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[B. Warren County Sheriff's Office Certificates Presentation]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.WELCOME TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING AGAIN, JULY 11TH, 2023.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WORK SESSION AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR AGENDA.
SO THE FIRST ITEM IS THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CER CERTIFICATES PRESENTATION.
I AM TINA SUMTER WITH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
I BRING GREETINGS AND CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION, SECRETARY OF PUBLIC SAFETY, TERRY COLE AND DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE JACKSON MILLER.
ALL ACCREDITATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO MEASURE AND CONFIRM THE COMPLIANCE OF THE ORGANIZATION WITH THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS.
IT IS ONE OF ONLY MANY MEANS BY WHICH CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS CAN BE ASSURED THAT AN AGENCY IS MAINTAINING ETHICAL STANDARDS AND BENCHMARKS, A PERFORMANCE TO WHICH THE COMMUNITY HAS A RIGHT TO EXPECT.
SHERIFF MARK BUTLER MADE THIS COMMITMENT TO PURSUE THE GOAL OF ATTAINING STATE ACCREDITATION.
BETWEEN APRIL THE THIRD TO APRIL THE FIFTH OF 2023, A TEAM OF HIGHLY TRAINED ASSESSORS WAS SENT TO EVALUATE EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THIS PROCESS INVOLVES TO THE REVIEW OF ADMINISTRATIVE, OPERATIONAL TRAINING AND PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH INCLUDES 191 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, OVER 570 BULLETS AUDIT OF THEIR PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE, AND CONDUCTED A RIDE.
ALONG WITH DEPUTY CHA ROCKMAN.
THE ASSESSMENT TEAM INTERVIEWED AGENCY PERSONNEL AND EXAMINED ALL ASPECTS OF SHERIFF BUTLER'S OFFICE.
THE ASSESSMENT TEAM RECOGNIZES THAT AN ACCREDITATION MANAGER MUST BELIEVE IN THIS PROCESS TO BE VERY ORGANIZED, PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS AND WORK HAND IN HAND WITH COMMAND STAFF AND THEIR ACCREDITATION MANAGER BEN JOST ENTAILS THESE TRAITS.
UM, THAT WAS NOTED IN THE, UM, FINAL REPORT THAT THE ASSESSORS, UM, SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSION.
I'M HERE TO RECOGNIZE THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCELLENCE IN THEIR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS OF THE VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCREDITATION PROGRAM.
AND OUT OF NEARLY 400 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN VIRGINIA, YOUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAME THE 103RD AGENCY ACCREDITED IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
THIS IS A TREMENDOUS HONOR FOR YOUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
IN HOPE SHERIFF MARK BUTLER AND THE MEMBERS OF THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS SUCCESSFULLY MET THESE STANDARDS.
I CONGRATULATE THEM ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND I AM PROUD TO PRESENT THEM WITH THEIR CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION FROM THE VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS COMMISSION.
UM, SINCE THE DAY WE WALKED IN, UH, WE FACED OBSTACLES THAT NOT MANY SHERIFF'S OFFICES HAD.
UM, THIS WAS NOT DONE BY ONE PERSON.
THIS WAS DONE BY AN ENTIRE TEAM DEDICATED TO BEING THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE.
AND I COULD NOT BE PROUDER OF EVERY ASPECT OF THAT WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
MY NAME AGAIN IS TINA SUMTER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
I AM HONORED THIS EVENING TO BE FOR YOU TO PRESENT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH A CERT CERTIFICATION.
BUT BEFORE I PRESENT THE CERTIFICATE, LET ME GIVE YOU A BRIEF HISTORY ON THE CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
THE CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITIES PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION IN 1998, EXECUTIVE ORDER WHERE GIL GOVERNOR GILMORE CHARGED THE COMMISSION
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WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADVISING HIM ON NEW INITIATIVES.THESE INITIATIVES WERE TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY SAFETY, PARTICULARLY YOUTH AND FAMILY SAFETY.
THE COMMISSION ASKED THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO RECOMMEND PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVES AT THE LOCAL LEVELS.
FROM THE 1993 CRIME COMMISSION STUDY, CERTIFY CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITIES PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED AND APPROVED OUT OF ALL THE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT VIRGINIA, INCLUDING WARREN COUNTY, THERE IS A TOTAL OF 12 CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITIES TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION.
THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SUBMITTED APPLICATION FOR INITIAL CERTIFICATION.
THEY HAD TO MEET 19 COMMUNITY SAFETY ELEMENTS THAT INCLUDED 12 CORE ELEMENTS AND A MINIMUM OF SEVEN OPTIONAL SAFETY ELEMENTS.
THIS ISN'T AN EASY TASK IN THE, AND IT TAKES TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DEDICATION, NOT ONLY FROM THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT FROM YOUR WHOLE COMMUNITY.
WARREN COUNTY'S APPLICATION HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED GROWTH, INNOVATION, AND FINDING WAYS TO BRIDGE THE IDENTIFY GAPS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT WARREN COUNTY WITH YOUR CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITY CERTIFICATE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UM, SERGEANT TERRY FRITZ, MAJOR JEFF DRISCOLL, AND THE SHERIFF BUTLER FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
I'VE WORKED FOR ONE OF THE 12 AGENCIES FOR COMMUNITY POLICING, AND THAT'S WHERE I LEARNED REALLY TRUE POLICING.
YOU'LL NEVER MAKE THE STREETS SAFE IF YOU DON'T GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE AGENCY I LEFT HAD IT AND LOST IT AND DIDN'T WANNA BRING IT BACK.
COMMUNITY POLICING IS WHAT HAS HELPED ME OVER MY CAREER.
SHUT DOWN HUMAN TRAFFICKING RINGS, DRUG TRAFFICKING RINGS, AND OTHERS BY COMMUNITY POLICING.
THIS ISN'T THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AWARD.
THIS IS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY'S AWARD FROM OUR COURTS TO THE DRUG COURT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE WORKED HARD ON TO THE YOUTH ACADEMY THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING TO SO MANY OTHER THINGS TO REACH OUT TO THE SENIOR CENTERS AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THE COMMUNITY POLICING HAS BEEN HUGE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND TO GET THIS AWARD TO BE IN THE TOP 3% OF VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, WARREN COUNTY SHOULD BE VERY PROUD CUZ THE TARNISH IS NO LONGER ON THE BADGE.
WELL, I JUST WANNA THANK OUR SHERIFF AND THE DEPARTMENT FOR EVERY YOU, EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK UNDER, UM, OUR SHERIFF'S LEADERSHIP, IT'S REALLY BROUGHT US A LONG, A LONG WAY FROM BACK IN 2018 WHEN WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH A SCANDAL.
SO I WANNA THANK, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, WHAT YOUR PEOPLE DO FOR US, HAVING FOLKS HERE WATCHING OVER OUR MEETINGS, SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, WATCHING OVER OUR JUDGES, WATCHING OVER ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY MY SENIORS.
WE REALLY NEED, WE REALLY NEED, UM, THAT SUPPORT AND THE YOUTH.
SO AGAIN, FROM MY HEART, THANK YOU.
I CANNOT SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE, SO THIS IS FOR ME.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA SAY ANYTHING? JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT SHERIFF BUTLER AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SAME LAST NAME.
HIS FAMILY CAME FROM THE GOOD SIDE OF THE TRACKS.
SO THE, UH, BUT, UH, I THINK THAT HE'S DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
HE'S A BIG PLUS FOR THIS, UH, THIS COMMUNITY AND WE ARE NOTHING BUT LUCKY TO HAVE HIM.
SO, THANK YOU, UH, SHERIFF, AND THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NOPE.
UM, CAN WE HAVE PICTURES? THAT'S UP TO YOU, MA'AM.
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WELL, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A PICTURE.HEY, AD TELL HIM HE CANNOT LEAVE THIS ROOM WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I'M UP HERE.
I CAN'T THANK HEY SWEETIE, I'M GLAD.
DID YOU, DID YOU GET MY NOTE THIS MORNING? DID YOU AND MAR MARLENE GET MY NOTE THIS MORNING? I DON'T YOU.
HE'S A FULL TIME JOB AND CHIN FOR THE VIRGINIA
[C. Presentation - Virginia Inland Port]
INLAND PORT.HOW'S IT GOING? GOOD EVENING, CHAIR COOK.
IT'S TRULY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS GULLICKSON.
I'M DIRECTOR OF, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION POLICY AT THE PORT OF VIRGINIA.
AND, UH, DEFINITELY WANT TO COMMEND, UH, THE SHERIFF.
WELL, A REALLY WONDERFUL RECOGNITION AND IT'S REALLY SPECIAL TO SEE THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY TURN OUT AND, UH, KUDOS TO HIM AND HIS, HIS DEPUTIES.
SO, UH, THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING.
UM, SO I THOUGHT I'D TAKE, UH, NOT TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME, BUT DEFINITELY I REALLY VALUE THIS TIME TO JUST STAND HERE BEFORE YOU AND, AND KINDA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, ON THE PORT OF VIRGINIA AND THEN OF COURSE, THE VIRGINIA INLAND PORT, YOUR VIRGINIA LIMB PORT HERE IN, IN WARREN COUNTY.
AND, AND THEN TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY, BOTH RIGHT HERE IN THE COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE NETWORK THAT THE PORT OF VIRGINIA SUPPORTS.
SO, UM, I HOPEFULLY, UH, WILL, UM, HAPPY
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TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.UH, I HAVE SOME SLIDES TO RUN THROUGH, BUT AGAIN, UH, HAPPY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, UH, HERE THIS EVENING AND, AND, AND PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION.
UH, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OR A SENSE OF WHAT THE PORT OF VIRGINIA REPRESENTS, AND WE SAY THAT IT REALLY REPRESENTS SIX FACILITIES, UH, SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
OUR FOUR PRIMARY FACILITIES RESIDE DOWN IN THE HAMPTON ROSE HARBOR, UH, DOWN IN NORFOLK AND PORTSMOUTH.
THAT'S WHERE, UH, THE MAJORITY OF OUR CONTAINER TRAFFIC IS LOADED AND OFFLOADED.
IN FACT, ALL CONTAINER TRAFFIC IS LOADED AND OFFLOADED THERE AT THE MARINE TERMINALS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A BRAKE BULK FACILITY, WHICH IS FOR CARGO THAT DOESN'T GO INTO AN ACTUAL CONTAINER.
IT ACTUALLY IS MORE CONVENTIONAL, SORT OF GOES IN THE HALL OF THE VESSEL OR IT ROLLS ON AND OFF THE SHIP.
AND THAT'S DONE IN NEWPORT NEWS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A REALLY EXCITING PROJECT UNDERWAY, UH, THERE AT PORTSMOUTH MARINE TERMINAL.
UM, AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE REPURPOSING ONE OF OUR LEGACY FACILITIES TO SUPPORT THE EMERGING OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF THE COMMONWEALTH TIED TO, UM, OFFSHORE WIND DEVELOPMENT, IN PARTICULAR THE COASTAL VIRGINIA OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT, UH, OFF THE COAST OF VIRGINIA BEACH.
BUT WE ALSO RUN TWO INLAND FACILITIES.
WE HAVE A RIVER FACILITY, UH, RICHMOND MARINE TERMINAL, BUT REALLY OUR, OUR INLAND FACILITY THAT REALLY GIVES US THE MOST, UH, RECOGNITION AND IS ONE THAT, UH, WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, WAS RIGHT HERE IN, IN IN FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY.
AND THAT'S THE VIRGINIA INLAND PORT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE STOOD THAT FACILITY UP IN THE LATE EIGHTIES.
UM, AND IT HAS BEEN REALLY A GEM TO NOT ONLY US AS THE COMMONWEALTH, BUT IS REALLY ONE OF THESE FACILITIES.
A LOT OF PORTS HAVE LOOKED AT AND REPLICATED, UH, AND HAS REALLY PROVEN TO BE A SUCCESS.
AND WE THINK ABOUT MOVING COMMERCE, UH, MOVING FREIGHT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY CREATING JOBS AND INVESTMENT, UH, FOR A COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S, UH, REALLY HAS BEEN SEEN AND, AND AND EXPERIENCED RIGHT HERE, UM, IN, IN WARREN COUNTY.
SO THROUGHOUT THE COVID, WHICH, UH, IT'S CRAZY TO THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT EXPERIENCE AND, AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, THE SADNESS THAT COMES ALONG, UH, WITH, UH, THOSE WHO, UM, SUFFERED AND, AND, AND, AND NOT FORGOTTEN.
UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE, THE WORLD OF COMMERCE, THE WORLD OF SHIPPING, UH, CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
UM, AND, AND IT WAS A VERY, UM, I WOULD SAY CHAOTIC TIME FOR SOME PORTS AND, AND SOME FACILITIES.
UH, AND IN THROUGH THAT TIME WE REALLY COINED SOMETHING IN VIRGINIA CALLED THE VIRGINIA MODEL.
AND IT WAS REALLY PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS WE WERE SO SUCCESSFUL AND SAW FREIGHT CONTINUE TO FLOW AND MOVE INTO COMMERCE WITH CRITICAL STUFF THAT WE WERE ALL REALLY NEEDING AT THAT TIME.
