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[B. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America]
EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.UM, REGULAR, UH, COMBINATION MEETING.
NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO THE WORK SESSION, UM, AS OF SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023.
UM, FIRST I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE THAT WE WERE RUNNING A LITTLE LATE AFTER OUR, OUR MEETING, AND, UM, AND THAT, UH, I JUST WANT TO LET FOLKS KNOW THAT WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
SO, WITH THAT, ALL THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO OUR WORK SESSION AND IT'S, UH,
[E. APV Presentation - John Seker ]
ONE TOPIC WILL BE THE, IT'LL BE A PRESENTATION FROM A P V AND IT'LL BE TOM, ER OR JOHN SEKER SEKER, I APOLOGIZE.UH, WE THOUGHT WE WOULD COME HERE TODAY 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP ACTUALLY WITH WARREN COUNTY.
BOTH MARK AND I WERE WITH A COMPANY CALLED COMPETITIVE POWER VENTURES, AND WE GOT THE PERMITS AND THE LAND RIGHTS AND ALL OF THAT GOING FOR THE LARGE COMBINED CYCLE THAT DOMINION CURRENTLY, UH, OWNS AND HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.
UM, MARK AND I LEFT THAT COMPANY IN 2011 AND FORMED AMERICAN POWER VENTURES, AND WE'VE BEEN IN THAT ENERGY DEVELOPMENT SPACE SINCE THEN.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON BATTERIES.
BATTERIES ARE IMPORTANT AS A COMPLIMENT TO SOLAR AND WIND, AND THE STATE OF VIRGINIA IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE LEADING, UH, STATES, UH, IN THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF PROMOTING RENEWABLE ENERGY.
SO OUR PURPOSE HERE TODAY IS TO TALK YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROJECT THAT WE WERE ENVISIONING, UM, FOR THE OLD GOLF COURSE, AND TO HOPEFULLY GET YOUR SUPPORT.
THERE ARE ALWAYS SAFETY ISSUES THAT COME UP AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO WE WANTED TO TALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THAT AND HOPEFULLY GET YOUR SUPPORT SO WE COULD ADVANCE THE PROJECT, UH, WITH YOUR SUPPORT.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST GET STARTED ON THE PRESENTATION, AND THIS CAN BE A DIALOGUE, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH, PLEASE DO FEEL FREE TO, TO, UH, JUST ASK.
THIS IS JUST A LITTLE AGENDA OF WHAT WE ARE PLANNING TO GO THROUGH TODAY, AND I THINK I JUST KIND OF TALKED THROUGH SOME OF THIS SO WE CAN JUMP RIGHT INTO IT.
UM, UM, SO WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 2011.
UM, MARK AND I ARE THE TWO, UH, PRINCIPALS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
WE HAVE A GROUP OF ONLY FIVE OF US, SO WE'RE A FAIRLY SMALL COMPANY, BUT WE HIRE A LOT OF ENGINEERS AND LAWYERS AND BANKERS AND SO FORTH THAT WE PULL INTO OUR PROJECTS TO HELP, UH, GET US THROUGH PERMITTING AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND THEN USUALLY WE HAVE INVESTORS WE WORK WITH WHO LIKE TO INVEST AT THE END AND BUY THE PROJECTS ONCE THEY HAVE ALL THE APPROVALS.
UM, TO DATE, WE'VE COMPLETED 4,400 MEGAWATTS OF PROJECTS.
WE HAVE ANOTHER 500 UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
UM, A MEGAWATT IS ABOUT ENOUGH TO SUPPLY A THOUSAND HOMES.
SO THESE ARE FAIRLY, UH, LARGE, LARGER PROJECTS.
THIS PROJECT THAT WE HAVE HERE IS, IS, IS A SMALLER PROJECT.
IT'S ONLY 20 MEGAWATTS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO COMPLETE HERE.
UM, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE CAME AND WE MADE A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO SAY, WE THINK THERE'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR A BATTERY PROJECT.
WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH THE REASONS WHY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE SUPPORT OF THE BOARD AT THAT TIME TO MOVE AHEAD WITH A SITE OPTION AGREEMENT.
SO WE'VE SIGNED AN OPTION AGREEMENT IN FEBRUARY OF 2021 WITH THE COUNTY TO ADVANCE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE OF THE PROJECT, WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON THE LAND SIDE, AND OF COURSE WE WOULD NEED ALL SORTS OF APPROVALS FOR SUBDIVISIONS, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, ET CETERA.
BUT WE DID HAVE A SITE OPTION AGREEMENT.
WE DO HAVE ONE NOW THAT'S CURRENT WHERE WE'RE ADVANCING THE PROJECT UNDER THAT AGREEMENT.
AND, UM, OUR INTENTION IS TO BUILD, AS I SAID, A 20 MEGAWATT PROJECT.
IT'LL BE ABOUT A $35 MILLION IN TOTAL COST AND WE'RE, BUT THE TYPICAL, UH, CYCLE IS TWO YEARS TO GET IT FULLY PERMITTED, AND THEN MAYBE SIX TO NINE MONTHS TO GET IT BUILT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A TWO TO THREE YEAR TIMELINE MOVING FORWARD.
SO THIS IS THE OLD GOLF COURSE, AND THERE'S A 30 ACRE, ROUGHLY 30 ACRE PARCEL MASTER PARCEL AS IT'S CALLED.
YOU CAN SEE THE LINE DOWN AT, AT TOWARDS THE LOWER LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE, UH, THE PICTURE WHERE THERE'S, WHERE THE LOWER PART OF THE SITE IS.
AND THEN WHERE WE HAVE THE FACILITY, UH, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY DESIGNATED TO, TO, TO, TO BE LOCATED IS SORT OF IN THAT UPPER NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE, UM, UH, THE SITE.
AND WE NEED ABOUT THREE ACRES.
SO, UM, OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY BASICALLY
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CONTEMPLATES A THREE ACRE SITE, UM, IN, IN THIS LOCATION.UM, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BETTER LOCATIONS WITH THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY'S COME BACK TO US AND SAID, CAN YOU BUILD IT OVER HERE? CAN YOU TAKE THE THREE ACRES, THE UPPER RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SITE? THE NORTHEASTERN PART HAS TRANSMISSION LINES, UM, GOING TO SUBSTATIONS.
AND SO THERE ARE EASEMENTS THAT WOULD PRECLUDE US FROM BUILDING IN THAT UPPER CORNER.
SO THIS SEEMED TO BE A GOOD SPOT THAT THE COUNTY CAME TO US AND PROPOSED, CAN YOU DO THE THREE ACRES HERE? AND AS WE LOOKED AT THAT, UM, THE SORT OF RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SITE THAT'S SHOWN IN RED, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LINES THERE THAT SHOW GRADATIONS OF, OF, UH, ON THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SITE.
IT'S, IT, IT IS VERY TIGHTLY SLOPED DOWN.
UH, I THINK THERE'S A 40 TO 50 FOOT DROP THERE, WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO BE BUILDABLE.
SO WE ASKED THE COUNTY IF WE COULD HAVE THE THREE ACRES ON THE BUILDABLE FLATTER AREA, AND WE WOULD BE WILLING TO BUY THAT OTHER ACRE AND A HALF ROUGHLY OF SLOPE LAND, UH, AT THE PRICE THAT WE HAD AGREED TO IN THE AGREEMENT.
UM, BUT THE RESPONSE WE GOT BACK WAS THAT THE COUNTY WOULD PREFER TO MAINTAIN THE THREE ACRES.
SO WE UNDERSTOOD PART OF THE REASON WAS MAYBE A CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY AND, AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND SO FORTH.
AND SO OUR GOAL HERE TODAY WAS TO TRY TO COME IN TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, UH, HOPEFULLY TO, UH, GET YOU SATISFIED ENOUGH THAT, THAT IT WILL BE A SAFE FACILITY AND, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY, UH, SOUND FACILITY SO THAT WE CAN ADVANCE THE PROJECT WITH YOUR SUPPORT.
SO I THINK WITH THAT, I'M, I WANNA TURN IT OVER TO MARK AND HE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE BATTERIES AND THE TECHNOLOGY, UH, EVENING.
SO, SO, UH, BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE PROJECTS ARE CRITICAL, UM, TO, TO SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, RERE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS AND, AND THE STATE'S GOAL AND, AND, AND THE COUNTRY'S GOAL TO, TO GET TO A, A NET ZERO E EMISSIONS, UM, E ECONOMY.
UM, BATTERIES ARE, UM, THEY'RE DISPATCHABLE.
THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DISPATCHABLE.
SO UNLIKE WIND AND SOLAR, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WIND ONLY GENERATES ELECTRICITY, UM, WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING, SOLAR ONLY GENERATES ELECTRICITY.
UH, WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING, BATTERIES ARE ABLE TO STORE, UH, A, A POWER FROM THE GRID, UM, WHETHER IT'S RENEWABLE POWER FROM, FROM, FROM, FROM THE GRID OR, OR POWER FROM FROM OTHER SOURCES, AND THEN, AND THEN DISPATCH IT.
AND IT'S, AND, AND IT'S, AND HIGHEST, UH, TIMES OF, OF, OF NEED.
UM, AND THEN WHAT THIS ALLOWS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, COAL PLANTS OR, OR, OR, OR GAS PLANTS CAN BE THEIR, UH, UM, ENERGY CAN BE REPLACED, UM, BY, BY THESE, UH, CLEAN, UH, UM, BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE UNITS.
SO, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO, TO RUN THE PEAKING UNITS, UM, IN, IN, IN, IN PEAK PERIODS.
AND MOST PEAKING UNITS ARE, ARE GAS, UH, OIL OR COAL FIRED.
UM, AND SO, SO NOW YOU CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, DISPATCH CLEAN POWER FROM, UH, FROM THE GRID, FROM FROM BATTERY.
SO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE, THE STATE HAS MADE IT, UM, IT, YOU, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIKE, LIKE JOHN SAID, THE, THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, UH, HAS BEEN, UH, VERY FORWARD THINKING IN ITS, UM, DEPLOYMENT OF, OF, OF BATTERY RESOURCES.
AND ITS, AND ITS, AND ITS PROCUREMENT OF, OF POTENTIAL BATTERY RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY THERE'S, UH, ALMOST 350 STORES PROJECTS, UM, IN, IN, IN THE INTERCONNECTION QUEUE WAITING, UM, TO BE, TO BE BUILT.
UM, THOSE PRODUCTS RANGE FROM, FROM TWO MEGAWATTS TO, TO 500 MEGAWATTS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF PROVING OUT THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES LIKE THIS WILL BE BUILT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, KIND OF ALL OVER THE, THE STATE HERE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, TO HELP, YOU KNOW, SMOOTH OUT THE INTERMITTENCY OF, OF RENEWABLE POWER.
UM, AND THEN TO ALSO, UM, MITIGATE THE, THE NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR, FOR DIRTIER POWER, UH, TO BE, TO BE DISPATCHED.
UM, JUST GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE, OF THE, YOU KNOW, OF THE FACILITIES.
UM, THE FACILITIES ARE, ARE EXTREMELY SAFE.
UM, YOU KNOW, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THERE, THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN INCIDENTS IN, IN, IN, IN LESS THAN, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, HALF A PERCENT OF ALL THE FACILITIES THAT THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT.
UM, THE NEWER, UH, MORE, MORE EFFICIENT BATTERIES, UH, THAT THAT'RE DEPLOYED PRODUCE LESS, LESS HEAT.
THERE'S, THERE'S BETTER MONITORING OF, OF THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT THEY MONITOR THE, THE, THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN
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EACH, EACH ONE, EACH ONE OF THE MODULES AND THE BATTERY CELL CELLS.AND THERE'S, UH, BETTER FAIL SAFE, UH, UH, DESIGNS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, UH, UH, TO MITIGATE ANY RISK OF, OF, OF, OF, OF FIRES OR, OR OTHER INCIDENTS WITH, WITH BATTERY TECHNOLOGY.
UM, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT, WHAT I JUST DISCLOSED.
THERE'S ONLY BEEN THREE, UM, INCIDENTS.
THIS IS, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OTHER INCIDENTS.
UH, UH, UH, SO THIS IS, THIS IS OUTDATED.
THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S DOWN FIVE, UM, DURING OLDER TECHNOLOGY.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE VENDORS THAT WE AS A P V ARE, ARE CHOOSING, ARE, ARE LOOKING AT FOR THIS FACILITY, UM, HAVE, HAVE NOT HAD ANY, ANY SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS.
UM, THERE'S JUST THE, THE VIEW OF A TYPICAL, UH, A BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE CON CON CONTAINER, UM, YOU CAN ACCESS THE MODULES, UM, TYPICALLY FROM THE OUTSIDE OF, OF, OF, OF THESE, UM, OF, OF THESE CONTAINERS.
UM, THE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO MAINTENANCE OR, OR, OR CHECKS, UM, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABOUT NINE FEET HIGH AND ABOUT 20, 20 FEET LONG.
UM, OUR, OUR FACILITY WILL BE DESIGNED WITH THE EXACT, UM, SETBACKS AND, AND, AND PARAMETERS AND SPACING THAT, THAT DOMINION REQUIRES, UH, FOR ALL OF THEIR, ALL, ALL THEIR BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE FACILITIES.
SO, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN IN THE, WITH SOME OF THE OLDER TECHNOLOGY THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN FIRES, UM, THE, THE FIRES STAY, YOU KNOW, UH, CONTAINED, UH, TO THE, TO THE FACILITY.
UM, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, ONE INCIDENT IN, IN, IN ARIZONA WITH AN, AN OLDER, AN OLDER TECH TECHNOLOGY, UM, WHERE THE, UH, THE FIRE PERSONNEL WERE NOT PROPERLY, UH, TRAINED OR, OR INFORMED, AND THEY WENT AND THEY OPENED UP THE CONTAINER AND THEN THEIR, THEIR CAUSED AN EXPLOSION.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS TAKEN EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.
AND SO THESE ARE ALL UNMANNED, UNMANNED FACILITIES THAT, THAT, THAT WILL BE MONITORED.
AND SO NOW THE NEWER TECHNOLOGY USES, UH, YOU KNOW, FOUR KEY FAIL SAFE, UH, UM, UM, UM, MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES.
UH, THE, THE FIRST ONE IS THERE'S MONITORING, SO I, SORRY, I SEE, I'LL BACK UP.
THE FIRST ONE IS, IS, IS TESTING EVERY, ALL OF THE BATTERY MODULES ARE TESTED BEFORE THEY ARRIVE ON SITE.
UM, SO THE, THE MANUFACTURERS, UH, AND ALL THE ONES THAT WE ARE, WE ARE CONSIDERING HAVE VERY RIGOROUS, UH, TESTING PROTOCOLS, UH, FOR EACH ONE OF THE BATTERY MODULES THAT ARRIVES ON SITE.
UM, SECONDLY, THEY'RE THE BATTERY MODULE LEVELS.
NOW ALL THERMAL ARE THERMALLY INSULATED.
UM, SO IF THERE WERE AN ISSUE, IT WOULD STAY CON CONTAINED INTO THIS.
THE ONE MODULE, UM, THEY HAVE MONITORING.
SO EACH ONE OF THESE BATTERY MOD, THE, THE TEMPERATURE OF EACH ONE OF THESE BATTERY MODULES, UM, IS, IS, IS MONITORED.
AND SO IF THERE'S, IF THEY'RE SEEING A RISE IN TEMPERATURE, UM, THEN THE, THE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT CREW WOULD BE ALERTED IMMEDIATELY, AND THEN THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, CAN, CAN, CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND TURN DOWN THE SYSTEM TRUCK.
IS THAT BE INTERNET OR IS THAT VIA AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING OUT AND CHECKING THEM? OR HOW, HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT? I MEAN, I, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT A TEMPERATURE GAUGE ON IT.
BUT SOMEBODY'S GOTTA READ THE DOOR GETS VS TRANSMITTED.
THAT, THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S VIA, VIA THE INTERNET.
AND THEN, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE IS IMMEDIATELY A, A, A ALERTED, UM, IF THE, IF, IF, IF, IF, YOU KNOW, SIM HAS YOUR, YOUR ALARM SYSTEM ON YOUR HOUSE, RIGHT? SOMEONE OPENS THE DOOR ALARM SYSTEM'S ON, SOMEONE'S IMMEDIATELY A, A ALERTED THAT, THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S, AND THEN LASTLY, THERE'S, THERE'S BETTER FIRE SUPPRESSION SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS. UM, SO THEY BECOME AN ISSUE.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS USING, UH, INERT GASES, UH, TO BASICALLY CHOKE OUT THE, THE FIRE, UM, AND PREVENT IT FROM PROPAGATING THROUGHOUT THE, THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST ONE, IF NECESSARY IS, IS, IS ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S WATER THERE, THERE TO, TO, TO THEN PUT OUT THE, THE LAST REMNANTS OF THE, OF THE FIRE.
SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT SAFETY CHECKS IN THIS, IN THAT, IN THESE, IN THESE, THESE FACILITIES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, MADE THEM EXTREMELY SAFE AND THEY'RE, AND YOU, AND YOU KNOW, AND ALSO MADE IT, SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REALLY DOESN'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN IN THE CASE WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY WOULD NEED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO TURN ON THE, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY HOOK,
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HOOK UP A HOSE FOR, FOR A ADDITIONAL WATER, LET'S SAY.THE IN ORT GAS, IS THAT ENCLOSED IN THE, THE, THE CABINET THAT THESE BATTERIES? YES.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO IF IT TEMP, IF IT SENSES A TEMPERATURE INCREASE OR SOMETHING MM-HMM.
IT'S, IT'S, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S IG 55, WHICH IS OKAY, ARGON AND NITROGEN.
SO THEN THE NEXT THING WOULD BE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME DOWN AND COOL IT DOWN.
YEAH, WELL, IT WOULD, THERE WOULD BE SOME, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S ALSO WATER TANK.
SO THEN THE NEXT THING WOULD BE IF, IF NECESSARY, THERE WOULD BE SOME WATER ALREADY TO COOL IT DOWN THERE.
AND THEN IF ADDITIONAL WATERS NEED, THEN THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COMES AND, AND HOOKS UP THE HOSE TO THE OUTSIDE.
I'M SORRY TO BREAK UP YOUR NO, NO, NO, NO.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS.
WELL, AND I, I HAVE A WHOLE LIST TOO, WHEN YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE I CAN ASK, SO DO, YEAH, I DO AS WELL.
I, WE'RE HAVE A COUPLE MORE SLIDES HERE.
AND, UM, SO, UH, ADDITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THE HOST COMMUNITY CON CONSIDERATIONS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS FACILITY WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 30, $35 MILLION.
UM, THERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT TO 12 MONTHS OF, OF ONSITE CON CONSTRUCTION, 2030 JOBS, UM, DURING, DURING THE, THE PEAK, UH, CON CONSTRUCTION PERIOD DURING OPERATIONS, UM, THERE'LL BE KIND OF THREE FULL-TIME, YOU KNOW, FOLKS, UH, UH, FOR, FOR OPERATIONS FOR FIELD WORK AND FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR BACK OFFICE.
UM, BUT IT, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S NO ONSITE PERSONNEL DURING, DURING CON CONSTRUCTION.
EVERYTHING WILL BE, UM, YOU KNOW, MANNED REMOTELY, NOISE LEVELS ARE EXTREMELY MINIMAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THERE, THIS, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO YOUR, UH, DISHWASHER AT HOME.
THERE, THERE ARE NO, NO AIRY MISSIONS AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, NO NEED FOR, FOR WATER FOR, FOR ONGOING COOLING OF THE, OF THE, UH, FACILITY.
YOU KNOW, WATER IS, IS ONLY, UM, THERE, THERE FOR, FOR SAFETY.
UH, THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT A, NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF IMPACT ON, ON, ON, ON THE SCHOOLS AND THE, AND THE ROADS.
AND THE, THE EXPECTED PROPERTY TAX REVENUES IS, IS ABOUT $6 MILLION OVER, UH, THE, THE FIRST 20 YEARS OF THE, OF THE, OF THE, OF THE PROJECT LOG.
UM, SO YEAH, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOHN FOR THE CONCLUSIONS AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER THE REST OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
YEAH, SIR, I THINK WE'VE RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AGAIN.
OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN ALLAY SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND HOPEFULLY, UM, HAVE A WAY FORWARD WITH YOUR SUPPORT TO TAKE WHATEVER STEPS ARE NECESSARY TO ADDRESS YOUR SAFETY CONCERNS, AND THEN HOPEFULLY ADVANCE THE PROJECT THROUGH THROUGH DEVELOPMENT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO I, MY QUESTION, SO IN, IN AUGUST, UM, FOLLOWING THE THIRD FIRE AT A BATTERY STORAGE UNIT IN NEW YORK, THEY PUT TOGETHER A STATE INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ENSURING THE SAFETY OF THE BATTERY STORAGE SYSTEM.
ONE OF THOSE INCIDENTS CAUSED A 24 HOURS HOLD IN PLACE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD ADJOINING THIS PROPERTY.
SO MY CONCERNS, AND I WANT TO ASK YOU, WHAT KIND OF, UH, TECHNOLOGY WERE THESE? WERE THESE YOUR TECHNOLOGY? HOW LONG HAS YOUR TECHNOLOGY BEEN OUT? YEAH, SO THESE, THOSE INCIDENTS WERE, UH, COMPANY CALLED, CALLED HOWEN ENERGY.
UM, IT WAS ONE OF THE EARLY, UH, UM, UM, BATTERY MANU MANUFACTURERS.
UM, THOSE FACILITIES DID, DID NOT HAVE ALL OF THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN, IN PLACE THAT I, THAT I MENTIONED.
SO, UH, THE, THE OLD, THE, I GUESS THOUGHT AND SAFETY WAS JUST TO KIND OF THESE, THE FIRE STAY, SELF SELF-CONTAINED, YOU'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THEM FROM BEING OUTSIDE OF THE CONTAINERS.
AND SO THEY WOULD JUST KIND OF JUST, JUST LET THE, IF THEY TRADED THE FIRE IN THE VERY RARE INSTANCE, LIKE IT'S ONLY FIVE INCIDENTS THE LAST 10, 15 YEARS.
UM, AND IT, IT, IT'S JUST TO KIND OF LET IT BURN OUT.
UM, BUT NEWER TECHNOLOGY IS, IS NOT DOING THAT.
THEY'RE NOT JUST LETTING THE, THE FACILITIES BURN OUT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO SUFFOCATE THE FIRES FIRST AND THEN PUT THEM OUT IMMEDIATELY SO THERE'S, SO THERE'S NO ODORS GOING INTO THE AIR.
UM, THERE'S YOU, SO THERE'S NO, THERE'S, THERE'S STILL, EVEN WITH THAT FACILITY, THERE'S STILL STARTING TO BE GONE.
THERE STILL, THERE WEREN'T REALLY TOXINS THAT WERE THAT RELEASED, BUT THERE WASN'T ODOR.
SO THE STATE OF NEW YORK, HOW OLD IS THE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING? SO
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THE, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CONSTANTLY E EVOLVING.UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE NEWER MATTER EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, 2019, THAT 19, YOU KNOW, HOURS WILL BE YOU PROTOCOL NEW, NEW BATTERIES OF LITHIUM MINOR BATTERY.
AND SO YOUR, YOUR TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN TESTED FOR HOW LONG? FOR SAFETY? IT, SO THERE'S, THERE, THERE'S A, A UL CERTIFICATION THAT, THAT ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, UH, BATTERY MANUFACTURERS MUST GO THROUGH.
AND SO WE'RE AT SEVERAL COMPANIES AT FRENCH COMPANY, GE, OTHERS, AND SO THEY, THEY'VE ALL COMPLETED ALL THAT CERTIFICATION WITHIN THE LAST TWO, THREE, WELL, TESLA CARS CATCH ON FIRE IN THEIR, IN A GARAGE.
SO THAT DOESN'T GIMME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE.
YEAH, NO, BUT I, I, EVERY TESLA REPORT, NOT EVERY COMBUSTED ENGINE FIRE GETS REPORTED.
SO, SO YOU, WHICH HAPPENS A LOT MORE.
SO, SO YOU, YOU, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THESE, ALL OF THESE, THESE FOREIGN COMPANIES, THESE FRENCH COMPANIES MM-HMM.
SO CAN YOU ANSWER THOSE TWO QUESTIONS? UH, SURE.
I'LL START FIRST WITH THE, UH, THE
SO, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY HERE, LOOKING AT THE LP NINE BATTERIES COMPONENTS ARE, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S COPPER.
UM, THE MAJORITY OF SOME COMES FROM THE, FROM THE UNITED STATES, SOME FROM, FROM, FROM, UH, FROM SOUTH AMERICA AND AFRICA.
A LOT OF IT'S PROCESS IN, IN CHINA.
BUT YOU KNOW, WITH THE PLACEMENT INDUCTION ACT, UM, YOU KNOW, STAFF AND, AND, AND TESLA AND, AND THEY'RE ALL MANUFACTURING, UM, RIGHT HERE IN THE US EXPECT, SO, SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS TO 'EM WHEN THEY'RE SPENT? SO THERE'S A, THERE'S, THERE'S AN AUGMENTATION CYCLE.
UH, SO EVERY, YOU KNOW, BASED OFF OF DISCHARGING AND CHARGING THE BATTERIES ONCE PER DAY, UM, WE EXPECT EVERY FOUR TO SIX YEARS FOR THE BATTERIES TO, TO DEGRADE, UH, FROM, YOU KNOW, 90%, YOU KNOW, DOWN TO SOMEWHERE NEAR 50 TO 60%.
AND THEN WE HAVE, WE'LL HAVE A CONTRACT WITH, UH, THE BATTERY MANUFACTURER, OPERATION MAINTENANCE THAT'S GOTTA COME IN AND REPLACE LOAD BATTERIES AND THEY RECYCLE THOSE BATTERIES.
UM, MY LIGHTS ON, I'M GONNA START WITH THE, UM, I KNOW THEY'RE RARE EARTHS THAT AREN'T, ARE THEY PARSON GENIC? NO, 100% SURE OF THAT.
THAT, THAT'S, OF ALL THE STUDIES THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN OUT NEW EMISSION THAT, THAT HAVE COME OUT.
SO IF THAT THING WERE TO BLOW THE WATER THAT'S NEEDED AND, AND THEY CAN BLOW UP AND, UM, SO THE WATER THAT'S NEEDED IN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE RIVER, IF IT THAT WATER MIGRATES DOWN TO THE RIVER, THERE'S NO CONCERN OF, UM, CONTAMINATING THAT WATER FOR FUTURE WATER USE IN THE AQUATIC LIGHT.
THE, THE, THE, ALL THE WATER SHOULD, SHOULD STAY.
I'LL, I'LL HANG ON THAT WORD SHIFT.
LET, LET, LET, LET ME ADD TO THAT.
SO, SO WITH LITHIUM ION BATTERIES, THEY DO NOT REQUIRE, UH, WHAT I'LL CALL DOUBLE HAL CONTAINMENT, UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER BATTERIES THAT ARE RECOGNIZED TO ACTUALLY HAVE CARCINOGENS THAT WOULD RESULT IN A NEED TO STORE THAT WATER AND SAVE IT AND TO EXPORT IT SAFELY.
SO THERE ARE OTHER BATTERIES, OTHER TYPES OF BATTERIES THAT PERHAPS HAVE LESS OF A CHANCE OF EVER CATCHING ON FIRE, BUT IF THEY DO AND YOU NEED TO PUT THEM OUT WITH WATER, THOSE BATTERY CONTAINERS ACTUALLY BY REGULATION ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE DOUBLE DOUBLE HAUL CONTAINERS.
BUT ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN WHEN AN EXPLOSION GOES, IT GOES, UM, AND
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TO OUR FIRE AND E M S, WHAT WOULD WE NOW NEED TO REQUIRE OF THEM TO BE ABLE TO MITIGATE ANY FIRE AND, UM, EXPLOSION TYPE THING? BECAUSE THEY, YOUR PEOPLE, IF THAT THING GOES HOT, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOUR PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM, IT'S GONNA BE LOCAL FOLKS THAT ARE DEALING WITH IT.THEY WILL BE FIRST RESPONDERS.
THEN WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD SET UP A TRAINING PROGRAM WITH THEM, BRING IN OUR VENDORS AND HAVE SESSIONS WITH THEM TO PROMOTE SAFETY IN THE APPROPRIATE PROTOCOLS TO TAKE.
UM, THAT WAS LEARNED AS, AS MARK SAID, FROM THE ARIZONA FACILITY WHERE A FIRST RESPONDER JUST WALKED INTO ONE OF THESE BATTERY CONTAINERS, INTRODUCED OXYGEN, AND IT BLEW UP, AND THAT PERSON WAS KILLED.
SO NOW MOST OF THESE FACILITIES, IN FACT, MAYBE ALL OF THEM NO LONGER ALLOW YOU TO ACTUALLY OPEN UP THE DOOR.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SELF-CONTAINED.
THIS IS FOR THE PROTECTION OF FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT THERE WILL BE PROTOCOLS AND WE WILL DO THE TRAINING AND WE WILL PAY FOR THE TRAINING.
SO, AND ANY EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, YES, ABSOLUTELY UPGRADED.
SO, UM, I WOULD SAY, I CANNOT SAY WITH AS A GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD BE SUPPLYING THE LOCAL SYSTEM, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THE UTILITIES HAVE WAYS TO SHUT OFF POWER AT OTHER LOCATIONS.
SO IF THIS SYSTEM WAS GENERATING HERE AND THERE WAS A POWER FAILURE ELSEWHERE, THE SYSTEM COULD SHUT DOWN IN OTHER AREAS, BUT THIS AREA COULD STAY RUNNING FOR UP TO FOUR HOURS.
THAT'S HOW MUCH CHARGE WE HAVE.
SO WE'LL CHARGE OVERNIGHT FOR FOUR HOURS, THEN WE CAN RUN DURING THE DAY FOR FOUR HOURS, BUT IT'S ONLY FOUR HOURS.
SO WORKFORCE, ONCE IT'S BUILT, AND YOU'LL BRING IN YOUR OWN PEOPLE.
SO THERE'S NOT REALLY GONNA BE ANY LOCAL PEOPLE GETTING JOBS OUT OF THIS.
I'M GOING TO ASSUME, UM, INSTRUCTION JOBS THERE WILL BE THERE.
WE'LL, WE'LL USE, MOSTLY IT'S ELECTRICAL AND CIVIL, AND THAT'S LOCALLY PROCURED.
THE ONE OTHER THING I SHOULD JUST MENTION IS DOMINION WANTS TO BUY THESE PLANTS FROM DEVELOPERS LIKE US, AND THEY HAVE SET STANDARD SAFETY STANDARDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU NEED A HUNDRED FOOT SETBACK FROM ALL THE, THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES.
THAT'S A DOMINION REQUIREMENT.
DOMINION SAYS, IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, WE'RE NOT GONNA COME AND BUY YOUR FACILITY.
THERE'S 20 OR 20 FOOT, 24 FOOT SPACING BETWEEN EACH OF THE CONTAINERS JUST TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF PROPAGATION OF FIRES.
UM, SO WE'RE DESIGNING THIS IN A WAY TO SUIT DOMINION AND DOMINION WILL ULTIMATELY, IF THIS PROJECT GETS BUILT, WILL BE THE OWNER AND WILL RUN IT AS A UTILITY.
AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'VE ALSO GOT THE PLANT NEXT DOOR, WHICH WE THINK GIVES THEM AN INCENTIVE TO, TO WANNA, YOU KNOW, O OWN THIS PLANT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT PERSONNEL THERE AND, AND IT MAKES SENSE.
WELL, AND YOU SAID APPROXIMATELY 6 MILLION IN REVENUE OVER 20 YEARS MM-HMM.
I WAS GONNA SAY THESE TWO ARE THE HUMAN CALCULATORS.
SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S CLOSE.
$300,000 IN TAX REVENUE A YEAR WORKFORCE, UM, PER YEAR.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS THING CAN BURN A HOUSE DOWN, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE POSSIBLE BECAUSE ANYTHING CAN FAIL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THE SAFETY OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND THAT CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THAT RIVER, UM, AND SHOULD SCARES ME.
I, I I, TO BE HONEST, WE, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU DATA FROM ALL OF OUR MANUFACTURERS ON ANY ISSUES HEARD, HEARD.
MR. WINING, HOW CLOSE IS THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO THIS PROPOSED BATTERY LOCATION? DO YOU KNOW? IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? IT'S ABOUT A SIX HOUSE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT FUTURE LAND USES FOR COMMERCIAL.
UH, IT A BUTTS UP TO THE PROPERTY, I THINK AT ONE POINT.
UM, AND THEN THE SOUTH PART OF THE PROPERTY ABUTS TO THE GOLF COURSE.
SO IT'S KIND OF AN EXTENSION GOLF COURSE.
HAVE THE PICTURES UP THERE, IF THAT WOULD
[00:30:01]
BE HELPFUL.AS WE LOOK AT THIS, UH, THIS IS CEDAR PARK AND THESE ARE THE HOMES THAT LIE IN CEDAR PARK COURT.
THIS IS THE MARRIOTT HOTEL AT THIS POINT.
UM, YOU WOULD BE KIND OF FURTHER FROM THE AREA DESIGNATED HERE ABOUT, LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 600 FEET.
YOU MAY, MAYBE NOT, BUT, UM, THE LITHIUM MATTERS' PLANNING ON USING, IS THERE SUCH A THING AS THE MEANTIME ON BATTERY NOW THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED? THAT'S A, THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF ONE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, BUT WE, UH, DR.
DALEY AND I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU, BUT THE, UM, 6 MILLION OVER 20 YEARS OR 300,000 A YEAR, HOW IS THAT BROKEN DOWN? THERE IS AN 80% TAX EXEMPTION FOR ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS, AND I WONDER IF Y'ALL FACTORED THAT WHEN YOU PROVIDED THAT 6 MILLION ESTIMATE AND, AND HOW THAT 300,000 A YEAR BREAKS DOWN.
WE, WE, WE DID, UM, I DON'T, WE HAVE A SPREADSHEET THAT, THAT WE WERE PROVIDED, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE COUNTY.
UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO, TO THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, TO SHOW THAT DOCUMENTATION.
SO, SO COULD YOU CLARIFY, IS THAT 6 MILLION BEFORE OR AFTER YOU GET THE EXEMPTION? I, I WILL CONFIRM.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE, UH, THE 6 MILLION IS OVER 20 YEARS, BUT THE PROJECT LIFE SHOULD BE ABOUT 35 YEARS, SO THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
WE JUST RAN IT OUT TO 20 YEARS.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY? I HAVE A FEW.
SO, UM, SO THE FIRST THING IS, UH, ASHLEY IS JUST REALLY ONE MAYBE CONCERN ON MY PART SURE.
IS, UM, YOU TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT AND IT'S, UH, 30 YEAR LIFECYCLE MM-HMM.
AT WHAT POINT IN TIME HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE SITE AN EVENT THE BATTERY TECHNOLOGY'S DIFFERENT OR WHATEVER.
WHAT IS, WHAT IS THAT IN YOUR, SO THERE, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT, UM, FROM DOMINION TO HAVE A DECOMMISSIONING PLAN IN PLACE WHERE AFTER 35 YEARS, UM, THE BATTERY E EQUIPMENT AND ALL RELATED EQUIPMENT WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE SITE AND THEN THE SITE WILL BE RETURNED, UM, ON, ON TO IT TO ITS CURRENT STATE.
SO DO YOU FORESEE IN THAT, IN THAT PLAN MM-HMM.
UM, WE HAVE A PROJECT IN VIRGINIA BEACH THAT'S GOING THROUGH APPROVALS NOW, AND UM, WE HAVE A ZONING ORDINANCE THERE.
UM, AND THERE WAS A ZONING AMENDMENT THAT WAS WRITTEN THAT ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR A DECOMMISSIONING PLAN FOR ANY PROJECT WITH A HUNDRED FOOT SETBACK ON THE BOUNDARIES AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
SO, UM, THERE IS A PRECEDENT FOR THE TYPES OF SAFETY ISSUES THAT YOU ARE RAISING HERE, AND THEY'RE VERY VALID CONCERNS AND THEY'RE BEING ADDRESSED BY OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
SO WHEN YOU SAY IT'S BEING ADDRESSED, DOES THAT MEAN THAT RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS THE LONG-TERM VISION OF DECOMMISSIONING ISN'T REALLY CONCRETE YET? SO THE, UH, ZONING AMENDMENT FOR THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH FOR VIRGINIA BEACH HAS VERY SPECIFIC DECOMMISSIONING REQUIREMENTS, EVEN WITH A BONDING REQUIREMENT ON THE OWNER TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY THERE AT THE END OF THE PROJECT TO DECOMMISSION.
SO, UH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU THAT INFORMATION IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT.
UH, MR. WIN WINDLEY
[00:35:01]
WE DO HAVE DECOMMISSION DECOMMISSIONING LANGUAGE FOR CELL TOWERS.UH, AND WE WILL SEE THAT TYPICALLY IN, IN SOME OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS YOU SEE FOR THAT.
UH, WE CAN USE, UH, SIMILAR LANGUAGE, UH, FOR THAT AND, AND WHAT WE FIND, UH, FROM OTHER STATE, UH, COUNTIES AND WHATNOT.
UM, AND THAT COULD BE A PART OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD, UH, BRING FORTH AS FAR AS A TEXT AMENDMENT FOR THIS LAND USE.
SO I GUESS YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
SO WITH, YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT YOU HAVE A, A PROJECT PLAN WITH ALL THESE WONDERFUL THINGS AND I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE WHAT YOU SERVE DECOMMISSIONING PLAN AS LONG AS WELL.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE, DID YOU SAY LEAD WAS PART OF THIS? NO, I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY LEAD.
OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND JUMP RIGHT INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH.
PASTOR BROWN ALLUDED US IN A PRAYER PASTOR THERE YOU'RE, HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? I'M GOOD, HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING WELL.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY THAT YOU'VE ALLOWED US TO SEE AND WE PRAY OUR LORD, THAT UM, YOU'LL HELP US TO, UM, SEE THAT IT'S OKAY TO DISAGREE WITH THE WAY OF LIFE AND CHOICES OF OTHERS AND NOT HAVE TO FEAR OR DESPISE THEM AT THE SAME TIME.
LORD, HELP US TO UNDERSTAND THAT LOVING SOMEONE DOES NOT MEAN AGREEING WITH EVERYTHING THEY BELIEVE, SAY OR DO SOMEHOW AS A SOCIETY.
LORD, WE'VE FORGOTTEN WHAT IT MEANS TO LISTEN TO OTHERS AND TO UNDERSTAND.
SO HELP US ALL LORD, UM, TO FIRST LISTEN TO WHAT EACH OTHER IS SAYING AND HELP US TO STOP THINKING ABOUT HOW RIGHT OUR DECISIONS ARE, AND INSTEAD CONSIDER HOW THOSE DECISIONS AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
IT'S EASY, LORD, FOR US TO FOCUS ON OUR DIFFERENCES, BUT HELP US TO FIND THOSE COMMON AREAS THAT WE AGREE ON AND WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT WHAT MATTERS MOST, WHICH IS OUR CHILDREN NOT FORGETTING AND LAYING ASIDE THOSE MORALS OF THOSE CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES AND RIGHTS THAT OUR FOREFATHERS BELIEVED IN, WHICH HAVE KEPT US ALIVE AS A SOCIETY RECOGNIZING THAT WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE WHAT'S RIGHT OVER WHAT'S POLITICAL.
I PRAY LORD, FOR OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, EACH ONE OF THEM, THAT YOU WILL GUIDE THEM INTO MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS AS LEADERS, AS GOOD CITIZENS, AND AS PARENTS WHO ALSO WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN.
LET YOUR HOLY SPIRIT BE THEIR MORAL COMPASS IN DECIDING WHAT'S RIGHT.
AND I PRAY FOR PEACE AND CALM AS WE DELIVER IT.
AND I PRAY FOR MUTUAL RESPECT.
AND MAY YOUR PEACE GUIDE US TONIGHT, THESE THINGS WE ARE ASKING IN YOUR SON JESUS NAME.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND WILL EVERYONE PLEASE STAND UP FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR.
[C. Adoption of Agenda – Additions or Deletions]
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS TO ADOPT OUR AGENDA.SO DOES THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS? YES, MADAM CHAIR.
I MOVE THAT THE AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED WITH THE ADDITION OF CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF A TEMPORARY LIBRARY FUNDING AGREEMENT APPROPRIATION $256,000 TO SAMUELS LIBRARY INCORPORATED
[00:40:01]
AS THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.IS THERE ANY OTHER ADDITIONS? OH, MR. BEG? PARDON? AIRPORT APPOINTMENTS, MA'AM.
UM, WE ALSO ARE GOING TO, UM, ADD TO OUR AGENDA THE TWO APPOINTMENTS FOR THE AIRPORT COMMISSION.
SO MR. BUTLER, WOULD YOU, UH, AMEND YOUR MOTION TO INCLUDE WHAT MRS. COOK SAID? YES.
UH, I AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE THE AIRPORT APPOINTMENTS.
AND IS THAT THE PROPER WAY OF DOING IT OR, OKAY, THANK YOU.
SO THE NEXT ITEM OF OUR AGENDA IS TO, UM, WILL BE THE TEMPORARY, UM, TEMPORARY LIBRARY FUNDING AGREEMENT.
UM, I DON'T MR. BUTLER HAS THE LANGUAGE FOR THE MOTION.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BE AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE THE TEMPORARY LIBRARY FUNDING AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF WARREN COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS? IS THERE A MOTION? I THINK HE JUST MADE THE MOTION SO WE NEED A SECOND.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND JUST FOR THE SAKE OF ORGANIZATION, UM, MR. HIM AS FAR AS THE APPOINTMENT TO THE AIRPORT COMMISSIONS, WE WERE GOING TO PUT IT ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE DID THAT, SO WE WOULD JUST BRING THAT UP AS OTHER BUSINESS AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
[D. Public Comment Period (60 Minute Time Limit)]
WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING ON TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.AND OF COURSE EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THE, UH, THE RULES ARE, BUT I'LL JUST READ THEM AGAIN JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO GIVE INPUT ON ANY RELEVANT ISSUE, NOT SUBJECT TO A PUBLIC HEARING AND IS NOT INTENDED AS A QUESTION OR ANSWER PERIOD.
THE PUBLIC PERIOD SHALL BE LIMITED TO 60 MINUTES WITH THE MAX OF THREE MINUTES FOR ANY ONE SPEAKER, AND THE SPEAKERS WILL ONLY SPEAK ONCE AND THEY WILL ALSO BE HEARD IN ORDER AS THEY SIGNED UP.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, MR. HENDERSON, WHAT DO WE HAVE FIRST? SARAH DOWNS.
I LIVE IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
HELLO, I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAIN.
THIS TIME I COME WITH QUESTIONS EXPECTING NO ANSWERS.
WHY ARE YOU OKAY WITH POLITICALLY POSTURING TO EXTREMISTS AND HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR THEIR BIGOTRY? THE ISSUE OF FUNDING OUR LIBRARY HAS BECOME ONE QUESTION THAT HAS MADE ME HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS.
WALTER MABE, WHY ARE YOU OKAY WITH NEGOTIATING AND REMAINING NEUTRAL? WHAT ABOUT THE DISCRIMINATION IS NEUTRAL? DOLORES OATES, YOU CLAIM TO SUPPORT MOTHERS YET IN THREE MONTHS YOU HAVE TO REVOTE ON THE LIBRARY THAT SUPPORTS MOTHERS.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING TO AND FROM YOUR CAR? WHAT ARE YOU RUNNING FROM? YOU SAY YOU WANNA OPEN DISCUSSIONS BUT THEN JETS OUT OF AN OPEN MEETING.
CHERYL COLORS, HAVE YOU BEEN COMPLACENT TO THE DISCRIMINATORY ACTIONS OF YOUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS? AND WE KNOW YOU SUPPORT THE LIBRARY, BUT YOUR SILENCE ON THE ACTIONS OF FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS SPEAKS VOLUMES.
AND MR. BUTLER, WELL GLADLY, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SOMEONE WHO ACTIVELY ADVOCATES AND SUPPORTS FOR DISCRIMINATION.
YES, YOU SHOULD FEEL CONFRONTED.
BEING CONFRONTED WITH YOUR LACK OF INTEGRITY AS EACH OF YOU RAN TO REPRESENT THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY, NOT THE EXTREMISM OF A VERY SMALL FEW.
AND TRUST THAT WE WILL GO TO THE POOLS AND HOLD YOU ALL ACCOUNTABLE.
LASTLY, WHY NOT FUND THE LIBRARY? WHY DRAG IT OUT ANOTHER THREE MONTHS? WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? THE FIRST AMENDMENT
[00:45:01]
GAVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.NO LAW SHALL BE MADE RESPECTING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF OR BRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR OF THE PRESS OR OF THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE TO PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLE AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OR GRIEVANCE.
WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? SOME OF YOU CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS.
WELL, THIS LINE CAN BE FOUND IN A BOOK IN OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
PSALMS 27, THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION.
WHOM SHALL I FEAR? THE LORD IS THE STRONGHOLD OF MY LIFE.
OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID OF? WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS KELSEY LAWRENCE AND I LIVE IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT.
ARE YOU GUYS TIRED OF HEARING US YET FROM US YET? UM, AS A LEADER OF SAVE SAMUELS, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THIS IS NOT OVER.
LOOK AT THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.
LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SHOWING UP FOR MONTHS.
WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR TUESDAY NIGHT BACK? MAYBE JUST LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF IT.
WE ARE PARENTS, CITIZENS AND LIBRARY CARD HOLDERS.
UNLIKE THIS CUSS GROUP WHO ARE FULL OF SINGLE AND OLD MEN.
I LOVE IT WHEN THEY TELL ME HOW I SHOULD PARENT.
PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP YOUR, LET'S TALK ABOUT SAMUELS.
SAMUELS IS A NONPROFIT C THREE.
IT IS LIKE A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR.
SAMUELS INC IS EVEN MORE AUDITED BY THE I R S DUE TO THIS STATUS.
IT IS MORE ACCOUNTABLE THAN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHO SHOW US TIME AND TIME AGAIN HOW INEFFECTIVE THEY ARE.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR $10,000 SPENT ON DOG TOYS OR STAPLERS OR BOOKS.
DO WE NEED TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE MORE POWER, MORE MONEY BECAUSE THAT MONEY WILL GO BACK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IF SAMUELS DOESN'T GET IT.
ONLY IN THE COMMUNIST REPUBLIC OF CHINA DOES THE GOVERNMENT SEEK SEATS AND CONTROLLING VOTES ON PRIVATE BOARDS.
THE LIBRARY IS NOT THE SCHOOLS AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN SO, SO ANY COMPARISON THERE IS FLAWED.
WILL WARREN COUNTY BECOME RED? RED NOT FOR REPUBLICANS, BUT RED FOR COMMUNISM.
GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT CONTROL WHAT POP, WHAT THE POPULACE READS.
WHILE WE MAY NOT VOTE ALL OF YOU OUT IN NOVEMBER, REST ASSURED WE ARE COMING FOR YOUR SEATS.
ENJOY YOUR TIME AND POWER FOR IT IS SHORT-LIVED.
NO LONGER WILL WE VOTE RED OR BLUE, BUT WE ARE VOTING FOR ISSUES FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS.
SAMUELS IS A FIRST RATE INSTITUTION.
NO OTHER COMMUNITY ENTITY HERE HAS A 99% APPROVAL RATING AND YOU WANNA TAKE IT OVER SO IT BECOMES A LOW RATED INSTITUTION LIKE THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
I CONDEMN ANYONE WHO SAYS IT HAS BEEN RUNNING POORLY.
LIBRARIES ARE PILLARS OF THE FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.
WE MUST VEHEMENTLY OPPOSE CENSORSHIP IN ALL OF ITS FORMS. FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT BECAUSE ALL OTHER AMENDMENTS ARE BUILT ON IT.
