* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] OKAY, [1. MOMENT OF SILENCE] I'D LIKE TO CALL THE REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, MAY 22ND TO ORDER, AND WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE, . OKAY. [2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AND AS YOU KNOW, DURING MY TERM AS MAYOR, I INVITE STUDENTS FROM THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL TO LEAD OUR COUNCIL IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AND THIS MONTH WE'RE GONNA BE WELCOMING TWO STUDENTS WHO ARE YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT AGAIN LATER IN THE AGENDA. SO, UM, UH, GUYS, IF YOU CAN COME FORWARD. SO TONIGHT WE HAVE LANDON POND, WHO JUST GRADUATED FROM WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL LAST THURSDAY. AND BENJAMIN WENT, UH, WHO ATTENDS RANDOLPH MACON ACADEMY, I WOULD SAY WHEN YOU GRADUATED, BUT I BELIEVE YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER A WEEK OR A LITTLE BIT MORE. THAT'S RIGHT. WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR GRADUATION DATE? UH, MAY 27TH. MAY 27TH. ALL RIGHT. IT'S JUST RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. SO, UM, THESE GENTLEMEN ARE GONNA LEAD US, AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BE GETTING GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM SPLUNKERS, THANKING THEM FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION TONIGHT. SO, YOU GUYS READY? YEP. I PLEASURE. ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TWO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS? ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. YEAH. THIS CHAIR DOWN. I FEEL LIKE I'M DOWN ALREADY. [3. ROLL CALL] MS. PRESLEY, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? MAYOR COCKRELL. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN DUE TO MONICA PAYNE. HERE. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? HERE. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS? HERE. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? HERE. COUNCILMAN ROGERS. HERE. VICE MAYOR SEAK HERE. [4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] OKAY, THANK YOU. AND, UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES. DO I HEAR A MOTION? I'LL MOVE THE COUNCIL. APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FROM APRIL 24TH. WORK SESSION MINUTES OF APRIL OF MAY, THE 1ST OF MAY THE EIGHTH AND SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES OF MAY THE FIRST 2023. PRESENT SECOND. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. PRESLEY? CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? COUNCILWOMAN DE MONICA PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN ROGERS? YES. VICE MAYOR SEAK? YES. OKAY, THANK YOU. SO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, FIVE. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA OR REVISION TO OUR ORDER OF BUSINESS? OKAY, HEARING [6. RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS] NONE. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, AND THIS IS OUR RECOGNITIONS AWARDS, REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS. AND SO TONIGHT, UM, WE, UH, WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A PROCLAMATION FOR THE NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK. UH, MS. PRESLEY, I, I'M, UH, I'M GONNA LET YOU DO THE SUMMARY AND THEN I'LL, I'LL READ, I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION, WE'LL SPLIT THE, SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE HERE, EXACTLY THE SAME THING. OKAY. DO YOU WANT SURE. I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THE SUMMARY. OKAY. COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO PROVE A PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING MAY 21ST THROUGH TO 27TH. 2023. AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AS PRESENTED, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE ALL THE HARD WORK OF THE APPROXIMATELY 68 TOWN PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES WHO WORK HARD EVERY DAY DURING THEIR SHIFTS, WHILE ON CALL 24 7 AND BEING AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, ALL TAKING THEM AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES. BELOW ARE THE MANY DUTIES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. MAINTAINS 138.2, MOVING LANE MILES. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ROADS MAINTAINS 92 MILES OF STORM SEWER, MOES WEED EATS, AND TRACTOR MOES TOWN PROPERTIES, RIGHTS OF WAY AND MEDIANS. PLANS, DESIGNS, INSTALLS AND MAINTAINS FLORAL LANDSCAPES, HANGING BASKETS AND TREE PLANTINGS, COLLECTS TRASH RECYCLING YARD WASTES FROM 5,896. CUSTOMERS CLEANS AND DISINFECTS TOWN BUILDINGS AND PERFORMS SKILLED MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO TOWN BUILDINGS. FABRICATES INSTALLS AND REPLACES TOWN STREET SIGNS AND MAINTAINS CROSSWALKS, PERFORMS PAVING POTHOLE AND STREET REPAIRS, BRIDGE MAINTENANCE AND STREET SWEEPING, PERFORMS SIDEWALK AND CURB AND GUTTER INSTALLATION AND REPAIRS, STORM DRAIN INSTALLATION AND REPAIRS AND STORM DAMAGE CLEANUP, ASSIST THE TOWN WITH COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ROAD CLOSURES, SNOW REMOVAL, REPAIR WATER BREAKS, SEWER BACKUPS, TREATS SEWAGE FROM 5,980 [00:05:01] RESIDENTS AND WARREN COUNTY CUSTOMERS. WATER PRODUCES 2.3 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY, PROVIDES WATER FOR 6,406 RESIDENTS AND PROVIDES SEWER TO 6,093. RESIDENTS MAINTAINS 119 MILES OF WATERLINE, 124 MILES OF SANITARY SEWER AND 753 FIRE HYDRANTS, REVIEWS AND INSPECTS ALL PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS IN THE COUNTY WHERE WATER AND SEWER ARE PROVIDED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH TOWN STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS. THANK YOU, MS. PRESLEY. DO, UM, I HEAR A MOTION, MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNSEL APPROVE A PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING MAY 21ST THROUGH 27TH, 2023 AND NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL IS PRESENTED SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. AT THIS TIME DURING THE DISCUSSION, I'M JUST GOING TO READ A PORTION OF THE PROCLAMATION. UM, I WON'T BE REDUNDANT WITH WHAT MS. PRESLEY ALREADY READ, BUT I DO THINK THERE ARE PARTS THIS PROCLAMATION I'D LIKE FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF. SO WHEREAS PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES AND SERVICES THAT ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND WELLBEING OF THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. AND WHEREAS THESE INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES AND SERVICES COULD NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE ENGINEERS, MANAGERS, AND EMPLOYEES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REBUILDING, IMPROVING AND PROTECTING OUR NATION'S TRANSPORTATION, WATER SUPPLY, WATER TREATMENT, AND SOLID WASTE SYSTEMS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CITIZENS. AND WHEREAS IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR THE CITIZENS, CIVIC LEADERS AND CHILDREN IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF AND TO MAINTAIN AN ONGOING INTEREST AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS THE YEAR 2023 MARKS THE 63RD ANNUAL NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, CANADIAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, BE IT NOW, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL DO HEREBY DESIGNATE THE WEEK OF MAY 21ST THROUGH 27TH. 2023 IS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND ACTIVITIES, EVENTS AND CEREMONIES DESIGNED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS, ENGINEERS, MANAGERS, AND EMPLOYEES, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MAKE TO PROTECTING OUR NATIONAL HEALTH, SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE ALL THE HARD WORK AND OF THE APPROXIMATELY 68 PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES WHO WORK HARD EVERY DAY DURING THEIR SHIFT AND WHILE ON CALL 24 7 FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM FAMILY. AND THEN OF COURSE, WHAT MS. PRESLEY READ ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, WAYS IN WHICH THEY SUPPORT OUR CITIZENS IN OUR TOWN. SO, UH, IF COUNSEL, UM, WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND. UM, IF THERE'S ANY NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE A ROLL CALL. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD A SHOUT OUT TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS. AS YOU JUST HEARD, SOME OF WHAT THEY DO, THEY DO A LOT MORE THAN THAT. AND THE JOB OF THIS COUNCIL IS ACTUALLY NOT TO BE POLITICAL OR PUSH AN AGENDA FORWARD. OUR JOB AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON THE TOILETS FLUSHING AND THE WATER RUNNING AND SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THAT'S LACKED AND THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND IT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR PUBLIC WORKS CREW. THEY'RE EXTREMELY LOYAL TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND THEY CLEARLY LOVE THEIR COMMUNITY THAT THEY WORK FOR AND LIVE IN. UM, IT'S NO SURPRISE ANY GIVEN DAY TO SEE THE TRASH TRUCK DRIVER GET OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT, GO EMPTY THE TRASH TRUCKS HIMSELF, PUSH THEM BACK ACROSS THE ROAD AND GET BACK IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO THE NEXT HOUSE. UH, THEY WORK HARDER THAN ANYBODY THAT I KNOW, AND I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL AS A TOWN RESIDENT AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE AT THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU DO OUR ROLL CALL? COUNCILWOMAN DITA. MONICA PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN ROGERS? YES. VICE MAYOR SEAK? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. SO THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE HAVE IS, UM, THE AWARDING OF THE TOWN SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS. UM, AND SO, UM, I I'M JUST GONNA START READING AND THEN I'M GONNA CALL EACH ONE OF THEM UP AND THEN WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH, UM, UH, WITH EACH OF THOSE, UH, GENTLEMEN, [00:10:01] THEN WE WILL GO DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE IF THAT'S OKAY. SO, THE TOWN AWARDS THREE SCHOLARSHIPS EACH YEAR TO DESERVING SENIORS WHO LIVE IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. BOTH COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS AND COUNCILMAN INGRAM SERVE ON THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE. APPLICATIONS HAVE NAMES AND ADDRESSES REMOVED BEFORE THE COMMITTEE REVIEWS THE APPLICATIONS. I BELIEVE THAT CHOOSING JUST THREE RECIPIENTS WAS VERY CHALLENGING FROM ALL THE APPLICATIONS THE TOWN RECEIVED. THE, THE APPLICATION REQUIRES STUDENTS TO RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING AREAS, POST HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION PLANS, PLANS FOR EMPLOYMENT, ONCE COMPLETING THEIR POST-HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, EXTRACURRICULAR AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL HONORS AND AWARDS EARNED. AND DESCRIBING HOW LIVING IN FRONT ROYAL HAS INFLUENCED THEIR FUTURE PLANS. SO THE FIRST RECIPIENT IS BENJAMIN WENT. AND SO, BENJAMIN, IF YOU JUST WANNA COME FORWARD AND I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT YOU A LITTLE BIT WHILE YOU'RE, WHILE YOU'RE WALKING, BENJAMIN ATTENDS RANDOLPH MACON ACADEMY. HE PLANS TO PURSUE A CAREER IN ADVANCING THE WORLD'S SPACE CAPABILITIES AND AERONAUTICAL DESIGNS. WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE WAS INVOLVED IN AIR FORCE JUNIOR, R O T C, CAPTAIN THE TENNIS TEAM, AND SERVED AS THE SOON LIFE COMMITTEE'S TREASURER. HE ALSO IS VERY INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL ISAAC WALTON LEAGUE. BENJAMIN NOTED THAT HE HAS NEVER MISSED A FESTIVAL OF LEAVES, GOES TO EVERY CHRISTMAS ENVIRONMENT'S PARADE, THE 4TH OF JULY EVENTS AT FOUR H AND BASEBALL GAMES AT THE BING. UH, THE SECOND RECIPIENT IS TYLER BURS. AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? TYLER BURS. THANK YOU. TYLER GRADUATED FROM WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. LAST WEEK, TYLER PLANS TO PURSUE A CAREER IN ENGINEERING, SPECIFICALLY COMPUTER SCIENCE. TYLER ENJOYS DISCOVERING HOW THINGS WORK. IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, HE HAS LEARNED HOW TO METAL CAST WITH A PROPANE FURNACE MAKING DIFFERENT TYPES OF METAL ALLOYS. THAT WAS IMPRESSIVE ALONE FROM THE SCIENCE TEACHER IN ME. HE NOTED THAT LIVING IN FRONT ROYAL HAS GIVEN HIM AN APPRECIATION FOR THE LAND, ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. HE ENJOYS CAMPING THE FOREST WILDLIFE AND STILL HAS ASPIRATIONS OF CAREER AND PRESERVATION, EVEN THOUGH HE FEELS ENGINEERING IS WHERE HIS STRENGTH FLIES. OUR THIRD RECIPIENT IS LANDON POND. LANDON ALSO GRADUATED FROM WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL LAST THURSDAY. HE PLANS TO STUDY CYBERSECURITY AND COMPUTER SCIENCE. WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE WAS A MEMBER OF DECA NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETY. WHILE KAT'S LIVE AND PLAYED ON THE GOLF, BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL TEAMS. I HOPE THAT LANDON DOESN'T MIND ME SHARING HIS COMMENTS ABOUT LIVING IN FRONT ROYAL CUZ THEY, IT, THEY STOOD OUT TO ME, AND I THINK THEY WILL TO MANY CITIZENS. HE SAID, FRONT ROW WILL ALWAYS BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF MY STORY. I'M A SOUTHERNER, A SMALL TOWN BOY, AND A WILDCAT FOR LIFE NO MATTER WHERE MY LIFE'S JOURNEY TAKES ME. NEXT FRONT ROW WILL REMAINED AN EMOTIONAL LANDMARK FILL WITH ALL OF MY FIRSTS, MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FAILURES, BEGINNINGS, LOSSES, AND THE FONDEST OF MEMORIES. FRONT ROYAL EMBODIES ALL OF WHAT TRULY MATTERS AND WILL FOREVER BE THE PLACE I CALL HOME. OH. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU GENTLEMEN, AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU ALWAYS FEEL A CONNECTION TO FRONT ROYAL AND KNOW THAT YOUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTS YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY AND THE NEXT CHAPTER IN YOUR LIFE. AND THESE THREE GENTLEMEN TONIGHT WILL BE RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH. AND YEAH, IT, YOU DON'T MIND IF YOU WANNA COME UP HERE, WE'RE JUST GONNA GATHER AROUND YOU OR FOUR GENTLEMEN. AND BY FAR THE BEST PART OF BEING [00:15:05] ALL SEE WHAT GOES AROUND. YEAH. SO I MUST SAY THAT, UM, I HEARD MISS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS SAY THAT. UM, AND I, I HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY TIMES THAT THERE ARE COMMITTEES THAT ARE COMING UP EVEN IN MY OWN JOB, WHERE NOBODY WANTS TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE OR JUST DON'T WANNA BE ON A COMMITTEE OR HAVE A COMMITTEE MEETING. THIS PARTICULAR, THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR EVERYBODY FIGHTS OVER GETTING TO BE ON THAT. SO AS, AS, UM, AMBER SAID, IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST PART, RIGHT? SO DEFINITELY THE LIGHT LIGHTEST. YES. SO, UM, NEXT UP ARE OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. AND THE FIRST ONE, UM, UH, BEFORE I, UM, WE READ THE SUMMARY OF THAT, I JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS. SO PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNSEL TO LEARN OF INFORMATION OF WHICH THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY AWARE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE WAIT UNTIL YOU WERE RECOGNIZED, THEN COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. IF THE COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, YOU MAY SIMPLY SAY THAT YOU AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER. THERE IS A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR SPEAKERS AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT MOVING FORWARD FROM TONIGHT. MOVING ON, UM, MS. PRESLEY WILL SET A THREE MINUTE, UM, LIMIT. AND THEN AFTER THAT THERE WILL BE 30 SECONDS. AND THEN, UM, UH, UH, SPEAKERS WILL BE DONE. THE MIC WILL, WILL GO OFF. UM, SO JUST, JUST A REMINDER TO SPEAK TO COUNSEL ABOUT THE ISSUE. UH, NOT NECESSARILY STAFF OR PEOPLE, UM, IN THE AUDIENCE, NO PERSONAL ATTACKS OR ANY ECKS LANGUAGE. ALL RIGHT. SO, UH, THE [7.A. Ordinance to Amend Town Code Chapter 175-137 Fees, Charges and Expenses to Add the Application Fee of $400.00 for Processing a Local Board of Building Code Appeals (LBBCA) Application] FIRST PUBLIC HEARING AS THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 DASH 1 37 FEES, CHARGES AND EXPENSES TO ADD THE APPLICATION VIA $400 FOR PROCESSING A LOCAL BOARD OF BUILDING CODE APPEALS APPLICATION. MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 DASH 1 37 FEES, CHARGES AND EXPENSES TO ADD THE APPLICATION FEE OF $400 FOR PROCESSING A LOCAL BOARD OF BUILDING CODE APPEALS APPLICATION. COUNCIL ESTABLISHED THE LOCAL BUILDING CODE BOARD OF APPEALS IN JANUARY, 2023 PER TOWN CODE. THE BOARD IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR AN AGGRIEVED PARTY TO APPEAL THE DETERMINATION OF THE TOWN'S PROPERTY MAINTENANCE OFFICIAL. TO START THE APPEALS PROCESS, AN APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE L B C A. THE MEMBERS DETERMINED A FEE OF $400. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE APPLICATION FEE OF $400. THANK YOU. OKAY, I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. PRESLEY, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS ITEM? OKAY, SINCE THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL. DO I HEAR A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR? I MOVE THAT COUNSEL, APPROVE AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 DASH 1 37 FEES, CHARGES AND EXPENSES TO ADD THE APPLICATION FEE OF $400 FOR PROCESSING A LOCAL BOARD OF BUILDING CODE APPEALS L B B C A APPLICATION AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION, THERE'S A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION IF NOBODY HAS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST ADD THAT THIS $400 IS IN LINE WITH THE COUNTY AND SURROUNDING LOCALITIES. UM, AND IT SIMPLY AND ONLY COVERS THE EXPENSES FOR STIPENDS FOR THOSE WHO SET ON THIS BOARD AND FOR THE STAFF. NOT EVEN ENOUGH FOR THE STAFF THAT ARE GOING TO FIELD THESE APPEALS. UM, SO THAT APPLICATION FEE IS MINOR IN CONSIDERATION. OKAY. THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION. UH, MS. PRESLEY, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? COUNCILWOMAN DE MONICA PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN ROGERS? YES. VICE MAYOR SEAK? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. [7.B. Ordinance to Amend Town Code Chapter 98 Business, Professional and Occupational Licensing to Add the Definitions of Mobile Food Unit and New Business; Add Additional Information to License Requirement and Add Mobile Food Unit to Licensing, Peddlers and Itinerant Merchants.] SO THE NEXT ITEM UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IS THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND TOWN CODE CHAPTER 98, BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING. TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF MOBILE FOOD UNIT AND NEW BUSINESS. UH, ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO LICENSE REQUIREMENT AND ADD MOBILE FOOD UNIT TO LICENSING PEDDLERS AND ITINERANT MERCHANTS. UM, THE SUMMARY, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND READ IT CUZ IT'S A COUPLE SENTENCES. COUNCIL IS REQUESTED TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TOWN CODE CHAPTER 98 DASH TWO, BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING. [00:20:01] TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF MOBILE FOOD UNIT AND NEW BUSINESS, ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO CHAPTER 98 DASH THREE LICENSE REQUIREMENT AND ADD MOBILE FOOD UNIT TO CHAPTER 98 DASH 61. LICENSING PEDDLERS AND ITINERANT MARK MERCHANTS TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION ENACTED BY THE CODE OF VIRGINIA 58 1 DASH 3 7 15 1 REGARDING MOBILE FOOD UNITS. MS. PRESLEY, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS ITEM? NO. WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO, UM, AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, HAVING NO SPEAKERS, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL. DO I HEAR A MOTION? ANYONE? ANYONE. MADAM MAYOR, I'VE MOVED THAT COUNCIL APPROVE AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TOWN CODE CHAPTER 98 DASH TWO, BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF MOBILE FOOD UNIT AND NEW BUSINESS. ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO CHAPTER 98 DASH THREE LICENSE REQUIREMENT AND ADD MOBILE FOOD UNIT TO CHAPTER 98 DASH 61, LICENSING PEDDLERS AND ITINERANT MERCHANTS TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION ENACTED BY THE CODE OF VIRGINIA SECTION 58.1 DASH 37 15 0.1 REGARDING MOBILE FOOD UNITS AS PRESENTED. SECOND. SECOND O. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION? WE HAVE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. UM, SINCE THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, MS. PRESLEY, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL? COUNCILWOMAN D DE MONICA PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN ROGERS? YES. VICE MAYOR SEAK? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. [8. PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS] SO THE NEXT, UH, UH, ITEM ON OUR AGENDA OR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS AND JUST, UH, REMINDER THAT, UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE RECOGNIZED, THEN COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING REASONABLE RESTRICTIONS. A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. THE SPEAKER'S COMMENT SHALL BE RELEVANT TO THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL AND DIRECTED TO THE COUNCIL. THE SPEAKER'S COMMENTS DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL NOT ADDRESS THE SUBJECT MATTER OF A PUBLIC HEARING BEING HELD DURING THE SAME MEETING. NO PERSONAL ATTACKS AND DECORATES LANGUAGE OR DISPLAY OF SIGNS, PLACARDS, POSTERS, OR OTHER DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT OR DISPLAY WILL BE PERMITTED. MS. PRESLEY, IS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES, WE HAVE TWO. THE FIRST ONE IS CLAIRE SCHMIDT. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MADAME MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCIL. OH, CLAIRE SCHMIDT, 30 37 WEST 10TH STREET, DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA. I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE TOURISM AGREEMENTS WITH BOTH THE COUNTY AND DFR ARE ON YOUR CLOSED MEETING AGENDA. AS YOU KNOW, IT'S NOW BEEN THREE MONTHS AS THE TOWN COUNCIL VOTED TO TERMINATE THE JOINT TOURISM AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY. WE'RE APPROACHING THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS THEIR NEXT MEETING ON JUNE 6TH. AND THERE ARE ONLY A COUPLE MORE MEETINGS AFTER THAT BEFORE THE FISCAL YEAR ENDS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AS OF THIS MEETING, NO AGREEMENT HAS YET BEEN SENT TO THE COUNTY FOR REVIEW. SO WHAT I'M ASKING FROM YOU ALL IS FOR A DECISION AND FOR CLARITY AND ACTION COMING OUT OF YOUR CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT, YOU HAVE DEDICATED CITIZENS WHO ARE VOLUNTEERS ON THE BOARD OF DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL, WHO HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY, SOME OF US JUST FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, TRYING TO WORK THIS THING THROUGH OTHERS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND THE MOST RECENT AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT A FULL YEAR BEFORE BEING TERMINATED AS IT IT WAS SIGNED IN APRIL OF 2022. I'VE HEARD MANY OF YOU PUBLICLY SAY EITHER FROM THIS DAIS OR DURING THE LIAISON MEETING OR IN OTHER VENUES THAT YOU SUPPORT A JOINT TOURISM EFFORT WITH THE COUNTY FOR OUR REGION, AND THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DFR AND WITH THE COUNTY. AND SO I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO DO IS SORT OF TO PUT YOUR MONEY AND YOUR VOTE WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND MOVE THIS FORWARD. OR IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, AND I'VE HEARD THAT SOME OF YOU DO NOT ACTUALLY WANT A JOINT TOURISM EFFORT, THAT'S OKAY. WHILE WE WILL BE SAD FOR OUR COMMUNITY, YOU WON'T HURT MY FEELINGS AND YOU WON'T HURT ANY OF MY BOARD MEMBERS' FEELINGS IF YOU DECIDE TO JUST DO YOUR OWN THING. BUT WHAT WE WOULD ASK IF THAT IS IN FACT WHAT THE MAJORITY WISHES IS JUST TO STOP WASTING TIME AND MOVE FORWARD AND SAY THAT, SAY WE DON'T ACTUALLY WANNA WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND WE DON'T WANNA JOINT TOURISM EFFORT AND WE DON'T WANNA WORK WITH YOU GUYS. OR MAYBE EVEN WE DO WANNA WORK WITH THE COUNTY, BUT ONLY THE COUNTY AND WE DON'T WANNA WORK WITH YOU DFR, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HURT ANY OF OUR FEELINGS. THIS IS VOLUNTEER WORK. AND FRANKLY, THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS HAVE BEEN PRETTY THANKLESS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO GET ANYTHING DONE SINCE THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A PRIORITY. AND WHILE I WOULD ASK THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD AND MOVE IN THE DIRECTION THAT I THINK MANY OF YOU HAVE PUBLICLY SAID, YOU SUPPORT AND HAVE A JOINT EFFORT THAT AMPLIFIES THIS REGION'S TOURISM EFFORTS, IF YOU DO DO CHOOSE TO HAVE SEPARATE INDIVIDUAL TOURISM EFFORTS FOR THE TOWN AND COUNTY, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO [00:25:01] MAKE THAT DECISION AND EXPLAIN TO THE CITIZENS THE WHY IF YOUR DECISION AND NOT JUST CONTINUE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXPIRATION ON THIS. WE'RE STARTING A NEW FISCAL YEAR. IT'S BEEN THREE MONTHS ALREADY AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO MAKE A DECISION. SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU COME OUT OF TONIGHT'S MEETING AND DO THAT. AND IF YOU DO SUPPORT A JOINT TOURISM EFFORT, WE WOULD ASK THAT THE COUNCIL AND TOWN STAFF BE ON THE SAME PAGE AND QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY EXECUTE THE AGREEMENTS AND ALLOCATE THE FUNDING SO WE CAN GET BACK TO WORKING ON GROWING TOURISM IN OUR BEAUTIFUL BELOVED TOWN IN COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MR. SCHMIDT. MS. PRESLEY, THANK YOU IS SIR, ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? ELLEN AERS. OKAY, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ELLEN AERS. I LIVE AT TWO 19 EAST PROSPECT STREET. AND I WANNA ECHO EVERYTHING THAT CLAIRE JUST SAID. I HAVE BEEN AT WORK SESSIONS, I'VE BEEN AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF YOU ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, AND IT SEEMS AT EVERY TURN YOU GUYS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF IT. YOU WANNA WORK WITH DFR, YOU WANNA WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND GET THOSE TOURISM DOLLARS HERE, UH, TO BE SPENT IN FRONT ROYAL. BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY THERE'S A BREAKDOWN OR SEEMS TO BE A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION BECAUSE WE'RE THREE MONTHS OUT FROM DISENGAGEMENT AND WE DON'T SEEM TO BE ANY CLOSER TO RE-ENGAGING. WE GET POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL AND A PATH FORWARD AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT GETS PASSED OFF TO STAFF AND THEN THINGS JUST KIND OF STALL. SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT HAPPENS. EITHER WE'VE MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT YOUR INTENTIONS ARE OR THE COMMUNICATION TO YOUR STAFF IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE THINK. I, I DON'T KNOW. BUT THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING THERE IN THE LINE OF COMMUNICATION. BUT EITHER WAY, WE, ALL OF US INVOLVED SEEM TO KIND OF BE CHASING OUR TAILS AROUND THIS A LITTLE BIT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE AWARE, BUT THERE WAS A GRANT AWARDED, UH, PART OF THAT MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT ON OUR VISITOR CENTER. THE REST OF IT IS HANGING OUT THERE WAITING. UH, IT'S TO BE SPENT ON PHASE TWO OF OUR VISITOR CENTER TO, UM, DO THE REMODEL AND THE REDESIGN ON THE INSIDE. AND THE REST OF IT IS EARMARKED FOR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING. AND THOSE FUNDS HAVE TO BE SPENT BY THE END OF THE YEAR OR WE RISK LOSING THEM. SO I JUST WASN'T SURE IF COUNSEL WAS AWARE. SO TONIGHT I JUST WOULD ASK THAT YOU MAKE A DECISION, COMMUNICATE IT CLEARLY TO OUR COMMUNITY, THE COUNTY, TO OUR BOARD, SO THAT WE CAN EITHER MOVE FORWARD WITH SUCCESS OR TERMINATE THE DMO AND EVERYBODY JUST MOVE ON AND QUIT TALKING ABOUT IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. THANK YOU MS. PRESLEY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO ONE ELSE HAS SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? MR. LLOYD? HI EVERYBODY. SCOTT LLOYD, UH, 1149 HAPPY RIDGE DRIVE. UH, I JUST WANT TO, UM, BRING FORWARD A, UM, TOPIC THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHTHEARTED, BUT IT'S A SERIOUS PROPOSAL. UM, WHEN I WAS ON TOWN COUNCIL, UH, A FEW TIMES, I RAISED THE, THE IDEA OF, UM, WE HAVE, WE ARE ALLOWED SIX CHICKENS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS AND . I'VE, I'VE, UM, AND I, UH, I ADVOCATED FOR TAKING THAT FROM SIX TO NINE OR SIX TO 12. AND, UM, RECENTLY THIS ISSUE CAME TO A HEAD FOR ME. UM, UH, WE, WE LOST ALL OF OUR CHICKENS TO SOME, SOME ANIMAL SOMEWHERE. AND SO, AND SO WE HAD AN EMPTY CHICKEN COOP AND WE HAD SOME FRIENDS MOVING FROM RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY INTO ANOTHER PLACE, AND THEY HAD NO PLACE FOR THEIR CHICKENS. AND THEY SAID, WELL, THEY HAD NINE OF THEM. AND I, THEY SAID, DO YOU HAVE ROOM FOR NINE CHICKENS? AND I SAID, WELL, I HAVE ROOM FOR SIX . AND I SAID, AND THE RESPONSE WAS, WELL, THESE NINE CHICKENS HAVE TO BE TOGETHER. UH, THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN ALIVE. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW FOR WHATEVER REASON. AND OKAY, I SAID, OKAY, SO BRING 'EM OVER. YOU KNOW, IT, IT REALLY WAS LIKE, UH, THEY, THEY NEEDED SOMETHING. SO WE HAD, WE HAD NINE CHICKENS. WE WERE OUT OF COMPLIANCE. I, I'LL ADMIT IT HERE. AND THEN SOON AFTER, UH, WE, WE GOT INSPECTED AND MR. WARE WAS LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE SIX . YES, I'M VERY MUCH AWARE THAT I CAN ONLY HAVE SIX. AND SO WE'VE GOTTA GET RID OF OUR CHICKENS. WE GOT, WE HAVE TO GET RID OF NOT JUST THREE OF THEM, BUT ALL NINE OF THEM BECAUSE THESE CHICKENS HAVE TO BE TOGETHER. I FOUND THAT, UM, WITH THIS, WITH THE SIX, UH, WE, WE COULDN'T, THEY DIDN'T MAKE ENOUGH CHICKENS FOR OUR FAMILY. WE'VE GOT EIGHT KIDS, 10 PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY. UM, AND BUT WITH THE NINE, IT ACTUALLY, WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY EGGS AT THE STORE, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL. IT'S OF COURSE A GREAT, UM, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT [00:30:01] ENDEAVOR FOR THE KIDS. AND THEN, UM, FINALLY, I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT THE SIXTH LIMIT CAME CAME FROM GOOD INTENTIONS AND IT WAS AN EXPERIMENT AND EVERYTHING. AND MAYBE THERE ARE SOME VERY SMALL LOTS WITHIN TOWN WHERE IT WOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE TO GO BEYOND SIX. BUT, AND IT, IT MAKES NO SENSE. WHERE WE'RE AT, WE'RE ON A QUARTER AC ACRE LOT. WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF ROOM, BUT, UM, BEHIND US IS, IS IS THE SWAMP FARM SITE. AND SO THERE'S NOT REALLY ANYTHING, I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT FROM EITHER OF MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSES. YOU CAN TELL WHETHER THEY'RE SIX OR NINE. YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T SMELL ANY OF IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I MEAN, I, I, I DIDN'T REALLY SURVEY MY NEIGHBORS AND WANTED TO BE MORE PREPARED AND ACTUALLY ASK THEM ABOUT IT. BUT, UM, I DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE. I REALIZED THAT TONIGHT WAS NIGHT FOR THE MEETING. I SAID, OKAY, I'LL JUST HOP IN AND I'LL, I'LL BRING THIS TO, TO, TO THE COUNCIL. I, I REALLY HOPE WE CAN REVISIT THIS. I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK THAT AT LEAST IN SOME CASES MAY, MAYBE IF YOU, IF YOU DO IT BY LOT SIZE, UH, REALLY THERE'S NO REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SIX AND NINE AND PROBABLY EVEN 12. BUT MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR US BECAUSE WE CAN GET ALL THE EGGS WE NEED WITH MORE. SO THANKS GUYS. THANK YOU MR. LLOYD, AND THANK YOU FOR THE LIGHTHEARTEDNESS. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? THAT ONLY LEAVES STAFF LEFT, SO I'M THINKING THAT THAT'S A NO. RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, [9.A. Report of Town Manager] UM, ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE REPORTS. AND SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE REPORT OF THE TOWN MANAGER, MR. WALTZ. YES. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I'VE CHANGED UP A LITTLE BIT IN TRYING TO PROVIDE A MORE DETAILED REPORT FOR MY TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT. SO HERE'S A FIRST STAB AT IT. I WILL PROBABLY MASSAGE IT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BUT JUST TRY TO GIVE A FEW STATS. OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT WAS REAL BUSY. IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, WE RECEIVED OVER 3000 CALLS. WE PROCESSED OVER 3.7 MILLION. UM, WE MAILED OVER 9,000 UTILITY BILLS. AND OUR REVENUES RIGHT NOW ARE STABLE. AND A TRUE INDICATOR OF THAT ARE THE MILL SALES AND LODGING TAX. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYTHING'S ON TARGET EXCEPT LODGING TAX IS A LITTLE BEHIND. UH, OUR PAYMENT METHOD FOR UTILITY COUNTS ARE SIX DIFFERENT WAYS. OUR TOP, UH, WAY TO COLLECT OUR UTILITY PAYMENTS IS THROUGH OUR DRIVE THROUGH AT 26%. WHILE OUR WALK-IN IS ONLY ABOUT NINE, A LITTLE OVER 9%. FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, WE ISSUED NINE BUSINESS LICENSE. OUR VISITOR CENTER SAW 1,974 VISITORS. OUR TROLLEY, WHICH I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS STILL FREE. WE HAD OVER 1200 RIDERS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL. OUR PLANNING ZONING DEPARTMENT WAS A LITTLE BUSY WITH 43 ZONING PERMITS AND 20 CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES. OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS REALLY BUSY THIS MONTH. WE HAD OVER 2000 CALLS, WHICH RESULTED IN OVER 1500 SERVICE CALLS AND ABOUT A HUNDRED SIXTY NINE ONE ONE CALLS OUR WATER DEPARTMENT. OUR, WE PRODUCED 1.93 MILLION GALLONS A DAY. UH, WE HAD ZERO WATER BREAKS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TWO WATER BREAKS LAST WEEK. OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT TREATED 3.61 MILLION GALLONS A DAY, AND WE RESPONDED TO 10 SEWER BACKUPS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL. OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT COLLECTED OVER 427 TONS OF TRASH AND WE RECYCLED OVER 20 TONS OF RECYCLED MATERIAL. AND THE LAST, UH, BUT NOT LEAST IS OUR ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT. OUR RELIABILITY FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL IS 99.997. THE EXCELLENT MARK IS FIVE NINES. UH, BUT WE DID HAVE FOUR SMALL OUTAGES THAT, UH, BROUGHT THAT LEVEL DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE MY REPORT. NIGHTMARE. THANK YOU MR. WALTZ. THAT WAS, UH, I, I'M, I LOVE STATISTICS, SO THIS IS GREAT. MR. WALTZ, CAN I ASK, OR OR MR. WILSON, UNDER THE PAYMENT METHOD, UM, FOR ELECTRIC BILLS, I'M ASSUMING, BUT WHERE DOES IT FALL IN IF YOU, UM, IF YOU HAVE IT LIKE AUTOMATICALLY SENT WHERE IT'S SET UP? I, I, I ASK THAT BECAUSE I THINK SOME CITIZENS STILL ARE NOT AWARE THAT THEY CAN HAVE IT SET UP WHERE ON THE DAY, A CERTAIN DAY OF THE MONTH THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, TAKEN FROM YOUR, YOUR BANK ACCOUNT VERSUS HAVING TO MAIL IT IN OR DROP IT OFF OR PAY THE CONVENIENCE FEE ON THE WEBSITE. SO DOES THAT FALL UNDER MAIL-IN NO, UH, THAT'S, IT'S NOT LISTED. IT'S LESS THAN 1%. OKAY. REALLY. WOW. CUZ I FIND THAT SUPER EASY FOR THAT. I, I THINK THAT I DON'T HAVE TO, I DON'T USE A CHECK AND ENVELOPE. I DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER. SO ANYWAY. THAT'S GREAT. OKAY. GOOD TO KNOW. UH, COUNSEL, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WALTZ ABOUT THIS OR NO? I, I JUST WANNA SAY I, [00:35:01] I LIKE IT IF YOU'RE, I KNOW YOU WANNA MASSAGE IT AND THAT'S FINE, BUT I KIND OF, I, I LIKE THIS. I THINK IT'S VERY, UM, IT'S VERY USER FRIENDLY. I THINK EVERYBODY CAN, CAN, UH, CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS. I'M ASSUMING WHEN YOU HAVE THE PERCENTAGES OF LIKE MEALS TAX, 86% SALES TAX LODGING, THAT I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT NUMBER MEANS THAT'S HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO THE REVENUE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA GET IN THE BUDGET. THAT'S COOL. GOTCHA. SO AS FAR AS SALES TAX GOES, WE ARE REALLY SPOT ON CUZ WE'RE, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS THE END OF MAY AND, AND IT'LL BE THE END OF JUNE CUZ IT GOES BY JUNE 30TH, THE FISCAL YEAR. YEAH, IT SHOULD'VE BEEN 75% FOR APRIL. UH, SO THE REVENUE AMENDMENT THAT YOU GUYS ARE APP TONIGHT WILL ALLOCATE THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE. GOTCHA. OKAY. AND THAT'S A LOT OF VISITORS TO THE VISITOR CENTER, ISN'T IT? TRUE? YEAH. AND THE, AND THE TROLLEY GREAT. ANYBODY ELSE? YEAH, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION, MADAM MAYOR ABOUT, UH, THE VISITORS. HOW WAS THAT CALCULATED? WAS THAT STRAIGHT THROUGH THE VISITORS CENTER OR, UH, YEAH, THAT WAS LIZZIE AND STAFF COUNTING VISITORS EVERY DAY MANUALLY, SO, OKAY. SO THAT DOESN'T REALLY INCLUDE, INCLUDE THE PEOPLE THAT CAME, I WAS IN THERE SATURDAY AND SPENT SOME TIME. THEY HAVE A SHEET. YEAH. AND EVERY TIME IF SOMEBODY COMES IN THE DOOR, IT'S THE OLD METHOD OF 1, 2, 3, 4 MARDO AND THAT'S HOW THEY'RE ACCOUNTING THE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH THE DOOR. YEAH. YEAH. IT'S A LOT HIGHER THAN IT WAS, BUT THEY'RE TAKING INFORMATION NOW, LIKE WHAT PEOPLE MEAN AND ADDRESS. YEAH, WELL THEY HAVE A BOOK PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR NOW TOO. BUT WHAT IT DOESN'T TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ARE THE PEOPLE THAT COME INTO THE TOWN THAT MAYBE, I MEAN, I'M LIKE, I'M THINKING SOMETIMES ON THE WEEKENDS, DEPENDING, THEY MIGHT NOT STOP AT THE VISITOR CENTER, BUT THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTION, WE'RE GONNA [9.B. Report of Councilmembers] GO ON TO REPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, AND I DON'T EVEN WANNA WANNA PUT ANYBODY ON THE SPOT, BUT I'M JUST GONNA START DOWN HERE, MR. COUNSEL. I, UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT. I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, EVERYONE HAVE A SAFE MEMORIAL DAY AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND SERVED OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP MAKE IT GOOD FOR ALL OF US. UM, AND, UH, THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. WHAT A GREAT SENTIMENT. COUNCILMAN ROGERS? YES, MA'AM. UH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK INITIAL ITEMS. I WANT TO, UH, FIRST I WANT TO THANK, UH, D R FOR BEING HERE, GIVING US THAT PRESENTATION. I, I TAKE IT TO HEART. UH, IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING THIS THING THROUGH VERY, VERY QUICKLY. UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE SEEING AN INCREDIBLE UPSURGE IN TOURISM AND PARTICIPATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL. SO, UH, I, I RECOGNIZE YOUR WORK, UH, FOR A LONG TIME. UH, AND SO I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO, TO ASSIST IN MOVING THINGS ALONG. I WANNA THANK, CAN YOU JUST BRING THAT MIC IN JUST A LITTLE BIT? OH, SURE. UH, WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING, UH, DWAYNE'S NO, DWAYNE'S LIKE GET CLOSER. GET CLOSER. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. UH, ANYWAY, THANK YOU. UH, NIKKI, UH, FOSTER AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, LIZZIE, UH, UH, JOE, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT, UH, YOU'RE DOING AS WELL. UH, I WANT TO COMMEND EVERYONE ON AN INCREDIBLE WEEKEND. UH, THE, THE WINE AND AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL WAS AMAZING. UH, HAD A CHANCE TO MEET LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE, UH, GETTING TICKETS AND BANDING 75 YEAR OLD MEN AND, UH, SO THAT THEY COULD DRINK, CHECKING THEIR IDS. BUT WE HAD, WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME. THE RAIN JUST TRASHED EVERYTHING ABOUT TWO OR THREE O'CLOCK, BUT STILL, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS HUNG OUT AND, UH, SPENT, UH, A GOOD PART OF THE EVENING WITH US. SO, UH, I REALLY COMMEND ALL OF THOSE THAT, UH, MADE THAT HAPPEN. COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. UH, BUT I'VE GOT ONE THAT'S KIND OF RISEN TO THE SERVICE. IT'S A VERY, IT'S A CONCERN OF MINE AND I, AND I REALLY NEED TO, TO JUST KIND OF EXPRESS MYSELF, UH, AS YOU KNOW, OR, UH, MAYBE I CAN ENLIGHTEN, UH, THAT THE FRONT RAIL TOWN COUNCIL MEETS THREE TIMES A WEEK. UH, ONE IN AN OPEN MEETING, UH, I'M SORRY, THANK YOU. MEETS THREE TIMES A MONTH. UH, THIS IS AN OPEN MEETING. UH, WE WE'RE HERE AND IT'S, UH, IT, WE ENABLE, UH, FOLKS TO, TO SPEAK AND SO FORTH. AND THEN WE HAVE TWO, UH, WORKING SESSIONS, WHICH ARE AT, UH, TOWN COUNCIL. UH, CERTAINLY YOU'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, NORMALLY NO SPEAKING. UH, AND, AND SO THOSE ARE THE THREE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE MEET, UH, PUBLICLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY. [00:40:01] UM, THIS MONTH, AFTER PROBABLY TWO YEARS OR TWO YEARS PLUS, UM, THAT I'M AWARE OF, THERE IS A ITEM ON THE CLO THE, UH, WORKING SESSION, UH, AGENDA. UH, AND HAS BEEN UP UNTIL THIS MONTH OF OPEN DISCUSSION, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, ALLOWING THE, ENABLING THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS, TALK ACCOMMODATIONS, SO FORTH WITH OUR COMMUNITY. SO MAY OF THIS MONTH, UH, SUDDENLY IT WAS REMOVED, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S GOING TO REMAIN REMOVED. UM, AND SO THIS IS OUR COUNCIL MEMBER'S ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AS I'M SPEAKING TO YOU, AS OTHERS WILL SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THINGS ON MY MIND, ABOUT THINGS THAT BOTHER ME, ABOUT THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT'S VITAL, AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TO REMOVE THE OPEN DISCUSSION IS I THINK, UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S INAPPROPRIATE. I BELIEVE IT LIMITS OUR ABILITY AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU AND TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATION BACK. SO, MAYOR, I I WANNA REQUEST WE PERMANENTLY INCLUDE AN OPEN DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM IN EACH OF OUR WORKING SESSIONS AGENDA. THANK YOU. ALL THE TIME. SORRY, DWAYNE, VICE MAYOR, LUCK. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD? JUST A COUPLE THINGS. DFR. THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. UM, I DID GO DOWN TO THE FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND. UM, WHAT A SHOW OF VOLUNTEERS CANNOT GET OVER IT. UH, I'VE BEEN AROUND A FESTIVAL OF LEAVES AND THE OTHER FESTIVALS SINCE, WELL, THERE WAS THAT TALL, I GUESS. UH, BUT SINCE I WAS, I GREW UP ON PROSPECT STREET, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, INCREDIBLE THE VOLUNTEERS THAT CAME OUT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. UH, AND I, I'D BE REMORSE IF I DIDN'T SAY THIS MAJOR INCREDIBLE JOB BY YOUR GUYS AT THE FESTIVAL. THEY WERE EVERYWHERE. UM, WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE THE GUYS ON OUR ON THAT PROTECT US OUT THERE DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING. UH, AGAIN, MAJOR, TELL 'EM ALL OF 'EM. THANKS FOR US. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE VISTA CENTER IS GOING REALLY WELL. UH, I'VE SPENT A FEW HOURS IN THERE EVERY NOW AND THEN. AND, UM, IT'S INCREDIBLE. THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN JUST ASK QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW. UM, I THINK AS IT, AS IT PROGRESSES, I THINK WE'LL BE MORE AND MORE INTO THE VISTA CENTER AND GETTING P THINGS OUT THERE, GETTING MORE STUFF OUT PEOPLE TO DO. UM, I'VE GOT SOME IDEAS THAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT. UM, BUT, UM, AGAIN, THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS. THANK YOU ALL AND MAJOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUYS. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN. YES, I WAS GONNA MAKE NOTES OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO TOUCH LIGHTLY ON AND KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT I'LL TRY TO REMEMBER THEM CAUSE I LEFT THAT LIST AT HOME. UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK DFR FOR COMING TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH OF YOU, UM, AND MY VOTING RECORD SHOWS. I AM READY. I DID NOT WANNA DISENGAGE TO MOVE TOURISM FORWARD. I'M NOT A TOURISM DIRECTOR. I DON'T WANNA BE, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE. HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ASSIST AND CONTRIBUTE TO SOMEBODY WHO IS. UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANNA THANK MR. LLOYD FOR COMING TO SPEAK CUZ THE CHICKEN TOPICS SPENT ON THE AGENDA FOR ABOUT AS LONG AS TOURISM. IT DID DIE DOWN ONCE YOU GOT OFF. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THE FORMER COUNCIL WAS SO ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO CHICKENS. UM, I DID TAKE NOTE OF SOME OF YOUR IDEAS LIKE LOT SIZE AND I WILL GIVE YOU MY PLEDGE TO ADD THIS TO A WORK SESSION NEXT MONTH. UM, I ATTENDED THE FAMILY FUN DAY PARADE. THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. I DID GET TO GO DOWN TO THE WINE AND CRAFT FESTIVAL BRIEFLY. UM, AND THEN CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. SO FOR MEMORIAL DAY NEXT WEEKEND WHEN YOU GUYS SEE THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE FLOWERS, COUNCILWOMAN INDEED, DOMINIC PAYNE, MYSELF, UM, AND SEVERAL OF THE WOMEN ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR TOURISM WOMEN, WE ALL WENT DOWN THERE, MAYOR COCKRELL. AND WE PLANTED THOSE RED, WHITE AND BLUE FLOWERS. AND I DON'T SAY THAT, UM, FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CAME TOGETHER TO DO THAT ON COUNTY PROPERTY TO BEAUTIFY THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. UM, AND THEN RECENTLY I WAS PART OF A COMMITTEE THAT ADOPTED A HIGHWAY AND THE TOWN IS STILL SOLICITING PEOPLE TO ADOPT THAT HIGHWAY. I THINK COUNCILMAN INGRAM AND I GOT ABOUT FIVE TRASH BAGS UP OFF OF COMMERCE AVENUE, BETWEEN SOUTH STREET AND, UM, CREER ROAD AND SHORT STREET. UH, SO THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. UM, AND THE LAST THING I'LL JUST ADD IS I KNOW THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY NEW COUNCIL IN GENERAL, [00:45:01] UM, GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER AND A LOT OF THINGS TAKE SOME TIME, UM, WITH THE WORK SESSIONS AND THE OPEN DISCUSSION. WITH THAT, I'LL ADD, UM, IT DID COME OFF FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER TWO YEARS. UH, LAST MONTH'S MEETING, WE HAD AN EXTREMELY LENGTHY AGENDA. UM, IN THE LAST MONTH WE SAW 12:45 AM LEAVING THAT CONFERENCE ROOM OVER THERE IN THE CAUCUS ROOM. AND THEN WE SAW 10:30 PM UH, THE FOLLOWING MONDAY THAT WE MET. AND PART OF ADDING THREE MEETINGS A MONTH WAS TO MAKE THE GOVERNING MORE EFFECTIVE. UM, AND IT'S INEFFECTIVE GOVERNING WHEN WE HAVE A TWO HOUR CIRCUITOUS CONVERSATION. UH, AND IT GETS NOWHERE. BUT WITH THAT ALSO BEING SAID, THE PURPOSE OF A WORK SESSION IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO WORK WITH STAFF, NOT THE PUBLIC. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, OUR CHIEF, OUR ZONING DIRECTOR, OUR TOWN MANAGER, AND PEOPLE OF THAT, UM, STATURE, NEED TO DO RESEARCH ON TOPICS THAT WE ADD TO IT. UM, AND IT'S ALSO ALWAYS BEEN AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION. SO IT ACTUALLY WAS NEVER ON THE AGENDAS, UH, PRIOR TO TWO YEARS AGO. SO IT JUST HAD RECENTLY POPPED UP DURING COVID. UM, SO THAT IS ALL I THINK I HAVE TO ADD WITH THAT. ALSO, THE SUBCOMMITTEE TRANSPORTATION IS STILL MEETING. WE MET IN THE CAUCUS ROOM LAST WEDNESDAY. UM, AND ACTUALLY MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, NORFOLK SOUTHERN WAS IN ATTENDANCE. SO WE HAD THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF, WE HAD NORFOLK SOUTHERN, WE HAD VDOT, WE HAD THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE HAD THE TOWN COUNCIL. I THINK WE HAD A PLANNING COMMISSIONER. UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSPORTATION NEEDS BEING ADDRESSED ASIDE FROM ROUTE 6 0 6, CHIN INTO AS SHORES AS WELL. UM, HOWEVER, IT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE NORFOLK SOUTHERN ACTUALLY SHOW THEIR FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME. AND WE GOT A NUMBER. SO IF YOU GUYS EVER SEE A TRAIN BROKEN DOWN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, I'M NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE IT TO THE PUBLIC, BUT YOU GUYS CAN TEXT OR CALL ME AND I CAN TEXT OR CALL THEM AFTER HOURS. UM, AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS THAT NUMBER IN EMAIL AS WELL. SO, UM, THEY DID LET US KNOW THAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH SOME SERIOUS STAFFING ISSUES LIKE EVERYBODY WAS LAST YEAR. AND I GOT A CHANCE TO ASK THEM HEAD ON IF IT WAS A PROTEST OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, IF IT WAS THAT THEIR DRIVERS HAD MET THEIR MAXIMUM HOURS OR IF THERE WAS, UM, SOMETHING BROKEN ON THE TRAIN AND IT WAS THAT THEIR DRIVERS HAD MET THEIR MAXIMUM HOURS AND THE TRAIN HAS TO COME TO A HALT. AND WE ACTUALLY, MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, FOUND OUT THAT THEIR TRAINS WE THOUGHT WERE FIVE TO 6,000 FEET, INCLUDING THE FIRE CHIEF. THEY'RE 10 TO 12,000 FOOT TRAINS. SO THERE WAS NO CONVENIENT WAY TO STOP THAT WITHOUT BLOCKING EITHER 6 0 6 OR IN TOWN. AND SOMETIMES IF THEY STOP THERE, THEY CAN BLOCK BOTH. UH, BUT BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING ISSUES, THEY PULLED PEOPLE OFF OF ANOTHER TRAIN IN A DIFFERENT PART OF VIRGINIA AND HAD TO DRIVE TO FRONT ROYAL TO GET ON AND SWAP BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T AT THEIR HOURS. SO IT WAS NOT A PROTEST OF THEIR EMPLOYEES. THEY HAVE CHANGED TO HAVE AN, A MORE AGGRESSIVE, UM, HIRING AND RETENTION PROCESS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. UM, AND THEY HOPE TO NOT EVER HAVE THAT ISSUE AGAIN. UM, BUT I DO FEEL LIKE IN THOSE MEETINGS, PEOPLE CAN COME SET. THEY ARE OPEN. UH, WE ALSO HAD SOME OF OUR DEVELOPERS AND LANDOWNERS IN ATTENDANCE FOR THAT TO GET THEIR VISION FOR THEIR PROPERTY, WHAT THEY CAN DO BY RIGHT. UM, AND THEN WHAT THEY'VE APPLIED FOR TO DO SO FAR. SO WHILE THAT WAS ANOTHER TWO HOUR MEETING LAST WEDNESDAY, IT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN INGRAM. THANK YOU. HAVE SOME REMARKS? UH, YES MA'AM. MAYOR, I WOULD JUST, UM, ADD TO WHAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS JUST SAID ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE. UH, ONE THING I, WE DID, I WAS SURPRISING INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN THEY SAID ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THE RAILROAD, UM, TRANS OR THE TRAINS THEMSELVES. UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY NO REGULATION ON 'EM FOR THE LENGTH OF THEM, UH, WHICH CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE. BUT THE GENTLEMAN THERE FROM THE RAILROAD DID SHED A LOT OF LI LIGHT ON WHAT, UM, ON WHAT OPERATIONS WERE. AND, UH, HE WAS ACTUALLY GLAD TO BE THERE. AND HE ACTUALLY CO COMPLIMENTED OUR COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE WISH A LOT OF OUR ALERT MR. ELLIS WOULD DO THIS. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE THIS. SO, UH, HE WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT IT WAS A REALLY, TRULY A JOINT EFFORT THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY TO, UH, TO ADDRESS NOT JUST THIS, BUT TRANSPORTATION AS A WHOLE. UM, I, UH, HAD THE PRIVILEGE A FEW WEEKS AGO OF ATTENDING THE COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD'S, UH, STANTON DISTRICT MEETING THAT WAS HERE IN WIRE WIRES CAVE. UH, I WENT DOWN THERE WITH, UM, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEMBER, UH, CHERYL CALLERS, WHO'S THE, THE CHAIR OF OUR, UH, TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE. AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT A COUPLE, UH, JUST A COUPLE FACTS, UM, OR A COUPLE NUMBERS I SHOULD SAY, UH, THAT WERE, UH, THAT WERE DISCUSSED THERE. UH, AS FAR AS OUR TOWN ITSELF, UH, THE ONLY THING THAT WAS LISTED ON THERE WAS THE, WAS THE, UM, HAPPY CREEK, UH, PHASE TWO FOR THE, UH, SMART SCALE FUNDING, WHICH DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT. I JUST WENT UP. I, I MADE THE LAST DITCH EFFORT TO [00:50:01] TRY TO COM, UH, TO, TO, UH, LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT WE HAD SOME, SOME, UM, UH, DEVELOPMENTS IN DISCUSSION THAT WERE GONNA BE AFFECTED BY, BY THIS, THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS, UH, BY THIS WORK IF IT WERE TO TAKE PLACE. UH, THERE WERE SEVERAL SPEAKERS, UH, FROM THE COUNTY THAT WERE THERE FROM DISABLED COUNTY, I MEAN, WARREN COUNTY. UH, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 35 SPEAKERS. UH, AN ESTIMATE OF 20 OTHER SPEAKERS WERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE TURN LANE FOR, FOR UH, UH, HYOB ROAD. AND AFTER THAT MEETING, WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM ONE OF THE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS SAYING THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY GONNA ADD THAT AS HIS RECOMMENDATION, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE FUNDING THAT WAS ALREADY IN PLACE FOR THE ROUTE THREE 40 IMPROVEMENTS. SO, UM, SO IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE GOING THERE. I MEAN, THAT EMAIL SUGGESTED THAT BY FAR, AND OF COURSE, UH, MOST FOLKS DOWN THERE AS A WHOLE, AS SOME OF YOU MAY BE AWARE, AND OUR, UH, MAYOR HERE CAN, UH, SPEAK TO MORE OF THIS, I THINK PROBABLY THAN ANYBODY WAS THE, UM, THE, UH, CHAN SHENANDOAH VALLEY RAIL TO TRAIL, UH, FUNDING. UH, THERE'S BEEN 136 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR THAT. AND OF THE MAJORITY OF SPEAKERS THAT WERE THERE, AGAIN, I'LL SAY PROBABLY 30 OF THE SPEAKERS WERE TALKING IN FAVOR OF THE RAIL TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS. UH, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF, UH, A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE SPOKE ON BEHALF OF KEEPING IT A TRUE RAIL AND TRAIL. UH, MAJORITY OF FOLKS THAT SPOKE THERE SPOKE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING IT AS A, AS A TRAIL. SO, UH, UH, THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE FROM, FROM, FROM THAT MEETING. UH, JUST AN OVERALL VIEW OF WHAT THEY'VE GOT GOING ON AS A WHOLE. THERE'S 20, UH, 20 BILLION FOR PHASE FIVE. AND THIS, THIS WAS, UH, TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT FOR THE NEXT, UH, FIVE FISCAL YEARS FOR, FOR, UH, COMMONWEALTH'S, UH, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THIS WAS ACTUALLY CHAIRED BY THE, UH, SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GRIM. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT, UH, MADAM MAYOR. I, I HAVE VERY, VERY LITTLE TO ADD. UH, I WILL SAY, MAN, MY VOICE IS CHANGING. UH, ANYWAY, UM, UH, I I'M GLAD TO SEE DFR HERE TODAY AND, UH, I REALLY AGREE WITH YOUR STATEMENTS THAT YOU CAME OUT WITH. UH, I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN, UH, WE CAN GET THERE. UH, THE OTHER THING IS, UH, I FEEL LIKE I, I NEED TO MAKE A STATEMENT TONIGHT ON REGARDING, UH, A MAY 1ST, UH, WORK SESSION. UH, IT INVOLVED, UH, UH, FRIDA AND MY STANCE OF WHERE I'VE BEEN THROUGH, UM, WITH, UH, MY PLATFORMS IN PAST ELECTIONS TOOK ME THREE ELECTIONS TO GET HERE. UH, BUT I'M HERE. UH, ANYWAY, UH, I STOOD FIRM THAT, UH, I BELIEVE IN ONE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. AND, UH, I STILL BELIEVE THAT APPARENTLY I HAD BLOW BACK. UH, I GOT SOME, UH, EMAILS, UM, PHONE CALLS EVEN ON THE STREET. UH, THERE WAS A CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FRIDA. UH, AND, UH, EARLY IN THE MEETING I WAS PRETTY MUCH, UH, DEAD SET ON THE SAME PLATFORM. AND, UH, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT IT WAS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. UM, I THINK I MISS MISSPOKE TOWARD THE END OF THE MEETING. I JUST WANT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT, UH, MY HEART IS WORKING IN COOPERATIONS WITH THE, UH, PRESENT, UH, FRONT ROYAL, UH, WARREN COUNTY, E D A. UH, SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UH, I WANTED TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION OF THAT. AND, UH, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK OTHERWISE, UH, ABOUT WHERE I STAND. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT. SO AT [9.C. Report of the Mayor] THIS TIME, THIS IS THE REPORT OF THE MAYOR. AND SO, UM, JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LAST MONTH. SO ON MAY 5TH, UM, UH, THE DOWNTOWN FRONT ROYAL GROUP HELD THE NACHO AVERAGE PARTY, UM, WHILE I ARRIVED LATE AFTER I LEFT FROM THE PRIMARY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAD A GREAT TURNOUT. YES. AND THANKS GOES OUT. IT'S NOT ONLY THAT GROUP, BUT, UM, TO THE MAIN STREET BUSINESSES WHO PARTICIPATED [00:55:01] AND DONATED A PROCEEDS OF, OR A PORTION OF THEIR PROCEEDS BACK TO DISCOVER FROM NO DOWNTOWN FARWELL. DOES ANYBODY ELSE RECOGNIZE THAT THE INITIALS ARE THE SAME? OKAY, I WONDERED IF YOU ALL I LITERAL YEAH, I WAS ACTUALLY CHECKING MY NOTES EARLIER, LIKE, ARE, ARE, I PULLED IT BACK UP ON THE INTERNET TO MAKE SURE I WAS OKAY. SO THAT WAS MAY 5TH, MAY 13TH, I ATTENDED THE FAMILY FUN DAY DOWNTOWN. UM, IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. UM, IT WAS SO ENCOURAGING TO SEE ALL THOSE FAMILIES WALKING AROUND THE GAZEBO IN THE MAIN STREET AREA. AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO WILLIE AND NINA AND ALL THOSE WHO MAKE, UH, THIS EVENT HAPPEN. UM, AND THEN THIS PAST SATURDAY, UH, AS, AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED, I ATTENDED THE VIRGINIA WINE AND CRAFT FESTIVAL DOWNTOWN. I JUST WANNA SAY, WOW. UH, I, I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE MOVING UP AND DOWN, NOT ONLY MAIN STREET, BUT ALSO ON CHESTER STREET AS WELL. UM, AS I KEPT TELLING PEOPLE IT WENT PAST THE MOVIE THEATER ALMOST DOWN TO THE MILL AND CHESTER STREET ALL THE WAY TO, I BELIEVE THAT'S, UM, SECOND. NO, IT WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN CHESTER, UNTIL YOU TAKE A RIGHT TO GO TOWARDS C WILLIAMS IS THE WAY I'M A I'M A LANDMARK KIND OF GIRL. UH, BUT ANYWAY, IT, I'M NOT SURE I'VE SEEN A CROWD LIKE THAT FOR ONE OF OUR DOWNTOWN EVENTS IN YEARS. UM, AND I THOUGHT THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL LEAVES WAS HUGE, UM, TOO, BUT IT WAS GREAT. I HEARD THERE WERE PEOPLE VISITING FROM ALL OVER, NOT JUST THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, BUT OTHER STATES. UM, I KNOW THAT SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE COULD NEVER BE PULLED OFF WITHOUT THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF SO MANY PEOPLE, UM, FROM THE MONTHS OF PLANNING TO THE SETUP TO WORKING ALL DAY. UM, AND THEN THE CLEANUP. UM, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT MENTIONING ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS AND THEN DECIDED THAT INEVITABLY I WOULD LEAVE SOMEBODY OUT AND I WOULD, WOULD NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. UM, BUT I, I KNOW THERE WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK THERE. IT WAS, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WEATHER DAY. AND I THINK THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY WAS GLAD TO NOT HAVE A RAINY, UM, ALTHOUGH IT DID START RAINING, BUT IT WASN'T LIKE THREE 30 ISH AT, YOU KNOW, 3 34. BY THEN, PEOPLE WERE HAVING A GREAT TIME. UM, ALSO SATURDAY, MANY OF OUR TOWN DEPARTMENTS HELPED WITH THIS EVENT. UM, AND THESE FOLKS NOT ONLY HELPED TO SET UP, BUT THEN THEY COME IN LATER AND TAKE EVERYTHING DOWN AND RETURN IT TO NORMAL. UM, SO THAT BY MONDAY THINGS ARE, ARE LOOKING AS THEY DID BEFORE. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF, UH, THOSE DEPARTMENTS WHO TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR SATURDAY TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS. UM, ALWAYS WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. UH, UH, THEN A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH, UH, A HIGHLIGHT, BUT JUST SOME INFORMATION FOR THE CITIZENS. UM, SO PLEASE NOTE THAT WE NOW HAVE TWO OPENINGS ON THE FRONT ROW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. UH, PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND CHECK OUT THAT OPPORTUNITY APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY JUNE 30TH. UM, WE CANNOT DO THE BUSINESS OF OUR TOWN WITHOUT CITIZENS WHO ARE WILLING TO SERVE ON OUR DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. AND ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, UM, FOR THOSE THAT OF YOU THAT ARE UNAWARE, UH, THERE IS A SPECIAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. UM, AND SO TWO OF THE COUNCIL SEATS THAT ARE, ARE, THAT WERE APPOINTMENTS WILL NOW ACTUALLY HAVE ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER. UM, AND THAT THOSE SEATS WILL SERVE UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2024. AND SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, UM, THE DEADLINE TO TURN IN, UH, YOUR PETITIONS, I BELIEVE, UM, AFTER CALLING, UH, THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE, IT WAS AUGUST 18TH. I THINK THAT'S THE DATE. YOU MIGHT WANNA CHECK THAT ONE JUST TO MAKE SURE, BUT IT'S LATER THAN USUAL. MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT IF THEY HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION BY NOW THAT THEY ARE LATE, AND BECAUSE THERE'S SPECIAL ELECTIONS, THERE'S ACTUALLY A, A LITTLE BIT LONGER. UM, AND IT WILL BE HELD ON THE SAME DAY AS, UH, THE ELECTION DAY FOR EVERYTHING ELSE IN NOVEMBER. UM, AND SO I, I THINK THAT'S IT. UH, MOVING ON [10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS] TO ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. DO I HEAR A MOTION, MADAM MAYOR, MOVE THAT COUNCIL, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, MS. PRESLEY, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? COUNCILWOMAN INDEED. PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN ROGERS? YES. VICE MAYOR SEAK? YES. HEY, SINCE THERE ARE NO BUSINESS ITEMS, ITEM NUMBER 12 [12. CLOSED MEETING] IS A CLOSED MEETING. UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION MADAM MAYOR? I MOVE THAT TOWN COUNCIL CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 AND 2.2 [01:00:01] DASH 3 7 12 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES, ONE PURSUANT TO 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A, ONE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT PROMOTION, PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING, OR RESIGNATION OF SPECIFIC PUBLIC OFFICERS, APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODY. MORE SPECIFICALLY, APPOINTMENTS TO FILL VACANCIES ON THE FRONT, ROYAL E D A AND TWO, PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A SEVEN OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL AND BRIEFINGS BY STAFF MEMBERS OR CONSULTANTS PERTAINING TO ACTUAL LITIGATION OR SUCH, CONSULTATION OR BRIEFING AN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE NEGOTIATING OR LITIGATING POSTURE OF THE PUBLIC BODY. MORE SPECIFICALLY, ACTUAL LITIGATION BETWEEN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND THE WARREN COUNTY ED. A AND THREE, PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11, A EIGHT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE BY SUCH COUNSEL MORE SPECIFICALLY, ONE PROPOSED AGREEMENTS FOR PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS AND TOURISM WITH DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL INC. AND WARREN COUNTY. AND TWO PROPOSED PROFFER AMENDMENTS FOR ANNA SWAN ESTATES HEP TA LLC. HERE, IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY. A MOTION AND A SECOND. MS. PRESLEY ROLL CALL. COUNCILWOMAN DE OF MONICA PAYNE. YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN ROGERS? YES. VICE MAYOR SEAK? YES. OKAY, SO WE ARE NOW GOING INTO CLOSED. * 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.