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I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER[Town Council Work Session on April 6, 2026.]
THE TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR WORK SESSION FOR MONDAY, APRIL 6TH.UM, AND, UH, MS. WIL, CAN WE DO ROLL CALLS? MAYOR RA? HERE.
SO OUR FIRST ITEM IS AN ADVERTISEMENT OF THE 2026 REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE.
AND MR. WILSON IS IN CHARGE THAT, SO, UH, WE REVIEWED THE PROPOSED BUDGET THERE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND I INCLUDED WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, WAS A REAL ESTATE TAX RATE OF, UH, 0.08 CENTS, UH, FOR $100.
THAT'S WHERE, HOW WE BUILT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND, UM, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FROM FOR COUNCIL TONIGHT, UH, IS DIRECTION WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH ADVERTISING FOR A REAL ESTATE TAX RATE, UH, 4 20 26.
UM, THE ADVERTISING DOES NEED TO BE PLACED IN ORDER FOR COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING AND VOTE ON THE TAX RATE, UH, ONE AT THE APRIL 27TH MEETING.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE, UH, BUDGET, UH, PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD THERE IN MAY, IN MAY 11TH, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, APPROVAL OF THE ACTUAL BUDGET AT THE, UH, REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
SO IS THAT, UH, JUST LOOKING FROM THE DIRECTION FROM COUNSEL OR IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THE TASK? LET'S START FIRST WITH QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WILSON OR STAFF OR ANYTHING ABOUT, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S NOT REALLY A BUDGET CONVERSATION, BUT IT'S MORE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S, WELL, I, THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS ON THERE I'D LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER AND DISCUSS, UH, PRESENTED TO US.
THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSAL WAS A 1% MAYOR AND TWO AND A HALF PERCENT CALL AND, UH, TALK WITH MR. PETTY AND SOME OF THE STAFF.
UM, I BELIEVE A 2% MERIT AND A 3% QUOTA, UM, WOULD BE VERY USEFUL TO THE TOWN.
ALSO, IN, UM, TRYING TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS THEY'RE GONNA PICK UP ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE SIDE IN, IN VERY ROUGH NUMBERS.
VERY ROUGH NUMBERS THAT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL 180,000 AND HAVEN'T VERIFIED IT WITH YOU, BUT THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
I BELIEVE MR. WILSON, THAT WOULD END UP BEING 0.008 TENTHS OF A CENT.
UM, FOR THAT, UH, THAT WOULD PUT US AT ROUGHLY 9 CENTS.
SO THE CURRENT PROPOSED RATE IS EIGHT EXACTLY.
THAT WOULD PUT US RIGHT AT NINE, 9% 9 CENTS.
BIG DIFFERENCE THERE, HUH? YEAH, BIG DIFFERENCE.
I HAD SOME OTHER THINGS ABOUT IT, BUT I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT OR YOU WANT TO ABSORB IT AND BRING IT BACK NEXT WEEK, UM, WE WILL NEED DIRECTION ON THE ADVERTISEMENT SO WE CAN GET THIS ON YEAH.
WE CAN ALWAYS ADVERTISE HIGHER AND COME IN LOWER WHEN WE, UH, GO TO THE REGULAR MEETING.
MR. WILSON? I HAVE A COUPLE, I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS ALONG THAT LINES.
UM, WE'VE LOOKED AROUND AT SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AROUND CLOSE TO JUST OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD JUST DO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IF WE DO THE CHANGE IN THE COLA AND THE, AND THE MERIT RAISE, IT SHOULD BE STRAIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD.
'CAUSE IF NOT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN WITH, WITH THE RAISES WE'RE TRYING TO PUT AT NOW, WE'RE GONNA LOSE GOOD PEOPLE.
UM, YOU AND I DON'T TALK TO THE, TO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK AT THE TOWN SHOP, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, I TALK TO THE GUYS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE GUYS CAN GO, UH, TWO MILES UP THE ROAD.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, WARREN COUNTY IS GONNA GIVE A, UH, THREE POINT, UH, A 3% COALER
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RAISE ANYWHERE FROM A ONE TO 3% MERIT RAISE.UM, ANO COUNTY IS LOOKING TO TRY TO GET NO, YEAH, NO, NO, I'M SORRY.
FRED COUNTY IS LOOKING TO GIVE ALMOST A 10% RAISE.
UH, CHINOOK COUNTY IS LOOKING AT A FOUR, UH, FOUR.
PIERCE COUNTY IS LOOKING AND WARRANT IS LOOKING AT 9.8.
TRUST ME, I KNOW WE CAN'T DO THIS KIND OF RAISE, UH, IS ABOUT A 7.5.
STRASBURG IS FOUR, AND WOODSTOCK IS ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO 4%.
I KNOW WE CAN'T DO THOSE HIGH RAISES FOR THESE GUYS.
OH, FOR, FOR EVERYBODY THAT, THAT WORKS.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'M NOT TALKING JUST THE, THE PD I'M TALKING PUBLIC WORKS.
YOU UH, THE GUYS RUN THE WATER PLANT.
BUT I THINK YOU'LL, IF WE CAN COME UP WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, A TWO, A 2.5 AND A TWO FIVE, OUR 3.5, I MEAN, FOR, FOR COLA, AND THEN COME UP WITH A 2% MERIT RAISE AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD GIVE THEM, IT GIVES 'EM SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR.
I THINK WHAT THIS IS GONNA DO WITH, WITH THE COST OF LIVING RAISE COMING, NOW THE INSURANCE RAISE IS COMING UP, SOME OF 'EM ARE GONNA MAKE LESS MONEY THAN THEY'RE MAKING NOW.
BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH THE, THEY DON'T EVEN THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE TEACHERS AND THE TEACHERS.
AND THERE'S LIKE A 23% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE.
WHAT'S THE INCREASE IN OUR HEALTH INSURANCE? THEY'RE 16.
16, YOU KNOW, THEY, WHAT'S THE COUNTY? DOES ANYBODY KNOW THAT THE COUNTY'S HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE 12.6? WHAT IS YOURS? 12.6.
SO WE'RE A BIT HIGHER ENOUGH, AND I'D LIKE TO, CAN WE GIVE THESE GUYS THEIR KOHL RAISE AND IN JULY TO MAKE UP FOR THAT, THAT 16% IN THEIR, UH, IN THEIR INSURANCE? UM, IT'S, IS THAT POSSIBLE? IT'S POSSIBLE WE'D HAVE TO COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR IT.
BUT I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK WE SHOULD TRY AND GIVE 'EM A LITTLE MORE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, IF WE CAN DO IT THAT WAY, I THINK IT'D BE A BIG, BIG PUSH FOR THESE GUYS TO STAY.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT COSTS TO, TO OUTFIT A NEW PERSON.
YOU AND I HEAR OUT BACK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AGAIN, WOULD IT COST TO OUTFIT SOMEBODY TO COME TO WORK? YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING 80, ALMOST $86,000 AN OFFICER, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME THEY GET HIM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN UNIFORM IN SCHOOL OUTTA SCHOOL, YOU KNOW.
UM, AND A LOT OF THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE AT 50 51 50 WHERE, WHERE'S BRIAN? 51, 53 TO START? UH, ROUGHLY, YEAH.
THEY CAN GO RIGHT UP THE STREET HERE AND MAKE 53.
YOU KNOW, I, I'M REALLY CONCERNED.
I WE'RE GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING FULL STAFF, YOU KNOW, BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT REALLY HARD.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HARD IS, IS THAT THAT PROBABLY LIKE THAT ANALOGY, THE PART THAT YOU JUST SAID AT THE END IS PRETTY MUCH, MUCH EVERY JOB IN COUNTY.
I'M SAYING IN THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE COULD GO, YOU KNOW, 45 MINUTES TO MANASAS AND MAKE MORE, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT TRUE.
I, BUT I, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY LIKE, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY TOUGH.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WE RECENTLY RAISED OUR, I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY, I, I'M NOT, WE DID ALL THESE COUNTY PEOPLE ARE HERE TONIGHT.
WE DON'T NORMALLY BRING UP THE COUNTY.
I REMEMBER WHEN, UM, SHERIFF KLINE WAS GIVING ME A HARD TIME ABOUT LIKE, THAT WE HAD RAISED, YOU KNOW, WE HAD RAISED OUR SALARIES MAKING IT HARDER FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME PEOPLE THAT JUMPED SHIP THERE AND CAME TO US.
AND I'M NOT REAL SURE THAT, I'M NOT REAL SURE THAT THE COUNTY PAYS ALL THAT SALARY.
DO THEY? I THOUGHT DON'T YOU ALL GET SOMETHING FROM THE STATE COMPENSATION BOARD BOARD? YES, SIR.
SEE, THEY, THEY GET, THEY GET MONEY FROM THE, THE STATE COMPENSATION BOARD TO PAY SO MANY DEPUTIES PER CABINET.
NO, I WAS JUST SAYING, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WE, I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE ALL MAKING COMMENTS THAT, OR, AND I KNOW THAT WHEN WE, I KNOW IT WAS, I WANNA SAY IT WAS LAST SPRING.
WE ACTUALLY RAISED, WE RAISED TWO YEARS AGO.
WAS IT, WE, I KNOW WE TOOK LIKE, UM, WASN'T IT TWO YEARS AGO POSITION, ROUGHLY? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
WE TOOK POSITIONS THAT WERE UNFILLED
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BECAUSE AT THE TIME YEAH, WE HAD THREE POSITIONS UNFILLED AND NO, AT FOUR POSITIONS THAT TOOK THAT MONEY, BUT INTO THE OTHERS BECAUSE WE WERE LOSING PEOPLE RIGHT.AND LEFT TO GO TO, TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
BUT WE WERE, AT THAT TIME, WE WERE 16% BELOW EVERYBODY ELSE.
UM, I GOT THIS STUDY DONE BY, UM, MS. DANA SHROUD, WHO WAS THE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR VIRGINIA CHIEFS, VIRGINIA SHERIFFS AND VIRGINIA CAMPUS LAW.
UH, AND SHE SENT IT UP TO ME AND IT SHOWED US A 16% BELOW, BUT ANYTHING COMPARABLE TO OUR SIZE.
ARE WE ALL RIGHT? SO I THINK WE NEED, ARE YOU GOOD? WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A, A HARD LOOK AT DOING THAT FOR EVERYBODY.
WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY ABOUT THAT, WHEN WE DID THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AT THE TIME I REMEMBER WE, I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY WERE GONNA UNFILL POSITIONS MM-HMM
IN ORDER TO, UM, THEY WERE GONNA UNFI POSITIONS IN ORDER TO INCREASE PAY, UM, YOU KNOW, TO RETAIN PEOPLE.
AND, UM, AND I REMEMBER SAYING, ARE YOU SURE? BECAUSE THE THING IS, ONCE YOU CHANGE PEOPLE'S PAY AND YOU MAKE IT HIGHER, THEN THAT'S THE STANDARD.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO KEEP GOING FROM THERE.
AND I, AND AT THE TIME I WAS, I, I REMEMBER HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF AT THE TIME, AND THEY WERE LIKE, NO, THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO GO FORWARD.
AND SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S WHY WE HAD OFFICERS THAT WE HAD SEASONED OFFICERS THAT WERE, WERE GONNA LEAD, YOU KNOW, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU TRY AND GET OFFICERS THAT HAVE TO STAY, THAT HAVE EIGHT, NINE, AND 10 YEARS WORTH OF SERVICE.
AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT PUTTING DOWN THE YOUNG OFFICERS THAT COME OUT OF THE AC ACADEMY IS WHEN I SAY YOUNG OFFICERS, YOU COMING OUTTA THE ACADEMY, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T, THEY, YOU, THEY HAVE ALL THE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THEY PASSED THE ACADEMY, BUT LACK OF BETTER WORK.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE STREET SMARTS AT THESE OFFICERS WITH 5, 8, 9, 10 YEARS ON UP, YOU KNOW? AND THAT'S ALL WE HAD TO REALLY, REALLY TRY AND RETAIN WHAT WE HAVE.
AND IT COST US SO MUCH MONEY TO PUT A NEW MAN ON THE STREET.
AND LIKE I SAID, I ONLY, BECAUSE THIS IS, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS PARTICULAR CONVERSATION.
IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH EVERYWHERE.
I FEEL LIKE THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY, WE ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE, FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE TEACHERS, THE, YOU KNOW, OUR LINEMEN THAT WE ARE ALWAYS STRUGGLING TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE SALARIES THAT ARE CLOSER TO NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
AND IT'S, IT'S SO HARD BECAUSE OUR CITIZENS AREN'T, YOU KNOW, OUR CITIZENS ARE GONNA HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES TOO.
AND MORE THAN LIKELY NOT GETTING 3% RAISES OR COLAS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT F FRED COUNTY IS NO PLACE TO CALL
FREDERICK COUNTY IS GETTING READY TO PROBABLY SEE ONE OF THE HIGHEST TAX INCREASES OF ABSOLUTELY.
THEY ARE THE EXISTENCE OF FREDERICK COUNTY FROM THEIR LACK OF FORWARD THINKING FOR THEIR SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION SYSTEM.
AND IN YEARS PRIOR, AMER
THERE WAS A MAJORITY CONSENSUS OF COUNSEL TO RAISE THE TAXES, WHICH I'VE BEEN ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO.
WHILE I KNOW WE NEED TO FIND THE FUNDS TO DELEGATE TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOME OF THE LARGER PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED FOR A LONG TIME.
I WAS QUOTED, AND I WILL SAY THIS AGAIN, I WAS THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO BROUGHT UP THAT OUR EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWN THEMSELVES ARE ALREADY FEELING THE STRAIN AND BURDEN GAS IS AT $4 A GALLON.
NOTHING'S GONNA GET CHEAPER, NOT LOOKING GOOD.
AND, AND SO I BROUGHT THEM UP AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THIS IS THE RESOLUTION TO RAISING THE TAXES FOR OUR STAFF IS TO OFFER THIS SMALL COLA.
BUT IN COUNCILS PRIOR, WE GAVE BONUSES TO THE STAFF.
AND WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE WAS WE COLLECTIVELY ASKED BJ, WHAT PUTS THE MOST MONEY? THIS IS EXACTLY HOW THESE CONVERSATIONS WENT.
WHAT PUTS THE MOST MONEY IN EACH EMPLOYEE'S POCKET ACROSS THE BOARD? IS IT A RAISE? IS IT A BONUS? WHAT DO WE NEED TO SET THE BONUS AT BECAUSE THEY'RE TAXED DIFFERENTLY? AND HOW DO WE DO THIS? AND BJ WORKED ON MULTIPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECALL THIS, AND WE GAVE THEM OUT AS A SURPRISE.
YOU AND I WERE THE ONLY TWO THAT ARE SITTING HERE TODAY THAT WERE A PART OF THAT AT CHRISTMAS, AT THE CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON.
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WHEN WE SAY A HALF A CENT MORE, OR 1 CENT MORE PERCENT RATHER, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S LESS THAN GIVING A ONE-TIME BONUS OF A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT THEY BRING HOME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.SO IT SOUNDS FLATTERING, BUT THE IMPACT ON THEIR PAYCHECKS IS MARGINAL AT BEST.
SO I GUESS THIS MEANS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DELAY ADVERTISING THE RATE, UNLESS WE CAN COME TO A CONSENSUS IN THE NEXT 45 MINUTES TONIGHT ON WHAT WE WANT THAT TO LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
AND I'M NOT SURE OF WHAT THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE SALARIES OVERALL.
AND THOSE ARE NUMBERS I'D LIKE, AND I'D LIKE TO NOT PUT THE PRESSURE ON BJ TO TRY TO MAKE CALCULATIONS STANDING HERE AT THE PODIUM.
WE CAN REVISIT THIS NEXT WEEK THOUGH, FOREVER.
WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE TOMORROW.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ADVERTISED AFTER TONIGHT MEETING.
SINCE THE FIRST, THIS IS THE TAX RATE, NOT THE BUDGET.
I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT OUR COMP, THE COMPENSATION STUDY THAT WE DID.
UM, LARS HERE, TRYING TO THINK LARS HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW, UM, MR. PETTY WASN'T HERE AT THE TIME WHEN THAT HAPPENED, BUT WHEN WE DID THE COMPENSATION STUDY, IT'S NOT THAT OLD.
SO THE ONE THAT WE, I MEAN, WHEN WE GOT THE RESULTS WHEN WE DID ALL EMPLOYEES WAS 2022.
SEPARATE THE POLICE OFFICERS IN 2023.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, AT THAT TIME, THE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD, THE SHIFTS THAT WE MADE WAS TO TRY TO GET EVERYBODY IN LINE TO WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, COMPENSATION SAY WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
AND THEN THE REASON WHY WE HAD GOTTEN BEHIND ON THAT, AS I RECALL CONSULTANTS SAYING IS BECAUSE WE WEREN'T DOING CONSISTENT COST OF LIVING INCREASES.
AND SO AT THAT TIME, WHAT WE DISCUSSED IS THAT MOVING FORWARD, THAT THERE, THAT WE WOULDN'T DO THESE LIKE YEARS OF NOT HAVING THIS.
AND, AND SO WE GOT EVERYBODY WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
AND THEN THE IDEA WAS AFTER THAT, THAT WE WOULD CONSISTENTLY GIVE COST OF LIVING INCREASES.
SO, BUT THE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CONVERSATION HERE IS TO NOT TO DO, TO NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW WHAT THE COMPENSATION CONSULTANTS TOLD US, RIGHT.
THAT WE'RE SAYING DO MORE THAN WHAT THEY WERE SAYING.
IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING OR AM I NOT HEARING? THAT'S WHAT I, I'M INTERPRETING IT THAT WAY.
THE CONVERSATION GOING INTO TONIGHT.
SO I FEEL APOLOGETIC TO THE STAFF BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY I AM, YOU'RE GONNA GET A MAJORITY CONSENSUS FOR ME TO MOVE THIS FORWARD WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
'CAUSE IT, IT SOUNDS FLATTERING, IT'S GONNA LOOK GOOD FOR SOME OF THE STAFF TOMORROW WHO WAKE UP.
BUT THOSE WHO HAVE FACED A HALF A CENTER OR 1% INCREASE IN COLA WELL THIS IS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS WAS BROUGHT UP OF THIS DEATH.
SO IT WAS JUST, DID YOU GUYS DISCUSS IT AT THE REGULAR MEETING? VERY, VERY, VERY VAGUE.
YOU MEAN A WORK SESSION? WORK SESSION? I WAS HERE FOR THAT.
WE DIDN'T DISCUSS GIVING AND COLA DIDN'T DISCUSS.
IT WAS VERY, IT WAS VERY, VERY NO, THIS THIS IS, WE HAVEN'T, IT WAS VERY IN.
WE HAVE NOT, YEAH, WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT THIS ANY DETAIL.
I, THERE THERE WAS A DISCUSSION REGARDING, UM, I THINK THE, UM, AVERAGE, THE AVERAGE, UH, POLO WAS, UH, 2.8%.
UH, THE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS NATIONWIDE, STATEWIDE.
UH, AND THEN WE DISCUSSED THERE WAS A DISCUSSED AT 2.5%.
SO WHAT I'M SEEING HERE IS THERE WAS A 2.5% AND MAYBE A 1%, UH, MERIT.
WHICH WOULD TO COUNCILMAN AL'S POINT, IF IT COULD BE BROUGHT BACK TO JULY? UH, WELL, THAT THE COLA WOULDN'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL WHEN JANUARY 1ST IS WHEN IT'S, UH, IN THE PITS, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED CLOSING JANUARY 1ST.
SO BY THE, I GUESS BASICALLY BY, BY JANUARY 1ST, WE, WE, IF WE WENT WITH THE PROPOSAL BY COUNCILMAN WOOD, WOULD WE WOULD BE, THEY WOULD GET, IT WOULD BE CAUGHT UP TO ABOUT 5%, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU GET IN A 2% MERIT AND A 3% CALL.
WELL, NOT EVERYBODY GETS A MERIT, CORRECT? PRETTY MUCH THEY DO.
I MEAN, SOME WILL, SOME WILL BE HIGHER, SOME WILL BE LOWER.
BUT ON AVERAGE THAT IS OH, OKAY.
WELL, UH, FROM, FROM A TAX PERSPECTIVE, WHAT, I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE EQUALIZING BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER DEFICIT THAT
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WE HAD FROM LAST YEAR.AND THEN THE PROPOSAL TO GO TO 0.09 FOR 100, THE AVERAGE TAX BILL WOULD, YOU KNOW, MEASURING ORANGES TO ORANGES WOULD BE ABOUT, UH, $16 ANNUALLY.
WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? GOING FROM WHICH ONES? WHICH ONE? FROM 0.9 0.08 TO NINE WOULD BE ABOUT $16.
OH, IT WOULD BE JUST TWO TO HALF.
I GUESS MAYBE YOUR SENTIMENT THAT YOU WERE GETTING AT, WHICH IS WHAT I'M ADDRESSING TOO, MAYOR COCKRELL, IS THAT THE TAXPAYERS OF FRONT ROYAL AREN'T ALL GETTING A 5% RAISE AS WELL WITH OUR HEALTH INSURANCE GOING UP.
SO, AND IT'S STEADILY GONE UP TO MY KNOWLEDGE, EVERY YEAR I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, THE HEALTH INSURANCE HAS, IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN THIS YEAR AS WELL.
UM, AND WE CARRY PART OF THAT BURDEN AS THE TOWN TOO, CORRECT.
SO I GUESS THAT'S, SO IF IT'S 16% OR WE COVER AN 8% AND THEY WOULD COVER 8%, I ASKED THAT QUESTION.
SO THEN THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION.
YEAH, I DID ASK THAT THE EMPLOYEES COVER THE, THE 16% OF THE TOWN COVER 16%.
SO AS A WHOLE IT'S 16%, BUT WE'RE COVERING OUR, OUR PORTIONS OF IT THE SAME AS WE WOULD UNDER THE OTHER PROGRAM.
SO, SO IF YOU BOTH WILL BOTH WILL GO UP.
SO, OKAY, SO, SO WE ARE PAYING MORE AND THEY'RE GONNA PAY MORE.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY HOW IT GOES THE MOST.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S, I'VE HEARD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OTHER PLACES WHERE THE EMPLOYEES GONNA HAVE, THEY'RE THE BURDEN OF ALL.
AND THEN SOME PLACES WHERE THEY'RE NOT GIVING RAISES, THEY'RE JUST GONNA COVER THE BURDEN OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE.
LIKE IN PRE WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST AS WELL.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, I KNOW WE'VE, I THINK WE'VE DONE BOTH
WE'VE, OR AT LEAST IN THE TIME I'VE BEEN HERE, UM, I'LL JUST SAY THAT GAS ISN'T GONNA BE E EVEN EVEN IF WHAT, UM, NATIONALLY THE WAR, THE, THE WAR ORION, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, EXCURSION
I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD THAT HEARD.
UM, UM, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, THE PRICES OF GAS AREN'T GOING TO COME DOWN OVERNIGHT.
IT'S GOING, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS SAYING.
SO GIVEN A 5% ON YOUR IS A LOT COMPARED TO WHAT OUR, WHAT WE PAID AN EXPERT TO COME IN AND DO FOR OUR STUDY.
IT'S LIKE THE WASTEWATER STUDY.
WHY ARE WE HAVING STUDIES IF WE'RE GONNA DISREGARD WHAT THEY SAY? I LOVE OUR STAFF.
I'VE GONE TO BAT FOR OUR STAFF MANY TIMES, BUT IT'S NOT JUST OUR STAFF THAT I BROUGHT THEM UP AT THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT RAISING THE TAXES AND NOT GIVING THEM A DIME OF IT.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TAXPAYERS CARRYING THE BRUNT OF THAT AS WELL, IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING TO ME.
YOU KNOW? I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE RAISING TAXES.
THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT IT, BUT WHATEVER.
ARE YOU ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS OF DEPARTMENTS AT THIS TIME? I, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE IT'S A WORK SESSION.
SO COMING FROM HR, WE HAVE HR HERE, ARE WE SEEING A LARGE, UM, OR AN INCREASING ISSUE IN RETENTION OVER THE LAST 24 MONTHS? IT'S A HARD QUESTION, LAURA.
IT, IT CAN BE DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC TOO.
I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S LESS PEOPLE THAT WANNA DEAL WITH WASTEWATER AND REFUGE THAN WE'VE BEEN IN A REALLY GOOD POSITION FOR THE PAST YEAR, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THE HAS REALLY CHANGED TOO.
UM, WE'RE STAYING IN JOBS RATHER THAN LEAVING THEM LIKE THEY WERE.
UM, SO NO, WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T HAD A RETENTION PROBLEM.
PROBABLY I WAS JUST, THIS, THIS CONVERSATION WAS NEWS TO ME TONIGHT SITTING HERE.
AND SO LIKE I SAID, IN YEARS PRIOR WE'VE SAID, HEY, WE WANT OUR EMPLOYEES TO GET AN EXTRA $5,000 THIS YEAR, BJ.
AND I KNOW IT PUTS PRESSURE ON YOU WHEN WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE, WE DID IT UNDER A DIFFERENT MAYOR, WE DID IT UNDER AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT COUNCIL.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF YOU, WE'VE SAID, HOW DO WE GET THEM AN EXTRA $5,000 THIS YEAR? IS THAT A BONUS? IS THAT A PAY INCREASE? HOW DO WE DO IT? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE THE TAX REPERCUSSIONS FOR THE EMPLOYEES? I I,
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I LAUGHED WHEN YOU ASKED THE BUDGETS HERE, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I WAS THINKING ALL THE REDWOODS AND DOGWOODS ARE BLOOMING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.HAS THE MONEY TREE OUT BACK HERE BLOOMED YET? BUT WE KNOW THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
SO I JUST, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU REEL IT BACK IN AFTER 5% BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY AT WHERE OUR COMPENSATION STUDY SAID WE SHOULD BE.
AND WE'VE DONE THE CONSISTENT COLAS, WHICH WAS NEVER A CONSISTENT THING IN THE PAST.
SO I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE DESIRE WITH THESE RAISE? IS THERE A DOLLAR AMOUNT OR IS IT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE INSURANCE? LIKE WHAT IS IT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO HERE WITH THE INCREASE FOR, FOR SALARIES IN COLA? THE MERIT, LET ME JUST CLARIFY THIS TO MAKE SURE IT WAS, WE HAD SAID THE BUDGET WAS TO HAVE 2.5% COLA AND 1% MERIT.
THAT'S WHAT THE BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.
AND SO WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE SUGGESTION? WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS JUST SHARED AMONGST SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS IS WHAT WERE YOU THINKING FOR A CALL? BECAUSE THEN YOU SAID THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 2.8% COLA I KNOW VIRGINIA, I KNOW VIRGINIA'S NOT GIVING THAT.
I MEAN, UM, AND IF YOU'RE RETIRED, YOU'RE NOT GETTING 2.8.
SO IT WAS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WAS 2.8%.
WELL, WHAT WAS THE NUMBER YOU ALL, WHAT WAS THE NUMBER MS. COUNCILMAN WOOD.
WHAT WAS THE NUMBER YOU WERE SAYING 2% MERIT, 3% FORWARD, RIGHT? YEAH.
THE, THE ONLY THING THAT I WAS AT WOULD ASK FROM STAFF IS HAS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT SEEN ANY CHANGES AS FAR AS, I THINK LAURA WOULD BE PERSON ASKED.
I THINK EMPLOYEE RETENTION, LAURA, AS HR WAS, IT'S THE SAME KIND OF QUESTION WE WERE ASKING.
RIGHT? IS THERE, HAVE THERE BEEN BIG TURNOVERS THERE? UM, WELL YEAH.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS THE MOST TURNOVER THAT WE THEY'VE HAD THE MOST TURNOVER.
YOU AGREE? AND THAT'S DUE TO THE STARTING SALARY? YES.
SO WITH US, WE, WE DO, WE'RE VERY THOROUGH AND WHAT WE DO WITH OUR BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND IF THEY COMPLETE THE FTO PART, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY MAY IT, THE, THE PROBLEM HAVING IS GETTING CANDIDATES IN THE DOOR IS GETTING THAT ADVERTISEMENT FOR NEW CANDIDATES.
THIS IS BRINGING NEW PEOPLE IN AND COMPETING CHIEF, WHAT ARE YOUR OPENINGS NOW? HAVE THREE NOW WE'LL HAVE FOUR WITH THE RETIREE FROM AN HR PERSPECTIVE, LAURA.
UM, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THREE IS WHAT WE HAD UNDER THE FORMER CHIEF.
SORRY, I CAN'T, I FEEL LIKE THREE WAS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE FORMER CHIEF WOULD COME TO US, THREE TO FIVE TYPICALLY IN A BUDGET CYCLE.
SO DOES THAT SEEM ON PAR WITH, WHAT WOULD I SAY, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE THREE OPENINGS AT ALL TIMES IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT ACTUALLY WENT BACK AND WAS LOOKING AT THAT THE OTHER DAY AT SOMEONE'S REQUEST.
AND UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE HAD THREE TO FIVE OPENINGS FOR LIKE THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, MY MOTHER'S A DEPUTY.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A GL GLAMOROUS JOB THESE DAYS.
IT'S HARD WORKING IN AN INDUSTRY WHERE YOU'RE THE ENEMY.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE CHILDREN ADMIRED AND LOOKED UP TO POLICE OFFICERS AND COPS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WHEN YOU'RE BEING VIDEOTAPED TRYING TO DO YOUR JOB AND PROTECT AND SERVE, IT'S JUST, I I I'M NOT CUT OUT FOR IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARILY A, A UNIQUE TO FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING THERE.
THEY, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE IT UP THROUGH OVERTIME.
I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY'RE GONNA DO IT.
AND THEN, THEN THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU BURNING THEM OUT? YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, I'M JUST PLAYING DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, THAT'S ALL.
BUT SO ARE WE LOOKING TO GIVE MORE FUNDING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR ARE WE LOOKING TO GET MORE FUNDING ACROSS THE BOARD? 5% TO ALL THE TOWN FOR THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
I, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET, SHE WANNA SAY SOMETHING? I WASN'T M TO THE CHIEF.
IN THE MIDDLE OF NO, THIS, THIS IS GOOD CONVERSATION.
YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S GOOD CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, I TALKED, I TALKED TO SOME OF THE OFFICERS AND YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE GETTING BURNT OUT.
UH, UM, ONE OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, THEIR AVERAGE CALLS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE AVERAGING, UH, 600 CALLS A YEAR.
EACH OFFICER 600 CALLS A YEAR.
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.
AND YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T DO IT AGAIN.
I'M ASKING YOU, ARE YOU ASKING SPECIFICALLY FOR MORE FUNDING FOR THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT OR ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL? THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
I MEAN, AND WE'RE DOWN TO THE DAY BEFORE ADVERTISING.
[00:30:01]
WHOLE TOWN FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THE SAME AMOUNT, OR ARE YOU LOOKING TO FILL A GAP AT THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT? I, I'D LIKE TO FILL A GAP WITH THEM, BUT IF WE COULD DO THE WHOLE TOWN, THAT WOULD BE FINE.YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I DO
I MEAN, IT'S STILL TO THIS DAY, BUT I GET TOSSED ON THE HILL.
NO, I UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICE THAT THEY'RE MAKING WORKING OVERTIME.
I, MY MOM CAME TO MY SOFTBALL GAMES FOR FIVE MINUTES IN UNIFORM.
I CAME FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT FAMILY.
I WATCHED MY FATHER WORK OVERTIME WHEN THERE WAS LIKE THREE DEPUTIES IN THIS COUNTY.
AND I WATCHED HIM GO OUT NIGHT, HE STAY OUT SOMETIMES 24 HOURS A DAY.
I WATCHED IT CAUSE HIM TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK.
UH, AND I DON'T WANNA SEE THESE TOWN GUYS.
THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THEY DON'T WORK.
I DON'T THINK THEY, THEY, IT IS SO BAD THAT THEY WORKED DOUBLE SHIFTS, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TIME OFF, YOU KNOW, DOING ANY TIME OFF WORKING.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE CAN GET THEIR PAYOUT, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BE MORE APT TO COME IN AND WORK THAT OVER TIME BECAUSE YOU GET, I KNOW, AND I, I, NONE OF'EM HAVE TOLD ME THIS, BUT I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE, WHEN YOU CALL SOMEBODY AND SAY, HEY, THE OLD TIME, NO MAN, I, I CAN'T COME IN.
AND I'M SURE I CAN'T SAY FOR A FACT IT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE.
BUT FROM EXPERIENCE, I'M TELLING YOU IT'S HAPPENED.
IT'S NOT, THAT'S, AGAIN, NOT UNIQUE WAS MY ONLY POINT.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO WORKS FOR THE TOWN OF, OF FRONT ROYAL UNDERSTAND AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT THAT, THAT TAKES OKAY.
TAKES, THIS IS NOT A PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF WE WANT IT TO BE A BIGGER GAP FILLED WITH THE FRONT ROW POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEN THE REST SPREAD ACROSS THE TOWN.
OR IF WE WANT IT TO BE ONE NUMBER ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND IF SO, WHY? THAT IS COMPARED TO THE COMPENSATION STUDY THAT WE PAID A PROFESSIONAL TO DO, I, I CERTAINLY WASN'T NAVIGATING, UH, TO THE PEER OF PANCREAS.
I WAS LOOKING AT ALL EMPLOYEES.
WELL, NOW THAT I'VE LEARNED THAT EVERYBODY GETS MERIT, BUT I GUESS THEY TAKE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND SPREAD IT OUT.
SOME MIGHT GET ONE, SOME MIGHT GET THREE.
BUT AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE WORKFORCE AND LOOKING AT WHAT WE GET OUT OF 'EM AND THE BURDEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THIS YEAR AND ADDITIONAL COST FOR INSURANCE, THEY COULD STILL BE MAKING LESS MONEY COMING YEAR THAN THEY MADE YEAR.
'CAUSE OF THE COST OF INSURANCE, WHICH IS NOT OUR FAULT, NOT THEIR FAULT.
MY INSURANCE WENT UP WHERE I WORK AND I GOT IT RAISE, BUT
AND IT'S A PRETTY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND I SAYING THE RAISE THAT I GOT, I WAS PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH BECAUSE I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THOSE DAYS OF GETTING, LIKE THE MERIT RAISES ON IT BEFORE THAT, THAT HAPPENS ONCE, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON FOR THAT MATTER.
NOW IT'S ALL PRETTY MUCH, YOU GET, YOU DON'T GET LIKE A MERIT SLASH COLA RAISE BECAUSE THEY JUST GIVE YOU LIKE A STRAIGHT RAISE OF EITHER TWO AND A HALF PERCENT OR THREE POINT HALF PERCENT.
I, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY DO.
SO I GOT LIKE A THREE AND HALF PERCENT RAISE, BUT MY INSURANCE WENT UP.
SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, BUT IT CAN CHANGE YOUR TAX BRACKET, WHICH IS WHY, WHY I'D BE INTERESTED.
IT CHANGES BUDGET AND GOING BACK TO OUR STAFF AND SEEING IF WE, INSTEAD OF GIVING 5% ACROSS THE BOARD, WE GIVE THEM THEIR COLA AND THEN WHATEVER TIME OF THE YEAR WE DECIDE WE GIVE THEM THIS IN A BONUS CHECK.
WHAT'S THE RATE OF THE TAX? IT'S LIKE ALMOST 40% OR SOMETHING.
SO IF WE GAVE THEM X, HOW MUCH WOULD IT BE TO GET Y? AND THEN YOU ADD UP THE RAISE WE'RE GIVING THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IT WOULD BE LESS THAN THE AMOUNT OF THE BONUS WE GIVE.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
SO I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS TONIGHT THAN I DON'T EXPECT STAFF TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAN I DO ANSWERS.
THEREFORE I'D LIKE TO UNFORTUNATELY.
WELL, WHAT IS THE FIRST WEEK? WE BROUGHT THIS UP, THIS TONIGHT, BUT IT NEEDED TO BE ADVERTISED TOMORROW, WHICH IS WHY I BROUGHT STAFF UP AT THE LAST WORK SESSION.
WE CAN GO BACK AND LIKE PLAY THE TAPE.
WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT, SO I JUST, I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE ADVERTISING.
WE'RE ALL MOSTLY OKAY WITH WHAT WAS HERE AND THAT WE WERE JUST GOING OVER WITH BJ AS A FORMALITY.
AND I'M NEVER NEGATING THE WORK THAT THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES.
HOWEVER, I TALKED TO SOMEBODY RECENTLY WHO'S BEEN WORKING HOLIDAYS, NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, 23 HOUR SHIFTS IN A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT FOR THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
SO THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE DOING WORK WHERE THEY'RE GETTING SHOT AT OR SOMETHING.
BUT THEY'RE PRETTY BURNED OUT AND THEY'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
SO, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY DO FOR THE TOWN.
SO I'M JUST SAYING IT'S, BUT RETENTION ISN'T AN ISSUE.
[00:35:01]
THE MOUTH OF THE HR DIRECTOR.AND SO FROM THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THIS IS GONNA LOOK LIKE FOR THEIR PAYCHECK.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD MAKE LESS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET GOING FORWARD BASED ON THE AVERAGE SALARY OF A TOWN, CITIZEN OR TOWN EMPLOYEE.
AND IF THEY'RE TRULY GONNA MAKE LESS BASED ON THE INSURANCE INCREASE, BECAUSE IT, IT INCREASED LAST YEAR, BUT THIS COUNCIL, IT INCREASED THE YEAR BEFORE WITH THIS COUNCIL.
THE INSURANCE HAS INCREASED YEAR OVER YEAR SINCE I JOINED THIS COUNCIL.
SO I HAVE QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE TO STAFF WHO MAYBE LOOP ALL OF COUNSEL ON THIS CORRESPONDENCE SO WE CAN ALL BE IN THE KNOW BEFORE WE COME BACK TO THE TABLE.
SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE TO ACT TONIGHT ON SOMETHING.
I WAS HOPING WE COULD DISCUSS SOME OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
YEAH, SO TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD CALL IT, BJ, THE PRE-BUDGET WORK WHERE YOU TOLD A SEASON OF THE THINGS AND THEN OH, THE HIGHLIGHTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT BURNING OUT OUR OFFICERS, WE TALKED ABOUT A EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEN I LOOKED AT, OKAY, WHAT'S COST OF AN OFFICER? WHAT'S COST OF TWO OFFICERS? IF WE ADDED THEM, I REALIZED THAT WE'RE IN A HARD TIME HIRING THEM UNDERSTANDING.
BUT IF WE HAD THE S THAT WE COULD FILL 'EM JUST LOGICALLY, SOME OF THE OVERTIME IS GOING TO GO DOWN ONCE THEY GET INSTALLED.
BUT, UM, THE COST ACCORDING TO THIS FOR TWO OFFICERS WOULD BE $130,000 AND AROUND 84,000 FOR OFFICE.
AND IF WE WANTED TO CONSIDER THAT, AGAIN, USING BJ'S FIGURES ON WHAT EACH 10TH OF A CENT WOULD COST, IT WOULD COST 7.5 10TH OF A ACCEPT 7.5 10TH.
I'M PROBABLY NOT SAYING IT RIGHT, BUT ANYWAY, LESS THAN 1 CENTS 7.0075.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTS TO CONSIDER ADDING TWO POSITIONS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET? YES.
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CHANGE, I, I KNOW I'M GOING, I'M GOING THROUGH A LIST OF THINGS THAT OH, OKAY.
TO ME, WE HAVE THREE VACANCIES.
WHY WOULDN'T WE THROW A SIGN ONE BONUS FOR THOSE THREE POSITIONS TO GET THEM FILLED FASTER? WE ALREADY HAVE THEM FUNDED.
LET'S TURN 'EM OUT SIGNING BONUS, YAY OR NA.
SO I DIDN'T SEE ANY INFLUENCE WHEN WE, I THINK IT WAS WHAT, 7,500? WE, WE TOOK ONE, WE DOUBLED IT UP AND THERE WAS NO, UH, CERTIFIED APPLICANTS THAT WERE APPLYING FOR THAT.
SO IT'S ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR FOR CERTIFIED APPLICANTS THOUGH.
THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, A SIGN ON BONUS FOR SOMEBODY NON-CERTIFIED.
IF YOU DO A NON-CERTIFIED BONUS, THEN YOU'RE ALSO GONNA LOOK AT YOUR EXISTING EMPLOYEES.
BUT WHY AREN'T THEY GETTING THE BONUS AS WELL? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR.
WELL, IT'S MORE OF A SO, BUT THAT'S DOWN, THAT'S MY QUESTION TO YOU COUNCILMAN.
WHAT IF WE HAVE THREE EMPTY SPACES THAT ARE NOT FILLED AT THE CURRENT DOLLAR AMOUNT OF 84,000, WHICH IS THE COST TO US 168,000 AND WE ADD TWO MORE IF WE HAVE THREE THAT AREN'T FILLED AND THEY'RE ALREADY FUNDED, WHAT DOES ADDING TWO MORE DO IF WE CAN'T GET 'EM FILLED? I DON'T KNOW.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ACADEMY NOW? I HAVE ONE IN THE ACADEMY RIGHT NOW.
I WAS OKAY, SO THAT WOULD BE SETTING ON THE WHOLE TIME.
WHY ARE WE TALKING GET YOU STILL HAVE THREE VACANCIES? YEAH.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE VACANCIES.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE COUNTING ONE IN THE ACADEMY? NO.
SO HE, YEAH, HE'S ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOUR.
AND THE FOURTH ONE, THE FOURTH ONE'S GONNA BE RETIRING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, RETIRING AFTER A CAREER WITH FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT WASN'T A RETENTION ISSUE THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE ONE QUESTION WE WERE SAYING BEFORE ABOUT THREE VACANCIES AND MORE.
AND UM, MS. MCINTOSH WAS SAYING LIKE, THAT'S BEEN A CONSISTENT THING ABOUT THREE VACANCIES.
AND I RE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE CASE.
'CAUSE UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HAPPENED.
WE TRIED TO DO SIGN ON BONUSES AND STUFF.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THOSE TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD THOSE VACANCIES, I DISTINCTLY HAD THIS CONVERSATION AND SAID, ARE YOU SURE THAT YOU'D RATHER TAKE THAT MONEY FROM THOSE POSITIONS AND USE IT TO GIVE EVERYBODY ELSE MORE MONEY? BECAUSE THAT
[00:40:01]
MEANS THEY ARE GIVING UP THOSE THREE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, SETS OF HANDS.YOU KNOW, THAT THREE MORE, THREE MORE PEOPLE.
AND I MEAN, COMMAND STAFF AT THAT TIME WAS LIKE, YES, THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY TO GO.
SO, AND THAT WAS MY FEAR THEN, IS THAT IF WE TOOK THAT MONEY AND ACCOUNTED FOR IT, THEN, THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE THING ABOUT NEW, EVEN NEW POSITIONS IN GOVERNMENT ONCE IT'S THERE.
THAT'S WHY I'VE NEVER BEEN A BIG FAN OF TAKING LIKE, GRANT MONEY TO FUND THE POSITION BECAUSE WHEN THE GRANT MONEY IS GONE, THE POSITION, THE POSITION IS STILL THERE.
AND THEN YOU GOTTA FIND THE MONEY IN YOUR BUDGET TO DO IT.
SO THAT I, THAT'S WHY I WAS CURIOUS.
I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THE THING WE DID TWO YEARS AGO, 'CAUSE I WAS, YOU WERE PART OF THE CONVERSATION WITH US AT THE TIME WITH THE FORMER TOWN MANAGER AND FORMER POLICE CHIEF.
UM, IT WAS FOR THREE POSITIONS I THINK.
SO WE, WE UM, WE TOOK THE MONEY FROM THOSE LAST POSITIONS TO HELP FUND THE COMPENSATION STUDIES, WHAT WE DID.
AND THEN WE, AND THEN WE ACTED ON THE COMPENSATION STUDY.
SO WE, WE DID THE COMPENSATION STUDY IN 2023.
WE FUNDED WHAT THE COMPENSATION STUDIES RECOMMENDATIONS WERE.
SO WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK WOULD CHANGE THE DYNAMICS THAT WE COULD HIRE MORE OFFICERS OR KEEP MORE OFFICERS? IS IT A COMPENSATION ISSUE? IS IT A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE? UM, WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST? 'CAUSE WE, WE KEEP SEEMINGLY GO THROUGH THE SAME THING EVERY YEAR.
WE LOSE THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE RETENTION WISE.
WE KNOW WHEN WE PUT 'EM IN THE ACADEMY, WE GET 'EM CERTIFIED.
A LOT OF MONEY INVESTED WHEN WE LOSE AND WE LOSE ALL THAT INVESTMENT.
SO DO YOU HAVE A MAGIC BULLET FOR THAT? SO IT'S, IT, IT, IT IS A TOUGH ONE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY I, I LIKE TO INCREASE MY STAFF BECAUSE THEN I CAN PLACE PERSONNEL IN OVERLAPPING POSITIONS TO CREATE WHERE I HAVE OVERLAPPING ON A TO AN AM.
IF I DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT CALL OUT OR LOSING OFFICER, I KNOW THAT I HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF COMING IN TO SAY ONE O'CLOCK TILL ONE IN, IN THE MORNING.
SO THAT WILL CURB A LOT OF THE OVERTIME.
IF I HAD THOSE ADDITIONAL OFFERS OFFICERS ADDED TO STAFF, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF LEAVING AND NOT MAKING IT.
BUT IF I HAVE THE, SAY ADDITIONAL OFFICERS AND I'M FULL ON SIX ON THE SHIFT AND I HAVE THREE OR FOUR THAT ARE STILL WAITING TO COME OUTTA THE ACADEMY, IT TAKES ALMOST A YEAR FROM THE TIME THEY'RE HIRED TO THE TIME THEY GRADUATE TO GET THROUGH THE FIELD TRAINING.
IF I LOSE A CURRENT OFFICER, I KNOW I HAVE A BACKUP PLAN.
ONE COME IN IN PLACE, RIGHT? SO YOU COULD OVERSTAFF AND MAYBE NOT REACH THAT PEAK AND ALWAYS HAVE A SALARY SAVINGS AT THE END OF THAT.
I HAVE A MORE PREDICTABLE BUDGET IF I HAVE LESS OVERTIME INVOLVED IN IT, MORE OVERTIME INVOLVED.
IT DOES MAKE IT VERY UNPREDICTABLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, INCREASING STAFF TO HELP ME OUT WITH MY STAFFING ISSUES.
RIGHT NOW WE RUN SIX PER SHIFT, UM, A DAY FROM SEVEN TO SEVEN.
AND IF I HAVE OVERLAP FROM ONE, IF I HAVE AN E-C-O-T-D, THEN I'M SITTING ON A TRANSPORT THAT'S ONE OFFICER COMING OFF THAT SHIFT, IT LEAVES ME FIVE.
IF I HAVE OFFICER CALLS IN SICK, WHICH IT HAPPENS OR VACATION SCHEDULED, IT LEAVES ME FOUR, I'M BELOW MY MINIMUM STAFFING ON THE WEEKENDS ON THAT NEED FIVE FOR FRIDAY, SATURDAY.
SO AT THAT TIME I'M CALLING BACK FOR OVERTIME AND THAT WILL CHEW THROUGH A BUDGET QUICK.
YOUNGER OFFICERS DO NOT LIKE TO WORK OVERTIME.
USUALLY I'M RELYING ON THE VETERAN OFFICERS THAT WANT TO COME IN AND MAKE THE EXTRA MONEY AND I'M PAYING THAT HIGHER SALARY.
UH, THE NEWER GUYS COMING IN DON'T LIKE TO WORK A LOT.
SO IF YOU GET A TDO, DON'T YOU HAVE TO PUT AN OFFICER HOSPITAL FOR HOW LONG? IT DEPENDS.
IT COULD BE EIGHT HOURS ON THE ECO UNTIL THAT HAS REACHED A PEAK TIME.
AND IF A TDO IS ISSUED, THEY CAN BE UP TO 72 HOURS AND WEEKENDS DON'T COUNT.
DID THE STATE THOUGH, THE, THEY, THEY JUST DID SOMETHING, DID THAT PASS THE BILL WHERE THEY WILL, WILL ALLOW YOU TO DO RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR THE PDOS? SO VALLEY HEALTH RIGHT NOW IS CURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH THOSE ISSUES WHERE THEY ARE DOING A PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH WINCHESTER AND FREDERICK COUNTY WHERE THEY UTILIZE STAFF FOR VALLEY HEALTH TO SIT ON THOSE WHERE WE CAN DROP, THERE NEEDS TO BE LAW CHANGES TO ALLOW US TO TURN OVER THAT TDO TO THEM.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT IS THAT JURISDICTION THAT YOU LIVE IN, THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT, THAT AGENCY.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.
SO WE ARE, UH, HAVING TO SIT ON THOSE.
UM, AND IT COULD BE FROM EIGHT HOURS TO 72 HOURS.
MY BIGGEST QUESTION IS IF WE OPEN TWO POSSESSIONS, AND THIS IS NOT PICKING ON YOUR IDEA GLEN, BUT WE HAVE THREE THAT AREN'T FULFILLED.
SO THEN WE'D HAVE FIVE ON SEE WHAT YOU'RE FULFILLED.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION SESSION BECAUSE IT PUTS STAFF ON THE SPOT, ESPECIALLY STAFF WHO DOESN'T LIKE TO SPEAK PUBLIC, WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE ACRONYMS THAT ARE BEING USED.
[00:45:01]
HOW DO WE GET BODIES IN THOSE POSITIONS? AND SO THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE WITH LAURA AND THE CHIEF AND BJ OUTSIDE OF THIS WORK SESSION WHERE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO BE THE EXPERT IN UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWING THAT AND EXPLAINING IT TO ME AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITHOUT NOTICE.WELL THERE'S ALSO THE, I MEAN I THINK THAT WE TOUCHED ON IT WITH SOME THINGS THAT YOU GUYS WERE SAYING, WHICH IS THERE IS A REALITY, WHETHER IT'S TEACHERS, POLICEMEN, UM, WHETHER THAT'S THE FOLKS WHO DO THE WATER MAIN BREAKS ALL THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE, THE RETENTION ISSUE IS ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND, AND YES, IT'S ABOUT, THERE'S JUST, THERE'S GROUPS WHO ARE MOBILE THEN THEY'VE GOTTA MOVE.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN EXPECT THE FAIR AMOUNT OF TEACHERS EVERY YEAR ARE GONNA MOVE BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AND THEY'RE WATCHING AND THEY'RE MOBILE.
IT'S NOT LIKE, IT'S NOT LIKE IT USED TO BE WHERE A POLICE OFFICER MIGHT GO AND STAY IN THE SAME POSITION FOR 20 YEARS OR A TEACHER.
IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT ANYMORE.
SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, YOU KNOW, ARE WE DOING THE THINGS BESIDES MONEY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER, AND YOU KNOW, GETTING TO THE ROOT OF THAT IS A LITTLE MORE, THAT'S WHAT I, I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT CALLING IN SICK AND WE TALK ABOUT AN EMERGENCY OR A VACATION.
THERE WAS A TIME WHERE MY STEPFATHER WORKED IN ACCIDENT AND HE NEEDED TO BE IN COUNSELING AND HAVE MENTAL TREATMENT AFTER HE RESPONDED TO SOME CALLS IN WARREN COUNTY.
BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE HIM THAT, WHETHER THAT WAS AT THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR FROM WHITE POST WHERE HE HAD DOUBLE RETIRED BEFORE HE CAME BACK HERE.
SO I KNOW OFFICERS AT FRONT ROYAL PD WHO ARE STILL THERE TODAY, MR. TENSION IS NOT THE ISSUE.
BUT THOSE INSTANCES, THEY DON'T HAVE OFF FOR YOU WORK A SCENE THAT'S TRAUMATIC AND THEN YOU GET UP AND YOU PULL YOUR BOOTSTRAPS UP AND YOU GO BACK TO WORK THE NEXT DAY.
BUT I'M NOT BEING INSENSITIVE TO THE POLICE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE SITTING IN THIS AUDIENCE AND AROUND THIS TABLE WHO YOU NAMED IT, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TEACHERS.
HOW DO WE RETAIN THEM? BUT WHAT I'M HEARING FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF HR IS THAT RETENTION IS NOT OUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE, WHICH IS EXCELLENT AND I THINK SHOULD BE PRAISED AND CELEBRATED.
BECAUSE I KNOW AT THE SCHOOLS THAT IS THE ISSUE.
THE SCHOOL TEACHERS, YOU GUYS BRING 'EM IN, YOU TRAIN 'EM, YOU OFFER 'EM THESE THINGS AND THEN YOU LOSE 'EM TO NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE, IT'S ABOUT MONEY.
SO I WAS JUST SAYING THE ENERGY SERVICES DIRECTOR 40 YEARS AGO, WE HAD THIS VERY, I MEAN I I I, WE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS, UM, AT ENERGY SERVICES WE WERE STRUGGLING BECAUSE WE GOT PEOPLE THAT CAME IN HERE, THEY WENT THROUGH THE FIVE YEARS, THEY BECAME CLASS ONE LINEMAN RAISE, IT'S CALLED CLASS ONE, WHATEVER THE LINEMEN.
AND THEN THEY REALIZED THEY COULD MAKE MORE MONEY AT DOMINION ENERGY.
AND WE, WE RESTRUCTURED SOME OF THOSE SALARIES TO TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I THINK IT CAME DOWN TO LIKE JOB SATISFACTION TOO IN THE END, BUT ABSOLUTELY.
UM, BUT HERE'S THE THING WE, I WANNA HEAR WHAT ELSE MR. WOOD WANTED.
'CAUSE HE HAD SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
I I, BEFORE WE DO THOUGH, BECAUSE YOU ALL WERE POWWOW IN IT OVER THERE, IS IT ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S GOTTA BE ADVERTISED BY TOMORROW.
'CAUSE OF THE CORPORATION COORDINATES CHANGE, IT REQUIRES THE TWO WEEKS.
THE TAX RATE ITSELF IS ONLY SEVEN DAYS.
THAT'S FOR THE WHOLE BUDGET SCHEDULE OFF.
I I, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT BEFORE WE WENT BECAUSE LIKE WE ARE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THE ONE THING I THOUGHT OF IS, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE KIND OF, PEOPLE WERE PUTTING CHIEF RIGHT ON THE SPOT.
RIGHT? OR ACTUALLY, AND LAURA TOO.
BUT IN MY HEAD, I THINK TO MYSELF, THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT MAYBE THEY'RE GONNA SEE THIS AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHO DESERVES WHAT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN COMMITTED.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THE DESERVES, EVERYBODY DESERVES EXACTLY.
IT WAS, IF IT WAS MY WALLET, IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE SPENDING THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS, SO THAT'S WHY WE PROBABLY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE VALUABLE EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT, UH, BUT MR. WOOD, DO YOU WANNA SHARE THE REST OF YOUR THINGS? I THINK YOU SHOULD, EVEN THOUGH WE, WELL, YEAH.
I MEAN, THE OTHER THING GOES BACK TO WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING IN OUR RETREAT TODAY.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, KUDOS THE STAFF AND PUTTING TOGETHER ZERO BUDGET INCREASE, YOU KNOW, GIVEN US A BUDGET AND WE DON'T HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES.
HOWEVER, AS WE'VE SAT HERE AND TALKED ABOUT NUMEROUS TIMES, WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OUTSIDE OF OUR WATER, SEWER, ELECTRIC, AND, UM, TRASH BECAUSE THOSE ARE COVERED THROUGH RATES AND WE HAVE RATE INCREASES.
UM, AND OH, BY THE WAY, WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DIESEL FUEL FOR OUR TRUCKS AT FIVE, $6 A GALLON NOW.
BUT, UM, A TAX, UM, INCREASE TO PUT INTO A TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
[00:50:01]
FUND.AND THAT FUND, WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE, UH, A DA COMPLIANT SIDEWALK, RAMPS AND CROSSWALKS.
WE TALKED ABOUT A SIDEWALK PLAN.
WE KNOW THAT CAPITAL PROJECTS, PROSPECT STREET BRIDGE, COMMERCE STREET BRIDGE, UM, POSSIBLY DOWN THE ROAD, UH, WEST MAIN CONNECTOR, WIDENING, HAPPY CREEK, ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE SAY WE WANT TO DO OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.
IN THE CASE OF THE BRIDGES, WE WON'T HAVE A CHOICE.
BUT IF WE'RE EVER GOING TO START PLANNING TO GET THESE THINGS DONE, WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO START A TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FUND? 4 CENTS, 4 CENTS WOULD GENERATE ALMOST $900,000 A YEAR.
AND THOSE FUNDS COULD BE USED FOR VEHICLE, PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE, ANYTHING.
WE, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, WALKING AROUND TOWN, BIKING AROUND TOWN TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
UM, WE HAVE CURRENT NEEDS AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONGOING NEEDS AND WE'RE NOT SETTING ASIDE MONEY FOR THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A MISTAKE ON.
WHEN YOU KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME WITH THE WATERLINE, WHEN WE DIDN'T DO THE WATERLINE WHEN WE FIRST HAD TO AT 9 MILLION, NOW WE, OUR TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING 19 MILLION.
SO BY CREATING A FUND TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES BY NOT RAISING TAXES OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, FOUR, 4 CENTS SOUNDS LIKE A LOT.
AND IT IS, BUT IT STARTS BUILDING A FUND FOR TAKING CARE OF THESE NEEDS WE'RE GONNA HAVE IN THE FUTURE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND.
$900,000 IS LIKELY ONE SIDEWALK IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
IF I'M BEING THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, WHICH SIDEWALKS HAVE BEEN NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART SINCE BEFORE I RAN FOR THIS, I CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DESK.
MY OPINION ON THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEED IS THAT IF WE HAD SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ONE INDIVIDUAL SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE WOULD PAY THAT AND MORE IN A YEAR, UM, THAN DEPENDING ON THE BACK FOR TAXPAYERS.
MY QUESTION REMAINS THIS TO THIS COUNCIL.
IF WE VOTE IN FAVOR OF A TAX INCREASE AND THEN WE FINALLY HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY A DECADE AT THIS POINT IN THE TOWN OF FORT ROYAL, ARE WE GOING TO WRITE THE TAXES LATER DOWN THE ROAD FOR THE TAXPAYERS WHO ARE BEING BURDENED? ABSOLUTELY.
BUT, UH, I I WILL SAY, UH, HAVING LIVED DOWN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PART OF THE NORTH VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND IT, IT GOES TO A REFERENDUM, BASICALLY.
THE, UH, SO THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY HAVE TO VOTE.
THEY HAVE TO VOTE FOR THESE KIND OF THINGS TO HAPPEN, UH, FOR, FOR A, A TAX INCREASE.
SO, UH, AS MR. WOOD MAKES A PROPOSAL LIKE THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT COULD POTENTIALLY, I'M NOT SURE HOW IT WOULD GO, BUT IT COULD GO TO A, TO A VOTER'S REFERENDUM.
I, I, UH, I DO KNOW THIS, IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WAITING FOR THINGS TO DROP IN YOUR LAP, THEY JUST DON'T HAPPEN THAT WAY.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR COMMUNITY TO LOOK LIKE? AND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT, THEN YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR.
AND THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN WAIT AND TRY TO SEE IF YOU CAN GET STATE FUNDING.
YOU CAN WAIT TO SEE IF THERE'S GONNA BE A BIG MANUFACTURING COMPANY THAT COMES IN HERE AND SAY, WELL, IF YOU DO THIS, WE'LL DO THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT MAY OR MAY NOT NEVER HAPPEN.
WHAT MR. WOOD IS PROPOSING OR COUNCIL WOOD IS PROPOSING IS THAT YOU TAKE THE TUNNEL VISION OUT AND YOU WIDEN THE LOOK AT A LARGER VISION TO POTENTIALLY PUT A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AWAY OVER
[00:55:01]
A PERIOD OF TIME.I I KNOW I'LL, I'LL JUST BRING THAT TO THE TABLE.
I KNOW YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WEST MAIN CONNECTOR, BUT DO YOU NOT FEEL LIKE A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN THAT WE WERE ALL LIED TO AND TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE WESTMEAD CONNECTOR.
THE PEOPLE OF SHENANDOAH SHORES FRONT ROYAL, THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE WITH BLOCKED ACCESS TO POLICE, TO 9 1 1 EMS SERVICES.
FOR MUCH LONGER THAN THE PEOPLE OF VISCO CITY.
AND WE ARE SAYING THAT WE'RE, THE ONLY WAY WE'RE PUTTING IN A CONNECTOR ROAD OUT THERE IS IF THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE LAND AND DEVELOP IT, BILL IT AND PAY FOR IT.
WELL, IT'S A SAFETY MEASURE IS IS, UH, THE DECISION WAS TO PUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHENANDOAH SHORES IS A SAFETY MEASURE.
YOU HAD A, YOU HAD A FIRE CHIEF'S WIFE WHO COULDN'T GET TO SURGERY DUE TO THE WAR.
WELL NOW, NOW THERE'S OTHER WAYS OF INGRESSING THREATS TO VISTA.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YEAH, WE'RE SPLITTING HAIRS.
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN AN, UM, A BRIDGE, BUT HAS SAID THAT WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER HAPPEN.
BUT THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL PLAN, THAT IT WAS A LIE FROM A FORMER COUNTY ADMINIS ADMINISTRATOR.
THERE WAS NO PLAN FOR THE HOSPITAL WENT IN THERE, BUT ANYWAY, AND THEY PUT THEM IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND THEY WERE PROPOSED.
THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
I THINK IT'S APPLES TO ORANGES JUST BECAUSE THERE IS INGRESS EGRESS TWO-WAY STREETS, MULTIPLE WAYS FOR VISCO CITY.
AND THERE'S NOT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE 6 0 6 ROUTE.
