[00:00:06]
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS, UH, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.AT THIS TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO ALLOW COUNCILOR STOKES TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? I MAY 2ND.
UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, COUNCILOR STOKES, CAN YOU STATE FOR THE RECORD, UH, WHERE YOU'RE CONDUCTING THE MEETING FROM AND THE REASON YOU, UH, NEED TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? AM CONDUCTING A MEETING FROM HOME IN HIS MEDICAL.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, AT THIS TIME DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO, UH, CLOSED MEETING UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2.
[ Additional item]
I, I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING.YOU ALSO, BEFORE YOU'RE GONNA GO CLOSE SESSION, YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO, I BELIEVE, TO, UH, MOVE THE CITY MANAGER'S ADDRESS UP.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE, UH, AGENDA TO MOVE UP THE, THE CITY MANAGER'S ADDRESS, UH, TO RIGHT BEFORE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS? I MAY 2ND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[CLOSED MEETING]
HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED 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 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, AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER PERSONNEL MATTERS, INCLUDING BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, DOCK COMMISSION, CITY CLERK, INTERVIEWS, AND CITY ATTORNEY EVALUATION.
MOTION TO MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[ RECONVENE OPEN MEETING]
A CLOSED MEETING.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR JOINER, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 2D.
WERE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPT FROM OPENING OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
UH, AT THIS TIME IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT MR. ROBERT GILL TO THE DOCK COMMISSION? SO, OKAY.
MOTIONS MADE BY COUNCILOR ELLIS AND SECOND BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[WORK SESSION]
ON TO OUR WORK SESSION.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL,
[00:05:01]
UH, TONIGHT'S WORK SESSION IS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON NON, UH, IT'S NON-CONFORMING LOTS.THERE ARE TWO PARCELS, 0 1 3, 1 5, 9 5 AND 0 1 3 1 6 0 0.
THE APPLICANT IS VETS HOUSING LLC.
UH, THESE PROPERTIES ARE LOCATED INWARD FIVE AND ZONED R TWO.
THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE IN R TWO IS 75 FEET WIDE AND 7,500 SQUARE FEET.
THESE TWO PARCELS WHEN JOINED TOGETHER, WHICH WILL BE A REQUIREMENT BEFORE CONSTRUCTION, UH, WILL BE 50 FEET WIDE AND 6,000 SQUARE FEET.
SO THE NONCONFORMITIES ARE IN BOTH THE WIDTH AND THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UH, THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT A ONE STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, 1,352 SQUARE FEET, AND YOU HAVE A FLOOR PLAN HERE.
UM, MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEE, UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A NICE LAYOUT.
SOME ELEVATIONS HERE OF THIS ONE STORY PROPERTY ON THE LEFT IS, UH, THE FRONT ON THE RIGHT IS THE REAR, AND YOU HAVE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES.
SO THE PROPOSED DWELLING IS LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE, UH, HOMES THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT AVERAGE IS 1007 75 SQUARE FEET.
A LOT OF PROPERTIES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ALREADY HAVE VINYL SIDING, AND THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING VINYL.
AND OF COURSE, AS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE, THE DWELLING WILL MEET ALL OUR TWO SETBACKS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH OUR STANDARD CONDITIONS, UH, WITH THE ADDITION OF COMBINING LOTS 19 AND 20 TO MAKE A SINGLE PARCEL.
AND THEN 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES ALONG ALL ROOF EDGES, 20% TREE CANOPY, DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE BRICKER STONE FOUNDATION ON ALL FOUR SIDES.
FOUNDATION PLANNINGS ON THE FRONT.
AND THAT THE, UH, HOUSE TO BE CONSTRUCTED WILL BE IN SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH THE ONE THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED THIS EVENING.
PLA PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED, UH, THREE TO ZERO TO APPROVE THIS APPLICATION.
UH, THEY, UH, KEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND DID NOT CHANGE THEM.
UH, THERE WERE NO COMMENTS RECEIVED EITHER AT THE PUBLIC HEARING OR AT THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MR. WARD? OKAY.
UH, HEARING NONE, UH, THANK YOU MR. WARD.
VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE JULY FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE JULY FINANCIALS FOR CITYWIDE GENERAL ENTERPRISE AS WELL AS SCHOOLS.
THE JULY COLLECTION RATE, UH, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, PAID AND DEBT SERVICES AND CASH FLOW FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, AS WELL AS THE A CFR UPDATE CITYWIDE FOR JULY.
CITYWIDE REVENUES FOR 26 ARE POINT 13 OR 1.2 MILLION.
LOWER EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE POINT 87 OR 2.4 MILLION LOWER.
A LOT OF THAT STEMS FROM SOME PERSONAL PRO, UM, MILLS AND MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX THAT WAS RECEIVED EARLIER, UM, AND 25 THAN IT IS IN JULY.
GENERAL FUND FOR JULY, GENERAL FUND FOR JULY IS 1.1% OR 715,000 LOWER IN REVENUES.
THE DECREASE IS DUE CHARGES FOR SERVICE PILOT AND TRANSFERS THAT HAVE TO BE POSTED.
SO IT'S REALLY NOT REVENUE THAT'S, WE HAVE RECEIVED IT'S TRANSFERS THAT NEED TO BE POSTED WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE 7% OR $4.8 MILLION.
LOWER DECREASES DUE TO THE QUARTERLY TRANSFER FOR THE SCHOOL'S ALLOTMENT LAST YEAR.
THEY SEEM TO HAVE POSTED THE TRANSFER EARLIER.
USUALLY WE DO IT ONCE A QUARTER.
ENTERPRISE FUND FOR 26 IS 0.01 OR 83,000 LOWER AND 26 VERSUS 25 EXPENSES ARE 0.04 OR 478,000 LESS IN EXPENSES FROM 24 25 TO 26.
THAT CAME FROM OUR CHARGES FOR SERVICES.
JUST A SLIGHTLY DECREASE IN THE BILLING, 83,000 AND OF COURSE, EXPENSES BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING EMERGENCY PURCHASES LIKE WE WERE WITH AN APPLIANCE, THE OXYGEN PLANT LAST YEAR.
NOW SCHOOLS FOR JULY, SCHOOLS FOR 26
[00:10:01]
IS 4.66% OR 3.4 MILLION LOWER IN REVENUES.DECREASE COMES FROM QUARTERLY SCHOOL ALLOTMENT TO BE POSTED IN SEPTEMBER.
EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE 1.3 OR 897%, 97,000, EXCUSE ME, LOWER IN 26 VERSUS 25.
OUR DATA INTEGRATORS COLLECTION PERCENTAGE FOR JULY WAS 89%.
THERE WAS A DECREASE IN SOME WASTEWATER COLLECTIONS, NOT BY MUCH, BUT SOME WHERE WE EXPECT THAT TO PICK UP FOR COLLECTIONS FOR AUGUST.
LATE PAYMENTS FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE FOR JULY, THEY WERE PROCESSED 1300 INVOICES AND PAID 7.5 MILLION.
WE ALSO PAID OUR DEBT, WHICH INCLUDES THE SCHOOLS OF ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS, ABOUT 893,000 AND SEWER FOR 215,000.
OUR PROJECTED CASH FLOW SO FAR FOR US IN, IN FISCAL YEAR 26, WE'RE LOOKING AT ENDING WITH ABOUT 25.6 MILLION.
THIS WILL BE UPDATED ON A MONTHLY BASIS AS WE DO OUR MANAGE OUR CASH FLOW.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON FISCAL YEAR 23.
THAT IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
WE HAVE OUR WEEKLY MEETING ON FRIDAY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? EVERYTHING GETTING SUBMITTED ON TIME? WE GETTING THERE? YES.
WE GOT EVERYTHING SUBMITTED ON TIME.
THE, THE DUE DATE WAS JULY 31ST.
EVERYTHING WAS SUBMITTED FROM THE SCHOOLS AS WELL AS THE CITY, EXCEPT FOR THEIR MAJOR FUND FOUR AND 14TH.
BUT THAT WAS DONE THE FOLLOWING MONDAY.
ALONG TO NUMBER THREE, UH, MR. BENNETT.
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO DO A PRESENTATION.
AND THIS PRESENTATION IS A, A SUMMARY REPORT OF A FIELD TRIP, UH, EXPLORATORY FIELD TRIP THAT WAS DONE BY MEMBERS OF THE UNSHELTERED, UM, COMMITTEE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
UH, THE, THIS REPORT, UH, ACTUALLY IT TOOK PLACE LAST YEAR.
THE SITE VISIT REPORT TOOK PLACE LAST YEAR.
THE REASON WHY YOU WERE SEEING IT TONIGHT IS TWOFOLD.
UH, ONE, WE CAME BACK AND WE SHARED THIS WITH AT SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND AT SEVERAL OF OUR UNSHELTERED MEETINGS.
AND, UM, WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO, OVER THE, THE PAST YEAR, WORK WITH SEVERAL, UH, FAITH-BASED GROUPS IN THE CITY WHO CAUGHT THE VISION OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IN THIS REPORT.
AND THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER, UH, PLANS THAT WE'RE GONNA COME AND PRESENT TO YOU AT NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THIS WORK SESSION IS AN INTRODUCTORY TO THAT.
THE OTHER REASON WHY I'M SHARING IT IS SINCE WE DID THIS, UH, SITE VISIT AND REPORT LAST YEAR, THERE'S SOME NEW MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL WHO HAVEN'T YET HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE VISION THAT I'M GONNA PRESENT.
AND SO, UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS SLIDE PRESENTATION AND THERE'LL BE SOME COMMENTARY.
UH, WHAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU IS A MODEL FOR A COMMUNITY BASED, UH, SERVICES TO DEAL WITH UNSHELTERED AND, AND PROVIDE, WHAT I SAY IS LIKE FULL WRAPAROUND, UH, SERVICES.
SO THIS, UH, TRIP TOOK PLACE APRIL 22ND, 2024, AND WE WENT TO, UH, NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA TO SEE THE RELIGIOUS, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THEIR PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN AN OPERATION FOR ROUGHLY 40 YEARS.
UM, THE PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED THIS, UH, WAS MYSELF, UH, VICE MAYOR JOINER, WANDA WILLIAMS, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND SHANTE WHEELER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOPPO, PRINCE GEORGE HEALTHY FAMILIES.
UH, THE, UH, IMPORTANT THING TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY SERVICES IS THAT THIS REALLY WAS SOMETHING THAT GREW OUT OF, OF THE COMMUNITY, AND IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT CAME FROM GOVERNMENT DOWN.
AND, UH, SO IT ACTUALLY WAS STARTED BY, UH, THIS, THIS, UM, YOUNG LADY THAT YOU SEE HERE IN THE PICTURE WHO HAS NOW SINCE PASSED AWAY.
UM, AND SHE STARTED IN 1982, UH, OUT OF HER STATION WAGON IN NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA, PRETTY MUCH, UH, PROVIDING, UH, WHAT STARTED OFF AS JUST BASIC NEEDS.
UH, THEY TOLD US THAT SHE WOULD MAKE A BIG POT OF BEANS AND BREAD, AND SHE WOULD GO DRIVE AROUND NEWBURN AND, AND, AND, UH, GIVE THAT TO PEOPLE THAT WERE IN NEED.
AND FROM THAT GREW THIS, THIS PROGRAM.
UM, SO IN, IN TODAY'S WORLD, UH,
[00:15:01]
WHAT, WHAT THEY HAVE ESSENTIALLY IS TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, RENT AND, AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, DISASTER RELIEF RECOVERY, EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRY, PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE, AND THEN EMPLOYMENT READINESS BOOTCAMP, UH, THAT THEY HAVE WITH CRAVEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE THAT'S ON THEIR, ON THEIR CAMPUS.AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
THE IMPORTANT THING THAT, UM, THAT WE WERE IMPRESSED WHEN WE WERE THERE WAS THAT THIS OPERATION WAS NOT JUST ONE, UH, CHURCH.