THE GREAT ACTIVIST AUDRE LORDE ONCE SAID, YOUR SILENCE WILL NOT PROTECT YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO LOVE THE CONSTITUTION, YOU MUST PROTECT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
THE NEXT SPEAKER, ROBERT HILL.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MISSED MY BIRTHDAY, IT'S OKAY.
I WAS GONNA SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, I STOP.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME'S ROBERT HILL.
I LIVE AT UH, 1477 KEN FOR ROAD.
I ALSO AM A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ELECTION BOARD, BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT.
IN MY YOUTH, I WAS A HISTORY TEACHER AND SO FREQUENTLY I RESORT TO TALKING ABOUT HISTORY.
THIS COUNTRY CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
PEOPLE CAME OVER HERE AND SETTLED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM NEVER ESTABLISHED ITSELF.
MASSACHUSETTS BECAME PURITAN RHODE ISLAND.
ROGER WILLIAMS WENT BECAUSE HE WANTED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR HIS PEOPLE.
PENNSYLVANIA, WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE.
[00:50:01]
INTOLERANCE EVENTUALLY BECAME THE FORMATION OF THE CONFEDERATE CONFEDERATION OF STATES.THAT WAS HOPEFULLY THE BEGINNING OF THE AMERICAN RE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
UNFORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE THE STATES, MUCH LIKE THEY WERE IN COLONIES, BECAME DEPENDENT UPON WHAT THEY WANTED.
AND I THINK THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO ONCE SAID, A HOUSE DIVIDED WILL FALL.
LET ME REMIND YOU, A HOUSE DIVIDED WILL FALL.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU A STORY, A VERY BRIEF STORY.
MY SISTER WENT TO A CATHOLIC SCHOOL.
THE NUNS HAD HOLES IN THEIR SHOES.
SHE STOLE THE SHOES FROM THE NUN BECAUSE SHE WANTED THE CONVENT TO GIVE THE NUNS SHOES THAT DIDN'T HAVE HOLES IN THE WINTER.
KIND OF MORAL OF THAT STORY IS WE LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER.
THAT'S THE CHRISTIAN JUDAIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
I'M GONNA REMIND YOU ALSO 29 MILES FROM HERE.
JOHN F. KENNEDY CAME AND HE SAID, I WILL NOT ALLOW MY RELIGION TO DOMINATE HOW I POLITICALLY RUN GOVERNMENT.
AND IN MASSACHUSETTS THERE'S A LIBRARY AFTER HIM, THE J F K LIBRARY AND EVERY YEAR THEY PROVIDE WARDS TO PEOPLE WHO STAND UP FOR THE PROFILES AND COURAGE.
THAT PROFILE SAYS, HEY, THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THINK ABOUT HOW WE DO IT AND WHO WE STAND FOR.
WE SHOULD STAND FOR EVERYBODY, NOT A GROUP OF PEOPLE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SAMANTHA GOOD, AND I AM IN THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT.
I AM A SOCIAL WORKER, FORMER CHILDREN'S THERAPIST, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, MOTHER HOMESCHOOL TEACHER, WIFE, AVID READER.
AND UPON HEARING OF THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY, I BECAME A CONCERNED CITIZEN.
SO CONCERNED IN FACT THAT I HAVE NOW SPENT A TOTAL OF 17 HOURS WAITING IN LINE TO SPEAK TO THIS BOARD, THIS BOARD THAT DENIED ME THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AFTER I WAITED FOR SIX AND A HALF HOURS PRIOR TO THE SEPTEMBER 5TH BOARD MEETING.
THIS BOARD THAT IS THREATENING TO DEFUND CLOSE OR AT THE VERY LEAST IMPINGE UPON MY LIBRARY IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE FROM A SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT IS TRYING TO FORCE THE LIBRARY TO ALIGN WITH THEIR VIEWPOINT BY BANNING BOOKS, YOU MAY REFUTE THESE CLAIMS, BUT YOUR DOCUMENTS AND ACTIONS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
LUCKILY, THE DOCUMENTS AND ACTIONS OF SAMUELS ALSO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND THEY CLEARLY SHOW THAT SAMUELS IS THRIVING.
OVER THE COURSE OF 2022, THE LIBRARY OBTAINED MORE THAN 2000 NEW PATRONS BENEFITED FROM MORE THAN 8,300 VOLUNTEER HOURS, PROVIDED 650 PROGRAMS TO THE PUBLIC, EXCEEDED ITS FUNDRAISING GOAL BY 27% AND RETAIN 65% OF THEIR DONORS.
EVEN THOUGH THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR NON-PROFIT DONOR RETENTION IS LESS THAN 45% IN THE WORDS OF MY FIVE YEAR OLD SAMUELS IS CRUSHING IT.
THEREFORE, THE ONLY REAL ISSUE THAT THIS BOARD SEEMS TO HAVE WITH THE WAY IN WHICH SAMUELS' OPERATING PERTAINS TO THE LIBRARY'S REFUSAL TO BE IN BOOKS, A STANCE THAT FURTHER DEMONSTRATES THE EFFICACY OF THE LIBRARY'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
WHY? BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY UNLAWFUL TO BE IN BOOKS.
I'M CERTAIN THAT THIS BOARD IS EDUCATED ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THAT GIVEN THIS CONTROVERSY, YOU HAVE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT THE VIRGINIA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT AND THE VIRGINIA VALUES ACT OF 2020.
SO HOW CAN YOU ALL BELIEVE THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DEFUND A LIBRARY DUE TO A REFUSAL TO BAN BOOKS BY LAW? LIBRARIES CANNOT BAN BOOKS UNLESS THEY MEET SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLINED BY THE US SUPREME COURT.
SAMUELS DOES PROVIDE CARD RESTRICTIONS, DETAILED BOOK DESCRIPTION AND ACCESS TO 20 LIBRARY STAFF WITH A COMBINED EXPERIENCE OF 153 YEARS IN THE FIELD.
ALL OF WHICH MAKE IT EASIER FOR PARENTS TO MONITOR THE MATERIALS THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE ACCESSING.
HOWEVER, LIBRARY STAFF ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING CHILDREN.
THIS IS A PARENTAL SUPERVISION ISSUE, NOT AN ISSUE FOR THIS BOARD.
IN CLOSING, I ASK THAT THIS BOARD PLEASE CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES OF ITS ACTIONS TOWARDS SAMUELS.
SPECIFICALLY THE CONSEQUENCES THAT THIS COMMUNITY WILL SUFFER IF SAMUELS WERE TO CLOSE MY FAMILY ALONE WOULD LOSE EDUCATION AND SOCIALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES, ACCESS TO BOOKS NECESSARY FOR HOMESCHOOLING ACCESS TO BOOKS THAT WE READ FOR EDUCATION AND PLEASURE AND ACCESS TO THE SIGNIFICANT KNOWLEDGE THAT THE LIBRARY STAFF HAVE AND GLADLY SHARE.
I AM ONE LIBRARY PATRON SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS MORE THAN TWO
[00:55:01]
20,500 DIVERSE PATRONS.I SUPPORT SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY AS IT IS WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM THIS BOARD.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS BRUCE WHITE AND I'M A RESIDENT OF 87 FERN COURT IN SHENANDOAH DISTRICT.
I URGE YOU TO FULLY FUND SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY TO KEEP ITS COLLECTION INTACT AND TO SIGN THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT DRAFTED BY THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
A VERY SIMILAR M O A HAS BEEN IN EFFECT FOR SOME 70 YEARS DURING WHICH TIME THE LIBRARY HAS FLOURISHED AND BECOME THE TREASURE THAT IT IS FAR SUPERIOR TO MANY OF THOSE OF COMMUNITIES OF SIMILAR SIZE AND DEMOGRAPHICS.
IN ADDITION TO BEING A WARREN COUNTY RESIDENT AND PATRON OF THE LIBRARY, I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
AND I HAVE HAD DISTRIBUTED AMONG YOU, I HOPE THE, UH, RECORD WILL SHOW, UH, LETTERS FROM FELLOW CONG UH, CONGREGANTS OF THAT CHURCH, MANY OF WHOM ARE ALSO WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS.
THESE LETTERS HAVE BEEN PREPARED IN SUPPORT OF THE SAME THREE THINGS THAT I ASK YOUR SUPPORT FOR.
SUPPORT OF FULL FUNDING OF SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY, IT'S COLLECTION AND THE M O A THE LIBRARY HAS SUBMITTED.
AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS, WE AFFIRM THE INHERENT WORTH AND DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON AND THE IMPORTANCE OF JUSTICE, EQUITY, AND COMPASSION IN HUMAN RELATIONS.
TREATING PEOPLE AS HUMAN BEINGS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING WE DO ONE-ON-ONE, BUT SOMETHING THAT HAS SYSTEMIC IMPLICATIONS IN FORMING OUR ENTIRE CULTURAL WAY OF BEING.
SIMPLY STATED, THE WORLD IS COMPLEX AND DIVERSE.
OUR CHILDREN WHO MUST LEARN TO DEAL WITH THAT COMPLEXITY, TO NAVIGATE IT, BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH IT, AND EMBRACE IT WITH LOVE.
THE OBJECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED TO BOOKS ARE ABOUT L G B T Q THEMES, BUT SAMUEL'S LIBRARY HAS ALREADY ADDRESSED THOSE CONCERNS WITH ADDITIONAL LEVELS OF LIBRARY CARDS, GIVING PARENTS GREATER OVERSIGHT AND HAS CREATED THE NEW ADULT SECTION THAT HOUSES BOOKS DEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR, UH, PAPER.
IN 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER, I HAVE READ SEVERAL OF THESE BOOKS IN THEIR ENTIRETY IN THEM, I FOUND NO PORNOGRAPHY, NO ATTEMPTS TO RECRUIT CHILDREN OR YOUNG ADULTS TO PRURIENT SEX LIFE.
WHAT I FOUND IN THEM WERE LESSONS OF TOLERANCE, UNDERSTANDING, ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE WHOSE IDENTITY IS GENUINE AND SINCERE, EVEN IF DIFFERENT FROM INTERRUPT HERE.
I AM A TAXPAYER AND A VOTER AND IT IS MY EXPECTATION THAT YOU FULLY FUND THE LIBRARY.
LESS THAN 1% OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE CALLED TO DEFUND THE LIBRARY, YET YOU'VE BEEN TO THEIR WILL AND YOU SAY IT AS A COMMUNITY TALKING.
IT IS, IT IS AN ELITIST, BIGOTED COMMUNITY WHO HAPPENS TO HAVE MONEY AND POWER.
THEY DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE OVER 99% OF THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
YOU SENT THE LIBRARY AN M O A THAT WOULD PUT THESE EXACT PEOPLE IN POWER OVER THE LIBRARY.
AND THE WHOLE VOTING COMMUNITY KNOWS THIS.
THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HAVE HARASSED THE LIBRARIANS FOR MONTHS AND HAVE SLANDERED THEM WITH NAMES.
I DEMAND AS A TAXPAYER THAT YOU FULLY FUND THE LIBRARY AND SEND A FAIR M O A TO THEM.
YOUR DECISION WILL BE REMEMBERED AND YOUR POLITICAL CAREERS AND YOUR REPUTATIONS WILL BE DEEPLY AFFECTED BY THIS.
PLEASE CHOOSE WISELY AND I'LL ADD THAT THIS
[01:00:01]
IS NOT, THIS IS NOT A, A POLITICAL BELIEF.ALL POLITICAL PARTIES AGREE ON THIS.
THE DEMOCRATS OF THIS COMMUNITY, THE LIBERALS OF THIS COMMUNITY, THE REPUBLICANS OF THIS COMMUNITY, THIS IS THE MAJORITY OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
I MOVED TO FRONT ROYAL FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN I HAD TO LEAVE THE NURSING PROFESSION DUE TO A DISABILITY RELATED TO MY NECK.
UH, IT WAS CHEAPER TO LIVE HERE THAN IN WINCHESTER.
THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I MOVED HERE WAS GET A LIBRARY CARD FROM SAMUELS.
'CAUSE I KNEW I WAS GONNA BE HOME BOUND FOR A WHILE AND I NEEDED TO OCCUPY MYSELF.
SO I DOWNLOADED BOOKS MOSTLY GAY FROM SAMUELS AND READ THEM ON MY IPAD AND IPHONE.
THE BOOKS I HAVE READ FROM SAMUELS IS IMMENSE, BUT NONE OF THE ONES I READ HAD ANY MORE SEXUAL EXPLICIT CONTENT THAN THOSE BY NORA ROBERTS AND DANIEL STEELE.
BOOKS I READ AS A CHILD AND ARE AS A TEENAGER AND YOUNG ADULT MOST ACTUALLY CONTAINED LESS SO WHY AREN'T THE ONES WANTING TO BAN LBQ PLUS BOOKS, NOT ALSO WANTING TO BAN BOOKS THAT CONTAIN EXPLICIT SEXUAL SEXUAL CONTENT BY HETEROSEXUAL WRITERS AS WELL.
IRONICALLY, MOST OF THE BOOKS I READ WERE WRITTEN BY HETEROSEXUAL WOMEN.
THE NECKLACE I HAVE ON TODAY SAYS, ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE ME.
AND I BELIEVE THIS APPLIES TO MANY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AS WELL.
THE DECISION ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO READ AT THE LIBRARY SHOULD BE, SHOULD NOT BE LEFT TO A CERTAIN GROUP OF SMALL-MINDED INDIVIDUALS OR EVEN THOSE OF YOU ON THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UM, I MOVED TO WARREN COUNTY ALMOST EXACTLY 20 YEARS AGO.
UM, I'VE BEEN, I WAS RAISED IN A RELIGIOUSLY CONSERVATIVE CULTURE.
UM, AND I KNEW THE PAIN OF FEELING OPPRESSED.
UH, FORTUNATELY I HAD PARENTS WHO CULTIVATED AN ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING AND DISCOVERY.
SO WHEN I MOVED HERE AS A YOUNG MOTHER, I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT RAISING MY KIDS IN SUCH A BACKWARDS TOWN.
UM, I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FEEL THE WAY AND I, I HAD FELT AND I WANTED THEM TO BE ABLE TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY WITHOUT THREAT OF PHYSICAL OR MENTAL ANGUISH.
THEN I GOT TO KNOW THE DEPTH AND BEAUTY THIS AREA HAS TO OFFER BOTH IN SCENERY AND COMMUNITY.
MY SON GOT HIS FIRST LIBRARY CARD AT AGE FIVE AT THE OLD LIBRARY BUILDING, AND HE WAS SO EXCITED TO USE IT FIVE YEARS LATER AT THE NEW AND IMPROVED SAMUELS PUBLIC LIBRARY IN 2009.
MY DAUGHTER VOLUNTEERED THERE THE SUMMER AFTER EIGHTH GRADE, AND HER INTERPERSONAL SKILLS BLOSSOMED AS WELL AS HER CONFIDENCE.
WE WORKED IN THIS TOWN, ESTABLISHED SOLID ROOTS, PARTICIPATED IN THIS THRIVING COMMUNITY, AND ALL THREE OF US ARE QUEER.
I DID MY JOB AS A PARENT AND I STILL DO, AND I'M CERTAIN OF ITS SUCCESS.
AND ANYONE WHO HAS EVER MET MY CHILDREN KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UM, I'M FORTUNATE THAT I HAD THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO RAISE THEM THE WAY THAT ONLY THEY COULD BE RAISED.
THE CIRCUS IS A HUGE LETDOWN AND IT'S A THROWBACK TO BATTLES THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS ALREADY FOUGHT.
IT'S INSIDIOUS TO USE THE CLOSED-MINDEDNESS OF A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF CITIZENS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL COMM COMMUNITY TO FURTHER A POLITICAL AGENDA.
HOW DARE YOU USE YOUR POSITION ON THE BOARD TO ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMVENT A VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT? YOU SHOULD BE, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECUSED YOURSELF AS SOON AS THIS ISSUE BECAME LINKED TO FUNDING BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE YOUR HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR.
IT IS THE INTENTION OF A SMALL GROUP OF ZEALOTS TO DRAG THIS
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ISSUE INTO THE POLLS AND MAYBE THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO YOU, BUT THE WORLD SEES YOU NOW.I AM IN THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I AM ANGRY, I'M FRUSTRATED, AND I'M INCREDIBLY SAD.
WHEN THE E D A SCANDAL BROKE IN THIS TOWN, THE CITIZENS LOST SO MUCH FAITH IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS COUNTY.
YOU WERE ELECTED IN GOOD FAITH TO REPAIR THESE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH HONESTY, TRANSPARENCY, ETHICS, AND WELL THOUGHT OUT DECISION MAKING THAT TRULY REFLECTS THE WILL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND YET YOU HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO.
MR. BUTLER HAS FILLED OUT FORMS REQUESTING BOOK REMOVAL ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BEING THE ENTITY WHICH CONTROLS THE FUNDING FOR SAMUEL'S LIBRARY.
THIS IS A GROSS CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND ALSO PER VIRGINIA CODE 24.2 DASH 2 3 3, A MISUSE OF POWER.
THERE IS NO CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THIS SHOULD BE TOLERATED.
IF HE WAS AN ETHICAL MAN, HE WOULD REALIZE HIS ERROR AND REUSE HIMSELF.
HOWEVER, HERE HE IS SITTING BEFORE US AS CHAIR.
MS. COOK HAD THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO CLARIFY THAT MR. BUTLER WAS NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND YET SHE CHOSE NOT TO MAKING HERSELF PARTY TO THAT SAME MISUSE OF POWER.
IN ADDITION, MS. COOK SITS ON OUR LOWER LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES WHERE SHE WAS THE ONLY MEMBER TO VOTE TO ACCEPT THE M O A GIVING, THE OVERWHELMING CONTROL OF THE LIBRARY TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND THERE ARE APPOINTEES, SELF-SERVING MUCH MS. COOK.
UM, AGAIN, I'M STRIVING FOR CONTROL OF MY WORDS BECAUSE I COULD SAY SO MUCH MORE
EVERYONE ELSE HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, JAY BUTLER DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ME.
BUT YOUR SILENCE DOES SPEAK VOLUMES.
MS. CALLERS, YOU AND I ALREADY HAD A DISCUSSION ON THIS.
AND REMEMBER THIS TRAGEDIES OCCUR, BUT ATROCITIES ARE COMMITTED, WILLFULLY COMMITTED.
THIS IS THE LEGACY YOU CHOOSE.
I AM BEYOND ANGRY AND I AM BEYOND DISAPPOINTED IN ALL OF YOU.
THERE IS NO POINT IN THE LIBRARY.
JUST 'CAUSE A BOOK HAS A CHARACTER WHO IS A CHILD DOES NOT MEAN IT'S A CHILDREN'S BOOK.
BUT THIS IS NEVER ABOUT BOOKS.
IT'S ABOUT HATE AND POWER AND CONTROL.
AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS SACRED.
FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS ARE NOT FOR A FEW.
BEING DIFFERENT AND ON OUR OWN PATH IS WHAT MAKES US BEAUTIFUL.
THE ABILITY TO GROW AND HAVE A PERSPECTIVE.
GOD DOESN'T MAKE MISTAKES, BUT HE DOES CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO LEARN, GROW, AND FOLLOW HIS TEACHINGS OF KINDNESS, ACCEPTANCE, TOLERANCE, FORGIVENESS AND LOVE.
STOP ALLOWING BIGOTRY, HATRED, AND INTOLERANCE TO CRIPPLE OUR LIBRARY.
AND THANK YOU, MS. CU, FOR BEING A VOICE AND REASON AMONGST THIS.
MY NAME IS JOANNA ARTONE AND I LIVE IN CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA.
NOW, BEFORE I GET FRAMED AS AN OUTSIDER, I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.
I ATTENDED WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MY ENTIRE K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION, AND I'M A GRADUATE OF WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 2011.
I HAVE A FEW RELATIVES INCLUDING MY PARENTS THAT STILL LIVE HERE AND ARE PATRONS OF SAMUELS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
34,834 ITEMS CIRCULATED, 11,157 VISITORS AND 200 NEW PATRONS.
THOSE ARE STATS STRAIGHT FROM SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
THAT IS WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO GIVE UP IF YOU CHOOSE TO.
DEFUND THOUSANDS OF PHYSICAL BOOKS, DVDS AND EBOOKS, MULTIPLE STORY TIMES AND PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS, ADULT PROGRAMMING, NOTARY SERVICES, COMPUTERS, FAXING, PRINTING, A PLACE TO GO FOR SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER, AND A PLACE JUST TO EXIST WITHOUT THE EXPECTATION OF SPENDING MONEY.
ONE OF THE LAST FEW PUBLIC SPACES YOU CAN DO THAT IN.
THESE ARE ALL NEEDED SERVICES IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE HATRED FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY IS STOPPING YOU FROM FUNDING SERVICES FOR THE
[01:10:01]
WHOLE COMMUNITY.THERE IS NO PORN IN THE LIBRARY.
IT IS ALREADY ILLEGAL TO HAVE PORN IN THE LIBRARY.
IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO HAVE REPRESENTATION OF QUEER PARENTS OR BOOKS FOR A CHILD WHO IS QUESTIONING THEIR SEXUALITY.
WHO AM I? I'M A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND IF I HAD RESOURCES THAT DISCUSS QUEER ISSUES AND IDENTITIES AS A KID, I WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE BEING MYSELF EARLIER THAN I AM.
INSTEAD, IT HAS TAKEN ME YEARS TO BE WHERE I AM TODAY TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH MY SEXUALITY AND MY GENDER EXPRESSION.
LGBTQ PLUS YOUTH ARE AT A HIGHER RISK OF SELF-HARM AND SUICIDE BECAUSE THEY ARE DEMONIZED BY EXTREMISTS.
THEY RISK GETTING KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND DISOWNED BY THEIR FRIENDS ALL BECAUSE OF WHO THEY LOVE OR HOW THEY CHOOSE TO EXPRESS THEMSELF.
DON'T BE THE REASON SOMEONE CHOOSES NOT TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, BE THE COMMUNITY.
YOU SAY YOU STRIVE TO BE A KIND AND WELCOMING ONE FOR EVERYONE.
FULLY FUND THE LIBRARY THE WAY IT HAS BEEN RUN FOR MANY YEARS.
KEEP LGBTQ PLUS BOOKS ON THE SHELVES.
ALLOW PARENTS TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO READ, BUT DON'T MAKE THAT CHOICE FOR THEM.
HELLO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.
MR. MAID, ARE YOU AWAKE UP THERE? JUST CHECKING.
I'M SURE YOU'RE SICK OF SEEING OUR FACES, BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
CUSS HAS GONE BACK TO THEIR ANTI L G B T Q TACTICS CALLING US GROOMERS AND PEDOPHILES THAT THE AUTHORS ARE WRITING THESE BOOKS TO INDOCTRINATE CHILDREN TO THE TRANSGENDER AGENDA.
BUT DON'T YOU SEE THERE IS NO AGENDA THERE IS.
IT'S JUST PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE THEMSELVES REPRESENTED.
I HAVE AN AUTHOR STATEMENT I WANT TO READ TO YOU FROM JESSICA LOVE WHO WROTE, JULIAN IS A MERMAID QUOTE.
I DIDN'T WRITE JULIAN AS A MERMAID TO INDOCTRINATE ANYBODY, TO BRAINWASH ANYBODY OR TO CHANGE ANYBODY INTO SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE NOT.
I WROTE IT TO CELEBRATE KIDS LIKE JULIAN THE WAY THEY ALREADY ARE.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN CHANGE WHO PEOPLE FUNDAMENTALLY ARE AND I DON'T WANT TO TRY.
INDOCTRINATION IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.
NOBODY WAS EVER HURT BY BEING TOLD YOU ARE WONDERFUL JUST THE WAY YOU ARE.
I WOULD JUST ASK PEOPLE TO REALLY IMAGINE FOR A MINUTE THAT THEIR OWN KID OR A KID THEY CARE ABOUT MIGHT FEEL LIKE JULIAN INSIDE.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE SIX YEARS OLD AND WATCH GROWNUPS SAY THAT A BOOK ABOUT A KID LIKE YOU IS SO DANGEROUS IT CAN'T EVEN BE ON LIBRARY SHELVES.
WOULDN'T YOU FEEL YOUR LITTLE HEART SINK IN YOUR SMALL CHEST? AS YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE ARE GROWNUPS WHO THINK YOU ARE A BAD BROKEN KID, IMAGINE HOW SCARED YOU WOULD BE TO OPEN UP, MAKE FRIENDS TO LET PEOPLE GET TO KNOW YOU.
BOOKS LIKE MINE MATTER TO KIDS LIKE JULIAN.
PLEASE DON'T BE THE GROWNUP WHO TELLS THEM THEY DON'T BELONG IN THE WORLD.
THIS COULD BE ONE OF THOSE DECISIONS THAT REVERBERATES THROUGH A CHILD'S ENTIRE LIFE.
THESE PEOPLE CLAIM THAT THEY WANT TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, YET THEY CYBER BULLIED IN A CHILD WITH AUTISM FOR WEARING A SKIRT BECAUSE HE LOVES THE TWIRL.
HE HAS SENSORY NEEDS AND TWIRLING FULFILLS THEM.
HOW CAN THEY CLAIM TO WANT TO PROTECT CHILDREN BUT IN THE SAME BREATH, ATTACK AN INNOCENT SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD? IT'S DISGUSTING.
BY ALLOWING THEM TO HOLD YOU HOSTAGE, YOU ARE CONDONING THE BULLYING OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND THAT'S DISGUSTING.
HI, CHARLES STEWART, PARENT NANDO, DISTRICT RESIDENT, SAMUELS PATRON AND ATTORNEY AND VOTER.
YOU ARE ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGA LITIGATION.
YOUR FUNDING THE LIBRARY FOR ANOTHER QUARTER IS NOTHING BUT A CYNICAL AND TRANSPARENT ATTEMPT TO AVOID ACCOUNTABILITY.
BEFORE THE THE ELECTION, THE COMPLAINTS MADE IT CLEAR.
THIS IS ABOUT L G B T Q CONTENT IN EVERY ONE OF THESE BOOKS.
WHEN VICKI VICKI COOK REALIZED IT VIOLATED BOTH THE LAW AND PUBLIC OPINION, SHE HAD MR. MCFADDEN REFRAME IT TO SEXUAL CONTENT.
BUT WE ALL KNOW THERE IS NO PORN IN THIS LIBRARY.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LIABILITY THIS DISCRIMINATION IS HAVING ON COUNTY VOTERS.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS OUR RIGHT TO READ BOOKS WE CHOOSE AND BARS GOVERNMENTS FROM PROMOTING OR BANNING SPECIFIC VIEWPOINTS.
FIRST AMENDMENT EXPERT DAVID HUDSON EXPLAINS BOOK BANS VIOLATE THE FIRST AMENDMENT BECAUSE THEY DEPRIVED CHILDREN OR STUDENTS OF THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE INFORMATION AND IDEAS IN BOARD OF EDUCATION V PICO, THE SUPREME COURT HELD BOOK BANS VIOLATED THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE IDEAS IS A NECESSARY PREDICATE TO THE RECIPIENT'S MEANINGFUL EXERCISE
[01:15:01]
OF HIS OWN RIGHTS OF SPEECH, PRESS, AND POLITICAL FREEDOM.THE 14TH AMENDMENT EXTENDS THESE PROTECTIONS FROM STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PROTECTS LIBRARY PATRON FROM DISCRIMINATION, THE SUPREME COURT AND ROME V EVANS RULED LAWS MO MOTIVATED BY L G B T Q HOSTILITY VIOLATE THE 14TH AMENDMENT EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE.
IN 2020, THE VIRGINIA VALUES ACT EXPANDED THE VIRGINIA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION ON THE PROTECTED CLASSES OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY.
IT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION IN PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, INCLUDING LIBRARIES, AND GIVES PLAINTIFF A NEW CAUSE OF ACTION.
IT ALSO LOWERS THE BURDEN OF PROOF FOR DIS DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS AND ALLOW SUIT IN MORE FAVORABLE VIRGINIA INSTEAD OF FEDERAL COURT.
A PLAINTIFF CAN NOW PREVAIL BY SHOWING PROTECTED CLASS STATUS WAS MERELY A MOTIVATING FACTOR AND NOT A DETERMINATIVE FACTOR IN DISCRIMINATION.
THE ACT EXPANDS THE DAMAGES TO INCLUDE UNLIMITED COMPENSATORY DAMAGES, $350,000 PUNITIVE DAMAGES, ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS, AND TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT INJUNCTIONS.
IT ALSO EXPANDS INVESTIGATIVE AND ENFORCEMENT POWERS TO THE VIRGINIA DIVISION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND IT GIVES THE VIRGINIA, VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL THE AUTHORITY TO INITIATE A CIVIL ACTION WHICH THEY MAY HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.
EVERY REMOVAL REQUEST MOTIVATED BY L G B T Q ISSUES REQUEST THE LIBRARY TO PERFORM AN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.
YOUR ATTEMPTS TO ENFORCE THESE REQUESTS CLEARLY VIOLATE THE FIRST AND 14TH AMENDMENTS AS WELL AS V H R A AND V V A.
SO VIOLATE BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.
LET'S NOT SUBJECT OUR COUNTY TO MORE LIABILITY THAN YOU ALREADY HAVE.
PLEASE FOLLOW THE LAW ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND REPRESENT YOUR VOTERS.
DO NOT CAVE INTO THESE ILLEGAL DEMANDS OF A TINY BIT VOCAL GROUP OF HOMOPHOBIC ZEALOTS.
WEAPONIZING THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO DO THEIR BIDDING.
THE LIBRARY HAS MADE GOOD FAITH EFFORTS, UPDATED PROCEDURES.
PLEASE ACCEPT THE M O A AND FULLY FUND OUR CHERISH INSTITUTION.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? MADAM CHAIR, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND FELLOW CITIZENS.
UM, I'M, UH, THIS, I'M JANET BRO AND I LIVE IN THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT.
WHEN WE MOVED TO WARREN COUNTY OVER 40 YEARS AGO, THE LIBRARY WAS BASED IN PART OF THE WARREN HERITAGE SOCIETY BUILDING AND WAS STAFFED BY VOLUNTEERS.
WE CAN BE PROUD OF A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY RESOURCE WE HAVE COME SO FAR, BUT NOW IT IS IN JEOPARDY.
NO MATTER WHAT OPINION YOU HAVE ABOUT THE BOOKS IN QUESTION, YOU AS THE FUNDING BODY FOR THE COUNTY MUST NOT ALLOW YOURSELVES TO BE HELD HOSTAGE BY ANY GROUP THAT INSISTS ON DEFUNDING OUR INSTITUTIONS.
UNLESS ITS SPECIFIC DEMANDS ARE MET.
YOU AS A GOVERNING BODY IN WARREN COUNTY MUST AVOID THIS TRAP.
I AM SHOCKED TO LEARN TONIGHT THAT YOU DECIDED TO FUND A LIBRARY FOR JUST ONE MORE QUARTER.
HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO OPERATE UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS? I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL KNOW BETTER THAN TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS MANNER.
SORRY I COULDN'T READ THE FIRST NAME.
I WONDER WHAT CAN BE SAID ABOUT THIS CIRCUS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THAT HAS SO DEEPLY DIVIDED THIS COMMUNITY.
CHRISTIANITY AND CATHOLICISM IS ABSOLUTELY ABOUT THE POWER OF LOVE.
CHRISTIANITY AND CATHOLICISM ARE DEFINITELY ABSOLUTELY NOT ABOUT THE LOVE OF POWER, AND THAT IS WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS BOARD OUGHT TO IMMEDIATELY, FORMALLY AND PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE TO MICHELLE ROSS.
SHE WAS RUN OUTTA TOWN BY A MOB OF SO-CALLED CHRISTIAN THUGS AND YOU SAT HERE AND LET IT HAPPEN.
IT'S ON YOU DON'T TELL US SOMEBODY ELSE'S.
