* 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. YEP. OKAY. [1. MOMENT OF SILENCE] [00:00:07] I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 26TH. AND WE'RE GONNA START FIRST WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SECONDS. OKAY, [2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] NEXT WE'RE GONNA, UM, MOVE ON TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND I'M GONNA ASK THE VICE MAYOR TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE. WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY, MS. [3. ROLL CALL] CAN WE DO WAR CALL? MAYOR. HERE. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILMAN? HERE. COUNCILMAN. HERE. COUNCILMAN? HERE. COUNCILMAN WHITE. HERE. OKAY. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON. I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S A LITTLE, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR SWITCHING LOCATIONS, UH, UM, WITH US TONIGHT. UM, THANK YOU TO WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS. AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, THEY WERE DOING SOME CONSTRUCTION IN THE, UH, MEETING ROOM, AND SO, UH, WE HAD TO MOVE OUR LOCATION TO HERE. AND I WILL SAY TOO, THAT THESE LIGHTS, I, WE, I, I BARELY CAN SEE ANYBODY OUT THERE, SO, UM, HOPEFULLY LET'S JUST BE PATIENT WITH US THERE. ALL RIGHT. FIRST, UM, OUR [4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] FIRST ITEM, UH, IS AN APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2026 REGULAR MEETING AND THE OCTOBER 5TH, 2026 AND OCTOBER 13TH, 2026 WORK SESSIONS AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, ROLL CALL. COUNCIL MEMBER REPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN? YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. UH, NUMBER FIVE ARE ANY ADDITION OR DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA, UM, OR ANY REVISION TO THE ORDER OF BUSINESS. OKAY, HEARING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH WOULD BE RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS, REPORTS, AND PRESENTATIONS, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY TONIGHT FOR OUR AGENDA. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE [7.A. FY27 Budget Amendment - Outstanding Purchase Orders] RIGHT ALONG TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. UM, AND SO WE COME TO THE PUBLIC POR - PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THE AGENDA. PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL TO LEARN OF INFORMATION OF WHICH THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY AWARE. NO, I'M, I'M - IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE RECOGNIZED AND COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND INDICATE YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. IF THE COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, YOU SIMPLY STATE THAT YOU AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER. THERE IS A THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR SPEAKERS. AFTER THREE MINUTES, THE MICROPHONE WILL CUT OFF. PLEASE REMEMBER YOU ARE TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND TO REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS WHICH ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS OR DISPLAY OTHER DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT, INCLUDING OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY. GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE DETRIMENTAL TO OR DISTURBING THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING WILL BE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH CONDUCT ONCE. ANY ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCE AFTER THE WARNING POLICE DEPARTMENT WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED TONIGHT TO REVIEW ON THE INDIVIDUAL THE COUNCIL CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWN. AND SO OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING IS... SORRY, AGAIN. UM, IT'S THE FYI 27 BUDGET AMENDMENT OUTSTANDING PURCHASE ORDERS. AND I'LL JUST READ THE SUMMARY. COUNCIL IS REQUESTED TO APPROVE A FY27 BUDGET AMENDMENT TO CARRY FORWARD UNPAID BALANCES ON PURCHASE ORDERS NOT COMPLETED AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2026 AND TO CARRY FUNDS FORWARD TO FISCAL YEAR 2027. THESE FUNDS ARE FOR ONGOING [00:05:01] PROJECTS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN PREVIOUS YEAR BUDGET CYCLES AND NOW SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE FY27 BUDGET. SOME PURCHASE ORDERS ARE FUNDING PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER CONTRACT IN PROCESS AND SOME PURCHASE ORDERS ARE FOR FUNDS THAT ARE BEING SET ASIDE FOR FUTURE USE. UM, I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. WILSON, HAS ANYONE SAT THERE TO SPEAK FOR THIS ITEM? NO. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS ITEM? OKAY. I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A FY 2027 BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,188,488.75 FOR THE FY26 CARRYOVER PURCHASE ORDERS AS PRESENTED. SO SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, HEARING NO DISCUSSION, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN CELO? YES. VICE MAYOR VINTON. YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. [7.B. FY27 Budget Amendment for Riverton Sewer Lift Station] ITEM 7B'S PUBLIC HEARING IS AN FY27 BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE RIVERTON SEWER LIFT STATION. UM, DO YOU WANNA READ THE SUMMARY? I, I, I, I CAN... I'VE GOT IT RIGHT HERE. IT'S LIKE TWO SENTENCES. COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO APPROVE AN FY27 BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,800,000 TO RECEIVE FUNDS FROM THE VIRGINIA RESOURCE AUTHORITY FOR FINANCING OF THE RIVERTON SEWER LIFT STATION. A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE REQUIRED DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENT EXCEEDING 1% OF THE FY27 ADOPTED BUDGET. AND SO AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO. OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVE A FY27 BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,800,000 FOR THE FINANCING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE RIVERTON SEWER LIFT STATION PROJECT AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NO DISCUSSION, GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN? SORRY, I THINK SHE JUST. YEAH. VICE MAYOR. YES. LOOKING FOR TISSUES. [7.C. Special Use Permit Application to Allow Short-Term Rental at 35 N. Marshall Street] OKAY. ITEM 7C, UH, IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION TO ALLOW SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT 35 NORTH MARSHALL STREET. UM, AND THE SUMMARY IS COUNSEL'S ASKED TO REVIEW THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION TO ALLOW SHORT-TERM RENTAL AS DEFINED IN TOWN CODE 175-3 SUBMITTED BY TYLER REEDS AND LOCATED AT 35 NORTH MARSHALL STREET IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP 2089 - 2-3-1. THE PROPERTY IS ZONED R1 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. UM, BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, I KNOW SOMETIMES WE ASK STAFF IF... IS THERE ANYTHING, MR. WARE, THAT YOU WANNA SHARE WITH US REGARDING THIS APPLICATION THAT WE NEED TO KNOW? NOPE? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. OH, I'M SO SORRY. IS THE APPLICANT HERE? THE APPLICANT IS HERE. OKAY. AND DID YOU WANNA SPEAK? UH, I'LL SAY SOMETHING SHORT. SURE. OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR TAKING MY, UH, SPECIAL USE PERMIT INTO CONSIDERATION. UH, MY WIFE AND I JUST GOT MARRIED BACK IN JUNE. WE'RE CURRENTLY LIVING IN TWO SEPARATE HOUSES, SO WE WANTED... I WASN'T... WE WEREN'T... WE BOTH DIDN'T REALLY WANNA SELL MY HOUSE, SO WE WANTED TO, UH, FIND A WAY TO, UM, PROVIDE A PLACE FOR TRAVELING WORKERS, TOURISTS COMING TO THE AREA, A WAY TO KEEP THE HOUSE PAID FOR WITHOUT HAVING TO SELL IT. SO THIS IS WHY WE'RE, UM, GOING THIS ROUTE AND, UH, SEEING THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS MATTER. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR, [00:10:01] UH, TAKING THIS INTO CONSIDERATION. OKAY. IF YOU JUST HANG TIGHT ONE SECOND. YES, MA'AM. DOES COUNSEL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT AT THIS TIME? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE MAY CALL YOU UP LATER. JUST DEPENDS ON IF STUFF COMES UP THAT WE NEED TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT, OKAY? OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NOW, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. WILFON, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO. NO? IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS APPLICATION? OKAY, THEN I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL. MADAM MAYOR, FOR FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVE STATEMENT IN TOWN CODE 175-1B, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBMITTED BY TYLER REEVES FOR A SHORT-TERM RENTAL LOCATED AT 35 NORTH MARSHALL STREET, IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP 289 - 2-3-1. SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? UM, MADAM MAYOR. YEP, GO AHEAD. I DON'T HAVE THE MOTIONS. UH, CAN YOU... OF COURSE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, OF COURSE, IF THIS WILL PASS OR NOT, BUT I WOULD ADVISE THE APPLICANT THAT, UM, FOLLOWING THIS HEARING, HE CHANGES THE WIFI PASSCODES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN YOUR APPLICATION SINCE IT WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES, UH, MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UH, STAFF, UH, PARTICULARLY PLANNING AND ZONING. UH, I NOTICED THAT, UH, PROPERTY IS LISTED AS PRIMARY RESIDENCE. IS, WAS THAT IN THERE? THAT WAS HER PRIMARY RESIDENCE AT THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION. OKAY. AND WE... IT IS R1, RESIDENTIAL ONE. CORRECT, YES. OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I, I... YES. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. MAYOR, WHY, WHY I ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS. I HAVE CONSISTENTLY, UH, AS WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THIS, I HAVE PARTICULARLY WITH, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND RESIDENTIAL LOCATIONS, UH, AS OWNER OCCUPIED. UH, SO WHEN THE VOTE COMES AROUND, I, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, UH, THAT I DON'T WAFFLE, UH, SO I'M JUST BEING FORTHRIGHT. UH, I'M INTERESTED IN TRYING TO KEEP OUR INVENTORY STOCK, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANNA RAISE THEIR FAMILIES IN, IN HOMES BECAUSE OUR INVENTORY STOCK IS, UH, LOW RIGHT NOW. SO... IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES, MA'AM. MM-HMM. UH, MADAM MAYOR, UH, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE APPLICANT AND WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, BUT I CONTINUE TO OPPOSE, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS AND SMALLER HOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE TO HAVE STARTER HOMES FOR FOLKS STARTING OUT TENANTS JUST LIKE YOU GUYS STARTED HER. SHE STARTED HERS. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING TO. I JUST HAVE TAKEN THE STANCE FOR A LONG TIME THAT SMALL HOMES LIKE THIS THAT PEOPLE COULD START ALIKE IN THEM ARE BEING USED AS, AS RENTERS OF RENTALS. UM, AND THAT ALSO OPERATES IN DIRECT, UH, COMPETITION TO MANY OF OUR LODGING, UH, BUSINESSES IN TOWN. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR, UM, SINCE THE, SINCE THE DISCUSSION HAS COME UP, I'LL JUST ADD THAT HAVING MANAGED OVER 30 PROPERTIES IN THE TOWN OF ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY FOR THE LAST YEAR OR MORE, AND BEING A LIFELONG RESIDENT WHO BOUGHT MY FIRST HOME IN WARREN COUNTY IN 18, I HAVE FOUND AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK AT WARREN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WHEN I WAS THERE VISITING A FAMILY MEMBER, THAT WITH THEIR CURRENT CONTRACT WITH EMPLOYEES, THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO EXPAND OR TO BECOME A PERMANENT EMPLOYEE OF VALLEY HEALTH. AND A LOT OF THOSE DOCTORS, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, PHARMACISTS, UM, UH, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS THAT I'VE MET OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS ARE USING THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO DECIDE IF WARREN ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY IS A PLACE THAT THEY WANT TO LIVE, AND IF SO, WHICH PART OF IT. AND SO WHILE THEY ARE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, [00:15:01] THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS USED FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS EITHER. SOME OF THESE CONTRACT EMPLOYEES COME IN WITH A YEAR CONTRACT AND THEY BRING THEIR FAMILY WITH THEM. UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE FACT OF THE MATTER, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, IS THAT WARREN ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN AN OVER 55% RENTAL RATE MARKET, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE A HARD TIME, UM, OBTAINING ANOTHER GROCERY STORE. AND SO WITH THE MARKET THE WAY THAT IT IS WITH THE PRICES OF HOMES AND INTEREST RATES COMBINED, NOBODY'S PURCHASING A HOME UNLESS THEY HAVE TO RIGHT NOW. SO I APPRECIATE HAVING THE FLEXIBILITY TO KEEP YOUR HOME AND OWN YOUR HOME AND RETAIN YOUR HOME AND OFFSET THAT MORTGAGE PAYMENT, UM, WITH YOUR, YOUR RIGHTS AS THE PROPERTY OWNER. AND YOU MAY NOT EVEN MAKE IT A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. YOU MAY GET AN APPLICANT WHO'S LOOKING FOR A THREE-YEAR RENTAL, UM, WHO'S VERY WELL QUALIFIED. UM, I'VE BEEN A HOMEOWNER IN CART ROYAL AND I'VE BEEN A RENTER IN FARM ROYAL AND NOT ALL RENTERS ARE BAD, AND JUST BECAUSE IT'S QUALIFIED TO BE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL DOES NOT MEAN IT WILL BE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. AND IF ANYTHING, DURING COVID, GOVERNOR NORTHAM GAVE THE TENANTS JUST AS MUCH RIGHTS AS THE PROPERTY OWNERS, AND THEN IT BECAME REALLY HARD TO EVICT PEOPLE DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. SO HAVING THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS GIVES YOU A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN BEING ABLE TO REMOVE A BAD SITUATION FROM YOUR PROPERTY WITHOUT COSTING YOU EVEN MORE MONEY IF THAT'S THE CASE. SO THIS IS NOT FAR FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH I LIVE. IT'S A LONG DISTANCE, AND I ACTUALLY DIDN'T KNOW THE HOUSE EXISTED UNTIL I SAW THE YELLOW, UM, PUBLIC NOTICE SIGN OUT AT THE END WHEN I DROVE BY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. BUT I WISH YOU GUYS A LOT OF SUCCESS AND, UM, HOPEFULLY YOU FIND SOME GREAT TENANTS AND ARE ABLE TO RETAIN THE PROPERTY AS LONG AS YOU LIKE. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I'D LIKE TO SEE THE YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, GET THINGS TOGETHER AND LIKE THREE COUPLE. UM, I, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US HOPEFULLY HAVE SOME OF THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS TURN INTO LONG-TERM. UM, AND THIS, THEIR HOUSE IS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO. UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL? ONE THING I DID WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, IF UPON APPROVAL OF THIS, AS, AS VICE MAYORS, UM, MENTIONED, UM, THAT IT WOULD GIVE YOU OPTIONS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, YOU COULD MAKE IT A LONG-TERM RENTAL. AND A LONG-TERM RENTAL DOESN'T REQUIRE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL. YOU CAN RENT YOUR HOUSE AND, UM, THERE'S NO, UH, RED TAPE OR BUREAUCRACY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO, UM, BUT, ALL RIGHT, SO THERE'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION, ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPAPORT? NO. COUNCILWOMAN DEANOMINKO-PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? NO. COUNCILMAN SELOCK? YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. [7.D. An Ordinance Amendment to Town Code ยง175 Regarding Data Center Definitions and Zoning District Regulations] SO OUR NEXT ITEM TONIGHT IS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING 7D, WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE 175 REGARDING DATA CENTER DEFINITIONS AND ZONING DISTRICT REGULATIONS. SO THE SUMMARY SAYS, "THE TOWN'S CONSIDERATION OF THE DATA CENTER ZONING ORDINANCE HAS INCLUDED EXTENSIVE RESEARCH BY STAFF AND OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING REGULATORY APPROACHES ADOPTED BY OTHER VIRGINIA LOCALITIES, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, AND MULTIPLE PUBLIC MEETINGS. THE INITIAL APPROACH FOCUSED ON REGULATING DATA CENTERS THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SUP PROCESS DESIGNED TO EVALUATE AND MITIGATE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY. ON JUNE 22ND, 2026, TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTED A TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATIVE APPLICATION MORATORIUM WITH DIRECTIONS TO PREPARE THE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT WHICH WOULD DEFINE AND PROHIBIT DATA CENTERS AS A LAND USE WITHIN THE TOWN. THIS MORATORIUM WAS EXTENDED ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2026. PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED A RECOMMENDATION ON JULY 29TH, 2026. PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 - 2285 BEFORE APPROVING AND ADOPTING ANY ZONING ORDINANCE OR AMENDMENT THEREOF, THE GOVERNING BODY SHALL HOLD AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC HEARING THEREON PURSUANT TO PUBLIC NOTICE AS REQUIRED BY 15.2 - 2204, AFTER WHICH THE GOVERNING BODY MAY MAKE APPROPRIATE CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS IN THE ORDINANCE OR PROPOSED AMENDMENT. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH, [00:20:01] UM, A PRE - UM, STAFF THAT'S GONNA SHARE SOME THINGS FIRST. YEAH, JUST TO GIVE, UH, FURTHER NOTICE TO THE COUNCIL IN YOUR PACKET, YOU HAVE THE COMPLETE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND THIS IS IN THE PUBLIC PACKET AS ADVERTISED THAT YOU ALSO HAVE THE VIRGINIA CODE SECTION THAT WAS JUST CITED, AND THERE WAS ALSO TWO PAGES OF SUGGESTED REVISIONS THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS. UM, STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. SO AT THIS TIME, I AM GOING TO OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING. HAS ANYONE SOUND GOT TO SPEAK? NO. REALLY? ANYBODY WANT, UM, ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK TO THIS TOPIC? ALL RIGHT. UH, THAT, THAT SURE READS THREE HOURS OF OUR DUE 22ND BELIEVE IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, SO I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL, BUT, UM, AS MR. PETTY SAID, INSIDE OF YOUR PACKET IS, UM, SOME, UH, IS ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT, UM, WAS NOT WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION SENT US, BUT RATHER WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION SENT US WAS SOME, SOME, UM, EDITS AND TWEAKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, UM, THERE IS... I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. THERE'S A MOTION PROVIDED IN THE PACKET, MULTIPLE MOTIONS, SO WE'LL SEE. MADAM MAYOR, AND FURTHER PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN CODE CHAPTER 175 1B, FINDING THAT THE PUBLIC NECESSITY, CONVENIENCE, GENERAL WELFARE AND GOOD ZONING PRACTICE SO REQUIRED. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 175, DEFINING DATA CENTERS, REDEFINING TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS, AND PROHIBITING AND EXCLUDING DATA CENTERS IN AND FROM ALL ZONING DISTRICTS AS PRESENTED AND AS AMENDED FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO ADD DISCUSSION, UM, REGARDING THE MOTION THAT WAS JUST MADE. UM, I MENTIONED IT AT THE LAST WORK SESSION FOR THE PUBLIC'S, UM, AWARENESS AND TRANSPARENCY. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION IN THE PUBLIC AND A LOT OF CHATTER, SO I HEAR ON SOCIAL MEDIA REGARDING THE, UM, PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT WAS BEFORE COUNCIL. UM, I PERSONALLY SPOKE WITH OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL IN, UM, COMPANY WITH EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER ON THIS DIAS, AND THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE THAT WAS PROPOSED WAS NOT WRITTEN OR REVIEWED BY OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL BEFORE IT WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL. IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT THIS COUNCIL, THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL, HAD ISSUES WITH THE FORMERLY PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND THE LANGUAGE THAT IT USED ALLOWING LOOPHOLES AND ESSENTIALLY CREATING A ROADMAP FOR A DATA CENTER DEVELOPER TO COME TO FERM ROYAL. SOUNDS LIKE THAT MIGHT BE, UM, A LITTLE BIT FARFETCHED THAT THEY WOULD DO THAT. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT FERM ROYAL AND WE'RE IN THE TOP 10 LOWEST REAL ESTATE TAXES IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, AND WE'RE IN THE LOWEST ELECTRICITY RATES IN THE TOP FIVE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, IT'S WORTH GOING THROUGH ANY MEASUREMENT POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP IN FERM ROYAL ECONOMICALLY. SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR LAND FOR WHAT USE WE SEE FIT AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY. NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW THAT THERE IS NOBODY SPEAKING HERE TONIGHT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS HEARD FROM BECAUSE THEY PUT A LOT OF TIME, ENERGY, MONEY, AND EFFORT INTO SHARING THEIR OPINIONS WITH THIS COUNCIL. AND IT'S VERY REASSURING AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WHEN THERE'S ENGAGEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC. AND I HAD A CONVERSATION LAST WEEK REGARDING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE OF FERN ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY, AND NOW WE KNOW WHAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DO WANT. AND WE DO HAVE TO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOING FORWARD FOR THE TAX BASE. UM, SO THAT'S NOT ON THE BURDEN OF THE TAXPAYERS WITH NO INCREASE. SO I DO HOPE THAT THOSE 300 PLUS CONSTITUENTS AND PARTICIPANTS THAT CAME OUT AND STOOD IN THE HALLWAYS, THE PARKING LOT, AND THE GOVERNMENT CENTER OVER THE SUMMER WILL CONTINUE TO STAY ENGAGED WITH THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UM, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PUBLIC INPUT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE WENT FROM A COUNCIL THAT WAS IN FAVOR OF AN ORDINANCE RESTRICTING DATA CENTERS, BUT ALLOWING THEM IN FERT OIL TO A UNANIMOUS CODE TO BE A DATA CENTER TO THE TOWN OF FERM OIL. AND ACTUALLY, DESPITE BEING THE FIRST IN THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY TO PUT THAT FORWARD, SURROUNDING COUNTIES LIKE FREDERICK HAVE ALREADY PASSED DEMAND PRIOR TO US BEING ABLE TO GET OUR ORDINANCE [00:25:01] WRITTEN, AND WE KIND OF LED THAT WAY. SO I'M THANKFUL TO COUNCIL FOR BEING OPEN-MINDED AND AMENDABLE TO THIS. I'M THANKFUL TO, UH, MR. PETTY, MR. FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID WITH OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL AND LETTING US GET THAT INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH, SO TO SPEAK. UM, AND THIS COUNCIL, A LOT OF HOURS ON OUR END HAVE GONE INTO THIS ONE AND TWO AM MEETINGS AND CLOSED MEETINGS AFTER WORK SESSIONS AND REGULAR MEETINGS TO GET THIS RIGHT. SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'VE DONE THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. IF I MAY, MADAM MAYOR. YES. UM, IT NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR, UM, EXACTLY WHAT AMENDED TEXT IS ON THE FLOOR. YEP. I WAS GETTING READY TO - THERE'S A MOVE THAT MADE THAT CLEAR. SO, AND I, AND SO I WAS... I JUST... PAGES 95 AND 96 IN OUR AGENDA, THE ONE THAT WAS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, UM, IS WHAT... AND I CAN'T... I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE VICE MAYOR, BUT WHEN YOU MADE THE MOTION, I'M ASSUMING THAT IT WAS FOR THE SUGGESTED REVISIONS THAT WE HAVE COME TO AFTER, UH. UM. IT SAID AS PRESENTED. REVISION, PROVISIONS AS PRESENTED. YEAH, REVISIONS AS PRESENTED AS... THERE'S ONLY ONE SUGGESTED REVISION. THERE'S ONLY ONE SUGGESTED. YEAH. THERE'S ONLY ONE SUGGESTED, AND THAT WAS, AGAIN, AS DATED 95 AND 96 OF THE - YEAH, PAGES 95 AND 96 ON THE PUBLISHED AGENDA THAT WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC. SO, UM, UM, VICE MAYOR, JUST FOR POSTERITY, THAT'S WHAT, THAT WAS WHEN YOU SAID REVISIONS AS PRESENTED. I'M ASSUMING YOU MEANT THE PAGES 95 AND 96. YES, THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES PRESENTED TO US. AND WHOEVER MADE THE SECOND WAS ALSO - I THINK IT COULD BE RE-SECONDED. YOU NEED ME TO ADMIT THAT MOTION. SECOND. SECOND. AND, AND, OKAY. MELISSA SECONDED IT. ALL RIGHT, SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE ALREADY HAD SOME DISCUSSION. IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL AT THIS TIME? I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY REAL QUICK, MADAM MAYOR. UM, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN WHAT SEEM LIKE, MIGHT SEEM A LONG TIME COMING, BUT AS VICE MAYOR SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DID THIS RIGHT. UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, AS A COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, UH WE WANT TO, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, EARLIER THIS, YOU KNOW, LATER ON IN THE SUMMER. BUT, UH, BUT WE, LIKE I SAID, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THIS RIGHT. AND WE TOOK THE EXTRA COUPLE MEETINGS TO GO THROUGH AND CLARIFY, UH, THROUGHOUT SOME COUNCIL AND THROUGH INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THAT WE SAW FIT FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND I FEEL CONFIDENT FOR WHAT WE HAVE. I, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, THE EFFORTS MADE FORTH BY OUR STAFF AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO PUT TOGETHER. AND, UH, I THINK, AGAIN, I THANK COUNCIL AS A WHOLE FOR COMING TOGETHER TO DO THIS BECAUSE, UH, I KNOW WE TOOK A DIFFERENT ROUTE FROM WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE, BUT I THINK WE TOOK THE BEST ROUTE FOR THE SAKE OF FRONT ROW FOR THE SAKE OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES, MA'AM. COUNCIL HAS WORKED HARD HOURS AND HOURS ON THIS, BUT I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'VE COME TOGETHER. UM, MY CONCERN THE WHOLE TIME, UM, WAS THE WATER CONSUMPTION. UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GONNA LOOK AT OUR RIVER, YOU KNOW, WE PUT A DATA CENTER IN ON IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE IN TROUBLE. UH, I'M WORRIED ABOUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AN HOUR. UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH POWER A DATA CENTER TAKES, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS COUNCIL HAS THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN IN PART. UM, AND LAST THING I'LL SAY, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH EVERYBODY HERE FOR FOUR YEARS. THAT'S WONDERFUL. AND I THINK ALL OF US, UM, SOME OF US ARE HOMEGROWN AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE'RE... JUST LOOK OUT FOR YOU, FOR THE CITIZENS AND FOR THE TOWN. SO, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ALSO SAY AND TALK ABOUT THANK YOUS, THANK YOU TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, UM, THEY HAD TO WORK THROUGH THIS WITH US AS WELL. UM, AND SO, THEY CAME UP, THEY CAME UP WITH SOMETHING AND WE KICKED BACK AND THEN, SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS. I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING IS VICE MAYOR. WE, WE SEEM TO BE LEADING IN THE VALLEY ON THIS, BUT BECAUSE WE PAUSED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT IT RIGHT, UM, I THINK FREDERICK [00:30:01] COUNTY THAT PASSES ON THE FOREST. IT WASN'T A RACE. IT'S NEVER BEEN A RACE FOR ME. IT'S LET'S GET IT RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE NEWS, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, WHAT TO DO EVEN ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. BUT, UM, BUT I'M SURPRISED THAT MORE PEOPLE AREN'T HERE TONIGHT. I'M HOPEFUL THE PRESS IS GONNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW, UH, THE OUTCOME OF IT. UM, BUT ANYWAY. YES. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. MY MAIN FOCUS ON, ON THIS, UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S BEEN SAID BY EVERYONE ELSE THAT, WHO HAS SPOKEN TONIGHT. HOWEVER, IT, IT, AT THE END, THE END GAME IS IT, IT PROTECTS THE INTEGRITY OF OUR NATIONAL PARK AND THE BEAUTY OF THIS COMMUNITY. UH, AND AT THE END, END OF THE DAY, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THIS DOCUMENT WILL AND EXACTLY PROTECT US FROM, UH, ANYONE THAT, UH, IS INTERESTED IN COMING IN AND IT WILL ALSO OPEN UP THE DOOR FOR NEW, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SORELY TO CREATE NEW JOBS INSTEAD OF ONLY THE JOBS THAT WOULD BE, UH, FOR A DATA CENTER IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, THEN THEY GO AWAY AND WE ONLY HAVE A FEW JOBS HERE. SO, UH, LET'S USE OUR, WE'RE USING OUR, I THINK WE'RE GONNA USE OUR LAND WISELY HERE AND, UH, I WANNA THANK THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. 10 YEARS I CAN GROW MY OWN CANNABIS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO HARDLY AGREE WITH OUR, OUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS. UH, WHEN WE HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING, OVER 100 PEOPLE SPOKE. UH, I MADE IT CLEAR THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT SWAG IT DOWN FOR FREE. IT'S LOUD AND CLEAR. I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE, UH, UNITY TONIGHT. THANK YOU. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE PUBLIC INPUT. THE ONLY MONEY I SPENT TO DO THIS WAS LIKE 230 BUCKS. CAN'T YOU DO THE AYES, NAYS? ON THIS ONE, ABSOLUTELY. LET, LET ME, LET ME KNOW WHEN WE CAN DO AN RNA. I KEEP WAITING FOR IT AT THE MEETING. GO AHEAD. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN SELOCK? YES. VICE MAYOR MICHAEL? YES. MOTION PASSES. [8. PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS] SO OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO. AND I SAW THE LIST. THERE ARE PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THAT, BUT LET ME READ THE RULES ON THAT REAL QUICK WHILE YOU'RE PULLING THAT OUT. WE NOW COME TO THE COMMENTS PORTION OF THE AGENDA IS THE DUTY OF THE MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THIS MEETING IN AN ORDERLY MANNER AND TO LIMIT DISCUSSION TO TOPICS RELEVANT TO THE ISSUES BEFORE THE TOWN COUNCIL BOARD CONSIDERATION. PERSONS ADDRESSING THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ARE ADVISED TO LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO THOSE RELEVANT TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. NO PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE SHALL BE ALLOWED TO VOICE REMARKS EXCEPT AS RECOGNIZED BY THE MAYOR OF THE CLERK OF COUNCIL. NO PERSON SHALL BRING INTO THE ROOM ANY SIGNED MANNERS OTHER SUCH ITEM WHICH WOULD INTERFERE WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND SEE HEARING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING. ON RECOGNITION BY THE MAYOR OR THE CLERK OF COUNCIL, THE SPEAKER SHALL STATE THEIR NAME, ADDRESS AND INDICATE IF THEY ARE A CITIZEN OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, DIRECT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, CONFINE THEIR COMMENTS TO ISSUES OF PUBLIC CONCERN RELATING TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, SHALL NOT ADDRESS THE SUBJECT MATTER OF A PUBLIC HEARING BEING HELD DURING THE SAME MEETING, REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS WHICH ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS OR DISPLAY OTHER DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT. REFRAIN FROM OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY. STAY WITHIN THE ALLIED THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT AND AFTER THAT TIME'S EXPIRED, UM, YOU, THE TIMES EXPIRED. I WOULD SAY THE MICROPHONE WILL BE CUT OFF, BUT WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CUT THE MICROPHONE OFF AT THE END OF THE THREE MINUTES [00:35:01] SET. ALL RIGHT. WHO'S FIRST? DAVID DOWNS. YEAH, WE CAN'T SEE YOU GUYS. YEAH. I WILL IDENTIFY MYSELF. I AM DAVID DOWNS. I HAVE AN OFFICE AT 14 CHESTER STREET AND, UM, I'M NOT A TOWN RESIDENT. HOWEVER, I'VE PRACTICED LAW IN THIS TOWN FOR APPROACHING FOUR DECADES. AND THE TAXPAYER THROUGH THAT PRACTICE AND THROUGH THE VIRGINIA BEER MUSEUM THAT I FOUND ALONG WITH ABOUT ALMOST TWO DOZEN OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAS JUST RECENTLY CELEBRATED ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY IN THIS TOWN. UH, FOLLOW THE VICE PRES - THE VICE MAYORS. WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM? I WOULD ADVOCATE TOURISM, SURE THE HECK THESE DATA CENTERS. I ALSO REPRESENT THE DOWNS FAMILY LAND TRUST, WHICH OWNS THE PROPERTIES AT 14 AND 16 CHESTER STREET AND LEASES SPACE TO THE VIRGINIA BEER MUSEUM. THE TRUSTS AND THE TOWN ARE INVOLVED IN PENDING LITIGATION CONCERNING ACCESS AND PARKING. I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE TOWN'S PUBLIC POLICY CHOICE ABOUT THE PROPOSED PAYTON STREET PARKING LOT RECONFIGURATION, NOT TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO DECIDE ANY ISSUES BEFORE THE BOARD. I HAVE PREPARED A PACKET WHICH OUTLINES A 2003 EASEMENT, AN AGREEMENT THAT THE TOWN AND I ENTERED INTO IN GOOD FAITH OVER 25 OR 24 YEARS AGO. AND, UH, THREE OF WHAT APPEAR TO BE FOUR PROPOSED PLAT REDESIGNS BY, UM, UM, THE, UM, SURVEYOR REQUESTED BY THE, THE, THE COUNCIL. UH, FROM AUGUST OF 2025 AND MOST RECENTLY, SEPTEMBER OF 2026, THE TOWN SAYS ITS PLAN WOULD CREATE A NET GAIN OF ONE PUBLIC PARKING SPACE, BUT THE PROPOSED LAYOUT WOULD MAKE ROUGHLY A DOZEN SPACES NOW USED BY THE BUSINESSES AND ACTIVITIES AT 14 AND 16 CHESTER STREET UNAVAILABLE. A ONE SPACE GAIN PAID FOR WITH PUBLIC FUNDS DOES NOT MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS OF A DOZEN FUNCTIONING SPACES SERVING NEARBY PROPERTIES. THESE SPACES SUPPORT MY LAW OFFICE, WHICH I'VE USED NOW FOR 36 YEARS, AND THE VIRGINIA BEER MUSEUM, WHICH RECENTLY, LIKE I SAID, CELEBRATES THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY. WHEN ACCESS IS BLOCKED, THESE VEHICLES DO NOT VANISH. THE IMPACT SHIFTS TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AT VISIT AND DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PROPERTIES. THEY GOTTA GO SOMEWHERE. THERE IS ALSO A MATTER OF CONSISTENCY. FOR YEARS, THE TOWN. I'M SORRY. APPARENTLY WE DID CUT OFF THE MICROPHONE. I, I, I WILL GIVE YOU 60 MORE SECONDS. THANK YOU. OKAY. SORRY. THE TOWN HAS COMMISSIONED A $50,000 PARKING STUDY. IT MAKES SENSE TO REVIEW THE STUDY'S FINDINGS BEFORE A PERMANENT DESIGN THAT BLOCKS ACCESS. A PARKING PLAN SHOULD ADDRESS DEMONSTRATED NEEDS ACROSS THE AREA, NOT REDUCE A NOMINAL GAIN WHILE ELIMINATING SUBSTANTIALLY MORE USABLE PARKING FOR ADJACENT PROPERTIES. THE 03 EASEMENT STATES, "OWNER, TENANT AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, LICENSES, INVITEES ARE NEARBY GRANTED ACCESS TO AND THROUGH THE TOWN'S PAYTON STREET PARKING LOTS ON THE SAME BASIS AS THEY'VE ENJOYED PRIOR TO THIS DEED OF EASEMENT. PLEASE DEFER ANY CONSTRUCTION OR RECONFIGURATION THAT WOULD BLOCK VEHICLE ACCESS UNTIL COUNCIL HAS REVIEWED THE PARKING STUDY AND CONSIDERED THESE PEOPLES THAT ARE AFFECTED. PRESERVED ACCESS IS THE PRUDENT CHOICE FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS, THEIR VISITORS AND THE TAXPAYERS WOULD PAY FOR THIS PROJECT." I SEE SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE THAT ADVOCATED FOR MANY YEARS TO MAINTAIN THAT OFF-STREET PARKING. NOW CHAPTER 146 HAS BEEN REPEALED AND, AND, AND, UM, UH, UH, RE-ADOPTED. [00:40:02] WE WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE IT MORE PARKING BECAUSE NOW THERE'S A MUCH GREATER DEMAND THAN EVER BEFORE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THANK YOU. SECOND PERSON. PATTY BAGGERLY. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M PATTY BAGGERLY, 423 MANASSAS AVENUE. I ALSO WORK AT 14 AND 16 CHESTER STREET. SO I'M HERE TONIGHT, UH, AS THE MANAGER OF THE VIRGINIA BEER MUSEUM. UM, THE VIRGINIA BEER MUSEUM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS A WELL KNOWN STOP FOR VISITORS TO FRONT ROYAL. ONLINE TRIPADVISOR CURRENTLY PLACES US NINTH AMONG 36 THINGS DUE ON FRONT ROYAL. A TRAVEL LISTING THAT REPUBLISHES GOOGLE REVIEWS SHOWS THE MUSEUM AT 4.5 OUT OF FIVE BASED ON ROUGHLY 377 REVIEWS. OUR FACEBOOK PAGE ALSO SAID, SHOWS 98% OF VIEWERS RECOMMEND THE MUSEUM BASED ON MORE THAN 350 REVIEWS. THESE FIGURES CHANGE OVER TIME, BUT THEY REFLECT SOMETHING WE SEE IN PERSON. VISITORS FIND US, ENJOY THE VISIT, AND RECOMMEND US TO OTHERS. THE PROPOSED PARKING LOT RENOVATION PUTS THAT VISITOR EXPERIENCE AT RISK. AS PROPOSED, IT WOULD INTERFERE WITH ACCESS TO THE BEER GARDEN WHERE WE HOLD CONCERTS AND OTHER EVENTS. IT WOULD MAKE IT HARDER TO RECEIVE DELIVERIES, LIKE BEER, UM, REACH ACCESSIBLE HANDICAP RAMP, ACCOMMODATE BICYCLES AND FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND STAFF TO PARK. IT CANNOT... IF WE CANNOT SAFELY AND PRACTICALLY HOST EVENTS, RECEIVE DELIVERIES AND SERVE VISITORS AND PROVIDE ACCESS, WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO REMAIN OPEN. THE MUSEUM ALSO SUPPORTS DOWNTOWN RESTAURANTS BECAUSE WE DON'T SERVE FOOD, SO WE DIRECT PEOPLE TO THOSE LOCAL RESTAURANTS. WE ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY THROUGH RETAIL SALES TAXES, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $10,000 A YEAR. I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THE FULL IMPACT OF THIS PLAN AND I JUST WANT TO ADD VERY QUICKLY, UM, WE SUPPORT ALL THE DOWNTOWN EVENTS, BUT WHEN YOU CLOSE OFF THE GA - UH, GAZEBO AREA, WHICH I'M ALL FOR, UM, WE CAN'T GET TO WORK. WE CAN'T OPEN THE VIEW MUSEUM. I'VE HAD TO PARK, DRIVE DOWN, FIGURE OUT I CAN'T GET THERE TO WORK AND TURN AROUND AND GO BACK HOME AND WALK TO WORK JUST TO OPEN OUR BUSINESS. UM, PEOPLE COME ALL THE TIME FROM ALL OVER... WE GET PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, LITERALLY. WE PARK IN THE BACK FREQUENTLY, BUT I ALWAYS HAVE, AND THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE THE GATES DOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE PARKING IN FRONT OF THE GATE SO WE COULDN'T GET IN AND OUT TO ACCESS THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY. I MEAN, I'M ALL FOR THE RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN, BUT THEY DO TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE, UM, FOR PARKING. BUT WE ALSO HAVE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ON MAIN STREET THAT HAVE NO PLACE TO PARK EITHER. SO JUST SATURDAY, I WILL TELL YOU, CHESTER STREET WAS FULL ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE ENTIRE PARKING LOT, EVERYWHERE, GAZEBO, AND THE STOP SIGN, YOU KNOW, ON LAURA VIRGINIA HALE WAS ALL PARKED ON, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE PARKED ILLEGALLY. SO, UM, WE NEED BETTER PARKING AND DON'T TAKE AWAY OUR PARKING, PLEASE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER GALLOWAY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCILOR. I WORK FOR PRINCE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I AM THE SON OF THE VIRGINIA BUREAU MUSEUM AND CONCERNED CITIZEN. WHO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF FUNK ROAD? COULD YOU STATE YOUR ADDRESS FIRST? OH, I'M SORRY. 708 VIRGINIA AVENUE IN FUNK ROY, VIRGINIA. TONIGHT I WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING I DISCOVERED ABOUT THE TOWN PLANS TO RECONFIGURE THE PEYTON STREET PARKING LOT. WHAT MAKES THIS PARTICULARLY TROUBLING IN THAT THE TOWN POSITION TODAY APPEARS TO BE IN THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THE POSITION IT TOOK EIGHT YEARS AGO. IN SEPTEMBER 2018, THE FONT ROYAL PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERED A REQUEST ENVIRONMENT PARKING BEHIND THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM. ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS, MR. MERCHANT, A FORMER TOWN EMPLOYEE AND PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPER, MR. MERCHANT EXPRESSED CONSIDERABLY CONCERNING ABOUT PRESERVING THE SYSTEM DOWNTOWN PARKING. IN FACT, THE OFFICIAL MINUTES RECORDED HIM SAYING TO SAY, "WE ARE KEEPING PARKING AWAY FROM THE BIG MUSEUM. THE TOWN IS NOT DOING THAT." HE ALSO STATED, "WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE OUR PARKING FACILITIES FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE SPECIFICALLY EXPRESSED [00:45:01] CONCERNS ABOUT MAINTAINING ACCESS TO THE PARKING AREA BEHIND THE BIG MUSEUM. THE PLANNING COMMISSIONER, COMMISSION ELIMINATELY RECOMMEND THAT THE EXISTING PARKING REQUIRES REMAIN IN PLACE. NOW, EIGHT YEARS LATER, WE HAVE PROPOSED PARKING RECONFIGURATION DRAWING VARIED BY MR. MURPHY, PROFESSIONAL, SEALED INCLUDING THE PLAN REVISED SEPTEMBER 10, 2026. LET'S CAREFULLY LOOK AT THESE DRAWINGS. THE PROPOSED CURVING, LANDSCAPE, POSSIBLE MOTORCYCLE PARKING OR DUMPSTER LOCATION APPEAR TO OBSTRUCT THE ASSISTANT VEHICLE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING BEHIND THE MUSEUM. I AM ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT COME AND SOMETIMES WHEN EVERYONE TO PARK BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T GET IN BEHIND THE MUSEUM, WE CAN'T PARK BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S TAKEN UP. AND PEOPLE HAVE COME IN AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DRIVING AROUND TRYING TO FIND A PARKING SPACE THAT HAD HAPPENED ON SATURDAY WHERE A COUPLE CAME FROM DC, ONE CAME FROM PENNSYLVANIA AND SAID IT TOOK THEM ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO FIND A PARKING SPACE JUST TO COME IN AND THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THE MUSEUM BEFORE. SO I DON'T THINK OUR PARKING SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY. THANK YOU. MELANIE GREGORY. IT'S MELANIE GREGORY. I WORK AT A LAW FIRM AT 15 CHESTER STREET. WE DO NOT HAVE A LARGE PARKING LOT IN THE BACK OF OUR OFFICE AND I PARK AT THE BEER MUSEUM IN THE BACK TO SAVE THE PARKING FOR OUR CLIENTS. TODAY WE HAD A CLIENT THAT WAS PARKED IN OUR PARKING LOT FOR OVER TWO HOURS. I ALSO DON'T PARK ON THE STREET BECAUSE WE SAVE THAT FOR CLIENTS. SOME OF OUR CLIENTS CAN BARELY WALK OR THEY USE A WALKER OR WHEELCHAIR AND WE NEED TO GIVE THEM THE SPACES THAT ARE CLOSEST TO OUR DOOR. I HAVE COME IN THE MORNING BEFORE 8:30 AND THE GAZEBO AND PEYTON STREET PARKING LOTS HAVE BEEN FULL. BEFORE I STARTED WORKING THERE, I WORKED IN A MUSEUM FOR 10 YEARS AND WE ALWAYS PARKED IN THE BACK PARKING LOT OF THE MUSEUM TO SAVE THE STREETS FOR THE TOURISTS. TODAY, IN THE BACK OF THE BEER MUSEUM, EIGHT CARS WERE PARKED IN THE BACK. CLOSING THAT OFF WOULD MEAN EIGHT MORE CARS ARE TAKING UP SPACES WHERE CLIENTS AND TOURISTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO PARK. SO I'M ASKING, PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE THE PARKING LOT AREA OFF. THE LOVE THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR CLIENTS AND OUR TOURISTS WOULD... IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD HURT THEM. IT WOULD HURT THEM AND I THINK THAT, UM, WE NEED TO GIVE THEM THE MOST CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HENRY. HELLO, COUNCIL. UH, MY NAME IS ANDREW BURRY, UH, WHERE I RESIDE. I RESIDE, UH, 40, UH, 07. UM, I'M ALSO, UH, AN EMPLOYEE AT, UH, THE VIRGINIA, VIRGINIA BEER MUSEUM. UM, SO HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? UM, AND CONSIDER THE NUMBERS, UH, WHICH WILL EFFECTIVELY GAIN ONE PARKING SPOT OR THE WHOLE PARKING LOT WHILE TAKING AWAY FROM THE BEER MUSEUM, UM, AND IT'S GAINED ACCESS FOR ACTIVITIES, UH, VENDORS, ET CETERA. UM, THE TOWN REPORTEDLY EXPECTS TO GAIN THE ONE, UM, ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACE, YET THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD ELIMINATE PRACTICAL VEHICLE ACCESS, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, TO APPROXIMATELY 12 EXISTING, UM, PRIVATE PARKING SPACES. THAT WOULD MEAN A NET LOSS OF APPROXIMATELY 11, 11, UM, USABLE SPACES AT THE TAXPAYERS' EXPENSE. AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS AT THE VIRGINIA BEER MUSEUM, I SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SMALL INSTITUTION IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, ALSO, LOOKING AT WHERE, UM, THE DUMPSTER WILL BE RELOCATED, UH, THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY WHERE IT RESIDES, WHERE THE GAME IS NOW. UM, BY VOLUME, THE BEER MUSEUM CREATES MUCH LESS TRASH THAN THE INSTITUTIONS THAT IS DIRECTLY PARKED BEHIND IT. UM, THAT BEING... I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD GIVE THE BUSINESS'S NAME, UM, BUT THEY SERVE EVERYTHING, FOOD, UH, BEVERAGES, ET CETERA. SO IT'S EFFECTIVELY MOVING AWAY FROM WHERE IT'S MOST USEFUL AND PUTTING IT FURTHER AWAY FROM THEM AND TAKING FROM US AS THE INSTITUTION. UM, AND THAT MAKES NO FACTUAL SENSE FOR THE ONE BUSINESS. UM, AS IT IS NOW, IT SEEMS TO BE BEST [00:50:01] SERVED NEAR THE BUSINESSES THAT CREATE THE MOST TRASH. UM. MALCOLM BARR, SENIOR. MY NAME'S MALCOLM BARR. I LIVE IN, UH, THE ROCKLAND AREA, AND, UH, AS A, UM, RETIRED, UH, JOURNALIST, UH, I TAKE SOME CREDIT FOR PUTTING THIS HISTORIC, UH, UH, HISTORIC, UH, BUILDING, UM, UH, INTO THE PUB - MORE INTO THE PUBLIC EYE. UM, I, I DID THIS BY INTRODUCING A PRO - UH, A WEEKLY PROGRAM, UH, WHICH IF WHATEVER IS BEING PROPOSED, UH, UH, REGARDING, UH, ENTRANCES AND EXITS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, WILL, UM, PROBABLY AFFECT, UH, MY LIST OF, UH, REGULARS, WHICH NUMBER OF SOMETHING BETWEEN 50 AND 60, UM, WILL, UH, NOT BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE TO, UH, UH, MR. DOWNS, UH, AND THAT HALF OF US, OR SOME OF US WON'T, INCLUDING MYSELF, WON'T BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE PLACE. UM, UH, THE, UM... I, I'M PARTICULARLY OFFENDED BY WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AS A, UH, AS A, AS A TRANSPLANTED BIRTH WHO WAS RAISED IN A, UM, IN A PUB, UH, WHICH WAS ROU- ROUGHLY 200 YEARS OLD. UH, I WAS EDUCATED IN, UH, IN A HISTORIC, UH, SCHOOL, 450 YEARS OLD, AND I, I GIVE DAVID, UH, DOWNS A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT IN TRYING TO SAY, UH, WHAT, TO ME, IN FRONT ROYAL IS AN HISTORIC LANDMARK. IT'S, IT'S, UH, SHORT... FIRST OF ALL, I BELIEVE IT TO BE SHORTSIGHTED. UH, SECONDLY, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND AFTER 10 YEARS THAT THE, THAT ANY CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO, UH, DOING THIS, UM, INJUSTICE TO THE, UH, UH, TO, TO THE, UH, HISTORIC BUILDING. UH, IT'LL KEEP PEOPLE AWAY RATHER THAN, UH, ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE THERE, INCLUDING ME. YOU SHUT, YOU'RE SHUTTING DOWN THE, UH, UH, UH... OR AT LEAST IT'S BEEN PROPOSED TO SHUT DOWN THE, UH, ENTRANCE WHICH I CAN USE, AND, UH, UH, UH, CERTAINLY TO YOU TO GIVE IT SOME CONSIDERATION TO STAY OPEN. THANK YOU. PETER SCHOFIELD. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS PETER SCOFIELD. I'M RESIDENT OF 82 SUGAR MAPLE ROAD, AND I'M CURRENTLY A TENANT AT 14 CHESTER STREET HERE IN FRONT ROAL, VIRGINIA. I DO NOT REPRESENT DOWNS FAMILY LAND TRUST, AND I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE OFFICE, THE, THE LAW OFFICES OF DAVID DOWNS. I MAINTAIN A SOLO PRACTICE, SCHOFIELD DEFENSE, WHICH AGAIN IS AT 14 CHESTER STREET. I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES THE PROPOSED PARKING PLANS WILL HAVE ON ME, MY STAFF, MY CLIENTS, AND THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES I SERVE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE OWNER OF 14 CHESTER STREET AND THE TOWN THAT WAS MADE IN THE FORM OF AN EASEMENT IN 2003. SIMPLY PUT, IT ALLOWED ACCESS FROM THE PAYTON PARKING LOT IN QUESTION TO THE REAR OF 14 CHESTER STREET. THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES FOR MY OFFICES AT 14 CHESTER STREET. IF ACCESS IS BLOCKED, THERE WILL BE NO LONGER PARKING IN THE REAR OF 14 CHESTER STREET FOR MYSELF, STAFF, OR CLIENTS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE AFOREMENTIONED PARTIES AND I WILL NEED TO AVAIL OURSELVES OF PARKING THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE USED FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THIS COUNCIL SHOULD LOOK CLOSELY AT THE PROPOSALS. THE [00:55:01] TOWN STUDY APPEARS TO DESCRIBE AN OVERALL GAIN OF ONE SINGLE SPACE, BUT DISPLACES MORE THAN A DOZEN SPACES THAT ARE CURRENTLY USED BEHIND 14 CHESTER STREET. THIS MAKES NO SENSE. A SINGLE ADDED SPACE DOES NOT REPLACE THE PARKING LOSTS HERE. THE COUNCIL SHOULD ASK ITSELF WHETHER THE PROJECT IS WORTH SPENDING PUBLIC MONEY ON TO PRODUCE SUCH A NEGATIVE EFFECT. THE REQUEST I AM MAKING TONIGHT IS SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE TOWN NOT ATTEMPT TO SOLVE AN EVER INCREASING PARKING PROBLEM BY REMOVING ACCESS TO PARKING THAT ALREADY SERVES DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AND THEIR CUSTOMERS. INDEED, IT'S THE POINT OF ACHIEVING THE OPPOSITE DESIRED EFFECT. KEEP THE ACCESS OPEN, FIND ANOTHER LOCATION FOR THE PROPOSED OBSTRUCTIONS, AND ENSURE THAT THE FINAL PLAN FOR ANY PARKING EXPANSION WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO USE THIS BLOCK EVERY DAY. PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, MY STAFF, AND MY CLIENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE'S NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? THOMAS, EXCUSE ME, THOMAS THERE. I LIVE HERE IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNAIDABLE RIGHTS, THAT AMONG THESE ARE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. THIS IS FOUND IN UNITED STATES DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ADOPTED ON JULY 4TH, 1776. THEY WERE SPEAKING TO THE CONSCIENCE OF THEIR CITIZENS, LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS FOR ALL CITIZENS, FOR ANY PERSON. VIRGINIA HAS A CHANCE TO DO IT RIGHT ON AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. VIRGINIA DID NOT SUPPORT LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS FOR EVERY PERSON DURING THE CIVIL WAR. THE DEMOCRATS SUPPORTED SLAVERY. VIRGINIA WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE DURING MASSIVE RESISTANCE. VIRGINIA SUPPORTED THE UNEQUAL TREATMENT OF PERSONS. NOW HERE WE ARE, VIRGINIA WITH THE CHANCE TO SUPPORT ALL PERSONS FROM THE MOMENT OF CONCEPTION AND THE WOMB TO THAT CERTAIN UNAIDABLE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. VIRGINIA HAS A CHANCE HERE AND NOW TO SHOW IT'S ON THE RIGHT SIDE THIS TIME. VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. DO NOT ENSHRINE BABY KILLING IN THE VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION AND SHOW THAT VIRGINIA HAS NOT COMPLETELY FALLEN FROM THE LANDING IN 1607 AT JAMESTOWN, WHERE PEOPLE CAME TO AMERICAN PURSUIT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM UNDER GOD TO TODAY, 419 YEARS LATER. THANK YOU, MR. STARRETT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? I FEEL LIKE YOUR BED IS EARS AND YOUR STAFF WHO'S ALREADY SPOKEN FOR THE NEWSPAPER REPORTER. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, [9. REPORTS] SO AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE THE REPORT OF THE TOWN MANAGER. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. JUST HAVE A FEW QUICK COMMENTS. UM, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY WE CAME OUT OF VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION WATER FOR WATER, BUT WE ALWAYS WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE MINDFUL AND CONSERVE WATER WHEN POSSIBLE SO WE DON'T END UP IN THAT SPOT. UM, WE WILL HAVE NO COUNCIL MEETING, UM, ON NOVEMBER 2ND. THAT MEETING WAS CANCELED AT THE LAST ONE. TOWN OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED FOR VETERAN'S DAY ON NOVEMBER 11TH. AND IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN THE LEAVES ARE CHANGING AND IF YOU WERE IN TOWN ON SATURDAY, YOU WOULD KNOW ALL ABOUT IT. THERE IS LOTS OF TRAFFIC. UM, FOR THE SAME REASON WE CALL THIS HOME, WE WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO VISIT. SO WE ASK ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO JUST BE A LITTLE PATIENT OVER THESE NEXT FEW WEEKENDS. I'D LIKE TO THANK A LOT OF OUR STAFF THAT HELP MANAGE, GET THAT DONE BETWEEN OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MANY OTHER STAFFS BEHIND THE SCENES ALSO HELP JUST TO MANAGE THAT PROCESS. SO WE'RE DEFINITELY THANKFUL FOR THEM FOR THESE NEXT FEW WEEKENDS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO NEXT UP IS OUR REPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I'M GONNA START, UH, I'M GONNA START IN THE MIDDLE THIS TIME AND GO OUT, WORK MY WAY OUT. LAST TIME I STARTED GOING OUT, WORK MY WAY IN. SEE LIKE HERE FIRST. I CAN [01:00:01] NEVER MAKE ANYBODY HAPPY. TALKING TO POLITICS. I JUST GOT A COUPLE QUICK THINGS. UH, WE NEED TO THANK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE JOB THEY'RE DOING. UH, I KNOW WE'RE INTO OVERTIME WITH THEM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SCREAMING AT THEM, PEOPLE ARE YELLING AT THEM, CUSSING AT THEM. UH, AND THESE GUYS, THEY KEPT THEIR COOL, WHICH REALLY, I MEAN, I CAN SPEAK FROM PERSPECTIVE. BACK IN THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD'VE GONE OUT AND SAID, "HEY, GOT SOMETHING TO SAY." BUT THESE GUYS, THEY'RE, THEY ALL LOOK GOOD. I LIKE IT BECAUSE OUR CHIEF IS GOING ALL IN THE SAME UNIFORM WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE. SO THERE'S NO CONFUSION ON WHO'S DIRECTING TRAFFIC AND WHO'S DOING WHAT. UM, BUT TRAFFIC I HEARD WAS A BEAR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. I KNOW IT WAS FRIDAY EVENING TOO. UH, NOT AS BAD AS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, BUT, UH, UH, I'VE GOT A GRANDSON WHO WORKS UP ON SOUTH STREET AND HE SAID THAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, HE WATCHED IT, HE CALLED ME A COUPLE TIMES. BUT, UH, I WANNA THANK THOSE GUYS, THANK THE TOWN, THE TOWN CREW. UH, I GUESS THEY'RE THE ONES THAT PUT ALL THE CONES OUT, I THINK. BD DID? OKAY. THEY PUT A BLOOD LOAD OF CONES OUT. THAT'S A LOT OF WORK. SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO THANK OUR OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE. AND MARY, THAT'S REALLY ALL I'VE GOT. OKAY. GOTCHA. NICE MEETING YOU. IN ANTICIPATION OF A DATA CENTER PUBLIC HEARING, I PLANNED TO FOREGO MY COUNCIL REPORT. SO I WILL JUST SAY AS A LOCAL, ON THE WEEKENDS YOU RUN OUT TO GO TO MARTIN'S OR GRAB A COFFEE AND YOU'RE LIKE, "THESE PEOPLE CAN'T DRIVE, WHAT ARE THEY DOING?" AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE, "OH MAN, THANK YOU, YOU'RE KEEPING ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES OPEN FOR THE NEXT YEAR." SO IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT THE LEAVES ARE FINALLY STARTING TO TURN AND THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. UM, LATRON PARKWAY IS JUST AS GORGEOUS TO DRIVE DOWN AND SEE THIS TIME OF YEAR. IT'S LIKE - THIS MORNING WHEN I TOOK THE KIDS TOOK PICTURES FROM THE TREES THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL. UM, BUT I DID NOT ANTICIPATE GETTING A COUNCIL REPORT TONIGHT SO WE CAN KEEP IT MOVING RIGHT ALONG. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN WOOD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, JUST A COUPLE THINGS. UH, ON 10-2, WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF COFF - UH, ATTENDING COFFEE AND CONVERSATION AT ON Q. THAT IS A SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR THE PUBLIC THAT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PUTS ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. AND WE HAVE PATRICK BARKER, THE DIRECTOR OF THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR WARREN COUNTY AS THE SPEAKER. AND AS ALWAYS, HE WAS VERY INTERESTING, ANSWERED MANY QUESTIONS AND, UM, I THINK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY IS IN REALLY GOOD HANDS. UM, ALSO THIS MONTH, UH, WE HAD A BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING WITH SALVATION ARMY. I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS. UH, FOLKS THAT NEED ASSISTANCE FOR CHRISTMAS WITH THEIR CHILDREN, THE ANGEL TREE SIGN UP IS GOING ON ALL THIS MONTH AND YOU CAN STOP BY THE SALVATION ARMY CHURCH ON CLOUD STREET AND THE SIGNUPS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST. ALSO, UH, COMING UP, WE WILL HAVE THE RED KETTLE KICKOFF, AND THAT'S GONNA BE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER, UH, 7TH AT NOON IN RURAL KING. AND IT WILL BE, UM, THERE WILL BE SOME MEDIA THERE AND, UM, THAT, THAT'S WHERE THE SALVATION ARMY GATHERS FUNDS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT NEXT YEAR. SO, UH, PLEASE, AS YOU SEE THE RED CATTLES COME OUT, UH, TRY TO BE GENEROUS. UH, THAT REALLY HELPS OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK I'M HAVING ONE OF THOSE SENIOR MOMENTS BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE I WANNA MENTION, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT IS. . UH, TWO THINGS, MADAM MAYOR. UH, FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK TOWN STAFF, THE TOWN BUSINESSES AND TOWN RESIDENTS FOR, UH, WHAT SEEM TO BE ONE OF THE BEST, UH, FESTIVAL LEAGUES WE'VE HAD. UH, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOTTEN BETTER, EVEN BETTER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. UM, A LOT OF FOLKS FROM, UH, OUTSIDE THE AREA, UH, PERSONALLY TOLD ME THAT THEY, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THE CROWD SEEM LIKE IT WAS EVEN BIGGER THAN WHAT IT WAS, UH, IN THE PAST COUPLE, PAST COUPLE YEARS. AND, UH, THE, UH, LIKE I SAID, TOWN, TOWN BUSINESSES, TOWN RESIDENTS ARE, UH, ACCOMMODATING SUCH A BIG CROWD. UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG EVENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, TIES EVEN, [01:05:01] OF COURSE, TO OUR CURRENT, UH, LEAF BEAVER SEASON AS WELL. SO, UH, HATS OFF TO EVERYBODY FOR THAT. UH, SECOND THING, I DID ATTEND THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE CONFERENCE IN NORFOLK A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. UH, I REPRESENTED FRONT ROYAL AND SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE THE COMMITTEE FOR, UH, POLICY AMENDMENTS. UH, WITH THAT SAID, I ATTENDED A COUPLE ROUND TABLE SESSIONS, ONE OF WHICH WAS, UH, WEATHER EMERGENCIES AND HOW TO, HOW TO BETTER, UH, COMMUNICATE, UH, WARNINGS FOR STORMS. AND THE SECOND ONE WAS FOR FINANCING, UH, FOR MUNICIPALITIES, PARTICULARLY FOR GREAT COMMONWEALTH. UH, BOTH WERE PRETTY INFORMATIVE. I'VE GOT SOME NOTES AND DETAILS. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, FEEL FREE TO ASK. UH, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, AS WAS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, UH, LET'S TRY TO EMBRACE OUR, OUR, UH IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. AND, UH, SO HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN GO INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON HERE. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, SO I HAVE ATTENDED NORTH VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION MEETING, AND I DID RE - WANNA REMIND FOLKS, UM, TO GO ONTO THEIR WEBSITE AND LOOK UP SOME OF THE PROJECTS THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE THEY DO IMPACT WARREN COUNTY AS WELL AS THE WHOLE REGION. SOME OF THEM INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, COORDINATING BROADBAND ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE REGION. THEY ARE ALSO MANAGING ONE OF THE GRANT PROCESSES FOR RURAL HEALTHCARE. THERE WAS A LOT OF MONEY THIS YEAR THAT'S COME IN MANY DIFFERENT POTS FOR MANY DIFFERENT PURPOSES RELATED TO, UH, UH, IMPROVING HEALTHCARE IN THE RURAL AREAS OF VIRGINIA. THEY ALSO COORDINATE THE COMMUTER BUS SERVICE THAT LEAVES FROM HERE TO DOWN TO NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND OTHER PLACES. AND THEY ARE EXPLORING USGS UNDERGROUND WATER MAPPING THAT THEY WANNA CREATE A MODEL THAT HELPS INFORM PLANNING. IT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE OUR WATER ISSUE, BUT WE HOPE THAT, THAT WE MIGHT HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE TOGETHER REGIONALLY AND OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INFORMATION THROUGH THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL SHOW US WHERE THE WATER IS. SO I ALSO ATTENDED THE LIAISON MEETING. I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE OF EARLY VOTING. WHEN I GO OUT, I ALWAYS SAY, UM, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE REALLY ENJOYED BEING ON COUNCIL WITH SOME OF THESE FOLKS AND, UM, AND THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE AND I LOVE THEM ALL. SO WE'LL JUST SEE WHO ENDS UP . WE'LL JUST SEE IF THAT HELPS, UH, WIN THE ELECTION FOR THEM. UM, FOR THE FESTIVAL OF LEAVES, UH, ANYBODY WHO BROUGHT PEOPLE THAT, WHETHER YOU BROUGHT PEOPLE IN OR YOU PARTICIPATED OR YOU OFFERED GOODS AND SERVICES, I DID LOOK LIKE A FANTASTIC EVENT. I DID GET MY APPLE BUTTER, BUT, UM, I DID NOT WALK DOWN ON MAIN STREET, BUT I CERTAINLY SAW A HUGE CROWD ALL AROUND, SO IT WAS GREAT. I WANTED TO REMIND FOLKS THAT IN HONOR OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S BIRTHDAY, TOMORROW'S SUPPOSED TO BE READMISSION TO THE NATIONAL PARKS AND NATIONAL PARKS ARE AMAZING. TAKE TIME AND GO VISIT ONE IF YOU CAN. I, I THINK THAT THAT IS ABOUT IT FOR ME. OH, UM, DON'T FORGET THAT THIS IS, AGAIN, THE LAST, LAST WEEK FOR VOTING AND I WISH ALL OF MY, UH, FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS GOOD LUCK DURING THE ELECTION. I'M SORRY. YEAH, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SAY. OH, I KNOW WHICH THING YOU FORGOT. GO AHEAD. I GOT ONE MORE THING. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. I HAVE TO WISH MY HUSBAND A HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND, UM, I WANNA THANK HIM FOR HIS PATIENCE AS, UH, HE TYPICALLY DOES GET A BACKDOOR WHEN I'VE GOT SEVERAL OBLIGATIONS GOING ON. SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILL, AND WE'LL CELEBRATE SOME OF YOUR HOME. THANKS. I, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT. I KNOW YOU ALL SAW MY EMAIL TODAY ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL NEWSLETTER THAT OUR, UH, WONDERFUL CLERK THERE, HILLARY, PRODUCED. UH, A LOT OF COLOR, A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION. WE'RE NOW, UH, INTRODUCING OUR, OUR NEW EMPLOYEES TO FOLKS WHO ARE DOING EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT, COUNCIL. I, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO HILLARY FOR DOING THIS. I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU LEFT OUT, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I GET TO IT. OKAY, COUNCILMAN. UM - IF I MADE YOU FIRST, IF I MADE YOU LAST, IF I MADE YOU IN THE MIDDLE, YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY. DON'T MAKE A GREAT LONG VOICE FIRST. YES. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, COUNCILMAN MONICO PAYNE, [01:10:01] I FELT THE LOVE THAT YOU JUST GAVE ME. UH, MAYOR, I, I, UH, I TOO, UH, ATTENDED THE, UH, FESTIVAL OF LEAGUE AND, UH, I UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WERE LIKE OVER 200 VENDORS THERE STORM. UM, I TOOK SOME PICTURES OF SOME FOLKS AND, UH, NOT PUBLISHED. ANYWAY, UH, THAT WAS FUN. UH, I UNDERSTOOD, UH, SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING 20,000 PLUS PEOPLE ATTENDED, UH, AND EVERYONE SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE HAVING A GOOD TIME. I DID NOT WIN THE RIFLE, UH, AND I, UH, BOUGHT TWO TICKETS FROM. UM, I WANT TO, UH, GIVE A THANK OUT, UH, A SHOUT OUT TO THE FRONT ROYAL, UH, ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF POWER OUTAGES OVER THE WEEKEND, UM, AND THEY WERE WANTED, THEY SPENT ALL DAY ON SATURDAY, UM, REPAIRING ONE ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME WHERE, UH, UH, THERE WAS, UH, SOME LITTLE WIRES AND THEY WERE, THE PANEL WAS MOVING A LADDER AND, AND IT CAME DOWN AND THEY LOST POWER. UH, SO, UH, THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS WORKING THERE, HE, UH, HE, UH, SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH WIRE TO CUT. UH, THEY GOT IT DONE AND THAT'S JUST A TRIBUTE TO OUR, UH, STAFF AND EMPLOYEES. UH, SECONDLY, UH, ALSO, UM, I WAS IN THE DARK FOR ABOUT A WEEK, UH, WITH A LIGHT THAT WENT OUT, UH, ON THE SCREEN AND NOW I HAVE NEW LED LINES. I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA REPORT THEM ON. YEAH, THESE ARE LED LINES. WORKING ON THAT BEFORE HE LEFT. UM, UH, THE OTHER THING, UH, MAYOR, I, I DID WATCH THE LIAISON MEETING AND, UH, I THOUGH THERE WAS GOOD CONVERSATION. IN PARTICULAR, I WAS IMPRESSED WITH, UH, UH, ECONOMIC, UH, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, CHAIRMAN, IF YOU WILL, UH, HIS RUNDOWN AT PARKER. UH, YOU KNOW, HE HAD A LOT OF GOOD FOCUSED THINGS TO SAY AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SOME OF, UH, THOSE THINGS COMING INTO FRUITION. AND OTHER THAN THAT, MAYOR, I, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A BREAK. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE REALLY TO SAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO FOR THE MAYOR'S REPORT, UM, ON OCTOBER 3RD, I ATTENDED THE NAACP DINNER. THAT WAS THE ONE. I KNEW IT. AS SOON AS YOU SAID YOU FORGOT, I THOUGHT I SAT WITH. YEP, RIGHT ACROSS. UM, AND THAT, THAT WAS REALLY A, A WONDERFUL EVENT. UM, MRS. SLOAN WAS THE GUEST SPEAKER WHO IS 100, SHE TURNED 100 THIS SUMMER. UM, LONG TIME EDUCATOR HERE IN WARREN COUNTY. UM, I HAD HER FOR HENRY. AND AT ONE POINT IN THE, IN HER PRESENTATION, SHE ASKED FOR ANYONE WHO HAD, UM, ANYBODY THAT WAS A TEACHER STAND UP AND THEN ANYBODY WHO HAD HER AND THERE WAS QUITE A FEW PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, SO THAT WAS REALLY SPECIAL. UM, OCTOBER 8TH, UM, I ATTENDED THE CTE MEETING, WHICH IS THE CAREER TECH EDUCATION, AND THAT WAS, UM, AT, UM, THE BLUE RIDGE TECH CENTER. UM, I WAS INVITED IN MY, AS MY ROLE, UH, IN MY ROLE AS THE MAYOR. UM, WE GOT TO TOUR, UM, THE WHOLE BUILDING, JUST REALLY LOTS OF TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES AND TRYING TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO, [01:15:01] UM, IN THE TRADES. UM, AND JUST, JUST A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION. MR. PETTY ATTENDED WITH ME AS WELL. UM, OCTOBER 15TH WAS THE LIAISON MEETING. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT, FOR COMMENTING THAT YOU THOUGHT IT WAS, UM, HELPFUL BECAUSE IT WAS. UM, AND THEN, UH, OCTOBER 21ST, IT WAS LAST WEDNESDAY, I ATTENDED THE WARREN COUNTY RECOVERY COURT MEETING. WE HAVE A QUARTERLY MEETING. UM, LOTS OF WONDERFUL STATISTICS THERE, AND I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO A GRADUATION IN NOVEMBER. I BELIEVE THEY, THEY ARE ANTICIPATING THEY WANT TWO GRADUATES, UM, FOR THEIR, FOR, UH, GRADUATION IN NOVEMBER FROM, UH, THE RECOVERY COURT. AND THEN TODAY, UM, I, WE MET, UH, WITH THE COUNTY, UH, MR. PETTY AND MYSELF AND MR. WOOD, UM, A- AND, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE TOURISM MOU. AND SO IT WAS A LONG MEETING, WASN'T IT? THAT WAS. IT WAS A COUPLE HOURS. UM, BUT, UH, REALLY IT WAS JUST AN EXTENSION OF THE LIAISON MEETING AND JUST, UM, JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT MOU AND THAT WILL, UM, COME BACK TO US. IT'LL, IT'LL GO BEFORE US, THEN IT'LL GO BEFORE THEM. UM, AND IF ALL GOES WELL, WE'RE HOPING AT THE END, UH, IN OUR NOVEMBER MEETING, WE'LL BE ABLE TO APPROVE THAT. UM, AND I FEEL, I THINK THAT'S IT. I THINK, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I LEFT ANYTHING OUT, BUT I COULD BE WRONG. WHAT'S WRONG? DID I LEAVE SOME OUT?. NO. NO. THE LIAISON MEETINGS ARE QUARTERLY, SO THEY'RE JANUARY, APRIL, JULY, AND. NO. NO. WE'RE HAVING THE, THIS... WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ONE ON THURSDAY, BUT WE MOVED IT TO TODAY. OH. SO, AND IT'S NOT LIAISON, BUT IT WAS REPRESENTATIVES OF, FOR TOURISM AND THE, UM, STAFF. UH, BOARD SUPERVISORS AND STAFF. AND I THINK THAT'S IT. SO I'M GONNA... OH, NO. IT'S NOT IT. I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I WROTE DOWN. SO I JUST WANNA COMMENT ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS SAYING ABOUT THE TRAFFIC. SO I MUST, I WILL ADMIT THAT I OFTEN AVOID THE TRAFFIC IN THE FALL IF I CAN. UM, I JUST STAY HOME. AND I LIVE OFF OF 55, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE. UM, BUT SATURDAY, I HAD A WEDDING TO GO TO, AND THE WEDDING WAS AT FOUR O'CLOCK. WE LEFT OUR HOUSE AT TWO O'CLOCK, WAS IN THE RAY. UM, AND THE LONGEST JERK PART OF THAT WAS FROM JOHN MARSHALL HIGHWAY TO PASS WHERE PEOPLE WERE GETTING OFF ON THE DRIVE. BUT CRAZY. LIKE, IT, I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST, IT'S JUST CRAZY. AND, UM, COUNCILMAN SELOCK TALKING ABOUT THE STAFF, THAT, THAT WAS THE PART OF IT. I MEAN, I JUST COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MUCH STAFF WAS OUT THERE, UH, DIRECTING IT. AND I, AND I THOUGH, THIS IS HOURS OF THIS, JUST HOURS OF IT. AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE, PEOPLE ARE STUPID SOMETIMES WHEN THEY'RE DRIVING. THAT'S THE NICEST WAY I CAN SAY IT. UM, I WAS GLAD MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING. UM, BUT ANYWAY, JUST... AND THEN ON SUNDAY, MY HUSBAND SAID, "I'M GONNA LEAVE. I'M GONNA GO WASH YOUR CAR." AND HE GOT TO THE END OF WALKER AND... WELL, ANYWAY, UH, HE, HE, HE WENT AND GONE FIVE MINUTES AND I WAS LIKE, "MAN, THAT WAS FAST." HE SAID, "NO, I GOT OUT THERE AND SAID IT DOESN'T WASHING THAT BAD." HE'S LIKE, HE SAID, "I'M NOT FIGHTING THAT TRAFFIC." UM, SO, BUT ANYWAY, JUST THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR STAFF AND, AND I, AND I'M ASSUMING THERE'S PROBABLY SOME COUNTY STAFF THERE TOO. UM, EVERYBODY TAG TEAMING IT, BUT JUST, I THINK SOMEBODY SAID THIS RECENTLY TO BE FUNNY, BUT PACK YOUR PATIENTS, BUT THAT'S FOR SURE. BUT AGAIN, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR, UM, FOR THE, THE TOURISTS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING THROUGH HERE. AND, UM, SO NOT AT ALL S - UPSET ABOUT THAT, JUST SAYING IT, IT, IT'S JUST REALLY CRAZY. AND OF COURSE, MY DAUGHTER WAS, SHE WAS LIKE, "SERIOUSLY? THEY'RE COMING TO SEE LEAVES?" AND THEY HADN'T CHANGED COLORS YET. BUT HONESTLY, LIKE YOU SAID, I NOTICED LITERALLY BETWEEN YESTERDAY AND TODAY, I WAS LIKE, "WOW, THAT'S REALLY ALL THE COLORS ARE STARTING TO POP." SO, ALL RIGHT, CONSENT [10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS] AGENDA. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. THERE ARE ACTUALLY FIVE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENT. SECOND. OKAY. MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. UH, ROLL CALL. COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN BOYD? YES. [01:20:01] COUNCILMAN? YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. OKAY. NEXT [11.A. Resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of a general obligation and sewer revenue bond for the Riverton Sewer Lift Station Project] UP IS ITEM 11A. IT REALLY, THESE LIGHTS ARE BRUTAL. IS ANYBODY I, I'M STARTING - I'M NEVER GONNA COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW HOT IT IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S. UM, 11, AND THE LIGHTS AREN'T. I KNOW. I'M LIKE SWEATING. UM, OKAY. SO ITEM 11A, UM, IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION AND SEWER REVENUE BOND FOR THE RIVERTON SEWER LIFE STATION PROJECT. DO YOU MIND READING THAT SUMMARY? YEAH. SORRY. I JUST NEED TO, I NEED TO FAN MYSELF FOR A LITTLE WHILE. TOWN COUNCIL IS REQUESTED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION SEWER REVENUE BOND IN PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,800,000 FOR THE RIVERTON LIFE STATION PROJECT, AKA RIVERTON SEWER COMPENSATION. THE TOWN APPLIED FOR FINANCING THROUGH THE VIRGINIA WATER FACILITIES REVOLVING FUND AND RECEIVED A COMMITMENT LETTER FROM VIRGINIA RESOURCE AUTHORITY IN MARCH OF 2026. THE VIRGINIA RESOURCE AUTHORITY IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE VIRGINIA WATER FACILITIES REVOLVING FUND. ESTIMATED TERM OF FINANCING AS OF SEPTEMBER 25, 2026 IS 3.3% INTEREST RATE FOR THE TERM OF 25 YEARS. THE FINAL INTEREST RATE IS TO BE SET APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE THE LOAN CLOSING. THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION REQUIRES THAT THE BOND SHALL BEAR AN INTEREST RATE NOT TO EXCEED 5%. THE TOWN'S ENGINEERING FIRM ENGINEERING, HAS BEEN WORKING ON OBTAINING VARIOUS APPROVALS FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. THE TOWN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH BML FOR FINANCING CONSULTING. HOWARD ESTES LAW AND CONSULTING FOR BOND COUNCIL HAS SOLICIT- SOLICITED PROCUREMENT FOR THE PROJECT AND HELD A PUBLIC HEARING THAT IS NECESSARY FOR POTENTIAL FINANCING. COUNCIL WILL BE REQUESTED TO APPROVE A BOARD OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AND APPROVAL OF THE FY27 BUDGET AMENDMENT AS SEPARATE ITEMS. OKAY. SO, UM, THERE'S A SUMMARY. THERE IS NO PUBLIC HEARING. UM, IT'S JUST TO ENTERTAIN FOR COUNCIL, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF A GENERAL OBLIGATION SEWER REVENUE BOND IN THEIR PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,800,000 PROVIDING FOR THE FORM DETAILS AND PAYMENT THEREOF AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. MOTION AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? PAYROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN DEANEKO-PAYNE? YES. COUNCILMAN ABRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN SELOM? YES. VICE MAYOR HEINEL. YES. OKAY. [11.B. Bid Award - Riverton Sewer Lift Station Upgrade Project] NEXT UP IS OUR... SORRY, I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. IT IS ITEM 11B, UH, WHICH IS THE BID AWARD FOR THE RIVERTON SEWER LIFT STATION UPGRADE PROJECT. DO YOU MIND GIVING A SUMMARY? COUNCIL IS REQUESTED TO AUTHORIZE THE AWARD OF THE RIVERTON SEWER LIFT STATION UPGRADE PROJECT TO CPC CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INCORPORATED OF GATHERSBURG, MARYLAND, THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,694,000. THE RIVERTON PUMP STATION WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE 1970S AND MUCH OF ITS EXISTING EQUIPMENT HAS REACHED OR EXCEEDED ITS USEFUL SERVICE LIFE. THE PROJECT WILL REPLACE AGING PUMPS AND OTHER CRITICAL EQUIPMENT AND UPGRADE ELECTRICAL AND STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE STATION. ON AUGUST 19TH, 2026, THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A PUBLIC BID OPENING FOR THE RIVERTON SEWER LIFT UPGRADE PROJECT AND RECEIVED THREE BIDS. THE PROJECT WAS PROCURED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ACT. OKAY. AGAIN, THIS DOESN'T REQUIRE PUBLIC HEARINGS. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE AWARD OF THE RIVERS AND SEWER LIFT STATION UPGRADE PROJECT TO CPP CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INCORPORATED IN THE AMOUNT OF 1.6... $1,694,000 AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN DEAN? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN GLYNN? YES. COUNCILMAN SELOCK? YES. VICE MAYOR HONEYCOMB? YES. [12. CLOSED MEETING] OKAY, THAT BRINGS US TO, UM, ALL OF THOSE BUSINESS ITEMS AND BRINGS US TO OUR CLOSED MEETING. AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION BY COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THE TOWN COUNCIL CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 2.2 - 3711 AND 2.2 - 3712 WITH THE THIRD VERSION FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD ENTER INTO A CLOSED MEETING UNDER SECTION 2.2 - 371185 [01:25:02] FOR THE DISCUSSION CONCERNING A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY OR EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WHERE NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE OF THE BUSINESSES OR INDUSTRY'S INTEREST IN LOCATING OR EXPANDING ITS FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY. THE SUBJECT MATTER IS THE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1330 PROGRESS DRIVE. I FURTHER MOVE THAT THE BOARD ENTER INTO A CLOSED MEETING UNDER SECTION 2.2 - 37118 FOR DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS WHERE COMPETITION OR BARGAINING IS INVOLVED WHERE IF MADE PUBLIC INITIALLY, THE FINANCIAL INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENTAL UNIT WOULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. THE SUBJECT MATTER IS A POSSIBLE INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC FACILITIES. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION. OKAY. MOTION IS SECOND. ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN RAFTAPORT? YES. COUNCILWOMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. COUNCILMAN SELOCK? YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. OKAY. WE ARE NOW IN CLOSE. * 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.