[00:00:04]
[Call to order and roll call]
IT ANYWHERE IN THERE.ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
DO I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR, I PARDON? HERE.
[Call for amendments to the agenda]
I HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA? JUST TO MOVE THE PROCLAMATIONS RECOGNIZED IN BUSINESSES IN THE HOPE WILL FOR OVER 50 YEARS TO THE FIRST ITEM IN THE, UM, CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR LEY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[CLOSED MEETING ]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 37 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 SPEC SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS, UH, REAL ESTATE CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS AND VICTORIA STREET REVOCABLE LICENSE, AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE AND EIGHT TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS, POLICE DEPARTMENT, PERSONNEL BUILDING, OFFICIAL BUILDING OFFICE PERSONNEL, HEALTHY FAMILY SCHOOL BOARD ARCHITECTURE, REVIEW BOARD AND SALARY SUPPLEMENTS, AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A EIGHT TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS.
BEACON THEATER BOARD, LEGAL BILLING.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECOND BY COUNCILOR POLING.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
I TOLD YOU MR. ROGERS, YOU'D BE BACK.
MOTION TO BE MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOYNER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
CERTIFICATION UNDER VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH THREE SEVEN 2D FOR OUR ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
I APOLOGIZE THAT WE'RE RUNNING JUST A, A FEW MINUTES BEHIND, UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA CATCH UP WITH IT, UH, WITH OUR ITEMS AND
[REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER ]
WE WILL START OUT WITH OUR REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER.PARDON? VICE MAYOR JOINER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING FOR MY FIRST MEETING WITH YOU ALL AND I'D FIRST LIKE TO SAY THANKS TO OUR INTERIM MANAGER ROGERS AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER JORDAN, FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP DURING THE INTERIM PERIOD.
UM, I'VE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND I'VE BEEN REFINING MY PLAN FOR THE FIRST 90 DAYS WITH YOU ALL.
SO, JUST BRIEFLY, I PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING REGIONAL MEETINGS, THE RIVERSIDE REGIONAL JAIL BOARD MEETING, THE CREATOR YOUTH COMMISSION, WHERE I'LL BE THE VICE PRESIDENT, AND I ATTENDED THE CIVILIAN MILITARY COUNCIL MEETING, UM, WITH, WITH, UH, THE FORT.
UM, SO I'M ACTIVELY MEETING OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND STAFF AT THEIR WORK LOCATIONS, AND I SHARE WITH ALL EMPLOYEES THAT OUR FOCUS WILL BE ON CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, UM, MUTUAL RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER, UM, DIRECT COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AMONGST OUR WORK TEAMS. AND SO THE GOAL IS TO CONTINUE THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM STARTED BY COUNCIL AND OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
AND I'LL END WITH NOTICE REGARDING THE VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER COMPANY RATE INCREASE.
UM, VAWC HAS FILED A PROPOSAL THAT WILL INCREASE OUR WATER RATES BY 30%,
[00:05:01]
AND RESIDENTS CAN SHARE THEIR COMMENTS WITH THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION BY JUNE 3RD, OR IF THEY WANT TO REGISTER TO ATTEND THE JUNE 10TH HEARING, JUNE 10TH HEARING, THEY NEED TO REGISTER BY JUNE 3RD AS WELL.AND SO WE HAVE PROVIDED ALL THE INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ONLINE, SEND IN COMMENTS VIA MAIL, UM, AND THEY CAN FIND THAT ON OUR HOPEWELL VA.GOV WEBSITE AND THE CITY'S SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, AND WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH WILL BE OUR, OUR RESOLUTION OR RECOGNITION OF OUR BUSINESSES.
UH, CAN I GET, UH, THERE HE IS.
UM, MAYOR OF VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, GOOD EVENING, AND TO THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, TONIGHT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF RECOGNIZING A REMARKABLE GROUP OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE HELPED SHAPE THE FABRIC OF THE CITY OF HOPE WEALTH MORE THAN HALF OF A CENTURY.
UM, ALTHOUGH NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST, THESE 15 BUSINESSES HAVE OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL FOR AT LEAST 50 YEARS.
THEY HAVE WEATHERED ECONOMIC CHANGES, CELEBRATED MI MILESTONES ALONG OUR RESIDENTS, CREATED JOBS, SUPPORTED LOCAL FAMILIES, AND REMAINED COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE HOPEWELL COMMUNITY, UH, AGAIN, FOR AT LEAST A HALF CENTURY.
THEIR LONGEVITY IS A TESTAMENT NOT ONLY TO STRONG BUSINESS LEADERSHIP, BUT ALSO TO THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY HAVE BUILT AND TRUST THEY HAVE EARNED THROUGHOUT GENERATIONS.
THESE BUSINESSES ARE MORE THAN STOREFRONTS OR SERVICE PROVIDERS.
THEY ARE PART OF THE HOPEWELL STORY AND IDENTITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH OF THESE BUSINESSES FOR THEIR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL AND FOR THE LASTING IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE MADE ON OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
AT THIS TIME, IF, UH, I WILL START TO RECOGNIZE THESE BUSINESSES, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF THE, UM, REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BUSINESSES IN THE, UH, AUDIENCE, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND RECEIVE YOUR PROCLAMATION FROM, FROM MAYOR.
AND, AND THESE WILL BE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
UH, FIRST IS THE BOWLING CENTER OF HOPEWELL, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1955.
THE BOWLING CENTER OF HOPEWELL HAS REMAINED A LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY TRADITION AND VALUED PART OF HOPEWELL'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THROUGHOUT DECADES OF LEAGUE PLAY, RECREATION AND FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT, THE CENTER HAS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE YEAR ROUND FUN FOR GENERATIONS, UH, OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
AND THE OWNER OF THE, UH, HOPEWELL BOWLING CENTER IS MR. ROBERTS OF GOLIS, WHO IS NOT HERE THIS EVENING.
BROADWAY GARAGE HAS BUILT A LONGSTANDING REPUTATION FOR QUALITY BODY WORK AND MECHANICAL REPAIRS.
FOR DECADES, THE BUSINESS HAS PROVIDED DEFENDABLE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES TO KEEP VEHICLES OPERATING SAFELY, EFFICIENTLY, AND LOOKING THEIR BEST.
AND AGAIN, UH, MR. BUTCH IS HERE TONIGHT.
AND AGAIN, THEY WERE ESTABLISHED IN 1958.
HE'S, UH, HE'S WORRIED I'M GONNA END UP CALLING HIM AGAIN BEFORE I GET TOLD.
I DO HAVE A REALLY GOOD, FUNNY STORY TO SHARE, THOUGH.
UM, THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO JUST HIS, HIS GREAT CHARACTER.
UM, THIS WAS MAYBE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
UM, I WAS COMING BACK FROM BMI AND I WAS IN MY 99 DODGE DURANGO.
UM, AND MY PARENTS WERE EVEN ATTEST TO IT.
I'M NOT THE BEST PERSON WHEN IT COMES TO VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.
UM, AND I'M DRIVING ALONG IT'S PITCH BLACK, DARK, UH, AT NIGHT DOWN 2 88, AND I START HEARING THE CAR DOING LIKE, THUMP.
AND I'M LIKE, OH GOD, THIS IS NOT GOOD.
I'M STILL LIKE 20 MINUTES OUT FROM HOME, AND THE CAR FINALLY JUST SHUTS OFF.
I MEAN, I, I, THE BRAKE DOESN'T WORK, THE GAS DOESN'T WORK.
AND SO THANKFULLY NOBODY ELSE WAS ON THE ROAD, AND I WAS ABLE TO JUST GLIDE, YOU KNOW, AND SLOW DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE POINT WHERE THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED.
WELL, PAUL BUTCH UP, UH, HE CAME TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE ME A, UH, TO, UH, TOW AND, UH, TOOK ME BACK.
WELL, SAME TIME, I, UM, TOOK MY DAD'S DIESEL TRUCK AND A MUTUAL FRIEND OF OURS ENDED UP USING THE TRUCK BEFORE I KNEW ABOUT IT AND DIDN'T TELL ME THAT HE ALMOST, UH, USED UP ALL THE DIESEL FUEL IN THE TRUCK.
SO I'M GAL WE, WE'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, GOTTEN THE, THE VEHICLE BACK, UH, TO THE, UM, TO THE GARAGE.
AND NOW I'M DRIVING THE TRUCK OVER TO MY PARENTS' HOUSE TO PICK SOMETHING UP.
WELL, THE TRUCK, YOU KNOW, STOPS.
SO I CALL, WHAT I NEED YOU TO COME BACK AND GET ME.
HE GOES, WHAT VEHICLE IS IT NOW? HE WAS LIKE, IT'S MY DAD'S GREEN DIESEL TRUCK, AND YOU'VE GOTTA KEEP ALL THE DL BECAUSE HE LOVES THAT TRUCK MORE THAN HE LOVES ME
[00:10:01]
HE KEPT IT A SECRET FOR A WEEK.UH, BUT, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS A DIESEL, HE, THERE WAS A, AND HE ENDED UP COMING ACROSS ANOTHER ISSUE, UH, WITH THE IT, SO HE HAD TO GO AND ORDER A PART.
AND SO MY DAD ENDED UP STOPPING BY AND HE WAS LIKE, WHAT'S MY TRUCK DOING OVER HERE? AND SO THEN, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, UH, UNFORTUNATELY I HAD TO CONFESS AT THAT POINT.
BUT, UM, JUST A, A WONDERFUL GUY AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU KNOW, CALLING AT THE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WAY LATE, YOU KNOW, DARK HOURS HE COMES.
AND, UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR KEYS.
NEXT I WOULD REC LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FIRESTONE COMPLETE AUTO CARE, WHO HAS OPERATED IN HOPEWELL FOR 65 YEARS, PROVIDING TRUSTED AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES, RANGING FROM TIRES, OIL CHANGES, ALIGNMENTS AND BRAKE REPAIR, BRAKE REPAIRS.
BACKED BY OVER A CENTURY OF INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE, FIRESTONE HAS REMAINED COMMITTED TO HELPING HOPEWELL RESIDENTS KEEP THEIR VEHICLES RUNNING SAFELY AND RELIABLY, RELIABLY FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, NOBODY FROM FIRESTONE WAS ABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK JAKE HARLAN TO COME ON FORWARD.
JOHNNY, TAKE, GET THE SEAL IN THE BACK.
FOR MORE THAN SIX DECADES, HARLAN CONSTRUCTION HAS PROVI, HAS PROUDLY SERVED THE HOPEWELL COMMUNITY AS A SELF-PERFORMING DESIGN BUILT GENERAL CONTRACTOR KNOWN FOR ITS PROFESSIONALISM AND INTEGRITY.
AS A FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED BUSINESS, HARLAN CONSTRUCTION HAS GROWN STEADILY WHILE BUILDING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS AND CONSISTENTLY STRIVING TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS FOR ITS CUSTOMERS AND THE COMMUNITY.
HOPEWELL IRON AND METAL COMPANY, MCO HAS LONG SERVED THE COMMUNITY AS A RECYCLER AND PROCESSOR OF FERRIS AND NON FERRIS MATERIALS, PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RESPONSIBLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
PROUD TO COMBINE INDUSTRY EX EXPERTISE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
THE COMPANY REMAINS COMMITTED TO HELPING BUILD A CLEANER AND STRONGER COMMUNITY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY FROM MCO IS ABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
I, BUT THE O THE CONTACT IS MICHAEL, DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SAY HIS LAST NAME? FRED CAN.
JT MORRISON'S SON OF HOPEWELL FOR GENERATIONS, JT MORRISON'S SON FUNERAL HOME HAS SERVED AS A PILLAR OF TRUST AND COMPASSION WITHIN THE HOPEWELL COMMUNITY.
COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING FAMILIES DURING THEIR TIME OF NEED.
THE FUNERAL HOME HAS PROVIDED COMFORT, CARE, AND DEDICATED SERVICE WHILE HELPING FAMILIES FIND PEACE DURING LIFE'S MOST CHALLENGING TIMES.
THEY WERE FOUNDED IN 1959 AND THE MANAGEMENT OF JT MORRIS WAS ALSO NOT ABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
BUT THEY'RE EVAN CORELLE, JONATHAN TERRY, AND BRANDON WOODY.
NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JW ENOCH INC.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MR. ENOCH TO COME FORWARD.
ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED IN 1920, JW ENOCH HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF HOPEWELL AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.
FROM BUILDING SUPPLY AND RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION TO MANUFACTURING AND COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL GENERAL CONTRACTING, THE COMPANY HAS REMAINED AN INTEGRAL PART OF HOPEWELL'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS COMMITMENT TO QUALITY TURNKEY CONSTRUCTION SERVICES.
NEXT IS RADKEY AND ASSOCIATES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. ORION RADKEY TO COME FORWARD.
FOUNDED MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO WITH A SINGLE OFFICE IN HOPEWELL, RADKEY INSURANCE HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT AGENCIES IN VIRGINIA, WHILE REMAINING COMMITTED TO SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH TRUSTED GUIDANCE AND PERSONALIZED SERVICE THAT WOULD WRITE A WIDE RANGE OF INDUS INSURANCE SOLUTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES.
RAKI INSURANCE CONTINUES TO HELP PROTECT FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION.
NEXT IS A FAN FAVORITE RANDOLPH MARKET.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK CHRIS NEAL.
SINCE 1941, RANDOLPH MARKET HAS BEEN A BELOVED HOMETOWN GROCERY STORE AND VALUED PART OF THE HOBO COMMUNITY, KNOWN FOR ITS EXCEPTIONAL BUTCHER SHOP, FRESH PRODUCE, PRODUCE FRIENDLY SERVICE, AND COM COMMITMENT TO QUALITY.
RANDOLPH MARKET HAS EARNED THE LOYALTY OF GENERATIONS OF RESIDENTS WHILE CONTINUING TO EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF A CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY.
[00:15:04]
THANK YOU FOR COMING.NEXT IS ROSE'S DISCOUNT STORE OPERATING HOPPO.
SINCE 1967, ROSE'S HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING RETAIL PRESENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDING AFFORDABLE MERCHANDISE AND EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS FOR GENERATIONS.
ROSE'S HAS REMAINED COMMITTED TO SERVING LOCAL SHOPPERS, UH, WITH VALUE AND CONVENIENCE.
AND, UM, THE MANAGEMENT FROM ROSE'S WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
BUT, UH, HIS NAME IS CHARLES BROOKS ROSA'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MR. JOHNNY AND COME FORTH CELEBRATING THEIR 50TH YEAR IN BUSINESS THIS YEAR.
IN 2026, ROSA'S ITALIAN HAS PROUDLY CARRIED FORWARD MAMA ROSE'S TRADITION OF AUTHENTIC OLD WORLD RECIPES AND BOLD, CLASSIC FLAVORS DEDICATED TO QUALITY AND FRESHNESS.
THE RESTAURANT CONTINUES TO USE ONLY THE FRESHEST INGREDIENTS WITH NO PRESERVATIVE PRESERVATIVES, WHILE PERSONALLY OVERSEEING EVERY DETAIL TO DELIVERY, A WELCOMING AND MEMORABLE DINING EXPERIENCE.
OPERATING IN HOPEWELL SINCE 1957, THE COMPANY HAS REMAINED A TRUSTED LOCAL RESOURCE PROVIDING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND DEPENDABLE SERVICE, WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY FOR NEARLY SEVEN DECADES.
AND THEY WERE ESTABLISHED HERE IN 1957 AND THEIR MANAGEMENT, UH, IS ROBERT BROWN, WHO WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
NEXT IS SLY PLUMBING, WHO IS A LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED, UH, PLUMBING SERVICE FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS.
THIS FULL SERVICE COMPANY PROVIDES PLUMBING, HEATING, COOLING, AND GAS PIPING SERVICES FOR BOTH REPAIRS AND NEW INSTALLATIONS, LICENSED AND INSURED.
THEY PROUDLY SERVE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CLIENTS WHILE DELIVERING RELIABLE SERVICE ACROSS ALL MAJOR BRANDS.
AND THEY'VE, UH, BEEN DOING BUSINESS IN HOPEWELL SINCE 1958, OWNED BY MR. BRAD CROWDER, WHO IS UNABLE TO BE HERE.
NEXT IS SOUTHERN AUTO AND CAP SALES.
FOUNDED ON TRUST, INTEGRITY, AND RESPECT.
SOUTHERN AUTO SALES HAS BUILT A STRONG REPUTATION AS A LOCAL PROVIDER OF QUALITY CARS, TRUCKS, AND ACCESSORIES.
THE COMPANY IS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING VALUABLE AND DEPENDABLE SERVICE WITH A FOCUS ON COMPETITIVE PRICING AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION THAT CONTINUES TO EARN THE LOYALTY OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY OPENED IN 1961 AND ARE CURRENTLY OWNED BY MR. DARRELL RETTA, WHO DOES NOT LIKE PUBLIC RECOGNITION.
SO HE
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, IS TRUIST BANK WHO HAS OPERATED IN HOPEWELL SINCE 1973.
THE BANK HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING FINANCIAL PARTNER TO THE COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND BUSINESSES WITH A WIDE RANGE OF BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.
WITH A CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO A RELATIONSHIP DRIVEN, DRIVEN SERVICE, AND LOCAL INVESTMENT.
TRUIST REMAINS DEDICATED TO HELPING THE HOPEWELL COMMUNITY GROW AND THRIVE.
AND AGAIN, THEY'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1973 AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY MANAGED BY FAN FAVORITE MR. FOREST CLEVELAND, WHO IS OUTTA TOWN THIS EVENING.
UNFORTUNATELY,
UM, WE HOPE TO RECOGNIZE SOME MORE, SOME MORE OF OUR LONGSTANDING BUSINESSES HERE IN THE COMING MONTHS.
AND, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE, UH, WITH GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THIS IS OUR APRIL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING CITYWIDE FOR APRIL.
REVENUES ARE TRENDING 2.59% OR 14.3 MILLION, HIGHER FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR APRIL ARE TRENDING 1.85% OR 16.9 MILLION HIGHER FOR 26 AND 25.
AGAIN, THE KEY DUE DATES FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL ARE DECEMBER, APRIL, MAY, AND JUNE.
WE HAVE OUR UPCOMING REAL ESTATE AS WELL AS PSC DUE INCREASE IN REVENUES STEM FROM STATE REVENUES INCREASE IN HWR CAPITAL BILLING AND COLLECTIONS FROM OLE INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM OUR ANNUAL INCREASES IN CLASS AND COMP STUDY THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR, AS WELL AS INCREASES IN SCHOOLS AND ENTERPRISE CAPITAL EXPENSES.
ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR CITYWIDE?
[00:20:02]
OKAY.OUR GENERAL FUND FOR APRIL GENERAL FUND FOR APRIL IS TRENDING 1.404 OR 936,000 HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR 26 OR ARE TRENDING 0.3% OR 2 MILLION HIGHER THAN 25 INCREASES IN EXPENSES, AGAIN, STEM FROM A CLASS AND COMP STUDY THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR AND THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN OUR STATE REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVED AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR GENERAL FUND? OKAY.
OUR ENTERPRISE FUND FOR APRIL ENTERPRISE FUND FROM APRIL IS TRENDING 19 POINT 53% OR 13.4 MILLION.
HIGHER IN REVENUES IN 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE TRENDING, 6.26% OR 5.9 MILLION HIGHER IN, UM, THAN 25.
INCREASE IN REVENUES FOR HWR COMES FROM ON TIME BILLING, CAPITAL BILLING FOR 26.
WE'RE BILLING UPFRONT NOW INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM WORKING THROUGH CAPITAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE D-E-Q-N-O-V COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, HWR HAS SPENT $6.8 MILLION YEAR TO DATE VERSUS 1.5 MILLION THIS TIME LAST YEAR FOR 25.
UM, MR. JORDANS, HAVE WE GOTTEN THE, THE $250,000 FROM THE, UM, ADV ADVANCE SIX DEQ CONSENT ORDER THAT'S SUPPOSED TO GO TOWARDS THE WASTEWATER PLANT? I HAVEN'T SEEN IT COME IN YET.
UM, SO WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING WITH DEQ, UH, LATER THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS THE, UH, MEMORANDUM AGREEMENT THAT WILL ALLOW THAT PROCESS TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE'RE TALK PROJECT PROCESS.
OUR SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS IS TRENDING 5.9399999999999995% OR 12.4 MILLION, HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES ARE TRENDING 3.71% OR 19.7 MILLION HIGHER IN 26 VERSUS 25.
THE DECREASE IN FEDERAL REVENUE STEMMED FROM THE ESSER GRANT INCREASE IN OPERATIONAL EXPENSES, UH, FOR 26.
WE'RE ALSO WAITING FOR THIRD QUARTER HEAD START REIMBURSEMENT OF ROUGHLY $1.3 BILLION.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT ON THE CITYWIDE GENERAL FUND ENTERPRISE AND SCHOOL, THEY HAVE BEEN PROJECTED OUT TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
OUR PROJECTIONS FOR CITYWIDE FOR THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR GIVES US OVERALL REVENUES OVER EXPENSES.
A INCREASE OF 977,000, ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS FOR OUR GENERAL FUND.
WE'RE LOOKING AT $1.3 MILLION REVENUES OVER EXPENSES PROJECTED OUT FOR THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND DEBT SERVICES INVOICES PROCESSED FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, 1000 828.
UH, INVOICES DOLLAR AMOUNT IS 6,000,742 47,000, EXCUSE ME, 227.
WE ARE UP TO DATE ON ALL OF OUR DEBT PAYMENTS.
WE HAVE A REMAINING OF 1.8 MILLION TO PAY FOR THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
WE HAVE STARTED PLANNING ON, UM, MEETING WITH DAVID FOLEY.
HE'S SUPPOSED TO COME IN SITE ON AUGUST, SO THAT WE'LL MAKE OUR TECH DECEMBER 15TH DEADLINE FOR FISCAL 26TH.
YOU SAID DECEMBER 15TH, THAT'S A DEADLINE TO SUBMIT THE A CFR FOR 26 WHILE WE WERE SHOOTING FOR NOVEMBER 15TH.
WELL, WE'RE TRYING TO GET O WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT EARLIER.
DAVID HAS STATED THAT HE WILL MAKE US THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, BUT WE, IT IS DUE DECEMBER 15TH.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR VICE MAYOR COUNCIL.
UM, TODAY I HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU, UH, THE CITY'S STREET PAVING PROGRAM.
UM, JUST A QUICK UPDATE AS TO WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS OR SO.
WE'VE EXPEND ABOUT $4 MILLION IN PAVING.
UM, AND THAT HAS INCLUDED AREAS IN MANCHIN HILLS, FIVE FORKS AND DANVILLE AREA.
UM, RECENTLY, UM, WE HAVE COMPLETED A PAVING CONDITION ASSESSMENT THAT WAS PERFORMED BY TIMMONS GROUP.
IT IS STILL IN DRAFT FORMAT, SO WE ARE WAITING TO GIVE YOU GUYS THE, UM, THE FINAL PRODUCT.
BUT, UM, WHAT THIS WAS, WAS AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS THAT WAS, THAT WAS PERFORMED PROVIDING A PAVING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN WITH RECOMMENDED BUDGET PLANNING.
UM, THE THREE MAIN METRICS THAT WERE UTILIZED IN THIS ASSESSMENT WAS A-P-C-I-A PAVING CONDITION ASSESSMENT.
THESE ARE YOUR SURFACE LEVEL DEFECTS.
SO THESE ARE POTHOLES, CRACKS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE HAVE A RIDE QUALITY INDEX, WHICH IS YOUR RQI.
THIS EVALUATES THE ROUGHNESS OF THE ROAD.
SO HOW BALANCE IS IT? AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE HAVE A SURFACE QUALITY
[00:25:01]
INDEX, OR SQI.THIS WAS ULTIMATELY THE, THE METRIC THAT WE USED TO DEVELOP A MAINTENANCE AND REHAB TREATMENT PROGRAM.
UM, SO THIS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT BOTH PCI AND RCI, UM, AND ALSO INCLUDED IN THE ASSESSMENT AND INVENTORY OF OUR ROAD ASSETS.
THOSE, THIS INCLUDES TRAFFIC SIGNALS, UH, SIGNAGE, MANHOLES, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND ULTIMATELY THE GOAL, THE CITY'S GOAL IS TO REACH A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR, WHICH THE STATE DEFINES AS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE PAVEMENT PRESERVATION TREATMENT THAT ARE NEEDED.
UM, SO NOT JUST MILL AND OVERLAY.
UM, WHAT THIS ASSESSMENT FOUND WAS THAT GENERALLY THE CITY'S ROAD NETWORK NETWORK WAS ASSIGNED A VALUE, AN AVERAGE VALUE OF 87 PPCI, WHICH IS A RATING OF GOOD.
UM, SO ACCORDING TO THE ASSESSMENT, THIS INDICATES THAT THE CITY HAS A HIGH QUALITY NETWORK OF STREETS.
UM, NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE ISN'T WORK TO BE DONE, BUT, UM, IT MEANS THAT WE'RE IN A GOOD STATE TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. UM, IN ORDER FOR THE STATE, THE ROADS TO REACH A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AS DEFINED BY THE STATE, THE CITY WOULD NEED $84 MILLION IN FUNDS.
UM, SO ALL ROADS THAT, UH, THAT WERE ASSIGNED A PCI VALUE BELOW 65, WHICH IS THE MINIMAL ACCEPTABLE PCI RATING AS, UM, PROPOSED BY, UH, TIMMONS GROUP, ARE RECOMMENDED TO BE PRIORITIZED FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR ACTIVITIES.
BUT REMEMBER, SQI IS WHAT WE'RE UTILIZING HERE TO CONDUCT OUR TREATMENT PLAN.
UM, SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE ROAD THAT'S IN THE WORST SHAPE.
IT'S WHAT IS THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUG FOR THE CITY.
UM, UH, YOU CAN SEE TABLES HERE.
UM, THIS INDICATES TO YOU THE NUMBER OF SEGMENTS.
UM, EACH ROAD WAS BROKEN DOWN INTO SEGMENTS, UH, THE TOTAL MILES AND THE, THE, UH, PCI RATING, UM, THAT MATRIX.
UM, AND THEN ON THE LEFT, THAT COLORFUL TABLE, I KNOW IT'S KINDA HARD TO READ, BUT THAT IS THE TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT, UH, 10 MENS GROUP GAVE US BASED OFF THAT SQI.
UM, FOR YOU GUYS, THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THE ASSESSMENT FOUND FOR EACH WARD.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS THAT WARD ONE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IS THE LOWEST RANKED, UM, SQI.
UM, SO THAT MIGHT NOT COME AS SURPRISE TO SUM.
UM, AND ALSO NOT ONLY JUST BEING THE AVERAGE SQI BEING RANKED THE LOWEST, IT ALSO HAD THE MOST, UM, ROAD SEGMENTS THAT WERE BELOW A 65 PCI.
UM, AND REMEMBER PCI IS YOUR SERVICE LEVEL DEFECTS.
UM, SO NEXT STEPS, AS I SAID, WE'RE STILL IN DRAFT FORMAT, SO WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH TIM AND GROUP TO DEVELOP THAT CIP FOR US OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA PAVE.
BUT WE HAVE ABOUT $2 MILLION IN EARMARKED FUNDS, UH, FOR FY 27.
THAT IS UP TO OUR DISCRETION IN TERMS OF WHAT ROADS WE SELECT.
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $500,000 IN EARMARKED FUNDS, BUT THAT IS STRICTLY FOR HUMEL ROSS ROAD AND ROUTE 10.
UM, SO, UH, NEXT STEPS WOULD BE DEVELOP THAT PAVING PLAN USING THOSE, UH, THOSE FUNDS, WE'LL ESTABLISH A PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF TREATMENTS, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER IT'S AN ARTERIAL ROAD OR A COLLECTOR ROADS OR MAIN ROAD, CITY POINT, BROADWAY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY UTILITY PROJECTS IN THE WAY OR UPCOMING, WE'D LIKE TO COORDINATE WITH THOSE COMPANIES.
THAT WAY WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS OR REPAVING ALREADY PAVED ROADS.
UM, AND ALSO WITH THIS ASSESSMENT WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO COMPLETE THIS ASSESSMENT EVERY THREE YEARS.
UM, SO A RECOMMENDATION FOR NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TO APPROVE THAT KIND OF ASSESSMENT EVERY THREE YEARS.
UM, BUT WE WILL ALSO PERFORM AN ANNUAL UPDATE AS TO HOW WE ARE, UH, ATTACKING THESE, UH, THESE ROADS FOUND IN THE ASSESSMENT.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT WAS BRIEF.
I KNOW THAT WAS QUICK, BUT I'LL GLADLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.
UM, I HAD A, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, AND MAYBE THIS IS NOT PART OF THIS, BUT THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE STRIKING THAT WAS DONE ON BROADWAY, THAT IS SUCH A MESS.
THAT WAS DONE JUST ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, NOT QUITE FOUR YEARS AGO.
IS ANY OF, YOU KNOW, REPAIRING THAT, GETTING THAT FIXED? IS THAT, IS THAT INCORPORATED IN ANY OF THIS? IT WAS NOT.
UM, IT DIDN'T, THE THE, THE TECHNOLOGY IS ONLY THERE TO DETECT DEFECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN.
SO IT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, I GUESS YOU MEAN STRIPING THAT MIGHT BE CURVY? WELL, NO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY PUT THE BIKE LANES IN AND IT'S ALL, IT IS JUST, SO, IT'S REALLY JUST, IT'S REALLY EMBARRASSING.
IT, IT WAS STRICTLY JUST ON THE CONDITION OF THE ROADS IN TERMS OF
[00:30:01]
THE PAVEMENT.SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO FURTHER IF YOU GUYS LIKE, BUT, UM, DEFINITELY SHOULD THE SOLELY THE FOCUS OF THIS WAS FOR PAVING.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUDGE.
OF, IF I'M, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN THAT ASKED ABOUT LINES REDOING SOME LINES ON THE STATEMENT.
UM, MAYBE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
HE SAID HE COULDN'T SEE WHEN HE WAS DRIVING.
AND, UH, HAVE WE GOTTEN ANYTHING BACK ON THAT? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EMAIL ME WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I WILL GLADLY LOOK AT THIS.
MR. ROGERS WAS THERE, THERE, THAT WAS, YEAH.
THEY, UM, NOTED WHICH STREETS AND YEAH.
I KNOW THE ONES THAT ARE BEING PAID ARE BEING RE RELIED.
BUT IT'S, IT'S CERTAIN AREAS THAT, LIKE MESA DRIVE, I MEAN, SOME OF THEM LINES THERE, YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE LIKE SCHOOL ZONES OR, OR RAILROAD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT IS INCLUDED IN OKAY.
I'D LIKE THE THREE OR THREE ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND JOSH, THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
IT MIGHT BE FOR, UM, MONIQUE OR FOR, UH, STACY.
UH, BUT OF THE, THE $2 MILLION THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE, IS THAT JUST THE, THE OUR LOCAL DOLLARS AND BDOT DOLLARS? MM-HMM
SO IT'S, IT'S THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.
WE HAD A, WE WERE UNDER BUDGET FROM OUR LAST PAVING JOB THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE DANVILLE AREA.
SO WE HAVE SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL ALREADY ENCUMBERED FUNDS.
AND THEN THE, UM, THE SGR FUNDS, THE STATE OF GOOD REPAIR FUNDS THAT IS TO, UH, BE OBLIGATED TO THE HUMMEL ROSS ROAD AND ROUTE 10 INTERSECTION THAT IS TOTALLY 100% SUBSIDIZED.
SO THERE'S ZERO LOCAL FRONTS ON THAT.
UH, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, THE MONEY THAT'S EARMARKED FOR FY 27 IS, IS ALL LOCAL AT LOCAL FUNDS.
SO WHEN ARE WE LOOKING AT SUBMITTING THE NEXT, UM, SET OF ROADS TO GET THE VDOT 50 50 SHARE? THE, SO THE, THE, THE GRANTS ARE IN THE FALL, SO, UH MM-HMM
AS A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, WE ARE GONNA MONITOR GRANTS SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THESE ROADS.
UM, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT IT.
WE JUST ACTUALLY SUBMITTED, UM, A GRANT FOR SAFE STREETS FOR ALL FOR OUR ACTION PLANS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ADDRESSING GRANTS.
UM, UH, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW IN THE QUEUE FOR THE, THE PAVING.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO YOU ANSWERED THAT QUESTION.
UM, AND CAN YOU GUYS, AND YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING, UH, MR. JONES, UH, WE SPEAK WITH VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER WITH, UM, SEEING WHEN, YOU KNOW, THESE UTILITIES COME THROUGH, IF INSTEAD OF JUST DOING, YOU KNOW, JUST THE PATCH JOB THAT THEY DO, IF THEY'RE THE LAST UTILITY THAT COMES THROUGH, IF WE CAN DO A COST SHARE AGREEMENT THAT SAYS, ALRIGHT, INSTEAD OF JUST PATCHING THIS, WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE Y'ALL WILLING TO PUT TOWARDS PAVING THE STREET? AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN FINISH, YOU KNOW, THAT STREET WITH THE REMAINDER PERCENTAGE.
SO THAT WAY WE'RE, WE'RE MAXIMIZING DOLLARS.
WE DID THAT WITH COLUMBIA GAS FIVE FORKS, AND WE'VE TRIED TO DO THAT.
I'VE TRIED TO DO THAT WITH VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER FOR OUR LAST PAVING JOB.
UM, ULTIMATELY THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT WE DO, LIKE, SINCE THE FIVE FORKS, UH, ONE WITH COLUMBIA GAS, IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I TRY TO EXPLORE EVERY TIME WHEN WE OKAY.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT THERE WAS, AT OUR LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WE HAD, UM, UH, A CONCERN FROM SOME CITIZENS THAT WERE OVER IN THE KING'S COURT NEIGHBORHOOD MM-HMM
ABOUT, UM, THE QUALITY OF WORK MM-HMM
THAT WAS, I THINK, CONTRACTED THROUGH, UH, WITH, WITH COLUMBIA GAS.
UM, CAN YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, GO BACK THROUGH AND DO A QUALITY CONTROL CHECK? BECAUSE FROM, UM, FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THERE, THIS WAS DONE, I, I BELIEVE IT WAS WITHIN, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE A BUNCH OF SLUMPS MM-HMM
UH, AND, AND CURVATURE IN THERE.
YOU, YOU, YOU'LL START GETTING THAT.
BUT WITHIN A YEAR, UM, UNLESS A BUNCH OF TRACTOR TRAILERS AND OVERWEIGHT VEHICLES ARE COMING THROUGH THERE, UM, THERE, THERE SHOULDN'T BE THOSE ISSUES.
ALRIGHT, WELL WE WILL LOOK INTO THAT.
THAT, UH, TO FEED OFF THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WAS GONNA SAY IN PARTICULAR, LIKE THE ONE IN FRONT OF SEVEN 11, THE CITY WILL WORK ON THAT AND THEN WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, IT'S BACK TO CAVING IN OH, ON I TALKING ABOUT ON BROADWAY? YEAH.
AND THEN ONE OVER THERE IN FRONT OF CAR BROTHERS, THAT'S ALWAYS AN ISSUE.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, AS THE MAYOR WAS SAYING, WHEN WE DO WORK OUR PATCH JOBS, EVEN IF WE HAD TO, UH, GO FORTH AND PUT SOME OF IT
[00:35:01]
IN THAT, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT BETTER BECAUSE WITHIN SIX MONTHS THERE THEY'RE BACK AGAIN.I THINK THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.
SHADA, CAN YOU SCROLL UP THE TABLE JUST A LITTLE BIT REAL QUICK? BACK UP.
I WANT, UH, I WANT MS. PELLUM TO SEE YEAH.
UH, SHE, SHE'S, SHE'S MY BATTLE BUDDY.
WHEN IT COMES TO STREET PAVING, IT WAS THE ONE THING THAT WE AGREED A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THAT WE NEEDED MORE DONE THAT, UH, THAT WARD THREE ROADS AND WARD SIX ROADS ARE DARN CLOSE, UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, GETTING PAVED
AND OF COURSE, AS WE SAID, WARD ONE IS AT THE VERY BOTTOM,
JUST WONDER, SO, UH, TIMEFRAME WISE MM-HMM
WHEN WE, WHEN WILL WE KNOW WHICH ROADS WILL BE ADDRESSED? UM, SO I ACTUALLY, JUST LIKE THIS EVENING, I GOT FINAL DELIVERABLES FROM TIMMONS GROUP.
SO WE ARE GONNA TAKE INTO THAT ALL INTO ACCOUNT AND WE WILL ASSESS THE RESULTS, UM, AND SEE WHICH ROADS WE WOULD LIKE TO GET PAVED.
UM, I DON'T SEE WHY THERE SHOULD BE ANY KIND OF EXTENSIVE TIME PERIOD FOR COMING UP WITH THOSE CONCLUSIONS.
SO, UM, I THINK, I THINK WITHIN FOUR TO SIX WEEKS IT'S FAIR.
UM, AND IT COULD VERY WELL BE SOONER.
I JUST, I JUST WANT TO BE A LITTLE CUSHIONED THERE, JUST IN CASE.
UM, BUT I, I THINK, I THINK WITHIN A MONTH OR SO.
I THINK I'M UP NEXT, BUT I SAY YEAH, HE HAS THE NEXT ONE.
HE HAS AN ENCORE PERFORMANCE ON A VERY FITTING TOPIC FOR TODAY AND YESTERDAY.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO FOR NOW WE HAVE OUR STORMWATER RESILIENCY PLAN.
UM, WHAT IS A RESILIENCE PLAN? A RESILIENCE PLAN SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE, INCLUSIVE, LOCAL AND REGIONAL STRATEGIES TO AFFECT, TO ADDRESS BOTH PRESENT AND FUTURE NEEDS.
UM, IN 2022, CITY COUNCIL DID ADOPT A, THE CITY'S STONEWALL RESILIENCE PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIES SHORT, INTERMEDIATE, AND LONG-TERM RANGE STORMWATER PROJECTS.
UM, THEY ADDRESS BOTH RE MAINTENANCE NEEDS AS WELL AS LOCAL FLOOD LOCALIZED FLOODING CONCERNS.
UM, HOWEVER, WHEN SUBMITTED TO, UH, DCR, UH, THEY REJECTED IT, UM, THEIR, THEIR PRIMARY CONCERNS WAS THAT THESE WERE, UH, THESE WERE MAINTENANCE, UH, REPAIRS.
UM, THERE WASN'T ENOUGH, UH, SPECIFIC TIMELINE AS TO HOW WE WERE GONNA IMPLEMENT THESE PROJECTS.
UM, AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, LESS OF A FOCUS ON NATURAL BASED SOLUTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING THESE THINGS.
UM, SO THOSE WERE SOME OF THE CURRENT CONCERNS THAT DCR HAD WHEN IT CAME TO OUR LOCAL RE REGIONAL RESILIENCE PLAN.
UM, IN 24, HOWEVER, THE CRATER PDC, UM, THROUGH THE CFPF FUND WITH DCR, THEY WERE AWARDED TO DEVELOP A CRATER REGIONAL RESILIENCE PLAN.
AND THAT INCLUDES SEVEN LOCALITIES, WHICH OF COURSE INCLUDES HOPEWELL.
UM, SO THIS, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OF A REGIONAL RESILIENCE PLAN THAN WE'RE USED TO.
IT DOESN'T JUST FOCUS ON FLOOD FLOODING, IT, FOCUS ON ALL, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT, UH, NA NA NATURAL DISASTERS.
SO EXTREME HEAT, TORNADOES, WIND STORMS, UM, AND WATER QUALITY.
UM, WE'VE OPT AS STAFF HAVE OPTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS REGIONAL RESILIENCE PLAN.
AND BY DOING SO, ONCE APPROVED BY DCR, THE CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADOPT THIS AND THAT WILL SET US UP FOR FUNDS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN CONSTRUCT THESE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED.
UM, SO WHAT'S ONGOING RIGHT NOW? UM, CURRENTLY THE CREATOR PDC IS PARTNERING WITH WESTON AND S SAMSON TO DEVELOP THE REGIONAL RESILIENCY PLAN.
UM, AS I'VE SAID, WE'VE ALREADY OPTED IN TO PARTICIPATE IN IT, UH, VIA THE REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH ENSURES THAT THE PLAN'S, GOALS, METRICS, AND STRATEGIES ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE CITY'S NEEDS ARE.
UM, THE FINAL DELIVERABLES OF THIS PLAN WILL, UH, INCLUDE A CAPACITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, UM, GOAL AND OBJECTIVE SETTING, UH, CLIMATE V VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, AS WELL AS THAT REGIONAL RESILIENCY PLAN WITH PRIORITIZED ACTIONS.
UM, THUS FAR, CITY STAFF HAS IDENT IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL IN DRAFT, SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, WE'LL GLADLY ACCEPT THEM.
UM, WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS OUR, AS OUR PRIORITIES IS TO ASSESS, PRIORITIZE, AND UPGRADE THE CITY'S AGING AND UNDERSIZED STORM SYSTEM.
UH, RETROFIT DEVELOP DEVELOPED AREAS WITH MODERN STORMWATER CONTROLS, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, TREE CANOPY, AND OTHER NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, REDUCE RUNOFF AND FLOODING IMPACTS.
SO THESE WERE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE GOT REJECTED FROM OUR FIRST GO AROUND.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO STRENGTHEN STORM STORM RESPONSE READINESS BY
[00:40:01]
IMPROVING EQUIPMENT OPERATIONS AND COORDINATION DURING MAJOR STORM EVENTS.UM, PUBLIC EDUCATION, WE LIKE TO IMPROVE IT ON FLOODING, DRAINAGE AND STORM PREPAREDNESS.
UM, AND LASTLY, IDENTIFY FLOOD PRONE CRITICAL FACILITIES AND EVALUATE DRAINAGE OR FLOOD-PROOFING NEEDS.
UM, SO ANY CRITICAL AREAS THAT BELONG TO THE CITY THAT WE FEEL ARE FLOOD OR DRAIN OR FLOOD PROOF OR NOT FLOOD PROOF.
UM, WE'VE ALSO DEVELOPED STRATEGIES, AGAIN IN DRAFT FORMAT.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO BUILD REGIONAL AND LOCAL CAPACITY, SO THAT COULD BE STAFFING, UM, THAT COULD BE TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER VERSIONS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION.
UM, WE'VE, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE PAVING, IMPROVE GRANT READINESS, WE TRACK GRANT CYCLES AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, WE ALREADY HAVE GRANT WRITING SUPPORT ON RETAINERS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE, WE ALREADY UTILIZE, UM, STRENGTHEN PLANNING AND POLICY.
SO ULTIMATELY THAT WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE CRATER PDC UH, REGIONAL RESILIENCY PLAN ONCE IT'S READY IN FINAL FORMAT, WHICH WE WILL PRESENT TO YOU GUYS.
UM, AND THEN PROTECT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND INFORM THE PUBLIC.
UH, SO CREATE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH MATERIAL.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE PRIORITIES.
SO WHAT ARE NEXT STEPS? UM, ULTIMATELY NEXT STEPS ARE TO PROVIDE DIRECT, CONTINUE PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT TO THE PDC AS THEY PREPARE, PREPARE FINAL DELIVERABLES.
UH, ENSURE THAT THE, THE HOPEWELL'S PRIORITIZED STORMWATER RESILIENCE PROJECTS ARE IN LINE WITH THE REGIONAL RESILIENCE PLAN FRAMEWORK.
SO WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED PROJECTS, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT FITS THE NARRATIVE OF THAT REGIONAL RESILIENCY PLAN.
UM, REVIEW THE CITY'S IDENTIFY STORMWATER RESILIENCE STRATEGIES AND PRIORITIES WITH YOU GUYS AND, UH, HAVE YOU GUYS PROVIDE CONFIRMATION OR ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT.
UM, AND LASTLY, PRESENT FINAL DELIVERABLES, AGAIN, TO COUNCIL ONCE COMPLETE SO WE CAN CONSIDER FORMAL ADOPTION OF THIS PLAN.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S IT FOR THE PRESENTATION, BUT AGAIN, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, DO YOU GUYS HAVE AN, UM, AN IDEA OF WHEN, UM, THIS REGIONAL PLAN WILL COME TO, UH, BEFORE US FOR APPROVAL? OR, SORRY, THIS IS ANDREW.
HE'S WITH THE CRATER PDC, SO HE'S HERE TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO I'M THE YMCA WORKOUT BUDDIES TOO.
I TOLD, I TOLD JOSH I'D COME BY 'CAUSE I FIGURED OF ALL PEOPLE MAYOR WOULD HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH, NEXT WEEK, UH, ONCE WE HAVE THAT FINAL DRAFT FORM, WE'LL BE PRESENTING IT TO OUR STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, WHICH INCLUDES PEOPLE FROM ALL 11 LOCALITIES, WHICH THEY'LL GO OVER THAT FINAL DRAFT.
UH, ONCE WE GET THOSE COMMENTS BACK IN, WE'LL THEN PRESENT IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, THAT WAY EVERYBODY CAN KIND OF GET A LOOK AT IT.
UH, AFTER WE INCORPORATE THOSE COMMENTS, WE'RE GONNA PRESENT IT TO EACH ONE OF OUR 11 LOCALITIES, GIVE YOU GUYS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, COMMENT ON IT, AND THEN HOPEFULLY PASS IT, UH, PASS, ADOPT IT AS PART OF, AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL RESILIENCE PLAN.
UM, RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS TIMEFRAME GOES, UH, BEFORE I, BEFORE WE GET IT TO YOU GUYS, THE COMMISSION HAS TO PASS IT MM-HMM
SO WE HAVE OUR COMMISSION MEETING AT THE END OF AUGUST.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN OCTOBER IF WE DON'T MAKE IT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE TWO MEETINGS THAT THE COMMISSION WILL PASS IT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT IS WHEN WE'RE GONNA START WORKING WITH THE LEVEL LOCAL IN ORDER TO GIVE YOU GUYS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT AND PASS IT.
SO IT WOULD BE THE FIRST POSSIBLE MEETING AFTER A PASSING, IF YOU WOULD CONTACT JOEL, YOU CAN GET ON THE AGENDA, UH, SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AFTER.
AND OF COURSE WE WANNA GET IT TO YOU AHEAD OF TIME MM-HMM
SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY READ THROUGH IT.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT A SMALL DOCUMENT, IT'S GONNA BE A FAIRLY, FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT DOCUMENT.
UM, SO I WOULD EXPECT HOPEFULLY AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, YOU GUYS GO LOOK AT IT, IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, SAY SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER TIMEFRAME, AND THEN WE CAN GET IT PASSED AND ACCEPT IT BY FEMA AND PRESENT IT TO THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM AS NEEDED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, FOR OUR ACTUAL, LIKE LOCAL ONE, LIKE THE LIST OF PROJECTS, CAN WE GET, UM, AN UPDATED, UH, PRIORITIZATION OF THOSE PROJECTS? SURE.
AND THEN, UM, WHEN YOU PLAN ON SUBMITTING THOSE RESPECTIVE PROJECTS IN, YOU KNOW, A BUDGET YEAR, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, 28, 29, 30, AND SO FORTH, ONWARD.
AND, UM, THIS QUESTION, UM, YEAH, KIND OF A FREE FOR ALL FOR STAFF AS, AS A, AS A WHOLE.
UM, MR. JONES, UM, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDA, UH, I SAW IN HERE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE GRANT WRITING SUPPORT, UH, THAT WE HAVE ON RETAINER MM-HMM
UM, DO YOU SEE ANY VALUE, UM, YOU, YOU AGAIN, STACY, UM, MONIQUE, JOSH OF US TAKING, UM, YOU
[00:45:01]
KNOW, SETTING ASIDE SOME FUNDS AND MAYBE A FUTURE YEAR AND SETTING UP A, A PERMANENT, UM, GRANT WRITER WITHIN THE CITY TO SUPPLEMENT THOSE EFFORTS.THE REASON, THE REASON WHY I ASK IS BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE, STILL THE, THE OUTSTANDING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UM, ALVAREZ AND MARCEL, UM, GAVE TO US IN OUR TURNAROUND STABILIZATION PLAN.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, THIS MIGHT PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL VALUE AS WE LOOK AT TRYING TO GET MORE GRANT FUNDING AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO PUT THE ONUS ON, YOU KNOW, LOCAL, ON THE LOCAL DOLLARS.
SO, UM, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT MS. JORDAN AND I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS WEEK, UH, START TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR EXISTING AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE MM-HMM
AND SO I WOULD JUST LIKE SOME TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AGREEMENT TO SEE WHAT'S THE MORE EFFICIENT ROUTE TO GET WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO.
BUT I CERTAINLY THINK I'M TRYING TO COMPETE FOR MORE GRAND DOLLARS IS, IS APPROPRIATE AND SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOOK INTO.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MAYOR, VICE MEMBER AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THIS IS A REPORT THAT I LIKE TO DO AFTER THE A CFR IS SUBMITTED.
IT'S JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT AND IT GIVES THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS COUNCIL A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHEN THEY'RE READING THE REPORT.
SO OUR AGENDA IS OVERVIEW, AUDIT OPINIONS, THE BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, SUPPLEMENTED SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION AND FUND BALANCE.
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE CITY COUNCIL AND A COMMUNITY AND OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS PERTAINING TO THE PREPARATION AND AUDIT OF THE 25 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, OR THE ACT FOR 25 OR FISCAL YEAR 25 ACT FOR COVERS A PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2025.
IT REPRESENTS THE FINANCIAL POSITION AND RESULTS OF THE CITY AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2025.
AUDIT OPINIONS, UNMODIFIED OPINION, AN UNQUALIFIED OPINION OR CLEAN OPINION IS AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S JUDGMENT THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE FAIRLY AND APPROPRIATELY PRESENTED WITHOUT ANY IDENTIFIED EXCEPTIONS.
AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH GAAP, GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES, AN UNQUALIFIED OPINION IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF AUDITOR'S OPINION.
THE CITY HAS RECEIVED AN UNQUALIFIED, UM, UNMODIFIED OPINION FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
ACTUALLY ON THE A CRA QUALIFIED OPINION OR MODIFIED OPINION IS WHERE THE AUDITOR SUGGEST FUTURE AMENDMENTS OR PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW, TO AVOID MISSTATEMENTS IN THE FINANCIAL SYSTEMS AND TO MAKE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TRANSPARENT AND OR CLEANER.
ONE OF THE AREAS AUDITED RECEIVED THIS, NONE OF THE AREAS AUDITED RECEIVED THIS OPINION WITHIN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF 2025, THE CITY'S EXTERNAL AUDITOR RENDERED THEIR FOLLOWING OPINION, UNMODIFIED, WHICH IS THE CLEANEST, HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE.
THERE IS NO FRAUD, THERE IS NO MISSTATEMENT, UM, MISAPPROPRIATION, ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
THE LAST THREE OPINIONS, QUALIFIED, ADVERSE OR DISCLAIMER.
A QUALIFIED OPINION IS THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE GENERALLY ACCURATE, BUT HAS SPECIFIC MATERIAL ISSUES.
ADVERSE IS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE MATERIALLY MISSTATED.
AND DISCLAIMER, THE AUDITOR CANNOT FROM AN OPINION DUE TO SEVERE LACK OF RECORDS.
FORM OPINION AGAIN, THE CITY OF HOPEWELL HAS RECEIVED AN OVERALL UNMODIFIED UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THE AUDITS OF US FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW.
PARTS OF THE ACT FOR THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
WE HAVE OUR GOVERNMENT WIDE, WHICH IS A STATEMENT OF NET POSITION AND A STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES, FUND, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, GOVERNMENTAL FUND, WHICH IS THE BALANCE SHEET AND STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE, PROPRIETARY FUNDS, STATEMENT OF NET POSITION, STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES AND CHANGES IN NET POSITION.
AND A STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS, FIDUCIARY FUNDS, WHICH IS EXCLUDED, STATEMENT OF FIDUCIARY NET POSITION, WHICH WILL BE LIKE A HOSPITAL TRUST OR AGENCY FUND AND FUNDS NOT AVAILABLE OR HELD IN TRUST OR AGING CAPACITY.
OKAY, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WHICH ARE GOVERNMENT WIDE.
STATEMENT OF NET POSITION GOVERNMENT WIDE INCLUDES THE CITY'S BOTH THE CITY'S GOVERNMENTAL AND BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
THE STATEMENT OF NET POSITION OR EXHIBIT ONE IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE CITY'S ASSETS AND LIABILITIES UNDER THE ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING AT THE END OF EACH FISCAL YEAR.
THE STATEMENT OF NET POSITION IDENTIFIES THIS TYPE, THE TYPE AND AMOUNTS OF ASSETS OF AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT CITY OPERATIONS, HOW MUCH THE CITY IT THE CITY OWES TO ITS VENDORS AND BOND HOLDERS.
[00:50:01]
NET POSITION DELINE DELINEATED BASED UPON ITS AVAILABILITY TO BE USED FOR FUTURE EXPENDITURES.THIS STATEMENT IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE BALANCE SHEET.
EXHIBIT THREE FOR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS.
BELOW IS THE SUMMARY OF THE, UH, CONDENSED STATEMENT IN THAT POSITION FOR GOVERNMENT WIDE.
FOR 25, OUR NET POSITION WAS 50,228,000, UH, 228,855.
BASIC FINANCIAL, UH, STATEMENTS.
GOVERNMENT-WIDE CONTINUED STATEMENT IN THAT POSITION, NET POSITION IS DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR CATEGORIES.
NET INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL ASSETS, WHICH IS PROPERTY PLAN EQUIPMENT OWNED BY THE CITY, RESTRICTED NET ASSETS, NOT EXPENDABLE AND EXPENDABLE AND UNRESTRICTED NET POSITION AVAILABLE FOR USE FOR ANY LAWFUL PURPOSE.
NET INVESTMENTS IN CASH, APP CAP CAPITAL ASSETS RESTRICTED FOR 25 0.
UNRESTRICTED IS 17.2 MILLION FOR A NET POSITION OF 50 MILLION.
BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, GOVERNMENT WISE STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES.
ALSO EXHIBIT TWO REFLECTS THE CITY'S REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE GOVERNMENTAL AND BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
BELOW IS A BREAKOUT OF THE MAJOR SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY'S GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH INCLUDES OUR GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES, OTHER LOCAL TAXES, USE OF MONEY AND PROPERTY, COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, OTHER GENERAL REVENUE CHARGES FOR SERVICES AND FEDERAL REVENUES.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A BREAKDOWN AGAIN OF THE EXPENSES FOR EACH OF ITS MA MAJOR FUNDS WITHIN THIS GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES.
SO GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION.
OUR JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION, OF COURSE, PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE HIGHEST AS WELL AS EDUCATION, PUBLIC WORKS, HEALTH AND WELFARE, PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS INTEREST OUR BALANCE SHEET GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS.
EXHIBIT THREE IS COMPRISED OF THREE FUNDS OF FUND GROUPS.
GENERAL FUND CAPITAL, WHICH IS PRIMARILY OUR CHIEF OPERATING FUND BY THE CITY CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR GENERAL PRO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, EXCLUDING THOSE OF BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES AND NON-MAJOR FUNDS, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF SPECIAL REVENUE AND PERMANENT FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS FOR AND REPORTS ON.
THE USE OF FUNDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE FUND.
BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS 43 MILLION, $43.5 MILLION.
VIRGINIA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM THE CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET IS $11,000, WHICH ARE REALLY, THAT'S THE, UM, SOCIAL SERVICES ASPECT.
OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS IS 2.9 NEGATIVE.
THAT'S COMING FROM, UM, MORE SO WE PAID OUT A LOT MORE THAN WITH THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN OUR NON-MAJOR FUNDS IS 66,000 FOR A TOTAL OF 40,581,800.
OKAY, NOW WE WANNA TALK ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE FUND BALANCE.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO OUR FUND BALANCE IN GOVERNMENTAL FUND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
FUND BALANCE MAY BE BE COMPOSED OF FIVE CLASSIFICATIONS AND OUR MITIGATING FINANCIAL RISK, MAINTAINING STABLE TAX RATES AND ADDRESSING CASHFLOW TIMING FOR PURPOSES OF FUND BALANCE, CLASSIFICATION EXPENDITURES ARE TO BE SPENT FROM RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE FIRST FOLLOWED IN ORDER BY COMMITTED FUND BALANCE, ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
AND LASTLY, UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
WHILE THE GFOA RECOMMENDS A MINIMUM OF TWO MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES, MOODY'S INVESTOR SERVICES ALSO ALL OFTEN LOOKS FOR 15% TO 30% OF REVENUES FOR A DOUBLE A RATING.
THE GOVERNMENTAL FUND TYPES CLASSIFY FUND BALANCE AS BELOW NONS SPENDABLE FUND BALANCE.
THIS CLASSIFICATION INCLUDES AMOUNTS THAT CANNOT BE SPENT BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER NOT IN, NOT IN SPENDABLE FORM INVENTORY OR LEGALLY OR CONTRACTUALLY REQUIRED TO BE MAINTAINED INTACT, WHICH LONG-TERM AMOUNTS OF LOANS OR NOTES RECEIVABLE RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE.
THIS CLASSIFICATION INCLUDES AMOUNTS THAT ARE RESTRICTED TO SPECIFIC PURPOSES BY EXTERNAL PARTIES.
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS OR IMPOSED BY CREDITORS BOND COVENANTS COMMITTED FUND BALANCE.
THIS PORTION OF FUND BALANCE CAN ONLY BE USED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES DETERMINED BY A FORMAL ACTION OF THE CITY'S HIGHEST LEVEL OF DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY.
THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE THE CLOSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR, AND BY MAJORITY VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THE PORTION OF FUND BALANCE THAT THE CITY INTENDS TO USE FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES AS EXPRESSED BY THE GOVERNING BODY ITSELF.
THE BUDGET DOCUMENT OR DELEGATE OFFICIAL, THE CITY MANAGED SPECIFICALLY THE RAINY DAY EMERGENCY STABILIZATION RESERVE WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN 20 20, 20 13 AND WAS CREATED BY A SEGREGATED AND PORTION OF GENERAL FUND UNSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESERVE IS TO PROVIDE AN EASY MECHANISM TO TAP RESERVES, TO ADDRESS TEMPORARY REVENUE SHORTFALLS RESULTING FROM TEMPORARY CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS ECONOMIC CYCLES, WEATHER
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RELATED EMERGENCIES, ET CETERA.UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, THE PORTION OF THE FUND BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR ANY PER PURPOSE 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 RECEIVABLE AND REPRESENT A POINT OF TIME CALCULATION.
GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS ARE FINANCIAL POLICY RESERVES THAT ADOPTED BY COUNSEL IN 2024.
UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE GENERAL FUND ONLY 20% OR $10.9 MILLION.
CASH FLOW NEEDS TO AVOID REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTES, WHICH THE CITY DOES.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY RANS OR, UH, BOND ANTICIPATION NOTES THAT ARE SHORT TERM OBLIGATIONS.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY ARE ALLOWING FUNDING FOR.
UNFORESEEN LOSS OF REVENUES OR INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES.
THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND OF 5% OR 2.7 MILLION COMMITTED FUND BALANCE USED FOR EMERGENCY EXPENDITURES OR REVENUE DECLINES AFTER USE OF UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, REPLENISHMENT OF FUND BALANCE, UNASSIGNED OR STABILIZATION WITHIN 24 MONTHS OF USE.
AND OUR DEBT SERVICE AND CAPITAL RESERVE OF 3 MILLION.
THAT'S THE MINIMUM USED TO MITIGATE IMPACT OF NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS OR DEBT ON GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
TOTAL NEED EVALUATED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
THIS COMES DIRECTLY FROM OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTED IN 24.
BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTINUED.
THE BALANCE SHEET, THE UNSIGNED FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR 25 WAS $34,436,840.
STATEMENT OF REVENUE EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE.
STATEMENT OF REVENUE CHA UH, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE.
EXHIBIT FIVES FIVE SHOWS THE CITY'S REVENUES BY SOURCE EXPENDITURE CATEGORY CATEGORIZED BY THE CITY'S MAJOR FUNCTIONS OR PROGRAMS AND OTHER FINANCING SOURCES.
THE TRANSFERS FOR IS GOVERNMENTAL FUND.
THIS STATEMENT IS ALSO KNOWN AS A STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES, AND CHANGES IN NET POSITION OR EXHIBIT SEVEN FOR PROPRIETARY FUNDS AND A STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES.
FOR GOVERNMENT-WIDE FINANCIALS, REVENUE EXCEEDS EXPENDITURE IN THE GENERAL FUND BY $7.8 MILLION OR MORE, MORE THAN 12%.
PROPRIETARY FUNDS INCLUDE INFORMATION ON THE CITY, UH, CITY LIKE CITY OF HOPEWELL REGIONAL WATER OR SEWER SOLID WASTE STORMWATER IN THE BEACON THEATER, THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES, AND CHANGES IN THAT POSITION.
EXHIBIT EIGHT SHOWS THE CITY'S REVENUES AND EXPENSES CATEGORIZED BETWEEN OPERATING AND NON-OPERATING AND OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR ITS PROPRIETARY BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS OR EXHIBIT NINE PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY'S SOURCES, RECEIPTS, AND OTHER PAYMENTS OF CASH DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
IT CLASSIFIES SOURCES AND USE OF CASH INTO FOUR CATEGORIES AND INSISTS IN DETERMINING WHETHER THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO GENERATE FUTURE NET CASH FLOWS TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME DUE IN, ASSIST IN DETERMINING THE NEEDS FOR EXTERNAL FINANCING.
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS ONLY EXIST FOR PROPRIETARY FUNDS AND OR BUSINESS-LIKE ACTIVITIES.
WE MOVE ON TO OUR NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
OUR LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS OF THE $86,237,614 IN TOTAL OBLIGATION OR LIABILITY.
THIS IS INCLUDED IN NOTE SEVEN OF THE A CFR 21,808,843 WAS IN GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS BACKED BY THE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE CITY OF THE TOTAL OBLIGATION OR LIABILITY.
$2.3 MILLION WERE DUE IN PAYABLE WITHIN ONE YEAR.
THE BREAKDOWN ACROSS GOVERNMENTAL AND BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES IN SEWER IS BELOW THIS.
THE BREAKDOWN ALSO INCLUDES OUR PENSION, OPAB REVENUE BONDS, UH, LANDFILL, AS WELL AS ANY SCHOOL OBLIGATIONS WE HAVE AS WELL.
THE SUPPLEMENTED RARE INFORMATION, WHICH IS IN THE BACK TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE, UM, A CFR EXHIBIT 12 BUDGETARY INFORMATION.
IT SHOWS YOU THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO ACTUAL INFORMATION PRESENTED FOR EVERY SOURCE OF REVENUE AND CATEGORY OF EXPENDITURE BY MAJOR FUNCTION OR PROGRAM IN THE GENERAL FUND INCLUSIVE OF DEBT SERVICE, AS WELL AS TRANSFERS THE PENSION DATA, NET PENSION LIABILITY, EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION, AND OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS OR OP E INFORMATION IS PRESENTED IN THE SUPPLE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SECTION, COMBINING STATEMENTS AND NON-MAJOR FUNDS SUPPORTING SCHEDULES.
THIS SECTION INCLUDES COMBINED STATEMENTS FOR NON-MAJOR FUNCTIONS.
NON-MAJOR FUNDS INCLUDE BOTH SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS SUCH AS FEDERAL AND STATE PROJECTS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS CDBG FUNDS AND STORMWATER FUNDS, AS WELL AS PERMANENT FUNDS SUCH AS CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE.
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IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR AGENCY FUNDS SPEC, SUCH AS SPECIAL WELFARE.THIS SECTION ALSO INCLUDES BUDGET TO ACTUAL SUPPORTING SCHEDULES.
ALSO IN THE BACK OF THE A CFR, IF YOU LOOK AT, I BELIEVE IT'S EITHER TABLE 10 OR 11, YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE COLLECTION RATE FOR HOW WE COLLECT ON OUR REAL ESTATE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED A CFR AS WELL.
THERE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, VICE MAYOR TURNER? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
DAVID NORMALLY GIVES, WE KNOW THEY HAND OUT THE AUDIT REPORT.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO RECEIVE THAT? I'LL, I WILL GET WITH DAVID.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, SEEING NO OTHER LIGHTS, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN AT THE END OF 26 SO WE CAN GO THROUGH A STEP BY STEP WITH THE A CFR IN HAND.
ALRIGHT, NEXT UP IS, UH, WELL IT IS STILL MS. JORDAN, BUT, UM, I THINK MR. SANDERSON'S GONNA TAKE OVER THIS ONE.
SAVE HER VOICE FOR A LITTLE BIT LATER.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS COUNCIL, UH, JIMMY SANDERSON WITH DAB HORTON COMPANY.
UM, WE'VE GOT A PRESENTATION AND, UM, WELL, AND MR. JONES WELCOME.
OBVIOUSLY, UM, WE'VE GOT A PRESENTATION, GOT A LOT OF STUFF IN HERE.
YOU TELL ME IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO GO THROUGH THE BEGINNING PART THAT SORT OF LAYS OUT YOUR DEBT AND OTHER THINGS, OR GO STRAIGHT TO SORT OF THE UPDATE THAT WE DID FROM LAST TIME, WHATEVER.
JUST, I THINK JUST THE UPDATE OKAY.
IS, IS, IS SO, SO FOR, FOR MEMBERS OF, UH, THE AUDIENCE THAT THIS IS ON ONLINE OBVIOUSLY, BUT THERE IS SOME BACKGROUND ON YOUR, ON YOUR DEBT THAT YOU CAN FLIP THROUGH HERE.
UM, BUT LET'S JUMP TO SLIDE 14.
PAGE 14, IF WE COULD, UM, KEEP GOING, RIGHT? ONE MORE RIGHT THERE.
UM, JUST A REMINDER, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT MOODY'S METHODOLOGIES RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR THE CITY.
THEY HAVE A SCORECARD THAT, THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH BEFORE THAT'S SORT OF NUMERICAL RIGHT OUT OF YOUR AUDIT AND OUT OF, UH, UH, SOME DATA THAT, THAT MOODY'S COLLECTS.
UH, THERE IS NOTCHING FACTORS THAT THEY CAN NOT CHEW UP OR DOWN BASED OFF OFF CERTAIN THINGS.
AND THEN THERE IS, UM, WHAT THEY CALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT REALLY GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY, UH, AND LEEWAY WITH MOVING THE RATING UP OR DOWN, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE SCORECARD THAT YOU ACTUALLY GET.
UM, JUST A REMINDER OF THE MAIN, UH, MAIN CATEGORIES THEY LOOK AT IN THE SCORECARD, YOUR ECONOMY.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME METRICS UNDER THAT.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, UH, GENERALLY INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK.
THAT'S ONE THAT'S THE SAME FOR ALL, UM, UH, VIRGINIA LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS LEVERAGE, UM, OR YOUR, YOUR BORROWING.
AND THAT ALSO DOES INCLUDE PENSION LIABILITIES TOO.
SO THAT'S, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE HERE THAT THAT ACTUALLY IMPACTED THE SCORECARD A LITTLE BIT THIS PAST YEAR.
SO WE'VE GOT ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, FY 20 ACT FOR, AND THEN ALL THE WAY OUT.
LET'S GO TO PAGE 20, WHICH IS BASED OFF, UH, FY 25.
UM, AND, AND A COUPLE THINGS THAT I'LL POINT OUT.
UM, YOU, UH, INCREASED IN, IN TWO CATEGORIES.
IN PARTICULAR, UH, THE FINANCIAL, UH, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE THAT WAS PREDOMINANTLY BECAUSE OF, OF YOUR LIQUIDITY.
UM, THAT WAS, UM, UH, REVISED FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND SO THAT WAS AN INCREASE IN YOUR LIQUIDITY.
THAT'S SHOWN IN YOUR, UH, YOUR FY 25, UH, ACT FOR.
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS ON YOUR LEVERAGE SIDE.
UM, UH, YOUR, YOU MOVED UP INTO THE, THE AAA CATEGORY, THE VERY STRONG CATEGORY THAT WAS PREDOMINANTLY BECAUSE OF A CHANGE IN THE, UH, PENSION LIABILITY CALCULATION.
THE DISCOUNT FACTOR WAS, WAS REVISED IN THE 25 VERSUS THE 24 AUDIT.
SO IT ACTUALLY LOWERED THE AMOUNT OF PENSION, UH, OBLIGATION THAT YOU HAD, AND THAT'S WHY YOU IMPROVED THERE.
UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MUCH CLOSER TO WHERE YOU, YOU HAD BEEN IN PRIOR YEARS BEFORE 24.
UM, AGAIN, I'LL JUST POINT YOU TO THE, THE FAR RIGHT AT THE TOP THERE, THERE'S A SCORE THAT, THAT COMES HERE.
UH, THAT IS A DOUBLE A TWO, UH, RATING.
UH, AND YOU'RE RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE, UM, UH, THE, THE AA TWO CATEGORY ACTUALLY ON THE, A LITTLE BIT ON THE HIGHER SIDE THERE TOO AS WELL.
UM, THERE, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 2025 DEBT THAT WE BORROWED.
'CAUSE WE BORROWED THAT AFTER THE END OF, OF THE FY 25 FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND IT ALSO DOESN'T INCLUDE THE BORROWING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING NOW.
WE DID GO BACK AND RUN AND JUST INCLUDE THAT DEBT IN HERE TO SEE IF IT CHANGED THE, THE NUMBERS.
UH, IT, IT REALLY DIDN'T, YOU GO FROM A 2.7 TO A A 2.83.
SO STILL WELL WITHIN THAT AA TWO, UH, CATEGORY, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT PAGE.
AGAIN, THIS IS SORT OF WHAT WE DESCRIBED AS A, AS A HEAT MAP, RIGHT? UM, THE, THE AAA, IF YOU'RE IN THE AAA CATEGORY, IT'S MORE GREEN.
THE BEIGE IS THE AA AND THE PINK IS THE A AND BELOW.
UM, THERE ARE JUST SOME CATEGORIES THAT, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL
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OVER.CERTAINLY YOU DON'T HAVE, UH, IN THE SHORT TERM.
THAT'S THE ECONOMY IN PARTICULAR.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME AREAS WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE THERE.
UH, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL WILL HAPPEN OVER TIME.
UH, AND THE REST OF THE PAGE, IF YOU GO DOWN, UH, HOPEWELL IS ON THE FAR LEFT, UH, YOU'RE IN THAT GREENER, THAT BEIGE CATEGORY, WHICH IS, UH, IN THE AA OR HIGHER, UH, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE'VE INCLUDED SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, UH, SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS AS WELL TO SEE WHERE THEIR SCORECARDS CAME OUT.
SO YOU COULD COMPARE YOURSELVES TO, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANNA POINT OUT AGAIN, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT PETERSBURG, THEY SCORED OUT AT A DOUBLE A TWO AS WELL.
UH, THEIR RATING THOUGH COMES OUT AT A ONE.
SO THERE WAS SOME NOTCHING THAT THE, UH, RATING AGENCIES, MOODY'S, IN THIS CASE IS DOING WITH, UH, WITH PETERSBURG.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, STILL A LITTLE BIT TIME TO TELL WHEN WE FINALLY TALK TO THE RATING AGENCIES AND SEE WHERE WE, WE COME OUT AND, AND WHETHER THEY NOT JUST DOWN A LITTLE BIT, JUST GIVEN OUR, OUR HISTORY AND, AND SEE WHERE, SEE WHERE THEY COME WITH THAT.
UH, ATORY IS THE, IS THE NOTCHING VERY, IS IT SUBJECTIVE? SO, SO THERE ARE, IF YOU GO BACK ONE MORE SLIDE, THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS THAT ARE SPECIFIC NOTCHING, AND YOU CAN SEE DOWN THE BOTTOM LEFT.
THE OTHER ONE IS, IS A LITTLE BIT MORE BLACK BOX, RIGHT? IT'S, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA KEEP SOME CONTROL YEAH.
TO BE ABLE TO MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE SPECIFIC NOTCHING FACTORS ARE LAID OUT IN THE, IN THE, UM, METHODOLOGY.
ALRIGHT? AND THEN THERE ARE WHAT THEY JUST CALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT THEY MAY WANT TO TAKE INTO EFFECT.
SO MR. SANDERSON, WITH THAT ON THE, THE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS PIECE, I MEAN, JUST IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 24 TO 25, IT SH I MEAN, WE'VE SHOWN WITH YOUR 2.83 MARK, 14.5% IMPROVEMENT OVER THAT ONE YEAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK THE EXTRA EFFORT TO GO BACK IN PREVIOUS AUDITS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE, UH, UNMODIFIED OPINIONS.
I MEAN, DOES THIS, I MEAN, IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, AND I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE RATING AGENCIES, RIGHT? BUT DOES THIS HELP PROVIDE A GOOD CASE TO KEEP US AT A DOUBLE A TWO? YES.
ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE ON THE, THE LOWER SIDE OF THE YEAH.
I MEAN, IF, IF, AND WHO KNOWS HOW THEY'LL, THEY'LL ULTIMATELY COME OUT.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY OUR POSITION'S GONNA GO TO THEM AND SAY, LOOK, WE'VE GOT OUR AUDITS ON TIME.
I, I STILL THINK THAT THEY'RE GONNA SAY, I WANT TO SEE THAT THESE, THE PROCESSES THAT YOU PUT IN PLACE GONNA BE ABLE TO PRODUCE ONE ON TIME GOING FORWARD.
THAT'S THE ONLY AREA WHERE I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE CONCERN.
BUT, BUT, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE WE'VE GOT A PROCESS THAT WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE WHERE THERE'S PROCEDURES, I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, I KNOW STACY'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF GETTING THESE THINGS DONE, UH, AND DONE ON TIME AS WELL.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE TOO, A LITTLE TOO BLACK BOX TO GIVE YOU A GOOD ANSWER ON IT.
BUT ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S GONNA BE THE POSITION THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE IS, HEY, WE'VE, WE'VE RIGHTED THE SHIP, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO PRODUCE THESE AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND THESE ARE THE PROCESSES WE HAVE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT.
GOING THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
AND JUST BEFORE I GO, UM, I DID WANNA REPORT BACK TO COUNSEL, AND MAYBE STACY'S ALREADY MENTIONED IT, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO CLOSE ON THE 26TH, BORROWING, I THINK JUNE 10TH.
IS THE, IS THE PLAN TO HAVE THAT, HAVE THAT DONE FOR THE SCHOOL BONDS? FOR THE SCHOOL BONDS? YES, SIR.
IS THAT IN GOOD SHAPE? THERE THEY ARE.
I'LL SAY, I'LL, I'LL SAY WE OUGHT, SHOULD BE LIKE SOME SMILING FACES OVER ON THIS HALF RIGHT HERE.
UH, UH, I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, MR. JONES AND MS. JORDAN, HAVE WE SET A DATE YET ON, UM, PULLING THE BOND REINSTATEMENT WORKING GROUP TOGETHER? MAYOR, WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THAT.
AS SOON AS WE GET THAT DATE FOR YOU, WE WILL LET YOU KNOW.
WE CERTAINLY WANNA MAKE SURE WE DO THAT.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MY VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TONIGHT.
I COME BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN TO CELEBRATE OUR AMAZING EMPLOYEES.
TONIGHT WE ARE REPRESENTING THE VISION COMMITTEE AND I'M GONNA BRING UP OUR CHAIR, MS. PATRICE, UH, TO READ THE NOMINATION.
AND OUR NOMINEE, OUR WARD E EXCUSE ME, IS ACTUALLY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL.
SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE HIM.
AND OF COURSE, THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. DIRECTOR WARD, UH, TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS HE IS NOT THE DEPARTMENT FOR US.
SO WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE JAMES JONES.
SO TODAY WE ARE HONORED TO RECOGNIZE AN EXCEPTIONAL MEMBER OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
SOMEONE WHOSE DEDICATION, EXPERTISE, AND PROFESSIONALISM HAVE EARNED THEM TWO SEPARATE NOMINATIONS FROM COLLEAGUES IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
THAT ALONE SPEAKS VOLUME ABOUT THE IMPACT
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THEY MAKE ACROSS OUR ORGANIZATION AS OUR GIS MANAGER IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.THIS EMPLOYEE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATES OUTSTANDING MASTERY OF GEO SPECTATE DATA AND MAPPING SYSTEMS. THEIR EXPERTISE SUPPORTS CRITICAL DAILY OPERATIONS AND PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN ADVANCING PUBLIC SAFETY.
THANKS TO THEIR WORK, WE HAVE IMPROVED STREET CENTER, LANE CENTER, LINE DATA, ADDRESS POINTS, HYDRANT MAPPING, PRE INCIDENT PLANNING TOOLS, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL RESOURCES THAT FIRST RESPONDERS DEPEND ON THEIR ACCURACY AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
ENSURE THAT MAPPING DATA IS RELIABLE, CURRENT, AND READY FOR USE AT ANY TIME.
THIS LEVEL OF PRECISION DIRECTLY ENHANCES RESPONSE EFFICIENCY, OPERATIONAL READINESS, AND THE OVERALL SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT TECHNICAL SKILLS IS ONLY PART OF WHAT MAKES US EMPLOYEE EXCEPTIONAL.
THEY ARE A TRUE COLLABORATOR, SOMEONE WHO WORKS SEAMLESSLY WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT.
THEY TAKE COMPLEX TECHNICAL CONCEPTS AND COMMUNICATE THEM DIRECTLY, MAKING GIS TOOLS PRACTICAL AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL USERS.
THEIR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND OPERATIONAL NEEDS AND TRANSLATE THEM TO EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS, STRENGTHS, TEAMWORK, AND IMPROVES DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT MENTAL COORDINATION.
THEY ALSO DEMONSTRATE IMPRESSIVE LEADERSHIP.
THEY HAVE, THEY ARE PROACTIVE IN IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS, GUIDING PROJECTS FROM EARLY CONCEPT THROUGH SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION.
THEIR EFFORTS HAVE MODERNIZED OUR MAPPING SYSTEMS AND ENHANCE OUR ORGANIZATION'S ABILITY TO PREPARE AND RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES.
COLLEAGUES REPEATEDLY DESCRIBE THIS EMPLOYEE AS DEPENDABLE, POSITIVE, AND WILLING TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
THEY BALANCE ASSISTING OTHERS IN MEETING THEIR OWN DEADLINES, AND THEY UPHOLD A HIGH STANDARD OF QUALITY IN EVERY PROJECT.
THEY TAKE PRIDE IN CREATING TOOLS THAT NOT ONLY FUNCTION FLAWLESSLY, BUT LOOK PROFESSIONAL AND POLISHED.
THEY'RE POSITIVE AT ATTITUDE, ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR STRENGTHS AND WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS SHARED GOALS FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, TEAMWORK, DEPENDABILITY, QUALITY OF WORK AND LEADERSHIP.
WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT THIS EMPLOYEE WITH THE EMPLOYEE OF THE CORRIDOR AWARD.
THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS MAKE OUR ORGANIZATION STRONGER EVERY DAY, AND WE ARE TRULY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM ON OUR TEAM.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP? YES, SIR.
CAN YOU SEE HIS NAME, PLEASE? YEAH, YEAH, PLEASE.
UM, MR. WARD, DIRECTOR WARD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP FOR A SECOND AS WELL? AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE, UH, DIRECTOR WARD SINCE HE WORKS INTIMATELY WITH HIM THROUGHOUT HIS DEPARTMENT, TO GIVE HIM A MOMENT TO SPEAK AS WELL.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, JAMES.
UM, WELL DESERVED FROM THE MOMENT I MET YOU, I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA BE AN ABSOLUTE ASSET TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO THE CITY.
UM, HE'S WORKED GREAT WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS, DOESN'T NEED ANY OVERSIGHT, TAKES CONTROL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE APPRECIATE.
I'LL ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, AND I THINK, UM, I THINK THE TEAM FORGOT PROBABLY ONE OF YOUR BEST, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND THAT IS, YOU ARE A HELL OF A GOOD RUNNER.
UH, UH, THIS MAN, UM, HE HAD, I THINK HE HAD JUST STARTED, UM, I THINK IT WAS, YEAH, THE YEAR THAT WE RAN THE, UH, THE ONE CITY, UH, MARATHON DOWN IN, UH, DOWN IN NEWPORT NEWS.
OR YOU HAD JUST, IT WAS, IT WAS REAL EARLY ON IN YOUR TENURE AND, YOU KNOW, RUNNING ALONG.
AND, UH, THE MAN WAS AHEAD OF ME FOR LIKE 22 MILES.
AND, UH, SOMEONE SAID, YEAH, HE'S, HE'S RUNNING THE RACE.
YOU GOTTA BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HIM.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST LIKE STRUGGLING A ALONG AND WHATNOT.
AND I FINALLY ACTUALLY CAUGHT UP TO HIM AND, UH, HE POINTED ME OUT, INTRODUCED HIMSELF, AND I THINK IT WAS FOR ABOUT TWO MILES, WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WHERE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE CITY AND EVERYTHING.
AND THEN, UM, HE TOOK OFF AND HE LEFT ME IN THE DUST
SO I, UH, I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP TO YOU, BUT YEAH, YOU LEFT ME IN THE DUST, BUT CONGRATULATIONS.
WE HAVE, UH, MR. ELLINGTON FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL, I'M SORRY, FROM THE CREATIVE PLANNING DISTRICT TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING ABOUT A RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT THE SOUTH CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
AND, UM, UH, WE'D LIKE HIM TO, TO PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IMPACT THAT MIGHT
[01:15:01]
HAVE FOR US HERE IN THE CITY.MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNSELORS, MADAM CLERK, AND TO OUR NEW CITY MANAGER.
UH, JAY ELLINGTON WITH CRATER PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
UH, MR. JOINER WAS, UH, IN CHARGE OF THE MEETING THAT NIGHT, SO, UH, AND TALKED ABOUT THE SOUTH CENTRAL, UH, TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
SO WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS RUN THROUGH THIS SLIDESHOW WITH YOU REAL QUICK.
AGAIN, WHAT I'M DOING IS GOING BACK OUT INTO ALL OUR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, TALKING ABOUT THIS AUTHORITY, HOW IT GETS CREATED, UH, WHAT IT CAN DO FOR OUR REGION, AS WELL AS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET IT FROM TALKING ABOUT IT TO GETTING IT IN PLACE, FAR AS IN THE REGION AS WELL.
IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
AND THEN NORTHERN VIRGINIA WITH THE PURPLE ONE, UH, OUT TO THE EAST OF US AT HAMPTON ROADS IS THE RED ONE.
ONE IS THE, THE, UM, LIGHT BLUE COLORED ONE THERE.
OUR, OUR PROPOSAL IS FOR A LARGER REGION, PRIMARILY, UH, THAT LEADS YOU INTO VIRGINIA.
UM, THE PURPOSE IS LOCAL CONTROL OF MONIES, LOCAL CONTROL OF PROJECTS THAT VDOT RUNS THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM AND HELP US MOVE TRANSPORTATION FORWARD IN THIS REGION.
YOU CAN SEE A BETTER SHOT AT THAT, UH, UH, SCOPE OF THE, OF THE AREA AS WELL.
AND IT, UH, CAN HAVE UP TO AS MANY AS 12 OR 14 LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AS PART, PART OF THE MEMBERS.
UH, Y'ALL HAVE ALREADY PASSED IN JANUARY WHEN I CAME AND TALKED TO YOUR RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THIS.
I'VE GOT FOUR OTHERS THAT ARE ALREADY ON BOARD, BUT I'M TRYING TO GO BACK OUT TO ALL OUR JURISDICTIONS, TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN, MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
UH, AND ALSO TRY TO GET RESOLUTIONS FROM AS MANY OF THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AS I CAN IN THE REGION.
UH, WHEN I MADE A PRESENTATION DOWN IN, UH, SOUTH SIDE, PDC, WHICH IS THE THREE, UH, COUNTIES TO THE SOUTHWEST OF US, UH, ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES SAID, WELL, I'M NOT IN THAT.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE ME IN THE BOUNDARIES.
AND SO WE ADDED HALIFAX INTO THAT GROUP AS WELL.
SO, SO AS WE GO, UH, ABOUT TALKING ABOUT WHAT THIS CAN DO, UH, WE'VE GOT FOLKS THAT ARE VERY INTERESTED.
NUMBER ONE, YOU GET LOCAL MONIES, MONIES WILL COME BACK TO HOPEWELL FAR TRANSPORTATION.
UH, AND I'LL FLIP TO THAT, UH, UH, SLIDE HERE IN JUST A MINUTE AND SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THAT LOCAL MONEY.
THIS SHOWS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL NETWORK.
PART OF THE FUNDING IN THIS IS FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT.
UH, THIS IS A PORTION THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED AS A FUNDING MECHANISM IN THE FUTURE.
AND IF YOU'LL LOOK, YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, NORTH CAROLINA SIDE IS ALREADY READY FOR THIS, UH, RICHMOND TO RALEIGH AREA.
WE ARE NOT READY ON THE VIRGINIA SIDE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
IT'S JUST ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT COULD BE PART OF THE SYSTEM.
I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
UH, STABLE FUNDING SOURCE AND BEING ABLE TO MATCH FUNDS.
UH, JUST RECENTLY THIS YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THREE PROJECTS THROUGH VDOT IN OUR REGION THAT GOT FUNDED, UH, AS A COMBINATION OF LOCAL MONIES AND VDOT MONIES.
IT TOOK MOST OF THESE PROJECTS 18 TO 20 YEARS TO GET UP TO THAT LEVEL OF FUNDING IN THE VDOT SYSTEM.
NOW, THE REASON I TELL YOU THAT IS IF WE HAVE OUR OWN MONEY, WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND MATCH PROJECTS WITH, WE ARE ABLE TO PUT MONEY TO NEW PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO PUT NEW MONEY TO FROM NEW MONEY.
UH, REMEMBER THEY COME TO YOU IN TWO SOURCES.
UH, SO THEY COME TO YOU IN GAS AND DIESEL FUEL TAXES.
THESE ARE TAXES THAT ARE ALREADY BEING COLLECTED BY THE COMMONWEALTH AND WOULD BE PULLED OFF AND GIVEN TO YOU TO CONTROL IN THE REGION.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS A PIECE OF THE SALES TAX.
AND VIRGINIA, WE HAVE 6.3% CENTS IN SALES
[01:20:01]
TAX.THIS REPRESENTS ANOTHER SEVEN TENTHS, WHICH WOULD TAKE IT TO 7 CENTS.
SO, AND THAT, WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN WOULD BE 7 CENTS PER THOUSAND DOLLARS OF EXPENDITURE.
NOT A WHOLE LOT FOR WHAT WE WOULD GET OUT OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE MONEY TO MOVE AROUND IN OUR SYSTEM.
THAT LOCAL CONTROL, UH, REGIONAL COORDINATION'S.
REALLY IMPORTANT WITH THIS, UH, OUR CRATER REGION, UH, MR. HARRIS WORKED WITH US ON THE CRATER REGIONAL COUNCIL.
WE HAVE BEEN REALLY GOOD AT DOING THINGS TOGETHER.
UH, SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING IN THE CREATION OF THIS AUTHORITY THAT WE STICK WITH ONE JURISDICTION, ONE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, SOME OF OUR OTHER CV, UH, THE CVTA, JUST IN THE RICHMOND AREA IS DONE BY POPULATION.
UH, SO MY EXAMPLE FOR YOU IS CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, BECAUSE IT'S GOT CLOSE TO 400,000 PEOPLE, HAS FOUR REPRESENTATIVES ON THERE BASED ON A POPULATION STANDARD.
WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE, BECAUSE WE'VE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB AT REGIONAL WORKING TOGETHER, IS ONE JURISDICTION, ONE VOTE.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS, UH, THE LOCAL CONTROL PIECE WHERE YOU DO, UH, AND MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU GO TO THAT, UH, SLIDE THAT'S GOT THE, THE, UH, SPREADSHEET ON IT.
IT'S RIGHT AT THE END OR THERE WE GO.
UH, WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU HERE IS WE ASKED VDOT TO HELP US, UH, DO THIS.
IT DOES HAVE THE HOW MANY GALLONS OF FUEL OR HOPEFUL HAS GOING THROUGH IT, BOTH GASOLINE AND DIESEL, UH, AND THEN HOW MUCH REVENUE THAT WOULD PRODUCE.
THEN IT HAS, HOW MUCH SALES TAX MONEY IS GOING THROUGH, AND HOW MUCH REVENUE THAT WOULD PRODUCE.
AND LET ME LOOK OUT HERE AND SEE IF I CAN SEE THESE LITTLE NUMBERS MYSELF.
UM, OUT TO THE FAR RIGHT, THE TOTAL PROJECTED FOR LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT WOULD BE A LITTLE OVER $2 MILLION.
UM, AND OF THAT 2 MILLION, 55% OF IT IS WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO GO TO THE LOCAL JURISDICTION.
THOSE WOULD BE NEW MONIES COMING TO YOU FOR TRANSPORTATION.
YOU COULD USE 'EM FOR THE ASPHALT OVERLAY PROGRAM, UH, TRAILS, SIDEWALKS, ANYTHING IN RELATIONSHIP TO TRANSPORTATION IN THE AREA.
UM, THEN YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT, UH, 35% WOULD GO TO REGIONAL PROJECTS OR 700,000.
SO THOSE WOULD GO TO REGIONAL PROJECTS AND YOU'D SIT ON THE ONE PERSON FROM REPRESENTING HOPE WOULD SIT ON THAT AUTHORITY AND MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT WHERE THOSE DOLLARS GO FOR EVERYBODY, WHICH PROJECTS THEY GET SPENT ON.
AND THEN THE LAST PIECE IS THE 10% FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT.
UH, THOSE WILL BE COORDINATED WITH THE PUBLIC, UH, AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION AS WELL AS WHAT THE CITY MAY DESIRE FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MONEY.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'LL GO BACK, LET ME PICK UP A COUPLE OF THINGS.
OKAY, LET'S STOP ON THAT TRIANGLE THERE.
DO YOU REMEMBER I SAID THIS IS A, THIS IS A NEW STATE AGENCY I'M ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT.
SO WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CREATE AN AUTHORITY THAT DEALS WITH THIS NEW MONIES, CREATES THE MONIES, AND SETS THE GOVERNING PIECE IN, IN, IN PLACE.
UH, UH, THE SENATOR SENATOR AD ASKED ME TO GO BACK OUT AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS 'CAUSE SHE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR JURISDICTIONS WERE KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, KNOW THAT IT DOES HAVE A TAX SITUATION IN RELATIONSHIP WITH IT AND HOW IT WOULD OPERATE.
THIS SHOWS YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ONE, ONE JURISDICTION, ONE VOTE, A PHYSICAL ENTITY.
I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A PHYSICAL ENTITY FROM THIS AREA STEP UP AND SAY, WE'LL BE THE PHYSICAL ENTITY FOR THE AUTHORITY.
SO THE MONEY WOULD TRANSFER FROM THE STATE TO THE PHYSICAL AUTHORITY, THEN TO THE CRATER PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION TO BE THE OPERATOR OR TRANSPORTATION OPERATION OPERATORS IN THAT TRIANGLE.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT, THAT, UH, SITUATION WOULD WORK.
I SAID A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
IT IS, UH, WOULD HAVE ALL POWER OF
[01:25:01]
THE COMMONWEALTH AND AN AUTHORITY.SO IT WOULD HAVE, UH, VOTING JURISDICTION OVER TRANSPORTATION PROJECT IN THE REGION.
UM, I DIDN'T BRING IT TONIGHT WITH ME, BUT I HAVE A-A-C-V-T-A, WHICH IS THE RICHMOND REGION TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, UH, PAMPHLET THAT THEY PUT OUT ON JUST RECENTLY ON MONIES THAT THEY HAVE MOVED FORWARD AND PROJECTS THEY'VE MOVED FORWARD IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THEY'RE GOING INTO THEIR FOURTH YEAR OF EXISTENCE NOW, AND THEY HAVE MOVED ABOUT 25 PROJECTS UP IN THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY HAD THE FUNDS TO, TO MATCH IT OR TO PUT MONEY UP FOR IT.
Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW THAT WE ARE A TRANSPORTATION HUB AND WHAT BETTER, YOU KNOW, WE CONTROL THE BORDER HERE, OKAY, BETWEEN 85 AND 95, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE LOOKED AT HOW THAT IS LAID OUT.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FUEL CONSUMPTION IN THOSE, UH, AREAS AS WELL TOO.
UM, SO, UH, WE, THE AUTHORITY WOULD BE ABLE TO ISSUE DEBT ITSELF.
UH, IT WOULD BE ABLE TO BOND AGAINST OWN PROJECTS.
SO IT HAS THE SAME, UH, AUTHORITY AS, AS ANY OTHER, UH, LOCAL JURISDICTION MAY HAVE.
ALSO HAVING ALL THE CHECKS AND BALANCES, INCLUDING THE AUDIT, LONG RANGE PLANNING, FINANCIAL, UH, OBLIGATIONS.
UM, AND THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE ON THE LAST SLIDE IS ABOUT, UH, ADDING QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR REGION AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AS WELL, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONNECT OUR REGION TOGETHER.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT LOOKS OUT INTO THE FUTURE AND SAYS, WE HAVE TO DO THIS TOGETHER.
AND SO THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PIECE OF WHY IT IS A, A REGIONAL AUTHORITY WITH LOCAL CONTROLS IN PLACE.
AND THE LAST PIECE IS, I'M HERE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE, THE MARCH THROUGH JUNE TIMEFRAME AND GET AROUND TO EVERYBODY, TALK ABOUT THIS, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
UH, AND AGAIN, THEN IT WOULD GO FORWARD AS I PROPOSE A BILL IN THE LEGISLATURE.
UM, SO THEY MOVED THE, THE DATE UP ON WHEN YOU COULD INTRODUCE BILLS THIS YEAR.
SO I'VE GOT UNTIL THAT GETS STARTED, JULY THE FIRST.
DON'T HAVE TO, DON'T HAVE TO HIT THAT DATE.
BUT AGAIN, I NEED TO GET IT IN AS CLOSE TO THAT DATE AS I CAN, ESPECIALLY IF I WANT TO GET ONE OF THOSE LOW NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE BILL NUMBER ONE OR FIVE OR WHATEVER.
SO, SO WE GET IT OUT THERE BECAUSE I'M, THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR WORKING ON THIS AND I HADN'T, AND I'VE SEEN Y'ALL TWICE NOW.
SO, BUT AGAIN, WE'VE GOTTA SHOW THE LEGISLATURE THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS, BUT SERIOUS ABOUT HELPING OUR OWN SELVES MOVE THIS REGION FORWARD.
SO, MR. MAYOR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
I'M BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE.
THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT ALREADY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I FOLLOW WITH, UH, MR. ELLINGTON.
DID, DID HE SAY THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PASSED THE RESOLUTION IS, THAT WAS NEEDED.
UH, MOVING ON TO, UH, ACTIONS FROM CLOSED MEETING.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, EXCEPT, UH, WE GOTTA DO THE, YOU GUYS GOTTA SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR, UH, IN TWO WEEKS.
SCHOOL BOARD FOR SCHOOL BOARD.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE REGULAR MEETING, UM, AND WE WILL HAVE THE PRAYER DONE BY REVEREND BELOW, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG BY MYSELF.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR VICE MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO PRAY FOR YOU TONIGHT.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TONIGHT THANKING YOU, LORD GOD, FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY THAT YOU'VE MADE.
WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.
FATHER, WE'RE ASKING, LORD GOD, THAT YOU WATCH OVER THIS MEETING.
LORD, ASK YOU TO BLESS THE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL.
LORD, LET US BE ON ONE ACCORD WITH ONE MIND.
LET THEM LORD GOD, TAKE THEIR JOBS, LORD GOD VERY SERIOUSLY, LORD, FOR THEIR ENTRUSTED WITH
[01:30:01]
THE ACCOUNT FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOPEWELL.LET THEM LORD GOD, HONOR YOU AND THEIR DECISIONS AND LET THEM BLESS THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR MIDST, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SPIRIT THAT RESIDES HERE.
WE BLESS THEM AND WE BLESS THE PEOPLE OF HOPEWELL IN THE PRECIOUS MIGHTY NAME OF OUR SAVIOR.
I PLEDGE TO LEADERS, TO THE FLY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, ADOPT AN, AN AMENDED, UH, CONSENT AGENDA TO HAVE C3 MOVED, UH, TO THE NEXT, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING? SO SECOND.MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO APPROVE, UH, AMENDED CONSENT AGENDA WITH C3 BEING MOVED, UH, TO THE FIRST MEETING IN JUNE.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS ]
UH, MOVING ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT? A COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZEN PERIOD LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES OCCURS AT EACH REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING PERSONS ADDRESSING COUNCIL 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 INCITES DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARRED FROM FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS AND REMOVED.
UH, FIR WELL, ONLY PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MR. ROGER SANDERS.
AND I WAS HOPING THAT YOU WERE GOING COME AND SEE THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
UM, MR. JOHN AND MR. ROGER AND STACY, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR UPDATE ON MY REQUEST ON BROTHER KINGS COURT.
YOU, YOU SAID EXACTLY WHAT I WANT BE BEEN TOLD YOU NEED, UH, TAKEN CARE OF.
IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
YOU NEED EXACTLY WASN'T RIGHT.
Y'ALL SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY AND IT AIN'T RIGHT.
SO WHEN I WANT TO FIX, FIX IT.
AND, UM, DO YOU MIND, UM, WELL, WE GOT YOUR PHONE NUMBER, UM, SO THAT WAY WHEN WE GET THE UPDATE YEAH.
UM, FROM MR. SANTELLI, UM, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GET, UH, WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT YEAH.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP TRY TO REMEDIATE SOME OF THE ISSUES.
IT'S ON, IT'S ON, UH, STREET ON DUB, ON DUB STREET AND ORANGE STREET.
IT'S IT GETTING WORSE AND WORSE.
AND, UH, Y'ALL GONNA COMPLETE THAT FROM THE DUMP STREET ON DOWN TO THE END TO THAT WAS THE EXCITING THING ABOUT TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
WELL, I, I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW.
WELL, NO, BUT WHAT IT DID WAS IT VERIFIED? YEAH.
UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT, YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE ROADS, YOU KNOW, ARE ON THE, YOU KNOW, SATISFACTORY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE LOWER SIDE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT AREA, YOU KNOW, ON THE MAP SHOWS THAT IT, IT DOES NEED TO BE DONE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
UH, BUT I, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY.
IT, IT, IT, IT'S, IT AIN'T RIGHT THOUGH.
IT GET WORSE BECAUSE, UM, THEY BE DUCKING THIS BIG HOLE AND GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND THE RAIN, IT'S TERRIBLE.
[REGULAR BUSINESS]
MOVING ON TO OUR REGULAR BUSINESS.WE HAVE OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, UH, MR. WARD.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE A RIGHT OF WAY VACATION REQUEST FOR MARYVILLE AVENUE.
UH, THE REQUEST RELATES TO, UH, STRETCH A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY THAT IS ADJACENT TO AN IN BETWEEN PARCEL 0 6 7 0 0 1 5
[01:35:04]
AND 0 7 3 0 5 1 5.THE, UH, SIZE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S BEING REQUESTED IS APPROXIMATELY 1,089 SQUARE FEET LOCATED WARD TWO AND ZONED R THREE.
THIS IS GONNA LITTLE GET A LITTLE TRICKY AS I GET THROUGH THIS, SO HOPEFULLY MY MAPS WILL, UH, ADD SOME CLARITY FOR YOU.
BUT PMT INVESTORS HAS REQUESTED THE CITY TO VACATE THE UNIMPROVED RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH WILL BE SHOWING IN BLUE IN JUST A SECOND.
THAT TRANSECTS TWO OF, UH, THE PROPERTIES ON MARYVILLE.
AND THOSE ARE THE TWO PARCELS I'VE MENTIONED.
SO THIS IS THE BLUE AREA THAT SEPARATES THESE TWO PARCELS.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE LOWER PARCEL ACTUALLY EXTENDS OVER THE CITY STREET.
THERE IS NO STREET RIGHT OF WAY THROUGH HERE.
SO A CITY STREET EXISTS CROSSING PRIVATE PROPERTY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE GREEN.
SO IF I BACK UP, YOU SEE THE BLUE, YOU START WITH THE TWO PARCELS.
YOU'VE GOT THE BLUE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S BEING REQUESTED FOR VACATION.
YET WE ALSO HAVE THIS SECTION OF GREEN, UM, WHERE THE CITY ROAD CROSSES THE PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO, UH, THE APPLICANT HAS OFFERED TO ESSENTIALLY DEDICATE THE PORTION IN GREEN TO THE CITY TO MAKE PROPER ROAD DEDICATION IF THE RIGHT OF WAY.
UH, THE BLUE AREA KIND OF DO LIKE A LITTLE LAYING SWAP.
UM, THE APPLICANT GETS THE BLUE AREA, THE CITY GETS THE GREEN AREA, AND IT ACTUALLY RESOLVES A LONGSTANDING PROBLEM THAT'S BEEN HERE IN THE CITY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO, UH, AT THE END OF ALL THIS, IF THIS IS APPROVED, THIS, THIS IS KIND OF HOW THE PARCEL WILL SHAKE OUT.
SO IT'S ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, UH, OUTLINED IN BLUE.
THAT'S WHAT THE NEW PARCEL WILL LOOK LIKE WITH THE VACATED RIGHT OF WAY AND THE ROAD DEDICATION.
THIS WAS DISTRIBUTED, THE REQUEST WAS DISTRIBUTED, UH, TO SEVERAL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WATER COMPANY HAS NO ISSUE WITH THE VACATION.
WATER RENEWAL, UH, DOES NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE VACATION, BUT DOES REQUEST A 10 FOOT EASEMENT FOR THE SEWER LINE.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS NO ISSUE WITH THE VACATION EX, UM, AND ALSO AGREES TO ACCEPT THE DE THE ROAD DEDICATION, NO ISSUE FROM STORMWATER OR THE FIRE MARSHAL.
SO, UH, WITH ALL OF THIS COMMENT, STAFF DOES RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL TO REQUEST THIS PORTION OF VACATION, REQUIRE THE 10 FOOT SEWER LINE EASEMENT, AND ACCEPT THE ROAD DEDICATION ON MARYVALE SO THAT ALL OF THIS CAN BE, UH, FIXED UP.
UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.
THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. BAAT.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, FIRST READING, PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NO LIGHTS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE IT.
I DIDN'T, MS. PAL WANTED TO OH, UH, APPROPRIATE.
ON OUR RULES, WE CAN'T LET YOU SIGN.
WE HAVE TO HAVE YOU SIGN UP BEFOREHAND.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? OKAY, HEARING NONE, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RIGHT OF WAY? VACATION REQUEST FROM, UH, PMT INVESTORS, LLC FOR A PORTION OF THE UNPAVED, IMPROVED RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO PARCELS 0 6 7 0 0 1 5 AND 0 7 3 0 5 1 5 AS PRESENTED TONIGHT TO MOVE SECOND.
UH, MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCILOR ELLIS.
OH, AND DR. HARRIS, I DIDN'T SEE YOU BEHIND PASTOR BLOW.
DID YOU GUYS WANT HARD COPIES WITH COPIES? IS IT, UH, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE? YES.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PARTNER, VICE MAYOR JOYNER, UM, COUNSEL MEMBERS, UM,
[01:40:01]
MR. JONES, AGAIN, WELCOME.UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATED OUR WORK SESSION ON THE 11TH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL FOR COUNSEL FOR YOUR REQUEST.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BEING HERE.
I AM GONNA FLY THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS FIRST SLIDE IS JUST A QUICK QUOTE TO START US OFF ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR CITY'S INVESTMENT AND OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR COLLECTIVE HOPE IN ALL OF OUR FUTURES.
SO, I'LL, I'M NOT GONNA READ TO YOU ALL, I'LL JUST FLIP THROUGH.
UM, AND THE NEXT SLIDE IS HOW WE HAVE SORT OF ORGANIZED OUR PRESENTATION FOR TONIGHT.
WE'VE ORGANIZED IT INTO FIVE SECTIONS, UH, TO ALLOW FOR THE FLOW.
WE'VE GOT LOTS OF CONTENT, BUT OUR HOPE IS THAT THIS CAN BE A NEW BEGINNING FOR BOTH COUNCIL AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD TO HAVE MORE, UH, DEEPER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO OUR CHILDREN IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A BRIEF INTRODUCTION, PURPOSE, AND FOCUS, EXCUSE ME.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE FACTORS THAT IMPACT OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT GO INTO, INTO THE ACTUAL BUDGET PROCESS, AND LEADING UP TO THE ACTUAL BUDGET, UH, PROPOSAL.
UM, REVIEW A FEW PROUD OUTCOMES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE HAVE, AND, UM, IDENTIFY SOME IDEAS FOR MOVING FORWARD AND NEXT STEPS TOGETHER.
UM, THIS SLIDE IS AROUND OUR, OUR, OUR BROAD OBJECTIVES FOR THE FUTURE.
BEGINNING TONIGHT, UM, WE HOPE TO HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION.
WE HOPE TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER, UM, TO DEVELOP A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS OF BOTH COUNCIL AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MOVING FORWARD, UM, TO, TO CREATE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE A FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE STRENGTHS AND NEEDS OF, OF BOTH OUR, OUR ORGANIZATIONS, UM, TO BE, UH, UNITED AND ONE TEAM IN A PUBLIC NARRATIVE AND PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME IDEAS ON HOW TO DO THAT.
WE'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU AT A LATER DATE.
WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE YOU SOME MORE IN INVITATIONS TO VISIT AND PARTICIPATE IN, IN, UH, OUR SCHOOLS MORE ACTIVELY, AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY, AT LEAST TO ME PERSONALLY, TO BE ABLE TO SET THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT UP FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY.
UM, WHY PUBLIC SCHOOLS? I'M NOT GONNA READ THIS TO YOU, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE ALL KNOW THAT THE IMPORTANCE THAT, THAT, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE TO OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS, THEY SERVE A VERY IMPORTANT PURPOSE FOR OUR CITIZENRY, CITIZENRY, CITIZENRY, EXCUSE ME.
AND, UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, OF THINGS THAT, THAT THEY SERVE AS IN, IN THIS, UH, SLIDE.
THE NEXT SLIDE OUTLINES OUR SCHOOL BOARD'S MAIN GOALS AND FOCUS AREAS, NOT JUST, UH, UH, WITH RESPECT TO BUDGET, BUT SPECIFICALLY ENSURING THAT THERE IS ALIGNMENT, UH, OF OUR GOALS AND, UH, OUR BUDGET.
SO I, YOU CAN SEE THESE BULLETS.
I WILL BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT THOSE.
UH, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A, A, A, A MAIN GOAL OF IMPROVED ACCREDITATION STATUS FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS WE HAVE IN THE CLASSROOM, DELIVERING QUALITY INSTRUCTION, UH, EXPANDING OUR BALANCE CALENDAR TO SPEC AND, AND SORT OF REVISING OUR BALANCE CALENDAR A LITTLE BIT TO, UH, FOCUS MORE ON A REMEDIAL, UH, APPROACH WHERE WE WILL REQUIRE, UH, PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE FOR OUR STUDENTS, HOPEFULLY THEN ALLOWING US TO SEE GREATER OUTCOMES AND CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR CALENDAR AND THE INTERCESSION EXPERIENCES AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, UH, INCREASES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO UPDATE OUR FACILITIES, AND YOU HAVE BEEN SO GRACIOUS RECENTLY, WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL.
UM, STAYING COMPETITIVE WITH EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, UH, UH, REDUCING OUR STAFF TO STUDENT RATIOS EVEN MORE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR THIRD GRADERS BASED ON RESEARCH, UH, UH, ARE READING ON GRADE LEVEL AND PROVIDING INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS ONE'S NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR, OUR SCHOOL BOARD.
IN PARTICULAR, INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS, NOT JUST TO PARTICIPATE IN DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMMING, BUT TO HAVE GREATER ACCESS, UH, TO THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAM OVER WHICH WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD.
AND, UH, BUILDING UPON OUR NEW TEACHER PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY GROWING OUR OWN TEACHERS WITH HIGH SCHOOL HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
NEXT SLIDE IS OUR MISSION AND VISION.
AND BASICALLY OUR, OUR VISION IS CENTERED AROUND PARTNERING, UH, AND ENSURING STUDENT SUCCESS.
UM, OUR MISSION IS AROUND MAKING SURE OUR STUDENTS SEE ARE SEEN, HEARD, AND LOVED, AND ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED TO, UH, POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY.
AND OUR HOPE IS, AND WE DO FOCUS ON THIS, COME BACK AND POSITIVE, POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY.
UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THIS LAST TIME.
SO WE JUST, UH, UH, PROVIDED THIS, THIS IS
[01:45:01]
THE, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, UH, REQUIREMENT THAT WE PRESENT EVERY YEAR, UH, OUR NEEDS TO, UH, FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO, TO OUR CITY COUNCIL.UH, AGAIN, I'M NOT READING, BUT THIS SLIDE EMPHASIZES THE CRITICAL ALIGNMENT ON OUR BUDGET AS WELL, OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES AND OUR STUDENT LEARNING AND SUCCESS.
SO THE SECOND, SECOND PART OF OUR FLOW TONIGHT IS THE FACTORS THAT IMPACT OUR DISTRICT, OUR DISTRICT BUDGETING, AND WE'LL JUST GO MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH THAT.
UM, YOU WILL SEE ON HERE THIS YEAR SPECIFICALLY HEALTHCARE COSTS.
WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT INCREASES TO HEALTHCARE COSTS, ADEQUATE STAFFING TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
UM, COMPETITIVE SALARIES IS ALSO A, ALWAYS A FACTOR.
OUR ENROLLMENT, UH, OUR ADDITIONAL NEEDS FOR UPGRADED TECHNOLOGY, UM, AND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, PROGRAMMING AFTER SEVERAL YEARS, UH, WITHOUT FUNDING.
AND AGAIN, EVERY TIME I, EVERY CHANCE I GET, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HELP, UM, WITH OUR HVAC UH, FUNDING.
THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT SLIDE, AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OUR STUDENTS.
UM, OUR DEMOGRAPHICS ARE A HUGE FACTOR, UH, AROUND, UH, OUR, UM, BUDGETING AND OUR WORK.
UM, IT'S VERY RELEVANT TO OUR NEEDS.
WE HAVE, OBVIOUSLY SEVEN SCHOOLS, 3,900 ISH STUDENTS.
82% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE CHILDREN OF COLOR.
BUT THE MOST RELEVANT TO OUR PROGRAMMING AND OUR CHALLENGES IS THAT 78% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
THE RESEARCH IS CLEAR WITH THIS REALITY.
SIGNIFICANT LEARNING GAPS ARE TYPICAL AND SPECIALIZED.
SOMETIMES COSTLY PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO CLOSING THOSE GAPS AND ENSURING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
THE NEXT, THE NEXT UM, FACTOR IS OBVIOUSLY ENROLLMENT AND ENROLLMENT TRENDS.
UM, THIS IS ALWAYS A FACTOR, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTING STAFFING, AS WE DISCUSSED AT OUR, OUR, OUR TIME TOGETHER LAST TIME.
BUT HERE IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR, OUR ENROLLMENT DECLINE IN THE CITY.
AS YOU, UM, I KNOW ARE AWARE, THIS IS A STATEWIDE ISSUE BASED PRIMARILY ON REACTIONS TO THE PANDEMIC AND DECLINING BIRTH RATES.
UM, THAT'S ACCORDING TO WELDON COOPER.
THEY ARE PROJECTING THOUGH, HOWEVER, THAT THIS SHOULD STABILIZE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AROUND SCHOOL YEAR 28, 29.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST AROUND A SUGGESTION LAST TIME THAT POTENTIALLY WE MIGHT BE LOSING STUDENTS TO, UM, PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR IN OUR CITY.
AND THE DATA DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS.
WE LOSE AN ABOUT THREE STUDENTS A YEAR TO OUR, UM, PRIVATE SCHOOL IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, WITH ONE EXCEPTION, WE HAD A SMALL SPIKE IN 2024 AND SEVEN STUDENTS WITHDREW TO, TO GO TO, UM, PRIVATE SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL LOCALLY.
UM, UH, THERE IS NATIONAL DATA, JUST HOWEVER THAT, THAT THEY ARE.
OUR PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE ALSO, UH, EXPERIENCING A SIGNIFICANT DECLINING ENROLLMENT DURING THIS TIME AS WELL.
THE NEXT SLIDE YOU'RE REALLY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, UH, THIS IS, AS YOU KNOW, OUR, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS NEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPOUNDED OVER TIME.
NOT, NOT ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY AND NO ONE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY.
IT'S JUST OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AS A CITY HAVE PREVENTED US FROM, FROM PROPERLY MAINTAINING, UH, MANY OF OUR BUILDINGS THAT ARE OLDER AND THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE IS, HAS BEEN, UM, NEEDS HAVE BEEN COMPOUNDED.
UM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR THREE MAIN URGENT CAPITAL NEEDS CONTINUE TO BE OUR HVAC AT HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL ROOFING AT CARTER G WOODSON, AND, UH, GETTING BACK ON TRACK WITH OUR BUS REPLACEMENT ROTATION.
THIS NEXT SLIDE IS JUST AGAIN, TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE HVAC AT, AT HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL AND AT THESE TYPES OF MAINTENANCE COSTS.
LATELY, WE'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS AND WE'VE BEEN SPENDING UPWARDS OF $10,000 A DAY TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE AIR CONDITIONING THERE RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, WE'RE JUST SO THANKFUL FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO, TO JUST, TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO, UM, SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY AND, AND, UH, WE CAN GET IT NICE AND COOL AND BETTER FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
UH, THIS SLIDE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND I, THAT'S BECAUSE WE, WE MET RECENTLY WITH, UM, MS. JORDAN AND MR. JONES.
AND THIS ONE TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND FROM THURSDAY TO, TO, UM, THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK, UH, THE CUTS THAT YOU
[01:50:01]
HAD REQUESTED TO SEE FROM THE LAST FIVE YEARS.WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO THAT YET.
UM, A TOTAL OF 142 STAFF REDUCTIONS, 80 OF THOSE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
80 OF THOSE WERE SUPPORT STAFF, 54 WERE TEACHERS AND EIGHT WERE ADMINISTRATORS.
NEXT SLIDE IS OUR SOQ FUNDED POSITION.
AND WHAT WHAT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS THAT THE, SO SOQ UM, FUNDED POSITIONS ARE THE MINIMUM STANDARD, THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM THAT THE STATE WILL FUND IN ORDER TO BASIC OPERATE AT A BASIC LEVEL AT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED MORE SUPPORT, AND YOU'VE GIVEN US THAT SUPPORT, AND FOR THAT WE'RE ALSO VERY GRATEFUL.
BUT YOU CAN JUST SEE THE BREAKDOWN.
OUR TOTAL EMPLOYEES OF 694, UH, 389 ARE FUNDED BY THE STATE.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE, THAT MINIMUM STANDARD 183 ARE LOCALLY FUNDED.
AND 122 OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE GRANT FUNDED.
UH, THIS, I APOLOGIZE, THE TITLE IS INCORRECT.
THAT IS BREAKDOWN OF TOTAL POSITIONS, NOT SOQ.
SO, UM, THIS IS THAT SAME NUMBER, THAT 6 94 BROKEN DOWN IN BETWEEN ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT AND TEACHERS.
400 OF THOSE 6 94 ARE ADMINISTRATORS, 303 ARE TEACHERS, AND 347 ARE SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS.
THE NEXT TWO SLIDES ARE JUST TO PROVIDE YOU, UH, AN IDEA OF WHAT OUR STAFF TO STUDENT RATIO RATIOS ARE.
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT DATA POINT, UM, RIGHT NOW, AND THEY'RE STILL, THEY'RE STILL GOOD.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT AS GOOD AS THEY USED TO BE, BUT THEY ARE STILL GOOD.
KINDERGARTEN, FIRST GRADE, AND THIRD GRADE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A ONE TO 18, UH, STAFF TO STUDENT RATIOS, SECOND GRADE AND FOURTH GRADE, ONE TO 19, AND FIFTH GRADE, ONE TO 20.
I WILL TELL YOU WHEN I CAME HERE, HOWEVER, IN 2015, UH, ELEMENTARY WAS AT ONE TO 12, AND SECONDARY WAS AT ONE TO 17.
BUT THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THOSE CUTS HAVE, HAVE COME.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE IS, THANK YOU.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS SECONDARY.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT FROM GRADE LEVEL.
UH, SCIENCE BETWEEN THE TWO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IS ONE TO 19 RATIO.
ENGLISH IS ONE TO 20, MATH AND HISTORY ARE ONE TO 21.
THE NEXT SLIDE REPRESENTS A RECENT, A RECENT SNAPSHOT OF HOW WE COMPARE REGIONALLY FOR STARTING TEACHER SALARIES.
THIS IS CLEARLY A FACTOR THAT WE, WE USE IN OUR BUDGETING.
UM, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO STAY COMPETITIVE, AND WE'VE REALLY DONE WELL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UM, BUT ONLY ABLE TO RELY ON STATE FUNDED INCREASES.
WE HAVE, UM, UH, WE HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT FOR ALL OTHER NON SOQ POSITIONS WHO, THAT ARE NOT FUNDED.
THOSE RAISES ARE NOT FUNDED, WHICH PREVENTS US OFTENTIMES FROM MAKING BIG STRIDES LIKE DIN WITTY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WHAT WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH D WHITTY AND HOW THEY'VE GOTTEN OUT AHEAD OF ALL OF US NOW IS SOME CONSIDERABLE LOCAL MONEY TO SUPPLEMENT THE STATE FUNDING FOR SOQ POSITIONS.
AND I'M GONNA PIVOT NOW TO JANELLE WHO'S GONNA GO THROUGH THE ACTUAL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND, AND LEADING UP TO OUR BUDGET REQUEST FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT BEFORE SHE DOES THIS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE WENT BACK AFTER OUR LAST MEETING WITH ALL OF YOU, AND AFTER WE DISCUSSED THE CITY'S POSITION AND, UM, UH, UH, FOR NEW, NEW MONIES FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE, AGAIN, IDENTIFIED CUTS TO COVER OUR DISTRICT NEEDS.
UM, WE STILL REMAIN HOPEFUL THAT THE STATE BUDGET IS GONNA BE BETTER THAN THE FORMER GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT WE FELT LIKE WE SHOULD BUILD OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL, ESPECIALLY AT THIS LATE DATE.
NOT YOUR FAULT, BUT THEIRS
SO THAT WHERE WE HAVE ESTIMATE, UH, ESTIMATES OF OUR REVENUES, WE HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ALL OF THESE CUTS, BUT UNDERSTAND YOUR SITUATION AND HAVE REBUILT THE BUDGET BASED UPON A LEVEL FUNDING REQUEST.
AND I'M GONNA PIVOT TO JANELLE.
THIS SLIDE IS ACTUALLY, UH, THE SAME DOCUMENT YOU'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
IT SHOWS ALL THREE VERSIONS OF THE BUDGET THAT ARE ALL POSSIBILITIES.
UM, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THE STATE BUDGET IS NOT FINALIZED YET.
UM, WE ARE HEARING THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE A FINALIZED FINAL BUDGET UNTIL JUNE.
UM, THEREFORE WE HAVE BUILT OUR BUDGET ON THE GOVERNOR'S VERSION SINCE IT IS THE MOST CONSERVATIVE OF ALL THREE.
AND THESE ARE JUST TWO PIE CHARTS SHOWING THE REVENUE OVERVIEW OF FISCAL YEAR 26, WHICH IS THIS CURRENT YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR 27, WHICH IS NEXT YEAR.
UM, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE STATE, FEDERAL, AND CITY PERCENTAGES REMAIN PRETTY STEADY BETWEEN THE TWO YEARS.
THE OTHER SOURCE OF FUNDING, UM, CHANGES AND BETWEEN THE YEARS.
[01:55:01]
BECAUSE IT, THAT IS MADE UP OF MOSTLY GRANTS THAT WERE CARRIED FORWARD FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.AND THOSE GRANTS, UH, THOSE GRANT SOURCES END IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
SO THE, UM, PERCENTAGE OF OTHER REVENUE DROPS IN FISCAL YEAR 27.
AND THIS JUST SHOWS, UM, YOUR LOCAL APPROPRIATIONS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND THIS, UH, SPENDING CHART SHOWS YOUR SPENDING BY CATEGORY.
UH, THE FIRST COLUMN IS THE CURRENT BUDGET.
THE SECOND COLUMN IS THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 27 REQUESTED BUDGET.
UM, THIS IS HOW WE SPEND OUR FUNDS.
SO MOST OF THESE CATEGORIES SHOW A MODEST INCREASE.
UM, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND TECHNOLOGY CATEGORIES SHOW A LARGER INCREASE DUE TO THE INCREASED NEEDS WITHIN THESE CATEGORIES.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE INSTRUCTION CATEGORY DECREASES BY ALMOST $3.9 MILLION OR 7.5%.
THIS IS DUE TO SEVERAL GRANTS THAT END IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
SO JUNE 30TH, 26TH, THESE GRANTS END.
UM, SO WE CANNOT CARRY THEM FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.
AND THERE'S ALSO INTENTIONAL CUTS THAT WE HAVE MADE TO BE ABLE TO STAY WITHIN BUDGET.
AND THIS IS JUST THE PIE CHART OF THE SAME THING.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT MOST OF OUR, UM, EXPENDITURES ARE UNDER INSTRUCTION.
AND THIS IS THE ORIGINAL STAFFING REQUEST THAT YOU SAW.
UM, AT OUR LAST MEETING, JUST A REMINDER THAT WE HAD STARTED OUT WITH $1.3 MILLION IN STAFFING REQUESTS.
AND THIS NEXT SLIDE IS OUR REVISED STAFFING REQUEST FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, AFTER OUR LAST MEETING, WE WENT BACK AND, UM, DETERMINED WHAT STAFFING REQUESTS, UH, WE WOULD ACTUALLY ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THIS CHART IS SHOWING THE STAFFING AND THE NON-PERSONNEL NEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR.
THE FIRST ROW IS THE $550,000 FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
THE REST OF THE NEEDS ARE INCREASE IN INSURANCE RATES, WHICH IS 26% A GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL TUITION INCREASE, UH, CHROMEBOOK REFRESH THAT IS NEEDED.
THE COST OF A 2%, UM, RAISE, THAT'S IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.
ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE NEEDS AND, UH, FUNDING TO FINISH, UM, UP WITH THE CONTRACT FOR OUR FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS THAT ARE HELPING WITH OUR MUNI IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE IF THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, UH, GOVERNOR'S VERSION, EXCUSE ME, OF THE BUDGET IS PASSED.
IT SHOWS THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL $2.6 MILLION.
AND FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, OUR NEEDS WERE $3.7 MILLION.
SO WHEN WE DO THAT, WE FIND THAT WE HAVE TO CUT ABOUT $1.1 MILLION, AND THIS IS OUR PRIORITIZED LIST OF POTENTIAL CUTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1.1 MILLION.
AND FINALLY, THIS IS OUR FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, THE REVENUES ARE BROKEN UP, BROKEN DOWN BY FUNDING SOURCE, THE FEDERAL, THE STATE, THE OTHERS, AND THE CITY CONTRIBUTION, WHICH IS LEVEL FROM LAST YEAR.
AND THEN THE REV, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE EXPENDITURES ARE BROKEN DOWN BY FUND OUR OPERATING FUND, TEXTBOOK FUND, CAFETERIA FUND AND BUILDING AND BUS REPLACEMENT FUND.
AND THEREFORE, THIS SHOWS A BALANCED BUDGET.
ALRIGHT, AND I'LL TURN THIS BACK TO DR.
UM, WE WANT TO END ON SOME OF THE POSITIVES GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT, THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE OF.
UM, THIS NEXT SLIDE IS REALLY BUSY, AND I'M NOT GONNA READ IT TO YOU AGAIN, BUT WE HAVE, FOR THE SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW, BEEN NAMED ONE OF VIRGINIA'S, UH, UH, JUST, UH, DIVISIONS OF, OF DISTINCT INNOVATION.
UM, WE, UH, ARE, I, I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE, UH, BUILDING OUT AND HAVE RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING TO, UH, BUILD OUT A, A PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM WITH HIGH SCHOOL HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GROW OUR OWN TEACHERS HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS, WE WERE THE FIRST VIRGINIA SCHOOL DIVISION TO BAN CELL PHONES.
UM, I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS ONE.
WE HAVE INCREDIBLE STABILITY AND LONGEVITY IN OUR ADMINISTRATION IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
UM, THE COLLECTIVE YEARS OF SERVICE FOR OUR PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS ONLY IS 265 YEARS, WHICH TRANSLATES TO AN AVERAGE PRINCIPAL TENURE OF 21 YEARS IN THE CITY.
UM, AN AVERAGE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL TENURE OF 11 YEARS.
SO THESE PEOPLE SHOW UP EVERY DAY, SUPPORT THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT OUR, OUR SCHOOLS HAVE,
[02:00:01]
AND ARE HERE TO FINISH THE WORK AND, AND WORK SO INCREDIBLY HARD ON BEHALF OF THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF, OF THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS.UM, I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL THESE TO YOU.
OUR, OUR, OUR TEST SCORES, EVEN AS WE SPEAK, WE ARE WATCHING, UH, OUR CURRENT TESTING AT YEAR END.
UH, THEY'RE ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY AGAIN SINCE COVID, AND WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE'LL HAVE MORE TO TELL YOU AFTER WE GET THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, OUR TEACHER RETENTION HAS IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY FROM 79% TO 91%.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
OUR GRADUATION RATE STAYS AT OR BETTER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE.
AND, UM, WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE IMAGE IN HOPEWELL IN PARTICULAR, NOT JUST AROUND OUR OUR CITY, BUT TO INCLUDE OUR CITY, BUT ESPECIALLY OUR SCHOOLS, HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND ONE DAY I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT A GROUP OF 11TH GRADE STUDENTS WHO INVITED ME, UH, SHORTLY AFTER I HAD BEEN APPOINTED TO THE POSITION TO COME VISIT THEIR CLASSROOM AND TOLD ME ABOUT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF A THREE GENERATION, UM, PROBLEM WITH THE REPUTATION OF THIS CITY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO THEM THAT WE WORK HARD TO CHANGE THAT.
THEY SAID THEIR PARENTS DIDN'T DESERVE THAT, THEIR GRANDPARENTS DIDN'T DESERVE THAT, AND THEY SURE AS HECK DIDN'T EITHER.
AND SO WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER, EVEN WITH STUDENTS ENGAGED TO TRY AND CHANGE THAT, UM, OVER TIME.
UH, THE NEXT NEXT SLIDE, THANK YOU, UM, IS AROUND SOME ADDITIONAL PROUD ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
SPECIFIC AND UNIQUE, UH, IN THIS SLIDE ARE, ARE THOSE RELATED TO BALANCE CALENDAR? WE'VE OFFERED OVER A THOUSAND COURSES, SOME REMEDIAL, SOME JUST ENRICHMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE REAL WORLD OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY MAY NEVER, EVER HAVE IN THEIR, IN THEIR, UM, TIME.
CERTAINLY NOT ASSOCIATED WITH SCHOOL.
OVER 16,000 REGISTRATIONS OF STUDENTS TAKING THOSE ADDITIONAL COURSES.
UM, OUR PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AND REPLICATED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UM, AND BY VARIOUS STATE AGENCIES.
UM, WE, UH, ARE SEEING A REALLY GOOD THREE YEAR TREND IN ATTENDANCE.
ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR OUR STUDENTS SINCE COVID.
UM, WE ARE PLEASED WITH A STEADY INCREASE OVER THE PAST, UH, THREE YEARS, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE LEFT OF THIS SLIDE.
WE'RE ALSO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR UPBEAT SURVEY DATA.
THIS IS A CLIMATE AND CULTURE SURVEY GIVEN TWICE A YEAR, BUT IT IS SPECIFICALLY TARGETING TEACHERS, THE TEACHER PERCEPTION.
SO HERE'S THEIR VOICE AND YOU CAN SEE THE DATA POINTS.
LOOK AT THESE PERCENTAGES ALL IN THE EIGHTIES OR THE NINETIES OVER.
83% OF OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF FEEL PHYSICALLY SAFE AT SCHOOL.
81% FEEL LIKE THEY DO MEANINGFUL WORK TOGETHER WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES.
92% FEEL THAT THEIR SCHOOL CARES ABOUT THE WELLBEING OF STUDENTS.
90% SAY THEY FIND A SENSE OF PURPOSE IN THEIR WORK.
AND 93% OF TEACHERS AND STAFF FEEL THE WORK THEY DO EACH DAY HAS A LASTING IMPACT ON THEIR STUDENTS.
THESE ARE BIG INCREASE INCREASES IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE, UM, BEEN IMPLEMENTING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT THAT THOSE ARE, THESE ARE THE HIGHEST RATES WE'VE SEEN, UM, IN SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, LAST, UM, PROUD DATA POINTS IS WE RECENTLY ALSO DID A FEDERAL GRANT SURVEY, UH, TO SEE HOW OUR PARENTS FEEL ABOUT OUR, HOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE DOING.
AND THERE'S THREE, THESE THREE BROAD DATA POINTS THAT, THAT, UM, THIS MEASURED, UM, PARENTS' FEELINGS AROUND THEIR SCHOOLS BE BEING SUCCESSFUL IN EQUIPPING THEM TO ENCOURAGE THEIR STUDENTS' SUCCESS IN A PARTNERSHIP, ALMOST 86%, UM, 84% SAID OF OF PARENTS SAID THAT THE SCHOOLS MAINTAIN HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND 75% FELT THAT THEIR SCHOOLS WERE SAFE AND, AND DRUG FREE.
THEY DID FROM THE PARENT VOICE SUGGESTED THERE WERE THREE AREAS THAT THEY WOULD, UH, THAT, THAT THEY FELT LIKE WE NEEDED MORE FUNDING, NOT NECESSARILY LOCALLY, BUT THAT WE NEED TO, WE NEEDED TO SEEK MORE FUNDING MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH IS NO, NO, UM, SURPRISE.
WE CONTINUE TO NEED SIGNIFICANT CLIN LICENSED CLINICIANS IN OUR BUILDINGS TO HELP WITH STUDENTS SINCE COVID.
UM, AND TUTORING, UH, TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONS.
AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, MORE REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS TO, UH, TAKE FIELD TRIPS AND, AND ENGAGE IN MORE MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES.
LASTLY, UM, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO, UM, WORK TOGETHER TO NEUTRALIZE SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION AND SOMETIMES EVEN INACCURATE INFORMATION IN, UH, UH, ABOUT OUR, OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR
[02:05:01]
CITY.UM, THESE ARE THREE AREAS THAT WE WANT TO, TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THE CORRECT INFORMATION OUT.
SO I WILL HIGHLIGHT THOSE JUST BRIEFLY.
THE BALANCE CALENDAR IS MEETING ITS INTENDED PURPOSE, AND I WOULD LOVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY MAYBE IN A, A FUTURE WORK SESSION WHERE WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT TO PROVIDE, UH, A MAXIMUM OF 30 ADDITIONAL DAYS OF POTENTIAL SCHOOLING EACH YEAR, NOT JUST TO, TO ENSURE THEY DO BETTER IN SCHOOL, ALTHOUGH THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT TO PROVIDE THEM SAFE, STRUCTURED, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOOD AND LEARNING AND ENRICHMENT AND SUPERVISION, UH, DURING THOSE DAYS THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE HA EXPERIENCING THAT ON A TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE IN THE SUMMER.
THE SECOND IS JUST TO, TO CLEAR UP THE MISPERCEPTION ABOUT, ABOUT INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS IN HOPEWELL, THE STATE AVERAGE FOR INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS, AND THAT'S DEFINED AS TEACHERS WHO HAVE ONE YEAR OR LESS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE IS 5%.
THE STATE AVERAGE FOR HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS, WHICH WE ARE, IS, UH, AT 7.3%.
FOR HOPEWELL, IT IS 6.4%, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE WITH INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS.
UH, THE LAST DATA POINT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT IN THE SAME, SAME CATEGORY, TEACHER LICENSURE, AS WE'VE TALKED, IS A STATE AND NATIONAL ISSUE THAT IS NOT UNIQUE TO HOPEWELL.
UM, HOPEWELL'S AVERAGE OF TEACHERS NOT PROPERLY LICENSED OR ENDORSED IS 9.1%.
SO OUR HOPE IS THAT WE, AND WE'LL, WE, WE OWN THIS, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE NARRATIVES OUT THERE JUST SIMPLY AREN'T, AREN'T ACCURATE.
UM, WE WANT TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU AND OUR COMMUNITIES MOVING FORWARD, AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE, AND WE'VE TRIED THIS FOR A WHILE, AND YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WILLING, WHICH JUST HASN'T HAPPENED WITH PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO MEET QUARTERLY AND TO, UH, DISCUSS SPECIFIC TOPICS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO TO A DEEPER LEVEL ON.
UM, THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION, BUT LOOKING AT THE YEAR BEFORE US, OUR THINKING IS MAYBE IN, IN THE FALL WHEN WE GET BACK TO SCHOOL, UH, UH, THAT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OUTCOMES WOULD BE A GOOD DEEP DIVE FOR US TO TALK ABOUT.
MAYBE IN NOVEMBER-ISH, WE TALK ABOUT TEACHER RETENTION AND LICENSURE PROGRESS.
UM, UH, AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS.
WE WOULD WELCOME ANY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE, UH, THAT, THAT ARE NOT MENTIONED HERE, BUT MAYBE IN THE MID-WINTER, UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE TYPICALLY START THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, HAVE SOME DEEPER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THINGS ARE LOOKING LIKE AND WHAT OUR NEEDS LOOK LIKE AND HOW THEY DIFFER.
UM, NEXT YEAR AND FINALLY MAYBE TOWARDS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, UM, TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING WITH CAPITAL, CAPITAL PROJECTS AND, AND UPDATES ON SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS TO HELP US TO FUND.
UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR TONIGHT.
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR MAY 11TH.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO FOR TONIGHT, AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE ADDITIONAL WORK SESSIONS WHERE WE CAN GO DEEPER AND A LITTLE SLOWER, UM, UH, TO, TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION YOU NEED AND TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO, TO THAT INFORMATION.
UM, WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE WORK BEFORE US, UM, HOPEFULLY AS A MORE UNIFIED TEAM MOVING FORWARD.
THESE ARE OUR SCHOOLS, NOT MY SCHOOLS, NOT THE SCHOOL BOARD SCHOOLS, THEY'RE THE CITY SCHOOLS, AND THEY BRING VALUE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, HOWEVER WE UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT QUALITY SCHOOLS HAVE ON CITY GROWTH AND THE HEALTH OF OUR CITY.
WE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY, AND WE ARE VERY MUCH, UH, UH, BELIEVING IN THE POWER OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE YEAR AHEAD TOGETHER.
UM, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, WE WANT TO WORK HARDER WITH YOU.
WE UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR WORK AND OUR SUCCESS, AND WE BELIEVE AS TRUE PARTNERS, WE CAN ACHIEVE ACHIEVE WHAT WE PUT OUR, PUT OUR HEARTS AND MINDS TO.
AND FINALLY, THE FINAL, FINAL, FINAL THOUGHT.
UM, IN THE END, WE ARE A CITY OF HOPE, THE WONDER CITY OF HOPE.
WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR EACH OTHER, AND WE LOVE HOPE.
WELL, AND WE END WITH OUR MANTRA THAT OUR HOPE DOESN'T END UNTIL ALL OF THE CHILDREN ARE WELL, AND THEY'RE NOT YET WELL, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT UNWAVERING HOPE UNTIL ALL THE CHILDREN ARE WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT.
[02:10:01]
QUESTION.UM, I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED IN THE PAST, UH, IN TERMS OF HEALTHCARE, UH, COSTS.
YOU KNOW, IN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY SCHOOLS COMING TOGETHER AND NOT REALLY WORKING OUT.
HAVE WE EXPLORED THE IDEA OF MAYBE PARTNERING WITH ANOTHER LOCALITY AS WELL AND MAYBE GETTING, YOU KNOW, THEIR MU MUNICIPAL SIDE AND THEIR SCHOOL SIDE ALONG WITH OUR TWO AND TRY TO CREATE ANY A BIGGER POOL? WE HAVE DONE THAT SEVERAL TIMES, MAYOR PARTON, AND OUR UNDERSTANDING IS WE CAN'T DO THAT.
THAT, LIKE NORTH CAROLINA HAS LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS THAT.
UM, EVEN IF WE COULD DO THAT, OUR, UM, UTILIZATION MM-HMM
IS SO HIGH THAT FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE MOSTLY WOMEN MM-HMM
I MEAN, THAT JUST IS WHAT IT IS.
AND, UM, UH, AND IT DOESN'T TAKE BUT A FEW SICK PEOPLE IN YOUR GROUP TO RAISE YOUR UTILIZATION TO A POINT THAT IT DRAMATICALLY IMPACTS YOUR PREMIUMS. WHAT WE FOUND IN EDUCATION IS THAT WE HURT YOU.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE A LOT BETTER UTILIZATION RATES.
AND SO EVEN IF THERE WERE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THAT, AND OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE IS, IF I CAN CHECK AGAIN, UM, BUT WE ARE, WE'RE NOT REAL USEFUL TO, TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CITY BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE HIGHER UTILIZATION RATES, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN ALWAYS LOOK AT IT, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S NOT AN OPTION.
UM, I KNOW OF NO VIRGINIA SYSTEMS THAT HAVE DONE THAT.
HOW DID, UM, YEAH, THAT WAS A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION ABOUT WILLIAMSBURG, WILLIAMSBURG, JAMES CITY COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY, I COULDN'T, I'M SORRY, MR. WILLIAMSBURG AND JAMES CITY COUNTY, THEY, THE, THOSE TWO ENTITIES, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE ONE IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SO IF THEY CAN DO IT, WHY CAN'T, WELL, LET ME CHECK WITH THEM.
I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A VERY UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP THAT THERE ARE TWO ACTUAL SCHOOL BOARDS THAT COME TOGETHER.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'LL BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT.
YEAH, THEY, THEY, BUT WE HAVE IN PA IN PAST YEARS HERE, WE HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS AND IT WAS, WE ACTUALLY EVEN SHARED DATA PRE PRE THIS ADMINISTRATION AND, AND BOARD.
UM, BUT IT WAS NOT, WOULD NOT BE LUCRATIVE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT IT.
I, IT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK THAT YEAH.
I THINK WOULD BE WORTH THE MM-HMM
IF, YOU KNOW, I'LL LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK TO YOU THE LAWYER TERM OF DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE, YOU KNOW MM-HMM
MAYBE SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S POSSIBLY AND MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, LEGISLATIVELY, MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING WE COULD KIND OF ADD TO OUR ADVOCATE FOR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR OUR DELEGATION.
UM, AND SO QUESTION ON THE, UM, THE STUDY, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE, IN THE PACKET.
UH, WHAT WAS THE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I CAN GET YOU THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S, YEAH, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD PARTICIPATION RATE ON, ON OUR SIDE, UH, WITH THE CITY WHEN WE WENT THROUGH AND WE KIND OF DID OUR CLIMATE SURVEY.
DO YOU MEAN, YOU MEAN THE CLIMATE THAT UPBEAT MS. JONES, DO YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF THE, UH, ACTUAL NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I KNOW WE TREND HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, UH, ACROSS THE PLATFORM, BUT WE DID FIND OUT THE NUMBER IS HIGH.
DID YOU HEAR THAT IN YOUR PART? YEAH.
WE'LL GET IT, WE'LL GET IT FOR YOU.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF, BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IF IT'S EXCUSE, WELL, IF IT'S ONLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING 20% NEW TEACHERS TO DO IT, THEN, UH, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, LET'S TRY AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AND ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE.
BUT IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, 90% PARTICIPATION AND WE'VE GOT THESE GREAT RESULTS, THAT'S REALLY, REALLY REAFFIRMING.
WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THE UPBEAT PLATFORM MM-HMM
SO WE GET, WE GENERALLY GET HIGHER, HIGHER RESPONSE RATES THAN SOMETHING THAT WE GENERATE OURSELVES OR AS SOMETHING THAT'S GOOGLE ORIENTED AND THEY JUST DON'T, SOME OF THEM DON'T TRUST THAT IT'S GONNA BE ANONYMOUS.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S ANOTHER BENEFIT TO THIS PARTICULAR PLATFORM, BUT WE'LL GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
THAT IS NOT PRESENTED FOR ALL INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, 77% ACROSS, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.
AND, UM, DID I SEE A LIGHT POP UP? NO.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE SOME LIKE, REALLY GOOD KUDOS, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT BOTH MY ALMA MAS OF DALE HIGH SCHOOL AND ALSO BMI REALLY ENCOURAGES THEIR ALMA MATER TO, YOU KNOW, COME BACK AND TEACH.
AND SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT'S TOO.
OR THERE'S AN INCREASING NUMBER OF THEM, YOU KNOW, SHOWING INTEREST IN COMING BACK TO TEACH.
UM, YOU KNOW, OR BE YOU ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT STAFF.
UM, AND I REALLY LIKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE PROGRAM IS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO INCREASE AND IMPROVE AND, UM, YOU'RE EXCITED TO SEE ABOUT THIS, UH, APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA BE A REAL GOOD POSITIVE STEP FORWARD.
[02:15:01]
AND, UM, HAPPY TO BRING YOU SOME REPORTS BACK AND SOME, MAYBE SOME STUDENT VOICE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT.AND THEN, UM, I THINK THESE QUARTERLY MEETINGS ARE, ARE GREAT.
UH, I THINK THESE ARE ARE GOOD TOPICS.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY I THINK THE, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE, UH, TOPIC I THINK THAT WOULD BE JUST REALLY GOOD, AND I KNOW 'CAUSE WE'RE DOING IT ON OUR SIDE, UM, IS WHEN GOING THROUGH THE, THE OPERATIONAL AUDIT TO DO LIKE A, A CHECK IN AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE PROGRESS STEPS THAT WE'VE MADE, UH, IN IMPLEMENTING, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PATIENCE.
UH, MOVING ON TO R THREE, MR. BASSETT.
ADVANCED SIX HOPEWELL HAS REQUESTED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, A SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATION TO ITS FEDERAL CLEAN AIR ACT OPERATING PERMIT, WHICH HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE JUNE OF, UH, 2024.
UM, THE SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER INTERVENED IN THAT PROCEEDING, PROVIDING COMMENTS TO DQS AND CALLING FOR CERTAIN STUDIES TO BE DONE AND FOR DE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON ADVANCE SIX'S PERMIT APPLICATION.
THE RESOLUTION BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT WOULD IF ADOPTED SUPPORT THE SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER'S REQUESTS TO THE Q THAT THOSE STUDIES BE DONE AND THAT IT HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING COURT CONTINUE CONSIDERING ISSUING THAT NEW PERMIT TO ADVANCE THIS.
IF THAT, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNSEL MAY HAVE, UH, SEEING NO LIGHTS, UM, NO QUESTIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU, UH, ANTHONY FOR, FOR WORKING WITH, UH, THE SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER, UM, ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, YOU KNOW, DOES HAVE ITS VOICE HEARD.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I I, THE CITIZENS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM, UM, ARE, ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE A, UH, AN IN-PERSON PUBLIC HEARING, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, TALK MORE IN DEPTH IN DETAIL ABOUT THIS AND ACTUALLY ANSWER SOME CITIZENS' QUESTIONS.
SO, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER'S, UH, UH, PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING, UH, ADVANCE SIX, UH, DRAFT DEQ PERMIT AS PRESENT TONIGHT? I, I'LL SECOND THAT.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING THEIR LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAY I PARDON? YES.
ALRIGHT, MS. JORDAN, BRING US HOME.
THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET TO FUND AN OPERATIONAL AUDIT FOR THE HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR $397,000.
216,610 ARE COMING FROM UNALLOCATED CAPITAL 93,000 IS COMING FROM OUR CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT AND 87,390 IS COMING FROM OUR FRIEND STATEMENT ACCOUNT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MS. JORDAN ON WHERE THE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM? NO.
UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AMENDING THE FFY 2026 BUDGET TO FUND AN OPERATIONAL AUDIT FOR THE HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING AUTHORITY? I MOVE, I'LL SECOND THAT.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR DISCUSSION? NO.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, STACY, FOR WORKING REALLY HARD, UH, IN ORDER TO FIND THE FUNDS TO DO THIS.
UM, THIS IS GOING TO BE CRUCIAL IN FIXING, YOU KNOW, SOME ISSUES THAT WE HAVE DOWN THERE.
AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO LONG TERM, UM, MAKE THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN THEIR MISSION AND TACKLING BOTH, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC SIDE OF HOUSING AND, AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE CONDITIONS THERE.
BUT ALSO, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, BEING A, A GOOD PARTNER ON THE, ON THE REDEVELOPMENT SIDE.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, UH, CALL FOR THE VOTE.
HAVE MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? SECOND.
[02:20:01]
ALL SECOND.ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT.