THE BOARD BOARD MEMBERS IN, THIS IS A PRESSING MATTER FOR THE COUNTY.
SO WE DO HAVE THREE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A QUORUM AND WE ARE HOPING THAT MR. CALHOUN AND MR. DREW, WE CAN BE PRESENT SO THAT WE CAN HANDLE THIS, UH, PRESSING MATTER OF THE COUNTY.
SO WE HAVE A TENTATIVE DATE FOR THE 17TH AT FIVE O'CLOCK FOR A WORK SESSION IN REGARDS TO THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE.
[01:05:02]
UH, SO AT THIS TIME WE WILL PRESS ON MR. MR. CHAIR.WAS IT MR. COEN? I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
IF, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE ALL FIVE OF US IN THE TUESDAY MEETING ON THE 17TH, I WOULD STRONGLY ASK THAT IT GET MOVED WHERE ALL FIVE OF US CAN COME.
WE, WE WOULD TAKE IT, YES, YOU WOULD HAVE A FORM AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE REPRESENT OUR DISTRICTS AS WELL.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF OUR DISTRICTS, OTHER DISTRICTS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BE VERY MUCH A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
OH, HOW SOON CAN YOU LET ME KNOW? UH, YOUR AVAILABILITY? MR. CAL? I CAN LET YOU KNOW TOMORROW MORNING, SIR.
I SAID TENTATIVE, I HAD A TENTATIVE DATE FOR THE 17TH AND WE WILL HEAR FROM MR. CALHOUN ON HIS AVAILABILITY.
MR. MR. PIERCE, DO WE HAVE A LOCATION? UH, THE EOC.
UM, WE MIGHT CONSIDER CHANGING THAT ONLY BECAUSE THE EOC DOESN'T ACCOMMODATE, UM, VERY MANY OF THE CITIZENS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MATTER THAT CITIZENS ARE
LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET THE DATE DOWN, THEN WE CAN THAT, THAT THE LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED.
WELL, WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS PRESENTATIONS.
WE WILL, WE WILL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS UNTIL WE CAN, UH, REGATHER OURSELVES AND TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS BACK NOW IN SESSION.
[Presentations]
AND AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE PRESENTATIONS FROM A ES, UH, BEN SAUNDERS FROM A ES UH, THANK YOU CHAIRMAN ELLIOT FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.UM, JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON THE CAVALIER SOLAR PROJECT AND THE PROGRESS WE'VE BEEN MAKING.
SO FROM A CONSTRUCTION PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO BEING FULLY COMPLETE WITH THE PROJECT.
UH, IN FACT, WE'VE FOR, UH, SOLAR PANELS THAT ARE GOING ON THE RACKING, THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN INSTALLED.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE, UH, FROM THE SEVERAL PERSPECTIVE, 97% COMPLETE.
AND WE'LL BE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE, WHERE WE FINISH UP OUR LANDSCAPING EFFORTS, UH, STARTING THIS FALL AND TRYING TO GET, UH, GRASS TO GROW AND MEET OUR STORM WATER, UH, VEGETATION REQUIREMENTS.
FROM A DELIVERY PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE 99% COMPLETE ON OUR DELIVERIES.
THE, THE REMAINING DELIVERIES ARE REALLY JUST SPARE AND REPLACEMENT MODULES COMING TO THE SITE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE TOO, THE MOUNT EBO STAGING AREA HAS BEEN DECOMMISSIONED.
AND FOR ENERGIZATION, UM, WE EXPECT TO HAVE ALL THE ARRAYS ENERGIZED BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER, UH, AND THEN HAVE FULL COMMERCIAL OPERATION BY, UH, THE, UH, END OF OCTOBER.
SO FOR TRAFFIC, UM, OBVIOUSLY FOR WRAPPING THINGS UP, TRAFFIC IS GOING DOWN AND GOING DOWN QUICKLY.
WE HAVE ABOUT 65 EMPLOYEES ON SITE RIGHT NOW, AND THAT SHOULD DECREASE TO LESS THAN 50 BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
UM, AND MAJORITY OF THE WORK, UH, IS, UH, OFF WHITE MARSH ON THE NORTHERN END OF THE PROJECT.
UH, ONE THING SOME OF THE CITIZENS MIGHT HAVE NOTICED IS THAT WE DO HAVE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, UH, PATROLLING THE AREA DURING THE DAY WHEN THEY HAVE AVAILABILITY.
UM, AND, AND I DO WANNA MAKE CLEAR TOO, THAT, UH, THE COUNTY IS NOT PAYING FOR THAT.
A S IS IS PAYING FOR THOSE HOURS.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE COUNTY.
SO FOR ROAD REPAIRS, THOSE HAVE STARTED.
UM, BELLEVUE, UH, WE'VE REPAIRED THE SHOULDERS, UH, ON BELLEVUE AND MULLET.
YOU CAN SEE IN THAT PICTURE HERE.
WE'VE ALSO, UH, WORKED ON SOME OF THE DITCHES, UH, ON BELLEVUE AND MULLET AND FIXED SOME OF THE CULVERTS ON WHITE, UH, AT THE INTERSECTION OF, UH, WHITE LINE, WHITE MARSH AND BEACHLAND.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE SPENT THE PAST ABOUT A MONTH, UM, BASICALLY GETTING A APPROVAL OR A, A, YEAH, APPROVAL FROM VDOT FOR THE PLAN TO, UM, TO MILL AND RESURFACE, UM, UH,
[01:10:01]
BEACHLAND TO, UH, DOWN TO JONES DRIVE.UM, AND SO, AND WE WILL BE RESURFACING THE, THAT ENTIRE SECTION.
UH, WE, WE HAD LOOKED AT, UM, FIXING THE SHOULDERS, UM, BUT WHEN WE TALKED WITH OUR, UH, ROAD CONTRACTORS, THEY SAID, THAT'S NOT REALLY GONNA WORK.
'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT GONNA BOND.
SO IT JUST MAKES MORE SENSE TO JUST RESURFACE THE ENTIRE THING.
SO WE'LL BE RESURFACING THAT, UH, ENTIRE SECTION THERE.
UM, WE EXPECT TO GET THAT DONE WITHIN 45 DAYS.
SAME THING WITH, UH, THE INTERSECTION OF WHITE MARSH, UH, WHITE MARSH AND BEACHLAND.
UM, SO WE'LL FIX THAT INTERSECTION, UH, RESURFACE IT IN 45 DAYS AS WELL.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST, UH, OF THE ROAD REPAIRS WOULD BE, UH, WHITE MARSH, UM, AND WORKING ON THE SHOULDERS AND ANY, UH, SURFACE AREAS ON THAT THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, UH, ONCE CONSTRUCTION'S COMPLETE.
SO THAT SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT LATER THIS YEAR.
AND SO WITH THAT, UH, THAT'S THE MAIN UPDATE.
UM, AND I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, IF ANYBODY HAS 'EM.
BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR? MR. PIERCE? YES.
HOW YOU DOING? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, IF YOU MIND GOING BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE, PLEASE? YEP.
UH, JUST GOING BACK TO THE REMAINING REPAIRS AND PROPOSED TIMING, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE WITH CITIZENS AS FAR AS THE ROADWAYS AND EVERYTHING.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, UM, SAME URGENCY OF TRYING TO GET THE, UM, PROJECT COMPLETED, I'M, I'M JUST WANT TO, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SHOW US THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ROADWAYS WOULD BE KIND OF, KIND OF BETTER THAN WHERE THEY WERE THEY WERE BEFORE.
SO, UM, I'M JUST, AGAIN, JUST LISTENING TO COMMENTS AND, AND CITIZENS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THAT COMMENT TO ENSURE, UH, I JUST WANT YOU TO RE-LOOK AT IT TO SEE GOT EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN IS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT IT IS DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND, AND WE'RE DOING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND ALSO INVOLVING, UH, COUNTY PERSONNEL AND VDOT, MAKING SURE THEY SIGN OFF ON OUR PLANS AND THEY'RE IN AGREEMENT, UM, THAT IT WILL BE AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN IT PREVIOUSLY WAS.
AND, AND WE HAVE GOTTEN THE NOD FROM THEM ON THAT.
UH, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I, I WISH EVERYBODY WHO JUST WALKED OUT WITH THE STATE AS MUCH, UH, FLAX, YOU GUYS, UH, CAUGHT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BUT, UH, THANKS FOR THE UPDATE AND, UM, HOPEFULLY YOU NEED THIS ONLINE.
SO, UH, THOSE WHO AREN'T PRESENT, YOU DEFINITELY, UH, UH, REVEL IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
[County Administrators Report]
OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.SO FIRST WE HAVE MS. RENEE CHAPLIN, WHO'S HERE, AND SHE'S GOING TO GIVE US AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN ELLIOT, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MADAM ADMINISTRATOR ROLLINS, MS. PERKINS, AND MR. HARRISON, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARENA.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME GUESTS HERE THAT'S GONNA SPEAK TO US FROM THE SURREY MARKET, LLC.
AND I'LL TAKE A MOMENT AND GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO THEM, IF THAT'S OKAY.
ALRIGHT, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE, UM, PROBABLY ALREADY DOWNLOADED THE APP FROM THE, UH, TOURISM, UH, WEBSITE.
WE HAVE AN APP THAT IS BASICALLY, BASICALLY A CONCIERGE APP THAT DEMONSTRATES ALL OF OUR TRAILS THAT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY.
AND THE NEWEST ONE BEING IS THE FARMERS FEED THE WORLD, SPEAKING OF FARMERS.
SO BASICALLY THIS IS A, A, A TRAIL THAT SHOWS MANY OF THE AGRITOURISM ASSETS AND FARMS THAT'S AVAILABLE.
UH, AND ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THAT, THAT MAY HAVE AN AGRITOURISM EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE NOT ALREADY REACHED OUT TO, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL, UH, MY OFFICE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR THE SURREY COUNTY OFFICE ON TOURISM.
AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THAT INFORMATION AND GET YOU ON THAT PARTICULAR APP SO OUR VISITORS CAN USE THAT.
IT GIVES YOU THE EXPERIENCES AND ACTUALLY GIVES YOU DIRECTIONAL ACT, UH, ACTIONS TOWARDS GETTING TO THOSE ASSETS AS WELL.
SO WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S GONNA DRIVE A LOT OF THE, UH, TRAFFIC.
IN FACT, UM, ONE OF THE, THE GOOD THINGS IS WE DID NOTICE THAT JUST IN THE LAST MONTH, WE HAVE HAD, UM, LEMME GET THE NUMBER CORRECT HERE BEFORE I, WE'VE HAD OVER 5,000 NEW VIEWS ON OUR WEBSITE JUST IN 30 DAYS.
SO THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FOR, UH, A COMMUNITY OUR SIZE.
SO WE WERE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
UM, THEN I HAVE, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOVE PROJECT THAT WE
[01:15:01]
ARE WORKING ON, I THINK SOMETIME AGO.UM, THIS IS A MOCKUP OF WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED.
THE PICTURES WILL NOT BE THE SAME, BUT I WANTED YOU TO SEE THIS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAD APPROVED, UH, HAVING THIS DONE.
AND SO THIS PARTICULAR MOCKUP, IT WILL BE THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT IS MADE OF SOLID STEEL.
UH, AND IT HA WILL HAVE ON THE PLEXIGLASS, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SEE-THROUGH, YOU'LL SEE SURREY COUNTY FEEL THE LOVE.
SO THIS WILL BE COMPLETED OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
IT HAS, IT'S AN EXTRUSION PROCESS, SO IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME TO GET THIS DONE, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A NICE DURABLE ASSET.
AND OF COURSE IT WILL GO OUTSIDE IN THE FIELD, IN FRONT OF THE PAVILION AND THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME EV UH, INFRASTRUCTURE BEING BUILT IN THE COUNTY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CHARGE IN.
AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, WE DID MAKE APPLICATIONS, SEND A LETTER OF SUPPORT, UH, THROUGH OUR, UH, DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
SO WE'RE KIND OF HOLDING TIGHT TO SEE IF WE CAN, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S A GRANT BASED OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE STATE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT WITH THAT, MS. ROLLINS.
WE GOT THE LETTER IN AND GOT THE, UH, APPLICATION THAT WE NEEDED.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT'S GONNA WORK OUT.
ALSO, TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, GRAY LOCAL, UH, MEDIA IS GOING TO BE AS CHANNEL 12 IS GONNA BE RUNNING SOME COMMERCIALS IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER.
SO YOU'LL BE SEEING THAT, UH, VERY SOON.
THEY WILL BE STARTING ON OCTOBER THE FIRST.
UM, ALSO TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, ON OCTOBER THE 22ND, THERE'S A MAIN STREET PROGRAM THAT WILL BE HOUSED, UH, AT THE SURREY RECREATION CENTER.
AND WE WILL BE INVITING GUESTS AND ALL OF OUR TOWNS.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THE MAIN STREET PROGRAM DOES, IT PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR SMALLER TOWNS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT BE WATER, UH, UH, SIDEWALKS, UH, REDEVELOPMENT, REVITALIZATION.
SO WE WANNA BRING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FORWARD AND PUT SOME PARTNERSHIPS TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE DOLLARS THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE TO, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, ALSO WANTED TO MENTION, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY LARGE EVENT, THE, UH, 2024 NOTTAWAY TRIBAL POWWOW, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER 21ST.
AND OF COURSE IT IS A TWO DAY EVENT AND SOMETHING NEW THAT'S HAPPENING, UM, FEATURING THIS YEAR WILL BE THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, ART MOBILE.
SO THAT IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF NEW AND DIFFERENT, AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO COME AND ENJOY THAT TIME 'CAUSE IT'S A REALLY GOOD TIME.
I'D LIKE TO TURN THIS OVER NOW TO MRS. SHE WHITE AND MICHELLE BROWN, UH, HERE FROM THE SURREY MARKETPLACE.
BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, I AM CHERYL WHITE AND I AM THE WIFE OF ANDY WHITE.
ANDY HAS BEEN, UM, WORKING HARD IN THIS COUNTY.
UM, SO ON BEHALF OF HIM IN THE SUR MARKETPLACE, UM, WE WANTED TO JUST COME IN AND GIVE KIND OF A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK WITH YOU ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
UM, EVERY MORNING I START MY DAY WITH A VERSE OF THE DAY AND TODAY'S VERSE, ANDY ASKED ME A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO IF I COULD COME IN, UM, AND BRING MICHELLE TO, UM, TALK WITH YOU ALL BECAUSE HE IS NOW GOING OUT TO BUY SOME PRODUCE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
AND SO I START EVERY MORNING WITH THIS VERSE, I MEAN, WITH THESE, UM, VERSES OF THE DAY.
AND TODAY'S KIND OF SPOKE TO ME BECAUSE I KNEW I WAS COMING IN AND HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH EACH OF YOU.
AND I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE, IF YOU WILL, JUST BEAR WITH ME FOR A MINUTE.
AND IT SAYS, IT STARTS THIS WAY.
IT SAYS, LET'S START THIS DAY WITH GRATITUDE, MINDFUL OF THE COUNTLESS GIFTS WOVEN INTO OUR LIVES.
MAY OUR HEARTS BE ATTUNED TO EVERYDAY BLESSINGS THAT SURROUND US FOSTERING A SPIRIT OF THANKFULNESS AND HOPE.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE MESSAGE WE WANT TO SHARE WITH EACH OF YOU DURING THIS EXCITING TIME AND ANNOUNCEMENT THAT OUR, AND I'M INCLUDING EACH OF YOU, THOSE WHO HAVE TOLD OVER SUPPORTED JUST ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE WITHIN THE COUNTY.
SO WHEN I SAY OUR, I'M, I'M INCLUDING YOU IN THE, IN THOSE THINGS.
I DUNNO WHY I'M GETTING SO EMOTIONAL.
SO WE ARE ANNOUNCING THAT THE OPENING OF THE SURREY COUNTY, VIRGINIA SURREY MARKETPLACE IS HERE.
WE WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 14TH FROM NINE TO SEVEN.
[01:20:01]
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST, I WAS TELLING MICHELLE, IF YOU WATCH THAT BAR RESCUE SHOW AND THEY GO IN AND YOU GO IN AND YOU, YOU TEST THINGS TO SEE HOW THEY'RE GONNA HAPPEN.AND THEN IF THEY DON'T HAPPEN, YOU SAY, OKAY, EVERYBODY GO HOME
SO WE ARE GOING TO DO A SOFT OPENING AND WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT, BUT HEY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
WE HAVE A NEW POS SYSTEM AND IT'S REQUIRED SOME D DILIGENT ATTENTION FROM MICHELLE AND HER STAFF.
SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE THAT SOFT OPENING.
UM, AND THEN ON SUNDAY FROM 10 TO SEVEN, THE STORY'S ABOUT 75% STOPPED.
WE ARE WAITING FOR SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, VENDORS TO COME IN.
WE HAVE TO GET ON THE SCHEDULE, YOU HAVE TO ORDER STUFF IF THEY HAVE THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF STOCK, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S ONLY ABOUT 75% STOCK, BUT THERE ARE SOME WONDERFUL THINGS THERE.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU WILL COME OUT AND JOIN US.
UM, SO THE GRAND OPENING IS NEAR IN THE NEAR PLANS.
WE APPROACH THIS OPENING AND GOING BACK TO MY VERSE FOR THE DAY, WE APPROACH THIS OPENING WITH GRATITUDE.
WE THANK YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
WE'RE MINDFUL OF THE COUNTLESS GIFTS FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THE DONATIONS, THE GRANTS, AND THE SUPPORT.
SO WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE GIFTS.
WE DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THE BLESSING THAT HAS MADE THIS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT IS A BLESSING, IT'S A BLESSING FOR US AS MEMBERS OF SURY COUNTY.
WE LIVE IN SURY COUNTY, WE'RE RAISING OUR FAMILIES IN SURY COUNTY.
MY GRANDCHILDREN LOVE TO COME TO SURY COUNTY.
SO WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT HERE, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING BECAUSE YOUR ALLOWING US TO COME IN HERE MAKES THAT A BLESSING.
UM, ONE OF THOSE BLESSINGS IS THIS YOUNG LADY WHO IS STANDING BESIDE ME WHO HAS TIRELESSLY AND SKILLFULLY WORKED IN THE FINAL GROUNDWORK OF THE MARKET.
OUR STORE MANAGER, MICHELLE BROWN, SHE HAS PUT TOGETHER A TEAM OF ABOUT 45 EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THOSE FINAL STEPS IN THE OPENING.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HER TO YOU AT THIS TIME AND GIVE HER A MOMENT JUST TO SAY HELLO.
SO, MICHELLE BROWN, THE STORE MANAGER FOR THE SIRI MARKETPLACE.
I'M JUST SO PROUD THAT, UM, I WAS ABLE TO, UM, GET A STAFF TOGETHER AND I'M GLAD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO, UM, GET THE STORE OPEN.
UM, I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE I WASN'T NEAR A GROCERY STORE, SO WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE SITUATION THE COUNTY WAS IN, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO, UM, GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO GO LOCALLY TO BUY GROCERIES.
AND EVEN WHILE I'M WORKING IN THERE, LIKE WHERE AM I GONNA GET SOMETHING TO EAT AT
SO I'VE BEEN EATING, UM, YOU KNOW, FOOD LOCALLY AND, UM, JUST, JUST HOW I FEEL JUST BEING IN THE STORE AND NOT HAVING THINGS AROUND THAT I'M NORMALLY USED TO ACCUSTOMED TO.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NEEDED TO TRY MY BEST TO, UM, MAKE HAPPEN AS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND, AND I'M GLAD TO SAY THAT WE ARE OPENING ON SATURDAY FOR A SOFT OPENING AND WE HOPE THAT, UM, EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE WORKING JUST LIKE WE PLANNED.
BUT, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE GREAT THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BRING ALONG THE WAY THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.
BUT WE KNOW THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WERE THE PRODUCE AND THE MEAT AND THAT WE HAVE
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BE PART OF THIS AND, UM, IT'S EXCITING FOR ME AND MY FAMILY TO, UM, HELP OUT THE WAY WE CAN.
THANK YOU MS. WHITE AND MS. BROWN.
I WOULD, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO TAKE A TOUR OF THE NEW GROCERY STORE AND I AM WELL PLEASED.
I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT BENEFIT FOR THE COUNTY.
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT WE ARE AT THIS POINT.
THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF DOUBT WHETHER WE ARE EVER GOING TO GET HERE, BUT WE ARE HERE.
WE DO HAVE A GROCERY STORE IN SURY COUNTY.
I THINK THAT DESERVE OUR APPLAUSE BOARD MEMBERS.
AND ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? CAN I, OH, I'M SORRY.
NO, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I, I JUST HAVE ONE.
UM, YOU MENTIONED SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AT SOFT OPENINGS, I SUPPOSE.
DO YOU HAVE A SCHEDULE THEREAFTER? ARE YOU GONNA BE OPEN MONDAY BEFORE THE STORE WILL OPEN AFTER THAT? I MEAN, WE JUST HAVEN'T SET THE STORE HOURS.
WE WANTED TO SEE HOW THIS WEEKEND WOULD GO UNDERSTAND AND THEN IF, IF IT OFFICIALLY IT'S OPEN.
SO YOU WILL OPEN MONDAY AT SOME POINT IN TIME,
YES, THOSE HOURS ADJUST FOR THE RIGHT FOR SALE.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION AND THE SOFT OPENING THAT IS OPEN TO THE PROBLEM.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR FINALLY REACHING THIS POINT OF, OF OPENING, AND I THINK EVERYBODY WILL BE EXCITED.
[01:25:01]
MR. CHAIR.I JUST WANNA SAY I THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
UH, WE JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARITY.
HOW, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES YOU SAID DO YOU HAVE HIRED RIGHT NOW? THERE ARE FOUR TO FIVE, FOUR.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING, THAT ARE PROBABLY MORE CONTRACTORS, BEEN EMPLOYEES, SO STILL IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET SOME THINGS AND SEE WHAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED.
JUST SEND THOSE BACK WHOEVER'S YEAH, THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING YES.
I WAS LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT, BUT THANK YOU.
THEY HAD THE MASTER BUTCHER IN THERE TODAY CUTTING UP PORK CHOPS, SO KEEP STAKE.
Y'ALL HEAR THAT DRAKE SAUSAGE I GOT? YEAH, IT IS GONNA BE, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A GROCERY STORE IN SURY COUNTY, SO WE ARE NO LONGER A FOOD DESERT, NO LONGER FOOD DESERT.
THIS, THIS, I, I I AM, UH, I JUST TAKING A PLUG.
THIS HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR ALL THAT HAS BEEN INVOLVED.
SO I'M ASKING A LOT OF THE PEOPLE LEFT OUT.
I'M ASKING THAT THE WORD WILL SPREAD THE WORD.
I HOPE THEY'RE LISTENING AND LOOKING, UH, ONLINE BECAUSE IT IS A GROCERY STORE IN SURY COUNTY AND WE NEED SURY COUNTY TO SUPPORT IT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP A GROCERY STORE IN SURY COUNTY.
I, I, I WENT, UH, A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THE AGENDA BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE NEEDED SOME GOOD NEWS
[New Business]
UP INTO OUR NEW BUSINESS WHERE WE HAVE LANDSCAPING AND MOWING MOWING CONTRACT AWARD.WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, UM, IS THE COUNTY DID RECEIVE QUOTES FOR LANDSCAPING AND LAWNMOWING SERVICES.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED, IT'S OVER 30 VARIOUS SITES, UM, THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO LANDSCAPE MAINTAIN AND OR MOW, UH, FUNDING WAS INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR THIS SERVICE.
THE LOWEST MOST RESPONSIVE BID WAS $62,103, UH, FROM WILLIAMS LANDSCAPING DESIGN.
UM, AND THE ACTION ON THIS EVENING THAT WE ARE ASKING, UH, YOU TO DO IS TO AUTHORIZE THE AWARD OF THE BID FOR LANDSCAPING AND MOWING SERVICES AT THE VARIOUS COUNTY SITES AND TO, UH, AUTHORIZE US TO ENTER INTO A PROPERLY EXECUTED CONTRACT, UH, PER REVIEW AND AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY BOARD MEMBERS.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, UH, REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A BID WITH WILLIAMS LANDSCAPING AND DESIGN FOR THE AMOUNT OF $62,103 AND 32 CENTS FOR THE COUNTY PROPERTY THAT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED.
CHAIR, I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS BUDGETED.
SO WAS THIS, UH, WHAT WAS IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS? DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD WHAT WAS BUDGETED FOR THIS ORIGINALLY? THE TOTAL, UM, ORIGINALLY BEFORE WE DID THIS CONTRACT? YES.
UM, CAN'T REALLY TELL YOU A AMOUNT THAT WAS BUDGETED PRIOR TO THAT.
MOSTLY WE, WE HAD TO USE SOME CONTRACTUAL SERVICES IN THE PAST, BUT SOME OF THIS WAS DONE BY, UM, SOME COUNTY STAFF BEFORE.
BUT WE DID USE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES FOR SOME OF THE MAJOR SITES, BUT SOME OF THESE SITES WERE ALSO BEING MAINTAINED BY STAFF.
AND MS. ROGERS, WHERE'S WILLIAM'S LANDSCAPING FROM OUT OF SURREY CLOSE OR, IT IS WILLIAMSBURG.
AND WE DID SEND OUT BIDS TO LOCAL CONTRACTORS, UM, ACTUALLY ENCOURAGING THEM TO BID, AND THIS BID WAS THE MOST RESPONSIVE THAT WE RECEIVED.
SO IS THIS, THIS IS, UH, I UNDERSTAND THIS ANNUAL, IS THIS DURING THE, UM, THE GRASS CUTTING SEASON, ARE THEY GONNA HANDLE LIKE THE, UH, THE FALL, LIKE MARCH AND ALL THAT TOO? MM-HMM.
IT IS, UH, MR. HARRISON MAY HAVE ANSWER THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS ANNUAL.
SO IS IS IT DOES INCLUDE SERVICES NOT JUST THE GRASS CUTTING.
UM, INCLUDES MULCHING, IT INCLUDES TREE TRIMMING.
UM, IT INCLUDES, WHAT AM I MISSING, MR. HARRISON? I BELIEVE YOU HAVE IT.
OVERALL MAINTENANCE OF GROUNDS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF THERE BE NONE, WHAT WOULD BE THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD IN THIS MATTER? CHAIR, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE, UH, AWARDED CONTRACT TO THE SELECTED, UH, COMPANY WILLIAMS LANDSCAPE AND DESIGN INC.
FOR THE, UH, UH, THE SIGNS UPON MOUNT HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
[01:30:01]
MARINA DRIVE TO TOWN EXTENSION OF SEWELL SYSTEM PER AGREEMENT.OH, MY
WE DO NEED TO GO OVER THAT ONE, SIR.
UM, AND I MAY GET ASSISTANCE FROM MY COUNTY ATTORNEY ON THIS ITEM.
UM, LET ME SEE IF I CAN PULL IT UP REAL QUICK AS WELL.
SO WHAT YOU DO HAVE BEFORE YOU, UM, HOLD ON A SECOND.
UM, SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS A REQUEST TO PAY THE HAMPTON ROAD SANITATION DISTRICT FOR 320, UH, THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THIS WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS ENTERED INTO, UM, THE COUNTY WITH THE FORMER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
THIS WAS ACTUALLY DONE BACK IN OCTOBER, 2019.
UM, IT WAS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN HAMPTON ROAD SANITATION DISTRICT AND THE COUNTY OF RE IT WAS A COST SHARING AGREEMENT AS YOU ALL AWARE OF THE, UH, MASSIVE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO EXTEND THE, UH, PUBLIC SEWER SYSTEM ALONG THE MARINA, UH, WHEREBY, WHICH THE COUNTY IS NO LONGER PAYING FOR THEIR SLUSH REMOVAL.
AND AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, IT WAS AN AGREEMENT MADE THAT THE COUNTY WOULD PAY 20% OF THAT COST OF THAT PROJECT NOT TO EXCEED $320,000.
SO THE PROJECT, UH, MR. WADE TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED.
UM, THIS PROJECT WAS ACTUALLY FINISHED, I BELIEVE IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT TIME.
SO HAMPTON ROAD SANITATION DISTRICT IS ASKING THE COUNTY TO COMPLY, UH, WITH THE COST SHARING AGREEMENT THAT WE AGREED UPON, AND TO PAY THIS AMOUNT OF $320,000.
NOW, THIS AMOUNT, BOARD MEMBERS, OF COURSE, WAS UNEXPECTED, WAS NOT AWARE, AND WAS NOT IN OUR BUDGET.
UM, SO THE ANTICIPATED SOURCE OF THIS FUNDS IS FUND BALANCE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN POINT OUT JUST TO SAY, AND, UM, AND MR. HARDY, YOU SAID IT EARLIER THAT THE, UH, COUNTY HAS SUFFICIENT AMOUNT IN THIS CASH.
WE DO NOT HAVE A CASHFLOW PROBLEM AND WHY WE DO NOT LIKE TO TAKE FUNDS FROM OUR FUND BALANCE, THIS MONEY IS AVAILABLE TO COVER THIS UNEXPECTED COSTS.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ALWAYS SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR UNEXPECTED COSTS IN EMERGENCIES.
AND THE RECOMMENDATION FOR TONIGHT IS TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT WITH THAT PAYMENT, UM, OF $320,000.
UM, MS. PERKINS, I'M SURE THAT THIS HAS BEEN VETTED THROUGH YOUR OFFICE, THAT WE ARE BASICALLY ON THE HOOK FOR THIS MONEY.
YES, MR. CHAIRMAN? UH, I HAVE REVIEWED AT MS. ROWLAND'S REQUEST.
I WENT AHEAD AND REVIEWED THAT CALL SHARING AGREEMENT THAT WAS ENTERED INTO, AS MS. ROLLINS STATED BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2019.
AND, UM, IT IS A LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE AND, AND BINDING AGREEMENT.
SO THE COUNTY IS ON THE HOOK FOR THAT THREE 20.
AND, UH, WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE THANKFUL THAT IT WAS CAPPED AT THREE 20 BECAUSE, UM, AS WE JUST HEARD, THE ACTUAL TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT WAS MUCH HIGHER.
SO IF THAT CAP HAD NOT BEEN IN THE AGREEMENT, WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SIGNIFICANTLY MORE.
AND I DO NEED TO MAKE A CORRECTION.
I WAS SKIPPING AHEAD WITH THE NEXT ITEM, BUT THE ACTUAL FUNDING SOURCE FOR THIS PROJECT IS NOT FUND BALANCE.
IT WOULD BE MONIES AVAILABLE THAT WE HAVE FOR THE APA.
WELL, YOU GOING TO SHARE THAT WITH ME, MR. HARRIS? YES, MA'AM.
WHERE WAS THE FUNDS? ARPA FUNDING? ARPA FUNDING.
THERE'S, UH, COUNTY, UM, FUNDING LEFT OVER THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD USE FOR THAT FUND.
THE WHOLE AMOUNT, THE ENTIRE AMOUNT.
AND TO MRS. UH, PERKINS POINT, THE 20% OF THE COST WAS ACTUALLY AROUND 413,000.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? IF THERE'D BE NO QUESTIONS AND CHAIR WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MR. PIERCE, I MOVE THAT WE AUTHORIZE A PAYMENT OF H-R-S-S-D IN THE AMOUNT OF 320,000 PER THE COST SHARING AGREEMENT.
RECOMMENDED SOURCE OF FUNDING IS OUR HAVE A MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND PROPERTY MOVE.
ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING AND SIGN OF AYE.
LAST ITEM OF NEW BUSINESS WOULD BE THE REASSESSMENT APPRAISAL SERVICE CONTRACT AWARD.
AND THIS IS OUR FUND BALANCE ITEM.
UM, SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE, UM, THE REASSESSMENT, UH, LIMITED SCOPE.
IF YOU REMEMBER AT YOUR PREVIOUS MEETING, YOU DID AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY TO SUBMIT, UH, TO SOLICIT BID FOR THIS SERVICE.
UM, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS A REQUEST FOR THE COUNTY TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT
[01:35:01]
FOR REASSESSMENT APPRAISAL SERVICES WITH WINGATE APPRAISAL AND FOR THE COUNTY TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $180,000.AFTER CONSULTATION AND AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, WE DID RECEIVE BIDS.
UM, THERE WAS, UM, ONE THAT WAS NOT RESPONSIVE AND ONE COMPANY ELECTED, UH, NOT TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL.
UM, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UM, THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE, YOU DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF COMPANIES OUT THERE WHO DO THIS WORK, AND THEY'RE KIND OF PRETTY TERRITORIAL.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH WINGATE APPRAISAL SERVICES BEFORE AND WE, UH, DO, UH, ACCEPT THAT BID AS BEEN THE MOST RESPONSIVE.
BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE REQUEST, UH, TO ENTER A CONTRACT WITH WINGATE APPRAISAL SERVICES, UH, NOT TO EXCEED THE CONTRACT.
THE MATTER OF $180,000 WOULD BE THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD CHAIR.
UH, I MOVE TO, WE GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE, UM, THE CONTRACT THAT'S PRESENTED BEFORE US TONIGHT.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED.
AND SECOND, IF THERE'LL BE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
OPPOSED? NO MOTION IS CARRIED.
[Reports]
UH, ACCORDING TO OUR AGENDA, IT'LL BE REPORTS.BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE YOUR REPORTS AND YOU HAVE YOUR
[For Your Information]
INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET.[Public Comments]
WILL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.I KNOW SOME, A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF CITIZENS HAVE LEFT THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
RENEE, I'M SEEING WHO IS STILL HERE THAT I DO KNOW MR. CHANDLER.
ROBERT CHANDLER, BACON'S CASTLE DISTRICT.
I FIND IT KIND OF, UH, STRANGE THAT WE WOULD ESTABLISH A MEETING AT FIVE O'CLOCK ON THE 17TH BECAUSE THE FARMERS CAN'T BE THERE.
WE HARVEST UNTIL THE DEW FALLS IN THE EVENING, AND SOMETIMES THAT'S NOT TILL LATER, NINE O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING.
AND SO I WOULD, AND STARTING IT AT FIVE O'CLOCK ALSO MINIMIZES PUBLIC ACCESS.
MS. VELO, SUSAN VELO, UH, CLAREMONT DISTRICT.
I WANTED TO DISCUSS TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TONIGHT.
IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP MANY TIMES BY CITIZENS.
THERE'S A PARAGRAPH FROM THE O OVERSEE AGREEMENT THAT STATES THE O OVERSEE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO AUDIT THE FINANCIAL RECORDS, INSURANCE COVERAGE OF THE GRANTEE ORGANIZATION AT REASONABLE TIMES.
AND UPON ADVANCED NOTICE, YOU'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL RECORDS FOR EXPENDITURES AND RECEIPTS RELATING TO THIS GRANT.
AND TO RETAIN THIS DOCUMENTATION FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS AFTER THE GRANT'S TERMINATION DATE, YOUR ORGANIZATION IS REQUIRED TO PERMIT THE FOUNDATION TO HAVE REASONABLE ACCESS TO THIS DOCUMENTATION AS WELL AS TO ANY FILES, RECORDS, AND PERSONNEL RELATING TO THIS GRANT DURING THE TERM OF THE GRANT.
AND FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS AFTER THE GRANT'S TERMINATION DATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROGRAM EVALUATION, VERIFICATIONS AND FINANCIAL AUDITS END OF FOR THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE FOIA INFORMATION ON THE OC GRANT.
THE FIRST TWO REPORTS WERE RECEIVED FROM AN EARLIER FOIA, BUT THE THIRD ONE WAS MISSING.
AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF DISCUSSION, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE INFORMATION WAS LOST ON THE COMPUTER AND IT COULD NOT RETRIEVE IT.
MR. BETS FROM OBII AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REQUEST, ADVISED THAT THE COUNTY COULD GO INTO THE PORTAL AND RETRIEVE THESE RECORDS.
THE PORTAL'S BEEN SINCE CLOSED SINCE THE GRANT HAS BEEN COMPLETED PER MR. BITS.
MR. ELLIOT, YOU ADVISE THAT STAFF STATES THEY HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED.
IF THAT'S SO, WHY IS THE REPORT NOT BEING MADE AVAILABLE? WAS IT NOT REDONE? WHEN WAS IT NOTICED IT WAS MISSING? DO YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS STATING WHAT OCCURRED WITH THE LAST PORTION OF THE OC GRANT MONEY, FINAL BUDGET, ET CETERA? THAT WAS TO HAVE BEEN LISTED ON THE REPORT.
[01:40:01]
REASON MS. PERKINS HAS THE TWO REPORTS AT THIS TIME WAS BECAUSE I SENT THEM TO HER WHEN SHE STATED SHE COULD NOT FIND THEM.WHY IS THE INFORMATION BEING WITHHELD? THIS IS WHY MANY CITIZENS STATE THAT TRANSPARENCY IS NOT OCCURRING WITHIN THE COUNTY.
IF IT WAS STAFF, IF IT WAS STAFF SHOULD HAVE RETRIEVED THE REPORTS AS SOON AS THEY WERE LOST AND PUT THEM ON ANOTHER COMPUTER.
OR WHEN I STATED THAT MR. BETS ADVISED THE COUNTY COULD RETRIEVE THEM 30 SECONDS, THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE, THEY SHOULD HAVE GONE BACK AND RETRIEVED THEM.
AND MY FOIA WOULD'VE BEEN ANSWERED.
WHO'S BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER RECORDS AS THE AGREEMENT STATES? TRANSPARENCY? I DON'T THINK SO.
ACCOUNTABILITY? I DON'T THINK SO.
MR. HENRY GOODRICH, DO YOU BE MS. PIERCE? VERY BRIEF.
SHALOM PIERCE, BACON'S CASTLE.
I WILL START LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT IF I WANNA SPEAK, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE ACTION YOU TOOK TONIGHT CONCERNING THE TWO PAYMENT PLAN.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, YOU WERE WISE INTO TO, TO STUDY IT FURTHER BECAUSE I KNOW ALL OF YOU AND I KNOW THAT YOUR INTENT IS TO DO FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, I GOT GOOD NEWS.
TODAY IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
APPARENTLY IT'S A NATIONAL DAY FOR EVERYTHING.
IT'S ALSO NATIONAL MILKSHAKE DAY.
I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK ON THAT, ALTHOUGH I THINK WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR.
UH, SO I'M GONNA IMPOSE SOME RULES UPON MYSELF SINCE IT IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF ENCOURAGEMENT, AND I'M GONNA STICK TO THAT THEME.
I DID NOTICE TONIGHT THAT THE, UH, RULES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WERE NOT READ.
UH, I'M GONNA ENCOURAGE THAT TREND.
EVERYONE RECEIVE IS RESPECTFUL.
I THINK THE RULES HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED TONIGHT.
UH, I WANNA ENCOURAGE CHERYL AND ANDY AND MICHELLE WITH SHARING MARKETPLACE AND THEIR STAFF, AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR GREAT SUCCESS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE TO PAY A COUPLE EXTRA BUCKS.
KEEP MY, UH, PLACE TO SHOP HERE IN SURY COUNTY.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO GET INVOLVED, STAY INVOLVED.
AND, UH, I'VE JUST BEEN VERY PLEASANTLY ENCOURAGED MYSELF AT, UH, CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.
UM, DESPITE SOME CHALLENGES AND HOW ARTICULATE SOME OF OUR CITIZENS, UM, ARE AND RESPECTFUL, I WANNA ENCOURAGE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE TO KEEP US SAFE.
AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AS WELL.
I WANNA ENCOURAGE THE SUPERVISORS AND STAFF, UM, TO SEEK THE COMMON GOOD FOR ALL.
ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, TO EMBRACE AND CONSIDER THE VALUE YOUR STAKEHOLDERS BRING TO THE TABLE.
I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE US ALL TO SEEK WHAT UNITES US.
WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
SAVANNAH WILLIAMS, MONT DISTRICT ON NEW BUSINESS.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS SEWAGE SYSTEM GOING TO BE EXTENDED TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY ON THAT ROUTE? BECAUSE IT INDICATE TOWN, TOWN EXTENSION, BUT IT PASSES RIGHT BY ME.
AND I'VE BEEN MAKING INQUIRIES NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE'LL GET SOME INFORMATION TO YOU, MA'AM.
THERE'LL BE NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE DO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, AND WE
[Board Comments]
WILL NOW HAVE, UH, BOARD COMMENTS AND WE WILL START WITH MR. HARVEY.RIGHT? DO YOU AND EVERYBODY JUST, UH, REMAINING ONCE AGAIN, UH, WHICHEVER I WOULD'VE STAYED FOR THE GREAT NEWS ABOUT THE MARKETPLACE, BUT I'M SURE THAT'LL BE, UH, HIGHLY ADVERTISED OUT HERE IN THE PUBLIC.
SO ONCE AGAIN, I DID HAVE TWO, BUT CONGRATULATIONS, UH, TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
I MEANT TO OPEN BY SAYING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
ALL RIGHT, SO REAL QUICK, UH, BUSY MONTH HERE.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT TO THE SCHOOL IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND VISIT EARLIER THIS MONTH.
[01:45:01]
OUT TO VISIT OUR SENIOR IN DANN.THEY'RE, UH, DOING WELL OUT THERE.
UH, GOT A COUPLE MEETINGS WITH A FEW, UH, COUNTY, UH, CITIZENS AND SHARE SOME, UM, BACK AND FORTH.
I WAS ON MY FIRST MEETING, FIRST ZOOM CALL YESTERDAY, UH, AS A, UM, UM, A BIPRODUCT OF US ATTENDING THE, UH, THE NACO CONVENTION IN, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR.
I, I RECEIVED THE, UM, APPOINTMENT TO A COMMISSION COMMITTEE, COMMUNITY ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT POLICY STEERING COMMITTEE.
SO AGAIN, IT WAS A GREAT MEETING YESTERDAY IN REFERENCE TO, UH, TYPE OF GRANTS AND THINGS THAT THE SMALL COUNTIES CAN RECEIVE FOR, I THINK, UH, MISS, UH, CHAPLAIN SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOUSING, OTHER TYPE OF PROJECTS.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MS, UM, CHAP AND, UH, FOR THE ECONOMIC SIDE AND ALSO FOR, UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, MS. LINDA GOLD.
AND SO ANY LESSONS LEARNED, I'LL CERTAINLY SHARE.
AND, UM, ACTUALLY, YOU ALL CAN GET ON THE CALL TOO.
I CAN, UM, I CAN BUMP YOUR HAND, SO BE HONEST, BE A GREAT THING.
HOPEFULLY A GREAT LEARNING PROCESS FOR EVERYBODY.
YOU CAN GET SOME GREAT POSITIVE TAKEAWAYS FOR THE COUNTY.
UM, ALSO EARLIER TODAY, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND, UM, UM, A APPRECIATION LUNCHEON WITH, UH, CHAIR, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AT, UH, POWER STATION.
I WAS PUT ON FOR OUR, UH, LOCAL VOLUNTEERS.
UM, SO IT WAS A GREAT THING THAT, UM, OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATE US.
WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY, SORRY, THAT OUR VOLUNTEERS AND EVERYTHING THAT, UM, THE HARD WORK ALL EVERYBODY DOES OUT THERE.
SO A LOT OF THOSE GUYS WERE, UH, EMPLOYEES AT THE PLANT.
SO THESE CAME UP AND I HAD LUNCH WITH US.
UH, SO THAT WAS A GREAT THING.
AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL SPEAK ON THE, UM, THE, UH, TWICE A YEAR BILLING PROPOSAL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF, UM, OPINIONS.
A FEW WERE, BUT JUST TO CLEAR ONE THING, AND I THINK MS. P SAID IT MOST AT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST, THAT THERE'S NO INTENTION TO OVERBURDEN OR UNFAIRLY BURDEN ANYBODY.
AS SOME PEOPLE WERE LED TO BELIEVE, UH, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO HELP, UH, ONE PORTION OF CITIZENS AND, AND PUT A TREMENDOUS BURDEN ON ANOTHER NOW THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A GOOD LEADERSHIP.
THAT'S NOT GOOD POLITICS AT ALL.
SO, UM, I THINK GETTING CLEAR, UNDERSTANDING INFORMATION OUT THAT, UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT PLANS TO ACTUALLY HELP THE FARMERS.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME GOOD PRODUCT OUT THERE THAT THEY WILL LIKE, UH, AND, AND BE ON BOARD WITH.
SO IF, IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT EVERYBODY BENEFITS EVERYONE, ANY COUNTY BENEFITS.
MS. JURY, WOULD YOU THINK WE ON SOMEBODY ELSE FOR JUST A SECOND? MR. CAHO? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I'D JUST LIKE TO, UM, THANK THE 18 FOLKS WHO CAME UP AND, UH, SPOKE ON THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY.
I KNOW THAT, UH, THE MA WELL OVER THE MAJORITY OF Y'ALL WERE OPPOSED FOR, UH, THE TWICE A YEAR TAX.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, WORK SESSION TO, UH, WORK WITH, UH, THE BOARD TO, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, JOIN DURING THIS ISSUE.
UM, THE PRESENTATION FROM A ESI HEARD MOST OF THAT AGAIN FROM LAST NIGHT'S MEETING FROM THE HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SAFETY COMMITTEE.
UM, SAME, SAME MATTER, BY SAME MATTER OF INFORMATION THAT COMPLETES AND, UM, UM, WHEN IT'S GONNA GO.
COD, THEY DID ENFORCE, SAY, LAST NIGHT, OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS, THEY HAD HAD ZERO ACCIDENTS OUT THERE, WHICH IS A GOOD, UH, IS WHAT THEY TOLD US.
SO THINGS ARE RAMPING DOWN AND THINGS WERE TRAFFIC'S GETTING LESS.
UM, MS. UH, MS. CHAPLIN, THANK YOU FOR, UH, KEEPING US ABREAST OF THE, THE APPS THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR THE COUNTY.
UM, I THINK THAT'S GREAT TO HAVE 5,000 NEW VISITORS OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS.
I JUST WISH OUR GROWTH AND
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING.
UM, UM, UM, MS. WHITE AND MS. BROWN? THANK YOU.
OR DID I HEAR? NOPE, THEY LEFT.
THANK, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
IT'S, UH, AN OPENING THAT'S BEEN LONG AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
UM, I ASK THAT, UM, WE AS A A, A COUNTY PLEASE COME OUT AND HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS.
IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE ALMOST THE WHOLE PEWS FILLED UP.
UH, THAT SHOWS THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE ISSUES AND THERE,
[01:50:01]
AND THINGS CAN BE DISCUSSED.UM, I, UH, THAT WAS VERY GOOD.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, UM, HELPING THE COUNTY AND, AND DISCUSSING THIS TAX ISSUE IN, IN THE NEXT WEEK.
YOU READY NOW, MS. MS. MS. STEWART? OH, SURE.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE FARMERS AND ALL THE CITIZENS WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT TO ENGAGE IN THIS ISSUE.
AND THE FACT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DID SHOW UP, ESPECIALLY FARMERS DURING THEIR BUSIEST OF SEASONS SHOWS JUST HOW CONCERNED THEY ARE OVER THIS ISSUE.
AND, UH, AND I DO BELIEVE MR. CHANDLER HAD A POINT ABOUT THE FIVE O'CLOCK.
SO I'M HOPING WE CAN POSSIBLY MOVE THAT TO SIX 30 TO ACCOMMODATE THE FARMERS AND, AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, THE TWICE A YEAR TAX SOLUTION IN, IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SOLUTION THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM.
THERE, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS WE CAN LOOK AT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SATISFY MAYBE ALL THE CITIZENS.
AND, AND I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES BEFORE AND THE BOARD'S PROBABLY TIRED OF HEARING ME SAYING IT, BUT IF WE ENACTED SOME KIND OF LAND USE TAXATION FOR OUR FARMERS, I THINK THAT THEY, AT LEAST THE FEEDBACK I'VE BEEN GIVEN, THEY MIGHT BE MORE OPEN TO THIS TWICE A YEAR TAXATION.
BUT, BUT WE'LL DISCUSS THAT LATER.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS NECESSARILY A PRESSING PROBLEM.
SO WE'VE BEEN LIVING FOR ALL THESE YEARS WITHOUT TWICE A YEAR TAXATION.
SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD JUST SLOW DOWN AND TAKE OUR TIME AND SEE IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE THAT WOULD MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UM, OUR JOB AS THE BOARD IS TO DO NO HARM.
AND, UH, AND I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS THAT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT WHEN THE CITIZENS ARE INVOLVED, IT HELPS US DO OUR JOB AND IT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY STRONGER AND BETTER.
UH, THANK YOU COME FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
UH, THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME, THANK YOU FOR, UH, LOGGING IN.
UM, BRIEFLY, I JUST WANT TO, UH, SHOUT OUT THE 55 AND UP INITIATIVE.
UH, JUST ENJOY SEEING THE GREAT THINGS THAT THEY ARE DOING FOR OUR 55 AND UP COMMUNITY.
UH, I WAS ABLE TO, UH, PASS 30 DAYS ABLE TO SEE THE MO, THEY WOULDN'T INVITE ME ON THE, UH, PEACH ORCHARD TRIP.
I THOUGHT SOME TYPE OF WAY ABOUT THAT.
HOWEVER, I WAS ABLE TO SEE THEM OFF AND, UH, I WAS ABLE TO ACTUALLY, UH, INDULGE IN SOME, UH, UH, HOMEMADE PEACH COBBLER FROM THE PEACHES THEY RECEIVED THERE AND WAS QUITE ENJOYABLE.
SO, UH, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, UH, SHOUT OUT TO THE 55 AND UP INITIATIVE.
UM, THIS PAST MONTH, UH, WE ALSO OPENED UP THE SRY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO THE STUDENTS.
UH, IT WAS A, A JOY SEEING SOME OF THE COUNTY STAFF AND AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS OUT THERE GREETING TO THE, THE, OUR FUTURE.
THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT OUR FUTURE OF, OF SRE COUNTY.
UM, THEY WERE VERY, UM, GREETED AND, UH, EVEN ASKED SOME QUESTIONS LIKE, WHO IS THIS? AND WHO IS, WHO IS THAT? SO AGAIN, FOR THEM ACTUALLY SEEING SOME FACES OF THE LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR OUR YOUTH TO SEE THAT.
UM, AND AGAIN, I'VE SOME GREAT NEWS.
I TALKED TO IT AND THE SCHOOL ON THE OTHER DAY, AND THEY MENTIONED HOW THEY HAD AN ISSUE AND I'M LIKE, WHAT'S THE ISSUE? AND THEY WERE RUNNING OUT OF CHROMEBOOKS, SO YOU GUYS DIDN'T KNOW THATS COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOES OFFER, UH, THEIR STUDENTS THAT ENROLL THERE.
UH, FREE ACCESS TO A CHROMEBOOK, EACH STUDENT GETS ONE.
BUT COME TO FIND OUT WE GETTING A INFLUX OF NEW STUDENTS THAT THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF CHROMEBOOKS TO ISSUE.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PROBLEM.
SO, UH, IT JUST SHOWS YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING, THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL ARE DOING TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A A, A GREAT SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR OUR YOUTH, I THINK IS IS IS GREAT.
SO I, I THINK, UH, EVERYONE FOR THAT.
UM, AND LASTLY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE, UH, I THINK EVERYONE CAME OUT TONIGHT.
I WAS TRYING TO GET A HEAD COUNT.
THAT'S WHAT I DO EVERY MEETING.
AND I THINK I STOPPED AT LIKE 75.
SO WE WERE, WE WERE PACKED, HAD THE HOUSE PACKED TONIGHT.
UM, AND LIKE MR. HARDY SAID, I WISH SOME WHO STAYED TO HEAR SOME OF THE GREAT NEWS THAT WE HAVE, UH, FOR THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE GROCERY STORE AND, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE, UH, COMING UP.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT'S GREAT TO HEAR, UM, ABOUT THAT.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, UM, LISTENING TO, UH, WHAT I SAW TONIGHT WAS PRETTY MUCH S COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHO WE ARE, ARE A RURAL FARM-BASED COMMUNITY.
UM, AND MS. PIERCE SAID IT, YOU KNOW, OUR INTENT IS NOT TO HARM US, HARM ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I SAY US BECAUSE I'M A PART OF THE COMMUNITY TOO.
YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I SIT BACK HERE ON THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE AND I'M HEARING EVERYONE'S CONCERNS, BUT YET, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS AS WELL AS BOARD MEMBERS.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE, UH, TOUGH POSITIONS BECAUSE WE ARE IN A SENSE, KIND OF LIKE THE, IN THE SENSE OF PROBLEM SOLVERS OR THE PEOPLE TO BLAME SOMETHING GOES RIGHT NOR OR WRONG.
SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY, UM, IN A SENSE COMFORTING AND, AND, AND INTERESTING TO JUST TO SEE THE,
[01:55:01]
THE OUTPOUR TONIGHT OF CONCERN OF THE FARMERS AND OF SOME, OF SOME CITIZENS.AND SOME CITIZENS WHO I'VE SPOKEN TO.
I'VE SPOKEN TO FARMERS AND CONSTITUENTS AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, UH, THEY WERE, UH, BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN.
HOWEVER, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WORK SESSION, UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HOPEFULLY STAFF AND US COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS FOR THIS TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN, UH, UH, IT'S NOT A HARDSHIP FOR ANYONE.
THAT'S THE LAST THING WE WANTED TO DO IS HAVE ANY TYPE OF HARDSHIP OR AFFECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF, OF SARA COUNTY, OF THE CITIZENS OF S COUNTY.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO COME OUT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND, AND LOVE.
UH, MR. ROLLINS HAS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO GIVE, AND THEN I WILL GIVE MY CLOSING REMARKS.
WE, WE WENT SO EXCITED ON THE STORE UPDATE.
WE DIDN'T GO BACK TO THE OTHER UPDATES, AND THAT WAS EXCITING NEWS.
UM, SO MR. HARDY HAD ALREADY TOUCHED ON, BUT I JUST WANT TO, UM, CONGRATULATE, UM, MR. HARDY AND MR. ELLIOT AND MR. PIERCE, UM, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. MRS. DREWRY AND, UH, MR. CALHOUN.
UM, THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE APPOINTED TO THE NACO STEERING COMMITTEE.
SO THEY DID RECEIVE THEIR, UM, THEIR LETTERS, UM, MR. CALHOUN.
SO MR. HARDY HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND MR. ELLIOT WAS APPOINTED TO THE NACO TRANSPORTATION POLICY STEERING COMMITTEE, AND MR. PIERCE WAS APPOINTED TO THE AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS STEERING COMMITTEE.
SO JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ALL ON YOUR APPOINTMENTS.
UM, AND, UH, WE ALSO HAD ALREADY MENTIONED, UM, ABOUT THE, THE LUNCHEON TODAY TO, UH, CON TO THAT DOMINION WAS SO, UH, PLEASED TO PUT TOGETHER FOR THE VOLUNTEERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT, MR. HARDY.
THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I'M HOPING THAT THE BOARD AND, AND OTHERS WILL FIND, THERE'S SOME POSITIVE NEWS IS OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THAT WE ARE OFTEN TACKLED WITH WHAT WE CALL THE, THE, THE FALSE NEWS ISSUES.
AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS OFTEN ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING THE TRUST AND THE WELLBEING OF A COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE OFTEN BEEN, UH, FORCED WHEN FALSE NEWS SPREADS THAT IT DOES CAUSE PANIC AND SPREADS MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT GO ON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE.
AND WHEN THIS, UH, MISINFORMATION GETS OUT, OBVIOUSLY IT DOES, UM, HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO IS TAKE LESSONS LEARNED FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE TACKLED THESE ISSUES BECAUSE SRA COUNTY IS NOT ALONE, UM, IN THIS ISSUE.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE PROACTIVE APPROACHES WHERE WE TRY TO CREATE A WELL-INFORMED, RESILIENT COMMUNITY THAT CAN RELY ON US FOR INFORMATION.
WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT WE HAVE DONE SOME MAJOR THINGS THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE, AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED ACTUAL AWARDS AND ACCOLADES FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT OUR TEAM MEMBERS DESERVE THESE AS WELL.
WHEN YOU SEE THE CAMERAS IN THIS ROOM THAT YOU SEE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED YOUTUBE, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED LIVE STREAMING FOR OUR CITIZENS AS PART OF THIS MESSAGE.
THIS IS INTENT FOR CITIZENS TO GET THE INFORMATION FIRSTHAND.
WHAT WE DO FIND IN OUR GOVERNMENT, AND A LOT OF GOVERNMENTS, I CAN SAY THIS EMPHATICALLY THAT OBVIOUSLY SOCIAL MEDIA IS A WILDFIRE IN TERMS OF SPREADING MISINFORMATION.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAW ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT WAS A WAY THAT CITIZENS CAN GO ON AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY SIGN UP FOR INSTANT ALERT THEMSELVES TO RECEIVE THE INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM THE COUNTY AS OPPOSED TO RELYING ON, UM, OTHER FACEBOOK PAGES IS HERE WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS LESSONS THAT WE ARE LEARNING FROM OTHER LOCALITIES, PLAYBOOKS.
SO IN ORDER TO DO THIS, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND.
WE WANT TO EXTEND, UH, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, UM, INFORMATION BECAUSE WE DO TAKE PRIDE AND SHOWCASE SINCE COUNTY AS AN EXCEPTIONAL PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND TO JOIN LIFE AND TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO DO WANT TO SEE COMMUNITY AT ITS BEST.
SO WE, AGAIN, TAKING LESSONS LEARNED THAT I'VE SEEN FROM SOME LOCALITIES WHO HAVE GOTTEN VA WINNING AWARDS FOR SOME OF THIS INFORMATION, WE ARE GOING TO, AGAIN, ONCE TRY TO, UH, HAVE OUR CITIZENS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COUNTY AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO STAY TUNED FOR A NEW SERIES THAT WILL BE COMING UP WHERE WE ARE GONNA BE SHOWCASING SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THE COUNTY.
IF I MIGHT SAY, I THINK WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT HEAD IN HERE WHO'S GONNA BE OUR FIRST CASE.
UM, BUT JUST BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CITIZEN, UH, FOR THAT ENGAGEMENT.
BECAUSE THE GOAL, AGAIN, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING OUT THE RIGHT INFORMATION.
SOMETIMES THE INFORMATION THAT WE PUT OUT IT IS CUT, IT IS COPIED FROM OUR OWN WEBSITE.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE ADD THEIR OWN COMMENTARY TO IT, SO IT MAKES US VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SPREADING THE RIGHT INFORMATION, UH, MS JURY AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE COUNTY'S INFORMATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THE BE OUT LOOKOUT FOR SIRI FOR THE RECORD.
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ARE VERY BRIEF.I WANT ALL THE CITIZENS OF SIRI COUNTY TO KNOW THAT, UH, AS A BOARD MEMBER, IT IS MY DESIRE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL THE CITIZENS IN SRE COUNTY.
THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING THAT WE HAS, WE HAVE DONE AS A BOARD TO CAUSE ANY HARM TO ANY INDIVIDUAL GROUP.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE CALLED A WORK SESSION SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE.
WE ARE NOT HERE TO HURT ANYONE.
WE'RE ALL CITIZENS OF S COUNTY, AND IT IS OUR DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR ALL.
UH, ONE THING I DO WANT TO CLARIFY IS THAT THE COUNTY IS NOT IN ANY KIND OF DEFICIT IN CASH.
WE ARE NOT, UH, IMPLEMENTING OR ATTEMPTING TO IMPLEMENT THIS BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNING SHORT ON CASH.
WE HAVE NOT MISMANAGED ANY MONEY.
UH, THINGS LIKE THAT CAN SPREAD AS, AS WILDFIRE IN THE COUNTY.
THAT WE ARE MISMANAGING MONEY.
WE'RE FLYING COLORS EVERY YEAR.
NO ONE HAS MISMANAGED MONEY AT ALL.
SO I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO GREAT THINGS IN THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE A GROCERY STORE COMING TO SURY COUNTY, SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER, AND THAT'S BEEN SOME YEARS.
BUT WE HAVE A GROCERY STORE COMING AND A WHOLE LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL THE CITIZENS OF ZURICH SUR COUNTY.
I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND COMMON GROUND THAT WE WON'T BE FIGHTING ONE ANOTHER, SPREADING FALSE INNUENDOS FOR ONE ANOTHER.
'CAUSE WE CAN DO A WHOLE LOT MORE TOGETHER THAN IF WE ARE SITTING HERE FIGHTING ONE ANOTHER.
SO, I JUST ASKED THAT WE WILL BOND TOGETHER AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR SURY COUNTY.
UH, AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR, AND, AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BOARD.
IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THE TIME TO SIX O'CLOCK, WE CAN CHANGE THE TIME TO SIX O'CLOCK ON TUESDAY.
WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. CALHOUN IN THE MORNING FOR OUR WORK SESSION.
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE OF THE COUNTY REALIZE THAT THIS IS A WORK SESSION.
NO DECISIONS WILL BE MADE AT THE WORK SESSION.
THIS IS FOR THE BOARD TO DISCUSS WHAT WE WANT TO BRING BACK TO THE COUNTY.
DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE GOING APPROVE OR DENY ANYTHING ON TUESDAY.
THIS IS FOR US TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS IN THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO TAKE THIS MATTER.
SO, HAVING SAID THAT, THE CHAIR WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR, UH, ADJOURNMENT TENTATIVELY FOR TUESDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK, AND WE CAN HAVE IT HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE.