[00:00:02]
OKAY, I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 25TH TO ORDER.AND WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
UM, AS, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS GONNA BE OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
AS MAYOR, I INVITE STUDENTS, UM, FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.AND TONIGHT WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HAVING OUR FRONT ROW LITTLE LEAGUE U 12.
ALL STARS ARE GONNA LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE TONIGHT.
AND SO IF YOU GUYS WANNA JUST COME FORWARD AND AFTER THE PLEDGE, THEY'RE JUST GONNA STAY, UH, STAY HANGING OUT UP HERE WITH US.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE RECOGNIZING THEM RIGHT AFTER THAT.
ALRIGHT? SO IF EVERYBODY WILL PLEASE STAND TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
IF YOU GUYS JUST HANG TIGHT RIGHT THERE, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF SOME OTHER BUSINESS FIRST AND THEN WE'LL UH, BE READY FOR YOU GUYS.
[3. ROLL CALL]
PRESLEY, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? MAYOR COCKRELL HERE.COUNCILWOMAN D DEMON PAYNE? HERE.
OKAY, NEXT UP ARE OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
HER SAY.ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
DO I HEAR A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR? I MOVE THAT COUNCIL, APPROVE THE COUNCIL MEETING.
THE AUGUST 4TH, 2025 WORK SESSION AND THE AUGUST 11TH, 2025 WORK SESSION AS PRESENTED.
OKAY, ANY DISCUSSION? UH, MADAM MAYOR, UH, I'M JUST LET EVERYBODY KNOW I'M GONNA BE ABSTAINING FROM THIS VOTE BECAUSE I WASN'T AT THE, I WAS ABSENT FROM THIS AUGUST 11TH WORK SESSION, SO, AND I AS WELL.
COUNCILWOMAN D DEMON PAYNE ABSTAIN.
AND NEXT UP, WILL THERE BE ANY ADDITION OR DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA OR ANY REVISION TO THE ORDER OF BUSINESS? OKAY, HEARING NONE WILL BE MOVING
[6. RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.WHAT DOES YOU GUYS, SO, UM, TONIGHT WE ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE OUR FRONT ROW LITTLE LEAGUE.
UM, I'VE BEEN SAYING FRONT ROW LITTLE LEAGUE, 12-YEAR-OLD ALL STARS ALL SUMMER, BUT WE HAVE IT LISTED AS U 12.
'CAUSE I BELIEVE SOMEBODY'S 11, RIGHT? YES.
LUCKY YOU, THAT MEANS WE GET TO HAVE YOU BACK NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? THAT'S IT.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M ACTUALLY GONNA READ THE PROCLAMATION BOYS, I APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU HAD TO HEAR THIS ALREADY AT, UM, B CROSBY STADIUM, BUT FOR THE RECORD AND FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION, UH, THE FRONT ROW, LITTLE LEAGUE U 12, ALL STARS 2025 VIRGINIA STATE LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS.
WHEREAS ON JULY 23RD, 2025, THE FOLLOWING FRONT ROW, LITTLE LEAGUE U 12 ALL STARS CLAIM.
THE 2025 VIRGINIA STATE LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN CAROLINE COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
AFTER DEFEATING SEVERAL TEAMS FOR THE DISTRICT THREE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AND A FIELD OF 16 TEAMS FOR THE STATE TITLE AND DEUCE NEWMAN.
NUMBER 27, HUNTER SEAL NUMBER 22, JACE MCLINDEN, NUMBER TWO, JACE DELPHY.
NUMBER SEVEN, KIRK BRIGGS NUMBER 34.
REMY WINES NUMBER SIX, TITUS GOOD.
AND COACHES, JESSE HENRY, SHANE WINES AND MANAGER JOE COOK.
AND I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU ALL TO COME FORWARD TOO.
DO YOU MIND? DO YOU, IS IT OKAY TO RECOGNIZE YOU ALL AS WELL SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE? YEAH.
SEE THE, THE BRAINS BEHIND THE OUTFIT THERE.
SO WHEREAS ON JULY 31ST, 2025, THEY CONTINUED
[00:05:01]
THEIR JOURNEY TO THE SOUTHEAST REGIONALS IN WARNER ROBINS, GEORGIA TO COMPETE AGAINST SEVEN OTHER TEAMS. ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, AND WEST VIRGINIA.AND WHEREAS THE CHALLENGE OF CONSTANT WEATHER DELAYS AND SATURATED FIELDS ONLY MADE THEM MORE DETERMINED TO REACH THEIR GOAL OF PLAYING IN THE SEMI-FINALS REALITY.
AND WHEREAS THE TEAM'S DETERMINATION, STRIFE, AND GRIT TO MOVE FORWARD DURING EVERY GAME IS ONE OF COMPLETE ADMIRATION, MAKING THE COMMUNITIES OF FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY PROUD OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENT.
AND NOW THEREFORE THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL CONGRATULATE THE FRONT ROYAL LITTLE LEAGUE U 12 ALL STARS COACHES AND MANAGER FOR WINNING THE 2025 VIRGINIA STATE LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP AND MAKING THEIR COMMUNITY PROUD OF THEIR SUCCESS, DETERMINATION, AND ATTITUDE DURING ALL THE GAMES AND TOURNAMENTS THEY PLAYED IN DURING THE 2025 LITTLE LEAGUE SEASON.
SO I'M GONNA COME DOWN AND SO WE'RE GONNA COME, I'M GONNA COME DOWN.
I HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR EACH OF YOU ALL.
I TOLD YOU YOU WERE GONNA GET A PRIZE.
I I ALWAYS GIVE GIFT CERTIFICATES TO THE PEOPLE WHO SAY THE PLEDGE.
SO THERE'S A $10 GIFT CARD TO SPLUNKERS FOR EACH OF YOU.
AND I ALSO HAVE, I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO THE BOYS, BUT, UM, I COLLECTED THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES FROM WHILE YOU GUYS WERE GONE AND I MADE COPIES OF THEM FOR, FOR EACH OF YOU SO YOU CAN MAYBE SAVE IT FOR YOUR SCRAPBOOK.
OKAY? SO WE'RE COMING DOWN AND MR. CHU'S GONNA TAKE YOUR PICTURE.
SO IF YOU ALL WANNA COME UP HERE IN FRONT OF THIS, IT'LL BE EASIER FOR HIM TO TAKE YOUR PICTURE.
YEAH, YOU WANT YOU ALL, I THINK WE'RE GONNA STAY BEHIND HIM SINCE THERE'S SO MANY.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE BAD TEAM IN THE STATE? CONGRATULATIONS.
YEAH, WE TRACKED YOU GUYS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
I WAS, I WAS ACTUALLY IN, UH, SOUTH DAKOTA.
YOU GUYS STAND UP THERE, YOU SAID? YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY WE WERE VERY PROUD.
ARE YOU READY? WHERE YOU WANT ME? IS THIS GOOD? YES.
THIS WILL BE CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRAT ABOUT YOU, ABOUT YOU SOMETIME, BUDDY.
[00:10:01]
I WANT YOU TO FALL DOWN BECAUSE ALREADY I ALREADY DID THAT TODAY DOWN.I THOUGHT I'D NEVER GET, I'M GONNA TELL A FUNNY LITTLE STORY ABOUT THOSE GENTLEMEN.
FUNNY, I'M GONNA TELL THIS STORY.
SO, WHEN WE WERE AT BRICK HOUSE AT ONE OF THE FUNDRAISERS, UM, THERE WAS A SILENT AUCTION FOR A SIGNED JERSEY AND A SILENT AUCTION FOR A SIGNED GAME BALL.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, THE JERSEY WENT FOR $6,000 AND THE GAME BALL WENT FOR $2,000.
AND AS, AS THE AUCTION JUST KEPT GOING UP AND UP, AND THE BOYS WERE SITTING AT THE TABLE AND I WAS AS SHOCKED AS THEY WERE.
AND I WAS STANDING THERE WITH THEM AND I WAS LIKE, WOW.
AND ONE OF THE BOYS GOES, WE'RE REALLY VALUABLE,
AND ONE OF 'EM SAID, DO YOU THINK IF WE SIGN THE BUILDING WE COULD GET A MILLION DOLLARS
BUT, UM, JUST, JUST WANNA SAY AGAIN, HOW PROUD WE ARE OF YOU GUYS.
AND NOT JUST FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT JUST AS I SAID AT THE BEING.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE THIS, BUT YOU REALLY BROUGHT A COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
UM, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY, AS I SAID IN MY SPEECH, B, EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU ALL.
NO MATTER WHERE WE WENT, EVERYBODY WAS WATCHING.
PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CHANNEL IS IT ON? AND ESPN WAS NOT NICE TO US.
THAT WAS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO TRACK DOWN WHERE IT WAS AND HAS IT STOPPED RAINING AND, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE ROOTING YOU ON.
UM, AS FAR AS SOUTH CAROLINA AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I HOPE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, YOU REMEMBER THIS SUMMER AND HOW PROUD YOU MADE ALL OF US AND THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, ALTHOUGH WE'RE GONNA CLAIM A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT FRONT ROYAL CROSS STREET JERSEY PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT FRONT ROYAL, UM, IN A POSITIVE WAY AND THAT WAS A GOOD THING.
SO JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
HOPEFULLY YOU'RE, YOU'VE SETTLED BACK INTO SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING'S, UH, SETTLING FOR YOU.
BUT THANK YOU AGAIN AND THANKS TO THE COACHES AND THE MANAGER AND UM, I'M ALSO GONNA SAVE ONE OF THESE PROCLAMATIONS FOR LITTLE LEAGUE.
I'LL MAKE SURE ROGER GETS THAT.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING AND JOINING US TONIGHT.
ALRIGHT, SO NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER SIX.
AND I'M SORRY, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, AND IF YOU GUYS, I'M GONNA LET OUR ALL STARS HEAD OUT 'CAUSE I KNOW THEY'VE GOT SCHOOL TOMORROW.
SORRY, PARENTS DIDN'T MEAN TO GOTTA GET THAT HOMEWORK PRESSURE THAT, YEAH.
WHAT'S THE HOMEWORK? HOMEWORK? ICE CREAM.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE PRIORITY, RIGHT? ICE CREAM.
ALL RIGHT, SO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE NOW COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNSEL TO LEARN OF INFORMATION OF WHICH THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY AWARE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE RECOGNIZED AND COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND INDICATE IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
IF THE COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, YOU MAY SIMPLY STATE THAT YOU AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
THERE IS A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR SPEAKERS.
AFTER THREE MINUTES, THE MICROPHONE WILL CUT OFF.
PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND TO REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS WHICH ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS OR DISPLAY OTHER DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT INCLUDING OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY.
[7.A. Receive Public Comment Regarding a Request from Aaron & Harmony Hike and Aaron Hike Trustee, to vacate approximately 13,324 square feet of N. Royal Avenue and the alley between N. Royal and Virginia Avenues. ]
AND SO OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING A REQUEST FROM ERIN AND HARMONY HIKE AND ERIN HI TRUSTEE, TO VACATE APPROXIMATELY 13,324 SQUARE FEET OF NORTH ROYAL AVENUE AND THE ALLEY BETWEEN NORTH ROYAL AND VIRGINIA AVENUES.MS. PRESLEY, UM, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO READ THE SUMMARY PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 DASH 2 0 0 6.
COUNSEL WILL RECEIVE COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC PERTAINING TO AN APPLICATION RECEIVED FROM THE OWNER OF RECORD AARON AND HARMONY HEKE AND AARON HEKE TRUSTEE REQUESTING THAT THE TOWN VACATE APPROXIMATELY 13,324 SQUARE FEET ON NORTH WORLD AVENUE AND THE UNIMPROVED ALLEY LOCATED BETWEEN NORTH WORLD AVENUE AND VIRGINIA AVENUE.
AND ADJACENT TO 1516 NORTH ROYAL AVENUE, THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING.
[00:15:01]
ALWAYS START OFF WITH THE STAFF.IS THERE SOMETHING STAFF? THERE'S NO, DOES ANYBODY ON COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF FIRST? OKAY.
AND NORMALLY WE WOULD, UM, MOVE ON TO THE APPLICANT.
DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE ANY, THERE'S NEVER ANY PRESSURE TO, BUT DOES THE APPLICANT WISH TO SPEAK? SO LEGAL COUNSEL'S GONNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT? YES, MADAM MAYOR.
OKAY, MAY IT PLEASE COUNSEL, UH, DAVID SEK ON BEHALF OF THE HIKES AND THE HIKE FAMILY TRUST.
UM, I, I SORT OF FEEL LIKE WE'RE HAVING A SENSE OF DEJA VU HERE.
UM, WE'VE, THIS IS A ROAD THAT'S BEEN TROD BEFORE AND FRANKLY, I THINK DUE TO ERRORS OF, UH, PRIOR TOWN STAFF WE'RE HERE AGAIN, I BELIEVE AT ONE OF THE VOTES.
AND I THINK THIS IS NOW THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS COME UP TOTALLY.
AND THAT IN OF ITSELF SHOULD CAUSE COUNCIL PAULS AS TO WHY IS IT BACK AGAIN THERE? I BELIEVE THE LAST BIT WAS UNANIMOUS TO APPROVE THIS.
I HAVE REQUESTED, UH, IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, WE GOT FOIA REQUESTS AND WE RECEIVED RESPONSES FROM FOIA CROSS AND I CAN SEE WHERE MY CLIENT PROVIDED THE CONTRACT TO FORMER TOWN MANAGER AND COUNSEL FOR EXECUTION.
AND THAT WAS SENT AT THE END OF APRIL, THEN COME FORWARD TO JUNE AND JULY.
NO SIGNED CONTRACT FROM THE TOWN AND THEN DEEDS WERE NEVER EXECUTED.
WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME SET FORTH IN THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU ALL HAD ADOPTED TO ALLOW FOR THE VACATION AND PURCHASE OF THIS ALLEY, MAY 15TH, 2024, MY CLIENT CONTACTED, UM, THE TITLE COMPANY TO PREPARE THE PAPERWORK TO TRANSFER, UH, THE PROPERTY.
UH, THE UM, TITLE COMPANY, MS. BEATTY AT TLC, UH, CONTACTED THE TOWN.
THEY WERE TOLD THAT TO CALL GEORGE SHAUNA FOR ANY INFORMATION THAT THEY MAY NEED FROM THE TOWN.
MR. SONNET AND MS. BEATTY HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CONTRACTS FOR SALE AND SHE WAS TOLD SHE WOULD HAVE TO GET THOSE FROM JOE WALTZ OR AARON HEKE.
THEY TALKED ABOUT THE TIMEFRAME FROM CLOSING AND WAS TOLD IT HAD TO CLOSE BEFORE JULY 25TH, 2024.
OH, SKIPPING BACK UP, REMEMBER AT THE END OF APRIL THE CONTRACT WAS SENT TO THE TOWN MANAGER, SENT INFORMATION TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO PREPARE THE DEEDS AND WAS ASKED FOR SIGNED CONTRACTS FOR SALE.
SHE CALLED JOE WALTZ'S OFFICE AND DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE.
SHE ASKED AARON ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND HE DID GET HIS SIGNED COPY OVER TO HER AND SENT TO HER THE EMAIL HE HAD SENT TO MR. WALTZ ON APRIL 30TH, REQUESTING HIS SIGNATURE ON THE CONTRACT FOR SALE.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND WHAT WOULD, SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED WOULD BE IF THE TOWN DID NOT LIKE THE CONTRACT OR HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CONTRACT, PROPOSED REVISION SHOULD HAVE EMANATED OUT OF THE TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OR THE TOWN MANAGER'S OFFICE BACK TO MR. HEKE OR TO THE TITLE COMPANY.
WITH ANY PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE CONTRACT.
CRICKETS, YOUR STAFF WENT FED COLD CRICKETS.
MS. BEATTY CALLED MR. SONNET AGAIN TO SEE IF HE COULD HELP IN GETTING THE CONTRACT SIGNED.
HE, UH, SHE TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAD THE DEEDS AND WERE READY TO CLOSE ON JULY 23RD, 2024.
SO THEY WOULD BE SURE TO GET IT ON RECORD BEFORE THE 25TH.
HE TOLD HER THAT JULY 23RD WAS THE LAST DAY, NOT JULY 25TH, 2024.
LIKE HE HAD STATED TO HER BEFORE, HE GAVE HER AN EMAIL FOR MS. HALSEY, H-A-L-S-E TO ASK ABOUT THE SIGNED CONTRACTS.
I'VE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THAT NAME.
BUT THAT IS WHAT MS. BEATTY REPORTS.
JULY 23RD, AFTER SPEAKING WITH MR. SONNET, SHE EMAILED THE CONTRACTS TO MS. HOUSIE, GEORGE SONNET AND JOE WALTZ FOR SIGNATURES.
AGAIN, NO RESPONSE UNTIL JULY 24TH, 2024 WHEN MR. WALTZ RESPONDED THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY CONTRACTS FOR REVIEW OR APPROVAL AND THE ORDINANCE HAD EXPIRED.
[00:20:01]
ABJECT LIE.AND IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF COUNCIL OR THE MAYOR, YOU SHOULD NOT TOLERATE SUCH.
BUT HERE WE ARE, AN OBSERVATION.
THE ORDINANCE WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL ON MARCH 25TH, 2025, BUT IT WASN'T SIGNED UNTIL APRIL ONE.
THERE'S A SIX DAY DELTA BETWEEN THAT IT'S SIGNED WHEN IT BECOMES LAW, THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES LAW, NOT WHEN IT'S PASSED HERE.
WHEN IT'S SIGNED, THAT'S WHEN A LAW GOES INTO EFFECT.
SO ON TWO SEPARATE COUNTS, THE TOWN SCREWED UP AND MY CLIENTS HAVE SUFFERED FROM IT.
AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UTTERLY RIDICULOUS.
THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED MULTIPLE TIMES.
I THEN REACHED OUT TO THE TOWN AND FILED FOR YOUR REQUEST.
I SEE WHERE HE SENT THE EMAIL AND THEY DIDN'T RESPOND.
I HEARD THROUGH THE PROVERBIAL GRAPE RUN THAT SOMEONE FROM THE TOWN WAS GONNA CONTACT ME.
I BELIEVE IT WAS FROM MR. SONNET.
CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION? SO AT THIS TIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS APPLICATION.
I I THINK THAT YOU'VE SHARED LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAST.
I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE IS AWARE OF THAT AS WELL.
'CAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN THOSE SAME EMAILS.
BUT IS THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING NEW TO THIS APPLICATION? NO, IT'S THE SAME THING.
THAT'S, AND THAT'S I THINK THE PROCEDURAL POSTURE IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE.
RES JUDICATA, Y'ALL HAVE DECIDED THIS.
IT'S NOT UP FOR REED DECISION, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE SET FORTH IN A NEW DECISION TO FIX THE ERROR THAT OCCURRED.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST TO THE COUNCIL, YOU'VE DECIDED THIS, DECIDED THINGS STAY DECIDED.
WE DON'T KEEP REVISITING THE SAME THING.
SO PLEASE VOTE TO APPROVE THE REQUEST OF MY CLIENTS SO THAT THIS ISSUE CAN BE PUT TO BED AND RESOLVE.
AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND MS. PRESLEY, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE DO.
WE HAVE SEVEN AND MR. SIC WAS NUMBER ONE.
I THINK I WAS GONNA SAY, JUST A REMINDER TO EVERYBODY WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
STATE YOUR NAME AND THREE MINUTES AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
MY NAME IS SARAH RANDOLPH AND I LIVE IN ONE OF THE DWELLINGS THAT IS ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY ON NORTH ROYAL AVENUE.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS BECAUSE THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN A BIT BEWILDERING FOR US AS WELL.
UM, WHEN THIS ORIGINALLY CAME FORTH, VIEWERS WERE REQUESTED TO COME AND VIEW THIS APPLICATION AND THIS PROPERTY THAT NEVER EVEN HAPPENED THE LAST TIME, VIEWERS WERE NEVER APPOINTED TO VIEW THIS APPLICATION, THIS VALLEY, THIS NOT VALLEY, THIS EASEMENT.
SO IF YOU ALL ARE GOING TO CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA REQUEST THAT YOU ALL FOLLOW THROUGH AND YOU HAVE THOSE VIEWERS TAKE ON THE VIEWING.
AS YOU ALL STATED AT OUR LAST MEETING, YOU WOULD DO WHEN THIS CAME, I DUNNO HOW MANY TIMES AGO, I'M NOT KEEPING TRACK.
AND THEN MY NEXT REQUEST IS MS. AMBER ENTAL IS A PROJECT MANAGER FOR THEIR COMPANY.
THIS HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING.
THEY HAVE NOT LIVED IN THIS SINCE OVER A YEAR.
THEY MOVED OUT, THEY'VE MOVED IN RENTERS IN THE HOUSE, IN THE APARTMENT ABOVE THE GARAGE.
SO THIS PROPERTY SERVES INTEREST TO THEIR COMPANY.
AND WE WOULD LIKE HER VOTE TO BE STRICKEN FROM THIS PROCESS.
UM, THEY ALSO WERE KIND OF CONFUSED WHY THEY ARE REQUESTING Y'ALL'S LAND FOR A FENCE WHEN THEY HAVE THE LARGEST PLOT ALMOST ON OUR STREET.
THEY HAVE PLENTY OF LAND TO PUT UP A FENCE THEY DON'T NEED TO TAKE FROM YOU ALL TO SECURE THEIR NEEDS.
AND YOU ALL HAVE LEFT THE GENTLEMAN AT THE END OF OUR, OF OUR STRIP DOWN THERE, MR. GREEN, WITH HIS HOUSEHOLD COMPLETELY GETTING FLOODED FROM THE CURB THAT YOU ALL PLACED WHEN THAT HOUSE HOUSE WAS PUT NEAR THAT END.
[00:25:01]
DONE.AND I KNOW HE HAS COME AND VOICED THE WATER CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
YOU ALL HAVE THE POWER TO FIX THAT WITH KEEPING THE LAND IN YOUR PROPERTY CARE.
NOW, IF YOU CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD HAPPILY AND WOULD LIKE OUR 50% THAT YOU ALL IGNORED.
THE LEGIS WHO CAME AND SPOKE SAID THEY AGREED TO A 50 50 SPLIT.
YOU ALL WENT WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT 25 GIF.
THAT WAS NOT EVEN SPOKEN TO US.
WE FOUND OUT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINES, THROUGH YOU ALL.
SO THERE, THERE'S JUST, WE'RE KIND OF, WHY ARE WE HERE AGAIN? YOU GAVE THEM EVERYTHING THEY WANTED AND YET, HERE WE ARE, WE'RE HERE AGAIN.
IT'S JUST, AND HE WANTS TO SAY THERE'S THERE'S FAULT ON Y'ALL'S END, BUT, AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO PUT IN THE APPLICATION.
THEY CAN, THEY HAVE A HOUND, HE CAN HOUND YOU.
SO IT'S, THANK YOU MS. RANDALL.
WHO DO WE HAVE NEXT? TYLER MA.
GOOD EVENING MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I LIVE AT 1602 NORTH ROYAL AVENUE.
UM, ONE OF THE ABUTTING OWNERS OF THIS PROPERTY AS WELL.
UM, I'M JUST AS DISTRAUGHT AS IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IS HERE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, WHY ARE WE GOING THROUGH THIS AGAIN? NOW I'M HEARING THAT IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM.
IT'S, IT'S A, HE SAYS, SHE SAID IT IS WHAT IT IS.
BUT THE FIRST TRANSACTION, WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE 50, 50%, UH, WHEN I ASKED THE TOWN MANAGER WHO WAS CURRENTLY IN THE TOWN MANAGER POSITION AT THAT TIME, HE SAID THAT IT WOULD BE OKAY THAT WE COULD AT LEAST ASK FOR IT.
THAT IT WOULDN'T CHANGE US GETTING THE 50 50, UH, SPLIT ON THIS PAPER THAT I GOT MAILED OUT ON FEBRUARY 5TH AS SAYING THAT WE DENIED IT AND THAT WASN'T THE CASE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A TWIST OF WORDS OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IN APRIL, WE GET THE CONFIRMATION THAT Y'ALL ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO WITH THE APPLICANT SELLING THE LAND AND GIFTING US 25%.
IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, THAT'S FINE, BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE OWED AT LEAST 50%.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE HERE VIEWING THIS, AGAIN, WE'RE WANTING TO STRESS US BEING ABLE TO JUST THE PART THAT'S TOUCHING OUR PROPERTY.
WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING ELSE THAT THAT'S ALL WE WANT.
BUT BEFORE Y'ALL EVEN SELL, OR IF Y'ALL DECIDE TO SELL, I PRESUME THAT Y'ALL NEED TO FIX THAT, THAT WATER ISSUE.
BECAUSE BEFORE WHEN Y'ALL, THE CURB WASN'T THERE, THERE WASN'T REALLY A WATER ISSUE FLOODING MR. GREEN'S, UH, AREA OF THE LIVING.
AND NOW SINCE THAT CURB HAS BEEN THERE, THE WATER PULLS UP AND IT GOES RIGHT.
THE, JUST THE WAY THE LAND IS, THERE WAS NO DRAINAGE PUT IN.
SO IT DRAINS RIGHT DOWN IN THERE.
SO IF Y'ALL DO SELL BEFORE FIXING IT, HOW CAN WE TRUST THAT THE PEOPLE WHO, WHOEVER IT MAY BE OR IS GOING TO TRY TO HELP FIX, HELP MR. GREEN OUT AND FIX THAT? OR IS HE JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT? NOW IT'S A CIVIL SUIT AND THAT'S GONNA BE A WHOLE NOTHER BALL GAME.
SO I JUST, I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST BETTER OFF THAT, THAT THE TOWN KEEPS LAND AND THEY FIX IT.
AND THEN IF THEY DO DECIDE TO DO WHATEVER THEY DO WITH IT, THEY JUST FAIR WITH EVERYBODY THAT THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THAT WE ASK.
IF THEY WANT THEIR 50%, LET 'EM HAVE IT.
IF THEY DON'T, THEN THAT'S FINE TOO.
BUT THAT, THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
WHO DO WE HAVE NEXT? BRIAN PIK.
MS. MAYER, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS BRIAN PAVLICH AND, UH, I'M A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY.
UH, BUT I HAVE KNOWN TYLER AND SARAH SINCE THEY MOVED HERE.
AND I'VE KNOWN SARAH SINCE SHE WAS A BABY.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN, UH, IN HER FAMILY AND, AND HER CHILDREN'S FAMILY, UH, FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THIS, UM, IS A SAD SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, UH, THIS IS WHERE THEIR CHILDREN PLAY THIS, THIS LITTLE EASEMENT AREA.
UH, AND THE PROPOSED FENCE LINE THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT INSTALLING PUTS THIS FENCE THREE FEET AWAY FROM THEIR BEDROOM WINDOWS.
[00:30:01]
UH, AND THESE ARE CHILDREN, UH, THERE, THAT FENCE SHOULDN'T BE THAT CLOSE TO THE HOUSE WITH THE CHILDREN THERE.UH, I FEEL LIKE TYLER DOES THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD MAINTAIN THIS, UH, ALLEYWAY, THIS EASEMENT.
UH, AND AGAIN, AS, AS, UH, SARAH POINTED OUT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A POINT OF ORDER THAT, UM, MS. WETENHALL BE RECUSED AS SHE IS A EMPLOYEE OF THE HY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.
SO I WOULD JUST, UH, LIKE TO MAKE THAT, UH, MOTION.
AND, UM, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY LIKE, UM, JUST FOR RECORD, LIKE THE PUBLIC DOESN'T MAKE THE MOTIONS, THE BOARD, THE COUNCIL, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.
ALRIGHT, MS. MS. PRESLEY, WHO'S NEXT? JACQUELINE PEK.
I, I'LL JUST REITERATE AND SAY SAME
ELIZABETH VAULT, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, MY NAME'S ELIZABETH VAUGHT.
I'M NO LONGER A TOWN RESIDENT.
I LIVE IN THE COUNTY, BORN AND RAISED.
UM, I GREW UP ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS SUPPOSED ALLEY THAT'S MAINTAINED BY THE TOWN.
I WANTED TO REFRESH MY MEMORY THE OTHER NIGHT.
SO I WENT UP, SAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS MAINTAINED ALLEYWAY THAT LOOKED LIKE TO ME IT WAS PART OF SOMEBODY'S YARD.
UM, I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES THAT THIS HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP.
I THOUGHT THAT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, SO I JUST KIND OF WENT UP, GOT A LITTLE NOSY BECAUSE LIKE I SAY, IT WAS MY OLD NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEN, UM, AS FAR AS THE, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT'S BEEN THE PAPERWORK TRAIL THAT GOT BROKEN SOMEHOW, WHATEVER.
IF YOU REVISIT IT, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU'D GO AHEAD AND APPROVE IT BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A WAY TO FIX THIS WATER PROBLEM.
MAYBE GO BACK AND DO A CONTRACT AND TAKE THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE GONNA GIVE YOU TO BUY IT AND USE THAT TO FIX MR. GREEN'S YARD.
IF YOU WANNA GO AS FAR AS WORRYING ABOUT THE TOWN LIABILITY, MAYBE THOSE KIDS SHOULDN'T BE PLAYING ON TOWN LOT.
'CAUSE IF THEY GET HURT, WHO'S GONNA PAY FOR THAT? WE ALL NEED TO LEARN HOW TO WORK TOGETHER AGAIN.
AND I THINK THIS LITTLE BASEBALL TEAM IS THE ONE THAT SHOWED US WHAT IT FEELS LIKE THE FRONT ROW THAT I GREW UP IN.
SO IF WE COULD ALL GET ALONG, WE'LL GET A WHOLE LOT FURTHER, BUT IT'S NOT A MAINTAINED ALLEY THAT HAS CAR TRAFFIC GOING UP AND DOWN.
I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP BECAUSE IT IS STILL LIKE, LIKE IT WAS.
YES, MAYOR COUNSEL, UH, I KNOW.
CAN I APPROACH AND THAT Y'ALL SEE WHAT I'M, WHAT I SEE IN THE VIDEO? FIRST OFF, STATE YOUR ADDRESS.
AND, UM, AS FAR AS THE, THAT NORMALLY YOU WOULD GIVE IT TO, UM, THE CLERK.
SO IF YOU WANT TO, UH, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE FOR EVERYBODY? I MEAN, WE, I GUESS YOU CAN HAND IT TO SO WE CAN PASS IT.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR THREE MINUTES LIKE PASSING STUFF DOWN.
IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT? PASSING DOWN WILL GO BLACK.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS THE CURBS WERE PUT IN AND ALL THE WATER FROM THE TOP OF THE STREET ON BOTH STREETS, BOTH ENDS OF THE STREET COME IN AND IT FLOODS MY YARD.
SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED NOW IS EROSION HAS CAME IN AND IT'S CREATED PROBABLY A FOOT, MAYBE TWO WITHIN MY PROPERTY.
SO YOU'RE TALKING OVER THE NEXT 10, 20 YEARS, I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE GRAND CANYON IN MY YARD,
UM, I'M GONNA LEAVE MYSELF OUTTA EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON BEHIND ME.