UH, WE WERE WITHOUT ONE PORT THAT REALLY WAS PRODUCTIVE, UH, AND NOT EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALL SAW MAYBE ON 60 MINUTES, YOU KNOW, AND, AND YOU SAW THE SHIPS OFF THE PORT THERE AND, AND THE WEST COAST, UH, IN FACT, VIRGINIA STAYED VERY FLUID.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S THE VIRGINIA MODEL.
SO I'LL JUST WALK US THROUGH THAT REAL QUICK.
OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT THE STATE PORT AUTHORITY, UM, AND, AND WE OBVIOUSLY OWN, UH, THE FACILITIES.
UH, WE OWN THE FACILITY HERE IN WARREN COUNTY, OR WE LEASE THE FACILITY, FOR INSTANCE, IN RICHMOND.
THE RICHMOND MARINE TERMINAL IS STILL OWNED BY THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
WE RENT THAT FACILITY, OR VIRGINIA NATIONAL GATEWAY THERE IN PORTSMOUTH, ONE OF OUR PRIMARY CONTAINER FACILITIES WE'RE THE TENANT, BUT THE PORT OF VIRGINIA REALLY IS, UH, THE BODY THAT CONTROLS THE SIX FACILITIES.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE OPERATIONS, WE'RE THE OPERATORS.
SO HERE WE HAVE COLLEAGUES, UH, SAW THEM THIS AFTERNOON.
WE'LL SEE 'EM TOMORROW, UH, HERE IN WARREN COUNTY THAT ARE RUNNING THE VIRGINIA PORT.
THEY'RE PORT EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE PART OF THE VIRGINIA TEAM, AND THEY'RE PART OF THAT VIRGINIA MODEL.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE SEE A CONTAINER, IT'S A METAL BOX AND IT MOVES FREIGHT.
BUT JUST THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THAT AND THE, THE FLUIDITY AND THE AUTOMATION AND WHAT VIRGINIA HAS WHEN IT COMES TO ACTUALLY HOW WE MOVE THAT PRODUCT IN OUR FACILITIES IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO HAVE VISIBILITY THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE IN OTHER TERMINALS AND OTHER PORTS.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE TECHNOLOGY AND I THINK AS WE ALL EXPERIENCE THE FACT THAT WE'RE BUYING STUFF RIGHT OFF OUR PHONE, POSSIBLY SITTING HERE, HOPEFULLY NOT DURING THIS MEETING, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, E-COMMERCE AND TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THINGS SO DRASTICALLY.
I MEAN, AT THE PORT WE REALLY ADAPTED TO TECHNOLOGY.
AND IN FACT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU EVER TO VISIT ONE OF OUR CONTAINER HANDLING FACILITIES, WHICH I WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO COME DOWN AND SEE, WE RUN SEMI-AUTOMATED CONTAINER HANDLING FACILITIES, MEANING THERE'S A HIGH AMOUNT OF AUTOMATION WHEN THAT BOX IS MOVING IN THE YARD.
SO FROM THE, ONCE IT'S PUT IN THE YARD FROM THE MARINE SIDE COMING OFF THE VESSEL UNTIL WHEN IT'S LOADED ON A TRUCK OR LOADED TOWARDS THE TRAIN, BUT STILL THERE'S A, A TRUCK MOVE INVOLVED.
UM, THERE IS SEMI AUTOMATION HANDLING, SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN AMAZON WAREHOUSE IS WHAT WE CALL IT, BUT IT'S, IT'S MOVING OCEAN SHIPPING CONTAINERS, ASSETS AND EQUIPMENT.
AND I'M GONNA TOUCH ON JUST HOW ASSETS AND EQUIPMENT IS CRITICAL.
WE ARE INVESTING HEAVY IN, IN, IN EXPANDING.
UH, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW, BUT WE CAN'T STOP NOW.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, THE ONE THAT, UH, PERSONALLY IT'S ONE THAT WE, WE REALLY IS A BIG DEAL.
UH, WE RUN A FLEET OF ABOUT 20,000 INTERMODAL CHASSIS.
AND I KNOW, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN MUCH, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, UH, WHEN, WHEN WE THINK BACK AGAIN TOWARDS 2021, UH, SOME OF THOSE REAL CHOKE POINTS EXISTED
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AFTER ALL THE WAREHOUSES GOT FULL AND ALL THE TERMINALS WERE FULL, BUT THERE WAS STILL CARGO COMING OFF THE VESSELS.AND NOW THE TRAILERS ARE FULL.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TRAILER TO MOVE A CONTAINER, YOU GOT A PROBLEM.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING IN VIRGINIA, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DILIGENT AND OVER 20 YEARS WE'VE RUN A CHASSIS POOL,
AND I TELL YOU, THE CUSTOMERS BOY DID THEY APPRECIATE THAT SPEED TO MARKET IS CRITICAL, MORE SO THAN EVER.
NOW VIRGINIA IS SO BLESSED MID-ATLANTIC LOCATION.
WE HAVE WONDERFUL ACCESS TO THE NORTHEAST, WE'VE GOT GREAT ACCESS DOWN INTO THE SOUTHEAST, AND OF COURSE THE GROWING MID-ATLANTIC REGION.
UM, AND SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN PRETTY MUCH HIT TWO THIRDS OR 70% OF THE US POPULATION WITHIN A THOUSAND MILE OR TWO DAY TRUCK DRIVE, UH, FROM ANY OF OUR TERMINALS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UM, POPULATION CONSUMES FREIGHT, UM, AS DOES MANUFACTURING.
THE MANUFACTURING BASE, BOTH IN VIRGINIA AND THROUGHOUT THE, THE OHIO VALLEY.
AND, AND, AND THROUGH THE MIDWEST, WE'RE SUPPORTING ALL FUNCTIONS OF COMMERCE.
AND SO HAVING THAT INLAND REACH IS SO CRITICAL.
AND THEN HAVING THIS LOCAL REACH, I THINK OF, UH, THE VIRGINIA PORT.
UM, I GREW UP IN SANDOVAL, VIRGINIA, DOWN 66.
AND TO THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A GROWING AREA OF THE DC, MARYLAND, AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA AREA THAT CONSUMES SO MUCH CARGO.
AND TO HAVE THAT CARGO COMING UP HERE TO THE VIRGINIA LIMB PORT AND TO SERVE THOSE MARKETS, UH, IS, IS REALLY, IS CRITICAL AND, AND IT'S A REAL VALUE AND IT'S ALSO A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO ALEVE THAT STRESS ON THE HIGHWAYS AND CONGESTION.
JUST TO THINK OF ALL THE, YOU KNOW, TRUCKS THAT ARE COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THAT FREIGHT IS MOVING, UH, VIA RAIL FROM DOWN IN THE HARBOR UP TO THE VIRGINIA PORT.
IT'S NOT TO SAY A TRUCK IS INVOLVED, TRUCK IS STILL A CRITICAL PART OF MOVING THE FREIGHT OFF THE TERMINAL, BUT IT IS, UH, A REAL NICE VALUE ADD, UM, A SOLUTION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR.
WE HAD A RECORD YEAR LAST YEAR.
UM, WE REALLY, IT WAS AMAZING JUST TO SEE THE LEVEL OF, OF ACTIVITY.
UM, THERE AT THE PORT OF VIRGINIA, WE HAD 3.7 MILLION, UH, TEUS, THAT'S THE ONE, HOPEFULLY THE ONLY PIECE OF JARGON I'LL PUT OUT THERE TONIGHT.
UM, THAT STANDS FOR 20 FOOT EQUIVALENT UNITS.
UH, THAT'S HOW WE MEASURE THE CONTAINERS.
MOST OF THE BOXES YOU SEE OUT ON THE HIGHWAY, SAY THAT AGAIN.
T E U IT STANDS FOR 20 FOOT EQUIVALENT UNIT.
I ALWAYS JOKE A MARKETER CAME UP WITH THAT BECAUSE WE MOVE MAINLY FORTIES.
UM, SO EVERY BOX IS LIKE, YOU'RE COUNTING IT TWICE, YOU KNOW, CUZ IT'S, UH, A 40 FOOT BOX.
UM, AND SO WE DID 3.7 MILLION, UH, TEUS.
UM, AND THAT REALLY AGAIN, UH, ON TOP OF A YEAR WHERE WE HAD, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A 15% GROWTH.
SO I MEAN, WE WENT FROM ABOUT A 3 MILLION, UH, ANNUAL TE VOLUME AND, AND THE YEAR OF, UH, 2019 CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, AND BY THE END OF CALENDAR YEAR 2022, WE HAD GROWN THAT VOLUME AT 3.7 MILLION.
THAT'S SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT.
UM, AND, BUT I TELL YOU THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY DO THAT IS BECAUSE OF PAST INVESTMENTS THAT THE COMMONWEALTH HAD MADE STRATEGICALLY IN THE PORTS.
AND THAT WAS THROUGH OPTIMIZATION AND ADDING THE AUTOMATION, AS I DESCRIBED TO YOU EARLIER, UM, BOTH AT N I T SOUTH NORFOLK INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL SOUTH, ON THAT PARTICULAR FOOTPRINT, UH, WE DID AN OPTIMIZATION, UH, AND IT WAS COMPLETED JUST DURING THE MIDPOINT OF LIKE 21, EARLY 21.
WE HAD BROUGHT ALL THAT CAPACITY.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, GOOD TIMING ON OUR PART THAT WE HAD THIS ADDED CAPACITY, WHICH HELPED US ACHIEVE, UH, THOSE NUMBERS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH? AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY OBVIOUSLY WHAT IS SO CRITICAL AS WE MOVE THE VIRGINIA ECONOMY AT THE PORT OF VIRGINIA.
UH, WE DID AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY, UH, LOOKING AT OUR FISCAL YEAR 21 NUMBERS, UH, AND OUR FISCAL OVER AND TOOK OUR FISCAL 22 NU 22 NUMBERS OVER FISCAL YEAR 21.
AND YOU CAN JUST SEE, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD, IF IT'S FROM TONNAGE, OUR TONNAGE GREW BY 11%.
IF IT'S OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOBS, WE COULD, WE HAVE 560,000 JOBS HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH ARE SUPPORTED BY ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PORT OF VIRGINIA.
THAT'S ONE IN 10 JOBS HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
TIE BACK TO THE ACTIVITY AT THE PORT.
AND IT'S EXCITING TO BE HERE IN THE COUNTY IN WARREN COUNTY WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE 220 MILES FROM WHAT PEOPLE PERCEIVE AS BEING THE PORT OF VIRGINIA.
AND YOU'RE, THERE'S THAT BENEFIT RIGHT HERE, UH, TO NORTHERN CHAND VALLEY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, WE HAVE INCREASE IN, IN SALES AND, AND TAXES.
THAT'S GONNA BE TAXES, UH, AND FEES.
SO THAT'S ABOUT 5.8 BILLION, UM, IN STATE AND LOCAL TAXES AND FEES.
SO THAT'S AGAIN, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER, UH, THAT THE PORT IS SUPPORTING AND, AND AND SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS, I THIS EYE CHART HERE, AND I DON'T EXPECT WE CAN'T SEE EVERY COMPANY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, HERE IN WARREN COUNTY, THERE'S SOME REAL STAPLE RECOGNIZED NAMES HERE IN THE COUNTY THAT HAVE PRESENCE OUTSIDE THE VIRGINIA INLAND PORT.
SO IF IT'S, UH, TORE PLASTICS, IF IT'S NATURE'S TOUCH, IF IT'S FAMILY DOLLAR, UM, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY CUSTOMERS OF THE PORT AND EMPLOYERS OF THE CITIZENS HERE OF THE COUNTY.
AND THOSE ARE COMPANIES THAT ARE LISTED UP THERE ALONG WITH A, A WHOLE
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LIST OF, OF COMPANIES ALL THROUGHOUT MARYLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIA AND EVEN PENNSYLVANIA, THAT ARE USING YOUR VIRGINIA IMPORT TODAY.UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THE VIRGINIA IMPORT, IT'S UPWARDS OF A BILLION DOLLARS IN A CAPITAL INVESTMENT HAS BEEN INDUCED AFTER THE PORT OF THE VIRGINIA IMPORT WAS ESTABLISHED, THAT'S LIKE 39 COMPANIES.
WE'RE TALKING SIX, 7,000 JOBS ASSOCIATED TO ACTIVITY OF COMMERCE FLOWING THROUGH THE VIRGINIA EL PORT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYMENT IS, IS CRITICAL.
AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN EYE CHART, BUT I, I'LL JUST HIT ON A COUPLE, UH, POINTS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT'S CHANGED, UM, AS WE, AS CONSUMERS HAVE CHANGED, THE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE WAREHOUSES ARE CHANGING AND A LOT OF ASSOCIATED WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HIGH LEVEL OF AUTOMATION IN TODAY'S WAREHOUSE.
IT'S, IT'S NO LONGER, UH, SITUATION OF JUST, UH, A, A FORKLIFT AND A PALLET JACK, BUT THE LEVEL OF AUTOMATION AND TECHNOLOGY AND INVENTORY TRACKING THAT TAKES PLACE IS SIGNIFICANT.
AND SO AS THAT PROFESSION AND AND NEED FOR THOSE TYPE OF INDIVIDUALS HAS INCREASED WELL HERE IN THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY, WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK IN THOSE JOBS AS WELL.
UM, IN FACT, IF WE LOOK AT FROM 99, UH, TO 2022, AND THIS IS ALL COMES FROM THE, THE BLS, THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THERE WAS 1500 NEW JOBS HERE IN THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME WITHIN THE WAREHOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION SPACE.
UM, AND REALLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2022 PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT SNAPSHOT FOR, AGAIN, THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY, THERE'S ABOUT 6,000 JOBS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH WAREHOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION HERE IN THIS REGION.
SO AGAIN, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK 20 YEARS AGO THERE WAS A PERCEPTION.
AND TODAY'S WAREHOUSE IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAREHOUSE.
THESE, UH, THE, THE WAGES OBVIOUSLY HAVE ALSO, UH, INCREASED.
UM, IN FACT, YOU KNOW, IN VIRGINIA TYPICAL, UH, WAREHOUSING, DISTRIBUTION JOB, YOU KNOW, IS ABOUT, UH, 92 CENTS, UH, 92% OF WHAT A MANUFACTURING, CUZ I KNOW WE ALL ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND THAT'S CRITICAL.
THERE ARE GREAT ADVANCED MANUFACTURERS HERE IN THE COUNTY.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE THINK ABOUT HOUSING DISTRIBUTION, UH, THE, THE WAGES ON THOSE JOBS ARE ALSO, UH, INCREASING TO PROVIDING A LIVING WAGE.
WE CAN'T AT THE PORT AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMON COMMONWEALTH CONTINUE TO GROW IF WE DON'T INVEST.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A VERY, UH, A VERY, I THINK, SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT PROGRAM IN PLACE.
ONE THAT'S GONNA, UH, ADD A CAPACITY, BUT IT'S ALSO GONNA CONTINUE TO DRIVE THAT GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY.
SO LET'S HIT A COUPLE, UM, DREDGING.
AND THAT'S ONE, UH, IT'S MORE, UH, REALIZED AND ENJOYED BY THE, THE BIG VESSELS THAT ARE COMING IN VERSUS ANY OF US REALLY SEEING, UH, THE WATER DEPTH AND IT CHANGING.
YOU KNOW, THESE SHIPS THAT ARE ON THE WATER, WE CALL 'EM ULTRA LARGE CONTAINER VESSELS, UL CVS.
AND, AND THESE SHIPS ARE SOME OVER 1200 FEET LONG.
UM, AND THEY CAN CARRY UPWARDS OF 14, 15,000 TEUS ON THEM.
AND, AND, AND, AND I TELL YOU, THE WAY THAT THESE SHIPS HAVE GROWN AT SUCH AN EXPONENTIAL CLIP, UM, IS, IS BENEFICIAL TO US CUZ WE HAVE DEEP WATER IN VIRGINIA.
UH, WE HAVE LANDSIDE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONLY GETTING LARGER.
IN FACT, THIS PROJECT IS, UH, WILL BE, UH, COMPLETED IN 2024.
AND THIS IS NOT ONLY TO BRING OUR CHANNELS FROM 50 FEET TODAY DOWN TO 55, 56 FEET, BUT IT'S ALSO TO GET THE CHANNEL WIDER.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING, UH, YOU, YOU PROBABLY DON'T SEE ON THE WATER, BUT ULTIMATELY A WIDER CHANNEL ENABLES FOR FLUID TWO-WAY TRAFFIC OF SHIPPING ACTIVITY.
IN FACT, PORTS TODAY, BECAUSE OF, AGAIN, UH, THE WIDTH OF CHANNELS AND THE SIZE OF THESE CONTAINER SHIPS, THEY'RE LIMITED.
AND SO YOU, YOU CANNOT HAVE TWO-WAY TRAFFIC AND YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE A BOAT WEIGHT WHILE THE OTHER ONE COMES IN.
WELL, HAVING THIS TWO-WAY TRAFFIC REALLY JUST PROVIDES MORE FLUIDITY AND PRODUCTIVITY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL, THE FACILITY, THE PORTS THAT WE RUN.
AND SO THIS IS, IS VERY EXCITING TO US AND OPERATIONALLY IT'S JUST GONNA MAKE US EFFICIENT AND BETTER AND CONTINUING TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND THAT'S THE SHIPPING COMPANIES, UH, THE GLOBAL SHIPPING, SHIPPING COMPANIES THAT ARE CALLING THE PORT.
SO RAIL RAIL IS A BIG PART OF OUR BUSINESS.
I, I, I PUT THE BIG NUMBER OUT THERE, 3.7 MILLION, UH, TEUS.
BUT OF THAT, ABOUT A THIRD, IN FACT, 34% MOVES OUT OF OUR FACILITIES ON THE RAIL PORTION OF IT COMES UP HERE TO FRONT ROYAL.
UH, A BIG SHARE OF IT ALSO GOES IN THE MIDWEST MARKETS.
I MENTIONED, UH, CHICAGO, COLUMBUS, LOUISVILLE, KANSAS CITY, DETROIT.
THESE ARE ALL HUMONGOUS RAIL MARKETS THAT WE'RE SERVING HERE FROM VIRGINIA ON THE RAIL.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO INVEST, UH, IN THAT RAIL BUSINESS AND RAIL CAPACITY BECAUSE WE KNOW AS WE GET A DEEPER CHANNEL AND THE BIGGER SHIPS CONTINUE TO CALL VIRGINIA AND BRING US MORE FREIGHT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ARTERIES TO FLOW IT OUT TO COMMERCE.
[00:30:01]
WE'VE GOT A BIG PROJECT AT NORFOLK INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL CALLED THE CENTRAL RAIL YARD.THIS IS GONNA PRETTY MUCH DOUBLE OUR OND DOCK LOADING CAPACITY.
THIS IS A NORFOLK SOUTHERN, UH, SERVE FACILITY.
A LOT OF FREIGHT THAT COMES HERE.
WE'LL COME TO AN IT FIRST AND IT NORTH OPTIMIZATION.
THAT'S OUR NEXT, UH, OPTIMIZATION PROJECT THAT WE HAVE ABOUT TO KICK OFF.
IN FACT, IT IS SORT OF IN THE BEGINNING.
UM, AND IT'S, IT WILL HAVE AN OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING HERE SHORTLY.
BUT THIS PROJECT, UH, IS A 650 MILLION INVESTMENT.
UM, WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN INVESTMENT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF 266 MILLION.
UM, AND, AND THAT REALLY GOT IT KICKSTARTED.
BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TAKING A CONVENTIONAL TERMINAL AND WE'RE PRETTY MUCH TAKING IT AND, AND BUILDING IT BACK TO HANDLE A SEMI-AUTOMATED OPERATING EXPERIENCE.
SO THAT MEANS USING AUTOMATIC STACKING CRANES.
AND SO WE HAVE 18, UH, WE CALL 'EM RMGS.
YEAH, RMGS, ROUND MOUNT GANTRY CRANES OR AUTOMATIC STACKING CRANES.
THOSE ARE THE CRANES THAT MOVE THE BOXES IN THE YARD.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE BRINGING IN, UH, NEW SHIP TO SHORE CRANES.
UH, THE SHIP TO SHORE CRANES, UH, WE HAVE THERE TODAY ARE VERY CAPABLE, BUT WE'RE ALSO IN THE FLIGHT PATH PLA, UH, PATH OF THE NAVY BASIN.
AND THAT'S CRITICAL TO KEEP, UH, UNDER THE FA UH, LIMITS.
AND ALSO, UM, OF COURSE OUR, OUR GREAT NEIGHBOR OF THE NAVY.
AND SO OUR CRANES ARE GONNA CHANGE IN THE WAY THEY'RE DESIGNED AT THAT END OF THE TERMINAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP 'EM BELOW A 200 FOOT, UH, HEIGHT LEVEL, BUT STILL BE ABLE TO GET THE GREATEST PRODUCTIVITY, UH, FROM THE BIG SHIPS THAT ARE, UH, SAILING THE SEAS.
AND THEN WE LOOK HERE IN FRONT ROYAL AND, AND JUST TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, AT THE VIRGINIA LIMB PORT.
AND I'LL START ON THE LEFT AGAIN, A LITTLE HARD TO SEE, BUT THE ROCKLAND ROAD, UH, GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT'S, ONE THAT, UH, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR, UH, QUITE A FEW YEARS.
UH, BUT IT IS CONTINUING TO MAKE, UH, I WOULD SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN PROGRESS.
YOU KNOW, IN FACT, UH, ALL THE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION AT THIS POINT IS COMPLETED.
UM, AND I THINK THEY'LL POST, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY VDOT IS RUNNING THE PROJECT, BUT THEY'LL, I THINK POST IT IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR.
UM, THE ACTUAL CONTRACT, UM, WITH HOPELY, UH, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OF THE GRADE SEPARATION IN, IN 2026.
AND IF YOU RECALL, THIS ALL TIES BACK TO, UM, A GRANT THAT THE PORT RECEIVED FOR ABOUT 15 MILLION, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BEGIN THIS, UH, GRADE SEPARATION, UM, ON ROCKLAND ROAD.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE ADDING TO OUR RAIL CAPACITY ON TERMINAL BECAUSE IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DREDGING, WE'RE GROWING OUR TERMINAL HANDLING CAPACITY, WE'RE ADDING RAIL DOWN IN NORFOLK AND WE HAVE ROBUST RAIL AT AT V I G.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA CONTINUE TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE OUR RAIL EXPERIENCE UP HERE AT THE VIRGINIA INLAND PORT.
SO IT'S APPROXIMATELY ABOUT A 15 MILLION, UH, EXPANSION GOING RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK.
UM, AND THIS WILL AGAIN, UH, ADD MORE TRACK CAPACITY, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK MORE TRAINS IN THE FACILITY, WHICH, UH, IT'S GREAT.
AND IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR SOME OF THE MORE MONITORING EQUIPMENT.
SO RUBBER TIRED GANTRY CRANES, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE, UH, TO, TO OFFLOAD AND, AND LOAD THE TRAINS.
AND SO THIS AGAIN, IS UNDERWAY AS WE SPEAK, UH, AND TRACKING VERY WELL.
AND, AND IT'S GONNA BE PERFECT TIMING AS WE LOOK TOWARDS HOW WE'RE GROWING AS A PORT, UM, AND BEING ABLE TO HANDLE MORE BUSINESS.
NO, I KIND OF TOUCHED ON, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT, I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE YOU PLEASE.
UM, ON THAT PARTICULAR, UH, SLIDE THERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THE YELLOW YES SIR.
IS THAT, ARE YOU ADDING ADDITIONAL TRACK THERE? YES SIR.
WE ARE ABOUT 4,400 FEET, I BELIEVE.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, UM, NORFOLK SOUTHERN TO, TO MAINTAIN THE ABILITY TO ADD TRAINS, BUT ARE WE GONNA HAVE ANY STOPPAGES ON THE, ON THE MAJOR ROUTE GOING INTO THE PORT? WELL, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS EXTRA TRACKAGE, CUZ WE CAN BRING MORE WORKING TRAIN IN THE FACILITY.
AND SO, UM, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE OPERATIONAL OF HOW THEY, I THINK THE TERM IS THEY CALL BREAK THE TRAIN, RIGHT.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, LOAD IT INTO THE FACILITY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL RA UH, TRACK CAPACITY THAT IN FACT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING MORE OF THAT TRAIN IN TO LIMIT THE MAINLINE IMPACT THAT EXISTS WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE CONSEQUENCE OF ISSUES.
THAT'S WHAT MAJOR CONCERN IN THAT ROCKLIN AREA YES, SIR.
AND I, AND I THINK WITH, UH, AGAIN, THIS, THE SUBSTANTIVE COMPLETION OF IN 2026 OF THE GRADE SEPARATION THERE, UM, THERE WILL HOPEFULLY BE A SOLUTION, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED, YOU KNOW, TODAY AND WHEN THOSE GRADE BLOCKAGES HAPPEN.
AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO, UH, FOCUS ON, UH, THE NEEDS OF, OF, OF BEING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS, UH, BOTH COMMERCIALLY AND, UH, ENVIRONMENTALLY.
AND SO WE HAVE A 2040, UH, COMMITMENT TO DECARBONIZE.
[00:35:01]
UM, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE CUZ RAIL, UM, THOUGH, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, USES CARBON BASED FUEL, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TONNAGE, IT'S A VERY EFFICIENT WAY AFTER MOVING VIA SHIP.I THINK RAIL IS REALLY THE MOST, UH, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND EFFICIENT WAY TODAY TO MOVE CARGO, UH, IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND, AND SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO, UH, LOOK AT WAYS TO REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS.
IN FACT, UH, HERE IN 2024, UH, ALL OF OUR ELECTRICITY WE CONSUME AT THE PORT WILL HAVE COME FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR 2040, UH, DATE, WHICH, UM, AS WE KNOW MANY COMPANIES, UH, HAVE SIMILAR DATES AND, AND REALLY BE IN, UH, ON THE FOREFRONT OF PARTNERING WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND AS THEY LOOK TO DRIVE OUT, UM, CARBON FROM THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN, WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO BE IN PART SUPPORTING THAT, UM, IN THEIR EFFORTS TO DECARBONIZE.
AND SO WE'RE VERY ELECTRIFIED ALREADY TODAY.
UH, BUT WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON, ON TECHNOLOGY AND WAYS TO IMPROVE.
AND AS WE ADD NEW ASSETS, ARE THERE WAYS THAT ARE, ARE COMPARABLE AND QUALITY AND OF COURSE MAKING SURE YOU'RE PRICE SENSITIVE, UH, THAT WE CAN FIND A, A MORE SUSTAINABLE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SOLUTION.
AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WANNA, UM, CAUSE I'M HERE, I'M PUT A IN MAYBE SOME, UH, THERE, THERE WAS AN EMAIL THAT WENT OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT, UH, WE ARE GONNA BE DOING AN EVENT, UM, AT LAUREL RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND, UH, JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
IT'S GONNA BE A NEAT, UH, HOPEFULLY AN ALL DAY EVENT WHERE WE'RE GONNA BRING, UH, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UH, VOICES TO TALK ABOUT THE PORT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE TRANSPORTATION DISTRIBUTION AND THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FIELDS OF LOGISTICS AND HOW THESE JOBS ARE GROWING.
UH, THEY'RE GROWING RIGHT HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, AND OPPORTUNITIES, WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, TO CONTINUE THAT GROWTH AND DO IT IN SUCH A FASHION, UH, THAT IT'S, UH, IT'S AGREEABLE TO ALL AND, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY FOSTER AND BUILD THAT PIPELINE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION THAT'S COMING, UH, FOR OPPORTUNITIES AND JOBS.
MORE DETAILS TO COME, UM, ON THE EVENT THAT'S GONNA BE THERE, UH, LOWER RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL STOP AND I'M HAPPY TO FIELD ANY QUESTIONS I HAVE.
UM, WHERE DOES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PLAY INTO THIS? I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AUTOMATION IN YOUR SURE.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING AUTOMATION, YOU'RE, THE NEW UP AND COMING THING OF COURSE IS, YEAH.
IS AI, I, I CAN TELL YOU I'M NOT THE THE IT GUY, BUT I, I KNOW, UH, PREDICTABILITY IS, IS, IS CRITICAL IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN.
AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND AUTOMATION AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO FROM A, A, A SHARING OF DATA PERSPECTIVE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND, AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE OUR CUSTOMER KNOW WHEN THAT CONTAINER IS GONNA CLEAR CUSTOMS OR HAS CLEARED CUSTOMS AND WHEN THEY CAN DISPATCH, UH, THAT, THAT TRACTOR TRAILER, THAT TRUCK DRIVER WHO MIGHT BE NEARBY OR ROUTE 'EM.
SO I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET SMARTER.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE WHOLE AI, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND WHAT YOU READ IN SOME OF THESE HEADLINES, BUT DEFINITELY, UH, WE ARE A VERY HIGHLY AUTOMATED, I CAN ALSO TELL YOU CYBER AND CYBERSECURITY IS A HUGE PART OF, OF THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION.
I MEAN, NUMBER ONE IS SAFETY EVERY DAY, UH, WE ARE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S AN INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE, UH, IS GOING HOME THE SAME WAY THEY ARRIVED TO WORK SAFETY AS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AT THE PORT.
AND THEN YOU ADD ON CYBER, CYBER SAFETY AND CYBERSECURITY, UM, YOU SEE, UH, HEADLINES.
I MEAN, I SAW ARTICLE IN JAPAN JUST THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS, UH, IN ONE OF THE PORTS THEY HAD A CYBER ATTACK.
AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW KEEPS PEOPLE UP AT NIGHT.
UH, WE DO A LOT OF TRAINING INTERNALLY AS EMPLOYEES.
AND SO WE DO A LOT OF TRAINING MONTHLY ON, ON WAYS THAT WE CAN BE SMARTER ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE.
SO BY ALL MEANS, IT'S, IT IS SOMETHING WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY.
UM, AND, AND, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RUNNING THE SAFEST AND SECURES POUR IT OUT THERE.
WELL, I HAD A QUESTION AND MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID.
UM, DID YOU SAY THAT THE PORT IN THAT YOU DON'T OWN THE INLAND PORT? NO.
I I WAS REFERRING TO THE RICHMOND MARINE TERMINAL.
WE DO RENT, UH, WE, IT'S CALLED THE PORT OF RICHMOND.
WE ACTUALLY, UH, THE CITY OF RICHMOND OWNS THAT TERMINAL.
I THOUGHT YOU DID, BUT OH, YES, YOU DIDN'T.
I WAS LIKE, I THAT, I APOLOGIZE.
SO I ATTENDED A CO UM, THE, UM, COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD MEETING, AND I KNOW THEY'RE INVESTING A LOT INTO THE RAIL TRANSPORTATION YES.
TO ALLEVIATE THE, UM, DIFFICULTY THAT 81
AND SO THERE IS DISCUSSION OF ANOTHER INLAND PORT.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE, SO, UH, YES.
THE SECOND INLAND PORT IN VIRGINIA.
SO THERE WAS A STUDY FUNDED, UM, IN THIS LAST, UH, PREVIOUS, I GUESS TWO SESSIONS AGO.
UM, AND WORKING WITH THE V E DP, SO THE PORT OF VIRGINIA AND THE, THE VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP, UH, SORT OF RAN POINT.
[00:40:01]
UH, WE SUPPORTED THEM AND THEY CONDUCTED A STUDY, UH, USING SERVICES FROM A COMPANY BY THE NAME OF MOFFITT AND NICKEL.UH, AND THEY LOOKED AT AREAS HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH WHERE THERE MAY BE, UH, POTENTIAL FOR, UH, INLAND PORT.
UM, AND THEY DID, UH, IDENTIFY, UH, MOUNT ROGERS SERVICE AREA.
SO DOWN IN THAT SORT OF BRISTOL, SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, UH, THAT THERE COULD BE, UH, POTENTIAL FOR, UM, AN INLAND PORT.
AND SO THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE STILL GOING.
UM, AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WILL PROBABLY SEE MORE, UH, DISCUSSIONS AND STUDIES, UM, ON THE POTENTIAL, UH, TO DEVELOP AN INLAND PORT BECAUSE, UM, WHEN THEY WORK, THEY REALLY WORK.
I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S THE EXCITING THING CUZ WE, WE HAVE ONE RIGHT HERE AND, AND GRANTED, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT MAYBE TOOK A LITTLE TIME IN THE BEGINNING.
UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL ARE VERY MUCH IN OUR WORLD TODAY, IMMEDIATELY WE WANNA SEE, YOU KNOW, A SUCCESS OR, UM, WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA BE SUSTAINABLE, UM, FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO REALLY, UH, FINDING THAT LOCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN CARGO IS GONNA BE CRITICAL.
BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS BEING EVALUATED AND STUDIED AS WE SPEAK.
YEAH, I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO THE, THE, UM, DISCUSSION AND IT WAS, UM, IT WAS QUITE AN EXCHANGE BETWEEN WHETHER TO INVEST IN ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE OR TO INVEST IN RAIL AND HOW TO BALANCE BOTH BECAUSE I MEAN, I 81, NOBODY CAN TRAVEL I 81 AND NOT RECOGNIZE THE TRACTOR TRAILER BACKUP THAT IS OCCURRING DAILY YES.
AND SO THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO ALLEVIATE YES.
UM, THAT CONGESTION AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT? YEAH.
I MEAN I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT IT'S NICE THAT RAIL IS BEING PART OF THAT, CUZ I DO THINK RAIL IS PART OF THE SOLUTION.
UM, AND, AND SO EXCITING FOR US BECAUSE OF OUR INLAND PORT.
SO YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT BRINGING SOME, UM, CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WHERE WOULD OUR COMMUNITY GO TO TO FIND OUT WHAT TYPE OF JOBS THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE OUT IN, IN YOUR AREA? SURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU KNOW, OUR WEBSITE IS A, A GOOD STARTING POINT.
UM, WE HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT, UH, TAB AND WE HAVE JOBS POSTED.
UM, I KNOW RECENTLY WE FILLED SOME ROLES UP HERE MM-HMM.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST WAY.
AND THEN I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE IN EVENTS LIKE THE ONE AUGUST 30TH OR IF IT'S THE WORLD OF WORKS EVENT.
I KNOW I TALKED TO JOE PETTY ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY SO IT'S NOT JUST, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CURRENT, UH, FOLKS, BUT THEN THE NEXT GENERATION MM-HMM.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY PROACTIVE, BUT OF COURSE, UM, OUR WEBSITE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UM, IF SOMEONE WAS INTERESTED, LIKE ALWAYS EMAIL IN, THERE'S AN INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE A VERY RESPONSIVE GROUP AND, AND I ALSO COULD TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT LAUREL RIDGE IN MILTON A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND JUST TO SEE THE TRAINING THAT WAS HAPPENING THERE WITH, UH, FOLKS GETTING THEIR CDL LICENSE.
AND THAT WAS, THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
AND, AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT THERE'S A WAY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO, TO CHANGE JOBS AND TO FIND SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND TO FIND SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO, I THINK, REWARDING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE TRUCK DRIVING CAN PROVIDE.
UM, AND TO HAVE A FACILITY LIKE THEY HAVE THERE IN MIDDLETON AND AFTER A 40 HOUR TRAINING, WHICH IS ABOUT ONE WEEK THAT AN INDIVIDUAL COULD BE POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, GETTING NEAR A POINT OF EARNING A CDL.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CUZ IT IS OBVIOUSLY SO CRITICAL TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES A PART OF THAT TRAINING, UM, OF WHERE THOSE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS EXIST, UH, THERE IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL.
SO I'D SAY HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY, THERE ARE THOSE AREAS WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN PLUG IN TO JUST WORKFORCE TRAINING AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL.
UM, BUT YEAH, I'M DEFINITELY EXCITED FOR WATER WORKS.
THAT'S A, A REALLY COOL EVENT.
I KNOW WE'VE DONE A COUPLE, I'VE PARTICIPATED IN DOWN IN HAMPTON ROADS.
UM, SO HAPPY TO, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL PARTICIPATE IN ONE COMING UP, UH, HERE LATER IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO YOUR WEBSITE IS WHAT? UH, PORTER VIRGINIA.COM.
I WILL ADD THAT THE AVERAGE SALARY FOR SOMEBODY WITH A CDL LICENSE STARTING IS $60,000 A YEAR.
AND THAT BECAUSE THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE TO DRIVE.
UM, I WAS TALKING TO AN, AN EMPLOYER WHO TOLD ME THAT IF THEY COULD HIRE 20, THEY COULD EMPLOY ALL OF THEM.
SO THAT CDL LICENSE IS CRITICAL TO THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND I THINK THAT EVEN IS CHANGING, UH, WITH TECHNOLOGY AND, AND, AND, AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE FROM DRIVER
[00:45:01]
ASSISTANCE.AND, UH, IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT OVER TIME AGAIN, THEY ARE STARTING TO ADAPT TO DIFFERENT, UH, LEVELS OF TECHNOLOGY AND HOW CRITICAL AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THROUGH COVID WE'VE ALL REALLY, I MEAN, REALIZED JUST HOW FRAGILE MAYBE THE SUPPLY CHAIN WAS AND JUST HOW IMPORTANT THIS SUPPLY CHAIN WAS TO SHORTEN UP.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOPE.
WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND, AND, AND THIS WAS GOOD FOR ME CUZ I KNOW WHEN WE WENT TO A WORKSHOP YES.
AND I GREW UP IN THE DAY IN THE STOCK ROOM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE YOU'RE PULLING BOXES YEAH.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN, UM, EVENTUALLY, UH, THE COMPANY THAT I WORKED WITH DID, UM, INVEST IN AUTOMATION, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY WOULD IT, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE LIKE A BIG OLD ROBOT.
AND SO WHEN I WENT TO YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WAS IT? YEAH, YEAH.
AND I SAW IT AND I WENT, OH MY GOD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT PULLING A BOX ANYMORE, IT'S ACTUALLY OPERATING A, UM, A A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
SO IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE AND I THINK, UH, IT'S, IT'S EXCITING THAT IT'S HAPPENING HERE.
SO MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT TOPIC.
[D. Discussion - Avtex Trail Update - Jorie Martin]
IT'S THE AVTEX TRAIL UPDATE WITH JO MARTIN.SO MA'AM, UH, WE REQUEST THE BOARD STRIKE AGENDA CONFERENCE PEOPLE, THEIR REQUIREMENTS CLEAR AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
IS THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DR.
WHAT DID WE DO IF WE DON'T USE THE GRANT MONEY FOR THE AFEC TRAIL BY THE END OF 23? ISN'T THAT OUR DEADLINE FOR THAT TOURISM? YES, IT IS THE DEADLINE.
AND UM, WHAT OUR INTENT WAS, IF CAN BE DEVELOPED, SOMEBODY WAS GOING ENGINEERING, WE WOULD GO THE, TO DO THAT PRESENTATION.
SO NO MATTER WHAT ENTITY DEVELOPING THE TRAIL, THAT PART, THIS CONVERSATION ON THE PHONE, THAT BECOMES VERY, UH, THAT IS GONNA HAPPEN IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SHIFTING ACTIVITIES AND WE ARE ABLE TO REAPPLY OR RE-SHIFT BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD TO DESCRIBE OUR PROJECT IN DETAIL.
YEAH, SO WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO MOVE THE FEX TRAIL FORWARD IF WE CAN.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S PRELIMINARY WORK THAT WE CAN DO REGARDLESS OF THE ENTITY, REGARDLESS OF THE TIME, START MOVING THAT FORWARD.
BUT IF WE NEED TO MOVE IT, WE'LL WANT TO DO IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO SEND OUR PLAN TO VTC FOR APPROVAL TO DO THAT, UM, AND KEEP THAT MOVING FORWARD.
SO I AM ALREADY KIND OF LOOKING AT THAT JUST IN CASE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN USE THIS FOR THE APTEX TRAIL FOR PRELIMINARY WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE REGARDLESS.
SO THURSDAY WHEN WE MEET ON SITE WITH FMC AND PARSONS, WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE I THINK FROM THAT CONVERSATION.
JOE, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SEND US AN EMAIL, UM, AFTER THAT MEETING? YEP.
YEAH, THAT AND WE'RE THANK YOU AND IS AND OUTSIDE OF EVEN AFEC TRAIL TALKING ABOUT TOURISM, YOU KNOW, I'M WORKING WITH ALYSSA FINANCE, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE ALL THAT ARPA MONEY GETS, GETS SPENT.
I MEAN WE HAVE IT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE USE IT.
[00:50:01]
EXACTLY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? VERY GOOD.
[E. Discussion - Compensation Structure Change to Pay Bands - Jane Meadows]
DISCUSSION TOPIC.IT'S THE COMPENSATION STRUCTURE CHANGE TO PAY BANDS.
SO EARLIER THIS YEAR WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PAY FOR PERFORMANCE AND THIS IS JUST A CONTINUATION OF THAT CONVERSATION.
WE CURRENTLY USE A STEP GRADE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE OUR TEAM.
SO WE HAVE 26 DIFFERENT PAY GRADES FOR THE PRIMARY COUNTY.
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL, UM, 12 FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THEN ALSO AN ADDITIONAL NINE FOR FIRE AND RESCUE.
AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS A LITTLE MORE AND ACTUALLY MOVE TO A PAY BAND, WHICH CREATES A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO COMPENSATING OUR TEAM FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
UM, IT WILL MAKE US A LITTLE MORE COMPETITIVE.
SO I'LL GO INTO SOME OF THE INS AND OUTS OF PAY BANDS AND THEN SEE WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WISH TO BASICALLY PURSUE.
SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE'LL NOT BE PURSUING THIS UNLESS THERE'S AN OVERWHELMING DEMAND BY THE BOARD.
WE'LL NOT BE PURSUING THIS NEXT WEEK.
THIS IS A THOUGHT LAW SENSE HERE.
THINK ABOUT WHEN THE BOARD, IF AND WHEN THE BOARD DECIDES THEY'RE COMFORTABLY WANNA PURSUE IT AND WE'LL PURSUE THE OTHER ITEM THAT THIS HAS THEY ARE OPERATING THAT YOU'LL SEE THIS NEXT MONTH.
SO WITH THE PAY BAND STRUCTURE, BASICALLY WE'RE GOING FROM A 26 GRADE SYSTEM.
IT WOULD BE FIVE DIFFERENT LEVELS.
WE STILL WOULD HAVE THE SEPARATION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATION, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT LEVEL ONE IS FOR ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS.
SO THOSE ARE POSITIONS WHERE WE CAN REALLY EASILY TRAIN AND DEVELOP SOMEONE.
SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED SOMEONE WHO HAS 15 OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE COMING IN IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FUNCTION AND PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE.
UM, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF THE TRAINING AND DEVELOP IN-HOUSE DEVELOPMENT IN-HOUSE.
THE LOW LEVEL SKILLED POSITIONS ARE MORE OF OUR, UM, MAINTENANCE POSITIONS.
AND THESE WOULD BE POSITIONS THAT YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL IN ORDER TO DO.
AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD UPON THAT.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE EXPECT SOME EXPERIENCE COMING IN ON THE MID-LEVEL.
THOSE ARE MORE OF THE OPERATIONAL SKILLED POSITIONS.
SO HANDLING BUDGETS, PAYROLL, UM, BUILDING INSPECTIONS.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE MORE BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE IN IT AND REALLY REQUIRES AN EXTENSIVE TRAINING PERIOD.
AND THEN LEVEL OR FOUR IS THE HIGH LEVEL SKILLED POSITION.
SO YOU'RE STARTING TO GET INTO THAT MID-LEVEL MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN LEVEL FIVE, FIVE WOULD BE YOUR SENIOR LEVEL LEVEL SUPERVISORY POSITIONS.
AND THAT'S FOR THE CORE WARREN COUNTY WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND ENTRY LEVEL, UM, DEPUTY.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SPECIFIC TRAINING ALREADY.
THEY WOULD COME IN AT LEVEL ONE.
UM, WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH THEIR, UM, CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, THEY GET TO THAT MASTER LEVEL AND UM, THE SERGEANTS LIEUTENANTS AND THEN YOU GET INTO THE EXEMPT LEVEL LEADERSHIP.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ALREADY HAS A STRUCTURED CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND MOST OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES DO, WHICH REALLY MIRRORS THAT CURRENTLY.
AND THEN WITH FIRE AND RESCUE, WE ACTUALLY STARTED TO MOVE TOWARDS THIS WITH THE INCENTIVIZING OF THE ALS CERTIFICATIONS.
UM, SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE ALL ENTRY LEVEL COME IN AT ONE RATE BASED OFF OFF OF THEIR CERTIFICATIONS THEY RECEIVE AND ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE PAY.
UM, AND THEN WHEN WE GET INTO THE MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE LIEUTENANTS, CAPTAINS, UM, WE ADDED IN THE BATTALION CHIEF, UM, LEVEL, AND THEN WE GET INTO EXEMPT LEVEL MANAGEMENT.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE STRUCTURE FOR, UM, THE DIFFERENT LEVELS WITHIN A PAY BAND.
SO FOR THE, UM, THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT MM-HMM.
THEY ALL ACTUALLY CURRENTLY FALL UNDER THE CORE WARREN COUNTY.
SO THEY WOULD REMAIN UNDER CORE WARREN COUNTY.
SO THAT'S WHERE ALL OF THE SUPPORT STAFF WOULD BE.
SO WE'VE RUN INTO ISSUES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, UM, BASICALLY GETTING CAPPED OUT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE HERE FOR 18 YEARS IN THE SAME ROLE, YOU NO LONGER RECEIVE A SALARY INCREASE CUZ YOU'RE AT THE TOP OF YOUR PAY GRADE.
UM, SO WITH THIS, IT ACTUALLY WOULD MAKE IT SO YOU CAN CONTINUE WITHIN THAT
[00:55:01]
LEVEL SO YOU'RE NOT MAXED OUT.YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET A, UM, INCREASE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, INSTEAD OF BASICALLY BEING AT THE SAME PAY RATE FOR YEAR UPON YEAR, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 35 YEARS AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT LONGEVITY RATHER THAN PUNISH IT, WHICH SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE BEING PUNISHED IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN A PAY INCREASE BECAUSE YOU STAYED WITH THE SAME EMPLOYER.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE LOSE, WE LOSE THEM.
AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE, AND THE KNOWLEDGE, THE TRAINING, THE MONEY THAT WE PUT IN, ABSOLUTELY WE INVEST IN ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT RETENTION IS YOUR BEST RECRUITMENT STRATEGY.
SO WE DON'T WANNA HAVE THAT TURNOVER.
UM, SO WE REALLY WANNA DO WHAT WE CAN IN ORDER TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES AND RECOGNIZE THEM.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
SO JANE, IS THAT THE GOAL OF PAY BANDS IS TO PROVIDE RETENTION STRATEGY? YES.
OR IS IT A SAVINGS TO THE COUNTY? WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF CREATING THESE PAY BANDS? IT ISN'T REALLY CREATING A SAVINGS BECAUSE YOURS, LIKE MY SALARY WOULD BE THE SAME SALARY IN A BAND OR A GRADE STEP.
SO IF YOU ARE BRINGING PEOPLE IN, YOU'RE ABLE TO START THEM BASICALLY BY GIVING THEM CREDIT FOR THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, WHICH WE SOMEWHAT DO, BUT IT'S NOT CONSISTENT.
AND IT'S A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
SO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WILL SAY, I WANNA HIRE SOMEONE AND I WANNA BRING THEM IN AT, YOU KNOW, A STEP D.
IF THEY WANNA GO BEYOND A STEP D, THEY HAVE TO GET ED'S APPROVAL OR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE UP TO AN H BEYOND THAT, IT COMES TO YOU ALL, UM, WITH A BAND, IT ALLOWS THEM TO USE A FORMULA.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE BASICALLY A WORKSHEET.
IF THE PERSON HAS X NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THEY WOULD GET THIS MUCH ADDITIONAL PAY.
IF THEY NEED CERTIFICATIONS AND THEY HAVE THEM, THEY'D GET ANOTHER ADDITIONAL.
UM, BUT THIS IS WHERE DEPENDING ON THE, I BELIEVE THE CLIMATE, SO IF WE'RE IN A STAFFING SHORTAGE, THE BOARD CAN DETERMINE IS IT A HIGHER PERCENT, IS IT YOU HAVE TWO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, SO EACH YEAR YOU GET 3% FOR EACH YEAR? OR IS IT, WE HAVE EMPLOYEES BEGGING TO COME WORK FOR THE COUNTY AND WE WANT IT AT ONE AND A HALF PERCENT PER YEAR.
UM, I GUESS THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING WITH PAY BANDS IS YOU CAN REALLY ADAPT TO THE ECONOMY.
SO THE ECONOMY, WHEN IT'S HARD TO REALLY HIRE AND FIND EMPLOYEES, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GONNA TAKE, WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE IN ORDER TO ATTRACT THEM AND RETAIN THEM.
AND THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY, BUT ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE TO BUDGET FOR IT.
IF YOU DON'T BUDGET FOR IT, THERE'S NOTHING TO BE DONE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO UTILIZE THE BAND.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET AND LOOK AT THEIR CURRENT TEAMS. BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A TEAM THAT'S VERY EXPERIENCED, IF YOU HAVE AN OPENING, DO YOU NEED ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OR CAN YOU AFFORD TO BRING SOMEONE IN WHO HAS NO EXPERIENCE AND YOU TRAIN AND DEVELOP THEM? YOU ABSOLUTELY COULD.
BUT IF YOU HAVE A TEAM THAT IS COMPLETELY INEXPERIENCED, DO YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO HAS THE EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO HELP TO TRANSITION THAT TEAM INTO BASICALLY NOT BE HAVING A NEW HIRE, TRAINING ANOTHER NEW HIRE.
SO IT GIVES YOU A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THAT.
SO HOW DOES THE PAY BAN INTERFACE WITH THE DIRECTIVES BY THE STATE TO GIVE PEOPLE 5% INCREASE? HOW WAS, HOW DOES THAT WORK? COLA WOULD BE IN THERE.
UM, SO THE BANDS WILL SHIFT WITH COLA.
SO IF WE SAY WE'RE INCREASING, I'LL PAY BY 5%, THE BAND WOULD EXPAND 5%.
IF I'M GONNA SAY 20, 25 YEAR EMPLOYEE MM-HMM.
WHAT DO I DO? AM I STUCK IN HERE? WE HAVE MULTIPLE GRADES BASICALLY IN A BAND.
SO IF YOU MAX OUT AT YOUR GRADE, YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO THE NEXT GRADE BASICALLY.
SO EVEN THOUGH I MAY BE AN OFFICE ASSOCIATE, AND I'VE BEEN THIS OFFICE ASSOCIATE FOR 20 YEARS, I WOULD GO FROM A PAY GRADE THREE TO A PAY GRADE FOUR IN ORDER TO GO TO THAT NEXT LEVEL.
SO THEY'RE BASICALLY GETTING A PROMOTION FOR THEIR TENURE AND THEY'RE GOING INTO THAT NEXT LEVEL OF THE BAND.
SO COULD YOU, UH, UH, CONCEIVABLY BE MAXED AT, AT ONE OF THOSE? SO LIKE IF YOU'RE IN THE, THE ONE THROUGH FIVE AND YOU GET UP TO FIVE AND YOU COULD ABSOLUTELY, IF SOMEONE WAS AT A FIVE AND THEY'VE BEEN IN POSITION FOR 20 YEARS, THEY COULD BE AT THE TOP AND AT THAT POINT THEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY REASSIGN THEM TO A SIX.
