* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:05] GOOD AMY. AND I LIKE TO CALL THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, JANUARY THE 11TH OF 2021 SESSION. UM, [1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] PLEASE 20 SOME PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY COUNCILMAN MESA. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE. WITH LIBERTY [2. MOMENT OF SILENCE] MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE. [3. ROLL CALL] CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR HOLLOWAY HERE. COUNSELING COCKRELL HERE. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE, COUNCILMAN LLOYD, COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. COUNCILMAN MEZA HERE. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON HERE. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER [4. APPROVAL - Consent to Depart from the Regular Order of Business to allow for Recognition of Police Personnel and Report from the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission Executive Director to be Placed After Approval of the Minutes (requires 2/3 vote)] FOUR. UH, MS. PRESLEY, COULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY FOR ME PLEASE? THE MAYOR HAS REQUESTED THAT COUNSEL DEPART FROM THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR THE JANUARY 11TH REGULAR MEETING TO ALLOW THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO RECOGNIZE AND PRESENT AWARDS TO THE OFFICER OF THE YEAR AND THE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR. AND FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHERN SHANDA VALLEY, REGIONAL COMMISSION, BRANDON DAVIS, TO GIVE HIS REPORT, IT IS BEING REQUESTED TO PLACE THESE TWO ITEMS BEFORE THE RECEIPT OF PETITIONS AND OR CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PUBLIC. THE DEPARTURE REQUIRES A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF COUNCIL AS SPECIFIED IN TOWN CODE CHAPTER FOUR . IF COUNCIL DOES NOT APPROVE THIS ACTION, THE RECOGNITION AND REPORT WILL YOU WILL BE PLACED UNDER REPORTS. THANK YOU. HEAR A MOTION, MR. MAYOR. I MOVED THE COUNCIL DEPART FROM THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS TO ALLOW FOR THE RECOGNITION OF POLICE PERSONNEL AND REPORT FROM THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO BE PLACED BEFORE THE RECEIPT OF PETITIONS AND OR CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PUBLIC. SECOND, THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILMAN COCKRELL. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LLOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN MEZA. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON MOTION PASSES [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] ITEM FIVE APPROVAL OF MINUTES. DID WE HEAR A MOTION, MR. MAYOR? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE WORK SESSION MINUTES OF NOVEMBER THE 16TH, 2020, DECEMBER THE SEVENTH, 2020 AND JANUARY 4TH, 2021. AND THE REGULAR COUNSELOR MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER THE 14TH, 2020 AS PRESENTED. SECOND, SECOND. OH, A DISCUSSION. UM, UH, I GUESS MR. MAYOR, I CAN PUT IN MY VOTE ON SOME OF THESE, BUT NOT ALL OF THESE. UH, SO I'M JUST GOING TO ABSTAIN. LET COUNCIL CARRY THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILMAN COCKRELL. YES. GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. COUNCIL MEZA ABSTAIN. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. ALL RIGHT. I'M SIX [6. RECOGNITIONS: Police Department's Officer of the Year & Civilian Employee of the Year.] RECOGNITIONS, CHIEF MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME A FEW MOMENTS THIS EVENING. UM, EVERY YEAR WE AWARD, UH, ONE OF OUR OFFICERS OFFICER OF THE YEAR, UH, WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ONE OF OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, THE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, TYPICALLY THESE AWARDS ARE GIVING, UH, GIVEN THAT OUR, UH, ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY. AND COVID PUT A BIT OF A DAMPER ON THAT THIS YEAR. SO WE WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT, AND I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO PASS OFF A PLAQUE IN THE HALLWAY. SO I FIGURED, UH, THIS WOULD BE, UH, UH, A SUITABLE PLACE TO, UH, TO MAKE THIS EXCHANGE. SO I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS. UM, THIS YEAR, OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR IS, UH, MS. HILLARY WOLF. SHE IS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT [00:05:01] TO OUR COMMAND STAFF. SHE, UH, CAME TO US LAST YEAR, UH, PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR DSS WITH, WITH WARREN COUNTY AND SHE DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB. SHE KEEPS, UH, ALL OF US COMMAND STAFF STRAIGHT. UH, SHE WORKS ON PAYROLL, WORKS ON OUR BUDGET, UM, HELPS MANAGE ALL THE TIME CARDS AND AS WELL AS HELPING US KEEP OUR POLICY UP TO DATE AND, UH, PUTTING OUT OUR ANNUAL REPORTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND JUST DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB. AND WE CAN'T THANK HER ENOUGH. SO I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT HER WITH THIS PLAQUE IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TONIGHT AS OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE YEAR , I'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE FOR SERGEANT BRIAN WIDEN. UH, SERGEANT WHITE HAS BEEN A POLICE OFFICER WITH THE FRONT OF POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR YEARS ACTUALLY BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH THE TOWN, UH, WORKING IN PUBLIC WORKS AND BECAME A POLICE OFFICER. UM, GOSH, I THINK IT WAS 2004, 2005. HE WAS PROMOTED TO SERGEANT LAST YEAR, UM, AND HAS JUST DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB THUS FAR IN HIS NEW ROLE. AND, UH, RIGHT NOW HE'S OUT WORKING THE STREETS DAILY. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, BUT WE HAD A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC ACCIDENT THIS AFTERNOON. UM, AND HE'S, HE'S STILL OUT ON THE SCENE. SO, UM, JUST AGAIN, SERGEANT BROWN WYDEN HAS BEEN NOMINATED AS AN OFFICER OF THE YEAR. I DON'T THINK HE'S BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT IN, BUT, UH, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PASS THAT PLAQUE ALONG TO HIM AND I WILL, UH, CERTAINLY PASS ALONG YOUR, UH, GOOD TAGS TO HIM AS WELL. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE TIME. APPRECIATE CHIEF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHIEF. [7. REPORT: Brandon Davis of Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission] ALL RIGHT. BRANDON DAVIS WITH THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY, REGIONAL COMMISSION AREAS. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING. I SEE A LOT OF NEW FACES AND SOME FAMILIAR ONES AS WELL. UH, WELCOME TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE COME FROM OTHER PLACES AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE EITHER ONE ELECTION OR BEEN APPOINTED TO SERVE. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. UM, I PRESENT TO YOU ALL ABOUT QUARTERLY. IT CHANGES EVERY NOW AND THEN, BUT NORMALLY WHAT I DO IS I COME BEFORE YOU NOT CHOOSE A SPECIFIC TOPIC AREA TO DIVE INTO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER, TO GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR OPERATIONS, BECAUSE I CAN'T HIT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN A SUITABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR YOU ALL TO CARRY ON WITH YOUR BUSINESS. UH, BUT TONIGHT I'M GOING TO DEPART FROM THAT A LITTLE BIT AND TRY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS, JUST AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL INADEQUATELY, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I'LL BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME AND THEN I'LL MOVE FORWARD. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY NEW FACES, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY, REGIONAL COMMISSION. UM, EVERYBODY IN VIRGINIA, EVERY COUNTY, EVERY TOWN AS PART OF A REGIONAL COMMISSION, WE SERVE THE COUNTIES OF CLARK SHANANDOAH, WARREN, PAIGE, AND THE CITY OF WINCHESTER AND THE TOWNS LOCATED THERE IN, UM, OUR NUMBER ONE ROLE IN MY OPINION, IS TO BE A CONVENER TO BRING THOSE LOCALITIES TOGETHER. WHEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO WORK TOGETHER, WE HANDLE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT LOCALITIES WOULD HAVE TO DO INDIVIDUALLY, BUT IT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE TO DO COLLECTIVELY OR IT'S MORE EFFICIENT TO DO COLLECTIVELY, SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, PLANNING OR WATER, SUPPLY PLANNING, NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNING, THINGS THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES. SO WE'VE DIVIDED OUR WORK INTO FOUR FUNCTIONAL AREAS FOR THE MOST PART COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UM, THE TOP TWO THINGS I CAN THINK OF THAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AREA RIGHT NOW ARE OPERATING THE REGIONAL HOME PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND OTHER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORIENTED PROJECTS THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACCESS IF WE DIDN'T WORK TOGETHER, AS WELL AS MANAGING CDB CDBG PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITIES SPECIFICALLY THE SMALLER ONES WHO ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THESE GRANTS, BUT DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ADMINISTRATIVELY FUNCTION, CARRY OUT THE DUTIES THAT EVEN A LARGE ORGANIZATION WOULD HAVE TO DO. THE RULES ARE THE SAME, WHETHER YOU'RE THE TOWN OF TOM'S BROOKER, WHERE WHETHER YOU'RE A FAIRFAX COUNTY. SO WE TRY TO HELP THEM, UH, IN CASES LIKE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A NEW AREA WHERE WE'VE SERVED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND WE ARE THE FISCAL AGENT AND THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR A PROGRAM CALLED GO VIRGINIA, WHICH HAS BEEN SET UP OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND HAS RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN STATE FUNDING. UH, IT IS A, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT IS FOCUSED ON JOB CREATION FOR, UH, HIGHER WAGE POSITIONS AND OUT-OF-STATE REVENUE. AND THE TICKET TO GET ENGAGED IN THAT IS REGIONAL COLLABORATION IN ORDER FOR A LOCALITY TO BE A RECIPIENT OR FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO BE A RECIPIENT OF A GRANT, THEY HAVE TO HAVE MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WORKING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THAT. SO WE'RE A NATURAL FIT FOR THAT PROGRAM AS WELL. ALSO, WE'VE TRIED TO CHECK SOME BOXES FOR REGIONAL PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL PUT OUR LOCALITIES IN A MORE COMPETITIVE POSITION FOR GRANT FUNDING. MOST RECENTLY, WE HAVE, UH, CREATED THE FIRST, THE REGION'S FIRST CEDS, WHICH IS A COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY RECOGNIZED [00:10:01] BY THE FEDERAL EDA. THIS PUTS YOU IN A BETTER POSITION WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EDA LOANS AND GRANTS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA. TRANSPORTATION IS ANOTHER FUNCTIONAL AREA THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN LARGE FOR US AND CONTINUES TO BE. WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE IN SMART SCALE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT AND HAVE SUPPORTED FRONT ROYAL IN THE PAST WITH SMART SCALE DEVELOPMENT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO. MOVING FORWARD, WE HOST RURAL PLANNING FOR THE REGION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND MEET ALL THE NEEDS OF AS REQUIRED UNDER THAT GRANT OPPORTUNITY. AND WE ARE THE FISCAL AGENT AND THE EDMUND STAFF FOR THE, WHEN FRED MPO ALSO, YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN RIDE SMART ON SOME SIGNS AND YOU'VE SEEN THE COMMERCIALS THAT'S US. WE LOVED THAT THAT'S BRANDED SEPARATELY FROM OUR ORGANIZATION BECAUSE IN SVRC IT HAS A BRANDING PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT IS. UH, THE, OUR JURISDICTIONS WHO WE SERVE KNOW US VERY WELL, AND I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH THAT. THE OTHER AREA IS NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNING, WHERE WE'VE HISTORICALLY SERVED WATER SUPPLY PLANNING, AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATER IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW. OTHERWISE LOCALITIES WOULD HAVE TO DO THIS INDIVIDUALLY WOULD MAKE SENSE WATER DOESN'T CARE ABOUT JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES. AS LONG AS WE PLAN FOR OUR WATER AND OUR WATER SUPPLY AND A WATER RUNOFF TOGETHER, WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES THAT WILL IMPROVE THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND KEEP OUR WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. WE ALSO DO THE SAME FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNING, AND RECYCLING HAS BEEN A PART OF THAT WHERE WE'VE REALLY LOOKED TO, TO TRY TO PROVIDE SOME LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT. AND THE FINAL AREA THAT I'LL HIT WILL BE HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING. WE ARE THE REGIONAL BODY THAT CREATES AND MAINTAINS OUR REGIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, WHICH MAKES YOU ELIGIBLE FOR CERTAIN GRANTS AS WELL. WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO LOOK AT EXPANDING THAT PLAN TO LOOK AT PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES AS WELL. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S REQUIRED, BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ADD THAT MOVING FORWARD, SINCE COVID HAS COME ABOUT, WE HAVE ALTERED OUR, OUR PLANS. AS MANY FOLKS HAVE TO IMPLEMENT OUR SERVICES A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. WE'RE BEEN WORKING REMOTELY FOR THE LARGE PART, EXCEPT FOR THE STAFF THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE IN THE OFFICE. AND WE HAVE CONTINUED TO SERVE AND MEET THE NEEDS AS REQUIRED FOR THE REGION, WHICH I'M PRETTY PROUD OF. AND WE KIND OF LED THE WAY AT THE BEGINNING ON ENCOURAGING COMMUNICATION AMONG THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BY PULLING OUR MANAGE, UH, THE, THE TOWN MANAGERS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS TOGETHER ON WEEKLY OR MONTHLY CALLS, DEPENDING ON WHICH PORTION OF THE, UH, EMERGENCY WE'VE BEEN IN AND ENCOURAGING COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE HELPED COORDINATE BETWEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE LORD FAIRFAX HEALTH DISTRICT AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, WHICH THEN MOVED INTO VALLEY HILLS WEEKLY BRIEFING FOR LEADERSHIP COMMUNITIES. SO I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE THERE AND KIND OF BE THAT CONVENER AND BE THE ONE TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING. SO WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF THAT. MOST RECENTLY, WE'VE DEVELOPED A COVID DASHBOARD. THAT'S JUST WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, THE EASIEST WAY TO ACCESS IT IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND SB REGION.ORG. AND IT JUST SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THERE'S A, A WEB APP FOR THROUGH ARC GIS PLATFORM. AND SO WE'VE TAKEN A FEW OF THE TOP STATISTICS THAT WOULD BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND VALUABLE TO DECISION MAKERS IN THE REGION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND PUT IT IN A PLATFORM THAT ALLOW YOU TO SEE IT PRETTY EASILY. AND IT'S MOSTLY AUTO-POPULATING DATA THAT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS LARGE BURDEN OF STAFF TIME TRYING TO UPDATE DATA, AND IT BECOMES INADEQUATE AND, AND NOT USEFUL. SO IT'S THINGS LIKE, UM, THE CASE DATA BY LOCALITY, HOSPITAL, BED CAPACITY, UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS, AND THE LAGGING INDICATOR OF SALES TAX REVENUE, AS WELL AS THINGS LIKE COVID, COVID VULNERABLE BUSINESS SECTORS AND JOBS AND POPULATIONS. SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THERE. I COULD GO ALL DAY. I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT ME TO DO THAT. I'VE GONE LONGER THAN NORMAL, AND I WON'T DO IT NEXT TIME. SO I'LL BE GLAD TO FIELD QUESTIONS OR FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AS YOU SEE FIT ANYBODY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE GRACE. THANK YOU. NEXT [8. RECEIPT OF PETITIONS and/or CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PUBLIC] RECEIPT AND PETITIONS OF CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PUBLIC MS. PRESLEY. HOW MANY DID WE HAVE TO SPEAK TONIGHT? WE HAVE 11 SIGNED UP. OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE, UH, THREE MINUTES AND I ASKED WHEN YOU COME TO, UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND CAN THEY HEAR ME OUT THERE OR DO YOU ALL, NO. OKAY. YEAH. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY COULD HEAR YOU OUT HERE, SAT IN THE HALLWAY OR NOT. ALRIGHTY. YEAH, IT'S ON. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WHO DO WE HAVE? GARY CUSHNER? [00:15:10] I'M GARY CUSHNER FETCHIT ROAD. I'M NOT A TOWN RESIDENT, BUT HAVING SYMPATHY FOR ITS RESIDENTS IS WHY I'M ADDRESSING YOU. THERE WAS MUCH CITIZEN CONCERN ABOUT THE CHAOS AND DIVISIVENESS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAST COUNCIL. AND THERE WAS HOPE THERE'D BE RELIEF WITH A NEW MAJORITY, BUT ALAS, THE NEW YEAR JUST SEEMS TO BE A CONTINUATION OF CONTROVERSIES. THE FACT THAT A PRIOR COUNCILMAN HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO THE VACANCY TO THE MAYOR IS VERY TROUBLING THAT COUNCILMAN COULD HAVE FILED AN APPLICATION AND RUN A CAMPAIGN AND BEEN SUBJECTED TO THE SAME SCRUTINY AS OTHER LEGITIMATE CANDIDATES, BUT THAT DIDN'T OCCUR. INSTEAD. THE PRIOR COUNSELING IS AGAIN ON THE COUNCIL, THE SLIMY BACK DOOR. I WONDER HOW LONG AGO THAT PLAN WAS HATCHED. AND TO WHAT DEGREE THE INFAMOUS PAST INTERIM TOWN MANAGER WAS INVOLVED. I WONDER HOW MANY CITIZENS KNOW THAT THE PAST INTERIM MANAGER STILL HAS HIS TENTACLES IN TOWN GOVERNMENT VIA CONSULTING CONTRACT PAYING OVER $50 AN HOUR. THE TOWN ATTORNEY HAS OFFERED A LEGAL OPINION, ARGUING THE LEGALITY OF THAT COUNCIL SEAT APPOINTMENT. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE A SUPERIOR OPINION HAS BEEN PRESENTED THAT PROVES THE APPOINTMENT WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE TOWN CHARTER. AND I HAVE A CRISP BENJAMIN HERE THAT I'D BET THE TOWN ATTORNEY, IF HE HAS ANY CONFIDENCE IN HIS LEGAL SKILLS, THAT IF A COURT CHALLENGE IS FILED, HIS ARGUMENT WILL LOSE. AND THAT THE COUNCILMAN WILL BE UNSEATED. WE COULD EVEN HAVE THE POLICE CHIEF OR MAYBE THE PAST MAYOR HOLD THE BET UNTIL THINGS PLAY OUT. WE HAVE SEEN PREVIOUS OCCASIONS WHEN THE TOWN'S LEGAL REPRESENTATION WAS SUSPECT. SO MAYBE IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER OBTAINING NEW AND BETTER LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE TOWN. THE COUNCILMAN AND ISSUE COULD SHOW US SINCERE CONCERN FOR THE TOWN BY DEMONSTRATING GOOD JUDGMENT AND SOME PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND SIMPLY RESIGN. BUT I WON'T RECOMMEND ANYBODY HOLD THEIR BREATH. IN CONCLUSION, I SUSPECT PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHETHER THIS CHAOS IS INDICATIVE OF JUST SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS INCOMPETENCE OR CORRUPTION. IF THIS COUNCIL HAD ANY INTEGRITY, IT WOULD SEEK TO UNDO ITS APPOINTMENT AND APOLOGIZE TO ITS CONSTITUENTS. I UNDERSTAND THE PAST NICKNAME OR FRONT ROYAL WAS HELD DOWN, BUT WITH THE CONTINUED COUNCIL CONTROVERSIES, MAYBE A BETTER MONIKER WOULD BE CLOWN TOWN. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. WHO'S UP NEXT? TINA PAUL ALDRIDGE, PAUL ALDRICH, ORCHARD STREET, FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA. MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCIL. I THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE HERE TO RECOGNIZE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO WORK DILIGENTLY TO KEEP US SAFE. WOULD YOU PLEASE? IT'S A NEW YEAR. ALL OF YOU ARE NEW. FEW OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, BUT IT'S A NEW YEAR. YOU'VE SEEN ME COME BEFORE YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECOND AMENDMENT PURSUITS. BUT AS A CITIZEN OF THIS TOWN, IT IS MY GOAL TO HELP THIS TOWN. I LIVE HERE. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 10 YEARS AND I LOVE THIS PLACE. I AM NOT GOING TO COME BEFORE YOU AND COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I AM NOT GOING TO COME BEFORE YOU AND SAY, YOU SHOULD DO THIS, OR YOU SHOULD DO THAT. WHAT I WILL DO IS PUT TOGETHER A PLAN. I WILL BRING THAT PLAN BEFORE YOU, I WILL DISCUSS IT WITH YOU AND WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEW SOLUTIONS FOR THIS TOWN. I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE. I THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THIS TOWN. AND I WILL CONTINUE WORKING FOR THIS TOWN. [00:20:01] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, PAUL. WHO'S THE NEXT TINA PAUL GABBERT, PAUL GOBRECK WANTS YOU TO ONE VALUE THAT YOU DRIVE. GOOD EVENING. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS PREBUILT PREVIOUSLY SAID, THE ACTION OF THE NOM OF PUTTING MR. MEZA BACK ON WAS CHEAP. IT WAS UGLY AND IT WAS PLANNED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. AND EVERYBODY CAN SEE THAT AS PLAIN AS DAY. IF WE HAVE A TOWN ATTORNEY WHO WAS IN QUESTION OF MISINTERPRETING THE TOWN CHARTER, MAYBE IT IS TIME FOR A NEW TOWN ATTORNEY. IF WE HAVE A TOWN COUNCIL THAT CANNOT INTERPRET THE TOWN CHARTER THROUGH COMMON SENSE INTERPRETATION ON THEIR OWN, MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR ALL OF YOU TO STEP DOWN, INCLUDING THE MAYOR. THIS WAS JUST AN UGLY, UGLY THING DONE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY. IT WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE. NOT ONLY HAS THE CHARTER BEEN BROKEN IN THAT WAY, IT'S ALL ALSO BEEN BROKEN THROUGH THE VOTING PROCESS OF NOVEMBER. THE CHARTER READS CANDIDATES FOR TOWN COUNCIL AND MAYOR SHALL NOT BE NOMINATED OR IDENTIFIED OR PARTY AFFILIATION THAT WOULD QUALIFY THEM FOR CANDIDACY CANDIDACY UNDER LAW, THE UNITED STATES OR THE COMMONWEALTH. AND THESE ARE THE LAWS, THE RULES FOR TOWN COUNCILS THROUGH THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. SO WHAT DID I SEE WHEN I WENT TO VOTE AT THE SOUTH STREET, THE OLD SOUTH STREET SCHOOL, I SAW A TOWN COUNCILMAN SITTING IN FRONT OF A BILLBOARD THAT SAID VOTE REPUBLICAN AND HAD EVERY, EVERY REPUBLICANS NAME ON IT THAT WAS RUNNING FOR TOWN COUNCIL. THAT'S A TOTAL VIOLATION. AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT. AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS IN THIS TOWN. IT'S RIDICULOUS. AND THAT IS THE REPUBLIC TO COMMITTEE WE HAVE IN THIS TOWN. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION THAT, UH, IN THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT THE TOWN MANAGER AND THE MAYOR WAS ASKED ABOUT THE CREEK HAPPY CREEK PROJECT. THE QUESTION WAS, IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN ANYMORE? ON THE CREEK? THE TOWN MANAGER SAID, NO, YES. THE TOWN MANAGER SAID, YES, IT WILL. AS WE SEE FIT, WE'LL BRING IN ROCK. WE'LL DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO. YES, WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT FOR THE FUTURE. THE MAYOR, HE SAID, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO DO THIS AGAIN. $50,000 OF THE PEOPLE'S MONEY OF THE COVID RELIEF FUND HAS BEEN TAKEN AND SENT TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO PAY BILLS WITH, AND TO HIRE AN, UH, AN, UH, A COMPANY TO HELP WITH SMALL BUSINESSES. WHY ARE PEOPLE THAT NEED THIS MONEY? $50,000? WHY IS IT GOING TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO PAY BILLS WITH THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. THERE IS PEOPLE SUFFERING IN THIS TOWN AND YOU'RE GOING TO LET THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PAY BILLS, PLUS HIRE A COMPANY TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES. WHEN THOSE, THERE IS ALREADY COMPANIES FREE TO SMALL BUSINESSES IN THIS TOWN, $50,000. I HAVE MORE, BUT I SEE MY TIME IS OUT. THANK YOU. NEXT MELANIE SALIENCE. I'M SORRY IF I PRONOUNCE IT. HI MELANIE. SALEM'S 95. MAURICE DRIVE BEING RAISED CATHOLIC. I WAS TAUGHT THAT OFTENTIMES WHAT MAY BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL IS NOT THE SAME THING AS WHAT IS RIGHT, OR WHAT IS MORAL. WE ARE WATCHING OUR, OUR COUNTRY CRUMBLING AROUND US AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE NO ONE CAN TRUST THEIR GOVERNMENT ANYMORE. I'VE BEEN STANDING UP HERE FOR THREE YEARS NOW, SIMPLY ASKING FOR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. AND I'M SO SAD TO SEE THE SAME TRICKS BEING PLAYED. I FOUND OUT IT WAS DECEMBER 2ND THAT MR. TODRICK ASKED MR. NAPIER TO WRITE A LEGAL OPINION ABOUT THE TOWN CHARTER YET NOT A SINGLE PERSON'S ABOUT TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT WAS MADE. I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I'M SEEING A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR IN THE PAST, MR. MAZZA AND MR. NAPIER AND HIS LEGAL OPINION TO REVERSE HIS DECISION TO RECUSE HIMSELF FROM A VOTE I'M REFERRING TO THE [00:25:01] VALLEY HEALTH SITUATION WHERE MR. MEZA USED THE SAME TACTIC TO SAVE HIS EMPLOYER, $75,000 A YEAR IN BOND FEES. SO YOU CAN HOPEFULLY UNDERSTAND MY SUSPICION. NOW SEEING IS HOW MR. MEZA CHOSE NOT TO ACTUALLY RUN FOR REELECTION, BUT CONVENIENTLY NOW AS HIS EMPLOYER IS FACING A POSSIBLE PILOT FOR UP FOR A VOTE, HE SUDDENLY WANTS BACK ON COUNCIL. WE WERE TOLD THAT MR. HIS RESUME WAS WHAT GOT HIM THIS POSITION, BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AT HIS TRACK RECORD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE TO THIS COMMUNITY. MR. MEZA SAT ON THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE SINCE 2017, HE WAS THE ONE CONSTANT COUNCILMEN ON THAT COMMITTEE WHO WAS THERE FROM START TO FINISH OF THE POLICE STATION, FUNDING DEBACLE, NOT ONCE DID HE ASK WHERE'S THE LOAN COMMITMENT AND TERM SHEET THAT IS A MAJOR OVERSIGHT. THE TWO BIGGEST SCANDALS THIS TOWN FACED HAVE INCLUDED MR. MEZA AS A KEY PLAYER. NOW WE ARE FACING A THIRD SCANDAL. JUST THINK OF ALL THE POTENTIAL LAWSUITS THAT COULD COME AS A RESULT OF FUTURE VOTES INVOLVING AN ILLEGALLY APPOINTED COUNCILMAN. I WOULD ASK MR. MEZA DO THE HONORABLE THING AND RESIGN SHOW US THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF PLACING THE TOWN'S NEEDS AHEAD OF YOUR OWN NEEDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT MIKE SILENCE. HELLO MIKE SALANS 95 BIRDIES DRIVE. UM, WE AS CITIZENS ELECT INDIVIDUALS WHO WE FEEL REPRESENT OUR NEEDS AND WANTS IN A COMMUNITY. WE PUT ALL OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF US NEED TO GO TO WORK AND DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO PAY ATTENTION TO ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF GOVERNMENT 2020 THREW A WRENCH IN THIS FAITH IN TRUST WE WATCH AS A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS MANIPULATED RIGHT BEFORE EYES, WHETHER YOU LIKE TRUMP OR NOT, YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THE ELECTION PROCESS WAS DEEPLY FLAWED. WHILE MANY OF US IN THE COUNTRY AND COUNTY AND TOWN ARE STILL UPSET ABOUT HOW OUR GOVERNMENT COULD DO US WRONG. WE FIND OUT OUR TOWN WANTS TO DO THIS WRONG TOO. WE FOUND OUT A COUNCILMAN WHO DECIDED NOT TO RUN AGAIN, GOT SHOEHORNED IN WITHOUT HAVING TO RUN A CAMPAIGN OR EVEN SEEING IF THE COMMUNITY FEELS HE REPRESENTS THEM ANYMORE. AND WE FIND OUT THAT THE NEW COUNCIL WAS LED TO BELIEVE THIS WAS A ILLEGAL MOVE. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS AN OVERSIGHT AND THAT NO ONE KNEW IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW. SOMEHOW THE GEORGE SOROS, THE FRONT ROYAL STILL MANAGES TO GET HIS COUNCIL TO DO WHATEVER HE WANTS. I THINK THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND REMOVE MEZA IMMEDIATELY AND FIND ANOTHER PERSON TO FILL THE SPOT. FOR ME, IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL AGAINST THEM AS IT'S. IT'S JUST THAT, UH, IT'S JUST THAT THE TOWN HAS A MASSIVE TRUST ISSUE FROM INSTANCES OF THE PAST. AND YOU ALL INSIST ON RUNNING WILD AND DOING WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH NO REGARD FOR THE CITIZENS AND THEIR WANTS OR NEEDS YOU WORK FOR THE PEOPLE. AND THE PEOPLE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING THEIR VOICE TAKEN AWAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ASHLEY HARRIS. HELLO. I'M ASHLEY HARRIS, UH, GARDE HILL ROAD. UM, OUR COMMUNITY HAS GONE THROUGH ITS FAIR SHARE OF ISSUES ALREADY NATIONALLY EXPERIENCING ELECTION FRAUD. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ENDURE LOCALLY IT'S TIME FOR OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER. THANK YOU. NEXT DAVID DOWNS, DAVID DOWNS, 14 CHESTER STREET, FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA. I WANT TO START ON A POSITIVE NOTE. GRADUATIONS ARE OWED TO THE FOUR NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS. 2020 WAS AN INCREDIBLY HARD YEAR TO RUN A CAMPAIGN, PROBABLY THE WORST THAT I COULD EVER IMAGINE. COVID ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO ENDURE TO GET ELECTED. YOU WANT A FAIR CAMPAIGN? I DON'T QUESTION FOR A SECOND. THE INTEGRITY OF THAT VOTE AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT WERE ELECTED DESERVE TO BE CONGRATULATED. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WERE FIVE OTHER INDIVIDUALS RUNNING FOR THE POSITION, THE OFFICE OF COUNCILMAN THAT ALSO SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED BECAUSE THEY TO PUT OUT YARD SIGNS, COLLECTED SIGNATURES SHOWED UP FOR FORUMS, WERE CRITICIZED [00:30:01] IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE GOSSIP CIRCLES AT THE WATER FOUNTAINS. AND THEY SUBJECTED THEMSELVES TO THAT PUBLIC SCRUTINY, WHICH WE ALL SEEM TO GO THROUGH TO BECOME ELECTED AS POLITICAL OFFICIALS TO, TO, TO BEAR THAT BANNER AND TO BE SO HONORED. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE EUGENE T WALT, OUR FORMER MAYOR WITH PROBABLY MORE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAN COLLECTIVELY. ALL OF THE PEOPLE AT THE DAY IS HE RECEIVED 1,796 VOTES MORE THAN THE COUNCILMAN THAT GOT APPOINTED ON JANUARY THE FOURTH, DARRELL MERCHANT, VERY BRIGHT MAN, LOTS OF EXPERIENCE WITH PLANNING AND ZONING RECEIVED 1,303 MORE VOTES THAN THE CANDIDATE THAT GOT APPOINTED THAT DID NOT RUN FOR THE ELECTION ON JANUARY THE FOURTH, BRUCE RAP APART. VERY SMART MAN SPOKEN BEFORE THIS FORUM, MANY TIMES, 1025, MORE VOTES THAN THE FOUR VOTES RECEIVED ON JANUARY THE FOURTH TO REPLACE HIM AT, TO PUT HIM ON THE COUNCIL, BETTY SHOWERS, I'VE KNOWN FOR 30 YEARS. ONE OF THE MOST GENUINE, SINCERE, HONEST PEOPLE THAT WENT OUT. AND, AND, AND I KNOW I WORKED WITH THEIR CAMPAIGN, HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL HARD AND SPOKE WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY RECEIVED 1,702 VOTES MORE THAN THE FOUR VOTES THAT GOT YOUR COUNCILMAN NEWLY APPOINTED. AND THEN FINALLY, MY VERY DEAR FRIEND, JOSH INGRAM, I THINK A MAN WITH SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I CARE SO MUCH FOR JOSH, 1062 MORE VOTES THAN IT TOOK TO PUT ON THE NEW COUNCILMAN. YOU APPOINTED, PLEASE THINK ABOUT THAT. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS COUNCIL. I WOULD BE ASHAMED IF MY 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER SAW WHAT TOOK PLACE BEFORE THIS COUNCIL ON JANUARY THE FOURTH. THANK YOU. NEXT JOSEPH GILLETTE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, JOSEPH GILLETTE CABIN LANE. UM, I'M NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I'M NOT A TROLL. UM, BUT I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE SIGN UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE. IT'S UM, THE WARREN COUNTY ORDINANCE FOR A POLITICAL SIGN, A TEMPORARY SIGN IS MAXIMUM FOUR SQUARE FEET, MAXIMUM HEIGHT, FOUR SQUARE FEET. I THINK ALSO THE TOWN HAS A ORDINANCE THAT THEY COME DOWN FIVE DAYS AFTER AN ELECTION. UM, THAT'S THE SIGN THAT'S DOWN. THERE IS 128 SQUARE FEET. I'M GUESSING, UM, EIGHT FEET BY 16 FEET. AND I'VE CONTACTED THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY. UH, I SPOKE WITH THE NEW TOWN MANAGER LAST WEEK. IT'S THE FIRST HE HAD HEARD OF IT. BUT, UM, MY FIRST RESPONSE IN NOVEMBER FROM CHRISTOPHER BROCK WAS, UH, YEAH, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO COME DOWN. HE GOT PUSHED BACK. THEY SHOULD BE DOWN BY THE END OF THANKSGIVING. UM, I HAD HEART SURGERY IN DECEMBER, SO I WASN'T AROUND, BUT HERE IT IS TWO MONTHS LATER. AND YOU KNOW, IF I PUT A BILLBOARD OVER HERE ON MAIN STREET ON THE BUILDING, I OWN, I KNOW THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION. YOU CAN'T EVEN GET A, YOU KNOW, RETAIL SIGN PUT OUT WITHOUT APPROVAL. SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU GUYS CAN DO ABOUT IT AND, UH, AND MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT. I'LL MAKE SURE WE LOOK INTO IT. OKAY. HERE I'LL RESPOND TO IT. IT'S DOWN. IT WAS TAKEN DOWN TODAY. OH, IT WAS. YES. WELL, THERE YOU GO. THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS. AND I'M SORRY, YOU GUYS HAVE TO TAKE SO MUCH HEAT THESE DAYS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KRISTA. AND A NICHE. I'M SORRY IF I SAID THAT WRONG CHRISTA MARIE AD NICHE 90 17, STONEWALL JACKSON HIGHWAY FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME TO SPEAK. MY ISSUE IS WITH MR. MEZA, UM, BEING ELECTED INTO, OR NOT ELECTED BEING PLACED INTO A POSITION ON TOWN COUNCIL, [00:35:01] WHICH IS UNETHICAL. AND IT'S A GREAT OVERSIGHT THAT HE WAS PLACED IN THIS POSITION, BEING THAT THE CHA THE TOWN CHARTER STATES, THAT IT IS NOT TO HAPPEN UNLESS A YEAR HAS PASSED BETWEEN, UM, HIS SEAT AND THE NEXT. UM, SO IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION AGAIN, WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING HERE. YOU GUYS ARE OUR ELECTED OFFICIAL OFFICIALS, AND WE'RE RELYING ON YOU, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES AND THE, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE HOLDING YOU ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO. UM, I NOTICED THAT YOU GOT A NICE BIG PROMOTION AFTER YOUR, UM, YOUR VOTE THAT YOU DID NOT RECUSE YOURSELF IN THE, UM, BIG VALLEY HEALTH VOTE. AND I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SHENANIGAN DEALS AGAIN, WHERE WE'RE COMING UP, I'M SORRY. MA'AM I'M SORRY, BUT NO PERSONAL ATTACKS. THAT'S THAT YOU'RE WALKING A THIN LINE. YOU'RE WALKING A THIN LINE. OKAY. I APOLOGIZE FOR WALKING A THIN LINE. LET ME TRY TO REPHRASE THAT. YOU DID NOT RECUSE YOURSELF IN THE DECIDING VOTE FOR THE VALLEY HEALTH DEAL, UM, WHEN YOU HAD RECUSED YOURSELF EVERY SINGLE OTHER TIME. OKAY. AND NOW WE'RE COMING UP ON, UH, ON THE ISSUE WITH THE PILOT FOR VALLEY HEALTH, AND YOU WERE PLACED IN THIS POSITION, WHICH WAS AN UNETHICAL PLACEMENT. SO I'M JUST WONDERING WITH YOUR TRACK RECORD FOR GUTTING THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THIS TOWN, WHAT YOU WERE, WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE DOING UP HERE UP HERE. I'M JUST REALLY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I COULD SAY SOME GREAT QUOTE ON, YOU KNOW, BY JOSE MARIA, ESCRIVA ABOUT, YOU KNOW, STAND UP AND BE A MAN, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD ADHERE TO IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THIS TOWN HAS BEEN GUTTED BY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE. AND MELANIE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, THE DEAL THAT WENT THROUGH WITH THE, UM, THE POLICE BUILDING AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THE HUGE OVERSIGHT WITH THAT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOSING MONEY ON THESE BIG DECISIONS. AND I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHOSE OVERSIGHT IT WAS THAT YOU WERE PLACED IN THIS POSITION. YOU GUYS ARE ALL BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND THE ORDINANCES. AND WE ARE CITIZENS IN THIS GREAT STATE AND IN THIS COUNTY AND YOU GUYS ARE NOT REPRESENTING WHAT WE FEEL, UM, NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND I REALLY NEED YOU GUYS TO BE ON BOARD WITH CITIZEN'S VOICES AND WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GUYS LISTEN TO US. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT OUR TOWN GUTTED. WE DON'T WANT OUR SERVICES TO GO AWAY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE WITH THE UPCOMING VOTE ON THE PILOT TO BE GETTING TAX DOLLARS FROM AN ENTITY THAT MAKES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, WINCHESTER GETS A HUGE AMOUNT FROM THE PILOT AND THAT'S ALL TAX MONEY THAT GOES BACK INTO THE TOWN OF WINCHESTER. WE'RE MISSING OUT ON THAT. AND, UM, I JUST KNOW THAT JAKE DOESN'T HAVE A GREAT TRACK RECORD FOR VOTING FOR THE TOWN INTERESTS AND HE VOTES FOR HIS, UM, EMPLOYER INTERESTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT EARNEST EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, I AM DRYNESS COMBI ONE 18 SOUTH ROAD AVENUE. UH, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP, UH, THE BUILDING I LIVE IN IT'S IT'S SHAMBLES AND THE GUY THAT HE DOESN'T WANT TO FIX ANYTHING, AND HE DOESN'T WANT ME TO DO IT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO CHARGE HIM DO IT. WHAT CAN I DO TO HAVE THIS GUY TO GET OFFERED BUTTON, DO THIS WORK. IT'S COSTING ME BETWEEN TWO 50, $300 A MONTH TO HEAT THIS IT RIGHT NOW. HAVE YOU CHECKED WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT? UH, WITH THE KELLY? I'VE GOT PAPERS. I FILLED THEM OUT AND HELD THEM BACK IN. NOTHING GETS DONE. WHAT IS IT AGAIN? I'M ABOUT READY TO JUST GRABBED THIS BY THE SHIRT. STOP CRAP OUT OF ME. YES, MA'AM OKAY. YES. FROM JACK EVANS. OH, I'VE BEEN THERE ALMOST TWO YEARS AND I CAN KEEP MY APARTMENT WARM. MA'AM DO YOU MIND [00:40:01] IF I GET BATHROOM FLOORS ABOUT READY TO FALL IN IT WITH BATHROOM FLOORS ABOUT READY TO FALL IN AND THEY FIXED IT FIVE TIMES NOW. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. IT'S JUST, ALL THOSE APARTMENTS IN THERE HAS GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, TO DO INTO THEM, AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING. RIGHT. I'VE TOLD HIM I'D DO SOME WORK FOR HIM, BUT I AIN'T GOING TO DO CARPENTRY WORK PLUMBING TO WORK OR ANYTHING. $5 AN HOUR. I'M CRAZY. NOT STUPID. NOW WHEN HE'S MAKING LIKE $10,000 A MONTH, I'LL BUILD IT. THAT'S I AGREE WITH YOU. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET SOMETHING TAKEN CARE OF, GET HOME OF MR. HICKSON. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING, PAT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANK YOU, WILLIAM HUCK, OUT IN THE HALLWAY. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. TONY, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I TOLD YOU IN JANUARY, I'D BE BACK IN JAIL. I TOLD YOU IN NOVEMBER, I'D BE BACK IN JANUARY. IT'S JANUARY I'M BACK. SO I'D LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS ON WHAT WE, WHAT WE CAN DO AND HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR CLOSURE OF MAIN STREET AND THE GAZEBO AREA OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER, WE HAD A HUGE SUCCESS WITH THE DECORATIONS THAT WERE PUT UP OUT THERE AND THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PICTURES AND SMILES AND HAPPINESS AND LOVE. THAT'S WHAT OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD REPRESENT IS THE HAPPINESS AND THE LOVE THAT COMES FROM WITHIN. SO I'M GOING TO BE THE ONE STANDING HERE TELLING YOU LET'S PUT THIS TOGETHER. LET'S MOVE FORWARD. I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU IN YOUR OFFICE. AS SOON AS THE OFFICE IS OPEN FOR US TO GO OVER A FEW DETAILS, WE DO HAVE VALENTINE'S DAY AND MARDI GRAS OVERLAPPING EACH OTHER THIS YEAR. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME STUFF OUT THERE BY THE FIRST WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY. SO YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND LET ME KNOW WHERE WE CAN MOVE FROM THERE, BUT LET'S, LET'S MOVE FORWARD FOR A PROSPER PROSPEROUS 2021, AND LET'S LEAVE 2020 BEHIND US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. THANKS JOHN MCGOVERN. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY NAME'S JOHN MCGOVERN, 18 EAST STONEWALL DRIVE FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA. I'M A TAX PAYING RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. UM, IN RECENT EVENTS, I'VE JUST BECOME VERY OPPOSED TO THE APPOINTMENT OF JAKE MEZA TO TOWN COUNCIL, AS IT IS IN VIOLATION OF THE CHARTER SECTION 47. UM, I ASKED YOU THE COUNCIL, YOU'RE THE MAYOR FOR A NEW DAY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. I THINK WE ALL HAD OUR FILL, UM, AND RECONSIDER THIS APPOINTMENT. I CAMPAIGNED AND VOTED FOR FOUR OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SITTING HERE BEFORE ME TODAY. PLEASE DON'T LET DOWN THE REST OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, HILLARY HORNER. HI, I'M HILLARY HORNER, SIX 10 RANDOLPH AVENUE. UM, I'M JUST VOICING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID. UM, MR. MEZA IS SITTING THERE. HE SHOULDN'T BE SITTING THERE. UM, I DON'T WANT TO DO A PERSONAL TECH. THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN, STAY HERE, BUT I HEAR THAT YOU WENT TO CHRISTIAN COLLEGE. I DID TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM DID, AND I THINK WE EXPECT A LITTLE MORE FROM SOMEBODY WHO WENT TO OUR ALMA MATER. YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN THAT SEAT. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW THAT, AND I LIKE FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ALLOWING SOMEBODY ELSE IN WHO ACTUALLY, AS THE MAN SAID BEFORE, WENT OUT AND GOT VOTES FOR THAT POSITION. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP. NO ONE ELSE. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK MR. MAYOR? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT FOR ME. UM, YOU CAN DO THAT. UM, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR TIME DO THAT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT IS THERE ANY OTHER CITIZENS OUT IN THE HALLWAY THAT LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY. ALRIGHTY. I'M SORRY. MR. MAYOR, WOULD IT BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO READ AN EMAIL THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY A CITIZEN WHO WOULD LIKE HER COMMENT RIGHT INTO THE RECORD? IT'S SHORT. IT'S NOT LONG. I THINK, CAUSE SHE SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR IT TO BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD. THAT'S WHY. YEAH. WE, IN 2010, I THINK WE STOPPED DOING THAT BECAUSE IT GOT TO THE POINT TO WHERE THEY WERE READING [00:45:01] SO MANY LETTERS AT EACH MEETING. NO PROBLEM. I'LL READ IT DURING MY COMMENT PERIOD THEN. SURE. NOPE. THAT'S OKAY. THANKS. UM, NUMBER [9A. Report of Special Committees or Town Officials and Town Manager] NINE, UH, REPORT SPECIAL COMMITTEES, TOWN OFFICIALS AND TOWN MANAGER. MR. HICKS. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITIZENS. UH, I LIKE TO BRING UP THE SPEED, UH, AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE INCREASE IN SOME OF THE, UH, VIRUSES THAT ARE GOING ON THE TOWN HALL. WE'LL S WE'LL BE CLOSED UNTIL FEBRUARY 1ST NOW. AND SO, UH, THAT'S ONE, ONE AREA THAT I WANT, UH, THE CITIZENS TO KNOW ALSO TO MAKE PAYMENTS. WE'RE GOING TO ADD ADDITIONAL DROPBOX. IT'S GOING TO BE IN FRONT OF TOWN HALL FOR THOSE WHO, WHO FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO MAKE ANY PAYMENTS THAT CAN DROP IT OFF. INSTEAD OF BEING IN LINE THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH ALSO, I WANT TO READ A QUICK LETTER THAT, UH, WE SENT A LETTER TO EMPLOYEES FOR THE DECEMBER 16TH SNOW EVENT. WHILE I REALIZE IT MAY BE A DELAY BECAUSE OF MEETINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL AND CITIZENS OF FRONT ROYAL. WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR FELLOW EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC WORKS FOR YOUR TIRE. TIRELESS, DEDICATION AND EFFORTS MADE DURING THE RECENT SNOW EVENT ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, WE RECEIVED POSITIVE COMMENTS REGARDING THE TOWN, SNOW REMOVAL EFFORTS. THOSE EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE ARE THE RESULT OF THE EFFORT MADE BY INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU, WHO WORK TO CLEAR OUR ROADS AND GET FRONT ROYAL, MOVE IT AGAIN, WHETHER IT WAS THE SNOW EVENT OF 2016 OR ANY INCLEMENT WEATHER OF THE PAST, YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM HAVE ALWAYS RESPONDED IN AN EXEMPLARY MANNER. YOUR SERVICE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE TO OTHERS WORKING UNDER EXTREMELY ADVERSE CONDITIONS TO KEEP THE TOWN WORKING LONG HOURS, TO SACRIFICE YOUR FREE TIME AND TO BE AWAY FROM YOUR LOVED ONES. IT IS EMPLOYEES LIKE YOU WHO ARE LOYAL AND TEAM SPIRIT THAT MAKES COUNCIL AND TOWN EMPLOYEES PROUD OF YOU AS WELL AS THE CITIZENS. I ALSO HOPE YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OUR CITIZENS APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS. YOUR WORK DOES NOT GO ON NOTICE. PLEASE ACCEPT OUR THANKS FOR A JOB. WELL DONE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. [9B. Requests and inquiries of Councilmembers.] REQUEST OR INQUIRIES FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. YEAH. SORRY. I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE EMAIL THAT, EXCUSE ME, THAT WAS RECEIVED. UM, IT'S FROM MICHELLE AND I WILL SAY THIS NAME WRONG. UM, SHOUT OUTS, SHOUT. SO I KNOW I'M WRITING AS A MEMBER OF THE FRONT RURAL COMMUNITY. WE HAVE FOUR KIDS FREQUENT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND PRIDE OURSELVES ON THIS SMALL TOWN. MY HUSBAND IS A FIRST RESPONDER WORKING AND WE HAVE A MEDICALLY FRAGILE CHILD. THEREFORE I AM UNABLE TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT TONIGHT. OUR COMMUNITY IS TRYING TO COME BACK AND BE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. AND FOR BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES TO FLOURISH, WE CANNOT DO THIS. IF OUR VERY LEADERS ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE LAWS, I AM IN COMPLETE OPPOSITION TO THE EAGLE EAGLE APPOINTMENT OF JAKE METHA. HE SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM COUNCIL. WE NEED TO BE UPSTANDING CITIZENS, AND WE CANNOT DO THIS. IF INTEGRAL PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY, SUCH AS OUR TOWN, TONSIL ARE ROOTED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. IT'S A SAD DAY TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY. I DEMAND IMMEDIATE CHANGE AFTER READING THIS AND UNDERSTANDING SOME MORE OF THE RULES SURROUNDING WHY WE DON'T READ EMAILS. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD RECONSIDER GIVEN COVID AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN ACTUALLY ATTEND. AND I THINK ALL THE EMAILS, IF PEOPLE WRITE AND RELATING TO THINGS ON THE AGENDA, UM, SHOULD BE READ. UM, I ALSO HAD A SMALL THING, UM, PERSONAL THING TO SAY, GIVE ME ONE MOMENT. I APOLOGIZE. UM, IN NOVEMBER 18, I WAS ELECTED TO MY CURRENT SEAT HERE ON TOWN COUNCIL. THE VOTE FOR ME WAS A CLEAR VOTE FOR A NEW FACE FOR CHANGE AND FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAD BEEN, I PLEDGED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUR COMMUNITY AND TO BE THEIR VOICE LAST WEEK, WHEN WE VOTED TO APPOINT THE VACANT SEAT LEFT BY MAYOR HOLLOWAY, I VOTED, NO, I VOTED NO BASED ON MY KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT OUR CITIZENS WANT. NEW FACES, DIFFERENT REPRESENTATION. I ALSO VOTED AGAINST IT AS IT LOOKS BAD, JUST SURFACE WISE, COUNCIL MEMBER, FETISHES TERM, REAPPLIES GET TO POINT IT. UM, LATER THAT NIGHT I WAS ALERTED TO A SECTION OR A TOWN CHARTER AND THAT IS ON ME. I DON'T BLAME THAT ON ANYBODY ELSE. I SHOULD HAVE ALSO READ THE CHARTER. UM, IT WOULDN'T HAVE CHANGED MY VOTE, OBVIOUSLY. UM, BUT YEAH, IN MY OPINION, AND COUNTLESS OTHERS, INCLUDING OTHER ATTORNEYS THAT THE APPOINTMENT WAS VOID, IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING THAT MOST OF US SAY FOR A FEW PEOPLE WERE AWARE THAT THE ISSUE HAD BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE DOUG, WHO WAS THEN QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS ORIGINAL OPINION AND CAME TO A SECOND ONE THAT STATED IT WAS ON THE UP AND UP. THE INFORMATION WAS NEVER PRESENTED OR PROVIDED TO COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, WHILE IT HAS BEEN BRUSHED OFF AS AN ACCIDENTAL OVERSIGHT. IT STILL LEAVES US ALL UNDER A CLOUD OF SUSPICION. I'M SAD. UM, FOR MANY REASONS, ONE OF THEM BEING OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TIME TO HEAL FROM THE SCANDALS THAT HAS ROCKED US FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, I WAS HOPING THIS YEAR WOULD BE THE FIRST IN THE BOOK PROCESS, BUT [00:50:01] WE ARE STARTING OUT THIS WAY IN LIGHT OF THE EVENTS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PROPOSE A CHANGE TO OUR CHARTER THAT WOULD CHANGE THE WAY APPOINTMENTS ARE HANDLED, THE MTC. IT SHOULD BE OFFERED TO THE FIRST RUNNER UP IN THE ELECTION. IF HE NO LONGER WISHES, IT GOES DOWN THE LIST. AND ONLY IF NONE OF THOSE IN THE PRIOR ELECTION STILL WANT THE SEAT, WOULD THERE BE AN EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW PROCESS AS WE DO NOW? IT IS ALSO MY SINCERE HOPE THAT MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS REALLY HERE WITH THE COMMUNITY SAYS, AND THEN I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND I, WASN'T GOING TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT'S FAIR TO ASK A QUESTION. UM, AND I HOPE I'M IN LINE WITH ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER TO ASK JAKE IF HE, EVERYBODY SEEMS TO ASK THIS QUESTION AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE ANSWERED. UM, I JUST WANT TO ASK, ARE YOU, ARE YOU SAYING, IS THAT APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO ASK HIM IF HE'S STAYING, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S ASKING THAT I, IT WASN'T EVEN IN MY NOTES OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY TONIGHT, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE THE OVERARCHING QUESTION. THE, THE COUNCIL, UM, HAS VOTED TO APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL AND ARE FULFILLING THE APPOINTMENT AS THEY HAVE VOTED. UM, IF COUNCIL CHOSE TO CHANGE THAT SOMEHOW SOME WAY, THEN, THEN I WOULD RESPECT COUNSEL'S OPINION ON THAT. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO ASK. AND I THINK THAT CONCLUDES EVERYTHING THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YES, I WANTED TO, UM, THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO MENTION WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN THOMPSON AND I, AND, UM, MR. HICKS AND OTHER, UM, SOME OTHER PEOPLE ENJOYED, UM, THE, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE WEDNESDAY AFTER THIS SNOW DAY, CORRECT. WAS IT THE WEDNESDAY? UM, THERE WAS, UH, A BREAKFAST THAT WAS HOSTED, UM, SPONSORED BY A CITIZEN WHO WISHED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS FOR THE PLOW DRIVERS FROM THE SNOW EVENT FROM THE WEEK BEFORE. UM, I WAS HELD AT SOUL MOUNTAIN GREAT FOOD. UM, IT WAS A, IT WAS A GREAT TIME AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO WALK AROUND AND, AND MEET AND TALK WITH THESE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN. UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, MR. HICKS READ ABOUT OUR, OUR THANKFULNESS FOR, UM, THEIR EFFORTS THAT DAY, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE THEM SOME EXTRA PRAISE. UM, AND THE FACT THAT A CITIZEN WANTED TO DO THAT. UM, I HAVE ANOTHER THING THAT, UM, I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THIS IS FOR STAFF. UM, I'VE HAD MANY CITIZENS ASKED ME ABOUT THEIR ELECTRIC BILL THIS MONTH, UM, AND WITH, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF QUESTIONS, THEIR ELECTRIC BILL WAS HIGHER THAN WHAT MAYBE THEY WERE ANTICIPATING. AND SO I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, NOT OBVIOUSLY TONIGHT, BUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, MAYBE, UM, TO HAVE, UM, THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT FINANCE AND MAYBE JUST EXPLAIN, UM, SOME TALKING POINTS ABOUT WHY IT MIGHT BE HIGHER. I MEAN, WE CAN ALL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALL PREDICT, YOU KNOW, COLDER WEATHER, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT THERE WERE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS ASKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHERE THE MONEY WAS GOING TO. AND SO, BECAUSE I HAD BEEN ASKED THAT SO MANY TIMES, I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD ASK IT, UM, IN PUBLIC AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME ANSWERS FOR THAT. AND THAT'S THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YES. MR. MAYOR, MAY I MAKE A STATEMENT? YES. THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THAT I MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN REGARDING THE VOTES I MAKE. AS A REPRESENTATIVE, I'M ATTEMPTING TO STAY TRANSPARENT BY POSTING ON MY PUBLIC FACEBOOK PAGE A WHAT, HOW AND WHY FOLLOWING EVERY VOTE I MAKE ON THIS ELECTED BODY REGARDING MY VOTE LAST MONDAY NIGHT IN A SPECIAL SESSION, I MADE THE MOTION AND VOTED TO APPOINT FORMER COUNCILMAN MAYS, A BACKED ONTO TOWN COUNCIL WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO ME AT THE TIME. I BELIEVE THAT HE WAS THE BEST CHOICE PRESENTED. HE WAS THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE, AND I STILL HOLD THAT TO BE TRUE. FOLLOWING MY VOTE. I BECAME AWARE OF POSSIBLE ISSUES WITH THE ELIGIBILITY FOUND IN THE TERM COUNT CHARTER. THE TOWN COUNCIL HAS NOW BEEN PRESENTED WITH TWO LEGAL OPINIONS. ONE FROM OUR TOWN ATTORNEY ORIGINALLY ISSUE DECEMBER 2ND, 2020 TO THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER. I WOULD LIKE IT NOTED PUBLICLY THAT THE IDENTIFIED POSSIBLE LEGAL ISSUE NOR SUBSEQUENT OPINION WAS PRESENTED TO ME BEFORE I CAST MY VOTE. HOW DID THE SECTION OF THE CHARTER THAT STATES NO MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL SHALL BE APPOINTED TO ANY OFFICE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE COUNCIL WHILE HE IS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, OR FOR ONE YEAR THEREAFTER HAD BEEN SHARED WITH ME, I WOULD NOT HAVE MOVED FORWARD AS I DID. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. YES, SIR. I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES OR THE COMMENTS RELATED TO OUR VOTE TO, UM, BRING MR. MEZA BACK ONTO THE, THE COUNCIL. UM, [00:55:03] I, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I CAMPAIGNED ON AND SAID, IT'S PART OF MY BIOGRAPHY IS THAT I'M AN ATTORNEY. UM, AND SO, AND IT'S LIKE, UH, MR. MCFADDEN, I WAS FIRST MADE AWARE OF THE, OF THE TOWN TOWN CHARTER ISSUE, UH, THE NEXT DAY. AND SO I TOOK A BRIEF GLANCE AT, UM, THE OPERATIVE LANGUAGE, UM, AND, UH, SORT OF HAD THIS, THE, THE THOUGHT THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED TONIGHT. WELL, THIS, THE, THIS DOES NOT LOOK GREAT, BUT I ALSO HAD IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, UM, THE, THE THOUGHT THAT, UH, THE TOWN ATTORNEY HAD LOOKED AT IT AND, AND, UM, OFFERED A INTERPRETATION THAT SUPPORTED OUR ACTIONS. SO I TOOK, UH, I HAD SOME OTHER THINGS TO DO, AND I RETURNED TO THE, TO IT LATER IN THE DAY. AND I, UH, THOROUGHLY VIEWED, UM, MR. NEIGHBOR'S OPINION, UH, FALTERED OVER AT RE READ THE OPINION AND CONTEXT AND CAME TO, UH, VERY MUCH AGREE WITH MR. NEIGHBOR'S ANALYSIS. UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, AS AN ATTORNEY, I, I KNOW WELL ENOUGH THAT, UM, I, I HAVE MY SPECIALIZATION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN GET FIRED UP ABOUT A LEGAL INTERPRETATION, UM, BUT I'VE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO OPERATE IN THAT, IN THAT SPACE, ESPECIALLY OVER A LONG TIME, MR. NAPIER HAS BEEN PRACTICING LAW LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN ALIVE. AND NOT ONLY THAT HE'S BEEN DOING IT IN THE CONTEXT OF, UH, ADVISING TOWNS AND COUNTIES, WHICH AS, AS I WAS JUST SAYING IS A, IS A SPECIALIZATION. AND SO I CAN LOOK AT, UM, I CAN LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PLAIN LANGUAGE THAT'S PRESENTED IN FRONT OF ME. UM, BUT THE QUESTION THAT, AND I CAN FORM A STRONG OPINION, BUT THE QUESTION, RIGHT, I HAVE AN ANSWER TO IN, IN THAT SORT OF MOMENT IN, IN A LEGAL ANALYSIS IS WHAT DO THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS? NO, THAT I KNOW IN TERMS OF, UM, THE, UH, CASE LAW THAT CAN BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR, UH, TOPIC. AND SO THAT COUNCIL, UH, ME AND I WOULD SUGGEST OTHERS TO, TO SAY, UM, THERE'S SOME DEFERENCE DUE TO THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THIS, UM, THIS SPACE VERY WELL. AND SO IN ADDITION TO MY OWN, UM, AGREEMENT WITH MR NAPIER, I ALSO, UM, GAIN A LOT OF CONFIDENCE FROM THE FACT THAT HE'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UM, I, I HOPE THAT I WOULDN'T EVER FIND MYSELF IN A POSITION OF HIDING BEHIND THAT. AND IF I EVER REALLY STRONGLY AGREE WITH, UH, MR. NAPIER, UM, I WOULD MAKE THAT, THAT KNOWN, BUT THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE I THINK THE LANGUAGE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL AND HIS INTERPRETATION OF IT IS VERY STRONG, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE REST OF THE, OF THE TOWN CODE, UM, THE EVENTS. AND SO, AND SO I, I HAVE NO REGRETS IN TERMS OF THE, UM, THE, THE VERDA I MADE IN SUPPORT OF, OF MR. MEZA AND ALSO IN THE CONFIDENCE I HOLD. AND MR. NAPIER'S, UH, INTERPRETATION, EVEN IN LIGHT OF THE LEGAL ANALYSIS THAT I'VE READ, UM, FROM OTHER SOURCES, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN, UH, LIKE OTHERS REALLY DEPRESSED AND UPSET TO, TO HEAR SOME OF THE CRITICISMS, UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN UNDERSTAND CRITICISMS, BUT I, I, UM, CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF SOME OF THE CRITICISMS WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING FOR PEOPLE'S FAITH, ATTACKING OTHERS, INTEGRITY AND SO ON. IT SEEMS TO BE STOCK AND TRADE WITH, UM, PEOPLE WHO, UH, APPEARED BEFORE THE, UH, THIS, THIS COUNCIL, UH, PRETTY OFTEN. AND, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS HOPING TO SEE CHANGE. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO STEP BACK AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE AGREE ON PRINCIPLES, BUT, UM, COULD WE LEAVE IT AT JUST THE PRINCIPLES AND THE ARGUMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING AND NOT GOING FOR FOR PEOPLE PERSONALLY? UM, I, I KNOW MANY OF THE PEOPLE HERE, I KNOW, UH, MR. MEZA PERSONALLY, I ALSO KNOW, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THE CRITICISMS PERSONALLY, AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN WALK AWAY AND DISAGREE STRONGLY WITH SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND, OR I CAN'T GET, GET INTO THE MINDSET OF MAKING THAT A PERSONAL THING BETWEEN, UH, TWO PEOPLE, [01:00:01] UM, AND, UH, AN EXCUSE FOR, FOR ME OR SOMEBODY ELSE TO INSULT SOMEBODY ELSE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE CHANGE IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HEALING THIS TOWN, UM, PERHAPS WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT, UH, DISAGREEING ON PRINCIPLE DISAGREEING ON LEGAL INTERPRETATION, DISAGREEING ABOUT A COURSE OF ACTION, BUT NOT TAKING IT INTO, UM, PERSONAL ATTACKS. THAT'S THAT JUST HAS TO STOP. UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S NOT PRODUCTIVE. I KNOW, I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE A CARICATURE. UM, I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF IT HERE. UM, BUT I THINK, UH, MR. NAPIER AND MR. MEZA AND OTHERS WERE GETTING IT, UH, MUCH MORE THAN I DON'T THINK THEY DESERVE IT. UM, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW BETTER. YEAH. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? YES. MR. MAYOR, I DIDN'T, UH, I DIDN'T PLAN ANY SIGNIFICANT, UH, SPEECHES TONIGHT, BUT, UM, I DID WANT TO SAY, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM COUNCIL, AND I WAS HAPPY, UH, TO, UH, FILL THE APPOINTMENT SEAT, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THE CAPACITY AS I HAVE IN YEARS PAST. UM, I DID WANT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TONIGHT, UM, RELATED TO RELATED TO SOME OF THE TIMELINE I'M WANTING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT, HOPEFULLY SOME INSIGHT ON THE TIMELINE OF MY APPLICATION. UM, SO YES, THERE WAS A LEGAL OPINION, UH, THAT WAS MENTIONED ON DECEMBER 2ND RELATED TO WHETHER OR NOT A ELECTED OR FORMER ELECTED TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER CAN APPLY AND BE APPOINTED, UH, TO COUNCIL. UM, I DID NOT SUBMIT A LETTER OF INTEREST TO COUNCIL UNTIL DECEMBER 18TH AND IN MY LETTER I'M INTEREST. UM, YOU KNOW, I'M PARAPHRASING. UM, BUT I OFFERED TO SUPPORT COUNCIL, UM, FOR THE NEXT 11 MONTHS WHILE A SPECIAL ELECTION WAS RUN TO, UH, ELECT A NEW MEMBER OF COUNCIL. AND IN MY LETTER, I STATED TO COUNCIL THAT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ZERO OBLIGATION. I WAS OFFERING IT, UH, AS ASSISTANCE TO, TO BRIDGE THE GAP FOR COUNCIL. SOME OF THE KNOWLEDGE GAP THAT WOULD BE ON COUNCIL, BUT TO FEEL NO PRESSURE AND APPOINTING ME TO COUNSEL AND PICK, PICK THE BEST PERSON THAT THEY SAW FIT THAT WAS ON THE 18TH. UM, COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE OR VOTED TO APPOINT ME, UM, LAST MONDAY. AND THERE WAS A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY AROUND THE TOWN CHARTER AND WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME TO BE THERE. AND THERE WAS SOME EMAILS BACK AND FORTH ON COUNCIL, UM, OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. DOUG IMMEDIATELY SHARED HIS LEGAL OPINION ON WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A LEGITIMATE ACTION OF COUNCIL AND DOUG'S LEGAL OPINION WAS THAT IT WAS NEVERTHELESS, I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ON COUNCIL AND THAT EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE CONFIDENT IN THAT DECISION. AND I DID NOT GO TO GET SWORN IN ASKING DOUG A FEW DAYS LATER ASKING DOUG, UM, TO, UH, AND IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER. I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE CHALLENGING DOG, BUT IN RESPECTFUL MANNER, ASKED IF DOUG CAN GET A SECOND OPINION ON HIS LEGAL OPINION, REINFORCING THE ABILITY OF COUNCIL TO APPOINT A FORMER MEMBER OF COUNCIL ON THE COUNCIL. I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN SWORN IN AT THIS POINT, AS I WANTED TO SEE THAT LEGAL OPINION COME IN, THEN IN RESPONSE TO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS CONCERNS THURSDAY, JANUARY 7TH, I WROTE A COMMENT TO COUNCIL IN RESPONSE TO OTHER EMAILS AND AN EFFORT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT I HAD HAVE NO ULTERIOR MOTIVES. IF THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL REGRETS THEIR DECISION TO APPOINT ME FOR ANOTHER YEAR, I'D BE MORE THAN WILLING TO DECLINE THE APPOINTMENT, BUT I WILL NOT DECLINE BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LASHING OUT OR FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST MY CHARACTER OFFERING COUNCIL, THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THEIR OPINION. AND I WANTED TO ACCEPT THE APPOINTMENT. THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL DID NOT REACH OUT TO ME AND ASKED ME TO RESIGN THE POSITION NOR DID I GET A REQUEST TO RESIGN MY POSITION. I'M SORRY. I GOT ONE REQUEST TO RESIGN MY POSITION. THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL DID NOT ASK ME TO RESIGN THE POSITION. WE GOT THE SECOND LEGAL OPINION OVER THE WEEKEND. AND I WAS SWORN IN TODAY. I THINK THAT TIMELINE IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT BUCKS AGAINST SOME OF THE NARRATIVE THAT'S BEING DESCRIBED TONIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, I WANTED TO POINT OUT AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE RUNNER UP ESSENTIALLY FOR ELECTED VOTES SHOULD BE THE ONE WHO'S APPOINTED. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT NUMBER ONE, I WAS APPOINTED MY FIRST YEAR ON COUNCIL AND THAT WASN'T THE CASE. MS. LORI COCKRELL WAS POINTED TO COUNSEL, MR. GARY GILLESPIE WAS APPOINTED TO COUNCIL, [01:05:01] UM, AND THEN RAN THEIR SUCCESSFUL ELECTIONS AND ENDED UP SERVING ON COUNCIL. IN FACT, THAT'S AN IDEAL SCENARIO WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL GET THEIR FEET WET, UH, THEIR FIRST YEAR AS AN APPOINTEE, AND THEN END UP RUNNING FOR COUNCIL AND ENDED UP SERVING A YEAR TERM, UM, WHICH BOTH OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE DONE LASTLY? WELL, UH, IT WAS BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES RELATED TO THE POLICE STATION DEBACLE. I WON'T, I WON'T SPEND ANY TIME ADDRESSING THAT TONIGHT, BUT I AM HAPPY, UH, TO STICK AROUND AND TALK ABOUT HOW THE EDA FELL APART, HOW THE EDA LOST $3 MILLION OF OUR POLICE STATION OR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, FUNDING ON A $10 MILLION BUDGET AND HOW THIS TOWN SECURED ONE OF THE LOWEST DEBT, UH, ONE OF THE LOWEST INTEREST RATES IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN TO FINANCE A POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, SO I WOULD ARGUE, AND YOU PROBABLY COULD TALK TO ANY ONE OF THEIR OFFICERS THAT THEY'RE VERY GLAD THAT THEY HAVE THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN WE'VE SECURED ONE LOWEST INTEREST RATES WE'VE EVER SECURED TO PAY FOR THAT DEPARTMENT. MEANING WE DIDN'T HAVE TO RAISE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO DO IT. THERE YOU GO, MR. MAYOR. YES. MA'AM. YES. I JUST WANTED TO, UM, WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING. UM, EARLIER TODAY THERE WAS A PRESS RELEASE THAT WENT OUT BY THE TOWN AND I'M THINKING MAYBE SOME PEOPLE HADN'T GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT. AND SINCE MR. MESA ALLUDED TO IT, I THINK THAT I'LL PARAPHRASE SOME OF IT REAL QUICKLY, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE. UM, MR. MESA HAD MENTIONED THAT WE, UM, SOUGHT OUT A SECOND LEGAL OPINION. AND SO FOR THE PUBLIC'S, UM, KNOWLEDGE, MR. NAPIER REACHED OUT TO, UM, A MAN, UH, A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF ROBERT MITCHELL, HE'S AN ATTORNEY, UM, AND ASKED HIM TO REVIEW THE TOWN CHARTER, THAT VIRGINIA STATE CODE AND THE TOWN COUNCIL APPOINTMENT. MR. MITCHELL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S CLEAR ABOUT, UM, HIS EXPERIENCE. CAUSE I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE I'M CERTAINLY NOT AN ATTORNEY. AND SO I WOULD DEFER TO MR. NAPIER, BUT I WAS VERY THANKFUL THAT HE ALSO REACHED OUT TO, UM, ANOTHER ATTORNEY. SO MR. MITCHELL WAS WIDELY AND THIS IS FROM THE PRESS RELEASE, BUT MR. MITCHELL IS, WAS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED AS ONE OF THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED AND EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. WITH OVER 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, HE IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR CLARK COUNTY, THE COMMISSIONER OF ACCOUNTS FOR FREDERICK COUNTY AND THE CITY OF WINCHESTER, AND IS SELECTED AS ONE OF THE MOST, ONE OF THE APPROVED ATTORNEYS FOR THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE AND THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES TO REPRESENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT. MR. MITCHELL IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH MUNICIPALS, CHARTERS, AND CODES AND THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. HE HOLDS AN AB PREEMINENT RATING FOR LEGAL ABILITY AND ETHICAL STANDARD OF 5.0 OUT OF 5.0 AND THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE PEER RANKING ARE MARTINDALE HUBBELL. MR. MITCHELL'S OPINION FOUND THAT MR. NAPIER'S INTERPRETATION TOWN CHARTER CHAPTER SIX WAS APPROPRIATE. HE SAID, I HAVE REVIEWED THE CONCERNS OF THE, OF MR. MESA. AND MY LEGAL OPINION IS THAT COUNSEL CAN APPOINT AS TO FILL THE VACANCY ON COUNCIL UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, 2021, SECTION 47 OF THE CHANNEL TOWN CHARTER DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE APPOINTMENT. AS I DO NOT BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE COUNCIL. THE PROVISION WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE TO BE READ TO PROHIBIT COUNCIL FROM APPOINTING A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO BE A MEMBER OF COUNCIL SAID, MITCHELL, IF HE CAN FOLLOW THAT ANYWAY, I DID WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH THE PUBLIC. I CERTAINLY, UM, I CERTAINLY FELT COMFORTABLE AFTER HEARING THAT AS WELL. AND I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF THAT. AND, UM, THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. [9C. Report of the Mayor] REPORT TO THE MAYOR. ALRIGHTY. UH, WELL, ONCE AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THOSE WHO SUPPORTED ME AND VOTED FOR ME AS MAYOR OF FRONT ROYAL. AND IF YOU DIDN'T VOTE FOR ME, HOPEFULLY I'LL EARN YOUR TRUST AND RESPECT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE HERE REPRESENTING COUNCIL TO SAY THAT WE HAVE AN INTERESTING TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD AN INTERESTING YEAR AS AN UNDERSTATEMENT, PERHAPS IT WOULD BE MORE ACCURATE TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR IN HISTORY OF OUR TOWN. WE WEATHERED THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC BETTER THAN MOST LOCALITIES TOOK CRITICAL STEPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES TOWARD IMPROVING OUR AGE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR TOWN AND HAVE CUT THE FAT OFF OF THE BUDGET. AND THERE'S STILL MUCH MORE TO BE DONE. AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS AND VISIONS FOR 2021. NUMBER ONE IN 2021, I WANT TO SEE THE FORMER AFTERNOON EITHER DEVELOPED [01:10:01] BY A PRIVATE COMPANY OR TORN DOWN THIS PROPERTY WILL NEED TO EITHER GET SOLD BY THE EDA AND DEVELOPED OR CONDEMNED BY OUR GOVERNMENT AND TORN DOWN EVERY SINGLE PERSON I SPEAK WITH EITHER FROM OUR COMMUNITY OR OUTSIDE AGREE THAT THE CURRENT SITUATION, AS LONG AS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE, THE EDA HAS INTENTIONALLY DELAYED LONG ENOUGH OR THE EDA NEEDS TO CONCEDE OR GET IT OUT OF THE WAY OVER THE NEXT MONTH. I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND MAKE SURE SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH THE AFTERNOON IMMEDIATELY. NUMBER TWO, IN 2021, I WANT TO SEE THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL IN A POSITION TO CONTROL ITS OWN DESTINY. TOO MANY YEARS, WE HAVE SET BACK AND ALLOWED THE COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISORS AND THEIR EDA TO BE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR TOWN. IT GOES WITHOUT BEING SAID THAT THE TALENT'S CITIZENS ARE COUNTY CITIZENS. THIS IS A TRUE FACT. HOWEVER, IT ALSO GOES WITHOUT BEING SAID THAT THE TOWN OF FRONT ROW DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A VEHICLE TO DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS. THE EXISTING EDA IS INSOLVENT. THE EXISTING EDA CANNOT BUY PROPERTY. THE EDA CAN NOT BORROW MONEY. THE EDA IS COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON THE COUNTY TO PAY ITS BILLS. IT WILL BE THIS FOR OVER THE NEXT DECADE. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FRONT ROYAL? IT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR US TO GRAB THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND TRULY FOCUS ON REDEVELOPMENT OF EMPTY STOREFRONTS, DERELICT STRUCTURES THROUGHOUT OUR TOWN AND FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCIL TO JOIN ME AND DEVELOP A PLAN TO BEGIN THE EXECUTION OF THAT PLAN. NUMBER THREE, ONE, I KNOW THAT THE FORMER COUNCIL WAS KEEN ON AND MAY PROGRESS WAS BLIGHTED BUILDING PROGRAM. IN MY OPINION, THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN SET. THE LAWS ARE IN PLACE. WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY ROTTING, DETERIORATING PROPERTIES IN OUR TOWN IS TRUE. WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE ALL PROPERTY OWNERS. IT MAKES MAKE TO TAKE MORE PRIDE IN THEIR HOMES AND BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY IN GENERAL. BUT I BELIEVE WE NEED TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM AND INITIATIVE REPAIR REMODEL AND REDEVELOPMENT OF BLIGHTED BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS ENSURE PROPER REGULATIONS ARE NOT ONLY IN PLACE, BUT AGGRESSIVELY FOLLOWED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. I'M GOING TO BE ASKING COUNCIL AND STAFF TO DEVELOP YOUR PLAN TO COMMENCE EXECUTION. I HOPE WE CAN GET THE FULL SUPPORT OF A HOPE. I CAN GET THE FULL SUPPORT OF COUNCIL FOR THIS INITIATIVE. NUMBER FOUR, I BELIEVE IT'S TIME TO RESEARCH, INVESTIGATE AND STUDY THE FULL IMPACT OF LAUNCHING OUR OWN BUILDING INSPECTIONS OFFICE. I WILL NOT SUPPORT BEING CHARGED. I WILL NOT SUPPORT CITIZENS BEING CHARGED DOUBLE FEES. IN OTHER WORDS, PAYING TOWN, BUILDING FEES AND COUNTY BUILDING FEES. AND I WILL NOT SUPPORT INCREASING TAXES START OUR NEW DEPARTMENT, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE SITUATION WE HAVE JUST, WE, IT IS JUST NOT WORKING FOR TOO LONG. WE HAVE BEGGED THE COUNTY TO HELP THE TOWN WITH OUR BLIGHTED BUILDINGS FOR TOO LONG. WE HAVE ASKED THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP A MORE CONSISTENT STREAMLINED BUILDING INSPECTIONS PROCESS ALL TO NO AVAIL. IT'S TIME. IT'S MY BELIEF THAT THE TOWN'S BUILDING INSPECTIONS OFFICE CAN BREAK EVEN FROM NORMAL CUSTOMARY FEES, THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE CURRENTLY PAYING THE COUNTY'S BUILDING INSPECTION OFFICE, BUT WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL IT IS STUDIED AND REPORTED THAT WE'LL BE ASKING COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE. AND LET'S FIND OUT IF IT'S POSSIBLE. NUMBER FIVE AND A CONCLUSION IT'S TIME. WE BRING OUR COUNT OPERATIONS INTO THE DIGITAL MODERN AGE. THE PANDEMIC HAS CRIPPLED OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD FAST AND ENSURE THAT A FULL BUSINESS RECOVERY TO DO THIS. OUR OPERATIONS NEED TO BE MORE STREAMLINED AND EFFICIENT SO THAT NOT ONLY CAN OUR STAFF GET CITIZENS AND BUSINESS OWNERS AND ANSWERS THE ANSWERS THEY NEED, BUT ALSO THE BUSINESS OWNERS UP AND OPERATING IN A QUICKER FASHION. MY OPINION IS THIS WILL BRING ABOUT MORE VIBRANT COMMUNITY. INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WILL HAPPEN FASTER AND IMPORTANT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKE LIFE SAFER FOR OUR CITIZENS TO CONDUCT BUSINESS WITH OUR GOVERNMENT. ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE LIKE COUNCIL SUPPORT IMMEDIATELY IS TO ASK STAFF TO FIND A WAY TO ELIMINATE THE CREDIT CARD FEES FOR BILL PAYMENTS. WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO ABSORB THOSE FEES. IN GENERAL, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT AND MODERNIZE OUR OPERATIONS, DIGITIZE OUR FORMS AND MAKE MORE ONLINE OPERATION AND ENSURE OUR CITIZENS AND BUSINESS OWNERS CAN EASILY CONDUCT BUSINESS WITH OUR GOVERNMENT. I DO HAVE A LOT TO DO IN 2021. I COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED WITH THE QUALITY OF COUNSEL WE HAVE. WE TRULY HAVE THE MOST DYNAMIC, DIVERSE, QUALIFIED COUNSEL. I CAN REMEMBER. WE ALSO HAVE A PERMANENT PRESENCE AND A VERY QUALIFIED TOWN MANAGER AND STEVEN HICKS. IN MY OPINION, THAT 2021 WILL BE A BREAKOUT YEAR FOR THIS TOWN. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND OUR READING [01:15:01] AND RATE MY PLEDGE TO YOU THAT I WILL WORK TIRELESSLY TO MAKE FRONT ROW A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ME. I'VE GOT TO GO ONE. ALL RIGHT. NUMBER [10. PROPOSALS FOR ADDITION/DELETION OF ITEMS] 10. PROPOSALS. DELICIOUS. PARDON ME? ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS. ANYBODY WANT TO ADD OR PULL ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT. NUMBER [11. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS] 11, CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, UH, TO HEAR A MOTION, MAY COUNCIL APPROVED F Y 21 BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $36,227 TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FROM THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES FOR THE SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF GOODS AND SERVICES TO RECORD AND PLAYBACK POLICE DEPARTMENT CALLS FROM APPLIED DIGITAL SOLUTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $36,227 WITH RECURRING COSTS OF $3,400 EACH FISCAL YEAR. SECOND. HERE'S A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION. YOU HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILMAN COCKRELL. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. MOTION PASSES. OKAY. [12. APPOINTMENT OF VICE MAYOR] APPOINTMENT OF VICE MAYOR, I GUESS. UH, DO WE HAVE ANY, YES. MR. MAYOR, MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THE COUNCIL APPOINT LAURIE COCKRELL AS VICE MAYOR OF FRONT RURAL TOWN COUNCIL. AND ARE THERE ANY OTHERS THAT BE NOMINATED? UM, I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE MYSELF AS A SENIOR MEMBER. UM, WAS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? DO WE HAVE TO TABLE IT? WE, HOW DID WE DO THE HEAD? I'VE NEVER, UH, THERE'S A MOTION ON LIKE, DO, UH, VOTE ON THE FIRST MOTION OR DID WE ACTUALLY, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT COME UP, BUT I, I THINK HE WOULD VOTE ON THE FIRST ONE. AND THEN I, UM, AFTER THAT VOTE, THEN YOU WOULD ACCEPT A SECOND NOMINATION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THEN I GUESS WE NEED TO GO BACK AND, UH, WAS THERE A SECOND, LET ME ASK YOU THAT I ONLY EVER WAS THERE A SECOND FOR, THERE WAS NOT A SECOND. I'LL SECOND IT. OKAY. OKAY. SO I GUESS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS HAVE A ROLL CALL FOR THAT. AM I CORRECT? YES. YES. OKAY. AND THIS IS TO APPOINT LAURIE AS VICE MAYOR. COUNCILMAN COCKRELL. YES. MA'AM ODDLY AS IT MAY SEEM. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN HOLLOWAY. I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN. OH, SHOOT. I'M SORRY. IS THIS, UM, UH, NOMINATION MOTION OR A MOTION TO, THIS IS A MOTION TO A POINT. OKAY. SHOULD I START OVER? SURE. COUNCILMAN COCKRELL. YES. GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LLOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. NO COUNCILMAN MEZA YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. NO, LET'S SAY IT'S 42. UM, YES. OKAY. SO I WOULD SAY THAT MS. COCKRELL, VICE MAYOR. YES. I DON'T THINK WE CAN TAKE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS SINCE IT'S. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. DOES EVERYBODY AGREE? I DO HAVE A QUESTION. SO THE FIRST TIME WE DID THIS, UM, WAS MY FIRST YEAR HERE. SO COMPLETELY NEW, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. AND ESSENTIALLY IT WAS THE TWO SENIOR PEOPLE. UM, IT WAS GOING TO BE BETWEEN JAKE AND BILL AND THEN BILL KIND OF ASKS LIKE, JAKE, DO YOU MIND? AND JAKE'S LIKE, NO. AND THEN HE KINDA GOT BUY IN FROM EVERYBODY ELSE. AND THEN WE CAME THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. IT WAS DURING OUR SUMMIT OR WHATNOT. AND THEN WE CAME THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND, UM, VOTED. UH, SO I WAS WONDERING WHY THAT WAS DIFFERENT THIS TIME. UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT'S HER, I'VE HEARD THAT THAT'S TYPICALLY THE WAY IT WAS DONE IN THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT, BUT I MEAN, I WASN'T THERE EXCEPT FOR MY TWO YEARS. YEAH. I'VE HONESTLY NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT LIKE SENIOR MEMBER. I MEAN, WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL BACK IN 2008 TO 2012, I NEVER RECALL THAT EITHER. YEAH. BECAUSE REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE IN THAT MEETING BECAUSE YOU WERE NEW WITH ME, WE BROKE THE POT THERE. AND, UM, MAYOR HOLLIS EXPLAINED AT THAT TIME THAT [01:20:01] IT WAS TYPICALLY THE TWO SENIOR MEMBERS AND THAT'S WHY JAKE AND BILL WERE PRETTY MUCH CONSIDERED, BUT I'M COOL WITH IT. I JUST KNOW WHY WE WERE DOING IT DIFFERENTLY THIS TIME. THAT'S AWESOME. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING AGAINST IT. NO, THERE'S NOTHING. I LOOKED AT MY CHARTER AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. IT WAS JUST, UH, WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS A TRADITION. THE WHOLE THING WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM 12, ITEM ITEM 13, [13. APPROVAL - Amend Chapter 28-Planning Commission Membership (2ND Reading)] ITEM 13. I'M IN CHAPTER 28, PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP. MS. PRESLEY, COULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO ADOPT ON THAT SECOND AND FINAL READING AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 28, PLANNING COMMISSION AS PRESENTED THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THIS CHAPTER IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PLANNING COMMISSIONERS FROM SEVEN TO FIVE MEMBERS AND TO MAKE OTHER MINOR ADJUSTS AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 28 REGARDING THE TERM OF OFFICE AND REMOVAL FROM OFFICE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPOSED CHANGE AND MEMBERSHIP AND MIRROR APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 15.2 DASH 2212 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. I HEAR A EMOTION, MR. MAYOR. I MOVE THE COUNCIL ADOPT ON A SECOND FINAL READING AND NORTONS TO MEN TO, UH, UH, AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 28. PLANNING COMMISSION HAS PRESENTED SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YES. MR. MAYOR. SORRY, GO AHEAD. NO, I WANTED TO ASK, SO YOU GO AHEAD JUST TO RECAP ON THE FIRST READING, UM, WHICH WAS DONE IN DECEMBER, WE'RE REDUCING THE SIZE OF OUR PLANNING COMMISSION FROM SEVEN TO FIVE. UM, WE'VE HAD A DIFFICULTY IN, UH, FILLING THE SEATS TO MAINTAIN A PLANNING COMMISSION OF SEVEN. UM, BUT AS I SAID IN, ON DECEMBER 14TH, PLANNING COMMISSION IS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR MORE ACTIVE BOARDS AND HAS A, A PRETTY HEFTY TIME REQUIREMENT FROM THE CERTIFICATION FOR SMALL TOWN PLANNING. UM, AND OBVIOUSLY REVIEWING WHAT COMES BEFORE, UH, BEFORE COUNCIL. AND SO I THINK BY HAVING FIVE PEOPLE THERE, WE CAN GET QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO FILL THAT POSITION. WE CAN INVEST IN THOSE FIVE INDIVIDUALS AND HOPEFULLY RETAIN THEM FOR, FOR YEARS ON THE COUNCIL. AND SO I'M IN FAVOR OF MOVING FROM SEVEN TO FIVE. ANYONE ELSE? I JUST WANTED TO ASK MR. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN'S OPINION, HAVING JUST, I KNOW, UM, COUNCILMAN MAYS AND COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN BOTH HAVE SERVED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WOULD YOU MIND OFFERING UP YOUR OPINION? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. UM, WE WERE IN FAVOR OF IT. IT WAS AN ISSUE, ALWAYS HAVING EMPTY SPOTS, UM, AT, UH, YOU KNOW, WAITING FOR A COUNCIL TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS. UM, SO WE AGREED WITH IT AS A, I WAS JUST COMING OFF BEING THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE TOWN PLANNING COMMISSION. UM, SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE FULLY SUPPORT THIS, UM, IN THAT ROLE. AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT HAS COME BEFORE COUNCIL SO QUICKLY AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO VOTE ON IT. GOOD. THANK YOU. THANKS. ANYONE ELSE? HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? COUNCILMAN COCKRELL. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LLOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN MEZA. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. PUSHING PASSES. [14. APPROVAL - Liaison Committee Meeting Agenda] ITEM 14 LIAISON COMMITTEE AGENDA, READ SUMMARY, PLEASE. COUNSEL IS REQUESTED TO PROVIDE THEM SELENA THE LIAISON COMMITTEE AGENDA FOR JANUARY 21ST, 2021. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE ITEMS TO THE LIAISON COMMITTEE AGENDA FOR JANUARY 21ST, 2021. I BELIEVE WE ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THOSE LAST WEEK. UM, I DON'T KNOW, A SECOND. YEAH. SECOND MAYOR. THE ONLY DISCUSSION POINT IS IT, AND I THINK IT WAS A DISCUSS ABOUT THE TUMBLE DOUBLE TAXATION THAT MAY NOT BE AS PART OF IT. THE OTHER THING IS, UM, JUST MORE DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT REALLY SHOULD BE ON THE, UH, THE LIAISON COMMITTEE. UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER, TOM THOMPSON DISCUSSED ABOUT THE PILOT DISCUSSION AND MAYBE MORE CLARIFICATION MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY DOESN'T PLAY A ROLE IN THE PILOT. SO MAINLY THE REASON WHY WE WERE ASKING COUNCIL JUST [01:25:01] TO DISCUSS MORE OF THE SPECIFICS OF IT AND A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND TO SEE IF IT EVEN SHOULD BE ON, ON THE COMMITTEE. SURE. I CAN COMMENT TO THE PILOT SECTION PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES, THE WAY THAT WE USE IT IS, UM, NOT DIFFERENT PER SE, BUT WE USE IT FOR BUSINESSES ON THE CORRIDOR. WHEN WE SAY PILOT, HOWEVER PAYMENT AND WE'LL LOOK, TAXES CAN BE APPLIED AT THE COUNTY LEVEL OR THE TOWN LEVEL, THE COUNTY OF COURSE WOULD BENEFIT JUST AS MUCH AS WE WOULD IN THE CASE THAT, UM, WE CAN GET A PILOT, UM, WITH VALLEY HEALTH AND, UH, HELP WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SO FORTH, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE COUNT TOWNIE CO TOWNIE, COUNTY AND TOWN. UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT INCLUDED. OKAY, THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE, I THINK I MENTIONED THIS LAST WEEK, BUT MAYBE IT WAS ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TOWN AND COUNTY, UM, COME TOGETHER. AND I KNOW WE WILL SIT AND TALK ABOUT GOALS AND OUR VISION FOR THE TOWN, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE COUNTY IN TOWN HAVE A JOINT, UM, DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE WE SEE OUR COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD AND WHERE WE COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST GET MORE COHESIVENESS AMONGST US. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO, I KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE LIAISON MEETING IS ABOUT, BUT I THINK THAT TWO MEMBERS IN TWO MEMBERS ISN'T THE SAME AS EVERYBODY'S SITTING DOWN TOGETHER. HOW DO YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT THAT? WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING YOU THINK IS I'VE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THAT BEFORE THERE, LET ME LIST THE ONES THAT WERE DISCUSSED. UH, THE PART OF IT IS THERE WAS FIVE OF THEM AND IT'S ON PAGE TWO OF YOUR MINUTES, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE LAST WORK SESSION ON JANUARY 4TH AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND MAKING SHORT-TERM RENT RENTALS EASIER TO OBTAIN SUCH AS R AND B D. THAT WAS, UH, COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MCFADDEN. THE OTHER ONE WAS THE PILOT DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER, TOM THOMPSON. THE OTHER ONE IS THE JOINT VISION BETWEEN ENTITIES FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF WARREN COUNTY. AND THAT WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER COCKRELL. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY FOR BUSINESSES TO COME TO COMPLETE THEIR BUSINESS AT A COUNCIL MEMBER LLOYD. AND THEN ALSO THE DOUBLE TAXATION COUNCIL MEMBER LLOYD. SO THOSE WERE THE FIVE THAT WERE A PART OF THE DISCUSSION. MA'AM MAY I ASK A QUESTION, MR. COUNCILMAN LOYD IS YOUR DOUBLE TAXATION ISSUE, UM, REGARDING A STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR TAXES TO BE COLLECTED FROM TOWN AND COUNTY, OR IS AN ISSUE OF THE FACT THAT THERE'S TOWN AND COUNTY TAXES? YEAH, IT WAS MORE THE LATTER, BUT, UM, UH, JUST RAISING THE ISSUE. UM, I DON'T IN ALL HONESTY, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO START THE DISCUSSION OR IF IT'S, IF IT'S JUST SOMETHING I SHOULD, UH, BEGIN AMONG THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE, WITH THE TOWN MANAGER, BUT I JUST SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, BRING IT UP IN THE MOMENT LAST WEEK. AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN REVISE IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO START THE DISCUSSION. SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT MARRIED TO THEM, TO THAT BEING ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. CLARIFICATION. ANYBODY ELSE? SO, UH, PILOT SHORT TERM RENTALS, JOINT VISION, AND SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY. OKAY. AND MAYOR, I BELIEVE YOU ALSO WANTED THE, UM, LI LIAISON COMMITTEE POLICY REVISION HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THAT AS WELL. SO THERE'S FIVE ITEMS ON IT. DO YOU RECALL? COUNCILMAN COCKRELL? YES. SALESMEN GILLESPIE, YES. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN MEZA ABSTAIN. I'LL SPEND THOMPSON. YES. MOTION PASSES. ALRIGHTY. SO I'LL MOVE TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING TONIGHT. JERRY. SECOND, SECOND. I THINK WE WOULD UPDATE. YEAH, I'M GOING TO READ CLOSE MEETING. I MOVED THE COUNCIL. MR. MAYOR. [15. CLOSED MEETING - Personnel Matters and Boards and Commissions] I MOVED THAT COUNT, MAN. MAKE A MOTION, MR. MEMBER. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL GO INTO CLOSE MEETING FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING, OR RESIGNATION OF SPECIFIC PUBLIC OFFICER'S APPOINTEES [01:30:01] OR EMPLOYEES OF A PUBLIC BODY PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DOT THREE SEVEN ONE ONE.EIGHT.ONE DOT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. YES. YES. WE WON'T HAVE ANYTHING WHEN WE COME OUT. SO JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.