[00:00:01]
[ Call to order and roll call]
THIS MEETING TO ORDER.CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR? PARDON? HERE.
THAT THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A ELECTRONIC PARTICIPANT.
[ CLOSED MEETING]
I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO CLOSED MEETING UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A THREE A AND 29 TO DISCUSS THE ACQUISITION DISPOSITION OF REAL PROPERTY, WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE PUBLIC BODY.THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT WHERE DISCUSSION IN OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.
AND TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, UH, REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS, REAL ESTATE CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS, SUPPORT AGREEMENT WITH THE EDA AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS, INCLUDING CITY ATTORNEY ANNUAL EVALUATION, CITY CLERK SIX MONTH EVALUATION AND REVIEW OF CITY MANAGER FINALISTS.
SO WHO MADE THE MOTION? I'M SORRY.
OH, WELL I ALWAYS JUST READ THE MOTION.
SO MOTIONS MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
UH, SEEING ANY, NO LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION, MAYOR.
UM, I ONLY LET YOU GO ON ALL THAT WAY BECAUSE I LIKE YOUR SPEAKING VOICE, BUT, UH, TO, UH, I, I RECOMMEND A AMENDED MOTION.
I BELIEVE ALL OF THAT FIRST PART ABOUT, UH, ABOUT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTUALLY CAN COME OFF OF THE MOTION, BUT WE, WE SHOULD ADD DAVID WALKER.
WE SHOULD ADD, UM, ANOTHER ITEM UNDER 37 11 A EIGHT, WHICH IS CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, UH, ABOUT THE, THE A RB APPEAL.
THAT IS, THAT IS LATER ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
UH, DO YOU ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? I DO.
SEEING NO LIGHTS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR UH, JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIKES ROLL CALL PLEASE.
WE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEDIA REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TO TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
[ REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER]
AT THIS TIME I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR HIS REPORT.FIRST I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, A NEW DIRECTOR OF, UH, HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL.
HE'S BEEN HERE ABOUT, ABOUT A WEEK NOW AND DI DIVING INTO THINGS AND, UH, WE HAVE A LOT, WE HAVE A FULLER REPORT AT, AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON, ON THE STATUS OF THINGS THERE.
AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THROUGH FOIA, A FOIA REQUEST, IT WAS, UH, LEARNED THAT DURING THE COUNCIL RETREAT IN SEPTEMBER, $180 WAS SPENT ON WHY AND CHARGED TO THE CITY, LET ME REPORT THAT THAT WAS A MISTAKE.
ALL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED TO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER'S ACCOUNT.
PERSONAL ACCOUNT, UH, COUNSEL.
UM, MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT, UH, PERSONALLY, UH, DISCOVERING THAT UNTIL, UNTIL LAST WEEK, BUT IT'S, UH, I HAVE PAID $180 TO THE
[00:05:01]
TREASURER TO COVER THAT.SO THERE WAS NO WINE NOW CHARGED TO THE, UH, TO THE CITY.
UM, IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WHAT THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER IS BEING PAID.
UH, THERE ARE, THESE ARE THE FACTS.
THE COUNCIL'S CONTRACT FOR INTERIM CITY MANAGED MANAGER SERVICES IS, UM, IS BEING, IS WITH THE ROBERT BOB GROUP.
UH, THE COUNCIL'S, UH, CONTRACT WITH THE ROBERT BOB GROUP, UH, HAS A MONTHLY, UH, CONTRACT LESS THAN THE TOTAL COMPENSATION OF THE PREVIOUS, UH, CITY MANAGER.
THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER IS PAID ROUGHLY THE SAME MONTHLY PAYMENT, UH, UH, COMPENSATION AS THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER.
SO WHEN YOU ADD THE TOTAL, UH, COMPENSATION THAT THE PREVIOUS, UH, CITY MANAGER RECEIVED, INCLUDING ALL BENEFITS, UH, THE ROBERT BOB GROUP CONTRACT IS LESS THAN THAT, AND I'M LESS THAN THAT.
THE COUNCIL, AS YOU KNOW, IS IN THE MIDDLE OF, UH, EXERCISING.
UH, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTING THE NEXT CITY MANAGER OF HOPEWELL.
UH, HIRING THE CITY MANAGER IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF A CITY COUNCIL.
IN NOVEMBER, THE COUNCIL ENGAGED THE SERVICES OF THE COLIN BA, INGER AND ASSOCIATES TO CONDUCT THE CITY MANAGER SEARCH.
35 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED.
NINE, UH, CANDIDATES WERE PRESENTED, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION BY COUNSEL.
COUNSEL IS IN THE PROCESS OF REDUCING, UH, THE CANDIDATES TO SIXTH WHO WILL BE INTERVIEWED MARCH 5TH AND SIXTH ON MAY 5TH.
CANDIDATES WILL TAKE A TOUR OF THE CITY, HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AS WELL.
AT SIX O'CLOCK ON MARCH 5TH, THERE WILL BE A TOWN HALL MEETING FOR, UH, ALL CANDIDATES, UH, AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR RESIDENTS.
THE PANEL WILL BE MODERATED BY, UH, WITH, WITH ALL CANDIDATES PARTICIPATING AND RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS, UH, DURING THE FORUM.
THE FORUM WILL TAKE 90 MINUTES.
WE ARE PROVIDING THE, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC, UH, TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK CANDIDATES FOR CITY MANAGER.
UH, ON THE CITY COUNCIL WEBSITE, THERE'S A LINK FOR YOU TO SUBMIT, UH, QUESTIONS.
UH, ALSO, UH, THERE'S A LINK FOR YOU.
UH, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO, UH, REGISTER FOR THAT EVENT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACCOMMODATIONS AND HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR ALL OF THIS.
THAT LINK IS ALSO ON THE, ON THE WEBSITE.
THERE WILL BE A MIX AND MINGLE SESSION AFTER THE FORUM TO GIVE RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MEET THE CANDIDATES DIRECTLY.
AND, UM, THAT'S, UH, AND, AND THE MARCH, ON MARCH 6TH, UH, COUNCIL WILL BE INTERVIEWING THE CANDIDATES ALL DAY AND PERHAPS READY TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON MARCH 10TH.
NOT A PROMISE, BUT YOU'LL GET, YOU'LL GET, GET THROUGH THAT.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE, WE SUBMITTED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UH, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT OUR REQUEST FOR A CHARTER AMENDMENT REGARDING THE COMPOSITION OF THE HOPEWELL, UH, WATER RENEWAL AUTHORITY HAS, UH, HAS PASSED BOTH HOUSES AND IT'S AWAITING, UH, FURTHER ACTION BY THE, BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE COMPLETION OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, OTHER BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
AND WE SUBMITTED FOUR PRIMARY BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
WE LOBBIED, UH, FOR THOSE AMENDMENTS, ET CETERA.
APPARENTLY DID NOT PASS THIS YEAR, BUT, UH, THE COUNCIL, UM, AND, AND STAFF SHOWED UP IN, UM, UH, IN RICHMOND, UH, MADE A GOOD EFFORT AT, AT, UH, AT LOBBYING FOR ADVOCATING FOR OUR CAUSE.
AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A PRACTICE, UH, HEREAFTER EACH OTHER.
YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR IT IF YOU WANT IT.
UH, ALSO IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT SOME QUESTIONS BEEN RAISED ABOUT, UH, UM,
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THE, UM, BLUE GALA AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S FUNDED BY, UH, THE CITY OF HOPEWELL GENERAL FUNDS.UH, AND, UH, THIS BLUE GALA IS THE LARGEST.
IT'S THE LARGEST ANNUAL FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE.
AND ALL PROCEEDS, UH, DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE EMERGENCY FAMILY CRISIS FUND, WHICH ASSISTS LOCAL FAMILIES EXPERIENCING URGENT NEEDS SUCH AS HOUSING, UH, INSTABILITY, UTILITIES, AND, UH, INSTANT AND INFANT ESSENTIALS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
SO WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THAT.
THAT CONCLUDES, UM, UH, SORRY.
TABITHA, YOU HAD, UH, THERE WERE OUR SERVICE AWARDS.
OUR, OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER ANNOUNCEMENT.
TABITHA MARTINEZ WILL DO THAT.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UM, MR. CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU FIRST FOR ALLOWING ON ME TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS OF YOUR CITY MANAGER'S REPORT TO EMPLOY REPORT OUT THE EMPLOYER OF THE ORDER.
UM, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS A DEPARTMENT LIAISON FOR THIS YEAR'S FISCAL YEAR'S VISION COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYEES ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS THAT COME TOGETHER TO PLAN AND FACILITATE ACTIVITIES TO BOOST MORALE AND COMRADERY AMONGST ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A LOT OF THEM WITH US TONIGHT.
THE VISION COMMITTEE IS MADE UP, UM, TO, AND ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO COORDINATE THE EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER PROGRAM.
THE EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER PROGRAM IS SELECTED FROM NOMINATIONS SUBMITTED BY FELLOW EMPLOYEES, RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUALS WHO EXEMPLIFY JOB KNOWLEDGE, TEAMWORK, DEPENDABILITY, QUALITY OF WORK, AND LEADERSHIP.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MS. PATRICE, WHO IS OUR VISION COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR UP TO READ THE NOMINEE.
UM, ALLISON HAS CONTINUOUSLY DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE AT HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL.
HER PROFICIENCY WITH COMPUTERS, PROGRAMS, AND VARIOUS DATA MANAGEMENT TOOLS IS OUTSTANDING.
SHE NOT ONLY EXCELS, BUT ALSO REGULARLY ASSUMES ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES THAT EXTENDS BEYOND HER OFFICIAL JOB DESCRIPTION.
THE QUALITY OF WORK OF HER WORK CONTINUOUSLY SUR SURPASSES EXPECTATIONS AS SHE CONTINUOUSLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED.
ALLISON IS ALWAYS WILLING TO ASSIST WITH ANY TASK ASSIGNED TO HER DIS DEMONSTRATING A FLEXIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS BOTH HER COLLEAGUES AND THE ORGANIZATION.
HER LEADERSHIP IS EVIDENT IN HER COORDINATION OF MEETINGS AIMED AT ENHANCING WORKLOAD EFFICIENCY FOR MANY OF THE EMPLOYEES, REFLECTING HER COMMITMENT AND PASSION FOR HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL.
DID I PRONOUNCE THAT? OKAY? COME ON.
ARE YOU GONNA COME TO THE PODIUM AND SPEAK? SHARE A FEW WORDS.
UM, WATER RENEWAL IS MY WORK FAMILY AND WE DO FUNCTION LIKE A FAMILY.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY AND THE NOMINATION, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.
SO, MR. MAYOR, THE NEXT PORTION IS, UH, WE HAVE UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER STACY JORDAN, MAKE THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE JANUARY FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING FINANCIAL REPORT CITYWIDE FOR JANUARY.
REVENUES ARE TRENDING 3.8% OR 8.3 MILLION, HIGHER IN 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR JANUARY ARE TRENDING 5.6 OR 12.4, UM, HIGHER FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
THE KEY DUE DATES FOR THE CITY OF HOA ARE DECEMBER, FEBRUARY, MAY, AND JUNE, AS WELL AS QUARTERLY REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM STATE AND FEDERAL.
INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM ANNUAL INCREASES IN THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY
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INCREASES AS WELL AS INCREASES, INCREASES FROM SCHOOLS AND ENTERPRISE CAPITAL EXPENSES.ANY QUESTIONS ON CITYWIDE? AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT 25 ACTUAL, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAD 110 OVER 115, WHICH IS A 5.5.
BUT AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR AND OUR, OUR REVENUES START TO COME IN BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING, WE HAVE $9 MILLION ON OUR BANK ACCOUNT AS WELL AS A DISTRICT, 20 MILLION IN INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS.
THE CITY IS NOT BROKE, WE'RE NOT IN THE RED.
THIS IS JUST FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS TO WHERE WE ARE AS WHEN WE RECEIVE OUR REVENUES AND EXPENSES ARE BEING PAID OUT.
THAT'S QUITE A BIT OF MISINFORMATION THAT LOVES TO GET THROWN OUT THERE.
OUR GENERAL FUND FOR JANUARY IS TRENDING POINT 51% OR 1.4 MILLION HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE SPENT OR TRENDING 5.4 OR 1.4 MILLION.
INCREASE IN EXPENSES OF COURSE AGAIN CAME FROM OUR ANNUAL INCREASE FOR OUR CLASS AND COMP STUDY INCREASE.
BUT AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR GENERAL FUND, WE ARE TRENDING BETTER IN 26 THAN WE WERE IN 25, WHICH MEANS WE'RE MONITORING OUR EXPENSES A LOT MORE, A LOT BETTER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR.
WE'LL GO ON TO OUR ENTERPRISE FILE.
ENTERPRISE FUND FOR JANUARY IS EIGHT POINT 55% OR 5.4 MILLION HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
7.1% OF 4.66 MILLION HIGHER IN EXPENSES IN 25.
INCREASE IN REVENUES STEM FROM OUR ON TIME BILLING AND CAPITAL BILLING FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 AND INCREASES IN EXPENSES STEM FROM WORKING THROUGH CAPITAL PROJECTS IN OUR D-E-Q-N-O-V.
THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION FROM HWR IN MARCH 10TH AN UPDATE ON WHAT HAS, UM, WHAT HAS BEEN PROGRESSED THROUGH THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WITHIN THE PLAN CREW.
ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR ENTERPRISE FUND? ALRIGHT.
OUR SCHOOLS SCHOOLS IS TRENDING 2.92% OR 899,000 HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES ARE TRENDING 7.9% OR 4.7 MILLION HIGHER IN 26 VERSUS 25.
AN INCREASE, A DECREASE IN FEDERAL REVENUES STEM FROM ESSER, WHICH IS SCHOOLS.
WHEN I GET THIS YEAR, THIS PRETTY MUCH WAS THE OFFER GRANT THAT THEY HAD FOR THE SCHOOLS.
SO OF COURSE THEY WON'T BE RECEIVING THOSE FUNDING ANYMORE.
WE'RE ALSO WAITING FOR THE SECOND QUARTER HEAD START REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
UM, I SPOKE TO JANELLE THE OTHER DAY AND THEY ARE SUBMITTING THAT SO WE CAN GET THOSE REIMBURSEMENT 'CAUSE WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THOSE REVENUE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON SCHOOLS FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, A TOTAL OF 1,441 INVOICES WERE PROCESSED AND WE PAID ABOUT $8.1 MILLION.
WE ARE AT 62% OF OUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS ON TIME AND AN UPDATE ON OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 A CFR.
WE ARE DUE TO COMPLETE THE 25 A CFR BY MARCH 31ST.
AFTER 25 IS SUBMITTED, THE CITY WILL FULLY BE CAUGHT UP AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO NEW YORK IN APRIL TO RECEIVE AN INITIAL CREDIT RATING FOR THE CITY OF HOPE PARK.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY.
QUITE FRANKLY, STACY, WITHOUT YOU, UH, REALLY DRIVING THIS HOME AND STAYING ON TOP OF, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PARTIES, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
IT'S A TEAM EFFORT ACROSS THE CITY, THAT'S FOR SURE.
SO NOW FOR OUR CRIME REPORT, UH, UH, CHIEF TAYLOR, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR MADAM VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO PRESENT THE JANUARY 20, 25 END OF YEAR STATISTICS AND ALSO TO PRESENT YOU THE FEBRUARY CRIME SUMMARY.
AND WE CLOSE OUT THE YEAR OF JANUARY, 2025 WITH A VIOLENT CRIME IN 2024.
WE HAD 92 TOTAL VIOLENT CRIMES IN 2025,
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SAME 92.SO WE END THE YEAR AT 0% CHANGE IN VIOLENT CRIME.
UH, PROPERTY CRIME, WE HAD A A 21% REDUCTION IN BURGLARIES, OR 21% IN LARCENY AND A 65% DECREASE IN MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.
SO THE END OF THE YEAR REPORT FOR PROFIT CRIMES, UH, WE ARE DOWN MINUS 31% AND TOTAL MAJOR CRIME FOR 2025 IS MINUS 26% TOTAL DECREASE IN CRIME.
THIS IS OUR FEBRUARY CRIME SUMMARY.
UH, FOR VIOLENT CRIMES AT THIS POINT IN FEBRUARY, UH, WE'LL MINUS 43% IN, UH, VIOLENT CRIME, UH, PROPERTY CRIME WILL MINUS 35%.
SO TOTAL DECREASE IN TOTAL MAJOR CRIME IS MINUS 37% AT THIS POINT IN FEBRUARY.
I SUSPECTED, UH, OPIATE OVERDOSES IN 2026, THUS FOUR REPORTED IS ZERO OR FATAL.
WE'VE HAD TWO REPORTED IN 2026 FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF TWO SO FORTH OF THIS YEAR ON FEBRUARY.
UH, SHOTS FIRED, VERIFIED SHOTS FIRED IN 2024.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 64, UH, IN 2025.
SO 10% REDUCTION IN COMPARED TO 64 10 REDUCED.
AND THUS FAR FOR 2026, WE'VE HAD ONE REPORT, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUP MEETINGS.
UH, HIRING RECRUITMENT, UH, THE APPLICANT, UH, THE APPLICANT, UH, TESTING WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY 21ST.
UH, WE STILL HAD THREE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION OPERATORS THAT ARE VACANT AND ONE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION.
APPLICANT IS STILL IN THE BACKGROUND.
AT THE, THIS TIME IT WAS SEVEN POLICE POSITIONS ARE UNFILLED, BUT CURRENTLY IT, IT IS SIX.
HE WAS, HE WAS STAR APRIL 1ST.
AND WE HAVE THREE APPLICANTS REMAIN IN THE BACKGROUND AND 40 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
OUR C THE POLICE AWARD OFFICERS, NOTHING HAS CHANGED OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, I REPORTED THIS, THE, UH, CITIZEN ACADEMY IS STILL SCHEDULED FOR MARCH THE FIFTH, UH, THROUGH THE SEVENTH.
UH, START TIME WILL BE 6:00 PM AND THE ACADEMY WILL BE HELD AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE ALSO CONTINUED THE HEAT, WHICH IS HELPED ELIMINATE AUTO THEFT.
AND, UH, A PLATOON HAS BEEN CONDUCTING, UH, HEAT INITIATIVE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH IN THE TRI-CITY POLICE MEMORIAL BREAKFAST.
I, UH, IS STILL SCHEDULED FROM EIGHT SEVEN WITH A START TIME AT 7:00 AM AND IT WILL BE AT THE HOPEWELL MOOSE LAW.
AND THE SROS HAVE IMPLEMENTED A CURRICULUM CALLED HEROES IN TRAINING FOR STUDENTS TO VOLUNTEER, UH, DURING INTERSECTIONS AND WHO, WHOEVER THESE STUDENTS MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH THE START DATE OF MARCH THE SECOND, THE MAPLE MAPLEWOOD AVENUE SPEED STUDY.
UH, THIS WAS DONE JANUARY THE 15TH THROUGH JANUARY THE 23RD.
AND THIS WAS A NINE DAY TOTAL, UH, SPEED STUDY FROM A THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THIS POSTED SPEED LIMIT ON MAPLEWOOD AVENUE IS 25 MILES PER HOUR.
UH, TOTAL VEHICLE COUNT THROUGHOUT THAT NINE DAY PERIOD WAS 2,579 VEHICLES, UH, VEHICLES UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT PERCENTAGE WAS 91.28 VEHICLES OVER THE SPEED LIMIT PERCENTAGE WAS 8.72%.
AND OUT OF THE 2,579 VEHICLES, THE AVERAGE SPEED VIOLATION WAS 27.54 MILES PER HOUR.
AND OUT OF THE 2,579 VEHICLES ZERO WERE OVER 37 MILES PER HOUR.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS WAS A NINE DAY STUDY.
UH, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SPEEDING IN THAT AREA AND, AND CONTINUE TO DO COVERT UH, SPEED STUDIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THE LAST SLIDE IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF THE SPEED STUDY IN WHICH YOU WOULD SEE IN THE GREEN MARGIN, WHICH SHOWS THAT 91.3% THAT WAS UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT
[00:25:01]
AND THE 87.8 0.7% YOU'LL SEE IN YELLOW.AND THE 0% ALSO IS IN YELLOW REGARDING THE SPEED LIMIT TODAY, THAT'S THE END OF MY CRIME SUMMARY AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNSEL MAY HAVE.
I SEE TWO FORCIBLE RAPES ALREADY IN 2026 AND THE END OF LAST YEAR WAS ONLY THREE YEARS TOTAL.
ANY ANALYSIS ON THAT OR INSIGHT ON FORCIBLE RAPES? THOSE ARE IN ON THE INVESTIGATION AND THOSE THAT, UH, IS NOT BY UNKNOWN PARTIES, THEY ARE KNOWN TO EACH OTHER AND IS STILL UNDER THE INVESTIGATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOPE.
MAY I, LET ME ASK STACY, WE WERE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET SCHEDULE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY CITY MANAGER.
UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ACTIONS RESULTING FROM OUR CLOSED SESSION.
UH, AND WILL YOU ALL PLEASE, UH, STAND AND JOIN ME IN PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING EVERYBODY HERE TO TAKE PART IN, UH, OUR LOCAL DEMOCRACY.
LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL BE WITH US AND SHED YOUR WISDOM ON US SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HOPEWELL.
I ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ CONSENT AGENDA]
THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVE.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[ COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS]
TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.UM, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT? A COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS PERIOD LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES OCCURS AT EACH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING PERSONS ADDRESSING COUNSEL APPROACH.
THE MICROPHONES GIVE THEIR NAME AND IF THEY RESIDE IN HOPE FOR THEIR BOARD NUMBER.
EACH COMMENT IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
NO PERSON IS PERMITTED TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL REMARKS MUST BE ADDRESSED TO THE COUNCIL.
AS A BODY, ANY PERSON WHO MAKES PERSONAL AND PERSON ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS OR INCITES DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARR FROM FUTURE COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZENS AND REMOVED.
UH, FIRST ONE THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MS. LAURA GREENWOOD.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M STILL UPSET ABOUT THE WASTE OF TAXPAYER'S MONEY.
I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE COMMENT BY THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
CITIZENS CAN CONTINUE OBJECT TO THE RETREAT IF THEY DARE AFTER MY ADDRESS TO THE CITY COUNCIL LAST TIME.
THAT WAS THE CITIZEN'S TIME, BY THE WAY.
AND HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO REPLY.
I PERSONALLY CONSIDER IF THEY DARE DISRESPECTFUL AND A THREAT.
THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER DOES NOT HAVE THE RESPECT THE CITIZENS OF HOPEWELL 'CAUSE HE DOESN'T LIVE HERE.
HE HAS NO INVESTMENT IN THE CITIZENS, YOU, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND YOUR CITIZENS.
AND YOU SHOULD BE INSULTED BY HIS THAT COMMON AS WELL.
SPEAKING OF CONSTITUENTS, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MOST, IF NOT ALL THE ELECTED NEVER CONTACT THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
I WAS TOLD BY ONE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE TO DO.
EACH OF YOU GET TAXPAYER'S FUNDS BUDGET AROUND $4,000 A YEAR.
AND YOU ARE NOT USING THAT MONEY FOR AWARD MEETINGS EITHER YOU USE THAT TAXPAYER'S MONEY TO CONTACT THEM AND ANYTHING LEFT OVER SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE EXCEPT
[00:30:01]
BACK INTO THE TAXPAYER'S COFFERS.YOU'RE NOT TO APPLY TAXPAYERS MONEY TO A.ORG OR ET CETERA WITHOUT YOUR CONSTITUENTS PERMISSION.
IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY TO GIVE AWAY.
I BELIEVE DARLENE THOMPSON PASSED MY CONTACT INFO ONTO THE NEW APPOINTED WARD SIX REPRESENTATIVE TWO WEEKS AGO.
IF SO, HE HAS NOT BOTHERED TO CALL OR EMAIL ME IF HE DIDN'T GET IT.
I HAVE ANOTHER ONE RIGHT HERE.
IF HE DID GET IT, THEN IN MY OPINION, THIS GOES TO SHOW ME HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT HIS CONSTITUENTS EITHER.
AS A RETIRED COMMERCIAL ARTIST, ADVERTISER MARKETER, AND PRODUCTION MANAGER, I WILL USE MY SKILLS TO MAKE SURE EACH WARD THAT IS UP FOR ELECTION OR REELECTION, THOSE WARDS WILL BE NOTIFIED ON WHAT YOU HAVE VOTED ON.
SO THIS IS NOT A THREAT OR A WARNING.
I'M PROACTIVE AS YOU'VE LEARNED, AND I WILL MAKE SURE YOUR WARD WILL KNOW SINCE IT'S OBVIOUSLY YOU DO NOT RESPECT FOR DO FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN YOUR WARD.
I WILL GIVE IT ALL TO FIND REPLACEMENTS FOR THESE WARDS.
FOR WE THE PEOPLE VERSUS ME, THE PEOPLE TRANSPARENCY IS A MUST.
YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BLACKBALL ME ALL YOU WANT, BUT WE WILL GET INFORMATION THAT THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ARE REQUESTING.
WE WILL FO THE MR. GREEN YOUR TIME UP IF WE HAVE TO DO SO.
MS. GREENWOOD, YOUR TIME IS UP.
IT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC TO ALL MS. GREEN CITY.
MR. I STRONGLY MR. TIME IS UP.
OFFICER SUGGEST WILL YOU PLEASE TO MARK ESCORT MR. GREENWOOD AND SEE WHAT THEIR CITIZENS ARE DOING? THANK YOU, SIR.
ANYWAY, WOULD YOU LIKE THIS CARD? I HAVE YOUR CARD FROM LAST TIME.
ALRIGHT, NEXT, UH, SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MR. TOMMY WELLS.
MY NAME IS TOMMY WELLS AND I RESIDE IN, IN WARD FIVE.
UH, SO SHOULD I SAY, UH, IT, IT IT IS GETTING TO BE AN URGENT SITUATION.
UH, WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHAIN GROCERY STORE IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
THAT, THAT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENCE.
UH, UH, SE SENIORS LIKE MYSELF, UH, CAN'T ALWAYS DRIVE TO THE NEXT TOWN TO GO TO GET GROCERIES.
UH, I, I DO HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE, BUT I DON'T, DON'T, UH, DRIVE IN IN PLACES THAT ARE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DRIVE ANY LONGER.
BUT TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, THE, UH, THE GROCERY STORE, YOU, YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND STAND IN LINE AND THEY GOT LINES ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF THE STORE.
AND IT'S, IT'S JUST GETTING TO BE RIDICULOUS THAT, THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE WAYS TO GET GROCERY STORES TO COME TO, TO A CITY LIKE HOPEWELL.
SO I'M, I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE, UH, HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR SOMETHING TO GET, TO ASK SOMEONE TO PLEASE COME TO HOPEWELL TO HELP US OUT.
AND, UH, I HAVE ANOTHER THING.
UH, I KNOW IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME OF THE YEAR TO DO IT, BUT THE, UH, IT IS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE LAST SUMMER.
EVEN THE, THE LINES MARKINGS ON THE STREETS ARE JUST HORRIBLE.
YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THEM ANY LONGER.
AND, AND OF COURSE I KNOW WITH THE, THE SNOW AND ICE THAT WE HAD THAT, THAT, THAT HAD SOME SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT IT WAS ALREADY BAD BEFORE THAT CAME.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PLANS ARE, BUT WE, I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE, UH, UH, HAVE SOMETHING DONE TO MARK BECAUSE, 'CAUSE WHEN YOU GET, GET IN A SITUATION LIKE MYSELF, YOU, YOU, YOU USE THOSE LINES TO HELP YOU DRIVE.
AND, UH, AND THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO ME.
AND I HAVE A THIRD THING THAT, THAT, UH, I WOULD ASK COUNCIL TO CONSIDER OR OR THE CITY MANAGER TO CONSIDER.
UH, I RUN A PROGRAM ON CHANNEL THREE.
UH, IT'S CALLED, UH, CONVERSATIONS WITH ANDRE WHITEHEAD.
UH, HE HAS BEEN TO JUST ABOUT EVERY POLICE, UH, ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY, IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
HE'S BEEN TO HAMPTON, NEW NEWPORT NEWS, NORFOLK, UH, VIRGINIA BEACH, AND, AND INTERVIEWED THESE POLICE, THE CHIEF CHIEF OF POLICE OF EACH OF THESE LOCATIONS
[00:35:01]
TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND WHAT HE CAN DO TO HELP THEM.AND, UH, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR HOPEWELL TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT PROGRAM.
IT AIRS ON MY CHANNEL AT, AT, UH, 9:00 AM ON SUNDAY MORNING.
UM, MR. ROGERS, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT THAT HE MADE ABOUT THE, UH, THE STREET MARKINGS.
UH, COULD WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS? GO AROUND AND DO AN ASSESSMENT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT GETTING, UH, THE WORST, THE WORST REMARKED.
UH, NEXT UP IS MR. MARK BURROWS.
MY NAME'S MARK BURROWS, WARD THREE.
UH, I'M GOING TO BE DIRECT BECAUSE THAT'S WHO I AM.
AT A RECENT MEETING, A STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT CITIZENS COULD OBJECT TO THE COUNCIL'S RETREAT.
AND WHEN LEADERSHIP USES LANGUAGE LIKE THAT, IT SENDS A MESSAGE.
AND THE MESSAGE THAT IT SENDS IS THIS, IF YOU QUESTION US, YOU'RE CHALLENGING US.
AND THAT'S NOT HOW REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WORKS.
WE SPEAK BECAUSE THIS IS OUR CITY, BECAUSE WE PAY TAXES HERE.
AND BECAUSE THE DECISIONS MADE IN THIS ROOM AFFECT OUR FAMILIES, STRONG LEADERSHIP DOES NOT POSTURE.
IT DOES NOT PROVOKE, AND IT DOES NOT, UH, FRAME PUBLIC INPUT AS A SHOWDOWN.
IT WELCOMES SCRUTINY BECAUSE IT KNOWS IT CAN STAND UP TO IT.
THAT SHOULD BE THE STANDARD WORDS MATTER, ESPECIALLY FROM THIS COUNCIL.
MAYBE THE COMMENT WAS OFFHAND, MAYBE IT WAS FRUSTRATION, BUT WHEN PEOPLE ALREADY FEEL DISCONNECTED FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LANGUAGE, THAT SOUNDS DISMISSIVE AND COMBATIVE ONLY WIDENS THAT GAP.
IF YOU WANT PUBLIC TRUST, YOU HAVE TO MODEL PROFESSIONALISM EVEN WHEN YOU'RE IRRITATED OR DISAGREE, EVEN WHEN YOU THINK CRITICISM IS UNFAIR.
SO I'M ASKING THIS BODY TO BE CLEAR THAT CITIZEN INPUT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DARE TO OFFER, BUT INSTEAD IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD EXPECT AND YOU WILL RESPECT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH THIS, BUT YOU SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU WELCOME US AND OUR OPINIONS.
THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO LEAD THIS COMMUNITY FURTHER.
MS. JORDAN'S DOING SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB CONSIDERING SHE WAS, UH, HIRED BY CITY MANAGER.
Y'ALL FIRED, UH, CITIZENS CAN OBJECT TO THIS RETREAT CONTINUOUSLY IF THEY DARE.
WELL, GUESS WHAT? I DON'T ONLY DARE I CHALLENGE WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY AS OURS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY OF THESE OTHER BIG COMMUNITIES THAT YOU TALK ABOUT THAT CAN AFFORD TO HAVE THESE NICE RETREATS.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE IF OUR CITY COUNCIL DECIDED TO KEEP IT LOCAL HERE, SPEND THEIR MONEY LOCAL HERE, AND NOT SPEND A BUNCH OF MONEY THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE SPENT FOR SOMETHING THAT NOBODY CAN TELL US WHAT Y'ALL ACTUALLY DID, BECAUSE WE HEARD IT WAS FOR Y'ALL TO WORK BETTER.
WE HEARD IT WAS FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO, WHAT YOU HEAR.
NOW, THIS IS COMING FROM A GROUP THAT CAME ADHERE TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER FOR MEETINGS AND DO ILLEGAL FIRINGS.
CAN'T STAND TO CITY CODES FOR HAVING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AS THEY SHOULD IN DECEMBER.
AND, UH, WHAT COMES OUTTA Y'ALL? AND YOU'RE SITTING HERE SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, $21,000 A MONTH, I EXPECT A LITTLE BIT MORE PROFESSIONALISM THAN WHEN SOMEBODY DARES A CITIZEN TO SPEAK.
AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL I GOTTA SAY.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. HAUSER.
HI, MY NAME IS DEBBIE RDO AND I'M, I'M WARD ONE.
UM, I TOO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE COMMENTS THAT WERE, UH, I WAS NOT THERE THAT NIGHT, UH, BUT I READ THEM IN THE PAPER AND SAW THEM ON THE FOLD BACK AND FOLLOWING THE CITY IN THE CITY COUNCILS FOR 22 PLUS YEARS.
I'VE NEVER HAD A CITY MANAGER TELL THE CITIZENRY THAT THEY DARED TO DO ANYTHING.
IT DID TAKE ME ABACK, UM, CERTAINLY, UH, BEING ON COUNCIL, I UNDERSTAND ABOUT RETREATS, BUT, UH, RETREATS ARE FOR THE ABILITY FOR COUNCIL TO DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO TO GET ALONG.
TEAM HOPEWELL IS WHAT YOU ALL WERE TALKED TALKING ABOUT AMONGST MANY OTHER THINGS.
WHAT I FOUND VERY CURIOUS IS THAT IT DID HAVE TO BE OUT OF TOWN.
EVERY COUNSELOR, WHETHER, WHETHER GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY OR NOT, HAD THE ABILITY TO SAY YAY OR NAY TO THE CITY MANAGER AS TO WHETHER THEY FELT THAT THAT WAS APPROPRIATE OR NOT.
SO I CAN ONLY ASSUME BECAUSE WE'VE HAD NO FEEDBACK FROM, UH, THE MAYOR OR ANYBODY VICE MAYOR TO
[00:40:01]
TELL US DIFFERENTLY THAT EVERYBODY DID AGREE.UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE YOU ALL WOULD NOT AGREE TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY.
UM, IS $17,000 THE END OF THE WORLD? NO, IT IS NOT.
BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE FOR CHEAPER AND SOME OF THAT PUT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
HAVING OUR CITY MANAGER, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT MR. BOB, AS YOUR EMPLOYER FELT VERY GOOD ABOUT THAT.
YOU'VE BEEN CITY MANAGER OF MANY OTHER CITIES THAT HE HAS WORKED HIS, HIS, UH, MAGIC WITH AS WELL.
SO I UM, CERTAINLY WANTED TO SAY THAT.
I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU.
YES, SOME OF US HAVE BEEN VERY HARD ON YOU AND THE COUNCIL.
I KNOW FIRSTHAND BECAUSE THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE SAID TO ME THAT WERE PRETTY UGLY.
HEY, BY OTHER COUNSELORS, NEVERMIND BY THE CITIZENRY.
AND SOME OF 'EM ARE STILL HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY I UNDERSTAND, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU KNOW, THE CLEARING OF THE AIR.
UH, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS FOR OUR, UH, CITY.
UM, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, SHE TRANSFERRED THOSE OVER TO YOU AND YOU ANSWERED THOSE FOR US TONIGHT.
I KIND OF KNEW THE ANSWER TO SOME AND DIDN'T TO OTHERS.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT OPENNESS.
THAT'S ALL MOST OF US ARE LOOKING FOR IS ABSOLUTE TRANSPARENCY.
IF YOU'D HAVE TOLD US BEFOREHAND, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WE'D HAVE VOCALIZED HOW WE FELT ABOUT THAT BEFOREHAND.
BUT NONE OF US REALLY KNOW A WHOLE LOT BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE THIS COUNCIL COMMUNICATING A LOT TO US.
I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE THINGS SAID AND TOLD TO US THIS EVENING.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT.
UH, MY NAME IS SHARA FULLER AND I RESIDE IN WARD FIVE.
UM, GOOD TO, UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, VICE MAYOR AND ALL OF COUNCIL.
UM, JUST WANTED TO COME BEFORE THE CITY, UM, AND JUST REMIND EVERYONE OF A FEW EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP IN THE CITY THAT WE WOULD APPRECIATE ATTENDANCE TO.
UM, THIS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH AT 10:00 AM AT THE VFW ON LYNCHBURG STREET, THE CITY'S TRIAD MEETING WILL BE HELD.
UM, AND WHILE OUR TRIADS MISSION IS DEDICATED TO ENHANCING THE SAFETY, SECURITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS IN HOPEWELL ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND, UM, AS THE CHAIRMAN OF AS THE CHAIR FOR THE TRIAD COMMITTEE.
I AM OBVIOUSLY NOT, YOU KNOW, BUT ONLY BUT SO OLD, HOWEVER, ALL ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING HOPEWELL A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE, HAVE A LOT TO OFFER STILL.
UM, WARD FIVE IS HAVING THEIR MONTHLY NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING ON MONDAY, MARCH 2ND.
WEATHER PERMITTING, NOT GONNA LIE IF IT'S SUPER COLD, IF IT'S SNOWING, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WARD, I'M NOT ASKING ANYBODY TO GO OUT.
I WILL POST IT LIVE ON FACEBOOK SO THAT WAY FOLKS CAN STILL ATTEND VIRTUALLY AND GET THE INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED.
UM, BUT WE DO MEET AT WESLEY, UM, WESLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ON NORFOLK STREET.
UM, BUT I WILL BE POSTING INFORMATION AND I APPRECIATE CHIEF TAYLOR SHARING ABOUT THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES AS WELL.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA SAY, IF IT'S OKAY, CURRENTLY WITH THE LEADERSHIP IN SUPPORT OF COUNCILOR OLI, WARD SEVEN IS LOOKING TO START THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR ALL OF THE WARDS, WHETHER THEY LIVE IN WARD SEVEN OR THEY LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE TO COME AND BE A SUPPORT.
UM, SO IT'S STILL IN THE, IN THE INFANCY STAGE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GETTING A LOT OF TRACTION ON.
AND IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO HAVE THE CITY SUPPORT, UM, AND ALL THE RESIDENTS THEREOF, UM, AS WELL AS THE CITY.
AND THE SCHOOLS ARE HIGHER FOR MANY POSITIONS AS THEY'RE ALL FACING DIFFERENT SHORTAGES.
WE'RE CURRENTLY ON INTERCESSIONS.
THEY'RE SHORT TEACHERS, THEY'RE SHORT PARAPROFESSIONALS.
SO I'M GONNA SAY THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD.
INSTEAD OF EVERYONE HOPPING ON FACEBOOK AND COMPLAINING, LET'S GET OUT HERE, LET'S APPLY TO SOME JOBS THAT ARE HIRING.
LET'S DO THE PART TO BE THE CHANGE IN THE CITY.
WE NEED MORE EMPLOYEES, WHETHER ON THE CITY LEVEL, THE SCHOOL PUBLIC WORKS, WE NEED PEOPLE OUT HERE SHOVELING SNOW OR CLEARING OTHER THINGS.
WE CAN ALL BE A PART OF THE CHANGE IF WE, WE NEED VOLUNTEERS.
THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE NEEDED TO HELP GET THESE KIDS OFF THE BUS AT THE SCHOOL.
I'M A PARENT, BUT I, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE OVER AT HARRY JAMES DUPONT AND PATRICK COPELAND HELPING BECAUSE IT'S THE PRINCIPAL AND THE NURSES AND OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE GETTING THESE BABIES OFF THE BUS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SHORT STAFFED.
SO THE CITY NEEDS OUR SUPPORT.
THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS NEED MORE PEOPLE ON THERE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY OUT THERE TRYING TO MAKE A CHANGE.
SO I'M ASKING PEOPLE TO APPLY AND DO YOUR PART AS CITIZENS.
UH, NEXT IS MR. JUSTIN GOODMAN.
[00:45:14]
HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING THIS EVENING? I'M CURIOUS, IS THERE A TIMER? I JUST WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF MY TIME.THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING HERE.
DO WE HAVE A TIMER THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE SPEAKER? YEAH.
UH, TO YOU? NO, BUT I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU LIKE A 15.
NO, NOT JUST GIMME A FEW SECONDS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOOD.
REALLY LOVE MY TIME IN HOPEWELL, SEVEN YEARS.
HEAD START IS AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
UM, I, I LIVE OVER IN PRINCE GEORGE WITH A FAMILY FARM NOW.
SO FIRST THANK YOU JESUS CHRIST, MY LORD AND SAVIOR FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THEM INTO THE POSITION OF POWER THAT THEY HAVE.
LET THEM KNOW THAT WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO ADDRESS A GROWING CONCERN THAT EXTENDS FAR BEYOND ZONING, MAPS, AND REVENUE PROJECTIONS.
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, LOCALITIES ARE EXPERIENCING RAPID EXPANSION OF UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINES, SUBSTATIONS, DATA CENTERS, DISTRIBUTED ENERGY PROJECTS, OFTEN APPROVED INCREMENTALLY PROJECT BY PROJECT WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE LONG-TERM HEALTH IMPACT ANALYSIS.
THE ISSUE IS NOT WHETHER ELECTRICITY IS NECESSARY.
IT IS THE ISSUE IS WHETHER GROWTH IS OCCURRING FASTER THAN OVERSIGHT.
IT IS FASTER THAN UPDATED PUBLIC HEALTH REVIEW.
IT IS AND FASTER THAN MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT JUST NOW UP IN NEW KENT, THEY TRYING OF, THE BOARD IS TRYING TO PASS A REFERENDUM TO BLOCK LIKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE NEXT DATA.
LIKE IF YOU GET IT, JUST HIT THE NEWS.
SO WHETHER ONE BELIEVE THE RISKS ARE HIGH, LOW, OR STILL SCIENTIFICALLY DEBATED.
ONE FACT IS CLEAR LARGE SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION IS ACCELERATING NATIONWIDE.
AND LONG-TERM INDEPENDENT HEALTH MONITORING HAS NOT KEPT UP PACE.
MANY COMMUNITIES ARE NOW SURROUNDED BY EXPANDING ELECTRICAL CORRIDORS, INCREASED LOAD DEMANDS IN HIGHER CUMULATIVE ELECTROMAGNETIC ELECTROMAGNETIC EXPOSURE LEVELS THAT DIDN'T EXIST 20 YEARS AGO.
UM, YET PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE OFTEN FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON TAX REVENUE GRID, LEAD GRID RELIABILITY, AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH FAR LESS DISCUSSION ABOUT CUMULATIVE EXPOSURE, ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS AND PRECAUTIONARY SETBACKS FROM HOMES, SCHOOLS, AND, AND ATHLETIC FIELDS.
WHEN INFRASTRUCTURE OUTGROWS PACE OVERSIGHT, TRUST ERODES, COMMUNITIES BEGIN TO ASK, WHERE'S THE INDEPENDENT HEALTH REVIEW? WHERE ARE THE UPDATED CUMULATIVE EXPOSURE MAPS? WHERE ARE THE BUFFER STANDARDS THAT REFLECT MODERN LOAD LEVELS RATHER THAN DECADES OLD ASSUMPTIONS? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR TRACKING THOSE THINGS? LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE OFTEN TOLD THAT REGULATION RESTS WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES OR STATE COMMISSIONS.
UH, POINT TO COMPLIANCE WITH EXISTING STANDARDS.
WHEN STANDARDS ARE OUTDATED OR BASED ON LIMITED HISTORICAL DATA, COMPLIANCE ALONE DOES NOT EQUAL PRECAUTION.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CHECK OUT AARON BROCKOVICH.
JUST BECAUSE THE COMPANY SAYS IT'S SAFE DOES NOT MEAN IT'S SAFE.
I'M GONNA GIVE THIS TO YOU AS WELL.
I'M NOT HERE TO SPREAD FEAR, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, IF WE DON'T ASK THE QUESTIONS NOW ALL ACROSS TO THE ENERGY COMPANIES, I'LL BE BACK TO PRESENT MORE.
UM, WE RISK LOOKING BACK YEARS FROM TODAY.
MR. DO YOU MIND JUST LEAVING IT WITH THE CLERK AND SHE CAN MAKE COPIES OF IT AND GIVE IT TO ALL OF US? NO, WE JUST LOOK BACK, UM, ASKING WHY WE DIDN'T ASK THESE QUESTIONS IN 20 YEARS.
OUR PARENTS DIDN'T ASK THE QUESTIONS ASKING.
AND YOU KNOW, UM, WITH GREAT POWER BECOMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.
[ REGULAR BUSINESS]
MOVING ON TO REGULAR BUSINESS.UH, THE FIRST ITEM, UM, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO, UH, YOU WANNA COME UP? WELL, I WAS, I WAS GONNA LET YOU DO IT.
WE'LL COME YOU, IF YOU WANNA COME UP, YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT DOWN THE EARTH.
LET'S HAVE ALL THE CITY COUNCIL COME DOWN.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS MIGHTY SPECIAL RECOGNIZING SHANE'S YEAH.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA GO UP TO THE FRONT.
MR. HARRIS, WE'LL JUST LET YOU STAND RIGHT THERE.
THANK YOU FOR WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AS DEFENSE CHAIRMAN.
WELL, FOR THOSE OF YOU HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, SHANA'S STORY, UM,
[00:50:01]
HAS JUST, UM, ENDED UP A, AN EXTENDED TERM AS CHAIRMAN OF THE EDA.AND DURING THIS PARTICULAR PERIOD, SHE ACCOMPLISHED A GREAT DEAL AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HONOR HER.
AND SO I HAVE THIS PROCLAMATION, WHICH I'LL READ FOR YOU, AND I THINK IT IT SUMMARIZES SOME OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
UM, THIS IS THE, WHEREAS THE HOPEFUL CITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES THE VITAL ROLE OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP IN STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
AND WHEREAS SHAYNA STORY ASSUMED THE ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SHORTLY AFTER HER APPOINTMENT AND IMMEDIATELY UNDERTOOK A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ITS MATERIALS AND OPERATIONS, BRINGING ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE AND RENEW DIRECTION.
AND WHEREAS SHE PROVIDED STEADY AND STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP THROUGH SIGNIFICANT MATTERS, INCLUDING THE FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS AND AUCTIONS OF VOID MILL PROPERTY, THE BOATHOUSE LEASE NEGOTIATIONS, AND THE AUTHORITIES INAUGURAL ACQUISITION OFTIES.
AND WHEREAS THROUGH HER COLLABORATIVE APPROACH IN FORWARD THINKING LEADERSHIP, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS EMERGED AS A LEGITIMATE AND PROACTIVE ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AND WHERE IS SHAYNA'S STORY EXEMPLIFIES VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE THROUGH HER RELIABILITY, TEAMWORK, PROFESSIONALISM, AND PRODUCTIVE SPIRIT AND SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF HOPEWELL.
THEREFORE, BE A PROCLAIM THAT THE HOPEFUL CITY COUNCIL HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND COMMENDS SHANA'S STORY FOR HER OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION, AND MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT OF THE CITY OF HOPEWELL AND WITNESS THEREOF.
I HERE TO SET MY HAND AND OUGHT TO BE AFFIX TO THE GREAT SEAL OF THE CITY OF HOPEWELL AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
THIS 24TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026, MAYOR JOHN PARTON AND VICE MAYOR RITA JOINER.
WHO'S GONNA TAKE SQUEEZE IN HERE? GONNA TAKE MY MOM'S GOT FAIR
I JUST, THIS WAS A GROUP EFFORT OF THE TEAM THAT WE HAD ON THE EBA AND THEN WE BROUGHT CHARLES ON BOARD.
HE, UM, HELPED US UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS.
THIS IS JUST THE UPDATE ON THE BUDGET CALENDAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.
WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY INTO OUR BUDGET SEASON FOR THIS YEAR.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD OUR DEPARTMENTAL MEETINGS, UM, WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
MARCH 10TH, WE'LL DO THE PRESENTATIONS, BUT FOR COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY OF THE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS MARCH 24TH.
AND THERE WILL BE A FIRST READ OVERVIEW OF REVENUE VERSUS, UH, EXPENDITURES FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET SEASON.
THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN RUNNING INTO THIS YEAR IS, OF COURSE WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL INCREASE IN OUR HEALTHCARE INSURANCE.
WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVE, UM, TO SEE WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE FOR THE CITY MOVING FORWARD IS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE.
UM, BUT ALSO TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE COST.
LAST YEAR WE HAD AN INCREASE OF 12%, WHICH WAS ABOUT 500 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE HIGHER OUR CLAIMS ARE, THE MORE, UM, INCREASE OUR INSURANCE, OUR PREMIUMS GO UP.
SO ANOTHER THING WE'RE RUNNING INTO IS LOSS OF A SL, SLIGHT LOSS OF REVENUES IN REGARDS TO PERSONAL PROPERTY AND BUSINESS LICENSE, PERSONAL PROPERTY THAT, UM, ASSESSMENT VALUES PHASE OUT.
SO IT'S ABOUT A HALF A MILLION AND WE JUST GOT WORD FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT HOLIDAY INN HOTEL.
HAS LOST THEIR DOD CONTRACT, WHICH IS LOSING US AN ADDITIONAL $120,000 IN REVENUE FOR THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE A LOT TO WORK OUT THIS BUDGET SEASON, BUT THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US.
WE ASKED FOR A 5% AND 10% REDUCTION IN THEIR BUDGET ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THEY'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING WITH US TO GET THAT, UM, DOWN.
SO, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL REVENUES UNTIL NEXT YEAR WHEN WE HAVE OUR REASSESSMENT.
CAN I STOP? YOU WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE, THE, THE OH YES.
SO WE WILL HAVE OUR, LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE WILL HAVE OUR TOWN HALL MEETINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND REVIEW THE BUDGET AND ASK QUESTIONS ON APRIL 16TH AND THE 23RD.
[00:55:01]
STACY? WE'RE GONNA DO IT AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.
STEP OVER TO THE, WELL, YEAH, I GUESS YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
UNLESS, UH, UNLESS MS. ENGLISH WANTS TO COME ON UP, I'LL LET, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
JANELLE ENGLISH DIRECTOR FINANCE FOR LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, THE SCHOOL DIVISION COMES TONIGHT, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND REQUESTING APPROVAL OF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION, AMENDING THE CURRENT BUDGET BY A TOTAL OF $4,758,285, AN ADDITIONAL STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING, AS WELL AS THE PRIOR YEAR OF SURPLUS BEING ROLLED FORWARD.
UM, THE ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 WAS APPROVED IN APRIL, AND THEN CITY COUNCIL THEN APPROVED A SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $778,650 IN SEPTEMBER.
ADDING ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE BUDGET.
THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAS SINCE CLOSED OUT THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR AND UPDATED GRANT AMOUNT AND CARRY OVER SURPLUS AMOUNTS THAT ADDS A TOTAL OF $4,758,285 TO THE BUDGET.
THE OPERATING BUDGET WAS INCREASED BY $3,220,711.
THIS, UM, DUE TO THIS AS WELL AS ADDING STATE GRANTS AND THE AMOUNT OF $310,000.
AND THOSE WERE FOR SECURITY EQUIPMENT AND FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
THE CAFETERIA FUND WAS INCREASED BY $869,152 AND THE BUILDING AND BUS REPLACEMENT FUND WAS INCREASED BY $668,422.
THESE FUNDS WILL INCREASE THE TOTAL BUDGET, UM, FOR HIPPO PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO A TOTAL OF $81,747,756.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. ENGLISH? NO.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE FY 26 HOPEWELL PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? SO MOVED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING THEIR LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, MS. DAVIS? IT'S NOT, THAT'S OKAY.
YOU WANT ME TO JUST, JUST EXPLAIN HOW THE, THE NEW PROCEDURE IS? JUST, JUST A BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THAT.
WAS, WAS THERE, WAS THERE NOT MEANT TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS APPROPRIATION? YES, IT WAS.
IT'S ON, IT'S ON THE AGENDA AS ONE AND I'M, I BELIEVE WE ADVERTISED IT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WE WILL BACKTRACK.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR IT TONIGHT.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE IT AND JUST REDO THE MOTION.
IS THAT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT? YEAH, I, I I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO JUST REDO THE MOTION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE FY 26, UH, HOPEWELL PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION AS PRESENTED.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO, UH, NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, UH, JUST REAL QUICKLY, THE PROCEDURE THAT, UH, COUNSEL HAS AGREED TO DOING, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY, UH, ATTORNEY IS THAT FOR ALL A RB APPEALS COMING TO CITY COUNCIL, MOVING FORWARD, THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO PRESENT THE A RB CHAIRMAN WILL PRESENT THEIR CASE FOR FIVE MINUTES.
WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE WILL THEN, UH, ASK QUE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL AND THEN WE WILL DO THE VOTE.
[01:00:04]
YOU DOING THAT? OKAY.A QUICK MOMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WORKS THERE.
HIT THIS BUTTON AT THE BEST WITH THIS FANCY TECHNOLOGY NOWADAYS AND HITTING IN MY FORTIES.
SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FROM THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UH, IN REGARDS TO THE APPEAL OF THE DECISION OF THE A RB FOR PAINTING OF BRICK AT 2 0 6 NORTH SEVENTH AVENUE IN HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA.
UH, WHAT THIS APPEAL'S ABOUT THIS APPEAL IS NOT ABOUT PERSONAL PREFERENCE OR AESTHETICS.
IT IS ABOUT CONSISTENT APPLICATION OF STANDARDS, EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER EXISTING ORDINANCES, PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS, AND AVOIDANCE OF ARBITRARY OR SUBJECTIVE DECISION MAKING.
THE PRESENTATION IS FAIRLY LONG AND I WENT AHEAD AND EMAILED IT TO YOU ALL IN ADVANCE, SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO OVER IT VERY LIGHTLY TONIGHT BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE A LOT LONGER THAN FIVE MINUTES IF I WAS TO GO OVER EACH INDIVIDUAL SLIDE.
UM, HERE'S A, HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTATION, THE TIMELINE OF EVENTS.
UH, SO FAR THIS APPEAL HAS GONE THROUGH TWO A RB HEARINGS AND ONE CITY COUNCIL HEARING, AND WE ARE HERE FOR THE SECOND CITY COUNCIL HEARING AS WELL.
UH, PAINTING OF THE EXTERIOR BRICK.
I TOOK SOME PICTURES OF THE EXTERIOR BRICK AT 2 0 6 NORTH SECOND AVENUE.
YOU COULD SEE THERE'S, UM, SEVERAL DEFORMITIES ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
UH, UH, UH, UM, WHICH YOU MAY CALL IT CRACK MORTAR THAT NEEDS TO BE REPOINTED.
SEVERAL SPOTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPOINTED PRIOR HOLES IN THE MASONRY THAT HAD BEEN PATCHED, DISCOLORED BRICK, UH, LIGHTLY PAINTED, UH, BRICK, ET CETERA.
HERE'S MORE PICTURES OF IT AS WELL.
IT WAS SUGGESTED TO US BY THE A RB THAT WE COULD MATCH THE GROUT, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THAT'S NOT EASILY ACHIEVABLE.
AND THAT'S ON THE CITY HALL BUILDING ITSELF.
HERE YOU CAN SEE THE VISIBLE E EVIDENCE OF THAT THERE.
THERE'S ALSO PAINTED EXTERIOR BRICK MASONRY ON THIS BUILDING HERE AT THE CITY HALL.
AND THIS IS WHAT I PROPOSED TO PAINT THE BUILDING.
I THINK IT LOOKS A LOT BETTER, UH, WITH A PAINTED BRICK, UH, WHERE WOULD FINISH THE JOB OF WHAT WE ORIGINALLY APPLIED FOR.
THE COLOR THAT WE APPROVED, UH, CHOSE WAS SW CLASSICAL WHITE, UH, TWO DATE, UH, 28 29, SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT.
HERE ARE SOME OTHER PROJECTS THAT I HAVE DONE IN THE PAST INVOLVING PAINTED BRICK AND BLOCK.
UH, ONE IS MY GARAGE AT 15 RODMAN ROAD AND ANOTHER ONE IS A FULL REHAB THAT WE DID ON 52 56 STRATTON ROAD IN THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
HERE'S SOME NOTABLE EVENTS FROM, FROM THE, UH, FIRST A RB HEARING.
UH, NOTABLE EVENTS FROM THE FIRST CITY COUNCIL APPEAL ON NOVEMBER 18TH.
NOTABLE EVENTS FROM THE A RB RECONSIDERATION ON DECEMBER 3RD, UH, BASIS FOR APPEAL.
UH, FIRST REASON IS THAT CURRENTLY THERE ARE 36 OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE B ONE DISTRICT THAT HAVE EITHER PAINTED BRICK OR BLOCK.
THAT LIST HAS BEEN PROVIDED PRIOR, UH, BETWEEN 2023 AND 2024.
THE DDRC AND THE A RB APPROVED TWO OTHER APPLICATIONS THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY UNPAINTED BRICK, UH, UNPAINTED BRICK FOR THE PAINTING OF THE BRICK.
THOSE ADDRESSES ARE 4 25 EAST BROADWAY AND 1 15 1 17 SOUTH MAIN STREET.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO NOTEWORTHY THAT THE CITY HALL BUILDING, WHICH WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW HAS PAINTED BRICK ON THE EXTERIOR OF THIS BUILDING.
UH, HERE'S SOME NOTES TAKEN FROM THE UH, DDRC MEETING.
UH, HERE'S A PICTURE OF 4 25 EAST BROADWAY IN HOPEWELL BEFORE AND AFTER, UH, BEFORE YOU CAN SEE THE UNPAINTED BRICK.
AND THEN AFTER YOU CAN SEE THAT IT WAS PAINTED, UH, 1 15 1 17 SOUTH MAIN STREET IN HOPEWELL.
YOU CAN SEE BEFORE UNPAINTED BRICK AND THEN AFTER, UH, THERE WAS PAINTED BRICK ON THAT BUILDING TOO.
I'VE MADE SOME NOTES ABOUT, UH, CONCERNS INVOLVING PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS, UH, CONSISTENCY AND STANDARDS.
AND I WANNA GO OVER THE, UH, CONCERNS AS FAR AS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON DOWNTOWN HOPEWELL.
UH, DENIAL OF REASONABLE EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS NEGATIVELY IMPACTS THE VALUE OF MY BUILDING.
UH, THIS APPROACH DISCOURAGES REINVESTMENT BY OTHER DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNERS WHO SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTIES OVER TIME.
THIS UNDERMINES REVITALIZATION EFFORTS AND HARMS THE OVERALL APPEARANCE, ECONOMIC VITALITY AND COMPETITIVENESS OF DOWNTOWN HOPEWELL.
AND CLEAR OBJECTIVE STANDARDS, ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE REINVESTMENT WHILE PRESERVING THE CHARACTER OF DOWNTOWN.
[01:05:01]
SO IN CLOSING, I ASK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ONE, REVERSE THE ARBS DENIAL.TWO, APPROVE THE APPLICATION TO PAINT THE EXTERIOR BRICK.
THREE, PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO ENSURE CONSISTENT, OBJECTIVE, REASONABLE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS ARE PUBLISHED IN THE ORDINANCE GOING FORWARD.
AND FOUR, THAT ALL STANDARDS ARE APPLIED EQUALLY TO ALL APPLICANTS.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO STATE TOO, THAT, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE TO COME BEFORE COUNSEL.
THIS, THIS IS PROBABLY HARD FOR MANY PROPERTY OWNERS.
I'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST, SO IT'S NOT HARD FOR ME.
BUT IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THERE ARE PROBABLY OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS TONIGHT THAT MIGHT WANNA MAKE MAINTENANCE OR MAKE OTHER CHANGES TO THE EXTERIOR OF THEIR BUILDING AND IT COULD BE INTIMIDATING FOR THEM TO DO THE SAME.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE QUESTION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ESI? ALRIGHT.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD.
HEY, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS PHILLIP HUGHES.
I'VE GOT A CHANCE TO MEET MOST OF YOU IN THE ROOM IF YOU, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO YET, BUT I'M THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE A RB.
THE APPLICANT'S MAIN APPEAL ARGUMENT IS SUMMED UP WITH THE OLD ENGLISH PROVERB.
WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER, WHICH IS A VERY SIMPLE WAY OF SAYING THAT WHAT APPLIES TO YOU SHOULD APPLY TO ME, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL HUMAN DESIRE THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAVE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO APPEARANCE OF DOUBLE STANDARDS.
THAT WE'RE NOT HOLDING SOMEONE ELSE TO A STANDARD THAT WE OURSELVES ARE NOT WILLING TO HOLD.
AND THAT'S A REASONABLE ARGUMENT THAT HE'S MAKING, ESPECIALLY OFF THE JUMP AS YOU WATCH HIS PRESENTATION OR READ HIS LETTER, YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN AND YOU SEE SO MANY BUILDINGS THAT ARE PAINTED.
AND AS YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT DECISIONS THAT YOU CITED, IT CAN LOOK LIKE WE HAVE TRULY VIOLATED THE RULE OF WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER UNTIL YOU GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN OURSELVES BEFORE YOU REVIEW THE FACTS.
SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE FIRST ONE THAT HE CITED IS 4 0 8 EAST CARLSON STREET.
AND BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2023, THE APPLICATION CAME BEFORE US.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS ABOUT IT IS THE PROPERTY WAS ALREADY PAINTED WHEN IT CAME BEFORE US.
SO WE WERE LOOKING AT A PROPERTY THAT WAS ONE ALREADY PAINTED, AND TWO, THIS PROPERTY WAS BUILT IN 1975.
THIS APPLICANT, UH, MR. RAND'S PROPERTY WAS BUILT IN 1916.
THAT MEANS IT'S OVER 110 YEARS OLD.
IT WOULD BE UNFAIR FOR THE A RB TO HOLD A PROPERTY THAT WAS BUILT 1975 TO THE SAME STANDARDS AND RULES AS WE WOULD A PROPERTY THAT WAS BUILT IN 1916 OVER A CENTURY AGO.
WE CAN'T LOOK AT THOSE TWO PROPERTIES THE SAME.
IT WOULD BE UNFAIR, ONE, BECAUSE OF ITS AGE, BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT IN 1975.
IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE PERIOD THAT WE COUNT HISTORIC WITHIN OUR DOWNTOWN.
HOW THEY DID MODERN BRICK IN 1975 IS NOT THE SAME TYPE OF BRICK THAT THEY USED IN 1916.
NOW, THE SECOND ONE THAT HE USED IS ON SOUTH MAIN STREET.
AND THIS IS REALLY WHAT LOOKS LIKE GETS US RIGHT OFF THE JUMP BECAUSE BOTH PROPERTIES ARE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
SO YOU WOULD THINK WHAT'S REASONABLE IS THE SAME BRICK THAT'S ON SOUTH MAIN STREET WOULD BE ON HIS BUILDING.
AND THAT'S TRUE AT FIRST GLANCE.
BUT AFTER YOU REVIEW THE FACTS, YOU REALIZE THERE'S A LOT MORE TO SOUTH MAIN STREET.
ONE IS WE RELIED HEAVILY ON THE VIRGINIA ARCHITECTURAL INSTITUTION, AND THEY TOLD US VERY CLEARLY THAT THIS PROPERTY HAD BEEN SO MODIFIED OVER THE YEARS THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HOLD IT TO A HISTORIC PRESERVATION STANDARD.
A FEW REASONS FOR THAT IS THE EXTERIOR HAD BEEN CHANGED.
SOME OF THE BRICK HAD ALREADY BEEN REMOVED IN THE PAST, THEN REPLACED BY CINDER BLOCK.
SO TRYING TO HOLD IT TO THAT STAIN STANDARD WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.
IT WOULD PUT UNDUE PRESSURE ON THE BUILDING OWNERS, AND AS A CURRENT BUILDING OWNER OF DOWN IN DOWNTOWN, OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO PUT UNDUE STRESS ON A BUILDING OWNER, BUT I NEED YOU GUYS TO SEE THAT SOUTH MAIN STREET IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE OVERSIGHT IN OUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN.
IT IS THE EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE JUST ALLOW PROPERTY OWNERS TO NOT CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THEIR BUILDING IS OVER 110 YEARS OLD, AND THAT IT MATTERS FOR US TO PRESERVE OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT IN DOWNTOWN.
I NEED YOU ALSO TO REALIZE THAT WE DIDN'T MAKE UP THESE RULES.
THESE RULES COME DOWN FROM THE US GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
THEY ADVISE US OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO HEAVILY DISCOURAGE PAINTING OLD BUILDINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY, PREVIOUSLY PAINTED.
THE BIG REASON OF THAT IS THAT WHEN YOU PAINT THIS OLD BRICK, WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU HAVE MOISTURE RELATED ISSUES.
[01:10:01]
CREAM AND BURGERS, I CAN SHOW YOU ALL MY BUILDING THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS MOISTURE ISSUES THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH EVERY SINGLE YEAR BECAUSE SOMEBODY IN THE PAST TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS PERFECTLY SAFE TO PAINT THE BUILDING.AND SO I HAVE EXPENSE EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO MAINTAIN MY BRICK BECAUSE OF MOISTURE RELATED ISSUES.
WHEREAS HUMANS, WE'RE ALWAYS LEARNING AND WE'RE GROWING AND WE'RE LEARNING NEW THINGS, BUT OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS ARE MEANT TO BE LIKE A TIME CAPSULE THAT'S STUCK IN TIME ONCE AGO, THEY HAD SAID ASBESTOS WAS PERFECTLY SAFE FOR US TO HAVE IN OUR HOMES, LET DAYS PAINT PERFECTLY SAFE AROUND KIDS TO BE PAINTED ON TOYS FOR CHILDREN.
NOW WE KNOW DIFFERENT, THE POINT OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS TO REMOVE THAT CHANCE OF TIME OF LEARNING FOR THESE OLD BUILDINGS.
THIS BUILDING HAS STAYED THE SAME FOR 110 YEARS.
WE DIDN'T DO THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE MR. NDII OR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T LIKE THE COLOR.
WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE ACROSS THE BOARD, WE'RE TRYING TO SET A NEW STANDARD AND WE JUST DENIED SOMEONE ON 4 25 EAST BROADWAY WHERE THEY WANTED TO PAINT THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR BUILDING.
WE DENIED IT FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON.
AND IF YOU ALLOW THIS TO GO FORWARD, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS YOU'RE GONNA ENTIRE HANDS, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
THEY'LL PAINT THE BUILDINGS, THEY'LL HAVE MORE MOISTURE ISSUES, AND 10 AND 20 YEARS FROM NOW, PROPERTY OWNERS LIKE MYSELF WILL BE TOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN, I WISH THEY WOULDN'T HAVE PAINTED THE BRICK.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY REPORT FOR YOU GUYS.
I'D LIKE TO JUST PRESENT MYSELF FOR A MOMENT FOR YOU GUYS TO ANYBODY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF HOW THE BOARD MIGHT'VE CAME UP WITH THIS RULING OF, OF DENYING PAINTING THE EXTERIOR BREAKDOWN.
IS THIS THE RIGHT FORMAT FOR THAT, SIR? YEAH.
SO NOW, UH, TIME FOR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL, UH, VICE MAYOR WARNER.
YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PAINTING, BUT THE, UM, THE APPLICANT PRESENTED, UM, A PAINT THAT IS SUITABLE FOR BRICK AND, UH, HAS BEEN DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT ENCOUNTER THE MOISTURE ISSUES.
UH, SO I I I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT SORT OF NEGATES A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT, UM, YOU ARE EXPRESSING THIS IS NOT A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
UM, NOW, MAYBE SOMEDAY IT MIGHT BE A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
AND, UM, SO I, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE MOISTURE ISSUES, BUT THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF PAINT, UM, WILL IT, YOU WON'T HAVE THE, IT IT IS, IT IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED, SPECIFICALLY ENGINEERED TO AVOID THOSE, UM, MOISTURE RELATED ISSUES.
MR. MAYOR, AM I ALLOWED TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS? YEAH, I MEAN, WE SURE.
SO THE, THE ONLY CONCERN WITH THAT IS THAT ON PAPER THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL, AND IN THEORY, IF THEY'RE CORRECT, THAT'S WONDERFUL.
THE PROBLEM IS, I'VE BEEN IN REAL ESTATE NOW FOR 10 YEARS AND THEY HAVE COME OUT WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY SAY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE.
AND SO THE ARBS APPROACH WHEN WE GO TO THESE DIFFERENT SEMINARS AND CLASSES IS FOR US TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE TAKING OUR OLD BUILDINGS OUT OF THE GUINEA PIG, AND WE'RE PULLING THEM TO THE SIDE AND SAYING, HEY, WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW THIS TO GO INTO THAT PROCESS TO FIND OUT IF THIS PAINT IS IN FACT SAFE OR NOT.
BECAUSE IN FACT, IT TAKES TIME FOR THINGS TO BE PROVEN.
AND WHAT WE'RE NERVOUS ABOUT WITH A RB IS IF WE APPROVE IT, THEY SAY IT'S SAFE.
WE COME BACK 10 YEARS LATER AND NOW THE BRICK IS DAMAGED JUST LIKE SO MUCH MORE OF OUR PROPERTIES ARE ALREADY GOING THROUGH THOSE SAME DAMAGES.
SO IT'S ABOUT CONCERN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONSIDERED.
AND IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT FOR US TO CONSIDER GOING FORWARD, WE NEED THAT INTEL.
WE NEED THAT UNDERSTANDING FROM CITY COUNCIL AS WE ARE A REPRESENTATION OF YOU GUYS FOR THE DOWNTOWN REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, MR. OTLEY? SO I'D LIKE TO REVISIT THE COMMENT ABOUT IT'S A NON-CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
SO RIGHT NOW, THIS STRUCTURE IS, IS CONSIDERED TO BE NON-CONTRIBUTING.
SO TO WHAT EXTENT DID THAT PLAY IN YOUR ROLE OR YOUR DECISION? DID YOU TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT? THE BOARD ABSOLUTELY TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE THINK ABOUT.
WE THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT WE ALSO THINK ABOUT THE PERIOD OF SIGN SIGNIFICANCE ON HOW OLD THE BUILDING IS.
AND SO FOR US, WE LOOKED AT THE BUILDING THAT WAS 110 YEARS OLD THAT'S NEVER BEEN PAINTED BEFORE.
UM, AND WE LOOKED AT THE REPAIRS THAT HE WAS SAYING NEEDED TO BE DONE, AND WE THOUGHT THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY WITHIN REASON TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED YOU TO PRESERVE THIS.
WE DID ABSOLUTELY CONSIDER THAT.
UM, SOME PEOPLE HAVE THE FRAMEWORK THAT LIKE THE DOWNTOWN SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE WAY, AND THEN THIS SECTION COULD BE CONSIDERED ANOTHER.
THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU GUYS SEND US OFF TO THESE DIFFERENT, UM, MEETINGS WHERE THE, THEY, THEY TRAIN US, THEY TRAIN US TO NOT DO THAT.
THEY TRAIN US TO LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD AT THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN AND SEE IT ALL AS SIGNIFICANT IF IT MEETS CERTAIN GUIDELINES.
AND THE BOARD FELT LIKE THIS PROPERTY DID.
SO TWO THIRDS OF THE STRUCTURE HAS ALREADY BEEN MODIFIED, WAS IN IT IS IN ADDITION.
THERE'S ONLY ONE THIRD OF THE STRUCTURE.
THAT'S THE ORIGINAL 1916, CORRECT? YEAH.
AND I, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE, THE BRICK ITSELF IS THE ONE, THE ONE I SAID IT WAS MODIFIED WAS SOUTH
[01:15:01]
MAIN STREET.SOUTH MAIN STREET WAS THE ONE THAT WAS HEAVILY MODIFIED.
THAT BRICK WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A CONCRETE BLOCK.
SO IN THAT WAY THAT THERE WASN'T THE SAME BRICK THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ON BOTH PROPERTIES.
IS IT, UH, MR. HARRIS OR MR. OKAY, GO AHEAD.
ONE IS, WHAT, WHAT IS IT ABOUT CONTRIBUTING THE FACT? WHAT IS THAT? CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT'S ABOUT? THAT'D BE A QUESTION THAT WOULD BE BETTER FOR KELLY DAVIS OR CHRIS WARD TO GIVE YOU THE FULL DEFINITION.
I, I KNOW IT FROM OUR CLASSES, BUT I I, I'D HATE TO QUOTE IT THE WRONG FOR YOU.
THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS THIS, YOU SAID DOWNTOWN REVIEW BOARD? IS THAT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE? SO WE ARE, UM, THE A RB, WE USED TO BE CALLED THE DOWNTOWN REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, THAT'S WHEN I FIRST JOINED IT.
AND THEN THAT WAS JUST GONNA BE THIS DISTRICT, THIS IS INCLUDED IN THAT.
NOW WE COVER THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS AND WE DO CITY POINT ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE.
SO THE, THE A RB COVERS THE ENTIRE CITY, RIGHT? NOT THE ENTIRE CITY, JUST THE HISTORIC DISTRICT OF THE BUSINESS, WHICH IS YOUR B ONE, AND THEN YOUR RESIDENTIAL SIDE OVER IN CITY POINT OVER IN WORLD IN WARD ONE.
SO IT, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S JUST THE ONLY PART OF THE CITY THAT'S HISTORICAL.
IT'S JUST THE PART THAT WE OVERSEE.
UM, THAT'S THE PART ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE KIND OF LOCKING THIS AREA IN IS OUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AREA, SO THAT WE PRESERVE IT SO THAT MORE INVESTMENT CAN COME IN BECAUSE WE HAVE SOMETHING UNIQUE, WHICH IS HISTORIC.
I'M NOT, THERE'S PROBABLY MORE HISTORIC BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
IT JUST DOESN'T FALL UNDERNEATH OUR PURVIEW.
THIS DOESN'T COVER THE ENTIRE CITY? NO, SIR.
JUST YOUR, YOUR B ONE AND THEN YOUR RESIDENTIAL STUFF GOING TOWARDS CITY POINT.
I I, I DON'T UN I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE A RB, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN, I, I GREW UP IN THE CITY.
NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M SEEING WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE, ARE TALKING ABOUT.
AND WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WANTS TO DO SOMETHING TO HIS BUILDING.
NOW HE'S THE OWNER OF THIS BUILDING, BUT BECAUSE THE HISTORICAL PART OF IT IS PREVENTING HIM FROM DOING THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.
AND, AND WE'RE, KEEP IN MIND, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S A GOTCHA.
I MEAN, HE, THE APPLICANT IS A LICENSED REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL, SO HE HAD FULL KNOWLEDGE, FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE RULES ARE AND WHAT WENT WITH HIS DEED OF BEING IN A HISTORICAL, UM, PROPERTY.
SO IT'S PART OF, LIKE, FOR ME, I BOUGHT A BUILDING IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT ME HERE WAS THE FACT THAT IT WAS HISTORIC.
THERE WAS HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO PROTECT THE DOWNTOWN.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE CITY DID IS THEY'VE ASKED A RB TO REVIEW.
UM, YOU GUYS APPOINTED ME TO BE ON THE BOARD TO REVIEW THESE APPLICATIONS AND TO SAY, HEY, DOES THIS FIT WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT PROTECTING OUR DOWNTOWN? AND YOUR, YOUR BOARD HAS COME TO YOU TO SAY, HEY, PLEASE DON'T APPROVE THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S BEST FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF DOWNTOWN HOPE BLOCK.
I I, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THIS A RB BECAUSE I, I'M, I'M REALLY NOT GETTING A WHOLE OF WHAT, WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HISTORICAL.
AND NOT COVER THE ENTIRE CITY BECAUSE, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I, THE, THE CITIZENS OF WAR II ELECTED ME TO COME HERE.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I GOT ANYTHING HISTORICAL IN WARD II, UH, BUT THAT YOU RECOGNIZE AS HISTORICAL.
BUT, UH, I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN IN WARD TWO THAT'S HISTORICAL TOO.
UH, AND THEY, BUT THEY WOULDN'T COME UNDER WHAT IT IS YOUR RULES, RIGHT? NO, THEY WOULDN'T COME UNDER WHAT YOU'VE ASKED US.
REMEMBER, THE CITY'S THE ONE, THE CITY COUNCIL AS A WHOLE SET UP A RB, YOU GUYS HAVE DETERMINED WHERE THE DISTRICTS LIE.
AND SO YOU'VE ASKED US TO BE APPOINTED TO THE BOARD TO SAY, HEY, WILL YOU PROTECT THIS DISTRICT FROM PROPERTY OWNERS TO DO THINGS TO, WOULDN'T LINE UP WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION? AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE, THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
WE MEET ONCE A MONTH JUST TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS ABOUT PAINTING AND DO AN EXTERIOR WORK TO BUILDINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT DAMAGING THE CORE GROUP OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF DOWNTOWN.
YEAH, MAYBE I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
UH, MAYBE I CAN SPEAK TO THE, UM, THE, A THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD OVERSEES THE TWO DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO WE HAVE A, THE CITY POINT HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WAS DESIGNATED IN THE LATE SEVENTIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THEN THERE'S THE, OUR WHOLE DOWNTOWN ISN'T, IS DESIGNATED AS AN HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO THERE'S A DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE CITY POINT HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THOSE ARE OVERSEEN BY THE ARCHITECTURAL VIEW BOARD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MR. SPEAKING TO, UM, THE FACT THAT YOU PROBABLY DO HAVE SOME HISTORIC THINGS, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE A RB
[01:20:01]
TO, UM, TO HIGHLIGHT ANYTHING THAT'S HISTORIC IN THE CITY THAT IS IN THAT, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE A RB SHOULD BE DOING.SO THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME OTHER PLACES IN THE CITY THAT NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED OKAY.
AS HISTORIC, AND PERHAPS OVER THE YEARS CAN BE DESIGNATED.
IT'S A PROCESS THAT THAT IS DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE OF THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF, OF, UM, UH, HISTORIC RESOURCES.
BUT NONETHELESS, IT, IT DOES SPEAK TO HIS COMMENT, BUT, UM, I JUST, I DON'T WANT, I WANNA SAY BEFORE WE VOTE THAT, UM, UM, I'M A FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD, VERY STRICTLY PRESERVATIONIST ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
I'M PROBABLY NOT GONNA VOTE THE WAY YOU WANT ME TO VOTE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS NOT A UNANIMOUS DECISION.
THERE WERE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE, OF THE A RB THAT, THAT ALSO FELT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU NEEDED TO GRANT MR. RAND'S, UM, REQUEST.
UM, THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT, UM, I THINK THE FACT THAT THE PAINT THERE ARE PAINTS THAT, UM, THAT DO ADDRESS THE MOISTURE ISSUES.
SO, BUT I, YOU KNOW, IT, IT PAINS ME TO NOT BE IN SYNC WITH THE A RB, BUT ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE, I MAY NOT BE.
SO, JUST WANTED TO AT LEAST BE AT THAT POINT, AND I WON'T SAY ANYMORE, EVEN WHEN THE OTHER
CAN I SAY ONE LAST THING? UH, WELL, YOUR 10 MINUTES IS ALREADY UP.
I, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR LETTING ME, UH, PRESENT THIS.
AND LIKE, LIKE MR. MS. MS. HORNER SAID THIS WAS NOT AN EASY BOAT.
UM, MY JOB IS JUST TO PRESENT WHAT THE A RB HAS ASKED ME TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND NOW AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE SIGNED UP IS MR. MARK BURROWS.
WARD THREE, AGAIN, UM, I'M NOT A BRICK SCIENTOLOGIST.
I DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BRICK OTHER THAN THEIR HEAVY.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, I AM AN AMERICAN AND I DO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM MEMORY.
I EXPECT TO DO WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH IT WITHOUT HAVING TO COME AND BEG FOR PERMISSION FROM ANY OTHER MAN, ANY OTHER PERSON OR ANY OTHER THING OTHER THAN MY WIFE.
THIS MAN BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER HE KNEW AHEAD OF TIME WHAT, HOW Y'ALL ZONED IT OR CODED IT OR WHATEVER Y'ALL WANT TO CALL IT.
IT'S HIS PROPERTY TO DO WHAT HE SEES FIT WITH.
IF THE BUILDING FALLS APART IN A HUNDRED YEARS, 'CAUSE HE PAINTED IT TODAY, WELL THAT'S HIS PROBLEM.
IF HE COMES TO HOPEWELL CITY ASKING FOR FUNDING TO REPAIR IT IN A HUNDRED YEARS, TURN AROUND AND TELL HIM P**S OFF.
'CAUSE HE WA HE PUT PUT PAIN ON IT TODAY.
BUT THAT'S HIS CHOICE TO DO SO.
I UNDERSTAND Y'ALL WANT TO KEEP THE CITY LOOKING NICE, BUT LIKE I SAID LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, I'D RATHER HAVE A PAINTED BRICK BUILDING THAT LOOKS NICE TODAY AND FALLS DOWN IN A HUNDRED YEARS THAN THE 200 FALLEN BUILDINGS WE'VE GOT TODAY THAT Y'ALL COULD BE WORRIED ABOUT.
UM, MR. ED HAUSER, ED HAUSER, WARD THREE, I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL OF THESE MEETINGS WITH MR. RAND.
UH, THE FIRST MEETING WE WENT TO ONE, THE BOARD MEMBERS DIDN'T LIKE THE COLOR.
I DIDN'T KNOW COLOR WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH STRUCTURE.
AND THEN, UH, SECOND MEETING WE WENT TO ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SAYS, WELL, WHAT IF THEY DON'T PAINT IT RIGHT? WELL, GUESS WHAT? THAT'S NOT THEIR ISSUE EITHER.
YOU KNOW WHAT, IF I CAN UNDERSTAND MR. HUGHES'S CONCERNS HERE ABOUT BUILDINGS AND MOISTURE AND SO FORTH, CAN LISTEN TO 'EM TALK ABOUT LEAD PAINT, GUESS WHAT? LEAD PAINT BACK THEN WAS THE THING.
THAT'S WHAT THEY KNEW WAS BEST.
WELL, GUESS WHAT? SAME SCENARIO RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS WHAT THEY RECOMMEND TO USE FOR THIS.
SO GUESS WHAT? THIS IS WHAT YOU GOTTA USE.
SO, YOU KNOW, HE'S TRYING TO TAKE A OLD BUILDING AND MAKE IT LOOK VERY PRESENTABLE UP TO PROPERTY VALUE, WHICH OUGHT TO BE A BENEFIT FROM Y'ALL.
WHEN THE PROPERTY VALUE GOES UP, GUESS WHAT? Y'ALL GET MORE MONEY, WHY KEEP FIGHTING THEM ON THIS ISSUE? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. HAER.
UH, MS. RANDOLPH, NO, IT LOOKS LIKE THE SAME THREE PEOPLE KEEP SPEAKING, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES.
I, UH, DOUG FROM WARD ONE, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK TO THE SAME THINGS THAT THE, THE, THE TWO GENTLEMEN BEFORE ME SPOKE OF.
AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE REASONING FOR, UH, MAIN STREET PROGRAM AND THEIR USE OF THE, UM, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR BUILDINGS.
AND IT, IT CAUSES A DILEMMA IN MY MIND THAT
[01:25:01]
RIGHT NOW IT DIDN'T APPEAR FROM WHAT WAS SAID AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WERE ADDED BY COUNSELORS AND OTHERS.SO WE REALLY HAVE, UM, A GOOD GRIP.
YEAH, WE'VE GOT THOSE GUIDELINES AND THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, BE AS, AS RIGID WITH THOSE GUIDELINES AS THEY WANNA BE.
BUT IS THAT WHERE WE REALLY WANNA BE? YES.
WE WANNA, WE WANNA PROVIDE THE CITY, UH, SOME STRUCTURAL GUIDELINES TO KEEP OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS CLEAR OF, OF CRAZY STUFF.
UM, BUT I HAVE, UH, ALSO KNOW THAT IN THE A RB IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IN WARD ONE, WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE RIGIDITY OF WHAT WAS GOING ON DOWN THERE.
AND THE CITIZENS, WHEN THIS CITY DECIDED TO ADD THAT TO THEIR DISTRICT, THEY, A LOT OF 'EM ALREADY LIVED THERE.
IT WAS PUT ON THEM, BUT IT DID NOT ALLOW PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO USE FOR SPECIFIC WINDOWS THAT WERE REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR THAT WERE SO DAMN COSTLY THAT NOBODY COULD AFFORD 'EM.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ADDRESSING HERE.
I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO DO AND WHAT THE A RB IS DOING.
AND THAT DEPARTMENT HAS ALWAYS WORKED WITH EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY WITH CODE AND EVERYTHING ELSE TRYING TO GIVE US THOSE OPTIONS.
BUT WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IS THE RIGIDITY AND WHAT YOU ALL NEED TO DISCUSS WITH THE DOWNTOWN, WITH THIS A RB AND WHERE WE WANNA BE WITH THIS.
CERTAINLY HISTORIC DOC, UH, STRUCTURES ARE GOING TO BE MORE OF A PROBLEM FOR US IN DECIDING THIS.
BUT DO WE REALLY WANNA TURN OFF BUSINESS PEOPLE FROM COMING HERE? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE DONE.
AND I KNOW THAT THE REALTORS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, AND CITY POINT BECAME FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET ANYBODY TO COME DOWN THERE AND BUY THESE STRUCTURES, THESE HOUSES BECAUSE OF THE RIGIDITY.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE GO BACK, LOOK AT IT OVERALL FOR WHAT IT'S GONNA DO FOR THE RESIDENTS, THE BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO ME THAT WE'RE STUCK IN ANYTHING THAT IS WORKABLE AS MUCH AS WE PROBABLY SHOULD.
WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE GUIDELINES, BUT WE CAN GIVE LEEWAY.
IT'S UP TO YOU ALL WITH THE A RB, DECIDE HOW MUCH LEEWAY AND TO GIVE PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO COME HERE, DO BUSINESS AND TELL 'EM HOW GREAT IT IS.
DO IT FOR MAYBE HIM AND THEN WORK ON IT GOING FORWARD.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NOW IS TIME FOR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL TO STAFF.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. DAVIS OR MR. WARD? OKAY.
SEEING, OH, I GOT, I GOT A QUESTION.
IS THERE, AFTER I'M HEARING WHAT I AM ABOUT A-R-E-A-A-R-B, IS THERE ANY PLAN TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD IS DOING THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE CITY? IS THERE ANY PLAN? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UM, ON THE SIDE OF THE CITY THAT I GREW UP IN, IT WAS, UH, PRETTY HISTORICAL TO ME.
HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW MANY OF YOU IN HERE HAVE EVER HEARD OF THE HARRIS SNACK BAR? ANYBODY? OKAY.
THAT BUILDING IS ON REVEREND CW HARRIS STREET, AND IT WAS BUILT BY REVEREND HARRIS.
AND I HAVEN'T EVER HAD ANY INDIVIDUALS TO SAY ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT IT BEING HISTORICAL, BUT IT'S HISTORICAL IN A SENSE OF WHEN IT WAS BUILT AND WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT BUILDING THAT'S STILL STANDING.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, HEY, BECAUSE WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THIS WHOLE CITY WAS BUILT UP BASED ON STUFF THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TORN DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS HISTORICAL, BUT BECAUSE IT WASN'T HISTORICAL, IT'S GONE NOW.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT, UM, I'M JUST, THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
MY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU GUYS LOOKING TO EXPAND THIS A RB THROUGH OUR, OUR ENTIRE CITY? SURE.
SO I CAN SPEAK BRIEFLY TO THAT AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH
[01:30:01]
YOU.UM, THE, WITH THE, A RECENT AMENDMENTS TO THE A RB LEGISLATION OR CITY CO CODE OF ORDINANCES, WE, IN THE CITY COUNCIL IN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, ADDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ADDITION OF INDIVIDUAL LANDMARKS TO THE, THE AREA OF A RB REVIEW.
SO INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES LIKE THE PROPERTY THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO, UM, THERE'S ANOTHER CHURCH IN THAT SAME AREA THAT WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH CURRENTLY ABOUT POTENTIAL ADDITION TO THE LANDMARK LIST.
UM, ARE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE UNDERWAY? WHAT HISTORY, THE, IS IT YOUR REVERE? THE, UM, SO THAT'S, THAT IS ONE OPTION.
THE, THERE IS NOT A CURRENT PLAN IN PLACE TO CREATE NEW HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
BUT AS VICE MAYOR JOYER JOYNER MENTIONED, THERE IS, THAT IS ONE OF THE ARBS, UH, AREAS OF EXPERTISE THAT THEY ARE, AND THEY ARE PERMITTED BY COUNSEL AND DIRECTED BY COUNSEL TO DO AS PART OF THEIR, UM, AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.
UH, THERE IS A VERY STRICT PROCESS THROUGH THE STATE IN TERMS OF REVIEWING AREAS FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UM, INCORPORATING PUBLIC INPUT ABOUT NEW HISTORIC DISTRICTS, ADDING THOSE AREAS TO THE ZONING MAP SO THAT THEY'RE CLEARLY AVAILABLE WHEN SOMEONE, UH, GOES TO LOOK AT A PROPERTY, WHETHER THEY WOULD BUY IT OR SELL IT, OR JUST GENERALLY INTERESTED IN THE PROPERTY.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S VERY, IT IS A COMPLICATED PROCESS TO PROCEED THROUGH, TO EVALUATE AND THEN ADD THOSE AREAS TO WHAT'S CALLED THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HISTORIC DISTRICT AS WELL.
UM, DOES THAT HELP TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT DOES.
I, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT'S GONNA BE DONE WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT HISTORICAL.
DOWNTOWN WAS NOT THE ONLY HISTORICAL PART OF THIS TOWN.
UH, THIS, THIS TOWN RIGHT HERE HAS A LOT OF HISTORICAL VALUE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
AND I'M, YOU KNOW, RAISING ISSUES ABOUT WHAT IT IS NOW, UH, THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, UH, IN REGARDS TO WHAT I'M HEARING IN RESPONSE TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE DOING FOR INDIVIDUALS TO COME HERE TO, TO CONDUCT BUSINESS.
I, I, I, I'M, I'M IN AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE DOING AND WE ARE DISAPPROVING BECAUSE OF SOME RULES THAT DON'T EVEN APPLY TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
YEAH, YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UM, APPROVE, UM, MR. RAND'S, UM, REQUEST TO PAINT HIS BUILDING.
UH, I DO WANT TO PUT IN THERE THAT THE PAINT SHOULD BE THE, UM, PAINT THAT IS, UM, UH, HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS APPROPRIATE FOR BRICK.
UM, THAT, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE, UM, THE STANDARD.
UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE, THE, I SECOND THAT MOTION.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND, UH, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR WHEAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS SORT OF A HOUSEKEEPING MEASURE.
UH, THERE'S A PART OF MOST LOCALITIES IN VIRGINIA'S ORDINANCES, UM, THAT, THAT DESCRIBES WHAT ITS CITY OR ITS COUNTY SEAL LOOKS LIKE.
UH, MOST, MOST COUNTIES AND CITIES ORDINANCES THEN GO ON TO REGULATE THEIR USE.
UH, THIS IS AN OVERSIGHT IN OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES HISTORICALLY.
UM, SO THIS WOULD BE ADDING LANGUAGE TO OUR, UH, TO OUR ORDINANCE ABOUT THE CITY SEAL THAT REGULATES ITS USE.
BASICALLY SAYS THAT THE CITY SEAL IS MEANT TO BE USED, UH, FOR OFFICIAL CITY DOCUMENTS, UH, ON CITY COMMUNICATIONS.
[01:35:01]
BE USED FOR THINGS LIKE ADVERTISING A PRODUCT OR FOR, UH, IN WAYS THAT WOULD, UH, IMPLY, UH, ENDORSEMENT BY THE CITY OF YOUR PRODUCT, OF YOUR CANDIDACY, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.SO, LIKE I SAID, MOST LOCALITIES IN VIRGINIA HAVE THIS, UH, AS AN OVERSIGHT.
SO THIS, THIS, THIS OFFERS ONE THAT IS, UH, SIMILAR IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE TO OTHER NEARBY LOCALITIES, UH, RICHMOND COLONIAL HEIGHTS.
UM, UH, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY HAVE SIMILAR ORDINANCES.
WELL, I WILL SAY THANK YOU, UH, MR. BASSETT FOR THIS, UH, HOUSEKEEPING MEASURE.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT THESE AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, BETWEEN YOU AND, UH, AND YOUR TEAM.
UM, WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR IT, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE IT AT THIS TIME.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE, UH, FOR, UH, ADOPTING AND REGULATING THE USE OF THE CITY SEAL AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? I, I SECOND.
MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR HARRIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MR. WARD, MEETING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, MY, I HAVE SIX ITEMS FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
UH, TONIGHT'S FIRST ONE RELATES TO, UM, SOME REMAINING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, UH, CV FUNDS THAT WERE, UH, REMAIN UNSPENT.
UM, YOU MAY REMEMBER THE CITY RECEIVED C-D-B-G-C-V FUNDS BACK IN 2020 IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE $31,202 AND 27 CENTS THAT REMAINS UNSPENT.
WE DO, UH, NEED TO ALLOCATE AND SPEND THIS MONEY IF THE CITY WANTS TO KEEP IT.
REMEMBER, THIS IS MONEY THAT CAME DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THIS REMAINING AMOUNT WOULD NEED TO BE, BE SPENT BY, UM, LATE SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO, UH, JUST SOME QUICK BACKGROUND.
UH, C-D-B-G-C-B FUNDS WERE SPECIAL FEDERAL ALLOCATION, UH, THAT WAS PROVIDED BY CONGRESS TO ADDRESS THE COVID PANDEMIC.
THESE FUNDS, UH, HAVE A VERY LIMITED RANGE OF THE TYPES OF PROJECTS IT CAN BE SPENT ON.
UH, WE USED OUR CDBG CV FUNDS FOR HOMELESS OUTREACH, UH, SERVICES PREVIOUSLY AMONGST OTHER THINGS.
AND AGAIN, THE FUNDS MUST BE SPENT BY SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, END OF SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE TRIED TO ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UH, MOST RECENTLY THE CDBG COMMITTEE, WHICH CONSISTS AT THE TIME, CONSISTED OF FOUR MEMBERS FROM CITY COUNCIL, UH, VOTED THREE TO ZERO TO RECOMMEND THE ALLOCATION OF THESE FUNDS TO THE CITY OF REFUGE FOR HOMELESS SERVICES.
AGAIN, THE AMOUNT IS 31,000 202 27.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR MY PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE WE ARE ALLOCATING FUNDS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WARD BEFORE WE OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING? HEARING NONE, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR IT, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE IT.
AT THIS TIME IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UH, CDBG UH, COVID FUND? REAPPROPRIATION, UH, AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? SECOND
MR. HARRIS, QUICK ON THAT ONE.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR HARRIS AND SECOND AB ABOVE BY, UH, UM, COUNSELOR DAY.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? SENIOR LIGHTS ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
[01:40:01]
BRING US HOME, CHRIS.SO, UH, THIS IS, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THIS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THIS EVENING.
WE'RE GONNA DO ALL FOUR, UH, CEP APPLICATIONS UP FRONT AND HOLD ONE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ALL THAT PERIOD OR FOR ALL FOUR.
SO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO EXPRESS A COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE FOUR CAN COME UP DURING THAT ONE TIME.
THIS IS OUR FIRST ONE IS 5 0 1 NORTH FOURTH.
THIS IS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON NON-CONFORMING LOT PARCEL 0 1 1 1 1 6 5.
ALSO IDENTIFIED AS 5 0 1 NORTH FOURTH AVENUE.
THE APPLICANT'S TRUCK PROPERTIES, LLC, UH, WHO IS SERVING AS AN AGENT FOR THE OWNER.
THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN WARD ONE AND ZONED RO FOUR.
UM, IT'S RIGHT NEAR THREE AND A HALF STREET PARK, LITERALLY ACROSS THE STREET.
UH, THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE IN RO FOUR IS 60 FEET WIDE AND 7,200 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL IS 57 FEET WIDE AND ONLY 5,415 SQUARE FEET.
SO THE NONCONFORMITIES ARE IN THE WIDTH AND TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT A ONE STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
IT'S THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, 1,440 SQUARE FEET.
SOME ELEVATIONS HERE OF WHAT THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE WILL LOOK LIKE.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT, UH, A HOME THAT IS, UH, A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE HOMES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT AVERAGE SIZE OF THE EXISTING HOMES IS JUST OVER 1000 SQUARE FEET.
APPLICANT'S PROPOSING VITAL SIDING, WHICH IS COMMON.
AND OF COURSE OUR, UH, ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT THE STRUCTURE WILL MEET THE RO FOUR SETBACKS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS APPLICATION WITH OUR STANDARD CONDITIONS.
UM, YOU'RE, I'M SURE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THESE, BUT FOR THE AUDIENCE I'LL JUST STATE THAT THEY ARE, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES ALONG ALL ROOF EDGES.
UH, MINIMUM, UH, TREE CANOPY COVERAGE OF 20%, DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE BRICK OR STONE FOUNDATION ON ALL FOUR SIDES.
FOUNDATION PLANNINGS IN THE FRONT.
AND ESSENTIALLY THAT THE STRUCTURE THAT WILL BE BUILT IF APPROVED, WILL, UH, BE IN SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH THE ELEVATION PLANS THAT I SHOWED YOU EARLIER.
THE, UH, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF THIS, BUT PLANNING COURT COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS APPLICATION WAS A FIVE TO ZERO VOTE THAT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENT TO DATE.
AND AGAIN, UM, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
I HAVE TO GET USED TO THIS TOO, TO THE NEXT ONE BEFORE WE HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OUR NEXT ONE IS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR 2 38 EAST BROADWAY.
THIS ONE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE OUR B ONE ORDINANCE REQUIRES A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUM CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS IS NOT A NON-CONFORMING LOT, IT'S JUST THAT THE, UM, APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO HAVE, UH, SECOND FLOOR APARTMENTS THAT ARE SMALLER THAN WHAT THE ORDINANCE DICTATES.
THE APPLICANT IS PHILLIP HUGHES.
HE'S THE OWNER OF BROADWAY BUILDING LLC.
THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN WARD TWO AND ZONED B ONE.
THE B ONE ORDINANCE STATES THAT RESIDENTIAL UNITS UNDER 700 SQUARE FEET AVERAGE MUST, UH, OBTAIN A, A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION.
SOME MAPS HERE, THE ONE ON THE LEFT SHOWS IT'S MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT IT'S OUTLINED IN BLUE, IS THE LOCATION OF THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, UM, IS THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
I'VE PUT A BOX AROUND THE DOOR THAT WOULD BE THE PRIMARY, UH, ENTRANCE AND EXIT UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR APARTMENTS.
SO THE, UH, APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TWO SECOND FLOOR APARTMENTS ON AVERAGE WOULD BE LESS THAN 700 SQUARE FEET.
UM, THIS IS A SKETCH FLOOR PLAN OF WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
[01:45:04]
SO THE APPLICANT'S POSITION FOR THIS IS THAT THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE BUILDING PREVENTS EXPANDING SECOND FLOOR AREA TO ACCOMMODATE LARGER UNITS.UM, THE UNITS WILL HAVE FULL KITCHEN WITHIN UNIT WASHER AND DRYER, AND THAT IS UNCOMMON TYPICALLY FOR A STUDIO APARTMENT AND THE MIXED USE, WHICH MEANS THE RESIDENTIAL USE ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND THE COMMERCIAL USE ON THE GROUND FLOOR IS A PRIMARY GOAL OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
STAFF'S ANALYSIS IS THAT, UH, ON THE SECOND FLOOR, THIS SPACE IN A PREVIOUS ITERATION WAS USED AS ARTIST STUDIOS.
AND, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT HAD LIMITED SUCCESS AT THE TIME WHEN THE GROUND FLOOR WAS OPERATED.
UH, PRIMARILY AS A COFFEE SHOP.
SECOND FLOOR UNITS WILL HAVE A SEPARATE DEDICATED ENTRANCE THAT KEEPS RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES SEPARATE.
UH, MIXED USE IS SUPPORTED OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND DOES ADHERE TO A CORE PRINCIPLE OF TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN, WHICH IS THROUGHOUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
STUDIO APARTMENTS, YES, THEY ARE SMALL, UH, BUT THEY DO ADD A VARIED HOUSING OPTION IN DOWNTOWN.
AND THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE OTHER MIXED USE PROPERTIES ALONG THAT SECTION OF EAST BROADWAY.
STAFF DOES RECOMMEND, UH, APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS THAT TRASH RECEPTACLES SERVING.
THESE RESIDENTIAL UNITS WILL NOT BE STORED IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, UH, OR ON THE SIDE.
THERE'S A CONCRETE PATIO ON THE SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE AND THAT THEY WILL NOT BE STORED THERE EITHER.
UH, APARTMENT ADDRESSES, INCLUDING UNIT NUMBERS, WILL BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED ON THE SECOND FLOOR ENTRYWAY DOOR.
AND THAT'S TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY SERVICES, FIRE AND POLICE PRIMARILY.
AND THAT SECOND FLOOR WINDOW COVERINGS WILL BE LIMITED TO BLINDS OR DRAPERIES THAT MUST BE MAINTAINED IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION.
UH, OTHER COVERINGS, UM, ESSENTIALLY ARE NOT PERMITTED.
UH, PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL OR DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL IS APPLICATION.
THEY DID MODIFY ONE OF STAFF'S REC RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
THEN TO ADD, UH, THE PHRASE THAT THE, UM, SECOND FLOOR WINDOW COVERINGS WOULD ALSO BE UNIFORM ACROSS ALL WINDOWS.
SO THAT, THAT WAS A GOOD OBSERVATION ON THEIR PART.
AND THAT IS, UH, THE MODIFICATION THAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING.
UH, WE'VE RECEIVED NO PUBLIC COMMENT TO DATE.
MR. HUGHES IS HERE THIS EVENING.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HIM OR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE THIRD ONE.
AGAIN, WE HAVE ANOTHER CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST AS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE.
THIS ONE RELATES TO PARCEL 0 3 2 0 100 LOCATED ON COOPER AVENUE.
UH, THE APPLICANT AND OWNER ARE THE SAME.
AND THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED WARD SIX AND ZONED R TWO.
THE R TWO STATES THAT IF YOU WANT TO BUILD A DUPLEX, UH, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
SO THE PARCEL IS CONFORMING, IT'S JUST THE ORDINANCE THAT'S GUIDING THE CEP PROCESS.
IF THE MAP HERE ON THE LEFT, THE GENERAL, UM, OR A CLOSE IN, UH, VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, THE GENERAL LOCATION, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO CONSTRUCT A TWO STORY DUPLEX.
UH, WITH EACH UNIT BEING APPROXIMATELY 1200 SQUARE FEET, THAT WOULD BE, EACH UNIT WOULD BE THREE BEDROOM, TWO AND A HALF BATH.
UM, CURRENTLY THIS IS A LARGE VACANT, SOMEWHAT OVERGROWN LOT THERE ON THE CORNER.
UM, AND THE APPLICANT IS SUGGESTING THAT THEY WILL BE BRINGING NICE NEW HOUSING TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THAT PREVIOUS SLIDE THERE, THAT'S SOMEWHAT OF THE LOT PLAN THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
AND THEN, UH, FOUR PLANS AS WELL.
OTHER DUPLEXES ALREADY EXIST IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN FACT, THERE'S, THERE'S ONE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, STAFF WERE CLOSELY WITH THE ARCHITECT AND THE OWNER ON THIS.
AND, UM, THE DE THE STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE DESIGN IS MINDFUL OF MATERIALS, THE STYLE, THE SCALE, THE SIDING, AND THE LAYOUT OF, UM, THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT FEELS THAT IT'S, IT WOULD BE A NICE COMPLIMENT TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT THE PROJECT GENERALLY SUPPORTS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION OF VARYING HOUSING TYPES AND IT WOULD BE INFILL DEVELOPMENT OF AN UNDERUTILIZED LOT.
[01:50:01]
STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, UH, THAT LOT 18 R WHICH IS, IT'S CURRENTLY, UM, ONE SINGLE LOT THAT IT WILL BE SUBDIVIDED TO ACCOMMODATE THE ZERO LOT LINE DUPLEX, WHICH WILL ENABLE THE OWNER AND DEVELOPER TO SELL THESE UNITS INDIVIDUALLY TO OWNER OCCUPANTS.THERE WILL BE 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES ALONG ALL ROOF EDGES.
20% TREE CANOPY DRIVEWAYS WILL BE OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE AND BRICK OR STONE FOUNDATION ON ALL FOUR SIDES, ALONG WITH FOUNDATION PLANTINGS IN THAT, UM, THE NEW STRUCTURE WILL BE IN SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH THE DESIGNS AS PRESENTED TO YOU.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL THREE TO ZERO WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
WE'VE RECEIVED NO COMMENTS TO DATE AND, UH, THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE, UH, IS HERE THIS EVENING IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HIM OR QUESTIONS FOR ME.
AND THEN OUR FINAL ONE IS ANOTHER CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THIS ONE IS FOR 1004 ELM STREET.
SO, UM, 1004 ELM STREET PARCEL 0 4 2 0 6 3 0.
REQUEST TO USE PROPERTY AS A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING IN, IN THE B THREE HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
THE APPLICANT IS BLUE FISH, BLUE FISH CONTRACTOR, LLC.
THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN WARD SIX AND ZONE B THREE B THREE REQUIRES THAT IN ORDER TO USE A PROPERTY FOR SINGLE FAMILY, UH, YOU MUST RECEIVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST.
REMEMBER, A B THREE IS A TYPICALLY, UM, OR GENERALLY A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
ON THE LEFT SIDE HERE YOU CAN SEE THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT IT'S A CLOSEUP VIEW.
THIS IS RIGHT NORTH DUE NORTH OF CAVALIER SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ZONING HERE IS, IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL.
UM, I WOULD SAY, UH, YOU'VE GOT LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, WHICH IS M1 DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET.
UH, THIS IS PART OF B THREE, WHICH IS CA CAVALIER SQUARE AND DOES EXTEND WESTWARD AND SOUTHWARD.
AND THEN OF COURSE R FOUR, WHICH IS A HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, UH, COMPLETELY ADJACENT TO ALL OF THIS.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, 1,610 SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURE WITH VINYL SIDING.
THESE ARE THE SIDE ELEVATIONS.
PROPOSED HOUSE WILL HAVE HIGH QUALITY, APPEARANCE COMPATIBLE AND SCALE AND CHARACTER WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THE APPLICANT'S ALSO STATING THAT THE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING USE REFLECTS THE SOUNDING, THE SURROUNDING USES, WHICH IS CORRECT.
UM, ALL THE OTHER STRUCTURES ON THIS PARTICULAR BLOCK ARE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
THE ZONING ITSELF REFLECTS HISTORICAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAVALIER SQUARE MALL, CAVALIER SQUARE MALL, AND THAT THE USE WILL BE IN HARMONY WITH THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS REQUEST FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES SUPPORT RESIDENTIAL INFILL DE DEVELOPMENT.
SPECIFICALLY IN THIS AREA, IT IS CALLED OUT SPECIFICALLY.
AND SECONDLY, THE PROPOSED DWELLING WILL BE COMPATIBLE IN SCALE, SIZE, MATERIALS AND USE WITH THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
THIS IS PROBABLY, UH, A GOOD AREA, UH, STAFF.
STAFF HAS HAD THEIR EYE ON THIS AREA FOR A WHILE, BUT WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU LATER THIS YEAR WITH POTENTIAL ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS, THIS AREA, UH, WE WILL BE TAKING A GOOD LOOK AT THIS AREA TO MAKE SURE IT'S ZONED PROPERLY.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING AND A LITTLE BIT MIXED UP.
UM, WE ARE AGAIN RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH THE SAME STANDARD, UM, CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH.
AGAIN, THAT THEY WILL BE THE LAST ONE BEING THAT IT'LL BE IN SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH THE DESIGNS AS PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT.
PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDS APPROVAL FOUR TO ZERO WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
AGAIN, I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? ALRIGHT.
[01:55:01]
I ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP.UM, I CAN'T MAKE OUT WHAT THE FIRST NAME IS.
I'M GONNA GO WITH THE MR. OR MRS. RILEY.
I'M ACTUALLY REPRESENTING THE CONTRACTOR.
SO IF THERE WAS NO, UM, QUESTIONS THEN WE'RE COMPLETELY FINE.
WHICH CONTRACTOR? I MEAN, IT WAS FOR THE LAST ONE.
UH, MR. BASSETT, DO YOU PREFER INDIVIDUAL MOTIONS OR CAN WE BLANKET THIS? IF, IF YOU EXPECT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE THE SAME VOTE FOR EACH ONE, FEEL FREE TO TAKE A SINGLE MOTION AND A VOTE MOTION.
AND I WILL SAY THIS IS FIRST READING ON ALL OF THESE, BUT THESE WERE ONES THAT WERE DELAYED FROM THE MEETING THAT WAS CANCELED IN JANUARY.
SO, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO VOTE ON THESE TONIGHT.
THIS IS, Y'ALL DID A GREAT JOB.
I MEAN THIS, EVERYTHING IS JUST PERFECT.
AND MALIKA OVER HERE HASN'T EVEN BEEN ON THE JOB FOR A MONTH AND HE'S GETTING HOUSING STOCK IMPROVEMENTS.
WELL AT THIS TIME IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS FOR 5 0 1 NORTH FOURTH AVENUE? 2 38 EAST BROADWAY? UH, 1 1 0 4 COOPER AND 1 0 0 4 ELM STREET AS PRESENTED TONIGHT.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR DAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. MAYOR, MAY I ASK FOR SOME CLARIFICATION? YEAH.
IN TERMS OF THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE BEING APPROVED OR IS THE MOTION TO ACCEPT ALL OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDED? YES.
RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS EXCEPT FOR THE ONE WHERE PLANNING COMMISSION ADDED THAT MODIFICATION.
SEEING THE LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
YOU AND, UH, OH, FOR NINE O'CLOCK.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SECOND MOVE BEFORE YOU ADJOURN.
EARLIER THIS EVENING, THERE WAS COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, UH, COMMENTS I MADE AT THE LAST, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEETING.
LET ME SAY THAT, UH, I APOLOGIZED TO THIS COUNCIL FOR THAT MOMENT OF BEING HUMAN AND SAID SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS NOT CHARACTERISTIC OF, UH, OF MY NATURE.
SO I TRULY APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY CITIZEN THAT, UH, WAS OFFENDED BY THAT COMMENT.
AND, UH, I'LL, UH, CONTINUE TO BE MY NORMAL COOL SELF HERE.
BUT, UH, THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS UNFORTUNATE.
BUT I DO APOLOGIZE TO THIS COUNCIL AND, AND, AND THE COMMUNITY FOR, UH, THAT UNFORTUNATE SLIP OF MY TALK.
ALRIGHT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.