[*This meeting was joined in progress* ]
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USE GRUBHUB, FOR INSTANCE, AND THEY
[Economic Development Authority on March 18, 2024. ]
COME IN AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, TO THE FLOOR, THEY'VE GOT TICKETS BEFORE THEY EVEN OPEN THEIR DOORS.YOU KNOW? AND SO YOU ALMOST HAVE TO TREAT DATA, UH, AS ITS OWN THING, BECAUSE DESCRIPTOR SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY'RE ANSWERING THERE.
BECAUSE I, I THINK, I, I THINK IN, IN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS YOUR INDUSTRY, I SORT OF QUALIFIED IT LATER IN TERMS OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, IS, IS, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF? I'M HAPPY TO PASTED YOUR QUESTIONS, DAVID.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF THAT'S A QUESTION WE STICK WITH, BECAUSE FOR A TIME YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ALMOST A WHOLE SECONDARY MARKET OF PEOPLE THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, UM, EVEN THE CAB COMPANIES WERE DELIVERING FOOD FOR A PERIOD.
UBER EATS IS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT UNDER WORKFORCE.
I WOULD ADD, UH, ARE YOU NEEDING PEOPLE, UM, ARE YOU NEEDING TO HAVE MORE STAFF SHORTAGES? YEAH.
I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY, I'M FINDING WHERE I'M AT.
ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED? RIGHT, RIGHT.
IDEALLY STAFFED OR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CORRECT TERM WOULD BE.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT IT FULLY STAFFED.
AND THEN, SO THE QUESTION ABOVE IT WITH NICK'S QUESTION, KIND OF A TWO-PARTER, RIGHT? DIDN'T YOU WRITE THAT QUESTION? WHICH ONE? UH, THE QUESTION ABOVE.
IN WORKFORCE, WHERE ARE YOU RECRUITING YOUR EMPLOYEES FROM? WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU WISH EXISTED OR QUALIFIED? DID I MAKE THAT UP? WORKFORCE? YEAH.
OH, I FEEL LIKE YOU WROTE THAT QUESTION.
IS THAT A, IS THAT TWO SEPARATE QUESTIONS? I, I GUESS THAT'S MORE QUESTION FOR THE RECRUIT.
HOW MANY TIMES CAN I SAY THE WORD QUESTION? I GUESS IT COULD BE TWO QUESTIONS.
ARE YOU GETTING YOUR EMPLOYEES RIGHT? WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? AND, AND HOW, WHAT COULD YOU USE? WHERE COULD YOU FIND OTHER EMPLOYEES? OKAY.
AND THEN DO YOU HAVE RESOURCES TO GROW YOUR EMPLOYEES BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD KIND OF TIE THE END OF THAT.
WHERE DO YOU GET 'EM? DO YOU HAVE OPTIONS? AND THEN CAN YOU GROW 'EM? GROW, GROW IN NUMBERS OR GROW IN, SO LIKE EDUCATION.
YOU KNOW, LIKE HOW DO I GROW, DEVELOP THE EMPLOYEE? HOW DO I DEVELOP THE EMPLOYEE? THAT'S THE BETTER TERM.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION, FRANK.
I WASN'T SURE IF YOU WERE GROWING AN ARMY OVER THERE AT GREEN TO GROUND OR WHAT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GREEN GROUND TOO.
ANY OTHER WORKFORCE QUESTIONS? I KNOW WORKFORCE IS IMPORTANT TO US, US, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CAPTURING WHAT INFORMATION YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
MAYBE WE NEED TO TRY AND FILL THIS OUT OURSELVES BEFORE WE SEND IT OUT.
TOM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO ANSWER THAT ONE WHEN I SEND IT.
UM, INFRASTRUCTURE WAS A LITTLE LIGHT ON QUESTIONS.
UM, SO MAYBE, MAYBE LET'S FLUSH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE ONLY ONE I HAD, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED WHERE SOME THINGS SHOULD HAVE GONE UNDER THAT CATEGORY, BUT THE ONLY ONE I HAD WAS, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS DO YOU NEED TO THE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO OPERATE YOUR BUSINESS MORE EFFICIENTLY? ANY EXAMPLES WHERE UTILITIES BUSINESSES, I'M ASSUMING MEANT OTHER BUSINESSES, UM, OR OPERATIONALLY.
SO MAYBE LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
MAYBE I CAN REFRAME THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
THAT'S JUST ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHERE I WAS GOING WITH
I MEAN, PARKING FITS IN, RIGHT? PARKING'S THE ONE THAT'S BLINKING AT ME TOP OF MIND.
WE HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS? I KNOW SOMEBODY MIGHT THROW SOMETHING AT ME, BUT ABOUT WALKABILITY TO YOUR BUSINESS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT A BUSINESS OWNER MAY HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT? ARE THEY REALLY NOT GONNA, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS AND STUFF? I DON'T WANT ANYBODY THROW ANYTHING AT ME, BUT I AM GENERAL WALKABILITY OF THE TOWN, RIGHT? IT'D BE TO ASK MAYBE ACCESSIBILITY MAYBE IS THE BETTER QUESTION.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST WALKING.
DO WE ASK FOR THEIR ADDRESS? NO.
AND I WAS GONNA ASK IF WE WANTED TO ASK FOR THEIR ADDRESS.
I THINK WE NEED TO ASK FOR THEIR ADDRESS IF WE'RE GONNA ASK THAT KIND OF QUESTION.
WELL, EVEN THE BUS ROUTES WOULD COME INTO PLAY THERE AS MM-HMM.
UH, YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU BE ASSISTED BY THE LOCAL TRANSIT BEING ON YOUR ROUTE? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT, HOW THE ROUTES ARE DETERMINED.
I'M SURE THEY'RE VERY DIRECT AND, AND VERY, YOU KNOW,
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CONSIDERED WELL LAID OUT.I HAPPEN TO KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE.
UM, BUT I THINK WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO GET COMMENTS FROM OUR BUSINESS.
UM, DO YOU RELY ON THAT? OKAY.
AND MAYBE IT'S JUST THAT, UH, INFORMING THEM ABOUT A ROUTE.
YOU KNOW? WELL, AND JUST THIS INFORMATION TO ALL OF YOU.
UM, THE, THE WAY THAT THE BUS IS STRUCTURED, THE TROLLEY IS STRUCTURED.
UM, THEY, THEY WILL GO OFF OF ROUTE UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE FROM ANYWHERE ON THE ROUTE, NOT JUST A BUS, UM, TO TAKE, TO DROP OFF OR PICK UP ANYBODY AT ANY TIME.
SO, SO THERE'S A, ESSENTIALLY THERE'S A CALL IN FEATURE.
UM, OR IF YOU'RE ON THE BUS AND NEED TO BE DROPPED OFF AND IT'S NOT AT A STOP, THEY WILL TAKE YOU, UM, WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF ANYWHERE ON THE ROUTE, WHICH COVERS ALMOST THE ENTIRE TOWN SINCE PROBABLY 10 AND A HALF SQUARE MILES.
UM, NOW YOU DO, WELL THEY DELIVER ONE ARE THE THINGS
NO WAY, JOSE, AFTER I HIT SEND ON THIS, I HAD ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF, UH, I REMEMBER SITTING THROUGH A PRESENTATION FROM DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL ABOUT, AND THEY WERE USING A LOT OF, AND ANYTIME SOMEONE THROW STATISTICS AT ME, I'M ALWAYS SORT OF QUESTIONING THEM.
'CAUSE I DON'T, I I DON'T BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE, UH, GENUINELY RESPONDING A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, IN NUMBERS.
SO ANYWAY, UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT OF IS, IS AGAIN, UM, KIND OF DOUBLE CHECKING THAT WORK AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, DO YOU, DO YOU GET REFERRALS FROM THE VISITOR CENTER? DO YOU, DO YOU, HAS ANYBODY CHECKED IN WITH YOU IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OR ARE YOU PULLING FROM DISCOVER FRONT LOYAL TRAFFIC AND AND IS THAT STEERING ANY BUSINESS YOUR WAY? I MEAN, THERE'S, OKAY.
AGAIN, BECAUSE HOW DO THEY, I SAT HERE AND ASKED HOW DO THEY QUANTIFY THAT? HOW DO THEY WERE THEY WERE SAYING WE DRIVE A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, X NUMBER OF PEOPLE INTO THE TOWN JUST LIKE THE, UM, UH, PARK SERVICE SURE DID.
AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO TELL UNLESS YOU'RE STOPPING THE CAR AND KIND OF GIVING THEM A QUESTIONNAIRE.
THEY'RE USING A GENERAL KIND OF A PERCENTAGE.
I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, 25% OF OUR VISITORS, YOU KNOW, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS ARE USING CELL PHONE DATA TOO.
BUT IT WAS, IT IS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO ME WHERE IT'S LIKE, IF WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT, MAYBE FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GETTING A LOT OF TRAFFIC THAT WAY? OR, OR IS ANYONE COMMENTING OR SAY, MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE, HOW, HOW WOULD THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE, THAT THAT PERSON CAME FROM? SOMETIMES, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING TELL US THAT THEY'VE BEEN SENT BY X, Y, Z.
I DON'T, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE A DIFFERENT BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, OR I'M OF A DIFFERENT BUSINESS THAN ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES.
SOME MAY NOT FEEL THAT AT ALL, BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THEY MAY LOOK AT AS HOW DO I IMPROVE ON THAT? OKAY.
YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? I, IF WE HAVE ALL, IF, IF, IF IT'S A RESOURCE THAT'S ALREADY THERE AND IT'S BEING FUNDED, IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL, HEY, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GREAT.
COULD WE BROADEN THE QUESTION AND SAY, UM, DO, UH, MAYBE COULD YOU SHARE WITH US WHERE YOUR BUSINESS REFERRALS COME FROM, I GUESS, OR, YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT BEING THAT BROAD, IT, IT SORT OF LOSES THAT SCOPE.
BUT, BUT I, I THINK IT'S FINE TO START THERE AND SAY, AND THEN MAYBE HAVE CHECK BOXES OF, HAVE YOU EVER HAD MENTION OF THIS THEN YEAH.
DO YOU GET BUSINESS REFERRALS? AND WHERE ARE THEY FROM? I, I MEAN, MY, MY, JUST AS A QUICK ASIDE, YOU KNOW, MY, MY STAFF ABSOLUTELY REFERS OUT TO, AT THE VISITOR CENTER, REFERS OUT TO RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL, BUT MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY TO GREEN TO GROUND.
I MEAN, IF SOMEONE CAME AND ASKED, NOT IF THEY ASKED US THAT QUESTION, WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY SHARE THAT RESOURCE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T WANNA NARROW IT TOO MUCH TO BE LIKE, ARE YOU HEARING FROM SURE.
NO, I JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT SURE.
THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S WORKING FOR THEM OR IF IT'S NOT WORKING FOR THEM.
LET ME THINK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND SEE IF I CAN FIGURE OUT.
I JUST, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF, AFTER I HIT SEVEN ON THIS, I WAS LIKE THINKING ABOUT SOME OTHER STUFF.
SO IN THOUGHTS OF LIKE, INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE FLEX WORKSPACE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, DOES, DOES THAT SERVE YOUR BUSINESS? LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A THOUGHT PROCESS.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT INDUSTRIAL AND TRADE SPACE, WAREHOUSE SPACE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, IS THERE ANYTHING PRESENT FOR YOU HERE FOR THAT THAT YOU FIND, I KNOW FOR MY BUSINESS, IT'S BEEN A, A HARDSHIP IN LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITY THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CREATIVE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE LIKE THE SMALL WAREHOUSE SPACE IS NOT VERY PRESENT.
TALKING ABOUT LIKE, HAVING A STORAGE LOT OR CP YEAH.
LIKE YOU HAVE THESE AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE A HOUSE AND TURN IT INTO A RETAIL, INTO A RETAIL
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FACILITY OR, YOU KNOW, INTO A HAIR SALON OR INTO A ROOF PLACE OR SOMETHING.YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT WAREHOUSE SPACE.
WE HAVE A FEW OF THEM, LIKE I THINK OFF FOURTH STREET RIGHT THERE.
IS THAT FORD STREET OR IS THAT, I THINK SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? YEAH, SOMEWHERE RIGHT THERE ON THE BACK END THERE.
DO YOU WANNA USE ONE OF OUR VISUAL AIDS
BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE TAKING THOSE AREAS AND TURNING THEM INTO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE COULD COME IN AND, AND, AND UTILIZE, YOU KNOW, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG THING ALL THE TIME.
I TALK TO, LIKE PLUMBERS AND HVAC AND ELECTRICIANS AND DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THAT, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO FIND A SPACE THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
YOU KNOW, UM, THEY'RE GETTING VERY CREATIVE.
THEY'D RATHER TAKE AN OFFICE SPACE AND TAKE HALF OF THAT AND TURN IT INTO WAREHOUSE INSTEAD OF BUYING A WAREHOUSE AND TURNING HALF OF IT INTO OFFICE SPACE BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT AVAILABLE.
YOU KNOW, SO THAT'D BE SOMETHING INFRASTRUCTURE WISE, LIKE, OKAY, DO YOU HAVE THE WORKSPACE YOU NEED? AND IF YOU DON'T, WHAT, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? OKAY.
WELL, YOU WILL BE ONE OF OUR SURVEY TAKERS.
YOU TOLD ME I GET TO GO FIRST.
YOU KNOW HOW GOING, YOU'RE NOT SUCKING IT ALL IN.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON INFRASTRUCTURE AT THIS MOMENT? OKAY.
UM, THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT QUESTION WAS INTERESTING TO ME.
UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT QUESTION.
ARE YOU, IS YOUR BUSINESS ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, AND INVESTING BACK? AND IF SO, HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT? UM, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, ANY OTHER, UM, AND THEN, THEN THE, THE SECOND QUESTION, UH, WHERE, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO SPEND YOUR, YOUR FREE TIME AND INCOME? IS IT HERE IN FRONT ROYAL? DO YOU HAVE TO LEAVE TOWN TO DO THIS ACTIVITY OR, OR MAKE THAT PURCHASE? I THOUGHT THAT WAS, I THOUGHT THIS WAS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I JUST WANNA NARROW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
DO YOU SPEND ANY OF YOUR FREE TIME IN FRONT ROYAL? OKAY.
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA SPEND EVERY WEEKEND.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA GO TO A WINERY OR YOU'RE GONNA GO TO KIDS WRESTLING MESH SOMEWHERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO I DON'T WANT 'EM TO ANSWER.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW, DO THEY AT LEAST SPEND SOME OF THEIR TIME IN FRONT ROYAL DOING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A GAUGE THAT WE PUT IN THERE OR WHAT ACTUALLY, UM, YEAH, GOING AFTER THEM PATTERNS.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON COMMUNITY? WELL, IF THEY LEAVE TOWN, DON'T WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LEAVING FOR? YEAH, I FIGURED WE WOULD JUST TAKE THAT SECOND QUESTION AND KIND OF BUST THAT OUT INTO TOO.
LIKE, YOU'RE HERE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE WHEN YOU LEAVE? THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING FOR IT? A DAVE AND BUSTERS.
I GO THROUGH THAT TOO, BUT, ALRIGHT.
I THINK THEY'LL ACCIDENTALLY SHOW US WHERE THOSE GAPS ARE.
WHAT BUSINESSES SHOULD EXIST IN FRONT ROYAL? SO AGAIN, THEY'LL SHOW US THE GAPS AND THEN THEY'LL TELL US WHAT THEY ARE.
SHOULD WE, SHOULD WE, YOU KNOW, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
SHOULD WE INTRODUCE THE IDEA OF, UM, DEMOGRAPHICS AND POPULATION TO THAT QUESTION SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND ASKING FOR, I MEAN, THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND, BUT, BUT HEY, WE WANT A WEGMANS.
BUT WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OR THE POPULATION FOR THAT.
BUT I, I, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW, I I, I JUST WISH WE COULD, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PHRASE THAT QUESTION TO WEGMAN.
WHAT OTHER BUSINESSES ARE WE LUCKY? RIGHT? RIGHT.
WE'RE NOT WINCHESTER, WE'RE NOT HARRISON BEARING IN MIND THAT WE'RE A POPULATION OF 15,000.
WHAT BUSINESSES ARE WE LACKING? YEAH.
I MEAN, AND, AND, BUT IF YOU THROW THE COUNTY INTO IT, ARE WE 35 OR 40? ALMOST COUNTY OR 42? I THINK THERE'S A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT JUST AREN'T GONNA GET THAT.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT IT'S, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE ALMOST HAVE TO SIFT THROUGH BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT.
BUT I JUST THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE, WHAT'S YOUR BEST, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO? ROUNDED SUGGESTION.
I MEAN, IF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET A TRADER JOE'S SAY PIE IN THE SKY.
I SAW ON FACEBOOK A LOT OF PEOPLE FILLING OUT THAT FORM.
ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO I WAS ON RECORD FOR SAYING, WE'LL NEVER GET A CHIPOTLE AND THAT'S IT.
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JACK BACK.YOU WANNA GO BACK IN TIME? YEAH.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW A FORMER JACK EVEN EXISTS ANYMORE.
I, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO GIVING IT SOME QUALIFIERS.
I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW WE DO IT IN A WAY.
NO, I THINK WE HAVE LOTS OF GREAT IDEAS HERE.
SOMEHOW WE NEED TO MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR PEOPLE TO FILL OUT AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO WE GET INFORMATION.
IDENTIFY THREE THINGS YOU BELIEVE COULD SPUR GROWTH IN THE TOWN AND ITS BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THIS WAS ME JUST TRYING TO KIND OF GET PEOPLE TO FUNNEL IN SOME, SOME CONCRETE ANSWERS INSTEAD OF IT BEING A, UM, COMPLAINING SESSION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THAT WAS, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RICK SAID VERY EARLY ABOUT THE, THE SURVEY.
I MEAN, WE COULD GET A LOT OF, A LOT OF ANSWERS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO, TO LOOK AT OR, OR EVEN WANT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU MIGHT GET EITHER PIE IN THE SKY OR VERY NEGATIVE AND, AND EITHER PART OF THAT SPECTRUM WE CAN'T REALLY HANDLE.
BUT, UM, I WAS JUST TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, SAY, HEY, DO YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT IN TERMS OF, AGAIN, HAVING GONE TO THE MEETING ABOUT FESTIVALS, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMENTARY, BUT A LOT, I, IT WAS SORT OF, UM, ALL OVER THE PLACE IN A WAY.
AND, AND SO, UH, BUT NOBODY WAS, NO ONE THERE WAS BEING EXACTLY POSITIVE ABOUT, ABOUT THINGS OR REALLY GIVING AN IDEA OR A SOLUTION.
AND THAT WAS SORT OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IF WE COULD GET A BUSINESS OWNER WHO MAY HAVE ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT SOME OF THIS STUFF AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE COULD REALLY USE, YOU KNOW, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT BOTTLENECK THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AT 55.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I HAVE A HARD TIME HAVING PEOPLE WANTING TO TURN INTO MY BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, AT THE BASE OF THE HILL THERE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, UH, SAY WHERE SOUL MOUNTAIN IS, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S A TOUGHIE.
I MEAN, SOME QUESTIONS MAYBE WE WANT TO OFFER UP THAT AS DO, DO YOU HAVE A, CAN YOU OFFER A SOLUTION? RIGHT.
UM, AND THEN SHARING ANY IDEAS YOU THINK COULD HELP GROW OUR LOCAL ECONOMY? AGAIN, ANOTHER BROAD QUESTION THAT WILL GET A VARIETY OF ANSWERS, BUT THAT'S NOT A BAD THING.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT SECTION IN PARTICULAR? INSTEAD OF PLEASE IDENTIFY THREE THINGS.
I MEAN, PLEASE, UM, PROVIDE SOME SOLUTIONS.
OR PLEASE, PLEASE PROVIDE SOME IDEAS YOU BELIEVE COULD SPUR GROWTH.
THEY MIGHT NOT BE HAVE TO GIVE YOU THREE, BUT THEY'LL GIVE YOU ONE REALLY GOOD ONE.
OR THEY KNOW THEY MIGHT HAVE EIGHT, WHO KNOWS ER.
BUT PLEASE IDENTIFY, UH, A FEW IDEAS.
PLEASE PROVIDE, UH, SOME IDEAS YOU BELIEVE COULD SPUR GROWTH IN THE TOWN AND ITS BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE IDEAS, BUT WE'LL TAKE 'EM ALL FOR SURE.
AND I TEND TO THINK THAT ONE AND THE LAST ONE KIND OF ARE THE SAME, BUT WE'RE CALLING ONE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE CALLING THE OTHER LOCAL ECONOMY.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF A PERSON'S GONNA BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THOSE TWO OR NOT.
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION THOUGH.
SO WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP ON THE SURVEY? I MAKE IT PRETTY AND SEND IT OUT.
MY THOUGHT WOULD BE TO TRY TO GET A DRAFT OUT SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN REVIEW FOR THE APRIL 1ST MEETING.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'RE ONLY MEETING TWO MORE WEEKS.
SO THE IDEA, IN MY OPINION, AND I'M HAVEN'T TALKED TO LIZZIE ABOUT THIS, BUT TO TRY TO GET A GOOD DRAFT BY APRIL 1ST SO WE CAN KICK THIS OFF.
AND THEN THE NEXT POINT IS HOW DO WE KICK IT OFF? YOU KNOW, DO WE, DO WE HAVE A LITTLE, LIKE A, A A SESSION, YOU KNOW, SET UP A COUPLE MEETINGS AND INVITE BUSINESSES IN AND TELL 'EM WHAT OUR INITIATIVE IS AND THE SURVEY OR, BUT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO FLOAT THOSE IDEAS OUT THERE NOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE SPEARHEAD THIS.
HOW DO WE BRING THEM TO US? HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE 'EM TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY? WE COULD UH, WE COULD DO A THURSDAY AND A FRIDAY GOING INTO LIKE A BNI AND HAND IT OUT AS LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY OF, HEY, YOU'RE, WE KNOW YOU'RE HERE FOR BUSINESS.
YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE DOING BUSINESS IN FRONT ROYAL.
THAT'D BE LIKE A WAY TO GET IT TO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.
WE COULD SAME WITH ROTARIES AND HAND IT OUT AT THE ROTARY JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET A, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM QUICK, RIGHT? SURE.
YOU KNOW, IN THEIR HAND BREAK.
WE CAN MAKE A LITTLE
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SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING AROUND LOOKING FOR THIS SURVEY TO GET COMPLETED AND YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE IN FRONT ROYAL, YOU'RE SHOWING THAT YOU DO BUSINESS HERE.YOU KNOW, ANYTHING ELSE? I MEAN, YOU TALKED TO SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN FRONT ROYAL, BUT THEY DO BUSINESS IN TENNESSEE 'CAUSE THEY'RE WORKING REMOTE OR, YOU KNOW, I ALSO THINK WE COULD ASK THE CHAMBER FOR SOME HELP KIND OF DISSEMINATING THAT WE ARE, THE TOWN IS A CHAMBER MEMBER, SO, UM, WE CAN HAVE THINGS PUT IN THERE, EMAIL, NEWSLETTER AND THAT SORT OF THING.
I THINK AS WE FILL, I THINK AS WE FILL IT OUT, WE MAY, I THINK YOU NEED TO START A TIMER ON YOUR PHONE AND SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES, HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET YOUR FIRST ONE.
HOW LONG OH, HOW LONG IT TAKES TO TAKE THE ACTUAL SURVEY.
I THINK, I THINK AS A RECIPIENT, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE TIME THAT WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO SPEND.
AND IT MAY, IT MAY AFFECT HOW WHAT WE, WHAT WE SEND OUT ULTIMATELY.
THE LENGTH OF IT TO SCARE PEOPLE AWAY.
WELL, IS THE IDEA THAT WE MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO DEAL WITH, WITH, I MEAN, WHAT IF WE JUST GO THROUGH IT AND, AND SAY, HEY, LET DISCUSSION THREE CHECK BOXES HERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT, SO WHAT, WHAT, LIKE WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD TRY AND MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE TO FILL OUT? LIKE, LIKE TO ME, LIKE SOME OF THESE THINGS YOU COULD HAVE A CAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UH, SOME THINGS UNDERNEATH OF IT.
WHETHER IT'S A, B AND C OR, YOU KNOW, YOU CHECK I, YOU KNOW, MY PRIMARY BUSINESS IS FROM SEVEN IN THE MORNING TILL 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING OR, OR MORNING, YOU KNOW, LUNCH.
I MEAN, I AM JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.
MAYBE I, I WOULD ASK THAT MAYBE THE, THE GROUP GIVES ME, UH, A LITTLE, LITTLE TIME TO PLAY WITH IT AND SEE HOW MUCH OF IT I CAN SHRINK DOWN INTO DECISIONS AS OPPOSED TO OPEN, ANSWER.
I THINK YOU GOT A LOT OF PLAY IN THE MARKET AREA.
I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE CAN MAKE SOME GROUND GAIN SOME GROUND ON SAVING SOME TIME.
THREE OR FOUR QUESTIONS TOUCH ON EACH OTHER.
UM, LET ME, LET ME COME BACK TO THE GROUP WITH A, WITH A MORE FIRM DRAFT AND, AND SEE WHERE, HOW I NARROW IT.
SO WHAT DOES THE GROUP THINK? LIKE IF YOU GOT AN EMAIL OR A POSTCARD THAT SAID, PLEASE FILL OUT THIS 10 MINUTE SURVEY OR THIS 30 MINUTE SURVEY OR SOMETHING IN BETWEEN OR THIS HOUR LONG SURVEY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? HOW RECEPTIVE WOULD YOU BE? HOW RECEPTIVE DO YOU THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR CUSTOMERS WILL BE? RIGHT? I HAVE AN HONEST ANSWER TO THAT.
SO WHAT'S THE LOWEST THE TIMING OF WHEN IT HITS ME? YES, I AGREE.
IF I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRISIS AT THE TIME AND I'M DOING SOME STUFF, I'M GONNA CAST THAT PUPPY.
I MEAN, I MIGHT NOT DELETE IT, BUT I'M GONNA SKIM OVER IT AND I'M GONNA CONTINUE ON.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING ON SOMETHING.
IF, IF YOU GOT A PERSON IN THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND, THEY'LL ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.
I WAS GONNA BRING UP TWO AND, AND I THINK JOE WAS, YOU KIND OF STARTING ON IT, BUT I MEAN, AT, AT THE MOMENT, FEDERAL ROYAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD HAS NO WEB PRESENCE.
CORRECT? THERE'S NOTHING, THERE'S A PAGE ON OUR TOWN WEBSITE.
THERE IS A PAGE ON THE TOWN WEBSITE.
SO WHAT IF THAT THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS BUILT IN THERE, THEN AN EMAIL CAN BE SENT OUT WITH A LINK AND THEN A REMINDER EMAIL CAN BE SENT OUT WITH A LINK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THAT WAY, BECAUSE I, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IF THIS CAME IN THE MAIL TO ME, IT'S NOT GETTING DONE.
IT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS I, I MEAN, AND I, AND I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, I'M THE ONE THAT, OR SORT OF WANTED TO DO IT.
SO, UM, BUT IT, IT IS JUST ONE OF THOSE, THOSE THINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY MY ACTUAL MAILBOX IS, IT'S LIKE 99% JUNK AND YOU KNOW, AND THEN THERE'S A BILL.
UM, AND SO THE BILL GETS PAID AND EVERYTHING ELSE KIND OF GETS THROWN IN A PILE AND THEN EVENTUALLY EITHER GETS LOST OR WHATEVER.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF THAT.
AND, AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE ALREADY HAD SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THEN AGAIN WE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THERE, IT WAS AVAILABLE AND IT COULD EVEN BE PUT OUT TO, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS KIND OF LIKE THE COMP PLAN WAS.
BUT YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA ASK A LITTLE BIT WITH THIS SURVEY, RIGHT? WE'RE WE'RE GETTING BUSINESS OWNERS WITH THIS SURVEY, CORRECT? AT THE MOMENT WE ARE.
I MEAN THAT BECAUSE I JUST THINK THAT YOU'VE GOT STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE GOOD IDEAS AND, AND I'M SURE EACH AND EVERY BUSINESS OWNER HAS SAID, BUT IF I COULD JUST, RIGHT.
COULDN'T WE JUST TAKE A PLAY OUT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS BOOK AND MAKE THOSE BUSINESS CARDS? I'M THINKING ABOUT 'CAUSE YOU JUST MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT BUSINESS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO BUSINESS TO BUSINESS, IF I'M DOING BUSINESS, I'M HANDING OUT A BUSINESS CARD.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FORMAL, RIGHT? SO IF WE DID, LIKE WE DID THE COMP PLAN, WE PUT THE QR CODE ON THE BUSINESS CARD, WE'RE GOING INTO THESE BUSINESSES, WE'RE HANDING 'EM A BUSINESS CARD WITH A QR CODE ON IT FROM US THAT LOOKS, THAT LOOKS MORE PRESENTABLE.
[00:25:01]
A FLYER OR, I MEAN, I'M GONNA GIVE THE RIGHT ANSWER.YOU SEND ME A SURVEY, I GET A BUNCH OF 'EM.
I MEAN, I DON'T DEAL WITH A SURVEY MOST OF THE TIME 'CAUSE THEY'RE, EVERYONE'S ASKING ME FOR SURVEYS IF IT'S WHERE I'M BUYING SOMETHING.
WHERE I'M DOING SOME SORT OF WORK.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT.
NOT THAT I'M SOMEBODY, BUT I'M A, I'M DOING BUSINESS.
SO THIS, THAT WOULD BE A DETERRENT FOR ME IMMEDIATELY.
YOU KNOW? UM, AND YOU WANT TO TALK TO A LOT OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE BLUE COLLAR AS WELL.
I WANT ALL, SO I THINK THAT DOING A HANDOFF LIKE THAT BUSINESS CARD, I LOVE THAT IDEA.
'CAUSE YOU, YOU PUT A STACK IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY, YOU START HANDING 'EM AROUND.
THAT'S WHAT I ENVISIONED AS WELL.
UM, I MEAN EVEN A LITTLE FLYER MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH BECAUSE AT THAT POINT YOU'RE ASKING 'EM TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT THERE.
BUT IF YOU GAVE 'EM A BUSINESS CARD, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET 'EM TO TAKE IT HOME WITH THEM AND THEY PULL THE BUSINESS CARD OUT AT THEIR DINING ROOM TABLE OR THEIR DRESSER AND THEY GET ADVANCE.
I THINK WE GOTTA DO THIS ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT LEVELS.
YOU KNOW, BUSINESS CARD, IT NEEDS DEDICATED LINK IN PERSON APPS ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, 'CAUSE YOU'RE ONLY GOING BETWEEN THOSE NUMBERS THAT SHE GAVE US.
SO LIKE, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO GO GLOBAL.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS LITTLE VICINITY THAT SHE GAVE.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GOING BACK TO THAT STATEMENT.
DIDN ASK SQUARE MILES, RIGHT? SO I MEAN I CAN WALK THAT AND I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU HOW LONG, 'CAUSE I PROBABLY WOULDN'T MAKE IT WALK
YOU COULD GET A LOT FROM THAT.
YOU KNOW, ANYBODY ELSE? WHAT ARE YOU GETTING OTHER THAN OPINIONS? AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WHAT'S BRAS TACK RIGHT NOW? RIGHT? SO RIGHT NOW YOUR INTENTION WITH THIS SURVEY, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT YOU WANTED TO SURVEY THE EXISTING BUSINESS OWNERS, RIGHT.
AND HOW YOU CAN BETTER SUPPORT THEM.
HOW WE AS AN ORGANIZATION CAN BETTER SUPPORT THEM.
SO TO ME THAT THAT'S HOW YOU DO THAT IS YOU, WELL I CAN COMPLETE TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO SOMETHING BUT WE REALLY, REALLY NEED YOUR INPUT.
UM, THIS INFORMATION'S ONLY AS GOOD AS MUCH TIME YOU PUT IN.
IF IT'S FIVE MINUTES, GREAT, WE'LL TAKE IT.
BUT IF IT'S, IF IT'S AN HOUR, GREAT TOO.
I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT FOLKS KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS AT THIS TABLE ARE NOT ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS.
YOU'VE GOT IDEAS BUT YOU'RE NOT ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW ALL THE THINGS.
THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR THEIR INPUT.
I WOULD THINK, OH I THINK THAT'S, UM, YEAH PROBABLY 50% OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IS WE WANT THE INFORMATION BUT WE ALSO WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE, WE WANT THEIR INPUT.
YOU'RE NOT JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA READ.
ALRIGHT, NEW BUSINESS IDENTIFYING TARGET SECTORS.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT WE MEANT BY THAT ON THIS AGENDA.
NO, I WAS JUST, WHEN I PUT THE AGENDA TOGETHER, I JUST LOOKED, LISTED THOSE AREAS THAT WERE BUCKET DISCUSSIONS.
I THOUGHT MY MAIN FOCUS TODAY WAS SURVEY AND THEN WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE SITE TOUR CHAIR PERMISSION TO JUMP OVER C AND GO TO D.
SO THE SITE TOURS OF BLUE RIDGE TECH AND LAUREL RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
SO BLUE RIDGE TECH, UM, THEY ARE VERY FLEXIBLE WITH WHEN WE CAN COME TO THEM.
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS HERE OFF BLUERAY AVENUE.
UM, THEY WERE COGNIZANT OF THEIR BELL SCHEDULE FOR SCHOOL AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT THEY REALLY, AND THEY WERE ASKING THAT WE STAY AWAY FROM WEDNESDAYS.
UM, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME SORT OF, I DON'T KNOW, SOMETHING WITH THE BELL SCHEDULE AND THE STUDENTS AND THINGS.
UM, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, THEY WERE OPEN TO PRETTY MUCH WHENEVER YOU GUYS WANNA DO THIS.
NOW THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, LAUREL RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, THEY WERE A LOT MORE RIGID.
SO THEY ONLY HAD TWO DATES IN APRIL THAT THEY COULD DO IT AND TWO TIMEFRAMES THAT THEY COULD DO IT.
SO I HAVE TENTATIVELY BOOKED WITH THEM APRIL 18TH AT 9:00 AM COULD YOU ALL TAKE A GANDER AT YOUR CALENDARS? WOULD YOU PLEASE? WHAT PHYSICAL DAY IS THAT? I DON'T KNOW.
PURCHASES MONDAY, PUT MY PHONE IN THE CAR SO IT WOULDN'T HURT THURSDAY.
9:00 AM IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? YES.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE A TOUR AND SOME QUESTIONS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE WORK AS A AND THEY ONLY HAVE FROM NINE TO 11 OR THEY HAD AN AFTERNOON I THINK, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT TIME BECAUSE I'M A AVAIL.
I'M, I'D BE AVAILABLE THAT DAY AT NINE 30, BUT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE THERE AT NINE.
OH WELL I THINK THAT'D BE OKAY.
I JUST WOULDN'T WE CATCH YOU UP.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS THERE FOR AS MUCH AS I COULD LEARN ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT WASN'T, WASN'T ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO KNOW SOMETHING.
WE'LL, WE'LL I WAS HERE EARLY HERE FOR THIS ONE MAKE UP.
WE'LL JUST ASK A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.
YEAH, NO, I CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE GET INTO THE PARKING LOT A COUPLE TIMES AND MAYBE WE MIGHT MAKE IT A LOT OF PLACES TO GO.
CAN YOU MAKE THAT WORK? I CAN, I MAKE THE MORNING.
[00:30:01]
YOU MAKE THAT WORK? UH, I WILL.I KNOW WE WON'T GET EVERYBODY, BUT IF WE CAN GET AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
WHAT WAS THE AFTERNOON? AND I THINK YOUR CHAIR CAN'T BE THERE IN THE AFTERNOON.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE I CAN MAKE EARLY AFTERNOON WORK.
YOU MAKE THE AFTERNOON WORK FOR ONE TO THREE IS THE OTHER OPTION.
ONE TO THREE ON WHAT DATE? THE SAME DATE, SAME DATE.
I'M A WISHY-WASHY MAYBE IN THE AFTERNOON.
I'M GOOD BETWEEN ONE AND THREE, BUT THE OTHER ONE, I'M ONLY A HALF AN HOUR LATE.
I, SO I'M JUST, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT THAT POINT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT HELPED ROBERT OR NOT.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD MAKE EITHER.
UH, BECAUSE I JUST, I WORK LIKE, LIKE RIGHT NOW IS, I'M ON MY LUNCH BREAK RIGHT NOW.
SO IT'S LIKE, UM, ANYTHING THAT'S LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MORNING OR THE AFTERNOON IS KIND OF A SURE.
AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE PRETTY RIGID ON THEIR SCHEDULE OVER THERE.
SO WE'LL GO FOR THE MORNING ON THE 18TH TO NINE TO 11.
AND IF BY SOME MIRACLE YOU CAN MAKE IT WORK, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
FINGERS CROSSED FOR NO ONE'S GONNA BE MAD, I PROMISE.
AND FINGERS CROSSED FOR AIDEN AND NICK.
UM, AS FAR AS BLUE RIDGE TECH, UM, WHEN I ASSUME WE WANNA DO THAT BEFORE THEIR SCHOOL YEAR GETS OUT, UM, WE WANNA GET TO MOVE ON THAT FAIRLY QUICKLY.
UM, I CAN GO BACK TO THEM WITH SOME DATES.
I THINK, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THEY WERE MORE OPEN TO WHATEVER WORKED FOR US.
SO MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT LIKE A WEEK, MAYBE A THURSDAY BEFORE THE 18TH, THE 11TH.
YOU CAN'T GO WITH, WELL IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A THURSDAY.
HOW ABOUT A TUESDAY? I CAN'T GO THAT WHOLE WEEK, BUT I COULD.
WHAT IF WE GO LATER IN APRIL? YOU, YOU LOSE ME? UM, TOO CLOSE TO GOLD CUP.
DOES ANYONE, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN SPRING BREAK IS? I THINK IT'S BEEN ONE WEEK.
UM, WHAT'S THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE 18TH? WHAT IS THAT? THE 12TH.
OH, YOU'RE GONE THAT WHOLE WEEK.
WHAT ABOUT THE 18TH IN THE AFTERNOON? WELL, NO, THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK FOR, I'M SORRY.
IT'S HAVE TO GIVE UP A WHOLE DAY.
UM, MAYBE THE 16TH TUESDAY BEFORE THE THURSDAY LOOKS BAD FOR YOU.
I THINK EARLIER I, WHAT IF I'M THINKING NINE O'CLOCK ON THE TUESDAY, THE USE THE MEETING TIME.
IF WE, IF WE KEEP IT BRIEF, I CAN DO THAT.
I HAVE A WHY DON'T WE MAKE IT OUR, LIKE WHEN WOULD OUR NEXT, IF WE CONTINUE OUR TREND SESSION, UH, TO DO A WORK SESSION, IT WOULD BE THE 15TH.
IF YOU CONTINUED THAT TREND, IT WOULD BE THE 15TH.
COULD WE MAKE OUR MEETING ON THE FIRST THAT 'CAUSE SINCE IT'S KIND OF A HOLIDAY THING ALREADY, IT'S RIGHT AFTER A HOLIDAY.
DO WHAT? CAN THEY MAKE THEIR MEETING ON THE FIRST THE TOUR? YEAH, WE WERE ALREADY KIND OF ALL SET UP FOR IT.
WE'LL HAVE TO DO A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT 'CAUSE WE'RE ALL IN ATTENDANCE.
YOU TALKING ABOUT MAY 1ST LOCATION? APRIL 1ST.
I GOTTA CHECK WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY CAN DO REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
GONNA HAVE A MEETING APRIL FOOL.
BUT WELL NOW THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK BECAUSE IT'S BECAUSE IT'S SPRING BREAK.
OH, SO THEY WON'T BE HERE AGAIN.
I'LL REVERT BACK TO THE TUESDAY BEFORE THE 18TH.
HOW ABOUT THE 16TH? TUESDAY? I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN'T DO 10 O'CLOCK, BUT, UM, WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE, THE MONDAY LIKE AROUND WHEN OUR WORK SESSION WOULD BE ONE THAT WOULD BE OUR WORK SESSION.
BUT YEAH, LET ME, LET ME REACH BACK WITH THEM.
I HAVE A FEELING THEY'LL BE OKAY WITH THAT.
OKAY, SO WE'LL TARGET MONDAY THE 15TH.
OR DIDN'T WE MOVE THAT TO THE 16TH NOW OR SOMETHING? I DUNNO, I DON'T KNOW.
YOU WOULDN'T KNOW A TIME THAT YOU MIGHT BE SHOOTING FOR.
JUST SO I CAN THROW THAT IN THERE.
DO YOU, UH, LIKE ANYTHING LIKE IN MIND THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SO I CAN JUST PUT IT ON MINE FOR IT WOULD BE EITHER EARLY, I LIKE EARLY, UH, 5:00 AM
[00:35:02]
KIDS.INSTEAD OF AM MEETING, LEMME TELL YOU, YOU'VE 5:00 AM CAN'T DO THAT.
WE COULD DO, IT'D PROBABLY BE AFTERNOON ON MONDAY.
WELL FOR ME, DAVID NEEDS TO GET BACK AND COOK.
YOU GOTTA LIKE RUN A BUSINESS, DAVID.
WHAT'S THAT? YOU GOTTA LIKE RUN A BUSINESS CLOSED ON MONDAY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS MONDAY WORKS.
SO I, THE ONLY THING I HAVE AFTERNOON, THE ONLY THING I HAVE ON MONDAY IS A 10 30 TO 1130.
SO JUST TYPE IN AT THE AFTERNOON FOR NOW TILL YOU FIND OUT.
AND THAT WOULD BE IN LIEU OF OUR WORK SESSION.
WELL, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO THINK CHANGE ANYTHING IF WE MET HERE FIRST AND THEN WENT OVER SURE.
WE COULD MEET HERE AT NOON AND MM-HMM.
I APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY.
UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT E ASSET DEVELOPMENT, INVENTORY OF ASSETS.
ALL I, WE DON'T HAVE AN INVENTORY.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE.
I, YEAH, I, I'M PICKING AWAY AT IT AND I'M, I RIGHT NOW I'M, I'VE DEVELOPED OR STARTING TO DEVELOP A, A SPREADSHEET.
I, I'M KIND OF GOING, IT, IT TAKES SOME TIME.
'CAUSE I HAVE TO KIND OF USE, I I'M USING THE GIS AND GOING BOX BY BOX IN, IN THE COMMERCIAL AREAS FIRST.
I, I, I'VE DONE I, YOU KNOW,
UM, AND THEN I, IF THERE'S AN LLC OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT LISTED, I'LL USUALLY GO TO THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION AND FIND OUT A CONTACT INFORMATION THERE IF THERE'S NOTHING AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE.
BUT I I, I MIGHT GIVE THIS 30 MINUTES, YOU KNOW, 45 MINUTES A WEEK.
'CAUSE IT'S PRETTY, UH, I DON'T KNOW.
I, I MEAN I I I THINK IT'S A NECESSARY THING THAT WE HAVE SOME SORT OF INVENTORY AND WE KNOW WHAT'S LIKE I I'VE BEEN SAYING FROM THE, FROM THE GET GO TOO.
I MEAN WE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO, IF SOMEONE APPROACHES US AND SAYS, I I REALLY NEED 10,000 SQUARE FEET, WE NEED, I, I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FIVE PLACES THAT HAVE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ON ONE FLOOR SAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN, AND THEN FROM THERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE THE INTRODUCTION OR WHATEVER IF, IF IT'S IT'S THAT WAY.
I MEAN WE JUST DON'T, YOU KNOW, I THINK EARLY ON WE IDENTIFIED SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AND LIZ HAD IDENTIFIED, I THINK WHAT THERE YOU WERE 15 THINGS ON YOUR LIST, WHAT THE NIGHT YOU DROVE AROUND? I DIDN'T COUNT TO BE HONEST.
YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S, UM, I'VE GOT IT.
WELL, THERE'S PROPERTY FOR LEASE TOO.
I'VE, I'VE CALLED A COUPLE OF THE LEASES EXPRESSING WHO I AM AND WHY I WANT THE INFORMATION THAT I'M NOT A POTENTIAL RENTER.
HOW ABOUT THIS ONE? HOWEVER, YEAH.
UM, FINDING THAT TO BE, THE PEOPLE ARE VERY OPEN ABOUT IT.
I, I CALLED, THERE'S ONE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, VERY CLOSE BY TO US RIGHT NOW THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT.
JUST REACHED OUT TO 'EM JUST SO I'D HAVE KNOWLEDGE JUST SO THAT I CAN WALK THE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
AND I THINK IF WE HAVE THAT IN SOME SORT OF, UH, DATABASE, SPREADSHEET, WHATEVER, AND THAT WAY WE CAN SAY OKAY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, IF IT'S SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT THAT MATTERS.
IF IT'S LOCATION THAT MATTERS, MAYBE WE CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HAVE IT WHERE IT'S IN THAT, YOU KNOW, IN EACH ONE OF THESE ZONES AND, AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, IF THE WEBSITE AS WE GROW AND, AND EXPAND THIS IDEA, YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN USE AS A LAUNCHING PAD.
AND THEN WE, WE DO APPEAR, UM, MORE TOGETHER AND COHESIVE IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE A STRANGER IN FRONT ONE AND LOOKING FOR A BUSINESS AND, AND YOU KNOW,
[00:40:01]
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THE TIME COMING HERE AND YOU CAN CLICK ON A, ON A BOX AND SAY, AND I WANT TO BE RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S AVAILABLE WITHIN THE STONE AND THROW OF THAT.AND THEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MOTIVATED ME TO UPDATED SURVEY QUESTION, DO YOU OWN YOUR LOCATION? YEAH.
DO THEY OWN THE BUILDING THEY'RE IN? YEAH.
AND THEN A BACKUP QUESTION TOO THAT, DO YOU HAVE ANY CURRENT PROPERTIES IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, UH, RENTAL PROPERTIES ARE OPEN? WELL, I WOULD WANNA KNOW, ARE THEY OPEN RENTAL PROPERTIES? THEY ARE THEY VACANT RENTAL PROPERTIES VACANT.
BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHETHER THEY OWN THEIR BUSINESS OR NOT.
BECAUSE IF THEY'RE A RENTER, THAT CHANGES YOUR ATTITUDE A LITTLE BIT.
YEAH, THEY OWN THEIR REAL ESTATE.
THEY'RE MORE INVESTED IN THE PROPERTY, THEY'RE MORE INVESTED IN THE BUSINESS, MORE INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY, OWNED A LOT OF TIMES.
BUT I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW IN IT RENT, DO THEY HAVE ANY VACANT RENTAL PROPERTY RIGHT NOW? SURE.
I MEAN, A DATABASE OF VACANT PROPERTY WOULD BE HUGE.
WE'VE GOT A RUDIMENTARY RUN RIGHT NOW.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE A ROBUST ONE.
IT WOULD ALMOST BE NICE TO MAYBE HAVE A DEDICATED, WE GET IT OUT TO FOLKS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OF FRONT ROYAL.
IF YOU'VE GOT A PLACE THAT'S VACANT RIGHT NOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT WORKING AND IT IS THERE AND PEOPLE AREN'T USING IT, MAYBE NO, I'D LOVE, NO.
UM, BUT I, I HAVE THE DREAM OF THAT, SO I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.
OUR NEW BUSINESS NAVIGATION TOOL,
YEAH, I MEAN, I, I HONESTLY, I MEAN THAT'S, IMAGINE WE HAD A DATABASE OF 10 BUSINESSES IN THERE.
DID, I MEAN, I'M LOOKING AT SORT OF WHAT OUR ROLE IS AND, AND A LOT OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SINCE WE DON'T REALLY OWN ANYTHING AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A WHOLE LOT OF PRIVATELY OWNED, UH, STUFF.
SO IF OUR IDEA IS TO BRING IN BUSINESS AND, AND, AND HELP THAT, YOU KNOW, GIVING THAT HANDSHAKE IS, OR YOU KNOW, OR INTRODUCING THOSE TWO, TWO PEOPLE IS KEY.
THE THE BETTER OFF THEY GOT CALLED ME WANTED AN OFFICE TO RENT FROM SIX MONTHS TO 12 MONTHS.
NO, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT LET ME CALL AROUND.
AND THEN I'M CALLING PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT MIGHT HAVE OFFICE PROPERTY AND I'M TRYING TO FACILITATE HIS NEED.
I'M LIKE, IMAGINE IF WE HAD A DATABASE, HEY WE'VE GOT THIS OFFICE AVAILABLE FOR RENT.
WELL I LOVE ON OUR WEBSITE, IF I HAVE A DREAM OF, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOOKING FOR SPACE OR HAVE A SPACE FORM THAT YEAH, I'M LOOKING FOR SPACE AND YOU FILL OUT THE PERTINENT INFORMATION, WE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A SPACE, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE, THIS IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
AND SO NOW WE, WITH THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A CONTACT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN WE, YEAH, LET'S DEFINITELY INCORPORATE THAT IN THE SURVEY IF WE COULD.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR TODAY? NOPE.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS APRIL 1ST.
OUR NEXT REGULAR PLAIN OLD MEETING AND AT NOON.
IS THAT GOOD? THAT'S A QUESTION, NOT STATEMENT.
THAT'S WHY I KIND OF LEFT IT OPEN.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A REASON FOR THAT OR NOT.
DOES NOON WORK FOR YOU THAT DAY? YEP.
OKAY, NOW YOU'RE SQUEEZING IN ON YOUR LUNCH, SO, OKAY.
SO ARE WE, ARE, ARE YOU GONNA DO THIS ON YOUR OWN OR ARE WE GONNA HELP YOU WITH THIS? THE SURVEY IN TERMS OF TRYING TO DRILL DOWN SOME, I'M, I'M GONNA COME BACK TO YOU ON MY OWN WITH THE, WE WERE GONNA WORDSMITH IT A LITTLE BIT AND THEN SEND OUT A DRAFT FOR US TO EXPERIENCE.
AND YOU'LL HAVE THAT DRAFT BEFORE OUR APRIL 1ST MEETING SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE DO SOMETHING.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I SAID IT ON THE RECORD, SO THANK YOU.