[00:00:03]
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR? PARDON? HERE.
UM, WE GOT A COUPLE, ONE HOUSEKEEPING ITEM THAT WE NEED TO DO FIRST.
UM, IT'S BEEN ASKED, UH, FOR MR. ROGERS TO HAVE HIS CITY MANAGER'S REPORT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REGULAR MEETING RIGHT BEFORE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.
SO, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT TONIGHT'S, UH, AGENDA WITH THE REVISION TO HAVE MR. ROGERS CITY MANAGER REPORT BEFORE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS? SAME MAYOR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
COUNCILOR SI COULD NOT, I COULD NOT HEAR.
WE'RE ADOPT, WE'RE ADOPTING A REVISED AGENDA TO ALLOW, UM, MR. ROGERS TO DO HIS CITY MANAGER REPORT BEFORE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS TO DO COMMUNICATIONS FROM JOHN.
BEFORE I VOTE ON ANYTHING, YOU HAVE TO DO A VOTE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO VOTE.
FOR HIS REMOTE PARTICIPATION SHOULD COME FIRST.
THIS TIME IS THERE A MOTION TO ALLOW COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? SECOND.
AT THIS TIME, MR. HOLLOWAY, CAN YOU STATE FOR THE RECORD WHERE YOU'RE CONDUCTING THE MEETING FROM AND WHY YOU'RE ASKING TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? UH, YES.
I'M, I'M, I'M IN ROUTE, UH, AND IN COMING INTO HOPEWELL ON THE WAY FOR THE MEETING, ON THE WAY TO THE MEETING.
SO AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT OR REVISED AGENDA, UH, TO ALLOW THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT TO BEGIN RIGHT BEFORE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS SECOND MAY.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
UM, LET ME FOR, UH, QUESTION MR. UM, BASSETT, IF WE WANNA MAKE THIS A PERMANENT CHANGE, COULD WE JUST MAKE THIS, UH, UNDER THE CURRENT RULES IT CAN'T BE A PERMANENT CHANGE.
LIKE THE RULES ACTUALLY SET OUT WHAT THE OKAY.
WHAT THE ORDER OF, OF MEETINGS IS ON EACH AGENDA.
AND SO AS MUCH AS THE PAIN AS IT IS, IT HAS TO BE DONE EACH MEETING.
UNTIL WE CHANGE, UNTIL WE CHANGE THE RULES.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION YOU HAVE? DISCUSSION? YES.
UM, UM, I, I, DID, I NEED A CLARIFICATION ON EXACTLY WHAT WAS BEING ASKED BECAUSE I CAN'T HEAR IT.
YOU WANT ME TO HOLD IT DOWN? OKAY.
SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO ADOPT A REVISED AGENDA, AND THAT'S TO ALLOW MR. ROGERS TO DO HIS CITY MANAGER'S REPORT BEFORE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.
THEN HE WANTED TO, UH, I ALSO ASKED QUESTION, UH, FOR, UH, IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN, IN LIGHT OF HEARING THIS AND SEEING THIS LETTER FROM THE, UH, FROM THE, AS PRESENTED, THE LEGAL CITY MANAGER, DR.
MAN, TO, TO HAVE THIS IN DISCUSSION TONIGHT, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THING.
SO OUR ASK THAT COUNCIL WOULD ADD, BUT ALSO TO THE AGENDA, IT'S ON THE REVISED CLOSED SESSION THAT, UM, MOTION THAT HE'S PROVIDED US WITH.
I, I, I WASN'T ABLE TO SEE THAT.
SEEING NO OTHER LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
AT THIS TIME, UM, I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO
[CLOSED MEETING ]
CLOSE MEETING UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 37 11 A 29 AND EIGHT TO DISCUSS THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT WHERE DISCUSSION IN A OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.AND TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS, REAL ESTATE CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS, UNSOLICITED OFFER ON CITY OWNED REAL ESTATE, AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER PERSONNEL MATTERS INCLUDING
[00:05:01]
BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, SCHOOL BOARD AND ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD, AND VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A EIGHT DEMAND LETTER.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[RECONVENE OPEN MEETING ]
I HAVE A MOTION COME OUT A CLOSE SESSION, SO MAY 2ND.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER DURING DISCUSSION.
UH, THIS A MOTION? THIS IS, YES.
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 2D.
WERE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPT FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
CERTIFICATION PASSES SEVEN TO ZERO.
AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING UNTIL WE FINISH CCR? ONE SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOYNER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
UH, AT THIS TIME IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT, UH, MS. JENNIFER LOWRY TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD? SO MOVED.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
UH, MR. BASSETT, UH, CITY COUNCIL NEEDS YOUR RULING AS PARLIAMENTARIAN UNDER RULE 1 0 1.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF AGENDA ITEMS? SB ONE.
THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER AND SB TWO, THE MOTION TO TERMINATE, UH, THE FORMER CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT FROM THE MAY 1ST SPECIAL MEETING.
WAS THE VOTE TAKEN ON EACH OF THESE ITEMS EFFECTIVE? UH, MR. MAYOR? UM, ON THE QUESTION OF SB ONE, THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER THAT MOTION WAS UNTIMELY AND THUS INEFFECTIVE.
THE, UH, MOTION AND VOTE ON SB TWO, WHETHER TO TERMINATE THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WAS EFFECTIVE.
UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO OVERRULE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN? YES.
MOTION MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCILLOR STOKES.
COUNCIL, ABOUT DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS HONOR.
WELL, FOR THIS ITEM, THERE'S NO DISCUSSION.
A MOTION FOR THIS? FOR THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF MOTION? CORRECT.
MR. MAYOR, FOR, UH, FOR POINTS OF ORDER WHERE, WHICH THIS, THIS COUNTS AS A POINT OF ORDER AND FOR REQUESTS OF STAFF, UH, PROCEDURAL ITEMS LIKE THIS ARE, ARE NOT AGENDA ITEMS. THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE A, UH, A DISCUSSION PERIOD UNDER THE RULES.
CAN WE REPEAT? WE'RE SO YEAH, SO THE MOTION IS WHETHER TO OVERRULE THE PARLIAMENT HEARING.
[00:10:04]
COUNCILOR DAY.WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? TO REPEAT THE QUESTION? YEAH.
SO IT'S TO OVERRULE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN.
COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY TO OVERRULE THEM.
[WORK SESSION ]
UH, WE ARE MOVING ON TO OUR WORK SESSION FOR TONIGHT.UH, FIRST UP IS MS. JORDAN WITH THE CSA SUPPLEMENTAL.
EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, THIS AGENDA ITEM IS FOR SUPPLEMENTAL FOR A CSA BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND THE AMOUNT OF 1.5 MILLION.
WHICH OF ROUGHLY OF, UM, OF THAT 360,000 WOULD COME FROM THE CITY, WHICH IS, UM, 76% IS RE REIMBURSED BY THE STATE.
IT WOULD INCREASE THE BUDGET APPROPRIATION FOR 25.
AND I ALSO WANNA APOLOGIZE BECAUSE UNDER TIMING SAYS AUGUST 31ST, 2024 AND IT SHOULD BE 2025.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS, UH, A WORK SESSION ITEM AND THIS IS GONNA BE BROUGHT BACK FOR A VOTE IN TWO WEEKS.
UM, DOES COUNSEL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, ON THIS WORK SESSION ITEM? OKAY.
UM, I HAVE ONE QUESTION AS IT RELATES TO CSA.
UM, THERE WAS AN ISSUE, UH, THANK YOU.
UM, THERE WAS AN ISSUE, UH, THAT WAS BROUGHT UP TO COUNSEL'S ATTENTION, UM, THAT A FORMER MEMBER OF, UH, COUNCIL MS. PELHAM, UH, DISCOVERED THAT HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HER DISCOVERING IT AND REPORTING IT TO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD'VE BEEN FINED, YOU KNOW, A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS, WE STILL HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK ON THAT.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN FINED, NO, WE HAVE NOT BEEN FINED.
WE DO NOT SEE ANY FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN REGARDS TO THE AUDIT.
MAJORITY OF THE PAPERWORK THAT WAS OUTSTANDING THAT, UM, THE AUDITOR WAS LOOKING FOR HAS BEEN LOCATED, BUT THEY ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF CSR CSA AUDIT CURRENTLY.
UH, I ALSO LIKE MY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY, NEVERMIND, BUT YEAH.
MOVING ON TO NUMBER TWO FOR THE ORDINANCE, FOR THE DEPUTY, UH, CIRCUIT COURT CLERK COURT POSITION, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS APPROVED THE DEPUTY CITY CLERK FOR POSITION FOR THE 120 CIRCUIT COURT CLERK OFFICE IN THE, OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR JULY 1ST, 2025.
THE CITY HAS PROVIDED AN ORDINANCE TO BE ADOPTED TO ALLOW, UM, THE CIRCUIT COURT TO APPROVE TO, UM, RECEIVE THIS POSITION FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
STATE FUNDS OF 51,509, GENERAL FUNDS OF 18,000 OH 61.
THIS IS A ACCOUNT BOARD POSITION.
THE CITY IS ONLY RE UM, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, A SMALL PART OF THE FRINGE BENEFITS.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. JORDAN? WHAT DID, CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT LAST PART YOU JUST STATED? YES, MA'AM.
THIS IS A COMP BOARD POSITION, UHHUH, SO THE STATE PAYS MAJORITY OF THE SALARY AND SOME OF THE FRINGE.
THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY WOULD ONLY BE ABOUT $18,000.
THE REST OF IT WILL COME FROM THE STATE, ABOUT 55,000.
AND WE CAN, AND WE CAN AFFORD
THIS IS BEING BROUGHT UP IN TWO WEEKS.
THE LAST ONE IS, THE STATE HAS REQUIRED THAT THE CITY ADOPT AN ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES WITH BONUSES FOR BEGINNING IN DECEMBER.
THIS IS COMPLETELY STATE FUNDS THAT WILL COME TO THE CITY.
THERE IS NO GENERAL FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR THIS IN THE AMOUNT OF $44,761.
BUT THEY REQUIRE THE CITY TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE MATCHING.
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR MEETING.
UH, WE'RE GOING AHEAD AND CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER.
[00:15:02]
MAYOR.AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE THE PRAYER BY REVEREND BLOW, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG BY MYSELF.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
FATHER, WE ASK NOW, LORD, 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 GOD, THOUGH WE ARE IN A TIME, LORD GOD, OF UNREST, WE ASK THAT PEACE WOULD BE IN THIS ROOM, AND THAT YOU WOULD GIVE EVERYONE A CALMNESS, LORD GOD, THAT THEY CAN GET WHAT THEY NEED DONE AND THAT THINGS WILL HAPPEN THE WAY YOU WANT THEM TO HAPPEN.
FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE HERE, AND WE THANK YOU, LORD, THAT YOU WILL HAVE YOUR WAY.
WE HONOR YOU NOW IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF THE FATHER.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE ALREADY, UH, ADOPTED OUR REGULAR MEETING AGENDA WITH THE, UH, REVISION FROM EARLIER TODAY.
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR ELLIS.
UH, DISCUSSION, UH, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY.
UM, I, I WANT TO INVOKE THAT NOW.
MY, UM, I WANT TO OPEN NOW MY MOTION FOR, UH, PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, UH, FOR THE THREE MINUTES, I BELIEVE COUNCIL SET.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SET, UH, FOR THIS MEETING AS WELL, BUT, UH, I'M, I'M GONNA ENTER MY PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I DON'T NEED TO BE, WE SKIPPED OVER A, UH, WE SKIPPED OVER THE MATTER OF CAN YOU SET THE THREE MINUTES? WE, WE SKIPPED OVER A MATTER WITHOUT COUNSEL'S ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THE LETTER THAT WAS RECEIVED FROM, UM, DR.
UM, COUNCILPERSONS ALLOW THEIR VOTE IN OR WITHOUT CLEARING UNDERSTANDING.
UM, ON THE MEETING THAT NIGHT, THERE WAS A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION, AND WE WERE TOLD BY A COUNSELOR BY THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT THE MOTION, MOTION TO CONSIDERATION WAS OUTSET, BUT THEY LINED IT UP SO THAT THEY HAD A SEPARATE MOTION.
UM, AND SAID THAT THAT SECOND MOTION, INSTEAD OF BEING A RECONSIDERATION, WAS CONSIDERED A RENEWED MOTION THAT WOULD THEN ALLOW FOR THEM TO BRING UP, UM, THE SAME VOTE AGAIN WITHOUT THE SAME CONSEQUENCES.
UH, WHEN I ASKED THAT QUESTION THAT NIGHT, IT WAS VERY SPECIFIC THAT THIS WAS A THING OF RECONSIDERATION.
AND SO ALL OF COUNCIL, WELL, NOT ALL OF IT, I KNOW COUNCILOR HARRIS, COUNCILLOR STOKES AND I, UH, WERE NOT PRIVY OF THIS SET UP, BASICALLY, UM, SO THAT THEY COULD GO FORWARD IN HOWEVER THEY WANTED TO MOVE IN REGARDING GETTING RID OF THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY CLERK.
UH, I ALSO SPOKE ON THE, UH, ALSO IN THAT LETTER THOUGH, IS THE, UH, PART OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WHICH THE CITY ATTORNEY OPINE TO SPEAK TOWARDS BECAUSE, UH, AND INDEED IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THERE IS CONFLICT OF INTEREST THERE, AND I WANT TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF THAT.
UM, THE MAYOR STATED LAST TIME THAT THERE WAS SOME PERSONNEL ISSUES, AND I'VE GOTTEN PERMISSION FROM BOTH OF THEM, BOTH WILLIAMS AND MAKER.
UH, BUT THERE'S NO PERSONNEL ISSUES THAT WAS ON FILE THAT CAUSED US TO FIRE THEM, UH, AT ALL.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE CLERK ACTUALLY GOT A GOOD LETTER EMAIL, UM, THOUGH NEITHER ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY ENDED UP HAVING THEIR EVALUATION DONE.
[00:20:01]
SKIPPED THEIR EVALUATIONS FOR BOTH OF THEM.BUT THE CITY CLERK HAD RECEIVED FROM NOW VICE MAYOR JOINER, A LETTER COMMENDING THE TURNAROUND THAT SHE DID TO THE OFFICE.
SO I GOT 22 SECONDS, UH, COMMENDED HER IN HER JOB.
SO AGAIN, PERSONNEL ISSUE WAS NOWHERE NEAR, UM, THE SPARK OF THAT BECAUSE IF THEY HAD A PERSONNEL ISSUE, THEY WOULD'VE LET 'EM GO, UH, FOR THAT REASON.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY UNTIL WE SPEAK LATER ON THE MATTER.
UH, COUNCILLOR STOKES, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO ADDRESS, UH, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM ONE.
UM, TO MS. STACY, JORDAN, UM, WANTED TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE TO YOU, UM, FOR PERHAPS THE WAY I MAY HAVE COME OFF AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, AND I WANTED TO MAKE THAT PUBLICLY KNOWN THAT AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, I HAVE MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU WERE PRESENTING.
AND, AND TO OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER, Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR SCHEDULE TO GO OVER THE AGENDA ITEMS WITH ME AND TO HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND MORE SO ON WHAT MY ROLE IS ON THE AGENDA.
CAN YOU WE'RE THIS IS TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[INFORMATION/PRESENTATIONS ]
UH, MOVING ON TO INFORMATION PRESENTATIONS.UH, MR. SANDERSON, GOOD EVENING.
UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, JIMMY SANDERSON WITH DAVENPORT AND COMPANY.
WE ARE FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO, UH, TO THE CITY.
UM, WE, AND, AND MR. MAYOR, I CAN DO THIS HOWEVER YOU LIKE.
THERE'S SOME MATERIALS IN THE FRONT THAT I, I KEPT IN HERE A LITTLE REPETITIVE FROM WE DID BEFORE, BUT IF YOU WANT ME TO SORT OF GO THROUGH THAT QUICKLY, I'M HAPPY TO DO IT.
BUT THE, THE PRIMARY, UM, GOAL HERE IS TO LOOK AT OUR NOW FY 21 AUDIT, WHICH HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
RUN THAT THROUGH OUR, UM, OUR MODELING AS IT RELATES TO, TO MOODY'S IN PARTICULAR IN THE RATING TO SEE HOW WE CAME OUT VERSUS, UH, EARLY IN THE YEAR WHEN WE LOOKED AT FY 20.
BUT, UM, SO I'LL LEAVE THAT TO YOU, MR. MAYOR.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GO STOP IF ANYBODY WANTS ME TO STOP AND GO THROUGH ANYTHING MORE CAREFULLY.
BUT THE, THE FIRST PAGE THAT'S UP THERE NOW SHOWS THE OUTSTANDING DEBT, UM, OF, OF THE CITY.
WE LEFT IT AS OF, UH, JUNE, 2024.
OBVIOUSLY THIS NEW FISCAL YEAR ISN'T QUITE DONE YET, BUT WE'RE GETTING READY TO, TO END THAT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA PAY ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR DEBT OFF IN FY 25, WHICH IS, IS CURRENTLY ENDING.
SO, UM, ORIGINALLY IT WAS ABOUT 55.9 MILLION.
NOW THERE'S, UM, RIGHT AROUND THAT $30 MILLION LEFT OUTSTANDING.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, IS REALLY SOME BACKGROUND MATERIAL ON WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE BOND ISSUES WERE.
THERE'VE BEEN A NUMBER OF REF REFUNDINGS, REFINANCING OF BOND ISSUES OVER TIME AS WELL.
AND SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A PUZZLE THAT YOU'VE GOTTA PUT TOGETHER TO GO SEE WHAT THE ORIGINAL, UH, ORIGINAL BOND ISSUES WERE, WERE DONE FOR AND WHAT THE PROJECTS WERE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE, ON THE NEXT PAGE AS WELL.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUANCES, UH, GOING BACK TO, UH, LOOKS LIKE 1992 MIGHT BE THE EARLIEST ONE THERE.
THIS IS YOUR TAX SUPPORTED DEBT.
SO YOU'LL HEAR ME TALK IN A MINUTE ABOUT SOME UTILITY DEBT, BUT THIS IS DEBT THAT'S PAID, UH, INTENDED TO BE PAID FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, CURRENTLY AS OF AGAIN, UH, WITH, UH, JUNE OF 2024, ABOUT 32.6 MILLION OF DEBT OUTSTANDING ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT GRAPHICALLY, UM, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A STEP DOWN.
AND THAT'S TYPICAL IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, TYPE OF DEBT WHERE IT STEPS DOWN, UH, PERIODICALLY EVERY TIME THAT ALLOWS YOU TO BORROW DEBT IN THE FUTURE AND SORT OF LAYER IT IN WITHOUT HAVING AN IMPACT ON YOU FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS TO POINT OUT DOWN BELOW IN THE BULLETS, UH, SINCE 15, WE'VE PAID DOWN, UH, 30.5 MILLION OF DEBT.
IF YOU INCLUDE THIS FISCAL YEAR WE'RE IN, WE'VE PAID DOWN OVER 34 MILLION OF OUR DEBT.
OUR CURRENT PAYOUT RATIO IS 86%.
UH, THAT'S HOW MUCH DEBT WE PAY OFF OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
ANYTHING NORTH OF 60% IS A VERY STRONG PAYOUT RATIO WOULD BE, UH, BE SHOWING THAT YOU'RE PAYING YOUR DEBT RAPIDLY.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY HAS ALWAYS DONE IS, IS BROKEN OUT YOUR, WHAT I'LL CALL YOUR
[00:25:01]
GENERAL GOVERNMENTAL DEBT VERSUS YOUR SCHOOL DEBT.UM, WE HAVE BORROWED IN THE PAST, WE'VE, WE'VE MADE SPECIFIC INCREASES IN OUR REAL ESTATE TAX RATES TO PAY FOR SCHOOL DEBT, UH, OVER TIME.
SO WE BROKE THAT UP FOR YOU HERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GENERAL FUND DEBT, UM, IS, UH, 23.8 MILLION OF PRINCIPAL OUTSTANDING, WHAT WE'VE GOT LISTED AS A SCHOOL DEBT, UM, ABOUT 8.8 MILLION OF PRINCIPAL OUTSTANDING, UM, BOTH PAYABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN NOW AND THE, THE LAST, LAST FY 2039.
UM, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR RATING HISTORY.
UM, AGAIN, UM, GOING BACK TO EARLY 2010, WE STARTED GETTING SOME UPGRADES.
THE CITY WAS DOING WELL IN THE RATING.
FROM A RATING PERSPECTIVE, WE GOT AS HIGH AS THE, THE DOUBLE A CATEGORY FROM MOODY'S, S AND P AND FITCH.
AND YOU CAN SEE THERE, STARTING IN, IN 17 AND 18, THAT'S WHEN OUR RATINGS STARTED TO BE WITHDRAWN.
THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THAT WAS THE INABILITY, UM, FOR THE RATING AGENCIES TO ACTUALLY REVIEW OUR TIMELY AUDITS, SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIMELY MATERIAL TO REVIEW, SO THEY WOULD WITHDREW THE RATINGS.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THIS IS WHEN WE START GETTING TO UTILITIES.
UH, THERE'S TWO TYPES OF UTILITY BONDS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, ONE THAT WE CALL THE, THE REGIONAL WASTEWATER BONDS, WHICH RELATE TO THE, UM, THE REGIONAL FACILITY THAT INCLUDES THE, UH, INDUSTRIAL, UM, UH, COMPANIES AS WELL AS THE CITY.
THERE'S ABOUT 11 MILLION DEBT OUTSTANDING THERE.
AND THEN THERE'S WHAT WE CALL THE CITY SEWER, UH, SYSTEM BONDS, REALLY THE COLLECTION SIDE IN PARTICULAR, UM, THAT PAID FOR FROM THE COLLECTION SIDE.
AND THAT IS, UH, RIGHT AROUND 20 MILLION OF DEBT OUTSTANDING THERE.
AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'LL, WE'LL BREAK THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR YOU.
UM, IF YOU FLIP TO THE NEXT PAGE, THIS IS THE REGIONAL SYSTEM.
UM, DEBT DROPS DOWN CONSIDERABLY, UM, IN THE NEXT NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
BEGINNING AT FY 27 GOES FROM, UH, ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS OF DEBT SERVICE DOWN TO $320,000 OF DEBT SERVICE FROM THERE, FROM THAT.
UM, SO A PRETTY BIG DROP IN IN THEIR, THEIR BUDGETED DEBT SERVICE, UH, IN THE COMING YEARS.
UM, THIS IS THE, THE CITY'S SEWER SYSTEM DEBT.
UM, THIS IS LEVEL DEBT SERVICE, PRETTY TYPICAL IN A REVENUE PLEDGE, UNLIKE THE, THE GENERAL FUND SIDE WHERE YOU HAVE THAT STEP DOWN IN DEBT SERVICE.
UM, A UTILITY CREDIT OFTEN HAS LEVEL DEBT SERVICE, UH, THAT HELPS US FROM, IN PARTICULAR, FROM A BUDGETING PERSPECTIVE.
YOUR RATES YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO MOVE THEM UP AND DOWN IF YOUR DEBT SERVICE, UH, MOVES UP OR DOWN IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
SO, UH, ABOUT ALMOST 20 MILLION OUTSTANDING, UH, PAYABLE BETWEEN NOW AND FYFY 43.
THIS SYSTEM ON THE NEXT PAGE ALSO HAD CREDIT RATINGS, UM, THAT WE GOT IN 2000, 2009, 2010.
WE FIRST ISSUED BONDS FOR THIS, THIS CREDIT.
UM, AND THEY INITIALLY STARTED OUT IN THE, IN THE, THE SINGLE A CATEGORY, A ONE A PLUS, UH, AND ACTUALLY AA MINUS FROM FITCH.
UM, AGAIN, THOSE RATINGS WERE ULTIMATELY WITHDRAWN, UM, IN 2017, 2018.
AGAIN, DUE TO, UM, A LACK OF, UH, TIMELY AUDITS AND THE ABILITY FOR THE RATING AGENCIES TO, UM, TO REVIEW THE CREDIT.
UM, THIS WAS THE LAST, LAST A COUPLE BULLETS FROM THE LAST, UH, RATING REPORT FROM MOODY'S.
UM, AGAIN, WE WERE, WE WERE IN A STRONG POSITION THEN.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS, BUT, BUT OFTENTIMES THE RATING REPORT THAT YOU GET FROM THE RATING AGENCIES WILL TELL YOU WHAT, WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE YOUR RATING GO UP, AND WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, UM, TO MAKE YOUR RATING GO DOWN.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS IN THE BULLETS THAT MAY GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF SENSE OF THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS BACK FROM 2017.
THIS IS THE ONE WHERE I WANTED TO GIVE A, A LITTLE BIT OF A, A GUIDANCE ON WHAT THE RATING AGENCIES LOOK AT WHEN THEY, UH, RATE YOU.
THIS HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BACK IN 2022, MOODY'S CHANGED THEIR, UH, THE RATING METHODOLOGY.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT SCORECARD HERE IN A SECOND.
BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF FACTORS, BUT AT THE TOP, UH, RIGHT, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO LOOK AT GRAPHICALLY, UH, THE RATING AGE WILL, WILL, WILL PUT A SCORECARD TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A NUMERICAL NUMBER THAT TRANSLATES TO A, A RATING FOR YOU.
I'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A MOMENT.
BUT FROM THERE, THEY HAVE NOTCHING FACTORS THAT CAN MAKE IT GO UP OR DOWN.
UM, THERE'S SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BLACK BOX, UH, RIGHT.
SO WE CAN COME UP WITH THE SCORECARD AND GIVES YOU A SPECIFIC NUMBER, BUT THEY'RE GONNA GIVE THEMSELVES A LITTLE BIT OF A GRAY AREA WHERE THEY CAN ADJUST YOU UP OR DOWN.
AND ULTIMATELY, TO COME TO A, AN ISSUER RATING.
THERE, THERE ARE FOUR PRIMARY AREAS THAT THE RATING AGENCIES LOOK AT.
UH, SOME OF THESE, YOU AS A COUNCIL AND, AND A CITY, HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER THAN OTHERS.
UM, THE ECONOMY IS ONE THAT, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER QUICKLY, AT LEAST.
UM, BUT THERE'S THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK THAT'S, UM, ACTUALLY THE SAME FOR ALL VIRGINIA CITIES.
IT'S JUST THE WAY WE'RE SET UP FROM A, A STATE
[00:30:01]
LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, YOUR FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE.UM, AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS YOUR LEVERAGE.
SO ALL OF THOSE GO TO, ULTIMATELY TO WHAT YOUR, YOUR RATING IS.
AND IF YOU FLIP THE NEXT PAGE, THEY EVEN GO SO FAR AS IN THE SCORECARD TO, TO PUT PERCENTAGES ON THESE.
SO THERE EACH, EACH SUBCATEGORY WITHIN, UH, THE ECONOMY ON THIS PAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, RESIDENT INCOME IS 10% FULL VALUE PER CAPITA.
LOOKING AT THE TOTAL VALUE OF YOUR REAL ESTATE, UH, PER CAPITA IS 10%.
ECONOMIC GROWTH IS ANOTHER 10%.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THOSE ARE ONES THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THOSE CERTAINLY QUICKLY AS A, AS A GOVERNING BODY, UH, OVER TIME.
CERTAINLY YOU COULD TAKE ACTIONS THAT COULD MOVE IT, BUT THE OTHER ONES ARE, UM, UH, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE.
AGAIN, THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S YOUR AVAILABLE RESERVES.
WE'VE, YOU, YOU'VE GOT A RAINY DAY FUND.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY'S HAD FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, THAT'S A VERY GOOD, AND THAT, THAT GIVES THE RATING AGENCIES COMFORT THAT YOU'VE GOT, UH, FUNDS TO PAY, UH, YOUR OBLIGATIONS.
YOU ALSO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AS WELL.
SO HISTORICALLY, YOU'VE HAD THAT RAIN DAY FUND, YOU KNOW, IN THE $5 MILLION RANGE OR SO.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU'VE HAD UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, WHICH AGAIN, ISN'T, ISN'T SET UP TO PAY FOR ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR.
SO THAT GIVES YOU SOME FLEXIBILITY AS WELL.
AND ON THE DEBT SIDE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE HERE IN A MINUTE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING YOUR DEBT DOWN, UH, AND COMPARED TO OTHERS, YOU'RE GONNA BE IN A GOOD, GOOD STEAD, UH, WITH THE AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT YOU HAVE OUTSTANDING VERSUS OTHER LOCALITIES.
SO LET ME JUMP TO THE SCORECARD ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND THIS IS FROM, FROM OUR, OUR 2020, WHICH I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT MAYBE IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY TIMEFRAME, UH, WHEN WE GOT OUR FY 20, UH, CER, UH, ACT FOR NOW BACK.
BUT AGAIN, EACH OF THOSE LARGER CATEGORIES ARE SHOWN OVER ON THE LEFT.
UH, WE LITERALLY TAKE YOUR, YOUR AUDIT, UH, WITH, WITH INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE AND PUT IT HERE.
SOME OF IT'S JUST WHAT'S THE LATEST ECONOMIC DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE AS WELL.
AND SO WE'VE PUT THE, THE MOST TO DATE ECONOMIC DATA IN HERE.
AND YOU SEE AT THE, AT THE FAR RIGHT THAT YOU ULTIMATELY COME UP WITH, UM, A SCORE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS, THAT'S REALLY SMALL, A 3.31 AS THE NUMBER, UH, 3.31 TRANSLATES.
IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT, THERE'S THAT GOLD BAN.
UH, SO IF YOU COME BETWEEN A 2.5 AND A 3.5 RANGE, YOUR SCORECARD RATING IS, IS AA TWO VERY STRONG RATING.
UM, THERE IS AA TWO, AND THEN THERE'S AA ONE ABOVE THAT.
AND THEN YOU'RE INTO THE AAA RATING, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RATING, UH, THAT YOU HAVE.
THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA IS, IS AAA RATED.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU WERE IN 2020.
AND FLIP TO THE NEXT PAGE, AND WE'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL HERE, UH, FOR, FOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE AUDIENCE.
UM, A VERY SIMILAR OUTCOME, UH, 3.29.
LOWER IS BETTER, UM, BY THE WAY, SO SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN YOU WERE IN 2020, UH, VERY MARGINALLY, UH, HOWEVER, BUT YOU STILL SCORE OUT OF THAT AA TWO CATEGORY.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK JUST AT THE, AT THE GRAPH, AT THE GRAPHIC, GENERALLY YOU CAN SEE IN GREEN WHERE THE BOXES ARE, WHERE WE FALL.
AND A LOT OF OUR, UM, RATIOS ARE IN THAT, UH, AA AND EVEN AA CATEGORY.
SO OUR, UM, AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE AS WELL AS OUR LIQUIDITY RATIOS ARE IN THE AAA CATEGORY.
SO AGAIN, WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB, AT LEAST WITH GOING BACK TO 21 OF HAVING STRONG RESERVES, UH, AS A CITY.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, OUR LEVERAGE, UH, AS WELL.
'CAUSE AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN PAYING DOWN OUR DEBT AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DEBT, UH, I WOULD SAY COMPARED TO OTHER, UH, CITIES ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND THEN EVEN THERE'S SOME IN THE DOUBLE CATEGORY WHERE WE START TO FALL INTO THE, THE A CATEGORY.
AND EVEN THE, UM, THE B DOUBLE A, UH, B SINGLE A CATEGORY ACTUALLY, UM, IS RESIDENT INCOME IS ONE.
SO, UM, OUR INCOME LEVELS ARE BELOW THE NATIONAL LEVELS, UH, AS WELL AS OUR FULL VALUE PER CAPITA.
SO AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE OF THE CITY VERSUS, UH, THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS HERE IS ON THE LOWER END FROM A RATING PERSPECTIVE.
THE NEXT SLIDE WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE OF HOW YOU, YOU COMPARE TO OTHER LOCALITIES.
AND, AND WE PICKED JUST SOME SURROUNDING HERE.
UM, HOPEWELL'S SCORE IS IN THE FAR LEFT.
UM, AND WE, WE SHOW BOTH SORT OF A PINKISH RED, A A BROWN AND GREEN.
AND THOSE CORRESPOND TO THE, TO THE FAR RIGHT AS TO WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE AAA, THE AA, OR THE SINGLE A CATEGORY.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE CHESTERFIELD, CITY OF RICHMOND, COLONIAL HEIGHTS AND PETERSBURG ARE.
I WANTED TO JUST NOTE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, THE LAST TWO LINES ARE YOUR UNADJUSTED RATING, AND THE LAST LINE IS YOUR CURRENT SENIOR MOST RATING.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT HOPEWELL HAS AN UNADJUSTED RATING OF THAT AA TWO OR AA TWO.
AND THEN WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DOWN THERE FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, THE, THE CURRENT RATING OBVIOUSLY.
'CAUSE THEN THAT'S WHERE ALL THE NOTCHING COMES INTO EFFECT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT CHESTERFIELD, FOR EXAMPLE,
[00:35:01]
THEY SCORE OUT ON THE SCORECARD AS A DOUBLE A ONE CREDIT AND MOODY'S NOTCHES THEM UP TO TRIPLE A.SO THEY OWN A SCORECARD PERSPECTIVE OR JUST, UH, A DOUBLE A ONE.
BUT FOR OTHER FACTORS, UH, MOODY'S PUTS THEM UP TO A, A TRIPLE A RICHMOND SIMILARLY ALSO GETS ONE NOTCH UP FROM AA TWO TO DOUBLE A ONE, UH, COLONIAL HEIGHTS SCORES AS A DOUBLE A ONE CREDIT, BUT THEY'RE NOTCHED DOWN, UM, TO DOUBLE A TWO.
AND THE SAME THING FOR PETERSBURG.
PETERSBURG SCORED A DOUBLE A TWO, UH, AND ACTUALLY NOTCHED DOWN TWO NOTCHES TO, UH, A ONE.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT WHERE THAT BLACK BOX IS, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF THE GRAY AREA, WHAT THE RATING AGENCIES LOOK AT.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE ARE BACK IN A POSITION TO GO AND TALK TO THE RATING AGENCIES, WE'RE GONNA GET A, A, A RAW SCORE THAT WE CAN CALCULATE AND CONFIRM.
IN MY MIND, IT'S GONNA BE A QUESTION OF HOW MUCH THE RATING AGENCIES ARE, UM, ARE GONNA KNOCK US OFF OF THAT, UH, GIVEN, GIVEN OUR PERFORMANCE WITH RESPECT TO OUR, OUR AUDITS, AND THEN JUST HOW MUCH TIME IT'S GONNA TAKE FOR THEM TO GET COMFORTABLE THAT WE'VE GOT THE PROCESSES THAT YOU PUT IN PLACE TO REMEDY THOSE, UH, THOSE DELINQUENCIES.
AND THEN SHOWING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DELIVERING OUR AUDITS ON TIME.
SO MR. MAYOR, UM, AGAIN, WE'RE 22 LOOKS VERY SIMILAR.
I'M SORRY, 21 LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO, TO 20.
UM, AND WHEN OUR, OUR, UH, NEXT ACT FIRST ROLLOUT, WE CAN KEEP PLUGGING 'EM IN.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE VERY SIMILAR TO, WE WERE IN FY 20, UH, AND FY 21, BUT WE SHOWED IMPROVEMENT THOUGH WE DID SHOW IMPROVEMENT.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, OBVIOUSLY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FROM THE COUNCIL? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE MAY FINANCIALS.
UH, MS. JORDAN, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, COUNSEL FINANCE COMMITTEE MAY FINANCIALS.
SO CITYWIDE REVENUES FOR MAY ARE TRENDING 0.42% OR 1.2 MILLION HIGHER FOR 25 VERSUS 24.
EXPENSES ARE TRENDING 7.6% HIGHER OR 900,000 MORE FOR 25 VERSUS 24.
MAJORITY OF EXPENSES INCREASES STEWING FROM THE 2.5% ANNUAL INCREASE THAT WAS PROVIDED TO EMPLOYEES BACK IN 25.
WE ALSO HAD SOME, UM, OUTSTANDING INVOICES FOR HRW.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR CITYWIDE? YES, SURE.
YOU SAID THERE WERE MORE OUTSTANDING.
ALL OF THE NOTES FOR EVERYTHING IS ON THE SIDE HERE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
THERE WAS SOME OUTSTANDING INVOICES THAT HAD NOT BEEN PAID THAT WE TRIED TO GET CAUGHT UP FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
LAST TIME I ASKED THIS, WE PLEASE HAVE THESE SEPARATED.
BUT, UM, I MEAN, MR. HOLLOWAY, CAN YOU SPEAK UP? WE CANNOT HEAR YOU.
UM, BUT, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS IT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HOT WORLD WATER RENEWAL? IT WAS UNPAID UTILITY BILLS AND WE ALSO WENT AHEAD AND MOVED FORWARD WITH THE NEW COMPRESSOR FOR HRW AT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
YOU SAID A NEW COMPRESSOR? YES.
SO, UM, OUR PROJECTED FOR THE END OF THE YEAR CITYWIDE IS 5.9 MILLION REVENUES OVER EXPENSES.
OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR MAY GENERAL FUND FOR MAY IS TRENDING 9.47 OR 1.7 LOWER IN REVENUES FOR 25 VERSUS 24.
THE DECREASE STEMS FROM ARPA FUNDING NOT RECEIVED IN 25, AND THE P AND I DATE CHANGED TO MARCH 17TH.
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 16 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR BANK ACCOUNT.
WE'RE PROJECTING, AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE A PROJECTION OF ABOUT $21 MILLION AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WE JUST RECEIVED OVER $5 MILLION IN REVENUES FOR M AND T AND OUR NEXT DUE DATE IS JUNE 15TH FOR THE OTHER HALF OF THE, UH, REAL ESTATE, WHICH IS ABOUT $10 MILLION.
EXPENSES FOR 25 ARE TRENDING 2.1% OR 4 MILLION HIGHER THAN 24.
[00:40:02]
DECREASE IS DUE TO 2.5 INCREASE.UM, SALARY INCREASE IS GIVEN IN 24 AND CAPITAL TRANSFERS.
WE ARE PROJECTING FOR THE END OF 25.
THIS IS 2.1, BUT THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COMPRESSOR AND SOME OTHER, UM, ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PAID OUTTA CAPITAL THAT WILL BE REIMBURSED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY ABOUT 3.2 AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 25 REVENUE'S OVER EXPEND EXPENDITURES.
ANY QUESTIONS ON GENERAL FUND? ALL RIGHT.
ENTERPRISE FUND FOR MAY IS TRENDING 0.06 OR 2.3 MILLION HIGHER IN REVENUES FROM 25 TO 24.
THIS IS REALLY DUE TO ON TIME.
BILLING EXPENSES FOR 25 ARE TRENDING, 9.8 OR 984,000 LESS IN EXPENSES FROM 24 REVENUE SHOW OF FOR REFLECTION OF ON TIME BILLING VERSUS LAST YEAR.
AND OF COURSE, THE EXPENSES DECREASE FROM EMERGENCY REPAIRS REQUIRED.
SO FAR WE HAVE A, UM, REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES WITH A NET LOSS FOR 932,000 FOR, UM, ENTERPRISE FUND.
HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY KIND OF ACCRUALS OR ADDITIONAL BILLING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SCHOOLS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ENTERPRISE? OKAY.
SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS FOR MAY IS TRENDING 11.48 OR 1.8 MILLION.
LOWER IN REVENUES FOR 25 VERSUS 24.
AND EXPENSES ARE TRENDING 11.6 OR 2.4 MILLION LOWER IN 25 VERSUS 24.
THE PROJECTIONS FOR THE END OF THE, THE FISCAL YEAR FOR SCHOOLS IS 5.8 REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES.
UH, MS. JORDAN, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM, UH, COUNCILLOR STOKES.
UM, CAN YOU ELABORATE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE ESTIMATED 18 MILLION FOR SCHOOLS? UNRECORDED, O OPEC, THIS IS UNRECORDED.
UM, EXPENSES AS FAR AS OPERATIONS.
SO THE SCHOOL SENDS US ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS THEIR PAYROLL AND EXPENDITURES.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH, UM, SETTING THEM UP IN MUNI, UM, AS WE ARE THE SAME SYSTEM.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE, BE BETWEEN THE TWO INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THEM TO SEND US THE INFORMATION.
SO IT'S KIND OF, UM, WE PROJECT OUT BASED OFF OF YEAR OVER YEAR WHAT THEIR EXPENSES OR SOME WILL BE SO WE CAN ADD IT TO THE PROJECTIONS.
SO UNTIL WE GET THE COMPLETE INFORMATION, THIS IS JUST AN, UM, AN ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S GONNA BE $18 MILLION IN EXPENSES WITHIN, SO WITHIN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY BUDGETED, YES, IT WAS ALREADY BUDGET, YET IT WOULD BE NOTHING ADDITIONAL.
WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE INFORMATION SO WE CAN ADD IT TO THE INFO, THE SPREADSHEET THAT WE HAVE, THAT'S ALL, AND PUT IT IN THE SYSTEM.
BUT WE TRY TO ACCOUNT FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW IS COMING FORTH AND JUST PUT IT IN TOWARDS OUR PROJECTIONS SO WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING OR LEAVING ANYTHING THERE OR WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.
WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADJUST EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW IS COMING FORWARD.
UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY, UH, YOU ANSWERED, I WAS ABOUT TO KIND OF TOUCH ON, TOUCH ON, ANSWERED IT BECAUSE, UH, DR.
HACKNEY CAME IN AND IT'S BASICALLY LIKE THE EXPENSES FOR THEM HAVE DROPPED DOWN AND ALSO THEIR REVENUE ALSO BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING FROM THE STATE NOW BECAUSE OF COVID FUNDING AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN THEY HAVE QUITE A FEW VACANCIES AS WELL, RIGHT? VA CONSISTENCY.
DATA INTEGRATORS COLLECTION FOR MAY OVERALL COLLECTIONS WAS 83%.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND DEBT SERVICES FOR MAY.
FOR MAY, WE PAID 1,281 INVOICES FOR A TOTAL OF $5 MILLION.
WE ALSO TOOK CARE OF OUR SEWER DEBT, USB 1 8 18 24 IN THE AMOUNT OF 215,000.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR PROJECTED CASH FLOW.
AGAIN, CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 16 AND A HALF MILLION IN THE BANK.
WE'RE WAITING ON THE SECOND HALF OF REAL ESTATE, WHICH IS DUE JUNE 15TH, WHICH WOULD BE ROUGHLY ABOUT $10 MILLION ADDITIONAL REVENUE COMING INTO THE CITY.
SO WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE WILL HAVE A, UH, BANK BALANCE OF 21.6 MILLION.
[00:45:01]
CFR FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.SO FAR, THE CITY HAS COMPLETED 20 AND 21.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING 22.
THAT IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED JUNE 30TH, 2025.
23 WILL BE COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER OF ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO COMPLETE 24 BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING RIGHT INTO FISCAL YEAR 25, WHICH IS DUE DECEMBER 15TH.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THAT ONE COMPLETED BY MARCH 31ST, 2026.
SO THE CITY WILL BE BACK ON TRACK AS FAR AS THE A CFRS ARE CONCERNED.
SO WE SHOULD BE ON TIME FOR 26? YES.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY ON TRACK FOR 22.
WE DID, WE WERE WAITING FOR SOME INFORMATION FROM OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS, HOWEVER, WE RECEIVED THE EMAIL TODAY THAT THEY WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY ON TRACK TO COMPLETE 22 BY JUNE 30TH, 2025.
UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY, CAN YOU GIVE US THE DATES BECAUSE, UH, WHAT WAS THE DATE OFFERED? 2020 WAS COMPLETED, I BELIEVE IN JANUARY OF 20.
SO 2025, I BELIEVE WE JUST DID 21 3 MONTHS AGO.
SO WE ARE GIVING IT, WE'RE GIVING OURSELVES THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE EVERY SINGLE, UM, YEAH, I'M, I'M AWARE OF THESE THINGS.
I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND THIS BECAUSE I, I, I SPOKE TOWARDS MR. LAST TIME.
THESE THINGS WERE COMPLETED, UH, MONTHS AGO.
BUT WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY SPECIFICALLY IT WASN'T SET ON THERE.
NOW I CAN, I CAN GO TO THE ASSUMPTION OF WHY I SPOKE ABOUT THIS LAST TIME.
BUT EVEN HERE ON THIS PRINTED DOCUMENT, THE SECOND ONE SAID, HEY, THE CITY ON TRACK.
BUT THE CITY WAS ON TRACK MONTHS AGO IN REGARDS TO THESE THINGS.
UM, MR. BOB HAD EVEN CAME IN AND SAID TO US, HEY, WHY ARE WE NOT CELEBRATING ONE? THE CITIZENS NOT KNOW THESE THINGS.
WHY AREN'T WE TELLING THEM THESE THINGS? IT'S PUSHING DOWN AS IF IT'S JUST HAPPENING AFTER WE GOT RID OF THE CITY MANAGER.
AGAIN, I WANTED TO MAKE THIS CLEAR FOR THE CITIZENS.
UH, THESE THINGS I DON'T LIKE BECAUSE THEY ARE MANIPULATING.
UM, THESE, THESE COMPLETIONS WERE DONE EARLY ON, BUT THE MAYOR WOULD HAVE YOU THINK THAT THE ONLY REASON IT'S GETTING DONE NOW IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NEW PEOPLE AT THE OUT.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF, THE DATA ISN'T EVEN UP THERE FOR THAT PURPOSE SO THAT THE CITIZENS COULD THEN ASSUME THAT THE ONLY REASON THINGS ARE GETTING DONE IS BECAUSE OF WHO'S AT THE ON NOW.
AND I, I NEEDED TO SPEAK UP ON THOSE, ON THOSE THINGS BECAUSE I JUST DON'T COUNCILMAN HOLLOWAY.
CAN I JUST SAY I DIDN'T LEAVE THE OMIT THE DATES PURPOSEFULLY.
I JUST DID NOT PUT THEM ON THERE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY COMPLETE.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO, YEAH, NO, I DON'T, LET ME MAKE THAT CLEAR.
I DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA PUT THAT ON.
I, I THINK THAT THE, UH, FINANCE DIRECTORS IS ALSO IN HER JOB, UM, AND SO FORTH, BUT I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO BE AWARE OF THESE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DONE FOR QUITE A WHILE WITH NORTHERN NOW SMITH.
UM, STACY, SO THE AUDITS, WHEN THEY WERE GONNA BE READY AND PREPARED AND WHEN THEY WERE READY, THESE WERE POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
THEY WERE POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
I'M SEEING THEM THERE AS THEY CAME OUT.
AND WE ALSO HAD MR. FOLEY COME AND PRESENT BEFORE COUNCIL EVERY TIME THEY WERE COMPLETED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO NUMBER THREE.
UH, MR. BENNETT, CAN I RUN IT FROM HERE? GOOD EVENING.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS IS, UM, AS AN INFORMATION PRESENTATION.
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANY KIND OF ACTION OR APPROVAL OR ANYTHING.
THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK FROM, UM, YOU, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT, UM, I'M PRESENTING THIS IN THIS FORMAT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS CONCEPTUALLY IN VARIOUS PLANNING MEETINGS, UH, WHEN WE WERE DOING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
[00:50:02]
STRATEGIC PLAN AND, UM, AND ALSO, UH, MY PRESENTATIONS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, IN THE CITY AND SOME OF OUR KEY TARGET AREAS.SO, UH, SPECIFICALLY TONIGHT, WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE PAST YEAR.
AND THAT IS, UH, SOME IMPROVEMENTS, UH, TO THE HOPEWELL, UM, CITY MARINA, SPECIFICALLY THE STORE AND, UM, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO INCREASE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AMENITIES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COME AND VISIT THE MARINA.
UM, IF THEY'RE JUST THERE FOR THE DAY OR FOR THE WEEKEND, OR IF THEY HAVE A, A VESSEL THERE IN A LONG-TERM, UH, LEASE.
SO, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A OVERVIEW.
THIS IS THE CURRENT, UM, HOPEWELL CITY, UH, MARINA STORE SHOWN IN THIS PICTURE HERE.
IT WAS BUILT IN, UM, 2014, UH, AS PART OF A PROJECT THAT THE CITY DID ESSENTIALLY TO, UH, INVEST, UH, MONEY IN IN THE MARINA THERE WAS THERE, BEFORE THIS WAS BUILT, THERE WAS A CINDER BLOCK BUILDING THERE THAT HAD SOME RESTROOMS ONLY.
AND SO THIS WAS, UH, UH, A NICE, UH, BUILDING THAT WAS BUILT.
AND IT ESSENTIALLY IS, UH, IT RESTS ON THESE PILES.
THEY'RE WOODEN POSTS THAT ARE DRIVEN IN THE GROUND AND THAT'S WHY YOU, YOU SEE, IT'S, IT'S ELEVATED IN THAT WAY TO BE ABOVE THE, THE FLOODPLAIN.
BUT, UM, WHEN WE LOOKED AT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN, THE COUNCIL AND UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, UH, DEVELOPED TOGETHER THIS PAST FALL.
AND IT WAS ADOPTED, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, WE LOOKED AT, UM, TWO AREAS THAT THIS HOPEWELL CITY MARINA STORE PROJECT FALLS INTO.
AND ONE OF THE AREAS THERE IS, IS RIVERFRONTS AND OUR WATERFRONTS.
AND THEN THE SECOND AREA IS OUR HISTORY AND, AND TOURISM.
AND SO WHAT I TRY TO DO IS NO MATTER WHAT PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON IN THE CITY, I TRY TO TIE IT BACK TO THAT PLAN BECAUSE THAT PLAN IS REALLY, IT'S OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST GOING HERE AND THERE AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THINGS IN A VERY METHODICAL AND STRATEGIC MANNER.
SO THE GOAL HERE WAS, UH, IS TO, UH, REDEVELOP FOR MIXED USE LIFESTYLE AND ENJOYMENT, UH, OUR WATERFRONTS.
AND THEN, UH, FROM A HISTORY AND, AND TOURISM STANDPOINT TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL SPACES FOR LODGING, DINING, AND OTHER THINGS THAT SUPPORT TOURISM.
JUST AS A REMINDER, IF SOMEONE COMES TO VISIT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, THE ONLY WAY THAT WE REALLY HAVE A BENEFIT FROM THEM COMING, UM, OTHER THAN JUST HAVING THEIR PRESENCE HERE, WHICH IS GREAT, AND WE WELCOME EVERYONE IS WE REALLY WANT THEM TO, TO, TO TRANSACT BUSINESS IN SOME WAY.
WE WANT TO GIVE THEM A PLACE TO SPEND MONEY.
UH, SO WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A GREAT TIME WHEN THEY'RE HERE AND WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO BUY SOMETHING AS THEY BUY SOMETHING.
THEN, THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT COMES IN TO THE CITY THAT, UH, CAN BE USED TO SUPPORT, UH, DEBT AND BONDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND, AND ULTIMATELY GROW.
SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS, UH, SPACE, WE SAID WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE PROJECT GOALS WE WANT TO KIND OF SET OUT HERE, UH, WITH THIS CONCEPT, UM, TO RENOVATE THE MARINA STORE, BUILDING INTO, UM, POSSIBLY A WATERSIDE RESTAURANT, UM, WITH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SEATING AREAS.
UM, HAVE, HAVE A KITCHEN AND RESTROOMS THAT WOULD MEET CODE AND THEN HAVE SOME EXTERIOR AREA THAT WAS COVERED ABOVE THE FLOODPLAIN, UH, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY USE THE FACILITY YEAR ROUND, UH, OR AT LEAST IN THE SHOULDER SEASONS.
UM, AND THEN TO INCORPORATE, UH, SPACE AND PROGRAMMING FOR LIVE EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS SINCE 2014, THERE'S BEEN SOME GREAT CONCERTS SERIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE THERE AT THE MARINA.
AND, UM, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS, RATHER THAN HAVING A PLACE THAT WE SET UP AND TAKE DOWN, UH, FOR EACH EVENT, HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S MORE DESIGNED FOR, FOR A LONG TERM VIABILITY, UM, WITHOUT A LOT OF SETUP AND TAKE DOWN THIS DOCUMENT HERE SHOWS YOU THE EXISTING FLOOR PLAN OF THE WAY THE MARINA STORE SITS TODAY.
AND, UM, IT'S GOT TWO RESTROOMS IN A SHOWER THAT ARE OUTSIDE, UH, FOR THE USE OF THE SLIP HOLDERS, UH, WHO RENT SPACES THERE AT THE MARINA.
AND WE ALSO OPEN 'EM UP FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND THEN INSIDE THERE'S A RETAIL AREA, A A LITTLE CHECKOUT COUNTER AND OFFICE, AND THEN A, A BACK OF HOUSE.
IT'S KIND OF A JANITORIAL, UH, AREA BACK THERE WITH THE HOT WATER HEATER AND MOP SINK AND WHATNOT.
AND SO, UH, WHEN WE KIND OF LOOKED AT THE SITE, THERE'S SOME UTILITIES ON THE SITE.
UM, SPECIFICALLY THERE'S A, THIS, UH, SANITARY WASTE LINE THAT RUNS ALONG THE CANAL BEHIND THE BUILDING.
UM, AND IT, WE CAN'T BUILD OVER THAT BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE, UM, THE FOLKS FROM WATER RENEWAL WHO, WHO COLLECT THE SEWER,
[00:55:01]
UH, THAT COMES DOWN TO THAT PUMP STATION.AND THIS ALSO FROM THIS MANHOLE.
UH, IT GOES OUT TO THE PUMP OUT STATION WE HAVE AT THE END OF THE DOCK SO THE BOATS CAN COME PULL UP AND, AND EMPTY THEIR, THEIR WASTE.
AND SO THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE 'CAUSE AT FIRST WE WANTED TO, TO COME RIGHT OFF THE, THE SIDE OF THE EXISTING BUILDING WITH A, WITH A DECK THAT YOU COULD WALK OUT AND, AND KIND OF WATCH THE BOATS COMING IN OVER THE WATER AND SEE THE BIRDS AND, AND, AND EVERYTHING, UH, MAYBE WHILE YOU'RE ENJOYING A, A, A COLD BEVERAGE AND A, AND A AND A STEAK OR, OR SANDWICH OR SUB OR SOMETHING.
UM, BUT, UM, UH, WHEN I MET WITH THE ARCHITECTS ON SITE TO GET THEIR IDEAS, THEY, THEY CAME UP WITH THIS CONCEPT OF ESSENTIALLY OFFSETTING THE, THE DECK ADDITION AND TYING IT INTO THE EXTERIOR, UH, UM, DECK AND WALKWAY IN FRONT OF THE EXISTING MARINE STORE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE EXISTING BUILDING HERE IN RED, AND THEN YOU SEE THE BLUE, WHICH IS THE NEW DECK EDITION, UM, THAT THAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
AND I THINK, UM, IT GIVES IT A LITTLE BIT OF, OF, UM, ECLECTIC LOOK AND, AND, AND ACTUALLY, UH, SOME CHARACTER AS OPPOSED TO BEING JUST LIKE A BIG STRAIGHT HOUSE THE WAY THAT THEY, THE ARCHITECTS CAME UP WITH THIS DESIGN.
SO, SO THIS IS THE EXISTING EXTERIOR VIEW.
IF YOU'RE STANDING THERE IN FRONT OF THE MIDDLE DOCK, LOOKING BACK AT THE, UM, AT THE STORE AND, UH, IT'S JUST A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET AND IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY SMALL AS IT IS.
AND THIS IS THE, UM, THIS IS THE RENDER OF WHAT THEY, THEY CAME UP WITH THAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE WITH THAT, THAT DECK ADDITION.
AND WE ORIGINALLY WERE GONNA DO LIKE JUST A CANVAS ROOF AWNING.
UM, BUT GIVEN THE WIND THAT COMES OFF THE WATER THERE, THE, UH, STRUCTURAL ENGINEER SAID HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, UPLIFT OF THAT.
AND IT, AND, AND BASICALLY THE CITY SPENDING MONEY MANY TIMES ON FABRIC AND CANVAS AND STUFF.
AND SO, UM, THE, UH, THE, THE LITTLE BIT OF INCREASED COST TO DO THE METAL ROOF, IT'S A BASICALLY A 50 PLUS YEAR ROOF, AND SO WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
SO THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO ONE OF THE PAVILIONS THAT, THAT WE HAVE AT ONE OF THE PARKS WITH THAT TYPE OF, OF CONSTRUCTION, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH THAT, THAT METAL ROOF.
AND, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS, IN THIS RENDERING, YOU SEE HOW IT TIES THE, UM, THE WALKWAY THAT'S IN FRONT OF THE MARINA STORE.
IT TIES IT IN FRONT OF THAT DECK SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY WALK FROM THE HANDICAP PARKING SPACES ALL THE WAY ACROSS.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, WE WANT IT TO BE FULLY ACCESSIBLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE MARINA IS WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL IS A CITY SPACE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL CAN COME THERE AND ENJOY SOMETHING EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE A BOAT.
UM, AND SO THIS WILL BE A GREAT WAY TO, TO ADD TO THAT, UM, THAT USE FOR THE, FOR THE BUILDING, THIS IS ANOTHER VIEW EXCUSE.
WE HAVE, UH, COUNCILLOR STOKES THAT HAS A QUESTION.
JUST DIDN'T WANT YOU TO GET BEYOND THE DESIGN.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW WE LIKE TO EAT, RIGHT? SO WE CAN EAT IN THAT PAVILION.
THE THE IDEA IS, YEAH, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SIT IN THE PAVILION AND EAT, AND IT WOULD BE SCREENED IN, IN THE, IN THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL.
AND THEN IN THE WINTER THERE'LL BE LIKE A PLASTIC VINYL, UH, THAT WOULD COME DOWN, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, TO KNOCK, KNOCK DOWN SOME OF THE WIND.
THE HOPE IS THAT IT CAN BE USED YEAR ROUND AND NOT JUST IN THE, IN THE SUMMER.
SO YOU CAN CATCHED FROM THERE TOO.
UM, I DON'T THINK YOU, YOU WOULDN'T FISH FROM THERE.
YOU COULD WALK ACROSS THE FISHING AREA AND FISH AND THEN, UM, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THAT? I, I HOPE NOT, NOT WHILE WE EAT
SO, SO YEAH, THAT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE, I THAT'S THE IDEA.
UM, ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR GO? SO IS THIS PROJECT, DOES IT HAVE A COMPLETION DATE? NO, I'M, I'M SHARING, I'M SHARING FOR THE FIRST TIME.
YOU'RE SEEING, FOR THE FIRST TIME THE CONCEPT THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET SOME, SOME FEEDBACK AND THEN WE WOULD CONTINUE TO, TO GO DOWN THE ROAD TOWARDS IT.
UM, ULTIMATELY, AND MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE STARTED OFF WITH THIS.
ULTIMATELY IT'S NOT THE INTENT FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL TO OPERATE THIS.
THE CITY OF HOPEWELL OWNS THIS FACILITY.
UHHUH ANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE MADE THE CITY HAS TO MAKE AND WE OWN THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, WE WOULD BE LEASING THIS, UH, TO A RESTAURANT OPERATOR WHO WOULD THEN BE RESPONSIBLE TO, YOU KNOW, DO THE MENUS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL HIRE THE STAFF AND, AND ALL THAT.
THIS IS, THIS IS VERY SIMILAR.
I'LL SHOW YOU SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OF OTHER LOCATIONS THAT HAVE DONE THIS.
SO, SO THIS IS ANOTHER VIEW OF THE, UH, OF THE EXTERIOR FROM, UH, THE, THE ENTRANCE.
AND THIS GIVES YOU A, A LITTLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, WE, WE'VE MOVED THE STAIRS AROUND TO THE FRONT.
UH, SO YOU CAN WALK STRAIGHT UP INTO THE, THE MAIN, UH, STORE AREA OR YOU CAN GO TO THE, TO THE RIGHT.
LET'S SAY YOU WERE HAVING A CLASS FOR UNION.
SO YOU KNOW, THE HOPEWELL, MY, MY CLASS HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL CLASS IN 93, WHEN WE GET BACK TOGETHER IN 30, 33, YOU KNOW, WE COULD USE THIS, THIS PAVILION, YOU KNOW, AREA HERE
[01:00:01]
AND WE COULD ALL CELEBRATE THERE.UM, AND SO THEN YOU COULD JUST GO TO THE SPECIAL EVENT, UH, TO YOUR RIGHT.
ALSO, IF WE'RE HAVING A CONCERT SERIES.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO TELL FROM THIS PICTURE, BUT THE, THAT AREA, UM, THAT'S IN THE ADDITION THAT, THAT'S CLOSEST TO THE PARKING LOT THAT'S SEPARATED FROM WHERE YOU WOULD WOULD SIT.
AND SO A VAN COULD SET UP THERE, ESSENTIALLY BE UNDER A ROOF AND COVER, BE ELEVATED SO THE PEOPLE IN THE PARKING LOT COULD, COULD ESSENTIALLY SEE, SEE THEM.
THIS IS A, UM, A PLAN VIEW THAT SHOWS THE NEW BUILDING AND, UM, SOME STRIPING AND IMPROVEMENTS WE WOULD DO IN FRONT OF IT AND ADD SOME, UM, SOME BOLLARDS, UM, SO THAT, UH, THE FOLKS WHO ARE COMING IN, UH, WITH THE, UH, THE TRAILERS AND BOATS, UH, WOULDN'T GET TOO CLOSE TO IT.
AND ALSO SHOWS THAT SANITARY SEWER LINE THAT YOU SEE THERE.
UM, I, UM, HAVE VI VISITED A COUPLE OTHER LOCATIONS TO SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BALANCE THIS GOAL OF INCREASING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, HOW CAN WE GENERATE MORE, UM, EXCITING EX EXPERIENCE BASED THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO AND THEY COME TO HOPEWELL AND GENERATE MORE TAX REVENUE AND PEOPLE.
UM, THE LILY PAD IN, UH, HENRICO, VIRGINIA, THIS IS A PICTURE, AN AERIAL PICTURE OF THEIR, UH, LOCATION.
IT'S, IT'S A, THE, THE SATELLITE IMAGERY IS A LITTLE OLD.
THEY'VE MADE SOME ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THEY ESSENTIALLY HAVE DONE, UM, WHERE THESE OCTAGON SHAPED, UH, UH, WHITE, UH, OCTAGONS ARE IN FRONT OF THE BRICK BUILDING, THAT THAT'S THEIR VERSION OF THE OUTDOOR SEATING THAT THEY HAVE.
THEY HAVE, UH, DECKS AND THEN, UH, PATIO AREAS AND, AND THEN THE BLUE AREA.
JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO SEE.
THAT'S WHERE THEIR, THEIR STAGE IS SET UP, UH, THERE.
AND, UM, THEY DO QUITE A BIT OF BUSINESS.
I'VE, I'VE MET WITH THEM AND TALKED ABOUT KIND OF HOW THEY OPERATE.
THAT'S A PRIVATELY OWNED, UH, FACILITY.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A, A CITY OR COUNTY OWNED FACILITY.
UM, THIS NEXT, UH, LOCATION, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO DOWN.
IT'S, IT'S CALLED THE SURREY SEAFOOD COMPANY.
AND THIS, THIS WAS, UM, THIS WAS DEVELOPED BY THE, UM, SURREY COUNTY WITH A MIXTURE OF COUNTY FUNDS AND THEN ALSO SOME GRANT FUNDING THAT THEY RECEIVED.
AND, UM, AND THEY, THEY DID ALL OF THE DOCKS THERE.
AND THERE WAS A VERY, VERY OLD MARINE HERE, UM, SOMETIME BACK.
THEY, THEY GOT ALL THE INVESTMENT DONE IN THE DOCKS.
AND THEN THE, ALSO THE BUILDING WHERE THIS AREA SEAFOOD COMPANY IS, THERE'S A COUPLE OF ROOMS UPSTAIRS.
I TOOK MY WIFE THERE FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UH, RIGHT AT THE END OF COVID.
THEY HAVE LIKE FOUR ROOMS UP THERE.
AND, UM, THEY HAVE, IT WAS REALLY A GREAT BANG BANG SHRIMP.
I'M, I'M SORRY I'M A LITTLE HUNGRY, BUT, UH,
AND, UM, AND THE, THE, SO THE PAC BROTHERS, THEY, UM, THEY ACQUIRED THE, UH, THIS, THE COUNTY DID ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEN THE PAC BROTHERS, WHO ALSO IN THE SMITHFIELD STATION, THEY, THEY'RE THE OPERATORS, UH, HERE, HERE NOW AT THIS.
SO THAT, THAT'S TWO, UM, EXAMPLES OF, UM, OF LOCATIONS THAT HAVE DONE THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST PRESENTATION, THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING IT.
AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A, A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK AND TALKING MORE ABOUT IT IN THE FUTURE.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MR. BENNETT? GOOD JOB.
UM, VICE MAYOR JOINER, AND THEN, UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY.
DO WE HAVE PRICE TAG? SO, UM, I DID GET SOME, I DID GET SOME ROUGH ORDER MAGNITUDE PRICING ON THIS.
AND THE, THE ROUGH ORDER MAGNITUDE, UH, CAME IN BETWEEN 250 AND 300,000.
AND THAT, JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT INCLUDED, THAT INCLUDES ADDING TWO BATHROOMS INSIDE, BUILDING THE KITCHEN, EVERYTHING BASICALLY TO HAVE IT NO, NO APPLIANCES.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THIS, WHAT THE CITY WOULD DO IS THE IMPROVEMENTS.
IF YOU TOOK THE MARINA BUILDING, YOU TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN, YOU SHOOK IT, WHATEVER FALLS OUT IS PERSONAL PROPERTY.
SO ANYTHING THAT STAYS IN THAT WOULD BE OUR IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT BUDGET IS BETWEEN TWO 50 AND 300, UH, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY AND THEN COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
I, I WAS ABOUT TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE SAME THING OF THE COST.
BUT, UH, THIS, THIS WONDERFUL, UH, DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC DIRECTOR,
SO, YEAH, I CAN SPEAK TO THIS.
SO, UM, I'M VERY FORTUNATE THAT, UM, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INVEST, COLLECT, AND INVEST OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THIS PAST YEAR IN FEES.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, BOAT WHO PAY RAMP FEES AND
[01:05:01]
BOAT WHO PAY, UH, FOR LONG TERM, UH, RENTALS OR TRANSIT RENTALS.'CAUSE WE CHANGED SOME OF THE SLIPS, SO YOU CAN JUST COME FOR THE DAY.
SO I WAS LOOKING AT TODAY, YEAR TO DATE, WE'VE SPENT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WE'VE COLLECTED A LITTLE, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.
UM, THANKFULLY WE HAD KIND OF UNDER BUDGETED WHAT THE RAMP FEES WERE GONNA BE.
I HAD, I HAD ASSUMED WE WERE ONLY GONNA BE AROUND $10,000 IN RAMP FEES.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE ALMOST GOT 40,000 IN RAMP FEES AND WE'RE NOT EVEN DONE WITH THE YEAR.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SAY.
CAN YOU DO ALSO LIKE A COMPARISON OF WHERE WE, HOW MUCH MONEY WE DID NOT HAVE COMPARED TO US TAKING ON THE EXPENSES NOW? UM, WELL, IT WAS, WELL IT WAS A TOTALLY BEEN, WELL, IT WAS, IT WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SETUP BEFORE.
SO BEFORE, BEFORE THE WHOLE MARINA WAS LEASED TO A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT COLLECTED ALL THE FEES AND JUST PAID A, PAID A, A, A FEE TO THE CITY TO, TO LEASE IT.
BUT THE DIFFERENCE WAS, THE DIFFERENCE WAS THEY HAD STAFF, THEY HAD PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE PAYING TO BE THERE.
THEY WERE AT THE STORE THAT WAS OPERATING AND ALL THAT.
SO, UM, PRETTY MUCH I'M, I'M GOING TO THE MARINA IN THE MORNING, I'M PICKING UP TRASH AND I'M CLOSING UP AT NIGHT.
SO I'M AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, I'M RUNNING THE MARINA AND MY SALARY IS NOT BEING COVERED BY THE MARINA.
IF IT WAS, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SPEND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ALL THE WOOD.
SO IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S AN APPLES AND ORANGES COMPARISON, RIGHT? THE IDEA IN THE FUTURE OF THIS RESTAURANT AND JUST MEALS AND FOOD TAX ALONE WITH, WE HAVE 73, UM, BASICALLY 73 SEATS AT TWO, TWO TABLE TURNS AT, UH, YOU KNOW, A A BUSINESS DAY.
AND THIS IS REALLY GONNA BE POPULAR ON, ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THE MOST PART.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ESTIMATING THIS WILL DO BETWEEN 30 AND 50,000 A YEAR IN MEALS AND FOOD TAX ALONE.
WHICH, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE THAT, YOU, YOU, YOU, IF YOU INVEST 250,000 OR 300, WHATEVER WORKS OUT TO BE, AND THOSE ARE 20 TO 30 YEAR IMPROVEMENTS, AND YOU, YOU MAKE 50,000 A YEAR OR EVEN DO CONSERVATIVES SAY 30,000 A YEAR MEALS IN FOOD TAX, YOU GET THAT BACK PRETTY FAST.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN O OVERALL OF THE NUMBERS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE REPLACED AND BOARD FEET.
WE'VE, WE'VE REPLACED OVER 700 FEET OF, OF BOARD, UM, THERE.
BUT INCLUDING THE BOARDWALK IN THE FRONT AND THEN GOING DOWN THE MOC REBUILDING MULTIPLE, UM, PIERS.
AND ACTUALLY, UM, THE CITY MANAGER HAS A, HAS A REQUISITION IN HIS BOX RIGHT NOW TO APPROVE FOR THE, FOR THE BOAT RAMPS.
WE'VE, UM, THAT ARE GOING DOWN TO REPLACE THE WOOD ON THE BOAT RAMPS.
WE'RE GONNA RAISE UP, UP A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE THE WATER KEEPS FLOODING OVER IT AT HIGH, HIGH TIDE.
BUT, BUT IT'S COMING IN AND WE'RE SPENDING IT.
AND DON'T, DON'T GET UPSET AT ME, STACY.
I'M NOT SPENDING MORE THAN I BRING IN.
I JUST WANTED TO JUST TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT LET THE CITIZENS KNOW, UH, IT WASN'T KIND OF COMPARING THE BUS, LIKE THE, PER THE, UH, PRIVATE BUSINESS TO OUR BUSINESS.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS WE STILL HAD TO COVER THOSE EXPENSES ANYWAY, BUT NOW WE ALSO HAVE INCOME, INCREASED INCOME COMING IN TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE EXPENSES.
WELL PRETTY MUCH JUST EV ALL THE MONEY THAT COMES IN, THE MARINA GOES TO THE MARINA AND ABSOLUTELY.
AND WE'LL KEEP DOING THAT UNTIL WE GET ALL THE WOOD REPLACED AND WE GET IT, YOU KNOW, IN A GOOD, GOOD CONDIT CONDITION.
UH, COUNSELOR ELLIS AND THEN MYSELF.
UM, JUST SO HAPPENS, I WAS THE PREVIOUS PEOPLE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, UH, RAN THE MARINA, SO I CAN ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON IT IF, IF, IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO.
UM, BUT, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE TALKED ABOUT MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T COME RIGHT TO FRUITION ON.
BUT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE MARINA.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHY WE WERE THERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE THERE, THE CITY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY THE LIGHTS, THE TRASH.
IT WAS PRETTY MUCH, WE PAID FOR EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING WAS IN OUR NAME, AND WE PAID THE CITY TO DO IT.
SO IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A REAL PROFITABLE BUSINESS.
AS YOU AND I SAT DOWN AND LOOKED AT AND YOU WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY I EVEN WANTED TO STAY.
UM, BUT, UM, I LIKE THE DESIGN.
UM, WE WORKED HARD WHILE WE WERE THERE.
UM, I JUST, I WANTED TO SEE IT SUCCEED.
I MEAN, THE PEOPLE LIKE THE MARINA WE'RE A BIG HUNTING, FISHING, UH, OUTDOORSY COMMUNITY.
AND I, I, I, I REALLY WANT TO SEE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, PROSPER THERE.
AND I THINK WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE, YOU'VE DONE A, A VERY GOOD JOB SO FAR.
UM, TOOK PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT TIME TO GET USED TO THE KIOSK.
UM, I STILL HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'LL GET THROUGH THAT
[01:10:01]
PART.UM, HOW THE DREDGING PART IS THAT, I THINK YOU SAID NO PERMIT NEEDED BECAUSE IT WAS DUG OUT.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OFF THE TOPIC, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE CANAL BEHIND THE MARINE STORE MM-HMM
WE'VE DETERMINED WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT MANMADE IN 1949 BASED ON THE PHOTOS WE HAVE AERIAL PHOTOS MM-HMM
WHICH MEANS WHEN I CAN GET IT IN THE BUDGET SO THAT THE, THE DREADS, THE CANAL IS GONNA BE 175,000, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR BIGGER BE VESSELS.
THE RESTAURANT, IT IS FOR BOATS TO BE ABLE TO GET IT.
AND ONE, YOU KNOW, SO THE PROVISION WE HAVE NOW IS WE HAVE SIX VISITOR SLIPS IN THE MIDDLE DOCK.
AND THOSE VISITOR SLIPS HAVE NO GATE OR ANYTHING THEY CAN PULL UP.
THEY CAN CALL THE TELEPHONE NUMBER OR THEY CAN RESERVE 'EM ON QUA.
SO THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE, ARE COMING NOW FOR THE RESTAURANT WALKING ACROSS THE PARKING LOT.
SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT, FOR, FOR ME, IT'S ABOUT, BEFORE WE SPEND MONEY ON, ON PUTTING IN THE BUDGET TO DREDGE THE CANAL, I'VE GOTTA BE GENERATING MORE, MORE REVENUE.
AND THEN FIXING ALL THE SAFETY THINGS.
SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S BEEN BY THE MARINA IN THE LAST, UH, SINCE LAST FRIDAY.
THEY STARTED, THEY STARTED TAKING THE FRONT OF L DOC APART, UH, AND THEY'RE WORKING THEIR WAY ACROSS.
UH, THE ENGINEERS FINALLY FINISHED EVERYTHING.
AND, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S IN GOOD, YOU KNOW, IN GOOD ORDER.
THE SCHEDULE I GOT SAYS THEY'LL BE DONE AUGUST 27TH.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT DONE.
UM, SO I, AGAIN, WE WANT REITERATE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT MR. ELLIS SAID, UM, YOU, I THINK THE DESIGN IS GREAT.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF GOING THROUGH AND, YOU KNOW, DOING THE DREDGING PIECE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'LL ESPECIALLY HELP WITH OUR SPORTS TOURISM AS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PADDLE BATTLE THAT HAS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMING OUT EACH YEAR.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IS WHEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, DESIGNING AND WE'RE LAYING THIS OUT, THAT WE'RE PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY MUCH A BIG SUCCESS.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, IF, YOU KNOW, LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BUILD UP, YOU KNOW, VERTICALLY.
UM, AND THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BUILD OUT, YOU KNOW, MORE HORIZONTALLY IF, YOU KNOW, IT BECOMES A BIGGER AND BIGGER SUCCESS.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GENERATE MORE REVENUE DOWN THERE.
UM, AND THAT WE, WE TAKE CARE OF THE UTILITIES AND THAT THE SITE IS, YOU KNOW, GOOD FOR A POTENTIAL FUTURE EXPANSION.
I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP THAT POINT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'M WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH, WITH, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT IS, UM, ON THIS SITE, THERE'S SOME PLACES THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO LIMIT HOW MUCH WE BUILD
AND THERE'S OTHER PLACES THAT WE CAN BUILD A LOT MORE.
AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ELEVATION, IT HAS TO DO WITH HOW CLOSE IT'S TO THE WATER.
SO, UM, THIS RIGHT HERE IS PROBABLY THE MOST AT THIS LOCATION ON THE SITE WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING KIND OF IN THE MASTER PLAN ABOUT OTHER LOCATIONS TO INCREASE THE REVENUE.
AND WE, WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE, ONE OF THE GOALS I DIDN'T MENTION AT THE BEGINNING, THIS, THIS IS USED BY SO MANY CITIZENS, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT COME AND PUT THEIR BOATS IN THERE, UH, HOPEWELL RESIDENTS AND, AND ALL THOSE SURROUNDING AREAS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO, TO STILL ACCESS THOSE RAMPS AND DO THAT.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE MASTER PLANNING, I AGREE WITH YOU THERE, THIS, THIS SITE IN, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE AMOUNT OF THINGS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DO AND THE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THAT WILL BE COMING TO DO THOSE THINGS.
SO THE OTHER PART OF THE QUESTION, UH, MAYOR PARTNER THAT, UH, NOT JUST THE EXPANSION HORIZONTALLY, BUT WHAT WERE YOU SAYING ABOUT THE EXPANSION GOING UP BY THE SECOND FLOOR OF ROOFTOP? THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.
THE CITY HAS ALMOST SIX ACRES OF WATERFRONT PROPERTY HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR US ON WHAT'S TRICKY ABOUT THIS PART, THIS PART IS IN THE FLOODPLAIN, WE, WE HAVE TO BE, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.
AND SO THIS WHOLE DECK IS GONNA BE SIX FEET OFF THE GROUND IN POLES.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT WE CAN DO IN THE FLOODPLAIN, BUT THE AREAS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE FLOOD PLAIN, WE HAVE A LOT, LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY.
THANK YOU MR. BENNETT FOR THAT.
[PUBLIC HEARING (part 1 of 2)]
IN NOW ONTO OUR CITY MANAGER REPORT.UM, MR. ROGERS MAYOR, I COUNSEL.
UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I NOTE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, SEVERAL, UH, MURDERS THAT HAVE BEEN HANDLED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I ALSO NOTED THAT PREVIOUSLY IN THE AGENDA OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS BURIED UP FRONT AND WAS NOT SPOKEN TO.
I'VE ASKED THE CHIEF TONIGHT TO COME
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AND MAKE HIS, HIS, UH, REPORT, UH, TO THE CITIZENS ABOUT THE STATUS OF, UH, POLICE ACTIVITY IN THE CITY CHIEF.AND YOU NOTED LAST WEEK THAT THE, THE DEPARTMENT IS NOW CERTIFIED RECERTIFIED, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, GOOD WORK OF THE CHIEF AND HIS, UH, COLLEAGUES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM MAYOR, MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE CRIME SUMMARY REPORT FOR JUNE OF 2025.
UM, MURDER, FORCIBLE RAPE ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, VIOLENT CRIME TOTAL IN 2024 WAS 32, AND IT'S CURRENTLY 41.
SO WE WAS UP NINE IN VIOLENT CRIMES, WHICH IS A 28% INCREASE.
AND I JUST WANT TO STOP RIGHT THERE AND, AND TALK ABOUT THE VIOLENT CRIME AND HRHA PROPERTY.
AS YOU ARE AWARE THAT ON MAY THE THIRD OF THIS YEAR, WE HAD A HOMICIDE.
AND ON JUNE THE FOURTH, WE ALSO HAD A HOMICIDE.
THE FIRST ONE WAS THE THOMAS ROTH COURT, AND THE OTHER, THE LAST ONE ON JUNE THE FOURTH WAS IN PIPER SQUARE.
AND ALSO I WANT COUNSEL TO KNOW THAT NEITHER VICTIMS RESIDED ON HRHA PROPERTY.
AND FOR, AS WE KNOW, THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP TO ANY OF THE TENANTS THAT RESIDE IN HRHA PROPERTY.
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO, IS WORKING WITH HR HA MANAGEMENT.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE LEADERSHIP.
'CAUSE ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE, WE SEEN WAS COMMUNICATIONS.
AND SINCE THE LAST RECENT MONTHS, WE HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVELY IN COMMUNICATION AND, AND MEETING WITH HR HA MANAGEMENT, UH, WORKING ON WITH THE DIRECTORS AND, UH, WORKING CONSISTENTLY TO COMMUNICATE.
UH, UH, WE, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, PROJECTS SAFE, UH, SAFE, ALIVE, AND FREE.
THEY ARE A GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION THAT YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT.
AND THEY WILL BE DOING A, A WALK IN PIPER SQUARE ON JUNE THE 12TH AT 2:00 PM TO ADDRESS THE LAST SHOOTING INCIDENT THAT WE HAD IN PIPER SQUARE.
WE ARE SHARING INFORMATION, UH, THE LEASES, THE PROBLEM TENANTS, THE TRESPASSING LIST, UH, THE HOUSING LIST, THE, THE, THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN BARRED FROM HR HA PROPERTY.
WE ARE WORKING TO WITH LEADERSHIP TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AND COMMUNICATE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY WORKING WITH HR HA MANAGEMENT TEAM.
AND LASTLY, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES WAS THE CAMERAS IN HRHA PROPERTY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, UH, IMPROVED ON IS ALL THE CAMERAS ARE OPERATIONAL EXCEPT PIPER SQUARE.
AND THE REASON WHY PIPER SQUARE IS NOT FULLY OPERATIONAL IS WHEN THEY DID THE RENOVATIONS, IT WAS ELECTRICAL ISSUES WHERE THE WIRES WERE CUT, UH, VENTURE, UH, THE ELECTRICAL HAD BEEN WORKING, UH, PROGRESSIVELY.
NOT ALL OF 'EM ARE WORKING, BUT THEY ARE, WE ARE GETTING THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN HR AJ PROPERTY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL IS AWARE OF.
'CAUSE WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING AND WE'VE BEEN SHARING THESE REPORT WITH HR HA AND IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, UH, GROUP A OFFENSES, WHICH IS ASSAULTS, INTIMIDATION, ASSAULT, SIMPLE DRUG VIOLATIONS, AND WEAPON LAW OFFENSES, PAC'S HIGH RISE, A TOTAL OF TWO CALLS.
THIS IS IN THE MONTH OF APRIL PIPER SQUARE, A TOTAL OF THREE THOMAS ROTH COURT, A TOTAL OF EIGHT FOR THE, SO FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL WAS A TOTAL, UH, CALLS FOR SERVICE WAS 11 FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.
UH, LIKE I SAID, WE HAD THE HOMICIDE AND MAY THE THIRD AND JUNE THE FOURTH, BUT THE MONTH OF MAY, ALL MAJOR GROUP, ALL MAJOR AND GROUP A CRIME INCIDENTS, UH, VIOLENT CRIME PROPERTY, CRIME GROUP, A OFFENSES DAVISVILLE ONE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED IN THE MONTH OF MAY, HOPEWELL HEIGHTS.
ONE INCIDENT REPORTED PIPER SQUARE ONE INCIDENT REPORTED THOMAS ROTH COURT, FOUR INCIDENTS REPORTED.
SO A TOTAL OF SEVEN INCIDENTS REPORTED FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.
[01:20:01]
SO WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON AND, AND, AND WORKING WITH THE TENANTS AND MEETING WITH THE TENANTS IS, IS THESE JUST THE ACTUAL CALLS OR YOU'RE NOT CALLING.AND IF YOU'RE NOT CALLING, WE WANNA KNOW WHY YOU'RE NOT CALLING.
AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM IN THE HR AJ PROPERTY, THEY CAN, THEY CAN CALL THE POLICE, THAT THE POLICE WILL BE RESPONDING NOT TO THE RESIDENCE IF THEY DO NOT WANT TO SEE A POLICE OFFICER.
BECAUSE WE, THEY WANT, WE DON'T WANT THEM TO FEEL INTIMIDATED AND WE WANT TO RESPOND AND BE EFFICIENT IN, IN ADDRESSING THEIR CONCERNS IN HR HA PROPERTY.
UH, CHIEF, UH, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCILOR STOKES.
UM, I ATTENDED AND I AM THE LIAISON BETWEEN COUNSELOR AND, UH, HOPE, HOPE REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY.
IMPRESSIVELY, THERE IS A POLICE OFFICER NOW ASSIGNED TO THEIR MEETINGS THAT COMES INTO THE MEETING AND GIVE THEM THE SAME UPDATE THAT YOU JUST GAVE ME.
WE GOT LAST NIGHT, I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CAMERAS THAT WERE DOWN AND HOW LONG THEY WERE DOWN, UM, AT PIPER SQUARE.
BUT I GOT PERMISSION FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND I MAY NEED TO PROBABLY JUST MEET WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
AND YOU, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHY THEY'RE NOT CALLING SPEAK UP.
AND THE REASON THEY'RE NOT CALLING IS 'CAUSE THEY NEED TO FEEL MORE PROTECTIVE AND MORE SAFE IN GIVING INFORMATION BECAUSE, UM, MAYBE UNLIKE MOST OF US, THEY LIVE AMONGST SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTING THE CRIMES.
SO TO GIVE YOU THE REPORT THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED.
AND AT THE RESIDENT COUNCIL MEETING, THE RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED THAT THEY, THEY SURE THEY WANT TO COOPERATE AND BE A PART OF NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, BUT THEY NEED PROTECTION.
AND THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE HRHA BOARD LAST NIGHT.
UM, AND THEY GAVE ME PERMISSION TO ADDRESS YOU ON IT AND TO PROTECT THEM THROUGH THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY OR HOWEVER YOU HAVE TO DO IT SO THAT THEY CAN COME FORWARD AND HELP YOU.
BUT, UM, THAT, THAT WAS MAJOR FOR THEM AND I THOUGHT I WOULD PRESENT THAT TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS.
'CAUSE I WENT TO ONE OF THE, THE, THE ATTENDED, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN PIPER SQUARE AND THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE MEETING.
AND, AND SINCE THAT TIME THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SUPERVISOR OF COMMUNICATIONS TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR DISPATCHERS ARE AWARE OF ANY INCIDENTS IN HR HA PROPERTY OR PROTOCOL FOR WHEN CITIZENS CALL AND THEY DO NOT WANT THE POLICE TO COME TO THEIR RESIDENCE, THAT THEY FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE POLICE.
AND THEY'RE GETTING CALLED IN AS WITNESSES AND THEY DON'T WANT THAT PART EITHER BECAUSE THEY LIVE AMONGST SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, ALLEGED, UH, SU SUSPECTS
SUSPECTS AND WE'LL DO, WE'LL WORK WITH THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND MAKE SURE THOSE CONCERNS ARE, UH, ARE COMMUNICATED WITH THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THEY CAN TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO PREVENT THAT FROM OCCURRING.
AND I THINK ONCE YOU GET THAT DONE, YOU'LL PROBABLY GET FLOODED WITH INFORMATION 'CAUSE THEY'RE LOADED WITH IT.
UH, COUNSELOR DAY AS A COUNCIL, UM, IN CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, WE ALL EARNESTLY WANT TO SEE SOMETHING CHANGE WITH PIPER SQUARE.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY HERE LATELY, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CRIME THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT BEING REPORTED, BUT I TALKED TO SEVERAL CITIZENS THERE.
AND TO PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT COUNCILLOR STOKES IS SAYING, UM, THAT FEAR OF RETALIATION IS VERY REAL FOR THEM.
I'VE EVEN HAD THEM, I'VE HAD, UM, CITIZENS SAY TO ME, I'M EVEN AFRAID THAT IF I CALL AND THEY ASK FOR MY NAME OR WANT ANY OF MY INFORMATION, THAT THAT COULD BE FOIBLE AND SOMEBODY'S GONNA FIND OUT THAT I'M THE ONE THAT SAID SOMETHING.
SO, I MEAN, THEY'RE GENUINELY AFRAID TO SAY WHAT'S GOING ON.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY WANT IT TO STOP, BUT THEY LIVE THERE.
SO, AND, AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE, WE ARE DOING AS WELL IS OUR PATROL DIVISION.
UH, THEY'RE DOING OUTDOOR ROAD CALLS.
THEY'VE BEEN, UH, DIRECTOR PATROLS IN PIPER SQUARE WHERE THEY ACTUALLY DEAL WITH FOOT PATROLS IN THE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS, INCLUDING THE HR AJ PROPERTY WHERE THEY'RE GETTING OUTTA THE PATROL CARS, THEY'RE WALKING AND THEY'RE TALKING TO CITIZENS.
'CAUSE WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AND BUILD THAT TRUST SO THEY'LL BE CONFIDENT IN, IN CALLING US SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THEIR ISSUES AND CONCERNS.
[01:25:01]
COUNCILOR HOLLOW, I GUESS KIND OF TOUCHING, I WAS, I WAS THERE RECENTLY WITH, UH, I STEPPED OUT FOR A MOMENT TO BE, UH, BEACON HILL CHURCH.THE PASTOR WAS OUT THERE, UM, FEEDING THE COMMUNITY AND I, I WILL DITTO WHAT COUNSELOR, UH, THEY SAID THAT WAS SPOKEN BY SOME OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
BUT THE, THE, THE INTERESTING THING IS THE CRIME THAT'S GOING ON, EVERY TIME I HEAR ME, NOT EVERY TIME, BUT THE FEW TIMES THAT I'VE HEAR REPORTS ARE ACTUALLY COMING FROM PEOPLE WHO DO NOT RESIDE.
IS IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT ACTUALLY AREN'T RESIDENCES THERE.
SO IT, IT SEEMS TO BE THAT THIS IS A, THESE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE NON-RESIDENTIAL.
WELL THE, THAT, THAT IS A PROBLEM AREA.
AND THAT'S, UH, UM, MANAGEMENT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH MANAGEMENT SET THAT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE, THEY HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE THAT COME VISIT THERE.
AND YOU, AND YOU KNOW, THE HR HHA PROPERTY IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, PEOPLE THAT COME FROM HOPEWELL, I MEAN PRINCE GEORGE, SIR SUSSEX, DISTRICT TOWN RICHMOND, TO COME TO HR HHA PROPERTY FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
AND, AND, AND THE REASON WHY THEY COME TO HR HHA PROPERTY TO, UH, COMMIT VARIOUS ISSUES AND, AND CRIMES.
UH, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A A A A REASON WHY, BUT IT DOES OCCUR THAT OUTSIDE, UH, CITIZENS DO COME INTO HR HHA PROPERTY TO CAUSE PROPERTY.
SO, SO, SO TO KIND OF DIVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER, UH, I THINK THAT HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING AUTHORITY ALREADY HAS IN PLACE THAT THE, UH, TENANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR GUESTS.
BUT LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, A FEW YEARS AGO, IT WAS A, ANOTHER YOUNG MAN THAT WAS SHOT THERE THAT THEY TOTALLY SAID, I THINK AT THE TIME HE CAME DOWN FROM PITTSBURGH AND HE, IT, IT WAS LIKE A DRIVE BY I ABOUT TO SAY A DRIVE THROUGH, A DRIVE BY.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THESE TYPES OF THINGS, HOW YOU GONNA HOLD THE TENANT RESPONSIBLE? IS IS THERE THAT, THAT, THAT IS, UH, UH, INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MM-HMM
AND PIPER SQUARE, THE, THE AT TENANTS THAT ARE, UH, HAVE A LEASE WITH HRA MM-HMM
AND WE GOTTA ENSURE THAT MANAGEMENT IS COMMUNICATED AND, AND ADVISED ABOUT THESE INCIDENTS SO THEY CAN APPROACH, TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION BASED ON LEASE VIOLATIONS.
SO IT IS A MATTER OF US MAKING SURE THAT MANAGEMENT IS AWARE OF THESE VIOLATIONS AND THEY WILL HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY IF IT'S NOT A CRIMINAL MATTER AND IT'S A LEASE VIOLATION MATTER TO TAKE IT AND, AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS A LITTLE MIXED.
I'M TALKING ABOUT IN THE CASES IS, IS EASILY TO EASY TO IDENTIFY IF IT WAS A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY WAS A GUEST OF SOMEONE'S HOME.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ARE, IS THIS A CASE THAT THEY'RE REPORTING THAT THE INCIDENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING, THE PERSON, THE SUSPECT THAT IS COMING IN SHOOTING, LIKE THE LAST INCIDENT IN, UH, INCIDENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS THE SUSPECT A GUEST OF A RESIDENT THERE? NO, SIR.
OR WAS THIS SUSPECT WAS NOT A GUEST OF THE RESIDENCE.
SO, SO WHAT I'M ASKING THEN IS WHY WOULD THE TENANT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEY THEY WOULD NOT BE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING IN THAT CASE, BECAUSE YOU WERE SAYING HOLDING THE TENANT RESPONSIBLE.
I'M LIKE, I THOUGHT IT WAS A NON, OKAY.
UH, ARSON, BURGLARY, LAR AND MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS, UH, TOTAL, UH, OF PROPERTY CRIMES IN 2024 WAS 178.
AND IT'S 139 NOW, SO IT'S MINUS 39.
SO PROPERTY CRIMES, WE ARE DOWN MINUS 22%.
UH, TOTAL MAJOR CRIMES WE HAD IN 2 20 24 WAS 210.
WE ARE DOWN MINUS 30, SO MINUS 14%.
SO, UH, TOTAL AT THIS POINT IN MAJOR CRIMES, WE ARE DOWN MINUS 14%.
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THIS HAS BEEN THE LOWEST THAT WE'VE HAD IN FIVE YEARS IN THE OPIATES.
UH, 2025, WE HAD TWO NON FATAL.
WE HAD 12 AND GRAND TOTAL OF 14.
WHILE THE, THE NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN, EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT ON THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AND
[01:30:01]
ON NARCAN.AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE DRIVING FORCES THAT, THAT IS HELPING REDUCE THE OPIATES ISSUES IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
THESE, UH, VERIFIED SHOTS FIRED, UH, CONSIDERED ACTUAL VERIFIED SHOTS FIRED WHERE WE GO TO THE SCENE AND FIND ACTUAL EVIDENCE, FOUND CASINGS, PROPERTY DAMAGE, ET CETERA.
UH, 2024, WE HAD 24 AND 2025, WE'VE HAD 26.
UH, WE'RE STILL, UH, UH, FORTUNATELY, UH, SOME OF 'EM, BUT NOT ALL OF 'EM.
WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE ARRESTS ON.
AND, UH, WE, WE CONTINUALLY TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WENT AND EARMARK.
WE HAD SOME EAR MARKS TO, UH, TO IMPROVE OUR TECHNOLOGY IN REGARDS TO, UH, DEALING WITH, UH, THESE TYPES OF INCIDENTS.
UH, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETINGS.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UH, 11 SWORN VACANCIES, UH, AND ONE, THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION VACANCY, THE, THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION VACANCY.
UH, I WILL HAVE A FINAL INTERVIEW WITH THAT CANDIDATE THIS WEEK.
SO IF, UH, ALL GOES WELL, WE'LL HAVE A FULL STAFF AND DISPATCH.
UH, THERE ARE EIGHT, UH, APPLICANTS IN THE BACKGROUND PHASE.
UH, OUR LAST PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST WAS ON MAY THE 28TH.
AND, UH, AS ALREADY STATED, JULY THE SEVENTH IS OUR NEXT POLICE ACADEMY.
AND CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE SCHEDULED TO GO TO THE POLICE ACADEMY, AND WE ALREADY HAVE ONE CERTIFIED OFFICER THAT HAS ALREADY BEGUN EMPLOYMENT HERE.
OUR DOWNTOWN EFFORTS, WE CONTINUE WITH OUR FOOT PATROLS DOWNTOWN.
ALSO, NOT ONLY, UH, LIKE I TOLD YOU, I TALKED ABOUT PATROL DIVISION, THAT THEY'RE DOING COMMUNITY CAGE ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, IN THE BUSINESSES AND ALSO DOWNTOWN.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO DO OUR BUSINESS CHECKS DOWNTOWN AND OUR BUSINESS AND, UH, CITIZENS, UH, DOWNTOWN.
THEY ARE, UH, THE BUSINESS OWNER CONTACTS, UH, THE BEACON THEATER OVERTIME THAT WE STILL HAVE AN OFFICER ASSIGNED TO WORK THE BEACON THEATER WHEN THEY HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS.
I'M WORKING TO GET, UH, WITH THE BOARD AND TO WORK TO, UH, TO COMMUNICATE, TO WORK, TO SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE AND CONTINUE WITH THE SECURITY AT THE BEACON THEATER.
THE BEACON THEATER IS A MAJOR ATTRACTION IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, AND WE WANT THE CITIZENS THAT ATTEND THE BEACON THEATER TO FEEL SAFE WHEN THEY COME DOWNTOWN TO ATTEND THESE EVENTS AND LEAVE THESE EVENTS.
UH, UH, DOWNTOWN FOCUS, AS YOU KNOW, WE, UH, REDUCED THE SPEED LIMIT ON RANDOLPH ROAD IN APPOMATTOX STREET.
WE HAVE BEEN, UH, ENFORCING THE SPEED LIMIT ON RANDOLPH ROAD AND ON APPOMATTOX STREET WITH ASSISTANCE OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
UH, CAN'T THINK OF ENOUGH FOR THEIR ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ON RANDOLPH ROAD.
IF, IF YOU EVER COME THROUGH THAT DURING THE DAY, YOU MAY SEE SOME LIGHTS PLATE.
AND WE CONTINUE TO ENFORCE, UH, TRAFFIC DOWNTOWN.
AND ALSO WE'RE DOING DOWNTOWN BIKE PATROLS.
WE HAVE OFFICERS ASSIGNED DOWNTOWN TO, UH, CONTINUE TO DO BIKE PATROLS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF JUNE AND, AND JULY.
WE HAVE TWO SPEED TRAILERS AS OPERATIONAL RIGHT NOW.
UH, THESE, THESE SPEED TRAILERS ARE, UH, THE GOAL IS TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, SPEEDING HOLIDAY SAFETY EVENTS, UH, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND NOTIFY THE CITIZENS AND MOTORS AND, AND CITIZENS COME THROUGH HOPEWELL, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, WE PURCHASED A SPEED MONITORING DEVICE IS A SPEED MONITORING DEVICE THAT WE CAN SET UP AND CHECK THE SPEEDS BY TIME OF DAY, DAY OF THE WEEK.
SO WE CAN TAKE THIS INFORMATION, DOWNLOAD IT, AND LOOK AT IT SO WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES IN, UH, RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF THE CITY TO REDUCE, UH, SPEEDING COMPLIANCE.
UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, UH, MAY THE 30TH, THE, UH, GAMING TRAILER WAS PROVIDED AT PATRICK COPELAND SCHOOL FOR WHO? FOR THE STUDENTS WHO IMPROVE THEIR SOL SCHOOLS.
UH, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER AND STAFF ARE WORKING WITH THE STATE POLICE TO, UH, SET UP A, IT'S, IT'S A HEAT, IT'S CALLED HEAT HELP ELIMINATE AUTO THEFTS TO, UH, UH, ASSIST WITH CRIME PREVENTION IN, IN, IN THE REDUCTION OF MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.
AND I CAN SAY FOR 2025, COMPARED TO 2024, WE HAVE HAD A REDUCTION IN MOTOR
[01:35:01]
VEHICLE THEFTS BECAUSE IN 2024 WE HAD THE HIN DAYS.UH, AND, UH, FORTUNATELY THROUGH PROACTIVE POLICING AND, AND, UH, GETTING THE INFORMATION AND WORKING WITH HIN DAY, THEY, THERE HAS BEEN A REDUCTION IN, IN AUTO IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
JUST HAD A MEETING WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF HRHA YESTERDAY, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, ATTEND THEIR MONTHLY MEETINGS TO SHARE INFORMATION TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, MANAGEMENT WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO, UH, WORK WITH THE TENANTS AND WORK WITH US TO REDUCE CRIME AND HR HA PRODUCT.
UH, THE, ON JUNE THE 30TH, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER WILL BE WORKING WITH RECREATION AND PARKS.
IT'S CALLED A, A PLAY ALL DAY EVENT THAT'LL BE SCHEDULED FOR, UH, JUNE THE 20TH.
AND LASTLY, ONCE AGAIN, HRHA AND OUR OFFICERS, UH, WE GONNA HAVE A, IT'S CALLED SEPTA CRIME INTERVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNS.
AND WE GOING INTO THOMAS ROTH COURT AND THE NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO PIPER SQUARE, THAT WE CAN LOOK AT WAYS THAT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE TREATING A LIGHTING, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP REDUCE CRIME AND HR AJ PROPERTY.
WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN.
IN YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, ANY OPPORTUNITY TO, TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OTHER RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, OUR FOUR-LEGGED ANIMALS.
I KNOW OUR CITY ATTORNEY IS AN ANIMAL LOVER, AND WE DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS AND YOU HAVE THE, WHAT YOU CALL 'EM, PEOPLE
I LIKE TO SEE MORE STUFF ON OUR ANIMALS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHER ANIMAL LOVERS WE HAVE AROUND HERE, BUT ANIMAL LOVERS RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS.
WELL, MY ANIMAL CONTROL STAFF IS FULL OF STAFF AND I, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THEY WORK VERY HARD TO ADDRESS THE ANIMAL CONTROL ISSUES IN, AT THE SHELTER.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE SHELTER IS STAYING FULL.
WE KNOW, AND WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO WORK WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE ADOPTION AGENCIES THAT WE HELP CONTRACTS TO MAKE SURE THESE ANIMALS ARE, ARE ADOPTED.
AND AS WELL IS WHEN WE DO HAVE OUR, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS AND OUR UPCOMING BARBECUES IS SOME OF THAT, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL IS WITH US TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT ANIMAL CONTROL AND, AND, AND SHARE, YOU KNOW, JUST BASIC INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ANIMAL LAWS IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
SO, YES, WE WILL BE WORKING AND, AND WE DO CARE ABOUT OUR ANIMALS AS WELL.
OUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS, THEY'RE MY FOUR-LEGGED RESIDENTS.
WELL, THIS CONCLUDES MY CRIME INFORMATION REPORT THAT I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION, UM, UH, BUT MORE OF A REQUEST.
UH, I KNOW THAT COUNCILOR STOKES AND VICE MAYOR JOYNER ARE BOTH ASKED FOR, UM, A, YOU KNOW, A JOINT MEETING WITH, YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL AND HRHA.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS, MR. ROGERS OF MEETING WITH THE H-R-H-A-C-E-O.
UM, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND LET'S, YOU KNOW, GET SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS, YOU KNOW, HERE IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, MONTH.
UM, SO THAT WAY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, START TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S SEE WHAT THEIR ACTION PLAN IS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE FINALLY RECOGNIZING A LOT OF THESE ISSUES MM-HMM
BECAUSE IN PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE OSTRICH, YOU KNOW, BEARING THE HEAD IN THE SAND YOU TYPE APPROACH.
SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, GOOD TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'LL BE A MORE ENGAGED, UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SENDING POLICE OFFICERS YES.
UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE MEETINGS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATION.
UM, SO I WOULD REALLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THIS, UH, THIS JOINT MEETING HAPPEN HERE, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT MONTH.
AND I'LL BE THERE TO ATTEND AS WELL.
MR. MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU CHIEF FOR THAT.
AND, AND LET ME SAY THAT, UH, I WILL ASK THE CHIEF TO COME MONTHLY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PLACE AN EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC SAFETY YES.
AND THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING TO KEEP HOPE WILL HOPEWELL SAFE.
SO I THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, THAT PRESENTATION TOO.
NOW, I, I HAVE PUT BEFORE YOU A, UH, A BRIEF MEMORANDUM ON THE HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL, UM, AUTHORITY.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, WHEN I WAS APPOINTED, UH, ALMOST A
[01:40:01]
MONTH AGO, I MET WITH EACH ONE OF YOU, UH, TRIED TO ASCERTAIN, UH, WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES WOULD BE FOR THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER.UH, COMING AWAY FROM THAT, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT WITH A PENDING, UM, UH, ACTION BY, UH, VIRGINIA, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY THAT WE NEEDED TO PLACE, UH, EMPHASIS ON, UH, HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL, UH, I HAVE WALKED THE PLANT.
I'VE SEEN THE CONDITIONS WITH MICHAEL CROCKER.
HE HAS PROVIDED EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, UH, THERE, UH, FOR SOME MONTHS, UH, WITH THE SUPPORT OF A, A, UH, OF A CONTRACTOR, UH, IN THE MANAGER ROLE.
UH, MY CONCLUSION IS THAT MIKE HAS ALREADY HAS A FULL-TIME JOB.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE DOING IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
AND YET I, UH, AM NOT CERTAIN THAT WE ARE READY FOR A RECRUITMENT OF, OF A LEADER YET, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS, UM, ON, UH, HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL, ONE BY DEBERRY, UH, CONSULTANTS AND ONE BY HAZEN AND SAWYER ON, UH, ON STAFFING.
UH, THE REPORT BY BERRY OUTLINES IN GREAT DETAIL, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE CHALLENGES AT THE DEPARTMENT IN EVERY SECTION, UH, THEY RECOMMEND, UH, A SERIES OF STUDIES WHICH ADD UP TO SEVERAL BILLION, MILLION DOLLARS TO, TO GET, UH, FURTHER, UH, INFORMATION ON, ON WHERE WE ARE.
IT'S NOT AN ACTION PLAN YET, BUT IT WILL PROVIDE A PATH FORWARD.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, WE, WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES, BUT IT'S INCREMENTAL, UH, RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, UH, THE HAZEN SAWYER, UH, REPORT ALSO PROVIDES ADDITIONAL DATA IN TERMS OF THE CHALLENGES AT AT, AT THE PLANT.
UH, AND IT RECOMMENDS ADDITIONAL 12 PEOPLE, WHICH IS A COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, HAVE TO THINK ABOUT.
THERE ARE, UM, OTHER OPTIONS I THINK THAT WE NEED TO STUDY.
AND OVER THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE WILL BE DEEP LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES FOR IMPROVING, UH, THAT OPERATION.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE DOING THINGS AND THE REPORT I OUTLINED, UH, SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE, HAVE, HAVE TAKEN.
UH, MR. MAYOR, YOU POINTED OUT TO ME THAT $3 MILLION HAD BEEN APPROPRIATED BY THIS COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, SOME TIME AGO FOR THE QUEEN, UH, QUEEN ANN PUMP PUMPING STATION.
AND IT HAD BEEN SPENT, WE LOOKED INTO THAT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
UH, BUT NOW PURCHASE ORDERS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AGAINST THAT $3 MILLION THAT WE ARE GETTING THAT MOVING, THAT THAT'S STOCKED.
UH, BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, UH, FOR THIS, UH, OPERATION TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
SO WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU, UH, REGULARLY, UH, UPDATING YOU ON WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, UH, AT THE PLANT TO MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU JUST GAVE US, UH, THIS MEMORANDUM, BUT ARE YOU GUYS PUTTING TOGETHER AN ACTION PLAN JUST SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PUMP STATIONS ON LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PLAN ON, YOU KNOW, COMING TO US FOR APPROPRIATIONS ON EACH OF THOSE, MIKE PROCTOR? UM, SO THAT IS OUR INTENTION IS TO PUT TOGETHER AN ACTION PLAN FOR THE PUMP STATIONS.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS COLLECTIVELY, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THE GATE OF THAT PLANT IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
AND IT'S, IT'S A LOT TO TACKLE.
UH, THE FIRST HURDLE IS QUEEN ANNE.
WE DO HAVE OTHER PUMP STATIONS THAT REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE NOW.
UM, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THOSE PLANTS TO KEEP THEM RUNNING.
UM, THERE ARE MAJOR SAFETY UPGRADES THAT DO NEED TO TAKE PLACE.
UM, AND TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE WITH A LOT OF THAT STUFF.
BUT WE WILL HAVE AN ACTION PLAN PUT TOGETHER.
I DON'T HAVE A DATE YET, BUT WE, THAT'S, THAT'S THE NEXT STEP.
WHY ARE YOU UP, MIKE? TALK ABOUT CITY POINT.
UH, CITY POINT, ROAD HAVEN, UM, A LOT OF INTEREST SURROUNDING CITY POINT AND IT BEING SHUT DOWN.
UM, IT, IT FROM THE SURFACE OR FROM THE, FROM THE BARRICADES, ONE MIGHT THINK THAT, OH, IT'S A PA OPERATION THAT TOOK TOO LONG.
[01:45:01]
GEOLOGY OF HOPEWELL IS, UM, INTERESTING.I'LL JUST PUT IT THAT AT THAT, UM, UNDERNEATH OF CITY POINT ROAD IS AN OLD CONCRETE ROAD, UH, THAT WAS IN, IN DISREPAIR.
UM, IT DOES NOT SERVE AS A SUITABLE SURFACE FOR ASPHALT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY DURING PAVEMENT OPERATIONS, THE DUMP TRUNK SUNK IN CITY POINT ROAD, OH.
UM, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE SOIL CONDITIONS UNDER CITY POINT.
SO, UM, IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE WOULD LIKE.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC'S PATIENCE.
UM, THAT PARTICULAR STRETCH OF ROAD WILL LIKELY END UP IN A RESTRICTED SCENARIO WHERE TRUCK TRAFFIC WILL BE LIMITED TO FIRE TRUCKS AND TRASH TRUCKS AT THE HEAVIEST, UM, TRACTOR TRAILERS NAVIGATING THAT AREA, THEY'RE CREATING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE ROADWAY.
UM, SO THAT PAVEMENT PROJECT WILL IN INCUR SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS IN ORDER TO REOPEN THE ROAD.
BUT, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SETTING IT UP TO BE BACK OPEN ON FRIDAY.
SO FINGERS CROSSED AND THE RAIN HOLDS OFF.
WE'LL, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IT BACK OPEN.
UH, I DO DO WANNA STRESS, IT'S NOT THE LONG TERM FIX FOR THAT ROAD, UH, THE LONG TERM FIX FOR, AND, AND THAT SOIL CONDITION EXISTS SADLY, IN A, A FAIR AREA FROM FROM SIXTH AVENUE.
WE SAW IT IN WINSTON CHURCHILL.
I THINK I DUG 32 FEET IN THE GROUND AND IT EXISTED ALL THE WAY DOWN.
UM, I NEVER FOUND SUITABLE SOIL, UH, THIS PARTICULAR SMALL SECTION OF CITY POINT, JUST TO ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.
UM, WE HAD TO OVER EXCAVATE OVER THREE FEET AND FILL BACK UP WITH THREE FEET OF STONE IN ORDER TO HAVE A, A BASE THAT WOULD SUPPORT ASPHALT BEING PUT BACK ON TOP OF IT.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A REMEDIATION SCENARIO TO TRY AND GET THE ROAD BACK OPEN.
UM, SO WE DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT AS OF NOW.
UH, MR. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.
ALRIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE NOW
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS ]
INTO COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT? A COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZENS PERIOD LIMITED IN TOTAL TIME TO 30 MINUTES IS PART OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS.
AT EACH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, ALL PERSONS ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL SHALL, SHALL APPROACH THE MICROPHONE, GIVE THEIR NAME, AND IF THEY RESIDE IN HOPEWELL 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 THE 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 IMPERTINENT ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS OR INCITES 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 C RULES 4 0 5 AND 4 0 6.
UH, BEFORE WE CALL ON FOLKS, UM, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF FOLKS ARE HERE PROBABLY TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT AN ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM CITY COUNCIL TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ALLOW, UH, CITIZENS TO COMMENT ON ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA? SO MOVED.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR UH, HOLLOWAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
I THOUGHT WE WEREN'T DOING THAT.
SO, SO THAT WE COULD OH, I'M SORRY.
SO THE MOTION IS TO WAIVE THE RULES SO THAT WAY, UH, CITIZENS CAN SPEAK ABOUT ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
UH, FIRST PERSON THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS LAURA GREENWOOD.
MY NAME'S LAURA GREENWOOD AND I'VE BEEN A HOPEWELL RESIDENT FOR OVER A DECADE NOW.
UM, I'M IN WARD SIX MS STEPS AND UM, RECENTLY PURCHASED THE HOME THAT I'VE BEEN RENTING FOR OVER THE DECADE, JUST THIS PAST DECEMBER.
SO I AM A PROPERTY OWNER OF HOPEWELL NOW.
SO I'D GONE TO THE, UM, BUDGET MEETING THAT WAS OVER AT THE UH, COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND I LISTENED TO EVERYBODY TALK ABOUT THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND SO FORTH.
AND I DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO UM, A SPREADSHEET.
[01:50:01]
INFORMATION WHATSOEVER.IT WAS JUST ALL KIND OF SOLID STONES.
SO WHEN I HEARD THAT THE BUDGET IS GOING TO EXCEED $7 MILLION AS A HOMEOWNER, THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR BUDGET IS TO BEGIN WITH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WAS AND HOW MUCH WHY $7 MILLION IS GONNA GO UP.
UM, SO I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF MY LOCAL PEOPLE.
MY NEIGHBOR HAS IS A RESIDENT OF HOPEWELL FOR OVER 80 YEARS.
AND UM, SHE DOESN'T HAVE A CELL PHONE, SHE DOESN'T HAVE A COMPUTER.
SHE DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, SHE DOESN'T GET ANY OF THE INFORMATION FROM THIS COUNCIL.
SO I WAS TALKING TO HER AND SHE WAS LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
SO TALKING TO SOME OTHER FOLKS, I'VE REALIZED THAT THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HERE.
WHY DON'T Y'ALL HAVE A CITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE? SO I'VE TALKED TO SOME OTHER FOLKS NOW I'M A RETIRED COMMERCIAL ART DIRECTOR, PUBLIC, UM, PRODUCTION MANAGER AS WELL AS A MARKETING ANALYST.
I'VE WORKED DOC AND A LEVEL STATE CO AT THE STATE, UM, PRISONS.
UM, GOT INSURANCE UNDER MY BELT.
I'M PRETTY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT FIELDS, SO I ALSO KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT GETTING, UM, NEWS RELEASES OUT.
SO ANYHOW, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, THERE'S NO OVERSIGHT FROM WHAT I HEAR ABOUT NOBODY IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE FUNDS.
WHERE'S THE RECEIPTS? IS THAT MS. JORDAN? THAT'S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, RIGHT? UM, YES, FINANCES ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU, I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGETS GOING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH I'M ALL FOR AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT I'M ALL FOR.
BUT BUDGETS OF THESE OTHER BUDGETS THAT ARE GOING OUT, I DON'T SEE ANY SPREADSHEET.
WHERE'S THE SPREADSHEET SPEAKING TO THE, UM, PAY? I SAY YEAH, I'M GONNA LET YOU FINISH YOUR COMMENTS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW, I KNOW I GOT THREE MINUTES AND THEN YOU CAN RESPOND TO ME.
SO WHAT I'M ASSUMING, WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING MY OTHER HOMEOWNERS IS TO START UP A HOMEOWNER'S VOLUNTEER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UM, THREE MINUTES IS UP ALREADY? YES MA'AM.
I PUT IT IN BULLET POINTS FOR YOU, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET IT TO YOU.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU MY PHONE NUMBER.
AND YOU CALL ME AND I'LL GET YOU THIS INFORMATION.
CAN YOU PLEASE, UH, COMMENT TO THAT? 'CAUSE I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME MISINTERPRETATION OF INFORMATION.
UM, SO WHEN WE SAY, CAN YOU COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE? COME UP TO THE MICRO.
SO WHEN WE SAY THAT WE HAVE A SURPLUS OF LIKE 5.2 MILLION REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES, IT'S TO THE GOOD, IT'S NOT TO A LOSS.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE A LOSS OF $7 MILLION IF WE'RE PROJECTING FOR CITYWIDE IT WAS 5.8 I BELIEVE IT WAS TO THE GOOD.
SO WE HAVE MORE REVENUES THAN WE HAVE EXPENSES, WHICH MEANS WE'RE MONITORING OUR EXPENSES, WE'RE CONTROLLING WHAT WE PURCHASED TO DOWN TO NECESSITIES AND NOT JUST ONCE.
AND WE'RE BRINGING IN MORE REVENUE SO THAT WE CAN BUILD OUR FUND BALANCE, AS YOU HEARD JIMMY FROM DAVENPORT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE ARE COMPLETE WITH OUR AFR, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE A GOOD SO YOU'RE BASICALLY IN THE RED? NO, WE'RE IN THE BLACK.
OKAY, SO MY TAXES ISN'T GONNA GO UP.
NOW PER THE STATE CODE, PER THE STATE CODES, THERE'S A REASSESSMENT REQUIRED EVERY OTHER YEAR.
SO THE REASSESSMENT WAS JUST DONE THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO IN 2027 THE CITY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER REASSESSMENT, BUT THAT'S PART OF THE AGENDA.
OKAY, THAT'S FOR REAL ESTATE? YES, THAT'S FOR REAL ESTATE THAT, YEAH.
YEAH, I KNOW
THE NEXT NAME I AM HAVING A HARD TIME READING.
UM, I THINK IT MIGHT BE ARIAN LANE.
SOMEONE WITH THE LAST NAME LANE.
I AM AMANDA BARNETT AND I RESIDE IN WARD FOUR.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN REGARDING THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO REMOVE THE ABILITY FOR RESPONSIBLE
[01:55:01]
CITIZENS TO CARRY FIREARMS IN CITY STRUCTURES, PARKS, ET CETERA.AS SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT.
WHILE I MAY NOT BE A CITY EMPLOYEE, I HAVE WORKED AT THE CITY OWNED LIBRARY FOR SIX YEARS.
IN THESE SIX YEARS I HAVE WITNESSED VARIOUS ACTS OF MISCONDUCT AND OR VIOLENCE IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE AND THE CAFE ACROSS THE STREET.
WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR OFFICERS AND WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR PRESENCE AND AID.
THE SAD REALITY IS THAT WE AS A CITY AND COMMUNITY HAVE A LARGE GROUP OF UNHOUSED PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO FACE SEVERE DIFFICULTIES ACCESSING BASIC NECESSARY RESOURCES AND SERVICES.
SOME SUFFER FROM UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH OR MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
A LACK OF ACCESS TO THESE RESOURCES ONLY COMPOUNDS THE ISSUE, LEAVING PEOPLE WITH LITTLE TO NO HELP TO MANAGE THESE SYMPTOMS OR ACCESS MENTAL HEALTHCARE, WHICH LEAVES THEM IRATE AND UNPREDICTABLE.
WHILE THE AIM OF REMOVING FIREARMS MAY PREVENT VIOLENCE, IT IS A TRULY HEARTBREAKING SITUATION, BUT ALSO AN UNSAFE SITUATION WITH THE HOMELESS.
SOME MENTALLY UNSTABLE INDIVIDUALS MAY POSE A THREAT TO THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE ABSENCE OF MENTAL HEALTHCARE.
ADDITIONALLY, HOPEWELL'S CRIME RATE IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S DOING THEIR BEST, BUT THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH EVERY SINGLE CRIMINAL IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, AS A SINGLE MOTHER OF A 2-YEAR-OLD, I FREQUENT PLENTY OF THE PARKS THAT HOPEWELL HAS TO OFFER.
AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE I WAS SO UNCOMFORTABLE THAT I LEFT.
I GRABBED MY SON AND I LEFT OUT OF FEAR BECAUSE PEOPLE WITH BAD INTENTIONS, PREY ON THE VULNERABLE, WOMEN, CHILDREN, ELDERLY.
UM, I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE HOW TERRIFYING IT IS TO FEEL HELPLESS IN A SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A TWO YEAR-OLD BABY TO PROTECT AND THINK ABOUT.
IF YOU ARE A PARENT, YOU UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.
INSTEAD OF REMOVING THE RIGHT TO CARRY FIREARMS, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF OUR SOCIETAL PROBLEMS. NAMELY MENTAL HEALTHCARE, HOUSING SOLUTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SYSTEMS. A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT INCLUDES PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SOCIAL REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS, AND ADEQUATE HOUSING COULD CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
RATHER THAN STRIPPING CITIZENS OF THEIR RIGHTS WITH THIS ORDINANCE ADVOCATE AND ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING ISSUES BOTH CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE INTENTION BEHIND THE PROPOSAL MAY BE TO ENHANCE SAFETY, I BELIEVE THIS IS A DANGEROUS POLICY.
THIS ORDINANCE WILL INADVERTENTLY PUT VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS AND LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AT A GREATER RISK.
YOU ARE REMOVING A CRITICAL LAYER OF PROTECTION, LEAVING WOMEN, CHILDREN, ELDERLY, ET CETERA, SUSCEPTIBLE TO VIOLENT CRIMES LIKE ASSAULT, ROBBERY OR WORSE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
ALRIGHT, UM, NEXT PERSON IS BRANDON HOWARD.
I'VE LIVED IN THE CITY SINCE 2011.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS VIRGINIA, TO TALK ABOUT Y'ALL'S UPCOMING PROPOSAL TO BAN FIREARMS HERE ON CITY PROPERTIES.
AS PRESIDENT OF THE RIGHT TO BAR OF VIRGINIA, I TEACH FREE CONCEAL CARRY COURSES AT THE HOPEWELL LIBRARY.
FREE COURSES THAT NORMALLY COST A CITIZEN 75 TO $200 TO TAKE YOU PASS THIS, THAT GOES AWAY.
MY ORGANIZATION ALSO DOES EVENTS IN OUR PUBLIC PARKS WHERE WE DO FIREARM EDUCATION AND RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP.
YOU PASS THIS, THAT GOES AWAY.
YOU WERE STRIPPING THE CITIZENS OF THE RIGHTS UNCONSTITUTIONALLY RECENTLY.
LAST YEAR UNDER THE SUPREME COURTS BREWING DECISION SAYS HISTORICALLY WHERE FIREARMS HAVE BEEN CARRIED, FIREARMS ARE ALLOWED.
LOOKING AT THE SIGN RIGHT BEHIND YOU SAYS 1916.
SINCE 1916, HISTORICALLY FIREARMS ARE ALLOWED IN THIS BUILDING.
FIREARMS ARE ALLOWED IN OUR PUBLIC PARKS.
SO HISTORICALLY, UNDER THE SUPREME COURT BREWING DECISION, YOUR LAW, YOUR ORDINANCE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL ON ITS FACE.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO LAWSUITS ON THIS EXACT SAME ORDINANCE IN VIRGINIA TAKING PLACE.
ONE IN ROANOKE AND ONE IN FAIRFAX.
WHY DON'T YOU PUT THIS ON THE TABLE AND LET THOSE LAWSUITS PLAY OUT.
LET THE COURTS DECIDE ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE IF YOU PASS THIS BEFORE THOSE SUITS SETTLE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A THIRD LAWSUIT BY ME AND MY ORGANIZATION FILING A SUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF HOPEWELL WHERE EACH OF THE COUNSELORS WHO VOTE FOR THIS ARE GONNA BE KNOWN THROUGHOUT.
BECAUSE I'M GONNA MAKE IT VERY PUBLIC BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA COST THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN LEGAL FEES FOR THE CITY AND TO PAY MY LEGAL FEES BECAUSE I'M GONNA WIN THIS SUIT BECAUSE OF THE UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU ARE NOW PROPOSING.
SO SAVE THE CITY AND OUR CITIZENS, THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE GONNA INCUR DUE TO LEGAL FEES AND DAMAGES TO AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL ORDINANCE.
YOU ARE GETTING READY TO PASS.
[02:00:01]
THIS CITY NEEDS IS TO BE SUED AGAIN AND LOSE AS THEY HAVE DONE AND HAD HAPPENED TIME AND AGAIN.THE CITY HAS A POOR TRACK RECORD OF WINNING LAWSUITS WITH CITIZENS.
SUE THIS CITY AND THIS WILL BE ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
SO IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS, YOU'RE GONNA BE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF THE CITIZEN'S MONEY.
I MAKE SURE EVERY COUNSELOR WHO VOTES FOR THIS IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE CITY ON WHY OUR FINANCES HAVE BEEN STRIPPED DUE TO THEIR NEGLIGENCE.
INSTEAD OF LETTING THESE LAWSUITS IN FAIRFAX RAILROAD HOPE SETTLE THE SET, THE LAW WAS ALREADY BEING TAKEN PLACE.
UH, NEXT PERSON IS KAREN THAYER.
CAN I LET MR. BARROW GO IN FRONT OF ME, PLEASE? SURE.
MY NAME IS MARK BURROWS, WARD THREE.
TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS WITH YOU, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL RECALL THEM WHEN CONSIDERING YOUR STANCE ON FUTURE VOTES FOR OUR CITY.
I'M NOT A SCHOLAR NOR AN INTELLIGENT MAN, BUT I AM A WARRIOR, A COMBAT VETERAN, AND A PATRIOT.
I BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND JUSTICE EVEN IF THE PRICE OF IT MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE OR FEARFUL.
I LOST MY FATHER TO DESERT STORM.
MY STEPFATHER WAS A POW IN VIETNAM.
MY FATHER-IN-LAW WAS ALSO A VIETNAM VET.
BOTH MY GRANDFATHERS FOUGHT IN WORLD WAR II IN KOREA, AND ONE OF THEM CONTINUED HIS SERVICE THROUGHOUT VIETNAM.
I HAVE TRACED MY GENEALOGY AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT MY BLOODLINE HAS FOUGHT IN EVERY WAR SINCE THE WAR FOR OUR INDEPENDENCE.
AND THEY ALL FOUGHT WITH ONE THING IN MIND.
OUR FREEDOMS AND OUR WAY OF LIFE.
FREEDOM ISN'T A WORD THAT'S ONLY USED ON JULY 4TH.
IT IS AN INHERENT RIGHT BESTOWED TO US BY GOD AND OUR FOREFATHERS.
IT IS INGRAINED IN EVERY FIBER OF OUR BODIES AND OOZES WITH OUR SPEECH.
FREEDOM IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO PRAY WHILE STILL BEING WHAT WE PRAY FOR.
OUR COUNTRY IS BASED ON TWO DOCUMENTS, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND OUR CONSTITUTION, BOTH OF WHICH GUARANTEE US OUR FREEDOMS AND OUR RIGHTS.
EVERY TIME SOME LAW BILL OR ORDINANCE IS PASSED THAT REDUCE OUR FREEDOMS, IT IS AKIN TO PULLING ANOTHER STRING FROM THE VERY FABRIC OF THIS NATION.
HOW MANY STRINGS HAVE BEEN PULLED AND HOW MANY MORE WILL BE PULLED BEFORE EVENTUALLY, THUS, FABRIC DISINTEGRATES, FALLING APART, INTO TATTERED PIECES OF ITS FORMER GLORY.
IT'S NOT OUR GOVERNMENT, OUR AUTONOMY, OUR WIFI NETWORKS OR OUR HOT WATER THAT MAKES US THE BEST NATION.
WE ARE THE GREATEST NATION ON THIS EARTH SOLELY BECAUSE OF OUR FREEDOMS AND OUR INALIENABLE RIGHTS THAT ALLOW US TO LIVE AS WE SEE FIT.
FREEDOMS THAT WERE EARNED THE HARD WAY AT A GREAT COST.
MY BLOODLINE DIDN'T FIGHT FOR A MORE INTRUSIVE OR RESTRICTIVE GOVERNMENT, AND MORE LAWS THEY FOUGHT AND SOMETIMES DIED WITH THE BELIEF THAT THEY WERE PROTECTING OUR WAY OF LIFE AND OUR FREEDOMS. I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR FREEDOMS AND OUR RIGHTS MEAN TO YOU AND WHERE YOU WOULD BE WITHOUT THEM.
PLEASE ALWAYS VOTE IN FAVOR OF OUR RIGHTS AND OUR FREEDOMS. PLEASE DON'T FORCE US TO BECOME A CITY THAT SLOWLY ERODES THE BEDROCK OF THIS GREAT NATION THAT I LOVE SO DEARLY.
THAT BEING SAID, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM STOOD UP AND SAID THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, AND YOU SAT THERE WITH YOUR MOUTH CLOSED.
IT'S DISGUSTING, AND YOU OUGHT TO BE, UH, ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I OPPOSED THIS, THIS ORDINANCE THAT YOU ALL ARE WANTING TO PASS.
MS. JOYNER AND I, WE RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION OVER THE TELEPHONE AND I EXPRESSED TO HER MY FEELINGS ABOUT IT AND MY CONCERNS.
ANYWHERE I GO, I'M BY MYSELF UNLESS I HAVE A FRIEND WITH ME.
AND WHEN I DO HAVE MY FRIEND WITH ME, HE'S CARRYING.
AND I LIKE THAT BECAUSE I LIKE KNOWING THAT I'M BEING PROTECTED.
I DON'T CARRY MY GUN WITH ME EVERYWHERE I GO JUST BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF IT.
I DID HAVE A BIGGER GUN, BUT I GAVE THAT TO MY LATE HUSBAND'S FA UH, BROTHER RECENTLY JUST BECAUSE I WANTED IT TO STAY IN THE FAMILY.
UM, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU, MS. JOYNER, TO BE CONCERNED OF WHAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND I, I WON'T DISCUSS THAT, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE
[02:05:01]
CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.WHAT I DO WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IS SOMETHING THAT MY MOTHER EXPL EXPRESSED TO ME AS A CHILD.
THE ONES THAT YOU NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SILENT, NOT THE ONES THAT ARE VOCAL.
THE ONES THAT ARE SILENT ARE THE ONES THAT YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
THE ONES THAT ARE VOCAL, THEY RARELY EVER DO ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
NOW, I WILL SECOND BE YOUNG LADY, AND I THINK THAT THIS WAS HER FIRST TIME COMING HERE AND SPEAKING TONIGHT.
I WILL SECOND ON MR. BURROW'S THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS WE HAVE FOUGHT IN THESE WARS, AND THAT CONSTITUTION SAYS A LOT.
SO PLEASE TAKE THAT ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING PASSING AND JUST TOSS IT TO THE SIDE RIGHT NOW.
LIKE BRANDON SAID, AND I'M SORRY BRANDON, THAT I DON'T KNOW YOUR LAST NAME.
OH, UH, LIKE HE HAD MENTIONED, WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER LAWSUIT THAT THE CITIZENS WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND IF YOU ARE CONCERNED, MISS, MISS, UM, JOINER.
UH, DO I SPEAK JUST LIKE THIS? IS THIS GOOD? MM-HMM
IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A, A PUBLIC FORUM OF INTERACTION.
UM, I'M A RESIDENT, UH, CHESTERFIELD AND RICHMOND.
I WANTED TO SUPPORT THE WONDERFUL SPEAKERS WHO CAME UP BEFORE ME.
SO PHENOMENAL IN THEIR WORD, AND HONESTY, INTEGRITY, AND SHARE OF MANY VETERAN FAMILIES.
I JUST WANNA WHOLEHEARTEDLY SAY I'M HUMBLED BY WHAT THEY OFFERED UP TO YOU GUYS, AND I COULD NOT EVEN HOPE TO BETTER WHAT THEY SAID.
UM, I THINK SELECTIVE BANS CAN BE INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS TO PEOPLE.
UM, NOT JUST UNCONSTITUTIONAL, BUT LOGICALLY VERY DANGEROUS.
WHETHER IT'S, UM, REST STOPS OR PARKS OR AREAS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PERMITTED, BUT YOU'RE NOT QUITE SURE OF DELINEATION.
UM, WHETHER YOU'RE A SINGLE PERSON, WHETHER YOU'RE A GIRL, A WOMAN, TO HAVE SELECTIVE BANDS CAN REALLY PUT PEOPLE AT TREMENDOUS DISADVANTAGE.
AND A LITTLE QUOTE OFF MY PHONE WAS KIND OF NEAT WHERE IT SAID, DISARMED PEOPLE BECOME SUBJECTS.
DISARMED PEOPLE CAN BECOME VICTIMS TO WHATEVER IS GREATER IN POWER THAN THEY ARE.
AND I HAVE JUST TWO QUESTIONS I WANT TO ASK CITY COUNCIL.
AND YOU CAN ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR ANSWER BY NODDING YOUR HEAD OR YES.
I JUST HOPE THAT Y'ALL, SOMEBODY IN THIS ROOM WILL START DOING SOMETHING.
WE'LL START ASKING QUESTIONS AND WE'LL TAKE ACTION.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, IF A CITY EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN DISCOVERED TO FALSIFY OR ALTER TIME RECORDS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN CONDUCT TO HIDE THIS FROM THE DIRECTOR OF A DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY MANAGER, IS THAT GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION UNDER CITY EMPLOYMENT RULES? ANY OF Y'ALL? YEAH.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T EVEN RESPOND.
MY SECOND QUESTION IS, I DON'T THINK WE CAN ANSWER BACK, UNFORTUNATELY.
NO, WE, WE JUST NOT, WE NOT LEGALLY ABLE TO ANSWER, BUT YOU CAN SEND IN QUESTIONS AND WE CAN WELL, I'VE, I'VE BROUGHT THE ISSUES TO PEOPLE, BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO WANT TO TALK.
[02:10:01]
ALRIGHT, IT, SECOND QUESTION.IF THERE IS A PRESUMPTION THAT A MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL MOVE TO TERMINATE A CITY EMPLOYEE BASED ON RACIAL ETHNICITY, IS THAT GROUNDS TO HAVE THAT CITY COUNCIL PERSON REMOVED FROM OFFICE SHOULD BE, HMM.
I THINK Y'ALL NEED TO START LISTENING.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TALK TO SEVERAL Y'ALL.
IT IS TIME THAT Y'ALL START ACTING ON WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND YOUR BACK.
AND IF IT'S NOT GOING ON BEHIND YOUR BACK AND IT'S GOING IN FRONT OF YOU, THEN YOU'RE ALL A PART OF IT.
IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THAT GUY.
ANYBODY WANT TO TALK TO HIM? AM I ALLOWED TO APPROACH YOU? YES.
GIVE IT, GIVE IT TO THE CLERK.
WHAT I'M, WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU IS THAT IF YOU HAVE KNOWLEDGE OR AN EMPLOYEE HAS KNOWLEDGE OF SOMETHING THAT'S GONE ON, YOU KNOW, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OH.
YOU ADMIT THAT? I HAVE A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE.
AND, UM, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU MAKE COPIES OF THOSE? AND THEN YOU GAVE SEVEN, OH, YOU GOT SEVEN COPIES.
UM, AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU, THE CITY MANAGER GETS ONE OF THEM.
HE LITERALLY NAMED A DEAD GUY.
UH, NEXT IS DANNY COOK, THREE OF US.
I'VE LIVED IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHICH PRECINCT I I'M IN.
I THINK IT WAS, UH, MR. PARTON'S OLD PRECINCT.
BUT ANYWAY, I'D, UM, LIKE TO JUST TELL YOU A STORY.
IT'S RELATIVE TO THE ORDINANCES THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED ABOUT THE FIREARMS. SO, IN 2008, I'M OUT ON A NICE LITTLE WALK.
THIS CAR SHADOWING ME, SHADOWS ME ALL THE WAY TO MY HOME.
I GET OUT OF THE CAR, THE GUY GETS OUT OF THE CAR, POINTS A GUN AT ME, ASKS ME FOR MONEY, DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY, AND HE SHOOTS ME AND LEAVES ME LAYING ON THE GROUND.
OF COURSE, THEY COULDN'T BE THERE IN TIME TO PRESENT, PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I'M IN THE HOSPITAL FOR 14 DAYS.
UM, I COME OUTTA THE HOSPITAL.
I CAN'T WALK BECAUSE MY LEFT LEG DOESN'T WORK.
I LOST MY RIGHT KIDNEY AND I'M TRYING TO, UM, RECOVER.
UH, MY FAMILY WENT THROUGH ALL THESE, UH, ISSUES WITH IT AS WELL.
I START TO GET BACK ON MY FEET.
I'M WALKING WITH A WALKER INITIALLY, THEN TO CRUTCHES TO A CANE.
I DON'T LIKE BEING COOPED UP IN THE HOUSE.
GETTING MYSELF BACK ON MY FEET AS WELL AS, UM, BEING ABLE TO, UM, GET MY MENTAL STATE GOING.
THE MISTAKE I MADE THAT NIGHT WAS I DIDN'T HAVE A GUN WITH ME 'CAUSE I COULD'VE STOPPED IT ON MY WALKS.
THEN I STARTED CARRYING MY PISTOL.
UM, DURING THE TIMEFRAME THAT I WAS RECOVERING, UH, I WAS OUTSIDE MY HOME.
AND WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE CITY, THE POLICE WERE CONCERNED THAT THIS WAS A GANG ACTIVITY.
AND SO THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT MAYBE THEY WOULD COME BACK AND TRY AND FINISH WHAT THEY HAD STARTED.
SO I WAS CARRYING MY PISTOL EVERYWHERE.
AND SO I'M OUT IN MY FRONT YARD TRYING TO RECUPERATE.
I'M WORKING ON A, MY WHOLE BOAT.
I HAVE THIS GENTLEMAN COME UP, UM, DRIVE DOWN THE DRIVEWAY.
HE STOPS, DON'T RECOGNIZE HIM, GETS OUT OF HIS TRUCK, HAS A STERN LOOK, DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING.
I TURN SO HE CAN SEE THE PISTOL.
HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, UM, TRYING TO KNOW WHERE THE BUILDER SUPPLY IS AT.
THAT'S BACK WHEN THAT WAS SLOWING BUSINESS HERE
[02:15:01]
IN HOPEWELL.I'M SURE HE WAS UP TO NO GOOD.
LATER, A FEW DAYS, MAYBE A WEEK OR SO LATER, I'M OUT FOR ONE OF MY WALKS AT MY PISTOL.
CAR PULLS UP OPPOSITE TO WHERE I'M COMING STOPS.
ONE PERSON OPENS THE DOOR, GETS SOMETHING OUT OF THE TRUNK, SITS BACK DOWN, LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN.
UH, MR. COOK, UH, YOU PUT YOUR TIMES UP.
ANYWAY, TWICE THAT GUN SAVED ME.
AND I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DROP THIS ORDINANCE.
UH, NEXT IS, UH, MARTIN MITCHELL.
SO, MR. MAYOR, ALL OF US DOWN IS IN NOT FREEZING UP HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT CAN WE HAVE THE TEMPERATURE CHECK? NO, IT'S FREEZING.
I DIDN'T GET, AND I HAD IT MUTED UNTIL I GOT UP.
UM, MY NAME'S MARTIN MITCHELL WARD THREE A FEW YEARS AGO, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE.
MYSELF AND SEVERAL OTHERS PRESENTED COUNSEL WITH A PETITION WITH ROUGHLY A THOUSAND SIGNATURES ON IT.
WE PACKED THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS ALL THE WAY OUT INTO THE PARKING LOT TO MAKE HOPEWELL A TWO-WAY SANCTUARY CITY.
ULTIMATELY THAT NIGHT COUNCIL VOTED SIX TO ONE TO MAKE HOPEWELL TO A CONSTITUTIONAL CITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONSTITUTION AND OUR RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING DOES NOTHING BUT TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS OF LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.
IT'S NOT GONNA STOP THE CRIMINAL FROM DOING ANYTHING.
THE CRIMINAL DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR ORDINANCE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR SIGNS.
ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS DOING WHAT THEY WANT.
SO PLEASE TAKE THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU'RE ASKING US TO GIVE UP OUR RIGHTS BECAUSE THE CRIMINAL DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS OR OUR RIGHTS.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL PUT THIS ORDINANCE OFF TO THE SIDE AND FORGET ABOUT IT AND IT DOESN'T COME UP ANYMORE.
UH, MS. STOKES IS MY COUNCIL PERSON.
UM, I, UH, WITH, ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE AND TOTALLY AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE THAT YOU ARE BRINGING UPON US, UM, WE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT OURSELVES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE GRANDCHILDREN THAT I TAKE TO THESE PARKS AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN TO THE PARKS LATELY, BUT EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, YOU GET SOME SKETCHY CHARACTERS THERE.
YOU KNOW, I SHOULD NOT BE RUN OUT OF THOSE PARTS.
I SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO TAKE MY GRANDKIDS HOME AND LOCK THEM UP SO THAT THE CRIMINALS CAN TAKE OVER IT.
UM, WITH ALL THE BAD, UM, ITEMS THAT ARE COMING ABOUT WITH THIS COUNCIL, I JUST WANNA SAY ONE THING.
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT THE FEEL THE, I'VE GOT A FEELING THAT, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE ATTENTION IS STILL ATTENTION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF YOU ON THIS COUNCIL THAT ARE ATTENTION HALTS.
UH, NEXT PERSON IS LIZ STEELE IS STILL, AND I AM FROM WARD THREE.
[02:20:02]
IN GOVERNMENT COMPLEXES, YES, THERE SHOULD BE A BAN IN THE GOVERNMENT COMPLEXES FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT, WELL, NO, THAT WOULD BE SAYING IT WRONG.EVERY ONE OF YOU NEED TO BE PROTECTED.
THE YOUNG LADY BEHIND THAT SCREEN THAT TAKES MY TAX PAYMENT, NEEDS TO FEEL SAFE IN HER JOB.
THE AVERAGE PERSON, CITY WORKER THAT IS OUT ON THE STREET NEEDS TO FEEL SAFE.
THEY ALSO NEED TO BE ALLOWED TO CARRY A GUN WITH PROPER TRAINING OFFERED.
I ALSO FEEL THAT WHEN I AM IN THE PARK, THAT MAN RIGHT THERE IS NEXT TO ME AND GOT A GUN.
I FEEL GOOD BECAUSE WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN IS THE AVERAGE FAMILY THAT'S SITTING AT THEIR TABLE SAYS, OH, THEY'VE BANNED THE GUNS IN THE PARKS AND THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
THOSE ARE GOING TO BECOME OPEN GAME FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH 12, 13, 15 YEAR OLDS THAT ARE UP AND COMING, YOU KNOW, WANNA BE IN THE MIX.
SO IT, IT'S KIND OF A ONE SIDED.
LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT ANTI-GUN, BUT I AM PRO FOR LEGAL PACKERS THAT HAVE THAT CERTIFICATE AND THAT TRAINING THAT THE ODDS ARE, IF THEY'RE SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M OUT IN PUBLIC, THAT IS NOT IN A GOVERNMENT COMPLEX, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE SENSE ENOUGH TO REACT BECAUSE THEY WILL KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW TO DO IN THAT SITUATION.
AND LIKE I SAID, YOUR EMPLOYEES, SOME OF YOUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE OUT AT NIGHT DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A GUN, GIVE THEM THE OPTION, KEEP THEM SAFE.
JUST LIKE EVERYONE IN THE COMPLEXES NEED TO BE SAFE.
PAUL GONNA, MY NAME IS DAVID PAUL, UM, PAM'S SON, WARD SIX.
I'M GONNA KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS JUST TO LEAVE Y'ALL WITH.
WHAT ARE Y'ALL GONNA DO TO TRY AND MAKE HOPEWELL SAFER FOR US TO WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO CARRY? ANOTHER THING IS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STEPS TO, TO, UH, I'M SORRY.
WHY DO YOU FEEL LIKE TAKING EVERYBODY'S RIGHT TO CARRY AWAY IS APPROPRIATE? WHAT'S GONNA STOP THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO IGNORE THIS ORDINANCE? THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT THEY WANT TO ANYWAYS.
THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE TO VISIT.
MY GIRLFRIEND COMES AND VISIT ME.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAFEST PLACE, BUT HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BENEFIT US WHEN YOU'RE TAKING, WHEN THE ABILITY TO CARRY FROM US? I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OF YOU ARE VETERANS OR CURRENT MILITARY.
I KNOW JOHN PARTON IS, I KNOW HE IS A, UH, CAPTAIN IN THE NATIONAL GUARD, BUT WHEN YOU ENLISTED, YOU TOOK AN OATH AND SWART TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION.
AND RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE DOING THE EXACT OPPOSITE BY TRYING TO ENACT THIS ORDINANCE.
SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT Y'ALL PLEASE DISMISS IT AND SEEK OTHER ROUTES.
UH, THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT DID NOT SIGN IT, THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? THERE WAS A SECOND.
UM, IT WAS ON THE BACK, BUT I DON'T HAVE A SECOND PAGE UP HERE.
I KNOW TWO OF US, I UP ON SEPARATE PAGE, SO THAT'S OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT TOTALLY DIFFERENT SUBJECT.
WE HAVE MAYOR, WE, WE WOULD HAVE TO, UM, I HAVE ANTHONY SYLVESTER.
WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT A MOTION INTO,
[02:25:01]
UH, I, I KNOW GUYS, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THEY'RE DOING COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO ALL THREE OF THESE WERE MR. SYLVESTER.
ARE YOU HERE? ANTHONY SYLVESTER LEFT.
SO AT THIS TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS? PERIOD.
MOTIONS HAS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY, BY, OR EXCUSE ME.
UH, COUNSELOR DAY TO ALLOW THESE, UH, FOLKS TO, UH, SPEAK.
UM, SINCE WE'RE OVER OUR 30 MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
SEEING NO LIGHTS, NO CALL PLEASE.
AND I HOPE THIS IS GIVEN TO ALL VICE MAYOR JOYNER.
WE'LL START WITH, UH, LAYLA MYERS.
I AM A RESIDENT OF PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
UM, WE LOVE TO COME TO HOPEWELL.
WE SUPPORT ALL TRI-CITIES, PETERSBURG, COLONIAL HEIGHTS, HOPEWELL THROUGH YOUR RESTAURANTS, YOUR BUSINESSES, YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
UM, IF I HAVE TO CHOOSE, IF YOU PASS THIS, I'LL BE GOING TO COLONIAL HEIGHTS AND WORK BESIDES PRINCE GEORGE.
SO YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN YOUR VISITORS.
THOSE OF US WHO ARE LAW ABIDING GUN OWNERS DO NOT BRING CRIME.
WE BRING THE MONEY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AS REVENUE FOR YOUR SALES TAX, MEAL TAX, BUSINESS TAX.
SO YOUR BUSINESSES WILL NOTICE BECAUSE WE'LL SPREAD THE WORD THAT HOPEFUL IS NOT OPEN FOR BUSINESS, FOR LAW ABIDING GUN OWNERS.
SO YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THROUGH LOSS OF YOUR BUSINESS REVENUE.
I AM A LEGALLY NATURALIZED CITIZEN.
I SWORE ALLEGIANCE TO THIS COUNTRY AFTER ALL THE WORLD.
I GO BACK TO MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS INCONCEIVABLE TO ME TO BE DONE ANYWHERE IN AMERICA.
INCONCEIVABLE TO ME TO BE DONE IN VIRGINIA.
JUST TO THINK TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN VIRGINIA.
AFTER WHAT HAPPENED HERE A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE PASSED SECOND AMENDMENT, UM, SANCTUARY SANCTUARIES.
THANK YOU ALL ACROSS VIRGINIA.
I HAVE A MAP AT MY HOME THAT SHOWS ALL THE LOCALITIES HAVE ADOPTED IT.
SO IT'S INABLE FOR ME THAT YOU EVEN PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA TO EVEN CONSIDER.
SO IF YOU PASS THIS, THINK WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
THOSE WHO HAVE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING AND CROSS THE PARKING LOT AT THIS HOUR WILL HAVE TO BE UNARMED, READY TO BE VICTIMS. AND EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A POLICE OFFICERS DEPARTMENT RIGHT ACROSS THE PARKING LOT, THE SUPREME COURT SAYS THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE ME SAFETY.
THEY DO NOT PROVIDE SAFETY AND SECURITY TO ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES ME ABILITY TO PROVIDE SAFETY FOR MYSELF AND ANY OTHER PERSON WHO HAPPENS TO BE IN A SITUATION OF DANGER TO THEIR LIFE.
I HAD TO USE THAT RIDE A FEW YEARS AGO IN RICHMOND, BRIGHT DAYLIGHT, NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, SUNSHINE SHINING.
NO FIREARMS WERE SH NO, NO SHOTS WERE FIRED.
BUT THE PRESENCE OF MY FIREARM SAVED LIFE.
VERY IMMINENT DANGER TO A VERY LITTLE HUMAN BEING.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ACCOMMODATING US FOR THE, GIVING A LITTLE EXTRA TIME FOR US ALL TO HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE VIRGINIA CITIZENS DEFENSE LEAGUE.
YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER 50,000 PEOPLE SHOWING UP IN RICHMOND IN 2020 TO PROTEST, UH, SOME PROPOSED GUN CONTROL.
UM, THE, UH, THE GOVERNMENT IS THERE TO SERVE THE, THE PEOPLE AND DISARMING SOMEBODY LIKE MYSELF WHO HAS COMMITTED ZERO CRIME.
AND, AND THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, THOSE THAT HAVE PERMITS AND THOSE THAT DON'T, UH, WILL NOT MAKE THEM SAFER.
I MEAN, IF IT DID, THEN YOU'D DISARM THE POLICE AND MAKE THEM SAFER.
IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU SAFER TO TAKE AWAY YOUR ABILITY TO PROTECT YOURSELF
[02:30:01]
IF YOU DECLAW A CAT, IT DOESN'T MAKE IT SAFER FROM BEING ATTACKED BY A DOG.AND SO THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER.
UM, IT'S ALSO LIKE SAYING, OKAY, ANY SOBER DRIVER, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO USE YOUR SEATBELT TO PROTECT YOURSELF.
IF YOU'RE NOT SOBER, WE DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO.
YOU CAN HAVE A SEATBELT IF YOU WANT.
BUT THE SOBER DRIVERS, NO SEAT BELTS, THAT'S A SIMILAR ANALOGY BECAUSE A SEATBELT IS A, IS A METHOD OF PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM AN ACCIDENT.
GUNS ARE A WAY OF PROTECTING OURSELVES FROM THE EVIL.
SO, UH, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO, TO JUST WALK AWAY FROM THIS CURRENTLY.
UM, AND BY THE WAY, WE SUED THE CITY OF WINCHESTER OVER THEIR GUN BAN AND PARKS AND WON.
WE'RE CURRENTLY, WE SUED THEM ALSO OVER SOMETHING YOU'RE NOT DOING, WHICH IS A PERMITTED EVENTS.
AND, UH, WE, UH, SUING THEM OVER A GUN BAN IN THEIR PARKING LOTS, BASICALLY POINTING OUT, THAT'S NOT A SENSITIVE GOVERNMENT BUILDING.
AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.
I'M HOPING THAT YOU GUYS WILL JUST, YOU KNOW, LET CITIZENS GO AHEAD AND PROTECT THEMSELVES.
'CAUSE OUR LIVES IS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING WE HAVE.
UH, ROB CUTLER, THE SUBJECT THAT I SIGNED UP FOR WASN'T PERTAINING TO THIS, BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM SPEAKING ON IT.
I MEAN, I THINK A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE, HAVE SAID IT.
BEST CRIMINALS DON'T CARE ABOUT THE LAWS YOU PASSED.
'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BREAK 'EM ANYWAY.
I HAVE A WIFE THAT WORKS NIGHTS.
BY THE TIME I'M GETTING OFF OF MY JOB, SHE'S ON HER WAY TO HERS.
I DON'T WANT HER ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.
UNARMED, I MADE SURE THAT SHE GOT HER CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT.
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING AWAY OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT OURSELVES.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE BEST, THAT'S THE BEST ROUTE.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELVES IN OUR POSITION.
WE DON'T HAVE SECURITY DETAILS.
SO HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO IT? THIS, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA WORK.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY JUST NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN OFF.
LET GO AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SUBJECT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON NOTE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? GOOD AFTERNOON.
MAYOR COUNCILORS, UH, BRENDA PELLUM, WARD SIX.
UH, I'M A PERSON WHO'S NOT OPPOSED TO THE TOTAL ORDINANCE AS IT IS, UH, IN THE MINORITY OF COURSE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UH, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A STORY ABOUT EIGHT OR 10 YEARS AGO WHEN A PERSON WAS PATROLLING THE VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE WITH TWO GUNS AND A RIFLE.
AND I WAS BRINGING THE FIRST TIME VOTER TO THE, TO VOTE.
AND THAT, THAT SITUATION INTIMIDATED THAT PERSON SO MUCH, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN GET OUT THE CAR.
UH, AND SO GUNS ACT IN BOTH WAYS.
AND I THINK THE INTENT OF OUR CONSTITUTION THAT WE TALK ABOUT, AND I'M A VETERAN TOO, AND INTENT WAS TO, UH, BEAR ARM TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AGAINST THEN ANIMALS AND BEARS AND TIGERS, I GUESS WHEN THEY FIRST PASSED THE CONSTITUTION.
THAT CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN INTERPRETED A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS LATELY.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A PRESIDENT THAT BREAKS THE CONSTITUTION EVERY DAY ALMOST.
AND THAT'S LIKE MORE WHAT WE NEED TO BE FIGHTING ABOUT IN UNITY INSTEAD OF GUNS.
CRIMINALS DO HAVE GUNS, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IN GUNS IN PUBLIC PLACES.
MAYBE PARKS, BUT NOT PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
AND WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE CONCEALED? IF YOU PROUD TO TAKE A GUN? WHY YOU HAVE TO COVER IT UP.
SO, I MEAN, WE ARE PROUD, LIKE MOST OF SOME PEOPLE DO ANYWAY, BUT I I, I DON'T MY CON NOT MAYBE PARKS BECAUSE IT'S OPEN SPACE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE GET HURT IN PARKS, RIGHT? IN MY WARD, WE'VE HAD A DEATH ON OUR PARK.
AND, UH, BUT IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS WHERE PEOPLE WORK, WHERE CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL, I, I JUST DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE IN BUILDINGS.
AND SO IF THE BILL CAN BE CONSIDERED TO BE REWRITTEN IN A WAY THAT THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE SOME OF OF PEOPLE CONCERNS, BUT IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS, THEY SHOULD BE BANNED.
AND, UH, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
THANK YOU MS. ANYONE ELSE? I'M ED HAUSER, WARD FIVE.
I'M A OLD GUY AND I LIKE TO TELL STORIES, NOT LIES STORIES.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE ONE.
I WAS STANDING IN WALMART ONE DAY.
I HAD MY FIREARM ON MY SIDE STANDING AND LYING, WAITING TO BE WAITED ON.
[02:35:01]
I HAD TWO OR THREE YOUNG BOYS STANDING BEHIND ME.ONE OF 'EM LOOKS AT ME, STARTS LAUGHING AND GIGGLING.
HE GOES, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU GOING TO DO WITH THAT? I SAID, OTHER TWO BOYS START LAUGHING AND GIGGLING WITH HIM.
I LOOKED AT HIM WITH A DEAD STRAIGHT FACE AND I SAID, I MIGHT BE SAVING YOUR BUTT.
THE LAUGHING STOPPED IMMEDIATELY.
THEY WERE SMART ENOUGH TO REALIZE WHAT I JUST SAID.
HOPEFULLY Y'ALL WOULD LEAD TO, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THAT DIDN'T SIGN UP? SERGEANT ROBERT.
LIKE EVERYBODY'S SAYING, CRIMINALS DON'T CARE WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
AND YOU'RE GONNA TAKE OUR GIVEN RIGHT TO DEFEND OURSELVES.
I'M ALREADY AT A DISADVANTAGE.
I NEED TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND MYSELF TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THAT INVOLVES USING A FIREARM.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT'S ALREADY OVERWHELMED WITH ALL THESE RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY.
AND HERE YOU ARE WANTING TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US.
OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT OURSELVES.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M A RESIDENT OF PRINCE GEORGE, BUT I FREQUENTLY COME INTO THE CITY OF HOPEWELL TO DO ANY SHOPPING.
SO THERE'S A FEW OF THIS FARM'S ORDINANCE PROPOSAL.
UH, IT SAYS BE A CLASS ONE MISDEMEANOR.
IT COULD BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND SOME JAIL TIME.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUS PAUSE ABOUT RISKING RUNNING A FOUL OF IT.
I'VE HAD A VIRGINIA CONCEAL CARRY PERMIT FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
NEVER HAD A SINGLE VIOLATION, BUT YET THIS ORDINANCE WOULD DEFINITELY GIMME CAUSE NOT TO COME TO THE CITY POSSIBLY 'CAUSE OF THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN.
SOME PARKS ARE EASILY IDENTIFIABLE.
THERE'S A LITTLE, UH, PLAZA OUT THERE WITH THE STATUE OF DR. KING.
IS THAT A PARK? SO IF I'M JUST GOING FOR A WALK AND I WALK THROUGH THAT, WOULD I BE IN VIOLATION? I DON'T KNOW.
IT REFERS TO TRANSPORTING A FIREARM ONCE THE, UH, MARINA FACILITY GETS BUILT.
WANT TO GO OUT FOR DINNER THERE.
EVEN IF I LEAVE THE FIREARM IN THE CAR WHEN I GO INSIDE.
BUT I STILL BE TRANSPORTING A FIREARM ON CITY PROPERTY READING THROUGH THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
THERE ARE MANY PLACES WHERE IT'S LEFT OPEN TO INTERPRETATION.
THAT'S TRUE, TO THE POINT WHERE I WOULDN'T WANNA RISK GETTING A CLASS ONE MISDEMEANOR.
SO I WOULD PROBABLY JUST CHOOSE TO AVOID THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, TAKE MY BUSINESS ELSEWHERE.
I HOPE THIS DOESN'T BECOME THE CASE.
THERE'S MANY PLACES IN HOPEWELL I LIKE TO COME VISIT.
UH, HOPE YOU'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
MS. MS MR. MAYOR, CAN YOU, CAN CITY COUNCIL MAKE COMMENT ON THIS SO BY THE TIME WE GET TO IT, WE CAN JUST DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE VOTING WE ET RIGHT NOW.
CAN WE GO AHEAD AND GET THAT IN? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LIKE DISCUSSING THIS ITEM NOW OR? YEAH, YEAH.
JUST LIKE THE CITIZENS BEFORE.
I HAVE ABOUT THREE MINUTES IF WE SO CHOOSE TO YEAH.
I MEAN IS THAT A MOTION THAT YOU'RE MAKING? YEAH, I'M, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ARE, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS ABLE TO GIVE COMMENT TOWARDS IT NOW.
BUT YOU CAN JUST MAKE A COMMENT ON THE SUBJECT.
NOW THAT'S, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
ALRIGHT, SO THE MOTION IS TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO MOVE UP, UH, CCR ONE, UH, TO BEFORE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND MAKE MY COMMENT THERE.
MR. HARRIS, DID YOU MAKE THE MOTION? SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY MR. HARRIS AND SECONDED BY MR. HOLLOWAY.
HEARING DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
UH, I CAN MAKE A COMMENT THERE.
UM, I'LL SAY, I THINK SINCE THIS IS COUNCILLOR JOINER'S ITEM, UM, WE'RE GONNA LET HER
[02:40:01]
TEE IT OFF AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR A COMMENT.NUMBER ONE, I I WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, THE PART PORTION OF THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE WAS, WAS IT WAS NEVER INTENDED.
MR. OUR CITY ATTORNEY LOOKED AT, UM, OTHER CITIES AND LOOKED AT THEIR, SOME OF THE ORDINANCES THAT THEY HAD PASSED AND USED THE OTHER CITIES AS A TEMPLATE.
IS THIS CORRECT? MR. MR. CITY ATTORNEY? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IF THERE'S GOING TO BE THE, YOU CAN OFFER A SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCE IF THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR CHOICE.
UM, HE HAS PREPARED A SUBSTITUTE, UM, ORDINANCE THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE PARKS AT ALL.
UM, IT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION WHEN I, WHEN I INITIATED THIS TO INCLUDE PARKS.
I'M ONLY INTERESTED IN CITY BUILDINGS AND CONTRARY TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, CITY OF RICHMOND, CITY OF RICHMOND DOES NOT ALLOW ANY FIREARMS IN ANY CITY BUILDINGS AT ALL.
AND THAT HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE 2019.
SO THAT'S A WHILE, THAT'S FIVE YEARS.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER CITIES IN THE, IN THE COMMONWEALTH THAT HAVE NO GUNS IN, IN THE, IN THE CITY BUILDINGS.
A FEW YEARS AGO IN VIRGINIA BEACH, UH, SOMEONE CAME IN AND KILLED A NUMBER OF CITY EMPLOYEES.
AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, THE, OUR SECOND FLOOR WAS SECURED BECAUSE SOME OF OUR, YOU KNOW, THE, OUR CITY, OUR CITY DIRECTORS AND CITY COUNSELORS, WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE SOMETIMES.
AND PEOPLE COME BECOME VERY AGITATED AND RAGE.
AND SO AT THAT TIME, OKAY, AT, AT THE TIME OF THE, OF THE VIRGINIA BEACH TRAGEDY, THEY SECURED THE SECOND FLOOR, BUT YET THE SECOND FLOOR, THEY SECURE IT.
AND THEN THE SAME COUNT, SAME DEPARTMENT HAS COME OVER HERE TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND MIGHT BE SITTING DUCKS.
I I'M TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE.
UH, THAT'S WHERE I, THAT'S THE REASON THAT I, I, I SUBMITTED THIS, UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE, WE ALSO HAVE SOCIAL SERVICES BUILDING THAT WE HAVE CASE MANAGERS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BECOME VERY ANGRY WITH THEIR CASE MANAGERS AND COME IN AND, AND THREATEN VIOLENCE.
AND SO THE SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR, I KNOW IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF, OF HER EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT IS, THAT WAS THE, THOSE WERE THE PREMISES.
THE REASON WHY, AND I HAVE, ALL I AM INTERESTED IN ARE THE CITY BUILDINGS.
NO PARKS, NO ANYTHING, UM, I HAVE NO INTEREST IN, IN LIMITING.
I AM A, I AM A SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS, UM, ADVOCATE.
I DO, UM, SUPPORT THE, OKAY GUYS, LET'S BE RESPECTFUL.
I, I AM A, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T LAUGH WHEN YOU SPOKE.
UM, SOMEBODY SAID I, UM, I, UM, I AM A SECOND AMENDMENT, UH, SUPPORTER.
AND, UM, SO, BUT I DO FEEL THAT THIS IS, THIS IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THAT'S JUST MY, THAT THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
AND WE ARE NOT THE ONLY CITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH TO, TO, TO ENACTED THIS.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A PARADE, HOLD ON, SIR.
AGAINST, SIR, THE CAR COMING DOWN, SIR ROAD.
SIR, THIS IS NOT TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT.
I'M JUST, I'M TRYING TO MAKE, EXCUSE ME SIR.
SIR, PLEASE KEEP GOING OFFICERS.
ALRIGHT, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND THEN COUNCILOR DAY LUKE 22 AND 36.
JESUS TELLS HIS APOSTLE TO CARE, HIS APOSTLES TO CARRY HIS S SWORD FOR DEFENSE.
LUKE 11 AND 21 SAYS, WHEN A STRONG MAN IS FULLY ARMED, GUARDS HIS HOUSE AND HIS POSSESSIONS ARE SAFE, THE SCRIPTURE IN THERE IS PROBABLY ABOUT 16 MORE THAT POP OFF THE TOP OF MY MIND THAT I HAVE TO BE RIGHTEOUSLY, UH, AGAINST, UM, NOT HAVING THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS AND RESPECTFULLY I UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT I BELIEVE THAT FEAR HAS, UH, COME SO MUCH IN OUR RANKS.
AND I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE TO THE FACT AS THE ONE OF THE CITIZENS THAT MADE COMMENT TO, TO DO THE THINGS THAT LESSEN THE CRIMES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AGAIN, EVEN IF THIS ORDINANCE IS PASSED RESPECTFULLY, A PERSON WHO WANTS TO KILL SOMEBODY COULD STILL ATTEMPT TO COME THROUGH.
IF YOU PASS THIS OR, OR ORDINANCE FOR, UH, CITY BUILDINGS, THIS IS
[02:45:01]
BASICALLY PUBLIC.IT'S A CITY BUILDING, BUT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE PUBLIC.
UM, SO THAT OUR CITIZENS CAN COME IN, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO THEN PUT A METAL DETECTOR OUTSIDE, DETERMINE WHO ELSE IS NOT COMING IN HERE SO THAT THE SHERIFF PERSONNELS OR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, UM, THESE THINGS ADD TO IT.
AGAIN, I WANT TO REITERATE, ALL OF US WANNA FEEL SAFE, BUT LEMME SAY THIS, WE DO ALL DO SOME THINGS THAT THE CITIZENS DON'T LIKE, BUT IF THEY WANT TO A, BE AGITATED AND KILL US, THEY'LL DO IT IN THE PARKING LOT OR EVEN AT OUR HOUSES.
AND SO I HAVE TO STAND IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITIZENS THAT ARE SPOKEN TONIGHT THAT IT IS NOT ONLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY, UH, AGAINST SCRIPTURES FOR US TO DO THESE THINGS.
THIS IS MY HOUSE AND MY PROTECTION AGAINST, UH, UH, TO IN DEFENSE ALL THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE IS TO DEFEND THIS MEANING I CARRY MY HOUSE WITH ME.
UM, I APPLIED YEARS AGO FOR AND RESPECTFULLY, UH, FORMER COUNCIL PELLUM HAD MADE THE STATEMENT ABOUT PEOPLE BEING, WHAT'S THE WORD? UH, INTIMIDATED BY CARRYING GUNS, BUT THEN THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OPPOSITION OF WHY PEOPLE SHOULD CONCEAL THEIR GUNS.
WELL, HAVING, GETTING A CONCEALED LICENSE WILL ACTUALLY, IN FACT, LESSEN THAT INTIMIDATION, I BELIEVE.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD STRIKE TO DO ANY HARM TO US OR ANYBODY ELSE ARE AGAIN, PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY NOT LAW ABOUT AS CITIZENS.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO COMMENT ON TONIGHT.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS VERY UNNECESSARY.
IT DOES NOT PUT ANY SAFETY IN PLACE, UM, FOR SOMEBODY TRYING TO HARM SOMEBODY.
IT TAKES AWAY ANOTHER CHO UH, CHOICE.
WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THINGS FOR AND AGAINST, THE WORD OF GOD SAYS A PLACE BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH.
HE TELLS US TO CHOOSE LIFE, BUT HE STILL GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHOICE.
AND SO THAT, AGAIN, TONIGHT IS WHERE I STAND IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER, THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS WILL ELIMINATE, UM, SOMEBODY COMING IN HERE AND, AND SHOOTING SOMEBODY IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANTED.
THIS ORDINANCE ONLY FURTHER PROVIDES MORE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO LESSEN THE FREEDOMS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
THIS ORDINANCE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT AS FAR AS THE BUILDING GOES THAN IF YOU GO TO THE COURTHOUSE.
IF YOU'VE DECIDED TO, UM, GET YOUR CONCEALED PERMIT, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE COURTHOUSE, UM, TO GO PICK THAT PAPERWORK UP.
YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR GUN IN THERE WITH YOU.
UM, AND IT HAS, I MEAN, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF ANY KIND OF INCIDENT LIKE THAT IN THE COURTHOUSE? BECAUSE IT DOES PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
THIS IS A GOVERNMENT BUILDING, JUST LIKE THE COURTHOUSE IS A GOVERNMENT BUILDING, JUST TRYING TO MAKE ALL THESE SPACES SAFE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO WORK HERE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO GET VERY UPSET ABOUT TAXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ASSESSMENTS GOING UP AND THEM UNABLE TO PAY FOR THEIR MORTGAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY COME TO THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, THEY'RE VERY UPSET.
UM, AND SO JUST LIKE IN THE COURTHOUSE WHERE YOU HAVE JUDGES MAKING DECISIONS OR YOU HAVE WITNESSES THERE AGAINST SOMEBODY, THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS CAN CAUSE SOMEBODY TO BE VERY UPSET.
BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE COURTHOUSE, YOU DON'T TAKE YOUR GUN IN THERE.
YOU WALK FROM THE PARKING LOT TO COURT.
YOU WALK FROM THE COURTHOUSE TO YOUR CAR WITHOUT YOUR WEAPON.
THAT'S THE EXACT SAME THING THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO DO HERE.
YOU WOULD BE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING YOU'RE DOING THERE, OR IF YOU GO TO THE SCHOOL, IT'S THE EXACT SAME THING.
YOU CAN'T HAVE IT IN THE SCHOOL.
AND HAVING THE METAL DETECTORS IN THE SCHOOLS AND NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE SCHOOLS WITH THOSE, WITH, WITH THE WAY OUR SOCIETY IS NOW WAS PUT INTO PLACE TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.
SO I AGREE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S JUST BEING DONE AS A SAFETY MEMBER MEASURE.
I NEVER AGREED WITH THE PARKS.
WHEN I FIRST SAW IT COME OUT ON THE ORDINANCE, I STARTED MAKING PHONE CALLS TO FIND OUT WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE REALIZED THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS INADVERTENTLY PUT ON THERE.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE, I DON'T, THE COUNSELORS THAT I TALKED TO DIDN'T AGREE WITH IT FROM THE BEGINNING.
UM, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING WE HAD ALREADY INTENDED TO TRY TO LET THAT PART GO.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE THAT COMES IN HERE.
ORIGINALLY, I GUESS WHAT THEY WOULD START WITH IS SIGNS.
SO IF THERE'S A BUILDING THAT, A GOVERNMENT BUILDING THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE A, A GUN IN, THEY'LL BE A SIGN LETTING YOU KNOW, YOU
[02:50:01]
CAN'T BRING IT IN THIS BUILDING.SO YOU WOULD BE AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU COULD AND WHERE YOU COULDN'T, UM, TO START OFF WITH.
BUT I, I JUST, IT'S JUST A SAFETY MEASURE IS, IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FOR.
UM, ONE THING THAT I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE INCLUDED IN HERE, UM, AS SOME LANGUAGE AS, YOU KNOW, FOLKS LIKE MR. HOWARD, YOU KNOW, DO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, A SERVICE, YOU KNOW, TO THE CITY WITH, YOU KNOW, GUN SAFETY, GUN EDUCATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A, SOME SORT OF A PERMIT PROCESS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU SUBMIT A PERMIT TO, YOU KNOW, HOLD A CLASS AND IF YOU HOLD IN A SERIES OF THEM, THEN YOU CAN FILE ONE YEAR PERMIT FOR, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE DAYS THAT THIS CLASS, YOU KNOW, IS, YOU KNOW, BEING SCHEDULED UP FOR THE YEAR, UM, FOR THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARY OR IT'S BEING DONE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE GOOD THINGS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, FEDERAL BUILDINGS, STATE BUILDINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED METAL DETECTORS TO GET INTO.
YOU CAN'T HAVE GUNS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING.
YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM AT THE PATRICK HENRY BUILDING, WHICH IS WHERE THE GOVERNOR'S ADMINISTRATION IS.
YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM AT HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM AT CARTER G WOODSON.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T EVEN HAVE 'EM TO GET ON A PLANE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, IF YOU KNOW, COUNSEL'S AMENABLE TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE CHANGES AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE TWEAKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, REMOVING FROM THE PARKS AND WHATNOT, UM, I, I THINK IT WILL END UP HELPING PREVENT, YOU KNOW, A, A MASS SHOOTER EVENT, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN, LIKE THE VIRGINIA BEACH INCIDENT, YOU KNOW, GO IN TO CITY HALL OR GO OVER TO THE BEACON THEATER, UM, WHEN THERE'S A REALLY POPULAR SOLD OUT SHOW AND YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, SHOOT PEOPLE, UM, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING CHILDREN AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER SOCIAL SERVICES BUILDING OR THE LIBRARY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS ALSO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, INSTALLING METAL DETECTORS, UH, FOR THOSE BUILDINGS.
I MEAN, THEY'VE DONE IT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY'VE DONE IT FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S DONE AT THE COURTHOUSE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS SHOULD BE DONE.
UM, ALSO I THINK, YOU KNOW, HENRICO PASSED, UM, YOU KNOW, A SIMILAR ORDINANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, PROHIBITS, YOU KNOW, FIREARMS IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, UH, BACK IN, YOU KNOW, 2024 AND YOU KNOW, THEIR, YOU KNOW, BOARD IS, YOU KNOW, A PARTISAN BOARD WHERE THEY HAD BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ON THERE AND IT WAS A FIVE ZERO VOTE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT INCLUDED, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARIES AND REC CENTERS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND TIME.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, I'M STANDING WITH THIS, UH, COUNCILOR ELLIS AND THEN COUNSELOR HARRIS HARRIS HIT HIS FIRST.
YOU JUST DID COUNSELOR HARRIS.
AND THEN HOLLOWAY, THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF UNUSUAL FOR ME IN REGARDS TO THIS DISCUSSION RIGHT HERE.
WE WAS JUST PRESENTED WITH A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, UH, AND WE DIDN'T MAKE THE MOTION AND WE, IN DISCUSSION, USUALLY WHEN WE MAKE A GET INTO DISCUSSION, WE USUALLY MAKE THE MOTION FIRST AND THEN WE DISCUSS IT.
BUT WE DIDN'T MAKE THE MOTION.
SO WE, WE WANT TO BACK THIS UP AND DO THIS THING ABOUT THE RULES THAT WE DID.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION AND THEN WE'LL GET A DISCUSSION.
THAT'S WHEN I'LL GIVE MY DISCUSSION FOR, I KNOW WE, WE, WE, UH, HAD, UH, I HAD REQUESTED SPECIFICALLY, SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN A STANDARD SET.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS BY THE MAJORITY OF THE, WE AMENDED THE AGENDA FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS ITEM.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE DID START TALKING ON IT WITHOUT A MOTION.
RIGHT? WE, WE SET THE STANDARD.
THAT WAS THE QUESTION THAT I RECORDED REQUESTED.
SO THE STANDARD THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SET TONIGHT THAT WE ARE MAKING COMMENT ON IT, THAT WAS ACTUAL, MY ACTUAL REQUEST WAS THAT GET PERMISSION FOR US TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER AND DISCUSS IT AND THEN GO INTO VOTING.
SO WE'VE ALREADY SET THE STANDARD AND MORE THAN FOUR COUNSELORS WOULD HAVE HAD TO AGREE BECAUSE MORE THAN FOUR COUNSELORS HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO SET THAT STANDARD.
SO IT'D BE KIND OF A LITTLE DISCRIMINATIVE TO CUT THE COMMENTS.
NOW I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH THE COMMENTS AND SECOND ROUND OF COMMENTS AND THEN GO FORWARD, MAKE THE MOTION.
IF WE MAKE THE MOTION, THE COMMENTS WILL CONTINUE.
I'M NOT GONNA MAKE A, THE COMMENT UNTIL WE DO MAKE THE MOTION.
WELL, MY, IT'S NOT GONNA CUT THE COMMENTS, MY RIGHT.
[02:55:01]
BUT, BUT SINCE THE STANDARD IS ALREADY SET, I WANT TO MAKE, UH, OTHER STATEMENTS AS WELL.BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, UH, ONE OF THE CITIZENS BROUGHT UP SOME GOOD POINTS ABOUT WHAT PARKS WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED.
PARKS WOULD BE CONSIDERED TRANSFERS.
SO I, I DON'T, I THINK WE NEED TO TABLE THE LEASE FOR ONE MORE NIGHT UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS AGITATING SO MUCH AND EVERYBODY UP HERE IS FEARING DEATH OR SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T GET A MEMO ABOUT
WE HAVEN'T HAD THIS PLACE, THIS IN PLACE BEFORE.
AND RESPECTFULLY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WAS, THAT THE MAYOR WAS COMPARING IS JUST NOT, IS APPLE AND ORANGES RESPECTFULLY.
I I'M NOT EVEN SURE, UM, THAT, UH, NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE WEAPONS IN THOSE CITIES BUILDINGS, IF IT STILL INCLUDES THIS, COMPARING A COURTHOUSE, COMPARING A SCHOOL, COMPARING ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO SOMETHING WHERE OUR CITIZENS CAN COME IN IN PUBLIC AND SIT DOWN FREELY VERSUS THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT, WE DON'T COME IN AND SIT DOWN IN THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION IN THE COURTHOUSE UNLESS WE GOING TO COURT, UNLESS WE'RE DOING THAT.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING WITH PE, THE CITIZENS OF HOPEWELL LAW, MADISON CITIZENS COMING IN.
IS THERE ANY STATISTICS? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL CRY AND ASK FOR ALL THE TIME, RIGHT? IS THERE ANY STATISTICS THAT SHOW THAT THIS IS EVEN NECESSARY? UH, PREVENTIVE.
WE GOTTA GET A LITTLE BIT DEEPER IF THIS WAS A NECESSARY THING.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY STATISTICS UNLESS I DIDN'T JUST GRAB THEM THAT MAKES THIS SOMETHING NECESSARY? OR IS THIS JUST A INDIVIDUAL FEAR THAT HAS POPPED UP? LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THE PRESENCE OF THIS MANY SHERIFFS LAST YEAR WHEN EVERYBODY WAS CROWDING THIS PLACE AGAINST ME AND SAYING STUFF.
BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS YEAR WHEN THE DR.
MANKA THING CAME UP AND PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE IT, WE ALL OF A SUDDEN GOT THE WHOLE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT NOW COMING IN.
SO THESE FEARS ARE COMING OUT OF NOWHERE.
AND THEY SEEM A LITTLE BIT DISCRIMINATORY.
LAST YEAR NOW, OR YEAR BEFORE LAST, I THINK WHEN, UH, COUNSEL, YOUR THREE MINUTES IS UP.
I, UH, THE WHOLE TIME WE'VE BEEN CHECKING POINT.
SO WE'VE ALREADY SET THAT PERSON.
I MADE HER, UH, I I'VE TIMING IT MYSELF.
BUT WE, I'VE LOOKED AT THE TIME AND HAVE, HAVE WE GONE OVER THREE MINUTES? WE'VE LITERALLY GONE OVER THREE MINUTES TONIGHT.
I MEAN, SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CAN, WE'RE NEED, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME WE HAVE GIVEN THAT HAS THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW.
I, I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO SUBMIT THE SUBSTITUTE, UM, MOTION FOR THE, THE, UM, REVISED ORDINANCE, UM, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE PARKS, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
IF, IF A SUBSTITUTE IS GONNA BE INTRODUCED TO, SHOULD EITHER BE INTRODUCED HERE OR WE SHOULD DISCUSS WHAT SUBSTITUTES NEED TO BE MADE AND THEN DIRECT STAFF TO MAKE THAT CHANGE NEED BE MADE AT A LATER DATE.
THAT'S WHAT WE BEEN DEAL WITH.
UH, SORRY, I THOUGHT, WHAT I JUST THOUGHT WHAT I JUST HEARD WAS THAT, THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE A MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE HERE AT THIS MEETING.
THE MOTION THAT SHE SAID WAS TO, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS THIS WITH THE CHANGES DISCUSSED TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE PARKS AND OTHER COUNSELOR COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, FOR IN TWO WEEKS.
AND DOES THAT, AND DOES THAT CHART POINT OF INFORMATION, DOES OUR CHARTER, UH, MR WE'RE VOTING, WE'RE VOTING FOR THIS IN TWO WEEKS.
MR. CITY ATTORNEY VOTING ON IT FOR REVISIONS.
MR. CITY ATTORNEY, UPON INFORMATION, DOES OUR CHARTER PROVIDE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SPECIFICALLY DO THIS? I KNOW THAT IT WAS A LOT OF ARGUMENTS, UH, FROM YOU ALL ABOUT THE DEALING RULING, MAKING SURE THAT THE O UH, THAT OUR CHARTER SPEAKS SPECIFICALLY TO SOMETHING BEFORE WE CAN CHANGE IT IN ORDINANCE.
DOES IT SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THIS? TO ALLOW THAT TO BE PLACED IN MR POINTS OF ORDER SHOULD COME THROUGH THE CHAIR.
SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THIS ORDINANCE GONNA VIOLATE THE DYLAN RULE? NO.
THERE IS A, THERE IS A STATE STATUTE THAT SPECIFICALLY ALLOWS LOCALITIES TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO THIS EFFECT.
WHAT? THERE IS A STATE STATUTE THAT SPECIFICALLY ALLOWS ALL LOCALITIES TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO THIS EFFECT THAT THEY SO CHOOSE.
ALSO, THE DEALING RULES ON THERE APPLIED IN WHAT, WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES DID IT APPLY MR. MAYOR POINT TO COME THE CHANCE? SO YOUR QUESTION IS,
[03:00:01]
WHEN DOES THE DYLAN RULE APPLY? BECAUSE THE DYLAN RULE WAS GIVEN IN PREVIOUS TIMES.HE JUST, HE JUST STATED THAT THERE IS A STATE STATUTE ON THE BOOKS THAT SAYS LOCALITIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SET THEIR POLICY.
OH, TO SET THE POLICY MM-HMM
SO I WAS ASKING AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION IS LIKE, SO WHEN DOES THE DYLAN RULE APPLY? SO I HAD TO UNDERSTAND IT.
I, AS I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION ON THE FLOOR.
NOW THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE DYLAN RULE? NO, NOT WHAT IS THE DYLAN RULE? WHEN DOES, WHEN DOES THE DYLAN RULE APPLY? THE DYLAN RULE APPLY IN SPECIFICALLY REGARDING LIKE WHEN THINGS ARE NOT IN THE CHARTER AND THEY DON'T SPEAK SPECIFICALLY, THEY'RE NOT SPOKEN TO SPECIFICALLY IN THE CHARTER.
AND THE ARGUMENT WAS BEFORE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT THE DI RULE SPECIFICALLY.
SO I'M ASKING WHEN DOES THE DI RULE APPLY? SO I CAN KNOW GOING FORWARD.
SO IN BRIEF, THE DI RULE STANDS FOR THE PROPOSITION THAT A VIRGINIA LOCALITY ONLY HAS THE POWERS THAT IT IS SPECIFICALLY GIVEN BY STATUTE, OR THAT IS NECESSARILY, UH, IMPLIED BY THE, BY THE EXPLICIT GRANTS OF AUTHORITY.
SO IF THERE IS A STATUTE, IF THERE'S A VIRGINIA STATE STATUTE THAT GRANTS LOCALITIES OF POWER, IT HA THEY HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT.
MR. PIERCE, WE'RE IN DISCUSSION, MA, SHOULD WE, IN DISCUSSION? WELL, MY DISCUSSION IS, I'M OPPOSED TO THIS.
I DON'T WANT NO, I'M OPPOSED TO THIS ORDINANCE.
THAT'S ALL THE DISCUSSION I GOT.
I'M, I'M, I'M THE WILL OF THESE PEOPLE HERE.
I'M WITH THE WILL OF THESE PEOPLE HERE.
I DON'T WANT THIS THING EITHER.
COUNSELOR ELLIS PROBATION FOR WHATEVER YOU'RE GETTING READY TO DO.
MR. MAYOR, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
IF, IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A REVISED VERSION OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT'S GONNA BE CONSIDERED AT THE NEXT MEETING, COULD IT BE PUBLICLY RELEASED PRIOR TO THAT SO THAT US AS THE CITIZENS IT IS, IT'LL BE RELEASED WITH THE AGENDA PACKET.
THE PARK WAS THE PARK TRANSFER.
ALRIGHT, SO THERE WERE COPIES AT THE BACK TABLE OF THE SUBSTITUTE FROM THE PUBLIC.
READY TO, TO START OFF WITH, SO THE REVISED VERSION, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REVISED VERSION.
UM, THIS ONE HERE WE HAD CONVERSATION ON, SEE, YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND, I DIDN'T SEE IT UNTIL FRIDAY.
I MEAN, SO BY THE TIME Y'ALL SEE IT, I SEE IT.
THERE WAS NO REAL BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND PARKS AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF.
I MEAN, I, I I HEARD DISCUSSION ABOUT BUILDINGS AND THEN I SAW PARKS AND I WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF, OF THE PARKS.
I, I CARRY, MY WHOLE FAMILY CARRIES.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I I'M NOT REAL THREATENED.
I MEAN, THE ONLY THING I'M THREATENED ABOUT IF SOMEBODY STARTS SHOOTING IS I HOPE HE CAN SHOOT WELL ENOUGH AND I'M OUT OF THE CROSSFIRE.
UM, BUT I, I DO WANT TO KEEP THE SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEES IN MIND.
I UNDERSTAND THINGS HAPPENED IN VIRGINIA BEACH AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REVISE.
UM, I, AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, I DON'T THINK THAT I COULD VOTE ON THIS ONE.
SO, UM, IF, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A REVISED, UM, I DON'T MIND LOOKING AT IT.
BUT AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME WITH WHAT I SEE HERE AND WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY OUT HERE, I, I JUST, I JUST CAN'T.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE STATEMENT THAT I DO REMEMBER THE TWO-WAY SANCTUARY CITY FIGHT.
AND I REM I MEAN I BROUGHT THAT UP IN SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH WARD SIX PEOPLE THAT DISCUSSED THIS WITH ME.
AND IN KEEPING IN MIND, UM, I WOULD LIKE THE RIGHT, THE CARRIER SO THAT IF I'M ON THIS SIDE OF THE DESK, YOU GET TO SHOOT AND I GET TO SHOOT BACK
[03:05:04]
BUT I, I ALSO WANNA SAY I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE VICE MAYOR'S, UH, CONCERNS ARE.AND SO I WOULD NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF ANYTHING THAT TOOK AWAY SOMEONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
UM, AND I AM, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD OUR BIG FIGHT WITH THEIR TWO-WAY SANCTUARY CITY, IT WAS PASSED.
AND I RESPECT WHAT ITS, UM, GOALS ARE.
SO I WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTING THE ORDINANCE CHANGE TONIGHT.
UM, WHEN I SAW THIS COME OUT, UM, I CALLED PEOPLE FROM MY WARD TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? HOW DO YOU FEEL? LET'S BE RESPECTFUL.
AND, AND, UM, I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE TELL ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WERE NOT FOR THE PARKS RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
EVERYBODY SAID NO, DON'T, DON'T AGREE WITH THE PARKS.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
BUT I DO HAVE, UM, A POINT OF INFORMATION THAT I WANTED TO ASK.
MR. BASSETT, UM, IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN HERE, WE DIDN'T DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WOULD THE CITY HOLD ANY LIABILITY? OKAY.
THE, I THINK THE, SO THE QUESTION IS, IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN HERE IN CITY HALL, LIKE A, A MASS SHOOTING INCIDENT AND THE CITY, YOU KNOW, HADN'T DONE ANYTHING, WHAT'S THE CITY'S LIABILITY? HADN'T DONE ANYTHING AS KIND OF A WELL, I'M TALKING SO THE, IF THE, IF THE, IF, IF THE QUESTION IS, DOES THE CITY FACE LIABILITY FOR NOT HAVING AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS? NO, IT DOES NOT.
SEEING NO MORE FLIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION.
COUNCILOR T WE VOTE THIS, THIS IS THE VOTE THAT IT'S GONNA BE BROUGHT UP IN TWO WEEKS.
WHO MADE THE MOTION? IF I, IF I MAY MISS, JUST BECAUSE I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A BIT OF CONFUSION.
THE VOTE RIGHT NOW IS TO REMOVE PARKS FROM THE, OR FROM THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
THE ORDINANCE IS NOT BEING VOTED ON TONIGHT.
LATER DATE, DON'T TAKE CORRECT.
UH, FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
IT THAT, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT ABOUT THE PARK, HE SAID ABOUT THE TRANSFER, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S DETAILED.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BECAUSE JUST LIKE YOU SAID, UH, THE, THERE'S A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE MARINA BECOMING A, AT ONE TIME.
WHAT'S THAT THING CALLED? THEY WERE TRYING TO DO WITH THE MARINA, BUT ANY RATE THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED A PARK OVER THERE WE'RE ELIMINATING.
SO, SO NOW ARE Y'ALL DOING CITY BUILDING AS IN, IN HERE? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IN HERE? YEAH, THE WHOLE CITY BUILDING.
SO THEY CAN'T BRING THEIR THAT'S RIGHT.
DO YOU, I NEED TO KNOW WHO MADE THE MOTION AND SECOND THE MOTION.
UH, BELIEVE IT WAS, I GUESS I WOULD BE THE ONE.
I THINK IT WAS MR. HARRIS AND THEN COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY? NO, HARRIS.
HARRIS MADE THE MOTION TO NOT DO, HE SAID HE KNOCKED ON IT.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION THEN? I THINK I, I SUBMITTED THE, OKAY.
HE SAID, UM, WE'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN THE S MOTION.
TO, UM, ELIMINATE PARKS AND, OKAY.
I THOUGHT WE WAS GOING FORWARD A COUPLE WEEKS.
NO, THIS IS BEING DONE IN TWO WEEKS.
THE VOTE IS ON THE REVISED MOTION.
COUNCILOR JOINER HAS MADE THE MOTION AND I'LL SECOND IT.
IT'S FOR, IT'S IN TWO WEEKS TO BRING HIM BACK.
LET ME GET SOME CLARIFICATION.
ARE YOU, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ROLL CALL.
WE'VE CLARIFIED THIS AT LEAST THREE TIMES NOW.
YEAH, BUT Y'ALL DIDN'T FINISH THE CLARIFY.
PLEASE CONTINUE WITH THE VOTE.
ACTUALLY, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY MY RIGHT.
YOU ARE TAKING AWAY MY CONTINUE THE ROLL CALL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS.
YOU, YOU LITERALLY, WE'VE SAID THIS OVER AND OVER.
SO I HAVE TO REPRESENT MY VICE JOINER.
[03:10:01]
TO, IT'S, THE MOTION IS FOR, WE'RE GONNA REVOTE ON THIS IN TWO WEEKS AND IT'S TO REMOVE THE PARKS PART.ALRIGHT, MR. HARRIS, YOU'RE ON THE ROLL CALL.
WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THIS TWO WEEKS, TWO WEEKS, THEY GET RID OF MAYOR SHADAY, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH THE ROLL CALL.
[PUBLIC HEARING (part 2 of 2)]
OKAY.MOVING ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER ONE, MR. FANZ HIN.
CONTINUE WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE.
MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNSELORS.
UH, MY NAME'S ANDREW TRANSITION.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CREATIVE PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION.
I'VE COME TO YOU WITH A RESOLUTION, UH, FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITIES WATER SUPPLY PLANNING, UH, PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
UH, IT IS A REGIONAL PLANNING PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR, UH, VIRGINIA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE IN ORDER TO PUSH IT.
AND ALL THE LOCALITIES ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE REGIONAL SUPPLY PLANNING.
UH, THE CITY OF HOPEWELL HAS BEEN PUT INTO A REGION KNOWN AS THE MIDDLE JAMES THREE REGION, WHICH IS ABOUT 13 LOCALITIES THAT INCLUDE, UM, EVERYTHING ALONG APPOMATTOX AND EVERYTHING AROUND RICHMOND AREA.
UM, AND WHAT THE RESOLUTION BASICALLY STATES IS THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE REGIONAL SUPPLY PLANNING AND IT'LL ALLOW CITY OF RICHMOND TO TAKE POINT AS THE REGIONAL PLANNING COORDINATOR FOR THE REGIONAL WATER SUPPLY PLANT.
UM, AND, AND IT WAS, THERE'S BEEN A FEW MEETINGS FOR THIS, UH, ALREADY.
UH, I MYSELF HAVE REPRESENTED THE CITY OF HOPEWELL AS LONG, UH, AS WELL AS SOME MEMBERS OF VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER.
UM, BUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MOVE FORWARD, THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, UM, THEY COULDN'T HAVE A PRIVATE COMPANY OR THE REGIONAL COORDINATING, UH, COMMISSION SIGN OFF ON THE CITY NEEDS TO SIGN OFF ON IT.
UH, THERE'S NO COST TO THE CITY.
IT'S BASICALLY YOU'RE STATING THAT YOU'RE, YOU SUPPORT THAT THE CITY OF RICHMOND WILL TAKE, TAKE OVER THE LEAD.
UH, CITY OF RICHMOND WAS DECIDED TO TAKE OVER THE LEAD FOR TWO REASONS.
ONE, THEY'RE THE LARGEST WATER SUPPLIER IN THE REGION, AND TWO, THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE DPU USED TO BE THE HEAD OF THE DEQS WATER SUPPLY PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO WE FIGURED HE'D BE THE BEST ONE TO DO THE WATER SUPPLY PLANNING FOR THE REGION.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? YOUR ANYTHING? UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY, WE'RE GOING ON FOR, UH, LOOK FOR THE, UH, RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED ON TONIGHT.
SO, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
WE GOTTA DO THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, ALL COUNTY IS NOW CLOSED COUNT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MO UH, I MOTION MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, FOR THE RESOLUTION SUPPORT, UH, A FY TWO DASH 25 WARD SUPPLY PLANNING GRANT TO ASSIST WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGIONAL, UH, WARD SUPPLY PLAN AS REQUIRED BY NBAC 25 7 80 50.
SEEING THE LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION.
ROLL CALL COUNCILLOR ALICE? YES.
PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER TWO, MR. WARD.
[03:15:01]
GOOD RIGHT NOW.I CAN TALK ABOUT GOOD EVENING.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UM, MY FIRST PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING RELATES TO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON A NONCONFORMING LOT PARCEL 0 1 4 1 2 5 2 LOCATED ON CLINGMAN STREET.
THE APPLICANT IS LENOVO PROPERTIES, LLC.
UH, THE OWNER OF THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF, UH, PROPERTY IS RICHMOND WHOLESALE DEALS LLC LOCATED WARD FIVES OWNED R TWO.
AND, UH, AGAIN, WE FOLLOWED ALL PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS AS REQUIRED UNDER STATE LAW.
UH, MAP HERE ON THE LEFT SHOWING A, UM, AERIAL VIEW GENERAL LOCATION OF THIS, UH, PROPERTY.
AND ON THE RIGHT IS A CLOSE IN TYPE VIEW.
UH, R TWO SAYS THAT MINIMUM LOT SIZE IS 75 FEET WIDE AND A MINIMUM OF 7,500 SQUARE FEET TOTAL.
THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL, UH, 0 1 4 1 2 5 2 IS ONLY 50 FEET WIDE AND 4,250 SQUARE FEET.
SO THE NON-CONFORMITY IS WIDTH, BOTH THE WIDTH AND THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING TO BUILD A TWO STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
THAT'S A THREE BEDROOM, TWO AND A HALF BATH, 1,456 SQUARE FEET.
AND THEN HERE ARE SOME ELEVATIONS OF THE PROPOSED HOUSE, UH, FRONT AND RIGHT SIDE, UH, WITH A DECK ON THE REAR.
THIS IS THE REAR ELEVATION IN THE LEFT SIDE.
LOOK, THAT'S THE ONLY TWO LITTLE ONES.
UH, THE PROPOSED DWELLING IS, UH, A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING SIZE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, VINYL SIDING THAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR THE STRUCTURE IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER HOMES AND THE PROPOSED DWELLING WILL MEET ALL R TWO, UH, DISTRICT SETBACKS.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND MEETS ALL SEVEN CUP APPROVAL CRITERIA.
SO THEREFORE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS PARTICULAR CUP APPLICATION WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, UH, WHICH ARE OUR STANDARDS, THE 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES, 20%, UH, TREE CANOPY, DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE, UH, BRICK OR STONE FOUNDATION ON ALL FOUR SIDES.
FOUNDATION PLANTINGS OF THE FRONT AND SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH THESE PLANS AS PRESENTED TO YOU, UH, THIS EVENING, UH, AT THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE HELD AT PLANNING COMMISSION, WE DID HAVE ONE, UH, PERSON SPEAK AGAINST THE APPLICATION, UM, CLAIMING THAT, UH, CONSTRUCTION ON THIS PROPERTY WOULD INHIBIT HIS ACCESS, UH, TO HIS REAR YARD PLANNING COMMISSION.
ULTIMATELY DID RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST FOR THE FOLLOWING TWO REASONS.
THEY FELT LIKE THE LOT WAS TOO SMALL AND THE HOUSE WAS TOO LARGE AND NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING.
SO I AM, UH, REQUESTING ACTION FROM COUNSEL.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE THIS EVENING.
THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED DENIAL.
YOU HAVE RECOMMENDED WHO STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
SO MY INITIAL RECOMMENDATION WAS APPROVAL, UH, IT MEETS OUR BASIC CRITERIA.
UM, BUT PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THESE TWO REASONS FELT LIKE THEY WERE GONNA RECOMMEND DENIAL.
SO I, AND I DID NOT CHANGE MY RECOMMENDATION, UM, BASED OFF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, COUNCILLOR STOKES AND THEN HOLLOWAY, UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE BY THE HOUSE.
I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE BACK OF THE HOUSE BUMPS UP AGAINST THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
IT'S LIKE TWO STEPS AND YOU ON THE RAILROAD TRACK.
SO IS THIS A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING? YES, MA'AM.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THIS IMAGE ON THE RIGHT, THERE ARE OTHER HOUSES THAT HERE, RIGHT THERE BACK UP AGAINST THE, IT'S NOT VERY CLOSE RAILROAD AS WELL.
SO THAT, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY UNIQUE TO THIS PROPERTY.
I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED, UH, ABOUT THAT LOCATION AND THAT BACK AREA AND A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING THAT MAY HAVE CHILDREN, UH, THAT CONCERNED ME GREATLY.
[03:20:02]
THANK YOU.IT'S, IT'S, THAT IS, UH, THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND THEN DAY, UH, ABOUT A PICTURE OF, I I, YOU KNOW, I, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT MIGHT BE TOO CLOSE TO THE TRAIN TRACK.
IT JUST MAY LOOK LIKE IT RIGHT HERE, BUT IT, EITHER WAY IT IS VERY CLOSE.
I'M THE, I'M THE RESIDENT THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT THAT.
IT'S, SIR, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC, SIR, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING HERE SHORTLY.
SO NOW WHAT SIZE IS THAT LOT? BESIDE IT WITH THE HOUSE OF TO, TO THE RIGHT THERE, IT'S WIDER.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT MEASUREMENT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT BASED OFF OF, UM, THE K CLINGMAN PROPERTY'S 50 FEET WIDE.
SO THIS SUPPOSED TO THE ONE TONIGHT, IS IT THE ONE BEING CONSIDERED THIS EVENING IS 50 FEET.
SO THE ONE TO THE RIGHT OF IT, I WOULD ASSUME IS PROBABLY 60 TO 75 FEET WIDE.
SO, SO IT'S NOT TOO MUCH DIFFERENT REALLY.
UM, SQUARE, I GUESS THAT'S A MATTER OF OPINION IN SOME WAYS.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THAT PERSONALLY, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION SAW DIFFERENTLY.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S, I MEAN, IT, IT MIGHT BE GENERALLY SMALL ALTOGETHER, BUT I'M SAYING SPECIFICALLY COMPARING IT TO THE LOT THAT'S RIGHT BESIDE IT, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S MUCH DIFFERENT.
AND, AND THE OTHER, SO THE ISSUE WITH THE LOT SIZE AND IT, IT, WHAT, CAN YOU GO BACK TO GO BACK TO THE YES SIR LOT AND IT'S, UM, I KEEP GOING THE WRONG WAY.
SO THE R TWO DISTRICTS, THE MINIMUM 7,500 SQUARE FEET.
NO, I'M SAYING IT WAS TWO THINGS.
WHAT WAS THAT? THE WIDTH AND THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE WERE THE TWO NONCONFORMITIES.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I MEAN THERE COULD BE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE, UH, HAVE A ISSUE TAKE ISSUE WITH, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THAT, I MEAN IF THEM PEOPLE, IF LISTEN, IF THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE ON A SUPER SMALL LOT, THEY LIVE ON A SUPER SMALL LOT, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT ANYTHING DANGEROUS THERE, THERE'S NO DANGEROUS, NO DANGERS THERE.
IT'S NOT, UH, SITTING ON, NOTHING ELSE IS WRONG WITH THAT PROPERTY.
JUST THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THESE PEOPLE WANT, THEY'RE FINE WITH HAVING A SMALL PROPERTY.
IT, IT'S, FROM A ZONING STANDPOINT, IT'S SIMPLY JUST, IT DOESN'T MEET THE MINIMUM STANDARDS.
THAT'S, I MEAN, PEOPLE COME IN HERE, GET CS FOR WAY MORE DIFFICULT THINGS, I BELIEVE, SIR, I'M HERE BEFORE YOU MULTIPLE TIMES FOR WAY MORE DIFFICULT THINGS.
THE, SO I KNOW THAT I GUESS THE PLAN WAS TO ADD ONTO THE DRIVEWAY THAT IS AT THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE TO ACCOMMODATE HAVING A DRIVEWAY SPACE FOR TWO VEHICLES LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO.
WOULD THAT BE LIKE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE? LIKE WOULD THE DRIVEWAY END UP BEING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE? IT, IT WOULD BE, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO STACK IT.
SO IT COULD BE A NARROW ONE THAT RUNS ALONG THE SIDE.
UM, IT'S A BIT TRICKY AND THEY DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT, IT'S PROBABLY HARD TO SEE THIS IMAGE HERE, UM, OF THE LOT PLAN, BUT THEY DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WIGGLE ROOM IN MEETING THE SETBACKS WHERE THE HOUSE COULD KIND OF SLIDE OVER A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE ROOM FOR THAT DRIVEWAY TO DOUBLE STACK ON THAT DRIVEWAY.
IS IS THE REASON A TWO STORY HOUSE PROPOSED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIT A ONE STORY ON THE LOT APPROPRIATELY? IS THAT WHY THEY WENT TO A TWO STORY? I, I THINK IT, UH, ONE STORY WOULD FIT.
UM, I WASN'T GIVEN AN EXACT REASON FOR THE, FOR THEM PROPOSING THIS TWO STORY, BUT I SUSPECT THAT THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN SOME GUIDANCE FROM ME.
THAT, UM, CUP HOUSES, AS LONG AS THEY'RE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE SIZE OR LARGER THAN THE SURROUNDING ONES.
THAT, THAT'S A DIRECTION I'VE RECEIVED FROM YOU AS A BODY THAT THAT'S A DESIRED, UH, SIZE HOUSE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I THINK THEY TOOK THAT INFORMATION AND CAME UP WITH THE TWO STORY BECAUSE I, I MEAN I, I TALKED TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE RIGHT IN THAT AREA AND THEY WERE UNHAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT THE HOUSE WAS GONNA BE TWO STORY.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER TWO STORIES, TWO STORY HOUSES RIGHT THERE IN THAT AREA.
AND I THINK THEY JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS GONNA KIND OF STAND OUT, YOU KNOW, AGAINST, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND THE TYPES OF HOUSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE.
I GET THAT FROM AN, AN AESTHETIC
[03:25:01]
STANDPOINT, POTENTIALLY.UM, I THINK THAT'S A VALID ARGUMENT.
BUT MY ARGUMENT WOULD BE, UM, IF, IF WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE HOUSING AND HOPE WHILE OVERALL AND OFFER DIFFERENT, UM, HOUSING PRODUCTS FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS AND IF WE WANT TO ELEVATE AND UPLIFT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS, THIS IS ONE WAY THAT IT CAN BE DONE TO.
SO I I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT'S, IT WOULD NOT BE A DETRIMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, JUST AESTHETICALLY IT JUST MAY BE DIFFERENT.
YEAH, I I WILL HAVE TO, I HAVE TO, I MEAN, I HAVE TO AGREE.
I MEAN, I'M, I THINK I'M JUST KIND OF A LITTLE DOUBTFUL TONIGHT, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, WHEN I'M HEARING THIS COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, SPEAK ON IMPROVEMENTS AND I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY THEM, UH, COUNSEL GIVING YOU THAT INSTRUCTION THAT YOU JUST STATED LAST TIME, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UM, EVERYBODY DOESN'T NEED LAND.
MATTER OF FACT, SOME PEOPLE PREFER NOT TO HAVE IT.
THAT'S WHY THEY BUY TOWNHOUSES AND CONDOMINIUMS AND SO FORTH.
UM, SO EVERYBODY DOESN'T NEED TO HAVE LAND.
I MEAN THAT LOT BESIDE IT AGAIN, ISN'T A, A GREAT DIFFERENCE IF ALL THE REST OF THE PROPERTIES HAD 90 FEET BY A HUNDRED FEET BE ONE STORAGE, ONE THING.
BUT THIS MAY BE ONLY SEEMS LIKE IT'S ONLY 10 FEET MORE DIFF IN DIFFERENCE IN SIZE.
I I I THINK IF THE OWNERS OF THE HOUSE WANT TO HAVE A SMALL LOT, I MEAN, LET 'EM HAVE A SMALL LOT.
I, I JUST DON'T, I I JUST DON'T SEE WHY WE, I I I THINK WE, WE SHOULD BE HERE IN OUR POSITIONS FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.
I, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THE, WHEN THE COUNCIL ALWAYS GET INTO THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES OF THESE THINGS, I DON'T THINK THIS IS WHY WE ARE GOVERNING BODY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU KNOW, I I SOME OF THESE THINGS, IF THERE'S NO SAFETY IN PLACE, I MEAN SAFETY ISSUES HERE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ISN'T SAYING, OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ISN'T SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MAKING AN ISSUE.
THIS IS 'CAUSE SOMEBODY JUST WANT A SMALLER LOT.
AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT AN IMPROVING NEIGHBORHOODS BY, UM, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCILOR JOINER AND, UH, I MEAN VICE MAYOR JOINER AND MAYOR PARTNER SPOKE TO MANY TIMES, UH, ABOUT THE SIMPLE FACT OF INCREASING THE HOUSING STOCK AND ALSO MAKING THE NEIGHBORHOODS BETTER BY GOING THIS DIRECTION.
I MEAN, JUST 'CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE SMALL LIGHT, IT'S NOT TREMENDOUSLY SMALLER THAN THE REST.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE MAKE A MOTION THEN.
DO WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING HOLD? PUBLIC HEARING.
PUBLIC HEARING CUTLER WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, SIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC? YES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE SIZE BASED OFF OF WHAT HE SHOWED YOU.
CAN YOU TALK TO THE RIGHT? YEAH.
CAN YOU, YEAH, WE GOTTA HAVE YOU TALK TO THE MIC AND I'LL UM, SWITCH THIS TO THE BACK.
AS FAR AS THIS PICTURE GOES, THAT'S NOT GOING TO, THAT'S NOT DOING THE JUSTICE OF HOW SMALL THIS LOT ACTUALLY IS.
YOU ASKED ABOUT SMALL THE PROPERTY NEXT TO IT AND I'M GUESSING YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT MINE.
MY LOT SIZE IS ALMOST IS OVER 9,000 SQUARE FEET.
SO WE'RE SITTING THERE AND NOW, LIKE I SAID, I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT THE ACTUAL LOT LOOKS LIKE IN CASE YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THROUGH THE AREA.
CAN YOU SHOW US? JUST PASS IT TO THE CLERK.
I GUESS I'M JUST, I NEVER PAID ATTENTION TO THINKING ABOUT A HOUSE.
WE RIGHT THERE, IT'S, IT'S WHEN YOU SEE IT, YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT? IT'S REAL TEENY QUEENY, ISN'T IT? VERY, I MEAN IT, YOU'VE GOT A PRIVACY FENCE RIGHT THERE.
AND SO THAT, THAT HOUSE IS GONNA BE VERY CLOSE PRIVACY.
AND THAT PRIVACY FENCE IS NOT GONNA AFFORD ME ANY TYPE OF PRIVACY WITH THIS TWO STORY DWELLING NEXT TO IT.
SO IT'S ONLY, IT'LL BE FROM THERE.
THIS YOUR PROPERTY HERE YOU TALKING ABOUT? NO, I'M THE PRIVACY FENCE.
SO FROM RIGHT HERE TO RIGHT HERE.
AND THIS PICTURE, THIS LOOK LIKE A, A DRIVEWAY
YOU WANNA LOOK AT THE PICTURE, BUT I ALSO, BUT HOLD ON.
BUT ALSO I'VE BEEN OUT THERE, THE, BUT THE TREES HERE, I, I DROVE OUT THERE.
IT WOULD GO INTO THE TREES TOO.
EITHER THAT OR THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THOSE TREES REMOVED.
SO THEY'RE GONNA OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO HAVE THE TREES REMOVED.
THE PICTURE DOESN'T DEPICT WHAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IF THAT ALL THAT IS CLEARED UP.
[03:30:01]
NO, BUT LIKE, I, LIKE I WAS SAYING AS, AS, AS REPRESENTATIVE DAY SAID, I HAVE A PRIVACY FENCE.IF THAT HOUSE GOES UP, THE PRIVACY THAT I'M AFFORDED BY THAT FENCE IS ELIMINATED.
I'M, I'M A VERY PRIVATE PERSON.
HAD THAT HOUSE BEEN THERE WHEN I WAS IN THE MARKET TO MOVE TO HOPEWELL FIVE YEARS AGO, I WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT THAT HOUSE.
SO THEN THIS WOULDN'T REPRESENT THE TRUE SIGNS BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT PRIVACY FENCE IS ACTUALLY OVER THE LINE.
IS IT? NO, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S OVER THE LINE.
'CAUSE I REPLACED THE FENCE THAT WAS TORN DOWN THERE AND I STAYED ON THAT LINE, ON THAT LINE.
I ACTUALLY HAD TO CUT MY FENCE FOR THE TREE THAT WAS THERE.
BUT AS FAR AS ANYTHING GOING UP IN THAT AREA, IT'S GONNA BE EXTREMELY TIGHT.
AND THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TO BUTT UP THEIR DRIVEWAY JUST TO GET A DRIVEWAY TO THE NEIGHBOR, WHICH I'M GUESSING THEY OWN THAT ADJACENT LOT WHERE MY MOM NEIGHBORS ARE.
THAT THAT'S, THAT'S PUSHING IT SO THAT, SO THE DRIVEWAY WOULD ALLOTTED THE NEIGHBOR BASICALLY IS HAVING TO GET THEIR DRIVEWAY CUT INTO, BECAUSE THEY'VE MADE THEIR DRIVEWAY OVER INTO THAT MM-HMM
THAT'S, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN ACCORDING TO THE HEARING THAT I WAS AT THE LAST TIME WHERE THIS GENTLEMAN WAS, THEY WERE SAYING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BUTT THE DRIVEWAYS UP TOGETHER.
THEY SHARE THEM ONE CLAP HOT MESS.
THAT THAT PERSON, THAT NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY IS LITERALLY OVER THEIR PROPERTY LINE.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE HAVING TO DO THAT.
NO, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CHARGE THAT ARE TRYING TO BUILD THIS HOUSE MM-HMM
SO THEY'LL BE CONNECTING TO THE DRIVEWAY THAT THEY OWN THE PROPERTY THAT THEY ALREADY OWN.
WHEN I MOVED HERE, I WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THOSE PARTICULAR NEIGHBORS OWN THAT HOUSE.
IT'S NOT, NONE OF MY BUSINESS TRYING TO PUT A TWO STORY HOUSE THAT SIZE PLUS THE DECK.
AND I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AS FAR AS THE, THE, THE RAILROAD THAT'S GONNA BE CLOSE, IT'S GONNA BE CLOSE.
I'VE HAD TO CUT THROUGH THERE, UM, IN THAT TREE AREA TO MAKE REPAIRS TO MY FENCE BEFORE, AS WELL AS TO TRY TO TRIM DOWN SOME OF THE ENGLISH IVY AND IT IS RIGHT THERE.
COUPLE OF STEPS OFF THAT DECK.
IT'S NOT DIRECTLY ONTO THE RAILROAD CROSS ON THE RAILROAD TRACK, BUT WHERE THEY HAVE THAT DITCH BETWEEN THAT AREA AND THE TRACK THAT THAT'S GONNA BE PUSHING IT.
WELL, I MEAN THAT THEN WE WOULD BE SAYING THE SAME FOR THE OTHER PROPERTIES AS WELL, RIGHT? NO, IT'S KIND OF CUT DIFFERENTLY.
I MEAN IT'S CUT DIFFERENTLY, BUT THAT HIS PROPERTY TOO WOULD BE HIS PROPERTY TOO IS STILL FALLING TOWARDS THAT.
WELL, NO, THE ONE NEXT TO A, I MEAN THE HOUSE IS NOT GONNA BE ON THAT DROP.
PEOPLE CAN PUT UP A PRIVACY FENCE AROUND HERE AS WELL.
SO IF THEY PUT A PRIVACY FENCE AROUND THEIR LOT, YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, TO PUT A PRIVACY FENCE UP, ARE THEY GONNA HAVE ENOUGH ROOM ONCE THAT FENCE IS UP BASED OFF OF CODE, YOU GOT TO SEE IT.
I, I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS, I THINK SOME OF YOU GUYS NEED TO GO AND LOOK AT IT.
AND THEN WE JUST, AND WE VOTE ON THIS IN TWO WEEKS.
'CAUSE FROM HERE, LOOKING AT THE PROPERTY, I MEAN LOOKING AT THE PROPERTY AS IT IS, IS, IS ONE THING.
BUT THAT LINE WOULD ALSO ELIMINATE THE, LOOKING AT IT AT THE MAP.
YOU GOTTA CUT THE TREES DOWN, YOU KNOW, SO IT STILL WON'T BE A, I I DON'T THINK IT'S, IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.
SHOULD THE COMMENTS, SIR? YES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM? UH, UNTIL THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
MOTION BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR, OR EXCUSE ME, VICE MAYOR JOYER.
SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR STOKES, UH, SEEING THE, LIKE FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, MOVING ON TO PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER THREE.
IT IS A BRIEF PRESENTATION, MR. WARD.
KEEP IT BRIEF, UH, THIS EVENING, UM, MY SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, YOUR THIRD PUBLIC HEARING IS A ZONING AND MEMBER REQUEST.
YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS WAS A REQUEST INITIATED BY CITY COUNCIL BACK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, DIRECTING STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT AUTO RELATED USES IN VARIOUS COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
[03:35:02]
DISTRICTS.AND, UH, LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL OF ADDING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, RE REQUIREMENT TO THOSE USES.
UH, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH PLAINTIFF COMMISSION AND A WORK SESSION HERE, AND TONIGHT'S THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, AGAIN, THE APPLICANT IS CITY OF HOPEWELL.
UH, THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT WOULD AFFECT, UH, VARIOUS ZONING DISTRICTS THAT ENCOMPASS WARDS 1, 2, 5, 6, AND SEVEN.
UH, AND THE, UH, AMENDMENT REQUEST WOULD BE, UH, TO SECTION A OF ARTICLES 10, 11, 11, A 12, AND 13.
SO CITY COUNCIL INITIATED STAFF TO INVESTIGATE, UH, OPTIONS FOR AUTO RELATED USES BY, UM, RESOLUTION THAT WAS ADOPTED BACK ON JANUARY 14TH.
NOW, SO CURRENTLY OUR ORDINANCE STATES IN, UH, B TWO, THAT AUTOMOBILE AND TRUCK SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS AND RENTAL AGENCIES ARE PERMITTED BY WRIGHT.
AND IN B THREE AND B FOUR, AUTOMOBILE AND TRUCK SALES AND SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS AND RENTAL AGENCIES ARE PERMITTED.
AND I JUST WANNA DIFFERENTIATE THAT IN THE M1 AND M TWO, THERE'S ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCE OF LIKE BODY WORK OR, OR PAINT LIKE A, UH, PAINT TENTS PAINT, UM, PAINT WORK ON VEHICLES, UM, WHICH IS ONLY PERMITTED IN M1, M TWO.
UH, THESE AUTO RELATED USES ARE PER, ESSENTIALLY PERMITTED TO ALL COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS, EXCEPT THE B ONE, WHICH IS DOWNTOWN.
UH, THAT ENCOMPASSES APPROXIMATELY 96.8% OF, UM, OF ALL AVAILABLE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LAND IS AVAILABLE FOR AN AUTO RELATED USE.
SO THERE ARE POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT COME WITH THESE AUTO RELATED USES.
AND THERE ARE PARKING ISSUES OUTSIDE STORAGE AND DISPLAY NOISE AND AIR POLLUTION, POTENTIALLY WASTE DISPOSAL SAFETY RISKS, AESTHETIC CONCERNS, AND POTENTIAL INCREASE FOR, UH, THEFT AND VANDALISM.
UH, WE DID HEAR FROM ONE PERSON, UH, DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, A PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, WHO WAS ESSENTIALLY AGAINST ANY SORT OF CHANGES AT THIS TIME, UM, SAYING THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT COULD HANDLE THESE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACTS.
I JUST WANTED TO STRESS THAT ANY CHANGES THAT ARE MADE, UH, THROUGH A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT PROCESS WOULD ONLY AFFECT NEW BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING IN.
OR IT COULD, OR IT WOULD AFFECT ANY EXISTING NON-CON LEGAL NON-CONFORMING USE.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE QUOTE UNQUOTE GRANDFATHERED AUTO RELATED USE, UH, THAT WANTED TO EXPAND THE C IF THIS IS ADOPTED, THE CUP PROCESS WOULD KICK IN FOR BOTH OF THOSE SITUATIONS.
UM, THE BENEFIT OF ADDING THE CUP IS THAT IT'LL ALLOW PUBLIC INPUT.
UH, IT'S PROACTIVE MITIGATION INSTEAD OF RELYING ON REACTIVE, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, TO DEAL SOME OF THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACTS, IT ALLOWS, UH, SITE-SPECIFIC CONDITIONS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND WE HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON PARKING AND ON AND OFF STREET, UM, BOTH ON AND OFF STREET PARKING.
AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE AN INTERIM MEASURE IF IT IS ADOPTED.
UH, JUST A REMINDER, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR ENTIRE ORDINANCE AND OF COURSE ALL THESE USES ARE BEING, UH, LOOKED AT VERY CLOSELY.
SO IF THIS IS ADOPTED, UM, THIS WOULD ONLY BE IN PLACE FOR APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 15 MONTHS BEFORE THE NEW ORDINANCE HOPEFULLY IS ADOPTED.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
UM, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THERE, THERE WERE SOME FOLKS HERE EARLIER WHO DID WANT TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, THE ONLY ONE THAT I HAD SIGNED UP WAS MR. SYLVESTER.
UM, SO, SO IT'S UP TO YOU, UM, HOW, HOW YOU WANNA PROCEED.
IF THIS IS NOT A TIME SENSITIVE ISSUE, I WOULD SAY NECESSARILY.
SO IF YOU DID WANT TO TAKE ACTION TONIGHT, THAT'D BE APPRECIATED, BUT IF NOT, I WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, ONLY ONE I HAD SIGNED UP AGAIN WAS MR. SYLVESTER.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC? NOPE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UM, ZONING AMENDMENT AS UH, PRESENTED? SAME MOVE.
[03:40:01]
ALRIGHT.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECOND BY COUNCILOR ELLIS.
HEARING DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER FOUR.
UM, THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD APPOINTMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE CONDUCTED OUR INTERVIEWS AND THE FIVE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE, UM, PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN ARE, UH, MR. CHRIS REBER, MR. JOHN GRIFFIN, UH, MS. HEATHER BENNETT, UH, MS. BRENDA PELLUM, AND MS. CAROL CARR.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
UM, I DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP, UH, FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE ON IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING OF THE FIVE, UH, CANDIDATES? OKAY.
UH, THIS WILL BE ON THE AGENDA IN TWO WEEKS FOR A VOTE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVED.