[00:00:05]
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
UH, WELCOME TO THE, UH, UH, DECEMBER 3RD, 2024, UH, WORKING SESSION.
AND, UH, LEMME START OFF WITH, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO OUR, UH, UH, AGENDA? UH, YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE'RE GONNA ADD THE SHERIFF AS THE FIRST ITEM TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA ADD A 2025 LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES AFTER THE SRT SMALL RURAL TRIAL BODY-WORN CAMERA GRANT.
UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT? SECOND, UH, ROLL CALL.
[Additional Item]
UH, SHERIFF KLEIN AND SHE WILL BE INTRODUCING NEWLY AND NEWER PROMOTED, UH, UH, PERSONNEL WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.IF I CAN EVERYBODY COME UP? THAT IS ALL THE GOOD STUFF.
THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY SHORT PERSON.
AND TO MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR ME, IF WE CAN KIND OF BE IN, IN GROUP.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
UM, THIS IS ESPECIALLY EXCITING, UM, WITH ALL THE NEW FACES UP HERE.
AND IN ONE OLDER FACE THAT'S BEEN WITH OUR DEPARTMENT FOR A WHILE, IS THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING ON STAFFING.
STAFFING HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF INTERVIEWS AND BACKGROUNDS AND EVERYTHING.
AND, UM, THIS IS JUST THE START, UM, OF THIS TO, TO GET OUR AGENCY WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
UM, I DO WANT TO, UM, WE HAVE ONE LONELY PROMOTION UP HERE, UM, OUT OF ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, AND THAT IS SERGEANT ERIC PEREZ.
UM, HE'S BEEN THE, BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
HE ALSO WORKED PREVIOUSLY AT THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE.
AND, UM, HE BECAME SERGEANT, LET ME FIGURE OUT THE DATE HERE.
IN AUGUST, AUGUST 25TH, HE WAS PROMOTED.
HE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND INTERVIEWED FOR THAT AND HE WAS THE BEST, UM, CHOICE FOR THAT.
AND HE HAS BEEN ROCKING AND ROLLING EVER SINCE.
UH, HE DOES HAVE, UM, HE WAS PART OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVE, UM, FOR SIX YEARS.
MARYLAND STATE TROOPER, UM, FOR FOUR YEARS BEFORE COMING TO WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
SO, UM, I I PRESENT HIM TO YOU ON THAT.
DID YOU WAIVE THAT? SO, UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING, UM, REALLY HARD ON OUR COMMUNITY POLICING UNIT.
UM, I THINK THAT IS A HUGE, UM, PART OF, OF HOW WE CAN DO OUR JOB BETTER IS BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE HAVE A WHOLE BRAND NEW UNIT,
SO TO START OFF, IS, UH, CAPTAIN FRANK MYRTLE.
UH, HE COMES FROM WINCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND HE IS THE DIVISION COMMANDER FOR SUPPORT SERVICES.
HE IS NOT JUST IN CHARGE OF COMMUNITY POLICING, HE IS ALSO IN CHARGE OF ALL OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AS WELL AS COURT SECURITY AND COURT HOLDING.
SO HE HAS A BIG LIFT IN OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, BUT DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT HE COULD HANDLE.
UM, AND WITH HIM IS THE REST OF THE GROUP THAT WE HAVE FOR COMMUNITY POLICING.
UM, ON MY FAR RIGHT IS DAVE GOSS.
I ACTUALLY, UM, MET HIM FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WHEN I GOT HIRED WITH THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HE WORKED AT THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEN WENT OVER TO LOUDOUN AND, UM, RETIRED FROM THERE.
AND FAIRFAX BEFORE COMING HERE.
AND HE IS PART-TIME, UM, HELPING OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY POLICING UNIT.
AND THEN WE HAVE ALEX DOMINGUEZ.
HE HAS A LONG HISTORY AS WELL.
UM, HE HAD A, A BRIEF BREAK FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT.
HE WAS HELPING FAMILY IN SOME ISSUES THERE.
WENT TO FLORIDA, GLAD HE'S BACK IN VIRGINIA.
HE BEGAN HIS CAREER IN THE LATE NINETIES AT PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY.
HE WAS ALSO FORMALLY THE TRAINING COORDINATOR AT OUR SKYLINE REGIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY.
UM, AND AS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW OR NOT, BUT DEPUTY JAY ROY, HE TOOK A JOB AS THE POLICE CHIEF OF FLORAL RIDGE.
AND SO WE HAVE HAD TO SPLIT UP HIS, UH, ASSIGNMENTS AND HE HAS VERY GRACIOUSLY HELPED US WITH THE TRAINING ASPECT.
SO HE IS FILLING IN FOR THE TRAINING COORDINATOR UNTIL WE CAN KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THAT ASPECT.
BUT HE IS DOING EVERYTHING COMMUNITY POLICING,
[00:05:01]
UM, AS PART OF THIS, UM, GROUP.AND THEN KRISTA BEAM, I'VE KNOWN HER FOR A LONG TIME AS WELL.
AND SHE, OUR NEW, UM, POSITION, IT'S A GRANT FUNDED POSITION AND IT IS THE YOUTH ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR, UM, POSITION THAT SHE IS GOING TO BE STARTING THE EXPLORER PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THE STUDENT UNION, UM, DOWN THERE FOR SOME OF THEIR PROGRAMS AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS THE, THE GROUP THAT IS OUT THERE DOING ALL OF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING TOGETHER ALL OF THESE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND ENGAGEMENTS AND, AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHICH IS, IS HUGELY IMPORTANT, BUT THEY'VE GOT SOME GOOD THINGS, UM, COOKING FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND WE'LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO THAT'S A WHOLE NEW GROUP THAT WE HAVE.
UM, I DID WANT TO MENTION, AND SCOTTY THOMPSON IS NOT HERE.
HE HAS GRACIOUSLY STEPPED UP, UM, TO HELP FILL THE VOID FOR OUR ACCREDITATION.
THAT IS ONE AREA THAT WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO FALL BEHIND IN.
HE IS A LONGTIME, UM, SHENANDOAH RESIDENT, ACTUALLY.
HE WORKED FOR WOODSTOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS SHENANDOAH COUNTY.
HE HAS 31 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, HAS DONE ACCREDITATION BEFORE.
SO HE HAS STEPPED INTO THAT ROLE.
UM, THANKFULLY, BUT HE IS, HE'S NOT HERE.
UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE HEATHER VA AND SHE COMES WITH US.
SHE IS, UM, IN OUR RECORDS DIVISION.
SO DIANA ORRY, WHO'S BEEN HERE FOREVER, LIKE OVER 30 YEARS, UM, HELPS HER OUT A LOT WITH THE RECORDS.
UM, I, I KNOW WE JUST GOT NEW SOFTWARE AND STUFF FOR FOIAS, BUT DIANA DOES A LOT OF OUR FOIAS SO FAR THIS YEAR, UM, WHICH WE STILL HAVE A MONTH TO GO.
WE HAVE, WELL, SHE HAS, UM, DONE 660 FOAS.
AND SO HAVING HEATHER THERE TO HELP OUT WITH SOME OF THE OTHER RECORD STUFF AND WARRANT INPUT AND ARREST RECORDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT HAS BEEN A GODSEND.
AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS.
WE HAVE A VERY YOUNG GROUP IN COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL NEW FACES.
WE HAVE FIVE, WE HAVE 14 POSITIONS TOTAL IN COMMUNICATIONS.
WE HAVE ONE OPENING RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS IS, WE HAVE FOUR HERE OUT OF FIVE.
BUT HAVING FIVE NEW FACES AND GOING THROUGH THE TRAINING, UM, IS, IT'S DIFFICULT AT, AT TIMES.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FACES ALREADY, GABBY, 'CAUSE SHE CAME TO THE, UM, BOARD MEETING A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, BUT WE HAVE JT LONG, I'VE KNOWN HIM AS WELL.
SO I WORKED WITH HIM AT THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BEFORE THAT HE WAS WITH PAGE COUNTY.
SO HE HAS A LOT OF YEARS UNDER HIS BELT IN COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, JT LONG, WE HAVE KATE HARRIS, WHO ALSO MAKES EXCELLENT CUPCAKES AND CAKES.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, WE HAVE JOHN SLOAN AND OF COURSE GABBY LAVALLEY.
WE ALSO HAVE CHRIS MORGAN STERN.
COME ON OVER HERE WITH, WITH THE GROUP.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE WORKING OR YOU'RE GETTING OFF WORK.
SO THESE FIVE HERE HAVE, UM, ALL GOTTEN OFF, UH, FTO JUST RECENTLY.
WE HAVE THREE OF THEM THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNICATIONS BASIC OVER AT THE ACADEMY.
UM, AND THAT IS A TWO, TWO WEEK OR TWO AND A HALF WEEK COURSE NOW, TWO, TWO WEEKS.
UM, BUT IF YOU WOULD WELCOME OUR NEW DISPATCHERS, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE ANSWERING THE CALL, UM, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT DURING THE DAY, THE FIRST VOICE.
AND THEN WE HA CERTAINLY, I MEAN LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THIS IS, UM, DEPUTY AUSTIN TWYMAN.
HE GRADUATED FROM THE ACADEMY IN JUNE AND HE COMPLETED HIS FTO IN OCTOBER.
UM, HE ALSO IS WITH MILITARY, WITH THE, UM, NATIONAL, THE WEST VIRGINIA GUARD.
THE WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL GUARD.
I'M TRYING TO KEEP ALL THESE PEOPLE STRAIGHT.
BUT, UM, SO HE'S OUT ON HIS OWN, UM, HANDLING A LOT OF CALLS FOR SERVICE AND TRAFFIC STOPS.
SO THIS IS ALL THE NEW FACES AND PROMOTION THAT WE HAVE.
SO I JUST WANNA PRESENT THEM TO YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE THE GREAT JOB THAT, UH, THAT YOU AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
[A. Fire and Rescue Cancer Protections - Secondary Sets of PPE - Gerry Maiatico, Assistant Fire Chief ]
AGENDA IS THE FIRE AND RESCUE[00:10:01]
CANCER PROTECTIONS.I BELIEVE THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, CHIEF KO.
THANK YOU MR. UH, VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, WE'RE BEFORE YOU TODAY TO DISCUSS A IMPORTANT INITIATIVE, UH, THAT WE'LL BE PUTTING ON YOUR AGENDA FOR THE 10TH.
UM, AND THAT IS TO ACHIEVE SECONDARY SETS OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE, UH, EQUIPMENT, IN ESSENCE, THE TURNOUT GEAR, THE COATS, THE PANTS, THE HOODS, THE GLOVES THAT ARE FIRE AND RESCUE STAFF MEMBERS WEAR.
UM, CURRENTLY WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO OUTFIT OUR FIREFIGHTERS WITH A SINGLE SET OF TURNOUT GEAR, UH, WHICH BECOMES PROBLEMATIC AFTER RESPONDING TO A FIRE BASED EMERGENCY.
WHEN THAT TURNOUT GEAR BECOMES, UH, SOILED WITH, UM, BYPRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION SUCH AS, UH, SOOT, UH, THE TOXIC OFFGASSING FROM A FIRE, ET CETERA.
UH, CURRENTLY THAT FIREFIGHTER'S FORCED TO WAIT TO THE END OF THEIR SHIFT, UM, OR QUITE FRANKLY, AT THE END OF THEIR THREE DAY TOUR TO BE ABLE TO LONGER, UM, THEIR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING.
UM, LOOKING AT OUR PROGRAM, WE'VE ANALYZED, UH, WHAT WE THINK OUR NEEDS ARE.
AND OUR CURRENT PLAN IS TO OUTFIT ALL FTE STAFF MEMBERS WITH A SECONDARY SET OF TURNOUT GEAR.
THAT WOULD BE A SET OF TURNOUT GEAR THAT IS, UM, CUSTOM FIT TO THAT PERSON.
UM, IT WOULD BE PLACED IN THEIR DUTY STATION IN A PROTECTIVE, UH, BAG.
AND THAT WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THAT RESPONDER.
WHEN THEY FEEL OR DETERMINE THAT THEIR TURNOUT GEAR NEEDS TO BE LAUNDERED.
UM, ALL OF OUR PART-TIME RESPONDERS AND VOLUNTEER RESPONDERS, UH, WE WILL PURCHASE ADDITIONAL SETS OF TURNOUT GEAR TO, UH, PROVIDE A MORE ROBUST, UH, UH, CASH OF TURNOUT GEAR IN OUR LOGISTICS DIVISION.
SO THEREFORE, IF THAT VOLUNTEER OR PART-TIME EMPLOYEE RESPONDS TO A FIRE BASED EMERGENCY AND THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO LAUNDER THEIR GEAR, THEN WHAT WE'LL DO IS THEY WILL CALL LOGISTICS.
WE WILL HAVE THE APPROPRIATE SIZING ON THE SHELF TO BE ABLE TO PULL THAT FOR THAT RESPONDER SO THEY CAN GET THEIR GEAR, UH, LAUNDER, ET CETERA.
UH, THIS WILL BE KIND OF A TWO PART INITIATIVE IN OUR CANCER PROTECTIONS PLAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE COMING ON DOWN THE ROAD ASKING TO, UH, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF GEAR WASHERS AND DRYING CABINETS THAT WE HAVE IN AVAILABLE IN THE SYSTEM.
WHEREAS TO TODAY, WE ONLY HAVE ONE WASHING MACHINE THAT'S DEDICATED FOR TURNOUT GEAR, AND THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING AIR DRYING, UH, WHICH TAKES ABOUT TWO TO THREE DAYS TO COMPLETELY DRY.
UM, WHEREAS A DRYING CABINET CAN ACHIEVE THAT IN A FOUR OR FIVE HOUR TIMEFRAME.
UM, THESE FUNDS ARE BEING MADE AVAILABLE, UM, THROUGH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AS PART OF THE CANCER PROTECTION INITIATIVE AND SOME FEDERAL FUNDS THAT THE COUNTY RECEIVED.
UM, KIND OF, UH, THIS PROCESS, WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ESTIMATED 80, UH, TO 86 SETS OF TURNOUT GEAR IN ANCILLARY SUPPORT EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEKING IS ULTIMATELY $365,335 AND 37 CENTS TO EXHAUST THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS IN THIS INITIATIVE.
UH, I WANT TO THANK BATTALION CHIEF MICKEY SERNA, UM, AND STAFF FOR, UH, THEY KIND OF THIS DROPPED ON THEIR PLATE AND THEY WORKED DILIGENTLY TO, UH, COMPILE WHAT OUR REACH WOULD BE, UH, WITH THESE FUNDS.
ALSO, UM, FINANCE DIRECTOR SCOTT AND KIMBERLY HENRY WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT WE MEET ALL PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS, UH, AND POLICIES AS PART OF THAT INITIATIVE.
UH, WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION ONCE AT THE FIRE COMMITTEE AS WELL, BUT, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THIS TO ME IS JUST AN OBVIOUS THING TO DO.
UM, OBVIOUSLY CANCER PROTECTION IS LIKE OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE FOR OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS, BUT ALSO JUST IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I COULD IMAGINE SOME, SOME SHIFTS GO LONGER THAN YOU EXPECT AND TO HAVE TO TAKE THAT HOME AND WASH IT AT HOME AND GET TO YOUR NEXT SHIFT ON A MULTIPLE DAY TOUR OR, UM, YOU KNOW, MIX IT IN WITH YOUR FAMILY'S LAUNDRY AND, AND HAVE THAT, THAT COAT WITH THE SOOT ON IT IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE CAR OR SOMETHING WHERE YOUR KIDS GO.
SO THIS IS A NO BRAINER TO ME.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THAT SUPPORT.
[00:15:02]
MONEY LADY? OKAY.IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE ARPA FUNDS.
IT'S THE SAME POT OF MONEY THAT WE, UH, HAVE USED FOR THE BROADBAND INITIATIVE.
STATE LOCAL FISCAL RELIEF FUNDS, I BELIEVE IS WHAT IT STANDS FOR.
SRF, I WOULD'VE NEVER GOT THAT.
STATE ACTUALLY KNOWN AS SMURFS.
THIS IS INTEREST OFF THOSE FUNDS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SIR.
IT'S THE ONLY FEDERAL PROGRAM WE HAVE WHERE WE'RE ALLOWED TO INVEST THE MONEY.
SO, SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT, UM, IT'S, IT'S A FUNDED FROM SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T, IT'S NOT FLYING INTO OUR BUDGET.
IT'S, IT'S BEING PROVIDED FROM, FROM THESE INTEREST BEARING FUNDS.
SO CHIEF MATTA THAT I'M, UH, MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT IS THE, UM, I KNOW THAT THE CANCER PREVENTION, UH, PREVENTION IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THEY BEGAN TO NOTICE AFTER NINE 11 AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO EXPOSED TO ALL THE STUFF OVER, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, UH, IN UH, UH, NEW YORK AND THEN THEY STARTED TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT, OKAY, WELL IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UH, NINE 11 REALLY BROUGHT IT TO LIGHT.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME, ALMOST AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF LOCALITIES SUCH AS WARREN COUNTY OR INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER STATIONS JUST DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, A SECONDARY SET OF TURNOUT GEAR AT ROUGHLY $4,000 A SET TO JUST KIND OF SIT THERE AND WAIT, UM, HAS BEEN IN THE BOTTOM PRIORITY OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS OPERATIONAL BUDGETS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE FUNDS IN THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO APPROPRIATE THOSE TO OUR CANCER PROTECTION LINES, WE FEEL NOW, NOW IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO MOVE THE NEEDLE IN OUR CANCER PROTECTION PLAN AND MAKE THIS PART OF OUR STANDARD PACKAGE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
I KNOW THAT YOUR STAFF WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
'CAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME ABOARD OF THE INVENTORY WAS SHORT IN DOING SO.
AND SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE PUT THIS AS A PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE, ALL YOUR STAFF HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.
AND I, I JUST WANNA APPLAUD THE BOARD FOR TAKING THAT INITIATIVE.
IF YOU REMEMBER, THIS WAS A BUDGETARY INITIATIVE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IS, UH, THIS STA STATION A HAS 40 SETS OF TURNOUT GEAR, BUT 15 MEMBERS.
SO THEY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF TURNOUT GEAR SITTING IN THE CLOSET NOT BEING UTILIZED.
SO WE REALLY TOOK THAT INITIATIVE TO JOIN FORCES AS A SYSTEM-WIDE INITIATIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CHIEF BONO HAS, HAS REALLY PREACHED IS WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER THAN WE ARE APART.
AND THIS IS THE RESULTS IN CULMINATION OF ONE OF THOSE INITIATIVES.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU, CHIEF.
[B. Fire and Rescue EMS Physician - Operational Medical Director - Gerry Maiatico, Assistant Fire Chief ]
FIRE AND RESCUE EMS, UH, PHYSICIAN.THE OPERATIONAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR.
UH, THIS IS ANOTHER INITIATIVE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRIEF THE BOARD ON, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES LEADING UP TO THIS WAS IN THE WORK.
SO, UM, UH, APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AGO WE RECEIVED NOTICE FROM OUR OPERATIONAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR, UH, THAT IS A STATE MANDATED POSITION THAT WE HAVE, UH, A PHYSICIAN OVERSEE OR BE PART OF OUR EMS ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE LICENSURE, THE CERTIFICATION, AND THE OPERATIONS OF OUR FIRE AND RESCUE SYSTEM.
THAT SERVICE HISTORICALLY BEEN OFFERED THROUGH THE PHYSICIANS GROUP THAT IS CONTRACTED WITH WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL THAT PROVIDES THE EMS PHYSICIANS TO VALLEY HEALTH.
UM, ROMD PROVIDED US NOTIFICATION THAT HE WAS SEPARATING FROM THAT PHYSICIAN'S GROUP AND WOULD NO LONGER BE, UH, EMPLOYED AS PART OF THAT GROUP.
UH, SO THAT LEFT US IN A UNIQUE POSITION OF TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW WE WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE FOR OUR FIRE AND RESCUE SYSTEM AS WELL AS OUR CONSTITUENTS.
IT HAS BEEN A LONG DESIRE OF OUR FIRE AND RESCUE SYSTEM TO BRING IN OMD, UM, IN-HOUSE,
[00:20:01]
PER SE, UM, AN OMD THAT'S NOT HISTORICALLY ALIGNED WITH THE LOCAL HOSPITAL CENTER, BUT HAS THE ABILITY TO WORK CLOSE WITH THAT PHYSICIAN'S GROUP, ET CETERA.UH, SO ANALYZING OUR COST RECOVERY FUNDS, WE FELT THAT NOW WAS THE TIME IN THIS SHIFT OR IN THIS MOVE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS AND GENERATE A CONTRACT FOR OMD SERVICES THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO WORK MORE CLOSE WITH AN OMD.
UH, SO WE HAVE DRAFTED A CONTRACT THAT REALLY PROVIDES OMD SERVICES FOR THE COUNTIES FIRE AND RESCUE SYSTEM, UM, AN EQUIVALENT TO 20 HOURS A MONTH, UH, THAT WOULD BE 10 HOURS IN PERSON AND 10 HOURS REMOTE OR TELEWORK.
UM, WHEREAS TODAY WE REALLY, UH, GET OMD SERVICES ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS, USUALLY PUTTING OUT FIRES, UH, EMS, TRANSPORT ISSUES, PATIENT CARE ISSUES, LICENSURE, ET CETERA.
UH, SO THIS WOULD REALLY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN OMD BOOTS ON THE GROUND LEVEL, UM, WORKING WITH OUR EMS PROVIDERS, TRAINING WITH OUR EMS PROVIDERS AND PROVIDING THAT MORE MEDICAL OVERSIGHT, UH, AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT, PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT, UM, OPERATIONAL POLICIES, PROCEDURES, ET CETERA.
UM, WITH THAT, WE HAVE DRAFTED A, UM, UH, BASICALLY A SCOPE OF WORK AS WELL AS A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, THAT WOULD, UH, COST THE COUNTY CURRENT FISCAL YEAR $18,000.
UH, THAT'S AT 20 HOURS A MONTH OR, UM, EQUIVALENT TO 150, UH, DOLLARS AN HOUR FOR SERVICES.
UM, WE FEEL THAT THAT IS COMPETITIVE AND COMPARABLE TO OMD SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY.
UH, AND PARTICULARLY, UH, WE FEEL, UM, THAT WE WOULD BECOME THE ENVY OF, OF THE VALLEY AS NOBODY IS REALLY GETTING THAT LEVEL OF SERVICES FROM THEIR OMD OR HAVING BOOTS ON THE GROUND OMD SERVICES.
UM, THE CONTRACT AND SCOPE OF WORK HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY, UH, JASON HAMM AND THE LEGAL TEAM AND APPROVED, AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM TO ENSURE, UM, THAT ALL PROCUREMENT PROCESSES ARE MET UNLESS I JUST SENT YOU AN EMAIL REMINDER TO.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S IN THE BOOK.
SO, UM, WITH THAT I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO WOULD THE, UH, THE FACE-TO-FACE TIME BE AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER WITH, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION? OR WOULD IT BE THE MORE AT THE STATION TO STATION LEVEL? WE ENVISION BOTH.
UH, WE ENVISION THAT, UH, REALLY THE OMD WOULD BE ABLE TO SERVE, UM, IN AN, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY BASED OFF OF BEING ABLE TO HELP WITH POLICY, PROCEDURE DEVELOPMENT, PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, EVERY PROTOCOL THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS THE FORMAL, UH, WAY WE TREAT PATIENTS, IS REVIEWED AND, UH, APPROVED BY THE OMD.
SO THAT WOULD PUT THAT PERSON IN OUR OFFICE.
WHEREAS RIGHT NOW, UM, THIS CURRENT OMD CURRENTLY AND HAS HISTORICALLY WORKED ON NIGHT SHIFT, UH, SO TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT FACE TO FACE TIME, WE USUALLY ARE SENDING STAFF TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT, UM, NINE O'CLOCK OR 12 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE OMD WHILE THEY'RE ON SHIFT.
UM, AND SO IT WOULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF THOSE PRESSURES AND OVERTIME PRESSURES THAT WE HAVE IN THAT COMMUNICATION ASPECT.
BUT WE ALSO IN VISION THAT PUTTING THE OMD, UM, ON AN EMS RESPONSE VEHICLE WITH OUR PROVIDER, SO AN AMBULANCE AND LETTING THAT OMD BE PART OF THAT RESPONSE AND TREATMENT ALGORITHM SO THEY CAN REALLY SEE WHAT THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND DO ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UH, THE OMD IS CERTAINLY A POLICY MAKER FOR THE FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND WE WOULD KIND OF DO SOME OF THE SAME ACTIVITIES WITH THE OMD THAT WE DID WITH YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
'CAUSE WE SEE THE BENEFIT IN PROVIDING THAT EXPOSURE AND EXPERIENCE TO A POLICY MAKER.
AND, UH, INITIALLY WOULD PART OF THE SCOPE, UH, HAVE TO DO WITH THE DRUG BOX, UH, TRANSITION THAT WE'RE DOING? UM, OR IS THAT MORE YEAH, REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
SO THE OMD HAS BEEN A PART OF THAT PROCESS.
UM, THE OMD, SO OUR PYXIS UNIT IS IN, HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
UH, AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT.
WE'VE RECEIVED OUR INSPECTION YESTERDAY, UH, FROM THE BOARD OF PHARMACY.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW IF WE PASSED YET OR NOT.
UH, BUT ALL INDICATIONS AND VERBAL INDICATIONS LOOK FAVORABLE, UH, FOR THAT.
RO AND D WAS PART OF THAT TRAINING PROCESS.
SO, UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY IN THE STATION REVIEWING HOW THE MEDICATIONS ARE DISTRIBUTED, THE ACCESS LEVELS, THE LAYOUT LEVELS, UM, SO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THE OMD HAS BEEN PART OF THAT AND
[00:25:01]
WILL REMAIN PART OF THAT, AND QUITE FRANKLY, BY LAW IS REQUIRED TO BE THE, UM, OVERSIGHT OFFICIAL FOR THAT PROGRAM.SO THE, SO IT IS 20 HOURS FACE TO FACE? NO, IT'S, CAN YOU GO OVER THAT AGAIN? YEAH.
IS IT 10 HOURS FACE-TO-FACE IN 10 HOURS? YES, EXACTLY.
SO T AND, UH, AVERAGE OF 20 HOURS A MONTH.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME MONTHS MAY ONLY REQUIRE 16 HOURS, OTHER MONTHS MAY REQUIRE, UH, 24 HOURS.
SO AS LONG AS IT'S A BALANCED OUT.
UM, AND THEY WOULD ACTUALLY, UM, SUBMIT AN INVOICE FOR SERVICES QUARTERLY.
AND ON THAT INVOICE FOR SERVICES, UH, THEY WOULD PROVIDE A BREAKDOWN OF HOURS AND SERVICES RENDERED.
IF THEY CAME AND DID A 10 HOUR IN STATION OR IN INFIELD TIME, THAT WOULD BE ON THE INVOICE, ALL REMOTE HOURS WOULD BE DOCUMENTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR ON THE RESPECTIVE INVOICE.
NOW WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IF, UH, IF, YOU KNOW, FOR HEAVEN FORBID THAT THERE'S SOME BIG THING THAT HAPPENS AND, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, UH, THE OMD IS IS REQUIRED TO BE THERE, LIKE 40 HOURS FOR TWO WEEKS IN A ROW.
I THINK WE WOULD, UH, JUST CERTAINLY COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND ASK FOR A, UH, JUST A BUDGET REAPPROPRIATION TO MEET THAT BASED OFF OF THOSE EXTENDED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WORK WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM.
UH, WE REALLY FEEL THAT BASED OFF OF THE HISTORICAL ASPECT, WE ARE GONNA BE WELL, UM, RIGHT AT THAT MARKER.
UM, AND CERTAINLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IS WE HAVE A, WE'RE SIGNING THIS IN THE MIDDLE, MIDDLE OF A FISCAL YEAR, SO IT WILL GIVE US A CHANCE OF A REALLY A SIX MONTH TRIAL PERIOD, UH, BEFORE WE REINSTITUTE THAT AGREEMENT FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, SO WE CAN, IF IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE 20 HOURS IS GONNA WORK AND WE NEED TO ADJUST IT, WE CAN DO THAT.
IF 20 HOURS IS TOO MUCH AND WE NEED TO GO DOWN, WE CAN ADJUST IT THAT WAY AS WELL.
WELL, I JUST HOPE THAT WE NEVER RUN INTO AN INSTANCE WHERE WE HAVE TO GO OVER THAT, THAT 20 HOURS, YOU AND ME BOTH.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF PAPERWORK
HOW, HOW DID YOU FIND THIS INDIVIDUAL? DID YOU JUST, IS THIS, THAT'S A FAIRLY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE CAN FULFILL THIS ROLE? YEAH.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR CURRENT OMD.
UM, OUR CURRENT OMD HAS BEEN OUR OMD FOR 10 YEARS.
UM, AGAIN, BASED OUT OF WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
UH, HE HAS WORKED VERY, VERY WELL WITH OUR RESPONSE SYSTEM AND OUR PROVIDERS.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THE WAY THAT WE KIND OF SHOP THIS OUT IS WE WORKED REALLY CLOSE WITH THE OMD, UM, THESE CONVERSATIONS FOR A KIND OF A PAID, UH, COMPENSATED OMD FROM THE FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS QUIETLY GONE BACK FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
UH, SO JUST BECAUSE THE O MD'S LEAVING, UM, THE CURRENT PRACTICE HAS NOT REALLY SPARKED THIS CONVERSATION.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG HISTORIC CONVERSATION, UH, BUT ALSO IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT CONTRACTUAL SERVICES LOOK LIKE IN THE CONTRACTS LOOK LIKE, UH, WE'VE NETWORKED AND REACHED OUT WITH OTHER O MDS IN THE REGION.
EVERY EMS AGENCY IN VIRGINIA HAS TO HAVE AN OMD.
UH, SO WHILE IT IS A A, A SMALL NUMBER, UM, THERE'S RESOURCES FOR US TO NETWORK WITH.
UM, SO WE FELT CONFIDENT THAT, UH, WHAT THIS OMD WAS PROPOSING AND LOOKED AT WAS IN LINE WITH WHAT OTHER LOCALITIES HAVE DONE.
SO REALLY KIND OF A CHECKS AND BALANCES SYSTEM DOING OUR HOMEWORK AND DUE DILIGENCE, UM, IN THAT PROCESS.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ENVISION THAT WE WOULD, UM, STAY WITH THE CURRENT OMD IF HE'S WILLING TO MEET THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT.
UH, SO KIND OF IN A, SO WE DIDN'T WASTE THE BOARD'S TIME AND OURS BASICALLY, HERE'S THE APPROVED CONTRACT FROM LEGAL.
UH, ARE THERE ANY TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN HERE THAT YOU DON'T THINK YOU'LL MEET, THAT YOU WANT TO MEET, THAT YOU CAN'T MEET, ET CETERA.
SO IT WAS KIND OF HOW WE SHOPPED IT OUT.
SPEAKING WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM, WE THINK THAT WE CAN SOLE SOURCE THIS BASED OFF OF THE HISTORICAL, UH, KNOWLEDGE AND ASPECT THAT THIS CURRENT PROVIDER HAS.
UM, AND THEY ARE A LICENSED, UH, FIRM.
SO IT'S NOT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL, IT WOULD BE WITH A, UM, UH, BASICALLY THE WAY THAT THE DOCTORS WORK IS THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COMPANIES AND THEY CONTRACT THEIR SERVICES TO HOSPITAL CENTERS, ET CETERA, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
SO, SO, SO THEN THIS IS NOT A FREELANCE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S, THAT'S AVAILABLE OUT THERE.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY REACHING OUT TO A COMPANY THAT PROVIDES, THAT HAS DOCTORS THAT PROVIDE OMD SERVICES? NO, NO.
SO THE, THE DOCTOR HAS A BUSINESS A LLC, UH, THAT HE CONTRACTS HIS SERVICES TO HOSPITAL CENTERS.
UNDER THAT HE MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS.
[00:30:01]
CONTRACT WITH, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE FIRM FOR THOSE SERVICES TO US.SO WE WILL GET, WE WILL GET A NAMED OMD, IT WILL JUST BE BILLED THROUGH AND CONTRACTED THROUGH THE COMPANY.
THAT, THANK YOU FOR, FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
MR. JAMESON, I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
IT'S JUST BEEN OUR LONGSTANDING ONLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU CHIEF.
[C. Discussion - Chiller Replacement at Public Safety]
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE, UM, DISCUSSION OF FOR CHILLER REPLACEMENT AT PUBLIC SAFETY.I, I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT, UH, MR. BERRY YES, SIR.
IS, HE IS AN EXCELLENT JUGGLER.
HE JUGGLES QUITE A FEW THINGS.
HUH? JUST REMEMBER THAT COME BUDGET SEASON, IT'S APPROACHING
I, I LIKE TO HAVE, I LIKE TO HAVE A DAY WHERE I GET TO INTRODUCE ALL MY NEW STAFF TO EVERYBODY.
AND RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR AIR CONDITIONING FOR FIRE AND RESCUE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY SERVICES ALSO.
AND, UM, SO I'M, I'M JUST, I'M NOT THE IMPORTANT, THE IMPORTANT PIECE IS MS. SCOTT BECAUSE SHE'S THE, THE MONEY LADY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THE ISSUES WITH THE CHILLER SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, WELL, I GUESS THE UNIT'S, I GUESS 13 YEARS OLD NOW, WHICH A LOT OF YOUR CONTROL SYSTEMS TODAY.
I MEAN, UH, 12 YEARS IS A LONG TIME.
ONE THE NEW STUFF, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S A GOOD THING THAT WE'RE IN THE HEATING SEASON BECAUSE, UM, WITH THIS DUAL BEAN CHILLED SYSTEM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU LOOK THROUGH YOUR PACKAGE, THIS ISN'T A UNIT WE CAN JUST TAKE OUT OF LOWE'S AND SET ON THE ROOF.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DESIGNED IN RETROFIT TO OUR UNIT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SO I MEAN, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE, I TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE LAST TWO BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UH, ON OUR NOVEMBER 14TH MEETING.
THAT WAS OUR NUMBER ONE ITEM THAT WE DISCUSSED.
UM, I HANDED A HARD COPY AT THAT POINT TO MRS. COOK AND MS. COLORS.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THE LAST CALL THAT WE GOT ON IT, IT WAS, WE WERE LOSING CONDENSATION IN THE BUILDING.
AND THAT'S WHAT I EXPLAINED TO THEM.
BASICALLY, IT'S PAINTED IN THE BUILDING.
IT WAS ON THE, THE CHIEF'S COMPUTER.
UM, THIS SYSTEM HAS TO BE, CURRENTLY, HAS TO BE DRAINED.
UM, OUR, OUR TECH WITH THE SCHOOLS, HE'S, HE'S BEEN WORKING OFF SOME ALL SUMMER IF TRYING TO RESTART IT, RESTART IT, WHEN IT CUTS OFF YOU, YOU HAVE WATER COMING INSIDE THE BUILDING.
UM, THE BOILERS IN GOOD SHAPE IS THE GOOD NEWS.
BUT, UM, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WE WON'T HAVE ANY AC UM, UM, WE, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU LOOKED AT THE PACKAGE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE LOOK THROUGH THE DESIGN AND, AND DISCUSSIONS AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE SOME FOLKS ON CONTRACT FOR THE PSB, UM, HOFFMAN AND HOFFMAN.
AND, UM, THAT'S, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOFFMAN MECHANICAL SOLUTIONS AND, UM, THEY'VE BEEN GOOD TO WORK WITH.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR LAST, UH, MEETING, UM, WE DISCUSSED WAS, UH, MR. HELMICK WITH THE SCHOOLS, HE'S HVAC, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HIS TRADE.
WHEN HE CAME OVER HERE TO THE SCHOOLS AND HE WAS OUT, I HAD HIM REVIEW THIS AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS TYPICAL THAT FOR REPLACEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE A LESSER PRICE, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO CHANGE UP.
UM, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SOME COST SAVINGS.
'CAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOME THINGS THAT, TO BRING SOME MORE EFFICIENCIES, UM, WHICH IS GOOD.
I MEAN, TRY TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE NONSENSE WHERE THEY CAN, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, NEW CONTROL SYSTEMS. AND, UM, THERE'S A TWO YEAR WARRANTY.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY, I KNOW THEY'RE ELIMINATING A WHEEL AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THE PACKAGE, BUT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGES HERE.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANOTHER SOLUTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TECHS, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS HAVE A LITTLE MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS THAN I DO.
UM, THEY'RE HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH THEIR CHILLER SYSTEMS AS WELL AND THEIR CONTROL SYSTEMS. SO THEY'RE FAMILIAR AND I THINK THEY'RE HAVING BIGGER PROBLEMS THAN I AM.
BUT END OF THE DAY, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT A COST OF $515,627.
I, I KIND OF HOPE TO PUSH IT, BUT THERE'S A 12 WEEK BUILD TIME.
UM, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, A LOT OF THESE SYSTEMS, THERE'S
[00:35:01]
NO PARTS FOR THE CURRENT CHILLER AVAILABLE.THE COMPANY, UM, WE CAN'T GET ANY MORE PARTS FOR IT.
SO THE PRICE INCLUDES CRANE REMOVAL, DISPOSAL TRAINING, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
UM, I CAN TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE UNLESS THEY'RE TOO TECHNICAL FOR ME.
THE, WHAT KIND OF, IS THERE SOME, UH, ANY KIND OF STANDING AGREEMENT OR SOMETHING WITH THIS ONE COMPANY THAT WE, WE SOLE SOURCE THIS TO WITH HOFFMAN MECHANICAL? WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
THEY COME OUT TWICE, TWICE, TWICE A YEAR.
WE HAVE A STANDING MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH OKAY.
WE, AND WE MADE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT WE GOT A DISCOUNT IF THEY CAME OUT THE SAME TIME AS THE REGIONAL JAIL WHO HAS THE EXACT SAME SYSTEM AS WE DO.
SO, OH, WE DID THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
LAST TIME I CHECKED WE SPENT ABOUT $80,000 ON JUST BASIC REPAIRS OF THE SYSTEM.
SO WE, YOU WERE ABLE TO DO IT SOLE SOURCE 'CAUSE YOU HAVE THE CONTRACT SET UP.
UM, BUT, BUT MIKE, DID YOU, DO YOU HAVE A, A PRETTY GOOD FEEL FOR THE PRICE POINT OF THE SYSTEM? WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, LIKE IF THE SYSTEM WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST, HEY, WE COULD GO AND GET IT OFF THE STREET AND, AND JUST INTERCHANGEABLE.
BUT THIS IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED SO, YOU KNOW, AND SPEAKING WITH MR. HELMICK, YOU KNOW, HE FELT SINCE IT WAS A SPECIAL DESIGN CUSTOM FOR US WITH WHAT THEY WERE DOING, HE DID NOT FEEL, AND THAT'S WHY I WENT TO HIM BECAUSE THAT'S HIS FIELD.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, HE OVERSEES ALL THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND HE DID NOT FEEL IT WAS OUT.
YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE YOU COULD JUST REPLACE AT YOUR HOME, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE LESS MONEY.
WE WOULDN'T REQUIRE THIS MUCH DESIGN IF IT WAS JUST A REPLACEMENT.
SO HE FELT, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF THIS WAS JUST A SWAP OUT TYPE THING, YEAH IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A LITTLE HIGH.
BUT SINCE IT'S YOU'RE, YOU'RE HAVING TO REDESIGN WHAT WE HAVE THE ISSUES.
THERE WERE SOME THINGS, YOU KNOW, BOTH SIDES OF THE, THE BEAMS WERE NOT USED.
THEY'RE GONNA USE THE CHILL BEAMS. THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, UM, TWO BEAMS IN THERE AND THEY WEREN'T USED.
NOW WE HAVE TO, UH, ELIMINATE THE VALVES ARE GONNA, OR WHERE THEY'RE GONNA ELIMINATE USING THE VALVE SYSTEM WHERE WE HAVE TO DRAIN THE THINGS OUT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HAVING 'EM DUMP INTO THE BUILDING.
UM, AND THAT'S OUR BIGGEST CONCERN.
UM, WE GOT PLACES WHERE, UM, YOU GO IN THERE AND THERE'S PLASTIC HANGING AROUND COMPUTERS AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.
SO I JUST WANNA BE ASSURED THAT, UH, I MEAN WHEN I THINK OF SOLE SOURCE, I OFTEN WE'LL THINK OF, UH, COMMODITIES, MAYBE CARS OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
UH, FAR AS THE DESIGN, UH, PROJECT, IT SEEMS IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT.
AND I UNDERSTAND, I'M SAYING MR. HELMUT HAS DONE THE REVIEW TO SAY, ACCORDING TO HIS EXPERIENCE, THIS YEAH.
LEVEL OF PROJECT KIND OF FITS IN A BALLPARK THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL FOLKS THAT THEY DEAL WITH THAT DIDN'T WANNA TOUCH IT OKAY.
AND DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
UM, I COULD BE COMPLETELY OFF, UH, ON THIS, BUT IS, IS THIS ONE OF THE SYSTEMS WHERE THE, UH, EPA REGS THAT ARE GETTING STRICTER ARE STEERING US TOWARDS A MORE EXPENSIVE SOLUTION? NO, THIS IS A, UH, VERY HEAVILY ENGINEERED GREEN BUILDING THAT HAS A WHOLE LOT OF CONTROLS THAT ARE NOW AT THE END OF THEIR LIFE.
AND WE CAN'T GET PARTS FOR THE CURRENT CHILLER SYSTEM.
BUT THERE ARE CHANGES THAT ARE COMING.
UM, BUT THAT, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE WE NEED TO FIX IT.
AND THE REASON I ASKED IS I KNOW SOMEONE AT EPA AND THEY WERE THINKING THAT DUE TO POLITICAL CHANGES, THERE COULD BE SOME ROLLBACKS OF SOME OF THOSE PROPOSED NEW, OR NOT PROPOSED, BUT ACTUAL NEW REGULATIONS.
AND SO DEPENDING ON TIMING, YOU COULD SAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT THIS DOESN'T APPLY HERE IF IT MIGHT APPLY FOR OTHER.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AT OUR BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY HARD FOR US TO YEAH.
I MEAN I, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A GUESS, BUT I, I KIND OF HOPE THE REGULATION PUSHES OFF A LITTLE BIT FOR US.
UM, 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA COST US PROBLEM.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE GOOD IDEA FAIRY STRUCK AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THESE THINGS THAT THE WHIZZBANG THINGS THAT THEY PUT IN THE GREEN BUILDINGS AND NOW WE HAVE TO, IN ORDER TO, TO, TO GET THOSE THINGS TO COST OUT INSTEAD OF JUST SHUTTING 'EM DOWN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE MOST OUT OF THEM NOW.
IT'S GONNA COST US A LITTLE BIT MORE.
[00:40:01]
ARE THERE ANY, UH, UH OH, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? UH, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE FOR COST OVERRUNS? SAY LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY RUN INTO A SNAG OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? NO, I THINK THIS IS, UH, A STRAIGHT QUOTE WITH, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING THE DESIGN, EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO DO.UM, THEY HAVE, UM, THEY LISTED OUT, I THINK ON THE SHEET, LEMME SEE IF I CAN FIND IT HERE.
YOU KNOW, THE CRANE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, 'CAUSE THEY'RE RIPPING OUT THE OLD ONE AND THEY'RE USING THE, THE BEAMS THERE.
SO, UM, THE SCOPE, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THEY'RE GONNA, UH, PROVIDE EQUIPMENT, LABOR AND RENTALS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ANY KIND, LEMME SEE HERE, EXCLUSIONS.
THE ONLY EXCLUSION WE HAVE IS NORMAL WORKING HOURS MONDAY TO FRIDAY, EIGHT TO FIVE PARTS OF LABOR LINING THE SCOPE.
SO IF WE GET SMOKE, FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY BY OTHERS, WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS INCLUDING GLYCOL SOLUTIONS.
SO I MEAN, ANYTHING LEAD IN ASBESTOS ABATEMENT, WHICH HOPEFULLY IN THE GREEN BUILDING, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT.
UM, IT'S A NEWER BUILDING, UM, PRESUMED THERE, YOU KNOW, SO I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE SHUTOFFS OR DISCONNECTS IN THE BUILDING, I MEAN, IT'S, EVERYTHING THAT IS EXCLUDED IN THEIR SCOPE IS REASONABLE IN MY OPINION.
I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE SHUTOFFS TO THE BUILDING AND THEY'RE NOT WORKING, IT'S NOT THESE GUYS' FAULT THAT THEY'RE NOT WORKING, IT'S REALLY ON US.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I MEAN, IF WE GET TO A, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, STAMPED ENGINEERED DRAWINGS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING YEAH.
IF WE GET, UH, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GET GOING FURTHER.
AND YOU SAID THERE WAS ALREADY WATER INFILTRATION HAPPENING.
SO DOES THAT CREATE A MOLD ISSUE THAT A, WOULD BE REMEDIATED OR B NEEDS TO BE CHECKED DURING THIS INSTALL? UM, I, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY NEWS OF MOLD OR, UH, JUST WATER STARTING TO DRIP WHEN THOSE THINGS CUT OFF AND THE CONDENSATION STARTS COMING THROUGH ON THE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY'RE MORE WORRIED ABOUT US LOSING WATER IN THE BUILDING AND CONDENSATION ON THE MACHINES AND YEAH.
AND THE UNIT ACTUALLY WORKING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION TO SUPERVISOR COOK.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU TYPICALLY SAW IN THE CONTRACTS THAT, THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN WITH SOME TYPE OF A COST OVERRUN? OH YEAH.
WELL, NORMALLY RISK MITIGATED.
YOU KNOW, AND YOU HAVE A RESERVE.
YOU KNOW, SO, BUT I KNOW THE, THE CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE IS, UM, IT'S LIKE A SERVICE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT.
THEY MOST LIKELY HAVE A, A, A PRICE SHEET ON IT AND THAT KIND OF THING.
IF YOU APPROVE THIS AND APPROVE THE TRANSFER, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING OUR MONEY IS FROM THE SERVICE.
THAT'S, THAT WAS, I WAS JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDS WILL BE COMING FROM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU READ THAT THE COST AND FINANCE SECTION OF THIS WHERE YOU'RE WE'RE PULLING MONEY FROM THIS POT AND THIS POT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND MY, UM, MY, IT'S A CONCERN, BUT A COMMENT IS THAT WE'RE DEPLETING OUR CONTINGENCY FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE BUDGETED FOR 500,000.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE USING $493,000 OF THE, OF OUR YEARLY RESERVE.
THAT'S 'CAUSE WE ALREADY SPENT SEVEN, MA'AM.
WHAT'S THAT? WE'RE SPENDING 4 93 BECAUSE WE'VE SPENT SEVEN.
SO THE POINT I WANNA, UH, BRING, BRING UP IS THAT AS WE GO FORWARD, FORWARD WITH THIS FISCAL YEAR IN DEPARTMENTS COME UP AND WANNA, YOU KNOW, ADD THIS OUTTA SCOPE, THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT PLANNED IN OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET THAT WE NEED TO, UM, BE CONSCIOUS OF THAT, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM.
I MEAN, I'M NOT ARGUING THAT THIS SHOULDN'T BE DONE.
AND, AND WHO KNOWS, WE HAVE ANOTHER BUILDING WITH MOLD AND THEN WE HAVE TO TACKLE THAT.
BUT WE JUST HAVE TO BE AWARE OF OUR OUTTA SCOPE APPROVALS GOING FORWARD THIS FISCAL YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE STAY WITHIN THE, OUR FENCING OF THE, OF THE BUDGET.
BUT, UM, SO WE HAVE ZERO BECAUSE THIS IS, WE'RE IN THE, WE'RE NEGATIVE ON THE BALANCES THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRANSFER, WE'RE TAKING MONEY FROM OTHER PLACES.
I SEE YOU'RE TAKING OUTTA THE COMPENSATION RESERVE.
SO WE'RE, IT'S NOT JUST THIS, THE CONTINGENCY, WE'RE GOING TO ANOTHER POT, UH, ANOTHER FUND, IF I SAY THAT CORRECTLY.
[00:45:01]
CONTINGENCY RESERVE, WHICH IS THE 4 94.THERE'S THE MERIT RESERVE, AND THEN THERE'S THE COMPENSATION RESERVE.
SO THE MERIT RESERVE WAS BASED ON PERFORMANCE ONLY AND THE COLO RESERVE IS THE COST OF LIVING THAT WAS APPROVED.
SO THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCOUNTS.
BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO GET OUR, OUR, UM, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO BUSINESS WITHOUT.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING BUSINESS NEXT WEEK.
UM, GI GIVEN THAT THIS IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER AND THE E 9 1 1 CENTERS, THERE, ARE THERE, ARE THERE ANY GRANTS THAT WE COULD GO AFTER TO, TO HELP MITIGATE THIS OR, UM, I'M NOT SURE ON THAT ONE.
I'M AN AIRPORT GRANT GUY, BUT, UM,
I'M, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING ON, HONESTLY, ON, ON THAT SIDE OF IT.
UM, WELL, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO PUT WINGS ON IT AND MAYBE THEN YOU CAN GO AFTER IT.
WELL, I MEAN, THIS IS A, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS AGING AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE ADVOCATED FOR HAVING SOME FUNDS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE THINGS COME UP, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S TOUGH.
HOW OLD IS THAT BUILDING? IT'S LIKE 12, 12 YEARS OLD.
AND WHAT'S THE EXPECTED LIFESPAN FOR ONE OF THESE? LIKE, UH, I WOULD FIGURE THAT THE BUILDING YEAH, THE BUILDING, NOT THE BUILDING, BUT THE, UH, WELL, LIKE SOME OF THE CONTROLS, I THINK THE, ONE OF THE PEOPLE READ THE SPECS, THEY WERE LIKE 10 TO 12 YEARS ON THE CONTROLS.
YOU KNOW, SO YOU GOT LIGHTING THAT ARE TIED TO CONTROL SYSTEMS AND YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, HVAC NOW AND NEW STUFF HAS A COMPUTER ATTACHED TO IT.
SO IT, IT'S ANOTHER CONTROL SYSTEM AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE THINGS.
WELL, THEY, WHEN THEY DIE, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, HOW WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REPLACE 'EM.
AND IT'S, IT'S HARDER WITH NEW STUFF LIKE THIS THAN AN OLD BLOCK BUILDING THAT HAD A UNIT SITTING ON THE GROUND OR ON THE ROOF.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO STATE IT.
BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE DOLLARS TO FIX IT.
HAVE YOU SEEN, WHAT, WHAT DOES THE HORIZON LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF YOUR OTHER MAJOR CHILLER SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTY? WELL, I MEAN, THANKFULLY WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF CHILLER SYSTEMS AND, AND THAT'S OUR REALLY, OUR ONLY GREEN BUILDING.
UM, AND WE PUT MORE MONEY INTO OUR NEWEST BUILDING THAN OUR OLDER BUILDINGS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'VE, YOU KNOW, LAID OUT SOME FIVE YEAR THINGS AND ONE OF 'EM, LIKE THIS, THIS BUILDING NEEDS A ROOF.
UM, WE'VE EVALUATED ROOFS, WE'VE LAID 'EM OUT, PUT 'EM IN ORDER, PUT DOLLARS ON THEM, AND THOSE DOLLARS ARE PROBABLY BEHIND NOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE, YOUR, YOUR ASPHALT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF YOU LOSE IT, IT'S GONNA COST MORE.
SO, I MEAN, THOSE ARE THINGS WE REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE PROJECTION IS 1.4 MILLION FOR HVAC REPLACEMENT UNITS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
WHERE, WHERE WAS THIS IN THAT, IN, WHAT WAS THAT ON THE PROJECTION? AND IT'S COMING UP EARLY.
[D. Discussion - SRT Small Rural Tribal Body Worn Camera Grant]
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS WE HAVE THE, UH, SRT, SMALL RURAL, TRIBAL BODY WORN CAMERA GRANTSO I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THIS GRANT.
UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED, WELL, WE'VE APPLIED AND RECEIVED SEVERAL GRANTS THIS YEAR.
UM, THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST ONE OF 2024.
BUT THIS IS A GRANT THAT WE APPLIED FOR BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 24.
IT'S THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE AND JUSTICE AND SECURITY STRATEGIES.
AND IT'S FOR SMALL AND RURAL AGENCIES, WHICH THE CRI, WE FIT THE CRITERIA FOR THAT.
AND THIS, UM, THIS GRANT AWARDED $6 MILLION TO 170 AGENCIES ACROSS THE NATION.
WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS AWARDED THE SECOND HIGHEST AMOUNT ACROSS THE AGENCY AT, UM, $162,000.
UM, THE ONLY ONE THAT BEAT US OUT, I GUESS YOU CAN SAY, IS WAYNE COUNTY NEW YORK, AND THEY RECEIVED 220,000.
UM, SO I, I THINK IT WAS A PHENOMENAL SUBMISSION ON THIS.
[00:50:01]
CAMERAS, WE KNOW, UM, HAS KEPT OUR AGENCY OUT OF HOT WATER WITH HE SAID, SHE SAID WITH COMPLAINTS.IT, IT BUILDS TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO, IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF COMPLAINTS, UM, THAT THEY CAN VIEW THE BODY-WORN CAMERA OR, YOU KNOW, UM, LOOK AT, YOU CAN'T DISPUTE WHAT YOU SEE ON THE VIDEO.
BUT I DID WANNA BRING ONE, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF WHAT THIS LITTLE BOX MEANS.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE NEW ONES THAT IS PROPOSED IN PURCHASING IN THIS GRANT.
UM, THIS ONE IS CONNECTED TO THE IN-CAR CAMERA SYSTEM.
OUR OLD VISTAS DO NOT SYNC UP WITH THE, UM, NEW IN-CAR CAMERA SYSTEM.
SO THE DEPUTY HAS TO GO IN THERE AND WE HAVE TO KIND OF PULL THEM ASIDE INTO A CASE AND, AND PUT 'EM TOGETHER.
BUT I JUST WANNA BRING THIS AND I'LL SHOW YOU JUST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE JUST THE SMALL LITTLE DEVICE AND, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO US, PLUS THE COST OF THINGS SOLID.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IS, WE WROTE THE GRANT FOR 81 BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
UM, THERE'S, IT'S TWOFOLD ON THAT.
WE HAVE 81 POSITIONS, SWORN POSITIONS AT THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND WE CURRENTLY JUST, WHERE OUR STAFFING LEVELS ARE RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE 66 SWORN DEPUTIES.
WE HAVE 59 FULL-TIME, AND WE HAVE SEVEN PART-TIME DEPUTIES.
SO RIGHT NOW WITH THE LEVELS OF, UM, INVENTORY THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE 56 BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE 10 DEPUTIES THAT DO NOT HAVE A BODY-WORN CAMERA.
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE MY POSITION.
UM, THAT IS EVERY EVERYBODY ELSE.
UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 13 VACANCIES.
WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE BACKGROUND PROCESS TO PUT HOPEFULLY, FINGERS CROSSED, THREE MORE IN THE ACADEMY IN JANUARY.
UM, SO THAT WILL PUT THAT NUMBER OF SWORN DEPUTIES WITHOUT A BODY-WORN CAMERA A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AT 13.
IF WE DID BUY POSITIONS, WE'RE SHORT 25.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME OF THESE VACANCIES.
SO THE TOTAL PRO, UM, PROJECT COST FOR THIS FOR THE BODY-WORN CAMERAS THROUGH MOTOROLA, UM, IS $299,000.
UM, JUST RECENTLY, IF WE CAN, UM, GET THE CONTRACT SIGNED, WHICH WE HAVE TO SIGN THE GRANT AND SIGN THE MOTOROLA CONTRACT BY THE 27TH OF THIS MONTH, UM, OR WE'LL LOSE THE GRANT AND PROBABLY THIS CONTRACT PRICE TOO.
BUT THEY GAVE US A $65,725 DISCOUNT, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.
SO MY NUMBERS THAT I HAD TO REDO MY NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THE TOTAL PROJECT WAS UP TO 365,000 WHERE IT IS UNDER THAT.
NOW THE GRANT IS FOR $162,000, WHICH LEAVES US A BALANCE OF $137,000.
NOW WE CAN DO THAT ONE OF TWO WAYS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD FIND THAT OUT OF MY BUDGET.
AND I JUST HEARD MR. BERRY'S, UM, LAST PRESENTATION, BUT MOTOROLA HAS ALSO AGREED THAT THEY WILL, THEY COULD FINANCE IT.
WE DO HAVE TO EXPEND THIS AND HAVE IT PAID FOR WITHIN TWO YEARS.
UM, SO THERE'S A COUPLE LITTLE CA CAVEATS THERE, BUT I WANNA KIND OF EXPLAIN WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE.
SO WE HAVE 56 BODY-WORN CAMERAS, AND OUR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE FEE FOR THAT IS RIGHT UNDER $40,000 A A YEAR ANNUALLY.
THIS TOTAL PROJECT COST OF 299,000 IS FOR THE COST OF THE BODY-WORN CAMERAS, PLUS FIVE YEARS OF MAINTENANCE AND DATA STORAGE, UM, CLOUD STORAGE ON THAT.
UM, SO IF YOU JUST TAKE THE 40,000 THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PAYING FOR 56 CAMERAS AND YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY THE FIVE YEARS OF THE ANNUAL LEASE, THAT'S $200,000, 137,000 BECAUSE OF THIS GRANT.
UM, AND THE DISCOUNT WITH MOTOROLA IS PUTTING US FAR LESS THAN THAT.
SO IF WE DIVIDED THE 137,000 BY THE FIVE YEARS, WE WOULD PAY BE PAYING AN ANNUAL, UM, MAINTENANCE FEE OF 27,400.
SO IT'S A SAVINGS IN THE LONG RUN.
THERE IS, IT'S A CASH FLOW IN THE SHORT TERM.
AND THE ONLY REASON THERE IS A SAVINGS IS BECAUSE OF THIS GRANT.
WHEN IT, IT COMES TO THIS, UM, PLUS WE HAVE MORE CAMERAS FOR OUR DEPUTIES, UM, ON THAT.
IF WE DO THE TWO YEARS OF FINANCING, UM, THE LAST PAYMENT, UH, HAS TO BE PAID BEFORE DECEMBER OF 26.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE NECESSARILY LOOKING AT ANY COST IN THIS BUDGET PERIOD.
I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH THE FINANCING AND ALL THE INFORMATION WITH
[00:55:01]
CAPTAIN BROGAN ON THAT.BUT THAT IS WHERE WE WOULD PUT THIS IN OUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
WHEN WE BUY THESE 81, THAT MEANS THAT THE 56 THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE 52 ARE AT THE END OF LIFE, END OF LIFE MEANING, UM, DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR.
SO AT THAT POINT, ANY BODY-WORN CAMERAS THAT BREAK, WE CANNOT BE SENT OFF FOR REPAIR OR, UM, FOR US TO TRADING FOR A A NEW ONE, WE WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE A WHOLE NEW SYSTEM.
THEY STOPPED SELLING THE VISTAS APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO AND THEY'RE JUST NOT FIXING THEM.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE, UM, THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
AND I THINK AT THIS POINT, UM, EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE IS $4,650.
SO AS THEY BREAK, WE HAVE TO ORDER AND THEN SAY IT, IT JUST DOESN'T REALLY MAKE, MAKE SENSE IN ORDER TO GO DOWN THAT ROUTE.
BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT ALL TO YOU, UM, TO YOU.
BUT IF WE DID THE TWO YEAR FINANCINGS, THAT MEANS THAT 68,500 WOULD HAVE TO BE PURCHASED, UH, OR PAID, UM, ON THIS LOAN, EACH BUDGET PERIOD WITH THE 40,000 THAT WE CURRENTLY PAY FOR THE MAINTENANCE THAT IS JUST AN ADDITIONAL 28,500 FOR TWO YEARS.
AND THEN THE THREE REMAINING YEARS WOULD BE, IS ZERO, THE LOAN WOULD BE PAID OFF.
UM, THE FINANCING FOR THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR FIVE YEARS, FOUR YEARS, THREE, FOUR AND FIVE.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT PAYMENT AND THAT WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM ASKING YOU TO STRONGLY CONSIDER, AND I I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ABOUT, UM, ACCEPTING THIS GRANT AWARD, UM, FOR THESE 81 BODY-WORN CAMERAS IS MOTOR ROLL, MOTOR ROLL IS FINANCING OFFER BASICALLY 0%? LIKE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE CUTTING THE COSTS IN HALF TO BE TOO OFF.
NO, I THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE, AND I, SO I HAVE FINANCING AMOUNTS, UM, 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT FINANCING ALSO FOR THE RECORDS, UM, MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND THEY'VE REALLY BEEN WORKING FOR US AND THEY GAVE A DISCOUNT ON THAT AS WELL.
I'M JUST NOT READY TO PRESENT THAT AT ALL.
BUT, UM, I THINK DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT WAS FOUR OR FIVE OR SIX, IT WENT ANYWHERE FROM 5.85.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER JUST OVER 5%, SIR.
BUT IN, IN TWO YEARS WITH THAT, I, YEAH, I DON'T THINK THAT'LL BE A HUGE ADDITION TO THAT.
NO, I MEAN, AND TO ME THE CASH SAVINGS IN YOUR THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE, IT ALL MAKES SENSE.
THE QUESTION IS JUST WHERE TO PULL IT FROM NOW, YOU KNOW.
WELL, IT CAN BE IF IT, IF THE FINAL PAYMENT, IF IT IS DUE DECEMBER OF 26 MM-HMM.
AND, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING 28 5 THIS YEAR AND 28 5 NEXT YEAR AND THEY'LL LAST THREE YEARS.
WE CAN WORK IT OUT FOR THIS YEAR.
HAVE WE ALREADY PAID THE 40,000 ANNUAL MAINTENANCE, UH, THAT, THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY INCURRING? SO IT IS BUDGETED.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT INVOICE HAS COME THROUGH YET.
NO, THAT HAS NOT COME THROUGH YET.
DO DO WE PAY THAT IN ADVANCE OR IN ARREARS? DO YOU KNOW? UM,
IT'S NOT, UH, JUST NOT CERTAIN WITHOUT GOING BACK TO LOOK AT THE CONTRACT AND THE PAYMENTS AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO SAY SURE.
BUT THAT IS A, THAT IS A CONSIDERATION.
CAN WE AVOID PAYING THE 40? YEAH.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE NOT PAID THAT.
UH, MAINLY BECAUSE IT, IT'S, THEY CALL IT A NO FAULT WARRANTY.
AND THEY CAN'T PRODUCE THAT FOR THIS YEAR.
IT ACTUALLY ENDED IN SEPTEMBER BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SERVICING THE, THE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE YEAH.
JANUARY 1ST, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA SAY, WE'RE SORRY YOU NEED TO BUY NEW EQUIPMENT.
SO THERE'S NO POINT IN HAVING AGREEMENT WHERE, OKAY.
SO WHAT'S THE LIFESPAN OF THESE CAMPS, THE NEW ONES? THIS IS MY TECHNOLOGY GUY.
HE KNOWS MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DO.
YOU, THEY AVERAGE BETWEEN FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS.
UM, I ASKED THE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY IF THEY HAD ANY EXPECTATION OF END OF LIFE WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND HE SAID, MOTOROLA HAS NOT ANNOUNCED ANYTHING.
[01:00:01]
SO HE DOUBTED IT.UM, HE DID, HE DID SAY THAT THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO LOOK AT DOING A REFRESH AT NO CHARGE IN TWO TO THREE YEARS, DEPENDING UPON HOW IT'S, IT'S DONE.
AND DID, DID WE APPROVE THE BUDGET FOR CAMS IN THE ASSET REPLACEMENT? NO, THAT GOT DENIED.
WE HAD ASKED FOR 15 IN-CAR AND 15 BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
AND I, THAT WAS ROUGHLY $242,000.
BUT WE DID RECEIVE AND WAS AWARDED A GRANT FOR 12 IN-CAR CAMERAS.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO REPLACE 12 OF THOSE, UM, FOR $75,000 GRANT.
AND WE DID A $25,000 MATCH, WHICH WE FOUND IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND THEN, UM, AND I DO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT MATH.
AND SO WE EXPENDED 25,000 FOR THOSE 12 IN-CAR CAMERAS.
AND THEN WE WOULD EXPEND 137,000 FOR 81 CAMERAS.
AND THAT'S $80,000 LESS THAN WHAT WE ASKED FOR IN THE ASSET REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF THESE GRANTS.
UM, SO I, I, THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR THAT AS WELL.
SO, WELL, HOPEFULLY WE CAN ABSORB IT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PAYMENTS, BECAUSE THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THESE CAMS. SO HOPEFULLY THERE MIGHT BE SOME.
I TELL YOU, WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT, DEPUTIES, OFFICERS ACROSS THE NATION WERE LIKE, NO, WE DON'T WANT ANY, ANY PART OF THAT.
NOW WE DO NOT GO OUT THE DOOR WITHOUT RIGHT, WITHOUT THEM.
THEY'VE REALLY ABSOLUTELY SAVED US IN THE LONG RUN.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND THE FIRST PA INSTALLMENT OF 28 5 IN THE ASSET REPLACEMENT BUDGET SOMEHOW
SO, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
SO NEXT WE HAVE, UM, OH, SO NEXT WE HAVE THE, UH, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, IT'S GONNA BE DR.
DALEY WITH THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES FOR WARREN COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
THIS IS THE SAME PACKAGE YOU HAVE SEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX FOR ROCKLAND PARK, ASKING FOR THE STATE TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS OUR $2 MILLION MATCHING GRANT.
IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WE CAN USE TOURISM MONEY AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 500,000 THERE.
SO WE'RE 1,000,005 THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD TO THIS.
SO THE ONE THING WE HAVE ADDED THAT WAS NOT IN THE LAST VERSION YOU SAW IS, UH, ROCKLAND PARK.
AND THEN THIS WILL BE ON YOUR AGENDA WITH THESE OTHER PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE SEEN NEXT WEEK.
'CAUSE WE WE'RE GONNA BE CLOSING OUT THE CALENDAR YEAR UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THESE OTHERS.
SO, UH, FOR THE ROCKLAND PARK, UH, IS THE PLAN TO USE ALL OF THE TOURISM MONEY? NOT NECESSARILY.
YEAH, NOT, IT'D BE REAL NICE IF THE STATE GAVE US A MILLION DOLLARS OH, ABSOLUTELY.
THIS, AND THEN WE'D PUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND FROM, UH, TOURISM.
AND IF WE GET A HUNDRED, 1,000,008, WE'D PROBABLY GO AHEAD TO LOOK AT 200,000.
YOU'LL HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO DO AND HOW WE CAN PHASE THIS PROJECT AND RAISE THE MONEY TO GET IT DONE IN TIME.
THREE, IS IT? THREE YEARS, I THINK.
AND SO BEFORE WE HAVE TO MATCH THE 2 MILLION, APPROXIMATELY, UH, 700,000 A YEAR THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH.
SO WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND IF WE DECIDE TO DO THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
AND IT MAY BE IN THE GRAND SCHEME THAT YOU ONLY DO PART OF IT.
WELL, THE ONLY REASON WHY I BROUGHT THAT UP IS THAT MS. KOHLERS IS STARTING A, A TOURISM COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, TO HELP PROMOTE TOURISM.
AND I JUST WANTED TO JUST PUT IT OUT THERE THAT SOME OF THESE FUNDS MIGHT HELP WITH THEIR, A BUNCH OF THESE LEADS, VISION LEADS, WHO CAME IN TO TALK TO YOU A COUPLE MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY THINK
[01:05:01]
YOU'RE GONNA PUT YOUR TOURISM MONEY IN INTO THIS BALLPARK.IF THAT'S, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
SO LET'S HOPE WE GET SOME STATE MONEY.
[E. Discussion - Financial Projections]
SO NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS.SO THIS WILL BE YOUR, UM, FIRST, UM, BUDGET HOMEWORK IS WHAT THIS WILL BE.
AND WE WILL WALK THROUGH SOME OF IT FOR YOU TONIGHT TO SEE WHAT IT IS.
AND THEN YOU CAN TAKE IT HOME AND STUDY IT.
UM, STARTING AT THE TOP THERE, PAGE TWO.
AND NOTICE MR. UH, HENDERSON'S PHOTO HERE.
MAKE SURE WE NOTE THAT, UH, OUR SHAMELESS PROMOTION, AS YOU CALL IT, UM, OUR BUDGET ADOPTED WAS 97 MILLION.
WE HAVE TAKEN OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PAYMENTS FOR CSA AND DSS OUT OF THE BUDGET.
SO THEY'RE IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES BUDGET INSTEAD OF IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
AND WE'VE ADDED A LITTLE BIT OF BROADBAND ARPA MONEY BACK.
AND SO FOR THE TRANSITIONS THAT YOU HAVE DONE, THE TRANSFERS YOU HAVE ALREADY APPROVED PREVIOUSLY THIS YEAR, THE AMENDED BUDGET BECOMES 93,765,000.
SO IF WE TAKE THAT AND WE TOOK THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND PUT THEM IN SEVERAL CATEGORIES BASED ON WHAT YOU ADOPTED WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU HAVE APPROVED, AND WE ASSUME A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH IN HERE, WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS AND YOU SEE THESE NUMBERS, THEY GO UP A LITTLE BIT.
UH, THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS PUBLIC SERVICES, BECAUSE THE STATE EVA ASSESSES THE VALUE OF PUBLIC SERVICES BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF VALUE TO ASSESSMENT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO WE DO ASSESSMENTS EVERY OTHER YEAR.
SO THIS YEAR COME WHEN THE BILLS GO OUT IN JUNE, WE SHOULD BE VERY CLOSE TO 100% OF VALUE.
SO THE ASSESSMENT BY THE STATE ON OUR PUBLIC SERVICES SHOULD BE CLOSE TO 100%.
BUT A YEAR FROM NOW, WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABOUT 10% OFF THE VALUE, THE SALES PRICE, APPROXIMATELY.
AND SO THEY WILL ASSESS THE PUBLIC SERVICES APPROXIMATELY 90% OF THEIR VALUE.
SO IN THE CASE OF THE PROPERTY OWNER, IF YOUR HOUSE IS VALUED AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THE VALUE IS ACTUALLY 110, YOU STILL PAY ON THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
IN THE CASE OF PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICTS, THEIR VALUE IS REDUCED 10% AND THEN THEY ARE ASSESSED.
SO THEY GET A DOUBLE DOUBLE VALUE THERE AT THE WAY THE STATE HAS SET THAT.
SO THAT MAKES THAT NUMBER KIND OF BOBBLE UP AND DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
MOST OF THE OTHERS ARE FAIRLY, UH, CONSISTENT.
I WOULD CALL YOUR ATTENTION ON PAGE TWO.
THE BIGGEST NUMBER THAT YOU CAN IMPACT IS YOUR INTEREST INCOME.
REMEMBER, WE'RE TALKING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND $40 MILLION, DEPENDING UPON WHAT MONTH, WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR IT IS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM THERE, YOU SEE THAT THIS 96 3,000,765 WILL DROP A LITTLE BIT NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PERSONAL PRO OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
BUT THEN IT WILL GO UP TO 96, THEN TO 97, AND THEN IT WILL GO UP TO A HUNDRED.
[01:10:01]
EACH OTHER EVERY OTHER YEAR AND ENDS UP IN 2030.ABOUT $102 MILLION WILL BE THE COUNTY'S REVENUE WITH THE NEXT PAGE IS THE EXPENDITURES.
UM, SCHOOLS TRANSFERS ARE HELD LEVEL IN THIS, THIS PROJECTION.
DOCTOR, I JUST WANTED TO, TO, UH, CLARIFY THE, UH, PROJECTIONS.
IS THAT TAKING INTO, INTO ACCOUNT, UH, INFLATION OR IS THAT HOLDING AT UH, UH, CONSTANT DOLLARS? NO.
NO, THIS IS, THIS WILL BE 20, $30.
THERE'S NO ADJUSTMENT THERE PER INFLATION, PER SE.
BUT MOST OF THESE NUMBERS INCREASE EACH YEAR JUST, UH, BASED ON THE LAST THREE YEARS.
WHICH MAKES IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE COVID NUMBERS WERE DIFFERENT.
SO WE HAVE TO NOT TAKE TOO MUCH IN SOME AREAS AND WE CAN TAKE A LITTLE MORE MM-HMM.
WATCHING THEM A LITTLE BIT CLOSELY THERE.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THE DEBT SERVICE LINE DROPS BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE A LOWER PRINCIPLE IN 2030.
UH, WE HAVE, WHEN WE REFUND THESE BONDS, THE OLD BONDS ARE PUT IN ESCROW AND WE PAY THE NEW BONDS AND THE PROCEEDS FROM THE NEW BONDS PAY THE OLD BONDS.
SO YOU GET A CHUNK DROP, LIKE THEY'RE IN 2030.
UH, EMPLOYEE WAGES AND BENEFITS, THESE ARE EXISTING EMPLOYEES.
THIS IS EVERYBODY'S ON THE PAYROLL TODAY, AND IT ASSUMES A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE EACH YEAR.
OPERATIONS, OUR DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS, THEY ALSO GO UP ABOUT 3%.
AND YOU'LL HAVE LOTS OF PLACES WHERE YOU GET TO TWEAK THESE NUMBERS EACH YEAR.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT PAGE, THE FIRST PERCENT FOR THE OPERATIONS IS THAT, UM, OH, SORRY, UH, 3% IN THE OPERATIONS LINE.
IS THAT INFLATION FACTOR? NO, IT JUST ASSUMES THAT THE COSTS GO UP 3%.
IT ASSUMES THAT THE COST OF BUYING GAS WILL GO BACK UP.
SO THE, SO THE THE 2025 OPERATION, WHAT, WHERE DOES, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE, UH, UM, OFFER THE NOT OFFER, BUT, UH, SAY LIKE, UH, UH, THE, UH, UH, A-S-P-C-A COMES IN AND THEY ASK FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME, UH, A, UH, AN INCREASE IN THEIR CONTRACT.
WELL, NOT AN, UH, OR YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT COMES IN AND ASKS FOR THEIR, THE, UH, UH, INPUT FROM THE COUNTY.
WHERE IS THAT? IS THAT IN OPERATIONS? SO THAT'S IN OPERATIONS.
THEIR TOTAL IS IN THAT 22 MILLION.
IS THERE A WAY TO BREAK THAT OUT SO THAT WE SHOW THAT 2025 OPERATIONS AND THEN THE, THE PARTNER AGENCIES, YOU CAN BREAK IT UP, BUT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT ALL FOR 26.
THEY WILL START COMING INTO YOU THE SECOND TUESDAY IN JANUARY.
SO JUST OVER A MONTH FROM TODAY, THEY WILL BE COMING IN.
WAS THE 3% LOOKED AT IN, IN THE HISTORICAL VIEW? IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW WHAT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE LAST FIVE YEARS IN OUR EXPENDITURES, I LOOKED BACK AS FAR AS 2020 MM-HMM.
AND WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW FAR OFF I AM IN A MINUTE.
JUST, I KNOW WE'RE FIVE YEARS OUT AT THIS POINT, BUT TO SEE THAT DEBT SERVICE GO DOWN BY 2030, I MEAN WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA RETIRE LIKE $30 MILLION OF DEBT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
RIGHT? SO APPROXIMATELY, BUT IT'S DEBT THAT IS THIS DOUBLE DEBT.
YOU KNOW, WE ISSUED NEW BONDS, THE REFINANCE BONDS AND THE OLD BONDS ARE STILL SITTING THERE OUT.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HELP TO MAKE IT DROP.
[01:15:01]
WHICH IS A VERY GOOD THING.SO IF WE TAKE THESE BASE NUMBERS AND THE BASE REVENUES THAT YOU SEE HERE, THEN YOU SEE WHERE IT'S BALANCED THIS YEAR, THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THE EXPENDITURES EXCEED THE REVENUES.
AND THEN IN 29, 29 AND 2030, THE REVENUES EXCEED THE EXPENSES.
SO THEN WHAT WE DID IS ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS WERE ASKED TO PROJECT WHAT THEY EXPECTED.
THEY NEED TO HAVE WHAT AIR CONDITIONERS, CHILLERS, WHAT PATROL CARS, WHAT FIRE TRUCKS, ET CETERA.
AND TO ESTIMATE THEM FOR A YEAR.
AND THE TOTALS IN THERE, YOU SEE ON THIS FIRST PAGE, UH, WHAT'S COVERED THERE FOR RECREATION, IT SHERIFF, FIRE AND RESCUE, THE REFUSE, AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS AND THEN HUMAN RESOURCES, ELECTIONS AND SCHOOL CAPITAL.
AND WHAT'S IN THE 25 COLUMNS ARE THINGS THAT ARE IN PART OF YOUR ASSET REPLACEMENTS THAT WERE CARRIED FORWARD AND THAT YOU DIDN'T BUDGET ALL OF THEM THIS YEAR.
BUT THEY'RE ALL BEING PAID THIS YEAR.
AND THAT NUMBER THEN GOES WAY UP.
IF ALL OF THESE THINGS WERE DONE, IT JUMPS UP TO 125 MILLION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT BOTTOM ROW AND THEN LEVELS OFF A HUNDRED SEVENTEEN, ONE TWENTY TWO, ONE THIRTY FOURTEEN, AND ONE 16.
SO IT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND THAT BECOMES YOUR BUDGET IN A BOX.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE FROM THE DEPARTMENTS WHEN THEY PRESENT AND THEY ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS, REMEMBER WE TALKED, WE ARE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THE LINE ITEMS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE SAME MUCH AMOUNT FOR FUEL THAT THEY DID NEXT YEAR.
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THAT TO YOU.
AND YOU CAN COME IN HERE AND SIT DOWN WITH THEM, TALK ABOUT THAT FUEL LINE ALL DAY.
BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA SPEND THE ENTIRE BOARD'S TIME 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA LET THE BOARD GO HOME ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND JUST BE HERE TUESDAY NIGHT.
SO THAT'S WHY IF YOU LOOK AT THAT AND THEN AS WHAT WE WERE TALKING, THESE WERE HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC WILD GUESSES ON MY PART.
LET'S ASSUME ED HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT, THAT HE JUST TOTALLY MADE THIS UP.
LET'S ASSUME HE'S 5% HIGH AND THE REAL NUMBERS ARE GONNA BE 5% LOWER, OR ED IS 5% LOW AND THEY'RE GONNA BE 5% HIGHER.
SO YOU HAVE THE BLUE, THE LIGHT BLUE, AND THEN THE DARK BLUE IS THE BASE LINE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE GREEN, AGAIN, COMPARE WITH THE RED.
AND AS WE TALKED A COUPLE OF PAGES AGO, WE STILL LOOK AT 26, 27 AND 28 ARE GOING TO BE A NEGATIVE YEAR.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE EXPENDITURES THAN WE HAVE REVENUES POTENTIALLY.
AND THEN 29 AND 30 LEVELS OFF A LITTLE BIT.
NOW LET'S ASSUME THE BOARD SAYS WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THIS STUFF, ED, YOU'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO GET THIS OUTTA HERE.
IT'S ALL GONNA HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE GONNA PUSH IN THAT CHART THAT YOU SEE HERE, ALL THE REQUESTS FOR THESE VEHICLES, CHILLERS, ET CETERA, ALL THE CAPITAL EXPENSES, WE'RE GONNA PUSH 'EM ALL OVER A YEAR AND THEY'RE ALL GONNA GO FROM 26 TO 27, 27 TO 28, ET CETERA.
[01:20:01]
AND THAT MEANS IF YOU DO THAT, AS YOU SEE WHERE WE KIND OF LEVEL OUT A LITTLE BIT THERE AND THEY CROSS, BUT WE'RE STILL LOWER THAN ALL THREE REVENUES.SO WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO ALL THESE PROJECTS AND WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THEM WHAT WE HAVE, PERIOD.
UM, BUT THAT GIVES YOU A PICTURE OF WHAT, HOW THESE COMPARE A LITTLE BIT.
JUST I ADDING SOME OF THIS UP, IT LOOKS LIKE OVER FIVE YEARS, IF WE WANTED TO DO EVERYTHING, WE NEED ANOTHER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS APPROXIMATELY, SIR.
THERE'S APPROXIMATELY IN REVENUE 2020 TO 25 GAP.
IF WE WERE TO DO ALL THOSE, THAT'S SORT OF THE, REMEMBER THE BUDGET IN THE BOX LAST YEAR STARTED OUT AT 18 MILLION.
SO BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, UM, AT LOOKING AT THE EXPENDITURES IN THE FORECAST THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 30, DOES THAT INCLUDE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, ASSET REPLACEMENT? SOME.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE REST OF THESE PAGES MA'AM.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT CITY KNOWS.
UM, HUMAN RESOURCES PRIMARILY LOOK AT EMPLOYEE RETENTION, UPDATING OUR SCALE IN THERE SOMEPLACE.
THE ANNUAL INCREASE OF HEALTH INSURANCE, THE 3% AND THEN A MERIT POOL OF 2% AND A WELLNESS PROGRAM FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
SOME OF THESE NUMBERS ACCUMULATE IF YOU DO IT IN YEAR ONE, IT ENDS UP BEING A COST IN YEAR TWO.
UH, DOWN BELOW YOU SEE PUBLIC WORKS, THE SHERIFF, IT HAVE ALL REQUESTED POSITIONS.
AND THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE LOOKED AT NINE POSITIONS EACH YEAR TO BE ABLE TO PUT ONE STATION STARTING ACROSS THE STREET AS HAVING FOUR FIREFIGHTERS, FOUR EMTS.
AND THAT'S BASED ON THE CONTEXT THAT THERE SHOULD BE TWO ON THE OUTSIDE IF TWO GO IN THE BUILDING AND IT'S TWO IN, TWO OUT IS WHAT IT IS.
AND THAT WOULD GRADUALLY BE EXTENDED TO THE OTHER DEPAR, OTHER STATIONS.
BUT WE WOULD START ACROSS THE STREET.
AND THEN THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FIRE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS.
SO GOING TO THE TWO ADDITIONAL DEPUTY POSITIONS.
SO AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW.
I WOULD ASSUME AT THIS POINT THAT THEY BECOME, UH, FOR OUR PURPOSES, WE SHOULD ASSUME THEY ARE OUR POSITIONS.
UNTIL THE STATE COMES FORWARD AND PROVIDES FUNDING.
UM, THE STATE DOES A MUCH BETTER JOB OF FUNDING 5 99 THAN THEY DO.
UH, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER DEPUTIES.
UH, YOU CAN SEE IN FIRE AND RESCUE A WHOLE VARIETY OF EQUIPMENT IN DIFFERENT YEARS.
YOU SEE A LADDER TRUCK IN 2026, THAT LADDER TRUCK WOULD TAKE, UH, TWO YEARS TO GET HERE, I BELIEVE FOUR YEARS.
SO THEORETICALLY THAT TWO, 2.2 MILLION WOULD BE SPREAD OUT OVER THE FOUR YEARS.
YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO COME UP WITH ALL THE CASH FIRST YEAR.
'CAUSE IT WOULD NOT ARRIVE IF IT WAS ORDERED THIS NEXT YEAR, IT WOULD NOT BE HERE BEFORE 29 OR 30.
SO THOSE, THOSE ACQUISITIONS IS COVERED IN YOUR CHART THEN.
RIGHT? THEY'RE SPREAD OUT HERE.
SO IF WE BOUGHT, WELL RIGHT NOW IT'S HERE.
YOU SEE SHENANDOAH FARMS. OKAY.
NOW THAT'S IS ALL OF IT LISTED IN 26.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE, WHENEVER THAT GETS STARTED, THAT'S GONNA MOVE AROUND.
SO JUST TO PICK LIKE THIS AMBULANCE TRANSPORT VEHICLE
[01:25:01]
MONEY TO APPROVE THAT PROCUREMENT, THESE LINES WILL GO UP.WELL THEY'RE, THEY'RE INCLUDED HERE.
AND WHICH YEAH, THAT, THAT ONE THEY ARE INCLUDED.
WE'VE GOT ONE WHERE THEY'RE NOT AND ONE WHERE THEY ARE.
I JUST TRYING TO, THAT'S COST RECOVERY MONEY.
SO YOU RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 900,000 CHIEF TICO, APPROXIMATELY 900,000 A YEAR COST RECOVERY, 1 MILLION APPROXIMATE REVENUES.
THAT'S EVEN, THAT'S SO MUCH BETTER.
SEE THAT'S WHY THESE NUMBERS ARE SO LOW.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE SHOULD BE BUYING AN AMBULANCE EACH YEAR WITH THOSE FUNDS AS ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO WITH IT TO REPLACE.
AND WITH HOW MANY TOTAL AMBULANCES? UM, 11 IN THE FLEET.
NINE PRIMARY, UM, AND TWO RESERVE.
AND WE SHOULD BE REPLACING ONE OF THEM EVERY FIVE YEARS.
WOULD THOSE NUMBERS CHANGE AFTER YOU HAVE YOUR STUDY COMPLETED FROM THE MEDICAID EFFECT? OH, FOR ALL ANY EQUIPMENT AND STAFF, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU'RE DOING A STUDY.
UM, WE THINK THAT THAT IS BASED OFF OF THE FIVE YEAR CLAIM, THE FAIR MINIMUM THAT WE WOULD NEED.
UM, WE, WE HONESTLY FEEL THAT THAT STUDY WILL COME BACK AT A MUCH HIGHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
EXPECT THE STUDY TO SAY TWO AMBULANCES A YEAR BECAUSE YOU'VE GOTTA CATCH UP.
WE'RE, WE'RE 25 YEARS BEHIND THE, UM, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, THE VEHICLES.
BUT THE BIG ONE IN THERE IS AN INDOOR TRAINING FACILITY.
IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FIVE AND 7 MILLION.
SO WE TOOK 6 MILLION AS THE NUMBER.
AND THAT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT ALL GONNA BE DONE IN ONE YEAR, BUT IT DOES REF INFLATE THE FY 26 NUMBER.
THAT'S WHY IN YOUR FRONT PAGE, THE 26 NUMBER LOOKS SO HIGH.
SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LIVE FIRE TRAINING FACILITY UNDER FIRE AND RESCUE AND THE INDOOR FIRING TRAINING FACILITY WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT? ONE'S GOING TO, THEY'RE END UP GONNA BE CONSOLIDATED HOPEFULLY IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT INTO ONE FACILITY.
THEY'RE STARTING TO WORK ON THAT.
SO THE COST WON'T BE 7 MILLION FOR MIGHT GO DOWN.
WELL, A NEW FACILITY THAT A COUPLE OF THE ONES THEY'RE LOOKING AT AS EXAMPLES, THEY WERE, UH, 10 MILLION, UM, FIVE YEARS AGO.
WELL, BUT THE OTHER, NOT THE ONE IN HARRISBURG.
THE OTHER ONE I'M THINKING THE OTHER ONE, HEY, HAGERSTOWN WAS A LITTLE LOWER.
BUT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 15 MILLION.
AND THE COST COULD GO DOWN IF IT BECAME A REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP, IT WOULD BE MORE PARTICIPANTS.
THE COST WON'T GO DOWN, BUT THE COST WILL BE DIVIDED.
BUT IT WOULD BE DIVIDED LIKE THE RSW AND MORE PEOPLE PARTIC.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO GET ACROSS, JUMPING BACK TO THESE LEGISLATIVE IDEAS, IS FOR REGIONAL JAILS.
THE STATE SAID IF YOU BUILD A JAIL, YOU BUILD IT.
IF YOU CAN JOIN WITH TWO OR MORE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, SO IT BECOMES A REGIONAL JAIL, WE WILL PAY HALF THE CONSTRUCTION COST.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STATE MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION TO FUND HALF THE COST OF A REGIONAL TRAINING FACILITY FOR ALL THE SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS.
IT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING IN THERE AND YOU SEE IT THERE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE FINANCIAL SOFTWARE.
UH, I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE.
UM, THE ROOF ON THE GOVERNMENT CENTER.
THESE, UM, THE PSB, THE VAC, UM, MR. BARRY'S GONE, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE, HE MIGHT HAVE PUT THIS IN WHEN HE DID THIS.
'CAUSE I'VE BEEN FOOLING WITH THIS FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO HE MAY HAVE PUT THIS IN, UM, AS PLANNING IT FOR 26.
WE MAY BE TAKING CARE OF IN 25.
SO WE'LL SAVE ALL THAT MONEY NEXT YEAR.
UM, REFUSE NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED OUT THERE AND PARKS AND RECREATION.
[01:30:03]
UH, SEE WHERE WE BROKE PARKS AND REC INTO THREE YEARS FOR ROCKLAND PARK SCHOOLS.JUST GAVE US A LIST OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU SEE HERE.
I DEDUCTED THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT WILL HAVE TO GO TO A BOND AND THAT LEFT IT AT 7 MILLION.
AND THEN BACK OVER HERE, WAY BACK WHEN WE PUT THE EXPENDITURES, I DIVIDED THEM AND MADE THEM CLOSE TO THE SAME WITH A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE EACH YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER ARBITRARY DECISION ON MY PART.
UM, CASH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THIS, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT CASH IS KING AND WE HAD ALL THESE ACCOUNTS, THESE SPECIAL PROJECTS, AND THERE WAS MONEY OVER HERE AND THERE WAS MONEY OVER THERE AND SO FORTH.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THE BOARD HAS WORKED ON IS TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON ALL THE PROJECTS AND CONSOLIDATE SOME OF, SO REMEMBER WHEN, UH, MATT WAS HERE, HE DID AWAY WITH THE SPECIAL PROJECTS AND INCORPORATED THAT INTO THE CIP AND ASSETS AND THAT SO THAT YOU GET A BETTER HANDLE ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU REALLY HAVE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 24, MS. COOK HAS SHOWN YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS BEFORE, BUT THIS JUST SHOWS YOU THE REVENUE TREND AND HOW IT GOES UP AND DOWN DURING THE YEAR AND THE EXPENDITURES.
SO DOES THE CASH AND ALL BANK ACCOUNTS INCLUDE THE WEALTH FUND? YEAH.
THAT, THAT'S OUR 50% RESERVE FUND.
NOW THIS, THIS LAST ONE, THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, AND THE TOP LINE IS THE TOTAL REVENUE.
THIS LINE THAT RUNS ACROSS THE TOP AND THE GRAY IS THE EXPENDITURES.
WHAT WE ACTUALLY SPENT AND THE LIGHT BLEW IN THERE.
YOU SEE A LITTLE SMIDGE IN A LIGHT BLUE ACROSS THERE, LOOKS LIKE ABOUT A QUARTER INCH.
AND THEN THE DARK BLUE, THAT IS YOUR 15% SET THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PUT AWAY.
SO THEORETICALLY WHEN YOU SPEND 5 MILLION IN OCTOBER, YOU HAVE 15 MILLION IN THE RESERVE FOR 20.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT TWO OR 3 MILLION IN PURCHASE ORDERS FOR A TOTAL OF 23.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, YOU DIDN'T REALLY SPEND MORE CASH THAN THE REVENUE, BUT IT GOES THAT DIRECTION WHEN YOU COUNT YOUR PURCHASE ORDERS AND YOUR 15%.
AND IT IS ESSENTIAL IF YOU GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS THING, THAT YOU'D BE PICKING UP ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS IN YOUR REVENUES FROM YOUR MONTH EARNING FROM YOUR MONEY, YOUR INTEREST.
UM, THIS IS A NEW CHART MRS. SCOTT CREATED THAT WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW NOW EVERY MONTH SO THAT WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF THIS.
SO IS IS THERE ANY WAY, SO, SO AS YOU'RE COMING ALONG AND YOU'RE SHOWING, UH, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, IS THERE ANY WAY TO REPLENISH THAT, UH, THAT RESERVE THAT WE DIP INTO IN OCTOBER? OR WE STUCK WITH THAT? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THIS ANNUAL CYCLE.
YOU RECEIVE YOUR TAX DOLLARS FROM THE TREASURER DOWN HERE.
EVERYBODY PAYS, GETS THEIR BILL IN
[01:35:01]
THE END OF NOVEMBER, END OF OCTOBER, RATHER EARLY NOVEMBER.AND THEIR BILL IS DUE IN DECEMBER 5TH.
AND THEN THEY GET THEIR NEXT BILL, YOU KNOW, THE END OF APRIL, BEGINNING OF MAY.
AND IT IS DUE JUNE 5TH SOME YEARS BECAUSE OF THE REASSESSMENTS.
AND THAT WE'VE HAD TO PUSH THAT FURTHER OUT TO LIKE JUNE 20TH.
AND THERE'S BEEN YEARS LATER, BUT IT'S VERY SELDOM THAT IT GOES BEYOND TWO WEEKS TO JUNE, BEYOND JUNE 20TH.
AND SO THE BIG REVENUE OF THAT PROPERTY TAX, APPROXIMATELY 60%, 62, 60 3% OF YOUR INCOME COMES IN THOSE TWO BIG SWOOPS.
AND SO IT GOES, YOUR MONEY GOES UP AND THEN IT GRADUALLY DROPS DOWN, UH, UNTIL THE NEXT ONE COMES.
SO NOW NOVEMBER, WE SHOULD HAVE PICKED UP A GOOD BIT.
BILLS WENT OUT EARLY NOVEMBER AND WE SHOULD PICK UP SOME MONEY WHEN YOU SEE THE NOVEMBER REPORT AND IT'LL PICK UP AGAIN BECAUSE THE BILLS ARE DUE DECEMBER 5TH.
AND THEN IT WILL, IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT.
PROBABLY JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, BE TOUCH AND GO.
BUT WE'LL BE DOWN ABOUT LIKE THAT.
AND THEN MAY AND JUNE IT'LL GO BACK UP.
AND IT EVEN GOES UP MORE IN MAY AND JUNE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE PAY THEIR ENTIRE YEAR'S TAXES AT ONE TIME SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOOL WITH IT THE SECOND TIME.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE CYCLE OF WHY WE NEED TO WATCH OUR MONEY.
AND IN, AS I MENTIONED, THE SECOND WEEK OF, UM, SECOND TUESDAY IN JANUARY, PLAN ON, UH, STARTING AT FIVE O'CLOCK AND WE WILL HAVE AGENCIES IN, AND BY THE 1ST OF NOVEMBER OR 1ST OF FEBRUARY, EXCUSE ME, WE WILL START THE, UH, DEPARTMENT AGENCIES AND THEY'LL BE ON EVERY OTHER TUESDAY ALSO IN FEBRUARY.
AND YOU SCHOOLS IS USUALLY ABOUT THE SECOND, UH, WEEK IN, UH, MARCH IS ABOUT WHEN THEY COME IN.
SO THIS IS HOMEWORK, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AND LOOK AT DURING CHRISTMAS.
SO, UM, I NOTICED THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY FORECASTS FOR THE TREASURER'S OFFICE OR THE COURTS OR, UM, THE COMMISSION.
SO WE MAKE AN ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S, UH, WE ARE JUST INCREASING THEIR EXPENDITURES BY 3%.
WELL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN THE OPERATIONS, RIGHT? BUT THESE PROJECTIONS, I TOOK EVERYTHING OUT THAT WAS LESS THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BECAUSE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT 18 MILLION, YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT A $23,000 PURCHASE RIGHT NOW.
NOW WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FINAL BUDGET, THEN THAT 23,000 BECOMES IMPORTANT.
RIGHT? NOW IT'S HOW DO WE GET, UH, HOW DO WE SHRINK THE BOX? SO WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE AWAY IS HOW WILL WE GOING TO PUT OUR BUDGET IN THE BOX WHERE RIGHT NOW, BASED ON THESE ESTIMATES, WE'RE $2.2 MILLION MORE IN OUR EXPENDITURES THAN OUR FORECASTED REVENUE APPROXIMATELY.
THAT'S WITHOUT LOOKING AT A, THAT'S THE TAKEAWAY.
THAT'S APPROXIMATELY WHERE WE WILL BE WHEN WE PUT THESE OTHER THINGS IN THERE.
WE'LL BE UP THERE AROUND 18 MILLION IS ABOUT WHERE WE USUALLY START.
UM, SO WHAT DID THE TAKEAWAY ALSO IS THAT, UM, YOU GET ALL SORTS OF REQUESTS NOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR BUDGET.
AND YOU NEED TO TAKE THE PRIORITIES, UM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING ROOF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW.
WE'RE GONNA GET THOSE CAMERAS ALMOST 50% AND, AND THEY'RE NEEDED.
WELL, THEY NEED, EVERYBODY NEEDS EVERYTHING.
BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT 50%.
AND CUT OUR $200,000 EXPENDITURE OVER FIVE YEARS TO 137 IN TWO YEARS.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A OPPORTUNITY
[01:40:01]
IN THE SAVINGS AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, UH, TO BE DONE RATHER THAN EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.SO YOU HAVE HERE LESS STATE AND FED, UM, FEDERAL REVENUE FOR DESS.
BUT WE DO CON LOCAL FUNDS DO CONTRIBUTE TO DSS.
SO OUR CONTRIBUTION IS IN HERE.
WHAT WE TOOK OUT IS WE HAD THE FEDERAL AND STATE MONEY OKAY.
COMING IN AS REVENUES AND GOING OUT AS EXPENDITURES.
AND SO WE'RE COUNTING IT TWICE.
AND SO WE TOOK IT OUT, JUST PUT IT DIRECT OVER TO SOCIAL SERVICES.
SO WE HOPE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE 10TH HOUR OF THEM RUNNING IN AND SAYING THEY NEED ANOTHER $2 MILLION IN THEIR BUDGET.
CSA
AND SUBJECT TO THE STATE APPROPRIATING THEIR SHARE.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE JUST AT THE WHIM THERE.
THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE STATE THAT TOLD YOU THEY WERE GOING TO PAY ALL OF THE CAR TAX
SO, WELL, I'M NOT SAYING YOU CAN'T RELY ON THEM.
WELL, BUT THEY ANNOUNCE THEY HAVE LOTS OF EXTRA MONEY.
WELL, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THOSE EXPENDITURES WERE NOT, YOU KNOW, TRUE EXPENDITURES.
IT'S JUST HAVING BETTER FOR FORECASTING THAT COMING IN AT THE LAST MINUTE.
YOU KNOW, SO ANYWAY, IT'S A MATTER OF GETTING CLOSER WATCH ON IT.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA FIND MR. MARKS IS GONNA BE WATCHING THAT PRETTY CLOSELY.
SO THIS IS HER HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT? YES.
WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY A 2.2 MILLION DEFICIT'S, A $25 MILLION.
OH, WHAT DID I MISS? WELL, OH, YOU ADDED EVERYTHING.
ALL THE EXTRA, IF YOU ADDED EVERYTHING PER YEAR.
IT'S JUST A, IT'S JUST A REPLAY.
THAT'S, IF IF YOU PUT ALL OF THE, THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THERE, THEN IT'S CLOSE TO YEAH.
I MEAN, IF WE DO NOTHING, WE'RE 2.2 MILLION.
SHORT, IF WE WANNA DO ANYTHING, IT COST 2.5 MILLION TO SHOW UP.
AND SOME OF THESE ARE NOT OPTIONAL, LIKE YOU SAID, THE ROOF.
YOU HAVE TO, SO WE HAVE TO SET OUR PRIORITIES.
WELL, WE HAVE OUR PRIORITIES FOR THIS YEAR ALREADY.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL THAT OUT.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO ANYWAY.
SO IT'S A, IT'S ANOTHER SEASON AND IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE THIS WAY.
THIS IS, AND, AND JUST LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, THE PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, AND I WOULD SAY THAT OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS THE, UH, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THEN, UH, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE KIND OF FALLS IN BEHIND THAT.
YOU GOTTA HAVE, YOU GOTTA HAVE FINANCES SO YOU CAN PAY THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU GOTTA HAVE IT SO THEY CAN USE THEIR EQUIPMENT.
AND WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO FOCUS ON OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEMS. THAT'S FOR SURE.
TOO MANY STOKE PIPE SYSTEMS THAT WE NEED TO INTEGRATE SO WE CAN GET GOOD NUMBERS.
KNOW HOW MUCH, KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAVE IN THE CHECKING ACCOUNT.
EVEN THOUGH I'M LIKE GOING, WOW.
I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS PUT INTO THIS.
I KNOW ALL THE DEPARTMENTS PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
YOU CAN SEE, WELL, I THINK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WHO PARTICIPATED FOR DOING THIS.
'CAUSE IT'S MAKING MY JOB A LOT EASIER.
IT'S, UM, IT'S A DIFFICULT STORY, BUT IT'S GREAT INFORMATION AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HAVE THIS LEVEL OF DETAIL AND CLARITY THIS SOON IN THE PROCESS AND WITH THE FIVE YEAR YEAH.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, NOT FOR ME.
[F. Discussion - Addendum to 2023 Library Debrief and Research Final Report]
OUR AGENDA IS THE ADDENDUM TO THE 2023 LIBRARY DEBRIEF AND RESEARCH FINAL REPORT.ON NOVEMBER 12TH, I PRESENTED THE 2023 LIBRARY DEBRIEF AND RESEARCH REPORT CONCLUDING WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR WARREN COUNTY TO ESTABLISH A COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD.
[01:45:01]
THE LAST THREE WEEKS, UH, WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF, UH, COMMENTARY, EMAILS, QUESTIONS, OBJECTIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.I DO, UM, RESPOND TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS, OBJECTIONS, AND REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATIONS WHEN THOSE ARE, UH, THOUGHTFUL AND POLITE.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF EMAILS THAT ARE NEITHER.
AND, UM, IN THOSE CASES, UH, WELL, ACTUALLY IN ALL CASES, WHAT, WHAT I'VE TRIED TO DO IS COLLECT THE WHOLE BODY OF EMAILS AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UH, WATCH THOSE AND TOOK A LOT OF NOTES ON THAT.
AND I'VE CREATED FROM THAT ESSENTIALLY FIVE CATEGORIES THAT I, THAT I THINK MOST OF THE, UH, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, AND OBJECTIONS FALL INTO.
SO, UH, I HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN THIS.
I'VE, I'VE SHARED IT WITH SUPERVISORS, UM, AND VARIOUS CONSTITUENTS.
I'VE SENT IT TO THEM, UM, UH, PEOPLE, NOT JUST CONSTITUENTS, BUT PEOPLE WHO'VE EMAILED ME QUESTIONS, AND, UH, I'VE JUST, IF THEY'VE EMAILED, THEN I'VE SHARED THIS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GETTING THESE INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE PRESENTING THESE AS AN ADDENDUM BECAUSE THE REPORT WAS, WAS, WAS DONE, BUT THEN THE, THE, YOU KNOW, UN I GUESS UNKNOWABLE, MAYBE IT'S SOMEWHERE KNOWABLE, BUT THE POINT IS QUESTIONS, OBJECTIONS ARE COMING FORWARD.
SO WE'RE MAKING A, A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO ADDRESS THEM, UM, AND, UH, GET THEM OUT INTO THE, INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
UH, SO THE FIRST CATEGORY IS, UH, UNDERSTAND.
UH, NOW WHAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE ASKED OUR, UH, I'VE ASKED TUCKER TO SCROLL THROUGH THESE DOCUMENTS SO THEY CAN BE READ AS WELL, UH, WHILE I'M READING THEM.
UM, SO THE FIRST CATEGORY IS UNDERSTANDING THE WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD.
RECENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE LIBRARY GOVERNANCE OF REVEAL REVEALED CONSIDERABLE CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT A WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD IS AND ISN'T.
THIS CONFUSION STEMS PARTLY FROM THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENT WHERE SAMUEL'S LIBRARY INCORPORATED OPERATING, OPERATING UNDER A DOING BUSINESS.
AS SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS SUCCESSFULLY CREATED AN IDENTITY BETWEEN ITSELF AND THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE IT PROVIDES UNDER CONTRACT.
LET'S CLARIFY THESE DISTINCT ENTITIES.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IN WARREN COUNTY IS A PREDOMINANTLY TAXPAYER FUNDED PUBLIC SERVICE, MUCH LIKE OTHER COUNTY SERVICES, WHILE CURRENTLY OPERATED BY A PRIVATE COMPANY, SAMUEL'S LIBRARY INC.
IT REMAINS A PUBLIC SERVICE FUNDED PREDOMINANTLY BY PUBLIC MONEY AND A PUBLICLY OWNED FACILITY.
THE WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD WOULD BE A STATUTORY PUBLIC BODY AUTHORIZED BY VIRGINIA STATE STATUTE 42.1, CHAPTER TWO TO GOVERN PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES.
THIS IS THE STANDARD GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE USED BY THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
ITS MEMBERS WOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
THE WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD'S AUTHORITY WOULD EXTEND TO OVERSIGHT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES MANAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FUNDS AND POLICY SETTING FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY OPERATIONS.
LIKE THE VAST MAJORITY OF VIRGINIA PUBLIC LIBRARY'S ALREADY OPERATING UNDER PUBLIC BOARDS AND WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD WOULD BE BOUND BY CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES AND PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY PRACTICES.
IMPORTANTLY, THE WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD WOULD HAVE NO RELATION OR ROLE WHATSOEVER IN SAMUEL'S LIBRARY.
SAMUEL'S LIBRARY, INCS CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
THE WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD WOULD HAVE NO INVOLVEMENT IN SAMUEL'S ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF THEIR PRIVATE COMPANY.
HOWEVER, THE WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD WOULD HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO PROCURE PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES SOLELY FROM SAMUEL'S LIBRARY INC.
SAMUEL'S WOULD REMAIN AN INDEPENDENT PRIVATE ENTITY, MAINTAIN ITS OWN BOARD STRUCTURE, COMPETE FOR LIBRARY CONTRACTS IF IT WISHED OR FUNCTION AS A CHARITABLE SUPPORT ORGANIZATION AS ITS TRUSTEES SEE FIT.
THE SEPARATION OF GOVERNANCE FROM PRIVATE ENTITIES IS CRUCIAL.
CURRENT CONFUSION ABOUT TAKING OVER SAMUELS BOARD OF TRUSTEES REFLECTS A FUNDAMENTAL MISUNDERSTANDING PROPAGATED IN THE MEDIA.
THE WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD WOULD GOVERN PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES, NOT PRIVATE COMPANIES.
HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN DELEGATED THE GOVERNANCE OVER PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES THROUGH ITS OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY.
AS ESTABLISHING THE WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD SIMPLY REALIGNS THIS GOVERNMENT TO THE TAXPAYER REPRESENTED AUTHORITY.
THE SECOND CATEGORY ADDRESSING CLAIMS OF A RELIGIOUS AGENDA.
RECENT COMMENTS ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT THE RECOMMENDATION OF A WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD BY QUESTIONING SUPPORTERS RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS RATHER THAN ADDRESSING THE GOVERNANCE RECOMMENDATIONS.
[01:50:01]
THE PERSON RATHER THAN ENGAGING IN IN THE SUBSTANCE HAS NO PLACE IN SERIOUS POLICY DISCUSSION, NOR IS IT AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH.BOOK BANNING IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND WOULD NOT BE A PART OF ANY WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD'S AUTHORITY.
LIKE THE VAST MAJORITY OF VIRGINIA PUBLIC LIBRARIES OP ALREADY OPERATING UNDER PUBLIC BOARDS.
A WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD WOULD BE BOUND BY CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES AND PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY PRACTICES SUGGESTING THAT RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION DISQUALIFY CITIZENS FOR, FROM ADVOCATING FOR STANDARD PUBLIC GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES IS ITSELF A FORM OF PREJUDICE AND HAS NO PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE GOVERNANCE PROPOSAL ADDRESSES A SIMPLE STRUCTURAL ISSUE ALIGNING PUBLIC FUNDING WITH PUBLIC OVERSIGHT.
THE REPORT PROVIDES DETAILED ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL DATA ILLUSTRATING A REASONABLE LIKELIHOOD OF COST SAVINGS.
COMPARATIVE GOVERNANCE MODELS USED SUCCESSFULLY STATEWIDE STANDARD PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD STRUCTURES THAT SEPARATE GOVERNANCE FROM OPERATIONS.
THE NEED FOR STRUCTURAL CHANGE BECAME EVIDENT IN 2023 WHEN SAMUELS RESPONDED TO LEGITIMATE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OVERSIGHT WITH A $52,000 MEDIA CAMPAIGN THAT FOSTERED PUBLIC ACRIMONY TOWARDS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHILE IT WAS EXERCISING ITS GOVERNANCE PREROGATIVE AND ATTEMPTING TO GET AN OPERATING AGREEMENT IN PLACE RATHER THAN ENGAGING IN GOOD FAITH.
DISCUSSION ABOUT INCREASED TAXPAYER REPRESENTATION, SAMUEL'S REJECTED PROPOSALS OUTRIGHT WHILE PROMOTING DIVISIVE NARRATIVES ABOUT DEFUNDING AND CLOSURE AND PROFFERING CONTRACT TERMS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN THE PRIOR AGREEMENT HAD CONTAINED EVEN TODAY.
SAMUELS CONTINUES TO FAN CONTROVERSY BY CHARACTERIZING LEGITIMATE OVERSIGHT AS TAX AND MISREPRESENTING THE 2023 BOOK RECALL EFFORT AS QUOTE BASED SOLELY ON LGBT CONTENT WHEN DESCRIBING THEIR RECENT AWARDS.
ONLY IF ONE ACCEPTS THIS INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC OF QUOTE BOOK BANNING AND QUOTE AND BASED SOLELY ON LGBT CONTENT END QUOTE, AS FACTUAL COULD ONE ASSUME CENSORSHIP INTENT.
YET THAT RHETORIC IS JUST THAT DOMINATING THE REPETITIVE MEDIA NARRATIVE WITH THESE EMOTIONAL FLASHPOINT TERMS DOES NOT LEND CREDENCE TO THEIR TRUTH.
THESE ONGOING ATTEMPTS TO REFRAME GOVERNANCE ISSUES AS SOCIAL CONFLICTS DEMONSTRATE WHY STRUCTURAL REFORM IS NECESSARY.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE THIS PROPOSAL SHOULD ADDRESS ITS ACTUAL CONTENT RATHER THAN ENGAGING IN BASELESS ACCUSATIONS ABOUT RELIGIOUS MOTIVATIONS USING RELIGIOUS BIAS TO ARGUE AGAINST FORMATION OF A STANDARD PUBLIC BOARD STRUCTURE RUNS COUNTER TO FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF EQUAL PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC DISCOURSE.
ITEM THREE, ADDRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT A TAKEOVER.
SEVERAL EMAILS AND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD SPEAKERS CHARACTERIZED THE PROPOSAL FOR WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD AS A POLITICAL TAKEOVER.
A CONCERN THAT APPEARS TO STEM FROM EVENTS IN 2023.
RESTORING PUBLIC GOVERNANCE OF SERVICES PROVIDED WITH PUBLIC FUNDING MIGHT BE VIEWED AS A TAKEOVER IF YOU ARE OR AN ADVOCATE FOR THE PRIVATE ENTITY THAT CURRENTLY EXERCISES THAT GOVERNANCE.
HOWEVER, THAT IS ON A DELEGATED BASIS DELEGATED BY THE ELECTED TAXPAYER REPRESENTATIVES.
REMOVING THAT DELEGATED AUTHORITY FROM A PRIVATE ENTITY AND RESTORING IT TO A PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD IS MORE ACCURATELY TERMED A REALIGNMENT OF PUBLIC GOVERNANCE WITH PUBLIC FUNDING.
LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED AND WHY SUCH A REALIGNMENT SHOULD TAKE PLACE.
THE REALITY IS THAT THE TAXPAYERS FUND 83% OF ANNUAL OPERATIONS AND OWN ALL THE REAL ASSETS, INCLUDING THE 6.38 CIRCA $2,009 MILLION LIBRARY FACILITY.
YET TAXPAYERS HOLD ONE SEAT ON A 16 MEMBER BOARD.
THIS FUNDAMENTAL MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN PUBLIC FUNDING AND PUBLIC OVERSIGHT BECAME EVIDENT DURING THE 2023 CONTRACT OVERSIGHT PROCESS.
WHEN CONCERNS SURROUNDING A BOOK RECALL EFFORT AROSE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAD VERY LIMITED TOOLS FOR EXERCISING ITS LEGITIMATE OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES.
SUPERVISORS INDICATED TO SAMUELS THAT A POLICY RESPONSE WAS GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS CONCERNS RAISED BY THE BOOK RECALL EFFORT.
AT THE TIME, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH SAMUELS WAS EXPIRED.
THEREFORE, TWO REQUIREMENTS WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR SAMUELS TO COMPLY WITH ONE, IMPLEMENT A NEW BOOK POLICY TO DEAL WITH THE SEXUALLY GRAPHIC JUVENILE BOOKS AND TWO, EXECUTE AN UPDATED OPERATING
[01:55:01]
AGREEMENT.AS A MEANS OF ENSURING THAT THESE REQUIREMENTS WERE MET.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TOOK THE STEP TO INITIALLY APPROPRIATE ONE QUARTER OF THE LIBRARY BUDGETED AMOUNT WITHHOLDING THE LAST THREE QUARTERS FOR APPROPRIATION UNTIL AFTER MEETING THE TWO REQUIREMENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, RATHER THAN SIMPLY FOCUSING ON MEETING THESE BOS REQUIREMENTS, SAMUELS ENGAGED IN A MONTHS LONG MEDIA RELATIONS CAMPAIGN THAT PORTRAYED THE BOS, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS DEFUNDING THE LIBRARY WHILE THE OPERATING AGREEMENT WAS BEING NEGOTIATED AND RAISED UNFOUNDING FEARS ABOUT THE LIBRARY CLOSING.
WHY UNFOUNDED 'CAUSE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NEVER ALTERED ITS BUDGET, NEVER COMMUNICATED ANY INTENTION NOT TO CONTINUE WITH FUNDING.
ONCE THE REQUIREMENTS WERE S SATISFIED AND CERTAINLY NEVER INDICATED CLOSING THE LIBRARY, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN A ROUTINE CONTRACT OVERSIGHT, BECAME AN INFLAMMATORY PUBLIC CONTROVERSY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, INDICATED AND PAID FOR BY SAMUELS AT GREAT EXPENSE.
THE EVENTS OF 2023 HIGHLIGHTED WHY PROPER GOVERNANCE ALIGNMENT MATTERS WHEN NORMAL OVERSIGHT EFFORTS RESULTED IN EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC CONFLICT BETWEEN SAMUELS AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
IT INDICATES A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM THAT NEEDS CORRECTION.
SAMUEL'S PUBLIC MEDIA CAMPAIGNS ABOUT POSSIBLY CLOSING THE LIBRARY WERE EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS NOT ENGAGED IN GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATION.
FIRSTLY, BECAUSE AT THE TIME IT WAS PAYING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO A PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM.
AND SECONDLY, BECAUSE IT HAD A $1 MILLION FUND, IT COULD HAVE FALLEN BACK ON IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
CATEGORY NUMBER FOUR, ADDRESSING WHY CHANGE WHAT WORKS.
MANY LETTERS CITE SAMUEL'S SERVICE QUALITY AWARDS AND PATRON SATISFACTION AS REASONS TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT STRUCTURE.
WHOEVER THIS ARGUMENT CONFUSES THE OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE WITH PROPER GOVERNANCE ALIGNMENT.
THIS ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT SERVICE QUALITY, IT'S ABOUT THE FUNDAMENTAL TENSION THAT ARISES WHEN PUBLIC FUNDING MEETS PRIVATE GOVERNANCE.
LET'S BE CLEAR, THE DEDICATED LIBRARY STAFF AT SAMUELS WHO PROVIDE EXCELLENT DAILY SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY DESERVE RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT.
THESE PROFESSIONALS HAVE EARNED AWARDS AND HIGH SATISFACTION RATINGS THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT TO PATRON SERVICE UNDER A WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD.
MOST OF THESE TALENTED STAFF MEMBERS COULD END UP CONTINUING TO PROVIDE OUTSTANDING SERVICES IN VIRTUALLY ALL SCENARIOS.
UNDER WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD, MOST EXISTING STAFF MEMBERS ARE LIKELY TO BE OFFERED THEIR POSITIONS.
A FEW SCENARIOS WOULD BE SAMUELS CREATES A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIVISION AND ENTERS A COMPETITIVE PROPOSAL PROCESS AND WINS A CONTRACT TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES TO WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD.
TWO, A DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES COMPANY ENTERS A COMPETITIVE PROPOSAL PROCESS AND WINS A CONTRACT TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES TO WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD AND OFFERS EMPLOYMENT TO HIS EX EXISTING STAFF.
THREE, THE COUNTY OPERATES THE LIBRARY AND HIRES EXISTING STAFF.
OF COURSE, SAMUELS IS AN INDEPENDENT LEGAL ENTITY AND CAN MAKE ITS OWN CHOICE ABOUT THAT POSSIBILITY AND COULD SPIN OFF ITS ENDOWMENT AND OPERATE AN ENTITY IN THE SAME WAY THAT OTHERS DO AROUND THE STATE AND THE US.
THE STRUCTURAL TENSION BETWEEN PUBLIC FUNDING AND PRIVATE GOVERNANCE BECAME EVIDENT IN 2023 WHEN LEGITIMATE OVERSIGHT BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WAS MET WITH ACRIMONY INSTITUTING.
A WARREN COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD IS AIMED AT RESOLVING THE ISSUES WITH THE MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN FUNDING AND GOVERNANCE, NOT ITS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES STAFF THAT WILL OPEN POSSIBILITIES FOR OVERSIGHT AND COST SAVINGS THAT ARE NOT FORESEEABLE UNDER THE CONTINUED PRIVATE GOVERNANCE MODE.
EVIDENCE FOR THIS IS THAT RATHER THAN ENGAGING IN NORMAL CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS, SAMUEL'S REJECTED INCREASED TAXPAYER REPRESENTATION OUTRIGHT PROFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE AGGRESSIVE TERMS TO THE COUNTY THAN PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS SPENT $52,000 ON IMMEDIATE ON I MEDIA CAMPAIGN WHILE NEGOTIATING OF, WHILE NEGOTIATION OF THE OPERATING AGREEMENT WAS UNDERWAY.
PORTRAYED STANDARD OVERSIGHT AS ATTACKS ON THE LIBRARY CREATED PUBLIC ANXIETY ABOUT CLOSURE.
DESPITE HAVING AMPLE RESERVES, THE DATA TELLS AN IMPORTANT STORY THAT GIVES CREDENCE TO A TRANSITION TO PUBLIC TAXPAYER REPRESENTED OVERSIGHT RATHER THAN DELEGATING GOVERNANCE TO A PRIVATE SECTOR, ANNUAL FUNDING GREW 9.5% FOR OVER A DECADE WHILE POPULATION GREW.
0.85% STAFF COSTS PER CAPITA OR 57% HIGHER THAN A NEIGHBORING LIBRARY SYSTEM.
STAFF EXPENDITURE IS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL BUDGET IS 23% HIGHER THAN A NEIGHBORING LIBRARY SYSTEM.
TAXPAYERS FUND 83% OF OPERATIONS, BUT HOLD 6% OF GOVERNANCE AUTHORITY.
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DECISIONS ABOUT PUBLIC RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND GROWTH.GOOD SERVICE METRICS WHILE CONDEMNABLE COMMENDABLE DON'T JUSTIFY GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE THAT CREATES CONFLICT WHENEVER ELECTED OFFICIALS ATTEMPT LEGITIMATE OVERSIGHT.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF VIRGINIA PUBLIC LIBRARIES OPERATE UNDER STANDARD PUBLIC STANDARD PUBLIC BOARDS DEMONSTRATING THAT PROPER GOVERNANCE ALIGNMENT ENHANCES RATHER THAN DIMINISHES SERVICE QUALITY.
IN FACT, IT OFTEN ALLOWS LIBRARY STAFF TO FOCUS MORE FULLY ON SERVICE EXCELLENCE WHILE GOVERNANCE ISSUES ARE HANDLED THROUGH PROPER PUBLIC CHANNELS.
CATEGORY FIVE, ADDRESSING DEMANDS TO LEAVE PERS LEAVE ASIDE PERSONAL VIEWS.
TO ADDRESS THE SUGGESTION, COUNTY SUPERVISORS MUST LEAVE PERSONAL VIEWS OUT OF GOVERNANCE DECISIONS THE OATH SUPERVISORS TOOK WAS TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE NOT TO BECOME AN EMPTY VESSEL WITHOUT JUDGMENT OR PRINCIPLES.
WHEN CONSTITUENTS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, THEY FREELY CHOOSE A PERSON WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE RESEARCHED THEIR STATED POSITIONS, REASONING ABILITY, AND TRACK RECORD AND CERTAINLY POLITICAL AFFILIATION.
WHAT UNDERLIES WHAT ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLIE THE SUGGESTION THAT A COUNTY SUPERVISOR MUST SET ASIDE PERSONAL VIEWS WHEN PROMOTING POLICY CHANGE.
THAT PERSONAL VIEWS INHERENTLY CONFLICT WITH PUBLIC INTEREST.
THAT REASONED ANALYSIS LEADING TO CONVICTION IS SOMEHOW IMPROPER.
THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD AVOID CONTESTED POSITIONS ON GOVERNANCE ISSUES THAT CITIZENS WITH A GIVEN POINT OF VIEW HAVE SOME INHERENT RIGHT TO ADVOCACY, NOT AVAILABLE TO A SUPERVISOR'S RIGHT TO ADVOCACY.
IF THEY HAVE AN OPPOSING POINT OF VIEW THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT SOMEHOW STOPS AT THE DOOR OF PUBLIC OFFICE, THAT THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE NEUTRAL CHANNELS RATHER THAN THINKING ADVOCATES.
IT'S A FOOL'S ERRAND FOR AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE TO ATTEMPT TO REPRESENT ALL VIEWS WHERE POLICY PREFERENCES ARE CONCERNED.
WHILE ALL CITIZENS HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW AND SUPERVISORS ARE SWORN TO PROTECT THOSE RIGHTS, POLICY ADVOCACY IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MATTER.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE A SUPERVISOR'S POLICY POSITION MUST DEMONSTRATE HOW IT WOULD VIOLATE RIGHTS UNDER LAW NOT MERELY ASSERT IT OR FEAR IT.
THE LEAP FROM A DISAGREEING WITH A POLICY TO CLAIMING IT VIOLATES RIGHTS, REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE TO HAVE ANY CREDENCE.
THE SOLUTION TO DISAGREEMENT IN GOVERNANCE ISN'T TO DEMAND OFFICIALS ABANDON THEIR CAPACITY FOR REASON JUDGMENT.
IT'S TO ENGAGE WITH THE SUBSTANCE OF THEIR ARGUMENTS AND PRESENT COUNTER EVIDENCE WHEN WARRANTED.
NOW THERE ARE, UH, THERE I, ON THE 19TH WHEN I WAS, UM, MAKING MY REPORT, UH, MADE A STATEMENT AND I INVITED THAT RATHER THAN, UH, ED HOMAN STATEMENTS THAT PEOPLE WOULD ADDRESS THE CONTENTS OF THE REPORT.
UH, I DID RECEIVE BY EMAIL AN ANALYSIS OF THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2023 LIBRARY DEBRIEF RESEARCH REPORT.
UH, THAT REPORT, WHEN I RECEIVED IT, WAS MARKED AS A DRAFT AND I WAS MISTAKENLY UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, WANTED TO GET THAT TO ME AND GET MY RESPONSE TO IT.
I, UH, WITHIN HOURS REALIZED HE HAD SUBMITTED IT TO THE OPINION PAGE OF A LOCAL MEDIA OUTLET, UH, WHICH I, I CERTAINLY WAS HIS RIGHT TO DO.
BUT NOW IT IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND I THINK, UH, IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
UH, THE CRITI, UH, THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO THE INITIAL RESPONSE MADE THAT I SENT TO DR. TIMOTHY L. FRANCIS.
HIS SUBMISSION ON THE ON THE OPINION PAGE WAS ENTITLED ANALYSIS OF THE WARREN COUNTY BO OS 2023 LIBRARY DEBRIEF AND RESEARCH REPORT.
THE CRITIQUE OF THE REPORT BY DR. FRANCIS WARRANTS A RESPONSE NOT BECAUSE OF HIS CREDENTIALS, BUT BECAUSE HIS ANALYSIS DEMONSTRATES PRECISELY WHY CREDENTIALS ALONE DON'T GUARANTEE RIGOROUS ANALYSIS.
A PHD SIGNATURE CARRIES AN IMPLICIT PROMISE OF THOROUGH RESEARCH AND CAREFUL ANALYSIS.
YET THIS CRITIQUE EXHIBITS CONCERNING LAPSES, CLAIMING DATA ERRORS WITHOUT VERIFYING SOURCE MATERIALS, DISMISSING STANDARD STATISTICAL MEASURES WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION, SELECTIVELY IGNORING KEY EVIDENCE THAT CONTRADICTS A PREFERRED NARRATIVE AND USING ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS TO LEND WEIGHT TO HASTY CONCLUSIONS.
ENCORE GOVERNANCE DR. FRANCIS CONVEYS THE CONTENTS OF
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FIGURE ONE AND FIGURE FOUR FROM OUR REPORT AND SUMMARIZES HIS VIEW, QUOTE.HIS ARGUMENT IN THIS SECTION CAN BE REDUCED TO THE BO OS AS TOO LITTLE TO SAY AND HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT AND IT'S TOO MUCH MONEY ANYWAY.
FRANCIS' ATTITUDE OF CASUAL DISMISSAL.
A REPLY NUMBER ONE, THAT'S CORRECT.
TAXPAYER TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE MISALIGNMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND PRIVATE GOVERNANCE.
THE KEY THEME OF THE ENTIRE REPORT, WHAT OUR REPORT ACTUALLY SAYS CONCERNING COSTS IS QUOTE, BASED ON THE DATA, THERE IS A PLAUSIBLE REASON TO EXPECT THAT THESE SERVICES MAY BE ABLE TO BE REBASELINED THROUGH AN OPEN EVALUATION OF COMPETITIVE ALTERNATIVES ON GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATION.
HE GOES ON TO SAY, QUOTE, HE TRIES TO SAY, THIS IS IMPEDED BY THE REAL PROSPECT OF DISRUPTION AND ANTAGONISM WITHOUT REALIZING THAT SUCH NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN ROUTINE EVERY YEAR BEFORE HIS PRESENCE ON THE BOARD.
AS THE SAMUELS BOARD SAYS IN PRACTICALLY EVERY COMMUNICATION IT MAKES WITH THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS A NON HOSTILE GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATION HAS PRODUCED SPENDING COMPROMISES IN THE PAST AND CAN DO SO AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
DR. FRANCIS HAS IGNORED THE GLARING FACT RECOUNTED IN THE REPORT THAT THE MOST RECENT NEGOTIATION BETWEEN SAMUELS AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER AND INTO EARLY OCTOBER WAS NOT CHARACTERIZED BY GOOD FAITH FROM SAMUELS.
IT WAS CHARACTERIZED BY A COSTLY PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN THAT ENTAILED LIBRARY CLOSURE THREATS, DEFUNDING CLAIMS, CREATING SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC PRESSURE ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DURING CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
WHILE THESE NARRATIVES PLAYED OUT IN MEDIA AND THE COMMUNITY, SAMUEL'S NOT ONLY REJECTED INCREASED TAXPAYER REPRESENTATION WITHOUT COMPROMISE, BUT SIMULTANEOUSLY PURSUED REMARKABLY AGGRESSIVE CONTRACT TERMS, THEIR PROPOSED MOA DEMANDED UNPRECEDENTED COMMITMENTS, A SIX YEAR FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH GUARANTEED ESCALATIONS, NO NEED FOR GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATING FOR SIX YEARS.
COUNTY ABSORPTION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT INCREASES, AUTOMATIC FUNDING INCREASES TIED TO COUNTY REVENUE AND TRANSFER OF THE FACILITY MAINTENANCE COSTS TO TAXPAYERS.
WHILE PUBLIC NARRATIVES PORTRAYED SAMUELS AS A VICTIM OF ATTACKS AND FUNDING THREATS, THEY SIMULTANEOUSLY REFUSED TAXPAYER OVERSIGHT WHILE SEEKING TERMS, FAR MORE DEMANDING THAN THEIR PREVIOUS AGREEMENT THAT THIS OCCURRED.
WHILE A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PUBLIC RELATIONS LAW FIRM WAS BEING PAID OVER $52,000 SUGGESTS THE NARRATIVE CAMPAIGNS WERE NOT MERELY DEFENSIVE RESPONSES, BUT PART OF A COORDINATED STRATEGY TO LEVERAGE PUBLIC ANXIETY FOR CONTRACTUAL ADVANTAGE.
DATA ERRORS WITHOUT VERIFICATION DATA ERROR CLAIMS WITHOUT VERIFICATION.
FRANCIS' ASSERTION OF QUOTE, FUNDING AND TIMELINE ERRORS IN OUR REPORT PARTICULARLY DEMONSTRATES THE HASTY NATURE OF HIS ANALYSIS.
HE CLAIMS OUR REPORTED 88% TAXPAYER FUNDING FIGURE IS INCORRECT.
CITING SAMUEL'S OWN COMPARISON INFORMATION REPORT, WHICH SHOWS 69% WARREN COUNTY FUNDING.
THIS REVEALS SEVERAL CRITICAL FAILURES OF ACADEMIC RIGOR ARE FAILURE TO CONSULT SOURCE DATA PROVIDED ON OUR REPORTS APPENDIX, MISUNDERSTANDING OF TAXPAYER FUNDING VERSUS WOR COUNTER FUNDING.
IGNORING THAT FRONT ROW RESIDENTS ARE WARREN COUNTY TAXPAYERS WHO ARE VIRGINIA TAXPAYERS NEVER SPENDING, NEVER SPECIFYING THE ALLEGED TIMELINE ERROR, NOT CROSS-CHECKING DATA AVAILABLE ON SAMUEL'S OWN WEBSITE.
MOST TELLINGLY, WHILE CLAIMING OUR DATA IS INCORRECT, HE RELIES SOLELY ON SAMUEL'S SELECTIVE PRESENTATION RATHER THAN CONDUCTING INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION.
THE DATA SUPPORTING OUR FIGURES IS CLEARLY PRESENTED IN TABLE A, ONE OF OUR REPENT.
OUR REPORTS APPENDIX COMPILED FROM SAMUEL'S OWN ANNUAL INFORMATION REPORTS WHEN WE INCLUDE ALL TAXPAYER SOURCES, COUNTY, TOWN, AND STATE, ALONG WITH THE TAXPAYER FUNDED LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION.
THE FIGURES ARE EXACTLY AS WERE REPORTED.
THE SELECTIVE USE OF DATA TO CLAIM ERRORS WHILE IGNORING READILY AVAILABLE VERIFICATION SOURCES FALLS WELL BELOW EXPEND EXPECTED STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC ANALYSIS.
FIGURE TWO FROM OUR REPORT IS REPRODUCED HERE WITH ADDITIONAL LABELING TO SHOW THE PERCENTAGE OF PRIVATE DONATIONS AND GIFTS WHO ARE ON THE PIE CHARTS.
NOW WITH ADDITIONAL LABELING LABELING TO SHOW THE PERCENTAGE OF PRIVATE DONATIONS AND GIFTS, 6.7% THAT SAMUEL'S BROUGHT IN THE PERCENTAGE OF TAXPAYER REPRESENTATIVES ON SAMUEL'S
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS 6% TABLE A ONE REPRODUCED BELOW WITH AN ADDITIONAL NOTE SHOWING THE COVID ERA PAYCHECK PRODUCTION PROGRAM INCOME TO SAMUELS OF 138,700 IN 2021, THE COUNTY DID NOT MODIFY FUNDING TO SAMUELS DURING COVID, SO NO PAYCHECKS WERE IN DANGER.THE COST DE EFFICIENCY ISSUE, DR. FRANCIS LEADS OFF HIS ANALYSIS OF HIS OF THIS SECTION WITH THE STATEMENT THAT WE ACCUSE SAMUELS OF HAVING HIGHER PER CAPITA STAFF SPENDING AND STAFF SPENDING AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL BUDGET.
THIS IS A SURPRISING EMOTIONAL INJECTION NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE LINICAL TONE.
IT DOES NOT ACCUSE NEVERTHELESS, THE PER CAPITA STAFF EXPENDITURE METRICS ARE LITERALLY PRESENTED IN THE LIBRARY'S COMPARISON INFORMATION REPORT.
THE CIR PROVIDED BY SAMUELS THAT HE SAYS HE IS THANKFUL TO BASIS ANALYSIS UPON.
SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT DATA.
DR. FRANCIS REFERENCES JAMESON'S SLEIGH OF HAND IN MAKING COMPARISONS.
LET'S EXAMINE THE DATA AND WHO IS PERFORMING THE SLIDES.
FIRST QUOTE, HE SAYS, FIRST IN COMPARISON, THE TWO OTHER SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARIES, STANTON AND WAYNESBORO, I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA REREAD THAT IN COMPARISON TO TWO OTHER SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARIES, STANTON AND WAYNESBORO SPLS PER CAPITA COST IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER.
20.27 V, 20.3, 35.10 AND 28.29 TO BEGIN WITH, IT IS SAMUELS WHO HAS PUT THIS PER CAPITA STAFF COST SLIDE IN THE CIR, THE COMPARISON INFORMATION REPORT.
IF ONLY SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARIES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR COMPARISON, THEN THEY MAY HAVE LEFT OUT OTHER LIBRARIES OR INFORMED THE READER THAT THEY'RE PRESENTING COMPARISON DATA THAT IS NOT REALLY COMPARABLE.
BUT THEY DID NOT DO THAT, AND WE HAVE TO RELY ON DR. FRANCIS TO CONFIRM THAT ONLY THE SINGLE LIBRARY BUILDING THAT SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARY IS RELEVANT.
FURTHER, THE CIR READER HAS NO INFORMATION ABOUT HOW OR WHY THE NINE COMPARISON LIBRARIES WERE CHOSEN.
HOWEVER, ON THE CIR STAFF EXPENDITURES PER CAPITA FY 2023 SLIDE COPIED BELOW, WE SEE THREE SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARIES.
BUT DR. FRANCIS TELLS US ONLY ABOUT TWO OTHER SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARIES, NOT THE TWO OTHER BECAUSE THERE ARE THREE IN HIS ANALYSIS OF OUR REPORT.
AS IT HAPPENS, HE TELLS US ONLY ABOUT THE TWO SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARIES WITH STAFF PER CAPITA COSTS HIGHER THAN SAMUEL'S, BUT HE MANAGES TO IGNORE THE SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARY WITH PER CAPITA COSTS LOWER THAN SAMUEL'S.
IS THIS THE SLEIGH OF HAND? DR. FRANCIS DISDAINS COAL PEPPER IS ALSO A SINGLE BUILDING COUNTY LIBRARY SERVING A POPULATION OF ABOUT 52,000, NOT THE 3.5 TIMES MULTIPLE.
AS IS THE CASE WITH LEY SAMUELS ALSO HAS A PER CAPITA STAFF EXPENDITURE 1.59 TIMES HIGHER THAN THAT OF COLPEPPER.
WHEN COMPARING COST EFFICIENCY PERFORMANCE, SHOULD WARREN COUNTY TAXPAYERS BE DIRECTED AT HOW SAMUELS PERFORMS RELATIVE TO THE BEST PERFORMERS IN THE COMPARISON? OR DOES DR. FRANCIS THINK THAT INFORMING TAXPAYERS THAT SAMUELS IS NOT THE WORST IN COST DEFICIENCY PERFORMANCE IS THE BETTER GUIDANCE FROM HIS ANALYSIS? WE CONCLUDE HE THINKS THE LATTER.
WE BELIEVE THE TARGET IS THE BEST WE CAN BE, NOT CONTENTMENT THAT WE ARE NOT THE WORST.
THE HANDLY SYSTEM COVERS A POPULATION THREE AND A HALF TIMES THE SIZE OF SPO.
SO OF COURSE SOME PER CAPITA COMPARISONS WILL BE LOWER JUST OWING TO SCALE.
FRANCIS'S CASUAL DISMISSAL OF PER CAPITA COMPARISONS BECAUSE HANDLY COVERS A POPULATION THREE AND A HALF TIMES THE SIZE OF SPO AND REVEALS A TROUBLING MISUNDERSTANDING OF BASIC STATISTICAL CONCEPTS.
PER CAPITA MEASUREMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ENABLE COMPARISONS ACROSS DIFFERENT POPULATION SIZES.
THIS IS THEIR FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE.
ANY PHD SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT THE CASUAL ASSERTION, THAT QUOTE, OF COURSE, SOME PER CAPITA COMPARISONS WILL BE LOWER JUST OWING TO SCALE IS UNSUPPORTED PER CAPITA.
STATISTICS ARE STANDARD PRACTICE ACROSS ECONOMICS, SOCIAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY.
POPULATION SIZE DIFFERENCES ARE EXACTLY WHAT PER CAPITA MEASURES ARE DESIGNED TO ADDRESS.
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VALID CRITICISM WOULD REQUIRE DEMONSTRATING NON-LINEAR SCALING EFFECTS, WHICH HE DID NOT EVEN MENTION.FINALLY, IF SIZE IN VALIDATES COMPARISON, WHY DID SAMUELS INCLUDE SAMUELS? INCLUDE HANLEY IN THEIR OWN COMPARISON REPORT.
WE HAVE PROVIDED A NEW CHART THAT INCORPORATES THE CULPEPER COUNTY LIBRARY FROM THE SAMUELS COMPARISON INFORMATION REPORT.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE BEST COST EFFICIENCY PERFORMANCE WARREN COUNTY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE.
SO WE REPORT ON SAMUELS COMPARED TO THE BEST IN THE REGION, KNOWING THAT SAMUELS IS NOT AS BAD AS THE LOWEST COST EFFICIENCY PERFORMERS IS OF LITTLE INTEREST.
THE INCLUSION OF EPPER COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY INTO THE ANALYSIS OF STAFF EXPENDITURE PER CAPITA POSES A PROBLEM FOR DR.
FRANCIS' S SLIGHT OF HAND HYPOTHESIS.
NOW WE HAVE IN THE COMPARISON A SINGLE LI BUILDING LIBRARY WITH A SIMILAR POPULATION, 52,000 FOR COLD PEPPER, 40,000 FOR SAMUELS.
NOW EVEN THE UNSUPPORTED BASIS FOR WAIVING AWAY THE PER CAPITA COMPARISON IS GONE.
AND WE CAN SEE A CLEAR INDICATOR THAT SAMUELS SEEMS TO BE HALF STAFF HEAVY ON THE PERFORM ON THE SUBJECT OF PERFORMANCE METRICS.
WHILE CASUALLY DISMISSING THE STAFF EXPENDITURES PER CAPITA WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION.
DR. FRANCIS DOES NOT THINK IT RELEVANT THAT THE SECOND PERFORMANCE METRIC IN THE REPORT, PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL BUDGET ATTRIBUTED TO STAFF EXPENDITURES, MERITS ANY COMMENT.
THAT IS, IT IS 23% HIGHER THAN NEIGHBORING HANDLING, UH, THE DIRECTOR'S SALARIES ISSUE.
NOW WE WILL TURN TO A METRIC THAT DR. FRANCIS HAS BROUGHT INTO HIS ANALYSIS OF OUR REPORT.
THE DIRECTOR SALARIES, THE SAMUELS CIR COMPARATIVE INFORMATION AND REPORT CONTAINS A TABLE CHART, A TABLE AND CHART OF DIRECTOR SALARIES AND SALARY RANGES.
BUT IT DOES NOT CONTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MANY DIRECTORS THERE ARE KEEPING.
WITH THE COMPARISONS TO EP AND LEY, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE ACTUAL COST OF DIRECTORS, NOT SIMPLY THE SALARY RANGES OF DIRECTORS, AND THEN COMPARE PER CAPITA FOR DIRECTORS.
ALTHOUGH YOU'LL NOT FIND TWO DIRECTORS NAMED ON SAMUEL'S WEBSITE, YOU CAN FIND A LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND A DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND THE SAMUEL'S TRUSTEES MEETING RECORDS.
THE TABLE SHOWS THAT THE SALARIED RANGE FOR DIRECTORS AND CO PEPPERS.
87 TO 135, A POPULATION SERVED OF 52,000 RESULTS IN A PER CAPITA COST OF A DOLLAR 68 TO TWO 60.
FOR HANLEY, THE RAISED, THE PER CAPITA IS A DOLLAR 10.
SAMUELS HAS TWO DIRECTORS, AND THE PER CAPITA IS 360 TO 5 47.
SO HERE WE HAVE AN INTERESTING PRESENTATION OF DATA IN THE COM CIR, WHICH SEEMS TO SAY THE DIRECTOR'S SALARIES ARE AT THE LOW END OF THE SPECTRUM, BUT NOT SAYING THAT SAMUELS HAS MORE THAN TWO TIMES THE MONEY ON DIRECTORS AS EPPER A SINGLE BUILDING LIBRARY WITH SERVING 52,000 AND NEARLY THE SAME MONEY ON DIRECTORS AS HANLEY, WHICH SERVES MORE THAN THREE AND A HALF TIMES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACCORDING TO DR. FRANCIS.
WE THINK THIS IS ANOTHER INDICATOR THAT THERE'S A PLAUSIBLE REASON TO THINK THAT REBASE LENDING PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS DEFICIENCIES DR.
FRANCIS' TREATMENT OF THE VILLA AVENUE PROPERTY TRANSACTION REVEALS A FUNDAMENTAL MISUNDERSTANDING OF REAL ESTATE, ECONOMICS AND PRESENT VALUE.
HIS CLAIM THAT THE COUNTY RECEIVED THE FULL VALUE OF THE VILLA AVENUE LOCATION IMMEDIATELY IN 2011 IS ANTITHETICAL TO BASIC PRINCIPLES OF REAL ESTATE OR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT.
THE COUNTY HAD FREE USE OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING GUARANTEED THROUGH 2028 AND 2011.
THEY PAID, UH, OVER EIGHT YEARS, $550,000 FOR PROPERTY THEY COULD USE FOR FREE FOR ANOTHER 17 AND A HALF YEARS.
DR. FRANCIS ARGUES THAT CURRENT PROPERTY VALUE JUSTIFIES THE TRANSACTION.
HE CLAIMS THAT THIS IS A LOT MORE THAN $0 IT WOULD RECEIVE IN 2028.
THE ANALYSIS FAILS ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.
IT IGNORES THE TIME VALUE OF MONEY IT CONFUSES, BUT FUTURE POTENTIAL VALUE WITH PRESENT RIGHTS DISREGARDS THE ACTUAL COST OF THE EARLY PURCHASE VERSUS THE FREE USE FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THAT 2028 HASN'T ARRIVED YET AND OVERLOOKS THAT THE FUNDS PROVIDED TO SAMUELS SEEDED THEIR CURRENT ENDOWMENT.
ANY SERIOUS ANALYSIS OF THIS TRANSACTION WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT PAYING FOR SOMETHING YOU ALREADY HAVE FREE USE OF YEARS BEFORE THAT FREE USE EXPIRES REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL JUSTIFICATION.
THE FUNDS TRANSFERRED TO SAMUELS THROUGH THIS TRANSACTION WHEN PROPERLY VALUED WITH COMPOUND INTEREST AT THEIR REPORTED ENDOWMENT RATE OF 6.4% APPROACHES $1.1 MILLION.
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TRANSFER TO A PRIVATE ENTITY DESERVES MORE RIGOROUS ANALYSIS THAN CASUAL DISMISSAL THROUGH PROPERTY APPRECIATION CLAIMS. SELECTIVE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS DR.FRANCIS' CRITIQUE BECOMES PARTICULARLY PROBLEMATIC WHEN EXAMINING SAMUEL'S FINANCIAL DECISIONS DURING THE 2023 CONTROVERSY.
HIS ANALYSIS SKIPS ENTIRELY OVER A GLARING CONTRADICTION DURING THE SAME PERIOD THAT SAMUEL SPENT OVER 52,000 ON A PROFESSIONAL PR CAMPAIGN TO PORTRAY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS DE FUNDERS AND POTENTIAL LIBRARY CLOSERS, THEY PURSUED AN UNPRECEDENTED SIX YEAR CONTRACT DEMANDING GUARANTEED FUNDING ESCALATIONS, AUTOMATIC INCREASES TIED TO COUNTY REVENUE, COUNTY ABSORPTION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT INCREASES, AND TRANSFER OF FACILITY MAINTENANCE COST TO TAXPAYERS.
WHILE THEIR LEADERSHIP CLAIMED THEY WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CLOSE, QUOTE AND QUOTE, WITHOUT OCTOBER ONE FUNDING, THEY HAD SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO MAINTAIN AN EXPENSIVE PR CAMPAIGN AND HELD, HELD A $1 MILLION RESERVE FUND FOR EMERGENCIES.
THEIR CHOICE TO SPEND TAXPAYER DERIVED FUNDS ON PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS AGAINST TAXPAYER REPRESENTATIVES WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY DEMANDING LONG-TERM FINANCIAL GUARANTEES DESERVED SCRUTINY FROM ANY SERIOUS ACADEMIC ANALYSIS.
MOST CONCERNING IS THE CRITIQUES EVASION OF THIS REPORT'S CENTRAL ARGUMENT, THE MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN PUBLIC FUNDING, THE MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN FUNDING AND GOVERNANCE.
TAXPAYERS PROVIDE 83% OF ANNUAL FUNDING, BUT HOLDS 6% OF GOVERNANCE AUTHORITY.
PRIVATE CONTROL 94% RESTS WITH MINIMAL PRIVATE CONTRIBUTION.
6.7% STANDARD GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES ARE USED BY 96% OF VIRGINIA LIBRARIES.
IT'S DISMISSED WITHOUT ANALYSIS, RECENT DEMONSTRATION OF GOVERNANCE PROBLEMS. IE THE AGGRESSIVE MOA DEMANDS IN THE CAMPAIGN MEDIA CAMPAIGN ARE IGNORED.
THIS CRITIQUE SIGNED WITH ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS YET FALLING SHORT OF BASIC ACADEMIC STANDARDS EXEMPLIFIES WHY CREDENTIALS ALONE DON'T VALIDATE ANALYSIS.
A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF LIBRARY GOVERNANCE REQUIRES ENGAGING WITH FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC REPRESENTATION AND FISCAL OVERSIGHT, NOT SELECTIVE DATA INTERPRETATION AIMED AT MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO.
ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, THAT I I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE THING.
YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE HAD, UH, SEVERAL FO WELL, I, I'VE HEARD, UH, COMMENTS HERE AT THE, UH, AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS THAT, UH, WELL, WHY ARE WE MAKING A BIG DEAL OVER JUST 1% OF THE BUDGET? BUT THE, BUT WHEN YOU COMPARE, THAT'S COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES, WHICH IS THE, UH, UH, IT IS THE PARTNER AGENCIES THAT, UH, ARE NON, THAT EXCLUDES NON-DISCRETIONARY AND, AND THAT'S LIKE DSS, THE STATE MANDATES THAT WE HAVE TO FUND THEM.
THE, UH, OF IT, THE, UH, THE, THE LIBRARY REPRESENTS 63% OF THAT, AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP.
WELL, MY COMMENT HERE IS, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THE AMENDMENTS ARE GONNA BE THE AGENDA.
THE GONNA BE PART OF THE, A REPORT, RIGHT? AND IT'LL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE SO EVERYONE CAN, CAN SEE IT.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT POINT ACROSS.
AND, UM, UM, AND MR. BUTLER, I GET THE SAME QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, WHY ARE WE SPENDING ALL THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S ONLY 1% OF THE BUDGET? AND, UM, IT'S TO ME, YOU KNOW, I RAN ON AN, ON TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND TO ME, YOU KNOW, BASED ON, YOU KNOW, OH, WHAT WE JUST HEARD, AND I TRULY, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT OVERREACH, IT'S ABOUT OVERSIGHT OF, OF TAX DOLLARS, YOU KNOW? UM, AND AS WE HAD IN OUR LAST WORK SESSION, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT ON IN THE LIBRARY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AUDIT REPORTS, YOU LOOK AT THEIR NINE NINETIES AND STUFF, AND IT JUST SAYS, THIS IS HOW MUCH WE GOT, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS HOW IT'S DISTRIBUTED.
UM, THAT TO ME, LOOKING AT THAT IS TRANSPARENCY FOR ME, RIGHT? UH, WE, YOU KNOW, WE WORK IN OUR FINANCE AUDIT COMMITTEE, RIGHT? AND WE'RE COMING UP WITH MOUS FOR OTHER NONPROFITS AND, YOU
[02:25:01]
KNOW, PARTNER AGENCIES AND STUFF.AND, UM, WE'RE KIND OF FENCING WHAT THE, THE MONEY CAN COULD BE SPENT ON, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU CAN'T SPEND IT ON ALCOHOL, YOU CAN'T SPEND IT ON FUNDRAISING E EVENTS.
YOU KNOW, WE PUT THAT FENCE AROUND AND I, AND I KIND OF WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF FOLLOW IN THAT SAME VEIN, YOU KNOW, UM, AND SOMEHOW WORK WITH THE LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, SAMUELS TO COME UP WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, WE BECOME RESTRICTED FUNDS, RIGHT? WE EARMARK WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING AND HOW IT'S GONNA BE SPENT, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE, WHEN I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, IT'S LIKE, OH, WOW.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, FOR SALARIES ALONE, IT'S ALMOST, YOU KNOW, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, I THINK THE NUMBER WAS LIKE 1,000,028, YOU KNOW, 28,000.
BUT THAT INCLUDED TRAVEL DEVELOPMENT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO JUST BY DEFINITION, I MEAN, THAT'S, IS THAT WHERE ALL OUR MONEY'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, OR IS IT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, UH, MAINTENANCE OR IT, OR WHATEVER.
SO I THINK WITH OUR LI LIBRARY BOARD, IT'S GOING TO SET THE POLICIES GOING FORWARD OF WHAT THE, UM, EXPECTATIONS OF THE, UH, TAXPAYERS AND PROVIDES US THE OVERSIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY THAT WE ARE, UH, THAT WE'RE APPROPRIATING IS GOING TO THE RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, NOT SO MUCH TO THE RIGHT.
IT, IT'S JUST MORE WHERE IS IT GOING, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S TRACE, IT'S TRANSPARENCY OF TAX DOLLARS.
AND WE EXP AND OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE THE SAME FOR ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE EXPECT IT FIRE RESCUE, WE, WE EXPECT IT, YOU KNOW, FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
I MEAN, WE JUST SAT HERE AND WENT THROUGH ABOUT OUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING AND, YOU KNOW, UM, AND THE POSSIBILITY HAVE TO TRIMMING, TRIMMING THINGS BACK OR RAISE TAXES OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
BUT THAT'S OUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.
BUT ANYWAY,
AND I THINK THE LIBRARY BOARD WILL GIVE US THAT.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TAKEN AWAY.
THE RESPO, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE OVERREACHING.
YOU KNOW, THE LI SAMUEL'S LIBRARY CAN MAINTAIN THEIR BOARD OF SUPER, YOU KNOW, THEIR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THEIR, HOW THEY OPERATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I DON'T THIS, AND I'M BY NO MEANS IS BANNING BOOKS.
UM, I SAID THAT LAST YEAR, AND I SAY IT AGAIN, I'M AGAINST BANNING BOOKS AND THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARY BOARD, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION, AND THERE'S A FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT HERE FOR ALL SIDES.
AND I WILL ALWAYS RESPECT THAT.
AND AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT ANYTHING LIKE THAT WHATSOEVER.
AND I DON'T THINK THE LIBRARY BOARD IS GOING TO DO THAT AT ALL.
IT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND I'M, YOU KNOW, REALLY ADAMANT ABOUT THAT PART OF WHAT THIS, UM, LIBRARY BOARD.
BUT, UM, BUT THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, DR.
JAMESON FOR PUT PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND, UM, AND WE'LL JUST MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, UM, WITH THE PRO WITH THE PROCESS.
JOHN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YEAH, I MEAN, JUST, UH, IF YOU HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS GOING TO A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION, IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT AND CONTROLS.
SO THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE ONLY CASE WHERE WE NEED A BOARD.
UH, WE CAN TAKE THAT UP AS A SEPARATE CONVERSATION.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BOARDS FOR CERTAIN SANITARY DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE BOARD FOR THE AIRPORT EXACTLY.
UM, AND, UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THINGS FOR THE COUNTY WITH, WITH SIX FIGURE, YOU KNOW, UH, DISBURSEMENTS THAT PROBABLY MIGHT NEED SIMILAR, UH, ATTENTION.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT THAT TOO.
WELL, THERE'S ONE OTHER THING THAT I, THAT I WANTED TO ADD ON THIS, AND THAT'S THAT.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT WHEN I WORKED FOR THE, FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT, UH, UH, WITH CONTRACTORS AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU POINTED OUT IN IN YOUR REPORT THAT, UH, SAMUELS IS, IS A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR.
CONTRACTORS OF COULD NOT BE IN CHARGE OF A PROGRAM.
THEY ALWAYS HAD TO HAVE A GOVERNMENT PERSON WHO WAS IN CHARGE THAT THEY REPORTED TO.
AND, AND I THINK THAT, UH, HAVING DELEGATED THAT, THAT AUTHORITY TO, UH, UH, TO, TO SAMUELS OVER THE YEARS AND, UH, UH, THAT ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET IT BACK TO WHAT IS STANDARD GOVERNMENT PRACTICE.
AND THAT IS TO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNANCE.
[02:30:01]
UH, OF, OF THINGS.NOW, IF SAMUELS WANTS TO GO AND, AND RUN THINGS THE WAY THAT THEY, THAT THEY WANT TO, WELL THEN GO OUT AND GET THE FUNDING, GO OUT AND GET THE, THE, THE A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDING WE COULD USE THAT YOU, YOU SAW FROM, FROM OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, WE COULD USE THAT MILLION DOLLARS
IN DEFINITELY OTHER PLACES WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO RAISE TAXES.
YOU KNOW, FOR A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THE, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF, IF THEY DON'T WANT A LIBRARY BOARD, THEN BY GOLLY, GO OUT AND GET ALL THE, GET ALL THE DONORS THAT YOU WANT, AND FUND THE LIBRARY AND GET THE COUNTY OUT OF THE, OUT OF FUNDING THE LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE WAY THAT I LOOK AT IT, SO, WELL, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN STILL, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH SAMUELS, BUT I THINK IT THROUGH THE LIBRARY BOARD YEAH.
WOULD BE THE WAY TO, TO, TO GO WITH THAT APPROACH.
YOU KNOW, AND BASIC, AND IT'S JUST FOR TRACEABILITY, IT'S FOR TRANSPARENCY.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'VE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC, UH, SAMUEL'S LIBRARY IS A PUBLIC CHARITY, YOU KNOW, AND THEY GET MOST OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS FROM STATE JUST LIKE MR, YOU KNOW, TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
SO, BUT, UH, BUT AGAIN, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, UM, MR. BUTLER FOR BRINGING UP ABOUT WHY PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WHY ARE WE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME ON THIS? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST ABOUT, UH, OVERSIGHT AND, UM, UH, TRANSPARENCY OF TAX DOLLARS.
AND I'VE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN ON THAT PLATFORM SINCE MY FIRST YEAR HERE AT THE BOARD SUPERVISORS.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, RICH FOR, FOR DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, EVERYTHING ELSE IS STILL GOING ON IN THE COUNTY.
UM, WE STILL HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WE'RE DEALING WITH, WE STILL HAVE OUR COMMITTEES ON.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T AGREE THAT WE'RE SPENDING MORE TIME ON THIS THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
THAT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT THE CASE.
BUT IT'S ATTRACTING THE KIND OF MEDIA ATTENTION THAT'S DRAWING PEOPLE INTO IT, AND IT'S THEIR FOCUS.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE COMMENT I WANTED TO MAKE.
I MEAN, WE CAN, I KNOW WE CAN GO DOWN A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS THAT WE DO EVERY DAY OR, OR A WEEK, YOU KNOW, GOING TO DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, COMMITTEES, YOU KNOW, GOING TO, UM, CEREMONIES AND, YOU KNOW, AS A LOT OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I COULD GO THROUGH A WHOLE LIST OF OTHER COMMITTEES THAT I'M ON, YOU KNOW, SO I AGREE.
YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR TIME ON THIS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
WE NEED A COPY OF THE REPORT THROUGH MR. HENDERSON'S FILE.
SO, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.