IT PAINS ME TO HEAR MY NEIGHBORS TELL ME.
[01:20:01]
THIS WAS DONE BY CATHOLICS.I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF FIVE DIFFERENT CATHOLIC PARISHES IN MY LIFETIME AND NONE OF THEM REPRESENT WHAT WE SEE HERE.
THIS IS DONE BY A POLITICAL CABAL RUN OUT OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AND THE LOCAL CATHOLIC CHURCH.
THIS CHURCH HAS NO RELATIONSHIP.
THIS IS AN ULTRA TRADITIONALIST CATHOLIC CHURCH, WHICH THE POPE HAS RECENTLY USED THE WORD BACKWARDS TO DESCRIBE IT BACKWARDS.
SO MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT, GOING BACKWARD AND GOING TO A TIME THAT I KNEW WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP WHEN TEENAGE BOYS, HE, I I, HOLD ON.
COULD YOU PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR, THE AUDIO HERE INTERRUPTING OUR SPEAKERS.
THE, THE POPE HAS BEEN IN A CONFLICT WITH PARTS OF THE AMERICAN CHURCH, DESCRIBES THEMSELVES AS ULTRA CONSERVATIVE TRADITIONALISTS, AND HE'S USED THE WORD TO DESCRIBE THEM AS BACKWARD, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO GO THERE, GO BACKWARD TO A TIME WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WHEN TEENAGE BOYS FOR THEIR OWN RECREATION SOUGHT OUT GAY MEN AND BEAT THEM UP.
AND I DON'T THINK THE GAY COMMUNITY IS GONNA GO BACK TO THAT AND NOR IT SHOULD GO BACK TO THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT GOING FORWARD AND NOT BACKWARD AND NOT BECOME VICTIM TO THE BOOGEYMAN THAT THIS FAR RIGHT ALWAYS KEEPS BRINGING UP.
SO PLEASE REMEMBER THAT CHRISTIANITY IS ABOUT LOVE AND NOT ABOUT THE POWER OF LOVE.
AND RESIST THESE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT THIS MESS UPON OUR COMMUNITY.
HELLO, VALERIE MINTIER, FRONT ROYAL.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ELIZA LANE AND I'M THE AUTHOR OF ONE OF THE BOOKS WITH THE DUBIOUS HONOR OF BEING CHALLENGED IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEFUND SAMUELS SAMUELS LIBRARY.
I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS MY MOTIVES AROUND PUBLISHING WORK FOR CHILDREN MOTIVES, WHICH SEEMS TO BE, WHICH SEEM TO BE UP FOR DEBATE BEFORE THAT.
HOWEVER, I'M AWARE OF THE PATHETIC BULLYING TOWARDS GAY, TRANS AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING CHILDREN THAT HAS BEEN SPEWED THROUGHOUT THIS DEBATE.
THE IDEA THAT ADULTS ARE PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC VERBAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN IS MORE THAN VILE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT PUTTING AN END TO THIS BY RESTORING THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET ISN'T JUST ESSENTIAL FOR THE LIBRARY SERVICES, SERVICES THAT AFFECT EVERY LOW INCOME PERSON OR UNHOUSED PERSON WHO USES A LIBRARY FOR ANY PART OF THEIR LIVES.
BY THE WAY, ENDING THIS IS ALSO ESSENTIAL TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY SURVIVABLE FOR GAY AND TRANS CHILDREN AS WELL AS ANY CHILD WHO MIGHT BE TARGETED AS GAY OR TRANS BULLIES.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, DON'T CARE WHAT YOU REALLY ARE DEBATES ABOUT WHETHER A TYPE OF PERSON DESERVES TO EXIST CAUSE ACTION, UH, ACTIVE HARM TO THE TARGETED GROUP AND IN AND ENDING THIS DECISIVELY WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THAT HARM.
YOU CAN ALL LOOK AT THE PUBLIC DATA YOUR STATE COLLECTS ON L G B T STUDENTS VERSUS THEIR HETEROSEXUAL PEERS, AND IF YOU DO, YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO BECOME DEPRESSED, EXPERIENCE SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND ATTEMPT SUICIDE.
AND IF YOUR CHILD IS GAY OR TRANS, THEY WILL SEE HOW YOU VOTE.
HERE NO ONE I KNEW, NO ONE I KNEW WAS A LESBIAN, BUT MANY ADULTS IN MY LIFE BROKE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ME FOREVER BEFORE THEY FOUND OUT THEIR, THROUGH THEIR SHEER HOMOPHOBIC BEHAVIOR.
MY PERSONAL MOTIVES FOR WRITING BOOKS FOR CHILDREN ARE TO OFFER A COMFORTING HAND TO HOLD IN THESE EXACT TIMES OF CIRCUMSTANCES TO LET THEM KNOW THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME THINGS THAT THEY HAVE SURVIVED, THEY HAVE AND SURVIVED TO GIVE THEM A SMALL PIECE OF A MAP THEY'RE BORN WITHOUT, THAT I WAS BORN WITHOUT BECAUSE THE GENERATION OF GAY PEOPLE PRIOR TO MY GENERATION EXPERIENCING AN INTENTIONAL GOVERNMENT GENOCIDE, I AM HERE AND ALIVE TO DO WHAT I CAN ON BEHALF OF GAY AND TRANS CHILDREN.
AND I WILL DO IT BECAUSE MY GAY PARENTS, MY GAY FAMILY, DIED IN MASSIVE NUMBERS AND I MISSED THEM FROM CHILDHOOD.
I REACHED OUT FOR THEM, MISSING THEM.
MY MAIN GOAL IS TO TELL A GOOD STORY THAT KIDS WILL LIKE TO READ.
[01:25:01]
YOU MUST KNOW TO ADDRESS THE HOMOPHOBIC CATHOLICS IN THE ROOM, IF YOU ARE VILE, LOW BULLYING AND ABUSE LEADS A CHILD TO TAKE THEIR OWN LIFE.MY ONLY COMFORT IS KNOWING THAT YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE GUTS TO CONFESS THAT SIN.
IT WILL WEIGH YOUR SOUL DOWN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
AND WITH ANY LUCK, IT WILL WEIGH YOU DOWN FOR ETERNITY TO GO BACK TO ADDRESSING THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND CONSIDERATION.
I WILL CONTINUE TO INVOLVE MORE PEOPLE UNTIL THE SITUATION IS RESOLVED WITH THE RESTORATION OF THE BUD OF THE BUDGET OF THE THANK YOU JENNIFER RITEN.
I LIVE IN FRONT ROYAL BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WROTE, WHOEVER WOULD OVERTHROW THE LIBERTY OF A NATION MUST BEGIN BY SUBDUING THE FREENESS OF SPEECH.
THE BOOKS BEING CHALLENGED ARE NOT PORNOGRAPHIC.
THE BIGOTS DON'T LIKE IT BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT L G B T PEOPLE.
THIS IS RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST L G B T PEOPLE FOR EXISTING AS L G B T PEOPLE, BANNING BOOKS LEADS TO VIOLENCE AGAINST HUMAN BEINGS.
LAST YEAR, ALMON RUSHDI WAS STABBED IN THE EYE BY A THEOCRAT WHO DIDN'T LIKE HIS BOOK THE SATANIC VERSES.
THIS YEAR HE TOLD PENN AMERICA THE ATTACK ON BOOKS.
THE ATTACK ON TEACHING THE ATTACK ON LIBRARIES HAS NEVER BEEN MORE DANGEROUS, NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO FIGHT.
PENN AMERICA IS CURRENTLY SUING A FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR BANNING BOOKS.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT WAS PUT INTO LAW TO PROTECT US AGAINST THEOCRATS AND AUTHORITARIANS.
THEOCRATS WILL ALWAYS TRY TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE'S MINDS AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
WE NEED CONSTANT VIGILANCE AGAINST AUTHORITARIANS.
THE CHURCH DOES NOT DECIDE WHAT WE CAN READ IN THE UNITED STATES.
I DECIDE WHAT I READ AND IT'S PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITY TO GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN IN WHAT THEY READ.
YOU REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE IN WARREN COUNTY, NOT JUST THEOCRATS.
I USE SAMUEL SAMUEL'S LIBRARY MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK.
I I WORK WITH TWO SPECIAL NEEDS MEN AND SAMUEL'S GIVES US A PLACE TO GO EVERY WEEK.
THEOCRATS ARE NOT ENTITLED TO CONTROL IT.
IN THE LONG RUN OF HISTORY, THE CENSOR AND INQUISITOR HAVE ALWAYS LOST.
DO YOUR DUTY TO PROTECT THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND FREE ACCESS TO INFORMATION FULLY FUND SAMUEL'S LIBRARY.
UH, DANIEL SILSBY, SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UH, I'LL BEGIN WITH AN APOLOGY TO SUPERVISOR BUTLER.
UH, WHEN I'D LEARNED THAT SAMUEL'S DIRECTOR MICHELLE ROSS HAD QUIT AFTER HARASSMENT, YOU GRACIOUSLY ANSWERED YOUR PHONE ONLY TO HAVE ME LOSE MY TEMPER.
WHILE I DIDN'T CURSE, I WAS RUDE AND I HOPE YOU'LL ACCEPT MY APOLOGY.
AT THE PAC BOARD MEETING JUNE 6TH, I HAPPILY GAVE UP MY SEAT TO AN OLDER WOMAN IN THE ANTI L G B T Q GROUP.
I EVEN TRIED IN VAIN TO LOCATE, LOCATE A CHAIR FOR ANOTHER MAN IN THE SAME CLEANUP, SAMUEL'S GROUP SUFFERING FROM FROM BACK PAIN LIKE MYSELF.
MY CONSERVATIVE FAMILY MOVED HERE IN 1989.
AVTEC WAS STILL BARELY RUNNING AND THE LAND WHERE SAMUELS NOW SITS WAS OPEN SEWAGE TREATMENT.
WHAT ALSO STUNK WAS JUST ABOUT EVERYONE HERE LOOKED DOWN ON GAY FOLKS.
MY PASTOR HELPED ME TO GAIN A SCHOLARSHIP TO R M A.
I HOPED TO ESCAPE SOME OF THE BULLYING AND LEARN WHAT THE AIR FORCE MIGHT BE LIKE.
THOSE WHO DID WELL IN CLASS WERE GIVEN A FREE TOUR OF TOWN STRAPPED INTO THE SIDES OF THE C ONE 30 PLANE.
BANKING AROUND TOWN WITH THE REAR HATCH OPEN WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.
ONE OF MY CLASSMATES WAS GAY AND SPOKE TO YOU ON THE SAME NIGHT I DID.
HE SUFFERED VIOLENCE AS A YOUNGSTER HERE DURING THE AIDS CRISIS IN THE EARLY 1990S.
HE WAS ONE OF THE KINDEST KIDS THERE AND HE DESERVED NONE OF WHAT HE SUFFERED.
CHILDREN WEREN'T TAUGHT TO ACCEPT AND BEFRIEND OTHERS WHO WERE DIFFERENT.
IT HEARTENED ME, MR. BUTLER, TO HEAR THAT YOU WERE MOVED BY HIS STORY.
HE DESERVES ALL OF YOUR RESPECT.
I'VE COME TO KNOW MANY L G B T Q FOLKS SINCE THEN.
THEY'VE BEEN MY FRIENDS, MY ROOMMATES, NEIGHBORS, LANDLORDS, CLIENTS, EVEN BOSSES.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TREATED BY THEM WITH KINDNESS FAR ABOVE THE AVERAGE.
IT'S PAST TIME THAT OUR COUNTY GAVE AT LEAST THE AVERAGE TO THEM.
THOSE OF YOU VOTING TO WITHHOLD FUNDING ARE COMPLICIT IN THE HARASSMENT AND PHYSICAL ENDANGERMENT OF SAMUEL'S STAFF.
THE LIBRARY WAS HOUNDED OUT OF A CARING, THOUGHTFUL DIRECTOR MICHELLE ROSS, IN A TIME OF SUCH HEIGHTENED TENSIONS AND FALSEHOODS, IT'S BEYOND RECKLESS TO ENCOURAGE HARASSMENT.
THE BOARD MINUS MRS. KOHLERS, WHO VOTED AGAINST THIS NONSENSE, OWES THE FOLLOWING.
ONE, A PRIVATE APOLOGY TO MICHELLE ROSS.
[01:30:01]
TO EACH OF THE STAFF YOU'VE HARASSED AND PLACED IN INCREASED PHYSICAL DANGER.THIS INCLUDES EVERYONE ON THE STAFF.
THREE, A PRIVATE APOLOGY TO EACH OF THE FAMILIES WHO SUFFERED A SUICIDE AND BRAVELY CAME BEFORE YOU TO TESTIFY TO YOUR WRONG HEADEDNESS AND PLED FOR EMPATHY.
FOR A PUBLIC APOLOGY FOR BEING SO POLITICALLY FOCUSED THAT YOU COULDN'T SEE THE RIGHT PATH FROM THE WRONG.
IT TOOK A BIGOTED AND DECEITFUL APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT.
MR. BUTLER, YOU PROMISED TO HELP KEEP GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR PERSONAL LIVES.
SHOULD THESE ARE FUNDING NOT BE FORTHCOMING.
I CAN ONLY PRAY FOR OUR COUNTY AND REPUBLIC.
HELLO, I'M BETHANY O'NEILL FROM FRONT ROYAL.
I'M A 14 YEAR COUNTY RESIDENT AND SAMUELS PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD HOLDER.
I'M A MOTHER OF THREE A PARISHIONER AT ST.
JOHN'S WHERE I WAS MARRIED AND WHERE MY CHILDREN RECEIVED MANY OF THEIR HOLY SACRAMENTS.
AND I'M ONE OF THE 43 CATHOLICS THAT SIGNED THE PETITION PRESENTED TO YOU EARLIER THIS MONTH.
I TELL YOU THIS BECAUSE CUS DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ME, AND I BELIEVE YOU NEED TO HEAR THAT THIS GROUP CLAIMS TO BE PROTECTING CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THEIR ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
THEY HAVE STOOD AT THIS PODIUM AND SPOUTED HATEFUL RHETORIC ABOUT OUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND CHILDREN.
THEY HAVE READ SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT OF BOOKS THAT AREN'T EVEN IN THE CHILDREN'S SECTION AND SOME NOT EVEN ON OUR LIBRARY SHELVES.
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT BY STEPPING INTO THE LIBRARY, YOU HAVE MET A STAFF OF BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE SHOWN THEY'RE LISTENING AND ADDRESSING COMMUNITY CONCERNS BY CREATING THE NEW ADULT SECTION, HAVING THE AGE RESTRICTIVE LIBRARY CARDS TO GO A STEP FURTHER AND REMOVE OR EVEN SEGREGATE BOOKS IN QUESTION, WHICH HAPPENED TO REPRESENT A PROTECTED MINORITY GROUP, WOULD OPEN UP THE LIBRARY TO A POTENTIAL DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT.
THE COUNTY CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER LAWSUIT.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THERE WAS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL IN THE LIBRARY, I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE LIBRARY AND STARTED TO CHECK OUT BOOKS.
WHAT GETS ME IS THAT I'VE READ 38% OF THE BOOKS FROM THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED LIST.
I'M READING THEM NOT SUMMARIES, NOT SIMPLY LOOKING AT BOOK COVERS.
AND IT'S BLATANTLY OBVIOUS THAT THE GROUP'S REAL PROBLEM ISN'T KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE.
IT'S WANTING TO SILENCE AUTHORS AND CHARACTERS THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE THEM, PRAY LIKE THEM, LOVE LIKE THEM, AS IF THEIR IDEAL WORLD SHOULD PIGEONHOLE THE MUCH BROADER DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT FRONT ROYAL ACTUALLY IS.
IF WE START REMOVING BOOKS FROM, UH, USING S'S DEFINITION OF PORNOGRAPHY, SHOULD WE TAKE THE APPROACH THAT BOOKS, THAT BOOKS DEPICTING TWO WOMEN HUGGING A CHILD OR TWO MALES HOLDING HANDS NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
THEN ALL BOOKS DEPICTING HUGGING AND HANDHOLDING NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
OR TWO MALE PENGUINS RAISING A CHICK NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
ALL BOOKS CONTAINING ANIMALS WITH BABIES NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
AND LET'S QUICKLY TOUCH ON YOUR PROPOSED MOAS.
