[00:00:05]
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR MAY 9TH, 2023.
UM, WE'LL BEGIN OUR, UM, OUR SESSION WITH A, A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[Call to Order]
UM, I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[B. Adoption of Agenda – Additions or Deletions]
OUR NEXT, UM, ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ADOPTING OUR AGENDA.AND IS THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS AGENDA? IS, IS PRESENTED SO MOVED OR I'LL SECOND THAT.
MADAM CHAIR, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO NOTE THAT YESTERDAY WAS V DAY, V DAY VICTORY IN EUROPE, WORLD WAR II.
SO, UM, BEFORE WE START THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO DISCUSS THE MATTER THAT IS BE BOARD, THE BOARD FOR ACTION.
A PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT A DEBATE.
ALL COMMENTS WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND NOT TO THE AUDIENCE.
THE SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF YOUR FELLOW SPEAKERS.
THERE'LL BE NO APPLAUSE, BOOING OR OTHER LOUD DISRUPTIONS TO THESE PROCEEDINGS, POSTERS AND OTHER MEANS OF VISUAL DISPLAY OF COMMENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE BOARDROOM.
THE BOARD WILL NOT TOLERATE PERSONAL ATTACKS BY ANYONE ON ANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THESE PROCEEDINGS.
AND ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THE GUIDELINES FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[C. Ordinance Delaying Penalties and Interest Upon Certain Local Taxes - Ed Daley, County Administrator]
THE FIRST ITEM IS AN ORDINANCE DELAYING THE PENALTIES AND INTEREST ON CERTAIN LOCAL TAXES.UH, THIS ORDINANCE IS INTENDED, IT WILL EXTEND THE DUE DATE FOR OUR REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES TO JUNE 22ND.
UH, AND THAT GIVES ADDITIONAL TIME IF, IF THE BOARD ACTS THIS EVENING FOR THE COMMISSIONER AND THE TREASURER TO PREPARE THOSE BILLS AND WILL STILL GIVE CITIZENS AT LEAST THREE WEEKS HAVING THE BILL IN THEIR HAND.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
IS THERE ANYONE ON THE BOARD THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR.
DO WE HAVE, UM, ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, MA'AM.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'D LIKE TO COME TO SPEAK? SECOND REQUEST LAST CALL.
MADAME CHAIR, A MOTION THAT THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE ORDINANCE DELAYING PENALTIES AND INTEREST UPON CERTAIN LOCAL TAXES.
[D. Building Inspection Fees - David Beahm]
IS THE BUILDING INSPECTION FEES.UM, I UNDERSTAND MR. BEAM IS NOT HERE.
UH, MR. BEAM IS UNABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
UH, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND HOLD THE HEARING.
THIS IS ON THE SAME MATERIALS HE DISCUSSED WITH YOU A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE WORK SESSIONS.
AND THEN YOU CAN VOTE ON IT LATER IF YOU DESIRE, BUT I WOULD GO AHEAD AND HOLD THE HEARING.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? UH, YES MA'AM.
[00:05:01]
86 M LANE FROM ROW, VIRGINIA.UM, I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE WARREN COUNTY BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AND CLIENT CONSTRUCTION AND EXCAVATING TODAY.
UM, ON THE FEE INCREASE, WE ABSOLUTELY AGREE THERE IS ONE NEEDED.
UM, YOU CAN'T OPERATE LIKE WHERE WE'RE AT, BUT WHEN I SIT AND RUN THE NUMBERS TODAY, WE'RE AT A 200% INCREASE.
TO ME, THAT JUST SEEMS A LITTLE EXCESSIVE ONE.
IT MAKES US HI THE HIGHEST COUNTY IN THE SURROUNDING AREA FEE WISE.
EXCUSE ME, FEE WISE, UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY WE'D WANT, WHY THIS COUNTY WOULD WANT TO BE THE HIGHEST, UH, JUST AS A PERSONAL OPINION.
UM, AND IN THIS FEE INCREASE, NOT ASKING YOU THE QUESTION, BUT I'M GONNA PRESENT IT AS A QUESTION, IS, UM, WHAT ARE WE GETTING OUT OF THIS FEE INCREASE? WE, UM, ARE, ARE WE GETTING MORE EMPLOYEES PLAN REVIEWER? ARE WE GOING TO, IS THIS GOING TO, ARE WE DOING THIS TO REDUCE OUR PLAN REVIEW TIME? UM, WHICH TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, PROBABLY THE LAST TWO WEEKS, I'M, I'M BACK TO GETTING, UH, CALLS AND TEXT MESSAGES ABOUT THE DELAYS IN PLAN REVIEW AGAIN.
SO, UM, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE DOWN AND WE NEED TO GET SOMEBODY IN THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT, UM, WE KIND OF, I THINK WE KIND OF JUST LIKE TO KNOW AT SOME GIVEN TIME, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA GET OUT OF IT? UM, IF WE, IF WE'VE GOTTA SERIOUSLY PAY THESE KIND OF NUMBERS, UM, $5 TO 200 ON A E N S PLAN.
NOT SURE WHAT THAT'S, WHAT THAT ENTAILS.
WHAT, WHAT IS COVERED IN THAT OR WHAT IS NEEDED TO COV BE COVERED IN THAT AND REALLY JUST, UM, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO PUT IT THIS WAY, BUT I MEAN, IF, IF, IF INDEED WE'VE GOTTA PAY THESE TOP DOLLAR FEES, I THINK WE WOULD ALL EXPECT THE TOP DOLLAR SERVICE.
AND RIGHT NOW I DON'T, I, I DON'T SEE THAT COMING OUT OF THE, THE CURRENT OFFICE WE GOT.
UM, JUST TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
IT'S JUST, IT GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT IT DIDN'T SUSTAIN.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I'D JUST LIKE FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
I, I THINK IN OUR OPINION, 25 TO 30 CENTS IS A GOOD NUMBER FOR A PERMIT FEE.
A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE, BUT NOT A 200%.
JUST SEEMS A LITTLE EXCESSIVE.
HAS ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP? UH, YES.
HELLO, RYAN OAKS, UH, OAKS CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED, 10 75 RIVERMONT DRIVE, FRONT ROYAL, UH, I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH MR. KLEIN.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A 200% INCREASE IS, UH, IS WARRANTED.
UM, I ALSO DO BELIEVE THAT OUR CURRENT PERMIT FEES ARE PROBABLY ON THE LOW SIDE AND COULD, UH, BE IMPROVED.
UM, MY BIGGEST GRIPE AT THIS POINT IS PROBABLY THE AGREEMENT IN LIEU OF, UH, WHICH IS A $5 PERMIT GOING TO $200, $195 INCREASE ON A $5 PERMIT.
THERE'S NOWHERE IN THE RIGHT MIND THAT CAN, UH, COULD THAT BE JUSTIFIED IN MY OPINION.
UH, AND THEN, UH, THERE WAS A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW OF THAT, UH, ARE GETTING 37, 40 DAYS FOR PLAN REVIEW.
IS THAT GONNA IMPROVE, UH, WITH THESE HIGHER FEES? UM, ALSO FROM A RESIDENT SIDE, UH, BEING THAT I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN WARREN COUNTY, I FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING PUNISHED IF I WANT TO IMPROVE MY PROPERTY.
CUZ NOT ONLY WILL I HAVE TO PAY A HIGHER BUILDING PERMIT FREE THAN ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES, I WILL ALSO GET TAXED AND MY ASSESSED VALUE WILL GO UP, WHICH WILL MAKE ME PAY MORE TAXES AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, EVERY YEAR.
