[00:00:03]
[CLOSED MEETING]
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ALLOW COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? SO MOVED.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR PEL AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR JOINER.
UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY FOR, UH, THE RECORD, CAN YOU STATE WHERE YOU'RE CONDUCTING THE MEETING FROM AND YOUR REASON FOR REQUESTING A VIRTUAL MEETING? UH, I, I AM ACTUALLY AT CITY HALL.
I THOUGHT THE TRAFFIC WAS GONNA BE WORSE, SO I'M ACTUALLY COMING IN THE DOOR.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSE MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 37 11 A ONE TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER PERSONNEL MATTERS, INCLUDING BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, THE ASSIGNMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF SPECIFIC APPOINTEES AND EMPLOYEES OF CITY COUNCIL.
AND TO THE EXTENT SUCH DISCUSSION WILL BE AIDED THEREBY.
UH, MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR JOYNER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[RECONVENE OPEN MEETING]
CLOSED MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO COME OUT? CLOSED SESSION.
ALL MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY AND SECOND BY COUNCILLOR JOYNER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 2D.
WE'RE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
MOTION DISCUSSED IN CLOSED MEETING.
[Additional Item]
TO APPOINT CASSANDRA VANDER TO THE BZA? BARBARA PATTON TO THE EDA.BRIAN HURTLE, NIKKI LEY, BILL CHAMPER AND LATONYA DOCTOR.
SO MOVED TO THE SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD, AND THEN DEBBIE MARKS AND ELLIOT OTTI TO THE PRIDE POINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD.
MOTIONS BE MADE BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR PELLUM.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
SO, UM, I WAS REMINDED TODAY THAT WE HAVE THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE AT NINE O'CLOCK.
SO THE GOAL IS EVERYBODY, LET'S TRY TO GET OUTTA HERE BY EIGHT 30.
IT MIGHT BE THE ONLY DEBATE WE GET.
[WORK SESSION]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE AHEAD INTO OUR WORK SESSIONS.DO WHAT? IT'S A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
EVERY TIME YOU'RE TALKING, IT'S RINGING BACK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
TONIGHT'S FIRST WORK SESSION, UH, REGARDS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON A NON-CONFORMING LOT PARCEL
[00:05:01]
0 9 2 0 6 6 5.ALSO IDENTIFIED AS 3000 DAVIS AVENUE.
THE APPLICANT IS JRM CONTRACTOR, LLC.
THE PROPERTY'S LOCATED IN WARD SIX AND ZONED R TWO.
UM, ALL PROPER NOTIFICATIONS WERE UNDERTAKEN AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
THE MAP ON THE LEFT SHOWS THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THE PROPERTY, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, UH, SHOWS A SPECIFIC AERIAL OF THE PROPERTY.
YOU'LL NOTICE THIS IS ACTUALLY, UH, WHAT'S KNOWN AS A DOUBLE LOT.
UH, IT'S GOT THE PARCEL IN THE FRONT AND THEN THE PARCEL IN THE BACK.
UM, AND THAT, UH, JRM CONTRACTOR, UH, OWNS BOTH MINIMUM LOT SIZE IN R TWO IS 75 FEET WIDE AND 7,500 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL IS ONLY 50 FEET WIDE AND 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
THEREFORE, THE NONCONFORMITIES ARE IN THE WIDTH AND THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UH, THIS IMAGE HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE HOUSE THAT USED TO BE ON THIS PROPERTY, BUT, UH, WAS DEMOLISHED REMOVED.
AND THEN THE APPLICANT WANTS TO BUILD A NEW HOUSE HERE.
HERE'S THE FRONT ELEVATION OF THE PROPOSED PROPERTY.
IT'S A ONE STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, UH, 1,605 SQUARE FEET.
AGAIN, THE REAR ELEVATION, RIGHT SIDE AND LEFT SIDE.
UH, THE PROPOSED DWELLING, UH, IS UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, MOST OF THE HOUSES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ARE A VERNACULAR STYLE.
UH, THE AVERAGE SIZE OF DWELLINGS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA IS 1001 93, AND THIS PROPOSED DWELLING IS 1,605.
SO IT'S A BIT LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE.
UM, AND IT'S QUITE A BIT LARGER THAN THE HOUSE THAT IT'S REPLACING.
STAFF RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE CEP WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS THAT THE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING WILL HAVE A ROOF OVERHANG OF 12 INCHES MINIMUM.
SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING WILL INCLUDE FOUR INCH WIDE TRIM AROUND ALL WINDOWS ON THE FRONT OF THIS HOUSE.
THE LOT WILL HAVE A MINIMUM TREE CANOPY.
COVERAGE OF 20% AT FULL MATURITY DRIVEWAY WILL BE INSTALLED, UH, OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE.
IT WILL HAVE, UH, BRICK FOUNDATION AND FOUNDATION PLANTINGS, AND THAT THE FINAL HOUSE, UM, DESIGN WILL BE IN SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH, WITH THE DESIGN AS PRESENTED.
PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, AGREED WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND VOTED FIVE TO ZERO TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL AT THE AUGUST 8TH PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THIS IS JUST A WORK SESSION, SO NOT ASKING FOR ANY ACTION THIS EVENING, BUT I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AT ONE POINT.
COUNCILOR PELLUM, WHO GOES OUT TO CERTIFY THAT ALL THE SPECIAL PARAMETERS ARE MET, WHO GOES OUT TO CHECK THAT BEFORE YOU CHECK OFF ON THE, UH, BUILDING FOR THE CO? YES.
IT WOULD EITHER BE MYSELF OR IN MOST CASES, UH, IT'LL BE THE SENIOR PLANNER.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
SO MOVING ON TO TONIGHT'S SECOND, UM, WORK SESSION ITEM.
UH, I BROUGHT TO YOU EARLIER IN THE SPRING A PROPOSAL, UM, TO CHANGE THE DEVELOPMENT FEES IN THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND, UH, TOOK THAT TO BACK TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND, AND STARTED THERE AND HAD SOME BACK AND FORTH THERE.
AND, UM, SO IT'S TAKEN ME A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET BACK TO YOU, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE, UH, FINALLY COME UP WITH ON THESE REVISED FEES.
SO I'LL QUICKLY GO THROUGH THIS.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT HAS TWO SETS OF FEES.
THERE ARE BUILDING PERMITS, AND THEN WITHIN BUILDING PERMITS.
THOSE ARE RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL.
AND THEN WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL, UH, PLANNING APPLICATIONS.
SO TONIGHT, UH, I'M NOT, UH, PROPOSING ANY CHANGES TO OUR BUILDING PERMIT FEES.
UM, SIMPLY JUST GONNA PROPOSE, UH, CHANGES TO OUR PLANNING APPLICATIONS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, WE ARE THE LOW, QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY.
WE ARE THE LOWEST, UH, PRICED ON OUR PLANNING APPLICATION FEES, UH, IN THE REGION.