ORIGINALLY, I THOUGHT THAT CUSS HACKED YOUR ACCOUNT AND SENT THEIR VERSION OF AN M O A, THEY WANTED THE LIBRARY TO RECEIVE.
BUT AFTER SEEING IT POSTED ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE, I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WOULD CREATE SUCH AN OUTLANDISH AGREEMENT.
IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE A JOKE, BUT NONE OF US THAT SUPPORT THE LIBRARY ARE LAUGHING AND THE MOAS YOU STATE, YOU WANNA CONTROL THE LIBRARY.
HAVING YOU, THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RUN THE LIBRARY IS LIKE HAVING YOU DO MY COLONOSCOPY.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, YOU ARE NOT LIBRARIANS.
BEFORE I THOUGHT YOU WERE BAMBOOZLED BY A GROUP OF BIGOTS.
NOW THAT I ASK YOU, PLEASE RELEASE THE BUDGET AND PROVE TO US THAT YOU AREN'T THE ACTUAL BIGOTS TO EVERY CHILD IN THIS COMMUNITY.
LISTENING AS AUTHOR ADA SALAZAR, SO LOVINGLY SAID, YOUNG GENDER EXPANSIVE READERS, PLEASE KNOW THAT WITHIN THESE PAGES YOU ARE SEEN.
YOU HAVE A PLACE AND YOU ARE HELD IN LOVE.
PLEASE, NO APPLAUSE, NO APPLAUSE, PLEASE.
I LIVE AT 8 36 SENATOR SHEES ROAD FROM ROYAL VIRGINIA.
THIS WHOLE SUBJECT HAS REALLY KIND OF HIT ME NOT IN A GOOD PLACE.
I COME TONIGHT WITH SADNESS ON MY HEART.
I AM SAD BECAUSE I SEE ANOTHER DIVISION IN THAT COUNTY WHEN IT SHOULD NOT BE.
THIS IS THE WORST DIVISION THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE COUNTY SINCE 19 56, 57
[01:35:02]
WHEN JUST BECAUSE SOME STUDENTS WANTED TO GO TO SCHOOL HERE IN MORIN COUNTY THAT LOOKED DIFFERENT PLACE, NO PROBLEM, THAN THE OTHER STUDENTS.I'M NOT COMPARING THAT STRUGGLE WITH THIS STRUGGLE, BUT IT'S VERY SIMILAR.
WE STAND BEFORE WE START THE MEETINGS AND WE PLEDGE ALLEGION TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS, THIS PLEDGE.
SO I'M HERE TO ASK MY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, WHY ARE WE NOT PROVIDING LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL? IT'S CLEAR NOW THAT THIS MATTER IS NOT ABOUT CHILDREN, AND I DARE ANYONE TO SAY THAT IT'S COMPLETELY ABOUT CHILDREN.
SAMUEL'S LIVES HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SATISFY THE COMPLAINTS BY MAKING SURE THAT THE PARENTS HAD MORE CONTROL ON WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE READING.
IT APPEARS THAT THIS GROUP WANTS BOOKS REFERENCING L G B T Q REMOVED FROM THE LIBRARY COMPLETELY.
THIS GROUP ALSO INDICATES THESE BOOKS ARE PORN PORNOGRAPHY.
WELL, THERE ARE SYSTEMS IN PLACE FOR PORNOGRAPHY TO BE REPORTED.
I SAY, IF YOU THINK IT'S PORNOGRAPHY REPORT IT.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL ARE ABOUT TO DEAL WITH THAT.
I, AND I'M ALSO SURE THAT IF I'M, I'M ALSO SURE THAT SAMUELS WILL REMOVE ANY BOOKS THAT ARE DEEMED PORNOGRAPHY BY THE PROPER AUTHORITIES.
THE NEXT THING I PERSONALLY DRAW EXCEPTION TO IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
REALLY, I'M SORRY, YOU THREE MINUTES TO UP.
WHAT RACE DO THEY BELONG TO? THANK YOU.
8 8 7 OSPREY LANE FORK DISTRICT.
IT APPEARS THAT THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS UNCONCERNED ABOUT WHATEVER CREDIBILITY IT HAS LEFT.
AFTER SEVERAL MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN AN ATTEMPT TO BULLY THE SAMUELS PUBLIC LIBRARY INTO SUBMISSION BY ALLOWING A PUBLIC SPECTACLE TO TAKE PLACE IN JUNE, THEN HOLDING THE PUBLIC, THE LIBRARY FUNDING HOSTAGE THEN DOUBLED DOWN BY ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OVER THE SAMUELS BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY APPOINTING THEIR OWN HANDPICKED PHONES, THEY NOW WANT TO CONTINUE THE CHARADE FOR THREE MORE MONTHS SO THAT ITS MEMBERS CAN SLINK THROUGH THE UPCOMING ELECTION.
AFTER THE DAMAGE DONE TO THIS COUNTY'S REPUTATION, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO LET IT TWIST IN THE BREEZE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THE DEMANDS OF MINOR OF A MINORITY, THE SAMUELS TRUSTEES AND STAFF INSTITUTED A SENSIBLE, WORKABLE SOLUTION ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
THIS DID NOT SATISFY THE HARSH VOICES OF THE MINORITY OR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MONTHS AFTER THE SOLUTION WAS FOUND, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTINUES TO THREATEN THE EXISTENCE OF A FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
DESPITE PUBLIC OUTRAGE BOTH WITHIN THE COUNTY AND THE STATE, THE SUPERVISORS REFUSE TO END THE GAME.
EARNING NATIONAL SCORN AND HARSH RECOGNITION BY AT LEAST ONE FOREIGN NEWS AGENCY HAS NOT CHANGED THEIR STANCE.
WHAT IS THE REAL AIM IN THIS EPISODE? CAN IT BE THAT HAVING STARTED DOWN THIS ROAD, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SEEKING ELECTION ARE AFRAID TO RECONSIDER AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
THIS ORIGINALLY STARTED BECAUSE ONE MISGUIDED MEMBER OF THE BOARD PROVIDED MONEY TO A CONSULTANT WHO ORGANIZED THE PUBLIC SPECTACLE OF FAKE OUTAGE AND BIGOTRY.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GRASP HOW THIS MAKES OUR COUNTY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE OR ENHANCES OUR PUBLIC IMAGE OR ATTRACTS BUSINESSES LOOKING TO RELOCATE.
IT IS TIME TO STOP THIS GAME AND RESTORES SAMUELS TO ITS PLACE OF HONOR AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTY.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO END? THIS ISN'T THE CONCEPT OF FREE SPEECH.
[01:40:01]
ENOUGH OF AN INCENTIVE TO STOP THIS GAME.NEXT UP IS BERTHA JENKINS AND THEN STEVE, HE, I, STEVE, HE BLUE MOUNTAIN.
WELL, WE NOW KNOW THAT THE LIBRARY BOARD HAS REJECTED THE BOSS FUNDING AGREEMENTS.
THE LIBRARY BOARD HAS SHOWN THEIR TRUE COLORS AND HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVE IN.
THIS IS A SLAP IN THE FACE OF WARREN COUNTY.
THEY HAVE AN ESSENCE GIVEN THE MIDDLE FINGER TO YOU AND THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SAY THEY REPRESENT.
THERE IS NO NEED, THERE'S NO LAW THAT SAYS THAT YOU, THE BOARD HAS TO, HAS TO FUND THE LIBRARY.
SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU DEFUND THE LIBRARY TONIGHT.
WELL, WHENEVER YOU BRING UP AGAIN AND I ASK THAT YOU BANK THE MONEY THAT YOU WOULD'VE GIVEN TO THEM, AND THEN IN TWO YEARS THEY'LL BE BANKRUPT.
AND THEN YOU CAN BUY THE FACILITY AND HAVE A REAL COMMUNITY LIBRARY THAT IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE IN WARREN COUNTY.
NOW MY NEXT TOPIC, MY NEXT TOPIC.
ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, YOU VOTED AND SIGNED THE EQUITABLE SHARING AGREEMENT AND CERTIFICATION.
IT WAS NEVER STATED IN THE AGENDA THAT THIS WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT ASSET FORFEITURE.
I'M ASKING THAT YOU RESCIND YOUR VOTE AND MOVE TO EXAMINE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF DOING THIS IN WARREN COUNTY.
I ASK THIS THAT BECAUSE WHEREVER THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, IT HAS, IT HAS HAD A CORROSIVE EFFECT ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
INSTEAD OF WORKING TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY, THE POLICE START LOOKING FOR WAYS TO FIND SOMETHING FOR THEM TO ARREST THE PEOPLE AND THEN TAKE THEIR PROPERTY.
UNDER THIS ASSET FORFEITURE LAW PEOPLE HAVE HAD THEIR HOUSES TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM WHEN THEIR TEENAGE SON OR DAUGHTER WAS FOUND TO HAVE TO BE A DRUG DEALER WITH DRUGS IN THEIR BEDROOM.
PARENTS HAVE HAD THEIR CARS CONFISCATED BECAUSE DRUGS WERE FOUND IN THEIR CAR.
SOMETIME AFTER THEY DROVE THEIR KIDS AND FRIENDS TO AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES, THEY HAD DRUGS AND THEY LEFT THEM THE CAR.
FARMERS HAS HAD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS CONFISCATED BECAUSE POLICE STOPPED THEM.
THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE DRUG DEALERS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO BUY A PRIZE BULL WITH CASH.
ONCE THE POLICE TAKE YOUR PROPERTY, THEN YOU MUST PROVE THAT YOU ARE INNOCENT TO GET IT BACK.
THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON.
PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR VOTE ON ASSET FORFEITURE AND DO A STUDY ON ITS EFFECTS.
I GUESS I'M JUST GONNA READ MY LETTER SINCE HALF OF YOU CAN'T HAVE THE DECENCY TO RESPOND TO ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND BEING IN PUBLIC SERVICE, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GET YOUR FEELINGS HURT.
WE'RE GONNA SAY THINGS, YOU'RE GONNA GET MAD.
AND YOU KNOW, I THANK YOU MS. COLORS.
YOU ALSO RESPONDED TO ME, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU REFUSE TO RESPOND TO PEOPLE, YOU'RE TELLING THEM THAT YOU DON'T CARE WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY.
IT'S CLEAR YOU DISASSOCIATE UP THERE WHEN WE'RE TALKING.
YOU THINK, OH, THEY GET THEIR TIME TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY LISTENING TO US OR THIS WOULDN'T KEEP GOING ON AND ON.
I MEAN, AREN'T YOU SICK OF SEEING OUR FACES? YOU'VE GOT TO BE.
I KNOW EVERYONE ELSE IS, BUT WE'RE GONNA KEEP BEING HERE.
WE'RE GONNA COME EVERY SINGLE TIME THERE'S A PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE LIBRARY BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S VITAL.
AND THESE KIDS HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO GET MARRIED IN THIS COUNTRY.
I MEAN, ARE WE REALLY, IS THAT REALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING? IT'S, IT'S RIDICULOUS.
AND I'M JUST GONNA REITERATE TO WHAT ONE OF MY PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HERE SAID ABOUT THE LITTLE BOY WHO WAS BULLIED, CYBER BULLIED.
A FOUR YEAR OLD CHILD WITH AUTISM WAS CYBER BULLIED BY THESE BIGOTS.
THEY TOOK HIS PICTURE OFF OF THE PARENT'S POST AND MADE A, UM, AN EMAIL OUT TO PEOPLE.
[01:45:01]
SKIRT BECAUSE HE LIKES TO TWIRL OFF.CHILDREN ON THE SPECTRUM, DON'T UNDERSTAND GENDER OR ANY OF THAT.
HE LIKES THE SKIRT BECAUSE OF THE SENSORY PART OF IT.
SO IT'S ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING TO USE HIM AS AND, AND THEN TO GO AROUND AND SAY, OH, WE PROTECT CHILDREN.
THAT'S NOT PROTECTING CHILDREN, THAT'S HURTING THEM AND HURTING THEIR PARENTS.
AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO THESE THINGS AND THEN TRY TO PLAY THE HOLIER THAN THOU CARD.
WE CAN END THIS NOW AND IT CAN BE OVER.
JUST GIVE THE LIBRARY BACK TO US.
FUND THE LIBRARY AND LET IT BE DONE.
AND YOU CAN STOP LOOKING AT OUR FACES EVERY WEEK.
THAT'S OUR LAST SPEAKER OF THE EVENING.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
DO WE WANNA CONTINUE OR DOES THE BOARD LIKE TO TAKE A BREAK? OKAY, WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH OUR, OUR MEETING.
[F. Reports – Board Members, County Administrator, County Attorney]
UH, OUR NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMM, UH, EXCUSE ME, REPORTS FROM THE BOARD.JUST WANTED TO START OUT AND SAY THAT, UH, I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UH, ON, UH, ANSWERING EMAILS, ANSWERING PHONE CALLS.
UH, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF MAIL, UH, THROUGH THE, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CONCERNING THIS ISSUE.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THE, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED.
AND I CAN SAY FROM BOTH SIDES ON THIS, WHAT THIS COMES DOWN TO, IS IT AN, IT IS AN ISSUE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND, UH, AND RESPONSIVENESS TO THE TAXPAYERS, TO ALL OF THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS COUNTY.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS SEEKING TO ACHIEVE WITH THE, UH, WITH THE, THE SAMUELS LIBRARY.
SO THEY, IN A NUTSHELL, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
MAD CHAIR, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, I DID ATTEND THE SAMON, MY FIRST MACON AT THE LIBRARY ON SEPTEMBER 9TH.
UM, BUT, UM, I WAS TEXTING MY SON THE WHOLE TIME TELLING HIM THAT HE WOULD BE IN GEEK HEAVEN BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF STAR WARS STUFF THERE.
AND, UM, THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT.
LOOKED FORWARD TO GOING TO IT AGAIN.
UH, LEFT THERE, SAT THAT SATURDAY WAS A BIG DAY FOR ME.
I WENT TO LAKEFRONT ROYAL'S, UH, COMMUNITY PICNIC AND THEN LEFT THERE AND, UH, ATTENDED THE NAACP DINNER.
UM, WAS GLAD THAT MY, UH, DEAR FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR, MRS. BALTIMORE WAS ABLE TO GO.
AND I BELIEVE, UM, SHE WAS ONE OF THE HITS OF THE EVENING.
SHE, UH, GOT TO SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SHE HADN'T SEEN FOR A WHILE.
I ATTENDED THE BROWNTOWN MEETING LIKE I USUALLY DO.
AND, UM, THAT WAS ON NINE 11 AND I THINK WE ALL HOPEFULLY TOOK A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO REMEMBER THAT INFAMOUS DAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, WE HAD A BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE DISCUSSED ONGOING PROJECTS SUCH AS THE SENIOR CENTER YOUTH CENTER, THE INDIAN HOLLOW BOAT LANDING, THE COOLEY CONVENIENCE CENTER, FANTASY LAND AND COMPANY SIX FIRE DEPARTMENT, ALL OF WHICH, UM, OR IN SOME PHASE OF CONSIDERATION OR ONGOING PROJECT.
UM, ALSO MET WITH SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD WITH MRS. COOK.
AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING RESPECTFULLY TO EVERYONE REGARDING THE LIBRARY AND RESPONDING AS QUICKLY AS AND TO AS MANY EMAILS AND CALLS AS POSSIBLE.
I HAVE NOT MADE ANY FACEBOOK POST OR COMMENTS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S A HOLE YOU CAN NEVER CRAWL OUT OF WHEN YOU START THAT I HAVE NOT SPOKEN OUT IN PUBLIC BECAUSE I'M LISTENING AND I'M TRYING TO RESPOND INDIVIDUALLY.
I REPRESENT EVERYONE IN THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT AND WARREN COUNTY AS A WHOLE WITH DECISIONS I MAKE AND VOTES I CAST.
AND I DO THAT WITHOUT REGARD TO PARTY LINES.
MR. BUTLER, I WAS HOPING, UM, THAT YOU WOULD SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE TWO RECONSIDERATION REQUESTS THAT YOU SUBMITTED IN WHICH YOU CHECKED THE BOX FOR ORGANIZATION AND FILLED OUT AS WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I WAS AND AM CONTINUED TO BE UPSET AND ANGRY THAT YOU WOULD DO THAT.
YOU DID NOT HAVE MY PERMISSION AND DID NOT SPEAK FOR ME ON THIS MATTER, AND I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD ADDRESS THAT IN YOUR REPORT.
I RAN FOR OFFICE WITH A HOPE AND DESIRE TO STOP THE NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY I GREW UP IN, RAISED MY
[01:50:01]
CHILDREN IN, AND I WANTED TO BRING HONEST, POSITIVE APPROACH TO THE POSITION OF SUPERVISOR AND BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE RESIDENTS OF WARREN COUNTY.WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE LIBRARY IS TEARING THIS COMMUNITY APART, AND THAT BREAKS MY HEART.
BOTH SIDES HAVE BEEN SO PASSIONATE THAT BOTH SIDES OWN THEIR OWN SHARE OF DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO THIS PROCESS.
LET'S ALL TAKE A BREATH, PLEASE AND LET BOTH BOARDS WORK TOGETHER FOR A CONTRACT THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON, UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE NAACP MEETING AND I WAS SO TICKLED.
MRS. BALTIMORE IS WHAT, HOW OLD IS SHE? 90? YES.
I WANT TO BE THAT HER WHEN I'M 90.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND MY STATEMENT.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE LIBRARY NEEDS TO BE MEMORIALIZED IN A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.
WE HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH EVERY OTHER L L C THAT WE DO BUSINESS WITH THE E D A, WE HAVE THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, NORTHWESTERN COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE SMALLER ONES.
WE DO NOT HAVE LLCS WITH THE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS WE DON'T.
BUT THE LARGER ONES, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND UPPER $400,000 AND UP.
WE DO HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH THEM.
I I WAS NOTIFIED BY CONSTITUENT THAT OBSCENE MATERIAL WAS AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 12 AND OUR TAXPAYER FUNDED LIBRARY EARLIER THIS YEAR.
IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNS IN JULY, THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES VOTED TO MOVE BOOKS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT TO THE NEW ADULT SECTION.
I VISITED WITH EILEEN AND SHE SHOWED ME THE SECTION AND IT WE ALL, THEY ALSO CREATED AN AGE RESTRICTED LIBRARY CARD, WHICH REQUIRED PARENTAL NOTIFICATIONS AND CONSENT.
I FULLY SUPPORT PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ENSURING THAT PARENTS ALONE MAKE DECISIONS ON RAISING AND EDUCATING THEIR CHILDREN AS WE MEMORIALIZE AGREEMENT.
WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS AND I WILL NEVER VOTE TO, TO DEPRIVE THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY SERVICE WHICH THEY'VE ALREADY PAID FOR.
OUR LIBRARY IS A VIABLE, UH, VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR THOSE WITHOUT INTERNET AND HOMESCHOOLING FAMILIES, SENIOR CITIZENS, AND A PLACE TO JUST BE WARM OR TO GET OUTTA THE HEAT.
THERE'S A LOOPHOLE IN THE VIRGINIA CODE THAT ALLOWS OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO OBSCENE CONTENT IN THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
IT IS ILLEGAL TO PROVIDE OBSCENE CONTENT TO CHILDREN OR MINORS UNLESS YOU ARE A LIBRARY, A MUSEUM, OR A SCHOOL.
IT IS MY PLAN TO HAVE THAT AS MY FIRST PIECE OF LEGISLATION I CARRY TO REMOVE THIS EXCEPTION AND PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
IS THAT IT? YOU GOOD? THAT'S IT.
UM, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GO UP TO BLUE MOUNTAIN FOR THEIR, UM, UH, UM, MONTHLY MEETING.
UM, I ALSO HAD, UM, THE PLEASURE OF BEING AT THE PRIMARY INVESTMENT RIBBON CUTTING ON SATURDAY.
AND I'VE SPENT A TON OF TIME WORKING EMAILS AND MAKING PHONE CALLS AND RECEIVING PHONE CALLS.
AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IF I DON'T KNOW YOUR PHONE NUMBER, I PROBABLY DON'T CALL YOU BACK.
SEND ME A TEXT, SEND ME AN EMAIL, SEND ME SOMETHING SO I KNOW THAT IT'S, I GOT, I GET LOTS OF PHONE CALLS EVERY DAY.
UM, TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY FOR A MINUTE.
UM, I HEAR EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY SAYS AND I GET SO FRUSTRATED WITH BOTH, BOTH SIDES.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I DON'T CARE WHAT, I DON'T CARE WHAT RELIGION YOU ARE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT PUBLIC PARTYING OR RED, I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE BLUE, GREEN, YELLOW, ORANGE.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T CARE IF THE L
[01:55:01]
L G LGBTQ, I DON'T CARE.MY JOB IS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS THEY COME IN AS I CAN.
AND THAT'S ALL THAT I REALLY WANT TO DO.
AND WHEN SOMETHING COMES IN, LIKE THE LIBRARY, IT CAME IN UNDER THE AUSPICE OF ONE THING.
AND I, I'M JUST GONNA SAY, HE CAME IN UNDER THE AUSPICES OF A CHILD OR CHILDREN HAVING SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE LIBRARY.
IT TURNED INTO REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, L B G T Q P, EVERYTHING IN THE, IN THE UNDER THE SUN.
AND THE NAME CALLING STARTED AT ME.
BUT IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR NINE MONTHS.
AND FOR, FOR, I I, I MADE A STATEMENT SOMETIME TO SOMEBODY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS WRITTEN OR NOT, I DON'T CARE.
I SAID, I HOPE IT WOULD CALM DOWN.
ISN'T THAT PRECIOUS? DIDN'T LIKE THAT AT ALL.
ANOTHER ONE WAS, YOU'RE A COWARD.
I WILL WALK INTO ANY FIGHT THAT YOU WANT ME, ME TO WALK INTO.
AND AS LONG AS IT'S NOT PHYSICAL AND THEY TAKE MY KNEES OUT MY KNEE, I MIGHT WIN
BUT I'M, I'M TELLING YOU, I'M TIRED OF THIS.
OUR PEOPLE ARE BEING TORN APART OVER SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF THE FIRST DAY.
AND THE LIBRARY MADE EVERY EFFORT TO DO THAT.
BUT Y'ALL, Y'ALL, THE PEOPLE TALK AND SAID, I WANT TO BE HEARD.
AND IT'S BEEN BEING HEARD FOR MONTHS.
AND I BELIEVE, LIKE, DOLORES, THAT WE NEED AN AGREEMENT.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THAT MILLION DOLLARS IS FOR.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M GONNA CONTROL THAT MONEY.
I DON'T WANT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE AND THEY'RE DOING, AND I DON'T WANT, I DON'T WANT THE LIBRARY.
AND I HAVE SUPPORTED THE LIBRARY FROM DAY ONE.
AND THE REASON THAT I VOTED AGAINST IT, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS, I VOTED AGAINST IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I ASKED, AND I GOT 90 DAYS FIGURE OUT, THANKS.
LET'S GET A, GET A PROGRAM TOGETHER WITH THE LIBRARY AND THE COUNTY BECAUSE IT WENT FROM THE CHILDREN THROUGH ALL OF THESE ITERATIONS TO NOW IT'S, NOW IT'S ABOUT THE COUNTY AND THE MONEY.
LET'S FIGURE IT OUT AND WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT TOGETHER.
AND WE GOT ANOTHER 90 DAYS TO DO THAT.
AND I'M HOPING THAT WE GET IT DONE BY THE, BY THE END OF OCTOBER.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA BEGIN WITH THE, UM, COUNTY FINANCE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK AND WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW AND REV AND REVISE OUR COUNTY FISCAL POLICIES.
UM, ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT OUR COMMITTEE IS ALSO POSTING OUR AGENDAS, OUR MEETING MINUTES, AND ALSO OUR COMMITTEE BYLAWS ON THE, UH, FINANCE AND PURCHASING WEBSITE.
SO IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AND DISCUSSING, IT'S UM, IT'S POSTED OUT THERE SO YOU CAN FOLLOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, WE ALSO CONDUCTED, UM, INTERVIEWS FOR THE, UM, CLAN AIRPORT.
WE HAD TWO OPEN COMMISSION COMMISSION VACANCIES.
SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING OUR SELECTION SOON.
AND, UM, TO, TO TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY.
I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AN M O U THAT SETS EXPECTATIONS OF A MILLION DOLLARS OF TAX PAYING DOLLARS.
[02:00:01]
INDUSTRY.SO, UM, I AGREE WITH THAT POSITION.
UM, BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK THAT JUST SAYS IT ALL.
NEXT THING IS, UM, FUNDING RELEASE AND THE FUNDING FOR THE NEXT QUARTER.
JUST SO WE'RE, UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE LIBRARY.
WE, WITH THE, THE RELEASE OF THIS QUARTER OF FUNDING.
IT IS UNDER A, AN INTERIM FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THEM, WHICH THEY HAVE AGREED TO SIGN.
IT'S JUST SAYING THAT IN GOOD FAITH ON BOTH PARTIES, WE ARE GOING TO RELEASE THIS QUARTER AND CONTINUE OUR NEGOTIATIONS TO COME WITH A, A AGREEMENT THAT FITS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW EVERYONE'S SAYING YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING, VICKI, WE DON'T HEAR YOU.
WELL, THAT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF WHO I AM RIGHT NOW.
I LOOK AT THIS AS THAT WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS AND I GREW UP IN A, UM, ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU DON'T TALK WHEN YOU GO THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS.
AND WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO CLOSE THIS.
I ALSO HAVE SAID OPENLY IN PUBLIC, IN, IN DIFFERENT FORMS AND TO PEOPLE I HAVE TALKED TO THAT I GOVERN AND MY GOV MY, UM, GUIDING LIGHT IS UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.
AND I BELIEVE EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO CHOICE.
AND THAT INCLUDES THIS LIBRARY.
EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO CHOICE IN IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, WHAT POLITICAL PARTY YOU'RE IN.
AND I, AND I BELIEVE IN WHAT I'VE SEEN THE PROGRESS WITH THE LIBRARY AT THAT THEY ARE RESPECTING THAT AS WELL WITH THE POLICIES THAT THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OFF MY CHEST.
UM, THE LAST THING I WANNA SAY IS THAT, UM, ON ON NINE 11, I GATHERED WITH OTHER MEN MEMBERS IN A COMMUNITY IN TOWN BY THE PLACEBO TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ALL OUR HEROES AND VICTIMS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2000, 2001.
WE ALSO HONOR ALL OUR ARMED FORCES, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVING AND PROTECTING OUR NATION'S FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS.
WE JUST, WE, WE JUST CAN'T FORGET OF THE THOUSANDS OF LIVES THAT WE LOST ON THAT SEPTEMBER DAY.
AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO US AND CONTINUE TO REMIND OTHERS NOT TO FORGET.
AND THE LAST THING I WANNA SAY THAT I FOR ONE, WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY.
WELL, YOU DO HAVE A REPORT THAT'S ON THE, UH, AGENDA ON, ON THE PAPER.
IT'S YOUR, YOUR REPORT? YES, MA'AM.
AND IT'S POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
EVERYBODY, UH, MS. MR. HAM, I HAVE NO REPORT.
[G. Appropriations and Transfers]
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF APPROPRIATIONS AND TRANSFERS.DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT OUR APPROPRIATIONS? SO MOVE MADAM CHAIR.
[H. Approval of Accounts]
NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.HERE IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR ACCOUNTS.
SO THIS, THIS, UM, THIS MONTH WE ARE GOING TO APPROVE OUR DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTION REPORT.
WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE REPORT FOR AUGUST, AUGUST FUEL REPORT, AUGUST P PCARD REPORT, OUR LEGAL SERVICE INVOICE REPORT, OUR EXPENDITURES REPORT, AND OUR REVENUE REPORT.
DOES ANYBODY ON THE BOARD HAVE ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE, THESE, UM, REPORTS? NOPE.
I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT FOR ON THE EXPENDITURES REPORT.
[02:05:01]
UM, I NOTICED THAT, UH, THIS MO THIS REPORT ACTUALLY INCLUDES THE SCHOOL BUDGET CATEGORIES AND, UM, THAT'S, UH, I WANNA THANK THAT.UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING BETTER WITH OUR TRANSPARENCY WITH OUR REPORTS THAT ARE PUBLICLY PUBLISHED TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THESE REPORTS? MADAM CHAIR.
[I. Approval of Minutes - 8.01.2023 and 8.15.2023]
NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.THE, UM, APPROVAL OF OUR ME OF OUR MEETING MINUTES FOR, UH, AUGUST 1ST AND AUGUST 15TH.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS OR CHANGES OF THESE MEETING MINUTES? AND IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT AS PRESENTED? ACCEPT AS PRESENTED PLEASE.
[J. Consent Agenda]
NOW WE'RE GOING TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.SO DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ON THE BOARD THAT WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST FOR ANY REMOVAL OF TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? NOPE.
IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
[K. Cooperative Contract with Davenport & Company LLC]
MOVING ON.NEXT ITEM IS THE COOPERATIVE CONTRACT AND, EXCUSE ME, COOPERATIVE CONTRACT WITH DAVENPORT AND COMPANY L L C.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE FINANCE AND PURCHASING DEPARTMENT NEEDS ADVISORS TO ASSIST WITH HIS DEBT SERVICE.
THE DELIVERABLE IS TO RECONCILE DEBT SERVICE PLANNING FOR FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECTS AND UPDATED DEBT FISCAL POLICY WITH THE FINANCE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
SECTION 2.2 46 0 4 OF THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ACT AUTHORIZES THE COUNTY TO COOPERATE WITH THE CONTRACT WITH DAVENPORT AND ASSOCIATES THROUGH AN R F P ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF HENRICO, WHICH CONTAIN COOPERATIVE CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
SO ATTACHED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET IS A CO COOPERATIVE CONTRACT FOR YOUR REVIEW.
UH, WARREN COUNTY HAS UTILIZED THE FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES OF DAVENPORT SINCE 2003 AND IN RECENT YEARS, THE COUNTY HAS ENGAGED WITH DAVENPORT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES FOR PROJECTS SUCH AS LELAND PARKWAY, THE SECOND MIDDLE SCHOOL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMPLEX IN VERMONT FIRE STATION.
THIS ISSUE WAS LAST DISCUSSED AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WORK SESSION ON JANUARY 12TH, 2001, I'M SORRY, 2021.
UM, UPON NOTICE TO PROCEED THAT IMPORTANT COMPANY WILL PROVIDE FINANCIAL ADVISOR SERVICES TO WARREN COUNTY ON A TASK ORDER BASIS AS NEEDED.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD? NOPE.
WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? HOLD ON.
I MOVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO AUTHORIZE THE CONTRACT WITH DAVENPORT AND COMPANY L L C FOR MUNICIPAL FINANCIAL SERVICES.
ON A TASK ORDER BASIS, I FURTHER MOVE THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT TO EXECUTE.
ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY OR THE ASSISTANT AND COUNTY ATTORNEY.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[ L. Appointment of the representatives to the front Royal Warren County Airport Commission]
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS WE'RE GOING TO, UH, MAKE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY AIRPORT COMMISSION IN, UM, SO THE, I KNOW YOU'LL NEED TO INFORM US OF WHOSO IT WOULD BE, UH, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND SAY THE CANDIDATES AND MS. HILLMAN CAN MAKE THE MOTION OR CAN I DO THAT? SHOULD A COPY.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPOINT JOHN BURT AND FREDERICK WIESEN DOCK AS REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE FRONT ROYAL COUNTY AIRPORT COMMISSION FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM ENDING ON SIX THIRTY TWENTY TWENTY SEVEN.
[02:10:01]
BUTLER.NEXT ITEM IS IF, DOES ANYBODY ON THE BOARD LIKE TO, UM, INTRODUCE ANY ADDITIONAL NEW BUSINESS FOR THE EVENING? NOPE.
IF NOT, DO I HAVE, UM, A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING? SO MOVED.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.