UH, AND ACTUALLY IT WAS, UH, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT WAS USING THIS FACILITY AS KIND OF A BASE OF OPERATIONS.
THEY, UM, AND, AND IT WAS, IT WAS MANY, MANY DONORS AND MANY, MANY CORPORATE, UH, AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART OF MAKING IT HAPPEN.
BUT, UH, THEY HAD, IN, IN 23, THEY HAD A TOTAL OF 232 REFERRALS, UH, TO LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS.
SO THE, THE FOCUS WAS ON NOT JUST PROVIDING SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY FOR THE NEED TODAY, BUT THEN HELPING THE PEOPLE TO GROW OUT OF THE SITUATION THAT THEY WERE IN.
UM, I PUT THIS, UM, I PUT THIS SLIDE HERE SO THAT YOU COULD KIND OF SEE, UH, THE PROXIMITY TO WHERE THE SERVICES WERE OFFERED AND, UH, THEIR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
AND, UH, SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE LITTLE THUMBNAIL OR, OR THE LITTLE PINPOINT, UH, UH, TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE MAP THAT IS, UH, WHERE THEY'RE AT.
AND IT WAS ABOUT EIGHT BLOCKS, UH, TO THEIR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, UH, WALKABLE AND WAS ON THE BUS ROUTE AS WELL.
WHEN INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT NEW BERN, SIMILAR TO THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, IT'S ALSO A WATERFRONT COMMUNITY.
IT ALSO, UH, HAS A SIMILAR SIZE, UH, GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT AND POPULATION, UM, IN THEIR, IN THEIR FACILITY.
AND IT, IT WASN'T, UH, A CUSTOM BUILT FACILITY.
IT WAS ACTUALLY REPURPOSED, UH, SOME INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.
THEY HAVE, UH, SEVERAL BUILDINGS TOGETHER ON THIS CAMPUS, UH, THAT HANDLE ALL THE DIFFERENT OPERATIONS THAT WE'LL KIND OF GO INTO.
THIS NEXT, UH, WALL IS A PRETTY POWERFUL WALL.
AND THIS IS IN THE ROOM WHERE THEY DO THEIR DAILY, UH, UH, MEAL.
SO THEY SERVE A MEAL, 365 DAYS, UH, A YEAR.
AND THAT THOSE MEALS ARE PROVIDED BY A GROUP OF, OF VOLUNTEERS ALL THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
SOME ARE JUST CIVIC GROUPS THAT GET TOGETHER.
SOME ARE INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES THAT GET TOGETHER AND THEY COME IN AND UTILIZE THE KITCHEN AND THE, UM, AND THE FACILITIES TO PREPARE THE MEALS, UH, FOR PEOPLE THAT COME, UH, TO, UH, IN NEED EVERY DAY FOR JUST THE FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR A HOT MEAL.
THIS WALL IS A PICTURE OF WHAT THEY CALL THEIR, THEIR B CAMPAIGN.
AND THE B CAMPAIGN STANDS FOR BUILD, ENGAGE, AND POWER.
AND THIS WALL REPRESENTS ALL THE NAMES OF ALL THE DONORS.
AND THERE'S, UH, THERE'S INDIVIDUAL DONORS WHO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A PERSON'S NAME AND THERE'S ALSO PEOPLE LIKE DUKE ENERGY ON THERE.
SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A PRETTY WIDE ARRAY OF, OF, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, SUPPORT THAT MAKES THIS OPERATION HAPPEN.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE STRUCTURED, UH, AS A NONPROFIT WITH A BOARD OF, OF DIRECTORS, 14 INDIVIDUALS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND THEN THEY HAVE DAY-TO-DAY, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND STAFF.
UH, AND, AND WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, OPERATIONS, THEY ALWAYS HAVE A PAID PERSON THAT IS WORKING WITH A VOLUNTEER.
UM, AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN SAFETY.
AND THE PAID STAFF HAS A PARTICULAR TRAINING, AND THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE TRAINING.
UM, AND THEN ALSO IT HELPS TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY AND COMPLIANCE, UM, WITH THE OPERATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
THIS, UH, THIS WHITEBOARD HERE THAT YOU SEE THAT WAS RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE KITCHEN, AND THAT'S EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, UH, FOR EVERY MONTH.
AND, AND THEY HAVE A NAME OF A GROUP OR, OR WHETHER IT BE A CHURCH, A NONPROFIT, OR JUST A COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WAS THE DAY THAT THEY HAD SIGNED UP FOR THE VOLUNTEER TO COME AND TO SERVE.
WHEN I SAY SERVE, THEY MAY BE PREPARING A MEAL THAT DAY.
THEY COULD ALSO BE PACKAGING FOOD, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE GO DISTRIBUTION THAT'S DONE.
SO WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY THAT, THAT THE LOGISTICS WERE, WERE DONE AND, AND ORGANIZED.
UM, THEY HAVE THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN, UH, THAT'S OPERATED EVERY DAY BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT VOLUNTEERS FOR LUNCH.
ON SUNDAYS, THEY ACTUALLY DO A BREAKFAST, BUT THE REST OF THE WEEK THEY DO IT AS A LUNCH AND DAILY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE FEEDING UP BETWEEN A HUNDRED AND A HUNDRED, 120 PEOPLE.
AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S, UH, A NO BARRIER TO COME IN AND TO RECEIVE FOOD.
THE, THE, IN ANOTHER PART OF THE CAMPUS, THEY HAVE A, A BUILD A BAG BOUTIQUE.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE THEY HAVE, UM,
[00:20:01]
UH, CLOTHING.AND AS PART OF THEIR JOB BOOTCAMP PROGRAM, IF YOU'RE IN THE JOB BOOTCAMP PROGRAM, YOU ESSENTIALLY RECEIVE A VOUCHER TO GO AND GET DRESSED FOR THE JOB THAT YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO INTERVIEW OR DO.
SO IF YOU'RE IN THE PROGRAM AND YOU'RE GONNA GO WORK IN A FOOD SERVICE, THEN YOU WOULD GET APPROPRIATE DRESS FOR THAT, INCLUDING SHOES AND EVERYTHING FROM THE BOUTIQUE.
AND THEN, UM, YOU WOULD, UH, IF YOU WERE DOING SOME TYPE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, UH, MAYBE CLERICAL OR OFFICE, THEN YOU WOULD GET SIMILAR TYPE DRESS.
SO THEY TRY TO MATCH, UH, WHAT THE PERSON'S TRACK IS FOR, FOR WORKFORCE AND EMPLOYMENT WITH THE, UH, BUILD A BAG BOUTIQUE.
AND A LOT OF THIS IS MANAGED, UH, THROUGH DONATIONS OF THESE GOODS.
BUT THEY ESSENTIALLY ORGANIZE THEM IN THEIR SHELTER AREA.
THEY HAVE EMERGENCY CRISIS SHELTER, THEY HAVE A SEPARATE AREA FOR VETERANS, UH, A SEPARATE AREA FOR FAMILIES, AND THEN A MEN'S OVERNIGHT SHELTER AND A WOMEN'S OVERNIGHT SHELTER.
AND, UM, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF 120, BETWEEN A HUNDRED, 120 PEOPLE A DAY IN THEIR FEEDING PROGRAM.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR OVERNIGHT BEDS, UM, THEY ONLY HAVE 10 BEDS IN THE MEN'S SHELTER AND 10, 10 BEDS IN THE WOMEN WOMEN'S SHELTER.
AND I ASKED, I SAID, HOW COULD IT BE SO SMALL? AND THEY SAID, THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THAT'S JUST FOR EMERGENCIES.
AS SOON AS SOMEBODY COMES INTO OUR PROGRAM, WE START CONNECTING THEM TO GET THEM INTO HOUSING.
AND I SAID, WHERE ARE YOU PLACE 'EM IN HOUSING? THEY SAID, WE PLACE PEOPLE IN HOUSING ANYWHERE THAT WE CAN GET 'EM QUALIFIED AND GET 'EM PLACED IN HOUSING.
WE PLACE 'EM IN VIRGINIA, WE PLACE 'EM IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE PLACE 'EM IN GEORGIA.
THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THIS SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE STUCK IN ESSENTIALLY, UM, THIS CYCLE OF, OF UNSHELTERED CONDITION AND TO GET THEM INTO A PERMANENT, UM, UH, HOUSING SOLUTION.
SO THAT I WAS, I WAS PRETTY, UM, SURPRISED AT HOW, AT HOW LOW THE BED COUNT WAS, BUT THEY MANAGE IT VERY WELL AND HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY DOING IT FOR YEARS NOW, IN EMERGENCY CRISIS SITUATION, THEY CAN INCREASE THE BEDS AND RAMP UP.
SO THIS IS WHEN THEY HAVE REALLY, REALLY HARD, UH, SURGES OF COLD WEATHER.
THEY CAN GET TO 27 IN THE EMERGENCY CRISIS, UM, CENTER.
I WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THEIR FAMILY.
THEY HAVE A FOUR UNIT FAMILY ROOM, AND IN THAT FAMILY ROOM, A WHOLE FAMILY STAYS.
SO A MOTHER AND, AND THE CHILDREN OR A MOTHER, FATHER AND CHILDREN.
AND, UH, IT'S ALMOST LIKE FOUR SMALL, UH, LIKE SUITES ESSENTIALLY.
BUT, UM, THEY, THEY HAVE A PRETTY STRICT PROGRAM AND THAT THE FAMILIES COME IN THERE, THEY TRY TO GET THEM IN PERMANENT HOUSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE THEM WORKING WITH THE CASE MANAGER TO ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS, YOU GOT PEOPLE, YOU GOT PLACE AND YOU GOT PROGRAM.
AND UNLESS YOU HAVE ALL THREE OF THOSE WORKING TOGETHER, THEN IT'S NOT GONNA, UH, REALLY BE SUCCESSFUL AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL SOON RUN OUT OF RESOURCES.
AND SO THIS IS A STATEMENT FROM THEIR, THEIR WEBPAGE ABOUT THEIR GOAL ON IMPROVING THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA.
AND THE STRATEGY, UH, TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL IS TO EMPLOY THE TOOL OF CLIENT CENTER CASE MANAGEMENT.
UM, ONCE PEOPLE COME FOR THE MEAL, THEY'RE ENCOURAGED TO GO AHEAD AND STOP IN AND CHECK IN AT THE FRONT DESK TO GO AHEAD AND GET ESSENTIALLY ANY TYPE OF TRACK, TRACK FOR SERVICES THAT, THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
UH, IN 2021, THEY WERE ABLE TO SERVE SEVEN 74,885 INDIVIDUAL CASE MANAGEMENT HOURS THROUGH THEIR COMBINED CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
AND THEY HAVE A WHOLE SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT THEY TRACK EVERY, EVERYBODY, WHATEVER THE ASSISTANCE IS THAT THEY'RE GETTING.
UM, SO THEIR STAFFING PLAN, 'CAUSE I WAS VERY INTERESTED, HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO, TO OPERATE THIS KIND OF OPERATION? SO THEIR STAFFING PLAN IS ESSENTIALLY 15 PAID STAFF AND THEN BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS PER DAY.
YOU TAKE THAT AND YOU LOOK AT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 20 AND 30 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HAVING, SOME PEOPLE SERVE MORE THAN ONE DAY A MONTH, BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LARGE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE ONE PERSON OR ONE INDIVIDUAL OR ONE GROUP, BUT IT'S THAT THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT THE VOLUNTEERS CAN PLUG INTO AND CAN SERVE ESSENTIALLY, AND, AND, UH, NOT HAVE TO DO THINGS SILOED.
THEY FOUND IN NEW BERN, THERE WAS A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS DOING THINGS INDIVIDUALLY THAT WERE ALL GOOD, BUT THEN WHEN THEY WERE BRINGING THEM TOGETHER IN THIS CAMPUS, IT WAS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.
UM, SO IN ADDITION, UH, TO JUST THOSE REGULAR, UH, THINGS, THE VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT, UH, THIS IS STRAIGHT FROM THEIR WEBPAGE.
UM, THERE ARE FUN WAYS THAT YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.
YOU CAN COME CREATE A HYGIENE, UH, KIT IN GOODIE BAG.
YOU CAN SERVE IN THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN OR YOU CAN HOST A FOOD DRIVE.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS YOU HAVE.
AND THIS IS A PICTURE OF THEIR, OF THEIR FOOD BANK AREA.
THEY, UH, ACTUALLY GO WITH THEIR TRUCKS EVERY DAY AND GO TO,
[00:25:01]
UM, PUBLIX, FOOD LION, WALMART, CHICK-FIL-A AND OTHERS.AND THEY ACTUALLY BRING BACK THIS, UH, THE FOOD AND THEN IT'S PACKAGED.
THEY HAVE A BIG WALK-IN COOLER, IT'S PUT TOGETHER FOR, FOR DISTRIBUTION.
UM, AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO FILL IN, UH, 2023, UH, 33,746 EMERGENCY FOOD ORDERS THROUGH THEIR OPERATION OUTPOST.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS ANOTHER LOCATION WHERE I COULD VOLUNTEER FOR THE DAY TO SHOW UP AND BE THERE WHEN THE TRUCKS COME IN FROM WALMART AND HELP TAKE THE FRUIT AND SORT THE FRUIT AND GET THAT IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
AND SO IT'S JUST MORE WAYS TO, TO SERVE.
SO THE COMMUNITY FOOD DISTRIBUTION, THEY, UH, ESSENTIALLY TAKE ALL ON THE, ON THE ONE SIDE OF THE SLIDE YOU'LL SEE THE INPUTS OF THE DONATED GOODS, AND THEN THEY HAVE THESE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
SO EVERY SINGLE WEEK THEY'RE GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE DISTRIBUTION BESIDES THE DAILY AND EMERGENCY FEEDING.
SO THE FIRST WEDNESDAY THEY'RE AT THIS PREGNANCY CENTER.
THE SECOND WEDNESDAY THEY'RE AT A COMMUNITY CENTER.
THE THIRD WEDNESDAY THEY'RE AT ANOTHER PREGNANCY CENTER.
AND THEN THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY THEY'RE AT A USED CAR LOT, ESSENTIALLY.
AND THIS IS HOW THEY GET THE DISTRIBUTION OUT.
UM, WITH OUR, UH, FOOD BANK HERE IN HOPEWELL, IT'S SIMILAR IN THAT PEOPLE CAN COME TO THE HOPEWELL FOOD BANK, UH, ONCE A MONTH AND GET BASICALLY A LARGE AMOUNT OF FOOD.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER NON-PROFITS THAT ARE DOING, UH, DIFFERENT PROGRAMS LIKE THE FREE FRUIT FRIDAY, WHICH HAS TAKEN PLACE, UH, IN THE PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BEACON BY BEACON HILL CHURCH.
UH, AND THEN, AND THEN I BELIEVE BEACON HILL CHURCH ALSO GOES OUT TO SEVERAL OTHER LOCATIONS DURING THE WEEK AS WELL.
UM, SO I TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, AND I JUST HAVE TWO, TWO MORE SLIDES I'M CLOSING.
UM, THE, UH, I TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, THE BOOTCAMP READINESS PROGRAM, THE JOB READINESS BOOTCAMP PROGRAM.
AND WHAT THEY HAVE THERE IS THE CRAVEN, UH, PAMLICO, UM, SCHOOL ACTUALLY CAME INTO THEIR, SO THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THIS, UH, LOCATION.
AND SO THEY DO, UH, THIS SIX STEP PROGRAM, UH, TO REALLY WHEN YOU WALK IN OFF THE STREET, STEP ONE IS YOU'RE GONNA GET THREE DAYS OF BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS, STEP TWO, TWO DAYS OF GATEWAY TO EMPLOYMENT.
THERE'S MOCK INTERVIEWS, UH, THAT WHOLE PROCESS, CAREER PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT.
YOU KNOW, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT YOU CAN DO AND HOW YOU CAN DO IT.
UM, AND THEN HELPING YOU GET YOUR RESUME, ECONOMIC LITERACY, AND THEN EMPLOYABLE, UM, EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS.
UM, SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT I WANTED TO, UH, TO SHOW TONIGHT TO, TO YOU MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO ARE HERE THAT ARE WATCHING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CITY THAT'S A SIMILAR SIZE OF OURS.
IT'S ABOUT THE SAME POPULATION.
AND, UM, AND THEY HAVE, UM, UH, SUCCESSFULLY OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS DEVELOPED A PROGRAM WHERE EVERYBODY FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO HAVE AN INPUT AND, AND CAN BE A PART OF, OF REACHING AND SUPPORTING, HELPING PEOPLE GET OUT OF UNSHELTERED CONDITION AND INTO EMPLOYMENT AND BETTER, AND HOUSING THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ASPIRE TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN HOPEWELL.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE, UH, THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY HERE IN HOPEWELL TO INSPIRE SOME FOLKS TO DO THAT.
AND I'M GONNA, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING BACK NEXT, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND SHARING WITH YOU A PROPOSAL THAT, UH, THAT SOME OF OUR LOCAL, UH, FAITH-BASED FOLKS HERE WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE, UM, WHO HAVE SEEN THIS AND, AND OTHER TYPE PROGRAMS HAVE, HAVE PUT TOGETHER.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS, UM, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. BENNETT? OKAY.
UH, SO, UH, WE WILL START OUR MEETING IN FOUR MINUTES.
SOME COUNCIL MEETING FOR ORDER.
UH, MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAY I PARDON? HERE, HERE.
UH, THIS TIME, UH, IS PAST, IS REVEREND BLOW HERE? DO NOT SEE HIM? NO.
UH, WE'LL DO, I'LL DO THE PRAYER, UH, FOLLOWED BY THE, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING EVERYBODY HERE TODAY TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING, UH, FREE, UH, DEMOCRACIES AND REPUBLICS, UH, HERE IN THE WORLD.
LORD, WE THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON US.
LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL, UH,
[00:30:01]
CONTINUE TO BE WITH US AND GUIDE US.AND WE PRAY FOR YOUR WISDOM AS WE TAKE CARE OF THE CITY'S BUSINESS.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH OF STANDARD ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA? UM, WE NEED TO, UH, REMOVE OR R ONE AND PUT IT ON THE NEXT MEETING, UM, SO THAT WAY THEY CAN DO THEIR ADVERTISEMENT.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
OUR CONSENT AGENDA.IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[INFORMATION/PRESENTATIONS]
OUR INFORMATION AND PRESENTATIONS.UM, I WILL NOT BE GIVING THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CENTER HERE THIS EVENING.
THEY'VE BEEN ASSISTING THE CITY, UH, WITH DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY FOREST REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.
AND I'LL LET THEM COME UP AND THEY CAN INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND GIVE YOU THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, BEFORE YOU GUYS START, CAN I ASK YOU JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SPEAK LOUDLY INTO THE MICROPHONE, UH, WE HAVE ONE MEMBER THAT'S ON, UH, UM, THAT'S VIRTUAL TONIGHT.
UM, WE ARE THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CENTER AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE CITY'S WORK ON THE COMMUNITY FOREST REVITALIZATION PROGRAM AND JUST GIVE A GENERAL OVERVIEW.
UM, WE'D JUST LIKE TO THANK OUR FUNDERS, WHICH IS THE USDA FOREST SERVICE THROUGH THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, AND OF COURSE THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY.
SO JUST A BRIEF OUTLINE OF WHAT WE'LL BE GOING OVER TODAY.
WE'LL BE GOING OVER A REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM, OUR TREE CANOPY ANALYSIS THAT WE'VE DONE FOR THE CITY, SOME OF THE OUTREACH PROJECTS WE'VE DONE, GENERAL PROJECTS, AND THEN OF COURSE THE STRATEGIC TREE CANOPY PLAN.
AND WHAT ARE OUR PLAN NEXT STEPS.
SO JUST A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM.
THE CITY OF HOPE WILL OFFICIALLY LAUNCH THE COMMUNITY FOREST REVITALIZATION PROGRAM WITH THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CENTER IN JUNE OF 2024.
AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HOSTED NINE WORKSHOPS WITH CITY STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE'VE GATHERED INPUT FROM RESIDENTS AT VARIOUS PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS.
WE'VE PARTICIPATED IN THESE OUTREACH EVENTS, BE IT FARMER'S MARKETS OR, UM, SCHOOL PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE OF COURSE, WE'VE PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CITY STAFF.
SO WE HAVE DONE A TREE CANOPY COVER ANALYSIS OF THE CITY.
THIS IS WHEN WE USED LIDAR AS WELL AS OVERHEAD IMAGERY TO COMPARE THE TREE CITY, THE TREE'S CANOPY COVER, WHICH IS JUST SAYING HOW MUCH OF THE CITY IS UNDER THE CANOPY OF TREES.
AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS HAVE 45% OF THE CITY IS COVERED IN TREE CANOPY AND THE OTHER IS IMPERVIOUS SURFACES, GRASS TURF BUILDINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ALSO DID A SURFACE HEAT TEMPERATURE ANALYSIS FOR THE CITY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TREE CANOPY HAS A DIRECT CORRELATION WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURE.
AREAS WITH THE LOWEST TREE CANOPY ARE OFTEN SOME OF THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURES WHICH YOU SEE IN RED.
AND THAT CAN HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE IN TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE ALSO DID AN ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL PLANTING AREAS IN HOPEWELL.
[00:35:01]
MEANS TURF AND BARE SURFACES THAT IS NOT OTHERWISE BEING USED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSE.SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE DID INCLUDE GOLF COURSES, BASEBALL FIELD CEMETERIES, BUT GENERAL AREAS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BEING USED THAT HAVE ROOM FOR TREES.
WE ALSO USED THIS POTENTIAL PLANTING AREA AND WE DID IN HEAT AND EQUITY ASSESSMENT ON IT.
WHAT THIS ESSENTIALLY IS SAYING IS THAT WE COMPARED THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE AS WELL AS THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR THE CENSUS BLOCKS AND COMPARED THEM BY PRIORITY.
SO IN THE RED, THE HIGHEST PRIORITY WERE AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURES AS WELL AS THE LOWEST MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
SO THESE ARE AREAS THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR PLANTING IN ORDER TO ADDRESS TREE EQUITY IN THE CITY.
WE ALSO DID AN ASSESSMENT FOR STORM WATER RETENTION.
A TREES ARE KNOWN AND CELEBRATED FOR RETAINING STORM WATER, SLOWING DOWN RAINWATER, REDUCING FLASH FLOODING IN THE CITY.
SO WE DID AN ASSESSMENT TO ACTUALLY QUANTIFY THIS TO SEE WHERE THE MOST STORM WATER IS BEING ABSORBED BY OUR TREES.
THE DARKER THE COLOR ON THE MAP SHOWS WHERE THE MOST STORM WATER IS BEING ABSORBED.
SO HOPEWELL'S TREES ON AVERAGE ABSORB AROUND 27 MILLION GALLONS PER 10 YEAR, 24 HOUR STORM EVENT.
SO THIS MAP IS ALSO SHOWING WHAT AREAS WE MIGHT WANNA PRIORITIZE FOR CONSERVING TO REDUCE FLASH FLOODING IN THE AREA.
AFTER DOING THESE ASSESSMENTS, WE DECIDED TO DO SOME OUTREACH WITH THE PUBLIC, NOT ONLY TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION, BUT TO GET THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE WITH THE URBAN FOREST IN HOPEWELL.
THIS INCLUDED HOPEWELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAMILY RESOURCE GALA THAT WE ATTENDED ALONG WITH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY, WHERE WE GAVE AWAY SOME TREES AND ASKED CITIZENS TO VOTE ON WHAT THEIR PREFERRED STRATEGIES FOR THE CITY WOULD BE.
WE'VE ALSO ATTENDED SEVERAL FARMER'S MARKETS PARTNERING WITH THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP.
WE ALSO ATTENDED JUNETEENTH WHERE WE SHARED SOME OF OUR INFORMATION AGAIN WITH FAMILIES, CHILDREN, SMALL BUSINESSES, JUST TRYING TO GET THEIR THOUGHTS.
AND SO ALL OF THE INFORMATION FROM THIS PROGRAM AND SOME OF THE MAPS YOU'VE SEEN TODAY IS GOING TO BE GOING INTO THIS STRATEGIC TREE CANOPY PLAN.
SO IT'LL ACT AS A GUIDE FOR THE CITY TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL, UH, FOR URBAN TREE CANOPY.
AND IT'LL INCLUDE THE TREE CANOPY ANALYSIS THAT KENDALL JUST SHARED EARLIER, UH, IN MORE DETAIL, MORE OF THE MAPS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAM, UH, THAT GOAL AND STRATEGIES AND ACTION ITEMS, UH, THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS COME UP WITH.
SO WE WORKED WITH CITY STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO DEVELOP TREE CANOPY GOALS AND STRATEGIES.
AND THIS WAS THROUGH WORKSHOPS THAT COMMUNITY INPUT AT EVENTS AND THE DATA.
SO HOPEWELL'S PROPOSED CITYWIDE TREE CANOPY GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT TREE CANOPY AT 45% OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
THIS KIND OF JUST GIVES A BENCHMARK FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO, TO SAY, HOW ARE WE DOING SO FAR? WHAT HAS THE PROGRESS BEEN LIKE? AND THEN I WILL QUICKLY GO OVER THE SIX OBJECTIVES THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH FOR THE CITY AS PART OF THIS STRATEGIC TREE CANOPY PLAN.
SO OBJECTIVE ONE, INCREASED TREE CANOPY EQUITY ACROSS WARDS TO ENSURE ALL RESIDENTS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO TREES IN PUBLIC SPACES.
FOR TWO, WE'RE ENCOURAGING MORE TREE PLANTING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
OBJECTIVE THREE, BUILDING CAPACITY FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
SOME OF THIS WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH WITH THE CITY OBJECTIVE.
STRENGTHENING CODES AND POLICIES TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE URBAN TREES.
OBJECTIVE FIVE, IMPROVE THE STEWARDSHIP OF PUBLICLY OWNED TREES.
AND THE LAST ONE TO MONITOR AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE TREE CANOPY.
SO THESE SIX OBJECTIVES, WE HAVE SOME ACTION ITEMS UNDERNEATH THEM, UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU ALL OR CAN BE GIVEN TO YOU ALL FOR A REFERENCE JUST TO SEE, UH, WHAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS COME UP WITH.
UM, AND FOR OUR NEXT STEPS, JUST HAVING THE COUNCIL, THE CITY REVIEW THOSE PROPOSED GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND ACTION ITEMS THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS PLAN.
UM, THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CENTER WILL BE PUBLISHING THIS PLAN FOR YOU ALL AND CREATING, UM, A GOOD, GOOD TEMPLATE FOR IT, UH, THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC.
WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO DO SOME TREE EDUCATION OUTREACH EVENTS.
SO WE'LL BE AT THE RIVER ROADS EVENT, UM, COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER.
AND WE WERE PREPARING TO ALSO, UH, HELP THE CITY WITH A TREE GIVEAWAY EVENT.
IT SAYS OCTOBER, BUT I BELIEVE WE'RE PLANNING FOR IT IN SEPTEMBER NOW, ALONG WITH THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
[00:40:01]
JUST THE NEXT FEW THINGS TO COME AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO OUR LITTLE PRESENTATION.ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR THESE YOUNG LADIES? OKAY.
OKAY, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO NOW THE CITY MANAGER REPORT.
UH, MR. ROGERS CAN I HAVE OUR MONTHLY REPORT FROM THE CHIEF OF POLICE ON, UH, CRIME STATISTICS AND SOME DISCUSSION AFTER THAT? OKAY.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO PRESENT THE AUGUST CRIME REPORT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND IF WE GO THROUGH, UH, OUR CRIME SUMMARY, WE'LL WE'LL SEE THAT VIOLENT CRIME IN 2024.
IN 2025 WE HAD TWO MORE, WHICH IS A TOTAL OF 55.
SO AT, AT OUR VIOLENT CRIME AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW IS AT 4%.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR MURDER, RAPE, ROBBERY AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, UH, YOU'LL SEE, UH, UH, FORCIBLE RAPES IS MINUS 25%.
UH, ROBBERIES I MENTIONED AT OUR LAST, UH, UH, MEETING THAT THOSE ROBBERIES WERE, UH, NON-BUSINESS.
I THINK IT WAS INDIVIDUAL ROBBERIES.
AND I CHECKED THE DAY ONE WILL BE RECLASSIFIED 'CAUSE THIS WAS NOT A ROBBERY, SO IT'LL BE 11.
AND OF THOSE 11, THERE HAD BEEN SEVEN ARRESTS BEEN MADE, AND ONE, UH, THAT WE HAVE OBTAINED WARRANTS ON THAT INDIVIDUAL, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN SERVED.
SO ONCE THAT WARRANT IS SERVED ON THAT INDIVIDUAL, OF THOSE 11 REPORTED, UH, EIGHT WILL BE CLEARED BY ARREST, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, UM, HAPPY TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO REDUCE.
UH, IT'S DOWN TO 37 THIS YEAR, UH, MINUS SEVEN.
SO WE, WE DOWN ON AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS MINUS 16%, AND WE GO INTO OUR PROPERTY CRIME, UH, ARSON, WE'RE STILL AT, UH, IT'S, IT'S THREE AND 2024 AND 2025 IS THREE.
UH, BURGLARIES, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT IT IS MINUS THREE COMPARED TO 2024 AND TOTAL OF MINUS 16% DECREASE IN OUR LARCENY CATEGORY.
YOU'LL SEE THERE'VE BEEN 2024.
WE, IT WAS 181, AND THEN WE'RE DOWN TO 152 THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S MINUS, UH, 29 INCIDENTS.
AND OUR MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, UM, I HAVE TO REPORT THAT IT'S CONTINUALLY TO DECLINE.
I GO, I REMEMBER LAST YEAR THIS TIME WE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE HYUNDAIS AND THE KIAS AND THE INCIDENTS WE WAS HAVING WITH MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ARE HAVE, UH, 48 LESS INCIDENTS.
SO WE ARE DOWN MINUS 67% IN MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.
SO IN TOTAL, OUR PROPERTY CRIME IS DOWN 29% AND OUR TOTAL MAJOR CRIME IS DOWN MINUS 24%.
I'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, OUR OPIATE OVERDOSES, UH, STILL LIKE TO REPORT THAT OVER THE PAST, UH, SINCE WE'VE BEEN REPORTING THESE, UH, THE NUMBERS CONTINUALLY TO BE REDUCED.
UH, IN 2025, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE, UH, FATAL, UH, NON-FATAL WAS 20.
I MEAN, IT WAS FATAL WAS THREE.
NON-FATAL WAS 23 AND GRAND TOTAL OF 26.
SO WE STILL AT, AT RECORD LOWS IN THOSE CATEGORIES OF THE OPIATES, UH, OVERDOSES.
AND I CONTRIBUTE THAT TO, UH, DISTRIBUTION OF NARCAN.
UH, EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICERS GETTING THERE, UH, FIRE POLICE OFFICERS GETTING TO THE SCENE, UH, IN A QUICK FASHION THAT, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO, IF NECESSARY TO, UH, ADMINISTRATOR, UH, NARCAN.
AND ALSO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NEW LAW TO, TO HOLD THE DRUG DEALERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF DISTRIBUTION, UH, OFFENDERS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR DISTRI DISTRIBUTING THESE, UH, FENTANYL.
SO I I SAY THAT'S, UH, SOME MAJOR REASONS WHY WE HAVE REDUCTION AS WELL.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE 39, UM, OFFICERS.
UH, WE'VE CONTINUED TO, UH, ADDRESS THIS.
[00:45:01]
THAT, THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO US IS IF WE HAVE A VERIFIED SHOTS FIRED, THAT WE SEND OUT A HOPEWELL ALERTS.AND WHEN IT'S THAT HOPE WITH ALERTS SQUAD, THEY NOTIFY CITIZENS OFFICERS IN THE AREA.
UH, BE CAREFUL, UH, IN GOING THROUGH THAT AREA.
OFFICERS ARE GETTING OUT, LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE, UH, OF, OF, UH, SHOTS BEING FIRED, KNOCKING ON DOORS, SPEAKING TO NEIGHBORS, AND, UH, GETTING THE WORD OUT, ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND, AND DOING WHAT WE CAN TO PREVENT THESE, UH, RANDOM SHOTS BEING FIRED.
UH, REALLY NOTHING HAS CHANGED ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES.
SO WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE ON OUR HIRING RECRUITMENT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, 39 APPLICATIONS.
IT HAS BEEN RECEIVED, INCLUDING ONE CERTIFIED APPLICANTS.
UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UH, 12 SWORN VACANCIES.
AND THEN I REPORTED LAST, UH, MONTH THAT WE HAVE FOUR OFFICERS IN THE ACADEMY.
THEY HAVE SCOTT, THEY STARTED JULY THE SEVENTH AND AUGUST.
AND OUR BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS, WE HAVE, UH, SEVEN IN BACKGROUND AND TWO DISPATCHER APPLICANTS ARE IN BACKGROUND.
UH, RECRUITMENT BANNERS STAYS THE SAME.
UH, COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICERS WARDS, UH, STAYING THE SAME IN OUR DOWNTOWN ENGAGEMENT.
WE ARE CONTINUING WITH THE FOOT PATROLS BUSINESS CHECKS, UH, CITIZENS CONTACTS.
UH, THE BEACON THEATER OVERTIME CONTINUES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
UH, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT ON RANDOLPH ROAD CONTINUES.
UH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, BEEN A GREAT BENEFIT IN ENFORCING THE, THE SPEEDING ON RANDOLPH ROAD AS WELL AS AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND LASTLY, THE BIKE PATROLS ARE, ARE STILL SCHEDULED FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
THE THIRD ANNUAL PROTECTIVE PIECE EVENT, WHICH WAS HELD, UH, THIS PAST SATURDAY HIGH SCHOOL, WAS FROM 10 TO FIVE.
UH, UNDERSTAND THEY HAD THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AND OUTDOOR WATER EVENTS.
IT WAS GOOD TURNOUT ON AUGUST THE 28TH AND THE 29TH.
THE COVER, THE CRUISER EVENTS IS FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS IS SCHEDULED FROM NINE TO 12, UH, AT THE WAWAS.
UH, THE FIRST EVENT WILL BE IN HOPEWELL WWS.
AND THE SECOND EVENT, IT WILL BE IN COLONIA HEIGHTS.
SO THE 28TH HOPEWELL, THE 29TH WILL BE IN COYA HEIGHTS.