UM, THE, THE MOST INFORMATION I COULD FIND ON THESE FEES IS THEY'VE BEEN THIS WAY FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, UM, WITH STATE LAW AND THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, FOR ADVERTISEMENTS, FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, FOR NEARLY ALL OF THOSE
[00:10:01]
APPLICATIONS.UM, I'LL GET TO A SLIDE IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT, UM, THE FEES ALONE FOR ADVERTISEMENT, UH, EXCEED THE COST OF THE APPLICATION.
UH, BUT I DID WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE PRIMARY APPLICANTS FOR THESE TYPES OF APPLICATIONS ARE FOR THE MOST PART, DEVELOPERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS, REAL ESTATE INVESTORS.
AND WE DO, UH, OCCASIONALLY HAVE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WILL APPLY FOR THESE, UH, VARIOUS PLANNING APPLICATIONS.
BUT BACK TO MY ORIGINAL POINT, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED JUST WITH, UH, ADVERTISING, UH, WITH THE NEWSPAPER.
IT DOESN'T RELATE TO, UM, THE ASSOCIATED MAILINGS THAT WE'RE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO EITHER.
UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE WE ACTUALLY LOSE MONEY.
SO WE ARE THE LOWEST IN THE REGION, AND THEY DON'T COVER THE COST FOR THE REQUIRED ADVERTISEMENTS.
I WOULD ADD, UM, TO THAT NOTIFICATIONS OR STAFF REVIEW.
SO, UH, UNDER SITE PLAN, THAT IS ONE WHERE WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ADVERTISE YET.
THIS IS, UH, SITE PLAN REVIEW IS THE ONE THAT TAKES THE MOST TIME FROM A STAFF, UH, PERSPECTIVE.
AND IT INVOLVES NOT JUST THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, BUT 5, 6, 7, 8 OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.
JUST DEPENDS ON THE SITE PLAN.
SO, UH, HAD SOME DISCUSSION WITH PLANNING COMMISSION AND, AND PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE A LOOK AT HOW OTHER NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS PRICE THIS OUT.
UH, AND WE'VE COME UP WITH THIS, UM, THIS PRICE SCHEDULE, IT'D BE $550 FOR THE FIRST SUBMISSION, UM, SECOND SUBMITTAL.
SO THAT MEANS STAFF WOULD MAKE INITIAL COMMENTS ON THE SITE PLAN, GIVE IT BACK, AND THEY WOULD MAKE THOSE REC THOSE CHANGES AND SUBMIT IT BACK FOR A SECOND.
SUBMITTAL NO CHARGE FOR THAT, BUT IF THERE REQUIRES ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND ADDITIONAL SUBMITTALS, THERE'D BE $250 ON TOP OF THE BASE FEE FOR EACH RESUBMITTAL.
THAT WILL HOPEFULLY LIMIT WHAT IS KNOWN AS DESIGN BY SITE PLAN REVIEW, WHERE ENGINEERS, UM, JUST CREATE SITE PLANS BASED OFF THEIR STANDARD, WHAT THEY NORMALLY DO WITHOUT REALLY ANY REGARD TO WHAT OUR ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIRES.
IT ALSO TAKES UP A LOT OF STAFF TIME.
WE'RE HOPING THIS PRICE SCHEDULE COULD KEEP THAT TO A MINIMUM.
SO ULTIMATELY, UH, THE DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSING TO KEEP RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMIT AND COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMIT FEES THE SAME AS THEY ARE, AND TO, UM, CHANGE THE PLANNING APPLICATION FEES TO COVER COSTS AND TO REFLECT THE REGION.
THOSE WOULD BE $1,500 FOR A REZONING FIVE 50 FOR A VARIANCE SPECIAL EXCEPTION OR SPECIAL USE SIX 50 FOR CONDITIONAL USE AND $1,000 FOR THE ZONING ORDINANCE, AMENDMENT.
AND OF COURSE, THE SITE PLAN REVIEW, WHICH WAS IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A WORK SESSION, NOT, UM, ASKING FOR ANY ACTION, BUT I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MAY HAVE.
I THINK IT'S, UH, QUITE APPROPRIATE TO, UH, REASSESS THESE FEES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CITY'S LOSING MONEY.
IS THERE ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WHAT, UH, LIKE MOST BUSINESSES DO, UH, TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE COMMERCIAL, UM, CHARGES AND LIKE RESIDENTIAL CHARGES FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE, UM, MOVING INTO THE CITY? MM-HMM.
UM, SO WITH BUILDING PERMITS, THE REASON THEY'RE SEPARATED BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL IS BECAUSE DIFFERENT CODES APPLY, CORRECT.
UM, IN, IN THE BUILDING CODE, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE SAME WITH A PLANNING APPLICATION.
UM, SO WE DON'T DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WHETHER IT'S A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OR A COMMERCIAL.
UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT FURTHER IF YOU'D LIKE FOR ME TO DO THAT, BUT I HONESTLY, I'VE NOT EVEN CONSIDERED SPLITTING IT OUT THAT WAY ON THE PLANNING APPLICATION SIDE.
I, I THINK IT, I THINK IT WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE FOR OUR, UH, CONSTITUENTS, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SOMETHING POSSIBLE.
IF, IF NOT, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT ESPECIALLY TO, UM, PEOPLE WHO RESIDE IN WHOLE WORLD IN HERE, TAXPAYERS AND SO FORTH, IF AT IMPOSSIBLE TO, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TWO.
BECAUSE SOMEBODY AFFORDING TO, UH, GET A COMMERCIAL SPACE IS USUALLY IN QUITE A DIFFERENT SPACE THAN A PERSON WHO MAY BE TRYING TO BUILD A HOME OR HAD AN ADDITION TO THEIR HOME OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
[00:15:01]
SURE.I'D, I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. WARD? OKAY.
[REGULAR MEETING]
WILL ROLL RIGHT INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING.UH, CAN I GET A ROLL CALL PLEASE? IN THE DEPARTMENT HERE, VICE MAYOR WARD? HERE.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO OUR, UH, START WITH OUR, UM, PRAYER, UH, BY PASTOR HART.
AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY COUNCILLOR JOYNER.
GRACIOUS FATHER, TONIGHT, WE'VE GATHERED HERE TO DO BUSINESS FOR THE CITY.
WE ASK THOUGH, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE CLARITY OF MIND AND CLARITY OF HEART, THAT THE BUSINESS THAT WILL BE CONDUCTED WILL BE PROSPEROUS FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND OH GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH YOU STANDS.
ALRIGHT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO INCLUDE AN R TWO FOR LEGAL FIRM SEARCH? SO MOVED.
I, UH, MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR JOYNER AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR GORE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILOR HOLLOWING? WE WERE BUILDING ON THIS TONIGHT.
I THOUGHT WE WERE LOOKING FOR FURTHER REVIEW BEFORE.
THIS IS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY SEARCH.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WELL, I MEAN, IF WE PUT IT ON HERE, YOU CAN DISCUSS IT.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? I MOVE.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS]
UH, COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS? UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYONE, UH, SIGNED UP.IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT ON AN ITEM THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA? OKAY.
[PUBLIC HEARING]
ON TO, LET'S SEE.WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR TONIGHT.
[UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
BUSINESS.UH, UNFINISHED BUSINESS NUMBER ONE.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR.
I DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, BUT, UH, BASICALLY, UH, WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN ALL THE NECESSARY STEPS TO BECOME FINALLY A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT WITH A DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES, UH, AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UM, WE'VE CHANGED OUR ORDINANCE.
WE'VE GOT OUR, OUR BOARDS ALL STRAIGHT.
WE'VE GOT THE CORRECT PEOPLE ON THE BOARDS AND ADVISING THE BOARDS.
THIS IS THE LAST ITEM, AND THAT IS, UM, FOR YOU.
I'M ASKING TONIGHT FOR YOU ALL TO PROVIDE AUTHORIZATION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THE CONTRACT.
UM, MS. BURTON HAS LOOKED IT OVER AND HAD NO ISSUES WITH IT, SO, UM, BUT I, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT STATUS OR ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, VICE MAYOR GORE, I LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION.
I'LL JUST SAY LIKE, COUNSELOR, WHEN BAILEY IS THE ONE WHO REALLY BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND THEN WHEN SHE WAS GOING OUT, I PUT ON THE AGENDA WITH, WHAT IS IT? THE HERITAGE THING THAT WE HAD WITH IT.
SOMETHING THAT PRESIDENT BUSH HAD STARTED.
IT WAS AMER, IT WAS ANOTHER, UM, IT WAS HERITAGE SOMETHING, ANOTHER GRANT THING.
WHEN YOU GUYS LOOKED INTO IT, IT KIND OF WAS LIKE FADING AWAY AND YOU GUYS SAID IT'S NOT FUNDED ANYMORE.
UM, AND THEN SINCE THEN YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ROCKING THE BACKGROUND TO GET THIS DONE.
AND THEN, LIKE, IT SEEMED LIKE LAST YEAR YOU KIND OF POPPED BACK ON THE SCENE.
IT WAS LIKE, HEY, ALL THIS REVIEWS WERE PUTTING INTO THIS, IT'S STARTING TO PAY OFF.
AND SO HONESTLY, LIKE IT WENT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND
[00:20:01]
AND I HONESTLY WASN'T TRACKING IT EVER SINCE THEN UNTIL YOU GUYS PUT IT BACK UP.SO I JUST WANT PERSONALLY TO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS TO GET US TO GET THIS DESIGNATION.
I THINK, UM, DIRECTOR ING WHEN SHE WAS HERE, SHE WORKED HARD ON THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GIVE FLOWERS TO TAVIA AND THEN ALSO CHRISTINA BECAUSE THEY, THEY STARTED THIS EFFORT.
UM, AND THEN WITH, UM, COUNCILOR JORDAN AND I WOULD SERVE ON THE A RB TOGETHER AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT THEN.
SO IT'S KIND OF CRAZY TO SEE IT COME FULL CIRCLE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD THEIR HANDS IN THIS, BUT IF IT WASN'T FOR YOUR TEAM DOING THE WORK AND MAKING THE CHANGES FOR US TO GET CERTIFIED, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COUNCIL HOLLOW COUNCIL JOIN? YES.
I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO REQUEST THE CONSOLIDATION OF PART-TIME POSITIONS AS WELL AS THE FUNDING TO CREATE REALLOCATE, UM, TO A FULL-TIME POSITION.
THE FUNDING, UH, AS WELL AS THE PART-TIME POSITIONS TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
UH, THIS REQUEST HAS BEEN DONE AND, AND REQUESTED BECAUSE WE ARE SEVERELY UNDERSTAFFED IN OUR POOL.
AND IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH OPERATIONAL HOURS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THIS IS A REQUIREMENT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THAT, UM, UH, I'LL ALSO PRE EMPHASIS THE UPCOMING BUDGET CYCLE.
I WILL BE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME STAFF BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY WE JUST CANNOT BE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR PART-TIME WAGES.
SO, UH, THIS WILL HELP US, UH, AGAIN, RESUME IS CLOSE TO A NORMAL OPERATING HOURS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AND HOPEFULLY BETTER SERVE THE CITIZENS OF HOPEWELL.
UH, VICE, OH, AND THAT, SORRY MAYOR.
PARDON? I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT ALL OF THIS IS ALREADY IN MY CURRENT BUDGET.
I'M JUST REALLOCATING EVERYTHING SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY EXTRA MONEY.
UH, VICE MAYOR GORE, THE QUESTION I HAD IS, UM, IN REGARDS TO YOU CONSOLIDATING, HOW IS THAT GONNA IMPACT YOUR OPERATIONS? SO RIGHT NOW WE STILL HAVE A FULL-TIME, UM, AQUATICS PROGRAM SPECIALIST POSITION OUT THIS WILL BE THE THIRD FULL-TIME POSITION.
SO MY GOAL IS TO HAVE FOUR FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
THAT WAY YOU ONLY HAVE TO RELY ON PART-TIMERS FOR A FEW HOURS, WHEREAS THE FULL-TIMERS WILL HAVE OVERLAP IN WHICH WE DON'T HAVE TO REPLY ON THOSE PART-TIMERS.
SO WHAT, I MEAN THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE POSITIONS.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING EIGHT POSITIONS, I'M ONLY GOING DOWN TO FOUR.
I'M STILL GONNA KEEP PART-TIME POSITIONS.
JUST A FEW OF THEM TO CONSOLIDATE FOR A FULL-TIME POSITION.
AND AT, AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME, UM, I'LL DEFER DR.
MAN, I DO WANT, UH, A PRESENTATION OR SOME CLARITY ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS, THE POOL TEAM THAT COMES THERE.
UM, I HEAR MIXED THINGS IN REGARDS TO THEIR PRESENCE IN THE POOLS AND, UM, OUR CITY'S COMMITMENT TO HAVING THEM COME AND TAKING UP THE POOL
SO I WANNA GET A A PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION, LIKE CONTINUING THAT.
'CAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE DOING STUFF IN THE PAST, I MEAN, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO IT.
AND IF WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO TALK ABOUT IMPROVING OUR PROCESS AND OUR SERVICES, I DO THINK THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP NEEDS TO BE REVISITED.
UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY STARTED OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT HAS BEEN ON YOUR OPERATIONS SO COUNCIL CAN HELP MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT WE WANNA DO MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO I DEFER TO YOU ON, UM, HOW YOU WANNA PRESENT THAT OR WHATEVER, BUT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LATER.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT ALSO IMPACTS YOUR ABILITY TO OPERATE THE POOL.
I WOULD DEFINITELY PROVIDE, AM I WRONG THOUGH? IT IS IMPACTING OUR COOPER.
IT IS 100% IMPACTING OUR OPERATIONS AND OUR AVAILABILITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
MAKER, IF YOU HAVE TIME TO GET ON THE NEXT AGENDA, THEN I SUGGEST THAT YOU DO THAT SO WE CAN HELP PROVIDE YOU SUPPORT AND COVER.
COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY, WHAT IS THE, WHAT WAS THE, UH, THE NEW HOURS FOR THE CITIZENS? 'CAUSE THAT WAS LIKE A THING THAT THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION? THE HOURS, WHAT ARE THE FOOD HOURS? SO CURRENTLY WE ARE OPERATING FROM 7:00 AM TO APPROXIMATELY 11 TO 12, DEPENDING ON WHICH DAY IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE THE NOVA SOUTH SWIM TEAM.
YOU TALKING ABOUT 11:00 AM AM TO ABOUT 11:00 PM TO 12 O'CLOCK.
SO WE, HOW DID WE COME TO THE PLACE OF EVEN ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN? BECAUSE MOST OF THE STUDENTS WOULDN'T.
I MEAN, THEY'RE IN SCHOOL OF THOSE HOURS.
I THINK THAT WAS A, HOW DO WE EVEN GET TO THAT PLACE? SO THOSE ARE OUR MORNING OPERATION HOURS, AND THEN WE REOPEN AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY CLOSED DURING THAT LUNCHTIME PERIOD.
[00:25:01]
UM, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, SWIM R VA WHO PROVIDES US A LIFEGUARD WHILE THEY ARE DOING THE SECOND GRADERS LEARN TO SWIM PROGRAM.SO IF WE'RE SHORT STAFFED, WE'RE ABLE TO RELY ON THEM TO PROVIDE THAT SECOND GUARD FOR US, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE TWO GUARDS, UM, TO OPERATE OUR POOL.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THE ONLY TIME THAT IT'S NOT AVAILABLE IS FROM THAT 11 TO FOUR RIGHT NOW, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
THAT'S, I DON'T THINK THAT'S BAD.
I MEAN, ESPECIALLY WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DOES HAVING THAT SWIM TEAM, UH, PRESENCE HERE, WHAT DOES IT SO THEY PRACTICE IN THE MORNING.
UM, SO THEY COME IN ABOUT 4 45 TO ABOUT 6 45.
SO THAT MEANS THAT'S ABOUT TWO HOURS PREP TIME THAT MY STAFF IS NOT, UH, OUTSIDE OF OPERATIONAL HOURS THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE UP TO OUR CITIZENS IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THIS OUTSIDE REQUEST.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO WANNA PRACTICE ON SATURDAYS, WHICH AGAIN IS TAKEN UP HOURS AWAY DURING THE REGULAR WORK WEEK.
OUR CURRENT OPERATIONAL HOURS DEDICATED TO AN OUTSIDE RENTAL SO THAT, SO THEY'RE NOT PAYING ADDITIONAL FEES TO ACCOMMODATE OVERTIME OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
SO THEIR, THEIR CURRENT MO UH, MEUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS ACTUALLY $11 PER LANE PER HOUR.
SO THE 11 DO, SO NOTHING I CAN DO A COST ANALYSIS FOR YOU, SIR.
UM, WHEN, WHEN DID Y'ALL MAKE THAT MO OH, I'M SORRY.
DID WE APPROVE THAT? I MEAN, DID YOU NO, WE DIDN'T.
CAN WE GET THAT? SO THE M THAT WE DO NOT, WE ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING OF A PROPOSED MOU.
THERE IS NOT A CURRENTLY SIGNED MOU.
SO YOU SAID THE UNDERSTANDING INSTEAD OF ACTION.
UM, BECAUSE I 'CAUSE OF CONCERNS OF STAFFING AND BEING ABLE TO FACILITATE THAT MOU.
I, I THINK JUST LIKE, UM, UH, MR. WARD HAD PRESENTED, UH, TO US WITH, UH, WITH HIS THING, THAT RESEARCH TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT LOSING MONEY, UH, TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THEM IF, YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHAT ARRANGEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT, THEY NEED TO PAY MORE, YOU KNOW, MONEY TO SERVICE, UH, THE OVERTIME VERSUS TAKING HOURS FROM THE WEEK JUST SO THEY CAN WORK ON THE WEEKEND.
I THINK THAT'S COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE.
BUT I, I, I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT MOU IN PLACE.
AND I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T REALIZE, UH, SO THE WAY IT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST IS THAT THE DIRECTOR USUALLY DOES THE MOU WITH IT.
SO I APOLOGIZE IF Y'ALL WANTED TO SEE THAT.
I MEAN, I, I, I'M, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SPEAKING TO.
I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT PUSHING BACK ON THE CITIZENS.
AND I KNOW THAT'S ALSO YOUR CONCERN, BUT YES SIR.
ALRIGHT, COUNCILOR PELLUM AND THEN COUNCILLOR GORE.
WHENEVER YOU MAKE AN MOU, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE CITIZEN BASE.
THAT IS A DECISION THAT HAS TO COME BY WAY OF THE CITY MANAGER OR THE CITY COUNCIL.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
AND, AND DR. BAKER HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATIONS.
SO IF THERE'S NO MOU CITY MISS CITY MANAGER, DOES THAT MEAN YOU WILL REACH OUT AND TRY TO GET ONE? WE ARE, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON ONE AT, AT THIS TIME.
AND SINCE I WOULD ENCUMBER NOT DISADVANTAGING OUR CITIZEN BASE AND NOT CAUSING THE CITIZENS TAXES TO PAY FOR A SWIM TEAM'S PRIVATE USE.
MAKE SURE THOSE COSTS ARE, UH, COVERED SO THAT THE CITIZENS THAT DON'T PAY FOR WHAT THEY CAN'T USE, THAT'S CRAZY.
UH, SO ANYWAY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT, TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
MAYOR GORE, JUST FOR CLARITY TO WRAP THIS UP, THE REASON WHY I BROUGHT IT UP 'CAUSE IT'S IMPACTING THE POOL, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED FOR DIRECTOR MARTINEZ TO TALK ABOUT IT.
THIS IS IN PLACE PRIOR TO HER BECOMING DIRECTOR.
AND SO PART OF THE CLEANUP WITH THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION, THE NEW STUDENT MANAGER THAT WE HAVE IS GOING BACK TO CORRECT OLD HABITS AND GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO PLACE PRIOR TO THIS NEW CURRENT LEADERSHIP.
SO THEY'RE WORKING TO CLEAN THIS UP.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO HELP EXPEDITE THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT, I KNOW IT IS IMPACTING YOUR OPERATIONS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE EVEN HAVE DONE THAT AS A CITY.
UM, WHEN COUNCIL DIDN'T APPROVE IT, AUTHORIZE OR ASK FOR SERVICES, YOU TAKEN AWAY FROM OUR PUBLIC WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS TO GET INTO ANOTHER GROUP.
SO, UM, I WOULD DEFER TO COUNSELOR HOLLOWAY'S POINT, AND WHEN YOU MAKE THE PRESENTATION, ADD THE COST ANALYSIS, SO THAT WAY YOU CAPTURE EVERYONE'S THOUGHT PROCESS, UM, AND THEN REALLY SHOW THE IMPACT IT HAS TO OPERATIONS.
BUT I JUST WANNA PUT ON THE RECORD THAT IT WASN'T HER, IT'S NOT HER DOING
[00:30:01]
JUST TRYING TO HELP CLEAN IT UP.UM, SO, UM, I, I SUPPORT THE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REQUEST TO CONSOLIDATE THE WAGE POSITIONS, UM, GET THE EXACT VERBIAGE.
IT'S TO, UH, PROVE, UH, THE COMBINED PART-TIME POSITIONS TO CREATE A FULL-TIME POSITION BY REALLOCATING EXISTING OPERATING, UH, FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $48,153.
A BUDGET AND COVER ALL OF THAT.
SO THE BREAKDOWN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UM, WOULD BE A, SORRY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED.
WE DON'T ALWAYS GET ACCURATE NUMBERS OF STUFF AND IT'S A CHANGE LATER ON.
SO THAT'S WHY I VER LIKE TO HEAR IT VERBALLY.
YEAH, MS. UH, MS. ARMANDO CARROLL ACTUALLY DOUBLE CHECKED MY NUMBERS IN REGARDS TO THE VRS AND SO FORTH.
UM, SO THAT WAS A SLIGHT ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTATION, BUT THE, WHAT YOU SEE IN YOUR PACKET IS THE CORRECT.
I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET US ROLLING HERE.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UM, I'M HERE ABOUT, UH, AS MOST OF YOU ALL OF YOU KNOW, UH, I'VE BEEN SHARING AN ATTORNEY SLOT WITH PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY UNDER A GRANT.
THAT GRANT RUNS OUT THE END OF DECEMBER.
I'M HERE ASKING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE A SLOT, UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR LAWYER.
SHE'S BEEN DOING ALL THE HEAVY MURDER CASES.
BASICALLY SEVEN, EIGHT CASES, MURDER CASES GOING ON FOR THE PAST YEAR.
WE'VE FINALLY MAKING SOME PROGRESS.
UH, WE JUST, UH, HAD THE, UH, MURDER OVER AT THE SUMMIT.
UH, THE INDIVIDUAL RECEIVED 50 YEARS LAST WEDNESDAY, AND THE CO-DEFENDANT PLED GUILTY.
UH, HIS SENTENCING COMES UP LATER.
PARIS MOORE'S CASE COMES UP EARLY NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND SHE'S BEEN STRICTLY WORKING ON THAT.
SHE'S BEEN PUT COUNT COUNTLESS, COUNTLESS HOURS INTO IT.
UH, SHE'S GOT A GOOD RAPPORT WITH THE FAMILIES.
UH, I THINK ANY OF YOU THAT WERE AT THE MEDIA RELEASED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UH, SOMEBODY, UH, THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE AUDIENCE THAT ASKED WERE WE GO BE ABLE TO KEEP HER.
UH, SHE'S GOT A GREAT RAPPORT AND I IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO THESE VICTIMS' FAMILIES IF SHE'S, SHE'S LET GO.
AND SO I'M ASKING Y'ALL TO GRANT HER A SLOT EFFECTIVE JANUARY ONE.
UH, COUNCILOR PELLAND AND THEN COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY.
MR. NEWMAN, UH, YOU SAID SHE'S WORKING ON EIGHT CASES PRE NOW? SHE GOT EIGHT.
ME, SHE'S PICKED UP SOME MORE, BUT I KIND OF HESITANT TO GIVE HER ANY MORE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW.
SHE'S GOING TO BE HERE NEXT YEAR.
AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU MURDER CASE IS GENERALLY GONNA TAKE A MINIMUM A YEAR TO, TO GET FROM ARREST UP TO A TRIAL IN CIRCUIT COURT.
AND HAVE YOU HAD MADE TRY TO MAKE ANY COORDINATION WITH PRINCE GEORGE TO NO, THEY, UH, THEY WENT OUT ON THEIR OWN, GOT THEIR OWN THING.
UH, THEY GOT A, UH, SLOT FROM THE, UH, COMP BOARD THIS YEAR.
AND SO, UH, AND WE WEREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR THAT.
WELL, WE WERE ELIGIBLE FOR IT.
UH, I WAS EIGHTH IN LINE FOR ANOTHER SLOT.
UH, THEY DIDN'T GIVE IT TO YOU? I DIDN'T GET IT THIS YEAR.
I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THE TIME STUDIES THAT WERE DONE, UH, BACK, UH, 22, I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN 23, WE'RE
[00:35:01]
DOWN TWO ATTORNEY SLOTS.UM, AND HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME.
MEANING YOU HAVE TWO AUTHORIZED SLOTS AND THEY'RE NOT FILLED, OR YOU NO, I HAVE, I HAVE, I SHOULD HAVE TWO MORE SLOTS.
I SHOULD HAVE TWO MORE ATTORNEYS THAN WHAT I HAVE FROM THE COMP BOARD, FROM THE TIME STUDY THAT WAS DONE.
BUT THEY HAVEN'T AUTHORIZED THEM YET.
AND WHO KNOWS IF THEY WILL? THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
AND HOW MANY ATTORNEYS DO YOU HAVE NOW? WE HAVE, UH, LET'S SEE, 1, 2, 5.
SHE WAS, SHE'S FIVE AND A HALF
AND I'LL TELL YOU, SHE'S, SHE'S ONLY SUPPOSED TO WORK 20.
SHE'S PROBABLY WORKED 40 TO 60 ON THESE MURDERS BECAUSE WHAT YOU ALL UNDERSTAND, UH, BODY CAMERA VIDEO.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHO HAS WHAT ON THEIR BODY CAM.
SO IT'S, EVERYTHING IS TIME CONSUMING AND, UH, OKAY.
I I HAVE TO REMEMBER ALL THE QUESTIONS IF I REMEMBER WHAT I HUH? WHAT COLD CASE FILE? JUST ALL COLD CASE FILES SHE'S DOING.
AND SEE IF WE CAN GET MORE EVIDENCE TO DO SOMETHING.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE AS WELL AS I ALRIGHT.
SO, SO THE, THIS POSITION THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS MOSTLY BASED UPON OURS, NOT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT THIS IS A SPECIAL ATTORNEY 'CAUSE THEY WORK WITH COLD CASE FILE, BUT MORE SO THE MANPOWER AND THAT THE OFFICE NEEDED.
WELL, IT'S, MY INTENT IS SHE'S GOING TO TRY TO WORK NOTHING BUT MURDER CASES, INCLUDING THE COLD CASES.
UM, BUT THE BIGGEST CONCERN I HAVE IS, IS HAVING TO RESTART ALL OVER AGAIN.
UH, THAT'S GONNA BE A HUGE DISSERVICE.
IT'S GOING TO PUT DELAYS, UH, 'CAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE WILL HAVE TO COME IN AND START ALL OVER AGAIN.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN SOMEBODY ELSE COMING IN? WELL, IF SHE'S NOT THERE, THEN ANOTHER ATTORNEY'S GONNA HAVE TO STEP IN AND TAKE OVER THAT CASE AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROBABLY PRETTY MUCH RESTART ALL OVER AGAIN.
YOU MEAN ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS THAT'S ALREADY IN OFFICE? YES.
UH, ATTORNEY OFFICES SHARE LOADS ALL THE TIME.
SO I'M, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU MEAN BY STARTING NOTES.
WELL, YEAH, WE SHARE AND SWAP OFF CASES ALL THE TIME, BUT IN THESE PARTICULAR MURDER CASES WE DON'T.
AND AS I SAID EARLIER, UH, YOU TALKING 20 HOURS OF BODY CAM FOOTAGE THAT SHE'S REVIEWED, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY UMPTEEN HOURS OF JAIL HOUSE CALLS, WHICH SOMEBODY ELSE IS GONNA HAVE TO COME IN AND DO ALL OVER AGAIN.
SO I I I BEG MY UH, PARDON MY QUESTIONS, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO GET CLARITY.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT HER CASES WERE FINISHED.
YOU WERE PLANNING ON APPOINTING HER TO NO, HER CASES CASES ARE STILL ONGOING.
UH, SHE'S GOT PAR PARIS MOORE CASES, UH, EARLY NEXT YEAR, AND SEVERAL OTHERS GOING AS LATE AS APRIL AND MAY EVEN INTO AUGUST.
THIS IS SO, UH, PROVIDED THAT THESE MONIES REQUEST AS A, AS A ONE TIME THING NOT ADDED TO THE SALARIES IS LISTED, REQUESTED JUST FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
I'M REQUESTING IT, UH, PERMANENTLY.
UH, AND I REQUESTED IT AT THE BUDGET AND IT WAS SHOT DOWN.
SO IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE REQUESTED THIS.
UH, MADAM CITY MANAGER, SOMEBODY, CAN YOU GIVE CLARIFICATION ON IF YOU'RE RECRUIT APPROVED OF THIS, UH, REQUEST? THIS IS ONE TIME FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT.
HOW WILL WE BE GOING ABOUT IT? SO, SO THE ONE TIME FUNDING? YES.
THESE ARE ONETIME FUNDINGS BECAUSE WE'RE USING YEAR END DOLLARS, UM, FROM 2024.
HOWEVER, I I, THERE'S ENOUGH FUNDING TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THIS REQUEST AND THEN IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET, ACTUALLY BUDGET THE, THE, THE POSITION INTO THE, UM, THE BUDGET, THE 26TH BUDGET.
SO WOULD IT THEN BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO, UH, REQUEST IT ONLY
[00:40:01]
FOR THIS YEAR? UH, AND, AND NOT PERMANENTLY SINCE WE ARE ONLY PAYING WITH A ONE TIME BUDGET AND THEN AGREE TO, UH, MAKE HER A FULL HIRE GOING FORWARD WITH THE NEXT YEAR BUDGET.BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE JUST DOING IT BASED UPON THE A ONE TIME.
I, SO THAT'S A COUNCIL DECISION.
BUT I WOULD SAY ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE HOW THE FUNDS ARE ALREADY DESIGNATED, I WOULD SAY WE ARE JUST ASKING FOR ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH THE REMAINING OF THE BUDGET.
SO THEN I WOULD BE IN COURT TO DO THE MOTION, UH, TO HAVE HER UNTIL THE END OF JUNE AND THEN, UM, PERMANENTLY THEREAFTER TO, YOU KNOW, AS A, A NEW POSITION FOR NEXT YEAR.
'CAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE TIME FUNDING, SO IT JUST, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO, UH, I'LL SECOND THAT.
SO YOUR MOTIONS TO APPROVE THE, UH, POSITION FOR FUNDING FOR, UM, THE SECOND HALF OF FISCAL YEAR 25, AND THEN TO MAKE IT A PER BAKE IT INTO THE ACTUAL BUDGET? CORRECT.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY, UM, COUNCILLOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, COUNCILLOR PELLUM.
I SO THAT MEANS, SO THEN NEXT YEAR, THE NEW BUDGET, HE YOU HAVE TO REQUEST IT AGAIN, CORRECT? WELL, AND THAT MAY BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE IF SHE'S NOT ASSURE OF THE JOB, SHE MAY NOT STAY.
SO THAT, THAT WASN'T MY, I I, I WANTED TO ASSURE HER NOW I WANTED TO ASSURE HER JOB, BUT NOT PERMANENTLY BASED UPON THIS ONE TIME PAYMENT.
MAKE HER FULL TIME, UH, MAKE HER A PERMANENT EMPLOYEE, UM, DURING THE TIME FOR THE NEW BUDGET.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE, YOU'RE MAKING A REQUEST FROM A ONETIME UH, BUDGET, RIGHT? OH, I DON'T, YEAH.
SO SHE'LL BASICALLY BE CONTINUING IN THE JOB IS JUST BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO USE A ONE TIME BUDGET, WE CAN'T OKAY, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT THE NEW CFO SAYS SHE'S GONNA BRING US INFORMATION ABOUT A BRAND NEW BUDGET.
IS THAT NOT TRUE? THE CFO? 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T GET, WE DIDN'T GET TRUE NUMBERS.
UH, WHICHEVER FANCY FINANCING Y'ALL BEEN DOING IN THE PAST.
SO YOU, YOU, YOU REQUESTED WHAT, UH, OF THE CFO TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONER REVENUE IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE CARRIED OVER TO 20, THE, THE SAVINGS FROM 2024, WHETHER THOSE FUNDS WILL BE ONGOING AND THAT IS WHAT SHE'S WORKING ON.
SO THAT PERMANENT POSITION HAS TO BE BASED ON THAT INFORMATION.
IT CAN'T BE JUST MADE TONIGHT REALLY, I DON'T THINK.
I MEAN, I MEAN, I WON'T BE HERE.
Y'ALL CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
BUT, UH, THE WAY THE CFO PRESENTS ALL THAT, UH, OUR WHOLE BUDGET IS BEING REDONE.
THE, THE ENTIRE BUDGET'S NOT BEING REDONE.
YOU'VE ASKED HER ON THE 2024 BUDGET SAVINGS WHAT THE, THE, THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, YOU ASKED WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD EXPECT THOSE THAT SAME LEVEL ONGOING YEAR AFTER YEAR.
SO YOU CAN IDENTIFY, AND SO YOU CAN MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER THE FUND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO YOU.
SO, SO AT THE NEXT FINANCE MEETING, SHE SHOULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
AND THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN MAKE A POOR DEC DECISION ON THAT.
'CAUSE IT HAS ANY EXPENDITURE HAS TO BE MATCHED WITH THE REVENUE.
AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT REVENUE IS.
BUT I WOULD SAY FROM LEFTOVER 2024 FUNDS, YOU HAVE ENOUGH HERE.
WE GOT THROUGH THE 20 JUNE, 30 2025, BUT JULY 1ST WE HAD GOT THAT IS PENDING UNTIL SHE GIVE US THAT REPORT.
I MEAN, IT'S UP TO YOU TELLING US.
SO, UM, I'LL SPEAK AND THEN COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND THEN COUNCILOR JOYNER.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS A SMART INVESTMENT OF FUNDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE ONE TIME SAVINGS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE EACH SURE.
THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, PUT INTO THE ACTUAL BUDGET FOR, YOU KNOW, THE FOLLOWING YEAR THAT WE START OUT THE PROCESS WITH THIS BEING INCLUDED IN.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, REINFORCES, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND, UH, WORKING TO GET THESE MURDERERS
[00:45:01]
AND THESE CRIMINALS OFF THE STREET PERMANENTLY.UM, SO I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF IT.
