Aug 24, 2020 Town Council

COUNCILMAN HOLLOWAY, COUNCILMAN MEZA HERE.

COUNCILMAN THOMPSON HERE.

SO LOOK AT ITEM

[4. Approval of Minutes]

FOUR ON OUR AGENDA APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? MR. VICE MAYOR, I'D MOVE THAT.

WE APPROVE THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF AUGUST, THE 10TH, 2020, AND THE WORK SESSION MINUTES OF AUGUST 3RD, AUGUST 10TH AND AUGUST THE 17TH, 2020 AS PRESENTED.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES AS A ARIE? NONE.

MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL? YES.

COUNCILMAN COCKERELS ABSENT.

COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE.

COUNCILMAN HOLLOWAY.

COUNCILMAN MEZA COUNCILMAN THOMPSON.

RECEIPT OF PETITIONS IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE PUBLIC.

AND I WILL HAVE RE

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

I REMIND YOU OF THE, UH, SIGNATURE PAGE THAT YOU LOOKED AT WHEN YOU CAME IN.

WE EXPECT CERTAIN DECORUM AND THREE MINUTES A DISCUSSION.

THEN I'LL ASK YOU FOR SUMMARY OF SUCH.

UH, YES, SIR.

WE HAVE 13 SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT AND I DO HAVE ONE THAT WAS DROPPED OFF THAT I CAN EMAIL TO YOU ALL TOMORROW.

IF YOU'D LIKE, OR I CAN READ IT TONIGHT, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER.

TO GET PARKING BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S TAKEN UP BY THE MERCHANTS ARE THE RESIDENTS, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER ISSUE WE'LL GET INTO LATER, BUT CLOSE THIS OFF.

UM, THE FIRST ONE IS KEITH MENIFEE.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS KEITH MANIFESTS WITH DOWN-HOME COMFORT BAKERY, ONE 28 EAST MAIN STREET.

YOU'RE IN FRONT ROYAL.

I'D LIKE TO START OUT BY SAYING I THANK THE TOWN COUNCIL AND MR. TODRICK FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE DURING THIS PANDEMIC AND CLOSING MAIN STREET FOR THE RESTAURANTS AND THE BUSINESSES, IT HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY THE PUBLIC AND MOST BUSINESSES.

WE, WE, I SAY THIS A LOT OF PLACES WILL SURVIVE BECAUSE OF THIS ACTION.

YOU KNOW, THE RESTAURANTS CAN'T SEE A 50% CAPACITY.

SO THEY WERE ALLOWED TO, TO BRANCH OUT ON THE STREET STREETS WERE CLOSED.

PEOPLE TOOK IT AS ALMOST LIKE A FAMILY ATMOSPHERE.

SO A LOT OF FAMILY PETS, THE CHILDREN AND EVERYTHING, AND IT WAS, IT WAS GREAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY AROUND AND IT STILL IS AND GET THE WORD THAT IT'S POSSIBLY GOING TO END BY NEXT MONTH.

AND I ASKED TO RECONSIDER THAT BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THE PANDEMIC AND WE'RE STILL, THE RESTAURANTS ARE STILL AT 50% CAPACITY SEATING INSIDE.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE STRUGGLES THAT SOME BUSINESSES FIND, ESPECIALLY LIKE THE ANTIQUE SHOPS THAT DEPEND ON THE PARKING OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO LOAD THEIR, THEIR LARGE PRODUCT, YOU KNOW, LARGE ITEMS. BUT I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST SOMETHING TO YOU TONIGHT THAT POSSIBLY FOR CONSIDERATION AND TO THINK ABOUT IF IT IS SET IN STONE, THAT WE ARE GOING TO OPEN MAIN STREET BACK UP TO TRAFFIC.

LET ME ASK YOU THIS.

IS IT POSSIBLE IF THE STREET IS OPEN, WHICH I KIND OF HOPE IT DOESN'T, BUT THAT'S NOT MY MY CALL, BUT IF IT'S POSSIBLE AND IT'S BEEN DONE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND OTHER TOWNS, CAN WE LEAVE THE PARKING CLOSED OFF? WE HAVE PLENTY OF PARKING AND FRONT AND REAR OF EACH PART OF MAIN STREET.

SO THERE'S PLENTY OF PARKING PLACES.

THERE'S ONLY 19, I THINK 18 OR 19 SPACES ON MAIN STREET FOR PUBLIC PARKING AND ON A SATURDAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE ANYBODY

[00:05:01]

NOW, THE TOWN DOESN'T MAKE ANY REVENUE FOR METERS.

THEY DON'T NEED HER PARKING ON MAIN STREET.

BUT WITH THIS PROGRAM TO TOWN CAN GENERATE MONEY FROM MEALS, TAXES, AND SALES TAXES THAT THEY WOULD HAVE LOST.

IF, IF IT'S TOTALLY REOPENED AND PARKING IS ALLOWED, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THIS IS TEMPORARY UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AND TO GO BACK TO SOMEWHAT NORMAL.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT THEM TO LOOK AT THE COUNCIL AND MR. T DIRK TOO, IS A POSSIBILITY IF THE MAIN STREET IS OPEN TO TRAFFIC, BUT WE HAVE NO PARKING ON IT.

THE VENDORS THE MERCHANTS WILL MAIN CAN CHOOSE A SPOT IN FRONT OF THEIR BUSINESS, PUT OUT SECTIONS.

YOU KNOW, IF IT'S AN ANTIQUE SHOP, PUT OUT BIG FURNITURE, HAVE PEOPLE DIRECTED INTO THEIR STORE, BUT THEY'RE LEAVING A SPACE OPEN FOR, TO LOAD PRODUCTS OR A CAR CAN STOP, OR TRUCK CAN STOP ON ME VERY QUICKLY, LOAD UP THEIR PRODUCT AND KEEP GOING.

YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE GOT IT NOW.

WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE FESTIVAL LEAVES AND ALL THAT.

NO CRAFTERS WITH THE TOWN CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH CRAFTERS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THROUGH TO HERITAGE SOCIETY, GETTING IN TOUCH WITH CRAFTERS, POSSIBLY THEY COULD SET UP ON SPACES ON THE, ON A MAIN STREET AND HAVE THEIR OWN CRAFT SHOW.

WHERE IN OTHER, IN OTHER TIMES THEY CAN'T DO THAT DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THE OTHER DAY ON SATURDAY, WE HAD TO KILL HIM.

DR.

SET UP.

SHE ISN'T ON MAIN STREET, BUT THAT'S A GREAT THING.

THIS GIVES LIVELIHOOD JUST GIVES LIFE.

IT GIVES THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO DO.

UH, CARRIE BARNHARDT THE OTHER DAY HAD IT.

SHE'S DONE IT A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT SHE HAD A SMALL BAND THAT WAS RIGHT IN ONE OF THE SPACES DIDN'T TAKE UP ANY, ANY STREET, BUT IT WAS GREAT LIFE.

AND AS HER COMPANY NAMED HIS VIBE, IT GRAY, GAY, GAY VIBE TO MAIN STREET LIFE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

I'M FOURTH GENERATION DOWNER.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT MAIN STREETS HAD IN YEARS.

SO I'D LIKE TO NOT SEE IT.

NOW WE CAN EVEN MODIFY IT TO KEEP GOING.

WE DON'T NEED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY WE DON'T NEED PARKING ON MAIN STREET FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY.

THIS IS I'D RATHER UTILIZE IT FOR THE, THE RESTAURANTS, THE VENDORS, MY BUSINESS I'D EVENTUALLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WON'T DO IT DURING THE HOT TIMES, BUT CAUSE THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER, BUT I'D LIKE TO BRING MY BAKED GOODS OUTSIDE IN PACKAGES.

I'D LIKE TO BRING AN AMISH STYLE MARKET OUT TO THE FRONT, YOU KNOW, OUT ON THE STREET.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS.

ALL OF US AS MERCHANTS CAN DO.

I TELL EACH MERCHANT OUT THERE DURING THIS PANDEMIC, WE HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, WE CAN'T CONDUCT BUSINESS THE WAY WE USED TO.

THANKS TO WILLIE BACK THERE.

A LOT OF THINGS HAVE GOTTEN DONE THAT WE WOULD HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

AND IF THIS DROPS, WE'LL NEVER SEE IT AGAIN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TIM RADIGAN KIM RADIGAN SIX ZERO SEVEN NINE STONEWALL JACKSON HIGHWAY.

AND BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE TOPIC AND I WENT TO LIGHT AND TALKING ABOUT, UM, WE FIRST LIKED TO BEGIN BY OFFERING TO TOWN COUNCIL, MY SINCERE AND HEARTFELT APOLOGIES FOR MY OUTBURSTS AT THE LAST TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, IT WAS UNPROFESSIONAL AND IT WAS TOTALLY UNCALLED FOR, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE MESSAGE THAT I WAS PUTTING OUT WAS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN I HAD, BUT THE WAY I WENT ABOUT IT WAS WRONG AND UNPROFESSIONAL.

AND I LIKED TO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

ROYAL BACKS THE BALLOON WITHIN A MATTER OF LESS THAN THREE WEEKS WHEN WE ARE APPROACHING A THOUSAND MEMBERS.

NOW, MOVING ON, I'D LIKE TO ECHO MR. MANIFESTS DATE MINTS.

I REALLY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO DO IT JUST PRIOR TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST FALL, YOU KNOW, SEASON EVERYBODY'S OUT IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER GOING AND SHOPPING AND JUST ENJOYING THE FALL WEATHER.

SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT POSTPONING IT UNTIL AFTER FALL.

NOW, WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS I LIKE TO UPDATE YOU GUYS ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE SUPPORT, OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVE, THAT MY WIFE AND I STARTED WHEN WE BEGAN THIS.

IT WAS A SIMPLE HUSBAND AND WIFE FUNDING, THE FIRST 150 SIGNS.

AND THEN I DECIDED ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO ON OUR LITTLE LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AGO TO START UP A FACEBOOK PAGE ON A FACEBOOK GROUP, CALLING WARREN COUNTY FRONT

[00:10:01]

BUT A VERY POSITIVE THING HAPPENED IS WE GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE FRATERNAL ORDER POLICE.

AND I WENT DOWN AND PRESENTED TO THEM WHAT WE WERE ABOUT, WHAT OUR MISSION WAS AND WHAT WE HAD PLANNED.

NOT ONLY DID WE GET AN ENDORSEMENT FROM THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, THAT THEY ARE WELCOMING US UNDER THEIR UMBRELLA.

SINCE WE ARE NOT AN OFFICIAL NONPROFIT GROUP, THEY ARE OPENING UP A CHECKING ACCOUNT ON OUR BEHALF AND ANY DONATIONS THAT WE BRING IN, WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM AND WE'LL HAVE A GOOD LINE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT WHEN YOU ARE GETTING READY TO, UM, TO HAVE OUR FIRST MAJOR EVENT ON SEPTEMBER, THE FIRST, UM, WARREN COUNTY FRONT ROYAL BACK OF BALLOU WILL BE HOSTING A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND APPRECIATION PARADE.

IT WILL LINE UP AT THE, UM, UH, I BELIEVE A SKYLINE VISTA AND I WE'LL PROCEED ON TO SOUTH ROYAL.

YOU'LL ALL THE WAY THROUGH TOWN, UP NORTH ROYAL.

AND THEN IT'LL END AT THE END OF THE FIRST RANCH.

SO IF YOU ARE ABLE TO, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AS MANY OF OUR CIVIC LEADERS AS POSSIBLE.

SO FOR THIS EVENT, UM, WE'RE ALSO PLANNING A FUTURE EVENTS AS WELL.

SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO STAY, UH, STAY TUNED TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION SOMETHING REAL QUICK AND THEN I'LL WRAP UP THIS THE, AND THE VIOLENCE AND THE RIOTS THAT ARE OCCURRING ARE NOT GETTING BETTER.

THEY'RE GETTING WORSE.

AND THE VIOLENCE IS BECOMING MUCH, MUCH WORSE AND MORE GRAPHIC THIS MORNING AT 5:00 AM.

I WAS UP AND I LOOKED THROUGH FACEBOOK AND I WAS VERY HORRIFIED TO SEE THAT IN PORTLAND, OREGON, AND ONE OF THE RIOT AREAS THAT THEY WERE WILLING OUT AND GUILLOTINE, THEY GUILLOTINE.

