[00:00:05]
AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MARCH 26TH, 2024 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WORK SESSION TO ORDER.
AND I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE AGENDA.
AND DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED? SO, MOVE.
[Additional Item 1]
ON THE AGENDA IS MS. AKRA FOR THE CSA BUDGET.OKAY, MR. BIANCHINI, MS. AKAKA NEEDS THE, THE PODIUM THERE PLEASE.
HELLO? UM, SO I AM ASKING FOR AN INCREASE, UM, IN THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES ACT BUDGET TO COVER US FOR THE REST OF THIS FISCAL YEAR AND AN ADDITIONAL, UM, AMOUNT FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE, UM, WE'VE DOUBLED OUR CASELOAD, UM, IN FOSTER CARE AND, UM, WE'VE DOUBLED OUR CASELOAD IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF CHILDREN THAT WE'RE SERVING AT ANY GIVEN TIME IN THE COUNTY.
QUESTIONS, UH, FOR MS. AKRA ON THE CSA FUNDING? UM, YES.
SO HOW MUCH ARE YOU ASKING FOR THE INCREASE OF THE BUDGET FOR THIS? THE REST OF THIS FISCAL YEAR IS 2 MILLION, AND THAT IS THE LOCAL PORTION AS WELL AS THE STATE PORTION.
SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR A $2 MILLION INCREASE IN YOUR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, OR IS THIS GONNA BE CARRIED OVER INTO FISCAL YEAR 25? SO IT'S $2 MILLION FOR THIS YEAR, AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 2.5 FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND THE 2.5 FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS NOT BEING REFLECTED IN OUR NUMBERS RIGHT NOW? NO, MA'AM.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE CASELOAD INCREASED, DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS TO SHOW THAT? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, WE WENT TO, WE HAVE 51 CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE AT THIS TIME.
UM, WE WERE HAVE, WE HAD ABOUT 25 TO 30, SO WE'VE ALMOST DOUBLED THAT NUMBER.
UM, WE HAVE 13 CHILDREN THAT ARE PLACED OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO A PRIVATE DAY.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT 20 KIDS THAT WE'RE SERVING IN THE COMMUNITY TO EITHER HELP THEM MAINTAIN IN THEIR HOME AND TO PREVENT THEM FROM COMING INTO FOSTER CARE.
SO IS THAT THE TOTAL CASES RIGHT NOW? 30 OR WHAT? HOW MANY? SO THE TOTAL CASES, WE ARE SERVING ABOUT 80 CHILDREN AT THIS TIME.
AND YOU ANTICIPATE HOW, WHAT'S THE PERCENT INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR? THAT I CAN'T GIVE YOU? UM, UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIABLES WITH THAT.
UM, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY CHILDREN COME INTO FOSTER CARE, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE NOT ABLE TO BE EDUCATED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING.
UM, THERE'S A, UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF VARIABLES WITH THAT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF KIDS BEING REFERRED TO THE FAMILY ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING TEAM, UM, THROUGH THE TRUANCY THROUGH COURT.
SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE CONTINUING TO INCREASE AND I DON'T HAVE A WAY TO PREDICT THAT.
AND IT'S JUST INCREASING, UM, NUMBERS FROM THE COURT SERVICES.
SO IS IT FAIR TO SAY IF I TAKE THE 80 CHILDREN AND DIVIDE IT BY YOUR BUDGET, THEN THAT COULD BE HOW MUCH PER CHILD WE'RE SPENDING? I KNOW SOME OF IT THE STATE COVERS AS WELL, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO THERE ARE A SMALL AMOUNT OF CHILDREN WHO ARE IN FOSTER CARE WHO RECEIVE TITLE IV A FUNDING.
UM, BUT THAT IS ONLY FOR THEIR BASIC AND ENHANCED MAINTENANCE.
THAT DOESN'T COVER ANY, UM, LIKE IF A CHILD IS PLACED IN THERAPEUTIC FOSTER CARE, IT DOESN'T CO COVER THE DAILY RATE.
UM, AND THEN IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT MEDICAID DOESN'T PAY FOR CSA HAS TO FUND THOSE.
SO THIS INCREASE IN BUDGET IS NOT BEING MATCHED BY ANY STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDS.
SO IT WOULD STILL, IT WOULD STILL BE MATCHED BY OUR MATCH RATE, UM, THROUGH CSA, WHICH IS ABOUT 38 AND A HALF CENTS PER DOLLAR.
SO IF YOU APPROVE $2 MILLION, THEN THE LOCAL PORTION WOULD BE ABOUT 800,000.
SO YOU ALSO HAVE, UM, OTHER THIRD PARTIES HELPING OUT
[00:05:01]
IN THIS PROGRAM, IS THAT CORRECT? I'M NOT.OTHER COMPANIES LIKE, WELL, I KNOW NORTHWESTERN HAS A PIECE OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO NORTHWESTERN, UM, THERE'S A, A PERSON THAT IS EMPLOYED BY NORTHWESTERN THAT DOES OUR UTILIZATION AND UTILIZATION MANAGEMENT REVIEW, UM, THAT WE PAY A, A SET AMOUNT FOR TO HAVE THOSE SERVICES.
SO AS PART OF YOUR PROGRAM, DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE SUBCONTRACTORS? I DON'T HAVE SUBCONTRACTORS.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CONTRACTING, YOU DON'T CONTRACT TO ANY THIRD PARTY TO HELP? NOPE.
IT'S ME,
'CAUSE I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF THAT WAS PART OF THE EQUATION AS WELL, THE INCREASE OF OTHER SERVICES TO HELP.
SO THERE IS AN INCREASE OF SERVICE COST TO, FOR THE CHILDREN.
SO CHILDREN, THE COST FOR CHILDREN IN PLACEMENT HAS INCREASED THE COST OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE, UM, A PRIVATE DAY PLACEMENT HAS INCREASED, SERVICE COSTS HAVE GOT INCREASED, BUT PERSONNEL, UM, IT'S, YEAH, WELL THE SERVICES IS WHERE I WAS LOOKING AT.
SO ARE THOSE SERVICES FUNDED BY THE STATE OR FEDERAL, OR IS THAT COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET? THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET? SO WE, CSA IS A FUND OF LAST RESORT.
SO WE USE FOUR A FUNDING FOR WHAT WE CAN.
WE USE MEDICAID FUNDING FOR MEDICAL SERVICES AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT WE CAN.
UM, SOMETIMES THERE'S LONG WAIT LISTS FOR THOSE AND WE DO HAVE TO BYPASS THAT SO THAT CHILDREN CAN HAVE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
UM, BUT UM, AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, THE SCHOOL, UH, WAS PRESENTING THIS PROGRAM FOR, UH, UH, BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM FOR, UH, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, I GUESS IT'S CALLED MAN MANIFESTED SOMETHING OR OTHER.
AND YOU CAME TO THE MEETING AND SAID TO THE BOARD, UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT SOME COSTS WERE NOT GONNA BE COVERED BY THEN, THEY'D BE COVERED BY YOUR, YOUR ORGANIZATION.
IS THAT A PIECE OF THIS INCREASE? NO, MA'AM.
SO WHAT THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES ACT FUNDS IS THE PRIVATE DAY EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WHO CAN'T BE EDUCATED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THEN ANY ADDITIONAL SERVICES THEY MAY HAVE, SUCH AS OT, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY, UM, A ONE-ON-ONE AIDE, THAT IS WHAT THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES ACT COVERS.
SO THAT WOULDN'T BE PART OF THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION TO THE, THE TOTAL PROGRAM, IF YOU WILL, THE TOTAL? YEAH.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS, MA'AM, CAN YOU HELP? UM, YOU GOOD? YES, SIR.
UM, CAN YOU HELP ME READ THIS TABLE HERE? THESE, UH, THESE HIGHLIGHTED LINES? UH, THE, THE 24 BUDGET WAS 2 MILLION, IS THAT RIGHT? 2,092,000.
IS THAT WHERE WE STARTED THE TOP RIGHT OF, OF THE MIDDLE TABLE? YES.
AND, UH, THE PROJECTIONS ARE ON THE, ON THE BLUE, RIGHT? SO IF I'M READING IT RIGHT, OR MAYBE I'M NOT, UM, THE PROJECTION WOULD TAKE US DOWN TO MINUS 1,000,020 2000 THAT, THAT IS THE PROJECTED WITH THE KIDS THAT WERE IN CARE AT THAT TIME THAT WE'VE PAID FOR BILLS.
UNFORTUNATELY, BETWEEN THE, BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND FEBRUARY, WE'VE HAD AN ADDITIONAL 11 KIDS COME INTO FOSTER CARE.
SO WHERE WE WERE AT 40, WE'RE AT 51.
SO THIS, THIS TABLE'S NOT, NOT UP, NOT UPDATED THEN.
SO IT WAS UPDATED AS OF THE BILLS AND THE CHILDREN THAT WERE IN CARE AT THAT TIME.
AT WHAT TIME? AT, UM, SO THIS IS THROUGH JANUARY, THE END OF JANUARY.
LOOKING AT THIS TABLE, YOU DO HAVE A PERCENTAGE, $40,000 PER CHILD IF YOU HAVE THAT UNDER THE FISCAL YEAR 24 PROJECTED COLUMN.
WELL, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A $1 MILLION DELTA IN THE, IN THE PAGE THAT WE HAVE AND, AND YOU'RE SAYING $2 MILLION.
SO I'M, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE TWO'S COMING FROM.
SO BASED OFF OF THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT ARE IN CARE AND THE CHILDREN THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED, UM, SERVICES THROUGH THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES ACT, IF WE MAINTAIN AT THE RATE THAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH THIS AMOUNT OF CHILDREN AND CARE, THAT IS WHAT I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PILL PAY BILLS THROUGH JUNE 30TH.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT, THAT'S, THESE NUMBERS DON'T RE REFLECT THE 2 MILLION.
THESE NUMBERS REFLECT THE MILLION.
IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS IS BASED UPON CHILDREN, UM, 55 CHILDREN AS IS
[00:10:01]
OF JANUARY.THIS IS OF JANUARY, BUT WE'RE IN MARCH.
SO I DON'T REPORT ON ANYTHING THAT HASN'T BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE STATE FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
SO THIS REPORT IS THROUGH WHAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE STATE.
AND THEN OUR BILLING IS ALSO AT LEAST 30 TO 45 DAYS BEHIND BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE BEFORE THEY CAN INVOICE ME FOR THAT SERVICE, WHICH IS WHY IT GOES THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
AND, AND JUST TO GIVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, AND THEN I'LL GET PERSPECTIVE FROM BEING ON THERE.
UM, COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHY THE, UH, THE NET EXPENDITURES IN THE MIDDLE TABLE, THEY VARY SO MUCH FROM MONTH TO MONTH.
LIKE THERE'S SOME MONTHS, LIKE OCTOBER ARE OVER 350,000, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT JULY THE FIRST MONTH IS A NEGATIVE.
IS THAT A CARRYOVER THAT CREDITED THAT DOWN LOW LIKE THAT? SO WHAT HAPPENS IS MY FISCAL YEAR, EFFECTIVELY ON JUNE 30TH, UM, SO THE MONTH OF JANUARY, JULY, I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE BILLS THAT HAVE COME IN FOR THAT MONTH.
SO I WOULDN'T HAVE A BILL FOR JULY MM-HMM.
UM, SO THERE IS IT THE JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER GIVES THE TIME FOR, UM, VENDORS TO PROCESS THEIR, THEIR BILLS AND GET THOSE TO ME.
UM, I HAVE A AUGUST 5TH CUT, A CUTOFF DATE.
AND THEN, UM, A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CCSA ITSELF.
UM, SO FAMILIES THAT AGREE TO FOSTER AND THEY HAVE A, A CHILD PLACED INTO THEIR CARE, DO THEY GET A, A STIPEND AND IS THAT SET BY THE STATE? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO, UH, YES.
UM, LOCAL, SO WE HAVE A DIFFERENT, A COUPLE DIFFERENT LAYERS.
AND THEY HAVE A BASIC MAINTENANCE AMOUNT SET ACROSS THE BOARD.
WHETHER THAT CHILD IS IN A LOCAL ONLY HOME OR IN A THERAPEUTIC FOSTER HOME.
UM, THERE'S A MAINTENANCE PAYMENT, LIKE ZERO TO FOUR IS $547 A MONTH.
UM, FIVE TO 12 IS $639 A MONTH AND OVER 13.
AND OUR FOSTERING FUTURES IS $811 PER MONTH.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, CHILDREN ARE SCREENED FOR SPECIAL NEEDS AND FOR ADDITIONAL NEEDS THAT THEY MAY HAVE FROM THE FOSTER PARENTS.
AND SO THEY GET AN ENHANCED MAINTENANCE THAT'S ANYWHERE BETWEEN $0 AND $2,016 A MONTH.
SO O OVERALL, HOW MUCH OF THE MONEY ENDS UP, UH, ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM VERSUS WITH THE, THE FAMILIES THAT TAKE THE PLACEMENT? SO THEY ARE PAID THAT, AND THAT'S LIKE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE LIKE THE, WITH THE CHILD'S IN THERAPEUTIC FOSTER CARE.
AND THE INCREASE, LIKE THE NEAR DOUBLING OF THE CLIENTS, IS THAT, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT TO CONTINUE ON THAT TREND IN THE FUTURE? OR IS THIS KIND OF PEAKING, DO YOU THINK? UM, I AM NOT SURE IT IS, UM, A JUDICIAL DECISION WHEN A CHILD IS REMOVED FROM THE HOME.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS THAT ARE COMING IN CARE RIGHT NOW, UM, BECAUSE OF TRUANCY ISSUES.
UM, SO THAT IS A TREND THAT WE'VE SEEN MORE THIS YEAR THAN WE HAVE IN THE YEARS PAST.
