* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THE HOUR HAS ARRIVED FOR US [Call to Order / Moment of Silence / Pledge of Allegiance/ Agenda Adoption ] TO COMMENCE OUR DECEMBER, 2024 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR SRE COUNTY. AND WE ARE ELATED TO HAVE WITH US THIS EVENING, THE EX EXTREME PASTOR OF THE ABUNDANT LIKE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, REVEREND LEON PETWAY, TO LEAD US IN OUR INVOCATION. WE'LL YIELD TO HIM AT THIS TIME, SHALL WE PRAY. ETERNAL GOD OF OUR FATHER ONCE AGAIN. IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, THE HEARTS OF THANKSGIVING FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR US INDIVIDUALLY AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR US AS A COUNTY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE, THESE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE THE COUNTY WHO SERVE OUR BEST INTERESTS. I PRAY TONIGHT THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE THEM WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE TO LEAD AND GUIDE EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTY. I PRAY FOR A CONTINUOUS SPIRIT OF UNITY AND COOPERATION, THAT THEY MAY WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL. AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE HONOR YOU. IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. WE THANK YOU REVEREND PETWAY. AT THIS TIME, WE DO CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER AND WE WILL OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. LET US STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, UNITED STATES OF PUBLIC. WHICH ONE? NATION LIBERTY BOARD MEMBERS. YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU FOR OUR MEETING ON TONIGHT AFTER PERUSING IT AND GIVING US OUR ATTENTION TO THE AGENDA. COULD WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF OUR AGENDA OR IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO THE AGENDA? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, COULD WE HAVE A MOTION CHAIR? MR. HARDY? I MOVE. WE, UH, APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. HAVE A MOTION. CAN WE HAVE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OUR AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED. UH, YOU HAVE BEFORE US FIRST, [Consent Items] OUR CONSENT ITEMS. WE HAVE SIX CONSENT ITEMS. FIRST BEING APPROVED OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MINUTES FOR 11 7 24 APPROVAL OF OUR WORK SESSION. 11 14 24. REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE SIXTH JUDICIAL COURT FOR THE LAW CLERK AND THE AMOUNT OF $3,000 ADDED TO THE ALLOTMENT, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENT FISCAL YEAR. JUNE 20, JUNE, EXCUSE ME. JUNE 30TH, 2024. UH, FOR RECORDS PRESERVATION GRANT, HAVE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE FOR NOVEMBER, 2024. AND WE HAVE USE OF OPERA FUNDS FOR GOVERNMENT CENTER FOR ROOF REPAIRS. ARE THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO PULL OUT OF OUR CONSENT ITEMS? IF THERE BE NONE, WE ASK FOR APPROVAL OF OUR CONSENT ITEMS. CHAIR. MR. HARDY, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE OUR CONSENT ITEMS, UH, ONE THROUGH SIX THAT'S LISTED. HAVE A MOTION. A SECOND. SECOND PROMPTLY MOVE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SIGN OF AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OUR CONSENT ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED. WE'LL NOW [Public Hearing] MOVE TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING. OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE, UH, IN DEALING WITH THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, AND WE HAVE FROM STAFF, MR. JONATHAN JENKINS, TO PRESENT ON OUR PUBLIC HEARING. MR. MR. JENKINS, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. UM, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND FOR EVERYONE ON THE TAX RELIEF. UM, AS THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE, OUR OFFICE IS CHARGED WITH THIS, UM, UM, TO CARRY OUT ANNUALLY AND, UH, REPRESENTING OUR TAXPAYERS AND CONSTITUENTS AS CONSTITUENTS. UM, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE FEEL LIKE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THIS. WHETHER THE BOARD BRINGS IT FORWARD OR THE COMMISSIONAL REVENUE BRINGS IT FORWARD. SO I THINK THIS TIME IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE THOUGHT, AGAIN, WHERE THINGS HAVE GONE AND HAVE BEEN AND WHERE MAY BE MOVING AS WE HAVE, UH, A NEW, A NEW GENERATION OF FOLKS THAT ARE RETIRING, UM, THAT WE LOOK TO POSSIBLY HELP, HELP, UM, BENEFIT FROM THIS. CURRENTLY, UM, THE LEVEL OF INCOME FOR THE HOUSEHOLD [00:05:01] IS AT 45,000. UM, THAT IS UP FROM 35,000 AND 30,000, JUST STATING BACK TO 2019. SO THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN, THERE HAVE BEEN INCREASES. AND, UM, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, UM, AND, AND THIS HAS BEEN IN PLACE, I THINK SINCE 2007, UM, FOR RELATIVES, UM, LIVING IN THE HOUSEHOLD, THE FIRST 6,500 FOR EACH RELATIVE WAS DEDUCTED. AND THE PROPOSAL IS TO INCREASE THAT TO 10,000. UM, RELATIVES LIVE WITH TAX, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS FOR VARIOUS REASONS. SO THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AT THIS TIME. AND THE TOTAL NET WORTH, UM, OF HA HA HAS BEEN SET TO 125,000, EXCLUDING YOUR HOME IN ONE ACRE. AND THE PROPOSAL IS TO INCREASE THAT TO ONE 50. UM, FOR 2024, THERE WERE 78 TAX RELIEF, UH, REC, UM, APPLICANTS THAT RECEIVED RELIEF. AND APPROXIMATELY $63,838, UM, IN RELIEF WAS AWARDED. UM, THAT'S DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM 2023, WHERE WE WERE AROUND 66,000. UM, BUT SIGNIFICANTLY UP FROM ALL THE WAY BACK IN 2019 WHEN TAX RELIEF WAS, UM, ONLY AROUND 25,000, AND THAT WAS FROM WHERE NUMBERS HAD DECLINED. AGAIN, UH, GOING FORWARD, I WOULD EXPECT TO, UM, TO SEE, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY UP TO 85 OR 90,000, UM, POTENTIALLY IN RELIEF, BECAUSE THINK OF ASSESSMENTS HAVE GONE UP, THE NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS WOULD GO UP. AND ALSO LOOKING AT, UM, INCREASING THAT MAXIMUM DEDUCTION FROM A THOUSAND, YOU KNOW, TO 1500, YOU KNOW, UM, PER HOME. THIS IS ALL PROJECTIONS. WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING, FOR SURE. LAST TIME IT DID NOT INCREASE AS MUCH AS WE THOUGHT, BUT, UM, IT'S BETTER TO OVERESTIMATE, I THINK, ON THIS THAN NOT, AND LOOK TO GIVE THESE FOLKS, UM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE A DEDUCTION ON THEIR, ON THEIR TAXES, ON, IN THEIR HOME. SO, UM, IF OUR, IF I CAN ANSWER ANYTHING ON BEHALF OF OUR OFFICE FOR ANY, FROM ANYBODY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS SURE. MS. STEWART? MS. GROSS. MS. GROSS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF THERE BE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WE WILL, UH, OPEN UP OUR PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME FROM THE PUBLIC. AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK ON THIS MATTER, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD COME TODAY AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. MR. CHAIRMAN, BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, IF, IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY AN ADDITIONAL PIECE OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TONIGHT. SO THERE'S ALSO A PIECE WHERE IT CHANGES. WE'RE PROPOSING, UH, CHANGING THE, THE FILING OF THE ANNUAL RETURNS FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TO, UH, MARCH 1ST PER CODE. THEY, UH, IT IS MAY 1ST, BUT WITH THE CHANGE THAT THE BOARD RECENTLY UNDERTOOK, UH, MR. JENKINS OFFICE NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO PROCESS THOSE, AND I'M SURE MR. JUDKINS CAN PROVIDE FURTHER CLARIFICATION. OKAY. RIGHT. FOR, FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY FILING, THIS WOULD BE FOR VEHICLES, UM, AND HIGH MILEAGE AND THOSE SORT OF THINGS. TYPICALLY, EVERYTHING IS DUE MAY 1ST PER STATE CODE, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. UM, IN ORDER TO MOVE THE TAX BILLING FORWARD, EVERYTHING WOULD NEED TO BE DUE MARCH 1ST, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY, WHICH CAN REMAIN MAY 1ST, UM, BECAUSE THAT TAXATION WILL OCCUR, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR LATER IN THE YEAR. SO THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE REASON, YOU KNOW, BEHIND, BEHIND THAT. SO JUST WANTED EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MR. JENKINS. THANK YOU, MS. PERKINS. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO COME TO THE DAY AS TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER FOR THE BOARD. APPARENTLY THERE'S NO ONE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER, SO WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE WILL NOW ENTERTAIN COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS IN REFERENCE TO, UH, THIS NEW AMENDMENT. UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR, FOR RAISING THIS FROM, AND, AND EVERYONE REALIZES I HOPE THAT IT WENT FROM 45,000 TO 55,000, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GOOD. AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. AND, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR DOING THAT. AND, UH, AND I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF MORE IDEAS FOR NEXT YEAR, . VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, MR. MR. DREWRY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM BOARD THE CHAIR, MR. HARDY? YEAH, I ECHO MISS, UH, DREW'S, UH, COMMENT. I THINK THERE'S ANYTIME YOU CAN HELP THE CITIZENS, UH, THANKS. MATTERS SUCH AS THIS. I THINK, UH, IT'S A GREAT THING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, UH, HEARING MS. DREW'S, UH, IDEAS FOR NEXT YEAR. THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. HARDY. MS. [00:10:02] I'M GONNA SEE MS. CHAIR, I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT TOO, AS WELL. EXCUSE MY VOICE, EVERYONE. SORRY, BUT, UH, COACH'S VOICE. YEAH, COACH'S VOICE. YEAH, . BUT I JUST, UM, I JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST HEARING HOW WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO LISTENING TO THE, THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF RELIEF, COLLABORATION WITH NOT ONLY THE BOARD SUPERVISOR, BUT STAFF TO TRY TO GET THIS DONE, I THINK IS HUGE. SO AGAIN, I THINK THE STAFF, WITH ALL THEY HAVE DONE TO PREPARE THIS, AND, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO, UH, FOR THE CITIZENS FOR THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PIERCE. MR. COW, YOU KNOW, ONE LEFT. UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY AS WELL. SO, UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITIZENS AND THE BOARD IS COMING TOGETHER AND, AND, UH, HELP OUT HELPING OUT THE CITIZENS. AND AS MR. HARLEY SAID, WAITING TO HEAR ON AMY'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR AND HELPING OUT THE CITIZENS EVEN MORE IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE ABLE TO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. AT THIS TIME, THE CHAIR WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ACTION. I MOVE THAT WE PASS THIS, UM, ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO, FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED TAX RELIEF. HAVE A MOTION. IT WE SECOND, SECOND. SECOND. PROPERLY MOVE. SECOND I, MR. CALHOUN? ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING AND SIGN OF AYE. A I OPPOSED. MOTION IS CARRIED. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR ORDINANCE, UH, 2024 DASH THREE TO CONSIDER, UH, NEW ZONING IN ORDINANCE. AND WE HAVE, UH, STAFF AND THE PERSONS OF MR. WADE. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN ELLIOT. GOOD EVENING, SIR. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. HARRISON, MS. PERKINS. SO THIS EVENING WE DO HAVE FOR YOU A ORDERS AMENDMENT FOR A, A NEW USE TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE, THAT NEW USE GROUP OF, IT'S CALLED EVENT CENTER. UM, THIS PARTICULAR USE IS A USE TO THAT WE'RE, THAT WE CONSIDERED, UM, AFTER LOOKING THROUGH OUR ZONING ORDINANCE AND WORKING THROUGH, UH, WITH PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OWNERS TO, TO HAVE AN EVENT CENTER, WE, WE REALIZE WE DON'T HAVE THAT USE DEFINING OUR ORDINANCE AND LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT PERSON TO, OR, OR GROUPS OF PEOPLE LIKE THAT PERSON TO APPLY THAT. SO WE DID, WE DID SEE THAT, UH, WE COULD APPLY THESE USE TO THE B ONE AND B TWO DISTRICTS, DISTRICTS BY RIGHT, AND ALSO ADD THEM AS USES TO THE AR AND AL DISTRICTS BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WHICH THAT WOULD GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR ULTIMATE VOTE. AND SO THOSE ARE WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS ORDINANCE IS A DEFINITION OF EVENT CENTER. AND ALSO, UH, THE, THE AREAS OF WHERE THEY WOULD BE APPLIED IN THE ZONING DISTRICTS. UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE DO HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT. THE POINT OF COMMISSION HEARD IT HAD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING OCTOBER 28TH, AND BY 10 TO ZERO VOTE, THEY, THEY RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. UM, SO I'M HERE FOR YOU ALL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. UM, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TONIGHT FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR THAT. THANK YOU, MR. WADE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, MR. WADE FROM BOARD MEMBERS BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING CHAIR? MR. HAR? UH, QUICK QUESTION. MR. I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW, I GUESS, UM, ESTABLISHED IN THE COUNTY ALREADY THERE, I GUESS ARE EVENT CENTERS. HOW ARE THEY PREVIOUSLY CLASSIFIED? SOME OF THOSE EVENT CENTERS THAT, THAT WE DID EVALUATE SOME OF THOSE. UM, THEY MAY BE ALLOWED, THEY, THEY MAY HAVE AGRICULTURAL EXEMPTIONS. UM, OTHERS MAY BE HAVE ALLOWED BECAUSE THEIR CLUBS OR LODGES. SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT MAY EXIST IN THE COUNTY MAY BE CLASSIFIED AS THAT. OTHER AREAS. WE'RE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT SOME OF THOSE USES ARE, BUT THERE, RIGHT NOW, WE COULD NOT DETERMINE THERE'S OTHER USES THERE. WONDERFUL. MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD ALSO ADD, UM, TO MR. WADE'S EXPLANATION, CURRENTLY IN CODE THERE IS AN OUTDOOR GATHERING. AND SO IF THE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT WERE EXCLUSIVELY OUTDOORS, THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CURRENTLY COVERED IN OUR ORDINANCE, CORRECT. BUT THE INSIDE IS WHAT THE EVENT CENTER IS, IS, IS AIMED TO ADDRESS. CORRECT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS FROM MR. WADE? IF THERE BE NONE, WE WILL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM, UH, THE PROPOSAL FOR EVENT CENTERS ADDED TO OUR, UH, ORDINANCE, OUR ZONING ORDINANCE. WE HAVE THREE MINUTES COME TO THE ROSTER AND ADDRESS THE BOARD. IF THERE BE NONE, WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? MR. CHAIR, IF I MAY, MR. PIERCE, UH, SIT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION? UH, MR. CHAIR? UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE WITNESSED THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS PRESENTED [00:15:01] ON THIS, AND, UH, I THINK IT'S KIND OF EXCITING TO HEAR THAT, UH, WE HAVE CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT VENTURES LIKE THIS. SO, UH, IF ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT, UH, GROWTH AND, AND PUSHING OUR ANY TYPE, SOME TYPE OF PROGRESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD INITIATIVE FOR THAT. THANK YOU, MR. PIERCE. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? IF THERE BE NONE, WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 24 20 24 DASH THREE. MR. CHAIR, MR. PIERCE, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE. UM, ORDINANCE, UH, PC ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 2024 DASH OH THREE. HAVE A MOTION? COULD WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. PROPERLY MOVE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SOUND OF AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? AMENDMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL TEE ON OUR AGENDA FOR NEW BUSINESS. THERE IS NONE, AND SINCE THERE IS NONE, WE WILL MOVE TO UNFINISHED [Unfinished Business] BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF ETHICS. MS. PERKINSON? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. UM, AS THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL RECALL, THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT BEFORE YOU AT YOUR NOVEMBER MEETING, AND AT THE TIME, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO HOLD A WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER FURTHER. UH, THAT WORK SESSION WAS, UH, HELD ON NOVEMBER 14TH. AND, UM, PURSUANT TO THAT, THE, THIS MATTER IS COMING BACK BEFORE YOU, UM, AT THE WORK SESSION ON THE 14TH. AS YOU ALL, UH, RECALL, WE DISCUSSED, UM, A A LOT OF THE, THE TENETS OF THE CODE OF ETHICS, THE, THE IMPORTANCE, UH, OF HAVING THIS AS A TOOL, UM, FOR YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO CONDUCT EFFECTIVE MEETINGS AND TO HAVE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS. AND, UM, WE ALSO DISCUSSED, UM, SEVERAL AREAS WHERE PERHAPS THE CODE OF ETHICS COULD USE SOME, SOME UPDATING AND SOME, AND SOME TWEAKING FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION. UM, HOWEVER, WITH THAT CONVERSATION, UH, THE, THE DIRECTIVE WAS THAT WE FOCUS FOR PURPOSES OF THIS YEAR ON MAKING SURE THAT WE, UH, ADDRESS THE CONFIDENTIALITY AND CLOSED SESSION EXPECTATIONS. UH, SO THE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY ARE THE SAME AS WERE BEFORE YOU AT YOUR NOVEMBER MEETING. UM, AND THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH THESE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE, AGAIN, FOCUSED ON CLOSED SESSION, AS WELL AS WITH SOME, SOME MINOR, UM, GRAMMATICAL CORRECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT, AND THAT WE, UM, REVISIT MORE EXPANSIVE AMENDMENTS, UH, IN THE FUTURE IN 2025. UM, AND AGAIN, AS, UH, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS, OF THESE, UM, THE AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 10, UH, CLOSED SESSION, CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED INFORMATION IS TO, UH, PROVIDE GREATER SAFEGUARDS FOR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT OCCUR IN CLOSED SESSION AND TO SET OUT, UH, CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR MEMBERS, NOT, UM, FOR ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ON WHAT, UM, WHAT THE PARAMETERS ARE FOR DISCUSSION OUTSIDE OF CLOSED SESSION OF MATTERS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. UH, CLOSED SESSION MATTERS ARE, UH, ARE CONFIDENTIAL. THEY ARE IN CLOSED SESSION, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MET ONE OF VERY SPECIFICALLY SET OUT EXEMPTIONS IN VIRGINIA CODE FOR BEING ABLE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. UH, AS YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, I MAKE THE DETERMINATION ON WHETHER SOMETHING MEETS THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. IF SOMETHING DOESN'T MEET THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, THEN IT WILL NOT GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. UM, AT, WHEN WE LEAVE CLOSED SESSION, UM, THERE IS A CERTIFICATION MOTION, AS YOU ALL RECALL, TO GO BACK INTO OPEN SESSION. AND IF ANY ACTION IS GOING TO BE TAKEN AS A RESULT OF THE DISCUSSIONS IN CLOSED SESSION, THAT ACTION HAS TO BE TAKEN BY A VOTE. UM, SO AGAIN, THIS AMENDMENT WILL NOT INCREASE OR ALLOW FOR MORE TOPICS TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. WHAT GOES INTO CLOSED SESSION IS SPECIFICALLY MANDATED AND DELINEATED BY THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. SO THIS PROPOSED LANGUAGE CHANGE IS NOT EXPANDING THE ABILITY TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, IT IS JUST DICTATING PARAMETERS FOR, UM, FOR CLOSED SESSION MATTERS TO STAY IN CLOSED SESSION AND NOT BE DISCUSSED OUTSIDE OF THE MEETING. UM, UNLESS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A VOTE THAT, AS I JUST DESCRIBED, IS DONE PUBLICLY, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. PERKINS. BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF MS. PERKINS [00:20:01] IN REGARDS TO THE AMENDMENT TO OUR CODE OF ETHICS ON CLOSED SESSION? CHAIRMAN ELLIOT, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. MR. DREW. I DO HAVE SOME, UH, DISCUSSION I'D LOVE TO ENTERTAIN ABOUT THIS. MR. DREW, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. AND, AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE FOR MISSING THAT WORK SESSION, UM, DUE TO A DEATH IN OUR FAMILY. AND, UH, MY APOLOGY FOR THAT, UM, I STILL, I I WISH I'D BEEN THERE BECAUSE I I'VE GOT SOME, I APPROVE OF 95% OF THE CODE OF ETHICS AS IT'S WRITTEN IN THE CHANGES IN IT. I, I THINK WE NEED THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CODE OF ETHICS. UH, BUT THE BIG CHANGES IN THIS TO ME, UH, FEEL PUNITIVE AND RETALIATORY. UM, THIS CODE OF ETHICS BROUGHT GRANTS BROAD AUTHORITY TO PENALIZE MEMBERS ON THIS SUBJECTIVE BASIS WITH THE CONSENT OF A MAJORITY. CLOSED SESSION IS STILL THE PUBLIC'S BUSINESS, EVEN IF WE'RE HAVING, UM, PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS. AND ALTHOUGH NO MINUTES ARE TAKEN, WE ARE FREE TO DISCUSS OPENLY MATTERS THAT MAY BE SENSITIVE. IT'S STILL THE PUPIL'S BUSINESS. I RESPECT THAT LEGAL AND BUSINESS MATTERS MAY REQUIRE US TO MAINTAIN SOME CONFIDENTIALITY, BUT IT GETS VERY GRAY WHEN, FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY STRIPS AUTHORITY AWAY FROM A BOARD MEMBER AND THEN REQUIRES SILENCE ON THIS. OR, UH, AS HAPPENED WHEN A TEXT TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS INSINUATING RACISM WAS DISMISSED, IGNORED, AND MINIMIZED BY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS WHO REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO CORRECT THE FALSE ACCUSATIONS. UM, WHEN WE'RE TOLD A VOTE IS BASED ON RACISM, YET IN CLOSED SESSION, WE'RE TOLD WE HAVE NO PROBLEM, NOTHING WILL CHANGE, AND THAT NOTHING WILL BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE ACCUSATIONS AND CORRECT THE MATTER, THEN IT MUST GO TO THE PUBLIC TO JUDGE AND ADDRESS MATTERS SUCH AS THESE ARE NOT CONFIDENTIAL AND WE SHOULD NOT GIVE OTHERS THE ABILITY TO CENSOR BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT LIKE IT OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. AS FAR AS THE MAJORITY, HAVING THE FREEDOM TO CENSOR A BOARD MEMBER USING THE SORT OF SUBJECTIVE CRITERIA, THIS TOO WOULD MOST LIKELY CREATE MORE DIVISION, WHICH WILL FURTHER CRACK THE DIVIDES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IF OUR GOAL IS TO GAIN PUBLIC TRUST AND CREATE UNITY, THEN WE SHOULD BE OPEN WITH ALL OF OUR BUSINESS, EXCEPT THOSE ISSUES REQUIRING THE UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY AND THEN WHAT'S RESOLVED, RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. ANYTHING CAN BE STAMPED CONFIDENTIAL, BUT THIS DOESN'T MEAN IT ISN'T A PUBLIC DOCUMENT. THERE'S ALREADY AN ATMOSPHERE OF DISTRUST. THIS INCREASES IT, IT'S ADDING MORE CONTROL ON BOARD MEMBERS, AND WE NEED TO BE DOING THINGS TO BRING OUR BOARD TOGETHER. AND THIS IS A DIVIDER. I WOULD, UH, BE OPEN TO, UH, VOTING FOR THIS AND APPROVING THIS IF WE HAD A SUPER MAJORITY FOUR TO ONE DIS SENSOR A BOARD MEMBER. SO IF FOUR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AGREE THAT ONE MEMBER IS EGREGIOUS, THEN SO BE IT AND LET THAT BE. BUT TO JUST HAVE A THREE PERSON MAJORITY, I, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT THAT. THANK YOU, MR. JURY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? IF THERE BE NO ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, CHAIR WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON OUR AMENDMENT TO OUR CODE OF ETHICS. SECTION NUMBER 10 ON CLOSED SESSION. CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED INFORMATION CHAIR, MR. HARDY, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO SECTION 10, CLOSED SESSION, CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED INFORMATION AS DRAFT. I HAVE A MOTION. COULD WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. BEEN PROPERLY MOVED. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE VOTING SOUND OF AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? NO, NO. MOTION IS CARRIED. NEXT WE HAVE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S [County Administrators Report] REPORT. THERE ARE NO PRESENTATIONS. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN ELLIOT, BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD EVENING. EVENING, MRS. PERKINS AND EVERYONE ASSEMBLED. I, UH, WILL BE VERY BRIEF IN MY REPORT THIS EVENING ON BEHALF OF MS. ROLLINS IN HER ABSENCE. UM, AND I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE DO HAVE OUR CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON TOMORROW IN FRONT OF THE CIRCUIT COURT AT 6:00 PM SO EVERYONE COME ON OUT. ENJOY. UH, WE DO HAVE A MUSICIAN WHO WILL BE GIVING US SOME, SOME CHRISTMAS, UH, CAROLS AND JAZZ, UH, MR. RICK ELLIOT, AS WELL AS SOME BRUNSWICK STEW AND OTHER GOOD, UM, BEVERAGES, HOT BEVERAGES THAT'LL BE SERVED OUT THERE. SO JUST COME ON OUT AND LET'S HAVE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND ENJOYMENT. AND AS WELL, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO, UH, REMIND THE BOARD THAT YOU WILL BE ADJOURNING TO THE DECEMBER 18TH MEETING. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. HARRISON, FOR OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT. [Reports] YOU HAVE YOUR, UH, O OTHER REPORTS BEFORE [For Your Information] YOU, THE BILL OFFICIALS REPORT, AND HAVE OUR INFORMATION FROM, UH, THE BLACKWATER REGIONAL LIBRARY, UH, DIRECTOR'S REPORT THAT IS IN OUR PACKAGE ONLY. OTHER THING WE HAVE BEFORE IS TONIGHT BOARD [00:25:01] MEMBERS IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND IF YOU'RE HERE, IF, IF YOU'RE HERE AND YOU SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE DO OPEN THE FLOOR. WE HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON ANY BUSINESS ITEMS PERTAINING TO THE COUNTY MAY COME FORTH. AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE THAT'S SIGNED UP. AND, UH, IF YOU'RE HERE, YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD, YOU'RE FREE TO COME AND DO SO AT THIS TIME. ALRIGHT? IT'S GONNA BE A RECORD MEETING , MR. IS WE CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WE, [Board Comments] UH, OPEN THE FLOOR FOR BOARD COMMENTS, AND WE WILL START WITH MR. HARDY. GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN. UH, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH MYSELF. IT'S OUR LAST OFFICIAL BOARD MEETING FOR THE YEAR. I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE JOINT MEETINGS, I GUESS, OR WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, BUT, UM, SO I THINK IT'S BEEN A, A GREAT YEAR. UM, UM, A LOT OF PROGRESS MADE IN THE COUNTY. UH, A LITTLE CONTROVERSY, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT MEANS IF YOU, IF YOU AIN'T DOING NOTHING RIGHT, YOU WON'T GET NO CONTROVERSY. SO I, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA ACCEPT THE, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND UGLY AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD. SO, UH, THANK, I THINK, UH, EACH AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER FOR, UM, THE ATTENTION OF EVERY MATTER. UH, WE ALMOST BEEN THREE FOR THREE TONIGHT THAT, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A RECORD, BUT WE DIDN'T, UH, I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, UM, FOR THAT ORDINANCE, UM, THE CODE ETHICS UPDATE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS NOBODY'S INTENT TO TARGET ANYBODY, NOT MINE. AT LEAST I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF. UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT DIDN'T GO FIVE. OH, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A MEETINGS WHERE, UH, MATTERS, UH, ARE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A CLOSED SESSION. BUT, UH, THERE'S NO HERE OR THERE. UH, WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD AND DO THE RIGHT THING, UH, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE. OTHER THAN THAT, LIKE MR. HARRISON SAID, PLEASE COME OUT TOMORROW. SUPPORT, UH, NO UMS A GREAT MONTH, UH, THIS PAST MONTH. A LOT OF, A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, UM, A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC, SO THANKS. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, 2025. THAT'S WHAT HAVE CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. HARDY. UH, MR. DREWRY. OKAY. UM, I DO WANNA START AGAIN BY THANKING EVERYONE FOR THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT, UM, DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME OF THE LOSS OF A MOST BELOVED FATHER-IN-LAW. AND, UH, GOT A GREAT DEAL OF, UH, CARDS AND FLOWERS AND SUPPORT, AND JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THAT. AND LIKE MR. HARDY, I'VE BEEN REFLECTING ON THIS THIS PAST YEAR. IT WAS MY FIRST YEAR TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD. AND, UH, I JUST FEEL A GREAT DEAL OF SADNESS. IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD IN A LONG TIME. UM, THE GOOD SIDE IS THAT I'VE MET A LOT OF WONDERFUL CITIZENS, HAD SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS AND GREAT STAFF AND, AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS. AND SO THERE'S A, A LOT OF GOOD THINGS OUT THERE. I DON'T MEAN TO JUST, UM, HARP ON THE, THE CHALLENGES, BUT I THINK I WAS ELECTED TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES. SO THAT'S WHAT I TEND TO FOCUS ON THE MOST. UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF IMPORTANT WORK THAT NEEDS OUR ATTENTION AND MUCH OF IT DIDN'T GET IT THIS YEAR. WE NEED TO REENERGIZE DORMANT COMMITTEES BECAUSE THOSE HELP BUILD TRUST IN CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT. THINGS LIKE THE PERSONNEL, THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS, THE WELCOMING. WE'VE GOT LOTS OF COMMITTEE COMMITTEES THAT ARE DORMANT AT THE MOMENT AND WOULD AND REALLY NEED TO BE REVIVED. UM, WE NEED TO ADDRESS TRUST AND INCLUSION ISSUES THAT KEEP OUR COUNTY DIVIDED. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. UH, WE NEED IN, IN OUR BUDGET CYCLES. I THINK WE COULD CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THOSE WHERE BOARD MEMBERS MEET WITH ALL LEVELS OF STAFF AND HEAR FIRSTHAND THEIR NEEDS AND HAVE INPUT ON NUMBERS TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO POOR CITIZENS. TAX MONEY. TO ANSWER THOSE IN NEED, UH, WE NEED TO WORK HARDER TO CREATE COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO CREATE SPACE IN EACH OF THE TOWNS WHERE CITIZENS CAN FORM RELATIONSHIPS AND DEVELOP NEIGHBOR NETWORKS AND WORK ON COMMON CAUSES TO HELP BUILD OUR COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO ACCELERATE HISTORICAL TOURISM, WE NEED TO ACCELERATE AGRITOURISM. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME REALLY GREAT STRIDES MADE THERE. UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT TREMENDOUSLY INCREASE AND OH BOY, THIS IS WHERE IT KIND OF GETS PERSONAL FOR ME. PROFESSIONALLY. I SPENT THE LAST 15 YEARS PRODUCING NATIONAL MEDIA ON A VI VARIETY OF RURAL HISTORY, CULTURE, AND AGRICULTURE. I'VE MET WITH DEEP THINKERS, PROFOUND SCHOLARS, ACTIVISTS AND BUREAUCRATS, AND HAD VERY, UH, LONG, DEEP CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. AND THEY GAVE ME A WEALTH OF GOOD ADVICE, LESSONS LEARNED, AND A FEW JEWELS FOR THE FUTURE. GOOD LEADERSHIP WOULD USE THIS EXPERIENCE TO LEAD THOSE EFFORTS, AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN, UM, TAPPED FOR THAT. AND I'D LIKE TO, TO SEE MORE OF THAT HAPPEN. MY PROFESSION WOULD GREATLY ENHANCE THIS INITIATIVE, BUT AS MY MOTHER WOULD SAY, WE CONTINUE TO CUT OFF OUR NOSE TO SPITE OUR FACE IN AN EFFORT TO, TO THAT, THAT DOES HURT MY DISTRICT. I'M IGNORED, EXCLUDED IN ALL PROCESSES, PLANS, ANY DECISION MAKING OR GOAL SETTING DESPITE OWNING THE LONGEST RUNNING AGRITOURISM BUSINESS IN THE COUNTY, AND ONE THAT CONTINUES TO ATTRACT MANY TOURISTS. WE ARE DOWN THE ROAD FROM ANOTHER LARGE SOURCE OF AGRITOURISM, A WINERY [00:30:01] THAT, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WAS DISPARAGED ON NATIONAL TELEVISION AS CLOSING. THAT'S NOT A WINNING STRATEGY FOR ATTRACTING TOURISM UNLESS WE CREATE GROWTH IN SMALL COTTAGE INDUSTRIES. ALL THE COOL MEDIA WON'T HIDE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE LESS THAN A HANDFUL OF, UH, AGRITOURISM PLACES TO VISIT OR THAT GROW. ANYTHING URBAN TOURISTS WOULD WANT TO EAT. FROM WHERE I SIT, WE HAVE BEEN TONE DEAF. AND, UH, AND I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVEN'T HAD THE GOOD SENSE TO LISTEN TO THE ONLY WOMAN ON THE BOARD. UM, NOT THAT I BELIEVE I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS FAR FROM IT, BUT I DO HAVE MANY GOOD IDEAS AND INITIATIVES AND, AND THAT WOULD BE SMART AND GOOD GOVERNMENT. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR GOVERNMENT. THE GREAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR LEADERS ALL SHARE TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS. BUT LET ME PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT GOOD GOVERNMENTS DOES SEEM TO BE CYCLICAL. GOVERNMENTS IMPROVE, IMPROVE, IMPROVE, AND THEN THEY REACH A POINT AND THEY GO DOWN AND THEN IT GOES BACK UP AGAIN. IT EBBS AND FLOWS, WHICH MEANS LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS DYNAMIC AND CONSTANTLY IN MOTION, BUT WHEN THEY'RE AT THEIR PEAK, THEY ALL SHARE THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE DIVERSITY AND BUILD TRUST. MOSTLY ALL LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE FULL OF CITIZENS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND CULTURES. AS MY FRIEND DR. JEREMIAH WILLIAMS HAS TOLD ME MANY TIMES, YOU CAN GROW UP IN THE SAME TOWN, IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, ON THE SAME STREET NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER, AND YOU'RE STILL COMING FROM TWO DIFFERENT CULTURES. IT'S A TOUGH ONE. UH, DIVERSITY IS A HUGE FACTOR IN MOST COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS. UNDERSTANDING THAT DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS, ENSURE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS TAKE THEIR DIVERSE POPULATION INTO CONSIDERATION AND NOT FAVOR SPECIAL INTEREST. DIVERSITY IS PART OF WHAT MAKES A LOCAL COMMUNITY UNIQUE AND AMAZING. LEADERSHIP REQUIRES WORK TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND UNDERSTAND THEY OFFER DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES THAT WILL IMPROVE LOCAL DECISION MAKING. TRUST IS NEVER A ONE AND DONE TRUST IS SOMETHING THAT'S WORKED ON DAILY. AND WHEN TRUST IS BROKEN, IT'S WORKED ON TWICE AS HARD, EVEN IF IT TAKES YEARS. AND MOSTLY IT DOES. WE NEED TO, TO GET BETTER AT EMBRACING CITIZEN FEEDBACK, WHICH IMPROVES GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. AND GREAT COMMUNITIES DO THIS. AS MY MOTHER REMINDED ME. YOU'RE NOT GONNA PLEASE EVERYONE, BUT BY RESPECTING OTHER PEOPLE, YOU DO CREATE A WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE. GOOD LEADERS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAY HUMBLE REGULARLY REMINDING THEMSELVES THAT THEIR JOB IS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND PUT CITIZENS' BEST INTEREST FIRST. MAINLY THROUGH RESPECTING THAT ADULT CITIZENS CAN THINK AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN THEIR OWN BEST INTEREST. INSTEAD OF A PATRIARCHAL, MALEVOLENT BENEVOLENCE TOWARDS CITIZENS SUCH AS, UH, I ONLY I KNOW WHAT IS BEST. GREAT GOVERNMENTS ALLOW ROOM FOR EACH CITIZEN'S OWN AGENCY. STAYING HUMBLE ALSO MEANS ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR MISTAKES, WHICH WE ALL MAKE LAPSES IN JUDGMENT ARE JUST HAVING A VERY BAD DAY AND BEING HUMAN. IT ALSO MEANS UNDERSTANDING OTHERS HAVE GOOD IDEAS AND LEADERSHIP QUALITIES AND BEING GENEROUS. THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE ABILITY TO LISTEN AND ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY WITH CONSTITUENTS. CITIZENS WANT THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO WORK TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES AND WELLBEING. AND HOW IS MOST OF THIS ACHIEVED? WELL, ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH, THE TRULY SUCCESSFUL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SAY IT IS THROUGH OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY. I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT THAT CAN BE A, A BAD WORD, THE TRANSPARENCY IT, BUT IT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S THE WILLINGNESS TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC WITHOUT EXCEPTION. EMBRACING OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY IS NOT ONLY GOOD FOR THE CITIZEN, IT ALSO HELPS PROMOTE TRUST AND CLARITY WITHIN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ITSELF. MY RELUCTANCE, MY RELUCTANCE TO SIGN OFF ON THE CHANGES TO THE CODE OF ETHICS HAS MOSTLY TO DO WITH BEING OPEN TO CITIZENS ON ALL THE BUT THE MOST STRICT OF LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS. BECAUSE ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IS THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS. IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL COUNTIES, STAFF AND CITIZENS TO STAY INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY THROUGH THE AVAILABILITY OF RELIABLE INFORMATION. BEING OPEN AND TRANSPARENT WITH INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, PROMOTES ACCOUNTABILITY OF LOCAL OFFICIALS, AND PROVIDES THE PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON. CITIZENS DO WANNA SEE WHAT THAT POLICIES ARE BEING MADE FAIRLY AND IN THEIR BEST INTEREST, AND WHO COULD BLAME THEM FOR THIS. AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS THROUGH BEING OPEN WITH CONSTITUENTS ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROJECTS AND SPENDING. THE CENTRAL PIECE OF SUCCESSFUL GOVERNANCE IS ACCOUNTABILITY. IT REDUCES THE RISK OF POWER ABUSE AND CORRUPTIVE PRACTICES THAT MANY TIMES SNEAK INTO LOCAL DEMOCRACY. IT HAS CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT PREVENTS THE CONCENTRATION OF POWER AND HOLDS EACH DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND POLICY MAKING. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNING POWER AND THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THEIR DECISIONS IS ACCOUNTABILITY, WHERE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IS RESPECTED THROUGH PUBLIC HEARINGS, TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND OTHER GATHERINGS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSTITUENTS TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS AND TO QUESTION LEADERS [00:35:01] WHO ARE ASSURING THEM THAT THE GOVERNING POWERS ARE WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST. UM, I LOVE SURREY COUNTY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE YEAR THIS NEXT YEAR. AND, UH, MORE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND CONVERSATIONS AMONG THE BOARD MEMBERS. THAT'S ALL. MR. CAHO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M JUST REFLECTING ALSO ON THIS YEAR AND THE MOST RECENT, UH, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES HAS BEEN THE, UH, MEXICAN RESTAURANT THAT'S JUST RECENTLY OPENED, AS WELL AS THE, THE MARKET THAT'S RE RECENTLY OPENED. UM, I KNOW WE HAVE DONE SOME FEW THINGS, UH, FOR THE BETTER OF THIS COUNTY. I I ALSO AGREE THAT I THINK OPEN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF IS, UM, A MUST. UM, JUST EVERYBODY TRYING TO BE AT LEAST ON THE SAME PAGE, LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER. AND YES, WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE, BUT JUST COME TO, COME TO, UH, SOME CONSENSUS WITH, UH, WITH THIS OPEN COMMUNICATION. UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW, UH, A NEW YEAR IN 2025 AND WISHING EVERYBODY A HAPPY HOLIDAY COMING UP. THANK YOU, MR. GO, MR. PIERCE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, EVERYONE WHO'S PRESENT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE WHO'S WATCHING US FROM HOME. UM, UH, THE YEAR OF REFLECTION, UH, THIS YEAR HAS FLOWN BY, I REMEMBER LAST YEAR THIS TIME, UH, MAKING KIND OF THE SAME, UH, SPEECH COMMENTS AS FAR AS A YEAR OVERVIEW ON HOW WE WERE WORKED AS A BOARD. UM, I LOOK FORWARD FOR YEAR 2025. UM, UM, HEARING SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT, I KNOW THAT, UM, YEAR 2025, UH, SHOULD BRING US HOPEFULLY, UM, BRING US MORE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. UM, WITH THE, UM, WITH THE COLLABORATION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE, UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAVING THESE COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES. I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR OUR, OUR COUNTY TO KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR GREAT COUNTY. UM, JUST A REMINDER, LIKE MR. HARRISON SAID, WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE OUT TOMORROW NIGHT AT OUR CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING, OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING AT SIX P UH, 6:00 PM UM, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE THERE. UM, I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND, UH, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. IF I DON'T SEE YOU AND EVERYONE BE SAFE, UM, GOING HOME AND GOD BLESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PIERCE. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY DITTO TO ALL THE COMMENTS ON THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE IN 2024. THIS HAS BEEN WHAT I CONSIDER A GREAT YEAR IN SE COUNTY. WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS DONE TO INCLUDE HELPING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITIZENS OF SE. JUST TO NAME A FEW THAT MOST EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF. WE DO HAVE A SUPERMARKET IN SURY COUNTY. WE ARE NO LONGER A FOOD DESERT. WE HAVE A NEW MEXICAN RESTAURANT IN SE COUNTY. WE HAVE A NEW PAVEMENT IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF SUR COUNTY. THERE IS A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THAT GOT ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR IN SURY. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIG TICKET ITEMS, BUT IT IS OUR GOAL TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITIZENS OF SE COUNTY. I LOOK FORWARD TO A EVEN MORE PROSPEROUS YEAR OF 2025. UH, WE ASK THAT, UH, YOU WOULD, IF YOU COULD COME OUT TOMORROW NIGHT TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING. IT'S GONNA BE COLD, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME HOT BEVERAGES OUT THERE FOR YOU. WRAP UP. REAL, REAL WARM. THIS IS A TYPE OF TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE CAN SHARE LOVE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND, UH, JUST BRING MORE UNITY TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL LOVE AND LIVE IN. SO WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD, UH, GET INTO CHRISTMAS SEASON. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF NEGATIVITY THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS BE ABLE TO PUT OUT, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU, WHEN YOU REALLY THINK THINGS OVER, WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN WE HAVE, UH, UNCOMMON. SO LET US CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITIZENS OF SURY COUNTY, FOR THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE'VE BEEN ELECTED TO THESE POSITIONS. SO, HAVING SAID THAT, I WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY NEW YEAR, A MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR. IF I DON'T SEE YOU BEFORE, THIS IS, THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING FOR 2024, UH, TO THE PUBLIC, BUT WE DO HAVE A JOINT MEETING ON DECEMBER THE 18TH WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD. SO HAVING SAID THAT, THE CHAIR WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT UNTIL DECEMBER THE 18TH. SO MOVED SECOND. WE ARE ADJOURNED. ALL. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.