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UH, HILLARY,[Economic Development Authority on June 1, 2026.]
CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL? CHAIRMAN RICK NOVA.UM, I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES SO WE CAN DISCUSS 'EM.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? I'M GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO PERUSE THE MINUTES.
I DON'T THINK WE DID, DID WE? NO, YOU'RE VERY RIGHT.
IF NOBODY HAS ANY HEARTBURN ABOUT IT, I'LL ENTERTAIN.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY WITH SAYING AND AYE.
SO I AM LOOKING AT THE QUARTERLY BUSINESS REPORT FROM RETAIL STRATEGIES THAT WE GOT.
I THINK CAME IN WHILE I WAS ON VACATION LAST WEEK.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THEY WENT TO ICSC IN LAS VEGAS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A REPORT OUT ON THAT THAT JUST HAPPENED.
AND, UM, WHEN I CHECKED IN WITH THEM, THEY HAD ABOUT 22,000 PEOPLE REGISTERED.
THAT'S ALL THE BIG BRANDS AND THE BIG DEVELOPERS AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
THEY SAID THEY WERE BACK TO PRE COVID NUMBERS, WHICH THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, THEY DID HAVE SOME SPECIFIC MEETINGS THAT THEY WERE LOOKING TOWARD FOR US THAT WERE HAPPENING AT THAT SHOW.
UM, THEY WERE LOOKING AT HOTEL BRAND SPECIFIC MEETINGS.
UM, SOME, I THINK THEY REFER TO 'EM AS CLOTHING SPECIFIC MEETINGS AND, UM, GROCER MEETINGS AS WELL.
SO THEY HAD, UM, KIND OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT THEY SHARED IN THIS REPORT.
A NATIONAL HAIR SALON FRANCHISE, UM, IS INTERESTED IN THE MARKET.
THEY'RE TRYING TO EVALUATE WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN OUR MARKET FOR THEM TO A BOX TO MOVE THE M INTO.
UM, A NATIONAL SUB SANDWICH FRANCHISE IS ALSO INTERESTED.
UM, THERE WAS A NATIONAL CHICKEN QSR CONCEPT, QSR BEING QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANT.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS A SECOND ONE OF THOSE THAT IS LOOKING AT MORE, UM, WELL THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND A FRANCHISEE TO ASSIGN TO THAT.
THE COMPANY, THE BRAND ITSELF IS LOOKING FOR A FRANCHISEE TO ASSIGN TO THAT, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY CIRCLED THIS AREA HERE.
UM, AS THE NEXT MARKET THEY WANNA MOVE INTO.
SO, UM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE THERE WAS ANOTHER FUEL CONCEPT STORE, CONVENIENCE STORE THAT WAS INTERESTED.
UM, THEY KNOW THAT'S VERY LOW LEVEL FOR US, SO THEY ENTERTAINED THE CONVERSATION BUT DID NOT PUSH FOR THAT BY ANY MEANS.
THEY WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON THAT.
UM, THEY WERE LIKE, YOU GUYS ARE PRETTY WELL COVERED FOR FUEL.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THEM, KIND OF HIGH LEVEL AT THIS MOMENT.
I DO THINK THAT, UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT WITH JIMMY, THE BROKER GUY ON THEIR TEAM.
YOU GUYS HAVE MENTIONED MM-HMM
UM, ABOUT GETTING SOME FEEDBACK FROM SOME OF THE OTHER BROKERS THAT THEY WERE TALKING TO ABOUT LIKE, WHAT ARE WE MISSING? WHAT ARE THEY NOT SEEING? WHAT NEEDS TO BE MORE APPEALING TO THE BRANDS THAT THEY'RE TALKING TO? MM-HMM
SO WE ASKED HIM TO KIND OF COMPILE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT BECAUSE WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT FEEDBACK HERE LOCALLY.
UM, WE ALSO WANTED TO TALK, I, I ASKED THEM IF WE COULD LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BUSINESS INSIGHTS THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT MICHAEL AND JIMMY HAD TALKED ABOUT.
OH GOSH, IT'S BEEN MONTHS NOW.
UM, THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF DATA THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT THEY COULD BUILD OUT SOME SMALL REPORTS FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES HERE.
AND I SAID, HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO THEY'RE GONNA GET US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'D BE A GREAT, SOME SERVICE WE COULD OFFER TO OUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE EXISTING MM-HMM
UM, EVEN IF IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE TRIP IN SITES OR CUSTOMER PROFILES OR, I, I THINK ANYTHING WE CAN PROVIDE TO THEM WOULD BE OF SOMEWHAT OF A BENEFIT.
SO, UM, I DID ASK THEM ABOUT THAT AND MICHAEL WAS VERY EAGER TO GET THAT GOING FOR US.