BUT HAD THEY PUT THE HOSPITAL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH BELIEVE IT WOULD'VE BEEN APPROVED, PAID FOR BY FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA.
BECAUSE YOU THINK THE HOSPITAL THAT PAYS 0 CENTS IN TAXES, I, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO THAT.
THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE THAT OUR TAX, OUR TAXPAYERS SHOULD KNOW THAT WE HAVE A BIG NEED AS A COUNCIL PIECE COME IN AS A COUNCIL.
WE NEED TO SEEK AND SOLICIT A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC NEED TO BRING IN A COMPETING HEALTHCARE PROVIDER TO INCREASE SERVICES AND DRIVE DOWN COSTS OF THE RURAL HEALTHCARE IN VIRGINIA.
AND THAT'S A REAL CONVERSATION THAT THIS TABLE SHOULD HAVE.
IF YOU, IF YOU CAN CONVINCE A PROVIDER TO COME IN TO FRONT ROYAL, THEN I'M ALL EARS.
WE HAD A PROVIDER WILLING, WE DIDN'T HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC NEED OPEN.
THEY CAN'T JUST COME HERE AND OPEN.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO GET BACK? I GUESS WE CAN DISCUSS IT NEXT MONDAY NIGHT IF WE HAVE THE TIME IN OUR HOUR RETREAT.
WELL, IT'S JUST NOT APPROPRIATE AT THE WORK SESSION TO PUT THE DIRECTORS ON THE SPOT, IN MY OPINION, FROM MY EXPERIENCE.
I, I, OH, DID YOU HAVE SOME OTHER ONE? I'M GONNA PROPOSE, I'M GONNA PROPOSE THAT, UH, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD ON ANY OF THIS, EXCEPT, UH, TO ACCEPT THE 1% MERIT EFFECTIVE OCTOBER ONE, UH, FOR $135,160.
AND THE CURRENT, UH, BUDGET PROPOSAL CONCLUDES A 2.5% CO EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2027, OR 176.
I GOTTA GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND I, I'M NOT TAKING A NOTE, SO THANK YOU.
I, I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA BRING IT ALL BACK TO LIKE WHAT THIS ITEM THAT WAS ON THE WORK SESSION OR THIS ITEM THAT'S ON THE WORK SESSION IS ABOUT ADVERTISING REAL ESTATE RATES.
SO ACTUALLY I'LL TAKE PERSONAL PROPERTY AS WELL.
SO WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM THIS TOPIC SO FAR, THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT, POSSIBLY INCREASING THE COLA, POSSIBLY INCREASING THE MERIT, WHICH WOULD IN LINE THEN INCREASE THE TAX RATE.
UH, WE HEARD, UM, ABOUT SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT MAYBE HIRING TWO EXTRA OFFICERS.
UH, THEN WE HEARD SOME THINGS ABOUT, UH, BRINGING UP SOME OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND PROPOSING, UH, FOUR EXTRA CENTS TO WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE END UP DOING.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN EVEN TALKING ABOUT A REFERENDUM, LIKE BASICALLY PUTTING IT TO THE PEOPLE.
LIKE, IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? OR WHATEVER.
SO THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD, AND WE JUST NEED TO GIVE MR. WILSON A DECISION ABOUT WHAT WE WANNA DO.
AND I WAS GONNA ADD SOMETHING, BUT I'M, I AGREE WITH YOU, BRUCE.
I'VE, AND I'M, I'VE BEEN HERE MORE THAN, I'VE ALMOST BEEN HOME TODAY.
'CAUSE I HERE FOR A EARLIER MEETING TOO.
BUT I WILL SAY, WHAT'S SO HARD ABOUT THIS IS, AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S A BROKEN RECORD, WE SAID THIS BEFORE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE INCREASED THE TAX.
NOW WE'VE INCREASED THE ELECTRICITY RATES, WATER RATES ARE GOING UP.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING UP.
UM, AND AGAIN, I'M SO SORRY FOR MY FRIENDS AT THE COUNTY 'CAUSE I WOULD'VE SAID THIS,
[01:00:01]
WHETHER YOU WERE HERE TO HERE OR NOT.YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT, THAT WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY'VE EVER, WHAT THEY KNOW, I THINK IT'S SMART ANYWAY, THAT THEY, THEY'RE STUCK IN A POSITION WHERE I THINK THEY'RE ENTERTAINING.
AND, AND SO, LIKE, OUR FOLKS IN TOWN WOULD GET THAT INCREASE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT INCREASE IN ADDITION TO OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS CHANGES.
AND, BUT EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY'S SAID IS CERTAINLY ARGUABLE.
I MEAN, GIVING STAFF MORE COMPENSATION, RETAINING EMPLOYEES, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS, NOT HAVING PEOPLE BURNT OUT THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING US, UM, OR FIXING OUR WATER LINE BREAKS OR ALL THOSE THINGS.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS SAID ANYTHING THAT ISN'T A VALUABLE PIECE OF INFORMATION.
IT'S JUST THE HARDEST PART OF THIS JOB IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, HOW TO MAKE IT ALL WORK WITH NOT BEING ON THE BACKS OF THE TAXPAYERS.
YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S THE HARDEST PART.
UM, SO ANYWAY, WHAT DOES THIS COUNCIL WANNA DO ABOUT ADVERTISING AND TAX RATE? 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE, WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF WAITING ANOTHER WEEK.
I'M FINE WITH THE WAY IT IS WHEN WE, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS.
I MEAN, THIS WAS PRESENTED TO US, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST.
I MEAN, I'M A LITTLE WONDERING WHY WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS AT THIS DEPTH AT THIS POINT WHEN WE'VE HAD THIS IN FRONT OF US, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME TIME NOW.
AND I'M JUST HEARING SOME OF THESE CONCERNS, WHICH ARE, I'M NOT SAYING, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE ALL THINK THEY'RE ALL LEGIT, BUT YEP.
WHY ARE WE WAITING NOW? IT'S LESS THAN 24 HOURS.
WHY ARE WE WAITING UNTIL NOW TO GO INTO THIS DEPTH OF THESE CONCERNS WHEN WE'VE HAD THIS AS IT'S PRESENTED FOR SOME TIME NOW THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS, WHEN WE GOT IT, WE'VE HAD ONE MEETING, RIGHT? SO THEN YOU INVESTIGATE, YOU GET ANSWERS FROM QUESTIONS, THEN YOU ASK OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN YOU GO UP AT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE.
THAT'S HOW YOU GET HERE TO TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THESE.
THIS IS OUR THIRD WORK SESSION ON THE BUDGET.
I WOULD LOVE TO SAY THIS IS OUR THIRD WORK OVER SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS.
BUT THIS, THIS IS HIGH LEVEL POINTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
YOU KNOW, KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH THE, UH, WHEN I BROUGHT STAFF UP AT THE LAST FOR SUCCESSION, I WOULD'VE BEEN ALL ON BOARD FOR GIVING STAFF A RAISE OR A BONUS AND SEEING WHICH WAY MADE THE MOST MONEY.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE TIME TONIGHT TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
LET ME, I JUST, I I HATE WHEN I'M, UM, I HATE WHEN OTHER PEOPLE MUMBLING.
I ASKED MR. WILSON, REMIND ME AGAIN OF ALL I, BEFORE WE SAY THIS IS HOW MANY MEETINGS WE HAD, BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS WAS IN JANUARY.
AND THEN WE GAVE, I WOULD UH, WE GAVE A PROPOSED BUDGET TO THE, UM, OUR FIRST WORK SESSION IN MARCH.
THEN WE HAD ANOTHER, NO FIRST WORK SESSION IN, OH, MARCH.
I THOUGHT WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET IN FEBRUARY.
OH, WE GAVE, WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED THE PROPOSED BUDGET THE FIRST WORK SESSION IN MARCH.
AND THEN WE HAD ANOTHER WORK SESSION THEREAFTER, UH, TO HELP ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO I MEAN, THIS WILL BE THE THIRD WORK SESSION SINCE WE PROVIDED THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO LIKE I'M SAYING HIGH THIS, THESE ARE HIGH LEVEL POINTS THAT WE COULD HAVE DISCUSSED IN DEPTH MORE LA THAN THE LAST WORK SESSION.
WE SHOULD HAVE CARVED THAT OUT TO SAY, HEY, THESE ARE THE POINTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ADDRESS.
I MEAN, LIKE I SAID EARLIER WITH, WITH THE TRA WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE, AND OF COURSE WE WANT TO SAY EMPLOYEES, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M SAYING THE SAME POINT TOO, IS THAT WHAT I JUST BROUGHT UP WITH THE COUNTY AND TAXES INCREASE TOWN CITIZENS ARE PAYING, PAYING THAT WITH THE GENERAL WORKFORCE THAT I'M STILL INVOLVED IN.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE SITTING THIS TABLE ARE STILL INVOLVED IN, WE'RE FEELING THE SAME STRESS AS FAR AS INCOME FOR COST OF LIVING.
SO IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD AS COUNCILWOMAN DO PAY, JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST UNIQUE JUST TO, TO ONE TO ONE NOTCH NOTCH OF, UH, GOVERNMENT WORK, GOVERNMENT WORKERS.
IT'S, IT'S, IT IS ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO SCHOOL AROUND THE TABLE, PLEASE ADVERTISE.
NOW WHAT DO YOU WANNA ADVERTISE AT MR. IS IS, IS IT FAIR TO JUST ASK Y'ALL THAT? WHAT DO YOU WANNA ADVERTISE THE RATE AT MR. AND START MR. SEAL? WHAT DO YOU WANNA ADVERTISE THE RATE AT WHOEVER IT IS NOW, I GUESS.
WHAT DO YOU, HOW ABOUT COUNCILMAN INGRAM AS IT IS PER PRESENTED? OKAY, NOW AS IT IS PRESENTED 0 8 2 CORRECT.
WHICH LOOKS LIKE AN INCREASE, BUT IT WAS REALLY JUST TO MAKE UP FOR THE POLICY INFORMATION WE GOT LAST YEAR.
JUST GETTING, GO BACK, GO BACK AND FIND THAT $2.
AT LEAST IT'S NOT A HALF A CENT.
IT FEELS EXTREMELY UNFAIR OF ME TO ASK STAFF TO UNROLL THE SNOWBALL THAT'S
[01:05:01]
BEEN ROLLING DOWNHILL FOR MONTHS TO RECONSIDER ITEMS. UH, AND IT FEELS LIKE IT'S A DISSERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY IF I TELL THEM TO ADVERTISE A RATE THAT I'M NOT STICKING BEHIND AND I'M JUST THROWING A NUMBER AT THE WALL FOR THE SAKE OF GETTING IT ADVERTISED.THEREFORE, I'M GOING WITH WHAT YOU SEE IN OUR PACKET OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
I WOULD'VE BEEN WILLING THOUGH TO, TO GO UP TO 0.09, BUT OKAY.
IF ANYBODY ELSE WAS INTERESTED, INTERPORT, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO EXTEND THIS ANY LONGER.
TWO, HOW SOMEONE WOULD, I WOULD ADVERTISE 13% BECAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS COME OUT 13 CENTS.
I KNOW WE RIGHT MR. SONNET, THIS ISN'T AN ACTION ITEM.
AND IF, UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE IS COUNTING DIFFERENTLY THAN ME, THE CONSENSUS IS TO LEAVE IT AT OH EIGHT TWO.
YOU PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX TO REMAIN THE SAME.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
THAT'S WHY I SAID AS, AS PRESENT.
IT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION 0.64 400.
ALRIGHT, SO MR. RUSSELL, YOU'RE DONE.
OH, I'LL BE BACK UP IN, OH, I'LL, I WAS GONNA SAY ENJOY YOUR JAY.
I JUST WANNA OFFER AGAIN, THERE'S DESSERTS UP THERE.
AND I DON'T THINK SOME OF THESE ARE GONNA GO VERY LONG.
SO A PURCHASE OF REPLACING WATER PLANT PICKUP, MR. CAMPBELL.
AND YOU'VE GOT, OH LORD GIRL, YOU GOT FOUR ONE.
TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU NEED
UM, THE FIRST ITEM IS FOR TO ASK COUNSEL TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF A REPLACEMENT WATER PLANT, UH, PICKUP FOR THE WATER PLANT.
IT'S A 2026 FORD F TWO 50 REGULAR CAB FOUR BY FOUR PICKUP, UH, EQUIPPED WITH AN EIGHT FOOT BED AND A SNOW PILE PACKAGE FOR OBVIOUSLY THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THIS VEHICLE REPLACES A 2008 FORD F TWO 50 WITH 145,000 MILES.
UM, THIS PROCUREMENT WOULD BE MADE THROUGH COOPERATIVE, COOPERATIVE CONTRACTING USING THE VIRGINIA SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION STATE CONTRACT, UM, AND RECEIVING A QUOTE FROM HALEY FORD COMMERCIAL AND PLEA DIVISION.
AND THE AMOUNT OF $57,402 FUNDING IS AVAILABLE WITHIN THE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
FISCAL WILL YOUR 26TH OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES $65,000 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS VEHICLE.
THE REMAINING AMOUNT TO BE USED, UM, TO UP, UP THE, THE NECESSARY ITEMS PRIOR TO PLACEMENT THE VEHICLE IN SERVICE.
I WAS ASKED THIS, I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I'M GONNA ASK IT AGAIN.
SO THE 2008, I'M ASSUMING AT THAT AGE, I CALL IT YOUNG.
'CAUSE YOU GOTTA REMEMBER I GOT A 1997 VEHICLE THAT'S STILL AT MY HOUSE.
SO THAT 2008 WILL GO INTO OUR FLEET SOMEWHERE IN THE TOWN.
RIGHT? MR. MR. PETTY OR, AND THEN WHATEVER THAT REPLACES, WE'LL SELL ON THE, UM, SURPLUS OXYGEN GOV OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT OR WHATEVER.
I FORGET WHAT THEY CALL IT, BUT WE'LL USE IT IF WE CAN.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. CAMPBELL ON THIS 145,000 AND THAT, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHAT, UH, DAWN IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE REPLACE IT.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? OKAY.
I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA PUT THIS ON CONSENT UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS, UH, A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
2026 SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM INSPECTIONS.
UM, SO THIS IS, UH, INSPECTIONS TO KEEP THE TOWN COMPLIANCE WITH THE UPGRADE OF THE 2020 CONSENT ORDER FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF QUALITY, UM, AWARD TO CHA CONSULTING AND THE AMOUNT OF $240,000 THIS TASK ORDER WILL PROVIDE SERVICES FOR FIELD INSPECTIONS, SMOKE TESTING, MANHOLE INSPECTIONS, AND CCPV INSPECTIONS TO FIND SOURCES CAUSING THE I I INFILTRATION INTO THE TOWN SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM.
THIS MADE LOW SMOKE AND IT COMES INTO EVERYBODY JUST TALKING HERE.
TRYING TO CONTINUE WITH I AND I WORK, UH, SEE WHERE TO IDENTIFY THE SPOTS WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR WORK.
WE DO, IT GOES ON EVERY, WE'RE DOING DIFFERENT BASINS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN
[01:10:01]
THAT'S PAY EVERY YEAR.WELL, NOT EVERY YEAR, BUT UNTIL WE GET OUTTA THE CONSENT ORDER.
AND SOME OF 'EM ARE LARGER UNDERTAKINGS THAN OTHERS.
BUT YEAH, PEOPLE AT HOME SMOKE MAY COME UP THROUGH YOUR TOILET.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THERE'S PROPER NOTICE.
DO WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GIVE NOTES TO CORRECT.
THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH STEVE ABOUT HOW WE MAKE SURE WE ARE PROVIDING NOTICE DOOR HANGERS ALL THE DIFFERENT YEAH.
I GOT A DOOR ANOTHER DAY ACTUALLY FROM THE, THE LEAD.
IT'S UP TO YOU'ALL SOMETIMES WHEN LARGER THINGS, WE DON'T PUT 'EM ON CONSENT, BUT I THINK THIS IS KIND OF A, IT HAS TO, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
SO ANYBODY, ANYBODY OBJECT TO CONSENT.
THE EXTRA WORK AUTHORIZATION TO 2025.
SANITARY SEWER COLLECTION SYSTEM FLOW MONITORING.
YEAH, THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP.
THIS IS, THAT'S WHAT STEVIE TALKED ABOUT THERE IN, UH, JANUARY AS WELL.
THE, UM, IT'S THE FLOW MONITORING THAT WE PUT IN FLOW MONITORS, UH, THERE A WHILE BACK.
AND IT'LL TELL US WHERE, UH, HOW MUCH, HOW, HOW, HOW MUCH WE PROGRESS.
HOPEFULLY GET OUT A CONSENT ORDER AS WELL.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY MONITORING WHAT WORK WE'VE ALREADY DONE.
I THINK I'M, WELL, I THINK WE'RE, STEVE, YOU JUST GONNA ASK.
EVERY, EVERYBODY OKAY WITH IT GOING ON CONSENT? OKAY.
UH, DD AND JERRY STEWART HYDRAULIC HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE YET.
THIS WILL DETERMINE THE AVAILABLE SEWER CAPACITY THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
SANITARY SEWER COLLECTION SYSTEM TO DETERMINE IF THE SYSTEM CAN SUPPORT ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING AREAS OF LOW SYSTEM CAPACITY THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO SURCHARGE WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
THE LAST SEWER MODEL WAS COMPLETED IN 2009.
I THINK WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THIS IS WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT LIKE, DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE DON'T NEED AND WHAT WE DON'T AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW DID I, BEFORE WE GET TO
SO WE'RE GOOD, RIGHT? THANK YOU MS. KIMLEY.
I WILSON BE TOO BAR SAID HIGH.
YOU WANNA PUT IT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA PLEASE? YEAH, PLEASE.
I BASICALLY WANNA BRING IN MONEY AGENDA FOR YOU, BUT BRINGING MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED FROM INSURANCE TO PAY FOR, UH, ONE OF THE TOWNS BUILDINGS THAT WAS DAMAGED DOWN TO PUBLIC WORKS.
WE CAN PUT THAT ACTUALLY, THAT REALLY WOULD BE A, YEAH, THAT ONE REALLY IS CONSENT.
BUT ANYBODY HAVE ANY REASON TO NOT WANNA ASK FOR THIS MONEY TO COME TO US?
NOW WE GET TO THE FUN STUFF BECAUSE NO ONE EMAILED ME.
EVEN I EMAILED Y'ALL AND ASKED YOU TO TELL ME WHICH VML POLICY COMMITTEES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON.
I THINK IT'S BECAUSE NOBODY, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SAY YOU DID.
I I WAS LOOKING AROUND, I WAS LOOKING AT EVERYBODY.
I'M LIKE, I YOU, SHE, YES, I DID.
I EMAILED YOU ALL LAST WEEK AND SAID I NEED TO HEAR FUN EITHER.
LIKE, I'M NOT TRYING UNDER THE BUS.
DID WE DO THIS? I FEEL LIKE WE JUST DID.
WE DID NOT, THERE'S ALL THESE LITTLE, ALL THESE LITTLE MUMBLING CONVERSATIONS.
THE THING WE DID BEFORE ARE THE COMMITTEES THAT, THAT ARE PART OF LIKE OUR TOWN CODE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE ASSIGNED TO.
THIS IS THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL GENERAL, WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE RE THEY WOULD LIKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON.
ALL RIGHT, SO WAYNE IS CURRENT.
'CAUSE WAYNE'S SPEAKING FIRST.
I'LL JUST TAKE HIM OUT RIGHT NOW.
SO OTHERWISE, SO WAYNE WAS ON GENERAL LAWS WITH, AND WE USUALLY PUT A STAFF NUMBER ON THERE WITH, UM, MR. SON.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE MR. OCK WOULD STILL LIKE TO STAY ON GENERAL LAWS.
DOES ANYBODY WANNA ARM WRESTLING FOR THAT? NO.
[01:15:01]
DAY OUT OF THE YEAR AND IT GOES OVER THE LAWS THAT THEY TOOK OUT LAST YEAR AND PUT BACK IN THIS YEAR.SO I'M GONNA GO TO, UM, SO HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION, YOU'VE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH THAT.
I'VE DONE NOTHING BUT GO TO THE MEETING.
THAT'S ALL I DID WHEN I WAS ON IT.
WELL, I WAS ALL, I DID GO AND S**T.
THAT ONE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY ASSUME THAT YOU ARE LIKE IN CHARGE OF SCHOOL, HAVE SOME FOOD CONTROL.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SCHOOL, SO WE DON'T FUND ANYTHING.
SO I, I STILL GIVE MY OPINION OUT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO SAY ON THERE.
AND MR. PETTY'S GONNA JOIN YOU ON THAT.
I WAS STILL WRITING, WHAT WAS TWO E IN MY NOTES FOR THIS MEETING? MM-HMM
SINCE IT WAS CONTENT, CONTENT CONSENT.
I DID NOTICE VICE MAYOR BY ANDAL THAT SOMEHOW YOU AVOID AVOIDED A ONE OF THESE
YEAH, I ACTUALLY, I REMEMBER YOU SAYING LAST YEAR.
THAT'S FINE IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO BE ON IT, BUT, 'CAUSE HERE'S THE THING, THERE'S ONLY FIVE COMMITTEES.
SO SOMEBODY GETS, SOMEBODY GETS, SOMEBODY GETS THREE RIDE.
I'LL SAY SOMEBODY THE LOST THE YEAR BEFORE LAST, I WAS ON COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE BEEN ON FINANCE, I'VE BEEN ON GENERAL.
UM, I MEAN, DID, IS THERE ONE YOU WOULD LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON IT? YEAH, I WORK WELL WITH ROBBIE BOYER.
SO COUNCILMAN RAPORT IS ON THAT.
SO IF WE WERE PLAYING A WHITE ELEPHANT GAME, SHE POSSIBLY JUST TRIED TO GET THAT SPOT IF THEY WERE KNOW SHE'S ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE TOWN.
HAND IS THERE, IS THERE, WOULD YOU LIKE FINANCE OR COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? YOU COUNCILMAN INGRAM AND COUNCILMAN WOOD CAN FIGHT COMMITTEE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WHATEVER SAID, WHAT DO THEY DO? HE SAID WHAT DID THEY DO? WHEN DID THEY, WHAT DID THEY DO? WHAT DID THEY DO? I I I KNOW, I MEAN, WHEN DO YOU NEED, HE WAS READY TO GIVE IT UP TO YOU.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T RECALL US MEETING AT ALL.
I, MS. LEWIS IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.
UM,
LIKE I KNOW IN EDUCATION THEY WOULD MEET OVER THE SUMMER RIGHT UP THROUGH THE NEW WALLS CAME OUT.
BUT SOME OF THESE MEET AT THE VML CONFERENCE.
SOME OF THESE MEET AT THE VML CONFERENCE.
SO IF YOU, IF IF THEY HAVE THEIR YEARLY MEETING AT THE L CONFERENCE, YOU'RE NOT THERE.
IS THIS, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU GUYS, OKAY.
I WAS ON GENERAL LAWS ONE YEAR.
UM, COUNCILMAN INGRAM WAS THERE.
I THINK COUNCIL AND DECO PAYNE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THERE.
THEY TAKE MOTIONS FROM THE FLOOR FOR PEOPLE REPRESENTING LOCALITIES AND BML ALL HAVE A SAME VOTE, JUST LIKE YOU DO HERE AT THIS TABLE.
AND WE GOT TO STAND UP AND TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT AND THE GENERAL LAW.
RICHMOND IN RURAL VIRGINIA, WHEN THEY TOOK OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT BECAME SECONDARY VIOLATIONS, LIKE LIGHTS BEING TAIL LIGHTS BEING OUT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY HERE.
AND THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP AND PARTICIPATE IN BML FOR THAT.
BUT ALL OF THESE DO THAT COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAVE BREAKOUT WORK SESSIONS DOWN THERE.
PUT ME ON THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
COUNCILMAN WOOD, HE JUST KNOCKED YOU OFF
SO NOW IT COMES DOWN TO COUNCILMAN INGRAM AND COUNCILMAN WOOD WOULD, WHICH ONE OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON FINANCE? I JUST CAME OFF AND HE WENT IN.
SO YOU WANNA SWAP BRUCE? DO YOU WANNA KEEP YOUR THERE WAS ONLY ONE MEETING AND IT'S LIKE FOR TWO HOURS.
IT LIKE A IS IT A ONE TIME? THAT'S, I'M SAYING DO YOU JUST ONE CALL? JUST HERE.
WE GOT A MILLION LITTLE SIDE CONVERSATIONS.
THE QUESTION WAS FINANCE AND MR. WILSON SAID IT USUALLY MEETS FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.
AND I ASKED IS IT A ZOOM MEETING? IT'S A ZOOM MEETING IS IN JULY, BUT I CAN STEP DOWN IN TWO OF YOU GUYS CAN GO.
HAVE YOU BEEN ON COMMUNITY? NO.
ARE WE GONNA HAVE A TRADE OFF HERE? WHAT'S THAT? LOOK, I WAS OFFERING BRUCE HIS SEAT BACK IF HE WANTED IT.
NO, I'VE BEEN ON, I'VE BEEN ON THAT LIKE TWICE.
[01:20:01]
OKAY.I, HE DIDN'T RESPOND TO ME BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WHAT
BUT MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE HE HADN'T BEEN ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
YOU WANT FINANCE? THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
WAIT, NO, TWO OF Y'ALL JUST TOOK THE YEAR OFF.
NO, HE TOOK COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO THIS IS COUNCILMAN WOODS HERE TO BE OFF.
COUNCIL WOODS THIS YEAR I OFFERED IT BACK.
SO GLEN'S THE ONLY ONE RESPONDING YET.
I KNOW, I, I, GOING BACK, I'M GOING BACK TO MY EMAIL BECAUSE I, I DON'T LIKE TO DID YOU WANT A SPECIFIC ONE THAT YOU DIDN'T GET? I DON'T RECALL HONESTLY, ANYTHING GOING ON WITH THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
YOU KNOW, I OH, THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE ON LIST? YEAH.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID IT AT THE VML CONFERENCE.
AND WHAT'S SO TRICKY ABOUT THE WOULD, IT'S ALWAYS AROUND THE WEEKEND OF FESTIVAL LEAVES.
AND THAT MAKES IT REALLY HARD.
I KNOW FOR MYSELF, LIKE I, I ALWAYS DON'T GET SUNDAY AFTERNOON STAYING ON SATURDAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY PICKED THAT WEEKEND, BUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE REST OF VIRGINIA'S PEAK SEASON,
USUALLY THE WATER MS. WILL THE, DID YOU GET ALL THAT CONFUSION? ARE YOU SURE? OKAY.
AND I DO APOLOGIZE IF YOU EMAIL ME THAT I, IF I'M WRONG, I'M TOTALLY, I BEEN THROUGH THIS, BUT SOMETIMES, YEAH.
THE NEXT, THE NEXT ITEM FOR US, LITERALLY DOWN TO THE LAST REAL BUSINESSY KIND OF ITEM IS, UM, LIAISON COMMITTEE, WHICH IS GONNA BE APRIL 60.
AND WE DON'T HOST AT THE COUNTY.
WE'RE AT THE COUNTY THIS TIME, BUT, ALL RIGHT.
IT'S THE ONE DAY THAT WEEK I DON'T HAVE A MEETING AND NOW I DO.
UM, SO WHAT DO YOU GUYS, UM, WANT TO ADD TO IT? YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS.
AND THEY'RE DUE BY WEDNESDAY TO THE COUNTY.
I'LL GET, I'LL GET TO LATER WHO'S GONNA COME WITH ME, BUT
WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S ON.
LET'S SEE WHAT WE, UM, SO SOME OF THE THINGS TO ADD WERE THE JOINT TOWING BOARD TERMS THAT ARE GONNA EXPIRE AUGUST 31ST.
YOU CAN SEE ALL THAT INFORMATION THAT'S IN YOUR AGENDA.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME TO US LAST APRIL MM-HMM
AND THEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO BACK AND GET FEEDBACK AND COME BACK AND TALK TO US ABOUT THEY NEVER DID.
HAVE THEY SINCE? HAVE THEY SINCE? NO.
WHAT DOES THE TOWING BOARD DO? ALLOCATE THE TOWS.
PRETTY MUCH EVERY, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, SO WE'RE RESPONSIBLE, WE HAVE TO APPOINT A TOWING BOARD AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN MEMBERS, AND THEN THEY HAVE THE LIST OF WHICH TOWING COMPANIES, UM, WOULD BE CALLED IN THE TOWN FRONT ROYAL IN THE COUNTY IF A TOWING NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
BUT LAST APRIL, SHE WAS ASKING IF WE COULD PUT A CAP ON HOW MANY TOWING COMPANIES THERE WERE.
AND I DON'T, I, MYSELF, I HAD, I STRUGGLED WITH THAT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, SO THEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH COMPANIES TO BE ON THERE OR NOT? VERSUS, BUT THEN THEY NEVER CAME BACK.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, UM, I, I GUESS WE CAN PUT IT ON THERE, BUT THEY ACTUALLY, I WOULD SAY BEFORE WE, WHEN WE DO PUT IT ON THERE, SOMEBODY, EITHER OUR CLERK OR THE COUNTY'S CLERK SHOULD PROBABLY REACH OUT TO THE LADY WHO CAME AND TALKED TO US LAST YEAR AND FIND OUT DO THEY WANT ANY CHANGES? WELL, THAT, THAT'S WHY IT'S ON HERE SO EARLY BECAUSE LIAISON'S QUARTERLY.
AND THIS IS A JOINT APPOINTMENT.
SO WE NEED TO GET THE BALL ROLLING.
SO BY JULY YOU'LL KNOW WHO, WHO'S GONNA BE DOING WHAT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT IN PUBLIC.
SO THAT'LL BE ON THERE FOR SURE.
I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT ON THERE.
UM, AND THEN REASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR 2027, THAT SUGGESTION IS ON HERE.
AND I GUESS IT'S SO THAT WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REASSESSMENT PROCESS THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE COUNTY.
AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT'S ALSO, WE'RE GONNA ASK LIKE WHEN WE'RE GONNA GET THOSE NUMBERS RIGHT.
[01:25:01]
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO NOT HAVE THE SAME, UH, PROCESS OR NOT HAVE THE SAME SITUATION WE HAD LAST YEAR WHERE WE HAD THE WRONG NUMBERS IN THAT OUR TAX RATE.SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE, WE'RE GONNA ASK, WE'LL TALK ABOUT GOING ADAS THAT NIGHT.
TALK ABOUT THEY BOTH USING YEAH.
SO REASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR 2027, WE'RE GONNA LEAVE ON THERE.
BUT HOW ABOUT THE EDA COUNT? WELL, I WAS TELLING MS. WIL, I'M TALKING TO HER.
SO WE'RE GONNA, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT ON THERE, THE REASSESSMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANNA PUT ON THERE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TOWN AND COUNTY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IT AS FAR AS A SUMMARY, MR. PETTY, KNOWING WHAT, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GOOD WITH WRITING THE SUMMARY FOR THAT? SO, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE THAT OVER TO THEM BY WEDNESDAY.
ON THAT LITTLE IRREGULAR, BUT I THINK THAT DISCUSSION SHOULD ENCOMPASS, UH, THE FUTURE OF THE TWO EXISTING EDS.
NO, WE, WE WERE ACTUALLY IN A RETREAT EARLIER TONIGHT THAT WAS A PUBLIC FORUM AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THEN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, WE SAID WE WANTED TO PUT THE, PUT IT ON LIAISON.
SO, UM, AND THEN SEPTIC TANK WASTE FEE UPDATE.
NOW THIS WAS, THIS IS ON MY LIST IS LIKE BEING PROPOSED BY STAFF.
CAN SOMEBODY GIMME AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE JUST TO GIVE, UH, IN THE OPEN FORUM WITH THE COUNTY THAT THE FEES WILL GO UP JUST SO THEY'RE AWARE.
NO, I KNOW WE'RE DOING, WE WANT, YEAH, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO DO THIS 'CAUSE WE DON'T WANNA GET IN THE SAME SITUATION.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? UM, I, I MEAN I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD TALK THE, A COLLABORATION WITH THE TOURISM EFFORTS AGAIN TOO, IF THAT'S, IS THAT YOU WANNA TACKLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S JUST BASICALLY LIKE, IS THIS SOMETHING WE WANT, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANNA COLLABORATE ON? AND, AND IF, SO, WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT AT ONE OF THE OTHER LIAISON MEETINGS AND WE LEFT EVERY LIAISON MEETING.
I THINK EVERY LIAISON MEETING.
BUT WHAT I WAS SAYING AT THE LAST ONE WE TALKED ABOUT IS WE SAID I WANTED STAFF, OUR STAFF AND THEIR STAFF TO GET TOGETHER AND TALK, BUT, UM, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEMBERS AT THAT TIME SAID NO.
THEY THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD BE DECIDING WHAT WE WANT FIRST AND THEN ASKED OUR STAFF TO LOOK INTO IT.
AND I, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT WAS A BACKWARDS PROCESS, BUT I WAS KIND OF OUTNUMBERED.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR THAT AGAIN.
UH, WE, WE DID GET TOGETHER, UH, WITH FORMER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UM, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, JANE AND LIZZIE.
SO WE HAVE MET TO DISCUSS, UM, JOINT TOURISM.
BUT I DO THINK HAVING IT ON THERE WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO JUST KIND OF GIVE UPDATES OF WHERE EVERYTHING IS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYBODY THINKS WE NEED TO ADD TO THIS LIAISON MEETING? NO.
DID YOU, DID YOU WANT TO, UH, LOOK AT THE, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT FISCAL MODEL IMPACTS.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH BEEN ON EVERY LIAISON MEETING FOR THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS TOO.
UM, BUT IT NEVER, I WAS EXAGGERATED.
I, I MEAN WE CAN, IT'S, I DON'T KNOW.
NO, GENERALLY WHAT WE DO IS ASK IS THERE ANY UPDATE TO IT? AND I'M GONNA PREDICT THERE IS NOT, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT IT ON THERE.
WE'RE SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT STUFF WHEN THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM COULD ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN PUT IT ON THERE.
YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE IN THE ROOM.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE? NOW THE HARDEST PART IS WHO'S GOING WITH ME? IT IS MY SON'S.
ONE IS MONDAY THE 13TH ONE IS THURSDAY THE 16TH.
AND I AM SACRIFICING MY 15 YEAR OLD'S BIRTHDAY ON THE 13TH TO BE AT A RETREAT WITH YOU GUYS.
SO I PREFER SOFTBALL PRACTICE EVERY OTHER NIGHT.
I DO NOT HAVE TO DO THE 16TH PLUS.
I FEEL LIKE YOU WERE WITH WHO WAS WITH ME THE LAST TIME? JOSH, I THINK.
OH, WAS YOUR NO, IT WAS BRUCE.
OH, THEN I GUESS IT'S JOSH'S TURN.
NO,
MY CALENDAR HE GAME LIKE I WAS, AND ACTUALLY MS. TRUSTEE A LOT OF TIMES WILL
[01:30:01]
TELL US THE ORDER OF WHOSE TURN IT WAS, BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA GET OUTTA WHACK BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE CAN'T BE THERE.SO COUNCILMAN WOOD'S GONNA JOIN ME.
JULY IS COMING JULY, ALTHOUGH THEY, IT'S BEEN CANCELED SO MANY TIMES IN JULY, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY BRING DRIVE TO HAVE IT IN JULY.
IT'S COMING UP MY TERMINAL DOWNTOWN NEXT TIME.
SO WHAT I WAS EASIER ON WHAT WE THOUGHT.
ALL RIGHT FOLKS, WE HAVE A CLOSED MEETING.
I MOVE THAT TOWN COUNCIL CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 2, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES, ONE, PURSUANT TO CODE 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.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, A, THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, THE BCAB, THE TOWN MANAGER, C THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
AND TWO FOR SECTION SECTION 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 AMENDMENT TO THE VOLUNTARY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF WARREN, VIRGINIA AND THE TOWN OF FORT ROYAL VIRGINIA REGARDING THE COMPROMISE FOR PILOT MEALS AND LODGING TAXES ENTERED INTO APRIL 11TH, 2018.
AND PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1, A SEVEN OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL AND BRIEFINGS BY STAFF MEMBERS OR CONSULTANTS PERTAINING TO ACTUAL OR PROBABLE LITIGATION WHERE SUCH CONSULTATION OR BRIEFING AND OPEN MEETINGS ADVERSELY AFFECT THE NEGOTIATING OR LITIGATING POSTURE OF THE PUBLIC BODY, OR SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND COUNTY OF WARREN, VIRGINIA, UNITED BANK.
FIRST MAKE AND TRUST AND THE TOWN.
AND FOUR, PURSUANT TO 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 180 5 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE DISCUSSION CONCERNING A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY OR EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WHERE NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE OF THE BUSINESSES OR INDUSTRY'S INTEREST IN LOCATING OR EXCLUDING ITS FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY.
MORE SPECIFICALLY AT PROPERTIES LOCATED AT ZERO WINCHESTER ROAD AND IDENTIFIED ON TAX MAP IDS, 12 N DASH ONE 12 N DASH TWO 12 N DASH THREE.
MS. WOLF CALL COUNCILMAN EFFORD? YES.