* 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] OKAY, GOOD EVENING. I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, APRIL 27TH. AND WE'RE [ 1. MOMENT OF SILENCE] GONNA START WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. OKAY. NEXT, [ 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] IN OUR PORTION IS GOING TO BE OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AND TONIGHT WE HAVE A VERY LARGE GROUP OF STUDENT ATHLETES THAT ARE GOING TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE. AND SO, UM, WE HAVE THE SKYLINE WRESTLING TEAM AND THE GIRLS BASKETBALL WRESTLING TEAM. AND I DIDN'T, HOPEFULLY, SORRY, SORRY. WRESTLING TEAM. WHAT IS THAT? BASKETBALL, WRESTLING. HEY, THEY GIRLS CAN WRESTLE TOO, BUT IT, THAT'S NOT WHO IT WAS. SORRY, GIRLS. I'M, I WAS EVEN THERE. SO I, I I'M, BUT I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO STAND AND THEN WE'RE GONNA WAIT FOR EVERYBODY UP HERE TO STAND, AND THEN YOU CAN START TO LEAD THE PLEDGE. AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU GUYS TO COME UP FRONT, IF YOU DON'T MIND. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE STAND. TELL I'M OUT OF IT. I APPLAUD ALL TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS TO ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. DID YOU SEE, DID YOU SEE MY PU DID YOU SEE MY PUPPIES? NO, NOT YORKIE. PS WHAT'D YOU GET TO? DIDN'T WANT TO. BUT WHEN HE GOT A BOSS AT THE HOUSE, BLACK ONE WEIGHS A POUND. HALF WHITE ONE WEIGHS, UH, 11 OR 12 OUNCES. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST FOR, FOR THE RECORD, AND SO THOSE OF US ARE, THEY'RE TUNING IN OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST SAYING YOUR NAME AND, UM, IF YOU WANT STAY YOUR WEIGHT CLASS, WHAT YOUR POSITION IS, IT'S UP TO YOU. BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY. SURE. BRIAN SCOTT, UH, VOLUNTEERS WITH KYLE ALLEN, PRO, ASSISTANT COACH KYLE, ISAIAH 1 65. UH, THOSE WEIGHTS ARE ACCURATE ANYMORE, BY THE WAY, KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE INTO THIS, BUT WE HAVE A, A PIN FOR YOU GUYS, LIKE A FRONT ROW PIN THAT YOU CAN HAVE. SO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVEN THOUGH THESE SCOUTING KIDS, I STILL TALK TO YOU THAT I JUST WANNA SAY LITTLE KIDS. THANK YOU. WHAT? AMAZING. ALL, ALL OF. YEAH. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. WE APPRECIATE IT. CONGRATULATIONS. HOW MANY GUYS LEFT IN SCHOOL? I MEAN, WHO'S, WHO'S COUNTED? HAVE A GREAT EVENING. THANK YOU. THERE YOU, THAT IS CORRECT. RECOGNIZE THE VOICE CHAIR. NOPE, I GOT YOU. I'M GETTING READY TO DO, I'M GONNA DO THAT BEFORE I DO THE OTHER ONE. [00:05:06] WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE RECOGNIZE THEY ARE THE FUTURE. AND SPEAKING OF THAT, WELL, WE'RE GONNA MOVE DOWN A LITTLE BIT. SO, ROLL CALL [3. ROLL CALL] MS. PRESLEY. MAYOR COCKRELL. HERE. VICE, VICE MAYOR VIAL. HERE. COUNCILMAN DE DEMON PAYNE. HERE. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? HERE. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? HERE. COUNCILMAN OCK. HERE. COUNCILMAN WOOD HERE. [4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ] OKAY, NEXT UP IS OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT. COUNCIL APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MARCH 23RD, 2026. MEETING APRIL 6TH, 2026, WORK SESSION. AND APRIL 13TH, 2026. WORK SESSION AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN DID. DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN LOC? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT UP IS OUR ADDITION OR DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA OR ANY REVISION TO THE ORDER OF BUSINESS. DO I HEAR ANY MOTIONS? OKAY, I'M GONNA DO THAT. SO NEXT UP, ITEM NUMBER [6. RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS] SIX IS RECOGNITIONS AWARDS, REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS. AND WHILE IT'S NOT ON OUR AGENDA, WE WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE THE BOY SCOUTS FROM PAC 52. TROOP 50. TROOP 50 TROOP. SORRY. TROOP 50. TROOP . MY BROTHER WAS IN THAT TROOP. UM, SO IF YOU GUYS WAS IN TRO TOO, YOU TOO. TWO OF YOU FAITH IN THAT I WENT ON A BOYS LIFE FIGHT. OH, ALL. SO IF YOU ALL WANNA COME UP FRONT, COUNCILMAN SEA LOCK'S GONNA, UH, PRESENT, UH, A PEN TO YOU AS WELL. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, MANY TIMES IN THE SCOUT TROOPS, THEY, PART OF THEIR EARNING THEIR BADGES AND STUFF IS TO HEAR ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS. AND ONE OF THEM IS TO HEAR ABOUT LIKE, ELECTED OFFICE AND WHAT THAT MEANS. I KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN SPOKE TO HIS TROOP TONIGHT, AND I, I HAD DONE THAT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WITH A DIFFERENT TROOP THAT MEETS THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. THESE ARE OUR FUTURE LEADERS. WE TALKED SOMETHING WANTS TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ON COUNCIL, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID. UH, FIRST THING I SAID WAS NOT, BUT, UH, I EXPLAINED TO HIM HOW EVERYTHING WORKED AND WE ONE OF THE ONLY TOWN ONLY IN THE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN ENTERPRISE SYSTEM FOR OUR WATER ELECTRIC. AND, UH, THEY HAD SOME QUESTIONS AND THEY WERE FAIRLY EASY QUESTIONS. , I THINK THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS GO. THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT. WAYNE, TURN AROUND. TURN AROUND SO THEY CAN GET A DID YOU WANNA TAKE THE PICTURE WITH COUNCILMAN HELOCK FACING THIS WAY? DID YOU WANT A PICTURE? , I'LL GIVE YOU. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT. OKAY. SO NEXT UP, AN EXCITING THING THAT WE GET TO DO EACH YEAR, AND WE ACTUALLY ARE DOING THIS ONE MONTH EARLIER. UM, WE ARE GONNA BE AWARDING OUR TOWN SCHOLARSHIPS. WE NORMALLY HAVE, UM, THE RECIPIENTS COME IN THE MAY MEETING, BUT WHAT WE FOUND IS, IS BY THEN SOMETIMES SCHOOL'S OVER AND THEY'VE ALREADY HAD THEIR AWARDS NIGHT AT THEIR PROSPECTIVE SCHOOLS. SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT TO CELEBRATE EARLY. SO I'M GONNA ASK THE FOLLOWING, UM, STUDENTS TO COME FORWARD. SO WE HAVE SYDNEY ENGLE KING, I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. RIGHT. AND SYDNEY, YOU ATTEND WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. YES. AND BRADY THOMPSON, [00:10:03] ANOTHER FORMER HILDA KID. YES. THAT'S PERFECT. AND CARMEN POND. ALL. ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA COME DOWN WITH THAT. SO EACH OF THESE SCHOLARSHIPS IS WORTH, UH, ARE YOU GOOD? YOU GOT ONE MORE. WHILE I WAS NOT ON THE SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION COMMITTEE THIS YEAR, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WERE LOTS OF VERY, UH, UH, UH, STUDENTS THAT, THAT WERE DEFINITELY QUALIFIED AND IT WAS A HARD CHOICE AS USUAL. RIGHT. SO NEXT UP IS OUR, OUR RECOGNITIONS. AND MR. BOYER IS GOING TO BE DOING THIS PART. MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. UH, ROBBIE HODGES, THE MANAGER OF THE, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND, UH, MYSELF WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT STAFF EMPLOYEES THIS EVENING. LENA FUGATE. DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? F FUGATE. UM, LENA WAS HIRED IN NOVEMBER OF 2018. UM, SHE'S BEEN THE THE FIRST STAFF MEMBER SINCE 2013 THAT WE HIRED AS A TRAINEE TO OBTAIN A CLASS ONE LICENSE. UM, LENA WENT THROUGH, UH, EACH CLASS, UM, FROM HER FOUR UP TO HER ONE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND HAS WORKED HARD TO GET THERE. UM, LAST WEEK I WAS AT A CONFERENCE AT VIRGINIA WATER. UM, RIGHT NOW THE PASS RATE FOR WASTEWATER AND WATER LICENSE IS 37% AS THE PASS RATE. UM, SO LENA'S WORKED HARD, UM, AND GOT HER CERTIFICATE THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL REGULATION TO BE A CLASS ONE WASTEWATER OPERATOR. UM, WE GOT A PLAQUE THAT WE HAD MADE FOR HER. IT'S GOT HER LICENSE NUMBER, UM, TO GIVE HER DECEDENT WITH HER NAME ON IT. UM, JUST THANK HER FOR ALL HER DEDICATION AND HARD WORK AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HAVE HER AS PART OF OUR TEAM. YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? SORRY, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. GOOD JOB. THAT'S WONDERFUL. I'M GONNA COME UP FRONT THERE WITH ROBBIE. 37% KIND OF LIKE SCARES PEOPLE OFF. THAT'S AWESOME. MADAM MAYOR. WE'D ALSO LIKE, WE'D ALSO LIKE TO UNDERTAKE THE TAN. UH HUH. TAKE THE CHANCE TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE THE NEW TOWN ENGINEERS SLASH UH, PUBLIC WORKS DEPUTY DIRECTOR NICK BASS. UM, NICK JOINED US A MONTH OR SO AGO, HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB. SO HE IS, WANTED TO GET HIM CHANCE TO MEET EVERYBODY AND EVERYBODY. YOU WANNA SAY A FEW THINGS? INTRODUCE YOURSELF. OH, . I WASN'T PREPARED, LIKE, BLINDSIDED. NOTHING LIKE SITTING HERE ON THE SPOT. YEAH. I LOVE COUNCIL. UH, I THINK I'VE, I'VE MET MOST OF YOU BEFORE, UH, BEING ON THE EDA, UH, BUT I'VE REALLY ENJOYED MY TIME HERE SO FAR. LOVE BEING THE TOWN ENGINEER, UM, WORK WITH GREAT STAFF. ROBBIE'S BEEN TEACHING ME ALL ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT, UH, THE TOWN PROVIDES FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO KEEP WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND, UH, SEE WHERE THIS ALL TAKES US. UM, LET ME KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY, UH, CONCERNS THAT COME UP, AND I'LL DO MY BEST. SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. WELCOME, WELCOME, NICK. WELCOME. YOU WELCOME. [00:15:05] THAT WAS A, THAT'S A MUCH NEEDED POSITION THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, WANTING TO BRING ALONG, SO WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU. YEAH, THANKS. SO NEXT UP IS OUR PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL POLICE WEEK. UM, AND SO I HAVE SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS TONIGHT AND I AM GOING TO READ THEM. SO NATIONAL POLICE WEEK IS MAY 10TH THROUGH THE 16TH. AND BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE MEET TOGETHER AS A COUNCIL, THAT WILL BE OVER WITH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE IT TONIGHT. WHEREAS NATURAL NATIONAL POLICE WEEK IS THE TIME TO HONOR THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE WHO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND OFFERS HONOR, REMEMBRANCE, AND PEER SUPPORT, WHILE ALLOWING LAW ENFORCEMENT SURVIVORS AND CITIZENS TO GATHER AND PAY RESPECT TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY. AND WHEREAS IN 1962, PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY SIGNED A PROCLAMATION WHICH DESIGNATED MAY 15TH AS PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY, KNOWN TODAY AS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK, AND NOW THEREFORE THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL PROCLAIM MAY 10TH THROUGH THE 16TH 2026 AS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, RECOGNIZING OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND REMEMBER WITH SILENT RESPECT THOSE OFFICERS WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, NEVER FORGETTING THEIR COURAGE AND SERVICE. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN, UM, IN OUR FRONT ROW PD. I AM GOING TO READ THE NEXT ONE, WHICH IS OUR NAT NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK PROCLAMATION. AND I AM GOING TO JUST WARN YOU ALL THAT IT'S A LONG ONE. SO , JUST THOUGHT I SHOULD LET EVERYBODY KNOW. SO THAT NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK IS MAY 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD. WHEREAS PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES AND SERVICES THAT ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND TO PUBLIC HEALTH, HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND WELLBEING OF THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. AND WHEREAS THESE INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES AND SERVICES COULD NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE ENGINEERS, MANAGERS, AND EMPLOYEES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REBUILDING, IMPROVING AND PROTECTING OUR NATION'S TRANSPORTATION, WATER SUPPLY, WATER TREATMENT, AND SOLID WASTE SYSTEMS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CITIZENS. AND WHEREAS IS THE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR THE CITIZENS, CIVIC LEADERS AND CHILDREN IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF AND MAINTAIN AN ONGOING INTEREST AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS THE YEAR 2026 MARKS THE 66TH ANNUAL NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, BE IT NOW, THEREFORE, RESOLVED THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL DO HEREBY DESIGNATE THE WEEK OF MAY 17TH, 2020, MAY 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD, 2026 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, URGING ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND THE ACTIVITIES, EVENTS AND CEREMONIES DESIGNED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS, ENGINEERS, MANAGERS, AND EMPLOYEES, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MAKE TO PROTECTING OUR NATIONAL HEALTH, SAFETY, AND ADVANCING QUALITY OF LIFE. SO I, THIS IS, THIS PART'S VERY MUCH MY FAVORITE PART. WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE ALL THE HARD WORK OF THE APPROXIMATELY 70 PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES FOR THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WHO WORK HARD EVERY DAY DURING THEIR SHIFT AND WHILE ON CALL 24 7 FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM FAMILY. THEY MAINTAIN 143.74 MOVING LANES MILES OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ROADS. THEY MAINTAIN 92 MILES OF STORM SEWER, MOW WHEATY AND TRACTOR MOW TOWN PROPERTIES RIGHT OF WAYS AND MEDIANS PLANS, DESIGNS, INSTALLS, MAINTAIN FLORAL LANDSCAPES, HANGING BASKETS, AND OVER 350 TREE PLANTINGS COLLECTS TRASH RECYCLING YARD WASTE FROM 6,290. CUSTOMERS CLEANS DISINFECTS TOWN BUILDINGS AND PERFORMS SKILLED MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO TOWN BUILDINGS, FABRICATES INSTALLS AND REPLACES TOWN STREET SIGNS AND MAINTAINS CROSSWALKS, PERFORMS PAVING POTHOLE AND STREET REPAIRS, BRIDGE MAINTENANCE AND STREET SWEEPING, PERFORM SIDEWALKS AND CURB AND GUTTER INSTALLATION AND REPAIR, STORM DRAIN INSTALLATION AND REPAIRS AND STORM DAMAGE CLEANUP. ASSIST THE TOWN WITH COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ROAD CLOSURES ON-CALL 24 7 FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS SUCH AS SNOW REMOVAL, REPAIR OF WATER [00:20:01] BREAKS AND SEWER BACKUPS. PROVIDES WATER TO 6,481 CUSTOMERS AND SEWER TO 6,181. CUSTOMERS WASTEWATER TREATS AN AVERAGE OF 4.5 MILLION GALLONS OF SEPAGE PER DAY. WATER PRODUCES 2.023 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY, MAINTAINS 119 MILES OF WATERLINE, 124 MILES OF SANITARY SEWER AND 756 FIRE HYDRANTS REVIEWS AND INSPECTS ALL PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS AND IN THE COUNTY WHERE WATER AND SEWER ARE PROVIDED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH TOWN STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS. AND THE REASON WHY I SHARE ALL THAT IS THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHERE PEOPLE ASK LIKE, WELL, WHERE ARE MY TAXES GOING TO? AND SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE EVEN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS. SO IT'S VERY DIFFERENT JUST READING THAT AND THE GRAVITY OF THAT JUST TO SEE WHAT OUR STAFF DOES EACH AND EVERY DAY. AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. ARE YOU GUYS READY? WE HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION. MAY IS A BUSY MONTH, AND THIS IS A FOR OUR PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK, WHEREAS THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK IS A TIME HONORED AND VITAL PART OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDING THE PROFESSIONAL LINK BETWEEN CITIZENS, THE LOCAL GOVERNING BODY AND AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENT AT OTHER LEVELS. AND WHEREAS THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK HAS PLEDGED TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH TRANSITION OF DAILY GOVERNMENT BUSINESS KEEPING MINDFUL OF NEUTRALITY AND IMPARTIALITY RENDERING EQUAL SERVICE TO ALL. WHEREAS THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MUNICIPAL CLERKS, IIMC INITIATED MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK IN 1969 ON FEBRUARY 13TH, 1984, THE PRESIDENT DESIGNATED THE FIRST FULL WEEK IN MAY AS MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED. THE MARIN TOWN COUNCIL PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF MAY 3RD THROUGH THE NINTH 2026 AS PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK'S WEEK IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROW AND EXTEND APPRECIATION TO OUR PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK AND DEPUTY CLERK FOR THEIR VITAL SERVICES PERFORMED AND EXEMPLARY DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, THANK YOU MS. PRESLEY AND MS. ONG. AND I THINK I WAS GONNA SAY YES. NO, TODAY'S HER BIRTHDAY. MM-HMM. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO, AND SO MUCH OF THAT IS JUST KEEPING US ALL STRAIGHT, ISN'T IT? SO, UM, NEXT UP WE COME TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING PORTION. UM, WELL HOLD ON. WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. I'M SORRY. THAT WOULD BE MY FAULT. HOLD ON. LET'S SEE. YES, I'M SORRY IT WASN'T IN THE AGENDA. SO PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT FROM CHAIRMAN ALLEN NEAL. SO MR. NEIL, GOOD EVENING. SEE IF I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THIS THING. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE AT THE BAR. UH, 2025 WAS A VERY ACTIVE YEAR FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION. LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS TO WORK. OOPS. AND GO BACK. IN ADDITION TO THE 12 REGULAR MEETINGS, WE HELD 17 WORK SESSIONS. THAT LEVEL WORK ACTIVITY REFLECTS SUBSTANTIAL POLICY DISCUSSION AND BEYOND ROUTINE APPLICATION AND DEMONSTRATES ENGAGED PROCESSES AND THOUGHTFUL REVIEW. OVERALL, THE WORKLOAD INDICATES SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY ACTIVITY ON THE LAND USE APPLICATIONS REVIEW. THE MAJORITY OF OF SPECIAL USE PERMITS INVOLVE HOUSING RELATED ISSUES, WHETHER MULTIFAMILY, SHORT-TERM RENTALS OR LODGING HOUSES. THIS REFLECTS CONTINUED HOUSING DEMAND IN MULTIPLE FORMS. THE OVERALL PATTERN HERE SUGGESTS STRUCTURED GROWTH, NOT UNCHECKED EXPANSION FOR SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS AND REZONING APPLICATIONS TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES WERE RECOMMENDED FOR REZONING TO RESIDENTIAL. THAT SHIFT MAY INDICATE RESIDENTIAL GROWTH, PRESSURE, AND CHANGING COMMERCIAL MARKET DEMANDS. TAKING TOGETHER THESE ACTIONS SUGGEST GRADUAL LAND USE, ADJUSTMENT AND ADJUSTMENT AND DEMAND. THE ORDINANCE AND ZONING TEX AMENDMENT WERE THE MOST POLICY INTENSIVE AREAS LAST YEAR. WE ADDRESSED EMERGING HOUSING ISSUES SUCH AS ADUS AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS. WE STRENGTHENED HISTORIC DISTRICT REDEVELOPMENT PROTECTIONS. WE RECOMMENDED A DENIAL ON A LODGING HOUSE IN AN R ONE DISTRICT, WHICH IN TURN CAUSED A HOUSING STUDY TO BE CONDUCTED ON SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE HOUSING. WE ALSO DEVELOPED A PROPOSED DATA CENTER CODE REVISION AS DEFINED IN INDUSTRIAL TWO EMPLOYMENT DISTRICT REFLECTING DELIBERATE PLANNING INSTEAD OF HAVING TO BE REACTIVE AT THE MOMENT. OVERALL, THESE ORDINANCES AND ZONING TAX AMENDMENTS REFLECT, MODERNIZATION AND, AND CLARIFICATION OF THE ZONING [00:25:01] CODE. THE KEY POLICY THEMES OF 2025 WAS MANAGING GROWTH THOUGHTFULLY. THERE WAS A CONSISTENT EFFORT TO BALANCE THE FLEXIBILITY AND CLEAR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. HISTORIC PRESERVATION WAS A PRIORITY AND REVISION TO THE ZONING CODE CONTINUES TO BE AN INTENSIVE EFFORT. THE COMMISSION RESPONDED TO EVOLVING HOUSING PATTERNS WHILE MAINTAINING REGULATORY GUARDRAILS. THE COMMISSION REVIEWED SEVERAL SUBDIVISION ACTIONS, INCLUDING A 97 UNIT RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION. THAT LEVEL OF ACTIVITY SEEMS TO CONFIRM MEANINGFUL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT MOMENTUM IN TOWN. THERE WAS ALSO ONE DENIAL WHERE THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT DENIAL, BECAUSE REVISED PLAN REMOVE NECESSARY RETAINING WALLS ON STEEP SLOPES, RAISING LEGITIMATE AND SAFETY CONCERNS THAT WERE NOT SUFFICIENTLY MITIGATED. GROWTH IS OCCURRING IN THE COMMISSION, UNDERSTANDS AND MUST BE MANAGED RESPONSIBLY. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE LAST SLIDE DISAPPEARED. SO I'LL JUST READ IT FOR THE OVERALL ASSESSMENT. THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY REMAINS STRONG. THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE, THE COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL LAND CONVERSION, THE OVERALL DIRECTION SUGGESTS GROWTH MANAGEMENT RATHER THAN GROWTH LIMITATION. FINALLY, THE DATA PRESENTED HERE REFLECTS A PLANNING COMMISSION THAT IS ACTIVE, RESPONSIVE, ENGAGED, AND FOCUSED ON BALANCING DEVELOPMENT, PRESERVATION AND MODERNIZATION IN A DELIBERATE AND MEASURED WAY. AND I THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING HERE TONIGHT AND FOR SERVING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN CODY TAYLOR. I KNOW COUNSEL, UH, I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT AND SWEET. WE HAD ONE MEETING IN 2005 FOR A VARIANCE APPLICATION. IT WAS DENIED BY EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD. UH, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF MEETINGS EACH YEAR, SO NO BIG DEAL. BUT THIS REFLECTS THAT THE PLANNING OFFICE AND THE ZONING THAT THE TOWN HAS PUT FORTH IS SEEMS TO BE WORKING, MEANS THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THINGS COMING TO US. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD SIGN. UM, THAT'S IT. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UM, RECOGNIZE OUR CLERK. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR CLERK? ? I BELIEVE THAT YOU, NOT TO GET EM EMOTIONAL, BUT MS. PRESLEY, THIS IS MY IS THIS IS NOT, IS THIS YOUR LAST MEETING? YOU'RE GONNA BE CLERKING? YES, I BELIEVE THAT. I MEAN, I'LL BE HERE AT THE MEETING. RIGHT? SO I BELIEVE YOU, THE SPECIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE HAD SOMETHING HERE. DID YOU WANNA GIVE THAT TO HER OR DO YOU JUST WANNA WAIT TILL AFTER? AND NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, WE JUST SAW YOU AND I WAS LIKE, OH, OH NO. YOU SHOULD GIVE IT TO HER. COME ON, BILL. LOW. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. YEAH. YEAH. HOW SPECIAL. THAT'S WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. PHIL COULDN'T LEAVE WITHOUT IT. I KNOW. , THIS ISN'T OUR GOODBYE MS. PRESLEY, BUT IT'S, I KNOW NOW I'M TRYING, IT'S IT'S, IT'S WARMING US UP FOR THE, THE EVENTUAL RIGHT. ESPECIALLY IT'S THE GLUE. YES. YES. I DON'T, I HOPE YOU'LL BE ON SPEED DIAL FOR . SO [7.A. Consider Real Property and Personal Property Tax Rates for FY2026-2027 and Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 75-44] NEXT UP IS OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. UM, AND, UH, THE FIRST ONE IS TO CONSIDER REAL PROPERTY AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATES FOR 26 27 FY 26 27, AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 75, 44 C. AND COUNSEL BEFORE YOU TONIGHT YOU HAVE, UM, THERE WAS AN ERROR AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE CORRECT AMOUNT THERE. I BELIEVE MS. PRESLEY, WHAT'S IN THE, UH, PACKET FOR THE SUMMARY IS CORRECT. RIGHT? THE SUMMARY IS CORRECT. THE SUMMARY IS CORRECT AND IT WAS ADVERTISED CORRECTLY. OKAY. AND IT WAS ADVERTISED CORRECTLY MM-HMM . AND THE, SO THE, THE ERROR WAS ON THE PAGE. THAT'S THE ORDINANCE ITSELF. THE ORDINANCE ITSELF MM-HMM . OKAY. I'M, I'M GONNA, SO, UM, THE SUMMARY [00:30:01] IS TO CONSIDER THE REAL PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 AT 0.082 PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS ASSESSED VALUE, WHICH REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 0.014 OVER THE CURRENT YEARS RATES. THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE IS 0.64 PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS ASSESSED VALUE, WHICH REPRESENTS NO INCREASE OVER CURRENT YEARS RATES. THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF RATE, PPTR FOR QUALIFYING VEHICLES AT A RATE OF 43% OF VALUE ON THE FIRST $20,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE FOR QUALIFYING VEHICLES WITH AN ASSESSED VALUE GREATER THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND A PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF RATE OF A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR QUALIFYING VEHICLES WITH AN ASSESSED VALUE OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS OR LESS PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 58.1 DASH 35 24. AND TO AMEND FRONT ROYAL TOWN CODE 70 DASH 44 DOT C TO REFLECT THE INCREASE AS PRESENTED. SO THAT IS THE SUMMARY. I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. PRESLEY, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO ONE SIGNED UP, SIR. ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK. OKAY. SINCE NO ONE WISHES TO SPEAK, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE HEARING AND I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT A REAL PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 THROUGH 2027 AT 0.08 CENTS PER $100 ASSESSED VALUE, WHICH REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 0.01 CENTS OVER THE CURRENT YEAR'S RATES. PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE AT POINT AT 64 CENTS PER 100 ASSESSED VALUE, WHICH REPRESENTS NO INCREASE OVER THE CURRENT YEAR'S RATES. THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF RATE, PPTR FOR QUA QUALIFYING VEHICLES AT A RATE OF 43% OF VALUE ON THE FIRST $20,000 ASSESSED VALUE FOR QUALIFYING VEHICLES WITH AN ASSESSED VALUE GREATER THAN $1,000. AND A PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF RATE OF 100% FOR QUALIFYING VEHICLES WITH AN ASSESSED VALUE OF $1,000 OR LESS, PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 58.1 DASH 35 24, AND ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND FRONT ROW TOWN CODE 70 44 C TO REFLECT THE INCREASE OF PRESENTED. OKAY. DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION? NONE. I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, I JUST DON'T WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT, YEAH. THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY, MAYOR, IS THAT THIS INCREASE OF THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE IS NOT, IT'S REALLY NOT SO MUCH AN INCREASE, AS IT SAYS, BRINGING IT OUR, THE NUMBERS THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR, UH, WE, I BELIEVE IT WAS $321,000, UH, OFF AND IN ORDER TO EQUALIZE, UH, WE NEEDED TO MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE WE WERE SCRAMBLING TO COVER, UH, OUR NEEDS FOR EXPENSES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH. UM, YES, MADAM, MADAM MAYOR, I, UH, I AGREE THAT IN THE SENSE THAT THIS IS, UH, JUST AS SIMPLY AN INCREASE TO REALLY RECTIFY, UH, LAST YEAR'S, UH, SCRAMBLED FOR THE FUNDS AS, AS COUNCILMAN, UH, AS COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT JUST POINTED OUT. BUT I I, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME VOTING IN FAVOR OF ANY KIND OF INCREASE BECAUSE I, I BELIEVE THAT WE SH COULD DO BETTER. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REVENUE STREAMS. I THINK WE, WE SHOULD HAVE LOOKED INTO BETTER, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I MENTIONED THE BATTLEFIELD OUT BATTLEFIELD ASSOCIATION WITH THAT PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, AND ALSO WITH THE, UH, UH, POTENTIAL PILOT SITUATION WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH VALLEY HEALTH THAT, THAT, UH, WE WERE GONNA WORK WITH THE COUNTY ON. SO IN THAT, IN THAT, IN THOSE REGARDS, YOU KNOW, AND PLUS WHAT, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE, WITH THE SITUATION OF EVERY OTHER TAX BEING INCREASED AT THIS TIME, AND JUST SIMPLE HIGH COST OF, UH, OF EVERYTHING FOR THAT MATTER. I'M JUST, I, I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIOUS VOTE FOR THIS. BUT AGAIN, UM, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S REALLY JUST A, UH, UH, IZATION FROM LAST YEAR. SO, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SORRY. YEAH, I, I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS. I'M SO SORRY. THE PUBLIC HEARING I [00:35:01] CLOSED, UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD TO THE DISCUSSION, NOT TO, UM, HARBOR ON THE INCORRECT DATA THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR. UM, BUT IT IS A REAL AND TRUE RESULT OF THAT. UM, I HAVE BEEN ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO TAX INCREASES, AND I WOULD LOVE TO FIND A WAY TO CREATE ROBUST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STREAMS TO DECREASE THE TAXES. ACTUALLY, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE PEOPLE LIVING HERE, WHICH IS THE VAST MAJORITY ON A FIXED INCOME, CAN'T GO OUT AND MAKE ANY MORE MONEY. SO WITH THE INCO RATES OF OUR ELECTRIC, OUR SEWAGE, OUR WATER, OUR UM, REFUGE, IT'S JUST, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S NO, NO WAY TO SQUEEZE ANYMORE OUT OF THE PEOPLE ON A FIXED INCOME. UM, AND IT, IT'S SAD AND IT'S DISHEARTENING AND IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATELY NOT, UM, NECESSARILY A FAULT OF THIS COUNCIL'S, BUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, DECADES LONG. AND, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY FAULT OF OUR STAFF THAT WE'RE HAVING TO EQUALIZE THIS RATE EITHER. I KNOW EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL IS RUNNING A VERY LEAN BUDGET FOR THE MOST PART, UM, WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS. AND THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT WORKING WITH WHAT THEY HAVE AND TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE, UM, TO ENSURE THAT IT LASTS AS LONG AS IT CAN. BUT I AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT THAT JOSH EXPRESSED, AND I'VE EXPRESSED IT AT EVERY WORK SESSION AND EVERY COUNCIL MEETING THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF MY TIME ON COUNCIL. AND I DON'T THINK, UM, MARGINAL TAX INCREASES THAT AREN'T GOING TO MAKE, UM, MUCH OF AN IMPACT IN OUR BUDGET OR TOWARDS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ON THE BACKS OF THE TAXPAYERS IS THE ANSWER. OKAY. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, MADAM? MAYOR? I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IN TODAY'S NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY, OUR BUDGET, UH, 26 27 BUDGET WAS ADVERTISED BASED ON, UH, THE TAX RATE THAT WE'VE ADVERTISED AND MADE THE MOTION TONIGHT. UM, I WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE OUR CITIZENS TO LOOK AT THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A LINE BY LINE WHERE OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT, UH, ON THE REVENUE SIDE, WHERE IT COMES FROM, AND ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, WHERE IT GOES TO, UM, ALSO SAYING, OR, OR STATING THAT EARLIER TONIGHT WE RECOGNIZE PUBLIC WORKS AND WE, THE MAYOR READ OFF QUITE A LONG LIST OF THINGS, BOTH SUPPORTED BY, UM, OUR ENTERPRISES, WATER, SEWER, ELECTRIC, AND TRASH, BUT ALSO BY OUR GENERAL BUDGET. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, UH, IT MAY GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE OUR DOLLARS GO. I DO AGREE THAT WE, UH, RUN A TIGHT SHIP, AND I ENCOURAGE THE CITIZENS TO LOOK AT THIS AND ASK THE QUESTIONS. IF YOU FEEL THAT THE TAXES ARE TOO HIGH, THEN WHERE COULD WE CUT FROM? UH, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE SERVICES CUT? BECAUSE STAYING AT A NEUTRAL TAX INCREASE MEANS THERE'S NOT EXTRA MONEY. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THINGS ARE GOING UP, TRUCK TIRES ARE GOING UP, DIESEL FUEL, AND THE STAFF HAS DONE A, A HUGE JOB AT, UH, LIVING WITHIN THEIR MEANS. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A BUDGET OF NEEDS AND NOT OF WANTS. OKAY. IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. SO I WOULD, WOULD LIKE, I'D LIKE TO ADD, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME MM-HMM . A SECOND OPPORTUNITY. UH, YOU KNOW, COMPARATIVELY TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS AROUND US, WE, WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATES, UH, IN, IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. UH, AND I WOULD ADD THAT SINCE 2020, WE ARE STILL ABOUT, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, POINT, UH, ZERO ONE 8 CENTS, UH, CHEAPER THAN WHEN IT'S LOWER THAN WHERE, WHERE WE WERE IN 2020, UH, I BELIEVE, OR I BELIEVE 2022, I'M SORRY, UH, ABOUT 10 CENTS THAT WE WERE AT ABOUT A 10 CENT RATE. UM, NOW WE'RE AT 0.082. AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN EQUALIZATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTY, UH, WAS ABOUT 300 TO $400,000 OFF. AND WE HAD BUDGETED, WE HAD BUDGETED AT, AT EXPECTING TO HAVE MORE REVENUE THAN WHAT WE GOT. SO THAT, THAT IS THE TRUE [00:40:01] NEED OF WHY, WHY WE NEED TO DO THIS. THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE'S ANOTHER COMMENTS I'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN. SO THE FIRST THING I WANNA SAY IS THAT WORDS MATTER, THEY DO. SO, UM, AFTER WE HAD A WORK SESSION AND I OPENED UP A LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND IT SAID, FRONT ROW TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES THE TAX INCREASE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA POST STARTED ABOUT HOW WE WERE, UM, WE WERE DISCUSSING A TAX INCREASE. AND I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE IS WHERE WAS LAST YEAR'S ARTICLE WHERE WE ACTUALLY DECREASED THE TAX RATE? 'CAUSE I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. DID YOU ALL? NO. AND SO, AS SOMEONE ELSE SAID TO CONTINUE TO BELABOR THE POINT OF HOW WE GOT IN THE POSITION THAT WE DID, THAT, UH, HAS CREATED THIS SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, UM, WHICH I'VE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN HERE, AND AT, EVEN AT THE MOST RECENT LIAISON MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AGAIN. SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE REASSESSMENTS THAT WERE DONE AND THE FACT THAT APPEALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WERE GIVEN TO US, WHEN WE PREPARED OUR BUDGET LAST YEAR, WE BELIEVED THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE, UM, THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE THAN WHAT WE DID. AND THEN ONCE THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY CAME IN, AFTER WE HAD ALREADY SET OUR RATES, UM, WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE, UM, COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT SAID SOMETHING IN 300,000, BUT I HONESTLY THOUGHT IT WAS CLOSER TO 400 OR, OR, BUT, BUT ANYWAY, REGARDLESS, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR US TO TRY TO, TO MAKE UP. AND SO THEREFORE, WE ACTUALLY COLLECTED LESS IN TAX REVENUE LAST YEAR. AND SO WHAT IS BEFORE THIS COUNCIL AND WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE WORK SESSION WAS REALLY BRINGING IT BACK TO THE NUMBER THAT IT WAS, UM, IN THE YEAR PRIOR. SO WHILE SOME REPORTERS MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT IT AS A TAX INCREASE, I ACTUALLY DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY. I THINK I SEE IT AS I WRITING THE SHIP AND WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. YES, IT ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO, UM, CREATE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF EXTRA REVENUE TO MAYBE FUND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE, THAT, UM, COUNCILMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT. IT, IT IS, UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS BRINGING IT BACK. SO WHAT I DO HOPE IS, IS THAT IN THE FUTURE, THAT IF SOMEBODY'S GONNA REPORT ON SOMETHING, THAT THEY TELL THE WHOLE STORY, WHAT'S, IS IT PAUL HARVEY? IS THAT THE ONE THAT SAYS THE REST OF THE STORY OF THE STORY? SO, SO MAYBE WE NEEDED THE REST OF THE STORY IN THAT ARTICLE, BECAUSE I CERTAINLY HAVE FIELDED ENOUGH QUESTIONS, AND MOST PEOPLE, AFTER I EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED, AND, AND MAYBE THEY WEREN'T AGAIN, NECESSARILY PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR 'CAUSE IT WAS REALLY MORE US THAT RECOGNIZED WHAT HAPPENED THAN ANYBODY ELSE. BUT ANYWAY, JUST DID WANNA CLARIFY THAT. THE NEXT THING IS, I DID WANNA MENTION, UM, I KNOW COUNCILMAN INGRAM MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE SHENDO VALLEY. THE VALLEY BATTLEFIELD. AND SO I DID WANNA SPEAK TO THAT A MINUTE BECAUSE I'VE ALSO SEEN, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT THAT. AND SO I DID WANNA SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. SO THE HUNDO VALLEY BATTLEFIELD, UM, WAS APPROACHED, OR, OR I, I'VE NEVER QUITE FIGURED OUT IF THEY WERE APPROACHED BY A BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEMBER, OR I THINK A, A CONSTITUENT APPROACHED THE CHINO VALLEY BATTLEFIELD ASKING THEM TO TALK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE WAS DISCUSSION THERE. THEN IT CAME TO THE LIAISON MEETING, AND AT THE LIAISON MEETING, UM, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UM, FROM THE NORTH RIVER DISTRICT ASKED ABOUT LIKE, WAS COUNCIL WILLING TO ENTERTAIN A MEETING WITH THEANO VALLEY BATTLEFIELD ABOUT A PURCHASE OF THEM CASE SPRINGS? AND SO, UM, I SAID I WOULD TAKE IT BACK TO COUNCIL. AT THAT TIME, COUNSEL SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'RE WILLING TO MEET. WELL, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE WOULD MEET WITH THEM AND TALK TO THEM. UM, THERE WAS NEVER ANY, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT A WILLINGNESS TO SELL OR NOT SELL, BUT RATHER JUST THAT WE'D BE WILLING TO MEET. SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE LIAISON MEETING AND SAID, ADDED IT BACK IN THE ITEM. 'CAUSE OFTENTIMES AT THE LIAISON MEETING, WHATEVER WAS ON THE MONTH BEFORE, JUST, OR THE QUARTER BEFORE, ENDS UP BACK ON THERE AND WE, AND WE, UH, AND DISCUSS IT AGAIN. AND SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE LIAISON MEETING. I SAID, COUNCIL SAID THEY'RE WILLING TO MEET, UM, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AT THE TIME, THAT'S NO LONGER THERE. I SAID, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEM REACH OUT TO US, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ALL WANNA SIT DOWN AND MEET. AND THERE WERE CRICKETS. I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING AFTER THAT. UM, AND I KNOW COUNCILMAN INGRAM BROUGHT IT UP RECENTLY AGAIN, BUT, BUT AGAIN, THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING THAT THEY NEVER REACHED OUT DIRECTLY AND ASKED TO SET UP A TIME. [00:45:01] UM, IT WAS MAINLY JUST DISCUSSIONS THROUGH OTHER, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. BUT, UM, I DO WANNA SAY THAT NEVER WAS THERE AN OFFER, A CONTRACT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT CAME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL THAT I'M AWARE OF. I DON'T KNOW IF SOMETHING WENT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BUT IT CERTAINLY NEVER CAME TO US. THEY TALKED ABOUT, UM, APPRAISING THE PROPERTY AND WHAT IT WAS WORTH. BUT AGAIN, I NEVER SAW AN OFFER. UM, MCKAY SPRINGS IS ACTUALLY ZONE COMMERCIAL. THE SPRINGS THEMSELVES THOUGH, ARE A SECONDARY WATER SOURCE. I, I PERSONALLY, I PERSONALLY WOULD NEVER SUPPORT SELLING THE PROPERTY. THAT'S THAT THE PA THAT THE ACTUAL PART THAT INCLUDES THE SPRINGS NOT ACCESS, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS ACTUALLY PURCHASED BY THE TOWN MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. MANY DIFFERENT, A DIFFERENT TOWN COUNCIL WAY BEFORE US. I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE NINETIES, EARLY NINETIES. I REMEMBER AT THE TIME WHEN IT WAS TALKED ABOUT. BUT, UM, I WASN'T REALLY PAYING AS MUCH ATTENTION TO GOVERNMENT AT THAT TIME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT THERE WASN'T AN OFFER MADE AND WE TURNED IT DOWN TO, FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND I WANNA GO ON RECORD AGAIN TO SAY THAT IF THE SHENDO VALLEY BATTLEFIELD WANTS TO DISCUSS THE MCKAY SPRINGS PROPERTY, THIS COUNCIL WAS WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THEM. UM, I'M NOT, NO PROMISES MADE. IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR SELLING THIS MCKAY SPRINGS PROPERTY FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE, AND THIS IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE, THE MCKAY SPRINGS OUT THERE ON THE CORNER OF RELIANCE ROAD AND 5 22, THERE ARE PARCELS OUT THERE. THE TOWN OWNS A PARCEL BY THEMSELVES. THE COUNTY OWNS A PARCEL BY THEMSELVES AND THE TOWN AND COUNTY OWN A PARCEL TOGETHER. AND SO ANY KIND OF MOVING FORWARD WOULD BE, UM, WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD THE DIFFERENT PARTS AND PARTIES THAT WERE PART OF IT. SO I THINK I, I THINK I, I JUST, I JUST WANNA, I, AGAIN, I I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER TO CLEAR THE RECORD PUBLICLY THAN IT IS TO, TO, UM, COMMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE NOT EVERY CITIZEN GETS TO GO BACK AND SEE THE COMMENTS. SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR MOTION, I WOULD ENTERTAIN, UH, THE VOTE IF WE'RE READY. MS. MS. PRESLEY, MADAM MAYOR? YES, SURE. I JUST, TO YOUR SENTIMENT REGARDING THE MCKAY SPRINGS AND THE SALE OF THAT, UM, WHICH WAS NEVER PRESENTED TO US. UM, THAT'S A ONE TIME, UM, ADDITION TO OUR BUDGET. SO FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, JUST TO BE AWARE, THAT WOULD NOT CORRECT THE, UM, BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR WITH THE DISCREPANCY THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY MAYBE RESOLVE A ONE TO TWO YEAR GAP IN THAT TAX RATE. SO IT'S NOT A CONTINUAL REVENUE SOURCE TO REPLACE WHAT OUR BUDGET WAS IMPACTED BY AS WELL. I HOPE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT. IT'S A ONE-TIME SALE, A ONE-TIME ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO THE TOWN. THIS IS TO CORRECT THE TAX RATE FROM AN ERROR, NOT ON THE TOWN'S BEHALF. OKAY, MS. PRESLEY, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN REPPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN INGRAM? NO. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN LOC? NO. VICE MAYOR ENTAL? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT [7.B. Ordinance Amendment to Chapters 12 & 134 Pertaining to Septic Haul Waste Rate and Water/Sewer Rates] PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS ITEM SEVEN B, WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTERS 12 AND 1 34 PERTAINING TO SEPTIC HALL RATE AND WATER SEWER RATES. MS. PRESLEY, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO READ THE SUMMARY, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY. IT MIGHT BE YOUR LAST SUMMARY. YOU HAVE TO READ COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT FRONT ROYAL TOWN CODE SECTION 12 DASH TWO. TO ADJUST THE ACCEPTING TANK, WE WASTE FEE AND PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTIONS 15.2 DASH 2 1 9 15 0.2 DASH 2 1 15 0.2 DASH 2 22, AND 15.2 DASH 2 43 TO AMEND AND REENACT FRONT ROYAL TOWN CODE SECTIONS 1 34 DASH 22 1 34 DASH 22 4 1 34 DASH 31, 34 DASH 31.1, AND 1 34 DASH 31.2 TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER SERVICE RATES AS PRESENTED. IF APPROVED, THE FEE AND INCREASED RATES WILL BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2026. OKAY. I MUST SAY IF THAT WAS AN ALPHABET SOUP, BUT IT WAS MORE LIKE A NUMBER SOUP, WASN'T IT, MS. PRESLEY? SORRY YOU HAD [00:50:01] TO DO THAT. . SO AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE SUMMARY. IS THERE ANYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS ORDINANCE? OKAY, HEARING THAT THERE'S NO ONE I'LL OPEN UP TO COUNCIL, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, OPEN UP TO COUNCIL. NO ONE WANTS TO READ ALL THOSE NUMBERS DO YA. MAD MADAM MAYOR. OKAY, I MOVE THE COUNCIL, ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT FROM ROYAL TOWN CODE 12 DASH TWO TO ADJUST THE SEPTIC TANK WASTE FEE AND PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE ONE 1.2 DASH 2 1 9 15 0.2211 15.2 22, AND 15.223 TO AMEND AND REENACT ACT REENACT FRONT ROYAL TOWN CODE 1 3 4 DASH 22.1134 DASH 22.4134 DASH 31 3 4 DASH 31.1 AND 1 3 4 DASH THREE 1.2 TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER SERVICE RATES EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2026 AS PRESENTED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. 6, 7, 3. THAT'S WHAT IT TOOK A LOT OF SELF CONTROL TO Y'ALL. BINGO, . ALRIGHT, UM, COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ORDINANCE? YEAH, MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY QUICK, UH, JUST GIVEN MY PREVIOUS VOTE THERE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE TAX INCREASE, UH, I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS PARTICULAR INCREASE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND THIS SIMPLY REFLECTS THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE TOWN. UH, THESE ARE COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN KEPT DOWN, UH, AS BEST AS WE CAN FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. OUR, OUR STAFF HAS DONE, UH, VERY GOOD JOB AS FAR AS, UH, PURCHASING AND ACQUISITION WITH, WITH, UM, UH, THE NEW EQUIPMENT AND THE NEW NEW, UM, YOU KNOW, NEW INFRASTRUCTURES WE NEEDED. SO, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST SOMETHING REALLY, THIS IS JUST BECAUSE OF THE COST OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING UP AS I, AS I SAID EARLIER. SO, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR, FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO REVIEW WHAT WE'RE TAKING ACTION ON IN FRONT OF US ON PAGE ONE OF THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, I THINK THAT MANY OF THESE FIGURES ARE MORE THAN FAIR. AND THAT'S COMING FROM SOMEONE THAT'S PRETTY CRITICAL. AN AFTER HOURS SHUTOFF CALL FOR WATER, $30, UM, THE TOWN SPENDS MORE THAN THAT TO SEND SOMEBODY TO DO SUCH WORK. UM, AND FOR A LONG TIME, THESE THINGS ON HERE THAT WERE THE DISPOSAL, THE STUFF THAT WE HAD BEEN DISCUSSING FOR A LONG TIME, THAT WE WERE BASICALLY SUBSIDIZING ON THE TAXPAYERS BACKS BY NOT CHARGING THE PEOPLE WHO WERE, UM, GETTING RID OF THOSE THINGS, WHICH NOWHERE ELSE DOES EITHER FOR FREE. ANYWAYS. UM, SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NO DISCUSSION? I'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN ? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT IS ITEM SEVEN [7.C. Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 4 Pertaining to Meetings, Required Training, Public Records and Designation of Records and FOIA Officers] C. UM, IT'S AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND FRONT ROYAL TOWN CODE CHAPTER FOUR, PERTAINING TO MEETINGS REQUIRE REQUIRED TRAINING, PUBLIC RECORDS, AND DESIGNATION OF RECORDS. FOIA OFFICERS, THIS PRESLEY SUMMARY COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND FRONT ROYAL TOWN CODE SECTIONS FOUR DASH ONE FOUR DASH FIVE, AND FOUR DASH 44 THROUGH FOUR DASH 51 PERTAINING TO MEETINGS, REQUIRED TRAINING, PUBLIC RECORDS, AND DESIGNATION OF A RECORDS AND FOIA OFFICERS AS PRESENTED. OKAY, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY. I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL. I MOVE THAT COUNSEL, ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND FRONT ROYAL TOWN CODE CHAPTERS FOUR DASH ONE FOUR DASH FIVE AND FOUR DASH FOUR FOUR THROUGH FOUR DASH FIVE ONE PERTAINING TO MEETINGS REQUIRED TRAINING, PUBLIC RECORDS AND DESIGNATION OF RECORDS AND FOIA OFFICERS AS PRESENTED. OKAY, A SECOND. COUNCILMAN SEA. ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK MS. [00:55:01] PRESLEY FOR ALL HER DIRECTIVE AND HARD WORK, UH, HELPING TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LIKE I SAID, YOU THINK YOU'LL LIKE COME BACK AND FALL INTO YOUR JUST KIDDING . I'M JUST KIDDING. ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN LOC? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ON [ 8. PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS] OUR AGENDA ARE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS. IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO ONE SIGNED UP, SIR. ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? SURE. COME FORWARD. UH, ACTUALLY I'M SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. HOLD ON HERE. I FORGOT. , WE KNOW HOW COME TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION OF THE AGENDA. IT IS THE DUTY OF THE MAYOR TO CONDUCT THIS MEETING IN AN ORDERLY MAYOR PERSONS ADDRESSING THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OR AS TO LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO THOSE RELEVANT TO THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. NO PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE SHALL BE ALLOWED TO VOICE REMARKS EXCEPT AS RECOGNIZED BY THE MAYOR OR THE CLERK OF COUNCIL OF ONE RECOGNITION BY THE MAYOR OR THE CLERK OF COUNCIL. THE SPEAKER SHALL STATE THEIR NAME, ADDRESS AND INDICATE IF THEY'RE A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL DIRECT. THEIR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL SHALL NOT ADDRESS THE SUBJECT MATTER OF A PUBLIC HEARING BEING HELD DURING THE SAME MEETING. STAY WITHIN THE ALLOTTED THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. AFTER THAT TIME IS EXPIRED, THE MICROPHONE WILL BE CUT OFF. REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS WHICH ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS OR DISPLAY OTHER DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT INCLUDING OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE DETRIMENTAL TO OR DISTURBING. THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING WILL BE WARNED TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH CONDUCT ANY ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCE AFTER THE WARNING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND THE MAYOR WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO ASK THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FRONTAL POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REMOVE THE INDIVIDUAL GROUP OR CLEAR THE ROOM SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWN. ARE YOU READY? SORRY, I HAD TO GIVE ALL THOSE DIRECTIONS WHEN SHE SAID NO ONE HAD SIGNED UP. I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA AVOID IT, BUT WE'RE GOOD NOW. OKAY. UH, CODY TAYLOR, I LIVE IN TOWN AT 7 4 9 WEST 16TH STREET. UM, MY COMMENT IS, UH, EARLIER WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT AFTERWARDS. UH, AND THE PREVAILING WISDOM WAS THAT THAT CAN'T HAPPEN, BUT THE COUNCIL CAN REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IF THEY'RE, IF THEY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION. SO IF SOMEBODY IS, IF INTERESTED AFTER THE FACT, AFTER THEY'VE HEARD SOMETHING YOU SAID, AFTER NEW INFORMATION HAS BEEN PRESENTED, THE COUNSEL COULD MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THAT BACK UP. I JUST WANTED EVERYBODY THERE AND EVERYBODY UP THERE TO KNOW THAT 'CAUSE ROBERT'S RULES ALLOWS THAT SO CAN'T ANSWER QUESTIONS UNDER ROBERT'S RULE. I I KNOW, I KNOW. I, YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. I'M JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU HAD DISCUSSION THAT CREATED NEW INFORMATION THAT THE PUBLIC HADN'T HEARD THAT JAWED SOMETHING IN THEIR MIND THAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, WHICH IN THEORY, YOU SHOULD WANT TO HEAR THAT PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, AT THAT POINT YOU COULD, IF YOU WANTED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC THING BACK UP. SO I KNOW THE, THE RESPONSE WAS IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY, BUT IT CAN IF YOU WANT TO. SO THAT'S MY COMMENT. SO THANK YOU MR. TAYLOR. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY. MOVING [9.A. Report of Town Manager] ON TO THE REPORTS AND FIRST STEP IS THE REPORT OF THE TOWN MANAGER. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UH, JUST HAD A FEW BRIEF COMMENTS TONIGHT. UM, YOU MAY NOTICE THAT THERE ARE SOME SIGNS BEING POSTED ON MAIN STREET. WE ARE HAVING A SPECIAL EVENT AND THERE WILL BE SOME ROAD CLOSURES AND PARKING IMPACTS ON APRIL 29TH THROUGH APRIL 30TH. UM, ONE OF THOSE IS A THURSDAY, SO, UH, THE RESIDENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT SOLID WASTE COLLECTION REGULARLY SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK. UM, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT OUR MAY MEETING, WHICH IS REGULARLY SCHEDULED FOR THE FOURTH MONDAY, WILL ACTUALLY BE ON TUESDAY DUE TO THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY. SO IT'LL BE ON TUESDAY, MAY 28TH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. MR. PETTY. OKAY. [9.B. Report of Councilmembers] REPORTED COUNCIL MEMBERS. IS THERE ANY TUESDAY THE 26TH, RIGHT? TUESDAY 26TH? I'M NOT SURE WILL. ALRIGHT. UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A REPORT? COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE A REPORT? I'M MAD A MAYOR. I DO. OKAY, GO AHEAD. I, UM, WELL, IN THE PAST MONTH OR SO, UM, UH, BRUCE RAP COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT AND I MET TO DISCUSS TOWN SCHOLARSHIPS. AND WE, UM, WERE IMPRESSED BY ALL THE TALENT UPCOMING AND KNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACROSS MANY SCHOOLS, [01:00:01] UM, PUBLIC, PRIVATE, UM, AND, UH, BRUCE FORCED ME TO NEGOTIATE, LEARN HOW TO DO THAT, UM, . SO WE SURVIVED. AND, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO COME OUT WITH THE, THE FOLKS THAT, THAT EARNED THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS. AND EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THAT WE GET THOSE ANONYMOUSLY. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO THE, UH, STUDENTS ARE AT ALL. UM, AND SO IT'S A COMPLETELY BLIND PROCESS OTHER THAN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THEY'VE HAD. AND AGAIN, I WILL SAY THAT THEY WERE VERY IMPRESSIVE. SO, UM, AND IT WAS MY HONOR TO, TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. I ALSO, TODAY I ATTENDED A WEBINAR, UM, FROM THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE THAT WAS TALKING ABOUT ALL THE LAWS THAT HAVE COME DOWN THAT MAY IN IMPACT THE TOWN OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. UM, AND I WILL BE FORWARDING THE SLIDESHOW INFORMATION TO OUR TOWN MANAGER FOR REVIEW. UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE DELAYED, BUT, UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO, ALL THAT INFORMATION IS OUT THERE FOR FOLKS, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT IT AND CONTINUE TO GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK, EVEN THOUGH SOME LAWS MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN PASSED. UM, I ALSO WORK THE POLLS AND I, UM, ON ONE OCCASION, UM, AND I DO WANNA SAY I, UH, IF ANYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE AN ELECTION OFFICIAL, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL PAY STIPENDS FOR THAT OR NOT, BUT THEY USED TO. BUT IT IS AN ALL DAY PROCESS, UM, WHEN IT'S THE ACTUAL ELECTION DAY THAT STARTS LIKE FOUR OR FIVE IN THE MORNING AND GOES UNTIL ALL THE VOTES ARE COUNTED. AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL LEARN, UM, HOW MUCH DEDICATION THERE IS IN MAKING SURE THAT THE NUMBERS ARE CORRECT AND THAT THE PROCESS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, HELD IN CONFIDENCE. AND, UH, THINGS ARE, ARE VERY MUCH, IT'S A VERY MUCH CONTROLLED PROCESS HERE. UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT IT, IT GIVES YOU A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENCE IN, IN HOW THINGS COME OUT, EVEN IF THEY DON'T COME OUT THE WAY YOU WANT THEM TO. UM, AND THE NEXT THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS, FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH IS JUST HORRIBLE. UM, I WOULD WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY, BECAUSE I DO, I DO THIS WITH, UM, WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR FEDERAL, UM, POLITICIANS AND SUCH, I GO STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE OF THE VIDEO. YOU KNOW, OUR VIDEOS ARE LIKELY NOT HACKED. UM, YOU CAN GO AND YOU CAN GET THE ARCHIVED VERSIONS OF OUR, OUR MEETINGS AND NOT JUST THIS MAIN MEETING, BUT THE, THE PLANNING MEETINGS SO THAT YOU HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE THAT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE TAX INCREASES OR FEE INCREASES, HOW MUCH WE BELABOR AND ARE SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LOST ON US. WE PAY TAXES TOO. AND FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH EVERYBODY ELSE GETS PAID, BUT I GET NO KICKBACKS OKAY. FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS. AND IT IS $600 OR SO A MONTH FOR ME. UM, AND, UM, SO ANYBODY THINKING WE'RE MAKING A BUNCH OF MONEY OFF OF OUR DECISIONS, LET ME JUST CLARIFY. RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT, I WOULD PRESUME NOBODY ELSE HERE IS OTHER, I'M OUT OF THE LOOP AGAIN IF, IF WE ARE. BUT, UM, AND WE, BUT WE REALLY DO SERIOUSLY TAKE, TAKE THE CONCERNS OF CITIZENS AND IF YOU FEEL WE'RE NOT HEARING YOU, OUR EMAILS ARE ON THE WEBSITE. IT'S NOT HARD TO FIND US IF YOU'RE A KEYBOARD WARRIOR. IT'S JUST REALLY NOT THAT HARD TO FIND OUR PHONE NUMBER OR OUR EMAIL AND REACH OUT TO US DIRECTLY IF THERE'S A QUESTION. BUT I WILL SAY, AGAIN, THE VIDEOS ARE THERE. I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO WATCH THEM AND YOU CAN PUT IT ON A 1.5 SPEED OR 2.0 SPEED AND GET THROUGH IT MUCH FASTER. UM, AND, UM, HEAR DIRECTLY WHAT PEOPLE SAY AND WHAT WE DO ACTUALLY VOTE ON AND WHAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY VOTE ON SO THAT YOU ARE CLEAR ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION. DON'T GET IT THIRD HAND. AND THAT IS MY PREACH FOR THE MOMENT. UM, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WISH TO SPEAK GO ON DOWN THE LINE? I GUESS JUST GO RIGHT DOWN THE LINE. THAT'LL MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER. SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I GET 900 A MONTH . YOU DO NOT. I'M, I'M KIDDING. I'M KIDDING. I'M KIDDING. I DIDN'T KNOW WE GOT 600. I HAVE TO LOOK IN THAT. WRITE THAT. UM, I WANT TO ECHO, UH, WHAT, UM, COUNCILWOMAN DEMON PAYNE SAID THAT, UM, THIS IS VERY DELIBERATE IN HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC. WE HAVE WORK SESSIONS, UH, JUST LIKE OUR PLANNING COMMISSION HAS WORK SESSIONS. SO WHEN I READ ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS [01:05:01] GOING ON. OR HOW DO YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THESE THINGS? GO ON THE TOWN WEBSITE. LOOK AT, UH, THE AGENDAS OR POST IT, THE AGENDA TONIGHT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PAGES. IT'S PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED. WITH ALL THE PARTICULAR INFORMATION ON ALL THE THINGS WE'RE WEIGHING AND VOTING ON, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING INFORMED CITIZEN. LAST MONTH WE HAD A GROUP OF CITIZENS COME FROM THE GRAND AVENUE ABOUT A REZONING. AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE A CROWD IN HERE TONIGHT, UH, THAT NIGHT. SO BE, BE ACTIVE, BE PROACTIVE, ASK US QUESTIONS. UH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LIE TO YOU. AND WE HAVE NO PERSONAL INTEREST OR, UM, MONEY THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE ON THE SIDE. I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THAT. UM, LAST, UM, EARLIER IN THE MONTH, I GUESS IT WAS, I HAD A, UM, PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE LIAISON MEETING WITH OUR COUNTY PARTNERS HELD HERE IN THE GOVERNMENT CENTER. AND, UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE. UM, WE HAD MR. PETTY AND DR. MARTIN FROM THE COUNTY, UM, UM, UH, CHAIR PERSON COLORS AND, UM, SUPERVISOR HENRY, UM, THE MAYOR AND MYSELF. GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. AND THERE ARE ITEMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON REGARDING TOURISM, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND PERHAPS SOME OTHER AREAS WHERE WE CAN SAVE TAX PAYERS MONEY. THERE'S AN INTEREST ON BOTH SIDES IN DOING THIS. AND WE HAVE A SPIRIT OF COOPERATION SINCE THIS LAST ELECTION THAT I FEEL CONFIDENT WE CAN, UM, MAKE SOME GAINS IN WORKING TOGETHER. UM, NOT HAVING DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS. AND AGAIN, THAT LOWERS THE COST OF THE TAXPAYERS. THE ONLY OTHER THING I FAILED TO DO LAST MONTH, WE WERE HERE VERY LATE AND WE CUT OUR COMMENTS SHORT. UH, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THAT BACK IN, UM, THE EARLY SEVENTIES WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN THAT SALLY MILLER WAS OUR FIRST WOMAN COUNCIL PERSON. HOW MANY OF YOU THOUGHT THAT? NO, I DID. I DID REMEMBER WHEN SHE WAS LIKE THAT. YEAH. ARE ARE YOU GETTING READY TO THAT'S, I'M GONNA TELL YOU YES. I'M GONNA TELL YOU THANKS TO OUR CLERK AND OUR EXTRAORDINARY MEMORY AND RESEARCHER THAT SHE IS, THAT OUR FIRST COUNCILWOMAN ON THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL COUNCIL WAS GLADYS LEWIS, WHO SERVED FROM 1954, THE YEAR I WAS BORN TO 1958. AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL HUMOR ME THAT I DON'T REMEMBER HER, BUT . BUT ANYWAY, UM, AND I WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT, UH, LORI, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IS OUR FIRST, UH, FEMALE MAYOR AND THAT IS ACCURATE AND WE ARE ALL PROUD OF THAT AND WE SHOULD HAVE CELEBRATED THAT DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. BUT, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT ON AWAY. COUNCILMAN ? NOPE. ALL COUNCIL WHAT? VICE MAYOR BY I DID PREPARE SOME REMARKS FOR TONIGHT 'CAUSE I'VE SAID IT MANY, MANY TIMES SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS D BUT I MADE A PLEDGE TO MYSELF FOR MY OWN SANITY WHEN I GOT ELECTED THAT I WASN'T GONNA READ THE LOCAL NEWS ANYMORE. I DID A COUPLE TIMES IN THE BEGINNING AND SAW WHERE I WAS SORELY MISQUOTED AND I DECIDED I WOULD PUT ALL MY STATEMENTS TO THE PRESS OR PEOPLE IN WRITING TO, TO HELP BATTLE THAT. AND IT STILL DIDN'T HELP . SO NONETHELESS, I WAS, UM, PREPARING FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING AND WAS ALERTED TO SOME ARTICLES IN THE PAPERS AND TO SOME COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH I DO NOT HAVE. UM, SO I PREPARED COMMENTS SO I DON'T GET OFF TRACK, BUT IT FEELS LIKE QUITE A WHILE SINCE THE LAST TIME I'VE GIVEN A REPORT. AND HONESTLY, IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE EXPERIENCED ALL FOUR SEASONS SINCE THE LAST TIME WE SAT UP HERE. I KNOW I'M GONNA FORGET SOME OF THE STUFF I'VE DONE OVER THE LAST MONTH. IT'S BEEN VERY BUSY. BUT ON GOOD FRIDAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP DISTRIBUTE 119 EASTER BASKETS TO THE LOCAL BOYS AND GIRLS, UM, WITH THE EASTER BUNNY THROUGH THE HIKE KIDS FOUNDATION. AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL REMINDER OF HOW STRONG AND GIVING THIS COMMUNITY IS. UM, I TOO WORKED THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY AND IT WAS NOT THE RESULT THAT I HOPED FOR, I CAN SAY PROUDLY. UM, HOWEVER, IT WAS REASSURING TO SIT OUTSIDE ON THAT BEAUTIFUL DAY AND HAVE POLITE DIALOGUE WITH DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, LIBERTARIANS AND INDEPENDENTS ALIKE ON THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT SPECIAL ELECTION AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR RURAL VIRGINIA MOVING FORWARD, UM, WITHOUT HAVING THE SIXTH DISTRICT ANYMORE. UM, THIS PAST SUNDAY ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HELPING TO HOST THE OPENING DAY FOR THE WARREN COUNTY GIRLS LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL. THANK YOU TO OUR MAYOR FOR JOINING US AS AN HONORARY GUEST AND HELPING TO MAKE THE DAY EVEN MORE SPECIAL FOR OUR PLAYERS AND FAMILIES. UM, AS WELL AS WE HAD SHERIFF CRYSTAL KLEIN AND CHAIRWOMAN CHERYL [01:10:01] COLORS. UM, THE LEAGUE HAS 206 LITTLE GIRLS PLAYING IN IT THIS YEAR. UM, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO MAYBE COME WATCH A GAME SOMETIME. WE WILL LIKELY BE HOSTING ANOTHER ALL STARS AND SEVERAL OF OUR LEAGUES MADE IT TO STATES LAST YEAR AND PLACED IN STATES AS WELL. UM, SINCE THE FIRST DAY I STEPPED INTO THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UM, AS A COUNCILWOMAN, I HAVE CONSISTENTLY ADVOCATED FOR PROPERTY OWNERS RIGHTS AND URBAN AGRICULTURE. I'M ON RECORD, IN FACT, SAYING ASK FOR FORGIVENESS, NOT FOR PERMISSION. I BELIEVE IN LIMITED GOVERNMENT. UH, THE TOPIC OF CHICKENS HAS BEEN SO FREQUENTLY DISCUSSED THAT IT'S ALMOST COMICAL AT THIS POINT, BUT MY POSITION HAS ALWAYS GONE FAR BEYOND THE CHICKENS. THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS TONIGHT BECAUSE DESPITE MY EFFORTS TO REITERATE MY POSITIONS DURING OUR WORK SESSIONS, DURING OUR OPEN MEETINGS, THEY ARE OFTEN IMPORTANT DETAILS THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAY MISS. UM, AT THE DECEMBER 1ST WORK SESSION, WHEN COUNSEL RECEIVED PROGRESS UPDATES REGARDING A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT RELATED TO DATA CENTERS, SPECIFICALLY DEFINING DATA CENTERS IN TOWN CODE AND ADDING THEM AS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT WITH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, I SUGGESTED THAT STAFF IN OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT DRAFT A TEXT AMENDMENT TO BAN DATA CENTERS IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL ALTOGETHER. I CITED SIMILAR CONCERNS IN PRIOR DISCUSSIONS IN THE TOWN OF WARRINGTON, AND THIS CAN BE FOUND BY REVIEWING THE, THE MEETING VIDEO AS COUNCILMAN DOMENICO PAYNE SAID. OR WHAT I PREFER TO DO IS TO READ THE MEETING MINUTES AND SKIM OVER THOSE, AND I'LL POINT YOU TO PAGE FOUR, PARAGRAPH FOUR OF THE OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 1ST WORK SESSION. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT SUGGESTION DID NOT RECEIVE A MAJORITY CONSENSUS, AND THEREFORE IT WAS NOT PURSUED. I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, I HAVE REMAINED OPPOSED TO DATA CENTERS IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL SINCE BEFORE MY TIME ON THIS COUNCIL, AND THAT POSITION REMAINS UNCHANGED TODAY. I STILL TO THIS DAY, HAVE NOT HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH DATA CENTERS COMING TO FRONT ROYAL. I KNOW THERE WAS AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED THAT STATED THAT THERE WAS A ENTITY THAT HAD BEEN IN TALKS WITH THE TOWN. I THINK IT SPECIFICALLY SAID, COUNSEL REGARDING A DATA CENTER. AND THAT MAY BE TRUE FOR SOMEBODY SITTING ALONGSIDE ME, BUT THAT HAS SURELY NOT BEEN THE CASE WITH MYSELF. I RECEIVED NO EMAILS, NO PHONE CALLS, NO TEXT MESSAGES. I KNOW SOME OF YOU GUYS LOVE DE FOIA FOIA, ALL OF MY INFORMATION. THERE HAVE BEEN NO DISCUSSIONS OF DATA CENTERS. AS FOR THE TAXES, I HAVE ALSO REMAINED CONSISTENTLY OPPOSED TO RAISING THEM. I DID NOT SEE TONIGHT'S VOTE AS A VOTE TO RAISE THE TAXES, BUT AS I SAID IN MY DISCUSSION, IT WAS TO RIGHT THE SHIP. I BELIEVE MR. TAYLOR HAS LEFT. I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE. I WASN'T ALLOWED TO ENGAGE WITH HIM, EVEN THOUGH I DID BRIEFLY, AND THE MAYOR DID NOT YELL AT ME. , WHEN I SAID WE COULDN'T REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO TAKE QUESTIONS. IT WAS BECAUSE THE CONSTITUENT OR THE RESIDENT IN THE, UM, AUDIENCE SAID HE HAD A QUESTION. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE RAN INTO THIS POSITION BEFORE WE CAN REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND YOU CAN ASK YOUR QUESTION, BUT NONE OF US ARE ALLOWED TO RESPOND. SO THEN IT REMAINS UNANSWERED. SO STILL KIND OF REMAINS A MOOT POINT. UM, I APOLOGIZE. IT WASN'T THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR THE CONCERNS OR THE QUESTION, BUT I, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO NOT RESPOND, AND I OFTEN GET IN TROUBLE FOR THAT, AND I'M TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THIS GOVERNING BODY IN THE MAYOR. UM, WHILE WE HAVE MANY RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT LIVE ON FIXED INCOMES, AS I MENTIONED, ENERGY COSTS ARE RISING, REFUSE COSTS ARE RISING. REAL ESTATE REASSESSMENTS ARE COMING BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND VERY WELL MAY INCREASE, AND THE TAXES CONTINUE TO CLIMB AT BOTH THE LOCAL AND THE STATE LEVEL. UM, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE TAXED TO BREATHE FRESH AIR BY THE END OF THIS GOVERNOR'S, SO THE INDIVIDUALS DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SIMPLY MAKE MORE MONEY TO KEEP UP. THAT SAID, I DO RECOGNIZE THE VERY REAL NEEDS THAT OUR TOWN FACES. THERE ARE A RISING COSTS BEING PLACED ON US THAT SHOULD NOT BE SUBSIDIZED. THERE ARE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, AND THEY'RE NOT ONES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR GENERATIONS OR TEMPORARILY PATCHED WITH BANDAID SOLUTIONS. THIS TIMING, HOWEVER, IS CRITICAL. UNTIL WE HAVE A FUNCTIONING AND ROBUST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT WOULD GENERATE MEANINGFUL TAX REVENUE, WE SHOULD NOT PLACE THE BURDEN ON THE BACKS OF THE TAXPAYERS. WE NEED MANUFACTURING. WE NEED LIVING WAGE JOBS. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE BENEFITING THE MOST FROM OUR COMPU COMMUNITY ARE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING TO IT FAIRLY. WE HAVE ENTITIES THAT OWN A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE HERE IN FRONT ROYAL. THEY PROFIT GREATLY FROM BEING HERE IN FRONT ROYAL, AND YET THEY PAY NOTHING IN TAXES IN FRONT ROYAL OR WARREN COUNTY. WE HAVE OFFERED HANDOUTS FOR FAR LONG ENOUGH TO THE LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYER IN THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY, AND THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE. IT'S AN INSTITUTION THAT HAS MONOPOLIZED OPPORTUNITY AND BURDENED MOST OF THE CONSTITUENTS HERE, I DO NOT, DO NOT CARE WHETHER THE AMOUNT IS $50,000 ANNUALLY OR $500,000 ANNUALLY. IT IS DUE AND IT'S OVERDUE. LONG OVERDUE. THOSE SHOULD BE [01:15:01] THE FIRST PEOPLE IN LINE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS COUNCIL AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, WE'RE IN AN ELECTION CYCLE. I WILL CONTINUE ADVOCATING FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS DIOCESE FOR A PILOT, A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES FOR THOSE WHO ARE PLACING A SIGNIFICANT BURDEN ON OUR COMMUNITY, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHILE OPERATING UNDER THE PROTECTION AND THE GUISE OF A NOT-FOR-PROFIT STATUS. BECAUSE THE REALITY OF IT IS THIS, IF RAISING TAXES BECOMES THE FIRST SOLUTION, THEN EVEN IF WE EVENTUALLY SOLVE THE UNDERLYING PROBLEMS, WILL WE EVER TRULY REDUCE THOSE TAXES? I ASK THAT AT A WORK SESSION, GO BACK AND WATCH THE VIDEO, OR WILL WE SIMPLY BECOME DEPENDENT ON THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND CONTINUE COLLECTING IT INDEFINITELY? AS LONG AS I'M HERE IN FRONT ROYAL, WHETHER OR NOT ON COUNCIL, I WILL CONTINUE TO STAND FOR THE VALUES THAT SEEM LIKE COMMON SENSE TO ME. LIMITED GOVERNMENT PROVIDING THE PUBLIC WITH THE NE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND SUPPORTING AND UNBURDENING SMALL BUSINESSES AND WORKING FAMILIES WHO CHOOSE FRONT ROYAL AS THEIR HOME. AT THIS POINT, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PRESERVATION ANYMORE, IT'S ABOUT RESTORATION. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN INGRAM. DID YOU, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT? UH, YEAH. MADAM MAYOR, FIRST OFF, I SECOND, UH, VICE MAYOR ALS, UH, SEDIMENTS THERE TOWARDS DATA CENTERS. IN FACT, I, IF I RECALL, I BELIEVE I EVEN, UH, SUPPORTED HER, HER, UH, GESTURE THERE AT THE DECEMBER, UH, MEETING FROM LAST YEAR. IN THAT REGARD. UH, I DID LOOK THROUGH MY CALENDAR ON MY PHONE EARLIER. I DON'T HAVE ANY EVENTS THAT I HAD, UH, ATTENDED TO, TO ANY SIGNIFICANCE AS FAR AS, UH, TOWN GOES. UM, THIS PAST MONTH IN APRIL, I DO HAVE SOME COMING UP IN MAY. I'LL BE, I'LL BE GLAD TO REPORT ON. UH, BUT AT THIS TIME, MAD MAYOR. AS FAR AS, UH, TOWN EVENTS, I, I, UH, RARE TIME. I DON'T HAVE ANY TO REPORT, SO THANK YOU. OKAY. ALRIGHT. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT. OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, SO, SO I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA TRY TO KEEP THE POLITICS, UH, OUT OF IT TONIGHT. UH, THE, YOU KNOW, I I, I HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD, UH, I, I, I GUESS I DON'T READ THE NEWSPAPER ENOUGH , SO I DIDN'T READ IT TODAY. YEAH, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T READ IT TODAY. UH, SO PERHAPS, UH, I NEED TO, UH, TO BE INFORMED. UM, UH, AND SOCIAL MEDIA IS SO, IS WHAT IT IS. I MEAN, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT'S REAL, SOME OF IT'S NOT REAL. UH, SO, UH, AI, UH, CAN BE, IT CAN, IT CAN MAKE YOU THINK THINGS THAT REALLY AREN'T REAL . SO, UH, UH, AND YOU CAN GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT STUFF. IT CAN BE, UH, DANGEROUS. IT CAN BE DANGEROUS. THERE'S ARE, ARE, ARE SOME THINGS ABOUT AI THAT ARE GREAT, BUT, UH, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS YOU GOTTA PICK AND CHOOSE. UH, BUT I'M GONNA GET TO, UH, WHAT I'VE DONE, UH, THIS, UH, PAST MONTH, AND I GUESS IT HASN'T BEEN, UH, QUITE ENOUGH. BUT I DID SERVE ON THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE ALONG WITH, UH, MELISSA, UM, COUNCILMAN DAMCO PAYNE. AND, UH, IT WAS REALLY A TOUGH PROCESS TO SELECT THE, THE BEST CANDIDATES, UH, FOR THE SCHOLARSHIPS. I MEAN, ALMOST ALL OF 'EM, I I WOULD SAY ALL OF 'EM, UH, HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. AND THEY, THEY ALL, IN A SENSE SHOWED DEDICATION TO TEAM. UH, THEY DEMONSTRATED PHILANTHROPY. UH, THEY DEMONSTRATED, UH, ENTREPR ENTREPRENEURSHIP. UM, AND ALL OF THAT WAS IMPRESSIVE. AND IF I HAD MY WAY, I WOULD'VE GIVEN ALL THE APPLICANTS, UM, A, UH, SCHOLARSHIP. BUT, UH, I GUESS I COULD DIG IN MY OWN POCKET. I WAS GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW, , BUT, UH, UM, MAYBE. WELL, ANYWAY, UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UH, YOU KNOW, I I REALLY WANT TO THANK THOSE, UH, WINNERS, UH, FOR THEIR TIME, THEIR EFFORTS, MAKING POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, TO THEIR SCHOOLS AND THEIR COMMUNITY. UH, ALSO ATTENDED THE, UM, 100TH ANNIVERSARY, UH, GALA OF ROTARY, UH, FOR THE FRONT ROYAL ROTARY. UH, YOU KNOW, ROTARY IS A TOP-NOTCH ORGANIZATION. UH, THEY DO GREAT THINGS. UM, AND IT WAS A PLEASURE, [01:20:01] UH, FOR ME TO, UM, ATTEND THAT, UM, AND CONTRIBUTE. UM, I MISSED THE OPENING CEREMONIES OF THE LONE PINE DAY, BUT I DID SHOW UP. MAYOR, UH, DID, DID YOU PLANT A TREE? I SURE DID. OKAY. I WANNA SEE A VIDEO TAPE. IT'S A, FOR THAT, IT'S A CHOKE CHAIR. MR. PETTY SAW ME. OKAY. . UM, I HAD A GOLDEN SHOVEL AND EVERYTHING. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. OKAY. DID YOU USE THE SHOVEL? I SURE DID. , I SHOVELED A LOT. USUALLY I SHOVELED A LOT. NO, IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T QUITE LIKE IT WAS IN YEARS PAST. BUT ANYWAY, I DIGRESSED THAT THERE WERE THREE TREES LEFT WHEN I SHOWED UP. AND I CAN TELL YOU I DID NOT TAKE ONE. ALRIGHT. , UH, LAST YEAR I DIDN'T HAVE VERY GOOD LUCK WITH MY TREE AND I DIDN'T MAKE IT. UM, UH, ACTUALLY IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. I MEAN, IT WAS WELL ATTENDED. UM, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS LARGER THAN LAST YEAR. UH, WHAT'D YOU SAY? WE, UH, THERE, THAT WAS A DISCUSSION WHETHER IT WAS OR WAS NOT. OKAY. SO I, I I LOOKED LARGER. YEAH. UH, SO, UH, ANYWAY, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY IS, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE COUNCIL TOOK, UH, SOME, UH, SHOTS IN THE NEWS. I'LL HAVE TO REDO IT, ARTICLES. UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, I LIVE BY THREE RULES. WHEN I, WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING, I TRY MY BEST TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND, AND ANYTHING THAT COMES BEFORE US, YOU KNOW, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I TRY TO DO. AND I'M SURE I CAN SPEAK FOR THE OTHERS, UH, THAT THEY TRY TO DO THAT AS WELL. AND MY SECOND RULE IS, UM, I TRY TO BE THE BEST THAT I CAN BE. AND I THINK WE ALL WANNA BE THE BEST THAT WE, UH, CAN BE. AND, AND THE LAST, THE LAST, UH, RULE I TRY TO LIVE BY IS I WANT TO SHOW YOU ALL THAT I CARE. AND, UH, AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN REACH OUT, FIND US ON, UH, THE TOWN WEBSITE, EMAIL, AND SHOOT US AN EMAIL. I'LL BE HAPPY TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTIONS. OTHER THAN THAT, MAYOR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. SO, [9.C. Report of the Mayor] UM, FOR THE MAYOR'S REPORT, UM, FOR THIS PAST MONTH, I FELT LIKE I HADN'T DONE AS MUCH UNTIL I STARTED COPYING, GETTING ALL OF IT TOGETHER. SO, UH, I ATTENDED THE YOUNG LIFE WING NIGHT AT WING Q, UM, AND IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO ONE OF THOSE, IT'S QUITE INTERESTING. THEY SET A TIMER AND THEY HAVE, THEY JUST KEEP, UH, FILLING THEIR WING PLATE MORE AND MORE. UM, YEAH, IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING. UM, AND ONE OF THE GUYS THAT WON, THEN HE DECIDED TO DO LIKE THE THIRD ROUND INTO THE SECOND ROUND. AND THERE WAS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN THE THIRD ROUND. HE, HE THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA, HE THOUGHT HE, HE THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO DO MORE THAN WHAT HE COULD. AND THEN I, I DON'T THINK IT WENT, WAIT, THIS IS A CHALLENGE TO EAT CHICKEN WING. IT IS. IT IS. UM, IT'S, IT'S, YES, IT, WELL, I'M GONNA REMEMBER THAT NEXT YEAR, IF YOU LIKE THAT STUFF. THERE WERE WOMEN IN IT TOO, JUST SAYING, UM, THEY, THEY, YOU PLEDGED BY HOW MANY WINGS YOU THOUGHT THEY WOULD EAT, AND IT WAS ALL TO GO TOWARDS THE YOUNG LIFE CAMP, UM, TO HELP FUND. UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY LIKE ONE Q, YOU KNOW, UH, LET THEM HOLD THE, UM, EVENT THERE AND HELP THEM SPONSOR IT. SO IT WAS PRETTY, PRETTY COOL. AND THERE WAS LIKE A YOUNG GIRL, I'M GONNA SAY THE WRONG THING, BUT I WANNA SAY SHE ATE LIKE 29. LIKE IT WAS A LOT. IT WAS A LOT. I, I WENT TO FRONT ROW LITTLE LEAGUES OPENING DAY AND UM, IT WAS A SPECIAL DAY BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID, UM, WAS TO UNVEIL A, UM, A LARGE BRICK STRUCTURE THAT HAD ALL THE DIFFERENT LITTLE LEAGUES OVER THE YEAR. THAT ONE THAT HAD GONE TO THE WORLD SERIES AND THEN, UM, UH, UH, STATE CHAMPIONS, AS FAR BACK AS I WANNA SAY, IT WAS THE 1960 AND THE 1961 TEAM. AND OF COURSE TO GO ALONG WITH LAST YEAR. SO, UM, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE THAT MANY YOUTH IN ONE SPOT. I ALSO ATTENDED THE CITIZENS ACADEMY AND PUBLIC WORKS HOSTED AT THAT TIME, AND THAT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. AGAIN, I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S [01:25:01] AN AMAZING CLASS. SO MANY GOOD QUESTIONS THAT I THINK OUR, OUR STAFF AND, AND ENJOYS IT AS MUCH AS WE DO. SO THAT'S WONDERFUL. I ATTENDED THE LIAISON MEETING AND I'M GONNA AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN WOOD. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING. I THOUGHT WE, IT WAS A LONG MEETING COMPARED TO THE USUAL LIAISON MEETINGS, BUT WE DID COVER A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE HIGHLIGHT OF THAT EVENING IN MY MIND WAS THE FACT THAT THERE WAS COMMON GROUND AND THAT WE SAW WAYS IN WHICH WE COULD WORK TOGETHER AND, UH, COMBINE OUR RESOURCES TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. AND, AND I JUST WANNA ALWAYS REMIND PEOPLE, EVERY TOWN CITIZEN IS ALSO A COUNTY CITIZEN. SO THAT WAS A GOOD MEETING AND I BELIEVE WE'RE DOING IT IN JUNE AND STAY TUNED, COUNSEL. I THINK THEY WANTED A FULL COUNSEL AND A FULL BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT THAT MEETING. AND THE DATE THAT THEY SET UP WAS GONNA CHANGE. I WANNA, IS IT NOW GONNA BE JUNE 4TH INSTEAD JUNE 11TH? I THINK 11TH IS, YEAH. IT'S SOMETHING, THEY DID CHANGE IT, BUT THEY REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR ALL OF US TO BE THERE SO THAT, UM, WE COULD DISCUSS SOME THINGS. AND THEN I ALSO ATTENDED THE ROTARY GALA, THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY, UM, AND, AND PRESENTED A PROCLAMATION. BUT I WILL SAY THAT WAS A PRETTY FANTASTIC EVENING. UM, THEY HAD JUST SO MANY PEOPLE THERE AND THEY BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF, UM, PEOPLE THAT WERE LIKE FORMER PRESIDENTS AND JUST REALLY CELEBRATED ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS AND TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, THEIR HISTORY AND JUST A LOT OF NAMES THAT I REMEMBER EVEN FROM MY CHILDHOOD. SO IT WAS A VERY SPECIAL EVENING. THEN I ATTENDED LAST WEEK. I ACTUALLY HAD A DIFFERENT MEETING AND I HAD TO GO TO THE YOUNG LIFE BANQUET AT THE END OF IT. UM, I THINK I WAS THERE FOR THE LAST TWO ROUNDS OF TRIVIA AND FOR THE CLEANUP. UM, BUT WHAT A GREAT ORGANIZATION THAT IS AS WELL. AND THAT WAS HELD AT THE STUDENT UNION, THE YOUNG LIFE BANQUET. UM, AND THEN I ATTENDED LONE PINE DAY. IT'S THE 27TH YEAR, RIGHT? IT WAS THE 27TH YEAR AS A TREE. CITY USA, UH, WE ARE DESIGNATED AS TREE CITY USA. AND YES, I DID PLANT A TREE. IT WAS A CHOKE CHERRY. I ALREADY TOLD YOU GUYS THAT, AND I REALLY LIKED THE LOCATION THIS YEAR. 'CAUSE SOMETIMES WE, IT'S ALWAYS LIKE BEHIND STUFF, BUT THIS IS RIGHT IN THE MEDIAN STRIP. WHEN YOU COME INTO THE GAZEBO FROM LA VIRGINIA HALE, THERE'S THAT MEDIAN STRIP THAT GOES IN THERE. THEY PLANTED IT RIGHT AT THE END. IT REALLY, I'M SURPRISED I NEVER HAD A TREE THERE. OR WE SPECULATE. MAYBE IT DID AND SOMEBODY HIT IT AND IT DIED. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A GOOD SPOT. AND THEN YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE GIRLS SOFTBALL OPENING DAY. AND I JUST WANNA SAY FROM, AND, AND VICE MAYOR VIAL IS THE PRESIDENT OF THAT LEAGUE. AND FROM T-BALL TO MAJORS, THERE WERE SMILES AND THEY WERE HAPPY AND THEY HAD REALLY BRIGHT UNIFORMS WITH INTERESTING NAMES. UNLESS, UNLESS I GOT THE WRONG INFORMATION, I ASKED THEM, I WAS LIKE, DID YOU PICK YOUR NAMES? AND ONE OF THE MOMS SAID THAT THEY GOT TO PICK THEIR NAMES AND PICK THEIR UNIFORM, DESIGN OF THEIR UNIFORM. AND THEY WERE VERY FASHIONABLE. IT WAS, IT WAS BRIGHT AND IT WAS GREAT. AND THEY SEEMED HAPPY AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. SO THAT IS, UM, EVERYTHING I HAVE FOR THE REPORT OF THE MAYOR LOOK FORWARD TO SOME WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING FOR OUR COMMUNITY SOON. SO NEXT STEP, OUR, UM, ITEM NUMBER 10 IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT [10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS] COUNCIL APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS STATED SECOND. ANY, ANY, UM, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, LET'S DO ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN OCK? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES ALL THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. OH, SORRY. NEXT UP I REAL, I FORGOT. WE HAVE A SECOND PAGE. THERE'S BUSINESS ITEMS, FOUR DIFFERENT [11.A. Resolution Authorizing Execution of the 2026 Power Pool Participant Schedule with AMP] BUSINESS ITEMS. SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE FIRST ONE, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF THE 2026 POWER POOL PARTICIPANT SCHEDULE WITH AMP. MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU READ THE SUMMARY? COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF THE 2026 POWER POOL PARTICIPANT SCHEDULE WITH AMP AS PRESENTED, THE TOWN DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE AN ACTIVE POWER POOL AGREEMENT IN PLACE AS THE PREVIOUS AGREEMENT EXPIRED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THIS AGREEMENT IS NEEDED TO FORMALLY ESTABLISH HOW POWER COSTS THROUGH PJM ARE BILLED AND HOW SHORT TERM POWER PURCHASES ARE HANDLED. THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT CHANGE ANY CURRENT PRACTICES OR REQUIRE THE TOWN TO PURCHASE POWER. IT SIMPLY FORMALIZES EXISTING PROCESSES AND ENSURES AMP HAS CLEAR AUTHORITY TO ACT ON THE TOWN'S BEHALF WHEN NECESSARY. OKAY. [01:30:01] ALL RIGHT. UM, COUNSEL, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED AT THE WORK SESSION. DOES ANYBODY I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF THE 2026 POWER POOL PARTICIPANT SCHEDULE WITH AMP IS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. MOTION IS SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? UH, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY, UH, I BELIEVE THIS WILL HELP AS THE CONSULTANTS, UH, EXPLAIN TO US, UH, IT WILL HELP ALLEVIATE, UH, SPIKES, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT ON THE MARKET AND PAY THE MARKET PRICE, WHICH, UH, WOULD BE ABSORBENT. UH, SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO THIS, UH, BEING PUT IN PLACE. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, MS. PRESLEY, ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN SEA LOCK? YES. VICE MAYOR AL? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. NEXT UP IS ITEM [11.B. Repeal Ordinance Adopted February 2, 2026 Approving to Vacate 12,914 Square Feet of an Unimproved Street Located Between 218 E. 4th Street and Norfolk Southern Railway Company] 11 B. TO REPEAL, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026, APPROVING TO VACATE 12,914 SQUARE FEET OF AN UNIMPROVED STREET LOCATED BETWEEN 218 EAST FOURTH STREET AND NORTH SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO REPEAL THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026, APPROVING TO VACATE 12,914 SQUARE FEET OF AN UNIMPROVED STREET LOCATED BETWEEN 218 EAST FOURTH STREET AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY. LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE APPLICANT AND PURCHASER HAVE REQUEST TO REPEAL THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW NEW PROPERTY OWNERS TO REAPPLY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I MOVE THAT. COUNSEL REPEAL. THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026, APPROVING TO VACATE 12,914 SQUARE FEET OF AN UNIMPROVED STREET LOCATED BETWEEN TWO 18 EAST FOURTH STREET AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY. SECOND. MOTION A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. HEARING NO DISCUSSION, MS. PRESS THE ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN DE DAMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN OCK? YES. VICE MAYOR ENTAL? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. ITEM [11.C. Repeal Ordinance Adopted February 2, 2026 Approving to Vacate 14,188 Square Feet of an Unimproved Street Located Between 5th Street and Norfolk Southern Railway Company] 11 C IS TO REPEAL AN ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026 APPROVING TO VACATE 14,188 SQUARE FEET OF AN UNIMPROVED STREET LOCATED BETWEEN FIFTH STREET AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY. SUMMARY IS COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO REPEAL. THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026, APPROVING TO VACATE 14,188 SQUARE FEET OF UNIMPROVED STREET LOCATED BETWEEN FIFTH STREET AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY. LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE APPLICANT AND PURCHASER HAVE REQUESTED REPEAL THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW NEW PROPERTY OWNERS TO REAPPLY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNSEL REPEAL. THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026 APPROVING TO VACATE 1000, UM, EXCUSE ME, 14,188 SQUARE FEET OF AN UNAPPROVED STREET LOCATED BETWEEN FIFTH STREET AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY. MOTION IS SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN LOC? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. OKAY. SO OUR LI LAST ITEM [11.D. Repeal Ordinance Adopted February 2, 2026 Approving to Vacate 14,442 Square Feet of an Unimproved Street Located Between 412 North Commerce Avenue and Norfolk Southern Railway Company.] IS 11 D. IT'S TO REPEAL AN ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026, APPROVING TO VACATE 14,442 SQUARE FEET OF AN UNIMPROVED STREET LOCATED BETWEEN FOUR 12 NORTH COMMERCE AVENUE AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY. AND MS. PRESLEY, I BELIEVE I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT YOU READ YOUR LAST SUMMARY. , IF I CAN'T HANG ON. I KNOW I'M COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO REPEAL THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026 APPROVING TO VACATE 14,442 SQUARE FEET OF AN UNAPPROVED STREET LOCATED BETWEEN FOUR 12 NORTH COMMERCE AVENUE AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY. LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE APPLICANT AND PURCHASER HAVE REQUESTED REPEAL OF THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW NEW PROPERTY OWNERS TO REAPPLY. OKAY, I WILL ENTER. THANK YOU. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THE COUNCIL REPEAL. THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026, WHICH APPROVED THE VACATION OF 14,442 SQUARE FEET OF UNIMPROVED STREET, LOCATED BETWEEN FOUR 12 NORTH COMMERCE AVENUE AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY. SECOND. OKAY. MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. MS. PRESLEY, ROLL CALL. I'M SORRY. WHO? SECOND? UH, IT WAS VO IT WAS MR. WOOD. WHEN MR. WOOD IT WAS MR. COUNCILMAN WOOD. IT WAS BETWEEN GLEN. YEAH, IT WAS BETWEEN THE TWO OF 'EM. LET'S GIVE THIS ONE TO MR. WOOD BECAUSE MR. WAS THE LAST ONE. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN [01:35:01] INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN OCK? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. OKAY. NEXT STEP IS ITEM NUMBER 12, [ 12. CLOSED MEETING] WHICH IS OUR CLOSED MEETING. AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I MOVE THAT TOWN COUNCIL CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 2 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES. ONE, PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 A SEVEN OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL AND BRIEFINGS BY STAFF MEMBERS OR CONSULTANTS PERTAINING TO ACTUAL LITIGATION WHERE SUCH CONSULTATION OR BRIEFING AN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE NEGOTIATING OR LITIGATING POSTURE OF THE PUBLIC BODY. MORE SPECIFICALLY DOWNS TRUSTEE VERSUS THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. AND TWO, PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A THREE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE OR OF THE DISPOSITION OF PUBLICLY HELD REAL PROPERTY, WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE PUBLIC BODY. MORE SPECIFICALLY, A, THE SALE OF THE VACATED 6,235 SQUARE FOOT PORTION OF THE UNIMPROVED RANDOLPH AVENUE BETWEEN WASHINGTON AVENUE AND LOT FIVE AND B, THE SALE OF THE VACATED 1800 SQUARE FOOT PORTION OF THE UNIMPROVED ALLEY BETWEEN WEST 13TH STREET AND WEST 14TH STREET. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION. I HEAR A SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. MOTION AND SECOND ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. VICE COUNCILWOMAN DE DEMON PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN OCK? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. OKAY. WE ARE NOW ENCLOSED. * 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.