* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] MEETING OF THE NEW YEAR TO ORDER JANUARY 5TH, 2026. [ Economic Development Authority on January 5, 2026.] HEY, UH, AND, UH, HILLARY, CAN WE HAVE A, A ROLL CALL? UM, HERE. UH, AIDEN MILLER? HERE. FRANK KOVIC? HERE. DAVID ED. ROBERT ELLIOT HERE. AND THOMAS ESELMAN HERE. ALRIGHT, UH, MINUTES ARE ATTACHED HERE. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM. HOPEFULLY WE DID. AND, UH, HOW ABOUT BEFORE WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION, KIND OF A MOTION TO APPROVE THEM, SO, AND THEN A SECOND. SECOND. AND NOW WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION. SO THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY PROTECT THE MINUTES, OR IT KIND OF DOES, BUT I GUESS I'M NOT AWARE OF WHAT WAS DECIDED WITH THE COUNCIL AS FAR AS THE CONTRACT. I ASSUME IT WAS RENEWED. TALKING ABOUT RETAIL STRATEGIES. EXACTLY. I MEAN MINUTES THAT WOULDN'T BE IN THOSE. I, I GUESS WE COULD PUSH THAT, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, SO WE DO HAVE RETAIL STRATEGIES ON THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR. AND I, AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT TOO, SO. YEAH. SO, UM, ALRIGHT. SO ANYBODY HAS, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THEN, UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 1ST IF I WAS SAYING. AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. UM, SO THIS KIND OF SNUCK UP ON ME, UH, AND I REMEMBERED IT WHEN HILLARY SENT THE AGENDA. . SO, UM, SO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT ANY OF THIS? UM, I WOULD SAY I, I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO BE CHAIRMAN, UM, IF, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S WHAT ANYBODY WANTS, UM, OR I CAN CHANGE MY ROLE. SO, UH, AND THEN VICE CHAIR, WHO WAS TREASURER AND SECRETARY AND VICE CHAIR. NICK WAS VICE CHAIR. MM-HMM . TOM WAS TREASURER. OKAY. AND HILLARY SERVES IN YOUR SECRETARY ROLE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, I THINK SHE'S WILLING TO CONTINUE DOING THAT. SO YOU WANT A MOTION PER OFFICE? I THINK INDIVIDUAL, SINCE YOU HAVE A AGENDA, I MAKE A MOTION THAT RICK NOVAK CONTINUES OUR CHAIRMAN. SECOND. ANY UH, DISCUSSION? ALL GOOD TO ME. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT OF SAYING AYE A. ALRIGHT, NOW WE NEED A VICE CHAIRMAN. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BEING, UH, DURING THE MEETING WHEN YOU'RE ABSENT, RIGHT? I THINK, I THINK MOSTLY, YEAH. YEAH. I'LL DO IT. THAT, THAT'S GREAT. MAKE A MOTION. WELL, DOES KENNY GET AIDEN I HIMSELF OR IS IT A SECOND? UH, PROBABLY BETTER. I THINK A MOTION AID MILL WILL BE OUR VICE CHAIR. SECOND. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR SEEING, PROBABLY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. TOM, ARE YOU WILLING TO STAY IN THE TREASURER ROLE? NOPE. UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS IT. I'M HAPPY TO. AND SOMEBODY MAKE THAT MOTION A MOTION, UH, FOR THE TREASURER. ROLL A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT 25. AYE. AYE. AND SECRETARY, I GUESS WE'LL KEEP HILLARY THERE. DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR HILLARY TOO? OKAY. SECOND, A MOTION TO HILLARY BECOME, UH, REMAIN AS OUR SECRETARY. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION SIGNIFY WITH SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. OKAY, GREAT. UM, ON THE ITEM FOUR EMAIL STRATEGIES. SO YES. UM, AFTER PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD LAST MONTH, UH, WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT RETAIL STRATEGIES, THEY GAVE THE SAME COMMUNICATION AT THE WORK SESSION THAT EVENING FOR TOWN COUNCIL. UM, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE WITH OUR, WITH OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. THEN IT WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE, UM, COUNCIL [00:05:01] MEETING LATER IN THE MONTH AND IT WAS VOTED BY THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO CONTINUE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH RETAIL STRATEGIES FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR. UM, WE HAVE, SINCE I BELIEVE WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THE PAPERWORK TO HANDLE ALL OF THAT, UM, RETAIL STRATEGIES WAS HAPPY TO CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP. AND ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS THAT WE DISCUSSED THAT, THAT COUNCIL DISCUSSED, EXCUSE ME, UM, WAS HAVING A MORE REGULAR REPORTING STRUCTURE, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU ALL HAD EXPRESSED AS WELL. SO WHAT THE TOWN MANAGER AND I HAVE DISCUSSED, UM, WAS TO HAVE A MEM A MEETING, UM, PROBABLY EVERY OTHER MONTH I BELIEVE WILL BE THE RIGHT, THE FREQUENCY. UM, JUST A HALF AN HOUR OR CHECK-IN CALL PRIOR TO THE EDA MEETING WITH, UM, ONE MEMBER OF OUR, OUR, OUR TEAM HERE AND ONE MEMBER OF TOWN COUNCIL AND MYSELF, UM, WITH THE RETAIL STRATEGIES TEAM TO KIND OF CHECK ON PROGRESS AND THEN IT WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT MEMBER TO SHARE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN SHARE, UM, WITH THE BODY THAT THEY'RE A MEMBER OF. SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. SO WHAT I'D LIKE IS FOR YOU ALL TO DISCUSS WHO YOU'D LIKE THAT ONE PERSON TO BE. AIDEN? YEAH, I'LL DO THAT. OKAY. OKAY. BY ME. WHAT TYPE OF THINGS DO Y'ALL WANT ME TO BE ASKING? AND , WE DON'T NEED TO SUPER FORMALIZE IT NOW, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD THING TO DISCUSS JUST YOUR JUDGMENT. BUT YEAH, JUST A GENERAL PROGRESS REPORT UPDATE, YOU KNOW, AND I GUESS I KNOW THERE'S LIKE, UH, THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP CERTAIN THINGS CONFIDENTIAL, BUT WHATEVER SPECIFIC INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE, UH, APPRECIATED. IF WHATEVER WE CAN, WE CAN GIVE OUR INTENTION IS TO, WE, WE GET THOSE QUARTERLY, THEY MAKE THOSE KIND OF QUARTERLY REPORTS THAT THERE'S A VERSION THAT WE CAN SHARE AND A VERSION THAT WE CAN'T. AND SO WE WOULD SHARE THE VERSION THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH EVERYBODY IN BOTH BODIES. UM, BUT THE MORE CONFIDENTIAL PIECE THAT WOULD BE HELD BY THE MEMBER OF THAT WHOLE TEAM. OKAY. DO YOU ANYONE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, DENNIS, MISS ANYTHING MR. FREDDY? NO, I THINK, UM, BIG THING WAS IS THAT WE, IN TALKING WITH COUNCIL AND AS RETAIL STRATEGY SAYS IS WE ARE THE LOCAL EXPERTS. SO BY HAVING SOMEBODY FROM FRIDA AND COUNCIL AND LIZZIE IN THE ROOM ON THESE CALLS, IF THERE ARE ANY DELIVERABLES OR NEXT STEPS OR ACTION ITEMS THAT COME FROM THESE CALLS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE LIKE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND THE COMMUNITY MAKING THE CONNECTIONS AND MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. SO IT'S REALLY TO TAKE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND TO BE MORE PROACTIVE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING THINGS DONE. SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SUPPORT FROM FRIDA AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THESE MEETINGS, UH, IN THE COMING MONTHS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS BELONGS IN THIS, I I'LL GO AHEAD. SINCE RETAIL STRATEGIES IS THE REASON I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION, BUT IT MIGHT BE MORE FOR OPEN DISCUSSION, BUT IT'S DIRECTED TOWARDS YOU AND COUNCIL. UM, A BUDGET IS SET ASIDE FOR THIS ENTITY TO, UH, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, COUNSEL APPROVES EVERYTHING. SO NO MATTER WHAT WE RECOMMEND, NO MATTER HOW WE FEEL ABOUT SOMETHING, ULTIMATELY WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEND THOSE MONIES IN THE WAY WE VOTE IN A MAJORITY. IT HAS TO BE DONE BY COUNCIL. MM-HMM . OKAY. WAS IT ALWAYS SET UP THAT WAY? I CAN'T SPEAK TO ALWAYS. OBVIOUSLY. I THINK ESPECIALLY THIS SPECIFIC CONTRACT WITH THEM WAS WITH COUNCIL AND TOWN MANAGER AND RETAIL STRATEGIES. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT RELATIONSHIP WAS, BUT THIS SPECIFIC CONTRACT WAS WITH THE TOWN COUNCIL. SO THEY WOULD'VE TO BE THE ONE TO RENEW IT. UM, MOVING FORWARD, DEPENDING ON HOW THAT BUDGET GOES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT MORE IS THIS, UH, WHO IS, BUT CURRENTLY THE TOWN STILL IS THE FISCAL AGENT AND IT'S THEIR FUNDS. IT'S NOT IN A FRIDA BANK ACCOUNT. SO REALLY ALL WE CAN DO IS WE CAN CHOOSE A DIRECTION, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, BUT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT RECOMMENDATION. AND, AND IT'S CURRENTLY, OTHERS FEEL LIKE THEY SEE THAT THEY CAN SHOOT THAT DOWN CURRENT FORM. YES. ISN'T THAT ALSO DOLLAR AMOUNT DRIVEN, LIKE BASED ON OUR PURCHASING POLICY? WELL, YEAH, OBVIOUSLY. [00:10:01] 'CAUSE IF IT'S UNDER A CERTAIN DOLLAR THRESHOLD IT DOESN'T, BUT IF IT'S OVER A CERTAIN THRESHOLD IT DOES HAVE TO GO TO TOWN COUNCIL. WE KNOW WHAT THAT THRESHOLD IS. IT'S 50 $50,000 I BELIEVE. I MEAN, AND THAT'S EVERY DEPARTMENT. RIGHT. SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, NOTHING. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER UPDATES FROM THEM AT THIS TIME. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, ITEM FIVE, ONGOING BUSINESS. UH, DO I HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS? MISSING BUSINESS? I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A HANGOVER FROM THE HOLIDAYS. . WELL SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE SEEM LIKE WHERE THEY'RE THE SAME ONES OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YEAH. WE KEEP ASKING FOR UPDATES ON THE CORNER UP THERE, THE OLD BANK BUILDING, BUT IT'S REALLY UP TO THAT PRIVATE OWNER AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON. SO IS THERE ANY FURTHER UPDATES ON ANY OF THE, UH, PATH FORWARD IN OUR, OUR FLYER WITH OUR QR CODES AND GETTING OUT THERE TO THE COMMUNITY? HAVE WE HAD ANY HITS ON ANY OF THE THINGS? DO WE HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER ACTIONABLE TO GO FORWARD WITH? SO THE ONLY NOTES THAT I HAD FROM OUR LAST MEETING WERE, UM, THE EDITS THAT AIDEN HAD SENT. THERE WERE SOME LANGUAGE TWEAKS, RIGHT. UM, AND THEN WE'RE READY TO AT LEAST POST THAT ON OUR WEBSITE. AND I THOUGHT WE COULD SHARE IT WITH, UH, THE CHAMBER COMMERCE AND, YOU KNOW, THE FRONT ROYAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESS ALLIANCE MM-HMM . AND HAVE SOME AVAILABLE HERE IN PLANNING AND ZONING AS WELL AS AT THE COUNTY IF THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE THE RESOURCE. UM, DO WE HAVE ANY ABILITY TO MAYBE, UH, HAVE A SELECTION OF A CANDIDATE THAT MAYBE WE COULD WORK WITH AS LIKE A TEST OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF IT ACTUALLY SUPPORTS THAT INDIVIDUAL OR THEIR ENTITY MAYBE TO GIVE IT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD WOULD BE. YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF I HAD A, IF I HAD A BUSINESS I WAS COMING TO YOU WITH AND YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO UTILIZE THAT PLATFORM. IS THERE ANY WAY TO SHOW THAT THERE'S ANY LIKE, REAL VALUE TO IT OTHER THAN IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT VISUAL. WE HAVE A LOT OF THE CONNECTIONS THAT WE'VE, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO KNOW SOMEONE WHO'S ABOUT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, I GUESS. OKAY. MAYBE WE GET WITH SOMEBODY ABOUT THAT AND CHOOSE SOMEONE THAT THEY KNOW THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE A SOUNDING BOARD BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE. AND WE ALL HAVE BUSINESSES, BUT I COULD TALK WITH PLANNING AND ZONING AND SEE IF ANYBODY'S COME IN FOR A BUSINESS LICENSE APPLICATION RECENTLY. AND MAYBE THAT DOCUMENT COULD BE HELPFUL, BE A GOOD EXERCISE TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY USABLE OR ASK OUR CHAMBER IF THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING. I KNOW THAT MOST NEW BUSINESSES ARE GONNA, GENERALLY GOING TO RECYCLE AROUND EVENTUALLY TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 'CAUSE IT HASN'T, IT HAS NEEDFUL INFORMATION. MAYBE IF IT'S DISTRIBUTED TO THEM. CERTAINLY THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND I, UH, SERVE ON THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, SO I'LL TAKE THE DOCUMENT WITH ME AND SHARE IT WITH THAT GROUP OF FOLKS AND SEE IF THEY HAVE SOME OTHER IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN TEST AROUND THAT AS WELL. OR EVEN IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE SOME INPUT ON IT BASED ON YEAH, THEY WANNA MAKE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANNA JUST YEAH. CERTAIN, I MEAN WE TALKED ABOUT DOING LIKE A LIMITED PRINTING AND MM-HMM . GETTING IT ON THE WEBSITE MM-HMM . AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO ONCE WE DO THE LIMITED PRINTING AND GET IT OUT THERE TO THE PUBLIC, HOPEFULLY THE PUBLIC EMBRACES IT. RIGHT. AND TESTS IT. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE DID OUR BEST IN THIS ROOM TO TRY AND PUT THE STUFF IN THERE THAT WE THOUGHT SHOULD BE IN THERE, BUT, UM, PEOPLE THAT WANNA START NEW BUSINESSES ARE THE TRUE TEST, RIGHT? SURE. IT'S LIKE, HEY, I HIT THIS AND THEN I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR HEY, IT WENT, I WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING. MM-HMM . ANYWAY. THAT FAMILIAR MIND. SEE IF HE'S WILLING TO TALK TO US ABOUT IT ON BROTHER. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING RIGHT THERE. ACTION. LET'S DO IT. THAT'S GREAT. YOU HAVE HONEY ON THE CONE. SO IS IT, UM, IT'S READY TO POST OR IS IT UP? IS IT THE IT'S NOT UP. IT'S, IT'S NOT UP. OKAY. I'LL SEND IT OVER TO ALL OF YOU. AWESOME. SO INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, UNDER THAT, I THINK VDOT HAS A HEARING COMING UP OR, OR NOT, NOT A HEARING. UH, UH, OPEN A PUBLIC INPUT SESSION. PUBLIC INPUT SESSION. MM-HMM . OVER AT THE LIBRARY. 14TH, I BELIEVE, RIGHT? 14TH. YEAH. JANUARY 14TH, FOUR TO SIX. SAMUEL'S PUBLIC. YEAH, IT'S LIKE A DROP IN, ISN'T IT? IT DID YOU DROP BY TO GET INFORMATION? MM-HMM . HAVE WE, UM, [00:15:02] ASSISTED IN GETTING THAT WORD OUT ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL? THE CHANNEL FRONT ROYAL? YES. OKAY, GOOD. YES. SOCIALS AND THE WEBSITE. GET THAT ONE. SO ANYTHING ELSE UNDER THOSE CATEGORIES? AND THAT'S AT THE LIBRARY? CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, OPEN DISCUSSION. UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK JOE FOR A LITTLE INPUT WITH THE AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL BUDGET WE HAVE. WE'RE OBVIOUSLY VERY LIMITED IN THE IMPACT WE COULD MAKE. I THINK RETAIL STRATEGIES WAS AN OUTSTANDING INVESTMENT ON OUR PART AND I'M GLAD THE TOWN DECIDED TO CONTINUE ALONG WITH IT. 'CAUSE UH, MY HOPES ARE EVEN JUST ONE OR TWO NEW BUSINESSES. THAT'S A HUGE SUCCESS. MM-HMM . UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO KIND OF, IF WE, IF WE COULD, AND I'M PUTTING JOE ON THE SPOT IS WITH, WITH THE, THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL CAPITAL WE HAVE, WHAT WOULD BE HIS THOUGHTS OF WHAT HE'D LIKE TO SEE THIS GROUP BE ABLE TO DO FOR 2026? UM, SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE OUR HANDS ARE TIED A LITTLE BIT AND I THINK WE ALL HAVE GREAT IDEAS, BUT THEY, THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANDEUR IDEAS THAN WE CAN FINANCIALLY AFFORD TO PUT BEHIND. I, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE. I MEAN, WE, WE, WE, YOU'RE A NEW ENTITY FOR US, JUST LIKE WE ARE FOR YOU. SO, SO, UM, YEAH, COUNSEL KIND OF PUT ME ON THE SAME SPOT A FEW WEEKS AGO. I THINK THEIR RETAIL STRATEGIES, UH, DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON BUDGET FOR, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, UM, IN 2027. AND I THINK THAT'S A NUMBER ONE POSITION RIGHT THERE IS, I THINK RETAIL STRATEGIES IS A, IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS US FILL THIS NEED IN WHICH WE, YOU KNOW, AS WE DEVELOP THIS ENTITY, YOU KNOW, AS A USEFUL TOOL IN THESE EXPERTS AND THEY PROVIDE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF INPUT. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S A LONG TERM SOLUTION FOR US. I THINK, AS I SAID, THE COUNCIL, IT'S, IT'S A BUDGET. YOU KNOW, WE, IF FRIDA IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THERE HAS TO BE MORE BUDGET THERE. UM, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT, YOU KNOW, HILLARY'S DOING SECRETARIAL WORK. WE'RE UNFORTUNATELY THAT LIZZIE IS HERE DOING STAFF SUPPORT BECAUSE SHE ALSO IS DOING TOURISM AND, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA SIMILAR TO HILLARY'S ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SO THAT'S A LOT ON THAT ONE PERSON. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NEED A BUDGET, I THINK FOR STAFFING IF WE WERE TO SEE THIS BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE AND TO SET, UH, ONE OF THE BIG DISCUSSIONS COME UP WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BUDGET, IS FRIDA GONNA BE A SEPARATE ENTITY? AND TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, MAKING FISCAL DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN, UM, VERSUS HAVING, YOU KNOW, COUNSEL INVOLVEMENT FOR EVERYTHING. UM, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE SET UP. THERE'S ACCOUNTING TO THAT, THERE'S LEGAL TO THAT, THERE'S STAFFING FOR THAT, THAT COMES AT A, A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL DOLLAR AMOUNT. UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, AND UM, THAT ALSO CAME UP AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL AT THE MEETING IS TO THE APPETITE FOR SUPPORTING THAT THROUGH BUDGET. UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT. AND THAT'S, THAT'S I THINK REALLY WHAT IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO. I MEAN, TO SEE THE SUCCESS, UM, I JUST DON'T THINK 50 IS ENOUGH TO GET THAT OVER THE HOME. UM, BUT I DO FEEL RETAIL STRATEGIES IS A WISE INVESTMENT AT THE CURRENT TIME, BUT I THINK WE'RE RESPONSIBLE AS MUCH AS THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS SUCCESSFUL. YOU KNOW, BEING IN THESE CALLS AND AS I MENTIONED, OR THE LOCAL EXPERT, WE HAVE TO REMAIN INVOLVED. AND WHEN THEY NEED HELP, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE FREE TO BOARD IS THAT ASSISTANCE HERE LOCALLY FOR THEM AND, AND HOW WE MAKE THAT SUCCESS. BUT WE HAVE TO GET IN ON SOME OF THESE CALLS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. UM, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE OTHER TOOLS AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO HELP US, UM, MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS. SO FOR ME, IT'S, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND IF, IF THERE'S AN APPETITE TO FUND FREEDOM, YOU KNOW, AND TO MAKE IT A SUCCESSFUL, I, BUT I ALSO AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER AT THE COUNTY AND THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL BE AT THE LIAISON MEETING. AND I THINK THERE ARE OP YOU KNOW, THEY ARE REESTABLISHING THEIR SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE BRINGING ON THE THEDO COMMUNITY CAPITAL FUND TO ASSIST [00:20:01] THEM MANAGE THAT PROGRAM AND MAKE IT A SUCCESS. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION THERE IF THERE IS OR, OR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE I ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE REDUNDANT IN ANY WAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER THERE CURRENTLY AS WELL. UM, AND HOW THESE TWO ENTITIES WORK TOGETHER WHILE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS, UM, IS A BIG ONE. SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, STAY ENGAGED AND GETTING, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE ACTIVE. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS GROUP IS REALLY ACTIVE IN THE VDO CONVERSATION NOW. WE HAVE THE PUBLIC INPUT SESSION, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE HERE. INITIATIVES LIKE THAT REALLY PUSHING THEM FORWARD. AND MAYBE THINGS HERE ON OUR DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET OR IN OUR, YOU KNOW, THE SOUTH STREET IS REALLY IMPACTING THEIR SHOPPING CENTERS WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. SO HOPEFULLY THIS BOARD BECOMES MORE ENGAGED IN WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO FROM AN ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT. BUT RIGHT NOW MY VIEW IS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? THANK YOU. MM-HMM . ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? UH, I WANTED TO SEE IF WE ARE CURRENTLY POSTING ANYTHING TO FILL NICK'S, UH, VACANCY. WE HAVEN'T YET, BUT WE WILL, WE WILL HAVE TO. AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO DO THE SAME FOR BRIAN. UM, THE ROLL OFF, CORRECT. OH, SORRY. I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN POSTED YET. NO, BUT IT SHOULD BE HERE SHORTLY. I WOULD THINK SO. OKAY. JUST, YEAH. I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE OF EVERYONE'S TERMS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE, THERE'S A SHEET SOMEWHERE. MM-HMM . IT HAS EVERYBODY'S ALL THE THINGS, BUT WELL, ULTIMATELY THAT'S A COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM, CORRECT? IT IS. YEAH. SO COUNSEL, AS YOU ALL KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU WON'T LOOK GOING BY COUNSEL. UM, COUNSEL WILL HANDLE THAT AND THE CLERK OF COUNSEL WILL HANDLE THAT POSTING. SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, FRANKLY, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE VISIBILITY IN THE WHATEVER. OKAY. BUT YES, IT'S COMING. WANT TO SEE WHAT THE, WHAT THE, I'M NOT SURE THE TIMELINE. I, I'D HAVE TO ASK SOMEONE MORE QUALIFIED THAN MYSELF. I BELIEVE WE'RE DISCUSSING HAVING IT, UH, NOT ANYBODY SPECIFIC OR ANY APPOINTMENTS, BUT TO BE DISCUSSING NEXT WEEK'S COUNSEL, POSSIBLY ENCLOSED SESSION ABOUT THE APPOINTMENTS TO EDA NEXT WEEK. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. BUT THE AGENDA HASN'T BEEN SET YET. THE BALL STARTS ROLLING. WELL, SINCE YOU TOUCHED ON IT, UH, FRANK, UH, GOT YOUR EMAIL THIS MORNING AND, UH, LIKE TO THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOU KNOW, ON THIS BODY FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, RIGHT? MM-HMM . ANYWAY, UM, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING OR? NO, I JUST APPRECIATE MY TIME HERE AND MM-HMM . UM, YOU KNOW, UH, TO WHAT TOM IS SAYING, WHAT WE ALL, YOU KNOW, I THINK HAVE SOME SORT OF A, AN INCLINATION OF WE REALLY WANT TO BE IN SOME SORT OF AN ACTIONABLE PLACE AND I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO CONSTANTLY PUSH THAT FORWARD TO BE ACTIONABLE. UM, BEING HERE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, THE BEGINNERS OF THIS GROUP AND THIS BODY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE, UH, WE REALLY HAVE A LOT OF GOOD INTENTION, A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE, A LOT OF GOOD, A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE LEAN ON. AND, UM, I JUST HOPE WE CAN KEEP DRIVING THAT THING FORWARD. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. IF ANYBODY EVER NEEDED ME OR NEEDS SUPPORT OR UH, WHATEVER THAT IS, I DEFINITELY WOULD BE WILLING TO, TO STEP IN AND HELP OUT. AND, UM, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GREAT. I JUST, UH, I GOT A NEW, I HAVE MY SON AND MY BUSINESS IS GROWING AND I WAS LIKE, IF I CAN'T BE A HUNDRED PERCENT COMMITTED TO ONE THING, I GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT I, I'M HONEST WITH MYSELF. AND SO I JUST WANTED A NEW YEAR TO BE THAT WAY, BEING HONEST. SO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT HERE AND REALLY JUST KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA DO GREAT THINGS. SO JUST KEEP PUSHING THAT FORWARD. THAT'S ALL I KEEP SAYING, AIDEN, ASK THE CRAZY QUESTIONS. , YOU KNOW, BE FOR REAL MAN. GET IN DEEP ON THERE. YOU WRITE GOOD NOTES. HOPE THAT THAT WORKS OUT. WE APPRECIATE YOU, FRANK. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU BRING TO THE TABLE AND YOU, YOUR THREADS WOULD DEFINITELY BE YOU GUYS. UH, BIG SHOES TO FILL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? WHAT I THINK YEP. WE, WE DISCUSSED ABOUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE COMING TO CHAT WITH US AND MEET WITH US. YEAH. UM, WE'VE HAD VDOT MM-HMM . WE'VE HAD RETAIL STRATEGIES. MM-HMM . WE HAD THAT CARRY FROM ENERGY SERVICES. EXACTLY RIGHT. LESLIE FROM PEOPLE INC. SO WE, WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT INPUT IF PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THAT. I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY POSITIVE. ONE OF THE THING ONE OF THE WAS ON THE LIST WAS INVITING THE WARREN COUNTY EDA TO COME, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF RUMOR MILL AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON OUT [00:25:01] THERE IN THE WORLD IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE OLD ABEC PROPERTY AND EVERYTHING. I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THIS GROUP IF THEY'RE WILLING TO COME AND CHAT WITH US TO KIND OF JUST SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR WORLD. I DID TALK ABOUT THAT WITH THEIR CHAIR, ROBIN DOUGLE, AND HE WAS VERY OPEN TO IT. SO I THINK, I THINK WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. WE CAN GET THAT ON AN AGENDA ITEM. IT WOULD BE BACK AND, AND HE WOULD KNOW WHAT HE CAN TALK ABOUT AND OPEN AND WHAT HE CAN'T AFFORD. SO YEAH, NO, I, HE WAS VERY OPEN TO THAT. OKAY. AND, UM, GREAT, THANKS FOR THEY, UH, AT THEIR, UH, WE WERE AT THEIR RECENT MEETING AND THEY MENTIONED THE SAME THING, UH, ABOUT, UH, TRYING TO GET REGULARLY ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS AS WELL. UM, THAT WAS NEAR THE END OF DECEMBER, SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS SCHEDULED TO COME TO THIS ONE, BUT IN THE FUTURE, HAVING A MEMBER ATTEND, BUT THEY'RE SIMILAR TO THIS, UH, FORTUNATELY LOST THE MEMBER AND SO THEY'RE DOWN TO FOUR ON THEIR SIDE. SO I THINK THEY'RE WELL AND IT, IT MAKES ME WONDER, GOSH, YOU KNOW, IS, OH, TOM, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? I DON'T KNOW. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE I MIGHT GO. I THINK I MIGHT KNOW. NO. UM, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, AND, AND I YOU HEAR IT, I MEAN, DO THE TWO ENTITIES COMBINE? YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SITTING THERE TALKING ABOUT STAFFING AND HAVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, THIS GROUP HERE, WHEN IT MAKES A DECISION, MAKES A DECISION TO BENEFIT OR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE TOWN, BUT THE COUNTY GETS TAX BENEFIT FROM THAT. UM, IF RESALE STRATEGIES IS SUCCESSFUL IN RECRUITING A HOSPITALITY ENTITY OR A RESTAURANT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SEES THE BENEFIT. SO SOMETIMES IF THE COUNTY'S RECRUITING SOMEBODY FOR THE CORRIDOR, IT DOESN'T BENEFIT US. BUT IF WE GET SOMEONE RECRUITED OR IF WE TAKE AN ACTION THAT'S POSITIVE FOR THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, THE COUNTY'S GONNA ALWAYS BENEFIT FROM THAT 'CAUSE OF THE TAX STRUCTURE. IF, IF I'M, YOU KNOW, SO IT, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT DOES MAKE YOU WONDER IS IS THERE DUPLICATION AND YOU SAID YOU WANNA TRY TO KEEP FROM DOING THAT. SO I'M, I'M ON THAT SAME BOAT WITH YOU AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHERE I WENT WHERE YOU DIDN'T WANT ME TO GO, BUT I YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE YOU'D LIKE . I WAS, I WAS 100% CERTAIN THAT'S WHERE YOU WERE GOING. BUT YES. UM, I, I MEAN IT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA. I JUST WORK HERE. WELL, I THINK WE'RE ALL HERE FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, SO, UM, WHETHER IT'S A GREAT IDEA OR NOT, IT'S ANOTHER STORY THAT, AND I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE DECIDED IN THIS GROUP. IT WOULD BE DECIDED BETWEEN COUNSEL AND AND THE COUNTY. SO. GREAT. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? NO. WELL DONE. ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THEN? LISTEN TO A JURY SECOND IT ALL THE PAPER SEEMS STOP SAYING AYE. AYE, AYE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU GUYS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.