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[Economic Development Authority on October 2, 2023.]
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.WELCOME TO THE FRIDA'S BOARD MEETING FOR OCTOBER 2ND, 2023.
UH, WE WILL HAVE HILLARY DO A ROLL CALL TO GET US STARTED.
YOU WANT ME TO DO IT THAT WAY OR JUST SAY THEIR NAME? JUST SAY THEIR NAMES AT THIS POINT.
WHO'S NOT HERE? DAVID NEY ABSENT.
AND THEN FRANK'S SPAN PINK OF WITCH SPAN.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM WITH FIVE OF US HERE.
SO, WE'LL, UH, I'M GONNA RUN THE MEETING UNTIL WE DO ELECT OF OFFICERS.
SO, UH, APPROVAL OF MINUTES IS NEXT AND THIS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE LAST FREEDOM BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS JULY 14TH, 2022.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT? I'D MOVE TO APPROVE WITH ONE.
UH, CHANGE MY TITLE IS I'M THE VICE MAYOR ON THE OH, OKAY.
SO JUST VICE CHAIRMAN IS GOOD FOR NOW.
I WON'T, I WON'T TAKE THE PROMOTION.
THAT ALL RIGHTY AND I FOR APPROVAL? AYE.
ALRIGHT, NOW MOVING ON TO, UH, ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
AS ACCORDING TO OUR BYLAWS, THIS IS HANDLED AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR.
SO, UH, THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR AND UNFORTUNATELY WE'LL HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND DO THIS AGAIN IN JANUARY AS WELL.
'CAUSE THAT'LL BE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
SO, UH, WE'LL SAY THAT PREVIOUSLY WE HAD A CHAIR, A VICE CHAIR, A SECRETARY, AND A TREASURER.
UM, MY RECOMMENDATION IS COMBINE THE SECRETARY AND THE TREASURER TO ONE POSITION BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A LITTLE BIT ADMINISTRATIVE BUT NOT A LOT OF WORK.
SO I THOUGHT ABOUT COMBINING THOSE, IF THAT IS, UH, ACCEPTABLE TO THE BOARD.
UH, BUT FIRST ALL, WE'LL WE WILL OPEN UP, UH, FOR THE CHAIRMAN AND I'LL TAKE NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.
WHO WERE YOUR PREVIOUS OFFICERS? ARE THEY GOING TO BE ON THIS BOARD? THAT IS, UH, GOOD POINT.
UM, TOM, THE PREVIOUS CHAIRMAN WAS RICK NOVAK.
VICE CHAIRMAN OR VICE MAYOR? MARK.
UH, SECRETARY WAS NICK BASS AND TREASURER WAS DAVID NEY.
AND WHO WAS VICE CHAIR? UH, MARK.
SO FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT, UM, GUESS WE CAN'T MAKE A MOTION FOR ALL OF 'EM? YES, YOU COULD.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE OFFICERS THAT WERE SERVING BEFORE CONTINUE THOSE POSITIONS AS WELL.
THEY MAY NOT WANT TO, BUT I'M SUGGESTING IT.
THAT SECOND THAT ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK IT'S REASONABLE.
I MEAN, I'D, I'D BE HAPPY TO SERVE IN THAT ROLE FOR A COUPLE OF MEETINGS, RIGHT? YEAH.
I THINK EQUILIBRATE, I WOULD RATHER GET SOME EQUILIBRIUM THROUGH JANUARY 1ST.
SO JANUARY, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, RIGHT? WE'RE IN THE BYLAWS.
SO WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND DISCUSSION.
ALL VOTE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE CURRENT SLATE TO THE NEW SLATE ORDER.
SO WITH THAT JUST BEING, NICK WOULD ALSO BECOME THE TREASURER SINCE IT'S NOT A ONE-TO-ONE.
I WOULD YOU WELCOME? YES, I'M OPEN TO THAT.
'CAUSE I REALLY DON'T THINK, WHEN I WAS LOOKING BACK AT PREVIOUS BOARDS, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF WORK FOR THE SECRETARY OR THE TREASURER, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE HAVE A CLERK HERE DOING MINUTES AND STUFF.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL GO BACK TO THE VOTE EVERYBODY.
AYE, FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS CURRENT SLATE OF OFFICERS.
WE HAVE A NEW SET OF OFFICERS OR THE ORIGINAL SET.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA TURN THE MEETING BACK OVER TO YOU CHAIRMAN, RICK.
OKAY, SO THE NEXT THING IS THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
UM, SO CAN YOU GO OVER THAT? YEAH.
SO WHAT I, WHAT I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP IS THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT IS THE BYLAWS FOR FRIDA.