THIS IS HOW FAR IT'S COME.

SO I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF SHELTERED FROM THAT HERE IN FRONT ROYAL, BUT I ASK EVERYBODY AND THEN KEEP OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN OUR PRAYERS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN OUR PRAYERS AS WELL.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, WILLIAM HUCK.

GOOD EVENING.

WILLIAM HUG FOUR ZERO NINE EAST MAIN STREET FROM VIRGINIA.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, DON MANAGER, AS WE KNOW, MAIN STREET CLOSURE COM FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE WERE GOING WITH THIS, BUT WE JUMPED ON THIS BUS TOGETHER.

Y'ALL CAME TO ME AND ASKED ME, HEY, HOW CAN WE FACILITATE THIS AND GET THIS DONE? IT'S IN THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY AND CNC, FROZEN TREATS.

FAMILY FUN DAY HAS BEEN ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY FROM DAY ONE.

WE WERE HONORED TO GET ON BOARD FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED THE CLOSURES OF MAIN STREET AND THE ADVERTISEMENT THAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THIS THING A POSSIBILITY THROUGHOUT.

THEN WE'VE GIVEN IT BACK OVER TO THE TOWN AND Y'ALL HAVE GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY AS BUSINESS OWNERS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE ALONG.

AS WE SAW FIT WITHIN REASON, ALL MAIN STREET TO ADVERTISE OUR BUSINESS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.

THIS WAS STARTED WITH LOVE AND BRINGING ME TO THIS COMMUNITY.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE PAT ME ON THE BACK AND SAY, THIS IS ALL ME.

I COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THEM.

THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE.

THEY CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF ME.

AND WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF YOU, Y'ALL ARE ALL SITTING HERE IN A POSITION Y'ALL DON'T NEED TO BE BOTHERED WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING ON MAIN STREET.

YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING AN ADVERTISING.

MY BUSINESS.

I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING AN ADVERTISING MY BUSINESS.

HOWEVER, Y'ALL HAVE GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVERTISE OUR BUSINESS AND EXPAND TO THE HORIZONS OF THE UNKNOWN.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND.

HERE.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A YEAR THAT HAS BEEN DONE, NOTHING BUT CHAOS ALL AROUND US, BUT THERE'S HOPE Y'ALL HAVE US THAT HOPE.

SO ALLOW US THE CHANCE FROM MAIN STREET, OUR MERCHANTS AND THE DOWNTOWN ORGANIZATIONS TO COME TOGETHER AND FIND A WAY

[00:15:01]

IT'S NOT ME AGAINST THEM AND HER AGAINST ME OR THIS PERSON.

NOT, I DON'T LIKE THAT PERSON BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HE SAID 20 YEARS AGO.

THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

THIS IS ABOUT THE HERE AND THE NOW AND THE UNITY TO COME AS ONE AS A COMMUNITY.

AND LET'S SHOW THE WORLD WHAT FOR OUR RULE IS.

IT'S THE OF THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OURSELVES.

SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME FOR BEING HERE NEXT, TIM BARNHART.

EAST MAIN STREET FRONT ROYAL.

I'M TIM BARNHART REPRESENTING VIVE PROPERTIES AT ONE 22 EAST MAIN STREET.

WHEN CARRIE AND I MOVED TO LONDON IN 2014, WE QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THE POTENTIAL OF FRONT ROYAL, THE RIVER, THE SKYLINE DRIVE, THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, THE NATIONAL PARK.

THERE WERE ALL RIGHT HERE AT OUR DOORSTEP, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE ONE OTHER IRREPLACEABLE ASSET THAT FRONT ROYAL OFFERED A WELL-PRESERVED HISTORIC, AUTHENTIC MAIN STREET WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE HEART AND SOUL OF A GREAT MOUNTAIN TOWN MAIN STREET INSPIRED US TO INVEST IN FRONT ROYAL.

WE DESIGNED AND RENOVATED OUR BUILDINGS TO HONOR AND REINFORCE THE SPIRIT OF MAIN STREET.

AND WE WERE THRILLED WHEN OUR EFFORTS WON A PRESTIGIOUS ARCHITECTURAL AWARD GIVEN BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTES OF ARCHITECTURE.

IN 2019, AS OUR BUILDINGS TOOK SHAPE, WE WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT AN OUTSTANDING, A GROUP OF OUTSTANDING BUSINESSES TO SIGN LEASES WITH US BUSINESSES WHO BROUGHT THE VISION, THE EXCITEMENT AND THE CUSTOMER TRAFFIC.

WE THOUGHT MAIN STREET NEEDED VIBE PROPERTIES, AND OUR TENANTS WERE ALL MOVING SMARTLY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION UNTIL COVID SUDDENLY HIT US IN MARCH.

AT THAT POINT, EVERYONE'S FUTURE BECAME EXTREMELY UNCERTAIN.

IF NOT DOUBTFUL, PRIOR TO COVID.

WE LOOK TO THE TOWN AS A PASSIVE PARTNER, ONE WHO WOULD WORK CONSTRUCTIVELY TO HELP US UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET TOWN REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS, BUT NOT MUCH MORE THAN THAT WITH COVID.

HOWEVER, WE SOON DISCOVERED THAT THE TOWN WAS READY TO BECOME A MUCH MORE ACTIVE PARTNER.

THE TOWN HAS WORKED TO HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES FIND WAYS TO SURVIVE COVID AND HOPEFULLY COME OUT STRONGER.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY, THANK ALL OF YOU, THE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL, AND THE TOWN MANAGER FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE TO HELP THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OF THIS TOWN IN RESPONSE TO COVID.

YOU'VE BEEN CREATIVE, COURAGEOUS, ENERGETIC, AND RESOURCEFUL TOO OFTEN.

WHEN PROBLEMS PEOPLE GO NEGATIVE CRITICIZING AND BLAMING IN OUR EXPERIENCE, THE TOWN HAS BEEN ONLY POSITIVE LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS, WELCOMING INVOLVEMENT, AND ENCOURAGING ALL OF US TO DO THE WORK NECESSARY TO SUCCEED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THE WEEKEND CLOSURE OF MAIN STREET WAS ONE OF THOSE MANY IDEAS THAT THE TOWN SUPPORTED TO HELP BUSINESSES GET THROUGH.

COVID FIVE PROPERTIES HAS THREE RESTAURANTS AS TENANTS, AND WE KNOW BEYOND A DOUBT THAT THE CLOSURE OF MAIN STREET WAS CRITICAL IN KEEPING THOSE BUSINESSES AFLOAT.

ALL OF OUR TENANTS ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THE WEEKEND CLOSURES OF MAIN STREET.

THAT INCLUDES MOUNTAIN TRAILS DOWN HOME COMFORT, COMFORT BAKERY, FRONT ROYAL BREWING COMPANY, WINOVA WINE AND TOPLESS BAR INKLINGS TRY THAI RESTAURANT AND WILDFIRE YOGA AMONG OTHERS.

BUT A GOOD IDEA IN AND OF ITSELF IS NOT WORTH MUCH FOR A GOOD IDEA TO WORK.

IT NEEDS THOUGHTFUL, ADAPTABLE, AND DETERMINED EXECUTION OVER THE LONG-TERM.

WE DON'T THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO ABANDON AN IDEA WITH SO MUCH PROMISE.

ALREADY MANY BUSINESSES HAVE PLANNED ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS FOR MAIN STREET THROUGH THE FALL.

THOSE WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE CANCELED.

AS MAIN STREET IS REOPENED RATHER THAN ABANDONED THIS IDEA.

WE ENCOURAGE THE TOWN AND MAIN STREETS BUSINESSES TO DOUBLE DOWN ON IT.

WE THINK IT HELPS ALL BUSINESSES AS THEY STRUGGLE THROUGH COVID.

WE ALSO THINK IT WILL HELP MAIN STREET LONG AFTER COVID IS GONE.

IF WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK MAIN STREET CAN BECOME THE BEATING HEART OF THIS TOWN.

IT'S TRUE CENTER AND AMAZING PLACE TO PLAY, TO SHOP, TO DINE, TO SOCIALIZE AND TO VISIT.

THANK YOU, CARRIE BARNHARDT.

HI, UH, CARRIE BARNHARDT PRESIDENT A FRONT ROYAL BREWING COMPANY AND PRESIDENT FIVE PROPERTIES, ONE 22

[00:20:01]

UH, THANK YOU.

UM, MR. VICE MAYOR, UH, TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TONIGHT I WILL BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF FRONT ROW BREWING COMPANY.

FRONT ROYAL BREWING COMPANY STARTED A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO, AIMING TO BECOME A MAJOR DESTINATION FOR OUR REGIONAL AREA AND AN ANCHOR FOR REVITALIZATION FRONT ROYALS MAIN STREET FRB TODAY EMPLOYEES OVER 40 EMPLOYEES IN THIS ONE IN THE LARGEST COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL CONTRIBUTING, UM, OVER $60,000 IN MEALS TAX ALONE TO THE, TO THE GENERAL FUND, UH, FRONT ROYAL.

UM, WE WERE ON TARGET TO GROW OUR REVENUE BY MORE THAN A 15% IN 2020.

HOWEVER, ON MARCH 17TH IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA CEASED TO ALL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE DINING AT RESTAURANTS THAT SAME DAY, HE SAID, IT'S OUT OF BED.

SADLY LAID OFF TO 85% OF OUR STAFF.

AND OVERNIGHT WE GOT INTO A NEW BUSINESS OF DELIVERY.

IT'S VERY SAD.

UM, WE DELIVER TO ALL OF ORANGE COUNTY AS, AS WE DO TODAY.

UM, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE VARIOUS PHASES WE HAD DIDN'T ENDORSE EXTREME LIMITED SEATING, STRINGENT HEALTH PRACTICES, COVID STRESS CUSTOMERS AND SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE SUCH AS ONE-TIME PAPER MENUS FOR EVERY GUEST, UM, WHICH ACTUALLY MIKE MCCOOL PRINTED FOR US.

SO HE DID WELL.

UH, WE DO NOT KNOW, UM, HOW WE WOULD SURVIVE.

HOWEVER, GREAT HELP CAME ALONG TO STOP THE HEMORRHAGING TO GENEROUS GOVERNMENT AID PROGRAMS WERE GRANTED TO US, ONE FROM THE COUNTER OF FRONT ROYAL, HOWEVER, EVEN MORE BENEFICIAL, UH, THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL ENACTED A TRULY PROGRESSIVE PLAN TO HELP OUT OUR MAIN STREET BUSINESSES.

THE TOWN GAVE US THE ABILITY TO SET UP OUTSIDE DINING AREAS ON BOTH KID LANE AND MAIN STREET.

THIS WAS AN AMAZING SURPRISE AND IT GIVES THAT TRULY SAVED OUR BUSINESS AND ALLOWED US TO, TO BRING BACK TIRE STAFF.

WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU FOR THAT.

MEET YOUR BUSINESSES, MEET YOUR BUSINESS OWNERS, TALK TO THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THEM SO FAR.

GRATEFUL TO MR. TIDRICK FOR HELPING US OUT AND FOR WILLIAM HUCK FOR ORGANIZING THOSE EARLY DAYS, WHICH WERE A LITTLE ROUGH, UH, THE TOWN, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MIKE MCCOLL GENEROUSLY PROVIDED US TEMPORARY USE OF CHAIRS, TABLES, AND TENTS.

WE WORKED WITH OUR ABC MANAGER TO GET THE RIGHT PERMITS.

UM, WE WERE BACK IN BUSINESS SLOWLY, GET STARTED TO FEEL OKAY TO SIT OUTSIDE OVER TIME.

WE INVEST IN OUR OWN TABLES, CHAIRS, AND TENTS AT A COST OF $3,700.

BELIEVING THAT THIS INVESTMENT WOULD BE APPLIED THROUGHOUT THE REMAINING COVE AND PHASES.

UH, TODAY 30% OF OUR WEEKLY REVENUE COSTS, UH, RE REVENUE COMES FROM THE KID LANE AND MAIN STREET STEEPING AREAS.

SO IT'S THE CRISIS OVER, NOT IN THE LEAST WHILE THERE'S CURRENTLY NO INSIDE CAPACITY RESTRICTION BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THE TABLE DISTANCING AND, AND THE BOOST SPACING AND NO BAR SIDE RESTRICTIONS.

WE'RE STILL LEFT WITH 40% SEATING.

UH, NO MATTER HOW WE CONFIGURE THINGS.

ALSO THE LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR GUESTS STILL PREFER TO SIT OUTSIDE.

WE'RE OFTEN AT CAPACITY ON THE WEEKENDS YET EVEN WITH THE EXCESS SEATING OR REVENUES ARE STILL 10 TO 15% LOWER FROM LAST YEAR.

IN ADDITION, MOST OF OUR MUSIC EVENTS, CATERING, UM, ARE NOW NOT POSSIBLE IN A LOW MARGIN AND SEASONAL INDUSTRY.

WE HAVE NOT YET BANKED ENOUGH RESERVES TO GET US THROUGH THE WINTER.

WE'RE ALSO STILL VERY NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT IS YET TO COME WITH THE RESTRICTIONS, UM, WHICH MIGHT BE REAPPLIED.

WE TRULY NEED TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE UPCOMING FALL SEASON WITH COOLER OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES AND LEAF TOURISTS TO DO THAT.

WE NEED THE SEATING, OUR FRIENDS FROM OTHER MAIN STREET RESTAURANTS, MANY WHO ARE TODAY ARE NOT AS LUCKY AS US.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMANENT OUTSIDE AREAS AND THEY'RE NOT, ARE NOT LOCATED ON PEDESTRIAN ALLEYWAYS.

IF THEY FAIL, WE ALL FAIL AND IT MIGHT SET US BACK YEARS TO BE THE DESTINATION WE HAVE COLLECTIVELY IMAGINED.

WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO PROVIDE YOUR VERY GENEROUS SUPPORT SO THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE IT INTO NEXT YEAR.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU, ARLENE LINK.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ARLENE LINK.

I'M WITH EXPLORER AND CLAIM THE KILN DOCTOR AT 100 EAST EIGHTH STREET HERE IN FRONT ROYAL.

UH, EARLIER TODAY I SENT OUT AN EMAIL, HOPEFULLY YOU'VE RECEIVED IT.

IF YOU HAVE NOT.

I KNOW THE ROYAL EXAMINER HAS, AND HE HAS POSTED IT ON HIS PAGE.

SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO BACK THERE TO LOOK AT IT.

BUT AS MANY OF THE RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE CAME UP HERE ALREADY TO TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP OPEN MAIN STREET.

THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE SPONSORED THE GREATEST SHOWMAN AND WE INVITED NOT ONLY THE MAIN STREET MERCHANTS, BUT PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE TOWN TO COME IN

[00:25:01]

AND BE PART OF IT.

HMM.

NOW LET ME FINISH.

I START WITH MY LETTER, UH, THE VIDEO THAT, UH, MIKE MCCOLL RECORDED ON SATURDAY GAVE A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO DO THINGS EVEN RIGHT NOW WITH BEING CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS.

YES, OVER THE SUMMERTIME, IT WAS A LITTLE DEAD BECAUSE IT WAS TOO HOT.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S, HASN'T BEEN MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT CLOSING MAIN STREET AND OF THIS WEEKEND SHOWS THAT MUCH OF OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AND THE WEEKEND WALKING MALL.

I, SO I KNOW WE CANNOT PLEASE EVERYONE, BUT COMING TOGETHER AS A BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE CAN HELP AND SUPPORT ALL THE BUSINESSES IN OUR TOWN.

THOSE BUSINESSES WHO ARE NOT ON MAIN STREET NEED SUPPORT AS WELL AS THOSE THAT ARE.

I HAVE RAISED MY VOICE FROM THE FIRST DAY OF THE CLOSURES AND SUPPORT OF CLOSING MAIN STREET, BUT I NEEDED TO INCLUDE, BUT IT NEEDS TO INCLUDE OTHER BUSINESSES.

ALSO, WE DID PARTICIPATE THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND DID WELL, BUT AS THE WEEKS WENT ON, THE HEAT WAS JUST TOO MUCH SETTING UP ON MONTHS.

MAIN STREET IS A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT HELPED HIM PROMOTING AND PUTTING A FACE TO OUR BUSINESS.

IF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT ON MAIN STREET, PARTIES PARTICIPATE.

EVEN IF IT WAS JUST ONCE A MONTH THAT PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESS, IT WOULD HELP THEM BRING PEOPLE BACK TO THEIR LOCATION.

NOT ALL BUSINESSES CAN DO THIS, BUT EVEN IF THEY SET UP AN INFORMATION BOOTH, IT WOULD ALSO HELP ANY BUSINESSES WHO IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESS.

AT THIS TIME, UNFORTUNATELY MAY NOT SURVIVE.

THE BATTLE OF CLOSING MAIN STREET HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS.

RIGHT NOW.

WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT AND TO SURVIVE WITH THROUGH THIS EVENT, I INVITE ALL BUSINESSES TO COME UP WITH IDEAS, WORK WITH EACH OTHER, AGREE TO DISAGREE AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD.

WE NEED TO KEEP BEING STREET CLOTHES, NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT THE RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES, BUT TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED.

WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF MONTHS LEFT TO BE ABLE TO SET UP OUTSIDE.

AS I SAID, I SAW MAIN STREET AS A GHOST TOWN.

I'VE GOTTEN PICTURES OF DIFFERENT TIMES WHEN THE STREET IS DEAD, THERE'S TENTS, BUT THERE'S NO PEOPLE AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN PART A FRONT RAILS, INDEPENDENT BUSINESS ALLIANCE, WE HAVE BEEN THERE TO SUPPORT ALL BUSINESSES, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO HELP ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES.

THE VIDEO SHOWS THAT WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN BRING PEOPLE TO MAIN STREET LOCALS AS WELL AS VISITORS.

BUT I WILL ALSO LIKE TO SEE AN EVENT FOR BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE TOWN TO PARTICIPATE IN FROM THEIR LOCATION.

LET'S HAVE A TOWN-WIDE CELEBRATION WHERE BUSINESSES THAT ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, HAVE MANY BLOCK PARTIES, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TRAVEL THROUGH, TRAVEL THROUGH OUR TOWN AND VISIT THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND BLOCK PARTY EVENTS.

THE RECENT SCAVENGER HUNT WAS A GREAT START.

AS I WENT AROUND HELPING TO COLLECT THE GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM BUSINESSES, NOT ON MAIN STREET, THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO BEING INCLUDED.

SO WHEN WE DECIDED TO SPONSOR THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, WE INVITED ALL BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE.

I TRIED TO GET THE WORD OUT THROUGH ALL SOCIAL MEDIA EMAILS, REAL EXAMINER AND THE RADIO.

I KNOW I COULD NOT REACH EVERYONE, BUT THOSE WHO WANTED TO CAME AND JOINED US, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE VIDEO, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE, PLEASE GO LOOK AT IT ON THE RURAL EXAMINER AND VARIOUS PICTURES OF FACEBOOK THAT EVERYONE HAD A GREAT TIME.

WE APPRECIATE THE HELP WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE TOWN, WITH THE GRANTS, THE GIFT CERTIFICATES, WE AS A SMALL BUSINESS, HAD TO CHANGE OUR BUSINESS PLAN BECAUSE OF COVID 19 80% OF OUR BUSINESS INVOLVES SCHOOLS, POTTERY FACILITIES, UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, ALL OF THEM ARE CLOSED DOWN.

JUST LIKE THE RESTAURANTS.

WE WERE DEAD IN THE WATER.

SO WE KNOW THAT IT'S A STRUGGLE.

AND WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A NEW WAY TO MARKET OUR BUSINESS.

WE HAVE SUPPORTED LOCAL BUSINESSES ON MAIN STREET, AS MUCH AS WE COULD DURING THIS TIME, BY HAVING HIM BEING A PART OF THIS EVENT.

THIS PAST WEEKEND SHOWS EVERYONE THAT A LITTLE WORK WORKING TOGETHER, SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.

WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS YEAR.

HOPEFULLY THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THEMED WEEKENDS, SUCH AS THE UPCOMING ART WALK, HOSTED BY THE DOWNTOWN MARKET AND OTHERS FOR THE FUTURE.

WE DO NEED SIGNAGE FOR OUR VISITORS, KNOW WHERE THE PARKING IS, SIGNAGE TO LET THEM KNOW WHY MAIN STREETS CLOSED DOWN ON THE WEEKENDS.

THIS SHOULD BE A MAJOR PRIORITY, ESPECIALLY NOW I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU COME DOWN TO MAIN STREET DURING THESE EVENTS,

[00:30:01]

YOU'VE BEEN SHOWING US THAT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY ON MAIN STREET WHEN I'VE BEEN THERE.

NOBODY FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU PROBABLY HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN I WASN'T.

SO I APOLOGIZE IF YOU HAVE, BUT UH, WELL, I'VE BEEN THERE.

I HAVE NOT.

UH, SO COME AND VISIT THEM IN BUSINESSES.

NOT ONLY ON EASTER, BUT THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.

MIKE AND I, WE ON OUR WEEKENDS, WHEN THE STORE IS CLOSED, WE CAN WALK.

WE GO AROUND TOWN.

WE TRY TO VISIT THE DIFFERENT STREETS.

SEE WHAT BUSINESSES.

THERE'S A LOT OF WONDERFUL BUSINESSES HERE IN FRONT ROYAL AND PLACES.

EVEN TODAY, WE JUST FOUND ANOTHER ONE WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WAS HERE AS OUR TOWN COUNCIL, MAYOR, TOWN MANAGER, PLEASE CONSIDER LISTENING TO ALL THE BUSINESSES, THE COMMUNITY AND OUR VISITORS.

WE CANNOT PLEASE EVERYONE, BUT AT LEAST LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO COMPROMISE.

THANK YOU, RALPH WALLER.

, I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T THINK WE SHOULD CLOSE THIS DOWN FROM, TO NOVEMBER THE FIRST.

AND ONE OF THE REASONS IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST, JUST A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE AGAINST THIS.

I CAN GIVE YOU SOME STORES.

SHULS WAS AGAINST STOKES, GENERAL STORE, MAIN STREET, POND JEANS, JEWELRY, NICOLE JEWELRY, OLD COMMENT, TEAK FRAME SHOP, UH, THAT'S AN ARENA.

DYNAMIC LIGHTS SAID IT DIDN'T AFFECT THEIR BUSINESS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

AND THE ARTS COUNCIL HAS MOVED TO THURSDAY NIGHTS.

SO THE PEOPLE THAT GO OUT OF TOWN WORK AND CAN'T COME ON MONDAY NIGHT, FRIDAYS AND ENJOY IT.

SO THE, YOU KNOW, I FEEL SORRY FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, KNOWS COVID VIRUS, BUT WE'VE ALL SUFFERED.

BUT THESE OTHER BUSINESSES AREN'T RESTAURANTS AND THEY'RE SUFFERING.

SO WE JUST CAN'T IGNORE THAT.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE SHUTDOWN OF CHESTER STREET JUST STRAIGHT TO SHUT DOWN THE BARBER SHOP.

THE BEAUTY SHOP.

LISTEN, IT WAS STUPID.

NOBODY, NOBODY HAD A REASON FOR SHUTTING IT DOWN.

NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU MENTIONED IT, THEY OPENED IT UP.

SO I THINK THIS SHOULD BE, I THINK THESE DECISIONS SOMEBODY HAS TO SET THE BOUNDARIES.

I MEAN, WE CAN'T JUST LET, HEY, I WANT THIS.

AND I WANT THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE BOUNDARIES.

AND THERE'S PERSONAL SAFETY THINGS THERE.

WHEN YOU SHUT THE STREET DOWN, THERE'S PEOPLE LIVE IN THOSE APARTMENTS AND THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE BACK OR TO THE FRONT.

AND THIS, THIS PRESENTS A PROBLEM.

I'VE WATCHED AN AMBULANCE COME TO THE STREET THE OTHER DAY.

AND INSTEAD OF GOING THE WAY HE WAS COMING STRAIGHT UP, HE HAD TO CUT LEFT AND GO UP AND GO OVER.

AND THE WAY I SEE IT THERE, WE DO HAVE ALCOHOL ON THE STREETS.

AND LISTEN, I W I LIKE ALL THESE PEOPLE.

I KNOW KEN KERRY, I KNOW HUCKLEBERRY FAN.

I KNOW EVERYBODY HERE, BUT, UH, I THINK THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS SIDE ALSO.

I MEAN, YOU GOT TWO PEOPLE ON MAIN STREET THAT I KNOW THAT ARE SUPPLEMENTING THEIR INCOME.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY NEED IT TO PAY THEIR BILLS AND THEY'RE NOT DOING IT.

SO THEY'RE EITHER GOING TO LEAVE.

BUT I GUESS THAT'S OKAY WITH THESE FOLKS.

THAT'S GOT THESE RESTAURANTS AND SELLING PRODUCTS LIKE THAT.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO MAKE LIVE IN OTHER WAY? IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME.

I QUIT.

I CLOSED DOWN A LONG TIME AGO ON SATURDAYS, BECAUSE THE REASON I CLOSED DOWN IS PEOPLE CAN'T BRING GUNS TO A PAWN SHOP AND THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT ON A SATURDAY OR CARRY SOME BIG GUY TO MEN.

SO ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS COME IN AND LOOK AND USE THE RESTROOM AND GO ON.

SO MY THEORY IS, YOU'RE THE COUNSELOR.

YOU GUYS KNOW THE FACTS.

YOU KNOW, EMOTIONS ARE GOOD, BUT YOU GOT TO DEAL IN FACTS AND STRATEGIC NOTES THAT HE'S GOT TO DEAL IN FACTS.

CAUSE I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE, UH, TODAY I WAS TALKING TO HIM AND HE, HIS OVERTIME, I SAID, WELL, IT'S KIND OF STUPID THAT WE GET IN HERE.

AND I CAN'T GO TO THE PARKING LOT.

I HAD TO GO TO VA ONE MORNING, WE GOT UP BACK OUT AND DO ALL THIS BECAUSE THE PARKING LOT'S NOT OPEN.

WHY, WHY COULDN'T HE TAKE DOWN ANY OF IT? HE, WELL, WE GOTTA PAY SOMEBODY TIME AND A HALF.

I UNDERSTAND COSTS.

HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING US TO DO THIS? SOMEBODY OUGHT TO GIVE US A NUMBER.

SO THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS IS, HEY, LOOK, I LIKE ALL THESE FOLKS HERE.

MAYBE WE CAN REACH A COMPROMISE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN FRIDAY

[00:35:01]

TO SUNDAY.

THAT'S, THAT'S RIDICULOUS AND NOT OPENING UP TILL MONDAY MORNING.

I THINK THAT'S TOTALLY WRONG.

DAVID DOWNS, DAVID DOWNS, PRESIDENT VIRGINIA VEER MUSEUM.

WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ON MAIN STREET THAT WISHED CONTINUE WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS FRAYED, GRACIOUSLY DONE TO KEEP THEM ALIVE AND ACTIVE.

UH, BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE THIS EVENING.

I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP FROM TWO WEEKS AGO.

UM, IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, OUR COMMUNITY HAS HAD THREE MORE OVERDOSES.

ONE OF WHICH WAS A FATALITY INVOLVING A 14 YEAR OLD GIRL.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO REPEAT THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED BEFORE.

AND THAT IS HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE SOMETHING'S DONE REGARDING THE SHORT-TERM ANSWER FOR A LONG-TERM PROBLEM.

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILY.

FIRST.

THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC AFFECTING EVERYONE.

IF YOU WERE SOMEONE WHO'S HAVING AN OVERDOSE CALL NINE ONE ONE VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 18 TO TWO 50, 103 CREATES AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU ARE CALLING FOR IS HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

I DEFENDED THIS IN COURT, EVEN WHEN IT WAS CONTESTED, IT WAS DESIGNED TO SAVE LIVES REGARDING THE LONG-TERM PLAN.

I RECOGNIZE THIS BODY WILL NEED MORE DETAILS COORDINATED WITH SEVERAL AGENCIES, WITH A FUNDING MECHANISM.

I'VE ALREADY BEGUN THAT ENDEAVOR BY REACHING OUT TO THE LOCAL POLICE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, PROBATION, PAROLE, NORTHWESTERN, COMMUNITY SERVICES, NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY, SUBSTANCE ABUSE COALITION, THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MARK BAKER, VICE PRESIDENT OF FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION FOR VALLEY HEALTH.

GUESS WHAT? THE OLD HOSPITAL WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH QUARTER OF 2021.

IT HAS NOT BEEN COMMITTED AND IT PROVIDES POTENTIALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SPACE SUBJECT TO PERHAPS A COALITION OF, OF EFFORTS BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY.

MEANWHILE, I WANT TO SHARE AN ANECDOTAL STORY FROM THIS WEEKEND WHEN I WAS AT A BIKE WASH AND SOMEONE SHARED THAT IF THEY LOST A CHILD TO DRUG OVER BOAT DOSE, THEY WOULD MAKE CERTAIN THAT OFFENDER WOULD NEVER HURT ANOTHER PERSON.

HIS MEANING WAS REALLY CLEAR TO ME.

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, IF A PARENT WOULD GO TO THE JAIL FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE, PRIMARILY TO AVENGE THE DEATH OF THEIR CHILD, WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN WORTH TO SAVE THEIR CHILD SINCE NO AMOUNT OF MONEY OR ACTIONS WOULD BRING THEIR CHILD BACK TO LIFE? I'M ASSUMING THEIR CHILD'S LIFE IS WORTH MORE THAN THEY'RE SPENDING THE REST OF THEIR LIFE IN JAIL.

ASSUMING SAVING LIVES IS A WORTHY GOAL.

HOW MUCH IS A CHILD'S LIFE WORTH? IS IT WORTH TAKING THE EXTRA TIME TO TALK TO OUR CHILDREN? WHAT ABOUT OUR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION ISSUES.

IF SERVICES COULD BE PROVIDED, WOULD IT BE WORTH RAISING OUR TAX RATE HALF A PENNY? WOULD IT BE WORTH CUTTING DUPLICATIVE SERVICES, SLASHING, EXCESSIVE SALARIES.

YOU SEE, I DON'T BELIEVE PROMISES TO KEEP TAXES LOW IS GOING TO SAVE OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN OUR TAX OR WHEN OUR TOWN IS IN CRISIS.

WHAT OUR TOWN NEEDS IS A RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT THAT ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

INSTEAD OF POLITICIANS MAKING SHORT-SIGHTED PROMISES OR TO USE, UH, AN EXPRESSION FREQUENTLY USED BY THIS COUNCIL KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

MY HOPE IS THAT A CRISIS LIKE THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BRING US TOGETHER.

WE MIGHT EVEN FIND COMMON GROUND DESPITE OURSELVES.

LET'S PUT ASIDE PARTY POLITICS FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN, CHRISTOPHER KENWORTHY.

HELLO, THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE.

UM, I DO APPRECIATE IT AND I DO APPRECIATE WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS DONE.

MR. TEACHER HAS DONE TO KEEP US GOING THIS SUMMER, UH, GIVEN THE CURRENT SOCIAL CLIMATE.

UM, I AM FROM WINOVA RESTAURANT, WHICH IS LOCATED IN ONE 24 EAST MAIN STREET.

UM, I CAME HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF NOT JUST MY BUSINESS, BUT A LOT OF, UH, TOURISTS THAT HAVE VISITED MY BUSINESS, UH, OVER THE PAST WEEKEND, UH, GIVEN, UH, YOU KNOW, GIVEN WHAT THE CURRENT CLIMATE IS ON

[00:40:01]

THE CLOSING OF MAIN STREET AND OPENING A MAIN STREET, I DECIDED TO TAKE A PROACTIVE MEASURE OF, UH, HEADING GETTING A LIST OF PETITION, A PETITION TOGETHER OF PEOPLE THAT SUPPORTED IT AND GIVE IT, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS, LOCALS AND TOURISTS AS WELL.

UM, THIS YEAR WE'VE LOST DUE TO COVID.

WE LOST OUR BLOOMERS.

WE'VE LOST OUR BREWS BLUE BRUISE AND BLUES.

WE LOST THE WINE FESTIVAL.

WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THE FESTIVAL OF LEAVES TO SHUT DOWN RIGHT BEFORE A KEY TOURISM SEASON, UH, OFFERING AN AMENITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE SOCIAL AND SOCIALLY DISTANT SIMULTANEOUSLY, I FEEL IS VERY SHORT-SIGHTED, UH, AND IS COMING FROM A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF BUSINESS OWNERS AND PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN.

I HAVE THE NUMBERS TO SHOW.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE CLOSED DOWN, UH, DURING THE COVID, UH, TIME, AND WE WERE DOING JUST TAKE OUT AND CARRY OUT, UH, WE DROVE OUR REVENUE DROPPED ABOUT 80%.

UM, WE HAD TO LAY OFF OUR ENTIRE STAFF MINUS MYSELF.

I WAS A ONE MAN SHOW AND THEY'RE DOING IT.

UM, THE WEEKEND THAT OUTDOOR SEATING WAS AVAILABLE IN ADDITION TO, UM, THE, UH, THE PHASE TWO SEATING, WE DID AS MUCH REVENUE AS WE DID IN TWO MONTHS IN ONE WEEKEND, UH, BRINGING IN TAX REVENUE, YOU COULD TAKE US OUT OF THE EQUATION.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TAX REVENUE, THE TAX MEAT, THE MEALS, TAXES THAT WE DROVE ALONGSIDE WITH OUR OTHER FELLOW RESTAURANT OWNERS.

UM, PEOPLE LOVE IT.

THE LOCALS LOVE IT.

I HAVE, I'VE HAD THE VERY SMALL, THE VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO THAT ARE THEY'RE AGAINST IT FOR VERY PERSONAL REASONS AND NOT BIG PICTURE REASONS.

TOURISTS LOVE IT.

THEY COME HERE AND THEY TALK ABOUT HOW AMAZING IT IS THAT THIS LITTLE TOWN HAS THIS LITTLE SLICE OF AMERICANA THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT ON DISPLAY AND BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE WHY FRONT ROYAL IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

THIS HELPS OUT OUR BUSINESSES OFF MAIN STREET, AS WELL AS WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE REFERENCES.

AND PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY WILL WANT TO EXPLORE FURTHER THAN JUST THE MAIN STREET, BUT THE MAIN STREET IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF ANY SMALL TOWN.

THIS IS THE WAY IT IS BECAUSE OF BEING SORRY.

UM, THE PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE PAID IT IN THIS ENDEAVOR SAW THEY BORE IT, BEAR IT, BEAR FRUIT FOR EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED THE PEOPLE THAT DID NOT IT DIDN'T.

AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'D BE FRUSTRATED, BUT IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA EFFORT.

THEY GOT A LOT OF US BUSINESS OWNERS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE TO BAND TOGETHER, I WAS ABLE TO MEET MY NEIGHBORS.

I WAS A, WE WERE ABLE TO COHESIVELY AGREE ON THINGS.

WE'RE ABLE TO COHESIVELY FORM A BOND, UH, WHICH ADDS TO MY NEXT POINT OF THE MORALE THAT IT BOOSTED IN TOWN.

PEOPLE WERE CONFINED FOR MONTHS.

IT WASN'T, IT'S AN ABILITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND BE IN A SPACE WHERE THEY'RE SOCIAL AND THEY'RE SOCIALLY DISTANT.

YOU HAVE KIDS UP AND DOWN THE STREET ON THEIR BIKES AND SKATEBOARDS.

IT'S AMAZING TO HEAR THE LAUGHTER AND SEE EVERYBODY HAVING A GOOD TIME.

PARENTS ARE ABLE TO TURN THEIR BACKS FOR ONE SECOND AND ENJOY, YOU KNOW, THE FRESH AIR OR THE BEER OR THE SNACK THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO.

GOOD.

AND I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE RESTAURANTS HERE, WHERE WE ARE THE TOURISM ANCHOR IN THIS TOWN.

AS, AS CURRENTLY SPEAKING, WE DO NOT HAVE A DESTINATION RETAIL YET THE PEOPLE COME TO THIS TOWN, OUR RESTAURANTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PROVIDING THE NUMBERS.

UH, WE ARE THE, I COULD IMAGINE THAT I CAN TELL YOU FROM OUR STANDPOINT, JUST AS WINOVA QUADRUPLING, OUR SALES OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO QUADRUPLE OUR MEALS, TAXES OR SALES TAXES, JUST TO PROVIDE TO THE TOWN SIMPLE FACT, THE NUMBERS, THE TRAFFIC OVERFLOW THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

GIVEN THIS TOURISM SEASON, THAT'S COMING UP.

WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THAT.

GIVEN THESE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND THESE IN THE PHASE TWO GUIDELINES.

WHAT IF WE WERE A FRIDAY NIGHT FOR SPECIFICALLY TO TALK ABOUT, IF THE RESTAURANTS ON MAIN STREET WERE TO HAVE TO TURN AWAY THE BUSINESS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO TURN AWAY GIVEN THE LIMITED SPACE AND OF SEATING, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED CHAOS, NOT JUST ON MAIN STREET, BUT THROUGHOUT TOWN.

GIVEN THE FACT THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING FROM OUT OF TOWN ARE GONNA NEED TO FIND PLACE TO SEE THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUT, TO GO HAVE TO, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO TO DRIVE-THROUGHS BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT GOING TO BE THE ABILITY TO SIT DOWN.

IT'S GOING TO CAUSE ALREADY COMPLICATED TRAFFIC PROBLEMS DURING THESE TOURIST HIGH TOURIST SEASONS, EVEN MORE COMPLICATED, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IN CLOSING, UH, I'VE SEEN MUCH MORE POSITIVE OUT OF THIS THAN ANY OF THE NEGATIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO TALK ABOUT OPINION VERSUS A FACT-BASED ARGUMENT.

UH, THE NUMBERS ARE THERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN REVENUE.

UH, I KNOW THAT THE TAXES THAT THE TOWN IS BEING, THAT THE TOWN IS SEEING AS A RESULT OF THIS HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE.

UM, AND I FEEL THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ENCOURAGING THIS AND SUPPORTING THIS THAT ARE BEING DROWNED OUT BY A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE VOICED THEM LOUDER OPINION.

IN THE PAST, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 594, UH, NAMES HERE AMONGST BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS, UH, THAT HAVE VISITED JUSTICE WEEKEND ALONE.

UM, THAT I'D BE GLAD TO SUBMIT TO WHOEVER IT WOULD THAT WOULD LIKE TO TAKE IT.

UM,

[00:45:04]

UH, JUST TO SHOW SOME, UH, UH, TANGIBLE PIECE OF EVIDENCE OF THE SUPPORT OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.

AGAIN, THERE ARE A APPROXIMATELY I BELIEVE 15 BUSINESS OWNERS ON THAT, UH, PETITION AS WELL, NOT JUST TOURISTS AND CUSTOMERS.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE DONE FOR US AND GO CARDINALS.

RACHEL, PHIL METZKER.

HELLO.

MY NAME IS RACHEL FILM METZKER.

UM, I AM HERE TO REPRESENT THREE BUSINESSES ON MAIN STREETS.

UM, WINOVA TOP IS A WINE BAR AT ONE 24 EAST MAIN STREET PAVEMENT TAP HOUSE AT NINE SOUTH COMMERCE AND, UM, MANOR LINE MARKET AT FOUR OH ONE EAST MEETING.

UM, WHEN I MOVED HERE 11 YEARS AGO, UM, I WAS NOT IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, HAD NEVER WORKED IN A RESTAURANT.

UM, I WAS ACTUALLY, UM, A DESIGNER AND I CAME HERE AND I CHOSE TO LIVE ON MAIN STREET AT THE TIME.

AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE RESTAURANT OWNERS, THE, UH, RESTAURANT GUESTS.

I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH MAIN STREET IN GENERAL.

AND AT THAT TIME, WELL, I GUESS ABOUT A YEAR LATER, I STARTED GETTING INTO, UM, HELPING MANAGE, UH, MANAGE RESTAURANTS AND EVENTUALLY TO OWN THEM.

UM, I AM A PARTNER WITH MY HUSBAND AND PAVEMENT TYPE HOUSE.

I AM A PARTNER WITH MR. KENWORTHY AT UNOVA AND I'M A PARTNER WITH EDWIN, RIGHT FROM BROWNTOWN AT MANOR LINE MARKET.

UM, I HAVE A UNIQUE ABILITY TO SEE THIS EPIDEMIC OR THIS PANDEMIC AND THE RESULTS OF COVID ON NOT JUST RESTAURANTS, BUT BUSINESSES IN GENERAL FROM THREE VERY DIFFERENT, UM, PLACES.

UM, SPECIFICALLY TWO THAT ARE OPEN RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS PAVEMENT AND VANILLA.

I'M ABLE TO, UH, FOLLOW TRENDS AT BOTH PLACES AND SEE BASICALLY HOW IT'S AFFECTING US FINANCIALLY IN A WAY THAT MOST OTHERS CAN'T.

UM, VANESSA SPECIFICALLY IS MORE EFFECTED OBVIOUSLY BY THE SHUTDOWN OF MAIN STREET, BUT LET'S TALK SPECIFIC NUMBERS BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, THE NOVA MADE $4,900 THE ENTIRE MONTH, $4,900.

THE LAST TWO DAYS OF MAY IN WHICH WE HAD THE MAIN STREET SHUT, OR THE LAST THREE DAYS, I SHOULD SAY, WINOVA MADE $10,000.

WE MADE TWICE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THREE DAYS.

THEN WE HAD AN ENTIRE MONTH TO EVEN GO FURTHER THAN THAT IN THE AMOUNT.

AND THE MONTH OF APRIL, THE NOVA HAD A PAYROLL OF ZERO, $0, NOT A CENT.

ANYONE WHO HELPED WORK THERE DID IT VOLUNTARILY.

THAT WOULD BE MR. KENWORTHY, HIS WIFE, ANYWAY, ANYONE WHO WE COULD GET JUST TO HELP US GET FOOD OUT THE DOOR.

THEN WE'RE WILLING TO DO IT FOR FREE THIS MONTH BECAUSE OF THE OUTDOOR SEATING.

AND ONLY BECAUSE OF THE OUTDOOR SEATING, I HAVE PAID CLOSE TO $20,000 IN PAYROLL.

IT IS AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE.

THAT IS $20,000 THAT GOES INTO OUR CITIZENS POCKETS TO SPEND ELSEWHERE IN TOWN.

IT'S NOT JUST AT THE RESTAURANTS ON MAIN STREET.

THEY SPEND IT AT MARTINS.

THEY SPEND IT ALL OVER TOWN.

WITHOUT THAT $20,000, THAT'S $20,000.

WE'D HAVE LESS HERE.

THAT'S $20,000 THAT OUR CITIZENS WOULD NOT HAVE IN THEIR POCKET NOW.

UNEMPLOYMENT'S MINIMUM $600.

SO MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN ON UNEMPLOYMENT.

THAT'S ANOTHER POINT WE HAD TO GO OUT OF OUR WAY AND WORK REALLY HARD TO GET THOSE EMPLOYEES.

DURING THIS TIME, IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP MAIN STREET LIVE.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP THESE RESTAURANTS ALIVE.

WE HAVE THE BUSINESS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE NEED LABOR.

I DON'T WANT TO WORK.

WHY WOULD I WASH DISHES FOR $10 AN HOUR, JUST TO TURN AROUND AND MAKE LESS MONEY.

IF I GET IT, HEY, YOU GIVE ME 600.

YOU GIVE ME 200.

I WANT THE 600, RIGHT? BUT WE HAD PEOPLE THAT PUT THE PUT IN THE TIME AND THEY WORKED AND THEY DID IT AT A LOSS TO THEMSELVES.

AND WE TOLD THEM, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THIS UP.

WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE FALL.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE STREET CLOSED.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP YOU ALL EMPLOYED.

AND NOW WE'RE SAYING WE DON'T KNOW BENEFITS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, HAVE DECREASED.

AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO, AFTER YOU'VE WORKED SO HARD THIS SUMMER, WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT, GO FIND ANOTHER ONE.

SEE IF IT'S OUT THERE.

WHEN IT'S CLOSED OR WHO NEEDS MORE PARKING.

I'M STANDING HERE, STANDING HERE, LOOKING AT THIS.

AND HONESTLY, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE.

THIS ISN'T ABOUT REVENUE OR WHO DOESN'T LIKE THE LOOK OF THE STREET

[00:50:01]

THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE.

I HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF HOSPITALITY WORKERS COME THROUGH MY RESTAURANTS AND WORK FOR ME.

I KNOW EVERYBODY THAT WORKS IN EVERY RESTAURANT IN THIS TOWN, AND I LOVE THEM.

I BECOME REALLY CLOSE TO THEM AND THEY'RE MY BEST FRIENDS AND MY FAMILY.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO LET THEM GO AGAIN.

WE ALREADY DID IT ONCE.

I DON'T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.

LET'S GIVE OURSELVES THE BEST CHANCE AT KEEPING OUR EMPLOYEES EMPLOYED.

THANK YOU, EDWIN.

RIGHT? HELLO.

I'M EDWIN, RIGHT? I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR MADELINE MARKET AT FOUR OH ONE EAST MAIN STREET.

UH, WE ARE TO BE OPEN SOON AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.

UM, I'M ALSO HERE TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MR. MCAFEE, THE BARNHARTS THE FAIL MASKERS MR. KENWORTHY, MR. HUCK, AND THE OTHERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN ENTHUSIASTICALLY IN FAVOR OF KEEPING AT LEAST SOME PORTION OF MAIN STREET OPENED AS A PEDESTRIAN MALL ON THE WEEKENDS.

IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A ROUGH YEAR.

AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE YOU'RE HEARING FROM TONIGHT ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD TO SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY.

DESPITE THE PAIN OF COVID TIMES YOU ON THIS COUNCIL, AS WE DO AS BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OFTEN HAVE TO ASK, WHAT SORT OF COMMUNITY DO WE WANT TO BUILD YOUR DECISION TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES BY CREATING A PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY MAIN STREET THIS YEAR HELPED TURN WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN STORIES OF DISASTER AND FAILURE AND TO STORIES OF HARD WORK AND SUCCESS, THE POSITIVE PRESS AND SUCCESS STORIES THEY'RE GROWING OUT OF THIS EFFORT.

IT MAKES ME PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY AND SHOULD NOT BE UNDERSTATED.

THESE ARE THE STORIES THAT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT OUR TOWN.

AND THESE ARE THE STORIES THAT WILL BRING MORE BUSINESS AND POT POSITIVE NOTORIETY TO OUR TOWN IN THE FUTURE.

UM, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TELL STORIES ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF.

THANK YOU, BRUCE RAPPAPORT.

HI, I'M BRUCE RAPPER, 300 WEST MAIN STREET FRONT ROYAL, UH, TONIGHT ON, ON HERE TOO.

I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE CONTINUED PURSUIT OF THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

UH, AND I WANT TO REITERATE MY POSITION THAT, UH, I BELIEVE IT IS UNNECESSARY.

WE HAVE A FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IN PLACE.

IT IS A RETOOLED GROUP AND I SEE NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS STARTING TO HAPPEN.

AND THE REDUNDANCY OF THE ADDITIONAL SALARY THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO BRING IN, IT WILL HAVE TO BE A PLAYER OF AT LEAST $99,000 A YEAR OR MORE TO BE YOUR DIRECTOR, THE REDUNDANCY OF AN, UH, THAT WILL HAVE TO HELP THE DIRECTOR THE TIME THAT COUNCIL HAS BEEN SPENDING ON, ON THIS AS WELL, UH, IN THE PLAY, UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE OTHER PLACES THAT WE NEED TO SPEND OUR TIME AND EFFORTS.

AND I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE MOVE ON FROM THIS AND TRY TO WORK WITH THE COLLABORATION OF THE EDA THAT EXISTS.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL BE THE BEST, UH, STEP FORWARD.

AND IT WILL ALSO HELP TO STOP THE SILO THAT IS BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY.

AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

I SAW A T-SHIRT THE OTHER DAY AND IT STAYED AT UNITED.

WE STAND UNITED, WE FALL UNITED, WE WIN WINNERS.

TAKE ALL.

I WANT TO BE A WINNER.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY AND THE PRESENT EDA.

CLAIRE JONES, SCHULTZ,

[00:55:05]

CLAIRE SCHMIDT.

I LIVE AT THREE 37 WEST 10TH STREET HERE IN FRONT ROYAL.

I WAS SO SADDENED TO READ THE ARTICLE IN THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY LAST WEEK ABOUT STOPPING THE MAIN STREET CLOSURES.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED IN FRONT ROYAL FOR OVER 20 YEARS WITH OUR KIDS WHO ARE IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.

AND OBVIOUSLY COVID HAS BEEN TOUGH ON EVERYONE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN PROUD OF IS THE WAY OUR TOWNS LEADERSHIP QUICKLY ADAPTED TO THE NEW RESTRICTIONS AND CREATED A SAFE, FUN ENVIRONMENT FOR FAMILIES, LOCALS, AND TOURISTS, AND HOW OUR CITIZENS SUPPORTED OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

DURING THIS TIME, MY GIRLFRIEND WAS VISITING FROM SAN FRANCISCO THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND I WAS SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR MAIN STREET WITH HER.

SHE WAS AMAZED BY HOW INNOVATIVE WE WERE AND HOW WE CREATED SOMETHING SPECIAL IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

THIS IS A BIG CITY GIRL COMING TO OUR LITTLE TOWN.

I WAS REALLY PROUD OF US.

I AM SHOCKED AT THE SHORTSIGHTEDNESS OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE PUSHING TO STOP THE CLOSURES, INCLUDING OUR INTERIM TOWN MANAGER, FRONT ROYAL NEEDS ALL THE REVENUE IT CAN GET WITH THE RESTRICTIONS OUR GOVERNOR HAS PUT IN PLACE.

MANY BUSINESSES WILL CLOSE OR LOSE REVENUE AND LET'S FACE IT.

THE TOWN WILL ALSO LOSE REVENUE.

PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT FOR A MEAL OR A DRINK ABSOLUTELY CAN AND WILL STOP IN AND SHOP AT OTHER BUSINESSES.

BUT ALL BUSINESSES HAVE TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE.

AS I THINK SOMEONE BEFORE ME SAID, THERE IS NO REASON EVERY BUSINESS OWNER CAN'T BENEFIT FROM THE CLOSURE CHANGING TIMES, CALL FOR ADAPTABILITY AND INNOVATION.

EVERY BUSINESS ON MAIN STREET CAN HAVE A TENT OR A SIGN OUT WE CAN MAKE EVERY WEEKEND INTO AN INFORMAL FESTIVAL.

ALL THROUGH THE LEAF SEASON.

WINCHESTER HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH A WALKING MALL, UH, WITH A VARIETY OF BUSINESSES FOR YEARS.

THERE'S NO REASON FRONT ROYAL CAN'T TOO.

SHOULD THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER BE UNABLE TO WORK WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND CITIZENS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS? PERHAPS HE SHOULD CONSULT WITH A MORE EXPERIENCED MANAGER.

I BEG YOU TO KEEP MAIN STREET CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS AS A WALKING MALL, AT LEAST AS LONG AS THE RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE, THIS IS GOOD FOR OUR TOWN.

IT'S GOOD FOR OUR BUSINESSES WHO CHOOSE TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

AND IT'S GOOD FOR OUR FAMILIES.

FOR OUR AGENDA TONIGHT WILL BE THE REPORT IS SPECIAL COMMITTEES OR TOWN OFFICIALS AND OUR INTERIM TOWN MANAGER.

THERE IS NO MORE SIGNED UP.

ITEM NUMBER SIX

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

UH, THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR C LIKE THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

UH, I WANT TO FIRST BEGIN BY THANKING ALL THE SPEAKERS TO SEE EVENING.

I THINK IT WAS A, UH, EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE, UH, PUBLIC PRESENTATION PERIOD.

I KNOW IT WAS FOR ME, SO I WANT TO THANK, I THINK EVERYONE HAD SPOKE AS FAR AS SOME, UH, REPORTS.

I'M VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE FIRST ROUND OF THE CARES ACT FUNDING WAS A WILD SUCCESS.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, WE WERE ON THE CUTTING EDGE EARLY IN THIS PANDEMIC TO, UH, TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO OFFER SOME RELIEF THEY GAVE, GAVE US, FRANKLY, GAVE US MONTHS OF ADVANCED.

UM, THE MONTHS THAT WE SPENT TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PROGRAM ALLOWED US TO LAUNCH THAT MUCH SOONER TO HELP THESE BUSINESSES, UH, TO DATE, WE'VE SPENT $672,500, AND WE'VE HELPED NEARLY 70 BUSINESSES IN OUR TOWN, SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR TOWN.

UH, ALSO TODAY AT 9:00 AM, THE SECOND ROUND, UH, OPENED.

AND IT'S GOING TO CLOSE ON SEPTEMBER 5TH AT CLOSE THE BUSINESS.

AS OF, UH, 10:00 AM THIS MORNING, WE ALREADY HAD 18 BUSINESSES, UH, SUBMIT IN THE PORT.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T CHECK THE NUMBERS CLOSE A BUSINESS TODAY, BUT TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WERE, ARE PUTTING IN THEIR APPLICATIONS.

SO, UM, I ASK ANY BUSINESSES TO GO TO, UH, FRONT ROYAL VA.COM FORWARD SLASH CARES.

AND IF YOU HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR YOUR GRANT, UH, PLEASE CONSIDER LOOKING AT THE GUIDELINES AND APPLYING JUST DON'T WANT BRIDGE, UH, IS PROGRESSING NICELY, SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS, THE, THE, UH, REPAIR WORK.

ALSO, WE HAVE OUR SWAGGART SYSTEM BEING INSTALLED THIS WEEK, UH, BOTH AT THE TOWN COUNCIL, CHAMBERS OR TOWN, UH, TOWN COUNCIL MEETING ROOM, AS WELL AS THIS ROOM, THE 17TH STREET SLIP LANE IS ALSO PROGRESSING VERY NICELY.

THE SIDEWALKS ARE IN THE CURB AND GUTTER.

WE'RE GOING THIS WEEK AND IT SHOULD BE READY PAVING AND ONE TO TWO WEEKS.

SO WE'RE MOVING ALONG VERY WELL ON THAT TO THE CITIZENS, UH, TOWER FRONT ROYAL WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT WILL, WILL BE SMOKE TESTING, SANITARY, SEWER LINES AND STORM SEWER LINES, UH, UNTIL APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 9TH, WEATHER PERMITTING BETWEEN 7:00 AM AND 5:00 PM DOOR HANGERS WILL BE HUNG WEEKLY INFORMING RESIDENTS.

WE WILL BE IN THAT AREA.

THE TEST WILL BE CONDUCTED USING SMOKE SMOKE SHOULD NOT ENTER THE PREMISES UNLESS A LEAK IS PRESENT TO MINIMIZE THE CHANCE OF SMOKE ENTERING YOUR HOME.

PLEASE POUR WATER INTO ALL DRAINS, INCLUDING FLOOR DRAINS PRIOR TO THE TEST

[01:00:01]

OF THE DATE.

AGAIN, THAT THERE'S MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE UNDER THE NEWS SECTION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, UH, WANT TO REMIND THE CITIZENS TO CONSIDER APPLYING FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION VACANCIES WE HAVE, UH, TWO, TWO, UH, WE'RE TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR TWO VACANCIES.

ONE IS TO FILL AN UNEXPIRED TERM, UH, THAT EXPIRED ON OCTOBER 31, 22, AS WELL AS ONE FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM.

AND, UM, I HAVE ONE OTHER, THAT'S ALL I HAVE MS. VICE MAYOR.

THANK YOU, MS. DIEDRICH.

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

ITEM IS REQUESTS AND INQUIRIES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANYONE.

MR. UH, VICE MAYOR SINCE MR. TODRICK MENTIONED IT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO, UH, REITERATE, UM, AND ALSO SINCE WE HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, UH, ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION VACANCIES LOOKING AROUND THIS ROOM TONIGHT, AND I SEE A LOT OF, UM, PASSIONATE, INACTIVE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

UM, PARTICULARLY, UM, SOME YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO BE INVOLVED BY THE PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ENCOURAGE AND THROW MY ENDORSEMENT BEHIND JOINING, UM, OR APPLYING FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

UM, I STARTED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, AS I STARTED TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND DID A CERTIFICATION IN SMALL TOWN PLANNING.

SO THE TOWN PAYS FOR, UM, SOME EDUCATIONS AND PROS EDUCATION.

AND ACTUALLY IT WAS LIKE, UM, NOT TO DISSUADE ANYBODY, BUT IT WAS LIKE TAKING A, UH, ANOTHER CLASS IN COLLEGE AGAIN.

UM, IT WAS VERY EXTENSIVE BUT HELPFUL IN, UM, BEING AN INFORMED COMMISSIONER, UM, TO HELP THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TOWN AND HELP US, UM, HELP MOVE THIS TOWN INTO THE FUTURE.

SO GREAT WAY TO BE INVOLVED.

IT IS NOT A HUGE TIME COMMITMENT.

UM, IN IN FACT, SOME OF OUR APPOINTMENTS HAVE COME FROM OUR PLANNING COMMISSION TO JOIN TOWN COUNCIL AS WELL.

SO, UM, THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR FOR, LET ME MAKE A SHAMELESS PITCH TO THIS AUDIENCE TO, UM, APPLY FOR PLANNING COMMISSION.

I THINK IT'S, I THINK A REALLY, REALLY GREAT THING.

AND, UM, SOME PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT TONIGHT OR AT LEAST THINK ABOUT IT.

SO THANK YOU.

UH, YES, MR. VICE MAYOR, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

UM, IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.

UM, THE SECOND PERSON I WOULD LIKE TO THANK IS MR. DOWNS.

UM, THANK YOU, SIR, FOR, FOR BRINGING VICIOUS YOU, UH, THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, UM, MR. DALE, SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL GIRL.

SHE USED TO PLAY ON MY SIDEWALK, HER AND MY SON PAINTED IT FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER.

YOU KNOW, IT, HER LOSS IS, IS DEEPLY TROUBLING.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UM, THIS COUNCIL, IF WE COULD POSSIBLY SET UP AT WORK SESSION AND, UM, GO OVER, PROBABLY SOME OF THESE ISSUES, YOU KNOW, IS ALL Y'ALL KNOW IF YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A POLITICIAN AT ALL.

I WAS JUST A CITIZEN WHO WANTED TO GET INVOLVED AND THAT'S WHY I DID THIS, BUT, UM, I REALLY KNOW, WE HA WE HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE, WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH SOME, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UM, A STRATEGY GOING FORWARD.

I WOULD, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE US POSSIBLY IF WE COULD PUT THIS ON THE WORK SESSION AT SOME POINT.

YES, SIR.

I WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE ABOUT THE MAIN STREET CLOSURES.

IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND ESPECIALLY RACHEL WHO BROUGHT OUT THE NUMBERS FOR, BUT NOVA AND SHE SAY IT RIGHT.

THANKS.

THAT WAS AWESOME.

AND I AGREE WITH GARY, I WENT THROUGH AND FOUND SOME NOTES FROM WHEN I WAS IN A ROOM NOTE.

UM, AND WE HAD A SPEAKER COME IN AND DISCUSS HOW THEY WENT ABOUT GETTING TOGETHER AND CREATING A COALITION OF SORTS TO DEAL WITH THEIR DRUG PROBLEM.

AND THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS.

SO I WAS ABLE TO FIND THOSE NOTES AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A GOOD WORK SESSION.

THERE ARE NO OTHERS.

UM, I'LL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

THE MAYOR IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.

HE'S OUT CAMPING FOR THE WEEK, ENJOYING OUTDOORS, UM, AS FOR MYSELF WORKING ON THAT COMMITTEE FOR THE CARES GROUP, OPEN UP MY COMPUTER THIS MORNING THAT, UH, FOUR 30 IN THE MORNING.

AND TO MY SURPRISE, THERE WAS A QUITE A FEW CARES ACTS TO GO THROUGH

[01:05:01]

AND APPROVE.

I WAS ASTOUNDED AND IT GIVES ME A GREAT PRESSURE TO REPRESENT THIS COUNCIL AND THE CARES ACT.

YOU GOTTA REMEMBER OUR FIRST SESSION AS A GROUP LONG BEFORE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOT INVOLVED, WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW WE WERE GOING TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE HAD QUITE LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS.

EVEN WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET, WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN ASSESS, BUT FORTUNATELY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEPPED UP.

WE ARE BUSY, THE CHAMBER IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE, AS I TOLD YOU, I SPENT ABOUT TWO HOURS THIS MORNING, JUST GOING THROUGH THESE THINGS AND LOOKING AT THE, UM, THE NEEDS FOR, UH, BEFORE I APPROVED ANY.

SO IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT, AND I HOPE THAT IT, UH, ENCOURAGES OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TO STAY IN PLACE AND HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES PLUS THE TOWN.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU ALL.

WE'LL TAKE UP, UH, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. EXCUSE ME, MR. VICE SMEAR HAD SIX D YES.

ITEM NUMBER SIX, D PROPOSALS FOR ADDITION OR DELETIONS OF ITEMS TO THE AGENDA.

YES, SIR.

I CHECKED IT OFF BEFORE I GOT ALL RIGHT.

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

MR. VICE MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ITEM NUMBER 10 RESOLUTION TO DEDICATE THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT OFFICE BUILDING.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND WASTE OF WATER RESOLUTION.

ABSENT COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE.

UM, MR. TOWN ATTORNEY.

COUNCILMAN COP RULES.

[7. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]

SEVEN.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. I NEED A MOTION PLEASE.

MR. VAN, I MOVE THAT.

WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS WELL.

I GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS? ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

ICE MAY HAVE SEEN THAT.

ABSENT COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE.

COUNCILMAN COCKROACH.

[8. COUNCIL APPROVAL – Lumos Networks, Inc Franchise Agreement (2nd Reading)]

TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

COUNCIL APPROVAL LOOMIS NETWORKS, INCORPORATED AGREEMENT.

WOULD YOU READ THE SUMMARY PLEASE? COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO ADOPT ON ITS SECOND AND FINAL READING A REQUEST FROM LOOMIS NETWORKS TRADING AS SEGRA FOR A LIMITED FIVE-YEAR NON-EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE AND POLE ATTACHMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN TO USE THE PUBLIC WAYS TO CONSTRUCT, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A FIBER OPTIC TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM.

THE TERM WHICH CAN BE EXTENDED FOR FOUR ADDITIONAL FIVE-YEAR TERMS UPON SUCCESS OF AGREEMENT OF THE PARTIES AS PRESENTED MOTION, PLEASE.

MR. VICE MAYOR, I MOVED THE COUNCIL ADOPT ON ITS SECOND AND FINAL READING A REQUEST FROM LOOMIS NETWORKS, INC.

DOING BUSINESS AS SURGA FOR A LIMITED OF FIVE YEARS NON-EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE AND POLL AGREEMENT, UH, ATTACHMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN TO USE THE PUBLIC WAYS TO CONSTRUCT, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN A FIBER OPTIC TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM.

THE TERM OF WHICH CAN BE EXTENDED FOR FOUR ADDITIONAL FIVE YEAR TERMS UPON SUCCESSION, UH, SUCCESS OF AGREEMENT OF ALL PARTIES AS PRESENTED.

I FURTHER MOVED.

THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS FOR THIS GROUP.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM HEARING? NONE.

MAYOR STELE? YES.

COUNCILMAN COCKERELS ABSENT.

COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE.

UH, ITEM NUMBER NINE, COUNCIL CONTINUED DISCUSSION.

THAT'S BEEN HOLLOWAY.

[9. COUNCIL CONTINUED DISCUSSION – Closure of Main Street]

[01:10:01]

THIS WAS TO GO INTO OUR WORK SESSION, BUT WE THOUGHT IT A APROPOS BY THE TOWN MANAGER, THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER THAT WE PUT IT UP, UH, FOR COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AFTER HEARING WHAT THE PUBLIC HAD TO SAY.

SO WE PUT ITEM NUMBER NINE ON SESSION WHILE YOU'RE HERE, BEFORE WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT.

SO WE'D LIKE TO GIVE THE COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE MAIN STREET CLOSING.

IS THERE ANYONE LIKE TO START? UM, I WILL, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT CONTINUE TO BE CLOSED ON THE INFORMATION WE'VE GOTTEN TODAY AND THE RESPONSES WE'VE GOTTEN FROM CITIZENS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ET CETERA.

AS I'M THE VICE MAYOR SITTING HERE, I'VE LISTED ABOUT 15 ITEMS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING THE SESSION.

AND I MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWN MANAGER HERE LAST WEEK.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO CLOSE OFF THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN? WHY CAN'T WE JUST MOVE UP TO THE WESTERN END OF TOWN AND CLOSE THAT OFF AND KEEP CHESTER AND THE EAST END OF MAIN OPEN AROUND THE GAZEBO AND DOWN, PLUS WE WOULD OPEN UP THE ALLEYWAY, UM, NEAR SHULS THAT WOULD MAKE IT, UH, NORTH, SOUTH TO NORTH VERSUS SOUTH TO NORTH OR NORTH TO SOUTH.

AND THAT CREATES TRAFFIC FLOW TO THE TOWN HALL, ALSO RECOMMENDED, UH, SOME OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

UM, I HAPPEN TO HAVE A WIFE.

I BROUGHT DOWN TO DINNER HERE, UH, THE OTHER WEEKEND AND FOR HER TO WALK FROM THE TOWN PARKING LOT TO THE RESTAURANT WAS QUITE A TASK.

AND I GOT TO LOOKING AT THAT AND WHAT WE DIDN'T CONSIDER WAS HANDICAP PARKING.

WE HAVEN'T TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

IT WAS QUITE A TASK FOR HER AND HER CONDITION, UH, TO GET HER OUT OF THE HOUSE.

I WAS QUITE PROUD, BUT, UH, UM, HANDICAP PARKING SHOULD BE ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE HAVE.

AND SHE'D TAKE IT UNDER ADVISEMENT.

ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? YES.

I ASKED FOR A STREET STUDY, UH, FOR MAIN STREET BECAUSE I'D ALWAYS KIND OF ENVISIONED A, A, UM, A MAIN STREET WHERE YOU CAN BRING YOUR FAMILY DOWN TO AND, AND WANDER WHETHER YOU'RE DRINKING COFFEE OR DINING AT A RESTAURANT.

MR. VICE MAYOR.

UM, I FREQUENT DOWN THERE QUITE A BIT ON THE WEEKENDS.

UM, UH, MY WIFE AND I WERE ACTUALLY DOWN THERE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

UM, AND IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS PACKED.

IT WAS AS PACKED AS I'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

AND I KNOW BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER THAT WE'VE HAD SO HARD ON THE WEEKENDS KEPT PEOPLE AWAY.

UH, I KNOW IT KEPT MYSELF AWAY.

UH, BUT, UM, AND I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT A FEW, UH, ALTERNATIVE, UH, UH, THINGS TO DO TRAFFIC WISE.

UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP ALL THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN.

I MYSELF ENJOYED IT.

UM, I KNOW THERE'S SOME OTHER BUSINESSES SAY THEY'RE HURTING.

UM, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT, UM, I THINK HAS SPOKEN AND THAT THEY, UH, WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT CLOSED.

UM, SO I WANT TO THROW THAT ONE AT TOWN MANAGER, BUT NO, UH, MY WIFE AND I, WE ENJOYED IT.

AND, UM, IF IT WERE ME PERSONALLY, I LIKE TO KEEP IT CLOSED.

MR. VICE MAYOR.

I TO, UM, UH, ORIGINALLY WHEN WE DID THIS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS COUNCILS.

UM, WE WANT IT TO HELP OUR BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN AND, YOU KNOW, WE KNEW IT WAS, IT WAS DEFINITELY PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM ALL THE CLOSURES.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, FROM THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT WE HAVE TONIGHT FOR IT, I'M GONNA SAY WE CONTINUE WITH IT.

UM, YOU KNOW, FOR NOW.

THANK YOU, MR. VICE MAYOR.

UM, FIRST I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY COMING DOWN, UH, THIS EVENING TO, TO SPEAK.

AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST REITERATE TO PASSIONATELY SPEAK ABOUT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR DOWNTOWN.

IT'S GREAT THAT THERE'S SUCH A SHARED SENTIMENT ON, UM, WANTING THAT LEVEL OF COMMUNITY.

UM, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO.

UM, WHEN I WAS FAIRLY NEW ON COUNCIL,

[01:15:01]

UM, BUT, UH, LARGELY IN PART SELFISHLY.

SO YOU COULD HAVE A PLACE TO GO IN THE EVENINGS WHERE YOU DIDN'T NECESSARILY PLAN AN EVENT WITH FRIENDS, BUT AS YOU'RE DINING IN AND EATING, YOU SEE YOUR FRIENDS GO BY OR YOU SEE YOUR FRIENDS EATING SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION AND YOU END UP HAVING A FUN FRIDAY OR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT.

UM, IT'S, IT'S A PLACE TO GO WHERE YOU'RE ABLE TO ENJOY THAT COMMUNITY, UM, AND MAYBE BREAK BREAD OR HAVE A DRINK, UM, WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

AND SO IN THE SADNESS, THAT IS COVID AND WHAT IT'S DONE TO BUSINESSES.

I THINK HIS SILVER LINING HAS BEEN THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO CONTINUE TO GATHER AS A COMMUNITY.

UM, I LIKE THE COMMENT THAT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT A FRIEND VISITING FROM THE CITY AND COMING TO OUR TOWN AND BEING SURPRISED.

I'VE OFTEN HEARD THAT, UH, JUST EVEN FROM, FROM FOLKS, FROM, FROM NORTHERN VIRGINIA TO COMING OUT HERE AND FILL IN, LIKE, UM, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AT A RESTAURANT WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, UH, IN THE MORE CONGESTED AREAS.

UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO BE REALLY PROUD OF.

UM, BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO WAS I ASKED, UH, THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AT THE TIME, IF THERE WAS A WAY TO FIGURE THIS OUT WHERE IT WOULD WORK FOR, UH, NEARLY ALL BUSINESSES AND BENEFIT BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PARKING.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, UM, SOME BEEN, SOME BUSINESSES WOULD BENEFIT MORE THAN OTHERS.

UM, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF ESTABLISHING, UH, THE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT OUR GAZEBO AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY NICE.

UM, I THINK THAT COVID GAVE US THE COURAGE TO MAKE THAT LEAP AND CLOSE DOWN MAIN STREET, WHICH HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN TELL, UH, A TENUOUS DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

SO IT GAVE US THE COURAGE TO DO IT.

WE DID IT.

UM, I THINK THERE WAS A COMMENT MENTIONED AT NIGHT.

WE'VE KIND OF FUMBLED THROUGH THE FIRST FEW WEEKENDS OF THIS AND IT'S GOTTEN BETTER, UM, EVERY TIME AFTER.

UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE.

UM, ONE, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY PUT SO MUCH WORK INTO, UM, MAKING IT WORK IN, IN, IN THE COMMUNITY, STARTING TO PICK UP ON IT MORE AND MORE THAT IT'S THERE.

UM, I DID LIKE WHAT VICE MAYOR LOCKE SAID ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC THROUGH THERE, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A DESIGNATED CLOSED AREA WHERE YOU CAN WANDER AROUND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOUR ICE CREAM ONE AROUND OR DRINK YOUR COFFEE, UM, AND MAKE IT BENEFIT MOST PEOPLE WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF HOURS.

I WILL SAY THIS, AND I KNOW IT MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST POTHOLE TONIGHT.

IT MIGHT BE A POPLAR, UH, OPINION WITH MOST PEOPLE HERE, BUT OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM, IT MAY NOT.

I STILL THINK WE'RE, HALF-HEARTEDLY COMMITTED TO THIS IDEA.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, WHAT'S CREATING SOME OF THE FRICTION HERE.

UM, I THINK THAT PRIOR, BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC IS OVER, UM, WHEN THE RESTRICTIONS ARE GOING TO BE LIFTED AND WE CAN GET BACK TO SOME LEVEL OF NORMALCY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COMMIT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO CLOSE DOWN MAIN STREET? ARE WE NOT? AND SO MY CHALLENGE TO THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE, I THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE COMMITTED THAN TAKING THIS A MONTH AT A TIME, AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS ON A MORE PERMANENT LEVEL.

IF WE HAVE THAT FULL COMMITMENT, THEN I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, NUMBER ONE, UH, MORE VISIBLE AND KNOWN TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHERE THEY WILL COME DOWN THERE.

UM, NUMBER TWO, WE'LL STOP THE FRUSTRATION OF THE BACK AND FORTH.

I THINK THAT WAS MENTIONED AT NIGHT OF NOT KNOWING WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE OPENED OR WHICH STREETS ARE GOING TO BE CLOSED AND HOW THAT CREATES PROBLEM FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS.

UM, AND NUMBER THREE, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A, A BOOM OF COMMUNITY, UM, THROUGH MANY MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR FOR US AND THE DOWNTOWN.

LASTLY, UM, I THINK IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED TONIGHT, THE DISAPPOINTMENT AND LOSING SOME OF OUR FESTIVALS.

UM, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE FESTIVALS CONTINUE AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE A COUNCIL AND I THINK WITH OUR OPEN MAIN STREET, UM, AND THE WAY THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED IT NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE WEEKENDS, UH, THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND THE MASKING AND EVERYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE VENDORS AND MUSIC, UM, INSTILLED, RE REMINDED THAT WE'RE HUMAN AND THAT WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.

UM, AND SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AND I JUST WANTED TO GO ON RECORD IN SAN AS MUCH.

AND SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT, MR. VICE MAYOR, CAN I ADD COMMENTS TO THIS DISCUSSION? UH, FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS THANK STAFF FOR THE EFFORT THAT THEY GO THROUGH EVERY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND MONDAY MORNING.

UM, I MENTIONED THAT THE LAST WORK SESSION, IT'S LIKE A NASCAR PIT CREW WHEN THEY COME OUT AND UNLOAD AND LOAD AND, AND, AND THEY PUT FORTH A LOT OF EFFORT.

AND I, I SAY THAT SO THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT

[01:20:01]

OUR TOWN GOVERNMENT TRULY, UM, HAS DONE EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR MEANS TO HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

AND WE'VE, UM, UNDER LEADERSHIP OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.

UH, THEY HAVE GIVEN ME THE ABILITY TO DO SOME CREATIVE THINGS LIKE CLOSING MAIN STREET.

UM, I WAS IN MY, IN MY OFFICE, THE TOWN HALL ON SATURDAY READING OVER THE PHASE TWO GUIDELINES.

AND I PICKED UP THE PHONE THAT AFTERNOON AND STARTED THE PROCESS OF FIGURING OUT A WAY OF CLOSING MAIN STREET TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

AND MR. HUCK IS RIGHT.

UM, AND I THINK, UH, MR. HUCK WILL ALSO AGREE THAT I'M A PRETTY TRANSPARENT, UH, FRANK INDIVIDUAL.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CANDID CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST WHERE HE STORMED OUT PERHAPS.

AND, UH, DIDN'T LIKE SOME THINGS I HAD TO SAY, BUT, BUT HE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND WAS WILLING TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY.

AND, UM, AND I THINK EVEN THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT MAIN STREET OPEN NOW, THE, THE FEEDBACK I HAVE RECEIVED AND I SPEAK WITH EVERY ONE OF THEM, I SPEAK WITH, UM, THOSE THAT SUPPORT CLOSING MAIN STREET.

AND THOSE DID NOT, UM, UH, I THINK AT THE BEGINNING THEY WERE, THEY WANTED TO TRY TO HELP GET PEOPLE OUT.

AND THEY'RE IN THIS POINT NOW THE UNKNOWN AND THE FEAR AND, UM, AND SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE, UH, ARE SAYING IT'S HURTING THEIR BUSINESS.

AND, AND I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN VERY CANDID, LIKE I SAID, WITH, WITH EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, I, I LOOK AT GOVERNMENT PERHAPS DIFFERENTLY THAN SOME PEOPLE.

UM, BUT IF, IF A DECISION OF GOVERNMENT IS TRULY IMPACTING AND HARMING, UM, A BUSINESS THAT WEIGHS THAT HAS TO WEIGH REALLY HEAVILY, UH, IN THE DECISION PROCESS.

AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED FOR THIS THING TO COME BACK ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.

CAUSE I WANTED TO GET A MORE CLEAR IDEA OF THE DIRECTION COUNCIL WANTS TO GO.

UM, BUT I, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN VERY FLEXIBLE IN FINDING CREATIVE WAYS OF HELPING BUSINESSES.

WE'VE, I'VE CLOSED ANOTHER STREET DOWN ON WEEKENDS TO HELP A BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF THE MAIN STREET AREA.

UM, WE HAVE, UM, I WAS TOLD I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL THAT THE, UM, A COUPLE SHOPS ON CHESTER STREET, UH, UH, REALLY COULD HAVE USED BEING OPEN SO WE COULD PARK A LITTLE CLOSER AND BE ABLE TO OPEN UP THE GAZEBO PARKING.

UH, WE DID AN ASSESSMENT AND STAFF AND I DID AN ASSESSMENT AND WE DETERMINED THAT WE COULD PUT WATER BARRIERS A LITTLE FURTHER TOWARDS MAIN STREET TO OPEN UP SOME PARKING SPOTS.

UM, MR. SEALASKA AND YOUR SUGGESTION ABOUT, UM, MOVING WATER BARRIERS CLOSER TO SEOUL MOUNTAIN ON MAIN STREET RIGHT THERE AT THE CORNER AND OPENING UP THE GAZEBO.

UH, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A REASONABLE SOLUTION, BUT FOR ME, WHAT I'M, UM, I'M A VERY DECISIVE INDIVIDUAL BY NATURE AND I HATE INDECISION.

UM, AND, AND I THINK A LOT OF THE ISSUE THAT'S THAT'S HAPPENING IS IT'S THE UNKNOWN OF HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO LAST? AND AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THE FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY OF STAFF AND YOU, UM, AND ALLOWING, ALLOWING THIS THING TO KIND OF FIGURE IT OUT AS WE GO.

I DO BELIEVE, UM, MY, MY ORIGINAL INTENT AS I SHARED WITH YOU AND WITH THE PUBLIC, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK ACTUALLY THE, THE MOTION MIGHT ACTUALLY READ THAT MAIN STREET.

I HAD THE ABILITY TO CLOSE MAIN STREET UNTIL THE F THE RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED.

UM, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE, UM, I MADE STATEMENTS WHERE, UH, KEEPING MAIN STREET CLOSED THROUGH THE FALL WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES.

UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT TRANSPIRED THIS WEEKEND, UH, WHAT A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL EVENT I'VE, I'VE GOT NOTHING BUT VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK.

UM, I THINK IF THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER, IF, IF WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS, GOOD ORGANIZATIONS LIKE FREEBIE AND GOOD ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND TRULY, TRULY EMBRACE THIS CLOSURE OF MAIN STREET WHEREBY UH, OTHER BUSINESSES, AND ARLENE KNOWS, SHE CALLED ME, UM, THE ONE WEEKEND THAT MAIN STREET WAS, WAS CLOSED.

AND SHE SAYS, AM I ALLOWED TO LOCATE MY, MY BUSINESS, MY 10TH? IT CAN I PUT A 10 UP AS WELL? THE ANSWER WAS ABSOLUTELY JUST TALK TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.

THAT'S YOUR PUTTING YOUR TENT IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, JUST OUT OF RESPECT.

AND I THINK, I THINK SHE, I GOT THE REPORT I GOT WAS A VERY POSITIVE REPORT, BUT LIKE, LIKE YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A THRIVING MAIN STREET.

I'D LIKE TO SEE A THRIVING BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT OUR TOWN AND, UH, HEARING YOUR GUIDANCE TONIGHT HELPS ME A LOT.

SO I APPRECIATE, I KNOW THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T PLEASANT TO, TO NECESSARILY HEAR THE PROS AND CONS, BUT I THINK, UM, I HAVE SOME BETTER DIRECTION AND, UH, I'LL DEFINITELY KEEP IT, UM, CLOSED THIS WEEKEND.

UM, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL BE SENDING A MEMO OUT A NEWSLETTER OUT.

I'LL TALK TO YOU AND WE'LL GET THE INFORMATION OUT.

AS FAR AS A TIME WHEN MAIN STREET PERHAPS COULD JUST STAY CLOSE FOR A PERIOD.

AND THEN WE'LL DETERMINE, UH, ABOUT OPENING THE MAIN STREET BACK UP ON WEEKENDS.

SO GET SOME

[01:25:01]

HEATERS FOR THE FALLS, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

YEAH, THAT'D BE MY INTENT.

I LIKE TO BRING US INTO THIS DISCUSSION.

I PICKED UP THREE ITEMS FROM WHAT YOU ALL HAD TO SAY, AND I'D LIKE TO BRING OUT TO THE FOREFRONT.

ONE LADY SAID BUSINESSES WORKING TOGETHER.

NOT TO ME MAKES SENSE.

I'VE SEEN THAT IN THE PAST.

WE KIND OF SLOWED DOWN ON THAT.

ITEM NUMBER 10, WASTEWATER RESOLUTION.

I ALSO HEARD THAT A GENTLEMEN SAY THE TRUE CENTER OF TOWN.

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE GAZEBO AREA IS A TRUE CENTER OF THIS COMMUNITY.

I'M SORRY FOR MISS SUE BACK THERE.

I, WE WORKED ON SIGNAGE TO TELL YOU WHY WE SHUT DOWN MAIN STREET.

WELL, WE DID NOT REVIEW SIGNS FOR PARKING.

SO ADD THAT TO MY LIST.

UH,

[Additional Item]

MR. GILLESPIE, WOULD YOU, UH, READ THE RESOLUTION OR THE MOTION BELIEFS, MR. VICE MAYOR? I MOVED AT COUNCIL TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION DEDICATING THE OFFICE BUILDING AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AS THE TIMMY W FRISTOE OFFICE BUILDING AS PRESENTED.

DO I HAVE A SECOND TO THAT ITEM? UM, MS. PRESELI, WOULD YOU READ THE RESOLUTION GLAZE DEDICATION OF THE TIMMY W FRISTOE OFFICE BUILDING AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT? WHEREAS TIMMY FRISTOE WAS HIRED TO WORK FOR THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL ON APRIL 9TH, 1980 AS A SENIOR PLANT OPERATOR FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AND WHEREAS ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 1989, MR. FRISTOE WAS PROMOTED TO CHIEF PLANT OPERATOR FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AND WHEREAS ON JULY 1ST, 2011, MR. FRISTOE WAS PROMOTED AND RECLASSIFIED TO MANAGER OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN, A POSITION HE HELD UNTIL HE RETIRED OR MAY ONE 20, 20 AFTER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE.

AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND THE TOWN COUNCIL DEDICATE THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT OFFICE BUILDING AS THE TIMMY W FRISTO OFFICE BUILDING AND RECOGNITION OF MR. CHRISTA'S, 40 YEARS OF SERVICE, DEDICATION, AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND THE OPERATIONS OF FRONT ROYAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AT THIS POINT, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES.

MR. MR. VICE MAYOR.

UH, FIRST I WANTED TO, UH, THINK, UH, MR. TODRICK, UH, FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A HONORARY CELEBRATION, UH, FOR MR. FRISTO, IT WAS VERY NICE AND VERY THOUGHTFUL.

UM, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING A SMALL LITTLE CEREMONY FOR MR. FESTO TONIGHT, UH, DURING THE DEDICATION AND 40 YEARS IS INCREDIBLE.

UM, UH, MR. BRISCOE WAS ASKED TO, TO COMMENT ABOUT IT.

UM, AND JUST ONE THING THAT STUCK OUT IN MY MIND IS HE SAID THAT HE WAS VERY, VERY HAPPY AND VERY PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HAD A JOB THAT HE WAS ABLE TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY AND THOROUGHLY ENJOY.

AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT HE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORK THAT HE DID, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THIS TOWN BEHIND THE SCENES.

AND MOST OF US TAKE, UM, TAKE FOR GRANTED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE TONIGHT AND RECOGNIZE SOMEBODY WHO'S 40 YEARS OF SERVICE WAS, WAS QUITE A PRIVILEGE.

AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL TO, UH, MR. FRISTOE.

UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK HIM AND HIS FAMILY, AND IT WAS HAPPY TO BE THERE TO RECOGNIZE HIM TONIGHT.

THANKS.