Jul 27, 2020 Town Council

COUNCILMAN HOLLOWAY, COUNCILMAN THOMPSON HERE.

COUNCILMAN MEZA COUNCILMAN THOMPSON.

[4. Approval of Minutes]

NEXT SLIDE.

THERE'S ITEM NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

REGULAR CASTLEVANIA MINUTES OF JULY THE 13TH, 2020 WORK SESSION MINUTES FOR JULY THE SIXTH, 2022.

I HEAR A MOTION, MR. MAYOR.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF JULY 13TH, 2020, AND THE WORK SESSION MINUTES OF JULY SIX, 2020 AS PRESENTED HERE A SEC.

SECOND MOTION.

SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL PLEASE.

NEXT I HAVE DENIED HIS RECEIPT AND PETITIONS OR CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PUBLIC.

[5. Receipt of Petitions and/or Correspondence from the Public]

UH, WE HAVE THREE TONIGHT.

THE FIRST ONE IS TIM RADIGAN.

YEAH, KIM RADIGAN SIX ZERO SEVEN NINE STONEWALL JACKSON HIGHWAY IN FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA.

GIVEN THE CURRENT SITUATION AND HIS GOING ACROSS OUR NATION RIGHT NOW WITH, UM, A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE NOW CALLING FOR THE NEW FUNDING AND THE DISMANTLING OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I WANTED TO GIVE THE CITIZENS IN FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT TO FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS.

IF THEY CHOOSE TO ASK WHY I HAD THESE SIGNS MADE UP, UM, THEY ARE FRONT AND BACK.

UM, THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT ON ONE SIDE AND THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT OR OFFICE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

AND I WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE EACH MEMBER OF THE TOWN COUNCIL, ONE OF THE SIGNS AS WELL.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE CITIZENS OF ROYAL IN WARREN COUNTY KNOW THAT THE MUNICIPALITY GOVERNING BODIES ARE FORMALLY BEHIND THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

AND IN OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE SEEN MANY LARGE CITIES DECIDED THAT IT WOULDN'T BE A GOOD IDEA TO CAVE, TO THE DEMANDS OF A RADICAL FEW.

THAT HAPPENED TO BE THE LOUDEST.

THEREFORE, IF THERE IS ALLOW THIS, THEY ARE RIGHT.

DUTIES AND HIS TIME TO PUT THE NONSENSE BEHIND US.

AND THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO BACK AWAY FROM SUPPORTING THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THROUGH VARIOUS WAYS, SUCH AS CUTS IN THEIR BUDGETS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

I'M ALSO BEGINNING A PLAN FOR A, A LONG RANGE PLAN TO PLAN AN EVENT WHEN LIFE TO HOLD SOME TYPE OF RALLY, WHETHER THAT RALLY WOULD MIRROR SOMETHING NECK, FRONT, ROYAL UNITE DID SUCH AS SOME TYPE OF SHORT PROCESSION OR PARADE, WHATEVER HAVE YOU HAVE PEOPLE WILLING TO SHOW THE SUPPORT OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT PARTICULAR RALLY? I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HORSE AND GATHER AT SOME AREA, WHETHER IT BE THE GAZEBO OR FRONT ON THE FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A FEW SPEECHES.

AND, UM, AND THEN WE WOULD TALK AT ALL WITH A CANDLE LIGHT, BINGE AND WALL HONORING ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LINES AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR

[00:05:01]

NOW, THERE ARE A FEW BAD APPLES AND VARIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

YOU WOULD GO THROUGH ALL THE ENTIRE LOAD, THE BABIES OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.

YOU ROOT OUT THE FEW BAD ONES, AND THEN YOU GO BACK AND SEE HOW THEY TURN BAD.

AND THEN YOU RETRAIN AND SIMPLE AS THAT.

AND YOU DO NOT FOR ALL THE ENTIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFF APARTMENTS OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.

AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.

AND I WANTED TO PUT THAT ACROSS.

AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT I SINCERELY HOPE THAT WHEN SOMEBODY COMES UP HERE AND BEGINS TO RECOMMEND A DEFUNDING OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEN EVERY ONE OF YOU SHOUT AT THOSE INDIVIDUALS, NOT IN THE FRONT WHILE I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU TOO.

AND THE SIGNS ARE AVAILABLE IF Y'ALL WOULDN'T MIND TO PICK ONE UP NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

PAUL GAPPER.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, PAUL GABBERT, ONE 2021 VALLEY VIEW DRIVE.

MR. MAYOR, WHEN THE TAXPAYERS ARE FRONT ROYAL ARE MADE TO WATCH AND TAKE IN ARROGANCE AND SELF FULFILLING AGENDA FROM THIS COUNCIL AND INTERIM TOWN MANAGER, THREE MINUTES AT THIS PODIUM IS AN INSULT TO ALL WHO COME UP HERE TO SPEAK.

I HAVE A LOT TO SAY TONIGHT, SO PLEASE GIVE ME THAN OTHERS WHO COME TO THE PODIUM TONIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR FRUSTRATIONS AND GIVE EVERYONE THE TIME THEY WILL NEED TO DO SO.

MR. GAVIN DON'T WANT TO MEAN TO INTERRUPT, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO HOLD IT TO A MINIMUM TONIGHT, PLEASE MINUTES.

REALLY? AFTER WHAT I JUST SAID, BUT I DON'T WANT TO 15 OR 20 MINUTES PEACH.

ON TOURS AND THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT PUT INTO CHAOS WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PLAN IN PLACE TO DEFUND THE DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR FROM A TAXPAYER.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY ARROGANCE IS A LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR TO LET THE TOWN DICTATE THEIR OWN COVID-19 RULES.

WHO THE HECK ARE YOU ALL TO DO THAT? A DRAFT LETTER TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO HAVE A NORMAL GRADUATION ON A FOOTBALL FIELD WHEN COVID-19 IS SKYROCKETING IN THE AREA, A THOUSAND PEOPLE ON THE, ON, TOGETHER ON THE, ON THE, ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD.

AND YOU EVEN, YOU EVEN SAY THAT IT TO HAVE A THOUSAND PEOPLE, YOU SAY THAT THE GRADUATION IS A SPORTING EVENT BECAUSE IT'S HELD ON A FOOTBALL FIELD.

GEEZ.

OH, FLIP.

THAT IS JUST IT'S.

IT'S A SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SKIT THAT UNBELIEVABLE AND INTERIM MAYOR WHO TAKES OFFICE IS GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT TO MAKE SWEEPING CHANGES.

INSTEAD OF WAITING A FEW MONTHS FOR THE ELECTION OF A NEW MAYOR, HE SHOULD BE HELD BACK.

HE SHOULD HAVE JUST LET IT GO.

LET THE FLOW GO AND WAITED FOR A NEW MANAGER AND YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE MADE SURE THAT HAPPENED.

AN INTERIM TOWN MAYOR WHO FIRST DECISION WAS TO LOWER TAP FEES AND SEND IT BACK TO THE TOWN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THE WORK THIS HE SAID WAS TO MAKE, MAKE IT EASIER AND LESS EXPENSIVE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MOVE HERE.

THEN PUBLICLY SAYS MY WIFE AND MOVED HERE FROM HERNDON AND SYDNEY WAITING.

WE WERE OUTSIDERS WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE A SAY IN THE LOCAL POLITICS.

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE LOWERING, THE TAP FEES WAS TO BENEFIT DEVELOPERS AND HOME BUILDERS.

THESE LOWER FEES CREATE LESS INCOME TO THE TOWN.

TYPICAL VIEWS ACCOUNTS WHO HIRES A LAW FIRM FOR THE EDA LAWSUIT.

WHEN DID THEY HIRE HIM AFTER THEY APPOINTED THE INTERIM TOWN MAYOR? WHEREAS THIS LAW FIRM LOCATED IN THE SAME OFFICE BUILDING THAT WANTED THE INTERIM TOWN MAYOR.

NOW INTERIM TOWN MANAGERS, LLC IS IN, LOCATED IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA COUNCIL SAID, THIS IS NOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

I SAID IT WAS A COUNCIL WHO APPOINTS AN INTERIM TOWN MANAGER HAS NO QUALIFICATIONS AT THAT POSITION.

A COMPETENT TOWN MANAGER AND JOE WALSH WAS, WAS FORCED OUT OF THAT OFFICE.

THEY DEDICATED TOURISM DIRECTOR WHO WAS WELL-LIKED BY THE BUSINESS OWNERS, A TOURISM DIRECTOR WHO KNEW HER JOB AND DID IT WELL FIRED WITHOUT EVEN TALKING TO BUSINESS OWNERS WHO DEPEND

[00:10:01]

BY JUNE OF THIS YEAR, A TOWN COUNCIL WHO REJECTS A PERMANENT TOWN MANAGER, WHO HAS THE QUALIFICATIONS, BUT THEIR EXCUSE IS HE'S TOO YOUNG.

HE'S, HE'S NOT, HE HASN'T BEEN IN THE BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH, A TOWN COUNCIL WHO WANTS ALL THE PROBLEMS THEY AND THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER HAVE CREATED TO BE WORKED OUT.

SO THE NEW TOWN MANAGER WON'T STEP INTO A QUAGMIRE OF PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE CREATED A COUNSELING, INTERIM TOWN MANAGER WHO ACT LIKE CHILDREN AND BREAK OFF COMMUNICATION WITH THE TOWN COUNTY EDA OVER ITEMS THAT COULD BE WORKED OUT.

ALL IT WOULD TAKE IS SIT DOWN AND TALK AND GET RID OF PAUL, THE BEAT S A TOWN COUNCIL AND INTERIM TOWN MANAGER WHO GO TO THE EXTREME OF FORMING AN AA TOWN EDA ONLY TO INCREASE TOWN SPENDING ON SALARIES.

WHEN THIS WAS MADE PUBLIC, WE WERE TOLD IT WAS JUST AN INQUIRY AND INQUIRY ONLY.

AND THERE WAS NO INTENT ON PROCEEDING.

IF CONSENT WAS GIVEN FROM RICHMOND, IT DID NOT MEAN A TOWNIE.

ADA WOULD BE CREATED.

THAT WAS A FALSE HOOD.

YOU KNEW IF CONSENT WAS GIVEN, YOU WOULD CREATE ONE AND AS USUAL, LIKE EVERY OTHER AGENDA, YOU DID THIS WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS.

MR. GRABBER, ONE MORE MINUTE, PLEASE.

SERIOUSLY, SERIOUSLY.

LET ME GET TO THAT.

LET ME GET DOWN HERE THEN.

SINCE MR. C LOCKE IS SHAKING HIS HEAD.

PEOPLE WHO OCCUPY THINGS TEND TO PAY THEIR BILLS ON TALKING AS A TOWN CITIZEN.

FINALLY TO THE COUNCIL AND INTERIM TOWN MANAGER, YOU'VE COVERED UP AND HEAD A SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT BY A TOWN EMPLOYEE AGAINST THE NOW SITTING COUNCILMAN.

WHY THIS EMPLOYEE, AFTER HER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE ORDER, MR. MAYOR, AS A LOYAL SERVICE, AS LAUREL AS SHE WAS MR. MAYOR WILL THIS INCREDIBLY INEPT ACTION COST THE TAXPAYERS.

WHAT ARE THE TOWN POLICIES FOR PROVIDING A SAFE HAVEN FOR WOMEN TO COME FORWARD WHEN THEY ARE HARASSED VERBALLY AND ASSAULTED PHYSICALLY? WHY ISN'T EVEN THE WORD MR. GARRETT HAS HR DONE TO BETTER TRAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PREVENT FURTHER HARASSMENT FROM CONTINUING.

WHY IS COUNCIL REFUSING TO RESPOND TO LEGAL SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS? THANK YOU.

YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT IT.

YOU KNEW ABOUT IT AND YOU DID NOTHING.

YOU HIT IT AT A SEAT.

THANK YOU, MR. CABERRA.

NEXT BIGGER, PLEASE.

PLEASE WRAP UP PART.

I'LL TRY TO DO THIS WITH MY MASK ON, UH, FIRST A POOR 300 WEST MAIN STREET FRONT ROYAL, UH, AS YOU KNOW, INTEREST RATES IN, UH, AROUND THESE DAYS ARE AT ALL TIME LOWS.

AND, UH, I BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE, UH, TOWN.

THEY TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND POSSIBLY GO OUT AND FUND THEIR POLICE STATION.

UH, I BELIEVE YOU COULD PROBABLY GET INTEREST RATES FOR UNDER 3% NOW, 30 YEARS.

AND, UH, IF I RECALL BACK IN AROUND 2017, THERE WAS A GENTLEMEN UP HERE FROM BIG STONE GAP.

HIS NAME WAS BRIAN PHILLIPS AND HE TOLD COUNCIL THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NEW MARKET TAX CREDIT, IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL IS IT WOULD BE, UM, PARSING WORDS A LITTLE BIT, BUT BE LIKE PLAYING A 99, ONE SHOT AT ON A HORSE RACE.

IT RARELY COMES IN.

BUT AT THAT TIME, JOE WOLF AND I BELIEVE DJ WILSON WERE, UH, HAD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO PUT ON THE TABLE WITH 2.6, 5% INTEREST RATE AT 30 YEARS AND COUNCIL WHIFFED ON IT.

UH, I'VE HEARD TALK TO BILL GOING THROUGH THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, TRYING TO GET ALONE.

THAT WOULD TAKE WALL.

UH, YOU'VE GOT A DEBT PAYMENT COMING UP HERE ON AUGUST ONE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PLAN ON MAKING THAT DEBT PAYMENT, BUT I WOULD, YOU'RE OCCUPYING THE POLICE STATION AND, UH,

[00:15:01]

AND I BELIEVE WE SHOULD PAY THAT BILL.

I DON'T THINK HALF OF A PAYMENT, A ONE-TIME PAYMENT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

SO WITH THAT SAID, I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS GIVE THIS REAL CONSIDERATION BECAUSE IN NOVEMBER THERE'S GOING TO BE THIS PAYMENT'S GOING TO GO UP TO $50,000 A MONTH.

AND, UH, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO GO OUT THERE AND REFINANCE THIS THING AND GET HER DONE.

THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE TO SAY, WELL, WHERE DOES, I MEAN, THE OUT THE VNL IS THAT THERE'LL BE A COUPON RATE INVOLVED AS WELL.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT RATE'S GOING TO BE.

IT COULD BE 5% AND YOU'LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT, THE LIFE OF THE LOAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANYONE ELSE? NO, SIR.

REPORT A SPECIAL PROBATION OR KID FROM TOWN MANAGER.

CONTINUING ON WITH OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING, NEXT ITEM TONIGHT, OR THESE ARE REPORTS, UH,

[6a. Report of special committees or Town Officials and Interim Town Manager]

UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

UH, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I WANT TO BRING UP THIS EVENING IS THAT, UH, TINA PRESLEY IS BACK FROM VACATION, WHICH, UH, I AM VERY GLAD TO HAVE THAT, HAVE TO GET IT BACK.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE PRESS RELEASE OR THE FACEBOOK POST OR EVEN RADIO ADS, BUT, UM, THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL HAS OPENED UP THE PORTAL TODAY FOR THE CARES ACT GRANT.

AND JUST TO REMIND CITIZENS, UH, TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL ADMINISTERED BY THE WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WILL BEGIN TAKING GRANT APPLICATIONS FROM TOWN BUSINESSES FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TODAY.

UH, THE INTENT OF THE FORGIVABLE GRANT PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO TOWN, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT CAN DEMONSTRATE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP FROM THE EFFECTS OF COVID 19 PANDEMIC.

THE GRANT FUNDS SHALL BE USED TO PAY OFF STANDING TOWN, FRONT ROW UTILITY BILLS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

THE REMAINING GRANT FUNDS MAY BE USED TO PAY FOR OTHER EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH BUSINESS INTERRUPTION.

BUSINESSES MAY RECEIVE GRANT FUNDING BETWEEN $2,500 AND $20,000, DEPENDING ON THEIR 2019 GROCERY SEATS.

UM, UH, BUSINESS, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS GO WWW.FRONTROYALVA.COM FORWARD SLASH CARES.

AND THE THERE'LL BE A LINK AT THE TOP THAT THEY CAN CLICK AND START THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

WE TRY TO MAKE IT, I BELIEVE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.

UM, YOU CAN GO ON THERE AND READ THE INFORMATION.

UM, YOU CAN ALSO JUST GO TO OUR FRONT ROYAL WEBPAGE AND THERE'S A BUTTON SO MUCH OF THE COVID-19 BUTTON THAT CITIZENS CAN, UH, PUNCH THAT AND GET TO THE PORTAL AS WELL.

UM, ON ANOTHER MATTER, UM, MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UM, I REALLY STRUGGLED WITH WHAT TO SAY TONIGHT AND WHETHER I SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT MAKE THESE COMMENTS.

UH, I LIVE BY TOO, YOU KNOW, I LIVE BY SEVERAL PERSONAL MOTTOS, UH, TWO OF WHICH ARE IT'S NEVER WRONG TO DO, RIGHT? AND ALWAYS SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.

THE QUANDARY I FIND MYSELF IN IS ON ONE HAND, I FEEL A STRONG CALLING TO PROTECT TOWN, CITIZENS WHO HAVE BEEN UNFAIRLY ATTACKED.

AND ON THE OTHER HAND, CALLING OUT A CURRENT MAYOR, CANDIDATE AND OWNER OF A LOCAL BUSINESS AND NEWSPAPER, THAT'S A QUANDARY I'VE FOUND MYSELF IN.

SO I'M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO WALK THE LINE, UM, TONIGHT AND, AND CORRECT SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS RELAYED TO YOU AT THE LAST REGULAR MEETING AT THE LAST REGULAR MEETING.

UH, MR. MCCOOL, WHO'S RUNNING FOR MAYOR IN NOVEMBER, DECIDED TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL MAKE A FEW COMMENTS REGARDING HIS POTHOLE, THE DAY SERIES HE'S GOING TO BE RUNNING ON, I THINK IN THE ROW EXAMINER.

AND THESE ARE SOME QUOTES.

I CAME ACROSS A COUPLE OF THESE HOLES AND LITERALLY THOUGHT THE WHOLE FRONT END WAS GOING TO FALL OFF.

I THINK THE PROBLEM LIES WITH WE'RE PUTTING IN WATER TAPS AROUND TOWN.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST AREAS IN SOME ARE DONE BY TOWN CREWS AND SOME ARE DONE BY CONTRACTORS.

AND I THINK THE ISSUE IS NO ONE EVER GOES BACK AND INSPECTS.

WHAT WAS DONE? THE FINISHING OF THE ROAD NEVER REALLY COMPLETED EITHER.

IT'S NOT COMPACTED OR THE ASPHALT IS PUT DOWN.

AND IN TWO WEEKS LATER, THERE'S A SIX INCH DROP IN THE ROAD WHERE SOMEONE HAS ALREADY REPAIRED IT.

ANOTHER QUOTE, I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER HAVING OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS TO GO BACK AND INSPECT.

WHAT'S GETTING DONE.

I REALLY WANTED TO ADDRESS AND JUST, UH, WANTED TO CALL IT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND MAYBE PUT A LITTLE PRESSURE, A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT MAYBE

[00:20:01]

WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT DOING THIS FOLLOWUP WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT WE GET OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN A GOOD SHAPE.

YOU SEE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

I WAS REALLY TRYING TO OVERLOOK THESE COMMENTS AND FRANKLY JUST TOOK THEM FOR POLITICKING DURING CAMPAIGN SEASON, SO TO SPEAK, BUT THAT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

AND LET ME REMIND YOU, THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WORK CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY TO FIX A BUSTED WATER LINE AND DO AND DO QUICK PATCH.

THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO GET CAUGHT OUT OF HOURS, WHO WORK AFTER HOURS.

WHO'VE ENDURED A VERY CHALLENGING WORK ENVIRONMENT DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

WHAT KIND OF LEADER WOULD I BE OR BOSS WOULD I BE IF I JUST LET A CITIZEN, ESPECIALLY ONE, WHO'S HOPING TO LEAD THIS COUNCIL COMING TO COME IN AND PAINT THIS PICTURE TO OUR COMMUNITY, THAT THE STREETS ARE RIDDLED WITH POTHOLES AND NO ONE EVER GETS BACK AND INSPECTS.

WHAT WAS DONE.

THE FINISHING OF THE ROAD NEVER REALLY COMPLETED.

SO LET ME PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME DATA, UH, WORK ORDERS PLACED ON TOWN WEBSITE AND WE DON'T LET PEOPLE SPEAK PUBLIC OH, WITH THREE OR FOUR MINUTES.

SO I HOLD LIKE FOR YOU TO HOLD THAT DOWN AS WELL.

THIS NEW POLICY, MR. MERRILL IS UNAWARE OF THAT POLICY.

IS THIS A NEW POLICY? I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU NEED TO FOLLOW OUR SAME ORDERS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

I'M OKAY.

WITH, UH, WITH MR. TEACHER CONTINUING, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR HIS COMMENTS AS WELL.

SO WORK ORDERS PLACED ON THE TOWN WEBSITE FOR ROAD REPAIR IN 2019.

TAKE A GUESS.

HOW MANY ORDERS FOR 2019 FOR IN 2020 NOW GRANTED SEVEN MONTHS ONLY TO NOW CALL INS PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY CALL IN A WORK ORDER IN 2019, AGAIN, FOUR AND IN 2023 IN HOUSE ORDERS.

NOW THESE ARE IN-HOUSE ORDERS THAT MR. BOYER AND HIS TWO SUPERVISORS ACTUALLY DRIVE AROUND AND FIND IN 2019, THERE ARE 13 IN 2020, THERE'S BEEN TWO.

UM, NOW I GET IT.

I'M A TYPE A PERSONALITY.

ONE POTHOLE FOR ME IS TOO MANY, BUT A TOTAL OF EIGHT NOTICES BY CITIZENS IN 2019 AND FIVE AND 2020.

TO ME DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A MAJOR CAMPAIGN ISSUE.

THE TOWN AT THE LAST MEETING OR THE MAYOR AT THE LAST MEETING, MENTIONED A MAJOR HOLE IN STONEWALL DRIVE, AND IT WAS BAD.

THE CONTRACTOR PUT A TAP IN AND THE ASPHALT CREW GOT DELAYED IN THE GRAVEL SINK.

OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED THE CONTRACTOR AND HE PUT MORE GRAVEL NEARLY IMMEDIATELY.

UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

IF WE SEE OR HEAR A PROBLEM, WE GET ON IT AND WE FIX IT.

WE HAD TO STAFF LEVEL ONE AS MANY EYES AS POSSIBLE, LOOKING FOR THINGS TO IMPROVE UPON.

WE'VE REALLY MADE A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO FOCUS ON THE LITTLE THINGS AROUND TOWN AND ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING.

ANOTHER POINT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE IS THIS COUNCIL WE'VE ADDED UP THROUGH YOUR LEADERSHIP, GIVE US, CAN WE VOTE ON THAT? CAN WE VOTE? YEAH.

HE'S GIVING US STATISTICS.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, I HAVE THE RU RURAL, THIS CANCEL.

AT LEAST I'M SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT.

AND I, IF WE, IF WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW OUR MANAGER TAKE 15 MINUTES, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ALLOW OUR PUBLIC TO SPEAK AS WELL.

AND SO IF YOU ALL, THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL FEEL THAT YOU ALL WANT TO DO.

THEN THAT'S WHAT I'LL BEGIN DOING AT OUR NEXT MEETING, ALLOWING THE PUBLIC SPEAK AS MOMS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SPEAK.

AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE MY RULE HERE THIS EVENING.

I THINK THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT OUR TOWN EMPLOYEES DO, AND WE'VE ALREADY WENT OVER THAT.

AND I JUST DON'T THINK WE NEED TO RE HASH ALL THESE THINGS.

WE KNOW WHAT OUR MEN ARE DOING OR WOMEN, AND I'M PROUD OF THOSE PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED A REPORT FOR 20 MINUTES.

MR. MINISTER, INTERIM TOWN MANAGER, MR. MR. MAYOR.

UM, I'VE NEVER BEEN UNDER ANY NOTICE THAT WE HAD A LIMIT ON THE TOWN MANAGER.

WE NORMALLY DON'T.

BUT, UM, SO THE DATA I HAVE HERE IS DATA THAT I THINK IS COMPELLING DATA.

WE'RE CREATING A RECORD, THEN WHY DON'T YOU GIVE IT TO US IN WRITING? AND WE'LL TAKE, WE'LL READ IT RIGHT NOW, MR. MAYOR, AM I GOING TO READ THIS OR NOT THIS MR. MAYOR, THE INTEGRITY OF OUR TOWN EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT ON WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE COMPLETING WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO BE COMPLETING.

AND I THINK THESE STATISTICS ARE PERTINENT TO THAT, TO THE POTHOLES ABOUT 12 OR 14 TIMES ALREADY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP ON THEM.

YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT MR. MADE OF IT AND GO WITH, YEAH, IT'S BEEN FIVE MINUTES.

SO CONTINUE.

BUT ANOTHER POINT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE IS THIS MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THROUGH YOUR LEADERSHIP, THE TOWN HAS EMBARKED UPON A HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM TO REPAIR THE FAILING SEWER LINES.

THIS PROGRAM PROGRAM HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR OVER A DECADE AND THE CAN CONTINUALLY GOT KICKED DOWN THE ROAD VIOLATION AFTER VIOLATION DUMPING, RAW SEWAGE INTO THE RIVER.

AND THE CAN CONTINUALLY GOT KICKED DOWN THE ROAD.

THE TOWN HAD PLENTY OF MONEY TO FIX, OR AT LEAST BEGIN TO FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE MORE COUNCILS KICKED THE CAN.

BUT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE NOW EMBARKED UPON A $3.6 MILLION CONTRACT FOR INI

[00:25:01]

BATEMAN.

WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS WORKING CURRENTLY THROUGHOUT TOWN DOING SEWER PIPE, MANHOLE REHABILITATION, AND SERVICE RESTORATION, AND ASPHALT REPAIR.

AFTER THE WORK IS COMPLETE.

WE HAVE A CHA ENGINEER INSPECTED JOB IN ONE OF TWO TOWN SUPERVISORS INSPECT AS A LAST RESORT BEFORE ANY CONTRACTORS GET PAID, THEIR WORK GETS SIGNED OFF ON LIKE A FINAL PUNCH LIST IF YOU WILL, BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH SOON.

WE'LL BE EMBARKING UPON AN $8 MILLION PHASE WITH FOUR CONTRACTORS AND UP TO 12 SUBCONTRACTORS, WE'RE GETTING IT DONE.

YOU ARE GETTING IT DONE.

LEAST.

I REMIND YOU THAT THE TOWN WAS FINE BY DEQ BECAUSE OF ALL THE CAN KICKING OF THE PAST.

BUT TO BE CLEAR, IT'S GOING TO GET A LITTLE WORSE.

AND BEFORE IT GETS A WHOLE LOT BETTER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL IN THE NEAR TERM, SOME OF OUR ROADS ARE GOING TO BE GOING TO BE ROUGH, ARE GOING TO GET CUT IN ORDER TO FIX VARIOUS PROBLEMS. I'M SURE THAT, BUT WE'RE ON IT.

WE'RE DOING THE VERY BEST WE CAN TO REACH THE HIGH STANDARDS THAT WE'VE SET THAT I PROMISE YOU.

FOR EXAMPLE, MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, HOW DO YOU LIKE THE JOB THAT WAS COMPLETED ON STEEL HIGH VIEW SCOTT STREET? EXCELLENT WORKMANSHIP.

I BELIEVE THAT'S THE KIND OF RESULT THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, AND I EXPECT WE CAN.

WE EVEN GOT A COMPLIMENT FROM MR. T WALTON AND THE GOOD WORK UP THERE.

ANOTHER THING TO MENTION, WE HAD AN UNPRECEDENTED WORKLOAD PUT ON THE STREETS DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE CURRENTLY FOR SHORT EMPLOYED.

WE'RE CURRENTLY SHORT FOR EMPLOYEES AND FRANKLY, THE HIGH AMOUNT OF COVID UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS ARE NOT HELPING, UH, FILL THESE POSITIONS, BUT EVEN WITH A SHORT STAFF, THESE HARDWORKING WORKERS FILL IN FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND THE HORTICULTURE TO DEMO.

SO HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE.

AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I JUST CAN'T.

I CAN'T ALLOW, I'M NOT GOING TO ALLOW ANY CANDIDATE FOR ANY OFFICE TO STEP ON THE BACKS OF OUR HARDWORKING EMPLOYEES, JUST TO TRY TO MAKE SOME POLITICAL, HEY, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNDER MY WATCH, PLAIN AND SIMPLE, NO ONE IS HARDER ON OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS THAN, THAN ME.

I'VE PROVEN THAT I'M NOT AFRAID OF MAKING THE TOUGH DECISIONS TO BETTER OUR TOWN.

IF OUR EMPLOYEES DO A GREAT JOB, I PAT THEM ON THE BACK OR PROVIDE A CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE.

IF THEY DON'T DO A GOOD JOB, I QUIT QUICKLY.

LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE EXPECT AND HOW TO GET IT DONE.

IF THERE'S POOR WORKMANSHIP IN OUR TOWN, UNDER MY WATCH, IT'S ON ME AND ME ALONE.

I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND ADDRESS THE MATTER PRIVATELY WITH MY TEAM TO ALL, TO ALL OF YOU AND THE CITIZENS.

IF YOU SEE A PROBLEM BY ALL MEANS, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

MY NUMBER IS (540) 635-8007.

WE'RE EAGER TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY FOR ALL.

HOPEFULLY I'VE WALKED THE LINE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

THEY DIDN'T BUY REPORT.

ITEM TONIGHT IS REQUESTS OR INQUIRIES TO THE CASTLE? YES.

THANK YOU, MR. TJ, NEXT

[6b. Requests and inquiries of Council members.]

I'D LIKE TO SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

I KNOW THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO BE FAIR TO MR. GAPPER, WHO YOU GAVE FIVE MINUTES TO, AND THEN THE I'M TRYING TO BE FAIR TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, NOT JUST MR. GABBERT, PLEASE.

BUT, UM, ANYWAYS, UM, I DID LIKE HEARING THE STATISTICS ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN 2019 VERSUS 2020 AND HOW WELL WE'RE DOING.

AND I APPRECIATE THOSE EMPLOYEES CAUSE THEY, THAT STONEWALL DRIVE THING GOT FIXED RIGHT AWAY.

A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

AND, UM, I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

YES, MR. MAYOR, UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT HERE.

UM, UM, I WANNA THANK THIS COUNCIL.

I'VE BEEN HERE IN THIS TOWN, MY WHOLE LIFE AND, AND, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THIS COUNCIL AND I WANT TO TAKE MY HAT OFF TO EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL THAT THESE INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS STARTED HAPPENING.

UM, PEOPLE CAN MAKE HAY ABOUT IT.

UM, BUT JUST, JUST REMEMBER, UM, WHO WERE THE ONES THAT KICKED THE CANS DOWN THE ROAD.

AND THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.

YOU TOOK AN UNPRECEDENTED APPROACH TO CUT THEM OFF, WHICH HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

ANYONE ELSE? YES.

MR. MAYOR, CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT.

I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST CHECKING, UM, BECAUSE FRANKLY I'M DISAPPOINTED AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS RESPECTFULLY, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M SORRY.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AS WELL? OKAY.

THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED FOR A POINT OF ORDER ON ROBERT'S RULES TO WHICH YOU IGNORED WHEN MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS SAID POINT OF ORDER ROBERT'S RULES ON ATTACKING INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS OR TOWN STAFF, BUT YOU DIDN'T INTERVENE DESPITE MULTIPLE PETITIONS FOR YOU TO INTERVENE.

INSTEAD, YOU ALLOWED IT TO CONTINUE.

AND YOU EVEN EXTENDED THE TIME THAT'S MUTUALLY AGREED WITH THIS COUNCIL, WHICH IS WITHIN YOUR RIGHT TO MR. GABBERT, WHO TOOK A POT SHOT AND THEN LEFT MR. TODRICK WAS GIVING SOME CONSTRUCTIVE STATISTICS FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT IS VERY INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING AND HEARING WHAT MR. MCCOOL PRESENTED A FEW WEEKS BACK AND

[00:30:01]

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, WHY YOU'RE MANEUVERING POLITICALLY.

THAT WAY HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

THAT'S HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED TO ME.

AND IT'S FUNNY, UH, MR. GABBERT, UM, MENTIONED IN A DEROGATORY MANNER, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE IN THE LAST YEAR, AND IT'S, IT'S FUNNY TO ME BECAUSE I SEE THEM AS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

I SEE A LOT OF WHAT HE MENTIONED AS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND THEN THE REST OF IT, SPECULATION, I CAN'T TELL OUT OF MALICE OR DISAPPOINTMENT OR, YOU KNOW, HALF-BAKED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED ON THIS COUNCIL, BUT CERTAINLY HE HASN'T BEEN AT THE MEETINGS OR HASN'T BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE COUNCIL MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE DISCUSSED A LOT OF WHAT HE'S, WHAT HE'S, UM, WHAT HE'S BROUGHT UP TONIGHT.

I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM, UH, INSTEAD DROP A BOMB AND THEN WALK OUT SO THAT WE CAN'T ADDRESS ANY OF THE, ANY OF THE THINGS THAT HE BROUGHT UP.

SO DISAPPOINTED MR. MAYOR, UM, THAT YOU DIDN'T DEFEND YOUR COUNCIL, DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU DIDN'T DEFEND YOUR EMPLOYEES BY CALLING POINT OF ORDER.

UM, AND IT MAKES ME LOSE TRUST THAT RAY SHOULD BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THIS AS A COUNCIL.

WHEN OUR MAYOR WON'T STAND UP FOR US.

I GUESS IT'S MY TURN TO SPEAK, ISN'T IT? YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ANYBODY COMING IN HERE AND SPEAKING, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE, WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE THINGS, SOME OF US, AND I THINK THAT WAS HAPPENED IN SAVING.

ANYONE ELSE? YES.

MR. MAYOR, WHAT JAKE JUST SAID, NONE OF THIS SURPRISES ME AND I'M SURE NOTHING SURPRISES ANYBODY ELSE HERE ON THIS COUNCIL.

I BET YOUR CONDUCT TONIGHT.

ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.

[6c. Report of the Mayor]

DON'T GET ME WRONG.

I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD STAFF AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PULL DOWN THE STAFF AT ALL.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH MR. TODRICK.

UH, I JUST DO BELIEVE HIS REPORT WAS QUITE LENGTHY.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, HE COULD HAVE PAID A LONG LOT SHORTER, BUT I THINK IT WAS DONE IN A PURPOSE TO TRY TO DOWNGRADE THEM, MAN, THAT'S RUNNING FOR THE MAYOR SHIP.

AND I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, YOU COULD HAVE SAID THAT LAST WEEK YOU SAID THE SAME THING TO LAST MEETING.

YOU COULD SHOUT, SHORTEN THAT VARUN.

HE SIMPLY TONIGHT SAYING THAT THE THINGS THAT HAD BEEN PREPARED, I REPAIRED AND THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE LIMITS TO IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO DISCUSSION WITH THESE THINGS WITH THE TOWN COUNCIL OR THE MAYOR OR NOT THE MAYOR, BUT THE TOWN MANAGER LOOK, UH, WE GOT A JOB TO DO AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING OR THAT EVERYBODY AGAINST ME APPARENTLY, UH, AND ANYTHING I SAY ANYMORE.

AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

I MEAN, I'VE, I'VE TRIED TO DO A GOOD JOB HERE AND I'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB AS MR. TAVI REFERRED TO.

I'VE TRIED TO GET SOME INFRASTRUCTURE COMPLETED AND I'M HOPING WE CAN, THE VIRUS WOULDN'T HAVE NOT OF YET.

I THINK WE WOULD BE PAVED STREETS AND DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M BEING CRITICIZED FOR WHAT, TRY TO RUN A MEETING THE BEST I CAN, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE REPUBLIC SHOULD BE GOOD FOR THE REST OF US.

YOU KNOW, IF WE GO, UH, LIMIT THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE TO SPEAK THREE, FOUR MINUTES, AND I THINK WE NEED TO ADHERE TO THOSE THINGS TOO.

IT WAS SOMETHING OF THAT MAGNITUDE THAT YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT, SEND US AN EMAIL, SEND US A HAIRED CARD, COPY.

THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO KNOW.

THE PUBLIC DOESN'T CARE, THOSE THINGS, WHAT WAS DONE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, I KINDA GET KINDA UPSET ABOUT THIS, CANCEL EVERYTHING I TRY TO DO.

YOU ALL TAKE OFFENSE TO, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND I DON'T THINK I KNOW ANY MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE RESPECT AS A MAYOR.

AND I'M NOT GETTING THAT FROM ANY OF MY COUNCILMAN, EXCEPT MAYBE ONE PERSON ON THIS CASTLE.

AND THAT BOTHERS ME.

AND I HOPE THAT GENERAL PUBLIC SEES THAT AL THESE VIDEOS THAT WE PUBLISH EVERY WEEK, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN RE REPRIMANDED RE RIDICULED AND EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN REPRIMANDED BY THIS CASTLE BEFORE.

AND SOMETHING I TRIED TO DO THAT WAS GOOD FOR THE TOWN COUNCIL.

WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS PREDICAMENT IF THEY WOULD LISTEN, BUT NOW WE'RE IN A PREDICAMENT OF TRYING TO PAY OFF $8.4 MILLION LOAN FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

AND IF THEY LISTENED TO ME, WE WOULDN'T HAVE IT PROBLEM.

WE COULD HAVE THESE RESOLVED MANY, MANY MONTHS AGO, BUT NOW NOBODY WOULD LISTEN.

WE THOUGHT WE HAD TO GO TO COURT.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT AT THIS POINT, SPENDING A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY OF TAXPAYERS MONEY IN ORDER TO COVER SOMETHING THAT WE ALL KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING OUT OF.

SO THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY SPEECH TONIGHT.

AND I READ, I'M SORRY.

I HAD TO SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE, BUT AS A MAYOR, I NEED RESPECT FOR MISS CASTLE AND I'M NOT GETTING IT NOR AM I THANK FROM YOU, MR. TJ AS WELL TONIGHT.

AND, AND I'M, I'M KINDA SORRY ABOUT THAT REALLY, BUT I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO LIVE

[00:35:01]

WITH THAT UNTIL THE ALEKS NEXT ELECTION.

AND IF I GET ELECTED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL, I'LL DO MY BEST TO DO THE SAME THING I DID IN THE LAST 15 YEARS.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THIS EVENING.

[6d. Proposals for addition/deletion of items to the Agenda.]

NEXT ITEM TONIGHT IS ITEMS, STATE PROPOSALS FOR ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA

[7. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]

HEARING NONE.

WE'LL CONTINUE ONTO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT IS TWO THINGS, A BID FOR A MAILING AND A PROXY OF APPLICATION OF THE STONEWALL DRIVE BRIDGE.

SECOND THING IS THE BSO CHEMICALS AND WATER WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN TO HEAR A MOTION.

DO I HEAR MOTION TO MOVE THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENTED? THAT WAS LIKE, SECOND.

DOES ANYBODY WANT TO PULL ANYTHING OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND NOT ROLL CALL PLEASE? NICE MAYOR.

SEE THAT? COUNCILMAN COCKRELL.

COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE.

[8. COUNCIL APPROVAL – Request to Place LOVE letters on Town Right-of-Way - FRIBA]

CARRIED THE NEXT SIDE OF THE KNIVES, UH, CASTLE APPROVAL REQUEST TO PLACE LOVE LETTERS ON THE TOWN RIGHT AWAY BY FREEBOOK.

UH, READ YOUR SALARY PLEASE.

ON THAT ONE FREE BUS.

WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON A LOVE LETTERS PROJECT OVER THE PAST YEAR TO CREATE A POSITIVE MESSAGE TO ENRICH AND UPLIFT OUR COMMUNITY WITH A POSITIVE FOCUS, WHICH WILL ADDITIONALLY AID IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

TOURISM EFFORTS HAS REQUESTED THAT THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL AUTHORIZE AN ENCROACHMENT OF FREE BIZ.

MOBILE LOVE LETTERS SIGNED THIS UPON AND OVER THE GRASSY AREA OF THE TOWN'S REAL PROPERTY AND PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.

LOCATED AT THE SOUTHERN CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF EAST MAIN STREET AND SOUTH COMMERCE AVENUE.

THE AREA WITHIN SAID, TOWN PROPERTY CONTAINING 1500 SQUARE FEET, MORE OR LESS WHEN SAID SIGN IS NOT ON DISPLAY AND OTHER AREAS.

AND WHEN SAID PROPERTY IS NOT IN USE FOR OTHER PURPOSES BY THE TOWN AND THE SIGN WOULD BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE TOWN'S.

OTHER USES ONE REQUIREMENT OF VIRGINIA LOVE WORKS PROGRAMS TO HAVE A PERMANENT SPOT TO DISPLAY THE LOVE LETTERS.

WHEN OUR PORTABLE SET IS NOT LOANED OUT, IT MUST BE VISIBLE TO PASS HER BY AND ALSO MUST HAVE A SAFE AREA NEAR PARKING.

SO THE PUBLIC CAN GET OUT AND TAKE PHOTOS WITH THE LETTERS, THE GRASSY AREA AT THE CORNER OF EAST MAIN STREET AND COMMERCE AVENUE MEETS THESE REQUIREMENTS.

FREEBIE HAS ALREADY OBTAINED A TEMPORARY SIGNED PERMIT FROM THE TOWN MANAGER'S OFFICE.

THE CODE OF VIRGINIA VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 DASH 1800 REQUIRE THE SALE OR LEASE OF PUBLIC LAND IN VIRGINIA IT'S REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING FOLLOWING ADVERTISEMENT IN A LOCAL NEWSPAPER ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION NINE, OR THE VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION ALLOWS LEASES OF PUBLIC LAND FOR A PERIOD, NOT IN EXCESS OF FIVE YEARS TO NOT REQUIRE A PUBLIC BIDDING.

MR. MAYOR, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE PERMANENT PLACEMENT OF THE LOVE LETTERS AT THE TOWN OWNED 1500 SQUARE FOOT CORNER OF MAIN STREET AND COMMERCE AVENUE CONTINGENT UPON A SIGN, AN AGREEMENT WITH FREE BRUH SEGMENT.

I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, UNDER THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, IT SAYS, UM, THAT IT APPEARS THAT THE LOVE LETTERS FUNDS ARE A BENEFIT TO THE TOWN AND COUNTY AND NO COST TO EITHER GOVERNMENT.

AND I JUST THOUGHT WE SHOULD PROBABLY CLARIFY THAT, UM, ON APRIL 13TH, THIS COUNCIL APPROVED $4,000 TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF THOSE LOVE LETTERS.

UM, AND I THINK THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME THAT WE MIGHT GET, UH, SOME GRANT MONEY BACK ON THAT.

AND I THINK WE HAD TO PROVE IT, RIGHT.

WE HAD TO PROVE IT BEFORE WE COULD GET ANY MONEY BACK.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT.

SO WE HAVE HAD SOME EXPENSE IN IT.

AND WOULD YOU ALL AGREE THAT WE DID HAVE SOME EXPENSE IN IT? SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT AGAINST IT.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC RECOGNIZE THAT.

AND THEN, UM, ALSO THE LEASE.

UM, SO IF AT ANY TIME THE TOWN, UM, NEEDS TO USE THAT PROPERTY, UM, THE, THE LETTERS WOULD NEED TO BE MOVED AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THERE'S A PART IN THE LEASE AGREEMENT WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT MAINTENANCE.

UM, AND SO IN CASE THEN IN THE CITIZENS WERE WONDERING, SO THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MOWING THAT PROPERTY.

IS THAT CORRECT? MR. NAPIER.

WHAT THE INTENT THERE WAS WAS THAT THERE'S NO COST FOR THIS RIGHT AWAY PLACEMENT.

THAT'S ALL I HAD TO ANYONE ELSE, MS. COCHRAN, MR. MAYOR, AS IT RELATES TO THAT, MS. KAKO, IF YOU'D LIKE WE CAN, UM, THE ADDITIONAL COSTS.

SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COSTS.

I THINK

[00:40:01]

SO, BUT I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.

YOU ARE CORRECT IN THE RECORD.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T QUESTION.

WHAT? YES MA'AM.

IS ITEM NUMBER NINE FOR 2021 BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR DONATION OF SCHOLARSHIP MONEY.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? COULD I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? I USED TO MAKE HER SEE THAT COUNSELING COCKRELL HELPS ME GILLESPIE.

[9. COUNCIL APPROVAL - FY21 Budget Amendment for Donation of Scholarship Money]

UH, COULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? A DONOR PREFERS TO BE KNOWN AS FRANK WOULD LIKE TO DONATE $2,000 TO THE TOWN TO BE USED TOWARD TOWN SCHOLARSHIPS, A DONOR, THE FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY ANTI-LITTER COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO DONATE $1,140 TO BE USED TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A WATER BOTTLE FILLER FOUNTAIN LOCATED AT TOWN HALL COUNCILS REQUESTED TO APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF 2002, THE FYI 21 BUDGET TO ACCEPT THE FUNDS AND TO BE USED TOWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS.

COUNCILS ALSO REQUESTED TO APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,140 TO THE F Y 21 BUDGET TO ACCEPT THE FUNDS TO BE USED TOWARD TOWN SCHOLARSHIPS AND A WATER BOTTLE FILLER FOUNTAIN.

THEIR EMOTION PLEASE.

YEAH, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,000 TO THE F 2021 BUDGET TO ACCEPT THE FUNDS TO BE USED TOWARD TOWN SCHOLARSHIPS.

I FURTHER MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,140 TO THE FYI 2021 BUDGET TO ACCEPT THE FUNDS TO BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF A WATER BOTTLE FILLER FOUNTAIN FOR TOWN HALL, SECOND AND MOTION.

AND A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? YES.

MR. MAYOR.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, THOSE ARE GENEROUS DONATIONS AND THANK YOU, UH, TO THE INDIVIDUALS IN GROUPS THAT MADE THOSE DONATIONS.

UM, THE SCHOLARSHIPS GO A LONG WAY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT'S JUST, IT'S HEARTWARMING, UM, TO, TO SEE THAT SOMEBODY IS WILLING TO HELP FUND THAT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.

UM, AND, AND AGAIN, EVEN THE GENEROUS DONATION OF, UM, THE WATER FOUNTAIN, I THINK IT'S SUCH A GREAT IDEA.

IT'S NICE TO SEE THOSE STARTING TO POP OUT, POP UP, UH, AROUND OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, AND PEOPLE CARRYING A WATER BOTTLE INSTEAD OF DISPOSABLES, UM, ALL THE TIME.

SO AGAIN, GENEROUS DONATIONS AND THANK YOU TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS THAT THEY MADE THAT CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS OUR TOWN.

ANYONE ELSE? OH YES.

MR. MAYOR.

I'LL JUST, UH, AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE GENEROUS GIFTS, UH, THAT WERE PROVIDED.

UM, THE, THE SCHOLARSHIP GOES A LONG WAY, UM, AND THEY'RE HELPING YOUNG INDIVIDUALS AND GRADUATES SARAH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE, UH, THANKS FOR THE BOTTLE FILLER.

IT'S GOING TO BE GREATLY USED AND GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I JUST WANT IT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE DONORS, DONORS AS WELL.

ANYONE ELSE? DITTO AS IF I CAN SAY YOU ALL SAID IT WELL AND OUTSIDE.

THANK YOU VERY, UH, MR. MAYOR, JUST TO CLARIFY ONE POINT, UH, UH, THIS, THE $2,000 CONTRIBUTION FOR THE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE TOWN SETS ASIDE.

SO AT SOME FUTURE POINT, UM, HOPEFULLY THE MONEY GET MOVED FROM CONTINGENCY INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET.

ONCE AGAIN, UH, WE'LL HAVE $3,000 TO AWARD FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND YOU CAN DECIDE TO DISPERSE IT, HOW YOU WISH.

VERY, VERY GENEROUS.

I'M THINKING THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION.

COVER, ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

COUNSELING GILLESPIE.

COUNSELING HOLLOWAY COUNSELING MEDICINE.

SMITH THOMPSON.

YEAH, MOTION CARRIED.