[00:00:03]
CAN I GET A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR, YOUR PARDON? HERE.
[CLOSED MEETING]
AT THIS TIME, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER PERSONNEL MATTERS, INCLUDING THE BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, PLANNING COMMISSION, 2.2 DASH 3 7 11, A SIX AND EIGHT TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS, EDA UPDATE ON BEACON THEATER AND 2.2 DASH 37 11 A EIGHT AND 29 TO DISCUSS THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT INVOLVING THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, DISCUSSION OF AN UNSOLICITED OFFER OF REAL ESTATE PROPERTY AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A EIGHT.DISCUSSION OF CODE OF CONDUCT.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR, OR EXCUSE ME, VICE MAYOR JOINER, AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILOR STOKES? UM, I WAS QUESTIONING THE DISCUSSION OF THE LAST THING YOU SAID.
DISCUSSION OF CODE OF CONDUCT.
HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO CLOSED SESSION, MR. BISSETTE? SORRY, WHAT? UM, COUNSELORS HAVE ASKED ME TO BRIEF COUNSEL ON THE COUNSEL'S OWN CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ITS OWN BEHAVIOR.
UM, THERE MAY BE, UH, A DESIRE AMONG COUNSELORS TO LOOK AT UPDATING THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
AGAIN, SO THAT, THAT FALLS UNDER CLOSED MEETING.
UH, YES, BECAUSE IT WILL BE UNDER, UH, EXEMPTION NUMBER EIGHT FOR, UH, DISCUSSION WITH COUNSEL ABOUT SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS.
IS DID HE COME ONLINE? I, I JUST HEARD A RING.
DID HE? OH, THAT WAS BACK THERE.
IF THERE IS NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[RECONVENE OPEN MEETING]
MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO COME OUT A CLOSED SESSION? SO, SO, SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 12 D, WERE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS.
AND TWO, IDENTIFY THE ENC OPPOSED MEETING MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO
[REGULAR MEETING ]
INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING.UH, I'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE.
AT THIS TIME, UM, WILL YOU ALL PLEASE STAND FOR THE PRAYER BY PASTOR WHITE, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY COUNCILLOR DAY? I THINK IT TURN I'LL DO IT.
WE'LL, LET, UH, COUNCILOR H UH, STOKES DO THE PLEDGE AFTER THE PRAYER.
MOST GRACIOUS, ETERNAL FATHER, LORD JESUS CHRIST.
TH ETERNAL GOD TO MAKE HER OF THE HEAVEN AND OTHER UNIVERSE.
GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN ASKING YOU FOR WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING OUR CITY COUNCIL.
FATHER, WE PRAY FOR OUR MAYOR AS WELL.
WE PRAY FOR OUR NATION AS A WHOLE.
[00:05:01]
CITY AS A WHOLE.FATHER, WE PRAY THE BLESSINGS OF THE LORD UPON THIS CITY.
OH GOD, THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW PEACE TO ABIDE IN THE CITY AND WILL GIVE YOUR NAME, PRAISE AND GLORY.
TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH THE STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[Additional Item]
WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO REMOVE R THREE, UH, TO OUR NEXT BUDGET WORK SESSION.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER, SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCILOR STOKES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY.
WHICH ONE IS THE
SEEING NO OTHER LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR TODAY.
[INFORMATION/PRESENTATIONS]
TO INFORMATION AND PRESENTATIONS, UH, THE BRIGHT POINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE.I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF BRIGHT POINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE WITH US ELLIOT ALTI, WHO SERVES ON OUR, UH, COLLEGE BOARD.
UH, DEBBIE MARKS WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE, BUT SHE ALSO SERVES ON OUR COLLEGE BOARD REPRESENTING HOPEWELL AND ALSO CAROL CARR, ONE OF OUR ESTEEMED FACULTY, UH, TEACHES ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, UH, IS HERE THIS EVENING AS WELL.
UM, WHAT I WANNA DO TONIGHT IS JUST GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AT BRIGHT POINT AND, UH, AND THEN I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, UH, AT THE END.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'RE AN OPEN ACCESS INSTITUTION.
UH, OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT INSPIRE STUDENT SUCCESS AND COMMUNITY VITALITY.
WE'RE HERE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND OUR VISION STATEMENT IS VERY SIMPLE.
OUR JOB IS TO PROVIDE A SUCCESS STORY FOR EVERY STUDENT WHO COMES INTO OUR DOORS.
LAST YEAR WE HAD STUDENTS AS YOUNG AS 14 YEARS OLD, AND WE HAD A STUDENT AS OLD AS 102.
SO ANYBODY SAYS THEY'RE TOO OLD TO GET A HIGHER EDUCATION.
MS. SARAH SIMPKINS PROVED THAT YOU CAN DO IT AT ANY AGE, AND SHE CROSSED THE STAGE.
WE'RE ONE OF 23 COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN THE VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM WITH CAMPUSES IN MIDLOTHIAN AND CHESTER.
UH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A ROBUST ONLINE, UH, PROGRAM.
STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO DO ONLINE CLASSES, AND WE'RE THE THIRD LARGEST OF ALL THE 23 COMMUNITY COLLEGES WITH OVER 12,000 STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE EACH YEAR.
80% OF THE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND BRIGHT POINT STAY IN OUR COMMUNITY TO WORK, LIVE, PLAY AND RAISE A FAMILY.
LAST YEAR, 321 HOPEWELL RESIDENTS ATTENDED BRIGHT POINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
SO WE HAVE 80 DEGREE IN CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE A LARGE INSTITUTION, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO LIST ALL 80 THAT WE HAVE, BUT WE HAVE BUSINESS AND ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONS AND THE SKILLED TRADES MANUFACTURING, PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING NEW PROGRAM THAT WE STARTED.
WE HAVE HEALTH SCIENCES, WE HAVE IT.
ANYONE WHO WANTS TO, UH, WHO HAS A CAREER GOAL, WE CAN HELP THEM GET WHERE THEY WANT TO GO WITH THAT CAREER, OR AT LEAST WE CAN HELP THEM GET STARTED, WHETHER THEY WANT TO TRANSFER TO A FOUR YEAR INSTITUTION OR GO DIRECTLY TO WORK.
IT'S ALL ABOUT PATHWAYS FOR THESE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO FIND THEIR SUCCESS.
WE ALSO HAVE SUPPORT SERVICES TO HELP STUDENTS WITH FREE TUTORING AND LIBRARY SERVICES AND, UH, TESTING SERVICES.
SO WHEN STUDENTS COME TO US AND THEY TAKE THE CLASSES, THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS THROUGH THE SUPPORTS THAT WE PROVIDE.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR CREDIT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
AGAIN, WE HAVE 80 OF THOSE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A WORKFORCE DIVISION CALLED COMMUNITY COLLEGE WORKFORCE ALLIANCE.
THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP WORKFORCE DIVISION OF BOTH BRIGHTPOINT AND REYNOLDS COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
AND IN THAT AREA, IT'S DESIGNED FOR FAST TRACK SKILLS TRAINING FOR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GET A CREDENTIAL AND GO DIRECTLY TO WORK.
AND WE HAVE OVER 30 PROGRAMS WITH OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE WORKFORCE ALLIANCE.
DURING THE PAST YEAR, HOPEWELL RESIDENTS ENROLLED IN PROGRAMS SUCH AS TRUCK DRIVING, MANUFACTURING TECHNICIAN CONSTRUCTION TRADES, NURSE AID, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
C-C-W-B-A ALSO PROVIDES MONTHLY MANUFACTURING TECHNICIAN COURSES, CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS TO ADVENT
[00:10:01]
SIX TECHS AT THEIR WORK SITE.AND WE'VE OFFERED MORE THAN EIGHT TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE LAST YEAR TO OVER 80 ADVENT SIX WORKERS.
WE ALSO PROVIDE CUSTOMIZED TRAINING, WORKFORCE PREPARATION, AND WE ALSO HAVE PLACEMENT SERVICES, WHICH PROVIDE, WHICH INCLUDES CAREER COACHING, INTERVIEW AND RESUME PREPARATION AND SUPPORT, SUCH AS FREE LIFT RIDES TO TRAINING AND FREE EMERGENCY CAR REPAIRS.
FOR THOSE WHO QUALIFY, AGAIN, A SUCCESS STORY FOR EVERY STUDENT, WE WANT TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR NEEDS TO BE SURE THEY'RE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL EACH MONTH.
CCW IS PRESIDENT HOPEWELL'S FOOD PANTRY TO PROVIDE CAREER AND JOB TRAINING TO VISITORS.
WE HAVE A CAREER IN COLLEGE NAVIGATOR RIGHT IN HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL, A GENTLEMAN NAMED WARREN WART MURDOCH, WHO WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE STUDENTS TO HELP THEM ON THEIR CAREER PATHWAYS.
WE ALSO HAVE A CAREER IN EDUCATION CONSORTIUM THAT WORKS WITH ALL OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISIONS.
WE HAVE 10 WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA, OF COURSE, HOPEWELL BEING ONE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE SUPPORTED STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GET, UH, UH, JOB SHADOWING AT NASA LANGLEY.
WE'VE SUPPORTED HOPEWELL STUDENTS IN THE CRATER REGION READY DIPLOMA SEAL PROGRAM, WHERE WE'VE HOSTED THE REVERSE CAREER FAIR AND THE DIPLOMA SEAL SIGNING DAY FOR THE HOPEWELL STUDENTS.
JUST JANUARY 31ST, JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE HAD 81 HOPEWELL STUDENTS COME TO OUR CAMPUS TO LEARN ABOUT OUR SKILLED TRADES AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE ON CAMPUS.
AND OVER 80% AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT IT WAS INFORMATIVE.
AND OVER 90% SAID THEY LEARNED SOMETHING NEW ABOUT A CAREER FIELD.
INFORMATION IS POWER, AND SO WHEN THE KIDS OF HOPEWELL UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE SUCCESS.
WE ALSO HAVE A CONCURRENT PIPELINE PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP WITH HOPEWELL SCHOOLS.
LAST YEAR, ONE HOPEWELL STUDENT GRADUATED FROM BRIGHT POINT BEFORE THEY GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL WITH A CAREER STUDY CERTIFICATE IN ELECTRICITY.
AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE FOUR HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO WILL GRADUATE IN EITHER INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICITY, HVAC, OR PRECISION MACHINING.
OUR TEAM REGULARLY MEETS WITH HOPEWELL SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS THE COLLEGE'S OFFERING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, FACULTY TRAINING NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, AND WE ALSO WORKING, UH, WE KNOW, UH, THERE'S SEVERAL TEACHERS WHO DON'T HAVE THEIR LICENSURE.
HOW CAN WE WORK WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE FULLY LICENSED? AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING WITH HOPEWELL ON AS WELL.
WE DO ALL OF THIS FOR THE LOWEST TUITION BY FAR WITHIN THE REGION.
IT'S ONLY $164 AND 51 CENTS PER CREDIT HOUR.
AND WE HAVE LOTS OF FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS.
ONE THING THAT I'M WORKING ON IS, IS TO HAVE DAY IN PROGRAMS WHERE TO BRING SOME OF MY TEAM TO HOPEWELL TO SEE THE DIFFERENT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
AND CERTAINLY I INVITE ALL OF YOU, UH, WHEN AND AS APPROPRIATE TO COME TO OUR CAMPUS TO SEE IT.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE FOR THE STUDENTS OF HOPEWELL AND THE OTHER CITIZENS WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA, YOU'RE MISSING OUT.
UH, I PUT OUR FACILITIES, UH, SECOND TO NONE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT A SUCCESS STORY FOR EVERY STUDENT.
AND HAVING THE APPROPRIATE SPACE, THE APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT, THE APPROPRIATE FACULTY TO TRAIN ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND LASTLY, WE DO HAVE THREE SPOTS ON OUR COLLEGE BOARD.
I MENTIONED MR. IDE AS WELL AS DR.
WE DO HAVE AN OPEN SEAT FOR HOPEWELL, UH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, HAVING THIS BOARD RECOMMEND, UH, ANOTHER PERSON TO SERVE ON OUR, ON OUR BOARD.
AND IF YOU BE HAPPY TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE WITH HOPEWELL.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE PROVIDE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND OUR OTHER SERVICE AREAS.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
UH, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY AND THEN MYSELF.
I DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, SAY THIS PUBLICLY.
THIS IS PROBABLY, UM, OUT OF MOST OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND, UM, PRESIDENTS.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF THEM, BUT, UH, YOU HAVE PROBABLY BEEN THE MOST ACTIVE PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE SCENE SO MANY TIMES I'VE SEEN, UH, ACTIVELY OR SELF RECRUITING, AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A RECRUITING STAFF MM-HMM
UM, BUT JUST, WE JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE PRESS THAT YOU HAVE AND THE, UM, COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO, UM, COME IN WITH THE CITY OF HOPEWELL AND BRING IN OUR STUDENTS TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I APPRECIATE THAT MS. HOLLOWAY.
UM, JUST WANTED TO NEVER THOUGHT I'D GET THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO HAVE A NEPHEW OF MINE GRADUATE EARLY, BACK IN MID EIGHTIES.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I, I'VE LEARNED OF THE PROGRAM WHERE THE STUDENTS GOT THEIR ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRIOR TO, UM, LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IT HAS ALLOWED HIM TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE IN OUR
[00:15:01]
COMMUNITY.AND I'VE HAD THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY NOW TO THANK YOU TO A ALLOW FOR ALLOWING MY NEPHEW TERRENCE WHITE, UM, TO RECEIVE AN IT DEGREE.
AND I JUST, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU IS IT'S
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
BUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YOU ALL DO A GREAT JOB IN OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT STUDENTS.
UH, VICE MAYOR JOYNER, COUNCILLOR ELLIS, AND THEN MYSELF.
I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT TO MAKE AND THAT IS TO SAY THANK YOU.
UM, TO SUCCESS AND TO BREAKING THE CYCLE OF POVERTY YEAH.
AND THIS COMMUNITY AND ELSEWHERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM.
UH, COUNCILOR ELLIS DAY AND THEN MYSELF.
I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT THEY SAY AND THANK YOU.
UM, WHEN I CAMPAIGNED, I PUSHED IT, I TALKED ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WANNA DO WHATEVER I CAN IN MY CAPACITY TO HELP YOU AND SUPPORT YOU.
I HAVE GRANDKIDS COMING UP IN THE CITY, THEY'RE IN
UM, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO FIND A QUESTION WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A VERY GOOD PRESENTER ON EVERYTHING.
81 STUDENTS IN JANUARY, 321 HOPEWELL RESIDENTS.
IT, BECAUSE OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, UP HERE IT'S VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN WHERE WE, WE WILL HEAR POSITIVE STUFF AND I THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM BRIGHT POINT, UM, GOT HER RN DEGREE.
UM, SHE WAS A YOUNG MOTHER WHEN SHE STARTED.
SHE HAD A THREE MONTH OLD INFANT.
SO, UH, THE SCHEDULE REALLY WORKED WELL FOR HER AS A YOUNG MOM.
SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO, FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN AT HOME THAT YOU GUYS REALLY HIT THE GOAL FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO FINISH HER EDUCATION AND GET HER DEGREE.
AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE CLASSES, WE HAVE SEVEN WEEK CLASSES.
WE, I THINK ONLY THE MONTH OF, THERE'S ONE MONTH, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE IT IS, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ONE.
A SET OF CLASSES STARTING MM-HMM
AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO WORK WITH, WITH FAMILIES TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR SCHEDULING.
EVEN, EVEN OUR SPRING BREAK IS THE SAME AS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SPRING BREAK.
OUR 10 SERVICE AREAS ALL HAVE THE SAME SPRING BREAK.
AND WE SAID, WELL, WE'LL MAKE OURS THE SAME TIME.
SO YOUR KIDS WHO ARE COMING TO US CAN HAVE SPRING BREAK AND NOT HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CHOOSE WHICH ONE.
UM, I'LL ALSO SAY, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE, UH, SCHEDULING, UH, SNAFUS, UH, BUT WE FINALLY GOT YOU HERE.
UM, SO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION ALL THAT YOU DO.
UM, IS BRIGHTPOINT, UH, OFFERING ANYTHING FOR, UM, AI, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, GROWING CONCERN.
UM, AND IF YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OKAY.
IS THERE LIKE PLANS TO DEVELOP, LIKE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES? GREAT QUESTION.
WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT NOW.
UH, SO WE JUST, UH, VIRGINIA STATE JUST RECEIVED A GRANT AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM AS WELL AS NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UH, TO CREATE TWO AI COURSES.
AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW THAT MIGHT LEAD INTO A CERTIFICATE.
UH, PROGRAM AS, AS APPROPRIATE AS, AS OBVIOUSLY IT CONTINUES TO ADVANCE MM-HMM
WHAT SHOULD WE BE OFFERING? SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AS HOW DO WE TEACH STUDENTS A CAREER IN AI? 'CAUSE WE KNOW THEY'RE GONNA BE CAREERS.
BUT THEN ALSO HOW DO WE TEACH STUDENTS AND OUR FACULTY AND STAFF HOW TO USE IT TO MAXIMIZE THE LEARNING RIGHT.
WHILE ALSO ENSURING THAT STUDENTS ARE DOING THEIR OWN WORK.
LIKE, HOW DO WE USE IT IN THE WORKPLACE AND, AND DO IT RESPONSIBLY.
SO WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT AND I THINK YOU'LL WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT IN THE, IN THE COMING, UH, MONTHS AND COMING YEARS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO OFFER PROGRAMS AS WELL AS HOW TO MAXIMIZE ITS USE.
AGAIN, WE'RE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR CAREERS MM-HMM
AND WE KNOW AI'S GONNA BE USED IN, IN ALL CAREER, MOST ALL CAREERS IN THE FUTURE.
AND WE NEED TO BE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED.
PLEASE KEEP US IN THE LOOP ON THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST INTERESTS ME.
AND I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE AND MORE, UM, ABOUT IT.
WELL, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TONIGHT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
LOOK FORWARD TO STAYING IN TOUCH AGAIN.
WE'LL WELCOME YOU ALL TO CAMPUS ANYTIME.
JUST FEEL FREE TO PIG ME AND HAVE YOU'LL GIVE YOU A TOUR.
UH, MOVING ON TO THE PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATOR PROGRAM.
[00:20:14]
MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TONIGHT, I'M SO EXCITED TO SHARE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH YOU ALL.WE HAVE BEEN OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO SECURE PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATORS PAD FOR SHORT.
THIS INITIATIVE REPRESENTS A VITAL STEP IN EQUIPPING LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND VISITORS WITH ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO CARDIAC EMERGENCIES BY STRATEGICALLY PLACING AEDS IN LOCATIONS.
THE PROGRAM SEEKS TO IMPROVE SURVIVAL RATES FOR SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.
ULTIMATELY, THIS INITIATIVE SHOULD, UH, FOSTERS A CULTURE OF PREPAREDNESS AND SUPPORT, ENSURING THAT VITAL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IS READILY AVAILABLE.
WHEN SECONDS COUNT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, WHO WAS THE FACILITATOR OF THIS PROJECT.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THAT.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, SO AS SHE SAID, I'M HERE TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATOR PROGRAM.
SO THE PROGRAM PROVIDES ACCESS TO AEDS AND PUBLIC SPACES.
SO THAT IS TO INCLUDE, UM, CHURCHES, MAYBE SCHOOLS, UH, SHOPPING MALLS.
BUT IN OUR INSTANCE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARKS, OPEN SPACES, ATHLETIC COMPLEXES IN OUR MARINA.
UM, SO AS SHE SAID, THROUGH THE VIRGINIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, THE CRATER RICHMOND, I MEAN CRATER HEALTH DISTRICT, WE WERE, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T SKIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE A GRANT FOR EIGHT NEW AEDS, UM, AT A VALUE OF $1,559 EACH.
THEY ALSO EQUIPPED US WITH SIX, UM, CABINETS, AS I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW HERE.
IT'S ENCLOSED, IT'S WEATHERPROOF, IT'S ALSO CLIMATE CONTROLLED.
SO THAT CA THIS CABINET HERE IS OF VALUE $2,460 AND WE WERE RECEIVED SIX OF THOSE AS WELL.
SO, AS I SAID, IT IS CLIMATE CONTROL.
RIGHT NOW WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THE COLD WEATHER.
UH, ONCE IT GOES BELOW 40 DEGREES, THERE'S A HEATER INSIDE OF IT THAT WILL HELP TO KEEP THE A ED UM, OPERABLE.
ALONG WITH THE CABINETS, WE ALSO HAD ONE WALL MOUNTED CABINET THAT WILL GO INTO OUR PARK MAINTENANCE, UM, DIVISION AS WELL AS A PORTABLE A ED AND A WATERPROOF PORTABLE CASE THAT'LL GO ON FIELD TRIPS, ATHLETIC EVENTS AS WELL.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME NUMBERS BY THE NUMBERS.
SO THERE ARE 350,000 CARDIAC ARRESTS THAT HAPPEN OUTSIDE OF A HOSPITAL.
SO THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO ONE ABOUT EVERY TWO MINUTES.
SO 20% OF THOSE CARDIAC ARRESTS HAPPEN IN PUBLIC LOCATIONS.
SO THE PAD PROGRAM WOULD HELP TO REDUCE SOME OF THOSE.
SO THE SURVIVAL RATE DOUBLES ONCE A BYSTANDER IS ABLE TO GET THE DEFIBRILLATOR ONTO SOMEONE PRIOR TO EMS ARRIVING.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, 24 7 ACCESS TO AN A ED COULD HELP TO SAVE A LIFE.
THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ACCESS, HAVE THE PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO A LIFESAVING DEVICE AT ALL TIMES.
SO OUR NEXT SLIDE, SO OUR NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE THESE AEDS WILL BE PLACED TO START.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THIS IN A PHASED APPROACH.
SO THE PHASED APPROACH STARTED WITH OUR HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS AS WELL AS OUR ATHLETIC COMPLEXES.
SO SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS INCLUDE MATHIS PARK AT WATER SOCCER COMPLEX.
THOSE ARE TWO OF OUR ATHLETIC COMPLEXES WHERE WE'RE HOSTING OUR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE RIVERSIDE PARK WHERE OUR PARTNERS, THE HOPEWELL YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE, THEY COULD HAVE TWO TO 400 KIDS THERE FOR THREE TO FOUR MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE CITY PARK TO INCLUDE THE RIVER WALK.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR MOST VISITED PARKS IN OUR, IN OUR INVENTORY.
UM, I TALKED TO SOMEONE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TELL ME THAT WE HAD SOMEONE VISIT CITY PARK FROM HAWAII.
UH, SO THAT WAS AWESOME TO HEAR AS WELL.
SO CRYSTAL LAKE, WHICH IS OUR MOST RESERVED PARK, UH, DURING THE SUMMER AND SPRING MONTHS THAT IS RESERVED EVERY WEEKEND ALMOST.
WE HAVE OUR PARK MAINTENANCE SHOP WHERE IT'LL BE NEEDED THERE BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT OUR MAINTENANCE, UM, INDIVIDUALS DO.
AND THEN WE HAVE A PORTABLE A ED AS WELL.
SO AS I SAID, THAT'LL GO ON FIELD TRIPS, ON SENIOR TRIPS, UM, AS WELL AS AWAY ATHLETIC EVENTS.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE COSTS THAT ARE
[00:25:01]
INCURRED WITH THE PAD PROGRAM.SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE IN-KIND SERVICES OF OVER $21,000 THAT THIS GRANT WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR US.
BUT SOME OF THE COSTS THAT THE CITY AND OUR DEPARTMENT ARE GONNA HAVE TO INCUR ARE THE INSTALLATION OF THE ACTUAL, UM, CLIMATE CONTROL BOX.
SO IT'S GONNA REQUIRE SOME TRENCHING AND DIGGING IN CERTAIN AREAS.
IT'S GONNA REQUIRE MOUNTING IT TO BUILDINGS.
SO THAT IS GONNA BE A $9,654 COST.
UM, IT WILL COST FOR THE ELECTRICITY TO ACTUALLY OPERATE THE BOXES.
UM, BECAUSE THE, UM, HEATER ONLY COMES ON WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 40 DEGREES.
SO IF IT'S NOT BELOW 40 IDEALLY AND THE BOX ISN'T OPEN, THE LIGHT ISN'T ON.
SO IT'S NOT PULLING TOO MUCH POWER.
UM, ANOTHER COST WOULD BE THE CAMERAS BECAUSE SECURITY IS GONNA BE IMPERATIVE FOR THIS.
THE WHOLE SETUP IS A LITTLE OVER $3,600 AND WE OFTENTIMES ARE EXPERIENCING VANDALISM AND THINGS IN OUR PARK.
SO SECURITY IS GONNA BE A THING.
SO WE WANT TO HAVE CAMERAS TO UM, BE POSITIONED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE AEDS TO HELP TO KEEP THEM SECURE.
SO THAT IS A COST THAT COULD, UM, RESULT IN $24,000, UM, TO GET CAMERAS IN THESE LOCATIONS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE AEDS AS WELL AS THE PARTS.
UM, WE HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION COST THAT WON'T KICK IN UNTIL ABOUT 2029 AND WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE 720 BUCKS FOR THAT.
AND THEN AN ONGOING COST WILL BE THE REPLACEMENT FOR THE PADS.
SO EVERY TWO AND A HALF YEARS, THE PADS ARE GONNA NEED TO BE REPLACED OR WHEN IT IS DEPLOYED.
SO ANYTIME WE UH, ACTUALLY ARE ABLE TO USE THE A ED IT, THEN THE PADS HAVE TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE BATTERY.
THE PADS ARE ABOUT $75 AND THE BATTERIES ARE ABOUT $225.
THOSE HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY TWO AND A HALF YEARS FOR THE PADS AND EVERY FIVE YEARS FOR THE BATTERY.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL TURN IT OVER BACK TO MS. MARTINEZ TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TIMELINE.
SO UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT GET THE UPDATED PRESENTATION TO THE CITY CLERK, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
SO WE DID HAVE A MODIFICATION IN REGARDS TO OUR TIMELINE JUST BECAUSE OF STAFFING.
UM, OUR VENDORS TIMELINES FOR THE PROJECT INSTALLATION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT JANUARY THROUGH MARCH.
UM, EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE HERE IN THIS CURRENT SLIDE UNDER JANUARY.
UH, AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS ACTUALLY MARCH THROUGH APRIL.
SO WE MET WITH PUBLIC SAFETY LAST, UH, THIS WEEK, EARLY THIS WEEK.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS HOW WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT THIS, WHAT TRAINING'S GONNA BE REQUIRED FOR OUR OPERATORS, DISPATCH, AND THEN ALSO HOW WE ARE GONNA ROLL THIS OUT, HOW WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE TRAINING FOR ALL THOSE.
BECAUSE WE ALWAYS KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY ARE ON MULTIPLE SHIFTS.
SO ADARIUS AND I WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO PROVIDE THOSE TRAININGS IN PERSON.
SO WE'LL HAVE ALTERNATE SHIFTS, THOSE TIMEFRAMES TO PROVIDE THAT.
PD HAS SOME GREAT RESPONSES AND THEY'RE VERY, THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN THE CAD SYSTEM SO THAT WAY IF A POLICE OFFICER'S NEARBY UM, AND THEY NEED ACCESS TO IT, THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS TO IT AS WELL.
SO WE WILL ACCEPT ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE IN THE MOMENT.
UM, AND THEN ADAIRS IS GONNA SHOW YOU HOW EASY IT IS TO GET INTO THE BOX.
QUICK LITTLE DEMO, YOU HOLD IT FOR YOU.
SO AS A QUICK DEMO, UH, SO IF YOU ARE IN A LIFE SAVING EMERGENCY, WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS YOU WOULD START BY CALLING NINE ONE ONE.
THE DISPATCHER IS THEN GONNA BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE CODE TO ACTUALLY ACCESS THE BOX.
SO THE CODE IS, I'M SORRY, LEMME MAKE SURE GOT IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AND NOW WE ARE THEN ABLE TO GET IT OPEN.
SO I'M SORRY, YOU CAN MAYBE SIT BACK DOWN NOW.
UM, SO INSIDE THE A ED, THEY HAVE THE DIRECTIONS AS TO HOW TO USE IT AS WELL AS THE DISPATCHER CAN WALK YOU THROUGH STEP BY STEP AS TO HOW TO USE THE A ED.
SO THIS A ED CAN BE USED FOR ADULTS AS WELL AS CHILDREN.
THEY HAVE THE CHILD'S KEY THAT YOU WOULD THEN INSERT INTO THE A ED.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE DISPATCHER IS GONNA ASK IS, ARE YOU SURFACING AN ADULT AND OR A YOUTH? IF IT'S A YOUTH, THEY'RE THEN GONNA TELL YOU THAT THERE'S A CHILD KEY.
THE CHILD KEY GOES IN, YOU HIT THE BUTTON AND THEN IT TALKS TO YOU AND WALKS YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS AS TO WHAT TO DO.
UM, AS I SAID, THEY HAVE THE PLACE MASK TO WHERE THE PADS GO AS WELL AS THE DISPATCHER BEING ABLE TO WALK YOU THROUGH THIS.
SO AS WE SAID, THIS COULD BE UM, A LIFESAVING DEVICE EVERY SECOND, EVERY MINUTE IS GONNA COUNT.
SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET THIS ONTO AN INDIVIDUAL BEFORE THE EMS COMES, IT'S LIKELY THAT IT'S A 50% CHANCE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RESUSCITATE THEM.
WE JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE
[00:30:01]
PROTOCOLS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PROCEDURES ARE IN CHECK AND THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS HOW TO DO IT.BECAUSE IN THAT LIFESAVING EMERGENCY THERE'S LIKE NO TIME TO WASTE.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
COUNCILOR HOL JUST QUICKLY, UH, TURN AROUND AND DEMONSTRATE THE GETTING INTO THAT CABINET.
UH, FOR THE CITIZENS SO THEY CAN SEE HOLD IT.
SO AS I SAID, YOU WOULD START WITH CALLING 9 1 1.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT SAYS CALL 9 1 1.
AND THEN THE DISPATCHER IS THEN GONNA GIVE YOU THE CODE.
YOU'RE THEN GONNA PUSH IN THE CODE, YOU PULL THE HANDLE DOWN AND THE BOX WILL THEN OPEN.
THEN YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE A ED.
YOU'LL PULL THAT OUT, TAKE OUT THE A ED.
SO HERE ARE THE PADS ON THIS SIDE.
IT ACTUALLY GIVES DIRECTIONS AS TO WHERE THE PADS ARE NEEDS TO BE PLACED.
AS I SAID, THE DISPATCHER WILL ASK IS AN ADULT AND OR A CHILD.
IF IT IS A CHILD, THEN YOU WOULD THEN USE THIS CHILD'S KEY TO PUT INTO THE DEVICE.
ONCE YOU POWER THE DEVICE ON IT THEN SPEAKS TO YOU AND WALKS YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS ALONG WITH THE DISPATCHER WHO WILL THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HOW TO USE THE A ED.
ONCE THIS IS DEPLOYED, WE WILL THEN, UH, RECEIVE, UM, CORRESPONDENCE THAT IT HAS BEEN DEPLOYED.
THEN WE WILL HAVE TO RETRIEVE THE A ED, UM, A START, GET NEW PADS FOR AS WELL AS A NEW BATTERY.
AND THEN IT WILL BE BACK IN SERVICE AND OPERATIONAL AGAIN.
UH, WE WILL WORK TO KEEP AT LEAST ONE SET OF PADS AND ONE BATTERY ON HAND AT ANY TIME.
THAT WAY THE DOWNTIME OF THAT SERVICE, THE SERVICE AND THE DOWNTIME WILL BE MINIMAL BECAUSE IT'LL JUST TAKE A DAY FOR US TO GET BACK AND REPLACE EACH OF THEM.
AND ONE THING I DO WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE CLARIFY HERE IS WE DO HAVE TO PROVIDE STATISTICS TO VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR THIS.
UM, THEY'RE ASKING FOR VERY BASIC INFORMATION IF IT WAS DEPLOYED, WHEN IT WAS DEPLOYED, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THERE'S NOT ANY SENSITIVE INFORMATION BEING SHARED, IT'S JUST HOW MANY DEPLOYMENTS IT HAS TO BE ELIGIBLE.
WE ARE ALSO SEEKING A GRANT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY, UH, CERTIFICATIONS THROUGH AMERICAN RED CROSS.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE THREE INSTRUCTORS ON OUR STAFF THAT ARE CERTIFIED TO BE INSTRUCTORS FOR A ED FIRST AID AND CPR CERTIFICATION.
SO BECAUSE THE CITY HAS ALREADY MADE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE INSTRUCTORS ON STAFF, THE ONLY COST THAT'S GONNA COST US IS FOR THE ACTUAL CERTIFICATION.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR A GRANT TO OFFER THAT.
SO WE CAN OFFER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FREE CLASSES, BUT WE DO IN GENERAL OFFER FIRST A CPR AND A ED CLASSES AT A COST.
ALRIGHT, MY MY OTHER QUESTIONS WORK, UH, IT WAS $750 A, IS THAT A YEAR, IS THAT YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION THAT THAT WILL GO AFTER 2029, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND IT'S FOR FOUR YEARS IT'LL BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.
THE OTHER THING, OH THAT'S, SO THAT SUBSCRIPTION IS, OH THAT'S EVEN GREATER.
SO THAT'S FOR THE WHOLE FOUR YEARS.
AND WHAT DOES THAT SUBSCRIPTION ENTAIL? UH, DOES THAT ALLOW FOR, UM, THE CITY EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO CALL AND DISCUSS UM, ANY FUNCTIONING ISSUES? IS THAT, WHAT IS THE SUBSCRIPTION? IT'S FOR TECHNOLOGY, THE BASE OF THE TECHNOLOGY OF IT.
SO I DON'T WANNA REALLY BUILD TOO MUCH OF IT 'CAUSE WE'RE OBVIOUSLY KEEPING UNDERSTOOD.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE WARRANTY PORTION, UH, WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK, WHAT IS THE WARRANTED PORTION? SO IT, IT WILL BE UNDER WARRANTY FOR TWO YEARS, BUT THAT'S JUST FOR, UM, REGULAR MAIN MANUFACTURER.
UM, THINGS THAT MAY GO WRONG, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT MAY BE THE VANDALISM AND I SPECIFICALLY ASK THEM ABOUT THAT AND THEY CANNOT COVER THE VANDALISM.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT.
UM, IF THE HEATER HAPPENS TO NOT WORK OR THE LIGHT ISN'T WORKING OR WE REALIZE THAT IT IS GETTING WATER BECAUSE IT IS, UM, WATERPROOF, UM, RUSTPROOF AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO IF WE DO SEE ANY OF THAT WITHIN THE FIRST 24 MONTHS, WE ARE THEN ABLE TO REACH OUT AND THEN THEY WILL, UM, SUPPLIES US WITH UH, ANOTHER REPLACEMENT.
AND ARE YOU ALL PLANNING ON, SO THE PARKS ARE USUALLY CLOSED AT NIGHTTIME FOR INSTANCE, BUT PEOPLE CAN STILL BE WALKING BY, LIKE TAKE FOR INSTANCE IS NOT ON HERE, BUT LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE WOODLAWN PARK AND ONE OF THOSE, UH, THE A ED DEVICES ARE PUT OUT IN THE PUBLIC SPACE.
WILL THIS BE IN A LIT, LIKE WILL IT BE SET UNDER A LIGHT SO THAT IF SOME INCIDENT HAPPENS AT NIGHTTIME WHY PEOPLE ARE SO HAVING TO PASS, WOULD THAT AUTOMATICALLY BE PLACED IN THAT LIT SPACE? YEAH, SO THEY HAD TO BE ELECTRICITY SIDE, RIGHT? SO YES, THERE WOULD BE UNDER A LITTER.
AND IS, YEAH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THE LIGHT INCLUDED THERE, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT.
SO I WAS SAYING ARE WE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE JUST AUTOMATICALLY PUT UNDER A LIGHT SPACE OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO BEING REQUESTED THAT WE NO PROVIDE LIGHT? SO, SO WE, WE
[00:35:01]
ALREADY HAVE SECURITY LIGHTING AT OUR PARKS.I MEAN, SO THE GOAL FOR THESE ARE TO BE IN THE OTHER LIT PLACE BECAUSE ONE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF IN VANDALISM DOES HAPPEN THAT WE COULD PURSUE THAT AVENUE.
SO YES SIR, THERE WILL BE LIGHTING, BUT THAT'S ALREADY A COST THAT'S WE'RE ALREADY INCURRING AT THE MOMENT.
AND YOU SAY NOW YOU SPOKE TO THE FACT OF STARTING, UM, TO PLACE THESE IN PLACES WHERE, UM, LIKE ARE, ARE YOU PLANNING ON GETTING MORE THAN THESE SIX DEVICES? IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE REFERENCING OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT STAGING DOING ONE OF THESE SIX DEVICES AT A TIME WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING TO THE FACT OF STARTING OFF? SO WE ARE LOOKING TO DO A PHASED APPROACH WHERE WE WOULD THEN TRY TO IMPLEMENT THESE AT ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS.
SO WE STARTED WITH THE HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS, UM, THE PLACES WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE ATHLETIC PROGRAMMING WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS.
AND THEN IN THE NEXT PHASE WE WOULD LIKE TO, UM, EXPAND AND REACH EVENTUALLY ALL OF OUR PARK LOCATIONS.
AND THE $9,000, I FORGOT THE EXACT COST YOU, YOU HAD GIVEN YES SIR.
THE 9,000 AND SOME DOLLARS, DID THAT INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF ALL SIX OF THOSE OR IS THAT PER NO, THAT'S FOR ALL SIX.
AND THAT'S ALL THE QUESTION YES.
UH, VICE MAYOR JOYNER, I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE CAMERAS.
THE COST OF THE CAMERAS IS THAT, THAT I THINK YOU ESTIMATED WAS 24 GRAND, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IS THAT IN YOUR BUDGET? I MEAN, IS THAT A BUDGET AND ITEM? SO BETWEEN SALARY SAVINGS? OKAY.
UM, AS OF JANUARY, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE, WE KIND OF COLLECTED ALL THAT TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT WE STILL HAVE TWO FULL-TIME POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT.
SEEING NO OTHER, UH, OKAY, UH, COUNSELOR STOKES, UM, I WAS JUST GONNA EXPLAIN ON WHAT HE WAS SAYING ABOUT WHAT CONSIDERATIONS WERE GIVEN ON THE SELECTION OF SITES.
UM, I'M BEEN NOTICING THE SITES AND I'VE VISITED THE PARK THERE QUITE A BIT, UM, AND ALSO EXPERIENCED THE LOSS ON THE, UM, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SITES BECAUSE ON ONE PORTION OF CITY POINT, PARTICULARLY ON THE WEEKENDS, IT'S REALLY CROWDED.
AND I NOTICED THAT, THAT THAT'S PART OF THE PARK IS NOT COVERED.
YOU SAID CITY PARK AND LITTLE WALK, BUT DOWN THE ROAD ON THAT IS EXTREMELY POPULATED ON THE WEEKEND.
AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT NOT HAVING A SITE THERE AND PARTICULARLY SINCE BOTTOMS HAVE BEEN FOUND THERE.
YOU TALKING ABOUT AT THE, ON THE, IN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER WALK, CORRECT? YES.
UH, SO ONCE PHASE THREE IS COMPLETED OF THE RIVER WALK, THAT WILL CONNECT TO THE MARINA.
SO THE GOAL IS TO ULTIMATELY HAVE ONE ON ESSENTIALLY BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER WALK.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S REALLY NO WAY FOR ME TO PUT ONE, 'CAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT SECURITY CAMERAS TOO.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO DO A LOT OF DRIVING AND PROVIDING ELECTRICITY OUT IN THE WETLANDS.
SO, OH, SHE TALKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN CITY POINT ALL THE WAY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.
OH, SHE'S TALKING SORT OF CITY POINT PLAYGROUND? YES.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE IN OUR PHASE TWO APPROACH.
THEY FOUND, YOU KNOW, SOME DECEASED PERSON YOU TALKING ABOUT THE WHERE THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICES, THAT PORTION THAT, THAT'S NOT OUR PROPERTY.
THAT'S NATIONAL PARK SERVICES.
COME ON DOWN TO WHERE WE GO DOWN THE COL, STONE HILL, THE WAY TO POINT.
IT'S EXTREMELY POPULATED RIGHT THERE.
AND THEY FOUND THE BODY RIGHT THERE AT WHAT IT IS, FEDERAL LAND.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT OUR PROPERTY.
IT'S, IT'S OUR MAINTENANCE SHOP.
IT'S WHERE OUR PARKS CREW, OUR HOUSE.
SO WHAT IS THE TIMELINE OF THE EXPANSION? YOU WERE SAYING THAT YOU WERE ANTICIPATING, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE OF THE EXPANSION? SO I HAVE TALKED TO, UH, THE CRATER HEALTH DISTRICT ABOUT EXPANDING THE GRANT AS WELL.
SO THEY'VE LET ME KNOW THAT TOWARD THE END OF APRIL, MIDDLE TO END OF APRIL, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO LET US KNOW IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UM, TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL CABINETS.
UM, AND IF, IF POSSIBLE, WE'LL WE'LL START THERE AND IF NOT, WE'LL WORK TO GET IT INTO THE BUDGET.
UM, THE LOCATION I'M TALKING ABOUT IS NOT FEDERAL LINE BECAUSE I KNOW THIS BECAUSE MY HUSBAND WAS DOWN ON THE FEDERAL LINE.
I WAS DOWN THERE AND I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHICH BELONGS TO THE CITY AND WHICH BELONGS TO THE FEDERAL.
I I RAN THE CALL, MY HUSBAND, I LOST ON THE ROAD.
SO THAT, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.
IS IT CITY POINT PLAYGROUND? IT'S IT'S ALL FEDERAL DOWN THAT HERE? YES.
[00:40:03]
MM-HMMALTHOUGH LET'S STAY ON TOPIC WITH DISCUSSION.
COUNCILOR, YOU FINISHED? OKAY.
UM, NO, I WAS JUST ASKING ABOUT THE, THE PARK SHOP AND THEN WHAT THE, IT'S EIGHT THERE, THERE'S EIGHT TOTAL, THERE'S SIX THAT WILL GO OUT INTO THE PARKS.
THERE'S ONE THAT WILL GO INTO OUR MAINTENANCE SHOP AND THERE'LL BE ONE THAT'LL BE PORTABLE THAT'LL GO FOR FIELD TRIP ATHLETIC EVENTS AND THINGS TO THAT NATURE.
SO THERE'S EIGHT OF THEM TOTAL.
I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GET TO THAT.
IS IT, CAN WE REALLY, I WOULD CONSIDER OUR, OUR YOUTH, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, ATHLETICS AND SPORTS AND MAKING CERTAIN THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE JUST HAD HAPPENED, UH, IN RECENT TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, UH, ON OUR SPORT COMPLEX.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS THAT ATWATER SOCCER COMPLEX AND MATHIS PARK WAS SELECTED.
UM, HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE THAT ANYTIME WE HAVE PROGRAM THERE, THERE ARE ALREADY AEDS THERE, THEY'RE JUST SECURED IN OUR CONCESSION STANDS.
SO THIS WILL BE THE PUBLIC ACCESS ONE.
SO ESSENTIALLY THOSE SITES WILL, AGAIN, HAVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY KIDS THAT COME AND PLAY WITHOUT IT BEING A STRUCTURED PROGRAM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
DID Y'ALL TALK ABOUT ADDRESSES ALSO LIKE ADDRESS PLACARDS FOR WHEN THEY CALL 9 1 1? THAT'S EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS OF THE QUESTIONS ARE GONNA BE MM-HMM
DO YOU HAVE THE ADDRESS? YES, I KNOW WE DID PUT THE ADDRESS AT THE PRACTICE FIELD AT THE HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT WAS AN ISSUE DURING WHAT MR. HOLLOWAY WAS SAYING A FEW MINUTES AGO.
BUT UM, YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT TOO.
MAKE SURE IT'S VISIBLE FOR THEM TO GET.
SO AS, UH, MR. WILLIAMS ADDRESSED EARLIER, IT'S GONNA BE ON A EXTENSION MM-HMM
SO ALL THAT INFORMATION IS GONNA BE THERE AS WELL, RIGHT? YES SIR.
YEAH, BECAUSE YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY VERY HECTIC, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE OPENING THAT BOX, THAT PERSON'S PROBABLY PANICKING TO BEGIN WITH.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO ASK YOU A LOT OF, SO THE ADDRESS IS RIGHT THERE BESIDE, AND YOU KNOW, THE MORE INFORMATION YOU HAVE THERE, THE BETTER OFF IT'S GONNA BE FOR GETTING EIGHT THE SECOND FOLKS IN ROUTE.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE ABOUT A FOUR MINUTE RESPONSE TIME SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
WELL PROBABLY JUST LIKE, UH, THE COUNCIL HAS STATED IN RESPECT TO THE ADDRESS, UH, PROBABLY JUST PUT NUMBERS ON EACH BOX AND THE LOCATION.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND ALSO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INITIATIVE ON, UH, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THIS INITIATIVE TO US.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT, COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS PERIOD LIMITED AND TOTAL TIME TO 30 MINUTES IS PART OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS.
AT EACH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, ALL PERSONS ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL SHALL APPROACH THE MICROPHONE, GIVE THEIR NAME, AND IF THEYS RESIDE IN, HELP, WELL THEIR AWARD NUMBER AND LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES, NO ONE IS PERMITTED TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION ON THE REGULAR AGENDA OF THIS MEETING, ALL REMARKS SHALL BE ADDRESSED TO THE COUNCIL.
AS A BODY ANY QUESTIONS MUST BE ASKED THROUGH THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
ANY PERSON WHO MAKES PERSONAL IMP PERTINENT, ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS OR INSIGHTS, DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARRED BY THE MAYOR FROM FURTHER AUDIENCE BEFORE COUNSEL AND REMOVE SUBJECT TO APPEAL TO A MAJORITY OF COUNSEL C RULES 4 0 5 AND 4 0 6.
UH, THE FIRST PERSON THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MARK BURROWS.
MY NAME'S MARK BROTHERS WARD THREE.
UM, SO I JUST, SINCE Y'ALL DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT, I CAN'T, THE PROPOSED PAY RAISE THAT Y'ALL ARE DISCUSSING AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DISCUSSING THIS EVENING.
ALL YOU JUST NEED TO DO IS ASK US IF WE CAN WAIVE THE RULES, UH, TO ACTUALLY SPEAK ABOUT IT.
CAN YOU WAIVE THE RULE SO THAT I CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT? SURE.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO ALLOW IT? SO, ALRIGHT.
MOTION TO BE MADE BY COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY.
SO AS A RESIDENT OF HOPEWELL, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT Y'ALL DON'T GET PAID ENOUGH TO DO WHAT Y'ALL DO, TO DO WHAT A COUNCIL MEMBER
[00:45:01]
SHOULD DO, I SHOULD SAY.BUT ALSO AS A RESIDENT OF HOPEWELL, THIS COUNCIL HAS GOT A TRACK HISTORY OF FAILING THIS CITY CONSISTENTLY.
I WOULD NOT HIRE A MECHANIC THAT DOESN'T FIT MY CAR.
I WOULDN'T HIRE AN EXTERMINATOR THAT BRINGS TERMITES TO MY HOME.
MY QUESTION FOR Y'ALL, WHEN Y'ALL ARE CONSIDERING THIS PAY RAISE IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU THINK YOU'VE EARNED IT.
NOT WHETHER OR NOT WHAT YOU GET PAID IS TOO LITTLE, IN MY OPINION.
QUITE A FEW OF Y'ALL SHOULDN'T BE IN THE POSITION THAT YOU'RE IN TO BEGIN WITH.
BUT I DON'T LIVE IN THAT WARD SO I DON'T GET TO VOTE FOR Y'ALL.
IF IT WERE UP TO ME, WE'D GO BACK TO A CITYWIDE VOTE TO WHERE ALL OF Y'ALL ARE VOTED ON BY THE ENTIRE CITY RATHER THAN ONE SPECIFIC WARD.
AND THAT WAY THE WHOLE CITY THAT Y'ALL HAVE COMMAND AND CONTROL OVER GETS A SAY IN WHETHER OR NOT YOU RE RETAIN THAT COMMAND AND CONTROL.
IN THE MEANTIME THOUGH, IF Y'ALL WANT MORE MONEY, EARN IT.
EARN IT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY.
EARN IT FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY.
Y'ALL GOT ALL THESE GREAT PEOPLE THAT Y'ALL WANT TO TERMINATE THAT, THAT HELP Y'ALL OUT AND DO ALL THIS STUFF FOR YOU.
AND ALL Y'ALL HAVE TO DO IS SIT AROUND AND CAST A VOTE ONCE IN A WHILE.
OKAY, UH, NEXT UP IS WILEY RADCLIFFE, WILEY RADCLIFFE.
WARD FOUR, BEEN POSSESSIVE FOR 59 YEARS.
I WAS HERE LAST TIME FOR THE REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT.
I WAS AGAINST IT, THE CIGARETTE TAX, I WAS AGAINST IT.
AND I'M DEFINITELY AGAINST THIS 80% RAISE.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I GO ASK MY BOSS FOR AN 80% RAISE? I KNOW WHAT I DO.
WELL, WE, WE PAID TAXES, PAID Y'ALL SALARIES.
THAT'S WHO Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT IS US.
80% REALLY EVERYTHING IN THIS TOWN.
WE'RE LOSING BUSINESSES LEFT AND RIGHT.
Y'ALL GET PAID $11,000 A YEAR TO GO TO ALL THOSE CITIES WHERE Y'ALL LEARN YOU LIVE IN THIS TOWN.
NOBODY SHOULD TELL YOU WHAT HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR OWN TOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT.
AND I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING HERE.
BUT 80%, EVERYBODY ELSE IS GETTING TWO 3% RAISES.
UM, I GUESS AS FAR AS I'M A CITIZEN OF THIS CITY AS WELL.
BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE, 49 YEARS, UM, ABOUT THE PAY INCREASE FOR THE COUNSELORS, UM, BEING, YOU KNOW, COMPETITIVE, YOU KNOW, YOUR PAY RAISE, COMPETING, YOU KNOW, BEING THE SAME AS OTHER LOCALITIES.
I HAVE NO ISSUE AS LONG AS THE WORK IS BEING DONE.
BUT I JUST FEEL I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I THINK PUBLIC SAFETY AND, UM, GIVEN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, A PAY RAISE IS MUCH MORE TO ME AT THIS TIME, MORE IMPORTANT THAN, UM, RAISING THE PAY RAISE FOR COUNSELORS.
UM, I AM A MOTHER OF A HOMICIDE VICTIM HERE IN HOPEWELL.
UM, I'VE BEEN THROUGH TWO DETECTIVES SINCE 2023, JANUARY 23RD WHEN MY SON WAS MURDERED IN THIS CITY.
UM, POLICE OFFICERS, UM, OUR UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IS, SHOULD BE EVERYONE'S CONCERN.
NO ONE WANTS TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE YOU'RE SCARED TO GO OUTSIDE.
UM, WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE'S GONNA BREAK IN YOUR HOUSE.
AS SOON AS WE HEAR SOMETHING STRANGE OR SOMEONE COMING INTO OUR HOUSE, WE PICK UP THE PHONE, WE CALL NINE ONE ONE HOPE.
IF YOU LEAVE AND GO OUTSIDE AND SOMEONE HITS YOU UPSIDE YOUR HEAD, UM, WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR PHONE, YOU'RE GONNA CALL YOUR POLICE OFFICERS.
UM, WE CANNOT KEEP OFFICERS IN OUR CITY BECAUSE THE PAY IS NOT COMPETITIVE TO OTHER LOCALITIES.
UM, OUR OFFICERS ARE UNDERPAID, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE THINGS IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AS FAR AS THE TECHNOLOGY TO UM, SOLVE OUR OWN CRIMES.
A LOT OF THINGS ARE OUTSOURCED AND MOST PEOPLE, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS UNTIL MY SON WAS MURDERED AND I'M ASKING FOR QUESTIONS AND I'M NOT GETTING ANSWERS.
AND THE ANSWERS THAT I GET IS BECAUSE THE THINGS THAT'S NEEDED IS NOT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
YOU HAVE TO OUTSOURCE IT TO THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE.
SO I JUST SAY INSTEAD OF, UM, INCREASING YOUR PAY RIGHT NOW, UM, COULD WE LOOK INTO INCREASING THE PAY OF OUR OFFICERS? UM, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I SAID, WE GET OFFICERS, NEW RECRUITS THAT COME IN, THEY GET THE TRAINING AND THE CERTIFICATION AND THEY REALIZE, HEY, COLONIAL
[00:50:01]
HEIGHTS, EVEN PETERSBURG, THEY'RE PAYING MORE THAN HOPEWELL.AND THEY TAKE WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED HERE AT HOPEWELL AND THE TRAINING THEY GOT AND THEY TAKE IT TO OTHER LOCALITIES BECAUSE OF THE PAY.
IT'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT SOMEONE SHOULDN'T WANT TO STICK HERE AND TOUGH IT OUT AND BE INVESTED.
YOU KNOW, THE PAY, EVEN IF IT WAS 500, A THOUSAND DOLLARS LESS, THEY'LL SAY, HEY LOOK, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT MUCH.
MAYBE GAS WILL TAKE UP THE EXTRA PART SO I'M GONNA STAY HERE.
WE'RE NOT GIVING OFFICERS REASONS TO STAY HERE.
AND THE CRIME RATE IT GOES DOWN, BUT IT LIFTS BACK UP.
AND IT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE IT HASN'T HIT THEIR HOME.
IT'S HIT MY HOME, I'VE LOST MY CHILD, MY NORM HAS CHANGED.
AND I JUST FEEL THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER GIVING OFFICERS INCREASES, LETTING THEM STAY HERE TO PROTECT OUR CITY AND OUR CITIZENS.
SO YOU ALL WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO WHAT I HAD TO DO.
AND THAT'S CLOSE A CASKET ON A CHILD.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE IS EVELYN BRITTON.
I TOO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA IF I HAVE YOUR PERMISSION.
UM, I RESIDE AT 34 0 1 COBBLESTONE.
CURRENTLY A MEMBER OF, UH, FIFTH WARD.
MOVED FROM FOURTH TO FIFTH FOR THE LAST REDISTRICTING, BUT I'M ALSO A ON AND SEVENTH WARD.
AND SO I KNOW THAT EACH OF US, AT SOME POINT WE FEEL DESERVING THAT WE ARE DOING MORE THAN WE ARE GETTING PAID FOR.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S COMMON EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY DESERVES MORE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE ALL HARD WORKERS.
BUT I DO HAVE A CONCERN WITH WARD SEVEN, WHICH I OWN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GETTING ANY SERVICE FROM OUR COUNCIL PERSON.
I HAVE EMAILED, I HAVE CALLED, I HAVE LEFT MESSAGES WITH THE CITY CLERK AND IT'S NON-RESPONSIVE.
I THOUGHT MAYBE, PERHAPS BECAUSE I DIDN'T LIVE THERE, THEY WERE NOT RESPONDING BUT OTHERS IN THAT SAME WARD.
SO I GUIDED THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF EMAILING, CALLING, BUT NO RESPONSE.
SO WHAT DOES THAT SAYS TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS THAT YOU DON'T CARE OR PERHAPS YOU CARE ABOUT A SELECT FEW, BUT WE ARE ALL, YOU ARE HERE FOR ALL OF US AND TO REACH OUT FOR OUR CONCERNS, TO HEAR OUR CONCERNS, TO SHOW US.
NOW IN THE WARD THAT I LIVE WITH MY OTHER COUNCIL PERSONS, THEY'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO MY NEEDS.
THEY'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO REACH OUT AND TRY TO ASSIST AND HELP.
SO I HAVE TO GIVE THEM ALL THE CREDIT THAT THEY DO.
I DON'T SEE HOW SOME PEOPLE CAN SAY THEY ARE DESERVING AND THEY SHOULD GET AN INCREASE UNTIL YOU SHOW US THAT YOU ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CITY, THAT YOU'RE READY TO HELP THE CITY GROW IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.
AND NOT JUST FEED IN YOUR POCKETS, BUT IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE FOR EVERYBODY.
SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER AS YOU VOTE FOR WHETHER YOU THINK YOU DESERVE AN INCREASE AT THIS POINT AND THE STATE THAT OUR, OUR CITY IS IN AND IN GOOD FAITH, I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN VOTE.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, THAT DID NOT SIGN UP THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT? MAY I HAVE ONE WRITTEN COMMENT AS WELL FROM MS. OKAY, WE'LL DO THAT AT THE END.
I SIT HERE ON THE 12TH FOR FOUR HOURS AT A CLOSED MEETING TO WATCH COUNSELORS COME OUT, ONE, GRAB THEIR BELONGINGS AND WALK STRAIGHT OUTTA COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
AND THEY WANTED TO FIRE THE CITY MANAGER FOR A NO REASON TERMINATION.
THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED TO ME.
WHY DO YOU TERMINATE SOMEBODY'S EMPLOYMENT FOR NO REASON? COULD IT POSSIBLY BE BECAUSE SHE'S HELPED SQUARE AWAY ALMOST 10 YEARS OF FINANCES COUNSEL DIDN'T DO? MAYBE BECAUSE SHE'S HELPING WITH THE HOMELESS AROUND THIS CITY.
[00:55:03]
WHAT COULD IT BE? YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE SHE'S A WOMAN.IS SHE BLACK? IS THAT WHAT IT IS? I I THINK THE CITIZENS OF HOPE WELL DESERVE A EXPLANATIONS FROM THE ONES WHO WANTED HER TERMINATION.
YOU CAN COME OUT HERE AND TERMINATE SOMEBODY, BUT YOU CAN'T SAY WHY YOU WANT IT TERMINATED.
I THINK YOU AT LEAST OWE US THAT TO KNOW WHY YOU THINK THIS WOMAN NEEDS TO GO.
SHE'S BEEN ONE OF THE BETTER THINGS TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY IN A LONG TIME.
AND WE GOT THREE COUNSELORS THAT WANT HER GONE.
AND WE GOT ONE COUNSELOR THAT SAID, WELL, UNTIL I WORK WITH HER, I DON'T HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT IT.
FIVE WEEKS, AIN'T NO TIME TO WORK WITH SOMEBODY BEFORE YOU FORM AN OPINION.
I THINK Y'ALL NEED TO GET Y'ALL'S ACT TOGETHER.
UH, THE GENTLEMAN IN THE BACK, HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING? MY NAME IS TRAVIS BROS.
UM, I'VE BEEN A CITIZEN OF HOPEWELL FOR CLOSE TO FOUR YEARS AND IT REALLY GROUNDED MY GEARS TO HEAR Y'ALL WERE WANTING AN 80% SALARY RAISE STRICTLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I, MYSELF AND MY FATHER HAVE BEEN ASKING Y'ALL QUITE A WHILE TO FIX THE, UH, UH, THE ROADS.
SOME OF THE ISSUES IN THE ROADS THAT ARE NOTHING BUT A HAZARD.
UM, AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET.
Y'ALL WANT TO TAKE THE MONEY AND GIVE IT TO Y'ALL'S CELLS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE FOR Y'ALL TO FINALLY FIX 'EM.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA TAKE ME HAVING TO WRECK ANOTHER MOTORCYCLE BECAUSE OF Y'ALL'S FAILURES.
UM, BUT I, I'D REALLY LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING ACTUALLY GET DONE BEFORE Y'ALL WORRY ABOUT Y'ALL'S MONEY.
ANYONE ELSE? DARLENE THOMPSON WARD SIX.
UM, I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE THAT COUNSEL WAS CONSIDERING INCREASING THEIR SALARIES.
IT WAS IN DISBELIEF THAT IT COULD EVEN COME UP ABOUT INCREASING SALARIES WHEN OUR CITIZENS LAST YEAR HAD TO BEAR INCREASE REAL ESTATE TAXES AND YOU ALL GOT OVER RIGHT AT CLOSE TO $5 MILLION.
Y'ALL PAID THE ROBERT BOB GROUP OVER $2.7 MILLION.
I MIGHT BE OFF A FEW NUMBERS, 37,000 TO MR. BRANSON THAT CAME INTO THIS CITY AND TOLD THESE CITIZENS THAT THE CITY IS BROKE, HADN'T BEEN HERE A GOOD THREE MONTHS, BUT THE CITY WAS BROKE.
NO WAY COULD THEY HAVE LOOKED AT OUR BUDGET AND SEEN THAT WE WERE IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS.
YOU ALL INCREASED OUR TAX RATES, REAL ESTATE TAXES, AND HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT YOU ALL GOING BACK AND SAYING, WE NEED TO DO A REASSESSMENT ON THESE RESIDENTS REAL ESTATE TAXES.
HOW DARE YOU EVEN MENTION AN INCREASE.
OUR TRASH COLLECTION WENT UP BY $7.
OUR SEWAGE WENT UP AND IT WAS ALL WITHIN 30 DAYS.
DIDN'T GIVE US A CHOICE TO EVEN BE ABLE TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL.
THAT COUNCIL HAD ALREADY VOTED THAT WE HAD TO PAY IT AND TO EVEN BRING IT UP THAT WE WANT AN INCREASE.
WHEN YOU ARE TELLING US THAT YOU ALL ARE BROKE THE BUDGET, THE AUDITS STILL HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED.
THE ROB OBAMA GROUP THEN WALKED OUT HERE WITH TWO, OVER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR TAX HARDWORKING DOLLARS.
THESE CITIZENS ARE SAYING, I CANNOT PAY IT.
THIS IS THE PRICE THAT EACH ONE OF YOU ALL VOTED TO PUT ON OUR CITIZENS.
AND NOW YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A PAY INCREASE.
[01:00:01]
THAT DON'T WORK, DON'T EAT? OKAY? AND YOU ALL SHOULD NOT EVEN BE THINKING ABOUT A PAY INCREASE AT THIS TIME.WHAT YOU ALL SHOULD BE SAYING IS, WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK AND DO A REASSESSMENT ON THESE CITIZENS TAXES BECAUSE IT WAS AN OVER ASSESSMENT AND YOU ALL FORCED US TO PAY IT EACH TIME THE CITY TREASURE CAME IN.
WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING TO COLLECT THIS MONEY FROM OUR CITIZENS? THE PEOPLE SAYING I DON'T HAVE IT.
THEY CAME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL AND THEY SAID REPEATEDLY, WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS.
AND ON TOP OF THIS, THEN Y'ALL TURNED AROUND AND DONE A TAX RATE INCREASE FROM ONE 13 TO ONE 17 AND YOU OUGHT ARE ASKING FOR A PAY INCREASE.
HOW DARE YOU ALL? HOW DARE DARE YOU ALL.
Y'ALL HAVE THE GUY FROM VIRGINIA BEACH TO COME IN AND WHEN THESE TAXPAYERS CAN PAY IT, YOU ALL CHARGE AN ADDITIONAL 20% TO MAKE THESE CITIZENS PAY.
WE VOTE FOR YOU ALL TO SIT THERE ON OUR BEHALF.
AND WHAT YOU ALL DO IS ASK FOR A PAY INCREASE.
I JUST GLANCED AT THE BUDGET YOU ALL PUT IN FOR 3000 FOR EACH ONE OF YOU ALL TO HAVE WARD MEETINGS.
NOT ONE IS HAVING WARD MEETINGS.
10,500 FOR YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL.
WHAT ABOUT THE CITIZENS? WE ARE THE ONES THAT'S BEARING THIS RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU ALL PUT ON US.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING.
Y'ALL WAS ABLE TO VOTE AND GET A CITY TREASURE OUT OF OFFICE, HANDCUFFED, LOCKED UP, PUT IN JAIL FOR THREE DAYS AND FOUND OUT WHAT YOU ALL WAS, WHAT Y'ALL DONE WAS WRONG.
AND NOW YOU ALL WANT TO COME AND TALK ABOUT A PAY INCREASE.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WITH CITY COUNCIL WHEN THEY ARE NOT WORKING ON OUR BEHALF.
THE BUDGET DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THESE CITIZENS IN LOOKING AT REDUCING THEIR TAX RATE.
I JUST HEAR WHERE HENRICO HAS FOUND A WAY TO REDUCE THEIR CITIZENS' TAX RATES, THEIR REAL ESTATE TAXES.
DON'T BRING UP ANYTHING TO HELP US.
SO WHAT, WHAT YOU ALL NEED TO DO, EACH ONE OF YOU ALL IS TAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT IT IS THAT I'M DOING FOR MY WARD.
'CAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS NOTHING.
YOU DON'T EVEN HEAR YOU ALL TALK ABOUT IT.
I DONE SEEN MR. CHARLES BENNETT COME IN HERE FIVE TIMES SINCE JUNE.
YOU ALL VOTED NOT TO DO ANYTHING FOR THE MARINA.
HE DONE CAME BACK IN HERE TWO MONTHS AGO AND GOT 500,000.
THEN HE TURNED AROUND AND FOUND GRANT MONEY AND JUST THE LAST MEETING HE CAME BACK IN HERE AND FOUND PROPERTY IN HOPEWELL THAT THE PEOPLE WANTED TO BUY.
AND HE TOOK ANOTHER $20,000 AND PUT IT TOWARDS THE MARINA THAT HAD SHOWED THAT IT WAS NO PROFIT WITH THAT MARINA.
YOU STRETCH MY BACK, I STRETCH YOUR BACK.
YOU ALL NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER.
Y'ALL FOUND A WAY TO PRETTY MUCH GET RID OF THE CITY TREASURE.
WE NEED TO FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN GET RID OF YOU ALL WHEN YOU ALL ARE NOT DOING YOUR JOBS.
AND I DON'T SEE YOU ALL DOING IT.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU READ THE STATEMENT? DO WANT ME DO DURING THE, OH YEAH, I'M SORRY.
YOU DID HAVE A, A WRITTEN IN COMMENT.
THIS ONE IS FROM MS. L JENKINS.
SHE STATES THAT SHE IS RE SHE IS EMAILING TO REVISIT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PIPE THAT IS ON THE SIDE OF HER ADDRESS ON HAMPTON AVENUE WHEN THERE'S HEAVY RAIN DEBRIS FROM EVERYWHERE UPHILL FLOWS DOWNHILL TO THIS PIPE, CLOGGING IT.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO BEFORE THE SNOW, THERE WAS HEAVY RAIN AND THE PIPE WAS HALF CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS.
THERE WAS LIMITED WATER FLOW THROUGH THE PIPE, ALMOST CAUSING
[01:05:01]
MY BACKYARD IN HOUSE TO FLOOD AGAIN.I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE TO THIS EMAIL SHOWING THAT THE PIPE IS HALF BLOCKED WITH DEBRIS.
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE COME TO MY LOCATION AND CLEAR THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE DRAIN PIPE AND THE ENTRANCE TO BOTH ENDS OF THE PIPE SO THAT WATER DOES NOT ACCUMULATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL WHERE MY HOUSE IS LOCATED? THIS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
CAN WE ALSO CONVERSE ABOUT OPTIONS THAT ARE NOT EXPENSIVE THAT WOULD ASSIST THE WATER FLOW AT THIS LOCATION? AND SHE PROVIDED HER CONTACT INFORMATION AND THEN THERE'S A PHOTO TO PASS THE PHOTO AROUND.
[PUBLIC HEARING]
YOU GO AHEAD AND READ THE PUBLIC HEARING STATEMENT? ALL PERSON ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL SHALL STEP TO THE MICROPHONE, GIVE THEIR NAME, AND IF THEY RESIDE IN, HOPEWELL THEIR WARD NUMBER AND LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.NO ONE MAY ADDRESS THE COUNCIL MORE THAN ONCE PER MEETING, UNLESS GRANTED PERMISSION BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
SPEAKERS ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AS A BODY, NOT INDIVIDUAL COUNSELORS.
QUESTIONS ARE ASKED OF COUNCIL AND STAFF THROUGH THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
ANY PERSON WHO MAKES PERSONAL AND PERTINENT ABUSIVE OR SLANDERED STATEMENTS OR INSIGHT DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER MAY BE REPRIMANDED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND REMOVED FROM THE MEETING UPON A MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNSELORS PRESENT, EXCLUDING ANY COUNSELOR WHO IS MOTION C.
UM, MR. GASTON TREE BOARD ORDINANCE, MS. PARDON? I'M SORRY.
WE HAVE A HARD TIME HEARING MR. HOLLOWAY.
COUNCILOR STOKES FOR ANYTHING THAT THEY'RE SAYING AND THE CITY CLERK, IF SHE, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T, ISN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
CAN Y'ALL MAKE, JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOUR MICS ARE ON WHEN YOU TALK.
JAMES GASTON II, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME YOUR TIME.
I AM TRYING TO HAVE THREE ITEMS DONE TODAY.
A RESOLUTION TO INSTALL A TREE ORDINANCE, UH, RESOLUTION FOR A TREE BOARD, AND THEN WE WOULD THEN HAVE A CITYWIDE TREE ORDINANCE.
SO THIS IS MY POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.
UM, THE TREE BOARD WOULD CONSIST OF SEVEN MEMBERS.
FOUR OF THEM WOULD BE RE I'M SORRY.
FOUR OF THEM WOULD BE THE MINIMUM.
WE WOULD HAVE AT LEAST FIVE AND TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, UH, TREE EXPERTS OR MAYBE A BUSINESS OWNER.
UH, THE TERM OF OFFICE WOULD BE TWO YEARS.
THE TREE BOARD WOULD VOTE FOR CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, AND A SECRETARY.
THE MEETINGS WOULD BE AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
UM, BASICALLY THE ARE THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TREE BOARD.
THE BIGGEST THING THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE INVOLVED WITH WOULD BE ARBOR DAY AMONG A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS.
THE KEY ABOUT THE TREE BOARD IN A CITYWIDE TREE ORDINANCE IS THERE ARE GRANTS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY.
THERE ARE GRANTS WITH THE, UM, TREE CITY, USA.
AND IN ORDER TO HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE GRANTS, YOU MUST HAVE A TREE, CITY USA, UH, DESIGNATION, WHICH THE CITY OF HOPEWELL DOES NOT HAVE.
THE REASON FOR THE X THE SPEED IS THAT IF WE GET THIS DONE BEFORE MARCH 1ST OR PAST, EXCUSE ME, THEN THE TREE CITY USA WILL DESIGNATE 2024 AS A TREE CITY USA, THEN WE CAN APPLY, START APPLYING FOR GRANTS FOR 2025.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE TREE BOARD IS I ALREADY HAVE FIVE VOLUNTEERS WHO USED TO BE ON THE TREE STEWARDS.
THEY WOULD, IN ESSENCE, EVOLVE INTO THE TREE BOARD AND THEY ARE READY TO GET STARTED.
THEY ALREADY HAVE PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
AND AS SOON AS YOU GIVE THE AKAY FOR THE THREE ITEMS, THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YEAH.
UM, FIRST QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW COME THE NAMES ARE THE ACTUAL, LIKE BOARD IS NOT IN OUR PACKET? UM, I'M NOT REAL.
THE YOU MEAN THIS PRESENTATION? YEAH, IT IS.
I DON'T, I MEAN, BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN MY AGENDA PACKET.
NO, WE'RE ALL GIVEN THAT RIGHT THERE.
[01:10:03]
IT WAS LATE ON HERE EXCEPT LATER MAYBE.ALRIGHT, SO, WELL, I MEAN, I JUST, WELL, ONE, I DON'T HAVE IT IN MY PACKET, SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A COPY.
THIS WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE PACKET MAYOR, AND THIS WAS PLACED ON THE DE OKAY.
WELL, PRIOR TO THE MEETING, WELL, ALRIGHT, I'LL LOOK AT IT, BUT I MEAN, I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING.
UM, BUT SECOND OF ALL, YOU KNOW, IN THE ORDINANCE I READ WHERE, YOU KNOW, THIS THING IS SUPPOSED TO BE SELF-FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO IF WE'RE TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING ALL THIS AND WE DON'T GET GRANTS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S OUR LIABILITY? SO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ALWAYS PROVIDES A BUDGET ITEMS FOR TREE SERVICE IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
IN ESSENCE, THOSE FUNDS WOULD JUST BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS THE TREE BOARD.
THE TREE BOARD IS NOT PAID FOR ANYTHING.
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ALREADY PROVIDES SERVICE TO OUR CITY TREES.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO TREE CITY, USA, AS LONG AS YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT YOUR PUBLIC WORKS IS PROVIDING TREE SERVICE, THAT IN THEIR MIND IS THE BUDGET THAT EXISTS.
SO IN ESSENCE, YOU'RE ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR TREE SERVICE, YOU'RE JUST DESIGNATING WHAT IT'S FOR.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT I DID APPLY THROUGH THE VIRGINIA FORESTRY DEPARTMENT FOR A TREE ARBORIST, AND I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK FOR WHETHER OR NOT THE, UH, CITY ARBORIST WILL BE PROVIDED.
THE AMOUNT WAS, UH, ANY AMOUNT OF $105,000 FOR THE ENTIRE PACKAGE.
AND SO WE WOULD HAVE THAT PERSON FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR TO HAVE AN ASSESSMENT, GET AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CONDITION OF A CITY TREES.
SO NOW MY NEXT QUESTION IS, AND THIS IS PROBABLY GONNA BE DISCUSSION FOR DR.
MAKE, BUT THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED, HOW'S THAT GOING TO AFFECT US? SO THE LETTER THAT YOU RECEIVED WAS STRICTLY FOR, UM, UM, I WOULD SAY TRANSPORTATION ON THE ROADS, I THINK NOT NECESSARILY TREES.
IT WAS FOR THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, I THINK IT SAID FOR ALL STATE AGENCIES.
FAR AS GRANTS ARE YOU REFERRING TO? I I MEAN, JUST ON THE QUICK READ THROUGH OF IT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE GOT.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT ISSUE.
I I I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT GOING THIS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYONE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY THAN MYSELF.
ON THE CITY COUNCIL, I CAN JUST TELL YOU I LOVE TREES.
YOU KNOW, I'M PROBABLY THE BIGGEST TREE HUGGER UP HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT I DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A WORRY ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, US OBLIGATING OURSELF TO SOMETHING IN WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOT OURSELVES A LETTER THAT IS GONNA, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ONE REASON WHY WE, YOU KNOW, PUSHED OFF OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, IS, YOU KNOW, CAUSING ME SOME CONCERN RIGHT NOW WITH THIS.
I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM GOING AND SETTING UP A TREE BOARD RIGHT NOW.
GET THE VOLUNTEERS ON THEIR HAPPY WAY, BUT AN ORDINANCE WHERE WE'RE TAKING OVER SOME MORE RESPONSIBILITIES.
THERE ARE NO NEW RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE TREE ORDINANCE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT PUBLIC PUBLIC WORKS ALREADY DID, ALREADY DONE
THE DOWNTOWN TREES TAKE CARE OF THE TREES THAT ARE DOWNTOWN AND ANY TREES THAT ARE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
WHAT THIS DOES IS PUTS IT IN AN ORGANIZED TEMPLATE SO THAT TREE CITY USA CAN SAY YOU ARE A TREE CITY USA FOR 2024.
AS LONG AS YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE AN ARBOR DAY, PLANT A TREE OR TWO DURING THE YEAR AMONG ANOTHER MINOR ITEMS, THEN YOU'LL GET THE DESIGNATION FOR CONTINUAL YEAR.
THE, THE BENEFIT IS, IS THAT AS WE APPLY FOR OTHER GRANTS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT DESIGNATION IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UH, WELL I DON'T SEE YOURS, COUNCILOR STOKES, BUT GO AHEAD AND THEN COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY ON MY LIGHT.
YOUR LIGHT'S NOT ON RIGHT NOW.
IS IT ON NOW? YEAH, THAT'S BECAUSE YOU GONNA PUSH ME? YEAH, THERE YOU GO.
COUNCILOR STOKES AND THEN COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY.
UM, MY CONCERN IS, WILL THERE BE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE TO THIS PARTICULAR BOARD? NO, MA'AM.
THE PERSON WHO WILL STAFF THE TREE BOARD, TREE COMMISSION WILL BE A MEMBER OF DR.
MAKE'S STAFF ON THE CITY MANAGER, AND THEN THE VOLUNTEERS FOR THE TREE BOARD SLASH TREE COMMISSION.
SO WILL THIS COST US AT ALL SALARY WISE OR NO, MA'AM.
DID YOU, DID YOU THINK OF THAT? UH, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY? I WAS ABOUT TO GO FURTHER INTO THAT NAME.
FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE, THE ORDINANCE IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
THERE'S NOTHING HERE THAT OBLIGATE THE CITY INTO ANY OTHER COSTS.
[01:15:02]
IT IS ACTUALLY ELIMINATING THE PRESSURE OF HOPEWELL CITIZENS BY CREATING THIS TREE BOARD BECAUSE NOW IT OPENS US UP TO MORE GRANT FUNDING, PARTICULARLY THAN SUCKING ALL THE FUNDS.AS YOU SAID, WE ARE ALREADY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE.
WE HIRE AND BID OUT FOR LAWN CARE SERVICES, AND SO WE ARE ALREADY RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF THOSE TREES.
UM, AS LISTED IN THIS ORDINANCE AND CONCERN THIS BOARD, IT IS ACTUALLY GIVING US MORE OPPORTUNITY TO GO FOR MORE STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING SO THAT THAT PRESSURE WILL NOT BE ON OUR CITIZENS.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY THAT'S LISTED HERE THAT GIVES US THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SAY, UM, THAT WE'RE DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY.
IT JUST, IT BRINGS MORE, UM, ORGANIZATION, UH, TO, UH, TAKING CARE OF THOSE TREES.
IT SEEMS TO BE THE OBLIGATION EVEN GOING AFTER FUNDING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL POSITION.
SO I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY NECESSARY.
UM, COUNCILOR STOKES, BEFORE I CALL ON YOU, SINCE WE'RE COMING UP ON OUR THREE HOURS.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING UNTIL WE FINISH? UH, CCR THREE? I DO SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR STOKES AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
UM, SEEING NO LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION, WELL CALL PLEASE.
UM, ON, IN THE ORDINANCE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SECTION 33, THERE'S CERTAIN TREES TO CUT A NUISANCE ON DOWN TO 1 32 AND THE VIOLATIONS AND PENALTY.
UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE $500 PER OFFENSE.
CAN YOU ELABORATE? TALK ABOUT IT? YEAH.
SO THE WAY THAT, UM, EVALUATIONS OF TREES, IT REALLY DEPENDS.
THOSE ARE PRIMARILY DESIGNATED FOR, UM, BUSINESS OWNERS, IF YOU WILL.
UM, THERE WILL BE WARNINGS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT WILL BE PROVIDED BEFORE YOU GET THE ACTUAL FINE.
UM, WHAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES THE ORDINANCE TEETH IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE, UH, TAKING CARE OF THEIR TREES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, BUT IT'S MORE OF A HAS TEETH.
BUT OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND OUR, UM, ZONING OFFICIALS, THEY WOULD PROVIDE WARNINGS BEFORE THEY ISSUED $500 TICKETS.
THAT THE LAST IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR.
THAT IS A TRUE STATEMENT, BUT THAT IS DOWN THE ROAD THAT WAS JUST CLEARLY DOWN THE ROAD.
AND IF IT BOTHERS YOU, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO REMOVE.
YEAH, THAT'S, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FOR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? YEAH, SO, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT BRINGS A SAD CONCERN BECAUSE AS I, AS I'M READING THAT I HAD SAW INTO THAT, BUT I THOUGHT THIS WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE GET VIOLATED FOR AS A CITY FOR NOT DOING THIS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PASSING PASSING.
IT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT, IT'S NOT WRITTEN UP AS SUCH TO HAVE THAT UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE AT THIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SO FORTH, SO I'M THINKING THAT THIS IS AN ORDINANCE FROM THE STATE, UH, A LAW FROM THE STATE THAT WE ALREADY DEAL WITH.
LIKE, IF WE DON'T KEEP AND MAINTAIN CERTAIN THINGS, THEN WE COULD BE FINED YOUR, THIS HERE IS SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT VIOLATIONS TOWARDS CITIZENS.
SO YOU GO PAST ONE OF THOSE BROTHERS BACK THERE HOUSES, AND THEIR TREE AIN'T TRIMMED LIKE WE WANTED TO, YOU'RE GONNA FIND 'EM HUNDRED OFF.
IT'S MORE OR LESS A WAY OF PROVIDING TEETH TO THE, TO THE OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WORK WITH THE RESIDENT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO REMOVE IT.
IT'S, WELL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE MORE THAN HAPPY BECAUSE YOU NO, I, I, I DON'T HAVE PROBLEM WITH THAT.
JUST SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE PUTTING A STATEWIDE HO EIGHT, I MEAN A CITY YHOA ON EVERY MEMBER IN THIS CITY, UH, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD.
BUT, UH, YEAH, THIS IS STANDARD LANGUAGE THAT TREE ORDINANCE IS USED AND IT'S A TEMPLATE AND IT CAN BE ADJUSTED JUST TO, TO ACCOMMODATE THE JURISDICTION.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S SOMETHING I CAN DEFINITELY TAKE OUT.
SO, UH, THE ORDINANCE IS A, IS A, IS A SEPARATE CALL.
AGAIN, GOING INTO THE, THE BOARD BEING ABLE TO GET THE GRANTS, BEING ABLE TO GET THOSE EXTRA FUNDINGS AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
IT'S, IT'S, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO, UH, PUT THAT IN MOTION AND VOTE FOR IT.
[01:20:01]
JUST THAT WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE ORDINANCE PORTION OF IT AND GOING AFTER, ESPECIALLY IT, IT WAS A, WE HAD A, WE HAD A, UH, A, A, A MEETING JUST SHORTLY AGO AND TALKING ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOMEOWNERS MM-HMMAND PASSING THE RESPONSIBILITIES ON HOMEOWNERS FOR, UH, RENTERS, UH, HAVING WATER TURNED ON IN THEIR NAME.
AND THEN IF THEY DON'T MAKE CERTAIN BILL PAYMENTS TO SEWER AND SO FORTH, TALKING ABOUT PASSING IT ON TO THE HOMEOWNER.
YOU KNOW, HOW RIDICULOUSLY LIKE, I THINK THERE'LL BE A PROTEST LINE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS TO CHESTER AND YOU KNOW THAT, THAT'S JUST ABSURD.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE MOST TYPE OF THINGS ON PEOPLE BECAUSE THEN WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE IN THAT CASE, IF SOMEBODY IS RENTING THEIR HOUSE OUT TO A RENTER AND THAT RENTER IS NOT, UM, TAKING CARE OF THAT PROPERTY, YOU'RE GONNA PASS THAT $500 ON TO THE HOMEOWNER.
UM, THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
RULES AND REGULATIONS ABOUT'S VIOLATIONS AT THAT LEVEL.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT? OKAY.
WE'LL START FROM THE FRONT AND THEN GO TO THE BACK.
I HAVE LIVED ON CEDAR LANE FOR OVER 30 YEARS NOW.
AND ON CEDAR LANE WE HAVE NICE CEDAR TREES.
UM, IT STARTED AS, UH, HISTORICAL CEDAR TREES AND UNFORTUNATELY, UM, I'M NOT, UH, OR FORTUNATELY MAYBE I'M NOT IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT WE STILL HAVE, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WE CANNOT TOUCH OUR CEDAR TREES, WHICH LENDS ITSELF TO A BIGGER PROBLEM IN THAT WE HAVE CONSTANT MAINTENANCE AND WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE ON THOSE CEDARS BECAUSE THE ONES ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME SIT UNDER VERY LOW WIRES.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT AND BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THOSE CEDAR TREES, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY NEEDING WORK, WHICH IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER REQUIRES, UH, ME AS A HOMEOWNER NOT TO BE ABLE TO DO MAINTENANCE ON THOSE TREES.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU ALL WHO DON'T OWN HOMES ACTUALLY REALIZE HOW MANY OF THE HOMEOWNERS ACTUALLY DO WORK ON THEIR TREES.
EVEN THE ONES THAT WE DON'T OWN ON THE PROPERTY BETWEEN OUR SIDEWALKS AND OUR CURBS, THAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE ON CITY PROPERTY.
WE DO MAINTAIN THOSE AND MOST OF US KEEP PUBLIC WORKS FROM HAVING TO BE OVERWHELMED.
WE'D MUCH RATHER THEM BEING DOING THE ROADS THAN THEY WOULD BE MAINTAINING ALL THESE TREES.
I'M ALSO A, A A, I'M NOT A TREE HUGGER, BUT I ALSO LOVE TREES, WHICH I WOULD SAY MOST EVERYBODY IN HERE IS, BUT TO PUT AN EXTRA BURDEN ON OUR PUBLIC WORKS RIGHT NOW TO CONSIDER THEM TO BE HAVING TO NOW MAINTAIN EVERY TREE IN THE CITY ON PUBLIC PROPERTY SEEMS TO BE THE HORSE HORSE BEFORE THE CART.
BECAUSE WE HAVE ROADS THAT WE, THEY NEED TO MAINTAIN AND CAN'T AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
SO I'M NOT AGAINST HAVING A TREE BOARD OR BEING ABLE TO GET GRANTS TO PUT MORE TREES IN THE CITY.
WHAT I'M AGAINST IS WHETHER THIS IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE TO DO THAT 105 EXTRA THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PUT TOWARDS AN ARBORIST.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN THINK OF BETTER WAYS TO DO THAT.
THERE'S NO MENTION OF HOW AND WHY THE CITIZENS ARE GOING TO BE TOLD HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT THEM SO THAT THEY DON'T GET FINED.
THERE IS NO MENTION OF WHETHER OR NOT TREES THAT CITIZENS HAVE PLANTED.
LIKE I HAVE WHEN A CEDAR TREE CAME DOWN, NOT BY ME, BUT BY NATURAL CAUSES.
I'VE NOW PLANTED OTHER TREES IN ITS PLACE.
SMALLER TREES THAT WILL NOT IMPACT POWER LINES, BUT ARE THEY GONNA BE GRANDFATHERED IN? THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION OF THAT THAT I COULD READ IN THIS AT ALL.
SO I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE STUDY AND CONSIDERATION FOR WHAT THE CITIZENS ARE OR ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO AND HOW THEY WILL HANDLE THIS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA EDUCATE THEM THAT THEY COULD GET MISDEMEANORS OR THINGS THAT WE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE CONSIDERING FOR CITIZENS AND THEIR TREES.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR TREES HERE IN THE CITY ON OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY, SO FORTH AND SO ON.
IF YOU CAN GET THAT PAID FOR BY A GRANT WITH NO ADDITIONAL BURDEN TO THE CITY, GREAT.
MY QUESTION IS, IS WHY ARE WE WORRIED ABOUT
[01:25:01]
TREES WHEN WE HAVE ROADS FALLING APART THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING Y'ALL TO GET GRANTS FOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW? WHY ARE WE WORRIED ABOUT TREES WHEN WE HAVE A MARINA THAT'S LITERALLY A HAZARD THAT Y'ALL COULD HAVE GOTTEN GRANTS TO FIX AND HAVEN'T BEEN DONE? FURTHERMORE, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU I'VE SPENT $17,000 IN THE PAST TWO YEARS TAKING DOWN THREE TREES ON MY PIECE OF PROPERTY TO PROTECT Y'ALL'S PRECIOUS LITTLE LIGHT POLE THAT Y'ALL CAME OUT AND PUT A NEW LED LIGHT ON, BUT DIDN'T BOTHER TO CUT THE BRANCH AWAY FROM THE DAMN POLE SO THAT IT DIDN'T GET BUSTED BY THE BRANCH.SO I, I SOLD HER THAT BURDEN AND PAID FOR THAT AT $17,000 FOR THREE TREES.
IF Y'ALL ARE GONNA START CHARGING US WITH MISDEMEANORS OVER THE, Y'ALL NOT LIKING THE WAY OUR TREES SIT, OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT THEY'RE RUBBING UP AGAINST YOUR PRECIOUS LIGHT POLES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, YOU MIGHT AS WELL PUT AN OFFICER OUT MY OUTSIDE MY HOUSE AND HAVE HIM KEEP HIS TICKET BOOK, UH, BOOK READY.
'CAUSE I'M, I'LL BE JUST AS STUBBORN AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
I'LL BRING EVERY DAMN TICKET UP HERE AND I'LL HAND IT DIRECTLY TO WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PASSING THAT ORDINANCE.
WHY DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT FIXING THE TRASH OR SOME OF THIS OTHER STUFF FIRST YOU GOT ALL THIS ACCESS TO GRANT MONEY.
I THINK THERE WAS ONE MORE PERSON THAT SAW THAT STOOD UP THAT WANTED TO SPEAK.
NO, HE WAS DONE SO NO, HE WAS JUST LETTING OUT.
UH, LET'S SEE, I THINK THERE'S THREE MOTIONS THAT HE'S ASKING FOR FOR TONIGHT.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS TO ESTABLISH THE TREE BOARD.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ESTABLISH THE TREE BOARD? UH, THE MR. MAYOR? YEAH, TWO, TWO POINTS.
FIRST, IF THERE IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERATION OF THE AMENDMENT, UH, THAT COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY WAS DISCUSSING, THAT SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A MOTION ITSELF.
AND THEN SECOND, UH, BECAUSE THERE IS AN ORDINANCE INVOLVED, COUNSEL WILL NEED TO VOTE UNDER, I THINK, ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION EIGHT TO WAIVE A SECOND READING MM-HMM
OR TWO READINGS BEFORE GOING ON TO, TO TAKE THIS VOTE.
I HAVE THREE MOTIONS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE.
THE ONE FOR THE, THE, THERE'S THE RESOLUTION, THERE'S THE ORDINANCE, AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER RES, I GUESS THE RESOLUTION TO CREATE THE BOARD.
THE, OR THE TREE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
AND THEN A RESOLUTION NAMING MEMBERS TO THE BOARD.
THE FIRST ON THE ORDINANCE ITSELF, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ISSUE OF FINES IN THAT ORDINANCE.
IF COUNSEL WANTS TO CONSIDER AN AMENDMENT TO THAT ORDINANCE, COUNSEL FIRST SHOULD HAVE A MOTION TO DO SO.
I, I DON'T, MY REQUEST WAS, I, I DON'T THINK, WELL, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY SPEAK TO WARNING THE ORDINANCE.
MY, MY STATEMENT WAS TO THE FACT OF THAT I DIDN'T AGREE TO THE ORDINANCE, I AGREED TO THE FACT OF THE, UH, THE, UH, BOARD AND THE, UH, THE MEMBERS.
IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR THE GRANTS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BOTH.
YOU CAN HAVE A TREE BOARD WITHOUT THE ORDINANCE.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING THAT BY A WEEK.
AND LIKE I SAID, IF THE, IF MISDEMEANOR PIECE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED, THEN BY ALL MEANS.
I, I, I THINK IN LIGHT OF, SO IF IT, IF, IF IT TAKES THAT PERSONALLY, I WOULD SAY IN LIGHT OF ANY TYPE OF, ANYTHING THAT THAT ORDINANCE HAS IN THERE THAT HOLDS THE CITIZENS RESPONSIBLE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
WHETHER IT'S A MISDEMEANOR, WHETHER IT'S ANY COST, WHETHER THERE'S ANY PUNISHMENT THAT SHOULD BE ALL TOGETHER REMOVED OUT THERE.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA BRING AN ORDINANCE FOR IT, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE, I THINK, AGAIN, AS THE GENTLEMAN SPOKE TO MYSELF, UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA BRING ANY FUNDING TO THE CITY, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THESE TREES.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN SPACE WHERE WE CAN BRING ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING IN FOR THAT PURPOSE, I THINK WE SHOULD GO WITH IT.
BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THE CONSEQUENCES TO CITIZENS REMOVED AS THE FORMER COUNSELOR HAS STATED, UH, WITHOUT ANY, UM, UH, FOR THE, UH, REPERCU, YOU KNOW, REPERCUSSIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO I, THAT, THAT WORKS FOR ME.
SO CAN WE DO THE MOTION ON THE BOARD THEN? THE MEMBERS, AND THEN THE ORDINANCE? IS THAT OKAY? WELL, YOU'RE IN MOTION TO WAIVE.
BUT THE, BEFORE YOU VOTE ON ANY OF THEM, YOU DO NEED TO TAKE A VOTE UNDER ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION EIGHT TO WAIVE TWO READINGS.
BUT WE, SO WILL WE STILL HAVE TO DO THAT SAYING THAT WE ALREADY TOOK A VOTE TO WAIVE OUR RULES? YES.
THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS DIFFERENT.
WA WAIVING THE REQUIREMENT FOR TWO
[01:30:01]
READINGS IS REQUIRED UNDER THE, UNDER THE, UH, CHARTER.IS THERE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR TWO, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS? SO MOVED.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
NOW, BECAUSE IT PASSES ON A SIMPLE MAJORITY, IT'S BEEN WAIVED.
NO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE FIVE VOTES TO WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR TWO TWO READINGS.
SO NOW WE NOW YOU WANT THE MOTION ON THE ORDINANCE ITSELF? OR WE B BECAUSE BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO READINGS WAS NOT DISPENSED WITH THE ORDINANCE CANNOT BE VOTED ON TONIGHT.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD TO HAVE TWO VOTES OF APPROVAL OR NOT.
SO NOW THE NEXT MOTION IS TO ESTABLISH THE TREE BOARD, UH, PER YOU JUST SAID THERE.
I THOUGHT YOU COULD DO, I THOUGHT YOU COULD DO THE BOARD.
HE SAID THERE'S NO NEED BECAUSE HE SAID YOU NEEDED BOTH.
YOU, YOU CAN ESTABLISH A TREE BOARD AND YOU CAN POPULATE IT WITH MEMBERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY TOWERS OR AUTHORITY WITHOUT THE ORDINANCE BEING IN EFFECT.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO NOW IF WE WANTED TO AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BRINGING BACK AGAIN.
JUST, JUST THE ORDINANCE COULD BE BROUGHT BACK OKAY.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ESTABLISH THE TREE BOARD BY RESOLUTION? YES.
SEEING NO LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION.
THIS IS JUST TO ESTABLISH THE BOARD.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT STEPHANIE DAY? BARRY, ROBIN MYANA.
JANET EVANS, BETSY A AND CHRIS STROM IS HOW YOU PRONOUNCE THIS TO THE TREE BOARD.
WHERE THEY AT? I MEAN, I, I MY LINE.
CONTINUE WITH THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
[REGULAR BUSINESS]
ON TO REGULAR BUSINESS.I THINK IT'S, UH, MS. LEVIA OLE, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, I SHOULD SAY EVENING RIGHT BY NOW.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF PROFILE FOR, UH, 27 YEARS, AND WE ARE HERE TONIGHT WITH SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT, UH, VETERANS MEMORIAL CIRCLE.
AND OUR SPOKESPERSON IS MR. HERBERT BRAGG.
PARDON? VICE MAYOR JOYNER, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
MANOR, MR. CITY ATTORNEY MADAM CLERK, MR. DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND CITIZENS OF HOPEWELL.
UH, FIRST BEFORE I BEGIN, DO YOU HAVE THE HANDOUT THAT WE PASSED OUT? MM-HMM
UH, I, IF YOU'D LIKE PAGE TWO, JUST DO IT AND I'LL ASK YOU TO ADVANCE WHENEVER.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE VETERANS MEMORIAL CIRCLE COMMITTEE.
I'M HONORED TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL THIS EVENING, ALONG WITH FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEEKING APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL FOR THE INSTALLATION OF ROBERT PENN MONUMENT AT 15 AVENUE CIRCLE IN HOPEWELL.
SOME OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THAT CITY, THE CITY OWNS THIS PARTICULAR CIRCLE.
ROBERT PENN RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, UH, FOR HIS ACT OF HEROISM IN THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.
AND THIS MONUMENT IS A TRIBUTE TO THIS LOCALLY BORN CITIZEN.
PAGE THREE, YOU WOULD FIND A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE AND ITS MEMBERS.
[01:35:01]
WONDER CITY GARDEN CLUB HAS CONDUCTED THE GARDENING AT THIS CIRCLE FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS TO INCLUDE, ADOPT A SPOT AND MANY OTHER WONDERFUL WORK WHILE PROJECTS.THE VETERAN MEMORIAL CIRCLE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF THREE ORGANIZATIONS, HOPEWELL AMERICAN LEGION 1 46, REPRESENTED BY DAVE HARLEYS, VETERAN OF FORMED WARS POST 6 37, REPRESENTED BY JAMES COOPER, FORMER COMMANDER AND DIANE BARBARA, AND WON THE CITY GARDEN CLUB, REPRESENTED BY LAURA SMITH, CARRIE SHEFFIELD, AND LEVIA OLI FACILITATOR, A SPECIAL THANKS TO LEVIA OLI FOR HER OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION, AND COMMITMENT TO THE COMMITTEE AND TO THE CITY.
PAGE FOUR, HERBERT BRAGG JOINED THE COMMITTEE IN THE FALL OF 2022 AND SERVES AS AN ADVOCATE FOR ROBERT PENN.
I'M ALSO A LIFE MEMBER OF THE VETERAN OF FOREIGN WARS.
IN ADDITION, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE VICE MAYOR RITA JOINER, WHO SERVES AS A SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES.
AND WE THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE AND DEDICATION.
PAGE FOUR, BENEFITS OF THE CIRCLE, BENEFITS OF THE CIRCLE TO THE COMMITTEE TO THE COMMUNITY.
THIS WAR MEMORIAL HONORS THE EFFORT AND SACRIFICE OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED, PROVIDES COMFORT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, AND PROVIDES A SITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN REMEMBER AND GRIEVE AS A COMMUNITY.
IT ALSO SHOWS RESPECT AND GRATITUDE FOR THE SACRIFICES MADE.
IT ALSO EXPLAINS HOPEWELL CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD WAR I EFFORT AND HOW WE HELP SHAPE HISTORY.
THIS IS A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MALE OF HONOR, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY PRESIDENT LANKA IN JULY OF 1862, TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO MEN WHO, WHO DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES WITH HONOR AT THE RISK OF HIS OR HER LIFE.
AS OF FEBRUARY 3RD, 2025, THERE HAVE BEEN 3,547 MEDALS AWARDED PAGE SIX, GENERAL ORDERS, AND A SUMMARY OF ROBERT P'S CITATION.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE NAME OF CONGRESS TAKES PLEASURE IN PRESENTING THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO ROBERT PENN, UNITED STATES NAVY FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION.
ON BOARD THE USS IOWA OF SAN DIEGO, DUBA 20 JULY, 1898.
DURING THIS PERIOD, WILLIAM MCKINLEY WAS A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS A PHOTO OF ROBERT P AND HIS CITATION.
IT IS A PHOTO OF THE ACTUAL ROBERT P AND MONUMENT TO BE INSTALLED.
ON PAGE NINE, A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STONE AND HIS MEASUREMENTS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OVER 70% OF THE FUNDS RAISED FOR THIS MONUMENT WERE PROVIDED BY JACOB J. PEARSON.
POST 6 37, PAGE 10, THE LOCATION OF THE VETERAN MEMORIAL CIRCLE OFF 15TH AVENUE, PAGE 11, ROBERT PENN'S HISTORY AND A BRIEF SUMMARY.
HE WAS BORN OCTOBER 10TH, 1872 AT CITY POINT, WHICH IS NOW HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA.
HE ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES, DAVID, AT AGE 23, HE WAS MARRIED TO HATTIE R PEN.
THE DATE OF HIS BRAVERY AND CITATION IS JULY 20TH, 1898.
THE MEDAL OF HONOR WAS AWARDED ON DECEMBER THE 14TH, 1898.
THE DATE OF MR. PENN'S DEATH IS JUNE 8TH, 1912.
HE PASSED AWAY AT THE UNITED STATES NAVY HOSPITAL IN LOS ADAMUS, COLORADO.
HE IS BURIED IN EDEN CEMETERY IN COLLINDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.
PAGE 12 AND 13 CONSISTS OF OTHER HONORS AND TRIBUTES TO ROBERT PENN IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, AND NEWCASTLE COUNTY, DELAWARE.
PAGE 14 AND 15 ADDRESSES THE HISTORY OF THE CIRCLE.
HERE YOU WOULD FIND PHOTOS OF VIRGINIA'S FIRST WORLD WAR I MONUMENT, AND A SUMMATION THAT READS AS FOLLOWS.
ON ON MEMORIAL DAY IN 1921, HOPEWELL EGIA POST 80, DEDICATED COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA'S FIRST TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE DURING WORLD WAR I.
THE LAST SENTENCE ON PAGE 14, STATES, THE MONUMENT NOW HONORS HOPE WELLS FALLEN HEROES FROM SECEDING WARS AND CONFLICTS.
[01:40:01]
THROUGH 22 CONSISTS OF VETERAN AND MORTAR CIRCUIT IMPROVEMENTS, COMMITTEE'S ACCOMPLISHMENT OVER THE YEARS.A PARTICULAR NOTE ON PAGE 22 IS THE OUTSTANDING SIDEWALK WORK COMPLETED BY THE CITY OF HOPE WORLDS PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THAT DEPARTMENT FOR HIS OUTSTANDING WORK AND SUPPORT.
A POSSIBLE DATES FOR A CEREMONY FOR THIS MONUMENT IS SATURDAY APRIL 12TH, 2025.
OR SATURDAY 19TH, APRIL, UH, 2025.
UM, JOINER AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN YOUR QUESTIONS IF THERE BE ANY.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, THIS REALLY IS A VERY POSITIVE THING TO REPORT AND I'M VERY SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, UH, I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING A MEMBER OF WONDER CITY GARDEN CLUB.
I HAVE A LOT OF FELLOW MEMBERS OUT THERE THAT HAVE DONE A, A FANTASTIC JOB FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, AND THEY, ALONG WITH THE VFW, HAVE, UM, ATTENDED TO THIS, THIS PIECE OF LAND THAT IS CITY OWNED.
BUT NONETHELESS, IT'S MAINTAINED BY THESE, THESE CIVIC CLUBS.
AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION.
I THINK THIS IS TREMENDOUS, THAT WE HAVE A MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER THAT IS FROM CITY POINT AND AFRICAN AMERICAN.
AND THIS IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO HONOR HIS MEMORY AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND I THANK YOU, HERBERT, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND, AND ALL THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE.
AND IF I MAY, COULD I, I STAND UP, STAND THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE UP MEMBERS DONE FROM.
AND THE BE F THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, ELLIE.
BUT I, YOU KNOW, JUST CONGRATULATIONS ON THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND I THINK I CAN, YOU KNOW, SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL MEMBERS ON CITY COUNCIL.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTING THIS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO SEE US CELEBRATING, YOU KNOW, OUR HISTORY AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, ALL THE, YOU KNOW, GOOD THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE COME OUT OF HOPE.
WELL, AND ESPECIALLY, UM, OUR VETERANS.
AND ESPECIALLY TO HAVE A, A MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT, I THINK IS, IS HUGE AND SHOULD BE SOMETHING VERY WELL CELEBRATED, UH, HERE FOR THE CITY.
BANKER, UH, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT, UM, WE HAVE, I HAVE BEFORE YOU, UH, THE MID-YEAR SET SAVINGS ALLOCATION LAST YEAR AS A PART PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
WE, UM, ESTABLISHED A PRACTICE OF REVIEWING, UH, THE MID-YEAR SAVINGS AND POSSIBLY REALLOCATING THOSE SAVINGS TO EXISTING CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO, UM, AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING LAST, UM, ON LAST TUESDAY, UM, IT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE YOU BY THE CFO, UM, THE SALARY AMOUNTS AND THE SAVINGS AND WHERE THEY COULD BE ALLOCATED TO.
TONIGHT I AM ASKING COUNSEL FOR A FORMAL, UM, VOTE SO WE CAN BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REALLOCATING THOSE FOR THOSE FUNDS.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE CITY REALLOCATE THE GENERAL FUND SALARY SAVINGS OF $203,000 TO THE FORENSIC AUDIT AND THE REMAINING OF THAT BALANCE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE CITY ALSO RECOMMENDS THE REALLOCATION OF THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS OF $339 TO HR, UH, HWR FOR THE RATE STUDY AND THE LEGAL FEES REGARDING THE HWR COMMISSION AGREEMENT, WHICH IS THE FOURTH AGREEMENT TO THAT 1995 STUDY THE YEAR BEFORE, BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER, UH, TO THE
UM, AT THIS TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO RESOLVE TO APPROVE THE REALLOCATION OF THE GENERAL FUND SALARY SAVINGS OF $203,000 TO THE FORENSIC AUDIT AND THE REMAINING BALANCE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY OFFICE AND FOR THE REALLOCATION OF THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS OF $339,000 TO THE HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL FOR THE RATE STUDY AND LEGAL FEES REGARDING THE HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL COMMISSION AGREEMENT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[01:45:01]
ELLIS.UH, MOVING ON TO, UH, CCR R ONE, UH, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY.
GOOD EVENING, UH, TO EVERYBODY IN OUR CITIZENS, UH, THIS, THIS BEEN QUITE SO MANY, UH, SO MANY, UH, TEXT MESSAGES ABOUT PEOPLE'S PROMISE AND RESPONSES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM, SENT TO ME PRIOR TO FOR A WHILE, AND I KEPT ON ASKING COUNCIL MEMBERS IF THEY, UM, HEARD ABOUT THAT.
AND I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP AS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, NOT FOR SOMETHING FOR THE CITY, I MEAN FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO, UM, VOTE ON TONIGHT.
BUT TO BRING IT UP AS A DISCUSSION BECAUSE I WAS GETTING MIXED, UM, COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, UH, WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN.
UM, I WAS SENT THE ARTICLE AND IT WAS STATED THAT, UH, THAT THIS WAS A, UM, A STATE THING SO NO ONE CAN GIVE ME PROPER CLARIFICATION.
SO I WANTED TO BRING IT BEFORE COUNSEL.
UM, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE CITIZENS WERE MAKING, ESPECIALLY, UM, THOSE THAT WERE OFFERED BY, UH, PARTICULARLY BY, UM, ONE OF THE MEMBERS, MS. TAYLOR, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I, UH, SPOKE ABOUT JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
I, I WAS REQUESTING COUNSEL, UM, TO INCREASE NOT ONLY THE POLICE OFFICER'S SALARIES, BUT ALSO THE, THAT, UH, UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MOST CERTAINLY DESERVE, UM, THOSE INCREASING SALARIES.
AND I WAS HOPING THAT, UM, COUNCIL WOULD VOTE INTO THAT.
BUT IN LIEU OF THAT, THE CITY MANAGER HAD REPORTED INFORMATION.
WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE A SALARY STUDY, UM, THAT IS BEING DONE IN ALMOST AT, I BELIEVE, AT COMPLETION IF I'M, UH, NEARING COMPLETION, RIGHT.
UM, TO CONSIDER SOMETHING THAT I THINK EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER UP HERE IS DEFINITELY IN CONSIDERATION OF GIVING.
UM, NOT JUST THOSE DEPARTMENTS, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
ALSO ALONG WITH THE REST, UM, OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED A SALARY INCREASE, SOME OF THEM, UM, FOR YEARS.
AND WE HAD JUST STARTED IMPLEMENTING THOSE THINGS, UM, TO THE SUBJECT STATEMENT OF OTHER, UM, CONCERNS AND REQUESTS.
PLEASE FOLLOW THE BUDGET, UM, THROUGHOUT, UH, TO, LOOK, I KNOW THAT IT, YOU KNOW, IT, I CAN'T SPEAK ON THE BEHALF OF EVERYBODY, BUT EVERYBODY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP.
FOR INSTANCE, WHEN TALKING ABOUT, CONSIDERING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, I, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
WE ARE LIMITED ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
NOW, I WILL SAY, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH THE BROTHER AGAIN, THAT WAS BACK THERE STATING, UM, THINGS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CONSIDERATION OF, UM, COUNCIL GETTING PAY RAISES AND THINGS LIKE STREETS GETTING DONE, UH, MAYOR PARDON WILL TELL YOU, HE'S PROBABLY BEEN IN THE LEAD WHEN IT COMES TO WANTING, UM, UH, THINGS DONE WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND THE ROADS BE FIXED.
THOSE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE RECEIVE IN THE CITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTROL.
THEY ARE LIMITED, UM, AS THEY COME IN.
AND IF YOU READ FUNDAMENTALLY, EACH GRANT THAT THE CITY RECEIVES, UH, FOR INSTANCE, HAS STIPULATIONS ON WHAT IT CAN BE USED FOR.
AND SO WHILE SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE, HEY, THEY'RE NOT USING THE MONEY FOR THE STREET, THEY'RE NOT USING THE MONEY TO FIX THIS, THEY'RE NOT USING OUR TAXPAYER DOC.
THOSE THINGS HAVE TO, BY LAW BE SPECIFICALLY, UM, SENT OUT INTO PARTICULAR, UM, THINGS.
IF NOT, THEN YOU GOT PEOPLE GOING BACK AND FORTH.
COUNSELORS RUNNING BACK AND FORTH, ARGUING, UM, COULD NOT BE USED FOR THIS.
AND IF WE PUSH FUNDING HERE, WE PUSH FUNDING THERE.
UM, AND THEN ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, WHEN WE SAID IF WE'RE DOING OUR JOBS, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T SEE, OR YOU SEE HESITATION, SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY THROW INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, UM, OUT.
BUT SOMETIMES WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY, WE DONATE SOME OF OUR WARD FUNDS TO PARTICULAR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE, UH, PUTTING ON EVENTS IN OUR PARTICULAR WARDS.
I KNOW, UH, I THINK MOST OF US HAVE MADE THOSE TYPES OF DONATIONS, UM, THAT, THAT BUILD UP, UM, COMMUNITY THINGS IN OUR WORK.
UM, BUT PARTICULARLY, AGAIN, I WANTED THIS TO BE A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION, UH, TO DISCUSS, UH, AND ADD TWO, BECAUSE ONE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULDN'T BE IMPLEMENTED NOW, UH, WHICH THE CITIZENS DON'T KNOW THAT.
BUT THIS IS WHY I WANTED IT TO BE A TOPIC OF CONVERSATIONS THERE.
THE SOME THINGS THAT I LOOKED INTO AND ASKED THE ATTORNEYS
[01:50:01]
ABOUT, UM, IT HAS TO BE SET IN PLACE, I BELIEVE, DURING LIKE THE NEXT, UH, AND, AND THE ATTORNEY HAVE TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON IT.BUT IT COULDN'T EVEN BE SET INTO PLACE.
NOW, I, I THINK IT HAS TO BE DURING, UM, A, THE MUNICIPALITY ELECTION OF OUR LEADERS, I BELIEVE PARTICULARLY.
LIKE, SO WE COULDN'T HAVE AN A A A VOTE ON THIS BEFORE, I THINK 2026, WHICH IS THE NEXT TIME THAT WE HAVE OUR, UM, COUNSELORS, UH, ELECTION.
SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I WAS PUTTING ON AS SOMETHING, UM, FOR US TO PUT INTO PLACE NOW, BUT TO HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN IT HAS TO GO INTO PLACE OR, YOU KNOW, AS A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.
'CAUSE WHEN I ASKED COUNCILOR MEMBERS ABOUT IT, NOBODY KNEW ABOUT IT.
SO I WANTED TO, UM, HAVE THAT BROUGHT UP.
BUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT GIVES THE CITIZENS THE OPPORTUNITY.
SO AGAIN, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EVEN VOTE ON AT THIS TIME.
IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO GIVE US, YOU KNOW, 80% SALARY INCREASE OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE,
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE TALKED ABOUT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO BRING FORTH BEFORE THE CITIZENS IN CONSIDERATION SO IT CAN BE AGAIN, COMMUNICATED.
UM, FIRST LIGHT I HAD WAS COUNCILLOR HARRIS, AND THEN COUNCILLOR DAY.
FOR THE RECORD, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF INCREASING THE SALARY OF MYSELF OR THE COUNSELORS IN AT THIS TIME.
AND IN MY OPINION, THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
UH, COUNCILOR DAY, AND THEN COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING A MOTION TO THE FLOOR THAT WE JUST TABLE THIS ALL TOGETHER UNTIL OUR CITY HAS A BOND RATING AGAIN, TILL WE GET THAT STRAIGHT AND WE ACTUALLY DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND GET OUR BOND RATING BACK.
UH, KUDOS TO COUNCILOR HARRIS.
UM, I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT REALLY UNTIL IT CAME OUT ON THE AGENDA.
YOU KNOW, IT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY SAID THAT A LOT OF US DIDN'T EVEN KNOW.
THEN I STARTED SEEING FACEBOOK AND I SAID, YEE HOP.
UM, WHICH WAS VERY ENTERTAINING TO SAY THE RULES
UM, BUT I DO LIKE THE PARTICIPATION.
I DO LIKE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
I DO LIKE SEEING PEOPLE UP HERE.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW Y'ALL FEEL ABOUT A PAY RAISE, UH, TREES
UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN VERY INTER, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAINING AND VERY, IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
I'VE BEEN HERE FIVE WEEKS, SIX WEEKS, UM, AND I HAVE TO ACCEPT ACCOUNTABILITY THAT NOW I'M BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED SIX MONTHS AGO, WHAT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO.
UM, A LOT OF THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
UH, I DO THE BEST THAT I CAN TO, TO VOTE THE RIGHT WAY.
I WAS VOTED IN THIS POSITION TO MAKE, UM, THE BEST DECISION FOR THE CITY, NOT JUST WARD FOUR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEST FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
UM, I HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO GET THIS KIND OF PARTICIPATION.
EVERY COUNCIL MEETING, IF THAT'S WHAT I GOTTA DO, I'LL JUST PUT IT ON THERE AND Y'ALL ALL SHOW UP
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME BIG TICKET STUFF COMING UP.
WE DO THE COUNCIL HOLLOWAY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CASE STUDY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I WANT YOU, I WANT YOU HERE EVERY, EVERY TUESDAY, EVERY THURSDAY.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, Y'ALL MADE VALID POINTS AND, AND WE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, WE ARE NOT, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THE RIGHT VOTE EVERY TIME.
I'M GONNA VOTE THE WAY I FEEL RIGHT NOW, AND THEN I EXPECT SOMEBODY FROM WARD FOUR TO DIAL ME UP AND TELL ME HOW THEY FEEL.
I MEAN, BUT, UM, I ENJOY SEEING Y'ALL HERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A, YOU KNOW, A VERY GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME, BEING NEW.
UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR SHOWING UP.
AND, UM, I AM NOT REALLY IN, IN FAVOR FOR IT AT ALL, REALLY.
UH, COUNCILOR STOKES, I HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT
[01:55:01]
COUNSELOR ELLIS STATED.IT IS NICE TO SEE THE PARTICIPATION, UM, FROM EACH OF YOU ON THIS VERY INTERESTING MATTER.
UM, I WAS NOT IN FAVOR, UM, OF THE RAISE FOR MANY REASONS.
AND IN KEEPING WITH THE INBOXES AND THE DMS AND THE KNOCKING ON MY DOOR AND THE RINGING THE DOOR BELL, MS. STOKES, THE AWARD DID NOT SUPPORT IT AT ALL.
SO I WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF A RAISE.
HOWEVER, I AM IN FAVOR OF THE PARTICIPATION.
I ENJOYED, UH, EACH PERSON THAT CAME UP TO SPEAK AND STATE WHAT THEY AND HOW THEY FELT, UM, THAT WAS VERY ENTERTAINING.
NOT NECESSARILY ENTERTAINING, BUT INTERESTING TO KNOW HOW YOU ACTUALLY FEEL.
UM, SO I HOPE YOU ALL WILL STAY ENGAGED BEYOND, AND I'M, I'M SURE, I'M SURE SOME OF YOU WILL STAY MORE ENGAGED WITH OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN THIS CITY.
UM, AS A NEW COUNSELOR, I AM VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN HOW YOU FEEL AND WHAT YOUR OPINIONS ARE.
SEE NO MORE LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION.
WHAT ARE WE VOTING ON? MOTION? THE MOTIONS TO TABLE THIS UNTIL GET A BOND RATING.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE, WE DISCUSSION ON.
THAT'S WHAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH.
I DON'T EVEN WANT TALK ABOUT IT.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT ON THE TABLE.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT UNDER THE TABLE.
YOU WANT TO GET THAT'S WHAT IT WANT TO GET RID OF RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
THERE'S, YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR THOUGH.
SO I WANT SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I THINK COUNCILOR HARRIS MEANT YES.
IF, AND VOTING YES, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH THE RIGHT.
AND IF WE DON'T TABLE IT, WHERE IT GOING? IF I, IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR.
THE, THE VOTE, THE VOTE TO TABLE DISCUSSION ON THIS DISCUSS WOULD MEAN A VOTE.
WOULD MEAN TO VOTE FOR COUNCIL TO NOT DISCUSS, DISCUSS OR CONSIDER THIS AT ANY POINT EARLIER THAN THE CITY REGAINING A BOND RATING.
THE VOTE, THAT IS A VOTE TO, TO NOT CONSIDER, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
A PAY INCREASE UNTIL THE CITY REGAINS ITS BOND RATING.
SO IF I VOTE NO, IF YOU VOTE NO, THAT, THAT, THAT SIMPLY MEANS THAT, THAT, THAT'S JUST NEUTRAL.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT, THAT WOULD BE TO KEEP THIS AS A POTENTIAL LIVE ISSUE TO DISCUSS INCOMING, INCOMING SESSIONS.
I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT ANYMORE, BUT, OKAY.
WELL, IF YOU VOTE NO, YOU KEEP IT ALIVE.
IF YOU VOTE YES, IT'S DEAD FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.
OKAY, BECAUSE I'M CONFUSED NOW.
UM, I'D LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE FROM THE CITY MANAGER ON WHERE WE STAND ON THIS.
BECAUSE I KNOW COUNSEL'S TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, AND OTHER LOCALITIES ACROSS VIRGINIA ARE PUTTING ORDINANCES TOGETHER.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS SENT, UH, AN ORDINANCE OVER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND THE CITY ATTORNEY IS REVIEWING IT.
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THIS TO VOTE ON FOR THE NEXT MEETING TO DO A PUBLIC HEARING? IT IS MY HOPE THAT IT GOES TO A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING, YES.
SO, BUT, BUT THAT'S CONTINGENT ON RIGHT.
HIS REVIEW AND, AND ANY ADDITIONS.
SO, MR. MR. MAYOR, WHAT I HAVE SEEN, UH, WHAT THE POLICE HAVE SENT OVER TO ME IS AN ORDINANCE, AS IT EXISTS IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
[02:00:01]
I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND I DISCOVERED THAT THE CITIES OF VIRGINIA BEACH AND HAMPTON, AT LEAST WITHIN VIRGINIA, HAVE ADOPTED ORDINANCES, UH, SURROUNDING THIS.THEY BOTH HAVE EXTREMELY SIMILAR ORDINANCES.
UH, THE ORDINANCE THAT EXISTS IN BALTIMORE IS, IS MUCH MORE INVOLVED.
AND IF THAT IS WHAT, UH, THE POLICE ARE HOPING TO BRING BEFORE COUNSEL, THAT WILL REQUIRE A DECENT AMOUNT OF RESEARCH.
IF, IF INSTEAD, UH, THE, THE INTEREST IS IN ADOPTING ORDINANCE SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT HAMPTON AND VIRGINIA BEACH HAVE, UH, THAT COULD BE DONE MUCH MORE QUICKLY.
BUT AGAIN, IT IS AN ORDINANCE, AND SO IT HAS TO BE, UH, THE SUBJECT OF, OF A PUBLIC NOTICE.
UH, TWO RE YOU KNOW, A PUBLIC HEARING, TWO READINGS UN UNLESS COUNCIL VOTES TO DISPENSE WITH TWO READINGS AND THEN, AND THEN A VOTE.
SO I THINK THAT TIMELINE WISE, UM, TWO REGULAR MEETINGS FROM NOW WOULD BE THE EARLIEST THAT COUNCIL COULD VOTE ON THE POSSIBILITY OF ADOPTING IT.
UH, AT THIS MEETING, YOU, YOU COULD VOTE TO HAVE IT, THE, HAVE IT A PUBLIC, HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
PUT OUT A PUBLIC AD TO ADVERTISE IT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR, UM, TWO MEETINGS FROM NOW.
AND, AND DURING THAT TIME, OBVIOUSLY, AGAIN, I, I WILL, I WILL WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN BRINGING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
IF, IF POLICE BELIEVES THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WITH, BY USING AN ORDINANCE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO WHAT VIRGINIA BEACH AND HAMPTON USE, THEN, THEN AS FAR AS DRAFTING AND CREATING THAT ORDINANCE, THAT THAT'LL BE ENOUGH TIME AT ALL.
I MEAN, AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE BALTIMORE OR IT'S ONE OF THOSE IN THE TIDE WATER, I THINK WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT IS SOMETHING THAT GIVES POLICE OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, TEETH TO ENFORCE IT AND REALLY TO GET THESE GUYS OFF THE STREETS.
UM, I MEAN, WE USE OUR FAVORITE WORD, UH, TODAY.
IT WAS ALMOST SERENDIPITOUS, YOU KNOW, COMING BEFORE THIS MEETING, LITERALLY 40 MINUTES.
UM, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM A HYSTERICAL NEIGHBOR THAT LITERALLY WAS WITHIN INCHES OF GETTING HIT BY ONE OF THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS RIDING ONE OF THESE A TV DIRT BIKES.
AND SHE WAS OUT WALKING HER DOG.
AND WHEN SHE CALLED THE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER, SHE WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE POLICE COULD DO.
AND I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S HORRIBLE, FIRST OFF.
BUT SECOND OF ALL, THE FACT THAT THEY CAN SPEED, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE STREETS AND POLICE ARE TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT PURSUE THEM OR ANYTHING.
MANKA, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO TALK WITH CHIEF TAYLOR ABOUT UNTIL WE CAN GET THE ORDINANCE IN.
BUT SOMETHING'S GOTTA BE DONE.
SOMEONE'S GOING TO GET KILLED EITHER AS AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER OR, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS IS GOING TO GET KILLED TRYING TO POP A WHEELIE AND GET HIT AND GET RUN OVER BY A VEHICLE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
QUESTION, UM, COUNSELOR HOLLOWAY, AND THEN, UH, COUNSELOR STOKES.
SO COUPLE, COUPLE, COUPLE THINGS.
I THINK AS THE MAYOR STATED, I THINK EVERY, EVERY PERSON I I, I SAW A LONG POST ABOUT THIS ONLINE AND THE CITIZENS, UM, TALKING ABOUT THIS OVERWHELMINGLY, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MOST, A LOT OF CITIZENS SAY, HEY, WE WANNA GET 'EM OFF THE STREET.
BUT THEN THE MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS WERE OPPOSING, UM, OPPOSING IT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
BUT EITHER WAY, I THINK IT'S QUITE RIDICULOUS THAT THE, THAT WE HAVE BOUGHT, UM, BOUGHT SOMETHING FROM MARYLAND.
UM, I THINK WE MOST DEFINITELY NEED TO LOOK AT, UH, ORDINANCE AND STUFF THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO PLACE, UH, WITH CITY, WITH, UH, VIRGINIA'S GOVERNMENT, UH, VIRGINIA STATUTES, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE I WAS AT A COURT CASE, UM, FROM A FAMILY THAT HAD CALLED ME DOWN IN SURREY.
AND WHILE I WAS DOWN THERE, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT THAT HAD INVOLVED A, A POLICE PURSUIT HERE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
[02:05:01]
AND IT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY A 5-YEAR-OLD GIRL'S LIFE WAS LOST IN THIS PURSUIT.AND SO VIRGINIA LITERALLY HAS STATUES WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE BEING ABLE TO PURSUE PEOPLE SO FORTH AND SO ON, THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, THERE'S, I FORGOT WHAT THE LAW IS CALLED, BUT THERE'S A, IT'S, IT'S NAMED AFTER SOMEBODY THAT WAS KILLED.
BUT, BUT VIRGINIA HAS LIMITS ON HOW THE POLICE CAN PURSUE AFTER THEM.
SO I, I, I DEFINITELY DON'T THINK, LIKE, LIKE THE ATTORNEY STATED, I, I THINK IT, IT'S KIND OF CRAZY TO GO ALL OUT AND START HAVING HIM USE CITY HOURS TO BREAK DOWN MARYLAND LAWS AND THEN COMPARE WHEN WE CAN START FROM UTILIZING, UM, VIRGINIA LAWS TO GO AFTER THEM AND TO, UM, DO WHAT WE CAN DO OF COURSE, LEGALLY TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE SAFE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T, AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY DYING FROM IT.
UM, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY SERIOUSLY INJURED FROM IT.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THE APPROPRIATE PLACES TO START FROM SOMETHING THAT WAS HANDED DOWN FROM MARYLAND.
IF I FOLLOW, UM, MARYLAND'S GOVERNMENT AS WELL ON MY CITY COUNCIL PAGE AND IT, IT, SOME OF THE STATUTES IT IS JUST WAY DIFFERENT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO START FROM SOMETHING IN OUR VIRGINIA STATUTE TO ADDRESS THE MATTER.
UH, COUNCILOR STOKES, UM, QUESTION, WE HAVE THE BIKE LANES.
SO HOW WOULD THIS, WHEN YOU WRITE THE ORDINANCE, HOW WOULD IT AFFECT, UM, 'CAUSE I NOTICED YOU USED THE WORD DIRT BIKE DISCUSSION ALSO, BUT IS THERE ANY, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR YOU'VE GOTTEN INTO IT OR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DISCUSSIONS, BUT IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, NONE OF THIS BEFORE OR AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE WOULD AFFECT THE USE OF BIKE LANES, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, UH, THE USE OF MOTOR VEHICLES OF ANY KIND IN A BIKE LANE IS, IS, IS FORBIDDEN.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WITHOUT, WITHOUT AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS, THE ABILITY OF THE POLICE, WHAT TOOLS THE POLICE HAS AT, HAS AT ITS DISPOSAL TO DEAL WITH SOMEBODY, SAY ON A DIRT BIKE WHO'S NOT ALLOWED TO BE ALREADY IN A, IN A BICYCLE LANE.
UM, IN THE, THE ENFORCEMENT TOOLS THAT POLICE HAVE ARE, ARE, ARE SOMEWHAT LIMITED WITHOUT THE CITY CONSIDERING AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS.
BUT THEY ARE ALREADY, FOLKS ARE ALREADY FORBIDDEN FROM RIDING A DIRT BIKE AND A BIKE LANE.
YOU SAID FROM RIDING DIRT BIKE? YEAH, THEY, THEY ARE, THEY'RE ALREADY PREVENTED.
IT'S ALREADY A VIOLATION OF STATE AND LOCAL LAW TO, TO RIDE A MO UH, A MOTORIZED VEHICLE IN A BIKE LANE.
BUT AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME TOOLS THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE POLICE, UH, IN ADDRESSING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SOMETHING LIKE SOMEBODY RIDING A DIRT BIKE OR AN A TV IN, IN A BIKE LANE.
SO, UH, QUICK, QUICK QUESTION.
UH, FOR CONSIDERATION OF COUNSEL, CAN WE, UH, CAN WE DIRECT THE ATTORNEY APOLOGIZE, MIKE, I MAYBE STICKING IN MY MICROPHONE, CAN WE, UH, DIRECT THE ATTORNEY TO, WHILE WE ARE IN THE MEANTIME, WAITING FOR, UH, THE ORDINANCE SUGGESTION? CAN WE DI DIRECT THE ATTORNEY TO GIVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THE, UM, THE ENFORCEMENTS THAT MAY ALREADY BE IN PLACE THAT THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF? I, I'M ALREADY IN, IN, UH, CONTACT WITH, WITH CHIEF TAYLOR, UH, ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, WHAT OPTIONS ARE ARE AVAILABLE.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE COMMENT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I HEARD JUST MENTIONED ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU SAID THAT WHEN YOU CALLED THAT, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU CALLED TO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.
WELL, I, I GOT A, I GOT AN ISSUE WITH THAT BECAUSE MY, MY, MY, THE STREET THAT I LIVE ON IS A THROUGH STREET FOR THE FAST CARS AND THE, THE DIRT BIKES.
AND, AND I HEAR, I HEAR IT ALL.
AND WHEN YOU TELL ME THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO, AND I'VE HEARD THAT ALSO IN REGARDS TO, BECAUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF MY STREET IT SAYS NO THROUGH TRUCKS.
AND THAT MEANS THAT TRUCKS NOT SUPPOSED TO TURN DOWN MY STREET.
