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[Economic Development Authority on March 3, 2025.]
EVERYBODY TO THE, UH, MARCH 3RD FRONT WORLD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING.UM, HILLARY, CAN WE START WITH A ROLL CALL? RICK VAC.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS 'EM IF WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SECOND.
ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE MINUTES THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UH, UPDATE ON RETAIL STRATEGIES.
LIZ, I WANNA PUT A PIN IN THAT FOR JUST A SECOND.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE TOWN ATTORNEY GEORGE SONNET, WHO POPPED IN TO GIVE US A QUICK PERSPECTIVE ON SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE STUFF THAT WENT ON IN RICHMOND SINCE THERE WERE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UH, GEORGE SONNET, TOWN ATTORNEY, MR. CHAIRMAN, AS THE BOARD MEMBERS? YES.
SO I WAS ASKED TO GIVE A PRESENTATION, AND I'LL DESCRIBE IT AS THE DEMISE OF HOUSE BILL 1842
SO IN THE 1960S, THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY FORMED AN I-D-A-E-D-A, AS WE ALL KNOW, BY STATUTE.
UM, YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO IDAS IN THE SAME LOCALITY.
UM, FAST FORWARD TO NINE, UH, 2020.
AND, UH, AT WHICH POINT THE, THE VAST EMBEZZLEMENT, UH, UH, CAME TO LIGHT, UM, TO THE POINT WHERE DELEGATE COLLINS THEN DELEGATE COLLINS.
NOW, JUDGE COLLINS INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO ALLOW THE TOWN TO CREATE ANOTHER ONE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALREADY PART OF ONE.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, SO IT WAS REALLY TWO PARTS.
IT WAS THAT, AND IT WAS ALSO TO ALLOW NOT ONLY TO DO PROJECTS IN TOWN, BUT TO ALSO DO THEM IN WARREN COUNTY.
SO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS REQUIRED A CHANGE IN THE LAW.
SO YOU'VE GOT THINGS TO PASS AROUND.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS OF THAT STATUTE, THAT'S THE RELEVANT PART OF WHAT I JUST DESCRIBED.
UM, THE, UH, THERE WAS A SUNSET, UH, AS FAR AS DOING PROJECTS IN THE COUNTY, AND I, I SAY PROJECTS, FINANCING, FACILITIES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THERE'S A, THERE WAS A SUNSET, WHICH WAS JULY 1ST, 2025.
SO, UM, UH, SO COME LAST FALL, AND, UM, WORKING WITH JOE, THEN TOWN MANAGER, JOE WALTZ, WE ASKED, UH, DELEGATE OATS TO, UH, PURSUE EXTENDING THAT SECOND PART THAT SUNSET AND ADD ANOTHER FIVE YEARS, UH, TO THAT, SO THAT IT WOULD EXPIRE JULY ONE, UH, 2030.
SO HERE'S THAT BILL AS OFFERED.
SO THAT BILL PRETTY MUCH SAILED THROUGH THE HOUSE, AND I BELIEVE IT SAILED THROUGH SENATE COMMITTEE UNTIL IT GOT TO THE SENATE FLOOR.
YEAH, IT SAILED THROUGH TO PUT IT TO THE FLOOR.
I THINK IT WAS 40 TO NOTHING, IF I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY.
UH, BUT THEN WHEN IT CAME TO FINAL APPROVAL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S THE HISTORY OF THE BILL PASS THAT AROUND.
SO WHEN IT CAME TO, UH, FINAL VOTE IN THE SENATE, IT GOT CAUGHT UP IN POLITICAL INFIGHTING, OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE IT.
UM, IT HAD APPARENTLY NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE MERITS.
UH, BUT, UM, THE DEMOCRATS, UH, DIDN'T GET WHAT THEY WANTED.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WITH RESPECT TO VIRGINIA BEACH CHARTER CHANGES.
AND SO THERE WAS SOME, AND THIS IS MY CHARACTERIZATION OR RETALIATION, THE NEXT BILL TO COME TO THE FLOOR WAS YES.
THE ONE THAT, UH, ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED BY DELEGATE
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OATS.AND, UM, I REALLY DON'T, I MEAN, I WASN'T THERE, BUT I DO OFFER AN ARTICLE, UM, IN THE CARDINAL NEWS THAT I THINK GIVES AN EXCELLENT, UM, UH, EXPLANATION OF WHAT TRANSPIRED.
SO, UM, SO, SO WHERE'S THAT LEAVE? WHERE THAT LEAVES AS OF JULY 1ST, 2025.
UH, THIS BODY CANNOT ENGAGE IN PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF TOWN LIMITS, BUT WE CAN OPERATE IN TOWN.
THERE WAS SOME MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THAT.
IT'S NOT THAT THE, THE LEGISLATURE CAN'T JUST WAIVE A WAND AND SAY YOU NO LONGER EXIST.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S ALL IN STATE LAWS.
UH, AS TO HOW THIS BODY WOULD CEASE TO EXIST.
SO YEAH, THERE WAS A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THAT.
SO I'M NOT SURE WE WERE PREPARED TO OPERATE OUTSIDE OF TOWN LIMITS ANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE ANYWAY.
I'M, I'M JUST SAYING THAT AS THE CHAIRMAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE'S OPINION IS.
RIGHT? I CAN'T, I CAN'T GET, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, UM, THINKING WAS IN 2020.
I, YEAH, NO, I, WE, WE, WE TRIED TO, I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T EITHER, SO THEY JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT AS BROAD AS POSSIBLE.
WE TRIED TO GET THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, DISCUSSION, BUT APPARENTLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL, UH, A SPECIAL PERMISSION TO, TO RETRIEVE THOSE.
SO, UM, SO I, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR YOU GUYS.
AND IF ANY QUESTIONS, UH, IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE WE CAN ONLY OPERATE IN THE COUNTY UNTIL JULY 1ST, 2025.
AND AFTER THAT POINT OF WHICH, IF WE HAVE ANY, ANYTHING THAT WE ENGAGE IN THE EDA TYPE ACTIVITIES, IT HAS TO BE
THAT'S A JUST LAID OUT, THAT'S A GENERALLY ACCURATE STATEMENT.
AND SO, UM, NOT THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING ON OUR, ON OUR, UM, WORKLOAD AT THE MOMENT, BUT ARE WE ALLOWED TO BOND, UH, YOU KNOW, IN TOWN? YES.
SO ANYTHING WE COULD DO BEFORE, WE STILL CAN DO ONLY ITS IN TOWN LIMITS.
UM, UM, WHAT ABOUT THE SOLVENCY OF THE WARREN COUNTY? WELL, DEA, I MEAN, THEY, LAST TIME, THAT'S GONNA PLAY OUT
RIGHT? WELL, THAT'S GONNA PLAY OUT.
AND THEN WILL THAT CREATE A NEED WITH THIS BOARD, OR WILL THEY DO SOMETHING? I KNOW
UM, ONE WAS A, A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE DISILLUSION OF, OF THE WARREN COUNTY EDA FOR, FOR SHORT, UM, BECAUSE OF INSOLVENCY, WHICH, UH, SEEMS TO BE INDISPUTABLE.
UM, THEIR, THEY HAD THEIR BOARD MEMBERS ACKNOWLEDGED, UM, INSOLVENCY.
UM, UH, BUT THE DIFFICULTY IS, UH, UNDER STATUTE, YOU CAN'T HAVE A DISILLUSION UNTIL, UM, YOUR DEBTS ARE SETTLED.
AND THAT IS ANOTHER HUGE CAN OF WORMS. RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO, UM, SO, UM, IF, IF YOU FOLLOW THE NEWS, UM, I THINK IT'S BEEN PUBLISHED NUMEROUS TIMES.
A COUPLE OF BANKS HAVE LIENS ON ALL EDA PROPERTY MM-HMM
UH, ONE WAS ORIGINALLY A JUDGMENT AND, AND THAT WAS CONVERTED INTO, UH, BASICALLY DEEDS OF TRUST.
AND THEN ANOTHER BANK HAS JUDGMENT LIENS.
UM, SO WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF, OF THAT E-D-A-I-I, I DON'T KNOW.
WELL, I, I MEAN, I, I NAIVELY THOUGHT I, I ACTUALLY WANTED TO WORK WITH THE WARREN COUNTY EDA, YOU KNOW, OR I THOUGHT THIS BODY DID, AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE STILL WANT TO DO THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT'LL ALL WORK ITSELF OUT, UM, IN A WAY THAT'S GOOD FOR THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN.
SO, ANYBODY ELSE? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR GETTING THIS ALL TOGETHER.
YOU GOT THE ARTICLE ON EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO GET LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, SO THANK YOU FOR, I GUESS PROBABLY THERE.
SO, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TODAY.
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THANK YOU.TONE OUR FOCUS ONE WAY TO LOOK AT THAT.
ALL RIGHT, LIZ, I GUESS WE'RE GONNA PULL THAT PIN OUT AND YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR GETTING GEORGE IN HERE, BY THE WAY.
YEAH, SO ANYWAY, HE'S A COOL GUY.
SO OUR QUICK UPDATE WITH RETAIL STRATEGIES IS THAT OUR, UH, PORTFOLIO MANAGER, MICHAEL WARSAW AND OUR RETAIL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE, JIMMY PRITT, WERE IN MARKET ON THE 19TH OF FEBRUARY.
UM, THEY WERE HERE FOR A FULL DAY.
UM, I ONLY SAW THEM FOR A BRIEF PERIOD, AND THEN I DID INTRODUCE THEM TO LAUREN, UH, KAKI IN PLANNING AND ZONING, WHO OF COURSE DID A FULL DATA DUMP OF ZONING ORDINANCES AND ZONING THINGS.
AND SO, LUCKILY THIS IS THE SPACE THEY PLANNED.
SO THEY LOVED HAVING THAT RESOURCE AND THEY WERE EXCITED THAT THEY GOT TO AT LEAST SEE WHO THEY MIGHT HAVE TO EMAIL WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A BIT OF A MOVING TARGET RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, IT PROBABLY ALWAYS IS EVERYWHERE.
WE, WE KIND OF HIT ON THAT WITH THEM AND THEY WERE LIKE, NO, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE IS, IS LOOKING TO REEVALUATE THESE THINGS IN INTERVALS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE DONE THEIR SITE ANALYSIS, WE'RE KIND OF COMING TO A CLOSE WITH THE DISCOVERY PHASE AS THEY REFER TO IT MM-HMM
UM, SO COMING OUT OF THE DISCOVERY PHASE IS THEY WILL PUT TOGETHER THEIR RECRUITMENT PLAN.
SO PAIRING THE RETAIL PROSPECTS WITH THOSE, UM, REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THIS STUFF ON THE INTERNET, BUT THAT'S WHY THEY CAME IN PERSON TO REALLY GET A FEEL FOR, UM, WHAT RETAIL PARTNERS THEY WORK WITH FREQUENTLY WOULD BEST OR BE COMFORTABLE WITH OR BEST FIT IN CERTAIN AREAS.
UM, SO IN THE NEXT, THEY SAID TWO TO THREE WEEKS WE SHOULD LOOK TO, TO HAVE THAT RECRUITMENT PLAN CONVERSATION.
UM, AND THEN THEY ARE GONNA ASK US AT THAT POINT, WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR OUTSIDE OF WHAT THEY'RE COMING TO US WITH IDEAS WITH.
IF WE HAVE A WISHLIST, IF THIS BODY HAS A WISHLIST OF THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE OR PARTNERS THEY WANNA GO AFTER, UM, AND THEN THEY HAVE A FRANK CONVERSATION WITH US ABOUT REALISTIC OPPORTUNITIES, UM, PIE IN THE SKY VERSUS THE THINGS THAT THEY FEEL CONFIDENT THEY CAN GET DONE.
UM, IF THEY WOULD COME IN AND PRESENT THEM THAT WAY, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.
THIS IS WHY WE WANTED TO WORK WITH THEM.
SO, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SHARE IS THAT THEY HAVE A DRAFT OF A MARKET GUIDE THAT THEY REFER TO IT MM-HMM
IT'S A LITTLE LIKE FOUR PAGE DOCUMENT THAT GIVES SOME DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, SOME PEER TRADE AREAS.
THIS IS WHAT THEY HAND OUT TO, UM, RETAIL PARTNERS IN THE MARKET.
WE ARE USED TO WORKING WITH PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.
SO WE KNOW KIND OF THIS GENERIC OR IS AROUND FRONT ROYAL.
THIS IS SPECIFIC TO FRONT ROYAL, YES.
SO, UM, SO I HAVE A DRAFT OF IT.
I SENT THEM BACK SOME QUESTIONS, UM, AS SOON AS I HAVE AN UPDATED DRAFT, WHICH THEY THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY NEXT MONDAY MM-HMM
UM, I'M GONNA KICK THAT TO YOU GUYS AS WELL FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND THEN THEY HAVE PROVIDED A BUNCH OF DATA THAT I FLAT OUT TOLD MICHAEL THAT I SAID THAT I, I CAN'T INTERPRET THIS DATA FOR MY CREW.
YOU YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO DO THAT.
AND HE SAID, WELL, GOOD THING THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
UM, I'M HOPEFUL THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO GET HIM MAYBE ON A ZOOM FOR NEXT MONTH TO GO OVER KIND OF HIGH LEVEL SOME OF THE DA IMPORTANT DATA POINTS.
AND THAT WOULD BE RIGHT AROUND THE TIME WE'RE ROLLING THAT RECRUITMENT PLAN CONVERSATION OUT AS WELL.
SO, AND YOU ZOOM AT THIS AT I THINK SO.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M DRIVING AT AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT THEY SEEMED VERY POSITIVE ABOUT BEING HERE AND, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY SAW JUST SIMPLY BY DRIVING AROUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY HOW PERSPECTIVE CAN CHANGE THAT.
LIKE IT MAKES ME NERVOUS THAT THERE'S NEW SIGNS POPPING OPEN, BUT IT MAKES THEM EXCITED BECAUSE THEY CAN SEE THE POTENTIAL IN THOSE THINGS.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS REASSURING.
ANYWAY, SO MANY OF US THAT HAVE PROPERTIES IN TOWN ARE CONTACTED ON A WEEKLY BASIS BY MULTIPLE PARTIES WANTING TO KNOW IF WE WANT STUFF.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, TO ME, I THINK THAT MEANS WE'RE ABOUT TO POP, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE SPECULATING ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOW, NOW THERE'S A FOR SALE SIGN ON THE, UM, UH, FLEA MARKET.
THAT, AND THAT PROPERTY HAS BEEN ON THE MARKET FOR WELL OVER A YEAR, BUT THEY JUST NEVER PUT A SIGN OUT, SELL NOW.
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INTERESTING.SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
'CAUSE THE FLEA MARKET LEASES THAT PROPERTY.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, ANYBODY? THANKS FOR NURTURING THIS FORWARD AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO, OF COURSE, TALKING WITH THOSE GUYS NEXT MONTH.
REAL QUICK, THE CURRENT SCOPE, UM, OF THEIR MARKET REVIEW.
WAS THAT WITH INTEL LIMIT? IT WAS.
YOU KNOW, UM, THE QUESTION CAME UP WHEN I FIRST STARTED TALKING WITH THEM, AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE AT THE TIME WE REALLY WEREN'T SURE WHERE THAT HOUSE BILL WAS GONNA GO.
RIGHT? SO THEY SAID, WELL, IF THERE'S A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WON'T FIT IN A SPOT YOU'VE GOT IN TOWN, I SAID, LOOK, I SAID, WE ARE REASONABLE PEOPLE.
AND SAID, WE'RE NOT GONNA SAY NO WAY.
WE DON'T WANNA BUILD A RELATIONSHIP.
I SAID, WE WILL HELP BRIDGE THE GAP TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.
'CAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I SAID, SO WHILE OUR SOLE FOCUS IS INSIDE THOSE 10 AND A HALF SQUARE MILES, WE, WE ARE NOT BLIND SO THAT THERE MAY BE A BETTER FIT FOR SOMEWHERE OR AN ONLY FIT FOR SOMEWHERE THAT'S IN THE COUNTY.
I SAID, SO ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES OUR WAY THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY, WE ABSOLUTELY WANNA HEAR ABOUT IT.
BUT NO, OF COURSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE RETAIL LEAKAGE AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A STRANGE WORD, BUT, UM, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT WHOLE PICTURE.
BUT YES, THEY KNOW THAT INSIDE TOWN LIMITS IS, IS WHERE WE'RE AT.
WELL, UM, I MET, UH, LESLIE CURRY, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO AT A FRONT ROW INDEPENDENT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEETING.
AND, UH, SO I CONNECTED HER TO LIZ AND ASKED HER, ASKED TO INVITE HER TO A MEETING AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS GONNA BE THIS ONE, BUT SHE HAS A LOT OF STUFF THAT I THINK WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO KNOW AND SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY SHE'S HERE TODAY.
I APPRECIATE WHERE SHOULD I? YEAH.
UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I, UM, GLAD TO CONNECT WITH YOU AGAIN 'CAUSE I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AGAIN.
AND LIZZIE AND I HAVE, WE'VE MET BEFORE, CONNECTED ON A NUMBER OF THINGS AS WELL.
SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT OUR CLICKING SITUATION.
YOU WERE AT A, UH, COFFEE AND CONVERSATIONS, WEREN'T YOU THAT MM-HMM
IS THAT, IS THAT HOW, ANYWAY? WELL, NO, WE'VE MET.
WELL, I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, OR YEAH.
JUST 'CAUSE WE DO, UH, WE PARTNER ON SOME CHAMBER THINGS MM-HMM
AND OBVIOUSLY COMMUNITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
'CAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I DO.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT PEOPLE INC.
AND WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE'RE HERE IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I USED TO WORK FOR PEOPLE INC.
AND THEN I LEFT FOR A FEW YEARS AND I CAME BACK.
BUT WHEN I WAS HERE PREVIOUSLY IN 2012, 2014, I WAS HERE IN FRONT ROYAL A LOT BECAUSE WE HAD WHAT'S CALLED A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT WITH WARREN AND CLARK COUNTY.
AND IN THAT BLOCK GRANT, IT WAS, UH, THROUGH USDA AND IT'S A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF MONEY SET ASIDE FOR US TO PROVIDE LOAN PROGRAMS, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
SO WE HAD, UM, SOME PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS STORIES WHEN WE WERE HERE DOING THAT BEFORE, UH, JUST A COUPLE, UH, COME TO MIND.
UM, CNC FROZEN TREATS, UM, WE HELPED THEM OUT QUITE A BIT.
FIRST WITH JUST SOME ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN BACK WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME TO PURCHASE THE BUILDING HE IS IN, TO OPEN THAT UP DOWN HOME.
COMFORT BAKERY WAS ANOTHER ONE AT THE TIME THAT, UM, WE HELPED.
UM, BUT WE ALSO DID A LOT OF, UM, JOINT VENTURES WITH, UM, UH, THE CHAMBER, THE EDA, UM, NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, JUST DOING WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND THAT IS WHAT OUR FOCUS IS.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT PEOPLE INCORPORATED IN GENERAL.
WE'RE THE OLDEST COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY IN THE STATE.
WE'RE CELEBRATING, OR ACTUALLY LAST YEAR WE CELEBRATED 60 YEARS.
SO, UM, THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
UM, OUR HEADQUARTERS ARE IN ABINGDON, UH, VIRGINIA.
SO WE DO HAVE A REALLY BIG PRESENCE IN SOUTHWEST.
I'LL SHOW YOU A LITTLE SERVICE AREA MAP HERE IN A SECOND.
UM, BUT AS A WHOLE, UH, PEOPLE INCORPORATED HAS OVER 33 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, ALMOST 300 EMPLOYEES, UM, AND A PRETTY DECENT, UM, OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, WE ARE WHAT'S CALLED A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.
UM, AND THIS JUST TELL SLIDE TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT CDFIS AND WHAT THEY ARE.
BUT, UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE TARGET UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, WE REACH THEM AND WE CAN HELP THEM SUCCEED, UM, WHERE THEY MAY NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
UH, SO HERE'S OUR MISSION AGAIN.
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HELPING ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE REACH THEIR GOALS.AND WE DO THAT IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. I'LL TELL YOU SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS, IT'S NOT JUST MY PROGRAM, UM, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS, WE HAVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS A BIG ONE.
UM, WE RUN SOME HEAD START PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AS WELL.
HOUSING, UM, WE HAVE, UH, QUITE A FEW, UM, EVEN HERE IN THE VALLEY, UM, OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES, COMMUNITIES THAT WE BUILT.
AND, UM, WE SERVE, UH, FOR LOW, LOW INCOME TO FILL THOSE NEEDS.
WE DO A LOT OF VOLUNTEER STUFF RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE, UM, UH, TAX PREP HELP, UH, THAT'S FREE.
UH, PEOPLE JUST HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THAT.
UM, THIS IS A LITTLE DATED, THIS IS 21 TO 22 AT SOME OUTCOMES, UM, OF JUST FAMILIES.
WE'VE SERVED KIDS, WE'VE SERVED, UM, CLIENTS THAT WE'VE SERVED.
AND AS I MENTIONED, OUR SERVICE REGION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT A BIG PRESENCE DOWN IN SOUTHWEST.
AND THEN THERE'S A BIG GAP HERE, THOUGH THAT, UM, MAROON COLOR.
UH, BUT UP HERE ON THE, UH, NORTHERN END OF THE STATE, UM, MY REGION IS PAGE WARREN, FREDERICK CLARK AND SHENANDOAH COUNTIES.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UM, UH, SIR CU PEPPER F**K HERE.
LOUDOUN, RAPPAHANNOCK, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, MANASSAS.
SO IT'S PRETTY BIG UP IN THE NORTHERN, UM, AREA AS WELL.
UM, JUST TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR LENDING PROGRAM, 'CAUSE I FEEL IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SHARE, HEY, WE DO HAVE MONEY TO LEND, UM, BECAUSE WE KIND OF FIT A NEED THAT, UM, KIND OF FILL THOSE GAPS.
BUT WE ARE NONPROFIT GRANT FUNDED.
WE CAN BE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE, UM, THAN SAY A TRADITIONAL BANK.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
UM, AND WE HAVE PARTNERSHIP HERE BECAUSE WE ARE A STRONG BELIEVER IN PARTNERSHIP.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PARTNER WITH LIZZIE, WE PARTNER WITH THE CHAMBER, WE PARTNER WITH, UM, THE SBD, CS, UM, JUST ABOUT ANYBODY THAT'S IN THAT, UH, SPACE.
UM, WE WANT TO BE THERE AND, UM, BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP AND BE, UM, A RESOURCE IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.
THERE'S POWER IN NUMBERS FOR SURE.
AND AGAIN, I MENTIONED WE OFFER TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND THAT CAN BE EITHER ONE-ON-ONE, UM, HELPING THEM, UH, EITHER BUILD CREDIT OR WORK ON THEIR BUSINESS PLAN OR, UH, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE DO OFFER, UH, FUNDING.
CURRENTLY OUR FOCUS RIGHT AT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT IN TIME IS THE MICRO LOANS.
UM, BUT THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS AVAILABLE WHERE WE CAN GO, UM, HIGHER THAN THAT.
UM, AND THEY'RE A FIXED RATE AND THERE'S NO PRE PREPAYMENT PENALTY.
AND THEY DO REQUIRE COLLATERAL.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS WITH YOU.
WHAT, UM, IT WOULD REQUIRE JUST AS, UH, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IF YOU WALKED INTO A BANK, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO, TO QUALIFY? UM, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THE BIGGEST, UH, DIFFERENCE WITH OURS IS WE DO LOOK FOR A BUSINESS PLAN IN WHICH TWO YEAR CASHFLOW PROJECTIONS.
AND THE MAIN REASON FOR THAT IS WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW LENDERS THAT WILL LEND YOU STARTUPS.
UM, SO A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S REALLY HARD TO GET.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S LOOKING TO, UM, START A BUSINESS OR THEY HAVE THIS GREAT IDEA, WE'RE SOMEBODY WHO WOULD LOVE TO HELP THEM.
UM, BUT BUSINESS PLAN IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THEY, UM, IT, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT FOR THEM TOO, NOT JUST US
UM, SO AGAIN, WE DO, UM, STARTUPS, WE CAN CONSIDER CASHFLOW PROJECTIONS WHEN WE'RE DOING THAT.
UM, WE DO HAVE A REQUIREMENT, UM, THAT ALL LOANS DO NEED TO BE SECURED BY SOME TYPE OF COLLATERAL, BUT WE CAN BE VERY FLEXIBLE ON THAT.
SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN BE FLEXIBLE IS WHAT DO WE TAKE? I MEAN, IN THE PAST WE ACTUALLY HAD, UM, A HORSE OR TWO.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A FAMILY MEMBER THAT REALLY, REALLY BELIEVES IN YOUR BUSINESS.
THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY TO GIVE YOU TO HELP YOU START IT, BUT HEY, THEY HAVE A CAR THAT THEY'D BE WILLING TO GIVE YOU THE PLEDGE FOR COLLATERAL.
SO, UM, WE WILL DO WHAT WE CALL THIRD PARTY, UM, COLLATERAL.
UM, SO AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE, UH, THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ALL OF THESE.
IT COULD BE ANY ONE OF THESE, UM, ESSENTIAL SERVICES, NEW OR EXPANDING SERVICES, UM, YOU KNOW, USING HISTORIC SITES.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME IN AND, AND HELP WITH THAT AS
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WELL.UM, MAIN THING IS WE'RE HOPING TO CREATE JOBS OR MAINTAIN JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN'T DO.
MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING ENTERPRISES.
THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, AVON AND NAME ANY ONE OF THEM.
UM, IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY IN BANKRUPTCY, NOT YET DISCHARGED, UM, DELINQUENT FEDERAL TAX, UM, OR DEBT IS A BIG ONE,
UM, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THAT PRIMARY SOURCE OF FINDING IS THE SBA.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, AGAIN, WE DO OFFER ONE-ON-ONE CREDIT COUNSELING, WORKSHOPS, TRAININGS, UM, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF WORKSHEETS, FORMS, TEMPLATES, BUT AGAIN, WE ALSO PARTNER WITH MANY OF THE INSTITUTIONS THAT DO THESE AS WELL.
THE SBDC SCORE, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT SCORE MEMBER OR, UH, UH, VOLUNTEER RIGHT HERE IN YOUR COMMUNITY WITH HERB, UM, AND CONNECTING YOU TO PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, BUT HERE'S JUST A QUICK BREAKDOWN ON SOME OF THE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS THAT WE OFFER.
UM, THE BUSINESS LOANS THAT I MENTIONED, UM, WE DO HAVE PERSONAL LOANS AND THE WHOLE GOAL FOR OUR CONSUMER LOAN PROGRAM IS TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE, UM, PAYDAY LENDERS.
UM, SO, AND THE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO KNOCK ONE MAIN OR, OR, UM, WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE, MARINER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR THOSE, BUT THOSE RATES ARE REALLY HIGH.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE, UM, BUDGET THEIR MONEY BETTER, GET HELP THEM AND KEEP THEM OUT OF THOSE REALLY HIGH INTEREST RATE LOANS.
WE ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE RISE MATCH SAVINGS PROGRAM.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE ACTIVE CAN OF CLIENTS, IT'S AN EIGHT TO ONE MATCH, UM, TO HELP THEM, UH, FOR SCHOOL OR TO BUY A HOUSE OR START A BUSINESS, UM, THEY CAN, UH, COLLECT UP TO $4,000, UH, ON THIS MATCH PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A YOUTH CREDIT BUILDING PROGRAM.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY.
UM, REALLY TRYING TO HELP YOUTH UNDERSTAND CREDIT.
UM, AND ONCE THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THIS CREDIT BUILDING PROGRAM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A FUN THING, THEY RIGHT AWAY QUALIFY FOR AN UNSECURED LOAN UP TO 2,500 TO HELP THEM ESTABLISH THAT CREDIT.
OFTENTIMES THE WAY THAT WE'RE USING THESE IS IN LIKE, THE, UH, TECHNICAL PROGRAMS LIKE THE, UM, TECH TECH CENTERS.
MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE, UM, GETTING THIS TRAINING AND MAY BE READY TO GO OUT AND START THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
IN ADDITION TO THE CREDIT BUILDING AND THE HELP WITH THAT, WE ALSO HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A PREVE TRAINING PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN HELP THEM GET ALL THEIR IDEAS TOGETHER AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED TO GO OUT AND START THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
UM, WITH THAT THEY JUST HAVE TO BE 18 TO 24.
UM, BUT IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM TO NOT ONLY HELP THEM UNDERSTAND CREDIT, BUT GIVE THEM A LITTLE FUNDS TO, TO GET THAT ROLLING AS WELL.
THE OTHER WAY THAT WE'VE UM, UH, TALKED ABOUT USING IT, UM, IS IF THERE IS A PROGRAM THEY WANT TO GET TRAINED IN, SO LET'S SAY THEY WANT TO GO AND AND LEARN WELDING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND MAYBE THEY DON'T QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THE DIFFERENT GRANTS OR PROGRAMS THAT THEY OFFER FOR THOSE TRAINING PROGRAMS, THEY CAN USE THESE FUNDS TO PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH THIS TRAINING PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO, UM, THE MORE PEOPLE WE CAN GET TRAINED THAT WAY, THE BETTER.
AND IT JUST HELPS YOUR COMMUNITY TOO.
'CAUSE WE CAN GET 'EM TO COME BACK AND START THEIR BUSINESS HERE IN WARREN COUNTY.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE JUST KIND OF IN A NUTSHELL, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
I DID GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF HANDOUTS.
UM, THIS ONE WITH ALL THE DETAIL THAT JUST TELLS YOU A LITTLE MORE, UM, JUST KIND OF A SUMMARY OF ALL THOSE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE DO OFFER QUESTIONS.
WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR SERVICES, YOUR SERVICE LINE.
SO WE DID, AND YOU MAY HAVE MET.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A, A STAFF MEMBER WHO'S IN THE NORTHERN END, UM, SAN BARBARA MM-HMM
UM, AND SHE, UH, REALLY JUST CONNECTS, UH, THE COMMUNITY TO SOME OF THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
SO, UM, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, WHETHER IT'S A NONPROFIT OR STATE AGENCIES.
AND SO, UM, SHE JUST GOES IN AND MEETS WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND SEES HOW WE CAN CONNECT THOSE RESOURCES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THE GRANT FUNDING? IS IT ALL, UM, STATE AND FEDERAL, OR IS THERE ALSO PRIVATE GRANT MAKING? SO OUR FUNDING COMES FROM, UM, STATE, LOCAL AND SOME PRIVATE.
SO, UM, LOOK, WE HAVE IN THE PAST ALSO HAD, UM, BANKS, UM, WILL GO IN TOGETHER AND PROVIDE SOME FUNDING FOR OUR LOAN PROGRAMS TO MEET THEIR COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
THAT'S A, A GREAT WAY FOR THEM TO DO THAT IS UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, LOAN US THE
[00:30:01]
MONEY THAT WE THEN IN TURN LOAN OUT TO, TO PEOPLE THAT MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THEY CAN'T WALK INTO THAT BANK AND, AND GET THAT FUNDING RIGHT NOW.AND THERE'S MANY REASONS, AND BELIEVE ME, WE ARE, UM, GREAT PARTNERS WITH BANKS BECAUSE, UH, NUMBER ONE, WE'RE NOT IN COMPETITION BECAUSE IF THEY CAN WALK INTO THE BANK AND, UH, GET A LOAN THAT'S NOT OUR CLIENT.
UM, BUT WE CAN ALSO PARTNER WITH THE BANK.
AND WE'VE DONE THIS MANY TIMES BEFORE TOO, UM, INCLUDING A COUPLE OF, UM, UH, DEALS THAT WERE DONE HERE IN WARREN COUNTY WHERE THE BANK COULD DO A CERTAIN PERCENT, LET'S SAY UP TO 80%.
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO COME IN AND DO THE OTHER 20%.
SO, UM, WE ALL KIND OF HELP EACH OTHER IN THAT WAY.
AND THE OTHER REASON, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR BANKS AND, AND I, THE MAJORITY OF THE BANKERS THAT I TALK TO FREQUENTLY WE'RE AWAY.
SO IT'S A GREAT WAY THEY CAN GO, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE CAN'T DO THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT WHY DON'T YOU CALL PEOPLE IF THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.
AND THEN OUR GOAL IS TO GET THEM BACK TO WHERE THEY CAN GO BACK AND, AND WALK IN AND GET WHATEVER THEY NEED.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR THIS ORGANIZATION TO REFER FOLKS TO YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT? WHAT'S THE BEST FUNNEL FOR THAT? BEST FUNNEL IS DIRECTLY TO ME.
UM, MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS ON THE FLYER AND I ALSO PASSED OUT SOME BUSINESS CARDS MM-HMM
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT SURE IF WE'D BE A GOOD FIT, PLEASE BY ALL MEANS, UH, DON'T HESITATE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION BECAUSE UM, WE WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE AND IF FOR SOME REASON WE'RE NOT IT, AND I DO TALK TO, UM, PEOPLE QUITE A BIT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEIR NEEDS MAY BE UP HERE, YOU KNOW, OR UM, OR THEY'RE NOT QUITE READY.
BUT IN ANY INSTANCE, I CAN CONNECT THEM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE OR BRING IN OTHER PARTNERS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO SERVE THEM.
UM, ONE RIGHT NOW IS THE, UM, BUSINESS OF THE AIRPORT IN LORAY.
UM, WHAT HE NEEDS IS A LITTLE OUT OF OUR SCOPE, BUT WE IMMEDIATELY WENT IN AND HAD SOME CONFERENCE CALLS WITH, UM, PRIVATE BANKING AND THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND UM, AND NOW HE'S ON THE RIGHT PATH TO WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE.
SO IF I, IF IT'S NOT ME, I WILL BE HAPPY TO, UM, GET THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
I THINK THAT SOUNDS ALL, YEAH.
AND IF YOU THINK OF ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I MEAN, I'M JUST A PHONE CALL OR A EMAIL AS WELL.
SHE'S IN WARREN COUNTY A LOT, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S GOT A BIG SERVICE AREA.
WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK AND ONE WE GOT ONE MEETING IN.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, ENERGY SERVICES UPDATE.
THEY'RE GONNA COME NEXT MONTH.
UH, CARRIE FEL, OUR ENERGY SERVICES DIRECTOR WILL BE HERE IN PERSON NEXT MONTH.
UM, HE'S GOT SOME UPDATES FOR YOU AND I FILLED HIM IN ON SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD BE READY.
HE KNOWS THEY SO HE'LL BE HERE.
SO, PARKING STUDY, I SENT THAT OUT TO EVERYONE.
UM, I DIDN'T, I ASSUMED THAT YOU MAY WANNA HAVE SOME SORT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, SO I ASKED HILLARY TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, SO, SO IN MY OPINION, 2019 IS A LIFETIME AGO.
SO WE NEED TO CONTACT THOSE PEOPLE AND SAY HOW MUCH TO UPDATE THE 2019 PARKING STUDY.
SO I GOT A ROUGH OFF THE RECORD ESTIMATE ON WHAT IT WOULD BE TO HAVE A NEW ONE DONE.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT 30 TO 40,000.
WHAT IF WE, WHAT IF WE STARTED, OH, I MEAN, I'LL SIT OUT THERE.
IS THERE SOMEBODY ELSE OUT THERE THAT WILL DO IT? AND WHAT WILL THEY CHARGE? UM, WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK TO THE NORTHERN CHINO VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION AND SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH US AGAIN ON THIS ONE, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO PRIMARILY PRODUCE THE 2019 STUDY.
UM, AND SEE WHAT THEIR COST ESTIMATE WOULD BE.
I'M HA I'M HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO BRANDON AND SEE.
WELL, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO EITHER COUNTER WITH SOME BETTER INFORMATION FROM ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
YOU KNOW, OR, OR, OR I, I WOULDN'T SAY LET'S MOVE FORWARD ON A $30,000 PURCHASE WITHOUT GOING OUT AND CHECKING WHAT IT COSTS TO START FROM SCRATCH.
SO WAIT, SO THAT, THAT'S OFF THE RECORD SPECIFICALLY TO UPDATE THAT WAS TO PROVIDE A BRAND NEW ONE.
[00:35:02]
I'M NOT CERTAIN HOW MUCH UPDATE CAN BE DONE.I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THAT FORMAT.
I MEAN, JUST, I MEAN, THEY'VE BEEN HERE SO THEY KNOW THE, THE AREAS THEY NEED TO MEASURE.
SO THAT PART OF THE WORK IS ALREADY DONE.
BUT THE, BUT THE HARD WORK OF BEING HERE AND SURE.
AND TESTING IT IS, YOU KNOW, THE VAST MAJORITY OF EXPENSE.
WHAT DID WE PAY FOR IT IN 2019? JUST CURIOUS.
WELL, I, SO THOSE ARE, THAT WOULD BE MY QUESTIONS.
LIKE, SO IF I'M THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING SOMETHING, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT DID I PAY FOR IT BEFORE? WHAT'S IT GONNA COST NOW WHO'S YOUR COMPETITION? RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT THE THINGS HAVE GOTTEN MORE EXPENSIVE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAN THEY USED TO BE.
I DO KNOW THAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN EXPLORING A TRANSPORTATION STUDY MM-HMM
UM, I THINK THAT'S A COUNCIL'S REQUEST.
BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A CO I BELIEVE THERE WAS A COMPONENT OF THAT THAT COULD ENCOMPASS PART OF THIS INFORMATION THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
NOW THEY HAVE NOT EMBARKED ON THAT STUDY.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE STATUS ON THAT IS, BUT I COULD FIND OUT.
I MEAN, WHEN I READ THE STUDY SEVERAL YEARS AGO NOW MM-HMM
UM, IT MADE ME THINK, WELL WE AS A COMMUNITY, WE, WE WONDER WHAT'S OUR ATTENDANCE FOR A FESTIVAL FOR WINE AND CRAFT FOR THE FESTIVAL LEAVES FOR THIS THING, FOR THE, THAT THING.
AND SO I, I DON'T WANNA GET AHEAD OF MYSELF HERE, BUT IT, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WAS HOPING THAT THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION COMMISSION ION MM-HMM
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE, I MEAN, 'CAUSE BASICALLY THEY'RE PAYING PHONES.
RIGHT NOW WE AS THE TOWN DO NOT HAVE ANY AGREEMENTS WITH ANY GEOLOCATION DATA MM-HMM
THEY'RE EXPENSIVE, HENCE WHY WE DON'T HAVE THEM.
BECAUSE THE TOURISM LADY WOULD, WOULD LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT N-S-V-R-C MAY HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR.
UM, I HAVE THIS VAGUE MEMORY OF THEM WORKING WITH A COMPANY CALLED STREETLIGHT, I THINK.
STREETLIGHT DATE OR SOMETHING.
SO I WILL CIRCLE BACK WITH ASHLEY ON THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK SHE WAS OUR CONTACT TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE AT N-S-C-R-C.
NOW IT MIGHT BE T I'M NOT CERTAIN AT, AT LEAST I FEEL LIKE ASHLEY REFERRED ME OVER TO TERRAN TO OKAY.
AND, AND I COULD BE ALL WRONG ABOUT THAT, BUT, BUT WE WILL EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE MORE.
I'LL HAVE BETTER INFORMATION FOR YOU, UM, AT A LATER DATE.
IN THAT STUDY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE AREA THAT'S BEHIND, UH, WHAT USED TO BE RAMSEY AND THAT'S ON CHURCH STREET UNDERUTILIZED, WHERE IT'S PRIVATE PARKING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN ANYTHING DONE SINCE 2019 TO SORT OF MAKE THAT MORE AVAILABLE OR MORE PUBLIC BE USED.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, NICK.
UM, WHERE CHURCH STREET IS ON MAIN STREET.
I MEAN THERE'S THE PRIVATE LOT THAT THE YEAH.
THAT THE BANK PROPERTY OWNS MM-HMM
AND THEN THERE'S SOME, SOME TOWN PARKING BEHIND IT ON JACKSON.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S THE PRIVATE LOT BEHIND THE MELISSA ITI STUDIO.
BUT THEN I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE LINE IS, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S EITHER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK ON JACKSON STREET OR THAT PLUS, YOU KNOW.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT THAT LOT BEHIND THERE.
AND IN THAT STUDY THEY NOTED THAT IT'S UNDERUTILIZED.
PUTTING UP SIGNS SAYING THERE IS PUBLIC PARKING HERE.
SO THE PUBLIC PARKING ON JACKSON STREET IS ABSOLUTELY UNDERUTILIZED.
AND THAT WOULD BE, THERE'S OVER A HUNDRED PUBLIC SPACES THERE.
RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE WAY TO JUST HAVE SIGNS SAY, PUBLIC PARKING THIS WAY.
NOW, THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ACTED UPON.
SO AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN SEARCHING FOR PARKING, AND I MADE A POINT OF MENTIONING IT, I THINK AT OUR LAST MEETING.
UM, WE NEED THE SIGN THAT SAYS THESE LOTS ARE FULL
I, I EXAGGERATE, BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU.
OR, OR OR A PERMANENT SIGN THAT SAYS WHEN THESE LOTS ARE FULL, THERE'S LOTS OF PARKING OVER ON JACKSON STREET AND IT'S NEARBY.
YOU JUST HAVE TO NAVIGATE YOUR WAY TO IT.
BUT MAYBE IT'S AS SIMPLE AS A, YOU KNOW, A NOT A, NOT A CHANGING SIGN, BUT SURE.
BUT A FIXED SIGN THAT DIRECTS PEOPLE THERE.
'CAUSE THE SIGNS THAT SAY PARKING THIS WAY WHEN I SEE 'EM MM-HMM
THEY'RE DIRECTING ME INTO A LOT THAT IS ALREADY FULL BECAUSE I WANT TO PARK BEHIND ON Q FABRICA OR THE TOWN HALL MM-HMM
[00:40:01]
TO PARK ON JACKSON.'CAUSE IF I DO, I'M GONNA PARK IN MY THEATER LOT
UM, I THINK SIGNAGE IS A GOOD IDEA.
UM, I, I THINK WE COULD, I THINK WE NEED TO GET THAT DONE FAIRLY QUICKLY.
WE HAVE AN IN-HOUSE SIGN SHOP.
UM, LET ME TALK WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP AND, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH THAT WOULD THAT OUR DOWNTOWN REQUIREMENT.
UM, I MEAN IT MIGHT TAKE SOME, SOME PRESSURE OFF, YOU KNOW.
WELL, THERE'S NO PLACE TO PARK DOWN HERE.
TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, JUST ON THE OTHER ONE BLOCK BACK.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MAINE, THERE'S A HUNDRED SPACES, NO PARKING.
WHEN THERE IS PARKING, YOU GOTTA KNOW WHERE IT'S AT.
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, WHEN I, WHEN I CAME TO THIS MEETING A MONTH AGO, I WAS LIKE, AH, THERE NO PLACE TO PARK.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK THERE,
THERE'S ALSO, I WAS JUST, WHEN FRANK AND I PULLED IN THE DELPHI BUILDING, THERE'S A LOT OF SPACES WITH COMCAST, WHEREVER THEY ARE NOW, UM, THAT'S TOWN OWNED, ISN'T IT? YES.
AND THAT PARKED BEHIND YOU GUYS.
SO COMCAST BUILDING, IS THAT, IS THAT THE OLD HE'S TALKING ABOUT? ROYAL AND COMCAST USED TO BE IN THERE.
AND THEN, AND THAT'S WHERE THE TOWN, UH, BILLING OR FINANCE DEPARTMENT USED TO BE IN THERE YEARS AND YEARS AGO TOO.
UM, AND THEN WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE, THEY MOVED AND, AND OKAY.
XFINITY NOW IN WINCHESTER, I THINK IS CLOSE OFFICE.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I MEAN THAT MIGHT BE A, A STOP GAP, RIGHT? THERE'S JUST YES.
SOME SIGNS FOR THE PRIMARY PARKING THAT SAYS SECONDARY PARKING IS, IS OVER HERE.
I YOU COULD INCORPORATE A MAP SOMEHOW.
PEOPLE WHO KNOW I'M NOT, WEREN'T FAMILIAR.
I TOLD YOU JACKSON, YOU'D BE LIKE, HUH.
I'D BE LIKE, WHAT? I'D BE DRIVING AROUND IN A CIRCLES, BUT, RIGHT.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANNA TALK ABOUT? SO RICK SENT ME ON A LITTLE THING HERE.
I WENT TO THIS CT MEETING OVER AT BLUE RIDGE TECHNICAL CENTER.
AND SO SEND YOU YEAH, YOU TOLD ME.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, HEY, GO CHECK THIS OUT.
SO, UM, SO I WENT TO THIS, I WENT TO THIS EVENT AND IT WAS A BUNCH OF TEACHERS, A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY OF HIRING LIKE HUMAN RESOURCES.
AND, UH, SO THEY'RE HAVING A HIRING EVENT.
UM, SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT, I'VE GOT TOLD 'EM, I WOULD PASS THAT AROUND.
SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE COME IN, UM, LOOKING TO TRY TO DO INTERNSHIPS.
APRIL, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT OUR, OUR HR DEPARTMENT IS ATTENDING IN PUBLIC WORKS.
SO, UH, SO THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE PRETTY BIG.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE.
THEY HAD LIKE TORY THERE AND WHERE A COUPLE OTHER BIG COMPANIES.
IT'S ON THE, ON THE WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, A COUPLE THINGS THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR PROGRAMS ARE GROWING.
UM, AND UH, THIS PAST YEAR THEY HAD OVER 700 STUDENTS FROM BOTH WARREN COUNTY AND SKYLINE.
AND, UM, THE BIGGEST THING THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WAS, IS LIKE INTERNSHIPS.
YOU KNOW, LIKE WORKING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE AREA AND, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVING A COUPLE HOURS A WEEK TO ALLOW SOME OF THE, THEIR STUDENTS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE WORKFORCE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE ALSO TALKING ABOUT WAS SOME FUNDAGE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT, UH, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
RIGHT NOW THEY HAD, UM, THEY HAVE A PERSON THAT'S WORKING FULL-TIME, UM, THAT'S THEIR, UH, COORDINATOR AND SHE'S WORKING PART-TIME AND, AND THEY, THEY SAID THEY COULD GET SO MUCH MORE DONE IF SHE WAS WORKING FULL-TIME.
AND, AND I BELIEVE IT 'CAUSE SHE'S PUTTING ON THIS, THIS HIRING THING AND, YOU KNOW, SHE'S WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE STUDENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, A BIG THING TO THINK ABOUT IS WITH THEM IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE ABLE TO, TO GET SOME OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO REALLY GO DOWN THERE, YOU KNOW, STUFF THAT, YOU KNOW, STUFF THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME FUNDING OR BE ABLE TO, ACTUALLY, IT WAS SOMETHING I WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH MR. GREG WAS, IS MAYBE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO GET SOME DONATIONS TOWARDS THEIR PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT MAYBE SOME OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT IT'S, THAT IT'S DOWN THERE OR EVEN THAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED.
YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT UP AN EXAMPLE OF THE HVAC DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GETTING WITH RAY OR WITH SOMEBODY AROUND HERE AND YOU KNOW, SAYING, HEY, IF YOU GOT SOME OLD EQUIPMENT THAT YOU'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO USE, MAYBE WE COULD TAKE IT DOWN THERE INSTEAD OF JUST RECYCLING OR THROWING IT AWAY OR, UM, SO HE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THAT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF THROW THAT OUT THERE, UM, THAT 32% OF THEIR STUDENTS ARE SPECIAL
[00:45:01]
NEEDS, YOU KNOW? AND SO THAT, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD, UH, I THOUGHT OF, YOU KNOW, REALLY WANTED TO GIVE BACK.UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT SOME OF THESE INTERNSHIPS, THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE ABILITY TO GAIN A LOT OF, UH, UH, HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS.
AND SO SOME OF THESE, THESE INTERNSHIPS WOULD REALLY HELP SUPPORT SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS TO GET THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO I WENT ON, I DID THAT, WENT TO THAT MEETING, AND, UH, A LOT OF GOOD STUFF THERE.
IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN CONNECTING WITH THEM, I'VE GOT THEIR INFORMATION AND, UH, I THINK THE PERSON THAT WALTON, I THINK HER NAME WAS ANNA WALTON.
UM, SO, UH, IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN THAT, I HAVE THEIR INFO AS WELL.
JUST FOR ANY COMPANY THAT MUST HAVE COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THE HIRING EVENT.
AND THEY NEED PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TALK TO THEIR STUDENTS.
SO THAT WAS A BIG THING, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IN ANY, YOU KNOW, FORM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST LOOKING TO ENCOURAGE, BE, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY, EVEN IF IT'S NOT A, SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE A PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THEY TALKED ABOUT JUST BRINGING IN PEOPLE.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT, IT WAS VERY APPARENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORKFORCE, THEY WANT TO PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS FOR THE WORKFORCE AND SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THEY, THEY WERE GIVEN, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY HELPS 'EM GO BACK INTO THOSE CLASSES AND SET THOSE STUDENTS UP TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
BUD KNOCKED THAT OUT OF THE PARK.
SO LESLIE, THIS IS WHO I WANTED YOU TO MEET, WAS MR. GREG, RIGHT? LAST NAME GREG.
WELL, WE'LL GET, WE'LL IT TO YOU.
UM, IT YOU TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE SAYING YOU WANTED TO MEET SOMEBODY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR YOU TO GET CONNECTED.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS OR IT ISN'T.
YOU CAN GO DOWN THERE FOR LUNCH IF YOU GET WITH THEM.
THEY SAID THE BEST WAY TO GET AND, AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WALK AND TALK IS THEY HAVE, THEIR CULINARY DEPARTMENT DOES THEIR CAFE.
AND UH, THEY SAID IT'S A GREAT WAY TO SIT AND HAVE AN HOUR'S CONVERSATION.
WE DID THE TOUR THERE, SUGGESTED THAT WE WERE UPSET BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE FOOD FOR US.
STRAWBERRY DID YOU? IT WAS DELICIOUS.
WELL, UH, YOU EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS.
AND I THINK YOU REPRESENTED US, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS BOARD COULD.
UM, I'M NOT KNOCKING AGAINST ANYBODY ELSE, BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT, THAT WAS AN ARTICLE THAT I READ, UH, ABOUT MIKE ROWE AND HIS FOUNDATION.
AND, UH, THERE ARE SCHOLARSHIPS TO TRADE SCHOOLS AND THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF PATHS TO SUCCESS, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS WE CAN CONNECT IN WITH THAT AND GET MR. GREG, UH, DOWN THERE CONNECTED TO, TO THEM AS WELL.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SEE, SEE WHERE IT LEADS, YOU KNOW.
SO ANYWAY, UM, JUST INTERESTING, INTERESTING ARTICLE THAT WAS IN A PAPER THAT I WAS READING THIS WEEK, AND SO I THOUGHT I'D BRING IT TO THE MEETING.
SO WHAT ELSE GUYS? ALL RIGHT, WELL, UM, IS THERE, OH, SORRY.
IS THERE, SO ON THE PARKING STUDY, IS THERE AN APPETITE FOR US TO DO AN RFP? IS THAT, OH, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY OUR NEXT STEPS.
IF WE, IF WE CAN'T UPDATE IN A, IN A EASY AND WAY, UM, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
WE'LL FOLLOW ALL THE PROCUREMENT.
I, WE MIGHT TECHNICALLY HAVE TO DO AN RFP NO MATTER WHAT WE DO ONCE WE'RE READY TO SERIOUSLY EXPLORE.
HEY, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, MS. WALTON DID SAY THAT IF WE WOULD LIKE HER TO COME IN, SHE'D BE WILLING TO COME TO ONE OF OUR MEETINGS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT SHE'S DOING DOWN THERE.
DO YOU WANT LIZZIE TO REACH OUT TO HER OR YOU? YEAH, I WAS THINKING THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS FOR THE MICRO FOUNDATION, BUT I CAN TAKE A QUICK LOOK AND PUT TOGETHER A MEETING REQUEST LETTER FOR MR. GREG TO SUBMIT TO THEM.
THE COOLEST THING TOO IS THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE, UH, TRADES, UH, COMPETITION NEXT YEAR IN, IN WARREN COUNTY.
SO LIKE THE ELECTRICIANS AND THE HVAC GUYS, THEY ALL GET TOGETHER AND LIKE THE APPRENTICES, THEY ALL COMPETE FOR LIKE, IT COULD BE NUMBER ONE.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
OH YEAH, WE SHOULD FIND A WAY TO
[00:50:01]
SPONSOR THAT.ANYWAY, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS, UH, APRIL 7TH, SAYING THAT TIME.
THAT CHANNEL, UH, MOTION TO ADUR.
THAT MOTION ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH SAYING AYE.