[00:00:07]
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UH, AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO GO? OH, EXCUSE ME.
WE WANT TO DO THE AMENDMENT FOR MR. ROGERS COMMENTS BEFORE I FORGET ABOUT THAT.
[Additional item]
YEAH.CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ALLOW COUNCILOR STOKES TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? SECOND.
UM, IS THERE A, UH, EXCUSE ME.
UH, MS. STOKES, FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU STATE WHERE YOU'RE CONDUCTING THE MEETING FROM AND WHY YOU'RE ASKING TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? I'M AT HOME AND FOR HEALTH RESEARCH.
SEEING NO LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION.
AT THIS TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ALLOW THE CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS, UH, BEFORE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS? SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCILOR ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS? UM, OH, YES, MA'AM.
I HAVE, YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THIS CAN BE A STANDING MOTION SINCE WE DO IT EVERY MEETING? SORRY.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, UNDER THE RULES AS THEY ARE, THAT'S, THAT'S CURRENTLY NOT, NOT POSSIBLE.
THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, DISCUSSED WHEN WE DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL RULES CHANGE TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL RULES.
[CLOSED MEETING]
A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A 29 AND EIGHT TO DISCUSS THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.AND TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS, REAL ESTATE CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS, UNSOLICITED OFFER ON CITY OWNED REAL ESTATE.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR, UH, ELLIS, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING THE LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR ELLIS, SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
ANY DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COUNCILOR, IS SHE ON? COUNCILOR
[RECONVENE OPEN MEETING]
STOKES? COUNCILOR ELLIS? YES.CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2 4 2 DASH 3 7 1 2D.
WE'RE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY BE EXEMPT FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN ALOED MEETING.
MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RECESS AND WE WILL ADJOURN AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
[00:05:05]
NUMBER WHAT TO HAVE.WE ARE COMING BACK FROM OUR RECESS
[WORK SESSION]
AND WE WILL MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR, UH, WORK SESSION.AND OUR FIRST ONE FOR TONIGHT IS WITH CHIEF RUPERT.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, UM, TO DISCUSS, UH, THE CHANGE OF OUR EMS SERVICE RATES.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, JUST COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, UH, RELATIVELY RECENTLY, YOU UNDERSTAND THE, THE FISCAL CHALLENGES THAT, THAT WE HAVE AS A, AS A, AS A COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, UH, ALSO BEING SENSITIVE TO, UH, THE, THE NEEDS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE BURDEN THAT THEY ALSO ARE BEARING, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE RAISING OF COSTS IN, IN ALL DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, WE CONSIDERED ALL THAT AS WE, UH, PUT TOGETHER A, UH, PROPOSAL TO LOOK AT THE FEES THAT WE CHARGE FOR OUR EMS SERVICES.
SO WE, UM, I ACTUALLY WILL GO AHEAD ONE SLIDE 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'LL HELP TALK ABOUT IT, AND THEN I'LL GO BACK A LITTLE BIT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THE FISCAL YEAR PAYER MIX.
THIS SHOWS A, A MIX OF HOW PEOPLE PAY FOR OUR SERVICES.
SO IF YOU, YOU NOTICE THE, THE, THE LION'S SHARE OF THAT IS MEDICARE, UH, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BEHIND BY MEDICAID.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER DIFFERENT, UH, INSURANCES IN, IN, IN, IN THIRD PARTY PAIRS, UH, WITH, UM, THE PATIENT THEMSELVES BEING ONLY ABOUT 8.6 OF, UH, PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE CHARGING FEES TO.
UM, AND SO ONLY ABOUT 8.6 OF THOSE THAT WE, UH, RUN AND, AND PROVIDE SERVICE DO, DO, DO THEY PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
UH, ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE, UH, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
SO, UH, THE BIGGEST BY, BY, UM, A SIGNIFICANT MARGIN IS BLS SERVICES, FOLLOWED BY A LS SERVICES.
AND THEN, UM, ALS TWO, WHICH IS BASICALLY, UM, A HIGHER LEVEL OF A LS SERVICE REQUIRING SOME SIGNIFICANT IN DEPTH, UH, TREATMENT OR, OR, UH, CARE.
SO GOING BACK, UM, OUR, OUR COST FOR OPERATIONS, I'M SORRY, WHAT, WHAT DO THOSE ACRONYMS STAND FOR? OH, I'M SORRY.
BASIC LIFE SUPPORT AND ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
SO, FEES, UH, THESE FEES, AS YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, GO TO SUPPORT, UH, APPARATUS PURCHASES.
UH, AND AS WE DISCUSSED, AS PART OF THE BUDGET BUDGETING PROCESS, THE COST OF APPARATUS HAS, HAS LITERALLY EXPLODED SINCE 2020.
UH, IN SOME CASES, A 50% INCREASE IN COSTS.
UH, AND SO THESE, THE, THE FEES THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH OUR EMS SERVICES, UH, ARE THE, THE LION'S SHARE OF WHAT GOES INTO THE ACCOUNT, AS WE DISCUSSED, UH, TO, TO BASICALLY ALLOW US TO PAY THE LEASES THAT WE WILL BE, UH, USING TO PURCHASE OUR VEHICLES.
UM, JUST AS A REMINDER, A NEW AMBULANCE LEASE PAYMENT, UH, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IS 88.
THAT'S THE PROJECTED, WE HAVEN'T GOT THE FINAL YET.
UH, AND THEN NEW ENGINES, WHICH WE WILL NEED TO BE PURCHASING TO, UH, IS $228,000 A PIECE.
SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT COST.
UH, AND SO FINDING THE REVENUE TO, UH, SUPPORT THAT IS, IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, IT'S ONLY BEEN A WEEK AGO THAT WE WENT DOWN AN AMBULANCE.
WE ONLY HAD TWO AMBULANCES IN THE STREET FOR THREE OR FOUR DAYS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE WITH MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS.
UH, AND SO, UH, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOWN AN ENGINE, UM, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH GETTING ONE OF OUR, UH, PRIMARY UNITS BACK IN SERVICE.
AND SO REPLACING THIS APPARATUS IS, IS HUGE AND VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
BUT THE COSTS OBVIOUSLY ARE, ARE TREMENDOUS.
AND SO FINDING A WAY TO PAY FOR THAT, UH, HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE IN THE PAST.
AND SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED THESE EMS FUNDS AS A WAY TO DO THAT.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO BOLSTER THAT BY, UH, LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN INCREASE THAT REVENUE.
UM, WE DON'T WANT TO, UH, BURDEN OUR CITIZENS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THEY ALREADY ARE BASED ON THE, THE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT PRICES HAVE GONE UP ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, AND SO REALLY THE TARGET AUDIENCE HERE, HONESTLY, IS INSURANCE COMPANIES.
UM, WE ACTUALLY CHARGE LESS THAN MEDICARE ALLOWS.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE BELOW, UH, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR, THE, THE
[00:10:01]
SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS AS FAR AS OUR FEES ARE CONCERNED.AND SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, UM, AND THIS IS, THIS IS A TABLE HERE SHOWING WHERE OUR FEES CURRENTLY ARE.
UH, THE FIRST COLUMN THERE SHOWS WHAT ME MEDICARE ALLOWS US TO, TO CHARGE FOR THOSE SERVICES.
UM, THEN YOU SEE THE, THE COLUMN IN RED IS WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE.
AND THEN THERE'S TWO OPTIONS THERE FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT AS FAR AS HOW WE CAN, UH, CHARGE GOING FORWARD.
UH, WHAT WE WOULD, WHAT WE LIKE TO PROPOSE AS FAR AS THE CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE IS ACTUALLY A PERCENTAGE OF MERRICK MEDICARE ALLOWABLE.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR FEE SCHEDULE BASED ON HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ADJUSTS THEIR FEE SCHEDULE.
SO AS THEY INCREASE, UH, THE AMOUNT THAT WE CAN CHARGE FOR THEIR SERVICES, WE THEN CAN IN TURN MAKE THAT CHANGE, UM, WITHOUT HAVING TO COME BACK TO YOU ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND, AND REQUEST THOSE CHANGES.
WE CAN PUT THAT IN, UH, AS 135%, AND AGAIN, THE 1 35 IS BECAUSE A NUMBER OF PRIVATE INSURERS WILL PAY SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN MEDICARE.
UM, AND SO IF WE CHARGE LESS THAN THAT, THEN WE'RE ESSENTIALLY LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE WHERE A NUMBER OF OUR INSURERS WILL PAY MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE CHARGING.
AND SO WE'RE LEAVING THAT MONEY SITTING IN THEIR POCKETS WHERE THEY, THAT THAT COULD BE REVENUE THAT WE COULD BE ENJOYING TO HELP, UM, WITH THE COSTS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS THAT I'M PRES PRESENTING TO YOU, AND THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE'RE GIVEN TO US BY OUR BILLING COMPANY, UM, THAT, THAT THEY SAID MADE THE MOST SENSE BASED ON, UH, THOSE AROUND US.
AND, AND, AND THE COST THAT, THAT YOU SEE IN THE, IN THIS AREA.
UH, CHIEF RUPERT, UM, COUNCILLOR HOLLOW, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ON THAT LAST SLIDE.
UH, I, I WOULD ACTUALLY JUST COME MAKE A COMMENT THAT IT, UH, SEEMS LIKE THAT'S DEFINITELY A NO
UH, I WAS GONNA ASK IF, LET'S SEE, CAN YOU GO BACK A SLIDE? SO THE, THE COST, THE, THE PERCENTAGES HERE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING AFTER THE, ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE SHORT OF NOT PAYING OUT OF POCKET.
THOSE PATIENTS WHO PAY COMPLETELY OUT OF POCKET THEIR COST, WOULD THEY ALSO KIND OF LIKE BE THE SAME, BUT THEY WOULD GET, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND YOU'RE PAYING OUT OF POCKET, THE PERSONS WHO PAY OUT OF POCKET GET A 40% DISCOUNT, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO IF THE THOUGHT TO, UH, HAVE THE PRICES THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY, AND THEN THE PERSON WHO GETS OUT OF POCKET GETS A PERCENTAGE OFF, OR WILL YOU JUST LEAVE THE PRICING THE SAME FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PAY OUT OF POCKET? SO, SO THE PRICING WILL REMAIN THE SAME.
BUT I, I DO WANT TO, UM, TALK TO YOU AT THE END AFTER THIS NEXT SLIDE.
I DID WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT TWO WAYS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING RELIEF TO THE CITIZENS.
UM, AND WE'LL KIND OF GET TO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
UM, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS INCREASES ARE CONCERNED, AND THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A, A PROJECTION FROM OUR BILLING COMPANY.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS MAY NOT BE A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE, BUT THIS JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA.
UH, IF WE INCREASED IT TO 150% OF, OF MEDICARE ALLOWABLE, WE COULD BE LOOKING AT A APPROXIMATELY $45,000 INCREASE ANNUALLY.
UM, IF WE INCREASE IT BY 135% OF MEDICARE ALLOWABLE, WE'D BE LOOKING AT ABOUT $26,000.
AND OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GONNA FLUCTUATE BASED ON OUR CALL VOLUME AND, AND, AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
BUT THIS IS JUST SOME GENERAL NUMBERS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS INCREASES.
UM, SO TWO, TWO WAYS THAT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO OUR CITIZENS.
AND, AND ESPECIALLY AS YOU INDICATED, THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THAT, THAT, UH, SELF-PAY CATEGORY.
UM, THE FIRST IS OUR RIDE SAVER PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT ACTUALLY WE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WE, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND CURRENTLY WE CHARGE $59, UH, FOR THIS, UH, FOR AN ANNUAL FEE.
UM, AND ANYONE THAT RESIDES AT THAT HOUSEHOLD.
SO IF YOU, AS LONG AS YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT LIVES AT YOUR HOUSEHOLD, EVEN IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, GRANDCHILDREN THAT LIVE THERE WITH YOU OR, OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS, AS LONG AS THAT'S THEIR ADDRESS, UM, THEN ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THAT HOUSEHOLD WOULD BE COVERED BY THAT $69.
UM, AND ESSENTIALLY FOR THAT, FOR THAT ANNUAL, UH, FOR THAT ANNUAL PERIOD, UH, IF YOU GET A CALL, UM, YOU CALL US FOR SERVICES, WE'RE NOT GONNA BILL YOU FOR ANYTHING.
NOW, IF YOU DO HAVE INSURANCE, WE WILL BILL THE INSURANCE COMPANY, UM, BUT WE WILL NOT BE CHARGING YOU ANY OF THE COPAYS OR ANY OF THE, ANY OF THE FEES THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR SIDE OF THE BILL, AS WELL AS IF YOU ARE A SELF-PAY, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE NO COST TO YOU AT ALL.
UM, YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE A BILL FOR US.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S AN ANNUAL, UH, ANNUAL COST OF, OF $59.
WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THAT GOES TO $69.
UM, AND THAT WHAT THAT DOES IS WHEN THEY DO PROVIDE, UH, THEY SIGN UP AND THEY PAY THE FEE, WE ALSO COLLECT ALL THEIR INSURANCE INFORMATION.
AND THAT'S VERY HELPFUL FOR US BECAUSE ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, OBVIOUSLY, WITH COLLECTING REVENUE IN THIS TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT IS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, PEOPLE ARE IN AN EMERGENCY, WE'RE TRYING TO GET INSURANCE INFORMATION FROM THEM.