SO I, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING, AS CITIZENS, WE'RE GETTING PENALIZED FOR WANTING TO IMPROVE OUR PROPERTIES.
CAUSE EVERY TIME WE IMPROVE IT, WE GET A, A HIGHER ASSESSED VALUE.
THIS THING'S ON THE FRIDGE, I GOTTA USE SOMETHING.
[00:10:01]
OH, OKAY.IS THERE ANYBODY? UH, YES MA'AM.
HUGH HENRY LANE, FRONT, ROYAL VIRGINIA.
UH, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UH, I'M HERE AS A CITIZEN AND A CONTRACTOR.
UH, AND I ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON OUR LOCAL PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE INFLATION AND THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DUE SOME INCREASE CUZ IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT IT'S, UH, ALSO OUR DEPARTMENT AS A COUNTY, WE HAVE TO COMPETE WITH OUR SURROUNDING CURRENT COUNTIES.
AND IF WE'RE GROSSLY HIGHER, ALL, YOU KNOW, THEY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, FIVE TO 200, THE 200 WOULD BE FINE IF EVERYBODY AROUND US WAS CHARGING IS 200.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE RATE ON THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING FROM 15 TO 45 CENTS.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR COUNTIES COMPETING WITH OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THOSE RATES A LITTLE CLOSER, UH, SO THAT WE CAN STAY COMPETITIVE, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS GROWTH AND STUFF IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
AND THEN AS FAR AS SERVICES, UH, FREDERICK COUNTY FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE AT THE 30 CENTS, BUT THEY HAVE, UH, IF YOU GO TO BUILD A HOUSE THAT HAS A HIGHER WALL TALLER THAN A 10 FOOT, THERE'S NOTHING IN A CODE BOOK ABOUT IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR GROUP, WE HAVE TO GET AN ENGINEER DESIGN FOR EACH OF THESE, BUT FREDERICK COUNTY TOOKEN HAD AN ENGINEER COME UP WITH A GENERIC TALL WALL DESIGN AND THEY OFFER THAT SERVICE FOR FREE.
YOU CAN BUILD IT THIS WAY UNDER THE PERMIT PRICE.
IF YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING ELSE, YOU'LL NEED AN ENGINEER.
UM, SO I THINK WE HAVE TO GIVE SOME VALUE.
ALSO, THE OTHER THING WITH INCREASED FEE, OUR COUNTY IS NOTORIOUSLY KNOWN FOR BEING A HARD PLACE TO GET PERMITS.
PREVIOUS BOARD, IT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED AT ONE TIME WITH A DIFFERENT BOARD OF SUPERVISOR.
DALEY, IT WAS A CONCERNED AMOUNT, THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WAS BEING DONE UN PERMITTED BECAUSE OF THE, BASICALLY KNOWN AS AN UNFRIENDLY POLICY TO GET PERMITS ALL.
SO WE'VE ALREADY GOT A STIGMA OF THAT, WHETHER IT BE TRUE OR NOT, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THAT.
AND THEN IF YOU AT AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH RATE IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER COUNTIES, I I THINK, I THINK IT'S A BAD WAY TO GO.
I, I, I'M IN AGREEMENT THAT WE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE DON'T GET ENOUGH MONEY THROUGH THE FEE PROCESS, THE GENERAL FUND HAS TO OFFSET THAT DIFFERENCE TO KEEP THESE DEPARTMENTS OPEN.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S JUST HIGHER TAXES FOR OTHER FEES, SO THEY NEED TO GO UP.
THE OTHER THING IS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE HEADED TOWARD DOWN TURN.
SO I'D BE A LITTLE CAUTIOUS FOR OVERSTAFF.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH, UH, TURNAROUND, BUT MAYBE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY.
UM, BUT, UM, BOTTOM LINE IS WE NEED AN INCREASE, BUT MAYBE NOT THIS MUCH TO STAY COMPETITIVE WITH OUR OTHER COUNTIES AND WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT OUR SERVICE PER PRICE IN COMPARED TO THE OTHER COUNTIES FOR APPLES TO APPLES.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK? SECOND REQUEST.
SO IS THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON YES, DR.
DALEY, IF I MAY MA'AM, I WOULD REMIND THE BOARD THAT YOU LOOKED AT TWO OPTIONS IN THE WORK SESSIONS AND THIS IS THE HIGHER OF THOSE TWO OPTIONS.
SO IF YOU TA IF YOU WANT TO TABLE THIS, THEN MR. BEAM CAN COME BACK AND PRESENT THAT LOWER OPTION AND REVIEW THAT WITH YOU AGAIN.
UH, IT, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE REVENUE AS WE DISCUSS, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT ELSEWHERE.
UH, IF THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
WE, UM, WE WERE LOOKING AT, QUITE FRANKLY, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE A HUNDRED PERCENT LEVEL MM-HMM.
SO WITH THE BUDGET, THE WAY WE HAVE IT PRESENTED RIGHT NOW, THAT INCLUDES THE A HUNDRED PERCENT, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, THE BUDGET INCLUDES THE HIGHER NUMBER.
WHICH IS 200 AS THEY SAID, UH, THE BOX, THE BOX IS TIGHTER, BUT WE'LL, BY THIS WEEKEND WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING WORKED OUT WITH IT.
COULD I ASK THE QUESTION, UM, TO, UH, MR. KLEIN'S POINT WITH THE 200%, IS THAT INCREASING, GIVING US THE ABILITY TO INCREASE AN ADDITIONAL PLANNER OR WHATEVER? OR WAS THIS INCREASES TO COVER WHAT WE NOW CURRENTLY HAVE? SO WE HAVE A DEPUTY POSITION VACANT,
[00:15:02]
AND WE HAVE A PLANS REVIEWER VACANT.THEY WERE VACANT A MONTH AGO, SO THEY ARE VACANT.
AND WE HAVE INTERVIEWS FOR AT LEAST ONE OF THEM COMING UP THIS NEXT WEEK.
UH, SO THIS MONEY, THIS MONEY WAS INTENDED TO REDUCE THE GENERAL PUBLIC RATHER THAN ADDING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
CAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THESE TWO VACANCIES.
NOW, IF WE CAME BACK AND FOUND WITH THE TWO VACANCIES, PARTICULARLY THE PLANS REVIEWER FILLED AND WE STILL NEEDED TO BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE, THEN WE WOULD ADDRESS THAT WITH THE BOARD.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ARE WE BUDGETING FOR THAT? FOR THOSE TWO? FOR THOSE TWO POSITIONS? YES, SIR.
UM, THE MAN JUST GOT A REAL GOOD JOB, MUCH CLOSER TO HOME, AND SO THERE HE IS.
UM, AND WE'LL FILL THOSE, BOTH OF THEM AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AND GET, GET WITH THEM.
THAT PERFORMANCE HAS TO BE EXAMINED.
IF YOU'RE GONNA GIVE ANYBODY AN INCREASE, THEN PERFORMANCE NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED AS VALUE IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING VALUE FOR THE INCREASE.
SO WHETHER OR NOT THE COUNTY HAS RAISED THE PRICE FOR, FOR 20 YEARS IS OUR PROBLEM.
BUT PERFORMANCE IS THEIR PROB IS OUR PROBLEM AS WELL AND REFLECTS TO THE, UH, CONSUMER.
AND I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT OUR COUNTY TAKES THE LONGEST TIME TO ISSUE A BUILDING PERMIT OF ANY OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE ISSUE WITH PERFORMANCE ALONGSIDE HOW DO WE MANAGE THESE, UH, INCREASED FEES SO THAT WE CAN OFFSET THE EXPENSES TO THE, TO THE TAXPAYER, BUT NOT DRIVE EVERYBODY TO FREDERICK.
AND I MEAN, WE DON'T NEED A SHORTAGE OF CONTRACTORS
THAT'S JUST GONNA EXACERBATE OUR PROBLEMS. SO WE, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT ISSUE WITH, UH, MR. MAY BROUGHT IT UP LAST THURSDAY, I THINK IT WAS THAT YOU TOLD ME ABOUT THAT AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT SINCE THEN, AND WE WILL ADDRESS IT.
IS THERE A WAY TO SET EXPECTATIONS, DR.
DALEY? LIKE, YES, THERE WILL NOT BE, THERE WILL BE A TWO WEEK TURNAROUND OR THERE WILL BE A THREE WEEK TURNAROUND, AND IF THERE ISN'T, THEN EXPLANATIONS BE GIVEN FOR WHY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
WE'LL GO BACK AND REVIEW WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
THEN I MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS ISSUE UNTIL, OKAY.
WELL, I, I JUST HAVE A, A, A QUICK QUESTION AND THAT'S, UH, AND DR.
DALEY, YOU PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO, UH, ANSWER THIS.
UH, MR. BEAM WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
THE, UH, UH, SO THE, SO THE WORK IS HERE IN THE COUNTY AND THE, UH, AND SO THEY'RE PULLING PERMITS TO DO THE WORK IN THE COUNTY OF, AND, AND I KNOW THAT THIS WILL GET PASSED ALONG TO THE, TO THE CONSUMER.
UH, MY, MY QUESTION IS THE, UH, SO, UH, IF WE RAISE IT BY 100% OR 200%, DOES THAT DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S GONNA BE DONE HERE IN THE COUNTY? BECAUSE, UH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT, UH, FOLKS, FOLKS STILL WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTY.
THEY STILL WANT TO BUILD A HOUSE, THEY STILL WANT TO DO CERTAIN THINGS AROUND HERE.
UH, I'M SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, BY INCREASING THE, THE, THE PERMIT PRICE, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA DRIVE SOMEBODY FROM BUILDING A HOUSE HERE VERSUS BUILDING IT UP IN, IN, YOU KNOW, FREDERICK COUNTY.
IF, IF YOU'RE TAKING A LOOK AT, UH, A PRICE OF THREE TO $400,000 OF, AND THE, UH, AND THIS INCREASES THE COST BY, YOU KNOW, UH, $2,000, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, ONE HALF OR 1%.
SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S MY QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THE, UH, I KNOW THAT WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO, WE, WE DON'T WANT TO INCREASE THINGS NEEDLESSLY, BUT THE, THE INCREASE IS PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER.
AND SO THAT'S, I I GUESS, UH, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT ON THAT.
MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MR. BEAN NEEDS TO, AND IT IS LIKE, AS YOU SAID, ONE HALF OF 1% AND THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE ENTIRE COST OF THE WHATEVER THE PROJECT IS.
OH, SO WE'VE RECOMMENDED THAT YOUR TABLE IS, SO, AS I'VE STATED IN THE PAST, AND I THINK EVERYBODY
[00:20:01]
CAN PROVE THIS WITH, UH, STATISTICS, IS THAT WHEN BUILDING FLOURISHES IN YOUR COUNTY, THEN YOUR ECONOMY FLOURISHES.AND SO YOU DON'T WANNA DISSUADE BUILDING FROM HAPPENING IN YOUR COUNTY.
SO IT'S A VERY FINE BALANCE, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO EXAMINE THAT FURTHER SO WE UNDERSTAND, UH, HOW, WHAT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, WHICH IS THE ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN YOU CHANGE POLICY, ARE GONNA HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF THIS DECISION.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE EXAMINED THAT TO ITS FULLEST, AND THESE GENTLEMEN HAVE BROUGHT SOME ISSUES UP THAT I HADN'T CONSIDERED.
SO I THINK TABLING IT IS THE WISEST THING FOR US TO DO UNTIL WE CAN EXAMINE WHAT HAPPENS.
UH, IT'S, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE NIGHT THAT, UM, THIS WAS PRESENTED TO US, IT WAS A NIGHT FULL OF LOTS OF PRESENTATIONS AND, UM, WITHOUT HEARING FROM CONTRACTORS, WE JUST HEARD FROM STAFF.
AND, UM, IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION TO TAKE IN.
NOW HEARING WHAT THE CONTRACTORS FEEL ON THEIR SIDE, I THINK IT, IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO, TO TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION SINCE WE DO HAVE TWO OPTIONS.
UM, AND JUST TO TABLE IT AND BRING IT BACK SO WE KNOW WE'RE MAKING A DECISION THAT'S BEST FOR US WITHOUT BEING A BURDEN TO ANYBODY.
UM, WELL, EVEN, EVEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE TAXPAYER, WE DON'T WANNA SUBSIDIZE NO.
THE REST OF THE COUNTY, WE'VE GOT A BALANCE THERE.
THERE'S, THERE'S GOTTA BE A BALANCE.
SO I'D LIKE TO SECOND, MRS. UH, WELL, LET ME, IF YOU OKAY, PLEASE EVERYONE.
I KNOW WHERE EVERYONE'S GOING WITH THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PROCEDURES HERE, BUT, UM, BUT I JUST, MY, MY POINT IS, IS THAT WE, THE REASON, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DR.
DALEY, WHAT BROUGHT THIS UP IS IT'S THAT, UM, WE'RE THE OFFSETTING REVENUE BASE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LAST, I THINK IT WAS THIS YEAR IT WAS LIKE 50% THAT WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SO, GOING TO AS THOUGH STATEMENT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BALANCE THAT AS WELL.
QUALITY COMES UP, PERFORMANCE COMES WITH IT, YOU KNOW, IT COMES INTO PLAY.
BUT THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE LOOK, WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS.
SO, UM, I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD THAT WE SHOULD, UM, TABLE THIS UNTIL MR. BEAN GO AHEAD.
BUT BEFORE WE GO ON WITH THE VOTER, I JUST WANTED TO, I'M, I'M NOT ADVOCATING THAT, THAT WE INCREASE IT 200%.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING A, UH, I WOULD SAY A BOOGEYMAN WHERE THERE'S NO BOOGEYMAN THERE.
BUT ON, ON THE OTHER HAND, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ARE NOT NEEDLESSLY, UH, BURDENING THE TAXPAYER AND THE, THE, UH, THE, THE, UM, CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE JUST NEED TO, TO, TO GET MR. BEAM TO, TO ANSWER AND MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME ASK AND QUESTIONS OFFLINE.
OF THE, OF THE REAL ESTATE RATE.
WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, IS THERE A MOTION I MADE THE MOTION TO TABLE
DOES THAT MEAN THAT MRS. OATS GETS TWO VOTES ON YOU? THAT'S RIGHT.
I'LL GET RECORDED AS HAVING TWO VOTES IN THIS ONE.
[E. Planning, Zoning and GIS Department Fees - Matt Wendling, Planning Director]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PLANNING ZONING AND GIS DEPARTMENT FEES.UM, MR. WELDING? HI, GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, I'D JUST LIKE THE FIRST POINT OUT TO YOU THAT OUR FEES HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE APRIL 6TH, 2004 WHEN IT WAS LAST AMENDED.
SO, UH, IT WAS APPROVED IN APRIL 15TH, 2003, SO WE'RE CLOSE TO 20 YEARS IN THAT TIME.
UH, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS PRETTY MUCH STAYED THE SAME SIZE AS FAR AS PERSONNEL, BUT TECHNOLOGY HAS MOVED FORWARD AND WE HAVE TRIED TO MOVE WITH IT.
AND WITH THAT, THE ADDED COST OF TECHNOLOGY, UM, OUR LICENS FEES FOR THE GIS UH, LICENSING IS ABOUT $9,300
[00:25:01]
A YEAR AT THIS POINT IN TIME.UM, WE HAVE RECENTLY HAD SAVED UP AND PURCHASED A PLOTTER THAT LASTED ABOUT A LARGE FORMAT SCANNER.
PLOTTER LASTED ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, BUT THAT WAS $9,000 THAT WE HAD HAD IN OUR BUDGET.
NOW A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN MOVED TO IT, BUT WE STILL TAKE CARE OF THE LICENSING.
UM, SO A BIG PART OF OUR JOB IS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PUBLIC INTERACTION, ANSWERING QUESTIONS, WHETHER IT BE ON THE PHONE, WHETHER IT BE EMAIL, WHETHER IT BE WALK-IN.
WE DO NOT CHARGE FOR THAT, BUT A LOT OF TIMES THOSE, UH, VISITS CAN TAKE 20 MINUTES A HALF HOUR OR EVEN MORE.
SO THAT'S STAFF TIME THAT WE ARE UTILIZING THAT WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, CHARGING A FEE OR ANYTHING FOR, IT'S JUST PART OF WHAT WE DO.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO BECAUSE, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO GIVE CORRECT ANSWERS.
AND PART OF THAT INVOLVES EDUCATING OURSELVES.
UM, AND WITH SOME OF THE CERTIFICATIONS THAT OUR STAFF HAS, UM, I'M A, UH, FLOODPLAIN CERTIFIED FLOODPLAIN MANAGER.
MR. CHASE IS A CERTIFIED FLOODPLAIN MANAGER.
UH, MR. CHASE AND MR. BURKE ARE ALSO ALL ARE, UH, UH, CERTIFIED ZONING OFFICERS.
AND MR. CHASE IS ACTUALLY A CERTIFIED ZONING ADMINISTRATOR.
SO THESE ARE CLASSES THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE AND CERTIFICATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO UPKEEP AND THERE IS SOME COST TO THAT.
UM, MOST OF WHAT WE LOOKED AT, WE COMPARED TO ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES.
YEAH, CU PEPPER WAS KIND OF SIMILAR IN DEMOGRAPHICS, SIMILAR IN SIZE.
UH, IT'S A RURAL COMMUNITY, UH, SO WE LOOKED AT THAT CLOSELY ALSO, WE KIND OF COMPARED THEM AND WHAT WE COULD DO.
SO WE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW IN A LOT OF OUR FEES AND SOME OF OUR FEES WE DIDN'T CHARGE AT ALL AND THEY AND OTHER COUNTIES WERE CHARGING FOR THOSE FEES.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID DO IS WE, WE DID, WE WERE A LITTLE BIT, I WILL SAY A LITTLE BIT AGGRESSIVE ON IT FOR THE SOLE REASONS THAT IN ORDER IF THE FEES ARE APPROVED, AND I DON'T WANNA SAY SOLE REASON, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU IN ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO YEARS AND SAY, LOOK, WE NEED TO DO ANOTHER FEED CHANGE.
PART OF THE REASON WHY WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT IS CUZ IT'S GOING TO TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO UPDATE THOSE FEES IN ENERGOV.
OKAY? IT'S, UH, THEY HAVE TO DO THAT ALL ON THE BACK END OF THAT SOFTWARE.
UM, IT'S PRETTY, I THINK IT'S A COMPLEX SOFTWARE ON THE BACK END, BUT IT MAKES THE FRONT END WORK A LOT EASIER WHEN YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING IN THERE CORRECTLY.
UM, SO WE, WE WOULD PREFER NOT TO HAVE TO UPDATE THOSE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UH, THE OTHER ITEM IS, UH, FOR ALL I INTENTS AND PURPOSES, UH, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING THESE FEES FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE BASICALLY BEEN SUBSIDIZED BY THE TAXPAYERS BECAUSE IT IS A FEE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE MAKING A CHOICE.
THEY'RE RE YOU KNOW, REQUESTING SOMETHING SPECIFIC.
AND IF WE ARE UNDER WHAT THE, I'LL JUST SAY THE MARKET VALUE, WHATEVER OF, OF, UH, THE SERVICE, UH, AND THAT FEE THAN THE TAXPAYERS THEMSELVES WHO ARE NOT NEEDING THAT PARTICULAR REQUEST ARE SUBSIDIZING THAT, UH, THROUGH THE COST OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, OUR DEPARTMENT TAKES A LOT OF PRIDE IN, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND, UH, WE DO TRY OUR BEST TO GET ANSWERS BACK TO PEOPLE WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, UH, MR. CHASE WHO REVIEWS OUR BUILDING PERMITS, HE HAS, UH, UH, GOLD TO TRY AND GET HIS BUILDING PERMITS DONE WITHIN A TWO WEEK TIME PERIOD OF WHEN HE RECEIVES THEM.
AND HE'S DONE VERY WELL IN THAT REGARD.
UM, EVEN PRIOR TO GOING ON VACATION, HE HAD EVERYTHING COMPLETED TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITIES PRIOR TO THAT.
SO, UM, THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UH, AGAIN, I CAN JUST SAY THAT WE ARE NOW MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT MANY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES, AND OTHER SERVICE FEES ARE AND, UH, WE HOPE IF THE BOARD DOES PROVE THIS, WE HOPE THAT WE CAN KEEP THOSE IN LINE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
[00:30:01]
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD THAT WOULD LIKE TO ASK MR. WELDING OR IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, MADAM CHAIR, I, I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS ON THIS.UH, I NOTICED THAT IN BOTH THE, UH, UM, THE, THE GIS AND THE, UH, AND THE, THE BUILDING FEES THAT WE DIDN'T, WE NEVER REFERENCED CLARK COUNTY AND I, I'M JUST CURIOUS ON THAT, MR. GAN.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN MY, UH, RESEARCH ON CLARK COUNTY.
THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE SIZE OF CLARK COUNTY IS KIND OF SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE ARE.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN CO CLARK COUNTY.
UH, THEIR TAX, I THINK THEIR TAXES ARE UP HIGHER BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH A LOW POPULATION THAT STILL NEED THE SERVICES THAT THE COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT PROVIDES.
CLARK COUNTY HAS A POPULATION OF 15,000 PEOPLE AND WE HAVE A POPULATION OF 40
AND SO, YEAH, I DOUBT MANY REZONINGS OCCUR IN CLARK
MOST OF THEIR GROWTH IS FOCUSED WITHIN THEIR TOWNS AND AROUND THEIR TOWN.
IS, IS THAT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO.
SO DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES MA'AM.
HUGH HENRY, HUGH HENRY 1 75, HUGH HENRY LANE.
UH, AND I'M ALSO ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND UH, SO I GET TO SEE SOME OF THE HARD WORKER STAFF AND, AND THINGS DUE.
AND SOME OF THE FEEDS FEESS ARE RIDICULOUSLY LOW.
UH, BY THE TIME, YOU KNOW, WITH A $500 C U P I, I THINK BY THE TIME IT'S, UH, PAID TO ADVERTISED AND YOU PRINT A SIGN AND PAY A MAN TO GO OUT AND POST IT UP AND THE HOURS IS SPENT, WE ARE DEFINITELY UPSIDE DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT HOW MUCH RATE, UH, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING INSPECTION BEFORE, YOU SAID THAT WAS ROUGHLY 50% WAS HIGH, AND IF YOU DID A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE, WHICH WOULD DOUBLE IT, THAT WOULD ALL SET THE 50%, PUT IT AT ABOUT NET ZERO.
OH, I DO CAUTION, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A NET ZERO ON ANY OF THESE ZONING OR ANYTHING.
IN A BUSY ECONOMY, THEY SHOULD BE CLOSE TO NET ZERO.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A 2010, YOU DIDN'T PULL ENOUGH PERMITS.
I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU CHARGED TO BE A NET ZERO.
SO AT THAT POINT, YOU JUST TO KEEP THOSE OFFICES FUNCTIONING IN A DOWNTURN ECONOMY, YOU, YOU WILL BE INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THERE'S NO WAY TO 100% KEEP IT NET ZERO.
UM, I TRIED TO PRINT THOSE FEES OFF FOR THIS ONE AND I WAS READING THROUGH 'EM.
I NOTICED SOME OF THE CUS WERE A DIFFERENT COST IN, UH, I THINK THE SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL WAS HIGHER THAN THE REST, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHY.
UM, SAME THING, UH, BE VERY CAUTIOUS THAT YOU'RE STAYING COMPETITIVE WITH YOUR ADJOINING COUNTIES.
UH, IT LOOKED LIKE SOME OF THOSE FEES, UH, THEY'RE AGAIN, DEFINITELY NEEDING AN INCREASE.
UM, BUT YOU CAN'T RAISE FEES TO MAKE UP FOR WHAT YOU LOST THE LAST 10 YEARS AND YOU CAN'T SET THE FEE HIGH ENOUGH TO LAST 10 YEARS.
UH, TRUTH BE KNOWN, PROBABLY EVERY TWO TO THREE YEARS THESE FEES OUGHT TO BE LOOKED AT AND EXAMINED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND THEN WE WOULDN'T BE SO FAR BEHIND AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO SO MUCH AT ONE TIME.
YOU KNOW, IF WE'D HAVE WENT UP FIVE YEARS AGO AND THEN GOING UP AGAIN THIS YEAR, IT WOULDN'T BE A SUCH A DRAMATIC, UH, THING THERE.
AND THEN, UH, OF COURSE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, SERVICE TO FEED, JUST LIKE BUILDING INSPECTION.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME SILLY RULES IN PLACE THAT, UH, THAT THERE HAVE TO ENFORCE THAT I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH, UH, THAT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT DURING THE BUDGET PART OF THIS.
UH, BUT AS THINGS MOVE FORWARD YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME OF THESE ORDINANCES ARE KIND OF OLD AND OUTDATED AND NOW I FEEL BAD THAT THEY EVEN HAVE TO, TO LOOK AT 'EM.
SOME OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, A SECOND KITCHEN IN A BASEMENT AND YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT DIDN'T, UM, THAT HAD A REASON WAY BACK WHEN, THAT REALLY AREN'T APPLICABLE TODAY.
UM, SO ONCE AGAIN, BE SURE YOUR FEEDS ARE APPLES TO APPLES WITH YOUR COUNTY.
IF FEESS ARE TOO HIGH, LIKE CLARK COUNTY, IT MIGHT NOT BE TOO HIGH, BUT THEY'RE VERY ANTI-GROWTH.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING, IT DETERS PEOPLE THAT WOULD NORMALLY GET A PERMIT TO NOT GET ONES AND TRY TO GET AWAY WITHOUT IT.
SO, UM, BE CAREFUL NOT TO SET THE COMPLEXITY OR THE FEES OF THE PERMIT.
MAKE IT VERY USER FRIENDLY AND YOU'RE MORE APT TO GET PEOPLE TO COMPLY FAIRLY.
HAS ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK?
[00:35:01]
NO MA'AM.IS ANYONE OF THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO COME UP TO SPEAK SECOND INVITATION.
LAST AND FINAL CALL PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
SO IS THERE A MOTION? WELL, MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE HIS EXPLANATION AND THAT KIND OF ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT, UH, UH, PEOPLE TAKING A LOOK AT THE, THE, THE PRICE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, PULLING PERMITS AND SAYING, WELL I'M GONNA TRY AND SCOOT BY WITHOUT DOING THAT AND THAT, SO THAT, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
IS THERE A MOTION, OKAY, DO WE WANT TO TABLE THIS OR WHAT, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE GONNA GO WITH THIS WITHOUT TRYING TO LOOK BACK THROUGH? CUZ I DID LOOK THROUGH IT, BUT YOU KNOW, ALL THE NUMBERS.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE SHORT TERM RENTALS SINCE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, UH, VERSUS OKAY, THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL, WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING NOW FOR A STANDARD CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OF $1,500, THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL, WE'VE BUMPED THAT UP TO 1750.
FOR THE REASON THAT SHORT-TERM RENTALS REQUIRE A POST-APPROVAL PROCESS THAT ARE ZONING DEPARTMENT, UH, WORKS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GO THROUGH AND TO WORK THROUGH.
SO THERE'S A CHECKLIST OF ITEMS THAT THEY WORK WITH THROUGH THEM AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE THOSE DONE IN ORDER FOR US TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF ZONING TO SAY THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL COMPLETED.
UM, ONE OF THE ITEMS IS A BUILDING PERMIT FOR CHECKING THE FIRE, UH, SMOKE DETECTOR SYSTEM AND FOR A CHANGE OF USE TO THE TRANSIENT LODGING CODE THAT, THAT THE BUILDING CODE REQUIRES.
SO, SO THAT'S THROUGH BUILDING INSPECTIONS JUST A, IT'S JUST A STANDARD BUILDING PERMIT.
SO SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE NOT ONE AND DONE AFTER THE C U P? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE'S AN ONGOING, YEAH, SO THAT WOULD JUSTIFY THE INCREASE OVER AND WE'VE TRIED TO STAY ON TOP OF 'EM, BUT FOR AS MANY AS WE'VE BEEN GETTING, I MEAN INITIALLY WHEN WE APPROVED THE ORDINANCE IN 2012, WE HAD A, A HANDFUL AND SOME GRANDFATHERED ONES.
AND THE GRANDFATHERED ONES WAS REALLY, WE, WE DIDN'T, UH, REGULATE THOSE.
THOSE WERE MORE OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAD ISSUES WITH 'EM, THEY WOULD DO THAT.
BUT, UM, AND THEN WE AMENDED THE ORDINANCE 2014 AND WE SAW A FEW MORE, BUT AS YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE JUST SEEN QUITE A FEW AND TO JUST KIND OF STAY ON TOP OF IT, UM, IT, IT DOES TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME FOR A ZONING OFFICER WHO'S ASSIGNED THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE ITEMS. UM, WELL NOT DEMENTIA, SOME OF THE C TOURISM CUS YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE 'EM GO OUT EVERY YEAR TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING ALL THE, UM, THE STIPULATIONS OF THE C P AND THAT'S ONGOING.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND THE C P DOES CARRY OVER TO THE NEXT PROPERTY OWNER IF THE PROPERTY OWNER CHOOSES TO DO THAT.
UM, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE NAME, CHANGE REQUEST TO THE, TO THE STAFF AND WE'VE COME THROUGH THE BOARD.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A FEE FOR THAT I DON'T BELIEVE AT THIS TIME.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IT ALSO KIND OF GIVES THEM AN INCENTIVE TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA START DOING BUSINESS, GET THAT POST-APPROVAL PROCESS DONE SO THAT YOU CAN REGISTER FOR YOUR TRANSIENT LOGIC TAX AND START ADVERTISING, YOU KNOW.
WELL I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS A VALID POINT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE OF CHARGING THAT MM-HMM.
YEAH, I'M, I'M GLAD FOR THE, UM, JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT.
I WISH WE COULD CHARGE LESS FOR THE NONPROFITS, BUT WE'RE HAVING TO DO THE, A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS WE'RE ADVERTISING, WE'RE SENDING OUT JASON PROPERTY OWNER LETTERS, WE'RE POSTING PROPERTIES.
IT'S A SIMILAR USE, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN 20 YEARS WE'RE, WE'RE PLAYING CATCH UP, BUT, UH, WE'VE GET, WE, WE GET A FEW OF THOSE IN PRIMARILY THEY'RE PRIVATE USE CAMPING OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS, UM, THAT WE WORK WITH THEM.
IS THERE A CHANCE THAT THEY'RE, THAT RAISING THESE FEES THAT IT WOULD DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM TRYING TO GET A, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, THERE'S ENOUGH PEOPLE NOW TRYING TO FLY UNDER THE RADAR THAT IT, IT MAY DISCOURAGE 'EM, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF, WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, REVIEW IT.
THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE NOTIFIES US, UH, QUITE OFTEN ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE OPERATING THESE WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE PERMITS.
[00:40:01]
OFFICER WILL REVIEW SOMETIMES THE WEBSITES AND IDENTIFY THESE LOCATIONS ALSO.SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I THINK MR. HENRY MAKES A VERY GOOD POINT.
AND UH, UH, IT WOULD JUST BE UP TO BASICALLY THE CITIZEN VIEWING THIS, THIS IS A BUSINESS AND YOU'VE GOTTA SPEND MONEY TO MAKE MONEY AND, AND IT'S A ONE-TIME THING.
AND, AND, UH, THE OTHER THING THAT IT MIGHT DO IS MAY DISCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROPERTIES THAT DON'T MEET THE REQUIRED SETBACK OF A HUNDRED FEET WITH THE, THE OPTION THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY BE DENIED THAT FOR THAT REASON.
SO THEY MAY VERY WELL SAY, WELL, I'LL JUST DECIDE NOT TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THAT PROPERTY.
SO, UM, I'M, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE A SIDE, UH, FACT TO THIS, BUT, OKAY.
WELL IS THERE A, OH, I'M SORRY.
I WAS GONNA SAY, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANY QUESTIONS? SO, UH, UH, JUST MATT, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR PROPOSED PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT FEE SCHEDULE AND YOU HAVE ONE THAT'S COMPARED WITH CULP PEPPER, BUT THIS IS THE OLD WARREN COUNTY FEES COMPARING CULP PEPPER'S CURRENT COUNTY FEES.
NOT THE PROPOSED ONES, THE PROPOSED FEES.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT CUZ THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS.
IT'S HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHICH CLASSIFICATION APPLIES TO WHICH FEE.
IT IS CUZ IT, IT APPEARS THAT EACH COUNTY CALLS THINGS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND FREDERICK COUNTY, I, YOU ALMOST CAN'T EVEN COMPARE FREDERICK COUNTY BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY APPROVED LOTS
SO ANYWAY, UM, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT TO SEE WHAT, WHERE WE REALLY ARE FALLING HERE.
THIS IS SO MANY PAGES, SO ANYWAY, HOLD ON.
SHENDO COUNTY'S HARD TO COMPARE US TO AS WELL BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY SMALLER TOWNS.
UM, SHENDO COUNTY HAS A LEVEL ONE AND LEVEL TWO HOME BUSINESSES THAT THEY, UH, THEY GO, IT'S, SO IT'S NOT A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR ANYTHING.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THEY, UH, REGULATE JUST THESE, SOME OF THE HOME BUSINESSES, AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE, I BELIEVE THEY'RE SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTALS FALL WITHIN ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. SO, SO WITH THE INCREASES, I'M SORRY, ARE YOU FINISHED WITH YEAH, SO COLP PEPPER IS SEVEN, UM, HUNDRED AND WE ARE PROPOSING A THOUSAND.
SO WE'RE PROPOSING A $300 INCREASE OVER WHAT CU PEPPER'S DOING FOR A, A SUBDIVISION ONE, I BELIEVE.
WE, WE, AND THEY'RE DOING 1750 FOR SOMETHING THEY CALL MA MI, THEY DO MINOR, MAJOR AND MAJOR.
WE JUST KIND OF KEEP IT STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SIMPLE.
UM, YEAH, TYPICALLY, UH, CLASS B SUBDIVISIONS WE PROBABLY GET, WE PROBABLY HAD TWO OR THREE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
I MEAN, WE MIGHT GET, THAT WAS MY, YOU KNOW, THESE FEES.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE GET, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, ARE WE, WHAT IS THE QUANTITY PER, YOU KNOW YEAH.
B OR PERMIT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WITH A CLASS B AND, WELL, I'VE NEVER DONE A CLASS C, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU TEND TO GET A BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT MORE OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR AGENCY COMMENTS MIGHT VARY.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE REVIEWING, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER REVISED SET OF PLATS, YOU KNOW, OR VDOT HAS THEIR COMMENTS, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND SO IT, IT TENDS TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE STAFF TIME FOR THE LARGER ONES.
AND CLASS C I IMAGINE THAT WOULD BE A PLANNED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE A LOT OF STAFF TIME, I'M SURE.
UM, AGAIN, THE CLASS A AND FAMILY SUBDIVISION, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE JUST KIND OF TO BRING THEM UP TO WHAT TYPICALLY WOULD BE CHARGED TODAY.
I THINK WE'RE PRETTY EQUITABLE WITH SOME OF THOSE.
UH, MAYBE EVEN, I MEAN, AGAIN, FREDERICK COUNTY'S A HARD ONE TO GO BY.
SO WHEN YOU WERE, WHEN YOU DID YOUR ANALYSIS OF THE FEE INCREASE MM-HMM.
[00:45:02]
OBJECT? MY OBJECTIVE WAS BASICALLY TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE HAD, UH, FEES THAT WE HAD NO FEE FOR.AND THEN I KIND OF WANTED TO PUT THEM UP A LITTLE, A LITTLE HIGHER THAN WHAT SOME OF THE OTHERS WERE.
ONLY BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO HAVE TO BRING THESE BACK IN A YEAR OR TWO YEARS OR WHATEVER BECAUSE I KNEW THAT ONCE WE DID IT AND WE GOT USED TO CHARGING THEM AND FOLKS GOT USED TO PAYING 'EM, IT'D BE LIKE, OKAY, IT, IT, IT IS WHAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, UM, WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT TAKES A LOT OF STAFF TIME TO PUT TOGETHER THE REPORTS AND EVERYTHING.
AND, UM, WITH THE AMOUNT OF SHORT-TERM TOURIST RENTALS WE'VE BEEN HAVING COME THROUGH, I'D KIND OF HEARD THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING, CHARGING THEM A, A FAIR AND EQUITABLE FEE IF THEY'RE COMING INTO THE COUNTY AND, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY USING OUR HOUSING, YOU KNOW, AS A BUSINESS, AS A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.
AND SO, AGAIN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SOMEBODY LONG-TERM RENTING AND THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO LONG-TERM RENT.
THEY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO DO A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO DO BUY.
A LONG-TERM RENTAL, ANYTHING OVER 30 DAYS, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT STAFF HOURS, ADVERTISING ALL OF THAT WOULD $1,700 EVEN TOUCH PAYING THE COM UH, BOARD OF, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION IF YOU CALCULATED ALL THAT IN.
UM, NOT TRYING TO GOUGE ANYBODY.
BUT DO WE EVEN MEET NET ZERO ON THAT WITH HIS FEET? NO.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WOULD FOR ME WOULD BE THE EASIER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU'VE, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A DECENT BALLPARK WITH THAT, WHETHER IT MEETS CULP PEPPER OR NOT, I, I THINK THAT'S, TO ME THAT'S A FAIR WAY OF LOOKING AT IT.
IF I'VE, IF I'M RUNNING A BUSINESS, WHICH GOVERNMENT IS A BUSINESS AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW MUCH SOMETHING COSTS US TO PERFORM THE FUNCTION, THEN WE NEED TO AT LEAST BREAK EVEN ON IT.
UM, WELL WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT AND WE'VE NEVER DONE IT SIGNIFICANTLY.
UH, PROBABLY THE COST OF WHAT WE'VE, OF OUR REVENUE HAS PROBABLY BEEN HMM.
OF WHAT IT TAKES TO UPGRADE OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND I WANNA START A BUSINESS, I SHOULDN'T PUT IT ON THE BACKS OF THE TAXPAYERS TO RUN MY BUSINESS.
YOU GUYS, THE, SO I HAVE TO POINT OUT THAT STATE OF VIRGINIA HAS, HAS ISSUED THAT THIS IS NOT A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS TO DO A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I, AND WE GOTTA QUIT CALLING IT A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS CUZ THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO IT COME IN HERE AND SAY, AND IT IS NOT A COMMERCIAL ENTITY THAT'S IT IS, IT'S A RENTAL.
WELL A WILL SPLIT THAT DIS DISFIGURE SPEECH, BUT YEAH, WELL WHAT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, I'LL JUST POINT OUT THE REVENUE THAT, AND THIS IS NOT JUST SHORT-TERM TOURIST RENTALS OR, OR CUS BUT THE REVENUE THAT THIS PROJECTS WOULD BE ABOUT HALF WOULD PROVIDE ABOUT HALF WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE NOT EVEN NEAR NET ZERO, WE'RE ABOUT HALF MM-HMM.
AND THAT'S GIVING, AND THAT'S AT ACTUALLY WHERE WE'RE AT NOW.
THAT'S NOT EVEN ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S DOING ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT WE ALSO DO FOR THE PUBLIC.
IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, DOING THE SHORT-TERM TOURIST ROUTE.
WELL AND I'M NOT, SO WE'VE HAD, UM, SCHOOLS, WE'VE HAD DAYCARES THAT ARE BUSINESSES, SO I'M, I DON'T MEAN WHEN I SAID BUSINESS, I WASN'T SAYING JUST SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
I'M SAYING IN GENERAL WHEN YOU GIVE A CCP C U P, IF IT'S FOR A DAYCARE CENTER OR WHATEVER, THAT'S A BUSINESS.
DALEY, DID YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING? I JUST KEPT WATCHING YOU OVER THERE.
I WAS JUST POINTING OUT MA'AM, THAT THIS, YOU ASKED WHY HE WAS DOING AND WHAT THE PHILOSOPHY WAS, ET CETERA.
THE BOARD HAS BEEN ASKING FOR THIS FOR THREE YEARS FOR BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND PLANNING AND ZONING BECAUSE OUR FEES ARE WAY BELOW THE OTHERS.
UM, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING AND, AND MOVE ON.
[00:50:01]
SO WITH ALL THAT, OH, WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I NEED, OH, I'M SORRY MR. MAYUM, TO ME YOUR DEPARTMENT LOOKS LIKE IT'S THE MOST LABOR INTENSIVE ALL APARTMENTS THAT WE'VE GOT.
NOW HAVING SAID THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN EXPECT TO RUN YOUR DEPARTMENT WITHOUT HAVING THE MONEY TO DO.
AND YOU'VE GOTTA PAY THE PEOPLE, YOU'VE GOTTA PAY FOR THE EQUIPMENT, YOU'VE GOTTA PAY FOR, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THAT 20 YEARS NOW, I BELIEVE IT'S TIME YOU'VE GOTTEN INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE ANOTHER BASELINE AND THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR BASELINE FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS OR FIVE YEARS OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS UNTIL WE'RE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL AGAIN, THAT WAS MY PHILOSOPHY.
I WAS TRYING TO GET IT SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT AWAY AGAIN, JUST TO CONSTANTLY, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S, THAT WAS JUST MY OWN PERSONAL APPROACH ALSO MYSELF.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION, I MOTION THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE AUTHORIZATION, THE PLANNING, ZONING AND GIS FEE SCHEDULES MODIFICATION REQUEST.
DO WE HAVE SECOND? SECOND? YEP.
[F. Tax Relief for the Elderly - Sherry Sours, Commissioner of the Revenue]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TAX RELIEF FOR THE ELDERLY MS HOURS.UH, YOU HAVE THE CHART IN FRONT OF YOU THERE AND THIS WILL IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS AS MR. HAM EXPLAINED THE LAST TIME.
WE CANNOT MAKE THE NEW RATES RETROACTIVE THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY INTO THE TAX SHARE.
SO WHAT THIS DOES IS IT PUTS, MAKES THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY IN THE PROGRAM ARE ELIGIBLE FOR AN INCREASED ASSISTANCE THIS YEAR AND THEN JANUARY ONE YOU HAVE EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, 2024.
OPTION ONE AND OPTION TWO AND WE RECOMMEND OPTION TWO.
AND MADAME CHAIR, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? UM, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE OPTION ONE, OPTION TWO AND THE PROPOSED SUGGESTED MOTION.
FOR WHATEVER REASON THERE IS ONLY THE OPTION ONE.
SO IF YOU WANT, IF YOU WANT TO DO IT WAS IN HERE.
I BLESSED IT CUZ I LOOKED AT IT TODAY.
THERE'S JUST NO OPTION FOR DENIAL.
I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE ON DENIAL ON THE BOARD DENYING TAX RELIEF FOR THE ELDERLY.
WELL, AND IF YOU WANNA DO THAT, THERE'S JUST NOBODY MEAN WHAT? THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING SO THERE IS AN OPTION TOO.
IT'S JUST, IT'S USUALLY WHERE THE DENIAL IS.
THERE, THERE'S, I'M LOOKING AT ONE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S, THAT DOESN'T SAY THAT BUT UM, OKAY.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING ODD WITH OUR, UH, GHOST IN OUR MACHINE.
BUT, UH,
WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO MA'AM.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION? OH, JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT WHICH, WHICH ONE OF THESE AFFORDS THE MOST TAX RELIEF? OPTION TWO.
OH, I AM SO SORRY I SKIPPED A WHOLE PART OF IT.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO MA'AM.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK? SECOND INVITATION.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MADAM CHAIR, MOVE THE COUNTY CODE SECTION ONE 60 DASH 17 BE AMENDED AS PRESENTED EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND THAT THE ORDINANCES DESCRIBED IN OP OPTION TWO BE AMENDED AS PRESENTED.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[G. Adoption of Resolution to Set Percentage of Tax Relief for Personal Property (Motor Vehicles) for 2023 Tax Year]
NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION TO SET PERCENTAGE OF TAX RELIEF FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY MOTOR VEHICLES[00:55:01]
FOR 2023 TAX SHARE.THIS IS FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE MA'AM.
AND THIS IS THE AMOUNT, UM, THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE UH, STATE AND IN 2001 THE STATE AGREED THEY WOULD PROVIDE 70% OF THE COST OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY AND THEY HAVE ALLOWED THIS TO DWINDLE AND DWINDLE AND DWINDLE AND DWINDLE AND DWINDLE TILL WE ARE NOW DOWN TO 25%.
WITHOUT PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE CALL? HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO MA'AM.
HAS ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO COME TO SPEAK? SECOND INVITATION.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, APPROVE AND ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION TO SET A PERCENTAGE OF TAX RELIEF FOR THE 2023 TAX YEAR AT A LEVEL OF 25% THAT IS ANTICIPATED TO EXHAUST PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUNDS PROVIDED TO WARREN COUNTY BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AS AUTHORIZED BY THE WARREN COUNTY CODE SECTION ONE 60 DASH 1 0 9.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE? MR. BUTLER? AYE MRS. COLORS? AYE.
MADAM CHAIR? AYE MRS. OATS IT'S GONNA BE HIGHER IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT IN THE FUTURE AND I'LL SAY AYE.
BECAUSE THE STATE JUST CAN GET EVERYONE TO WEIGH IN.
[H. FY23-24 Proposed Tax Rate(s)]
IS FISCAL YEAR 23 DASH 24 PROPOSED TAX RATES.THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF ALL OF THE TAX RATES THERE ARE, UM, EXCEPT FOR THE SANITARY DISTRICTS.
YOU'LL HAVE THAT ON THE NEXT MOTION.
THERE ARE TWO CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR, UH, LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE HIGH VALUATIONS OF VEHICLES, WE REDUCED FOR THE ONE YEAR THE, UH, $4 RATE FOR PERSONAL VEHICLES TO THREE 80 AND THAT NOW GOES BACK 360, EXCUSE ME, THAT NOW GOES BACK TO 4 3 80, GOES BACK TO $4.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE CALCULATED, MR. SOURS HAS GONE, WALKED THROUGH THE, UH, REAL ESTATE RATE WITH YOU AND 49 CENTS IS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE.
WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN BEFORE WE UM, CALL FOR ANY THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THE BOARD? NOPE.
HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO MA'AM.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK? SECOND INVITATION LAST AND FINAL CALL.
PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AGAIN.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AT THE BOARD? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPT THE PROPOSED TAX RATES FOR 2023, INCLUDING A REAL ESTATE RATE OF 49 CENTS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MADAM CHAIR? AYE MRS. COLORS? AYE.
[I. Sanitary District Tax Rates]
ITEM OF THE AGENDA IS SANITARY DISTRICT TAX RATES.I I WOULD NOTE NOW WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT FEES AND SO FORTH AND COMPARING WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS, YOU DO NOW HAVE THE LOWEST TAX RATE IN THE VALLEY.
I KNOW JUST SO THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT, UM, WITH THE SANITARY DISTRICTS, THESE ARE THE RATES RECOMMENDED FROM THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
UM, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY ARE, MA'AM.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
BEFORE WE ASK ANYBODY TO SPEAK, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NOT REALLY A QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE APPROVE THESE RATES BUT WE DO NOT SET THESE, THE SANITARY DISTRICTS
[01:00:01]
MAKE THEIR OWN RATES AND THEN WE ARE ASKED TO APPROVE THEM, CORRECT? YES MA'AM.I JUST WANT THE RATES COME FROM THE DISTRICTS.
AND SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHY WE SEE SOME OF THESE RATES ARE GOING DOWN BECAUSE THEY, THEY SAID THAT, WELL WE, WE COLLECTED TOO MUCH LAST YEAR, SO WE'LL LOWER IT THIS YEAR.
AND A COUPLE OF THEM THERE, SIR, ARE RELATED TO THE VA PROPERTY VALUES.
SO THEY DID SOME RATE EQUALIZATION LIKE THE BOARD DID.
HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO MA'AM.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'D LIKE TO COME UP TO SPEAK? SECOND INVITATION LAST AND FINAL CALL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MADAM CHAIR? I MOVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPT THE SANITARY DISTRICT TAX RATES FOR 2023.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE.
SO WE MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS AND, UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? THE ONLY THING I WANNA SAY, I KNOW 49 CENTS IS CUTTING IT THIN ON MEETING ALL OF OUR OBLIGATIONS AND ONE OF WHICH IS FIRE AND RESCUE.
UM, AND AT SOME POINT I, I DON'T KNOW, I I ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE PUBLIC INPUT ON STUFF AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE COULD DO IT FOR THIS YEAR.
CAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET A REFERENDUM ITEM, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR WITH THE, WITH THE CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY ARE WILLING TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE AND RESCUE, TO SUPPORT IT FINANCIALLY, WHETHER WE DO AN A SALES TAX INCREASE OR A FIRE LEVY FEE.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DISCUSS AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT, DO WE DO IT BY REFERENDUM OR HOW WE DO THAT? DON'T WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND EDUCATION ALONG THAT SAME LINE? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I KNOW AT THIS POINT IT'S, I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO PEOPLE FOR THREE YEARS, THREE AND A HALF YEARS, AND EDUCATION IS ALWAYS A, IS ALWAYS A BIG THING.
UH, AND I'VE BEEN OFF AND I'VE ALSO LISTENED TO THE POLICE AND THE FIRE AND SO MANY DIFFERENT COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO DO THINGS AND MAKE THEM BETTER.
UM, THE THE COMMON THING THAT I, THAT HAS BEEN SAID MANY TIMES OVER HAS BEEN, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP IF YOU WANT TO DECREASE YOUR TAXES? DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP EDUCATION? DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP POLICE? DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP FIRE? DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP ANYTHING? SO THE QUESTION REALLY DOES NEED TO BE ASKED, HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE TO GET A BETTER SITUATION FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST, UM, WITH IS ON AN AGENDA SOMEPLACE? NO, AND I, I'VE JUST NEVER HEARD OF AN EDUCATIONAL LEVEL.
UH, I HAVE HEARD OF THE FIRE LEVY, SO THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING THAT OUT.
UM, I I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN AND WE DO HAVE A CONVERSATION ON WITH, UM, WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS.
BUT THAT'S ONE THAT I HAVE HEARD THAT THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
AND I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LARGER POPULATION THOUGHT ON THAT AT SOME POINT THAN JUST RANDOM NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT MIGHT SHOW UP FOR A MEETING OR A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, UM, PART OF THAT AGAIN, GOES BACK TO YOUR FRIENDLY STATE LEGISLATURE.
UH, IN 2005, CITY OF WINCHESTER VOTED 67% TO ADD 1 CENT TO THE SALES TAX FOR EDUCATIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS AND IT WAS KILLED IN THE LEGISLATURE.
SO YOU'VE GOT TO WORK WITH YOUR LEGISLATOR TO GET THIS ADDRESSED.
UH, ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN, UM, FIRE AND RESCUE AND EDUCATION, QUITE FRANKLY, IS THE FACT THAT ALL OF THE, THE VAST MAJORITY, NOT EVERYONE, BUT THE VERY VAST MAJORITY OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM USERS RESIDE IN WARREN COUNTY.
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TAX, IT AFFECTS THEM IN SOME WAY, A PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF YOUR FIRE AND RESCUE CALLS OCCUR INVOLVING PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.
AND IF YOU WERE FOCUSED ON SALES TAX FOR LOOKING AT FIRE AND RESCUE, YOU WOULD HAVE AN OPTION OF PICKING UP MORE OF THE ENTIRE BASE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT.
WELL, I THINK THIS DESERVES A DISCUSSION AND AFTER WE'RE FINISHED WITH OUR BUDGET PROCESS FOR, UH, NEXT YEAR, I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA START PLANNING FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
AND SO AT THAT POINT IN TIME IS WHEN I THINK WE NEED TO, UM, ADDRESS THIS, UH, WITH THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE THE PLENTY OF TIME TO, UM, DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET THIS OUT ON THE, TO GET THE REVENUE THAT WE NEED.
WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING? MOTION TO ADJOURN BY CHAIR.