UH, I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE ADULTS.
THEY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, ACT AS SUCH.
IF THEY CAN'T MAKE THEIR MIND UP, THEN THAT'S ON THEM.
UM, MY ONLY THING IS NOBODY CAME TO ME
[00:35:01]
AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO EXCLUDE OUR PROBLEM TO FIX YOURS.SO I'M HERE BY MYSELF TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
AND ME, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE FIGURED OUT BY A VOTE TONIGHT.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE HELD OFF.
FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT'S GONNA CAUSE ME MONEY AND DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY.
AND THEN WE CAN GET BACK TO THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE.
THAT'S TWO ADULTS, TWO DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLDS THAT CAN'T FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT FOR ME.
UM, LEMME SEE SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
SO, SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.
THE FIRST THING WAS, WAS SAW ME AND MISS, UH, THE MAYOR.
WE MET AND HAD THE MEETING WITH ROBBIE AND EVERYTHING THE, UH, DRAIN WAS PUT IN.
SO IT STOPPED GOING OVER TOP OF MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH WAS HITTING THE BOTTOM OF MY DECK, WHICH I JUST REPLACED BECAUSE OF ALL THE WATER DAMAGE.
I JUST PUT IN A WHOLE NEW DECK, WHICH COST ME ALMOST $20,000.
UM, SO THEY FIXED THAT PROBLEM.
UM, THE WATER COMES IN, THEY PUT UP THESE STACKS, THESE HAYSTACKS TO SLOW IT DOWN, BUT THEY'RE NOT MAINTAINED.
LET'S BE REAL HAYSTACKS WITH ALL THIS RAIN THAT'S BEEN COMING.
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT? THAT DOESN'T SOLVE ANYTHING.
SO THE WATER COMES DOWN AND THEN IT DIVIDES ITSELF BECAUSE IT'S COMING OUT OF A PIPE AND THEN IT'S COMING OFF OF THE STREET.
SO IT'S TWO SOURCES THAT IT'S COMING FROM.
SO ALL THE WATER THAT'S COMES OVER INTO MY YARD AND JUST FLOODS EVERYTHING, AND I TRY TO FIX IT.
AND WE, WE CAME TO AGREEMENT ABOUT SOME DIRT, BUT JUST PUTTING DIRT DOWN IS NOT GONNA SOLVE IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT MAKES THE WATER GO DOWN AND DISPERSE ITSELF EVENLY.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, IF YOU SELL IT, I JUST WANNA BUY MY PORTION.
OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T REALLY CARE.
MR. PRESSLEY, I BELIEVE YOU SAID THERE WERE SEVEN PEOPLE, CORRECT? YES.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS TOPIC? NO.
I LIVE AT 1516 NORTH ROYAL AVENUE IN FRONT ROYAL, AND I'VE ONLY JUST LEARNED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, AND I DO HOPE THAT EVERYBODY CAN FIND A, A GOOD RESOLUTION FOR THIS.
I WILL STATE THAT AS A SAFETY CONCERN.
I WAS BETTER EDUCATED AS TO WHAT AN EASEMENT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY FOR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, BUT HAVE FOUND OUT SINCE THEN THAT IT IS ANYBODY, ANY PERSON CAN WALK BACK AND FORTH THERE.
I WILL SAY AS A WOMAN LIVING ALONE, THAT'S REALLY DARK THERE.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY DO HAVE A FLOODLIGHT THAT COMES ON IN THE DRIVEWAY, IT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE THAT AREA.
I'VE FOUND A LOT OF GARBAGE SHOWING UP IN THAT AREA.
SO I KNOW PEOPLE DO WALK BACK AND FORTH THERE, AND THAT'S CONCERNING.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY HAD, UH, PEOPLE HAVE COME TO VISIT ME WHO HAVE PARKED ON THAT GRAVEL AREA, HAVE HAD THE POLICE CALLED ON THEM TWICE WITHIN AN HOUR.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT CAN BE FIXED OR ANYTHING, BUT TO ANYBODY WHO COMES IN, I'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE EVEN A TIRE ON THE GRAVEL OR I'M AFRAID THE POLICE WILL BE CALLED ON THEM AGAIN.
I DON'T WANT TO BLAME ANYBODY OR ANYTHING.
AND I DO HOPE THAT SOMETHING CAN BE FIGURED OUT FOR EVERYBODY, TO BE EVERYBODY TO BE HAPPY.
BUT KEEPING THAT A PUBLIC SPACE, I WILL SAY, DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TO ME.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS, ABOUT THIS TOPIC FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING? CAN YOU READDRESS? I'M SORRY.
YOU GET THE THREE MINUTES? SORRY.
OR WE ALL ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT AT CLOSING WHEN THAT'S PERMIT PERMITTED.
UM, SO, UM, JUST NO ONE ELSE WISHES TO SPEAK.
I'M, I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD SITUATIONS IN THE PAST WHERE COUNSEL MOTIONED THAT WE KEPT THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN, BUT I'M ASSUMING NOBODY
[00:40:01]
HAS THAT DESIRE RIGHT NOW.I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN IF THE APPLICANT WISHES TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS ANY OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO, UM, ADDRESS ISSUES THAT WERE DROP BROUGHT UP FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, TALK, I'LL BEGIN WITH THE LAST PERSON THAT SPOKE.
UM, THERE WAS AN ALLEY PREVIOUSLY VACATED DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET, ALONG THE LINE OF DR.
WINE SOLD THE PROPERTY TO DR. COLLINS, MY DENTIST, UM, JOE DENNY AND RAY COLLINS BOUGHT THE ALLEY.
AND IN THE, ACROSS THE PROPERTY THAT GOES BACK TO, I WANNA SAY IT'S 17TH STREET, WHATEVER THE PROPERTY IS BEHIND WHAT WAS KLIN AND EDGE HILL.
SO ALLEYS HAVE BEEN VACATED LITERALLY ACROSS THE STREET THERE BEFORE.
UM, CAN'T FIX THE WATER PROBLEM.
THERE'S NOT VACATING THE ALLEY DOESN'T FIX THE WATER PROBLEM.
THE WATER PROBLEM, THERE'S A CULVERT THERE, THE WATER TRANSCENDS.
THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT ISSUE.
UH, NOT SELLING THE ALLEY WILL NOT FIX THAT.
SOMEONE BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF A VIEWING COMMITTEE.
YOU WILL RECALL THE FIRST TIME THIS CAME ABOUT, THERE WAS A VIEWING COMMITTEE, AND DURING THE SECOND TIME, IT WAS DECIDED THERE'S NO NEED TO DO ANOTHER VIEWING COMMITTEE BECAUSE SUCH HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE.
FINALLY, UM, MY CLIENT HAS INDICATED THAT HE'S STILL WILLING TO, UH, GIVE, UH, A PORTION OF THE, THE, I THINK IT WAS 25% OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES OF THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND I THINK THAT CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED VIA BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT, UH, AFTER THE VACATION OF THE ALLEY, ET CETERA.
I THINK THAT'S THE PROPER MEANS OF DOING THAT.
UM, AND HE HAD OFFERED THAT FINALLY, THE RED HERRING OF FENCE BEING TOO CLOSE TO A WINDOW, I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. RAP COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT AT ONE OF THE FIRST OR THE SECOND HEARING WHEN HE ASKED WHERE WOULD THE FENCE BE? IT WOULD BE AT LEAST EIGHT FEET AWAY FROM THE HOUSE, MORE THAN ENOUGH ROOM FOR ANY EMERGENCY EGRESS FROM A BEDROOM WINDOW THAT MAY BE ADJACENT TO IT.
NOT ONE FOOT, TWO FOOT OR THREE FEET OR WHATEVER IT IS, UH, BY THAT STRUCTURE, AS IT HAS SOMEHOW BECOME THIS MYSTERIOUS PLACEMENT OF THE FENCE.
BUT IT WAS ANNOUNCED AT ONE OF THE HEARINGS THAT IT WOULD BE EIGHT FEET, UH, A MINIMUM OF EIGHT FEET AWAY FROM THE PROP, UH, FROM THAT WINDOW.
GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL AND MAYOR HAVE.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK THAT WAS, UM, NORMALLY AT THIS TIME THEY, WHEN THE APPLICANT SPEAKS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNSEL TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT OR ALSO OF STAFF.
AND SO I WILL, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THIS ISN'T A DISCUSSION TIME, THIS IS THE QUESTION, PERIOD.
MR. SEK, WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY AT 1516 NORTH ROYAL AVENUE OF MY CLIENT'S PROPERTY, IT'S A TRUST.
DOES HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED OWN 1516 NORTH ROYAL AVENUE? NO, THANK YOU.
I I WASN'T GONNA ASK YOU A QUESTION.
I'M GONNA ASK STAFF A QUESTION.
'CAUSE SOMETHING THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, UM, IS THAT, AND THIS CAME UP BEFORE, SO THE APPLICATION BEFORE US TONIGHT IS ABOUT VACATING THIS ALLEY.
AND IF IT IS SUCCESSFUL, OBVIOUSLY, IF IT'S NOT SUCCESSFUL THAT WE KNOW THE OUTCOME FOR THERE, BUT IF THE VACATION WERE TO BE APPROVED TONIGHT IN TERMS OF 25%, 50%, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT THAT ISN'T A CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS HERE AT THIS COUNCIL.
THE, THE ALLEY VACATION IS WHAT IS ACTIONS TAKEN TONIGHT.
AND THEN THERE IS A NEGOTIATION PROCESS, WHICH IS WHERE IT'S BROKEN DOWN IN THE PAST, I WILL ADMIT ON BOTH SIDES.
UM, AND SO THEN IT WOULD BE THE TOWN MANAGER WOULD MEET WITH THE APPLICANT DECIDING THE PRICE AND MOVING FORWARD.
MR. SONNET, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, MADAM MAYOR, THAT'S A GOOD OVERVIEW.
THE FIRST BEING TO VACATE THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST IN THE LAND, SECOND BEING TO THEN SELL IT, WHICH REQUIRES A SEPARATE PUBLIC
[00:45:01]
HEARING.THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT BY STATUTE SALE CAN BE WHAT THE APPLICANT OR, AND OR OTHER ABUTTING OWNERS.
THAT'S WHAT I, I WAS TRYING TO, BUT THE COUNCIL DOESN'T DETERMINE IF WHO SELLS IT, IF THEY DECIDE TO GIFT IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE OR SELL A PORTION TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
THE TOWN WOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN THAT ONCE THERE'S A CONVEYANCE.
THAT, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT I JUST FOR, FOR SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS THAT WERE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IN THE PAST THE COUNCIL, UM, VOTED FOR LIKE 50% FOR THIS OR SOMETHING FOR THAT, AND THAT, THAT THAT WAS NOT ACCURATE.
THE, THE COUNCIL VOTED ON VACATING THE ALLEY AND THEN BEFORE IT EVER GOT TO THE PROCESS OF NEGO THE PRICE AND THE, AND THE SECOND PUBLIC YEAR, WE DIDN'T GET TO THAT POINT.
SORRY, LET ME JUST, IT WAS NOT REALLY A QUESTION FOR YOU AS A QUESTION FOR STAFF, BUT JUST CLARIFYING.
'CAUSE IT IS A, IT CAN BE A CONVOLUTED PROCESS FOR SOME FOLKS.
SO ANYWAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? MR. AVO? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UH, MR. SLIK? YES, SIR.
SO FOR EVERY TRUST, THERE'S USUALLY A TRUSTEE.
ARE YOU AT LIBERTY TO DIVULGE WHO THAT IS? MR. HY.
THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. ICK.
I'M ASSUMING COUNSEL'S DONE WITH THEIR QUESTIONS.
EVERYBODY'S HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL FOR A MOTION.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THE COUNCIL, ADOPT AN ORDINANCE PRESENT CONDITIONALLY APPROVING VACATION AND THE SALE REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? WELL, YEAH, I'M SORRY.
VICE MAYOR BY WAS GONNA, OH, I'M SORRY.
I DO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION SINCE I SEEM TO BE A TOPIC OF INTEREST, UM, AMONG NOT ONLY THE PUBLIC'S INPUT TONIGHT, BUT ALSO SOME FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD APPARENTLY REACHED OUT TO STAFF, BUT NOT MYSELF.
I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS BY NOT ONE, BUT TWO OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT MY POSITION ON MULTIPLE ACTION ITEMS, ASKING WHY I DIDN'T CALL THEM PRIOR TO THE MEETING TO DISCUSS MY POSITION, HOW LONG I KNEW WHAT ACTION I WOULD DECIDE TO TAKE THAT NIGHT, WHY I DON'T ALWAYS USE THE PROPOSED MOTIONS IN OUR AGENDA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
THIS IS GRAVELY CONCERNING TO ME FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS.
WE WERE ELECTED TO MOTION WHAT IS RIGHT.
THAT IS THE JOB OF THIS COUNCIL, NOT THE STAFF, ALTHOUGH I DO RESPECT THEM AND APPRECIATE THEIR HARD WORK.
STAFF GIVES US THEIR PROPOSALS AS A BASIS, BEING ABLE TO THINK FOR YOURSELF, DECIPHER INFORMATION TIMELY, AND TAKE ACTION IS EACH OF OUR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
I WAS ELECTED NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE BY THE PEOPLE OF FRONT ROYAL TO SERVE THIS TOWN.
AND I DO NOT TAKE MY POSITION FOR GRANTED.
THE PURPOSE OF A PUBLIC HEARING IS TO HEAR THE PUBLIC'S INPUT, GATHER THE FACTS, OPINIONS, AND CONCERNS OF A MATTER BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION.
THEREFORE, I DO NOT MAKE UP MY MIND PRIOR TO A PUBLIC HEARING.
FURTHERMORE, I RAN SELF-FUNDED CAMPAIGNS FOR MY SEAT ON THIS DIES I CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR BARGAINED.
OTHERS HAVE HAD CAMPAIGN SUPPORT, WHICH IN MY OPINION, FROM ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS COULD HAVE AFFECTED THEIR POSITIONS ON THE MATTER BEFORE US TONIGHT.
THE MERITS OF THE SITUATION DID NOT CHANGE, BUT AN ELECTION TOOK PLACE SINCE THE LAST TIME THIS ITEM WAS BEFORE US IN WHICH SUPPORT WAS OFFERED UNANIMOUSLY BASED ON THEIR STANCE.
ALL OF THIS TO SAY THE MATTER BEFORE US TONIGHT CAUSED SOME LOBBYING, SOME THAT FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD'VE CALLED BACKDOOR MEETINGS, COUNTING THE VOTES, IF YOU WILL, MAKING A PLAN BEFORE TONIGHT'S MEETING, ALL PRIOR TO HEARING THE PUBLIC'S INPUT HERE.
WITH THIS, MY INTEGRITY HAS COME INTO QUESTION.
I FIND MYSELF ONCE AGAIN REMINDING MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS WHAT AN ALLEY VACATION APPLICATION IS.
IT'S AN APPLICANT WHO CAN APPLY TO VACATE AN ALLEY THAT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE APPLICANT WILL BE GRANTED THE PURCHASE OR INCLUDE ANY NEGOTIATIONS OF THE CONTRACT.
IT SIMPLY DIRECTS OUR TOWN STAFF TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS.
THEREFORE, ANY ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNER CAN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE PURCHASE OF THE VACATED ALLEY AFTER THE ACTION IS TAKEN.
I HAVE PUBLICLY TAKEN ACTION ON THIS SPECIFIC ITEM THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
MY STANCE, THE FACTS OF THE MATTER, NOR THE ALLEY HAVE CHANGED IN ANY OF THESE YEARS.
I WORK MULTIPLE JOBS, NOT JUST FOR HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED.
ONE OF THOSE JOBS IS FOR HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED.
HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION DID NOT APPLY TO VACATE THE ALLEY HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION DOES NOT OWN THE HOME.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MY JOB AT HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION IS NOT BASED
[00:50:01]
ON ANY MERITS OR MATTERS PERTAINING TO THIS ALLEY VACATION, AND NEVER HAS BEEN AND NEVER WAS.MY JOB AT HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION IS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO KNOW, NOT IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, NOT AS A PARTNER, NO OWNERSHIP.
AND I DO NOT OWE A SINGLE PERSON ON THIS DICE ANY OF THAT INFORMATION THAT I JUST SHARED.
BUT BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT IN THE PAST, AND I ALWAYS HAVE THE PRESERVATION AND SUCCESS OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL'S INTEREST AT HEART, I AM DEFENDING MY POSITION.
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AS NOTED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER, I RECUSED MYSELF FROM A VOTE ON A CURB AND GUTTER WAIVER ON VIRGINIA AVENUE, WHICH WAS SUBMITTED BY HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED.
AGAIN, MY JOB WAS NOT CONTINGENT ON THIS, BUT I WORKED SPECIFICALLY ON THAT PROJECT AND FOR THE COMPANY IN WHICH THAT APPLIED, IT IS NOT COMPARABLE TO THE APPLICATION THAT IS HERE BEFORE US.
A WORK SESSION WOULD'VE BEEN AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS TO ME OR MY POSITION AND MY PROFESSIONAL WORK.
NOT AN EMAIL, NOT A TEXT MESSAGE, NOT A CONVERSATION BEHIND MY BACK SEEKING LEGAL ADVISEMENT ON MY BEHALF.
NOW, TYPICALLY, I CANNOT BE BULLIED, INTIMIDATED, OR THREATENED DESPITE GREAT EFFORTS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME, YOU KNOW THAT I LEFT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR DURING MY TIME AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SOMEONE, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COUNCIL, REPORTED ME TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TRY TO HAVE ME LOSE MY JOB UNDER THE HATCH ACT, WHICH I WON THAT FIGHT IN FEDERAL HEARINGS.
HOWEVER, FOR THE SAKE OF INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ON THIS STAFF, I WILL FOREGO MY EARNED RIGHT TO VOTE IN TONIGHT'S MATTER.
RECUSING MYSELF FROM ANY VOTE IS A REALLY HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.
I SEE IT AS A COWARDLY MOVE WHEN PEOPLE RECUSE THEMSELVES, OFTENTIMES I'M HERE AND I WAS ELECTED TO BE DECISIVE.
A FORMER MAYOR AND FORMER COUNCILMAN ALWAYS SAID, AS LONG AS YOU CAN WAKE UP AND LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR THE NEXT DAY, KNOWING THAT YOU MADE THE BEST DECISION WITH THE INFORMATION YOU HAD, THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS IN YOUR POSITION.
MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE WENT AND CAST THEIR VOTE FOR ME, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE, TO SIT HERE AND MAKE UNBIASED DECISIONS.
BUT AT THE THREAT OF ANOTHER BASELESS LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, I'M GONNA SET MY PRIDE ASIDE.
ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS I WOULD MUCH RATHER FIGHT THIS FIGHT AND BE SUED.
AND I HOPE THOSE WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLES AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WORK ON THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, UNDERSTAND THE PROCESSES AND ROLES OF THIS MUNICIPALITY.
AND I HOPE THE WILLFUL, WILLFUL, OR WEAPONIZED, WHICHEVER IS INCOMPETENCE, WILL BE SHAMED AND NOT APPLAUDED.
COUNCILWOMAN DE DOMENICO PAYNE, DID YOU, IT'S HARD TO FOLLOW AMBER.
UM, I'LL BE A LITTLE SHORTER, BUT I WILL SAY, UM, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, UH, I, I FEEL LIKE TONIGHT THE REASON WHY I MADE THE MOTION TO GO AHEAD WAS BECAUSE WE HAD DONE IT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE.
AND ALSO I FEEL IT'S, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I DO WANT TO, UM, LET'S PUT IT FORTH THE STAFF TO, TO CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MR. GREEN TO TRY TO HELP HIM WITH HIS EROSION ISSUES.
BUT I DO BELIEVE IT IS A SEPARATE ISSUE THAN THE VACATION OF THE ALLEY.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE.
IT WAS BEEN BEFORE THAT LITTLE BABY BACK THERE WAS EVEN BORN.
UM, AND SO I'M HOPING, AGAIN, AS I HOPED IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THIS DISCUSSION, THAT WE FIND A WAY TO COEXIST TOGETHER PEACEFULLY.
UM, IT'S THIS, AS MS. VAUGHT WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY THAT FEELING OF COMMUNITY SERVICE OR SPIRIT DID COME BACK WITH THE BALLPLAYERS.
UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CIVILITY THAT EXISTED, UM, IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT I THINK WE NEED TO GET BACK TO OF REMEMBERING THERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CONNECTIONS.
UM, I REALLY COMMEND, UM, AMBER.
UM, I, UNLIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF RELATIVES IN THE IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY, BUT I, I ENVY THAT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS TOWN WAS SETTLED BY A CORE GROUP OF PEOPLE AND THEN IT EXTENDED OUT.
AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF PEOPLE, PROBABLY 75% ARE SECOND COUSINS OF EACH OTHER.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF RELATIONSHIPS, THERE'S A LOT OF CO-MINGLING, THERE'S, AND WE GET A LOT OF CRITICISM FOR, UM, PEOPLE SERVING ON MULTIPLE BOARDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE LIVING AMONGST EACH OTHER IN A SHARED COMMUNITY.
AND PLEASE TRY TO FIND A WAY TO LIVE TOGETHER PEACEFULLY AND DON'T, UM, COMPROMISE THAT OVER MONEY AND LAND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WISH TO SPEAK DURING THIS DISCUSSION? UH, MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY, I I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BASICALLY REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DEAN MONICA PAYNE JUST SAID.
UM, I MEAN, WE'VE, OF COURSE, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND, AND, UH, MY, MY TAKE HASN'T
[00:55:01]
CHANGED.I MEAN, AS IT'S BEEN SAID BY BOTH SIDES, NOTHING, NO NEW INFORMATION HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED AS FAR AS THE MERITS, UH, OF THIS APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
SO MY STANCE REMAINS THE SAME.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, I, I JUST, I HAVING A HARD TIME GRASPING WHY WE WOULD GO FROM UNANIMOUSLY APPROVING THIS TO, YOU KNOW, TO BEING A MIXED VOTE ON WHAT COULD I, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GONNA VOTE, BUT, UH, I JUST, I JUST FIND IT HARD, HARD HOW HARD IT WOULD BE TO EXPLAIN VOTING AGAINST THIS NOW AND VOTING FOR IT PRIOR.
SO ANYWAYS, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
SO, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? MAD MAYOR? YES.
TONIGHT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO WEIGH IN ON THE VACATION OF AN ALLEY.
WE HAVE APPROVED MS. ALO LAST YEAR.
FAST FORWARD TO THIS YEAR, AND WE HAVE A NEW TOWN MANAGER, MR. PETTY.
WE HIRED HIM AS AN EXPERIENCED MANAGER WITH A PLANNING BACKGROUND.
I BELIEVE HE'S THE FIRST ONE IN A VERY LONG TIME TO HAVE THAT EXPERTISE IN HIS ROLE.
MR. PETTY'S RECOMMENDATION TO THIS COUNSEL IS NOT TO SELL ANY ALLEYWAYS, AS WE DON'T KNOW HOW THEY MAY BE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE AS A UTILITY PROVIDER FOR ELECTRIC WATER SEWER.
THERE COULD BE A TIME WHEN WE MAY NEED THEM.
ALSO, THEY MAY PROVIDE FOR ACCESS FOR FUTURE SIDEWALKS OR TRAILS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW.
I VOTED LAST YEAR TO SELL THIS.
I, UM, ALLEYWAY UNDER MR. WALTZ'S EMPLOYMENT.
HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD TAKE THE ADVICE OF OUR EXPERIENCED TOWN MANAGER AND REFRAIN FROM SELLING ANY OF OUR ALLEYWAYS BECAUSE OF MR. PETTY'S ADVICE, VISION AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR TOWN AND OUR NEEDS.
I'LL BE VOTING TO ADHERE TO HIS RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? YES, MADAM MAYOR.
SO, UH, LAST, UH, I, UH, TWO MONDAYS, UH, AGO, I BELIEVE, UM, MR. PETTY, OUR NEW TOWN MANAGER, TOOK THE POSITION THAT, UH, THE ALLEY, THE ALLEY HAD SOME MERIT FOR UTILITIES AS, UH, COUNCILMAN WOOD JUST, UH, ITERATE.
UH, I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT THAT PARTICULAR ALLEY DOES HAVE SOME PURPOSE FOR UTILITIES.
I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE WATER, AS I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. GREEN, UH, UH, POINTED OUT AND SHOWED US THE VIDEOS, UH, OF, OF, UH, POTENTIALLY AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THERE MAY BE, I'M NOT AN OLOGIST, RIGHT? BUT THERE, THERE MAY BE A WAY THAT, UH, AND, AND THE TOWN MAY HAVE A USE IN ORDER TO, TO RUN WATER, TO, TO REDIRECT THE WATER, UH, IN A WAY SO THAT IT'S NOT FLOODING PROPERTIES.
I KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I LIVE IN A, IN A BOWL AND, UH, I GET, UH, HAMMER HAMMERED AND HARD RAINSTORMS. UM, HOWEVER, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS A, A DIFFICULT DECISION, UH, TO MAKE.
UM, I WANT TO SAY THAT, THAT I, I APPRECIATE, NOT ONLY APPRECIATE, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE, UH, FOR, UM, VICE MAYOR VIAL TO REUSE HERSELF.
UM, AND, UM, UNDER, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I THINK, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY THE RIGHT DECISION.
UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT SAID, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THESE ALLEYS DO HAVE SOME PURPOSE AS A BUFFER.
UH, I KNOW I HAVE AN ALLEY IN MY BACKYARD AND IT ACTS AS A BUFFER.
WHOEVER'S MOWING THE ALLEY, IF THEY ARE MOWING IN IT, I BELIEVE THEY ARE.
UH, IF THEY DON'T MOW IT, IT'S GONNA GROW UP INTO A JUNGLE AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
[01:00:01]
SO, UM, WITH THAT, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY TONIGHT, MAYOR.I JUST HAVE A POINT OF INFORMATION.
IT'LL BE QUICK FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR THE PRESS, FOR THE PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME, I JUST PULLED UP THE TAX CARD AND AS I THOUGHT, UH, MR. SEK STANDS CORRECTED, I APOLOGIZE.
THE TRUST IS FOR A PROPERTY BEHIND 15 16 15 16.
NORTH ROYAL AVENUE IS OWNED JOINTLY, 50 50 BY HARMONY AND AARON HIKE, WHICH HEIGHT CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED IS NOT.
SO THERE IS NO OVERLAP ON THAT.
COUNCILMAN SEAL, DID YOU, NO PRESSURE, BUT I DON'T WANNA LEAVE YOU OUT.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, YOU THE LAST TIME I, I VOTED AGAINST IT.
BUT IN HEARING THINGS TONIGHT, UH, HEARING MR. SIG SPEAK, UH, AND SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE, UM, I'M STILL, I MAY HAVE TO CHANGE IT, BUT, UH, I THINK US AS A COUNCIL, OH, AS MR. HYKEN APOLOGY IS PROBABLY THE LEAST WE COULD DO, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
UM, BUT, UM, I'VE LOOKED AT IT, YOU KNOW, I USUALLY DON'T GO AGAINST OUR, OUR STAFF, UH, BUT I'VE STILL GOTTA THINK ON HERE BEFORE WE VOTE.
MAY I ASK ONE THING MIND, JUST REAL QUICK? OH, YEAH, I, I WAS LOOKING AT YOU, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE FEEDBACK WAS COMING FROM.
I DON'T KNOW, I THINK IT'S THAT THING.
UM, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SORT OF CLARIFY THAT, UM, WITHOUT GETTING INTO SOMEBODY'S PERSONAL DETAILS, UM, IT, IT WAS NOT AN INTENTIONAL, UM, MISTAKE ON THE, ON THE BEHALF OF, UM, OUR TOWN, OUR PREVIOUS TOWN MANAGER.
UM, AND, UM, MISTAKES AND HEIRS DO HAPPEN.
AND, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT THE WAY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T, UM, IT'S UNFORTUNATE I FEEL BAD FOR ALL PARTIES THAT THEY'RE BACK HERE.
BUT ANYWAY, I AGREE WITH MELISSA.
SO I DO, I DO WANNA SAY THOUGH, THIS MRS. IS CORRECT.
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WE'VE BEEN AT THIS.
THE FIRST TIME, THOUGH, IT WAS NOT AT THE FAULT OF THE TOWN.
WE, WE NEVER GOT TO THE, THEY NEVER GOT TO THE PRICE AND THE NEGOTIATION AND GOT IT PAID.
SO WHILE I WILL, I AM CERTAINLY SOMEONE THAT WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, LIKE, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT ME PERSONALLY, BUT THE TOWN, LIKE, I KNOW THIS LAST TIME, UM, THERE WERE, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SOME ERRORS MADE ON OUR PART.
THE FIRST, THE FIRST TIME IT WASN'T NECESSARILY ON THE TOWN.
SO THIRD TIME'S A CHARM,
UM, SO, UM, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA, IF IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL, I'M GONNA TAKE A VOTE.
MS. PRESLEY, COUNCILMAN WOOD? NO.
A MOTION PASSES BEFORE ANYBODY LEAVES THIS ROOM.
HOW MANY DAYS DO WE HAVE MR. SONNET? 'CAUSE TODAY IT WAS SIGNED, UM, I MEAN, NOT TODAY, BUT TODAY IT WAS PASSED.
AND THEN HOW MANY DAYS? I, I CAN, IT'S TOO, UH, NOT TRYING TO PUT ANYBODY ON THE SPOT, BUT I JUST DON'T WANT US TO BE BACK HERE AGAIN.
SO WHATEVER THE DATE IS, IF IT'S 35 DAYS, 45 DAYS, 60 DAYS, I KNOW THERE'S SOME KIND OF A LIMIT THERE AND IT NEEDS TO MAKE SURE IT'S HAPPENED ON, ON BOTH PARTS.
WHOEVER'S DOING THE WORK FOR YOU GUYS AND WHO'S EVER DOING THE WORK FOR US, RIGHT? MR. MR. SONNA, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY DAYS IT IS? YES.
UM, THE, THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IS CLEAR.
THAT DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT WAS PRESENTED IS VERY CLEAR.
OKAY? IT'S 120 DAYS FROM ADOPTION, OKAY? AND THAT'S THE WAY IT HAS BEEN ALL LAST TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ALL
OTHERWISE THE ORDINANCE IS VOID.
AND, AND DURING THAT TIME, ONCE ALL OF THE CONDITIONS ARE MET, THEN MR. PETTY WILL DO THE NEGOTIATING PIECE OF IT, OKAY? ALRIGHT.
[7.B. Receive Public Comment to Request the General Assembly to Grant the Town an Amendment to Town Charter, Chapter IV — Town Manager §14, Removing a Residency Requirement for the Town Manager ]
[01:05:01]
B.UM, SEVEN B IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT TO REQUEST THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO GRANT THE TOWN AND AMENDMENT TO TOWN CHARTER CHAPTER FOUR, TOWN MANAGER 14, REMOVING A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR THE TOWN MANAGER.
UM, SO THE SUMMARY, I'M GONNA READ THE SUMMARY.
I'M GONNA SAVE YOU SOME TIME, MS. PRESLEY.
SO THIS ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, THE SUMMARY IS, COUNCIL IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REQUESTING THE JOURNAL ASSEMBLY TO GRANT TO THE TOWN, A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN CHARTER CHAPTER FOUR, TOWN MANAGER 14, TO REMOVE A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR THE TOWN MANAGER, VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 DASH 1525.
WHERE OFFICERS SHALL RESIDE PROVIDES THAT BE NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING PROVISIONS AND ACCEPT AS OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW MAY REQUIRE OTHERWISE NON-ELECTED OFFICERS OF ANY LOCALITY AND NON-ELECTED DEPUTIES OF CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO RESIDE IN THE JURISDICTION IN WHICH THEY ARE APPOINTED.
VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 DASH 2 0 2 ALLOWS A LOCALITY TO REQUEST THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO GRANT AN AMENDMENT TO ITS EXISTING CHARTER TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING WITH RESPECT THERETO AT WHICH CITIZEN SHALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD TO DETERMINE IF THE CITIZENS OF THE LOCALITY DESIRE AND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS AS FOLLOWS.
MS. PRESLEY, I NEED TO READ THAT TOO, RIGHT? THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT? NO, IT'S UP TO YOU BECAUSE IT'S IN THE MINUTES.
I MEAN, IT'S IN THE, IT WAS IN THE, OKAY.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S NOTHING FOR STAFF OR APPLICANT 'CAUSE THIS, THIS IS US.
UM, AND I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MS. PRESLEY, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO ONE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO THIS AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THE COUNCIL APPROVE A REQUEST OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO AMEND THE TOWN CHARTER CHAPTER FOUR, TOWN MANAGER CO I GUESS THAT'S CODE 14, BY REMOVING THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR THE TOWN MANAGER AS PRESENTED AND DIRECT THE TOWN ATTORNEY AND THE CLERK OF COUNSEL TO FORWARD THE REQUEST TO THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND THE COUNTY OF WARREN IN THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ALONG WITH THE REQUIRED PUBLISHER'S AFFIDAVIT SHOWING THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS ADVERTISED ALONG WITH A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE TOWN COUNCIL'S MINUTES SHOWING THE ACTION TAKEN AT THE ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION A SECOND AND WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION.
AND I'M GONNA START, I JUST WANNA, UM, REALLY MORE SET, UM, SET SOME BACKGROUND ON THIS.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT AS THE WORK SESSION, BUT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO IF YOU'RE AWARE, OUR TOWN CHARTER WAS WRITTEN IN 1937 AND IN 1937 THERE PROBABLY WAS SOME TRANSPORTATION RESTRICTIONS, NOT RESTRICTIONS, BUT YOU KNOW, MOBILITY ISSUES IN TERMS OF HAVING YOUR TOWN MANAGER ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROW.
THE TOWN OF FRONT ROW IS A 10 MILE RADIUS.
UM, AND AGAIN, I MEAN, UM, WE GIGGLED AT THE WORK SESSION, BUT IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, HORSE AND BUGGY, I DON'T KNOW.
SO HAVING YOUR TOWN MANAGER ACTUALLY LIVE IN YOUR TOWN, UM, IN 1937 PROBABLY WAS A VERY, UM, NECESSARY, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND IT'S TWENTY TWENTY FIVE, A HUNDRED AND TWELVE YEARS LATER.
UM, TRANSPORTATION'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE THEN.
AND, UM, THIS COUNCIL AND PRIOR COUNCILS HAVE FOUND THAT AS WE WERE, UM, AS WE WERE, UH, RECRUITING AND FINDING, UM, APPLICANTS FOR OUR TOWN MANAGER POSITION, NOT JUST THIS TIME, BUT IN THE PAST, THAT FINDING HOUSING IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WAS CHALLENGING.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE, IN LOOKING AT IT, WHILE WE WERE OKAY IN THE CODE WITH SAYING THAT IF THEY LIVED IN WARREN, UH, COUNTY, YOU KNOW, HAD TO AT LEAST LIVE IN WARREN COUNTY, UM, WE DIDN'T, WEREN'T AWARE THAT THE CHARTER ACTUALLY DIDN'T SAY THAT.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO ASK THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CHANGE OUR CHARTER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE CHARTER, CHANGE THE CODE.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE BACKGROUND ON THIS.
IT'S MORE OF A HOUSEKEEPING THING, BUT, UM, SO THERE'S WAS NO DISCUSSION.
THERE WAS NOBODY SPEAKING AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M GONNA TAKE THAT AS NOBODY HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT.
AND THEY'RE, SORRY, THE PUBLIC HEARING'S CLOSED.
UM, SO, BUT IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION BY COUNSEL? I MEAN, WE, WE DISCUSSED IT AT THE WORK SESSION IN DEPTH, BUT IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING TO OFFER, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT, UM, THIS ISSUE WOULD'VE BEEN RESOLVED LAST YEAR.
BUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAD A VOTE THAT WENT BEFORE OURS, BEFORE OUR LOCALITY, AND IT WAS DEALING WITH VIRGINIA BEACH AND THEIR VOTING, UM,
[01:10:01]
SITUATION.AND IT BECAME A VERY PARTISAN ISSUE.
AND IN A M ATORY ACTION, THEY CHOSE TO JUST DENY US THE ABILITY TO CHANGE OUR CHARTER.
UM, AND THEIR ONLY REASON THAT THEY GAVE WAS BECAUSE COUNCILMAN DE DOMENICO PAYNE, THAT ACTUALLY, THAT THAT ISSUE WASN'T ABOUT OUR CHARTER LAST YEAR.
WELL, I MEAN, OURS WAS ABOUT THE FREE OURS.
THE WHAT? OH YEAH, THE DDA, WHAT WAS STOOD DENIED FOR US WAS FRIDA MEMORIAL.
OH, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, THEY HAD A, THEY DEFINITELY, THEIR, THE OTHER VOTE WAS ABOUT A CHARTER FOR ANOTHER LOCALITY.
AND THAT'S SO HAVING YOUR CHARTER CHANGED? YEP.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GET THAT WRONG IN THE PRESS.
UM, HAVING YOUR CHARTER CHANGED HAS TO BE DONE BY THE VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE, SO, RIGHT.
SO MY POINT IS, I FEEL THAT THEY OWE US
THEY OWE, THEY OWE OUR COMMUNITY, UM, TO, TO COME BACK AND ALLOW US THIS CHANGE.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT MAKING ANYBODY MAD DOWN IN RICHMOND WHERE
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.
COUNCILMAN DE DEMON PAYNE? YES.
[8. PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS ]
PORTION OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARING.MS. PRESLEY, BEFORE I READ, UM, THE INSTRUCTIONS, IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE HAVE THREE.
WE NOW COME TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
IT IS THE DUTY OF THE MAYOR TO CONDUCT THIS MEETING IN AN ORDERLY MANNER.
PERSONS ADDRESSING THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ARE ASKED TO LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO THOSE RELEVANT TO THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
NO PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE SHALL BE ALLOWED TO VOICE REMARKS EXCEPT AS RECOGNIZED BY THE MAYOR OR THE CLERK OF COUNCIL.
UPON RECOGNITION BY THE MAYOR OR THE CLERK OF COUNCIL, THE SPEAKER SHALL STATE THEIR NAME, ADDRESS, AND INDICATE IF THEY'RE A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
DIRECT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL SHALL NOT ADDRESS THE SUBJECT MATTER OF A PUBLIC HEARING BEING HELD DURING THE SAME MEETING.
STAY WITHIN THE ALLOTTED THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
AFTER THAT TIME IS EXPIRED, THE MICROPHONE WILL BE CUT OFF.
REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS WHICH ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, OR DISPLAY OTHER DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT INCLUDING OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE, CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE DETRIMENTAL TO OR DISTURBING.
THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING WILL BE WARNED TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH CONDUCT ANY ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCE AFTER THE WARNING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
AND THE MAYOR WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE.
BUT TO ASK CHIEF, UH, TO REMOVE THE INDIVIDUAL GROUP OR CLEAR THE ROOM SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWN.
MR. PRESLEY, WHO IS FIRST TO SPEAK? ELLEN AERS.
IT'S SO WEIRD WHEN YOU SAY CHIEF, I'M LIKE, HE'S NOT GONNA KICK ME OUT HERE.
I LIVE AT TWO 19 PROSPECT STREET, HERE IN THE TOWN LIMITS.
AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS ON YOUR AUGUST 4TH WORK SESSION AGENDA REGARDING THE RESIDENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I LISTENED TO YOUR COMMENTS FROM THE EIGHT FOUR WORK SESSION.
YES, IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF MONEY AND PASSION TO RESTORE AND MAINTAIN A HISTORIC HOME.
YES, IF YOU PASS THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT, YOU WILL BE RESTRICTING DEVELOPMENT.
YES, THERE ARE MANY BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED.
NO, THEY ARE NOT BEYOND REPAIR.
OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT IS NOT UNSAFE.
KALE HAS TOLD ANYBODY WHO CARES TO LISTEN THAT HE'S NEVER BEEN CONCERNED ONE TIME ANYWHERE, ANYTIME A DAY FROM MY SAFETY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WONDER WHY YOU THINK THAT MAYBE THE APPEARANCE OF PROPERTIES LIKE TWO 19 CLOUD STREET SURE DOES LOOK UNSAFE.
IF YOU CONTINUE TO ALLOW 15 PEOPLE TO LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, YOU WILL HAVE MORE.
TWO 19 CLOUD STREET PROPERTIES.
A HISTORIC DISTRICT IS ALL OR NOTHING.
AND THEY DON'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
I DON'T SEE THE POINT IN REQUIRING A METAL ROOF OR WOOD WINDOWS IF WE AREN'T SERIOUS ABOUT TRULY PRESERVING THE DISTRICT TO SAY THAT PEOPLE TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR INVESTMENTS THAN THEIR OWN HOME, JUST SIMPLY ISN'T TRUE.
INVESTORS ARE GOBBLING UP HOMES IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT WHY? THEY'RE INEXPENSIVE AND NO ONE TAKES OUR BAR OR OUR HISTORIC GUIDELINE SERIOUSLY.
AT ONE BAR MEETING AN INVESTOR FROM NORTHERN VIRGINIA SAID IT'S CLOUD STREET, IMPLYING THAT THE HISTORIC HOMES ON CLOUD STREET DON'T MATTER.
I WOULD LIKE TO ATTRACT HOMEOWNERS THAT WANT TO LIVE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT VERSUS OUT OF TOWN INVESTORS THAT JUST DON'T
[01:15:01]
CARE.OUR TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADOPTED IN 2023, SPELLS OUT EXACTLY WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS.
THE PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE COMBINED WITH SMALL TOWN CHARM IS THE OVERWHELMING THEME MENTIONED THROUGHOUT OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES UNDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE.
ENCOURAGE THE RETURN OF OLD HOUSES FROM BUSINESS USE TO HOUSING USE.
INCREASE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IN THE GREATER DOWNTOWN AREA.
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES UNDER HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN STANDARDS FOR AND ENCOURAGE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
REVIEW AND AMEND HISTORIC DISTRICT GUIDELINES FOR CONSISTENCY AND CLARITY.
THE BAR IS IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR GUIDELINES.
IF THIS COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE AN APPETITE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT, PLEASE JUST DISMANTLE THE BAR.
LET EVERYBODY GO BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL IN FRONT ROYAL.
AND AT LEAST OUR INVESTORS WHO ARE GETTING WEALTHY AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR COMMUNITY WILL REMAIN HAPPY.
DAVID SILA, 2 9 5 WEST MAIN STREET, FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA.
MY NEW HOME, I'VE MOVED BACK IN TOWN.
UH, FIRST ISSUE IS I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH ELLEN'S COMMENTS TO YOU.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO HAVE RETURNED TO IS ABOUT TO BECOME A, A TERRIBLE MESS BECAUSE OF THE FORESIGHT OF THIS COUNCIL IN THE 1970S WHEN THEY ZOO ZONED IT, MULTIFAMILY VERSUS SINGLE FAMILY.
AND WE GOT CRAPPY TOWNHOUSES DOWN THE STREET.
NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO GET 15 OR 20 MORE.
THEY'RE GONNA DUMP THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER ON BREW.
TAKE IT BACK TO R ONE LIKE IT ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TWO LARGE LOTS I COULD PUT A LOT OF TOWNHOUSES ON, BUT IT'S RE UTTERLY RIDICULOUS.
MAKE CLOUD STREET, MAKE BLUE RIDGE, MAKE VIRGINIA AVENUE, MAKE WEST MAIN STREET, ALL OF DOWNTOWN SINGLE FAMILY.
AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE A GAZILLION OLD HOUSES CARVED UP INTO CRAPPY APARTMENTS.
AND IF YOU DON'T DO IT, YOU ARE CONDONING IT.
WE HAVE LANDLORDS THAT ARE IN COURT AND I AS A GUARDIAN LEAD THEM.
I'VE TOLD THIS COUNCIL BEFORE.
I WON'T EVEN GO IN SOME OF THESE PLACES.
I WON'T 'CAUSE THEY'RE PARDON MY FRENCH SHITHOLES.
WELL, I GUESS THAT'S NOT FRENCH.
SO THE POINT IS THEY'RE HORRIBLE AND YOU ALL ARE CONDONING.
IT, IT YOU TRIED A LITTLE ORDINANCE WITH A PROPERTY IN BUILDING INSPECTOR AND IT WENT NOWHERE.
YOU'RE WASTING MONEY ON A EDA.
TAKE IT BACK TO R ONE THAT STARTS TO FIX THINGS RATHER THAN EXACERBATE A PROBLEM.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS WATER AND SEWER, STORMWATER AND SEWER.
I TEXTED A COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT COUNCILMAN SEA LOCK, AND TALKED TO YOU BOTH ABOUT STORMWATER DOWN ON MAIN STREET AND CLOUD STREET.
ABOUT FOUR WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A BAD FLOOD.
NOT THE BIG ONE THAT CAUSED THE CREEKS TO RISE, BUT I HAD TWO FEET OF WATER AT THE BACK DOOR, TWO 17 EAST MAIN STREET.
AND AT THE OLD WINDS RESTAURANT, WHATEVER THE INDIAN RESTAURANT'S CALLED THE SEWER DRAIN THAT THE TOWN OWNS BEHIND THE, WHAT I WILL CALL THE OLD RAMSEY'S GARAGE.
IT'S A ART STUDIO, UH, THAT PARKING LOT.
THERE'S A DRAIN RIGHT BESIDE THE BUILDING WITH A WEIRD CULVERT.
AND THEN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVEWAY AREA, THERE'S ANOTHER, UH, CULVERT THAT'S FLAT WITH THE, UH, PAVEMENT.
IT WASN'T DRAWING, IT WASN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
SO I HAD TWO FEET OF WATER AT THE BACK OF THE BUILDING.
A GENIUS CHILD OF THE STUDIO THAT RUNS FROM ME DECIDED TO OPEN THE DOOR.
UH, THAT CAUSED PROBLEMS. BUT IT'S THE TOWN'S PROBLEM.
YOU ALL CAUSED IT BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T MAINTAINED THESE STORM SEWERS DOWN THERE SO THAT THEY ACTUALLY WORK.
THANK YOU MR. SALLY TO MAKE THEM WORK.
I KNOW YOU SAID WE HAD THREE LOUISA LLOYD.
[01:20:03]
ALL RIGHT.SO HERE'S I WAS GONNA SAY, UM, I, SO WE HAD A SITUATION LIKE THIS IN AN EARLIER PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE DID NOT HAVE, WE SAID THAT CHILDREN WEREN'T SPEAKING.
AND I FEEL BAD THAT THAT'S, UM, IT WAS DURING A PUBLIC HEARING THOUGH.
I JUST DON'T, MR. SONNET DOES, DOES SOMEBODY SPEAKING HAVE TO BE 18 OR ABOVE? I'M, I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT, BUT AT LEAST THE, UH, CUSTODIAL PARENT OR GUARDIAN SHOULD BE WITH THE CHILD IN MY VIEW.
AND, AND IN EFFECT, ENDORSING WHAT THE CHILD IS, IS STATING.
YEAH, I KNOW WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE HAD THAT VERY SAME THING AND WE DIDN'T, BUT I, I'M, I'M CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS NOT THE SAME.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS LOUIS LLOYD AND I LIVE ON 1149 HAPPY RIDGE DRIVE.
AND, UM, MY FAMILY HAS NINE CHICKENS.
AND
SO, UM, I, SO WE HAD FOUR CHICKENS, AND THEN ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS WAS MOVING AWAY, SO THEY GAVE US A CHICKEN.
AND SO, UM, WE ENDED UP WITH FIVE CHICKENS AND THAT, AND THE ONE OUR NEIGHBORS GAVE US, IT DIED.
THAT WAS AROUND THE TIME I WAS WANTING TO GET SOME CHICKS.
AND SO I WANTED TO GET ONE CHICK, BUT THEN IT, I REALIZED THAT WE HAD TO GET TWO.
BUT, UM, SO MY PARENTS WERE GONNA GONNA GET ME TWO CHICKS FOR EASTER.
AND THEN, UM, SO THEY WENT TO RURAL KING, BUT THEY REALIZED THAT RURAL KING ONLY WOULD SELL THEM FOUR AT ONE TIME.
SO WE ENDED UP, THEY ENDED UP BUYING THEM, AND I GOT THEM FOR EASTER, AND I NAMED THEM PUFFY DUMPLING, UM, MUFFIN AND MUNCHKIN MUNCHKIN DIED.
UM, AND SO RURAL KING GIVES OUT REPLACEMENT CHICKS.
I GOT A REPLACEMENT CHICK, BUT BY THAT TIME, THE OTHERS WERE A LITTLE OLDER, SO I DECIDED TO GET ANOTHER SO HE COULD HAVE A BUDDY
AND SO HERE WE ARE WITH NINE CHICKENS AND, UM, WE'RE JUST WANTING TO KEEP THE NINE CHICKENS BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE THEM.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A BIG FAMILY, SO, UM, AND IT WOULD, AND IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR US BECAUSE WE GET MORE EGGS.
SO, UM, I WAS THINKING IF YOU COULD CONSIDER, UM, MAYBE RAISING THE LIMIT OR LETTING US KEEP THE CHICKENS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A BIG ENOUGH COOP AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO ADD AN ANOTHER NESTING BOX.
WITH ALL THAT YOU HAD TO THANK YOU FOR THAT'S GREAT PUBLIC SPEAKING OPPORTUNITY.
YOU TELL YOUR TEACHER, YOU DID A GOOD JOB TONIGHT.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT? NO.
[9.A. Report of Town Manager]
NEXT UP IS THE REPORT OF THE TOWN MANAGER.COUNSEL, I JUST HAVE A FEW QUICK UPDATES THIS EVENING.
YOU MAY NOTICE THAT NORTH ROYAL AVENUE BETWEEN SIXTH AND COMMERCE IS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.
THEY SHOULD HOPEFULLY BE WRAPPING THAT UP HERE SOON.
UM, EIGHTH STREET BRIDGE AS WELL UNDERWAY WAS STILL ON SCHEDULE TO HAVE THAT WRAPPED UP EARLY NEXT YEAR.
AND A REMINDER THAT WE WILL BE CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 1ST FOR LABOR DAY, AND WE WILL RESUME BUSINESS ON TUESDAY.
AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL BE OPENING UP REGISTRATION FOR THE NEXT YEAR OF THE CITIZEN ACADEMY.
THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO APPLY TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE EIGHT DIFFERENT, UH, CLASSES WHERE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC SAFETY, ENERGY SERVICES, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT THE TOWN TAKES ON.
SO WE WILL HAVE THAT POSTED AND WE'LL BE SHARING THAT ONLINE.
SO, AND THAT WILL START IN OCTOBER.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING.
[9.B. Report of Council members]
REPORTS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS? I'VE JUST GOT ONE THING.[01:25:02]
I GUESS IT WAS OUR LAST WORK SESSION, UH, I STEPPED OUTTA THE ROOM AND HAD, UH, CHIEF WHITEHEAD STEP OUT.I GOT A LETTER, UH, IT WAS THE DEPUTY CHIEF FROM REGENT UNIVERSITY.
UH, HE GOT A HOLD OF ME, I GUESS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WAS A CHIEF AT A UNIVERSITY.
UH, BUT HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT CHIEF WHITEHEAD AND HIS DEPARTMENT, THEY WOULD THANK FOR, UH, THE COOPERATION AND, UH, EVERYTHING THEY DID TO HELP, TO HELP REGENT, UH, FIGURE OUT WHO, WHO THIS PERSON WAS.
AND IT WAS A PERSON THAT LIVED HERE IN, WELL, I THINK HE WAS IN THE COUNTY, ISN'T HE CHIEF? IT LIVED IN THE COUNTY, BUT THEY ALL KNOW HIM.
AND THAT HELPED THEM WITH, WITH THE CASE THEY HAD GOING 'CAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WAS GONNA COMMIT HARM.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT CHIEF WHITE REALLY HELPED HIM OUT DOWN THERE.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH REPORTS? MINE'S SHORT AS WELL.
I, UM, MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE ONES WHO SPOKE ABOUT SAFETY IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I WAS SITTING HERE RACKING MY BRAIN, AND I SAID THAT BECAUSE MY BABYSITTER LIVED ON CLOUD STREET FOR 15 YEARS.
AND I RECENTLY, WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, WENT TO A HOUSE THAT WAS REVITALIZED DOWN IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND, UM, THERE WERE SQUATTERS INSIDE OF IT WHO TRIED TO ATTACK US WHEN WE WENT DOWN THERE.
SO THERE ARE SOME SAFETY CONCERNS.
I DIDN'T SAY THEY WERE ALL BAD APPLES.
AND THAT HAPPENS IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE JUST SAW WHAT HAPPENED ON LEACH RUN PARKWAY, WHICH IS A PRETTY NICE NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY DAUGHTER AT HER SCHOOL CAN NO LONGER RUN OUT THERE.
UM, BUT I WASN'T DISCREDITING OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT OR, UM, MY ANCESTORS LOVE FOR THE HISTORY OF FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY SPECIFICALLY.
UM, ALSO, I JUST WISH LUISA LLOYD WAS STILL HERE.
UM, I CARRIED THE TORCH FOR THE CHICKEN FIGHT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTER HER FATHER LEFT THIS COUNCIL.
AND I AGREE WITH HER SENTIMENT.
I THINK IT TEACHES KIDS RESPONSIBILITY.
I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO JUST JOINED THE FFA AND WE'VE GROWN OVER 75 TOMATOES IN OUR BACKYARD IN TOWN.
WE'VE GROWN OVER 45 CUCUMBERS.
UM, WE'VE MADE LOTS OF TREATS.
AND THEY ASKED THE OTHER DAY, WHY DON'T WE GET SOME CHICKENS? AND I SAID, HEY, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS COME TO THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING AND ASK ABOUT THAT? UM, BUT I CONCUR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY JUST DISCUSSED IT RECENTLY ON ONE ACRE, LOTS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEM LODGING HOUSES.
UM, IF YOU HAVE A ONE ACRE LOT AND YOU HAVE THE LAND AND YOU TAKE CARE OF IT AND IT'S YOURS AND YOU PAY FOR IT, UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU COULDN'T HAVE SOME EXTRA CHICKENS TO MAKE EGG SALAD, PERHAPS, OR SOME CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP.
I KNOW I JUST ORDERED SOME WHOLE CHICKENS FROM A FRIEND OUT IN THE COUNTY.
UM, WE HAVE TO SWAP VEGETABLES FOR CHICKENS BECAUSE I CAN'T HAVE CHICKENS IN MY BACKYARD, IN MY CUL-DE-SAC.
UM, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO STATE, I GUESS THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION, UM, SINCE IT'S BECOME SO PUBLICLY KNOWN, ONE OF MY THREE JOBS THAT I DO FOR A PROFESSION IS IN CONSTRUCTION.
UM, I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR CUSTOM RESIDENTIAL HOMES, NOT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, NOT KH NOT RYAN HOLMES.
I'M NOT LOOKING TO DEVELOP ALL OF FRONT ROYAL, WHICH I THINK IS A MISCONCEPTION THAT HAS NOW BEEN RUMORED ABOUT FROM ALL OF THAT, UM, CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENED.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? UH, THAT'S, I'LL BE BRIEF HERE.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, IN RECOGNITION OF OUR LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS THERE, FROM, FROM THE TOWN HERE FOR THE STATE CHAMP CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR, UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE TOWN AS A WHOLE.
UH, I, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND ONE OF THE FUNDRAISING EVENTS THAT WERE, WAS HELD AT THE, UH, THE MOOSE LODGE WITH, WITH YOU MADAM MAYOR.
UH, THANKFULLY MADAM MAYOR POSTED IT, AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT THE LAST MINUTE AND, UH, GOT MY 10 OH WAS, WELL, MY ALL, YOU CAN EAT PANCAKES, BUT, UH, 10, I SAY, WELL, ALL I COULD DO WAS I WAS LIKE, YEAH, IT WAS LIKE $10 DONATION OR FREE DON, WHATEVER IT WAS.
BUT I, I GAVE, YOU KNOW, GIVE SOME MONEY FOR WHAT COURSE.
BUT, UH, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE SUGGESTION WHAT IT WAS.
BUT ANYWAYS, UH, I GOT MY, DEFINITELY GOT MY FILL IN PANCAKES AND, AND, UH, COFFEE.
BUT, UH, BUT IT WAS, UH, IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE NOT JUST THAT EVENT, BUT THERE WERE OTHER EVENTS THAT WERE HELD THROUGHOUT THE TOWN TO SUPPORT THOSE BOYS.
AND, UM, LIKE I SAID, I WAS TELLING THEM EARLIER, I WAS IN, ACTUALLY IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA AND THEIR TEAM HAD ACTUALLY WON THE SOUTH DAKOTA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND I WATCHED THAT AT A RESTAURANT, A LOCAL RESTAURANT IN TOWN THERE.
AND, UH, THEY WERE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT OUR TEAM HERE IN FRONT ROYAL.
THEY, THEY RECOGNIZED LIKE, YOU KNOW, THESE, THOSE GUYS ARE GOOD.
AND THEY, THEY, THEY TOO SAW THAT, UH, THAT THE CONDITIONS THEY WERE, THEY WERE FACING TO, TO PLAY.
SO, UH, BUT ANYWAYS, I JUST WANT TO SAY, LIKE I SAID, THAT THE TOWN AS A WHOLE, I THINK CAME THROUGH,
[01:30:01]
UH, FOR, AND IT WAS JUST GOOD.I MEAN, I, I SAW SIMILAR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BACK IN WEST VIRGINIA WHEN I WAS, WHEN I WAS A KID, BUT, UH, BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, THAT THE TOWN ACTUALLY CAME TOGETHER AS IT SHOULD SUPPORT THOSE GUYS.
SO, AND SO JUST TO PIGGYBACK WHAT YOU SAID TOO, JOSH, ABOUT FRONT ROYAL IS THAT, SO IF YOU WATCH THOSE GAMES AND THEY WERE ON ESPN, UM, I'M SURE MOST OF YOU, I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC, SO LIKE, EVERY TIME THEY KID CAME UP TO BAT, THEY TELL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM, LIKE WHERE THEIR FAVORITE RESTAURANT WAS.
SPLUNK'S CAME UP, LIKE, WHAT WE WERE NEAR.
AND I, I SAID IT WAS ALMOST LIKE FREE MARKETING FOR THE TOWN, UM, EACH TIME THEY PLAYED.
COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT OR DID YOU HAVE A REPORT? FOR SURE.
I USUALLY CLEAN UP, NOT TODAY.
WELL, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BATTING BATTING FOR TODAY, SINCE WE'RE TALKING BASEBALL, YOU KNOW, UH, SINCE HE WAS ONE, AS I TOLD HIM, UH, THE, THE PLAYERS THERE, YOU KNOW, JUST CLEAN UP.
GOTTA BE PROUD TO BE, UH, ONE OF THE BADDEST 12-YEAR-OLD TEENS ON THE PLANET, YOU KNOW, IN VIRGINIA CHAMPS.
AND NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU.
UH, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I, UH, ATTENDED, UM, THE RAYMOND ST.
MEYERS YOUTH CENTER IN COORDINATION WITH THE REACHING OUT NOW.
I WENT ON FOR ABOUT SEVEN HOURS.
UM, AND, UH, THERE WERE, UH, A LOT OF, UH, LIKE AGENCY GROUPS, UH, NONPROFITS RATHER THERE, UH, I THINK CLEAR HORIZONS WAS THERE.
UM, UH, WARREN COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES, UH, I THINK THE, THE WARREN COUNTY REC CENTER WAS THERE.
UM, COACH SUN, I MEAN, CHUN WAS, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS THE DJ OR WHAT, BUT HE WAS, HE WAS, UH, HANDLING THE MUSIC UP THERE.
AND, UH, THEY HAD CORNHOLE TOURNAMENTS.
THEY HAD, UM, A THREE POINT BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT.
UM, SO, UH, THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON DOWN THERE, EVERYBODY.
OH, AND THEY HAD, THEY HAD ALL KINDS OF FOOD, HOT DOGS, HAMBURGERS, ALL, AND, AND THEY BROUGHT, UH, THE WATERMELON UP FROM GEORGIA.
I MEAN, UH, IT WAS, UH, SO, UH, IT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL DAY.
AND, UH, THE KIDS HAD A LOT OF FUN OUT THERE.
AND, UH, IT, IT WARMS MY HEART TO SEE, UH, PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT, UH, GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND THE THEME WAS BACK TO THE SEVENTIES, SO I WAS REALLY THERE.
EI JUST DIDN'T BRING MY SUNGLASSES.
SO, UM, I GOT A LITTLE, UH, A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT TO PICK UP ON.
UH, AS I STATED, LAST MONTH, I ATTENDED THE VML INFRASTRUCTURE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING ON JULY 23RD, UH, AND, UH, VIRTUALLY, UH, AND, UH, ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT WAS STORMWATER LOCAL ASSISTANCE FUND.
UM, AND I FOUND THAT TO BE KIND OF INTERESTING.
THERE'S ABOUT 22 LITTLE OVER $22 MILLION AVAILABLE, UH, IN, UH, GRANTS, UH, AND FY 2026 FROM THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
AND, UH, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO APPLY BETWEEN AUGUST 1ST AND OCTOBER ONE, UH, THROUGH THE DEQ PORTABLE PORTAL TO POSSIBLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THIS.
UM, ELIGIBLE FUNDING IS, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS STORM WATER RUNOFF, WHICH IS WAS A SUBJECT TOPIC FOR TODAY.
UH, NEW, UH, THINGS THAT QUALIFY WILL BE THE NEW STORM WATER BMPS RETROFIT OF STORM WATER B AND P STREAM RESTORATION, UM, LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, UH, BUFFER RESTORATIONS, POND RETROFITS, AND, UH, WETLAND REST RESTORA RESTORATIONS,
[01:35:01]
JUST TO NAME A FEW.UH, THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE 53 11 FUNDING FOR THE RURAL RURAL TRANSIT, UH, GRANTS.
UM, THEY'RE OUT THERE, UH, BUT ONE OF THE, THEY PROVIDE GRANTS FOR CHALLENGED RURAL AREAS.
UH, UH, ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE ASPECTS THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT, IT WAS THE FUNDS ARE UNDERFUNDED, SO RURAL AREAS HAVE TROUBLE KEEPING THE SYSTEMS OPERATIONAL OPERATIONALLY EFFICIENT.
UM, THEY DID MENTION THAT, UH, THERE IS A, THE VIRGINIA BREEZE BUS LINE, UH, THAT RUNS FROM THE EAST WEST CONNECTION CONNECTOR FROM HARRISONBURG TO VIRGINIA BEACH.
UH, THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT RIDERSHIP IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH OF 8,000 4 49.
PASSENGERS INCREASES OVER 25% OVER 2024.
UH, THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, 2025 VIRGINIA COMMUNITY FLOOD PREPAREMENT FUND.
UH, THERE'S 60 MI $67 MILLION IN GRANTS AND LOANS.
THEY'RE DESIGNED TO EQUIP COMMUNITIES WITH RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF FUTURE DISASTERS.
UM, UH, THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT, UH, SLUDGE DISPOSAL.
UH, UH, THE VML WANTS, UH, AN ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, STUDY DONE ON SLUDGE DISPOSAL.
APPARENTLY, MO MARYLAND, UH, HAS BEEN MOVING, UH, FERTILIZERS INTO VIRGINIA IN ORDER TO SPREAD IT ON FARM FIELDS.
UH, THE CONCERN IS IT'S COMPROMISING, UH, CONTROLLING NUTRIENTS, UH, IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, UH, I TOUCHED ON WAS, UH, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, THEY, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SPEED CAMERAS AND HOW THE VML IS ENDORSING, EXPANDING THE, THE SPEED CAMERAS, UM, UH, THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THERE IS SOME PORT, UH, PUSHBACK.
I MAY HAVE ALLUDED TO THIS, UH, LAST MONTH.
UH, SOME PUSHBACK ABOUT HOW THE FUNDING, WHILE THE VML WANTS TO KEEP THE FUNDING IN THE LOCALITY, THE LOCALITIES, UH, FOR THEIR USE, THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT, UH, BILLS THAT ARE TRYING TO REDIRECT THAT FUNDING BACK TO THE STATE.
SO, UH, AT LEAST WE HAVE THE VML AS AN ADVOCATE, UH, UH, FOR OUR LOCALITY.
OTHER THAN THAT, MAYOR, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR YOU.
YEAH, I, I'LL MISS OUT A REPORT LIKE MINE TONIGHT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS MULTITASKING ON MY JOB.
DON'T TELL ANYBODY WHAT I WAS DOING.
YOU, YOU READY FOR YOUR REPORT? SO, WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS IN MATT WINING OF THE COUNTY.
UH, THE COUNTY'S DIRECTOR OF PLANNING ZONING ATTENDED HIS RETIREMENT ON, UM, THE 25TH OF JULY.
AND I WAS VERY HAPPY AND PLEASED TO SEE SEVERAL OF OUR TOWN EMPLOYEES AT THAT RETIREMENT.
AGAIN, WE THINK ABOUT OURSELVES AS TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES, BUT, UM, THERE'S SO MUCH OVERLAPPING BETWEEN US AND THE COUNTY, UH, AND WORKING TOGETHER AND COMMUNICATING.
UM, IT WAS JUST, UH, UH, WARMING TO MY HEART TO SEE OUR EMPLOYEES THERE, UH, TO GET MATT AS SENDOFF, UM, ATTENDED A NEW TEACHER'S LUNCH AND ON SEVEN 30.
AND AGAIN, IT ALWAYS, UM, SURPRISES ME, BUT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD WHEN WE SEE THE NEW AMOUNT OF PEOPLE COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN SO FULL OF HOPE AND EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE.
I GOT TO MEET FOR THE SECOND TIME.
OUR NEW, UH, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, DR. MARTIN.
I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD KNOWN HIM FROM MY PREVIOUS TIME IN MARTINSVILLE IN HENRY COUNTY, BUT WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS WHILE HE IS HERE.
UM, ATTENDED THE COFFEE CONVERSATION AT THE CHAMBERS DOING THE FIRST FRIDAY, WHERE EVERY MONTH AT ON Q AT 9:00 AM THIS MONTH.
IT WAS, UH, LIZ FROM THE WARREN HERITAGE SOCIETY.
GOT SOME GOOD INSIGHT ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING THERE AND WHAT THEY HOPE TO PROVIDE.
AND OF COURSE, OUR HERITAGE SOCIETY IS WHERE ALL OF OUR HISTORY, OUR INFORMATION FOR
[01:40:01]
THE MOST PART'S HOUSED.IT'S ALSO A BIG, UM, INTEREST FOR TOURISM.
AND WE SENT A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH OUR VISTA CENTER DOWN THERE.
KUDOS TO THE CHIEF AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED WITH THE TOWN ON THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS OUTSTANDING.
UH, WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN MORE ATTENDANCE, UH, WAS A RATHER NICE NIGHT.
UM, DURING THE TIME THAT WE WERE HAVING 90 PLUS DEGREE DAYS, UH, COMMUNITY FUN DAY AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY NONPROFITS WERE THERE.
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY EVERY CHILD THAT ATTENDED IT CERTAINLY HAD A GREAT TIME AND CAME AWAY WITH A LOT OF, UH, THINGS THEIR PARENTS PROBABLY WISH THAT THEY DIDN'T.
AND AMY AND I ATTENDED THE SKYLINE FOOTBALL FUNDRAISER SATURDAY NIGHT.
UM, AND THAT WAS, UH, WELL ATTENDED.
AND, UH, FROM ALL REPORTS WERE SEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, DID A GOOD JOB OF RAISING MONEY FOR THE SKYLINE HAWKS, UH, FOOTBALL TEAM.
I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO FORMER COUNCILMAN SKIP ROGERS ON HIM AND KATHY'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY THAT WAS CELEBRATED, UH, RECENTLY AT THE BEER MUSEUM.
SADLY, UH, THE COMMUNITY LOST A, A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY LEADER WHO, WHO HELPED PEOPLE WOULD GIVE YOU THE SHIRT OFF HER BACK.
UH, DEBBIE LEWELLEN, UH, LONG TIME, WELL, UH, A LIFETIME RESIDENT UP FRONT ROW IN WARREN COUNTY.
UM, DEBBIE, AT ONE TIME, I OWNED DEBBIE'S IVY GARDEN.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES BETWEEN, UH, BEHIND FANTASY LAND, THE WOODEN PLAYGROUND, UM, THE TOWN BUILT ACTUALLY, UM, DRIVING FORCE BEHIND GETTING THAT BUILT.
SHE SERVED ON THE, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITH MYSELF AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MULTIPLE YEARS.
LUKE'S RELAYED FOR LIFE, UH, UH, THE BLUE RIDGE ART COUNCIL, AND NUMEROUS OTHER THINGS.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A HEARTFELT THANKS AND DEBBIE'S MEMORY FOR EVERYTHING THAT SHE DID FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
DEBBIE SPENT THE LAST 15 YEARS OF HER LIFE PARALYZED FROM A, A SURGERY THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE OUTCOME, BUT SHE NEVER LOST HER WONDERFUL OUTLOOK ON LIFE.
AND, AND SHE WAS AN INSPIRATION A LOT OF PEOPLE.
DEBBIE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND TO THE FAMILY FOR ALLOWING HER TO SACRIFICE HER TIME.
AND LASTLY, CONDOLENCES TO FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR HOLLI THARP AND HIS WIFE PASSING THE FUNERAL TODAY WAS, UH, VERY HEARTFELT.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH, I, UM, ATTENDED THE, UM, HEIGHT KIDS FOUNDATION, UM, DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND THINGS.
UM, BUT ACTUALLY IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST THEM.
THEY, AND THEY ALL, THEY GATHERED TOGETHER ALL SORTS OF GROUPS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND JUST THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS SO GENEROUS THIS TIME OF YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL.
[9.C. Report of the Mayor]
THE LAST MONTH, WE, JULY 29TH, I'LL GO WAKE UP AROUND, I THINK IT WAS 4:00 AM AND JOINED MANY OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY ALONG COMMERCE AVENUE.GAVE OUR ALL STAR BOYS A GREAT SEND OFF ON THEIR JOURNEY TO THE SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT.
I WENT BACK HOME, TRIED TO CATCH A FEW ZS, AND THEN I HEADED OVER TO SERVE LUNCH AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LUNCHEON FOR THE NEW TEACHERS IN WARREN COUNTY.
UH, AND THEN ON JULY 31ST, LIZZIE LEWIS AND I SERVED ICE CREAM SUNDAES TO THE NEW TEACHERS COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
AND THEY GOT A LITTLE GOODIE BAG AND, UM, LETTING THEM, YOU KNOW, THINGS FROM THE TOWN, BUT ALSO, UH, SHARING WITH THEM PLACES THEY COULD GO AND DO.
AND I BELIEVE THEY ALSO TOOK THE TROLLEY AND SAW, UM, POINTS OF INTEREST AROUND TOWN FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW HERE.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE AND INTERACT WITH THE NEW EDUCATORS WHO'VE JOINED OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY'VE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO THE FUTURE OF OUR TOWN AND COUNTY, IT'S VERY REWARDING TO ME.
UM, SO THE DAYS FROM JULY 31ST TO AUGUST 5TH SEEM TO JUST HAVE ME GLUED TO MY TV OR MY PHONE OR THE RADIO, UH, WATCHING OUR FRONT ROW LITTLE LEAGUE ALL STARS.
WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CITIZENS EARLIER, I WAS TALKING ABOUT ME AS WELL.
UM, UH, SO THERE WERE SOME THRILLING
[01:45:01]
GAMES.UM, MANY OF THEM WITH EXTRA INNINGS AND WALK-OFF RUNS.
THEY DEFINITELY KEPT US ALL ON OUR TOES.
UM, AUGUST 2ND, UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE TO ATTEND MS. JANE REYNOLDS 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION.
UM, I WAS INVITED TO, AND I ALWAYS FIND THAT INSPIRING TO CELEBRATE LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AUGUST 5TH, I ATTENDED THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
UM, AS ALWAYS, I THOUGHT IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT THAT I, I THOUGHT THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN.
SO I WANNA THANK OUR FRONT ROW POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING AND ORGANIZING THIS ANNUAL EVENT.
UM, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND FIRST RESPONDERS WERE THERE, ALONG WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER TOWN DEPARTMENTS AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
BUT IT, IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE SO MANY OF OUR YOUNG KIDS INTERACTING WITH OUR LAW.
SO IT WAS A WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AND I'M STILL IN AWE OF WHAT I EXPERIENCED AT THE MARLOW HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH PARKING LOT.
COUNCILMAN WOOD AND HIS WIFE WERE ALSO THERE.
IT WAS, UH, NINE O'CLOCK ON A WORK NIGHT, BUT IT WAS PACKED WITH PEOPLE WITH SIGNS AND NOISEMAKERS.
THAT'S WHERE THOSE SIGNS CAME FROM.
BY THE WAY, NOISEMAKERS WELCOMING OUR LITTLE LEAGUE ALL STARS BACK INTO TOWN.
THE PARKING LOT WAS SO FULL, THEY COULDN'T EVEN PULL INTO THE PARKING LOT.
THEY ACTUALLY PULLED UP ON THE STREET.
UM, I THINK THE BOYS WERE, WERE JUST AMAZED.
AND, UM, AT ONE POINT IN THE PARKING LOT, THEY WEREN'T THEY THERE YET, BUT WE COULD HEAR CHEERS.
AND IT WAS ON COMMERCE AVENUE FURTHER DOWN.
UM, AND SO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, ALL MET THEM AND BROUGHT THEM INTO TOWN.
AUGUST 8TH, I PARTICIPATED IN MY KIDS FOUNDATION RIBBON CUTTING.
UM, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE THERE.
UH, VICE MAYOR VIAL WAS THERE.
COUNCILMAN WOOD WAS THERE, I THINK COUNCILWOMAN DE DOMENICO PAY.
SO, UM, THAT WAS REALLY LIKE THE CULMINATION WAS THE RIBBON CUTTING.
BUT IT WAS, UM, THAT DAY, ALL THE ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN SHOPPED FOR WERE IN BAGS.
SO THE ENTIRE LAWN WAS FULL OF ALL THE ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN SHOPPED FOR.
AND THERE WERE SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND ALL OF THAT WAS IN FIVE GALLON BUCKETS DOWN RURAL AVENUE.
UM, AND THEN FOR ME, SEEING SOMETHING FROM BEGINNING TO END, FROM BEING ABLE TO RAISE THE MONEY TO SHOP WITH THE KIDS TO DO THIS RIBBON CUTTING.
AND THEN ON THAT SUNDAY, I WENT BACK AND HELPED WITH THE PICKUPS OF THE, OF THEIR SHOPPED PURCHASES, WHERE THE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS CAME AND GOT THEIR ITEMS JUST IN TIME FOR SCHOOL TO START ON TUESDAY.
AND IT WAS QUITE THE PROCESS TO SORT THROUGH THE BAGS FOR ELEMENTARY BOYS, GIRLS, SECONDARY BOYS, GIRLS.
AND THEY WERE ALL RECORDED BY A NUMBER ON A BAG TO PROTECT THEIR PRIVACY.
SO, AS I SAID, IF, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE, QUITE AN ORGANIZATIONAL FEAT THERE.
AUGUST 9TH, I ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY FUND DAY AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AS, AS COUNCILMAN WOODS SAID, EVERY SCHOOL IN WARREN COUNTY WAS REPRESENTED, BUT ALSO THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
I SPENT THE FIRST 30 MINUTES THAT I WAS THERE IN THE DUNK TANK.
AND I WOULD LITERALLY SAY I WAS IN THE DUNK TANK FOR THE 30 MINUTES.
'CAUSE IT FELT LIKE I RARELY GOT TO SIT ON THE SEAT.
UH, ALSO ON AUGUST 9TH, SO THAT WAS IN THE MORNING AND IN THE AFTERNOON, THE TOWN SPONSORED A PARADE FOR THE FRONT ROW, LITTLE LEAGUE ALL STARS, ALONG WITH THE CELEBRATION OF BEING CROSBY STADIUM.
AGAIN, I WAS JUST, I WAS REALLY JUST AMAZED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED AND CHEERED.
UM, AND I THINK THE BOYS WERE, UM, I THINK THEY WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I WAS EXCITED FOR THEM, AGAIN, ON THE PARADE ROUTE.
YOUNG OLD PEOPLE WHO HAD NO CHILDREN THAT WERE PLAYING SPORTS ANYMORE OR GRANDCHILDREN, BUT THEY WERE THERE AND THEY WERE SO PROUD OF THOSE BOYS.
AND, AND AGAIN, I I SAID THIS EARLIER, BUT THE UNITY AND THE PRIDE THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAD SURROUNDING CHEERING THESE YOUNG BOYS, UM, IT'S REALLY GONNA BE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY TIME AS MAYOR.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE PARADE AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, I REALIZED THAT WE COULD NEVER PULL OFF THOSE EVENTS OR OFFER THOSE EVENTS IN TOWN WITHOUT, UM, THE HARD WORK AND EFFORTS OF OUR TOWN STAFF.
FROM THE TOWN MANAGER TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO PUBLIC WORKS, ENERGY SERVICES, THE TOURISM DIRECTOR, YOU NAME IT.
THEY'RE ALWAYS WILLING TO PITCH IN AND MAKE THIS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND RAISE OUR FAMILIES.
AUGUST 16TH, UM, I DID GO TO THE, IT WAS CALLED REMEMBER WHEN BLOCK PARTY? THAT'S WHAT THEY CALLED IT.
THERE WAS LOTS, YEAH, IT WAS LIKE A RETRO THEME DEFINITELY.
BUT, UM, THERE WAS LIKE SACK RACES AND
[01:50:01]
EVERYTHING.YEAH, IT, IT WAS, AND I GOT THERE TOWARDS THE END AND, AND THEY SAID IT WAS PACKED ALL DAY LONG.
UM, AND I GOT A TOUR OF THE INSIDE AGAIN, NOW THAT IT'S TOTALLY DONE, AND THAT IS A REALLY COOL SPACE TO BE IN.
UM, IT WOULD, I THINK IT WAS A COOL SPACE FOR AN ADULT, BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY BE COOL FOR KIDS.
UM, AUGUST 18TH, I ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY INPUT MEETING FOR THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A VALUABLE MEETING.
UM, I'M SAD THAT MORE PEOPLE DIDN'T ATTEND.
I THINK THERE WERE FOUR PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE THAT WERE NOT ELECTED OFFICIALS OR RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW THAT WENT.
BUT, UM, PUBLIC EDUCATION IS A CORNERSTONE IN ANY COMMUNITY, NOT JUST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATOR FOR 36 YEARS, BUT BECAUSE I, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS, MANY OTHERS THAT ARE EVEN SITTING UP HERE, WERE PRODUCTS OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO THERE IS A SURVEY THAT IS AVAILABLE.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GIVE YOUR INPUT, UM, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD.
DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE A CHILD IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR NOT.
UM, THEY WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHALLENGES WILL BE? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEIR QUALITIES SHOULD BE? PLEASE FILL THAT OUT.
UM, THE PITCH BURST, THE WARRING COUNTY COALITION, UM, I WAS TRYING TO LOOK THIS UP BEFORE.
THE PITCH BURST IS SEPTEMBER 28TH.
THERE ARE MANY LOCAL PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE IN THE PITCH BURST.
THERE'S, THERE'S ACTIVITIES ALL DAY LONG FOR KIDS.
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS INVITED, BUT THERE ARE SOME OF US THAT ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE UNDER THOSE BIG WATER BALLOONS THAT THEY'RE GONNA BURST ON OUR HEADS.
UM, AND SO THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN DONATE TOWARDS, BUT THE MONEY IS, UM, FOR THE WARREN COUNTY COALITION.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, THEY DO SO MANY THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, FOR THE YOUTH AND FOR ADULTS.
UM, SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S CALLED CELEBRATE KIDS DAY.
I'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HOMETOWN HEROES BANNERS.
SO, UM, THIS IS, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE.
I KNOW THAT EVEN THE FIRST TIME I RAN FOR MAYOR, UM, PEOPLE WERE TALKING TO ME ABOUT THIS AND DEFINITELY AGAIN, LAST FALL.
AND SO I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW WE ARE SUPER CLOSE TO BE ABLE TO UNVEIL THAT PROGRAM.
UM, IT IS GONNA, UM, INVOLVE BANNERS THAT CITIZENS CAN PURCHASE IN MEMORY AND HONOR OF, UM, THEIR HOMETOWN HERO.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE DISPLAYED ON CERTAIN STREETS IN FRONT ROYAL.
AND, UH, I WANTED TO MENTION IT TODAY BECAUSE I THINK OUR, WE, OUR GOAL IS IN SEPTEMBER, WE'RE GONNA BE OPENING THAT UP.
AND OUR GOAL IS THAT BY VETERAN'S DAY, THAT THEY WILL BE THERE FOR, UM, PEOPLE TO ENJOY.
SO BE PAYING ATTENTION, BE WATCHING, PROBABLY MR. PETTY AND I ARE GONNA COME DOWN AND DO AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. MCCOOL SO THAT WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT.
UM, BUT I WILL JUST SAY THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE PEOPLE ASK FOR IT AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN.
[10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ]
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.MADAM MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS STATED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, ROLL CALL.
COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES.
[11.A. Update to Town Employee Handbook - Section 5: Paid Time Off and Other Absences ]
UP IS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. 11 A IS AN UPDATE TO THE TOWN EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK.SECTION FIVE, PAID TIME OFF AND OTHER ABSENCES.
SUMMARY IS, TOWN COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED UPDATES TO SECTION FIVE OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK REGARDING PAID LEAVE AND ABSENCES.
THE PRIMARY CHANGE IS TO FULL-TIME, PAID TIME OFF BENEFITS, CONSOLIDATING THE CURRENT SEPARATE SICK AND VACATION LEAVE POLICIES INTO A UNIFIED PAID TIME OFF PTO POLICY.
THE ADOPTION OF A PTO POLICY OFFERS SEVERAL KEY ADVANTAGES, LONGEVITY INCENTIVES IN CONTRAST TO THE CURRENT POLICY.
THE NEW STRUCTURE REWARDS, EMPLOYEE TENURE, COMPETITIVE ALIGNMENT ALIGNS THE TOWN'S LEAVE AND PAYOUT POLICIES WITH THOSE NEIGHBORING LOCALITIES.
IMPROVING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY.
IT SIMPLIFIES TRACKING AND MANAGEMENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES AND SUPERVISORS.
IT OFFERS EMPLOYEE FLEXIBILITY, IT PROVIDES EMPLOYEES WITH MORE AUTONOMY AND FLEXIBILITY IN
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MANAGING THEIR TIME OFF.AND IT, UM, ALSO, UH, IMPROVES THE WORKPLACE CULTURE.
IT REINFORCES A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS EMPLOYEE WELLBEING AND WORK LIFE BALANCE.
UM, THE, WE HAD HELD A WORK SESSION ON THIS ON AUGUST 4TH.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE BUDGET FUNDING, UM, FOR EVERYONE UNLESS MS. PRESLEY THINKS THAT I SHOULD, SHOULD I? NO, YOU SHOULDN'T.
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE UPDATE TO SECTION FIVE OF THE TOWN FRONT ROYAL EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK REGARDING PAID LEAVE AND ABSENCES INCORPORATING THE PTO POLICY AS PRESENTED.
ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MADAM MAYOR, I'LL JUST ADD, WOW.
UM, SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE BUDGET FUNDING SUMMARY, IT IS IN THE AGENDA, WHICH HAS BEEN PUBLISHED FOR DAYS.
BUT THE FIRST SENTENCE I THINK I'LL JUST READ FOR YOU, IT'S IMPORTANT THE TOWN'S BUDGET WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THESE PROPOSED CHANGES.
IT CAN MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY AND IT DOESN'T COST MONEY AND THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING.
COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES.
[11.B. Resolution Authorizing the Town Manger to Execute the Participation and Release Form for the Town to be Considered for Initial Participation Calculations and Payment Participation Under the Purdue Direct Settlement of Opioid Related Claims ]
B AS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PARTICIPATION AND RELEASE FORM FOR THE TOWN TO BE CONSIDERED FOR INITIAL PARTICIPATION CALCULATIONS AND PAYMENT PARTICIPATION UNDER THE PURDUE DIRECT SETTLEMENT OF OPIOID RE RELATED CLAIMS. COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO PASS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PARTICIPATION AND RELEASE FORM NECESSARY FOR THE TOWN TO BE CONSIDERED AS A PARTICIPATING SUBDIVISION IN THE GOVERNMENT TOLL ENTITY AND SHAREHOLDER DIRECT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IN THE SETTLEMENT OF OPIOID RELATED CLAIMS IN INVOLVING PURDUE PHARMA, LP AND THE SACKLER FAMILY.THE PARTICIPATION RATE OF LOCAL POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE IF PARTICIPATION IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE PURDUE SETTLEMENT TO MOVE FORWARD AND WHETHER VIRGINIA WILL RECEIVE THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL PAYMENT.
I MOVE THAT COUNSEL RESOLVE TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PARTICIPATION AND RELEASE FORM SO THAT THE TOWN WILL BE CONSIDERED A PARTICIPATING SUBDIVISION IN THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY AND SHAREHOLDER DIRECT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AS PRESENTED.
ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR, DO YOU KNOW IF THE COUNTY IS PARTICIPATING IN THIS SINCE THEY PROBABLY STAND TO GET THE LARGEST SHARE OF ANY POSSIBLE SETTLEMENT? I, I WOULD, I DO NOT KNOW, ACTUALLY.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY ANYBODY WOULDN'T SIGN ONTO IT, BUT I HAVEN'T, I DON'T PREDICT WHAT SOME FOLKS DO LATELY, SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE.
UM, I, I WILL SAY AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION FOR TOWN CITIZENS, THE MORE PEOPLE THAT SIGN ON TO THIS, THE MORE CHANCE THAT VIRGINIA WOULD GET, UM, PART OF THE, UM, THE PAYMENT.
AND SO THE LAST TIME THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY, THE TOWN ALSO, UM, PARTICIPATED AND OR PASSED A RESOLUTION TO SAY THAT WE WERE SIGNING ON, BUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OF THE MONEY.
THE COUNTY RECEIVES THE MONEY COUNTIES AND CITIES WOULD RECEIVE IT, NOT THE TOWN.
BUT THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, MR. PETTY.
NOT THAT IT AFFECTS THIS VOTE HERE TONIGHT, BUT COULD YOU FIND OUT FOR US, YOU KNOW, JUST BY REACHING OUT TO THE COUNTY, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'RE NOT JUST DOING THIS WITH, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THEY DID, BUT MY INTERNET'S NOT WORKING.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO A LIAISON MEETING THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
COUNCILMAN D DAMCO PAYNE? YES.
[11.C. Task Order for Engineering Services Related to the Replacement of the E. Prospect Street Bridge ]
IS THE TASK ORDER FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES RELATED TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EAST PROSPECT STREET BRIDGE.COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO APPROVE A TASK ORDER WITH MATTERN AND CRAIG ENG, INCORPORATED FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES RELATED TO REPLACEMENT OF THE EAST PROSPECT STREET BRIDGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $135,700.
THIS PROJECT IS PARTIALLY FUNDED THROUGH THE VDOT REVENUE SHARING PROGRAM WITH COST SHARED EQUALLY 50 50 BETWEEN VDOT AND THE TOWN.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I MOVE THAT COUNSEL APPROVE A TASK ORDER WITH MATTER AND CRAIG INC.
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SERVICES RELATED TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EAST PROSPECT STREET BRIDGE IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.ANY DISCUSSION? THIS HAS PREDATED MY TIME ON COUNCIL BY MANY YEARS, AND I'M SURE THAT MY FORMER FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE, WILL BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE.
[11.D. Repayment of Economic Development Access Grant ]
D IS A REPAYMENT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACCESS GRANT COUNCIL HAS REQUESTED TO APPROVE REPAYMENT TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACCESS GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $452,466 AND 4 CENTS.ON DECEMBER 7TH, 2016, THE COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD APPROVED A 600 5000 650 HUNT.
I'VE BEEN DOING DECIMAL PLACE VALUE FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACCESS GRANT TO ASSIST THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PORTION OF THE WEST MAIN STREET CONNECTOR FOR THE IT FEDERAL LLC DEVELOPMENT.
THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WAS UNABLE TO REQUISITE THE FULL GRANT AMOUNT OF $650,000 BECAUSE THE PROJECT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED DUE TO ISSUES CAUSED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IT FEDERAL LLC PROPERTY.
THE TOWN HAS BUDGETED $216,665 ANNUALLY FOR FISCAL YEARS 2023 THROUGH 2025 TO SET ASIDE FUNDS TOTALING APPROXIMATELY $650,000 IN ANTICIPATION OF REPAYMENT OF THE GRANT FUNDING.
SO, UM, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL TO APPROVE REPAYMENT TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $452,466 AND 4 CENTS FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACCESS GRANT.
FOR, SO THERE'S MOTION, THERE'S A SECOND.
IF YOU WEREN'T WATCHING THE WORK SESSION ON JULY 14TH, AS IT STATES, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING MONEY ASIDE KNOWING THAT THERE WAS GOING TO COME A TIME THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO REPAY THIS BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROJECT WAS NOT COMPLETED.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN WARREN COUNTY IF THEY LIVED HERE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THE IT FEDERAL DEBACLE AND THE EDA DEBACLE.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING TO PAY THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WE ARE STILL TRYING TO NEGOTIATE, UM, A LESSER PAYBACK IS THE BEST WAY THAT I CAN SAY THAT.
SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.
BUT, UM, AT THIS POINT, UM, WE DO HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY BACK THE MONEY, BUT WE ARE ONLY RIGHT NOW LOOKING TO PAY THE $452,466 AND 4 CENTS.
AND AGAIN, FOR THE PUBLIC'S AWARENESS, UM, THIS WAS A GRANT THAT WE GOT.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE, UM, FOR A PROJECT THAT, AS I SAID, WITH EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND NOW THE TOWN HAS TO PAY IT BACK.
SO, ROLL CALL UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.
WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, MAYOR, UM, IF I MAY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY A SHAME THAT, UH, THIS, UH, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN.
UH, WEST MAIN STREET HAS TURNED INTO A BOULEVARD, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER ACCESS TO VISCO CITY AND ULTIMATELY SOMEDAY DOWN THE ROAD, I HOPE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT THIS.
I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF WHAT, UM, CORRUPT PEOPLE INVOLVED IN GOVERNING BODIES, UM, HAVE LANDED THIS COUNCIL AND SEVERAL COUNCILS BEFORE US WITH, AND IT'S REALLY QUITE UNFORTUNATE THAT SOME OF THOSE COUNCILS DURING THAT TIME DIDN'T ASK MORE QUESTIONS, UM, AND FELT SO TRUSTING AND WHAT A TIME IT MUST HAVE BEEN TO BE ALIVE, BECAUSE NOW I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT THE COUNCIL SERVING ALONGSIDE ME TODAY ARE ALL HERE BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE FOR FRONT ROYAL.
AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, ANYTIME YOU TRY TO DO ANYTHING ETHICALLY OR MORALLY APPROPRIATE AND GOOD FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY, IT NOW BECOMES A QUESTION OF YOUR INTEGRITY, UM, TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ORGANIZATIONS OR BOARDS OR GRANTS
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THAT ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY HELP THINGS IN NEED OF THIS COMMUNITY.AND I GUESS IT'S JUST BROUGHT A HYPER AWARENESS TO THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS NOT A NEGATIVE.
UM, BUT THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE RECOVERY THAT WE'RE FACING FROM CORRUPTION.
[12. CLOSED MEETING ]
TONIGHT IS OUR CLOSED MEETING AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED.I MOVE THAT TOWN COUNCIL CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 12 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES, ONE PURSUANT TO 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 A, ONE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, OR INTERVIEWS OF PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING, OR RESIGNATION OF SPECIFIC PUBLIC OFFICERS, APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODY OR SPECIFICALLY CLERK OF COUNSEL.
AND TWO, PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 A EIGHT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE BY SUCH COUNSEL.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE INSOLVENCY AND DISPOSITION OF ASSETS OF THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND THE COUNTY OF WARREN, VIRGINIA.
SECOND, MS. PRESLEY, I'M SORRY IF SOMEONE'S, I'M, IF SOMEONE'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GO IN, THEY AREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO STAY TO GO INTO CLOSED.
DO THEY STILL VOTE TO GO INTO CLOSED? MM-HMM
OH, DID YOU? I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
YOU, YOU CAN HAVE, YOU CAN HAVE MY SECOND.
NO, BRUCE, YOU'RE READING THIS OUT.
COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES.
WE ARE NOW ENCLOSED, LINDA, WE'RE NOT COMING OUT AND TAKING ANY ACTION SO YOU CAN GO HOME.