[00:00:02]
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD MEETING, UH, WITH A ROLL CALL FROM HILLARYSECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE SO WE CAN DISCUSS THEM ANYWAY? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED.
EXISTING BUSINESS RETAIL STRATEGIES UPDATE.
SO I, OUR ACCOUNT MANAGER, MICHAEL AND I HAVE BEEN PLAYING PHONE TECH NOW FOR ABOUT 16 DAYS.
UM, I AM JUST GONNA CALL HIM ABOUT EVERY EIGHT MINUTES TOMORROW UNTIL HE ANSWERS.
UM, HE TRAVELS A LOT BECAUSE HE WORKS LIKE THE WHOLE MID-ATLANTIC, SO I GET IT.
AND I'VE BEEN A LITTLE OUT OF POCKET MYSELF.
UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ASSEMBLED THE PRESENTATION FOR US TO SEE WHAT THEIR ROLLOUT PLAN IS AND HIT US WITH THEIR TOP FIVE.
SO THE WAY THEY KIND OF WORK IS THAT THESE ARE THE FIVE SITES THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
THESE ARE THE BUSINESSES WE'RE GONNA GO AFTER FOR THESE FIVE SITES THAT EXIST.
WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT? THAT'S THE FORMAT THAT I'VE BEEN BRIEFED ON.
UM, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT ON THE SCHEDULE HERE VERY SHORTLY.
UM, MY GOAL IS TO HAVE THAT IN THE NEXT 10 DAYS.
HAD THE FLEA MARKET PROPERTY, I KNOW IT ALMOST TIMED OUT THE SAME EXACT TIME AS THE SIGNAGE WENT UP.
DID THE FLEA MARKET PROPERTY MAKE IT BEFORE THE SIGN? OKAY.
AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE KNEW WERE COMING BUT WEREN'T PUBLICIZED YET, WE SHARED THAT INFORMATION WITH THEM AS WELL.
SO, UM, YEAH, AND THEN MORE THINGS HAVE COME TO LIGHT ABOUT FOLKS WHO ARE, WELL, I WAS THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
SO WE'VE BEEN IN PRETTY CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THEM ABOUT CHANGES AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
SO, UM, THEY ARE AWARE THAT OUR BIG LOTS WAS SAVED.
AND SO NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THAT SAID, SO WHY DON'T YOU BRIEF THE BOARD ON THAT? 'CAUSE, UM, IT'S, I HEARD IT AS A RUMOR.
I, I'VE HEARD DISCUSSIONS, BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW IT'S COMING BACK.
SO THERE IS A SIGN NOW, I JUST SAW IT A COUPLE DAYS AGO MM-HMM
THAT SAYS THEY'RE COMING BACK.
SO I KNOW THAT BIG LOTS, A BIG CHUNK OF THEIR STORES WERE CLOSED, BUT SOMEONE CAME IN AND BOUGHT WHAT WAS LEFT, AND OUR LOCATION WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE LIST TO COME BACK IN THIS NEW BRANDING THAT'S GONNA LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IT ONCE WAS.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT WILL LOOK AND FEEL VERY MUCH LIKE IT DID PRIOR TO CLOSING.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY DETAILS ON THE TIMELINE FOR THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE IS A SIGN THAT'S LIKE, WE'RE COMING BACK.
SO, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR CORPORATE MOTIVATIONS WERE.
UM, I, WE COULD GUESS, BUT, UM, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL BE A VACANT PROPERTY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SO THANKS.
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SPECULATED AND OH, YEAH.
I RECEIVED QUESTIONS AND I WAS LIKE, I RELATED THE SAME STORY THAT YOU JUST RELATED, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF OUR STORE WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
THAT'D BE SAVED UNDER THIS MAYBE NEW BRAND.
AND SO I THINK PART OF THAT DISCONNECT IS THAT THEY LEFT THOSE CLOSING SIGNS UP FOR A LONG TIME, EVEN AFTER WE WERE ON THE LIST TO BE SAFE MM-HMM
UM, SO I, I THINK WE WERE ALL KINDA LIKE, OKAY, WELL THIS SAYS ONE THING, BUT YOUR WALL SAYS ANOTHER.
SO I, I, I DO, I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THE INFORMATION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THAT IT IS GOING TO REOPEN AS A RETAIL SHOP AS IT WAS PREVIOUS.
SO, I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR SIGN SHOP, UH, HERE IN TOWN.
WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE OUR OWN INTERNALLY, AND WE WANNA DO THIS IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
SO THE PART WE WERE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT JACKSON STREET, BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S PUBLIC SPACES BACK THERE THAT AREN'T BEING UTILIZED TO THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL.
SO THEY'VE IDENTIFIED A COUPLE OF CHALLENGES.
NUMBER ONE IS THAT THE LINES ARE A BIT FADED BACK THERE, SO IT'S NOT QUITE AS CLEAR AS TO WHERE THE SPACES ARE.
NUMBER TWO, OF COURSE, WE'RE WORKING AROUND A NUMBER OF PRIVATELY OWNED LOTS BACK THERE.
TWO OF THOSE OWNERS IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW MM-HMM
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT IS PUBLIC AND WHAT IS NOT.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA EXPERIMENT A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME PAVEMENT MARKINGS, AS WELL AS RE LINES, AS WELL AS SIGNAGE.
SO WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN FOR THAT AND HOPE, HOPING TO DEPLOY IN A PERFECT WORLD, I'D LOVE TO HAVE IT DONE BEFORE WINE AND CRAFT FESTIVAL, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT DONE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT THIS
[00:05:01]
IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON THE RADAR FOR A WHILE, SO THEY WERE HAPPY THAT WE NOTICED TOO.THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
I'LL GET YOU A BETTER TIMELINE WHEN I HAVE ONE, BUT SAY AT THE LAST MEETING WE HAD DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, UH, STARTING ANOTHER, OR A CONVERSATION ABOUT AN UPDATED STUDY MM-HMM
BECAUSE THE ONE WAS DONE PRE PANDEMIC.
AND I HAVE NOT MADE ANY HEADWAY ON THAT.
SO, ANOTHER OUT OF THE FAR LOOP QUESTION YOU MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE MISSED BEFORE THE OLD, UH, COUNTY JAIL PROPERTY.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THAT STILL OWNED BY THE COUNTY? I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT THINGS THAT IT'S NOT, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS.
NO, I, I'M THINKING MORE LIKE ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING, I THINK QUALIFIER ON THAT.
I, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS STILL OWNED BY THE COUNTY.
UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT I'VE HAD A COUPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS GOING ON ABOUT BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THEIR SPACE, THEIR PARKING SPACES, LIKE AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTER AND OTHER PLACES.
AND THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
UM, WE'VE NEVER HAD A SPECIFIC CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CAN WE REMARK OR RE OR ADD SIGNAGE OR WHATEVER TO THAT PARKING LOT, BUT I THINK THEY'D BE OPEN TO THE CONVERSATION.
WELL, IT'S DEFINITELY WHERE HEADED THAT'S COME INTO PLAY FOR THE PARKING STUDY.
UM, FOR MAIN STREET, FOR THE, FOR THE COURTHOUSE.
TO ME, WE NEED TO START A CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY TO, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING WITH IT THAT'S OUT OF THE REALM.
YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO BE THOUGHT OF.
UM, IS IT PRACTICAL FOR A SMALL PARKING GARAGE? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? YES.
UM, THE FOOTPRINT OF THE PARKING GARAGE, THE FIRST ONE TO EVER PUT OVER IN WINCHESTER IS ALMOST THE SAME EXACT PROGRAM.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR TWO STORIES WITH THIS GUY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED TO SOMEONE ELSE, IT WOULD BE A SHAME FOR US NOT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATE OR EVEN LONG RANGE INTENTIONS ON THEIR BEHALF WITH THAT PROPERTY, BUT OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT IN THEIR STAFF MEETINGS.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO EXPRESS THAT TO THEM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD, UM, JOINT CONVERSATION.
I MEAN, NOBODY'S RENTING IT OR ANYTHING NOW, RIGHT? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO.
SO THERE'S SOME STORAGE ACTIVITY GOING ON, IS ALL I SEE.
WELL, ANYWAY, THEY'RE UNDER FINANCIAL PRESSURES LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, SO I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST GO ON RECORD AS SAYING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE.
SO, UH, I THINK OUR NEXT ITEM IS, UH, CARRIE
CARRIE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
I TOLD CARRIE HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO LIKE A SLIDE DECK OR ANYTHING.
HE COULD JUST CHAT WITH YOU GUYS.
GOT THE CHAIR THAT FALLS ALL THE WAY BACK.
ALRIGHT, SO CARRIE, SPELL DIRECTOR OF ENERGY SERVICES HERE FOR TOWN.
BEST Y'ALL KNOW ME OR HAVE TALKED TO ME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THERE'S A FEW FACES THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE I'VE MET BEFORE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WELL, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
WELL, SO CAN YOU GIVE US A, WELL, UM, I GUESS CAN YOU GIVE US AN UP, JUST A GENERAL UPDATE ABOUT ENERGY SERVICES AND THEN MAYBE A, A SOLAR SPECIFIC, UH, YOU KNOW, SOLAR PANEL? UH, OKAY.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON, I MEAN, WE ASKED YOU TO BE HERE BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR, UH, BEING ABLE TO SELL ENERGY BACK TO, UH, THE COUNTY.
THEY HAVE NET METERING QUESTIONS.
SO WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON NET METERING POLICY, UHHUH,
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON OUR CONNECTION FEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT BEFORE WE PRESENT TO COUNCIL.
UM, SO WE'RE THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF GETTING ALL THAT COMPLETED.
UM, WE ARE DOING A BREAK STUDY AGAIN BECAUSE OF OUR CURRENT TRANSMISSION CHARGERS THAT WENT UP A THOUSAND PERCENT.
UM, THERE'S A PJM, UM, AUCTION EVERY YEAR.
HISTORICALLY, THE HIGHEST WAS 88 CENTS.
IT WENT UP TO $881, SO, OH MY GOSH.
SO, UM, FIRST TIME EVER, IT'S, IT'S HISTORIC NUMBERS.
I'LL SAVE YOU MY ENERGY FOR WAY LESS THAN THAT.
CORRECT? SURE, SURE, SURE, SURE.
UM, SO THE TOWN RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'RE GONNA, WE, WE HAVE THE, THE PAY FOR THAT CHARGE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO RATE PERIODS, WHICH IS LOOKING LIKE A 1%, OR SORRY, 10%, WHICH IS A 1 CENT,
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UM, KILOWATT.ADD OR TO YOUR BILL, POTENTIALLY, POTENTIALLY.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, IT ALL HAS TO BE VOTED ON FOR OUR COUNCIL.
THAT'S RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
UM, NEXT, THE 14TH, THE NEXT WORK SESSION WE WILL HAVE AMP, UH, WHICH IS THAT WHO WE PURCHASE OUR POWER THROUGH.
UM, THEY WILL BE COMING AND GIVEN A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL AND IT'S GOING, IT'S GOING TO TELL EVERYTHING AND WHY THE, THE, THE RATE INCREASE IS COMING.
SO CAN YOU TELL US OR YOU HAVE TO, TO COME TO THE SHOW? HE PRETTY MUCH JUST GOT IT.
SO WHAT'D YOU SAY THE PJM CHARGES, THE REASON THE RATES ARE GOING UP? UM, TELL ME WHAT THAT TLA IS? PJN.
WHAT IS, WHAT DOES THAT ACRONYM STAND FOR? OH, PJN.
SO I BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
SO FROM OHIO, CANADA, DOWN OHIO, A LITTLE BIT OF ILLINOIS, INDIANA OVER INTO NEW YORK.
UM, LITTLE BIT OF KENTUCKY AND COMES INTO VIRGINIA.
NORTH CAROLINA IS OUR REGION IS OUR PJM REGION.
SO IT'S ALL BROKE UP IN REGIONS.
THE PJM IS PROBABLY RUNNING ABOUT 75% MAX CAPACITY RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE ELECTRICITY, BUT THEY NEED TO PUT GENERATION SITES ONLINE AND BY GENERATION SITES, I MEAN, SOME TYPE OF GAS, SOME TYPE OF COAL, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S KICKING COAL.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT COAL, SO IT'S GOTTA BE SOME TYPE OF GAS OR SOMETHING.
I'M PRETTY SURE THEY LIKE ELECTRICITY.
YOU WOULD THINK SO, BUT WHAT YOU HEAR, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU DO.
YOU CAN'T POWER AN EV WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.
SO WHAT YOU HEAR, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF THE, THE, THE, THE, THE GAS MM-HMM
THEY'RE GETTING RID OF THE COAL BY 2035 MM-HMM
THEY'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE COAL COMPLETELY.
SO, UM, SO THE PJM NETWORK IS THAT PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, OF THE UNITED STATES? THEY CHARGE US A PERCENTAGE TO GET THE POWER AND MAINTAIN CONGESTION ON TRANSMISSION LINES.
SO, UM, AND NO, IT'S JUST SO, SO STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA MEAN, WHAT DO THEY, WHAT ATTRIBUTE THAT TO YOU MEAN WHAT? LOAD DEMAND.
THEY'RE JUST HAVING TO DO A LOT MORE OF THIS
THAT'S, I DON'T, I CAN'T, YOU DUNNO.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY, BUT THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT CONGESTION.
THAT'S WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE ON THE TRANSMISSION LINE.
SO, UM, THEY DID GET SUED BY THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA AND THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO NEGOTIATIONS INSTEAD OF FLOOR.
AND THEY STOPPED AT LIKE $3 AND SOMETHING.
SO IT'S NEVER GONNA GO BACK TO 88 CENTS LIKE WE WERE GETTING MM-HMM
SO THE FLOOR, I BELIEVE IS LIKE $3 AND THEY SET THE TOP FOUR, I BELIEVE NINE.
SO THAT WAS WHERE MY 900 WA WAS ON A KILOWATT.
SO THE TOWN, UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE ABOUT 20 TO 25%.
WE'RE RIGHT THERE BETWEEN, UH, RENEWABLES IN OUR PORTFOLIO.
SO WE HAVE YOU STILL FAILED OVER THAT'S TWO AND A HALF MEGAWATTS CORRECT.
BEHIND OUR SHOP AND THAT'S BEHIND THE METER.
SO WE GET THE RECS BACK AND WE GET THE BENEFIT OF IT BEING ON OUR SYSTEM.
AND HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK JUST FOR THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL GRID USES PER MONTH IN FRONT ROYAL? SO IT PUTS 400 AMPS BACK ON OUR SYSTEM AND THAT'S GOTTA BE, THE SUN'S GOTTA BE ALIGNED.
YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 11 IDEAL CONDITIONS, IDEAL CONDITIONS BETWEEN 11 AND THREE, IT'S GOTTA BE, IT'S ABOUT 400 AMP, IT'S ABOUT 4 35 ACTUALLY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY FROM AMP BECAUSE YOU HAVE OH NO, NO.
NO, I'M NOT SAYING YOU DON'T PURCHASE IT.
IT PUTS IT BACK ON OUR SYSTEM.
DID I JUST SEE YOU SAY BEFORE THAT THAT THE RENEWABLES ARE 25% AND IS 25% THE LOAD OR OF OUR PORTFOLIO? YES.
SO OVERALL WHOLE, BUT WE DON'T PRODUCE ALL THAT 25% OF RENEWABLE.
IS WHAT THE TOWN NEEDS A YEAR.
THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR PEOPLE.
UM, OF THAT, THAT'S LIKE A DAILY USAGE OR AN AVERAGE.
SO ADD UP THE WHOLE YEAR AND IT'S 52 MEGAWATT.
UM, JUST WANT TO KEEP THIS IN PERSPECTIVE AS WE TALK ABOUT OTHER ISSUES.
IN 25% OF WHAT WE PURCHASED FOR THAT YEAR IS RENEWABLE.
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AND I GET TO ASK THIS AND I TELL THEM I DON'T THINK IT DOES, BUT I'M GONNA ASK IT SO THAT FOR PROSPERITY, I GUESS THE POWER PLANT OUT ACROSS THE RIVER, NO, IT DOESN'T CONTRIBUTE TO US WHATSOEVER, RIGHT? YES SIR.IT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE GRID DOMINION.
IT, IT WAS ALWAYS BUILT TO BE A PEAKER PLANT.
WHEN I WAS ON EDA AT THE TIME, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD ASKED WAS, I DON'T KNOW, IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION OR WHATEVER, IT'S LIKE, CAN POWER BE DIVERTED TO OUR COMMUNITY? AND THEY WERE LIKE, NOPE, WE'RE A PEAKER PLANT AND WE ONLY TURN OUR STUFF ON WHEN WE CAN GET PEAK RATES, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ALL GONNA BE EXPERIENCING PEAKER RATES.
SO YOU SEE THAT THING LASTING THREE SMOKE STACKS ARE WIDE OPEN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO OUR ONLY RENEWABLE RIGHT NOW IS THE SOLAR FUEL OF IN TOWN LIMITS.
BUT OUR RENEWABLES, I MEAN, WE'RE TIED INTO, WE'RE TIED INTO OUR PORTFOLIO.
WE HAVE, UH, HYDRO, WE HAVE WIND FARMS, WE HAVE, UH, MORE SOLAR.
SO WE PURCHASE FROM OTHER PLACES.
THAT'S THE PORTFOLIO MAKEUP THOUGH.
THAT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER OR OPERATE.
JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, JUST 'CAUSE I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT OUR SOLAR, HOW MUCH OF THE 25% PORTFOLIO IS OUR SOLAR FIELD? TWO AND A HALF MEGAWATTS.
SO, SO TWO AND A HALF MEGAWATTS OF OUR 52, 2 AND A HALF MEGAWATTS.
SO IS THERE THE THOUGHT PROCESS THEN FOR THE FUTURE? I, I'VE BEEN APPROACHED, I HAVE A, A BUILDING ON MAIN STREET WITH PRETTY GOOD ROOF LINE THAT'S IN SUN ALL DAY LONG.
AND I WAS APPROACHED ABOUT PUTTING SOLAR ON THERE AND THEY SAID, YOU'LL ACTUALLY PRODUCE MORE ELECTRICITY THAN YOU NEED AND YOU WON'T GET A CREDIT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL SAY, I DON'T SAY YOU'LL PRODUCE MORE ELECTRICITY THAN YOU NEED.
UM, THAT'S AN ARGUMENT RIGHT NOW.
SO, SO IF I COVER MY ONE SIDE OF MY ROOF WITH SOLAR PANELS, YOU'RE GONNA GET A PERCENTAGE, UM, I WOULD SAY 75%.
AND THAT GOES, THAT'S JUST ME.
THAT DOESN'T GENERATE MY BUILDING.
THAT GOES BACK TO YOU GUYS AND THEN IT GENERATES OVERALL.
IT WOULD GO THROUGH YOUR BUILDING.
WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION THE OTHER WEEKEND.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT HAVE A NET METERING POLICY IN TOWN.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON.
YOU HAVE ZERO, BUT WHEN, BUT WHEN HE'S OVERPRODUCING DURING THE TIME, DURING THE DAY, SAY YOU'RE OVERPRODUCING MORE THAN YOU'RE BUILDING WOULD BE USING, THEN IT WOULD GO BACK INTO THE GRID TO BE USED BY THE TOWN IF WE HAD A NET METERING POLICY.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE GET OUR NET METERING POLICY, YOU'LL BE, I COULD ACTUALLY LOOK INTO SOLAR.
YOU CAN LOOK INTO SOLAR NOW, BUT YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET PAID ANYTHING.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANY BENEFIT FOR IT BESIDES WHATEVER GOVERNMENT.
IT'S JUST YOUR, YOUR BENEFIT FOR YOUR BUILDING.
BECAUSE THERE'S PROBABLY, WELL, YOU'RE IN A SIZABLE BUILDING DOWN HERE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE A RENTER, BUT THERE'S A GOOD ROOF LINE UP THERE AND THERE'S QUITE A FEW GOOD ROOF LINES MM-HMM
WELL, I, I HAD SPOKE TO A THEN SOLAR PERSON WHO WAS A PART OWNER OF THAT BUILDING AND HE HAD NO INTEREST IN DOING IT, ODDLY ENOUGH.
UM, BUT, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH.
UM, SO THE METERS THAT OCCUR, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT BIDIRECTIONAL WHATSOEVER.
THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE DEPENDENT.
AND SO ALLY, IF TOM DID PUT SOLAR IN TOMORROW, ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVERY METER AND EVERY BUILDING WOULD HAVE TO, IF, IF THEY'RE GOING SOLAR HAS TO BE REDONE CORRECT.
TO DO BIDIRECTIONAL? UM, NO, NOT NECESSARILY.
SO THERE'D BE SOME TYPE OF, UM, DISCONNECT SWITCH PUT ON IT.
UH, WHEN WE GO TO NET METERING, YES, WE COULD PROB SO THE METERS WE HAVE NOW, THEY'RE BIDIRECTIONAL.
YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE PROGRAMMED.
SO RIGHT NOW WE DETENT THEM WHERE THEY ONLY GO ONE WAY SO THAT THEY DON'T GET WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS CASE IF, IF HE OVER, IF HE PRODUCES MORE THAN IT HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE, DOES IT NOT? HE GOES BACK ON OUR GRID, BUT IT'S NOT METERED.
SO WHAT, SO IF HE DOES IT RIGHT TODAY, IF ANYBODY PUTS SOLAR IN THE HOUSE, IT GOES ON THE GRID, BUT THEN IT, IT'S NOT METERED AT ALL.
SO THEY'RE ONLY SEEING THE BENEFITS, YOU KNOW, DURING THAT, THAT SWEET WINDOW.
WELL, MOST OF YOUR RENTAL LOCATIONS DOWNTOWN HAVE METERS ON THEIR STOREFRONT.
NO, I I, I'VE, BUT THE OWNER COULD OFFER THAT TO A TENANT.
NO, I'VE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF SOLAR COMPANIES ABOUT THIS, BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, AND AND THEY SAY WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR METER DOES.
I MEAN, IT, IT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IT COULD BE READING POWER GOING BOTH WAYS AND YOU'LL GET BILLED FOR THE POWER YOU GENERATE.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION.
ON RESIDENTIALS, NOT TYPICALLY.
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DID HAVE A CUSTOMER, THEY PUT SOLAR ON, THEY DID IT BEHIND THE DISCONNECT.SO IT DIDN'T HAVE TO GET INSPECTIONS.
THEY SHOULD HAVE GOT INSPECTION, BUT THEY DIDN'T.
SO ALL AND THEN THEY ENDED UP PAYING FOR IT.
AND THEY SAID, HEY, HERE, OUR POWER'S GOING UP.
AND WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WE'LL COME DO A TEST.
WELL, WHEN OUR METER GUY GOT THERE, HE NOTICED, OH MAN, THERE'S AN INVERTER.
OH MY GOSH, WHERE'S THIS GOING? IT'S GOING TO SOLAR.
THEY DIDN'T TELL NOBODY SO PLANTED THE ZONING DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND THEY GOT BY, SO THAT WAS SHOWN AS A LOAD.
SO THAT METER WAS JUST SEEING IT AS A LOAD.
SO THEIR BILL WAS PICKING UP WHAT THE SOLAR WAS PRODUCING AND WHAT WE WERE PUSHING BACK.
SO BY TRYING TO, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY WERE TRYING TO DO ANYTHING ILLEGALLY, BUT MAYBE THEY WERE SHIFTED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TO BELIEVE THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED INSPECTION.
THROUGH IF THROUGH IGNORANCE RIGHT.
THEY COST THEMSELVES SOME MONEY.
BUT LIKE, AND I'M TRYING TO KEEP IT SIMPLISTIC IN NATURE FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.
UM, I HAVE FIVE METERS ON MY BUILDING.
IF THEY ALL OWNED A COMMERCIAL.
BUT IF THEY, IF YOU HAVE FIVE METERS ON YOUR BUILDING AND I INVEST IN A SOLAR SYSTEM TO PAY BACK IN, I IN ESSENCE BECOME THE ELECTRIC PROVIDER FOR MY TENANTS.
YOU COULD DO LIKE, UM, UH, EMAN DEMON METERS, UM, YOU COULD METER THAT BACK AND, AND, AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO RECOVER THE COST OF INVESTING IN SOLAR.
SO THERE IS A POLICY IN TOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SELL POWER BACK.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE CURRENT POLICY CURRENTLY.
I THINK WE'RE ALL GONNA NEED EACH OTHER IN THE FUTURE IF ALL THESE PREDICTIONS ABOUT DATA CENTER POWER USE AND EV POWER USE, AND WE'RE ALL GONNA NEED TO PRODUCE POWER IF WE CAN.
AND I, THAT'S MY OPINION, MY GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO HAVE A NET METERING POLICY.
AND I'M HOPING TO HAVE IT BEFORE OCTOBER.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT ALL DEPENDS ON JUST A GOAL.
I GOT LOTS OF GOALS AT MY BUSINESS AND IT'S ALL DEPENDS ON APPROVALS AND, BUT THAT'S OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A NET METERING POLICY THIS YEAR.
IS THERE ANY KIND OF A TAX INCENTIVE TO A MUNICIPALITY LIKE THE TOWN FRONT ROYAL TO GO INTO THAT TYPE OF PROGRAM? OKAY, SO THE, THE ONLY TAX ADVANTAGES WOULD COME TO THE OWNER.
THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF INSTALLING IT.
I MEAN, SOME I WANNA LOOK INTO, BUT NOW IF THE TOWN WERE PUT IT ON A BUILDING, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS IN OUR GOVERNMENT ENTITY, THERE'S A LOT OF ROOFTOPS DOWN.
IF WE WERE ABLE TO PUT IT ON OUR BUILDING AT OUR SHOP, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A HUNDRED BY 80 BUILDING AND THEN OUR TRUCK SHOPS 120 BY 80.
SO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THAT SOLAR ARRAY, THEY COULD BE PUT ON THERE AND, AND YOU KNOW, THEY FACE THE SOUTH, SO.
IT'S SOMETHING CLEAR TO UNDERSTAND FOR OWNERS OF BUILDINGS TO SEE IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL DOWN THERE AND MAKE SURE YOU, THESE OLD BUILDINGS, MAKE SURE YOU GET, YOU KNOW, AN ENGINEER TO SAY YOU CAN PUT THAT ON A ROOF BEFORE THE SOLAR COMPANY COMES AND SAYS, YEAH, YOU CAN DROP DOWN A ROOF
SO I, I DO SOME WORK FOR OTHER PLACES, OTHER, YOU KNOW MM-HMM
AND A SOLAR COMPANY COME AND THEY SAID, HEY, YOU CAN PUT THIS ON YOUR BARN.
AND I WENT IN THERE, I SAID, ARE YOU CRAZY DUDE? ARE YOU GONNA PUT THAT ON YOUR BARN? I SAID, YOU NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER, GET ANOTHER OPINION.
AND HE WENT OVER THERE, HE SAID, DO NOT PUT THIS ON THE BOAT.
AND YOU, THAT'S WHAT HE DID ON THE GROUND OR WHATEVER.
YOU WANT SOLAR, MAKE SURE YOU, YOU'RE BUILDING STRUCTURALLY SOUND FOR, HE'S JUST TRYING TO HAVE A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING THE BENEFIT TO THE OWNER OF A BUILDING, YOU KNOW, OR TO HIS TENANTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS WELL.
BUT EVEN THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, THERE'S A LOT OF ROOF LINES THERE NOW.
YOU KNOW, YOUR BUILDING, LIKE I SAID, YOU WOULD WANT TO PROBABLY PUT THAT TO YOUR HOUSE METER WHERE IT'S COMING THROUGH YOUR HOUSE, METER BACK INTO IT SINCE YOU HAVE FIVE METERS.
AND THEN YOUR MAIN ONE THAT RUNS YOUR LIGHTS, YOUR PARKING LOT, ALL THAT STUFF.
JUST PERSONAL, JUST NO, NO, NO.
YOU DEAL WITH, WELL I'M NOT TRYING TO D DRILL DOWN TOO MUCH TO AN INDIVIDUALISTIC THING KNOW, BUT, UM, I, I'M, I'M JUST IMAGINING ALL THE DIFFERENT ROOF LINES ON MAIN STREET AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ROOFS DOWN THERE.
'CAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE BUILDING.
WELL, ON THE ROOF LOAD MIGHT NOT, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BUILD THE SIZE SYSTEM YOU NEED.
SAY IF YOU WANTED TO BE TOTALLY OFF THE GRID, YOU MIGHT WANT TO COVER YOUR WHOLE ROOF AND YOU STILL WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO BE OFF THE GRID.
THE LAST TIME I LOOKED INTO IT WAS, GOSH, YEAH, I, I LOOKED 15, 18 YEARS AGO.
I LOOKED INTO IT A LITTLE BIT A FEW MONTHS AGO AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I LOOKED INTO IT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL AND I WOULD'VE HAD TO HAVE BEEN, I WOULD'VE HAD TO WANT IT BEFORE IT WOULD'VE PAID FOR ITSELF BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS OVER.
THAT WAS PERSONAL AT MY RESIDENCE.
I TALKED TO THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE JUST TO SEE, I WANT SEE HOW
THE MATH DOESN'T WORK AS WELL HERE BECAUSE OUR ELECTRIC RATES ARE LOWER THAN THEIRS ARE.
AND SO IN SOME PLACES THE PAYBACK IS,
[00:25:01]
YOU KNOW, A LOT QUICKER OR, OR THERE IS A PAYBACK.NOW HERE YOU MAY WANNA DO IT 'CAUSE YOU'RE WARM AND FUZZY ABOUT RENEWABLES OR YOU KNOW, OR YOU WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS TO DO IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE TOWN GOING INTO THIS NEXT GENERATION OF ENERGY, HOW MUCH UPGRADE DOES THE TOWN ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO TO ACTUALLY GET THERE? SO REALISTICALLY, RIGHT NOW WE'RE PRETTY MUCH UPGRADED.
UM, MOST OF OUR SUBSTATIONS ARE AT 50% TO 70%, UM, USAGE.
SO WHEN WE RUN, WE, WE TRY TO KEEP OUR SUBSTATIONS WHERE WE CAN TIE IN THE SURFACE.
SO IF WE WERE TO DROP A SUBSTATION, WE COULD PICK UP THIS PART OF TOWN WITH THE SAME STATION AND WE HAVE FIVE STATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE ROOM FOR ADDITIONAL GROWTH.
AND OUR LINES FOR THE MOST PART ARE UP TO DATE.
WE HAVE RERUN 3 36 ALUMINUM EVERYWHERE.
DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF THAT? UM, BASICALLY OUR, OUR, OUR CAPACITY.
SO IF, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF THIS BOARD IS TO BRING IN MORE BUSINESS THINGS LIKE THAT.
IF, IF SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME, THERE WAS SOME, UH, SAVERS RATTLING A COUPLE YEARS AGO ABOUT DATA CENTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOT POWER CONSUMPTION, YOU KNOW, GOING UP.
DO WE HAVE, I MEAN I I I CAN'T REMEMBER.
IT WAS SPIT OUT VERY EARLY ON IN TERMS OF CAPACITY AND WHAT WE HAVE LEFT IN TERMS OF THAT KIND OF THING.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WATER IS THE SAME IDEA.
THOSE TAP FEES WENT WAY, WAY UP.
ALL, SO DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE DATA CENTER, IF THEY ARE RIGHT BY A MAIN TRANSMISSION LINE AND THE DATA CENTER WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE UPGRADE AND THEY'RE BASICALLY, I MEAN, THEY MIGHT LEAVE THE TOWN OUT ENTIRELY, WHICH MIGHT BE OKAY OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S IN OUR, IT'S IN OUR FOOTPRINT SO RIGHT.
SO, BUT IF THEY WANTED TO PUT A DATA CENTER ON MAIN STREET, THAT WOULD BE A LOT DIFFERENT THAN PUTTING A DATA CENTER NEAR A TRANSMISSION LINE.
IT'S GOTTA BE NEAR A TRANSMISSION LINE.
SO THERE'S, UH, AS FAR AS FOR THE TOWN, EVERYTHING THAT THE TOWN'S ANNEXED, WE CAN HANDLE THE LOAD AS FAR AS RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, WE HAVE GROWTH COMING.
Y'ALL PROBABLY KNOW ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE HAVE A TRA WE HAVE A SUBSTATION THAT'S BEING PROBABLY QUARTERED USED OUT IN THE AREA WHERE THE GROVE'S COMING FOR RESIDENTIAL, FOR THE MOST PART IN TOWN WE'RE PRETTY MUCH BUILT UP.
SO ALL THE U ALL THE REAL ESTATE WE HAVE IN TOWN IS ALREADY USED UNLESS IT'S SOME CRAZY RIGHT.
SO FECS BEAUTIFUL SPOT FOR SOMETHING WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, TRANSMISSION LINES RUN RIGHT BY THERE.
THERE ARE 1 35 LINES THOUGH, SO THEY'RE A LITTLE SMALL MM-HMM
BUT THEY DO MAKE THEIR WAY BACK TO THE 500 LINES AT SOME POINT.
SO THERE'S A STATION OUT THERE, ISN'T THERE A A THAT STATION BUT A, A FENCE OFF ON THE CORNER OF IT, RIGHT? YEAH, WE HAVE RIGHT UP AGAINST THE WOODS AND RMA.
HAN HAS A SUBSTATION RIGHT BEHIND THERE AS WELL.
SO, BUT THE MAIN LINES THAT RUN THROUGH THERE ARE FIRST ENERGY END LINES.
NOW THEY GO ALL THE WAY TO OHIO.
SO, AND THEY RUN DOWN TIED INTO LURAY, UM, HYDRO, ALL THAT AS WELL.
SO THE BIG LINES ARE OUT THE HAPPY CREEK CORRIDOR.
BIG LINES ARE AT THE HAPPY CREEK CORRIDOR.
UM, AND THEN YOU GO OUT TOWARDS LOWE'S OBVIOUSLY, WHERE THAT, THAT GAS FIRE PLANT TIES IN.
BUT ALSO THAT 1 35 RUNS INTO THERE.
HISTORICALLY, THE MEETINGS I'VE SET IN, I'VE SENT IN A LOT OF METERS.
UM, THEY COME IN, THEY PAY FOR EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, THEY PAY FOR THE NUTS AND BOLT.
EVEN LIKE MANUFACTURING, I MEAN YOU'VE STILL GOT A, I I I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS IN TERMS OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, YES, YOU CAN ESTIMATE, BUT, BUT, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WHAT, WHAT CAN COME OR WILL COME.
SO, AND SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT NUMBER OR, OR I COULD TAKE OR IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A, A CAP THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP, LIKE DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, 15% OPEN? UM, NO.
SO YOU CAN BE A HUNDRED PERCENT THE WHOLE TIME.
UM, AS FAR AS THE DATA CENTER'S CALL PEPPER.
SO CALL PEPPER'S ABOUT A 43 MEGAWATT TOWN.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ELECTRIC SYSTEM, JUST LIKE THE TOWN.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO, WHAT DATA CENTER COME IN THERE.
THEY PUT TWO 50 MEGAWATT DATA CENTERS IN THERE AND THEY'RE PROJECTING TO GO UP TO RIGHT AT 200
[00:30:01]
MEGAWATTS ON TOP OF WHAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR LIMITS.THEY PRETTY MUCH TOOK A METERING POINT FROM DOMINION ON THEIR Q 20 OR WHATEVER CAME LINE THEY GOT THERE.
THEY TOOK A METERING POINT, PUT A, UM, PROTECTION SCHEME IN AND SENT IT STRAIGHT TO THE DATA CENTER.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW IT WOULD WORK INSIDE THE TOWN.
SO IT COMPLETELY BYPASSES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE THE, IT WOULDN'T TOUCH OUR, IT WOULDN'T TOUCH OUR POWER, OUR CAPACITY.
IT DOESN'T OUR, ALL WE WOULD DO, WE WOULD TAKE A METERING POINT AND WE WOULD BUY IT FROM FIRST ENERGY.
IF, IF IT HAD THIS, WE WOULD BUY IT FROM FIRST ENERGY.
WE WOULD SELL IT STRAIGHT TO THE DATA CENTER AND ALL WE WOULD HAVE WOULD BE A PROTECTION SCHEME.
SO IT WOULDN'T IT DOES, IT DOES DOESN'T AFFECT THE TOWN ENERGY.
REALLY DOESN'T, AS LONG AS IT'S DONE.
AS LONG AS IT'S DONE THE WAY YOU DESCRIBED IT.
'CAUSE IT GOES ON THE TRANSMISSION.
BUT IF THE PJM WAS WILLING TO SELL TO THE DATA CENTER OR THEY DON'T, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REGULATORY.
SO THEY JUST REGULATE AND CUT, TAKE A SLICE OFF.
SO IT WOULD GO THROUGH A, A WHOLE, WHO'S THE DECIDER ON THE POWER? IF I SAY SOMEBODY WANTED TO BUILD 20 DATA CENTERS IN AN AREA THAT'S A PGM NETWORK.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING DOWN IN.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA REST AND ALL THAT.
BUT, BUT WHO BUT SO ASHBURN GO REG REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
I'M JUST CURIOUS WHO, WHO COULD, WHO COULD SAY, NO, THIS IS TOO MUCH HERE.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT WOULD BE OKAY.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD 20 OF THEM.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY WOULD TELL YOU NO.
WOULD IT BE SAFE TO SAY THAT THE, THE MORE OF THOSE THAT COME ONLINE, THE HIGHER THAT PJM GOES UP? YEAH.
SO THE CONSUMER ENDS UP PAYING FOR THAT IN THE LONG TERM.
THAT'S WHY YOUR ELECTRIC GRADES ARE GOING UP.
'CAUSE THESE DATAS OKAY, THAT'S A GOOD NUGGET.
YOU TRADE THAT OFF BY THE TAX DOLLARS BEING CONTRIBUTED BY THE DATA CENTER TO THE MUNICIPALITY THAT THEY'RE LOCATED IN.
WELL, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF PROS AND CONS, RIGHT? I MEAN, BACK AND FORTH.
DON'T YOU LIKE USING THESE? DON'T YOU LIKE STORING YOUR DATA? DON'T YOU LIKE YOUR STUFF UP IN THE CLOUD OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST PAPER AND PENCIL ABOVE DON'T USE LOT POWER.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU WE'RE CONSUMING IT.
THEY'RE CREATING, THEY'RE ADDRESSING THE DEMAND.
EVERY, EVERYONE, EVERY TIME YOU GENERATE A WHALE WITH CRUSTACEAN YEAH.
THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING.
EVERY TIME YOU WASH A WHALE OH MY GOD.
I MEAN, TO THE POINT NOW WHERE OVER 50% OF WHAT YOU SEE ON, ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA IS THAT WELL, AND AI'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE, IT'S JUST FLOW.
IT'S, IT'S GONNA GET EXPONENTIAL.
IT'S, IT'LL BE EXPON, YOU KNOW, FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU, YOU THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF GOING INTO THIS NEXT SECTOR OF, OF ENERGY? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST BROUGHT UP HAVING AN ENGINEER INVOLVED.
YOU KNOW, I'M A, I'M A HUGE PROPONENT OF THAT.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO THIS NEXT EX SECTOR NEEDS TO HAVE ENGINEERING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, HEY ELECTRICIAN, GO HOOK IT UP.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE CREATING POWER NOW.
YOU KNOW? UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE BUILD OR CREATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAYBE BUSINESSES COULD BE MADE AWARE OF TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SUPPORT THAT GROWTH? YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE I KNOW LIKE WHEN I CAME INTO TOWN, THERE WAS LIKE METERS, YOU KNOW, NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE HIGH LEGS AND SURE.
YOU KNOW, SO THAT WAS AFFECTING EQUIPMENT AND, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT OBVIOUSLY BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE SITTING HERE, YOU KNOW, COULD BE MADE AWARE OF AS WE GO THROUGH IT THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE EXTRA COST? YOU KNOW, YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE P THE, UM, PJM, YOU KNOW, DATA CENTERS ARE CAUSING THAT.
BUT LIKE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA GO ON THE BUSINESS THAT THEY NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OF OUTSIDE OF JUST BUYING A SOLAR PACKAGE? UM, JUST MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
IF YOU'RE GOING INTO THE SOLAR, BEHIND THE SOLAR, AND IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRICIAN THAT YOU TRUST, BRING THEM INTO THE MEETINGS.
UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE TELLING YOU, YOU DON'T NEED THIS, YOU DON'T NEED THAT.
HE'S LIKE, HEY, LIKE, WHAT'S THE EDUCATION? FRANK? BUT FRANK, WHEN YOU GET BIDS, YOU GET AN EDUCATION AS A BUSINESS OWNER.
BECAUSE THE ONE GUY'S GONNA TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT HERE AND THE OTHER GUY MIGHT TELL YOU WHAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR.
AND THEN THERE MIGHT BE SOMEBODY IN THE MIDDLE THAT UNDERSTANDS BOTH OR WHATEVER.
SO I JUST, I'M A PROPONENT OF THREE BIDS.
THOSE ARE JUST VERY DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW.
I ALSO WANNA SAY THIS, START AT PLANNING ZONING.
[00:35:01]
AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO.YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE RULES AND REGS ARE.
THERE'S GONNA BE A LIMIT ON SOLAR FOR US.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA ALLOW A CERTAIN KW GENERATOR TO BE PUT BACK ON AS FAR AS THE GENERATOR BEING A SOLAR PANEL.
AND LIKE, I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT IT IS YET.
SO IF THEY'RE COMING IN AND PUSHING, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A 20 MEGAWATT SOLAR ARRAY ON YOUR BUILDING BECAUSE THIS CAN HANDLE THAT.
AND THE TOWN COMES BACK AND SAYS, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA ALLOW 10, OR YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA PUT A 50 30.
IT'S LIKE A GENERATOR WITH LIKE SETBACKS, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY LIKE, OH, YOU COULD, WE COULD BUY A GENERATOR FOR THIS BUILDING, BUT YOU CAN'T PUT IT ANYWHERE BECAUSE THERE THE SETBACKS WON'T ALLOW IT.
SEE WHAT YOUR RULES AND RATES ARE.
THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY, MY THE STRONGEST PLAN ZONE.
AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
GO TO THE COUNTY, SEE WHAT THEY'LL ALLOW.
BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA WANT A STRUCTURAL, IF YOU PUT ON YOUR ROOF, THEY'RE GONNA WANT SOME TYPE OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEER.
AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA WANT YOUR ELECTRICIAN IN VIRGINIA, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER.
YOUR LICENSED A CLASS, UH, ELECTRICIAN CAN TAKE CARE OF ALL THAT AND BUILD YOUR PLANS OUT.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST USE SOMEBODY OF QUALITY.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST, THE BIG QUESTION I HAVE, AND A LITTLE BIT OF OF IGNORANCE ON THIS.
I UNDERSTAND THE RETAIL MARKETS.
I UNDERSTAND BUILDINGS, I UNDERSTAND REAL ESTATE, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHETHER PEOPLE HERE, THE COMMUNITY HERE, UM, HOW, HOW DO YOU FIND OUT WHETHER THE DATA CENTERS ARE INTERESTED? THEY, THEY KNOW.
I MEAN, PEOPLE THAT ARE BUILDING DATA CENTERS ARE IN THAT INDUSTRY.
THEY SEE THESE TRANSMISSION LINES.
THE BIG QUESTION IS, IT'S GONNA BE UP TO US TO GO OUT AND TRY TO FIND THEM.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS, TOM, SUPPORT TOM.
NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT BRINGING IT TO THE TABLE.
DIDN'T LOOK, IT'S YOUR LOCAL EDA.
WE'RE NOT BRINGING THEM TO THE TABLE.
WHAT I'M SAYING, WHAT, WHAT'S THE THERE'S NO APPETITE FOR IT AT THE MOMENT.
SO IN THIS COMMUNITY, IS IT A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE? IS IT, I THINK THAT EDUCATION, IS IT SCARCITY? I THINK SITTING AROUND A TABLE WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR POWER SERVICES PEOPLE AND, AND, UH, I MEAN, AND THE NEXT THING I, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THE VIDEO, LIZZIE, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO INVITE THE WATER GROUP HERE AT ONE OF OUR FUTURE MEETINGS TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AS WELL.
ALL THE GRAY WATER STUFF WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND I MEAN ALL BUT WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION.
THE KEY IS YEAH, HOW DO WE MOVE? WE, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M JUST NOT SURE IT'S THERE.
WELL, IT'S AN EDUCATION PROCESS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S CORRECT YET.
YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT, HOW SO CHARLES, I MEAN, ALL OF THOSE IS RIGHT.
YEAH, NO, I'VE SAW, I'VE READ THE PAPERS BACK, BACK WHEN THEY INITIALLY WERE KIND OF, LIKE I SAID, THERE, THERE WAS SOME INTEREST, THERE WAS A LOT OF PUSHBACK AS WELL.
I MEAN, THERE, I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERY BENEFIT THERE'S A, THERE'S A COST AND, AND, AND SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANNA GET BEHIND THE COSTS TO, YOU KNOW, ENJOY A PERCEIVED BENEFIT.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY JUST LIKE ANY SALES JOB, THE PERSON INTERESTED DOESN'T ALWAYS GET, TELL YOU ALL THE FACTS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? TRUE.
AND SO IF THERE'S GOOD AND THAT, WELL, WE'VE GOTTA DO THE DUE DILIGENCE.
THAT'S WHAT WE CAN'T ONLY HEAR IT FROM THE, UH, SOLAR COMPANY THAT SAYS YOU CAN HANG IT ON, ON THE BARN.
THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DO DUE DILIGENCE ON WHETHER THIS IS A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING.
WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE ELECTRIC, WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE WATER, AND THEN WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE ADDITIONAL TAX BASE OVER THE LONG TERM OF THE PROJECT.
I, I DON'T EVEN THINK WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT JOBS.
AND THAT'S MY OPINION THAT WHEN I, WHEN I GOT ON EDA BEFORE WE WERE TRYING TO CREATE JOBS, JOBS IS SECONDARY RIGHT NOW.
DATA CENTERS DID NOT, DID NOT BRING JOBS.
I'VE TALKED TO OTHER OFFICIALS AND THEY SAID, YOU ARE MISSING THE BOAT AND NOT HAVING THE DATA CENTER THERE.
AND I WAS LIKE, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, AND AND IGNORANCE PROBABLY WASN'T THE CORRECT WORD, IT'S JUST A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AS TO THE BEN, THE PROS AND CONS AND TRYING TO GET ALL THAT TOGETHER.
MAYBE WE CAN HOLD SOME FORUMS WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
I, I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR IT YET, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THERE, THERE.
AND, AND SO I THINK THE THING WE COULD DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS MAYBE HOLD SOME FORMS AND I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THIS IDEA JUST CAME FROM, BUT IT JUST, I MEAN THE TAX, YEAH, I REMEMBER THE TAX BASE IS, YOU KNOW, ALONE WAS JUST LIKE, HOLY MO, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, DO THIS PJ, PJMI MEAN IF, IF ME AS THE CONSUMER OR ME AS THE TAXPAYER, IS IT WORTH
[00:40:01]
IT FOR ME TO PAY ON MY DAILY RATE SO THAT THE TOWN GETS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, GET ALL THE TAX BASE.DO I, WILL I END UP ENJOYING THAT SAVINGS OR WILL THE TOWN END UP ENJOYING IT ENTIRELY? YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? THAT, THAT, DOES THAT EVER COME TRICKLE DOWN? WELL, SO DAVID, IT'S HAPPENING WHETHER WE GET IN ON IT.
I, I JUST KNOW A THOUSAND PERCENT.
THE OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DERIVING THE BENEFIT AND WE'RE HELPING PAY FOR IT.
SO WE, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IF THIS MAKES SENSE FOR US.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
WE DON'T WANT 20 DATA CENTERS IN OUR LITTLE COMMUNITY, BUT DO WE WANT ONE OR TWO TO HELP PAY FOR OUR SERVICES TO HELP KEEP OUR TAX BASE LOW OR DO WE WANNA SUBSIDIZE LOUDOUN COUNTY? RIGHT.
WHICH IS PUTTING IN WHOLE DATA CENTER VILLAGES.
AND SO, NO, I KNOW IT, IT'S PROBLEMATIC.
I'M JUST SAYING, I I'M NOT SAYING PRO WORK ON, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT'S AN EQUATION THAT HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, MADE AND, AND DELIVERED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN WELL I WAS JUST TRYING TO DRIVE THE POINT.
I I, I TEND TO THINK THAT THIS GROUP RIGHT HERE IS PROBABLY THE INITIAL CATALYST OF RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION.
AND THEN OTHERS WILL JUST HAVE TO SOAK IT IN AS THEY SEE THAT Y'ALL ARE OUR EDA.
SO YOU GOTTA BRING, YOU GOTTA BRING IN PEOPLE.
LOOK, WE WENT INTO A WHOLE OTHER AREA I WASN'T PLANNING ON TODAY, BUT I, BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT CONVERSATION.
DOES IT SENSE TO LOOK INTO ANY PROPERTIES OR ANY ABILITIES FOR THE IDEA, YOU KNOW, TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOME MORE OF WHAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, GENERATING, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT HAVE SOME ABILITY TO PUT SOME MORE SOLAR FARM OR, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE THAT RIVER RIGHT THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT PRODUCES, YOU KNOW? IS ANY OF THAT IDEA COME INTO PLAY OR, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, I COULDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT THE DAMS OR RIVER.
I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A DIFFERENT, I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START.
AS WE, YOU KNOW, WE START TO INVESTIGATE.
WE HAVE LOOKED INTO, WE HAVE ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE PUT IN FRONT ROW TO BRING US ENERGY, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE METER OR WHATEVER, EVERYTHING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD PUT A SOLAR PANEL OVER THERE.
I DON'T THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACCURATE OR NOT, BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO REVISIT THAT AREA WHERE I'M AT EDDA.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ON THAT SIDE OF THE RIVER BECAUSE THAT'S GROUNDWATER IS BEING TREATED.
SO YOU HAVE ALL THOSE BLADDERS.
SO ON THE WEST SIDE WE TRAILS AND THAT'S IT.
BUT, BUT SINCE YOU CAN'T PUT A BUILDING THERE, IT JUST BE NEAT.
WE COULD PUT SOLAR PANELS, DRILL YOUR, YOU'D HAVE TO PUT THE FILLERS GROUND.
HUH? THEY HAVE TO BE ANCHORED IN THE GROUND AND THEY HAVE WA HAVE GROUNDWATER LEGION TANKS.
MAKE 'EM MAKE CONCRETE BLOCKS AND SET 'EM ON TOP OF THE GROUND.
NO, I WAS JUST THINKING YOU HAVE THE WATER ENERGY, YOU HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE SOME OF THAT LAND THAT'S NOT BEING USED BECAUSE IT CAN'T, THAT'S A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
BUILD A RESERVOIR, PUT A LADDER, BUT WHO KNOWS? ANYWAY, THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, SIDE THE TRACKS.
I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN RELEASED, SO.
WE COULD, WE COULD DO STUFF THERE.
SO, AND YOU GOT, I MEAN WE COULD PUT A DATA CENTER THERE.
IT'S A GROUND FIELD, I MEAN RIGHT.
WE ASKED HOW, HOW MUCH ACREAGE OF LET'S PLAY THE SOLAR FIELD SCENARIO OUT.
HOW MUCH ACREAGE DO YOU REALLY NEED TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE? 'CAUSE IT TAKES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, DOES IT NOT? DOES ANY OF Y'ALL KNOW THAT? UH, JIFFY LUBE LIVE HAS BEEN SOLD IN OLD NISSAN ILION, RIGHT? NEW DATA CENTER? YEP.
SO 131 ACRES AND IT IS GONNA GENERATE THREE TIMES THE TAX REVENUE.
THE LAND IS MORE VALUABLE THAN THE JY LOOP CENTER.
HOW CRAZY IS THAT? THAT'S GONNA AWAY, THAT'S WILD.
THAT, BUT THAT TELLS YOU THE NUMBERS INVOLVED.
'CAUSE I HAVE TICKETS FOR AUGUST.
BUT NO DIPPY LUBE IS, IS BEING SOLD.
THE LAND WAS MORE VALUABLE TO A DATA CENTER THAN IT WAS TO PERFORMANCE IT TO, I'LL SAY THIS, GENERATE REVENUE WHEN A DATA CENTER COMES TO THE TABLE, SOMETHING LIVE, FORGET WHEN THEY COME TO THE TABLE AND WANNA START, YOU'RE PROBABLY A MINIMUM OF FIVE YEARS BEFORE THEY EVEN TOUCH THE GROUND BESIDES, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEY'RE DRILLING, THEY'RE FRACKING YOU.
ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY GOTTA DO, WE LOOKING SURVEYS, THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BY, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN NEAR ONE, THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE QUITE A HOME TO 'EM.
SO IS THERE STILL ANY SUPERFUND OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE OLD APT TECH SITE? UH, ANY, I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, UM, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL REMEDIATION OF SOME KIND.
UM, IS IT, IS IT ALL DONE CONCLUDED OVER WITH GIMME NO.
[00:45:01]
SO THE SITE IS STILL ACTIVE.UM, THERE'S STILL, YOU KNOW, ACTIVE REMEDIATION ACTIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT FINANCIAL BENEFIT.
UM, BUT I CAN FIND OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THAT WE JUST HIRED RECENTLY WHO MAY KNOW WE'RE GONNA LET HIM START FIRST AND THEN ASK HIM QUESTIONS, BUT YEAH.
SO ANYWAY, IT'S A NEW CONVERSATION.
AND ANYWAY, IN, IN TERMS OF LOCAL GEOLOGY, HAVE, HAVE, HAS ANYBODY LOOKED AT DOING, YOU KNOW, I, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IN TOWN, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OFF BY SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL, THERE'S, THERE'S A SERIES OF CAVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, IN TERMS OF GEOTHERMAL AND THAT KIND OF THING, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S EVER BEEN LOOKED AT OR INVESTIGATED? OR IS THERE ANY SORT OF FEELER OUT FOR THAT? I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT.
SO AS GEOTHERMAL, UM, WE'VE LOOKED INTO BRINGING GAS IN TO TOWN.
NOBODY WANTED TO CROSS THE RIVER.
NOBODY WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE ROCKET THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, COMING OVER LYNDON MOUNTAIN.
NOBODY WANTED TO DRILL THROUGH THE ROCK.
SO, AND THEN WHEN WE DID THE WATER LINE, I BELIEVE WE, I MEAN THERE'S GAS ON EVERY CORNER OF TOWN.
THE SHOPPING CENTERS ARE USING NATURAL GAS, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOTHING ON THIS SIDE.
SO THEY WOULDN'T CROSS AND WE'RE STILL PROPANE AND, AND WHATEVER WE BROUGHT THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AND UH, HISTORICALLY WE HAD WAS GAS COME IN AND THEY DIDN'T WANT YEAH, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO.
SO, BUT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WITH THE ENERGY PRICES GOING UP, IT COULD BE A GOOD TIME TO REVISIT THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT FILLERS OUT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE THE MATH MIGHT MATH, NOW WE'VE LOOKED THROUGH, UH, BATTERY STORAGE FOR PEAKERS.
UM, I PERSONALLY DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GONNA GET THROUGH PLAN AND REVIEW BECAUSE THEY'RE HIDEOUS.
THEY, THEY'RE SHIPPING CONTAINERS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE A PRETTY WHITE SHIPPING CONTAINER STACKED WITH BATTERIES INSIDE OF 'EM.
THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE NOT PRETTY.
WOULD THEY EVEN BE SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN WOULD WANT? MM-HMM
YOU WANNA PAINT THEM
AND, AND THEY'RE ONLY PEAKERS.
SO THEY'RE, YOU'RE ONLY GONNA COME BRING THEM ONLINE AT LIKE FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING UNTIL SEVEN WHEN THEY COMPLETELY DRAW OUT.
'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE A SHORT WINDOW OF A PEAK GENERATION.
AND THE MEGAWATT DOLLARS ARE HIGH.
SO WOULD THAT BENEFIT US BUYING INTO IT? IT'S, SO FOR ME, EVERYTHING'S ABOUT MATH.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND THEN IF THERE'S AN INTANGIBLE WARM FUZZY ALONGSIDE OF IT.
CAN I AFFORD THE MATH
IF YOU WANT A DATA CENTER, Y'ALL GOTTA REACH OUT DESK.
WELL, IF WE'RE GONNA TRY AND DO SOME HOMEWORK IN THE, SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW? LET'S PUT DATA CENTER OVER HERE IN THIS BUCKET.
BUT LET YOU KNOW, THE GOAL HERE IS TO RECRUIT OTHER THINGS.
UM, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT BEFORE WE BRING IN A NEW GROCERY STORE OR A NEW LARGE RETAIL OR A NEW LIGHT MANUFACTURING OR A NEW PACKAGING? OR WHAT ARE SOME THINGS FROM AN ENERGY PERSPECTIVE THAT WE NEED TO BE CONTEMPLATING? OR DO WE NEED TO JUST CALL YOU A MEETING? UM, ANYTHING COMMERCIAL, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO CALL US.
ENERGY AND EVERYTHING PER COUNTY REGS NOW ARE F TO BE ENERGY EFFICIENT.
SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTS CUT OFF THEM, WHATEVER, ALL LED.
SO ON THAT SIDE, IF YOU START BRINGING SOME INDUSTRIAL IN HERE, THAT, THAT HELPS US TREMENDOUSLY BECAUSE WE BUY IT AT A LOW COST.
WE CHARGE 'EM OUR PRICE AND WE MAKE MONEY ON IT.
SO THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE TOWN FOR LOW.
UM, NOT COUNTING WHAT THEY USE, WATER, ALL THAT.
UM, WE DID LOOK INTO SOME TRASH, FIRE BURNING FACILITIES, HIGH MEGAWATT CHARGE.
UM, SO I TRIED TO STAY AWAY FROM ANY ENERGY LIKE THAT JUST 'CAUSE OF THE PRICE.
SO WE LOOKED INTO IT YEARS AGO, IT WAS OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MEGAWATT.
AND THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, SO LIKE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, A PR THING FOR A DATA CENTER, PR THING FOR A SOLAR FIELD.
SO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW,
[00:50:01]
I DON'T, YEAH, I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY A KNOWLEDGE GAP.DO WE NEED, DO WE NEED ANOTHER SHOP, ANOTHER, UH, GROCERY STORE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, BUT WELL ULTIMATELY WE CAN HANDLE IT.
I GUESS THE, THE INITIALS CATALYST WITH THE WHOLE CONVERSATION WAS, I'M MOTIVATED AND I'M, I'M SURE OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS WILL BE MOTIVATED TO SEE THE PATH OF BEING ABLE TO PUT SOLAR ON THEIR BUILDINGS AND POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, SELL IT BACK TO THE TOWN OR HAVE IT BACK THE TOWN.
AND YOU ARE IN THE STORE DISTRICT, YOU BETTER MAKE SURE YOU CAN PUT A SOLAR PANEL.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH.
I MEAN, SCHOOLS ARE THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, AND YOU SEE THAT INITIALLY IN MOST COMMUNITIES.
THE FIRST PERSON TO USUALLY GET SOLAR PANELS IS USUALLY A SCHOOL OR MUNICIPAL.
UM, THIS PGM IS THAT, SO ARE THEY DOING THIS BASED ON THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE NETWORK? SO BASIC, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND THAT GOES TO EVERYONE, RIGHT? THERE'S NO PENALTY BEING PAID TO BEING LOUDOUN COUNTY IS EVERYBODY.
IT'S AN EVEN RATE ACROSS THE BOARD.
EVERYBODY'S GETTING CHARGED AT THAT COST.
UM, DOMINION, YOUR DOMINION, YOUR RAPPAHANNOCK, YOUR CHANDLE VALLEY CO-OPS, YOUR NORTHERN VIRGINIA ELECTRIC CODE NOVA, EVERYBODY'S GETTING THAT.
EVERYBODY GETS THE SAME THING.
AND WHO SETS THAT FOR PJ M? THEY LIKE WHAT, WHAT IS KIND OF THE GOVERNING BODY? UM, IT'S THE PJM, THAT'S THE GOVERNING BODY, SO, OKAY.
AND THEY'RE FEDERAL REGULATED.
UH, AND SECONDLY, SO EARLIER YOU SAID WE WERE AT 52 MEGAWATTS A YEAR, SO THAT WAS 75%.
SO WE CAN GO TO CLOSE TO 80 COMFORTABLY.
YEAH, I MEAN, YOU CAN PUSH IT UP TO, I MEAN, OUR BIGGEST, SO I THINK SOMEWHERE IN FEBRUARY WAS OUR, IT COULD HAVE BEEN END OF JANUARY WAS OUR HIGHEST CHARGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CHARGED FOR PER YEAR.
SO THE AMOUNT OF LOAD WE'RE USED AT THIS CERTAIN DAY, THAT'S HOW WE'RE CHARGED FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
CARRIE, COULD YOU TAKE A SECOND AND EXPLAIN WHY THAT MATTERS ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY? SO WHEN WE GO OUT, SO YOU SEE US, THAT'S THE DEMAND CHARGE ON MY BILL.
EVERYBODY GETS A DEMAND CHARGE.
SO THAT'S WHY, UM, AND WORKING, YOU KNOW, OUR NEW, OUR NEW RATE STUDY, WE'RE WORKING ON OUR DEMAND CHARGES.
SO, UM, LET'S GO, LET'S GO BACK TO WINTER STORM ELLIOT.
THE STORM THAT HAPPENED, THE COLD SNAP THAT HAPPENED 2021, RIGHT AROUND CHRISTMAS.
SO THE GAS FIRE PLANTS ON THE PGM NETWORK DROPPED FUEL.
THEY DIDN'T PREPARE FOR THE, THE COLD SNAP TO HIT THOSE TWO DAYS, BECAUSE NORMALLY THE LOAD'S DOWN BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S HOME ARE OFF.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM, IT GETS A COLD SNAP, DROPS IT DOWN, SINGLE DEGREE NIGHTS, PUT US INTO A SPIRAL.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE GAS TO FIRE THE PLANTS BACK UP.
HISTORICALLY, AT THAT TIME, THAT WAS OUR HIGHEST GENERATED PEAK.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE CHARGED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO OUR 2022 RATES WERE CHARGED FOR DECEMBER 24TH AT 4:30 AM FOR THAT WHOLE FOLLOWING YEAR OF 2022.
SO THIS YEAR IT WAS EITHER RIGHT AT THE END OF JANUARY.
THAT'S YOUR BASE RATE, OR THAT'S YOUR, 'CAUSE THE PGM YOU SAID IS, IS PEAK GRADE.
IT BECOMES OUR PEAK GRADE, IT BECOMES OUR RATE.
SO, AND P GM, EVERYTHING'S, EVERYTHING'S BOUNCE ON THAT, THAT PEAK.
SO ARE THEY TWO, THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS THOUGH, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO LIKE YOU SAW US PUT OUT SOMETHING EXPLAINING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO DIAL BACK OUR USAGE DURING THESE PARTICULAR TIME PERIODS.
AND THE REASON WAS SO THAT OUR USAGE WAS AS LOW AS WE COULD GET IT, SO THAT WE WERE CHARGED FOR THAT TYPE OF USAGE MOVING FORWARD.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO THAT IS VERY SIMILAR.
WHEN WE ASK PEOPLE TO CONSERVE WATER, UM, THEY DON'T DO EITHER.
SO THEY DIDN'T CONSERVE POWER, THEY DIDN'T CONSERVE WATER IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT.
NOW WE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE NOW, OUR USAGE DID NOT GO DOWN AS WE HAD HOPED.
AND SO NOW WE WILL BE CHARGED BECAUSE OF THOSE BEHAVIORS.
BUT SHARING THAT MAP, I THINK WOULD BE COMPELLING.
I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT THE NEWSLETTER THAT'S PUT OUT BY THE TOWN, I MEAN, I WOULD STILL SAY IT SHOULD GO OUT MORE, BUT, BUT THEN, THEN QUARTERLY.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IF YOU,
[00:55:01]
IF YOU PUT THAT IN DOLLAR AND CENTS AND EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, I, I READ IT SO I UNDERSTAND, BUT AGAIN, YOU HAD TO PUT SOME THINKING BEHIND IT.BUT IF YOU SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AND THIS IS WHAT'S, THIS IS THE RESULT.
RIGHT? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF TIMES YOU'RE GONNA START FEELING IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT, IT IS SORT OF THE SAME WAY.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TOWN PUT US ALL ON NOTICE WITH THE TRASH THING.
SO I PULLED SOME OF THE
SO IF YOU CAN CUT THAT LIGHT BULB OFF, YOU SAVE $23, YOU CAN CUT THAT SO THAT THAT EV CHARGER OFF IS $230.
SO YOU CAN SHAVE A HUNDRED KILOWATTS, $10,000.
AND THAT'S THE DIRECTION THE CODE'S GOING INTO WITH ENERGY MANAGEMENT.
AND WE DO PEAKS, WE DO PEAK SHAVINGS OURSELF BECAUSE WE DON'T GET, WE THROW THAT BLAST DOWN, SOCIAL MEDIA EMPLOYEES BACK UP IN OUR FACE.
WE ALL KNOW IT, BUT THAT IS WHAT IT IS.
WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU, I DON'T CARE IF 15 PEOPLE CUT THEIR LIGHT SWITCHES OFF, THAT HELPS US.
SO I'M GONNA PUT IT OUT TO ALL OUR 7,800 CUSTOMERS, AND IF 40 OF 'EM WANT TO SAY THIS IS BS, THEY CAN SAY IT BECAUSE THE OTHER, OKAY, SO, SO 76.
SO THEN MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT IDEA, I MEAN, WHAT IF YOU LOOK AT MOTION, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF THE TOWN LOOKS AT PROMOTING MOTION SWITCHES, THINGS LIKE THAT IN, IN, IN ROOMS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAY, BOOM, THIS KIND OF STUFF IS BEING, OR, OR LED REPLACEMENTS AND, AND EDUCATING PEOPLE AND SAYING, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT, THIS IS WHAT YOUR COST SAVINGS IS.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE DROPPING DOWN FROM A HUNDRED WATTS TO SIX.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS ALREADY.
I MEAN, THEY STARTED WITH TAKING OUT THE INCANDESCENT BULB, THEN THEY STARTED WITH THE BUILDING CODES.
NOW YOU HAVE LIGHT LEVELS, NOW YOU HAVE MOTION SET.
I MEAN, THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT.
IT'S JUST, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T GO IN AND ENFORCE SOMEBODY ON SOMETHING UNLESS THEY DECIDE TO OPEN THE OPEN THE BOX.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY HOW THAT HAPPENS.
I'VE BEEN WATCHING THAT UP AND DOWN 66 FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE BUILDING CODES NOW WHERE IF THIS LIGHT LEVEL FROM THE WINDOW COMES IN, THIS LIGHT HAS TO ADJUST.
BUT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THIS ROOM UNLESS THIS GOES INTO RENOVATION AND THEN YOU GO INTO, INTO ADOPTING THE NEW CODE.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT THAT HAPPENS, RIGHT? CORRECT.
I HAVE A FRIEND THAT DID THIS.
YOU KNOW, HE WENT INTO COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES AND SWITCHED OUT LED BULBS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT WHOLE LIKE, JOKE BACK WHEN I WAS A KID.
IT'S LIKE, HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES IT TAKE TO SCREW IN A LIGHT BULB? YOU KNOW? BUT AGAIN, IT, IT'S SORT OF LIKE, BUT HE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS ROOM, WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT.
IT'S AMAZING HOW, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SOME OF THIS STUFF, MY LIGHT BULB $23.
THAT'S WHY HE PUT A 40 BOTTLE.
WELL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'VE CHANGED OUT MY LIGHTING AT THE BOWLING CENTER AND WHEN I BOUGHT IT, IT HAD OLD INCANDESCENT LIGHTING.
AND THEN I BOUGHT ENERGY EFFICIENT FLUORESCENT LIGHTING AND ELECTRONIC BALLASTS TO GO WITH IT.
AND SINCE THEN I'VE CHANGED TO LED LIGHTING AND YOU KNOW, IT'S HELPED US TO KEEP OUR ENERGY COSTS, I WON'T SAY DOWN, BUT AT LEAST HOLD THE LINE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE ARE INCREASES AND, AND IT HAS THE MATH, IF IT GETS PAINFUL, PEOPLE WILL THINK ABOUT IT.
AND, UM, AND, AND IN SOME OF MY ROOMS WHERE I'VE DONE SOME RENOVATION, EVERYTHING IS MOTION SENSOR OR TIMED, UM, WHERE THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF.
IF YOU GO INTO THE REST RESTROOMS AT THE BOWLING CENTER, YOU MAY OPEN THE DOOR AND THE LIGHTS ARE GONNA BE OFF LIKE THEY ARE HERE IN THE TOWN.
HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE TO GET UP ON A ZOOM? 'CAUSE IT TURNS OFF I HAVE DO WAVE YOUR HAND AROUND EDUCATION.
WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR CUSTOMERS.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE MAIN THING.
HEY, WHERE ARE WE COMPARATIVELY ON OUR RATE TO LIKE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMONWEALTH RIGHT NOW, WE'RE THE THIRD LOWEST IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
SO THAT'S A STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD.
ESPECIALLY PRE, I MAY HAVE KNOWN THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
I CAN TELL BY THE COCKINESS IN YOUR VOICE.
USUALLY I'LL, I'LL SAY THIS, I MEAN, IT'S THE SAME THING FOR TAXES, RIGHT? WE ARE AT THE LOWER TIER OF TAXES IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND NOBODY WANTS TO PAY MORE IN ELECTRIC OR TAXES OR ANYTHING ELSE, OR THE GAS PUMP OR AT THE MOVIE THEATER OR WHATEVER.
BUT THEY WANT IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THEY WANT, THEY WANT THE BENEFITS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF Y'ALL LIVE IN RAPID HICKS ZONE OR
[01:00:01]
THE TOWN OF RURAL ZONE, BUT IT'S, IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE.SO, WELL, AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING, RIGHT? IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN PEOPLE ARE UPSET ABOUT A CHARGE THAT THE COUNTY LEVIES, BUT THEY'RE MAD AT US 'CAUSE WE'RE THE TOWN AND WE'RE GOVERNMENT AND US CLOSE ENOUGH, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT DISSIMILAR THAT WE SEE THAT WHERE FOLKS ARE COMMENTING ON, WELL, I PAY SO MUCH FOR ELECTRICITY.
WELL, YOU'RE ACTUALLY NOT EVEN OUR CUSTOMER.
SO WE HAVE ZERO CONTROL OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, BUT WHAT WE CAN CONTROL, THEY'RE NOT NUMBERS.
WE ARE, WE'RE CHARGING THE LEAST AMOUNT THAT WE CAN TO ABLE TO SAFELY RUN THE POWER GRID.
AND THE THIRD LOWEST IN THE STATE.
AND IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROBABLY THE THIRD LOWEST.
WELL, CARRIE, THANKS FOR COMING IN TODAY.
I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY INFORMATIVE.
IT STUFF YOU COULD BRING LUNCH NEXT TIME.
HE'LL HAVE TO RAISE OUR ELECTRIC BREAKS.
HE ALWAYS WANTS YOU TO BRING FOOD TO EVERY MEETING.
MAN, THAT WAS A GREAT CONVERSATION.
WHAT'S NEXT? THIS NICE LADY OVER HERE.
IS SHE HERE JUST TO, ARE YOU HERE LISTENING OR, HUH? PRETTY MUCH YOU'RE JUST HANGING OUT AND ATTENDING.
I MET HER AT, WHEN YOU SENT ME TO WHEN YOU SENT ME, I WENT OVER AND INTRODUCED MYSELF.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE'S FROM.
SHE HAS A BIG FLYER WE BROUGHT REMEMBER.
ANYTHING YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE SINCE YOU'RE IN THE ROOM? BLUERIDGE, UM, BLUERIDGE TECH CENTER BACK AT BLUE RIDGE.
THE, UH, THE SCHOOL THAT'S RIGHT BESIDE VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT A JOB FAIR COMING UP ON APRIL 29TH.
SO I WAS HOPING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF INTEREST IN THAT.
UH, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 32 PEOPLE SO FAR.
INCLUDING OUR ELECTRIC SERVICES.
SO THANK YOU AND FRANK, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT AFTERWARDS.
UM, SHE'S STALKING YOU,
NO, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO GET OUR CHILDREN AND LIKE OUR SENIORS, ESPECIALLY TRYING TO GET THEM INTERNSHIPS.
UM, BECAUSE SO MANY ARE INVOLVED IN THE TRADES OR IN THE HEALTHCARE.
SO I JUST HAD A MEETING WITH VALLEY HEALTH AND WE'RE, UM, WE'RE GONNA GET SOME KIND OF LIKE, PIPELINE IN WITH THEM.
AND SO JUST TRYING TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY MEETING WITH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AFTER THIS AND JUST TRYING TO DO THE ROUNDS.
WELL, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO TO HELP, YOU KNOW, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE STAY IN THIS COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF LEAD.
I THINK THAT'S THE ULTIMATE GOAL, RIGHT? WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS INTERNALLY ABOUT DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT COULD OPEN UP INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND THAT SORT OF THING WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY KICKED AROUND POLICY AND BECAUSE THERE'S QUITE YES.
MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT YOU ARGUE
UM, WHEN WE WENT TO THE TOUR RIDGE, LAUREL RIDGE.
UM, THE IMPRESSION THAT I WAS GIVEN, MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY, BUT, BUT I WAS GIVEN, IS THAT, UM, THE, THE KIDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF BLUE RIDGE, THEY'RE BASICALLY GETTING JUST SNAPPED UP.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO DO YOU HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS SIGNED UP TO YES, AND IT'S GROWING.
UM, IT'S GROWING EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR WELDING.
OUR ELECTRICITY HAS GOTTEN REALLY POPULAR.
OUR AUTOMOTIVE, ALL OF THESE CLASSES ALWAYS HAVE A WAIT LIST.
AND WE HAVE SENIORS, THEY'RE SO DESPERATE TO TAKE IT.
THEY'LL TAKE A WELDING ONE EVEN IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR KNOWING THAT THEY WON'T FINISH IT JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET AN INTRODUCTION FOR IT.
SO WE ARE ONLY GETTING MORE POPULAR.
UM, BUT I'M ASKING THOUGH, IN, IN TERMS OF NOW THE NEXT STEP, DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF, UM, FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR THIS EVENT COMING UP ON THE 29TH TO GET THESE KIDS OUT INTO THE WORKPLACE? DO YOU MEAN EMPLOYERS? DO YOU MEAN EMPLOYERS? YEAH.
UM, I'M HAVING TO REACH OUT EVEN UP TO NORTHERN VIRGINIA AS MUCH AS I DON'T WANT TO.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUT IT IS, THERE'S SO MANY, UH, HOLDUPS TO IT.
SO A LOT OF OUR SENIORS, THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION JUST BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY LIVE.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH A WIDE COUNTY OR THEY'RE JUST NOT HIRING.
UM, I'M GETTING THAT QUITE A BIT INTERESTING.
SO I'M TRYING TO KEEP THEM ON THE BACK ORDER SO I CAN REACH BACK OUT OVER THE SUMMER.
JUST LIKE CONTINUOUSLY REACHING OUT.
LIKE, HEY, IF YOU'RE NOT HIRING, CAN WE DO A JOB SHADOW LIKE WE'RE DOING WITH THE VET CLINIC TOMORROW WHERE FOUR KIDS ARE GOING IN TO WATCH SURGERY SO THEY END UP PUKING.
IT'S LIKE, HEY, MAYBE VET ISN'T FOR ME DURING A SURGERY.
SO LIKE, SO LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM AS WELL.
I, I HAVE, I HAVE EMPLOYED THREE KIDS THAT, UM, ONE IS, ONLY ONE OF THEM HAS GONE THROUGH THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY'RE, BUT ALL THREE ARE GETTING READY TO GO.
LIKE AS SOON AS SUMMER COMES AND THEY'RE OUTTA SCHOOL, THEY'RE GONE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
[01:05:01]
TIME.I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THERE'S, THERE'S A GREATER OPPORTUNITY LYING AHEAD FOR 'EM AND THAT'S FANTASTIC.
SO A LOT OF OUR AUTOMOTIVE KIDS, UM, OUR SENIORS ARE ALREADY LOOKING TO OPEN UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS KIND OF THING, EITHER THROUGH THEIR FAMILY, WHICH IS A REALLY BIG THING AROUND HERE, HERE.
THEIR DAD HAS TRAINED THEM TO KIND OF TAKE OVER.
SO AS SOON AS THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'LL START WORKING FULL TIME AT THEIR DAD'S SHOP.
AND THEN FROM THERE, HOPEFULLY INHERIT IT.
SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHICH TRADE AS WELL.
SO, OF YOUR, SO WHAT'S YOUR THREE MOST POPULAR PROGRAMS? WELDING, AUTOMOTIVE, AND I WOULD ACTUALLY THROW IN OUR CNA CLASS.
UM, OUR HEALTHCARE FIELDS ARE INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY POPULAR.
AND HOW MANY, UM, STUDENTS CAN YOU TAKE IN, CAN YOU TAKE FOR EACH OF THOSE ROUGHLY? UH, AND IT'S PER SEMESTER OR? UM, I'LL DO IT, YEAH.
UM, SO WE CAN HAVE 15 KIDS IN OUR AUTOMOTIVE CLASS PER CLASS.
AND THEN HE ONLY TEACHES ABOUT THREE CLASSES A SEMESTER.
'CAUSE WE'LL NEED A PLANNING PERIOD.
WE HAVE 20 WELDING BOOTS, AND THEN OUR CNAS ARE LIMITED TO ABOUT, I THINK, 12 AS WELL.
SO REALLY THE ONLY LIMITATION IS HOW SMALL THE SCHOOL IS.
SO IF WE COULD HAVE 40 WELDING MOVES, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO, SO, AND THAT'S, I GUESS THE DIRECTION I'M GOING HERE IS, IS THAT, UM, FOR YOUR MORE POPULAR TRADES, YOU KNOW, OR OR PROFESSIONS, YOU NEED MORE BUILDING TO TEACH THOSE.
AND SO JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE HOW MANY KIDS GET CLOSED OUT OF THESE? SO MANY WE, OUR WAIT LIST IS JUST INSANE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS OFF HAND, BUT I KNOW THAT NO, NO, NO, IT'S FINE.
SO I, I'M JUST, I'M JUST, UH, USING OUR PLATFORM HERE TO, UM, EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERVISORS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE NEED FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE TRADES.
WELL, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA COMPARE OUR TOWN TO
I THINK THEY'VE GOT AN HVAC CLASS.
SO THEY'RE JUST MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO TEACH KIDS DIFFERENT TRADES THAT THEY'D BE INTERESTED IN AS WELL.
I THINK THE TWO BIGGEST THINGS THAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THE MEETING JUST TO KIND OF CHIME IN, WAS ONE, TO GET HER A FULL-TIME POSITION.
UH, SHE, THEY NEED HER THERE ALL THE TIME.
UM, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY ALL THE THINGS THAT SHE DOES.
AND THEN TWO, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME FUNDING, REMEMBER? YEAH.
WE SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, TO UPDATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE IN SOME OF THOSE CLASSES SO THAT THEY COULD KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES AND, AND BE ABLE TO EVOLVE.
YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS IS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THEIR TYPICAL EDUCATIONAL FUNDING TO GIVE THEM ABILITIES TO STAY UP, UP IN, INTO THE TRADES.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE SOME OF THEIR STUFF IS A LITTLE OLDER OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING THE DONATIONS.
IT'D BE NICER IF THEY HAD A FEW EXTRA, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD TAKE ONE OR TWO MORE STUDENTS OR THREE MORE STUDENTS IN DOING WHATEVER THEIR, YOU KNOW, UH, THEIR INTERESTS ARE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT.
SO I WENT TO A GO VIRGINIA MEETING MM-HMM
LAST WEEK, WEEK BEFORE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DAY IS IT? UM, AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD GET GO VIRGINIA GRANTS FOR, AND WE'RE REGION EIGHT HERE.
AND I SAID THAT ONE OF, THEY HAVE LIKE SIX BUCKETS THAT THEY REALLY FOCUS ON.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WE WERE WIDE OPEN WHITEBOARDING ON DIFFERENT PRO PRO OPPORTUNITIES IN ALL OF OUR LITTLE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE REGION.
AND I SAID THAT FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS AND OUR WALKTHROUGH, UM, WITH MR. GREG, THAT WE KNEW THAT YOU GUYS WERE AT, YOU'RE AT YOUR, YOUR TOP CAPACITY.
AND THE GO VIRGINIA COORDINATOR SAID, I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.
BECAUSE THEIR GRANT PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED FOR THINGS EXACTLY LIKE THAT.
SO WHILE THE FOOTPRINT OF YOUR BUILDING MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE MODIFIED, I'VE HEARD ALL KINDS OF INTERESTING THINGS.
LIKE SHENANDOAH COUNTY IS TAKING ONE OF THEIR CLASSES OUT OF TRIPLET TECH AND PUTTING IT AT THE HOSPITAL, LIKE THE CNA CLASS.
THEY'RE MOVING IT TO THE HOSPITAL SO THEY CAN USE THAT CLASSROOM TO EXPAND INTO SOMETHING ELSE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE UTILIZING THEIR SPACE IN A DIFFERENT WAY BECAUSE THEY'RE AT THE SAME, THEY'RE IN THE SAME BOAT.
THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO, LIKE THE, THE, THE HILLS ENDS.
SO, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US, BECAUSE WE WOULD BE THE ONES GOING AFTER THAT GRANT MONEY TO FUNNEL IT TO WHAT YOU HAVE GOING ON.
UM, I, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
WELL, WE ACTUALLY PLAYED AROUND WITH THAT IDEA WHEN IT CAME TO AN EMT CLASS.
[01:10:01]
BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS TRANSPORTATION FOR THE STUDENTS.UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S OUR BIGGEST DRAWBACK.
MY DAUGHTER JUST CHIMED IN WHEN SHE LOOKED INTO WELDING 34 KIDS ON THE WAIT LIST.
AT JUST WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
WHAT'S YOUR DAUGHTER'S NAME? NELLA.
WHY? WE'RE JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION TODAY AND DECIDED TO WRITE ABOUT IT.
THAT THING DID NOT, THAT DID NOT.
SO WE GOT ANOTHER SCHOOL, ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THAT'S THE SAME VOCATIONAL SCHOOL THAT I WENT TO.
MAYBE SOME OF Y'ALL WENT TO YEP.
IT NEVER GOT, I WENT TO SCHOOL.
WELL, I TOOK THE ELECTRIC CLASS, I TOOK THE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, LIKE ALL THAT PROPERTY THAT HELP, UNFORTUNATELY NO DOUBT.
THOSE ARE MEDICAL OFFICES THAT COULD EASILY HOUSE CNA STUDENTS.
LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT, THAT EMPTY VALLEY HEALTH CENTER.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU THERE, THERE'S, AND ALL THOSE OFFICES, YOU KNOW, SO MAYBE THE HOSPITAL'S TOO BIG, BUT, BUT, BUT ALL OF THOSE OFFICES, FAMILY PRACTICE ALONE, THEY COULD, THEY COULD BE DOING THE CNA STUFF, MOVE THAT OUT, AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR WELDING, YOU KNOW, AND, AND YES, THE TRANSPORTATION BECOMES AN ISSUE, BUT I MEAN, WE'RE NOT SHIPPING THESE KIDS OUT OF THE COUNTY OR ANYTHING, YOU KNOW.
WELL, ON THOSE SIDE, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS KIND OF STUFF.
BE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE AGAIN, I MEAN YOU, YOU, THERE'S SOME VACANT STUFF HERE WHERE I, AND THIS IS VERY EARLY ON WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING ON PROPERTY THAT MAY NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT AND THEY MAY NOT KNOW THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE THINK TANK OF, OF REALLY WHAT, WHAT COULD BE DONE, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, THE SCHOOLS NEED THIS ROOM.
I MEAN, THIS IS, THAT IS A, A A, THE MIKE ROWE FOUNDATION THING IS BLOWING THIS THING UP, YOU KNOW? AND SO IT IS THE, THE NEED IS IS SO GREAT.
HAYDEN, DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK INTO THAT AT ALL? YEAH, WE CAN.
I CAN, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME SORT OF UPDATE ON, UH, ON THAT? YEAH, I, I THINK WE COULD, I COULD WHIP UP SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD SEND TO THEM.
WE TALKED AT OUR LAST MEETING ABOUT THE MIKE FOUNDATION.
THEY HAVE A WHOLE GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS.
YEAH, WE BRIEFLY TALKED ABOUT THAT AT WORK.
BUT THEN A KID GOT IN TROUBLE, SO HE HAD TO FOCUS ON THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, AIDEN'S A GRANT WRITER, SO.
MAYBE YOU GUYS NEED TO CONNECT.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN QUITE A BIG IN GRANTS, BUT WE JUST, WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE DEDICATED TO IT LIKE YOU DO.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT THAT.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TALK ABOUT TODAY? FINISH MY PLANNING COMMISSIONER CERTIFICATION, JUST IN CASE ANYONE WAS WONDERING.
I HAVE A LITTLE CERTIFICATE IN REVIEW.
ME AND JOHN WARE TOOK THE CLASS TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A VERY, OH, WE HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT VIEW ON THESE THINGS, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
DID JOHN LEARN HOW TO READ? THAT'S SO THAT'S, I TOLD HIM THE OTHER DAY JOHN SAID THAT JOHN KEEPS US IN BETWEEN THE BUOYS.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING IS, UH, MAY 5TH AT NOON.
SAME BAT TIME, SAME BAT CHANNEL.