UM, AND IS THAT, IS THAT THE KEY CAUSE THEN, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT SEEMS TO BE, UM, SPIKING THE KEY? THE KEY CAUSE IS DEFINITELY THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT'S COME INTO FOSTER CARE.
UM, AND THEN THE PRIVATE DAY EDUCATION HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A 2.5% CAP EVERY YEAR AS TO WHAT A FACILITY COULD CHARGE FOR A PRIVATE DAY PLACEMENT STUDENT.
UM, SO WE WERE UP UNTIL SEPTEMBER, WE WERE HAVING TO RENEGOTIATE, UM, WHAT THAT WAS BECAUSE THAT HADN'T WENT THROUGH AND THOSE RATES INCREASED BY LIKE 20%.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY CHILDREN ARE, HAVE TO GO, UM, TO A PRIVATE DAY SCHOOL, ARE STILL ENTITLED TO A FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND SO WE HAVE TO ABSORB THOSE COSTS.
PLUS TWO AND THEN I'LL, I'LL SHUT UP.
SO, UM, SO YOU'RE REQUESTING FOR $2 MILLION FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AN INCREASE, AND HOW DOES THAT PLAY INTO,
[00:15:02]
I MEAN, YOU MAY NOT, AND THE QUESTION MAY NOT BE, BE ABLE TO ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU KNOW, I, BY ME LOOKING AT NUMBERS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABSORBING ANY OF THE MANY WE ARE EARMARKED FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? WHAT DO YOU MEAN EARMARKED MA'AM? WELL, UM, I HATE TO USE THE WORD SURPLUS, BUT YOU KNOW, IF ANY MONEY THAT WE HAVE, UM, ANY ANTICIPATED SURPLUS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, IF, IF THERE IS, IS THAT GOING? IS THE PLAN TO USE THAT MONEY TO ROLL INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR OR IS IT GONNA GO INTO OUR RESERVES? SO, UH, THEY ARE ASKING FOR TWO ITEMS THAT THEY'RE TELLING YOU.THE FIRST ONE IS APPROXIMATELY 800,000 LOCAL DOLLARS.
THIS YEAR OUT OF A TOTAL BUDGET INCREASE OF $2 MILLION THIS YEAR.
THAT'S WITH THE STATE MATCHING.
THAT'S THIS YEAR HERE AND NOW.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT 800 AND WE WILL, WE WILL ADDRESS THAT AS ONE ISSUE WITH YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS.
UH, THEN THE SECOND ITEM IS ASKING FOR APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION OF A $2.5 MILLION TOTAL BUDGET INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT MILLION DOLLARS IS WHAT WE HAVE IS THE ONE WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT FOR ME.
AND, AND JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE I DO SAID ON THAT COMMITTEE, UM, IT, IT IS VERY HARD TO PROJECT WHAT AN ACCURATE, UM, BUDGET BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET SIX CHILDREN IN OUTTA ONE FAMILY AT ONE TIME, AND DEPENDING ON THE SERVICES NEEDED, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THE LOW MAINTENANCE HOUSING, CLOTHING AND THAT TYPE THING.
AND SOMETIMES DEPENDING ON THEIR NEED, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S RESIDENTIAL, UM, AND, AND YOU HAVE TO PLACE THEM APPROPRIATELY IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND THOSE COSTS.
UM, SO TO HAVE AN AVERAGE, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE A CHILD THAT'S TWO TO $3,000 A MONTH, AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME THAT MAY BE 60 PLUS THOUSAND A MONTH.
SO IT'S A REAL HARD AVERAGE AND YOU CAN'T PREDICT HOW MANY CHILDREN YOU JUST, YOU JUST CAN'T.
UM, I WISH WE COULD, BUT WE CAN'T.
AND THEY, YOU ESPECIALLY FOSTER CARE, WE'VE HAD HOW MANY ADOPTIONS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? UM, WE'VE HAD, WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL ONE THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD ABOUT FOUR LAST YEAR, AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF KIDS THAT WENT HOME.
UM, BUT, UM, SO THAT, THAT WILL LOWER THE COST, BUT THEN OTHER CHILDREN COMING INTO CARE OFFSET THAT.
AND BUT THE AVERAGE ADOPTION LENGTH OF TIME THAT THEY STAY IN FOSTER CARE BEFORE THEY'RE ADOPTED IS, IS ABOUT 18 MONTHS.
SO IT, IT'S, AND THESE ARE MANDATED SERVICES WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY'RE IDENTIFIED AND THEY'RE DEEMED THAT THOSE ARE THE SERVICES THEY NEED, WE DON'T GET A CHOICE IN THAT.
BUT, UH, I, I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS A VERY FRUGAL COMMITTEE.
UM, A LOT OF THE MEMBERS THAT ARE ON IT, NORTHWESTERN IS REPRESENTATIVE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF REPRESENTATION.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS REPRESENTED, UM, NORTHWESTERN IS REPRESENTED THE JUDICIAL COURT, UM, UM, JUVENILE DOMESTIC COURT IS REPRESENTED.
SO WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM DSS FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, MS. COLORS FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
WE HAVE A PARENT REP, WE HAVE A PRIVATE PROVIDER REP.
WE HAVE, UM, A HEALTH DEPARTMENT REP.
WE HAVE, UM, MS. SCOTT WHO ALSO SITS AS WELL AS, UM, SOMEONE FROM THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
SO WE HAVE A, A, A TEAM OF 11.
AND, UM, SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS SIT ON MULTIPLE BOARDS, LIKE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REP, UM, DJJ NORTHWESTERN, THEY'RE, I THINK THEY SIT ON PAGE SHENANDOAH, FREDERICK, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT WINCHESTER CITY AND CLARK COUNTY.
[00:20:01]
EFFICIENT ACCORDING TO THEM.SO WE ARE, WE ARE VERY FRUGAL IN USING THE MONEY AS EFFICIENTLY AS WE CAN.
IT'S JUST GROWTH AND, UM, THE COST EVER-GROWING COST OF THE, WITH THE PROVIDER'S CHARGE.
AND LIKE SHE SAID, THEY WERE CA AND NOW THEY'RE NOT, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF NO, THEY, THEY PRETTY MUCH ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS THAT I WAS GONNA, I WAS GONNA ASK.
[A. Discussion - Repeal of Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations]
OKAY.NEXT IS REPEAL OF EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVENING, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER TO CALL IT.
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTATION THAT, UM, IS REPEALING THE INFORMATION.
I'M GONNA PROVIDE YOU A COPY OF OUR CURRENT EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PROGRAM.
IT'S CHAPTER ONE 50, SO YOU HAVE IT FOR RECORDS.
IS COPIED DIRECTLY OFF OF THE, UH, WEBSITE.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE FOR THE ACTUAL PROGRAM.
WHAT DEQ HAS DONE, WHAT THE CONTROL OR CLEAN THE WATER CONTROL BOARD HAS DONE IS THEY HAVE COMBINED THE PROGRAM SO THAT STORM WATER AS WELL AS EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL ARE COMING TOGETHER.
THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU RECEIVED ACTUALLY HAS TWO MODEL ORDINANCES.
THE FIRST ONE IS FOR THE COMBINED PROGRAM.
THE SECOND ONE IS FOR THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PORTION OF THAT.
THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE WITH THE ACTUAL MODEL ORDINANCE THAT WAS SUBMITTED IS THE PROBLEM THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY THINGS THAT WERE NOT PUT INTO THAT PROGRAM.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MODEL PROGRAM, THERE ARE ITEMS THAT THEY'VE LEFT OUT OF THE PROGRAM THAT IS INCORPORATED INTO THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT AS WELL AS THE LAW.
THE LAW IS 92 PAGES LONG
NOW, THIS PARTICULAR LAW DOES NOT ACTUALLY SEPARATE THE TWO PROGRAMS. IT IS COMBINED PROGRAM.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS JUST THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL.
THAT'S WHAT THEY TRIED TO DO WITH THE PROGRAM.
IS EVERYBODY FAMILIAR WITH THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL AND HOW IT CAME TO BE? NOT ME.
IS THAT THE, IS THAT THE ONE WHEN, WHEN YOU SEE CONSTRUCTION, YOU SEE THAT BLACK FENCING? YES.
UH, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING THAT PEOPLE SAY, I SEE DIRT BEING MOVED.
AREN'T THEY REQUIRED TO HAVE SILT FENCE? THAT'S A MISNOMER.
THE INTENT OF THE PROGRAM IS TO MAINTAIN THE SEDIMENT ON SITE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
NOW, IF THEY CAN DO THAT WITH OTHER MEANS AND METHODS, THEN THAT'S ACCEPTABLE.
UH, THEY HAVE SOME, UH, MEANS AND METHODS OF BRUSH BERMS TO KEEP THAT ON SITE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER SEEN ANYBODY USE A BRUSH BERM, UH, DURING MY TIMEFRAME.
THEY HAVE CLAIMED BRUSH BERMS BY PILING UP BRUSH AND SAYING, WELL, THAT'S YOUR BERM.
IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY, BUT THAT, THAT'S THE MISNOMER AS FAR AS FOR SHINS.
BUT SO, SO WHEN YOU USE THE TERM SEDIMENT, YOU'RE JUST SAYING DIRT.
UH, IN 72, THE CLEAN WATER ACT WAS PRESENTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING STARTS.
IN 1974, VIRGINIA ACTUALLY CREATED OR DEVELOPED THE FIRST EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL HANDBOOK.
THE ACTUAL BOOKS WERE PUT INTO PUBLICATION AS FAR AS FOR THE ACTUAL GENERAL PUBLIC.
UH, IN 1999, THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION CREATED THE STORM WATER MANUAL, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A BLUE BOOK.
BOTH OF THOSE VOLUMES ARE APPROXIMATELY THAT THICK.
NOW, THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL BOOK BOOK IS APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FIVE INCHES THICK.
UH, THERE WAS AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT OUT TO SHOW, THIS IS THE STACK OF BOOKS THAT ACTUALLY IS BEING COMBINED DOWN INTO A SINGLE REFERENCED DOCUMENT.
THAT'S WHERE THE LAW COMES INTO EFFECT.
THE IN, UM, LET'S SEE, IN THE EARLY PART OF, UH, 2000, DEQ WAS NOT ACTUALLY PART OF THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PROGRAM.
[00:25:01]
IT WAS ACTUALLY PUT UNDER, UH, DCR DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION.THEY DECIDED TO TAKE THAT AND TRY TO COMBINE IT SO THAT THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE BOTH THE EROSION AND SETTLEMENT CONTROL AND STORM WATER LEGISLATION GOT INVOLVED AND SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO MANDATE AN UNFUNDED ITEM TO THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.
SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS, IS THAT YOU HAD TO OPT IN IF YOU WANTED TO DO THE STORM WATER PORTION OF IT.
WE SPENT ABOUT 18 MONTHS DEVELOPING OUR OWN PROGRAM SO THAT IT WAS COMBINED PUT TOGETHER ALL FOR PRETTY MUCH NOT AT THAT POINT IN TIME BECAUSE WE SAW THE WRITING ON THE WALL, THAT DEQ REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A GRASP ON WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ENFORCE.
AND IF YOU'VE HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS FROM CONSTITUENTS, YOU'LL FIND THAT THE INTERPRETATION CHANGES ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS.
OR YOU'LL GET A REPRESENTATIVE AT THE LOCAL VALLEY OFFICE THAT WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTA GO BACK TO THE, UH, CENTRAL OFFICE TO GET AN INTERPRETATION ON THIS, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE WE WANTED TO HAVE THEM VET THAT OUT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
MY PERCEPTION IS, IS THAT EVENTUALLY, WE'LL, WE WILL BE MANDATED TO TAKE THE STORMWATER PORTION ON, UM, WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT THAT, THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE IS GOING TO HAPPEN EVENTUALLY.
SO ANYWAY, IN 2014, THAT'S WHEN THAT ALL TOOK PLACE.
DEQ CURRENTLY HANDLES OUR EROSION OR OUR STORM WATER PORTION OF THE PROGRAM.
SO THERE IS A TIME LAPSE THERE.
AND I DO KNOW THAT SOME OF THE, YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE PROBABLY SAID WE NEED TO GET THAT OUT OF THEIR HANDS AND PUT IT BACK IN OUR HANDS BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT IT SHOULD GO QUICKER.
THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS, IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LARGE INFLUX OF EXPENSE TO THE DEPARTMENT.
IF WE TAKE THAT ON, UM, THEY CALCULATED ORIGINALLY THE MONEY AND THE MONETARY, THEIR FEES HAVE ACTUALLY GONE UP BECAUSE THEY REALIZED THAT THEY CAN'T DO IT FOR WHAT THEY ACTUALLY SAID THEY COULD DO IT FOR.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF AND WHEN WE DO TAKE THAT STORM WATER PIECE ON, WE GET 70, 78% OF THE FEE OF THEIR SET FEES.
THEY GET 22% OF IT FOR MONITORING THE PROGRAM.
SO IF WE CHOSE TO SAY A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A PERMIT FEE, WE WOULD GET $780.
THEY WOULD GET THE $220 TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE TO THAT IS, IS IF THERE'S AN ENFORCEMENT ACTION, THEY DON'T GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S DOING THE PROBLEM OR CREATING THE PROBLEM, THEY COME BACK TO THE JURISDICTION AND THEN WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR LIABILITY IF THAT, IF THAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
SO THAT PIECE IS WHERE I'M AT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
WE WERE NOTIFIED DECEMBER 28TH OF LAST YEAR, THAT JULY 1ST WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE.
NOW REMEMBER, THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM I TOOK TOLD YOU WAS 18 MONTHS AND WE STILL HADN'T GOTTEN AN ACTUAL APPROVED PROGRAM.
WE WERE STILL IN THAT PROCESS IN FEBRUARY.
WE WERE NOTIFIED, HERE IS THE NEW MANUAL THAT IS 1,677 PAGES LONG.
TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND COMMENT ON IT.
YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO COMMENT ON IT.
SO FROM FEBRUARY 26TH TO MARCH 26TH TODAY,
UM, I HAVE NOT HAD ABILITY TO GO THROUGH THAT DOCUMENT, OBVIOUSLY, IN THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'VE, THEY'VE PUT OUT THERE IN A 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD.
HOWEVER, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THE COMMENTS ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE BASE DOCUMENT AS IT WERE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH WITH THAT DOCUMENT.
WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE A NEW PROGRAM IN PLACE.
MY QUESTION TO YOU AT THIS WORK SESSION IS, I'D ILL ADVISED TO GO WITH THE PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE SENT OUT AS A MODEL PROGRAM.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TAKE THAT MODEL PROGRAM AND ENSURE THE PIECES AND PARTS THAT WE NEED ARE PUT INTO OUR CURRENT PROGRAM.
OUR CURRENT PROGRAM THAT I JUST HANDED OUT TO YOU WILL VASTLY CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE FORMATTING IS DONE, BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO TRY TO MIRROR THE MODEL PROGRAM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITH THE SECTIONS SO THAT THERE'S NOT THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE.
THE GOOD PIECE TO THIS IS BACK IN 2014, WE WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE THAT PROGRAM THAT WE PRODUCED, APPROVED BY DEQ AFTER READING.
'CAUSE I MISQUOTED THE OTHER EVENING, I BELIEVE AT ONE OF THE, UH, AREAS THAT WE HAD A
[00:30:01]
MEETING WITH.I MISQUOTED THE FACT THAT THE APPROVAL STILL HAD TO GO THROUGH DEQ.
IF YOU READ ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THEIR LETTER, IT SAYS THEY DO NOT HAVE TO APPROVE THAT.
I'M SURE THAT THAT'S GONNA COME AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER, BUT TO MEET THE TIMEFRAME THAT THEY'RE PUTTING US ON, I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE REASON AND THE INTENT OF DOING THAT.
SO WHAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD FOR FROM YOU TO THIS EVENING IS THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WANT ME TO GO IN WITH THIS, BECAUSE YOU ULTIMATELY HAVE TO APPROVE THE PROGRAM.
SO I DON'T WANT TO WASTE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 1ST PRODUCING A PRODUCT THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WANT
UM, AGAIN, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE MODEL PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD PREFER TO GO FORWARD WITH BECAUSE THERE ARE PIECES THAT ARE MISSING.
I'LL GIVE YOU ONE MAIN EXAMPLE IN THAT DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE ALL OF THOSE PAGES, IT DOES NOT REFER TO A COMBINED PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR STATE LAW HAS IT AT MINIMUM TWO TIMES MENTIONED, I AM A COMBINED PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR.
SO BY THIS DOCUMENT, THIS PROGRAM, MODEL PROGRAM, I'M NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE MISSED IN A DOCUMENT.
AND I, I BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THEY WERE TIME CHALLENGED AS WELL.
SO I DON'T, I CAN'T FAULT THEM.
THIS IS COMING FORWARD AT A VERY QUICK PACE AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, EPA DOES, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY HANDLE THE CLEAN WATER ACT, THEY ISSUE PERMITS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
THE FIVE YEAR PERMIT IS COMING UP JULY 1ST, 2024.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE INTENT OF TRYING TO GET THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE SO THAT THEY COULD SHOW EPA WHAT WE WERE DOING AS A STATE TO, TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PERMIT ISSUANCE BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY ISSUED THE PERMIT TO VIRGINIA COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? WELL, I'M GONNA MAKE A SUGGESTION.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I HAVEN'T READ THROUGH ANY OF THIS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, BUT ABOUT TAKING THIS HOME AND THEN MAKING TIME TO, TO MEET WITH MR. BEAM, UH, VERSUS WELL, IF YOU'VE GOT A COMFORT LEVEL AND YOU WANNA DISCUSS TONIGHT, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR HIM.
THE, UM, SO TYPICALLY WHEN, WHEN FEDERAL AND THEN STATE PUTS OUT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU CAN'T, YOU, YOU, YOU CAN'T, UH, UH, COME IN AND, AND, UM, UH, SAY THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA GO OUTSIDE OF THAT, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS SAY, WELL, I CAN GO INSIDE OF IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE NOT MENTIONED IN THIS, THIS DOCUMENT, YOUR POSITION IS NOT MENTIONED IN IN THE MODEL ORDINANCE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD HAVE AS A CHAPTER ONE 50.
SO THAT, I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MENTION YOUR POSITION IN A, IN THE LOCAL ORDINANCE? YES.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TOWARDS.
AND IT'S THE WAY THAT I WOULD SEE THIS GOING FORWARD.
BUT BY ADDING WHAT IS ACTUALLY REQUIRED FROM OUR ORDINANCE, AS LONG AS IT MATCHES UP WITH WHAT THE STATE LAW REQUIRES AND GETTING IN THE PIECES AND PARTS THAT WE REALLY ACTUALLY DO NEED.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER CRITICAL PIECES THAT IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE MODEL ORDINANCES, IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR 5 5 22 3 40 CORRIDOR, WE HAVE A LARGE CAR TOPOGRAPHY OUT THERE.
THE LAW ACTUALLY DISCUSSES THE CAR'S TOPOGRAPHY.
THE MODEL ORDINANCE ON BOTH SIDES DOESN'T MENTION IT AT ALL.
AND MOSTLY IT'S GONNA BE COMMERCIAL BUILDERS KNOW THAT, HEY, OUR, OUR AREA IS A COURSE TOPOGRAPHY.
SO THE, SO THEN THE IMPACT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE IS, IS THAT WITH THE COURSE TOPOGRAPHY, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'VE GOT HOLES IN THE GROUND, YOU CAN SAY THAT, UH, WELL IN THIS AREA, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE'S, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, CAVERNS AND STUFF, THEN WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND DO SOME TESTING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T BUILD A BUILDING THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE'S JUST GONNA FALL THROUGH THE GROUND.
[00:35:01]
THE THE BIGGEST PIECE THAT I WILL TELL YOU THAT HAS BEEN PLAYED INTO THE WAY THAT WE ALLOW THINGS TO HAPPEN IN THAT CORRIDOR AREA IS A LINER ON A, UH, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT TYPE POND THAT KEEPS THE SEDIMENT, THE EROSION, THE SILTS, THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, CONTAMINATIONS IN THAT BMP BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE.SO LIKE A STORMWATER POND, IT KEEPS IT IN THERE SO THAT IT DOESN'T INFILTRATE RIGHT DOWN INTO OUR AQUIFER.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED LATER.
UM, BUT CAN YOU BOIL DOWN TO IN ESSENCE WHAT WE'RE, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? 'CAUSE THE, THE, THE AGENDA SAYS REPEAL OF EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL REGULATIONS TO BE REPLACED WITH WHAT IS THAT STATE LAW.
AND THE MODEL PROGRAM ISN'T A GOOD REFLECTION OF STATE LAW AS FAR AS YOU'VE READ STATE, AS FAR AS YOU UNDERSTAND STATE LAW.
IT, IT DOESN'T INJECT EVERYTHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE IN THAT PROGRAM.
SO RATHER THAN JUST ADOPTING THE MODEL PROGRAM, YOU'RE SUGGESTING WE DON'T ADOPT THE MODEL PROGRAM, BUT THAT YOU SIFT THROUGH AND, AND ADD FROM THE STATE LAW AND SO ON AND SO FORTH? CORRECT.
AND THEN THE OTHER ESSENCE IS WE'RE GOING FROM JUST SOIL AND EROSION TO SOIL EROSION AND STORMWATER? NO.
THAT'S, WE WOULD STILL ONLY DO THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PORTION.
SO THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU WERE GIVEN WAS THE ENTIRE, UM, INFORMATION PACKET ABOUT PROBABLY ABOUT 60 OF THE PERCENT OF THE WAY THROUGH.
IT ACTUALLY GOES DOWN TO JUST THE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PROGRAM.
BUT BUT YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING, THE DEQ HAS COMBINED STORM WATER AND EROSION CONTROL.
THE ENTIRE LAW IS GETTING COMBINED, PREVIOUSLY COMBINED LAW, THESE TWO SECTIONS LAW.
BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA, WHAT, WHAT ABOUT THE DISCUSSION OF WHETHER TO BRING STORM WATER INTO THE COUNTY? YOU DID MENTION THAT IT WOULD BE AN EXPENSE.
IF DEQ DOES IT AND IT'S EXPENSIVE, WE DO IT.
SO WHAT IS THAT GONNA BE CONSIDERED? I MEAN, TO WHAT IS THE EXPENSE? WHAT IS THE EXPENSE VERSUS WHAT IS THE TIME ACCELERATION POTENTIALLY, OR WHAT IS THE EXPENSE IF WE FARM IT OUT TO DEQ VERSUS THE COST IN TIME? IF DEQ IS DOING IT, I MEAN MM-HMM.
FOR THE SIMPLE FACT OF THE TIME, UH, PIECES.
AND YOU'RE PROBABLY, YOU MAY BE THINKING, OKAY, WELL WE HAD THIS IN DECEMBER, NOW IT'S MARCH, YOU'RE JUST NOW BRINGING IT TO US.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, IS I'VE BEEN ACTUALLY WORKING ON THIS, GOING IN THIS DIRECTION, TRYING TO FILL THIS P THESE PIECES INTO THIS PROGRAM ALREADY, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER TO GET THIS DOCUMENT DONE.
SO THE, IS THE, JUST, WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE WE'RE JUST GONNA KEEP OUR SCOPE, OUR FOCUS ON EROSION CONTROL.
SO THE STATE LAW IS IT CONDENSED THAT HUGE PILE OF PAPERS DOWN TO A, A CONDENSED DOCUMENT.
IS THAT, WHAT DOES THAT IMPLY IN TERMS OF OUR, THE CONDENSATION OF, OF THIS? IS THIS GONNA GET SIMPLER TOO? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA GET SIMPLER, BUT IT'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WHAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW THAT HAS EITHER BEEN REMOVED OR ADDED OKAY.
WOULD BE PUT INTO THAT DOCUMENT.
SO THIS MIGHT BE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T REQUIRED BY THE LAW AND IT MIGHT HAVE, MIGHT NOT HAVE SOME THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE LAW.
SO REPEALING THIS IS TO, TO END UP REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT FULFILLS BOTH POTENTIALLY COULD BE SLIGHTLY LESS, SAME, OR SLIGHTLY MORE.
AND FROM WHAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH, PEERS THROUGHOUT WHO WERE STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS, THEY'RE TRYING TO BE, BECOME MORE STRINGENT IN THE WAY THAT THEY LOOK AT THE, UH, REGULATIONS.
COULD YOU GIVE US, UM, SO THAT WE KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE COMPARING THINGS AND GETTING A GOOD IDEA OF HOW LONG IT TAKES DEQ TO DO THE STORM WATER VERSUS, UM, WHAT THE TIMELINE WOULD BE IF WE WERE TO GO TO THE ROUTE TO BRING THAT INTO THE COUNTY AND WITH THE EXPENSE VERSUS JUST SO WE HAVE THAT TO, TO LOOK AT AND CONSIDER.
I CAN GIVE YOU A BROAD BRUSH ON THAT.
UM, REALLY IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF IN DEPTH TO GO THROUGH, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A BRAND NEW DOCUMENT THAT HAS CHANGED.
WELL, I MEAN, I, AS, AS FAR AS, YOU MUST HAVE AN IDEA NOW.
[00:40:01]
WHAT I THINK WE ARE GONNA GET TONIGHT.UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, IN THE PAST IT'S TAKEN DEQA WEEK, TWO WEEKS, A MONTH TO GET THE STORM WATER DONE SO PEOPLE CAN MOVE ON WITH THEIR PROJECT VERSUS IF WE TOOK IT IN-HOUSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'D KINDA LIKE TO THAT AND IT'S HARD TO MAKE A DECISION VERSUS, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT LIKE IT IS WITH DEQ OR CONSIDER MOVING IT IN HOUSE WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION.
SO NOW IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID, YOU, YOU WANT TO SIDELINE THAT QUESTION? I, I, BECAUSE YOU WANT I DO.
BUT I COULD GIVE A BROAD BRUSH AS TO WHAT MY, MY THOUGHT IS ON WHAT IT WILL TAKE AS FAR AS TIMEFRAME FOR DEQ AND DOING PROJECTS AS WELL AS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE IN-HOUSE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? YEAH, I'M JUST LOOKING.
YOU KNOW, I, I, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PROJECTS AND, AND MOST OF THEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S, UM, BUILDING A COMMERCIAL THING, THERE'S, THAT'S, I'M ASSUMING THE, THE STORM WATER IS ALL THESE PONDS THAT WE SEE THAT THEY'RE BUILDING AND WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN TWO SPECS.
UM, WHICH DEPENDING ON HOW WELL WE'RE DOING WITH THAT, AND, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AT LEAST AN IDEA OF HOW FOR PROJECTS, DID IT TAKE DEQA COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM THE TIME THE PULL PERMIT WAS PULLED TO ACTUALLY GET IN AND DO THEIR INSPECTIONS OR WHATEVER IT IS THEY NEED TO DO TO GET THAT PROCESS GOING.
UM, SO THAT WE COULD SEE, OKAY, IT'S TAKEN 'EM TWO MONTHS AND THAT'S DRAGGING A PROJECT DOWN VERSUS IF WE BROUGHT IT IN HOUSE AND DID IT, THIS IS THE COST AND THIS IS THE TIME EFFICIENCY.
LET ME GIVE YOU AS FAR AS WHAT PERSPECTIVE OR TIMEFRAMES THAT I HAVE SEEN AS FAR AS WITH DEQ, THE ONE THAT I WILL TELL YOU HAS BEEN THE MOST ONEROUS, AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE SUBJECTS THAT NOBODY LIKES TO HAVE.