[01:00:01]
SO, UH, AREN'T, YEAH.BUT AREN'T THERE SOME THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH THIS, SUCH AS WHEN YOU GET UP INTO THE, UH, INTO THE UPPER ONES AND IT'S YOUR, YOUR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS MM-HMM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN WITH US LONG ENOUGH THAT THEY WOULD PROGRESS FROM ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS INTO A LEADERSHIP POSITION.
UM, AND I GUESS IF THEY'RE HERE FOR OVER 35 YEARS, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN THERE THAT YOU DON'T TRADITIONALLY HAVE AND THE STEP GRADE.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE.
AND, AND THE WORST THING WE COULD POSSIBLY DO IS PUT SOMEONE IN A MANAGEMENT POSITION WHO DOESN'T WANNA MANAGE PEOPLE, THEREFORE THEY DON'T MANAGE PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED TO BE.
UM, WITH EVERY SYSTEM, WHETHER IT'S A GRADE STEP OR A BAND, THERE IS THE CHANCE THAT SOMEONE COULD GET AT TO THE TOP.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE THAT IF YOU ARE MAXED OUT, YOU HAVE TO GET AN OUTSTANDING REVIEW.
IT'S CURRENTLY THREE YEARS IN A ROW IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GET AN INCREASE, AS LONG AS THE DEPARTMENT HAS BUDGETED FOR THAT INCREASE, YOU CAN GO OVER YOUR MAXIMUM.
HOWEVER YOU'RE WAITING THREE YEARS, YOU'RE IN THE SAME SPOT AND YOU'RE GETTING AN OUTSTANDING REVIEW AND IT HAS TO BE PRE-B BUDGETED.
SO IT'S, SO IF I'VE HAD AN OUTSTANDING REVIEW FOR THREE YEARS, BUT MY, THE PERSON DOING THE BUDGET FOR MY DEPARTMENT FORGETS ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT BUDGETS, UM, AND I THINK EVERY, WE HAVE THREE EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY WHO ARE IN THAT POSITION AND WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE LEADER AND THEY FIGHT FOR THEM.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE INCENTIVIZING THEIR TEAM AND REALLY HELPING THEM TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO JANE, UH, YOU'RE DESCRIBING A PROBLEM THAT MM-HMM.
THEN YOU, YOU HAVE THE, THE CAPABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
UM, SO A COMPONENT OF THE PAY BANDS IS SUPPLEMENTAL PAY.
WE ALREADY STARTED TO EXPLORE THAT WITH THE ALS, UM, CERTIFICATION INCENTIVES.
UM, WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, COMPENSATE PEOPLE FOR EDUCATION.
UM, WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, A CERTIFICATE, UM, OR MASTER'S OR OTHER ASSOCIATES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INC ENCOURAGING THAT CONTINUED EDUCATION.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO STAY FRESH AS A COUNTY AND PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT OUR RESIDENTS NEED.
UM, AND A LOT OF THAT IS ENHANCING YOUR POSITION.
IF YOU DO THE SAME THING EVERY DAY, UM, THINGS CHANGE.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT KEEPING CURRENT WITH WHAT'S CHANGING, THEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY PROVIDING A LOWER SERVICE THAN WHAT YOU WERE DOING THE YEAR BEFORE.
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO REALLY ENHANCE THEIR SKILLS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE RUN INTO, I KNOW AT THE TRANSFER STATION, FINDING ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE CERTIFIED AND HAVE THE ACTUAL LICENSES THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO MOVE OUR EQUIPMENT.
UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO INCENTIVIZE OUR TEAM, BUT, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF LICENSES IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY REALIZE THAT OUR TEAM NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE AND UTILIZE THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE ACQUIRE.
UM, IF I'M STARTING, I'M JUST GONNA USE A AROUND, I, I MAKE 20,000 AND I GO AND GET ALS.
AND LET'S SAY THAT'S THE 2,600.
DOES THAT INCREASE MY PAY NOW TO 20,000 22 6? CORRECT.
SO DO WE, I MEAN, I'M, AND I BELIEVE IN INCENTIVIZING MM-HMM.
[01:05:01]
WE HAVE A LIMIT PER YEAR? BECAUSE I MEAN, I COULD GO ALS AND THEN I COULD GET TWO OR THREE OTHERS.DO WE HAVE CRITERIA SO THAT ONE PERSON ISN'T GOING OUT GETTING FOUR OR FIVE THAT COULD GET A LITTLE OUTTA HAND? IT, IT CAN.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE BUDGETING COMES INTO PLAY.
EVERY DEPARTMENT SHOULD MANAGE THEIR BUDGET AND LOOK AT WHAT THEY NEED BASICALLY FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND EACH DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR AREA AND IF THEY'RE ENCOURAGING THEIR TEAM TO DEVELOP GOALS, IT SHOULD BE A COMMON PARTNERSHIP OF, ALRIGHT, THE GOALS FOR THIS YEAR, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU ENROLL IN COURSES, ARE YOU GOING TOWARDS A CERTIFICATION THAT IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE COUNTY AND THE DEPARTMENT TO FILL A GAP? UM, RATHER THAN, I JUST WANNA TAKE EVERY CLASS THAT'S AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO BUILD MY, UM, RESUME BASICALLY AND MY PAY.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT, IT'S REALLY A ALL INCLUSIVE PLAN OF MAKING SURE THAT THAT PERFORMANCE REVIEW TIES INTO THEIR PAY AND THEIR GOALS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
THEN DO WE, AND I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS IN, UM, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE, UM, MERIT MM-HMM.
I MEAN, I WOULD HATE TO THINK THAT WE WOULD PAY FOR SOMEONE TO GET FROM UM, BLS TO PARAMEDIC.
AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, I'M OUT THE DOOR TO LOUDOUN COUNTY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT IN PLACE FOR OUR TUITION REIMBURSEMENT AND ALSO OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS AND ALSO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHEN THEY'RE PAYING TO PUT SOMEONE THROUGH EXTENSIVE TRAINING, DSS IS RUNNING INTO THE SAME THING.
NOW THEY'RE STARTING TO HAVE TO DO BASICALLY TWO MONTHS OF TRAINING AT THE STATE AS A NEW HIRE.
AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, IF I'M GOING TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T THEN GO TO LOUDOUN COUNTY AND MAKE $18,000 MORE AFTER TWO MONTHS OF ME PAYING FOR YOUR TRAINING.
SO YES, IT'S ABSOLUTELY A PART OF THAT.
NO, I CAN SEE ON YOUR CDL, IF WE HAVE STAFF THAT CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE CDL BUT WANNA GET ONE MM-HMM.
UM, BUT WE ARE NOT GONNA PAY FOR SOMEBODY OFF THE STREET TO GET A CDL BECAUSE WE'RE THAT HARD UP.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR TEAM TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE.
CUZ A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY AT THE TRANSFER STATION, WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO IS LIMITED, UM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT CDL.
UM, AND THEY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT AND IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HELP THEM GET THERE.
UM, IT COMES DOWN TO SUPERVISORS REALLY MANAGING AND DEVELOPING THEIR TEAMS, HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND IT BEING A REALLY A STRATEGIC INITIATIVE.
NOT JUST, HEY, I WANNA DO THIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUPPLEMENTAL PAY? OKAY.
AND THEN WITH EXPERIENCE PAY, THIS IS ONE THAT'S ALWAYS A HOT TOPIC BECAUSE DO YOU PAY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO TRAIN YOUR PEOPLE? UM, AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU DO WANT A BALANCE.
IT'S GOOD WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.
IT'S GOOD WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW, THEY BRING FRESH IDEAS, YOU NEED A GOOD MIX.
UM, BUT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE CLIMATE OF REALLY THE ECONOMY.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT REALLY EVERY YEAR YOU CAN DETERMINE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE, IN THE ECONOMY AND YOU CAN SET A RATE.
I'M USING, BASICALLY IT'S A COMPENSATION SPREADSHEET THAT YOU WOULD BE LIKE, WHAT IS THE RATE FOR THIS YEAR IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE PEOPLE.
UM, THERE WILL BE TIMES THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND THEN THERE ARE TIMES THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO WORK IN THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE FLEXIBLE, UM, BUT ALSO YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE COMPETITIVE.
UM, SO I THINK THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY HAS STARTED TO KEEP UP WITH THE PUBLIC WHEN IT COMES TO BENEFITS, WHEREAS BEFORE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT, YOU'LL GET GREAT BENEFITS.
MOST BENEFITS ARE PRETTY MUCH EQUAL NOW.
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPENSATING PEOPLE FOR THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY DO BRING TO THE COUNTY RATHER THAN THEM STARTING AT A UM, AND STARTING AT REALLY GROUND ZERO.
UM, WE'VE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMEONE IS HERE, THEY'RE NOT USING US AS A TRAINING GROUND, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY, OR FORTUNATELY WE DO A GREAT JOB OF TRAINING PEOPLE.
SO
UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE HAVE SOMEONE COME HERE CUZ THEY WANNA WORK HERE OR THEY LIVE IN THE COUNTY AND THEY WANNA LIVE AND WORK IN THE SAME SPOT, UM, SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA DRIVE TO LOUDOUN COUNTY AND MAKE MORE MONEY.
WE WANNA ACTUALLY COMPENSATE THEM FOR WHAT THEY BRING TO THE COUNTY.
SO JUST AS A, UM, AN ANECDOTAL THING ABOUT THIS MM-HMM.
[01:10:01]
EXPERIENCE, REAL WORK EXPERIENCE.NOW THEY'RE COUNTING YOUR BACHELOR'S DEGREE HAS, HAS THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 30 YEARS.
SO THAT'S HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO BRIDGE THE COMPENSATION GAP, RIGHT.
AND I, I HAVE A QUESTION MM-HMM.
WE'VE, WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS EXPANDING THE HOURS OF OPERATION.
SO PART OF IT IS IF THE GOVERNMENT CENTER OPERATES FROM 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM THAT'S EIGHT HOURS.
AND IF SOMEONE IS OFF FOR AN HOUR, THAT'S SEVEN HOURS A WEEK.
SO WHEN DO WE HAVE THEM PICK UP THAT ADDITIONAL FIVE HOURS? BUT IF WE OPEN AT 8:00 AM AND WE CLOSE AT 5:00 PM OR IF WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO I KNOW, I GET MORE DONE BEFORE PEOPLE COME TO WORK AND AFTER THEY LEAVE, IF YOU WORK AN EXTENDED SHIFT.
SO HAVING A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE, IF YOU WORK FOUR DAYS A WEEK, THERE ARE A TON OF POSSIBILITIES THAT WE'VE EXPLORED.
HOWEVER, IF WE SHIFT SOMEONE FROM A 35 HOUR WEEK TO A 40 HOUR WEEK, THEY WILL EXPECT TO BE COMPENSATED FOR IT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, WELL, I MEAN, MOVING FORWARD, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE GRANDFATHERED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND YOU FIGURE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN IN THERE, AND IF THEY WERE WORKING THAT ADDITIONAL TIME, THAT'S AN EXTRA PERSON.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THAT AND, AND LIKE I SAID, UNTIL I CAME HERE, I THOUGHT 40 HOURS WAS THE STANDARD.
AND THEN ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, LOWER WAS PART-TIME.
WE ARE THE ONLY LOCALITY THAT DOES 35 HOURS.
MOST OF THEM DO EITHER 37 AND A HALF BECAUSE THEY DO A 30 MINUTE LUNCH RATHER THAN AN HOUR, OR IT'S A 40 HOUR WORK WEEK.
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPLORE.
IT IS A VERY DELICATE ROAD TO GO DOWN, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE DO HAVE SO MANY EMPLOYEES WHO 35 HOURS IS ALL THEY'VE EVER KNOWN.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THAT, YOU, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A GRANDFATHER SYSTEM MM-HMM.
SO THAT IS ALL I HAVE REGARDING PAY DANCE, LIKE ED MENTIONED, THERE ARE TWO OTHER TOPICS THAT I'M GONNA BE DISCUSSING.
UM, THE FIRST TOPIC IS THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER POSITION.
BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, SORRY, NEED NO, THAT'S OKAY.
DALEY, YOU WERE SAYING THIS, THIS WAS JUST A CONVERSATION, AN OPTION, SOMETHING FOR US TO THINK ABOUT.
THIS IS SOMETHING FOR YOU TO TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES.
YOU THINK OF A QUESTION TEXT, WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHEN THE BOARD IS COMFORTABLE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW WE WILL WORK AND EXACTLY WHERE WE WOULD PUT EVERYBODY IN THIS, THEN WE WOULD LOOK AT BRINGING IT BACK FOR FURTHER STUDY IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST SOMETHING WE THINK IS A GOOD IDEA.
WE WOULD LIKE TO PLAY WITH IT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO TODAY.
THE NEXT TWO THINGS SHE HAS ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS MONTH IF THEY'RE ALL POSSIBLE.
BUT WE ARE GONNA KEEP WORKING ON THIS AND LET YOU MUL AROUND AND YOU MAY LOOK UP AND SEE SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS DOING WHEN A PAID FAN SYSTEM AND LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, WELL JANE, WHY COULDN'T WE, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT, SEE IF THAT FITS OUR SYSTEM SYSTEM.
AND THE 35 40 HOUR DISCREPANCY MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO GO.
WELL, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS THAT WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE HERE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 20 OH PLUS YEARS THAT ARE WAITING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE ON.
SO, UM, I WOULD WOULD SUGGEST TO, TO THE BOARD TO, TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THIS.
I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND MOVE AHEAD AND SEEING WHAT THE PROGRAM WOULD LOOK LIKE, HOW, HOW IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
SO EVEN IF SOMEONE IS AT THE TOP, THE COLA INCREASE, BECAUSE IT IS A COLA, EVERYONE WILL GET IT.
SO WE HAVE REALLY, UNTIL THE WINTER, UNTIL WE START TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING
[01:15:01]
MERIT INCREASES TO BASICALLY FIX THIS.SO WE HAVE THIS, UM, BIG ISSUE HANDING OVER UP HERE CALLED NEXT BUDGET.
IF THE BOARD IS GOING CONSIDER SOMETHING LIKE THIS IMPLEMENTING IT, THEY ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT, THEY'RE GONNA DO WITH THE TAX.
AND THAT DISCUSSION NEEDS TO ALL BE AT ONCE.
RIGHT? NOW, WITH THIS YEAR, WE ANTICIPATE VERY FEW, UH, ADDITIONS IF YOU ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE BEYOND WHAT THE BUDGET IS.
IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE HAD ADDITIONAL FUNDING TAX INCREASES, NUMBER OF YEARS IN A ROW, AND HOW WE'VE GONE, THIS WILL BE OUR FOURTH YEAR WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE.
AND SO THAT CATCHES UP AND WE'RE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE LEVEL, AND WHEN WE GO ON TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GONNA EXPAND OUR REVENUES.
SO WE'VE GOTTA ALL GO TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME.
WELL, MY FEAR IS IN THE INTERIM, WE MIGHT BE LOSING SOME GOOD PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.
SO THAT'S WHERE MY THOUGHT WAS GOING.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW, AND AS I SAID, YEAH, WE SPEND THE MONEY TO TRAIN THEM.
WE SEND 'EM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE SPEND THE MONEY TO, TO GO TO SCHOOL AND THEY, AND THEY, THEY, THEY FINISH THE, THE, THE, WHAT DO YOU WANNA CALL THE WINDOW? RIGHT.
AND THEN THEY'RE GONE, YOU KNOW, SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO JUMP ON THIS NOW, I AM JUST SAYING, UH, I, COLONEL, COLONEL BUTLER CAN TELL YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CAREER OFFICER AND OFF
I KNOW WE HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM.
WELL, AND I, I JUST WANT TO THINK, UM, I WANT TO BE CAREFULLY MEASURED ABOUT HOW YOU EXAMINE THIS BASED ON THE POPULATION OF OUR COMMUNITY MM-HMM.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE WHOLE IDEA OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MM-HMM.
BUT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WORKING IN DISTRIBUTION THAT'S PAYING $15 AN HOUR.
SO WE HAVE TO MEASURE HOW WE'RE, HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
AND IT HAS TO BE DONE WITH GREAT CONSIDERATION ON IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND YOU KNOW, STEP ONE WAS DEVELOPING THE WELLNESS PROGRAM.
WE WILL IMPLEMENT THIS YEAR THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO GO OUT TO ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE SAYING THEY CAN'T HEAR FOR SOME REASON OR OTHER, IT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING HERE.
LET'S JUST KINDA LIKE MY PHONE.
SEE IF THAT ONE WORKS ANY BETTER.
BUT THE, UM, POINT BEING THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT THESE WELLNESS INCENTIVES AND THESE PROGRAMS IN TO ALLOW THEM TO INCREASE WITHIN THE EXISTING SYSTEM BEFORE WE TAKE THAT LEAP.
UH, WE LIKE, AS, AS YOU SAY, MA'AM, WE, WE LIKE THE IDEA OF VANS AND WE BELIEVE THEY'RE VERY GOOD, BUT IT'S GOTTA COME WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA KEEP WORKING ON IT.
YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE IT AGAIN AND YOU'LL, YOU READ ABOUT IT, SEE SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND THINK, HEY JANE, WHAT ABOUT, WELL I LIKE THIS PROGRAM.
SO WHEN YOU'RE READY TO LOOK AT IT, YOU GOT AN OKAY FROM ME, MY DOOR'S OPEN,
UM, WHAT, HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING OF LIKE THIS WITH THIS IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE PRETTY EASY.
UM, NOT FAR OR NOT LONG ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE.
IT'D BE EASY FOR US TO IMPLEMENT.
UM, IT WOULDN'T CHANGE OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES, UM, UNTIL THEY START TO ACTUALLY START SHIFTING.
[01:20:01]
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO TIME.DOES IT SAVE US ANY TIME OR MONEY AT ALL? UM, SAVING TIME OR MONEY? NO.
BECAUSE PEOPLE, MONEY, WHEN THERE ARE INCENTIVES, PEOPLE WILL GO AFTER THEM.
UM, SO YES, IT WILL COST MORE MONEY.
THE BIGGEST THING WITH IT IS IT HAS TO BE BUDGETED.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE IF WE IMPLEMENTED IT TODAY, IF IT'S NOT BUDGETED, THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE IT DOES HAVE TO BE BUDGETED BY EACH DEPARTMENT.
AND SO IF A DEPARTMENT HEAD DOESN'T BUDGET IT, THEY'RE NOT.
THIS, WE COULDN'T DO IT UNTIL THE NEXT BUDGET SEASON ANY ANYWAY.
THIS IS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR THE BOARD.
AND WE REALIZE THAT FROM NOW ON, IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING, YOU WANT TO INCREASE THE COST, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME UP WITH A REVENUE MM-HMM.
SO IT'S, IT'S NO MORE FREE LUNCH THERE.
IT'S SAVING MONEY BEFORE YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
NOT PUTTING IT ON THE CHARGE CARD.
HAVE HAS THE, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE COST OF THE WORKFORCE IS TODAY AND WHAT THE IMPACT OF THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE NEXT YEAR AT, YOU KNOW, JUST AT THE MINIMUM CERTIFICATIONS OR THE MINIMUM, AND THEN WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF YOU HAD GO-GETTERS MM-HMM.
SO I DO THINK THAT WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO PURSUE IT.
I THINK IT WOULD EASILY BE A 50 TO $60,000 PROBABLY FIRST YEAR EVERYONE GETTING THROUGH BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET THE CERTIFICATIONS.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THERE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT, AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE INCREASE IN THAT SALARY.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND HAVE THE INFORMATION OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PROJECTED MM-HMM.
SO THEN, AND WHAT THE PROJECTED TAX RATE INCREASE WOULD NEED TO BE TO COVER THAT.
AND THEN WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE, THE COMMUNITY TO THAT FOR ACCEPTANCE MM-HMM.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, JUST COST OF LIVING ALL IS GONNA HAVE TO GO INTO THAT POT TO STIR IT AROUND AND SEE HOW IT BAKED.
AND IT'S MORE FEASIBLE TO LOOK AT THIS WHEN WE'RE GOING TO THE NEW BUDGET AND WE'VE GOT MONEY THAT'S BEEN PUT IN FOR THIS NEW YEAR FOR SALARIES, BECAUSE THEN THEY CAN BE TRANSFERRED IN THERE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR, OUR STAFF AND OUR, UM, E M S AND OUR, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD ARGUE AGAINST THAT.
BUT TO MRS. OATS POINT, I CAN TELL YOU FROM STATE EMPLOYEES, THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN MERIT INCREASE.
THEY'VE GOTTEN NOTHING EXCEPT FOR COLAS SINCE THE EIGHTIES.
UM, SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, AND STATE EMPLOYEES, YOU LOOK AT 'EM AND YOU THINK THEY'RE GOVERNMENT WORKERS TOO MM-HMM.
UM, BUT THEY'VE, THEY'VE BEEN UNDER THE, THE THUMB OF THE SAME THING WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, BEING MINDFUL IN THAT BALANCE IS HARD.
[F. Discussion - Human Resources Position Modification - Jane Meadows]
IS, UM, THE REALLY THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER POSITION.THIS IS A POSITION THAT WAS IN PLACE IN 2020.
UM, IT WAS RECLASSIFIED AS A HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
UM, WITH MY PROMOTION, UM, NOW THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR POSITION IS OPEN.
UM, I AM CONTINUING TO OVERSEE HUMAN RESOURCES.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO RECLASSIFY THE POSITION BACK TO A HR MANAGER IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMEONE, WHETHER IT'S AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE OR EXTERNAL, COME IN AND ACTUALLY DEVELOP INTO THAT DIRECTOR POSITION.
UM, PROBABLY IN TWO YEARS YOU'D SEE SOMEONE COMING UP HERE, ME OR SOMEONE ELSE TO RECLASSIFY THE POSITION.
BUT I FEEL LIKE AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T NEED A DIRECTOR.
WE NEED A MANAGER TO MANAGE THE, BASICALLY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
UM, SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER DOWNGRADING THE POSITION FROM A 22 TO A 20.
[01:25:01]
BECAUSE OF THE FACT OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR EXPERIENCE, THE FACT YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE UP HERE, YOU CAN KIND OF OVERSEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND SO YOU REALLY DON'T NEED TO BRING A DIRECTOR IN RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN BRING SOMEBODY IN WHO CAN GROW INTO THE POSITION.AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IN, IN TWO YEARS, WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE READY, JUST TO, TO SAY I'M FLY
WELL WE'VE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON, AND I'M WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS TOO, IS TO DEVELOP STRATEGIC PLANS.
SO RIGHT NOW, UM, WE HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE HR TEAM AND THE DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT, KIND OF THE DIRECTION WE WANNA MOVE IN.
AND I KNOW WHEN I SPOKE WITH ED, I SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS I DON'T WANNA SEE IS SOMEONE COME IN AND GO, I WANNA TURN THE BOAT THIS WAY WHEN WE'RE GOING THIS WAY.
UM, SO MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE SELFISH.
UM, THAT I WANNA BASICALLY MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER COMES IN, THEY GET THEIR LAY OF THE COUNTY EVERYTHING AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PUT IN PLACE AND REALLY IMPLEMENTING THE WELLNESS PROGRAM, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A HUGE UNDERTAKING.
UM, AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SMART BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S HELPING THE STAFF MM-HMM.
CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT SITTING THERE GOING, WHICH DIRECTION WE GONNA GO IN TOMORROW.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, HELPING THE, THE, THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY, THEY HAVE SOME EXPECTATIONS AS TO, TO, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICES THEY'RE GONNA GET MM-HMM.
BUT IS YOUR PLAN GONNA BE TOO FULL? NO.
UM, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT WITH THE ADDITION OF THE HR ASSISTANT, UM, IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC HAVING A TEAM OF THREE.
SO I DO THINK HAVING THAT THIRD PERSON IN THERE, IT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
AND I HONESTLY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT WILL BE TOO MUCH FOR ME TO BE LIKE, OKAY, ARE WE DOING WELL? UM, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER OF, HEY, LET'S TOUCH BASE ONCE A WEEK, SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING, HOW THINGS ARE GOING, AND JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE STAYING ON TRACK.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE AN ISSUE.
IF IT BECOMES AN ISSUE, I'D BE LIKE, HEY GUYS, MAYBE WE NEED TO RECLASSIFY THIS AGAIN.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE AN ISSUE.
SO IF I MAY, JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD A LITTLE BIT HOW WE'VE DIVIDED THIS, UH, DIFFERENT THAN WHAT, UH, MR. MRS. LOGAN AND I DID.
I NOW HAVE PLANNING AND BUILDING AND I GAVE THOSE TO HER BECAUSE THAT'S HER EXPERTISE.
I WILL BE KEEPING FINANCE, FIRE AND RESCUE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOURISM.
UH, JANE WILL BE WORKING ON THESE STRATEGIC PLANS, TRYING TO HAVE A BASIC OUTLINE OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENT'S GOING TO DO AND WHEN THEY PLAN TO DO IT.
AND THAT INCLUDES HR, RECREATION, PUBLIC WORKS, TO PUT PUBLIC WORKS AND THE PARKS, MAINTENANCE PEOPLE, ALL A LITTLE CLOSER THERE.
AND THEN IT, AND SHE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE NEW OPIOID MONEY AS I WILL BE, AND ALSO WITH DRUG COURT.
AND THEN, UH, TWO OF US AND JOE WILL ALL BE WORKING WITH ZACH
BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS IS DIVIDED.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE DID BEFORE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS POSITION? SO THE NEXT ONE I'M GONNA ASK JOE TO COME UP AS WELL.
UM, SO DO WE HAVE TO DO ANYTHING FOR THIS? NO, IT'LL BE ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA.
UM, THE NEXT POSITION IS A REQUEST TO ADD A TOURISM MANAGER
[G. Discussion - Tourism Manager Position - Jane Meadows]
POSITION.UM, SO CURRENTLY WE CONTRIBUTE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I BELIEVE IT'S $200,000 TO THE, IS IT DFR? THERE WE GO.
UM, AND WITH OUR DECISION TO SEPARATE FROM THE TOWN AND BASICALLY DO TOURISM ON OUR OWN, WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED A POSITION TO REALLY FOCUS ON THAT.
HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAN BRING THAT FOCUS AND HAVE THEM UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THIS POSITION IS WHAT WE'RE ENVISIONING TO HELP REALLY BRING ADDITIONAL TOURISM INTO THE COUNTY AND HELP TO REALLY DISCOVER ONE, BRING MORE REVENUE.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, THERE'S, THERE'S ONE THING THAT IS REALLY A BURN UNDER MY STAFF.
CAN WE, CAN WE GET THESE DAGGONE SIGNS CHANGED AROUND HERE THAT SAYS WELCOME TO FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, IF IT'S NOT INSIDE FRONT ROYAL, I'D LOVE TO SEE, WELCOME TO WE WARREN COUNTY AND FRONT ROYAL.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE SIGNAGE.
WE NEED NICE SIGN LIKE SOME OF THE JURISDICTIONS.
FREDERICK COUNTY, CLARK COUNTY, UH, BEAUTIFUL
[01:30:01]
DOWNTOWN WINCHESTER, ET CETERA.THEY ALL HAVE THESE NICE SIGNS AND WE NEED SOME SIGNS LIKE THAT EXPERIENCE WIN COUNTY.
WELL, I, I, SOME FOLKS HAVE ASKED ME, YOU KNOW, AND I, AND I TELL 'EM ONE OF THE, THE, THE POPULATION OF WARREN COUNTY IS ABOUT 40,000 OF WHICH 15,000 LIVED IN FRONT ROYAL AND 25,000 LIVE OUTSIDE OF FRONT ROYAL.
SO WE HAVE TO, TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT LOOK, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVICE HERE ARE NOT FROM FRONT ROYAL.
THE OTHER 60% IS IN WARREN COUNTY.
ALL ONE COMMUNITY FRONT WOOD WITHOUT NO, EXACTLY RIGHT.
UM, SO THIS POSITION, I'LL LET JOE KIND OF TALK ABOUT OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE INS AND OUTS OF IT.
UM, BUT REALLY WE FEEL LIKE THE TOURISM POSITION DOES NEED TO BE UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT IS THE SOURCE OF GENERATING REVENUE, UM, OR DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POSITION OR WHAT IT WOULD ENTAIL? DID YOU SEND THE JOB DESCRIPTION? I THOUGHT YOU DID, AND I'M LOOKING FOR IT RIGHT NOW.
SO IT'S, IF NOT, I CAN EMAIL IT OUT.
IT'S IN THE PACKET IN THE, IT'S ON THE CIVIC.
YEAH, IT, THE, JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS.
ANY QUESTIONS? CAN WE SIT AT A FLYER THAT SAYS COME VISIT OUR 14 BAPE SHOPS AT THOSE WERE WARREN COUNTY DOES? NO, WE, WE UNFORTUNATELY HAVE AT LEAST ONE IN THE COUNTY.
WE DO HAVE, WE HAVE TWO, WHICH I DID NOT VOTE FOR.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS POSITION OR HOW IT WOULD WORK? NO, AND I'M, UM, I THINK I HAVE SAID, UM, JOE ASKED ME TO TALK TO HIM WHEN I FIRST CAME ON THE BOARD.
AND HE IS A, A TRUE VISIONARY.
HE GREW UP HERE, HE UNDERSTANDS THIS COUNTY.
AND, UM, THE THINGS THAT HE AND I TALKED ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I THOUGHT THEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN, THIS WAS HIS WHEELHOUSE.
SO I'M EXCITED THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON THIS.
AND THAT NEXT WEEK WILL BE FROM OUR TOURISM CLIENTS.
WE HAVE MONEY TO, I WAS THAT, I HAVE QUESTIONS.
TOURISM, SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS POSITION.
THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
SO THIS IS COSTING NO EXTRA MONEY TO THE COUNTY AT ALL.
NOW, CAN YOU TELL US, JOE, I YOU MAY NOT HAVE THIS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 2% AND THE 5%? SO 3% OCCUPANCY TAX THAT WE, UH, TAKE IN THAT WE HAVE TO DEDICATE TO TOURISM? CORRECT.
SO YES, WE, WE TAX AT 5% IN THE LAW, TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX, SOME T O T, AND IT'S 5%.
AND THE STATE STATUTE SAYS THAT ANYTHING OVER TWO AND YOU CAN TAX UP THE FIVE HAS TO BE SPENT ON TOURISM RELATED ACTIVITIES.
AND SO, UM, TO KIND OF JUST, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WORKING THIS OUT, THIS POSITION'S KIND OF NUMBER ONE.
UM, WE WOULD, AND AS PART OF THAT STATE, IT SAYS THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, SHALL CONSULT WITH TOURISM INDUSTRIES.
SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT IS MADE UP OF TOURISM RELATED INDUSTRIES, OUTDOOR REC, UM, AGRITOURISM ARTS AND CULTURE, YOU KNOW, UH, CRAFT BEVERAGE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY CAN ADVISE US ON TRENDS AND CHALLENGES THAT ARE FACING OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE IN THE COUNTY AND KIND OF HELP US WITH THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND AS JANE ALLUDED TO, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT, UM, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT STRATEGIC PLAN WILL LOOK AT.
MARKETING, ADVERTISING, COLLATERAL ARE ASSETS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE KNOWN FOR? WHAT IS OUR IDENTITY BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT IS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, CANOES, TRAILS, MOUNTAINS, ALL THESE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, REALLY STARTING TO HONE THAT IN, UM, THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING ALSO AT, YOU KNOW, FIELD TRIPS TO, TO SEE WHAT OUR ASSETS ARE.
WE'RE REALLY GONNA FOCUS A LOT ON THE R AND R HISTORICAL ASSETS, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY DOES OWN SOME HISTORICAL ASSETS AND, AND HOW CAN WE UTILIZE THOSE IN, IN OUR PARTNERSHIPS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
UH, YEAH, WE'RE ALL WARREN COUNTY, BUT ALSO STILL, I LIVE IN THE COUNTY, BUT I ALSO STILL TECHNICALLY LIVE IN FRONT ROYAL.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, PARTNERSHIPS ARE GONNA BE KEY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, REGIONAL LEVELS WE'RE, I'M ALREADY COMMUNICATING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN OTHER LOCALITIES AND THOSE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND AT THE STATE LEVEL AND VTC AND, AND TALKING WITH KELLY AND HER TEAM DOWN THERE ALREADY
[01:35:01]
ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE OUTSTANDING IN AS FAR AS PROJECTS.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED SOME OF THE WAYFINDING SIGNS THAT HAVE GONE UP THAT ARE BOTH IN THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY.
AND AS PART OF THAT PACKAGE, IT DID HAVE ENTRY SIGNS.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING IF WE CAN USE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE OR HOW CAN WE GET FUNDS TO DO THE WELCOME TO WARREN COUNTY THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED AND HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED AND LOCATIONS PICKED OUT.
I WOULD SAY WELCOME TO WARREN COUNTY AT ALL OF OUR AMAZING GATEWAYS COMING IN.
SO IT'S ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT.
AND AGAIN, IT'LL BE COMING FROM THAT TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX FROM LODGING.
AND I'LL BE WORKING WITH SHERRY AND, AND THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE TO REALLY PROJECT WHAT THOSE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE AND, AND HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS.
SO I MAY JUST ADD THAT WHAT BOUNCING AROUND EVERY MONTH BETWEEN 40 AND 45,000 IN MOTEL RECEIPTS, LODGING RECEIPTS.
SO IF YOU TAKE 500,000, HALF A MILLION AND YOU ASSUME 60%, 300,000 IS GONNA BE AVAILABLE FOR TOURISM, YOU'RE GONNA BE WITHIN FIVE TO 10%, MA'AM.
UNTIL THAT NUMBER GROWS SOME MORE.
YOU'RE GONNA BE REAL CLOSE IN THAT NUMBER.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I LOVE, UM, WAYFINDING SIGNS.
THEY'RE GREAT, BUT WHAT I THINK THE COMMUNITY WILL BENEFIT MOST FROM IS DEVELOPMENT OF THE ASSETS.
THAT WILL ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE HERE.
UH, WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET ON 66 AND 4 95, IT DOESN'T SAY WARREN COUNTY THIS WAY, IT SAYS FRONT ROYAL MM-HMM.
AND SO WE NEED TO CAPITALIZE ON THE BRAND, AND WE STILL ARE WARREN COUNTY, BUT WE, WE NEED TO CAPITALIZE ON THE FRONT ROYAL RECOGNIZED NAME.
AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS, IS HOW DO WE USE THAT $300,000 TO THE GREATEST ROI? WHAT IS THE MONEY THAT'S GONNA REAP US? THE BIGGEST REVENUE BENEFITS IS THAT DEVELOPING THE HISTORICAL ASSETS LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW EXIST IN THE COUNTY THAT WE CAN DEVELOP THAT WOULD BRING MORE PEOPLE HERE TO GO LOOK AT IT.
IS IT PARTNERING POTENTIALLY WITH OTHER COUNTIES TO DO A, UM, I KNOW THERE'S A BEER TRAIL AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A CIVIL WAR TRAIL CURRENTLY, AND MAYBE WE COULD ADD SOMETHING TO THAT.
HOW ARE THOSE THINGS GONNA MAKE THE MOST OUTTA THAT $300,000? CORRECT.
AND I'VE ALREADY STARTED DRAFTING UP, YOU KNOW, OUR FRAMEWORK FOR A STRATEGIC PLAN WILL BE FILLING IN THOSE POINTS.
AND, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S IN THERE.
ROI, WHAT ARE WE, A LOT OF IT IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REVIEW A LOT OF DATA, UM, ANALYTICS, UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM TARGETING CERTAIN MARKETS.
AND THEN TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE IS HUGE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE PEOPLE COMING HERE FOR? WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT DEVELOPING? UM, OBVIOUSLY WE ALL KNOW I'M THE TRAIL GUY, SHENANDOAH VALLEY RAIL TRAIL.
I'LL CONTINUE TO PUSH THAT ONE.
I'LL, I'LL MENTION AT ANY TIME I CAN, BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, TRAIL TOWNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND YES.
WAY FINDINGS, JUST A, JUST A PORTION OF WHAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING OF AND LOOKING AT HOW WE SPEND THIS MONEY FOR OUR BEST INVESTMENT TO BRING IN MORE REVENUE.
AND I, I'VE, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS THING DONE FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, THE BOAT LANDING IN BENTONVILLE BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST USED BOAT LANDING.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US BRING BACK THE CANOE RACES.
I MEAN, LITERALLY YOU COULDN'T GET IN A RESTAURANT, YOU COULDN'T GET A ROOM.
UM, PEOPLE CAME FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE AND WE COULD DO THAT AGAIN.
BUT WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE, I MEAN, THE BOAT LANDING THAT'S THERE MUCH LIKE MORGAN'S FORD, UM, IS WELL USED, BUT IT'S IN SAD, SAD SHAPE.
AND SO I'LL BE GLAD WHEN WE GET THAT FINISHED.
AND I KNOW I WAS GIVEN THE PAPERWORK TONIGHT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IS GONNA BE ANOTHER GREAT ASSET.
IT IT'S BACK DOOR TO, UH, THE ANDY GASS, CHANDEL RIVER STATE PARK, AND OF COURSE THE SKYLINE DRIVES DOWN THERE.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T USE, WE HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL ASSETS AND WE'RE NOT USING THEM.
AND WE'RE NOT KEEPING THEM UP TO THE POINT WHERE WHEN PEOPLE COME, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCE WARREN COUNTY, WE WANT IT TO BE A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.
NOT, WELL, I, I FLOATED DOWN THE RIVER AND THEN I WENT TO GET OUT AND FELL AND HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND GET STITCHES.
SO, AND THAT'S LITERALLY THE WAY IT IS.
UM, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO WHAT I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BRING TO THIS.
AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S GONNA, THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE KEY TO THAT AND, AND BRINGING IN THOSE STRATEGIC PARTNERS THAT, THAT
[01:40:01]
WILL ASSIST IT.I THINK, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T, THIS POSITION CAN'T DO IT ALONE, BUT I THINK WE'LL GET SOME PEOPLE WITH SOME, SOME GREAT IDEAS AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE THIS FORWARD.
YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, JOHN GIBSON, DON ROBERTS.
SO, WELL, LAST QUESTION OF THE ESTIMATED $300,000, IS THAT WHERE THE SALARY IS GONNA BE COMING FROM? TO PAY FOR THE MANAGE.
AND WE'LL BE, AND AGAIN, I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH ALYSSA AS WELL IN FINANCE AND BE WORKING THROUGH THAT TOO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, JOE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT ON OUR AGENDA.