AND EVERY DAY 18 WHEELERS COME BY MY HOUSE ALL DAY, MOST OF THE DAY BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET IS THE
[02:10:01]
DOMINION ENERGY PICK PLACE AND THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO COME DOWN THE STREET.AND I ALSO HEARD THAT THEY SAID, WELL, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
SO I SAID THAT, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? CATCH 'EM? I SAID, BECAUSE IF THAT'S THE CASE, I JUST GO OUT AND SIT IN THE STREET WHEN THEY COME TO STOP 'EM SO YOU CAN SEE 'EM ON MY STREET.
AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT THEY COME THROUGH THERE AND IT'S DANGEROUS.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF SMALL CHILDREN ON THAT STREET.
SO, UM, I JUST TAKE ISSUE WITH THEM TELLING ME THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
THAT TO ME IS NOT A CATCHER FOR ME.
I'LL EVEN TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER.
I ACTUALLY CALLED DISPATCH SHORTLY THEREAFTER BECAUSE I ENDED UP SEEING THEM SPEED.
UM, AND ALMOST HIT ME, UH, WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, GETTING READY TO TURN ONTO BROADWAY TO COME HERE TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, SO, AND THEN SHE TOLD ME THE EXACT SAME THING.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I I BRING IT UP.
WELL, YEAH, IT, IT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
NOW, I, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, NOW I KNOW THE PURSUING IS LIMITED, BUT IF THERE'S STATE LAW THAT SAYS THEY CAN'T BE ON THE HIGHWAYS AND ALL THIS TYPE OF STUFF, I EVEN PULLED IT UP MYSELF.
WHY, WHY ARE WE SAYING THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WE CAN DO? I I DON'T THINK THE TERM WOULD BE THAT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVING TO ORGANIZE THE PURSUIT.
RIGHT? SO IF YOU, IF IF A OFFICER FOR THE ATVS AND STUFF, YOU HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN REGISTRATIONS AND STUFF WITH DMV, RIGHT? AND, UM, WE GOT LICENSE PLATE READERS AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF IN THE CITY.
WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WE CAN DO? I DON'T, I I I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT NOTHING WE CAN DO.
I UNDERSTAND THE PURSUING, I'M NOT SURE, I APOLOGIZE.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT COUNCILOR HOLLY.
I, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHO OR WHY THERE YOUR FOLKS ARE BEING TOLD THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE.
I THINK THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE, BUT THAT THE, THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO POLICE ARE JUST NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY DETER IT FROM HAPPENING.
THE BIGGEST THING THAT AN A TV UH, THAT THE A TV AND DIRT BIKE ORDINANCES THAT WERE ADOPTED IN HAMPTON AND VIRGINIA BEACH DO IS IT ALLOW, THEY ALLOW A, THE POLICE TO IMPOUND THE ATVS AND THE DIRT BIKES OF, OF THESE FOLKS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A FAIRLY SERIOUS OUTCOME THAT, THAT THAT DOESN'T EXIST RIGHT NOW.
AND, AND, AND, AND THAT'S AN OPTION THAT THE POLICE DON'T HAVE.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS AFTER THEY'VE BEEN IMPOUNDED, UM, IN THOSE JURISDICTIONS, THE POLICE CAN THEN TURN TO THEIR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND ASK FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENGAGE IN WHAT'S CALLED THE CIVIL FORFEITURE ACTION, WHICH IS BASICALLY TO GO TO COURT AND MAKE THOSE ATVS AND DIRT BIKES ACTUALLY BECOME THE PROPERTY OF, OF THE CITY TO DISPOSE OF IT HOW THEY SEE FIT.
WHETHER IT'S, WHETHER IT'S SALE AT AUCTION OR WHETHER IT'S DESTRUCTION.
UM, BUT THAT, THAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM THAT CITIES HAVE FOUND TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AT ACTUALLY CONTROLLING THIS PROBLEM.
AND THAT ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM DOESN'T EXIST HERE IN HOPEWELL.
AND IT, IT WOULD WITH AN ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE SIMILAR TO WHAT VIRGINIA BEACH AND, AND, UM, HAMPTON HAVE.
SO ASIDE OF THAT, WHICH ADDING THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE 'CAUSE THEN IT SCARES PEOPLE FROM DRIVING MORE.
BUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO DIRECT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? LIKE WHAT, WHAT DOES THE CITY MANAGER NEED TO BE SPEAKING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? BECAUSE IF, LIKE THE MAYOR JUST SAID, IF I CALL IN TO NINE ONE ONE AND PEOPLE ARE, AND THIS IS, I MEAN, I I EVEN SEE IT ONLINE.
THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO THEY MIGHT NOT CAN IMPOUND RIGHT NOW OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IF THEY TAKE A VIDEO OF SOMEBODY RIDING IN THE BA BIKE BIKE LANE, FOR INSTANCE, ILLEGALLY, IF SOMEBODY'S RECORDING IT OR IF THEY TAKE A VIDEO OR SOMEBODY ALMOST HITTING THEM, ET CETERA, AND THEY CAN IDENTIFY THAT PARTICULAR REGISTERED VEHICLE OR REGISTERED MO UH, MOTOR VEHICLE, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, THE POLICE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
THERE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ALREADY CAN BE DONE.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHY, WHY FOLKS ARE BEING TOLD THAT, THAT THERE'S NOTHING CAN BE DONE.
I I I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S LITERALLY TRUE.
I THINK THAT THE REALITY THAT THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT, IS THAT THERE'S, THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOTHING THAT IS SUFFICIENTLY EFFECTIVE.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT, THAT OTHER LOCALITIES THAT DON'T HAVE SUCH AN ORDINANCE OR DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TIME NOT NOT LONG AGO WHERE
[02:15:01]
THERE WAS, THERE WAS NO ABILITY TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE.LIKE WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT LOCALITY, BUT I HAVE COME ACROSS A LOCALITY HERE IN VIRGINIA THAT HAS, THAT HAS TAKEN IT UPON ITSELF AND MAYBE HAD SOME SUCCESS 'CAUSE THEY APPEAR TO KEEP DOING IT OR TO HAVE KEPT DOING IT UNTIL THIS BECAME AVAILABLE, UM, TO, UH, PROSECUTE THESE AS VIOLATIONS OF NOISE ORDINANCES, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE MOST NOISE ORDINANCES ARE ACTUALLY VIOLATED BY THESE ATVS AND DIRT BIKES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, SO THERE, THERE ARE CERTAIN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS THAT ALREADY EXIST.
I I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE SUFFICIENTLY EFFECTIVE TO ACTUALLY DETER THE BEHAVIOR.
NOW, NOW THAT I, I THINK I WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, UM, THE, THE, THE NOISE ORDINANCE PART, UNLESS THEY'RE PARTICULARLY RIDING THEM ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ATVS, YOU CAN'T MOVE.
I MEAN YOU DON'T WANNA KEEP TRYING TO MOVE THOSE BIG THINGS.
TO TRY TO BE MOVING THEM WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO START THEM TO PROPERLY PUT THEM IN PLACE TO GO ON VACATIONS AND STUFF.
SO, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT US TO GET IT SO EXTREME
I APOLOGIZE TO FOR, FOR INTERRUPTING THE, IN MOST CITIES NOISE ORDINANCES.
AND I BELIEVE I LOOKED AT HOPEWELL AND I BELIEVE IT IS SIMILAR, IT, THE, THE, THE VEHICLE HAS TO MAKE SOME, SOME SERIES OF LOUD NOISES, BUT OVER THE SPACE OF EITHER THREE OR FIVE MINUTES, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY BE MAKING NOISE OVER MAKES SENSE.
SOME NUMBER OF MINUTES BEFORE YOU VIOLATED THE NOISE ORDINANCE.
BUT, BUT AGAIN, I THINK SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE AND, AND NOW TO, I GUESS SPEAK UP TO SOME OF THE POLICE OFFICERS IN PLACE, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR CITY CHAMBERS, IS THAT WE HAVE A LACK OF POLICE OFFICERS RIGHT NOW.
SO I'VE HEARD SOME OF THEM PARTICULARLY SPEAK TO THE FACT OF THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
NOT THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT, BUT IN SPACE OF SAYING WE ARE SO SHORT STAFFED THAT WE HAVE TO DO SO MANY OTHER THINGS IN RESPONSE TO SO MANY OTHER CALLS THAT WE CAN'T CHASE DOWN THOSE BIKE RIDERS AS FAST AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO TO HAVE THAT UNDERSTANDING TOO.
THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM OUR OFFICERS.
BUT AGAIN, THE CITY IS WORKING ON THOSE THINGS.
SO IS THERE CONSENSUS FROM CITY COUNCIL TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING ON MARCH 25TH? OR IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S I'M GETTING, I'M SEEING YEAH, I, OKAY.
I'M SEEING MORE THAN FOUR HEADS GOING NORTH AND SOUTH WE, YES.
SECOND THING IS, UM, YOU DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S GONNA SPEAK WITH THE POLICE CHIEF ABOUT THIS ISSUE? YES.
AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE US A REPORT, YOU KNOW, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, THE THIRD CCR ITEM, UM, IS SOMETHING I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, A WHILE BACK.
UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THIS, UM, CITY 0.5 K FOR I THINK PROBABLY CLOSE TO 20 YEARS IF NOT MORE.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD AND WE'RE, WE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE SOME MORE SPORTS TOURISM HERE IN THE CITY AND ACTUALLY TRY TO BRING SOME, YOU KNOW, MONEY IN AND GROW OUR LOCAL ECONOMY BY ADDING A 10 K OPTION.
I DON'T THINK IT'S VERY, UM, EXPENSIVE.
YOU SEE IN OTHER RACES HOW THEY, YOU KNOW, ADD THESE OPTIONS IN.
THEY PUT A SIGN THAT SAYS REPEAT, YOU KNOW, THE LOOP.
UM, AND I THINK IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO PILOT IT, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS YEAR AND SEE HOW WELL IT DOES AND IT DOES WELL.
IF IT DOESN'T TURN OUT WELL, WE JUST REVERT BACK TO THE, UH, 5K.
BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING MORE PEOPLE HERE TO THE CITY, ESPECIALLY THE SERIOUS RUNNERS AND THE RUNNERS THAT ARE PREPARING THEMSELVES FOR, YOU KNOW, HALF MARATHONS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS AREA, UM, THAT COULD USE THIS AS A TRAINING DAY AND THE CITY MAKE MONEY OFF I THINK ALREADY, UH, QUESTION MM-HMM
UH, SPEAKING TO THE FACT THAT, UH, I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT, BUT DOUBLING THAT, THAT SIZE WOULD THEN ENTAIL MORE, MORE COST AND MORE SPACING, UM, FOR PARKING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I DON'T HAVE HUH? THE, THE COURSE STAYS THE SAME.
YOU JUST RUN THE LAP THE ROUTE TWICE, RIGHT? WELL, YEAH, YEAH.
BUT YOU, BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO INCREASE
[02:20:01]
PARTICIPATION BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE LOOK AT THE 10 K MORE THAN THEY DO THE 5K AS SOMETHING THEY MM-HMMAND, AND IT GRABS MORE ATTENTION, LIKE YOU SAID.
SO, AND, AND IN SPACE IT WILL REQUIRE OUR, UH, WHAT THAT PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE TO GET THE CERTIFIED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SHUT MORE STUFF DOWN.
WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF COST IS GONNA, CAN WE J CAN WE BEFORE WE JUMP TO THAT 10 K YEAH.
I MEAN WE COULD CERTAINLY, CAN WE DO A 7,500 OR EITHER AT LEAST GET THE INFORMATION BACK YEAH.
BUT I'M ALL, I MEAN I'M ALL FOR IT FOR GOING TO THE DIRECTION 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S A BIG THING.
I MEAN, AND HOW I LOOK AT IT IS IF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD CAN HOST A SPRINT TRIATHLON FOR HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO COME THROUGH, I THINK WE CAN HANDLE A 10 K AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KEEP THE ROUTE THE SAME AND WE JUST HAVE THEM DO THE LOOP TWICE, WELL LET'S GO FOR WE VOTE ON IT.
BUT YEAH, I MEAN CAN'T, I'M SAYING ARE WE A VOTING ON? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE STAFF COME BACK.
I MEAN, BUT THEN WE, WE CAN MOVE TO MAKE, I MOVE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO ACCEPT, ACCEPT THE 10 10 K AND I GUESS WHATEVER RESPONSIBILITIES AND ALSO TO WAIVE WHATEVER, UH, MY REQUEST, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU AGREE TO IT, BUT WAIVE THE, UH, WHATEVER EXTRA PROCESSES OR FEES THAT THAT'S NECESSARY, UH, THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO, THAT NEEDS TO BE PAID KINDA WAIVED UP.
I THINK IT'S ALL THEY, THEY DO THE WHOLE PROCESS FOR THE WHOLE RACE.
SO THEY WOULD INCLUDE THAT IN THERE WITH THEIR ANALYSIS ON HOW THEY'RE GONNA HANDLE TRAFFIC FLOW AND EVERYTHING.
SO I'D LIKE TO UH, LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE YEAH.
DO I NEED TO FINISH THE MOTION OR ARE YOU ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING? UH, GO AHEAD AND MAKE NO, I, YEAH, GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO DISCUSSION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO, UH, FOR THE CITY 0.5 K THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS TO BE TURNED TO UH, A 10 K WELL THIS SAYS ADDING 10 K, SO YOU ADDING THE 10 K OPTION.
ADD A 10 K OPTION FOR THE RECENT OCTOBER.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN TALKED TO BY TABITHA? SHE'S, OR IS IT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WELL, TABITHA ACTUALLY MENTIONED THIS.
UM, I THINK, BUT SHE, SHE DOES MOST OF THE LOGISTICS RIGHT? RIGHT.
IS THAT WHO DOES IT PARKING LOT? YEAH, SHE DOES THE LOGISTICS OF IT.
AND I KNOW AS FAR AS LIKE POLICE OR FIRES, JUST TRAFFIC ISSUES AND YEAH.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M, YOU KNOW, PERFECTLY AMENABLE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY GO THROUGH THIS AND THEY REALIZE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING IN THERE THAT YES NONE OF US CAN SEE, BRING IT BACK AND WE'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, CUT IT OUT.
UM, BUT UM,
I MEAN I'M NOT AGAINST IT OR WHATEVER AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE LOGISTICS TO IT PER SE.
I MEAN, YOU WILL HAVE MORE PEOPLE HOPEFULLY THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, AND IF THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT LIKE A TIME PERMIT ISSUE, THEY CAN DO WHAT OTHER RACES DO YOU HAVE A CERTAIN TIME THRESHOLD THAT YOU HAVE TO HIT? YES.
UM, AND IF YOU DON'T HIT IT, YOU JUST PULL IT OFF.
YEAH, I THINK, YEAH, YOU, YEAH, YOU WERE FIRST AND THEN COUNCILOR JOINER, I PUT THIS OUT, UM, IN THE WARD SIX COMMUNITY ABOUT YOU INCREASING IT AND WAS AMAZED AT THE AMOUNT OF PERSONS THAT RESPONDED BACK IN AND OUT OF THE WARD THAT THEY WOULD WANT THE 10 K OPTION.
UM, IT'S SOME RUNNERS IN THIS CITY AND THEY REALLY WANTED THE 10 K OPTION.
AND WHAT'S THE AGE LIMIT ON WHO CAN ENTER THE RACE? BECAUSE I, I HAD SOME TEENAGERS HIT ME UP AND I WASN'T SURE IF THEY YEAH, TEENAGERS CAN, TEENAGERS CAN DO IT.
BUT I MEAN THEY HAD THE KIDS FUND RUN IN THERE.
UM, I THINK THEY WERE LIKE YOUNGER RUNNERS THAT RUN ACROSS.
ONE GENTLEMAN SAID, I RUN CROSS COUNTRY NOW, NOW I WILL DO THE RACE AT 10 K, 5K.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO IT WAS INTERESTING TO UH, GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THE WARD SIX COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY EN LARGE THAT WAS HITTING ME BACK.
'CAUSE I PUT THE QUESTION OUT THERE AND UM, SO YEAH, I, I WOULD SUPPORT IT.
UH, COUNCILOR JOIN OR VICE MAYOR JOIN? YEAH, I, I GUESS I, I'M JUST CONCERNED THE RECOMMENDATION, I WAS WONDERING IF, IF SOMEBODY MIGHT BE AMENABLE TO A FRIENDLY, UH, AMENDMENT TO CHARGE AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND THEIR STAFF TO EXPLORE ADDING THIS OPTION TO THE CITY POINT FIVE K RACE IN OCTOBER.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT PROVIDES SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, FROM, THAT ALLOWS THE PARKS AND REC
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DIRECTOR TO GET IT TOGETHER WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER.AND THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY COME UP WITH SOME REASON THAT THEY CAN'T DO IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF SHOVING IT DOWN.
SO IF THEY, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IF THEY EXPLORE THEN WE ARE JUST SENDING IT BACK TO BE EXPLORED, BUT RIGHT NOW NOT VOTING ON AN OPTION.
WELL, YEAH, I MEAN I TO, I MEAN I CERTAINLY THINK THAT, YEAH, WELL IN THAT CASE EXPLORE THEM, JUST EXPLORE THE MAXIMUM THEN.
BECAUSE THEY CAN BRING US BACK INFORMATION THAT CAN GO PAST THAT 10 K.
THAT WE WANNA EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, FIVE, 10, AND 15 K YEAH.
UH, SO WE TALKING ABOUT EXPLORING OPTIONS.
UH, DO WE DO ANYTHING FOR THE HANDICAPS? I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A SPECIAL RUN.
WE DO PART OF THE CITY POINT BECAUSE I, I'VE SEEN, UM, FOLKS FROM LAST YEAR.
I'VE SEEN PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, STROLL, UH, FOLKS.
BUT YEAH, I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT, HUH? I THINK THEY DO KIDS, KIDS.
I THINK THEY HAVE A KID THING AS WELL.
SO THE, THE ENDED MOTION COUNCILOR HOLLOW, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT AMENDMENT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND I'M IN FAVOR, UM, OF THAT AMENDMENT.
SO THE MOTION IS TO CHARGE AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND HER STAFF TO, UH, EXPLORE THE OPTION OF ADDING A 10 K, A 15 K AND UM, I GUESS WE CALL IT A SPECIAL, SPECIAL RACE.
UM, SO, I MEAN, IF I HEARD THE AMENDMENT CORRECTLY, YOU SAID COUNSELOR, UH, ELLIS GOTTA ENTER THE RACE.
COUNSELOR ELLIS GONNA DO THE RACE.