THAT WORD SAID IT'S KIND OF LIKE, UH, THE HARRY POTTER WHERE YOU DON'T SAY THE WORD VUL MALT, UM, AVTEC, THAT EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PROGRAM HAS BEEN APPROVED.
THE, THE ACTUAL PERMIT FOR EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL, DEQ STILL HAS YET TO ACTUALLY ISSUE A PERMIT FOR THAT PROJECT.
NOW WE'RE GOING BACK ALL THE WAY TO WHEN IT WAS BEING CLEARED AND SET UP TO PUT THOSE BUILDINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
THAT PERMIT HAS NEVER BEEN ACTUALLY APPROVED AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
YOU HAVE THE JOBS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PROMOTED AND AND DONE CORRECTLY THAT HAVE GOOD ENGINEERS DOING THE JOB.
THOSE PROJECTS PROBABLY TAKE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 60 AND 90 DAYS.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THAT FALLS.
THAT FIRST PORTION FOR DEQ CENTRAL OFFICE HAS TO ACTUALLY ISSUE THE PERMIT.
SO WHEN I DO MY PLAN REVIEW FOR EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL, I LET THE, IT'S USUALLY THE VALLEY REGIONAL OFFICE VRO OUT OF HARRISONBURG, I WILL TELL THEM I HAVE A PLAN THAT IS APPROVABLE.
WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR PLAN THAT IS ACTUALLY APPROVED, THEY TAKE MY LETTER, THEY TAKE THEIR PLAN, AND THEY SEND IT TO CENTRAL OFFICE AND SAY, THIS IS READY TO HAVE A PERMIT ISSUED.
CENTRAL OFFICE THEN VERIFIES ALL OF THE PAPERWORK IS ACTUALLY TAKEN CARE OF.
THAT PIECE WOULD STILL STAY, EVEN IF WE TAKE IT ON WITH CENTRAL OFFICE.
SO THAT CAN TAKE AS MUCH AS A WEEK, IT CAN TAKE AS MUCH AS TWO MONTHS BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL WAITING ON THE APPLICANT TO SUBMIT WHAT'S REQUIRED.
DEQ AS LONG AS THE ACTUAL INFORMATION IS PROVIDED TO THEM IS FAIRLY EFFICIENT.
WE HAVE TWO PLAN REVIEWERS THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE VALLEY REGIONAL OFFICE.
IF THEY CAN'T GET TO THOSE PLANS, THEY GET SHIFTED TO ANOTHER PLAN REVIEWER IN A DIFFERENT AREA.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED RECENTLY WITHIN THE LAST YEAR TO TWO YEARS.
THEY ARE WORKING ON A SYSTEM TO TRY TO GET THINGS DONE QUICKER.
UM, BUT AGAIN, A LOT OF IT RELIES ON WHO'S SUPPLYING THE INFORMATION.
UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ANOTHER
[00:45:01]
ONE THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE FAIRLY SHORT AND, AND AND CONCISE.UH, AND YOU, YOU CAN GET BACK WITH THIS.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS I THINK WOULD HELP US, OR AT LEAST ME.
SO, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS A TOPIC THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED BECAUSE OKAY, AS I STATED EARLIER, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE PUSHED DOWN TO THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS NO MATTER WHAT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE REALIZED THAT IT'S NOT AN EASY FUNCTION.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT SET UP TO DO THAT.
UM, I'M GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT UP ABOUT YOUR COMMENT.
'CAUSE UM, I WROTE DOWN HERE IS THAT MOST LIKELY LOCALITIES WILL BE MANDATED TO DO ALL OF THIS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO EVENTUALLY WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.
AND, AND IF I, IF I'M RE UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S BEING SAID HERE, IS THAT WE HAVE A CURRENT PLAN RIGHT NOW, AND NOW THE STATE HAS BROUGHT IN AN A, A MODEL.
AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO REVISE OUR CURRENT PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE IF, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATE THE, THE STATE MODEL.
BUT YET WE NEED TO TAILOR IT YES.
TO OUR NEEDS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THEN BASICALLY THAT'S WHERE I'M, I'M GETTING FROM WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
SO, SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THE STATE FIGURED THAT, WELL, IT'S TOO HARD FOR US TO FIGURE OUT, SO WE'LL LET YOU FIGURE IT OUT TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, YES.
UM, AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE HAD PUT IT FORWARD BACK IN 2014 WHEN WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS NEW PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE JUST PUT OUT.
WE'RE GONNA LET YOU FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEMS. AND, AND AGAIN, EVEN IN 2014, I REALIZE THAT IT'S GOING TO COME BACK TO THE JURISDICTIONS AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER.
IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA STAY IN THEIR HANDS.
THEY WOULD RATHER BE A POLICING AGENT OVER THE JURISDICTIONS THAN OVER THE CONTRACTORS OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK THAT, THAT'S WHERE THEIR FORTE IS.
I'LL JUST MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS REAL QUICK.
UM, YEAH, I, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES WHO THOUGHT IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS ON THIS TONIGHT.
UM, UH, BUT IN TERMS OF TAILORING IT TO OUR LOCAL NEEDS, UM, I WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE CARS TOPOGRAPHY AND PROTECTING THE AQUIFER, ESPECIALLY UP BY MCKAY SPRINGS.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY WANT TO TO KEEP THAT AS PART OF OUR CODE.
BUT, UM, IN TERMS OF THE MODEL THAT THEY'VE MADE AVAILABLE, AND, UH, I'M ASSUMING IT WILL BE MANDATED MORE OR LESS AT AT SOME POINT, BUT I THINK WHILE TIME IS ON OUR SIDE, IT BEHOOVES US TO REALLY GET OUR HEADS AROUND IT AND NOT SIGN OFF ON ANYTHING BEFORE WE FULLY UNDERSTAND IT.
UH, BECAUSE I'D WANT US TO LIKE KEEP AS MUCH LOCAL CONTROL AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, INTERPRET THINGS IN A WAY THAT THAT WORKS BEST FOR US AS A COUNTY.
UM, OF COURSE WE WANT TO, UM, PROTECT OUR BUILDER'S ABILITY TO, TO MOVE AT SPEED AND, AND ALSO PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND, AND SO I'D RATHER SLOW WALK THIS AS MUCH AS WE CAN UNTIL THE HAMMER COMES DOWN AND SAYS, YOU HAVE TO DO IT.
AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST SAID.
UM, WHAT MY PLAN OF ATTACK IS, IS AT THIS POINT IS TO WAIT TO HEAR WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THIS.
HOWEVER, TO TRY TO MEET THIS DEADLINE OF JULY 1ST, I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO MOCK UP WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING I WANT TO BE PREPARED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
BUT I ALSO REALIZE THAT I, I'M, I'M GOING IN A BLIND LEAP OF FAITH BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M NOT GOING IN A BLIND LEAP OF FAITH BY ASKING WHICH DIRECTION.
SO IF YOU CAN GIVE ME SOME KIND OF DIRECTION AT, AT, AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE, THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FOR THIS EVENING AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE THIS EVENING.
[Additional Item 2]
AGENDA IS DISCUSSION OF EDOA OWNED PROPERTY AT 1 58 FAITH WAY.AND ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, 2024, THE FRONT ROYAL
[00:50:01]
WARREN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1 58 FAITH WAY, THE PROPERTY OF JENNIFER MCDONALD AND HER HUSBAND SAMUEL NORTH AS PART OF A COURT ORDERED CIVIL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.AND THEN ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, 2024, THE FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUTHORIZED THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY BACK TO JENNIFER MCDONALD AND SAMUEL NORTH FOR A PRICE OF $350,000.
THAT CAME AS, UM, QUITE A SURPRISE TO MARCH, MARCH 22ND MARCH.
DID I SAY MARCH, WHAT? FEBRUARY 22ND, I'M SORRY.
IT'S MARCH, MARCH 22ND, FRIDAY LAST WEEK.
THAT CAME AS QUITE A SURPRISE TO ALL OF US ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND, UM, TO SAY THE LEAST, NONE OF US WERE VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
SO I'VE, UM, BEEN WORKING, UH, WITH STAFF TODAY AND CONVERSATIONS, AND I'M IN OPTIMISTIC THAT WE HAVE, UH, DERAILED THAT SALE.
AND BECAUSE THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WANTED, IT IS NOT OUR INTENTION TO GIVE SOMEBODY WHO STOLE FROM THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY BACK, UM, AND FOR A LOWER PRICE THAN WHAT THAT PROPERTY IS WORTH.
SO, UM, I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE HAVE DERAILED THAT AND THAT WILL REMAIN PROPERTY OF, UM, WARREN COUNTY.
AND WHEN EVERYTHING IS IRONED OUT WITH THAT, THAT IT WILL GO FOR SALE ON THE FAIR MARKET VALUE.
AND, UM, I'VE SEEN THE, UM, NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY AND THE COMMENTS, AND I'M SORRY THAT THIS HAPPENED AND DISRUPTED SO MANY PEOPLE, UM, WE WERE AS UPSET AS YOU ARE OVER IT.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA GIVE EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, VOICE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THIS AS WELL.
MR. STAN MEYER? YEAH, I'LL, I'LL JUST SAY I WAS, I WAS SURPRISED AND, AND DISAPPOINTED TO, TO HEAR ABOUT THIS.
UM, AND, UH, IT'S, UH, HOPEFULLY NOT TOO LATE TO, TO HAVE IT STOPPED.
UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA LET HER OFF THE HOOK, UH, ON THIS.
SO, MR. BUTLER, I FEEL THE SAME WAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UNTIL, UH, JENNIFER MCDONALD HAS PAID RESTITUTION TO THE, UH, TO THE COUNTY AND, UH, AND TO THE, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, OF THE, UH, UH, I, I DO NOT SUPPORT DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN FAVOR OF HER AT THIS POINT.
UH, AND THE, UH, AND ESPECIALLY THE SALE OF THIS PROPERTY.
SO, AND IT, AND JUST LIKE YOU SAID, IT CAME AS A SURPRISE TO ME AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE SAID NO.
JAMESON, UM, AGAIN, I'LL REITERATE, I I ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT SUPPORT THIS.
THIS IS A PERSON WHO, WHO WAS CONVICTED OF CRIMES OF EMBEZZLING MONEY FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE SHE HAS A JUDGMENT AGAINST HER.
UH, WHAT'S THE JUDGMENT? 9 MILLION, SIR.
SHE OWES THE, SHE OWES $9 MILLION.
SHE, WELL, SHE HAS, WE HAVE RECEIVED BACK APPROXIMATELY 1.5, RIGHT? SO SHE'S ONLY SEVEN AND A HALF BEHIND.
SO SHE, SHE OWES SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
YET SOMEBODY THINKS IT'S AN OKAY IDEA TO SELL HER A HOUSE BACK TO HER THAT WE TOOK AWAY FROM HER FOR $350,000.
IF SHE EVEN HAS $350,000, IT SHOULD BE OURS.
I, I, IT'S A, IT'S FLABBERGASTING TO ME.
I, I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH IT.
AND MY, MY REQUEST TO, UH, CHAIRMAN KOHLERS WAS TO, TO REEL IT BACK IN NO MATTER WHAT.
UH, IF UNLESS THERE'S BEEN A CLOSING, IT'S NOT DONE.
AND IF, IF SHE WANTS TO SUE US FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, THEN LET HER, LET HER SCOOP UP SOME MORE MONEY AND TRY TO DO THAT.
UM, I SUPPORT EVERY ONE OF MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES ON THIS BOARD OF ALL THEIR STATEMENTS.
AND I DO, I WAS SURPRISED AS WELL WHEN I HEARD ABOUT, UH, THE TRANSACTION.
UM, I AGREE WITH MR. JAMESON IN REGARDS WITH THE $9 MILLION SETTLEMENT, WHICH WAS A CHERRY DEAL CONSIDERING HOW MUCH WE, WE ARE STILL PAYING ON THAT DEBT RIGHT NOW.
SO I, I'M IN SUPPORT OF EVERYONE AND, UM, I HOPE WE CAN STOP THE TRANSACTION AND BRING THE MONEY BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS OF WARREN COUNTY.
DALEY, LET ME JUST ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO REACH AS MANY OF YOUR EDA MEMBERS AS POSSIBLE AND COMMUNICATE YOUR SENTIMENTS
[00:55:01]
DIRECTLY.UM, 'CAUSE THERE'S A TIME ISSUE HERE AND YOU NEED, YOU WANT TO DO THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
I'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT, UM, AND I THINK MAYBE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY AS WELL, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
[Additional Item 3]
DISCUSSION OF THE EDA BUDGETI, I WANT TO JUST BEFORE WE START THIS, SAY THAT MY FIRST REACTION WHEN I SAW THAT WAS WHAT A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND, AND YOUR BOARD REALIZES THAT.
AND, UM, WE'RE WORKING HARD FOR YOU ON THIS, SO HAVE PATIENCE.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR BOARD.
UH, I'M A COUNTY EMPLOYEE AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE EDA BUDGET.
UM, UM, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU
SO, SO IN FRONT OF YOU TO TONIGHT IS, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE EDA BUDGET.
WE WILL, UH, BE BRINGING SOMETHING TO YOU, UH, NEXT WEEK, LIKELY FOR SOME TRANSFER AND AMENDMENTS TO THE EDA BUDGET.
UM, I AM NOT AS SKILLED AS ALYSSA AND OUR FINANCE TEAM, SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THESE COLORFUL LINES ON THE SIDE.
THAT HELPS ME VISUALIZE, UH, EXACTLY WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS DOCUMENT.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW, IT SHOWS THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SINCE THE ADOPTED BUDGET HAS BEEN IN PLACE, WE HAVE DONE TWO BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND THOSE ARE REFLECTED FROM THE OCTOBER 13TH LINE AND THE JANUARY 10TH LINE WHERE WE DID SOME ADJUSTMENTS EARLIER.
UM, THIS ADJUSTMENT HERE IS REALLY ABOUT A FEW BIG THINGS.
UM, ONE, AND I ALSO PROVIDED YOU WITH JUST A QUICK SUMMARY SHEET THAT THE DETAILS, THOSE THE FIRST, UH, ORIGINALLY WHEN WE HAD THE ADOPTED BUDGET, THERE WAS HOPE THAT WE OR THE EDA COULD QUALIFY FOR VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITE PROGRAM GRANT THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO PRODUCTIVELY DO SOME SITE DEVELOPMENT ON A, UH, ONE OF THEIR PROPERTIES.
UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THEIR CRITERIA FOR THAT PROGRAM JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT.
SO WE HAVE REMOVED THE POTENTIAL REVENUE FROM THE GRANT AND THEN THE EXPENDITURE THAT WENT WITH IT.
SO THOSE CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT.
THE OTHER ONE THAT CANCELS EACH OTHER OUT IS, UM, THE EDA HAS A-U-S-D-A SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM AND AS PART OF THAT, THEY DO PAY ON THAT LOAN TO THE USDA OF $21,000 THAT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THAT ACCOUNT, WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM THEIR OTHER ACCOUNTS THANKFULLY.
AND SO THEY, THAT MONEY IS TRANSFERRED IN TO THE CASH COUNT TO THEN PAY THAT LOAN.
SO THOSE AGAIN, OFFSET AND THOSE FUNDS ARE GENERATED THROUGH THE LOANS THAT THEY RELEND OUT IN THE INTEREST RATES THAT THEY GET OFF OF IT.
SO THOSE TWO OFFSET ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
AS PART OF THIS, WE ARE LOOKING TO CLEAN IT UP, UM, WORKING WITH ALYSSA AND THE CHART OF ACCOUNTS, THE WAY THAT THE EDA HAS BEEN IN THE PAST HAS REMAINED KIND OF CONSISTENT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM ON TERMS OF THE SAME CHART OF ACCOUNTS THAT WE NOW USE AT THE COUNTY AND THEN TO FURTHER DEFINE THE LOANS THAT THEY HAVE, BREAKING DOWN WHAT THEY PAY IN PRINCIPLE AND WHAT THEY PAY IN INTEREST.
HISTORICALLY, THEY, THEY BROKE THEIR, UH, THEIR PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS DOWN IN THESE MAJOR ACCOUNTS.
20 AND THEN THE TWO THOUSANDS NUMBERS, THOSE ARE ALL GONNA BE IN ACCOUNT CODE 9,001 NOW.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE, WE CAN SUBLINE THOSE OUT.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE SUBLINES FOR THE FOUR LOANS AND THEN THEY PAY, ALSO PAY A PRINCIPAL PAYMENT FOR THE 50% OF RECOVERED ASSETS.
AND THEN WE'VE BROKEN DOWN IT, THE OLD CODE WAS 5,800 FOR JUST INTEREST EXPENSE.
SO NOW WE'VE BROKEN DOWN THE INTEREST EXPENSE FOR EACH LOAN AND THOSE ARE REFLECTED IN THOSE SUBLINES.
SO WE HAVE ADJUSTED ALL THOSE TO ACCURATELY REPRESENT WHAT THOSE FUNDS ARE.
IN ADDITION TO ON THE SIDE YOU'LL SEE THE RED NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST BANK AND TRUST COMBINED LOAN.
THOSE TWO RED NUMBERS, THE 68,000 AND THE 210,500 WOULD BE FUNDS THAT WOULD BE RECOUPED FROM THE COUNTY IF THE COUNTY WERE TO
[01:00:01]
STOP PAYING THAT PAYMENT TODAY.AND THAT IS REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET AS NOT SHOWING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE REMAINING FISCAL YEAR IN THAT AMENDMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, IN THE REVENUE SIDE, WE HAVE NOW BROKEN DOWN THE OPERATING ALLOTMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE EDA, THE EDA DEBT SERVICE ALLOTMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED.
THE EDA THAT DEBT SERVICE IS TO THE AFT TECHS INFRASTRUCTURE LOAN THROUGH UNITED, WHERE THE COUNTY IS 34%, THE TOWN IS 33, AND THE EDA IS 33.
THE EDA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT 33, BUT HOWEVER THE COUNTY HAS COVERED THAT.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO BROKEN DOWN THE DEBT SERVICE FOR THE COUNTY.
AND THOSE ARE AGAIN, THAT 34% FOR THE AFT TECHS INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE LEACH RUN PARKWAY LOAN THROUGH UNITED.
AND THAT IS 66% FOR THE COUNTY, 34% FOR THE TOWN.
WE'VE RECEIVED BOTH OF THEIR BOND ADMINISTRATION FEES FOR CHRISTIANDOM COLLEGE AND ROYAL ARMS. THOSE ARE ONE EIGHTH OF 1% OF THE CURRENT BALANCE.
AND UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE BALANCE IS AND THAT DATE, WE'RE KIND OF GUESSING, BUT WE WERE, WE ACTUALLY GOT AN ADDITIONAL $611 ON TOP OF THAT.
SO IN TOTAL IT WAS, UM, WE HAVE REFLECTED THAT AS 24,000 AND THEN BECAUSE WE HAD SALE OF PROPERTY IN THERE AND THAT FUND HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT BECAUSE ANY SALE OF PROPERTY THAT'S NOT A RECOVERED ASSET IS GOES TO CURTAIL THE PRINCIPLE OF THE COMBINED LOAN.
SO THE RECENT SALE OF BALL DRIVE WENT TO THE PRINCIPAL OF THE LOAN, SO THAT, AND IT WENT DIRECTLY TO THE BANK.
SO THERE WAS NO ACTION BUDGET ACTION THERE.
LEGAL RECOVERIES, AGAIN, THIS IS AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF WHAT'S BEEN RECOVERED THIS YEAR.
AND THE FIRST PAYMENT, WE WERE STILL WITHIN THE 2.5 MILLION OF THE LOAN AGREEMENT.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S NOT A DIRECT 50 50 SPLIT.
BUT THEN AFTER THAT POINT, UH, EACH RECOVERY OR LEGAL ASSET HAS BEEN A 50 50 SPLIT AND THAT IS BEING SHOWN UP IN AN EXPENSE THEN TO PAYMENTS TO WARREN COUNTY.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE WILL SEE MAYBE A FEW MORE BEFORE THE FISCAL YEAR'S OUT.
AND THEN I WILL NOTE AT THE TOP THERE ARE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS AT THE TOP WHERE WE HAVE TAKEN, THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS BEING ASKED FOR TONIGHT.
YOU'LL SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM WE'RE ACTUALLY REDUCING THE AMOUNT THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE PAYING TO THE EDA.
HOWEVER, WE'VE ADJUSTED SOME OF THEIR LINE ITEMS TO ADD, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE LEGAL EXPENSES FOR THEIR GENERAL COUNSEL.
SHARON PECK, WHO YOU MAY KNOW, WHO IS LEAVING AT THE END OF APRIL, I BELIEVE I HAVE THAT CORRECT.
AND THEN TIMBERLAKE SMITH, THEY HAVE AUTHORIZED THEM TO BE THEIR GENERAL COUNSEL MOVING FORWARD.
ORIGINALLY WE HAD BUDGETED 40,000.
I'VE TAKEN ANYTHING I COULD FIND OUT OF THEIR OTHER ACCOUNTS TO HOPEFULLY PUT IN THERE.
SHARON'S BEEN WORKING A LITTLE HARDER THIS YEAR THAN PROBABLY TYPICALLY, BUT AGAIN, THEY'VE SOLD TWO PROPERTIES.
THEY HAVE ANOTHER UNDER CONTRACT THAT WILL LIKELY CLOSE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEY'RE GETTING EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE HAPPY CREEK TECH PARK SINCE THAT'S THE LAST ONE.
AND WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GET THAT ONE UNDER CONTRACT BEFORE THE FISCAL YEAR ENDS.
UM, SO WITH THAT, THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA WORK ON HER END TO GO THROUGH THESE SETTLEMENT DOCUMENTS AND DUE DILIGENCE AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BUT WE'RE THANKFUL THAT WE'RE GETTING READY OF THOSE PROPERTIES AND PUTTING THEM INTO ACTIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NOW THAT THEY'RE BEING HELD BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS.
THAT'S THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT I'VE GIVEN YOU TODAY.
LIKE I SAID, WE WILL, I'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALYSSA BEFORE THIS COMES TO YOU NEXT WEEK, JUST TO MAKE SURE EACH LINE IS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE.
BUT AGAIN, THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE JUST CLEANING IT UP TO MAKE SURE IT'S ACCURATE THAT WE'RE BREAKING DOWN THOSE PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST PAYMENTS AND THOSE LOANS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S SHOWING THAT IF THE FIRST BANK AND TRUST LOAN WERE TO BE WITHDRAWN FOR THE REST OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND THAT 4 28 900 AT THE BOTTOM WOULD BE WHAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO EDA.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO AM I LOOKING AT THIS FISCAL YEAR OR
[01:05:01]
IS THIS THE BUDGET FOR, THIS IS THIS FISCAL YEAR.THIS IS THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE'RE OBVIOUSLY STILL, WE'RE ALL WORKING ON THAT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT ONE LOOKS A LOT BETTER THAN THIS ONE TOO.
SO WE'RE REDUCING OUR COUNTY CONTRIBUTION BY, WHAT, ALMOST $1.5 MILLION? SOMETHING I'M JUST DOING? NO, WE'RE REDUCING THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION FROM 7 48 TO 4 28.
AND AGAIN, THAT CONTRIBUTION IS MADE UP OF ALL THEIR OPERATION COSTS.
UM, THE DEBT SERVICE FOR AFT TECHS AND LEACH RUN, AND THEN COVERING THAT, UM, DEBT SERVICE FOR THE EDA FOR THE AFT TAX.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTRIBUTE 428 K AND THEN I'M LOOKING AT THEIR EXPENDITURES AT 2.8 MILLION.
OR DID, HAS THAT GONE DOWN OR? I SHOULD BE, THE 2.8 IS BALANCED WITH THE REVENUES AT 2.8.
UM, OF THAT 2.8 IT WOULD BE 428 WAS COUNTY FUNDS.
AGAIN, THE, THE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALMOST 2 MILLION OF THAT IS LEGAL RECOVERIES.
AND THOSE ARE OFFSET BY THE RECOVERIES AND THEN THE EXPENDITURES TO EITHER THE COUNTY OR THE PRINCIPAL OF THOSE LOANS.
NOW THEN MY LAST QUESTION, SO THE, UH, THE 428 K, THAT'S THE LAST APPROPRIATION FOR, UH, FOR THIS YEAR? OR IS THAT THE TOTAL FOR THE WHOLE YEAR? THAT'S THE TOTAL FOR THE YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN INCREMENTALLY DOING THOSE EACH MONTH.
SO HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE LEFT TO, UM, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE LEFT IN OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE EDA? RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE THE CONTRIBUTION SHEET 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS HAS CHANGED.
IT WOULD BE CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW APPROXIMATELY, I RAN THE NUMBERS OF WHAT THESE AMENDED BUDGET WOULD LOOK LIKE AND THEN WHAT'S THEIR EXPECTED OKAY.
UH, EXPENDITURES THROUGHOUT THE REMAINING YEAR AND IT WOULD BE 76,000.
I UNDERSTANDS AN ESTIMATE AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, BASING IT OFF OF THEIR RENTAL INCOME THAT THEY'RE STILL RECEIVING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, AND THEN WHAT THIS AMENDED BUDGET WOULD LOOK LIKE AND THEN THEIR CURRENT BALANCE AND WHAT'S REMAINING.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I'D LIKE TO THINK EVEN IN, IT'LL BE LESS THAN THAT 'CAUSE I DON'T HOPEFULLY ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, HAVING, SPENDING ALL THE ELECTRIC UTILITY PAYMENTS MM-HMM.
SO, BUT WE HAVE SOME IN THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO YOU WILL BE, UH, HAVE A CLOSED SESSION AT SIX O'CLOCK NEXT TUESDAY WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS THESE ITEMS AND THEN, UH, THE APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENTS HERE OR THE AMENDMENTS WILL BE ON YOUR AGENDA NEXT TUESDAY FOR ADOPTION.
[B. Discussion - Updated Board of Supervisors 2024 Priorities]
NEXT IS THE UPDATED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, 2024 PRIORITIES IS MS. MEADOWS GONNA, SHE'S COMING.I AM ASSUMING, SINCE I DIDN'T HEAR FROM ANY OF YOU SINCE LAST WEEK, THAT THE COPIES WE GAVE YOU ARE AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM.
SO THEY WILL BE ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA FOR YOU TO ADOPT BOTH THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND THE, UM, BOARD PRIORITIES.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WELL, I'M JUST AN OBSERVATION THAT THE EXCEL SHEET ON THE AGENDA DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE POSSIBLY IT'S PROBABLY 'CAUSE IT'S AN OLD ONE.
SO WHAT WILL BE ATTACHED FOR YOU ALL TO ADOPT WILL BE STRICTLY THE GOALS AND THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.
IT WON'T HAVE ANY OF THE, UM, OTHER INFORMATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
[C. Discussion - FY 2024-2025 County Budget]
OKAY.[01:10:02]
COUNTY BUDGET.DALEY LOOKS LIKE MARCH TREE BRANCHES.
SO THIS IS MEETING ON THE 19TH ON THE BUDGET.
THERE'S NOTHING HERE THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.
THE SAME, WE STILL HAVE THE THREE AND A HALF MILLION IN THE BOX AND WE ARE WORKING ON THAT NUMBER.
AND WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THAT NUMBER AND BE BACK TO YOU WITH SOME REDUCTIONS, SOME REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS AND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THERE AS CARRY FORWARD.
WE WILL DO THAT AND BRING THAT TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE READY TO ADOPT A BUDGET.
SO, SO YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING THAT WE'VE GONE DOWN TO THREE AND A HALF MILLION.
THE THREE AND A HALF MILLION, REMEMBER THE BOX? MM-HMM.
AND WE HAD IT DOWN THERE AND WE TOOK THE THREE AND A HALF THAT WAS IN THE OPERATING THAT WE SAID THE, UH, NUMBERS.
THERE WERE 90 MILLION IN SOME CHANGE IN REVENUES AND 94 MILLION IN SOME CHANGE IN EXPENDITURES.
AND THAT PART OF IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU ON THAT.
THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE FINALIZED UNTIL THE END OF JUNE.
IF YOU DECIDE TO WAIT THAT LONG, I WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT BEFORE YOU HAVE THE STATE BUDGET, KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOUR STATE REVENUES ARE GONNA BE.
UH, IF YOU REMEMBER, TWO YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE IT WAS, THEY DID THOSE ABOUT, UH, JUNE THE 20TH.
AND WE ENDED UP WITH OUR BUDGET FINALIZED ON ABOUT JUNE THE 25TH.
AND THIS IS THE SIX AND A HALF MILLION OF THE PROJECTS WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND THEY ARE THE CSA REQUEST FOR A MILLION DOLLARS FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THERE IS FIVE SIX FIRE AND RESCUE EMTS.
THERE ARE THREE FIRE AND RESCUE EMT FLOATERS.
THERE ARE FOUR DEPUTY POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED.
UH, THERE ARE EIGHT SHERIFF'S VEHICLES.
THERE ARE THE OTHER ASSETS, AND THERE ARE ON YOUR SHEET THREE, IT'S THE SAME SHEET YOU SAW LAST WEEK, 1.26 MILLION.
BUT YOU CAN TWO, FIVE, EXCUSE ME, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY ARE.
AND THEN THE SCHOOL REQUEST HAS BEEN BROKEN DOWN INTO, UH, THERE ARE 2 8, 9 4 IS BROKEN DOWN INTO INCREMENTS OF 600,000 EACH WITH THE LAST ONE BEING 4 94 BECAUSE THOSE REPRESENT A PENNY A PIECE EXCEPT THE LAST ONE.
AND THEN THERE IS A MERIT POOL OF 2%, $500,000 THERE.
THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT FRONT PAGE, YOU HAVE THE CURRENT REAL ESTATE RATE IS ONE 49 CENTS.
AND IT SHOWS YOU WHAT A 1, 2, 3, 4, AND FIVE PENNY WOULD RAISE.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE IS PERSONAL PROPERTY AND THAT CURRENT RATE IS $4 PER HUNDRED.
AND IT SHOWS YOU WHAT, 4, 8, 12, 16, AND 20.
AND THEN 40 CENTS WOULD RAISE ON THERE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, OR 10%.
AND THOSE NEED TO BE, WE NEED TO ADVERTISE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, APRIL THE NINTH IN ORDER TO HAVE THE TAX RATE SET SO THAT WE KNOW HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE REST OF THE BUDGET.
YOU CAN LOWER THE RATE FROM WHAT YOU ADVERTISE, YOU CAN ADOPT THE RATE YOU ADVERTISE.
YOU CANNOT HAVE A HIGHER RATE UNLESS YOU RE ADVERTISE.
SO THIS IS KIND OF WHAT YOU WOULD BE SETTING IS A CAP ON HOW MUCH YOU WOULD RAISE HERE.
AND THEN WE WOULD WORK THROUGH THE REST OF THE BUDGET.
UH, AND WE NEED TO KNOW HOW YOU WOULD LIKE US TO SET THIS SO THAT MR. HENDERSON CAN ADVERTISE, CAN, CAN YOU CLARIFY ON CSA? IT'S, IT'S $1 MILLION AND SHE SAID THAT FOR THE, UH, FOR FY 25
[01:15:01]
WAS GONNA BE 2.5 MILLION.THAT IS BECAUSE THAT'S THE TOTAL INCREASE.
AND I'M BUDGETING OVER HERE THE LOCAL INCREASE.
AND THAT NUMBER, UM, NOT TO, NOT TO DISPUTE ANYTHING THAT WAS SAID, BUT THAT'S A MOVING TARGET, SIR.
AND AS YOU SAW THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN HOW, UM, HOW, HOW THE NUMBERS CAME FORWARD AND HOW THEY WERE PROCESSED.
SO THEN, SO THEN THAT, THAT 1 MILLION REPRESENTS THE 38 AND A HALF CENTS THAT THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE THIS ABOUT THIS IS TO REMIND YOUR STATE LE LEGISLATORS THAT THEY, THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 90% OF THIS UNTIL THEY CREATED CSA AND SHIFTED IT OFF TO THE PROPERTY TAX.
WELL, I THINK IT'S WISE TO WAIT AS LONG OUT AS WE CAN TO ADOPT WE THE BUDGET BEFORE WE DO, MA'AM.
BECAUSE AT THE LAST MINUTE, THE LEGISLATORS ALWAYS THROW OUT UNFUNDED MANDATES.
AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOT YOUR BUDGET SET, IT MESSES THE WHOLE WORKS UP.
BECAUSE THEN YOU GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA FUND THOSE UNFUNDED MANDATES.
THEY DID THAT TO US A FEW YEARS AGO WITH THE BODY-WORN CAMERA COUNT.
WE HAD TO HIRE ANOTHER COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY.
IT WASN'T BUDGETED BECAUSE OUR BUDGET WAS SET.
SO, UM, I THINK WAITING AS LONG AS WE CAN HOPEFULLY WILL HELP MITIGATE THAT.
AND THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT AS YOU GET CLOSER TO JUNE, YOU CAN MOVE BACK AND FORTH AND SO FORTH TO MOVE AROUND HERE.
BUT WE'VE GOTTA SET FRAMEWORK.
AND FOR THOSE, I KNOW EVERYONE HERE, BUT ANYONE WATCHING THAT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND UNFUNDED MANDATES.
THAT'S WHEN THE LEGISLATOR SAYS, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU THE MONEY.
FIGURE IT OUT FROM YOUR LOCAL.
AND THAT'S WHAT MR. DEAN BEAM WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND THEY DO THAT TO US ALL THE TIME.
SO THE, THE DIFFICULTY COMES WITH FIGURING OUT NUMBERS HERE.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THE, THE SCHEDULE THAT WAS SENT THAT WAS HANDED OUT.
SO ARE WE LOOKING, WHEN WE'RE SAYING THAT, WAIT UNTIL WE CAN GET THE NUMBERS FROM THE STATE? ARE WE LOOKING AT APRIL 9TH, 18TH TO, TO ADOPT THE BUDGET? NO, I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO ADOPT NO.
SO APRIL EIGHT AND I, WE DON'T KNOW THE, WHAT EXACTLY THE, THE STATE IS GOING TO DO.
THE GOVERNOR'S GOING TO CALL THEM BACK.
HE MAY MOVE THAT DATE AND THEY MAY GET CALLED BACK TWICE.
REMEMBER THEY HAVE COME BACK AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN APRIL AND THEN BEEN BACK IN JUNE.
AND ONE YEAR THEY WERE BACK IN SEPTEMBER.
SO, UM, THE, UH, WE CAN'T PROMISE THAT.
BUT THE, YOUR TAX RATE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO ADDRESS NOW.
SO I'M LOOKING THAT THIS, AND IT'S APRIL 18TH, WE SAID THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE TAX RATE HEARING.
IS THAT STILL ON TARGET? THAT'S, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE, YOUR LAST OPTION? THAT'S OUR LAST OPTION.
YOU'RE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP OF THAT SHEET, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, APRIL 9TH, APRIL 9TH, APRIL 9TH WOULD BE THE HEARING.
AND WE, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, SAY WE GO WITH THE, THE 54 AND THE 40, WE CAN ALWAYS DROP THAT.
BUT IF WE GO LOW, WE CANNOT FIND OUT THAT, OH, WE CUT OURSELVES SHORT, WE CAN'T INCREASE IT.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS, THAT'S LISTENING OUT THERE, JUST BECAUSE WE THROW OUT THESE NUMBERS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT'S SET IN STONE.
BUT IT, IT GIVES US A PLACE TO START AND NEGOTIATE DOWN IF WE CAN.
SO ARE WE GONNA MEET THE SCHOOL BOARD AGAIN BEFORE APRIL 9TH? WELL, YOU CAN INVITE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO A MEETING ANYTIME YOU, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO.
UM, I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING, YOUR COMMITTEE
[01:20:01]
MEETS WITH THEM, I BELIEVE, ON THE NINTH.AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW FROM LOOKING AT THE REPORT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTION THAT UNLESS YOU, IF YOU GIVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION THAT YOU ASK, I BELIEVE THEY WILL TRY TO ADDRESS IT.
WELL, I DID SOME HOMEWORK THIS WEEKEND, YOU KNOW, SO DID I,
AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN DELAYED FOR REASONS, YOU KNOW, BUT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE ALWAYS USED THAT AUDIT REPORT TO DETERMINE OUR PAST PERFORMANCE AND HOW WE WERE GOING FORWARD.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THAT WAS TO HOW MUCH MONEY THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD AS A SURPLUS IN, UH, FOR THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS USED THAT, THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT TO FIGURE, TO PUT IT INTO THE, OUR BUDGET, TO KIND OF ESTIMATE HOW MUCH WE HAVE IN THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR CAP RIGHT NOW FOR THE LACK OF A BETTER WORD, CAPITAL PLANNING, UM, FUND AND THAT KIND OF THING AS OF TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE'VE USED IT IN THE PAST, THAT THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE USED THE AUDIT REPORT FOR, IS TO KNOW WHAT OUR REVENUES WERE IN THE PRIOR YEAR, WHAT OUR EXPENDITURES WERE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, AND USING THOSE DOLLAR, UH, THOSE, UM, THOSE AMOUNTS TO GO FORWARD IN HOW WE'RE PLANNING.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I DID, WHEN I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THEIR CLERK REPORT AS ALMOST, I THINK IT WAS LIKE MID-JUNE, BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SEE THAT THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THEY HAVE NOT PRESENTED, YOU KNOW, UH, I MEAN, I'VE ASKED FOR YEARS TO HAVE QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REPORTS FROM THEM TO GIVE US, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE DONE BY CATEGORY AND THEY OH, YES, YES, YES.
AND I KNOW WE'RE STILL ASKING FOR PERFORMANCE, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN GET OUR IDEA, YOU KNOW, OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT TAX RATES, INCREASING RATES, AND MY POSITION IS I WANNA, I WANNA KNOW WHERE THESE TAXES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA INCREASE THE RATE.
I WANNA KNOW WHERE IT'S GONNA GO, NOT JUST DO IT JUST BECAUSE THE NUMBERS SAY WE HAVE TO DO IT.
SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, WELL, MAYBE I'LL JUST COME TO THE, YOUR MEETING OR GIVE YOU QUESTIONS TO THE MEETING.
'CAUSE I KNOW I CAN'T SPEAK AT IT IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN TWO THERE, BUT, WELL, WE SIGN YOU UP SO YOU CAN SPEAK
BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW, BECAUSE THE NUMBER, THE NUMBER THAT I SAW THIS WEEKEND FROM THEIR CLERK REPORT AS OF THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, WAS QUITE A BIT.
AND I'M NOT GONNA SAY THE NUMBER RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A CLERK REPORT THAT THEY, THAT THEY PRODUCE.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF RECONCILIATION, YOU KNOW, AND CLOSING THE BOOKS AND, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT I CAN'T FIND ANYWHERES WHERE THEY'VE CLOSED THE BOOKS NOW I SEE WITH THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH ED AND, AND ALYSSA AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND THE, THE, AND WHAT WE SEE HERE, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, I, AND EVEN WITH THE BUDGET, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT IN THIS BUDGET.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, SO I WENT TO THE BOARD MEETING AND THEY HAD THIS NICE LITTLE SLIDE DECK AND THEY SAID IT WAS $3.5 MILLION.
DO I NEED TO GO GET MY PIG SIGN
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW, WHAT OUR REVENUES ARE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE RESERVE.
YOU KNOW? AND, AND THAT'S THE MISSING PIECE.
I WANNA HAVE ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER SO I CAN REALLY FEEL THAT.
SO I CAN MAKE A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE DECISION ON WHAT TYPE OF A TAX RATE THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE.
NOW WE HAVE OUR PRIORITIES, I GOT MY PRIORITIES.
I'M SURE EVERYBODY ELSE HAS THEIR PRIORITIES, AND THAT'S OUR DEBATE.
BUT I DON'T, I DON'T FEEL THAT I HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION I NEED TO TAKE IT TO THAT STEP.
AND SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE SCHOOL
SO, UM, YOU CAN ASK THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR ANY OF THIS INFORMATION, UH, AND WE'LL PUT YOU ON THE AGENDA TO COME TO THE MEETING AND SPEAK.
[01:25:01]
DO THAT VERY EASILY.UH, LET ME ADDRESS THE SCHOOL, UH, BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE ASKED THIS BOARD TO, IF THEY COULD PROJECT AND TELL US WHAT THEY ANTICIPATE THEIR BALANCE TO BE.
UH, THEY HAVE SAID THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE A SCHOOL CAPITAL REQUEST FROM THEM YET.
THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL PROJECTS TO YOU.
THEY HAVE NOT MADE A REQUEST IN THE LAST, UM, TWO YEAR, THREE YEARS, TWO OF THE LAST THREE, UH, THE BOARD HAS ALLOCATED THE SCHOOL SURPLUS, IF YOU CALL IT THAT.
IT'S WHAT THEY DIDN'T SPEND THERE, WE'LL CALL IT THE SURPLUS.
YOU HAVE ALLOCATED THAT TWO CAPITAL FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
AND THAT HAS BEEN THEIR CAPITAL ALLOCATION.
AND THAT FOR THOSE LAST TWO YEARS OF 21, 20 AND 21, THAT FISCAL YEARS THAT TOTALED $4 MILLION.
AND PART OF THAT WENT TO BUSES AND PART OF IT WENT TO TEXTBOOKS, AND PART OF IT WENT TO, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND, UM, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON MAKING SURE WE CAN TRACK IT.
AND WE HAVE ASKED THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THEIR LIST OF HOW THAT MONEY WAS SPENT TO SEE HOW THEIR LIST COMPARES WITH OURS.
AS SOON AS I HAVE IT, YOU WILL HAVE IT, UH, LAST YEAR, I THINK IT WAS 8 96, IS THAT RIGHT? OR 8 94.
THAT MONEY THEY HAVE NOT REQUESTED, AND THE BOARD HAS NOT ALLOCATED IT.
AS LONG AS THEY DON'T REQUEST AND YOU DO NOT ALLOCATE, THAT'S YOUR MONEY.
WHATEVER COMES OUT THIS YEAR IN THE AUDIT, THAT'S YOUR MONEY UNLESS YOU ALLOCATE IT TO THEM.
IF YOU WERE GOING TO ALLOCATE IT, I WOULD ALLOCATE IT TOWARDS CAPITAL PROJECTS, NOT TO OPERATIONS.
BECAUSE IF IT'S OPERATIONS, IT'S GONNA COME TURN AROUND AND BITE YOU THE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE CAN'T RELY ON THAT INFORMATION.
WHAT IS, WHEN THE AUDIT COMES IN BEFORE JUNE, THEN YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR WHEN YOU'D ADOPT YOUR BUDGET.
BUT THAT'S GONNA FIT WITH GOING BACK TO THE BOX TO THAT THREE AND A HALF MILLION, THAT 3.4 MILLION THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA BALANCE OUT.
WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT ARE THESE, THESE THINGS ARE NOT IN THE BOX.
AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE IN THE AUDIT.
THEY'RE GONNA BE THINGS THAT EITHER WE ARE GOING TO FUND THESE THINGS OR WE'RE NOT.
IF WE CAN'T FUND THEM, THEN WE JUST NEED TO TAKE THEM OFF THE LIST.
BUT IT'S NOT GONNA COME FROM THE AUDIT.
I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS, WE NEED TO DECIDE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT, AND I GUESS THIS IS THIS OLD SCHOOL ON MY PART.
YOU KNOW, I, YOU ALWAYS LOOK AT WHAT DID YOU SPEND LAST YEAR? MM-HMM.
SO IF YOU EXPENDED YOUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAD 10% LEFT IN YOUR BUDGET, BUT YET YOU GOT ALL THE WORK DONE.
SO WHY ARE WE GIVING YOU AN ADDITIONAL 10% OR MAYBE 15% THE NEXT YEAR? THAT'S WHAT I USE THAT BUDGET FOR, TO DETERMINE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AND GOING BACK TO THE SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN TRYING THEIR BEST TO FIT IN THIS BOX IN ORDER FOR US TO LOOK AT OUR PRIORITIES AND DECIDE IF WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, FUND EVERYTHING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE NEED.
SO THAT'S WHY I LOOK AT THAT BUDGET FOR, JUST TO MAKE, JUST TO GIVE ME SOMETHING TO, TO GAUGE AND, AND UNDERSTAND GOING FORWARD, YOU KNOW? BUT YES, YOU'RE RIGHT, DR.
DALEY, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING, WE HAVE $6.5 MILLION.
AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS LIST, $6.5 MILLION THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT WORK.
IF YOU, AS MUCH AS IT IS YOU WANT TO MAKE WORK.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE TAX INCREASES COME INTO PLAY IF WE HAVE TO.
SO IF WE, SO IF I, IF, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF WE DECIDE AS A BOARD NOT TO RAISE TAXES, THEN EVERYTHING ON THIS LIST CANNOT BE FUNDED.
EVERYTHING IS NOT GONNA BE FUNDED.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I I I, I LOOK AT THE SCHOOLS
[01:30:01]
AND, AND I DON'T SEE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ON THE SCHOOLS.YOU KNOW, AND, AND I'VE ALREADY MADE MY POSITION LAST THURSDAY WHAT MY PRIORITIES ARE, WHICH IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THE ONLY, UM, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY PRIORITIES.
AND I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS, I'M LIKE, OKAY, WELL, THEY'RE IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, BUT I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE.
I DON'T HAVE ALL, ALL THE INFORMATION I NEED TO MAKE A, A, A DECISION.
WELL, I, I DON'T HAVE, IT'S HARD TO, TO, TO MAKE A BUDGET AND GET IT SPOT ON AND COME OUT.
YOU START WITH A ZERO AND YOU END UP WITH A ZERO.
IT'S, YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOTTA PUT A LITTLE PLAY WIGGLE ROOM IN THERE BECAUSE GAS PRICES JACK UP.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE SCHOOLS THAT RUN BUSES, UM, FIRE AND RESCUE, ALL OF THAT IS GAS DRIVEN.
SO TRYING, THERE'S GOTTA BE A LITTLE BUFFER.
AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IF THEY'VE GOT SOME CARRYOVER, I DON'T HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT.
UM, I HOPE THAT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE FRUGAL OR, YOU KNOW, PRICES WENT DOWN, WHATEVER.
AND THEN WE LOOK AT THAT AND WE SAY, OKAY, FOR SCHOOLS, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING THAT IN CATEGORIES.
SO IT'S THERE FOR THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BORROW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO USE THAT SAME THING I'LL SAY FOR FIRE AND RESCUE.
IT, THEY'RE ALL ALLOCATED, EACH STATION IS ALLOCATED TO SOME AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
IF THEY'VE GOT SOME LEFTOVER AND THEY'VE GOT A TRUCK PAYMENT, HALLELUJAH.
THEY GOT SOME MONEY TO PUT DOWN ON THE TRUCK PAYMENT.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE SIGNIFICANT BILLS.
IF THEY'VE GOT PAINTING TO DO, YOU KNOW, GENERAL UPKEEP OF THE BUILDING, THAT'S REVENUE.
THEY'RE NOT COMING BACK SAYING, MOTHER, MAY I HAVE SOME MORE MONEY.
AND IF, YOU KNOW, IF THEY SHOW US THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH IT, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
I'D RATHER THEY HAVE THAT BUFFER THAN COME UP SHORT.
AND THEN WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT IN A TIGHT BUDGET, HOW DO THE TRUCK BROKE DOWN? WE'VE, WE GOT A $30,000 FIXED BILL HERE THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD.
SO, SO FOR THOSE REASON, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IF WE, IT'S PUNISHING THEM FOR HAVING SOME CARRY OVER, IT MAKES THEM USE THAT MENTALITY OF USE IT OR LOSE IT.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S NOT A HEALTHY THING FOR ANYBODY'S BUDGETS.
I MEAN, A ZERO BASED BUDGET DOES NOT WORK HERE.
YOU KNOW, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, BUT THEN, BUT IT GOES BACK TO OUR PRIORITIES.
I THINK WE'VE ALL AGREED THAT THE LIST HERE IS OUR PRIORITIES FOR THIS YEAR.
I TH I THINK DURING ALL OF OUR DISCUSSIONS, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ON THIS PIECE OF PAPER.
BUT, AND I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN JUSTIFY THE NEED FOR THESE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1, YOU WANT 9 1 1 TO COME.
UM, AND WHEN YOU CALL THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT'S FIRE RESCUE OR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, YOU WANT THEM THERE AND YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT THEY'VE LAID OUT.
AND I THINK THEY'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, PRETTY BEEN PRETTY GOOD AT SELF EXPLANATORY ON THEIR NEEDS AND BEING ABLE TO JUSTIFY 'EM.
ARE THEY GONNA GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT? NO, BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT ALL ONE TIME.
BUT WE'RE WHITTLING AWAY AT IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS THEY, YES.
I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE 'EM A DEADLINE AND SAY, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOUR CARRY OVER IS BY THIS DATE, BECAUSE WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR DECISIONS UNTIL WE GET IT.
AND EVEN IF IT'S AN ESTIMATE, THEY CAN COME UP WITH A CLOSE ESTIMATE ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN WE CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE AT THAT AND, AND HOW WE WHITTLE THIS DOWN.
BECAUSE I, I, I, I THINK NOBODY LIKES A TAX INCREASE.
I MEAN, IT'S, BUT IF YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK AND THE SERVICES THAT YOU NEED, PEOPLE CAN ACCEPT IT BETTER THAN IT'S JUST AN ARBITRARY, AND WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, AND THAT'S MY CHALLENGE, MADAM CHAIR.
AND TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE PEOPLE WHERE ABSOLUTELY.
AND I, WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE GOING.
AND IF THE SCHOOLS CAN'T, CAN'T GET IT TO US BY THE DATE, THEN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT IT IS, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE FLAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION THERE.
I, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT IN MY PERCEPTION, UH, THIS IS, THERE'S NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT THIS.
WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THE COUNTY'S REVENUES
[01:35:01]
ARE ACTUALLY GOING DOWN.USUALLY THE REVENUES GO UP AND THE EXPENSES GO UP.
AND THE DECISION IS WHAT MARGINAL ALLOCATION TO MAKE TO THESE, THESE RISING NUMBERS.
WELL, REVENUES GOING DOWN AND THE EXPENSES ARE GOING UP, THEN IT'S NOT STATUS QUO.
SO IF THE, YOU KNOW, THE PATTERN IS, WELL, EVERY YEAR WE GET THIS, UH, INCREASE, IT'S JUST A PATTERN.
I SAY THE STATUS QUO DOESN'T NECESSARILY GO, I THINK THE, THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE OPEN TO THINKING OF THE 40,000 OR SO PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY, UM, THAT ARE PAYING FOR THIS STUFF.
SO IF THE, JUST BECAUSE THE PATTERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NORMAL FOR THERE TO BE AN X PERCENT INCREASE EVERY YEAR, MAYBE IT'S NOT.
UH, AND I, I'M, IN MY MIND, THE STATUS QUO IS, IS NOT BINDING.
UM, WE NEED TO CONSIDER EVERYTHING.
AND, AND THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE PRIORITIZED ARE FIRE, RESCUE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND SCHOOLS.
AND I, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT ONE IS NOT ANY MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER.
I'M NOT ACTUALLY, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE INFORMATION IN ORDER TO DO WHAT WE WANT.
SO NOBODY IS SITTING HERE SAYING, WE'RE GONNA DEFUND SCHOOLS OR NOT FUND THEM.
WE JUST NEED THE INFORMATION AND WE, WE, HOPEFULLY THEY GET IT TO US AND GET IT TO US.
'CAUSE ANYBODY OUT THERE CAN ENCOURAGE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO GET ON THE BALL WITH THIS.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD THE JOINT MEETING WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST GIVEN THE DATA 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE HAD TIME, I'VE HAD TIME TO GO THROUGH IT ALL.
AND I HAVE, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR, UH, HOW, WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE FOR THEIR BUDGET.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO YEAH, I'LL GO TO THE, IF IT, IF IT'S OKAY, PLEASE, I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL GO TO THE NEXT, UM, FINANCE MEETING.
WE'LL PUT MY NAME ON THE LIST.
I WAS GONNA SAY WE NEED, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T WANNA YEAH, NO, ABSOLUTELY.
HAVE ANY FOIA VIOLATIONS HERE.
BUT, UM, BUT JUST TO, TO, TO, UM, PIGGYBACK, UM, MADAM CHAIR, I AGREE WITH YOU.
EVERYTHING ON THIS LIST IS A PRIORITY.
I DO AGREE WITH YOU, MR. STAN MEYER, MR. BUTLER, WE'VE KIND OF DOMINATED, YOU HAVE
NO, I, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID.
UM, ESPECIALLY FIRE AND RESCUE AND, UH, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
UM, I THINK RECENT EVENTS WHERE IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK, UH, AND BOTH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS IN PUBLIC WORKS, IT WAS A BUCKET BRIGADE, BASICALLY, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE PEOPLE, UM, AND, UH, CORRECT THE, THE SCHOOLS NEED TO, TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR NEEDS AND, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PERFORMING WITH THAT MONEY AND, AND NOT JUST SQUANDERING IT.
UM, SO IF WE CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
UM, YEAH, JUST LIKE I'VE, I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE, UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, COLORS THE, UH, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULARITY ON THE SCHOOL BUDGET.
AND LIKE I'VE SAID, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE E EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A, IT WAS A LONG BUDGET, IT WAS VERY HIGH LEVEL ITEMS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
AND IT'S, IT'S SIMILAR TO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOUR DAUGHTER GETTING MARRIED, YOU HAVING A, UH, A RECEPTION AND YOU GET THE BILL AND IT SAYS, FOOD $5,000.
WELL, OKAY, WELL WHAT DID I GET FOR THAT FOOD? AND THAT'S KIND OF THE, AT THE POINT THAT, UH, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULARITY ON THE, ON THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET, BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT IT AND IT SAYS, INSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, $300,000.
AND I'M GOING, WELL, WHAT INSTRUCTION IS THIS? YOU KNOW? AND I, AND I'M JUST THROWING A, A NAME AND A NUMBER OUT THERE.
I'M, I'M NOT QUOTING OFF OF WHAT I'VE SEEN, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S BASICALLY, THAT'S BASICALLY THE, THE CONUNDRUM THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT I FACE ON THIS.
'CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT IT LIKE, OKAY, WELL YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THERE'S A NUMBER HERE AND AN INSTRUCTION, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WELL, IT'S, UM, WE DEFINITELY WANNA WORK WITH EVERYONE AND, AND BE TRANSPARENT AND, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I'M GETTING EMAILS AND, AND CALLS FOR US TO SCRUTINIZE.
UM, SO IT'S AN EXPECTATION OF THE PEOPLE THAT PUT US HERE.
AND JUST BECAUSE WE'RE SCRUTINIZING DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIND FAULT.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, UM, AND BE AS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE THAT PROVIDE THOSE DOLLARS.
[01:40:01]
JUST TO, JUST TO BUILD ON THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO SCRUTINIZE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRYING TO GET EDUCATED TO THE POINT WHERE WHEN A CONSTITUENT COMES UP AND SAYS, WHY DO WE SPEND THIS MONEY ON THERE? YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOT THE UNDERSTANDING OR YOU KNOW, WHO TO GO TO, TO GET THAT UNDERSTANDING SO THAT YOU CAN GO BACK TO THEM AND SAYING, WE ARE DOING, WE ARE OUR PERFORMING OUR FIDUCIARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES BY MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THAT THAT YOUR, YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT RESPONSIBLY.AND IF THERE'S ANY NUMBER IN THIS CITY, THIS COUNTY BUDGET, THAT THE BOARD HAS NOT SEEN OR HAD AT LEAST ONE EXPLANATION FOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S, AND THE TOTAL HERE OF THIS COUNTY OPERATIONS FOR THE AMENDED BUDGET THIS YEAR IS 9 5 5 3 7 0 2 7.
AND THE NUMBER PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR IS 9 4 3 9 7 3 5 3 REFLECTING WHAT DR.
JAYSON'S TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT OUR REVENUES.
AND I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE NOT INCREASED TAXES SINCE 2019.
THAT WAS THE LAST TAX INCREASE.
AND EVEN THOUGH, WAS IT 2021 WHEN THE CARS APPRECIATED, THEY WENT DOWN AND THEN BACK UP? YES.
UM, THAT WAS OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
WE, I MEAN, IF YOU WANTED TO SELL A CAR, YOU, YOU MADE OUT LIKE A BANDIT.
BUT IF YOU HAD BOUGHT A CAR, THE, YOU KNOW, AND WE LOWERED THE TAXES BY 20 CENTS, 20 CENTS, UM, FROM $4 PER HUNDRED TO THREE 80, EVEN THOUGH NOBODY BELIEVED THAT.
BUT WE DID TRYING TO LEVEL IT OFF SOME, BUT THAT WAS, THAT WAS TOTALLY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
AND, UM, BUT THE LAST FOUR, FOUR YEARS OF NO TAX INCREASE IS ALMOST UNHEARD OF EVERYWHERE.
THE LAST TIME YOU RAISED PERSONAL PROPERTY, MA'AM, OTHER THAN THIS GLITCH WHERE YOU WENT UP MM-HMM.
AND, UM, THE, THE THING WITH, JUST TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT PERSONAL PROPERTY AS A CONSIDERATION, 'CAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE EVERYTHING ALWAYS GETS THROWN ON PERSONAL, UH, REAL ESTATE.
WELL, NOT EVERYBODY THAT LIVES IN MORIN COUNTY OWNS REAL ESTATE, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY VERY FEW PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 20 WITH A JOB THAT DOESN'T HAVE A VEHICLE.
EVEN IF YOU'RE STILL LIVING IN MOM AND DAD'S HOUSE, YOU HAVE A VEHICLE, BUT YOU'RE NOT CONTRIBUTING ANYTHING TO REAL ESTATE.
SO BY LOOKING AT ADDING SOME TO THE PERSONAL PROPERTY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRYING TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD INSTEAD OF THROWING IT ALL ON REAL ESTATE ALL THE TIME.
UM, THAT WAS THE CONCEPT WITH THAT.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND WE MAY START HIGH AND WORK OUR WAY DOWN.
SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE PANICKING WHEN THEY SEE THE NUMBERS.
AND I THINK THEY'VE, THEY'VE ALL LOST THEIR MIND AND THEIR GAUGING US.
BUT WE, WE HAVE NEEDS OF CORE SERVICES THAT WE JUST CAN'T, WE CAN'T DO IT WITH THE CURRENT TAX RATE.
SO, UM, BUT WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
AND, AND IF I CAN ADD IT TO THAT, MAYBE AFTER WE'RE ALL DONE WITH THIS, THE CYCLE THAT WE START, UH, GET MORE SERIOUS ABOUT ALTERNATE TAX REVENUE OPTIONS, YOU KNOW, LIKE LEVY, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY TAX LEVIES OR, OR WHATNOT.
OR MAYBE YOU MIGHT GET LUCKY AND GET A BIG OLD COMPANY IN HERE THAT BRINGS SOME REVENUE IN.
BUT
SO, UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH ALL OF THIS, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE, UH, MY WIFE AND I WENT TO COSTCO THIS AFTERNOON AND, UH, WHEN WE WERE WALKING OUTTA COURSE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAND YOU YOUR, YOUR RECEIPT AND THEN THEY CHECK IT.
AND MY WIFE LOOKS AT IT AND SHE GOES, THERE'S LIKE SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT TAXES ON HERE.
AND I, AND I SAID, WELL, THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE, THE, THE COUNTY THAT'S COMING IN AND MAKING A PUBLIC SAFETY TAX AND, AND A DIFFERENT TAX AND STUFF.
AND I SAID, NOT A BAD IDEA FOR US.
THAT'S ONE OF THE OPTIONS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? SALES TAX.
YOU TALK TO YOUR FRIENDLY LEGISLATORS ABOUT SALES TAX, SALES TAX ADDRESSES, EVERYBODY WHO COMES HERE WHEN YOU DO THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS
[01:45:01]
MM-HMM.LIKE I SAID, I THINK AFTER WE GET THROUGH THIS, THAT WE ALL SIT DOWN AND KIND OF BRAINSTORM AND SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO MINIMIZE THE TAX RELIEF, UH, TAX ON OUR, ON OUR CITIZENS.
'CAUSE WE'RE, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING ELSE, WE'RE AT THAT POINT, SINCE WE HAVE, UM, SOME REPRESENTATION FROM FIRE AND RESCUE IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID TO GET THROUGH LAST WEDNESDAY.
THAT WAS A DEFINITE CHALLENGE.
UM, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE, I THINK WE LOST ONE SHED IS WHAT I WAS TOLD.
SO, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN PAGE COUNTY, WE, AS BAD AS IT WAS, WE GOT OFF VERY LUCKY.
AND I, I WANNA THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS THAT HOPPED IN, THE CONTRACTORS WITH EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING, UM, JUST GOES TO SHO WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, WE COME TOGETHER AS ONE TO GET IT DONE.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH AND I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT FEELS THAT WAY.
AND DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? NOPE.
HE'S HOLDING A PIECE OF PAPER.
WHAT SHOULD I ADVERTISE MA'AM? A TAX RATE? YES, MA'AM.
YOU WANT ME TO SAY THAT? WELL, I NEED SOMEBODY, OTHERWISE IF I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE BOARD.
I'M GONNA ADVERTISE WHAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR SHEET IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO I NEED, WE NEED TO, MR. HENDERSON'S BEEN PRAC WORKING ON THIS AD ALL DAY, AND HE NEEDS TO HAVE SOMETHING IN THE PAPER.
SO WHAT IS THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD? I MEAN, YOU CAN ALWAYS LOWER I WAS GONNA SAY, WE CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN.
YOU, YOU GO HIGH AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO LOW TO GET IT.
UM, IT'S LIKE FAITH WAY GO HIGH.
I I WAS JUST TAKING A LOOK AT SOME NUMBERS HERE AND THE, UH, UH, THE, THE, UH, I THINK, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO GO WITH THE, UH, THE ADDITION OF, UH, OF 5 CENTS, YOU KNOW, THE 10% ON THE, ON THE REAL ESTATE AND THEN ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX TO, UH, AND HE'S GOT THE PERCENTAGES OVER HERE, UH, TO GO UP, UM, 7.5% AND THAT WOULD PUT IT AT, UH, 4.36, FOUR POINT.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION.
AND THAT WOULD, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD, UH, ON SOME OF THE CALCULATIONS TO PUT US IN THE BOX THAT WOULD GIVE US WHAT WE NEED.
AND THIS IS NOT A VOTING MEETING, BUT WE CAN HAVE A CONSENSUS JUST WHAT'S JUST A, WHAT'S EVERYBODY THINK.
IF A QUESTION, KNOWING THAT WE CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN, WE CAN'T GO UP, IS THE CONSENSUS TO GO WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND THAT RECOMMENDATION WAS WHAT, AGAIN, I'M SORRY.
IT'S, IT'S THE, UH, INCREASE BY, BY THE, UH, 5 CENTS ON THE REAL ESTATE.
SO THAT PUT US AT 54 CENTS AND THEN ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX TO INCREASE IT FROM, UH, UH, FROM $4 TO $4 AND 36 CENTS, THAT WOULD BE A SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE.
I NEED TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT TO SET THE, THE TAX RATE.
BUT TO ANSWER DR, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SETTING, HE JUST ASKED FOR, WE'RE NOT SETTING IT.
I, HERE'S, HERE'S THE ONLY, THIS IS A, A CONSIDERATION.
UM, WHEN YOU SET SOMETHING THAT'S A HIGH NUMBER, YOU SAY, WELL, WE CAN BRING IT DOWN FROM THERE.
YOU, YOU, YOU MAY HAVE JUST SAID IT.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC OF BEING ABLE TO COME BACK AND LOWER IT, BUT BEING, BEING, I DON'T KNOW, I WELL, WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
WELL, THE, THESE ARE JUST MY RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
AND, AND IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT SEVEN HALF PERCENT, IT'S 9% IS WHAT IT IS.
SO A 9% INCREASE, BUT, UH, THOSE ARE JUST MY, MY, UH, MY RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, BASED ON WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR A, FOR TO, TO PUT US IN THE BOX AND, AND, UH, MEET THE, UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, AND I CALL 'EM REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT WE NEED.
AND THE, UH, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THE, UH, TO, TO, TO, TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS ON, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS THERE.
WELL, THE, THE, THE OBVIOUS THING HERE IS
[01:50:01]
THAT EVEN IF, EVEN IF YOU, YOU WENT TO THE TOP OF, OF DR.DALEY'S CHARTS AND RAISE EVERYTHING 10%, YOU'RE STILL WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS SHY OF, OF EVERYTHING ON THAT LIST.
SO THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS LIST IS GONNA BE, IS GONNA BE TRIMMED.
AND, UH, IT'S GONNA REFLECT OUR PRIORITIES.
BUT, UM, THAT'S, I JUST THE ONLY CAVEAT WE CAN, WE CAN ADVERTISE SOMETHING, AND I THINK YOU'VE ALLUDED TO IT, PEOPLE MAY PANIC AND SAY, OH, THEY'RE GONNA RAISE THEIR TAXES BY THAT MUCH.
UM, BUT I I, I FULLY EXPECT IT'S GONNA BE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN WHATEVER WE ADVERTISE.
SO, I MEAN, I AGREE WITH THE LOGIC.
YOU CAN ALWAYS LOWER IT, BUT I'M, BUT I'M RETICENT TO, TO PUT A, A, A HIGH UPPER BOUND THERE.
'CAUSE PEOPLE TEND TO COZY UP TO THAT UPPER BOUND AND, AND THINK THAT'S THEIR TARGET.
AND NO, IT WON'T BE MY TARGET, I TELL YOU THAT.
AND I, MY HOPE IS THAT SOME AREAS THAT WE'RE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS AND CONSIDERATION OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL HELP BRING THAT DOWN.
UM, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT AT THAT HIGH EITHER, BUT I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE, WHEN WE LOWERED IT TO 49 LAST YEAR, WE BOXED OURSELVES IN, I WOULD SAY SO.
AND YOU KNOW, THE RATIONALE FOR THAT WAS NOT KNOWING WHERE THE BASELINE WAS BECAUSE OF THE, UM, APPRAISAL THAT WAS SO HIGH.
SO WE KNEW, AND WE SAID LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THAT, THAT MORE THAN LIKELY WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK AND ADJUST WITH A HIGHER RATE THIS YEAR.
AND DON'T FORGET, WE, WE BROUGHT IT DOWN FROM 62 CENTS DOWN TO 49.
BUT THEN WE, WE MADE SOME OTHER CONCESSIONS.
WE, WE INCREASED THE EXEMPTION LEVELS.
SO, WHICH, WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE DONE.
BUT IT ABSOLUTELY, THE PROJECTIONS TURNED OUT TO BE SHY OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.
IT'S JUST LIKE YOUR BRAIN, YOU'RE BEING VERY NICE, MR.
I MEAN, YOU WENT FROM 20 KIDS FOR CSA FOR YEARS TO, WE'RE, WE'RE UP TO EIGHT 80 SOMETHING.
IT'S, IT'S A SHOT IN THE DARK.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT KNOWING THAT WE CAN GO DOWN IS MY COMFORT LEVEL BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW WE'RE ALL GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON WHEREVER THERE'S A PENNY SAVED HERE AND THERE TO GET THIS SO THAT WE'RE NOT OVERBURDENING THE, THE COMMUNITY.
AND STILL TRYING TO GIVE THEM THE CORE SERVICES WE'RE REQUIRED TO GIVE THEM.
AND IF THAT MEANS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE SERVICES WERE NOT REQUIRED, THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE TABLE TOO.
SO JAY, WHAT DID YOU, UH, WHAT DID YOU JUST PROPOSE FOR THE PERSONAL PROPERTY RATE? UH, 4.36, WHICH IS ABOUT 9% INCREASE.
AND IT MAY COME THAT WE KNOCK THAT TOTALLY OUTTA THE PICTURE.
WHO KNOWS? I, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT SO WE CAN KNOCK IT DOWN.
AND NEXT WE REMIND YOU NEXT WEEK YOU WILL HAVE YOUR, UH, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND YOUR PRIORITIES ON THE AGENDA AND YOUR TOP PRIORITIES.
TOP TWO PRIORITIES ARE PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD BE FOCUSING YOUR BUDGET.
ANYTHING ELSE? YOU HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.