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I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE TOWN COUNCIL, REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY, JUNE 28TH, 2021.
[1. MOMENT OF SILENCE]
JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
YOU WOULD JOIN US NOW FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY COUNCILMAN THOMPSON.[3. ROLL CALL]
WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UH, NEXT APPROVAL OF MINUTES, WORK SESSION, SPECIAL MEETING OF APRIL THE 12TH, REGULAR MEETING OF MAY THE 24TH SPECIAL MEETING JUNE 1ST AND WORK SESSION, JUNE 14TH, 2021.WE APPROVE THE WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES AND THE SPECIAL MEETING OF APRIL THE 12TH, THE REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 24TH AND THE SPECIAL MEETING OF JUNE 1ST AND THE WORK SESSION OF JUNE 14TH AS PRESENTED.
COUNCILMAN MAZZA COUNCILMAN THOMPSON.
NEXT, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS OF THE AGENDA? HEARING
[6. RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS– - Report from Warren County Department of Social Services Director John Martz (10 minutes) - Presentation from JLL (15 minutes)]
NONE.UH, THE REPORT WARREN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME AND TALK TO YOU TONIGHT.
WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE WARREN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU'RE DOING ON BEHALF OF ALL THE CITIZENS OF FRONT ROYAL.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO HELP PEOPLE TRIUMPH OVER POVERTY, TO HELP THOSE WHO CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES.
OUR OFFICE HAS COME UP WITH OUR OWN MOTTO, WHICH IS EVERYTHING WE DO IS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE AND EMPOWER THE RESIDENTS OF WARREN COUNTY TO THRIVE, BUILD RESILIENCE TOMORROW, AND TO PROMOTE WELLBEING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DO THAT BY WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND WITH THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
THE NEXT PAGE, YOU CAN SEE I PRESENTED SOME DATA AND THIS IS FOR FRONT ROYAL RESIDENTS, ONLY TOWN RESIDENTS, NOT COUNTY FISCAL YEAR 2019.
WE HAD 28 CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES INVESTIGATIONS IN 163 FAMILY ASSESSMENTS.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FAMILY ASSESSMENT AND INVESTIGATION.
BASICALLY THE SEVERITY OF THE REPORT INVESTIGATIONS ALSO HAVE AN OUTCOME, UH, FOUNDED OR NOT FOUNDED.
FAMILY ASSESSMENTS ARE SIMPLY, WE WORK WITH THE FAMILY UNTIL WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH A SUITABLE CONCLUSION IN FY 2020, WE HAD 51 INVESTIGATIONS AND 196 FAMILY ASSESSMENTS, AND WE FEEL ABOUT THREE TO 400 CALLS A YEAR.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT FYI 21 OF THE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE EVEN HIGHER.
WE'VE ALREADY SURPASSED THESE NUMBERS, OUR ADULT SERVICES.
WE DON'T JUST SERVE CHILDREN, BUT WE DO SERVE ADULTS AS WELL.
FISCAL YEAR 19, WE HAD 209 REPORTS AND IN FISCAL YEAR 2020, WE HAD 228 AND WE'RE ALREADY PASSING THAT FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 AS WELL, OF COURSE, BECAUSE HE YEAR 21 ENDS IN TWO DAYS.
UH, THE NEXT PAGE IS OUR BENEFIT PROGRAMS. UM, WE FACILITATE THE SNAP PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS,
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ALSO MEDICAID TANNIN.AND WE DO ASSIST WITH CHILDCARE AND ENERGY ASSISTANCE.
AS YOU CAN SEE FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR AS OF JUNE 24TH, WE HELPED 3,194 TOWN RESIDENTS WITH SNAP 7,784 TOWN RESIDENTS WITH MEDICAID, 140 FOR TIANA, 72 FOR CHILDCARE, THE AREA'S POVERTY RATES ABOUT EIGHT, 9% AND THE CHILD POVERTY RATE HOVERS AROUND 13%.
THE LAST PAGE IS MY FAVORITE PAGE BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT MONEY AND EVERYBODY LOVES US, LOVES TO TALK ABOUT MONEY.
UM, THE TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT PROGRAMS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES HAVE HAD ON WARREN COUNTY, COMPLETELY, NOT JUST THE TOWN, BUT THE COUNTY AS WELL WITH 62, 100 $5,866 FOR FISCAL YEAR 19.
THOSE ARE THE LATEST NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S THROUGH MEDICAID, THROUGH SNAP, THROUGH THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE THE LOCAL SHARE WHAT THE COUNTY PUT IN WAS ABOUT $1.4 MILLION.
SO YOU PUT ANYONE ABOUT 1.4 MILLION, YOU GET BACK 62 MILLION, AND WE'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A HIGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
I DO WANT TO OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, MAINLY I WANTED TO COME INTRODUCE MYSELF.
MY NAME IS JOHN MARTIN AND I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2020.
I STARTED AND BEFORE THAT I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES DOWN IN NEW KENT COUNTY FOR SEVEN YEARS.
UM, I'M THRILLED TO BE UP HERE IN WARREN COUNTY.
I LIVE IN FRONT ROYAL DIRECTLY.
MY WIFE'S FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
UH, SO I WAS ABLE TO BRING HER UP AND HER SISTERS AND HER MOTHER LIVE IN TOWN.
SO I WAS ABLE TO RELOCATE UP HERE AND WE LOVE BEING HERE, MR. MARTS.
UM, THE THING THAT STANDS OUT IN MY MIND THAT YOU JUST SAID, WE WENT FROM 28 IN 2019 TO 51 IN 2020.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M THINKING MAYBE THERE WAS A LOT OF STRESS IN 2020 WITHIN FAMILIES THAT'S AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU, THIS IS JUNE 28TH AND WE'VE ALREADY SURPASSED 51 INVESTIGATIONS AT THIS POINT IS THAT THERE'S BREAKFAST IN THREE DAYS.
SO REALLY WE'RE AT THE TAIL END OF THIS IS MORE SO, BUT STILL VERY CONCERNING THAT THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? YEAH.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS WHY 2020 WAS ROUGH ON EVERYBODY AND WE HAD TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
THE SCHOOLS HAD TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
FAMILIES HAD TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
UNEMPLOYMENT PEAKED AT LIKE 14%.
THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILY STRESSORS GOING ON.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ATTRIBUTE THE HIGHER NUMBERS TO IS A RENEWED FAITH IN SOCIAL SERVICES.
WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY.
IF YOU THINK I NEED TO CALL CPS, THE ANSWER IS YOU NEED TO CALL CPS AND WE RECEIVE MORE CALLS.
WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH MORE FAMILIES ON THAT.
UH, SAME WITH APS ADULT SERVICES.
IF YOU THINK YOURSELF, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MEANS CALL US, UM, LET US COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO THE MORE PHONE CALLS WE GET, THAT'S NATURALLY GOING TO LEAD TO MORE INVESTIGATIONS, MORE FAMILY ASSESSMENTS, REALLY MORE HELP AND MORE SUPPORT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I, I GUESS THE REASON WHY IT SURPRISED ME, CAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONCERN WHEN, UM, CHILDREN WERE, THERE WERE MORE CHILDREN BEING VIRTUAL AND THAT THEY WEREN'T IN FRONT OF, UM, THEIR TEACHER EVERY DAY.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE INVESTIGATIONS ARE REPORTED, UM, CONCERNS ARE REPORTED.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS THE POVERTY RATE VERSUS THE CHILD POVERTY RATE, THE POVERTY RATE WAS 9% AND THE CHILD POVERTY RATE IS 13%.
I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT OBVIOUSLY? AND I DON'T MEAN FOR, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO? YES, MA'AM UH, IT'S HI, WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY MADE UP OF.
AND SO YOU MAY HAVE A LOT OF NINE CHILDREN, FAMILIES MAKING UP THE 9% AND THEN THE CHILD POVERTY RATE ONLY LOOKS AT FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN THE HOME.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, JOHN.
UM, THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR YOUR VALUABLE WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE, UH, JOHN IS, UM, THE LAST TIME, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES IS HERE GIVING A PRESENTATION.
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ALARMED AT THE AMOUNT OF SAFE FOSTER PARENTS THAT THEY COULD, UH, HAVE HERE IN OUR COUNTY.HAS THAT NUMBER GOTTEN BETTER OR HAS IT GOTTEN WORSE? BECAUSE I THINK BEFORE THERE WAS ONLY TWO, OH, WE HAVE NONE CURRENTLY.
UM, AND THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT'S TOUGH ON IT.
AND WHEN A KID, WHEN, YOU KNOW, NOT TO MENTION THE PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE AND THEN HAVING TO GO TO A WHOLE NEW DIFFERENT SCHOOL OR IT IS, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS ALWAYS TO RETURN HOME, TO KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER AND SOME CASES, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S WHEN FOSTER CARE COMES IN, WE DO HAVE A NEW, UM, RESOURCE FAMILY, UH, WORKER SHALISA LEWIS HAS BEEN BUSILY RECRUITING FOSTER FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT SHE HAS A FEW THAT ARE GOING TO START GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT IT'S A YEAR LONG PROCESS IN ORDER TO BECOME A FOSTER PARENT.
IT TAKES A LOT OF COMMITMENT AND A LOT OF WORK TO DO SO, BUT AS YOU SAID, IF THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS AND A CHILD HAS TO BE REMOVED, IT'S TRAUMATIC ENOUGH, BUT THEN WE HAVE FOSTER CARE CHILDREN IN RICHMOND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE YOU AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE OUT OF THE SCHOOL, YOU'RE AWAY FROM YOUR FRIENDS.
IT JUST BECOMES EVEN MORE TRAUMATIC.
AND SO WE, OUR PATH PUT AN EMPHASIS ON RECRUITING LOCAL FOSTER CARE FAMILIES.
UH, WE'RE ALSO DISCUSSING A PARTNERSHIP WITH FREDERICK COUNTY RIGHT NOW IN ORDER TO SHARE FOSTER CARE APPEARANCE.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE WORKING ON REUNITING A FAMILY, THEY NEED TO BE NEAR EACH OTHER SO THAT THE TRUE WORK CAN BE DONE.
SHE LEAVE ME HER PHONE NUMBER.
SHE MERISSA FIVE FOUR ZERO SIX THREE FIVE THREE FOUR THREE.
AND YOU CAN ASK FOR MS. LEWIS OR SIMPLY SAY, I WANT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY ABOUT BECOMING A FOSTER PARENT.
UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STAFF WHO CAN HELP YOU AND REACH BACK OUT.
ANYBODY ELSE? UH, MR. MA, UM, MR. MARCUS, I JUST HAD ONE FOLLOW UP TO, UH, VICE MAYOR COCKERELS QUESTIONING.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE FROM 2019 AND 2020, JUST DOING SOME QUICK MATH.
THE YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE WAS 55%, UH, FOR INVESTIGATIONS AND 83% FOR FAMILY ASSESSMENTS.
WE'VE GOT THREE DAYS LEFT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
ARE WE LOOKING AT SIMILAR JUMPS OR IS, WAS WHERE'S THE JUMP BETWEEN 2019 AND 2020 ANOMALOUS? AND WE'RE SEEING A SMALLER JUMP THIS YEAR OR, UM, ARE WE, ARE WE SEEING ANOTHER 55% INCREASE IN OR 83% INCREASE? IT'S GOING TO BE BALLPARK.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT 200 FAMILY ASSESSMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR.
UM, INVESTIGATIONS PROBABLY IS GOING TO BE REAL SIMILAR NUMBER.
I DON'T THINK THAT JUMPED ALL THAT MUCH.
UM, BUT THE NUMBERS DID GO UP.
AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T INTRODUCE, UM, TWO OF OUR WONDERFUL STAFF ARE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, MS.
UM, THOSE NEEDS YOU CALL, UM, MICHELLE AND SHE MAKES SURE YOU GET TAKEN CARE OF.
SO I GET THE GLORY, I GET TO COME UP HERE AND TALK TO YOU ALL, BUT THEY DO THE WORK.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 43 PEOPLE WORKING FOR THE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO REALLY NEED THE RECOGNITION BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO DO ALL OF THE HARD WORK, THE HEAVY LIFTING.
UM, I JUST TRY TO STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM JLL.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF, UH, FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE.
AND TONIGHT WE WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ON THE STATUS AND PROGRESS OF TOURISM, UM, IN OUR AREA AND TO FRAME THINGS UP A LITTLE BIT, I WANTED TO, UM, JUST REITERATE THE DEFINITION OF TOURISM.
SO TOURISM IS THE ACT OF TRAVELING TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION OUTSIDE OF YOUR USUAL ENVIRONMENT AND PURSUIT OF RECREATION, RELAXATION, AND PLEASURE WHILE MAKING USE OF COMMERCIAL PROVISIONS.
UM, OFTEN WITH AN OVERNIGHT STAY.
IN FACT, THAT'S ONE OF THE GOALS IS TO HAVE AN OVERNIGHT STAY, UM, TOURISM, UM, MANAGEMENT OR DESTINATION MANAGEMENT FACILITATES THAT WORK THE, UM, WHAT IT IS NOT.
AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE'S CONFUSION AROUND THIS.
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UM, IT IS NOT COMMUNITY-BASED DEVELOPMENT OR COMMUNITY TARGET EVENTS.UM, IT IS TOURISM FOR THOSE COMING OUTSIDE, USUALLY 50 MILES, UH, FROM, FROM OUR LOCATION WITH OUR AMAZING NATURAL AND COMMERCIAL ASSETS FROM WELLS.
NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY IS TOURISM.
AND SO THAT IS WHY THOSE OF US ON THE COMMITTEE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS WORK.
THIS YEAR, THE COMMITTEE HELPED TO RELEASE AN RFP AND SELECTED A DESTINATION MANAGEMENT FIRM TO HELP WITH TOURISM.
THE COMMITTEE WILL SOON BECOME A STANDALONE BOARD, UM, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE COMMITTEE WILL ACTUALLY BE A SEPARATE BOARD.
AND TODAY WE WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ON ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE BOARD ACTIVITY.
AND I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO BETHANY ROSE.
WHO'S THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AT JLL, AND SHE IS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF OUR TOURISM EFFORTS HERE.
UM, THAT SHE'S GOING TO SPEAK MORE ABOUT THE STATUS AND PROGRESS OF TOURISM.
THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I KNOW IT IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME THAT I'M IN FRONT OF MANY OF YOU.
UH, SOME OF YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT, PROBABLY MORE CLUED INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER THOMPSON.
UH, BUT AS CARRIE MENTIONED, REALLY WANTED TO GIVE A STATUS UPDATE TODAY ON ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THE, UH, JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING ON AND THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THEM.
UM, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH WHAT MY, MY SLIDES ARE BRIEF.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR QUESTIONS, UH, BUT WE'LL GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, IN THE SLIDE DECK.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL TOUCH ON FIRST IS THAT ENGAGEMENT AND DIRECTION THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING WITH AND FROM THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF WHICH WE HAVE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
SO REALLY GLAD TO HAVE THEM TO HAVE THEM HERE.
UH, THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH, UH, DMO FORMATION WITH THE STEPS IN THAT PROCESS AND WHAT'S AHEAD OF US, UH, TO FORM THE ORGANIZATION AND SORT OF WHAT THAT TAKES.
UH, WE'LL ALSO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF OUR NEW, UH, MARKETING MESSAGES, THINGS WE'VE STARTED TO DO OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS SINCE WE GOT ON BOARD, UH, TAKE YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF A VISITOR CENTER, REFRESH THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON FROM A SERVICES STANDPOINT, FROM A VISUAL STANDPOINT AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED, UH, AND REALLY JUST TRY AND TEE ALL OF THAT UP SO THAT YOU ALL FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE KNOW WHERE WE'VE COME FROM.
ALL THE GROUNDWORK THAT'S BEEN BEEN LAID TO GET US TO THIS POINT WHERE WE ARE NOW AND REALLY WHERE WE'RE HEADED, UH, TO SET THE DESTINATION UP FOR SUCCESS.
UH, SO AS WE MENTIONED, WE HAVE A JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE THAT IS AN INITIATIVE THAT, UH, BOTH YOU AS MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCIL AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, GOT TOGETHER AND NOMINATED THOSE FOLKS.
SO MEMBERS OF THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN JOINTLY APPOINTED, UH, TO WORK WITH, UH, WITH MYSELF, UH, AND THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE.
AND SO, UH, IT STARTED BACK IN FEBRUARY.
SO WE CAME ON BOARD, UH, IN JANUARY, UH, FROM A CONTRACT STANDPOINT, UH, GOT, UH, INGRAINED WITH, WITH CARRIE AND WITH LIAISONS FROM THE TOWN AND COUNTY, UH, TO START WORKING WITH THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE.
SO WE REALLY HAD OUR FIRST JOINT MEETING BACK IN FEBRUARY.
SO SINCE FEBRUARY, WE HAVE HAD BIWEEKLY MEETINGS, UH, WITH THAT JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE, UH, IN THOSE BIWEEKLY MEETINGS, WE COVER A RANGE OF TOPICS.
SO WE STARTED FROM A STANDPOINT OF WANTING TO GATHER STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, JUST KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THE DESTINATION HAVE TO OFFER? WHAT DOES EVERYBODY FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE THINK ARE OUR PROS AND CONS, UH, REVIEWING A LOT OF THE GROUNDWORK AND THE FOUNDATIONAL WORK THAT WAS DONE IN ADVANCE OF PUTTING THE RFP OUT.
SO REVIEWING A LOT OF THAT, GOING THROUGH THOSE THINGS WITH THE COMMITTEE, UH, BRINGING SOME OF THAT STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK INTO, UH, INTO THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO DISCUSS WHERE WE THINK WE SHOULD HEAD AND WHAT MIGHT MAKE SENSE, UM, IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, IF, IF IT'S COMING FROM ME AND WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHERE TO HEAD, OR IF IT'S MARKETING MESSAGING NOW LEAVING TIME FOR THAT COMMITTEE TO DIGEST THOSE THINGS, UH, ASK QUESTIONS PROBE, AND THEN GAIN CONSENSUS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH DIRECTION.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT IT'S JUST A, YOU KNOW, REALLY A LIST OF ALL OF THE THINGS, UH, CATEGORICALLY THAT THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING FROM A MARKETING CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT BRAINSTORMING ON THOSE KEY THEMES, UH, REVIEWING TARGET MARKETS, REVIEWING GEOGRAPHIES OF, OF MARKETING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING TO, UH, TO VISITOR CENTER, REFRESH, BUDGET ENHANCEMENT, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO, UH, TO SET THE ORGANIZATION AND THE DESTINATION UP FOR SUCCESS? SO THE NEXT PIECE HERE IS THE DMO FORMATION.
SO AS CARRIE MENTIONED, A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, A DMO IS FOCUSED ON LIFTING THE DESTINATION REGARDLESS OF JURISDICTION, RIGHT? BUT SO JUST LIFTING THE DESTINATION FROM AN AWARENESS STANDPOINT AND TRYING TO DRIVE AND, AND BE THE DRIVER BEHIND VISITORS COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY TO SPEND THEIR LIVES, USE YOUR DOLLARS IN THEIR LEISURE TIME.
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FOCUSED ON PUTTING THAT ORGANIZATION TOGETHER, FRAMING WHAT THAT ORGANIZATION COULD BE FROM A STRUCTURE STANDPOINT, PUTTING A BOARD IN PLACE, THOSE THINGS, UM, AND SETTING THE, THE GOALS AND THE STRATEGY FOR THAT ORGANIZATION.UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE'VE SET OTHER ORGANIZATIONS UP, WE'VE RESTRUCTURED OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO REALLY BUILDING A FRAMEWORK THAT MAKES SENSE HERE, UH, FOR FRONT ROYAL AND FOR WARREN COUNTY.
UM, SO OUR ROLE IN DOING THAT IS TO COME IN, OBVIOUSLY, AS CARRIE MENTIONED AS THE THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR TO STAND UP THAT ORGANIZATION, BUT THEN ALSO TO MANAGE THAT ORGANIZATION SO THAT IT CAN FUNCTION AND HAS THAT STRATEGIC GUIDANCE.
AND I THINK IN YOUR PACKETS, UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, OF A TIMELINE THAT SHOWS SORT OF WHERE WE STARTED AND WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WHEN THE TOWN AND COUNTY RELEASED THIS RFP, UH, IN LATE FALL OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE SELECTED, CAME ON BOARD, GOT OUR ARMS AROUND THE DESTINATION, UM, HAVE STARTED TO, UH, TRANSITION THOSE ASSETS.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT'S THINGS LIKE THE, UH, DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL WEBSITE, THE, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, THINGS THAT FROM A FUNCTIONALITY STANDPOINT, THE TOURISM INITIATIVE WOULD MAINTAIN, UH, ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
WE DRAFTED BYLAWS AND ARTICLES TO INCORPORATE THE ORGANIZATION.
THEY ARE STILL IN DRAFT FORM, SO WE HAVEN'T FILED ANYTHING.
UH, IT'S, THEY'VE BEEN DRAFTED, THEY'VE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE.
UH, YOU'LL SEE TWO BOXES OVER.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEGAL REVIEW TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLIANT WITH, UH, VIRGINIA STATUTES, AS WELL AS FEDERAL.
UH, AND REALLY THESE ARE THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH, UH, IN ORDER TO FILE AND HAVE THE ORGANIZATION STOOD UP AS A STANDALONE NONPROFIT DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE CIRCLE WHERE WE ARE IS THAT LEGAL REVIEW.
UH, THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING IN PARALLEL WITH THAT RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT, UH, THERE WILL BE A MOA, UH, AN AMENDED MOA, I BELIEVE BETWEEN THE TOWN AND COUNTY FOR THESE SERVICES.
UH, THERE WILL BE A CONTRACT DRAFTED, WHICH IS IN DRAFT FORM NOW, UH, THAT WILL BE BETWEEN THE BOARD OF THE ORGANIZATION AND BOTH THE TOWN AND COUNTY.
AND THEN OUR JOB AGAIN, IS TO MANAGE THAT ORGANIZATION, THAT CONTRACT, UH, THE CONTRACT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO THE BOARD, UH, ULTIMATELY LOOKING TO HAVE A, UH, FULL FORMATION ARTICLES, FILED BYLAWS, FILED A STATUS OF A NONPROFIT COMPLETED, UH, AND BE UP AND FUNCTIONAL, UH, BY SEPTEMBER OF 2021 NEXT PIECE, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON HIS NEW VISITOR MARKETING.
UM, SO WE OBVIOUSLY KNEW THAT COMING INTO THIS DESTINATION, WE HAD A, UH, FORMATION TRACK TO FOLLOW, BUT WE WERE ALSO COMING IN A FEW MONTHS AHEAD OF THE VISITOR SEASON, AND NOW WE'RE IN THE THICK OF IT.
SO ONE OF THE PARALLEL TRACKS THAT WE FOLLOWED WAS TO DEVELOP SOME NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGNS, NEW MARKETING MESSAGING.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF, UH, MAYBE ONE OR TWO KEY BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS WITH THE COMMITTEE.
UH, WE CAME BACK FORMALIZED, THOSE CAMPAIGNS SHOWED DRAFT MARKETING MATERIAL AND REALLY EXECUTED THE CAMPAIGN.
SO TO DATE, WE'VE RELEASED FIVE, BUT TECHNICALLY BY TONIGHT, IT WILL BE SIX, UH, MARKETING CAMPAIGNS, UH, THAT BEGAN IN APRIL.
UM, EACH OF THOSE CAMPAIGNS TIES TO WHAT WE BELIEVE THUS FAR, OUR DEMAND GENERATORS FOR FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY, YOU KNOW, PRIMARILY THE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE, UH, REALLY PULLING ON THOSE KEY THEMES THAT PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING HERE FOR, UM, LEVERAGING THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, THE FOUNDATION THAT, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUSLY WAS BUILT, UH, TO REACH A BROADER AUDIENCE AND A MORE TARGET, A BROADER AUDIENCE FROM A SENSE OF REACHING MORE EYES, BUT A TARGETED AUDIENCE IN THE SENSE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT JUST TRYING TO GENERALLY RAISE AWARENESS.
WE'RE TRYING TO GO TO TARGET MARKETS THAT HAVE INTEREST IN OUR PRODUCT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT A BUDGET ORGANIZATION WITH MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT IT WAS GOING TO SPEND ON GENERAL AWARENESS.
WE REALLY WANT TO RAISE AWARENESS WITH OUR KEY TARGET AUDIENCES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN OUR EXPERIENCES.
THAT'S MORE OF A RURAL EXPERIENCE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO HERE, WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.
SO EACH OF THOSE CAMPAIGNS IS TIED TO A KEY TARGET MARKET, TO A GEOGRAPHY THAT IS WITHIN DRIVE DISTANCE, UH, AND IS TIED TO, AGAIN, KEY DEMAND DRIVERS.
UM, WE, WE HAVE SEEN SOME GREAT ACTIVITY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS SINCE RELEASING THESE CAMPAIGNS WE'RE SEEING.
AND I THINK I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT IN OUR TARGET MARKETS, WE'RE GOING TO COLD AUDIENCES.
SO THEY'RE NOT PEOPLE THAT WE'VE INHERITED A DISTRIBUTION LIST FROM.
SO THIS IS ALL NEW, UH, NEW VISIBILITY, IF YOU WILL, FOR FRONT ROW IN WARREN COUNTY.
AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SOME PRETTY GOOD ENGAGEMENT THUS FAR WHERE WE'RE SEEING PRETTY GOOD RETURN ON THESE EARLY CAMPAIGNS.
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VERY LITTLE DOLLARS, EVERYTHING BEING APPROVED BY THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE.UM, I THINK WE SET A BUDGET VERY EARLY AT $5,000.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A TEST WITH SOME KEY MARKETS, TRY AND BREAK IT DOWN, UH, FOR THESE CAMPAIGNS.
SO WE'VE SPENT LESS THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON EACH CAMPAIGN, AND YOU CAN SEE THE COST PER ENGAGEMENT ON THAT BOTTOM STAT IS 56 CENTS.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE REACHING A GOOD AUDIENCE.
WE WANT TO MAKE IT GET TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE NOT JUST TELLING YOU THAT WE'RE REACHING THE RIGHT AUDIENCE, THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY CONVERTING THEM TO VISITATION AND WHAT THAT DOLLAR SPEND MEANS FOR US.
SO THESE ARE, THIS IS VERY EARLY FIRST FEW MONTHS, FIRST FEW CAMPAIGNS OUT OF THE GATE, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE GETTING A GOOD REACH OUT OF IT.
WE'RE SEEING GOOD ENGAGEMENT PER POST.
THESE ARE OUR ADS THAT WE ARE POSTING ON SOCIAL CHANNELS OR OUR, OUR, UH, DIRECT EMAIL CAMPAIGNS.
UH, SO NOT SPENDING BIG BUDGET DOLLARS ON GENERALLY RAISING AWARENESS, BUT REALLY GOING TO A TARGETED LIST THAT WE KNOW WE CAN ENGAGE WITH.
THESE ARE SOME SAMPLE CAMPAIGNS.
UH, SO THE FIRST ONE WE DID WAS CALLED GET-OUT GOLF.
IT WAS EARLY SPRING TIME TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET BACK OUT.
WE KNOW WE HAVE GREAT GOLF RESOURCE RESOURCES IN THE AREA.
SO EACH OF THE CAMPAIGNS THAT VERTICAL PIECE IS THE DIRECT EMAIL PIECE.
AND THE PIECE ON THE SIDE IS A SAMPLE OF A SOCIAL POST.
SO EACH OF THOSE CAMPAIGNS HAS A PRIMARY ACTIVITY PLACES TO STAY THINGS TO DO AROUND THAT ACTIVITY, WHETHER IT'S AND DRINK OR OTHERWISE, AND THEN AS TIED TO A SOCIAL, UH, SERIES OF SOCIAL POSTS AS WELL.
SO THAT FIRST ONE THERE IS GET OUT AND GOLF.
WE HAD ONE CALLED PERFECT ADVENTURES, WHICH WAS A DAY TRIP DESIGNED TO GET PEOPLE FROM THE CITY, WITH DOGS TO COME OUT AND GO HIKING WITH THEIR FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS THAT PERFORMED INCREDIBLY WELL.
SO WE THINK WE KNOW THAT DOGS HAVE SELL OR AT LEAST GET INTEREST.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD ONE, THERE IS ADVENTURE AWAITS.
SO AGAIN, PLAYING OFF OF THE KEY THEMES THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER HERE AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO COME DOWN AND STAY OVERNIGHT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF SAMPLES.
LIKE I SAID, WE'VE, WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE IN THE WORKS.
UH, NEXT PIECE HERE IS THE VISITOR CENTER REFRESH.
SO WE'VE SPENT SOME TIME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND, UH, WITH, WITH THE TOWN IN PARTICULAR ON, AGAIN, REFRESHING THE SPACE AND WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN? AND WE HAVE A GOAL TO CREATE A MORE DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT, A MORE ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT, SO WE CAN HELP CURATE AND CULTIVATE THE RIGHT GRIP FOR A TRAVELER.
UM, SO OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY GET IN FRONT OF THEM BEFORE THEY'RE HERE THROUGH SUMMER, THESE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS THROUGH DIRECTING INQUIRIES INTO THE VISITOR CENTER, BUT ALSO ONCE THEY ARE HERE AND WE HAVE THIS FOOT TRAFFIC, WHAT ARE THEY COMING INTO THE VISITOR CENTER FOR WANTING TO CREATE A PLACE THAT IS FULL OF ACTIVITY THAT REALLY HELPS CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN A VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND WHAT LOCALLY WE HAVE TO OFFER.
SO IN PHASE I'VE BROKEN IT DOWN HERE IN TWO PHASES.
I THINK IT WILL BE A CONTINUED AND EVER CONTINUING AND EVOLVING PROCESS TO, TO REFRESH THE SPACE WITH NEW EXPERIENCES.
BUT IN TWO PHASES, WE HAVE A FIRST PHASE OF ADDING SOME DIGITAL DISPLAYS, UM, REFRESHING THE INTERIOR FROM A BROCHURE DRIVEN ENVIRONMENT TO LET'S TAKE THE LET'S.
LET'S NOT GO TO A BROCHURES FIRST.
NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT IMPORTANT, BUT SO THAT WE CAN ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN AND TELL US WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
AND THEN WE CAN HELP DIRECT AND SHOW THEM THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN DOING.
SO WE'VE ADDED SOME NEW DIGITAL DISPLAYS.
UH, WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING IN PHASE TWO, SOME LARGER WALL, UH, IMAGERY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, AGAIN, A MORE DYNAMIC VISUAL THAT HITS YOU WHEN YOU WALK IN, UM, SOME MORE DYNAMIC, UH, RETAIL OFFERINGS.
SO DISPLAYS THAT MIGHT HAVE THINGS LIKE CANOES, KAYAKS, OR NO MOUNTAIN BIKES TO TRY AND AGAIN, BRING THE OUTSIDE INSIDE, UM, AND REALLY TRYING TO CREATE AN ACTIVITY HUB.
SO HOW CAN WE BE A PLACE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT JUST COMING IN TO GET INFORMATION, BUT FEEL LIKE THEY WANT TO GO TO THIS.
THIS IS WHERE THE ACTIVITY TAKES PLACE.
SO, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, UM, WORK THROUGH THAT AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, UH, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF OBVIOUSLY THE VISITOR SEASON, VERY EARLY, STILL IN THE HIKING SEASON, MORE TO GO AS WE GET INTO THE FALL.
SO THIS WILL CONTINUE, UH, AS THE VISITOR SEASON CONTINUES AS WELL.
THE LAST PIECE HERE IS ADDITIONAL DESTINATION ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO THIS IS REALLY JUST A CATCH ALL SLIDE ON ALL OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE THREE PARALLEL TRACKS OF FORMING THE ORGANIZATION, DRAFTING SOME NEW MARKETING MESSAGING AND REFRESHING THE VISITOR CENTER.
SO IN ADDITION TO THOSE THREE AREAS, WE'VE OBVIOUSLY STAYED ENGAGED WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
I WE'VE MET WITH MAIN STREET BUSINESSES, A HANDFUL OF TIMES, UH, BOTH IN-PERSON AND CONTINUED PHONE CALLS ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.
UM, WANTING TO OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTAND THE TRAIL COMMUNITY WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.
HOW DO WE, UH, AS WE ARE A DESTINATION ON A TRAIL TOWN, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT AMENITIES? HOW DO WE GIVE THE RIGHT INSTRUCTION AND DIRECTION AS PEOPLE ARE COMING OFF THE TRAIL? UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN ENGAGED WITH, UH, THE VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION
[00:30:01]
AS THE STATE, OREGON, THE STATE DMO, THE STATE RUN, UH, ORGANIZATION IN TOURISM.UM, WE'VE HAD, I'VE HAD TWO MEETINGS IN PERSON WITH THEM.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A PHONE AND VIDEO CALLS WITH THEM ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE RECENTLY SUBMITTED FOR A RECOVERY GRANT THAT OPENED LAST WEEK.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THEM AND LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNER PARTNERSHIP AND LEVERAGE THERE WITH VTC.
UM, SIMILARLY THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY REGIONAL TOURISM PARTNERSHIP IS A SUBSET IF YOU WILL, OF VTC.
SO, UH, VTC HAS REGIONS ACROSS THE STATE, HOW THEY GROUP, UH, DIFFERENT TOURISM REGIONS.
SO WE ARE PART OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY TOURISM PARTNERSHIP.
THEY HAVE REGIONAL MEETINGS ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THOSE AS WELL AND LOOKING TO LEVERAGE REGIONAL PARTNERS.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST PIECE IS, UH, CREATING RELATIONSHIPS FOR PARTNERS AND PARTNERING AND PACKAGING.
AND SO THIS WILL BE A CONTINUED EFFORT, AND I DON'T THINK THIS WILL EVER STOP, BUT AS WE, AS WE GET STARTED, UH, IN KNOWING WHAT MARKETING MESSAGES ARE RESONATING, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE FOR BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE, TRYING TO BE THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN TOURISM EXPERIENCES AND THE TOURISM MARKET AND WHAT OUR BUSINESSES HAVE TO OFFER.
SO WE'VE STARTED TO GO DOWN THAT PATH WITH PUTTING SOME PACKAGES TOGETHER, WORKING WITH THE HOTEL COMMUNITY, TRYING TO GET, UH, WHETHER IT'S DISCOUNTED RATES OR AT LEAST OPPORTUNITIES TO PLUG INTO EXPERIENCES.
SO THAT WILL BE A CONTINUED, UH, EFFORT ON OUR PART AS WELL, BUT STARTING TO HAVE SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS EARLY CONFERENCE.
SO WITH THAT, OUR NEXT STEPS HERE ARE TO, UH, CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH OF FORMING THE DMO.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL DOCUMENTS THAT ARE UNDER REVIEW, BYLAWS ARTICLES, UH, CONTRACTS, AND AN MOA.
UH, THOSE WILL REQUIRE, UH, EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, APPROVAL SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN GO DOWN THE PATH OF FORMING THE ORGANIZATION, GETTING EVERYTHING UP AND RUNNING.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE ONE THAT WILL BE RELEASED, UH, TONIGHT AND WE HAVE MORE IN THE WORKS.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT SEASONALLY AND, AND, UH, AS, UH, ACTIVITIES EVOLVE AND CHANGE.
UH, AND THEN THE LAST PIECE THERE IS COMPLETING THE VISITOR CENTER TRANSITION, WHICH AS I MENTIONED, WILL BE A MULTI-PHASE PROCESS.
AND AS THE SEASONS EVOLVE, AND AS THE ORGANIZATION MATURES AND NEW PARTNERS COME TO THE TABLE, THAT WILL BE A CONTINUED EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO REFRESH THE SPACE AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL STOP AND TAKE AWAY ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M THE DESTINATION MARKETING, UH, RECOMMENDING AND THE BOARD.
UM, THERE'S GOING TO BE APPLICATIONS FOR THAT RIGHT THERE.
SO THE A AND I'LL DEFER TO, UH, ALYSSA AS NEEDED, BUT, UM, THE TOWN DID POST A, UH, BOARD APPLICATION, UH, WITH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, ANYBODY CAN APPLY TO THAT.
I BELIEVE A RESUME IS REQUIRED AND IT'S A SINGLE SHEET OF Q AND A ABOUT HOW THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE BOARD WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
SO THEY CAN, I BELIEVE THAT IS STILL OPEN.
UM, I JUST HAD A QUICK, QUICK COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE OF THE SIDES MAKES MENTION OF, UH, TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILES.
I WAS JUST INTERESTED IN, IT COULD BE OFFLINE, BUT JUST GETTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THOSE TARGET DEMOGRAPHICS ARE AND HOW WE'RE COMING UP WITH THAT, THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN ALSO, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT OUR SAMPLE CAMPAIGNS.
I KNOW WHERE WE'VE ONLY DONE THREE, UH, JUST HAD SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT IT.
LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE, UM, ACTIVITY ORIENTED.
AND I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT, UH, WHAT ACTIVITIES TO INCLUDE IN FUTURE CAMPAIGNS.
AND I GUESS, UH, SUM THAT UP BY, I I'D LOVE TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE, UM, THE COMMITTEE OR JUST OFFLINE THROUGH EMAIL, I'VE GOT A FEW IDEAS.
I I'D LOVE TO THE MORE FEEDBACK, THE BETTER, SO ABSOLUTELY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON OKAY.
ANYBODY ELSE? NO, THAT'S GREAT STUFF.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED TO SPEAK TINA? YES, SIR.
WE HAVE SIX, UM, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, THEY SHOULD NOT BE RELATED TO, SORRY, NOW WE HAVE NONE.
WAS ANYBODY HERE LIKE TO SPEAK? NOPE.
ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT, DANG DONE.
[8A. An Ordinance Amendment to the Town Code Chapter 12-3 (Finance Fees) to Remove Credit Card Fees from any Payments Due to the Town if Tendered by either Credit Card or Debit Card and Approval of a FY2022 Budget Amendment - BJ ]
NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDER TO AMEND[00:35:01]
THE TOWN CODE CHAPTER 12 DASH THREE FINANCE FEES TO REMOVE CREDIT CARD FEES FROM ANY PAYMENTS DUE TO THE TOWN.IF TINDER BY EITHER CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT CARD AND APPROVAL OF THE FYI 2022 BUDGET AMENDMENT.
TINA, COULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO AMEND TOWN CODE CHAPTER 12, THREE FINANCE FEES TO REMOVE FEES.
WHEN PAYMENT OF ANY TOWN TRANSACTION IS TENDERED BY EITHER CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT CARD OR ANY OTHER MEANS OF PAYMENT BY WHICH THE TOWN INCURS A CHARGE AS PRESENTED IF APPROVED, COUNSEL'S REQUESTED APPROVE A F F Y 22 BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $140,000 DUE TO THE FA FYI 2022 BUDGET BEING ALREADY APPROVED.
A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON MAY 24TH, BUT REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA.
A NEW PUBLIC HEARING WAS ADVERTISED FOR TONIGHT.
THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, IF APPROVED WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2021.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT THE SIGN OF THE SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? NO, SIR.
UH, WAS THERE ANYBODY HERE I'D LIKE TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT.
BE ANONYMOUS, CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING, AND OPENED UP THE COUNCIL.
UM, AS A SUGGESTION, MR. MAYOR, UM, I THINK I HAVE TO MAKE THE MOTION FUCKING COMMENT ON IT, AND I CAN EXPLAIN IT MY COMMENTS, IF SOMEBODY SECOND SAID, AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE TO DO FROM THERE, BUT, UM, MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE, I STILL WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO TAKE THIS BACK TO A WORK, A WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS, UM, TO DISCUSS SOME MORE ACTIONS AROUND, UH, AROUND THIS CHANGE.
SO I PROPOSE TO, UM, UH, I PROPOSE TO TAKE THIS BACK TO A WORK SESSION.
THAT'S I'D LIKE TO SAY SECOND, SECOND.
UH, TINA, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? WHAT WE GET COMMENTS FIRST? OH, DISCUSSION.
SO THE REASON WHY I WANT TO TAKE IT BACK TO A WORK SESSION, WE TOOK IT BACK TO A WORK SESSION ONCE BEFORE.
UM, WE GOT MORE CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF ON, UM, ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED IN THAT CIRCULATED IN THE COMMUNITY RELATED TO, UM, WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
UM, AND THE POTENTIAL COST TO TAXPAYERS WHO OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT FOOTING THE BILL FOR, FOR CREDIT CARD FEES.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANTED TO NOTE HERE.
UM, NUMBER ONE, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF, I AM IN FAVOR OF A MORE EFFICIENT WAY OF PAYING FOR OUR BILLS, UTILITY BILLS SPECIFICALLY, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF TAKING CREDIT CARDS AND USING THAT AS A METHOD FOR PAYING TAX BILLS, FOR INSTANCE, AND OUR TAX REVENUE, UM, IT'S FORECASTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IF WE WERE TO GO THAT ROUTE, THAT WOULD INCREASE OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET BY ABOUT ANOTHER 44,000 ANNUALLY.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS, WHAT I'M TRYING TO, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SEPARATE OUT HERE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR GENERAL FUND AND OUR ENTERPRISE FUND OR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
THERE ARE BUSINESSES LIKE OUR, UH, UTILITIES FOR ELECTRIC WATER, SEWER, TRASH, OR SOLID WASTE.
UM, THOSE BUSINESSES RUN LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
THEY'RE NOT IDEALLY NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDED THROUGH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDED THROUGH YOUR UTILITY BILLS.
WHAT YOU USE IS WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE CONSULTING SERVICES THAT HELP US MODERATE THE FEES ON THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFLATION AND OUR COSTS WITH, UM, OUR, OUR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS IN LINE SO THAT WE COVER OUR OPERATING COSTS FOR UTILITIES.
SO ONE OF THE MISNOMERS THAT WAS OUT THERE, UH, THE EMAILS THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING IS THAT THIS IS GOING TO RAISE YOUR UTILITY BILLS BY OR RAISE OUR BILL IS BY A DOLLAR 77, UM, PER CUSTOMER TO, IN ORDER TO COVER THE COST OF OUR CREDIT CARD FEES.
AND THAT'S SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.
THIS COUNCIL'S NEVER TALKED ABOUT RAISING ANYTHING, UH, TO COVER THE COST OF CREDIT CARD FEES.
WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET TO IS AN EFFICIENCY, UH, IN THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE IN COLLECTING PAYMENT.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS MORE OR LESS AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM, LESS SMELL, LESS CHECK PROCESSING, LESS ACCOUNT RECONCILIATION, LESS BAD DEBT ASSOCIATED TO, UM, UH, RELATED TO, UM, UNPAID BILLS.
SO THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE DRIVING TOWARDS.
AND AS PART OF THAT PROCESS IS ALLOWING FOR CUSTOMERS TO PAY THEIR BILLS WITH CREDIT CARDS, AS YOU KNOW, DOMINION POWER OR ALLEGHENY THOMPSON GAS, ALL THESE OTHER MAJOR ENTERPRISES DO.
UM, AGAIN, NOT WITH THE INTENT OF NOT RAISING ANY COST FOR OUR CUSTOMER BASE, BUT FIGURING OUT A WAY TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT IN THE PROCESS IN DOING THAT.
SO WE LACK SOME INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE LACK A SYSTEM THAT IS GOING TO HELP US BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
[00:40:01]
US DRIVING TOWARDS ADOPTING A PROCESS WHERE WE ACCEPT CREDIT CARD FEES IS TO HELP TRY TO ENCOURAGE THAT THAT COMES TO FRUITION SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.BUT AGAIN, US PURCHASING A NEW SYSTEM TO PROCESS CREDIT CARDS, TO HOLD AN ACCOUNT HOLDERS INFORMATION IN OUR SYSTEM, TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS THESE CREDIT CARDS.
THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S GONNA COST.
UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST FOR CREDIT CARDS, IT'S UPDATING AN ANTIQUATED SYSTEM.
SO I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND TAKING THIS BACK TO COUNCIL, UH, TO WORK WITH STAFF ON A PLAN TO OFFSET THE EXPENSE OF CREDIT CARD FEES THROUGH PROPOSED EFFICIENCIES IN AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM.
UM, I HAVE A DESIRE TO WORK THROUGH THIS.
I DON'T WANT TO FORCE IT THROUGH, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON COUNCILS IN OUR HURRY TO GET THIS DONE, BUT, UM, YOU'D PROBABLY HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF A DIVIDED, UM, DIVIDED VIEWPOINT ON HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT THAT.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S MY INTENT OF TAKING THIS BACK TO WORK SESSION, TO DIRECT STAFF ON THE NEXT STEPS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT JAKE IS SAYING ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE TAXES TO BE ABLE TO SEPARATE THOSE OUT.
I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS HERE THAT WE SPEND $12,000 PER YEAR IN A SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN CHARGE PEOPLE DIFFERENCES, UM, FOR THE CONVENIENCE FEE SEPARATELY, UM, THAN WE DO FOR OTHER PAYMENTS.
UM, WE REALLY DO NEED TO GET SOME EFFICIENCIES AROUND THIS AND BE ABLE TO SEPARATE OFF THE REAL ESTATE PIECE.
SO I'M OKAY WITH THIS, GOING BACK TO A WORK SESSION ONE MORE TIME, JUST SO WE GET IT RIGHT AND NOT MOVE FAST AND NOT DO SOMETHING WRONG, BUT NOT BE AS EFFICIENT AS WE COULD.
UH, YES, MR. MAYOR, UM, UH, MY OPPOSITION TO THIS IS, IS THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW WHAT JAKE IS SAYING, BUT EVENTUALLY, EVENTUALLY THAT HUNTING FOR $140,000 IS GOING TO BE ABSORBED, YOU KNOW, UM, LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD.
AND, UM, I TAKE THE ADAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING'S FREE AND, UM, I DON'T SEE PASSING A CALL SNOWING TO A MAJORITY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE, OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT EXTRA COST AND MEANS A LOT TO THEM.
UM, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO THIS PARTICULAR DISCUSSION ABOUT TAKING IT BACK TO A WORK SESSION? I PERSONALLY DON'T MIND IT.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THE NUMBERS ON THE EFFICIENCIES THAT COULD BE GAINED BY UPDATING OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEM, IF I'M IN FAVOR OF MAKING INVESTMENTS THAT ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND FOR OUR TAXPAYERS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THE BUSINESS CASE HAS GOT TO RESOLVE IN ACTUAL EFFICIENCY.
UM, AND WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED TO US, DOES NOT ACTUALLY ACQUIRE FOR US ANY ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES.
IT JUST CHANGES THE WAY THAT WE PAY FOR THEM.
UM, AND IN A WAY THAT THAT PASSES LIKE, UH, MR. GILLESPIE IS SAYING AT LEAST $140,000 ONTO THE, ONTO THE CUSTOMERS WHICH NOT SUPPORTIVE.
SO IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THIS, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
OH, I DID WANT TO COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS.
AGAIN, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND OUR GENERAL FUNDS, GENERAL FUNDS RECEIVE REVENUES THROUGH INCREASING TAXES.
OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE, UM, ARE OPERATED THROUGH WHAT WE GET IN PAYMENT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS WHO SIGN UP TO GET ELECTRIC OR TRUST SERVICES OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
AND IN MY MIND, I SEPARATE THE TWO BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ADDING INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR INSTANCE, OR ADDING NEW SOFTWARE OR ADDING A BETTER SYSTEM TO OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.
AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT, A COST OF DOING BUSINESS FOR THE CUSTOMERS OF THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S DIFFERENT IN MY MIND THAN, THAN RAISING TAXES.
AND WE CAN'T JUST KEEP HOLDING DIFFERENT PARTS OF THAT PROCESS BACK BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP THE EXPENSES LOW ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS BECAUSE EVENTUALLY THAT TOO WILL CATCH UP WITH HOW WE'RE RUNNING OUR BUSINESSES.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. MAYOR? UM, JUST ONE MORE COMMENT.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE HERE IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT 140,000 WOULD, WOULD BE GREAT FOR DEBT PAYMENT, UM, TO HELP, UH, GET SOME OF THIS STUFF IN ORDER FOR US.
UM, TINA, I KNOW IT CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT SINCE WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY TAKE US BACK TO A WORK SESSION, CAN I REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LEAVE IT OPEN UNTIL OUR, UH, WE HAVE OUR NEXT HEARING ON THE MATTER
[00:45:03]
YOU CAN, BUT YOU'VE ACTUALLY HAD A PUBLIC HEARING.SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO, I MEAN, I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO DAN.
IT'S IT'S WHATEVER YOU GUYS WE'VE GOT TO.
UM, THE MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE IT TO A WORK SESSION AT THE MOMENT WE NEED TO, UM, ON A MOTION TO TAKE IT TO A WORK SESSION.
VICE MAYOR COCKREL NO COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE.
THAT'D BE ON A WORK SESSION HERE.
SO IN YOUR WORK SESSION, YOU CAN DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO ADVERTISE FOR ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, DOUG, IS THAT ABLE TO BE DONE ONCE THAT MOTION HAS BEEN PUT OUT? THE QUESTION WAS TO REMOVE IT AND BRING IT BACK TO WORK SESSION.
MAJORITY MAJORITY WOULD DO THAT.
[8B. Public Hearing to Receive Public Comments and Concerns Pertaining to the Proposed Policy and Procedures for Special Event Permits - Alisa]
ALL RIGHT.MOVING ON, UH, PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CONCERNS PERTAINING TO THE PROPOSED POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS LIKE TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
TINA, COULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CONCERNS PERTAINING TO THE PROPOSED POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS.
TWO PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS WERE HELD BY STAFF ON JUNE 17TH AT 10:00 AM AT THE TOWN COMMONS PAVILION AND JUNE 21ST AT 5:00 PM IN THE TOWN HALL CONFERENCE ROOM DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF GREAT FEEDBACK FROM BOTH OF THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS, STAFF PREFERS TO LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK FROM TONIGHT'S PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BEFORE THE PROPOSED POLICY AND PROCEDURES ARE PRESENTED AGAIN TO COUNCIL AT THE JULY 12TH WORK SESSION.
AND WE HAVE SIX SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, OKAY.
LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER, ANNIE, GET THERESE.
I'M SORRY IF I MISSED THAT, ANNIE, MY HUSBAND AND I DON'T AGREE ON HOW TO SAY HER NAME.
I AM ANDY GUTIERREZ, OWNER OF THE CHICKEN JIVE DANCE STUDIO AND MAIN STREET.
AND I LIVE AT 1 68 WEST ROSEBURG IN TOWN.
I ASK THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER A MUCH MORE COMMUNITY FRIENDLY PROCESS AND LESS EXORBITANT REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS.
I DID NOT COME WITH JUST CONCERNS.
I DID ALSO HAVE A COUNTER PROPOSAL.
THE PROPOSED MATRIX SYSTEM THAT WE LOOKED AT IN THE PAST FEW MEETINGS IS EXCESSIVE LOGISTICALLY AND FINANCIALLY, AS WELL AS OUT OF REACH FOR MANY SMALL EVENTS, WHICH ADDS SO MUCH CHARM AND CHARACTER TO OUR TOWN.
THE CURRENT MATRIX PROPOSAL IS NOT PRACTICAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND IS GEARED TO MUCH LARGER TOURISM EVENTS.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE JIG AND JIVE DANCE STUDIO, ALONG WITH MANY OF OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, WE WOULD NOT PASS THE MATRIX.
I TRIED TO DO A ROUGH DRAFT ON MYSELF AND FILL IN ALL MY REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT DOING ALL THE PAPERWORK.
AND I COULDN'T MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT.
AND THUS WOULD BE AN ELIGIBLE FOR AN EVENT PERMIT THAT BEING SAID THIS, UM, IF THIS PROPOSAL WOULD IT GO THROUGH, MY BUSINESS WOULD BE AFFECTED AS WOULD MY COMMUNITY.
UM, WITH THIS PROPOSAL, PERMITS ARE NOT EASILY OBTAINED FOR MEDIUM SIZED EVENTS AND WILL BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR SMALL EVENTS.
AS I SAID, WHICH BRINGS US TO A GAPING HOLE IN THE PROPOSAL.
AND ONE IN WHICH MANY WILL FALL, I'M SQUEAKING THE MEDIUM SIZED DEFENSE.
WE'LL HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO GO BIGGER OR THEY HAVE TO GO HOME.
AND THE GAMBLE IS EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THE FEES HAVE GOT RAISED TIME CONSUMING AND REQUIRES EARLY COMMITMENTS FROM MULTIPLE EXTERNAL SOURCES.
AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE RUN EVENTS BEFORE WE KNOW THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE.
NOW I AM, OF COURSE, ASSUMING THAT THE TOWN SEES A BENEFIT IN OUR UNIQUE PERSONABLE AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS, TOURISM IS IMPORTANT, BUT AS IS THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WE'D WANT A PERMIT SYSTEM THAT BENEFITS BOTH THE TOURISM AND THE COMMUNITY IN AND OF ITSELF.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ON THAT PREMISE THAT I PROPOSE A SOLUTION BE FOUND IN A DIFFERENT SYSTEM.
AND I CAME UP WITH A THREE TIER SYSTEM THAT ENCOURAGES BOTH SMALL AND GRAND EVENTS.
SO THEN IT COULD FIT BOTH AND NOT JUST SQUASH ONE.
AND THAT WOULD BE BOTH FOR THE PRESIDENT IN THE FUTURE.
[00:50:01]
BE ABLE TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.I KNOW THERE'S A DIVISION ALL ACROSS THE BOARD IN TOWN, BUT PERHAPS WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT IS GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, GOOD FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND GOOD FOR THE OVERALL TOWN FUNCTIONS THAT YOU GUYS CAN ALSO GET SOME REVENUE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO GIVE OUR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES THAT WILL ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO GROW AND PROSPER IN FRONT ROYAL AS A COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT COMMUNITY EVENTS DO.
SO I LOOKED AT THE 220 VILLAGE COMMENTS REPORT AND THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR A FEW YEARS, AS WELL AS THE CURRENT TOWN PROPOSAL.
AND I HAVE A THREE TIER OPTION, WHICH WOULD EASE THE BURDEN OF PAPERWORK ON THE BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
IT WOULD CONTINUE TO OCCUR EJ COMMUNITY EVENTS AND WOULD ALSO PROVIDE A STRUCTURED PERMIT PROCESS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE ORGANIC GROWTH.
NOW, THAT BEING SAID, I RECOMMEND THAT WE TAKE THE RIGHT NOW IT'S A MATRIX SYSTEM IS WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS.
AND I WAS HOPING WE CAN MOVE IT TO A TIER SYSTEM.
SO TIER ONE WOULD BE FOR TOURISM EVENTS.
AND THOSE WOULD BE THE EVENTS THAT SHUT DOWN THE STREET FOR AT LEAST A FULL DAY.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE USE OF THE PUBLIC PROPERLY PROPERTY, WHICH IS GENERALLY THE GAZEBO PAVILION AND PARKING LOTS THERE.
UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF PERSONS AND HOW MUCH REVENUE YOU MAKE AND ALL THAT.
THE SECOND TIER WOULD BE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND THAT'S WHERE STREETS SHUT DOWN FOR UP TO FOUR HOURS.
AND THAT INCLUDES FULL OR PARTIAL DAY USE OF THE GAZEBO PAVILION OR OTHER TOWN PROPERTY.
AGAIN, THESE ARE PARTIAL EVENTS AND THOSE ARE LOOKING AT EVENTS FOR 500 PERSONS AND UP, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE ORGANIZATION AND SMALL BUSINESS EVENTS, WHICH I THINK HAD BEEN LEFT OUT IN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE DON'T SHUT THE STREET DOWN.
WE DO USE THE GAZEBO OR THE PAVILION, OUR PUBLIC AREA.
AND THERE'S USUALLY NO VENDORS, NO PROFIT INVOLVED.
IT'S THERE FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND THOSE ARE ABOUT 50 PLUS PERSONS.
UM, I HAVE A COPY IF YOU WANT IT, BUT THAT'S WHERE I STAND.
SO THAT IS A BIGGER CONSIDERATION.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING HERE.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT WHERE ANY OF US WANT TO BE EVERY NIGHT.
I'M A, I'M A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
I LIVE IN FRONT ROW, VIRGINIA.
I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, BUT I HAVEN'T SPONSORED ANY OF THE EVENTS, BUT I'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THESE EVENTS FOR YEARS THROUGH THE HERITAGE SOCIETY, JAKE AND JIVE DANCE STUDIO, UM, FAMILY FUN DAY WITH, UH, PARADES CHRISTMAS PRAISE THROUGH THE CHAMBER.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THESE, AND I THINK IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN THESE EVENTS, ENCOURAGE THE EVENTS AND DON'T LIMIT THE EVENTS UNNECESSARILY BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN PLACES YOU CAN GO.
IF YOU'RE IN A HIGH SCHOOL BAND TO BE IN A PRAYED THAT YOUR MOM AND DAD ARE GOING TO SEE, THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN PLACES YOU CAN GO.
IF YOU'RE IN JIGGING, JIVING IN A DANCE STUDIO AND YOU WANT YOUR PARENTS AND FAMILY TO SEE IT, THERE'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN PLACES YOU'RE GOING TO GO.
IF YOU LIVE IN THE TOWN LIMITS AND YOU WANT TO BE PART OF THESE KINDS OF EVENTS, WHAT'S THE CAR SHOW A DANCE THING, A MUSIC THING.
SO I THINK IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST.
I, TO POINT OUT THIS MATRIX, I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS A LONG TIME.
I'VE BEEN TAKING COURSES IN STATISTICS, AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU COULD TAKE THREE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE PUT THE SAME EVENT IN FRONT OF YOU GO INTO THREE DIFFERENT ROOMS AND GET THE SAME SCORE ON THOSE MATRIX TOO SUBJECTIVE.
BY FAR TOO SUBJECTIVE, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF FEET OR MILES OR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT VISIT RATHER IT'S COMMUNITY BENEFIT, WHICH YOU HAVE TO GO IN AND SAY, WELL, WHAT IS COMMUNITY BENEFIT OR ITS HISTORY OF EVENT SUCCESS.
AND NOW YOU HAVE TO GO INTO FIND SUCCESS AND SUCCESS CAN BE ANYTHING DIFFERENT FOR A DANCE RECITAL VERSUS, UH, A BRUISE AND BLUES FESTIVAL.
THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN COMPARE SUCCESS OF THOSE SAME EVENTS.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT, THEY'RE TOTALLY DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
THEY'RE BASED ON EVIDENCE OF PARTNERSHIP, MULTIPLE BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING.
THAT'S SOMETHING, PERHAPS YOU COULD COUNT MULTIPLE BUSINESSES, BUT BUSINESSES COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.
DON'T THEY, IF WALMART RURAL KING OR THE BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING, IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN JIG AND JIVE AND CNCS ICE CREAM.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THERE'S, THERE'S ALMOST NOTHING ON HERE.
AND WHOEVER HAS TO MEASURE THESE EVENTS OR RATE THESE EVENTS IS UNDER, UH, IT'S REALLY UP TO THEM.
ISN'T IT ABOUT HOW GOOD IT WAS? WHAT BENEFIT IT WAS, HOW THE COMMUNITY PROFITED.
I DON'T THINK THE MATRIX IS WORKABLE, BUT I THINK ANY SOLUTION AND I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SAY, ANNIE, YOU NEED TO MAKE A COPY AND GIVE THAT TO EVERYBODY.
BECAUSE IF YOU SAY SIZES OF BUSINESS, SPONSORING IT, SIZES OF CROWDS PARTICIPATING.
IF THERE'S VENDORS OR NOT VENDORS
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AT WHAT KIND OF PROFITS ARE BROUGHT IN.NOW, WE HAVE NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN MEASURE THAT ARE CONCRETE AND THAT YOU CAN REFER BACK TO WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF HEADACHES FROM THIS SUBJECTIVE MATRIX.
ANYWAY, I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE COUNCIL HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND I THINK I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT AGAIN, THESE ARE THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND THIS WORD COMMUNITY EVENTS TAKE PLACE.
THIS IS WHERE WE WANT THEM TO HAPPEN.
SO IT NEEDS TO BE FRIENDLY ENOUGH TO ENCOURAGE THESE EVENTS.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
GOOD EVENING LEADERSHIP ON MONDAY.
NO, SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL, MY NAME IS JOHN LUNDBERG.
I LIVE AT 2 0 3 PEACHTREE COURT HERE IN FRONT ROYAL.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS TWO TOPICS.
ONE IS THE IMPERFECT AND FLAWED SYSTEM FOR GROOVING SPECIAL EVENTS IN FRONT ROYAL DEVELOPED BY MR. HICKS AND HIS STAFF.
SECOND FRONT ROYALS, LACK OF A JOINT WRITTEN PUBLIC VISION DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
MAYBE BIGGEST REASON OUR COMMUNITY CAN SOLVE MANY LITTLE OR BIG PROBLEMS. I WILL ASK YOU A QUESTION HOW LONG IN THE WORLD CAN A COMMUNITY SET GOALS WITHOUT A VISION.
IN MY VIEW, IT'S SIMPLY CAN'T BE DONE.
MRS. GOODY ARROWS HAS JUST PRESENTED A DETAILED THREE CATEGORY SYSTEM FOR APPROVING COMMUNITY EVENTS.
IT IS SHORT TO THE POINT AND UNCOMPLICATED ON THE OTHER OR HAND, I'M NOT IMPRESSED WITH MR. HICKS AND HIS THEFT.
THE PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED, IT IS TOO COMPLICATED, TOO EXPENSIVE FOR MANY GROUPS, A SIZE FITS ALL.
DOESN'T APPLY TO MANY SMALL TOWNS.
IT DOESN'T WORK IN MANY SMALL TOWNS AND IT APPEARS THAT IT IS A PROCESS THAT'S BEING HURRY THROUGH FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.
ONE APPROVAL MEETING WAS HELD ON THE 17TH OF JUNE.
ANOTHER APPROVAL MEETING WAS HELD ON THE 21ST OF JUNE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THIS WEEK, A VOTE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE THIS EVENING HAS BEEN DELAYED UNTIL LATER IN JULY.
WHAT IS THE RUSH OF PUSHING THROUGH SOMETHING AS MAJOR AS THIS TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT? LET ME MOVE NEXT TO A TOPIC THAT I FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
AND THAT IS THE LACK OF A JOINT WRITTEN PUBLIC VISION DEVELOPED JOINTLY BY THE TOWN COUNCIL, BEFORE WHICH I SPEAK RIGHT NOW AND THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MAYBE THE BIGGEST SINGLE REASON, LOTS OF PROBLEMS EXIST IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WHEN MY WIFE AND I MOVED TO FRONT ROYAL IN THE SUMMER OF 2011, 10 YEARS AGO, MANY OLD TIMERS IN THIS COMMUNITY WHOSE OPINION I'VE COME TO RESPECT.
A GREAT DEAL TOLD ME THAT FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY HAVE SUFFERED FROM POOR CIVIC LEADERSHIP FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
HE'S OLD TIMERS POUND POINTED OUT TO ME REPEATEDLY THE MANY, SEVERAL POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DISASTERS THAT WOULD BE FAILED AS COMMUNITY TO NAME JUST THREE, ONE, THE EDA SCANDAL, STILL UNRESOLVED AND ALL TIED UP IN GRAND JURY PROCEEDINGS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.
FIVE YEARS AFTER A FIRST SURFACE TO THE AFTON IN FIASCO, DYLAN EYESORE AFTER 10 YEARS IN WHICH I'VE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY, 33, HOW WINCHESTER TO THE NORTH, WHICH HAS A POPULATION OF 40,000 COMPARED TO FRONT ROYALS 20,000 HAS PROSPERED CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN OUR TOWN HAS.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? WHEN FRONT ROYAL IS THE COMMUNITY WITH BEAUTIFUL LOCATION NESTLED IN THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS, TWO MAGNIFICENT RIVERS RUNNING THROUGH OUR TOWN TO EASILY ACCESSIBLE INTERSTATE SYSTEMS NEARBY THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO THE SKYLINE.
ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS LOCATED JUST A MILE SOUTH OF TOWN AND A HIGHLY EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE INLAND PORT ENTICING TO MANY BUSINESSES.
THE ANSWER IS WINCHESTER DEVELOPED A JOINT CITY COUNTY PUBLIC VISION 30 YEARS AGO, AND IMPLEMENTED IT.
WHERE'S THE JOINT PUBLIC VISION OF FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY.
AS FAR AS I CAN TELL LOCAL CIVIC LEADERS MIGHT HAVE A PRIVATE VISION.
AND I THINK MAYBE SOME OF THE PEOPLE SITTING BEFORE ME RIGHT NOW MIGHT HAVE A PRIVATE VISION OF WHERE THEY WANT THE COMMUNITY TO GO, BUT IT'S NOT IN
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WRITING.AND THERE'S NOT VERY, MANY OF YOU ARE SHARING WITH THE REST OF US.
AND THEY'RE SCANNED EVIDENCE THAT ANY KIND OF A VISION LIKE THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED.
THE CURRENT BROUHAHA THAT WAS SURFACED WHEN MRS. GUTIERREZ TALKED ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNITY EVENTS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WHERE IS THE PUBLIC VISION FROM ALL YOU AND MAYBE THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ET CETERA, OTHER CIVIC LEADERS FOR THE PROMOTION OF A LOT, MEN, YOU KNOW, A HANDFUL OF BIG PUBLIC EVENTS THAT WOULD DROP OUT OF TOWN VISITORS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ALSO WHERE'S THE PUBLIC VISION PROMOTED BY MR. HICKSON, HIS STAFF FOR MANY SMALL COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT OUR LOCAL CITIZENS LIKE TO GET EXCITED ABOUT IN CLOSING UNTIL FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY CIVIC LEADERS DEVELOP A JOINT PUBLIC VISION FOR SOLVING LITTLE PROBLEMS LIKE APPROVING PUBLIC EVENTS, THEY WILL NEVER DEVELOP A PUBLIC VISION FOR SOLVING BIG PROBLEMS LIKE JOBS, HOUSING, AND HOW TO BETTER SPEND $63 MILLION THAT WILL TAXPAYERS GIVE TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TODAY TO EDUCATE 5,000 STUDENTS THAT AVERAGES OUT TO MORE THAN $12,000 PER STUDENT PER YEAR.
A THIRD GRADE TEACHER WITH 20 STUDENTS IN SCHOOL IS LOOKING AT $360,000 IN FRONT OF HER.
YOU TAKE AWAY HER SALARY OF WHAT? 50, 60, $70,000, AND ARE STILL $300,000.
THOSE ARE THE BIG PROBLEMS FACING THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN YOU CAN SOLVE A LITTLE PROBLEM ABOUT HANI, HOW ANNIE GOODIE ERS CAN WALK ACROSS THE STREET AND HAVE HER IRISH DANCING CLASS PUT ON A PRESENTATION THAT MY TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS THOROUGHLY ENJOY EVERY YEAR, YOU WILL NEVER SING THE BIG PROBLEMS IN CLOSING.
ONCE AGAIN, I SAY WITHOUT A VISION, YOU CANNOT, YOU CANNOT SET GOALS IN FRONT OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND THE COUNTY OF WARREN BADLY LACKS VISION RIGHT NOW THAT CAN MOVE THIS COMMUNITY FORWARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING.
I LIVE AT 4 24 WEST 15TH STREET HERE IN FRONT ROYAL.
WE MOVED HERE WITH KIDS WHO WERE TEENAGERS AND SMALLER.
OUR KIDS HAVE GROWN AND MARRIED, AND NOW WE HAVE GRANDKIDS WHO COME AND VISIT US HERE IN FRONT ROYAL AND ENJOY THE MANY THINGS THAT FRONT ROYAL HAS TO OFFER.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS ISSUE, UM, THROUGH MRS. GUTIERREZ, THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT ABOUT YEAH, PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET IN A POSITION OF POWER, VERY OFTEN, IT GOES TO THEIR HEADS AND THEY START TRYING TO GET IN TO EVERYTHING AND EXERCISE THEIR, THEIR SUPPOSED POWER.
UM, I HAVE SEEN VERSIONS OF THAT HAPPEN IN MANY ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING ONE THAT I PERSONALLY GRAVE, WHICH IS THE HERITAGE SOCIETY.
THAT WAS A THRIVING ORGANIZATION.
WHEN WE MOVED HERE, SOMETHING WE WERE EAGERLY INVOLVED IN.
THERE WERE SUMMER HISTORY CAMPS AND THINGS THAT DREW TOURISTS TO TOWN AND ADDED LIFE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PLACE THAT WE LIVE.
AND I LOVE THAT, BUT PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION, UH, BEGAN TO THINK OF IT AS THEIR OWN.
AND IT HAS SINCE DIED AND IT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING AND WE'RE NO LONGER INVOLVED IN IT BECAUSE WE WEREN'T WANTED NO INPUT WAS WANTED.
HAVING SAID THAT I, I LOOK AT WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE USE OF THE GAZEBO AREA AND THE PAVILION AND SOME THINGS THAT ARE THERE, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT THIS BOILS DOWN TO? UM, WHY ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT THAT? I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING NEGATIVE HAPPEN AT THAT GAZEBO.
IT'S A GATHERING PLACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT FEELS A LITTLE BIT LIKE OUR, OUR COMMUNITY FAMILIES LIVING ROOM, WHERE WE GET, GET TOGETHER TO DO FUN THINGS TOGETHER.
UM, SO I'M QUESTIONING WHY IS THIS EVEN COMING UP? IS THERE SOMEONE WHO'S FEELING A LITTLE BIT OF A POWER TRIP? OH, LIKE WE NEED TO GOVERN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN EVERY CORNER OF OUR COMMUNITY, OR IS THERE SOME COMPLAINT, SOME PERSON WHO'S COMPLAINING WHO, WHAT DO THEY WANT? YOU KNOW, SO WHO IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM HAVING A SUPREMELY COMPLICATED METHOD OF GETTING TO COME INTO THE LIVING ROOM
[01:05:01]
AND HAVE A LITTLE PROGRAM, OR ARE WE TRYING TO HINDER PEOPLE? AND THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE IF WE DON'T ALLOW OUR YOUTH TO PERFORM TO THEIR OWN COMMUNITY, WHERE WILL THEY GO WORK? WHERE ELSE CAN THEY GO? THIS IS OUR HOME.WE, I THINK IT'S ALSO VERY INTERESTING.
JUST HAVING LISTENED TO THE SEQUENCE OF SPEAKERS HERE TODAY ON DIFFERENT TOPICS.
THE FIRST PERSON WE HEARD FROM WAS TALKING ABOUT YOUTH IN, IN DANGER OR, UH, AT RISK WHO MAY NOT EVEN HAVE FOOD ON THEIR TABLES, WHOSE FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING.
WHY WOULD WE NOT WANT A POSITIVE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE FAMILIES AND YOUTH IN THESE SITUATIONS CAN SEE MODELED OR EVEN PARTICIPATE IN THE GOOD THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO OFFER THAT ARE SHOWN OFF AT THE GAZEBO.
UM, SO WHEN ANY GUTIERREZ AND OTHERS WHO, WHO PUT ON EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN OUR PUBLIC COMMUNITY, I MEAN THE PUBLIC SPACES IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY'RE LIKE IN THE TRENCHES, THEY ARE WORKING WITH OUR KIDS, TEACHING OUR KIDS, INSPIRING OUR KIDS AND OUR, AND OUR FAMILIES AND PARENTS AND GROWNUPS THAT ALSO PARTICIPATE.
AND I WANTED TO QUOTE, UM, THE GENTLEMEN, MR. MART, WHO SPOKE EARLIER, HE SAID, THESE PEOPLE, YOU'VE SPEAKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN HIS ORGANIZATION, BUT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THESE PEOPLE DO THE HARD WORK, THE HEAVY LIFTING.
I JUST TRY TO STAY OUT OF OUR WAY OUT OF THEIR WAY.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT TO WHOEVER THOUGHT OF THIS EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLICATED AND EXPENSIVE THING FOR THE USE OF OUR COMMUNITY'S LIVING ROOM, THEY'RE DOING THE HARD WORK THEY'RE WORKING WITH OUR KIDS.
THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE PREPARING AND PRESENTING GOOD THINGS, STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY, MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM.
AND THE OTHER PERSON I WANT TO QUOTE, AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T REMEMBER HER NAME, UM, WAS WITH THE TOURISM WHO SPOKE AT LENGTH AND THE QUOTE THAT SHE WAS MENTIONING.
SHE'S THINGS LIKE DYNAMIC AND ENGAGING AN ACTIVITY HUB.
THIS IS THINGS THAT WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO MARKET THAT.
WELL, WHAT THE HECK WHEN YOU COME INTO TOWN ON A ST PATRICK'S DAY WEEKEND, AND THERE ARE A HUNDRED CHILDREN DANCING, IRISH DANCING THAT IS DYNAMIC, THAT IS ENGAGING, AND THAT IS A HUB OF ACTIVITY, AND ANYONE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING TO BE A PART OF IT.
THEY CAN JUST WATCH AND DANCE ALONG.
I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO END BY QUOTING MS. THOMPSON.
SHE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE CREDIT CARD FEES AND THE PROCESS OF THAT AND PUTTING THAT OFF.
SHE SAID, DON'T MOVE SO FAST SO WE CAN GET IT RIGHT.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU IN YOUR POSITION OF LEADERSHIP TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE DOING GOOD THINGS, MAKE IT, MAKE THEIR JOB EASIER, OPEN UP THE LIVING ROOM TO EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS YOU PONDER ON THIS THING, UM, CONSIDER MRS. GUTIERREZ AS SIMPLIFIED FORM.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, DON'T MOVE SO FAST, TAKE TIME AND CONSIDER THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE GROUND, MAKING THE GOOD THINGS HAPPEN AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO REACH.
HELLO? UM, I'M, UH, I'M SPEAKING ON, UH, MULTIPLE LEVELS, I GUESS, HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I'M A MOTHER IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'M AT 1 5, 1 FRIESLAND COURT, LINDEN, VIRGINIA.
UM, I'M A MOTHER IN THE COMMUNITY.
MY BOYS ARE PRETTY ACTIVE, UM, WITH DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
I'M A HOMESCHOOLER ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF BEING A VENDOR AND I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, THE OWNER IN THE AREA.
AND I WAS ALSO THE ORGANI ORGANIZER
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OF THE CHRISTMAS MARKET THIS PAST DECEMBER.UM, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CHRISTMAS MARKET JUST AS KIND OF A, A WINDOW TO WHAT I PUT TOGETHER IN THREE WEEKS WITHOUT MASSIVE ORGANIZATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT I, MY HEART WAS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I WAS SEEING MY FRIENDS WHO ARE BUSINESS OWNERS SUFFER GREATLY GOING INTO THE COOLER MONTHS WITHOUT THE STREETS BEING ABLE TO, UM, BE AVAILABLE TO THEM BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER.
UM, THE CHRISTMAS MARKET WAS DECEMBER 12TH, FROM 10:00 AM TO 6:00 PM.
I COULD FIND FROM SOUTHERN VIRGINIA TO PENNSYLVANIA.
AND I GOT 27 VENDORS THAT WERE SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
UM, MANY OF WHICH I HAD BLACKSMITHS LINED UP GLASSBLOWERS EVERYONE ELSE, BUT THEY WERE ALREADY BOOKED, BUT THEY WANTED TO COME TO VIRGINIA, ESPECIALLY FRONT ROYAL, BECAUSE WE'RE A GATEWAY.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE EXISTED.
AND I DESCRIBED WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND I SAID, WE'RE PART OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
WE'RE AT A HUB JUST AS, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED.
I SAID, WE, WE HAVE EVERY CAPACITY TO BE A GREAT TOWN FOR TOURISM, WHICH WAS ALSO MENTIONED, WHICH NOW I KNOW I'M HERE.
I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS THREE HOURS AGO.
UM, SO I SPOKE ABOUT OUR TOWN IN THE SMALL TOWN CHARM THAT WE HAVE, AND THEY SAID, WOW, THE ENTIRE STREET CAN BE CLOSED.
I SAID, YEAH, THIS CAN BE AMAZING.
AND WE DID, WE HAD OVER 3000 PEOPLE RUN THROUGH THREE WEEKS OF ORGANIZING AND PASSION.
UM, WE HAD PEOPLE BUY ALL THEIR CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
WE HAD TWO VENDORS SELL OUT BEFORE NOON.
AND WHILE THESE PEOPLE WERE SHOPPING, THEY WERE EATING.
THEY WERE SEEING WHAT WAS IN THE STORE WINDOWS.
AND THEY WERE BECOMING PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS AMAZING SMALL TOWN WITH ALL THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.
UM, RECENTLY I WAS EXTREMELY ALARMED AT A POST I SAW ON FACEBOOK THAT ASKS WHAT BUSINESSES ARE MISSING ON MAIN STREET.
AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, THIS SHOULD BE INTERESTING.
ALMOST A THOUSAND PEOPLE RESPONDED OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY WERE BEGGING FOR, UM, SORRY, I'M LOSING MY NOTES.
THEY WERE BEGGING FOR YOUTH THINGS.
THEY WERE BEGGING FOR FAMILY EVENTS.
THEY WERE BEGGING FOR PLACES TO EAT WITH THEIR KIDS.
A LOT OF THE RESTAURANTS ON OUR SMALL TOWN, OUR FAMILY RESTAURANTS, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ROOM IN THEM BECAUSE WE ARE AN OLD TOWN.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE FOR THEM TO EXPAND.
BUT WITH STREET CLOSURES, THEY CAN BRING THIS OUT INTO THE STREETS.
THERE WAS SO MANY FAMILIES THAT USED TO GO THROUGH SO MANY FAMILIES THAT USED TO SIT OUTSIDE LAST SUMMER, LET THE KIDS RUN AROUND AND PLAY.
CAUSE THEY HAD WALKED UP AND DOWN MAIN STREET.
THEY WERE SITTING THERE EATING AND IT BECAME THIS, THIS GATHERING SPOT ON THE WEEKENDS AND NOT JUST FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, BUT IT WAS BRINGING PEOPLE IN BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS CAPE CAPACITY TO DO THIS.
UM, THEY WERE ALSO, WHICH WAS REALLY VERY SAD.
THEY WERE ASKING FOR A DANCE STUDIO TO BE ON MAIN STREET.
I BELIEVE THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED.
THEY WERE ASKING FOR, UM, PLACES FOR KIDS TO GO.
WE HAVE THE DOWNTOWN MARKET WE HAVE IN OUR CAVE.
WE HAVE THE GAZEBO THEY'RE ASKING FOR LIVE MUSIC.
WE HAVE THAT AT THE BREWERY THEY WERE ASKING FOR SHOPPING.
WE ALSO HAVE THAT FAMILY RESTAURANTS, HOME DECOR, GIFT SHOPS, PHOTO STUDIOS.
WE HAVE TWO OF THOSE FABRIC STORES, ICE CREAM, DELI'S PASTRY SHOPS AND ETHNIC RESTAURANTS.
WE HAVE ALL OF THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE WE ARE A PASS THROUGH A, AN ALLEYWAY FOR PEOPLE TO DRIVE FROM POINT A TO POINT B, THEY'RE MISSING THIS.
THEY'RE NOT WALKING THROUGH SEEING THE STORE DISPLAYS.
THEY'RE NOT WALKING THROUGH TALKING TO THE SHOP OWNERS AND SEEING WHAT OUR TOWN IS BECAUSE THEY'RE DRIVING THROUGH IT.
INSTEAD OF WALKING THROUGH IT, IT'S A VERY, VERY SHORT STREET.
THERE IS ALSO THREE OTHER STREETS THAT CONNECT COMMERCE TO ROYAL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE EVENTS, SMALL EVENTS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND LARGE EVENTS.
THE CHRISTMAS MARKET WAS A LARGE EVENT AND I HAD NO QUALIFICATIONS TO THROW THIS, EXCEPT FOR THAT.
I'VE SEEN LARGE EVENTS IN THE PAST.
AND I KNEW WHAT PEOPLE WANTED TO BUY.
I'M GOING TO BE IN EVENTS IN DC AND OCCOQUAN COMING UP.
AND THESE SMALL TOWNS AROUND DC AND OCCOQUAN ARE SHUTTING DOWN THEIR STREETS TO HAVE EVENTS.
AND I PAID $200 AS A VENDOR TO BE PART OF IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
THEY HAVE AN ORGANIZATION, THEY SAY, HEY, CAN WE SEE WHAT YOU HAVE? THEY SHUT DOWN THE STREET.
THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF VENDORS AND IT BENEFITS THE RESTAURANTS.
AND IT BRINGS A LOT OF TOURISM INTO THE AREA AND THE COMMUNITIES AROUND FLOCK TO IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE IS A HUB.
WE NEED TO BE A DESTINATION POINT.
I KNOW EVERYONE LOVES TO GO OUT TO EAT.
EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD RESTAURANT.
YOU SEE THE DISPLAYS OF WHAT THEY HAVE.
SOMETIMES THERE'S ARTWORK ON THE WALLS AND YOU REALLY GET TO SETTLE INTO
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WHAT THAT RESTAURANT'S ABOUT.THEN THERE'S RESTAURANTS LIKE MCDONALD'S YOU DRIVE THROUGH.
IT'S A QUICK IN AND OUT PROCESS.
I'D RATHER GO TO A SIT DOWN RESTAURANT WHERE I CAN ENGAGE AND SEE WHAT THAT PERSON'S DOING IN THAT SPACE THAN HIT A DRIVE THROUGH.
AND I DON'T WANT FRONT ROYAL TO BE A DRIVE-THRU.
I WANT PEOPLE TO SINK IN HERE.
I WANT THEM TO LOVE THE SPACE AND ENGAGE.
SO THAT IS MY BIT FOR TONIGHT.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS TAKE THE TIME TO CONSIDER FRONT ROYAL, BEING MORE OF A SIT DOWN HOME AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN DRAW PEOPLE ON THAT WE CAN LOVE ON THEM INSTEAD OF JUST A DRIVE THROUGH OR AN ALLEYWAY FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
UH, THE LAST SPEAKER, THE KNIGHTS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MR. MAYOR TOWN COUNCIL, WILLIAM HUCK 4 0 9 EAST MAIN STREET, FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA SIX YEARS AGO IS WHEN THINGS STARTED CHANGING.
MOST OF YOU SITTING UP HERE ON THIS BOARD RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT.
WE'VE RUN ON CAMPAIGNS ON HELPING TO SOLIDIFY THE EVENTS AND BRING IN SOME PROTOCOLS TO, TO SHUTTING THEM DOWN COMPLETELY AND SAYING, HEY, NO MORE.
WELL, WE'RE AT A, WE'RE AT A PASS.
NOW SIX YEARS OF CALM, SIX YEARS HAVE GONE.
AND WE'RE THE PAST NOW TO WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? IN SIX MORE YEARS, I LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC.
WHEN I CAME TO TOWN ON IT AND AN ICE CREAM SHOP.
PEOPLE LIKE TO TALK, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE HAVING FUN.
I LIKE TO TALK BACK AS WELL, ALWAYS HAVE FUN.
SO FOR OUR ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY, WE DECIDED TO DO AN EVENT.
I WAS TOLD IT, CAN'T BE DONE, SAID, WHY, OH, YOU NEED A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.
AND I SAID, NO, YOU NEED HEART.
YOU NEED SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO DRIVE BEHIND IT AND THE HEART TO PULL IT OFF.
AND I WAS THAT PERSON TO DO THAT ON YOUR ONE.
MY WIFE WAS THERE WITH ME RIGHT BY MY SIDE AFTER YEAR ONE, CUSTOMERS STARTED ASKING FOR MORE TOURIST COMING INTO TOWN, STARTED ASKING FOR MORE.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED HAVING IN DEPTH DECISIONS.
OUR ORDINANCE HAS CHANGED SIX TIMES IN THE LAST SIX YEARS FOR EVENTS.
AND YOU CAN DOUBLE CHECK THAT THAT SIX TIMES IN THE LAST SIX YEARS FOR EVENTS ON MAIN STREET, I HAVE NOT DONE ONE EVENT THAT HAS BROUGHT HARM TO THIS COMMUNITY.
I HAVE NOT SPONSORED ONE EVENT THAT HAS BROUGHT HARM TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AMANDA HORN JUST STOOD UP HERE AND TALKED TO YOU ABOUT A CHRISTMAS BIZARRE.
SHE DID LAST YEAR THAT WE WERE INSTRUMENTAL BEHIND.
SHE TALKED ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTAL OF HAVING MAIN STREET CLOSED LAST YEAR, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE, SO THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED THROUGHOUT THE LAST SIX YEARS.
COULDN'T TAKE PLACE WITHOUT A NONPROFITS HELP.
AND I GLADLY STEPPED TO THE PLATE TO HELP.
I GLADLY WORKED WEEKEND AND WEEK OUT ON LOGIN TABLES TO BENEFIT EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN GROW STRONGER TOGETHER.
WE NEED TO COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING SO OUR COMMUNITY CAN HAVE THE EVENTS THAT AT THE HEART AND SOUL WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, WHICH IS ON MAIN STREET.
THE ARGUMENTS FROM THE PAST NEED TO STOP.
I AM HERE TO TELL YOU, I AM GOING TO WORK WITH YOU IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN DO TO MOVE FORWARD OF THOSE 75 PERMITS THAT YOU HAD IN 2019.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT I WAS AT LEAST 11 OF THOSE TO BRING COMMUNITY EVENTS TO THIS TOWN.
SO IS IT THAT WE DON'T WANT ME TO DO THIS? THE CRAZY WILLIE SHOW AS IT'S BEEN TOLD, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T THE CRAZY WILLIE SHOW.
WE ARE THE FRONT LINE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY RIGHT HERE IN WARREN COUNTY.
SO LET'S COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING ANOTHER MONTH OUT, LEAVES US BEHIND.
WE'VE LOST THIS ENTIRE MONTH FOR THE GROWTH AND THE HARMONY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR WITH THE CLOSURE OF MAIN STREET, WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE LOST THAT WERE ABLE TO FIND THEMSELVES BY TALKING TO SOMEBODY ON MAIN STREET, BEING OUTSIDE, NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THE CARS COMING BY.
THAT'S TOO MUCH TO DO IT EVERY WEEK.
THAT'S TOO MUCH TO DO IT EVERY WEEK, BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE EITHER.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO DOES IT, BUT LET'S DO SOMETHING AND BRING OUR COMMUNITY BACK TOGETHER STRONGER.
[01:20:01]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TALL.IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE MR. MAYOR COUNCIL? I'M KELLY WALKER.
I LIVE AT 9 3 9 SOUTH MARSHALL STREET OWN A BUSINESS AT 1 0 5 EAST MAIN STREET.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING TONIGHT IS NOT WHAT I HEARD AT THE INFORMATION MEETING THAT I ATTENDED IN MID JUNE OR FROM THE VIDEO I WATCHED FROM THE SECOND INFORMATION MEETING THAT THEY HAD LAST WEEK.
WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS TRYING TO TAKE PLACE IS TO COME UP WITH A PROCESS FOR MAKING A DECISION ON WHAT IS WORTHY OF CLOSING OUR STREET OR CLOSING AN AREA IN DOWNTOWN TO HAVE EVENTS.
THERE'S SMALL EVENTS, THERE'S LARGE EVENTS, AND WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO DECIDE.
WHAT'S WORTHY OF CLOSING THINGS DOWN A MATRIX MAY NOT BE IT.
A MATRIX MAY BE IT, BUT WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND TELL YOU THAT EVERYTHING'S HUNKY DORY AND THEY CLOSE THE STREET AND EVERYBODY'S HAPPY.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, THAT'S NOT TRUE EVENTS THAT CLOSE THE STREET LAST YEAR AND SAID THAT THERE WERE A LOTS OF PEOPLE WALKING UP AND DOWN THE STREETS LOOKING, AND WINDOWS IS NOT TRUE.
I'M AT THE VERY END OF MAIN STREET WHERE YOU ENTER RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE, RIGHT ACROSS FROM YOUR TOWN HALL.
AND NOBODY WALKS DOWN THAT FAR.
WHEN THEY CLOSE THE STREET FOR AN EVENT, THERE'S NOTHING DOWN THERE FOR THEM TO SEE.
THERE'S NO BUSINESSES DOWN THERE, THEIR SERVICE INDUSTRY ON THAT END OF THE STREET.
SO WHEN YOU CLOSE THE STREET, OTHER THAN MY PLACE, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE DOWN THERE TO COME TO.
THEN YOU'VE GOT THE STREET BLOCKED OFF AND PEOPLE ARE TURNING INTO THE STREET WHO AREN'T FROM HERE AND THE BARRICADES ARE FURTHER BACK.
SO THEY TURN IN AND THEN THEY HAVE TO BACK UP.
CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.
AND I'VE SAT THERE AND WATCHED IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
AND MOST OF THEM ARE OUT OF STATE TAGS.
THEY'RE JUST NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.
AND THEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.
DON'T HOW TO DRIVE AROUND, TO GET TO THE OTHER END OF THE STREET WHERE THE VISITOR CENTER IS LOCATED WITH OUR MAIN STREET CLOSED.
I THINK THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO HAVE SMALL EVENTS THAT ARE COMMUNITY RELATED THAT CLOSED DOWN A PORTION OF THE STREET OR THE GAZEBO AREA SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THAT AS WELL AS LARGE EVENTS THAT WOULD CLOSE THE ENTIRE STREET TO CLOSE OUR ENTIRE MAIN STREET AND GAZEBO AREA FOR AN EVENT THAT ONLY HAS A HUNDRED OR 200 PEOPLE IS JUST NOT RIGHT.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL TRY TO FIND A WAY TO MEASURE THAT.
MAYBE THE MATRIX THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IS NOT THE, TO MEASURE THAT, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO MEASURE THAT BECAUSE CLOSING MAIN STREET AND MAKING SOME BUSINESSES SUFFER BECAUSE A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WON'T HAVE AN EVENT IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.
I DON'T THINK CLOSING THE STREET IS A GREAT IDEA ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I THINK THAT IT SHOULD ONLY BE CLOSED FOR LARGE EVENTS THAT JUSTIFY BRINGING IN ENOUGH PEOPLE TO CLOSE IT DOWN FOR AN ALL-DAY EVENT.
SO I HOPE AS YOU GO FORWARD, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT SOME SORT OF PROCESS FOR MEASUREMENT AND MAKE IT EASY ENOUGH THAT WE CAN HAVE THE SMALL COMMUNITY EVENTS WE NEED TO HAVE IN THE AREA.
WE NEED TO HAVE THEM JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS A GREAT IDEA AND THEY THINK EVENT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.
DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT NEEDS TO BE GREAT ON MAIN STREET.
THERE'S OTHER PLACES TO HAVE EVENTS.
SO I HOPE YOU'LL USE THAT AS YOU START COMING UP WITH A WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE LARGE EVENTS AND SMALL EVENTS THAT JUSTIFY CLOSURE OF THE STREET.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN UP THE COUNCIL? OKAY.
MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE STATEMENTS AS TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SAID.
I THINK, UM, HIS NAME WAS MR. JOHN.
AND, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AT WHICH WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE TO GET INVOLVEMENT FROM THE COUNTY ON, AT SOME POINT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT ON THAT.
UM, SECONDLY, UM, AS FAR AS THE EVENTS IN TOWN, UM,
[01:25:02]
YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM, WE GET, WE GOT SO MANY COMPLAINTS, UM, FROM, FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE.UM, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE AGAINST IT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WASN'T SO MUCH OF A, UH, OF A POWER TRIP.
I THINK IT WAS TOWN STAFF COMING, TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO MAKE IT FAIR.
UM, FOR EVERYBODY EVIDENTLY SOME OF THE COMMENTS TONIGHT, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE IT BACK AGAIN TO WORK SESSION AND, UM, AND, AND DEFINITELY, UM, HAVE SOME MORE INPUT ON THIS.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AS COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE SHARED TOO, WHEN I WAS APPOINTED TO COUNCIL LAST AND DID JANUARY, FEBRUARY, IT WAS RIGHT AROUND THE TIME WHERE THEY WERE DOING, UM, THEY WERE SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT AND I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, TINA CORRECT ME CHIP LIPSCOMB.
IS THAT, DOES THAT SOUND LIKE HE WAS LIKE A MEDIATOR AND HE CAME AND THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THEY HELD TWO DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT THE COMMUNITY CENTER GATHERED INFORMATION.
UM, I KNOW I WAS THERE AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE THERE AND I MAYBE I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE MATRIX IDEA, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CALLED IT A MATRIX, BUT IT WAS KIND OF BORN OUT OF THAT COMMITTEE THAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING.
CAUSE AS COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE SAID, WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WE HAD BUSINESSES ON MAIN STREET THAT WERE ABSOLUTELY AGAINST CLOSING MAIN STREET FOR ANYTHING.
AND THEN WE HAD SOME THAT WOULD HAVE PREFERRED CLOSING IT DOWN PERMANENTLY AND, AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO LISTEN AND TAKE WHAT EVERYBODY WAS SAYING.
THE ONE THING THAT I'VE LEARNED IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF BEING ON COUNCIL IS THAT YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
I, YOU WOULD'VE THOUGHT I ALREADY KNEW THAT BECAUSE I'M A TEACHER.
UM, BUT, UH, BUT ANYWAY, IT'S, IT'S JUST REALLY HARD AND EVEN LISTENING TONIGHT, UM, I WATCHED THE VIDEO AS WELL.
UM, AND, AND, AND WE ARE HEARING A VARIETY OF THINGS LIKE EVEN WHEN MS. MS. WARREN BROUGHT UP CLOSING MAIN STREET, AS SOON AS YOU SAID THAT, I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT WAS THAT WE WENT THROUGH MEETING AFTER MEETING ON THAT TOPIC.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM TONIGHT, THERE, THERE IS A VARIETY OF OPINIONS THERE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO COME UP WITH AN OBJECTIVE WAY.
AND AS MR. LUNBERG THAT HE, I THINK IT WAS YOU THAT SAID IT'S REALLY SUBJECTIVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK THAT WAS THE PURPOSE BEHIND ALL OF THIS WAS TO TRY TO PUT EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS TOGETHER.
IT WAS CERTAINLY NOT ABOUT POWER GOING TO ANYBODY'S HEAD.
IT WAS MORE OF JUST, HOW CAN WE TRY TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY AND TO USE THAT SPACE DOWN THERE, UM, IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY SO THAT SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE, UM, THAT WE WERE ALWAYS CLOSING IT DOWN FOR NO REASON OR THAT SOME PEOPLE GOT TO USE IT MORE OFTEN THAN OTHERS.
I MEAN, WE, WE HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME.
SO OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE'VE LEARNED TONIGHT IS I WOULD AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN LSP PROBABLY NEED TO TAKE IT BACK TO WORK SESSION, DISCUSS THAT SOME MORE.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT TO DIMINISH ANYTHING THAT, THAT, UM, ELITE THAT OUR STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON.
UM, SO THAT'S, UM, I'M JUST SORRY THAT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'VE ALREADY COME UP WITH AS A GOOD WAY.
I GUESS WE'LL JUST, THAT'S WHY WE SOUGHT PUBLIC INPUT.
I'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW THINGS I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH KIND OF BY SPEAKER AND A GENERAL COMMENT.
SO MRS. GUTIERREZ, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND FOR NOT ONLY, UM, VOICING YOUR OPINION, BUT ALSO HAVING A SOLUTION OR A POTENTIAL SOLUTION.
AND I THINK YOU FOR THAT, UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO TAKE IT BACK TO WORK SESSION, OF COURSE, IN THIS CLASS.
IT, UH, LET'S SEE HERE, BRIAN BIGGS AND YOUR RATE, BUT I GUESS A LOT OF PARTS OF IT CAN BE SUBJECTIVE AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU TAKE THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THEY'RE ALL GOING TO COME UP WITH DIFFERENT ANSWERS.
SO BASICALLY THIS HAS CHANGED SIX TIMES WILLY YOUR'E AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL BUSINESS OWNERS.
THERE'S PROBABLY THREE OF THEM.
IF I'M BEING HONEST THAT COME IN HERE EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT CLOSING MAIN STREET AND THEY'RE AGAINST IT, SOME OF THEM ARE AGAINST IT, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T AFFECT THEIR BUSINESS.
IF I'M BEING A HUNDRED PERCENT HONEST, THEIR APPOINTMENT ONLY IT DOESN'T AFFECT YOU.
YOU'RE NOT BENEFITING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FROM WALK BY TRAFFIC BECAUSE YOU DON'T TAKE IT WELCOME CUSTOMERS.
[01:30:01]
BUT IT'S, IT'S A CONSTANT STRUGGLE.SO WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THIS SO THAT WE'RE NOT UPSET, NOT NECESSARILY UPSETTING PEOPLE, BECAUSE I THINK A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO OUR MEETINGS, A MAJORITY OF THE TOURISTS WHO ARE COMING IN, APPRECIATE THE EVENTS, ALL OF THEM.
UM, AND THEY APPRECIATE IT LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD EVERYTHING CLOSED DOWN ALL THOSE WEEKS.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU COULD BRING YOUR KIDS BECAUSE I DID IT TO YOU AND IT WAS SAFE, RIGHT? CAUSE COVID, WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
WE WERE OUTSIDE EATING, ENJOYING OURSELVES.
OUR KIDS WERE RIDING BIKES AND YOU KNOW WHAT? OUR REVENUES DID NOT DECREASE AS DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE OF THAT AS WELL.
WE WERE A THOUSAND DOLLARS OFF MAYBE FROM THE YEAR PRIOR BECAUSE WE DID DO THAT.
UM, SO I'M ALWAYS PROUD OF OUR STAFF AND I KNOW THAT THEY WORKED HARD TO COME UP WITH THIS MATRIX AND ALYSSA BROUGHT IT BACK AND EDITED AND GONE BACK AND FORTH.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT HERE AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS FOR COMMUNITY AND TOURISM AND WE CAN PUT IT ON THE BOOKS AND IT CAN STAY THAT WAY FOR A TIME PERIOD.
AND INSTEAD OF CHANGING IT EVERY YEAR, EXCEPT FOR, OF COURSE, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER PANDEMIC, WE MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE IT AGAIN.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
AND IF I HAD MY WAY, WE'D SHUT DOWN MAIN STREET AND KIND OF LIKE MAKE IT A WALKWAY, BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE RIGHT NOW, BUT THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
ANYONE ELSE? OH, JUST, UH, SORRY.
UH, I REALLY LIKED THE, UM, ANALOGY OF, OF FAMILY ROOM AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO HAVE, UM, CONFIDENCE IN OURSELVES TO ALLOW THIS DISCUSSION TO PLAY OUT LIKE, LIKE IN A GOOD FAMILY WHERE COMMUNICATION IS, IS KEY.
UM, IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT, UH, ONE THING THAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT WE'RE TAKING THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE HEARING.
WE'RE ACTUALLY CHANGING WHAT WE HAD COME UP WITH TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FEEDBACK.
AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A PROCESS THAT LOOKS TO ME LIKE IT'S WORKING, WE'RE JUST NOT AT THE END POINT YET.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
SO I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU FOR AMANDA, FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE CHRISTMAS MARKET AND FOR DOING THAT.
BOTH OF Y'ALL AND TO MICHELLE HERE WHO PUT TOGETHER AND HELPED WITH THAT HOPE ALIVE FESTIVAL THAT WE HAD THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE PLACE IF IT HAD BEEN BASED ON THE MAP ON THE CURRENT MATRIX.
SO, UM, THANK YOU GUYS FOR LOVING THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, DOING SOMETHING AND DOING IT WITH HEART AND IT WAS AWESOME.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL MAKE A BRIEF, UM, I THINK EVERYONE ELSE ALREADY TOOK, UM, TOOK ALL THE COMMENTS ON THAT.
UM, IT IS WHAT COUNSEL IS TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT THE TOWN IS TRYING TO DETERMINE AS A PROCESS FOR DETERMINING, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO RESERVE OR BLOCK OFF THE GAZEBO OR CLOSED DOWN MAIN STREETS.
I THINK THOSE ARE KIND OF TWO SEPARATE ISSUES, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THE WORD WAS USED TONIGHT, UH, BY MRS. SPRIGGS THAT, UH, IT'S A GATHERING PLACE.
IT'S NOT AN EVENT CENTER AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM WE'RE RUNNING INTO IS EVERYBODY WANTS TO RENT IT OUT LIKE AN EVENT CENTER.
UM, AND THERE ARE SOME GREAT FUNCTIONS THAT HAPPEN, UM, LIKE THE IRISH DANCERS DOWN THERE.
UM, BUT, UH, I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLARIFYING POINT BECAUSE THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, MAKES A DIFFERENCE ON HOW YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE ON VETTING COMMUNITY EVENTS DOWN THERE.
AND AS WILLY POINTED OUT A LOT'S CHANGED OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS TO TRY TO FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM.
THE LAST LAST POINT I WANT TO MAKE THE TOWN IS NOT TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF THESE EVENTS.
WE SEE THE VALUE THIS ENTIRE COUNCIL SEES THE VALUE OF ALL THOSE EVENTS HAPPENING DOWN ON MAIN STREET.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH CONDUCTING EVENTS DEPENDING ON THE SIZE FROM, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR ALARM LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FROM THE UTILITIES ARE PROVIDED DOWN THERE.
I AM FOR MINIMIZING THAT AND REMOVING ALL THE BARRIERS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE DOWN THERE THAT ARE, THAT ARE DRAWING PEOPLE TO THAT AREA.
I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF THAT.
UM, THERE DOES NEED TO BE SOME SORT OF APPLICATION OR RESERVATION OR SOME SORT OF FEE SO THAT IT ISN'T A FREE FOR ALL.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO MENTION THAT IN THIS DIDN'T, I DON'T THINK THIS GOT MENTIONED, BUT STAFF RECEIVES DOZENS AND DOZENS AND DOZENS AND DOZENS OF APPLICATIONS, AND THEY SPEND ALL THEIR TIME TRYING TO VET THESE AND DECIDING WHO GETS TO GO WHERE, SO JUST REMEMBER IF WE OPENED IT UP LIKE A FREE FOR ALL, THEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE MAD BECAUSE THEIR EVENT THAT THEY WANT TO DO IS BLOCKED BECAUSE OF ANOTHER EVENT THAT'S BEING HAPPENED.
THAT'S MY PROVIDE LESSER VALUE OVERALL VALUE THAN THE EVENT THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BROUGHT IN A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS IT IS NOT, OH, IT'S NOT AS EASY AS A WIN-WIN SITUATION HERE.
[01:35:01]
THE COUNCIL IS WORKING AND MAKING IT, UM, UH, CREATING AS MANY INFORMATION SESSIONS, PUBLIC HEARING SESSIONS.WE WERE NOT SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT.
THIS WAS AN OPEN PUBLIC HEARING SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE INPUT.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO TAKE IT BACK AND WORK ON IT AND THEN BRING IT BACK FOR A VOTE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT THOSE ARE SOME CLARIFYING POINTS THAT NEED TO BE OUT THERE SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DOESN'T COUNCIL TRYING TO CREATE BARRIERS TO SUFFOCATE THE COMMUNITY AND NOT HAVE FUN ON MAIN STREET.
THE CODE OF CONDUCT LISA IS, IS, UM, THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY PART OF THIS, THAT'S JUST THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THAT AREA, RIGHT? OR IS IT PART OF THIS POLICY? RIGHT.
AND I, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK COUNCIL ABOUT CHANGING, SORRY, WILLY CHANGING THE CODE OF CONDUCT IS, UM, I NOTICED THAT IT CURRENTLY SAYS BASICALLY ADDRESS SLEEPING AT THE PAVILION OVERNIGHT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE MIGHT NEED TO SAY NOT SLEEPING AT THE PAVILION AT ANY TIME.
UM, I'VE GONE BY THERE A FEW TIMES RECENTLY, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE, UM, USING IT AS A BEDROOM.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVE CONCERNS BECAUSE WE WANT THIS TO BE AN AREA THAT EVERYBODY CAN USE.
UM, AND SO I JUST THOUGHT, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE JUST NEED TO CHANGE SOME WORDS, UM, IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, SO MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AT THE WORK SESSION.
OR DO YOU SUGGEST WE MOVE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE? I MEAN, I, I HAVE ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
I'VE LITERALLY TAKEN A NAP ON A BENCH BY THE WAY IN A PARK.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO GO OUT AND ADD ON NOW.
YOU WANT TO LOOK OUT FOR HER DOWN THERE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME AND SPOKE TONIGHT.
UM, I JUST WISH THAT, UH, UM, WE WOULD HAVE THIS RESPONSE AT A LOT OF OUR MEETINGS.
UM, USUALLY IT'S JUST, UH, THREE OR FOUR OF US HERE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT IS, BUT, UH, I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL SHOW UP AND HAVE WHAT YOUR CONCERNS AND LIKE THEY'VE STATED, THIS IS JUST FOR INFORMATION TONIGHT TO, UM, HEAR Y'ALL'S CONCERNS.
AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT TO A WORK SESSION ON THE 12TH OF JULY AND STAFF WILL AGAIN PROBABLY EDIT IT.
UM, SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO SHOW UP AND YOU CAME PARTE, BUT YOU CAN LISTEN, UM, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.
MOVING ON, UH, REPORTS, UH, THE TOWN MANAGER, STEVEN, YOU HAVE ANYTHING STEVEN MUST HAVE FELL ASLEEP FOR BJ BJ.
[9B. Report of Councilmembers]
COUNCIL MEMBERS? ANYBODY? IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES ON TO CLARIFY, OR REALLY JUST GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE DISCUSSION REGARDING ONE OF MY PROPOSALS, WHICH IS A MEDICAL FREEDOM ORDINANCE.UM, THAT WOULD BE THE TOWN Y ONE, WHICH WOULD APPLY TO ALL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE TOWN.
AND SO WE LEFT THINGS OFF, UH, DURING OUR WORK SESSION WITH THE QUESTION OF, UM, QUESTION PUT TO MR. NAPIER ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THE PROPOSAL.
AND HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO TAKE ON THE TASK OF RESEARCHING THE ISSUE AND HE'S UNCOVERED SOME REALLY WELL-ESTABLISHED CASE LAW THAT STATES HAVE USED TO ASSERT BOTH MANDATORY QUARANTINE AND A VACCINE POLICIES.
IF THE STATE WAS TO PASS A LAW, IF OUR COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA WAS TO PASS A LAW, REQUIRING A VACCINE, THE TOWN WOULD NOT BE, BE ABLE TO OVER OVERTURN THAT WITH AN ORDINANCE.
IF THEY WANTED TO HEAD DOWN THAT PATH, THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO SO AS A LITIGANT, IN MY OPINION.
UM, BUT THE QUESTION THAT I REALLY WANTED TO DELVE INTO A LITTLE BIT WAS THE QUESTION OF WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT THE TOWN CAN DO? AND ON THAT POINT, I WOULD JUST DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
THEY PASSED OUR TOWN CHARTER IN 1937 AND AMONG THE EXPLICIT VERBIAGE OF THAT TOWN CHARTER.
AND I'M NOT QUOTING ALL OF IT, BUT JUST THE RELEVANT PARTS.
AND EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO ACCESS THIS ON THEIR OWN SINCE THE COUNCIL, IN ADDITION TO OTHER POWERS, GIVEN BY LAW, HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE SUCH ORDINANCES, ORDERS, BYLAWS, AND REGULATIONS, AS THEY MAY DEEM PROPER NECESSARY TO COWER TO CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING POWERS, WHICH ARE HERE BY VESTED IN THAT AN EIGHTH PARAGRAPH SAYS TO SECURE THE INHABITANTS FROM CONTAGIOUS, INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DANGEROUS DISEASES TO ESTABLISH ERECT AND REGULATE HOSPITALS
[01:40:01]
OR OTHER MEDICAL OR HEALTH RELATED FACILITIES TO PROVIDE FOR AN ENFORCED THE REMOVAL OF PATIENTS TO SET HOSPITALS OR OTHER MEDICAL HEALTH RELATED FACILITIES, TO A POINT WHERE ORGANIZED BOARD OF HEALTH FOR SAID TOWN WITH THE NECESSARY AUTHORITY FOR THE PROMPT AND EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES, THE NINTH PARAGRAPH TO REGULATE THE EXERCISE OF ANY DANGEROUS, OFFENSIVE, OR UNHEALTHY ACTIVITY ENTERPRISE BUSINESS TRADE, OR EMPLOYMENT THERE IN THAT IS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS TO REGULATE THE TRANSPORTATION OF COAL, EXPLOSIVES AND GARBAGE.AND 25TH PARAGRAPH SAYS TO DO ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER NECESSARY OR EXPEDIENT, AND TO PASS ALL ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND BYLAWS FOR PROMOTING OR MAINTAINING THE SECURITY, GENERAL WELFARE COMFORT, EDUCATION, MORALS, PEACE GOVERNMENT, HEALTH, TRADE COMMERCE, AND INDUSTRIES OF THE TOWN WHERE ITS INHABITANTS, NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OR THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND I WOULD JUST NOTE, UM, AS IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT TO ME, I MEAN, THIS LANGUAGE IS NOTHING REALLY GROUNDBREAKING EARTH SHATTERING, AND IT'S PROBABLY VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD FIND THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH AND THROUGHOUT THE LOCALITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
BUT TO ME, THIS, UH, THIS FRONT COMING FROM OUR TOWN CHARTER ESTABLISHES OUR AUTHORITY AS A TOWN COUNCIL TO DISALLOW EMPLOYERS WITHIN ITS TOWN LIMITS FROM MANDATE, FROM MANDATING THE COVID VACCINE.
SO IN LIGHT OF THIS LANGUAGE, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SIMPLY RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT LEGALITY AS A, AS IN THE CASE OF, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS LEGAL OR TO ASSERT THAT IT'S NOT LEGAL TO CONVINCE ME.
AND I WOULD SAY MANY OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAS VOICED SUPPORT ON THIS IT'S NECESSARY TO NAME THE LAW NAME, THE CASE THAT OVERRIDES OR STRIPS US OF THE AUTHORITY THAT OUR CHARTER PLAINLY GIVES US.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS AT LENGTH, AND I'VE NOT SEEN ANYTHING ON POINT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT I'VE MISSED SOMETHING I WANT TO BE, HAVE THAT POINTED OUT TO ME.
I'M NOW TURNING FROM THE LEGAL DISCUSSION.
WHAT DOES THE PUBLIC THINK? I'VE RECEIVED SOME SUBSTANTIVE FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO MOSTLY HAVE ASKED ME TO KEEP THEM THEIR IDENTITIES ANONYMOUS IS THEY'RE AFRAID OF THEIR EMPLOYERS.
AND THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME.
I AM VERY NERVOUS ABOUT MY EMPLOYER MANDATING THE VACCINE.
I'VE BEEN WITH MY EMPLOYER FOR YEARS, AND I WORKED THROUGH THE ENTIRE PANDEMIC.
I LOVE MY JOB WHERE I AM SERVING MY COMMUNITY AND ADVOCATING FOR THOSE WHO NEED HELP.
I WORK FULL TIME IN ORDER TO CARRY HEALTH BENEFITS FOR MY FAMILY.
AND WORRIED ABOUT BEING, LET GO.
IF I DO NOT GET THE VACCINE, I'M NOT AT ANTI-VAX, BUT I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD BE PRESSURED INTO BEING LAB RAT.
I DO NOT WANT TO TAKE THIS INJECTION INJECTION.
I HONESTLY HAVE CRIED FOR DAYS ABOUT IT.
AND SO HAVE OTHERS IN MY NEXT PERSON.
I WORK IN AN EMPLOYER, LAWYER IN TOWN THAT WAS CONSIDERING, CONSIDERING THE MANDATORY VACCINE.
I FIND IT AS AGAINST EVERYTHING IN MY SOUL TO GET IT NEXT PERSON, SOMEONE WHO EXPECTS TO BE DIRECTLY EFFECTED BY MY EMPLOYERS, VACCINE MANDATE.
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE OF US WHO SERVE YOU LOCALLY AND CANNOT RISK OUR EMPLOYMENT STATUS TO SPEAK FOR OURSELVES AND THE NEXT PERSON.
I FEEL LIKE MY RIGHTS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM ME.
THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE SCREAMING MY BODY, MY CHOICE ARE THE ONES TELLING OTHER PEOPLE.
IT'S A DOUBLE STANDARD AND HYPOCRITICAL.
I AM NOT AN ANTI-VAXXER BY ANY MEANS.
MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN ARE FULLY VACCINATED FOR OTHER DISEASES.
HOWEVER, THIS VIRUS IN VACCINE SEEMS SKETCHY TO ME.
THE CDC SAYS IT'S SAFE AND EFFECTIVE, BUT THEY ARE RELYING WITH SEVERAL MONTHS, LESS THAN A YEAR'S WORTH OF DATA.
THE OTHER VACCINES, MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN HAVE TAKEN, HAVE BEEN RESEARCHED FOR YEARS AND ARE OFFICIALLY APPROVED BY THE FDA.
THE COVID VACCINE IS STILL IN THE RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ARE IN THE RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PHASES.
I KNOW PERSONALLY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE SHOT HAVE HAD ADVERSE REACTIONS TO IT, SOME SICK FOR DAYS, AND CAN'T GET OUT OF BED ALL THE WAY TO DYING FROM IT.
AND THE THING IS, YOU CAN'T, YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT THESE PEOPLE AND THEIR REACTIONS IN NEWS OR FROM THE PEOPLE COMPANIES TRYING TO MANDATE IT.
PEOPLE NEED TO START DOING THEIR OWN RESEARCH AND ETIQUETTE EDUCATING THEMSELVES.
WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE ARE, WHEN NURSES AND DOCTORS ARE REFUSING TO TAKE IT OR A NURSE WHO HAS ALREADY HAD THE SHOTS TELLS YOU, THEY WOULD NEVER TELL SOMEONE TO TAKE IT.
OR A DOCTOR SAYS THEY ONLY TELL THEIR PAINTS IS TO TAKE THE SHOT BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING TOLD TO DO SO WE SHOULD WAKE UP.
IT SHOULD BE A WAKE UP CALL TO THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO MANDATE THIS VACCINE.
LIKE I SAID, IT SHOULD BE A CHOICE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS RISKING LOSING YOUR JOB OVER, NOT TAKING IT.
SO MOVING FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THERE ARE RUMORS OF THOSE WHO ARE CONSIDERING MANDATING
[01:45:01]
THE VACCINE, AND THEN THEY WILL PROVIDE RELIGIOUS OR MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS TO THE WRONG EMPLOYER.THESE EXEMPTIONS CAN BE RENDERED MEANINGLESS.
AS IN THE, UM, EXAMPLE, YOUR RELIGION PROHIBITS THE VACCINE, PROVE IT.
YOU SAY YOU CAN'T TAKE IT FOR MEDICAL REASONS.
AND WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT THIS AT ALL? THE ANSWER IS BECAUSE OF CIVIL LIBERTIES WE'VE GROWN USED TO IN AMERICA, THE IDEA THAT THE CONSTITUTION, IT USES WORDS LIKE WE'RE TO BE SECURE IN OUR PERSONS.
WE'VE GROWN USED TO THE IDEA THAT THERE ARE SOME CATEGORIES THAT OUR EMPLOYER CAN NOT USE TO DISCRIMINATE, INCLUDING RACE, SEX, RELIGION, OR HANDICAP STATUS.
AND TO THAT POINT, LOCALITIES THROUGHOUT MONTANA MADE NEWS IN 2014 FOR ADDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDEA TO, TO THOSE CATEGORIES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THIS HAPPENED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
I DON'T THINK THAT THOSE ORDINANCES FELL FOR LACK OF AUTHORITY ON THE PART OF THOSE LOCALITIES TO PASS THEM.
THAT'S OF COURSE, A DIFFERENT STATE, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR IN OUR STATE.
AND MOST OF THE POINT WE'VE, WE'VE GROWN USED TO THE BEDROCK PRINCIPLE OF INFORMED CONSENT TO MEDICINE.
AND WE KNOW AS THE FDA SAYS IN DRAFT GUIDANCE, THAT TO EXERT COERCION ON THE QUESTION OF CONSENT IS TO TAKE AWAY A PERSON'S ABILITY TO CONSENT.
I'M SIMPLY ASKING, I'M SIMPLY ASKING THAT WE RAISE THE BEDROCK MEDICAL ETHICS PRINCIPLE OF INFORMED CONSENT OUT OF THE REALM OF MEDICAL ETHICS AND INTO THE REALM OF LAW.
MAY I? UM, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, CAUSE YOU BROUGHT IT UP MEDICAL ACT, OUR MEDICAL FREEDOM ORDINANCE OR WHATEVER, WE'RE CALLING IT AT ANY RATE.
UM, HOW DO WE ADVOCATE FOR EMPLOYEES? I LIKE TO GIVE PEOPLE ACTIONABLE STEPS THAT THEY CAN TAKE, UH, ACCORDING TO THE EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION, WHICH YOU CAN LOOK UP ONLINE.
UM, SO YOU CAN REFUSE THE VACCINE BASED ON A STRONG, STRONGLY HELD BELIEF, NOT JUST A RELIGIOUS ONE.
ALSO THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT, UH, HELPS REHABILITATION ACT GENETIC INFORMATION.
NON-DISCLOSURE ACT ALSO CALLED GINA TITLE SEVEN OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AS AMENDED TO INCLUDE PREGNANCY DISABILITY.
UM, YOU CAN BE GIVEN REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, WHICH INCLUDES YOU MIGHT BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK OR STAY SIX FEET AWAY FROM WHETHER IT'S CUSTOMERS, OTHER EMPLOYEES, MAYBE YOU GO TO A DIFFERENT SHIFT.
OTHER THINGS COULD INCLUDE PERIODIC.
UM, COVID TESTING, UM, MAYBE TELEWORK, IF THAT'S A THING AVAILABLE TO YOU OR REASSIGNMENT, IF YOUR EMPLOYER IS SAYING THEY CANNOT MAKE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, THE LIABILITY FALLS ON THEM.
SO THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO SIT HERE AND WANT TO FIRE YOU BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BECOME A PROBLEM.
UM, SO FOR ME, FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND FOR EVERYBODY OUT THERE WHO FELT LIKE THEY WERE FORCED, AT LEAST DO SOME OF THE WORK AND KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHTS ARE.
UM, TH US PASSING AN ORDINANCE IS NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY PROTECT YOU BECAUSE IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE YOU, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REASON IS.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAY, YOU GUYS SAID WE WERE FINE AND NOW WE'RE NOT FINE.
AND WHAT DO YOU DO? DO YOU SEE THE TOWN? UM, SO I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF THEIR RATES.
UM, IF THEY'RE BEING, UM, ASKED OR PUSHED, UM, I CONTACTED ALL THE LARGER EMPLOYEES AND NONE OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY MANDATING PRESENTLY.
UM, I CONTACTED THE SCHOOLS, VALLEY HEALTH, NURSING HOMES, UH, PLACES THAT HAD, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF PEOPLE IN A SMALL, SMALL SPACE.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, THE EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION IS RIGHT THERE.
THEY OUTLINE EXACTLY WHAT CAN BE ASKED OR NOT ASKED OF YOU.
AND FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION GOING IN, IF YOU NEED TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOUR EMPLOYER, ANYONE ELSE,
[9C. Report of the Mayor]
UM, BEING NON-REPORTED THE MAYOR OF DOUG, I DON'T THINK WE CAN LEGALLY PASS AN ORDINANCE ANYWAY, COULDN'T WE ONE THAT MY OWN PERSONAL VIEW IS THAT WOULD BE BEYOND THE AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN.[10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]
RIGHT.CARCINOGEN ITEMS. UH, A MOTION PLEASE.
I MOVE THAT WE PASS THE, OR THAT, THAT WE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS A WRITTEN PRESENTED, SORRY, AS WRITTEN PRESENTED SECOND.
[01:50:01]
SOUNDS GOOD.CONSENT ENGINE ITEMS PASS NEXT.
[11A. FY21 Budget Amendment and Intra Fund Budget Transfer for Paving Projects - BJ]
BUDGET AMENDMENT AND ENTER FUND BUDGET TRANSFER FOR PAVING PROJECTS.COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO APPROVE AN FYI 21 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND INTERFUND TRANSFER IN THE AMOUNT OF $487,220 TO USE FUNDS PREVIOUSLY SET ASIDE FOR POTENTIAL GENERAL FUND REVENUE SHORTFALLS, AND ALLOW THE FUNDS TO BE USED TO ADVANCE THE TOWN'S PAVING PLAN.
OVERALL, FYI 21 GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS ANTICIPATED TO BE AT OUR NEAR BUDGETED AMOUNTS.
YOU HEAR A MOTION, MR. MAY I MOVE THE COUNCIL APPROVE AND FYI 21 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND INTRA FUND TRANSFER IN THE AMOUNT OF $487,220 TO USE FUNDS PREVIOUSLY SET ASIDE FOR POTENTIAL GRANT GENERAL FUND REVENUE SHORTFALLS, AND ALLOW THE FUNDS TO BE USED TO ADVANCE THE TOWN'S PAVING PLAN.
YOU HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? VICE VICE MAYOR COCKROACH.
[11B. Resolution for Employee Appreciation Week]
NEXT UP A RESOLUTION FOR EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION WEEK.COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JULY 17TH THROUGH JULY 23RD, 2021 AS THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION WEEK AS PRESENTED TINA, COULD YOU READ THAT RESOLUTION? OKAY.
AS THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL HAS 163 FULL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.
AND WHEREAS AS TOWN EMPLOYEES ARE RECOGNIZED AS PROFESSIONALS WHO ACCEPTED MEET THE DAILY CHALLENGES OF PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS AND VISITORS, AND WHEREAS TOWN EMPLOYEES CONTINUED TO FACE MANY CHALLENGES DURING THE EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT IN THE PAST YEAR FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
AND WHEREAS CURRENTLY THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS RESULTED IN MANY BUSINESSES, LOOKING FOR EMPLOYEES AND THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL IS ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME NEED.
WHEREAS DURING THE CURRENT NEED FOR ADDITIONAL HELP TOWN EMPLOYEES CONTINUE TO EXCEL IN THE WORKPLACE AND DEMONSTRATE DEPENDABILITY INITIATIVE AND ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH THEIR STEWARDSHIP OF TOWN RESOURCES AND WORKING WITH EACH OTHER AS A TEAM.
AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA THAT WE HEAR BY EXPRESS DEEP AND SINCERE APPRECIATION TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES AT THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, FOR THEIR DEDICATION SERVICE, FOR THEIR DEDICATION, SERVICE, AND VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND FOR CRIME AND PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF JULY 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD, 2021 AS EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION WEEK FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL APPROVE A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JULY 17TH THROUGH JULY 23RD, 2021 AT THE TON OF FRONT ROYAL EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION WEEK AS PRESENTED.
SECOND, YOUR SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? I, I I'M EAGERLY EXCITED TO DO THIS, SO ALRIGHTY.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE A ROLL CALL? VICE MAYOR COCKREL YES.
COUNCILMAN MEZA HOUSEMEN THOMPSON.
[12. CLOSED MEETING]
UM, NEXT UP WILL BE A CLOSED MEETING.NOW THE TOWN COUNCIL GO INTO CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES.
ONE, A DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE DISPOSITION OF PUBLICLY HELD REAL PROPERTIES, ESPECIALLY THE TOWN'S PROPERTY ADJACENT TO STATE ROUTE 6 0 6, THAT WAS GIFTED THE TOWN FOR A FUTURE I 66 INTERCHANGE BY WALTER AND MARY DUNCAN PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION A DOT THREE, WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE PUBLIC BODY.
AND WITH RESPECT TO THE SAME SUBJECT CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE BY SUCH COUNCIL
[01:55:01]
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION EIGHT DOT EIGHT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, AND TO CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE BY SUCH COUNCIL, SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSION OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, POSSIBLY BECOMING THE CITY OF FRONT ROYAL.AND THE FACT IF IT DID PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION EIGHT DOT EIGHT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
COUNCILMAN MEZA COUNCILMAN THOMPSON.