[00:00:03]
[Call to Order / Moment of Silence / Pledge of Allegiance/ Agenda Adoption ]
SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING.AND AT THIS TIME, WE ARE ELATED TO HAVE DR. LAWRENCE BE IN OUR PRESENCE, TO LEAD US IN OUR INVOCATIONAL PRAYER.
BILL, I LET US PRAY ETERNALS SPIRIT AS WE GATHER HERE IN THIS PLACE AT THIS HOUR, TO ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS OF GOVERNING IN SARA COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
WE PRAY FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND FOR THE CONCERNED CITIZENS.
BUT FIRST, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THOSE WISE AND JUST LEADERS WHO HONOR THE LAW AND WHOSE GOOD MOTIVES MOTIVATED THEM TO UNDERTAKE THE DUTIES OF GOVERNING S COUNTY.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE COME TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS IN SUPPORT OF AND IN OPPOSITION TO VARIOUS ISSUES ON THE AGENDA, MAKING REAL THE AMERICAN IDEA OF GOVERNMENT, OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL HELP THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS PUT ASIDE PERSONAL AGENDAS AND SUBJECTIVE DIFFERENCES, AND WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS, THOSE THAT WILL ACHIEVE THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF THE 6,593 CITIZENS OF S COUNTY.
WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL GIVE THEM THE CAPACITY TO EMBLEMATICALLY WALK IN THE SHOES OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION AND FEEL WHAT THEY FEEL WITHOUT LOSING THAT SENSE OF OBJECTIVITY.
FINALLY, WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL HELP US LEAVE BEHIND OUR DARK PAST AND REACH FORWARD TO THE BRIGHTER FUTURE.
FOR ALL SUR COUNCILS, REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGIOUS CREED, OR SKIN COLOR, WE ASK THIS PRAYER, OH LORD, IN CONSIDERATION OF JEREMIAH 33, 3, WHICH QUOTED YOU AS SAYING, CALL ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU AND SHOW YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, WHICH YOU DO NOT KNOW.
BILL FOR HIS HEARTFELT PRAYER.
AND AT THIS TIME WE DO CALL OUR MEETING OFFICIALLY TO ORDER.
WE WILL NOW OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
AT THIS TIME, LET US STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC BOARD MEMBERS.
WE HAVE BEFORE US OUR AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
AND THERE IS ONE CHANGE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IN OUR, I BELIEVE IT IS NEW BUSINESS.
IT IS, IT IS TO MAKE A, UH, HAVE DISCUSSION ON OUR CHANGE IN OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY POLICY INVOLVING, UH, PAID LEAVE.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, IF WE COULD GET A MOTION TO MAKE THE AMENDMENT, WE WOULD AT ENTERTAIN THAT AT THIS TIME.
MR. PIERCE, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE AGENDA WITH THE RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS, UH, TO NEW BUSINESS.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTE AND SIGN OF AYE.
OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
[Consent Items]
BUSINESS IS OUR CONSENT ITEMS FOR OUR CONSENT ITEMS. WE HAVE 10.ONE WILL BE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM OUR TEN THREE TWENTY FOUR MEETING, APPROVAL OF DRAFT BOARD WORK SESSION MINUTES FROM OCTOBER THE 23RD, APPROVAL OF DRAFT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WORK
[00:05:01]
SESSION MINUTES FROM OCTOBER THE 24TH.WE HAVE, UH, TWO RESOLUTIONS, ONE FOR MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD AND ONE FOR MR. VIVIAN F THOMAS.
WE HAVE IN OUR CONSENT ITEMS OUR ACCOUNT PAYABLES SURPLUS OF COUNTY PERSONAL PROPERTY.
WE HAVE UTILIZATION EASEMENT AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY TO PRINCE GEORGE ELECTRIC CO-OP AT LP JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SY COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS FOR HAMPTON ROAD SANITATION DISTRICT.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR 2025 HOLIDAY CALENDAR AND APPROVAL OF COUNTY SECURITY ACCESS PROJECT.
OUR BOARD MEMBERS, THEY ARE OUR CONSENT ITEMS. COULD WE HAVE A MOTION IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUE IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ON OUR CONSENT ITEMS FOR APPROVAL? CHAIRMAN ELLIOT, I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
WE HAD, UH, I, MS. PIERCE HAD SENT ME THE REVISED MINUTES FROM THE WORK SESSION THAT WE HAD AND THEY ALL LOOKED GOOD TO ME.
SO DO, DO WE NEED TO APPROVE THAT AS WELL? THAT THAT WOULD BE THE, THE MINUTES THAT WE HAVE HERE NOW YOU DO? OKAY? YES.
SO WE ARE THE, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON OUR CONSENT ITEMS? IF THERE BE NONE, CHAIR WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR CONSENT.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS. HAVE A MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
OPPOSED? OUR CONSENT ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[4. Resolution 2024-22 Melvin H. Blizzard]
WE WOULD LIKE TO PULL AND THEY ARE RESOLUTIONS FOR MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD AND I BELIEVE HE IS IN THE SARA DISTRICT.AND AT THIS TIME, IF HE'S HERE, WE WILL GET MR. CALHOUN TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION TO MR. BLIZZARD.
HOW YOU DOING MR. BLIZZARD? GOOD EVENING, MR. BLIZZARD.
HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING? AFTERNOON, SIR.
WELL THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING AND I WOULD LIKE TO READ YOU, UH, AND RECOGNIZE YOU, UH, FOR THE REACHING FOR REACHING THE RIPE AGE OF 90.
UM, SO WHEREAS MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD, A RESIDENT OF SURREY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, OBTAINED THE AGE OF 90 YEARS OLD ON OCTOBER 13TH, 2024.
AND WHEREAS MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD MARRIED KATHLEEN SPRATLEY IN 1957 IN CLAREMONT, VIRGINIA BY REVEREND LAMB.
AND THIS UNION, TWO CHILDREN WERE BORN ORLANDO AND MELVIN.
MR. BLIZZARD AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO MORRISTOWN, PARDON ME, NEW JERSEY ON JANUARY, 1963 AND LATER TO PLAINFIELD AND SURREY COUNTY.
AND WHEREAS MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD WAS EDUCATED AT LEBANON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SURREY COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOL, AND LUTHER PORTER JACKSON HIGH SCHOOL, ALL LOCATED IN SURREY COUNTY.
AND WHEREAS MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD WAS AN ELECTRICIAN BUILDER, BRICKLAYER AND CARPENTER, WHICH HE LEARNED WHILE STILL IN SCHOOL AND APPRENTICESHIPS, OWNER OF BLIZZARD TAXI SERVICE, LIMOUSINE SERVICE, AND BLOOD DELIVERY SERVICES.
HE RECENTLY DESIGNATED AND LAID THE CORNERSTONE FOR FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH CLAREMONT SPRING, SPRING GROVE, VIRGINIA.
AND WHEREAS MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD WAS AFFILIATED WITH LEBANON BAPTIST CHURCH, JERUSALEM BAPTIST CHURCH, AND CURRENT MEMBER OF ST.
PAUL HOLINESS CHURCH IN DENVER AND VIRGINIA.
AND WHEREAS MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD HAS PUBLISHED A BOOK ABOUT HIS LIFE TITLED AFTER FOUR YEARS OLD.
AND WHEREAS MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD MOTTO IN LIFE IS ENJOY LIFE WILL TO LEARN CURIOSITY, CONFIDENCE, AND TRUST IN SELF.
AND WHEREAS MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD VOTES IN SURREY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AND WHEREAS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SURREY COUNTY WISHES TO RECOGNIZE THE MILESTONES IN MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD'S LIFE AND THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS HE HAS MADE TO MAKING SURREY COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL ITS CITIZENS NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT SURREY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEREBY EXTENDS ITS HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO MELBOURNE H BLIZZARD FOR HIS ENDEAVORS, A MAIN AIMED AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CITIZENS IN SURREY COUNTY, AND RECOGNIZES MR. MELVIN H BLIZZARD FOR HAVING REACHED THE 90TH YEAR OF, OF HIS LIFE AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE ORIGINAL OF THIS RESOLUTION BE DELIVERED FORTH WITH TO MELVIN H BLIZZARD.
AND THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE SPREAD UPON THE RECORDS OF SURREY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPTED THIS DAY, SEVENTH, ADOPTED THIS SEVENTH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2024.
[00:10:29]
MR. BLIZZ WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.YES, MR. BLIZZ, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU IF YOU WANNA HAVE SOME WORDS, WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
SOME WORDS, YOURS, SOME WORDS OF WISDOM
WE HAVE A, A RESOLUTION FOR MS. VIVIAN F THOMAS WHO WILL BE PRESENTED BY BOARD MEMBER, UH, MS. MS. DREWRY, AND I BELIEVE THAT HER SON ROBERT, IS HERE.
UM, SO WHEREAS VIVIAN F THOMAS, A RESIDENT OF SURY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, OBTAINED THE AGE OF 90 YEARS ON JULY 18TH, 2022.
AND WHEREAS VIVIAN F THOMAS ATTENDED SURY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WIDOW SIXTIES WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2005.
AND WHEREAS VIVIAN F THOMAS IS A CARING AND LOVING PERSON, SHE WAS A DOMESTIC CARETAKER FOR THREE FAMILIES.
AND WHEREAS VIVIAN F THOMAS WAS ALWAYS LOVED, HAS ALWAYS LOVED WORKING IN THE YARD, HAD ALL VARIETIES OF PLANTS AND GARDENS TO DESCRIBE HER, YOU CAN SAY THAT SHE WAS GIFTED WITH A GREEN THUMB AND THAT SHE HAD A BROAD KNOWLEDGE OF PLANTS AND FLOWERS.
AND WHEREAS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SURREY COUNTY WISHES TO RECOGNIZE THIS MILESTONE IN MS. VIVIAN AT THOMAS'S LIFE AND THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS SHE HAS MADE TO MAKING SURREY COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF ITS CITIZENS NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, THE SURREY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEREBY EXTENDS ITS HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO VIVIAN F THOMAS FOR HER ENDEAVORS, AIMED AT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY, AND RECOGNIZES VIVIAN F THOMAS FOR HAVING REACHED THE 90TH YEAR OF HER LIFE AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE ORIGINAL THIS RESOLUTION BE DELIVERED FORTH WITH VIVIAN THOMAS AND HAVE A COPY OF THIS SOLUTION UPON THE RECORDS OF THE SUR COUNTY COURT SUPERVISOR SEVENTH DAY OF NOVEMBER 24.
MR. THOMAS, WE KNOW YOU'RE NOT 90, BUT IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK BEHALF BACK AND 40 YEARS YES SIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, STAFF FOR RECOGNIZING OUR GOLDEN CITIZENS OF SRE COUNTY.
AT THIS TIME, WE MOVE TO OUR NEXT ORDER BUSINESS.
[Presentations]
MANY OF YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS IN SEARCH OF A SUPERINTENDENT AND THEY HAVE FOUND THEIR MAN.AND WE HAVE WITH US TONIGHT, DR.
UH, WE WANT TO INTRODUCE HIM TO THE COUNTY AT OUR BOARD MEETING AND ALSO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS TO THE BOARD AND TO THE COUNTY ON A WHOLE.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE PRESENT TO YOU DR. MONROE.
I'M GONNA SAY, UH, CHAIRMAN ELLIOT, AND I WANNA SAY CHAIRMAN ELLIOT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, IT IS A PLUM PLEASE AND PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
UH, I AM HERBERT TEMAN RUI, THE PROUD SUPERINTENDENT OF SURY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE SO LOVING, SO WELCOMING, AND HAVE A SENSE OF FAMILY, AND, UH, I FEEL AS THOUGH, UM, I'M HERE FOR A REASON AND I FEEL AS THOUGH, UM, I'M SERVING IN MY PURPOSE.
AND I JUST WANNA, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SHARE SOME GREAT THINGS ABOUT SURY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THIS EVENING.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY TODAY.
WE ACTUALLY CELEBRATED LEGISLATOR TO SCHOOL DAY.
[00:15:01]
ARD, UH, JOINED US TODAY.A LOT OF DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD JOINED US TODAY.
OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS JOINED US TODAY, THE MAYOR OF, UM, RE JOINED US TODAY WITH ADDITIONAL ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, IT WAS AN AMAZING DAY.
UM, I WILL BE DOING A POST PROBABLY TOMORROW TO SHARE THE GREAT THINGS THAT UNFOLDED TODAY.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW IS THAT SURY IS A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE, A PLACE WHERE THE BEST TEACHERS TEACH, AND A PLACE WHERE THE BEST LEADERS LOVE TO LEAD.
AND IT IS A PLACE WHERE ALL PARENTS SHOULD FEEL SAFE AND REALLY COMFORTED THAT THEIR CHILD WILL GET THE BEST EDUCATION, BECAUSE I'M GONNA SHARE SOME EVIDENCE AND ARTIFACTS RIGHT NOW AS TO THE WHY.
OKAY, SO WHAT I WANT TO SHARE TONIGHT IS JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF SURREY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS JUST OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND THESE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, BUT I WANT TO SHOUT LOUD AND PROUD AS THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
AND THESE ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS SAW TODAY.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT ALL OF THE SURREY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FULLY ACCREDITED, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF DIVISIONS CANNOT SAY.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEW STANDARD, UH, WITH THE STATE WHERE THEY'RE CHANGING THE EVALUATION AND A CREDIBILITY.
AND EVEN WITH THE HIGHER, UH, CRITERIA, UH, SURREY COUNTY COUNTY IS STILL IN VERY GOOD STANDING AND KNOCKING ON THE DOOR WHERE OUR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL ARE BEING THE TOP PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN THE STATE AND IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
EVIDENCE OF THAT IS OUR HIGH SCHOOL, JUST LAST WEEK, WAS NAMED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WITH THE EXEMPLAR ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
THAT AWARD IS VERY SUPERIOR IN THAT ONLY 92 SCHOOLS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA RECEIVED THAT RECOGNITION.
ONLY 25 OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS IN COMMONWEALTH RECEIVED THAT RECOGNITION.
AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT STARTS WITH CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS A NATIONAL, UM, CONCERN.
IT IS A CONCERN WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH, BUT OUR HIGH SCHOOL HAS A CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM OF ONLY 8%, WHICH IS WELL BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE.
AND THEY'RE DOING PHENOMENAL IN THAT.
ALSO, THE OTHER ACHIEVEMENT IS THAT ALL OF OUR GROUPS, OUR BLACK STUDENTS, OUR WHITE STUDENTS, OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS ONLY HAVE A 5% GAP IN THEIR ACHIEVEMENT, WHICH MEANS WE'VE CLOSED ALL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS WHILE ALL OF THOSE GROUPS SUPERSEDED THE STATE BENCHMARK AND MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS.
AND THIS SPEAKS TO THE DEDICATED WORK OF OUR TEACHERS AND OUR LEADERS.
I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT WE OFFER EXTENSIVE DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS. AND DID YOU ALL KNOW THAT A STUDENT AT CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL CAN ACTUALLY RECEIVE AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE WHILE THEY'RE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL? AND I'M SORRY, WHAT? I'M STILL, I'M STILL MAKING THAT CLIP.
I'M ONLY THREE DAYS ON, THREE WEEKS ON THE JOB, BUT SHERRY, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.
BUT I WANTED TO KNOW THAT WE CAN'T, WE DON'T OFFER THAT IN CAROLINA, BUT WE OFFER THAT HERE IN SUR COUNTY.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT SETS US APART FROM OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS.
ALSO, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO GO OUT AND HAVE PAID INTERNSHIPS.
EIGHT OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE PAID INTERNSHIPS WITH DOMINION POWER, AND THAT'S VERY POWERFUL AS WELL.
OUR, OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS IS TO BE THREE E READY.
AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT THREE E READY.
WHAT THAT MEANS, AND PLEASE WRITE THIS DOWN, IS THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WILL BE EITHER ENROLLED, ENLISTED, AND OR EMPLOYED UPON GRADUATION.
OUR GRADUATION RATE IS 96%, BY THE WAY.
AND THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE AS WELL.
I'M ALSO EXCITED TO SHARE THAT A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE E SQUARED OR E CUBED.
WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE WORKING, THAT ARE ALSO GOING TO COLLEGE, THAT ARE ALSO IN OUR CHAIR, OUR OTC PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, THAT IS OUR PROMISE TO OUR SENIORS.
UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, OUR PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW, OUR CULINARY AGRICULTURE PHOTOGRAPHY, WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE COMMONWEALTH THAT HAS A DARK ROOM, BY THE WAY, BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY, ENERGY AND POWER, J-R-O-T-C AND CYBERSECURITY, WHICH WE KNOW IS AN INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EMPLOYEES FOR WHERE WE ARE IN THAT FIELD.
[00:20:01]
WE HAVE ACTIVE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE TECHNOLOGY STUDENT ASSOCIATION, OUR FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA, OUR FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA, AND A PLETHORA OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE A CULINARY PROGRAM THAT'S ALSO NATIONALLY ACCREDITED.
AT THE TIME OF THAT ACCREDITATION, ONLY THREE PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES WERE ACCREDITED.
SO AGAIN, NOT ONLY HAVE WE RECEIVED LOCAL ACCOLADES, STATE ACCOLADES, BUT SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE RECOGNIZED ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
ALSO, AGAIN, I TALKED ABOUT OUR ATTENDANCE RATE.
OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS MUST DON'T MISS SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY HAVE A CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, ONLY 4%, 4% CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
THAT'S THE TOP 5% IN THE STATE.
UM, ALSO, WE HAVE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, UM, AS YOU KNOW, AND, UM, I HAVE TO GIVE YOU ALL CREDIT COMING FROM CAROLINE COUNTY.
I JUST WANNA LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THERE ARE STILL 26% OF THE POPULATION IN CAROLINE COUNTY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET.
I KNOW THAT CAROLINE COUNTY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA TO HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCESS TO RURAL MAN INTERNET.
Y'ALL GOTTA EXCUSE ME TONIGHT.
BUT, BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU ALL WERE THE FIRST IN THE COMMONWEALTH TO HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCESS TO RURAL, RURAL BAND INTERNET, WHICH YES, GIVE YOURSELVES A HAND.
THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LEARNING AND WE TALK ABOUT, UM, OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS, THE FACT THAT ALL OF THE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS IN THIS COUNTY HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS SPEAKS TO THE EQUITY AND SPEAKS TO THE INCLUSION THAT MAKES SIR A SPECIAL.
AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT.
WHAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE MADE FLYERS OF SOME OF THE THINGS, OR REALLY ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I SHARED TONIGHT.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT WONDER WHY, JUST LIKE MYSELF, WHY SURREY COUNTY? WELL, NOW I KNOW WHY I AM HERE AND MY GOAL IS TO TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF GREATNESS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CREATE A SCHOOL DIVISION WHERE PEOPLE WANT THEIR KIDS TO COME BACK.
UM, WE HAVE 84 FAMILIES THAT ARE HOMESCHOOLED.
HOWEVER, 84 OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS.
SO I WANT TO GET TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A SCHOOL DIVISION TO HAVE YOU COME ON BACK? UM, I ALSO WANT TO GET TO KNOW WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COMMUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE TO C TO SURREY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS? AND AGAIN, I I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED.
I KNOW I'M STUMBLING A LITTLE BIT THIS EVENING.
NORMALLY I DON'T DO THAT, BUT I'M DOING THAT OUT OF EXCITEMENT AND LOVE BECAUSE THE ONE THING THAT I CAN SAY ABOUT SIRI IS WE HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING.
I WANT YOU TO WRITE THIS DOWN BECAUSE A LOT OF US THROW THAT OUT, BUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT REALLY MEANS.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHY SIRI IS SPECIAL.
ONE, BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE.
AND NOT ONLY ARE THEY PHYSICALLY SAFE, THEY'RE SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY SAFE.
I TALK TO KIDS ALL THE TIME, DON'T I? AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE KIDS TELL ME, AND A LOT OF KIDS IN OTHER PLACES DON'T SAY THIS.
I'VE BEEN IN RICHMOND, I'VE BEEN IN HENRICO, I'VE BEEN IN CHESTERFIELD.
I'VE DID 10 YEARS IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
'CAUSE I WAS TOO TALL TO PLAY BASKETBALL.
I WAS A WRESTLER IN COLLEGE, BUT I'M BEING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW.
THE KIDS SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, DR. MONROE, WE LIVE OUT HERE IN THE COUNTRY, BUT OUR TEACHERS SEE US.
AND WHEN THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE, THEY ACTUALLY CAN READ OUR BODY LANGUAGE AND THEY REACH OUT TO US AND THEY HELP US.
AND THEY CARE ABOUT US ACADEMICALLY AS WELL AS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONALLY.
NUMBER TWO, OUR KIDS TELL ME THAT THEY'RE VALUED.
SEE, THAT'S NUMBER TWO, ABOUT A SENSE OF BELONGING.
WE ACCEPT OUR KIDS WHERE THEY ARE AND TAKE 'EM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
OUR, WE ARE 25% OF THE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION ARE EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
THAT IS 12% OVER THE NORM IN THE, IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
BUT YET THOSE STUDENTS ALSO HAVE PASSED THEIR SOLS AND WE CLOSED ACHIEVEMENT GAPS.
SO THAT SPEAKS TO WHERE WE ARE ALSO, OUR STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED, OKAY? THEY HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF VOICE AND CHOICE TO BE ADVOCATES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR EDUCATION.
THAT'S WHY WHEN I ASK STUDENTS, WHAT IS YOUR E THEY CAN TELL ME.
ONE GIRL THAT TOOK PICTURES TODAY SAID SHE GONNA BE A MORTICIAN.
I SAID, WELL, YOU HAVE GOOD JOB SECURITY, RIGHT? BUT OUR KIDS KNOW, AND SHE'S A JUNIOR.
SHE ALSO KICKS FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ACCEPTING STUDENTS, YOU GOT A FEMALE, THAT'S, THAT'S KICKING FIELD GOES FOR THE FOOT FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM.
[00:25:01]
ALL OF OUR KIDS ARE LEARNING.OUR DATA SPEAKS TO ALL OF OUR KIDS ARE LEARNING.
AND NO MATTER WHAT THE STATE THROWS AT US, WHATEVER NEW ACCREDITATION PROGRAM OR WHATEVER, WE WILL STILL BE FULLY ACCREDITED AND WE WILL STILL BE AT THE TOP.
AND NUMBER FIVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
OUR TEACHERS AND OUR LEADERS CREATE A CULTURE WHERE OUR STUDENTS CAN BE INNOVATIVE AND THEY CAN TAKE RISKS.
WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE CREATED A CULTURE WHERE PEOPLE CAN MAKE MISTAKES WITHOUT LOSING THEIR DIGNITY.
PEOPLE CAN MAKE MISTAKES WITHOUT LOSING THEIR DIGNITY.
I THINK AS ADULTS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO.
AND AS ADULTS, I WANNA SAY THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS WORK, TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK.
AND I'M GONNA CHALLENGE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW AS THE NEW GUY ON THE BLOCK FOR US TO TURN TO EACH OTHER AND NOT ON EACH OTHER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? I NEED EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TO MAKE SURE WE TURN TO EACH OTHER AND NOT ON EACH OTHER.
'CAUSE MY GRANDMA SAID IT TAKES THE VILLAGE TO RAISE AWAY A CHILD.
SO I WANT TO SAY TONIGHT THAT I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK AND SPEAK EVERY MONTH.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRING OUR STUDENTS BACK TO SPEAK EVERY MONTH, BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND HEAR OUR STORY.
LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT A FROM HERE, I'M GONNA COME HERE, BUT ALL I DO IS TALK ABOUT HERE BECAUSE THIS PLACE IS AMAZING AND THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE I WANNA RETIRE.
I'M JUST GONNA PUT THAT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
OKAY? SO WITHOUT, UH, FURTHER ADO, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT TODAY FOR LEGISLATOR TO WORKDAY.
AND I JUST WANNA LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE YET.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK TO DO, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT WITH ALL OF YOU, ALL WITH THIS COMMUNITY THAT'S BEHIND ME.
AND AGAIN, OUR TEAMWORK WILL MAKE THE DREAM WORK.
LET'S GIVE A, LET'S GIVE A HARDY WELCOME TO OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, ANOTHER PRESENTATION.
UH, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING AT A BASKETBALL GAME LAST WEEK AND FOUND OUT THAT WE HAVE A UNDEFEATED TEAM IN SURY COUNTY, SURY COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, UNDEFEATED THROUGH THEIR SEASON.
AND THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE LINE DISTRICT.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM WITH THE RESOLUTION.
SO WE'RE GONNA ASK THIS OUTSTANDING BASKETBALL TO OUR FUTURE STATE CHAMPIONS, AND THEY'LL COME UP TO THE FRONT AND WE HAVE A RESOLUTION TO YOU FROM THE COUNTY.
AND ALSO WE, THEY HAVE THE COACH OF THE YEAR.
MR. PIERCE PRESENT THAT, YES, WE'RE GONNA ASK MR. PIERCE TO PRESENT THE RESOLUTION.
HE'S AN EDUCATOR IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND HE'S GONNA HAVE ALL OF THEM WITH HIM VERY SOON.
SO WE GONNA LET HIM DO THE RESOLUTION.
I, I'M, I'M PROUD OF THEM THO, THO THAT'S AN AWESOME BASKETBALL TEAM.
THEY HAVE SOME REAL TALENT UP HERE THAT WE KNOW IS GONNA BRING A CHAMPIONSHIP HOME.
YOU MIND TURNING AROUND? OH, TAKING PICTURES.
ALL RIGHT, LADIES, IF YOU MIND, I'M GONNA PRESENT TO YOU GUYS YOUR RESOLUTION.
ALL RIGHT ON, UH, THIS IS RESOLUTION 24 2024 DASH 24 AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE S COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HELD IN GENERAL DISTRICT COURTROOM OF THE S COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 2024 AT 6:00 PM PRESENT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND RECOGNITION OF THE LUTHER PORTER JACKSON JUNIOR LADY COUGARS BASKETBALL TEAM, WHEREAS THE LUTHER PORTER JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL JUNIOR LADY COUGARS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH WILLIAM JOHNS REIGN SUPREME.
AFTER FINISHING THE SEASON AS FALL LINE DISTRICT CHAMPS WITH A RECORD OF 12 AND OH.
AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT THEIR SEASON, THE COUGARS PLAYED WITH CLEAR EYES, FULL HEARTS, AND UNIMAGINABLE AMOUNTS OF FORTITUDE.
THEIR MENTAL STAMINA AND ATHLETIC PROWESS NEVER WAVERED FROM THE MOMENT THEY FIRST HUSTLED ONTO THE COURT UNTIL THE FINAL BUZZER BUZZ, AS THEY OUTLASTED, OUTPLAYED, AND ULTIMATELY OVERPOWERED THEIR COMPETITION.
AND WHEREAS THE JUNIOR LADY COUGARS ARE COMPRISED OF THE FOLLOWING TALENTED ATHLETES, AZA THOMAS, Y'ALL GOTTA FORGIVE ME IF I MESS YOUR NAME UP.
UH, ELENA TO ELENA THOMAS, YOU MIND RAISE YOUR HAND SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.
[00:30:01]
UM, SKYLA GEZ, GGA, SORRY, SORRY.UM, MIKAYLA DREW RANISHA PER, SHE'S NOT HERE.
DEBRE NEWBIE KENNEDY, KENNEDY MASON, OH, YARI SHAW, ANAYA JOHNS, LAYLA JOHNSON, AND LYRIC COLEMAN.
AND WHEREAS THE JUNIOR LADY COUGARS HAVE BEEN SUPERBLY COACHED AND INSPIRED BY HEAD COACH WILLIAM JOHNS, WHO HAVE BROADENED THE PLAYERS' KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME AND REFINE THEIR SKILLS AND EXECUTION.
AND THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THE LEGACY OF THE SUPERIOR PLAY OF THE TRUE SPORTSMANSHIP, FORGED BY TENACIOUS AND UNDAUNTED SPIRIT OF EACH TEAM MEMBER.
AND WHEREAS THE MEMBER OF THE TEAM WOULD CARRY THE UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES THEY MADE ALONG THEIR WAY TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP STATUS, WHETHER TO BE THE LONG HOURS IN THE WEIGHT ROOM OR THE GRUELING PRACTICES, AS WELL AS THE LESSONS OF HARD WORK, DEDICATION, PERSEVERANCE LEARNED DURING THIS AMAZING SEASON THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES AS THEY ARE CONSTANTLY FLOODED WITH THE FEELING OF GREATNESS AND THE ACCOMP ACCOMPANIES BEING A CHAMPION.
AND WHEREAS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SHERRY COUNTY WISHES TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND EXCELLENCE, ESPECIALLY THAT DISPLAYED BY THE LUTHER PORTER JACKSON, LADY JUNIOR COUGARS THE BASKETBALL TEAM.
AND IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE THAT WE CONGRATULATE THIS ELITE GROUP OF STUDENT ATHLETES AND HEAD COACH WILLIAM JOHNS, WITH WHOM HAVE BROUGHT HONOR TO LUTHER PORTER, JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND TO THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SARA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEREBY COMMAND AND CONGRATULATE THE LUTHER PORTER JACKSON JUNIOR LADY COUGARS AS FALL LINE DISTRICT CHAMPIONS, BRIA NEWBIE MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER AND HEAD COACH WILLIAM JOHNS AS COACH OF THE YEAR, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE ORIGINAL OF THIS RESOLUTION BE DELIVERED FOR WILL TO HEAD COACH WILLIAM JOHNS.
AND THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE SPREAD UPON THE RECORDS OF THE SHERRY CUNNING BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
ATTEST, MISS, UH, MELISSA D. ROLLINS AS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
LET'S GIVE THESE LADIES A ROUND APPLAUSE.
I CAN'T SEE YOU, YOUNG LADY IN THE BACK.
I HAVE EVERYONE, DR. MONROE, DID YOU WANT TO GET IN THE PICTURE? YES.
I WOULD LIKE THE PRINCIPAL TO GIVE YOU THE PICTURE TOGETHER.
I CAN'T SEE YOU YOUNG LADY BEHIND COACH.
IF YOU CAN'T SEE HER, THEN SHE CAN'T SEE YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS JOB, LADIES, ONCE AGAIN, LET'S GIVE OUR JUNIOR LADY COUGARS A HANG BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, WE, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
I WANT EVERY, I WANT EVERYBODY TO STAY JUST ONE, ONE MORE MINUTE.
THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE, WE, WE MOVING THIS UP.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO SEE THIS, THIS, THIS IS, UH, A PART OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
WE GOING TO PULL UP A HIRE ON THE DOCKET SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT HAVE, THAT HAS HAPPENED IN SURY COUNTY.
I WAS SITTING, I WAS SITTING AT HOME AS ON YESTERDAY LOOKING AT CHANNEL SIX, AND I SAW SOMETHING THAT COME ON THE TV THAT MADE ME CALL THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND GIVE HER KUDOS.
AND I WANT THE WHOLE COUNTY TO SEE THIS.
THAT WAS ON, UH, CHANNEL SIX NEWS ON CHANNEL SIX, UH, TELEVISION STATION ON YESTERDAY.
SO, UH, MS. ROLLINS IS IN YOUR HANDS.
WELL, THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO PASS THIS KUDOS ALONG TO MS. RENEE CHAPLIN, WHO IS NOW HERE WHO SERVES AS THE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
UH, SHE WORKED VERY HARD ON PRODUCING AND WORKING WITH
[00:35:01]
THE, UH, THE, THE INDIVIDUALS TO PUT THIS VIDEO TOGETHER.SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE WORK DEALING, UH, WITH OUR TOURISM EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT S COUNTY AS DR. MONROE SO ELOQUENTLY STATED, IS A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT AND A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, AND A GREAT PLACE TO RECEIVE EDUCATION IN SRA COUNTY.
SO WE ALWAYS WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER THIS SHORT VIDEO THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN ON, UM, THE MEDIA OUTLETS CHANNEL 12.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR, UH, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SERVICES TO HIT PLAY SO THAT WE CAN ALL WATCH IT, OR ON THE PATIO OF A MEXICAN EATERY WITH AUTHENTIC FOOD AND EVEN BETTER MARGARITAS.
THERE'S A SWEET SURPRISE AROUND EVERY CORNER FROM KAYAKS TO CUPCAKE, SURY COUNTY.
IT'S JUST A SHORT DRIVE AWAY BY RIVER OR ROAD ON THEIR FREE JAMESTOWN.
WHO FROM COUNTY THAT, THAT IS A COMMERCIAL THAT'S PLAYING NOW IN OUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLET.
SO SIRI IS DEFINITELY ON THE MAP.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO SEE THAT BEFORE YOU LEFT.
PLAY IT AGAIN SO YOU CAN HEAR IT.
WHILE HE'S SETTING IT UP, UH, A LOT OF US ALSO LIVE ON THE HAMPTON ROADSIDE.
WE GONNA SEND IT UP ALREADY, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT.
DISCOVER THE RURAL BEAUTY OF SURREY COUNTY.
THIS SWEET SPOT BETWEEN HAMPTON ROADS AND RICHMOND PADDLE OR FISH THE DAY AWAY ON OUR WATERWAYS, OR ENJOY WATERFRONT DINING AT THE MARINA OR ON THE PATIO OF A MEXICAN EATERY WITH AUTHENTIC FOOD AND EVEN BETTER MARGARITAS.
THERE'S A SWEET SURPRISE AROUND EVERY CORNER FROM KAYAKS TO CUPCAKES, SURREY COUNTY.
IT'S JUST A SHORT DRIVE AWAY BY RIVER OR ROAD ON THE FREE JAMESTOWN FERRY TO OR FROM WILLIAMSBURG, SURREY COUNTY.
AND I WILL ADD THAT MS. CHAPLIN HAS ALSO SHARED THAT SINCE THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN AIRED, THE NUMBER OF VISITORS TO OUR TOURISM FACEBOOK PAGES HAVE ACTUALLY INCREASED.
SO THIS HAS, AND THIS WAS JUST AIRED ON TUESDAY.
UH, SO THIS HAS ACTUALLY RECEIVED TRACTION ALREADY AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, FEEDBACK AS THIS VIDEO MAKES IT WAY AROUND RICHMOND AREA, SARA AREA, AND HOPEFULLY THE HAMPTON ROSE AREA.
AND THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL, UH, VIDEOS THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON, UM, TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE HAPPENING IN THE SPRING.
SO AGAIN, UH, THANK SO MUCH TO MS. CHAPLIN FOR WORKING WITH THIS AND THE TOURISM, UM, DEPARTMENT, MS. BURNS HOUSING FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS AWESOME VIDEO FOR SURY COUNTY.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE MOVED TO NEW BUSINESS AND
[New Business]
WE HAVE ONE ITEM IN NEW BUSINESS TONIGHT THAT IS AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF ETHICS.WE ALL HAVE RECEIVED, UH, THE AMENDMENT THAT'S, UH, BEING PRESENTED TO US TONIGHT.
HAVE WE ALL, UH, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT? MM-HMM.
SO WE COULD WE CAN MAKE THIS, UH, WE, WE'LL LET, UH, MS. PERKINS, UH, PRESENT AT THIS TIME.
IT'S, UH, IT'S A TOUGH TO ACT TO FOLLOW ALL THOSE FABULOUS PRESENTATIONS, AND I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO JUST SHARE ON A PERSONAL NOTE THAT TROPHY IS FABULOUS.
I I NEVER RECEIVED THOSE KIND OF TROPHIES FROM MY DEBATING DAYS BACK IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT, UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM.
UM, BEFORE YOU IS A, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO YOUR CODE OF ETHICS.
UM, SO THE CODE OF ETHICS WAS FIRST ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BACK ON MARCH 5TH, 2020.
UM, SO, UM, BEFORE THE WORLD KIND OF CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
UH, BUT IT, IT WAS A WONDERFUL STEP FOR THIS BOARD TO TAKE AND DEFINITELY A BEST PRACTICE AMONGST, AMONGST, UH, JURISDICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH TO HAVE A CODE OF ETHICS.
UM, THIS CODE OF ETHICS TO THE BEST OF MY RESEARCH HAS NOT BEEN, UH, AMENDED OR REVISED SINCE IT WAS FIRST ADOPTED IN 2020.
SO OVER AT THIS POINT, OVER FOUR YEARS AGO.
SO IN, UH, AS PART OF MY, MY REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS IN PREPARATION FOR, UM, A NEW CALENDAR YEAR STARTING UP, I REVIEWED THE CODE OF ETHICS AND, UM, FOUND SOME, SOME AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE, SOME CLARIFICATION COULD BE MADE, AND, UM, MOST NOTABLY, SOME LANGUAGE.
UH, MY PROPOSAL IS TO ADD SOME LANGUAGE TO SECTION 10 AND SECTION
[00:40:01]
10 DEALS WITH CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.AND MY PROPOSAL IS TO EXPAND THAT, UH, A BIT TO SPECIFICALLY REFERENCE CLOSED SESSION AND INFORMATION AND DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE DONE IN CLOSED SESSION.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, IN INFORMATION AND DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE SHARED UNDER THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.
UM, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, VIRGINIA CODE ALLOWS FOR A GOVERNING BODY TO GO, A PUBLIC BODY TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION FOR CERTAIN VERY LIMITED REASONS.
AND THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THAT, UH, THE PURPOSE BEHIND THAT EXEMPTION IN THE OPEN MEETING LAWS OF THE OF VIRGINIA, IS TO ALLOW PUBLIC BODIES TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON SENSITIVE TOPICS.
UM, THAT IT WOULD NOT BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN A, IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
NOT BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING, BUT BECAUSE SOMETIMES DETAILS ARE, ARE CONFIDENTIAL.
IF WE'RE DEALING WITH A PERSPECTIVE BUSINESS THAT MIGHT BE COMING, IF WE'RE DEALING WITH A PERSONNEL ISSUE, UH, IT'S JUST NOT APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS THOSE IN PUBLIC, IN, IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
ANY ACTION THAT IS TAKEN AS A RESULT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAS TO BE DONE IN OPEN SESSIONS.
SO, IF A VOTE IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE, THAT STILL HAPPENS IN OPEN SESSION, BUT IT'S VERY CRITICAL FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT TAKE PLACE IN CLOSED SESSION.
AND LIKEWISE, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE PURSUANT TO THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE TO, TO REMAIN AS CONFIDENTIAL, UH, EXCUSE ME, TO REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL.
SO, UM, THE PROPOSAL, AS YOU ALL HAVE READ, AND I, AND I'M HAPPY, I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH IT IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANNA READ TO YOU, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER.
BOARD MEMBERS, YOU, UH, HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE DOCUMENTS ON, UH, THE AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF ETHICS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF OUR LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE ON THEM ON IT? UM, I DON'T, CHAIRMAN, I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I DO HAVE SOME, UH, SOME PROBLEMS WITH SOME OF THE VERBIAGE IN HERE.
COULD WE, UH, MAKE IT KNOWN WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS, MR. GEORGE? SURE, SURE.
UM, I THINK, I THINK HAVING A CODE OF ETHICS IS A WONDERFUL STEP, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, MOST JURISDICTIONS OVER THE YEARS HAVE BEGUN TO ADOPT THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS ONE GOES A LITTLE TOO FAR AND GIVES TOO MUCH POWER TO THE RULING MAJORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT, UH, SANCTIONING AND CENS CENSORING MEMBERS.
HOW DO, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? HOW DO YOU DEFINE THAT? WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT? UH, WHO DECIDES WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW AND NOT TO KNOW, UH, WHAT HARMS THE PUBLIC OR, OR WHAT DOESN'T? HOW DO YOU ENFORCE THIS? UH, IT JUST, THERE'S JUST, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU DEFINE IMPROPER? IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S A LITTLE, UM, DRACONIAN AND GOES A LITTLE TOO FAR ON FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND OTHER, OTHER ASPECTS.
I, I THINK WE, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE, UM, WORK ON THIS A LITTLE FURTHER, MAYBE IN A WORK SESSION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERNS, MR. DREW.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? CHAIR, MR. MR. HARDY? UH, NOT A QUESTION, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO MS. JURY'S POINT, I MEAN, TO ME IT'S CUT AND CUT AND DRY.
IF, IF WE DON'T DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CLOSED SESSION, IT DON'T GO ANY FURTHER.
UH, SO I, I DON'T, I'M, I'M KIND OF PUZZLED AT THE CONCERN.
IT'S LIKE, CLOSED SESSION, NO DISCUSSION, COME OUT AND VOTE.
SO IT SHOULD NOT LEAVE THAT, UH, THAT DYNAMIC, THAT PARAMETER.
UM, SO I, I, I, I WOULD LIKE SOME MORE INFORMATION FROM HER ONTO WHAT IS CONFUSING ABOUT THE, THE REVISION 'CAUSE.
UH, AND, AND MR. CHAIRMAN, IF, IF I MAY CLARIFY ONE OF MR. E'S QUESTIONS AS WELL.
SO THIS, THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT DOES NOT DICTATE WHAT GOES, WHAT HAPPENS, EXCUSE ME.
WHAT MATTERS ARE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION, OR WHAT MATTERS ARE NOT DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION THAT IS ACTUALLY SET OUT BY VIRGINIA CODE.
THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS, AND I, AS YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL, MAKE THE DETERMINATION WHETHER A MATTER FALLS UNDER ONE OF THOSE EXEMPTIONS OR DOES NOT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR PURPOSES OF THE PUBLIC THAT THIS PROPOSED CHANGE DOES, DOES NOT IMPACT WHAT CAN GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AND WHAT DOES NOT GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
AGAIN, THAT IS DICTATED BY VIRGINIA CODE.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION FOR PURPOSES OF THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU, MR. HARD, YOU WANT TO ENTER, RE ENTERTAIN YOUR QUESTION.
NO, IT WASN'T AS SO MUCH FOR, UH, LEGAL AS YOU KNOW.
[00:45:01]
UM, FOR, I GUESS MORE, MORE SO GET TOWARDS MR. RU'S QUESTIONS AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, UH, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? OR WHAT'S THE NEED FOR THIS? UH, I THINK, UH, MS. PERKINS' EXPLANATION KIND OF DEFINED THAT, UH, I'M GONNA ASK MS. PERKINS IF SHE WOULD, UH, READ THE AMENDMENT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PROPOSE AT THIS TIME.UM, CHANGE TO THE TITLE TO CLOSED SESSION.
CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED INFORMATION MEMBERS SHALL RESPECT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PROPERTY PERSONNEL OR AFFAIRS OF THE COUNTY.
THAT IS, UM, EXCUSE ME, LET ME START OVER.
MEMBERS SHALL RESPECT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PROPERTY PERSONNEL OR AFFAIRS OF THE COUNTY, NOR USE SUCH INFORMATION TO ADVANCE THEIR PERSONAL, FINANCIAL, OR OTHER PRIVATE INTERESTS.
SO THAT WAS EXISTING LANGUAGE IN THE SECTION.
NEW LANGUAGE DOCUMENTS, INFORMATION AND DISCUSSIONS FROM A CLOSED SESSION.
ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE COMMUNICATION, AND OTHER CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD.
IN THE EVENT, CONFIDENTIAL OR PRIVILEGE INFORMATION IS RELEASED OR OTHERWISE DISCLOSED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD SHALL VOTE TO RELEASE OR OTHERWISE, EXCUSE ME, THE BOARD SHALL VOTE TO EITHER AUTHORIZE THE DISCLOSURE OR REAFFIRM THE CONFIDENTIALITY AND OR CLAIM OF PRIVILEGE.
IN ADDITION, THE BOARD MAY, IN ITS DISCRETION, SANCTION, SANCTION OR CENSURE A MEMBER FOR IMPROPER DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL OR PRIVILEGED INFORMATION.
AND I WOULD DEFINE, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE LANGUAGE, UH, BUT ALSO TO MR. LEE'S QUESTION AS TO WHAT CONSTITUTES IMPROPER DISCLOSURE.
IT WOULD BE DISCLOSURE WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE BOARD OF AN ITEM THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION OR, UH, SUBJECT TO THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. CHA? UH, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT, MR. CO, THIS CODE OF ETHICS, IT WAS JUST PRESENTED TO US EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MS. JURY HAS SOME QUESTIONS, AND I HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, UH, I, I HAVE READ THIS.
BUT AS A, AS A BOARD, IF, IF A BOARD MEMBER HAS QUESTIONS AND WANTS TO VISIT THIS DOCUMENT AND, UM, AND MAKE SURE THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING, WHY CAN'T WE JUST HAVE A, UH, A MINI WORK SESSION AND DISCUSS ANY ISSUES THAT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP OR MAY COME UP IN THE DISCUSSION? THAT'S JUST A, A QUESTION I LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD.
IT'S NOT THAT WE, IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN'T, BUT I, I, WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TONIGHT.
IF WE CAN GET AN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, WE NEED TO MOVE ON FROM THIS.
BECAUSE OF PRIOR, UH, INCIDENTS IN CLOSED SESSION, WE NOT HAVE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HOLD A CLOSED SESSION AS A BOARD FOR ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS NOW.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM TONIGHT SO THAT WE CAN HANDLE SOME PERSONNEL MATTERS.
IF THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN CLARIFY TONIGHT, WE NEED TO DO THIS IN, IN MY OPINION, HUMBLE OPINION AND MOVE ON.
I, I THINK THE ONLY OTHER, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT WE MAY DRAW SOME ATTENTION IS, MR. DRURY ASKS WHAT DESCRIBES, UH, UH, DISCRETION, SANCTION OR SENSOR? WHAT, WHAT THAT, WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? AND I'M SURE MS. PERKINS CAN IN INFORM US ON THAT AS WELL, CERTAINLY, MR. CHAIRMAN.
SO, UM, A SANCTUARY OR A SENSOR WOULD BE, UM, A, A, A STATEMENT, UH, PUBLIC STATEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT CONDONING THE, THE BEHAVIOR OF, OF THE BOARD MEMBER.
UM, IT WOULDN'T BE ANY, ANY SORT OF CRIMINAL CHARGE.
THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY SORT OF, YOU KNOW, UM, PUNITIVE PENALTY.
UM, THEY, WE, THE BOARD CAN'T SAY, WELL, BECAUSE OF THIS, BECAUSE YOU RELEASE THIS INFORMATION, YOU CAN NO LONGER PARTICIPATE IN CLOSED SESSION.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE PERMITTED UNDER THE LAW.
WE CANNOT, UM, BAR A MEMBER FROM VOTING BECAUSE THEY VIOLATED THE CODE OF ETHICS.
WE CAN'T BAR THEM FROM COMING AND PARTICIPATING TO, UH, PARTICIPATING IN A MEETING BECAUSE THEY VIOLATED THE CODE OF ETHICS.
AND THAT WOULD BE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY GIVEN SCENARIOS, UH, WHETHER IT'S RELEASE OF INFORMATION IN CLOSED SESSION, WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I SEND YOU ALL ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE COMMUNICATIONS, WHETHER IT'S FORWARDING THAT COMMUNICATION TO SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ON THE BOARD, WHO IS NOT SUBJECT
[00:50:01]
TO THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE.UH, SO THERE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT COULD, THAT COULD TRIGGER THAT CENSURE OR SANCTION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? UM, AND, AND I THINK YES, I, I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT AND, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT AND COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND ALL THAT.
UM, ONE OF MY OTHER ISSUES IS THAT THE SENSOR IS DETERMINED BY A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD.
AND SINCE I'M VERY RARE, SINCE I'M USUALLY IN THE MINORITY, I, I JUST FIND THAT A LITTLE EGREGIOUS.
I, I THINK WE NEED A CODE OF ETHICS.
I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO HAVE SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS ALLOWED IN CLOSED SESSION AND NOT, BUT, UH, THE, IT'S THE, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PUNISHMENT AND THE, THE DRACONIAN CENSORING AND, AND WHO GETS TO DETERMINE THAT AND, AND HOW THAT'S DETERMINED THAT, THAT I'M, I DON'T LIKE MR. DREW THAT THAT'S BEEN SPELLED OUT.
WHO GETS TO DETERMINE IT? AND YEAH, IT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD, YES, CLOSE.
THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
IT GOES BY THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD.
CLOSED SESSION MEANS CLOSED SESSION.
WE, WE ARE SAYING THAT, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
WE DO, A CLOSED SESSION SHOULD NOT BE DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC.
EVERYTHING WE DO IN CLOSED SESSION, WE BRING IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR A VOTE.
I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I HAVE ISSUE WITH BOARD MEMBERS.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, UH, A REQUEST FOR AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF ETHICS.
WHAT WOULD BE THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, MR. CHAIR? MR. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, I'M SORRY.
DO YOU WANT MS. PIERCE? GO AHEAD.
I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
SO CHAIR, IF I MAY MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE WE, UH, UH, MR. PIERCE CALL FOR A MOTION.
UM, LEMME, I'M JUST LISTENING AND READING, UH, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT I THINK IS NEEDED, UM, THAT WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF, UH, LANGUAGE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DYNAMICS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT CLOSED SESSION IS AND CONFIDENTIALITY.
HOWEVER, LISTENING TO SOME OF THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, UM, AND JUST THINKING, UH, THIS WAS, UH, FIRST WHAT I THINK LAST TIME IT WAS AMENDED OR EDITED BACK IN 2020, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
UM, IS THERE A WAY, I GUESS WE COULD POSSIBLY JUST HIGHLY A BRIEF WORK SESSION JUST TO REVIEW THIS, UM, TO UNDERSTAND, UM, THERE, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER, FOR ME, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, SANCTIONS ON, UH, COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT.
UM, NUMBER 18, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO KNOW, IT SAYS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MAY IMPOSE SANCTIONS OR REMOVE MEMBERS OF BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
BUT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF THAT? YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF THERE A SANCTION WAS TO TAKE PLACE, WHAT IS THE PROCESS? AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, IN A, A REPEATED OFFENSES, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE GUIDELINES AND PROCESS ON THAT? AND IF WE ARE, IF WE ARE ALREADY LOOKING AT THE CODE OF ETHICS, INSTEAD OF COMING BACK AND FORTH ON, YOU KNOW, MAKING CHANGES EVERY MONTH OR TWO MONTHS, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF SIT DOWN AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, COME TO A WORK SESSION TO SEE EXACTLY HOW WE FEEL ABOUT IT.
AND THEN FROM THERE, MAYBE WE CAN, UH, MAKE THE CHANGES, RECOMMENDED CHANGES AFTER DISCUSSION.
AND THEN FROM THERE, WE CAN HAVE, UM, STAFF PRESENT IT TO US AND WE COULD VOTE ON IT THEN.
BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW, LISTENING TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, I JUST DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A BACK AND FORTH OR A, A A WAY FOR US TO, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT TO AGREE ON THINGS.
I JUST WANNA TRY TO MAKE THIS, UH, SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE.
CHAIR, IF I MAY, MR. HOTTY, UH, I'M, I'M STILL CONFUSED.
UH, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY FOR PUBLIC RECORD.
UH, WE, I'VE HEARD THE TERM RULING MAJORITY.
THIS RULE WOULD APPLY TO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD THAT WOULD VIOLATE, UH, THE RULE, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
SO IT COULD BE MYSELF, IT COULD BE MR. CALHOUN.
SO IF ANYBODY'S INTENDING TO INTENTIONALLY VIOLATE THE RULE, MAYBE THEY HAVE A LITTLE, UH, PRE, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT WANT THIS.
BUT I THINK WE ARE GOING A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE NEED A WORK SESSION TO SAY, DON'T DISCUSS WHAT'S DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION, BY ALL MEANS, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
DON'T DISCUSS WHAT'S DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.
NOW, THAT SEEMS PRETTY SIMPLE TO ME.
I YIELD BACK, MR. CHAIR, MR. PIERCE, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, UH, MAKING A RECOMMENDATION OR, OR REQUESTING THAT A, A PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING MY REQUEST OF HAVING A PUBLIC, UH, I'M SORRY, A WORK LICENSE, UH, PRESENTED.
AT THIS TIME, CHAIR, WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT.
I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT.
YOU HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THE MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
DO WE HAVE A ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT
[00:55:01]
MOTION? EXCUSE ME, CHAIR, IF I MAY, MR. PIERCE CHAIR, I, I MOVE THAT CHAIR.I MOVE THAT WE REVIEW, UH, THE CODE OF ACTING AND HAVE A WORK SESSION ON A DATE.
UH, WE GIVE, UH, STAFF, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME.
GIVE BOARD MEMBERS TIME TO GO AHEAD AND PICK A DATE NOW AND MAYBE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION WITH A TIME LIMIT.
PLEASE HAVE A MOTION FOR A WORK SESSION ON THE CODE OF ETHICS.
WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, A DISCUSSION CHAIR.
EXCUSE ME, MR. MR. QUESTION, MR. MR. HARDY.
SO I UNDERSTAND, ARE WE WORKING ON JUST SECTION 10 OR THE ENTIRE CODE OF ETHICS? YES.
MR. PIERCE, THANK YOU FOR, UH, A GREAT QUESTION, MR. HARDY.
SO, UH, WHAT I HAVE IN MIND, MR. HARDY, AND FOR ALL THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UM, AGAIN, UM, I THINK THE AMENDMENT IS NEEDED.
I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH THE AMENDMENT, HOWEVER, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, A CHANCE OF LISTENING TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION TONIGHT THAT EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW ALL THE CODED ETHICS.
AND THAT WAY IF WE DO HAVE SOME THING TO DISCUSS OR SOME QUESTIONS, THEN WE GO AHEAD AND, AND GO FROM THERE INSTEAD OF PROLONGING THE MEETING TONIGHT.
SO, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL JUST ASK THAT THE, THE, UM, WE LOOK AT OUR CALENDARS JUST TO, YOU KNOW, REVIEW THE, UM, OUR SCHEDULES TO SEE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR EVERYONE.
BUT AGAIN, I, I REALLY KEEN ON MAKING A, A TIME LIMIT ON THIS WORK SESSION, BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STAFFER DID A GREAT JOB AT GIVING US THESE, UH, THIS DOCUMENT AHEAD OF TIME.
YOU KNOW, IF EVERYONE DIDN'T REVIEW THE DOCUMENT BEFOREHAND, THAT BEFOREHAND, THAT'S TO EACH HIS OWN.
HOWEVER, IF WE DOING A WORK SESSION BASED ON THE CODE OF ETHICS, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN REVIEWING THE CODE OF ETHICS.
AND IF WE DO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION THAT WE COME IN AND TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AND, AND, AND MOVE FORWARD, CAN, CAN I ASK THE QUESTION OF MS. JURY? I THINK IT'S COMING FROM HER QUESTIONS.
DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A WORK SESSION OR DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MS. PERKINS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE, WOULD LIKE CLARIFICATION ON? UM, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A WORK SESSION.
I AGREE WITH MR. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? YES, WE DO.
I DIDN'T HAVE, I DIDN'T, MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE HAVE A WORK SESSION BASED ON THE CODE OF ETHICS.
IS IT ON THE ENTIRE CODE OF ETHICS OR THIS SECTION ON THE ENTIRE CODE OF ETHICS? THERE BEEN PROPER MOVE.
SECOND, THEY, WE HAVE A WORK SESSION ON THE CODE OF ETHICS.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
WE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, THE MOTION HAS BEEN CARRIED.
DO YOU HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR A DATE? FOR THE WORK SESSION? HMM.
DO AND I'M, I'M, I HAVE A WHAT TIME? I WAS JUST GONNA ASK, I MEAN, IF I'M, I'M FLEXIBLE.
I CAN, IT'S TWO O'CLOCK TOO EARLY FOR ANYONE INSTEAD OF IN THE EVENING.
IT HAS TO BE IN THE EVENING FOR ME IF IT'S GONNA BE THAT DAY.
UM, SIX O'CLOCK, IS THAT TWO? THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
SIX O'CLOCK WITH SIX? YEAH, SIX WORK.
IS THAT GOOD FOR YOU, MR. HARDY? I'M OFF ALL DAY, SIR, WE WILL SCHEDULE A WORK SESSION FOR NOVEMBER THE 14TH AT SIX O'CLOCK AT THE E-E-E-E-O-C BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOM.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? YES.
IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION THAT ANY BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PRIOR TO THAT WORK SESSION, PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL AND LET ME KNOW, AND I WILL COMPILE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.
BUSINESS IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
OH, YEAH, WE ADD, WE HAD IT ADDED, UH, ADDED, UH, NEW BUSINESS DEALING WITH, UH, HOLIDAY LEAVE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE NEW BUSINESS ITEM.
THERE IS ONE ITEM THAT I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THIS EVENING.
UM, MS. PERKINS IS ACTUALLY PASSING OUT A HANDOUT.
UM, THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING IN REVIEWING THE POLICY, AND WE, WE
[01:00:01]
FEEL THAT AT THIS JUNCTURE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTY TO MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT TO HOLIDAY LEAVE.UM, I WILL ASK MS. PERKINS TO, UH, READ THE PROPOSED CHANGE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, OUR POLICY WAS UPDATED BACK IN 2021.
MM-HMM,
AND LOOKING AT IT FURTHER AND REALIZING SOME OF THE, UH, IMPACTS OF THIS POLICY, WE WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER MAKING THIS CHANGE.
MS. PERKINS? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, THANK YOU MS. ROLLINS FOR THAT, FOR THAT PREVIEW.
SO THE, THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS TO, UH, CHAPTER FIVE OF THE SURREY COUNTY EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL MANUAL.
UM, AND CHAPTER FIVE ADDRESSES PAID TIME OFF AND OTHER ABSENCES.
AND, UM, UNDER SECTION TWO, SUBSECTION C, IT ADDRESSES HOLIDAY LEAVE.
SO JUST BEFORE I READ THE POLICY, JUST, UH, SO EVERYONE IS COMING FROM A PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT HOLIDAY LEAVE IS.
HOLIDAY LEAVE IS A CONCEPT TO WHERE IF AN EMPLOYEE IS REQUIRED TO WORK ON A HOLIDAY, SO LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, NEXT MONDAY VETERAN'S DAY, THEY ARE PAID FOR THE HOURS THAT THEY WORK ON THE HOLIDAY.
UM, BUT THEN THEY ALSO RECEIVE AS AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT FOR WORKING THAT HOLIDAY.
THEY RECEIVE, UM, A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS THAT THEY, THAT GOES INTO THEIR LEAVE BANK THAT THEY CAN USE AT A, AT A FUTURE POINT IN TIME.
SO THAT'S THE CONCEPT OF HOLIDAY LEAVE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE, IT'S AVAILABLE TO ANY EMPLOYEE WHO IS REQUIRED TO WORK ON A HOLIDAY.
REALISTICALLY, THIS REALLY APPLIES, UH, PRIMARILY TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR COMMUNICATIONS STAFF, UM, PERHAPS SOME SANITATION WORKERS, THINGS, THINGS, THINGS OF THAT, INDIVIDUALS OF THAT NATURE WHO WORK MORE SHIFT WORK THAN A MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NINE TO FIVE POSITION.
OKAY? SO THE FIRST PROPOSED CHANGE IS IN, UH, IN PARAGRAPH TWO.
AND, UM, IT READS, IF AN EMPLOYEE IS SCHEDULED AND REQUIRED TO WORK ON AN OBSERVED HOLIDAY, THEY SHALL BE PAID FOR THE HOURS WORKED AND ACCRUE HOLIDAY LEAVE TO BE USED LATER, EQUAL TO THE NUMBER OF HOURS ACTUALLY WORKED ON THE HOLIDAY UP TO A MAXIMUM OF EIGHT HOURS.
SO, EXISTING POLICY, UM, SET OUT THAT IF YOU WORKED ON A HOLIDAY, YOU WOULD RECEIVE 12 HOURS OF LEAVE.
UM, THAT 12 HOURS IS, UM, IS, IS SOMETHING THAT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND.
UM, IT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS NECESSARY.
AND, AND WHEN I SAY WHAT IS NECESSARY, NONE OF THIS HOLIDAY LEAVE IS NOT LEGALLY REQUIRED.
THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT DOES NOT TALK ABOUT LEAVE.
THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT THAT'S DONE AS AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT TO EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE TO WORK A HOLIDAY.
SO THE PROPOSED CHANGE WOULD BE TO CLARIFY THAT IF YOU WORK A HOLIDAY, YOU'RE GONNA GET THE NUMBER OF HOURS EQUIVALENT TO HOW MANY HOURS YOU WORKED ON THE HOLIDAY.
SO MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S FOUR HOURS, MAYBE THAT'S, UH, TWO HOURS AND YOU ARE MAXED AT EIGHT HOURS OF HOLIDAY LEAVE.
SO THAT, THAT IS A CHANGE THAT IS HAPPENING.
UM, LATER ON IN THAT SAME PARAGRAPH.
UM, ANOTHER ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IS, UM, WELL, LET ME ASK MS. ROLLINS, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE PARAGRAPH OR JUST THE CHANGES BEING MADE? JUST THE CHANGES.
SO LATER ON IN THAT SAME PARAGRAPH, THERE IS AN ADDITION OF LANGUAGE THAT STATES, IN ADDITION, EMPLOYEES EARNING HOLIDAY LEAVE SHALL BE REQUIRED TO USE ACCRUED HOLIDAY LEAVE BALANCES BEFORE TAKING ANNUAL LEAVE OR COMPENSATORY TIME, EXCEPT AS SET OUT IN PARAGRAPH THREE.
AND JUST SO EVERYONE'S AWARE, AND THIS IS THE NEXT SENTENCE IN POLICY, UP TO 80 HOURS OF HOLIDAY LEAVE MAY CARRY OVER FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.
ALL ACCRUED HOURS OVER 80 WILL BE PAID OUT AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
SO WHAT THAT ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS IT'S TRYING TO KEEP HOLIDAY LEAVE BALANCES IN CHECK, UM, AND NOT GET THEM SO HIGH THAT IT THEN PRESENTS.
UM, IT THEN PRESENTS AN ISSUE, UM, IN TERMS OF BUDGETING.
IF SOMEONE LEAVES THE COUNTY AND HAS THOSE HOLIDAY LEAVE HOURS, OR IF SOMEONE AND COMES TO THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED HOURS OF HOLIDAY LEAVE, AND THEN THE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE
[01:05:01]
FOR PAYING OUT OUT OF THEIR BUDGET THOSE 20 HOURS OVER ADDITIONAL HOURS OVER 80.MOVING ON TO PARAGRAPH THREE, A HOLIDAY FALLING WITHIN A PERIOD OF PRE-APPROVED PAID LEAVE SHALL NOT REQUIRE THE USE, THE USE OF PAID LEAVE FOR THAT DAY.
AND THIS IS NEW LANGUAGE, EXCEPT THAT IN THE CASE OF EMPLOYEES ASSIGNED TO SHIFT WORK SUCH AS DEPUTIES AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS, IF THE OBSERVED HOLIDAY OR PART OF THE HOLIDAY FALLS ON AN EMPLOYEE'S SCHEDULED SHIFT LEAVE WILL NEED TO BE TAKEN FOR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SCHEDULED HOLIDAY HOURS AND THE TOTAL 12 HOUR SHIFT.
SO AGAIN, IN PRACTICALITY, WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU ARE GOING TO GET HOLIDAY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE BENEFIT OF THE HOLIDAY ONLY FOR THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE WORKED ON THE HOLIDAY.
SO IF YOU WERE ONLY SCHEDULED TO WORK SIX HOURS ON THE HOLIDAY, THAT'S ALL YOU ARE GOING TO GET.
AND IF YOU WANNA TAKE YOUR ENTIRE, THAT ENTIRE DAY OFF, THEN YOU MAY HAVE TO MAKE UP THE ADDITIONAL HOURS FROM YOUR LEAVE BALANCES LATER ON IN THAT SECTION.
SOME CLARIFYING LANGUAGE, IF AN EMPLOYEE IS IN A LEAVE WITHOUT PAY STATUS ON THE HOLIDAY, THE SCHEDULED WORKDAY BEFORE, OR THE SCHEDULED WORKDAY AFTER THE HOLIDAY, THE EMPLOYEE SHALL NOT BE COMPENSATED FOR THE HOLIDAY OR RECEIVE HOLIDAY LEAVE.
SO AGAIN, THAT, THAT LANGUAGE, THAT CONCEPT WAS IN THE EXISTING POLICY, BUT IT WAS A BIT CONFUSING TO UNDERSTAND.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING SOME, SOME LANGUAGE THAT MAKES THINGS CLEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS FOR MS. PRACTICE CHAIR? MR. MR. HOTTER? UH, YES.
UH, IS THIS, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT, DO WE HAVE ON-CALL EMPLOYEES? I KNOW SOMETIMES SOME OF THE DEPUTIES MAY BE ON CALL.
IS THAT SOMETHING JUST COVERED? RIGHT.
I CAN TRY TO ANSWER THAT AND ALSO SHIFT ATTORNEYS HERE, UM, IN THE EVENT.
UM, BUT THE, IN TERMS OF, UM, ON CALL, NO, THEY'RE NOT CLASSIFIED AS ON CALL SHERIFF TURNER.
DO YOU WANNA PROVIDE CLARITY TO THAT QUESTION FOR MR. HARDY? IF YOU DON'T MIND, SIR.
AND I USED, UH, SHE DEPUTIES AS A EXAMPLE.
THERE MAY BE OTHER, UM, COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
I'M NOT SURE I CAN ANSWER AS TO THE OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AND I THINK A PORTION THERE WHEN WE DISCUSSED, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE COMING FORTH WHEN WE, I GUESS REVISIT THE WHOLE MM-HMM.
AS FAR AS THE ON-CALL SCHEDULE, WE HAD TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, BUT WE WAS MAINLY DEALING WITH THE HOLIDAY LEAVE.
BUT I THINK TO ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, THAT WILL BE FORTHCOMING REGARDING THE ON-CALL STATUS AND THAT SORT OF STUFF, UM, AS IT RELATES TO ON-CALL, UM, AND MS, IF I MAY, SURE.
THERE IS A SEPARATE SECTION OF POLICY THAT DEALS WITH ON-CALL, SO THAT, AS SHERIFF TURNER INDICATED, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE MAY BE LOOKING AT WHEN WE HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE REVISION OF THE PERSONNEL POLICIES.
UH, BUT FOR PURPOSES OF HOLIDAY LEAVE, THAT THAT'S NOT IMPACTED.
AND TO FURTHER ADD CLARITY TO BOARD MEMBERS AS FAR AS WHY WE ARE, UM, ASKING YOU ALL JUST TO CONSIDER THIS COMPONENT OF THE POLICY.
OBVIOUSLY WE ARE IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, IT'S A HEAVY HOLIDAY SEASON.
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, UH, MAKE THESE CHANGES TO THIS POLICY SO THAT IT DOES NOT, UH, INCREASE THE LIABILITY ON THE COUNTY BY EMPLOYEES WHO MAY BE IMPACTED, UM, BY HAVING, UH, TO, UH, GET, FOR AN EXAMPLE, I'M JUST USING ONE OF THEM 12 HOURS INSTEAD OF EIGHT HOURS.
SO WE ARE ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER JUST THIS COMPONENT OF THE POLICY.
AND AS SUCH TIME, UH, WE WILL HAVE, WE DO HAVE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR IN AND WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE POLICY, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING THOSE BACK AT ANOTHER TIME.
BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS, IT IS ONLY TO ADDRESS THE HOLIDAY LEAVE AT THIS TIME.
MAY I, MR. CAHO, I, I JUST HAVE AN EXAMPLE AND THEN, AND THIS IS WHERE I'M, I WANT TO GET CLARITY PLEASE.
IF AN EMPLOYEE IS WORKING A 12 HOUR SHIFT IN YOUR SHIFT, OR 6:00 AM TO 6:00 PM 6:00 PM TO 6:00 AM AND YOUR 6:00 PM TO 6:00 AM EMPLOYEE WORKS BEGINS THIS SHIFT THE DAY BEFORE A HOLIDAY AT MIDNIGHT, THE HOLIDAY BEGINS AND ONLY WORKS SIX HOURS.
THAT MEANS THEY, THAT EMPLOYEE ONLY GETS SIX HOURS OF, OF PERSONAL HOLIDAY? THAT IS CORRECT.
BUT THEY ARE GETTING COMPENSATED FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD THAT THEY WORKED.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY JUST THE HOURS OF WORK.
SO THEY WOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR ENTIRE 12 HOUR SHIFT.
PAY, BUT THE, BUT CORRECT PAY, BUT THEY WOULD GET SIX HOURS
[01:10:01]
OF HOLIDAY LEAVE THAT THEY COULD USE AT ANOTHER TIME.WE CALL PERSONAL AUDIT RIGHT HERE.
MR. HOTTER, WE CALL PERSONAL AUDIT.
IS THIS A, A BEST PRACTICE IS, IS THIS LIKE A, A COMMON PRACTICE THAT MOST LOCALES HAVE, UH, ADOPTED? UM, I WILL ALSO LET SHERIFF TURNER ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL, AND FROM, FROM ALL THAT I HAVE SEEN.
UM, ESPECIALLY AS PERTAINS TO, UM, AS MS. PERKINS SAID, THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE SHIFT EMPLOYEES, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATION OFFICERS PRIMARILY, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR, UM, DEPUTIES.
UM, THIS DOES NOT APPLY MO MOSTLY TO ANY OTHER EMPLOYEES.
UM, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REQUIRED TO BE PRESENT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THEIR, UM, DUTIES TO BE PRESENT ON HOLIDAYS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY ALSO TO ADD TO MS. ROLLINS AS, UH, EXPLANATION, THIS WOULD ONLY, THIS WOULD ONLY APPLY TO, UM, I BELIEVE TO NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES, OR WOULD THIS ALSO APPLY TO EXEMPT EMPLOYEES? UM, MIDDLE CRACK, UM, EXCUSE ME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? IF THERE BE NO QUESTIONS, WE WOULD ENTERTAIN THE MOTION.
MR. PIERCE, UH, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE S COUNTY EMPLOYEE POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL.
HAVE A MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE.
[Unfinished Business]
BUSINESS.SO WE HAVE MR. I'M GONNA ASK MR. DERRICK DAVIS, I COME WITH ATTORNEY TO COME FORTH AND PRESENT THIS ITEM.
UM, AS YOU ARE AWARE, BOARD MEMBERS, UM, THE COUNTY HAD ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT, UM, WITH PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY FOR A CRISIS RECEIVING CENTER.
UM, THAT APPLICATION, UM, WAS NOT, UM, APPROVED.
SO THEREFORE, THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY, UM, TO COVER WITH ALTERNATIVES AND TURNING, UH, IN TERMS OF USING THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
AND I WILL, UH, MR. DAVIS, I WANT TO THANK HIM.
HE HAS BEEN VERY ENGAGED, UM, WITH THESE DISCUSSIONS, AND I ASKED HIM TO COME TONIGHT TO PRESENT WHAT HAS BEEN FORTHCOMING, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE BOARDS, UH, PRETTY MUCH CONSENSUS TO PROCEED AS BEEN DISCUSSED.
MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF STAFF.
UM, I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE OPIOID ABATEMENT SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
UH, JUST A LITTLE HISTORY TO KIND OF CATCH YOU UP TO SPEED, IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER.
UM, ALSO, IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY I'M GIVING THIS PRESENTATION, I ALSO HAPPEN TO SERVE AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY CRIMINAL JUSTICE BOARD, UH, WHICH HAS STAKEHOLDERS FROM SUR PRINCE GEORGE, AND HOPEWELL.
AND, UH, THE BOARD SAW FIT BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS, THAT THAT WAS AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO, TO HOUSE THESE DISCUSSIONS.
SO BACK IN ABOUT 2022, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED FROM AN OPIOID LAWSUIT, UH, IN EACH LOCALITY IN VIRGINIA WAS GIVEN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDS AT THAT TIME.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ALSO CREATED THE OPIOID ABATEMENT AUTHORITY, WHICH IS AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY OF THE STATE TO MONITOR THE REST OF THE FUNDS.
SO THERE'S A SEPARATE POOL OF FUNDS THAT WERE GIVEN TO THE OPIOID ABATEMENT AUTHORITY AND ARE THERE FOR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP APPLICATIONS.
SO THAT'S IN ADDITION TO WHAT LOCALITIES WERE BEING GIVEN AS THEIR DIRECT FUNDS.
AND SO IN 2023, THE BOARD ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM WITH PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY TO PULL THEIR FUNDS TOGETHER FOR A PARTNERSHIP.
UH, I CAME BACK TO YOU AND PRESENTED TO YOU IN 2000 APRIL OF THIS YEAR, 2024, UH, ABOUT OUR PROJECT FOR THE CRISIS RECEIVING CENTER.
THAT WAS SORT OF OUR FIRST PITCH HOME RUN SWING, WHERE WE WEREN'T ENTIRELY SURPRISED THAT THAT APPLICATION WAS NOT SELECTED.
UH, WE, WE ASKED FOR A LARGE AMOUNT THERE, AND WE WERE SORT OF UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IF YOU DON'T ASK FOR IT, YOU CAN'T GET IT.
UM, SO WE DID GO INTO THAT KNOWING THAT THERE WAS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THAT ONE WOULD NOT BE SELECTED.
WE HAD A FOLLOW UP MEETING WITH THE OPIOID ABATEMENT AUTHORITY AFTER THAT ROUND OF SELECTIONS.
THEY PRETTY MUCH TOLD US THAT THEY LOVED THE IDEA, LOVED OUR GRANT PROPOSAL.
IT WAS JUST, UH, TOO LARGE FOR JUST THE TWO SMALL LOCALITIES OF THE DISTRICT 19 AREA.
SO WE THEN WENT BACK TO OUR, UH, WORK GROUP IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE BOARD,
[01:15:01]
UH, STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT AGAIN.WE HAD SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS TO SEE IF WE WANTED TO REGROUP ON THE CRISIS RECEIVING CENTER PROJECT AND TRY TO RECRUIT ADDITIONAL LOCALITIES FROM THE DISTRICT 19 AREA, AND THEN GO BACK WITH THE SAME, UH, APPLICATION.
AFTER TALKING TO SOME OF THE OTHER LARGER LOCALITIES IN THE DISTRICT 19 AREA, THEY HAD ALREADY JOINED IN OTHER PARTNERSHIPS, AND WE JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GONNA BE FEASIBLE TO GET ENOUGH MEMBERS OF THIS AREA TO GET THAT APPLICATION APPROVED.
SO OUR, OUR PLAN B THAT WE HAD BEEN WORKING ON WAS SORT OF A MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE UNIT.
UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL PARTNER WITH EMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND WE WILL, UH, ESSENTIALLY COLLECT THE DATA ON, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
AND, AND THAT'S A, A BROAD CATEGORY.
SO THE, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN A LOT OF THESE APPLICATIONS AND A LOT OF THE FUNDS, IT TALKS STRICTLY ABOUT OPIOID OVERDOSES.
HOWEVER, THE LANGUAGE OF IT ALLOWS FOR A MUCH BROADER USE.
SO IT'S SUB A MUCH BROADER SUBSTANCE USE, UM, CATEGORY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE THESE FUNDS FOR.
AND SO THIS MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT WOULD, UM, CONSIST OF ESSENTIALLY A, A PEER RECOVERY SPECIALIST, EMS AND POSSIBLY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEY WOULD BE A MOBILE UNIT, AND THEY WOULD JUST GO OUT AND RESPOND TO CONNECT, UH, HOUSEHOLDS AND, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UH, CONNECT THEM WITH THE SERVICES THEY NEED.
AND THAT'S, THAT COULD BE A BROAD RANGE OF SERVICES.
AND I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS FOR YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE WHAT I'M HERE ASKING TONIGHT IS FOR US TO, UH, FOR YOU TO SORT OF GIVE US AN INFORMAL APPROVAL TO CONTINUE TO RESEARCH THIS MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN USED IN OTHER AREAS IN THE STATE, UH, APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED TO THE OAA IN APRIL, UH, OR IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS AND WERE APPROVED.
UM, ALSO ONCE WORD GOT OUT THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR IDEA, WE HAD, UM, DENWITTY, SUSSEX COUNTY, GREENSVILLE, AND EMPORIA ALL REACH OUT TO US, UH, INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH US.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING TONIGHT IS FOR YOU TO SORT OF GIVE AN INFORMAL APPROVAL FOR THIS WORK GROUP TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS WITH THESE OTHER LOCALITIES ABOUT THEIR POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP AND A NEW MOU TO, TO ALLOW ALL THOSE LOCALITIES TO JOIN, UM, AND ALLOW US TO SORT OF WORK OUT THE DETAILS AND CREATE A PROCESS AND PROCEDURE FOR THIS APPLICATION.
AND ULTIMATELY HAVE A NEW APPLICATION TO SUBMIT, UH, BY THE APRIL 1ST, 2025 DEADLINE.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THE OPIOID ABATEMENT AUTHORITY, SETTLEMENT FUNDS, OR, UH, THIS MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING.
AND AGAIN, UH, IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT HOW IT WORKS, THE ANSWER IS GOING TO PROBABLY BE, IT DEPENDS BECAUSE WE ARE BUILDING THIS FROM THE GROUND UP SO WE CAN TAILOR IT TO MEET OUR SPECIFIC NEEDS.
SO THERE IS, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO DO IS GIVE US THE AUTHORITY TO, TO MOVE FORWARD AND BUILD THIS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? CHAIR, MR. HOTTY? UH, MR. DAVIS, THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I ONLY ASK IF YOU HAVE, YOU'RE THE CHAIR.
SO, UM, MR. SIR, WE OUT, SIR, WE OUTLIERS, IF IT COULD BE A 24 7 MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT, THAT'D BE A GREAT HELP, UH, FOR CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
SO IT IS, AND I'VE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR, UM, US BEING RURAL AND HAVING TRANSPORTATION ISSUES HERE, WHICH IS, UH, A CAUSE TO A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS AND A LOT OF THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PEOPLE CAN'T GET TO BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO I, I'VE BEEN A, A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THAT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
EVEN WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE CRISIS RECEIVING CENTER, I, I SAID IT WAS GONNA BE A HARD NO FROM SUPPORT FROM ME UNLESS WE HAD A TRANSPORTATION COMPONENT IN THERE.
UH, AND SO I, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
AND SOME OF THE SMALLER THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS, UH, POTENTIAL USES OF THIS UNIT AS WELL IS TRANSPORTATION TO TREATMENT SERVICES AS WELL AS TRANSPORTATION, UH, TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS LIKE OUR RECOVERY COURT THAT WE USE.
UH, BOARD MEMBERS, COULD WE HAVE A CONSENSUS ON THIS? UH, IT'S NOT AN ACTION ITEM CONSENSUS TO, UH, GIVE MR. DAVIS, UH, THE AUTHORITY TO PURSUE THE, AND DISCUSS WITH THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS A MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT? UH, YES.
BOARD MEMBERS, I WILL, UH, REPORT BACK WHEN WE HAVE SOME MORE NEWS.
[County Administrators Report]
MOVE TO OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.[01:20:01]
FOREMOST, I ALSO WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. MONROE AND SARA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.IT IS INDEED VERY PROUD TO BE A COUGAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT, SIR.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF VERY, UH, WELL RECEIVED AND SOME SIGNIFICANT EVENTS, UM, BOARD MEMBERS IN PUBLIC THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE OUR LAST OCTOBER MEETING THAT REALLY DO HIGHLIGHT THE SPIRIT OF THE SARA COMMUNITY.
UM, ONE HAS BEEN, OF COURSE, AFTER OUR, UH, MEETING, WE HAD OUR HOMECOMING PARADE AND OUR COMMUNITY CELEBRATION.
AND I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, ONCE AGAIN, THANK THE OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND ALL THE COUNTY TEAM MEMBERS.
AND ALSO THERE WAS MANY COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS THAT TOOK THE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS AWESOME EVENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY KUDOS AND SHOUT OUT FOR THAT AWESOME EVENT HERE IN THE COUNTY.
UM, ALSO WE HAD ON OCTOBER THE 28TH, IT WAS NATIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS DAY.
AND, UM, ALSO THAT IS A DAY WHERE WE SHOW APPRECIATION FOR OUR EMTS AND PARAMEDICS AND DISPATCHERS WHO ARE OFTEN THE FIRST CALL, UM, WHO RECEIVED THAT FIRST CALL FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TO RESPOND.
UM, SO THAT WAS CELEBRATED ON OCTOBER 28TH.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY, UM, RECOGNIZE NATIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS DAY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN OCTOBER, TO THANK THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS FOR ALL THAT THEY DO.
UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL AWARE THAT WE HAD, AND SOME BOARD MEMBERS MAY SPEAK ON THIS, SO I JUST BRIEFLY STATE OF COURSE, THE OPENING OF OUR, UH, SURY, UH, MARKET AND PUBLICLY CONGRATULATING THE WHITE FAMILY FOR, UM, THE SURY MARKETPLACE, GRAND OPENING, UM, THE TRUNK OR TREAT, UM, PROGRAM, AMAZING PARTICIPATION.
HE MAY WANT TO SAY KUDOS TO THAT IN, IN, IN HIS, UM, IN SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND ALSO, I WANNA ANNOUNCE THAT ON THIS COMING FRIDAY, UM, WE ARE HAVING A VETERANS DAY, UM, FREE DINNER FOR THOSE VETERANS IN THE COUNTY.
AND WE HAVE HAD SOME TO SIGN UP BOARD MEMBERS, UM, WHO WILL YOU ALL WILL BE HOSTING, UM, FROM FOUR TO SIX 30 THIS FRIDAY UNDERNEATH THE PAVILION.
AND I ALSO WANT TO PUBLICLY SAY THAT WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME VETERAN EMPLOYEES HERE IN THE COUNTY.
AND WE WANT TO SAY A EARLY PUBLICLY, UM, SAY HAPPY VETERANS DAY TO, UM, ALL OF OUR VETERANS, UM, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR EMPLOYEES.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT YOU ALL KNOW THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE DO HAVE AS VETERANS, AND I WANNA ANNOUNCE THOSE AT THIS TIME.
UM, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
UM, WE HAVE CLIFF REDSTONE, WHO IS AIR FORCE WAS AIR FORCE, UM, I'M GONNA SAY IS BECAUSE I GUESS ONCE ALWAYS IS.
SO STEVEN MORRIS AIR FORCE, UM, ROBERT ELLIOT JR.
AIR FORCE, DANIELLE, FORDHAM ARMY, GEORGE WASHINGTON ARMY, JEROME THOMAS ARMY, MR. WALTER HARDY ARMY, QUINTON PARKER ARMY, MR. GEORGE TERRO, WHO SERVES ON OUR BOARDING COMMISSION, ARMY, WILLIAM THOMAS, ARMY AND MARINE CORPS, RONNA HOWELL, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, UH, MATTHEW RICHMOND MARINE CORPS, ANTHONY WASHINGTON MARINE CORPS.
AND WE HAVE NAVY, SPENCER LOGAN, JAMES CHARITY JUNIOR, AND TRINITY THORPE.
SO WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AND BOARDING COMMISSION MEMBERS, AND WE WANNA SAY HAPPY VETERANS DAY TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, ALSO WE WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON NOVEMBER 22ND FROM SIX TO NINE, WE HAVE OUR 55 PLUS FRIENDS GIVING DINNER THAT'S GONNA BE HELD AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO PLEASE COME OUT IF YOU ARE 55 AND A SENIOR AND WANNA COME OUT AND CELEBRATE.
THIS IS THE SEASON, SEASON OF THANKS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT EVENT ON THE 22ND OF NOVEMBER, ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER THE SIXTH, WE HAVE OUR TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY AT THE COURTHOUSE.
AND PLEASE COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT GRAND OCCASION.
UM, IF YOU HAVE MISSED IT IN THE PAST YEARS, YOU HAVE MISSED A TREAT.
ISN'T THAT RIGHT, MR. CALHOUN? ABSOLUTELY.
AND, UH, WE DO ENJOY BEING OUT THERE AND CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS DURING THAT TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS HAVING ITS ANNUAL PROJECT JOY ACTIVITY, WHICH IS A PROGRAM THAT'S DESIGNED TO ASSIST LOW INCOME FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO 14 YEARS OF AGE.
SO THAT INFORMATION IS ALSO POSTED ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND BACK TO SERVICE SOCIAL SERVICES ON HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD'S LIFE.
WITH THAT ANNUAL PROJECT JOY PROJECT.
UM, OUR SOLID WASTE CONVENIENCE SITE FOR VETERANS DAY WILL BE OPEN FROM 8:00 AM TO 4:00 PM AND THAT IS MY REPORT, SIR.
[Reports]
BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU OUR, UH, BUILDING OFFICIALS REPORT THAT'S IN YOUR[01:25:01]
PACKAGE, AND YOU ALSO[For Your Information]
HAVE OUR LGIP INVESTMENT LETTER, SEPTEMBER, 2024.WE CAN SEE IN OUR REPORT WE HAVE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT GAINS, SO THAT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE INVESTMENT LETTER? IF THERE BE NONE, WE WILL
[Public Comments]
MOVE TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WE'RE GOING TO, UH, TURN IT OVER TO MS. PERKINS.RULES FOR CITIZEN COMMENT, PERIOD.
TO ENSURE THAT THE AFFAIRS OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES MAY BE CONDUCTED IN AN ORDERLY MANNER TO ENSURE THAT ALL PERSONS DESIRING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON MATTERS PERTINENT TO IT ARE AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
TO PERMIT PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE, TO OBSERVE AND HEAR THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD WITHOUT DISTRACTION, AND TO PERMIT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THE BOARD TO CONDUCT COUNTY BUSINESS WITH MINIMAL DISRUPTION.
THE FOLLOWING RULES ARE ESTABLISHED, EACH PERSON A, EACH PERSON DESIRING TO SPEAK, MUST SIGN UP IN ADVANCE OF THE OPENING OF THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD ON THE AGENDA.
B, EACH SPEAKER SHALL BE LIMITED TO A PERIOD OF THREE MINUTES PER COMMENT.
WHEN TWO MINUTES HAVE PASSED, THE SPEAKER WILL BE REMINDED THAT THERE IS ONE MINUTE REMAINING.
C SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP MAY USE THEIR ALLOTTED TIME ONLY FOR THEMSELVES AND MAY NOT DONATE THEIR TIME TO OTHER SPEAKERS.
D SPEAKERS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO USE AUDIO, VISUAL MATERIALS OR OTHER VISUAL DISPLAYS, BUT MAY PRESENT WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS TO BOARD MEMBERS.
E COMMENTS MUST BE CONFINED TO MATTERS, GERMANE TO THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND SHALL NOT BE CUMULATIVE OR REPETITIVE.
THE BOARD MAY PREVENT OR DISCONTINUE COMMENTS FROM ANY SPEAKER THAT ARE IRRELEVANT.
SPEAKERS SHOULD ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH DECORUM, LOUD, BOISTEROUS, AND DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.
OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY SHOULD BE AVOIDED, AS WELL AS OTHER WORDS OR ACTS TENDING TO EVOKE VIOLENCE OR DEEMED TO BE A BREACH OF THE PEACE.
INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT ABIDE BY THIS POLICY AFTER A WARNING WILL FORFEIT ANY REMAINING SPEAKER TIME AND ALSO BE ASKED TO RETURN TO THEIR SEAT OR LEAVE THE MEETING.
G THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, OR A TIME FOR DIALOGUE WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS.
QUESTIONS WHICH ARE RAISED DURING A COMMENT PERIOD MAY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD BE RESPONDED TO BY COUNTY OFFICIALS.
AFTER SUFFICIENT TIME FOR APPROPRIATE INVESTIGATION, H SPEAKER SHALL REMAIN AT THE PODIUM WHILE ADDRESSING THE BOARD, EXCEPT FOR AN ACCOMMODATION HAS BEEN GRANTED IN ADVANCE.
I SPEAKERS SHALL NOT BE INTERRUPTED BY AUDIENCE, COMMENTS, CALLS SLASH WHISTLES, LAUGHTER, OR OTHER GESTURES, INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO DO NOT ABIDE BY THIS POLICY AFTER A WARNING WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING.
J MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE PROHIBITED FROM CAMPAIGNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE OR OTHERWISE ENGAGING IN ELECTION RELATED SPEECH IN THE MEETING ROOM WHEN NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO AN ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD.
THESE RULE RULES DO NOT PRECLUDE PERSONS FROM DELIVERING TO THE BOARD OR ITS CLERK WRITTEN MATERIALS, INCLUDING REPORTS, STATEMENTS, EXHIBITS, LETTERS, OR SIGNED PETITIONS, OR TO PROHIBIT PERSONS FROM PRESENTING ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT GERMANE TO THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD, TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS, OR TO THE BOARD THROUGH ITS CLERK OUTSIDE THE CONTEXT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE FIRST TO SIGN UP IS MS. SHALOM PIERCE FROM THE BACON'S CASTLE DISTRICT.
UM, THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT, AND YOU MAY THINK IT'S NOT GERMANE TO YOU, BUT THERE WERE COMMENTS MADE AT THE LAST BOARD OF MEETING.
I WANNA RESPOND TO THEM DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
UM, AND I HOPE THE GENTLEMAN WHO MADE THE COMMENT AND THIS THING OVER THE, UM, INTERNET.
BUT ANYWAY, LAST MEETING IT WAS STATED THAT THE SURY COUNTY TEACHER TO STUDENT RATIO WAS SIX TO ONE.
THAT IS NOT SIX TO ONE, IT'S EIGHT TO ONE.
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT A STUDENT RATIO LIKE THAT IS A RATIO, BUT IT DOESN'T INDICATE THAT THERE ARE SIX STUDENTS IN EVERY CLASSROOM IN CERTAIN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
OUR SUPERINTENDENT HAS ALREADY GIVEN YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT, THE GENTLEMAN ALSO SAID THAT WE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, RAISING THE ROOF, KNOCKING THE SCORES, AND GETTING THINGS OUT WHEN HE MADE HIS COMMENT.
SINCE HE DID THAT, I DID COMPILE WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD BE HERE TONIGHT, SOME THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE.
BUT ONE THING I WANNA SAY IS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE SCHOOL TEACHERS IN SUR COUNTY ARE CERTIFIED.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE SOL SCORES AND ALL OF THAT, BUT THERE WAS ONE THING THAT WE, HE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT.
UNLESS THOSE FEDERAL INDICATORS, THERE ARE 22 FEDERAL INDICATORS AT THE ELEMENT FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I DO CONSULT WORK THROUGH VCU.
IF I, MY PEOPLE WERE LIKE THAT, I WOULDN'T HAVE A JOB.
THEY WOULD JUST NOT HIRE ME FOR THAT.
[01:30:01]
23.AND SIR ELEMENTARY MET 16 OF THEIR 16TH.
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MET, MISSED IT BY SCIENCE BY A FEW POINTS.
AND FOR ONE OTHER SUBJECT, I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN ENGLISH OR, OR READING FOR STUDENTS WITH MULTIPLE RACES.
SO, UM, HE TALKED ABOUT THE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
I WANNA TELL YOU, I WORK IN A PLACE WHERE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IS 30%.
AND WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM INCLUDES ALL ABSENCES.
EXCUSE IF THE CHILD STAYS HOME BECAUSE HE'S SICK OR SHE'S SICK, OR THEY WENT TO SOMEBODY'S FUNERAL, THEY'RE COUNTY ABSENT.
AND THAT INDICATES IN THAT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, OKAY, WE EXCEED THE NUMBER OF K STUDENTS WITH PRE-K SPRINGS BY 29%.
AND 91% OF THE KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS MET THE FALL LITERACY BENCHMARK.
WHAT AM I SAYING? WE ARE KNOCKING OUT AT THE STATE, NOT JUST WITH OUR ATHLETICS, BUT WITH OUR ACADEMICS AS WELL.
YES, WE SPEND MONEY HERE IN SUR COUNTY ON OUR SCHOOLS, AND I WANT YOU TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY.
PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME, BUT MS. KATHY, HOW ABOUT THAT? I HAVE THAT ONE.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN ELLIOT AND ELECTED SUPERVISORS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE THIS EVENING.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE FOUR H CENTER, KNOWN AS AIRFIELD HERE.
UM, AND I AM CURRENTLY AS OF JUNE, LIVING IN CLAREMONT.
SO I AM AN OFFICIAL SUR RESIDENT.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
I'VE BEEN HERE IN VIRGINIA NOW FOR TWO YEARS, LIVING IN A ROOM AT THE FOUR H CENTER FOR A YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE SETTLING HERE.
AND SPENT ABOUT MOST OF THAT TIME WORKING ON RAISING A LOT OF CAPITAL FUNDING, LOOKING AT GRANTS TO GET IN AND IMPROVE THE MAINTENANCE AND NEGLECT OF THE CENTER THAT I INHERITED WHEN I GOT HERE.
AND WE ARE REALLY IMPROVING IT, NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCES ALL AROUND.
AND NOW WE'RE BUILDING OUR TEAM.
SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU BECAUSE I DID RECOGNIZE, AND I'M ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU DID INCLUDE US IN YOUR GIFT GIVING THIS YEAR TO HELP SUPPORT THE PROGRAMMING AT THE FOUR H CENTER.
YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THE CENTER IN TERMS OF SENDING US YOUR YOUTH.
SHE AND I HAVE BEEN IN RICHMOND THE LAST TWO DAYS AND SHE, SHE SAID, SHE SAID IT WAS OKAY FOR ME TO REPRESENT THE FOUR H EXTENSION OFFICE HERE IN THE COUNTY.
UM, SHE BROUGHT US 142 YOUTH THIS SUMMER FOR SUMMER CAMP.
SOME OF THOSE WERE FROM SURREY COUNTY.
THE OTHERS, SHE HELPED PICK UP THE SLACK FROM SUSSEX.
AND THEN, UM, SHE ALSO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS, BUT SHE PUT TOGETHER A REALLY GREAT FAMILY CAMP PROGRAM THAT JUST WON AN AWARD IN THE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND SO SHE WORKED WITH OUR PROGRAMMING STAFF TO PUT ON THOSE PROGRAMS. OUR SUMMER CAMP NUMBERS WERE DOWN THIS YEAR.
WE LIKE TO GET ABOUT 200 STUDENTS AT SUMMER CAMP.
SO WE HAVE ROOM TO GROW IN TERMS OF GETTING MORE PEOPLE FROM SURREY TO SUMMER CAMP.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS, BUT WE ARE MORE THAN A FOUR H SUMMER CAMP.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.
SO IN THIS FOLDER TONIGHT, UM, THAT I HANDED OUT, I WANNA GIVE YOU ONE TOO 'CAUSE I DIDN'T, THIS WAS LIKE A JUST GREAT HAPPY ACCIDENT,
THANK, UM, SO WE ARE A CONFERENCING CENTER.
THE FIRST PAGE IS JUST SOME OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WE DO HAVE.
I DON'T WHERE MY LIGHT IS TO WARN ME ABOUT MY THREE MINUTES.
SO THE FIRST PAGE IS JUST TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE CONFERENCING ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
IF YOU NEED TO HAVE A MEETING OR A WORKSHOP, WE ARE CONFERENCING CENTER, BUT I'M HERE, LIKE I SAID, TO PROMOTE OUR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO REALLY FOCUS ON OUR NEW OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TYPE PROGRAMS, STEM PROGRAMMING, WE HAVE, UM, SOME FISHING CLUBS, SPIN CLUBS, SPECIAL INTEREST CLUBS.
I SHOULD PROBABLY GO IN ORDER OF THE BOOK.
THE NEXT FLYER SHOULD BE ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PUBLIC EVENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP.
THE NEXT ONE BEING BREAKFAST WITH SANTA IN DECEMBER.
BUT THEN IF YOU GET TO THE DARK GREEN SHEET, IT GOES OVER SOME OF THE EDUCATIONAL EVENTS.
WE HAVE A FARM CAMP COMING UP IN NOVEMBER.
THERE ARE THREE TRACK STUDENTS CAN PICK FROM EITHER HORSEMANSHIP, UM, LIVESTOCK OR HORTICULTURE.
THEN IN FEBRUARY WE ARE DOING A LOVE BUG BASED ON OUTDOOR BUGS, INSECTS, BIOLOGY, AND ECOLOGY FOR FEBRUARY, AGES
[01:35:01]
FIVE TO EIGHT.WE HAVE SPECIAL INTEREST CLUBS FOR FISHING, ARCHERY, OUTDOOR COOKING.
THESE ARE ALL PROGRAMS THAT YOU CAN LOOK INTO.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO HIRE ON OUR SUMMER STAFF IF YOU'RE EVER IN THE AREA.
WANNA TOUR, WHEN TO COME BY, SEE OUR CHANGES.
I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE YOU AROUND.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND COMING AND SHARING THIS WITH US TONIGHT.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, SUSAN COVELO FROM CLAREMONT DISTRICT.
SUSAN VEO, MONT, EXCUSE MY HOARSENESS, COUGHED A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH LAST WEEK.
UM, I WANTED TO SAY, UH, IN REFERENCE TO THE GROCERY STORE, I AM ECSTATIC THAT IT IS THERE.
UM, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE WORKING NEXT DOOR, THE PARTICIPATION FROM ALL THE CITIZENS AND THE TRAFFIC THAT'S GOING THROUGH THERE.
UM, I CAME ACROSS SOMETHING ACTUALLY THIS MORNING.
UM, IT WAS A LITTLE QUOTE FROM AN ITEM THAT'S CALLED WORDS OF WISDOM.
IT SAYS TRUE LEADERSHIP IS NEVER ABOUT TEARING PEOPLE DOWN.
IT'S ABOUT INSPIRING OTHERS TO RISE, TO GROW AND TO SEE THEIR POTENTIAL IN WAYS THEY'VE NEVER IMAGINED.
A REAL LEADER LIFTS OTHERS UP, GUIDING WITH EMPATHY AND ENCOURAGEMENT, HELPING THEM BECOME THE VERY BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES.
LEADERSHIP ISN'T A POSITION, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY TO NURTURE GREATNESS IN OTHERS AND TO LEAVE A LEGACY OF UPLIFTED HEARTS AND FULFILLED DREAMS. I THINK THIS CAME RIGHT ON TIME TONIGHT.
MAY I NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MR. DIANE CHEEK, SIR, DISTRICT
I'D LIKE TO PRESENT FOUR GRIEVANCES THAT I'VE HEARD FROM CITIZENS OF SURREY.
THE FIRST ONE IS THAT DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THIS BOARD ARE NOT PROVIDING FOR THE COMMON BENEFIT OF ALL THE CITIZENS.
DECISIONS HAVE BEEN ARBITRARY AT TIMES, PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGETS LACK SUFFICIENT BASIS, AND PLANNING DUE RESPECT OF INPUT FROM THE DRON AND SURREY REPRESENTATIVES IS INSUFFICIENT TO THE POINT THAT THESE DISTRICTS ARE NOT BEING FULLY REPRESENTED IN BOARD DECISIONS.
SO THESE GRIEVANCES ARE SUBMITTED TO YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, AND HOPEFULLY WHEN YOU DO THAT, WE WILL HAVE A BETTERMENT FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS.
I, I WILL START WITH MR. PIERCE.
UM, MR. PIERCE TONIGHT, YOU LISTENED AND YOU LED, UH, WELL DONE.
AND, UH, MR. HARDY, YOU STOOD ALONE AND VOTED TO YOUR CONSCIENCE.
IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, WON'T.
I'LL START OFF WITH DR. MONROE.
HE ADVISED US TONIGHT TO TURN TO EACH OTHER, NOT ON EACH OTHER.
IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, OUR NATION IS DIVIDED.
UM, I'M INSPIRED BY OUR NEW SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT WHOSE WORDS, UM, OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND WHOSE VIBE CLEARLY SAY I KNOW MY PURPOSE AND WHO I SERVE.
I'M GONNA SUGGEST HE'S A ROLE MODEL FOR MORE THAN STUDENTS.
TOO OFTEN KEY BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MAKE
[01:40:01]
THE SAME MISTAKE.NATIONAL LEADERS SOMETIMES MAKE OVERRIDING CITIZENS AND EVEN FELLOW ELECTED OFFICIALS AS IF UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY CAN BE DICTATED OR LEGISLATED.
AT SOME POINT, SOMEONE HAS TO BRAVELY OPEN THEIR HEART REBUILDING TRUST BY SHOWING SOME GOOD FAITH OF THE CYCLE NEVER ENDS.
MS. ROLLINS, FIVE MONTHS AGO, YOU LAMENTED THE BROKEN RECORD OF 10 CITIZENS WHO ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED.
WE HAVE A DIVERSITY AND ENGAGEMENT PROBLEM.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE YOU PEN PART OF A LARGER TRUTH.
YOU CALLED OUT PEOPLE WHO JUDGE BASED ON SKIN COLOR.
BEAL ENCOURAGED YOU TO LEAD REGARDLESS OF RACE, CREED, OR SKIN COLOR.
AND I HEARD A LOT OF AMENDS WHEN HE SAID THAT FOR UNITY IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MEAN ANYTHING, WE NEED TO UNITE AS PEOPLE WITH ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SHALLOW PREJUDICE.
SO WANT MORE DIVERSE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT? HAVE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE AND RESPECTED? SUPERVISORS, THANK YOU.
ABANDONED THE PUSH TO CARRY AT THESE MEETINGS WITH THAT VERY TALK DAMAGED TRUST ON THE TALK OF PROTECTING YOURSELVES FROM THE PEOPLE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS DIVISIVE AND UNHELPFUL.
I'M ASKING THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE EVERYONE PASSES THROUGH THE PUBLIC ENTRANCE TO GET SCREENED FOR CONCEALED WEAPONS EVERY TIME THEY ENTER THIS ROOM.
AND IF ANYONE CLAIMS PRIVILEGE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT'S OBLIGATION IS TO ENFORCE THE LAW.
AT A PRIOR BOARD MEETING, MR. ELLIOT, YOU THREATENED TO HAVE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REMOVE CRITICS, SILENCING CRITICS WHO ARE NOT BREAKING THE LAW OR ORDINANCE, IS WHAT CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARS CALL VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION.
AT THE RECENT SHERIFF'S CONFERENCE, ATTENDEES WERE TRAINED NOT TO REMOVE PEOPLE FROM PUBLIC MEETINGS BECAUSE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOES NOT WORK FOR THE BOARD.
ONE SHERIFF TOLD ME THAT IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY AT A PUBLIC MEETING.
EVEN THE THREAT I'M ASKING LOLA, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, MS. BURKINS, PARDON ME, AND, UH, CARLOS, OUR SHERIFF.
WE KNOW MS. CARLOS ONE MINUTE SIR.
UM, TO ENSURE THAT ILLEGAL ORDERS OR INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT OBEYED, CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENT SHARE THE SAME BOAT, A WHOLE AFFECTS THE ENTIRE BOAT.
SO PLEASE CHOOSE WISELY AND AS A CHIROPRACTOR, I PROMISE I'LL PUT MY BACK INTO ROWING.
THERE ARE NO OTHER, UH, INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP FOR, EXCUSE ME.
THERE ARE NO OTHER INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP FOR BOARD COMMENTS, SO, EXCUSE ME, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE BOARD
[Board Comments]
COMMENTS AND WE WILL START WITH MR. HARDY.UH, FIRST THANKS TO EVERY, ALL THE, UM, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, PARTICIPANTS.
I WAS TAKING COUNT AND WE HAD, UH, THREE DOCTORS COME UP AND TALK TONIGHT.
AND, UH, AND THREE MORE ATTENDANCE.
SO WE GOT A HOUSE FULL OF DOCTORS TONIGHT.
I HAVE A LITTLE LIST HERE, SO I'LL GET TO IT.
UM, CONGRATS AGAIN TO, UH, MR. BLIZZARD AND, UM, MS. THOMAS ON ACHIEVING 90 YEARS OF LIFE.
UM, I DID HAVE, UH, SOME COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
UM, UH, I'M BIGGEST CASTLE DISTRICT AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT I DO.
UH, SOME PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME FROM VARIOUS DISTRICTS AND, UM, SO ANYBODY'S ALWAYS WELCOME TO GIMME A CALL, SIT DOWN FOR LUNCH.
UM, I CAN'T ALLOW YOU TO PAY FOR ME, BUT, UH, I WILL LISTEN.
UM, I RECENTLY HAD A PLEASURE TO TALK WITH MISS, UH, DR.
ROSLYN MILLER FROM THE SUR DISTRICT.
UM, AND, UH, RETIRED COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR DWAYNE PERRY FROM I BELIEVE CLAREMONT DISTRICT.
UM, I WON'T GET INTO THE SPECIFICS RIGHT NOW, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE, NEITHER ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE FROM SERI, UH, ARE ORIGINALLY FROM SIRY.
BUT IT'S GREAT TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO OUR AREA THAT, UH, CARES ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE GREAT IDEAS TO HELP, UM, CARRY THE COMMUNITY FORWARD AND HELP LEAD, UM, 'CAUSE ANYBODY CAN BE A LEADER.
UM, AND MS. ROLLS TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THIS STUFF, SO I'LL BE VERY BRIEF.
UM, HOMECOMING CELEBRATION WAS AWESOME.
UM, THANKS FOR EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP.
AND I, I DID RECOGNIZE, UM, REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL BELIEFS, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
IT WAS AWESOME TO HAVE, UM, SENATOR KANE AND CONGRESSMAN MCCLELLAN COME DOWN BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT OUR ELECTED LEADERS, AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF PARTY, KNOW ABOUT SURY COUNTY, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO BE HERE, TO ME WAS, WAS AWESOME.
UM, 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL SMALL.
THEY DIDN'T COME IN FOR THE VOTES.
SUR COUNTY AIN'T GON AIN'T GONNA MAKE OR BREAK NOBODY IN A, IN A STATE OR NATIONAL ELECTION.
SO FOR THEM TO BE HERE JUST TO SHOW SUPPORT AND TO BE HERE, IT WAS JUST AWESOME TO ME.
UM, I ATTENDED THEIR DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH AND FOUND RESOURCE MEETING, UM, SOME GREAT OUTREACH PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA GET RECOGNITION.
RECOGNITION IS DUE SO GREAT JOB TO MISS LA JUNE STONE AND HER STAFF OVER THERE FOR WHAT THEY DO.
UM, AND THEY'RE BOARD ARE VERY DEDICATED TO THE CAUSE OF THAT PROGRAM.
UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH OUR SENIORS, UH,
[01:45:01]
I THINK LAST WEEK, WEEK BEFORE LAST.I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, MS. THOMAS FROM THE BIGGEST CASTLE DISTRICT, WHO WAS THE QUEEN IN THE HOMECOMING PARADE.
UM, SHE ALSO ATTENDS MY CHURCH, SO ALWAYS A GREAT TIME.
UM, WHILE I WAS THERE, MS. PIERCE, MS. VALERIE PIERCE ALSO STOPPED BY TO, UM, UH, SEE THIS, SEE THE SENIORS INTERACT WITH 'EM, PROVIDED SOME TREATS AND UPDATED INFORMATION FOR THEM.
AND I HELP MUST DO MY DUE DILIGENCE.
AND RECOGNIZING THE STAFF UP THERE, MS. HILTON, UH, MS. DOBY AND MS. JONES, UH, FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK THEY DO WITH OUR SENIORS.
UM, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MEET AND GREET WITH OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
UH, HE'S DEFINITELY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
AND I, I LIKE YOUR PHRASE, UH, PLUM PLEASING, PLEASURE
WE HAD TO PUT THAT IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, UH, BOOKS OF SUR COUNTY.
UM, WE ALSO ATTENDED LOCAL LEGISLATORS DAY TO DAY AND OPPORTUNITY TO MEET, TO VISIT ALL THREE SCHOOLS.
SO THANKS AGAIN TO, UH, MR. POPE.
UM, MS. CRADOCK AND MS.
GREAT TOUR AND SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE STUDENTS THAT GATHERED US ON THE TOUR, HAD STUDENT INTERACTION ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND ALSO, AGAIN, UH, REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL, UH, STANDINGS, WE DID HAVE STATE SENATOR, UH, LAURICE AIR TO ATTEND, UH, AS WELL.
SO, AGAIN, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, ELECTED LEADERS TO COME DOWN, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND SURVEYS HERE AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT.
UM, I ATTENDED, UH, TWO TRUNK OR TREATS IN THE COMMUNITY.
ONE WAS AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE OTHER WAS WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
GREAT EVENTS, UM, WILL ATTENDED.
AND I KNOW, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW, THE SHERIFF'S PROBABLY GONE, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY BE SOME KIND OF RECORD SET THE OTHER DAY FOR THE, UM, THE SHERIFF'S, UH, TRUNK OR TREAT.
IT WAS A BUNCH OF FOLKS A BUNCH.
SO IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE THAT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AS, UH, MS. ROWLAND STATED, WE ALSO ATTENDED THE, UM, THE GRAND OPENING OF THE SURVEY MARKETPLACE.
THAT PLACE IS A TREAT AND A GODSEND TO SURT COUNTY, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, TO OUR SMALL COMMUNITY.
SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT.
I KNOW I DO EVERY CHANCE I GET.
UM, AS YOU, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE I LIVE, I'M RIGHT AT THE COUNTY LINE.
SO IF I GO LEFT ON MY DRIVEWAY, I'M RIGHT AT ALL WHITE, BUT I COME, I I MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN BECAUSE I'M GONNA SUPPORT LOCAL.
I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE OUR REGISTRAR.
MS. WHITE RECOGNIZE OUR SHERIFF DEPUTIES AND EVERYBODY WHO WE HAD SAVED FREE FAIR ELECTIONS FOR ALL CITIZENS, REGARDLESS OF YOUR, UH, STANDING AND, UM, AND, UM, CONGRESS TO EVERYBODY.
WE HAD A 76% VOTER TURNOUT IN SURY COUNTY.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, UH, IN MOST PLACES.
SO, GREAT JOB TO, UH, EVERYBODY WHO WENT OUT AND, UM, UH, VOICE THEIR OPINION.
AND, UH, ALSO WRAPPING IT UP HERE TOMORROW, PLEASE COME OUT.
UM, IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, UM, I BELIEVE'S YOU SAID TO, I THINK IT'S FORER SIX 30, RIGHT? FOUR SIX.
SO FOR US, IT'S, UH, 1600 1830 MILITARY TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE CONFUSED THERE.
UH, COME OUT, PLEASE RECEIVE YOUR FREE MEAL.
IF YOU KNOW A VETERAN, IF YOU NEED A RIDE, GIMME A CALL.
IF YOU'RE NOT A VETERAN, COME OUT TOO.
UM, I'LL, I'LL PERSONALLY GO GET A, A COOLER FULL OF, UH, SODAS, SO YOU WON'T BE EMPTY HANDED.
'CAUSE PLEASE COME OUT AND SHAKE A VETERAN'S HAND.
UM, AGAIN, FOR OUR COMMUNITY CELEBRATION.
THANK YOU, MR. HOTTY, MR. JURY.
AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT.
AND, AND, UH, IT WAS, UH, THERE WERE MANY MOMENTS OF, OF GREAT JOY IN THIS ROOM.
I PERSONALLY WAS OVERJOYED TO SPEND THE DAY AT THE SCHOOL.
WE, UH, OUR SCHOOLS ARE A TREASURE AND A, AND A REAL TRUE GYM IN THIS COUNTY.
AND I THINK THAT IF, UH, MORE PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT THAN WE WOULD, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN ATTRACTING FAMILIES TO THIS COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD REALLY BE PROUD OF.
WE HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN SURREY.
WE HAVE A GREAT, RICH HISTORY AND SO MUCH POTENTIAL.
SO LET ME SAY THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
AND LAST MONTH WE HAD A MAJORITY VOTE BOARD VOTE IN FAVOR OF TWO TIMES A YEAR TAXATION, DESPITE AN OVERWHELMING OUTPOURING OF A DIVERSE GROUP OF CITIZENS WHO OPPOSED THIS POLICY.
AND SO TONIGHT AND OUTSIDE, THERE WAS A PROTEST FOR THIS, UH, DISREGARD OF CITIZEN INPUT AND TO PROTEST.
UM, THE BOARD OVERRIDING ITS OWN UNANIMOUS PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO, UM, TOO MANY BOARD DECISIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR HAVE DISREGARDED THE CITIZENS OF SURREY COUNTY.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO LOOK INTO.
WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO, TO, UH, BE MORE INCLUSIVE, TO BE BETTER LISTENERS, TO RESPECT THE CITIZENS AND THEIR VOICES, AND FIND A WAY TO FIND REALLY GOOD COMPROMISES.
BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE OUT THERE.
[01:50:01]
BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED, UM, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THIS.IT'S SO IMPORTANT IN OUR GROWTH.
UM, SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I WANTED TO SAY, EXCEPT THAT I, I DO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE CITIZENS WHO ARE OUTSIDE PROTESTING THE SILENCING AND WHOSE VOICES ARE IGNORED.
AND I, AND I HOPE WE CAN WORK TOWARDS, UM, MAKING THAT SITUATION BETTER.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATS TO MR. BLIZZARD AND MS. THOMAS FOR TURNING THAT WONDERFUL AGE OF 90.
I HOPE I REACHED THERE ONE DAY.
UH, I'M NOT CROSSING MY FINGERS.
UM, CONGRATS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
WHAT A, UH, UM, WONDERFUL REPRESENTATION FOR SUR COUNTY.
AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DR. MONROE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU IN THE NEXT, I GUESS, COUPLE, COUPLE DAYS, WEEKS.
UM, AND GOOD LUCK ON YOUR TRIP THAT'S COMING UP.
UM, YOU HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE ALL THAT INFORMATION.
UM, THERE'S A HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION, UH, BOARD MEETING COMING UP, AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE DATE, AND I DID, I JUST SHUT DOWN MY COMPUTER.
BUT MS. RONALD, DO YOU KNOW THAT DATE BY THE CHANCE? YES, SIR.
UM, WOULD LIKE TO JUST WELCOME ANYBODY WHO WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THAT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES, HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
GIMME A CALL OR, OR SEND ME AN EMAIL.
UH, I ALSO ATTENDED THE SURREY MARKETPLACE.
IT'S A, UH, A GREAT PLEASURE TO SEE ALL THE, UH, SHELVES BEING STOCKED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE WALKING THROUGH AND PURCHASING.
AND, UH, EVEN I, I, I ACQUIRED A FEW THINGS.
UM, SORRY, I COULD NOT ATTEND TODAY'S MEETING AT THE SCHOOL.
I'M STILL WORKING FULL TIME, BUT RETIRING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, SO MY TIME WILL BE VERY AVAILABLE COME JANUARY 1ST.
UM, SORRY I MISSED THAT TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITIZEN COMMENTS.
I HOPE I DIDN'T, I HOPE I SAY HER NAME RIGHT.
UH, MS. GRABO, UH, MS. CHEEK, AND, UH, DR.
UM, THOSE ON, UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK THOSE ON THE MEDIA THAT ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING THIS EVENING.
PLEASE, UH, TRY TO MAKE A, TRY AND MAKE IT, UH, COME OUT TO THE, UH, TO THE MEETINGS IN PERSON.
UM, I, UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
MR. PIERCE, THANK YOU FOR THAT CHAIR.
AS ALWAYS, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
UH, THE ONES THAT STILL STICKING WITH US, UH, THE ONES THAT ARE WATCHING OVER AT HOME.
UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, TUNING IN.
UM, A LOT OF, UM, ACCOLADES, UH, WE HAD FOR THE PAST 30 DAYS, SO I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT TOO MANY, BUT I DO WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE, THE BIRTHDAY, UH, UH, UH, MR. UM, BLIZZARD AND MS, UM, MS. THOMAS.
YOU KNOW, NINTH BIRTHDAY IS A HUGE, UM, HUGE MILESTONE.
SO I, I'M THANKFUL THAT YOU GUYS ARE, UH, HERE TO SEE IT.
UM, LEGISLATIVE DAY, UH, LIKE, UH, LIKE MANY, UH, BOARD MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT, WE ATTENDED THAT TODAY AT THE SCHOOLS.
UM, I'M AT SCHOOL ALL DAY, BUT JUST TO BE ABLE TO, UM, SEE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, UM, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, UH, HOW AWESOME OUR STUDENTS ARE HERE AT CHERRY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO I'M, I'M THANKFUL WE WERE ABLE TO DO, EXCUSE ME, TO DO THAT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO VDOT.
UM, I'VE NOTICED, UM, I HAD A FEW CITIZENS COMPLAINTS ABOUT, UM, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT LIMBS AND THE, UH, UH, OVERHANGING OVER THE, SOME PARTS OF THE PARTS.
OFS COUNTY, UH, EMAILED MR. UH, ROSSI.
AND, UH, UH, AND LO AND BEHOLD, HE HAD THE BEAT OUT OUT THERE.
UH, GETTING SOME OF THE, UH, TRIM, UH, GETTING LEAVES TRIMMED, UH, EXCUSE ME, BRANCHES TRIM.
UM, WANNA GIVE A, UH, A HUGE KUDOS TO MR. WHITE AND HIS FAMILY FOR OPENING UP THE GRAND, OPENING UP THE MARKETPLACE.
I STILL GET TICKLED SOMETIMES, UH, FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, THAT WE HAVE A GROCERY STORE RIGHT HERE IN SARA COUNTY AND
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, MY FAMILY AND I, WE NORMALLY GO GROCERY SHOPPING LIKE MAYBE EVERY TWO WEEKS AND GET A STOCKPILE OF GROCERIES.
UH, YOU LIVING ABOUT A MILE AWAY, UM, EXCUSE ME, 30 MINUTES AWAY OR MORE.
BUT NOW, UH, NOTICING THAT IF WE WANT TO GO PICK UP A PACK OF CHICKEN OR A PACK OF PORK CHOPS,
SO WE ARE ABLE TO SAVE SOME SPACE IN THE FREEZER.
SO IT'S A WIND ON, ON ALL ON BEHALF.
AGAIN, PLEASE, UH, PLEASE, PLEASE SUPPORT OUR, OUR LOCAL FARMERS, UH, EXCUSE ME, OUR LOCAL MARKETPLACE.
UM, 65 AND UP INITIALLY WENT OUT APPLE PICKING.
UM, OF COURSE, I, UM, I GOT SOME OF THE APPLES THAT THEY BROUGHT BACK.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN EATING A LOT OF, UH, FRIED APPLES AND THINGS.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE STILL ABLE TO DO THINGS FOR OUR, OUR CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS FAR AS GETTING THEM OUT AND ABOUT.
[01:55:01]
UM, YOUR DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT.UM, I WANT TO GIVE A, AGAIN, A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, DOING AWESOME JOBS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
UH, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, THROUGHOUT THE, UH, COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK ON THAT.
I WANT TO REMIND CITIZENS TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FARMERS.
IT, IT IS HARVEST SEASON, SO WE GOT A LOT OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT ON THE ROADS, TRACTORS, AND SO BE PATIENT.
YOU KNOW, WE TRYING TO GET OUT THE ROADS AS FAST AS WE CAN, SO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE, JUST BE A LITTLE BIT PATIENT FOR US.
AND, UM, WANNA GIVE ANOTHER SHOUT OUT TO THE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM.
UM, BEING A CHAMPION, UM, THERE'S A HUGE ACCOLADE, ESPECIALLY BEING UNDEFEATED.
SO I GREW, UM, KNOW WE'LL HEAR MORE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THEM AND LESLIE, BUT BLUNTLY, I WANTED JUST SHOUT ON MY TWINS TONIGHT.
MY KIDS, I BROUGHT 'EM WITH ME TONIGHT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING OUT HERE TONIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO START TALKING ABOUT TODAY WHEN WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE TAKE A LEGISLATOR TO SCHOOL, IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION PUT ON BY POS COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THAT FOR ME WAS AT THE CLOSE WHEN SENATOR AIR MET WITH THE GRADUATING CLASS OF SE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, ABOUT 17, 18 YEARS OLD.
AND AFTER SHE MADE A PRESENTATION, SHE ASKED FOR QUESTIONS.
AND ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN SAID, CAN YOU FIX SUR COUNTY? THEY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, THEY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
CAN YOU FIX SUR COUNTY THEN, THEN THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN SURRY COUNTY.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WE MAKE DECISIONS AND WE HEAR FROM THE SEASONED CITIZENS THAT IF, GOD FORBID, WE'LL PROBABLY NOT BE HERE WITHIN THE NEXT 20 TO 25 YEARS, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS THAT WE NEED TO BE MAKING DECISIONS FOR NOW TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE.
SO, I, I, I DID A POLL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
WE DIDN'T HOLD A MEETING, BUT I JUST TALKED WITH THEM AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY CONSIDER BRINGING BACK A STUDENT LIAISON TO THE BOARD SO THAT WHEN WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS, WE CAN HEAR FROM THE YOUTH OF S COUNTY.
AND SO I AM, UH, PROPOSING TO THE BOARD ON TONIGHT, WE CAN COORDINATE WITH, UH, THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT OR, OR THE GOVERNMENT TEACHER TO HAVE, UH, CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AT PARTICULAR TIMES WHERE THEY COULD SERVE A TERM OR MAYBE A QUARTER TO HAVE THEM HERE.
SO WHILE WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS, WE CAN HAVE INPUT FROM THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THE DECISIONS THAT WE ARE GONNA MAKE IS GOING TO AFFECT THEM.
AND BECAUSE THEY, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED, UH, WHO'S GOING TO, UH, WANT TO LIVE IN SARA COUNTY? LESS THAN HALF RAISE THEIR HAND.
SO WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THEM SO WE CAN DO THINGS NOW THAT WOULD CAUSE THEM TO WANT TO BE A PART OF SUR COUNTY IN THE FUTURE.
SO I AM PUTTING BEFORE THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, A REQUEST AND, AND I CAN'T MAKE THE MOTION BECAUSE I'M THE CHAIR.
YOU'VE HEARD WHAT I, WHAT I'VE STATED THAT I WOULD, UH, LACK TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE WILL BRING BACK THE STUDENT LIAISON FROM THE SARA COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM TO OUR BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, CHAIRMAN ELLIOT, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, INCLUDE, UH, STUDENT LIAISON TO COME TO OUR BOARD MEETINGS, TO GIVE US INPUT AND TO, UH, VALUE THEIR OPINIONS AND HELP GUIDE SOME OF OUR POLICY.
ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING OF AYE.
WE WILL BE ADDING A STUDENT LIAISON AT OUR, UH, DECEMBER MEETING, ALSO ON TOMORROW.
UH, IT, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING VETERANS DAY AT SRY COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND THEY HAVE A, A LUNCHEON AND A PROGRAM THAT STARTS AT 12, UH, 12 NOON AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HAD A GREAT LUNCH, GREAT FELLOWSHIP WITH THE VETERANS IN THE COUNTY.
AND WE DO KNOW THAT AFTER THAT, LUNCHING, AS STATED BEFORE, THE THE SUR COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE'LL BE SERVING THE DINNER FOR THE VETERANS, UH, HERE AT THE PAVILION FROM FOUR TO SIX 30.
AND, AND I HOPE I DON'T OFFEND ANYBODY, BUT I'M GONNA HAVE MY COMMANDER APRON ON WHILE I'M SERVING THE FOOD TO, UH, THE CITIZENS OF THE VETERANS OF SE COUNTY.
UH, AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SOME GREAT THINGS IN THE COUNTY.
THE OPENING OF THE GROCERY STORE WAS MAJOR AND, UH, LIKE MANY HAVE SAID, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE CLARIFICATION TO SOMETHING THAT WAS STATED ABOUT ME AS THE CHAIRMAN.
IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN THE MEETING.
THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING A HOT TOPIC, SOME OF THE CITIZENS GOT LOUD AND BOISTEROUS DURING THE MEETING.
AND I MADE THE COMMENT THAT IF THEY COULD
[02:00:01]
NOT CONTROL THEMSELVES, I WOULD ASK THE SHERIFF TO REMOVE THEM.THAT IS WITHIN MY AUTHORITY AND THE RIGHT TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN OUR MEETING.
I DID NOT VIOLATE ANYBODY'S RIGHTS OR PRIVILEGE.
I WOULD ALWAYS TREAT PEOPLE WITH HONESTY AND RESPECT.
I JUST HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE PORTRAY ME IN SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT.
SO HEAVEN SAID THAT, UH, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT UNTIL NOVEMBER 14TH UNTIL 6:00 PM SO MOVED.