SOMETIMES THAT'S EASY TO DO, SOMETIMES IT'S NOT SO EASY TO DO.
[00:15:01]
AND SO, UM, IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL FOR US TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION ON FILE SO THAT IF WE DO NEED TO GIVE THEM SERVICES, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND WE CAN BUILD OUR INSURANCE COMPANY.THE SECOND THING THAT WE HAVE ADDED, UM, AS PART OF THIS PACKAGE TO BRING TO YOU TONIGHT, IS A HARDSHIP POLICY.
UM, BASICALLY THIS IS A, THIS IS A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR RELIEF FROM THE COST OF, OF THE, UH, OF THE EMS SERVICES.
UM, AND THE DISCOUNT IS, IS BASED ON THE, UH, NATIONAL, UH, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES POVERTY LEVEL GUIDELINES.
AND SO THERE'S A, THERE'S AN ANNUAL GUIDELINE THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, PUBLISHED EVERY YEAR, UM, THAT, THAT SHOWS WHAT LEVEL, UH, POVERTY IS, AND THEN GIVES PERCENTAGES AND, AND ALLOWS PEOPLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DETERMINE WHERE THEY ARE ON THAT POVERTY LEVEL BASED ON, UH, THE NUMBER OF FOOT PEOPLE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD AND THEIR INCOME.
BASICALLY, IF SOMEONE WERE TO, UH, LIKE TO UTILIZE THIS, UH, THEY WOULD FILL OUT AN APPLICATION WHERE THEY WOULD INDICATE WHAT THEIR, UH, THE SIZE OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD, AS WELL AS THEIR TOTAL ANNUAL INCOME FOR THE HOUSEHOLD.
AND THEN BASED ON THAT, WE WOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH A DISCOUNT ON THEIR, UM, ON THEIR SERVICES.
SO ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE AT THE POVERTY LINE OR OR BELOW, UM, WOULD OBVIOUSLY NOT PAY ANYTHING.
UM, THEY WOULD GET A HUNDRED PERCENT DISCOUNT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, GOING UP BY PERCENTAGE POINT, UM, MOVING UP THROUGH THE PERCENTAGES AT 200% OF POVERTY, WHICH IS WHERE THE SOCIAL SERVICES, UM, USUALLY THEY'RE CUT OFF FOR, FOR, FOR, UM, ANY BENEFIT IS AROUND THAT 200% MARK.
UM, THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD BE AT A 50%.
THEY, THEY WOULD GET A 50% DISCOUNT ON, UH, THE, THE SERVICES.
AND THEN ABOVE THAT, UH, UP TO 300%, 300% IS, IS ACTUALLY THE, UH, WHERE THE, THE MEAN, UH, UH, INCOME LEVEL FOR THE CITY IS, UH, IT WOULD BE A, UH, YOU KNOW, A GRADUALLY REDUCING PERCENTAGE.
SO I THINK THE LAST PERCENTAGE THAT SHOWS ON THE CHART FOR, UH, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IS 275%, AND THEY'D BE GETTING A 12.5%, UH, REDUCTION IN THEIR, IN THEIR OVERALL BILL.
UM, AND AT 300% THEY WOULD GET, THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE BILL.
SO THIS IS A WAY FOR, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING OR, OR, OR, OR ARE IN NEED OF RELIEF CAN PROVIDE A, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE AN APPLICATION TO US.
AND THEN, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO ACCURATELY SO TO THE, TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE WOULD HAVE TO REPORT THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD CHARGE FOR THOSE SERVICES.
HOWEVER, WE WOULD SHOW IT AT A, AT A DISC THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH A DISCOUNT.
AND SO WE WOULD, UH, PROVIDE THEM WITH A DISCOUNT.
WE'D ZERO OUT THE, THE ACCOUNT FOR THEM.
UH, BUT IT WOULD STILL REPRESENT A, A, A TOTAL COST, UH, AS FAR AS OUR REPORTING IS CONCERNED.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, NO QUESTIONS.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE FROM COUNSEL, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I LIKE THE IDEA OF, UM, THE OPTIONS THAT YOU GUYS ARE PROVIDING, UH, TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF TO FOLKS MM-HMM
AND, YOU KNOW, ALMOST A QUASI INSURANCE POLICY.
UM, YOU KNOW, ON THAT, UM, RI WAS RIDER RIDE SAVERS, YEAH.
AND THAT'S GREAT FOR ALL AGES, YOU KNOW, FROM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ITTY BITTIES ALL THE WAY TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS.
UM, SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, AND YOUR CREATIVITY AND THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX TO HELP OUR CITIZENS.
THAT'S LOOKING AT ABOUT 625, UH, BILLION DOLLARS, 10 YEARS BEING CUT FROM MEDICAID WOULD BE, UH, KAREN, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL THAT JUST PASSED.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A BILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS, UH, LEAVING FROM VIRGINIA IN THAT FORM.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE, UH, STUFF IN PLACE, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COST OF THINGS GOING UP, BUT THEN LOSING EVEN MORE MONEY, UH, IN THAT, UH, PERSPECTIVE.
UH, SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT WORK SESSION, UH, MR. WARD.
AND WHILE HE'S GETTING READY, UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, EXTEND THE MEETING UNTIL WE FINISH? UH, R TWO OH, NO, JUST KIDDING.
SO, ALRIGHT, SECOND, UH, MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY, UH, VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[00:20:01]
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, TONIGHT.UH, I HAVE TWO, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS FOR YOU, UH, AT THIS WORK SESSION.
THE FIRST ONE IS A REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON NON-CONFORMING LOT PARCEL 0 4 2 0 4 7 5, LOCATED ON SPRUCE STREET, THE APPLICANT AND THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OF THE SAME.
IT'S, UH, BAPTIST DEVELOPMENT LLC.
THE PROPERTY'S LOCATED IN WARD SIX AND ZONED TO R FOUR.
GOT A MAP HERE SHOWING AN AERIAL VIEW.
UM, ALSO A ZONING MAP AND A GENERAL LOCATION MAP ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
IT'S BASICALLY A, A VACANT LOT RIGHT NOW THAT'S THE NEIGHBORS USED TO PARK CARS ON THE MINIMUM.
LOT SIZE IN R FOUR IS 50 FEET WIDE AND 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL IS 55 FEET WIDE, UH, BUT IT'S NOT AS DEEP, SO IT'S ONLY AT 3007 95 SQUARE FEET.
SO THE NON-CONFORMITY IS IN THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING TO BUILD A TWO STORY HOUSE.
IT'S A THREE BEDROOM, TWO AND A HALF BATH, 1,440 SQUARE FEET.
YOU CAN SEE THE FRONT ELEVATION HERE, AND THEN ALSO THE REAR, AND THEN THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT ELEVATION.
PROPOSED HOUSE AGAIN, UM, SOME FLOOR PLANS.
THE ELEVATIONS, THE PROPOSED DWELLING IS LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH THE AVERAGE IS 1022 SQUARE FEET.
THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING VINYL SIDING, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE OTHER HOMES.
AND, UM, THIS WILL MEET ALL DISTRICT SETBACKS.
SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THAT IT WILL HAVE 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES ALONG ALL ROOF EDGES, MINIMUM TREE CANOPY COVERAGE OF 20%, DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE RICKER STONE FOUNDATION ON ALL FOUR SIDES, ALONG WITH FOUNDATION PLANTINGS IN THE FRONT.
AND ESSENTIALLY THAT THIS HOUSE WILL BE IN SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE, UH, WITH THESE PLANS THAT ARE PRESENTED TO YOU, UH, WITH ANY FINAL MODIFICATIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, WHEN WE GO TO PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, UH, FOUR TO ZERO.
THEY DID NOT RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES TO, UH, THE CONDITIONS, AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENT WHATSOEVER ON THIS APPLICATION.
AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE? I WAS JUST, YOU, YOU HAD STOPPED SHORT THAT PLANTING? YEP.
WHAT WAS IT? IT'S LIKE SHRUBBERY.
SO, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE OWNERS, YOU'RE SAYING HAS TO KEEP THERE.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO INSTALL, INSTALL PLANTS.
WHY? WHY IS THIS A THING? AESTHETICS, STORM DRAINAGE, UH, FOUND, YOU KNOW, UH, LANDSCAPING ASSISTS WITH STORM DRAINAGE AS WELL.
SO THOSE TWO THINGS, THOSE TWO, THIS HAS BEEN, UH, WITHIN THE CONDITIONS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
THIS IS NOT NEW TO THIS APPLICATION, I THINK IS MY, IS MY POINT.
I, I KNOW THAT WAS LIKE THE CASE WHEN IT CAME TO COMMERCIAL, BUT NOT HOUSING.
WHEN IT CAME TO LIKE, PEOPLE HOUSING TO HAVE TO PUT TREES IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
IT'S WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
I MEAN, THE FEELING IS IS THAT, UM, THEY'RE ASKING SPECIAL PERMISSION TO BUILD ON A LOT THAT DOESN'T CONFORM.
SO WE CAN ADD CONDITIONS THAT ELEVATE THE HOUSE ESSENTIALLY, AND THE PROPERTY.
AND JUST LIKE ALL THE REST OF THESE ARE NOT REQUIRED.
IF YOU HAVE, YOU CAN BUILD BY.
I I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, HOW DID AN AESTHETICS, WHAT DID PLANNING DO? LANDSCAPING DOES ASSIST WITH STORM DRAINAGE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.
SEEING NO MORE LIGHTS, MOVING ON TO NUMBER THREE.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE ANOTHER CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION, UH, FOR THE SAME SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING NON-CONFORMING LOT.
THIS ONE RELATES TO PARCEL 0 6 7 0 0 6 5, LOCATED ON
[00:25:01]
DELAWARE AVENUE.AND THIS, UM, PARTICULAR LOT IS LOCATED IN WARD TWO AND ZONED R THREE.
YOU CAN SEE THE AERIAL HERE WITH THE ZONING MAP AND THE, THE, UH, WARD MAP ACTUALLY ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
SO FOR R THREE, MINIMUM LOT STANDARDS ARE 50 FEET WIDE AND 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PARTICULAR LOT IS ONLY 40 FEET WIDE AND 4,000 SQUARE FEET.
SO THE NON-CONFORMITY IS IN BOTH THE WIDTH AND THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT A ONE STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, THAT'S A THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, 1,232 SQUARE FEET, AGAIN, FRONT ELEVATION, REAR ELEVATION, BOTH SIDES.
AND THE FLOOR PLAN, AGAIN, THIS ONE IS LARGER, UM, JUST SLIGHTLY THAN THE OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AGAIN, VINYL SIDING, WHICH IS CONSISTENT AND IT'S GONNA MEET ALL THE DISTRICT SETBACKS.
THESE ARE THE, THESE ARE THE SAME, UH, RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS, UH, THAT WE HAD ON THE ONE PRIOR TO THIS.
UM, SO I DON'T FEEL A NEED TO GO THROUGH THEM INDIVIDUALLY AGAIN.
UM, WE'RE ALL QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS APPLICATION.
UH, THEY RECOMMENDED FOUR TO ZERO AND WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
NOT A QUESTION, BUT MORE OF A COMMENT.
UM, YES, IT'S JUST EXCITING TO SEE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE, YOU KNOW, INTERESTED IN BUILDING HOMES HERE AND THE HOMES ARE BIGGER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE SIZE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS A, YOU KNOW, GREAT INDICATOR, UH, THAT WE HAVE FOR, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUR BOND RATING BACK.
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME GOOD, WE'VE GOT SOME REAL NICE LOOKING HOUSES COMING TO YOU, UH, NEXT MONTH AS WELL.
EVENING, MR. MAYOR MADAM VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
CITY MANAGER, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY NAME IS ULYSSES JACK HOWARD.
I AM THE MANAGING PARTNER WITH DBS PUBLIC AFFAIRS GROUP ON BEHALF OF MY BUSINESS PARTNERS WHO ARE HERE WITH ME, IDA MCPHERSON AND RICH WILLIAMS, WE'RE HONORED TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR OVER 75 YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE IN VIRGINIA STATE GOVERNMENT IN LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AND IN PUBLIC POLICY TO PROVIDE LEGISLATIVE LIAISON SERVICES, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL DURING THE 2025 VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION, AS WELL AS AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL IN WASHINGTON, DC I DUNNO, 75 YEARS, I THINK RICH AND I PROBABLY GOT ABOUT 65 OF THOSE.
I AS A YOUNG LADY, SO SHE MAYBE HAVE FIVE YEARS.
I WANNA GET THAT STRAIGHT WITH THE LADY.
UM, WE ARE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH THIS UPDATE, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT GENTLE ASSEMBLY SESSION.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL THAT WILL BENEFIT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL AND ITS RESIDENTS, WE'VE ALREADY PROVIDED YOU ALL WITH A NINE PAGE COMPREHENSIVE WRITTEN REPORT IN ADVANCE.
UH, NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY BUSINESS PARTNERS WHO WILL COME FORWARD TO GIVE YOU ALL A BRIEF UPDATE ON OUR STATE AND FEDERAL EFFORTS.
AND THEN WE'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.
UH, FIRST COMING UP IS MY COLLEAGUE IDA MCPHERSON, WHO WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR LOBBYING EFFORTS AT THE STATE GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
AND THEN AFTER IDA RICH WILLIAMS WILL COME UP AND GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR FEDERAL LOBBYING EFFORTS.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
IT'S CERTAINLY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
UM, MR. MAYOR MADAM VICE MAYOR, UH, CONGRATULATIONS, CITY ATTORNEY ON THE NEW APPOINTMENT HERE AND WELCOME AND, UH, TO, UH, INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
FIRST, I WANNA SAY IT'S BEEN QUITE AN HONOR FOR US TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL DURING THE PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND THE CITY ORIGINALLY HAD A, UM, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA LIST THAT WAS COMPOSED OF 32 ITEMS, UH, IN PLANNING SESSIONS.
WE NARROWED THAT DOWN TO SIX VARIOUS SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU WANTED US TO HIGHLIGHT DURING THIS PAST JUNE 7TH SESSION.
AND THEY INCLUDED A REALIGNMENT OF THE TREASURE'S DUTIES, THE OXYGEN PLANT REPLACEMENT SUPPORT FOR HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH, THE PENNY TAX, UH, THE INCINERATED INCINERATION REHAB, AND THE NATURE EXPANSION.
UM, AS WE MOVED FORWARD THROUGH THIS PAST YEAR ASSEMBLY SESSION, WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT OBVIOUSLY WE CAME ON BOARD A LITTLE LATE AND, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THE SESSION STARTED, BUT
[00:30:01]
NONETHELESS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID DO IS WE MADE EVERYONE AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL WAS MAKING SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN TERMS OF INTERNAL STRUCTURING, AS WELL AS A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT WERE GOING ON THAT MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DID NOT APPEAR TO BE QUITE AWARE OF, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE THOUGHT THAT THEY SHOULD BE.UH, DURING THIS SESSION, THERE WERE, UM, THREE BILLS THAT WERE INTRODUCED.
UH, DELEGATE CO UH, INTRODUCED THE BILL THAT RELATED TO, UH, A CHARTER TO CHANGE.
WHILE WE SUBSEQUENT, AS A PART OF WORKING WITH THE TREASURER'S ASSOCIATION AS WELL AS WITH UH, STAFF HERE, WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TREASURER'S ASSOCIATION AND WITH CITY STAFF TO TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THOSE, UH, CHANGES WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE A CHARTER AMENDMENT.
AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ON BOARD, HE'S AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT ACTUALLY GOING IN AND, UH, REQUESTING A CHARTER CHANGE.
SO I THINK WE CERTAINLY ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN IN THAT REGARD.
UH, IN FACT, THE PENNY TAX OUT OF, UH, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY PASSED BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, BUT WAS NOT ENACTED DURING THIS GENERAL SESSION.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING SESSION AND WORKING WITH YOU ON A NEW LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND BRINGING FORWARD SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU HAD ON THE PAST AGENDA.
BUT WHAT I DO WANNA SAY, AND I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS PAST SESSION IS THAT WE BELIEVE OUR TEAM, WE KNOCKED ON DOORS, WE MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE SENATE, UH, THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP, UH, IN TERMS OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE WHOLE PICTURE OF THE CITY OF HOPEWELL HAS BEEN RAISED TREMENDOUSLY.
SO I LIKE TO PUT IT THIS WAY, I THINK FOR THE CITY.
WE PAINTED AND PRESENTED A NEW POSITIVE, VERY, VERY POSITIVE PORTRAIT OF THE CITY OF HOPE WEALTH, AND HIGHLIGHT ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING AS A RESULT OF THAT.
WE BELIEVE WE'VE LAID SUCH A TREMENDOUS GROUND FLOOR FOR THIS UPCOMING SESSION, AND WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO, UH, GET SOME BILLS PASSED THIS COMING SESSION.
AND THIS IS MR. RICH WILLIAMS ON OUR FEDERAL SIDE.
MADAM VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, MR. CITY MANAGER.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A SAFE AND A HAPPY FOURTH JULY WEEKEND.
I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME FISHING AND CRABBING MYSELF
WE ARE VERY WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH SENATOR WARNER, SENATOR KANE AND CONGRESS AND JENNIFER MCCLELLAN ON YOUR FOUR TOP PRIORITY FEDERAL ISSUES.
THEY ARE 1.7 MILLION FOR THE CITY HERITAGE AVENUE FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT, 1 MILLION FOR THE HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT, CITYWIDE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES, 1.2 MILLION FOR THE HOPEWELL COMMUNITY CENTER PROJECT UPDATE AND 1.7 MILLION FOR THE HOPEWELL CITYWIDE PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE ARE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS AND THEY ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF YOUR NEEDS AND CONCERNS IN HOPEWELL.
WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
'CAUSE I KNOW TIMES OF ESSENCE RIGHT NOW.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY JUST A, A QUESTION, BUT JUST KIND OF LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE JUST DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH REGARDS TO THE, UM, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND, YOU KNOW, OUR RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATION REQUESTS.
UM, I REALLY, I I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, REEMPHASIZE THOSE AGAIN LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT WE EXHIBIT THE PROGRESS, YOU KNOW, THAT THE CITY HAS MADE IN TERMS OF, UM, OF OUR AUDITS.
AND THEN ALSO IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF, YOU KNOW, THE INTERNAL CONTROLS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE, UH, PASSED, I THINK WE DID THOSE, YOU KNOW, POST, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ASK, UM, WE CAN GET A MEETING WITH, YOU KNOW, THE THE MONEY CHAIRS AND SEE IF, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BE WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, COME DOWN HERE.
AND, AND LOOK AND, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY YOU SEE FOR THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRESS, UH, THAT
[00:35:01]
WE'RE MAKING.WE, WE CERTAINLY COULD, UM, MAKE THOSE TYPES OF INTRODUCTIONS.
I WAS WITH, UM, SENATOR LUCAS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DAYS AGO MM-HMM
I TALKED ABOUT HOPEWELL SPECIFICALLY AGAIN.
UM, OBVIOUSLY AS YOU KNOW, SHE'S CHAIR FOR APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID THIS PAST SESSION IS THAT WE HAD YOUR DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT MM-HMM
FROM THE RIVERWALK EXPANSION PROJECT.
AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK THEY WERE NOT QUITE AWARE OF WHAT THE MONEY WOULD DO OTHER THAN BEAUTIFY THAT AREA.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE MONETARY VALUE WAS TO THE MARINA AREA IN GENERAL, THE JOBS THAT IT WOULD PRODUCE.
UH, WE DEVELOPED SOME SLIDES ALONG WITH YOUR STAFF THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THEM.
WE LEFT THOSE HANDOUTS AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE AND MORE OF THAT.
VICE MAYOR JOINER JOINED US, UM, AT THE GENERAL CENTER.
THAT WAS EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL.
AND AS WE DO MORE OF THAT AND WE HIGHLIGHT THE CITY AGAIN, ALL WE'VE DONE FOR THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN JUST TALK ABOUT HOPEWELL HOPE.
WELL, SO NOW WHEN THEY SEE US COMING, IT'S NOT ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO OTHER THAN THEY COME, THEY WANT MONEY, THEY WANT MONEY FOR HOPEWELL, AND WE, WE INTEND TO DELIVER ON THAT.
BUT CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF MAKING THOSE INTRODUCTIONS AND HAVING THEM COME HERE, AS WELL AS HAVING MORE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL GO WITH US TO RICHMOND, UH, FOR VISITS, THAT'S CERTAINLY GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL.
MR. MAYOR, IN OUR, UH, INNER YEAR REPORT, A POST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REPORT, WHICH YOU JUST SUGGESTED IS ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS YEAH.
THAT WE INVITE THE LEADERS OF THE STATE HERE TO COME HERE TO SPEAK OF THE HOUSE, UH, SENATOR LOUISE LUCAS AND OTHER DECISION MAKERS.
INVITE THEM HERE, HERE, DON SCOTT, THE SPEAKER, ALL OF 'EM.
INVITE THEM HERE, LET 'EM COME HERE AND ALL, ALL SESSION TIME MEET YOU ALL SEE THE PROGRESS YOU'RE MAKING.
I KNOW YOU'RE MAKING, YOU'VE GOT, UH, THE BOB GROUP DOING SOME OTHER BIG THINGS FINANCIALLY, SO THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT WAS A, A VERY BIG ISSUE.
I MEAN, IT WASN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, THE GOVERNOR'S ADMINISTRATION, BUT IT WAS WITH ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY CHAIRS.
YOU KNOW, THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCIAL PICTURE FOR THE CITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR CASH BALANCES WERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, BRING THEM HERE, SHOW THEM THAT I KNOW STACY IS MS. JORDAN IS, YOU KNOW, GONNA, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK ON A, UM, A REALLY GOOD, UH, FINANCIAL REPORT FOR US NEXT MONTH THAT'S GONNA SHOW A LOT OF THESE HIGHLIGHTS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TAKING, YOU KNOW, THAT INFORMATION SHE PRODUCES FOR US AND SHOWING IT TO THEM, I THINK IS GONNA PAY SOME BIG DIVIDENDS.
AND LUCKILY FOR US, WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE GO WAY BACK WITH A NUMBER OF THOSE FOLKS.
IN FACT, THE SENATE CHAIR OF THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE, SENATOR LOUISE LUCAS, MY COLLEAGUE HERE, RICH WILLIAMS
WELL, NOW THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO BEFORE HE GOT MARRIED.
SO BETWEEN HER AND THEN OF COURSE ON THE HOUSE SIDE, WE'VE GOT LUKE VICTORIAN, WHO'S CHAIR OF THE HOUSE, UH, APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE, RICH, WE ALL KNOW WELL.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME RELATIONSHIPS THERE.
WE'D LOVE TO INVITE THEM DOWN HERE.
AND I THINK ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT WE ALL HAVE SERVED IN GOVERNMENT BEFORE AND, UM, HAVE SERVED, I THINK COMBINED UNDER SIX GOVERNORS.
WE KNOW THE LAY OF THE LAND IN RICHMOND VERY, VERY WELL.
AND, UM, WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE HOLD A GOOD REPUTATION FOR FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO.
AND, UM, I THINK WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY AS FAR AS OUR COMPANY IS CONCERNED.
SO I'D LIKE TO SAY I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS.
AND I ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT MS. KELLY AT FIRST CITY'S COMMISSION WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL TOO, BECAUSE SHE WAS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALWAYS ENGAGED AND SHE WAS ALWAYS RESOURCE TALKING ABOUT HOPE.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
UM, I HAD COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY AND THEN VICE MAYOR JOINER.
I HAD PUT MY, I PUT MY LIGHT ON RIGHT BEFORE THE MAYOR OF MAKING THOSE COMMENTS.
I WAS GOING TO, UM, PUSH ON THOSE, UH, SAME COMMENTS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, HARD WORK DEDICATION.
I ALSO LOVE IT BECAUSE, UH, WHEN I WAS IN A MEETING WITH, UH, REPRESENTATIVE, UM, OUR, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN, SHE MCCLEAN MCCLEAN, SHE SAID THAT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS BEFORE HOPEWELL JUST WAS NOT AT THE TABLE MM-HMM
AND, UM, WE MISSED OUT ON QUITE A BIT OF FUNDING PRIOR TO JUST FOR HOPEWELL YEAH.
UH, SO THIS TREMENDOUSLY MAKES A, UM, BIG DIFFERENCE FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
UM, SO WHEREBY I'M DEFINITELY EXCITED AND GLAD ABOUT THAT.
I, I WANT TO TELL YOU, MY COLLEAGUE IDA, WHEN EXAGGERATE, WHEN THEY SEE US COMING SOMETIME, WE HEAR UNDER THE BELL, OH, HERE THEY COME AGAIN.
I MEAN, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR JOB.
WE PRETEND THAT WE GONNA TRY TO ADVOCATE.
WE'VE, UH, IT WAS JUST YESTERDAY, I THINK IT WAS IN THE PAPER, UH, WHERE WE ARE, UH, ADVOCATING FOR WELL ON EVERY LEVEL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE GOT ALL THESE RELATIONSHIPS.
[00:40:01]
I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING APPOINTEE TO WORK FOR FOUR GOVERNORS AND JUST HAPPENED TO BE, I DON'T, IT JUST WORKED OUT THAT WAY IN MY CAREER.TWO OF 'EM WERE DEMOCRATS AND TWO WERE REPUBLICANS.
SO I IS VERY ACTIVE ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO WE, WE NEED TO HAVE BOTH SIDES COVERED.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW HOW A VIRGINIA IS CYCLICAL POLITICALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE REPUBLICANS CONTROL ONE TIME THEN DEMOCRATS.
SO WE, WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS ON BOTH SIDES.
AND THAT, THAT BOS WELL, ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL RIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF, OF OF, OF GOING UP TO RICHMOND TO SEEING THESE FOLKS IN ACTION.
WE VISITED, WE DID KNOCK ON A LOT OF DOORS THE TIMES THAT I WENT UP THERE.
AND I ALSO WANNA SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT YOU MENTIONED THE ROIS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN AND WHEN WE ARE GOING AS A CITY, WE ARE BASICALLY MARKETING OUR, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO MARKET YOURSELF YES.
THIS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST WRITE A LETTER AND SAY, OH, PLEASE GIVE US MONEY.
AND SO WE PRESENTED, I THINK A VERY POWERFUL, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, SET OF FACTS AND INFORMATION ON THE RIVER WALK.
AND, UH, THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, SENATOR AYD.
IT WAS A LAST MINUTE SORT OF ADDITION TO THE, TO THE, UM, TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS A, A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF, OF GETTING SOME ATTENTION THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GO UP AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE, AND YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO GIVE A GOOD SOLID PRESENTATION.
AND I THINK WE LEARNED THAT THIS PAST YEAR.
AND I, I ECHO, UM, UH, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY'S COMMENTS THAT HOPEFUL HAS NOT BEEN AT THE TABLE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, UM, WE ARE VERY HONORED TO HAVE DBS, UM, REPRESENTING US.
AND I WAS, I'M CERTAINLY IMPRESSED.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU'VE DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA ROLL RIGHT INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING THIS TIME.
CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE, MA'AM.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE PRAYER BY PASTOR HARVILLE AND FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG BY MYSELF.
LET US BOW FOR A WORD OF PRAYER.
HOLY AND GRACIOUS GOD, CREATOR OF ALL THAT IS GIVER OF LIFE.
WE COME IN THESE MOMENTS TOGETHER THANKING YOU AND PRAISING YOU FOR THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF ANOTHER DAY.
LORD, WE COME HUMBLY NEEDY, WANTING YOU TO INTERVENE IN OUR LIVES IN OUR CITY.
LORD GOD, WE COME ACKNOWLEDGING YOUR PRESENCE, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU HAVE ALL POWER.
LORD GOD, I THANK YOU FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY IN THIS CITY.
I PRAY FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY.
I PRAY FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS, AMBULANCE, PERSONNEL, FIRST RESPONDERS.
LORD, WE PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY BROTHERS AND SISTERS RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.
LORD, WE PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR MILITARY, ALL THOSE WEARING THE UNIFORM OF THE UNITED STATES, ANYWHERE ACROSS THIS GLOBE.
OH LORD, PUT YOUR ANGELS IN A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND THEM.
LORD GOD, OUR HEART BREAKS AS WE SEE THE NEWS OUT OF TEXAS.
LORD, WE LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL RIVER ON THE EDGE OF OUR CITY.
AND WE CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE THE HEART THAT THOSE FOLKS HAVE GONE THROUGH.
LORD, I PRAY FOR THOSE SEARCHING.
I PRAY FOR THOSE WHO FEAR THEIR LIVES, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
SEND PEOPLE TO MINISTER TO THEM OF GOD.
I THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO'VE TRAVELED FAR AND WIDE TO BE THERE TO HELP, TO DONATE A DOLLAR, TO DO WHAT THEY CAN OR JUST TO PRAY.
SO, LORD GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS OUR CITY, SURROUND US WITH PROTECTION OF GOD.
WE PRAY, OH LORD, FOR WISDOM AND DECISION MAKING.
LORD, THERE ARE DECISIONS MADE IN THIS ROOM ABOUT HOW DOLLARS ARE SPENT, ABOUT HOW PROBLEMS GET SOLVED.
AND OH GOD, I PRAY THAT EVERY DECISION WOULD BE MADE FROM A HUMBLE HEART, FROM A HEART THAT IS SEEKING WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY.
LORD, WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE ACROSS THE LINES ABOUT WHAT TRULY IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD, THE BEST DECISION TO MAKE.
BUT GOD, I PRAY THAT EVEN WHEN WE DISAGREE, THAT WE WOULD BE RESPECTFUL, THAT WE WOULD SEEK TO HONOR YOU IN WHAT WE DO.
OH GOD, FOR OTHERS ARE WATCHING, THERE ARE EYES WATCHING US.
SO GOD, I PRAY FOR EVERY ASPECT OF THIS CITY, FROM THE SMALLEST CHILD TO THE OLDEST SENIOR CITIZEN, FROM THOSE WHO FEEL THE MOST POWERFUL, TO THOSE WHO FEEL THE MOST WEAK.
LORD, I PRAY FOR THE MARGINALIZED, FOR THOSE WHO FEEL LIKE THEIR VOICE HAS NOT BEEN HEARD.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FELT INVISIBLE, MAY WE SEE THEM.
[00:45:01]
WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP EACH OF US IN OUR DIFFERENT ASPECTS, OUR DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE THAT WE REPRESENT HERE IN THIS PLACE.MAY WE DO ALL WE CAN TO BE THE BEST CITIZENS THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY BE, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE OUR LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
WE PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND ITS LEADERS.
WE PRAY FOR OUR STATE AND ITS LEADERS.
WE PRAY FOR LOCAL LEADERS OF GOD THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO SEE MORE CLEARLY WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE US DO.
WE MAKE OUR PRAYER IN THE BLESSED NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR RISEN LORD AND SAVIOR.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO SEE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
UH, WE'VE ALREADY AMENDED THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO, ALRIGHT.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[INFORMATION/PRESENTATIONS]
ON TO INFORMATION PRESENTATIONS.UH, MS. MARTINEZ, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE TWO PROCLAMATIONS TODAY THAT WILL REFLECT OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY WELLBEING HERE IN HOPEWELL.
FIRSTLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO DESIGNATE JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH HERE IN HOPEWELL TO CORRESPOND WITH THE US HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES 20 2009 DESIGNATION.
THIS PROCLAMATION HONORS THE INVALUABLE ROLE OUR PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES PLAY IN ENRICHING THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS.
THEY PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SPACES FOR LEISURE, FITNESS AND CONNECTION, FOSTERING A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND PROMOTING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FOR ALL.
FURTHERMORE, I'M EXCITED TO REQUEST THAT JULY 18TH, 2025 BE RECOGNIZED AS PARKS AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS DAY.
ON THIS DAY, WE WILL HONOR THE DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY, TIRELESSLY, EXCUSE ME, BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENSURE OUR PARKS ARE SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, AND VIBRANT SPACES FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY.
THEIR PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY ARE COMMENDABLE, AND ON THIS DAY SERVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
AND WE HAVE A FEW OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS IN THE, IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT TOGETHER WE CAN CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE GREAT OUTDOORS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE OUR RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES POSSIBLE.
ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY.
SO DOES THAT MEAN THEY HAVE DAY OFF
BUT WE WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN THE HOPEWELL COMMUNITY CENTER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TO PROVIDE A LUNCHEON FOR OUR ALL STAFF.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL REOPEN THE BUILDING.
AND OF COURSE, CITY COUNCIL, YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO COME JOIN US AND HAVE SOME FELLOWSHIP WITH US TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE MEAL NOW.
SO I'M, MY STAFF WILL BE BUGGING ME IN BY NEXT TWO DAYS.
UH, UH, ACTUALLY THINK THAT WAS A GREAT THING.
I THINK I SAVED THAT THE LAST TIME TO YOU.
UH, A LOT OF TIMES, WELL, EVEN IN A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS, BUT SOME, SOME OF THE HARD WORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S HANDS ON THAT GOES ON, UH, IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY HAPPENING AFTER BUSINESS HOURS.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT SEE THAT.
UH, THAT IS NOT TO TAKEAWAY FROM ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING IN THE CITY, THE DEPARTMENTS ARE, UH, SOMETIMES OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID, AS THEY SAY.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, UH, I, I THINK THIS IS A, A PHENOMENAL THING.
NOW, WHAT PARTICULAR MADE Y'ALL CHOOSE JULY THE 18TH? SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY DESIGNATED BY THE US HOUSEHOLD REPRESENTATIVES BACK IN 2009.
I'M NOT SURE IF MY PREDECESSOR EVER ASKED FOR CITY COUNCIL TO DO THE ENTIRE MONTH, SO THAT'S WHY I DID IT THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR I JUST ASKED FOR THE DAY.
UM, AND OF COURSE THAT DAY ALWAYS CHANGES EACH YEAR, WHICH IS WHY I'M AGAIN, IN FRONT OF YOU TO THIS YEAR.
YOU JUST WANNA GO BIG AND BOLD? YEAH, I'M GLAD YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING, I'M TRYING TO SAVE Y'ALL'S TIME AND PROBABLY NEXT YEAR WHEN I DO THIS, I'LL PROBABLY JUST ASK FOR A THIRD FRIDAY TO BE RECOGNIZED AS, AND THEN WE COULD JUST SKIP IT ALL EVERY YEAR.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME IS THERE A MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE THE PROCLAMATION OF JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH AND JULY 18TH, 2025 AS PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS DAY? SECOND.
MOTIONS TO BE MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
[00:50:01]
SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.AND AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH WITH MY STAFF.
I MEAN, THEY DO ALL THE HARD WORK.
I JUST GET TO REPRESENT THEM COMING IN BEFORE YOU ALL, SO I THINK THEY DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
ALRIGHT, NEXT UP IS GOOD NEWS.
USA PUBLICATION CHIEF, UH, RUPERT AND CHIEF.
UH, TAYLOR IS COMING UP WITH THEIR, UH, WITH THEIR DATE, UH, THEIR MONTH NEXT.
YEAH, THEN PUBLIC WORKS, THEN PUBLIC WORKS
AND IT MIGHT END UP BEING WASTEWATER FOR A WHOLE YEAR ONCE EVERYTHING GETS CLEANED UP.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UM, CITY MANAGER AND THE CITIZENS OF HOLYWELL.
I AM HONORED, HUMBLY HONORED TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU.
I'M TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION REGARDING GOOD NEWS USA NEWSPAPER.
AND I BELIEVE EACH OF YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN A COPY OF THIS PUBLICATION.
SO WHO AM I? WHO ARE WE? MY NAME IS DIONNE MCWILLIAMS AND I AM THE OWNER, THE EDITOR IN CHIEF AND PUBLISHER OF GOOD NEWS.
FLAVOR NEWS IS THE NAME OF MY COMPANY, WHICH WAS STARTED IN 2006.
I'M A NATIVE OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.
WHY AM I HERE IN HOPEWELL? MY FIANCE HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF HOPEWELL FOR OVER 40 YEARS AFTER LEAVING THE MILITARY MANY YEARS AGO NOW.
SO I OWN A MEDIA COMPANY WHICH IS FOCUSED ON POSITIVITY.
AL FLAGSHIP NEWS, NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS, COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS, MILESTONES, UNSUNG HEROES, AWARENESS BUSINESSES, EVENTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, AGAIN, THE GOOD NEWS.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024, WE CELEBRATED OUR 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
HOWEVER, IT ALL BEGAN IN 2010 WHEN A 7-YEAR-OLD LITTLE BOY ASKED HIS GRANDMOTHER TO WRITE A GOOD NEWS NEWSPAPER BECAUSE ALL THE BAD NEWS WAS SCAR.
THE KIDS, HIS NAME IS ANNE JACOBSON.
TODAY HE'S SERVING HIS COUNTRY, THE US NAVY.
SO THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS TO INTRODUCE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH A DESERVING CITY, HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A DESERVING COMMUNITY CITY, UM, THAT'S IN NEED OF PUBLICITY.
AND, UM, IT TOOK MY BOYFRIEND OR MY FIANCE TO SHARE WITH ME NOT TOO LONG AGO.
HE SAID HOPEWELL USED TO HAVE A NEWSPAPER BUT NOT ANY LONGER.
AND THEN THE REST IS PRETTY MUCH HISTORY BECAUSE I SET OUT TO DO SOME RESEARCH.
I WAS IN TOUCH WITH, UM, THE MANAGER OF THE APPOMATTOX REGIONAL LIBRARY.
CHRIS AND I ASKED HIM, DO YOU MIND IF WE ADD YOU ALL TO OUR DISTRIBUTION LIST? AND HE SAID, OF COURSE.
UM, AND THEN I RECEIVED AN EMAIL NOT TOO LONG AGO, UM, FROM GINGER HOLLAND, AND SHE TOLD ME SHE PICKED UP THE NEWSPAPER IN THE LIBRARY AND SHE WANTED TO SCHEDULE A MEETING, UM, WITH HERSELF AS WELL AS CHARLES BENNETT.
AND, UM, WE SET OFF TO DEVELOP, UM, A PARTNERSHIP.
IN OTHER WORDS, ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO FEATURE ALL THE GOOD NEWS THAT'S TAKEN PLACE HERE IN HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA.
UM, THE BILLBOARD THAT YOU SEE, THERE WAS ONE OF MY PRAYERS.
UM, I HAVE, UM, I'VE WRITTEN THIS NEWSPAPER NOW.
I STARTED IT WITH JUST $22 TO MY NAME.
I TOOK THE FAITH WALK, I LOST EVERYTHING, AND I WANTED TO FULFILL THE WISH OF MY GRANDSON.
SO IN SEPTEMBER, A HUGE MILESTONE.
UM, THE NEWSPAPER APPEARED ON NUMEROUS BILLBOARDS
[00:55:01]
IN RICHMOND, ALSO IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY SOON IN HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA.SO MOST PEOPLE WOULD ASK THE QUESTION, WHY HOPEWELL? WHY NOW? AND I WOULD RESPOND, IT'S SIMPLE.
HOPEWELL IS TRULY A DESERVING CITY.
HOPEWELL IS FILLED WITH RICH HISTORY, RESILIENCE, AND HOMETOWN PRIDE.
THE CITY DESERVES A CONSISTENT POSITIVE NEWS PLATFORM.
AND I BELIEVE IN CELEBRATING ALL THE GOOD NEWS ONCE AGAIN, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
ALL OF US KNOW THERE'S ENOUGH BAD NEWS IN THE WORLD.
SO I'M HERE TO PARTNER WITH YOU ALL TO DELIVER THE GOOD NEWS.
THE TYPE OF ARTICLES THAT WE FEATURE ARE UPLIFTING, PERSONAL AND FAMILY STORIES.
WE ALSO FEATURE CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES AND HONORS SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS AND YOUTH FEATURES.
WE ALSO ALLOW YOUTH TO JOIN US.
UM, THOSE WHO ARE ASPIRING TO BE MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN US AS WELL.
WE COVER HOPEWELL HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE PAPER COMES OUT ON A MONTHLY BASIS, UM, THE 15TH OF EVERY MONTH.
AND ON THE FRONT COVER OF THE JULY 15TH ISSUE, I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE FIRST FEMALE IEMS, DALTON, UH, AMBER WILL BE HAMILL, WILL BE FEATURED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF GOOD NEWS.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO HIGHLIGHT BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS, GRAND OPENINGS.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME FOR US TO HELP BUSINESSES KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN.
BECAUSE I TELL PEOPLE, IF I STARTED THIS NEWSPAPER 10 YEARS AGO WITH JUST $22, WE ALL SHOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST BUSINESSES IN KEEPING THEIR DOORS OPEN.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS, OR ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS A LOT OF ENTREPRENEURS ARE AFRAID TO SAY, I NEED HELP.
AND SO I HAD TO LEARN THAT EVEN FOR MYSELF.
BUT BEING DETERMINED, THE DETERMINED CHILD, CHILD OF GOD THAT I AM, I'M DETERMINED TO KEEP THIS NEWSPAPER LAUNCHED.
SO HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL PARTNERING WITH FLAVOR NEWS OR GOOD NEWS? USA NEWSPAPER WILL DRIVE INCREASED FOOT TRAFFIC, ATTRACT NEW VISITORS, AND CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL THROUGH EVENTS, ADVERTISING, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED INITIATIVES.
ONCE AGAIN, I'M DIONNE MCWILLIAMS, I'M THE AUDITORIUM CHIEF AND OWNER OF GOOD NEWS USA NEWSPAPER.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY? UH, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I ACTUALLY GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE GOOD NEWS.
UH, USA NEWSPAPER, UM, THE LIBRARIAN DEN.
I ACTUALLY GOT THE CHANCE TO ACTUALLY LOOK THROUGH IT IN, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS OFFICE.
AND I THINK IT IS A PHENOMENAL THING.
GOOD NEWS IS ALWAYS GOOD NEWS,
UH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED AND, UH, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR ATION AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DONE AND ANSWERING THE CALL, UH, TO, TO YOUR GRANDSON.
UH, THAT IS MOST, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING WHEN WE, UM, ADHERED THE CALL TO OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN.
UM, TO FACILITATE THEIR POSITIVITY AND, AND GROWTH IN THEM, UM, TO SURROUND THEM WITH THAT, THAT LOVE AND GOOD NEWS.
UH, COUNSELOR D DAY, OUR GRANDCHILDREN CAN BE VERY BIG MOTIVATORS,
I'M, THIS IS GREAT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
UM, I'M JUST GLANCING THROUGH IT NOW AND I REALLY LIKE THIS.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND TELLING US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW THIS ALL GOT STARTED.
OH, THAT'S, I JUST WANNA, I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
UH, NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO THE CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS.
COUNCIL, JUST, UH, KIND OF FOLLOWING ON, UH, THE GOOD NEWS THEME I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, GINGER
[01:00:01]
HOLLAND, WHO IS OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, UH, WHO BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION.AND, UH, HE'S WORKING, UH, TO MAKE SURE WE DISTRIBUTE THIS PAPER IN OUR OWN FACILITIES, NOT JUST IN THE LIBRARY, BUT IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER AS WELL AND OTHER LOCATIONS.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UH, UH, THE MORE WE CAN GET INFORMATION OUT, PARTICULARLY THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY, THE BETTER OFF, UH, WE, WE WILL BE.
AND PEOPLE WILL BEGIN TO HAVE A DIFFERENT FEELING, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THEIR OWN COMMUNITY AND KNOW THAT SOME GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
UH, AT THIS TIME I WANT TO ASK THE CHIEF TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE THIS REPORT.
AS WE SAID, STATED LAST MEETING.
WE, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON, ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING A EXCELLENT JOB.
AND, AND, UH, I THINK THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON, ON HOW WE ARE HANDLING AND MANAGING, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, UH, THE ISSUES IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MAD VICE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF, OF CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE, UH, JULY CRIME REPORT FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AND MY FIRST SLIDE IS, UH, VIOLENT CRIME TOTAL, AND IT'S FROM 24 TO 2025.
UH, THE ROBBERIES AND THE ROBBERIES THAT YOU SEE THE INCREASE ON WERE NOT BUSINESS ROBBERIES OR COMMERCIAL ROBBERIES.
EVIL INDIVIDUAL ROBBERIES OF PERSONS FROM, UH, TELEPHONES, BICYCLES, UH, WHEN VEHICLE WAS STOLEN AT GUNPOINT.
SO IT WAS A VARIETY OF PROPERTY RELATED CRIMES THAT INCREASE THESE ROBBERIES.
AND UH, FORTUNATELY WE HAVE, I HAD SUCCESS AT THEY AN ARREST ON AS WELL.
SO TOTAL, UH, INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIMES IS 20% AS YOU GO INTO THE PROPERTY CRIMES.
UH, FORTUNATELY, I I, I LIKE TO SEE THAT DECREASE IN LARCENY.
WE GOT A MINUS 17% IN TOTAL, UH, LARCENY, AND A TOTAL DECREASE IN 12%.
AND ALSO IT'S VERY FORTUNATE TO SEE THAT DECREASE IN MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.
'CAUSE LAST YEAR WE WAS HIT GETTING HIT PRETTY HARD WITH MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS, WITH THE HYUNDAIS AND KIAS AND, AND, UH, THOSE TYPES OF PRODUCTS.
AND WE STILL HAVE LITTLE PROBLEMS, BUT IT'S A LOT BETTER.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS AND THE, UH, LARCENY, UH, PROPERTY CRIME DECREASE IS 27%, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.
AND A TOTAL MAJOR CRIME FOR THIS REPORTING PERIOD IS, UH, MATTERS 20%.
SO PROPERTY CRIMES IS DOWN 27% AND TOTAL MAJOR CRIME IS DOWN 20%.
UH, I'M GLAD TO STILL BE ABLE TO REPORT TO YOU ALL THAT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE ARE STILL SEEING A DECREASE AND FATAL, NON-FATAL AND, AND TOTAL OF 20 THREES THAT, THAT'S THE LOWEST WE'VE BEEN HAVING IN FIVE YEARS.
AND I HOPE THAT THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DECREASE.
THIS VERIFIED SHOTS FIRED, UH, 2024.
WE HAD 31 OR SIX MORE, UH, WHERE OFFICERS ARE, UH, WHEN THEY GET TO THE SCENE, THEY GATHER AS MUCH EVIDENCE AS THEY CAN.
WE GET OUT THE VEHICLES, WE KNOCK ON DOORS.
THEY TRY TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION ON THESE, UH, SHOTS FIRED, AND DO WHAT WE CAN, AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO, UH, CATCH THE OFFENDER OR OFFENDERS RESPONSIBLE.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WE GOT EARMARKS COMING WITH NO MORE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP US TO, UH, BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THESE SHOTS, FIRES, AND, AND INCREASE ON FINDING THESE OFFENDERS AND REDUCING THESE NUMBER OF SHOTS.
UH, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 11 SWORN VACANCIES, POLICE OFFICER VACANCIES, UH, TWO NEW, WELL, LET ME BACK UP ON THE 11TH.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK CITY COUNCIL FOR THE INCREASE IN PAY THAT REALLY HAS HELPED US TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE JOB MARKET.
AND WE'RE SEEING MORE APPLICANTS COMING IN.
AND AS I GO ALONG, YOU, WE WILL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE,
[01:05:01]
WE ARE HIGH.AND ALSO WE HAVE, UH, TWO NEW DISPATCHER POSITIONS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, GETTING THAT OUT TO HIRE TWO MORE ADDITIONAL DISPATCHERS.
THE REASON WHY, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE, UH, HAVE STAFFING AVAILABLE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, SICK, UH, VACATION SHORTAGES.
UH, THE INCREASE IN POLICE, FIRE, UH, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT 9 1 1 CALLS, UH, AND WE GOTTA THINK ABOUT OUR DISPATCHERS.
THEY ARE OUR FIRST LINE OF COMMUNICATION, AND MY GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE PROFESSIONALISM AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICE OF OUR FIRST LINE COMMUNICATORS AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IN, UH, DISPATCHERS.
UH, ONCE WE HIRE THE, UH, TWO ADDITIONAL, WE'LL BE, UH, 13 FULL-TIME AND ONE PART-TIME.
AND STARTING YESTERDAY, UH, WE HAD FOUR OFFICERS THAT STARTED THE OCCURRED, A CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY, AND WE HAVE ONE CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICER THAT IS IN FTO TRAINING NOW.
AND ON JULY THE 16TH, UH, WE CONTINUING TO, UH, GO TO JOB FAIRS.
UH, WE ARE ADVERTISE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WE'LL BE AT VIRGINIA CAREER WORKS IN CHESTERFIELD ON JULY THE 16TH, UH, IN REGARDS TO OUR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS.
UH, DOWNTOWN, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE'RE CONTINUALLY, UH, DOWNTOWN WITH THE FOOT PATROLS.
UH, THE BUSINESS CHECKS, THE OFFICERS ARE GETTING OUT, THEY'RE WALKING, THEY'RE TALKING TO BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, AND ALSO THEY, THEY'RE BEACON OVERTIME.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE AN OFFICER WORK OVERTIME AT THE BEACON WHEN THEY HAVING SPECIAL EVENTS.
UH, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES WITH POLICE AND SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ON, UH, RANDOLPH ROAD AND APPOMATTOX STREET.
AND ALSO WE ARE CONTINUING WITH THE BIKE PATROLS DOWNTOWN, AND THAT'LL BE CONTINUING THROUGH THE MONTH OF JULY.
AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE MONTH OF AUGUST, THE SUMMER MONTHS THAT, UH, WE'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY RIDING AND, AND ENGAGING AND OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
UH, AT TODAY, UH, IT WAS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, WE COORDINATED WITH, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION.
UH, WEST ROCK HAD HAD CONFIRMED AND THEY ATTENDED AND THEY PARTICIPATED, AND IT HAD A GOOD SHOW OUT IN OUR CRA UH, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT.
THAT WHOLE UNIT WAS OUT PARTICIPATING, AND I THINK THEY HAD A REAL GOOD TIME, ALTHOUGH IT WAS HOT, BUT HAD A GOOD TIME.
ON JULY THE 26TH, WE'LL BE PARTNERED WITH PARKS AND RECREATION.
IT'LL BE CALLED COMMUNITY APPRECIATION DAY.
UH, THE TIDES WILL BE FROM 4:00 PM TO 7:00 PM AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE COOKING HAMBURGERS AND HOT DOGS ON THE GRILL FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS.
WE ARE PARTNERING AND WE'RE WORKING, WE'RE COMMUNICATING AND WORKING WITH HRHA.
AND HE WILL BE, UH, ATTENDING THE MONTHLY, UH, HR AJ COMMISSIONER'S MEETING.
AND THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY THE 14TH AND NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE OCTOBER THE SEVENTH.
THIS IS BECAUSE OF WHAT THE BLOCK CAPTAINS WANT.
AND SO THEY WILL BE MEETING ON AUGUST THE 14TH TO, UH, DISCUSS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND FINALIZE THE PLAN.
BUT IT WILL BE IN OCTOBER, OCTOBER THE SEVENTH.
AND MY, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CRIME REDUCTION AND TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? WHAT'S OUR PLAN FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS? AND THIS IS OUR PLAN.
WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS WORKING DURING THE PEAK HOURS.
OFFICER WILL BE, UH, BE CONDUCTING THE OUTDOOR ROLL CALLS IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY.
OFFICERS WILL BE CONDUCTING FOOT PATROLS AND BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS, UH, ENGAGE IN THE CITIZENS AND HANDING OUT BROCHURES ABOUT CRIME PREVENTION TIPS, UH, HOW TO REPORT CRIME, UH, HOW TO REPORT CRIME SOLVER TIPS.
AND ALSO THEY'RE LOOKING AT ADDRESSES, A LOT OF THE ADDRESSES NOT VISIBLE OR MISSING MARKERS, AND THAT WE ARE GOING OUT AND THEN LETTING THEM KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THAT ADDRESS VISIBLE.
AND THE SPEED TRAILER, UH, WE HAVE A SPEED MONITORING DEVICE, AND THE INFORMATION TRAILERS WILL BE PLACED IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY SO WE CAN, UH, INFORM THE CITIZENS ON, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, SAFETY TIPS, AND ALSO, UH, MONITORING.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS BESIDES, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT DOWNTOWN AND ALL THE ISSUES, WE HAVE THE SPEEDING,
[01:10:01]
BUT WE, ANOTHER ISSUE IS, IS DUBLIN STREET AND OLINE ROAD THAT WILL BE FOCUSING ON THOSE AREAS OF THE CITY AND WITH THE UPDATED, UH, CITY ORDINANCE.AND, UH, WE UPDATED OUR PURSUIT POLICY.
AND THIS WEEK WE ARE TRAINING OUR OFFICERS ON THE NEW PURSUIT POLICY.
BEFORE WE GOES OUT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, ENSURE ALL OUR OFFICERS KNOW ABOUT THIS PURSUIT POLICY.
AND, UH, IT'LL BE COMPLETED THIS WEEK.
AND, UM, THIS WILL GIVE US MORE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THOSE RECKLESS DRIVING THAN THE ATVS AND THE DIRT BIKES AND THE MINI BIKES ON THE CITY STREETS.
AND ALSO, WE HAVE PLANNED, UH, SOME, SEVERAL INTERDICTIONS.
UH, THE DATES WILL BE DETERMINED AND THAT WILL CONSIST OF, UH, SELECTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, UH, FOCUSING ON, UH, REDUCING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND ALSO, UH, SERVING OUTSTANDING WARRANTS.
SO THAT IS OUR PLAN FOR THE SUMMER.
AND THIS CONCLUDES MY CRIME SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF JULY.
AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, WE HAVE 11 VACANCIES AND THAT IS DOWN FROM WHERE WE WERE, ISN'T IT? OH, YES, MA'AM.
YEAH, I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT'S A REALLY POSITIVE, SOME POSITIVE NEWS.
I MEAN, EVER SINCE, OH, STILL 11 VACANCIES, BUT THAT IS SIGNIFICANT, A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, UM, I WONDERED, I, I WONDERED, UM, I KNOW THAT HERE IN THE CITY, WE DON'T HAVE A TRAFFIC DIVISION PER SE, AND WONDERED IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN, HAS EVER BEEN, YOU KNOW, CONS, HAVE WE HAD THAT IN THE CITY IN THE PAST? IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? I KNOW THAT A LOT OF OTHER SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS DO HAVE THAT, AND SO MANY OF OUR, SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED DO HAVE TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, SPEEDING TRAFFIC CONTROL, YOU KNOW, THE ATVS, ALL OF THAT KIND OF THING.
AND I WONDERED IF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT.
IS IT REALLY ONE OF THE GOALS WHEN YOU GET FULL? YEAH.
AND, AND THEN, AND IN THE INTERIM THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE USING OVERTIME SURE.
I JUST, I JUST WONDERED IF THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'VE NEVER ASKED THAT QUESTION, BUT, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND EVEN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, UH, MY SON CAME BY, HE SAID, THERE, THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE ON BIKES, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING TO BE OUT IN ALL OF THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CITY.
CHIEF, UH, COUNCILOR HALL, I HAVE A COMMENT.
UH, WE'LL DO, UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL DO YOU, UH, COUNCILOR STOKES? YEAH.
NO, I, I WANNA SAY SOMETHING, BUT SHE CAN GO FIRST AND SHE HASN'T SAID.
ALRIGHT, SO COUNSELOR STOKES HOLLOWAY.
AND THEN DAY, UM, THANK YOU CHIEF, UM, FOR A THOROUGH REPORT, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE COMMENT THAT, UM, ON THIS PAST 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, UM, THEY HAD THE HEIGHTS REUNION, AND I THOUGHT, OH, AND IT WAS ALL THE WAY DOWN DUBLIN STREET, AND I THINK IT WAS TWO NIGHTS.
I THOUGHT THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF MONITORING THE SITUATION.
OF COURSE, THE SPONSORS HAD A THING CALLED, UH, WATER GUNS, NOT GUNS.
AND THEY REALLY HAD A VERY POSITIVE, UM, EXPERIENCE.
AND I, I WATCHED AS THE, UH, OFFICERS DROVE THROUGH AND JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THEM ON, ON BEING NEIGHBORLY, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO, CHIEF TAYLOR, UM, CONTINUE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I LIKE THE INTERACTION OF THE OFFICERS WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY, I WAS GOING TO KIND OF SPEAK TO THE SAME, UH, THING.
I HAD NO CLUE THAT SHE WAS GONNA SPEAK TO THE, UH, SAME THING.
UM, THE, UH, THE POLICE CAME IN IN SUCH A, A WAY WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET DONE WHAT THEY NEEDED TO GET DONE WITHOUT ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, FORCE IT, IT, IT WAS JUST DONE NICE AND PROFESSIONALLY.
AND THAT WAS, UM, DONE MAGNIFICENTLY.
I WAS, IT WAS, NOW I LOST MY THOUGHT.
IT WAS SOMETHING VICE MAYOR SAID.
I ACTUALLY HAD ASKED THAT QUESTION, UH, LAST YEAR, AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
AND ONE OF THE MAJOR THING WAS THE LACKING OFFICERS AND THEM HAVING TO, UH, PULL OUT AND SOME LEAVE THE, UH, POLICE STATION AND GO OUT.
AND, UH, SO I AM VERY GLAD TO KNOW THAT IT'S MORE HIRING AND SO FORTH, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR SAFETY OFFICERS, WITH, UH, THE
[01:15:01]
POLICE OFFICERS, OFFICERS AND FIRE, UM, AND EMS. UH, THOSE THINGS ARE MOST IMPORTANT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CITIZEN SAFETY.SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
SO THANK YOU FOR A VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON CRIME IN THE CITY.
WHAT'S THE SOUNDBITE? WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE STATE OF SAFETY AND, UH, AND HOPEWELL AT THIS TIME BASED ON YOUR REPORT? BASED ON THIS REPORT, THE SOUND BITE IS COMMUNITY POLICING, PARTNERSHIP, WORKING TOGETHER, POLICE, WORKING WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, ALL THE DIRECTORS.
IT IS A COLLECTIVE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE WORK TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC WORKS, FIRE PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, PUBLIC WORKS.
THEY, WE, WE JUST ALL WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE ISSUES WITHIN THE CITY.
AND HAVING OUR OFFICERS TO GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND GET OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES AND RIDE THE BIKES AND, UH, WALK THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND TALK AND BE ENGAGED WITH, UH, OUR COMMUNITY, UH, PARTNERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, UH, AND BUILDING THAT TRUST AND CONTINUE TO, UH, EARN THAT TRUST.
AND IT'S A GOOD, WHEN WE EARN THAT TRUST, WE KEEP THAT TRUST AND WE JUST CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE ISSUES WITHIN THE CITY OF OAKWELL.
UH, AND MIGHT I ADD TO IT TOO? I FORGOT TO, UH, APPLAUD ALSO YOUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP, NOT ONLY WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, WHICH WE SEE OUT QUITE A BIT MORE AS WELL WITH YOU ALL.
UH, UH, SO THAT'S BEEN A ACTUAL POSITIVE INSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY TO THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT.
SOME OF THOSE GUYS AND GALS RESPECTFULLY, UM, THEIR, THEIR ATTITUDES ARE, ARE GOOD ON TOP OF THE LINE WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE, UH, INSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, COUNCILOR DAY AND THEN COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
I WANTED TO ASK, UM, I HAVE NOTICED THAT WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE AS MANY, UM, ATVS AND DIRT BIKES OUT.
I'M PERSONALLY NOT SEEING A LOT.
UM, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE ORDINANCE HAS HELPED THAT THAT'S MAYBE PART OF THE REASON WHY? YES, AND ALSO THAT, UH, I THINK THE WORD HAS GOT OUT THAT, UH, WE PREPARE TO COME AFTER YOU.
IF YOU RIDE THESE DIRT BIKES AND ATVS IN THE CITY OF OAKWELL, YOU'LL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
SO, UH, IT'S GOOD THAT IT IS A DECREASE, BUT WE STILL MOVING FORWARD TO, UH, IF WE DO HAVE ISSUES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESSING THEM AND HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, I'VE, UM, SPOKEN TO, UM, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK WITH, UM, THAT ARE LIVE IN PIPER SQUARE AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SEEING SOME CHANGES IN THERE, SOME POSITIVE CHANGES, AND THEY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR OFFICE IS DOING.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.
UH, COUNCILOR ELLIS, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, CHIEF.
UM, I'LL TELL YOU, YOU'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND YOU, YOU HAVE THE, UH, WANT TO MAKE IT SUCCEED.
I REMEMBER SITTING WITH YOU, I MIGHT HAVE BEEN EIGHT YEARS OLD DOWN ON BROADWAY.
WE WERE RUNNING TRAFFIC RADAR AND YOU WENT OVER EVERYTHING WITH ME AND I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
YOU MENTIONED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
I THINK IN OUR FIRST MEETING I ASKED YOU IF YOU WERE GONNA DO ONE IN THIS TIME THIS YEAR AND YOU SAID YES.
SO I'M GLAD TO, GLAD TO KNOW THAT, UH, THAT THOSE PLANS ARE PROCEEDING.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS PLACED AN EMPHASIS ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE CITY.
SO I'M GLAD THAT IT'S ONE SCHEDULE IN, IN, IN OCTOBER.
ONE ON YOUR, ON THE TABLE IS A BUDGET BOOK.
OF THE APPROPRIATED THANK YOU.
AS A MANAGER, I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL OUGHT TO HAVE A HARD COPY.
IN SPITE OF ALL OF THE DIGITAL COPY, YOU KNOW, TOOLS THAT WE HAVE.
[01:20:01]
THAT LET'S PRINT 'EM A COPY.UH, THE COLUMBIA, UH, GAS LINE PROJECT YOU ASKED ABOUT MM-HMM
UH, UH, A COUPLE OF MEETINGS BACK THAT THAT PROJECT IS PROCEEDING AND, UH, WE EXPECT IT, UH, UH, PAVING THE LINES HAVE BEEN LAID THAT'S BEEN FINISHED.
BUT THE PAVING WILL CONTINUE THROUGH JULY 14TH.
AND, BUT IT'LL BE DONE SO THAT BOTH ON NEW YORK AVENUE AND DUBLIN STREET IN THAT AREA.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE DISCRETE PROJECTS THAT'S, UH, YOU'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, AND I'M GONNA GET THE NAME RIGHT THIS TIME, MR. CROCKER
UM, BUT REALLY THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THIS AND, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH COLUMBIA GAS AND, YOU KNOW, CREATING A PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE'RE NOT JUST GETTING A PATCH JOB, BUT WHERE WE'RE FIXING UTILITIES AND ONCE WE'RE DONE, WE'RE GETTING WHOLE STREETS PAVED AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, SPRUCING UP NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE A ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, SIZABLE PAVING INVESTMENT OF ABOUT, WHAT WAS IT, ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID.
1.3, $1.3 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL PAVING IN THE CITY.
SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING AND KEEP UP THAT GOOD WORK BECAUSE STUFF LIKE THAT WILL GET US BACK ONTO, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST GOLD STANDARD THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ONE DAY WHERE WE ARE ON THE 15 YEAR PAVING SCHEDULE, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, MESA DRIVE PATCH THERE AT JACKSON.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO, UH, COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.UH, THE FIRST ONE THAT WE HAVE SIGNED UP TONIGHT IS, UH, MR. ED HAUSER.
AND AS HE'S COMING UP, 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 APPROACH THE MICROPHONE, GIVE THEIR NAME, AND IF THEY RESIDE IN HOPEWELL THEIR WARD 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 IMP PERTINENT, ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS OR INCITE DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARRED BY THE MAYOR.
FROM FURTHER AUDIENCE BEFORE COUNSEL AND REMOVED, SUBJECT TO APPEAL TO THE, TO A MAJORITY OF COUNSEL.
UH, ONE THING I THINK WE'RE NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, WE HAVE FOUR COUNSELORS UP HERE DECIDING THEY WANT TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
WHEN WE HAVE SEVEN COUNSELORS ON CITY COUNCIL.
THESE FOUR COUNSELORS DECIDING TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS GIVING THE CITY A BLACK EYE.
AND I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES WE GET IN BLACK EYES, BUT THE LATEST IS, UH, $6.8 MILLION LAWSUIT Y'ALL FORWARDED AND CREATED IT.
THE NEAT PART OF THAT THOUGH IS IT'S NOT ALL COMING OUTTA HOPE.
WELL, Y'ALL BETTER DIG DEEPER.
UM, AND MR. MAYOR, UH, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
MY NAME IS SHARAH FULLER AND I LIVE IN WARD FIVE.
UM, I WILL START WITH A LITTLE JOKE 'CAUSE I APPRECIATE THE CHIEF FOR SKIPPING OVER, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH THAT, THAT, THAT SLIDE WAS A LITTLE, IT WAS A LITTLE IMPORTANT, BUT I GUESS I'M HERE.
SO WE HAD A RUNNING BED ABOUT THAT
BUT I DO WANNA SAY THE CHIEF DOES ALWAYS ACTUALLY SUPPORT US.
SO ALL JOKES ASIDE, HE DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB SUPPORTING US AS WELL AS HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO I, THE JOKE IS DEFINITELY NOT PERSONAL.
UM, I DEFINITELY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE FINE FOLKS WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC WORKS IN STORMWATER, MS. GINGER HOLLAND, UH, HEALTHY FAMILIES, HOPEWELL SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND THEIR DEPUTIES, UM, THE TREASURER, MS. SHANNON FOSKEY AND HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR COMING OUT SPEAKING AND SHARING INFORMATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
THEY HAVE CONSISTENTLY COME OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETINGS, WHICH BY THE INFORMATION THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE,
[01:25:01]
IT'S ACTUALLY HELPED NEIGHBORS WITH DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE CITY OFFERED AND WHETHER RESOURCES OR JUST OPPORTUNITIES THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE, INCLUDING THE RIDE SAVER PROGRAM, UM, THAT MR. RUPERT MENTIONED.UM, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A PHENOMENAL TURNOUT.
UH, THE NEIGHBORS WERE VERY, VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THE CLEAR INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHANGES COMING TO STORMWATER.
UM, THE TRIAD PROGRAM, UH, BEING STARTED BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE COMMUNICATION OPTIONS, UM, THE CITY OFFERS THAT MICHEL HOLLAND SHARED, UM, THE STEPS THAT THE CITY IS GOING THROUGH TO MAKE, UM, BETTER TO FIX THE CURRENT CODES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND BEING ABLE TO PROACTIVELY PAY ON YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES OVER THE YEAR, AS WELL AS THE CRIME STATISTICS.
AND I MUST SAY THEY ENJOYED STORM WATER SO MUCH, THEY ASKED FOR ME TO GET MR. CROCKER TO COME BACK OUT.
HOWEVER, THEY ACTUALLY WANNA TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND I HAVE A FIVE AND A 3-YEAR-OLD WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT POOP A LOT RIGHT NOW.
SO I, NO OFFENSE, I DO NOT WANNA HEAR ABOUT POOP FOR AN HOUR, SO I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO COME BACK.
BUT I'LL SEND MY THREE AND A 5-YEAR-OLD OVER TO YOU.
SO
BUT BY INVITING OUT ALL THE DIRECTORS IN THE VARIOUS DIVISIONS, LITTLE BY LITTLE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE NEIGHBORS BECAUSE AS WE ALREADY KNOW, THINGS ARE ALREADY TENSE.
AND THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN RELIEVE THIS TENSION IS BY BETTER COMMUNICATION.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO START AT THE TOP, BUT SOMEONE HAS TO START IT.
AND I, I'M NOT AT THE TOP, I'M JUST WARD FIVE'S NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CAPTAIN.
I'M JUST A REGULAR PERSON, BUT I'M TRYING MY BEST TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
UM, AND MS A CAN ATTEST TO IT.
I TRY TO GIVE HER A UPDATE EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
IF SOMETHING'S GOING ON, I TRY TO COMMUNICATE WITH HER SO THAT WAY SHE'S IN THE LOOP OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE I'M BOWLING OVER CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THE NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING WILL BE MONDAY EVENING AT POWERS BAPTIST CHURCH.
IT WILL BE FOR, UM, WARD THREE.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WILL BE FOR WARD FOUR.
THAT ONE WILL BE AT HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS.
BOTH OF THEM ARE AT 6:00 PM UM, AND MR. ELLI FROM, UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STORM WATER DIVISIONS, HE WILL BE OUT THERE TO GO OVER THE CHANGES COME INTO THE STORM WATER DIVISION.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT ALL THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE.
WE DO GO LIVE WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES ON FACEBOOK FOR THOSE WHO ARE SHUT IN.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING LEFT OUT OF INFORMATION, BUT WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO REACH AND WE WILL BE GOING DOOR TO DOOR HERE SOON TO GIVE OUT FLYERS FOR ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUPS THAT ARE IN THE CITY.
SO THERE IS, NOW, TECHNICALLY THERE ARE SIX NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES AND ONE OF THE WARDS, OR TWO OF THE WARDS, WARDS TWO AND SIX HAVE ACTUALLY JOINED.
SO WE'VE DONE OUR BEST AND WE'RE STILL WORKING.
UM, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE AS GREAT AS IT IS IF THEY WEREN'T WORKING SO HARD WITH US.
UM, I GOT, UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION, UH, FOR YOU.
UM, BY ANY CHANCE, UH, DURING Y'ALL'S MEETING, DID Y'ALL TALK ANY ABOUT THE, AND MR. CROCKER, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS, THE HERETIC AVENUE, UH, PROJECT? YEAH.
SO I CAME TO ONE OF HER PREVIOUS ONES, STORMWATER MANAGER WAS THERE LAST NIGHT.
UM, AND ALSO MR. WARD WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO COME OUT.
AND WE HAD MR. TODD AND I MIGHT, I, I'M FORGETTING HIS LAST NAME, BUT MS. MR. HAWKS.
UM, ONLY REASON I ASK, I KNOW THAT THAT WAS, THAT'S A PROJECT THAT, UM, YEAH.
THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO GET SOME FUNDING FOR.
AND YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CITIZENS COMING WITH CONCERNS ABOUT SINKHOLES THAT, YOU KNOW, RESULTED FROM THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NEXT TIME THAT YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR MEETING, MAYBE JUST GIVE HIM AN UPDATE ON, ON THAT.
I DO KNOW THAT MR. CROCKER WAS VERY, UM, INFORMATIVE ABOUT, I GUESS HE, THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO A CITY ASSESSMENT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING IN OUR ROADS MM-HMM
AND I KNOW HE'S WORKING ON IT AND EVERYONE'S WORKING TO BETTER THINGS.
SO I, I DEFINITELY AM NOT TRYING TO DIMINISH THE HARD WORK MM-HMM
THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE DOING.
'CAUSE EVERY DEPARTMENT IS DOING A LOT AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
SO I DEFINITELY WANNA GIVE A KUDOS TO ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS.
I KNOW PEOPLE SEE STUFF ONLINE, BUT THEY DON'T SEE HOW HARD THEY'RE REALLY WORKING.
AND FOR MR. CROCKER ALONE, FOR HIM TO BE OVER TWO DIVISIONS, AND I'M SORRY, I WOULD HAVE BAGS, LIKE MULTIPLE BAGS LOOKING LIKE I CAME FRESH FROM FOOD LION AND HE'S OVER HERE LIKE
I, I HAVE, I HAVE FIVE CHILDREN AND I'M, I'M TIRED.
SO I APPLAUD MR. CROCKER FOR EVEN BEING ABLE TO STAND, BUT THEY'RE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB.
PEOPLE DON'T GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR HOW HARD THEY'RE WORKING.
AND THEN THEY'RE STAYING LATE TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS TO TALK TO CITIZENS.
THEN SOMETIMES THOSE CITIZENS ARE NOT NICE.
WE AIN'T GONNA LIE, WE'RE JUST GONNA SAY IT FOR WHAT IT IS.
MR. CROCKER, THAT'S A, THAT'S YOUR KID FOR A RAISE RIGHT THERE.
UM, AND I DO APPRECIATE MS. HOLLAND 'CAUSE SHE DID COME OUT WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT.
AND EVERY PERSON THAT I'VE ASKED TO COME OUT, THEY'VE MADE IT A POINT TO BE OUT THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS,
[01:30:01]
BE STRAIGHTFORWARD, AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE, AND IT'S MADE THINGS SO MUCH BETTER.LAST NIGHT WE HAD 32 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE IN PERSON AND 102 PEOPLE VIEWING ONLINE.
I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH ONE FUNNY THING.
YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR KIDS BEING INTERESTED, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, POOP
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOME EARLY RECRUITMENT RIGHT THERE.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP, UH, TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
[PUBLIC HEARING]
ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING.UM, CAN YOU READ THIS STATEMENT PLEASE, AS MR. WARD COMES UP? MAY I HAVE YEAH, YOU HAVE THE STATEMENT.
I'LL SAVE YOU A LITTLE BIT HERE.
EACH PERSON ADDRESSING COUNSEL SHALL STEP TO THE MICROPHONE, GIVE THEIR NAME, LOCALITY PHONE NUMBER, AND LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES OR LESS.
NO PERSON SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ADDRESS COUNSEL A SECOND TIME UNTIL ALL OTHERS HAVE BEEN HEARD ONCE.
AND NO ONE SHALL SPEAK MORE THAN TWICE ON ANY SUBJECT IN ANY ONE MEETING.
ALL REMARKS SHALL BE ADDRESSED TO COUNCIL AS A BODY AND NOT TO ANY MEMBER THEREOF.
NO PERSON OTHER THAN COUNCIL AND THE PERSON HAVING THE FLOOR SHALL ENTER INTO ANY DISCUSSION, EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH A MEMBER OF COUNCIL WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE MAYOR.
NO QUESTION, UH, SHALL BE ASKED OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION, EXCEPT THROUGH THE PRESIDING OFFICER, MR. MAYOR.
OH, ONE MOVE ON THE, ON THE LAST PORTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT, WERE YOU TRYING TO GET, WAS SHE TRYING TO GET UP AND SAY SOMETHING WHEN YOU WERE CALLING? WERE YOU TRYING TO GET UP AND ADDRESS THE CITY? YOU, ME, MM-HMM
YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS APPLICATION FROM ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
UH, THIS IS THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON NON-CONFORMING LOT 0 1 4 1 2 5 2 ON CLINGMAN STREET BECAUSE, UH, AT THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ACTION WAS TABLED, UH, STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT, UH, WE PUBLISH AND ADVERTISE FOR ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T COME BACK TO YOU TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT TO ADVERTISING SCHEDULE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, JUST TO, UH, ON THE QUICK BACKGROUND HERE, THIS APPLICANT IS LENOVA PROPERTIES AND THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS RICHMOND WHOLESALE DEALS LLC LOCATED WARD FIVE AND ZONE TO R TWO.
UH, THESE ARE THE OLD SCHOOL MAPS, UM, THAT WE WERE DOING.
UH, GENERAL LOCATION ON THE LEFT AND A CLOSE AND AERIAL VIEW ON THE RIGHT.
THE MINIMUM STANDARDS ARE 75 FEET WIDE AND 7,500 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL IS 50 FEET WIDE AND 40 4250 SQUARE FEET.
APPLICANT'S PROPOSING A TWO STORY DWELLING, THREE BEDROOM, TWO AND A HALF BATH, 1,456 SQUARE FEET WITH THE ELEVATIONS FRONT AND RIGHT SIDE ON THIS SLIDE.
AND THE REAR AND LEFT SIDE, UH, IT IS, UH, A BIT LARGER THAN THE OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ABOUT 200 AND SOME SQUARE FEET.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY JUST UNDER 200 ADDITIONAL SQUARE FEET VINYL SIDING THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH OTHER HOMES.
AND IT WILL MEET ALL DISTRICT SETBACKS AS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE, WHICH STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
THESE WERE THE STANDARD, UH, CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE ONES PREVIOUSLY.
UH, PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THIS REQUEST AT THEIR PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOUR TO ONE, UH, TO DENY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE TWO ARGUMENTS WERE THAT THE LOT WAS TOO SMALL AND THAT THE HOUSE WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE DID HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT BOTH AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING AND YOUR PUBLIC HEARING A MONTH AGO.
UM, ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER, UH, IS AGAINST THE APPLICATION AS WELL.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMENT.
UM, I ADDED THIS, UH, IMAGE HERE FOR TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
IT WAS NOT IN THE ONE A MONTH AGO.
IT'S JUST TO POINT OUT THAT THE PARCELS WITH THE RED STARS ARE THE SAME WIDTH.
THEY'RE THE FI, THEY'RE 50 FOOT LOTS AND UM, THE ONES IN BLUE ARE 60 OR BETWEEN 60 AND 63 FEET WIDE.
[01:35:01]
LOT, WHICH IS THE ONE OUTLINED IN BLUE, IS NOT THAT UNUSUAL FOR THIS AREA.GRANTED, IT IS SMALLER AND IT LOOKS, IT LOOKS AS IF THOSE ONES THAT YOU NOT HAVE OVER TO THE RIGHT IS ABOUT 50 FEET AS WELL.
ARE THERE ABOUT THE SAME, THE ONES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING, TAKE A RIGHT OF THE SCREEN, PICK IT SAME SIZE ON THE RIGHT? YES, YES.
THEY APPEAR TO ALSO BE 50 FEET WIDE.
THE ONES THAT DON'T HAVE STARS THAT ARE ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER PARCELS.
UM, I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE APPLICANT'S HERE TONIGHT.
SO YEAH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE BACK TO THIS ROOM.
WHICH ONE? THIS, THIS ONE HERE? YES.
THIS IS, WE JUST CUT OUT OFF, I THINK YOU PROVIDING THIS PICTURE, THIS PICTURE IS DEFINITELY A MUCH, UH, BETTER LOOK AT IT.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH LOOKING AT PERSON.
YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT'S GOING TO BE CUT OFF OF THE GREENERY AND IT APPEARS THAT PROVIDE ENTIRELY TOO SMALL.
BUT WITH THIS AREA OF VIEW, I, I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND ULTIMATELY, AS THE MAYOR WAS SPEAKING ON THE, UH, PREVIOUS, UM, A PREVIOUS, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT EARLIER THAT, UH, THIS IS AN ACTUAL INCREASE IN SIZE AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BETTERING THIS SPACE, WHICH IS, UH, ACCORDING TO WHAT I SAY, GOODNIGHT AND ACCORDING TO THE DEMAND, EVERYTHING SPOKE TO EARLIER, THAT THE BEST THING WOULD BE TO BETTER THE GOOD OF, I THINK I ACTUALLY, UH, UH, THESE PEOPLE IF, IF THEY WANT A SMALL ROBOTICS LIKE SOMEBODY, I THINK CHOOSING BETWEEN A CONDOMINIUM AND UH, UH, CHOOSING TO LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THERE.
UH, SO I, UH, I'D DEFINITELY BE FORWARD IN THIS CASE.
AND, AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION AGAIN WAS MINE IS TO APPROVE PLANNING COMMISSION IS, IS TO DENY.
AND THEIRS IS JUST A, BASED UPON THEIR PERSONAL OPINION THAT IT WAS TOO SMALL.
BUT THEY ALSO, PRIOR TO, DIDN'T HAVE THIS AREA OF VIEW EITHER TO HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE, WE DID DISCUSS.
WE, IT WAS POINTED OUT AT PLAIN, AT PLAIN A COMMISSION.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING? GOOD EVENING.
UM, I'M THE NEIGHBOR, WARD FIVE THAT IS BESIDE THIS.
UM, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE, THE, THE, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WORDING FOR IT.
BUT EITHER WAY, UM, AS I STATED BEFORE, YES, IT WOULD INFRINGE ON MY PRIVACY ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT THERE'S NOT ANOTHER TWO STORY HOUSE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR AT LEAST THREE TO FOUR BLOCKS.
THAT LOT IS ENTIRELY TOO SMALL.
I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT FROM THE LAST, UM, MEETING WHERE THIS ISSUE CAME UP THAT YOU ALL WERE SUPPOSED TO RIDE THROUGH AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND IF YOU ALL DID THAT, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW YOU CAN HONESTLY SIT UP THERE AND SAY THAT PRIG TO THE NIGHT OF THE OWNER THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE SENSE TO HAVE THAT HOME THERE.
IS THERE, CAN HOLD, LET'S CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING REAL QUICK.
JUST DID YOU, IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED TO SPEAK ON? NO.
CAN I SPEAK OH, OR THIS IS STRICTLY JUST ON THE PUBLIC HEARING I WAS ASKING EARLIER.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[01:40:02]
IS THERE A MOTION I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UM, AS STATED AND PRESENTED BY DIRECTOR WARD.THE MOTION DIES FOR A LACK OF A SECOND.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION, UH, TO DENY THE CONDITION? SO MOVED.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THIS, THIS ONE WAS A HARD ONE.
UM, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY FOR ME BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE IN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO EXPAND OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSING SIZE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND IMPROVING AESTHETICS.
BUT I MEAN, I, I DO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, AGREE WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS ANALYSIS THAT I JUST THINK IT'S EXTREMELY TIGHT THROUGH THERE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST ME PERSONALLY.
UM, I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE, YOU, WE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN HOPEWELL THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD AND BUILD BIGGER HOMES.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS ONE THAT I'M GONNA HAVE TO STRAY AWAY FROM MY NORMAL, UM, LOGIC OF, UH, OF VOTING.
UH, UM, COUNCILOR DAY AND THEN COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY.
UH, I CAME TO THE MEETING THE NIGHT THAT, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSED THIS AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS WERE, YOU KNOW, ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE DRIVEWAY ISSUE AND KIND OF HAVING TO PUT IT RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
'CAUSE THERE WASN'T, YOU KNOW, A WHOLE LOT OF AREA, UM, TO PUT IT THERE.
AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE A COUPLE OF TIMES.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST NOT HAPPY WITH IT.
UM, SOME OF IT'S A SIZE OF A LOT, BUT, UM, SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING A TWO STORY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THIS IS A TALLER HOME AND, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE GOING TO KIND OF BE LOOKED DOWN ON, YOU KNOW, FROM UPSTAIRS.
YOU KNOW, THEY JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S KIND OF A PRIVACY ISSUE 'CAUSE THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER TWO STORY HOUSES RIGHT AROUND THERE.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE GOTTEN.
I, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SPEAK ON THAT SAME THING.
THAT PART I WAS ABOUT TO ASK IF WE COULD ASK THAT GENTLEMAN THE QUESTION OF WHAT HE COMMENTED ON, BUT HE HAD WALKED PAST.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY WHAT I'VE SPOKEN TO, SO I, I WOULD TAKE THAT IN AN AGREEMENT.
UH, SEE NO OTHER LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MR. HARRIS, DID YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON? YEAH, MY, OH, GO AHEAD.
THAT ONE SOMETIMES DOESN'T WORK.
I USED TO BE DOWN THERE AND IT, SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WORK.
I WANTED TO ASK WHY, WHY IS IT THAT, UH, UH, YOU APPROVING THIS AGAINST WHAT IT IS THAT THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION IS NOT APPROVED? SO MY ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION WAS TO APPROVE JUST SIMPLY BASED OFF, UM, THE DIRECTION THAT I FELT I WAS RECEIVING FROM COUNSEL.
AND THAT IS NEW, LARGER HOMES, UH, LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE SIZE.
UM, I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK THE LOT IS TOO SMALL.
I, I LIVE ON A, MY HOUSE IS ON A RATHER LARGE LOT.
I WISH IT WAS A MUCH SMALLER LOT 'CAUSE I HATE CUTTING THE GRASS
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION MM-HMM
AND, UH, THAT'S THE WAY THIS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK, SO, YEAH.
UM, I WASN'T GONNA CHANGE MY RECOMMENDATION AFTER THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I JUST DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAS APPROPRIATE.
I, UM, MY RECOMMENDATION STAYED THE SAME.
BUT, UM, IT'S JUST A SIZE DIFFERENCE.
IT'S JUST WE HAVE A, A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AND THAT'S THE WAY THIS WORKS.
IT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OR? YES, YOU DID.
BUT THERE NOTHING SAFETY, THIS IS JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS TYPE OF THING IS, I GUESS, LIKE YOU SAID, EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS MM-HMM
BUT IT, IT KIND OF IS A LITTLE BIT INTRUSIVE IN A WAY.
I I THINK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY MIGHT LIKE A TOWN HOME AND THEN NEXT PERSON NEXT OVER MAY NOT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE DECISION OF A TOWN HOME.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT HONESTLY THAT THIS INFRINGES ON ON ANYBODY.
I MEAN, THERE'S PLENTY OF TWO STORY HOUSES RIGHT BESIDE, I MEAN, EVEN IN, YOU KNOW, PLENTY OF NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT.
AND YOU DON'T STOP PEOPLE FROM BUILDING.
BUT AGAIN, RESPECTFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE RESPECT THE OPINIONS OF EVERYBODY, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, SEEING FROM THE AREA OF VIEW, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER LOTS THAT ARE SMALLER.
SO I, I THINK THIS IS JUST A, A MATTER OF
[01:45:01]
PERSONAL PREFERENCE AND OPINION.AND, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE RESPECT EVERYBODY'S OPINIONS ON, ON, ON THAT.
UM, BUT MOST, MOST CERTAINLY, UM, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
UH, IS THIS, THIS GENTLEMAN WHO SHOWED UP SEVERAL MEETINGS AND, UH, THE OTHER NEIGHBORS MM-HMM
AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
I'M, EVEN THOUGH MY OPINION IS THAT, HEY, IF THEY WANT A SMALL LOT, I THINK MOST IMPERATIVE IS THOSE WHO ARE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I'LL BE A VOTING, VOTING ACCORDINGLY.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY IS RIGHT, IT'S THE NEIGHBOR, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, HE'S, YOU KNOW, FEELING THAT IT'S GONNA, YOU KNOW, INTERFERE WITH HIM.
BUT I DID RIDE BY THERE NUMEROUS TIMES JUST TO MAKE SURE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S, I THINK THE CURVE OF THE ROAD THROWS YOU OFF.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT OTHER HOUSES THAT ARE ON STRAIGHT BLOCKS.
EVEN THOUGH THE SIZE IS THE SAME AS THOSE, I THINK THAT CURVE IN THAT ROAD RIGHT THERE JUST GIVES IT AN AWKWARD PRESENTATION FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT.
I, I DON'T, I, I THINK THE LOT SIZE, BUT I THINK WHERE THE LOT IS, IS, IS THE PROBLEM THAT, THAT'S JUST ME PERSONALLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE MOST DESIRABLE LOT IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COUNCILLOR STOKES AND I THINK PLANNING GOT IT RIGHT.
THE VOTE FOR THIS IS A DENIAL.
YOU SAID YOUR PLANNING GOT A RIGHT, BUT YOU SAID NO, THIS IS A DIFFERENT MOTION.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THEY THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD? NO.
SO I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD.
SO YOU WANNA VOTE YES TO DENY.
SO WHAT AM I VOTING? YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
IS ANYTHING WE CAN DO, LET THIS YOUNG LADY'S THE SAME THING? SAY SOMETHING BEFORE WE DO THIS BECAUSE SHE MISUNDERSTOOD WHEN.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A, I GUESS I'LL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ALLOW THE LADY TO SPEAK.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STILL SPEAK, UH, TO GIVE HER THE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK? OKAY.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SIR? UH, YOU CAN COME ON NOW.
CAN I GET A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? ER STOKES, SHE DOESN'T, SHE CAN'T SEE IT, SO, YEAH.
WHERE ARE WE NOW? I, I'M CONFUSED.
WE'RE ALLOWING A, A YOUNG LADY TO, UH, MAKE SOME COMMENTS, UH, DURING COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.
UH, SHE GOT CONFUSED BETWEEN, UH, THAT AND THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I AM THE POP CLUB COORDINATOR FOR THE HOPEWELL DOWNTOWN FARMER'S MARKET.
AND I'M HERE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO PLEASE VISIT US SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE MOVING OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD AND CREATING A COMMUNITY.
WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT BY BEING THERE AND TALKING TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT YOU DO SUPPORT THEM BY COMING TO OUR MARKET, SUPPORT OUR LOCAL VENDORS, AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY JUST BY SHOWING UP.
YEAH, WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
[REGULAR BUSINESS]
CONTROL OF THE SCREEN OR DO I, YOU CAN CONTROL OF THE[01:50:01]
SCREEN NOW.DO YOU NEED IT? UH, IF YOU CAN SCROLL DOWN.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, MIKE CROCKER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, YOU MAY RECALL, UM, UM, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A COUPLE MONTHS AGO NOW.
I CAME TO COUNCIL WITH A REQUEST FROM AN APPLICANT FOR A, UM, ESSENTIALLY THE WANTED A WAIVER FROM THE STREETS CODE.
UM, THIS, THIS A VERY SIMILAR REQUEST BY A DIFFERENT ENTITY.
UM, IN THE EVENT OF A LOT THAT, UH, BORDERS AN UNOPENED STREET, THERE'S A PROVISION IN THE CITY CODE THAT ALLOWS COUNSEL TO GRANT A WAIVER, UM, TO THE APPLICANT, UH, FOR STREET AND CURB IMPROVEMENTS, PROVIDED THAT THEY HAVE FRONTAGE ON ANOTHER STREET, UH, THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
AND THE LAST ONE, WE'RE BOTH LOCATED ON MARYVILLE AVENUE.
UH, THIS LOT HAS ACCESS TO MARYVILLE.
IT HAS 50 FEET OF ROAD FRONTAGE.
IT HAPPENS TO BORDER THE CORNER OF WAKEFIELD STREET UNIMPROVED.
UH, THE PROPERTY WOULD NOT NEED ACCESS TO WAKEFIELD STREET IN ORDER TO BE VIABLE.
UM, IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT IT WILL NEED TO GO FOR, UH, THROUGH THE CONDITIONAL USE, UM, PROCESS WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, HOWEVER, WE SEE NO REASON WHY, UM, THE WAIVER SHOULDN'T BE GRANTED FOR THIS.
UH, THE PROPERTY IS UNDER CONTRACT, UH, TREK PROPERTIES.
LLC, UH, IS THE CONTRACT HOLDER AT THIS POINT.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FOR THEIR CONTRACT TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH PURCHASE.
THIS IS JUST ONE STEP IN THEIR HURDLE.
AGAIN, THE NEXT STEP WILL BE THE CUP PROCESS.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THERE IS A DIAGRAM INCLUDED, UM, THAT SHOWS THE SUBJECT LOT ALONG WITH, UM, SOME ELEVATIONS THAT THEY'VE PROPOSED OF WHAT THEY MAY BUILD, UM, WHICH WILL ALSO AGAIN, FOLLOW SUIT WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT PROCESS.
UM, UH, THE ONLY, UH, QUESTION, UH, WELL NOT A QUESTION, BUT MORE OF A COMMENT.
UM, AND THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU, MR. WARD, WHEN IT COMES YOUR WAY, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE, YOU KNOW, DO GRANT THE WAIVER, WHICH I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO HELP YOU KNOW, FOLKS AND WHATNOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND THAT WE DO ASK, YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM, IF THEY CAN MAKE THE SIZES, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT LARGER, THEN YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HOME SIDE.
UH, THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UH, STREET CODE WAIVER FOR 1729? MARYVILLE? SO MOVE SECOND.
MOTIONS HAS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCILOR ELLIS.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THIS IS A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET TO FUND AN ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY POSITION FOR THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY OF VIRGINIA.
THESE FUNDS WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE STATE OF $85,000.
THIS DOES NOT MANEUVER, UM, MANIPULATE ANY OF THE ALREADY ADOPTED BOTTOM LINE DOLLARS.
THIS IS MONEY THAT WAS ALREADY, UM, ALLOCATED FOR PART-TIME POSITION.
WE JUST REALLOCATED IT FOR THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S POSITION.
SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL MONEY COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND FOR THIS POSITION HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROPRIATED.
IS THERE A MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, UH, AS PRESENTED FOR THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY? ONE POSITION? SO MOVE.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE? UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES TONIGHT'S UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING.