* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] ALRIGHT. FIVE O'CLOCK. [Call to order and roll call] ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAY I PARDON? HERE. VICE MAYOR JOINER. HERE. COUNCILOR HARRIS? HERE. COUNCILOR ELLIS. COUNCILOR DAY HERE. COUNCILOR WHEAT. COUNCILOR OLI. HERE. MOTION PASSES. FIVE TO ZERO. OKAY. [Call for amendments to the agenda] UH, THIS TIME, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADD AN ITEM TO THE CLOSE AGENDA REGARDING THE RESIGNATION OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, UH, WHO HAS PROVIDED A LETTER OF RESIGNATION? THIS ADDED ITEM, UM, ADDED AGENDA ITEM IS PROCEDURALLY PERMITTED UNDER THE RULES OF CITY COUNCIL. SECTION FOUR, RULE 4 0 5. SO MOVED SECOND. OKAY. UM, LET'S SEE. MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR OLI. IS THERE ANY LIGHTS? ? UH, THE LETTER OF, UH, RESIGNATION, UM, THAT CAME FROM ONE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT IN THE, IN THE BACK. YOU RECEIVED, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT. YOU, YEAH. REMEMBER? YEAH. YOU GOT THE EMAIL? YEAH. YEAH. OH, OKAY. ALRIGHT, FINE. SORRY. UM, WELL, WE'RE GONNA DO A BRIEFING ON IT. YEAH. I CALL, SHE JUST SAID SHE ROLL. CALL PLEASE. COUNCILLOR HARRIS? YES. MAY I? PARDON? YES. COUNCILLOR DAY? YES. COUNCILOR OLI? YES. VICE MAYOR JOINER? YES. MOTION PASSES. FIVE TO ZERO. OKAY. ALRIGHT. AT THIS [CLOSED MEETING] TIME, 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 DISCUSSION, AND FOR DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, OR INTERVIEWS OF PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT, ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING, OR RESIGNATION OF SPECIFIC PUBLIC OFFICERS, APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODY IN AN EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE OF DEPARTMENTS OR SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, WHERE SUCH EVALUATION WILL NECESSARILY INVOLVE DISCUSSION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS. UM, ANY TEACHER SHALL BE PERMITTED TO BE PRESENT DURING THE CLOSED MEETING IN WHICH THEY, THERE IS A DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF DISCIPLINARY MATTER THAT INVOLVES THE TEACHER AND SOME STUDENT, AND THE STUDENT INVOLVED IN THE MATTER IS PRESENT, PROVIDED THAT THE TEACHER MAKES A WRITTEN REQUEST TO BE PRESENT TO THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE APPROPRIATE BOARD. NOTHING IN THIS SUBDIVISION, HOWEVER, SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO AUTHORIZE A CLOSED MEETING BY A LOCAL GOVERNING BODY OR ELECTED, UH, SCHOOL BOARD OR CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS COMPENSATION MATTERS THAT AFFECT THE MEMBERSHIP OF SUCH BOARD OR BOARD COLLECTIVELY SUBMIT PER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 37 11 A ONE AND EIGHT. ALRIGHT. MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY, UH, COUNCILLOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILLOR HARRIS? YES. MAY I? PARDON? YES. COUNCILOR DAY? YES. COUNCILOR OLI? YES. VICE MAYOR JOINER? YES. MOTION PASSES. FIVE TO ZERO. OKAY. AND I'LL GIVE YOU THIS SHOT DAY FOR THE LANGUAGE. YES. CLOSED MEETINGS. WHAT? I DIDN'T CALL, I DO HAVE A MOTION TO COME OUT. CLOSED SESSION. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALRIGHT. MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO, LIKE, ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILOR HARRIS? YES. MAYOR PARTON. YES. COUNSELOR DAY? YES. COUNCILOR LEY? YES. VICE MAYOR JOINER? YES. MOTION PASSES. FIVE TO ZERO. OKAY. UH, CERTIFICATION PLEASE. CERTIFICATION UNDER VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 2D. WERE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS. ONE. LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING. MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING. COUNCILLOR HARRIS? YES. MAYOR PARTON. YES. COUNCILOR DAY? YES. COUNCILOR OLI? YES. VICE MAYOR JOINER? YES. MOTION PASSES. FIVE TO ZERO. OKAY. UH, WANNA WELCOME ALL OF OUR VISITORS, UH, HERE TO THE TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING. [REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER] UH, WE'LL START OUT WITH OUR, UH, REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER, MR. ROGERS, [00:05:02] MR. MAYOR COUNCIL, A COUPLE OF ITEMS. ONE, UM, I HAVE, UH, DESIGNATED, UH, KYLE ENGLISH AS OUR NEW, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, UH, SINCE, UH, GINGER HOLLAND HAS LEFT THE ORGANIZATION, UH, HE'LL PICK UP THOSE DUTIES AND IN ADDITION TO HIS, UM, NEW BUSINESS INTRODUCTION AND GENERATION, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH, UH, UH, WITH CHARLES BENNETT. SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE HIM PICK, PICK THAT UP. AND AS A PART OF THAT TRANSFER, WE ARE ALSO, UM, MOVING SPECIAL EVENTS, UH, BACK TO, UH, TABITHA MARTINEZ AND, AND PARTS IN, UH, PARTS OF RECREATION. ALSO, WE HAD HOPED TO FINISH THE O AND M CONTRACT, UH, AWARD BY THIS TIME. UH, AND WE, WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS. WE'VE, UH, IDENTIFIED TWO, TWO VENDORS. WE, UH, NEGOTIATED WITH THEM AND, AND, UH, UH, ASKED FOR, UH, A DIFFERENT PROPOSAL SO THAT WE COULD EVALUATE THEM, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY. AND, UH, SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT, UH, MR. UH, MATTHEW, UH, ELLEN HOUSE AND, UH, THE CITY MANAGER, UH, WILL HAVE TO PICK UP AND FOLLOW UP ON, UH, ALONG WITH THE SIX SU SUPPLEMENT, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THE RELATION BETWEEN THE CITY, UM, AND, UM, OUR, UH, INDUSTRY PARTNERS AT, UM, HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL. AND, UH, THAT SHOULD BE DONE. UH, I THINK THEY'RE CLOSE NOW AND THEY SHOULD BE COMPLETED, YOU KNOW, UH, PROBABLY BY THE NEXT, UH, NEXT MEETING. I DON'T SEE MATT. OH, MATTHEW. YEAH. NEXT MEETING YOU THINK? FINGERS CROSSED. ALRIGHT. BUT THEY'RE WORKING ON IT. THEY, THEY'RE GETTING CLOSE. I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, THIS WILL BE WORK THAT, UH, UH, MR. JONES WILL, WILL HAVE TO PICK UP TOMORROW. ALRIGHT, SO, UH, AT THIS POINT, LET'S HAVE, UH, THE CRIME REPORT FROM CHIEF TAYLOR. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL. I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE MAY, UH, CRIME SERGEANT REPORT, UH, THROUGH MAY THE FOURTH. AND MY FIRST SLIDE, UH, IS VIOLENT CRIME TOTAL. UH, AT THIS POINT, UH, VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN MINUS 39%. UH, PROPERTY CRIME IS DOWN MINUS 4%. AND TOTAL MAJOR CRIME AT THIS POINT IS DOWN MINUS 12%. AND I'LL GO BACK TO THOSE, UH, THREE ARSONS THAT WERE, WERE REPORTED THIS YEAR. AND THOSE THREE ARSONS REPORTED WERE NOT BUILDINGS, THEY WERE, UH, KIND OF RANDOM ACTS WITH TRASH AND DEBRIS, HOWEVER THEY FELT UNDER THE CRITERIA OF BEING REPORTED AS A ARSON. AND THE, UM, FORCIBLE RATE, THOSE THREE REPORTED, THEY ARE REPORTED BY ARE KNOWN ACQUAINTANCES. IT'S NOT JUST BY SOME RANDOM PERSON. UH, NEXT SLIDE IS, WE USE 22, 20 22 AS OUR GING POINT, AS YOU WELL KNOW, THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED, UH, WITH, UH, UH, INCREASE IN TECHNOLOGY THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND IF YOU LOOK AT FROM 2022 TO, UH, SO FAR IN 2026, UH, THE PERCENTAGE IS MINUS 33% IN VIOLENT CRIME AND ALSO ON THE PROPERTY CRIME. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE FROM 2022 TO 2026, THE PROPERTY CRIME IS MINUS 27%. AND TOTAL MAJOR CRIME IS, UH, MINUS 28%. IF YOU COMPARE THOSE 2, 20, 22 AND 2026, I SUSPECTED OVER OPIATE OVERDOSES. UH, SO FAR IN 2026, WE'VE HAD ONE FATAL, UH, THREE NON-FATAL AND A TOTAL OF FOUR, AND THAT'S A, AS AS, AS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WE'RE STILL AT A FIVE YEAR LAW, UH, A NARCOTICS, UH, INCIDENT VERSUS ARREST. I'M GONNA START WITH 2023 AND FELONY AND MISDEMEANORS. IF YOU LOOK AT 2023, IT SAYS TOTAL NARCOTIC INCIDENTS WITH ARRESTS. THOSE ARE TOTAL NUMBER OF INCIDENTS. IN 2023, WE HAD 55 INCIDENTS, AND WE HAD 53 FELONY ARRESTS AND SIX MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS. IF YOU GO DOWN [00:10:01] TO TOTAL PERSONS ARRESTED FOR 2023, YOU'LL SEE A TOTAL OF OF 50 PERSONS WERE ARRESTED. 48 WAS FELONY WARRANTS, AND SIX WERE MISDEMEANOR WARRANTS. SAME AS 2024. UH, TOTAL INSTANCE WAS 49 RESULTING 48 FELONY ARRESTS AND SIX MEN MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS AND TOTAL PERSONS ARRESTED FOR, UH, NARCOTICS VIOLATION. IN 2024, IT WAS 46 PEOPLE ARRESTED ON 45 FELONY CHARGES AND SIX MISDEMEANORS. AND LAST THING, 2025, IT WAS 29 INCIDENTS WITH ARREST RESULTED IN 28 FELONY WARRANTS AND THREE MISDEMEANOR WARRANTS. AND 2025, UH, IT WAS A TOTAL OF 27 PEOPLE THAT WERE ARRESTED. 26 FELONY AND THREE MISDEMEANORS, AND WE STILL IN 2026. SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE STILL COMING IN. AND AS, UM, AS FAR AS THE, UH, NARCOTIC INCIDENTS AND ARREST, AS YOU WELL KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL A MEMBER OF THE ONE B TASK FORCE. THE ONE B TASK FORCE CONSISTS OF PETERSBURG, DAN, WOODY, COLONIAL HEIGHTS, CHESTERFIELD, AND HOPEWELL. AND OVER THE LAST, UH, THREE YEARS WE HAVE, THEY HAVE, UH, HAVE COMPLETED ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 40 SEARCH WARRANTS IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL. SO WE DO HAVE, UH, UH, INVESTIGATOR THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THE TASK FORCE, AND THEY DO WORK CASES IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL. VERIFIED SHOTS FIRED THROUGH MAY THE FOURTH, UH, 2024, WE HAD 64, 20 25 WAS 54, 10 LESS AND SO FORTH. IN 2026, WE'VE HAD EIGHT. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETINGS, UH, REALLY NOTHING HAS CHANGED FAR AS THE DATES AND TIMES AND THE LOCATIONS. THEY'RE THE SAME AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. AND OUR HIRING AND RECRUITMENT, UH, WE STILL HAVE TWO DISPATCH POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT AND ONE APPLICATION IS CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED. UH, WE HAVE FOUR POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS THAT ARE UNFILLED AND FOUR APPLICANTS REMAIN IN THE BACKGROUND. UH, WE GOT FOLLOWING RE UH, RECRUITED EVENTS ON MAY THE 17TH. IT'S CALLED, IT'S IT'S VALLEY VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT FOUNDATION. UH, HE'LL BE IN ASHLAND, UH, ON JUNE 11TH. THE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, IT BE ON AT FORT LEE ON THE 11TH OF JUNE AND AUGUST 11TH. ONCE AGAIN, WE'LL BE IN FORT LEE, OUR COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICERS BY WARD. UH, THE ONLY, UH, CHANGE IN THIS WE HAVE, UH, WARD THREE, OFFICER OFFICER CORY TAYLOR, HE'S ASSIGNED TO WARD THREE. AND, UH, TIFFANY SHIRA, SHE'S IN WARD SEVEN. AND THOSE ARE THE TWO ADDITIONAL WARD OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE ASSIGNED. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, AS WE WELL KNOW, THE CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY WAS HELD MAY THE SEVENTH. AND VICE MAYOR JOINER AND COUNCIL REP PAUL WAS A PART OF THE GRADUATION. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND CONGRATULATIONS. UH, MAY THE 12TH, WHICH IS TONIGHT, IS A TYPICAL COP. IT'LL BE HELD AT TEXAS ROAD HOUSE AND COLONIAL HEIGHTS, AND THAT'S FROM FIVE TO EIGHT, AND THAT'S TO RAISE MONEY FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS. ON MAY 17TH, UH, DEVAL RECRUITMENT EVENT WILL BE HELD AT GREENTOP, UH, MAY 18TH, UH, OFFICER RE DAVID WILL HAVE A BUSINESS BUSINESS RESOURCE MEETING. IT WILL BE HELD AT THE GOOD SHIP BREWERY AT 5:30 PM MAY THE 18TH. AND LASTLY, ON MAY THE 23RD, THE SPECIAL LIMITS FISHING TOURNAMENT WILL BE HELD AT THE BARINA. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY CRIME SUMMARY, AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF TAYLOR? NO. OKAY. CAN I JUST SAY THANK YOU? I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THE NARCOTICS INFORMATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. CHIEF. UM, I, THIS IS MY LAST MEETING AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR EACH MEETING, EACH MONTH, YOU'VE MADE THIS CRIME REPORT AND WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT THE NUMBERS KEEP GOING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN. AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND THE DEPARTMENT FOR KEEPING THE CITY SAFE. ABSOLUTELY. AND BEING ON A TRAJECT TRAJECTORY OF, OF, OF REDUCING CRIME EVERY, EVERY MONTH, YOU KNOW, OVER EVERY YEAR SINCE 22. AND IT'S BEEN A GOOD REPORT. SO I CONGRATULATE YOU AND THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BECAUSE HOPEWELL IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE. AND I THINK THAT, UM, UH, TO SAY THAT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO REPORT WHAT YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF THE REDUCTION IN CLASS IS A GOOD SIGN FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM, MR. [00:15:01] MAYOR, IS, UH, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. WE WE'RE DOING THAT, AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, ALL THOSE ON CITY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO COME DOWN AS WELL, UH, TO HELP PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION. SO I HAVE TO SAY THAT YOU GUYS ARE, AND I PROBABLY WON'T CATCH A FLACK FROM THE POLICE CHIEF ON THIS ONE, , BUT I WILL SAY THAT AS AN ENGINEER, Y'ALL ARE BY FAR MY FAVORITE DEPART ALL ABOUT WASTEWATER, ALL ABOUT WASTEWATER. UM, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU GUYS DO, UH, FOR THE CITY. UM, Y'ALL COME OUT ON EMERGENCY CALLS. UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE ARE SINKHOLE, UH, THAT WE THINK ARE FORMING, UH, Y'ALL ARE OUT THERE FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER, UH, FOR NATURAL, UH, DISASTERS THAT COME THROUGH. AND, UH, PEOPLE DON'T REALLY SEE ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO. AND ALSO THE LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT YOU EXHIBIT TO OUR CITIZENS. UM, EVEN JUST, I THINK IT WAS ON GOOD FRIDAY, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, TWO OF Y'ALL, UH, CAME OUT TO SPEAK WITH SOME CITIZENS ABOUT, UM, SO SOME EROSION ISSUES. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS WERE, YOU KNOW, OFF THE CLOCK THAT DAY, BUT Y'ALL TOOK IT UPON YOURSELF TO, TO MEET WITH THOSE CITIZENS AND HELP EDUCATE THEM AND TEACH 'EM, UM, KNOW SOME THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO ON THEIR END. AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT WISE, YOU KNOW, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND. SO I'D LIKE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS, UH, FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK. WHEREAS PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES, AND SERVICES THAT ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELLBEING OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS THE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY IS VITAL TO THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS SUCH AS REBUILDING AND MAINTAINING STREETS, STORMWATER STREETLIGHTS, WALKWAYS, PUBLIC, UH, BUILDINGS, GROUNDS SOLID WASTE SYSTEMS AND OTHER STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES ESSENTIAL FOR CITIZENS. AND WHEREAS THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE FACILITIES, AS WELL AS THEIR PLANNING, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION, COULD NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE QUALIFIED SKILLS AND DEDICATED EFFORTS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS. AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR'S THEME ROOTED IN SERVICE POWERED BY COMMUNITY, ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ROOTS OF SERVICE RUN DEEP AND PUBLIC WORKS, IT IS WHAT HAS PROPELLED PUBLIC WORKS, UH, INNOVATIONS THAT HAS HELPED OUR COMMUNITIES EVOLVE INTO PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN LEAD LIVES OF PURPOSE AND POSSIBILITY. IN THE YEAR 2026, UH, MARKS THE 66TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHNNY PARTON, AM RITA JOINER, UH, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR, AND ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL OF HOBO VIRGINIA DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE THAT THE WEEK OF MAY 17TH THROUGH 23RD, 2026 IS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK. AND WE CALL UPON ALL CITIZENS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS WHICH PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS MAKE EVERY DAY TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH, SELF SAFETY, UH, WELFARE AND QUALITY OF LIFE, AND WITNESS THEREOF. I HAVE HERE TO SET MY HAND AND CALLS TO BE AFFIXED THE GREAT SEAL OF THE CITY OF HOPEWELL AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. THIS 12TH DAY OF MAY, 2026 APPRECIATED WITH THANK YOU ALL FOR THE I'LL SAYING YOU THIS OPPORTUNITY. YOU GOT SPEECH, YOU GOT SALES . CONGRATULATIONS. THANKS. I'M JUST LIKE TO SAY, UM, JUST ONE LIKE THIS WEEK, WELL, NEXT WEEK ACTUALLY. UM, AND YOU SEE Y'ALL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE, JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU. HARD WORK MR. MAYOR. COUNSEL, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY LAST MEETING AS YOUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER, AND, UH, I HAVE A FEW WORDS I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU. UM, I AM FILLED WITH MIXED A MIX OF EMOTIONS, GRATITUDE, NOSTALGIA, AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. SERVING AS THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER OF OUR BELOVED HOPEWELL HAS [00:20:01] BEEN ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES OF MY CAREER. ALTHOUGH MY TIME HERE HAS BEEN BRIEF, IT HAS BEEN IMPACTFUL, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT I HOPE FOR YOU. WHEN I STEPPED INTO THIS ROLE, I WAS AWARE OF THE CHALLENGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT AWAITED ME. HOWEVER, I WAS ALSO AWARE OF THE IMMENSE POTENTIAL THAT OUR COMMUNITY HOLDS. HOPEWELL IS NOT JUST A CITY, IT IS A TAPESTRY OF DREAMS, EFFORTS, AND ASPIRATIONS WOVEN TOGETHER BY THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF ITS RESIDENTS. EVERY CORNER OF OUR CITY TELLS A STORY, AND EVERY INITIATIVE WE UNDERTOOK WAS AIMED AT CRAFTING A BRIGHTER NARRATIVE FOR OUR FUTURE. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. UH, YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF OUR MUNICIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES. TOGETHER WE HAVE TACKLED ISSUES THAT MATTERED FOR OUR CITIZENS, BE IT ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY, INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OR PROMOTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS CITY HAS BEEN TRULY INSPIRING TO OUR CITY STAFF WHO WORK TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES. I AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT. YOUR PASSION FOR SERVING THIS COMMUNITY IS PALPABLE. IT IS THE FRONTLINE WORKERS, THE PLANNERS, THE ENGINEERS, AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN WHO MAKES THE CITY RUN SMOOTHLY. AND I'M HONORED TO HAVE COLLABORATED WITH SUCH A TALENTED TEAM. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE RESIDENTS OF HOPEWELL. YOUR VOICES AND FEEDBACK HAVE SHAPED, UH, OUR PRIORITIES. AND I'M PROUD, UH, OF THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE. FOSTERING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION. IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO HEAR YOUR STORIES, UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS, AND TO WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS THAT BENEFIT US ALL. AT THE NATIONAL PRAYER DAY. THE OTHER DAY, I PRAYED FOR CIVIC DECORUM IN OUR COMMUNITY. CIVIC DECORUM IN PUBLIC MEETINGS IS ESSENTIAL FOR FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESPECT, COLLABORATION, AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE. WHEN INDIVIDUALS ENGAGE IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE, THE COMMITMENT TO CIVILITY AND DECORUM ENSURES THAT ALL VOICES ARE HEARD AND VALUED. CREATING A SPACE WHERE DIVERSE OPINIONS CAN BE EXPRESSED WITHOUT FEAR OF HOSTILITY OR REPRISAL. SUCH DECORUM PROMOTES MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS COMPLEX ISSUES EFFECTIVELY. IT ENCOURAGES PARTICIPANTS TO FOCUS ON THE CONTENT OF DISCUSSIONS RATHER THAN THE PERSONAL GRIEVANCES OR EMOTIONAL OUTBURST ENHANCING THE OVERALL PRO PRODUCTIVITY OF THE MEETING. UPHOLDING CIVIC DECORUM IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF ETIQUETTE, IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE THAT SUPPORTS DEMOCRATIC IDEALS AND STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AS CITIZENS, WE HAVE A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO MODEL AND ADVOCATE FOR RESPECTFUL INTERACTIONS IN PUBLIC FORUMS, ENSURING THAT OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES REMAIN INCLUSIVE AND THRIVING. WHILE I MAY BE LEAVING MY ROLE AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER, I AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE DIRECTION IN WHICH HOPEWELL IS HEADING. THE UPCOMING LEADERSHIP WILL BRING, UH, NEW PERSPECTIVES, IDEAS, AND ENERGY. AND I WISH YOU WELL, MR. VINCENT JONES. AS YOU STEP INTO THIS ROLE, AS I MOVE ON TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES, I WILL CARRY WITH ME LESSONS LEARNED AND THE FRIENDSHIPS FORGED DURING MY TIME HERE, HOPEWELL WILL ALWAYS BE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THIS CITY WILL ACHIEVE IN THE COMING YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST PLACED IN ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND ENTHUSIASM AND SPIRIT OF COOPERATION. IT HAS BEEN MY HONOR TO BE YOUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU. [00:25:02] THANK YOU, MR. ROGERS. AND I KNOW THAT I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF CITY COUNCIL. UH, WHEN I SAY THAT, UH, YOU HAVE REALLY BEEN A JOY TO HAVE HERE, UH, WORKING IN THE CITY, UH, PROVIDING LEADERSHIP AND, UH, ALSO OFFERING UP, UH, SO MUCH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, FOR OUR STAFF TO GROW. UH, YOU'VE, UH, YOU'VE MENTORED, UH, MANY OF THEM. UH, THEY'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE, UH, OF THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, TO LEARN FROM YOU FROM ALL YOUR, YOU KNOW, DECADES OF EXPERIENCE. AND, UM, WE ARE REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU. AND, UM, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL A TRANSITION PERIOD, SO , YOU KNOW, WE HAVE YEAH. WE HAVEN'T LOST YOU YET, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MR. ROGERS. THANK MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UH, WE HAVE NO ACTIONS, UH, COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION. SO WE'LL MOVE INTO THE PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. UH, THE PRAYER WILL BE DONE BY REVEREND TUCKER, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BY MYSELF. PLEASE RISE, LET US PRAY. MOST GRACIOUS, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE PRAISE YOU, AND WE THANK YOU, DEAR LORD, FOR YOUR HOLY PRESENCE. WE THANK YOU DEAR LORD, FOR OUR CITY OF HOPEWELL LORD. AND WE THANK YOU FOR OUR ELECTED LEADERS. LORD. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THEIR DESIRE, LORD, TO DO WONDERFUL THINGS FOR THE CITY, LORD. AND WE PRAY YOU WILL GIVE THEM THE COURAGE, LORD, THAT THEY NEED. GIVE THEM THE COMPASSION, LORD, THAT THEY NEED FOR THE WEAKEST MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. LORD, HELP THEM TO HAVE HEARTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, LORD, WHICH WILL REACH UP TO YOU LORD, AND SEEK YOU FOR GUIDANCE. DEAR LORD, WE PRAY THAT AS WE, AS THE PEOPLE, LORD, WE WILL GIVE OUR SUPPORT TO OUR LEADERS, LORD, FOR THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES FOR GOVERNMENT LEADERS. HELP US ALL LORD, PEOPLE AND LEADERS TO WORK TOGETHER IN UNITY, LORD, SO THAT OUR CITY, LORD, WILL BRING GLORY TO YOUR NAME AND OUR CITY WILL LIFT UP HUMANITY TO GREATER PLACES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THANK YOU LORD. IN YOUR HOLY NAME, AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE, ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL. DO [CONSENT AGENDA] I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALRIGHT. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOYNER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR DAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING THE LUNCH ROLL CALL PLEASE? COUNCILLOR HARRIS? YES. MAYOR PARTON. YES. COUNCILOR DAY? YES. COUNCILOR OLI? YES. VICE MAYOR JOINER? YES. MOTION PASSES. FIVE TO ZERO. OKAY. UH, [COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS] COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS. UM, AND FIRST, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT, A COMMUNICATION 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 COUNCIL. AS A BODY, ANY PERSON WHO MAKES PERSONAL IMPERTINENT ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS OR INSIGHTS. DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN COUNSEL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARRED FROM FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS AND REMOVED. OKAY. THE FIRST ONE THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MR. ED HOUSER. OKAY. ED HAUSER, WARD FIVE. I SAT IN THIS MEETING LAST WEEK AND I JUST SHOOK MY HEAD MOSTLY FOR MOST OF IT. YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY CONCERNS WAS THIS, SUPPOSEDLY THESE AUDITS, UH, FRAUD WAS FOUND. WHERE WERE THE WARRANTS FOR THEM? OKAY. NEXT, WHAT I HEARD WAS STACEY JORDAN WAS RECRUITED BY ROBERT BOB. WELL, IT JUST SO HAPPENS THE CITY MANAGER THAT Y'ALL FIRED CON DR. KINTA MANER, SHE IS THE ONE WHO REACHED OUT TO BRING STACEY JORDAN HERE. SO I DIDN'T HEAR HER NAME GET MENTIONED. SOMETHING MUST BE INTERESTING UP THERE. WELL, ANOTHER ONE IS, UH, BEST SITTING COUNSEL I HEARD IN 11 YEARS [00:30:01] NEVER HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THE TWO PREVIOUS COUNCILS, WHICH STARTED A BALL ROLLING ON AUDITS AND GOT AUDITS COMPLETED. BUT YET, SOUND LIKE THIS COUNCIL GOT PATTED ON THE BACK IN AND OUT PLAQUES. STACEY JORDANS, I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT. SHE SHOULD HAVE GOT ONE STANDING OVATION AND A PARTY OF THE BOOT. SHE GRABBED A BULL BY THE HORN. DONE A HELL OF A JOB TO GET US BACK WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE ON THE AUDITS. THE OTHER ONE THAT GOT HANDED OUT, $17,000 PLUS RETREAT WH ON A CITY TAB, YOU KNOW, DARREN CITIZENS NOT TO SPEAK, BUT YET THAT WAS PROFESSIONALISM. IT'S A LOT TO BE DESERVED. OKAY. UH, NEXT PERSON THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS RICK DAVIS. HOW YOU DOING? UH, RICK DAVIS. WARD ONE, UH, A BIT CONCERNING WHAT WENT ON ENDED UP BEING SATURDAY NIGHT. IT WAS REPORTED BY THE CHANNEL SIX IS BEING SATURDAY NIGHT. UM, FRIDAY NIGHT, UM, GOT A CALL FROM MY NEIGHBOR ABOUT EIGHT 30 TO COME BACKYARD. I SMELL SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF WEIRD. WENT BACK THERE, I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IT MYSELF. UH, BEEN THROUGH A QUITE A BIT OF HAZMAT TRAINING WITH DIFFERENT CHEMICALS AND WHATNOT. IT ENDED UP BEING AMMONIA. THAT WAS, IT WAS BASICALLY TOLD TO ME YES BY WHOEVER IT WAS ON THE WEEKEND, MANAGER RENT FROM, UH, ADVANCED SIX, THAT IT WAS AM A MONEY. I STILL DON'T KNOW. NOBODY'S REALLY COME FORTH TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STAYING 300 POUNDS. YOU KNOW HOW THAT BREAKS DOWN INTO PARTS PER MILLION. AIN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS, HOW FAR DOWN THE LINE WE WERE. AND THAT RAVINE WIND WAS AT MY BACK. WE WERE FACING SOUTHEAST WIND WAS COMING OUTTA THE NORTHWEST AND IT CAME UP RIGHT IN OUR FACE OUT OF THE, FROM LIKE OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST. IT WAS LIKE NOT NEAR THE NEIGHBOR THAT CALLED ME. HER HUSBAND WAS OUT THERE. HE ENDED UP GETTING SICK, WENT, WENT IN. WE JUST LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE TRANSPARENCY, A A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON. SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME THAT THE PLANT HAS A LITTLE BUMP OR BRUISE OVER THERE WITH, YOU KNOW, A CAR ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING, ALARMS GO OFF. WE HAVE A CHEMICAL SPILL, WE HAVE NOTHING. UH, IT'S A LITTLE, LITTLE CONCERNING, ESPECIALLY LIVING DIRECTLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CREEK FROM IT. AND THEN BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND DID THE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY STAY IN THE HOUSE, UH, WE COULD SMELL IT ON OUR FRONT PORCH AND IT WAS THAT, FOR IT TO BE UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THAT AND BE THAT PUNGENT, IT WAS PRETTY BAD. WE ENDED UP GETTING TEXTS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY, ENDED UP BEING ANOTHER, ANOTHER WOMAN END UP TEXTING US AND LETTING US KNOW THIS SHELTER IN PLACE. WE'D JUST LIKE TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE SOMETHING MORE. I'VE TRIED TO, BY STATE LAW, THE FREEDOM INFORMATION ACT, SOMEBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO OPEN UP A BOOK AND I, IT STATES WITHIN FIVE DAYS GIVE YOU, GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF WHAT CHEMICALS THEY HAVE ON SITE AND WHAT THE PRECAUTIONS ARE. WHAT WE, WE COMMONLY CALLED IT MSDS BOOK AND THEY, IT SHOULD BE PRE SOMETHING THAT'S PRESENTED. I, WE'VE HAD TO DO IT. I'VE HAD TO DO IT ON EVERY JOB SITE I'VE EVER BEEN ON MR. DAVIS. UH, YOUR TIME'S UP. YES, SIR. UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UM, IF THE CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SOME ADDITIONAL AIR QUALITY, UH, MONITORING DEVICES, THIS IS AN IDEA THAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM MR. JONES AND, UH, MS. JOYNER, UH, THAT THERE'S CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW SOME, UH, FEDERAL GRANT MONEY OUT THERE, UH, THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY EXPLORING ABOUT SEEING IF WE CAN GET NEW, UM, AIR MONITORING MM-HMM. UH, SYSTEM PUT OUT. ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR PART OF RAMSEY AVENUE. YEAH. AND THEN ALSO FOR, UM, OVER IN MR. HARRIS'S, UH, DISTRICT MM-HMM . OVER THERE, UH, BY DAVISVILLE. YEAH. UH, 'CAUSE I THINK THE ONLY ONE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UM, IT'S CAR WOODS. OH YEAH. MR. THAT, THAT WOULD KNOW IF THE WINDS BLOWING WRONG, Y'ALL, Y'ALL, THEY WOULD CATCH IT OVER TOO. RIGHT. BUT I THINK THE, [00:35:01] THE ONLY ONE OR THE CLOSEST ONE, THE MONITORING, MONITORING SYSTEM IS EVER AT CAR G WOODSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. NO. UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE ACTIVELY, YOU KNOW, LOOKING INTO THIS AS, AS A WAY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET MORE QUANTIFIABLE DATA FOR THAT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. NEXT IS MS. LAURA GREENWOOD. GOOD EVENINGS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAD A MEETING ON THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH. THERE WAS NINE MEMBERS PRESENT, TWO THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT. UM, BUT ONE DID CALL IN TO SPEAK TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SHOWED UP. SEVERAL OF OUR OTHER MEMBERS WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND OR CHOSE NOT TO ATTEND. WE DID A Q AND A AROUND THE TABLE. THE AUDIT WAS A SUBJECT THAT WAS ADDRESSED BY MEMBERS. ONE OF THE TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DID STATE THAT THERE WAS UNACCOUNTABLE FUNDS THAT WAS NOT ALLOCATED. SO A RECEIPT WAS DONE FOR THOSE. AND, YOU KNOW, INVOICE I DID STATE THEN THAT'S ILLEGAL. DAVID FOLEY OF ROBERTSON FARMER AND COX, THE AUDITOR FIRM, HAS STATED A FEW TIMES IN CHAMBERS THAT, UM, THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS DUE TO INTERNAL CONTROLS, WHICH MEANS INTERNAL CONTROLS OR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THE RELIABILITY OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. MEANING THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RELIABLE PROCEDURE FOR THOSE UNACCOUNTABLE FUNDS. SO WRITING A RECEIPT TO JUSTIFY THOSE UNACCOUNTABLE FUNDS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS A TYPE OF FRAUD. I DID CALL A, UM, A FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S RETIRED, HE'S A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, HOWEVER, HE'S IN, UM, PORTUGAL RIGHT NOW AND WON'T BE BACK UNTIL THE END OF MAY. BUT I WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS WITH THEM, WITH HIM WHEN HE GETS BACK. IT'S SOMETHING Y'ALL NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THINKING. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, NEXT IS MR. MARK BURROWS. MARK BURROWS, WARD THREE. GOOD EVENING. I WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SPEAK, HONESTLY, NOT JUST ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ABOUT MYSELF. I KNOW I'VE BEEN LOUD AND I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN PASSIONATELY. AND YES, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I'VE SAID THINGS THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL OUTLANDISH, EMOTIONAL OR BLUNT. I'M HUMAN. WHEN YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY AND WHEN YOU FEEL UNHEARD, DISMISSED, FRUSTRATED, OR FRUSTRATED, EMOTIONS CAN ARISE. I'M WILLING TO OWN MY WORDS AND MY TONE, BUT THERE'S AN IMPORTANT LINE THAT I NEED TO DRAW TONIGHT. BEING OUTSPOKEN IS NOT THE SAME AS ENDORSING HATE. BEING FRUSTRATED IS NOT THE SAME AS CONDONING DEATH THREATS. HOLDING ELECTED OFFICIALS IS NOT THE SAME AS SUPPORTING INTIMIDATION, HARASSMENT OR DISCUSSING COMMENTS, DISGUSTING COMMENTS THAT ARE DIRECTED AT PEOPLE OR THEIR FAMILIES. I WANT TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, I DO NOT CONDONE HATE SPEECH. I DON'T SUPPORT IT WHEN IT'S DIRECTED AT PUBLIC OFFICIALS. AND I DON'T SUPPORT IT WHEN IT'S DIRECTED AT CITIZENS, AND I NEVER WILL. WE HAVE REACHED A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AND SOME OF THAT ANGER MAY BE JUSTIFIED, BUT WHEN ANGER TURNS INTO CRUELTY OR DEHUMANIZATION, WE LOSE THE VERY THING THAT WE CLAIM TO BE FIGHTING FOR. AT THE SAME TIME, LET ME ALSO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. I WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED. I WILL NOT BE SCARED INTO SILENCE. I WILL NOT BE BULLIED OUT OF SPEAKING ON ISSUES THAT I CARE ABOUT SIMPLY BECAUSE PRESSURE, CRITICISM, OR FEAR IS BEING USED AS A TOOL. DISAGREEMENT IS NOT INTIMIDATION. ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT INTIMIDATION. AND SPEAKING PASSIONATELY IS NOT INTIMIDATION. BUT TRYING TO SILENCE VOICES THROUGH FEAR FROM ANY SIDE IS UNACCEPTABLE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO AGREE WITH ME. YOU MAY NEVER AGREE WITH ME AND THAT'S FINE. BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SIT IN THE SAME ROOM, SPEAK SOME HARD TRUTHS, DISAGREE STRONGLY, AND STILL MAINTAIN A BASIC LEVEL OF DECENCY AND HUMANITY. THIS COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER THAN DIVISION FUEL BY HATE. IT DESERVES BETTER THAN FEAR. SO I'LL CONTINUE TO SPEAK, I'LL CONTINUE TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS AND I'LL CONTINUE TO STAND FIRM IN WHAT I BELIEVE. BUT I WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SAY THIS CLEARLY AND PUBLICLY. THE HATEFUL COMMENTS, THE DISGUSTING RHETORIC AND THE OTHER BS ONLINE MUST STOP. NOT BECAUSE DISAGREEMENT SHOULD STOP, BUT BECAUSE IF WE LOSE OUR ABILITY TO DISAGREE WITHOUT DESTROYING EACH OTHER, THEN WE ALL LOSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. PEREZ. UH, NEXT IS [00:40:01] MS. THOMPSON, I DARLING THOMPSON. UM, WARD SIX. UM, FIRST I WILL, I HAVE A QUESTION. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY, UH, WE, THE CITIZENS STILL BE IN CHARGED FOR DECALS THAT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED IN OVER THREE YEARS. UM, I REMEMBER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE COMMISSIONER CAME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL AND ASKED FOR THAT FEE TO STOP. AND WE ARE STILL GETTING THAT FEE. AT THAT TIME, IT WAS ONLY ABOUT $44,000. MIGHT BE A LITTLE HIGHER NOW, BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE PAYING FOR THOSE DECALS. IT'S $20. WHEN I SEE PEOPLE WILL ALL SIT HERE AND ASK FOR 500,000 AND IT IS GIVEN REPEATEDLY, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. UM, I'VE GIVEN CHARLES BENNETT THE NAME 5, 5 5, 500,000 FOR THE BANK OF AMERICA, 500,000 TWICE FOR THE MARINA. UM, THE SU UM, SHALLOW LARGE EACH TIME IS THE 500,000. AND EACH TIME IT'S GIVEN WHAT IS $20 FOR YOU ALL TO GIVE BACK TO THESE CITIZENS THAT YOU ALL ARE TAKING FROM US. AND WE ARE NOT EVEN RECEIVING, UM, DECALS. AND ALSO AT THE LAST MEETING, UM, WE HAD THE MAYOR TO SAY THAT MADE A COMMENT THAT TO ME WAS DISRESPECTFUL AND NOTHING WAS SAID. IT'S LIKE IT'S OKAY THAT YOU ALL CAN COMMENT AFTER WE MAKE OUR SPEECHES, OUR TIME. WE HAVE 30 MINUTES. AND THAT TIME SHOULD BE ALLOTTED TO US. AND YOU ALL SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE COMMENTS AND DON'T GIVE US THE RIGHT TO COME BACK AND REBUT AND SAY HOW WE FEEL. THOSE THINGS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. WHEN YOUR CITY MANAGER SAID HOW WE ACT IS NEVER CARRIED ACROSS THE BOARD. IT STARTS WITH YOU ALL. YOU ALL HAVE DISRESPECTED US, NOT LISTENED TO US. WE HAVE CAME BEFORE YOU REPEATEDLY AND SAID HOW WE FEEL. AND YOU ALL CONTINUE TO BE A YES. COUNSEL, ALL SEVEN OF YOU ALL NEVER SAYING, I DISAGREE. OR EVEN WHEN YOU DO DISAGREE, YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHY YOU DISAGREE. WE GAVE YOU A SEAT ON THE CHART. IT SAYS THE CITIZENS. THE CITIZENS IS OVER CITY COUNCIL. WE ELECT YOU ALL THERE AND YOU ALL HAVE DISRESPECTED US, NOT HEARD OUR VOICES, OUR CONCERNS. AND THEN YOU ASK FOR RESPECT. WHEN WE HAVE SEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THESE CHAMBERS. UM, I KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO FINISH, BUT WE HAVE REPEATEDLY THANK YOU MS. THOMPSON. OKAY. UM, MR. JONES, UM, WERE YOU AND, UH, MS. GILLIAM, WILL YOU, UH, REACH OUT TO, UH, MS. REASON AND PROVIDE US AN UPDATE ON, UH, THE DECAL ISSUE? YES, SIR. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU GUYS. OKAY. UH, [REGULAR BUSINESS] MOVING ON TO REGULAR BUSINESS. OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, UH, MR. JORDAN. GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING. FIRST READ FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, PROPOSED OPERATIONAL BUDGET. WE DID A, UM, INITIAL READ OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET BACK IN APRIL, AS WELL AS TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY IN APRIL AS WELL. PRIMARY CITY PROGRAMS AND FUNDS, GENERAL GOVERNMENT, GENERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS, JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION, RECREATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CAPITAL PROJECTS, GRANTS, THE MARINA AND PERPETUAL CARE. OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS INCLUDE REGIONAL WATER, SEWER REFUSE STORMWATER, SOCIAL AND WELFARE IS SOCIAL SERVICES, CHILDREN'S SERVICES ACT, HEALTHY FAMILIES AND SPECIAL WELFARE SCHOOLS IS GENERAL SUPPORT TEXTBOOK FUND, CAFETERIA AND BUILDING AND BUS REPLA REPLACEMENT. AND OUR DEBT IS OUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT, HWR SEWER AS WELL AS SCHOOLS WHO MAKES EXPENSE FORECAST. PERSONNEL COSTS, BUDGET OFFICE AND HR SERVICE AND SUPPLIES ARE THE [00:45:01] DEPARTMENTS, CAPITAL DEPARTMENTS AND OUR SCHOOLS DEVELOP THEIR OWN BUDGET. OUR PROPOSED BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 27. WE'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS AT OUR CURRENT LEVEL. FUNDING NEEDED CAPITAL WITH THE REMAINING FUNDS IF APPLICABLE. THIS BUILD RESERVES IF REVENUE LEVEL AFTER FUNDING CAPITAL CLASS AND COMPENSATION STUDY IMPLEMENTATION. PUBLIC SAFETY WAS COMPLETED IN 26 AS WELL AS PARKS AND RECREATION. ALL OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET. OUR HEALTH INSURANCE WAS AN INCREASE OF 6% OR $293,000. 82% OF THAT COST WAS ABSORBED BY THE CITY AND NOT PASSED ON TO THE EMPLOYEES. THERE'S A 2% COLA ACROSS THE BOARD FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS. POLICE AND FIRE STEP INCREASES AS WELL AS 2% ACROSS FOR STATE DEPARTMENTS, DSS AND CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS. REVENUES BY TYPE AND FISCAL YEAR 24 ARE ADOPTED BUDGET WITH 70 MILLION 5 18 0 68. FOR 27, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET IS 72 MILLION 183 583. SOME NOTES, OTHER TAXES REDUCTION IS DUE TO CIGARETTE TAX. REALISTIC ESTIMATES, UH, INCREASE IN FIREARMS, UH, AND EXCUSE ME, IN FINES AND FORFEITURES IS DUE TO SCHOOL ZONE FINES. OUR FEDERAL REVENUE REDUCTION IS DUE TO GRANTS AND TRANSFERS ARE INCREASED DUE TO SOCIAL SERVICES ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATE BUDGET. OKAY, THIS IS A, UH, BREAKDOWN OF REVENUES. LARGEST REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF HOPA IS OUR REAL ESTATE TAXES. THEN WE HAVE OUR MACHINERY AND TOOLS. WE HAVE OUR OTHER TAXES AS WELL AS STATE REVENUE. OUR TRANSFERS SUPPORT OF THE, UM, PUBLIC PUBLIC ACT, WHICH IS SOCIAL SERVICES IS $1.2 MILLION. SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS IS 13.5 CSA AND CPMT IS 962,000 DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION, 2.5 MILLION CAPITAL PROJECTS. WE ALLOCATED 570,000 SUPPORTIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS THE EDA IS 50,000. OUR SELF INSURANCE IS 600,000. DEBT SERVICE IS 1.1 AND HEALTHY FAMILIES IS 398,000. NOTES ON THIS IS VPA ALIGNS WITH THE STATE. CSA WAS MOVED TO DP UH, SOCIAL SERVICES. UM, DEBT INCLUDES OUR MILLS AND LODGING OUT. UH, OUTPERFORMING OUR INITIAL PROJECTIONS AND HEALTHY FAMILIES IS AN INCREASE IN STATE FUNDING REDUCTION IN CITY TRANSFERS. OUR OUTSIDE AGENCIES, WE HAD A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE LIBRARY FOR STATE AID AND BEACON THEATER. WE TRANSFERRED THE 30,000 THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN THE PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET FOR MAINTENANCE FOR THE BEACON THEATER. WE TRANSFERRED DIRECTLY TO THE BEACON THEATER FOR A TOTAL OF $180,000. WE DID AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 TO HISTORIC HOPEWELL AND WE ADDED THE KWANZAA CLUB TO THE LIST AT $2,000 AS WELL AS FEED MORE 2,500 INSTEAD OF 2000 FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR. OUR PROPOSED ALL FUNDS BUDGET IS 222,707,646. MAJORITY OF THE COST IS FOR SCHOOLS AND THE GENERAL FUND. THEN WE HAVE WATER RENEWAL AS WELL AS UH, SEWER OPERATING FUND. HOW IS YOUR TAX DOLLARS SPENT? GENERAL FUND SCHOOL OPERATIONS AS WELL AS DEBT SERVICE, EXCUSE ME, AS WELL AS WATER RENEWAL IS THE HIGHEST COST ACROSS THE CITY. WE MOVE ON TO OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENSES BY DEPARTMENT TRANSFERS IS OUR HIGHEST EXPENSE. UM, AND POLICE WILL BE SECOND FIRE OF COURSE, AND IN PUBLIC WORK. SO THOSE ARE OUR LARGEST DEPARTMENTS THAT TAKE A MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET. THE CHANGES IN OUR DEPARTMENTS FOR COUNCIL IS REMOVAL OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE CLERK IS THE INCREASE IN SALARY AND BENEFITS. OF COURSE, OUR HEALTH INSURANCE ATTORNEY IS THE SAME. SALARY AND BENEFITS CITY MANAGER'S. OFFICE MANAGEMENT CONSULTING WAS REDUCED AND THE CITY, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER'S SALARY WAS MOVED FROM FINANCE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. TWO VACANCIES COMBINED FOR ONE POSITION FOR VOTER REGISTRATION. IT'S ADDITIONAL ELECTIONS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN, SO WE HAVE TO INCREASE THE COST FOR THEM. TREASURER IS INCREASED FOR POSTAGE AND DELINQUENT NOTICES THAT ARE BEING SENT OUT. IT INCREASE COMES FROM SERVICE CONTRACT INCREASES. CIRCUIT COURT AND COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY AND STATE FUNDED POSITION THAT WAS ADDED IN 26 THAT HAD TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. POLICE AND FIRE [00:50:01] STEP INCREASE IN THREE POLICE POSITIONS UNFUNDED FROM 26 THAT WERE FUNDED FOR 27. AND FOR DEVELOPMENT WE ADDED A NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNER POSITION. THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF COUNCIL'S EXPENSE FOR A TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 196,644. AGAIN, THE REDUCTION FOR COUNSEL FROM YEAR OVER YEAR IS DUE TO HEALTHCARE. OUR CLERK'S OFFICE TOTAL OF 240,659. THE INCREASE FROM 26 TO 27 IS DUE TO SALARY, BENEFITS AND HEALTH INSURANCE. OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, TOTAL BUDGET OF 788,870, INCREASE FROM 26 TO 27 STEMS FROM SALARY AND BENEFITS IN HEALTHCARE. THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS. TOTAL OPERATING FOR THREE DEPARTMENTS IS 2,031,896 YEAR OVER YEAR. IT INCLUDES THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AGAIN, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS AND INCREASES STEM FROM THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER'S. SALARY BEING MOVED FROM FINANCE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND A REDUCTION OF MANAGEMENT COSTING CONSULTING COSTS. OUR VOTER REGISTRATIONS OFFICE, ITS TOTAL BUDGET IS 548,687. THE INCREASE STEMS FROM ADDITIONAL ELECTIONS COMING UP THIS YEAR. OUR POLICE TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 12,060,397. POLICE DEPARTMENT INCLUDES ADMINISTRATION, COMMAND CONTROL, DETECTIVES, PROPERTY RECORDS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ANIMAL CONTROL. AND THEIR INCREASE STEMS FROM YEARLY STEP INCREASES IN FUNDING OF 3% POSITIONS. PREVIOUSLY UNFUNDED OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 8,150,746 YEAR OVER YEAR. FIRE INCLUDES EMS AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THE INCREASE STEMS FROM THEIR YEARLY STEP INCREASE. OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 6,655,000 1 99 YEAR OVER YEAR. PUBLIC WORKS ALSO INCLUDES THE PUBLIC WORKS ADMIN, OUR GARAGE ENGINEERING BUILDING AND GROUNDS. AND THE INCREASE STEMS FROM THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY IMPLEMENTATION THAT WAS NOT COMPLETED IN FISCAL YEAR 26. PARKS AND RECREATION, TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 2,652,812. THEIR INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, REMEMBER IN 26 THEY WERE INCLUDED IN THE CLASS AND STOP STUDY CLASS AND COMP STUDY. SO ANY INCREASE FOR THIS YEAR WILL WOULD JUST BE FROM THE HEALTHCARE INCREASE. HEALTHCARE COSTS. OKAY, WE HAVE OUR PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 1,641,735. DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES PLANNING GIS AND CO COMPLIANCE. INCREASE IN PLANNING STEMS FROM SALARY AND BENEFITS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING PLANNER POSITION. WE HAVE OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WHICH INCLUDES FINANCE, FINANCIAL REPORTING, PROCUREMENT BUDGET IN THE CITY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR ALL FOUR DEPARTMENTS ARE IS 2,436,552. FINANCE INCLUDES AGAIN ACCOUNTING, BUDGET, PROCUREMENT, CITY ASSESSOR OFFICE, AND A DECREASE IN THIS BUDGET FROM 26 TO 27. STEMS FROM THE THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER'S SALARY. MOVING FROM FINANCE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IN A REDUCTION OF ONE POSITION. NOW WE MOVE ON TO OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS. ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? NO. DON'T SEE ANYONE. OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR ENTERPRISE FUND. HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL. TOTAL OPERATIONS IS 21,566,998. COMMISSION APPROVED. THEIR BUDGET ON MARCH 17TH, SEWER OPERATIONS. TOTAL BUDGET, 9,882,899. WE HAVE OUR REFUSE ACCOUNT. TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 3 MILLION NINE HUNDRED NINETY ONE SIX HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE. WE HAVE OUR STORM WATER OPERATIONS OF 1,085,068. ANY QUESTIONS ON ENTERPRISE? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO HEALTH AND WELFARE, WHICH INCLUDES OUR SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 6,829,973. SOCIAL SERVICES IS SPLIT WITH THE STATE. SO IT'S 80 85 15 SPLIT. SO THE STATE PAYS 85% AND THE CITY OF HOPEWELL CONTRIBUTES 15% TO THE ACROSS. CSA HAS A TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 3,700,000. [00:55:02] I BELIEVE THIS ONE IS A 76 24 SPLIT INSTEAD OF THE 85 15. BUT THIS HAS SINCE BEEN MOVED UNDER SOCIAL SERVICES. SO IT WILL REPORT TO MS. WANDA WILLIAMS MOVING FORWARD. HEALTHY FAMILIES OPERATING BUDGET OF 1,185,471. MAJORITY OF HEALTHY FAMILIES FUNDS COMES FROM GRANTS AND SURROUNDING LOCALITIES AS THEY DO SERVE AS PRINCE GEORGE AND PETERSBURG AS WELL. AND WE MOVE INTO OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE REVENUE, TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 793,993 IS REIMBURSED BY THE COMP BOARD, IS $171,585. THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE HAS TWO FULL-TIME AND ONE PART-TIME POSITION, FULLY FUNDED BY THE CITY. WE ALSO ADDED AN ADDITIONAL PART-TIME POSITION FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 FOR THEM, FOR A AUDITOR FOR CIGARETTE TAXES AND OTHER BUSINESS LICENSE. OUR TREASURER TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 778,000 7 37 REIMBURSED BY THE COMP BOARD $150,000 995. OUR TREASURER'S OFFICE HAS A TOTAL OF NINE POSITIONS. SIX FULL-TIME, THREE PART-TIME. FIVE ARE ACCOUNT BOARD POSITIONS AND PARTLY REIMBURSABLE. MOVING ON TO OUR COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, TOTAL OPERATED BUDGET OF 1,395,339 REIMBURSED BY THE COMM BOARD IS 632,908. THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY HAS AN ADDITIONAL POSITION FULLY FUNDED BY THIS CITY. OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 2,542,713. REIMBURSED BY THE COMP BOARD IS 440,114. OUR SHERIFF OFFICE HAS A TOTAL OF 30 POSITIONS, 16 FULL-TIME, 14 PART-TIME. SEVEN POSITIONS ARE COMP BOARD POSITIONS AND PARTLY REIMBURSABLE. OUR LAST CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER IS OUR CLERK OF COURTS, TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET OF 708,504 REIMBURSED BY THE COMP BOARD 391,417. WE MOVE ALONG TO OUR DEBT SERVICES. DEBT SERVICES ISSUED BY BENEFICIARY. WE HAVE TWO FOR HWR, TWO FOR SEWER, SIX FOR THE SCHOOLS, AND SEVEN FOR THE GENERAL FUND 'CAUSE WE ARE INCLUDED IN 2025. THERE IS ONE FROM THE SCHOOLS THAT WILL BE REMOVED IN, UH, THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE IN 2027, SOME OF THE, THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE CITY WILL BE BEING REMOVED. SCHOOL'S DEBT WILL DROP $1 MILLION AFTER JUNE, 2027. AND HWR DEBT DECREASES IN 2027. OKAY. MOVING ON TO OUR SCHOOL'S CONTRIBUTIONS. WE JUST HAD THE SCHOOL MEETING YESTERDAY. WE ARE DOING A FLAT $13.5 MILLION FOR SCHOOL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 2027. OUR CAPITAL, WE ALLOCATED $500,000 IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. ON SLIDE 49. THIS IS WHAT WE RECEIVED IN REQUEST FOR CAPITAL FUNDING. ON SLIDE 50 IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF, UM, EACH DEPARTMENT AND THE ACTUAL PROJECT AND THE MONEY'S NEEDED FOR FUNDING FOR 2027. AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO ALLOCATE $500,000 TOWARDS CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT WE DO STILL HAVE THE 15 MILLION IN GO BONDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR SUMMIT PROJECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UM, NOTED. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU MS. JORDAN. YES, SIR. SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. FIRST ONE THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS ED HOUSER. I'M GOOD. OKAY. UH, NEXT IS MS. LAURA GREENWOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, MR. MARK BURROWS. MARK BURROWS, WARD THREE. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO THANK STACY. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO LAST WEEK FOR ALL OF HER HARD WORK WITH THE AUDITS AND WHATNOT TO MAKE ALL OF THAT UP TO DATE AND, UH, HOPEFULLY PROPEL US INTO THE FUTURE. UM, AS WELL AS FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY THIS EVENING, UH, I WANTED TO TALK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. UM, WHEN WE HAD THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, MS. DAY WAS ABLE TO ANSWER A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR ME, UH, REGARDING THE 25,000 THAT THE COMMISSIONER'S, UH, OFFICE HAD BEEN REQUESTING FOR SECURITY BARRIER THAT I HAD ASKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY IN MEETINGS [01:00:01] AND HAD NOT GOTTEN ANY ANSWER TO. UM, ONCE MS. DAY WAS ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, SUDDENLY THERE WAS SOME CLARITY AS TO THE SIGNIFICANCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT SECURITY BARRIER BEING IMPLEMENTED. AND THE COST WAS IN A THREE SECOND CONVERSATION WAS MIRACULOUSLY JUSTIFIED IN MY OPINION. UM, BUT WITHOUT THAT TRANSPARENCY, UM, I WAS LEFT IN THE DARK AND IT WAS NOT ANNOTATED ANYWHERE WHILE THAT SECURITY BARRIER WAS NEEDED OR JUSTIFIED ONLY THAT IT WAS REQUESTED, UM, AT LEAST ANYWHERE THAT I HAD ACCESS TO. UM, I DID HAVE TWO QUICK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UH, THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD. UM, IS, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM BACK THERE AND I GOT OLD MAN EYES. UM, IS, DID THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET INCLUDE THE NEW HIRE FUNDING THAT THE CHIEF HAD REQUESTED? AND I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS THE SHERIFF OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAD REQUESTED, UH, FUNDING FOR UPGRADED RADIOS AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, UH, MOVING FORWARD AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO, UM, IT WAS THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT REQUESTED AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT OUT, OUR SALARY SAVINGS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR SO THAT THEY'LL GET THEIR, UM, COMMUNICATIONS. THANK YOU. IT DID NOT INCLUDE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE STILL KIND OF IN THE PROCESS. THE COST IS A LITTLE CHEAPER THIS YEAR, LIKE 53,000, BUT THAT'S DUE TO A SAFER GRANT THAT THEY'RE GOING FOR THIS YEAR. BUT AFTER THAT GRANT IS DONE, IT'LL GIVE ADDITIONAL $800,000 ON THE CITY TO COVER THE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL. SO WE STILL HAVE SOME THINGS TO WORK OUT AS FAR AS ADDITIONAL POSITIONS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IS THERE A REASONABLE EXPECTED TIMEFRAME FOR THOSE SOLUTIONS? YES. UM, I BELIEVE CHIEF RU SAID THE GRANT DOESN'T CLOSE UNTIL SEPTEMBER. SEPTEMBER, SO WE'LL KNOW UNTIL ABOUT SEPTEMBER IF THE CITY IS ELIGIBLE TO GRANT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. AND HE ACTUALLY BRINGS UP A A GOOD POINT WHEN, UM, IF WE DO END UP WELL, IF WE DON'T END UP GETTING THE GRANT, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU GUYS PROVIDE US LIKE A A A PLAN ON MAYBE LIKE A PHASED APPROACH? SURE, ABSOLUTELY. WE CAN ALSO, UM, IF WE DO END UP GETTING GRANT AND MR. JONES DECIDE, WE, WE'LL JUST DO, WE'LL RUN BACK A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU OKAY? ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE POLL HEARING. ALRIGHT. UH, THIS WAS THE FIRST READING, UH, SO WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER READING AT A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. UH, MOVING ON TO, UH, R TWO. GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, ARE MY FIRST PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING, UH, RELATES TO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST, UH, FOR PARCEL 0 7 3 0 8 3 5 LOCATED ON DUBLIN STREET. THIS IS, UH, FIRST READING FOR THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST. THE APPLICANT IS, UH, MR. ROSS OTZ. THE PROPERTY OWNER IS ACTUALLY, UH, AR BENNETT. THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY'S LOCATED IN WARD TWO AND ZONED TO R THREE. THE SPECIFIC REQUEST IS TO CONSTRUCT A, UH, RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX ON A NON-CONFORMING LOT. SO IN THE R THREE DISTRICT, UM, UH, MINIMUM LOT SIZE FOR A DUPLEX IS 50 FEET WIDE AND 7,500 SQUARE FEET TOTAL. THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL IS 50 FEET WIDE AND 5,000 SQUARE FEET TOTAL. UH, SO THE NON-CONFORMITY IS IN THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THIS PARTICULAR LOT. THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT A TWO STORY. UH, THIS SHOULD BE A DUPLEX DWELLING. IT'S, UM, THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH IN EACH UNIT, 1200 SQUARE FEET. IT WILL HAVE A BRICK PORCH AND FOUNDATION WITH VINYL SIDING. YOU CAN SEE THE ELEVATIONS HERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. AGAIN, SOME FLOOR PLANS, UH, FOR THE, UH, FIRST FLOOR AND SECOND FLOOR, AGAIN, IT'S DUPLEX TWO UNITS. SO THE STRUCTURE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT IS LARGER THAN THE AVERAGE, UH, DWELLING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, IN FACT, SIX OF THE 11 SURROUNDING PROPERTIES IN THIS PARTICULAR BLOCK ARE ALREADY DUPLEXES, AND THEY ARE THE SAME LOT SIZE 50 FEET WIDE. THIS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE WILL [01:05:01] MEET ALL R THREE DISTRICT SETBACKS AS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE. AND, UH, AS I JUST MENTIONED, A DUPLEX IS CONSISTENT WITH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. STAFF DOES DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS. THE NEW DUPLEX WILL HAVE 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES ALONG ALL ROOF EDGES. UH, EACH UNIT WILL HAVE ITS OWN DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE. THE DUPLEX WILL HAVE A BRICK FOUNDATION ON ALL SIDES ALONG WITH FOUNDATION PLANTINGS AND THAT THE STRUCTURE WILL BE IN SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE WITH THE DESIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING. PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED THREE TO ZERO ON APRIL 2ND WHEN THEY HELD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, UH, OF THIS REQUEST WITH STAFF'S PROPOSED CONDITIONS. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENT TO DATE AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. AND THE APPLICANT, MR. BAAT IS ALSO HERE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HIM. OKAY. UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT OR MR. WARD? OKAY. SEE NO LIGHTS. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. UH, FIRST ONE I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS ED HOUSER. YES. OKAY. UH, MR. LAURA GREENWOOD. SORRY, I CAN ANSWER. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, MR. MARK BURROWS. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, THE NEXT NAME. UM, LET'S SEE. YVONNE JORDAN JACKSON. IS IT JACKSON? YOU KNOW, OKAY. MM-HMM . ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. NO. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL, UH, USE PERMIT REQUEST? I MOVE. UH, OKAY. TO CONSTRUCT A RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX ON A NON-CONFORMING PARCEL, 0 3 0 7 3 0 8 3 5. AND THE R THREE RESIDENTIAL HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT LOCATED ON DUBLIN STREET. I'LL SECOND IT. SO THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILLOR HARRIS AND SECONDED BY MYSELF. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING THEIR LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILLOR HARRIS? YES. MAYOR PART? YES. COUNSELOR DAY? YES. COUNCILOR OLI? YES. VICE MAYOR JOINER? YES. MOTION PASSES. FIVE TO ZERO. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, YOUR ENCORE PERFORMANCE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO MY SECOND ONE. SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT. BEFORE I GET STARTED. I DID WANT TO INTRODUCE, UM, MS. YVONNE JACKSON. SHE'S OUR NEW, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLACK GRANT PROGRAM MANAGER. UH, SHE'S PART-TIME WITH THE CITY AND FULLY 100% FUNDED THROUGH, UM, THE CDBG PROGRAM. SO THERE'S NO COST TO THE CITY. UM, YVONNE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAND UP PLEASE? SO WE ARE SO GLAD TO HAVE HER ON BOARD. SHE IS HELPING OUT, UH, INCREDIBLY A LOT. IN FACT. UM, I DID WANNA ANNOUNCE THAT WE DID MEET OUR TIMELINESS EXPENDITURE AGAIN, UH, THIS MOST RECENT YEAR. A HUNDRED PERCENT. THANK YOU TO, UH, YVONNE FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MEET THAT HUD REQUIREMENT. SO THANK YOU YVONNE. UH, MOVING RIGHT ALONG TONIGHT, WE ARE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING WHERE WE ARE SOLICITING ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE, GENERALLY ABOUT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM AS A WHOLE. OUR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN DOES CALL FOR TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS EACH PROGRAM YEAR. AND THIS WILL BE THE FIRST, THE SECOND WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE ONCE THE CDBG COMMITTEE, UH, REVIEWS APPLICATIONS AND WILL COME BACK WITH SOME, UH, RECOMMENDED, UH, FUNDING FOR THE UPCOMING PROGRAM YEAR. QUICK BACKGROUND, UM, THE MISSION OF HUD AND THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, UM, IS ESSENTIALLY TO CREATE STRONG, SUSTAINABLE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES AND QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR ALL. HOPEWELL IS AN ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY. SO WE AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE THESE FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE DON'T HAVE TO APPLY FOR THEM. AND, UH, THEY DO COME WITH SOME STRINGS ATTACHED. THAT IS PRIMARILY THAT FUNDS MUST MEET AT LEAST ONE OF THREE NATIONAL OBJECTIVES. NUMBER ONE BEING THE BENEFIT TO LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PERSONS, THE PREVENTION OR ELIMINATION OF SLUMS AND BLIGHT, OR AN URGENT NEED PROJECT TYPICALLY RELATED TO, UH, SOME SORT OF NATURAL DISASTER. IN THE PAST, UH, WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING IN THE LOW 200,000, APPROXIMATELY THAT DOLLAR RANGE. UM, SINCE 2020 THIS [01:10:01] YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT OUR ALLOCATION, OUR ALLOCATION IS 263,796. SO WE GOT A PRETTY GOOD BUMP EVEN OVER LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS 2 39, 391. SO SINCE 2020, THE CITY'S RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $1.6 MILLION IN THIS FEDERAL MONEY. HUD DOES PLACE CAPS ON, UH, HOW YOU CAN SPEND THIS MONEY EACH YEAR, MAXIMUM 20% ON ADMINISTRATION, MAXIMUM OF 15% TOTAL ON PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECTS. AND THEN THE BALANCE CAN GO TO THINGS LIKE HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE, UTILITIES, PUBLIC FACILITIES, PARKS. SO IN OUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH, UH, FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED LAST YEAR, WE, WE DID IDENTIFY PRIORITY NEEDS AS WELL AS GOALS AND PROJECT TYPES. YOU CAN SEE THEM HERE, I WON'T GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THEM, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHEN WE SOLICIT APPLICATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR, FOR FUNDING, UH, TO SEEK THIS FUNDING, THEY SHOULD BE, UH, ADDRESSING A PRIORITY NEED AND MEETING A GOAL. SO TONIGHT STARTS ESSENTIALLY, UH, IT'S THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE START OF A 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD. THAT DAY, UH, COMMENT PERIOD ACTUALLY STARTS TOMORROW. UM, AGAIN, WE ARE SOLICITING ANY COMMENTS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE CDBG PROGRAM IN GENERAL AND ANY SORT OF FUNDING PRIORITIES THAT, UH, PARTICULAR CITIZEN MAY HAVE. UH, YOU CAN ALWAYS REFERENCE OUR ANNUAL, UM, EXCUSE ME, OUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE CITY'S CDBG WEBPAGE. WE WILL BE COMING BACK HOPEFULLY AT EITHER THE NEXT MEETING OR THE MEETING AFTER THAT WITH OUR FINAL PROPOSED ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE UPCOMING PROGRAM YEAR. AND, UH, THAT WILL INCLUDE A BUDGET. SO AGAIN, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL THE DEPARTMENT, UM, OR CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS NOW. OTHERWISE, UH, WE'LL OPEN, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC HEARING AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS. OKAY. UH, THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MR. WARD BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. UH, FIRST ONE I HAVE SIGNED UP IS ED HOUSER. I'M GOOD. OKAY. UH, LAURA GREENWOOD. LAURA GREENWOOD AWARD SIX. JUST A QUESTION ABOUT THIS GENTLEMAN HERE. DO YOU HAVE AN ITEMIZED, UM, ACCOUNT OF ALL THAT FUNDING ITEMIZED? YES. I'M, SO WE, WE RECEIVED ONE CHUNK OF MONEY, RIGHT? 2 63 7 9 6 IS WHAT WE'RE GETTING NOW THIS YEAR, AND THEN DIFFERENT GROUPS APPLY FOR THAT MONEY. SO NO DECISION'S BEEN MADE AS ANY SORT OF FUNDING DECISION. KAREN, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T GET YOUR NAME. CHRIS WARD. AND WHAT DEPARTMENT ARE YOU WITH? CHRIS DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. SURE. WE'LL BE BACK, UM, SOON WITH THE BUDGET FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR. YEAH, I, I LIKE TO SEE WHERE IT ALL'S GOING. OKAY. AND UH, LAST ONE IS MARK BURROWS. MARK BURROWS, WARD THREE. UM, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE SLIDE THAT YOU HAD THAT HAD THE, UH, THE HUD TAPS ON. YEAH. SORRY, I'VE DROPPED ON MY PHONE, I TO BLOW IT UP SO I CAN SEE IT. UM, I WAS CURIOUS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, FOR THE FI FISCAL YEAR 26TH TO 27TH? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PUBLIC SERVICE AND A NON-PUBLIC SERVICE? UH, WHEN, WITH REGARDS TO THIS FUNDING? SO A PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECT IS, UM, THEY'RE NOT BUILDING ANYTHING. THEY'RE JUST SERVING PEOPLE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SHELTER, FOOD PANTRY, UM, SENIOR CARE, THAT TYPE OF THING. IT'S NOT HAMMER AND NAILS, IT'S A SERVICE. OKAY. SO HUD SAYS, OF THIS MONEY THAT WE'RE GIVING YOU, YOU CAN ONLY FUND UP TO 15% TOTAL OF THE ALLOCATION TOWARDS THAT TYPE OF PROJECT. SO NON-PUBLIC SERVICE WOULD BE MORE OF A CONSTRUCTION TYPE PROJECT INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, PUBLIC FACILITIES, UH, ANYTHING THAT'S, UH, A CONSTRUCTED TYPE PROJECT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, SIR. ARE THERE STIPULATIONS ON THAT TO WHERE LIKE IT HAS TO GO TOWARDS, SAY, AN IMPOVERISHED RESIDENCE, HOME IMPROVEMENTS VERSUS THE RIVER WALL? SO IT HAS TO BENEFIT, UH, MAJORITY OF LOW TO MINOR INCOME PERSONS. SO SOMETHING LIKE A PUBLIC AMENITY, LIKE THE RIVER WALL. UM, BECAUSE OF OUR HIGH POVERTY RATE, THEY LOOK AT THE CITY [01:15:01] AS A WHOLE. AND SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT BENEFIT, BUT IT'S 51%. UM, THAT'S HOW SOMETHING LIKE A RIVER WALL CAN BE FUNDED. IT'S A PUBLIC AMENITY AND IT BENEFITS LOW TO MODERATE INCOME. OKAY. SAME WITH LIKE HOUSING REHABILITATION. THE OCCUPANT OF THAT HOUSE HAS TO MEET INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. YES, SIR. YEAH. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. OKAY. UH, THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. UM, LET'S SEE. WE DON'T NEED ANY ACTION. THERE'S NO ACTION. NO, SIR. WE'LL BE BACK WITH THE PROPOSED, UH, PROGRAM BUDGET WHERE WE WILL BE ASKING FOR ACTION AT THAT TIME. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. YES. UM, THE HOPEFUL REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS HAD A REALLY, REALLY HARD TIME WITH THEIR, UM, THEIR CAMERA SYSTEM. WOULD THAT BE A QUALIFYING EXPENDITURE? I DON'T BELIEVE SO. UH, PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES ALREADY RECEIVED THEIR OWN FUNDING FROM HUD. THEY HAVE A SEPARATE FUNDING STREAM WHERE THEY GET MONEY. SO, SO THIS IS, THIS IS MORE FOR, UM, NONPROFITS MM-HMM . UM, THAT ARE HERE TO PROVIDE A SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF HOPEWELL. IT'S NOT REALLY TO FUND PUBLIC HOUSING. THE THE REASON THAT I ASK IS BECAUSE, UM, MR. JONES AND I ATTENDED THE, UH, HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING LAST NIGHT MM-HMM . AND, UM, THEIR CEO IS NOT AWARE OF ANY CDBG FUNDS THAT THEY RECEIVE OR GET, UM, OR THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO. YEAH. THEY MAY NOT RECEIVE CDBG FUNDS MM-HMM . BUT THEY DO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM HUD. BUT, SO IT ALL COMES FROM THE SAME PLACE. I, I'M HAPPY TO LOOK INTO, SEE IF WHETHER THEY'RE EVEN ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CDBG FUNDS. I CAN'T ANSWER THAT. OKAY. UM, RIGHT NOW, I'VE NOT KNOWN THEM TO EVER EITHER APPLY FOR THAT FUNDING OR RECEIVE IT HERE IN HOPEWELL. UM, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF, FIRST OF ALL, IF THEY'RE EVEN KNOWLEDGEABLE. OKAY. YEAH. THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING IS BECAUSE, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS MR. JONES THAT MENTIONED IT, UM, OR IF IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, UM, NANCY ZUKE, UM, HAD MENTIONED IT, BUT THEY, UH, ONE OF THEM HAD STATED THAT, UM, SEVERAL LOCALITIES UTILIZE AND WORK, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR CDBG FUNDS THAT THEY GET MM-HMM . WITH THEIR, THEIR HOUSING AUTHORITY. UH, AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE AN ADVISORY MEMBER THAT SERVES, UM, ON THE, ON THE BOARD. I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT A VOTING MEMBER , UM, ON THERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DO WORK TOGETHER. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SPOKE WITH MS. WILSON, UH, ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, SHE HAD SAID THAT SHE DOESN'T RECEIVE ANY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SPARKED UP THE CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN WORK TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS OVER THERE THAT ARE NEEDED GOING BENEFIT THE CITY AS A WHOLE. RIGHT. YEAH, IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE, I'VE NOT SEEN THAT BEFORE, BUT THEN AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY I'VE WORKED IN MM-HMM . SO, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT AND COME BACK TO YOU WITH AN ANSWER ON THAT. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT. THANK YOU. SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, MOVING ON TO R FOUR. MR. BENNETT. UH, GOOD EVENING. UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UM, HOW ABOUT A BRIEF REQUEST, UH, TONIGHT? THIS IS, UM, A HOUSE, REALLY AN ACCOUNTING, HOUSEKEEPING, UH, TYPE REQUEST. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE CITY OF HOPEWELL HAS FUNDED, UH, SEVERAL SUPPORT AGREEMENTS FOR THE HOPEWELL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, AND THERE WAS SOME SURPLUS FUNDS FROM THOSE, UH, SUPPORT AGREEMENTS. UM, MYSELF AND MR. ENGLISH, WE ARE STAFFED TO THE HOPEWELL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. SO WE ACT AS A, AS A LIAISON AND STAFF BETWEEN THE, THE TWO BODIES. AND, UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD ASKS ME TO REQUEST FROM CITY COUNCIL IF WE COULD HAVE THESE FUNDS THAT WERE RESTRICTED, UM, REALLOCATED TO THE LEGACY BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS FUNDED PREVIOUSLY. AND, UH, THE, THE PURPOSE THERE IS WITH THE LEGACY BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM, IT'S TO HELP SUPPORT EXISTING LEGACY BUSINESSES IN THE CITY AND THEIR EFFORTS TO, UM, EXPAND OR, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN MAKE APPLICATION TO DO THINGS LIKE, UH, GET POSSIBLY NEW SIGNAGE OR IF IT'S A RESTAURANT, THEY NEED A NEW, UH, OVEN OR REFRIGERATOR OR, OR, UH, PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO, UH, THE, THE LEGACY BUSINESS GRANT [01:20:01] PROGRAM, UM, HAS BEEN A GREAT TOOL TO HELP GROW OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES. UH, SOMETIMES THE, UH, EXISTING BUSINESSES FEEL LIKE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S JUST TRYING TO BRING SOMEBODY NEW IN, AND THE CITY'S NOT REALLY SUPPORTING, UH, EXISTING ONES. BUT, UH, SO THIS IS A TOOL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY CAN USE TO HELP WITH IT, WITH THAT. AND SO THE REQUEST TONIGHT IS TO TAKE THE, UM, THE FUNDS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY GIVEN IN SUPPORT AGREEMENT THAT, THAT WERE SURPLUS, WERE NOT USED FOR 5 0 9 3 AND A HALF STREET, AND THEN OFF ALSO 15 REVENUE CW HARRIS, UH, ACQUISITIONS AND TO REALLOCATE THOSE TO THE LEGACY BUSINESS GRANT, UM, PROGRAM. THAT'S THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, UH, TOTAL TOTAL OF ABOUT, UH, 19,000 ALL TOGETHER WHEN YOU PUT ALL THE FUNDS TOGETHER. UM, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. OKAY. UH, VICE MAYOR JORDAN? NO, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE REQUEST OR THE EDH PROVIDE THIS SURPLUS GRANT FUNDING TO, UM, THE LEGACY, UM, UH, BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM IN HOPEWELL. OKAY. SO THE MOTION, UH, BEFORE US, UH, IS TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED BEFORE US. I'LL SECOND IT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEE A NOTE? OH, UH, COUNCILLOR REPOLE, JUST WHEN I SAY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THESE LEGACY CO YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES AND THAT WE DO SUPPORT THEM. SO I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY THIS MOTION. I'LL LET THE, UH, ECONOMIC DOMINE AUTHORITY KNOW YOUR SENTIMENTS AND, UM, THAT NOT FOR, TO SLOW THIS UP FROM, YOU KNOW, UH, ANOTHER ROUND GOING UP. UM, BUT CAN IT ALSO BE, 'CAUSE IF MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF OLD BUSINESSES, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, OPERATING IN, YOU KNOW, THEIR ORIGINAL OLD BUILDINGS, UH, AND THAT CERTAIN, UM, BUILDING, YOU KNOW, CONDITIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS DON'T QUALIFY. CAN WE GO BACK AND, YOU KNOW, REVISIT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME IN THE NEXT 30, 60 DAYS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROGRAM? SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, OPENS UP, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S, YOU CAN APPLY FOR OTHER AND GREATER NEEDS. SO IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, YOU'RE ASKING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO LOOK AT EXPANDING THE ELIGIBILITY OF THE LEGACY BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM, CORRECT? YEAH. YES. WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT, UM, ON ONE OF OUR FUTURE MEETING AGENDAS TO LOOK AT THAT. WE, UM, BECAUSE THAT PROGRAM HASN'T BEEN LOOKED AT IN PROBABLY, UH, SIX OR SEVEN YEARS. OKAY. SO, UM, AND, AND THEY DO HAVE FEEDBACK FROM PREVIOUS TIMES THAT THE PROGRAM WAS USED, UH, DURING COVID I THINK WAS LAST TIME IT WAS REALLY UTILIZED SO WE'LL. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT THAT AND TRY TO, TO MAKE IT, UM, AS BENEFICIAL AS POSSIBLE. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO COUNCIL, IT'S A, IT'S A PRETTY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY MM-HMM . RIGHT NOW THAT'S IN THERE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO LIMIT THE GRANTS, UH, GIVEN FROM THIS AND THIS YEAR TO MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR 5,000, UH, PER APP APPLICANT, UH, WITH THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY. UH, BUT, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UM, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, UH, COULD POSSIBLY SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT. OKAY. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, 30, 60, 90 DAYS, UM, COULD WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, BEFORE, UH, COUNSEL FOR THE PUBLIC ON THE EDA AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD AND HOW THEY'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESTRUCTURING, UM, OF THEIR ORGANIZATION IN ORDER TO, UH, REDUCE COSTS, BRING THINGS IN-HOUSE, AND THEN ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, GENERATE MORE FUNDS. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. OUR, UH, CHAIR, WHICH IS, UH, MR. VARS MARKS, UM, HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME PRESENT TO YOU AND WE WILL, UM, HELP HIM PREPARE FOR THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING LATER IN THE SUMMER. OKAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, SEEING YOU. NO OTHER LIGHTS FOR DISCUSSION. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILLOR HARRIS? YES. MAY I? PARDON? YES. COUNCILOR DAY? YES. COUNCILOR OLI? YES. VICE MAYOR JOINER? YES. MOTION PASSES. FIVE TO ZERO. OKAY. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AND YOU OPPOSED? AYE. HAVE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.