[00:00:01]
WE'RE GONNA[Call to order and roll call]
GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR? I PARDON? HERE.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ALLOW MR. HARRIS TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY TO MOVE? SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
UH, MR. HARRIS, FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU STATE WHERE YOU'RE CONDUCTING THE MEETING FROM? I'M CONDUCTING IT FROM HOME FOR MEDICAL REASONS.
COUNCILOR ELLIS, VICE MAYOR JOYNER? YES.
AND AT THIS TIME, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO INCLUDE AN R SIX FOR RECOGNITION OF CITY EMPLOYEES? SO, MOVE.
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL GIVE IT TO COUNCILOR WHEAT.
MOTION WAS MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR.
WE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
[CLOSED MEETING]
ALRIGHT.MOVING ON TO OUR CLOSED SESSION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11, A THREE EIGHT AND 29 TO DISCUSS THE ACQUISITION OR 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 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.
AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE AND EIGHT TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS.
BEACON THEATER BOARD, LIBRARY BOARD, WETLANDS BOARD, BRIGHT POINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND SALARY SUPPLEMENTS.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY, UH, COUNCILOR OLI AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR? PARDON? HERE.
ALRIGHT, UH, CERTIFICATION PLEASE.
CERTIFICATION UNDER VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 3 7 1.
EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY, I, I JUMPED THE GUN.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO COME AT A CLOSED MEETING? SO MOVE.
CERTIFICATION UNDER VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH THREE SEVEN 2D WERE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPT FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
JOHN, IS THAT HARRIS? YEAH, I THINK THAT, OKAY.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH CERTIFICATION.
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TO TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, THIS IS A VERY, UH, EXCITING MEETING.
IT'S A MEETING THAT'S BEEN LONG, UH, WAITED FOR.
UH, AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL STAY, UH, TONIGHT, UH, THROUGH THE WHOLE MEETING, UH, AS WE DO HAVE SOME LIGHT REFRESHMENTS, UH, FROM THE GOOD NEWS AND CELEBRATION OF, UH, SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING HERE IN THIS, UH, IN THIS CITY.
[00:05:02]
[REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER]
THAT, UH, WE'LL START OUT WITH OUR REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, COUNCIL.THIS IS, REPRESENTS A, A, UH, A LONG JOURNEY FOR, UH, UH, FOR THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THIS CITY.
SO, FINALLY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY TONIGHT, AND YOU'LL SAY MORE ABOUT THAT, THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL HAS COMPLETED A FUN, THE FUNDAMENTAL TASK OF, UH, CLEARING UP ITS BOOKS EVERY YEAR WE'VE GOTTEN CAUGHT UP.
AND, UH, THEN THE OBJECTIVE IS TO STAY CAUGHT UP GOING FORWARD.
AND WITH THE NEW CITY MANAGER AND WITH THE FINANCE STAFF WE HAVE, UH, HAVE IN PLACE.
AND WITH THE COOPERATION SUPPORT OF THE TREASURER AND THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE, I, I HAVE NO, NO DOUBT THAT THE CITY WILL DO THAT.
SO, UH, MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, TO ALL OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS AND WE LOOK TO HEAR MORE.
UH, FIRST OFF, UH, MAYOR COUNCIL, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, UH, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE RESULTS OF THE, UH, EMPLOYEE OPINION SURVEY.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE COMMENTS I MADE THEN WAS THAT WHEN YOU ASK EMPLOYEES THEIR OPINION AND THEY TELL YOU YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING, UH, IN RESPONSE.
SO TONIGHT I'M GONNA ASK, UH, CHIEF RUPERT TO REPORT ON, UM, UH, THE WORK OF A GROUP OF, UH, DIRECTORS THAT I ASKED TO WORK ON THIS.
AND TO COME BACK WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS OF HOW WE, UH, ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
ALRIGHT, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU TONIGHT.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE, THE, UH, PLAN THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, UH, MAJOR CONCERNS THAT WERE, UM, IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE SURVEY.
SO, UM, THERE WERE THREE PRIMARY, UH, OR PRIORITY, I SHOULD SAY, UM, UH, AREAS THAT THE, UH, VENDOR INDICATED TO US THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON.
THOSE WERE, UH, WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT, RELATIONSHIP WITH UPPER MANAGEMENT AND PAY.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO A NUMBER OF SECONDARY PRIORITIES, INCLUDING, UH, A FEW OF THOSE WHICH ARE, UH, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE CITY, UH, EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, UH, QUALITY OF WORKFORCE AMONG A FEW OTHERS.
UH, WHAT WE, AS THE DIRECTORS THAT, UH, THE CITY MANAGER TASKED US TO DO IS WE LOOKED AT THOSE AND, UH, WE TRIED TO COME UP WITH, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD RECOMMEND AS OPTIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE, THE NEW CITY MANAGER COMING IN TO, UM, LOOK AT HOW WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
SO YOU HAVE A COPY, UH, IN THE, IN YOUR PACKET OF WHAT WE DEVELOPED.
AND I'LL JUST GO OVER A COUPLE OF THOSE REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, PAY WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WAS IDENTIFIED AS SOMETHING THAT CITY EMPLOYEES WANTED, UM, THE CITY TO LOOK AT.
UH, WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO IMPROVE ON THAT WE, OF WHICH IS, UH, UH, IMPLEMENTING A PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
UH, MANY OF US, ANY OF YOU WHO KNOW, YOU KNOW, BEEN IN THE WORKPLACE, YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S CERTAINLY, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT RISE TO THE TOP, UH, THAT JUST PUT FORTH THAT EXTRA EFFORT AND, AND REALLY, UH, DEMONSTRATE A HIGH LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY AND, AND CAPABILITY.
AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, REWARDING THOSE, UH, PEOPLE WITH A, AN A PROGRAM THAT WOULD GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL PERCENTAGE, UH, IN THEIR, IN THEIR PAY, WOULD HELP TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO CONTINUE TO WORK HARD AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT HIGH LEVEL OF, UH, PERFORMANCE.
UH, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS, UH, NEED TO BE LIMITED, UH, TO A, A CERTAIN NUMBER.
A, A SUGGESTED, UH, A NUMBER IS ABOUT 10%, UH, OF THE WORKFORCE.
AND, AND CERTAINLY I THINK WE NEED TO, UH, BE A LITTLE FLEXIBLE WITH THAT DEPENDING ON WHERE WE LAND.
BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE, A GOOD TARGET PERCENTAGE.
UM, AND CERTAINLY ANY DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD BE, UH, THAT, THAT LESS THAN 10% WOULD BE LESS THAN ONE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO GIVE AT LEAST ONE EMPLOYEE WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT, UM, THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THAT.
BUT WE THINK THAT THAT WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT ARE THE MOST HIGH PERFORMERS TO CONTINUE TO PERFORM HIGH AND, AND TO DO WHAT THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY DO FOR THE CITY.
UH, THE OTHER OPTION THAT, THE OTHER THING THAT WE LOOKED AT IN THAT WAS, UM, THE, THE METHODOLOGY.
WHEN WE DO EVALUATIONS, UH, A LOT OF TIMES, UH, LIKE WITH OUR, OUR CURRENT, THE STUDY THAT WE JUST CAME OUT OF, A LOT OF TIMES THE COMPANIES WILL LOOK AT, UH, THE ENTIRE BAND OF PAY FOR A SPECIFIC JOB TITLE AND NOT REALLY LOOK AT THE REAL, UH, THE REAL TIME PAY OF AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF EXPERIENCE, UH, NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, UH, AND WHAT THEY'RE BEING PAID IN THOSE OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO COMPARE, UH, RATHER THAN JUST THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE, UH, SPREAD.
AND SO, UH, WE THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE DONE THAT, AND THAT ALLOWS THERE TO BE A REAL TRUE APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON.
AND WE THINK THAT GOING FORWARD, AS THE CITY DOES, UH, OTHER STUDIES THAT IF THEY WERE TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULAR AT THAT, THAT MIGHT ASSIST US
[00:10:01]
WITH GETTING, UH, ON TARGET FOR SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT MIGHT STILL FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN LEFT BEHIND BASED ON PEOPLE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE THEIR SIMILAR EXPERIENCE AND, AND, AND SIMILAR PAY.UM, SECOND, WE LOOKED AT ENHANCING THE WORKFORCE ENVIRONMENT.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASKED THE VENDOR FOR WHEN WE WENT TO DO THIS WAS SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, GRANULAR INFORMATION ON THIS.
WE FELT LIKE THIS IS NOT AN EASY ONE SIZE FITS ALL SUGGESTION BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, UH, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING FOR, FOR INSTANCE, ADDITIONAL WORK FROM HOME TIME, UH, WOULD WORK FOR SOME DEPARTMENTS, BUT THEN CERTAINLY PLACES LIKE PUBLIC WORKS OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S REALLY NOT GONNA APPLY.
AND SO WE WANTED TO KNOW WHERE THE BIGGEST CONCERN WHEN THIS CAME, CAME FROM AS FAR AS WHERE THE MAIN DEPARTMENTS THAT HAD THOSE CONCERNS.
AND SO, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE VENDOR, UH, THEY DID GET US THAT INFORMATION BACK, BUT IT CAME AFTER WE HAD COMPLETED THIS.
SO WE DO FEEL LIKE WE DO NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS ONE MORE TIME AFTER LOOKING AT THAT DATA.
BUT SOME OF THE, KIND OF THE, THE LOW HANGING FRUIT, FOR INSTANCE, THAT WE CAME UP WITH IS, UM, INCREASING THE FLEXIBILITY OF SCHEDULES WHERE THAT'S APPLICABLE AND THAT MAY, UH, VARY BASED ON DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT FEEDS INTO RIGHT INTO THAT NEXT ONE, UH, AS, AS WELL AS, UH, POSSIBLY EXPANDING, UH, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, UM, BY, BY PERHAPS GIVING 'EM SOME TIME OFF ON THEIR BIRTHDAY OR THEIR ANNIVERSARY.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, CONTINUING THE WORK THAT THE WELLNESS AND THE, THE WELLNESS COMMITTEE AND THE VISION COMMITTEE ARE DOING.
THEY'RE DOING GOOD WORK AND I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO CONTINUE THAT AND ENHANCE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, AND THEN ABOVE THAT, I THINK LOOKING BACK AT THAT DATA, WE MAY BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A, A NUMBER OF OTHER ITEMS THAT MIGHT BE, UH, MORE SPECIFIC TO WHERE THE CONCERNS ARE COMING.
UH, AS FAR AS THE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT IS CONCERNED, UH, STRENGTHENING THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH UPPER UPPER MANAGEMENT, WE FELT LIKE, UH, THAT WAS SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS GIVEN.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE THING, ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS WAS THE CITY MANAGERS, UH, UH, REPORT THAT COMES OUT TO ALL YOU COUNSELORS.
IT MAY BE A GOOD THING TO PASS THAT ON TO ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
SO THEY GET TO SEE AN UPDATE OF WHERE THE CITY IS AND THE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON SO THEY CAN GET EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRESS THAT'S MAYBE HAPPENING IN ONE OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF OTHERWISE.
UM, ALSO ENCOURAGING, UH, THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE SOME SEMI-ANNUAL UPDATES TO ALL EMPLOYEES, WHETHER THAT'S IN PERSON AT, SAY THE CITY LUNCHEON, UH, THE CITY EMPLOYEE LUNCHEON, OR THROUGH AN EMAIL THAT JUST GIVES, UH, THAT ADDITIONAL CONNECTION FROM UPPER MANAGEMENT DOWN TO THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, FOLKS THAT ARE, UM, OUT THERE DOING GOOD WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THEN FINALLY PROMOTING LEADERSHIP BY PRESENCE.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST AT THE CITY MANAGER LEVEL, BUT AT THE DIRECTOR LEVEL AND AT THE MANAGER LEVEL THAT THEY WOULD, UH, BE OUT THERE AMONGST THEIR FOLKS MORE OFTEN AND, AND BE MORE CONNECTED TO THEIR PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH THEM.
UM, WE ALSO HAD A COUPLE SUGGESTIONS ON ENCOURAGING DIALOGUE, INCLUDING HAVING, UH, UH, REGULAR TOWN HALL MEETINGS INSIDE OF EACH DEPARTMENT WITH THE DIRECTOR TO GIVE EMPLOYEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THEIR DIRECTOR DIRECTLY AND, AND GIVE FEEDBACK ON SOME QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE OR, OR COMMENTS THAT THEY HAVE ON, ON THE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS.
UM, NUMBER FOUR WAS IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.
UH, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THERE THAT WE LOOKED AT IS, IS COMMUNICATING, UH, MORE OFTEN IN MORE WAYS WITH, WITH ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS BY, UH, UH, IN IMPROVING ON OUR INTRANET AND, AND HOW WE POST INFORMATION THERE FOR, FOR ACCESS FROM OUR EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS USING HOPEWELL ALERTS, UH, TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
THINGS LIKE CITY CLO, UH, CITY OFFICE CLOSURES, UH, DURING SEVERE WEATHER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, CREATING ADDITIONAL WAYS TO COMMUNICATE AMONGST ALL THE EMPLOYEES.
UH, LIKE HAVING A, A WAY FOR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS AND THEN IF THOSE SUGGESTIONS ARE ACCEPTED AND IMPLEMENTED, THAT THEY RECEIVE, UH, SOME KIND OF AWARD.
FINALLY, WE LOOKED AT INVESTMENT IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYEES.
WE KNOW OUR EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE CERTAINLY OUR, OUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET.
AND SO A COUPLE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT, THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL INTERNAL TRAINING.
SO WHETHER THAT'S ONBOARDING AND, AND, AND LEARNING ADDITIONAL THINGS IF THEY, IF THEY'RE GONNA BE A MUNI USER TO PROVIDE THEM SOME ADDITIONAL MUNICH TRAINING.
UH, ALSO, UH, MAYBE, UH, DO SOME, UH, QUARTERLY LUNCH AND LEARN WITH TOPICS THAT MIGHT INTEREST CITY EMPLOYEES, UH, THAT WOULD IMPACT THEM ON THE JOB, BUT ALSO, UH, IN THEIR PRIVATE LIFE LIKE CPR.
UM, AND FINALLY WE LOOKED AT EXPANDING ACCESS TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNICAL TRAINING.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE.
THE, THE CITY DOES HAVE A, UH, COLLEGE REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM, BUT ALSO THERE'S A, A NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT OFFER A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT CAN, UH, ENHANCE AN EMPLOYEE'S, UH, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF, OF HOW THEY DO THEIR JOB.
AND SO, UH, FINDING WAYS TO PARTNER WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND ALLOW THOSE, UH, TRAININGS TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR EMPLOYEES, I THINK OVER THE LONG
[00:15:01]
ONE WILL NOT ONLY DEVELOP HELP TO DEVELOP OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO HELP THEM TO, UH, FEEL APPRECIATED AND, AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING DEVELOPED.ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THOSE THINGS? QUESTIONS? UH, I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS.
IF YOU WANNA, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THOSE ON THE COMMITTEE WITH YOU.
I, I CERTAINLY SHOULD DONE THAT.
UH, OUR, OUR HW OUR DIRECTOR WAS, UH, MATT WAS ON OUR COMMITTEE AS WELL AS OUR, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, UH, AND OUR, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR AND, UM, PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, MOVING ON TO OUR, UH, NEXT PART OF YOUR REPORT, MR. BASSETT.
UM, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE BIT, UH, OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
I DON'T NORMALLY SPEAK DURING THESE, BUT, UM, COUNSELORS, WE'VE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS SURROUNDING WHY THE CITY HAS ISSUED BONDS RECENTLY.
SO I DECIDED TO WRITE UP SOME NOTES ABOUT WHY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WOULD ISSUE BONDS INSTEAD OF SPENDING MONEY ON HAND OR MONEY THAT HAS BEEN INVESTED, UH, THEMSELVES, THAT WE'VE BEEN INVESTING OURSELVES.
AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU, FORGIVE ME, IN THE PAST LIFE I WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER AND I'M AFRAID THAT THAT IS GOING TO SHOW THE OTHER NIGHT.
BUT I'M GONNA DO MY BEST TO KEEP THIS AS BRIEF AS AS POSSIBLE.
SO FIRST, UM, SOME FUNDS ARE USED RESTRICTED.
UH, MANY OF THE CITY'S FUNDS ARE USED RESTRICTED BY LAW, EVEN WHEN THERE'S A BALANCE IN THESE FUNDS THAT MONEY CAN'T BE USED TO PAY FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
NOW, THERE'S BEEN CONCERN ABOUT THE CITY HAVING BEEN BROKE.
