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[A.Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America ]
AND GENTLEMEN.IT IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE SECOND, AND, UH, WE ARE READY TO BEGIN OUR MEETING.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC FORMATION UNDER GOD, INVIS WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND TONIGHT WE HAVE PASTOR BOBBY STEP I I'M FILLING IN FOR BOBBY.
HE FILLED IN FOR ME TWO WEEKS AGO.
FATHER, WE PRAISE AND THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY OF LIFE YOU'VE GIVEN US AND AS WE JUST PLEDGED IT, WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD.
AND OUR MOTTO ON THE WALL AND ON OUR CURRENCY IS IN GOD WE TRUST.
AND SO, FATHER, WE, WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.
I PRAY THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE HERE IS HUMBLY COMING BEFORE YOU.
I PRAISE AND THANK YOU FOR THE FORGIVENESS AND ETERNAL LIFE AND SALVATION THAT WE CAN HAVE IN JESUS CHRIST THROUGH REPENTANCE AND FAITH.
AND I PRAISE AND THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR AS YOUR WORD GIVES US HUMAN GOVERNMENT THAT IS DESIGNED TO, UH, PROTECT AND TO PROVIDE A, A PEACEABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE WHO WILL DO THAT WHICH IS PLEASING TO YOU.
AND TO REMOVE THOSE WHO, UH, ARE EVIL DOERS.
I DO PRAY FOR THIS COUNCIL TONIGHT.
UH, FATHER YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED THEM WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DOING THAT WHICH PLEASES YOU AND THAT IS RIGHT BEFORE YOU.
AND SO I PRAY THAT THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE TONIGHT WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT OF WHAT YOU, UH, WOULD HAVE THEM DO BASED UPON YOUR WORD AND WILL GIVE YOU THE PRAISE FOR WE ASK IT IN JESUS' NAME.
[B.Adoption of Agenda — Additions or Deletions ]
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.DO I HAVE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS? YEAH, HE'S RIGHT.
IS, IS THERE ANY COMMENTS? IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY? WE, WE COULD, HE COULD, UH, HE COULD JUST ADD IT ON WITH THE, UH, MENTION ABOUT THE AIRPORT, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
[C.Presentation - Front Royal-Warren County Airport Capital Projects ]
HAVE A PRESENTATION BY MR. BERRY.BOARD MEMBERS, UM, I'M BRINGING MY LAPTOP JUST IN CASE.
THE CLICKER BROKE A BIT AGO AND ZACH SAID IT'S BACK.
SO JUST IN CASE I CAN'T SEE IT, I'LL, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND HIT THE FARMS REAL QUICK SINCE I'M NOT PREPARED.
BUT, UM, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST, THE BIG, UM, PROJECT THAT WE JUST COMPLETED OR 90% COMPLETE IS THOMPSON MILL, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WASHED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING OUR FLOODING.
AND, UM, OUR STAFF WITH SOME RENTAL EQUIPMENT IS 90% COMPLETE.
UM, THEY HAVE PUT, UM, ALL THE PIPE IN AND THEY'VE, UM, ALREADY BACKFILLED PUT RED PREP IN.
UM, AND THEN ALL WE HAVE LEFT IS WE'RE GONNA PUT CONCRETE AROUND THE PIPE AND THEN WE'LL CUT 'EM OFF ON AN ANGLE.
UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH OUR ENGINEERS PREVIOUSLY.
SO IF YOU GET A, A MAJOR FLOOD EVENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT PUSHES THERE WITH YOUR PIPE CUT ON AN ANGLE, IT'LL JUST KIND OF PUSH IT OVER TOP AND, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THAT PROTECTION FROM YOUR CONCRETE BUFFER.
THEY, THEY COMPLETED THE MAJORITY OF THAT IN TWO DAYS WORK, UM, WITH REALLY NO IMPACT TO TRAFFIC.
WE JUST HAD A, A TEMPORARY DETOUR THERE.
UM, SO I'M VERY THANKFUL THE ENGINEERING ESTIMATE ON THAT PROJECT, IF WE WOULD'VE WENT WITH A BOX CULVERT WAS CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS.
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AND, YOU KNOW, I'M, I DON'T HAVE THE FINAL NUMBER, BUT I'M THINKING WE'LL BE UNDER A HUNDRED THOUSAND, I'M SURE, PROBABLY 70 GRAND, MAYBE 80.UM, JUST TOP OF MY HEAD GUESS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO PUT ASPHALT ON HIGH TOP, UM, WHICH HAS, UM, BEEN REQUESTED IN, IN THE CAPITAL PLAN BY THE ADVISORY BOARD.
AND, UM, THAT'S, I'VE HAD A LOT OF GOOD COMPLIMENTS THERE, UM, SO FAR.
AND THEN ON THE, UM, TOOL POPLAR SIDE, WE ALSO HAVE ASPHALT LAID THERE AND THEN ACTUALLY NOT IN THE FARMS, BUT ADJACENT TO IN THE BLUE, UM, ON BLUE VALLEY IN HIGH TOP AND LYNDON HEIGHTS, THERE WAS ALSO, UM, ASPHALT REPAIR AND AN ADDITIONAL SECTION OF ASPHALT ROAD JUST DONE AS WELL.
I'VE BEEN GETTING COMPLIMENTS FROM PEOPLE ABOUT IT AS WELL.
AND, UH, I, I CHECKED OUT THOMPSON MILL AND IT LOOKS GREAT, UH, EVEN WITHOUT THE CONCRETE THERE YET.
AND, UH, UM, IT'S ALSO GOOD THAT WE'RE HITTING THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN SOME 'CAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THAT LAST YEAR.
SO, UH, I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH HOW IT'S GOING OUT THERE.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
ALRIGHT, NOW I'LL, I'LL MOVE INTO THE, UH, THE AIRPORT.
UM, I HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS.
I GOT A LOT OF SLIDES, SOME OF 'EM ARE PICTURES.
I DON'T HAVE TO READ ALL THE DETAIL.
I CAN SEND YOU THIS TO READ LATER.
THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT I'VE GOT UP TOP AND THOSE ARE THE, UH, THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRANTS TONIGHT.
SO I, I WANT YOU TO PAY ATTENTION WHEN I GET STARTED.
UM, WE STARTED, WELL, I GUESS PROBABLY 20 20, 21, 22 ON THE BOX HANGER PROJECT THAT WAS PREVIOUS AL COMMISSION'S GOAL.
UM, AND, AND IT'S, WE, THERE'S NO DOUBT A NEED IN THE COUNTRY AND IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA FOR HANGERS.
UM, THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME SAID, HEY, WE WANT TO HAVE BOX HANGERS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, THE POTENTIAL FOR SIX NEW HANGERS AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO 60 BY SIXTIES AND FOUR 40 BY 40 TWOS.
UM, THIS WORK WILL BE DONE ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY.
AND I HAVE SOME OF THE DETAILS HERE.
THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACE THAT'LL BE, UM, BE AFFECTED IS ABOUT 20,800 SQUARE FEET.
UM, OUR CATEGORY EXCLUSION WAS PERFORMED IN 23.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD F-A-A-D-O-A-V APPROVAL ON THE PROJECT.
PERFORMANCE MANUALS DONE DESIGN AND SITE WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THE, UH, ENGINEERS AS COMPLETE.
UM, AS WE MOVED INTO THIS PROJECT, WE ANTICIPATED, AND THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL, I DON'T HAVE THE 42.
THIS IS WHERE WE ORIGINALLY STARTED.
UM, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT, THE BACK IS OUR ENTRANCE, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR ROAD TO ACCESS THE HANGERS.
UM, WE, WE BEGAN THE PROJECT AND, UM, THINKING WE COULD USE BILL MONEY TO DO A LOT OF IT AND GET STARTED.
AND THAT'S HOW WE BEGAN THIS PROJECT.
BUT AS WE GOT INTO THE PROJECT, ALTHOUGH WE HAD PLANNED AND DEDICATED THIS AREA FOR HANGERS MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS DO CHANGE.
THUS, UM, THE COST INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO WE HAVE BASICALLY A TWO PHASE PROJECT.
BACK IN, I GUESS IT WAS THE MONTH OF JUNE, WE HAD A MEETING, UM, CHAIRMAN AND THE VICE CHAIR WE'RE BOTH PRESENT.
UM, WHERE WE MET WITH OUR ENGINEERS.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY BIDS ON THE PROJECT AS A TOTAL PROJECT WITH CONSTRUCTION AND SITE WORK.
SO WE, WE DISCUSSED MOVING THE PROJECT TO TWO PHASE, AND THE SITE WORK WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST STEP.
AND WITH THE SITE WORK, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION FOR VIRGINIA WILL ACTUALLY SUPPORT A SITE WORK FOR A PROJECT.
THE GOOD PART ABOUT THAT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION IS IF YOU CAN JUST DO THE SITE WORK FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT, EVEN IF YOU DON'T BUILD EVERYTHING USING FAA MONEY, IF WE STARTED IT, WE NEEDED TO DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME.
SO IT GIVES US A LITTLE MORE OPTION.
AND I'M, I'M TRYING TO GO QUICKLY FOR TIME, SO PLEASE STOP ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
TALBERT AND BRIGHT, OR TBI I'VE PUT IT ABBREVIATED A COUPLE TIMES.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY HAD COMMENTS ADDRESSED WITH DEQ AND RESUBMITTED THEM IN AUGUST AND PENDING PLAN APPROVAL, WE WOULD, UM, ANTICIPATE AND SCHEDULE PRECON THIS FALL AND, AND A NOTICE TO PROCEED ON THE SITE WORK.
SO THIS IS JUST A BASIC SCOPE OF WORK.
UM, EARTH MOVING CONTROL MEASURES.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S GONNA REQUIRE UNDERGROUND, UM, WATER STORAGE.
UM, SO THE, THE DEPTH OF THE PROJECT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEME JUST GREW TO A PLACE THAT IT WAS A LOT MORE MONEY THAN WE THOUGHT IT WOULD INITIALLY BE.
UM, SO AS WE WERE BEYOND THE, UH, THE GRANT DATE FOR ME TO SUBMIT TO THE STATE, UM, FOR ME TO GET THIS THING OR KEEP THIS MOVING, UM, WE HAD TO APPROACH OUR VIRGINIA AVIATION BOARD MEMBER, UM, FOR REGION TWO, WHICH IS MR. ROBERT BOWEN.
UM, HE'S BEEN TO VISIT ME AT THE AIRPORT TWICE AND HE SUPPORTED OUR PROJECT AND CARRIED IT FORWARD FOR US.
AND, UM, I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT HE'S ENGAGED AND, AND, AND VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR AIRPORT AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO THE, THE, THE COST FOR THE BOX HANGER SITE
[00:10:01]
PREPARATION, THE PROJECT ITSELF IS $1,135,000.UM, AGAIN, TONIGHT YOU HAVE, UH, ON YOUR AGENDA, UM, THE CONSENT, UH, AGENDA.
THERE'S, UH, THE AUTHORIZATION FOR, TO, TO LET THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I THINK, OR THE DEPUTY, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN TO, UH, AUTHORIZE THIS.
AND, AND MR. HAM IS THE SIGNATORY AS WELL.
BUT I WENT TO THE MEETING, UM, AND, AND MR. BOWEN, UM, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL.
HE, HE SUPPORTED US ALL THE WAY TO THE END.
AND WE WERE, WE WERE, UH, APPROPRIATED 1,000,020 $1,500.
SO OUR LOCAL PORTION FOR THIS WOULD BE $113,500.
UM, SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD AFTER WE DO THE, UH, SITE WORK? UM, THESE ARE ESTIMATES ONLY, UM, TWO 60 BY 60, APPROXIMATELY $800,000.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $2 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN THE PROGRAMMING OR THE FUNDED PROGRAM CONSTRUCTION FUNDING THAT I HAVE PROGRAMMED, WHICH IS WAS FORMALLY BILL FUNDING, IS NOW THE IIJA, UM, FROM THE FAA.
WE HAVE 23, 24 AND 25 RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE PROGRAM THEN WITH THE FAA $426,000.
THE EXACT FIGURE HADN'T COME OUT FOR 26, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE 1 37.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING UP WITH THE $563,000 TO BUILD HANGERS.
THIS IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, THIS IS JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, SO LOCAL FUNDING AND FINANCING, AND I DID SPEAK WITH DR.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT AT LEAST $1.5 MILLION IF WE'RE TO DO ALL HANGERS.
UM, HE SAID WHEN HE GOT BACK, HE'D BE GLAD TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FUNDING OR, OR IF WE NEED TO REACH OUT AND, AND BORROW FUNDING FOR THE HANGERS.
UM, THE THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT THEY WILL, UH, BRING BACK REVENUE TO THE AIRPORT.
UM, EXECUTIVE RENTALS 60 BY 60 IN THE AREA.
I MEAN, I WAS LOOKING TODAY AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO CLOSE TO $3,000 IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA FOR THAT SIZE HANGAR.
SO THE OTHER PART OF THIS WITH THE LARGER HANGERS IS PART OF ONE OF OUR BOARD GOALS IS TO LOOK AT THE AIRPORT FOR WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE OUR COUNTY AND AND OUR ECONOMY ON ME.
THAT'S JUST A PLANE COMING IN JUST FOR FUN THERE.
NEXT ONE ON THE AGENDA, PARALLEL TAXIWAY AND CONNECTOR TAXIWAY REHAB.
AND THIS IS JUST THE DESIGN PHASE.
THIS IS ALSO ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, ALREADY APPROVED BY THE STATE.
THEY APPROVED THIS ONE AUGUST 15TH AT THE VIRGINIA BOARD MEETING.
UM, THE FAA PROGRAM, THE FUNDING FOR THE DESIGN AND THE BIDDING OF THE REHAB OF THE PARALLEL AND CONNECTOR TAXIWAYS.
IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THE PROJECT WILL BE DESIGNED IN 26 AND BID IN SPRING OF 27 BASED ON FAA FUNDING AND PROGRAMMING.
SO YOUR DESIGN FUNDING TOTALS $280,000, 95% WOULD BE THE FAA 4% WOULD BE THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
AND OUR AIRPORT WOULD HAVE TO GIVE 1% ON THAT PROJECT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE AGENDA AS WELL TONIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE TWO? THOSE, THOSE ARE THE IMPORTANT ONES.
SO THE, UM, AIRPORT CONTRIBUTION IS COMING OUT OF YOUR EXISTING ENTERPRISE FUND, CORRECT? WE, WELL, WE'RE TECHNICALLY CALLED AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
I DON'T THINK WE ARE OFFICIALLY AN ENTERPRISE FUND THAT'S PART OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT, WELL, OKAY, SO YOU HAVE A FUND? YES, MA'AM.
THAT YOU KEEP ALL OF THE UM, UH, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX OF THE AIRCRAFT THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KEEP ALL OF THE REVENUE THAT IS COMING IN FROM YOUR FUEL AND YOU BALANCE THAT OUT.
WITH A, UM, WITH YOUR EXPENDITURES AT EVERY FISCAL YEAR.
SO THAT'S A DEFINITION OF AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
SO ARE WE CHANGING HOW WE'RE ALLOCATING REVENUE NOW TO THE AIRPORT? 'CAUSE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN CALLED AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
NO CHANGE THAT I'M AWARE OF IN THE, IN THE REVENUE.
UM, WE DON'T, I MEAN THE TAX I THINK HAS BEEN MOVED OVER, UM, I THINK IT'S ROUGHLY $20,000.
$20,000 YOU KEEP FROM ALL THE AIRLINE, UH, AIRCRAFT TAXES.
I WAS, UM, WE, LET'S SEE, I I WAS LOOKING, WELL WE ACTUALLY PURCHASED IN FROM AUGUST TO AUGUST IN ONE YEAR'S TIME, OVER 50,000 GALLONS OF FUEL.
AND THEN YOU KEEP THE, THE LEASE MONEY AND ALL THAT, THAT'S YOUR REVENUE COMING IN.
SHOULD GO BACK INTO OUR REVENUE.
RIGHT NOW, THESE, THE PHASED PROJECTS, OF COURSE, I KNOW YOU'VE QUESTIONED BEFORE, SOMETIMES YOU GET HIT WHERE
[00:15:01]
A PROJECT LIKE A MASTER PLAN WILL GO OVER MULTIPLE YEARS AND THAT CAN BE THROWN OFF IN THE CAPITAL HAS BEEN CONFUSING AT TIMES.SO I GUESS MY, MY REAL QUESTION IS, IS ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO, UM, USE SOME OF THE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO DO SOME OF, TO, TO MATCH THE COUNTY TO I THINK YES MA'AM.
WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING UP FRONT FOR THE, AT LEAST FOR THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS MM-HMM
I MEAN, THIS FISCAL YEAR WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET, BUT I THINK WE WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY RUNNING CLOSE ON THAT.
THIS WASN'T PLANNED IN YOUR BUDGET.
RIGHT? WE, WE PLANNED AND NO, THIS, THIS SITE, THIS SITE WORK CAME UP BECAUSE OF THE NO BID SITUATION.
AND THEN OKAY, HOW CAN WE REVISIT THIS AND DO IT IN A TWO PHASE SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO APPROPRIATE THAT MONEY PREVIOUSLY.
SO THAT IS PART OF THE, THE DOCUMENT SHOULD BE FOR, UH, APPROPRIATION.
SO, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, AT ADDING, I GUESS IT'S A TOTAL OF SIX HANGERS AND IT'S GONNA BE TWO OF THE, THE 60 FOOT AND THEN FOUR OF THE 40 FOOT.
DO WE HAVE AN IDEA AS TO WHAT THE, WHAT THE, UH, INCOME, WHAT THE RENTAL WOULD BE ON THOSE? WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE SET THE RATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH ON A 60 TO 60, I MEAN, YOU'RE LOOKING, TWO OF 'EM ARE TWO GRAND A MONTH.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT 3000 A MONTH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SIX GRAND ON THAT SIDE OF THE, THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND I THINK WE, WE ALREADY HAVE HAD SOME BUSINESSES INTERESTED, UM, IN, IN THOSE SPACES, UM, OR FOLKS THAT USE THE AIRPORT THAT ARE, HAVE PLANES AT OTHER AIRPORTS.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, AS YOU BEGIN TO BUILD, YOU CAN LOOK AT LAND LEASE, UM, OTHER OPTIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, DR.
DELEY SAID HE'D BE GLAD TO DISCUSS ONCE YOU GET, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WE'D LIKE TO PURCHASE THEM UP FRONT AND JUST RECOUP THOSE FUNDS SURE.
AND, AND PAY THE, USE THE PAYMENT TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE THAT WE DO.
SO YOU WHAT WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, SOME CURRENT RENTERS WHO COULD MOVE OUT OF THEIR, THEIR SMALLER HANGERS AND INTO THOSE LARGER HANGERS.
YEAH, I THINK YOU COULD LIKE SOARING CLUB OR, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE JACK MULLINAR, YOU KNOW, HIS BIPLANES, HE'S TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY HAVING A HANGAR FOR THOSE BIPLANES AND MAYBE HAVING A BUSINESS AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND UM, THE, THE SKYDIVE FOLKS I THINK EVENTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO GET WHERE THEY HAVE A, A CORPORATE, MORE OF A CORPORATE HEADQUARTER, HAVE A HANGAR.
UM, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
I HAD ONE, UM, BRING ME A PLAN ONE TIME A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UM, WILLING TO INVEST.
SO I THINK THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPTIONS.
WE JUST HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND SAY WHAT'S BEST FOR US, FIGURE IT OUT.
SO, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, A POTENTIAL OF, AND I'M JUST GONNA PULL A FIGURE OUT MAYBE $5,000 A MONTH THAT WE COULD BE, I'D SAY EASY.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU GET A THOUSAND FOR EACH OF THOSE BIG BOX HANGERS AND SEVEN 50 FOR EACH ONE OF THE FOUR HANGERS.
THAT'S, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD RETURN.
WE HAVE, EXCUSE ME, DO, DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH IS IN THE ENTERPRISE FUND THAT WE'RE WORKING OFF OF? BECAUSE I FEEL A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO COMMIT WHEN I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IS THERE.
I MEAN, 2,800, I'M SURE THERE'S THAT MUCH THERE.
UM, THE BIGGER ONE, THE 113 MM-HMM
THAT ONE KIND OF CONCERNS ME AND I HATE NOT TO RIGHT.
GET THE ADVANTAGE OF IT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO KNOW WHAT IS THERE AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE SIGNING OFF ON TONIGHT IS, IS THERE, OR WHERE'S IT GONNA COME FROM MM-HMM
AND DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF THAT? WELL, I WOULD, I MEAN, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD APPROPRIATE IT AND THEN BRING IT BACK, UM, THROUGH THE AIRPORT.
WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WOULD IT NEED TO BE TONIGHT IN HAND TONIGHT AS FAR AS THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS? MM-HMM
WE JUST HAVE TO COMMIT TO IT TONIGHT.
SO LIKE IF I GET A $50,000 BILL, I WOULD GET, YOU KNOW, MY PORTION WOULD BE OF THAT BILL.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA START TILL FALL.
SO LET ME BACK UP TO THE FUNDING.
SO IF YOU'RE TALKING 113, SO I MEAN, YOU SEE YOUR 10%, SO, YOU KNOW, $10 ON A HUNDRED MM-HMM
SO WE WOULD, WE WOULD PHASE ALONG THROUGH THE YEAR, UM, ON THE SITE WORK, BUT IT'S NOT RIGHT.
IT WOULDN'T BE AN IMMEDIATE, I MEAN, WORST CASE SCENARIO, I WOULD HAVE TO SPEND ALL OF MY BUDGET AT ONE TIME AND, AND SAY, HEY, I'M
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IN TROUBLES.UM, I'D SENT JAKE HOME OR WORK FOR ME SOMEWHERE ELSE MAYBE, BUT NOT, I MEAN, I I DON'T THINK WE COULD DO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS, HONESTLY.
I I THINK IT'S, UH, NO, IT'S ON THE NUMBERS.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA GET REIMBURSED, UM, STATE DOLLARS.
YOU, WELL, THEY, THIS YEAR THEY JUST BEGAN DOING THEIRS ELECTRONIC.
UM, I DO THE SUBMISSIONS FOR IN MY OFFICE FOR THE FAA AND FOR THE STATE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK THAT, UM, REALLY IT'D BE A DISSERVICE NOT TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROJECT.
WELL, WE, WELL BASICALLY, BASICALLY YOU HAD RECOUPED THIS MONEY IN TWO YEARS.
I'M JUST ASKING WHAT'S IN THE BANK ACCOUNT TO BE ABLE TO PUT TOWARDS 113 FIVE.
THAT'S, THAT'S JUST MY CONCERN.
I, YOU KNOW, IF I GO IN THE STORE AND MY POCKETS ARE EMPTY, I SHOULD COME OUT WITH EMPTY HANDS RIGHT.
UNLESS THE STORE OWNER LIKES ME A LOT.
I'M NOT WITH YOU SAYING IT'S NOT A GOOD DEAL.
I'M JUST QUESTIONING WHERE'S THE MONEY? I GOT PROBLEM.
WHAT, WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET A, UM, RESTAURANT OUT THERE?
I'M, I'M GONNA TRY TO KICK IT UP.
BUT THESE ARE JUST ADDITIONAL PROJECTS.
PAVEMENT, REHAB, DESIGN, ROTATING BEACON, THAT'S AN INTERNAL, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL WIND CONE.
SO I PUT IN A COUPLE OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BROUGHT FORTH BY THE COMMISSION AS WELL, OBSTRUCTION REMOVAL.
THAT'S BEEN A PROJECT THAT MOST OF YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
AND THEN I IS IS THAT FOR THE IT'S NOT FOR THE ROTATING BEACON.
WHAT'S THAT? THE EA YEAH, THE, NO, NO, THAT'S, THAT'S A SEPARATE ONE.
UM, AND I, AND I'LL SHOW YOU THAT'S THE INTERNAL, THAT'S ONE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US.
AND, UM, I'LL GET THERE IN A MINUTE.
TH THIS IS JUST, UH, UH, ARIEL, UM, A LOT OF THE FOLKS REALLY LIKE THAT RED ROOF WE GOT ON THE TERMINAL NOW.
WE ACTUALLY JUST HAD ONE PAINTED.
UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER RED ROOF IN THE BACK.
BUT, UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SO JUST, THIS IS JUST A RUNWAY UPDATE WE'LL BE MOVING TO FOR OUR RUNWAY, UM, REHAB DESIGN AS WELL.
THAT'S ALREADY PROVED, THAT'S ALREADY IN THE WORKS.
UM, THAT IS A $270,000 FA, A FUNDED PROJECT.
24,000 FROM THE STATE, 6,000, UH, LOCAL.
AND THEN THE PROJECT ITSELF IS ABOUT $3 MILLION.
PROJECT 2.85 MILLION FROM THE FEDS.
120 FROM THE STATE AND 1% LOCAL.
THIS, THE BEACON CONCERN IS INTERNAL.
I KNOW THE FOLKS ON THE BOARD, UM, OR THEY'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION ARE AWARE I THREW THE VALLEY HEALTH HELICOPTER UP THERE.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ME AND MY LITTLE KID THERE.
MY WIFE, SHE ACTUALLY WORKS FOR VALLEY HEALTH.
BUT, UM, I, I JUST, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REALIZE, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN I STARTED IN THIS THING IN 2020, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE, UH, TOYS AND, AND YOU KNOW, HAVING FUN AT THE AIRPORT, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PART OF IT.
UM, AND, AND PHI, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY ARE A GREAT PARTNER AND THEY ACTUALLY BRING IN A LOT OF REVENUE TO, TO US.
AND, UM, ALSO, UM, THE SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT, THAT THERE'S MORE TO THE AIRPORT THAN JUST GUYS FLYING THEIR PLANES.
UM, I, I WANTED TO PUT THOSE, THESE GUYS UP THERE TOO.
THEY, THEY DO PARTNER WITH VALLEY HEALTH AND, AND YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE THE LEADING AREA AMBULANCE PROVIDER IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND, AND I WAS READING A LITTLE BIT ON 'EM ONE DAY, AND THEIR MISSION IS TO, TO MOVE COMMUNITIES TO HEALTH WHILE MAINTAINING THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF SAFETY PERIOD.
SO THEY BROUGHT THIS, THIS BEACON CONCERN TO ME, AND I GUESS IT WOULD BE COMING IN FROM THE, I GUESS WHAT SOUTHEAST ALONG THE TREES, UM, WHERE, WHERE THE, THE BEACON'S NOT SHOWING VERY WELL AND THEY CAN'T SEE IT AT NIGHTTIME.
SO THIS WAS BROUGHT UP, LEMME BACK UP HERE.
UM, JUST TO LET YOU SEE WHERE THE TREES ARE.
YOU KNOW, THE, YOU, YOU CAN'T REALLY, WE'RE NOT THAT WHOLE SQUARE, WE'RE NOT GONNA ELIMINATE, BUT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL 0.9, SEVEN, SEVEN ACRES.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD OUR ENGINEERS, UM, LOOK AT IT FOR A LAND DISTURBANCE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A PLAN.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THIS INTERNAL IN OUR, IN OUR, WITH OUR OWN STAFF ON AIRPORT PROP, NOT ON AIRPORT PROPERTY, BUT ON COUNTY PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE PURCHASED.
SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WAIT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, AND SOME OF THE STRUCTURE REMOVAL, SOME OF THOSE TREES WILL BE IN A PLANNED PROJECT, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.
SO THIS IS, I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA ONE DAY START CUTTING SOME TREES DOWN OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THERE'LL BE FOLKS SAYING, HEY, LOOK AT, I'M CUTTING THE TREES AND SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHY, UM, I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE THIS.
THAT'S JAKE, OUR SUPERINTENDENT IN THE SNOW.
[00:25:01]
THE VIDEO PLAYS, I'M NOT SURE MY TECH GUY BACK THERE CAN, THERE HE GOES.BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE, SEE THE BEACON.
IT'S HITTING THE, IT'S HITTING THE TREE TOPS.
THEY'VE JUST GROWN SUCH THAT THEY, THE TREES JUST GET 'EM.
AND, AND WE'VE LOOKED AT OTHER THINGS AND MET WITH THE ENGINEERS AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CLEARANCE TO RAISE OUR TOWER.
UM, AND SO WE'VE THOUGHT OF OTHER AVENUES, UM, BUT WE NEED TO MOVE SOME OF THE TREES.
IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO.
IT'S PART OF STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, UM, IN CERTAIN AREAS ON THE AIRPORT.
BUT JAKE DOES A WONDERFUL JOB AND, UH, THERE'S ANOTHER PHOTO WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT, YOU KNOW, AT NIGHTTIME, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE IT IF YOU IN CERTAIN WAYS, BUT WHEN YOU'RE COMING IN FROM THAT DIRECTION, THE COPTER FLIES.
IT'S BEEN A CONCERN FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, ANOTHER SMALL PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON, DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FINAL ESTIMATE YET, BUT SUPPLEMENTAL WIND CONE, THAT WAS A REQUEST BY SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT USE THE AIRPORT AND THE COMMISSION.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TALKING TO OUR ENGINEERS AND, UM, THEY'RE PREPARED TO ASSIST US WITH THE DESIGN.
AND, UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY SPOKE WITH THE DOAV AND THEY'LL SUPPORT THAT PROJECT AT 90%.
SO, UM, THIS IS JUST LOOKING FORWARD IN THE NEXT YEAR, THE OBSTRUCTION REMOVAL PROJECT, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, IT'S A, IT'S A PRETTY BIG PROJECT.
UM, TALBOT BRIGHTS IN THE PROCESSES PREPARING AND UPDATING THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND DOCUMENT BASED ON THE LATEST ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDANCE FROM THE FAA AND, AND IT IS REQUIRED UNDER THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, SINCE THE REMOVAL OF OBSTRUCTIONS OR TREES IS CONSIDERED TO BE A FEDERAL ACTION.
SO WHEN WE'RE ON THE AIRPORT, THE, OR THE TREES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PATH THAT IT'S A, IT'S A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT FOR US TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE.
AND IF WE DON'T, THEN OUR FUNDING, WE WON'T BE ALLOWED TO GET, IS THERE ANY CHANCE TO SELL THAT TIMBER AND RECOUP SOME OF THE EXPENSE OF THE, THE TIMBER IN THAT? THE BEACON SIDE IS, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY BIG IN THERE.
IT'S, IT'S KIND OF, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT TOO.
IT'S, IT'S KIND OF JUST SMALL STUFF.
IT'S REALLY NOT, I MEAN OTHER NAVY FIREWOOD.
BUT WHAT, WHAT WE'RE ALSO THINKING IS THAT WHEN WE BEGIN THE, UH, THE, THE RUNWAY REHAB AND WE MILL ALL THAT, SO OUR GO, IF WE JUST THOSE TREES, UM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO CLEAR IT ALL, BUT IF WE CLEAR THAT, 'CAUSE THE, THE LAND IS SUCH THAT YOU GOTTA GO ALL THE WAY BACK AND THEN IT DROPS.
SO YOU CAN'T JUST CUT THE FRONT A HUNDRED FEET BECAUSE THE NEXT A HUNDRED FEET IS IN YOUR WAY.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, HEY, WE, WE TAKE THESE OUT, THEN WHEN WE DO THIS RUNWAY ONE REHAB AND WE MILL IT UP, WE GOT A PLACE THAT'S ONE SITE THAT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE CHEAPER FOR THE PROJECT.
AND THEN WE CAN USE THAT AS PART OF OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF OVERFLOW WHEN WE HAVE AN EVENT.
WE CAN SAY, HEY FOLKS THAT USE THE AIRPORT, LET'S MOVE DOWN HERE IN THIS AREA AND, AND LET SOME COMMUNITY FOLKS PARK UP HERE AND COME SEE US.
BUT ANYHOW, THERE, THERE'S ABOUT 14 AND A HALF ACRES OF OBSTRUCTIONS IDENTIFIED CURRENTLY.
AND, AND HERE'S JUST A MAPPING AND I MEAN, IF YOU, YOU WANT TO GET MORE DETAILED, WE CAN AT SOME POINT.
UM, BUT THIS KIND OF SHOWS YOU ONE IN OFF AIRPORT PROPERTY.
THE WHITE LINE OF COURSE IS THE, THE, UH, AIRPORT PROPERTY AND, OOPS, BACK UP.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS JUST KIND OF, WE HAVE A PLACEHOLDER RIGHT NOW FOR FIBER.
I'M WORKING WITH IT TO TRY TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATIONS OUT THERE.
STATE HAS A PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GONNA LAST, BUT THEY'LL PAY UP TO $200,000, UM, FOR FIBER TO THE AIRPORT.
SO WE'RE WORKING, I HAVE A PLACEHOLDER.
UM, IT IS GETTING ME SOME ESTIMATES.
WE'RE WORKING TO TRY TO IMPROVE THAT OUT THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WITH MY WORKING ESTIMATE, I WOULD NEED TO COME UP WITH $10,000.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THE BROADBAND, ARE YOU LOOKING AT EXTENDING IT OUT TO THE HANGERS? IS THAT YOUR PROJECT? WELL, THE, NOT IN THIS PROJECT, LIKE WITH THE, THE STATE GRANT, IT WOULD ONLY GO TO ONE SPOT ON THE AIRPORT, WHICH IS PREFERABLY GETTING INTO THE TERMINAL.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH WHEN WE GET TO THAT PLACE.
YEAH, BECAUSE DOESN'T THE HOUSE HAVE FIBER? THAT'S, I THINK IT DOES.
I THINK IT DOES, BUT I, I, I HAVEN'T VERIFIED IF IT'S REAL FIBER OR, I MEAN, I KNOW WE DID A AGREEMENT OR IF IT'S LIKE MORE CABLE.
UM, I, WELL I KNOW WHEN SELLING FALCON WAS THERE, HE INSTALLED FIBER.
IT WAS LIKE 20 K OUT OF THEIR POCKET.
SO MAYBE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH.
AND, AND IF WE CAN, WE COULD PROBABLY SAVE A TON OF MONEY.
AND NOT HAVE TO PAY ABSOLUTELY.
$600 A MONTH FOR, YOU KNOW, GETTING THERE.
SOMETHING, THIS IS JUST A PICTURE.
NO, JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, THIS IS, I JUST, I JUST THROW THIS PICTURE UP THERE.
'CAUSE THIS WAS DURING ONE OF THE EVENTS
[00:30:01]
I THINK AS THEY WERE JUST STARTING TO FLY IN AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE CARS LINING UP.I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD PICTURE.
YOU SEE SOME OF THE PLANES OUT THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE HAD SOME OF THESE EVENTS HAVE BEEN REALLY GOOD.
UM, AND I WANTED TO JUST DO A, A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT HERE THAT WE GOT SOME PANCAKES COMING UP, IF ANYBODY'S AROUND OCTOBER 25TH AND, UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE A FLY IN, BUT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY'S WELCOME.
UM, I ASKED JAKE IF I COULD PUT HIS LITTLE GIRL UP THERE, UM, FOR SHOW AND TELL HERE TRICK OR TREATING.
UM, BUT UM, SHE HAS A GOOD TIME OUT THERE.
SO, UM, WE, WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE AIRPORT IS A GOOD COMMUNITY AND, UM, IT WAS SCARY GETTING STARTED OUT THERE, BUT I FOUND THAT THOSE FOLKS REALLY HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND REALLY WANNA BE A PART OF OUR COUNTY.
SO THAT'S IT, UNLESS THERE'S MORE QUESTIONS.
[J. Public Hearing: CUP2025-06-01 - Short-Term Tourist Rental - 2026 Drummer Hill Road - A request for a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The property is located at 2026 Drummer Hill Road and is identified on tax map 15E, section 4, block 4, as lot 414A. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and is located in the Shenandoah Magisterial District. - Kelly Wahl, Planner ]
HEARINGS, SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL FOR 2026 DRUMMER HILL ROAD, MS. WALL.THE APPLICANTS ARE REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A SHORT-TERM TOURIST RENTAL FOR THE PROPERTY THEY PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER OF 2024.
THE APPLICANTS WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE PROPERTY AVAILABLE FOR SHORT-TERM LODGING FOR VISITORS OF WARREN COUNTY WHILE CREATING JOB FLEXIBILITY FOR THEMSELVES RESIDING PERMANENTLY ONLY A HALF MILE AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY.
THE OWNERS WILL MANAGE THE PROPERTY THEMSELVES OVERSEEING ALL ASPECTS OF THE RENTAL PROPERTY, INCLUDING MAINTENANCE, CLEANING, AND THE BOOKING OF RENTAL REQUEST.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 2 0 2 6 DRUMMER HILL ROAD AND AS IDENTIFIED ON TAX MAP 15 E SECTION FOUR BLOCK FOUR AS LOT 4 1 4 A.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED RESIDENTIAL ONE AND IS LOCATED IN THE SHENANDOAH MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
THE APPLICANTS BEGAN ADVERTISEMENT AND OPERATION OF THE DWELLING AS A SHORT-TERM TAURUS RENTAL WITHOUT A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY, 2025, BUT HAVE SINCE CEASED ADVERTISING IT SINCE THE SUBMISSION OF THEIR APPLICATION.
THERE IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OPERATION PERMIT APPROVING A MAXIMUM OF FOUR OCCUPANTS FOR THE TWO BEDROOM DWELLING FOR A CONVENTIONAL SEPTIC.
A REQUEST FOR COMMENTS WAS SUBMITTED TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF SHENANDOAH FARMS WHO STATED THEY HAVE NO OBJECTIONS TO THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION, BUT ADVISE ALL OWNERS AND GUESTS OF THE PROPERTY TO HAVE FOUR WHEEL, UH, DRIVE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER.
THE DWELLING MEETS THE SETBACK REQUIREMENT OF 100 FEET TO ADJACENT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS, THE CLOSEST BEING 170 FEET TO THE SOUTH.
WE RECEIVED ONE LETTER OF OPPOSITION FROM A NEIGHBOR WHOSE HOMES BOTH RESIDE OVER A THOUSAND FEET AWAY FROM, UM, FROM, FROM THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
AND THERE WAS ANOTHER LETTER OF CONCERN, UM, FOR THE PROPERTY BEING RENTED OUT WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THEY JUST WANTED THEM TO OBTAIN THE PROPER PERMITS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM ON JULY 9TH, 2025 WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL AND PASSED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION BY VOTE OF FOUR TO ZERO.
PLANNING, COMMISSION AND STAFF RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS BE ADDED TO THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CHOOSE TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST.
NUMBER ONE, THE APPLICANT SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL WARREN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WARREN COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND VIRGINIA STATEWIDE FIRE PREVENTION CODE REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.
NUMBER TWO, THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE SYSTEM CAPACITY IS DETERMINED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERMIT PER WARREN COUNTY CODE 180 DASH 56.4 B.
THESE CERTIFICATE OF ZONING SHALL ONLY BE ISSUED WITH APPROVED HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECORDS.
NUMBER THREE, THE APPLICANT SHALL HAVE THE WELL WATER TESTED ANNUALLY FOR E COLI AND COLIFORM BACTERIA, AND A COPY OF THOSE RESULTS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND NUMBER FOUR, THE APPLICANT SHALL HAVE THE SEPTIC SYSTEM SERVICED EVERY FIVE YEARS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND A COPY OF THE SERVICE INVOICE IS TO BE PROVIDED TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS NOTIFIED AND THE APPLICANTS ARE NOT HERE THIS EVENING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
THERE WERE SOME THINGS IN THE PACKET ABOUT, UH, THE WELL HAD ISSUES.
IT WAS LIKE RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY.
I'M JUST WONDER IF YOU KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN ADDRESSED.
UM, WE COULD DEFINITELY LOOK INTO IT BEFORE ISSUING A CERTIFICATE OF ZONING AND MAKING SURE THEY DO HAVE TO SUBMIT, UM, WELL WATER TEST RESULTS AND A SEPTIC INVOICE TO SHOW THAT IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED, UM, PRIOR TO US ISSUING A CERTIFICATE OF ZONING.
SO WE WOULD RECEIVE SOME SORT OF DOCUMENTATION LETTING US KNOW IF IT WAS GOOD AND IF IT WAS NOT, WE WOULD NOT ISSUE THE CERTIFICATE OF ZONING AND THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OPERATE LEGALLY.
SO DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, UM, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE, ANYONE SIGNED UP? UH, YES SIR.
[00:35:04]
MI MR. JENKINS, I JUST WANT TO SAY I LIKE YOUR SHIRT.JOHN GINS, SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UH, I'M, I'M, I'M OPPOSED TO ALL OF THESE SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTALS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
UH, I DON'T THINK THEY BELONG IN A, UH, RESIDENCE THAT'S, UH, ZONE R ONE 'CAUSE THEY ARE ACTUALLY A, UH, COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.
UM, AND, AND, AND BASICALLY IT, UH, CREATES A DISPLACEMENT OF LONG-TERM RESIDENTS HAVING A PLACE TO LIVE.
THERE'S A LOSS OF, UH, COMMUNITY AND CHARACTER AND CULTURAL IDENTITY IN THESE COMMUNITIES ONCE YOU START BRINGING IN SHORT TERM FIRST RENTALS.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY EVIDENCE THAT YOU MAY HAVE THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY.
I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH ANY OF THE BOOKS THAT I MAY ABLE TO REVIEW AND FIND THAT, OF COURSE, IT MAY BE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BUT, UM, THIS APPLICANT, UH, DOESN'T HAVE ANY WAIVERS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE THERE'S PROBABLY 175 APPROVED APPLICANTS.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE GIVEN WAIVERS.
I'M OPPOSED TO THAT BECAUSE THE SETBACK FOR HOUSING, UH, FROM, FROM PROPERTY LINES, THE REQUIREMENT FOR A WELL AND SEPTIC FROM PROPERTY LINES ARE ALL CREATED FOR A REASON.
AND, AND, UH, THEREFORE THE SAFETY AND THE WELLBEING OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IF THE AUTHORITY IS NOT GOING TO ADHERE TO THE CODE, THEN WHY HAVE, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN ME THE DIRECTION TO RULES OF ENGAGEMENT HERE, WHICH YOU GO THROUGH EVERY, EVERY, EVERY NIGHT OR EVERY WEEK THAT YOU'RE IN HERE.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GIVE WAIVERS FOR PEOPLE DISRUPTING YOU.
THESE OTHER CODES ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AND I BELIEVE THAT ONCE YOU START GIVING THESE WAIVERS TO ONE PERSON, THEN YOU NEED TO GIVE 'EM TO EVERYONE.
THAT'S OFF OF THE SIGN UP, SIR.
WOULD ANYONE IN THE, IN THE, UH, AUDIENCE I'D LIKE TO SPEAK GOING ONCE I, UH, MARY JANE NORTH RIVER? I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MR. JENKINS JUST SAID.
IF IT'S ZONED RESIDENTIAL, THEN IT'S RESIDENTIAL AND SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE NOT RESIDENTIAL.
AND AGAIN, I JUST, HE SAID IT, HE SAID EVERYTHING.
SO WOULD ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON, ON THIS, UH, SUBJECT LEWIS MOTON NORTH RIVER? UM, I JUST LIKE TO SAY I USED TO GO YEARLY TO A SHORT TERM RENTAL AND I DIDN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE NEIGHBORS IN THAT AREA.
I WAS JUST THERE WITH MY BUDDIES TO HAVE FRIENDS.
THERE WAS NO RECOURSE IF WE DID SOMETHING WRONG OR OR WHATNOT.
IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEBODY'S LIVING AT HOME TAKING CARE OF THE BUSINESS.
THEY'RE INVITING STRANGERS IN THERE'S TRAFFIC AND THAT THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT UP WITH US.
I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE BUY THESE HOUSES AND THEY'RE DILAPIDATED.
THEY FLIP 'EM, THEY MAKE 'EM NICE.
WE'LL SELL IT AT THAT NICE PRICE TO SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO BE HERE.
SO WOULD ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
THE UH, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 2025 DASH OH SIX DASH OH ONE FOR A SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL WITH THE CONDITIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF.
[D.Warren County Fire and Rescue - Firefighter Challenge Participants ]
ON THE AGENDA, WE'VE GOT, UM, THE WARREN[00:40:01]
COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE FIREFIGHTER CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS.DON'T WE MISS ONE? DON'T HAVE ANOTHER HEARING.
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER HEARING, RIGHT? NO, THAT'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU HAVE NO OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS? NO.
SO CHIEF, WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR US TONIGHT? HEY, HOW YOU DOING SIR? OKAY.
UH, THESE GENTLEMEN, I'VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ HERE.
JERRY WAS KIND ENOUGH TO MAKE THE FONT BIG ENOUGH THAT THEY CAN SEE IT IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM AS YOU UNDERSTOOD THE GENTLEMAN WAS READING IT, BUT WE'RE VERY PROUD.
SO IF YOU WOULD, UH, INDULGE ME FOR JUST A MOMENT.
SO, GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND COUNTY STAFF.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO SHARE WITH A RECENT AND TRULY INSPIRING ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE DEDICATION AND EXCELLENCE OF WARREN COUNTY'S FIREFIGHTING TEAM HERE NEXT TO ME AT THE NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL CLASSIC OF THE FIREFIGHTER CHALLENGE LEAGUE.
OUR MIRACLE ON AIR FITNESS TEAM TRAVELED TO ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA TO COMPETING AMONG THE, SOME OF THE BEST FIREFIGHTERS IN THE REGION.
THE FIREFIGHTER CHALLENGE LEAGUE OFFICER PLATFORM FOR FIREFIGHTERS TO DE DEMONSTRATE THEIR HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE AND COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING THE SKILLS AND PHYSICAL FITNESS NECESSARY FOR THE DEMANDING NATURE OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE WORK.
THESE CHALLENGES ARE BUILT UPON THE CORE OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, WHICH ARE VITAL TO ENSURING OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE PREPARED FOR THE LONG DEMANDING CALLS.
THEY FACE CALLS THAT OFTEN TEST BOTH THEIR PHYSICAL ENDURANCE AS WHETHER WELL AS THEIR MENTAL RESILIENCE.
SO OUR TEAM MEMBERS, ANDREW HOFFMAN, CAN YOU STEP FORWARD PLEASE? FIREFIGHTER ANDREW JAKE WALKER, FIREFIGHTER JOSEPH GALLIVAN AND FIREFIGHTER JAYDEN TIP, NOTABLY JAKE WALKER AND JADEN.
TIFFANY MADE HISTORY BY SETTING THE VIRGINIA STATE RECORD AS A TANDEM TEAM.
MOREOVER, ANDREW HOFFMAN ACHIEVED AN IMPRESSIVE FEAT BY SETTING THE VIRGINIA STATE RECORD FOR THE 40 TO 49 AGE GROUP FOR COMPETING, EXCUSE ME, FOR COMPLETING THE COURSE AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
HE ALSO WAS INDUCTED AND INTO THE LYONS DEN, WHICH IS A VERY FEW, IT'S LIKE THE ELITE OF THE ELITE RECOGNIZING HIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT OF FINISHING THE COURSE IN LESS THAN TWO MINUTES.
WATCHING THESE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS REPRESENT WARREN COUNTY WAS SIMPLY AMAZING.
THEIR PERFORMANCE NOT ONLY EXEMPLIFIES THE PHYSICAL PREPAREDNESS WE STRIVE FOR, BUT ALSO REFLECTS THEIR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A HEALTHIER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN CHANGING THE HEARTS AND MINDS, ENCOURAGING FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS TO PRIORITIZE, EXCUSE ME, TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH, FITNESS AND RESILIENCE.
ULTIMATELY STRENGTHENING OUR ENTIRE EMERGENCY SERVICES TEAM.
THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT UNDERSCORES THE EXCEPTIONAL CALIBER OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR COMMUNITY'S INVESTMENT IN THE WHERE IN THEIR WELLBEING.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING THEM TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED EFFORTS AND FOR RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH AND DEDICATION TO OUR PUBLICS, EXCUSE ME, SAFETY PERSONNEL.
UM, WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF 'EM NOW.
A LOT OF TIME ON THEIR OWN TRAINING.
UM, I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT 'EM, UM, TO WATCH ESPRIT CORPS.
UM, NOT ONLY IN THE REGION, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THE FIREHOUSES, THE TEXT GROUPS GOING BACK AND FORTH TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO'S ON NEXT, JAYDEN'S ON NEXT, SO ON, SO ON.
EVERYBODY WRITTEN 'EM ON, IT'S JUST, IT'S DONE A LOT.
SO WE'RE A HUGE SHOT IN THE ARM.
HEY CHIEF, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, UH, THE UH, FIREMAN HOFFMAN THERE, I CAN SEE WHY HE, HE BROKE SO MANY RECORDS.
HE GOT THOSE BIG SCISSORS THERE AS A ABLE TO
THAT'S THE SOFTEST THING ON HIM TOO.
OKAY, SO NEXT ON THE THE AGENDA,
[E.Treasurer - July 31st 2025 Account Balances ]
WE HAVE THE TREASURER'S REPORT ACCOUNT BALANCES.THE TREASURER IS ACTUALLY OUTTA TOWN THIS WEEK.
UM, I BELIEVE EACH OF YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE ACCOUNTS AND THEN A, UM, GRAPH SHOWING A SUMMARY FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UM, SO THAT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED FROM, UM, THE TREASURER TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
SO, SO CAN CAN, CAN YOU TELL US, ARE, ARE THE ACCOUNT, ARE THE, ARE MOST OF THE ACCOUNTS IN THE, THE HIGHEST INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNTS POSSIBLE? I'M NOT SURE THAT ALL OF THEM ARE, BUT I KNOW THAT SHE HAS CONTINUED TO SHIFT FUNDS OVER TO THE STATE, BUT THE AMOUNT I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY NOW SHE'S NOT SHIFTING SOME OVER AND THEN SHIFTING OTHERS BACK ISSUE.
I THINK YOU'RE THINKING THE MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT IS THE ONE THAT IT BASICALLY PULLS BACK EVERY DAY.
I'D BE WANTING TO MAKE AS MUCH,
[00:45:01]
AS MUCH ON THAT AS POSSIBLE IN A, AS MUCH ON IT AS POSSIBLE.AND THE, IN THE LEAST, UM, WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF, UM, EXPOSURE.
SO, ALRIGHT, WELL I'M SURE THE TREASURER WILL CORRECT ME, BUT SHE'S STILL ON THE PATH OF TRANSFERRING MONEY FROM ONE FUND ONCE THE FUND EXPIRES INTO THE, THE VIRGINIA FUND.
WOULD IT BE ONGOING POSSIBLE TO GET HER HERE? BECAUSE THIS DOESN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO IT'D BE NICE IF WHEN SHE DOES THIS, THAT SHE'S ACTUALLY HERE, BUT WE, WE'D LIKE TO GET THAT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, YOU KNOW? AND NOW JU JUST, JUST FOR Y'ALL'S EDIFICATION, THE, THE TREASURER, JUST LIKE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER, SO WE CANNOT TELL THE, THE TREASURER WHAT TO DO.
WE CAN ASK HER, WE CAN WORK WITH HER, BUT WE CAN'T TELL HER WHAT TO DO.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE DO HAVE.
YEAH, I MEAN SHE'S BEEN COOPERATING.
SHE HAS BEEN COOPERATING AND LISTENING TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
[F.Public Comment Period for Items on the Agenda (30-Minute Time Limit) ]
THE AGENDA, WE HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD SHALL BE LIMITED TO 60 MINUTES DIVIDED INTO TWO 30 MINUTE SEGMENTS.
THE FIRST 30 MINUTE PERIOD IS LIMITED TO COMMENTS PERTAINING TO ITEMS WHICH ARE ON THE MEETING AGENDA NOT ADDRESSED IN PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THE SECOND 30 MINUTE PERIOD IS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
AS A REMINDER, THERE'S A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES FOR ANY ONE SPEAKER.
SPEAKERS MAY ONLY SPEAK ONCE PER MEETING AND NOT SPEAK DURING BOTH COMMENT PERIODS.
ALL COMMENTS WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND NOT TO THE AUDIENCE.
BE CONSIDERATE OF YOUR FELLOW SPEAKERS.
THERE SHOULD BE NO APPLAUSE, BOOING OR OTHER AUDIBLE DISRUPTION TO THE PROCEEDINGS.
THROUGH A SHOW OF HANDS, THE CHAIRMAN MAY ASK FOR A SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR COMMENTS MADE BY SPEAKERS.
PLACARDS, POSTERS, AND OTHER MEANS OF VISUAL DISPLAY WILL NOT BE PERMITTED IN THE BOARD MEETING ROOM.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE INFORMATION OR MATERIALS USED AS PART OF A FACTUAL PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD AT THE HEARING.
THE BOARD WILL NOT TOLERATE PERSONAL ATTACKS BY ANYONE ON ANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCEEDINGS.
ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THE GUIDELINES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE BY THE CHAIRMAN.
FAILURE TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WHAT ASKED TO DO SO IS IN VIOLATION OF WARREN COUNTY CODE 56 DASH FOUR AND VIRGINIA CODE 18.2 DASH FOUR 15 AND IS SUBJECT TO A FINE OF UP TO $2,500 AND A JAIL SENTENCE OF UP TO 12 MONTHS OR BOTH.
FINALLY, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE IN YOUR COMMENTS.
YOUNG CHILDREN MAY BE VIEWING THIS SESSION EITHER IN PERSON OR LATER ONLINE, AND PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY HAVE LESS TENDENCY TO TAKE YOUR COMMENTS SERIOUSLY IF INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE IS USED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? UH, YES SIR.
EILEEN DOIG, HAPPY CREEK DISTRICT MONEY.
UNFORTUNATELY, A COMMON DRIVING FORCE IN ALL OUR LIVES, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE IN WARREN COUNTY, I TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK UP THE STATISTICS ON INCOME IF I HADN'T LIVED HERE FOR MOST OF MY LIFE.
BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MANY IN WARREN COUNTY CANNOT JUST AFFORD TO BUY ANY PIECE OF MEDIA THEY MAY EVER HOPE TO USE, WHETHER THAT BE BOOKS, MOVIES, OR OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. SOME RESOURCES OFFERED BY SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY AND SURELY MANY WHO ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY CANNOT CONSISTENTLY AFFORD A COMPUTER OR WIFI THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
I KNOW THAT THE TEACHERS AND PARENTS OF WARREN COUNTY ARE STRETCHED THIN BY WHAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN OFFER GIVEN THEIR LIMITED FUNDING, WHICH ISN'T MAGICALLY UNDONE BY THE REAPPROPRIATED FUNDS FROM SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY.
I ALSO KNOW THAT FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES IN OUR COUNTY HAVE GONE UNDERFUNDED FOR TOO LONG.
THESE PUBLIC SERVICES ARE GOING UNDERFUNDED.
THE LIBRARY'S FUNDING IS BEING GIVEN TO OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES, BUT IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH.
THESE PUBLIC SERVICES AND YOUR SALARIES ARE PAID FOR WITH MONEY FROM WARREN COUNTY.
TAXPAYERS LABOR, LONG HOURS OF WORK TIME WITH FAMILY AND LOVED ONES MISSED THE BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT
[00:50:01]
THE POLITICIANS.THESE ARE OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, WHICH YOU SEEM TO FEEL ENTITLED TO USE YOUR POWER TO TAKE AWAY FROM US.
FOUR OF YOU ALL ARE USING OUR MONEY TO WORK AGAINST OUR COMMON BEST INTEREST AND TO TRY TO DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS OR WHAT YOUR BELIEFS ARE.
IF YOU ARE A TAXPAYER OR RESIDENT IN WARREN COUNTY, YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE ROBBING YOU WHILE YOU ARE, WHILE USING YOUR MONEY TO GET YOU TO HATE YOUR NEIGHBORS.
JUST SO THAT YOU'LL SIDE WITH THEM WHILE THEY ROB US.
THIS IS THE SIMPLE FACT THAT MOST POLITICIANS DON'T WANT US TO CONSIDER THAT WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON WITH EACH OTHER THAN WE DO WITH THEM.
WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHATEVER THESE FOUR MAY SAY.
THEY DON'T GET TO DECIDE THAT FOR US WHILE DRIVING A WEDGE BETWEEN US AND WE SHOULDN'T LET THEM.
NEXT STEP IS JOHN JENKINS, I JOHN JENGEN, SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT.
UH, I COME ACROSS THIS ARTICLE, WHICH I GAVE EVERYONE A COPY.
I DUNNO IF YOU'VE READ IT OR NOT, UH, COME ACROSS A SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT'S ABOUT WARREN COUNTY AND IT'S NOT A POSITIVE, UH, IT'S NOT A POSITIVE REVIEW.
UH, AND I THINK IT WOULD IMPACT TOURISM AND INDUSTRY, UH, IN WARREN COUNTY.
UH, IT STARTS OUT WITH, UH, SOME HISTORICAL INFORMATION ABOUT AEC, UH, AND THE POLLUTION AND THE, AND, UH, AND IN THE, UH, CHANNEL RIVER, IT TALKS ABOUT THE FARMERS, TALKS ABOUT CHICKEN FARMERS, CATTLE FARMERS, ALL CONTRIBUTING TO THE STATE OF THE, UH, CHANNEL RIVER.
UH, THEN IT GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT THE EDA SCANDAL.
UH, THE EMBEZZLEMENT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM TAXPAYERS, THE LARGEST IN THE STATE'S HISTORY.
UH, 14 ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS WERE INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY AND NEVER WENT TO TRIAL.
THEN IT GOES ON TO, UH, CHRISTIAN COLLEGE WHO HAS DUMPED THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF UNTREATED WASTE INTO THE CHAT RIVER FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IS NOW NEGOTIATING AN AGREEMENT WITH DEQ.
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE WARREN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR ANY OF THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES INTERVENE ON THIS PART TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
UH, THEN IT, THEN THE MAIN ARTICLE THAT GOT ME WAS THE STATEMENTS ABOUT CHRISTIAN COLLEGE IN 2023 INTERFERING WITH FUNDING FOR SAN LUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
DUE TO THE PUBLIC SUPPORT, THEIR ATTEMPT FAILED.
SO THEY SHIFTED THEIR FOCUS TO TAKE OVER THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
HAVE THEY DONE THAT? MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW.
IS ALL THIS TO DEFUND SAN PUBLIC LIBRARY OR IS IT A PART OF THE CATHOLIC ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS COUNTY TO SHOW WHAT POWER THEY HAVE OVER THE PROTESTANTS THAT LIVE HERE? THIS IS NOT THE 16TH CENTURY CATHOLIC'S KILLED THOUSANDS OF PROTESTANTS TO FORCE THEIR BELIEFS AND IDEAS ON THEM.
MANY WARS HAVE BEEN OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND NOW WE'RE BACK AT THE SAME THING.
SO I QUESTION WHAT, WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION? WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION TO NOT FUND THE LIBRARY? IS YOUR MOTIVATION TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE IN CHARGE AND YOU HAVE YOUR OWN OPINIONS AND YOU WILL DO AS YOU WISH BECAUSE NO ONE CAN MAKE YOU DO OTHERWISE.
ONE OF THE STATEMENTS IN THERE SAYS THAT THE PHYSICAL AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT OF PLACES LIKE WARREN COUNTY TESTS, WHAT UNSCRUPULOUS PEOPLE CAN GET AWAY WITH WHEN THEY ARE REMOTE, UNSUPERVISED, AND UNNOTICED.
I'VE SENT AN EMAIL TO THIS COMPANY TO SEE IF THEY CAN SEND THIS OUT NATIONWIDE AND TO UPDATE THEM ON THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY IS BEING DEFUNDED.
THE LIBRARY MONEY IS BEING GIVEN TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO YOU MAY CARRY OUT YOUR MISSION BY DESTROYING THE LIBRARY AND CREATING HAVOC FOR THE NEW BOARD THAT COMES IN.
BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.
THIS WEEK I WAS GOING THROUGH MY THIRD GRADERS BACKPACK AND FOUND A HANDOUT TITLED COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENT TEST STUDY GUIDE.
THERE IS A SECTION THAT STATED THE FOLLOWING, GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THEIR CITIZENS.
A SERVICE IS SOMETHING SOMEONE DOES FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
THEN WENT INTO PROVIDING EXAMPLES.
AND THE SECOND ONE LISTED WAS PROVIDING LIBRARIES.
MY 7-YEAR-OLD STATED TO ME, WELL, NOT
[00:55:01]
IN WARREN COUNTY, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE LIBRARY.AS YOU GUYS LIKE TO POINT OUT DURING OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD TO NOT USE PROFANITY DUE TO SMALL CHILDREN MAY BEING WATCHING YOU OR WATCHING US SPEAK.
THEY'RE ALSO WATCHING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU MAKING DECISIONS TO CONTINUALLY DEFUND THE LIBRARY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH A QUOTE FROM OUR DAVID LINKS.
BAD LIBRARIES BUILD COLLECTIONS, GOOD LIBRARIES, BUILD SERVICES, GREAT LIBRARIES, BUILD COMMUNITIES.
THE SAVE SAMUELS COMMUNITY IS STRONG, PASSIONATE AND UNITED BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL LIBRARY, WE AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE AND WON'T BE SILENCED.
GIVE THE FUNDING TO WHERE IT WAS INTENDED TO ORIGINALLY TO OUR AWARD WINNING LIBRARY.
I HAVE NO GRIEVANCES TO ADDRESS TO THIS BOARD THIS EVENING.
I ACTUALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, WHOM, IN MY OPINION, WELL, YOU'LL BE THE MOST LIKELY THE WORST BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT HAS EVER GOVERNED IN WARREN COUNTY'S HISTORY.
THANK YOU FOR DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAD PLANNED, ORGANIZE, AND INTENDED TO DO FROM DAY ONE TO SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE FINALLY PROVIDED TO US ALL TRANSPARENCY AND FINALLY PUTTING A STOP TO THE ONGOING DEBATE AND DIVISION AMONGST US, COMMUNITY ME MEMBERS OF WHAT YOUR PERSONAL AGENDA REALLY WAS, AND NOW SHOWING US WHO YOU REALLY ARE.
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? NOT ONE SECOND IN TIME WILL THE LIBRARY BE DEFUNDED.
THE MOST DANGEROUS LIARS ARE THOSE WHOM THINK THEY ARE TELLING THE TRUTH.
YOU'VE EXPOSED THIS COMMUNITY TO WHOM THE CURRENT AND PAST BAD ACTORS ARE AMONGST US.
THE PAST PRIMARY WAS AN EXAMPLE IN WHICH AT LEAST ONE OF YOU CONTRIBUTE A LOT OF MONEY TO CONTROL WHO SIT BESIDE YOU ON THIS BOARD COME NOVEMBER, WHICH FAILED.
WHAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY DOING IS GIVING CONFIRMATION AND MERIT TO WHAT MOST OF THE CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY SAMUELS PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE SAVE SAMUEL'S PAC HAS BEEN SAYING OF WHAT THE, WHAT YOUR TRUE AGENDA WAS.
ALL ALONG ELECTIONS MATTER AND THEY ALSO HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
THE ELECTION THIS NOVEMBER WILL LEAD US RIGHT BACK HERE AND WHAT HAS BEEN DONE CAN BE UNDONE WITH ALL MY THANKS.
IT WOULD BE AN INJUSTICE NOT TO MENTION OR RECOGNIZE ONE OF THE FIRST FIRE STARTERS OF THE SAMUELS PUBLIC LIBRARY SAGA IN 2023 FROM THE VERY SEAT THAT YOU JAMESON OR CURRENTLY SETTING IN.
WE ALL OBSERVED THE CAMPAIGN OF WHAT HER FIRST LEGISLATION WOULD BE WHILE USING OUR BELOVED SAMUELS LIBRARY TO PROMOTE AND ADVOCATE HER POSITION TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN THE GENERAL LADY DOLORES OATES FOLKS.
THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT WHAT WE, THE PEOPLE SHARE AS VALUES TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GREAT.
SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS BEEN AND IS ONE OF THOSE VALUES, AN AWARD-WINNING LIBRARY, HISTORIC IN THEIR OWN RIGHT AND THE KEEPERS OF THAT HISTORY FOR THE CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY, THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TAXPAYERS WANT THEIR TAXPAYERS DOLLARS TO FUND.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN THEY SHOW YOU WHO THEY REALLY ARE, BELIEVE THEM.
NEXT UP IS GILLIAN GREENFIELD.
UH, HI, UH, GILLIAN GREENFIELD.
UM, 14 EAST PICCADILLY STREET, UH, WINCHESTER.
CAN CAN YOU MOVE THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER? HOW'S THAT, THAT, THAT'S GOOD.
I'M REQUESTING APPROVAL OF MY SHORT-TERM RENTAL APPLICATION AT 2 0 9 LU CHASE ROAD.
I'VE OBTAINED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM MY CLOSEST NEIGHBOR.
HOWEVER, MY NEIGHBOR OF 95 FEET WILL NOT APPROVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT BECAUSE HER, SHE HAS HER OWN SHORT-TERM RENTAL ALSO ON LU CHASE ROAD.
SO INSTEAD IN AN EFFORT TO STILL EARN YOUR APPROVAL, I'VE DONE THE FOLLOWING.
[01:00:01]
MET WITH OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.I'VE MET WITH TWO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I'VE MET WITH THREE PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS.
I'VE MET WITH ALL THE PLANNING STAFF.
I PROVIDED SIX LE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION.
I'VE ATTENDED SEVEN APPROVALS MEETINGS.
I'VE HAD NINE PEOPLE COME TO SPEAK TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I'VE ATTENDED THE LAST 10 SKYLAND CORPORATION MONTHLY MEETINGS, OFTEN BEING THE ONLY ONE PERSON IN ATTENDANCE.
I'VE SUBMITTED MY FIRST APPLICATION 11 MONTHS AGO AND WORKED EVERY MONTH TO IMPROVE MY MANAGEMENT PLAN AND TO CONTINUE MY COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
AS A RESULT, I'VE DOUBLED THE REQUIRED PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PLAN TO ADDRESS AND ENSURE HEALTH, SAFETY AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS.
AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ONE COMPLAINT FROM ANY OF MY NEIGHBORS ON MY SHORT TERM RENTALS IN OVER FIVE YEARS.
THE HOUSE IS LESS THAN A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET AND WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO BE LIVED IN AS A FULL-TIME RENTAL, ONLY AS A VACATION RENTAL.
FURTHERMORE, DUE TO THE WEATHER IN THAT AREA, IT'S ONLY SAVED FOR PARTIAL OR SEASONAL OCCUPANCY IN MAY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOGNIZED THIS SITUATION AS A CLEAR ATTEMPT BY MY NEIGHBOR TO LIMIT COM COMPETITION USING THAT A HUNDRED FOOT SETBACK RULE.
THEY ACKNOWLEDGED MY CONSIDERABLE EFFORTS, APPRECIATED THE VACATION RENTAL NATURE OF THE PROPERTY, AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE MY APPLICATION.
I HAVE SAID ALL OF THE WORDS, I HAVE DONE ALL OF THE THINGS TO EARN YOUR APPROVAL TOO.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST TONIGHT FOR YOU TO APPROVE MY APPLICATION.
RICHARD BUTCHER, 14 EAST PICCADILLY STREET IN WINCHESTER.
I'M REQUESTING AN APPROVAL FOR OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL ON PERMIT FOR 2 0 9 LU CHASE ROAD.
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME NOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU BY NOW.
WE ALL UNDERSTAND WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN OUR SECOND LETTER FROM OUR NEIGHBOR THAT IS 95 FEET AWAY BECAUSE SHE HAS HER OWN SHORT-TERM RENTAL ON LOU CHASE ROAD.
THE SETBACK RULE IS INTENDED FOR PEOPLE THAT DO NOT WANT TO LIVE WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
WELL, THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR OUR NEIGHBOR 'CAUSE SHE LIVES 40 FEET FROM HERS.
SHE'S ONLY USING THIS RULE TO KEEP OUT THE COMPETITION.
THE BOARD GRANTED HER A VARIANCE ON HER SHORT-TERM RENTAL THAT IS 40 FEET AWAY.
THE SAME VARIANCE WE ARE ASKING FOR TODAY.
OVER THE LAST 11 MONTHS, NO ONE HAS WORKED HARDER TO EARN YOUR APPROVAL THAN WE HAVE.
THE VARIANCE GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO APPROVE OUR APPLICATION FOR EXACTLY SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
AND I WILL ADD FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE, THE COUNTY DETERMINED US TO BE 46 FEET FROM OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE LEFT USING GOOGLE EARTH.
BUT WHEN WE PULLED A TAPE MEASURE, WE WERE ACTUALLY 55 FEET.
SO I LOOKED THIS UP AND LEARNED THAT GOOGLE EARTH HAS AN AVERAGE MARGIN OF ERROR OF 15 FEET.
SO BASED ON THE ERROR FROM THE ONE SIDE OF NINE FEET, WE COULD EASILY BE AN ERROR OF FIVE FEET ON THE OTHER SIDE.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST TONIGHT FOR YOU TO APPROVE OUR APPLICATION.
WOULD ANYONE IN THE, UH, AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA GOING ONCE? HI, I AM MARY JANE FROM NORTH RIVER.
UM, LAST MEETING I WAS HERE AGAIN AS I HAVE BEEN MANY MONTHS EXCEPT IF I'M TRAVELING FOR SOME REASON AND IT'S GETTING A LITTLE TEDIOUS.
BUT LAST MONTH, LAST MEETING, ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS SPOKE IS IF HE'D HAD AN EPIPHANY ABOUT HOW THERE'S IMPORTANT CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THIS AREA.
MAYBE IF HE WENT TO THE LIBRARY ONCE IN A WHILE ALONG WITH THE OTHER 15,000 COUNTY RESIDENTS, HE COULD AVAIL HIMSELF OF ITS LOCAL HISTORY ROOM AND PARTICIPATE IN THE GENEALOGY PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY SAMUEL'S LIBRARY.
YES, THE LIBRARY IS A PLACE WHERE OUR HERITAGE IS KEPT AND PASSED DOWN, DOWN TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS.
BUT INSTEAD OF FRAMING OUR HERITAGE AS PART OF WHAT MAKES US AND
[01:05:01]
THIS PLACE SPECIAL, YOU CHOOSE TO LOOK AT SAMUEL'S AS A BLEMISH ON THIS COMMUNITY.AND BY THE WAY, THE LIBRARY IS OLDER THAN THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY FOUND SO FASCINATING.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK? WHY ONCE GOING TWICE? PUBLIC COMMENT.
I LIVE IN THE SHENANDOAH DISTRICT.
UM, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE, UH, I WANNA TURN BACK THE CLOCK AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE TO LOOK FORWARD, UM, TO A NEW BOARD MAJORITY HOPEFULLY COME NEXT YEAR.
UH, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE SECRET MEETING, UM, A WHILE BACK, MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD? SORRY, IS THIS ON THE AGENDA? THIS IS, IS, UH, PERTAINS TO THE LIBRARY FUNDING THAT YOU GUYS ARE ABOUT TO SPEND THE REST OF.
THAT WAS THE LEGALLY DUBIOUS AND HONESTLY FATUOUS REASONING OF MR. JAMESON.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE SAMUEL'S LIBRARY ASSETS, UM, YOU GUYS TOOK GREAT EXCEPTION TO, UH, UM, WHAT YOU DESCRIBED AS A SECRET MEETING.
IT WASN'T A SECRET MEETING AT ALL.
UM, YOU GUYS HAVE A, A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SAMUELS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
YOUR ASSERTION WAS THAT THE COUNTY OWNED THE PHYSICAL ASSETS OF THE LIBRARY BECAUSE IN YOUR, IN YOUR WORDS, MR. JAMESON, UH, MONEY IS FUNGIBLE.
AND THE REASONING WAS THAT BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAD PROVIDED FUNDING FOR OPERATIONS, THAT THAT ENABLED THE LIBRARY TO PURCHASE PHYSICAL ASSETS.
THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO YOU, THOSE ASSETS BELONGED TO THE COUNTY.
AND THEN WHEN THE LIBRARY HELD A PERFECTLY LEGAL MEETING TO, TO AMEND ITS, UH, DISILLUSION CLAUSE TO WHERE THE IT WHERE, WHERE THE NONPROFIT TO DISSOLVE THE PHYSICAL ASSETS OF THE LIBRARY WOULD BE INITIALLY WERE TO BE DONATED TO THE COUNTY.
AND YOU, YOU TOOK EXCEPTION TO THAT.
ISN'T THAT A TACIT, IF NOT EXPLICIT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THOSE ASSETS DID BELONG TO SAMUEL'S LIBRARY? LIKE HOW DO YOU BEQUEATH SOMETHING TO SOMEBODY THAT ALREADY OWNS IT? IF THAT MEANING IF THE COUNTY ALREADY OWNED THOSE ASSETS, THEN WOULDN'T THE NEW DISILLUSION CLAUSE AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL ONE BOTH BE MOOT? I, I, I MEAN FOR, FORGIVE MY IGNORANCE ON THIS SUBJECT.
UM, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE ANY SENSE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD REASON WHY.
UH, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK MR. CHAIRMAN? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
WELL, I, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE I DO THAT.
I HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN THE SECOND HALF BECAUSE MY COMMENTS ARE ABOUT THE LIBRARY, BUT I THOUGHT I HAD TO WAIT TILL THE SECOND HALF.
SO IF I CAN DO THEM NOW, I'LL DO THEM NOW.
IS THAT I, I'M TRYING TO ASK, I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
IT'S, I I DIDN'T SEE THE LIBRARY ON THE AGENDA, SO I THOUGHT I, BUT PLEASE COME OUT.
APPARENTLY THIS WOULD BE THE, THIS, THIS WOULD BE THE LAST ONE.
MY NAME IS JIM BARNES IN THE SOUTH FROM THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT.
AS I MENTIONED, MY COMMENTS TONIGHT CONCERNING THE ONGOING LIBRARY CONTROVERSY HERE IN THE COUNTY.
UH, THE ACTIONS OF THE BOARD AGAINST THE LIBRARY HAVE BEEN OPPOSED AT EVERY TURN BY THE CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE OPPOSED.
THIS SAGA HAS PERSISTED FOR FAR TOO LONG, BUT THANKFULLY THE END IS IN SIGHT.
IN TWO SHORT MONTHS, THE CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY WILL RETURN TO THE POLLS AND WILL ONCE AGAIN MAKE THEIR SUPPORT TO THE LIBRARY FOR THE LIBRARY CLEAR.
[01:10:01]
IT WOULD BE EASY TO SIT BACK AND JUST WAIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.I INSTEAD COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO OFFER SOME SUGGESTIONS AND WORDS OF ADVICE TO SOME OF YOU.
I'M SPEAKING SPEC SPECIFICALLY TO YOU, MR. BUTLER, AND TO YOU, MR. STANIER, THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, YOU HAVE PLACED YOURSELVES ON THE SIDE OF MR. JAMISON IN HIS ATTEMPTS TO DEFINE AND, AND DISCREDIT THE LIBRARY.
UH, I'M NOT CLAIMING TO KNOW YOUR REASONINGS OR YOUR MOTIVATIONS, UH, FOR TAKING THAT SIDE.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WANTED.
I WOULD HOPE THAT BY NOW YOU RECOGNIZE THE ERROR IN THAT PERCEPTION.
BUT EVEN IN RECOGNIZING IT, YOU MAY BE THINKING IT'S TOO LATE TO CHANGE COURSE.
YOU MAY BE THINKING YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR STANCE AND YOU HAVE TO STICK WITH IT.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT TO BE THE CASE.
I THINK THERE IS STILL TIME FOR YOU TO CHANGE DIRECTION AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR MR. JAMESON.
HE COULDN'T CHANGE HIS COURSE, EVEN IF HE WANTED TO.
NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS TIME ON THE BOARD, HE WILL BE VOTED OFF IN TWO YEARS AND HIS REPUTATION WILL BE FOREVER TARNISHED BY HIS ACTIONS HERE.
WHATEVER HE DOES FOR THE REST OF HIS TIME HERE IN WARREN COUNTY, HE, FOR HIS LEGACY, WILL BE THAT OF A VILLAIN WHO CHOSE TO USE HIS PUBLIC OFFICE TO IGNORE THE WISHES OF HIS CONSTITUENTS AND TO ATTACK A UNIVERSALLY BELOVED INSTITUTION WITH UNSUBSTANTIATED CLAIMS OF MISMANAGEMENT AND CORRUPTION FOR MS. COOK.
I BELIEVE IT IS ALSO TOO LATE.
SHE HAS LINED HERSELF TOO CLOSELY WITH MR. JAMESON, AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANY CHANGE OF HEART SHE MIGHT EXPRESS WOULD BE BELIEVED.
I THINK SHE IS DOOMED TO BE PAINTED WITH THE SAME BRUSH AS MR. JAMESON.
BUT FOR YOU TWO, I BELIEVE THERE IS STILL TIME.
I THINK YOU TWO HAVE REMAINED ENOUGH ON THE PERIPHERY THAT A CHANGE OF HEART AT THIS JUNCTURE COULD BE VIEWED AS GEN AS GENUINE.
MR. COOK, I KNOW THAT YOU, I'M, I'M SORRY MR. BUTLER.
I KNOW THAT YOU LIKE MS. COOK, ARE NOT SEEKING REELECTION.
I'M NOT HERE TO SPECULATE ON WHAT LED EACH OF YOU TO THAT DECISION.
BUT WHAT IT MEANS IS NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, COME NOVEMBER, YOU WILL NOT BE, UH, YOU WILL NOT BE OCCUPYING A SEAT ON THIS BOARD.
SO ANY ALLIANCES THAT MAY EXIST, ANY FAVORS THAT MIGHT BE OWED, UH, WILL CEASE TO HAVE ANY RELEVANCE.
ALL THAT, ALL YOU WILL HAVE REMAINING IS YOUR REPUTATION.
YOU CAN GO DOWN ALONGSIDE MR. JA, MR. JAMESON AS A VILLAIN WHO STUCK TO HIS EVIL PLAN, RIGHT TO THE BITTER END.
OR YOU CAN BE REMEMBERED AS A MAN OF CHARACTER WHO AT THE VERY END RECOGNIZED THE ERROR OF HIS WAYS AND CHOSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
BASICALLY THE SAME THING FOR YOU, SIR.
[G.Reports — Board Members, County Administrator, County Attorney ]
AGENDA IS, UM, REPORTS BY BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. STEINMEYER? NO, SIR.I THINK I WENT FIRST LAST TIME, SO I DON'T MIND GOING LAST'S TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO HOW ABOUT YOU MS. COOK? UH, THE ONLY THING THAT I I'D LIKE TO REPORT IS THAT, UH, WE HAD A, UM, A MEETING WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS THE FISCAL YEAR 2324.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA REPORT THAT WE'RE PROGRESSING.
JAMESON ATTENDED THAT SAME FINANCES COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, WE HAVE A PROJECTION OF COMPLETING THE AUDIT OF A NEW SCHEDULE, AND I THINK THAT'S, THERE'S SOME REASONABLE CHANCE OF THAT HAPPENING.
I WASN'T PLANNING TO GIVE A REPORT, UH, BUT I, UH, WILL, UM, FOR MY REPORT INSTEAD, I WILL, UH, JUST READ, UH, AN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE I HAD WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
UM, SO I ASKED THEM SEVERAL QUESTIONS, EIGHT OR 10 QUESTIONS, AND HERE ARE THE ANSWERS.
QUESTION ONE, HOW BAD WERE THE AMMONIA AND PH LEVELS THAT WERE ABOVE THE LIMIT AT CHRISTEN? HOW SERIOUS OF A HEALTH HAZARD DO THEY REPRESENT TO ANYONE? SWIMMING AND WAITING DOWNSTREAM? UH, THE RESPONSE FROM DEQ, ALL EXCEEDANCES OF PERMIT EFFLUENT OR TAKEN SERIOUSLY, HOWEVER, GIVEN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PARAMETERS OF CONCERN, PHN AMMONIA AND THE FACT THAT THE VOLUME OF TREATED WASTEWATER WOULD BE LESS THAN 0.02% OF SHENANDOAH RIVER FLOW UNDER THE LOWEST FLOW CONDITIONS.
DEQ WOULD NOT EXPECT ANY RISK TO CITIZENS WAITING OR SWIMMING A MILE DOWNSTREAM OF THE POINT WHERE THE COLLEGES TREATED WASTEWATER ENTERS THE SHENANDOAH RIVER.
IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THE COLLEGE'S TREATMENT PLANT ONLY SERVES THE COLLEGE AND IS PERMITTED TO DISCHARGE 25,000 GALLONS PER DAY.
[01:15:01]
FROM APRIL, 2024 TO MARCH, 2025 WAS JUST OVER 8,000 GALLONS PER DAY.AND I'LL JUST ADD A A POINT OUT THIS ARTICLE THAT I THANK MR. JENKINS FOR SHARING, SAID THAT THE, THE COLLEGE WAS PUTTING 25,000 GALLONS OF RAW SEWAGE PER DAY INTO THE RIVER THAT IS ENTIRELY DEMONSTRABLY CAUSED OF SEWAGE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE TRIBUTE.
EXCUSE ME, THIS IS NOT A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION.
UM, YOU MISREPRESENTED, EXCUSE ME.
YOU CAN KICK ME OUT WITH THE FACT OF THE MATTER.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE INCIDENTS OF THESE TYPES OF, UH, VIOLATIONS FROM TIME TO TIME WITH SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, INCLUDING THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL DUE TO EXCESS STORMWATER, POWER, OUTAGE EQUIPMENT FAILURES, ET CETERA? AND WHAT DOES MATTER IN, IN TERMS OF THE SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS? UM, THE RESPONSE WASTEWATER TREATMENT CAN EXPERIENCE A VARIETY OF OPERATIONAL ISSUES AS DESCRIBED.
AND IT'S TRUE THAT THE ACTIONS FACILITY TAKES RETURN, TURN TO COMPLIANCE AND TO AVOID FUTURE NON-COMPLIANCE ARE WHAT TRULY MATTER.
UM, NOW THIS IS BACK EARLIER THIS YEAR, SO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS HAVE SINCE COME TO BE RESOLVED, BUT THERE WAS MISINFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT THEM.
SO I'LL JUST, UH, READ THE WHOLE THING.
WHAT DOES THE CASE STATUS OF PENDING CONSENT MEAN? WHICH PARTY DEQ OR THE COLLEGE STILL NEEDS TO GIVE CONSENT? IS THERE A DELAY OR IS THE INVESTIGATION STILL UNDERWAY? DEQ ISSUED A NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE COLLEGE ON MAY 31ST, 2024.
SINCE THEN, DEQ HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE COLLEGE ON THE NEED NEEDED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AND A SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETING THOSE ACTIONS.
THAT INFORMATION WILL BE DOCUMENTED IN A DRAFT CONSENT ORDER, WHICH IS A NEGOTIATION NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT TO RETURN TO COMPLIANCE.
DEQ EXPECTS THE ISSUE, EXPECTS TO ISSUE THE DRAFT CONSENT ORDER TO THE COLLEGE ON OR BEFORE MAY 16TH, 2025 FOR THEIR REVIEW WITH A GOAL OF HAVING THE COLLEGE VOLUNTARILY SIGN THE ORDER, WHICH I THINK HAS RECENTLY HAPPENED.
UM, HAS THE ISSUE BEEN RE REMEDIATED TO DEQ SATISFACTION WAS THE COLLEGE COOPERATIVE IN THIS INCIDENT WAS, IS THE COLLEGE TAKING APPROPRIATE STEPS TO PREVENT RECURRENCE? THE COLLEGE PROACTIVELY ENGAGED IN ENGINEERING CONSULTANT TO EVALUATE THE TREATMENT PLANT IN JANUARY, 2021.
NOTE, THIS WAS PRIOR TO RECEIVING ANY VIOLATION NOTICES FROM DEQ BASED ON THE JANUARY 21 EVALUATION.
THE COLLEGE BEGAN IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS IN PHASES, INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF A FLOW EQUALIZATION BASIN.
THE JAN JANUARY, 2021 ENGINEERING EVALUATION NOTED THAT THE CLARIFIER DESIGN WAS A LIKELY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE TREATMENT PLANT PERFORMANCE ISSUES.
THE COLLEGE CONTINUED WORKING, UH, WITH THE ENGINEERING FIRM TO DESIGN A NEW SECONDARY CLARIFIER TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
ON FEBRUARY 20TH, 2025, DEQ APPROVED THE COLLEGE'S APPLICATION TO CONSTRUCT A SECONDARY CLARIFIER.
INSTALLATION OF THE CLARIFIER IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR BY THE END OF SUMMER 2025.
THE COLLEGE IS ALSO EVALUATING POTENTIAL LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING CONNECTING TO THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND OCTOBER, 2024 WHEN THE COLLEGE'S TREATMENT PLANT, EXCUSE ME, MA'AM.
IN OCTOBER, 2024, WHEN THE COLLEGE'S TREATMENT PLANT LOST SOLIDS INTO THE RECEIVING STREAM, THEY REMOVED THE SOLIDS FROM THE STREAM BY HAND AND DISPOSED OF THEM PROPERLY.
DEQ WAS PROVIDED PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION TO CONFIRM THE COMPLETION OF THIS CORRECTIVE ACTION.
KRISTIN THEN MADE OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO MINIMIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE FUTURE SOLIDS LOSS.
THE COLLEGE HAS REPORTED SPORADIC ENHANCED, UH, EXCEEDANCES OF ITS PERMITTED DISCHARGE LIMITS OVER THE LAST YEAR.
HOWEVER, NONE HAS RESULTED IN OBSERVABLE IMPACTS TO AQUATIC LIFE.
THE MOST RECENT DATA SUBMITTED BY THE COLLEGE INDICATE THAT THE TREATMENT PLANT DISCHARGE IS CURRENTLY MEETING PERMITTED LIMITS.
THE CASE NUMBER OF DAYS QUESTION.
THE CASE NUMBER OF DAYS IS CURRENTLY 341.
PLEASE INDICATE THAT THIS IS JUST THE NUMBER OF DAYS SINCE THE CASE WAS OPENED, OR IS IT THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH VIOLATIONS? THE NUMBER 3 41 REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF DAYS IF ELAPSED SINCE DEQ OPENED THE CASE.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT CONTINUAL PERMIT VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING.
IS THERE ANY SORT OF NOTIFICATION SYSTEM THAT CONCERNS CITIZENS THEY SUBSCRIBE TO, TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL DEQ VIOLATIONS? UM, DEQ DOES NOT HAVE A NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, OUR GIS SYSTEM DOES CONTAIN POLLUTION REPORT INFORMATION THAT IS UPDATED DAILY.
IF A CITIZEN WERE TO VISIT OUR GIS SYSTEM AND ZOOM INTO THEIR LOCATION, THEY COULD IDENTIFY NEARBY POLLUTION REPORTS BY CLICKING ON POLLUTION REPORTS.
[01:20:01]
UP INFORMATION CONCERNING THE REPORT, AND THEN HE DOES GIVE A LINK.UM, BUT IF YOU GOOGLE THAT, YOU CAN FIND IT WITH VIRGINIA DEQ.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE IMPORTANT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT THIS RECENT CITIZEN ACTIONS? IEA LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF EDITOR OF A LOCAL NEWS OUTLET.
EMAILS AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED MEDIA AND CITIZEN ATTENTION IN THIS ISSUE.
DEQ HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO ALL CITIZEN AND MEDIA INQUIRIES.
IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT KRISTEN COLLEGE POSTED AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THEIR WEBSITE, INCLUDING AN FAQ, AND THERE'S A LINK TO THAT WHICH YOU CAN ALSO GOOGLE.
UM, LASTLY, DDEQ CLARIFIED TO ME THAT THE INCIDENT WAS NOT INTO THE RIVER, BUT INTO A DRY DITCH.
THE 80 FOOT DISTANCE IS THE DISTANCE IN THE DRY DITCH AS IDENTIFIED AS AT SHENANDOAH RIVER, UT, WHICH STANDS FOR UP UPPER TRIBUTARY.
UM, THAT MEANS THAT THE, THE OUTFLOW WAS 80 FEET DOWN FROM THE FACILITIES OUTFLOW IN A DRY DITCH.
IT DOES NOT REFER TO ANYTHING IN THE RIVER PROPER BASED ON AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
IT APPEARS THAT THE FACILITY'S OUTFLOW IS APPROXIMATELY 390 FEET FROM THE SHENANDOAH RIVER.
UM, SO, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL.
UM, I DID REACH OUT TO THEM AGAIN MORE RECENTLY FOR UPDATES AND AT THAT POINT THEY HAD SAID THAT THE CONSENT ORDER HAD GONE THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS, UM, WITH LAWYERS AND AND SO FORTH.
UH, AND, UH, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME ON BOTH SIDES, INCLUDING DEQ SIDE, ABOUT 30 DAYS FOR ITERATION, BUT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING UP WITH DEQ ON THAT.
I'VE ALSO FOLLOWED UP, UH, WITH CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE.
I'VE TALKED TO THE PLANT MANAGER THERE.
UM, AND, UH, THEY ARE VERY CLOSE TO BRINGING ONLINE THAT, UH, SECONDARY CLARIFIER, WHICH, UM, SHOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN, IN TERMS OF ANY, UM, ISSUE LIKE THIS HAPPENING AGAIN.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN ON THIS, UH, EVERY CONSTITUENT THAT HAS ASKED ME ABOUT IT.
UM, I HAVE REPLIED TO THEM AND GIVEN THEM FULL TRANSPARENCY OF EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW FROM THE DEQ, UH, IN MY OPINION, DEQ HAS BEEN DOING, UM, A GOOD JOB STAYING ON TOP OF THIS AS WELL.
UM, BUT, UH, I DO THINK THAT ARTICLES LIKE THIS, UM, THAT BLOW IT OUT OF PROPORTION BY CLAIMING THAT ALL 25,000 GALLONS PER DAY ARE, ARE ROSS IMAGE GOING INTO THE RIVER, WHEN CLEARLY THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
THEY'RE ONLY INFLAMING THE SITUATION.
UM, IF I WERE CHRIS, CHRIS AND THEM, I WOULD WANT TO GO TALK TO THESE PEOPLE, UM, AND STRAIGHTEN THAT STORY.
UM, THAT'S ALL FOR MY REPORT TODAY.
ON AUGUST 21ST, OUR TOURISM COMMITTEE MET.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON IDEAS AND EVENTS FOR THE 250TH BIRTHDAY, AND, UM, GOT A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS FOR THAT THAT EVENING.
I WENT TO THE WARREN HERITAGE SOCIETY FIRE HISTORY AND THANK ASSISTANT CHIEF KO FOR HIS PRESENTATION.
IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING.
UM, SATURDAY THE 23RD, I SUPPORTED THE SOUTH WARREN FIRE DEPARTMENT'S.
UM, CHICKEN BARBECUE ATTENDED THE SKYLINE FOOTBALL'S FUNDRAISER.
UM, BOTH OF THOSE, UH, THE CHICKEN WAS DELICIOUS AND THE EVENT FOR THE FUNDRAISER WAS, UM, IT WAS, UM, NOT AS MANY PEOPLE AS I'D HOPED WAS WOULD BE THERE, BUT IT WAS WELL ATTENDED AND IT'S GOING FOR, UM, EQUIPMENT AND JERSEYS AND WHAT THE KIDS NEED FOR THE FOOTBALL TO PLAY FOOTBALL SAFELY.
AUGUST 26, UM, AS A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, I ATTENDED THE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS THAT WAS HOSTED BY VALLEY HEALTH.
THEY HAD A LOT OF, UM, DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, THE OWNER BRETT, OF, UM, PAY FAVORITES, GOT TO USE THE ROBOTIC ARM AND PICK A PIECE OF STARBURST OUT AND UNWRAP IT, WHICH WAS KIND OF COOL.
UM, AND UH, THEN ON THE 27TH WE HAD A JOINT JOINT SCHOOL COUNTY, UH, BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE DISCUSSED THE NEEDS OF, UM, THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS, FACILITIES, THE TENNIS COURTS, AND SO FORTH.
AND THE ARC OF WARREN COUNTY IS HAVING THEIR FOURTH ANNUAL NAVIGATING THE MAZE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH FROM 5:00 PM TO 8:00 PM AT THE WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY CENTER.
THE OLD ON VILLA AVENUE, THE OLD, UH, SAMUELS LIBRARY BUILDING THAT IS TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE, UM, SERVICES WHEN YOU HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS, UM, CHILDREN OR ADULTS IN YOUR FAMILY.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING VERY WORTHWHILE TO GO TO.
UH, I WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT THE CHAMBER IS HOSTING THE CANDIDATE FORUM TOMORROW EVENING AT THE DOUBLETREE.
[01:25:01]
AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO START AT SEVEN.ALSO WANTED TO PUT OUT A REMINDER THAT HASN'T RAINED FOR A WHILE AND IT'S GETTING KIND OF DRY.
SO OUTDOOR BURNING, UM, PROBABLY NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE CAUTIOUS.
WITH THAT, THEN I WANNA VOICE MY CONCERNS WITH THE DECISION THE MA MAJORITY MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE MAKING IN REGARDS TO BUDGET FUNDING DECISIONS WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
THE ROLE OF THE SUPERVISOR IS TO MAKE FUNDING DECISIONS FOR THE BEST OUTCOME OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAX DOLLARS FOR ESSENTIAL CORE SERVICES SUCH AS SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRE, EMS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALSO IDENTIFIED THE SAMUELS PUBLIC LIBRARY AS AN ESSENTIAL CORE SERVICE.
ON AUGUST 19TH, 2025, AGENDA MONEY, UH, ON THE AGENDA WAS MONEY THAT WAS A LINE ITEM FOR THE LIBRARY FUNDED WAS APPROPRIATED TO FIRE AND RESCUE IN THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND ALTHOUGH I AGREE THAT THEY ARE WORTHY OF THAT, UM, IT WORRIES ME THAT IT IS BEING APPROPRIATED OUT WILLY-NILLY LIKE THIS ON THIS AGENDA.
THERE'S ALSO A SIGNIFICANT APPROPRIATION 480,000 TO FIRE AND RESCUE, AND I THINK ALL THE GUYS BACK THERE KNOW THAT I SUPPORT YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, I THINK THAT THIS IS BEING DONE FOR THE WRONG REASON.
SO IT PAINS ME THAT YOU'RE BEING CAUGHT UP IN THIS WEB.
I WAS, I AS THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT, WAS NOT PART OF ANY CONVERSATION ON EITHER OF THESE TWO AGENDA ITEMS. IT WOULD SEEM THE MAJORITY OF BOARD MEMBERS FEEL, SINCE THEY ARE THE MAJORITY, THEY DON'T NEED ANY INPUT FROM THE SOUTH RIVER DISTRICT SUPERVISOR, AS THEY HAVE SHOWN MANY TIMES, THEY CARE NOT WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ONLY WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEIR PERSONAL AGENDA.
MRS. COOK HAS MANY TIMES VOICED HER CONCERNS.
WE'RE MAKING BUDGET DECISIONS WITH NO AUDIT COMPLETED.
AND I SHARE THOSE CONCERNS AS WELL.
AFTER A RESIDENT IN MY DISTRICT ASKED ME WHY THE SUPERVISORS WERE NOT HOLDING THE TREASURER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE LACK OF AN AUDIT, I RESEARCHED AND FOUND WE COULD DO ONE AND WE COULD DO SOME OVERSIGHT, BUT ONE OF TWO WAYS.
WE COULD EITHER TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON AS A BOARD OR WE COULD, UM, ASK THE JUDGE TO APPOINT A BUG AND IT WAS DECIDED THIS BOARD WOULD DO THE OVERSIGHT.
UM, MRS. COOK, AS SHE SAID TONIGHT IS REPORTED IN THAT HER FINANCE COMMITTEE IS PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS THE TREASURER'S MAKING, BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE A COMPLETED AUDIT.
THE RESOLUTION TODAY WANTS TO USE ONE TIME MONEY.
AND WHEN I SAY ONE TIME MONEY, THAT IS MONEY THAT IS NOT REOCCURRING REVENUE AND THEY WANNA USE IT FOR HIRING STAFF, WHICH IS A LONG TERM EXPENSE THAT HAS TO BE WORKED INTO YOUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR, WHICH TO ME IS RECKLESS FOOLISH.
AND I WOULD THINK ALL OF YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT NOT ONLY IS IT IRRESPONSIBLE, BUT YOU'RE SETTING THIS COMMUNITY UP FOR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP FOR YEARS TO COME.
PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME YOUR CONFIDENCE OF THE CURRENT STATE OF FINANCIAL ACCURACY THAT YOU CAN SPEND MONEY SO FREELY JUST TO DESTROY THE LIBRARY.
WHY NOT LEAVE IT ALONE UNTIL THE AUDIT'S DONE? AND FOR ALL THE UNFORESEEN CONS, UH, EXPENDITURES THAT ARE DEFINITELY GONNA CROP UP.
YOU'RE SO CONCERNED WITH LOSING YOUR MAJORITY RULE WITH THE ELECTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO MAKE DISASTROUS FINANCIAL DECISIONS TO FILL, FULFILL THE DESTROY THE LIBRARY MISSION WITH NO REGARDS TO THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE.
THE DECISIONS YOU'RE MAKING ARE VERY OBVIOUS THAT YOU'RE NOT A SUPERVISOR FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT RATHER YOUR SUPERVISORS TO CHANGE THE COMMUNITY TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF YOUR PERSONAL DESIRES.
AND THIS COMMUNITY IS WATCHING MORE THAN YOU REALIZE.
I TALKED WITH MS. MEADOW AND ASSISTANT CHIEF TICO AND FOUND THAT CHIEF ZA AND NOR CHIEF TICO WERE CONSULTED ON THESE DECISION.
AND I FOUND THAT INTERESTING THAT YOU FIND NO REASON THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE A NEED TO CONSULT WITH THEM ON THIS.
AND THIS MAY BE FLIPPANT, BUT I'M GONNA ASK IT.
MY QUESTION NOW IS YOU ALL MEET, DO YOU ALL MEET DURING LUNCH OR DINNER AND DRINKS AND MAKE THIS, BECAUSE I NEED TO REMIND YOU THAT THREE OR MORE IS A QUORUM AND THAT'S AN ILLEGAL MEETING.
I DON'T APPRECIATE TO BE ACCUSED THAT WE ARE MEETING OUT OF NORM.
AND PLEASE, MS. COLORS, IT WAS A SECOND.
SECONDLY, I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT MS. COLORS ARE MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT THE AUDIT REPORTS WHEN SHE HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY OF THE AUDIT MEETINGS OR THE FINANCIAL MEETINGS OR EVEN TALKED TO OUR TREASURER WHO HAS BEEN DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB TO BALANCE OUR BOOKS TO MAKE SURE THAT
[01:30:01]
WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE.AND SECOND, AND LASTLY ABOUT SAYING THAT WE'RE DIDN'T, THAT I'M, I'M JUST CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING, BUT ANY, ANY EVENT, I, IT'S, I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR 45 MONTHS AND EVERY BUDGET CYCLE OUR CHIEF HAS COME UP AND HAS PRESENTED HIS CHALLENGES AND HIS NEEDS.
SO TO INSINUATE THAT WE, WE HAVE PUT THE FIRE IN RESCUE IN, YOU KNOW, IN A SPOT IS, IS DISAPP APPALLING TO ME? IT'S OBVIOUSLY MS. CU DOESN'T REMEMBER OR LISTEN TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE WHO COME EVERY YEAR.
AND LET ME JUST SAY, AND LEMME JUST SAY THIS IS, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRE AND RESCUE PEOPLE, WE SAW THEM TODAY, GREAT PEOPLE.
AND YOU KNOW, WE FIRE AND RESCUE PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS BECAUSE WE WERE BUILDING GOOD DEBT.
OKAY? SO WE'RE OUTTA THIS GOOD DEBT.
WE ARE PAYING $11 MILLION A YEAR TO GET IT PAID DOWN AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, AND NOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE, ARE, ARE BEING PENALIZED OVER THIS.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING OUR BEST TO TRY TO EQUALIZE IT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
THIS BOARD HAS SAID THAT FIRE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY BECAUSE WE KNOW WE NEED TO GET CAUGHT UP AND WE HAVE PUSHED THE SCHOOLS OFF TO THE SIDE IN TRYING TO, TO BALANCE THIS.
SO NOW I THINK WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THIS OPPORTUNITY, AS I HAD MENTIONED SEVERAL, SEVERAL MEETINGS AGO, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PRIOR BOARDS THAT HAVE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP BUILD UP THE COURSE SERVICES THAT WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO, TO, UM, TO PROVIDE.
SO I JUST WANNA JUST LET, TO REMIND PEOPLE WHAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY HAS DONE IN THE PAST THREE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER THREE AND A QUARTER YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THIS, OKAY, NUMBER ONE, WE'VE HAD A SINGLE ENGINE PLANE EMERGENCY LANDING.
OKAY? AND IT WAS AN UNEXPECTED LANDING OVER IN, IN OUR DISTRICT, AND IT LANDED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND THANK GOODNESS THAT THAT PILOT WAS VERY, YOU KNOW, UM, EXPERIENCED OF HOW TO DO THIS.
AND I THINK THEY EVEN DAMAGED THE WINGS OR WHATNOT.
SO WE HAD OUR FIRE AND OUR, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY GOING OUT AND DOING THAT.
NUMBER TWO, OUR WILDFIRES THAT WE HAD A YEAR AGO, THAT, THAT, THAT WAS ALL, ALL HANDS ON DECK, GOING OUT THERE AND PROVIDING THE SERVICE FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND AGAIN, THIS WAS OUT IN FORT FORT DISTRICT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE STORY, AFTER THE, AFTER THE FIRE, I WENT OUT THERE, ASSESSED OUR AREA, AND I SAW THREE FIREFIGHTERS OUT THERE SURVEILLING THE AREA FOR FLARE-UPS.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE OUT THERE ALL NIGHT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TO DO THEIR JOB ALONG WITH THE OTHER COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, I KNOW PUBLIC WORKS WAS INVOLVED.
I KNOW WE HAD, YOU KNOW, UM, OTHER BUSINESSES THAT WERE INVOLVED, BUT THESE ARE THE, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DEDICATE ALL THEIR TIME TO, TO HELP US.
WELL, ANYWAY, THEY WERE OUT THERE AND THEY WERE EXHAUSTED.
AND THEN, THEN WE HAD THIS SUSPECTED BOMBER
BUT THAT RESULTED IN DOING A VOLUNTEER DETONATION OF AN EXPLOSIVE IN A PARK.
AGAIN, IT WAS JUST, WE ARE JUST DOING, EXCUSE ME, WE ARE, PLEASE DO NOT INTERRUPT AGAIN.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT THESE FOLKS, THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE DOING, AND THEY NEED HELP.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THOSE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SO TH THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY AND GO INTO THE POINT WHERE SAM'S IS GONNA BE FUNDED.
WELL, I KEEP HEARING ALL THIS TIME THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA BE VOTED OFF, RIGHT? AND THEY'RE GONNA COME.
SO YOU HAVE NEXT YEAR, COME NEXT YEAR IN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE AND PRESENT YOUR BUDGET WITH THE NEW BOARD.
WE'RE NOT, IT, IT'S, THIS YEAR
[01:35:01]
HAS BEEN, IT IS, HAS BEEN INTERESTING FOR A LACK OF BETTER WORD, BUT NOW WE'RE IN A OPPORTUNITY.SO I, I AM SORRY, I'LL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX, BUT I, I JUST THANK YOU.
I I DON'T, I, THOSE GUYS, I DON'T NEED TO TO PLEAD MY CASE WITH THOSE GUYS.
WHAT YOU ARE DOING, AND YOU CAN SIT THERE AND YOU CAN RATTLE ON FOR THE NEXT HOUR.
THE REASON THAT YOU ARE DOING THIS IS DISHONEST.
AND YOU CAN SIT THERE AND TRY TO PLEAD YOURSELF OUT OF IT ALL YOU WANT, THAT YOU'RE ALL OF A SUDDEN AFTER TWO YEARS OF SAYING THE SCHOOLS DON'T NEED ANYMORE, THEY'RE NOT BEING HONEST WITH US, AND YOU LEVEL FUND THEM, AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'VE GOT THIS GRAND IDEA THAT, OH MY GOODNESS, WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH FOR THE SCHOOLS.
PLEASE, THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY ARE NOT THAT STUPID TO BELIEVE THIS.
AND THAT'S WHERE I'M GONNA LEAVE IT.
IT'S CALLED I OBVIOUSLY NERVE BECAUSE YOU'RE DIGGING DEEP.
SO I DO WANT TO SAY ONE THING, AND THAT'S THE, UH, AND THIS IS PART OF MY REPORT THAT, UH, THE, THAT THE MONEY THAT WE ARE FORWARDING TO THE, UH, UM, TO THE FIREFIGHTERS IS, UH, IS SET ASIDE FOR THE, FOR THE GRANT.
AND DO, DO WE KNOW WHERE THE GRANT IS AT? HAS IT BEEN AWARDED NO AWARDS? WHAT IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
SO AS OF TODAY, NO AWARDS WITH THIS GRANT CYCLE HAS BEEN RELEASED BY
TYPICALLY THEY MAKE AWARDS EACH WEEK FOR A FINITE PERIOD OF TIME.
HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT BEGUN THE RELEASE OF ANY AWARDS.
SO MORAL OF THE STORY IS WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT AWARD MAY COME.
ALRIGHT? IF AT ALL, ALRIGHT, WE KNOW WHAT THE MATCH WILL BE GIVEN WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR, FOR THE ALLOTMENT FOR EACH YEAR, MOVING FROM YEAR ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
WELL, WE HAVE THAT MONEY EXACTLY, SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS.
BUT UNTIL THOSE MONIES ARE RELEASED, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
HOWEVER, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THIS MONEY CANNOT GO TO THE SIX RESOURCES THAT YOU ASKED FOR, FOR THE BE OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, ABSOLUTELY NO, I MEAN, AND LISTEN, UM, I'VE HAD SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS ASK ME AT VARIOUS TIMES THE POSITION OF FIRE AND RESCUE ITS PRIORITIES SET HAVE BEEN VERY SIMPLISTIC AND THERE'S A LOT OF SUB-COMPONENTS BELOW IT, BUT EMERGENCY SAFE STAFFING IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
NUMBER TWO IS EMERGENCY APPARATUS.
AND NUMBER THREE IS FACILITIES AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT TO INCLUDE ALL THE CANCER INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON.
SUFFICE TO SAY IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES, WE NEED A LOT OF HELP.
AND WE'VE MADE SOME STRIDES TO YOUR POINT, ALL OF YOU HAVE HELPED US, THANK YOU, UM, OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND NINE MONTHS.
THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO AND, AND RESPECTFULLY AGAIN, UM, WE ARE DEALING WITH YEARS OF, I WON'T CALL IT NEGLECT, BUT MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
HOW'S THAT? MISSED SEMANTIC, BUT HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SAY IT.
BUT SUFFICE TO SAY, THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO STRATEGICALLY.
UM, WHETHER IT'S ONE TIME MONEY, TO YOUR POINT, MS. CU OR IF IT'S RECURRING FUNDS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY KICK THIS CAMP FOR SO LONG.
I HESITATE TO SAY THIS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I'M YOUR FIRE CHIEF, BUT AS A CITIZEN IT CONCERNS ME.
I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I TOO AM A RESIDENT AND I CARE.
BUT THE POINT IS, YOU ALL HAVE COMPETING INTERESTS.
WE ALL HAVE COMPETING RESOURCES.
EVERY COUNTY AGENCY IS UNDERFUNDED AND I KNOW WE GET THAT.
UM, I GET UP HERE AND ADVOCATE BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND I DO SO AUTHENTICALLY BECAUSE I KNOW EMPIRICALLY WHAT I'M SAYING MAKES SENSE.
THAT BEING SAID, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS ARE DEALING WITH FINITE RESOURCES AND IT'S A TOUGH THING TO DO.
THAT BEING SAID, WHEN I GET BEFORE YOU IN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, I'M GONNA ASK FOR THE SAME THINGS.
UM, WHETHER I GET 12 FIREFIGHTERS, I'M GONNA PUT 'EM ALL TO WORK.
OR IF I GET THREE, I'M GONNA PUT THEM TO WORK.
I THINK I WAS ASKED A QUESTION BY MR. JAMESON ONE TIME, UM, AND I'M PARAPHRASING, BUT I THINK IT WAS ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT I NEED VERSUS WHAT I WANT.
I CAN TELL YOU EVERYTHING WE'RE ASKING FOR IS SIMPLY WHAT WE NEED.
WE'RE TRYING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
UM, THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRET IS WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HOLD THE PEOPLE WE DO AND THE ATTRITION NUMBERS WE HAVE RELATIVE TO OUR SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS ARE LOW.
BUT WE DON'T LOOK AT IT EARNESTLY.
SO HOWEVER YOU GUYS, WHATEVER THE STRATEGY IS FOR THE FUTURE, WHATEVER THE REVENUE STREAM YOU'RE GONNA IDENTIFY IS GONNA BE OUT, HAVE TO BE OUTSIDE THE TAX BASE.
[01:40:01]
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A TOUGH PLACE TO BE.SO, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO ENTERTAIN IT.
SO WE'LL ROLL ON TO, UH, TO, TO MY REPORT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, FINALLY GOT THE, UH, RULES AND REGULATIONS FROM, UM, UH, THE, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY.
AND I WILL BE FORWARDING THAT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS SO THAT Y'ALL CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THEM AND, UH, THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
MS. MS. MEADOWS, I HAVE NO REPORT.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A REPORT TODAY.
COUNSELOR, YOU, YOU JUST STOLE MY REPORT MR. CHAIRMAN, SO ALL ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
[H.Approval of Minutes - August 19th 2025 ]
IS THE APPROVAL MINUTES, UH, OF MINUTES FROM, UH, THE AUGUST 19TH MEETING.ANY COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE TO, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 19TH MEETING AS PRESENTED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND ROLL CALL.
[I. CUP2025-04-03 — Short-Term Tourist Rental - 209 Luchase Rd - A request for a conditional use permit for a Short-Term Tourist Rental. The property is located at 209 Luchase Road and is identified on tax map 23A, section 4, block 10, as lot 7A. The property is zoned Residential-One (R-1) and is located in the Happy Creek Magisterial District. - Kelly Wahl , Planner ]
HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS, THE, UM, SHORT TERM RENTAL ON 2 0 9 2 0 9 LU CHASE ROAD.THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM ON MAY 14TH, 2025.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION PASSED A MOTION TO FORWARD THIS APPLICATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF FOUR TO ZERO.
UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HELD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM.
MS. COOK MOVED TO TABLE THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION.
REQUESTED TO HAVE A WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS AMENDING THE SHORT-TERM TOR RENTAL SETBACKS FROM DWELLING TO DWELLING.
THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY MR. STAN MYRON PASSED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BY A VOTE OF THREE TO TWO.
THE TEXT AMENDMENT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON AUGUST 19TH, 2025 AND ALL OPTIONS WERE DENIED ON AUGUST 22ND.
THE APPLICANT REQUESTED PLANNING STAFF ADD THIS APPLICATION ON THE AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION.
OKAY, SO COUNSELOR ON A, UM, AN UNFINISHED BUSINESS LIKE THIS, SINCE THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING, THE UH, AT THIS POINT WE JUST HAVE DISCUSSION AND, UH, SPEAK WITH THE APPLICANT OR WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE PROPER? YOU, YOU JUST HAVE DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT? OKAY.
I THINK THE APPLICANT HAS, HAS SAID THEIR PIECE.
THE APPLICANT EVEN SPOKE TONIGHT AS WELL.
I THINK THEY HAVE VERY THOROUGHLY STATED THEIR POSITION.
AND I THINK YOU ALL KNOW A LOT ABOUT THIS.
IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO DECIDE WHICH WAY THE BOARD WANTS TO GO.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS ACCORDING TO HOYLE.
I DO LIKE, WOULD LIKE TO ASK MS. GREENFIELD A QUESTION TO CLARIFY.
UM, WHEN SHE SAID SEASONAL, WHAT SEASONAL WOULD BE? WINTER TIME? UH, THE WEATHER ON THAT MOUNTAIN IS ITS OWN WEATHER SYSTEM.
SO, UM, IT'S UM, WOULD BE CRITICAL FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE, UM, MAINTAIN THE SAFETY OF OUR, OF OUR GUESTS AND TO CUT IT OFF FOR BOOKINGS DURING WEATHER.
AND IF WEATHER IS UM, PENDING, UM, AND THERE'S A RESERVATION, WE WILL CONTACT THE GUEST TO TERMINATE THAT RESERVATION IN ADVANCE TO MAKE SURE.
SO YOU DON'T PLAN TO BLOCK OUT LIKE FROM NOVEMBER TO MARCH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? UH, WE WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, BLOCKING OUT PROBABLY THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
'CAUSE IT'S OF COURSE IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST COLD, IT'S, IT'S SNOW.
UM, SO WE WOULD LOOK AT THE MONTHS, UM, HISTORICALLY THAT HAVE HAD THE MOST PRECIPITATION UP THERE.
I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 2025 DASH OH FOUR DASH OH THREE FOR A SHORT TERM TOURIST RENTAL WITH THE CONDITIONS IS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND STAFF.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND ROLL CALL MRS. COLORS, WE WE HAVE LETTER OF CONSENT, UM, FROM THE NEAREST HOME, CORRECT? I THINK I SAW THAT.
[01:45:03]
OKAY.[K. Consent Agenda ]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE, UH, NEW BUSINESS CONSENT AGENDA.DO I HAVE ANY ITEMS THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE PULLED? IF NOT, IF THERE ARE NO ITEMS THAT YOU ALL LIKE NO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PULLED, I DON'T.
DO I HAVE A MOTION I MOVE TO PRESENT, UH, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED? DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? SECOND ROLL CALL MRS. COOK? AYE.
MR. STAN MEYER? AYE MRS. ERS OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL NEW BUSINESS? WHAT ABOUT L I'M
[L. Resolution - Appropriation of Funds to Warren County Fire and Rescue - Safer Grant Match or Alternate Staffing - Gerry Maiatico, Assistant Fire Chief ]
SORRY, WHERE'S WHERE? OH, I'M SORRY.THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE.
SAFER FOR GRANT STAFFING OR ALTERNATIVE STAFFING.
MR. CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BORTON COUNTY STAFF, THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES RECENTLY APPLIED FOR A FEDERAL STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE GRANT, ALSO KNOWN AS SAFER.
THIS GRANT WAS SUBMITTED FOR 12 PERSONNEL TO INCREASE STAFFING AT OUR HIGH CALL VOLUME STATIONS IN ORDER TO HELP THE DEPARTMENT MOVE TO ACHIEVE THE NFPA 1720 STANDARD.
THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANT, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE GRANT WAS $3,303,504, WHICH COVERS THE NORMAL SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THE FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS AT THE FIRST YEAR'S SALARY.
IN TOTAL, THIS GRANT COVERS 75% FOR YEARS ONE AND TWO AND COVERS 35% ON YEAR THREE.
THE LOCAL MATCH OF THIS GRANT IF AWARDED TOTALS $275,292 FOR BOTH YEARS ONE AND TWO AND AN ADDITIONAL $715,759 FOR YEAR THREE.
THESE TOTALS DO NOT INCLUDE THE SOFT COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIRING ACTIVITIES OF FIREFIGHTERS AND OR ANY SALARY ADJUSTMENTS MADE WITHIN THAT THREE YEAR PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.
BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS A RESOLUTION THAT WAS DRAFTED, WHICH ALLOCATES THE FUNDS TO BE EARMARKED FOR A PORTION OF THE MATCHING FUNDS NECESSARY FOR THIS GRANT.
SHOULD THE GRANT NOT BE RECEIVED, THESE FUNDS MAY BE UTILIZED FOR EITHER THE STAFFING OR CAPITAL ASSET REPLACEMENT NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, UH, WE ANTICIPATED AWARDS TO BE RELEASED IN MID UH, AUGUST.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE NOT ACHIEVED THAT DATE.
UH, THERE HAS BEEN NO UPDATE AS TO WHEN THEY WILL BEGIN RELEASING THOSE GRANTS.
UM, BUT AS WE INDICATED A FEW MINUTES AGO, WE BELIEVE THAT THEY'LL BE RELEASED WEEKLY OVER A FINITE PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, SO IT MAY BE, QUITE FRANKLY, MONTHS BEFORE WE KNOW IF WE WERE SELECTED OR NOT WITHIN THE GRANT.
BASED OFF OF THE ROLLOUT SCHEDULE, UH, WE WILL NOT RECEIVE, UM, ANY DETERMINATION IF WE WERE NOT SELECTED UNTIL THE LAST ROUND OF GRANTS HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
UM, WITH THAT WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IN WHICH YOU MAY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE.
ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A, UH, I I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
THIS IS, UM, BASICALLY COMMENTS NOT, NOT RELATED TO YOUR GRANT.
SO WE CAN I JUST BEFORE WE MAKE THE MOTION, HONOR
OPTION A, PUBLIC FUNDING WITH PUBLIC OVERSIGHT, WHICH IS A RATIONAL, LEGALLY PROVIDED FOR VIA PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD AND PROTECTS TAXPAYERS INTERESTS.
OPTION B IS PRIVATE FUNDING WITH PRIVATE OVERSIGHT, WHICH IS RATIONAL, AND SAMUELS HAS THE RESOURCES AND THE PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO UNDER UNDERTAKE IT WITH COMPLETE AUTONOMY.
OPTION C IS PUBLIC FUNDING WITH PRIVATE OVERSIGHT, WHICH IS NOT LOGICALLY CONSISTENT.
AND AT ITS CORE TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, SAMUELS CHOSE OPTION B.
THEY'VE PUBLICLY STATED THEY WILL CONTINUE OPERATIONS WITH THEIR PRIVATE FUNDRAISING AND THEIR MILLION DOLLAR ENDOWMENT AND WE'RE RESPECTING THAT CHOICE.
[01:50:01]
WE DIDN'T NEED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A GREAT PUBLIC LIBRARY AND PUBLIC OVERSIGHT.WE COULD HAVE HAD BOTH WITH SAMUELS AS THE PROVIDER, IF ONLY THEY WERE WILLING TO ACCEPT WHAT NECESSARILY COMES WITH PUBLIC FUNDING.
WHEN PEOPLE GET USED TO SPECIAL TREATMENT, EQUAL TREATMENT SEEMS LIKE DISCRIMINATION.
FOR YEARS, SAMUELS ENJOYED 94% PUBLIC FUNDING WITH 6% OVERSIGHT.
THAT'S ONE PERSON ON A 16 MEMBER BOARD.
WHEN PRIOR, WHEN THE PRIOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO THIS ONE RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR INCREASED REPRESENTATION TWO YEARS AGO, THE REJECTION BY SAMUELS AND THE PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN USED TO PRESSURE THAT BOARD SET THE STAGE FOR WHERE WE ARE NOW.
UNFORTUNATELY, BUT NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE CALL FOR TAXPAYER ACCOUNTABILITY AND FULL TRANSPARENCY IS BEING CHARACTERIZED AS ATTACKING THE LIBRARY BY SAMUELS, BY WELL FINANCED PACS AND BY POLITICAL CANDIDATES TO SEE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET VOTES IN MARCH.
I SAID THERE WOULDN'T BE A GAP IN LIBRARY FUNDING THAT WAS BASED ON SAMUEL'S ACCEPTING BASIC ACCOUNTABILITY.
PUBLIC FUNDS REQUIRING PUBLIC OVERSIGHT.
WHEN THEY REJECTED THAT FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE, CONTINUING PUBLIC FUNDING WOULD'VE VIOLATED MY FIDUCIARY DUTY TO TAXPAYERS.
AND I WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT REPRESENTATION IN THE PERSISTENT CLAIMS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS THIS OR DOESN'T WANT THAT.
THERE ARE ACTIVIST GROUPS WITH THE ABILITY TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CREATE SIGNIFICANT MEDIA ADVERTISING AND SOCIAL MEDIA FLUTTER.
IT'S OBVIOUS THE MEDIA ARE NOT UNBIASED AND SAMUELS CONTINUES TO HAVE INFORMATION MEETINGS, WHICH ARE FRANKLY WHAT I CALL CURATED TRANSPARENCY.
MEANWHILE, THE COUNTY HAS NO PUBLIC INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATION STAFF TO PROVIDE A BALANCING VIEWPOINT FROM THE BOARD MAJORITY'S POINT OF VIEW.
AND I THINK THAT'S A DEFICIT IN THE ADMINISTRATION THAT SHOULD BE CON RECONSIDERED.
IF ANYONE ON THIS BOARD WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO ARRANGE FOR ALL BOARD DECISIONS TO BE MADE BY A TALLY OF SUPPORTERS, THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS OR A TALLY OF TALLY OF EDITORIAL LETTERS OR FACEBOOK POSTS OR ANY OTHER METRIC LIKE THAT, I'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT MOTION.
IF ANYONE IS OF MINE TO MAKE IT AND EXPLAIN IT AS MUCH AS IT OFFENDS PEOPLE TO HEAR THIS.
IT SIMPLY ISN'T REASONABLE FOR THOSE WHO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS OR WRITE EDITORIAL LETTERS OR MAKE FACEBOOK POSTS TO CLAIM THAT THEY REPRESENT THE TOTALITY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
MS. KOHLER'S AUTHORITATIVELY CLAIMS THAT HER POINT OF VIEW IS THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE COMMUNITY, WHILE YOU ALSO AUTHORITATIVELY CLAIM THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY PURSUING PERSONAL INTERESTS.
NOW A LOT OF INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED, A LOT OF WRITING HAS BEEN DONE, A LOT OF FACTS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED.
THE FACT THAT THOSE FACTS HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED ON THEIR MERITS ISN'T SOMETHING I CAN CONTROL.
THE REAPPROPRIATED FUNDS WILL SERVE TAXPAYERS THROUGH FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVICES THAT EMBRACE ACCOUNTABILITY 'CAUSE THEY SERVE PUBLIC INTEREST UNDER OVERSIGHT, NOT PRIVATE CONTROL.
THE NOTION THAT THE LIBRARY IS GOING TO BE DESTROYED IS A FALSE NOTION.
THERE IS NO CHOICE BETWEEN DESTRUCTION AND NOT DESTRUCTION.
THERE'S PROBABLY CLOSE TO $2 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS.
THEY HAVE MONEY THAT ULTIMATELY CAME FROM TAXPAYERS.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS AD NAUSEUM, I WROTE THE REPORT, I HAVE CONVEYED THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTIONS WITH THE VILLA AVENUE AND ALL THAT STUFF.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT A, IT'S JUST NOT ACCURATE TO SAY THE LIBRARY WILL BE DESTROYED OR THAT EVEN SAMUELS WILL BE DESTROYED.
SAMUELS HAS ACTUALLY SAID THEY WILL CONTINUE OPERATION, THEY HAVE MONEY TO OPERATE, SO THERE'S NO DESTRUCTION, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE'RE DELIVERING IS ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND SERVICES PROVIDED WITH PUBLIC FUNDS TO ORGANIZATIONS WHO DON'T REJECT THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OF THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS TO WARREN COUNTY FIRE
[01:55:01]
AND RESCUE.SAY FOR GRANT MATCH OR ALTERNATIVE STAFFING AND CAPITAL ASSET REPLACEMENT NEEDS SECOND, SECOND.
I, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I'M VACILLATING HERE BECAUSE IT'S ONE TIME MONEY AND ONE TIME MONEY SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR STAFFING AND LONG TERM THINGS.
SO AS LONG AS THE STAFFING IS IN THERE, I'M A NO.
SO NEXT IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
[N.Public Comment Period - General Comments (30 Minute Time Limit) ]
GENERAL COMMENTS.DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? UH, YES SIR.
AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE STARTING AT, UH, 8 59.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES JUST STARTING AT EIGHT 50.
I'M A VETERAN OF SIX YEARS IN THE ARMY, 17 AND A HALF YEARS IN THE NAVY.
DURING MY CAREER, I SERVED AS A FLIGHT ENGINEER, AN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER, AND A FAMILY COUNSELOR.
ALL POSITIONS THAT REQUIRED THAT I OBTAIN CERTIFICATION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED.
THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES CONDUCTS CERTIFICATE, UH, CERTIFIED SUPERVISOR TRAINING FOR ELECTED OFFICE HOLDERS SERVING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MS COLORS.
UM, NONE OF YOU APPEAR TO HAVE, HAVE, UH, PURSUED THAT CERTIFICATION AND YOUR FAILURE SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT HOW YOU GOVERN OUR COUNTY.
ASIDE FROM YOUR FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE COUNTY OPERATIONS RESULTING IN THE, UH, EMBEZZLEMENT OF APPROXIMATELY $20 MILLION, YOU HAVE ENGAGED IN EFFORTS TO TAKE CONTROL OF AND TO DEFUND OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
SAMUEL'S LIBRARY HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE FINEST PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN VIRGINIA AND IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY INSTITUTIONS IN THIS COUNTY.
SAMUEL'S LIBRARY HAS BEEN A PLACE WHERE ALL CITIZENS CAN GO FOR EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, ENTERTAINMENT, AND SOCIALIZATION.
BUT BECAUSE SOME OF THE SMALL MINDED AND RELIGIOUSLY MOTIVATED CITIZENS OF OBJECT TO SOME OF THE PUBLICATIONS THAT AREN'T TO THEIR LIKING, YOU'VE SEEN FIT TO PLACATE THEM BY ENGAGING IN AN ANTI-DEMOCRATIC ATTEMPT TO BEND THE LIBRARY TO YOUR WILL AND FAILING IN YOUR EFFORT, YOU'VE CHOSEN TO WITHDRAW PUBLIC FUNDING FROM THIS AUGUST INSTITUTION OF KNOWLEDGE.
IN MY 14 YEARS AS A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY, I'VE BECOME AWARE OF SOME DEEP-SEATED SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY THAT BIGOTRY IS MANIFEST IN YOUR ATTEMPT TO REMOVE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY THAT SOME FIND OBJECTIONABLE.
AND IN THE INCLUSION OF PRAYERS TO JESUS CHRIST AT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SECULAR GOVERNMENT FUNCTION, YOUR ACTIONS HAVE HAVE CREATED NEGATIVE PUBLICITY AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.
I TOOK AN OATH TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION FROM ENEMIES, BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.
YOU ON THE OTHER HAND, IGNORE THE GUARANTEES OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
IN SHORT, BY ENTERTAINING THE WHIMS OF SOME SMALL-MINDED PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, YOU BRING DISCREDIT ON WARREN COUNTY AND YOU DAMAGE OUR REPUTATION AND YOU ARE LEFT LOOKING LIKE BUFFOONS.
[02:00:02]
THANK YOU.MY NAME IS SANDY SCHWAB HAPPY CREEK.
UM, BY THE WAY, I LOVE MY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
SO I GUESS I'M NOW AN ACTIVIST IN ADDITION TO BEING A WHITE ELDERLY HIPPIE.
SO WHEN I THOUGHT I'D SAY SOMETHING TONIGHT ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND THE DECISIONS MADE BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I DECIDED TO USE MY WORD SMITHIES SKILLS.
ONE THE FIRST WORD IS CYNICAL.
THAT'S A PERSON OR GROUP CONCERNED ONLY WITH THEIR OWN INTERESTS.
ELECTED OFFICIALS CONCERNED WITH ONLY THEIR OWN INTERESTS FROM THE TOP OF THIS COUNTRY TO THIS COUNTY.
AND YET HERE WE ARE THIS EVENING, FOUR MEMBERS NOT AT ALL CONCERNED WITH WHAT VOTERS CITIZENS HAVE TO SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT'S AN OLD WORD FROM THE 16 HUNDREDS, BUT MADE, MADE MUCH, USED MUCH TODAY.
IT'S PEOPLE, CONTENT DISCUSSIONS, NOT TAKING A PARTICULAR TOPIC SERIOUSLY.
SO HERE WE ARE TONIGHT, AGAIN, BEING GOVERNED BY FOUR UNSERIOUS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND THE THIRD WORD I WOULD ADD IS WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HASTILY CREATED LIBRARY BOARD? THANK YOU.
HELLO, MY NAME IS LOUIS MOTON, UH, NORTH RIVER DISTRICT.
I FORGOT HOW EXCITING THESE MEETINGS CAN BE SOMETIMES.
UM, BUT I COMMEND YOU FOR KEEPING CONTROL OF THE, THE BOARD IN THE, IN THE ROOM.
UM, CEILING'S STILL FALLING APART, BUT THAT'S BETTER.
UM, I'VE BEEN TO THE FINANCIAL AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETINGS OR AT LEAST ONE OF THEM.
UH, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT DOES AND DOES OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT HAPPEN.
THERE IS, THERE'S NO TALK ABOUT BUDGETS, THE AUDIT.
UM, THERE ARE, THERE'S TALK ABOUT A BUDGET, BUT THERE NOBODY GOES, REALLY LOOKS OVER THOSE DOCUMENTS FOR ANY OF THE PUBLIC TO SEE REALLY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE DOCUMENTS OTHER THAN THROUGH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM ON A WEBSITE SOMEWHERE.
I SAW YOU START USING THE WEBSITE AND THEN YOU STOPPED.
UM, RIGHT NOW, THIS MONTH'S MEETING, IT'S ON THAT BULLETIN BOARD.
IT'S NOT ON THE CALENDAR ONLINE, IT'S NOT ON AN AGENDA ITEM ONLINE.
SO SOMETHING'S GOING ON WHERE, SEE, I USED TO COME IN HERE THREE TIMES A WEEK LOOKING AT THAT BULLETIN BOARD 'CAUSE IT DOES NOT SYNC UP WITH WHAT'S ON THE WEBSITE.
SO EVERY LIBRARY BOARD MEETING I'D GO TO, I'D HAVE TO FIND OUT THROUGH THAT BULLETIN BOARD.
I'D PHYSICALLY HAVE TO COME HERE.
UM, NO MINUTES FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.
I SAW YOU CANCELED LAST MONTH'S MEETING AND, UH, YOU MOVED THE MEETING BEFORE THAT, I ASSUME, BECAUSE YOU KNEW THAT I HAD A MEETING THAT NIGHT.
BUT FUNNY THING IS, I WASN'T IN TOWN ANYWAY, SO IT DIDN'T MATTER.
UM, YEAH, I, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON AND YOU SAY YOU CAN'T COMPEL THE TREASURER TO DO SOMETHING 'CAUSE THEY'RE A CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE.
YET YOUR BYLAWS STATE THAT THEY SHALL PROVIDE A REPORT TO YOU.
SO I'D LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE TELLING THEM WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR SIGN UP, SIR.
I WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? GOING ONCE? ALL RIGHT, MA'AM.
I AM A CONSTITUENT OF HAPPY CREEK AND I'M HERE WITH UNPREPARED REMARKS.
AND THAT EXCITES ME JUST AS MUCH AS I'M SURE IT EXCITES YOU.
UM, AND I THINK MY THEME IS LEADERSHIP.
I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH WHAT I'VE SEEN TONIGHT, UM, AND WHAT I'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.
I HAVE NOT SEEN RESPECT, I HAVE NOT SEEN GOOD FAITH MEASURES OF HOW WE DEAL
[02:05:01]
WITH EACH OTHER, WITH YOUR, AMONG YOURSELVES AS WE JUST SAW HERE, THE MAJORITY, A MINORITY WHO'S INCLUDED.AND, UM, WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD FAITH IN EACH OTHER OR IN YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, I DON'T SEE THAT YOU'RE SHOWING THAT WE CAN RELY ON YOU AS GOOD FAITH PROBLEM SOLVERS.
I, UM, HESITATE TO USE WORDS LIKE GOOD FAITH BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S AN UNDERCURRENT OF RELIGIOUS ZEALOTRY IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT, UM, I'M AFRAID PEOPLE WILL MISUNDERSTAND MY MEANING BY SAYING GOOD FAITH.
WHAT I MEAN IS TRUSTWORTHINESS, THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH CONSTITUENTS OPENLY, TRANSPARENTLY.
THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, BUT WHEN YOU'RE THE COMMUNITY PARTNER THAT OFFERS TRANSPARENCY, UH, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF EXCUSES AND REASONS WHY, OH, I CAN'T TALK TO THEM.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO REASON THAT I SHOULD LISTEN TO THEM BECAUSE THEY, THEY ARE NOT, UH, THEY'RE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT.
SO I'M NOT GONNA LOOK AT THE REPORTS.
I'M NOT GONNA GO TO THE MEETINGS WHERE THERE'S INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
LOOK AT THE WEBSITE, IT'S OUT THERE.
I AM SO DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THE LIBRARY.
THIS TALK OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A LOGICAL OR RATIONAL WAY TO DEAL WITH HAVING A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN ANSWERED BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN, UH, EMPLOYED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO THE IDEA THAT SUDDENLY IT'S ILLOGICAL DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
I DON'T SEE THE RESPECT AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT TOWARDS THE CONSTITUENTS WHO CAN PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER WITHOUT YOU GUYS EMPLOYING SO MANY DIFFERENT FIG LEAVES AND CHANGE SHIFTING AND CHANGING THE GOALPOSTS FOR THE LIBRARY.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GONNA TALK TO THEM, IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE.
THE GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE AT THE END OF THE LAST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, I THINK HE HAD IT RIGHT.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO BE A LEADER.
SO IF YOU CAN CHANGE COURSE AND LISTEN TO CONSTITUENTS, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK MA'AM.
DID YOU SPEAK AT THE FIRST? I DID NOT.
AND AS MUCH AS I DON'T LIKE SPEAKING, I DO WANT TO ANSWER SOMETHING THAT MR. J PLEASE.
LET, LET US NO, NO, LET, LET US KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND, OH, KELLY HART.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU MENTIONED DR.
JAMESON, THAT UH, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE YOU SEE IN HERE AND THE AMOUNT OF EDITORIAL LETTERS YOU SEE MAY NOT REALLY BE INDICATIVE OF WHAT THIS COMMUNITY'S THINKING.
BUT HOW ABOUT THAT PRIMARY VOTE THAT TOLD YOU EXACTLY WHAT THIS COMMUNITY WAS THINKING AND THEY WERE THINKING THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT COURSE.
AND YOU CAN SAY THAT PRIMARIES ARE PRIMARIES, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GONNA HAPPEN IN THE GENERAL? PEOPLE HAVE SAID WHAT THEY WANT AND IF A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SUPER WORRIED ABOUT WE HAVE THIS PRIVATE PUBLIC AND TAX MONEY IS NOT BEING ACCOUNTED FOR.
WHY AREN'T THEY OUT HERE COMING UP AND SAYING, OH, MY TAX DOLLARS AREN'T ACCOUNTED FOR.
THEY'RE NOT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING TO YOU EVERY MEETING ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT SAMUEL'S PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHAT IT HAS BEEN TO THIS COMMUNITY, HOW THIS COMMUNITY AND SAMUELS HAVE GROWN TOGETHER AND WHAT IT PROVIDES.
AND MIND YOU, ALL THOSE PROVIDED SERVICES THAT YOU THINK, OH, SAMUELS CAN USE THEIR OWN MONEY, THEY ARE SERVING COUNTY RESIDENTS.
JUST EXACTLY THE WAY FIRE AND RESCUE ARE SERVING COUNTY RESIDENTS.
THEY AREN'T JUST SERVING PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, LOVE LIBRARIES.
AND THAT'S WHERE TAX DOLLARS GO.
AND PEOPLE SAID THAT IN THE PRIMARY AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY IT IN THE GENERAL AND YOU JUST HAVE MADE A MESS THAT WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
OKAY? WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK GOING ONCE? OH GOD, YES, Y'ALL.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME IN THREE MINUTES TO GET THE OTHER THING I WOULD WANNA SAY.
BUT THESE PEOPLE HAVE COME FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS LIBRARY.
[02:10:01]
FREE.YOU SHOULD NOT GET IT FOR FREE.
IT IS ON YOUR OWN COUNTY WEBSITE TO BE USED AS HEATING AND COOLING.
YOU ALL USE THE LIBRARY TO, DESPITE ALL THE LIBRARY MADNESS.
SIR, THIS IS NOT YOUR MEETING.
YOU MAY BE THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD.
THIS IS FOR THE CITIZENRY OF WARREN COUNTY TO COME AND SPEAK TO THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
YOU CAN'T EVEN RUN THIS MEETING.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN MOTIONS ARE HELD.
YOU SLEEP UP THERE HALF THE TIME.
YOU FOUR ALL HAD TIME TO SPEAK DURING YOUR BOARD TIME TO GIVE YOUR REPORTS WEEK AFTER WEEK AFTER WEEK.
SNOW REPORTS, EXCEPT YOU SPEND THE TIME TO DEFEND CHRISTIANNA COLLEGE.
HALF OF WHAT YOU READ IN THAT EMAIL WAS A LIE.
PLEASE FORWARD THAT TO ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU SPOKE TO.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE VIDEO COVERAGE OF THAT DRY DITCH.
IT IS A ROLLING RIVER, STRAIGHT INTO THE RIVER.
SO I HAVE TALKED TO DEQ NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAVE EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT THAT THERE IS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU TALKED TO OR WHAT YOU READ, BUT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.
THEY'RE ALSO NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE TOWN TO EXTEND IT OUT TO CHRISTENDOM.
THAT WAS ANOTHER LIE YOU JUST TOLD.
WE HAVE HAD TO ENDURE ALL OF THIS SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD AND I SUPPORTED YOU FULLY.
BUT TELLING LIES UP THERE AND GIVING UP THERE AND TELLING, SAYING THAT CHRISTIAN SHOULD CONTACT WHO WROTE THAT? HE USED THAT FOR MINE, WHO IS ALL PART AND DOCUMENTED IN THE DEQ REPORTS THAT 25,000 IS DOCUMENTED IN THE REPORT FROM DEQ.
SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, BUT THEY LIED TO YOU OR YOU'RE LYING RIGHT NOW DOING IT AGAIN.
YOU HAVE LIED ON A CONSTANT BASIS.
YOU LIE ABOUT THE LIBRARY, YOU LIE THAT THOSE BOOKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THAT LIBRARY BELONG TO YOU.
IT IS ILLEGAL FOR YOU TO ASK THEM WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR 5 0 1 C3.
GOVERNMENT CANNOT GET INVOLVED WITH A NONPROFIT, SIR.
AND I HAVE BEEN TO A LAWYER JUST TO MAKE SURE.
SO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT SAFE SAMUELS AND ALL THE MONEY? YES, BECAUSE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.
REPUBLICANS USED TO CARE ABOUT GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.
WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS ILLEGAL AND THE ONLY REASON WHY YOU HAVEN'T GONE TO COURT IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT'S ILLEGAL AND YOU WILL LOSE.
CHERYL COLORS IS ALSO A DULY ELECTED PERSON OF THIS BOARD.
YOU LEADING HER OFF YOUR EMAILS IS PUTTING OUT EVERY SINGLE VOTE THAT VOTED FOR THANK.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YEAH.
AND I DECIDED, I THOUGHT ALL DAY, WHAT AM I GONNA SAY? AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING.
IT'S LIKE BEATING MY HEAD AGAINST A BRICK WALL TO GET TO ANY OF YOU PEOPLE.
AND I'VE SAID IT ONCE BEFORE THAT IT'S OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY, NOT YOUR CHURCH.
ALTHOUGH I'D LIKE, I KNOW I'VE HEARD THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO TURN OUR BEAUTIFUL PEACEFUL VALLEY INTO A REFUGE PLACE FOR A CATHOLIC TALIBAN.
WELL, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE BRINGING TRUCKLOADS OF PEOPLE IN.
BUT, BUT I REMEMBER, AND I KNOW IT'S ON RECORD, THAT YOU GUYS TURNED DOWN REQUESTS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE, THE SAFETY DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MORE FUNDS.
BUT WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE LIBRARY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT BAN THE BOOKS WE WANTED TO BAN.
IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR GREAT LEADER IN WASHINGTON WHO IS OUT TO REVENGE.
ANYONE WHO COMES UP AGAINST HIM.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
SO WHEN I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, FASCISM AND FASCIST IN THE GOVERNMENT, IT'S COMING DOWN.
OH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME OR LOOK AT ME.
I KNOW, VICKI, THAT THIS IS JUST KNOCKING RIGHT OFF YOUR HEAD ANYWAY.
BUT PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN COMING FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND BEGGING YOU AND BEING NICE AND BEING CIVIL, TRYING TO CHANGE THE MINDS
[02:15:01]
OF PEOPLE WHOSE MINDS EVIDENTLY CANNOT BE CHANGED.YOU'VE GOT YOUR AGENDA AND YOU'RE STICKING TO IT NO MATTER WHAT.
YOU KNOW, IF JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF CAME IN HERE AND SAY, I SUPPORT SAMUELS, YOU'D STILL VOTE IT DOWN.
YOU VOTE DOWN ANYTHING THAT'S, THAT'S FOR GOOD.
AND I AGREE, THE SCHOOLS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY ALL NEED TO BE FUNDED, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION LIKE SAMUEL'S.
WHERE IS YOUR HUMANITY? WHERE IS YOUR DECENCY? I, I I DON'T GET IT.
YOU, YOU CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIAN.
YOU CLAIM TO BE RELIGIOUS, AND YET YOU, YOUR ACTIONS ARE THE MOST UNGODLIKE, MOST UN CHRISTIAN ACTIONS I'VE EVER SEEN.
SO PLEASE JUST THINK IT'S OUR LIBRARY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN THE AUDIENCE? THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD CHIEF, UH, BONNO ASKED THAT I COME UP AND JUST GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW, UM, OF SOME ACTIVITY WE HAD TODAY.
WE HAD A VERY IMPORTANT MEET WITH OUR STAFF TODAY TO GO OVER OUR CITIZENS FIRE ACADEMY.
THIS WAS THE FINAL PLANNING SESSION JUST BEFORE WE PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THAT PROGRAM.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING THAT PROGRAM BACK TO LIGHT AFTER A HIATUS DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.
THIS WILL BE OUR SIXTH CITIZENS FIRE ACADEMY THAT WE'VE HELD.
UM, THIS IS A FREE SEVEN WEEK PROGRAM THAT GIVES, UH, RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY OR THOSE THAT WORK WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY A HANDS ON OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF OUR FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT STARTS ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2005.
AGAIN, IT'S HELD FOR SEVEN WEEKS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING OF EACH WEEK.
UM, IT'LL BE HELD AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY ADVOCATING FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEND OUR CITIZENS FIRE ACADEMY TO GET THAT IN DEPTH LOOK OF OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DELIVERY PROGRAM, OUR FIRE SUPPRESSION PROGRAM, LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT PIECES OF APPARATUS, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT THAT WE CARRY.
AND WE SO DESPERATELY NEED TO CONTINUE TO FUND AND SUPPORT, UH, ALSO THE PERSPECTIVE OF OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE SYSTEM.
UM, THEY CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, ON OUR WEBSITE, AND REGISTRATIONS ARE STILL CURRENTLY, UH, BEING ACCEPTED ON OUR WEBSITE@WARRINGCOUNTYFIRE.COM UNDER THE EVENTS TAP.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.
SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ADJOURNMENT.
B UH, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT IN REGARDS TO SOMETHING WAS SAID AT PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE I DON'T APPRECIATE BEING CALLED A LIAR.
UM, I WAS AT THE MEETING AND SO WAS, UH, SUPERVISOR CALLERS, UH, AS WELL AS THE TOWN MANAGER, FORMER TOWN MANAGER OF FRONT ROYAL WHEN C ASKED ABOUT EXTENDING THE SEWER.
UM, AND THIS, UH, CONVERSATION IS, I BELIEVE BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS TAKE YEARS TO PUT ALL THE DUCKS IN A ROW.
UM, SO THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT TRUE THAT THAT HAPPENED.
UM, ALSO EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE FIRST HALF, UH, SUGGESTED THAT SOMEHOW CHRIS SIM HAS ME OR ANYBODY ELSE BUY PUPPET STRINGS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR ANY OF US.
UM, THEY NEVER ASKED ME TO RUN, THEY NEVER ASSISTED ME IN RUNNING.
THEY ARE AS APOLITICAL AS IT COMES.
AND, UH, I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY CREATE A LOT OF ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WHEN I SEE AN ARTICLE THAT'S BLATANTLY MISREPRESENTING THE FACTS, AND I HAVE A CORRESPONDENCE WITH DEQ THAT I HAVE BEEN FORWARDING TO MANY OF MY CONSTITUENTS, WHEN THEY ASKED ME WHAT'S GOING ON, I FELT THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO READ THAT INTO MY REPORT.
AS FOR THE LIBRARY, I WOULD BE WILLING TO FUND THEM.
BUT AS I SAID TO, UH, UH, ONE OF THE OFFICERS OF SAMUEL'S IN AN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE LAST, UH, 11 DAYS AGO, UH, THE WEEK BEFORE, UH, UM, THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, UH, SOME THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN, INCLUDING THEY NEED TO ENGAGE WITH THE LIBRARY BOARD.
IT'S JUST SITTING THERE IDLE, UM, UH, MONTHLY REPORTS, ET CETERA.
UM, THINGS THAT WERE OUTLINED, I BELIEVE BACK IN AUGUST OR BACK IN, UH, UH, JUNE.
UM, FINALLY WE CAN'T FUND THEM RIGHT NOW.
[02:20:01]
NO MOU THEY'VE REFUSED TO BID.WHEN IT WENT OUT TO RFP, THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LIBRARY BOARD.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, THEY FILED SUIT AGAINST IT, AND THEN THEY FILED THE SAME SUIT A SECOND TIME AND THEY DIDN'T WITHDRAW IT AS AN OLIVE BRANCH.
THEY WITHDREW IT BECAUSE THEY WERE ABOUT TO BE FOUND IN CONTEMPT OR ESSENTIALLY THAT, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT LEGAL TERM.
UM, THEY'VE EVADED FOIAS ON VERY IMPORTANT FINANCIAL CONCERNS.
AND THAT'S WHERE MY TRUE CONCERNS ARE, ARE FINANCIAL.
I WANT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT AND JUST HAVE, EVEN IF WE JUST LET BYGONES BE BYGONES AND START FORWARD, I WANT TRANSPARENCY ON THE FINANCES.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF I'M GONNA CHANGE MY, THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE IN PLACE.
I I TOLD HER LAST, UH, 11 DAYS AGO.
I'M STILL WILLING TO NEGOTIATE.
BUT YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE LIBRARY BOARD.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND? NO, PLEASE LEAVE.
ENJOY YOURSELF ILLEGAL, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THERE'S SURE BEEN A LOT OF PERSONALITY, EMOTIONS, AND POLITICS, AND THAT'S CALLED PEP AND A LOT OF FAKE NEWS.
MR. STAN WIRE, I RESPECT YOU AND I BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO.
NEXT ON THE A AGENDA IS ADJOURNMENT.