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HERE TO GO.[Town Council Work Session on June 9, 2025.]
THEAND MS. PRESLEY, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? MAYOR COCKRELL.
OUR FIRST ITEMS TONIGHT IS ACTUALLY AN ACTION ITEM, AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S A WORK SESSION, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE ARE ALLOWED TO, UH, TAKE I ACTION IF NECESSARY.
UM, SO THE FIRST ITEM AS THE ADOPTION OF THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE OR BUDGET FOR FISCAL 2025.
UM, THERE REALLY ISN'T A, UM, I MEAN, THE SUMMARY IS THERE.
COUNSEL'S REQUEST TO APPROVE AND ADOPT THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCES FOR FISCAL YEAR JULY 1ST, 2025 TO JUNE 30TH, 2026, IS PRESENTED PURSUANT TWO 15.2 DASH 25 0 3 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, THE TOWN MUST ADOPT A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, 26.
ON MAY 27TH, 2025, THE COUNCIL CONDUCTED A REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING.
PERSIST COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN ACCORDANCE WITH 15.2 DASH 25 0 6 DAKOTA, VIRGINIA.
I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY REALLY SPOKE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I DON'T THINK WE HAD ONE PERSON, UM, FROM HOPE.
WELL, THAT'S A SIGN OF CONFIDENCE.
UM, I CAN OPEN, I'LL OPEN UP COUNCIL FOR A MOTION.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE AND ADOPT THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDER BY PURPOSEFUL YEAR, JULY 1ST, 2025 TO JUNE 30TH, 2026.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MADAM MAYOR? JUST WANT TO GO BACK THROUGH A COUPLE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED AS WE PASS THIS BUDGET TONIGHT.
UM, BACK IN MARCH WHEN IT WAS UP TO COUNCIL TO SET ITS TAX RATE, MR. WILSON, UH, SET UP A BUDGET AND WE SET A TAX RATE BASED ON THE BELIEFS OF REVENUE.
UH, REVENUE PROJECTION THAT MR. WILSON GOT FROM THE COUNTY IN MARCH, CONVINCED THE COUNCIL THAT FOR THE BUDGET WE'RE LOOKING AT SETTING, WE COULD HAVE A ZERO OR FLAT TAX RATE.
THERE WOULD BE NO TAX INCREASE.
AND WE DEBATED THAT AND IT WAS COUNCIL'S WILL THAT WE GO WITH THAT.
OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT WE CAME TO MAY AND IN MAY WE GET A, MR. WILSON GETS A REVISED REVENUE PROJECTION, WHICH NOW APPEARS WE WILL BE SUFFERING A $400,000 SHORTAGE IN REVENUE TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET.
NOW, OUR BUDGET, I FEEL LIKE, IS VERY MUCH BARE BONES.
THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR BUDGET THAT IS EXTRA, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, WE GO OFF TO RETREATS.
WE TALK ABOUT THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO DO AND VISION, AND THEN WE PUT NO MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE ALL PROFESS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE.
SO I'M JUST GOING ON RECORD TONIGHT, AND I DON'T SUPPORT THIS BUDGET BECAUSE I THINK IT'S LESS THAN WHAT THE TOWN CITIZENS, UH, EXPECT OF US.
I KNOW MANY OF THE ECONOMIC THINGS ARE GOING ON, BUT THIS TOWN COUNCIL HAS NOT RAISED TAXES FOR FOUR YEARS, AND THAT'S QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND THAT'S QUITE A, UM, QUITE A, UH, MIRACULOUS WORK ON OUR FINANCE DIRECTORS PART THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PASS BUDGETS AND DO THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON THE DOOR OPEN.
BUT HAD WE IN EFFECT, RAISED OUR TAXES 2 CENTS, JUST 2 CENTS BACK THEN TODAY, WE WOULD HAVE A LEVEL FUNDED BUDGET.
SO THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT THIS YEAR.
BUT GOING FORWARD, I THINK THAT WE SERIOUSLY NEED TO LOOK AT SETTING TAX RATES WITHOUT ALL THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE, INCLUDING PERHAPS SETTING IT HIGHER.
WE CAN ALWAYS CUT IT BACK, BUT WE CANNOT MOVE IT FORWARD AT THIS POINT.
AND AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A $400,000 THEREABOUT SHORTFALL THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND A WAY OF COVERING IT.
AND I, FOR ONE, DO NOT WANT TO GO INTO THIS BUDGET
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YEAR WITH THE IDEA WE HAVE TO PUT THIS OFF OR CUT THIS OR CUT THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK IT'S VERY MUCH A BARE BONES BUDGET.I HOPE THAT ONCE WE PASS THIS BUDGET AND WE GET INTO THE NEW YEAR, THAT WE WILL LOOK AT TAKING ANY EXCESS FUNDS FROM THIS PHYSICAL YEAR, APPLY IT TO THE SHORTFALL, AND IF THERE'S STILL A SHORTAGE, INSTEAD OF CUTTING SOMETHING ELSE, THAT WE WILL FUND ANY SHORTAGE WITH THE RESERVE FUND.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
UM, I JUST WANNA OFFER FOR THE PUBLIC WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING, UM, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE WERE GONNA BRING UP AT THE COUNTY LIAISON MEETING, UM, IN JULY, IS, UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN WOOD IS REFERRING TO.
SO, UM, IN, UH, MARCH WE GET INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY, UM, REGARDING THE REAL ESTATE TOTAL VALUE.
AND, UM, THE NUMBERS WE WERE ORIGINALLY GIVEN MARCH 27TH, UM, WERE OFF BY QUITE A BIT OF, UH, QUITE A BIT.
UM, AND THEN IT WASN'T UNTIL MAY 12TH THAT WE ACTUALLY, UH, GOT THE, THE FINAL NUMBER.
UM, AND BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY SET OUR TAX RATES EARLIER BASED ON WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS ANTICIPATED REVENUE, UM, OUR BUDGET WAS GONNA BE OFF BY $321,000, WHICH IS A LOT OF MONEY IN, IN A BUDGET LIKE OURS.
UM, I KNOW THAT COUNCIL KNEW WHAT COUNCIL WOOD WAS TALKING ABOUT, BUT I FELT LIKE THE PUBLIC MIGHT BE ASKING ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, IT WAS REALLY NOT FAULT.
UH, WE ARE NOT REALLY SURE WHERE THE NUMBERS WERE, UM, WHERE HOW THE NUMBERS GOT OFF AS MUCH AS THEY DID.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SURMISE THAT MAYBE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ASSESSMENTS AND THE FACT THAT APPEALS NUMBERS WENT DOWN, WENT UP UNTIL WE REALLY GET A CHANCE TO ASK THE COUNTY ABOUT IT AT THE LEA AT THE LIAISON MEETING.
UM, NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ASKING, BUT I'M JUST SAYING UNTIL WE DO THAT, UH, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO, TO REALLY PINPOINT WHAT HAPPENED.
I WILL SAY THAT, UM, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'D LIKE TO BRING IT UP AT THE LIAISON MEETING IS NOT NECESSARILY AT THIS POINT ABOUT POINTING FINGERS.
'CAUSE REGARDLESS, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
AND THERE'S, YOU CAN'T GO BACK.
I JUST WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, TO FIGURE OUT, UM, MOVING FORWARD SO SOMETHING LIKE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO US AGAIN.
UM, SO REALLY ANYWAY, THAT I'M JUST, THAT'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, NOT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR, UM, MOTION, BUT MORE OR LESS JUST TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON ON WHY THERE WAS, WHY THIS COUNCIL, UM, THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD WHEN WE SET OUR TAX RATES AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE INFORMATION WE WERE USING WHEN WE WERE SETTING IT VERSUS WHAT THE ACTUAL, UM, FACTS WERE WHEN IT ALL CAME, CAME OUT IN THE WASH OR WHATEVER THE WORD IS.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA, YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SECOND WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN WOOD SAID.
I THINK I MADE MY COMMENTS CLEAR AND THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING UNDER MY OPINION, UH, COUNCILMAN OPINION MOMENTS, MY TWO MINUTES.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, AS I SAID IN, IN, IN MY COMMENTS, WHAT WHAT WE'RE DOING BY, BY NEVER RAISING, AND I, AND I HATE TO USE THAT WORD, RAISING TAXES, BUT BY NOT RAISING THEM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T MAKE THE TOWN BETTER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT BIG MANUFACTURING PLANT HERE ANYMORE THAT, UH, BROUGHT IN A LOT OF REVENUE.
UH, SO UNTIL, UNTIL WE, WE CAN RESOLVE, TAKE IT OFF THE TAXPAYERS AND BRING IT BACK TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES HELPING TO PICK UP THE REVENUE DIFFERENTIALS, UH, WE'RE OPEN ON, WE'RE OPENING OURSELVES TO ALWAYS RUNNING INTO THESE PROBLEMS. AND I MIGHT ADD THAT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL ESTATE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW, UH, TO MEET WITH THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, AND THIS COULD GET A LITTLE WORSE.
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I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE STILL UPSET, UH, OVER WHAT THEY HAVE TO PAY, BUT WE, AS MR. WOOD, UH, COUNCILMAN WOOD, UH, REITERATED, HAD WE GONE WITH THE 2 CENTS, IT WASN'T THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE ON AVERAGE THAT THE TAXPAYER WOULD'VE BEEN PAYING, UH, ANNUAL.AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW, UH, IT WOULD'VE BEEN JUNE $129, UH, AND WITH A 2 CENTS INCREASE WOULD'VE BEEN ABOUT, UH, $162.
THAT'S ABOUT WHAT? 40, UM, LESS THAN 40 CENTS.
I MEAN, $40 A YEAR, I MEAN, EVERY SIX MONTHS.
AND, UH, YOU CAN BLOW THAT ON A DINNER.
SO, UH, I WON'T SAY WHY I, I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
THE THING ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID THOUGH, ABOUT THAT INCREASES, I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WOULD'VE TAKEN FOR US TO MAKE UP 321,000, WHICH IS WHAT THE 2 CENTS, 2 CENTS WOULD'VE MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN 300.
EFFECTIVELY, NOW WE HAVE A TAX FEE, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA, UM, WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PHASE OF THIS MADAM MAYOR I HERE AND, UM, RECOGNIZE THE CONCERN, THE SENTIMENT THAT COUNCILMAN VOTING COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT HAVE EXPRESSED.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA BE THE, THE ODD MAN OUT HERE AND SAY THAT I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE DECREASED THE TAX.
I'M VERY PROUD TO HAVE NEVER RAISED TAXES IN MY TIME ON THIS COUNCIL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE IS A BUREAUCRATIC SCHEME.
WE LOOK AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL THAT'S BEFORE US ON THE 24 HOUR NEWS CYCLE RIGHT NOW.
AND WE ALL KNOW AS TAXPAYERS SITTING HERE, THAT ONCE YOU RAISE TAXES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOVERS, AND WE MIGHT GET ANOTHER MANUFACTURING PLANT THAT BRINGS IN A TON OF ECONOMIC REVENUE TO THE TOWN AND TAKES IT OFF THE TAXPAYERS BACK, WE'RE NEVER GONNA DECREASE THE TAX RATE BACK DOWN TO WHAT IT IS NOW OR TO LESSER, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU BECOME COMPLACENT AND RELIANT ON WHAT IT IS THEN, AND YOU NEVER TAKE IT BACK OFF THE TAXPAYER'S BACK.
SO, I'M OF THE MINDSET THAT A WHILE WE'RE CONTINUING TO RECOVER FROM THE EDA SCHEME, WHICH WAS A GIANT WASTE OF TAX PAYER MONEY ON THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY'S BEHALF THAT WE CONTINUE AS A TOWN TO FOCUS ON SUPPORTING FRIDA, THE FRONT ROYAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
AND, UM, WE USE LAND THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN THE TOWN FOR PURPOSES OF CREATING TAX REVENUE AND GENERATING INCOME FOR THE TOWN.
I JUST CANNOT SIT HERE AND CONSCIOUSLY SAY THAT IF WE WERE TO HAVE RAISED TAXES THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR, OR THE YEAR BEFORE, AND THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOK OFF AND WAS BOOMING IN FRONT ROYAL AGAIN, LIKE IT WAS WHEN WE HAD THE RADON PLANT, THAT WE WOULD EVER DECREASE TAXES AGAIN, BECAUSE I'VE JUST SEEN THAT THAT DOESN'T EVER HAPPEN.
AND WHILE I KNOW $40 A YEAR DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT FOR SOME, FOR A DIFFERENT TAX BRACKET THAT COULD BE BLESSED TO SAY THAT, BUT I THINK IF YOU GO TO WARREN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, THERE ARE FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING MUCH MORE THAN THAT FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH WORTH OF SNAP BENEFITS.
AND $40 IS A WEEK'S WORTH OF GROCERIES TO SOME, UM, THEY'RE EATING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN WE ARE, AND THEY DON'T HAVE WINE AT ALL.
SO I JUST THINK THAT WHILE IT WAS HARD AND WE HAD TO CHOOSE OUR WANTS OVER OUR NEEDS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TEACHING MY TEENAGE CHILDREN.
UM, I WANT TO MAKE FRONT ROYAL A BETTER PLACE.
I WANT IT TO BE MORE WALKABLE AND ACCESSIBLE, AND I WANT IT TO HAVE A BOOMING DOWNTOWN.
UM, BUT THAT'S NOT THE NEED THAT'S BEFORE US TODAY.
IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO CURRENTLY LIVE HERE, THE PEOPLE WHO CURRENTLY PAY THEIR TAXES HERE.
AND WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING, AND I'VE SAID THIS EVERY SINGLE YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, DURING THE BUDGET SEASON, AS WE AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO BE LOBBYING OUR CONGRESS REPRESENTATIVE.
BECAUSE YOU LOOK TO THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, TO WARREN COUNTY AND AT FREDERICK COUNTY, YOU'VE GOT FOUR OR FIVE FEDERAL BUILDINGS BRINGING EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THOSE COUNTIES.
WHY IS WARREN COUNTY FORGOTTEN? THE EPA WAS A PART OF THE MESS THAT LEFT.
WHAT IS THE AVTEC THAT'S BARELY DEVELOPABLE, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN RAW LAND THAT WE COULD HAVE PUT A FEDERAL BUILDING ON THAT COULD HAVE BROUGHT LIVING WAGE JOBS TO FRONT ROYAL.
SO I JUST THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO SHIFT OUR PERSPECTIVE, TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND TO DO THINGS
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NOT ONLY AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT AS INDIVIDUALS.AND I ENCOURAGE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WATCH THIS OR MIGHT READ ABOUT IT, TO REACH OUT TO YOUR CONGRESSMEN, REACH OUT TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO HELP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE FORGOTTEN PLACES LIKE FRONT ROYAL AND THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
UM, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO FULFILL OUR NEEDS, NOT OUR, ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT NEXT YEAR WITH THE NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING IN APARTMENTS OR CONDOS, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT LAST DEVELOPMENT WE APPROVED OFF OF ROYAL LANE.
UM, PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
'CAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN, AND MOST OF US SHOULD KNOW FROM FRIDA, RETAIL FOLLOWS RETAIL.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES ON THE SOUTH END OF TOWN, WHICH IS PRETTY SAD LOOKING THESE DAYS, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, AND YOU COULD GO FIND A WOMEN'S CLOTHING STORE, TWO GROCERY STORES, YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU NAME IT, WE HAVE THESE PRETTY PATHETIC LOOKING SHOPPING CENTERS ON THE SOUTH TOWN.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND, YOU KNOW, MARTINS IN FRONT, ROYAL CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT.
NOW, I THINK I TOLD THE LAST COUNCIL, THE MARTINS IN WINCHESTER HAS A LOT DIFFERENT PRICES THAN THE MARTINS IN FRONT ROYAL.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE COMPETITION.
I REACHED OUT TO THEM DIRECTLY WHEN OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR, LAUREN
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE GROCERY STORES LOOKED AT WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE SOUTH END OF TOWN, AND LEACH RUN IN PARTICULAR, FOOD LION HAD LOOKED AT, UM, WAS THE POVERTY RATE.
AND THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING, BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T MORE INCLINED TO SHOP AT A GROCERY STORE THAT ARE ON A RESTRICTED INCOME BASED ON ITS HEALTH OR WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER.
SO THAT RIGHT THERE TELLS YOU THAT WE HAVE A VERY POOR SOCIETY HERE, UH, MAYBE GENERATIONALLY, MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE DESTRUCTION THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEFT IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THAT RIGHT THERE TELLS YOU THAT PEOPLE CAN'T PAY MORE FOR TAXES WHEN THEY CAN'T EVEN PAY TO SUPPLY ANOTHER GROCERY STORE TO HELP DRIVE DOWN THE, THE DEMAND AND SUPPLY CHAIN HERE.
SO I JUST THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND WE SHOULD BE TACKLING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE TAX REVENUE, TO TAKE IT OFF OF THE TAXPAYER'S BACKS ONCE AND FOR ALL.
AND THEN I WOULD LOVE TO SEE NEXT YEAR A TAX DECREASE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE, MADAM MAYOR? I SECOND JUST TO, UH, AGAIN, AS VICE MAYOR MIKE SAID, YOU KNOW, I, I TOO, I UNDERSTAND, UH, COUNCILMAN WOODS AND COUNCIL RAPPAPORT'S CONCERNED.
UM, I MEAN, I I I I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT WE GOT THE NUMBERS WRONG FROM, FROM THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, AND WE, UH, TRY TO PUT OUR BUDGET TOGETHER BASED UPON WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GONNA BE, UH, SOURCES OF REVENUE.
UM, I WILL SAY TO HIM, I THINK WE, I THINK OUR, OUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF MAKING THIS BUDGET BALANCED.
I MEAN, UM, POINT WE HAVE BOTH NUMBERS MATCH ON EXPENSES AND REVENUES, BUT ALSO TOO, UM, YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHTS ON THE TAX INCREASE WERE, UH, ONE POINT AT MOMENT THAT I REMEMBER WITH THESE ASSESSMENTS.
I REMEMBER SETTING IN THE GOVERNMENT CENTER DURING MY HEARING OR ASSESSMENT, MEETING, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, AND I WAS JUST IN THERE MORE OR LESS FOR FACTUAL INFORMATION MYSELF, BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T HAVE SOME INFORMATION AROUND MY HOUSE.
MY, MY, MY HEARING TOOK NOT EVEN FIVE MINUTES, I WAS IN AND OUT, BUT I WAS A LITTLE, I WAS A LITTLE TAKEN AS TO HOW IT WAS MORE OF A, LIKE SUCH A PUBLIC SETTING.
AND RIGHT NEXT TO ME, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN, I COULD HEAR HIM TALKING LIKE, I'M SITTING HERE WITH, WITH, WITH YOU FOLKS HERE AT THIS TABLE TELLING THIS ASSESSMENT, THIRD PARTY ASSESSMENT, UM, OUTFIT THAT HE SIMPLY COULD NOT AFFORD ANY MORE, ANY SUCH AN INCREASE ON HIS PROPERTY, ON HIS ASSESSMENT.
AND I, FOR ONE, KNOW THAT THERE ARE, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF FOLKS THAT LIVE AROUND ME AND LIVE WITHIN A STONE'S THROAT.
THIS IS THE VERY SPOT WHERE WE'RE SETTING, WE LIVE ON FIXED INCOMES AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE JUST REACHED TO MR. VICE MAYOR MICHAEL'S POINT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST TRIED TO APPROVE SOME HOUSING TO ACCOMMODATE SOME, SOME, SOME FOLKS THAT ARE LIKELY GONNA BE ON, ON FIXED INCOME.
BUT WHEN YOU INCREASE SOMEBODY'S, UH, COSTS LIKE THAT AND SOMETHING WAS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY DON'T GET A REIMBURSEMENT ON THE OTHER END.
I MEAN, THESE FOLKS ARE JUST LIVING, I MEAN, I, I KNOW SEVERAL OF MY NEIGHBORS THAT DON'T FIXED INCOME, AND THEY, THEY, THEY STAY HOME.
I MEAN, THEY DON'T, THEY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET BY, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT TRAVELING THE WORLD.
THEY'RE NOT DRIVING, UH, YOU KNOW, MONSTER TRUNK OR FERRARIS OR ANYTHING.
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SO, YOU KNOW, UH, AND I CAN SEE MYSELF HOW, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIVING DOLLAR TO DOLLAR, PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, YOU KNOW, IN SOME WAYS.I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SMARTER THAN WHAT SOME FOLKS ARE THAT HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
'CAUSE THEY, THEY HAVE A FIXED INCOME, I GUESS, YOU KNOW.
SO ANYWAYS, I'M SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, MY, MY THOUGHT OR, OR MY THOUGHT IS WITH THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE IN SITUATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT BE RETIREMENT, YOU KNOW, RELYING UPON SOCIAL SECURITY, BUT YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE MAKING THE BARE BONES TO, TO EVEN STATE TO EVEN LIVE HERE.
AND, AND THE FACT IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION TOO, OF FOLKS WHO ARE RENTING HERE AS WELL.
NOW GRANTED, THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY TAX MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN THEM, BUT OF COURSE, UH, REAL PROPERTY TAXES ARE DIFFERENT THAN THAT.
BUT, UH, REAL, REAL ESTATE TAX SUPPORT MAY NOT BE RESPECTED TO THEM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY TAXES, AGAIN, ARE SOMETHING THAT, THAT MAY, THEY ALSO HAVE TO PAY, BUT DRIVES UP THE RAMP.
AND I, I, I JUST DON'T THINK INCREASE, ASKING PEOPLE TO PULL MORE OUTTA THEIR POCKET, AT LEAST AT THIS TIME, IS, IS, IS, IS FAIR.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION? THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
NO, YOU HAVE ANYTHING? UM, THAT'S NOT PRESSURE.
IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, THEN, UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, AND DO, UH, ROLL CALL MS. LEY.
AND AS I SAID, I WILL, UM, WE WILL, WE WILL BE ADDING THIS TO THE LIAISON MEETING, JUST LIKE I SAID, JUST AS A DISCUSSION.
I KNOW IT DOESN'T FIX EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, BUT, UM, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO HAVE TO SET OUR BUDGET BASED ON NUMBERS THAT WE THINK ARE COMING IN.
OF COURSE, I ALSO THINK TOO, DOING RECESS, DOING REASSESSMENT EVERY OTHER YEAR IS ALSO ADDED TO THE CHALLENGE OF THIS, BECAUSE THEY WERE WAITING AND THEY'RE STILL WAITING, I GUESS.
BUT ANYWAY, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP THE ISSUE TOO, WITH THE PRICE GOUGE THAT HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO, BUT MINE CONTINUED TO GO UP.
WELL, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY IT'S EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO APPEALED IT AND HERLING UP.
SO YEAH, I DIDN'T GET SERIOUS.
YOU IN THERE AND YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO PEOPLE AND YOU'RE HEARING THEIR PERSONAL BUSINESS IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
I THINK THEY'RE ADDRESSING THAT COUNSELING.
I BELIEVE THAT FROM WHAT I HEARD THE LAST MEETING MEAN THEY WERE GONNA ADDRESS THAT.
I KNEW AS MUCH ABOUT PEOPLE SITTING NEXT TO ME AS I DID BY MYSELF.
UM, SO ITEM THREE A IS THE ELECTRIC COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS RATE STUDY, AND FIVE YEAR CASH REQUIREMENTS PROJECTION.
AND MS. CAMPBELL IS GONNA BE, UM, SHARING, IT'S HER ONE AND ONLY ITEMS TONIGHT.
SHE, SHE'S GIVEN US A CHALLENGE.
I'M SORRY, I'M JUST, UH, SO, UM, PURCHASING IS ISSUED A SOLICITATION FOR THE ELECTRIC COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS WHERE YOU STUDY AND FIVE YEAR CASH REQUIREMENTS PROJECTION PROJECT.
UM, THE RP CLOSED ON MAY 15TH.
WE RECEIVED TWO PROPOSALS AND EVALUATION PANEL CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS, UM, REVIEWED PRESENTATIONS WITH BOTH FIRMS. UM, THE FIRM RECEIVING THE HIGHEST OVERALL EVALUATION SCORE WAS OUR GRID POWER PPLC OF WAKE FOREST, NORTH CAROLINA.
UM, THEY SUBMITTED PRICING DEEMED FAIR AND REASONABLE AND MET ALL, UM, CONTRACTUAL TERMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE TOWN.
TOWN COUNSEL IS REQUESTED TO CONSIDER AND APPROVE AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO OUR GRID POWER IN THE AMOUNT OF $68,750 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26 WORK STUDY.
HAVE WE EVER USED THEM BEFORE? JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY? SAY THAT? NO, I DIDN'T SAY THAT.
AND LOOKING AT THEIR EVALUATIONS, THEY WERE PRETTY CLOSE.
UM, AND IT LOOKED LIKE ALSO IN LOOKING AT PEOPLE'S EVALUATIONS, THEY WERE ALL PRETTY CLOSE.
IT WASN'T LIKE THERE WAS SOMEBODY THAT HAD LIKE REALLY, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE KIND OF, UH, NUMBER.
SO COUNSEL, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. CAMPBELL AT THE TIME ABOUT THAT? THIS WAS AN INTERNAL, UH, COMMITTEE.
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HOW OFTEN DO WE, UM, DO THIS ANALYSIS? GOTTA DO IT EVERY FIVE YEARS.SO IT WAS 2020 WHEN THIS WAS DONE FIVE YEARS AGO.
UH, I WANNA SAY, OR WAS IT LATER? 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE PROBABLY, IT WAS 20 18, 20 19, WE DIDN'T GET IT IMPLEMENTED.
'CAUSE THE ELECTRIC TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WHAT ARE USED.
BUT THIS, THIS IS THE ONE YOU MENTIONED.
YES, THIS IS THE ONE I MENTIONED.
AND, UH, AS SOON AS WE GET UP THEM ON BOARD, WE'RE GONNA START STRATEGIZING WITH OUR NEXT STEP.
THIS ALSO COMES OUT OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUND.
I WONDER IF WE, UM, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE, UM, TO CHOOSING A VENDOR IN VIRGINIA? I KNOW VIRGINIA'S KIND OF LIMITED IN WHAT ENERGY THEY CAN OFFER, BUT WE ONLY HAD TWO.
UH, THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT SENT IT OUT TO THE 13 DIFFERENT COMPANIES AND WE ONLY HAD TWO RESPONSES.
UM, AND PLUS WE ADVERTISED ON EVA.
AND EVA GOES OUT HUNDRED OUT HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES.
WELL, AND I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE THE MINORITY.
WE'RE VERY UNIQUE IN VIRGINIA BECAUSE I KNOW, UM, I SAT IN ON A SUBCOMMITTEE YEARS AGO WITH, UH, SOMETHING TO DO WITH ELECTRIC AND POWER AND THEY WERE VERY PERPLEXED AT THE WAY FRONT ROYAL OPERATES IS WE HAVE OUR OWN ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT AND WE LIKE THE WAY THAT IN WHICH FRONT ROYALS ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT OPERATES IS PRETTY UNIQUE ACROSS THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, IS WHAT I LEARNED ON THAT SUBCOMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT'S HOW WE KEEP OUR CALLS NOW ALSO.
WHICH ALSO GIVES US ONE OF THE BEST COMPETITIVE RATES IN THE STATE.
I THINK WE WERE TOP FIVE LOWEST ELECTRIC RATES IN THE STATE THE YEAR I WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE NUMBER THREE RIGHT NOW, BUT DON'T HOLD TO THAT.
BUT THE, UH, THE LARGER FIRMS HAVE THEIR OWN CONSULTANTS ON BOARD, WHEREAS WE DON'T.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE WORKING AGAINST IS THERE'S MANY CONSULTANTS OUT THERE FOR WATER AND SEWER.
THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TOWNS HAVE WATER AND SEWER, BUT THERE'S NOT MANY IN APPALACHIA, UNFORTUNATELY.
I LOVE THAT YOU JUST SAID THAT ABOUT THE LOWEST RATES.
I JUST WANNA SAY WHEN WE WORK ON OUR NEXT NEWSLETTER,
WAIT, LET'S GET THIS READ STUDY
I THINK WE SHOULD BECAUSE I, I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF TIMES THAT, UM, SOME OF THE PERCEPTION IS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST KILLING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WITH, AND IT'S LIKE, I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY ALWAYS SAY THAT OUR RATES ARE LOW, BUT FOR SOME REASON PEOPLE DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT.
BUT I THINK IT'S BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S SOMEBODY LIKE ME AND THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE YOU'VE EVER LIVED, YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW LUCKY YOU ARE UNTIL YOU'RE PAYING SOMEWHERE ELSE WHEN THE STUDY'S COMPLETED.
WE WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I'M GONNA PUT A QUESTION MARK BY WHAT YOU SAID IN MY NOTES.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. CAMPBELL? ALRIGHT, SO IS EVERY, OH, GO AHEAD, YOUR HONOR.
THE, UM, YEARLY COST THAT'S GONNA BE WITHIN OUR, WILL BE WITHIN.
UH, WE'LL ALLOCATE FOR IT AND THEN IT'LL HOPEFULLY MAKE IT EASIER ON US IN FIVE YEARS WHEN WE DO ANOTHER ONE.
IT'LL BE CONSTANTLY REVIEWING EACH YEAR.
SO IT MIGHT JUST BE A A, AN ANNUAL FLIGHT ON AIRPLANE.
SPEND SIX GRAND AND HOPEFULLY THE ONES AFTERWARDS.
BASICALLY CATCHING US UP TO SPEED.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED HOW OFTEN WE DO 'EM.
'CAUSE I KNEW I HAD BEEN FOR, BEEN A PART OF THAT.
AND SOMETIMES I HATE WHEN WE HAVE TO HIRE A CONSULTANT BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONCERNS, CONSTITUENTS AND PEOPLE THAT OPERATE BUSINESSES IN THE TOWN ABOUT LIKE, WELL, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO CONSULTANT WHEN WE COULD TELL YOU.
BUT IT, OUR ENTERPRISE SYSTEM IS VERY UNIQUE.
I MEAN, WE LEARNED THAT WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR A TOWN MANAGER, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE LIKE, WAIT, WHAT?
THEY COULDN'T CARE LESS LIKE, WHAT, YOU'RE DOING THIS GOOD, YOU'RE DOING THIS WRONG.
YOU KNOW, SO IT'S LIKE YOU'RE PAYING THEM TO CRITICIZE HERE, DO A CRITICAL REVIEW.
SO I THINK THIS COUNCIL HAS ALREADY EXPERIENCED A COST SERVICE STUDY FOR SOLID REFUGE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
WE DID WATER AND SEWERS AND WATER AND SEWER.
SO ELECTRIC AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE GOOD FOR A LITTLE WHILE, RIGHT?
IF NOBODY HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'M GOOD WITH PUTTING THIS ON THE JUNE 23RD.
[00:30:01]
I NEED TO START LOOKING AT THE TAPE BEFORE I GET HERE.IS EVERYBODY OKAY, NEXT QUESTION IS, ARE YOU ALL OKAY WITH PUTTING THIS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING? NO, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT.
NO, I WAS JUST SAYING IF, IF NOBODY HAS ANY OBJECTION TO IT, WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MINE IS SEVEN 30 ON MY I PASSED RIGHT ON TIME.
SO NEXT ITEM IS, UM, ABOUT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND RE ORDAINING, IS THAT HOW YOU SAY, A FRANCHISE GRANTED TO BRIGHT SPEED OF VIRGINIA? UH, THE CENTRAL TELEPHONE COMPANY, VIRGINIA, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, AND ITS OPERATING AFFILIATES, EXTENDING THE RIGHT TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM IN THE
AND MR. SONNET IS, UH, GONNA PRESENT ON THIS.
UM, THIS IS PART TWO OF UPDATING THE TOWN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH BRIGHT SPEEDED, WHICH AS EVERYONE KNOWS, OPERATES THE LOCAL TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.
UH, UH, CURRENTLY HAS THE FRANCHISE FOR LOCAL TELEPHONE EXCHANGE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
UM, PART ONE WAS, UM, THE PULL ATTACHMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THAT WENT BACK AND FORTH FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS.
UM, UH, IT WAS MY PREFERENCE TO GET THAT PIECE IN PLACE FIRST.
AND, AND SO NOW WE'RE PART TWO.
UM, WHAT WAS IN THE AGENDA PACKET, UM, WAS IT, UM, WAS A DRAFT THAT WAS PROVIDED BY BRIGHT SPEEDED.
UM, I, UM, MADE A NUMBER OF CHANGES DOWN THE TOWN'S INTERESTS AND THAT HAS GONE BACK TO THEIR COUNCIL.
UM, THERE REALLY ISN'T, UM, A WHOLE LOT IN HERE.
UM, TO REALLY POINT OUT, I CAN TOUCH ON A FEW THINGS.
OBVIOUSLY THE TERM, UM, PROPOSALS TO EXTEND FOR 15 YEARS.
UM, THERE'S A FRANCHISE FEE OF 3%.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE CURRENTLY COLLECT A FRANCHISE FEE THAT FROM BRIGHT SPEEDED ZERO, RIGHT? SO, UM, I, I SAW OTHER LOCALITIES, UM, I THINK IT'S LEXINGTON IS 1%, BUT THEN I SAW ANOTHER ONE WAS FIVE, SO I JUST PICKED MIDDLE OF THE ROAD THREE AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY COME BACK WITH ON THAT.
UM, AND OF COURSE IT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE.
UM, WE'VE, GRANTED OTHER TOWN HAS GRANTED OTHER FRANCHISES SUCH AS COMCAST AND UH, SHENANDOAH CABLE.
UM, LET'S SEE, SECTION SEVENS, UM, THE STANDARD HOLD HOLD, HARMLESS PROVISION WHERE THE TOWN IS HELD HARMLESS, UM, FROM ANY, UM, LIABILITY, UH, CAUSED BY BRIGHT SPEED.
UM, I ADDED A BONDING, UH, PROVISION.
UM, THE CURRENT ONE, THERE'S NO BOND, UM, PROVISION.
AND WHAT BONDING DOES IS WHEN THEY'RE, UH, OPERATING IN THE TOWNS RIGHT AWAY AND, UM, AND SOMETHING THEY DAMAGE, SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN, UM, HAS TO REPAIR AND THEY DON'T COMPLY.
UM, THERE'S A SOURCE OF FUNDS TO, TO PAY THE TOWN, UH, OR A THIRD PARTY TO REMEDY THE SITUATION.
UM, STANDARD INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS PRETTY STANDARD, STANDARD FUNDED.
SO THIS IS CURRENTLY TEED UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 23RD.
UM, AS SOON AS I GET, UM, SOMETHING FROM BRIGHT SPEED IN RESPONSE, UM, I WILL CIRCULATE THAT.
BUT I THINK WE'RE WE'RE SET FOR THE 23RD.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT YOU WOULD KNOW THE ANSWER OR NOT, BUT I KNOW THAT LIKE COMCAST, THEY USE OUR POLLS AS WELL, CORRECT? RIGHT.
AND I KNOW THAT OVER THE YEARS AS COMCAST FEES WOULD GO UP AND UP AND UP AND UP, AND IF YOU'RE A COMCAST CUSTOMER AND YOU WOULD CALL, I CAN REMEMBER DISTINCTLY MY FATHER, MY LATE FATHER HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT CERTAIN FEES AND IT GOING UP.
AND I REMEMBER THEM SAYING, WELL, DON'T ASK, DON'T TALK TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
[00:35:01]
WAS LIKE, WELL, WHO TOLD YOU YOU CAN DO THAT? YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, HE'S OLDER, DON'T WANT, UM, AND THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR TOWN ALLOWS US TO USE THAT OR WHATEVER.SO IN MY HEAD, I'M JUST ASKING LIKE THIS 3% FRANCHISEE, I'M GONNA PREDICT THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA, THEY'RE NOT GONNA CONSUME THAT.
THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE RETURNED TO THE CUSTOMERS, RIGHT.
THAT, THAT MAY BE A PASS THROUGH.
I MEAN THAT'S, I KNOW THAT'S AS OPPOSED TO POLL ATTACHED.
IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR COMCAST BILL NOW, THERE'S ALL THESE, LIKE THIS REGULATORY AND THIS FEE AND THAT FEE AND THIS FEE AND THAT FEE.
AND THAT'S JUST ALL PART OF IT, I GUESS.
SO THAT, THAT MAY WELL BE A PASS THROUGH THE CUSTOMER PULL ATTACHMENTS.
LAST TIME I LOOKED AT THAT ISSUE, WHICH WAS COMCAST, RIGHT? THEY CANNOT PASS THAT THROUGH INTEREST.
WELL, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO EAT SOME OF THAT.
'CAUSE SO IF YOU'RE NEW $99 A MONTH, I, I WRITE CUSTOMER MINE SET IT 99 BUCKS A MONTH.
NOW THERE'S NO CONTRACT THOUGH, SO I CAN GET OUT OF IT, BUT I THOUGHT, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT COMCAST? NO, SORRY, COMCAST, BUT BRIGHT SPEED.
UH, IT'S INTERNET, RIGHT? I MEAN, I MEAN THAT WAS, YEAH, I, I HAVE FOR, FOR, FOR INTERNET.
WELL, HE WAS JUST SAYING LOCAL TELEPHONE EXCHANGE, BUT IT'S, IT'S FOR INTERNET.
SO NOW IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROW WE HAVE BRIGHT SPEED, COMCAST BLOW FIBER, NANDO CABLE AND CABLE, WHICH IS THE SAME, THAT'S YEAH, BLOW LOW FIBER.
I KNOW SOME PLACES HAVE LIKE THE MOBILE UNITS THAT THEY CAN HAVE THEIR HOUSE.
I GOT REALLY GOOD INTERVENTION TWO POINT, SHE'S OFFICIALLY SHE DOA CABLE.
WHICH YOU SAID OR THAT'S WHAT YOU WELL, THAT'S RIGHT.
ANYWAY, SORRY I DIDN'T ESSENTIAL TELEPHONE THEN SPRINT THEN.
OH, BELIEVE ME, I HAVE ONE I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, TAKE THE PHONE OUT.
WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THE BOND IN CLAUSE IN THERE.
I THINK HUGS NET IS OFFERING, I DON'T CARE Y'ALL.
I JUST WANNA SAY THE THREE Y'ALL GET YOUR INTERNET GOOGLE, THE 3% FRANCHISE FEE THOUGH IS NOT, I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S NOT US.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THEM.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS OPTIONS IF YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY, YOU GOTTA START, THEY CHOOSE TO PASS IT THROUGH.
I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT IS THEY CAN, RIGHT? THEY CAN OR THEY DON'T HAVE TO AS FAR AS I YEAH.
LAST, UH, RESEARCH THAT THEY CANNOT PASS THROUGH FULL ATTACHMENTS.
SO THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 23RD AND COUNSEL KEN AT THAT TIME TAKE ACTION ON BEN OR NO? YES.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEM TO COME BACK AND SAY, WELL I'M GONNA CIRCULATE ONCE I HAVE.
SO THE NEXT THING IS, THERE'S TWO UNFINISHED BUSINESS ITEMS AND ONE WAS, UM, THE TOWN FOR ROYAL FARM PROPERTY.
UM, AT LAST, WHEN WE LEFT OFF ON THAT, COUNCIL HAD ASKED STAFF TO LOOK INTO THAT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, IT WAS SENT TO EVERYBODY WEEKS AGO, I THINK, UM, THE, SOME OPTIONS OR WHATEVER.
SO THIS IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND, UM, TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE STAFF WITH THE DIRECTION.
AND IS, DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? YEAH, I MEAN, UM, IT SHOULD BE IN YOUR PACKET.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO OBVIOUSLY COVER THAT.
ONE IS TO KEEP IT THE SAME AS IT IS TODAY.
SO YOU WOULD BE SUPPLEMENTING COUNTY RESIDENTS TO UTILIZE AND IT'S PRIMARILY YARD WASTE IS THE BIG THING OF WHAT YOU'RE SUPPLEMENTING NUMBER.
BUT THE NUMBER ONE OPTION THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS ADDING A FEE.
UH, WE DISCUSSED IT INTERNALLY OF THE BEST WAY LOGISTICALLY TO DO THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE FREON AND COMMERCIAL YARD WASTE TICKETS.
YOU WOULD'VE TO COME TO THE FINANCE HERE AT THE FRONT WINDOW, PURCHASE YOUR TICKET, AND THEN AS A, AS A COUNTY RESIDENT.
AND THEN YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DROP YARD WASTE OFF AT THE FARM.
AND THEN THE SECOND OPTION WE COULD DISCUSS WITH THE COUNTY, WE WOULD HAVE TO NEGOTIATE THAT, BUT WE WOULDN'T CHARGE A FEE TO COUNTY RESIDENTS.
WE WOULD TRACK EACH COUNTY RESIDENT THAT WENT THERE AND THEN WOULD USE THAT.
UH, WE WOULD ASSESS THAT AS A FEE EACH COUNTY RESIDENT AND THEN WE COULD OFFSET THE TIPPING FEES THAT WE PAY AT, UH, TRANSFER STATION.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST REPLACING ONE 'CAUSE WE'RE STILL HAVING TO PAY TO CHIP ALL THAT YARD
[00:40:01]
WASTE.SO THAT'S JUST ONE COST FOR ANOTHER.
THE OTHER ONE IS JUST, WE DON'T ACCEPT ANY COUNTY DELIVERIES.
WE ONLY EXCEPT TOWN DROP OFFS, NO COUNTY DELIVERIES.
THE ONLY COUNTY DELIVERIES WOULD BE THOSE OF COMMERCIAL TICKETS WHICH THEY WOULD PURCHASE.
NOW, UH, WE LOOKED AT THE FEE, I THINK IT WAS SUGGESTED AT THE MEETING, I THINK OFF JUST OFFHAND LIKE $15.
BUT WE DID RUN THAT NUMBER AND WE'RE BUDGETING $50,000 TO DO CHIPPING THIS YEAR.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS FROM LAST YEAR, IT WOULD, UH, I THINK IT WAS 5,439 TRIPS FROM TOWN AND COUNTY RESIDENTS.
AND THEN IF YOU DIVIDED THAT OUT OF 50, IT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE ALMOST $10 A PERSON.
THERE'S SOME ADMIN FEES ON THERE.
THE FOLKS WORKING AT FINANCE AND THE PEOPLE, I THINK $15 DOES SEEM ABOUT REASONABLE WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE, OF THAT USER DROPPING OFF THE YARD WASTE AND OUR NUMBERS.
WE ALSO JUST ASSUME THAT IF WE BEGAN CHARGING COUNTY RESIDENTS, THERE WOULD BE A DROP OFF OF COUNTY RESIDENTS USING THE FACILITY.
SOME WOULD JUST GO TO BENTONVILLE AT THAT POINT WHERE IT'S FREE.
BUT FOR THOSE PROBABLY ON THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY, IT WOULD BE WORTH THE $15 TO NOT DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO BENTONVILLE.
SO WE JUST ASSUME WE WOULD LOSE 50%.
SO IT'S JUST AN ESTIMATE IS THE FALL.
THESE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE WANTED TO PUT FORTH.
UM, AND THIS WAS DISCUSSED WITH FINANCE AND PUBLIC WORKS.
JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
YOU ANYBODY HAVE THOUGHTS? YOU ALL KNOW THAT I, I ADDED THIS TO THE AGENDA.
SO THE ONLY DEFENSE I WASN'T REALLY AWARE, AND MAYBE IT'S 'CAUSE I DON'T LIVE IN THE COUNTY, BUT I WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE DID THAT.
AND I WILL SAY THAT SINCE THIS HAS COME UP, I, I'VE TALKED TO SOME TOWN CITIZENS AND THEY, LIKE ME, WERE SURPRISED
YEAH, I LIKE OPTION TWO AS WELL.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS, I WAS BETWEEN OPTION ONE AND OPTION TWO, BUT THE TIPPING FEES FOR US ARE GOING TO GO AWAY IT SEEMS LIKE.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S SOME NON-NEGOTIABLE FOR US AND IT'S BASICALLY PASS THROUGH.
AND I HONE, I, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS TABLE HAS, I HAVEN'T NOT GOT A CLEAR ANSWER AS TO WHY THAT'S OCCURRING TO US.
I DON'T, I STILL HAVEN'T, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S GONNA BE HERE.
IT'S, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S GOT A CLEAR ANSWER ON THAT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I MEAN, UH, I WAS LOOKING AT MY THOUGHT WERE EITHER WATCH FUNCTION ONE, OPTION TWO, BUT AGAIN THESE ARE, WE ARE COUNTY RESIDENTS AS WELL.
AND, AND IT WOULD, TO ME, IT'D BE HARD.
I JUST BE HARD FOR ME TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CHARGING COUNTY PEOPLE NOW AND IT'S NOT ANY COUNTY RESIDENTS FAULT, YOU KNOW, OR I DON'T, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, THE TIPPING FEE'S NOT OUR FAULT EITHER.
BUT, UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BORROW THE COUNTY PEOPLE FROM COMING IN ALTOGETHER.
'CAUSE WHAT IF THEY TURN AROUND AND SAY, WELL YOU CAN'T COME TO BENTONVILLE ANYMORE.
SOMETHING THEY CAN'T BECAUSE WE PAID.
BUT THEY, I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING, I MEAN THAT'S GOING TO ME, THAT'S KIND OF GOING FOR TIP FOR TAP.
BUT THEY COULD SAY SOMETHING THAT, WELL WE CAN STRICT, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING ALONG THAT BECAUSE WE COULD.
BUT ANYWAYS, UM, BUT NO CHANGE.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE STILL EATING THE COST, BUT MY TAKE IS FOR IS OPTION TWO OVERALL, I WILL SAY, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT OPTION TWO WHEN, UM, MR. PETTY AND I TALKED ABOUT IT, OPTION TWO WAS LIKE A, MAYBE LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO BROACH WITH THE COUNTY TO SEE IF THEY'D EVEN BE WILLING TO DO THAT.
BUT THAT COULD CERTAINLY BE, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S, IF EVERYBODY'S IN FAVOR OF THAT, WE COULD START THERE MM-HMM
AND THEN IF THEY, AND IF THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THAT, THEN IT COULD BE WHATEVER WOULD BE, WELL THESE ARE GOOD OPTIONS.
IF YOU WROTE THESE OUT, YOU WROTE THESE OUT REALLY WELL, SO, WELL, I HAD SOME GOOD HELP.
BUT I MEAN, I'M SAYING WELL, WELL WHOEVER WROTE IT OUT, I MEAN THESE ARE CLEARLY EXPLAINED, YOU KNOW, SO THEY CAN BE PRESENTED TO ANYONE.
EVEN IF WE, IF WE DO GO TO THE COUNTY, SAY, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WE CAME UP WITH, WE GOTTA DO ONE OF THESE FOUR.
I OBVIOUSLY THE COUNTY WOULD'VE TO AGREE TO IT.
WE CAN'T JUST IMPLEMENT IT AND HOPE THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO IT.
I WOULD BE OKAY WITH AUTHORIZE OR TOWN MANAGER TO APPROACH 'EM AND SEE IF WE COULD GET AN AGREEMENT.
UH, IF NOT THEN WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO TAKE OUR NEXT OPTION AND THEN GO ON FROM THERE.
COUNTY SAYS YES, OPTION TWO, RIGHT.
AND THEN IT'S JUST THE RECORD KEEPING.
THEY WOULD ACCEPT OUR DAILY RECORDS, ACCUMULATE IT.
[00:45:01]
UM, 3,200 PEOPLE TOOK THEIR, UH, SCRAP OR OR RUSH YEAR.THIS EQUATES TO THIS MUCH AND YOU'RE GONNA REDUCE YOUR TIPPING CASE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY KEEPING TRACK OF COUNTY COUNTY, THEY'RE ALREADY KEEPING TRACK.
BUT IF THE COUNTY DOESN'T, I'M GONNA PREDICT THEY WON'T.
ONLY REASON WHY I SAY THAT, I MEAN, I'M JUST BEING REALISTIC, IS THAT RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT COSTING THEM ANYTHING TO LET PEOPLE DROP OFF THEIR YARD WASTE.
IT'S CONVENIENCE TO THEIR CITIZENS.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT FROM WHAT THEY TALKED TO US ABOUT LAST YEAR AT THE LIAISON ABOUT THE THESE IS, IT WAS STRICTLY JUST THAT THEIR FEES HAD GONE UP AND THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO OFFSET THEIR COSTS.
AND SO ALL I'M SAYING IS IF WE DO, IF IF THIS WERE APPROVED, THEY WOULD GET LESS TIPPING FEES FROM US.
WHICH I, I'M, I WOULD BE ALL FOR IT.
I'M CURIOUS, UNLESS THERE'S AN OPTION TO TOTAL.
UM, YEAH, I THINK BRUCE WANTED TO ADD, I THINK THAT, I'M SORRY, BRUCE.
WELL, I WANTED TO KNOW, UM, WHY WAS THE MONASAS AVENUE, UH, ALLOWED DEPO DEVELOPED FOR WHAT PURPOSE? WHAT WAS ITAS? YEAH, WHY FARM PROPERTY? WHO, WHO WAS IT, WHO WAS THE MANASSAS AVENUE DROP POINT DEVELOPED FOR ORIGINALLY? WELL, FOR THE TOWN? DOES ANYONE KNOW? FOR THE TOWN? FOR THE TOWN SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TOWN? YEAH.
WHAT CHANGED THIS IS THAT BEFORE ANYTHING THAT WAS DROPPED OFF AT THE TOWN COULD GO TO THE LANDFILL AND IT, AND IT DIDN'T COST, IT DIDN'T COST ANYBODY ANYTHING.
I MEAN IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S EXCHANGE FOR EXCHANGE.
BUT NOW THAT WHATEVER LEAVES THERE THAT MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO THE LANDFILL OR NOT JUST THERE, BUT EVERYWHERE IN TOWN, WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE PAYING TO BE FEES FOR THOSE.
SO ULTIMATELY, BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING FOR THE FARM PROPERTY SITE ARE YOUR SOLID REFUGE CUSTOMERS.
AND THOSE ARE ONLY TOWN CI, RESIDENTIAL UNIT TOWN CITIZENS.
THEY'RE, THEY, THAT'S WHO'S PAYING FOR THIS.
I DID WANNA CLARIFY TOO, COUNCILMAN GRAM, JUST BECAUSE I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND IT, LIKE I SAID, IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY TIT FOR TAT BECAUSE THE COUNTY CITIZEN WHO'S DROPPING OFF SOMETHING THERE IS NOT CONTRIBUTING NOT ONE PENNY TO THE COST TO RUN THE FARM MM-HMM
BUT EVERY TOWN CITIZEN IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE COST OF RUNNING THE TRANSFER STATION.
THAT'S HOW I'M JUST, I GET, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THEY COULD SAY THAT, BUT IT IS NOT, ISN'T AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THIS CAME UP.
THERE'S FOUR SO FAR FOR THE CONSENSUS FOR NUMBER TWO.
WELL, I'LL SAY TO COUNCILMAN, WHICH POINT SHOULD WE HAVE ANOTHER OPTION? YEAH.
OH, DEFINITELY OPTION TWO AND OPTION ONE IS MY BACKUP.
THEN I WOULD BE ALL FOR OPTION ONE.
I, I WOULD LISTEN TO OPTION TWO, BUT IF THE COUNTY DOESN'T WANT TO CONSIDER THAT, THEN YOU KNOW, I OPT FOR OPTION THREE.
I DON'T GET A VOTE, BUT I'M FOR OPTION THREE, IF THEY DON'T WANNA DO TWO ONLY BECAUSE I LOOK AT NUMBER ONE ABOUT COLLECTING THE MONEY, AND THIS IS WHAT I LOOK AT IT AS TO, TO COLLECT THE MONEY WHEN THEY ROLL INTO THE FARM PROPERTY, OUR STAFF'S GOTTA ASK THEM FOR THEIR LICENSE.
THEY'VE GOTTA CHECK TO SEE IS THEIR ADDRESS IN THE TOWN, IN THE COUNTY IF THEY HAVE STUFF.
AND IF THEY HA DON'T HAVE A TICKET, THEY'VE GOTTA GO OVER TO OUR FINANCE.
SO THAT TAKES STAFF NOT FOR YARD WASTE CHECK FOR TOWN OR COUNTY.
THAT'S HOW WE KNOW, RIGHT? THEY CHECK I KNOW CHECKING.
BUT I'M SAYING THOUGH, SO THEN THEY'VE GOTTA TELL 'EM TO GO OVER TO FINANCE.
THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR FINANCE PEOPLE THAT NOW HAVE MORE, UM, MORE PEOPLE COME, MORE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH, MORE PAPERWORK.
UH, I MEAN, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
THE $15, WE HOPE THAT THAT WOULD COVER THE ADDED, YOU KNOW, ADDED WORK FOR OUR STAFF IS ALL I WAS TRYING TO SAY IS, IS THAT, BUT IF $15 WILL DO IT, THEN THAT'S, THEN THAT'S, AND THAT WAS A GOOD ESTIMATE ANYWAY.
EV EVERYBODY WANTS US TO TRY TWO OR WANTS, WANTS, UM, TWO MR. PETTY TO TRY NUMBER TWO.
AND IF NUMBER TWO DOESN'T WORK, WHERE ARE YOU ON THE OTHER THINGS? I GOT A THREE.
[00:50:01]
I GOT A ONE.BUT I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST, JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE SPEED CAMERAS, WE WOULD PUT A SIGN UP AND EFFECTIVE JULY ONE, IF YOU'RE A COUNTY RESIDENT, YOU CAN BE CHARGED THIS.
SO WE START TELLING 'EM, SURE SOMEBODY'S GONNA END UP THERE BY DEFAULT AND HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND GO TO THE OFFICE.
BUT IF WE PUT UP A SIGN, MAKE IT AUGUST ONE, WHATEVER IT IS, GIVE THEM A LITTLE FAIR WARNING.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE MEDIA RELEASE AND SUCH.
UH, MAYBE THE COUNTY CAN PUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON AS WELL.
BUT EJ, SO IN ORDER FOR US TO GO WITH OPTION ONE, I BELIEVE WHAT, UH, PUT IT INTO OUR ORDINANCE.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNSEL.
ALRIGHT, SO, ALRIGHT, I'LL START WITH TWO.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM A PERCEPTION STANDPOINT, IF WE DID OPTION THREE, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA BE UPSET WITH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OR NOT, YOU KNOW, COMING TO MEET US WHERE WE WANT THEM TO MEET US, BUT IF WE DID OPTION THREE, IT'S HURTING THE RESIDENTS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO ME IT'S NOT HER.
ALL I CAN SAY IS I'M GONNA HEAD OVER TO CHARLESBURG TOMORROW AND DUMP OFF SOME STUFF AND SEE IF THEY DON'T SAY, WHY ARE YOU HERE? YOU'RE NOT PAYING TOWARDS THIS AT ALL.
I MEAN, I, I KNOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT I SAID ABOUT TAXES EARLIER.
AND JUST LIKE WITH YOUR KIDS AND JUST LIKE WITH ANY, LIKE, ONCE YOU LET IT GO FOR HOW MANY DECADES, HOW DO YOU RELIVE THAT? SO LIKE I SAID, THERE'S PEOPLE, BUT THERE'S PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY BECAUSE THEY LIVE 10 MILES OUT TOWARDS MIDDLETOWN, BUT IN WARREN COUNTY AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 30 YEARS AND IT'S NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE.
ANY OTHER TIME I'D BE LIKE, YEAH, LET'S JUST GET RID OF IT.
BUT THIS ISN'T, THIS IS PUNISHING PEOPLE THAT JUST LIKE THE TIPPING FEES ARE PUNISHING THE TOWN, ASKING PEOPLE TO PAY THE BASIC COSTS YEAH.
AS LONG AS WE RECOVER IT, THEN THAT, THAT THEN WE CAN JUSTIFY TO OUR CITIZENS THAT WE'RE NOT SUBSIDIZING.
UH, NEXT UP IS THE REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE SUP APPLICATION FEE FROM DOMINION OF THE LAND INTERIM ACADEMY.
AND, UM, MR. PETTY ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS, LIKE YEAH, LIKE YEAH, IT WAS FEEDBACK TO THIS MEETING.
UM, I MET WITH LEGAL AND AS A, I BELIEVE YOU GAVE THEM THE HANDOUT LAST WEEK OF THE STATE CODE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
THAT WOULD A WAIVER IS A DONATION.
SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PROHIBITED FOR STATE LAW FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S, I THOUGHT WE HAD A CONSENSUS.
LAST WEEK WE SAID, WHY DON'T WE BEGIN IMPLEMENTING WHAT WE JUST SPENT ALL THAT TIME MARK AND STAFF TO ADOPT, WHICH WAS A 20% DISCOUNT.
WE, WE ACTUALLY SAID THAT WE WERE GONNA GO BACK AND THEY WERE GONNA GET INFORMATION.
I MEAN, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE DISCUSSED.
AND WE KNOW I HAVE ENOUGH FOR CONSENSUS.
I MEAN, GEORGE GAVE US THE PRINTOUT.
IT WAS VERY CLEAR WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE LEGAL REGARDING THAT.
AND I REMEMBER SAYING THERE WERE SEVERAL OF US WHO TALKED ABOUT IMPLEMENTING WHAT WE HAD JUST PASSED THE WEEK PRIOR, THE DISCOUNT, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
BECAUSE WE'VE ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TOWN STAFF, THE FRONT ROW POLICE DEPARTMENT'S RESOURCES TO DO TRAFFIC STUDIES FOR THIS SCP.
LIKE IT WASN'T JUST A CUT AND DRY ADMINISTRATIVE SUP.
AND THEN WE, WE LOOKED UP THEIR, YOU KNOW, VIRGINIA SEC FILING, UM, FOR THEIR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION 'CAUSE THERE WAS THE CONTROL SECTION OF THE CODE STATE CODE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WOULD FIT WITHIN THAT STATE CODE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT IT.
RECOMMENDATION THAT BY THEIR, THAT BY THEIR, BY THEIR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, THEY'RE CONSIDERED A, IT'S, UH, SECTARIAN.
HOW, UM, GIMME ONE SECOND LEFT HERE.
ARTICLES INCORPORATION, THE FIRST STATEMENT IS A NUMBER.
PARAGRAPH THREE IS THE ORGANIZATION IS EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHARITABLE, RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES FOR 5 0 1 C3.
UM, THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY, EXCEPT FOR AN ORGANIZATION AS FALLS TO PROVIDE A CATHOLIC EDUCATION TO CHILDREN IN A ROLE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.
AND THE VIRGINIA CODE AT THE BOTTOM SAYS, SUCH INSTITUTION OR ASSOCIATION SHALL NOT BE CONTROLLED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY CHURCH OR SECTARIAN SOCIETY.
[00:55:01]
IT? YEP.IT'S, IT'S IN TWO DIFFERENT PLACES ON OUR AGENDA.
IT HAS IT, OH, I WAS READING THE STATE.
OH, WHAT, WHAT THE TWO PAGE, OH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ON THIS PAGE.
IT LONG LIKE MR. SONNET, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM ALLOWING 'EM THE DISCOUNT? WE ARE ALLOWING NONPROFITS GOING FORWARD.
IS THERE ANY REASON WE CANNOT DO THAT? I DIDN'T ACTUALLY, UM, CONSIDER THAT ISSUE FROM THE DISCOUNT WAS PROPOSED.
UM, I THINK, UH, I, WITH, WITH THE OPTION OF, OF COMING BACK WITH A, A DIFFERENT OPINION RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY AS LONG AS IT IS ACROSS THE BOARD THE SAME, UM, I FORESEE A LEGAL ISSUE WITH THAT BECAUSE THEN WE'RE SETTING PRECEDENTS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A TRUE NON-PROFIT TO RECEIVE THE 20% DISCOUNT.
SO BASICALLY ANYBODY COULD ASK AND SAY, WELL, I'M A NOT FOR-PROFIT LAKE VALLEY HOPE.
WELL, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE TWO TIER FEES THAT WE'VE APPROVED GOING FORWARD.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY, UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING, A LEGALITY, WHY WE WOULDN'T GO BACK IN TIME AND SAY, OKAY, WE'LL GIVE YOU 20% AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD.
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S A TRUE NON-PROFIT BASED ON THAT LANGUAGE.
SO THEREFORE WE BE SETTING PRECEDENTS TO MAKE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.
I THINK THE ANSWER IS EVEN WITH THE 20%, WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO GO CASE BY CASE.
AND I THINK WHEN I THINK AFTER STAFF WENT BACK AND RESEARCHED IT AND WENT BACK TO THE ARTICLES OR RIGHT.
OUR, THAT'S WHEN I THINK IF THAT HAD BEEN DIFFERENT, WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN, IT MAY HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT ANSWER, JUST SAY NO ONCE, ONCE THEY READ WHAT IT SAID, IT, IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU A LOT OF LEEWAY THERE.
JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE IRS, UH, RECOGNIZES HIM AS A 5 0 1 C3 NON-PROFIT AND EVERY YEAR THEY HAVE TO MEET THAT COMPLIANCE.
SO IN MY OPINION, THEY ARE A NON-PROFIT, MEANING JUST, UH, A FEW TIDBITS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT MEAN ANYTHING, UH, TO THIS CONVERSATION.
UH, BUT THE TOTAL REVENUE IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR WAS $808,000.
AND MOST OF THEIR MONEY COMES FROM PROGRAM SERVICES, MEANING TUITION FEES AND SUCH.
UH, 80% OF IT, THAT, THAT WAS ABOUT 644,000 WHILE THE REST THEY GOT FROM CONTRIBUTION AND GRANTS AT 7.5% AND ABOUT 61,000.
DAVID S CAM CAMBA FOUNDATION, SCHWAB, UH, CHARITABLE FUND, ELKINS DAVIS, DAVIS FOUNDATION.
I'M SORRY, WHAT ARE, WERE YOU DOING, UM, FUNDRAISING EVENTS? UH, THEY MADE, THEY MADE MONEY WITH, UH, MARDI GRAS.
UH, WHAT'S MAYOR? UM, UH, MARDI GRAS, UH, BENEFITS, I'M JUST GIVING YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT WHO THEY ARE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THEY RECOVERED, UH, ADDITIONAL REVENUE OF 103,000, UH, AND EITHER INVESTMENT ON PERSONAL INVESTMENTS, THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO, UH, THE IRS REC RECOGNIZES THEM AS A, UH, 5 0 1 C3 AND THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S SORT OF A, TO ME IT'S SORT OF A, UH, A GRAY AREA.
I DIDN'T SEE, I DIDN'T SEE A CLEAR, UH, CONDITION THAT THERE, THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY FUNDED BY A CHURCH.
SO JUST SAYING WHAT HE READ, WHAT MR. PETTY READ ABOUT THEIR ARTICLES, INCORPORATION, IT STATES WHAT THEY ARE, KEEP IT RELEVANT, AND JUST EACH PERSON SAY WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WISH TO GET A CONSENSUS.
BECAUSE TELLING ME THEIR FINANCES, YOU DIDN'T ANSWER IF YOU WANNA GIVE 'EM A 20% DISCOUNT, NO DISCOUNT OR WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HERE.
I DON'T CARE WHO CONTRIBUTES TO THEM FINANCIALLY.
I DO THINK OUR LEGAL HAS SAID THAT.
I THINK OUR LEGAL'S ADVICE IS THAT, IS THAT THEY DON'T CASE BY CASE.
[01:00:01]
THE APPLICANT DID PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF 5 0 1 C.