UM, IN THE CASE OF HOPEWELL, THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY TRUE.
THE CITY HAS REMAINED CASHFLOW POSITIVE, EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN TIGHT TIMES.
UH, INSTEAD, HOPEWELL HAS HISTORICALLY SUFFERED SOME MISMANAGEMENT OF ITS FUNDS, WHICH HAS SHOWN UP AS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY INTO THE BALANCES AND THEIR USES, AS WELL AS INAPPROPRIATELY USING FUNDS THAT WERE COMMITTED IN ONE PLACE, UH, FOR OTHER PROJECTS AND GENERALLY HAVING POOR OVERSIGHT OF THEIR USE.
UM, SECOND, THE CITY NEEDS TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL STABILITY AND A SAFETY NET.
UH, CITIES NEED TO KEEP RESERVES TO HANDLE EMERGENCIES LIKE STORMS, INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURES, MAINTAIN SERVICES DURING RECESSIONS AND AVOID SUDDEN TAX INCREASES OR SERVICE CUTS.
UH, FINANCIAL ADVISORS RECOMMEND THAT, UH, THAT A CITY LIKE OURS HAVE RESERVES OF BETWEEN TWO AND SIX MONTHS OF THE CITY'S OPERATING EXPENSES.
AND THAT'S IN JUST STRAIGHT LIQUID CASH ON HAND.
UM, HOPEWELL KEEPS ABOUT TWO MONTHS WORTH OF, OF OF AVERAGE ANNUAL, UM, EXPENDITURES ON HAND AS AS AS LIQUID CASH.
SO THESE ARE FUNDS THAT NEVER GET TOUCHED EXCEPT IN, IN EXTREME EMERGENCIES.
SOME FUNDS NEED TO BE INVESTED AND NOT SPENT.
UM, THINK OF THESE AS OUR EXTENDED RESERVES.
THEY'RE NOT COMPLETELY LIQUID CASH BECAUSE THEY CAN TAKE SOME TIME TO WITHDRAW.
UM, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OF COURSE, THEY FLUCTUATE WITH THE MARKET THAT THEY'RE INVESTED IN.
OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS RECOMMEND THAT WE KEEP AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO 10% OF OUR YEARLY BUDGET IN INVESTMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT THAT 10% INVESTED, AND WE TEND YEAR ON YEAR TO GET A 6.72% RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT, WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT INFLATION.
SO, UH, SHARING THE COST BETWEEN CURRENT RESIDENTS AND FUTURE RESIDENTS, THAT'S TO SAY THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY A BOND MAY BE TAKEN OUT.
SO LARGE PROJECTS LIKE PAVING, SCHOOL RENOVATIONS AND UPGRADED WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE ARE EXPECTED TO LAST DECADES.
AND WHEN YOU PAY FOR THOSE WITH BONDS, THAT IS CURRENT RESIDENTS AS WELL AS FUTURE RESIDENTS PAYING THE COST OF THOSE LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.
UM, WHEN YOU PAY WITH CASH ON HAND OR WHEN YOU PAY BY LIQUIDATING MONEY THAT'S INVESTED, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY YOUR CURRENT RESIDENCE TODAY, PAYING THE FULL COST OF SOMETHING THAT IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE 5, 10, 15, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, FROM NOW AS WELL.
SO WHY WOULD YOU ISSUE A BOND INSTEAD OF DIPPING INTO THOSE INVESTMENT FUNDS? PAYING CASH MIGHT SOUND FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE.
UM, WHEN YOU HEAR THAT THE CITY HAS MILLIONS IN RESERVES, IT SOUNDS LIKE UNUSED CASH.
UM, SO THE CITY SHOULD ISSUE BONDS INSTEAD OF DIPPING INTO INVESTMENT FUNDS WHEN THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE WOULD PAY OUT ON THE BOND IS GONNA BE LESS THAN THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE EXPECT TO BRING IN FROM OUR
[00:20:01]
INVESTMENTS.SO IF WE ARE ISSUING BONDS THAT COST US 5% AND WE ARE MAKING INVESTMENTS THAT BRING US IN 7%, IT MAKES SENSE TO KEEP THE INVESTMENT AND ISSUE THE BOND.
WHAT ABOUT SELLING PROPERTY? WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY OWNING A NUMBER OF PIECES OF PROPERTY.
UM, SELLING PROPERTY CAN SEEM LIKE A GOOD ALTERNATIVE.
AND SOMETIMES IT IS, SOMETIMES IT'S PRECISELY WHAT THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING, BUT PROPERTY IS JUST LIKE AN INVESTMENT IN THE MARKETS.
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO SELL AN INVESTMENT AS A LONG TERM STRATEGY.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE FROM ALL OF THIS, ISSUING BONDS, WHILE MAINTAINING RESERVES AND INVESTMENTS CAN PROTECT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STABILITY.
IT PROTECTS THE CITY'S CREDIT RATING.
EVENTUALLY EVERY CITY MUST ISSUE BONDS, UM, USING UP ITS RESERVES SIGNALS TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, UH, WEAKNESS.
AND IT INCREASES THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE PAY WHEN IT COMES TIME TO ISSUE A BOND.
THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED TO US RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BOAT THAT WE ARE IN BECAUSE OF DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE MADE IN THE PAST.
IT SHARES COSTS FAIRLY OVER TIME AND IT KEEPS THE CITY PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES.
UM, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP IF ANYONE COUNSEL HAS QUESTIONS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO ASK.
NO, I'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE A POINT THAT IT'S, UM, IT'S, IT'S A HARD MINDSET, UM, TO, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, MYSELF, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DO LIKE PAYING CASH FOR THINGS.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I I'M ALSO NOT RUNNING AN ENTERPRISE THAT'S AFFECTING OVER 23,000 INDIVIDUALS, UM, BUT ALSO A WASTEWATER PLANT THAT ENDS UP SERVING MULTIPLE LOCALITIES AND, YOU KNOW, A FEDERAL CORRECTIONS INSTITUTE AND A STATE IN, UM, A STATE, UH, UH, JAIL, UM, AND SERVICING A, UM, UH, ARMY INSTALLATION.
UM, SO I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY GOOD FOR, FOR FOLKS TO HELP TRY TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE UNDERSTANDING, CLARITY ON WHY WE DO THIS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS EXCITING TO SEE THAT WE ARE BACK AT, YOU KNOW, 10%, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW IN A, YOU KNOW, A PREVIOUS, YOU KNOW, REPORT, UM, IT SHOWED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, YOU KNOW, DRAWING FROM THAT UNFORTUNATELY, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS A SIGNAL OF FINANCIAL WEAKNESS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, AS COUNCILS TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GOING AND INCREASING, YOU KNOW, THAT 10%.
SO THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TRY TO BECOME MORE, UM, ATTRACTIVE, UH, TO THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES.
SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, STRENGTHEN OUR, OUR POSITION FOR WHEN FUTURE YOU BONDS COME DOWN THE ROAD.
AND MR. MAYOR, LEMME SAY THAT THAT, UM, ANTHONY'S STATEMENT WILL BE LISTED ON THE WEBSITE BECAUSE WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN INTERNALLY, UH, ABOUT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME UP MM-HMM
AT SOME OF THE PAST, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEETINGS.
AND WE WANTED PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MUNICIPAL, YOU KNOW, FINANCE AND, UH, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THIS DIALOGUE ABOUT WHY WE DO CERTAIN, CERTAIN THINGS AND, AND GOVERNMENT.
AND THIS WILL, THIS WILL BE POSTED.
YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY EXCELLENT.
THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH, SO MUCH, MR. SO, NEXT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, A GOVERNMENTAL FINANCIAL OVERVIEW FROM MY DEPUTY, UH, CITY MANAGER, STACY JORDAN.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THIS PRESENTATION WAS DONE AT THE FIRST TOWN BUDGET TOWN HALL IN VERY DETAILS OF RATHER LONG PRESENTATION.
SO I WON'T GO THROUGH IT TONIGHT.
BUT THIS PRESENTATION WILL ALSO BE POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE ALONG WITH ANTHONY'S STATEMENT ABOUT THE BONDS.
SO OUR OVERVIEW IS GONNA COVER FINANCIAL POLICIES, REVENUES, BUDGET, CASH AND INVESTMENTS, FUND BALANCE, BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AUDIT OPINIONS, AND BOND RATINGS.
WE CAN GO TO THE, THE CITY HAS IN FINANCIAL POLICIES ESTABLISHED FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AND WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE IN 2024, THEY WERE ADOPTED.
THEY'RE ALSO POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, UNDER FINANCE, UNDER THE LINK THAT SAYS FINANCIAL POLICIES.
THE REVENUES THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL BRINGS IN ARE GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH INCLUDE REAL ESTATE, PUBLIC SERVICE, CORPS, PENALTIES AND INTERESTS, OTHER LOCAL TAXES, LOCAL SALES, AND USE CONSUMER UTILITIES, BUSINESS LICENSE, BANK STOCK COMMUNICATIONS, UTILITIES, LODGING MILL, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND RENTAL TAXES, CURRENT FEES AND LICENSES, BUILDING PERMITS RIGHT
[00:25:01]
AWAY, PERMITS SPECIAL USE AND ZONING PLANNING PERMITS, EMS FOIA, AS WELL AS OTHER C FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY ARE FINES AND FORFEITURES, COURT FINES AND FEE FORFEITURES PARKING FINES, DMV STOPS, RED LIGHT FINES, DMV SELECTION, TRANSACTIONS, REVENUE FROM THE USE OF PROPERTY, MONEY OF PROPERTY INTEREST, INCOME, REVENUE FROM THE MARINA, RENTALS AND BOND SALES.MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE, WHICH INCLUDES CAPITAL DEBT, REIMBURSEMENTS FROM EMPLOYEES, INSURANCE TAXES, SALES OF SAVAGE SURPLUS REBATES, REFUNDS, AND THE OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INCOMES.
REVENUE FROM THE COMMONWEALTH, WHICH WOULD BE FOR OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS GRANTS, WHICH INCLUDE V-J-C-C-A VICTIM WITNESS, THE POLICE 5 9 9 POLICE AID FUND, CSA, SOCIAL SERVICES AND STREETS AND HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE REVENUES FROM FEDERAL INCLUDE GRANTS FOR FIRE CAPITAL PROJECTS, CDBG FUNDS AND SOCIAL SERVICES REIMBURSEMENT.
THE BUDGET BY LAW, THIS CITY MUST ADOPT A BALANCED BUDGET EVERY FISCAL YEAR.
IT SHALL OUTLINE PROPOSED FINANCIAL POLICIES OF THE CITY FOR ENSUING FISCAL YEAR AND DESCRIBE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE BUDGET INDICATING ANY MAJOR CHANGES FROM THE CURRENT YEAR IN FINANCIAL POLICIES, EXPENDITURES, AND REVENUES, TOGETHER WITH THE REASONS FOR SUCH CHANGES.
THE BUDGET IS AN ESTIMATE, ESTIMATE OF WHAT WE SHOW WHAT WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND WE MUST BE MINDFUL THAT IT'S WHAT WE NEED VERSUS WHAT WE WANT.
ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS OPERATING WITHIN THEIR NEEDS, WHICH THEY SHOULD NOT BE GOING OVER BUDGET FOR ANYTHING.
UM, AND THEIR BUDGET SHOULD BE ALIGNED IN WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS AND RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
CASH INVESTMENTS IN FISCAL STABILITY PER GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY PROVIDES SERVICES TO ITS CITIZENS WITH WITHIN ITS AVAILABLE MEANS WHILE PROACTIVELY TAKING MEASURES TO BUILD AND PRESERVE AN AB ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN THE FUTURE.
THE FINANCIAL HEALTH MODEL TO DECIDE DEPL DEPL A THREE LEGGED STOOL COM, COM COMPRISED OF SOUND, FISCAL POSITION AND PARAMETERS.
SO WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL POSITION AND PARAMETERS.
WE HAVE OUR BUDGET PRACTICES, OUR LIABILITIES, AND OUR POLITICAL EN ECONOMIC DEV ENVIRONMENT.
OKAY, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FUND BALANCE.
ANTHONY SPOKE ABOUT SOME, UM, EARLIER WITH HIS PRESENTATION.
GOVERNMENTAL FUND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FUND BALANCE MAY BE COMPRISED OF FIVE CLASSIFICATIONS IN OUR MITIGATING FINANCIAL RISKS, MAINTAINING STABLE TAX RATES AND ADDRESSING CASH FLOW, TIMING.
NONS SPENDABLE FUND BALANCE, THIS CLASSIFICATION INCLUDES AMOUNTS THAT CANNOT BE SPENT BECAUSE THEY ARE EITHER NOT IN SPENDABLE FORM OR CONTRACTUALLY REQUIRED TO BE MAINTAINED IN TACT RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE.
THIS CLASSIFICATION IS INCLUDES AMOUNTS THAT ARE RESTRICTED TO SPECIFIC PURPOSES BY EXTERNAL PARTIES.
THIS PORTION OF FUND BALANCE CAN ONLY BE USED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES DETERMINED BY FORMAL ACTION OF THE CITY'S HIGHEST LEVEL OF DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY.
CITY COUNCIL ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THIS PORTION OF THE FUND BALANCE THAT THE CITY INTENDS TO USE FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES AND EXPRESSED BY GOVERNING BODY ITSELF.
THE BUDGET DOCUMENT FOR DELEGATED OFFICIALS, CITY MANAGER UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THIS PORTION OF THE FUND BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR ANY PURPOSE.
IT INCLUDES ALL SPENDABLE AMOUNTS, NOT CLASSIFIED AS NONS SPENDABLE, RESTRICTED, COMMITTED, OR ASSIGNED FUND.
BALANCE IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH CASH AS IT INCLUDES NON-CASH ASSETS SUCH AS RECEIVABLES.
AND IT REPRESENTS A POINT IN TIME CALCULATION AS WE GET OUR A CFR.
THEY ARE AS OF THE YEAR OF THE FI ENDING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, JUNE 30TH, 2025.
AT THE MAY, THE FIRST MEETING IN MAY, I WILL DO A MORE DETAILED DIVE INTO THE A CFR SO PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW ALONG AND UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH EXHIBIT, UH, REPRESENTS.
THE A CFR PRESENTS UP TO THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS PART OF BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
GOVERNMENT WIDE STATEMENT OF NET POSITION IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL HEALTH AT THE SPECIFIC TIME.
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES IS SIMILAR TO AN INCOME STATEMENT AND REFLECTS REVENUES, EXPENSES, AND A CHANGE OF ASSETS IN TIME.
FUND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WHICH IS A BALANCE SHEET.
IT'S A SNAPSHOT DETAIL IN ASSETS ON WHAT WE OWN.
LIABILITIES IS WHAT WE OWE AND OUR EQUITY IS OUR NET WORTH.
STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE MEASURES THE PERFORMANCE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS, JUDICIARY FUNDS TO MANAGE ASSETS HELD FOR BENEFICIARIES OTHER THAN GOVERNMENT ENTITY ITSELF, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE OUR PENSION ACCOUNT.
AUDIT OPINIONS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE A CFR PREPARATION, THE AUDIT PROCESS, THE CITY'S EXTERNAL AUDITOR, WHICH IS ROBERTSON FARMERS COX, RENDERS AN OPINION ON WHETHER THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FAIRLY PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE CITY FOR THE PERIOD REPORTED.
THE TYPES OF OPINIONS THAT CAN BE RENDERED ARE, IF FOLLOWS,
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UNMODIFIED, UNMODIFIED, WHICH IS THE CLEAN, HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE.QUALIFIED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE GENERAL, GENERALLY ACCURATE, BUT HAVE SPECIFIC MATERIAL ISSUES.
ADVERSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE MATERIALLY MISSTATED.
AND DISCLAIMER, THE AUDIT CANNOT FORM AN OPINION DUE TO SEVERE LACK OF RECORDS.
IF YOU REMEMBER, THE CITY OF HOPEWELL RECEIVED A DISCLAIMER ON THEIR AUDITS BACK IN 20 20, 20 19.
THE LAST THREE OPTIONS ARE ALL CONSIDERED MODIFIED OPINIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO GO TOWARDS THE BOND RATING AGENCIES TO, FOR THE CITY TO RECEIVE A BOND RATING.
THE CITY HAS HAD A BOND RATING IN SINCE 2018.
SO WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW THAT OUR AF ERS ARE ALL CAUGHT UP TO GO BEFORE THE BOND RATING AGENCIES TO RECEIVE AN INITIAL BOND RATING.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING DIAGNOSTIC BOND RATINGS AFTER A COMPLETION OF EVERY A CFR CURRENTLY.
OUR BOND RATING COULD BE POSSIBLY A DOUBLE A THREE, WHICH IS A GREAT BOND RATING.
CRITERIA FOR ACCOMPLISHING BOND RATING OR A PATH FORWARD.
WE HAVE A GOAL WITH WORKING WITH DAVENPORT, WHO IS OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS, TO RECEIVE AN INITIAL BOND RATING.
THE CRITERIA FOR BOND RATING IS A STABLE FINANCIAL POSITION WITH ADEQUATE FUND BALANCES AND ADEQUATE LIQUIDITY LEVELS, MANAGEABLE LONG-TERM LIABILITIES, AND MODERATE FIXED COSTS.
AS FAR AS OUR, OUR LIABILITIES, WHEN WE'RE TAKING OUT THESE NEW, UH, GO BONDS, HOW WE HAVE THEM, UH, SET UP IS SO THAT AS WE REMOVE DEBT PAYMENTS OFF OF OUR, UM, OUT OF OUR BUDGET AS WE WIPE OFF OUR DEBT, LIKE IN 2027, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LEASE, ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS 'CAUSE WE'VE PAID OFF DEBT.
WE'RE INCREASING, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THE BONDS AND THE PAYMENTS WILL NOT BE DUE UNTIL WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PAY FOR THE, UM, THE NEW DEBT THAT WE TAKE ON.
THAT BENEFITS THE RESIDENTS AS WE DON'T HAVE TO INCREASE TAX RATES AND WE'RE SAVING MONEY.
WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND REFINANCE SOME OF THE DEBT THAT WE HAVE TO PUT ADDITIONAL SAVINGS BACK INTO THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
OKAY, SOME ITEMS THAT CAN DECREASE YOUR BOND RATING.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR MOODY'S.
THERE ARE THREE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES, MOODY'S, S AND P AS WELL AS FINCH.
DECREASES CAN COME FROM A, A DECLINE IN YOUR RESERVE AND LIQUIDITY LEVELS.
TAX-BASED DETERIORATION, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN DEBT OR LONG-TERM LIABILITIES INCREASES MAINTAIN RESERVES AND LIQUIDITY LEVELS.
TAX-BASED GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION.
STRENGTHENING MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND POPULATION GROWTH.
S AND P RATING IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA.
CREDIT OVERVIEWS, UH, WEAK, UH, CITY'S FINANCIAL POSITION.
IMPROVING WEAK ECONOMY, STRONG BUDGETARY PERFORMANCE WITH SURPLUS, STRONG BUDGETARY FLEXIBILITY, STRONG LIQUIDITY AND STRONG DEBT.
AND CONTINGENT LIABILITY PROFILE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE THREE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES.
MOODY'S IMPACT OF FUND BALANCE POLICIES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN INCREASE OR DECREASE MULTIPLE YEAR FINANCIAL OR CAPITAL PLANNING, LIQUIDITY MANAGEMENT, ACCURACY OF BUDGET FORECAST, AND MID-YEAR ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THIS SHOWS MOODY'S THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE FINANCIALLY STABLE AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
RELIANCE ON NON-REOCCURRING OR ONE SHOT REVENUES.
S AND P MEASURES THE STRENGTH OF GOVERNMENTAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT THROUGH SEVEN KEY FACTORS, WHICH IS REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE ASSUMPTIONS, BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND UPDATES, LONG-TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING, LONG-TERM CAPITAL PLANNING, INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT POLICIES, DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICIES, AND RESERVE AND LIQUIDITY POLICIES, WHICH ALL OF THOSE THE CITY HAS INCLUDED IN OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES POSTED TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
SO IN CONCLUSION, WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AGAIN TONIGHT.
DAVID FOLEY WILL COME UP AND SPEAK ABOUT US FINALLY COMPLETING OUR 25 A CFR.
WE PLAN TO BE ON TIME FOR 2026.
WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE SOME OF THE AUDIT FINDINGS.
NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND WE CONTINUE TO BE ON THE SAME PATH.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA SAY, AND I KNOW I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF, UM, CITY COUNCIL AND I KNOW I CAN PROBABLY SPEAK FOR OUR STATE DELEGATION TOO 'CAUSE THEY PROBABLY WON'T HEAR FROM THE, UH, AUDITOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS ANYMORE,
BUT THIS IS MARVELOUS AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON THIS.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN JUST A, AN ABSOLUTE TREMENDOUS AB UM, UH, ASSET AND, UM, I JUST, I COULD NOT BE PROUDER OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I APPRECIATE IT AND I APPRECIATE THE FINANCE TEAM.
WE HAVE A VERY GOOD FINANCE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW, CITY OF.
STACY, YOU WANNA ROLL INTO, YEAH, I MIGHT AS WELL STAY 'CAUSE I'M NEXT TO YOU, STACY
WE'RE GONNA DO OUR THIRD QUARTER FINANCIALS.
SO REMEMBER AGAIN, THIS BUDGET TO ACTUAL IS A TREND ANALYSIS BASED OFF OF WHAT WE WERE, WHERE WE WERE IN 25 VERSUS HOW WE'RE DOING IN 26.
OKAY? SO CITYWIDE FOR THIRD QUARTER REVENUES ARE TRENDING 1.38% OR 12
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POINT A HALF MILLION HIGHER FOR 26 VERSUS 25.EXPENSES FOR THIRD QUARTER ARE TRENDING 1.63% OR 12.1 MILLION HIGHER FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
OUR INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM OUR ANNUAL SALARY AND FRENCH INCREASES, AS WELL AS AN INCREASE FOR SCHOOL EXPENSES.
INCREASE IN REVENUES ARE, IS DUE TO INCREASE IN COLLECTIONS FROM
OUR PREVIOUS UTILITY BILLING AND HWR KEY DUE DATES FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, AGAIN, ARE DECEMBER, FEBRUARY, MAY, AND JUNE.
UPCOMING DUE IS GONNA BE A REAL ESTATE AS WELL AS UM, MACHINERY TOOL TAX WHEN THAT'S ON THE 15TH OF JUNE.
OKAY? OUR GENERAL FUND THIRD QUARTER GENERAL FUND FOR THE THIRD QUARTER IS TRENDING 7.44% OR $6.9 MILLION.
HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR 26 OR ARE TRENDING 0.98% OR 916,000 HIGHER THAN 25.
INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM 3% ANNUAL SALARY INCREASES AND INCREASE IN REVENUES ARE DUE TO TRANSFERS OR ROLLOVER FROM PURCHASE ORDERS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
OUR ENTERPRISE FUND THIRD QUARTER ENTERPRISE FUND FOR THIRD QUARTER IS TRENDING 7.78 OR 4.9 MILLION.
HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE ALSO TRENDING.
9.9% OR 4.5 MILLION HIGHER THAN EXPENSE IN 2025.
INCREASE IN REVENUE STEM FROM STEM FROM ON TIME.
BILLING COLLECTED MONIES OWED FROM DATA INTEGRATORS.
INCREASE IN COLLECTIONS FROM OUR NEW VENDOR, MANNO AND CORRECT BILLING FROM MANNO, AS WELL AS CAPITAL BEING BUILT ON A MONTHLY BASIS RATHER THAN ON A YEARLY BASIS FOR OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS, INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM CAPITAL PROJECTS AND INCREASE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM SCHOOLS IS TRENDING 4.38% OR 1.6 MILLION HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
AND EXPENSES ARE TRENDING 1.31% OR FIVE POINT MILLION DOLLARS MORE IN 26 VERSUS 25.
THE SLIGHT INCREASE IN THEIR REVENUES FOR THE SCHOOLS STEMS IN STATE REVENUES AND THE EXPENSES AFTER TALKING TO, UH, JANELLE IS STEMMING MORE SO FROM, UM, SOME THINGS THAT THEY HAD TO GET DONE FOR AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE AND STUFF FOR THE SCHOOLS.
SO THEY'RE SPENDING MORE MONEY.
OUR DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO ACTUALS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER.
THIS SPREADSHEET WILL SHOW YOU THAT WE ARE IN LINE.
WE, WE SHOULD BE ABOUT ROUGHLY 75% 'CAUSE WE'RE IN THE, IN THE THIRD QUARTER.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE OFF TREND, BUT I'VE WRITTEN THE COMMENTS TO THE SIDE.
FINANCE FOR ONE IS 76%, WHICH IS ONLY A PERCENT HIGHER THAN WHERE WE SHOULD BE, BUT THAT'S DUE TO MULTIPLE AUDITS BEING DONE IN A THE YEAR.
SO INSTEAD OF IT, THE MONEY'S BEING SPENT SPACED OUT ACROSS THE FISCAL YEAR IS LUMP SUM PRIOR TO CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IS INCREASE IN ADVERTISING COSTS.
WE HAVE CSA, WHICH IS AN INCREASE IN SERVICES.
SO HIS IS INCREASED DUE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES THAT HE PAYS OUT DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
AGAIN, THESE ARE LUMP SUM PAYMENTS, BUT IT WILL AVERAGE ITSELF OUT BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
WE ALSO HAVE HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, HR MANUAL CON, UM, CONSULTANT THAT WAS HIRED TO UPDATE THE HR MANUAL.
WE HAVE THE MARINA THAT CAME FROM THE ROOF REPAIR.
AGAIN, ALL OF THIS SHOULD BALANCE ITSELF OUT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
IT IS JUST OFF TREND AS WE SHOULD BE AT 75% OF THE BUDGET USED IN SOME DEPARTMENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE POLICE THAT COMES FROM THEIR SERVICE CON SERVICE CONTRACT FOR THEIR SOFTWARE.
AGAIN, LUMP SUM TREASURER INCREASE IN DELINQUENCY PROCESSES AND VICTIM WITNESS WAS FOR SERVICES.
BUT OVERALL, THE CITY IS ON TREND FOR OUR THIRD QUARTER BUDGET TO ACTUALS BY DEPARTMENT.
OUR OVERTIME BY DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THE GARAGE, WHICH IS PART OF PUBLIC WORKS AND WE KNOW WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW VACANCIES WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS.
SO A LOT OF THEIR OVERTIME IS COMING FROM THEIR VACANCIES AS WELL AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REFUSE, WE HAVE TO DO A BUDGET TRANSFER FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THE, UM, MONIES THAT WAS SPENT.
THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE EOC WHEN THEY HAD, UM, THE STORM, LET'S SEE, WE HAVE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT VACANCIES AND BUDGET TRANSFER WILL BE COMPLETED.
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ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE BUDGET TRANSFER WILL TAKE CARE OF THE NEGATIVE BALANCE.TREASURER DELINQUENCY BUDGET TRANSFER TO BE COMPLETED.
VOTER REGISTRATION IS PART-TIME ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD ADDITIONAL ELECTIONS THIS YEAR.
SO THEIR, THEIR, UM, OVERTIME IS HIGHER.
OKAY, SO OUR THIRD QUARTER SALARY SAVINGS, WE HAVE A 649,000 1 0 2 UPDATED SALARY SAVINGS.
WHAT THAT WILL, UH, BE ALLOCATED TO IS ABOUT $400,000 TO COMPLETE THE REST OF THE AUDIT FOR THIS YEAR.
COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE SECURITY UPGRADES, THE BARRIER IS $25,000, AS WELL AS SOME OFFICE SHARES AND OTHER EXPENSES.
FIRE SEWER LINE AT THIS AT STATION TWO $50,000.
FIRE WATER LEAK AT STATION ONE $105,000.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RADIO SYSTEM $80,000, WHICH WE ALREADY KNOW IS NOT COVERED BY A COMP BOARD OR ICE FUNDS.
SO WE ARE GONNA USE THE SALARY SAVINGS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT AS WELL.
THERE IS NO REAPPROPRIATION NEEDED BY COUNSEL, AS IS JUST BUDGET TRANSFERS FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE FOR THIRD QUARTER.
AMOUNT OF INVOICES WAS $20 MILLION, AND WE HAVE PAID 73% OF OUR DEBT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
ALL OF OUR PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN ON TIME.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR OUR THIRD QUARTER FINANCIALS.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS FOR MS. JORDAN? SEEING NO LIGHTS.
THAT'S THE MOST EXCITING PIECE.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. DAVID FOLEY.
HE IS OUR EXTERNAL AUDITOR FROM ROBERTSON FARMER CO TO TALK ABOUT THE 2025 A CFR.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU ALL AGAIN.
I'M WITH PARTNER OF S OF FARMER COX ASSOCIATES.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, COMPLETED THE AUDIT FOR FY UH, 25.
AND, UH, HERE TO, UH, PRESENT THE RESULTS, UH, TO YOU ALL.
UM, THE, THE FINAL REPORT WILL BE, UM, UPLOADED TO THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL CLEARING HOUSE, UH, BY THURSDAY.
UM, SO THAT WILL, UM, BE COMPLETED AND UPLOADED TO THE, TO THE VARIOUS AGENCIES, UH, BY THE 30TH.
UM, SO AS I GET INTO THE, UH, RESULTS OF THE AUDIT, UH, FIRST JUST WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT.
WE DO FIRST, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, THERE'S REALLY THREE MAIN PIECES OF THE AUDIT THAT WE DO.
UM, ONE IS, OF COURSE, WE AUDIT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED, UH, ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
UM, THE OTHER, UM, UH, TWO PIECES OF THE AUDIT WE DO IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS, UM, ONE OF WHICH IS, UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THEMSELVES, WE LOOK AT THE, UH, UH, UH, FINANCIAL, UH, INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING THAT THE, UH, CITY HAS OVER AT, UH, FINANCIAL, UM, UH, PROCESSES.
AND WE DO THIS AS A BASIS OF, UH, UH, DESIGNING OUR AUDIT PROCEDURES AND WE GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD, UM, PIECE IS THE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE PIECE.
SO ANYTIME A LOCALITY, UH, EXPENDS OVER, UH, 750,000 FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO, UH, UNDERGO.
UM, A SINGLE AUDIT IS PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE, SO FOR THE MAJOR, UH, FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS FOR THE CITY AND SCHOOL BOARD, WE GO THROUGH, UM, THOSE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UH, CITY AND SCHOOLS ARE COM UH, COMPLYING, UH, WITH THOSE, UH, FEDERAL GRANT COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN PIECES OF THE AUDIT THAT WE DO.
UM, SO AS SUCH, INCLUDED IN THE, UM, AUDITED, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT, UM, REPORTS FROM US THAT COMMUNICATE THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT.
UM, THE FIRST IS TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE REPORT.
SO THE FIRST REPORT HERE IS OUR INDEPENDENT, UM, AUDITOR'S REPORT.
UM, AND THEN THIS REPORT WILL RESTATE, UM, WE DID PERFORM AN AUDIT ON THE, UM, CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS, UM, WHERE WE ALSO, WHERE WE ISSUE OUR OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE ISSUED A, A UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UM, WHICH IS A,
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A CLEAN OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.UM, ESSENTIALLY A UNMODIFIED OPINION MEANS IT'S A CITY'S, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS HAD BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH JOHN ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
UM, THE OTHER TWO, UH, REPORTS FROM US ARE IN THE, UH, TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE REPORT IN THE COMPLIANCE SECTION.
UM, THE FIRST REPORT BACK THERE IS OUR, UH, UH, REPORT OVER THE CITY'S, UH, INTERNAL CONTROLS.
IT HAS OVER ITS FINANCIAL REPORTING.
UM, THIS YEAR FOR FY 25, WE DID SEE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE CITY'S INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING.
UH, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST, UH, FEW AUDITS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH, WE'VE HAD A, A LIST OF VARIOUS, UM, MATERIAL WEAKNESSES, UM, INCLUDED, UH, IN THE, OVER THE, UH, CITY'S INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING.
UM, SO WE DID, UH, AGAIN, SEE, UM, SOME IMPROVEMENT.
SO, UH, I'D SAY THAT THE NUMBER OF FINDINGS WAS, UH, AT LEAST CUT BY MORE THAN HALF.
UM, SO WE FEEL LIKE THE CITY'S, UH, IMPROVING THOSE CONTROLS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, MOVING IN IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONTROLS OVER ITS FINANCIAL REPORTING, UM, THINGS LIKE, UH, BANK RECONCILIATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S DOING THOSE, UH, ON A MONTHLY BASIS NOW.
UH, THEY'RE USING MUNIS, UH, TO PERFORM, UH, RECONCILIATIONS.
UM, AND THEY'RE, THE CITY IS, UH, MAIN, UM, BEING, MAINTAINING, BEING UP TO DATE ON THOSE RECONCILIATIONS.
SO THAT WAS AN IMPROVEMENT THAT WE SAW.
UM, WE DID HAVE, UH, A FEW, UM, OF THE REPEAT FINDINGS, UM, THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
UM, OVERALL, WHILE WE SAW IMPROVEMENTS THIS YEAR, THERE'S STILL SOME THINGS WE'D STILL, UH, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE TO HELP STRENGTHEN THE INTERNAL CONTROLS.
UH, THESE MAINLY INCLUDE, UM, UH, TIMELY MONTHLY RECONCILIATIONS OVER SUBSIDIARY LEDGERS.
SO RECONCILING, UH, PROPERTY TAX DE PROPERTY TAXES ON A MONTHLY BASIS BETWEEN THE SUBSIDIARY AND THE GENERAL LEDGER.
UM, ALSO OVER THE, UH, UTILITY FUNDS, UH, UH, DOING THOSE, UH, MONTHLY RECONCILIATIONS.
UM, AND, UH, REALLY THE ONLY OTHER ADDITIONAL FUNDING WE HAVE WAS JUST THE, UM, UH, IN GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT, WE DID HAVE, UM, SOME, UH, MATERIAL AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEEDED TO BE POSTED, UM, AS PART OF THE AUDIT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK GOING THROUGH THESE ADDITIONAL MONTHLY, UH, RECONCILIATIONS, UH, THE CITY CAN START DOING THOSE ON A MONTHLY TIMELY BASIS.
I THINK IT WILL, UH, LEAD TO, UH, ELIMINATING THE REST OF THESE, UH, THESE FINDINGS.
AND THEN THE, UH, THIRD AND FINAL REPORT FROM US IS, UH, TWO PAGES OVER.
UM, SO, UH, IT'S ON, UH, PAGE 1 39.
SO THIS IS OUR, UH, REPORT OVER THE CITY'S COMPLIANCE WITH ITS, UH, MAJOR FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNIFORM GUIDANCE.
UH, THIS REPORT WAS CLEAN, WE NOTED, UH, NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESSES, UM, IN THE CITY'S COMPLIANCE WITH ITS, UH, MAJOR FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS. ALSO, NO ITEMS OF, UH, NON-COMPLIANCE, UM, WERE NOTED AS PART OF THE AUDIT.
UH, SO AGAIN, UH, CLEAN OPINION ON THE, UH, UH, UNIFORM GUIDANCE OPINION.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE, UH, THREE REPORTS, UH, FROM US.
UM, IT'S BEEN A, BEEN A LONG JOURNEY, UM, AND, UH, IT'S, UM, NICE TO, TO, UH, SEE THESE, THESE ALL FINALLY CAUGHT UP.
SO, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE, BUT BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
YEAH, I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE MATERIAL WEAKNESSES.
UM, IN YOUR OPINION, UM, BASED UPON WHAT YOU'VE SEEN, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT 2026, YOU KNOW, WE NEED AN ON TIME CLEAN AUDIT WITH NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES, WE SUBMIT.
UM, BASED UPON YOUR, YOUR EXPERIENCE AND THE, THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE, DO YOU ANTICIPATE, UM, THAT WE CAN MAKE THE PROGRESS TO MAKE IT A COMPLETELY CLEAN AUDIT? UM, UH, WE CAN WORK WITH, WITH MANAGEMENT AND SEE HOW THEY'RE PROGRESSING.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS IN FISCAL YEAR, UH, 26 TO SEE, UM, ON THOSE, THOSE MONTHLY RECONCILIATIONS, YOU KNOW, IF THOSE ARE, ARE DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TIMELY, THEN I THINK, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN, UM, GET TO THAT POINT.
[00:50:01]
BUT IT JUST DEPENDS.THAT'S CONCERN IF THE, IF, IF THOSE, IF THOSE PROCEDURES, YOU KNOW, ARE IN PLACE, THAT IS A CONCERN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, COUNCILOR WHEAT FY 26 AUDIT, UH, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE IN TERMS OF WHEN THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED? UM, THE, UM, COMPLETION DATE, UH, THE GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE THE AUDIT COMPLETED BY, UH, DECEMBER, UH, 15TH.
UM, SO THE AUDIT, UH, GENERALLY WE CAN, UM, NOW THAT, THAT WE'RE CAUGHT UP, UH, YOU KNOW, IN A LOT OF THE LOCALITY AUDITS THAT WE DO, UM, WE START, UH, WORKING ON THE AUDITS, UH, EVEN BEFORE FISCAL YEAR END, JUST DOING SOME OF THE, UM, TESTING, LIKE INTERNAL CONTROL TESTING, COMPLIANCE TESTING, THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO EVEN BEFORE, UH, THE NUMBERS ARE DONE.
SO A LOT OF TIMES IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER, WE'RE KIND OF STARTING THE AUDIT PROCESS FOR, FOR THE LOCALITIES.
THEN, UM, IT'S TYPICALLY IN THE FALL OF SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER WHEN YOU COME IN TO DO THE FINAL FIELD WORK AFTER, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS THEIR FINANCIALS, UM, ADJUSTED AND READY, UH, TO BE AUDITED.
AND THEN AGAIN, WITH THE GOAL OF, UM, IT BEING COMPLETED BY DECEMBER 15TH.
AND NOT TO BE CUTE, UM, BUT MR. ROGERS, STACY, AND THERE HE IS.
MR. JONES, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE START DOING SOME OF THAT RIGHT NOW WHILE WE'RE IN THIS, UH, THIS FISCAL YEAR, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID? YEAH, BUT I, I WANT DAVID TO, TO RE RESTATE THIS IS A CLEAN AUDIT, IS IT NOT THOUGH? WITH, WITH, WITH WEAKNESSES, BUT IT IT'S MODIFIED.
THE, THE, THE UNMODIFIED, THE, YEAH, THE FIN THE OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THE, THE REPORT OVER INTERNAL CONTROLS MM-HMM
UM, YOU KNOW, HAS MATERIAL WEAKNESSES REPORTED, GOT THINGS TO DO.
STILL, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE FIRST ON YOUR LIST WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, KNOCKING THIS NEXT ONE OUT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET THIS THING DONE AND ON TIME, TOO.
WELL, UM, THANK YOU, MR. FOLEY.
UM, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A REAL EXCITING TIME, AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS ONE OF YOUR, UM, YOUR STATUTE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU PRESENT THE AUDIT FINDINGS, UH, TO US.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST OUTSIDE THE, THE UPLOADING PIECE, UM, THIS IS REAL EXCITING THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE'VE CLOSED A, UH, A CHAPTER IN, IN HOPEWELL'S HISTORY AND, AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD INTO A NEW ERA.
AND, UM, I, I WANT TO DO A BUNCH OF RECOGNITIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT REALLY HELPED US GET TO, UH, WHERE WE ARE.
AND, AND YOU CAN SIT DOWN 'CAUSE THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE WHILE
AND SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK, UH, IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE, UH, ACTRESSES, UH, JULIE ANDREWS, UH, LIKES TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT BETTER PLACE TO START THAN AT THE BEGINNING? SO, UH, I WANNA FIRST, AND WHEN I, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE YOU, I DO ASK THAT YOU PLEASE STAND SO PEOPLE CAN SEE YOU.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, BEING RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR WORK, UH, FIRST UP IS, UM, FORMER MAYOR, UH, JACKIE HORNIK AND FORMER VICE MAYOR, UH, WAYNE WALTON.
UM, I REMEMBER, UM, AND IT'S IRONIC BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY SITTING IN THE SAME SEATS THAT I WOULD ALWAYS SIT IN AT THESE MEETINGS.
UM, BUT I REMEMBER WATCHING IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER 11 YEARS AGO, UH, Y'ALL SOUNDING THE ALARM, UH, WHEN THE FIRST AUDIT WAS LATE, THE 2015 AUDIT, AND THEN, UH, THE 2016 AUDIT, UH, BECAME OVERDUE.
AND, UH, I WATCHED YOU GUYS TRY REALLY HARD, UH, TO, TO HOLD THE ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE.
AND, UM, I REALLY DO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING, UM, THE ATTENTION THAT THIS NEEDED.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK BECAUSE THIS WAS UNCHARTED TERRITORY, I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVELY AS A CITY WE KNEW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE FUTURE HAD IN STORED FOR US.
UM, AND SO I REALLY, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE, YOU KNOW, OVER 11 YEARS AGO.
AND WE CAN SAVE APPLAUSE ALL THE WAY FOR THE VERY END.
UM, NEXT UP, AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THEY'RE LISTENING.
UM, SECRETARY, UH, FORMER SECRETARY OF FINANCE, UH, STEVE CUMMINGS, AND FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY OF FINANCE, JOHN MARKOWITZ.
UM, I WANNA THANK THESE TWO MEN, UH, FOR SHOWING A REALLY GENUINE CARE AND INTEREST.
UH, IN TRYING TO HELP HOPEWELL.
IT WAS MUCH MORE THAN JUST MEETING WITH US, SEEING HOW WE'RE DOING.
[00:55:01]
UH, THESE TWO MEN ACTUALLY WORKED MANY HOURS AND EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO APPROACH THE MONEY COMMITTEES, UH, AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO BRING IN ALVAREZ AND MARCEL TO DO AN OPERATIONAL AUDIT ON THE CITY AND TO, UH, PRODUCE A REMEDIATION PLAN AT NO COST TO THE CITY.ADDITIONALLY, UH, THEY MADE A SECOND OFFER TO US, UH, TO FUND A, UH, SEASONED CITY MANAGER TO COME IN FOR SIX MONTHS WHILE CITY COUNCIL COULD DO AN EXECUTIVE SEARCH FOR CITY MANAGER.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, UM, CITY COUNCIL DECLINED THE OFFER, UH, BUT THEY NEVER GAVE UP ON US.
THEY CONTINUED TO CHECK IN WITH US.
THEY CONTINUED TO GIVE US GOOD ADVICE.
THEY CONTINUED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT TYPES OF GRANTS AND FUNDING WERE AVAILABLE FOR CRITICAL ISSUES HERE IN HOPEWELL.
AND SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE BOTH, UH, SECRETARY CUMMINGS AND DEPUTY SECRETARY MARKOWITZ.
UM, NEXT IS, UH, NANCY ZUKE AND THE ALVAREZ MARCEL TEAM.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE VERY, UH, HUMBLE, NANCY, BUT I DO ASK THAT YOU PLEASE STAND BECAUSE, UH, YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS.
YOU CAME INTO A CITY, UM, AND WENT THROUGH A TOTAL FINANCIAL MESS.
UH, YOU DEVELOPED A VERY, VERY GOOD TURNAROUND AND STABILIZATION PLAN THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON.
UM, WE'RE STILL MAKING, UH, RECOMMEND, WE'RE STILL TAKING YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THEM, UM, AS EVIDENCE FROM, UH, FROM WHAT MR. FOLEY ANNOUNCED TONIGHT.
AND THAT, UH, DESPITE, UM, INDIVIDUALS, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT GIVING YOU THE FULL BREADTH OF REPORTS THAT YOU NEEDED TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT, WE STILL ENDED UP GETTING, I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT A 70, 75% SOLUTION THAT, UM, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL IMPLEMENTING AND WE'RE STILL GETTING GREAT RESULTS OUT OF IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO SHOWED A GENUINE CARE FOR THE CITY, AND THAT WHEN YOUR ENGAGEMENT WAS OVER WITH, UM, YOU STILL CHECKED IN ON US, YOU STILL CHECKED IN ON WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, WITH MEMBERS ON COUNCIL, YOU PROVIDED US, UM, YOU KNOW, GOOD ADVICE, UM, ON THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT AND TRY TO IMPLEMENT AND HELPING US PRIORITIZE THINGS.
UH, SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UH, NEXT UP, UM, ROBERT, BOB, HEATHER NESS, JACK REGAN AND RUSS BRANSON.
UM, UPON COMPLETION OF THE ALVAREZ AND MARCEL REPORT AND THE STABILIZATION AND TURNAROUND PLAN, UH, THE CITY, UH, CHARGED THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME TO PUT OUT AN RFP, UH, TO BRING IN THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND TURNAROUND SERVICES, UH, THAT WE DESPERATELY NEEDED.
UM, AS OPPOSED TO UTILIZING INTERNAL STAFF FOR THIS MISSION.
YOU DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB WITH CLEANING UP THE BOOKS, COMPLETING ACCOUNTING REMEDIATION SERVICES, AND DEVELOPING THE SET OF NEW, UM, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED.
ADDITIONALLY, UH, YOUR TEAM DISCOVERED MULTIPLE CASES OF FRAUD.
YOU HELPED US WEED OUT, UH, THOSE BAD EMPLOYEES.
YOU ALSO HELPED HOPEWELL PREVENT ITSELF FROM INSOLVENCY, UH, DUE TO YEARS OF POOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
AND LASTLY, YOU WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND AND DISCOVERED THAT OUR, UH, FORMER THIRD PARTY VENDOR, UH, WAS NOT PERFORMING AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY NEEDED TO PERFORM.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE SIGNIFICANT FUNDS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REPROGRAM INTO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR, FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS CITY.
IN MY LAST TERM, OR EXCUSE ME, UM, IN MY SECOND TERM, UH, HERE ON CITY COUNCIL, YOU'VE BEEN A STRONG VOICE, UH, IN HOLDING, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE, UH, TEAMS TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR LAST TWO YEARS.
YOU DEMANDED EXCELLENCE, YOU ASKED THE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE CITY BACK TO PROGRAMMING, FUNDING, AND EXECUTING REAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
AND THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU, THE CITY WOULD NOT CURRENTLY BE BACK ON THE 15 YEAR PAVING PROGRAM.
OUR STORM WATER PROGRAM THAT HELPS RESIDENTS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD FLOODING, UH, WOULD NOT BE AS ROBUST AS WHAT IT IS TODAY.
AND, UH, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A LOT OF THE FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TODAY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, STAYING AROUND AND CONTINUING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING TO HELP TURN AROUND THE HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, NEXT UP IS, UH, SENATOR AYD AND DELEGATE COER.
Y'ALL WERE AN EXCELLENT TEAM TO WORK
[01:00:01]
WITH, UH, WITH THE STATE.UM, THIS WAS THE TRUE VISION OF WHAT I BELIEVE OUR FOREFATHERS THOUGHT OF WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT BIPARTISANSHIP WORKING TOGETHER FOR A COMMON GOOD.
WE CAN HAVE PERSONAL DIFFERENCES, WE CAN HAVE, UM, POLICY AND PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
Y'ALL WORKED GREAT WITH SECRETARY CUMMINGS AND DEPUTY DEPUTY SECRETARY MARKOWITZ TO HELP TURN THE CITY AROUND.
Y'ALL PUT IN MANY HOURS AND WORKING WITH THE MONEY COMMITTEES, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, BRING, UH, ALVAREZ MARCEL HERE TO FRUITION.
Y'ALL FACED FIERCE OPPOSITION, UH, FROM, UH, A PREVIOUS MAJORITY ON CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO NOT PA UH, PATRON AND, UH, PASS A FISCAL DISTRESS BILL.
HOWEVER, Y'ALL DID THE RIGHT THING AND PUSH FORWARD, AND WE ALL GOT IT PASSED.
AND NOW BECAUSE OF Y'ALL'S WORK, NO OTHER LOCALITY WILL HAVE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT HOPE WILL EXPERIENCE OVER THESE LAST 11 YEARS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE AN EVERLASTING IMPACT ON VIRGINIA AND COUNTLESS LIVES.
THE, UH, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY YOU'RE ALMOST THE, THE MAN OF THE HOUR UNTIL THAT REPORT IS SUBMITTED,
UM, I CAN STILL REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU PRESENTED, UH, BEFORE, UH, COUNSEL WHEN, UH, I WAS ON COUNSEL, UH, BACK IN 2019, OR, UH, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 2020.
UM, AND, UH, I CAN STILL REMEMBER, UH, YOU CALLING THE, UH, CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, CHECKING TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY, BECAUSE I WAS, UH, VISIBLY FRUSTRATED WITH THE LACK OF PROGRESS THAT WAS MADE.
AND SO, UH, I HOPE NOW THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT I HAVE NOTHING BUT SMILES FOR MILES TONIGHT, UH, ON THIS WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT.
AND YOU'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, TIRELESSLY, UM, AND HELPING US GET CAUGHT UP ON THESE AUDITS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE, UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MENTIONED THAT WE HAD A, UH, A ROCKY ROAD AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
UH, BUT ONCE WE GOT ALL ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A, UH, A MUNICIPAL FINANCE SYMPHONY, AND THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT 2026 AUDIT DONE EARLY ON TIME, AND WE'RE GONNA HOPE FOR THAT FULLY CLEAN UNMODIFIED OPINION.
UH, NEXT UP IS MR. ROGERS AND MR. BASSETT.
Y'ALL HAVE BEEN A FORCE MULTIPLIER, UH, HERE FOR THE CITY.
YOU'VE SAVED THE CITY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
YOU'VE PROFESSIONALIZED CITY HALL MORE THAN ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM IN THE LAST 12 YEARS.
YOU'VE CONTINUED TO TACKLE ISSUES LIKE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, UH, DOWN AT THE BEACON THEATER, IMPROVING EFFICIENCIES WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, FIXING OUR AUDIT ISSUES, FIXING ISSUES DOWN AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, AND WORKING WITH THE STAFF DOWN AT THE HOPPO REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY TO, UH, HELP TURN THEM AROUND SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, COIN THE ARMY, BE ALL THAT THEY CAN BE.
AND SO WE SINCERELY THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UH, NEXT, UH, SENATOR, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN ENCORE PERFORMANCE ON THIS ONE.
UH, SENATOR AD AND DELEGATE DAUGHTERY.
OH, SHE'S ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK.
THIS, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION, UH, IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE A RECORD NUMBER OF BUDGET AMENDMENTS, UH, PUT FORWARD FOR HOPEWELL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
UH, HOPE, THE HVAC SYSTEM, UH, REPLACEMENT OVER AT THE HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL, UM, RIVERFRONT, UM, RECREATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, NOT TO FORGET, UH, ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY DOLLARS, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WE DIDN'T GET AS MUCH AS WHAT WE HAD HOPED, UH, IN THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION.
UH, I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A, UH, A TOUGH BUDGET CYCLE AND Y'ALL ARE STILL WORKING IN SLUGGING IT OUT
UM, BUT, UH, I DO WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT, UM, Y'ALL HAVE SUBMITTED MORE BUDGET AMENDMENTS IN, UH, ONE, UM, FISCAL YEAR, UH, THAN ANY TEAM THAT I KNOW OF.
AND, UM, I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED, UH, TO WORK WITH THIS NEW PARTNERSHIP AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE HOPE ON THIS NEW ERA.
NEXT UP IS, UH, THE WOMAN OF THE HOUR, MS. STACY JORDAN.
I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THAT ROBERT BOB'S GROUP AND TEAM WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN TURNING, UH, THE CITY AROUND.
AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, MADE, AND FOLKS HAVE MADE, UM, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE COMMENTS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT HE DID IN CLEANING UP THE CITY'S FINANCES WAS PROBABLY, UH, THE GREATEST THING THAT HE'S DONE FOR THE CITY.
[01:05:01]
UM, WELL, I LIKE TO THINK THAT THAT'S THE SECOND GREATEST THING THAT, UH, THAT HE DID FOR THIS CITY.I BELIEVE THE GREATEST THING THAT HE DID FOR US WAS RECRUITING YOU AND CONVINCING YOU TO TACKLE ON THE CHALLENGE TO COME TO HOPE WELL AND BECOME OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
YOU'VE PERFORMED BEAUTIFULLY, IMPRESSIVELY, YOU'VE GRABBED THE BULL BY THE HORNS, AND STILL TO THIS DAY, YOU HAVEN'T LET GO.
YOU'VE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL AND GETTING THE CITY CAUGHT UP ON ALL OF ITS AUDITS.
YOU WORKED WITH DAVENPORT INVESTMENTS TO GET MULTIPLE DIAGNOSTIC BOND RATING, UH, TESTS COMPLETED AND DONE.
YOU'VE ENSURED THAT THE CITY ADHERES TO FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND INTERNAL CONTROLS.
YOU'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CITY BEING ABLE TO FUND TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I KNOW THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU AND YOUR DILIGENT, UH, LEADERSHIP, THAT THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.
AND BECAUSE OF YOU, UH, AND, UH, INDIVIDUALS ON COUNCIL LIKE MS. PELHAM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BACK ON THE 15 YEAR PAVING PROGRAM.
UH, WE'RE ABLE TO FUND MORE SEWER PUMP STATIONS THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN ABLE TO DO.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIX MORE STRANGE, UH, STORM WATER DRAINAGE ISSUES.
UH, AND THIS IS A REAL TESTAMENT TO YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR GRIT AND YOUR WORK ETHIC.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE MEMBERS ON CITY COUNCIL.
UH, COUNCILOR HARRIS, COUNCILOR OLI, COUNCILLOR DAY, COUNCILLOR ELLIS, COUNCILLOR WHEAT, AND VICE MAYOR JOINER.
Y'ALL HAVE BEEN THROUGH, UH, QUITE A LOT,
BUT AS A TEAM, WE'VE PULLED THROUGH THIS.
WHILE WE MAY NOT HAVE AGREED ON EVERYTHING, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK THROUGH ISSUES.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMPROMISE, AND THIS CITY IS IN THE BEST POSITION THAT IT HAS BEEN IN THE LAST 11 YEARS.
HOPE WILL BEG, UH, BEGINS THIS NEW ERA OF PROFESSIONALISM, FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE.
AND NOW THAT THE YEARS OF LATE AUDITS AND FINANCIAL, UH, MISMANAGEMENT ARE BEHIND US, OUR FUTURE IS REALLY BRIGHT, AND THE POSSIBILITIES ARE LIMITLESS.
STRATEGIC PLANNING CAN TAKE MORE EFFECT.
AND BECAUSE OF YOU AND THE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT THE BODY HAS MADE, THIS CITY IS READY FOR THIS NEW CHAPTER OF REBUILDING ITSELF.
AND SO, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO JOIN ME IN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS.
SO, TO KEEP UP WITH THE GOOD NEWS, UH, WE'RE NOW GONNA HAVE OUR, UH, NEW, UH, WASTEWATER DIRECTOR.
COME ON UP AND WRAP UP THE, UH, CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.
MADAM VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THAT'S A REALLY HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.
UM, SO, UH, I WAS, UH, HERE BEFORE YOU, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, GIVING YOU AN UPDATE ON, UH, WATER RENEWAL, THE TREATMENT PLANT, HOW THINGS WERE GOING DOWN THERE.
AND, UM, UM, MR. ROGERS ASKED ME TO COME BACK AND DO A, DO AN UPDATE ON THE PUMP STATIONS, TELL YOU WHERE THINGS STAND.
AND, UH, SOME OF THIS IS GOING TO, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONSENT ORDER, BE A LITTLE, UH, A LITTLE REDUNDANT BECAUSE OF, UH, JUST PUTTING THE SAME INFORMATION BACK OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC.
BUT, UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THE PUMP STATION PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE DOCKET THAT ARE UNDERWAY AND COMING UP.
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE MISCELLANEOUS, UH, MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON TO, TO KEEP US MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND THEN, UH, DO A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF THE CONSENT ORDER, IF THAT'S IN EFFECT.
SO, UH, FIRST UP, WE HAVE THE QUEEN AND PUMP STATION.
UM, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN, UH, UNDERWAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW.
UH, WE ARE STILL IN THE SURVEY ASPECT OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE ARE DOING, UM, FORCE MAIN IMPROVEMENTS ALONG WITH A COMPLETE STATION REHABILITATION AND SURVEYING.
THE NEW ALIGNMENT FOR THE FORCE MAIN IS, IS WHAT IS STILL ONGOING.
UM, MOST OF IT IS DONE, AND WE HAVE A SECTION THAT IS GOING TO RUN THROUGH, UH, CSX RIGHT OF WAY.
AND SO WE'VE SUBMITTED BASICALLY AN ACCESS AGREEMENT TO CSX TO GET, UH, THE ENGINEER AND THEIR SUBCONTRACTING
[01:10:01]
SURVEY GROUP IN THERE.AND, UH, THEY'RE JUST KIND OF, UH, GOING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT SOME INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS RIGHT NOW BEFORE CSX GETS THEM TO GO AHEAD TO, UH, GET IN THERE AND DO THE SURVEY WORK NECESSARY.
ONCE THAT SURVEY WORK IS COMPLETE AND WE HAVE THE ALIGNMENT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS OF THE NEW FORCE MAIN TO DETERMINE PUMP SELECTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THIS GOING MUCH QUICKER.
UH, NEXT WE'VE GOT THE, UH, JACKSON FARM PUMP STATION.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A PUMP STATION COMPLETE, UH, REHABILITATION, UM, UH, FUNDED BY THE VIRGINIA, UH, CLEAN WATER REVOLVING FUND.
UH, SO THIS IS A LOAN THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE FROM THE STATE.
AND, UM, ALONG WITH THE REHABILITATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, INCREASING CAPACITY AT THIS STATION, EITHER WITH AN ADDITIONAL PUMP OR UPSIZING, UH, PORTIONS OF THE FORCE MAIN.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE LOOKED AT, UH, ALONG WITH ELECTRICAL AND VENTILATION UPGRADES.
VENTILATION UPGRADES, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE HERE SHORTLY.
THERE'S A, UH, A REOCCURRING THEME.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WASTEWATER GASES, UH, PRODUCE A LOT OF, UH, HYDROGEN SULFIDE, ESPECIALLY IN CONFINED AREAS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IN A LOT OF THOSE SPACES.
AND INADEQUATE VENTILATION LEADS TO, UM, THE EARLY DEMISE OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.
AND SO, UM, MOST OF THESE STATIONS WERE DESIGNED YEARS AND YEARS AGO BEFORE A LOT OF THESE VENTILATIONS, UH, I'LL SAY STANDARDS EXISTED TO, TO KEEP THESE THINGS WELL AIRED.
AND, UM, WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THAT WITH THESE PROJECTS.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE INSTALLING, UM, UH, INTEGRATION TO OUR SCADA SYSTEM SO THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO MONITOR THIS PUMP STATION FROM WATER RENEWAL WITH THE 24 7 UH, OPERATORS THERE, AS WELL AS A NEW REPLACEMENT BACKUP GENERATOR FOR REDUNDANCY.
AND, UH, WE ARE SCOPING OUT THIS PROJECT WITH THE ENGINEER AS WE SPEAK.
UH, AND THESE FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE JULY ONE, SO WE'RE GONNA BE READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, UH, WITH THE FULL DESIGN.
THEN, UH, MOVING ON, WE'VE GOT, UH, STATION STREET AND, UH, MANCHIN HILL.
UH, THESE ARE TWO VERY SIMILAR PROJECTS.
AGAIN, COMPLETE STATION RENOVATIONS WITH, UH, ALL THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, UH, AS WELL AS SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SITES WHERE, WHETHER IT'S RAILINGS AROUND THE WET WELLS, IT'S LIGHTING ISSUES, IT'S VENTILATION, UM, THAT IT'S JUST NOT GREAT FOR OUR WORKERS TO BE IN AND AROUND.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING CARE OF THAT AS WE GET TO EACH, UH, PUMP STATION UPGRADE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH STATION, UH, STATION STREET, THERE, CURRENT LAYOUT ALLOWS THOSE WET WELL GLASS GASES TO ACCUMULATE.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA IMPROVE, UH, THE VENTILATION.
ALSO A NEW GENERATOR THERE ALONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL UPGRADES.
UH, WE'RE IN PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, ENGINEERING THERE.
WE'RE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE ENGINEERING FIRM TO TAKE ON THIS PROJECT, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH A, UH, SCOPE OF SERVICE AND THE DESIGN HERE SHORTLY.
UH, MANCHIN HILLS IS THE SAME SITUATION, UH, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STATION LIKE JACKSON FARM.
WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT INCREASING CAPACITY THROUGH THIS STATION THROUGH EITHER UPSIZING FORCE MAINS OR REEVALUATING OR PUMP SIZES.
AND THAT ONE'S, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME DEVELOPMENT YES, THERE AT VICTOR LANDING, WE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE AND ACCOMMODATE, UH, FUTURE FLOW INCREASES IN THAT PART OF THE CITY.
UM, FIRST STREET, UH, IS ANOTHER STATION THAT IS, UH, IT'S A PROJECT THAT'S BEING RUN OUT OF OUR MAINTENANCE BUDGET, UM, WHERE WE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE BYPASSES, BYPASS, RENTAL PUMPS IN PLACE TO, UH, TO HANDLE THE FLOW BECAUSE WE, WE'VE GOT SOME NEW, NEW PUMPS THAT HAVE BEEN DELIVERED.
UH, BUT WE, UH, HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSTALL 'EM YET BECAUSE WE NEED TO SET UP A LARGER BYPASS, WHICH, UH, HAS SOME FUNDING ISSUES, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER DURING REGULAR BUSINESS.
UM, WE NEED TO GET SOME, UH, A LARGER BYPASS SET UP FOR ABOUT A WEEK SO WE CAN PULL EVERYTHING OUT, CLEAN THE WET, WELL COMPLETELY GET ALL THE DEBRIS OUT, ALL THE, ALL THE GRIT AND EVERYTHING OUT SO WE CAN SET NEW PUMPS IN PLACE.
THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET EVERYTHING OFF RENT AND, UH, REDUCE OUR MONTHLY OPERATING COSTS SIGNIFICANTLY BY, UH, BY NOT HAVING THOSE RENTAL PUMPS OUT THERE.
AND, UH, GET THE NEW GRINDERS, UH, INSTALLED AS WELL IN THAT PRO IN, IN THAT PROCESS.
UM, FLOW METERS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED OUT THERE, SO WE'RE GETTING MORE ACCURATE INFORMATION, BUT WE JUST NEED TO GET IT GOING THROUGH THE FULL PUMP STATION INSTEAD OF BYPASS PUMPS.
UH, ALONG WITH THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE GENERAL MAINTENANCE HAPPENING AT PUMP STATIONS ACROSS THE CITY AS, UH, AS TIME AND NEED ALLOWS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN REPLACING OUR AUTO DIALER SYSTEMS WITH, UM, BASICALLY CELLULAR MODEMS FOR COMMUNICATION.
SO AS, AS WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, THESE AUTO DIALERS ROLLED COPPER LINES THAT WHEN AN ALARM WOULD TRIGGER, YOU KNOW, A PHONE CALL WOULD GO OUT, THEY'VE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL IN THE CONTROL ROOM, UM, YOU KNOW,
[01:15:01]
AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT, AND THEN HAVE TO SEND SOMEBODY OVER THERE.WELL, WE'RE WORKING ON BRINGING MORE DATA IN VIA CELLULAR MODEM SO THAT WE CAN WATCH PUMP LEVELS AND SEE GENERATOR RUN ALARMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR WHAT'S GOING ON FROM, UH, WATER RENEWALS CONTROL ROOM AND, AND GIVE US BETTER INFORMATION TO RESPOND AS NEEDED.
UH, WE'RE BUYING AND REPLACING, UH, PUMPS AND ROTATING ASSEMBLIES FOR PUMPS, YOU KNOW, AT SOME OF THE SMALLER STATIONS.
WE'RE ALSO UPGRADING AND REPLACING WET WELL LEVEL SENSORS.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES OUT THERE, AND SOME OF THE, THE OLD BUBBLER SYSTEMS, UH, FOUL UP REGULARLY, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF THE ACCUMULATION OF GREASE AND OTHER MATERIAL IN A WET WELL, IT'S OLD TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO WE'RE BRINGING IN ULTRASONICS AND LABEL LE LASER LEVEL, UH, EQUIPMENT JUST TO BE ABLE TO BETTER MONITOR THE WET WELL TO TELL THE PUMPS WHEN TO TURN ON AND TURN OFF.
AND OF COURSE, VENTILATION IMPROVEMENTS AND LIGHTING UPGRADES.
A LOT OF OUR SITES, WE, WE DON'T, UH, WE, WE LIKE TO STAY OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE WITH THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES, BUT HOWEVER, WHEN YOU NEED TO GO IN THERE AT NIGHT AND DO WORK, WE NEED TO HAVE ADEQUATE LIGHTING SO THAT, UH, OUR OPERATORS AND, AND MAINTENANCE TECHS CAN BE IN THERE SAFELY DOING THEIR JOBS.
AND THEN, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, OUR CONSENT ORDER.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, UH, ENTERED INTO A CONSENT ORDER WITH DEQ.
UM, THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS THE RESULT OF A NUMBER OF NOTICES OF VIOLATIONS AND, AND INSPECTION OF, UH, OF THE TREATMENT PLANT.
UH, THAT WAS SIGNED BY, UM, THE CITY MANAGER BACK IN FEBRUARY.
IT WENT THROUGH A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WITH DEQ AND WAS SOLELY EXECUTED BY DEQ, UM, ON APRIL 9TH.
AND PART OF THAT, UM, WELL, FIRST, UH, DEQ HAS BEEN REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF US THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
AND THEY DID NOT ISSUE ANY CIVIL FINES AS PART OF THIS.
THEY REALIZED, UM, THAT THE MONEY THAT WAS NEEDED TO GET OUR FACILITIES, UH, BACK TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, NEEDS TO STAY IN HOPEWELL AND GET THIS JOB DONE AND NOT PAY INTO, UH, FINES IN THE STATE COFFERS.
SO, UM, HATS OFF TO THEM AND VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT EFFORT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT THE, THE CONSENT ORDER REQUIRES IS AN UPDATE TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PUMP STATION EVALUATION DOCUMENT.
UM, ONE WAS DONE A FEW YEARS AGO, AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE.
SO WE'RE TALKING WITH AN ENGINEER CURRENTLY.
UH, I SHOULD HAVE A PROPOSAL IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO TO GET THAT DONE.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO, UH, ALL THE PUMP STATIONS IN, UH, IN THE CITY.
AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP LAY OUT THE ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE, UH, REHAB PROJECTS THAT WILL BE COMING, UH, IN CAPITAL PLANS IN THE FUTURE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS THINGS ARE LOOKING BETTER FROM A, UH, FINANCIAL STANDPOINT WITH THE CITY, AND, AND WE'RE GONNA BECOME MORE ELIGIBLE FOR ADDITIONAL GRANTS AND, AND LOAN PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WILL HELP OUT, UH, HELP GET THESE THINGS DONE QUICKER.
WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MAY I, IS IT THE NEXT MEETING THAT WE'LL BE BACK WITH, UH, THE OOM CONTRACT FOR COUNCIL TO AWARD? SO, SO THE O AND M CONTRACT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE REVIEWED THOSE PROPOSALS.
WE HAVE, UH, GONE BACK TO, UH, I'LL SAY THE TOP TWO SUBMITTERS WITH, UH, A REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION, UH, MORE OF A, A STANDARD PRICING SCENARIO SO THAT THE CONTRACTS COULD BE EVALUATED ON APPLES TO APPLES STANDPOINT.
UH, THE ORIGINAL RFP DIDN'T, DIDN'T HAVE A STRUCTURED PRICE THAT EVERYBODY HAD TO FOLLOW.
IT WAS MORE OF A SOLICITATION OF GENERAL PRICING TERMS AND, AND PRICE CONCEPTS.
AND SO NOW THAT WE'RE DOING THAT, I BELIEVE THOSE, UH, THOSE RESUBMITTAL ARE DUE BACK TO, UH, PURCHASING TOMORROW, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO WE WILL GET THOSE AND WE WILL BEGIN THAT EVALUATION PROCESS.
UM, DEPENDS ON HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET TO, UH, INTERVIEWING, UM, EITHER ONE OR BOTH OF THOSE OFFERERS.
UH, BUT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND, AND WE'RE HOPEFULLY BY NEXT COUNSEL, WE CAN TALK ABOUT HERE'S THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, AND IT TURNS INTO MORE OF A NEGOTIATION AND A CONTRACT CONVERSATION AFTER THAT.
I'LL BE BACK, UH, NEXT MEETING WITH SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.
[ACTIONS RESULTING FROM CLOSED MEETING]
ACTIONS COMING OUT OF THE CLOSED SESSION.UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPOINT, UH, SHARON NEAL TO THE BRIGHTPOINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARDS AND, UH, RAYLAND WOLF TO THE LIBRARY BOARD? SEVEN SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR DAY AND SECONDED BY,
[01:20:01]
UH, COUNCILLOR WHEAT.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
AT THIS TIME, UH, DO NOT SEE REVEREND BOGGS HERE TONIGHT.
UH, SO IF YOU PLEASE YOUR EYES, I WILL DO THE, UH, PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE DAY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL HARD PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THIS CITY TOWARDS, UH, SERVING OUR CITIZENS AND PROVIDING WONDERFUL SERVICE.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT DAY AND HOPEWELL, WHERE WE BEGIN A NEW ADVENTURE IN A NEW ERA.
LORD, I PRAY THAT YOU'LL BE OVER US TONIGHT AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY, IN THE FUTURE OF THE CITY, AND FOR THE MOST WELLBEING OF OUR CITIZENS.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECOND BY COUNCILLOR WHEAT.
SEEING NO LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS]
MOVING ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT, UH, BEFORE I READ THE STATEMENT, I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THE TIMER DOES WORK.
THERE'S A LIGHT ON THE PODIUM THAT WILL TURN YELLOW WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.
AND ONCE THE TIME IS GONE, THERE IS A BEEP THAT WILL GO OFF.
AND IT IS RATHER LOUD, AND I DO NOT WANT YOU TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.
A COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS PERIOD LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES OCCURS AT EACH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
PERSONS ADDRESSING COUNSEL APPROACH THE MICROPHONE, GIVE THEIR NAME, AND IF THEY RESIDE IN HOPEWELL, THEIR WARD 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 COUNSEL.
AS A BODY, ANY PERSON WHO MAKES PERSONAL IMPERTINENT ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS OR INSIGHTS, DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARRED FROM FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS AND REMOVED.
UH, FIRST THAT I HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR TONIGHT IS MR. MARK BURROWS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE TO EAT A LITTLE CROW.
I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO LITTLE MISS CJ AND HER PARENTS.
UH, I DIDN'T REALIZE SHE WAS STILL IN THE ROOM WHEN I SPOKE UP, UH, BEFORE LEAVING AT THE LAST MEETING.
I DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT I SAID, BUT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF MY SURROUNDINGS.
AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, I STATED THAT, UH, THE INCREASE TO THE STORM WATER, UH, WAS VOTED ON ON 13TH JANUARY.
IT WAS IN FACT AN INCREASE IN SEWAGE THAT WAS CONSIDERED.
ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, I STILL TAKE EXCEPTION WITH THE CONTEMPT THAT WAS SHOWN TO THE CITIZENS BY A MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL.
I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT I ALSO TREAT THAT PERSON WITH DISDAIN.
THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT HE'S A PUBLIC SERVANT, PAID FOR THE VERY PAID FOR BY THE VERY PEOPLE BEING DISRESPECTED.
AND I'M NOT, I HAVE NO TOLERANCE FOR A PERSON WHO DEMANDS, RESPECTS HIDE BEHIND, BUT HIDES BEHIND SOMEBODY ELSE'S AUTHORITY.
WHILE I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION AND THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE DUE TO THE CONTEMPT SHOWN TO US, I HOPE THAT YOU RESIGN.
I HOPE THAT YOU SEEK AN AUDIENCE ANYWHERE BUT HERE.
THAT BEING SAID, I'M GLAD THAT TO SEE THAT THE AUDITS ARE COMPLETE AND TO SEE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AS A CITY.
I KNOW IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY, AND I HOPE THAT Y'ALL ARE DRAFTING NEW ORDINANCES TO GOVERN OUR COUNCIL AND CITY OFFICIALS TO ENSURE THAT FAILURES IN THE FUTURE WILL BE MET WITH SWIFT AND SEVERE JUSTICE.
[01:25:07]
GOOD EVENING HERE, THE WARD SEVEN.THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS WE AS CITIZENS, WE PAY FOR YOU ALL TO WORK UP THERE.
AND YOU ALL HAVE ASKED TO WORK UP THERE.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS CITIZENS THAT OUR OPINIONS, OUR THOUGHTS ARE ALSO CONSIDERED WHEN YOU ALL MAKE DECISIONS.
NOT THAT ONLY YOUR DECISION IS WHAT IS MADE.
BECAUSE WE, IN THE END IT, YOU SAID IT YOURSELF, THAT WE, THE CITIZENS ARE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
WHAT SO MAKE US IMPORTANT, MAKE US FEEL LIKE WE CARE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE CITIZENS FEEL THAT WAY.
SECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THE TRASH, WE PAY $30 AND SOME CENTS FOR IT TO BE PICKED UP FOUR TIMES OUT OF THE MONTH.
I AM LUCKY THAT MY TRASH GETS PICKED UP ONCE IN A MONTH, BUT I DON'T GET ANY CREDIT FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S A FLAT FEE.
WHY AM I PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT GETTING? I DON'T GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND PAY FOR ALL MY FOOD AND ONLY GET A QUARTER OF IT.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
WE'RE PAYING FOR A SERVICE WE DON'T GET, AND WE'RE PAYING FOR YOU ALL AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THE SERVICE WE DO, WE NEED.
IF YOU'LL EMAIL YOUR ADDRESS TO THE CITY CLERK, WE CAN HAVE, UH, C-V-W-M-A MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO BACK OUT THERE.
AND I'VE CALLED, I'VE CALLED, I CALL EVERY MONTH.
WELL IF YOU SEND IT THERE, WE CAN THEN, IF YOU'VE DONE IT MULTIPLE TIMES, THEN WE CAN HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
UH, NEXT IS, I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, MS. SONDER LAST NAME'S SONDER OR, OKAY.
HOW YOU TALKING THERE? ROGER SAUNDERS.
IT LOOKED LIKE IT, UH, WAS ROJA AND I WAS LIKE, OH, OKAY.
UM, LAST YEAR I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE, UH, KINGS COURT.
AND, UM, WHAT I CAME AFTER TODAY, BECAUSE, UH, I DID A JOB, I THINK IT DID UNINSPECTED WHEN THE GAS COMPANY DID, CAME IN AND TURNED THE ROAD UP, UM, THEY PUT THEIR PART DOWN THERE AND THE CITY DIDN'T INSPECT THE ROAD, HAD HOLES, LINE THE PIPE, EVIDENCE IS LEAKING.
THEY PAID THE ROAD AND RAN IN KING, UH, KINGS COURT ON, UH, LUTHER BOULEVARD.
YOU WERE THERE TWO HOLES DOWN THERE AND, UH, SPEND THE MONEY FOR NOTHING.
YOU SHOULD HAVE CHECKED BEFORE THEY PA THE ROAD OR, YOU KNOW, CHECKED IT BEFORE THE, THE HOLES LICKING NAOMI SPEND MONEY FOR NOTHING.
SECOND PART, HE DID A PART IN COMPLETE THE END FROM NEW YORK STREET ALL THE WAY TO AND OF DUB I ALL THE WAY TO, UH, YEAH.
AIN'T NEVER BEEN PAID THE WHOLE DOWN THE ROAD.
SO, UH, I THINK ONCE THE GAS COMPANY FIXED THE KING'S COURT, THE KING'S COURT ROAD WILL NEVER BE FIXED BY NOW.
BUT ANYWAY, THE HOLES DOWN THERE IS NEED TO BE FIXED.
Y'ALL DID A GREAT JOB, BUT YOU INSPECTED THE HIGHWAY BEFORE YOU PUT THE TAR DOWN.
SO IT'S BEEN EXTRA WORK FOR EXTRA MONEY FOR NOW.
UM, UH, MR. ROGERS, CAN YOU HAVE, UM, MR. ROBERTSON, UH, FOLLOW UP ON THAT? YEP.
AND UH, SIR, IF YOU'LL, YOU KNOW, LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH OUR CITY MANAGER OR A CITY CLERK, THAT WAY THEY CAN FOLLOW BACK UP WITH YOU.
AIN'T NOBODY BEEN SITTING THERE.
I DON'T, I LIVE IN ALL, WELL I LIVE IN, IN, IN THE SUBDIVISION ANYWAY.
I TAKE, I EXPLAINED IT TO ATCH.
IF YOU JUST LEAVE US, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST WRITE DOWN ON A, JUST A SCRATCH PIECE PIECE OF PAPER, IF YOU WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING WHERE WE CAN WRITE DOWN YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, THAT WAY WE CAN FOLLOW BACK UP WITH YOU.
[01:30:01]
OKAY.UH, NEXT IS APRIL JONES, TYLER.
I LIVE IN, UM, THOMAS ROTH LOCATION.
UM, I COME HERE POSSIBLY THREE TIMES, UM, WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT.
UM, HOPEFUL FOR REDEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, I'M GETTING NOTICES, BUT MY, UH, CONCERNS ISSUES ARE STILL NOT BEING ADDRESSED.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, MY TUB AND MY WINDOW UNITS, UM, AND THE BATHROOM STILL NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
I'M GETTING, I'M RECEIVING NOTICES, BUT NOTHING'S BEING DONE.
AND THIS IS HAPPENING MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND I'M ALSO, UH, CCING, UM, A HIGHER CHAIN.
SO I'VE BEEN THROUGH EVERY CHAIN OF COMMAND THAT I POSSIBLY COULD AND STILL NOTHING'S, UM, BEING RESOLVED.
UM, OR I'M GETTING RECEIVING RETALIATION SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, I MAY NEED THIS DONE.
AND THEN NEXT DAY I KNOW I COME IN, UM, SOMEONE HAVE DISCONNECTED SOMETHING UNDERNEATH MY SINK OR MY, UH, UNDERNEATH MY SINK IS LEAKING.
OR I MAY COME BACK IN MY TOILET'S FINE AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW MY TOILET WON'T FLUSH.
UM, AND THEN I'M ASKING FOR A NOTICE.
UH, WHEN SOMEONE IS COMING, I CAN COME DOWN TO THE, UH, UH, HOUSING OFFICE, THOMAS ROTH LOCATION AND PRETTY MUCH, UH, STATE LIKE, HEY, UH, MY, MY, UM, TOILET'S NOT FLUSHING.
NEXT THING I KNOW WHILE I'M COMMUNICATING, THEY'RE ALREADY SENDING SOMEONE TO MY UNIT WITHOUT NOTIFYING ME AND SAYING, HEY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE SEEN A TRASH BAG.
INSTEAD OF ME, UH, HAVING TO COME DOWN HERE, UH, KIND OF
I CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION, JUST PUT A TRASH BAG THERE UNTIL, YOU KNOW, THEY COME AND RESOLVE IT.
UH, THAT PARTICULAR DAY, UH, MY DAUGHTER, I WAS TAKING HER TO SCHOOL, DIDN'T HAVE, DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT DUMPING THE TRASH TRASH BACK DURING THAT TIME.
UM, 'CAUSE I'M A SINGLE MOM AND I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE DAY AS WELL AS TAKE CARE OF MY HEALTH TOO.
UM, SO PRETTY MUCH THE TRASH BAG WAS JUST, WHEN I CAME BACK, IT WAS IN THE TOILET, BUT THE SEAT WAS DOWN.
THEY LEFT THE TOILET SEAT UP AND TOOK THE PICTURES.
AND I'M LIKE, UH, I HAVE MULTIPLE PICTURES.
I HAVE A PICTURE OF WHEN I PUT A BIG TRASH BAG THERE, UH, TO COLLECT OUR URINE AND FECES.
AND NOW I'M PUTTING A SMALLER TRASH BAG.
SO MY MAIN THING IS I'VE, UM, PUT IN SEVERAL GRIEVANCES.
NONE OF MY GRIEVANCES HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, I'M STILL AT PRETTY MUCH NO RESPONSE.
UH, MY MAIN CONCERN IS, UH, EDUCATING ME ON WHEN I PUT IN A GRIEVANCE, UH, LET ME KNOW WHAT'S THE NEXT STEPS.
I'M DOING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, WHAT THEY'RE TELLING ME TO DO.
AND LAST IS MS. DARLING THOMPSON.
SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THAT THING.
I CHECKED OFF, UH, SHERA FULLER FIRST BY ACCIDENT.
UM, MR. MAYOR, UH, VICE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, AND EVERYONE.
UM, SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO COME TO YOU TONIGHT WITH A FEW MEETING, FEW EVENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP.
UM, ON MONDAY, MAY 4TH, WE HAVE A JOINT WARD FIVE AND WARD FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING, UM, TO ENSURE WE'RE SERVING THE NEIGHBORS PROPERLY FOR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GOING FORWARD, ALL WARD FIVE AND WARD FOUR MEETINGS WILL BE JOINT.
UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR ANYBODY ELSE TO VOLUNTEER FROM WARD FOUR TO BE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CAPTAIN.
HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED YET.
SO I AM THE CAPTAIN FOR WARD FIVE, FOUR, AND SEVEN, UM, WHICH IS A BIG UNDERTAKING.
SO WE DO NEED MORE CITIZENS TO DO, TO DO OUR PART.
BUT IT WILL BE MONDAY, MAY 4TH AT 6:00 PM AT WESLEY UNITED.
UM, ALSO SCHOOL IS ALMOST OUT.
WE KNOW THAT KIDS WILL BE OUTSIDE.
WE KNOW THAT WE'LL SEE THEM AT THE, AT THE SKATE PARKS.
UM, BUT BEFORE SCHOOL LETS OUT.
THERE ARE BASEBALL GAMES, THERE ARE SOCCER GAMES, THERE'S BAND COMPETITIONS, THERE'S ALSO GRADUATION.
SO I WOULD LOVE IT IF THE COMMUNITY COULD COME OUT AND CELEBRATE THESE BABIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE WORKED HARD DESPITE THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT THEY HAVE FACED.
[01:35:01]
OF THESE BABIES ARE BURYING THEIR LOVED ONES AND THEY'RE STILL SHOWING UP, MAKING HONOR ROLL.THEY'RE PART OF NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY.
AND THESE BABIES ARE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB OUTTA HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AS WELL AS APPOMATTOX REGIONAL CODE RBA AND MAGGIE WALKER.
SO I DEFINITELY WANNA GIVE BIG KUDOS TO THESE KIDS WHO ARE, THEY'RE MAKING IT HAPPEN DESPITE THE ADVERSITIES.
UM, BUT ALSO I, I WANNA SHARE WITH THE CITIZENS THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S GREAT THAT THEY'RE POSTING THESE EVENTS ON FACEBOOK, IT'S ALSO, IT WOULD ALSO BE GREAT IF THEY CAME OUT TO THE EVENTS.
UM, I SEE THE FOOTBALL STANDS FILLED AS A FOOTBALL MOM.
THEY'RE FILLED, THEY'RE BAD, THEY'RE FILLED FOR BASKETBALL, THEY'RE FILLED FOR, UM, BASEBALL.
THEY'RE FILLED FOR THOSE OTHER THINGS.
BUT THE DRUM LINE EVENT WE HAD JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, OTHER THAN THE PARENTS, THERE WAS NOT ONE CITIZEN THERE.
AND THAT'S REALLY HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE THESE BABIES ARE AWARD-WINNING.
AND THEN THEY JUST DROVE TO NEWPORT NEWS AFTER SCHOOL LAST FRIDAY TO GO AND COMPETE AGAINST SIX OTHER SCHOOLS.
SO I WOULD LOVE IT IF THEY, IF PEOPLE COULD SHOW UP FOR THAT.
UM, ALSO NEXT WEEK ON MAY 4TH IS ALSO, UM, STAND BY ME.
SO IF YOU COULD COME OUT, SHOW OFF THE START ON STARTING LINE OF THE SCHOOLS AT HARRY JAMES DUPONT AND PATRICK COPELAND AND JUST CHEER THESE BABIES ON AS THEY GO IN AND TAKE THESE AMAZING TESTS.
THESE KIDS ARE WORKING HARD AND PARENTS ARE TOO.
SO THEY WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME AMAZING FACES.
UM, AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, THEY CAN MESSAGE ME.
MS. THOMPSON, DARLENE THOMPSON.
UM, IT'S AMAZING TO HEAR YOUR SPEECH TONIGHT BECAUSE BEFORE EVERY PROBLEM THAT THE CITY HAD, IT WAS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET ANYTHING DONE.
BUT NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE GRAND.
UM, I WENT UP IN, I SAID THE WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I SEE THE RED ROADS ARE PAVED BIKE LANES DONE.
BUT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, NOTHING.
ONLY ONE ROAD THAT IS PUT IN STREET THAT'S GOING TO BE PAVED AND THAT'S COURTHOUSE ROAD.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE I PUT A WHITE PERSON UP HERE TO SAY THAT IT NEEDED TO BE DONE.
SO YOU ALL ARE ACTING LIKE YOU ALL ARE GRAND THAT Y'ALL ARE GETTING THE WORK DONE IN THIS CITY.
I DIDN'T HEAR NOT ONE OF YOU ALL THINK THE CITIZENS FOR THEIR HELP BECAUSE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE CITIZENS THAT YOU ALL HAVE TAXED THEM ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND EVERY, IT IS NOT EVEN A SHEET LONG ENOUGH FOR ALL OF THE TAXES THAT THESE CITIZENS HAD TO PAY IS STILL PAYING.
AND YOU ALL ARE STANDING HERE ACTING LIKE Y'ALL ARE SO GRAND THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
THE ROBERT BOB GROUP IS WALKING OUT HERE WITH ALMOST OVER $4 MILLION.
THE AUDITORS, I JUST HEAR THEY HAD $651,000 THAT YOU ALL HAD TO PAY.
AND ALL I HEAR IS INTERNAL CONTROLS.
HE HAVE GIVEN, HAVEN'T FOUND MUCH OF ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT YOU ALL ARE SITTING HERE LIKE YOU ALL ARE SO GRAND ON THE BACK OF THESE CITIZENS, THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WE GIVE YOU ALL OUR VOTES AND YOU ALL GIVE US NOTHING.
IF I'M, IF I'M LYING, YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU ALL ASK FOR NOTHING AND WE GET NOTHING.
WE HAD A BLACK CITY COUNCILMAN FIRED, TWO BLACK, UM, CLERKS, UM, GONE.
A BLACK CITY TREASURER FIRED A PRETTY MUCH GOT VOTED OUT.
BUT YOU ALL PUT THE MONEY UP TO BRING SOMEONE TO VOTE TO RUN AGAINST HER.
AND YOU ALL ARE SITTING HERE WITH YOUR HANDS CLAPPING AND GRAND ON THE BACK OF OUR CITIZENS THAT TELL YOU REPEATEDLY WE DO NOT HAVE IT.
AND EACH TIME SOMEONE COME TO BOB GROUP, YOU ALL SAID BRANSON, PART OF THE BOB GROUP.
HE WAS THE ONE THAT TOLD THE CITY THAT WE WERE BROKE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THANK YOU MS. THOMPSON.
OH, I THOUGHT THEY SAID WE'D HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE.
UH, NORMALLY I WOULD, YOU KNOW, GO AND CORRECT COMMENTS, BUT I THINK THAT THAT LAST BIT OF, UH, OF COMMENTS DON'T EVEN REALLY DIGNIFY RESPONSE.
[01:40:01]
UH, MOVING ON TO[REGULAR BUSINESS]
REGULAR BUSINESS.UH, R ONE, MR. MAYOR, THIS IS, UM, DISRESPECTFUL.
THIS IS AN ORDINANCE BRANDING ON NON-EXCLUSIVE TABLE FRANCHISE TO VERIZON.
SO, UH, VERIZON CAME TO THE CITY, UM, UNDER VIRGINIA LAW IN ORDER FOR, UM, A COMPANY LIKE VERIZON OR COMCAST OR WHAT HAVE YOU, TO OPERATE A CABLE FRANCHISE OR TO OPERATE CABLE WITHIN A CITY TO OFFER IT TO ITS CITIZENS, THEY HAVE TO FIRST, UH, ENTER INTO A, AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY THAT THAT IS ADOPTED IN THE FORM OF AN ORDINANCE.
VERIZON HAS, HAS COME TO THE CITY, UM, AND WE'VE HAMMERED OUT THE DETAILS OF THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THAT'S WITH VERIZON.
BEFORE YOU CONTINUE MR. BASSETT, UM, THIS IS GONNA BE THE AUDIENCE ONE AND ONLY A WARNING TO PLEASE BE QUIET WHILE PEOPLE ARE PRESENTING UP HERE.
AND THAT IF YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO LEAVE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASK VOLUNTEER.
PLEASE ESCORT MR. HOUSER OUT OF THE BUILDING, MR. UPSET.
UM, SO THE, THE AGREEMENT THAT'S ON THE TABLE REQUIRES VERIZON MEETS CERTAIN CUSTOMER SERVICE MARKS.
IT PROVIDES THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH THE USE OF A PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL IF CITY AND SCHOOLS DESIRE SUCH A THING.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE CITY TO RECEIVE A 5% FEE FROM VERIZON, WHICH IS, WHICH IS COLLECTED, COLLECTED BY THE STATE.
SO BOTTOM LINE HERE FOR CITIZENS IS CITIZENS ARE, ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, TO HAVE VERIZON SERVICE AS WELL IN, IN THE CITY IN SHORT ORDER, UH, IF, IF, IF IT'S COUNCIL'S DECISION TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS TO THIS EFFECT, UH, OUR OFFICE IS ALSO WORKING ON AN INTERNET AND TELECOMS FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, WHICH WITH VERIZON, WHICH WILL COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR, FOR ADOPTION.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TONIGHT FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS MR. BURROWS, MARK BURROWS, WARD III.
I, I DON'T WANT RUFFLE ANYBODY'S FEATHERS AND CAUSE SOMEBODY TO FEEL LIKE MY COMMENT ISN'T WORTHY OF BEING OR DIGNIFIED WITH A RESPONSE.
I JUST WANTED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT AUTHORITY Y'ALL HAVE OVER VERIZON OR WHATEVER ELSE, BUT I'VE HAD VERIZON AT MY HOUSE AND MANSION HILLS FOR GOING ON TWO YEARS NOW.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOME KICKBACK THAT NOW Y'ALL ARE GETTING FOR ENDORSING, BUT THAT, THAT THE CITY'S GETTING.
I DON'T WANNA ACCUSE Y'ALL OF ANYTHING CORRUPT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IF THERE, IF THERE'S SOME BENEFIT TO THE CITY AS TO WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN Y'ALL ARE WANTING TO JUMP IN BED WITH VERIZON WHEN I'VE HAD 'EM FOR, LIKE I SAID, GOING ON TWO YEARS OVER AT THE HOUSE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I, I DON'T WANNA RUFFLE ANY FEATHERS OR NOT WARRANT TO OF RESPONSE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IF, IF I, IF I MAY, MR. MR. ROSE, IF, IF, IF YOU DO IN FACT GET VERIZON CABLE SERVICE ALREADY AT YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW, WOULD, WOULD YOU FIND SENDING AN EMAIL TO, TO MY OFFICE? I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT.
NOT SUPPOSED, THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY, THEY CAME TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO NOW.
AND IT, THEY, THEY CAME THROUGH, KNOCKED ON EVERYBODY'S DOOR, ASKED IF IF YOU WANTED IT, WHO DIDN'T IT? AND THE ONES THAT SAID YES, THEY RANG IT.
I'VE GOT FIOS AT THE HOUSE AND EVERYTHING.
FI CABLE OR FIOS, FIOS I BELIEVE.
BUT WE HAD AN OPTION OF CABLE.
WE JUST CANCELED IT BECAUSE IT GOT TOO UNGODLY EXPENSIVE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW.
I'M GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE GRANTING A NON-EXCLUSIVE CABLE FRANCHISE TO VERIZON, VIRGINIA, LLC AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? I MOVE, I'LL SECOND IT.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, MR. SETTE, THIS IS A KIND OF A, A HOUSEKEEPING MEASURE.
SO THERE, THERE EXISTS IN, UH, A STATE LAW CALLED, UH, PUBLIC-PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACT OF 2002.
[01:45:01]
UH, AN ADDITIONAL FORM OF CONTRACTING FOR THE CITY FOR, FOR GOODS AND SERVICES BEYOND JUST WHAT THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ACT ALLOWS.IN, IN SHORT, WHAT THE PPEA ALLOWS ARE, ARE ARRANGEMENTS WHERE YOU HAVE A VENDOR.
THESE ARE TYPICALLY ON LARGER CONTRACTS, INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRACTS, WHETHER IT'S BUILDING A SCHOOL, I I'M OUT OF TIME, PARENT
UM, IN ANY CASE, UH, IT IS, IT IS A METHOD OF PROCUREMENT THAT IS, THAT IS ALLOWED UNDER STATE LAW.
BUT STATE LAW REQUIRES A LOCALITY BEFORE ENGAGING IN THAT KIND OF PROCUREMENT TO PASS A LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT SORT OF SETS OUT HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT HAPPENED.
SO THIS HERE IS NOT ITSELF A CONTRACT FOR ANYTHING.
THIS IS SIMPLY, UM, IN IN UNMET, UH, ORDINANCE NEED IN THE CITY.
THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS SORT OF A TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX THAT CITIES AND COUNTIES ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE.
WE JUST HAVEN'T GIVEN IT TO OURSELVES.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAVE ONLY MR. BURRIS SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT.
I ONLY SIGNED UP IN CASE I HAD SOMETHING TO SAY.
GO AHEAD AND CLOSE UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING THE PUBLIC PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACT OF 2002, UH, PPEA AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? SO MOVE.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, R THREE MS. JORDAN, THIS IS JUST A PROPOSED TAX BRACE FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR 27.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO REQUEST FOR CHANGES TO THE TAX RATES AND I DO WANT THE RESIDENTS TO BE AWARE THAT NEXT WEEK, NEXT YEAR THERE WILL BE A REASSESSMENT YEAR.
NOT MEANING THAT THE TAX RATE WILL BE INCREASED, BUT YOUR ASSESSMENT VALUE MAY INCREASE.
BUT NEXT YEAR IS AN ACTUAL REASSESSMENT YEAR, BUT WE ARE DOING NO INCREASES TO THE TAX RATE FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
I'M GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, FIRST ONE I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MARK BURROUGHS.
I MIGHT AS WELL GET USED TO THIS GAME.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION LEGITIMATELY ABOUT THIS ONE THOUGH.
UM, LAST ASSESSMENT TIMEFRAME.
WE WERE INSTRUCTED THAT OUR, OUR ASSESSMENTS WERE BASED OFF OF, UH, A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE IT WAS WILLIAMSBURG.
IS THAT GONNA BE THE CASE THIS TIME AGAIN OR ARE WE GOING BACK TO LOCAL COMPARISONS TO LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH LOCAL HOME VALUES? UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, MR. NELSON POLL, WHO WAS OUR CITY ASSESSOR, GAVE A PRESENTATION AT THE BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT DO THE WORK ACROSS DIFFERENT LOCAL.
THIS GONNA BE POSTED ON LIVE TWO SO YOU CAN SEE HIS PRESENTATION.
UH, NEXT DARLENE THOMPSON, IF YOU ARE GOING DARLING THOMPSON, WARD SIX, IF YOU ARE GONNA BE ALLOWED TO MAKE DISRESPECTFUL REMARKS, MAAM, PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO STRICTLY TO THE PUBLIC HEARING WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.
BUT I HERE PLEASE COMMENTS BECAUSE OF THE, TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO, TO DO.
PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I AM SPEAKING ON THE TAX RATE.
OUR TAX RATES WENT UP AND OUR TAX ASSESSMENTS WENT UP AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE CITIZENS IS THE ONE FILLING IT.
YOU ALL TAXED US ACROSS THE BOARD OR WITH EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL DECIDED THAT Y'ALL NEEDED MONEY FOR Y'ALL CAME AFTER THE CITIZENS.
I'M GOING TO KEEP COMING UP HERE 'CAUSE I GOT THE VOICE FOR THEM AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
THAT IS THIS CITY COUNCIL THAT IS TAXING THE HECK OUT OF THEM WITH EVERYTHING THAT THE BOB GROUP PUT BEFORE YOU ALL.
AND THEY'RE THE ONES WALKING OUT THE DOOR WITH ALL THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT THE TAXPAYERS ARE THE ONE THAT IS FILLING IT.
I'M SURE YOU CAN'T GO UP WITH THE TAX RATES THIS YEAR BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE ALREADY GETTING
[01:50:01]
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.YOU CAN'T GO UP AGAIN WITH THE ASSESSMENTS BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE ALREADY GETTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE FIGURING OUT HOW I AM GOING TO PAY IT.
YOU ALL ARE NOT LISTENING, BUT IT'S FOUR OF YOU ALL UP FOR REELECTION.
AND I HOPE THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS HERE WOULD KNOW WHO YOU ALL ARE.
SO WHEN YOU COME AND ASK FOR A SIGNATURE, WE ARE NOT GIVING IT TO YOU.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS HERE.
THEY DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S YOU ALL THAT IS SENDING THOSE DEALS TO THEM.
AND YOU GOT A NERD TO TRY TO BE DISRESPECTFUL.
IT'S A MAN THAT SITS HIGH AND LOOKS LOW AND WE CONTINUE TO GIVE YOU ALL OUR VOTES WITH NOTHING IN RETURN, BUT A BILL.
GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AT THIS TIME, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED TAX RATES FOR 2027 AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNT, OR EXCUSE ME, VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR WHEAT.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MOVING ON TO R FOUR POLL AGAIN, MR. MAYOR MADAM VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, MATT ELLINGHOUSE, DIRECTOR OF WATER RENEWAL.
I'VE COME BEFORE YOU, UH, REQUESTING A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE FUND.
41 WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM, PUMP STATION, SEWER FUND FOR THE CITY, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF, UH, $2.3 MILLION.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY, UH, WELL, SO BACK IN THE FALL, UM, THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY WAS DISCOVERED IN THE, UH, METER READINGS WITH PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
SO WE ANTICIPATED REVENUE OF APPROXIMATELY $820,000 FROM PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY FOR THEIR SEWER SERVICES.
BUT DUE TO FAULTY METER READINGS THAT RECONCILED TO, UH, REVENUE EXPECTATION OF ABOUT, UH, $3 MILLION.
SO WE'RE SEEKING THEN, AND THEN THIS WAS DISCUSSED WITH PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY BACK IN THE FALL.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT HERE BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.
THEIR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED THIS, UH, $2.3 MILLION SETTLEMENT, UH, TO BASICALLY TRUE UP WHAT THEIR SERVICES COST AND WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY PURCHASED FROM US.
UM, WE'RE SEEKING TO PULL THAT MONEY, THAT 2.3 MILLION INTO THE CURRENT, UH, FY 26 BUDGET TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
UH, I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PUMP STATIONS WHERE WE'VE GOT PORTABLE BYPASS PUMPS, YOU KNOW, ONE MONTHLY RENTAL FROM, UH, VARIOUS VENDORS TO KEEP THINGS RUNNING, KEEP EVERYTHING OPERATING NUMBER OF, UH, I'LL SAY EMERGENCY SEWER REPAIRS.
UH, MOST RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, UH, LAST MONTH CLEAN AIR AND, UH, FORCE MAIN, UH, SPLIT OPEN, WE, WE SPENT, UH, A GOOD CHUNK OF MONEY OUT THERE GETTING THAT REPAIRED, UM, OVER ABOUT A 24 HOUR PERIOD.
SO WE NEED TO KEEP, UH, THE MOMENTUM WE HAVE GAINED TO COMPLY WITH THE CONSENT ORDER AS WELL AS KEEP THE SEWER IN THE PIPES AND IN THE PUMP STATIONS.
UM, AND WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THIS MONEY BE PULLED INTO THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND THIS ISN'T SPECIFICALLY, UH, IT, IT DEALS WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PUMP STATIONS, BUT CAN FOR ALL THE, UM, THE COST OVERRUNS, UH, I'VE GONE WITH THIS QUEEN ANN PUMP STATION.
I KNOW THAT WE APPROVED IT BACK IN THE FALL OF 2023 AND THEN WE REAPPROVED IT AGAIN IN 2025 SINCE NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON IT, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT CAN YOU GIVE ME A RUNDOWN OR DO YOU, AND WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE OF ALL THE ADDITIONAL COSTS YEAH, WELL, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT TONIGHT.
WELL, THE, UM, THERE IS, UM, SO, SO THE QUEEN ANN PUMP STATION, THE STATION UPGRADE PROJECT IS INDEPENDENT OF THIS FINANCIAL REQUEST.
SO, SO THAT PROJECT IS SEPARATE FROM THIS.
I, I USE THE QUEEN END FORCE MAIN BECAUSE WE HAD A FORCE MAIN SPLIT LAST MONTH, WHICH IS A REPAIR TO THE FORCE MAIN, INDEPENDENT OF, OF THE SYSTEM, OF THE ACTUAL PUMP ON THE PUMP STATION.
THIS WAS JUST AN EMERGENCY REPAIR THAT WE HAD TO GET A CONTRACTOR IN TO HELP, HELP FIX TO, UH, KEEP THE SEWER WITHIN THE PIPE AND NOT LEAKING INTO THE DRAIN.
BUT YEAH, IF YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, JUST SEND US, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE, THOSE FIGURES, I'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, ONLY ONE I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MR. MARK BURROWS,
[01:55:02]
WHERE YOU CAN'T SPEAK UNLESS YOU SIGN UP.SO I'M GONNA SIGN UP FOR EVERYTHING FROM HERE ON OUT.
I JUST WANNA BE PERFECTLY CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING.
YOU CAN TALK AS LOUD AS YOU WANT AND YOU CAN TRY TO SPEAK OVER PEOPLE AS LOUD AS YOU WANT AND YOU DON'T INTIMIDATE IT.
SO, DADDY, JUST KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OH, IT'S, IT'S PERTAINED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING YOU SAY WHAT YOU WANNA SAY HERE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT TO PUBLIC HEARING IT, IT ALRIGHT, HOLD ON.
LET ME, LET ME MAKE IT RELEVANT TO THE PUBLIC HEARING HERE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN MUTUAL COMBAT IF BOTH PARTIES AGREE.
I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MEET YOU AT ANY PUMP STATION YOU WANT MY, UH, DEPUTY, PLEASE REMOVE MR. BURRIS FROM THIS MEETING.
WHAT? MAKING A THREAT THAT WASN'T A THREAT.
PLEASE REMOVE MR. BROS FROM CITY HALL.
YOU PREPARED TO PUT YOU PAGE ON FOR AT THIS TIME.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION? AMENDING FUND 41 OF THE HOPPO WATER RENEWAL FY 2026 BUDGET TO THE PUMP STATION REPAIRS, SIR.
UH, SEEING NO LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
PLEASE HAVE MR. BURROWS REMOVED FROM CITY HALL.
I AIN'T GOT NOTHING SAY TO YOU.
DEPUTIES, PLEASE REMOVE MR. BURROWS FROM CITY HALL.
I DON'T THINK IT MOVING ON TO R FIVE KELLY.
I'M PLAYING GAMES BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE, WE AIN'T JUST NEEDS TO NOT OUT IN A WHILE.
PLEASE CONTINUE ALL, UH, COME BEFORE REAL.
YOU'RE THE BIGGEST CARD I'VE EVER MET.
YOU'RE TYPICALLY PLEASE HAVE THE GENTLEMAN REMOVED.
SO THIS, UH, THIS IS A SECOND BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THIS IS FOR, UH, FUND 32 AT COPO WATER RENEWAL.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE REQUESTING SOME, UH, I'LL SAY, UH, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES IN, IN EXCESS OF WHAT WE BUDGETED AND ACCOUNTED FOR.
MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES AS WELL AS AN INSURANCE PAYOUT BE PULLED INTO THIS CURRENT OPERATING BUDGET, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF EMERGENCY REPAIRS THAT, UH, WE HAVE ONGOING AS IT RELATES TO THE CONSENT ORDER, UH, AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF, UH, DQS UH, ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
UM, WE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEKING THE ROLL IN OF, UH, $1,089,577, UH, OF 460,000 OF THAT IS AN INSURANCE PAYMENT DUE TO, UH, IT'S, IT'S PAYOUT.
IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT FOR, UH, MONEY THAT WE HAD SPENT PREVIOUSLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, MAKING REPAIRS TO, UH, PORTIONS OF OUR INCINERATOR THAT, UH, THAT CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO A FAILED QUENCH WATER PUMP.
UH, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS, UH, LIKE, LIKE I SAID, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE, BUT ULTIMATELY WILL BE SHARED ACROSS OUR USERS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT, THAT'S, THAT'S A LISTING OF ALL THE, UH, DIFFERENT PARTS AND PIECES AND EQUIPMENT THAT WE'LL BE PURCHASING, UH, WITH THIS MONEY TO, TO GET, UH, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CLARIFIERS OPERATING AGAIN, GRIP CHANNELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, IF YOU SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU'LL SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE INDUSTRIAL USER CHARGES.
UH, SHOWING, SHOWING HOW THE EXPENSES BREAK OUT AMONGST OUR INDUSTRIAL USER PARTNERS AND THE CITY.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE REQUESTING, UH, ABOUT, UH, JUST, JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, IT'S ACTUALLY ONCE YOU PULL THE, UM, INSURANCE MONEY FROM THAT AS WELL AS UM, ABOUT $350,000 OF DIRECT REIMBURSEMENT, UH, FUNDS FROM ASHLAND AND ADVAN.
SIX FOR PUMP STATIONS THAT THEY SHARE IN THE COST OF.
IT'S ONLY ABOUT $300,000 OF ADDITIONAL, UH, EXPENSES TO OUR INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS AND THE CITY ITSELF.
[02:00:01]
I SEE YOU NO LIGHTS.WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP THE HEARING.
ONLY PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MR. BURROWS.
GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AMENDING FUND 32 OF THE HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL FY 2026 BUDGET TO OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FOR CRITICAL REPAIRS TO THE HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL PLAN AS PRESENTED TONIGHT.
RIGHT MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR WEE.
SEEING NO LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, MOVING ON TO A SPECIAL ITEM OF BUSINESS OF WHEN WE AMENDED THE AGENDA EARLIER TO, UH, THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UM, MR. ROGERS AND MS. JORDAN TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND, UH, FOR CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE COME ON UP.
YOU WANT TO COME UP TO A LITTLE BIT OF LEGACY RIGHT HERE.
SO, TONIGHT WAS A MONUMENTAL DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AND, UM, THIS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE, UH, WITHOUT BOTH OF Y'ALL'S LEADERSHIP.
UM, Y'ALL'S HARD WORK, YOUR EXPERTISE, UH, THE COUNTLESS LATE NIGHTS THAT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE SPENT HERE, THE DAYS ON THE WEEKEND THAT YOU'VE COME IN, UM, COMING IN EARLY, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.
UM, AND I JUST, WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
AND SO WE HAD SOME PROCLAMATIONS DONE TO CELEBRATE THIS, UM, OCCASION, UH, AND RECOGNITION AND HONOR OF BOTH OF Y'ALL'S HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO THE CITY.
AND SO, UH, I'M GOING TO READ THEM OUT LOUD FOR EVERYBODY.
WHEREAS MR. MICHAEL C. ROGERS FAITHFULLY SERVED AS THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL FOR 12 MONTHS, PROVIDING STEAD STEADY LEADERSHIP DURING A PERIOD OF TRANSITION.
AND WHEREAS DURING HIS TENURE, MR. ROGERS DEMONSTRATED PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY, AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO THE EFFECTIVE OPERATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
FEW CITY MANAGERS HAVE EVER BROUGHT THE LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL DECORUM AND DEVELOPMENT TO THIS ROLE THAT YOU HAVE.
WHEREAS HE WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH CITY COUNCIL, THE SCHOOL BOARD, HRHA DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, STAFF, AND THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF SERVICES, BETTER FISCAL MANAGEMENT, COMPLETION OF ANNUAL AUDITS, AND THE PROGRESS ON KEY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING REVITALIZING THE CITY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, GROWING THE UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE, OVERSEEING THE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION INITIATIVE, REDUCING VIOLENT CRIME AND PROPERTY CRIME.
AND WHEREAS HIS LEADERSHIP HELPED GUIDE THE CITY THROUGH IMPORTANT DECISIONS AND CHALLENGES, MAINTAINING STABILITY AND FOSTERING CONFIDENCE AMONG RESIDENTS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ALIKE.
AND WHEREAS MR. ROGERS WILL LEAVE AN EVERLASTING POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, WHO IS DEDICATION, EXPERTISE, RESPONSIVENESS, PUBLIC SERVICE, AND RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHNNY PARTON AND RITA JOINER, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND ALL MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL OF HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA DO HEREBY EXPRESS OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION TO MR. MICHAEL ROGERS FOR HIS SERVICE AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND EXTEND BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS AND WITNESS THEREOF.
I HAVE SET UNTO MY HAND AND CALLS TO BE AFFIXED A GREAT SEAL OF HOPEWELL AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA THIS 28TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026.
SO NOW FOR THE WOMAN OF THE HOUR,
UM, YOU'VE JUST DONE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND I JUST CANNOT BE PROUDER AGAIN OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND, UM, I JUST WANT YOU TO STAY HERE IN HOPEWELL
[02:05:01]
FOREVER.BUT WE ALSO DID A PROCLAMATION AND, UH, AND, UM, UH, CELEBRATING THIS MONUMENTAL OCCASION AND JUST MARKING THIS MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT, UM, THAT YOU WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOPEWELL HAS DEALT WITH THIS SEVERE FISCAL DISTRESS FOR OVER A DECADE, INCLUDING MISSING LATE OR UNCLEAN AUDITS.
AND WHEREAS STACEY JORDAN WAS APPOINTED THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IN AUGUST OF 2024 IN IMMEDIATELY UNDERTOOK THE CR UH, CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITY OF RESTORING THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF OUR MUNICIPALITY.
AND WHEREAS STACEY JORDAN DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO IMPLEMENTING RIGOROUS FINANCIAL CONTROLS AND DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE RECOVERY PLAN.
AND WHEREAS UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF STACEY JORDAN, THE CITY OF HOPEWELL HAS SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATED THE COMPLEXITIES OF FINANCIAL RECOVERY RESULTING IN THE SUBMISSION OF ALL WHICH WE CAPITALIZE PAST DUE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORTS BRINGING THE CITY OF HOPEWELL INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE VIRGINIA AUDITOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 11 YEARS.
AND WHEREAS THESE ACTIONS HAVE RESTORED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND MUNICIPAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND SAFEGUARD THE ABILITY OF THE CITY TO CONTINUE PROVIDING VITAL AND NECESSARY SERVICES FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO SECURE A BOND RATING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND WHEREAS STACEY JORDAN HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE STANDARD DUTIES OF THE OFFICE TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE CITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHNNY PARTON AND RITA JOINER MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND ALL MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL OF HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE INVALUABLE SERVICE AND DEDICATION OF STACEY JORDAN TO THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF OUR CITY AND CALL UPON THE COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE ALL HER COMP ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS AS WELL.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, I HAVE SET UNTO MY HAND AND CALLS TO BE AFFIXED THE GREAT SEAL OF HOPEWELL AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA'S 28TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026.
AND SO, UH, I'LL LET YOU GUYS, UH, OPEN WITH ANY WORDS, UH, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE US WITH.
I'M JUST GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL THAT COUNCIL ENDED UP GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
I KIND OF KNEW WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO, BUT NOT REALLY
AND WE HAVE PUSHED THROUGH AND WE HAVE MADE SOME GREAT HALFWAY IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
WELL, I HAVE, I HAVE HAD NOT PLANNED TO SPEAK TONIGHT,
I WAS GONNA SAVE THAT FOR THAT LAST MEETING, UM, ON THE 12TH WHEN WE PRESENT THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UH, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR FOR ME.
MS. JORDAN HAS, HAS, HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER AS WE'VE, UH, SOUGHT TO WRITE THIS SHIP.
YOU'VE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS AS COUNCIL.
I COULDN'T HAVE WORKED FOR A BETTER COUNCIL, I CAN TELL YOU.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND TO THE CITIZENS OF HOPEWELL.
THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME.
I KNOW IT WASN'T HARD, WASN'T EASY
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, AND LEADING THE WAY.
SO WITH THAT, UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? SO ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED, MS. PE? MR. BOB HAS HAD SOMETHING, UH OH.
I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT.
ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE AMONG ALL OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT WE PUT FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL, I THINK THE MOST IMPACTFUL CHANGE WAS TO CHANGE THE CITY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE FROM I THINK THREE OR FOUR MEMBERS, TWO MEMBERS.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE BECAME A COMMITTEE OF THE HOPE, WHICH IS VERY UNUSUAL IN MOST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
[02:10:01]
IT BROUGHT ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO THE TABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE WORK THAT STACEY HAS DONE, THE WORK THAT ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES HAVE DONE WITH REGARD TO THE CITY'S BUDGET AND FINANCES.SO THAT IN ITSELF BROUGHT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THIS CITY DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH REGARD TO THE WORK AT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS HAVE DONE BECAUSE YOU ARE THE, THAT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC POLICY AREA THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE ENGAGED IN.
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
AND, UH, FOR THOSE THAT STAYED, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL, UH, ENJOY SOME, UH, REFRESHMENTS.