AND, UM, WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE TOWN, THERE WAS THE, THERE WAS, UH, SOME
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CONCERN ABOUT THE BYLAWS BEING DIFFERENT THAN THE CHAPTER CODE 16 IN THE TOWN CODE ON FRONT ROW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.AND WHAT I SEE IS WHAT HAPPENED IS, IS IN THE BYLAWS WE INCORPORATED SOME FUNCTIONS THAT THE TOWN NEEDS TO SUPPORT FRIDA WITH.
AND THAT WAS KIND OF INCORPORATED INTO THE BYLAWS.
AND SO WHAT I'M ADVOCATING IS REMOVING THAT FROM THE BYLAWS, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT AT THE NEXT ITEM.
AND WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS AN M O U BETWEEN FRIDA AND THE TOWN, WHICH, WHICH DICTATES WHAT TOWN WILL DO FOR FRIDA.
AND THAT IS PROVIDING MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT, PROVIDING FINANCIAL SERVICES SUCH AS BJ PROVIDING LEGAL SERVICES THROUGH GEORGE AND PROVIDING CLERICAL WORK THROUGH HILLARY.
SO THIS M O U BASICALLY SPELLS THAT OUT AND MAKES SURE THAT YOU GUYS CAN OPERATE CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE TOWN.
AND SO MY GOAL IS THAT I'M WORKING WITH GEORGE TO GET THIS M O U.
SO I WILL BRING AN M O U A DRAFT M O U TO THE BOARD AT THE NOVEMBER 2ND MEETING.
AND THEN ONCE THIS BOARD REVIEWS THAT M O U AND FEELS GOOD THAT IT COVERS EVERYTHING THAT FRIDA NEEDS, THEN WE WILL FORWARD IT TO THE TOWN FOR APPROVAL.
I THINK THIS IS CRITICAL FOR THE SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE OF FRIDA.
SO YOU'RE BRINGING THE M O U I WILL BRING THE M O U AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING FOR THE, FOR THE DIS BOARD, CAN LOOK AT IT, MAKE SURE IT COVERS EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO FUNCTION.
SO BY NOVEMBER TWO WE'D, WE'D TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING WOULD BE, RIGHT.
SO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING WOULD BE EITHER WE WOULD TAKE IT TO THE NOVEMBER 9TH WORK SESSION AND IF THEY HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH IT, IT WOULD GO FOR APPROVAL AT THE END OF NOVEMBER.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S CHANGED, UM, SINCE THAT LAST M U O WAS DESIGNED THAT YOU FEEL WELL IN IN THEIR DIRECTIVE? UM, THE THING IS WE NEVER HAD AN M O U.
SO THAT WAS THE THING IS THAT ONCE THERE WAS LEADERSHIP CHANGE AT MY LEVEL, FRIDA KIND OF DIED BECAUSE THERE WERE NO PARAMETERS SAYING HOW THE TOWN SUPPORTS FRIDA.
SO THIS WAY IF THERE'S ANY CHANGE IN MY LEADERSHIP LEVEL, FRIDA WOULD BE PROTECTED AND FRIDA WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE BUSINESS.
SO THERE'S NO ACTION ON NO ACTION, JUST, JUST WANTED TO LET THE BOARD KNOW WHERE I WAS HEADED WITH THAT AND WHY IT'S CRITICAL.
SO THEN REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF REVISED HIGHLIGHTS.
SO, UM, THIS KIND OF GOES ON WHAT I WAS SAYING BEFORE WITH THE M O U, I'M BASICALLY REMOVING SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN THE BYLAWS THAT IN MY OPINION SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BYLAWS AT ALL.
WHILE I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD REVIEW THESE AND APPROVE THESE BYLAWS TODAY, IT IS NOT CRITICAL THAT WE APPROVE THESE CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS TODAY.
WE CAN EASILY, YOU CAN EASILY REVIEW IT AND WE CAN REVIEW IT AND APPROVE THEM AT THE NOVEMBER 2ND MEETING BECAUSE THIS WILL GO HAND IN HAND WITH THE M O U THE SIXTH.
YEAH, WELL WE'VE SAID IT TWICE, SO I WANT TO GET IT OUTTA YOUR BRAIN.
WHAT LITTLE BIT OF BRAIN I HAD? NO, NO, NO, NO.
I MEAN, MARK SAID IT AND SO WE JUST WANT TO CORRECT.
WOULD YOU LIKE A MOTION TO DELAY THAT OR IS THAT INFORMAL? UM, THIS IS AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION.
THIS RIGHT NOW, UH, WE ARE DISCUSSING HOW YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD.
IF, UM, MR. CHAIR, I WOULD SUGGEST I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF REVISED BYLAWS OFF UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING ON NOVEMBER THE SIXTH.
SO WE'VE ALL HAD A CHANCE TO READ 'EM AND SO CAN THE INFORMATION AND SEE IF WE HAVE ANY CHANGES TO BE DISCUSSED AT THAT MEETING.
I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW THEY MARRY UP WITH THEM.
BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH THE BYLAWS THAT I WAS REMOVING WAS THE STIPENDS, WHICH SHOULDN'T BE INCORPORATED INTO THE BYLAWS, UM, TO STAFF SUPPORT FOR MINUTES, UM, FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT I, I REALLY BELIEVE SHOULD BE HANDLED ON THE M O U.
SO, UM, ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE THAT TO THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING.
UM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER AT THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING WITH M O U AND THE CODE CHANGES AND WE WILL THEN, IF WE CAN COME TO A RESOLUTION AT THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING, WE'D MOVE THAT UP FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL.
THREE ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS, ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS. OKAY.
SO, UM, AS PART OF YOUR PACKET, THERE IS A SUMMARY SHEET.
UM, A COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVELY WAS NUMBER ONE,
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RICK AND MARK, Y'ALL'S TERMS EXPIRE IN DECEMBER MM-HMM.UH, SO, UH, WE WILL NEED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE A DESIRE TO BE REAPPOINTED MM-HMM.
UM, THIS WOULD BE, UH, I WOULD TAKE THIS TO COUNSEL PROBABLY IN NOVEMBER AND AT THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING, WHICH I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT DATE IS.
THE FOURTH MONDAY OF NOVEMBER IS WHEN THEY WOULD REAPPOINT YOU IF YOU WANTED TO BE A REAPPOINTED.
ALSO WANTED TO KIND OF FOCUS ON SOME OF THE REQUIRED TRAINING AS BOARD MEMBERS.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE MCCOY AND FOIA TRAINING.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS SHEET TELLS YOU WHAT OUR CURRENT INFORMATION IS.
IF IT'S INCORRECT OR IF YOU HAVE A A, A NEWER DATE, YOU'VE DONE YOUR TRAINING, LET HILLARY KNOW HILLARY IS YOUR CONDUIT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF THAT YOU NEED.
YOU CAN COORDINATE THROUGH HER FOR ANYTHING OF THAT SORT, SUCH AS IF YOU NEED HELP WITH YOUR FOIA COIA TRAINING OR, OR, UM, YOUR ECONOMIC, UM, ECONOMIC, UM, STATEMENTS.
SHOULD DAVID TY'S NAME BE ON HERE? YEP, YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND DAVID TY'S NAME SHOULD BE ON THERE.
SO THE, THE KOA EN FOIA DATES, JUST REMIND ME THEN THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE EVERY TWO YEARS YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE KO AND FOIA FRAME, SO NO, BUT I MEAN THE DATE MEANS IT WAS DUE THEN OR IT WAS DONE THEN IT WAS DONE THEN COMPLETED THEN.
THE UPCOMING IS RETURNED OF THE RIGHT.
KNOW WHY I'M ON THIS THING FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
SO MY, SO MY UPCOMING DOESN'T SAY THERE SHOULD BE JUST THE SAME AS RIGHT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CO FORIA TRAINING RIGHT NOW ON THE RECORD? NO, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT UPCOMING ANYWAY.
SO THE UPCOMING, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE MARK, THEY'RE SAYING IN JANUARY YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR TRAINING AGAIN FRANK AS WELL.
WHERE FOR YOU RICK? WE DON'T HAVE ANY UH UH OKAY.
SO IS WHY IT'S BLANKET THAT SO THE UPCOMING THAT'S ALRIGHT.
I GOT, YEAH, IT'S JUST A TITLE AND PROBABLY NEEDS YOU DO 'EM YOURSELF, RIGHT? YEAH.
THE OTHER ONE YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
I THINK I THOUGHT BOTH OF THESE.
THE SECOND ONE IS YOU ATTEND SOME SORT OF AN ONLINE CLASS I HAD TO SCHEDULE ONLINE.
YOU DON'T PHYSICALLY YOU GO THERE.
UM, THE OTHER, UH, LAST ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM I WANTED TO MENTION TO THE BOARD IS, IS THAT WE'RE GONNA START USING YOUR TOWN FRONT ROW EMAIL ADDRESSES EXCLUSIVELY.
WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH BOTH OF 'EM, BUT WITH YOUR FOIA AND KOYA TRAINING, YOU'RE GONNA REALIZE THAT SOME OF THIS STUFF IS FOIBLE AND SO THEREFORE WE NEED TO KIND OF CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS WITH THE FRONT ROW, UH, EMAIL ADDRESS JUST ADMINISTRATIVELY.
IS THAT GOING TO, IS THAT, WOULD THAT EVER CHANGE? NO.
SO EVEN THOUGH SOMEDAY THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT STAFF SUPPORT COULD BE JUST E D A DRIVEN, RIGHT? OH, RIGHT.
THE THE INTENT, I GUESS AT THAT TIME YOU COULD RIGHT.
AND THE, THE INTENT IS TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS BOARD RUNNING AUTONOMOUS MM-HMM.
NO, WELL, WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND, AND I ALSO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVEN, UH, EVEN IF, WHEN, WHEN FRIDA DOES GET AUTONOMOUS, THEY COULD STILL USE THE TOWN FARMWELL EMAIL ADDRESSES.
YEAH, THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH IT FOR ADMINISTRATIVELY.
I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THE FOIA KOYA TRAINING, THE EMAIL ADDRESSES, AND ALSO ONE IN MARK AND RICK TO KNOW THAT THEIR APPOINT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE REAPPOINTED IN IN DECEMBER.
OR ACTUALLY I'D LIKE TO REAPPOINT YOU IN NOVEMBER AT THE, UH, NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING, UM, TO, UH, TOM AND AIDEN.
DO, HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES ALREADY? CAN WE SWITCH EXCLUSIVELY OVER TO THOSE? I HAVE NOT.
IT WAS SET UP ONE WAY AND THEN THEY CHANGED IT AND I, I HAVE NOT CHECKED IT SINCE THEN.
WE'LL, UM, I I, WE WILL SHOOT OUT AN EMAIL AFTER THIS MEETING AND, AND IF Y'ALL PAID, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR IT.
IF YOU DON'T RECEIVE AN EMAIL TODAY AS KIND OF A TEST AND FOLLOW UP FROM THE MEETING, LET US KNOW AND WE WILL, UH, CHARLES IS OVER HERE.
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FROM THERE, JUST OPEN DISCUSSION.I THINK IT'S A A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A POINT AT YOUR MEETING JUST TO HAVE SOME DIALOGUE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING OR ANYTHING OF THAT SORT, THIS IS THE TIME TO TALK AND, UM, WE CAN GET SOME ACTION ON IT.
UM, SO, UM, I MEAN, I'M GONNA INTRODUCE MYSELF A LITTLE BIT TO AIDEN AND TOM KNOWS ME REALLY WELL, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, I'VE BEEN IN TOWN FOR LIKE 30 YEARS, I GUESS I'M, I'M A MOVE HERE PERSON, RIGHT? I RELOCATED HERE.
UM,
UM, RAN
UM, UH, AND I SERVED THERE FOR LIKE 11 YEARS.
SO I MEAN, THAT'S THE LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, GOOD OR BAD, YOU KNOW,
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO I ALSO MOVED HERE, UH, WHEN I WAS 17 TO GO TO CHRIST OAK COLLEGE.
AND THEN I REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PLACE, SO I NEVER LEFT.
UM, AND I CURRENTLY WORK, I DO, UM, CONSULTING FOR NON-PROFITS.
SO WE WORK WITH A LOT OF NON-PROFITS AND DO THINGS LIKE STRATEGIC PLANS, MARKETING, UH, FOUNDATION OUTREACH, UM, JUST A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
UM, SO THAT'S, I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE SERVING ON A E D A.
THAT'S, OH, WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER, RIGHT? YEAH, EXACTLY.
SO I, NICK, YOU WANT YEAH, I'LL INTRODUCE, UH, MY NAME'S NICK BASS, UM, RESIDENT HERE.
MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN FRONT ROYAL FOR QUITE A FEW GENERATIONS NOW.
UH, I WORK AS AN ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST FOR A COMPANY CALLED E C SS.
I HAVE WORKED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
I HELP BUILD, YOU KNOW, THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE NEW HOSPITAL UP HERE IN OTHER VARIOUS PROJECTS AROUND NORTHERN VIRGINIA, DC AND SHINDO VALLEY.
UM, SO I DO FOUNDATIONS ENGINEERING AND, UH, VIEW CONTRACTS AND WRITE PROPOSALS FOR, FOR DOING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TYPE WORK.
HOW ARE YOU? UM, TRANSPLANT HERE, UH, FOUND OURSELVES IN FRONT ROW ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, I THINK IT WAS THAT WE MOVED HERE, UM, LIVE OUTSIDE OF TOWN IN, IN THE COUNTY, BUT BECOME A, UH, I GUESS ELIGIBLE RIGHT FOR THE E D A WHEN WE MADE THAT SWITCH BECAUSE WE'RE, UM, WE'RE A BUSINESS OWNER ON, ON MAIN STREET.
SO MY WIFE RUNS, UH, VIEW MUSIC, UM, THAT'S BEEN GOING GREAT AND BOOMING AND UH, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE BEING KIND OF IN THIS SMALL TOWN MAIN STREET FEEL.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL MYSELF.
HOWEVER, I AM NOT A, WELL, I'M A MUSICIAN, NOT PROFESSIONALLY.
UM, BUT I'M A MEDICAL DEVICE CONSULTANT, SO WORK, WORK ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SOME, A LOT OF IT REMOTELY, ALTHOUGH NOW I'M KEEPING AN OFFICE AT THE SECOND FLOOR BUILDING THERE NOW.
UM, SO THAT'S OUR CONNECTION TO THE TOWN.
AND, UM, YEAH, LOVE, LOVE BEING CONNECTED TO THIS COMMUNITY HERE.
IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PLACE.
ALRIGHT, I GUESS I'M GONNA ASK YOU, UM, MY NAME'S TOM ESELMAN.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, UH, PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY MOST OF MY LIFE.
THERE WAS A 10 YEAR HIATUS WHERE I MARRIED A CAROLINA GIRL AND LIVED IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND WE CAME BACK, UM, I'VE OWNED SEVERAL BUILDINGS ON MAIN STREET.
WE REMODELED 'EM AND SOLD 'EM, UH, WHERE O Q IS NOW.
IT WAS A OLD FURNITURE STORE AND THEN WHERE RAMSEY'S HARDWARE USED TO BE AND SOLD THAT AND CURRENTLY HAVE THE MIDDLE OF MAIN BUILDING AND WE RUN AN AUCTION OUT OF THAT.
STILL ACTIVE WITH THE AUCTION.
MY FULL-TIME JOB, I'M AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE VIRGINIA GOLD CUP IN WARRINGTON.
AND, UH, VERY EXCITED ABOUT TRYING TO HELP OUT A LITTLE BIT AND GET YOU INVOLVED IN THIS, BUT BEEN A BUSINESSMAN IN TOWN PROBABLY FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO NOTE AND SOME OF YOU MORE THAN I ALREADY DO.
JOE, DID YOU WANT TO MAKE AN INTRODUCTION TO YOURSELF? WELL, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I'M THE TOWN MANAGER.
UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, THIS IS MY SECOND TIME AROUND AS TOWN MANAGER.
I WAS TOWN MANAGER FROM 2016 TO 2019.
AND THEN I, UH, DECIDED TO FOLLOW A DIFFERENT CAREER PATH IN 2019.
WENT TO OHIO FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
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PROBABLY 35 YEARS.UH, MY FAMILY'S ORIGINALLY FROM FRONT ROYAL, EVEN THOUGH I DID LIVE CLOSER INTO THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA AREA.
'CAUSE MY DAD WORKED IN DC BUT I HAVE FAMILY AND TIES HERE AND ALL MY KIDS THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GET THE FREEDOM BOARD BACK UP AND RUNNING.
I, UH, I I REALLY THINK THAT, UM, THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND THIS TABLE AND OUR COMMITMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY FIRST, I THINK WE'RE GONNA, UH, WE'RE GONNA DO SOME GOOD THINGS.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING TODAY.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND THANKS RICK FOR THE, THE IDEA OF THE INTRODUCTIONS GOING AROUND.
SOMETIMES THE SIMPLE STUFF YOU JUST DON'T SEE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE STRONGER AS A TEAM THAN WE ARE INDIVIDUALLY.
I JUST STARTED WORKING, UM, AT TOWN HALL IN JULY BEFORE THEN I WAS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BEFORE THEN WAS AT SOCIAL SERVICES, SO CALIFORNIA JOBS.
SO, UM, JOE, CAN YOU, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'RE PREPARED TO SAY TODAY ABOUT WHAT THE TOWN COUNCIL EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THIS BODY AND, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, IT MIGHT CHANGE, YOU KNOW, IN A FEW MONTHS, RIGHT.
UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM 'EM.
UM, FROM MY DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST YEAR, THEIR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON REDEVELOPMENT, LOOKING AT WHAT OUR ASSETS ARE NOW AND REDEVELOPING THOSE.
UM, BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE A, A DIRECTIVE FROM THEM YET.
EXCEPT THAT THE, THE FOCUS HAS BEEN ON REDEVELOPMENT AND, AND, UM, UM, WHILE WE KNOW THAT THE HAPPY CREEK AREAS IS, IS A POTENTIAL FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT, MORE COMMERCIAL, THE, THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ALSO ON, ON SOME OF OUR REDEVELOPMENT AREAS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WELL.
SO OUR ROLE IS IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO THE TOWN.
IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, I THINK THAT'S YOUR FIRST, FIRST ROLE AS AN ADVISORY, BUT THE, THE SECOND ROLE IS TO, TO SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, YEAH, I THINK YOU SHOULD BE FIRST AND FOREMOST, BE THE ADVISORY, BE THE TECHNICAL EXPERT TO PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE.
UH, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BOARD WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE ACTUALLY GONNA DO A LOT OF THE LEGWORK FOR THEM AND THEN PRESENT THEM SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY CAN FOCUS ON.
WELL, I JUST WANT, I JUST WANTED TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT OUT LOUD,
NO, I, I I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE COUNCIL'S FULL SUPPORTIVE OF THIS MM-HMM.
I THINK THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE LET THIS THING GO DORMANT FOR OVER A YEAR.
AND, UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS APPARENT WITH COUNSEL'S DIRECTIVE TO GET, TO GET ME TO GET THIS THING UP AND RUNNING AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, THAT I, I'VE DISCUSSED IT, IT'S AN EMOTIONAL THING, SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER, HOW WE PROGRESS WITH IT, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, BUT THERE OBVIOUSLY THE THREE MAJOR WORDS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS A HUGE STIGMA IN THIS TOWN.
UM, MY FEAR IS, AND IT'S PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL, THAT NO ONE'S GOING TO RECOGNIZE THIS BOARD AS A SEPARATE ENTITY, AS THE ONE THAT'S HAD ALL OF ITS PROBLEMS. AND I'M JUST SUGGESTING OR WONDERING HOW YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT POSSIBLY A NAME CHANGE.
BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE READ AND ONLINE OR IN THE ROYAL EXAMINER, YOU KNOW, WE MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION OR WE SUGGESTED THAT, I THINK IT'S GONNA HAVE AN AUTOMATIC STIGMA ATTACHED TO IT.
UM, AND I'M SORRY THAT THEY'RE HAVING THAT PROBLEM, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF PUBLICITY THEY'RE GONNA GENERATE IN THE FUTURE AND TRYING TO GET THINGS RESTARTED FOR THEM.
UM, SO IT, I'M THROWING IT OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S THE FRONT ROYAL COMMERCE SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NAME WOULD BE, BUT I AM SUGGESTING THAT THOSE THREE WORDS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, WILL NOT SEPARATE US FROM THE PREVIOUS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
SO, SO MY UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, BEING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A STATUTORY THING AND THEIR RULES THAT WE FOLLOW FOR THAT.
BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REASON WHY WE COULDN'T TRADE AS, OR DO BUSINESS AS, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, ANOTHER REBRANDED NAME, BUT B YOU KNOW, THE FRONT ROYAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
I, SO I MEAN, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT IDEA.
I THINK WHEN YOU ALL WERE HERE IN, YOU KNOW, IN THE 2019, I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOUR, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? I MEAN, UM, I THINK YOUR CONCERN IS A, A, A VALID ONE.
I, WHEN, WHEN I'M JUST, I DON'T KNOW, AT A PICNIC WITH NEIGHBORS INTRODUCING MYSELF OR, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THIS COMES UP YEAH.
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YEAH.I HAD THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE COME UP TO ME JUST IN THE TIME THAT IT WAS ANNOUNCED I WAS GONNA SURVEY ON HERE.
ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN ALL THAT CRAP? YEAH.
AND I'M LIKE, IT, IT REALLY ACTUALLY SOLIDIFIED ME EVEN MORE TO SAY MM-HMM.
AND I DON'T, AGAIN, I PROBABLY, IT PROBABLY PROMPTED ME TO GO BACK AND READ THE, YOU KNOW, THE STATE CODE THAT, THAT, UH, GIVES THE AUTHORITY TO EDS.
I, I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING ANYTHING IN THERE ABOUT NAMING IN PARTICULAR.
AND YOU'RE WRITING EVEN IF IT WAS A DBA A, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT.
I I HAD SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AFTER THE OUTSET OF MY APPOINTMENT.
I MEAN, AND I THINK WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE WARREN COUNTY.
BUT IT, IT MIGHT BE NICE IF WE HAD A, A MORE SEPARATE IDENTITY.
UM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THEM? OFF THE RECORD? WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LIVE
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS THAT YOU CAN STATE? YEAH.
I, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK THIS IS A VALID, UH, CONCERN.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS WE BRING THIS BACK FOR THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING.
AND WHAT I'LL DO BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER IS FIND OUT WHATEVER ANY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS ARE WITH OUR NAME.
WHAT I NEED THE BOARD TO START THINKING ABOUT IS WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO CALL THIS? YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IF WE DO DECIDE TO SHIFT NAMES OR IF WE DON'T, I THINK WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE BRANDING OUT THERE FOR THAT THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
'CAUSE I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN, UH, THE FRIDA MADE THE PAPERS MAYBE THREE MONTHS AGO, UM, THAT GENERATED A FEW COLD CALLS FROM SOME DEVELOPERS.
SO I, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO A LITTLE MARKETING AND NAME BRANDING TO GET OUT THERE FOR THE PEOPLE'S KNOW TO CALL US.
SO, UM, I WILL PUT THAT ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM TO DISCUSS IF ANYBODY'S GOT ANY IDEAS ON NAMES, SHOOT 'EM.
WE CAN SHARE AMONGST THE GROUP AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT AGAIN AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN CATAPULT OFF THAT TO DO SOME BRANDING.
THIS IS WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT MAY NOT BE ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA.
UM, PREVIOUSLY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MEETING WITH THE WARREN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AS WELL, AND JUST HAVING SIT DOWN WITH THEM, TRY AND BRAINSTORM WHAT WE CAN DO, ESPECIALLY WITH SPLITTING THE PROPERTIES THAT WE CURRENTLY OWN AND WARREN COUNTY ECONOMIC YEAH.
SO, AND WE WERE TRYING, WE WERE TRYING TO GET A HANDLE.
I MEAN, THERE, THERE, THERE'S NOBODY, FIELD TRIP WAS, WAS ON THE, IT SEEMED, IT SEEMED LIKE NOBODY WAS REALLY CLEAR ON AT THE TIME WHAT THE FINANCIAL INTEREST WAS THAT THE TOWN HAD REMAINING IN WHAT PROPERTIES AND, AND SO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STILL GREAT, BUT I THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
THE TOWN NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
AND THEN THAT'LL GIVE US BETTER, YOU KNOW, WAY TO, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY ACT.
AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO, BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT, THERE ARE, THERE ARE LISTS OF ASSETS MM-HMM.
THERE ARE ASSETS THAT ARE CLEARLY FRONT ROYAL AND THEN THERE ARE THE, THE, THE OTHERS
WELL, AND I'M NOT, AND, AND BASED ON MY PREVIOUS LIFETIME, YOU KNOW, UH, AT THAT, UH, WARREN COUNTY E D A, WHICH WAS JUST CALLED THE E D A AT THE TIME, BUT MM-HMM.
AND I, I, I HONESTLY DON'T REMEMBER IT SO LONG AGO, WHETHER THEY DID SO ON PROPERTIES THAT WERE OUTSIDE OF THE TOWN LIMITS 'CAUSE IT WAS IN THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST OR NOT.
BUT, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT.
ANYWAY, I WOULDN'T TO JUST BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE TOWN LIMITS.
THAT'S, THE PROPERTY IS NOT OF TOWN INTEREST BECAUSE THE TOWN HAS CONTRI NOW, NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO
UM, BUT, UH, BUT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, UM, PERHAPS THAT WILL GET US SOME RESOLUTION IF THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S MOVING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
LET ME GET BACK WITH Y'ALL ON A JOINT MEETING WITH THE I OKAY.
THERE ARE A FEW LITTLE THINGS I HAVE TO, TO FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT WE COULD DO THERE.
I MEAN, I HONESTLY, I MEAN I, AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO LAY THEIR HANDS ON PAPERWORK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, A LOT OF PAPERWORK PROBABLY WENT OUT OF THE OFFICE, YOU KNOW.
AND IT'S IN SOME FILE ROOM SOMEWHERE IN THE, IN THE LAW OFFICE OR SOMETHING.
[00:30:01]
OKAY.ANYTHING ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? TALK ABOUT RETAIL STRATEGIES THAT WAS TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN NEW RETAILERS TO THE AREA.
I THINK WITH, I THINK FOCUSING ON REDEVELOPMENT IS, IS PROBABLY THE BEST.
AND WE WENT OVER A LOT WITH, UH, LAUREN KAKI.
SO IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO GET A BRIEFING FROM HER TO SEE WHAT WAS FINALLY ADOPTED.
AND ACTUALLY I WAS, THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
I JUST COULDN'T PULL IT OFF FOR TODAY.
BUT YEAH, I WAS GONNA HAVE HER COME, UH, AND GIVE YOU A REVIEW OF WHAT GOT APPROVED.
WE'LL FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
'CAUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE COMP PLAN AS WELL.
UM, I, I WAS ALSO GOING TO ALSO IN NOVEMBER, I WAS GONNA HAVE LIZZIE, UH, LIZZIE LEWIS, WHO'S OUR, UH, TOURISM MANAGER COME AND JUST KIND OF LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THE TOURISM SIDE WITH OUR REBRANDING EFFORT.
AND, AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE, UM, FORGET ABOUT TOURISM BEING THAT ECONOMIC PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARM.
SO I, THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I WAS PLANNING ON BRINGING TO THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING FOR PRESENTATIONS, UH, FROM STAFF AS WELL.
WE WERE WORKING WITH A TOURISM COMPANY.
IT'S BY A LADY NAMED ELIZABETH THE ROSE.
GUESSING IS THAT, IT WAS BETHANY.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT IS, UM, IS THAT, YEAH.
YEAH, THAT'S, I THINK I READ THAT SOMEWHERE.
UM, COULD YOU, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE CURRENT TOURISM STRUCTURE THAT'S OUT THERE WITH LIZZIE? UM, IS THERE SOME SORT OF A WELL, UM, DEFINITION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? SO, UH, EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY, WE TOOK OVER THE VISITOR CENTER FULL CONTROL BACK OVER THE VISITOR CENTER.
UH, PRIOR TO JANUARY IT WAS KIND OF, UH, THE VISITOR CENTER IN TOURISM WAS BEING MANAGED BY A COMPANY CALLED DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY THE TOWN AND DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL AND THE COUNTY COULD NOT COME TO TERMS ON AN AGREEMENT.
UH, SO IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE TOOK FULL CONTROL OVER THE VISITOR CENTER AGAIN AND STARTED TAKING OVER TOURISM ACTIVITIES OURSELVES.
UH, WE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND TRIED TO DO SOME COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO AT THIS JUNCTURE, LIZZIE LEWIS, WHO IS OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TOURISM MANAGER, SHE, UH, IS RUNNING THE VISITOR CENTER DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
UH, WE ARE TRYING TO GET A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM GOING TO SUPPORT THOSE OPERATIONS.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING JUST A SMALL RETAIL STORE IN THE VISITOR CENTER.
UH, WE ARE TRYING TO DO MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I TALK ABOUT THE LITTLE T AND THE BIG T.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON BOTH.
WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA AREA, BUT ALSO FOCUS ON PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THAT ROOM AS WELL.
UH, I STILL THINK THAT THERE, I STILL THINK THAT THERE'S HOPES THAT THERE WILL BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, UM, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT UNTIL WE GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA BE.
SO THE TOWN RIGHT NOW IS MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING WHEN WE DO TOURISM, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN, BUT ALSO THE COUNTY AS WELL.
AND RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION FROM THE TOWN TO ASSIST WITH THOSE EXPENSES.
WELL, THE TOWN IS PAYING THE FULL FREIGHT FOR THE TOURISM.
UM, THERE WAS HOPES THAT WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET, WHERE A COUNTY WOULD FUND MAYBE 50% OF THE OPERATIONS AND WE'D HAVE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, BUT THAT NEVER, UM, JUST NEVER HAPPENED.
DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UM, TERMS FOR SPLITTING, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE FIRST HURDLE WAS IT WAS A THREE PARTY AGREEMENT BETWEEN US, D F R AND THE COUNTY.
AND THEN, THEN WE TRIED TO GET AN AGREEMENT WITH JUST US AND D F R.
UM, HONESTLY, I, THERE WERE MULTIPLE REASONS WHY THIS THING NEVER GOT EXECUTED.
D F R WAS DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE A D M O A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION THAT WAS GONNA REPRESENT THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY.
UM, SO YEAH, I AM STILL HOPING THAT THIS SPRING OR THIS FIRST OF THE YEAR, THAT WE CAN GET BACK TOGETHER IN A COLLABORATIVE AFTER THAT.
BUT I'LL HAVE LIZZIE COME IN NOVEMBER.
SHE CAN TELL YOU WHAT SHE'S DOING.
SHE CAN GET DOWN IN THE DETAILS ON THE MARKETING, WHAT SHE SEEING AND OUT THERE.
AND IS THE TOWN CURRENTLY MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE WARREN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY? YES.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE OPERATING THIS TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES.
WE'RE OPERATING TOTALLY SEPARATE.
WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE E D A FOR, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR IT IS, WHEN WE PULLED OUT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY, I THINK WE ALREADY
[00:35:01]
HAVE A FULL AGENDA FOR THE SIXTHAND, UH, LIKE I SAID, I, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY, UH, FOR SHOWING UP.
I, TODAY'S INTENT WAS TO GET US REESTABLISHED, GET US FOCUSED, AND GET US MOVING.
AND, UM, I DIDN'T WANT TO REALLY LAY THIS AGENDA HEAVY JUST FOR THE, WE COULD JUST FOR THE SIMPLE THINGS.
LIKE RICK BROUGHT IT UP, THE INTRODUCTIONS GOING AROUND, YOU KNOW, JUST GETTING THAT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING GOING IS IMPORTANT.