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GET ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, MAYBE WE CAN, UM, HILLARY'S AIR BRAKES, UM, MAYBE WE CAN COMPILE A LIST OF BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HAVING SOME, SOME DATA LIKE THAT.SO, UM, IN A NUTSHELL, AM I MISSING ANYTHING JOE? I DON'T THINK.
UM, I KNOW THEY'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT IS HERE IN TOWN.
WE KNOW ABOUT THE ONES THAT WE SEE AND WE DRIVE BY THE BIG SIGNS ALL THE TIME.
SO I KNOW THEY'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH HEIMER.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ON COMMERCE AND I KNOW THEY'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CORNER OF 14TH AND SHENANDOAH AND UM, I KNOW THEY'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME STUFF THAT'S NOT EVEN OFFICIALLY WITH SOME OFF MARKET OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE QUIETLY AVAILABLE TOO.
SO THEY, UM, I FELT A LITTLE BETTER AFTER THIS LAST CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
I HATE TO USE THAT WORD 17 TIMES IN THE SAME SENTENCE, BUT, UM, IT SEEMED TO ME LIKE THEY WERE AWA VERY AWARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME RUMORS ONLINE I'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN SENT TO ME ALL OVER FACEBOOK ABOUT, UM, A, A GYM AND ABOUT ANOTHER COFFEE, UM, CHAIN THAT ARE LOOKING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I AM NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THOSE DEALS, SO I COULDN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
I KNOW THAT RETAIL STRATEGIES IS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THOSE DEALS EITHER.
UM, I KNOW THEY'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THOSE BRANDS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WHEN WE EXPRESSED OUR PRIORITIES, THEY HAVE ALIGNED THEMSELVES TO OUR PRIORITIES.
SO I DID WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THINGS ARE MOVING, YOU LIKE MOVING.
MORE TIME THAN I LIKE, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS OR STUFF YOU WANT ME TO TAKE BACK? WHEN'S YOUR NEXT MEETING? AND YOU, YOU GUYS ARE BE, I, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE THURSDAY.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE THURSDAY.
WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
UM, SO, UH, WE'RE ONTO ONGOING BUSINESS AND THE NEW BUSINESS, SO WE KIND OF SORT OF TOUCHED ON IT RIGHT NOW.
RETAIL STRATEGY, LITTLE OVERLAP THERE.
UM, EXISTING BUSINESS, ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY'S HEARING ABOUT WITH EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR EXPANSION OR CONTRACTION OR ANYTHING ANYBODY'S HEARING, I'D LIKE TO, IF WE CAN USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF FILL ME IN ON STUFF YOU'RE HEARING OR STUFF YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF.
UM, I DID ATTEND THE, UM, EMPLOYER EXPO LAST MONTH.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF A, OF APPLICANTS AND DRAFT SEEKERS, WHICH WAS GREAT.
UM, I WAS NOT OUT ON THE FLOOR WITH ALL THE VENDORS.
I WAS IN A DIFFERENT SECTION VOLUNTEERING, BUT, UM, IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED BY BOTH EMPLOYERS AND JOB SEEKERS.
SO I'M GLAD THAT I GOT TO SEE THAT.
AND I'D LIKE FOR US TO HAVE AN EVEN BIGGER PRESENCE NEXT YEAR.
WE HAD A HANDFUL OF EMPLOYERS FROM WARREN COUNTY, LIKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, VALLEY HEALTH IS OF COURSE WELL REPRESENTED.
UM, I EVEN SAW SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FROM OTHER AREAS, WHICH WAS KIND OF COOL.
LIKE SHENANDOAH COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS THERE IN RECRUITING.
UM, OUR FRIENDS FROM THE SECRET SERVICE WERE ACTUALLY THERE TOO NOW.
THEY WEREN'T SECRET SERVICE THAT WE KNEW FROM THE RURAL IS THAT THEY WERE OTHER SUPER SERVICE
UM, BUT I, I DID GO CHECK IN WITH THEM.
BUT, UM, YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS COOL TO SEE THE VARIETY OF, OF EMPLOYERS THERE, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE OUR CORNER OF THE WORLD BETTER REPRESENTED AT THAT EVENT.
SO I'M GONNA, THAT'S A GOAL FOR ME TO SEE MORE FOR WARREN COUNTY THERE NEXT YEAR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT THAT YOU COULD TALK ABOUT, ABOUT KIND OF, AND MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON IN VALLEY HEALTH, LIKE, BEEN IN THE PAPER A LOT LATELY WITH, YOU KNOW, UH, LIKE THE PHARMACY CLOSING, THE PHARMACY OF THE, UH, WHAT IS IT? FAMILY PRACTICE YEAH.
MOVING OUT OF THAT BUILDING AND, RIGHT.
WELL, I THINK THEY'RE DISSOLVING TIES TOO.
ANYTHING THAT I KNOW IS REALLY ANECDOTAL.
I'M NOT AS, I JUST WAS CURIOUS IF YOU NO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I READ THOSE SAME ARTICLES AND I, I DO HAVE A GOOD FRIEND WHO, WHO WORKS IN A LEADERSHIP
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ROLE AT THAT ORGANIZATION.AND, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF DRIVING, THIS IS SOME LEGISLATIVE THINGS THAT HAVE COME DOWN AND, UM, I, I THINK IT'S DRIVING BEHAVIORS FOR FOLKS MM-HMM
UM, PARTICULARLY WITH THEIR MEDICAL DECISIONS.
SO IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S, I THINK WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS DRIVING THESE THINGS IS WHAT'S DRIVING THESE THINGS.
UM, BUT I, I DON'T, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY MAJOR SWEEPING CHANGES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S FOR SURE.
SO, BUT THE EXCEPTION OF THE PHARMACY I GUESS.
BUT FAMILY PRACTICE IS STILL, UM, THEY'RE STILL GONNA FUNCTION AND THEY'RE JUST MOVING BACK TO THEIR OLD PLACE.
BUT IT DOES SOUND LIKE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE THE INCUBATOR FOR NEW DOCTORS THAT THEY ONCE WERE, UM, WITH VALLEY HEALTH.
SO I DO KNOW THEY TRIED TO KEEP THAT RELATIONSHIP.
UM, BUT THE FAMILY PRACTICE WAS NOT KEEN ON THAT, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
INSIGHTS, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, JOE, ANY UPDATE ON SOUTH STREET OR WE HAVEN'T HAD A, SO I THINK THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON SOME FINALIZING DRAWINGS.
THEY'VE WORKED WITH, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS THERE TO DEVELOP A POTENTIAL LEFT TURN INTO THE EASTERN MOST ENTRANCE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
SO I THINK THEY'RE FINALIZING SOME OF THE DRAWINGS THAT WOULD MAKE THAT WORK.
UM, AND BY HAVING AN APPROPRIATE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, THERE'S THE ONE THAT'S THERE NOW, THAT ONE WOULD HAVE TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE HAVEN'T HAD A CALL AS, AS THEY'RE FINALIZING SOME OF THOSE DETAILS TO GET FINAL DRAWINGS DONE TO THEN LOOK AT BIDS STARTING NEXT YEAR ON.
SO, SO IT'S MOVING ALONG AND LIKE, I THINK I REPORTED LAST MONTH, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN OUR PARTNERS AT VDOT AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO KIND OF COME UP WITH A GOOD SOLUTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, WE WERE HAVING MEETINGS EVERY TWO WEEKS TO GET THROUGH THAT, SO IT REALLY WORKED WELL.
AND I THINK THEY'VE COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT IS, DOESN'T, I DON'T THINK CHANGE TOO MUCH OF WHAT YOU SEE TODAY EXCEPT ACTUALLY MAKE IT A LITTLE BETTER.
'CAUSE YOU'LL ACTUALLY HAVE A TURN LANE, UM, WHERE NOW YOU'RE TURNING FROM THE TRAFFIC LANE.
ANY QUESTIONS GUYS? I MEAN, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT? THE DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY.
UM, THIS EVENING, I BELIEVE, CORRECT.
THAT GOES TO THE CONTRACT TO EXECUTE THAT PROJECT GOES TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AT THE WORK SESSION TONIGHT.
SO I THINK THAT'LL BE PRESENTED BY THE PURCHASING MANAGER.
UM, AND LAUREN WILL BE ON HAND I'M SURE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT THAT IS MOVING FORWARD.
AND IF IT MOVES FORWARD, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO BE APPROVED IF IT'S, THEY MOVE IT FORWARD FOR APPROVAL, THE CONTRACT WOULD BE APPROVED AT THE REGULAR MEETING THIS MONTH.
ONCE THAT'S APPROVED, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM TO START TONIGHT.
I'M SORRY, TONIGHT THE WORK SESSION.
SO YEAH, IT WOULD BE AT THE JUNE REGULAR MEETING FOR APPROVAL AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE OUR PRELIMINARY MEETINGS AND THEY'LL COME BACK AND PRESENT THE COUNSEL WITH THEIR FINDINGS.
SO YEAH, THEY'LL BE DOING, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN, UH, PARKING USAGE SIGNAGE.
THEY'RE ALSO EVALUATING PAID PARKING OPTIONS.
NOT SAYING WE'RE IMPLEMENTING PAID PARKING, BUT THEY'RE EVALUATING EVERY FACET OF THAT.
AND THEN HOW WE INCORPORATE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ALSO INTO THE UPCOMING ZONING ORDINANCE.
IT'S WHERE THE LADY DOESN'T WANT PAID PARKING, BUT SHE VOTE.
HE SAID, WE'RE EVALUATING
THAT'S WHAT HE KEEPS TELLING ME.
BUT YEAH, I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP TOO 'CAUSE THAT'S ALL THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
ANYTHING ELSE IN THAT AREA? INFRASTRUCTURE? NOT FOR ME.
SO THIS FIRST ONE IS ME, AND THEN I HAVE TWO MORE THAT I JUST JOTTED DOWN.
UM, LAUREL RIDGE, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
SO YOU GUYS REMEMBER ANDY GUYON, HE CAME IN AND PRESENTED TO US.
HE'S, UM, A WHOLE BALL OF ENERGY AND PROBABLY SOME OTHER STUFF.
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WE KNOW THAT OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE FRONT WALL, WARREN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, UM, ARE CONTRIBUTING FINANCIALLY TO THE SERVICES THAT SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER PROVIDES.UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR US, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TODAY, BUT I'D LIKE FOR US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR EDA ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THAT FINANCIALLY.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THE SBDC IS MORE ACTIVE IN WARREN COUNTY AND FRONT ROYAL MORE NOW THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN MANY YEARS.
UM, 'CAUSE FRANKLY, I SEE ANDY AND SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES THERE PRETTY FREQUENTLY HERE IN TOWN.
WHO ARE MEETING WITH BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS.
UM, I, MYSELF HAVE HAD SOME MEETINGS THAT, UM, ANDY AND I HAVE BOTH ATTENDED WITH SOME LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, SO I, I THINK IT'S WORTH A CONVERSATION THAT, THAT WE CONSIDER, UM, SUPPORTING FINANCIALLY, EVEN IF IT'S NOT AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT.
I THINK THE GESTURE ITSELF ALSO CARRIES WEIGHT THAT THIS ORGANIZATION IS SUPPORTIVE, WHICH I KNOW YOU ARE, BUT I THINK, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME BENEFIT TO THAT.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS? WHAT IS, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS THE COUNTY? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE COUNTY GIVES? THANK IT WAS 12 ISH.
I CAN LOOK IT UP REAL QUICK WHILE WE DISCUSS.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MATCH THAT, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S, I MEAN, I THINK FIVE TO 7,000.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH AT THIS POINT.
I WANNA SAY IT'S STILL 50,000.
I MEAN, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF IT.
I JUST THINK WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IT.
NO, I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER IT, BUT THEN H HOW DOES WHAT THE 50,000 THAT WE HAVE MM-HMM
WHAT IS IT? IS, IS SOME OF IT, I MEAN, MOST OF IT MUST BE PROMISED TO RETAIL STRATEGIES.
UM, ONLY A PORTION OF IT WOULD BE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING CARRYOVER FUNDS FOR YOUR, UM, CONTRACT REQUIREMENT.
UM, SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS OKAY.
I MEAN, COULD YOU COME BACK TO THE JULY MEETING WITH A PROPOSAL FOR US TO CONSIDER? YES, I CAN.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, GIVEN OUR MODEST RESOURCES, PROBABLY SHOULD REFLECT THAT, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE ARE NO COST TO THOSE BUSINESSES, WHICH IS KIND OF UNHEARD OF
UM, I WILL, I WILL COME BACK NEXT MONTH WITH SOMETHING TANGIBLE.
IF WE COULD ALSO, AS PART OF THAT, JUST UNDERSTAND THE LIKE USABLE FUNDS BETWEEN LIKE WHAT WAS ALLOCATED THIS YEAR YEAH.
AND THE CARRYOVER FUNDS SO WE CAN LIKE SAY, WELL, PERCENTAGE WISE, ABSOLUTE, A LITTLE BIT OF MARGIN, A PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
I MISS ANYTHING WITH THAT, JOE.
UM, ALONG THAT SAME LINE MM-HMM
I SERVE ON THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND AT MAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN WARREN COUNTY.
IT WAS RIGHT AROUND THE SAME TIME AS THE SHENANDOAH COUNTY CHAMBER HAD AN EVENT CALLED REV UPCO.
THIS IS A THING THEY DO ANNUALLY.
UM, THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S A SINGLE DAY, LIKE FULL DAY WORKSHOP THAT NONPROFITS, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES, ET CETERA, ARE INVITED TO ATTEND.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT, UM, SPEAKERS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION FOR THOSE OWNERS, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT THEY HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT THAT'S A GRANT.
SO, UM, I HAVE THE GRANT APPLICATION.
I WENT AND SNAGGED IT BECAUSE I WAS CURIOUS.
AND, UM, YOU CAN APPLY FOR THIS GRANT FOR, UM, THERE'S A SPECIFIC SUBSET OF PROJECTS THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE IT FOR.
AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE IN SHENANDOAH COUNTY KIND OF COMES ALONGSIDE
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AND ACTUALLY FUNDS THIS GRANT.I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF FUNDERS, AND I, I DON'T WANT TO MISCHARACTERIZE THAT SO I'LL BE VAGUE, BUT, UM, THEY, THEY HAVE, UM, THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY IS FOR THE, IT'S, IT'S A WAY FOR THEM TO INVEST INTO THESE SPECIFIC SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND SO THEY ASK THEM TO, UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS YOU CAN DO THIS 'CAUSE OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES DO THIS AS WELL, BUT THEY ASK US TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER COMPLETE SOME TRAININGS OR THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PRESENT CERTAIN THINGS OR THEY, OR A COMBINATION OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
AND SO I THOUGHT, WHAT AN INTERESTING IDEA TO, AGAIN, LOOK AT HOW MUCH FUNDS WE DO HAVE TO UTILIZE FOR THE YEAR, AND IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR EDA TO SET UP SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DIRECTLY GIVE BACK INTO SMALL BUSINESSES.
THEY COULD APPLY FOR THE GRANT, THE ORGANIZATION, THE EDA, COULD LOOK AT THEIR APPLICATION.
UM, I THINK, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING I WANNA KNOW MORE.
AND SO I WANNA LEARN MORE AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO YOU NEXT MONTH.
BUT I WANTED TO KIND OF LAY THE GROUNDWORK THAT, UM, I, I MIGHT BE ASKING.
SO I THINK IT'S, UM, I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA.
SO I THINK, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO REALLY PROVIDE INTANGIBLE SUPPORT MM-HMM
AND I KNOW THAT THAT EXISTING BUSINESS, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THIS GROUP, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE THIS COULD BE A, A WAY FOR US TO ADD VALUE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA COME BACK WITH THAT.
MY LAST THING IS THAT, UM, THERE IS A SHENANDOAH RAIL TRAIL PARTNERSHIP MEETING ON WEDNESDAY THAT I WILL BE ATTENDING IN WOODSTOCK JUST TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE PROJECT.
I KNOW THEY HAD PUBLIC MEETINGS FROM
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST NIGHT.
UM, I HAVEN'T, I DON'T, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER MEETINGS SUBSEQUENTLY.
UM, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PROJECT.
SO I DON'T THINK THEY'VE HAD A TON OF MOVEMENT IN 30 DAYS.
BUT I JUST FIGURED I'D LET YOU KNOW.
THAT'S ALL I HAD AT THE MOMENT.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR GOING TO THAT.
AND IT'S, IT'S A MEETING THAT ISN'T, IT'S AGNOSTIC.
IT'S NOT ADVOCATING FOR ONE OR THE OTHER.
NO, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS HOSTED BY THE, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL THEM? RAIL TRAIL EXPLORATORY GROUP.
THE GROUP, WHAT IS THIS? UH, UP TO YOU MIKE.
IT IS, THEY ARE THE RAIL TWO TRAIL.
SO I'M JUST GONNA GO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THE CORRIDOR, ASSUMING SOMETHING DOES, I MEAN, IT'S GONNA BE YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, SO.
SO I JUST FIGURED I'D LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M GONNA GO.
SO I SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST SOMETHING TO SAY UNTIL LAST MEETING ABOUT IT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SOME SORT OF AN UPDATE, SO.
THAT'S ALL I HAD ALL WE'RE OPEN DISCUSSION.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE RAIL TRAIL? I'M, I'M JUST NOT FAMILIAR WITH THEM OR WHAT THEY DO OR, SO I'M GONNA WEHER THIS, UM, BUT I'M GONNA TRY REAL HARD JUST FOR YOU.
SO THE SHENANDOAH RAIL TRAIL PROJECT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
THE IDEA IS THAT THIS 49 AND A HALF MILE RAIL CORRIDOR THAT BEGINS IN FRONT ROYAL AND ENDS IN TIMBER VILLAGE, UM, THAT'S BEEN ABANDONED FROM FREIGHT RAIL.
FREIGHT RAIL IS NOT ACTIVE IN THIS SECTION ANYMORE AND HASN'T BEEN SINCE I BELIEVE 2020 I THINK.
UM, THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION, THE, THE SHENANDOAH RAIL TRAIL EXPLORATORY GROUP, WE'RE GONNA CALL 'EM FOR NOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER THEIR NAME.
UM, THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE STATE OF VIRGINIA PURCHASE THE CORRIDOR FROM NORFOLK SOUTHERN WHO CURRENTLY OWNS THAT SECTION.
AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN WOULD LIKE TO SELL THAT SECTION.
AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO, I THINK THE TERM IS CALLED REAL BANKING, BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.
UM, WHERE THAT SECTION WOULD BECOME A
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MULTI-USE TRAIL.SO BICYCLING AND, AND WALKING AND RUNNING AND WHATEVER OTHER OUTDOORSY THINGS PEOPLE DO ON TRAIL.
UM, THIS WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO, THERE'S A NUMBER OF TRAILS THAT USED TO BE RAIL CORRIDORS THAT ARE NOW RECREATIONAL TRAILS.
UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THEM IN VIRGINIA AND IN MARYLAND, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF EXAMPLES OF THIS.
UM, CURRENTLY THEY HAVE HAD, UH, VDOT WAS BROUGHT ALONGSIDE TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND THEY'VE HAD MULTIPLE PHASES OF THAT STUDY.
UM, THEY, THEY PRESENTED OPTIONS AS TO EITHER CONVERTING THE WHOLE THING TO A TRAIL, UM, OR CONVERTING IT TO KEEPING THE RAIL CORRIDOR, ALTHOUGH FRANKLY, THE RAIL TRACKS WOULD NEED A LOT OF LOVE TO COME BACK TO FULL USE.
UM, BUT ALSO HAVING A TRAIL THAT PARALLELS THE RAIL.
YOU CAN DO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, THEY ALL JUST COME WITH DIFFERENT PRICE TAGS AND DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.
SO WE AS FRONT ROYAL, UM, THE MUNICIPALITY OF FRONT ROYAL, UM, HAVE BEEN IN SUPPORT OF THIS REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
AND SO ALMOST FROM THE TIME I WAS HIRED HERE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TANGENTIALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT, JUST GETTING UPDATES ON, ON OUR END AND HOW WE CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE.
BUT THE, THE NORTHERN TERMINUS OF THE TRAIL IS RIGHT HERE IN FRONT ROYAL, RIGHT AT THE END OF ROYAL AVENUE.
UM, WHAT WOULD BE BE THE TRAIL IF IT HAPPENED? THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS ALL AT ONCE.
DID THAT MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL? YEAH, YEAH.
GOOD NEWS IS WE, I SUPPORT, I SUPPORT A TRAIL.
SO WE ARE A TRAIL TOWN, UM, LITERALLY LIKE WE HAVE A CERTIFICATION AND EVERYTHING, BUT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE BIG FANS OF OUTDOOR WRECK HERE.
SO, UH, WHATEVER ITERATION COMES, WE, WE HOPE THAT, THAT IT'S, UM, THAT IT'S RECREATIONALLY AVAILABLE TRAIL USAGE THAT WE CAN GET EXCITED ABOUT.
ROUNDABOUT WAY TO TRY TO THEISE IT.
I MEAN, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TOO FAR TO SAY THAT THE RAIL TWO TRAIL IS A LOT LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE RAIL WIDTH TRAIL.
THERE'S A, A VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT PRICE DIFFERENCE AND NEITHER ONE IS CHEAP.
SO THEY WOULD PROBABLY JUST PAVE OVER WHAT WAS FORMALLY THE AROUND THEY WOULD HAVE A PAGE TRAIL GUESS SO THERE'S, THERE'S LIKE PAGES OF HOW THEY WOULD MAKE THIS SURFACE AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIRT INFORMATION I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW.
UM, BUT YES, ESSENTIALLY, UM, SOMEONE IS ROLLING THEIR EYES AT ME RIGHT NOW, I'M SURE, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO, BUT, UM, IT, IT, IT INVOLVE, IT ESSENTIALLY IT BOILS DOWN TO, YES, THEY WOULD, UM, SMOOTH OUT THAT AND CREATE WHATEVER SURFACE USING WHATEVER SURFACE MATERIAL THEY DECIDE TO USE, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE PAID ENOUGH.
YEAH, I MEAN I THINK THAT WOULD BE, I MEAN, I LIKE, I LIKE THE TRAILS.
I LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU GO RUN IN ALONG THE, AND I THINK IT'S ALONG THE RIVER MOSTLY, RIGHT.
SO, UM, A GOOD, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME, SOME RIVER PARALLEL FOR SURE.
AND YOU KNOW, OUR SECTION, IF YOU OUR, NOT OUR, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO LIKE FRONT ROW WORK, THAT SECTION WAS THE MOST RECENTLY IN USE.
