* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME [00:00:01] EVERYBODY TO THE, UH, REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY, AUGUST 23RD, 2021. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. IF YOU WOULD [2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY COUNCILMAN LOYD. [3. ROLL CALL] PRESLEY. CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR HOLLOWAY, VICE MAYOR. COCKREL HERE. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN HERE. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. NEXT [4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] APPROVAL OF MINUTES, UH, FOR WORK SESSION, JULY THE 12TH AND REGULAR MEETING, JULY 26 AND SPECIAL MEETING AUGUST 2ND. YOUR EMOTIONS, MR. MAYOR, I MOVED TO COUNCIL APPROVE THE WORK SESSION MINUTES OF JULY THE 12TH, 2021. THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF JULY 26TH, 2021. AND THE SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES OF AUGUST THE SECOND, 2021 AS PRESENTED. SECOND HERE'S A SECOND. HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN, ABSTAIN EPSTEIN, COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. UH, DO WE HAVE [5. ADDITION/DELETION OF ITEMS] ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA MR. MAYOR? UM, I HAVE A PROPOSED DELETION. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE DELETING A NUMBER OF 10 UNDER BUSINESS ITEMS, EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO ENACT TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 72 WHILE WELFARE HEALTH SAFETY, REGULATING HOSPITALS OR OTHER MEDICAL OR HEALTH RELATED FACILITIES. THAT IS MY PROPOSED EMERGENCY ORDINANCE. UM, I THINK EVERYBODY AT THE DAY, THIS IS FAMILIAR. UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. OKAY. I'M SORRY. LET ME FINISH. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE BACKGROUND FOR THE, UM, BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AND THE FOLKS AT THE DAY IS, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH OUR INTERNAL PROCEDURES WITH YOUR INDULGENCE, MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY JUST GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND, THANK YOU. UM, UH, OUR INTERNAL PROCEDURES ARE SUCH THAT IN ORDER THAT EVERYBODY GETS THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO CONSIDER THEM PROP PROPERLY, WE MUST, UH, FILE OUR ORDINANCES AND PROPOSED ORDINANCES. IT REALLY, I THINK IT'S A WEEK AND A HALF, UM, IN, IN ADVANCE. AND SO, UH, WITH THAT AND WITH ALL THE BACKGROUND OF THE PREVIOUS FEW, UH, MEETINGS, I, I SUBMITTED MINE A FEW, YOU KNOW, A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, I BELIEVE WEDNESDAY IS THE DEADLINE. UM, AND THERE WERE A FEW OUTSTANDING LEGAL ISSUES THAT I WAS HOPING TO HAVE A RUN DOWN. AND I WAS HOPING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK A FEW FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS AND HAVE THEM ANSWER. UM, BUT THE CORE OF THE, OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WAS, UM, I WANTED TO TAKE A PROVISION OF OUR, UH, CHARTER, WHICH IS, UH, CHAPTER FIVE, SECTION SECTION 18, UM, PARAGRAPH EIGHT, UH, I JUST WANT TO QUARTER IT IN FULL HERE TO SECURE THE INHABIT. SO THE, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT, UM, THE GENERAL LEGISLATURE HAS GIVEN US POWER TO DO TO SECURE THE INHABITANTS FROM CONTAGIOUS, INFECTIOUS, OR OTHER DANGEROUS DISEASES TO ESTABLISH ERECT AND REGULATE HOSPITALS OR OTHER MEDICAL OR HEALTH RELATED FACILITIES TO PROVIDE FOR AND ENFORCE THE REMOVAL OF PACE PATIENTS TO SET HOSPITALS OR OTHER MEDICAL OR HEALTH-RELATED FACILITIES TO POINT AND ORGANIZE A BOARD OF HEALTH FOR SAID, TOWN WITH NECESSARY AUTHORITY FOR THE PROMPT AND EFFICIENT OF THESE DUTIES. SO AM I ORDINANCE? I, UH, I THINK IF I WOULD'VE REVISED IT, I WOULD'VE DONE IT DIFFERENTLY. UM, IF I HAD A CHANCE AND SO I, I, UM, OMITTED THE PROVISIONS THAT SAY TO ESTABLISH ERECT AND I ONLY INCLUDED THE REGULATE HOSPITALS. AND I THINK THAT SOME IN THE COMMUNITY [00:05:01] HAVE TAKEN A LOOK AT THAT AND, UM, COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT I WAS INTENTIONALLY OMITTING SOMETHING, WHICH IS, IT'S JUST NOT THE CASE. IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN, I WOULD HAVE INCLUDED ALL THAT LANGUAGE, BUT ALL THAT IS TO, UH, THE QUESTION OF, OKAY, SO THE, THE LEGAL QUESTION THAT'S BEFORE US IS WHETHER WE CAN ONLY REGULATE THE HOSPITALS THAT WE ESTABLISH AN ERECT. AND I THINK FROM THE PLAIN MEANING OF THE STATUTE THAT WE HAVE POWER TO REGULATE, UM, UH, ANY HOSPITAL THAT'S IN OUR TOWN OR ANY HEALTH-RELATED FACILITY, YOU ALL CAN LOOK IT UP AND READ IT, BUT THERE WERE ALSO, UH, SOME OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER, UM, MY ADVOCACY AND MY PRIVATE ADVOCACY ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF, UM, VARIOUS, UH, EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT TOWN WHO ARE AFFECTED BY VACCINE MANDATE MIGHT BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. AND, UM, I THINK THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT, UH, ANYWAY, UM, IT MIGHT BE, UH, UH, UH, UH, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST. I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UH, SAY, UH, A THING OR TWO ABOUT THAT IN THAT IS, UM, OFTEN IT'S BEEN A PAST PRACTICE THAT THE, UH, TOWN ATTORNEY PASSES ON THIS, BUT FOR SOME REASON I WAS DIRECTED TO, UH, GO TO THE, UM, STATE, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST BOARD, WHICH I DID. AND I RECEIVED A RESPONSE LAST WEEK THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A TIMELINE. THEY KNEW THE DEADLINE, THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS A VOTE TONIGHT, AND I ASKED FOR A TIMELY RESPONSE AND I DIDN'T GET ONE. UM, I ALSO ASKED, UH, THE TOWN ATTORNEY, I THINK, UM, MR. NAPIER, YOU CAN WEIGH IN ON THIS, IF YOU WANT TO, OR HER, SINCE I HAVEN'T PUT THE QUESTION TO YOU BEFOREHAND, YOU CAN TAKE A PASS. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT GIVEN THE FACTS THAT MY, MY, UM, WELL, I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST PAT, I'LL JUST PASS ON THAT. UM, BUT THE POINT IS THAT I DON'T HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF ADVOCACY ON, ON THESE ISSUES, THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND OTHER ISSUES IN THE FUTURE, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO BE VOTING ON AN ORDINANCE WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BROUGHT UP, UH, QUESTIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED. AND SO I RATHER THAN TAKE THAT RISK AND ALLOW THOSE QUESTIONS TO CONTINUE IN PEOPLE'S MINDS. UM, I THINK THAT'S FINE. I'M NOT TAKING, UH, ANY COMPENSATION HAVE NOT ASKED FOR ANY COMPENSATION, UH, RELATED TO, UH, ANY OF THE RELEVANT WORK THAT, UH, I'VE BEEN DOING ON BEHALF OF AFFECTED, UH, APPOINTEES. UM, IT'S ALL BEEN PRO BONO IN ANY CASE. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO JUST HEAR THAT, UH, FROM THE STATE, UH, IF I HEAR ANYTHING THAT'S RELEVANT TO THIS DISCUSSION, I'LL BRING IT UP. BUT, UH, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPINION, HANNAH, I WOULD RATHER THAT WE REMOVE THE, UH, ORDINANCE FROM CONSIDERATION. UM, AND SO I'VE MOVED TO THAT EFFECT. ALL RIGHT. SO THERE WAS A SECOND, UM, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL WHEN A BORDER ON ROBERT'S RULES, POINT OF ORDER ON THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AFTER WE HAVE THE SECOND. UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW UP APOLOGIZE, MR. MCSPADDEN. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO ARE WE DISCUSSING IT? YES. SO I, I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE AS IF WE TAKE IT OFF THE AGENDA, THEN IT CAN COME BACK. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE, IS THAT WHAT THE PURPOSE OF TAKING IT OFF WOULD BE, OR NO, NOW I ACTUALLY NOT, UH, CONSIDERED THAT, UM, REALLY THE PURPOSE FOR ME DOING THIS IS JUST WHAT I SAID. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, FROM MY, FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN ADVISED FROM OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, AS I SAID, PREVIOUS ORDINANCE WAS THAT WE'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS. IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO, NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO, TO, UM, OUR, OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING ELSE TO CONFIRM THAT WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS. UM, I KNOW THAT THE, UH, PART OF THE CHARTER THAT YOU WERE READING OR CODE WAS HAVING TO DO WITH PUBLIC, I THINK IT WAS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC PEACE. I THINK THAT WAS THE PART. AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT, UM, I INTERPRET THAT, THAT THE WHOLE PUBLIC [00:10:01] IS AFFECTED BY THAT. AND IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THIS ORDINANCE IS REALLY MEANT TO JUST HAVE AN IMPACT ON A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE. UM, AND SO I'M NOT SURE THAT I WASN'T REALLY CONFIDENT THAT IT WAS AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE IN THE FIRST PLACE, I GUESS, IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. SO I, I MEAN, IF, IF WE LEAVE IT ON THE AGENDA, WE WOULD GO IN AND VOTE TONIGHT. IF, IF, IF WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS, IF WE DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE AN AUTHORITY TO DO THIS, THEN I DON'T SEE THE POINT IN CONTINUING TO BRING IT BACK, I GUESS, IS THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS. UM, SO THAT'S, THAT WAS MY DISCUSSION, MR. MAYOR. YES, MA'AM. SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN GOING ROUND AND ROUND ON THIS AND IN WORK SESSIONS, ET CETERA. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DILLON RULE. THE DILLON RULE IS A PRINCIPLE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ONLY EXERCISES ONE POWERS EXPRESSLY GRANTED BY THE STATE TWO POWERS NECESSARILY, AND FAIRLY IMPLIED FROM THE GRANT OF POWER IN THREE POWERS, CRUCIAL TO THE EXISTENCE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO ENFORCE ANYTHING, NOT EXPRESSLY GRANTED AT THE STATE LEVEL. THIS IS WHY THIS ORDINANCE WAS UNENFORCEABLE TO START. UM, VIRGINIA ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO MANDATE VACCINES FOR THEIR EMPLOYERS ALONG WITH 48. OTHER STATES, MONTANA IS THE ONLY STATE TO BAN VACCINE REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYEES REPAIR REPORT IT IN THE 8 21 ISSUE OF THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY. WHEN SPEAKING ON THIS ISSUE, THE LAST TIME I NOTED THE ISSUE SHOULD BE TAKEN UP AT THE STATE LEVEL, EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS EXPLAINED TO US, WE STILL DECIDED TO GET A SECOND OPINION AND INVOLVE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. UM, JUST THIS EVENING, WE DID GET THAT SECOND OPINION. BACK-END UM, IT SAYS WE CAN ONLY CONTROL, UM, MANDATES OR THINGS AT HOSPITALS THAT WE, THE GOVERNMENT OWN AND ERECTED OURSELVES, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT SCOTT READ TO YOU FROM THE CHAPTER EIGHT. I THINK IT WAS, UM, BASICALLY THERE'S NOTHING NEW HERE TO SWAY ANYONE TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS TO THE AFFIRMATIVE. BUT HERE WE ARE, AGAIN, IN AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED AUGUST 11TH BY THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY TITLED VALLEY HEALTH WORKERS STRIKE OVER VACCINE MANDATE. I DISCOVERED SCOTT LLOYD IS REPRESENTING SEVERAL NURSES. THEY SAY THAT HE IS, HE IS THEIR LAWYER, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM ADVOCATING. IF SOMEONE SAYS THAT YOU'RE THEIR LAWYER, UM, I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR LEGAL STAFF, UM, WHO DID SAY THAT THERE WAS LIKELY A CONFLICT AND THEY TURNED IT OVER TO THE KOREA COMMITTEE FOR AN OFFICIAL OPINION THAT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED. COUNCILMAN LAWYER DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I THOUGHT THERE WAS A CONFLICT. SO I OUTLINED IT FOR HIM AS I WILL TO HEAR AS WELL. YOU'VE PROPOSED AN ORDINANCE WHERE HE VALLEY HEALTH MANDATED VACCINES WHILE ALSO LEGALLY REPRESENTING EMPLOYEES OF VALLEY HEALTH, WHO ARE AGAINST MANDATED VACCINES. IF COUNCIL VOTES IN FAVOR OF YOUR ORDINANCE, YOU AND YOUR CLIENTS STAND TO BENEFIT, AND THE BENEFIT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE FINANCIAL FOR HIM AT THE BENEFIT CAN ALSO BE A LEVEL OF PUBLICITY OR WHATEVER IT IS, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY A BENEFIT TO, OF COURSE, THE CLIENTS, RIGHT? THIS APPEARS TO BE A CONFLICT. IN WHICH CASE YOU WOULD NEED TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM VOTING ON THE MATTER MR. SIMON, OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT ADVISE THERE APPEARED TO BE A CONFLICT AS WELL, BUT THE MATTER IS STILL OUT FOR OFFICIAL REVIEW, WHILE THIS COULD COME BACK AS NO CONFLICT, IT STILL LOOKS REALLY BAD. MANY WHO SPOKE AT OUR LAST MEETING ALSO SPOKE AGAINST FORMER COUNCILMAN MESOS VOTE FOR VALLEY HEALTH, WHICH WAS BEFORE MY TIME, BY THE WAY, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO LEGAL CONFLICT, EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WOULD, IT LOOKED BAD AND HE SHOULD'VE JUST RECUSED HIMSELF. WELL, THOSE SAME PEOPLE THINK THE SAME THING OF COUNCILMAN LLOYD OR IS IT OKAY BECAUSE HE'S ON YOUR SIDE, ON THIS ISSUE FURTHER, I AM NOT INCLINED TO TELL OTHER BUSINESSES WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR BUSINESS. I'D LIKE CHICK-FIL-A TO BE OPEN ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS, BUT IT ISN'T. SHOULD I PETITION THE COUNCIL CREATE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS ALL BUSINESSES MUST BE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. VALLEY HEALTH IS ALSO AWARE OF THE DILLON RULE. THEIR, THEIR, UM, LEGAL TEAM IS ALL OVER IT. AND THEY HAVE ALREADY STATED THEY WOULD FILE A DEATH ORATORY JUDGMENT AGAINST THE TOWN. SHOULD THIS COME? SO SHOULD THEY SOMEHOW GO THROUGH NOT ENFORCEABLE, CLOUDED IN CONFLICT AND THREAT OF A LAWSUIT THAT WE WOULD DEFINITELY LOSE. AND YET WE'RE STILL HERE TO VOTE ON THIS AND I WANT TO VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT, PUT IT TO BED. THERE'S NO LEGAL BEARINGS HERE AND LET IT GO. I DON'T WANT IT TO COME BACK UP NEXT WEEK. I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT ANYMORE BECAUSE WE'VE DISCUSSED IT TO THIS DEATH. AND AT THIS POINT WE'RE BEATING A DEAD HORSE THAT WE HAD SINCE WE WENT AHEAD AND GOT THE SECOND OPINION, EVEN THOUGH IT PROBABLY WASN'T A HUNDRED PERCENT NECESSARY, RIGHT? SO THAT'S MY TAKE ON IT. I'D LIKE TO VOTE ON IT. ANYONE ELSE? I HAVE COMMENTS HERE, MR. MAYOR, IN RECENT YEARS, THE COUNCIL HAS LEANED ON SEVERAL LEGAL OPINIONS ISSUED BY OUR TOWN ATTORNEY. ONE SUCH LEGAL OPINION ALLOWED FORMER COUNCILMAN MESA. AS MS. THOMPSON JUST MENTIONED TO VOTE ON A VALLEY HEALTH-RELATED ISSUE THAT [00:15:01] STILL LEAVES SOME OF US IN THE FRONT ROW COMMUNITY QUESTIONING WHY THIS WAS FLAGGED AS A CONFLICT OR NOT AS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST DUE TO HIS EMPLOYMENT WITH THE BUSINESS. ANOTHER LEGAL OPINION ALLOWED FORMER COUNSEL MESA TO REJOIN THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR WHICH THE TOWN WAS SUED AND IS STILL FACING A JUDGMENT COMING NEXT MONTH AND INFORMATION REGARDING POSSIBLE LEGAL ISSUES WITH HIS APPOINTMENT WERE NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO NEWLY SEATED MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL, HAVING FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE COMPLICATIONS AND HAVING DISCUSSED THEM A MONTH PRIOR, A THIRD LEGAL OPINION ISSUED BY MR. NAPIER WAS CITED BY MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN THEY VOTED AGAINST MIDDOT MEDICAL FREEDOM ORNAMENTS, THE FIRST TIME AND IN THE RESOLUTION THAT THEY VOTED FOR LATER ON, ESSENTIALLY WHEN THE RESOLUTION PASSED ON AUGUST 3RD, THEY VOTED, YES. THEY STATED AGREED WITH THE COUNCILMAN LLOYD'S PRIOR MEDICAL FREEDOM ORDINANCE IN THEIR RESOLUTION, BUT THEY DISAGREED WITH IT IN THE LEGAL CONSTRAINTS POSED BY MR. NAPIER. BUT WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN ALTERNATE PATH FORWARD. NOW THAT WE'VE JUST RECEIVED. I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD TIME TO READ THOSE ALTERNATE OPINIONS THAT WERE JUST PUT OUT TO US 20 MINUTES BEFORE THIS MEETING STARTED, WHILE THE PRIOR INTENT OF THE MEDICAL FREEDOM ORDINANCE PROPOSAL WAS TO PROTECT ALL FRONT ROYAL CITIZENS. THERE IS ONE SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYER THAT HAS MANDATED SOME OF THE CITIZENS OF FRONT. WELL, GIVE UP THEIR RIGHT OF MAKING PERSONAL MEDICAL DECISIONS AS A CONDITION OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT THAT'S VALLEY HEALTH. WE ALL KNOW THAT WHILE I HAVE NO PERSONAL VENDETTA AGAINST VALLEY HEALTH, I STILL HOLD THE POSITION THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE CORPORATE OVERREACH INTO PRIVATE OR PERSONAL MEDICAL DECISIONS. THE FACT THAT MANY STAFF MEMBERS EMPLOYED BY VALLEY HEALTH HAVE WHAT MOST WOULD CONSIDER A SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH MEDICAL EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE TO MAKE WELL INFORMED MEDICAL DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES. THEIR EMPLOYER VALLEY HEALTH HAS DECIDED TO TAKE THAT DECISION AWAY FROM THEM. LEVERAGING MANDATED COVID VACCINES, THE NATIONAL HEALTHCARE WORKERS SHORTAGE ILLUSTRATED IN NEW YORK TIMES. ARTICLE PUBLISHED AUGUST 21ST, 2021. NURSING IS IN CRISIS STAFF SHORTAGES PUT PATIENTS AT RISK NURSING. NURSING SHORTAGES HAVE LONG VEXED HOSPITALS, BUT IN THE YEAR AND A HALF, SINCE ITS FEROCIOUS DEBUT IN THE UNITED STATES, THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS STRETCHED. THE NATION'S NURSES HAS NEVER BEFORE ARE TESTING THEIR SKILLS AND STAMINA AS DELIBERATELY ILL PATIENTS WITH A POORLY UNDERSTOOD MALADY FLOODED EMERGENCY ROOMS. AS THEY DO TODAY, THEY REMAINED STEADFAST, AMID A CALAMITOUS SHORTAGE OF PERSONNEL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. AS WE HEARD AT OUR LAST, AT THAT MEETING SPURRED BY A SENSE OF DUTY, THEY FLOCKED FROM ACROSS COUNTRY TO THE NEWEST HOT ZONE. SOMETIMES WORKING AS VOLUNTEERS, MORE THAN 1200 OF THEM HAVE DIED FROM THE VIRUS AND QUOTE TONIGHT, A NEW ORDINANCE HAS PROPOSED BY COUNCILMAN LLOYD. HE'S OPTING NOW TO TAKE THAT OFF THE TABLE, BUT HE HAS SHOWN WHAT OUR TOWN ATTORNEY DID NOT NAMELY THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL DOES HAVE A POWER TO PREVENT VALLEY HEALTH FROM MANDATING THIS VACCINE VALLEY HEALTH, UM, FOLLOWS, SORRY, VIRGINIA FOLLOWS THE DILLON RULE OF STRICT CONSTRUCTION. THE DILLON RULE PROVIDES THAT MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS CAN EXERCISE ONLY THOSE POWERS EXPRESSLY GRANTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CHAPTER FIVE, SECTION 18, PARAGRAPH EIGHT OF THE TOWN CHARTER STATES THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL IN QUOTES CAN REGULATE HOSPITALS OR OTHER MEDICAL OR HEALTH RELATED FACILITIES. THUS THIS POWER TO REGULATE IS EXPRESSLY GRANTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO TOWN COUNCIL OR TO FRONT ROYAL. THIS WAS A QUESTION THAT CAME OUT MULTIPLE TIMES IN WORK SESSIONS THAT WAS NEVER ANSWERED FULLY BY MR. NAPIER. HOW, IF WE HAD, WHAT WAS EXPRESSLY ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED WAS NEVER ANSWERED. HOW WILL THOSE THAT VOTED NO BASED ON THAT LEGAL OPINION NOW VOTE. I THINK I KNOW I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO MOST OF THESE QUESTIONS. I'M NOT A MEDICAL EXPERT. I'M NOT A LEGAL EXPERT, BUT IT'S AN UNDENIABLE FACT THAT VALLEY HEALTH HAS A MONOPOLY ON OUR CURRENT HEALTH SYSTEM IN FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY. IT'S NOT LIKE CHOOSING BETWEEN DOMINO'S OR MELTING POT PIZZA OR LITTLE CAESARS. WE HAVE ONLY ONE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. AND WITH THIS MANDATE FOR A VACCINE PUSHING ON THE ALREADY WORN STAFF, WE COULD FACE A REAL SHORTAGE OF NURSES RIGHT HERE AT HOME. I HAVE SEEN NO STAFF SHORTAGE MITIGATION PLAN. I'VE SEEN NO STUDIES PRESENTED BY THE LEADERSHIP OF VALLEY HEALTH TO PROVE TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL THAT THEY HAVE A PLAN TO ENSURE THESE HOSPITALS ARE PROPERLY STAFFED AFTER THEIR EMPLOYEES WALK AWAY DUE TO AN INVASIVE CORPORATE OVERREACH WITHIN THIS ISSUE. I ALSO SEE A CORPORATION CONTINUING TO DO WHATEVER IT WANTS TO DO REGARDLESS OF THE COMMUNITY'S COMMON GOOD, IRONICALLY, MANY WHO WANT TO STRIP INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR LIBERTIES FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMON GOOD ALLOW CORPORATIONS, A PASS. I'VE SEEN NO LEGAL PATH FORWARD PRESENTED BY MR. NAPIER FOR A PILOT OR PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES, WHICH I AND COUNCILMAN THOMPSON HAD REQUESTED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT COLLECTION PROCESS MOVE FORWARD UNDER A SIMILAR MEASURE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO ADD A COMMENT. SO THE JAKE METHA APPOINTMENT, I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT JUST REALLY QUICKLY. SO YOU AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE ON THAT. UM, WE THOUGHT IT WAS PLAIN LANGUAGE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND AT OUR LEVEL AND DIDN'T NEED A LEGAL INTERPRETATION. I REACHED OUT TO OTHER MEMBERS ON MY COUNCIL AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE SCOTT'S AN ATTORNEY. SO I WAS LIKE, I'M GOING TO CALL HIM AND SEE WHAT HE THINKS AS WELL. SCOTT SAID, [00:20:01] I AGREE. IT'S PLAIN LANGUAGE. AND I HATE THAT LAWYERS GET INTO THINGS AND MUDDLE THEM UP. SO I WAS LIKE, OKAY, GREAT. WE'RE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF US ON THE SAME PAGE. WE COME TO OUR MEETING AND I GUESS GOT TALKED TO SOMEBODY AND HE SAYS, OH, I'M NOT A MUNICIPALITY LAWYER. DOUG IS THE EXPERT AND I'M ESSENTIALLY LEAVING THIS ALONE. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS, THAT WAS CLEAR THAT THERE WERE A FEW OF US WHO, WHO THOUGHT THAT WAS PLAIN LANGUAGE ISSUE AND SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN WHERE IT GOT TO LIKE, OKAY, IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR, THAT WAS, UM, CONVERSATION, UM, THAT OCCURRED, UH, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. AND I WAS JUST, UH, REACTING TO, UH, IT'S THOMPSON'S REPORT OF THE LANGUAGE. AND, UM, WHEN I HAD A CHANCE TO READ, UH, DOUG'S ANALYSIS, THE LANGUAGE AT HAND AND EVERYTHING ELSE CAME UP TO MY OWN OPINION. UM, I ALSO MENTIONED THAT I WOULDN'T HIDE BEHIND, UH, UH, MR. NAVY'S OPINION IN FUTURE, UM, ENGAGEMENTS. AND I THINK THOSE ARE MY EXACT WORDS, TWO THINGS THAT I THINK NEED TO BE ADDRESSED THOUGH, FROM THE COMMENTS. UM, THE SECOND OPINION, I, I'VE NOT SEEN IT CAUSE SOMEBODY TAUGHT IS THIS, IS THIS THE ONE FROM MR. KEVIN ROSE OF BACH AND ROSE IN HARRISONBURG? YES, THAT IS NOT THE SECOND OPINION THAT WE ASKED FOR THAT WE WERE, UH, THAT WAS PROPOSED BY THE MAYOR, WHICH WAS RETRACTED. WE'VE NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE REQUESTED A SECOND OPINION. THE OPINION FROM MR. ROSE IS AN OPINION FROM VALLEY HEALTH'S LAWYER THAT WAS FORWARDED TO US, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING. BUT, UH, THERE, THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S NOT THE SECOND OPINION THAT WE WERE SEEKING. THAT IS, UH, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT ONE THEN IF I MISREAD, THAT WAS PRETTY QUICK. OKAY. AND SO, AND THEN THE, SO, AND JUST TO, UH, SPEAK ABOUT THE, UM, CONFLICT ISSUE, I WAS, UH, INFORMED BY THE TOWN ATTORNEY THAT SOMEBODY HAD BROUGHT A, UM, AN ISSUE OF A, OF A CONFLICT. AND USUALLY WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT OCCURS, UH, SOMEBODY EXPLAINS TO YOU FIRST, UH, THERE'S BEEN, UH, SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, A QUESTION ABOUT A CONFLICT AND HERE IS THE NATURE OF THAT CONFLICT. AND SO MY QUESTION WAS JUST SIMPLY TO SAY, OKAY, WELL, WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING? UM, I I'D LIKE TO KNOW. I MEAN, IT COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS AND IT COULD BE UNCLEAN COMPLETELY MADE UP, BUT MS. THOMPSON, UM, REFERENCES A, UH, MEDIA REPORT ABOUT MY REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH, UM, I DID NOT, UH, SPEAK TO THAT OUTLET ABOUT, UH, MY REPRESENTATION OR ANYTHING ELSE. UM, AND JUST BECAUSE IT'S REPORTED IN THE MEDIA DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU HAVE ALL OF THE RELEVANT FACTS ABOUT THE SITUATION. AND SO, UM, I'VE REPORTED ALL OF THEM TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY, TO COYA, THEY'RE, UH, LOOKING INTO ALL OF THAT AND EVERYTHING, BUT, UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE, MAKE IT CLEAR THAT SOMETIMES APPEARANCES ARE NOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY SEEM. I UNDERSTAND YOU WERE REACHED OUT AND CONTACTED BY THE MEDIA AND YOU DECLINED TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS AND SAID, NO COMMENT. UM, SO THEN THEY HAD TO RELY ON WHAT THOSE NURSES WERE TELLING THEM, WHICH IS THAT YOU'RE THEIR LAWYER. SO IF YOU WOULD WANT IT TO CLEAR THAT UP OR TO MAKE IT EXTREMELY CLEAR, YOU WOULD HAVE THE MEDIA, BY THE WAY, I AM NOT REPRESENTING THESE PEOPLE, UM, THAT ARE THERE, IF THAT WAS THE CASE. SO EITHER YOU'RE THESE, THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE STRIKING OR LYING THAT SAYS, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THAT YOU REPRESENT THEM? NO, I I'M SAYING THAT THE REALITY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A REALITY THAT HAS TO DO WITH MY CLIENTS IS, IS NOT EXACTLY AS, UM, CUT AND DRY AS IT SEEMS FROM, FROM THE MEDIA REPORTS. AND IT'S OKAY. EVERYBODY, ANY OUTBURSTS AND YOU'LL BE REMOVED WELL, I WANT TO BE LIKE THE LAST MEETING, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT, I MEAN, I REALLY, I IT'S, IT'S NOT MY PLACE TO, UM, GIVE THE, THE LEGAL INS AND OUTS AND THE DETAILS OF MY REPRESENTATION OR NON REPRESENTATION OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS. OKAY. THOSE ARE NEEDED WHEN YOU'RE PLACING ORDINANCES THAT ARE BEING CALLED THE SCOTT LORD OR LORD ORDINANCE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING, BECAUSE BEFOREHAND I DIDN'T SEE A CONFLICT BECAUSE I WAS [00:25:01] TOLD THAT YOU WEREN'T REPRESENTING ANYBODY. THIS ONLY BECAME AN ISSUE. LIKE I SAID, WHEN I SAW THE NEWS ARTICLE, PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT YOU'RE THEIR LAWYER, THE PR THE PRESS CONTACTS YOU, AND IT WASN'T, THEY COULDN'T REACH YOU. IT WAS, YOU SAID, NO COMMENT. UM, BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO YOUR, YOUR LEGAL BUSINESS, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, IF YOU'RE PROPOSING AN ORDINANCE, YOU AND YOU'RE ALSO REPRESENTING PEOPLE IN ANY CAPACITY THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCLOSED, UM, FOR SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE WHERE THIS IS GOING, BECAUSE I'VE CONSTANTLY SAID, AND NOW I'M KIND OF THINKING, IS THIS IT IS THIS WHAT YOU WERE DOING? BECAUSE REMEMBER I KEPT SAYING, YOU WANT TO GO BRING THIS TO VOTE, EVEN THOUGH YOU SAID, EVEN IF YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON TO VOTE, YOU WANT IT TO DO IT. AND I SAID, WHAT IS YOUR END GAME WHAT'S GOING ON? SO IS THE END GAME. THESE WERE YOUR CLIENTS THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO WIN A CASE, AND YOU DRUG US ALL THROUGH THIS FOR, FOR YOUR CASES. UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE I'M GETTING CONFUSED. AND THAT'S WHERE I FEEL BAD FOR EVERYBODY WHO CAME TO TALK AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IF THIS WAS ALL JUST SO YOU COULD GET SOMETHING OFFICIALLY ON THE BOOKS TO MAKE YOUR CASES EASIER. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO ARGUE, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT TO, I'M NOT REPRESENTING THEM, BUT THEY'RE SAYING THAT YOU ARE, WHEN I ASK YOU, IF THEY'RE LYING, YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE NOT, IT'S VERY CONFUSING. AND IT SH IT SHOULDN'T BE RIGHT. LIKE YOU EITHER ARE REPRESENTING THEM OR YOU'RE NOT REPRESENTING THEM. RIGHT. WELL, I, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'VE TURNED OVER THE PERTINENT FACTS TO THE STATE ETHICS BOARD AND ALSO TO THE TOWN ATTORNEYS. I THINK THAT'S, WHAT'S REQUIRED OF ME IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE. AND I'VE ALSO SAID I ALSO PROPOSED TO, UM, REMOVE THE VOTE BECAUSE THAT THOSE ISSUES HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED FROM, BY THE COMPETENT AUTHORITIES. I'D LIKE TO HEAR THE, THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER AS WELL. UM, BUT I, I REALLY AM JUST NOT COMFORTABLE FOR PROFESSIONALLY GIVING A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT ANY MY CLIENT'S BUSINESS OR MY POTENTIAL CLIENTS BUSINESS, OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONSULTED WITH ME ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS OR ANYTHING ELSE. OKAY. SO THAT'S FINE. BUT WE WANT TO BUILD ON THIS NOW, SO WE CAN GET THIS WRAPPED UP AND YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO US ANOTHER WEEK, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, MR. MAYOR, I SHOULDN'T MISS MS. THOMPSON MADE A VERY POINTED QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER MY END GAME WAS TO, TO MAKE SOMEBODY'S, UM, CASE, UH, NO BETTER. I THINK I WANT, I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CONVERSATION BEGAN IN FEBRUARY. I PUBLISHED TWO ARTICLES, ONE THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE, UM, UH, UH, TOWN GOVERNMENTS, UM, PLACE WITHIN THE CONSTITUTIONAL, UH, I DON'T KNOW, HIERARCHY OR A SYSTEM. THE OTHER ONE WAS WHAT IS, WHAT DOES MEDICAL FREEDOM MEAN? BOTH OF THESE WERE PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY, AND IT WAS IN THE BLUE RIDGE HERALD. AND I CAN PROVIDE LINKS TO ANYBODY WHO ASKS AND BOTH OF THESE THINGS ARE AT THE CORE OF WHAT THIS DISCUSSION IS. AND THEN, AND I'VE IN MID WINTER, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION, IT HAD MORE TO DO WITH THE TYPES OF, UM, MEDICAL, UH, TESTING THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS OCCURRING. AND, AND SO THE ISSUE WAS, WAS FURTHER DEVELOPED. AND IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE, WHERE AM I, MY MIND IS AT, AND IT'S GOING TO COME UP IN A, IN A, IN A LATER VOTE TODAY. IT'S I WANT, I, I SUPPORT AND I WOULD, I VALUE TRANSPARENCY. I VALUE THE IDEA THAT, UM, THAT PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE IN, IN THE PROCESS, THAT'S PUT IN PLACE FOR THEM TO, UH, TO AIR THEIR OPINIONS, THEIR THOUGHTS, AND THEIR WAYS OF HOW THEY, HOW THE TOWN GOVERNMENT CAN BE, CAN BE WRONG. AND SO THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT I'M TRYING TO DO. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY'RE DEMANDING THAT WE DO SOMETHING I'M TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, AND I'M TRYING TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WHAT I SEE HERE IS THAT THE CORE MEDICAL VALUE OF INFORMED CONSENT UNDERGOING SUSTAINED ATTACK. AND I'VE, I, YOU KNOW, I HOPE I'M WRONG, BUT THIS JUST SEEMS TO BE THE BEGINNING. AND I'M GOING TO USE MY LEGAL TOOLS AS A PRIVATE ATTORNEY. AND I'M GOING TO USE MY WHATEVER TOOLS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO BE USING AS A, AS A PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVE. THAT IS ALL THAT IS GOING ON. AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY PRETTY AMAZING THAT, UM, MY, MY MOTIVES ARE BEING QUESTIONED. I DON'T DO THAT TO THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THIS DAY, AS I WANT TO, UM, TRY AND THINK OF A TIME WHEN I'VE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO ANYBODY ELSE OUT HERE. I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR PUBLIC DISCOURSE. ALL RIGHT. REAL QUICK, REAL QUICK. ANYBODY ELSE DON'T MAKE COMMENTS LATER, MR. MAYOR, I DID WANT TO SAY ONE FURTHER THING ABOUT THIS AND THAT IS, AND THIS WAS [00:30:01] REALLY IN RESPECT TO MR. NAPIER, MR. NEIGHBORY NAPIER REPRESENTS US LEGALLY ON THIS TOWN AND IN OUR, IN OUR TOWN AND THE COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS. AND IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I'VE THOUGHT HE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB. UM, AND I, I KNOW A FEW LAWYERS MIGHT BE RAISED IN ONE. UM, AND I THINK SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THOUGHT BEHIND SOME OPINIONS. AND SO, UM, BUT I THINK HE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AND I FEEL LIKE THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION THAT PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONED HIM QUITE A BIT. AND I JUST WANTED TO STATE FOR THE RECORD, I BELIEVE MR. NAPIER, YOU HAVE 40 PLUS YEARS EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT LAW, CORRECT? YES. SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU, DOUG. SO MR. MAYOR, IF WE GO TO MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THIS NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MY TURN. UM, SURE. GO AHEAD, GARY. UM, FOR ONE, I'M SORRY, MR. NAPIER, THAT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS TONIGHT. UM, AGAIN EVER SINCE MY TIME HERE ON COUNCIL, MR. NAPIER HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. UM, HE IS ALWAYS THERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE. UM, AND THAT TAKES ME UP TO MY NEXT POINT. MY NEXT POINT IS THIS ALL MY YEARS, I'VE BEEN HERE ON COUNCIL. IT'S BEEN A YES OR NO VOTE, AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT. AND EXCEPT THIS TIME WHEN FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS GET ON, ON FACEBOOK AND SNAPCHAT AND ALL THAT GOOFY STUFF AND, UM, AND TRY TO BOSCH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, OKAY, NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS, BUT THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR OUR COUNCIL. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR TOWN STAFF, THIS AFFECTS THEIR MORALE. OKAY. AND I'M ABOUT SICK AND TIRED OF THE BACK BUTTON BIDEN AND BERTRAN OVER A VOTE. IF ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER FEELS IN HIS HEART, THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT, THAT'S THE END OF IT. OKAY. UM, I JUST THINK WE WOULD BE FAR BETTER SERVED AND PUTTING ALL THAT ENERGY THAT'S BEING USED IN THIS TO HELPING OUR CITIZENS INITIALS. WE HAVE THE THINGS IN OUR TOWN. THAT'S FAMILIAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH YOU, GARY. ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? YES. MA'AM MS. PRESCOTT, WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE. RO CALLED TO REMOVE NUMBER 10 FROM THE AGENDA. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. COUNCILMAN . COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. NO MOTION FAILS. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY OTHER ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA BEING NONES RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS REPORTS BEING NONE [7A. An Ordinance Amendment to Town code Chapter 175 to Ease the Regulations for Bed and Breakfasts (B&B) Uses in Residential Districts (Lauren Kopishke)] PUBLIC HEARINGS. OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHANNEL CODE CHAPTER 1 75 TO EASE THE REGULATIONS FOR BED AND BREAKFAST USES IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS. MS. PRESS, COULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 0.10 7.2. TO EASE THE REGULATIONS FOR BED AND BREAKFAST. BNB USES AND RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD INCREASE THE PERMITTED NUMBER OF BEDROOMS FROM THREE TO SIX, FOR LOTS, BETWEEN 0.5 ACRES TO 1.49 ACRES IN AREA. AND FROM SIX TO 10, FOR LOTS, 1.5 ACRES OR GREATER IN AREA AS PRESENTED AT THEIR AUGUST 18TH, 2021 MEETING THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THIS AMENDMENT TO MOVE FORWARD AS PROPOSED STAFF CONCURS WITH PLANNING COMMISSION AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. ALL RIGHT, THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK? UH, LET'S SEE. WE HAVE ONE BILL BARNETT. MR. BARNETT. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR [00:35:01] AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS WILLIAM BARNETT. I LIVE AT 1, 1, 1 5 BUCK MOUNTAIN ROAD, BENTONVILLE, VIRGINIA. I DO, UH, OWN PROPERTY IN FRONT ROYAL, AND I ALSO, UH, UH, DO BUSINESS IN REAL ESTATE IN FRONT ROYAL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT, UH, THAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS AS WRITTEN WOULD ALLOW MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, TO UTILIZE THEIR PROPERTY AND, AND, AND TO ENTER WELL, MAINTAIN THEIR, AND, UH, AND IT'S ALSO QUITE GOOD FOR TOURISM, UH, BED AND BREAKFAST, EXCUSE ME, IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN AIRBNB AND, AND ALSO DIFFERENT THAN PEOPLE COMING IN TODAY AND MOTELS AND, AND THINGS AS WELL. THEY'RE ALL GOOD THAT THEY'RE, BUT THEY'RE DIFFERENT. AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD FURTHER, UH, GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HOLD ON TO A HOME THAT IS NOW TOO LARGE FOR THEM ALONE, PERHAPS, AND THAT WOULD HELP, UH, SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME. IT WOULD HELP THEM TO BE AMBASSADORS FOR FRONT ROW AND MORTON COUNTY AS WELL. SO I DO RECOMMEND THAT PASSAGE OF THIS THING. OKAY. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WANTING TO SPEAK ANYONE ELSE AT THIS TIME? I CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 0.10 7.2. TO EASE THE REGULATIONS FOR BED AND BREAKFAST SEASON WRETCHED USES IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS AS PRESENTED SEC, SECOND DISCUSSION. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, MR. MAYOR, THAT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRESS FOR IT. I WAS REALLY HOPING TO SEE IF WE COULD MAKE SOME, UH, WHEN I WAS ON PLANNING COMMISSION, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WAS RAISED TO ME WAS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A LIMITED ABILITY TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS. I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THIS ON THE AGENDA. I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE IT MOVE FORWARD. UM, I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROGRESS. THANKS. ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE THAT'S PRESSING FOR THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. COUNCILMAN LOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. MISSION PASSES. NEXT SPECIAL USE [7B. Special Use Permit Application Submitted by Philip Vaught, Requesting to Operate a five (5) Bedroom Bed and Breakfast at 124 Luray Avenue (Lauren Kopishke)] PERMIT APPLICATION SMITH ABOUT PHILLIP FAULT REQUESTING OP OPERATE A FIVE BEDROOM BED AND BREAKFAST AT 1 24 LEE RAY AVENUE, MS. PRESCOTT, THERESA MARIE COUNCIL'S REQUEST TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY PHILLIP VAUTE REQUESTING TO OPERATE A FIVE BEDROOM BED AND BREAKFAST AT 1 24. LOU RAY AVENUE, THE PROPERTY REPRESENTS 22,298 SQUARE FEET OF LAND ZONED. RESIDENTIAL ARE THREE LOCATED ON LEURY AVENUE BETWEEN KILBY DRIVE AND WEST JACKSON STREET, A BUDDING, A PAVED ALLEY. THE APPLICATION IS SUBJECT TO A PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE A BED AND BREAKFAST IS A USE PERMITTED ONLY BY A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IN THE R THREE ZONING DISTRICT. THIS TIME OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK? WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK MR. SOLID VIRGINIA? I STAND IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, REQUEST TO MR. VAUGHT ON THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL HOME THAT CAN AND SHOULD BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WE USED TO HAVE A VIBRANT BED AND BREAKFAST COMMUNITY IN THIS TOWN THAT'S GONE. AND IF WE WANT HIGHER END RESIDENT, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD FIRST START. AND GOING BACK TO THAT, I ASK THAT YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT. THANK YOU. YOU SPEAK IN DAVID. MY NAME IS DAVID MEANS LIVE TO 10 WEST FIRST STREET, FRONT, ROYAL, VIRGINIA. UM, NOT THAT I'M AGAINST IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME PROPER ZONING. IT IS ZONED R THREE. YES. HOW ABOUT SPRINKLER SYSTEMS ABOUT PARKING? HOW ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEIGHBORS? HOW DOES THIS WORK? AND I JUST WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. MA'AM KRISTA AD NICHE 90 17 STONEWALL JACKSON HIGHWAY. I AM ALSO A REAL ESTATE INVESTOR THOUGH. MY PROPERTIES ARE NOT IN THIS STATE BECAUSE THE ORDINANCES IN THIS COUNTY ARE SO UNFRIENDLY TO PROPERTY INVESTORS LIKE MYSELF. UM, SO I'VE HOPED THAT YOU WOULD VOTE IN FAVOR [00:40:01] OF THE THOUGHTS, UM, PROPOSED BED AND BREAKFAST. WE'VE STAYED. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE STAYED AT A BED AND BREAKFAST IN FRONT ROYAL, AND THERE WERE NO, UM, ISSUES WITH ANY SPRINKLERS OR, OR PARKING ISSUES. UM, AND IT WAS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THERE WERE PROPERTIES TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAD, UM, VERY TASTEFUL, UM, YARD WORK AND DRIVING CONDITIONS AND PLACES TO PARK FOR THEIR, UM, FOR THEIR GUESTS. UM, AND I, I KNOW THE VAULTS HAVE WONDERFUL TASTE, UM, AND I, I THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THIS COMMUNITY WITH THEIR BED AND BREAKFAST. SO I HOPE THAT YOU, UM, ACCEPT THEIR PROPOSAL AS IS. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE BEING DONE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL FOR MOTION, MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY PHILLIP VOLT TO OPERATE A FIVE BEDROOM BED AND BREAKFAST AT 1 24 LOUIS AVENUE. SECOND. THAT WAS SECOND. YES. OKAY. MR. MAYOR, I REVIEWED THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND I'VE TALKED TO MR. ABBAS AS WELL. UM, THE NEIGHBORS ARE IN FAVOR. THE PARKING WILL BE OFF STREET PARKING AND TO KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL AND FLARE THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE A NEON SIGN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. UM, SO THEY'VE COVERED THIS PRETTY WELL, AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT AND WELCOME THE BOTS TOO. I THINK I WAS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE IN TOWN WHO HAS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. I INHERITED WITH MY HOUSE WHEN I PURCHASED IT FOR BNB. SO WELCOME TO THE BNB CLUB, MR. VAUGHN, IF WE PASS THIS ORDINANCE, ANYONE ELSE, UH, AND JUST TO, UH, ADDRESS ONE OF THE COMMENTERS, UM, REMARKS, EH, THE, THE PROPOSAL CAME TO US WITH, IN OUR PACKET WITH A DETAILED LIST OF THAT ADDRESS, MANY OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE, UM, UH, RAISED, BUT ALSO SO MANY OTHERS, INCLUDING PARKING. I DON'T RECALL THERE BEING, UM, A QUESTION OF, OF SPRINKLERS BEING IN THERE TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE, UH, TO THE OWNER. ANYONE ELSE? UH, YES. MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE SPRINKLERS. OKAY. TAKE A DRINK. UM, BUILDINGS CAN HAVE SPRINKLERS AND THEY CAN BE WITHOUT, UM, BUT IT'S ALL DETERMINED ON THE OCCUPANT LOAD FOR THAT BUILDING. AND I'M SURE. UM, WHEN MR. VAULT GOES THROUGH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, THEY WILL HAVE A ACCURATE LOOK AT THIS. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT THE CONCERNS THAT WERE SHARED, I BELIEVE WERE ALL IN DRESSED, AT LEAST IN THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED, NOT THE SPRINKLERS, BUT THE PARKING, I BELIEVE HAVEN STATED HOW MANY PLACES AND THAT ACTUALLY NEIGHBORS ENCOURAGED THIS. UM, AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN THE HOME AND NOT THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT, UH, GREAT, GREAT ADDITION. SO, YEAH. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THIS PRESLEY, WE HAVE A ROLL CALL. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL THE LAST WEEK. YES. COUNCILMAN LOYD. YES. COUNSELING FADDEN YES. BEN THOMPSON. YES. SHE PASSES NEXT. I NOTICED TO A MAN AND RE-ENACT TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 56 TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY CHAPTER. UM, THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. NO, I'M SORRY. WASN'T IT DOWNTIME? IT'S THAT ONE? YEAH, YEAH. YEP. [7C. An Ordinance Amendment to Town Code Chapter 175 Pertaining to Uses in C-2 Downtown Business District (Lauren Kopishke)] OH, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 PERTAINING TO USE THIS AND SEE TO DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT. MR. MAYOR, I MOVED THAT COUNCIL REFERRED TO THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR FURTHER REVIEW, LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES, SIR. WE HAVE TO DAVID'S SILENCE WAS IN THE WRONG ORDER, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UM, FIRST, DOUG, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON NOT JUST THE ISSUE THAT WAS COMING UP EARLIER, BUT EVERYTHING [00:45:01] YOU DO FOR TAXPAYERS EVERY DAY FOR THE TOWN TRYING TO CORRECT ISSUES AND ERRORS AS BEFORE THEY OCCUR AND TO YOU, GARY, FOR THE COURAGE TO SAY WHAT YOU SAID TONIGHT ABOUT PROPER DECORUM AND HOW TO WORK WITH YOUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE SUGGESTION OF RENOVATING OR CHANGING THE APARTMENT ORDINANCE OR CONVERSION OF APARTMENTS. AND THE, UH, UH, QUESTION IN THE ROOM IS MURPHY THEATER BUILDING. I STAND UNIQUELY BEFORE YOU, AS OUR FAMILY OWNED THE BUILDING FOR LONGER THAN ANY FAMILY, OTHER THAN THE PITS FAMILY IN THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS. UM, THE ABILITY IS ACTUALLY FOUR SEPARATE BUILDINGS. THE OLDEST BEING THE SECOND SECTION OF THE BUILDING, AS YOU GO FROM HISTORY, THE VAUDEVILLE OPERA HOUSE, BEING THE FRONT THAT YOU SEE, THEN THE STAGE DROP AREA OF THE VAUDEVILLE OPERA HOUSE. AND THEN THE VERY BACK THAT WAS ADDED IN THE FIFTIES, NONE OF THEM WERE CONSIDERED APARTMENTS. MY FATHER CONVERTED THE REAR OF THE BUILDING TO APARTMENTS UP TOP WHERE THE WARREN SENTINEL USED TO BE. THERE WAS A SKYLIGHT UP THERE AND THERE WAS A TILE SHOP FOR A GOOD 20 OR 30 YEARS IN WHAT IS NOW AN APARTMENT ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR. MR. CUP HAD A TILE SHOP THERE. HE LIVED OVER BY THE CEMETERY, JUDGE CUP'S GRANDPARENTS AND MCCORY NORTH HAD A PLUMBING BUSINESS. JOHN H. MOORE HAD A CARPET SHOP AND THEN THE ROYAL QUALITY SHOP FOR 56 YEARS IN THE FRONT, BEFORE THAT IT WAS THE POST OFFICE. AND I HAVE SITTING IN MY GARAGE, THE OLD FRONT ROYAL POST OFFICE, THE BOXES AND EVERYTHING COVERED IN PIGEON POOP FROM WHEN THE BUILDING WAS, WHEN IT WAS UPSTAIRS. THAT BEING SAID, THE SUGGESTION THAT THIS BUILDING IS APPROPRIATE TO BE CONVERTED TO APARTMENTS IS HORRIBLE BECAUSE THERE'S NO PARKING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BUILDING. UM, NOT ONLY THAT, THERE'S STILL PROBABLY SOME BODIES UNDER THE LAST TWO SECTIONS OF THE BUILDING, BECAUSE IT WAS A CEMETERY FOR THE METHODIST CHURCH AND THEY DIDN'T REMOVE ALL THE BODIES TO PROSPECT HILL WHEN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING WAS BUILT, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE ALL THE BODIES WERE. UM, THE CONVERSION OF BUILDINGS IN THE ORDINANCE HAS PROPOSED WOULD BE GREAT IF WE LIVED IN DC OR OUT OLD TOWN, ALEXANDRIA OR BALTIMORE, WHERE YOU HAVE OLD STEAM, LAUNDRY BUILDINGS OR OLD FACTORIES OR BOAT HOUSES OR TORPEDO FACTORIES THAT WOULD MAKE NICE, UNIQUE LOFT LIVING IN UPSCALE APART. THAT'S NOT, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE. THE CAPITAL IS IN HERE AND THE MARKET IS IN HERE FOR THAT. AND THAT'S WHAT COULD HAPPEN ON A LOT OF MAIN STREET, WHAT WE DON'T NEED OR MORE TINY, SMALL APARTMENTS, WHERE WE HAVE JUST NOT GOOD PEOPLE LIVING IN THEM. IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLICE CALLS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT I SEE DAILY DEALING WITH OVERDOSE AND CHILDREN WHO ARE SUBJECTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, WE DON'T NEED QUOTE, SMALLER AND CHEAP PLACES. WE NEED LARGER PLACES THAT REQUIRE HIGHER DOLLAR RENT. SO WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT HOTELS ATTRACT 300 FEET, WHICH IS THE CURRENT ORDINANCE I BELIEVE IS BEING PROPOSED TO MOVE UP TO FOUR 50, THAT IS SMALLER THAN A SMALL ONE BEDROOM STUDIO APARTMENT IN TYSON'S CORNER. THE SMALLEST ONE I FOUND WHEN I SEARCHED ALL THE NEW BIG BUILDINGS THAT HAVE LOFT APARTMENTS IS 461 SQUARE FEET. AND I'VE VIEWED ONE OF THOSE. IT'S SO TINY. WE HAVE 300 AND 450 SQUARE FOOT APARTMENTS IN FRONT ROYAL. NOW, UNFORTUNATELY THEY'RE CALLED THE MOTEL SIX, THE BUDGET MOTEL AND ALL THE OTHER CRAP HOTELS. WE HAVE ALL OVER TOWN THAT GENERATE CONSTANT PROBLEMS IN THIS TOWN. YOU HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN UP THE TOWN, NOT MAKE IT WORSE. AND THE DRUG PROBLEM AND SMALL APARTMENTS AND CHEAP APARTMENTS ARE WHAT HELP CAUSE THAT THE ONLY THING THAT AS I SAID, THAT LOOKS GOOD IN THIS IS INCREASING THE SIZE. THEN I READ ONE FOR VISION FOR CONVERSIONS AND EXEMPTIONS. [00:50:01] WELL, THIS IS SPOT ZONING. I WONDER IF ANY OF YOU ALL ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE SPOT ZONING IS AND WHOEVER DRAFTED THIS IS SPOT ZONING BECAUSE YOU'RE DEFINING ONE BASICS, SMALL AREA FROM JACKSON STREET, THE MAIN STREET FROM ROYAL AVENUE TO, UM, I GUESS HAPPY CREEK THAT'S SPOT ZONING. AND IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT BUILDINGS IN FRONT ROYAL, THAT COULD BE USED OLD FACTORIES OR LARGE OLD BUILDINGS, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS THERE WITH THE MURPHY THEATER BUILDING. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY ZERO OFF STREET PARKING, AND THERE'S ALREADY A PARKING SHORTAGE IN DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY WHENEVER COURT'S IN SESSION EVERY DAY. THAT'S A DISASTER WHEN COURT'S IN SESSION. BUT THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS ADD SOME HIGH DENSITY, LOW INCOME, SMALL, TINY APARTMENTS ON MAIN STREET. I'D ASK THAT YOU INCREASE THIS MINIMUM SIZE AND THEN GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON OTHER PARTS OF THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BILL BARNETT. HI, I'M WILLIAM BARNETT, 1115 BUCK MOUNTAIN ROAD, BENTONVILLE, VIRGINIA. UH, I'LL SAY THAT DISCUSSION FOR A TIME WHEN THERE ACTUALLY HAS BEEN AN APPLICATION FOR SOMETHING PUT IN, UH, PUT IN WITH THE PLANNING OFFICE, UH, THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IS IN GENERAL FOR THE, FOR THE C2 DISTRICT, EVERYTHING WILL HELP, UH, INCREASED THE NUMBER OF APARTMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN IN FRONT ROYAL. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN IN A, IN A TOWN IN VIRGINIA, YOU, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A TRULY VIBRANT YEAR-ROUND YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY. UH, THE, UH, THE TH THE ORDINANCE ALLOWS FOR UP TO EIGHT APARTMENT UNITS TO BE APPROVED BY THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, I BELIEVE. AND SO, UH, AND ONLY BEEN, YOU GO BEYOND EIGHT, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A, UH, HAVE TO HAVE A, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT? NOW, THIS IS A CHANGE FROM HOW IT WAS BEFORE A YEAR AGO. THIS WAS ACTUALLY, YOU COULD ACTUALLY DO THIS BY, RIGHT? SO THIS ORDINANCE MAKES IT GIVES YOU, UH, TAKES AWAY SOME OF YOUR BI-RITE CAPACITIES WITH YOUR BUILDINGS AND THAT EXISTING BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN. SO, UH, SO THIS IS NOT UNLEASHING SOMETHING TO, TO, UH, ALLOW YOU TO DO THINGS BEFORE ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS YOU COULD NOT HAVE AN APARTMENT ON THE FIRST FLOOR, AND YOU COULD HAVE APARTMENTS ON ANY AND ALL THE FLOORS ABOVE THE FIRST FLOOR. SO, UH, THE, THIS ORDINANCE WILL, WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO, TO BRING CUSTOMERS TO OUR MERCHANTS DOWNTOWN. UH, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON BRINGING MERCHANTS DOWNTOWN FOR THE LAST, UH, SIX YEARS, I GUESS, AND EVERYTHING, AND, AND, UH, I'VE SOLD 10 OF THE BUILDINGS ON MAIN STREET THAT HAVE BEEN SOLD AND, UH, AND, UH, UM, BUT THEY NEED MORE PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN AND, UH, BEING CO COMING PART OF THE VIBRANT, UH, COMMUNITY. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WHAT WE, WHAT ANYBODY IS GOING TO WANT IS TO HAVE, IS TO, NOBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO INVEST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ORDER TO HAVE LOW RENTAL APARTMENTS. IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM VERY LIKELY, UH, PEOPLE, UH, WOULD PEOPLE WOULD HAVE, UH, HAVE A, AN ABILITY TO LIVE AND WALK AND BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY. AND AS FAR AS PARKING GOES, ANYBODY WHO DOES, UH, TAKES A PROPERTY IN AND EXPECTS TO BE ABLE TO RENT THE PROPERTY OUT WITHOUT HAVING ACCESS TO ADEQUATE PARKING, UH, IS GOING TO BE VERY FOOLISH AND NOT, AND NOT GOING A GOOD RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET, YOU CAN'T GET A MARKET RATE RENTS AND, AND, UH, HAVE HIGH OCCUPANCY RATES IF YOU DON'T ADDRESS THE TENANTS' NEEDS. AND THAT WOULD, OF COURSE INCLUDE PARKING. THE, UH, SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO PASS THIS PASSES ORDINANCE. AND, UH, UM, THE, UH, AS FAR AS THE SIZE OF THE APARTMENTS, THE, UH, AS FAR AS THE SIZE OF THE APARTMENTS, HAVING PERSONALLY, SO, AND TOURED THROUGH A NUMBER OF THE BUILDINGS ON MAIN STREET IN FRONT ROYAL, SOME OF THOSE, UH, SOME OF THOSE APARTMENTS ARE SMALLER THAN THE ORIGINAL 300 [00:55:01] SQUARE FEET THAT, UH, THAT WE'VE HAD IN OUR ORDINANCE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UH, AND SO I WOULD, UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS, FIRSTLY, NO ONE ELSE HAS SIGNED THEM. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK, BUT IT CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPENED UP TO COUNCIL. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL REFER THIS ORDINANCE BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR FURTHER REVIEW. SECOND. IT WAS IT. WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, UM, DISCUSSION. UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY A COMMENT. UH, I AGREE WITH ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT MR SILAC SAID, BUT I ALSO HEAR OUR MR. BARNETT'S COMING FROM, IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, THIS IS A VERY WISE DECISION TO BRING IT BACK TO THE PLANNING TO DISCUSSION. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE WE CAN FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM. ANYONE ELSE? ROLL CALL PLEASE. NICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LLOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. THOMPSON. YES. ALL RIGHT. [7D. An Ordinance to Amend and Re-Enact Town Code Chapter 156 to Create an Environmental Sustainability Chapter (Town Manager)] NEXT PUBLIC HEARING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND RE-ENACT CODE CHAPTER 1 56, CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY CHAPTER. COULD YOU READ THE BOARD PLEASE? I MEAN, THE SUMMARY, PLEASE, COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND RE-ENACT TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 56 FROM URBAN FORESTRY TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AS PRESENTED FOR OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING. UM, MR. HICKS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TWO THINGS? THANKS MAYOR AND, AND GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITIZENS, UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING COUNCIL TO CREATE A ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WILL FOCUS ON THE TOWN'S ECOSYSTEM, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RECOMMENDED GOALS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, EVOLVING WASTE REDUCTION, RECYCLING ENERGY CONSERVATION, CLEAN AIR AND WATER, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY. THE COMMITTEE WILL ALSO OVERSEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A FARMER'S MARKET AND PUBLIC ART. THE ISAC WILL BE LED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE NEWLY HIRED ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST, JOHN OSBORNE, AND HE'S IN THE ROOM, UH, WHO IS A CERTIFIED ARBORIST NURSING MAN, A TREE CARE SAFETY EXPERT WITH OVER 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THE VISION OF THE COMMITTEE WILL INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON PRESERVATION, ENHANCEMENT MANAGEMENT, AND PROTECTION OF FRONT ROYALS ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, EDUCATION, OUTREACH, COMMUNICATIONS, AND PUBLIC AWARENESS ON THE CARE OF THE TOWN'S ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS, PROPOSE AMENDMENTS AND VARIATIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES RELATED POLICIES, REGULATIONS, ORDINANCES, AND PLANS CHANGES TO THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY AND URBAN FORESTRY PLANNING. THE COMMITTEE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING RECOGNITION AS A TREE CITY USA TOWN COORDINATE WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND VOLUNTEER GROUPS TO WORK ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS, PLANNING THE ANNUAL ARBOR DAY CEREMONY, SUPPORTING AND COORDINATING WITH FARMER FARMER'S MARKETS AND SMALL RETAILERS THAT SPECIALIZE IN FARM TO TABLE AND HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES. THE TOWN COUNCIL WILL APPOINT FIVE VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO THE SAC WHO ARE COMMITTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS AND WORKING TO STRENGTHEN THE SUSTAINABILITY. THE TOWNS ECOSYSTEM COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHALL INCLUDE ONE TOWN EMPLOYEE WHO SHALL BE THE CHAIRMAN ONE HIGH SCHOOL, SENIOR AND THREE AT LARGE RESIDENTS. EACH MEMBER SHALL BE A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL OR WARREN COUNTY WHEN APPOINTED OR SELECTED RESIDENTS OF WARREN COUNTY MUST OWN A BUSINESS WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE TOWN. THE ISAC MEMBERS MUST HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS, URBAN FORESTRY, AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPING, URBAN PLANNING, ENGINEERING, OR RELATED FIELD WATER, NATURAL RESOURCES, SOLID WASTE, SUSTAINABILITY, ENERGY CONSERVATION, AND ARTIST MAYOR. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SHARE. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK? YES, WE HAVE THREE DAVID MEANS [01:00:03] GOOD EVENING. MAYOR HOLLOWAY COUNCIL. UH, DAVID MEANS TWO 10 WEST FIRST STREET, FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU. WELL SAID THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THE PUBLIC ART PART. WELL, I THINK THAT'S MORE FOR ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW, BUT, UM, THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED. THE INTENT IS THERE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS, WHICH IS GREAT. UH, I'M SURE THE DETAILS WILL BE FLUSHED OUT. WILL PEOPLE BE FOLLOWING THE ANSI STANDARDS? THAT COULD BE PART OF IT TOOK ME SEVEN YEARS TO GET THE ANSI STANDARDS EVEN IN THE PUBLICATION. UM, AND THOSE ARE REALLY CRITICAL. SO I GUESS WHAT I SHOULD SAY IS HONORED. KEEP IT UP. THANK YOU. I DO KNOW JIM, UH, IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY, BUT JIM AND I PROBABLY FOLLOW THE SAME FOOTPATH OUT THERE IN THE FOREST. UH, WE'VE DONE THE SAME THINGS. WE SEEN THE SAME PROBLEMS AND I'M SURE THAT JIM WILL SERVE YOU WELL. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RON. PERLICK UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER. UM, I ALSO, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE GENERAL INTENT OF THIS, UH, CHANGE TO THE SECTION OF TOWN CODE. I'M SORRY, SIR, COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME? OH, I'M SORRY, RON. PERLICK I LIVE AT 5 66 SKYLINE VIEW DRIVE IN FRONT ROYAL. UH, ALTHOUGH I LIVE IN THE COUNTY, UM, I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY FOR 16 YEARS. I CONSIDER FRONT ROYAL TO BE MY HOMETOWN. I DO THE BULK OF MY SHOPPING IN FRONT ROYAL, AND I HAVE FELT THE CALL TO SERVICE AS A VOLUNTEER, UH, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, OVER A HUNDRED HOURS IN THE COURSE OF MY RESIDENCY IN THE AREA. UM, ALSO IN MANNER OF INTRODUCTION TO MYSELF, UH, I AM A CERTIFIED ARBORIST, UH, AND I HAVE, UH, IN REFERENCE TO THAT SERVICE, I AM A MEMBER OF THE FRONT ROW WARRANT COUNTY TREE STEWARDS. I ALSO SERVE FOR MANY YEARS ON THE URBAN FORESTRY ADVISORY COMMISSION, WHICH IS THE, UM, ENTITY THAT IS BEING SUPERSEDED BY THIS PROPOSAL, UM, AND WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT ORGANIZATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS ALSO. SO, UM, AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY I'M IN FAVOR OF, OF THE OVERALL INTENT OF THIS NEW COMMISSION. UM, IS THIS AN APPROPRIATE FORUM TO MAKE, UH, SOME NOTES ON A COUPLE OF DETAILS OF IT? UM, JUST A COUPLE OF PIECES OF LANGUAGE OR SOME, SOME POINTS IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE LONG, UM, SECTION A ON THAT, UH, PARAGRAPHS NINE AND 10, UH, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS NEW COMMISSION SERVING UPON REQUEST. AND AS A MEMBER OF UFAC THE URBAN FORESTRY ADVISORY COMMISSION, I'LL USE THE ACRONYM IN THE FUTURE. UM, WE FELT FRUSTRATED, FELT FRUSTRATION MANY TIMES THAT WE WERE KIND OF AN INVISIBLE, UH, GROUP WORKING FOR THE TOWN, BUT WE'RE RARELY CONSULTED ON MATTERS THAT WE FELT MIGHT HAVE PERTAINED TO OUR EXPERTISE. UH, SO MY SUGGESTION ON THESE TWO PARAGRAPHS IS TO STRIKE THE UPON REQUEST LANGUAGE AND MAKE THE NEW COMMISSION MORE ACTIVE IN WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL AND WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND LOOKING AT NEW PROPOSALS THAT MIGHT INVOLVE, UH, AREAS OF EXPERTISE OF THE MEMBERS ON THAT A NEW BOARD, UH, REGARDING THE HIGH SCHOOL MEMBER TO BE A PART OF THE COMMISSION. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT STEP. I THINK FOR THAT PERSON THAT COULD BE VERY, A GOOD STEP FOR THEM TO HELP DETERMINE WHAT THEIR FUTURE MAY BE. AND THEY HOPEFULLY WILL BE ABLE TO BRING SOME NEW INSIGHT AND, UH, INTO THE GROUP, I'M WONDERING HOW THIS PERSON WILL BE SELECTED. IT DOESN'T DESCRIBE IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE APPOINTED OR IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE SELECTED, IT DOESN'T STATE, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UM, A RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY. SO YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT THAT AND SEE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO TIGHTEN THAT UP A LITTLE BIT. UM, THE COMPONENT OF THE, [01:05:01] OF THE EXPERTISE OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS PROPOSED COMMITTEE, UH, LOOKS INTERESTING AND I THINK, UH, WILL BE VALUABLE. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE ADDITION, UH, THAT IT SPECIFIES AT LEAST ONE MEMBER BE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST. UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PERSON THAT'S BEING PROPOSED AS THE TOWN EMPLOYEE, UM, HEADING THIS WOULD BE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN, IN THE, UH, QUALIFICATIONS, UM, JUST SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY WITH, WITH THAT TRAINING AND EXPERTISE ON BOARD, UH, THE COMMISSION IS, UH, PROPOSED TO MEET ONCE EVERY THREE MONTHS. I THINK THAT'S A RATHER LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHEN I WAS ON THE UFAC, WE DID KEEP BUSY, WE DID A LOT OF WORK. UH, OUR MINUTES WILL REFLECT THE DISCUSSIONS AND SOME OF OUR PLANNING, UH, WAS LONGER-TERM PLANNING, BUT WE ALSO ADDRESSED MATTERS THAT, UH, WERE MORE EMINENT, UH, THINGS LIKE, UH, PERHAPS A DANGEROUS TREE OR SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE LOOKED AT MORE QUICKLY. UM, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT ONCE A MONTH AND THEN THE COMMISSION OR A GROUP CAN DECIDE ON THEIR OWN, IF THAT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR A PARTICULAR PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TO BE WORKING ON. AND I THINK THAT'S IT. YEAH. SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY COMMENTS. UH, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FORESIGHT IN BROADENING THE SCOPE OF ADDRESSING, UH, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. AND I PERSONALLY DO LIKE TO SEE THE INCLUSION OF, UH, POSSIBLY ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS, UH, BEING REVIEWED BY THIS ALSO. SO THANKS AGAIN. THANK YOU, MELODY. HOLTEC GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MELODY HOLTEC I'M AT 1879 CADILLAC MOUNTAIN ROAD. UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT AS PRESIDENT OF THE FRONT ROYAL TREE STEWARDS. UM, LIKE TO SAY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND MR. HICKS FOR THE HIRING OF JAMMAS BORN AS THE TOWN ARBORIST. IT'S CLEAR THAT MR. OSBORNE HAS THE EXPERIENCE AND CREDENTIALS TO GUIDE THE TOWN AND THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, EVEN IN A PART-TIME ROLE TOWARD BEST PRACTICES FOR TOWNS, DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS, MR. OSBORNE ATTENDED OUR ORGANIZATION'S MONTHLY MEETING LAST MONDAY, AND WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH HIM. HE SHARED THE NEWS OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A FUTURE MEETING TO DISCUSS THE ROLE OF OUR ORGANIZATION. THE TREE STORES HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE CHANGES TO CHAPTER 1 56 OF THE TOWN CODE AND HAVE NO OBJECTIONS TO THESE CHANGES. WE WELCOME THE REINSTATEMENT AND REDESIGN OF THE FORMER URBAN FORESTRY ADVISORY COMMITTEE INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. WE CONSIDER THIS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND HOPE THAT WITH THIS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS WITH YOUR OTHER ADVISORY COMMITTEES, YOU'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. WHEN RELATED TOPICS ARE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND THAT RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED ARE GIVEN SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. IN MY YEARS HERE, I'VE FOUND THAT WE LIVE IN A TOWN, FILLED WITH CITIZENS WITH A VARIETY OF EXPERTISE WHO ARE PASSIONATE AND WILLING TO SERVE, TO MAKE THIS BEAUTIFUL TOWN OUTSTANDING. YOU JUST NEED TO REACH OUT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE MRS. PRESLEY? NO ONE ELSE HAS SIGNED UP. WHAT IS, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ANYONE ELSE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPENED UP TO COUNCIL? MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL AMEND AND REENACT CHAPTER 1 56 AS ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AS PRESENTED SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION I'D LIKE TO THANK STEVEN FOR ALL THE HARD WORK I YOU PUT INTO THIS. THANKS, STEVEN. THANK YOU. I WOULD ALWAYS DO LIKE TO SAY, UM, I, I WAS GLAD MR. HER, LIKE, I HOPE I'M SAYING THAT. CORRECT. UM, I WAS GLAD THAT HE MENTIONED ABOUT HAVING, UM, YOUTH. I, WE, WE SET UP A HIGH SCHOOL AROUND, UH, I DON'T THINK IT WAS THE SENIOR VET. MAYBE IT WAS SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. AND YOU ASKED ABOUT THE WHO AND THE HOW, AND I'M PRETTY SURE THAT, UM, BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS, DO YOU HAVE LIKE AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CLASS? I, AND I NOTICED THAT IT HAD A VERY ACTIVE PROGRAM THERE. UM, AND SO MY THOUGHT WOULD, WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE REACH OUT TO, UM, THE TEACHER OF THAT COURSE AND JUST TRY TO FIND [01:10:01] A STUDENT THAT IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND HAS TIME. AND, UM, SO, BUT, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT INCLUDING SOMEBODY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR FUTURE AND, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT, THAT STIRS SOME INTEREST WITHIN THEM TOO. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MAYOR? I'D LIKE TO COUNCILMAN, EXCUSE ME, MCFADDEN. THANK YOU FOR THE COMPLIMENT. UM, BUT I, I DO HAVE TO SHARE THAT, UH, COMPLIMENT WITH STAFF. THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND I JUST DON'T WANT THAT TO GO UNNOTICED, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAFF AND MR. X-RAY'S FINE WORK. UH, I'LL ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS. AND THEN, UM, JUST MY, I'M SORRY, MY, MY AGENDA DISAPPEARED, BUT IN ANY CASE, UM, I JUST NOTED A COUPLE OF TYPOS AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HOLD UP THE VOTER, IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO CURE, CURE THE TYPOS BEFORE ENTERING THE CODE, WE'LL DO THIS HAS BEEN SCANNED BY MULTIPLE PEOPLE. WE'LL DEFINITELY WE'LL LOOK, I'M SORRY. MAYBE THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO BRING IT UP, BUT NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT POLICE LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. I, I CAN I'M SUBJECT TO BEING GRAMMAR POLICE TOO SOMETIMES. SO I, YOU KNOW, I JUST FELT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD MAYBE NOTE. BUT THE OTHER THING IS, UM, UH, THERE ARE SOME, SOME MAYBE, UH, UPDATES SUGGESTED IN THE DISCUSSION OF PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT. I'D BE WILLING TO REVISIT IF WE FEEL THERE'S THERE'S NEED TO TWEAK AFTER WE'VE GOT THINGS ROLLING IN AND, UM, WE'VE DISCOVERED SOME NEEDS TO IMPROVE ANYONE ELSE. ALL RIGHT. LET'S PRESS THE QUIVER ROLL. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. MOTION PASSES [7E. An Ordinance Amendment to Town Code Chapter 4 to Pertaining to Placing Items on a Council Agenda. (Mayor)] AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER FOUR, PERTAINING TO PLACING THE ITEMS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA. MS. PRESLEY, COULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? COUNSEL IS REQUESTED TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER FOUR, PERTAINING TO THE PLACEMENT OF ITEMS ON COUNCIL AGENDAS. IF APPROVED ITEMS REQUESTED BY AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WILL STAY THE SAME FOR WORK SESSIONS, ITEMS REQUESTED TO BE PLACED IT ON A COUNCIL. REGULAR MEETING AGENDA WILL REQUIRE A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL IN THE EVENT OF A TIE. THE MAYOR WILL DETERMINE THE PLACEMENT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK? YES. WE HAVE ONE LESLIE MATTHEWS, GOOD EVENING. LESLIE MATTHEWS, 1 43 MATTHEWS LANE, BENTONVILLE MAYOR HALLWAY, YOUR PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE FOR HOW TO PLACE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. IT'S NOT FOR THE PEOPLE, BUT RATHER IT IS A WAY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL TO OVERPOWER THE PEOPLE. AND THAT IS NOT THE REASON. EACH OF YOU WERE VOTED INTO YOUR POSITIONS. AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL THAT WHEN NEW MEMBERS ARE VOTED ON TO THIS COUNCIL TO USE WISDOM AND NOT TO ONLY HEAR WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED, BUT TO LISTEN AND BE WILLING TO LEARN AND EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES OUT, AWARE BY DOING SO, YOU WOULD BE GIVEN THOSE WHO ELECTED EACH OF YOU INTO YOUR SEATS, A SENSE OF CONCERN FOR WHO THEY ARE AND ASSURING THEM. THAT THE ISSUES THEY PRESENT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU. AND SINCE THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL, AS WELL AS MYSELF ARE LIFELONG CITIZENS HERE, WE SHOULD ALL REMEMBER WHEN THE TOWN ATTORNEY WHOM IS PROVIDING YOU LEGAL ADVICE THROUGH A FEE USED TO BE OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AT ONE TIME, UNTIL HE WAS INVOLVED IN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST REGARDING THE LAND AND THE AREA WHERE THE NEW HOSPITAL NOW SETS. SO IN ALL RESPECT, IT WOULD DO EVERYONE GOOD FOR THIS COUNCIL TO PUT FORTH THEIR BEST EFFORT AND NOT DECLARE A MATTER PRESENTED AS A WASTE OF TIME. WHEN ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER BRINGS FORTH THE PEOPLE'S CONCERNS AND OFFERS LEGAL ADVICE, FREE OF CHARGE, EVEN WHEN HE IS NOT YOUR ATTORNEY. MR. HOLLOWAY SAID, MR. LLOYD, I'VE NEVER MET YOU, BUT I WISH TO SHARE HOW PLEASED I AM WITH YOUR COURAGE, YOUR INTELLECT, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DIG INTO MATTERS, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PEOPLE AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHY YOU SERVE THIS COMMUNITY AS A MEMBER ON THIS COUNCIL. [01:15:01] THANK YOU. NOW, I END BY ASKING YOU ALL TO VOTE AGAINST THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE REGARDING THIS AGENDA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? NO ONE ELSE HAS SIGNED UP. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? HI, UH, MY NAME IS MANUEL DESCENTE. I LIVE AT 5 41 ERIK COURT IN FRONT ROYAL. UM, I, IT SEEMS KIND OF EVIDENT. I SHOULDN'T SHOULDN'T EVEN ASK THE QUESTION. WHO'S REPRESENTING THE FRONT ROYAL MAN OF THE STREET HERE. UH, THE VOTER INSTEAD OF THE CORPORATION, CORPORATIONS ARE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT. DOG CORPORATE INTERESTS. UM, TO ME, UH, MR. SCOTT LLOYD REPRESENTS, UH, THE PEOPLE IN GENERAL. UH, THAT'S MY IMPRESSION I, SO THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER FOUR, PERTAINING TO PLACING ITEMS ON, ON A COUNCIL AGENDA SEEMS TO BE AT, IN MY, IN MY PERSPECTIVE AND ATTACK ON THE MAN OF THE STREET OR THE PERSON OF THE STREET. AND, UM, IF YOU CAN, MAYBE YOU CAN ENLIGHTEN ME ON THAT. MAYBE I'M WRONG, BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE BIG? I'M ALWAYS, MY NAME IS KRISTA ADAGE, 90 17 STONEWALL JACKSON HIGHWAY. I JUST INVITE YOU TO THINK ABOUT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY AND HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD ON, ON EVERYTHING THAT'S BROUGHT BEFORE YOU, WHEN YOU PUT THINGS ON THE AGENDA, OFTENTIMES IT'S BECAUSE YOU AS COUNSEL MEN AND WOMEN SEE A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK IF THERE'S A MAJORITY, I THINK IT TAKES AWAY THE, IN THE, UM, INGENUITY OF EACH PERSON AS AN INDIVIDUAL. AND I INVITE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN VOTING ON THIS MEASURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL? MY NAME IS MARIA O'BRIEN. I LIVE OFF OF MOUNTAIN ROAD, UM, IN WARREN COUNTY AND HAVE LIVED AND WORKED IN THE FRONT ROW COMMUNITY FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS. ON THIS MATTER BEFORE YOU ARE, DO ALL TO VOTE NO TO THIS AMENDMENT, BECAUSE TO ME, IT SEEMS A WAY FOR THE MAJORITY TO KEEP THE MINORITY FROM EVEN HAVING THEIR VOICES HEARD BEFORE THE WHOLE COUNCIL WITH, UM, WITH, WITH, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT AND INPUT FROM LEGAL ADVISORS AND OTHERS WHO CAN PROVIDE EXPERT OPINIONS ON THESE ITEMS. IT SEEMS LIKE A WAY TO, IN A SENSE TO GET OUT OF THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF, UM, REALLY ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVES AND TACKLING THE HARDER ISSUES. I KNOW YOU'RE AS A COUNCIL, YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT, MAYBE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS TOGETHER AND YOU SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO THIS PICTURE, BUT THIS DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A GOOD WAY TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT. SO I URGE YOU ALL TO VOTE NO TO THIS, PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE BEING DONE IN THE CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN UP THE COUNCIL, MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER FOUR, PERTAINING TO THE PLACEMENT OF ITEMS ON COUNCIL'S AGENDAS AS PRESENTED SECOND, I HAVE A SECOND OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION. UM, YES, MA'AM IF I COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, UH, THE SPEAKERS WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO BE HEARD. UM, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION AT THESE MEETINGS. UM, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ACTUALLY A DISCUSSION PERIOD. SO IF A CITIZEN, A CONSTITUENT HAS ISSUES, WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, OR THEY CAN CONTACT ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OR MYSELF. AND THOSE ITEMS CAN BE PLACED ON WORK SESSIONS WHERE WE CAN DISCUSS. AND IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A POLICY, WE WILL MOVE IT TO A REGULAR MEETING. UM, THESE MEETINGS ARE GENERALLY USED FOR POLICY WHERE WE VOTE, NOT HAVE OPEN DISCUSSIONS. SO WE VOTED ON THIS, UH, THING. IT WAS BACK IN 2019. UM, AND I THINK THE MAJORITY OF US DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT ALSO INCLUDED, UM, OUR REGULAR MEETINGS WERE JUST STOKED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS [01:20:01] TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA. UM, SO AT THE TIME TWO COUNCIL RIGHT NOW CAN PLACE AS MANY ITEMS AS THEY WANT ON A REGULAR MEETING LIKE TONIGHT. AND WE COULD HAVE DISCUSSIONS ALL NIGHT ABOUT CERTAIN ISSUES WHERE WE HAVE WORK SESSIONS. THAT'S WHAT A WORK SESSION IS FOR. UM, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SHUT ANY CITIZEN DOWN. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, NOT HEAR YOU. WE WANT YOU TO TELL US YOUR CONCERNS, YOUR ISSUES, AND YEAH, WE'LL TAKE IT TO A WORK SESSION JUST TO MEMBERS. THAT'S ALL THE TAKES ARE MYSELF. UM, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO TAKE AND FILL UP OUR REGULAR MEETINGS WITH DISCUSSIONS AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE ISSUE. UM, BELIEVE ME, I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE AND SHUT ANYBODY DOWN. I'VE TALKED WITH A FEW OTHERS UP HERE AND THEY FEEL THE SAME WAY. WE JUST WANT TO TAKE AND HAVE TWO MEMBERS KEEP ADDING THINGS TO A REGULAR MEETING. THAT'S WHAT A WORK SESSION IS FOR MR. MAYOR. YES MA'AM. SO, UM, THIS ACTUALLY ADJUSTS THE ORDINANCE TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL. UM, THE CHANGE IN 2019, WE ALL UNDERSTOOD WAS TO THE WORK SESSIONS. SO YOU CAN GET SOMETHING ON THE WORK SESSIONS WHERE WE DISCUSS IT. THAT'S WHERE YOU GET ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. YOU GET OTHER PEOPLE ON BOARD WITH YOU. IF IT'S FOR A POLICY, THEN YOU MOVE IT TO THIS MEETING. AND I GET IT ON THIS AGENDA. AND, UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS ENTIRE TIME SINCE 2019 IS WE WAS, WE WERE DOING THE TWO PERSONS TO GET IT ONTO THE WORK SESSION. AND THEN WE'VE ALWAYS GONE WITH THE MAJORITY. SO THIS JUST FLOWS IN THAT IT WASN'T UNTIL I THINK, UH, JULY IT CAME ABOUT AND DOUG WAS DIGGING AND WAS LIKE, NO, YOU CAN ADD TO A REGULAR AGENDA, WHICH WE WEREN'T EXPECTING. UM, SO I'M ACTUALLY OKAY WITH THIS BECAUSE IT'S HOW WE'VE BEEN OPERATING. IT'S JUST NOT BEEN IN WRITING IN THAT WAY. MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO GIVE SOME INSIGHT ON THE 2019 CHANGE. UM, BEFORE, WHEN I WAS HERE ON COUNCIL, THE ONLY PERSON THAT COULD ADD SOMETHING TO THE AGENDA WAS THE MAYOR. AND, UH, WE'VE SEEN THINGS NOT PUT ON THE AGENDA JUST BECAUSE THE MAYOR DIDN'T WANT IT TO GO THERE. THAT WAS WHY WE HAD MADE THAT CHANGE BACK IN 2019 TO ALLOW TWO MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO ADD SOMETHING. UM, I WANT THE MAYOR. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. HE WASN'T THE MAYOR. BUT, UM, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THIS DOESN'T SQUELCH ANY KIND OF VOICES OF THE PEOPLE, UM, AND MEMBERS CAN BRING SOMETHING AND PUT ON A WORK SESSION AGENDA. AND, UM, WHAT THIS DOES IS IF THERE'S A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, THEN, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE. UM, LIKE I SAID, AGAIN, IT'S NOT DONE TO, UM, SILENCE ANYBODY'S VOICES AT ALL. WE GOT EMAILS. SO LIKE I SAID, LET'S ECHO WITH MR. UH, MR. MAYOR HOLLOWAY SAID, UM, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? I GOT A FEW COMMENTS, MR. MAYOR. I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK IN PHYSICALLY PRESENT FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING. UH, WHILE MODERN TECHNOLOGY ALLOWED ME TO PARTICIPATE DURING MY TIME AWAY AT MY MILITARY SCHOOL, UH, IT WAS NOT THE SAME SIMPLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE BEING A FLOATING HEAD OVER THERE, LOOKING DOWN AT EVERYBODY. UM, I DIDN'T HAVE THE CHANCE TO CLEARLY ADDRESS COUNSEL WITHOUT LOSS OF INFLECTION, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. AND OF COURSE I HAD TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. EVERY TIME I TRIED TO SPEAK, I HAD AN ECHO, SO IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO, TO VOICE SOME OF MY OPINIONS IN THE PAST. UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE UP FOR THAT TONIGHT. UM, I MISS SEEING CITIZENS ADDRESS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN PERSON BECAUSE I WAS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT FOR THAT MEDICAL FREEDOM ORDINANCE, BUT I WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT, THAT WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL TOPICS THAT HAVE COME UP IN CONVERSATION IN WORK SESSIONS. WE'VE ALSO HAD ISSUES WHERE, UH, WE COULDN'T GET WITH, EVEN WITH, AT ONE POINT WE HAD THREE COUNCILMEN MYSELF, COUNCILMAN LOYD AND COUNCIL MEZ, UH, TRYING TO PUT STUFF ON THE, JUST THE WORK SESSION AGENDA. AND THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THAT. UH, IT WASN'T UNTIL MR. LLOYD, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN LLOYD, UH, BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION. UH, YOU CAN WATCH THE WORK SESSION VIDEO. UH, IT'S A SLIGHTLY HEATED DISCUSSION THERE. UM, WHERE, UH, MR. LLOYD FINALLY GOT, UM, TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR A VOTE TO BRING IT TO A CONCLUSION AS MS. THOMPSON OFTEN WANTS TO, TO WRAP UP AND COMPLETE THESE THINGS. THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE GOAL OF WHY THAT CAME TO, UM, THE PUBLIC AGENDA. SO I'M GLAD IT DID. WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET A VOTE ON IT. OTHERWISE IT COULD JUST CYCLE IN WORK SESSION OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I WISH TO ADDRESS THIS ORDINANCE CURRENTLY ON THE AGENDA FOR VOTE TO CHANGE HOW ITEMS WE PUT ON THE PUBLIC AGENDA. ONLY TWO SHORT YEARS AGO AS MR. MER, UM, POINTED OUT THE ORDINANCE, ALLOWING TO COUNCILMAN TO PLACE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA WAS PASSED. I WENT [01:25:01] BACK AND I LOOKED AT THE NOTES FROM THOSE SESSIONS TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY MINUTES FROM WHAT THE DISCUSSION WAS, WHAT THE THINKING WAS. I'VE OBVIOUSLY HEARD SOME NOW, BUT THE ONLY THING THAT WAS THERE WAS MR. UH, THE INTERIM MAYOR TIDRICK AT THE TIME HE ONLY COMMENTS I COULD FIND WHERE HE SAID THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY ITEMS EVER BEING BLOCKED FROM THE AGENDA BY A MAYOR. AND THAT'S IN THE OFFICIAL RECORD MINUTES THAT WERE VOTED ON AND APPROVED AND PASSED. HE APPROVED THAT ORDINANCE CHANGE. HE APPROVED OF THE CHANGE TO ALLOW ITEMS, TO BE PUT ON BOTH THE WORK SESSION AGENDA AND THE PUBLIC SESSION AGENDA. I'M SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THAT WAS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD AND THAT A VOTE WAS MADE ON THAT AT THE TIME. IRONICALLY, SINCE THEN WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT VERY ISSUE. AS I MENTIONED, SOME PROPOSED ITEMS HAVE BEEN KEPT OFF THE AGENDA FOR MANY WEEKS, ALLOWING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD REMAIN ASIDE FROM CURRENT ISSUES, WHICH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES BELIEVE TO BE A WASTE OF TIME. MINORITY VOICES DESERVE TO BE HEARD. I BELIEVE THAT ALL MINORITY VOICES TO BE HEARD, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, I NEVER IMAGINED THAT ON THIS COUNCIL, I WOULD BECOME ONE OF THOSE MINORITY VOICES CONCERNS BROUGHT FORWARD BY CITIZENS DESERVE TO BE HEARD AS THIS ISSUE WAS THEY SHOULD NOT BE CAST ASIDE DISREGARDED OR CONTINUALLY TABLED AT WORK SESSIONS UNTIL THE MAJORITY ON THE COUNCIL DECIDES CITIZENS CONCERNS ARE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO ADDRESS ON A PUBLIC AGENDA. PLEASE CONSIDER WHY THE 20TH, 2009 COUNCIL FELT IT NECESSARY TO MODIFY THE ORDINANCE THEN. AND WHETHER SHORT-TERM GAINS SUCH AS KEEPING COUNCILMAN LLOYD FROM BRINGING OTHER ORDINANCES TO PUBLIC AGENDA WILL EQUAL GOOD LONGTERM ORDINANCE, UH, OUTCOMES. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE, MR. MURRAY? UM, SO, UM, IF WE, IF WE JUST TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT, SO USUALLY, AND UNDER THIS, USUALLY WE, WE BRING SOMETHING TO, UM, A WORK SESSION AND WE'D DISCUSS IT. AND THE PUBLIC IS NOT, IS NOT AN OFFICIAL PARTICIPANT IN THE WORK SESSION. I BELIEVE THEY CAN ATTEND, BUT, UM, THERE IS NO PUBLIC HEARING, UH, PORTION OF THAT PROCEEDING. AND, AND SO, BUT WHEN WE MOVED TO THE, UM, TO THE REGULAR MEETINGS, THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING SESSION. AND ACTUALLY EARLIER IN THIS, IN THIS YEAR, WE, WE CHANGED OUR ORDINANCES SO THAT IN ORDER TO, UH, CHANGE AN ORDINANCE, WE GO FROM TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS TO ONE PUBLIC HEARING. AND NOW WE'RE MOVING TO A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S A PREDETERMINED, UM, YOU KNOW, THE WHIP OF THE, OF THE VOTES ON THE COUNCIL BEFORE THERE'S EVER A PUBLIC HEARING. AND SO WE GO OUT OF A WORK SESSION KNOWING WHAT THE, WHAT THE RESULT IS, AND THERE'S THAT COMPLETELY UNDERMINES IN REALLY MAKES YOU USELESS THE, THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF HAVING PUBLIC HEARINGS AT ALL. AND SO, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT PEOPLE COME OUT, THEY STAND AT THE DESK. AND I BELIEVE IN THAT PROCESS, I REALLY BELIEVE IN THAT PROCESS. I, WHAT WE SAW LAST, LAST MONTH, PEOPLE, PEOPLE LIKE I I'VE SAID ELSEWHERE, THAT PEOPLE HIRE BABYSITTERS, THEY REARRANGE THEIR SCHEDULES, THEY REARRANGE THEIR WORK SCHEDULES. SO THEY CAME IN AND THEIR WORK UNIFORMS, THEY CREATED, UM, THEY, THEY WROTE THEIR, UH, OPINIONS AND THOUGHTS BEFOREHAND. THEY READ THEM, THEY CONSULTED OTHERS AND THAT ALL OF THAT ONLY HAS VALUE IF IT CAN SWAY OUR VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. AND WE, IN ORDER TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING UP HERE, NEED TO BE ABLE TO SAY, LOOK, IF SOMEBODY CAN BRING SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T CONSIDERED, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY VOTE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE GOT TO DO, UM, IN THIS PROCESS. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A HORRIBLE IDEA. AND, BUT THE BENEFIT OF THIS, OF THIS PARTICULAR, UM, WAY OF DOING THINGS IS THAT WHEN YOU PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA AND THEN YOU ASKED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT SPECIFIC, UM, ON THAT SPECIFIC TOPIC, THEN YOU HAVE THE BENEFIT OF EVERYBODY KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE SHOWING UP TO TALK ABOUT. AND IF WE MAKE THIS CHANGE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THE BENEFIT OF, OF PEOPLE SHOWING UP TO SPEAK ON A SPECIFIC TOPIC. AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME AND SH AND ARRIVE AT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AS PART OF THE, OF THE SESSION. AND, AND THE ONE PERSON MIGHT BE SPEAKING ABOUT THIS TOPIC. ONE PERSON MIGHT BE SPEAKING ABOUT ANOTHER TOPIC AND SO ON AND SO FORTH THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE COMPLETELY UNDERMINING OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. AND I, I CAN NOT, I CAN NOT GET BEHIND THAT. AND I, I CANNOT. I JUST VERY GENERALLY IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE IS. [01:30:01] I SUPPORT MORE TRANSPARENCY, MORE OPENNESS, MORE DISCUSSION. THAT'S HOW, THAT'S, HOW OUR WHOLE SYSTEM WAS PUT THE, UH, WAS PUT TOGETHER. SO THAT MINORITY VIEWS, CONFLICTING VIEWS, MAJORITY VIEWS HAVE THEIR SAY, AND WE CAN WORK OUT AND DISCOVER THE BEST SOLUTION. SOMETIMES THE BEST IDEAS DON'T RESIDE IN THE MAJORITY. AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE, UH, A GENUINE SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE TO BRING A MINORITY IDEA OF FOUR BEFORE THIS COUNCIL AND HAVE A REAL DISCUSSION THAT'S MEANINGFUL. I TOTALLY OPPOSE THIS IDEA, MS. MR. LLOYD, I KNOW YOU USE LAST MONTH'S MEETING, UM, ABOUT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS COMING WITH THEIR, WHATEVER THEY WANT TO SAY ALREADY WRITTEN OUT. UM, IT, NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SAID, BASICALLY, WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THEIR MIND. WELL, LEGAL COUNSEL THAT ALREADY ADVISED EVERYBODY THAT THEY COULDN'T PASS THIS ORDINANCE. IT WAS ILLEGAL. SO, AND MR. MCFADDEN, UH, MR. TODRICK, UH, AT THE TIME HE WAS THE ONLY MAYOR, UH, WELL, I CAN SAY THIS. WE HAD A PREVIOUS MAYOR THAT, UH, WOULD DICTATE THE AGENDA, UH, PUT ITEMS IN ONE AREA. SO IT WASN'T MR. TODRICK THAT DICTATED THE AGENDA. IT WAS A PREVIOUS MAYOR. SO ANYHOW, THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT. AND I WOULD JUST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, CAUSE IT WAS SAID THAT NOTHING WAS EVER HELD BACK. IT TOOK PROPERTY MAINTENANCE OVER A YEAR TO GET ON THE AGENDA. SO TRUE STORY. ANYONE ELSE? YES. PLEASE. JUST BURKE UP A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. ONE, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION WHAT LESLIE HAD SAID ABOUT, UM, JUST ABOUT I'M GOING TO PARAPHRASE, BUT BASICALLY I'M SILENCING THE PUBLIC AND I WOULDN'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT THAT'S THE CASE. I ACTUALLY THINK, UM, THAT OFTENTIMES, UH, SO THE PUBLIC, WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE SIGN UP TO SPEAK, THERE'S PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE PUBLIC PORTION AND THAT CAN BE ABOUT ANYTHING. AND I KNOW LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS APPOINTED TO COUNCIL IN JANUARY, UM, THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING IN FEBRUARY, ALMOST UNTIL COVID TOOK US INTO VIRTUAL MEETINGS, LIKE EVERY MEETING, THE PUBLIC PORTION, PEOPLE WOULD BRING UP CONCERNS THAT WEREN'T ON OUR WORK SESSION, WEREN'T ON ANYTHING. THEY WERE JUST LETTING US KNOW THINGS THAT WERE BOTHERING THEM. AND SO IT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK STAFF, TO CHECK INTO IT OR JUST TO BE AWARE OF SOMETHING WE DIDN'T KNOW. UM, SO THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING WILL STILL STAY AND PEOPLE CAN BRING UP WHATEVER THEY WANT. UM, I ALSO WANT TO DIMENSION THAT LIKE WITH WORK SESSION, UM, SOMETIMES WHAT IS BROUGHT UP AT THE WORK SESSION, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF IT, THEY BRING IT TO LIGHT. IT GIVES US THAT OPPORTUNITY AGAIN, TO ASK STAFF. AND A LOT OF TIMES IT JUST KEEPS FLOATING ON TO THE NEXT WORK SESSION. PERFECT EXAMPLE IS THE CREDIT CARD FEES. UM, WE'VE LITERALLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT THOSE SINCE LAST FALL, MAYBE. UM, AND WE JUST HAVEN'T BROUGHT IT TO, UM, WE DID BRING IT TO A REGULAR MEETING AND THEN WE TOOK IT OFF THE AGENDA BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING, BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT THERE WAS STILL INFORMATION THAT NEEDED TO BE GATHERED AND THAT IT, WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING. WE HADN'T WORKED OUT ALL THE GLITCHES YET. UM, AND SO, SO THAT HAS HAPPENED. UM, AND SOMETIMES WE GET HERE AND, AND I WILL SAY THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR THING THAT STICKS OUT IN MY MIND THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED IT AT WORK SESSION. I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING COMPLETELY. I CAME IN THAT NIGHT, THERE WAS A CROWD OF PEOPLE AND I, I SAID, WHOA, WHAT, WHAT ARE PEOPLE UPSET ABOUT? AND, UM, SOME PEOPLE WERE UPSET ABOUT HIS OWNING AND THEY STARTED SHARING THEIR COMMENTS. AND I, I REVERSED THE WAY I THOUGHT, BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY BROUGHT UP. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE UNFAIR FOR PEOPLE TO SUGGEST THAT WE COME TO THE MEETINGS, UM, WITH OUR MINDS MADE UP BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE COME IN AND PEOPLE SUGGEST THINGS, UM, THAT WE WEREN'T AWARE OF. AND SOMETIMES WE TAKE IT OFF THE AGENDA OR IN THIS CASE TONIGHT, UM, BRINGING THE APARTMENT CHANGES, SAYING, LET'S TAKE IT BACK TO WORK SESSION BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT, UM, HONESTLY, AFTER WATCHING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING LAST WEEK AND WATCHING PEOPLE'S CONCERNS AT THAT MEETING DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, THAT MADE ME REALIZE THAT WE HADN'T WORKED ALL THE KINKS [01:35:01] OUT. SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, THAT, THAT THERE'S NO INTENT, UM, TO DO THAT. I WILL SAY THOUGH, THAT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT. WE HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF WITH THE TOWN. AND I THINK SOME THINGS HAVE GOTTEN TO THE BACK BURNER BECAUSE WE'VE INVESTED A LOT OF ENERGY AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE EVEN HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DO. SO, UM, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE I'D LIKE TO JUST COMMENT THAT WE DID REMOVE THAT SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, UM, OFF THE AGENDA EARLIER ON IN A YEAR, UM, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS THAT'S CAUSING THIS ISSUE. UH, IF WE THINK ABOUT THAT, ANYBODY ELSE? VERY NONE. THIS PRESLEY, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? VICE MAYOR COCKEREL. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LOYD. NO COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. NOPE. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. MOTION PASSES [9. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS] NEXT UP CARCINOGEN ITEMS TO HEAR EMOTION. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENTED SECOND. SORRY. I HAVE A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? THIS SICK. WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE. I SMEAR COCKRELL. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MAKE BADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. MOTION PASSES. OKAY. I'VE BEEN ASKED, UH, FOR US TO TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS. SO WE'LL RESUME, UM, UNTIL THANK YOU FOR THE ORDER. THERE'S A POINT OF ORDER ON THAT. UM, A GERMAN RECESSES AND STANDING AT EASE IN CHAPTER TWO E UH, WHEN THE GROUP WISHES TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK FROM A MEETING, IT IS BY MAY, BY VOTE A MAJORITY TO RECESS. SO JUST WANTED TO PUT A POINT OF ORDER ON THAT. ALL RIGHT. UM, ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL TAKE A VOTE FOR HER TO HAVE A RECESS. I MOVE AT COUNCIL TAKES A 10 MINUTE RECESS. SECOND, SECOND. DO WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? MS. PRESLEY? I SMEAR COCKRELL. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LILLY. NO COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. NO ANNOUNCEMENT. THOMPSON. YES. PASSES, TAKE A RECESS. THEY'RE NOT ALL [10. BUSINESS ITEMS - None] MERCY. WARN US TO ENACT CALICO CHAPTER 1 72 WELFARE HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATING HOSPITALS OR OTHER MEDICAL OR HEALTH-RELATED FACILITIES. MS. PRESSLEY, COULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? COUNCILMAN LOYD HAS REQUESTED THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ENACT TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 72 WELFARE HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATING HOSPITALS OR OTHER MEDICAL OR HEALTH-RELATED FACILITIES AS PRESENTED COUNCIL CONSIDERED AND DENIED A DIFFERENT BUT RELATED EMERGENCY ORDINANCE ON JULY 26TH, 2021. THANK YOU. YOUR EMOTION, MR. MAYOR, MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ENACT TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 72, WELFARE HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATING HOSPITALS OR OTHER MEDICAL OR HEALTH RELATED FACILITIES AS PRESENTED SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION, UH, MR. MAYOR, BEFORE THIS DISCUSSION BEGINS, REFERENCING MY EARLIER COMMENTS, I HAD NOT RECEIVED A QUALIA OPINION OR AN OPINION. AND IN FAIRNESS TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEY DID NOT HAVE MUCH TIME TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION, UM, IN THE ABSENCE OF THE KOI OPINION. AND SO, UH, FOR THIS VOTE, I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF, NOT KNOWING WHETHER RECUSAL OR, UH, EXTENSION IS THE BEST, UH, RECOURSE. I'M JUST GOING TO REPEAT AS MYSELF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MS. CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? PLAY SMEAR COCKRELL. NO COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. NO COUNCILMAN LOYD. RECUSED COUNSELOR. FADDEN ABSTAIN. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. NO MOTION FAILS. [11. PUBLIC COMMENTS (COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS)] [01:40:01] NEXT UP PUBLIC COMMENTS. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY TO SPEAK? YES, WE HAVE 11 FIRST ONE. STEVIE HUBBARD LOOKS LIKE SHE'S GONE. SHE GONE JUST SECOND, MARYLAND. COUNCILMAN WOODBURY HERE. I MEAN, BEFORE WE START, I WONDER IF NOBODY OUT THERE. OKAY. OKAY. RIGHT. UM, NEXT FRAN. RIGHT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I'M FERN VASQUEZ. I LIVE AT ONE 20 GLOUCESTER ROAD HERE IN FRONT ROYAL. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, UH, FOR LISTENING TO ALL OUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING. UM, SO I JUST THREW AWAY MY NOTES AT, BECAUSE I WE'RE HERE. I'M HERE TO REALLY COMMENT ON THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU JUST VOTED NO ON. AND, UM, SO I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS. UH, ONE IS THAT, FIRST OF ALL, I AM JUST A HUMBLE RESIDENT OF FRONT ROYAL. AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE PERSPECTIVE AS SUCH, I DON'T COME HERE WITH LEGAL OPINION, NO EXPERTISE IN THAT, BUT JUST HOW I SAW TONIGHT'S MEETING. AND I THINK I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CREDIBILITY BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF CREDIBILITY THAT I SAW FROM MANY OF YOU FROM, FROM TWO OF YOU, SPECIFICALLY, UH, COUNCILMAN LOYD AND COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. UM, NOT SO MUCH. I ADAMANTLY DISAPPROVE OF THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO PLACE HERE. AND FOR SOME VERY SPECIFIC REASONS, UM, I FELT THAT YOU WERE RISKING LITIGATION WITH THE TOWN. UH, I THINK THAT THIS HAS BEEN ASKED AN ANSWER, DOES GO GOING THROUGH THE COURTS IN THE COUNTRY, THE SUPREME COURT DISMISSED IT, WOULDN'T HEAR IT. AND YET YOU WANTED TO PURSUE THIS PATH. UM, I DISAGREE WITH THE CONTENT OF IT, WHICH IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE MEDICAL FREEDOM NOT TO BE VACCINATED. UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS I LOOK AT IT FROM THE EMPLOYER POINT OF VIEW, THE EMPLOYERS WANT THEIR EMPLOYEES TO COME TO WORK. THEY DON'T WANT HALF OF THEM TO BE SICK. THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE WORKING 40, 80 HOURS A WEEK BECAUSE HALF THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE HOME. SO THERE'S A VERY GOOD REASON TO BE ABLE TO MANDATE VACCINATIONS FROM THE SPECIFIC MEDICAL POINT OF VIEW OF A HOSPITAL, MANDATING ITS EMPLOYEES. MY DAUGHTER IS A NURSE. MY DAUGHTER TALKS TO ME ABOUT ALL THE STRESSES THAT SHE GOES UNDER. I ALSO READ THAT ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN, BUT I TOOK SOMETHING ELSE AWAY FROM IT. THE NURSE OR NURSES ARE NOT LEAVING BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING MANDATED TO BE VACCINATED. THEY'RE LEAVING BECAUSE OF ALL THE STRESSES, PARTICULARLY THE STRESS OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS FROM COVID. MY DAUGHTER GOT COVID PRIOR TO THE VACCINATIONS. YOU DON'T WANT TO WISH THAT ON ANYONE. AND I, SO I THINK YOU ARE JUST, UM, I THINK IT'S A PATHWAY THAT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO DO THIS. UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I APPLIED THE OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WHO DID NOT GO DOWN THIS PATHWAY, WHO WERE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH IT AND IT, FOR WHAT IT WAS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COUNCIL THAT INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THIS POLITICIZED ISSUE REALLY LOOKS AT THE TOWN AND THE PROBLEMS OF THE TOWN. SO MY ASPIRATION FOR THE TOWN IS THAT WE HAVE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ATTRACTED TO THE TOWN. I WANT OUR TOWN TO HAVE CREDIBILITY. I WANT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT FRONT ROYAL AND SAY THEY HAVE COMPETENT MANAGEMENT FOR THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU JUST ADVOCATED DOES. NOT. THIS IS NOT THE PATHWAY TO GO TO DO ENGENDER, THAT KIND OF RESPECT. UM, I WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO STAY HERE AFTER THEY GRADUATE FROM SCHOOLING, BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE TOWN FOR THEM. THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY AT STAKE HERE. THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT I WANT YOU TO WORK TOWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. [01:45:01] WAS THE DOOR LOCKED? YEAH. OKAY. I TOLD HER TO LOCK IT. THANK YOU GUYS. CB HUBBARD. UM, SO I WANTED TO COME SPEAK AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL POLITICIZING OF OUR TOWN COUNCIL ONE IT'S AGAIN, AND I WANTED TO BRING UP SOME POINTS THAT I THINK ARE VALID. UM, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RECOGNIZES THAT OUR SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IS DEPENDENT IN PART UPON TWO THINGS. ONE CITIZENS, LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS REPRESENTING FULLY THE PUBLIC AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. AND TWO IT'S IN ESSENCE, MAINTAINING THE HIGHEST TRUST IN THEIR PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES BINDS AND DECLARES THAT THE CITIZENS ARE ENTITLED TO BE ASSURED THAT THE JUDGMENT OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES WILL BE GUIDED BY A LAW THAT DEFINES THEM PROHIBITS INAPPROPRIATE COMPLEX, AND REQUIRES DISCLOSURES OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS. THAT'S VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 3,100 VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 31 0 3 6 PROHIBITS LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM ACCEPTING ANY BUSINESS, ANY BUSINESS OR PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITY. WHEN HE KNOWS THAT THERE IS A REASONABLE, A REASONABLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS BEING AFFORDED TO HIM. SHE INFLUENCED HIM IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS OFFICIAL DUTIES, UPON INFORMATION AND BELIEF. A CERTAIN COUNCILMAN IS ACCEPTING CLIENTS IN HIS LAW PRACTICE TO REPRESENT THEM AGAINST VALLEY HEALTH'S VACCINATION POLICY, WHICH HAS DONE TO INFLUENCE THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS OFFICIAL DUTIES, VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 3,110 PROHIBITS LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM USING THEIR PUBLIC POSITION TO RETALIATE OR THREATENED, TO RETALIATE AGAINST ANY PERSON FOR EXPRESSING VIEWS ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN OR FOR EXERCISING ANY RIGHT THAT AND OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW UPON INFORMATION AND BELIEF. A CERTAIN COUNCILMAN IS USING HIS PUBLIC POSITION TO RETALIATE AGAINST VALLEY HEALTH FOR EXPRESSING THEIR LAWFULLY PROTECTIVE VIEWS ON THEIR VACCINATION POLICY. IT'S MY HUMBLE OPINION. A COUNCILMAN WITH THE LAW DEGREE WOULD ALREADY KNOW THAT A VIOLATION OF EITHER CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATUTE CONSTITUTES A CLASS ONE MISDEMEANOR PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 31 20 AND EXPOSES HIM OR HER TO UP TO 12 MONTHS IN JAIL AND, OR FIND UP TO $2,500. NOW WHY COUNCILMAN THOMPSON HAS AN INTEREST IN YOUR PRACTICE? I AM. AND I HOPE THAT THIS ISSUE DOES NOT COME UP BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE, THIS COUNCIL, AGAIN, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT. IT'S BEEN VOTED DOWN SEVERAL TIMES. AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT IS A NATIONAL ISSUE THAT SHOULD NOT BE LITIGATED USING OUR TOWN COUNCIL, OUR TOWN RESOURCES, OUR TOWN TIMES, GOD, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH TIME MR. NAPIER HAS SPENT ON THIS FOR YOU. YOU ARE WASTING OUR MONEY AND YOU ARE WASTING OUR TIME. THANK YOU ALL. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. STEVE FOREMAN. GOOD EVENING. STEVE FOREMAN, 8, 8, 7 OSPREY LANE, FRONT ROYAL OR LAKE FREDERICK, DEPENDING ON WHICH PIECE OF MAIL I GET, I WOULD WANT ANY GIVEN DAY. UM, JUST WANT TO SAY REGARDING THE ORDINANCE, UM, IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR MOST OF THE CRISES IN AMERICA'S HISTORY HAVE COME TOGETHER AS ONE TO OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES. WE'RE UNITED TO SAVE DEMOCRACY AT GREAT RISK AND COSTS. IN RECENT YEARS, THOUGH, WE SEE DIVISIONS CONFUSING. WHAT WAS ONCE A NATION BASED ON COMMON SENSE, TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEIGHBOR JUDGEMENTS IN THE FACE OF A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC. OUR WEAKNESS HAS BEEN AN A BIT INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE AND INTERPRET THE DATA THAT OUR SCIENTISTS HAVE OUTLINED AS THE SMART CHOICES, DESPITE THE CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE APPARENT TO ANYONE, NOT BLINDED BY MISINFORMATION. WE SEE TOO MANY WHO NEGLECT THEIR DUTY TO THE COMMON GOOD. WE THOUGHT THAT COVID DID NOT AFFECT YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT IT'S TAKING A TOLL ON YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE. NOT MAKING SMART, NOT TAKING SMART PRECAUTIONS, CREATES VECTORS FOR IT TO EVOLVE INTO EVEN WORSE FORMS. AS WE'VE SEEN WITH THE DELTA VARIANT MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK, WE GET A CALL FROM MY SON'S SCHOOL WITH NEWS OF ANOTHER STUDENT INFECTION, ANOTHER QUARANTINE, WHY CAN'T WE UNITE TO DEFEAT THIS PLAGUE? WHY ARE WE FIGHTING AGAINST WHAT SCIENCE AND MEDICINE [01:50:01] TELL US SO MUCH OF THIS WAS UNAVOIDABLE AND WE'VE GONE. WE'RE GOING RIGHT BACK DOWN THIS PATH AGAIN, STARTING THE CYCLE AGAIN BECAUSE OF BIG MISGUIDED POLICIES. WE MAY NEED TO USE OUR BEST JUDGMENT ON THIS VITAL ISSUE. THIS AFFECTS US ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JEAN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, JEAN KILBY, 8 36 SHENANDOAH SHORES ROAD, FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA. I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF TONIGHT BECAUSE I THINK EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO SAY HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID, WHAT IS WRONG WITH TRYING TO SAVE LIVES? WE HAVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PASSED BECAUSE OF COVID AND WE ARE STILL FIGHTING NOT TO HAVE A VACCINE AND WE'VE ALREADY, IT'S ALREADY BEEN RULED THAT EMPLOYERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE EMPLOYEES TO BE VACCINATED. IT'S ALREADY BEEN RULED THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO DO THIS. AND WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TODAY. THE FDA HAS FINALLY APPROVED THE PFIZER VACCINE AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE MADONNA VACCINE TO BE IMPROVED VERY SHORTLY. SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO BE AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE. AS I HAVE EXPRESSED PREVIOUSLY, WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO REALLY HEAL. AND I SEE SOME, WELL, I HEAR SOME OF THE, SOME OF YOU COUNCILMAN SAYING THAT, UH, PEOPLE COME IN WITH PREDETERMINED ATTITUDES ABOUT WHO THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR. I'VE BEEN TO THIS, TO THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, I GUESS MORE THAN I WANT IT TO BE OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, BUT I'VE NOTICED THIS. I'VE NOTICED THAT MR. MCFADDEN AND MR. LLOYD VOTE THE SAME WAY ON EVERYTHING. SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WERE PRECONCEIVED IDEAS, YOU NEED TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KRISTA CHRISTA ADVANTAGE 90 17 STONEWALL JACKSON HIGHWAY. SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE FDA EVALUATION OF THE AVAILABLE EFFECTIVENESS DATA, UM, REGARDING THE UA THAT INCLUDED THIS STUDY THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY BEING FORCED TO ENDURE. AND I'M LOOKING HERE AND IT SAYS AT THE END OF THIS FDA INFORMATION AT THE END, AT THIS TIME, DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ABOUT HOW LONG THE VACCINE WILL PROVIDE PROTECTION, NOR IS THERE EVIDENCE THAT THE VACCINE PREVENTS TRANSMISSION OF SARS COV TWO FROM PERSON TO PERSON I'D LIKE TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT COVID-19 IS SYMPTOMS. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE DISEASE SARS COV TWO IS THE VIRUS COVID-19 VACCINATION IS JUST TO PREVENT OR LESS ACTUALLY LESSEN THE SYMPTOMS, WHICH THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 CAN BE CONSTRUED AS ANYTHING. IT CAN BE, UM, SIMILAR TO THE COMMON FLU. IT CAN BE CONSIDERED MANY DIFFERENT AILMENTS. SO I'D LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MEDICINE THAT'S BEING PURPORTED AS MEDICINE SCIENCE, UM, BY ABC, YOU KNOW, LETTERED AGENCIES. UM, BUT THERE ARE ACTUALLY OTHER SCIENTIFIC OUTFITS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THERE'S A JAPANESE STUDY. THERE'S DIFFERENT STUDIES THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW WHERE INDEPENDENT SCIENTISTS PRESENTING INFORMATION THAT IS CONTRARY TO WHAT THE NARRATIVE IS CURRENTLY. AND IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE STATING THAT YOU HAVE TO GET, YOU KNOW, A VACCINE, YEAH. I GUESS THAT'S THEIR RIGHT, [01:55:01] UM, TO CREATE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS, BECAUSE THAT'S AN ESSENCE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WE'RE CREATING A SECOND CLASS OF CITIZENS AND USING THE, UM, CURRENT MEDICAL SYSTEM TO ENACT THAT. AND, UM, I THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO STAND BEFORE GOD SOMEDAY, AND IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY SOON. UM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED BECAUSE THE VACCINATED WILL DIE. AND I'VE GOT INFORMATION ON, ON THAT. IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN GIVE THAT TO YOU. UM, BUT EVENTUALLY IT WILL SHORTEN YOUR LIFE, EACH FLU VACCINE THAT YOU GET EACH COVID VACCINE THAT YOU GET, IT WILL HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT TO YOUR HEALTH. AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT THAT FOR MY BUSINESSES THAT I OWN. I OWN TWO BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY. I PAY TOWN TAXES FOR. UM, AND I DON'T WANT THAT FOR MY FAMILY. AND I WAS ACTUALLY ASSAULTED FOR, UM, ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT A MASK IN ONE OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES IN OUR COUNTY. AND I WAS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST FOR ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT A MASK POLICY. AND THAT WAS AFTER I HAD SURGERY. I HAD A DANAMO SURGERY ON A TUMOR THAT I HAVE IN MY ABDOMEN, AND I WAS TREATED VERY POORLY BY, UM, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE MAGISTRATE JUST DISMISSED THE CASE BECAUSE APPARENTLY THERE'S A BACKLOG OF CASES FOR, UM, THINGS BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. UM, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I APOLOGIZE, COUNCILMAN LLOYD, THAT I HAVE COME TO YOU FOR, FOR HELP FOR SOME OF THE NURSING STAFF AND THAT IT HAS PUT YOU IN THIS POSITION AND THAT YOU'VE TAKEN A LOT OF HEAT FOR IT. PLEASE JUST DIRECT THAT HEAT RIGHT HERE, BECAUSE THAT WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT I DID. SO I APOLOGIZE IF YOU GUYS FEEL SORRY THAT YOU'RE GETTING HEAT FOR CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS. UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS ACTING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF MY COLLEAGUES AND MY FAMILY AND MEMBERS OF THIS TOWN AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES. AND I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS ARE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE. UM, I WAS ALSO UPSET AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, UM, THAT THERE WERE PREPARED STATEMENTS THAT YOU GUYS SEEM TO HAVE MADE UP YOUR MIND. AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. AND I KNOW THAT MR. NAPIER HAS A LONGSTANDING 40 YEAR HISTORY OF PROVIDING LEGAL COUNSEL TO THIS TOWN, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT HE HAS A LONGSTANDING HISTORY OF CONFLICTS, OF INTEREST OF WHICH I HAVE LOADS OF INFORMATION. IF YOU'D LIKE, IF YOU HAVE TIME, IT SEEMS THAT MY EMAILS GO UNANSWERED WHEN I EMAILED THE TOWN COUNCIL, BUT THAT'S OKAY. UM, I JUST THINK YOU GUYS ARE MAKING THE WRONG DECISION FOR THE COUNTY, FOR THE TOWN, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA. AND, UH, IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING, BUT I RESPECT YOUR DECISION BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC AND I'D LIKE TO POINT YOU IN THE DIRECTION OF CHRIS ANN HALL, SHE GIVES, UM, LESSONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK THAT THE LOCAL LEVEL, YOU GUYS HAVE MORE POWER THAN YOU GIVE YOUR CREDIT, THEN YOU GUYS GIVE YOURSELVES CREDIT FOR. AND, UM, SO I INVITE YOU TO LOOK AT THE INFORMATION OF CHRIS ANN HALL. SHE SPEAKS PUBLICLY ALL OVER THE NATION. WE CAN EVEN INVITE HER TO THE TOWN. MAYBE SHE CAN GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE SEMINAR SEMINAR. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. AND I RESPECTFULLY WALK AWAY. THANK YOU, LESLIE MATTHEWS, LESLIE MATTHEWS, 1 43 MATTHEWS LANE BENTONVILLE. AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT THAT VIRUS. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT CONDUCT. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THIS COUNCIL HAVE A CODE OF CONDUCT PUT IN PLACE. IF IT DOES NOT ALREADY HAVE ONE. I SUGGEST THIS DUE TO MS. THOMPSON'S CONDUCT THROUGHOUT THE JULY 26 MEETING THE WAY SHE PRESENTED HERSELF, NOT ONLY DEMEANED HER, BUT IT ALSO DEMEANED THE VERY POSITION IN WHAT SHE WAS ELECTED TO SERVE HER CONDUCT THROUGHOUT THAT MEETING IS IN NO MANNER WHAT A LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD EVER ENTERTAIN. AND BECAUSE OF THE WAY SHE HELD HERSELF, I CHECKED OUT HER PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA, AS WELL AS HER COUNSEL PAGE. I FOUND A GOOD POST THAT SHE HAD PUT ON IN JUNE ON HER PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA. AND IT STATES SELF-CONTROL IS STRENGTH. CALMNESS IS MASTERY. YOU HAVE TO GET TO A POINT WHERE YOUR MOOD DOESN'T SHIFT BASED ON THE INSIGNIFICANT ACTIONS OF SOMEONE ELSE. DON'T ALLOW OTHERS TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION OF YOUR LIFE. [02:00:02] DON'T ALLOW YOUR EMOTIONS TO OVERPOWER YOUR INTELLIGENCE. I FIND THOSE TO BE BEAUTIFUL WORDS AND ONES THAT DESERVE MEMORIZING AND PUTTING INTO ACTION. BUT AS FAR AS, OR HER POST ON HER COUNCIL SITE, IT APPEARED TO BE A SELF PETTY TOPOLOGY, AND IT DOESN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE APPEARANCE OF SINCERITY. SO IF YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE A CODE OF CONDUCT IN PLACE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THIS BE AN ITEM OF PRICE. THANK YOU, MARIA ORION. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MARIA O'BRIEN. I LIVE OFF OF MOUNTAIN ROAD IN FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA, I GUESS TECHNICALLY THE COUNTY FREEDOM IS NOT A GIFT BESTOWED ON US BY OTHER MEN, BUT A RIGHT THAT BELONGS TO US BY THE LAWS OF GOD AND NATURE. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. I HEARD YOU AS A COUNCIL TO PROTECT THE FREEDOMS OF THE CITIZENS OF FRONT ROYAL NOW, AND IN THE DAYS AHEAD, PROTECT YOUR CITIZENS FREEDOMS REGARDING VACCINES. YES, BUT EVERY CIVIL LIBERTY. AND YES, EVEN IF THAT MEANS REVISITING A TABLE DISCUSSION WHEN NEW OR BETTER OR MORE CLARIFIED INFORMATION COMES TO LIGHT, IF FREEDOM AND PROTECTING YOUR CITIZENS FROM MANDATES AND ENCROACH UPON THAT FREEDOM WAS PARAMOUNT. SURELY PUTTING TOGETHER ALL OF THESE BRILLIANT MINDS IN THIS ROOM TOWARD THAT GOAL WOULD RESULT IN BETTER OUTCOMES THAN WE HAVE SEEN LATELY FOR THE PEOPLE COUNCILMAN, JUST TO BE TONIGHT. THIS EVENING SAID THAT IF A COUNCILMAN QUOTE FEELS IN HIS HEART AND QUOTE THAT HE SHOULD VOTE A CERTAIN WAY, THAT SHOULD BE THE END OF THE DISCUSSION WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, MR. GILLESPIE, THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS. THIS IS ABOUT YOUR DUTIES. THIS IS ABOUT THE CITIZENS OF FRONT ROYAL. AND THIS IS ABOUT AN OBJECTIVE SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE. IN ALL COUNCIL DECISIONS. WHEN NEW INFORMATION IS INTRODUCED, IT MUST BE CONSIDERED WHEN YOUR FELLOW COUNCILMAN BRING A TOPIC TO THE TABLE OR RE-INTRODUCE SOMETHING WITH NEW INFORMATION. IT IS NOT RIGHT TO SHUT THEM DOWN BY SAYING THE MATTER IS CLOSED AND HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED. IF COUNCILMAN LOYD POTENTIALLY FOUND A NEW AVENUE THAT MR. NAPIER HAD POSSIBLY OVERLOOKED THAT DESERVES A HEARING WITH INQUISITIVE MINDS THAT ARE READY TO DISCUSS AND TO LEARN WAS, OR IS THERE A LEGAL AVENUE THROUGH WHICH THE TOWN COUNCIL COULD HAVE BETTER PROTECTED ITS CITIZENS FROM UNJUST AND MEDICALLY PROBLEMATIC VACCINE? YOU CAN CALL IT A VACCINE MANDATE. IT SEEMS POSSIBLY POTENTIALLY YES, BUT WILL WE EVER KNOW? WELL, IT IS APPARENTLY UNACCEPTABLE TO QUESTION, MR. NAPIER'S NAPIER THOROUGHNESS MOCKING. MR. MCFADDEN SEEMS TO BE PAR FOR THE COURSE FOR THE RECORD. I'M GRATEFUL TO BOTH COUNCILMAN LOYD AND TO COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR DEFENDING THE LIBERTY AND FREEDOMS OF THE COMMON CITIZENS. UM, I HAVE NEVER FOUND MR. MCFADDEN'S POSTS TO IN ANY WAY CRITICIZE ANY OF YOU. I DON'T KNOW. UM, ANYTHING OTHER THAN HE'S HELPED ME TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED. THIS IS THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING I'VE ATTENDED. I THINK, UM, IN REGARDS TO NURSES, SOMEONE JUST COMMENTED THAT NO NURSES ARE QUITTING OVER THE VACCINE. I HAVE TWO SISTERS WHO ARE NURSES OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS. NEITHER ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN STRESSED BY COVID AFTER THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF REALIZING WHAT WE'RE REALLY DEALING WITH. ONE HAS BEEN A NURSE IN THE ER FOR 15 YEARS, WHO WAS A CNA BEFORE THAT SHE'S INCREDIBLY COMPETENT. I WOULD TRUST HER WITH MY HEALTH ANY DAY. AND I DO. I CALL HER ALL THE TIME, THE POOR THING, BUT SHE IS LEAVING BECAUSE HER HOSPITALS ARE MANDATING THE VACCINE. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON SHE'S LEAVING. SHE TOOK FLU VACCINES WHEN SHE HAD TO, WHEN SHE COULDN'T GET EXEMPTIONS, EVEN THOUGH SHE, YOU KNOW, DECREASED, DISAGREES WITH THOSE AS WELL, BUT SHE'S LEAVING THE NURSING PROFESSION BECAUSE OF THE VACCINE. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY END OF STORY. SHE DOESN'T WANT TO LEAVE TO HER CAREER WAS NOT FINISHED. I HAVE ANOTHER NURSE SISTER WHO, UM, WORKED IN A DIFFERENT STATE, A MUCH MORE FRIENDLY STATE. UM, THAT HOSPITAL DOES NOT HAVE A VACCINE MANDATE AND SHE'S STILL GOING TO BE AN RN AS LONG AS SHE CAN. IF THAT VACCINE MANDATE COMES TO HER, SHE WORKS. SHE WILL ALSO LEAVE BECAUSE THESE TWO ARE ENDS ARE VERY EDUCATED. THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS INJECTION. THEY UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE THAT'S COMING OUT ABOUT THIS INJECTION INFORMATION. THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT SHARED WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO GOT IT, BECAUSE IT WAS STILL EARLY IN, IN WHAT ESSENTIALLY AS A VACCINE TRIAL. BUT IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT NEW INFORMATION COMING OUT, UM, YOU COULD LOOK INTO DR. RYAN COLE, HE'S A MEDICAL DOCTOR AND A PATHOLOGIST. HE, UM, ACTUALLY HE GOT HIS MEDICAL DEGREE. HE'S WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL HERE AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY. HE'S OUT IN IDAHO. NOW HE IS, UM, HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO THEIR CENTRAL DISTRICT BOARD OF HEALTH. HE IS DOING, UM, TISSUE SAMPLE EXAMINATIONS FROM AUTOPSIES AND POSTMORTEMS ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THIS VACCINE. HE IS SEEING DAMAGE AT THE CELLULAR [02:05:01] LEVEL IN EVERY VITAL ORGAN AND IN THE CELL WALLS COULD PILLORIES IN EVERY PART OF THE BODY THAT HE'S EXAMINING, HE'S A PATHOLOGIST. THIS IS REAL SCIENCE. HE HAS THE SLIDES. UM, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THAT, UM, MAJOR ORGANS ARE BEING DAMAGED, UM, AS YOU KNOW, HEART CELLS WHERE YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, BUT HEART CELLS CAN'T REPAIR THEMSELVES. SO WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN SCARRING IS CAUSED BY THIS SPIKE PROTEINS THAT ARE INTRODUCED WITH THIS INJECTION, THE, THE HEART CAN NOT REPAIR ITSELF. WHAT IS REPLACED FROM THAT HEART TISSUE IS SCARRING. THE HEART CAN'T SURVIVE. THIS WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT BRAIN CELLS ARE BEING DAMAGED. EVERY SINGLE CELL EURO WALL IN YOUR VEINS, IN YOUR ARTERIES IS BEING AFFECTED WITH THE SPIKE PROTEIN. SO IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SCIENCE, THERE'S A LOT OUT THERE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AGAIN. AND THEN ON THE LEGAL SIDE, THAT VIRGINIA ATTORNEY TIM ANDERSON IS POISED TO SET LEGAL PRECEDENT RIGHT HERE IN VIRGINIA, FOLLOWING THE CASE AT GA UH, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY. SO GMU WHERE A PROFESSOR WAS BEING MANDATED TO HAVE THEIR VACCINE OR LOSE HIS JOB. AND HE FOUGHT IT ON THE BASIS OF NATURAL IMMUNITY. SO WE HAD A LEGAL TEAM AND A MEDICAL TEAM THAT SHOWED THAT HIS ANTIBODIES TO COVID-19, WHICH MANY OF US PROBABLY HAVE IN THIS ROOM IF WE, UM, GOT THE ILLNESS OR WERE EXPOSED TO IT AND FOUGHT IT DOWN. BUT THOSE ANTIBODIES ARE AS GOOD OR BETTER. SOME WOULD ARGUE AND INDISTINGUISHABLE ON A, ON A BLOOD TITER FROM THE VACCINE. SO BASED ON THAT, HE'S SETTING LEGAL PRECEDENT AND HE HE'S REPRESENTING PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING, OKAY, YOU'RE REQUIRING THIS VACCINE, BUT I HAVE THE ANTIBODIES AND IT'S DISCRIMINATION TO REQUIRE THE VACCINE. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ANTIBODIES. SO WE HAVE ON A LEGAL AND A MEDICAL BASIS, A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU GUYS CAN USE PERSONALLY, IN YOUR OWN LIVES, BUT ALSO TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF VIRGINIA FROM, UM, THESE MANDATES, WHICH HAVE ABSOLUTELY LIFELONG CONSEQUENCES. AND, UM, I WOULD JUST URGE YOU THIS, THIS MATTER IS NOT CLOSED HUMANITY. CAN'T MOVE ON FROM THIS AND FRONT ROYAL AS A COMMUNITY, UM, CAN DO BETTER TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS. AND ONCE AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE DR. LEE OR MR. LAURIE AND MR. MCFADDEN FOR THEIR SERVICE FOR PEOPLE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS COMING AT PERSONAL COST, UM, UM, TO BOTH OF THEM. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO THEM AND TO YOU FOR HEARING ME TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU. DAVID MEANS MR. BRYAN, MR. BRYAN, WHAT WAS THE DOCTOR'S NAME? I'M JUST WRITING DOWN. HIS NAME IS DR. BRIAN PATHOLOGISTS, L E. GOTCHA. I READ THAT STUFF. THIS IS THE RECORD THREE TIMES. DAVID MEANS TWO 10 WEST FIRST STREET, FRONT, ROYAL, VIRGINIA. UM, THE LAST COMMENTS I THINK, WERE BASED ON WHAT A GREAT THING WE'RE GOING TO IN TERMS OF UFAC AND WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO CALL IT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT THE SUSTAINABILITY, UH, ADVISEMENT COMMITTEE. UM, BUT THIS IS SPECIFIC. I WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. HICKS. WHEN YOU CAME ON BOARD, IT WAS IMMEDIATE. AND WHAT WE SAW AT THE HAPPY CREEK ISSUE WAS A CHANGE. AND YOU WERE THE ONE WHO PRECIPITATED THAT. AND SO I'LL HAVE TO SAY, THANK YOU. YOU MADE A GOOD DECISIONS. YOU ACTUALLY TOLD PEOPLE THAT SILT FENCE HAS TO BE STABILIZED AND PUT IN TO PREVENT EROSION. UH, IT'S NOT DECORATION. THAT WAS GREAT AND CONTINUED THROUGH MOST OF THE PROJECT UNTIL TOWARDS THE END. AND THEY RAN OUT OF THE RAN OUT OF FABRIC TO PUT UNDERNEATH THE ROCKS. AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I WAS HOPING THAT BOBBY OR MR. BOYER WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED WHEN I SENT HIM THAT EMAIL. UH, YOU WERE PART OF THAT. UM, BUT THERE'S ABOUT A THIRD OF THAT ROCK THAT WENT IN THAT DIDN'T GET, UH, ANY EROSION FABRIC UNDERNEATH THE ROCK. SO, UH, JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN, CAN BE CHANGED. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO GET UNDERMINED IN A BIG STORM, BUT IT CERTAINLY COULD HAPPEN. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH, UH, MR. OSBORNE. THIS IS A HUGE JOB THAT YOU'VE MADE FOR HIM. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO, FOR ONE MAN TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM TO DO. SO I KNOW, OKAY, WELL, FIRST I GET THE GUY WHO KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING NOW, I'M ASKING FOR SUPPORT FOR THE GUY, BUT HE NEEDS IT. UM, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, AVENUES THAT TOWN STAFF CAN GET TO TEACH THEM EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL AND WHY. AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY IS [02:10:01] WHY ARE WE DOING IT? UH, AND WHAT'S THE PURPOSE. AND SO, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN AND BE TRIED TO, HE WILL TELL YOU WHERE HIS LIMITS ARE, AND I KNOW THAT I'M HOPING THAT YOU'LL RESPOND AND HELP HIM OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CATHERINE BRILL, CATHERINE BRILL, DAVID SILAK DAVID SILAK. THAT'S ALL I HAVE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? HELLO? MY NAME IS NICHOLAS THOMAS. I LIVE AT 2 86 DEER HAVEN ROAD IN FRONT ROYAL. UH, I AM A TEACHER IN FRONT ROYAL, AND YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL I'M ON THE YOUNGER SIDE. AND THIS IS ONE OF MY FIRST ATTENDED THE ONE OF MY FIRST TIMES ATTENDING ONE OF THESE MEETINGS. AND CERTAINLY MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING, AS YOU CAN TELL BY MY NERVOUSNESS, WHAT I WANTED TO EXPRESS WAS THAT, ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING, I WAS EXTREMELY DISCOURAGED BY THE BEHAVIOR AND THE ATTITUDES OF MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. I BELIEVED IT WAS SLIMY. I THOUGHT IT WAS SMOKE HOW ESPECIALLY COUNCILMAN THOMPSON, UH, SPOKE TO AND ABOUT CON UH, COUNCILMAN LLOYD. AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF LINE FOR IF YOU FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN WAS OUT OF LINE POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS, YOU SHOULD HAVE, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE HANDLED THAT IN THE SAME KIND OF PUBLIC FORM, LEAST OF ALL ON A TOWN COUNCIL, NOT SOCIAL MEDIA. I BELIEVE THAT THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND IT WAS NOT ONLY DISCOURAGING IN REGARDS TO MY CONTINUED ATTENDANCE IN PUBLIC LIFE, THOUGH. IT DID NOT SHIFT, UH, IT, IT DISCOURAGED ME AND LORD MY CONFIDENCE IN THE TOWN COUNCIL ITSELF. BECAUSE IF THAT IS THE KIND OF ATTITUDE THAT YOU HAVE UNDER THESE VERY STRESSFUL SITUATIONS, AND I REALIZED THAT THEY ARE, I ALSO RECOGNIZE YOU'RE ON THE TOWN COUNCIL AND YOUR ADULTS NEED TO ACT BETTER THAN I WOULD EXPECT MY MIDDLE SCHOOLERS TO BEHAVE UNDER STRESSFUL SITUATIONS WHEN THEY ARE TREATING EACH OTHER POORLY OR WHEN THEY HAVE DISAGREEMENTS. I'M NOT GOING TO BE DISCOURAGED AWAY FROM, UH, PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC LIFE. IT'S ACTUALLY CONVINCED ME TO PARTICIPATE EVEN MORE, UH, IN REGARDS TO ALSO LEARNING THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN, ESPECIALLY MORE RECENTLY WITH, UH, THE COUNTY, WITH THE SHERIFF AND WITH THE PREVIOUS MAYOR, I FORGET HIS NAME. I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A BIG SCANDAL. UH, HE'S A ICE CREAM MAN. I'M GOING TO LOOK INTO THAT MORE BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, NOT ABSOLUTELY NOT IN REGARDS TO ANY KIND OF CONSPIRACY OR IN REGARDS TO MONEY LAUNDERING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT THAT THE ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIORS OF PEOPLE WHO RUN FOR AND GET APPOINTED TO THE COUNCIL IS CULTURAL. IT'S DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE TOWN AND IN THE COUNTY, AND IT NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED AND IT NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT IS, WHERE IT COMES FROM. AND THE ROOTS OF IT ARE NOT SOCIOLOGICALLY, BUT PHILOSOPHICALLY, SO THAT THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO IT CAN OPPOSE IT PUBLICLY AND CAN OPPOSE IT BY RUNNING AGAINST MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. I HOPE THAT THIS WAS JUST A ONE-OFF BECAUSE OF THE TIME, BECAUSE OF THE STRESS, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, EXTREMELY VITRIOLIC NATURE OF THESE TOPICS, BUT IT DOES NOT DO THIS TOWN COUNCIL, ANY CREDIT THAT BEHAVIOR THAT I'VE SEEN AND BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS MUCH WORSE BEFOREHAND. THAT'S IT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? SURE. ROBERT ED NICHE 9 0 1 7 STONEWALL JACKSON HIGHWAY FRONT ROW. I WAS, UH, WORKING THIS EVENING WATCHING THE, UH, THE VIDEO ONLINE. AND, UH, I WAS AGAIN, JUST LIKE MR. THOMAS HERE. VERY DISAPPOINTED. AND WHEN I SAW THE V IN THE VERY BEGINNING, I THINK, UM, MR. LLOYD HERE HAD A VALID REASON TO STAND DOWN AND WATCH, AND I SAW, YOU KNOW, A POLITICAL ACTION ON THE PART OF YOU FOUR UP THERE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY, SEIZE IT, AND TO SILENCE IT. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND YOU OPPOSE HIS VIEW. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, RIGHT? NOT EVERYTHING GETS PAST THAT WE WENT PAST, [02:15:01] RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE RULE OF LAW, BUT WE CAN'T. AND THEN SEEING LATER HOW YOU GUYS UP THERE BASICALLY SHUT DOWN PUBLIC HEARINGS, YOU KNOW, AND MOVED EVERYTHING TO A WORK SESSION. I MEAN, YOU GUYS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT IN THE VIDEO. UM, BUT I, IT WAS A VOTE THAT I SAW SCOTT VOTE, NO ON, I THINK COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN VOTED NO ON, UH, THERE WAS SOME STUFF GOING BACK AND FORTH. UM, YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO SEE PUBLIC HEARINGS CONTINUE FOR THINGS LIKE OUR ARE HERE TODAY. SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST, UH, IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO, TO WATCH THE INFIGHTING, THE NAME CALLING, CALLING OUT, YOU KNOW, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. THIS GENTLEMAN UP HERE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE HAD A POSSIBLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST. AND INSTEAD OF LETTING THAT BE RESOLVED, YOU GUYS PUSHED AHEAD AND YOU, AND HE DID THE RIGHT THING BY RECUSING HIMSELF. OKAY. BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, LET IT PLAY OUT. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE LAST MEETING WE WERE HERE, THEY WERE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AGAINST THIS. OKAY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, THINKS THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS HERE AND MAYBE YOURS IS AN EFFECTED, BUT THEIRS IS OKAY. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN YOUR TOWN. I'M A BUSINESS OWNER IN THIS TOWN. IT IS. I MEAN, IF I HAD A FEMALE EMPLOYEE AND I TOLD HER, YOU KNOW, GO OVER, BEND OVER TO THAT DESK AND LET ME HAVE MY WAY WITH YOU SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR JOB. THAT'S RAPE, ROLL UP YOUR ARM AND TAKE A SHOT OR YOU CAN'T HAVE A JOB. WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S COERCION. SO WHY IS IT OKAY TO COURSE SOMEBODY INTO TAKING A SHOT INSTEAD OF CAUSING THEM TO BEND OVER AT DESK? HUH? TELL ME, IT'S, IT'S SAD. THIS IS A PERSONAL CHOICE. YOU WANT TO TAKE THE VACCINE, YOU TAKE IT, YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE VACCINE. YOU DON'T TAKE IT. YOU KNOW, IS THIS GOING TO BE OUR GENERATIONS, YOU KNOW, YELLOW STAR ON HER CHEST. YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT NEW YORK, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO INTO BARS AND STUFF HERE STARTING SOON, YOU KNOW, GET GROCERIES. WHAT IT'S RIDICULOUS. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR TOWN EMPLOYEES, NOT JUST FOR THE TOWN, BUT THE EMPLOYEES IN OUR TOWN AGAINST SUCH THINGS. OTHERWISE YOU'RE CREATING A SOCIETY OF DESPERATE PEOPLE THAT HIT ARE EITHER GOING TO CLING TO THE GOVERNMENT OR THEY'RE GOING TO REBEL. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S TO BE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS I GUESS. BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE. I DON'T THINK THE TOPIC'S DONE. IS IT EMERGENCY ORDINANCE? I DON'T KNOW. BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU GUYS DO HAVE TO LOOK AT PROTECTING THE EMPLOYEES IN THIS COUNTY. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T HAVE A CORPORATE FIAT. I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE PRIVATE COMPANY. THEY DO TAKE PUBLIC FUNDS FROM WHAT I'M AWARE OF VALLEY HEALTH IS WHAT I'M SPEAKING OF. YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE A HOSPITAL UP THERE. YOU GUYS HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE A HOSPITAL, CREATE A FREAKING HOSPITAL IN THE OLD HOSPITAL, RENOVATE IT AND KICK VALLEY HEALTH OUT OF THE TOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE, SORRY, BEING DONE NEXT [12a. Report of Town Manager] UP REPORT TO THE TAIL MANAGER. MR. LET ME TRY THIS AGAIN HERE. SO, UH, BUSINESS OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER SIX AND OBSERVATIONS OF LABOR DAY, A TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION. REGULAR SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY WILL BE COLLECTED ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, ALL OTHER REGULAR TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION DAYS WILL REMAIN THE SAME THIS WEEK. NO YARD WASTE WILL BE COLLECTED THIS WEEK. [02:20:01] DURING THAT TIME. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TOUCH BASE ON, UM, UH, MIKE MCCOOL WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SEND ME AN ARTICLE, UH, THAT THE ROYAL EXAMINER, UH, POSTED TODAY ABOUT THE ROUND TABLE WITH SENATOR MARK WARNER, UH, AT THE VIRGINIA INLAND PORT, BUT REGARDING INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING. AND IN THE ARTICLE, IT SAID THE TOWN WAS NOT PRESENT, UH, THE CENTERS SENATOR'S OFFICE. THEY CALLED ME AND GOT IN TOUCH WITH ME AFTER THAT ARTICLE WAS SENT OUT AND THEY APOLOGIZED TO, TO THE TOWN OF, FOR NOT, UH, SENATE TO INVITE. BUT THE INVITE WAS, WAS ALSO NOT, UH, DIDN'T INCLUDE OTHER TOWNS BECAUSE THE TOWN HAS A DIFFERENT, UH, ANIMAL QUOTE UNQUOTE THAT THEY SHARE. SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH THOSE WHO ARE READING THAT ARTICLE, THAT, UM, COUNCIL AND THE TOWN MANAGER, WE DID NOT DELIBERATELY NOT SHOW UP. WE JUST DIDN'T GET THE INVITE. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WE WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH THE SENATOR TO MARK WARNER'S OFFICE. THEY REACHED OUT AND THEY'RE WILLING TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE, JUST NOT WITH THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, BUT OTHER TOWNS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [12b. Report of Councilmembers] NEXT UP REPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. YES. MR. MAYOR? NO, JUST BE BRIEF AS TO, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING WHO SPOKE TONIGHT? UM, VERN SQUIZ, SHE'S NOT HERE NOW, BUT, UH, SHE'S ALWAYS MY FAVORITE SPEAKER WHEN SHE COMES AND SPEAKS. SHE'S SHE'S SO ELOQUENT AND WELL-SPOKEN, AND UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO HER. UM, MARIA, O'BRIEN, YOU KNOW, I ASSURE YOU THAT EVERY, UM, OPINION IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. I OKAY. BUT I RAISED MY RIGHT HAND AND I SWORE AN OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION OF VIRGINIA AND THE UNITED STATES AND TO KNOWINGLY PASS THAT ORDINANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL FOR ME. AND THAT'S MY OPINION ON IT. AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA AGREE ON EVERYTHING. AND THAT TAKES ME TO THE OTHER COMMENT THAT WAS MADE. UM, LET'S SEE YOU. THAT WAS ROBERT. UM, AND, UH, NICHOLAS, YOU KNOW, MY COMMENT EARLIER TODAY WAS IT'S IT'S IT'S IT? HE SAID HE WAS DISAPPOINTED AT THE WAY. UM, COUNCIL BEHAVED. OKAY. UM, GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND DESTROYING OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IS NOT GOOD BECAUSE OF THEIR VOTE TO PUBLICLY SCORN AND EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWN DOES NOT LOOK GOOD. AND WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS IN MY ADDRESS, GET BUSY, TAKE SOME OF THAT ENERGY THAT YOU'RE USING AND DO SOMETHING TO HELP IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR TOWN. THAT WAS WHAT I MEANT. AND I DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT 100%. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, GARY, MR. MAYOR? YES. UM, I'D LIKE TO, OF COURSE, THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE TODAY. UM, AS FAR AS, UH, THE OUTBURST I HAD THE OTHER WEEK, I HAVE APOLOGIZED. I APOLOGIZE AGAIN NOW. UM, IN REFERENCE TO MY QUESTIONS TO SCOTT, I ASKED THEM RESPECTFULLY WHEN I CAME TO THIS POSITION, WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE LARGEST SCANDAL IN VIRGINIA. AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENED BECAUSE PEOPLE WEREN'T ASKING QUESTIONS. UM, AND I DO COME UP HERE AND REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED ME BECAUSE THEY COME TO ME WITH QUESTIONS AND I TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY COME TO ME, I, UH, ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. OR IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS, I LOOK INTO THOSE. UM, I THINK THAT IT WAS RESPECTFUL. LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T DISRESPECT, SCOTT. I JUST ASKED HIM QUESTIONS REGARDING SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE CONFLICT, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, UM, DURING THAT TIME WE HAD A COUNCIL MEMBER HERE, UM, BEVIN, AND SHE WAS ASKING THE QUESTIONS AND SHE WAS GETTING TOLD TO SHUT UP ESSENTIALLY. AND THAT'S WHY SHE LEFT EARLY. I'M NOT LEAVING MY SEAT EARLY. I'M A STAND HERE AND ASK THESE QUESTIONS IF IT'S SEEN AS DISRESPECTFUL. SO BE IT, BUT YOU WON'T SAY, I DIDN'T ASK YOU, WON'T SAY YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER BECAUSE I ASKED PUBLICLY AND YOU GOT THE SAME ANSWER I DID AT THE SAME TIME. I GOT IT. THANK YOU, MS. THOMPSON. YEAH. I'D JUST LIKE TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS. SO, UM, IN TERMS OF BASHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO I'M JUST, UM, I THINK I USE THE TERM LAME DUCK, WHICH IS A POLITICAL TERM. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS MISCONSTRUED AS TO WHAT THAT MEANS. COLLOQUIALLY. UM, I WAS REFERRING COLLOQUIALLY THERE'S [02:25:01] ONE EXPRESSION THAT SPECIFICALLY REFERENCES THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT AFTER HE'S ALREADY LOST AN ELECTION. AND HE'S NOT GOING TO GO UP FOR ELECTION AGAIN, OBVIOUSLY, CAUSE HE'S LOST THAT ELECTION. IT'S ALSO COLLOQUIALLY REFERENCES. UM, FOLKS THAT DON'T PLAN TO RUN FOR ELECTION REELECTION, WHICH I'VE HEARD. UM, THERE'S A FEW FOLKS ON THIS DICE WHO I'VE HEARD ARE NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION. MAYBE I'M INCORRECT IN THAT. SO THAT WAS THE, UH, THE SOCIAL MEDIA. THAT'S HOW I WAS INFORMED BY THE MAYOR. UM, MR. GILLESPIE, IF YOU EVER WANT TO CALL ME, TALK TO ME OUTSIDE OF THESE MEETINGS, I WELCOME IT. UM, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? GO AHEAD, DON. OKAY. JUST, UM, JUST TO, UH, BRING IT BACK TO WHERE THIS DISCUSSION BEGAN AND THEN I, UM, I COULD, I CAN SHARE THE ARTICLE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I RAISED IN FIRST BRINGING OUT THIS, THIS QUESTION IS, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A, WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE, UM, WE'VE GOT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. AND SO, UM, PEOPLE HAVE DEEPLY HELD CONVICTIONS ABOUT, UH, THEIR, UH, FAITH AND, UM, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DEEPLY HELD CONVICTIONS ABOUT THEIR FAITH. AND WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE PEOPLE ARE FREE TO CHOOSE ACCORDING TO THEIR, THOSE CONVICTIONS. AND THERE'S NOT SOMEBODY CAUSING THEM AND THERE'S NOT SOMEBODY PASSING LAWS, FORCING THEM TO, TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THEMSELVES. I ALSO LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE THERE'S FREEDOM OF SPEECH. AND SO, UH, PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE WITH ME ARE FREE TO VOICE THEIR OPINION ABOUT ME, UM, OR YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHATEVER I MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT. AND, UH, WE IN THIS SOCIETY PROTECT THAT FREEDOM TO, UM, DECIDE FOR YOURSELF WHAT TO SAY AND HOW, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU WANT TO SAY IT. UH, WE GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO, UM, PROTECT THOSE FREEDOMS. AND SO, UH, THE, THIS DISCUSSION BEGAN, I'M NOT SPEAKING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC ORDINANCE, JUST ABOUT THE GENERAL DISCUSSION. THIS DISCUSSION BEGAN ABOUT, UH, ASSAY POSING THE QUESTION, WHEN ARE WE FREE TO DETERMINE FOR OURSELVES, UH, WHAT COURSE OF ACTION WE WANT TO TAKE WITH REGARD TO OUR OWN MEDICAL TREATMENT? AND THIS IS A QUESTION THAT'S BEING POSED TO US VERY URGENTLY AND VERY DRAMATIC FASHION THAT I WOULD NOT, WELL, I'LL JUST SAY JUST IN A VERY DRAMATIC FASHION. AND, UM, I THINK IT'S, UH, MAKING PEOPLE'S MINDS, SPIN MINE INCLUDED. AND, BUT DESPITE ALL THAT, UH, I THINK THAT IT'S WORTH HAVING THE DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT, UH, AFFECTS PEOPLE VERY DEEPLY AND VERY PERSONAL PLACES. UM, AND SO THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENT AND THAT REMAINS THE ATTEN UM, AS THIS DISCUSSION CONTINUED UP TO TODAY, THAT WOULD BE ME. UM, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS TWO THINGS, ONE IN THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM OR THE ITEMS THAT WE APPROVED EARLIER. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS PART OF WAS WE APPOINTED HOLLY WROTE IN HEIZER. I'M NOT SURE IF I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY TO THE BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY WELCOME TO HOLLY. UM, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT COMMITTEES IN THE TOWN OR, UM, COMMISSIONS BOARDS, AND WE RELY ON CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND JUST TO ACTUALLY EVEN SHOW INTEREST AND APPLY. AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE LOTS OF APPLICATIONS AND SOMETIMES WE, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORD BEATING THE BUSHES, TRYING TO GET SOMEBODY TO PARTICIPATE. SO, UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COME AND SPEAK AND ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TOWN. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO START LOOKING WHEN THOSE COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS ARE OPEN, JOIN IN, GET INVOLVED. I KNOW JOE STARTED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THAT KIND OF BROUGHT HIS INTEREST INTO COUNCIL AND STUFF. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY WELCOME TO HOLLY AND THANK YOU. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST SINCE OUR LAST MEETING WAS THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. AND, UM, IT WAS WONDERFUL. IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. UM, THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE DOWNTOWN. I CAN'T, I, UH, MAJOR NICE WHERE I'M NOT SURE THAT ANYBODY REALLY ESTIMATED THE NUMBERS, BUT AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE TOWN COMMONS AREA WAS FULL. THERE WERE LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS, LOTS OF FUN. UM, AND, AND THERE WAS A BAND AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ORGANIZING THAT AND GETTING, UM, ALL THE VENDORS AND VOLUNTEERS [02:30:01] THERE. AND IF YOU MISSED IT THIS YEAR, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S ALWAYS THE FIRST TUESDAY IN AUGUST AND LOOK FORWARD TO IT FOR NEXT YEAR. AND THAT'S ALL, I'VE JUST GOT ONE MORE THING. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, TOMORROW NIGHT, UM, WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AT SIX O'CLOCK, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW, AND OUR CITIZENS KNOW, UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF, UM, OF, OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN WORKING, GOING, UH, GETTING OUR HANDS AROUND THE DRUG CRISIS. THAT'S IN OUR TOWN AND COUNTY AND, UH, TOMORROW NIGHT AT SIX O'CLOCK, THERE IS A MEETING, UM, AT THE WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IN THE AUDITORIUM AND, UM, INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT TO THIS. UM, IT'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY GOOD THING HERE. A LOT OF LEADERS FROM OUR TOWN, UH, CHIEF MCGILLIS IS GOING TO BE THERE SPEAKING AND, UH, SEVERAL OTHER. SO AGAIN, I INVITE EVERYONE TO COME OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. [12c. Report of the Mayor] REPORT TO THE MAYOR. UM, I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT AND SPOKE TONIGHT. UM, IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A PUBLIC INPUT, UM, COMMON VOICE, YOUR OPINIONS AND YOUR, UM, AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN'T DO IT HERE, EMAIL, SEE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT ONE THING MR. GILLESPIE WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR A FEW YEARS AND I'VE NEVER, NEVER HAD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS GO ON ONE SOCIAL MEDIA, BASH OTHERS. UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SEE THINGS THEIR WAY, THE VOTE DIDN'T GO THEIR WAY. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A YES, NO. AND WE MOVE ON, GOT TO WORK TOGETHER. WE'RE HERE FOR A WHILE. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT GOOD, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I DON'T CARE. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN USE LAME DUCKS. I DON'T CARE WHO USES IT, HOW THEY USE IT, BUT WHEN ANOTHER MEMBER USES IT TOWARDS OTHER MEMBERS ON COUNCIL, JUST BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR VOTE. IT'S I THINK IT'S CHILDISH. UH, JUST PLAYING CHILDISH. UM, NOT ONLY THAT, UH, WHEN YOU START GOING AFTER STAFF, UM, AND WHEN YOU'RE POSTING THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT STAFF, THAT MAY NOT BE TRUE. JUST REMEMBER ONE THING, THERE COULD BE A LAWSUIT. AND IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH A STAFF MEMBER, WHY NOT JUST GO TO THE STAFF MEMBER AND ASK THEM PERSONALLY, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO PUT THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO MAKE YOU FEEL BIGGER? I THINK YOU'RE BETTER. I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT REALLY IRRITATES ME. AND I KNOW IT IRRITATES A LOT OF OTHERS UP HERE. UM, SO I'M SURE THERE'LL BE SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA NIGHT TO TUNE INTO, BUT ANYHOW, UM, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT AND, UH, THAT WILL CONCLUDE, UH, THIS PORTION OF OUR MEETING. NEXT WE'RE GOING [13. CLOSED MEETING] INTO A CLOSED MEETING. MR. MAYOR, I MOVED THE TOWN COUNCIL GO INTO AND CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING FOR THE PURPOSE OF ONE CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE. POSTAGE COUNSEL, SPECIFICALLY THE IMPACT OF THE CHANGES TO THE MARIJUANA LAWS IN VIRGINIA ON THE TOWN'S HIRING AND EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AND POLICIES PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 DOT A DOT EIGHT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND TO THE DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE DISPOSITION OF PUBLICLY HELD REAL PROPERTIES. SPECIFICALLY THE CONVEYANCE OF THE TOWN'S INTEREST IN REAL PROPERTY LOCATED OUTSIDE OF TOWN LIMITS WERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN MEETING. WOULD IT PERSONALLY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF TOWN COUNCIL PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 DOT A DOT THREE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND THREE, THE DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION SALARIES DISCIPLINING IN A RESIGNATION OF THE TOWN ATTORNEY OF THE TOWN PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH THREE SEVEN ELEVEN.A.ONE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. SECOND, HAVE A SECOND, HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE. YES. COUNCILMAN LOYD. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.