UM, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY AND THEN COUNCILLOR JOYNER.
I, I WAS ABOUT TO, UH, SPEAK ON THE SAME THING.
UH, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN WASN'T, I MEAN, MY, MY STATEMENT, OF COURSE WAS TO KEEP HER, THAT'S WHY I MADE THE, UH, MADE THE MOTION, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WAS A ONE TIME, UH, THING.
BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT NO MATTER WHAT NEXT YEAR, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN INTO THE BUDGET.
I DON'T CARE WHAT MONEY WE HAVE TO SHIFT AROUND.
I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
UH, LIKE, UH, MAYOR PARTNER WAS JUST SPEAKING ON, I MEAN, UH, ONE OF THOSE MURDER VICTIMS WERE, UH, UH, WAS MY, WELL, TWO OF THEM WERE MY FAMILY MEMBERS.
UM, AND I'M PRETTY SURE, YOU KNOW, OTHERS IN HERE TOO HAVE, UH, SUFFERED SOME LOSS, UM, IN THAT SPACE.
BUT TO, TO CLEAN UP THE STREET IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, SO, UH, WE NEED TO REARRANGE WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO NEXT YEAR IN THE BUDGET THAT HAVE COME, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS MOTION.
WE NEED TO MOVE ON IT AND MAKE IT PART OF THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR.
SEEING NO OTHER LIGHTS, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[REGULAR BUSINESS]
ON TO R ONE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.UM, MR. MAYOR, UH, AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN MEETING, WE ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING, UM, THE CONTRACTS FOR, UH, LEGISLATIVE SERVICES.
WE HAVE A INTERVIEW TOMORROW WITH THE LAST CANDIDATE AFTERWARDS.
UM, THE COMMITTEE WILL PRESENT TO COUNCIL OF THE, THE SELECTION.
UM, TODAY YOU HAVE, BEFORE YOU THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS.
I RECEIVED ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS BY EMAIL.
I CONSOLIDATED THOSE REQUESTS.
YOU HAVE A SPREADSHEET IN FRONT OF YOU.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 22 REQUESTS.
UM, THE FIRST SEVEN OF THOSE REQUESTS ARE IN THE DETAIL, UM, LINE ITEM.
YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, I TRIED TO GIVE YOU THE ACTUAL VIRGINIA CODE WHERE THOSE RE UH, LEGISLATIVE, UM, REQUESTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND, AND ACTUALLY MADE INTO LAW.
SO YOU CAN GO BACK THERE TO REVISIT THOSE.
UM, AND, AND THE MIDDLE COLUMN, YOU'LL SEE, UM, SOME HIGHLIGHTED ONES, WHICH ARE THE NEW REQUESTS, WHETHER THEY CAME FROM COUNCIL OR WHETHER THEY ARE FROM STAFF.
AND THEN THE LAST 11 REQUESTS ARE APPROPRIATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE CURRENT AGENDA.
LAST WEEK, UH, IN THE DISCUSSION, WELL, LAST COUNCIL MEETING IN THE DISCUSSION, UM, I THINK COUNCIL, UH, VICE MAYOR GORE WENT THROUGH THE AGENDA.
UM, EVERYONE AGREED TO THE ITEMS THAT WERE CURRENTLY IN THE AGENDA.
AND SO TONIGHT WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS ON THE TABLE FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, AND TO PROVIDE THE, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WITH SOME DIRECTION, UM, AS TO WHETHER TO INCLUDE THOSE ITEMS INTO THE AGENDA OR NOT.
UM, I DO HAVE, UM, MEMBERS FROM THE PLANNING COMMITTEE WHO MAY BE ASKED TO SPEAK, BUT ONE OF THOSE ITEMS ARE, UM, THE SPLIT VALUE TA TAXATION, UM, ALTERNATIVE, UM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY PENNY TAX.
UM, THE STATE LEGISLATION, UH, I THINK THIS WAS THE REQUEST FROM THE MAYOR TO CONNECT THE LORE, APPOMATTOX RIVER TRAIL TO THE CAPITOL TRAIL.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM WAS, UM, THE, UM, THE, THE TREASURER'S OFFICE AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FAR AS, UM, THE, THE ACCOUNTING, UM, SERVICES, UM, AND, AND PLACING THOSE INTO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR ITEMS THAT ARE OUTSTANDING FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, THE REMAINDER OF THE PACKET IS PRETTY MUCH COMPLETE, SO I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR BACK TO THE MAYOR TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, I MEAN, I'M FINE WITH, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, PROPOSING AND MOVING FORWARD WITH ALL FOUR REQUESTS.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK THAT ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW, ARE CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WORTH EXPLORING.
UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED
[00:50:01]
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SPLIT VALUE TAXATION ALTERNATIVE, UH, LAST YEAR.UM, I KNOW, UM, DR. REYNOLDS IS HERE TONIGHT TO, YOU KNOW, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
HIM AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE, UH, STUDIED IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, EXPLORE THE OPTION.
YOU AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE IT.
UM, SO I'M FINE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH ADDING THESE FOUR INTO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
UH, COUNCILOR PELLUM, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NUMBER FOUR AND SEVEN? IT'S, UH, ONE SAYS 5 CENT TAX FOR PLASTIC BAGS AND ONE SAYS THE SAME THING, BUT THEN HAS A PARENTHESIS THE SAME THING.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT.
THAT'S A, IT'S THE SAME MS. MS. PAL.
SO DO WE NEED TO PUT IT ON THERE AND FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT WE GET PERMISSION OR BEFORE WE, IT'S, IT IS ACTUALLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE PACKETS.
SEE, I'VE NOTATED, IT'S OUR ON PAGE NINE.
SO WHICH ONE ARE YOU GONNA STRIKE? FOUR SEVEN.
WHICH STRIKE? NO, THOSE ARE ONES THAT ALREADY ARE LEGISLATION.
UM, BUT THERE WAS A DUPLICATION, WHICH I, I ASKED FOR THIS, I HAD ASKED FOR THIS LAST TIME.
SO SEVEN IS JUST A SEVEN IS A DUPLICATE.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, SPLIT VALUE TAXATION, UH, ALTERNATIVE, UM, THAT'S BEEN, UM, APPROVED BY THE, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT DR. REYNOLDS CAN SPEAK TO THAT TONIGHT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
WELL, WE SAID WE WELL, ARE YOU OKAY WITH IT? YEAH, I MEAN, I'M FINE WITH IT.
I MEAN, IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT? ALRIGHT.
MACKEY DID A GOOD JOB RECAPPING WHERE WE ARE, BUT JUST FOR CLARITY, IF WE JUST KEEP EVERYTHING IN HERE, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE COMMITTEE, BUT I, I, I WOULD SAY COUNCILOR JOYNER, I THINK OUR RECOMMENDATION IS JUST TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN, SEE WHAT STICKS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SUBMIT EVERYTHING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS BY LIKE A DEADLINE, LIKE NEXT WEEK.
AND SO IT'S BEST TO JUST GIVE THEM EVERYTHING AND THEN AS WE GET CLOSER TO NARROWING STUFF DOWN AS WE TALK TO THE NEW LOBBYIST OR WHATEVER, THEN STUFF CAN COME OFF THE LIST.
BUT IT'S BEST TO LET THEM HAVE THE WHOLE CAPITAL.
SO I, SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND THAT'S FINE.
ADOPT THE DRAFT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, UM, FOR SUBMISSION TO OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVES FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION.
AND THEN THAT INCLUDES THE FOUR NEW ITEMS? YES.
AND THEN ALL THE APPROPRIATION REQUESTS? YES.
AND MS. MA'AM, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR JOYNER.
COUNCILLOR PELLUM FOR DISCUSSION IS NUMBER TWO, I THOUGHT MR. WARD, I THOUGHT WE ALREADY HAD A ORDINANCE TO, TO FI BLIGHT PROPERTIES.
DID WE FI DID THEY HAVE TO REGISTER BLIGHT PROPERTIES FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS OR SOMETHING? IS THAT STILL ONE OF BLIGHT TAX? YEAH, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE BLIGHT.
WHAT, WHAT IS, THAT'S A VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY THAT WAS A REGISTRATION TO BE ADDED TO.
DO WE STILL DO THAT? WE, WE, WE HAVE THAT ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS.
UM, WHEN THEY REPORT IT TO IT IS, I WOULD SAY IT'S IMPLEMENTED, BUT NOT TO THE DEGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE PROGRAMS WE ARE TAKING UNDER REVIEW OUR, SO LIKE, IF, IF I SAID DLA DELETED DILAPIDATED PROPERTY, I CAN GIVE YOU AN ADDRESS AND YOU CAN GO OUT AND THEN CHARGE THE PEOPLE TO GET IT REGISTERED OR SOMETHING.
WELL, WE, WE DON'T REGISTER DILAPIDATED PROPERTIES, BUT THEY CAN BE ASSESSED AND BE DETERMINED TO BE BLIGHTED.
SO THAT WOULD FALL UNDER OUR SPOTLIGHT.
WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM OUR VACANT BUILDING REGISTER.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU, YOU'LL GET TO KNOW IF PEOPLE REPORT IT.
UM, AND AS YOUR PEOPLE DRIVE AROUND TOWN, DO THEY EVER TURN THAT INTO THE OFFICE TO THEY, THEY DO.
UM, BUT WE ALWAYS WELCOME THE, THE CITIZENS TO CALL US IF THEY'VE GOT A PARTICULAR CONCERN.
AND, UH, WE WILL GET AN INSPECTOR OUT THERE WITHIN 24 HOURS, TYPICALLY.
TO DO AN ASSESSMENT BECAUSE I, IT'S ONE I SEE ALL THE TIME AND I, I JUST IS BAD.
BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A SPOT, OR EXCUSE ME, JUST A BLIGHT TAX IN GENERAL.
NO, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY BLIGHT TAX.
IT, IT, IT WAS A REGISTRATION AND WE, AND ARE WE AUTHORIZED AS THE CITY TO DO THAT? I, I JUST REMEMBER VAGUELY ABOUT CERTAIN LOCALITIES WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO IT.
THEY ARE, UH, HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I'M, IS THERE A STATE CODE REFERENCE THERE?
[00:55:01]
THERE IS.AND I CAN SHARE THIS WITH YOU, BUT THERE IS A STATE CODE REFERENCE HERE.
JUST HOPEFUL THAT I PROVIDED YEAH.
I DID NOT SEE, BUT I DID NOT SEE ANY OF THE LOCALITIES LISTED IN THIS.
SO WE MAY NEED TO DIG FURTHER INTO IT.
I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, BECAUSE I JUST THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET SOME OF THESE, UH, SLUMLORDS TO, YOU KNOW, START EITHER SELL THEIR PROPERTIES THAT ARE DE LICK AND BLIGHTED, OR TO ACTUALLY FIX THEM UP AND MAKE THEM NICE.
UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS, UH, THIS IS THE MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA WITH THE FOUR NEW ADDITIONS AND THE APPROPRIATION REQUESTS.
AND WITH WHAT? THE APPROPRIATION REQUESTS OH, THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING? YEAH.
UM, MR. BEARER, THE, UM, I AM REQUESTING, UM, THAT COUNSEL CONSIDER, UM, AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, A LEGAL, UM, ATTORNEY SEARCH, UM, WITH A TALENT AGENCY.
UM, THOSE FUNDS ARE TO COME FROM THE, UM, 2024, UH, CARRYOVER, UM, FUNDS FROM BUDGET YEAR 2024.
UH, VICE MAYOR GORE, BEFORE I MAKE THE MOTION, I JUST WANNA, UM, TO SAY HISTORICALLY HOW IT WORKS.
YOU KNOW, AFTER COUNCIL AGREES TO TERMS AND HOW WE'RE ADVERTISING AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
MAYOR, VICE CLEAR NEEDS TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT FOR THE PERSON WHO'S BEEN SELECTED AND THAT COMES BACK TO COUNCIL.
SO I THINK WITH THE FIRM, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR WHO ARE GONNA BE THE POINTS OF CONTACT WITH US INITIALLY AS, UM, THEY ARE ONBOARDED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE EXPECTATION OF COUNCIL IS.
SO I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UM, SUPPORT THIS, BUT I WOULD SAY MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR OR DESIGNEE TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THOSE WITH THE CONSULTANT.
MAKE SURE THAT'S IN THE MOTION.
MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT I SAY.
UM,
PRIMARY POINTS OF CONTACT FOR THE RECRUITMENT.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY, UH, VICE MAYOR GORE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR JOYNER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
BANKER, I KNOW THE NEXT ITEM THAT YOU HAVE IS FOR THE, UH, CITY STRATEGIC PLAN.
I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH IT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S HERE.
I, I EMAILED IT OUT ON FRIDAY IN THE MANAGER'S WEEKLY REVIEW.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO FORMALLY PUT IT IN THE PACKET, UM, FOR COUNCIL TO REVIEW.
IT'S NOT JUST THE THREE PRIORITIES THAT COUNCIL DISCUSSED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, STAFF SPENT A LOT OF TIME GOING THROUGH THIS UPDATING, UM, EVERY, UM, UM, I WOULD SAY AREA OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND, UM, IT WAS COMPLETED A LITTLE PAST MY DUE DATE, WHICH WAS JULY THE FIRST, BUT WE MADE IT AT JULY THE 19TH.
AND, UM, I SPENT THE LAST MONTH OR SO KIND OF REALLY ORGANIZING IT HERE, UM, FOR A PRESENTATION IT HAS, OF COURSE, IT NEEDS TO BE ADOPTED, REVIEWED, AND ADOPTED BY COUNCIL.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE DRAFT HERE, BUT IT IS AT ITS COMPLETION.
AND HONOR COUNCIL COUNCILOR PELLUM WILL READ OUT THE VACANCIES AND THEN WE CAN DO CLOSING COMMENTS FOR EVERYBODY.
[01:00:01]
AYE.