COMMUNICA, UH, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER, UM, THE COMMISSIONER'S, HRHA COMMISSIONER'S MEETING WAS THIS PAST MONDAY, AUGUST THE 11TH.
AND HE WAS ABLE TO, UH, GO BY AND, AND GIVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT CRIME STATS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY.
AND NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 7TH.
UH, MORE INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE.
UH, THE BLOCK CAPTAINS ARE MEETING, UH, NOT ONLY 11TH, BUT THIS COMING THURSDAY, THEY'LL BE MEETING AT THE POLICE STATION THIS COMING THURSDAY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND, AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO, UH, SAY WHERE THE LOCATION WILL BE.
AND THE, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE IT BE IN A COMBINED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT THEN.
AND WE'RE JUST GONNA FIGURE OUT THE TIMES AND THE LOCATION AND WHAT'S, WHAT THE PLANS ARE.
AND THE WARD FOUR, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH KICKOFF EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST THE 16TH TO SATURDAY.
AND THE TIMES ARE FROM 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER, UH, RE DAVID WILL BE THERE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN REQUESTED TO, UH, BRING OUR GRILL AND COOK HOT DOGS.
OUR DAYLIGHT OFFICERS WILL BE, UH, ATTEND THE EVENT TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
UH, CRIME REDUCTION AND TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.
UH, SUMMER FOR DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS CONTINUES, UH, ADDITIONAL OFFICERS CONTINUE TO WORK THE PEAK HOURS.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN STILL CONDUCTING OUTDOOR ROAD CALLS IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY, UH, CONDUCTING FOOT PATROLS AND BUSINESSES IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, UH, ENGAGING THE CITIZENS, HANDING OUT BRO BROCHURES, CRIME PREVENT AND TIPS, AND HOW TO REPORT CRIME AND ENSURE THAT THE ADDRESSES ARE VISIBLE SO THAT YOU KNOW, LATE AT NIGHT AND AFTER DARK THAT WE CAN FIND THE ADDRESS QUICKLY.
THE SPEED TRAILER SPEED MONITORING, UH, COVERT DEVICE AND THE INFORMATION TRAILERS ARE DEPL DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THE, UH, COMPLAINTS ON SPEEDING.
THE RECENT COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN ON RIVER ROAD, PICKET STREET AND COLONIAL, UH, DRIVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON, UH, THE
[00:50:01]
UPDATED CITY ORDINANCE AND THE PURSUIT POLICY THAT WE HAD UPDATED.UH, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT AND CONTINUE TO REPORT THAT WE ARE, WE'RE SEEING REDUCED CALLS FOR SERVICE IN REGARDS TO THE DIRT BIKES AND THE MINI BIKES.
AND, AND THAT'S HAPPY TO REPORT AND I CONTRIBUTE THAT TO, UH, UH, GETTING THE WORD OUT UPDATED POLICY.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY IT CONTINUES.
AND WE STILL HAVE, UH, SEVERAL INTERDICTION, UH, PLANNED FOR THIS SUMMER.
UH, ONE INTERDICTION WAS COMPLETED AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL OVER THE PAST MONTH AND OTHER DATES, SOME OTHER DATES WILL BE DETERMINED AND IT WILL CONSIST OF TRAFFICK ENFORCEMENT, UH, FOCUSING ON CRIMINAL, UH, ACTIVITY AND SERVING OUTSTANDING WARRANTS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY CRIME REPORT, AND I WOULD HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR THE CHIEF? NO.
UM, I'LL JUST MAKE A, A COMMENT.
UM, THANK YOU AND ALL OF YOUR MEN AND WOMEN FOR ALL THAT THEY'RE DOING, THESE ARE GREAT RESULTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU GUYS ARE, YOU KNOW, DOING, JUST PLEASE KEEP ON DOING IT.
IT'S, YOU'RE GETTING, LIKE I SAID, JUST WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL RESULTS.
UM, SOMETHING THAT, AND THIS MIGHT BE SOME DISCUSSION MAYBE BETWEEN POLICE, UH, FIRE EMS AND, UM, AND PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, BUT AS A, AS AN AVID RUNNER, I, I NOTICE THINGS WHEN I GO OUT RUNNING IN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND WHEN I GO AWAY FOR, UM, MILITARY TRAINING.
UM, BUT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ARE STARTING TO PUT IN, THEY DON'T CALL 'EM SPEED, UH, BUMPS ANYMORE, APPARENTLY.
THAT'S A TERRIBLE WORD TO USE, BUT THEY CALL 'EM SPEED HUMPS.
AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THE PITCH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, UH, THAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT A BUMP IS.
BUT, UM, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WORTH EXPLORING, UM, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED PICKETT STREET, UH, WOULD BE A GOOD ONE.
UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY COULD TEST THAT OUT.
UM, COULD POSSIBLY TEST OUT SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, STREET OVER THERE IN, UH, THE BATTLEFIELD ANNEX AREA.
UM, BUT JUST SOMETHING WORTH, I THINK, EXPLORING WELL, UM, THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE OF THE SPEEDING ON BROWN AVENUE MM-HMM
AND, UH, I, I LOOKED AT THE SPEED HUMPS POSSIBILITY AND, AND I HAVE TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.
'CAUSE I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING IN, IN CHARTER THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE WITH, UH, I DISCUSSED THIS WITH, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AND, AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES, RIGHT.
SO I, I'LL WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, WORK TOWARD, UH, IF WE CAN GET THAT APPROVED THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL.
YEAH, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE STREET THAT I LIVE ON, REVEREND CW HARRIS STREET.
MR. HARRIS, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
A QUESTION ABOUT REVEREND CW HARRIS STREET, UH, 18 WHEELERS, THEY FORBIDDEN ON THE STREET, BUT THEY CONSTANTLY RIDE UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
HAS ANYONE MADE YOU AWARE OF THAT? OTHER THAN MYSELF? UH, NO SIR.
UH, YOU HAVE BROUGHT THAT TO MY ATTENTION AND WE WILL BE, UH, I WOULD BE TALKING WITH COMMAND STAFF TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, SPEAK WITH THE, UH, THE INDUSTRIAL, UH, STAFF IN THAT AREA THAT YOU LIVE IN, TO FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR, UH, WHAT THE CITY ORDINANCE SAYS, AND WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THIS CONTINUING ISSUE WITH THOSE 18 WILLS IN YOUR AREA.
AND I'LL BE REPORTING BACK TO YOU WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP REDUCE THAT ISSUE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS]
GONNA MOVE INTO OUR COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS PIECE.UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT, A COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZENS PERIOD LIMITED IN TIME TO 30 MINUTES.
IT'S 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 ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION ON THE REGULAR, 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 INCITE, DISORDERLY CONDUCT ANY COUNSEL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARRED BY THE MAYOR
[00:55:01]
FROM FURTHER AUDIENCE, BUT FOR COUNCIL AND REMOVED, SUBJECT TO APPEAL TO A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL C RULES, 4 0 5 AND 4 0 6.UH, THE FIRST PERSON THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS LAURA GREENWOOD.
I BROUGHT MY NOTES SO I DON'T GET OVER MY THREE MINUTES.
SO, UM, I'M IN WARD SIX AND YOLANDA STOKES IS MY REPRESENTATIVE.
AS Y'ALL KNOW, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH HER AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO.
UM, SO I'M HERE AGAIN TODAY AND I APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING TO KEEP SHOWING UP.
THE ISSUE I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO ABOUT TODAY IS IN REGARD TO THE PROPOSAL, UM, OF CHARLES BENNETT AND THE MARINA RESTAURANT IN PAVILION.
HE WANTS FUNDS FOR, I'VE GONE AHEAD.
YOU KNOW, I'M A MARKETER, SO I'VE BEEN OUT AND ABOUT AND I'VE SPOKEN TO MANY PEOPLE, OVER 50 PEOPLE WITHIN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WHOEVER HAS THAT, UM, LAUNDROMAT ACROSS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN IN THERE AND SPOKE TO PEOPLE THERE AND FOOD LION AND OTHER LOCALITIES, OVER 50 PEOPLE I'VE SPOKEN TO.
AND I'VE ASKED THEM ABOUT THIS 'CAUSE I'M, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT EVERY PE EVERYBODY ELSE HAS IN MIND.
AND I SAID, UM, THE QUESTIONS I HAVE TO ASK, I ASKED HIM, I SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A RESTAURANT AT THE MARINA? ANSWERS WERE NO.
AND WHAT FOR? THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG ANSWERS.
UM, DO YOU REALIZE IT'S GHOST, UM, THAT DO YOU REALIZE IF IT GOES IN, THAT WILL BE TAXPAYERS MONEY THAT BUILDS IT AND ALL SUPPLIES ALL MATERIALS INCLUDING INSURANCE, UTILITY SALARIES, STAFF SALARIES, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES, PLUS THE MAINTENANCE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS, ET CETERA.
ANSWERS WERE, THERE'S NO NEED FOR IT.
WHEN WE HAVE THE BOATHOUSE JUST UP THE DRIVEWAY, I DON'T WANT MY TAX MONEY GOING TO THAT.
OTHERS' CONCERNS WERE TOLD TO ME, WE NEED SOMETHING THAT SERVES ALL OF US, NOT JUST THE BOAT.
MANY COMMENTS, UM, ON THE CONDITIONS OF THE RIVER WERE MADE.
UM, AND THE SMELL OF THE INDUSTRIAL PLANTS, THEY DON'T WANT THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE WHEN EATING.
THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE TELLING ME.
THEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PAVILION MR. BENNETT WANTS TO PUT IN.
THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE DIDN'T MIND.
A SMALL ONE WOULD BE PUT UP FOR THE BOATER SO THEY CAN HAVE A PLACE TO HAVE A PICNIC AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A 20 BY 40 WITH GRILL SO THEY CAN SIT THERE AND GRILL THEIR FISH UP.
WHILE OTHERS SAID, WE ALREADY HAVE A PARK ACROSS CITY, ACROSS BY THE FEDERAL PRISON, WHICH I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH 'CAUSE I I HAVEN'T BEEN OVER THERE.
I ASKED THEM IF THERE, UM, WAS ONE, IF THERE WAS ONE PUT IN, WOULD THEY UTILIZE IT OVER 98% OF 'EM SAID, PROBABLY NOT REPEATED.
THE PARK WAS ALREADY THERE ACROSS TOWN.
I ASKED THEM ABOUT, UM, HAVING FOOD TRUCKS THERE.
ALL AGREED THAT FOOD TRUCKS WERE THE WAY TO GO DURING THE BOATING SEASON.
THIS IS THE CITY, THIS, THIS WAY THE CITY CAN CHARGE THE FOOD TRUCKS A HUNDRED, $200 TO COME IN AND SET UP AND LET THEM.
SORRY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES OR SO.
LET ME JUST FIT ONE LAST WORD.
THIS IS WHAT I TELL MY MARKETERS WHEN I ADDRESS MARKETERS AND GIVE THEM HEADS UP WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE DEALING WITH THEIR CLIENTS AND SO FORTH.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOUR PERSON YOU'RE TALKING TO BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW THEM AND YOU DON'T EVER UNDERESTIMATE WHO THEY KNOW.
IT'S REALLY A GOOD THING TO GO BY.
OKAY, UH, NEXT PERSON THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP IS KEVIN RAND DEASY.
CAN I PUT MY QUITE A LITTLE SIGN SO EVERYBODY, CAN YOU PUT IT RIGHT IN THE FRONT? I'M KEVIN RAND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WARD I, I'M A PART OF.
I OWN A BUILDING ON 2 0 6 NORTH SECOND AVENUE.
I ACTUALLY LIVE IN RICHMOND, BUT I DECIDED TO COME DOWN TONIGHT, UH, BECAUSE I HAVE EMAILED YOU COUNSELORS.
I HAVE EMAILED THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE THE SIGN RIGHT THERE, UH, WHICH INVOLVES THE BPO TAX FOR THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
AND I FEEL THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL IS GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
I THINK IT'S BEST STATED BY A QUOTE FROM RONALD REAGAN WHEN HE SAID DURING HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS, HE SAID THAT IN OUR PRESENT CRISIS GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE SOLUTION
[01:00:01]
TO OUR PROBLEM GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM.AND I CANNOT THINK OF A MORE ACCURATE QUOTE THAN RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
WE HAVE A-B-P-O-L TAX RATE RIGHT NOW THAT IS 290% HIGHER THAN WHAT IT IS IF I GOT UP, GOT OUT OF THIS BUILDING AND WALKED ONE MILE INTO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AND OPENED MY BUSINESS.
AND AS A RESULT, WE'RE SEEING BUSINESSES JUST FLEE OUT OF HOPEWELL.
A LOT OF 'EM, A LOT OF 'EM HAVE LEFT AND A LOT MORE ARE GONNA LEAVE SOON UNLESS THIS COUNCIL DOES SOMETHING QUICK AND STARTS, UM, IT IT, IT STARTS COMPETING WITH THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
INSTEAD OF LETTING CHESTERFIELD AND HENRICO AND PRINCE GEORGE TAKE EVERY BUSINESS OUT OF THE CITY.
WE HAVE, UH, IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, THE RATE FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IS 20 CENTS PER HUNDRED DOLLARS OF REVENUE IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
IT'S 58 CENTS PER HUNDRED DOLLARS OF REVENUE IN EXCESS OF $12,000.
SO TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE BUSINESS THAT MAKES A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL PAYS A TAX OF $2,900 JUST TO RENEW THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE.
IF THEY TOOK THEIR BUSINESS TO CHESTERFIELD, THEY WOULD PAY A TAX OF $30.
TELL, TELL ME WHERE YOU WOULD WANNA OPERATE YOUR BUSINESS AT.
I I THINK IT'S PRETTY COMMON SENSE.
SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS READ THE STUFF THAT I SEND YOU.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DO ANYTHING WITH IT OR WHETHER YOU LAUGH AT IT OR WHETHER YOU JUST DON'T CARE OR, OR WHATNOT, BUT, UH, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF VACANCIES, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF CRIME.
AND WHERE, WHERE'S THE POLICE OFFICER THERE? I I'M REALLY SORRY THAT THE POLICE HAVE TO DEAL WITH STUFF LIKE THIS JUST, JUST BECAUSE, UH, WE, WE HAVE A POOR BUSINESS TAX POLICY.
I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE FOR YOU.
THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP TONIGHT FOR A COMMUNICATE.
I'M GONNA START THIS GO, ANTHONY.
MADAM VICE MAYOR, MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
CAN YOU JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING IN THE MIC, MR. OLS? OKAY.
THIS IS IT RIGHT HERE? YES SIR.
CAN YOU HEAR ME CLEAR NOW? YES, SIR.
USUALLY I NEVER HAD TO USE THE MIC
YOU KNOW, UNDER COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS, WE KNOW YOU HAVE A THREE MINUTE ALLOWANCE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT ANY COUNCIL MEMBER CAN MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND THAT, TO GIVE THAT PERSON MORE TIME.
AND WHEN YOU SHUT OFF SOMEBODY IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION, IT LOOKS LIKE IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD ON COUNCIL.
IT MAKES US, YOU KNOW, I SAT UP THERE FOR 16 YEARS, SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT.
BUT WE HAD A THING ON THE AGENDA AND I, I WAS GONNA BRING THIS UP, BUT LEMME BACK UP.
LET, NAME IS ANTHONY JAY OLAS.
UH, I RESIDE AT 3003 RIVERSIDE AVENUE IN HOPEWELL WARD THREE.
UH, I HAPPENED TO HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK ON TELEVISION ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, AND I HEARD WE'RE A DEPARTMENT OR ASSISTANT, SOMEBODY ASSISTANT MANAGER OR A DIRECTOR OF WATER RENEWAL WAS MAKING COMMENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO RAISE THE RATES UP, SEWER RATES, MAYBE 40%.
AND I THINK WHEN ONE OF THE COUNCIL PERSONS ASKED THE QUESTION OF HIM AND SAID, UH, HE REPLIED THAT THAT'S BECAUSE OF A LACK OF MAINTENANCE OVER THE YEARS.
SO I WENT DOWN, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO AND I MET, WENT WITH DISPATCHER AND I SAID, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CITY CLERK, PROBABLY EITHER THE CITY MANAGER OR THE CITY MAYOR.
I MEAN, NOT THE MAYOR, BUT THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY.
AND I SAID, IF SOMETHING'S COME UP AND, AND I NEED TO PUT, I WANT TO GET ON THE AGENDA ON THE CCR, WHICH Y'ALL DON'T HAVE ON HERE.
SO SHE CALLED UP AND I THINK THE MANAGER WAS BUSY AND I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS OUTTA TOWN OR SOMETHING.
AND I SAYS, WELL, WOULDN'T IT DO ANY GOOD FOR ME TO ASK THE CLERK, FILL OUT A WRITTEN FORM TO BE PLACED UNDER CCR ON THE COUNCIL'S AGENDA? AND I SAID, SO WOULD YOU, HERE'S MY CELL PHONE NUMBER AND ALSO HAVE, UM, TEXT MESSAGE.
SO WOULD YOU HAVE ONE OF THE THREE, CALL ME AND THEN I CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH 'EM BECAUSE THIS, I SEE THIS IS A PRETTY SERIOUS MA MATTER GOING DOWN TO WATER
[01:05:01]
RENEWAL.WELL, I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BACK FROM ANYBODY, SO I DECIDED TO COME DOWN HERE TONIGHT UNDER COMMUNICATIONS AS CITIZEN.
AND, UH, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN GRANT ME A LITTLE TIME.
I WANNA EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO YOU.
I SERVED ON THE WATER RENEWAL FOR 12 YEARS.
I WAS THE LONGEST SERVING COUNSELOR TO BE ON THE, THE WASTEWATER COMMISSION THEN, WHICH THEY CALL WATER RENEWAL NOW.
AND WE HAD THE FIVE INDUSTRIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THAT.
AND AT THAT TIME, MYSELF AS A COUNSELOR AND AS A MAYOR, BECAUSE WHEN I BECAME THE MAYOR IN 2000, I DIDN'T APPOINT SOMEBODY ELSE.
I FIGURED THEY HAD THEIR PLANT MANAGERS THERE, SO MAYBE THE MAYOR WOULD BE THE PROPER POSITION THERE.
SO I STAYED ON IT THERE FOR 12 YEARS.
NOW, THE FIVE INDUSTRIES THEY COULDN'T BUILD.
THEY HAD BY THE GOVERNMENT STANDARDS, THE EPA AND ALL THAT ENVIRONMENTAL, THEY HAD TO EACH BUILD A WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY.
SO THEY, THE IDEA CAME UP, LET HOPEWELL BUILD IT, BECAUSE HOPEWELL CAN GET GRANTS FOR IT.
AND BY GETTING THESE GRANTS, THEN THE, THE PLANTS COULD COME IN, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL, THEY DIDN'T PAY TO BUILD IT INITIALLY.
HOPEWELL BUILT IT BECAUSE WE COULD, THEY COULDN'T GET GRANTS.
WE COULD GET FURTHER GRANTS AND STRAIGHT GRANTS.
WELL, WE USED TO HAVE SEPTIC TANK DRIVERS FROM ALL OVER THE AREA, COME THERE AND DUMP THEIR SEPTIC TANK LOADS.
AND THE CITY MADE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FROM THAT.
THEN SOME OF THE MANAGERS DOWN THERE WHEN I WAS AT THE MEETING, AND AGAIN AT THE MEETING WAS CERTAINLY ME, ME AND THE CITY ATTORNEY, OR THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I WERE TWO VOTES.
AND YOU HAD THE OTHER, UH, OTHER FIVE MEMBERS.
SO YOU HAD LIKE SEVEN, BUT THE CITY MANAGER COULD SIT IN TOO.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAD, THIS IS GOAL THREE MANAGERS, YOUR TIME IS UP.
YEAH, COULD, BUT, UH, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BECAUSE I THINK THAT YOUR HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE WOULD BE GREAT.
IN TALKING WITH OUR CITY MANAGER, I SPENT ONE FULL YEAR EVERY WEEK DOWN THERE WHEN THE, THE PLANTS WANTED.
PART OF THE INCOME COMING OUT OF THERE, THE PLANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 90% OF ALL THE COST.
HOPEWELL WAS ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR 10%, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE GONNA RAISE THE RATE BY 40%.
AND WHERE WAS THE PERSON IN CHARGE DOWN THERE? HE'S GOT TO NOTIFY THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM.
THE CITY ATTORNEY, YOU CAN'T BLAME THE CITY.
MR. ATTORNEY CAN'T BLAME THE MATTER, MR. WOULD YOU PLEASE, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND YOU, THAT WAY YOU CAN PASS ALONG THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO HIM.
WELL, CAN I ASK WHY Y'ALL DON'T Y'ALL SEE UNDER CITIZEN'S CONCERN, MR. MAYOR? BECAUSE THERE'S, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS, THIS IS OTHER COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS.
WHY DON'T YOU HAVE THIS? SIX, MR. ZLI? MR. Z GOLIS, YOUR TIME IS UP.
BUT I WOULD STILL HAVE TO TALK TO COUNSEL ABOUT CCR.
PLEASE, PLEASE HAVE A SEAT, MR. ZLI.
THIS, BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
[PUBLIC HEARING]
INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.UH, PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER ONE, MR. WARD.
UH, THIS IS THE FIRST OF, I HAVE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS EVENING, SO I'LL BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
UM, YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, UH, THE FIRST TWO BECAUSE THEY WERE PRESENTED TO YOU AT A WORK SESSION AT THE LAST MEETING.
UH, BUT MOVING ON, THE FIRST ONE IS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON NON-CONFORMING LOT, UH, KNOWN AS PARCEL 0 4 2 0 4 7 5.
THE APPLICANT IS BAPTIST DEVELOPMENT, LLC PROPERTY'S LOCATED WARD SIX.
UH, THIS IS A MAP HERE ON THE LEFT SHOWING AN AERIAL OF THE PROPERTY.
ON THE TOP RIGHT IS A ZONING MAP, AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS A GENERAL LOCATION MAP OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
LOT SIZE AND MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
AND R FOUR IS 50 FEET WIDE AND 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL ON SPRUCE STREET IS 55 FEET WIDE, BUT THE TOTAL IS ONLY, UH, 3,795 SQUARE FEET.
SO THE NON-CONFORMITY IS IN THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
[01:10:01]
TO BUILD A TWO STORY THREE BEDROOM, TWO AND A HALF BATH HOME, UH, AT 1,440 SQUARE FEET.THE PROPOSED DWELLING IS LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT AVERAGE IS 1022 SQUARE FEET.
APPLICANT IS PROPOSING VINYL SIDING, WHICH IS CONSISTENT, AND OF COURSE, THE DWELLING WILL MEET ALL DISTRICT SETBACKS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
THE 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES ALONG ALL ROOF EDGES, MINIMUM TREE CANOPY COVERAGE OF 20%, DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE BLOCK OR STONE FOUNDATION ON ALL FOUR SIDES, FOUNDATION PLANTINGS ON THE FRONT, AND ESSENTIALLY, UH, SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH THE DESIGNS AS PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING.
UH, PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED, UH, RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST AS WELL.
UM, THEY AGREED WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS APPLICATION, AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR MR. WARD BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AT THIS TIME.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, UH, ON NON-CONFORMING LOCK PARCEL 0 4 2 DASH 0 4 7 5, UH, AS, UH, PRESENTED TONIGHT? SO, MOVE.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER TWO, WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER TWO.
SECOND PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING IS ALSO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST.
THIS ONE RELATES TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON NONCONFORMING LOT KNOWN AS PARCEL 0 6 7 0 0 6 5.
ALSO, UH, IDENTIFIED AS 1 1 2 1 DELAWARE AVENUE.
THE APPLICANT FOR THIS CUP IS GEORGE FECO.
UH, THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN WARD TWO AND ZONED R THREE.
AGAIN, WE'VE GOT OUR MAPS WITH THE AERIAL, THE ZONING, AND THE GENERAL LOCATION MAP IN THE R THREE, UH, MINIMUM LOT SIZE IS 50 FEET WIDE AND 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL IS 40 FEET WIDE AND 4,000 SQUARE FEET.
SO THE NONCONFORMITIES ARE IN THE WIDTH AND THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO BUILD A ONE STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, UH, 1,232 SQUARE FOOT, UH, HOME HERE ON THE LOT ELEVATIONS HERE, LEFT AND RIGHT FLOOR PLAN AND, UH, FRONT ELEVATION.
THE PROPOSED DWELLING IS LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AND THAT AVERAGE IS 1,189 SQUARE FEET.
AGAIN, WE HAVE VINYL SIDING THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH OTHER HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND OF COURSE, WE'LL MEET ALL OUR THREE SETBACKS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH OUR STANDARD, UH, CONDITIONS.
THAT WOULD BE THE 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES, THE 20% TREE CANOPY, DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE BRICKER STONE, UM, KNEE WALL ON ALL FOUR SIDES.
THIS, UH, SPECIFIES KNEE WALL HERE BECAUSE THIS PROPERTY OR THIS STRUCTURE WILL BE BUILT ON A SLAB, UH, FOUNDATION PLANNINGS, ALONG WITH ALONG THE FRONT FOUNDATION AND ESSENTIALLY SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH THE DESIGNS AS PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING.
PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, ALSO RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST WITH THE SAME, UH, CONDITIONS.
[01:15:01]
COMMENTS AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES.
UM, HOW MANY, HOW MANY OTHER, UM, SINGLE BUILDING HOUSES SURROUND THAT PARTICULAR ADDRESS? HOW MANY OTHER DWELLINGS? YOU SAID IT WAS BIGGER THAN, IT WAS LARGER THAN, UM, THE OTHER HOUSES SURROUNDING IT.
SO HOW MANY IS SURROUNDED AND WHAT'S THE, HOW MANY FEET FROM THE CURBS? SO THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE STAFF REPORT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IT HAS, UH, HOUSES ON EITHER SIDE OF THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE HOMES ALL UP AND DOWN THIS BLOCK.
SO DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION LOCATED IN WARD TWO? YES, MA'AM.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR IT.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO TALK ON THIS SPECIFIC PUBLIC HEARING? ALRIGHT.
SEEING NONE, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A FEE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON A NONCONFORMING LOT PARCEL 0 6 7 0 0 6 5 AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? I MOVED SECOND.
MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
ANY, ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
AND PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER THREE.
THE THIRD PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING, UH, RELATES TO A ZONING AMENDMENT REQUEST, AND THAT REQUEST IS TO AMEND SECTION A OF ARTICLE SIX, UH, WHICH IS THE R FOUR, UH, RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT DISTRICT TO ADD MUSEUM AS AN ALLOWABLE USE TO THE DISTRICT.
THE APPLICANT HERE IS ACTUALLY, UH, CITY OF HOPEWELL PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, OUR FOUR DISTRICTS ARE LOCATED IN, IN, UH, ESSENTIALLY ALL THE WARDS OF THE CITY.
THEY'RE SPREAD ALL AROUND THE CITY.
THE APPLICABLE, APPLICABLE ORDINANCE IS SECTION A OF ARTICLE SIX, AND AGAIN, THE REQUEST IS TO ADD MUSEUM TO THIS DISTRICT.
THE THIS AMENDMENT REQUEST WAS INITIATED AT THE JUNE 5TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AT THE REQUEST OF STAFF.
AND JUST SOME QUICK BACKGROUND HERE.
R FOUR IS THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT DISTRICT, BUT IT DOES HAVE OTHER NON-RESIDENTIAL USES, UH, CURRENTLY ALREADY ALLOWABLE IN THE DISTRICT, AND THAT THAT WOULD BE, UM, OF COURSE YOU HAVE YOUR RESIDENTIAL USES, BUT PARTS, PLAYGROUNDS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, CHURCHES, KINDERGARTENS, AND DAYCARES ARE ALSO CURRENTLY ALLOWABLE USES IN THIS DISTRICT.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN NOTES THAT, UM, THE CITY SHOULD SUPPORT CALLS FOR, UH, VALUED CULTURAL, ARTISTIC, AND HISTORIC RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
STAFF SUPPORTS THE ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
UH, ESSENTIALLY THIS IS BEING REQUESTED ON BEHALF OF WESTON MANOR.
UH, THEY HAVE, UH, PLANS TO ADD SOME NEW BUILDINGS AND CREATE SOMEWHAT OF A HISTORIC CAMPUS AT THEIR EXISTING PROPERTY ALONG THE RIVER.
AND IN ORDER FOR, UH, THEY, THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY NONCONFORMING TO THAT DISTRICT AS THEY ARE AND WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXPAND UNLESS, UH, THIS USE IS ADDED TO THE R FOUR DISTRICT.
SO BY THEREBY, BY ADDING THIS USE, UM, WESTON MANOR AND THEIR PLANS WOULD BECOME CONFORMING TO
[01:20:01]
THE DISTRICT.R FOUR DOES SUPPORT LOW IMPACT CULTURAL AMENITY AS AN ALLOWABLE USE.
AND, UM, REZONING TO ANOTHER ZONING DISTRICT JUST IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THE ONLY OTHER ZONING DISTRICT THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE TH ONE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY OUR TH ONE DISTRICT IS WRITTEN, THAT APPLIES SPECIFICALLY AND ONLY TO, UH, THE CITY POINT, AREA OF THE CITY.
SO, UH, WHEN TAKEN TO PLANNING COMMISSION, PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, SUGGESTED THAT, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT BE ADDED TO THIS AS A REQUIREMENT.
AND, UH, WE HAD QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND ACTUALLY, UM, I CAME AROUND AND AGREED WITH THAT ASSESSMENT.
IT IS THE MOST PRUDENT WAY TO PROCEED BY ADDING THIS USE TO THE R FOUR.
UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A REAL RISK OF SOMEONE OPENING A, A RANDOM MUSEUM WITHIN AN R FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.
AND IT'S, UH, BETTER TO BE ON THE SAFER SIDE.
AND SO I ENDED UP CONCURRING WITH PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, UH, AS LONG AS, UH, YOU ADD THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUIREMENT.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UM, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
WE, YOU, YOU MAY REALIZE WE HAVE NOT, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE HEARD THIS.
WE DID NOT DO A WORK SESSION ON THIS.
UH, THIS IS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME BECAUSE OF THE APPLICANT.
THEY, THEY HAVE SOME PLANS TO MOVE FORWARD AND REALLY DO NEED TO HAVE THAT ZONING IN PLACE.
SO WE JUMPED RIGHT TO PUBLIC HEARING.
I WOULD UNDERSTAND, UH, OF COURSE ASKING FOR ACTION THIS EVENING, BUT WOULD UNDERSTAND IF YOU CHOSE NOT TO TAKE THAT ACTION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR MR. WARD? OKAY.
SEEING NO LIGHTS, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I DO HAVE ONE GENTLEMAN SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT.
MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL CITY OFFICIALS.
I LIVE AT 1 0 4 PETER FRANCISCO DRIVE, WARD THREE HERE IN HOPEWELL.
I ALSO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE HISTORICAL HOPEWELL FOUNDATION, WHICH ACTUALLY OWNS WESTERN MANOR.
I CANNOT SEE ENOUGH THANK YOUS TO THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
MR. WARD AND HIS STAFF THAT HAVE WORKED SO HARD ON THIS.
THEY HAVE GIVEN NUMEROUS ADVICE, HEALTH, THEIR ARCHITECT, COME UP WITH SOME PLANS THAT WERE JUST ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE WOULD BE VERY, VERY HAPPY AND VERY APPRECIATIVE IF WE DID NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
NOW, WHILE WE ARE A HISTORIC ORGANIZATION, WE DO RUN LUNCH AND LEARN, WHICH IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
WE DID SPRING AND WE WILL DO THE FALL THIS YEAR.
AND WE ARE REALLY GETTING READY TO HOPE THIS BUILDING TO END THERE.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC RESTROOMS. IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO WESTERN MANOR, THIS BUILDING WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE SOME PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND WE HAVE AN ADVICE OF AIR ADVISOR, UH, DAN, UH, ROBINS, WHO'S DESIGNED THE BUILDING AND ACTUALLY HELPED DESIGN THE TWO DEPENDENCIES THAT ARE THERE NOW.
UH, THAT WE MIGHT WANNA PUT SOME OTHER BUILDINGS ON THE PROPERTY THAT ARE HISTORIC USE, RETURN IT TO ABOUT WHAT WAS WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1789.
AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CONSIDERING THIS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. WAFF.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS SPECIFIC PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
UH, MR. WARD, UH, WITH THE, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDING THE MUSEUM WITH AN APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT DUE TO THE NATURE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THEM TRYING TO EXPEDITE THIS, UM, CAN THAT BE SOMETHING THAT'S WAIVED OR CAN, YOU KNOW, A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, YOU KNOW, BE EXPEDITED? UH, WE, WE COULD SKIP THE WORK SESSION WITH YOU ALL AGAIN, WHICH SAVES A MONTH.
BUT TYPICALLY ON THESE APPLICATIONS, WE WOULD DO A WORK SESSION.
IF, IF YOU WANTED TO GO STRAIGHT FROM PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING TO CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING, UH, THAT WOULD SAVE A MONTH.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT LIKE A TWO MONTH TIMEFRAME TO GET A CP.
ONCE IT'S IN THE OR IF YOU APPROVE IT WITH A REQUIREMENT, THERE'S NO WAY TO WAIVE IT.
UH, EITHER IT'S THERE AND REQUIRED OR IT'S NOT.
[01:25:01]
TWO MONTHS MR. WAGSTAFF GONNA HOLD YOU GUYS UP TREMENDOUSLY OR, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU GUYS', UH, TIMELINE IS WE TRYING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT WE CAN LIVE WITH TWO MONTHS.SO, UH, CAN YOU START EXPEDITING THAT AND GETTING, UH, GET TO WORK ON THAT FOR THEM? I'LL SPEAK WITH MR. WAGSTAFF THIS WEEK.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADD, UH, A MUSEUM WITH THE APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AS AN ALLOWABLE USE IN THE R FOUR RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT DISTRICT AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? SAME SECOND.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
ALRIGHT, UM, WE MOVED THE, UH, SCHOOL APPROPRIATION TO NEXT MONTH.
[REGULAR BUSINESS]
UH, SO OUR NEXT REGULAR BUSINESS ITEM IS MR. SAN, UH, SANDERSON.UH, GET JIMMY SANDERSON WITH DAD, HORTON COMPANY, UH, FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO THE CITY.
UM, I'VE GOT A PRESENTATION THAT WAS IN YOUR PACKAGE.
UM, BUT JUST BY BACKGROUND, MAYBE I'LL START.
UM, WE, UH, HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY STAFF AND, AND, UH, UNDERSTOOD THERE WERE SOME URGENT CAPITAL NEEDS THAT THE CITY NEEDED TO, UM, TO LOOK AT AND, AND REALLY CHARGED US WITH GOING OUT AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO, TO GET SOME LENDERS TO COME TO THE TABLE.
UM, AND AGAIN, AS WE KNOW, WE'VE GOT, WE'RE STILL, ALTHOUGH, UH, SAW SOME PROGRESS ON THE, ON THE AUDITS, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, WE'RE STILL, THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT, THAT WE WOULD SEE.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU'LL FLIP A COUPLE PAGES AHEAD, UM, WE, WE WANTED TO GO AND LOOK AT TWO THINGS.
THE TRADITIONAL LENDING MARKET, UM, AS WELL AS MAYBE AN ALTERNATIVE, UH, FUNDING SOURCE.
UM, THE TRADITIONAL LENDING MARKET.
WE DID HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS, UH, THERE.
UM, THE, THE ULTIMATE, UH, END OF THAT WAS THE CONCESSIONS THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE WERE IN, IN OUR VIEW, A LITTLE TOO STEEP AND NOT WORTH, UH, PURSUING.
THERE WERE ALSO NO GUARANTEES THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE A COMMITMENT AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UM, UH, THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM WERE ALSO ON A MUCH SMALLER AMOUNT.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO TO $10 MILLION WORTH OF, OF FUNDING.
MAYBE WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THERE ON THE $2 MILLION SIDE WITH A, A LOCAL LENDER, BUT AGAIN, IT WOULD'VE, WOULD'VE REQUIRED SOME CONCESSIONS THAT, THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE RECOMMENDED THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
UM, WE DID ALSO SPEAK WITH CRUZ AND ASSOCIATES, UM, A MEMBER OF THEIR, UH, FIRM HERE, RT TAYLOR, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR PROBABLY 25 YEARS OR SO AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE SPOKE WITH HIS FIRM AND OUR TEAM IN PARTICULAR.
UM, AND THEY HAD A SORT OF A NOVEL, UM, IDEA, AND THAT WAS THAT THEY COULD DO THEIR UNDERWRITING, UM, BASED OFF OF UNAUDITED FINANCIALS OF THE CITY, UM, LOOKING AT, UM, THEIR BANKING REPORTS AS WELL AS OTHER, UM, UH, OTHER DUE DILIGENCE THAT THEY COULD DO IN CONJUNCTION WITH STAFF.
UM, BUT THEN SELL SOME DEBT TO, UH, SOPHISTICATED LENDERS IN PARTICULAR, UM, EVEN MAYBE ON A LIMITED BASIS, BUT IT WOULD BE A TYPE OF A PUBLIC OFFERING, BUT WOULD BE USING UNAUDITED FINANCIALS.
UM, ONE OF THE, THE KEY WAYS TO, TO DO IT IN THEIR, IN THEIR VIEW WOULD BE TO GET BOND INSURANCE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE USED TO DO IN, IN PRETTY REGULAR FORM.
WE WOULD GO OUT AND YOU PURCHASE INSURANCE.
THE, THAT LENDER OR THAT INSURER WILL INSURE THE BONDS.
SO IF HOPEWELL WEREN'T TO PAY THE, UM, THE INSURER WOULD PAY THE, THE, UM, UH, ON THE BONDS.
THE REASON THAT WORKS WELL IN THIS INSTANCE IS, UM, THE, THE ULTIMATE, UH, LENDERS WOULD BE LOOKING TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE BONDS WOULD BE RATED OFF THE, THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S RATING, NOT THE CITIES.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A RATING.
UM, CREWS CERTAINLY WOULD STILL NEED TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T WANT TO SKIP THAT PART.
THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM AS WELL.
UM, BUT IT CERTAINLY SEEMED PLAUSIBLE AND ONE THAT, THAT THEIR FIRM, UH, THOUGHT THEY, THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH.
UM, WE HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THEM BEFORE.
WE HAVE DEALT WITH, UM, ACROSS, UH, ACROSS VIRGINIA.
UM, I THINK MOST RECENTLY WITH PETERSBURG, UM, AND BRISTOL, UH, BOTH OF WHICH HAD THEIR FINANCIAL CHALLENGES AND, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING FOR THEM.
UM, GO TO THE NEXT PAGE IF YOU WOULD.
WE LOOKED AT A, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS FOR YOU.
UM, BUT JUST TO START AT, AT 2 MILLION, 5 MILLION OR 10 MILLION OF, UH, OF BORROWING AND, AND DEBT.
WE LOOKED AT IT OVER A 20 YEAR AMORTIZATION, UH, WITH A TYPICAL 10 YEAR PARK HAUL, WHICH IS VERY COMMON, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN REFUND YOUR BONDS AFTER 10 YEARS AT PAR, NO PENALTY BEFORE THAT 10 YEARS.
THERE'S REALLY NO ABILITY TO REFUND IT ON A, UM, ON A TAX EXEMPT BASIS.
[01:30:01]
WOULD BE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS, BONDS OF THE CITY, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE OBVIOUSLY FURTHER ACTION OF CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARINGS.UM, WE'RE SHOWING YOU BELOW A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, OF WHAT THIS STRUCTURE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WOULD ADD, THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY, ANY STRUCTURING AND YOU, YOU MAY REMEMBER IN SOME OF THE OTHER REPORTS THAT WE'VE GIVEN YOU, YOU'VE GOT A FAIRLY LARGE STEP DOWN IN YOUR, IN YOUR DEBT SERVICE OUT IN 2028.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED WITH CREWS ABOUT WAS COULD WE STRUCTURE THE PRINCIPLE TO BEGIN TO, TO START IN FY 28, YOU HAVE TO PAY INTEREST BEFORE THEN, BUT THE PRINCIPLE WOULDN'T BEGIN UNTIL FY 2028.
SO IT WOULD HAVE VERY LIMITED IMPACT ON YOUR BUDGET.
UH, 'CAUSE YOUR DEBT SERVICE ALREADY DROPS OFF BY A MILLION DOLLARS THAT YEAR.
UM, SO WE SHOWED YOU BELOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TABLE, UM, 2 MILLION, 5 MILLION, 10 MILLION, UH, THE TRUE INTEREST COSTS VERY SIMILAR.
UM, IT'S A GOOD RATE, UH, TAX EXEMPT RATE, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, WE'VE PUT IN THERE ESTIMATED COST TO DO THE TRANSACTION OF THREE 50,000 ACROSS THE BOARD.
I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT THAT REALLY IS NOT GONNA CHANGE ON HOW MUCH YOU BORROW.
IT WILL A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT MUCH.
SO IF YOU WERE TO BORROW JUST 2 MILLION, IT'S GONNA BE A MUCH LARGER IMPACT ON YOUR OVERALL BORROWING COST THAN IF YOU WERE TO BORROW, SAY, 10 MILLION.
UM, THE DEBT SERVICE AND FY 26 ON THESE WOULD BE ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IMPACT FOR 2,225,000 FOR 5 MILLION BORROWING AND ABOUT 425,000, UH, FOR A 10 YEAR, UH, 10 YEAR BORROWING ONCE WE GET TO THE LEVEL DEBT SERVICE.
SO ONCE IT LEVELS OUT, YOU CAN SEE THE VERY BOTTOM, IT GOES FROM 180,000 TO, UH, JUST JUST NORTH OF 825,000 BUCKS.
UM, AND AGAIN, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE $10 MILLION NUMBER, 825,000, WE COULD LAYER THAT INTO WHERE YOUR DEBT SERVICE STARTS TO DROP OFF IN FY 28.
UH, IT HAVE A NO IMPACT ON YOUR BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AND, AND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR MANAGER, UH, AND WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I THINK WITH, UH, WITH YOUR APPROVAL, UH, I'M NOT ASKING FOR A RESOLUTION OR ANYTHING, BUT WITH YOUR APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD WORK ON GETTING THE, THE UNAUDITED INFORMATION TO CREWS AND ASSOCIATES.
LET THEM DO THE DUE DILIGENCE.
WE'D HAVE TO ENGAGE YOUR, YOUR BOND COUNSEL, UH, WHICH OUTSIDE COUNSEL THAT PROVIDES THE TAX OPINIONS AND MAKE SURE WE GO THROUGH THE RIGHT PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO DO, UH, TO PROVIDE THAT GENERAL OBLIGATION PLEDGE THAT THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
WE NEED TO SET UP A SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ULTIMATELY COME BACK TO YOU, UH, FOR A FORMAL APPROVAL.
UH, WHAT WOULD FOLLOW AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO YOU'D HAVE TO ADOPT A FORMAL ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION, WHATEVER THE LAWYERS TELL US YOU NEED TO DO.
UH, BUT THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE TO SORT OF GET YOUR, GET YOUR INPUT, SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.
UH, AND AGAIN, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY, ANY QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, FOR DAVENPORT? YES.
UH, JUST THAT I THINK THIS IS A TREMENDOUS POSSIBILITY FOR US AND I APPRECIATE OUR CFO WORKING WITH YOU AND OUR CITY MANAGER.
I HOPE THAT THIS WORKS OUT FOR US.
AND I'LL, YOU KNOW, SAY THE SAME THING.
UM, THIS IS JUST A HUGE OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR US THAT WE CAN GET CAUGHT UP ON SOME, YOU KNOW, MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, INFRASTRUCTURE WISE OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, UNFUNDED FOR SO MANY YEARS.
UM, ALSO, ESPECIALLY DOWN THERE AT THE, UH, THE WASTEWATER PLANT THAT, YOU KNOW, NEEDS A LOT OF INVESTMENT DOWN THERE.
UM, I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY WONDERFUL AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST, MY HAT'S OFF TO BOTH YOU, UM, MS. JORDAN, MR. ROGERS, UM, MR. CROCKER, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, I, I, I, IT'S JUST, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY'S, YOU KNOW, HAS ASKED FOR, FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT FEELS GOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE END OF THE TUNNEL, GETTING THOSE BOND RATINGS, OR EXCUSE ME, GETTING THOSE AUDITS DONE ONE STEP CLOSER TO GETTING A BOND RATING BACK, GOING THROUGH AND DOING THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO SEE ROUGHLY WHERE WE ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY JUST FABULOUS NEWS, UH, FOR THE CITY.
AND, UM, I KNOW FOLKS PROBABLY AREN'T AS EXCITED AS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US THAT, YOU KNOW, SEE THE ISSUES, UH, EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD WORK.
SO I THINK, UH, LET ME DO, MAKE SURE WE GET A CONSENSUS.
I DON'T WANNA LEAVE THIS MEETING.
IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH THEM MOVING FORWARD? YES.
MS. STOKES, ARE YOU COUNCILLOR STOKES A LOT OF THAT BECAUSE I WAS, ANYWAY.
MAYOR, IF I COULD, ONE, JUST ONE OTHER THING I'LL ADD, WE CAN SET UP THE APPROVAL PROCESS AT SAY A $10 MILLION NUMBER, BUT WE CAN GET DIRECTION AT A LATER DATE AS THE EXACT AMOUNT THAT YOU WANT TO DO MM-HMM
[01:35:01]
PUBLISHING OF THE, THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND ALL THAT.BUT AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T DO A SMALLER NUMBER, IF THAT SEEMS APPROPRIATE TO YOU.
UM, MR. ROGERS, I DIDN'T MEAN TO, UH, CUT YOU OFF ACCIDENTALLY.
UH, WHEN YOU WERE DOING THE POLICE REPORT, DID YOU WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE SEARCH OR DO YOU JUST WANNA WAIT TILL NEXT MEETING? UH, I'LL WAIT TILL THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO, SIR.
ANN, THAT IS IT, THAT IS A WRAP.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.