Jan 04, 2021 Town Council Work Session

[1. CLOSED MEETING – Council Interviews]

[00:00:11]

THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL SERVE EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE.

EACH MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PERMANENT VOTE ONLY SUCH PUBLIC AD CONVENED OR HEARD OR CONSIDERED, AND THE CLOSING BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND THAT THE VOTE ON EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE LAYER OF CAPITAL WOULD BE DICTATED BY ROLL CALL AND RECORDED AND INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING.

MAYOR HOLLOWAY, COUNCILMAN COCKRELL.

YES.

COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE.

COUNCILMAN LOYD.

YES.

COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN.

YES.

COUNCILMAN THOMPSON.

YES.

DID I HAVE A SECOND? OH, YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT.

OKAY.

I SECOND THE MOTION.

THANK YOU.

[2. Required Freedom of Information (FOIA) and Conflicts of Interest (COIA) Training from the Town Attorney (20 minutes)]

ALL RIGHT.

UH, IF YOU'RE READY FOR ME, I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND THEN THE, UH, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ACT.

AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, WE'LL DO A UP ON THAT AND I CAN SEND YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.

UH, THE BASIC PREMISE, UM, WITH RESPECT TO MEETINGS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AFTER FOUR, YET, AS WE TYPICALLY CALL IT, OR THAT, UM, MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC, UM, WITH THE, UH, EXCEPTION THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN MEETINGS WHICH CAN BE HELD IN CLOSED MEETING, UH, THE STATUTES SET FORTH CERTAIN, UM, MEETINGS, WHICH MAY BE HELD, UH, IN CLOSED MEETING.

UM, BUT, UH, OTHERWISE MEETINGS, UH, HAVE TO BE HELD, UH, IN PUBLIC.

UM, THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC ARE ENTITLED TO THREE DAYS A WRITTEN NOTICE UNLISTED, IT'S AN EMERGENCY MEETING, AND IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY MEETING, THEN, UH, THE PUBLIC AND THE PRESS GETS SUCH NOTICE AS THE GOVERNING BODY GETS.

AND THAT NOTICE WOULD BE THAT NOTICES IS REASONABLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CAN MEET REMOTELY, UM, UH, BY ELECTRONIC MEANS, UH, TELEPHONICALLY, ZOOM, MICROSOFT TEAMS, ET CETERA, UH, TWICE PER YEAR BY STATE STATUTE AND BY TOWN ORDINANCE.

UM, AND, UM, THE, UM, UH, THAT'S ALL THAT'S ALLOWED.

UM, AND, UH, EVEN, UH, IN CASE OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, THE TOWN HAS, UH, FOLLOWED A, A THEORY OF CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT.

THERE IS A STATUTE, UM, WHICH, UM, IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT, UM, UM, LIKE IN A CASE OF A PANDEMIC, UM, YOU CAN, UH, CLAIM THAT IT'S NECESSARY, UM, TO GO INTO SORT OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT GOING TO A HIBERNATION IF YOU WOULD, FOR A SIX MONTH PERIOD, WHICH YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT FOR A SIX MONTH PERIOD IN, UM, IN, DURING A ONE YEAR TIME FRAME.

AND, UH, AFTER THAT, UH, YOU'VE EXHAUSTED, UH, UH, THE USE OF THAT CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT, UH, THEORY.

AND YOU HAVE TO COME BACK OUT AND GO BACK INTO OPEN MEETING UNDER FOUR.

YET THE TOWN HAS DONE THAT.

WE DID IT LAST SPRING.

AND, UM, UH, THEN, UH, WE'VE, UH, USED UP OUR SIX MONTH, UM, GRACE PERIOD.

AND NOW WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND OPEN MEETINGS AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING IT NOW.

UM, FOIA ALSO APPLIES TO, UH, UM, WRITTEN DOCUMENTS AND WRITTEN DOCUMENTS, UH, THAT ARE IN THE POSSESSION OR CONTROL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ITS EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS.

UH, THEY, UH, THESE WRITTEN DOCUMENTS ARE REALLY DON'T BELONG, UH, EXCEPT IN CERTAIN CASES, UH, TO THE TOWN, THEY BELONG TO THE PUBLIC, AND THAT'S WHY THE PUBLIC IS ENTITLED TO POSSESSION OF THEM.

UM, AND THESE WRITTEN DOCUMENTS, UH, UH, CAN INCLUDE EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES.

SO DON'T DELETE THEM.

YOU CANNOT DELETE ANY TOWN

[00:05:01]

AND, UH, YOU CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR DISCARDING THEM.

UM, MOST OF THEM CAN BE, UH, LOCATED AGAIN, UH, BY THE TOWN, UH, ON THE TOWN SERVERS OR, UH, THROUGH THE, UM, IN CERTAIN CASES, UM, THROUGH OUR, UH, MEDIA, UM, UH, PEOPLE, BUT, UM, UH, DON'T, DON'T MAKE IT DIFFICULT ON, UM, OUR, IT JUST, JUST KEEP THEM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT ACTUALLY APPLIES, UM, YEAH.

THE, UM, UH, LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND WE WILL FIND OUT FOR YOU WHETHER OR NOT, UH, UM, IT ACTUALLY, UH, HAS TO BE, UM, UH, GIVEN TO THE REQUESTER.

UH, NORMALLY YOU, IF THERE'S A REQUEST FOR, UM, A BORDER REQUEST THAT YOU HAVE FIVE DAYS TO RESPOND, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.

UM, IF IT TAKES TOO LONG TO, UM, GATHER THE MATERIALS IN FIVE DAYS, YOU CAN, I, I, I HAVE EXTRA TIME TO RESPOND.

UM, IF THE, UH, THE REQUEST OR ASKS FOR TOWN DOCUMENT, UH, UH, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO INVOKE FOR YOU.

THEY DO NOT HAVE TO SAY I AM.

UM, I IMPOSING, UM, UH, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS.

THEY SIMPLY HAVE TO SAY, I WOULD LIKE THIS DOCUMENT.

AND IF THIS REQUEST DOES NOT HAVE TO BE IN WRITING, WE ASK THAT IT BE GIVEN IN WRITING.

UH, JUST SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.

IT PROTECTS NOT ONLY THE TOWN, BUT IT PROTECTS THE REQUESTER, JUST SO WE'RE BOTH ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT IF THEY, IF THE REQUESTER DOES NOT, UM, UH, ASK, UH, ARE I WON'T PUT IT IN WRITING, WE CAN'T REQUIRE THAT.

UM, AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU FOLLOW THE, UH, UH, FOYA, UH, ACT, UH, BECAUSE IT, UH, A VIOLATION OF FOYA, UM, CAN GET YOU A FINE OF UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY YOURSELF.

AND, UM, UH, THE TOWN CAN ALSO HAVE, UH, AN INJUNCTION IMPOSED AGAINST IT, SO THAT, UM, IF WE VIOLATED A SECOND TIME, IT CAN BE, UM, A CONTEMPT OF COURT.

AND, UM, THAT IS NOT A PLACE THAT, UH, THE TOWN WANTS TO BE IN.

THAT'S JUST A VERY SIMPLE, SHORT THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

UH, THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ACT, UM, IS, UM, A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A BREAK, VERY SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF IT, BUT, UM, IN, IN ITS ESSENCE, AND IF YOU THINK OF IT IN ITS SIMPLIFIED FORM, IT DOES, UH, MAKE IT A LOT SIMPLER.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, THINK OF IT IN THESE SORTS OF TERMS. UM, YOU CANNOT USE YOUR OFFICE, UH, FOR PERSONAL MONETARY GAIN.

UM, YOU CAN'T USE IT FOR GAIN MONETARY GAIN FOR YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY, FOR YOUR FRIENDS OR YOUR ACQUAINTANCES.

THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF, UM, THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ACT.

UH, YOU CANNOT USE CONFIDENTIAL TOWN INFORMATION FOR PERSONAL MONETARY GAIN.

UH, IF YOU HAVE A $5,000 STAKE IN, UH, UH, OR MORE IN A BUSINESS OR IN PROPERTY, YOU THEREFORE HABIT PERSONAL INTEREST, AND YOU GENERALLY CANNOT BECOME PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN THE TRANSACTION BEFORE THE TOWN.

UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS TO THAT IF YOU'RE ONE OF THREE OR MORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A SIMILAR, UH, PERSONAL INTEREST IN THAT TRANSACTION OR THAT, UM, UH, UH, UM, INTEREST, UM, AND YOU MAKE A, UH, WRITTEN, UH, AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, UH, OF YOUR INTEREST AND YOU STATE PUBLICLY, AND IN WRITING THAT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE FAIRLY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN A GOOD, A GOOD WAY TO THINK OF THAT.

AN EXAMPLE IS LET'S SAY THAT THE TOWN NEEDS TO LAY A NEW ROAD AND NEEDS TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY, AND, UH, THEY'RE GONNA, THE TOWN'S GOING TO HAVE TO, UM, UH, UM, LAY THIS ROAD ACROSS, UM, SIX, UH, PIECES OF PROPERTY.

AND YOU'RE ONE OF THEM, UM, UH, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, VOTE IF YOU'RE A TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER ON THAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF SIX, UM, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

[00:10:01]

SO THEREFORE YOU COULD VOTE, IF YOU SAY THAT I'M A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE PUBLIC, ONE OF SIX MEMBERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE EFFECTED BY THIS ROAD, BUT I THINK I CAN VOTE FAIRLY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST BECAUSE THIS ROAD IS NEEDED BY THE TOWN OF FRONT OIL.

SO THAT'S, UH, ONE EXAMPLE, UH, ONE OF MANY, UM, THAT, UH, UH, WHERE IT COULD, UM, YOU COULD BE ALLOWED TO VOTE.

UH, IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WHEN THE TOWN HAS DELAY, UH, PIPELINES AND, UH, ELECTRIC LINES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UH, THE TOWN, UH, OR I SHOULD SAY, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS REALLY TIGHTENED UP THE RULES ON, UH, ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS.

AND NOW THE LIMIT IS, UM, YOU CANNOT GENERALLY ACCEPT GIFTS OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS OR MORE, UM, WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF YOU CAN'T ACCEPT GIFTS FROM CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDS.

AND THAT IS YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR OWN PERSONAL JUDGMENT CALL ON WHO IS YOUR OWN PERSONAL A FRIEND YOU CAN, OF COURSE ACCEPT GIFTS FROM FAMILY MEMBERS.

UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA, UH, EXCEPT THE BIRTHDAY OR CHRISTMAS GIFT, OR IF YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED OR WHATEVER, YOU CAN ACCEPT THOSE KINDS OF GIFTS, AND YOU CAN ACCEPT, UM, UH, GIFTS OF MEALS AND DRINKS AT WIDELY ATTENDED, UH, EVENTS.

UH, IF YOU GO TO A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DINNER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND YOU CERTAINLY CAN ACCEPT THAT, UM, UH, OR SPORTING EVENTS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO YOU CAN DO THAT.

UM, ALSO ANNUALLY, YOU MUST FILE YOUR ANNUAL STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS, UM, ON A FORM THAT'S PROVIDED TO YOU BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.

AND THAT MUST BE FILED BY FEBRUARY 1ST OF EACH YEAR.

UM, YOU FILED THAT AS A TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER THAT, UM, UH, UM, TOWN MANAGER HAS TO FILE A TOWN ATTORNEY.

HE HAS TO FILE IT AND, UM, UH, UM, UH, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEMBERS HAVE TO FILE IT AND CERTAIN OTHER, UM, UM, LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE TO PILE THAT ALSO, THERE ARE ALSO, UM, UM, UH, EXPLANATION, UM, EXPLANATORY, UM, UM, SUMMARIES OF, UH, THE 40TH AND, UM, UH, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ACT, UM, THAT ARE WRITTEN MORE IN ENGLISH RATHER THAN LEAVING LEAVES.

AND IF YOU WANT COPIES OF THOSE, WE'LL BE GLAD TO GIVE THEM TO YOU.

THEY'RE A LOT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THAN THE, UM, THE FULLER, UM, UM, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ACT, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT THAT I SENT YOU EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM.

UH, IF YOU RUN INTO A PROBLEM, UH, WITH EITHER OF THESE ACTS AT ANY TIME, UH, UH, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT, UH, UH, GEORGE SONNET OR, UM, UC ASSISTANT TOWN ATTORNEY.

FOR ME, IT'S A LOT EASIER THAN TRYING TO PULL YOUR HAIR OUT OVER YOURSELF.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS NOW, I'LL BE GLAD TO TRY TO ANSWER THE 40TH, JUST TO MAKE SURE FOR THE VIEW AND AUDIENCE, UH, IT'S FIVE BUSINESS DAYS, THAT'S THAT WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO FIVE DAYS.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND THE DAY YOU RECEIVE THAT REQUEST DOESN'T COUNT.

SO IF YOU RECEIVE A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST ON MONDAY, UH, THAT MONDAY DOESN'T COUNT IT'S THE FIVE DAYS ARE TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND THEN AGAIN, THE NEXT MONDAY.

SO YOU HAVE UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY TO RESPOND.

OKAY.

,

[3a. Audit/Finance Committee]

DIDN'T I, BECAUSE JACOB'S THAT OUR TOWN, I THINK, UM, I, WELL, I'D BE WILLING TO SERVE, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD PUT, I DON'T WANT TO SEEM GREEDY CAUSE I'D LOVE TO SERVE ON THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE.

SO MR. MARAM I'M WILLING TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE WITH THE COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE, IF THAT'S OKAY.

OKAY.

[00:15:06]

SO

[3b. 2021 Town Scholarship Committee/Discussion on how to distribute]

WE WERE SPLITTING IT BETWEEN WARREN COUNTY AND SGAMMA.

SO DO WE WANT TO GO IN AND JUST LOOK AT 1500 FOR EACH WOULD, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO DO LIKE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S 3000 TOTAL, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO DO LIKE SIX, $500 SCHOLARSHIPS? I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL, WELL, A FEW YEARS WE'VE GOT THE NUMBER OF THEM AND OTHER GEARS WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN MANY.

SO I WOULD BE, I'M GOING TO BE A LITTLE HESITANT TO DO IT THAT WAY, THE SIX, 500 FOR NOTHING.

UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT, YOU KNOW, , UM, YOU GET A LOT OF, OF APPLICANTS.

YOU'LL PROBABLY ONLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE OR TWO FROM A CERTAIN SCHOOL AND YOU'LL GET A TON OF THEM FROM, FROM, FROM ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, SO I WOULD BE A LITTLE LESS TK, GIVE IT TO A PERSON FROM EACH SCHOOL.

I WOULD GO WITH THE BEST APPLICANTS WOULD HOW, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE ROOM, UH, TOWN MANAGER THEDRICK LAST YEAR, HE, UM, AND TINA STRIPPED OFF NAMES OFF.

SO WE DON'T KNOW UNLESS THEY PUT IN THEIR, YOU KNOW, WHICH SCHOOL THEY ATTEND.

WE DON'T KNOW, UM, EVEN KEEP IT THAT WAY.

I, THE ONLY REASON WHY I WAS THINKING ABOUT MORE SCHOLARSHIPS, I KNEW THAT, UM, WE GIVE A SCHOLARSHIP FOR MY MOM EACH YEAR AND SOME YEARS I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.

UM, MR. GILLESPIE, THAT SOME YEARS WE HAVE A TON OF APPLICANTS AND I JUST WISH WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO GIVE EVERY, EVERY STUDENT ONE.

THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON WHY I WAS THINKING MORE PEOPLE TO BENEFIT.

BUT I, BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, SO I'M WILLING TO DEFER TO YOUR ALL'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXPERIENCE YOU'VE SO IS THAT HOW YOU WANT TO DO IT? DO YOU WANT TO TAKE AN SPLIT IT, OR YOU JUST WANT TO GO TO THE BEST APP, WHICH STANDS OUT IN THE PAST? UM, I BELIEVE, UM, BEING COUNCILMAN, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT MANY LAST YEAR AT ALL.

DID WE? UM, YEAH, THERE WAS ABOUT 12 THIS YEAR, YEAR BEFORE THAT LIKE TWO OR THREE OR SOMETHING.

IT WASN'T THAT MANY.

UM, BUT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS AROUND.

SO, UH, THREE, $1,000 SCHOLARSHIPS, THREE APPLICANTS.

WELL, I LIKED THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO GIVE MORE MONEY TO INDIVIDUALS OR THAT THEY CAN DO MORE WITH IT MAYBE THAN SPLITTING IT OUT.

LIKE YOU WERE SAYING.

I MEAN, I GET THAT HELPS MORE PEOPLE, BUT ONLY HELPS THEM A LITTLE BIT.

WHEREAS IF YOU CAN HELP SOMEBODY LIKE THAT, I LIKE THAT TO BE BROKEN APART.

WHAT ELSE TO DO IT? I THOROUGHLY ENJOY IT EVERY YEAR.

AND YOU KNOW, COUNTING THOMPSON WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING.

IT'S A LOT OF THESE KIDS, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THAT YOUNG AGE.

I HAD NO CLUE.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, I WILL WITHDRAW MY INTEREST SINCE I ACTUALLY GET TO DO THIS FOR MY OWN FAMILY'S SCHOLARSHIP.

SO I DO, I DO GET TO PARTICIPATE IN DOING THAT AS WELL.

NO, NO, NO.

I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY IT AND I GET TO DO IT AS WELL

[00:20:01]

SO COUNSELING, I JUST MENTIONED IN CASE WE DIDN'T HAVE NOW THIS'LL BE ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES THAT EVERYBODY WANTS.

REALLY ENJOY IT.

ALL RIGHT, SCOTT.

SO GARY AND LATASHA,

[4. Liaison Committee Meeting Items]

SO ANYBODY, I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, SOME ITEMS THAT WERE ON THERE PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T MEET THEM.

ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, IT'S ON THE 20TH.

THAT'S A TYPO.

OKAY.

I THINK WE MET, WE DID MEET IN OCTOBER.

OKAY.

YEAH.

I HAVE IT LISTED WHO MET AND WHEN WE MET AND I THINK YOU COUNSELING GILLESPIE, ACCORDING TO THE RULES, IT SAYS, IT GOES BY, I'LL PUT THAT A BIT OF ORDER OR SOMETHING.

RIGHT.

AND SINCE SHE JUST SERVED IN OCTOBER, DID WE START BACK OVER OR DO YOU WANT TO YEAH, EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

THAT HAS BEEN THERE.

NO, THEY WILL.

WE WILL SKIP THEM AND GO ONTO THE NEXT.

SO NATASHA, SHE'S NEVER BEEN INTERESTED IN YEARS, BUT TWO YEARS.

SO YOU WENT TO ONE.

YEAH.

WELL, IF YOU GO ALPHABETICALLY, YOU GOT THE TWO NEW ONES GOING, WHICH TWO WOULD YOU, WHICH ONE OF YOU WANT TO ARM WRESTLE FOR THE LIAISON COMMITTEE? REAL EXCITED.

SO I DIDN'T SEE.

YOU SAID IT SAYS IT GOES OFF A MEDICALLY, UM, SCARLET.

YEAH.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S YOU SCOTT.

AND WE'RE ONLY ONE LETTER OFF ONE OFF OF THAT LETTER.

OKAY.

AND DID YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS? YEAH.

GUYS, DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY ITEMS YOU ALL WANT TO ADD TO THE AGENDA? IS IT POSSIBLE? WELL, TO ADD SOME CONVERSATIONS SURROUNDING THE PILOT THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED, I ASKED IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY ITEMS? I WAS GOING TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF AT THE LIAISON COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN POSSIBLY COME TOGETHER.

AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT OUR VISION AND WHAT OUR GOALS AND THINGS ARE.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY DO THE SAME THING.

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD A, A, UM, A JOINT KIND OF LIKE VISION, LIKE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE, WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE WHAT THE LIAISON COMMITTEE WOULD BE, BUT MAYBE JUST TO DISCUSS AT THE LIAISON COMMITTEE, WE CAN BRING IT UP.

YEAH.

I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

LIKE A VISION MEETING, I GUESS, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY ITEMS THEY WANT TO ADD? I JUST I'D LIKE TO JUST, I MEAN, READING THIS DOCUMENT IS ONE THING, BUT SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN TO A LIAISON MEETING JUST EXPLAINED TO ME EXACTLY LIKE, UH, WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE LEA IS IT JUST TO DISCUSS OVERARCHING TOPICS? ARE THERE SPECIFIC TOPICS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT? ARE THERE, IS THIS THE AIRING OF GRIEVANCES? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IN A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING? OKAY.

THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S WHERE THIS DOCUMENT KIND OF, UM, LOOKING AT IT, I'M LIKE, IT'S A BIG BUCKET.

WHAT CAN WE PUT IN THERE? LIKE IF I HAVE AN ISSUE, FOR INSTANCE, THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY HAS MADE AIRBNB, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE AIRBNBS.

IS THAT A TOPIC YOU WOULD PUT ON THERE AND TALK ABOUT IT AND SEE HOW MAYBE WE COULD CHANGE THAT IN THE FUTURE? OR, I MEAN, THAT, THAT WOULD BE ONE OF MY TOPICS IMMEDIATELY OFF THE BAT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS, YOU KNOW? YEP.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S WHAT IT

[00:25:01]

OKAY.

I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT TO THE MEETING AGENDA ACTUALLY.

YEAH.

LIKE, UH, UNDERSTANDING AND SEEING IF IT'S STILL RELEVANT.

I KNOW AIRBNB WAS ONE OF THOSE BIG, HOT TOPICS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

UH, AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY DID IT.

I DON'T KNOW ALL THE BACKGROUND ON IT.

UM, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE ABOUT MAYBE MAKING SHORT-TERM RENTALS EASIER FOR OUR CITIZENS HERE IN FRONT ROYAL.

UM, WE ARE A TOURIST TOWN AND THAT SEEMS TO BE A REVENUE SOURCE THAT COULD BE, ESPECIALLY EVEN IN, IN A COVID SITUATION WHERE YOU COULD RENT OUT YOUR HOME.

YOU'RE NOT THERE AND YOU COULD GENERATE MORE REVENUE FOR YOUR FAMILY.

YEP.

THAT'S GOOD.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY ITEMS THEY WANT TO ADD? UM, SAY I WOULD PUT SAME POINT OF ENTRY FOR SURE.

CITIZENS SLASH DISCUSSION OF SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY, BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS, AND THEN ISSUES OF DOUBLE TAXATION.

ANYBODY ELSE I'D SAY THAT'LL BE A PRETTY FULL AGENDA.

THIS, THIS IS JUST OUR END OF IT.

CAUSE THEY GET THEM.

[5. Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 4-19 of the Town Code]

RECALLS, UH, YOU KNOW, I NEVER KNEW THIS, BUT OUR AGENDA IS IN THE CODE AND IT'S SET AS IT IS EVERY WEEK.

I MEAN, WE CAN'T CHANGE IT.

WE CAN'T DELETE AN ITEM.

WE CAN'T, UH, SECTION OR MOVE IT ALL AROUND.

I MEAN, IT HAS TO BE THE WAY IT IS.

SO, UH, MY UNCLE WAS JUST DELETING THAT AND AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH YEAR, UM, OUR FIRST REGULAR MEETING SETTING, WE WANT TO HAVE IT FOR THE YEAR.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

YOU GUYS FEEL ABOUT THAT? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

SO THAT INVOLVES UPDATING THE AMENDMENT EACH YEAR THEN? YES.

AND WE JUST, I WISH DOUG WAS STILL HERE BECAUSE, WELL, MATT, I HAD DISCUSSED IT WITH MEN ALSO.

PARDON ME, SIR? YEAH.

HEY, UM, SO ARE WE ABLE, IF WE SET THIS AT, LET'S SAY AT OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OR DO WE HAVE TO STICK WITH IT? UH, WHAT, WHAT I ENVISIONED, UM, W THE WAY I, WHEN I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT IT, THE WAY I ENVISIONED THIS IS, UH, YOU WOULD DO IT SORT OF LIKE A, A BYLAW FOR THAT YEAR.

UM, IN OTHER WORDS, UM, UH, AT THE FIRST MEETING, YOU WOULD SET UP YOUR PROCEDURE FOR THE FORTHCOMING YEAR, HOW YOU WANTED TO DO IT FOR THAT, UH, UH, UPCOMING YEAR.

AND THEN YOU WOULD FOLLOW THAT PROCEDURE FOR THAT YEAR.

AND THEN THE YEAR FOLLOWING, YOU WOULD SET UP WHATEVER PROCEDURE YOU WANTED TO USE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

AND, UH, OR YOU CAN DO IT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT TWO YEARS OR WHATEVER.

BUT, UM, WHAT YOU GOT IS EVERY A YEAR OR TWO, YOU'VE GOT NEW TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS COMING ABOARD, AND THEY MAY NOT LIKE THE PREVIOUS PROCEDURE THAT'S BEING FOLLOWED, OR YOU, YOU KNOW, EVERY TWO YEARS YOU GOT A NEW MAYOR, UH, WHO MAY NOT LIKE IT.

AND, UM, SO, UM, UM, I THOUGHT THE WAY YOU WERE, UH, DISCUSSING IT WITH ME, UH, YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE FLEXIBLE AND A LITTLE MORE FAIR, UH, TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND TO DO TO THE NEW MAYOR, TO ALLOW THAT FLEXIBILITY, TO ADJUST THE MEETING PROCEDURE, TO REFLECT THE NEW COUNCIL, UM, TO, TO ALLOW THEM TO, TO ADJUST IT TO, TO THEIR TASTES.

OKAY.

SO W WHAT I THINK WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO DO IS MAYBE HAVE A WORK SESSION AND GO OVER HOW WE WANT TO SET THE AGENDA AND VOTE ON IT AT THE MEETING, AFTER THAT I'M GOING TO WRITE DOWN, WOULD THAT BE THE PROPER WAY TO DO IT? CORRECT.

OKAY.

EVERYBODY AGREED TO THAT.

YEAH.

LIKE A MIRROR MIRROR.

UM, THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, THE STAFF, AS WELL AS I WOULD LIKE FOR EXETER AS PART OF THAT MEETING IS TO EXPLORE HOW OFTEN, OR, OR SHALL WE ONLY MEET FOR ONE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING AMONG TWO TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF ITEMS DURING THE WORK SESSION TOO.

SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ALSO PROVIDE YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

OKAY.

SORRY.

ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, STEVEN.

[6. Joint Tourism Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Warren County Approval and Destination Marketing Organization Award Approval]

[00:30:22]

OUR, OUR MOA, UH, COUNTY, UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE ONE.

OKAY.

WE DO I'LL HAVE A LISA COME AND GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE DO HAVE A, UH, MOA THAT IN ESSENCE WILL ALLOW US TO WORK WITH WARREN COUNTY ON OUR, UH, TOURISM OR DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION.

AND IF ANYONE, UH, HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, WE'RE WILLING TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT THIS WILL BE AN ACTION THAT YOU ALL WILL TAKE AT OUR SPECIAL MEETING AFTER DISCUSSION.

HI, GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ALYSSA SCOTT.

I'M THE PURCHASING MANAGER.

THIS MLA IS A JOINT COLLABORATION WITH WARREN COUNTY FOR TOURISM.

IT'S AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A JOINT PROGRAM WHERE THE TALENT OF THE COUNTY WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR A VISION FOR TOURISM AND HIRE A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR.

SO, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'D BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT OR, OR WHO WOULD, BUT, UM, SO I UNDERSTAND FROM THIS MOA, THE COST OF THIS WOULD BE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TOWN AND COUNTY EVEN EQUALLY.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

I, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT, THAT IN MY MIND, I JUST WONDERED ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW, LIKE, WHEN WE DID THE CARES ACT MONEY, IT WAS DIVIDED BY POPULATION.

AND I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF, UM, I KNOW THERE'S SOME BACKGROUND WITH TOURISM, LIKE YEARS AGO WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN HAD FIRE SERVICES AND WE, AND, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK OVER TOURISM AND THEY TOOK OVER.

SO I KNEW THERE WAS SOME HISTORY BEHIND THAT.

UM, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW.

I I'M, I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.

I, MAYBE THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

IN FACT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED, UM, WHEN WE WERE PREPARING STAFF FOR THIS MOA AND THE UNDERSTANDING BEHIND, UM, THE REVENUE DOLLARS DON'T NECESSARILY COME FROM THE POPULATION OF THE LOCALITY, THE TOURISM MONEY COMES FROM THE LODGING PARTNERS.

GOT IT.

SO IT'S YOUR, IT'S YOUR LODGING PARTNERS WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS AND LODGING PARTNERS WITHIN THE COUNTY AND IT'S SPLIT FAIRLY EQUITABLY.

YEAH, BUT THAT, THAT WAS WHEN I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THAT THAT'S, THAT WAS MY THOUGHT IS, IS THAT I THINK SOMEWHERE IT WAS WRITTEN IN THERE THAT, UM, I GUESS THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THERE WERE MORE LODGING AND THE TOWN LIMITS, UM, RIGHT.

IS THAT CORRECT? BJ? AND SO, AND SO TOURISM DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAD AS MUCH GOING INTO IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE CASE ANYMORE.

CAUSE I THINK ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAS QUITE A, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE MARRIOTT AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.

SO I JUST, I WAS JUST ASKING, HE SAID, THE IDEA IS FOR ANY CITIZEN THAT MAYBE WOULD BE ASKING WHY WE'D BE PAYING HALF, EVEN THOUGH OUR POPULATION IS LIKE 15,000 IN THE COUNTIES ALTOGETHER IS FOUR 40,000.

IN ESSENCE, IF THIS WAS COMING OUT OF TAX DOLLARS, A TOWN CITIZEN WOULD BE PAYING TOWARDS THE TOWN PART AS WELL AS THE COUNTY PARK.

CORRECT.

ISN'T THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH THIS, THE CASE WITH THIS.

OKAY.

THAT'S GOOD TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYBODY.

ANYBODY ELSE MAYBE HIRED J U L J E L L.

I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE US INTO THE FUTURE AND, UM, THEY, THEY'VE GOT SOME GREAT IDEAS NOW TO CHANGE THINGS.

SO, UM, I'M GOING TO BE VOTING FOR THIS, UH, AND, UH, I'M ALMOST CERTAIN THAT PARKER IS GOING TO EXPLODE IN A GOOD WAY.

ANYBODY ELSE? YEAH.

UM, MR. MAYOR, I FEEL A LITTLE BIT, UH, SLAMMED WITH THIS AS ONE OF OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEMS

[00:35:01]

UM, WHEREAS THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, I THINK HAVE, HAVE BEEN DOWN IN THE WEEDS ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME, PROBABLY, AND THIS IS THE RESULT WHILE AT WORK, WE'RE LOOKING AT A SUMMARY AND MOA AND, UM, IT'S, I HAVE NOT SEEN THE PROCESS.

I'M A LITTLE LESS CALM, COMFORTABLE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, MR. GILLESPIE, OF COURSE I TRUST YOUR WORD AND EVERYTHING, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH JONES LANG LASALLE.

AND I, I DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT, THAT COMPANY VERY WELL.

UM, SO I'M WONDERING WHAT ABOUT THE TIMING OF THIS? LIKE WHY, WHY WE'RE DOING IT NOW AS OPPOSED TO NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH? UM, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE URGENCY FOR THIS? I CAN PROVIDE A BACKGROUND FOR EACH OF THOSE TWO PIECES.

SO THE FIRST BEING THE MOA AGREEMENT, THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY CURRENTLY HAVE AN MOA AGREEMENT, BUT THE TITLE OF THAT COMMITTEE IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

AND THE MAKEUP OF THAT COMMITTEE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AS WELL BECAUSE TITLES HAVE CHANGED.

UM, PEOPLE'S POSITIONS HAVE CHANGED WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND THE TOWN NO LONGER HAS A TOURISM DEPARTMENT AND IS EXPECTING TO OUTSOURCE TOURISM.

SO THE POINT OF THIS MOA THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE EXISTING MOA IS TO WORK AROUND THAT STRUCTURE, THAT THE TOWN IN THE COUNTY, WHAT HIRE A THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETELY TAKE OVER TOURISM.

I UNDERSTAND.

I SEE.

UM, AND, UH, WHERE ARE WE GETTING THE DOLLAR FIGURES, UH, FOR THIS? SO IT'S, WE'RE A TOWN COUNTY.

SO THIS IS, SO THIS IS COMING FROM LODGING PARTNERS.

IT'S, IT'S NOT TAX DOLLARS, IT'S, IT'S COMING FROM EXISTING BUSINESSES, BUT WHERE DID WE COME UP WITH 600,000, UM, THE 300,000 FROM EACH OF THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY.

SO THE, UM, UH, THE, THE DOLLARS ARE COMING FROM THE TOWNS, UH, LODGING TAX, AS WELL AS FROM THE WARREN COUNTY'S LODGING TAX, UH, COMPONENT OF OUR LODGING TAXES REQUIRED TO GO TOWARD TOURISM, UH, BASED ON VIRGINIA STATE CODE.

UM, THE DOLLAR FIGURES THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, UM, OR A PORTION OF THE TAXES THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOWARD THAT.

SO IT'S NOT ACTUALLY BEING DONATED FROM THE LODGING PARTNERS AS MUCH AS IT IS THE ACTUAL TAX, ET CETERA.

IS THAT ANSWER? YEAH, I'M JUST, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY IT'S 600,000, NOT 200,000.

WHY WHEN AT 400,000, WHY NOT 500,000, THAT'S KIND OF THE FIGURE IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL REVIEW ANNUALLY WITH THE BUDGET.

UM, IT'S THE FIGURE THAT WE SET ASIDE FOR OUR CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET AND I'VE ALL BEEN REVIEWING IT ANNUALLY AS THE JOINT TOURISM BOARD COMES BACK.

MAYBE IT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE, MAYBE IT'S LESS, IT'S GOING TO BE A VARIATION FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR.

THE TYPICAL CONTRACT TERM IS FOR 12 MONTHS, HOWEVER, IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO HAVE A BUDGET PREPARED RIGHT BEFORE THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO THIS, THIS TERM IS GOING TO BE ENDING BY BEFORE FISCAL YEAR 23 BEGINS.

SO THE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT IS $600,000, WHEREAS IT NORMALLY WOULD BE $200,000 FROM EACH.

SO TOTAL CONTRACT TO 12 MONTH PERIOD FOR 200,000 OR 400,000.

UM, IF I MAY ALSO PART OF THE ISSUE OR WHY WE'RE, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE MOVING FAST ON THIS IS BECAUSE, WELL, THERE'S MY BIKE.

UM, WE'RE, WE'VE MOVED KIND OF SLOW IF WE LOOK AT THIS BACKWARDS, UM, WHERE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH TOURISM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEEN IN PLACE FOR SO LONG.

UM, GARY AND I WERE BOTH ON THE COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY AND SO FORTH, AND WE VET IT THROUGH A DIFFERENT W RFPS, RIGHT? YES, RFPS, UM, AND TRIED TO PICK THE BEST PARTNER TO DO THIS.

IT WAS DECIDED THAT WAS GOING TO BE OUTSOURCED AND THEN WE HAD TO OUTSOURCE IT.

UM, BUT AS YOU, AS YOU KNOW, UH, COVID, I GUESS IN A WAY SAVED US BECAUSE PEOPLE WEREN'T LOOKING SO MUCH FOR TOURISM THERE FOR A MOMENT IN THE EARLY PART OF THIS PROCESS.

UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING TO GET IT UP AND GOING, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING INTO LIKE OUR SPRING AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR TIME, YOU KNOW, HIKING, CANOEING, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.

I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

SO THE FIRST THING IS, THERE'S A DOCUMENT HERE AND I SEE THAT GARY, UH, COUNCILMAN GLASBY SIGNED IT.

UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE YOUR SIGNATURE.

IS THIS JUST A VERSION OF THIS THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE SIGNATURE COUNCILMAN THOMPSON? OR IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? I CAN EXPLAIN THAT.

SO I DID NOT SIGN OFF ON IT CAUSE I LIKED A DIFFERENT COMPANY BETTER IF I'M, IF YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS BEING COMPLETELY HONEST.

UM, BUT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS COMPANY.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY ANYTHING WRONG WITH THIS ONE.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL.

THEY, UM, THEY ALSO SUBMITTED

[00:40:01]

THEY WERE MY SECOND, MY SECOND CHOICE, NOT MY FIRST CHOICE.

SO, UM, YEAH, AND COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY.

THAT'S WHY I DID NOT SIGN IT.

IS THAT THE SAME REASON? WHY? UM, THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, WARREN COUNTY PLANNING DIRECTOR DIDN'T SIGN IT, SHE SIGNED IT.

SHE ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO JUST SIGN IT TODAY.

OKAY.

UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS REGARDING, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A MILLION DOLLARS OVER TWO YEARS, RIGHT? 600,000, THE FIRST YEAR AND 400,000.

THE NEXT IS THAT, UH, $600,000 FOR THE FIRST 18 MONTHS.

AND THEN EACH FISCAL YEAR WILL BE $200,000 FOR THE TEA.

I THOUGHT IT SAID $400,000.

CAUSE IT'S $200,000 FROM THE TOWN AND 200 FROM THE COUNTY.

IS THAT NOT CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.

OKAY.

SO IT IS SO IT'S, SO THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT IS $400,000, BUT FROM OUR BUDGET, IT'S $200,000.

OKAY.

UM, HOW ARE WE EXPECTING TO SEE RETURN ON INVESTMENT ON THIS, UM, MONEY BEING SPENT? I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE PUTTING IN PLACE TO SAY, W W THE TOWN IS GOING TO GET RETURN ON INVESTMENT ON THIS? LIKE, WHAT ARE WE JUDGING ON THE LODGING TAXES? WE COLLECT MORE IN THAT YEAR? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE MEASURE THAT WE'RE USING TO SEE IF THIS IS SUCCESSFUL.

THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.

UH, THANK YOU.

THE, THE COUNTY, THE, THE FIRM THAT WE HAVE HIRED IS COMING UP WITH A SCOPE OF WORK AND PERFORMANCE METRICS.

THEY'RE VERY PERFORMANCE METRICS FOCUSED.

SO THEY ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING THAT INTO THE TOWN'S STANDARD CONTRACT WITH GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS, THE TOWN ABIDES BY.

AND IF THIS FIRM IS NOT ABLE TO REACH THOSE PERFORMANCE METRICS, THEN WE HAVE TO THEIR PERFORMANCE BASED ON THOSE METRICS.

AND IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THEM, THERE ARE CERTAIN CLAUSES IN THE STANDARD CONTRACT THAT ALLOW FOR TERMINATION, FOR CONVENIENCE IN TERMINATION FOR A CAUSE.

SO IF AFFIRM IN A PUBLIC CONTRACT IS NOT ABLE TO MEET THEIR PERFORMANCE METRICS, THEY WOULD BE TERMINATED FOR COSTS.

I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED TO ASK THIS, BUT DO YOU KNOW OFFHAND JUST GENERALLY WHAT THOSE PERFORMANCE METRICS ARE, THEY ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDING THOSE INTO THE STANDARD CONTRACT.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT THIS WEEK.

UM, SO WE'RE SIGNING OFF ON THE, THIS AGREEMENT TO ESSENTIALLY HIRE THIS COMPANY, THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE CONTRACT YET, IS THAT, UH, YES, IT'S, IT'S A TOWN STANDARD CONTRACT.

OKAY.

BUT I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT THE PERFORMANCE METRICS ARE WHEN THEY'RE ARE, WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH THOSE.

I'M VERY, I'M VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THOSE METRICS ARE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT FOR A WHILE TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE, WHAT, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GAUGE THIS.

LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND SO I FEEL, I FEEL THE SAME WAY THAT SCOTT, UH, SORRY, COUNCILMAN LOYD FEELS IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF BRAND NEW.

I DON'T HAVE SOME OF THIS BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

UH, I'VE CERTAINLY LEARNED SOME ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, BUT I, I'M VERY INTERESTED TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THIS, UM, PRIOR TO VOTING ON IT, I BELIEVE WHEN, UM, WAS IT, UH, I'M GONNA SAY THE NAME OF THE COMPANY WRONG, BUT WAS IT SOLUTIONS BY TRISHA OR TRISHA SOLUTIONS? YES.

UM, THEY WERE DOING SOME WORK LIKE THAT FOR US THIS YEAR.

AND THEN THEY CAME AND SHARED, I'M GOING TO SAY THE WRONG MONTH.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT TO SEE THAT OR NOT, BUT THEY CAME IN AND SHARED, UM, THEIR DATA METRICS.

AND, UM, THEY, THEY, THEY TALKED A LOT ABOUT LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO GIVE US INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE TO THIS, THIS TIME.

AND, BUT THAT WAS SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO I THINK, I THINK JOE'S LOOKING FOR DOLLARS.

LIKE, HOW DO WE KNOW THEY'RE BENEFITING? WHAT IS THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT? YEAH.

YOU'RE TALKING DOLLARS, NOT FACEBOOK HITS LIKE A PICTURE ALL DAY AND NEVER GO.

RIGHT.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S WHY I'M WONDERING, LIKE, IF WE, IF WE, AS A TOWN AND THE COUNTY INCLUDED AS A PARTNER HERE, HE'S GOING TO PUT THIS MUCH MONEY INTO SOMETHING.

UH, I MEAN, IT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO SPEND THAT RIGHT OUT FRONT.

THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BUDGET OF DOLLARS.

CORRECT.

SO WE WILL NOT SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY AND HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING, EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S SPENT SEES A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST WONDERING IN TERMS OF DOLLARS AND CENTS HERE, WHEN WE SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY, TAXPAYER, YOU KNOW, TAX INCOME COMING IN THROUGH THE MEALS TAX AND LODGING TAX, OR IS IT NOT THE MEALS TAX LODGING TAX.

WE KNOW WHEN WE START TO SEE THAT WE'RE NOW USING THAT REVENUE, OF COURSE, FOR WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO BE USED FOR, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GAUGING THAT WHEN IT COMES BACK? SO THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE MOA IS TO CREATE A JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE.

AND THAT COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SERVING THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY.

AND SO EACH INVOICE THAT THIS COMPANY WOULD BE SUPPLYING TO US THAT WE WOULD, THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THIS CONTRACT AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE APPROVING AND SIGNING OFF.

AND LIKE COUNCILMAN COCKRELL SAID

[00:45:01]

SO THEY'LL THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE WILL BE MOSTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH THIS THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR AND FOR SETTING THOSE METRICS.

CORRECT.

EXACTLY.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

AND IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET AN RFP TO THE, TO THE TWO NEW MEMBERS THAT HAVEN'T YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU THE TOWN'S STATEMENT OF NEEDS AND A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON WHY WE HAVE DECIDED TO GO WITH A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR FOR TOURISM AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE NEED.

UM, OH, DO THEY ALSO, CAN WE ALSO HAVE A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION THAT I'M ON THAT PRESENTATION, BUT THE BOOKLET, THE JLLS SUBMIT IT.

YES, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY YOU DO HAVE THAT ELECTRONICALLY.

YES.

I CAN PROVIDE THE RFP AND I CAN PROVIDE, UH, JLS RESPONSE.

AND ALSO I RECORDED THE INTERVIEW, THE INITIAL DISCUSSION WITH JLL.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR YOU, HOW I WOULD LIKE TO S I W I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING SOME OF THAT AS WELL.

SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

ALSO, UM, SO WE, IF, SO WE'RE SENDING UP COMMITTEE PEOPLE GET THEM POINTED.

UM, COULD YOU WALK ME THROUGH WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T, WE DON'T LIKE WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS COMING UP WITH.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN, WE CAN GET OUT OF THE CONTRACT.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE FOR CAUSE OR FOR, TO LENIENCE.

UM, BUT IF OUR PROBLEM AS A COUNCIL IS THE COMMITTEE, WHAT'S OUR RECOURSE.

UM, THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

UM, I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE COMMITTEE SERVING THE BEST INTEREST OF BOTH QUALITIES, UM, SO THERE WOULD NEED TO BE SOME SERIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS A LEGALLY BINDING DOCUMENT.

NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I, THE, THE, THE COMMITTEE, THEY COME IN WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS, WHOEVER IT IS, THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT PERFORMING UP TO OUR EXPECTATIONS AS A COUNCIL.

UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE FIRE THEM? OKAY.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU MEAN THE COMMITTEE WORK.

YOU MEAN THE COMPANY BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE IS ACTUALLY APPOINTED BY US.

LIKE, UM, YEAH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, COUNCILMAN THOMPSON AND GILLESPIE WERE APPOINTED TO THE COMMITTEE, JUST LIKE THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE.

WE JUST DID.

GOT IT.

AND IT WASN'T JUST A FIRE OURSELVES.

THEN IT WAS TWO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY WHO SAT DOWN AND THAT'S THROUGH THESE RFPS.

OKAY.

THAT'S THAT'S UM, OKAY.

SO, BUT, BUT, BUT IN, IN CHOOSING FROM THE COMMUNITY, IT'S, IT'S ON US TO PICK NEW PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, IF WE'RE CORRECT.

EXPLAINS EXACTLY HOW MANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND EXACTLY LIKE SO MANY FROM THE TOWN, SO MANY FROM THE COUNTY.

AND SO WE ACTUALLY APPOINT THEM AS FRIENDS.

AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT IF WE WERE NOT HAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE, THEN WE COULD RESEND THAT APPOINTMENT.

RIGHT.

I GUESS, YES, WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THAT YET.

SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'S HOW IT HAPPENED.

YEAH.

JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.

UM, I WILL BE SERVING ON IT OR IT DOES A KNEE KEEP IN MIND WHILE YOU ARE THINKING OF INDIVIDUALS, COUNSEL WILL NEED TO APPOINT SOMEONE AND THEN COLLECTIVELY THINK ABOUT THREE OTHER CITIZENS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE.

SO, UH, JUST THOUGHT I'D SHARE THEM.

THE MAIN THING IS A COUNCIL MEMBER WILL NEED TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE.

THAT COMMITTEE, IF POSSIBLE, IS IT, IS IT JUST ONE COUNCIL? I KNOW THIS TIME IT WAS TWO.

YEAH, I THINK IT DID SAY IT.

COUNCILMAN ALTAR.

UM, I'M WILLING TO BE THE ALTERNATE IF COUNCILMAN, UH, THOMPSON IS THERE AND COUNSELING GILLESPIE, WASN'T ON IT TO START TWO TO TWO MEMBERS.

UH, WELL, ONE IT SAYS IS, UM, AN ALTERNATE, JUST ONE WITH AN ALTERNATE.

SO LATASHA, ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

[7. OPEN DISCUSSION]

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

OPEN DISCUSSION.

ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING? THEY WANT TO DISCUSS ANYTHING? YEAH.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A NICE CHRISTMAS NEW YEAR'S EVE.

THAT'S ALL MY DISCUSSION.

ANYTHING, ANYBODY? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S NICE TO FINALLY, UH, GETTING ELECTED AND THEN HAVING A TWO

[00:50:01]

AND THEN IT'S LIKE VROOM, VROOM, VROOM, VROOM FROM THE ENGINES KIND OF SLOW DOWN.

IT'S GOOD TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS COUNCIL AND TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF FRONT ROYAL.

SO THANK YOU AS WELL.

AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL THAT PROCEEDED US AND ALSO, UM, THE OTHER FOLKS WHO RAN IN THE ELECTION, I THOUGHT IT WAS A, UH, A FAIR RACE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, UH, CONDUCTED THEMSELVES WITH DECORUM.

AND I, I APPRECIATED THAT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL NEIGHBORS STILL.

SO, AND WELL, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE NEW MEMBERS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, THANK YOU TO THE PUBLIC AND, AND ESPECIALLY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW WHAT JOE'S TALKING ABOUT.

I MEAN, IT WAS, IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE HOW MUCH WORK IT IS AND IN CAMPAIGNING, BUT, UH, I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE FOR THESE NEXT TWO YEARS AS MAYOR.

AND, UM, I'M EXCITED WITH THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE, AND, AND I'M EXCITED THAT, UH, MS. COCKERELS BACK NOT APPOINTED, BUT ELECTED.

THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO MENTION TOO, UM, COUNCILMAN LOYD AND MAKE FAT.

AND TWO IS ABOUT LIKE ASKING QUESTIONS BECAUSE, UM, I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN AT THIS A YEAR AS, AS, UM, MAYOR HOLLOWAY SAID, BUT, UM, AND I AM A QUESTION TO ASK HER, SO I'LL JUST PUT IT OUT THERE.