[00:00:05]
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER.
CAN I GET A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR? PARDON? HERE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE, UH, TUNED IN ONLINE? NO, WE DO NOT.
[CLOSED MEETING ]
UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER PERSONNEL MATTERS, INCLUDING BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTEES, CITY CLERK CONTRACT, CITY CLERK, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, PROCESS PLANNING COMMISSION.KEEP HOPEWELL BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD, HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL DISTRICT 19, HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND THE COMMUNITY POLICY AND MANAGEMENT TEAM, VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 37 11 A 29 AND EIGHT TO DISCUSS THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.
AND TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS, DISCUSSION OF AN UNSOLICITED OFFER OF REAL ESTATE, PROPERTY INSURANCE, CONTRACT, AND VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A EIGHT TREASURERS AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCES DUTIES AND CODE OF CONDUCT.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND PROPERLY SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
WOULD Y'ALL LIKE TO DO THE PARTS THAT WE CAN'T BE IN THERE ON THE BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL JOIN YOU AFTER? YEAH.
A LOT OF THAT SHOULDN'T TAKE VERY LONG AT ALL.
[RECONVENE OPEN MEETING ]
CERTIFICATION FOR PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE, WHERE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS, LAWFULLY EXEMPT FROM OPENING MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.MOTION DISCUSSION IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY, UH, UH, CERTIFICATION? YES.
AT THIS TIME IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT LATONYA DOCTOR AND BRENDA PELHAM TO THE COMMUNITY PLANNING MANAGEMENT TEAM COMMITTEE? UH, ROSALYN CAPERS TO DISTRICT 19.
CHRIS LOFSTROM TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD.
AND TODD BUTTERWORTH TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WHAT WAS THE OTHER, THE, THE OTHER TWO? 'CAUSE OF OUR INTERVIEW.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST ONE YOU WERE SAYING? CPMT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
[WORK SESSION ]
UH, MOVING ON TO OUR WORK SESSION.FIRST UP IS CHIEF RUPERT, UM, MR. MAYOR.
MR. UM, AND MEMBER CITY COUNCIL.
I JUST WANT TO, BEFORE WE GET STARTED INTO THE PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.
TONIGHT WE HAVE THE FIRE BUDGET PRESENTATION, WHICH IS THE LAST PRESENTATION OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND THEN NEXT WE'LL HAVE EXPENDITURES, CIP AND, UM, OUTSIDE AGENCIES, WE DO NOT EXPECT TO HAVE ANY, UH, CONVERSATIONS.
UM, JUST PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.
UM, THE BUDGET IS REQUIRED TO BE BALANCED BY APRIL 1ST, AND THEN, WHICH APRIL THE EIGHTH, WE WILL PRESENT A BALANCED BUDGET AFTERWARDS.
WE, UH, FOR THE NEW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, WE TAKE THE TIME THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF APRIL TO LOOK AT THE BALANCE BUDGET, AND COUNCIL WILL GET AN OPPORTUNITY AT THOSE FUTURE BUDGET MEETINGS TO, UM, UM, UM, ADJUST THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, UM, TALK ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES, UM, AND THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE BUDGET.
UM, AND, AND FROM THAT POINT ON, IT'S JUST TWEAKING UNTIL WE GET TO, UM, PRE, UM, PRESENTING IT TO THE PUBLIC IN MAY.
MAYOR MARTIN, VICE MAYOR JOYNER AND COUNCIL.
[00:05:01]
UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET TONIGHT.UM, I ALWAYS LIKE TO START OFF WITH A, UH, JUST A REAL QUICK REMINDER OF, OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO.
UH, JUST, UH, JUST NOT, NOT LONG AGO ON THE 14TH, WE, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A CALL FOR SMOKE AND RESIDENCE THAT QUICKLY, UH, WAS UPGRADED TO, UH, UH, STRUCTURE FIRE.
UPON ARRIVAL, ONE OF THE, UH, RESIDENTS WAS ATTEMPTING TO, UH, PULL SOMEONE OUT, UH, WHO HAD BEEN BURNT AS WELL AS, UH, UH, SMOKE INHALATION.
UH, THEY ASSISTED THAT PERSON OUT AND THEN WENT IN FOR THE SECOND.
THERE WAS A SECOND INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD ALSO BEEN BURNT AND WAS, UH, ALSO SUFFERING FROM SMOKE INHALATION.
THE, UH, THE FIRE CREWS, UH, EXTINGUISHED THE REMAINDER OF THE FIRE, UH, THAT WAS THERE.
AND THEN, BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE, UH, UH, AIRCRAFT AVAILABLE TO, UH, TRANSPORT THESE FOLKS DIRECTLY, UH, WE HAD TO GROUND TRANSPORT.
UH, THESE, THESE FOLKS, THEY WERE BOTH IN A VERY CRITICAL CONDITION.
UH, WE HAD TO, UH, EVENTUALLY USE EIGHT PERSONNEL WHILE 13.
UH, THAT'S ON DUTY TO TRANSPORT THOSE TWO FOLKS BECAUSE OF THEIR, THE SEVERITY OF THEIR CONDITION.
ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY HAD TO BE, UM, UH, SURGICALLY CORRECTED ON THE WAY DUE TO THEIR, UH, UH, THE CONDITION OF THEIR AIRWAY.
UM, BOTH OF THEM, HOWEVER, UH, ARE AT VCU.
UH, ONE OF 'EM HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF OF VENT AND IS, UH, CONTINUING TO IMPROVE, UH, CONTINUING TO RECEIVE, UH, TREATMENT FOR, UH, BURNS.
AND THE SECOND INDIVIDUAL IS STILL ON VENT, BUT THEY'RE IMPROVING, AND THEY'RE SLOWLY GONNA BE, WE THEM OFF OF THEM.
THEY HOPE TO BE OFF OF THAT SOON.
SO, UH, BOTH OF THOSE IN INDIVIDUALS, UM, AGAIN, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE, THAT'S THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF WHAT WE DO.
AND, AND TONIGHT YOU'LL SEE IF, AS PART OF MY PRESENTATION, THAT, THAT MY FOCUS IS ON EMS. UH, WE DO, WE DO BOTH.
UM, AND, UH, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CALL, REALLY THE, THE ESSENCE OF WHAT WE DID WAS THAT EMS, UH, RESPONSE, THE, THE TREATMENT AND THE TRANSPORT OF THOSE TWO, UH, FIRE VICTIMS. UM, SO AS I USUALLY ALWAYS SPEAK TO IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHAT OUR RESOURCES ARE PERSONNEL WISE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE NFPA, THE NATIONAL STANDARD FOR, UH, A, A SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURE FIRE IS 16 PERSONNEL, AS I JUST MINUTE, UH, MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO.
UH, WE FIELD 13 ON A NORMAL DAY.
AND, AND, AND FOUR OF THOSE, AT LEAST FOUR OF THOSE ARE DEDICATED FULL-TIME TO THE AMBULANCE.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A SECOND, UH, UNIT THAT'S CROSS STAFFED WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, LADDER TRUCK.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S FOR JUST A REGULAR RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE, UH, UH, GARDEN STYLE APARTMENTS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THOSE HERE IN THE CITY.
UH, RE REQUIRE 28 PERSONNEL, UH, TO RESPOND.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE RESPONDING WITH THE SAME, UH, 13 FOLKS.
UM, I HAD DETAILED A LITTLE BIT THE END OF LAST YEAR, OB I KNOW SOME OF YOU WEREN'T ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME.
UM, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AS FAR AS EMS, UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS, WELL, HAS BEEN HONESTLY, UM, UH, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF EMS PERSONNEL ARE, EMS PERSONNEL RUN A LOT OF CALLS.
THEY RUN 85, ABOUT 85% OF THE, OUR CALL VOLUME.
UM, AND, UM, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY RUNNING THERE.
IT'S A VERY, VERY HIGH RATE OF, OF USAGE.
AND, UM, THAT, THAT USAGE, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, RESULTS IN BURNOUT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS A, THIS IS A GRAPH OF OUR EMS CALL VOLUME OVER THE YEARS, UH, YOU CAN SEE WHERE, UH, HEC, THE H****R EMERGENCY CREW, UM, FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, UH, 2012 THROUGH 17, THEY HAD A PAID CREW THAT THEY WERE PAYING TO SUPPLEMENT, UM, THE LACK OF VOLUNTEERS.
THEY HAD TO, TO FULFILL THE CALL VOLUME.
UM, IN 2017, THEY, THEY, UH, DISCONTINUED THAT.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BETWEEN 2017 AND 2023, UH, OUR EMS CALL VOLUME IS ESSENTIALLY DOUBLED.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL TO, UM, TO COVER THOSE RESPONSES.
UM, SO, UH, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS, UM, UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT A, UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT A CHANGE IN OUR SCHEDULE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, ON A, ON A REGULAR DAY, IF WE'RE NOT WORKING A LOT OF OVERTIME, WE REALLY NEED 18 A LS PROVIDERS, UH, TO, TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE OUR, OUR EMS, UH, CALL VOLUME.
AND, UM, THE END, TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE DOWN TO 11.
SO WE HAD, WE WERE A, WE HAD A SEVEN PROVIDER DEFICIT.
UM, AND, UH, AND SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO, UM, DO ALL OF THE, PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE ALWAYS HAD.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, UH, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF TIMES WHEN OUR, OUR MEDIC THREE WAS STAFFED WITH AN EMT ENHANCED, UM, WHICH IS, UH, A SLIGHT, SLIGHTLY LESS, UH, CAPABILITY THAN, UH, UH, A PARAMEDIC.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO TIMES WHEN SOME OF OUR ENGINES, UH, WERE NOT ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY FIRST RESPOND OUT
[00:10:01]
TO CALLS WHEN AN AMBULANCE IS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.UM, AND SO, UH, THAT, THAT DEFICIT AND, AND THE FACT THAT WE WEREN'T REALLY ABLE TO RECRUIT ANYONE.
WE HAD, UH, YOU KNOW, IN SIX MONTHS OF RECRUITING, UH, WE HAD ONE, UH, VIABLE APPLICATION, AND THAT PERSON FAILED OUR PROCESS.
UM, THEY, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO PASS OUR TESTING PROCESS.
UH, AND SO WE ESSENTIALLY HAD NO, NO ONE APPLYING FOR THESE POSITIONS.
AND SO WE MADE, YOU KNOW, HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT CHANGING OUR SCHEDULE FOR, UH, A LS PROVIDERS.
AND WE CHANGED TO A 24 72 SCHEDULE.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME, UM, WE KNEW THAT THAT MEANT THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO ADD A, ANOTHER SHIFT, UH, IN ORDER TO COVER THAT 24 72 SCHEDULE FOR OUR EMS PROVIDERS.
UM, BUT WE KNEW THAT WE, UH, WITH OUR PAY BEING BELOW EVERYONE ELSE IN THE REGION, UM, AND REALLY HAVING NOTHING ELSE TO OFFER FOLKS, AND, AND WITH THESE PEOPLE BEING BURNED OUT WITH, WITH THE LEVEL OF CALL VOLUME THAT WE HAD, WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING, UH, THAT WE COULD OFFER FOLKS THAT WOULD ATTRACT THEM TO THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
UM, AND SO WE, WE MADE THE CHANGE, UM, KNOWING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD BE COMING TO YOU ASKING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
AND OF COURSE, THIS WAS ALL OUTLINED IN A MEMO THAT I SENT, UH, LAST YEAR.
UM, AND SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD NINE VIABLE APPLICATIONS.
UH, WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY HIRED FOUR OF THOSE FOLKS.
AND THEN THREE OF THOSE ARE IN PROCESS.
AND ACTUALLY THE THREE IN PROCESS, I THINK SINCE I CREATED THIS, I THINK, UH, TWO OF THOSE, UH, ARE, ARE COMPLETED.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE MADE HUGE STRIDES, UM, AS FAR AS RECRUITING, UM, BUT, BUT PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THAT CHANGE IN SCHEDULE.
UM, 'CAUSE THIS IS A HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER SCHEDULE.
UH, AND IT'S NOT OFFERED IN THIS AREA VERY, VERY MUCH.
THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER LOCALITY, AND THEY ARE THE LOWEST PAID
AND SO, UH, THIS HAS REALLY HELPED US TURN THE CORNER AS FAR AS OUR A LS CAPABILITIES.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, UH, MY PERSONNEL REQUEST THIS YEAR IS I NEED THREE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS TO FILL OUT THAT LAST SHIFT.
SO WE HAVE ALREADY SWITCHED OVER TO THE 24 72 FOR OUR A LS PROVIDERS.
UH, WE HAVE, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE JUST STAFFED THEM WITH LESS PEOPLE.
SO THERE'S NOT, UH, SO, SO WE WENT AHEAD AND STAFFED ALL FOUR SHIFTS, BUT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO FILL OUT THE SHIFT.
UM, SO WE NEED, UH, THOSE ADDITIONAL THREE, UH, POSITIONS TO BE ABLE TO FILL OUT THE, THE, THE REST OF THAT, UH, UH, CADRE OF FOLKS.
UM, THAT ESTIMATED COST IS $219,621 AND 54 CENTS.
UM, THAT INCLUDES THEIR, THEIR BENEFITS AS WELL.
UM, THEN WE, I ALSO ASKED FOR ANO ANOTHER THREE, UH, ADDITIONAL FOLKS FOR OUR, OUR SHIFT.
UM, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO ALLOW THAT THIRD MEDIC AS, AS I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER, OUR MEDIC AND OUR LADDER ACROSS STAFF.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS, WHICHEVER CALL COMES IN FIRST, THOSE FOLKS JUMP ON THAT PIECE OF APPARATUS AND THEY GO OUT THE DOOR.
SO IF A FIRE CALL COMES IN FIRST, THEY'RE GONNA BE ON THE FIRE APPARATUS.
THEY GO OUT THE DOOR ON THE FIRE APPARATUS.
IF AN EMS CALL COMES IN FIRST, THEY GO OUT ON THE EMS CALL.
UM, GETTING THESE THREE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WILL ALLOW US TO, TO STAFF THAT MEDIC, UM, UH, MORE OFTEN.
AND, AND, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, FIELD THAT MORE OFTEN WITH THE, THE ADDITION OF THOSE THREE PEOPLE, THAT THAT COST IS 2 0 8 8 9 4 23.
UM, FINALLY, AS FAR AS THE PERSONNEL AREA OF REQUEST, UH, I'VE ASKED FOR 48,854, AND THIS IS TO FUND, UH, OUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT TO US AS WE GO FORWARD AS FAR AS RETENTION, IS TO HAVE A PLACE FOR OUR, UH, OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO GO AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO INCREASE THEIR CAPABILITIES, THEIR BENEFIT TO US AS FAR AS THEIR TRAINING LEVELS, BUT ALSO THEIR PAY.
UM, AND, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, THE CLASS IN COMP STUDY, AND I HAVE THIS ON THE, THE SCREEN AS WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTING THE, THE CLASS IN COMP STUDY, THE RESULTS OF THAT ARE REALLY GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS FAR AS RETENTION.
UH, BUT THIS, UM, UH, REQUEST AS WELL IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM A, A CAREER PATH, UH, FOR THOSE WHO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SMALL DEPARTMENT, SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUPERVISION PEOPLE WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY LOOK AROUND AND THEY LOOK AT THEIR OPPORTUNITIES AS FAR AS ADVANCEMENT IN THEIR CAREER, UH, THEY SEE THEY'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF YOUNG OFFICERS.
UH, MOST OF OUR CAPTAINS ARE, ARE YOUNG AND EARLY IN THEIR CAREER, AND SO THEY WANNA SEE A PLACE FOR THEM, THEM TO GO.
THEY WANNA SEE A PLACE FOR THEM TO MOVE.
AND SO CAREER DEVELOPMENT, UH, GIVES THEM THAT.
I KNOW YOU ALL, UH, GRANTED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEIR CAREER DEVELOPMENT LAST YEAR, THE UF, THEY WERE ABLE TO, TO RE-IMPLEMENT THEIR CAREER DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROGRAM LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE ARE ASKING FOR THAT THIS YEAR SO THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, GIVE OUR, OUR FOLKS, UM, UH, A PLACE TO GO AS FAR AS THEIR, THEIR, UH, CONTINUED CAREER.
UH, AS FAR AS CAPITAL REQUESTS, UM, FIRST OF ALL, UM, THIS IS JUST A, A REMINDER.
UM, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THIS, AND I KNOW IT'S, I HOPE THAT IT REMAINS HIGH ON YOUR, YOUR RADAR, UH, STATION ONE IS, UH, WILL BE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD IN 2026,
[00:15:01]
UH, AND STATION TWO WILL BE 75 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.SO, UM, BOTH STATIONS ARE VERY OLD.
UM, BOTH, BOTH OF THEM ARE IN, IN DIRE NEED OF REPLACEMENT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WOULD, UM, NOT DO ME JUSTICE TO, TO GET UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT CAPITAL WITHOUT AT LEAST MENTIONING THAT AND REMINDING EVERYBODY OF WHERE WE ARE.
UM, AS FAR AS APPARATUS NEEDS, UM, WE ARE IN NEED OF ORDERING A NUMBER OF APPARATUS.
UH, WE NEED TO ORDER TWO ENGINES AND TWO AMBULANCES.
UH, THE, THE LEAD TIMES ON THIS APPARATUS HAS GOTTEN EXTREME AS WELL AS THE COSTS.
UM, IT USED TO BE, UH, THAT WE WOULD HAVE A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO LEAD TIME ON A FIRE ENGINE, UH, MAYBE A YEAR ON AN AMBULANCE.
WE ARE NOW AT THREE TO ANYWHERE BETWEEN TWO AND A HALF AND FOUR YEARS ON AN ENGINE.
UM, AND WE'RE ABOUT TWO YEARS ON AN AMBULANCE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO GET OUT AHEAD OF, OF OUR NEEDS, AND WE HAVE TO ORDER AHEAD OF OUR NEEDS.
UM, I KNOW, UH, FROM THE LAST, UH, COUNCIL MEETING THAT I WAS HERE WHEN I WAS ORIGINALLY GONNA PRESENT, UM, I WAS VERY EXCITED TO HEAR YOU ALL TALK ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL NEEDS AND, AND, AND TRYING TO LOOK AHEAD AND TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF CAPITAL NEEDS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THE PAST, UM, AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A COMPLAINT OF COUNSEL IN THE PAST, IS THAT WE, UM, WAIT UNTIL IT'S AN EMERGENCY, UM, WAIT UNTIL THINGS ARE, ARE FALLING APART, AND THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF.
AND THEN WE COME TO YOU AND WE HAVE THIS BIG, HUGE REQUEST.
UM, AND, AND THAT JUST DOESN'T, UH, BODE WELL FOR A BUDGET PROCESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PRICES OF SOME OF THIS APPARATUS.
SO, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HERE, UM, UH, ENGINES NOW, UM, ARE AT $1.3 MILLION.
UH, A, UH, AN AMBULANCE NOW IS OVER $500,000.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, MAKING THE REQUEST, IF I WERE TO ASK YOU TO TONIGHT TO FUND TWO ENGINES AND TWO AMBULANCES LIKE I NEED YOU TO DO, WE'D BE TALKING ABOUT A REQUEST OF $3.7 MILLION.
UM, I KNOW THAT THAT'S OUTSIDE OF ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF DOING.
AND SO, UM, I'VE, UH, FOR THE LAST YEAR I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A APP APPARATUS REPLACEMENT PLAN.
UM, AND THIS PLAN WOULD, UH, LOOK AT LEASING OPTIONS.
UM, IT WOULD ALLOW US TO REPLACE OUR, UH, ENGINES AT, UH, 10 YEARS.
OUR LADDER TRUCKS AT 15, AND OUR AMBULANCES AT 10, UH, AS WELL.
AND, UH, WHAT THIS WILL DO IS IT'LL ALLOW US TO, UH, KEEP THINGS ON THE ROAD LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
I CAN TELL YOU THE, THE ENGINES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE A, A 1986, UH, PIERCE THAT WAS, UH, DONATED TO US IN JANUARY FROM THE COUNTY OF NEW KENT, UM, AS A RESERVE PIECE.
THAT PIECE OF APPARATUS HAS NOT GONE OUTTA SERVICE, BUT FOR A COUPLE DAYS IN THE PAST YEAR.
SO THAT'S HOW WE, WE'VE, WE ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING OUTTA SERVICE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING TO KEEP OUR STUFF IN SERVICE.
UM, AND THAT'S, AND WE'RE, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW LOOKING AT ANOTHER THREE YEARS OR MORE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TRYING TO KEEP THIS APPARATUS AGAIN IN SERVICE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVICE THE CITIZENS.
UM, WHAT I HAVE PROPOSED, UM, IS, UH, IN THE, IN THIS LEASE PROGRAM OR LEASE, LEASE, UH, REPLACEMENT PLAN, UM, WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, LEASING THESE VEHICLES OVER THE COURSE OF SEVEN YEARS.
UM, THE LEASE PAYMENTS ON THE TWO AMBULANCES WOULD BE 1 170 6,594.
THE LEASE PAYMENT FOR THE, UH, FIRE ENGINES WOULD BE 4 56 180 3 FOR A TOTAL OF 6 3 2 7 78 43.
NOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I KNOW THAT'S A BIG NUMBER.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I, WHEN I MADE THE PLAN ONLY SIX MONTHS AGO, UH, THAT NUMBER WAS A LOT LOWER.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PRICES OF ANNUAL, UH, OF ENGINES HAS GONE UP ALMOST $300,000 IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE PRICES ARE JUST, THEY'RE, THEY'RE INSANE.
AND ALL, ALL FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND MUNICIPALITIES ARE DEALING WITH THIS SAME ISSUE.
UM, HOWEVER, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT EVEN WITH THAT, THAT COST, UM, WITH EMS REVENUE, UH, WITH SALARY SAVINGS, UM, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AS I, AS I'VE LOOKED BACK AT OUR HISTORY, AND I'VE LOOKED AT, UH, WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS OUR EMS REVENUES AND ALL, I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THIS CAN BE COVERED IF WE'RE ALLOWED AT THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, TO TAKE THAT, THAT, THAT EMS REVENUE THAT WE'VE MADE OVER AND ABOVE WHAT'S BUDGETED, UH, AS WELL AS OUR, OUR SAVINGS.
UM, AND PUT THAT INTO THE APPARATUS FUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE APPARATUS FUND WAS CREATED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UM, TO FUND THESE BIG TICKET ITEMS. UM, AND IF WE CONSISTENTLY PUT, UM, UH, THIS, THIS MONEY INTO THAT APPARATUS REPLACEMENT FUND, THAT EVERY YEAR WE'LL BE PAYING THOSE LEASE PAYMENTS, AND YOU WON'T SEE ME COMING BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR $3 MILLION, UH, FOR APPARATUS.
UM, AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO ORDER AND REPLACE THESE AT THE, AT THE RATE THAT I HAVE, UH, INDICATED TONIGHT, UM, UH, WITH REALLY A, A, A MINIMAL
[00:20:01]
IMPACT TO THE BUDGET IF WE'RE ALLOWED TO TAKE THOSE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AND USE THEM AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO ROLL INTO THAT FUND.UM, SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO, TO, UM, CONSIDER THAT THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO, TO LOOK AT CAPITAL ON A LONG-TERM PLANNING, UH, UH, OPTION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUALLY REPLACE OUR STUFF, NOT HAVE THOSE BIG TICKET ITEMS POP UP, UH, ON US, UM, AND, UM, AND KEEP OUR APPARATUS IN SERVICE.
UM, I DID HAVE TWO LINE ITEM INCREASES THAT I REQUESTED.
WELL, ONE WAS MORE OF A, UH, A NEW, THERE'S A THIRD ONE THAT WAS MORE INFO INFORMATIONAL.
UH, AS FAR AS ACTUAL LINE ITEMS. THE FIRST IS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION LINE.
THIS IS A NEW LINE WE CREATED THIS YEAR, AS YOU KNOW.
UH, WE WERE AT A PLACE WHERE WE WERE AT 16 POSITIONS DOWN.
UM, WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF THINGS TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UH, WE HAD TO PAY FOR, UH, PAID ADVERTISEMENT IN SOCIAL, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WE'VE ALSO HAD TO INVEST IN AN ADDITIONAL, UH, RECRUIT SCHOOL.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE THAT WE HAD TO STEAL FROM OTHER, UH, COBBLE TOGETHER FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE BUDGET TO TRY TO MAKE THIS WORK, UM, AND, AND PAY FOR THESE THINGS.
AND SO I'M ASKING FOR $33,000, UH, IN THAT.
SO THAT HELPS, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR ALL THOSE RECRUITMENT MATERIALS, PAY FOR ALL THE ADVERTISING, UM, AS WELL AS PAY FOR THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROOKIE SCHOOLS THAT WE NOW ARE HAVE TO DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, JUST BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIND PRE-CERTIFIED PEOPLE AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
UM, THE SECOND REQUEST THAT I HAVE IS A LEASE OF, UH, OUR LEASE OF VEHICLES LINE.
UH, LAST YEAR WHEN WE CUT BACK THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT WE WERE GONNA PURCHASE, I ALSO CUT MY BUDGET, UM, TO REFLECT THAT.
UM, UH, HOWEVER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE BACK TO LOOK AT GETTING THE REST OF THOSE VEHICLES THAT WE NEEDED.
UM, I ALSO NOTE NOTICED THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE QUOTE THAT WE ORIGINALLY GOT, WHICH WAS OUR BUDGET, UH, THAT WAS FROM, UH, ENTERPRISE, UH, WAS BASED ON A CERTAIN VEHICLE AND A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, SPECS.
UH, HOWEVER, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THAT.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE ENDED UP WITH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE, WHICH IMPACTED THE BUDGET.
AND SO THE, UH, THE $25,960 INCREASE IN THAT LINE WILL ALLOW ME TO, UH, ORDER THE TWO ADDITIONAL VEHICLES THAT I NEED TO REPLACE ON THE ENTERPRISE LEASING PROGRAM.
THE FINAL THING REALLY IS JUST, UH, THIS IS JUST, UH, MORE OF AN INFORMATIONAL PIECE.
I KNOW FINANCE DOES ALL THE BUDGETING AS FAR AS OUR, UH, OVERTIME AND OUR, AND OUR PERSONNEL.
UM, BUT BASED ON THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE AVERAGE, UH, UH, OVERAGE IN OUR EMS OVERTIME BUDGET, UM, I'VE ASKED THIS YEAR FOR $146,000, UM, UH, REQUEST.
AND IN THE PAST IT'S HAD ABOUT, UM, $25,000 IN THAT LINE.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY, AND THEN MYSELF.
I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A QUESTIONS, JUST SOME, UH, STATEMENTS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL, I THINK YOU WERE PROBABLY ONE OF THE, UH, FIRST PEOPLE THAT, UH, HAD A, A, A PRESENTATION WHERE YOU SEE, SEE THE NEW ADMINISTRATION WERE WELCOME, WELCOMING, TALKING ABOUT CAP, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS AND SO FORTH.
AND SO, AGAIN, UM, AND ALL THE DIRECTORS IN THE CITY HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE DONE WELL IN, IN THAT, UH, I'M HOPING AND PRAYING THAT, UM, OUR BUDGET, UH, LEADS US TO ANSWER SOME OF THESE REQUESTS AS, UH, ALWAYS SAY, UM, ALL OF OUR, UH, ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SAFETY, UM, AND ME LIVING AND MOVING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT,
AND THAT'S JUST ONE FIRE STATION.
AND I ALSO MAKE THE COMMENT, UM, THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE IN THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT, UH, WHEN YOU WERE MAKING COMMENT ABOUT THE RENOVATIONS TO SUCH OLD BUILDINGS.
AND YOU, AND, AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THIS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, UH, BUT COULD YOU ALSO EXPRESS JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR A SECOND, UH, WE HAVE TWO FIRE STATIONS AND, AND JUST EVEN REPLACING THOSE FIRE STATIONS WOULD BE ASTRONOMICAL, BUT WITH THE SIZE OF OUR CITY, UM, I THINK I HAD LEARNED, UH, WHILE I WAS OUT AT A CONFERENCE, THAT OUR CITY WOULD ACTUALLY, UH, IF, IF IT WERE IN BUDGET, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO AT LEAST HAVE THREE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
COULD COULD YOU EX EXPOUND ON, UH, THAT FOR A SECOND? SURE.
SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO RESPONSE TIMING, OF COURSE, THE NUMBER STATIONS USUALLY IS ALWAYS DRIVEN BY RESPONSE TIME AND, AND WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS ON THAT.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, BASED ON OUR CITY, UM, OUT TOWARDS, UH, BASICALLY WHERE WHAP IS, YES, IF WE COULD DROP A FIRE STATION RIGHT THERE, UM, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.
UM, UH, BECAUSE THE RIVER ROAD, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE RIVER ROAD AND, AND EVERYTHING
[00:25:01]
OUT THERE IS, IS OUR FARTHEST, UH, RUNTIME FROM BOTH STATION TWO AND STATION ONE.BOTH OF THEM, UH, STRUGGLED WITH OUT THERE, UH, IN THE SAME, YOU KNOW, RESPONSE TIME THAT THE REST OF THE CITY HAS.
SO IT WOULD DEFINITELY BENEFIT US, UH, TO HAVE A THIRD STATION RIGHT THERE.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT IN THE PAST.
UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, THAT THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE, UM, OUR BEST LOCATION.
NOW, I BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE OF COURSE, AS YOU SAID, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CANNOT AFFORD, BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR, UM, THESE POSITIONS.
UM, THE, THE ADDITIONAL, UH, SUPPORT IN PEOPLE BECAUSE, UH, BEING THAT WE ONLY HAVE TWO FIRE STATIONS AND EMERGENCY CALLS COME OUT, JUST LIKE THE ONE YOU JUST SPOKE OF EARLIER, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE TEAM IS OUT ON CALLS OR IN SOME, NOT EVEN AT WORK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ON SHIFT, UM, THAT THE, THE DISTANCE ALREADY CAUSES MUCH OF A BURDEN, UM, AND THEN EVEN MORE SO OF A BURDEN WITH LESS STAFF.
SO, UH, I, IT IS MY HOPE AGAIN THAT WE, UM, TAKE THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF SOMEONE, UM, HAVING A HEART ATTACK OR ANY OTHER EMERGENCY, UM, MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, SO MINE'S NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION.
MINE'S MORE OF JUST KIND OF A STATEMENT.
UM, I REALLY DO LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT YOU'VE PROPOSED, UM, ABOUT TAKING, YOU KNOW, YOUR EMS COLLECTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, BUDGET SAVINGS THAT YOU HAVE AND TRYING TO REINVEST THEM BACK INTO CAPITAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO RUN THEIR BUDGETS CONSERVATIVELY, SO THEN THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO EXACTLY LIKE WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD END UP HELPING US A LOT ON OUR, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL BACKLOG ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY.
UM, SO I MEAN, IF YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU DR.
MAKE CAN, YOU KNOW, TRY TO PROVIDE US, YOU KNOW, WITH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT NEEDS TO BE LIKE A POLICY, UH, PUT IN PLACE OR, UM, IT NEEDS TO BE LIKE A, A PRACTICE, BUT I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE THAT OPTION, UH, TO SEE IF WE CAN BRING THAT TO A REALITY.
I, I THINK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALREADY HAVE, THAT'S WHAT I THINK, UM, OF A POLICY IN PLACE TO REIN TO TAKE HIS SAVING, NOT HIS SAVINGS PER SE, BUT YOUR, THE MONIES THAT WE MAKE FROM, UM, THE AMBULANCE TO PUT BACK INTO CALLED IT.
UM, WE JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT STAGE.
IT'S BEEN GOING BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, BUT RIGHT.
THIS YEAR, UM, HE HAS BRUNG THAT TO OUR ATTENTION AND STACY, AND WE'RE WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT THAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF THIS BUDGET.
THEN I APOLOGIZE, I MISHEARD YOU.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE PROPOSING FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE SOME ACTION ON.
UM, NO, IT'S, IT'S IN THE BUDGET RESOLUTIONS.
SO IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
AND WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS STILL THERE, UM, I KNEW IT HAD BEEN THERE YEARS AGO.
UM, WHEN I REALIZED IT WAS STILL THERE, THAT'S WHEN I APPROACHED DR.
MKI AND MAKER AND, AND STACY ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTING IT MM-HMM
UM, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD, UM, UH, ALLOW THERE TO BE MINIMAL INPUT, YOU KNOW, IMPACT TO THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET, UM, BUT STILL ALLOW US TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK OF, YOU KNOW, REPLACING OUR APPARATUS IN A, IN A TIMELY FASHION.
UH, VICE MAYOR JOINER, AND THEN COUNCILLOR HARRIS.
I ALSO HAVE JUST A COMMENT, JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THE PRESENTATION WAS OUTSTANDING AND I JUST ALSO APPRECIATE THE INNOVATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY WERE INNOVATIVE WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE SCHEDULING TO TRY AND, AND RECRUIT THESE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
UM, AND EVEN THOUGH THIS IS AN OLD RESOLUTION, YOU'RE STILL BRINGING IT TO LIFE.
AND THEY WERE INNOVATIVE A FEW YEARS AGO, OBVIOUSLY, AND NOW WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF.
BUT, UM, JUST WANNA SAY THANKS, AND I THINK YOU ALL DO A GREAT JOB WORKING WITH, UM, UM, FIRE STATIONS THAT NEED A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT.
AND SO I THINK YOU DO A GRAND JOB AND MR. HOLLOWAY AND I CAME ON THE SAME TIME AND WE REMEMBER THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU GAVE US AS NEW COUNSELORS.
DID I, DID I HEAR YOU, HAVE YOU MADE A, A DETERMINATION YET WHERE A NEWS STATION WOULD BE? NO.
SO WE, WE HAVEN'T DONE AN, UH, AN OFFICIAL STUDY, BUT I KNOW JUST FROM ANECDOTAL INFORMATION, JUST FROM US KNOWING OUR, OUR CALL AREA, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UM, KNOWING WHAT THE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE LONGEST RESPONSE TIMES THAT WE HAVE IS USUALLY OUT THAT WAY.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S IT.
THAT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S JUST ANECDOTAL, JUST FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THE FIRE, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, AND KNOWING WHERE OUR LONGEST RUNS ARE IS OUT IN THAT AREA.
SO SOMEWHERE IN THAT VICINITY, UM, WOULD BE A, A GOOD LOCATION FOR OUR THIRD FIRE STATION IF WE WERE TO GET ONE.
SO IS THIS ROOM AT THAT, UH, THE STATION WAS GOING TO BE AT
[00:30:01]
ARLINGTON AND WINSTON CHURCHILL DRIVE? SO, YES, SIR.SO A COUPLE, THIS HAS BEEN, UM, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS PROPOSED THAT WE WOULD CONSOLIDATE DOWN TO ONE STATION.
UM, AND AT THAT POINT, THAT'S WHERE THAT STATION WOULD GO.
UM, IT WOULD BE A, A HUGE, UH, VERY LARGE, VERY EXPENSIVE STATION.
UM, I HONESTLY DON'T AGREE WITH THAT PLAN.
UM, I THINK THAT IT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR RESPONSE TIMES.
UM, AS COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY INDICATED, YOU KNOW, THE BEST CASE WOULD BE TO ACTUALLY TO GO TO THREE STATIONS.
UM, SO I, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO CONSOLIDATE TO ONE.
UM, AND SO, UH, WHEN WE ARE, AND I, AND I'VE ALREADY STARTED PLANNING ON TRYING TO, UH, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BUDGET, UH, A REPLACEMENT OF TWO, UH, FOR A COST SIMILAR TO WHAT THAT ONE MONSTROUS STATION WOULD COST.
UM, AND SO I'VE, I'VE, I'VE STARTED ALREADY LOOKING AT LOCATIONS.
I'VE ALREADY STARTED, UH, GETTING PLANS FROM SOME OTHER LOCALITIES ON SOME SMALLER STATIONS THAT ARE LESS EXPENSIVE.
UM, I HOPE THAT BY THE TIME, UH, THE CITY'S IN A POSITION TO, TO, TO, TO, TO PUT OUT A BOND IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE STATIONS, I'LL HAVE A NICE CLEAN PLAN THAT I CAN PRESENT TO YOU ALL AS FAR AS, UH, YOU KNOW, BUDGETING FOR TWO STATIONS AT LEAST, UH, VERSUS THE CONSOLIDATION TO ONE.
BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT THAT THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO CONSOLIDATE TO ONE AT THE ARLINGTON ROAD LOCATION.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU CHIEF.
ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MS. JORDAN.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UM, TALKING ABOUT THE APPARATUS FUND.
WHEN CHIEF RUPERT AND I SPOKE WITH DR.
MAKER, I THINK WOULD BE BEST IF WE, UM, ADMIT OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES TO INCLUDE MR. CAN YOU SPEAKING THE MICROPHONE IF WE AMEND OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES AND INCLUDE THE APPARATUS FUND PIECE AND OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES.
AND THIS JUST SAID ON THE BUDGET RESOLUTION, MR. MAYOR, I'M SORRY.
THIS IS KIND OF, WE NEED TO EXTEND THE, THE MEETING.
UM, CAN I GET A MOTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING UNTIL WE COMPLETE THE, UH, WAS IT R SIX? SO MOVED.
MOTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEE NO LIGHTS.
TONIGHT I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGETED, UH, PROPOSED EXPENSES FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
PRIMARY CITY PROGRAMS AND FUNDS INCLUDE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, ENTERPRISES, HEALTH AND WELFARE SCHOOLS AND DEBT EXPENSE FORECAST COME FROM PERSONNEL CALLS, SERVICES AND SUPPLIES CAPITAL AS WELL AS SCHOOLS.
THE EXPENSE STRATEGY FOR FISCAL 26 INCLUDES MAINTAIN OPERATIONS AT CURRENT LEVEL.
FUNDS NEEDED TO, UM, OPERATE CAPITAL AND REMAINING FUNDS IF AVAILABLE.
BUILD RESERVES IS REVENUES LEFT AFTER FUNDING CAPITAL, THE CLASS AND COMPENSATION IMPLEMENTATION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND RECREATION.
HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE OF 12% OR $600,000.
A COLA INCREASED 3% ACROSS THE BOARD.
STATE AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND CONSTITUTIONAL ALSO RECEIVED 3% ACROSS EXPENSE.
EXPENSE ASSUMPTIONS, EMPLOYEE SALARIES, 3% COLA INCREASE OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC SAFETY CLASS AND COMPENSATION IMPLEMENTATION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL AS POTENTIAL INCREASES FOR PARKS AND REC TO BRING THEM FROM 12 TO $15 AN HOUR.
HEALTH INSURANCE, THE CITY TO ABSORB 80% INCREASE ROUGHLY 500,000 AND THE REST WILL BE PASSED ON DEPARTMENTAL INCREASES.
UH, WERE PRESENTED TO MARCH 20TH TO COUNCIL CAPITAL AS DETERMINED BY DEPARTMENTS, ACTUAL FUNDING WILL BE BASED ON AVAILABLE REVENUE AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
OUR EXPENSES BY CATEGORY AND FUNCTION INCLUDE OUTSIDE AGENCIES, PLANNING NON-DEPARTMENTAL SCHOOLS, JUDICIAL PARKS AND REC, HEALTH AND WELFARE, SEWER, HRW, PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC SAFETY
[00:35:04]
EXPENSES BY TYPE OTHER SCHOOLS TRANSFERS, CAPITAL DEBT SERVICES AND SUPPLIES, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND PERSONNEL TRANSFERS, GRANT MATCHES AND CITY SHARES.WE HAVE OUR CITY SHARE FOR DSS TRANSFER TO SCHOOLS.
OUR SHARE FOR CSA AND CPMT TRANSFER TO RECREATION, OUR TRANSFER TO CAPITAL PROJECTS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE EDA TRANSFER FOR SELF-INSURANCE, DEBT SERVICES, AND AS WELL AS OUR MATCH FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES.
OKAY, ON PAGE NINE WE HAVE A LIST OF OUR OUTSIDE AGENCY REQUESTS.
WE HAVE BROKEN IT DOWN BY REQUIRED CONTRIBUTIONS, RECOMMENDED CONTRIBUTIONS AND DISCRETIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND OF COURSE THERE WAS AN INCREASE.
IT WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE TO CRATER DETENTION CENTER AS WELL AS RIVERSIDE REGIONAL JAIL FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR OF 280,000.
OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE LARGEST PIECE, IT WOULD BE FROM ENGINEERING OF 7.6 MILLION FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IMP UH, IMPACT ON OPERATIONAL BUDGET.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CIP AND OPERATING BUDGET IS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED DURING THE OPERATING BUDGET PROCESS.
CIP HAS THREE DIFFERENT IMPACTS ON THE BUDGET.
ANY PROJECTS FUNDED WITH GENERAL FUND RESOURCES MUST BE EVALUATED AND PRIORITIZED.
AND OPERATING LIFE CYCLES COSTS FROM IMPLEMENTATION SUCH AS STAFFING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS.
AND THERE ARE POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES FOR CIP, WHICH INCLUDE MONEY DIRECT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, LONG-TERM DEBT, REVENUE BONDS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS.
GENERAL FUND, THIS IS A WORKING DOCUMENT.
THE EXPENDITURES WERE TOTALED AT 69, UH, SIX, BUT NOW THEY'RE DOWN TO 69.
3 24 9 77 FOR UM, CHANGES TO POSITIONS AND SALARIES AND OF COURSE THE HEALTHCARE AFTER WE HAD, UM, APPROVED WHAT PLAN THAT THE CITY WAS GOING TO TAKE.
THE POLICE EXPENSES SERVICES APPLIES TO SLIGHTLY UP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AS WELL AS SALARY AND WAGES.
FIRE EXPENSES, WE HAVE AN INCREASE TO SALARY SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.
SLIGHT INCREASE TO VRS AND HEALTHCARE.
AND THEN OTHER PERSONNEL WHICH WOULD INCLUDE UM, LIKE UM, WHEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE, UM, HEALTH ASSESSMENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT DONE.
THAT'S INCLUDED OTHER PERSONNEL.
BUT IF YOU WANNA DO MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN, PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW AND I CAN PULL INFORMATION FOR YOU.
PUBLIC WORKS SERVICES APPLIES IS PRETTY STEADY AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
OTHER PERSONNEL, JUST A SLIGHT DECREASE.
HEALTHCARE OF COURSE IS AN INCREASE.
VRS AND THEN SALARIES AND WAGES.
SLIGHT DECREASE, BUT THAT COMES FROM DIFFERENT, UH, RESTRUCTURING SOME OF THE POSITIONS.
RECREATION SERVICES, SUPPLIES IS AN INCREASE.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IS PRETTY LEVEL.
OTHER PERSONNEL IS A SLIGHT INCREASE.
HEALTH OF COURSE IS AN INCREASE VRS INCREASE AS WELL AS PERSONNEL, SALARIES AND WAGES.
DEVELOPMENT WHICH IS INCLUDE, UM, PLANNING, CO COMPLIANCE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING GOING FOR OUTSIDE, UH, AGENCIES.
THAT'S ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE IN THE OTHER DEPARTMENT.
UH, FOR OUTSIDE AGENCIES, SERVICES AND SUPPLIES, SLIGHT DECREASE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, A LITTLE INCREASE.
YOU HAVE OTHER PERSONNEL CALLS, WHICH IS AN INCREASE.
BRS INCREASE AS WELL AS SALARY.
THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THERE WAS AN, UM, COMMUNICATIONS, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS.
A LOT OF THE INCREASE FROM CITY MANAGER'S.
BUDGET COMES FROM AN ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND FINANCE.
THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN SALARY OR WAGES THAT CAME FROM THE POSITIONS THAT WERE CREATED PREVIOUSLY.
VRS IS PRETTY MUCH, UM, LEVEL, JUST A SLIGHT INCREASE.
HEALTHCARE OF COURSE, INCREASE OTHER PERSONNEL CAUSE SLIGHT INCREASE.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OF COURSE
[00:40:01]
DECREASE BECAUSE WE NO LONGER HAVE THE RGD GROUP AS WELL AS SERVICES SUPPLIES.ALL RIGHT, ENTERPRISE FUNDS, HOPE OR WATER RENEWAL.
OTHER PERSONNEL SLIGHT INCREASE.
HEALTHCARE INCREASE VRS SLIGHT INCREASE AS WELL AS SALARIES AND WAGES.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE UM, BUDGET MEETING LAST WEEK WITH RW.
WE HAD ANOTHER MEETING TODAY AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE COMMISSION MEETING ON THE 15TH TO TRY TO FINALIZE HW R'S BUDGET.
OKAY, SEWER EXPENSES, INCREASE IN SERVICES AND SUPPLIES, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DECREASE OTHER UH, PERSONNEL.
SLIGHT DECREASE HEALTH VRS AND SALARY AND WAGES.
AND WE WILL GET AN INCREASE IN SOME OF THE STORM WATER FEES GIVEN THE, UM, CREDIT FROM INDUSTRIAL THAT WAS SWITCHED.
SO WE'LL SHOW AN INCREASE WHEN WE COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH THE REVENUES AND EXPENSES.
REFUSE SLIGHT INCREASE ON SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, SLIGHT INCREASE OTHER PERSONNEL.
SLIGHT DECREASE HEALTH INSURANCE.
IT'S KIND OF LEVEL, BUT THEY HAD SOME CHANGES IN THEIR PERSONNEL.
BRS AS WELL AS SALARIES AND WAGES.
STORMWATER SERVICES, SUPPLIES PRETTY LEVEL ACROSS.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE, SLIGHT INCREASE.
OTHER PERSONNEL, OH, DECREASE HEALTHCARE, DECREASE VRS, SLIGHT INCREASE.
AND THEN SALARIES AND WAGES, SLIGHT DECREASE.
AND WE HAVE OUR HEALTH AND WELFARE, WHICH INCLUDES SOCIAL SERVICES, CSA AND HEALTHY FAMILIES.
AND REMEMBER, SOCIAL SERVICES WILL BE RECEIVING A 3%, UH, INCREASE FROM THE STATE THIS YEAR.
AND WE HAVE CSAA INCREASE AND WAS WELL AS WELL AS HEALTHY FAMILIES.
AND THEY DID GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UM, THAT WAS COMING FROM, UM, I WANNA SAY PRINCE GEORGE AND DENWOODY I BELIEVE THIS YEAR.
THE DEBT SERVICE ISSUED IS JUST BROKEN DOWN BY HRW SEWER SCHOOLS AND GENERAL FUND.
AND THESE ARE THE, UM, WE HAVE OUR 2 15, 2 14, 2 11 A.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE JUST SHOWS YEAR OVER YEAR, UM, HOW OUR DEBT WILL INCREASE AS FAR AS THE PAYMENTS ARE CONCERNED, AS WELL AS FOR UTILITIES AND TAX SUPPORTED DEBT PAYMENTS.
ONCE WE GET THE 2028, WE'LL HAVE A TREMENDOUS DROP AS FAR AS OUR DEBTS, PAYMENTS ARE CONCERNED AND FREE UP A LOT MORE MONEY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS A LOT MORE CAPITAL ON OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CITY.
OKAY, SCHOOLS WE'RE DOING OUR STANDARD, UM, CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOOLS, 13,580.
AND THEN THE LAST FEW SLIDES ARE THE CAPITAL DETAIL, WHICH WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL THURSDAY WHEN THEY DID THEIR DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS.
BUT THIS IS THE DETAIL LIST BREAKDOWN FOR, FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? I KNOW I KIND OF WENT THROUGH THAT FAST.
ALRIGHT, DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS.
[REGULAR MEETING ]
OKAY, WELL THAT CLOSES OUT OUR WORK SESSION AND WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING.SO I WILL CALL THE REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER.
CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR? PARDON? HERE.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME, UH, COULD I HAVE THE PRAYER DONE BY PASTOR BLOW, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BY MYSELF.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS MEETING TODAY.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR WAY IN THIS MEETING.
FATHER, YOU SAID IF WE WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE YOU IN ALL OUR WAYS, YOU WOULD DIRECT OUR PATH.
SO FATHER, WE'RE ASKING YOU, LORD, TO BLESS THIS CITY COUNCIL, BLESS THEM LORD GOD, TO HONOR YOU IN ALL THEIR DECISIONS.
[00:45:01]
AND FATHER, WE PRAY THAT THIS CITY WILL BE LIKE A CITY SET UPON A HILL THAT CANNOT BE HIDDEN, THAT YOU WOULD BLESS IT AND LET IT LORD GOD MEET ITS BUDGETS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT IT IS TRYING TO DO FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY.WE ASK YOU, LORD GOD, TO BLESS IT.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR MIDST.
LET US BE ON ONE ACCORD WITH ONE MIND.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR US.
WE PRAY THIS IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS.
I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD.
INDIVIDUAL WHO? LIBERTY JUSTICE LAW.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
AT THIS TIME, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNSELOR JOYNER AND SECONDED BY COUNSELOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEE NO LIGHTS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE REGULAR MEETING AGENDA? SO MOVED.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS]
OKAY.UH, COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.
UH, MADAM CLERK, DO YOU MIND READING THE STATEMENT? ALL MATTERS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE BY THE COUNSEL AND WILL BE APPROVED OR RECEIVED BY ONE MOTION AND THE FORM LISTED ITEMS THAT MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION UNDER COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZEN SECTION.
A COMMUNICATION 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 THEY RESIDE IN HOPEWELL, THEIR AWARD AND LIMITS COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
NO ONE IS PERMITTED TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION ON THE REGULAR AGENDA OF THE MEETING.
ALL REMARKS SHALL BE ADDRESSED AT, ADDRESSED TO THIS COUNCIL.
AS A BODY, ANY QUESTIONS MUST BE ASKED THROUGH THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
ANY PERSON WHO MAKES PERSONNEL IMPER, ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS OR INSIGHTS, DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARRED BY THE MAYOR FROM FURTHER AUDIENCE BEFORE COUNCIL AND REMOVED, SUBJECT TO APPEAL TO A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL ZEROS 4 0 5 AND 4 0 6.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY.
[REGULAR BUSINESS ]
MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR BUSINESS.GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, TONIGHT WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS THE HEALTH INSURANCE RENEWAL.
UM, INCREASE, UH, MARY JONES FROM WENDY WILL BE PRESENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, ARE YOU GONNA BRING THE PHONE PRESENTATION? AH, THERE WE GO.
SO AS FAR AS THE, UH, RENEWAL FOR THE UPCOMING PLAN YEAR, WHICH BEGINS JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR, UM, THE LOCAL CHOICE RENEWAL, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, IS COMING IN AT A 12% INCREASE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE MEDICARE ELIGIBLE RETIREES ON THE PLAN THAT HAVE THEIR SERVICES THROUGH THE LOCAL CHOICE PROGRAM AS WELL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE PREMIUMS ARE INCREASING FROM TWO 18 TO 2 32.
UM, WE ALSO, ONE DIGITAL DOES AN ANALYSIS OF THE, UH, RENEWAL AS WELL.
AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE OUR ASSESSMENT IS COMING IN A 13.9% INCREASE.
UM, THEREFORE THE TLC RENEWAL IS FAIR BASED OFF OF THE ASSESSMENT THEY HAVE GIVEN US.
I'M GONNA GO OVER TWO OPTIONS.
SO WE HAVE OPTION A AT THE TOP OF THE, UH, SLIDE HERE.
UM, THIS OPTION IS SHARING THE INCREASE WITH THE EMPLOYEES.
SO THE CITY IS ABSORBING A PORTION AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE ABSORBING A PORTION OF THE INCREASE.
SO AGAIN, THE TOTAL INCREASE IS 12%, WHICH IS, UH, ABOUT $620,000 TOTAL OF THAT.
IN THIS SCENARIO, THE CITY WOULD ABSORB ABOUT 508,000 AND THE EMPLOYEES WOULD ABSORB, ABSORB ABOUT 112,000.
[00:50:01]
B AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDE IS JUST SHOWING YOU THE ILLUSTRATION.IF THE CITY WERE TO ABSORB THE ENTIRE INCREASE, UM, AT THE, SO TO BE THE TOTAL INCREASE OF THE $620,000, A COUPLE, UM, ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO CHANGE.
UM, 'CAUSE CURRENTLY YOU OFFER THREE PLANS, ONE OF WHICH IS CONSIDERED A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN THAT CAN BE PARTNERED WITH THE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
UM, THE DEDUCTIBLES WILL BE CHANGING AS OF JULY 1ST, UH, WHICH IS DICTATED BY THE IRS.
UH, SO ANYBODY WHO PARTICIPATES IN THAT PARTICULAR PLAN.
IN ORDER FOR IT TO CONTINUE TO BE A QUALIFIED PLAN, THE DEDUCTIBLES HAVE TO INCREASE FROM 3,200 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AND 6,400 FOR, UH, IN ANYBODY WHO COVERS THEIR INDEPENDENCE TO, UH, 3,300 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AND 6,600 FOR ANYBODY WHO COVERS THEMSELVES AND DEPENDENT.
UH, ONE THING TO NOTE IS THE OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUMS WILL NOT, THAT THOSE WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED.
UH, 'CAUSE YOU ARE PART OF THE RE UH, THE LOCAL CHOICE PROGRAM, UM, THEY REQUIRE THE DECISIONS FOR THEIR RENEWAL, UM, TO BE SUBMITTED BY APRIL 1ST.
AND OPEN ENROLLMENT, UM, MUST BE CONDUCTED BETWEEN MAY 1ST AND MAY 15TH.
UM, SO IN SUMMARY, UM, ULTIMATELY WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO CONTINUE WITH THE SAME PLANS THAT YOU OFFER TODAY.
SO CONTINUING WITH THE THREE MEDICAL PLANS THAT ARE ON, UH, OFFERED TO THE EMPLOYEES TODAY.
AND OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO GO WITH OPTION A, WHICH IS UP, UH, SPLITTING THE INCREASE WITH THE EMPLOYEES.
SO THE CITY WOULD ABSORB A PORTION AND THE EMPLOYEES WOULD ABSORB A PORTION.
SEEING NO, UH, LIGHTS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE OPTION A FOR THE HEALTH ASSURANCE ADOPTION? I SO MOVED.
UH, SECOND IT, UH, COUNCILLOR HARLEY, DID YOU HAVE YOUR LETTER ON FOR DISCUSSION OR YES.
WHERE'S YOUR GAP? WHERE, WHERE'S YOUR GAP? JUST WRITE IT UP.
UH, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, UH, ON, ON BEHALF OF OUR, ON BEHALF OF OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, UH, FOR, UH, DOING THEIR RESEARCH AND COMING BACK FOR THE, YOU KNOW, TO COUNSEL ABOUT THE, UH, BEST NUMBERS, UM, POSSIBLE.
UH, SO, UH, I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT ON BEHALF OF THE EMPLOYEES AND OUR CITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, OTHER LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME BACK TONIGHT.
UM, IF YOU'LL A MEMBER AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, UH, WE DID AN, A REGULAR BUSINESS, A, UH, PRESENTATION THAT WAS ABOUT, UM, AN EARMARK FUNDING REQUEST.
WE WANTED TO SUBMIT FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND.
AND THIS WOULD BE FOR THE HOPEWELL COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, AIR CONDITIONING AND LOCKER ROOM UPGRADES.
UH, JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS, UH, IS OUR OPPORTUNITY ONCE A YEAR TO SUBMIT THESE REQUESTS TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON, DC ESSENTIALLY, AND ASK THEM TO PUT IN THEIR BUDGET DIRECTING THIS, UM, MONEY, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND, WHICH IS A, UH, HUD EARMARK.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, UH, PROVIDED THE, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, A RESOLUTION FOR YOU.
SO WHAT, WHAT I'M ASKING TONIGHT IS IF YOU WOULD, UM, VOTE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION THAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR, UM, PACKET AND IN THE AGENDA MEETING.
AND WE WILL PROCEED WITH, UH, THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK TO, UM, SUBMIT OUR REQUEST TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE EARMARK REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 26? UH, FEDERAL HUD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND? SO MOVED.
MOTIONS MADE BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOYNER.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I'M WEARING MY WATER HAT TODAY,
[00:55:01]
AND THANKS TO MR. BENNETT, HE DID A GOOD INTRO.UM, SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LAST WEEK TALKING ABOUT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, SO OUR EARMARK REQUEST AND TODAY, CAN YOU PUT THE PRESENTATION FOR THIS? YES, THANK YOU.
UM, SO WE LOOKED AT POTENTIAL PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF THE TREATMENT PLANT FENCE, UH, FOR WHICH BASED ON THE DEBERRY REPORT, THERE ARE PLENTY.
UM, SO I'VE HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE TOP ONES.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR EARMARK WOULD BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT CITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS, START TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS. UM, BASED ON THE BERRY REPORT IN MARCH OF 2024, UH, THE FOLLOWING, THE FOLLOWING PUMP STATIONS WERE RECOMMENDED FOR FULL REPLACEMENT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WE CAN TOUCH THE FULL REPLACEMENT WITH THESE FUNDS.
THE COSTS ARE JUST TOO SIGNIFICANT.
UM, BUT THOSE WOULD BE MANCHIN HILLS, NORTH COLONIAL AND SHERWOOD LANE.
UH, THIS YEAR, MARK WOULD GIVE US THE, THE FLEXIBILITY TO PURSUE THESE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, AND OR UPGRADES REHABILITATION AT ANY NUMBER OF THESE PUMP STATIONS.
UH, BASED ON THAT SAME REPORT, I'VE LISTED OUT 10 PUMP STATIONS HERE THAT RANK AS HIGH PRIORITY.
AND MOVING THROUGH THAT I'VE ATTACHED A COUPLE SAMPLE BUDGETS FROM THE BERRY REPORT THAT WOULD OUTLINE SOME OF THE COSTS.
UM, IF THE TOTAL COST HELD TRUE AT THE SIXTH AVENUE PUMP STATION $238,000, UM, WITH $2 MILLION TOTAL 1.6 IN FEDERAL FUNDS, WE CAN START TO CHIP AWAY AT SOME OF THESE HIGH RANKING PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THE SAME IS TRUE FOR ATWATER PUMP STATION AND I DID NOT GO TO THE LIBERTY OF ATTACHING THEM ALL.
THAT'S A RATHER LENGTHY DOCUMENT THAT, UH, DOES OUTLINE THE REHABILITATION NEEDED AT THESE FACILITIES.
UH, BUT THE COST DO START TO MOUNT, UM, YOU SEE ROUGHLY BETWEEN 200 AND $600,000 FOR EACH PUMP STATION FOR WHICH WE HAVE 19.
UM, SO THIS EARMARK WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS STARTING TO CHIP AWAY AT THOSE, UM, AT THE NEEDS OF THE PUMP STATIONS.
UH, AND ALONG THE SAME VEIN, I THINK WE HAVE A RESOLUTION PREPARED, UH, THAT WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU APPROVE TONIGHT TO ALLOW US TO SUBMIT OUR FEDERAL EARMARK, WHICH DOES REQUIRE THE CITY TO, IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL, TO MATCH UM, 20%.
UM, AS MENTIONED, UH, LAST WEEK AND PRIOR, AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
SEEING NO LIGHTS FOR QUESTIONS, DO WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE THE FEDERAL EARMARK FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL AS PRESENTED? I QUESTION.
CAN YOU CLARIFY WHERE, WHERE THOSE FUNDING, IF, IF APPROVED WOULD COME FROM SEWER BUDGET? IF THIS EARMARK IS APPROVED THROUGH CONGRESS, IT WOULD LIKELY HAPPEN MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS GONNA PUT US INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR OF REQUESTING FUNDING FOR PUMP STATION UPGRADES.
IT'S A RATHER LENGTHY PROCESS.
SO THIS RIGHT NOW IN CONCEPT, THE RESOLUTION SUPPORTS US PUTTING IN THE APPLICATION FOR THE YEAR MARK.
IT'S NOT A BUDGET AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND, UM, SPEND THAT 20%.
IT'S JUST ALLOWING US TO APPLY, COME BACK AND APPROPRIATE THOSE SPOTS.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GETTING AHEAD.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MAY YOU READ MAYOR, VICE MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? UM, WE TOO ARE REQUESTING, UM, FEDERAL EARMARK FUNDING, EXCUSE ME, EARMARKED FUNDING REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY AND WE HAVE A RESOLUTION PREPARED AS WELL FOR APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EARMARK FLOCK EXPANSION TECHNOLOGY RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED? I DO.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY? ABSOLUTELY.
OKAY, MR. CROCKER, YOU'RE BACK.
[01:00:01]
UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, MR. CROCKER AND I WORKED TO DRAFT UP A RESOLUTION FOR THIS PROPOSED REALLOCATION OF FUNDS.I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE PLACE IT ON THE NEXT MEETING'S AGENDA FOR MR. CROCKER TO PRESENT IT FOR CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON IT.
THEN, BECAUSE IT IS A BUDGET REALLOCATION THAT'S LESS THAN 1% OF THE CITY'S TOTAL ANNUAL BUDGET.
IT DOES NOT, IT WOULD NOT NEED TO BE, UM, PUT THROUGH THE, THE SAME, UM, TWO READINGS PROCESS.
IT COULD BE VOTED ON AT THE, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO ALL IS EVERYONE IN FAVOR OF TABLING IT.
I'M IN FAVOR OF TABLING AND I'M ALSO, UH, VERY INTERESTED IN, UH, THIS STATEMENT THAT CHANGES THE TRAJECTORY OF EVERYTHING WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN 1% OF THE CITY'S BUDGET DOES NOT HAVE TO GO FOR A SECOND REASON.
THAT'S QUITE, THAT'S THE REASON.
THE, WHEN A BUDGET IS MORE THAN 2%, UM, THAT REQUIRES A BUDGET, UM, RESOLUTION, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE WHOLE ENTIRE BUDGET CHANGES.
WHEN IT'S LESS THAN 2%, IT DOESN'T NEED TWO READINGS.
SO, UH, MORE THAN 2% REQUIRES TWO PUBLIC READINGS.
LESS THAN 2% CAN JUST BE VOTED ON THAT.
THE ONLY, THE ONLY REASON I, I, I MADE THAT STATEMENT 'CAUSE WE, THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BOUGHT BEFORE IS THAT WE JUST LIKE, OH NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE, CAN'T DO IT UNTIL THE SECOND READING HAS BEEN WAY LESS THAN NOW.
THIS 1% OF THE, THE, OR 2% OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET OR JUST THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
UH, IN CASE YOU'RE CURIOUS, THIS IS, I, I DON'T, I, I APOLOGIZE.
MAN, IT'S 1%, BUT IT COMES FROM 15.2 DASH 2 5 7 A.
I TOOK YOUR WORD FOR IT,
MOVING ON TO R SIX, MR. GASTON, OR MR. CROCKER, WHICHEVER.
I KNOW YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO GIVE THAT HAT UP ONE DAY.
MR. WHY? GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
UM, MY NAME IS JAMES GASTON II.
I AM A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
TO MY RIGHT, YOUR LEFT IS MR. HANGLEY, AND OF COURSE WE'VE GOT MR. CROKER, WHO IS HEAD OF THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
UM, RECENTLY THE COUNTY OF PRINCE GEORGE ASKED THE CITY IF THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED OR WE'D BE INTERESTED IN ALLOWING 2 MILLION GALLONS OR MGD AS THEY LIKE TO CALL IT, UH, PER DAY TO BE, UM, SIPHONED OVER TO THE WATER RENEWAL PLANT.
UM, WITH THE LETTER THAT THEY SENT TO US, THEY ASKED US FOR FIVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
UM, WE, ALONG WITH OUR HDR REP, MR. HENLEY AND MR. CROKER RESPONDED TO THOSE REQUESTS.
AND, UM, IN ESSENCE, WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 9 MILLION PER DAY.
THEY ASK FOR 2 MILLION PER DAY FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARK THAT IS GOING TO BE BUILT IN PRINCE GEORGE.
THEY NEED THE ANSWER, IF YOU WILL, BY APRIL 1ST, OR THEY'LL LOSE ON A 10 MILLION, $10 MILLION GRANT IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS NO SPECIFICS.
THERE'S NO DETAIL, THERE'S NO CONTRACT.
THE COUNTY OF PRINCE GEORGE JUST NEEDS A FORMAL AGREEMENT OR LETTER THAT SAYS IF THIS PROJECT GETS OFF THE GROUND AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO PICK HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL AS THE SOURCE, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS FOR THEM, UM, THAT THIS LETTER WOULD ALLOW US, ALLOW THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE $10 MILLION GRANT.
AND LIKE I SAID, MARCH 19TH, WE SUBMITTED THE LETTER, WE ANSWERED THEIR QUESTIONS.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE STILL DEBATING NEXT STEPS.
AND I, I GUESS IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO, WENT TO PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, THE SUBJECT WAS RAISED.
I ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED FROM THE COMMISSION AND IN PRINCE GEORGE.
AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO MAKE THEIR DECISION.
[01:05:01]
NOT TO OUT HAVE THEIR, UM, $2 MILLION ALLOCATION TO US.THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS, BUT THIS GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET THE COMMONWEALTH KNOW THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ANOTHER $10 MILLION GRANT, WHICH EXPIRES APRIL 1ST.
THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF MY PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE MR. HENLEY FROM HDR AND I HAVE MR. KER WHO IS WEARING MANY HATS TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
I THINK, UH, IT'S AWESOME THING THAT, UH, FOR THE SURROUNDING AREAS TO HAVE INTEREST IN, UM, OUR, OUR WATER RENEWAL.
COULD YOU TELL ME IN LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES FROM THE LAST, UH, CITY COUNCIL'S MEETING, UM, WHAT TYPE OF EFFECT THAT WOULD HAVE GIVING AN ANSWER NOW, WILL WE BE IN A POSITION, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT WITH THE CURRENT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE? SO I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS WE HAVE THE HYDRAULIC CAPACITY TO SERVICE THEIR DEMANDS.
UM, WE, DESPITE OUR CHALLENGES AT THE PLANT, WE ARE MEETING LIMITS.
UM, THE 2 MILLION GALLON PER DAY IS NOT AN IMMEDIATE INFLUX.
UM, WE DO HAVE TIME TO WORK ON SOME THINGS THAT THE PLANT, HOWEVER WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT FORWARD LOOKING VISION, WE ARE A SOURCE FOR THEM TO SEND THEIR WASTEWATER TO.
UM, I THINK IT, IT'S A, IT'S CERTAINLY A GOOD OPTION FOR THE CITY TO BE POSITIONED WHERE WE ARE TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT, ACCEPT THAT FLOW.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK IT CREATES ANY, UH, BURDENSOME CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW, EVEN WITH WHAT WE'RE FACING IN TERMS OF, UM, REPAIRS AND THINGS WE NEED TO MAKE IT THE PLAN.
UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND WITH THAT ANSWER TO THE SATISFACTORY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO, UH, WELL, BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE DO HAVE H UH, HDR THAT HAS COME FROM OUT OF TOWN.
HE HAS A PRESENTATION THAT HE PRESENTED TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO OH, ABSOLUTELY.
SHARE, UM, SOME, SOME OF THAT PRESENTATION HE DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH AT ALL, BUT THERE ARE SOME TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT COUNSEL HAS FROM THAT PRESENTATION THAT WAS PRESENTED TO, UM, THE COMMISSION AS WELL.
UH, THANK YOU THAT SHE HAS PRESENTATION.
SO WE SHOULD, WE ALREADY, THIS WAS PIECE, YOU GOT IT? YEAH.
COULD YOU, COULD YOU OPEN THAT LAPTOP UP FOR HIM? THAT'S OKAY.
I HAD SOME SLIDES THAT PUT IT IN A BETTER FORMAT FOR, UH, HE DOESN'T NEED IT.
YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, AT A HIGH LEVEL, SO HDR WAS ENGAGED.
SO WE, WE EVALUATED THE, UH, CURRENT CAPACITY OF THE TREATMENT FACILITY THERE BASED ON WHAT THE FACILITY WAS DESIGNED FOR AND WHAT IT'S CURRENTLY RECEIVING.
UH, THERE'S A, THERE, IT'S A REALLY COMPLEX FACILITY.
I THINK YOU PROBABLY HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT, UM, IT'S DESIGNED IN A SOMEWHAT UNIQUE WAY IN THAT THE DOMESTIC FLOW HAS TO BE TREATED IN A SEPARATE TREATMENT TRAIN FROM THE INDUSTRIAL FLOWS THAT ARE ALSO DISCHARGED TO THE FACILITY.
UH, SO THAT, UH, REALLY LIMITS WHERE THIS ADDITIONAL FLOW COULD GO.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE SUR THAT'S WHAT WE BASED OUR EVALUATION OFF OF, WAS THE CAPACITY OF THE DOMESTIC TREATMENT SIDE TO ACCEPT THIS ADDITIONAL FLOW.
AND, UH, ONE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST FLOW.
IT'S NOT JUST MILLIONS OF GALLONS A DAY.
IT'S ALSO THE CONTAMINANTS THAT COME WITH THAT.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT CAPACITY, WE LOOK AT FLOW IS ONE PIECE OF IT, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE ORGANIC LOADING, THE SOLIDS, LOADING THE NUTRIENT LOADING, SO NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS.
AND, UH, BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT, AND AGAIN, THIS WAS COMPARING THE CURRENT FLOWS AND LOADS TO THE DESIGN BASIS, WE DIDN'T DO A DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE FACILITY IN ITS CURRENT STATE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE.
BUT AGAIN, BASED OFF OF COMPARISON TO THE DESIGN BASIS, THE ONLY PARAMETER, UH, THAT EXCEEDED THE DESIGN BASIS IS SOLIDS LOAD.
UM, SO THE SOLIDS COMING IN TO THE DOMESTIC TREATMENT SIDE IS ABOUT 50% HIGHER THAN IT WAS DESIGNED FOR.
UH, EVERYTHING ELSE IS ABOUT 40% LOWER.
SO FLOW NUTRIENTS, ORGANIC LOADING.
SO FROM, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THERE IS CAPACITY, BUT THERE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT CHALLENGE ASSOCIATED
[01:10:01]
WITH THE SOLIDS, UH, COMING INTO THE FACILITY.UH, THERE HASN'T BEEN REALLY LIKE A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS OR ANYTHING DONE TO, UH, ASCERTAIN WHAT THE SOURCE OF THAT IS.
THE SAMPLES WERE BASED OFF OF, UH, AN ANALYSIS DONE IN THE COLLECTION SYSTEM, SO NOT AN IMPACT OF RECYCLED STREAMS AND THE TREATMENT PLANT FROM THE SOLID HANDLING PROCESS OR ANYTHING, SOMETHING IN THE COLLECTION SYSTEM, EITHER A DISCHARGE OR JUST A SAMPLING METHODOLOGY THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE SKEWING THE NUMBERS.
BUT REGARDLESS THAT THE DATA THAT WE ASSESSED SHOWED THAT THE TSS WAS HIGH, THAT, I'M SORRY, THE SOLIDS IN THE COMING INTO THE PLANT WAS HIGHER THAN IT WAS DESIGNED FOR MM-HMM
UM, SO THE, THE REPORT GOES INTO A BIT MORE DETAIL ON THAT.
I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT HERE, BUT, UM, I'D SAY THAT'S THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY.
AND THEN ASSUMING THAT SOMETHING IS DONE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE WITH THE SOLIDS LOADING AND THE ASSOCIATED ISSUES IT CAUSES AT THE PLANT, UM, BRING THAT BACK DOWN CLOSE TO THE DESIGN RATE OR THE DESIGN BASIS OR MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO ALLOW THE FACILITY TO PROCESS THAT HIGHER SOLIDS LOADING, THEN THAT FREEZE THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RESTORES THAT CAPACITY THAT IS, UH, CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE BECAUSE OF THE SOLIDS LOADING.
SO IF THAT CAN BE DONE, THEN UM, PROBABLY GO DOWN TOWARDS THE LAST PAGE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, TELL ME THEN WE ALSO CONSIDERED, UH, THE FOR FORECASTED GROWTH WITHIN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW, THAT YOU WEREN'T SACRIFICING ANY CAPACITY YOU NEEDED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE.
UM, SO JUST UP ONE MORE PAGE PLEASE,
UH, PROBABLY TOWARDS THE END OF SECTION FIVE TWO HERE.
UH, DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER UP A LITTLE MORE, YEAH.
AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE AND THEN ZOOM IN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM SO FOLKS CAN SEE.
SO THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT, AGAIN, ASSUMING THE SOLIDS ISSUE IS RESOLVED, UH, AND IN THE NEAR TERM CAPACITY, THERE IS ABOUT FOUR MGD OF AVAILABLE CAPACITY IN THE TREATMENT PLANT TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FLOWS.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS WAS MENTIONED, THIS IS BEYOND THE, THE TWO MGD REQUESTED IN THE NEAR TERM.
THE CHALLENGE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN THAT 15 YEAR TIMEFRAME, THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 3.6 MGD OF FLOW AVAILABLE, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, OTHER SOURCES TO DISCHARGE.
SO IT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE THE FULL FIVE MGD REQUESTED BY PRINCE GEORGE.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
UH, COUNSELOR HOLLOWAY AND THEN MYSELF.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION, QUESTION FOR YOU.
NOW IN LIGHT OF WHAT I JUST ASKED THE OTHER GENTLEMAN, I'M NOW IN CONCERN AGAIN, YOU SAID THAT THERE'S A 50%, UM, HIGHER SOLID CHALLENGE THEN WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE IN AT THIS MOMENT WHERE WE ARE.
HOW WOULD WE THEN INTAKE MORE? YEAH.
SO THAT CHALLENGE NOT BE RECTIFIED? YES.
SO WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IS ANY INFLUX IN NEW WASTEWATER IS GONNA DICTATE SOME SORT OF PROJECT OR PROCESS REVISION.
UM, THE DETAILS OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH PRINCE GEORGE, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, ARE NOT YET WORKED OUT.
UM, THERE ARE PLENTY OF THINGS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO DO AT THE PLANT THAT SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CITY RELATIVE TO THAT FLOW COMING TO THE PLANT.
BUT THAT'S TO BE WORKED OUT IN AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY OF PRINCE GEORGE.
SO, SO THE AGREEMENT IS, IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE AGREEMENT HAS TO HAPPEN, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A CHALLENGE OF 50% OF SOLID IF THAT THE PRESENTER, WHAT WAS YOUR LAST NAME AGAIN? I APOLOGIZE.
MR. HELEY, UH, FROM HIS PRESENTATION, IT'S SAYING WE HAVE A CHALLENGE OF, UH, THERE BEING MORE THAN A 50% INCREASE IN SOLIDS.
INCREASE IN SOLIDS THAT THAT GOES BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF WHAT OUR SYSTEM CAN HANDLE AT THIS MOMENT.
SO GOING FORWARD INTO AGREEMENT TO ACCEPT MORE THAN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLY RAISING UP TO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS, BUT HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MAKE A A DECISION, YOU KNOW, OVERALL ANYBODY WANTS MORE BUSINESS, BUT IF THAT BUSINESS IS GOING TO ESSENTIALLY DISRUPT OR CAUSE PROBLEM, THEN WE, WE BITE OFF MORE THAN WE CAN CHEW.
HOW, HOW, HOW DO WE FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS Y'ALL PROFESSION, BUT EXPLAIN TO SOMEONE WHO IS NOT IN THAT PROFESSION AND OUR CITIZENS TO SAY, HEY, IT'S OKAY 'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT SOMETHING DISRUPTING THEN EVERYBODY GOT SEWER BACKUPS, YOU KNOW, FROM SURE.
SO RIGHT NOW THE QUESTION'S ABOUT ALLOCATION, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND WE HAVE 14 MGD OF ALLOCATION, NINE OF OF MAX MONTHS, WHICH WE
[01:15:01]
USE.UM, WE HAVE 2 MILLION GALLON PER DAY TO GIVE THEM.
NOW RELATIVE TO THE INFLUX OF THEIR FLOW AND WHAT THAT WOULD COST IN TERMS OF UPGRADE TO HANDLE THE ADDITIONAL SOLIDS THAT IS TO BE WORKED OUT, UM, AT A LATER DATE.
IT WOULDN'T BE WORKED OUT PRIOR TO US SAYING WE DO HAVE THE ACTUAL FLOW ALLOCATION TO GIVE THE DETAILS OF THAT PARTICULAR SOLIDS UPGRADE WOULD NEED TO BE DISCUSSED AS A PART OF BRINGING THEM INTO OUR SYSTEM.
NOW WHEN I LOOK AT IT, IF I'M THE COUNTY OF PRINCE GEORGE, I'M GONNA WEIGH WHAT PROJECTS ARE AVAILABLE TO ME.
UM, BLACKWATER TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH IS A LONG DISTANCE FROM WHERE THEY'RE, UH, AND ALSO HAS CAPACITY LIMITATIONS AND GEOGRAPHY LIMITATIONS.
THEY COULD BUILD THEIR OWN PLANT.
UM, BY VIRTUE OF MY FORMER JOB, I'VE SEEN WHAT THAT PLANT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND IT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN HELPING THE CITY OF HOPEWELL TO IMPROVE OUR SOLIDS PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT FLOW.
SO I THINK IT'S A CONSIDERATION IN THEIR MINDS THAT, UM, ANY UPGRADE THAT WOULD COME BY VIRTUE OF THEM SENDING THEIR FLOW HERE, THEY WOULD NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT COST SHARE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT UP FOR US TO REALLY PERFORM THAT UPGRADE.
THAT'S EXACTLY A TYPE OF RESPONSE I WAS LOOKING FOR.
UH, SO THAT, THAT ISSUE, UM, I THINK WILL DEFINITELY REST MY MIND IN THE CITIZEN'S MIND, UM, THAT THEY'RE PARTICIPATE IN THAT UPGRADE, WHICH WILL AGAIN BE A WIN-WIN ON BOTH SIDES.
UM, YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR, UH, WORK ON THIS.
I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A REALLY GOOD PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR THE CITY AND ALSO ENDS UP HELPING OUT PRINCE GEORGE, BUT IT REALLY GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUR WASTEWATER PLANT BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE AND BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE FOR STATE FUNDING, FEDERAL FUNDING BECAUSE IT COMES MORE OF A JOINT ENTERPRISE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE, THERE'S, THERE'S ALSO SOME REALLY GOOD, UH, YOU KNOW, LONG-TERM POSITIVE THINGS THAT CAN COME FROM THIS, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO IT RIGHT AND WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
UM, SO JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS, UH, FOR THAT.
AND SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ALLOCATION REQUEST OF 2 MILLION GALLONS A DAY TO PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOYNER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
THE MEETING HAS BEEN ADJOURNED.