SO IT'S IN THE LEAST STATE OF DISREPAIR, I WOULD SAY, IN MY OWN OPINION COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER SECTIONS THAT LIKE, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THERE'S RAIL UNDERNEATH ALL THAT HAS OVERGROWN AND THE TREES AND THE, SO IT'S UM, IT'S KIND OF WILD THE FURTHER SOUTH YOU GO ALONG THE CORRIDOR THAT IT LOOKS MORE AND MORE JUNGLE LIKE ON WHAT USED TO BE AND STILL HAS RAIL TRACK.
SO JOE, DO YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? NO, I THINK YOU DID GOOD.
THAT'S NOT REALLY IT, BUT, UM, YEAH, YEAH, THE DIFFERENCE IS ABOUT, UM, FOR THE RAIL TWO TRAILS ABOUT 164 MILLION AND THE RAIL WITH TRAIL IS ALMOST 700 MILLION.
TH THOSE ARE THE INITIAL FEASIBILITY STUDIES, YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT, JUST LIKE A LITTLE, LITTLE TEENY BIT DIFFERENT.
I WOULD AND I'M SORRY IF WE'RE GETTING TOO FAR INTO THE WEEDS WITH THIS, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS LIKE SOMETHING WE'RE MAKING A DECISION ON.
[00:30:01]
WHAT, WHAT IS THE, AS FAR AS THE COST ALLOCATION, IS THAT ALL GOING BECAUSE THE COUNTY PAYING FOR THAT? OR IS THAT OH, NO, NO, NO.SO RIGHT NOW, UM, IN NOAM'S FINAL BUDGET, WHEN HE WAS LEAVING THE OFFICE, UH, PUT $35 MILLION INTO THE BUDGET, UM, FOR THE CDO RAIL TRAIL AND IT COULD NOT PROHIBIT THE USE OF RAIL.
HE, HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS, THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AT RAIL.
AND THAT'S WHERE RAIL BANKING COMES IN.
SO THERE'S $35 MILLION IN THE STATE BUDGET TO PURCHASE THE CORRIDOR.
AND AT THE CTV MEETING IN JANUARY, THAT WAS AN ACTION ITEM THIS YEAR TO HAVE VDOT ACQUIRE THAT CORRIDOR WITH THAT MONEY.
UM, WHERE THAT IS IN THE PROCESS, I'M NOT SURE AT THIS MOMENT, BUT THE COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD IS SEEKING TO PURCHASE THE CORRIDOR TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND AT THAT POINT THE COMMONWEALTH COULD GO TO DCR OR BO OR SOMEBODY ELSE TO HELP DEVELOP WHATEVER THAT CONCEPT IS.
WHETHER IT'S RAIL WIDTH, TRAIL RAIL TWO TRAIL, THEY DON'T KNOW, BUT THEY THINK THEY NEED TO GET IT UNDER THEIR CONTROL FIRST.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT THEY'LL START TALKING NUMBERS OF HOW IT'S FUNDED.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, NO LOCALITIES ARE ESSENTIALLY CONTRIBUTING TO IT.
IT MIGHT BE STATE, IT COULD BE FEDERAL.
THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO GET FEDERAL GRANTS, BUT UNTIL YOU OWN IT, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET DIFFERENT BILL GRANTS, THINGS OF THAT.
UM, SO WE'LL KNOW PROBABLY A LOT MORE AFTER WINTER.
WELL, AND THAT TELLS YOU JUST HOW LONG AGO THIS HAS REALLY BEEN GOING, RIGHT? YEAH, NORTH OF BUDGET TWO GOVERNOR AGO.
SO, AND IT WAS, AND THE CONVERSATIONS WERE HAPPENING BEFORE THEN, SO IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A WINDING ROAD.
SO THEM ON WHATEVER SIDE YOU FEEL, WE'LL STAY TUNED, BUT DON'T BACK LONG TERM.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? I HAVE TWO QUICK THINGS JUST ON STUFF WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
UM, SO I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE, UH, THE ROADMAP FOR NEW BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN LIVE ON THE WEBSITE, BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN A BIT NOW.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK? I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING COMING TO THE EMAIL OR ANYTHING, BUT, UM, I, I DID PRINT SOME.
AND THEY'RE LIKE AROUND, BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY CHECKED ON 'EM TO BE HONEST.
HAVE YOU GUYS HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT PEOPLE CHECKING? I SENT IT TO A COUPLE PEOPLE AND THEY SAID IT LOOKED GOOD, BUT I, WE LIKE THAT.
UM, AND IN A SIMILAR VEIN WITH THE, UH, I THINK THE, UM, SURVEYS STILL LIVE ON THE WEBSITE, WHICH I THINK WE KIND OF SOFT CLOSED AT SOME POINT, BUT JUST YEAH, WE DID WITH THAT.
HAS ANYONE ELSE WANTED TO THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.
OH, THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.
DOWNTOWN FROM ROYAL INC HAS A SURVEY THAT THEY JUST SENT OUT TO BUSINESSES IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THEIR FOOTPRINT FOR THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT FOR THE, THAT'S OUR MAIN, MAIN STREET AMERICA ORGANIZATION.
I KNOW THERE ARE 77 ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE
UM, THEY, IT'S AN ECONOMIC VITALITY SURVEY.
THEY ARE WORKING WITH ANDY AT THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER BECAUSE THEY WANNA OFFER PROGRAMMING FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL WORKSHOPS, UM, ONE-ON-ONE COACHING, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START UNTIL THEY NARROW DOWN WHAT THE INTERESTS ARE OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, I PROMISED THEM THAT I WOULD PUT A LINK TO THEIR SURVEY ON OUR EDA PAGE, UM, BUT I DIDN'T ACTUALLY ASK JILL YET, SO I PROBABLY DO THAT OUTSIDE MEETING.
UH, BUT I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT SURVEY IS OUT THERE.
SO, UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST PROGRAMMING FIT IS TO GET STARTED ANYWAY.
AND THEY'RE HAVING A MEETING ON THE 17TH, I THINK THAT SOUNDS RIGHT.
I SAW THAT EMAIL THIS MORNING OR YESTERDAY.
YEAH, THEY GAVE ME THE SLIDES THAT NOBODY'S NOT LIKE, I WAS LIKE THANKS, APPRECIATE IT.
UM, JUST SO EVERYBODY'S AWARE AND JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON TOO.
AND SO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED, I THINK IT WAS TWO MONTHS AGO THAT WE HAD A JOINT MEETING, UM, WITH COUNTY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE COUNTY AT THEIR REGULAR MEETING TOMORROW WILL BE DISCUSSING A TOUR, UM, SORRY, A WELL I THINK TOWARDS AS WELL, BUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
[00:35:01]
WE ARE HAVING A COMPLETE JOINT TOWN COUNCIL AND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING ON THURSDAY AT 6:00 PM AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTER TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.SO JUST KIND OF KEEPING YOU GUYS IN THE LOOP OF THE BROADER DISCUSSION PART OF THAT, THE POTENTIAL OF A TOWN, COUNTY VA MERGER OR IS THAT A SCHEDULED MEETING HAPPENING LATER OR IS THAT NEVER ACTUALLY, SO LIKE I SAID, THE COUNTY WILL BE DISCUSSING TOMORROW.
THEY HAVE A CONSULTANT THAT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE PRESENTING TOMORROW A ONE, IT'S THEIR DAY MEETING, IT'S AT ONE O'CLOCK.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT PART OF THEIR AGENDA THAT FALLS IN THERE.
AND THEN I THINK THERE WILL BE DISCUSSIONS FROM THIS IS THE THURSDAY MEETINGS COMING OFF OF A LIAISON COMMITTEE MEETING AND IT IS TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN JOINTLY COME TOGETHER TO DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGAIN, ON WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE ON THURSDAY.
WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE TOW BOARD, WHICH IS, SHOULD BE A PRETTY QUICK DISCUSSION, TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF WAYS THAT WE NEED TO WORK COLLECTIVELY AS A PARTNERSHIP TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO I BELIEVE FOR ALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS BEFORE WORK.
TOURISM'S GONNA BE THE BIG ONE.
BUT YEAH, I THINK WE'LL KNOW MORE AFTER THURSDAY.
I'M HOPEFUL YOUR DIRECTION EITHER WAY.
THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING FOR AND IT ON ALL ACCOUNTS.
UM, SO IT'S, UH, WORK SESSION OR YEAH, THERE WON'T BE LIKE VOTING.
YEAH, SO IT IS, IT IS A SPECIAL MEETING BY BOTH, UM, ELECTED BODIES.
IT'S, IT'S, BUT IT'S EFFECTIVELY A WORK SESSION.
BECAUSE NORMALLY, LIKE A LIAISON MEETING IS USUALLY LIKE TWO AND TWO, RIGHT? YEAH.
WELL THIS IS EVERYBODY ON BOTH SIDES.
AND IT'S AT 6:00 PM 6:00 PM COUNTY CENTER.
YEAH, IT'S AN OPEN PUBLIC MEETING.
LIKE I SAID, THERE'S NO LIKE, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD NOW THAT IT'S, IT'S LIKE A WORK SESSION WHERE THEY CAN WALK, TALK THROUGH THESE ITEMS AND WE AS, AS STAFF HOPE THAT WE WILL GET SOME DIRECTION OF, OF HOW THEY WANT OR DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD JOINTLY ON SOME OF THESE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION THAT ESPECIALLY THAT BOTH BODIES TOGETHER.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY FOR SAYING AYE.