[ Call to order and roll call]
[00:00:04]
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR? PARDON? HERE.
[ CLOSED MEETING]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING, UH, PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 37 11 A EIGHT.FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS, AMMONIA RELEASE, 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A SEVEN.
TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON ACTUAL OR PROBABLE LITIGATION, HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL COMMISSION AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS.
UH, SCHOOL BOARD, HOPEWELL ELECTORAL BOARD, AND THE TOW BOARD.
I WILL ALLOW COUNCILOR WHEAT TO HAVE THAT ONE.
UH, MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR WHEAT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
ALRIGHT, WE GO AHEAD AND COME OUT.
HAVE A MOTION TO COME OUTTA CLOSED SESSION.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR WHEAT AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
CERTIFICATION UNDER VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 3 7 12 D FOR ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR VISITORS AND, UH, CITIZENS FOR COMING OUT TO TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
[ REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER]
OUT WITH THE REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER, MR. JONES.I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK ITEMS BEFORE WE GET TO OUR REPORTS FROM STAFF THIS EVENING.
FIRST IS TOMORROW VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER HAS INFORMED THE CITY THAT THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY CLOSURE ON, UM, THE EASTBOUND, I'M SORRY, THE WESTBOUND SIDE OF EAST RANDOLPH ROAD BETWEEN EAST BROADWAY AND EAST CARLSON.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THAT.
ALSO TODAY, WE'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAD SIX NEW POLICE RECRUITS TO GRADUATE FROM THE CREATIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY TODAY.
SO, UM, FOLLOWING THAT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE, UH, DEBBIE PERSIAN.
SHE IS A LONGTIME CITY EMPLOYEE OF 29 YEARS AND SHE WILL BE RETIRING AS OF JULY 1ST.
AND SO SHE WAS FORMALLY IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND CURRENTLY SHE'S IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHY FAMILY.
SO I WANT TO WISH MS. PERSIAN CONGRATULATIONS FOR 29 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY AND RESIDENCE.
HER VOICE, HER VOICE IS STILL ON A LOT OF THE RECORDINGS WE CALL THE CITY.
AND FINALLY, I WILL END WITH TOMORROW RECREATION AND PARKS IS HAVING A TOWN HALL MEETING AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER FROM SIX TO 7:30 PM SO THIS WILL ALLOW RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK ON, UM, THE FUTURE OF OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES.
AND THEY ALSO INTEND TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE NEXT WEEK.
SO WE'LL BE PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION, UM, UM, AFTER TOMORROW.
THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS AND WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR STAFF REPORTS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL.
THIS IS OUR MAY FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT CITYWIDE FOR MAY REVENUES ARE TRENDING 7.54% OR 14.7 MILLION, HIGHER FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR MAY ARE TRENDING 7.15% OR 17.2 MILLION HIGHER FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
OUR INCREASE IN REVENUE STEM FROM STATE REVENUES INCREASE IN HWR CAPITAL BILLING AND COLLECTIONS FROM
OUR NEW UTILITY BILLING INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM ANNUAL
[00:05:01]
INCREASE IN THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR, AS WELL AS INCREASES IN SCHOOL AND ENTERPRISE CAPITAL EXPENSES LAST MONTH AS WELL AS THIS MONTH.AND I'LL BE DOING IT AGAIN IN JUNE.
AND THEN IN JULY WE'LL DO OUR PRELIMINARY CLOSEOUT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26TH.
BUT FOR MAY, I ADDED A COLUMN FOR THE PROJECTING OUT TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR FOR CITYWIDE, WE'RE PROJECTING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES IN THE EXCESS OF 19 MILLION.
ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR CITYWIDE? NO.
FOR OUR GENERAL FUND? GENERAL FUND FOR MAY IS TRENDING 1.09 OR ONE OR 1 MILLION HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE TRENDING 0.61% OR $1.5 MILLION HIGHER THAN 25.
INCREASE IN EXPENSES, AGAIN, COME FROM OUR ANNUAL INCREASE FROM CLASS AND COUNT STUDY IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR.
THE SAME PROJECTION WAS COMPLETED FOR GENERAL FUND FOR 26.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON GENERAL FUND? OUR ENTERPRISE FUND, ENTERPRISE FUND FOR MAY IS TRENDING 30.2% OR 14.5 PER MILLION.
HIGHER IN REVENUES IN 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE TRENDING 13.5% OR 5.9 MILLION HIGHER IN EXPENSES THAN 25.
INCREASE IN REVENUES FOR HWR STEM FROM OUR ON TIME BILLING, AS WELL AS CAPITAL BILLING THAT'S BEING BILLED UPFRONT FOR 26.
INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM WORKING THROUGH OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THE D-E-Q-N-O-V.
COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, HWR HAS ALREADY SPENT $7.3 MILLION IN CAPITAL VERSUS 1.6 AT THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.
OUR PROJECTION FOR 26 FOR OUR ENTERPRISE FUND REVENUES, LOWER EXPENSES $5.1 MILLION.
ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR ENTERPRISE FUND FOR OUR SCHOOLS? SCHOOLS IS TRENDING 23.56% OF 496,000 LESS IN REVENUES FROM 26 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES ARE TRENDING 13.75 OR 6.8 MILLION HIGHER IN 26 VERSUS 25.
A LOT OF THE DECREASE FOR THE SCHOOL'S REVENUE CAME FROM THE ESSER GRANT THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER RECEIVING THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND INCREASE IN OPERATIONAL EXPENSES IS WHERE THE EXPENSES ARE STREAMED FROM.
WE PROJECTED OUT AN INCREASE FOR THE, UM, REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES OF ABOUT 976,000 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
FOR OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE FOR MAY.
WE PAID A TOTAL OF 1,468 INVOICES FOR A TOTAL OF $8.2 MILLION.
WE ALSO TOOK CARE OF OUR DEBT PAYMENTS.
UM, WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 95, UH, 5% REMAINING OF OUR DEBT PAYMENTS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND UPCOMING, WE JUST STARTED OUR, UH, BIWEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE SCHOOLS AND OUR EXTERNAL AUDITOR, DAVID FOLEY, FOR CLOSING OUT OUR FISCAL YEAR 26.
UM, AS WELL AS ALL ITEMS ARE GOING TO BE DUE FOR THE CITY SIDE AS OF AUGUST 31ST FOR THE SCHOOL SIDE, IT'LL BE SEPTEMBER.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE TWO SCHOOL REPORTS THAT HAVE TO BE COMPLETED.
BUT OUR PLAN IS TO BE ON TIME FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.
OKAY, NEXT UP IS MR. ENGLISH, BUT YOU GOT THE WHOLE TEAM HERE TODAY.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND GOOD EVENING.
UM, WE ARE ONLY ABOUT THREE AND A HALF DAYS AWAY FROM A VERY SPECIAL DAY HERE IN HOPEWELL.
AND, UM, THAT DAY IS JUNE 27TH, WHICH IS, UM, OF COURSE THIS COMING SATURDAY.
AND IT'S GONNA BE A DAY LONG CELEBRATION OF THE HISTORY OF HOPEWELL, UM, COMMENCING AT NOON WITH OUR OFFICIAL VA TWO 50 EVENT.
THE HOORAY FOR HOPEWELL HISTORY CELEBRATION.
UH, ABOUT SIX OR EIGHT WEEKS AGO, I CAME TO YOU ALL WITH THE CONCEPT OF AN EVENT AND, UH, I JUST WANNA UPDATE YOU ON WHERE WE ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEING OUR, OUR FINAL COUNCIL MEETING PRIOR TO, PRIOR TO THE EVENT, THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE EVENT IS, IS OPERATIONALLY, UH, IS STRUCTURALLY THE SAME.
WE HAVE MADE A COUPLE OF VERY BASIC CHANGES.
UM, WE HAVE LO RELOCATED THE LOCATION OF THE, UM, PORTABLE RESTROOMS AS WELL AS ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL KIDS IN, UH, FAMILY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FACE PAINTING, BALLOON ART, JUST TO MAKE THE EVENT A LITTLE MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY.
UM, IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE THE BASIC SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OPERATIONALLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY, UM, LEADING UP TO 7:00 PM AND, UM, OF, OF COURSE, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, ABOUT THAT.
BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE FROM A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE.
UM, SOCIAL MEDIA, WE SPENT ABOUT $300 ON MARKETING AND WE HAVE REACHED OVER 35,000 PEOPLE AND WE HAVE ABOUT 1200 FOLKS ON, ON
[00:10:01]
FACEBOOK HAVE, HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN ATTENDING THE EVENT.AND, UM, ON FRIDAY I CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH A BC EIGHT, UM, WHICH WILL GO LIVE ON THURSDAY TO, IN HOPES OF MARKETING THE EVENT AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE HEARD BACK FROM SOME OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, DELEGATE DOHERTY AS WELL AS SENATOR AD WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE, UM, AT LEAST FOR PART OF THE DAY.
AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO GIVE AN ADDRESS, UH, AT, AT THAT PORTION OF THE DAY AROUND FOUR O'CLOCK.
UM, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE PROVIDING US WITH THREE OFFICERS TO, UH, BE A B, C CONTROLLED FOR THE FOR THE DAY.
UM, UH, KELLY PRATT, JAMES JONES FOR, FOR DOING A LOT OF THE LEGWORK ON THE, ON THE STORYBOARD, UH, ASPECT OF THE EVENT, AS WELL AS CREATING THE DIGITAL, UM, DIG DIGITAL STORIES.
UM, MS. JASMINE MACKIN, WHO'S BEEN A BIG HELP OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS.
MR. CHARLES BENNETT FOR HIS, UH, EVENT LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS MR. RAH FULLER, WHO IS OUR VOLUNTEER LEAD FOR THE DAY, WHICH, UM, WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS, SO IF, IF YOU ALL KNOW OF ANYBODY THAT MAY BE INTERESTED, PLEASE SEND THEM, SEND THEM OUT MY WAY OR MS. FULLER'S WAY AS WELL AS MR. MIKE WHITTINGTON, WHO WILL BE THE PUBLIC SAFETY LEAD.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS, UH, LEADING INTO THE EVENT.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THE VOLUNTEERS.
I MEAN, WHAT SORTS OF, UM, TIME, LIKE ARE THEY TWO HOUR SEGMENTS OR WHAT SORTS OF THINGS THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL IN, IN RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS? ABSOLUTELY.
AT THIS POINT WE WILL, WE WILL TAKE FOLKS FOR WHAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR.
UH, WE, WE HAVE HAD FOLKS SIGN UP FOR A TWO HOUR SHIFT.
WE'VE HAD FOLKS SAY THAT THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE ALL DAY.
SO WHATEVER THEY'RE WILLING TO DO, MS. FULLER HAS, HAS COMMITTED TO CHECKING 'EM IN, CHECKING 'EM OUT.
AND HAVING A RUNNER, SHOWING THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO FOR THE DAY.
AND AG UH, OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, THE DAY WILL CULMINATE WITH THE FIREWORK SHOW, UM, STARTING AROUND NINE 30.
SO, SO WE'VE REALLY, HE HEAVILY MARKETED THE ENTIRE DAY TO TRY TO TRY TO DRAW FOLKS TO THE CITY.
[ACTIONS RESULTING FROM CLOSED MEETING ]
INTO ACTIONS RESULTING FROM OUR CLOSED MEETING.UH, THE FIRST THAT I HAVE IS DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPOINT DR. WILLIAM BUTLER AND MS. BRENDA PELLUM TO THE SCHOOL BOARD? SO MOVED.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
AND CAN YOU JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU JUST ANNOTATE IN THE MINUTES THAT COUNCILOR WHEAT AND MYSELF RECUSED OURSELVES? YES, SIR.
UH, MOVING ON TO THE OTHER SLATE OF APPOINTMENTS.
WE HAVE LAURA WRAP FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD.
MICHAEL ARDENT FOR THE RECREATION COMMISSION.
UH, JERRY TUCKER FOR THE TOWING BOARD.
MIKE MCTN FOR THE TOWING BOARD.
BRENDA LIVINGSTON FOR THE TOWING BOARD.
THOUGHTS FOR THE TOWING BOARD? IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED, TUCKER.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR WHEAT AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO THE PLAYER PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, UH, BY CAST PASTOR COLLIER, UH, AND THEN MYSELF.
AND, UH, BEFORE WE DO THE, UH, THE PRAYER, I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE STAND AND, UM, DO A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
UH, WE JUST RECENTLY HAD, UM, ONE OF OUR LOCAL PASTORS, UH, PASS AWAY, UH, PASTOR BENNETT THIS WEEKEND.
AND THEN ALSO A FORMER MEMBER OF HOPEWELL CITY COUNCIL, UH, MR. ZA HYATT.
PASTOR COLLIER, THAT'S BOW OUR HEADS.
WE APPROACH YOUR THRONE TONIGHT AND ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE FOR THIS CITY COUNCIL.
LORD THE MAYOR, THE VICE MAYOR, AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL AS THEY CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
LORD, WE REALIZE THERE ARE MANY CONCERNS AND MANY CITIZENS OF THIS CITY, GOD, THAT DEPEND UPON THIS LEADERSHIP BODY.
WE PRAY GOD, GRANT THEM THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE.
LORD, TO KNOW THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO, LORD, TO DISCERN THOSE THINGS, UH,
[00:15:01]
THAT LORD THEY DON'T NEED TO DO.AND GOD GRANT THEM WISDOM IN HOW TO DO THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY AND TAKING CARE OF ALL THE CITIZENS, GUIDING THEM LORD, IN EVERY DECISION THEY MAKE.
AND GOD HELPING THEM TO OPERATE IN A WAY THAT BEST SERVES THE INDIVIDUALS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE OF ALL THOSE THAT ARE PRESENT.
GUIDE THEM AND DIRECT THEM IN EVERY WAY, LEADING THEM ACCORDING TO YOUR PURPOSE SO THAT THIS CITY GOD CAN BECOME ALL THAT YOU HAVE DESTINED IT TO BE.
THANK YOU GOD, FOR YOUR GRACE AND FOR THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
BLESS THOSE THAT NEED ENCOURAGEMENT TONIGHT.
LORD, BRING COMFORT TO THOSE THAT HAVE LOST.
AND IN ALL THINGS HELP US TO LOOK TO YOU FOR ALL THAT WE NEED.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN WITH LIBERTY.
LIBERTY, AND, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
TIME IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.UH, WE HAVE THE MOTION MADE BY COUNCILOR WHEAT AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR OLI.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS ]
COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT, A COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZENS PERIOD LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES AT HEARD AT EACH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING PERSONS ADDRESSING COUNCIL APPROACH THE MICROPHONE GIVE THEIR NAMES.
AND IF THEY RESIDE AT HOPEWELL, THE AWARD NUMBER, EACH COMMENT IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
NO PERSON IS PERMITTED TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL REMARKS MUST BE ADDRESSED TO THE COUNCIL.
AS A BODY, ANY PERSON WHO MAKES PERSONAL AND PERTINENT ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS OR INCITES, DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY BE BARRED FROM FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS AND REMOVED.
UH, FIRST PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MR. JEFFREY TORRES.
UM, INVESTA MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JEFFREY MURRAY TORRES.
I MOVED FROM FORT LEE TO WARD THREE IN 1996 AND NOW AFTER 30 YEARS, I'M RUNNING FOR A SEAT IN WARD THREE.
I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO EVERYONE HERE, ALL THE CITIZENS.
I HOPE WELL AND EVERYONE WILL PROBABLY BE SEEING A LOT OF ME IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
UH, NEXT IS MR. JUSTIN GOODMAN.
JUSTIN GOODMAN, I LIVE OVER IN PRINCE GEORGE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO COME AND ADDRESS YOU.
UH, SO I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, GOING TO DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS AND I'M DEFINITELY GONNA BE GOING TO ALL OF THEM.
THE SHOESMITH DUMP THING IS GONNA BE AN ABSOLUTE HORRIBLE ECOLOGICAL DISASTER.
WE CAN'T COUNT ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CLEARLY TO OVERSIGHT ANYTHING ANYMORE.
I MEAN, LOOK WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THE PLANT HERE IN TOWN.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY GONNA BE JUST AS BAD AS THE KEYONE DISASTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE A FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE SHOESMITH DUMP.
YOU GUYS SHOULD BE KNOCKING ON CHESTERFIELD DOOR.
YOU HAVE THE THREE TOP PEOPLE, THE ADMINISTRATOR, THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, AND SOME OTHER PERSON THAT ARE ABOUT TO RETIRE.
THEY'RE RUNNING AWAY FROM A HUGE DISASTER.
THEY'RE GONNA COLLECT FAT CHECKS AT ON THE TAXPAYER'S DIME.
IT'S GONNA RUIN 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA COME DOWN SWIFT CREEK INTO THE APPOMATTOX.
I'M LOOKING FOR THE TIMER BY THE WAY.
IT'S GOING TO GO INTO THE APPOMATTOX, INTO THE JAMES AND WE'RE GONNA REALLY HAVE A HORRIBLE THING.
IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN LIKE, KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE? UM, COOL.
SO I GUESS FOR ME TO DO A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, I HAVE TO LIKE SEND THEM WHAT MY COMMENT'S GONNA BE, IF THAT IS REALLY TRUE.
I DIDN'T ARGUE WITH THE LADY, BUT THAT IS LIKE SUPER TYRANNICAL.
UH, ALSO SCHOOL BOARDS LIKE TO HIDE BEHIND.
IT'S A, UH, MATTER OF TO PERSONNEL MATTER.
YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF OUR KIDS WITH THAT.
SO THE PLANT HAS BEEN NON-COMPLIANT FOR 24 MONTHS STRAIGHT.
I THINK MCKELLEN IS MEETING LIKE THE PERSON THAT'S OVER THERE.
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE WHEN THERE IS SOMEONE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME THAT IS A FORMER EMPLOYEE THAT'S NOT SLANDEROUS, THAT IS FACT.
I'M REALLY CURIOUS HOW THAT SLIPS THROUGH THE CRACKS WHEN I HAVE BEEN ADDRESSING, TRYING TO
[00:20:01]
FIGURE OUT, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAD MESSAGED ME BACK IN NOVEMBER WHEN I STARTED MY ADVOCACY ABOUT THE SMELLS THAT HAVE BEEN INCREASING OVER TIME.LIKE SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN CALLING AND EVERYONE JUST BLOWS ME OFF.
YOU HAVE A COUNTY ENGINEER THAT HANDLES THE AMOUNT OF WASTEWATER THAT GETS RELEASED FROM THE PLANTS, BUT YOU HAVE NO ONE FROM THE CITY TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT MONITORS THE AIR.
THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE TRAVESTY TO YOUR CITIZENS.
YOU HAVE CITIZENS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SMELLS.
ONCE AGAIN, I THINK YOU'RE A FORMER EMPLOYEE.
UH, HOW HAS THIS HAPPENED? I DO NOT KNOW.
IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER AGAIN.
THE PEOPLE WHO UH, WHO WERE SITTING IN YOUR POSITION JUST LET THE DISASTER HAPPEN.
YOU CAN FIND IT OUT SWEPT UNDER THE RUG TRANSMISSION LINES.
LET'S TALK TRANSMISSION LINES.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHO I AM AND IF YOU DON'T, JUSTIN GOODMAN, CHECK IT OUT.
I'M GOING TO CHESTERFIELD TOMORROW.
SO YOU HAVE TRANSMISSION LINES THAT GO THROUGH YOUR CITY.
NEEDLESS TO SAY YOU HAVE BEEN NEXT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I HAVE READINGS THAT I HAVEN'T PUBLISHED YET, BUT I HAVE READINGS THAT ACTUALLY SHOW THAT LIKE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SCHOOL.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T WALK INSIDE THE SCHOOL DEFINITELY SHOWS LEVELS KNOWN TO CAUSE CANCER IN KIDS.
I'M MEETING YOUR SCHOOL BOARD PEOPLE THIS WEEK.
UM, IF I HAVE ANY MORE TIME I'D LIKE TO SHARE IT.
IF YOU CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, EMAIL YOUR INFORMATION OVER TO THE CITY CLERK, YOUR RESULTS AND EVERYTHING.
SHE CAN, YOU KNOW, UH, PRESENT IT TO ALL CITY COUNCIL.
I'M LAURA GREENWOOD FROM WARD SIX.
I DID GET A RESPONSE FROM THE, UM, VICE MAYOR IN REGARDS TO REPRESENTATION AT THE, UH, VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER.
AND I APPRECIATE WHOEVER IT WAS THAT WENT THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GOING AND REPRESENTING THE CITIZENS.
THE OTHER THING IS, IS I BROUGHT UP TO ATTENTION IN REGARDS TO THE FERAL CAT ISSUE.
UM, I ALSO SENT, UM, MALIK, UH, AN EMAIL AND I SENT YOU GUYS IN REGARDS TO THIS FERAL CAT PROBLEM.
OUT OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE I CALLED ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT DO TNR.
I GOT ON THEIR LIST AND IT WAS A TWO TO THREE WEEK WHEN I DID A FOLLOW UP, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO IT 'CAUSE THERE'S NO FUNDS.
THIS IS A REAL NECESSITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE OUR DOGS.
WE GET OUR DOGS REGISTERED TO THE CITY.
AND I GOT LIFETIME REGISTRATION WITH MY DOGS.
MY DOGS ALSO, WHEN THEY GO GET THEIR VACCINATION FOR RABIES, THAT GETS SENT FROM MY VET TO THE CITY.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT AVAILABLE WITH THESE CATS OR THE DOMESTIC CATS THAT ARE RUNNING LOOSE.
AND I UNDERSTAND DOMESTIC CATS ARE ALLOWED TO RUN LOOSE, BUT THERE'S NO, NO ONE CHECKING ON THESE KITTIES.
AND I HAVE INTACT MALES COMING AROUND MATE, WITH THE FERAL MALE FEMALES.
THEY GOT COLLARS ON, THEY'RE INTACT.
I GOT ONE CAT THAT COMES UP ON MY CAMERA AS A DOG.
THAT'S HOW BIG THIS TOM CAT IS.
SO BY US DOING THIS WITH THE HOPEWELL, UM, HUMANE SOCIETY, THEY WILL TRAP WHATEVER ANIMAL THEY TRAP, THEY WILL NEUTER 'EM AND THEY'LL MAKE SURE THEY GET A RABIES.
SO THAT'S, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
WE HAD THAT ONE LADY WHO ENDED UP GETTING RABID, YOU KNOW, BIT BY A RABID CAT.
SHE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE TREATMENTS.
CAN YOU IMAGINE A CHILD HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT? FROM MY UNDERSTAND IT'S PRETTY PAINFUL, BUT I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT I'D HATE TO BE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT I'M GONNA BE, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
I GAVE MALIK AN ESTIMATED ABOUT APPROXIMATE HOW MUCH THEY MIGHT NEED.
I'VE ASKED THEM TO COME TO SPEAK TO Y'ALL, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY GOT MY EMAIL AND TALK.
BUT I'M ASSUMING WHAT I PROPOSED IS SU BE, UH, SUFFICIENT.
MS. GREENWOOD, DID YOU SAY THAT YOU ASKED THE HUMANE SOCIETY TO COME TALK TO US? I, NO, NO.
UM, I SENT 'EM AN EMAIL, BUT I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS LIKE THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.
UM, 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS THERE ALL THE TIME.
CAN YOU, UM, IF YOU TALK TO THEM AGAIN, CAN YOU ASK THEM TO OR JUST GET THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION OR IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE, I MEAN, WE CAN EASILY CONTACT THEM, BUDDY.
YEAH, I TALKED TO A LADY NAMED SEPTEMBER.
I TRIED TO TALK HER NAME'S SEPTEMBER.
AND, UM, SHE JUST SAID THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE FUNDS RIGHT NOW.
THEY, THEY USUALLY DO, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE IT TO, TO PROCEED.
AND I KNOW, UM, VICE MAYOR, YOU'RE, YOU'VE GOT THAT FERAL COLONY
[00:25:01]
THAT'S OUT ON THE RIVER AND STUFF.AND SO IF WE DID THIS EVERY YEAR FOR A COUPLE YEARS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THESE CATS NEUTERED AND GET THEIR RABIES GIVEN TO 'EM.
I WANT LIKE TO SEE BOTH OF IT DONE.
UM, AND THESE TOMS THAT ARE COMING AROUND THAT ARE DOMESTIC, THAT ARE SOMEBODY'S CAT, IF THEY, IF THEY CATCH 'EM, I'M GONNA TELL 'EM, CUT IT OFF,
THEY HAVEN'T COME TO US FOR MONEY.
UM, WELL, I'LL ALSO ADVOCATE TO THEM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING YEAH.
WHEN I GET HOLD OF'EM, YOU KNOW.
BECAUSE THEY'RE HARD TO GET A HOLD OF.
UM, WHAT I'LL ASK MR. JONES, DO YOU MIND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOUR TEAM, UM, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY AND SEE IF THERE IS, UM, LIKE A PROGRAM OR INITIATIVE THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, PARTNER TOGETHER TOGETHER WITH THEM ON FUNDING, UM, TO SEE IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WORK ON THIS, UH, FERAL CAP PROBLEM.
BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA COST US A TON OF MONEY AND IT'S A SAFETY THING.
I ACTUALLY DID GO BY AND SPEAK WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY LAST WEEK.
AND, UH, I'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH THE CHIEF TAYLOR, AND SO WE WILL WORK WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY THROUGH OUR ANIMAL CONTROL DEPARTMENT OKAY.
AND HAVE THEM WORK ON SUPPORTING THAT, THAT PROGRAM.
CAN YOU ASK THEM TO, AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE LIKE A, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE A BACK BRIEF FOR THE PUBLIC, LIKE DURING YOUR COMMENTS, YOUR CITY MANAGER COMMENTS? SURE.
UM, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT IT IS NOT RAINING RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT I DEFINITELY WANTED TO, UH, PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT KYLE SAID.
PARADE FOR HOPE WALL IS JUST THREE DAYS AWAY.
THE 250TH OF AMERICA, THE EVENT THAT WE, IT IS, IT IS A LOT.
BUT WE HAVE USED THE NAME CLARIFY FOR MIKA.
THE RATE FOR HOPEWELL HISTORY CELEBRATION.
'CAUSE WE DO NOT WANT IT TO BE SYNONYMOUS WITH THE PREVIOUS EVENT, BUT WE DO NEED VOLUNTEERS.
UM, WE'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT AGE.
IF ALL YOU HAVE IS 15 MINUTES TO HELP US SET UP, WE WILL TAKE 15 MINUTES.
IF YOU'VE GOT SOME TEENS THAT NEED SOME HELP, WE ARE HERE.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO AND HOPE, WELL, WE DEFINITELY NEED THE KIDS.
WE, WE NEED EVERYONE FROM, WELL, MAYBE NOT SINATRA 2-YEAR-OLD, BUT SIN OUT THOSE WHO ARE TRULY ABLE BODIED ALL THE WAY UP.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DO WANT PEOPLE TO BE HYDRATED.
UM, PLEASE DRESS VERY CONSIDERATE BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LITTLE BIT WARM.
UM, SO WE WOULD LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF THE WEATHER.
IF YOUR HEAT'S SENSITIVE, WE UNDERSTAND.
BUT WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS.
UM, AND EVERY COMMUNITY IS DEFINITELY NEEDED AND SUPPORTED.
UM, ALSO WANNA, UM, COUNCILOR OLI SENT OUT THE MESSAGE YESTERDAY THAT TOMORROW THERE WILL BE WARD SEVEN'S NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, UM, AT 6:00 PM AT WOODLAWN METHODIST PRESBYTERIAN.
I HAVE FIVE KIDS AND WE ARE STARTING TO GET BACK INTO THE SWING OF FOOTBALL SEASON.
BUT WOODLAWN PRESBYTERIAN AT 6:00 PM UM, WARD FIVE, FOUR AND FIVE, THEY WILL BE MEETING THE FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH.
AND WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS TO STEP UP FOR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.
IT TAKES EVERYONE AND IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE TO RAISE OUR BABIES.
WHAT WE NORMALIZE AT 10 BECOMES CHARACTER TRAITS AT 30.
SO WHEN WE'RE SEEING BABIES LOSING THEIR LIFE IN THE STREETS, IT STARTS WITH US.
IF MY CHILDREN ARE OUT AT WAWA AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, I EXPECT IF THE MAYOR'S OUT AND HE'S LIKE, OH, I'M GRABBING SOME GATORADE.
I EXPECT THEM TO BE LIKE, I KNOW YOUR MOM.
BUT ALSO BE LIKE, HEY, I SAW YOUR CHILD.
BUT IT TAKES THAT VILLAGE MINDSET.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE OUR CITY AND SEE THESE CHILDREN AND BE LIKE, HEY, WE NEED TO CHANGE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, IT'S NOT JUST OTHER PLACES.
WE WANT TO SEE THEM GO ON TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT, THE NEXT SENATORS, THE NEXT DELEGATES.
THEY CAN BE THE NEXT HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS.
I WANNA SEE THAT GREATNESS COME OUTTA HOPEWELL, BUT IT STARTS WITH US BEING THAT VILLAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THE CONVERSATION IS BEING HA IS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT.
UM, HRHA IS PARTNERING WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND TOURISM.
PEOPLE ARE PARTNERING TOGETHER TO BUILD THE CITY BACK UP.
WE JUST NEED THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER 'CAUSE THE CITY CAN DO THEIR PART, BUT IT TAKES THE CITIZENS TO WORK WITH THE CITY AS WE DO OUR PART TO BUILD OUR CITY BACK UP.
[00:30:01]
THANK YOU.SORRY IT WAS A ROUGH DAY AT WORK.
MARKS WALKED THREE, UH, COUPLE OF ISSUES I WANTED TO BRING TO LIGHT AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME ANSWERS MAYBE IN A FUTURE MEETING.
UM, AT THE DUMP HERE IN HOPEWELL, I OWN A 10 A MATCH TRAILER.
IT'S NOT A BUSINESS USED TRAILER, BUT BECAUSE IT'S TANDEM MAXWELL, ANYTIME I CARRY, UH, WASTE OR LONG WASTE, YOU KNOW, TR TREE TRIMMINGS WHATEVER TO THE DUMP, THEY CHARGE ME THE BUSINESS EXPENSE FOR, BECAUSE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S A TANDEM MAXWELL TRAILER.
SO WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE IN HOPEWELL WHO OWNS A SINGLE ACTUAL TRAILER CAN THE SAME SIZE AS MINE CAN TAKE THEIRS FOR FREE, I HAVE TO PAY TO TAKE MY STUFF.
UM, I UNDERSTAND CHARGING BUSINESSES, WE DON'T WANT BUSINESSES GETTING FREE SERVICES OFF OF THE TAXPAYERS BACK, BUT AS, AS A FELLOW TAXPAYER, I DON'T LIKE HAVING TO PAY THE SAME COST AS THE BUSINESS WHEN I DON'T HAVE ONE.
UM, THE ANOTHER THING I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT FOR UPDATE IS THE FUNDING.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT A BUDGET REQUEST AND THEN I GUESS IT WENT ON TO A GRANT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR THE SHERIFF'S RADIO UPGRADES, UM, FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
UM, MS. JORDAN HAD SAID THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER OPTION THAT SHE WAS LOOKING AT, AND I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THAT.
UM, JUST REAL QUICK BEFORE I RUN OUT OF TIME, MS. JORDAN, BEFORE YOU ANSWER, UM, IF SOMEBODY COULD THROW UP ON FACEBOOK OR THROW OUT HERE IN THE MEETING HOW WE VOLUNTEER TO HELP OUT ON THE 27TH.
UM, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY NOT BE AN INCREASE IN CONFIRMED GUNSHOTS, BUT, UH, SITTING OUTSIDE OF OUR HOUSE IN WARD THREE, WE HAVE HEARD AN INCREASE IN GUNSHOTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE BEING REPORTED AND CONFIRMED OR IF THEY'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OUT IN THE WOODS POPPING OFF AROUND OR TWO.
UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO BEEN AN INCREASE IN, UM, I KNOW I PERSONALLY KNOW MULTIPLE PEOPLE THAT HAD TIRES ON THEIR VEHICLES AND THEIR TRAILERS, UH, SLASHED.
AND THEN SOME OTHER PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK WERE TALKING ABOUT EQUIPMENT BEING STOLEN OUT OF THE BED OF THEIR TRUCKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, IT, I KNOW THAT POLICE CHIEF ISN'T HERE AND THAT'S KIND OF PEANUTS FOR HOPEWELL.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT MUCH BIGGER ISSUES TO WORRY ABOUT.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IN CASTING A BIG NET AND HOPING TO CATCH A BUNCH OF FISH.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE OR, UH, ATTENTION APPLIED TO THOSE ISSUES.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, MR. BURROWS, I BELIEVE PAID, WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT OUTTA OUR SALARY SAVINGS FOR HIS COMMUNICATION.
BUT DOES MS. BROWN HAVE YOUR INFORMATION AND I CAN MAKE SURE I FOLLOW UP WITH YOU IN EMAIL? I DON'T KNOW IF SHE DOES.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN HOPEWELL'S GOT MY INFORMATION.
UM, SO MR. BURRS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PART ON THE WARD THREE GUNSHOTS, UM, I CAN GET WITH YOU AFTER THIS MEETING BECAUSE IT, IT'S A COUPLE PROBLEM HOUSES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, BUT THE BIGGEST THING FOR THEM, UM, IS IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING, UH, REPORT IT.
UM, I KNOW YOU WON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHICH HOUSE IT MORE THAN LIKELY IS.
UM, BUT IF YOU REPORT IT, YOU KNOW, LIKE AS SOON AS YOU HEAR IT, YOU KNOW, POLICE CAN GET DISP DISPATCHED OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN LIKELY THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA, YOU KNOW, DO IT A COUPLE MORE TIMES.
AND SO THEN THAT WILL HELP, YOU KNOW, NARROW DOWN TO WHERE IT IS SO THAT THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ISSUE OUT LIKE A CITATION, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, DO AN ARREST FOR, YOU KNOW, SHOOTING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE HEARD IT IN WARD FIVE TOO RECENTLY.
BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME TECHNOLOGY THAT THE POLICE CHIEF IS RESEARCHING RIGHT NOW, UM, WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRIANGULATE A LOT BETTER, UM, AND ALSO BE ABLE TO TELL US WHETHER IT'S A GUNSHOT, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, A CAR, MAYBE A BACKFIRE FIREWORK, UM, BECAUSE IT'S BE BASED OFF THE DECIBELS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A TECHNOLOGY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, UH, FUND AND IMPLEMENT ACROSS THE CITY.
THAT WAS ONE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE, A FEW MEETINGS AGO, WELL, MAYBE A YEAR AGO NOW, I SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE FLOCK CAMERAS MM-HMM
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THE REALLY NICE BENEFITS TO THE FLOCK CAMERAS WHERE THEY, THEY HAD THAT TRIANGULATION STUFF THAT WE UTILIZED IN THE MILITARY.
I I THINK THIS IS, AND I, AND I MIGHT BE WRONG.
I MEAN, CHIEF TAYLOR, YOU KNOW, CAN CORRECT ME AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S VERY COMPATIBLE WITH THE, UM, UH, WITH THE
[00:35:01]
FLOCK CAMERA SYSTEM AND THE LICENSE PLATE READER SYSTEM.OKAY, UH, NEXT I HAVE MS. APRIL JONES.
UM, I WANTED TO BRING TO YOU ALL'S ATTENTION TODAY.
THE HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING AUTHORITY STILL HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE MILDEW IN MY BATHROOM.
UM, ALSO, UH, LAST TUESDAY, THEY PURPOSELY DID NOT PICK UP MY TRASH AND THEN BLAMED IT ON THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
UM, THEY'RE STILL NOT RESPONDING TO ANY OF MY GRIEVANCES, AND THEN I'M STILL BEING FORCED TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO THE ATTORNEY BEFORE COURT OR TRIAL.
UM, THE HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, I DID A REPORT, WHICH SPECIFICALLY CAME FROM MR. JONES WHEN I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH MR. CLOUD IN REGARDS TO AN ASSAULT WHO IS HANDLING THE CASE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WHEN I'M DIALING 9 1 1, I'M NOT ABLE TO, UH, REACH A POLICE OFFICER FROM THE PHONE THAT I PREVIOUSLY HAVE.
UM, SO MR. CLOUD IS SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, HANDLING MY CASE, BUT I SPOKE TO MR. JONES INSTEAD AND GOT MY, UH, POLICE REPORT.
AND THEN I WANTED TO STATE THE HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO WORKS ALONGSIDE THE HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCESS MY XFINITY WIFI RING DOORBELL, CAMERAS AND GMAIL ACCOUNT, UM, AS WELL AS THE WOOD LONG LEARNING.
UM, WHI WITH LONG LEARNING CENTER SCHOOL, THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCESS MY GMAIL ACCOUNT PREVENTING ME FROM MOVING FORWARD AS WELL AS WITH ANY DIGITAL, UM, DEVICES.
UM, ALSO I WANTED TO ADD, UM, HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, THEY'RE PROVIDED ME THE WRONG RECERTIFICATION PACKAGE, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, SECTION EIGHT VOUCHER PROGRAM WHEN I'M IN PUBLIC HOUSING.
IN ADDITION, I'M BEING STOPPED FROM PLACING MY CHILDREN IN A FREE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM SUCH AS MARSHALL ARTS WORLD.
I WAS INFORMED BY A LADY NAMED MS. CASH.
IT IS NOT FREE, AND I HAVE TO PICK UP THE DAY SHE HAS AVAILABLE.
UM, AND THEN MR. JONES, I, UH, MEANT TO ASK THIS WHEN MR. BURROW WAS, UH, ALSO TALKING, UM, THE YARD WASTE, UM, POLICY.
CAN Y'ALL, UH, LOOK BACK AT THAT? BECAUSE I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT, AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALSO, UM, ALWAYS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AS LONG AS THE TRAILER WAS YARD WASTE AND YOU WERE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY, OF THE CITY, THAT IT WAS A, A FREE DISPOSAL.
THAT FINISHES UP, COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.
[REGULAR BUSINESS ]
REGULAR BUSINESS AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, MS. ENGLISH.I'M JANELLE ENGLISH, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR HOPEWELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UH, WE'RE COMING TO YOU REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION, AMENDING OUR CURRENT BUDGET BY A TOTAL OF $18,630,000 IN ADDITIONAL, IN ADDITIONAL FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL FUNDING.
UM, THE BACKGROUND ON THIS IS THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION'S FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL IN APRIL OF 25.
UM, CITY COUNCIL THEN APPROVED SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS IN SEPTEMBER OF 25, FEBRUARY OF 26 AND APRIL OF 26, ADDING ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE BUDGET.
UH, THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAS SINCE RECEIVED NEW GRANTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,430,000.
WE RECEIVED A PRIORITIZED ASPIRING EDUCATOR GRANT, A TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS SUPPORT IN CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREAS AND DUAL ENROLLMENT CERTIFICATION MINI GRANT, A SUPPLEMENTAL I TEACH FUNDING GRANT AND A SCAP GRANT.
THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAS ALSO ADDED 15,200,000 TO THE BUDGET IN ORDER TO SPEND FUNDS FROM THE CITY ON OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AT CARTER WOODSON AND HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL.
THESE FUNDS WILL INCREASE THE OPERATING BUDGET TO A TOTAL OF $76,345,087, AND THE BUILDING AND BUS REPLACEMENT FUND BUDGET TO $19,258,422.
[00:40:01]
THE ENTIRE HOPPO PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET TO A TOTAL OF $100,887,456.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. ENGLISH BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? MM-HMM.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE IT.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, UH, FOR YOU, MS. ENGLISH.
UM, AND NOT NECESSARILY JUST A, A QUESTION, BUT MORE OF A REQUEST, UM, FOR THE, UH, 15, UM, MILLION.
CAN YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, SEND CITY COUNCIL JUST THE LIST OF THE ACTUAL FINALIZED PROJECTS OF THAT THE, THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KNOW, WANTS TO, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIZE? I MEAN, I KNOW WE ALL KNOW THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY MM-HMM
BUT WHAT THOSE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH PROJECTS ARE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO AMEND THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26 HOPEWELL PUBLIC SCHOOL OPERATING BUDGET BY THE TOTAL OF $40,000 IN FUND 14 AND 18,590,000 FUND 0 6 3 AND INCREASING THE TOTAL BUDGET, UH, TO 100, SORRY, EXCUSE ME, $100,887,456 AS PRESENTED TONIGHT.
ANY DISCUSSION SEEING THE LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TONIGHT REQUESTING A, UM, PUBLIC HEARING FOR A LEASE AMENDMENT FOR THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA ICE COMPANY FOR THE, THE, UH, VENDING ICE VENDING MACHINE THEY HAVE AT HOPEWELL CITY MARINA.
UM, THEY, UM, ENTERED INTO A LEASE IN 2014 THAT IS, UH, IS, IT IS EXPIRING THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND, UM, WE HAVE NEGOTIATED A 36 MONTH LEASE AMENDMENT, UM, ROUGHLY 10% INCREASE, UH, TO A ANNUAL RENT OF $6,300 A YEAR FOR THEM TO REMAIN THERE AT THAT LOCATION AND CONTINUE TO VEN ICE, UH, PAYMENT OF $525 A MONTH.
AND, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE IS A RESOLUTION IN YOUR PACKAGE AND YOU HAVE A, UH, COPY OF THE ORIGINAL LEASE AMENDMENT, A COPY OF THE, I'M SORRY, THE ORIGINAL LEASE DOCUMENT, THEN THE LEASE AMENDMENT, AND ALSO THE ADVERTISEMENT, WHICH WE DID IN THE PROGRESS INDEX.
UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, WHICH YOU MAY HAVE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. BENNETT BEFORE, UH, WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? NONE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TONIGHT FOR IT, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE IT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING, UH, THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA ICE COMPANY LLC AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? SO MOVED.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOYER AND SECONDED BY MYSELF.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS HE A NO, LIKE ROLL CALL PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, TONIGHT WE HAVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UH, APPLICATION REQUEST.
THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND READING.
WE DID THE FIRST READING, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO JUST DO AN ABBREVIATED PRESENTATION HERE? YEAH, JUST, YEAH, JUST A QUICK ABB BRIEF.
UH, THE CUP REQUEST RELATES TO 38 0 5 OAKLAWN BOULEVARD, ALSO IDENTIFIED AS PARCEL 0 2 5 0 2 2 5.
UM, THIS PROPERTY'S LOCATED INWARD SEVEN IN
[00:45:01]
ZONE B FOUR.UH, YOU MAY REMEMBER BACK IN JUNE OF 25, COUNSEL ADDED THE CEP REQUIREMENT FOR ALL, UH, NEW AUTO RELATED USES.
UM, I'LL JUST SKIP BACK DOWN TO, UM, THE APPLICANT POSITION HERE.
THE APPLICANT STATES THAT, UH, THE USE IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER COMMERCIAL USES IN THE DISTRICT, AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PROPERTY, YOU, YOU'LL IMPROVE THE AREA AND THAT THE, UH, USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, THIS IS THE PARKING PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICATION BY THE APPLICANT.
YOU CAN SEE THE CUSTOMER PARKING IS OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE, UH, DISPLAY VEHICLE PARKING IS, IS, UH, OUT TOWARDS THE STREET.
UH, THERE, THERE'S PLENTY OF PARKING SPACES THERE.
IT MEETS THE ORDINANCE, UH, FOR THE USE.
AND, UH, ALL PARKING IS LOCATED AT LEAST 50 FEET FROM THE ROAD EDGE.
AND OF COURSE, THE BUILDING IS OF SUFFICIENT SIZE.
STAFF WAS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL.
UH, WE DID HAVE SOME RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS AND THAT IS THAT THE PARKING LOT WOULD BE SEAL COATED AND STRIPED.
THE PARKING PLAN WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, ALL PARKING WILL BE IN DESIGNATED SPACES SO THERE'S NO PARKING ON GRASS OR USING RAMPS OR LIFTS THAT THE PARKING LOT LANDSCAPE ISLANDS WILL BE MULCHED AND MAINTAINED ALONG WITH SOME STREET TREES INSTALLED.
AND, UH, THE POLE SIGN THAT'S EXISTING THERE, WHICH IS, UM, WOULD, WOULD BE PAINTED IF THE, UH, APPLICANT WAS GOING TO PROPOSE TO CONTINUE TO USE IT.
UH, ADDITIONALLY THERE WAS GONNA BE A RESTRICTION ON EXCESSIVE DECORATION.
UM, VEHICLE WASHING WOULD BE PROHIBITED ON THE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, JUST SOME GENERAL LANGUAGE CONDITIONS THAT THE PREMISES MUST COMPLY WITH ALL STATE, LOCAL AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND ALL CONDITIONS THAT, UH, WILL NEED TO BE MET BEFORE THE ISSUANCE OF A BUSINESS ZONING APPROVAL.
SO, UM, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AT ALL ON THIS APPLICATION PLANNING COMMISSION.
DID RECOMMEND FOUR TO ZERO TO APPROVE WITH STAFF'S, UH, CONDITIONS.
UM, JUST SOME PICTURES I SHOWED THAT TO YOU LAST TIME.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING AS WELL, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HIM, BUT I'M ALSO AVAILABLE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WARD OR FOR THE APPLICANT? NO.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST, UH, TO OPERATE A USED AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP ON PARCEL 0 2 5 2 0, EXCUSE ME.
ALSO IDENTIFIED AS 3 8 0 5 OAKLAWN BOULEVARD AS PRESENTED TONIGHT.
I'LL GIVE IT TO COUNSELOR OLE AND SECONDED BY COUNSELOR WHEAT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
OKAY, MR. BESSETTE, CLOSE THIS OUT.
SO WHAT I'M DOING HERE IS PROVIDING ALL THE BUSINESS STATUS REPORT ON THE VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER REPORT CASE.
UM, SO THE CITY OF HOPEWELL INTERVENED IN VIRGINIA, AMERICAN WATERS RATE CASE IN FRONT OF THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION.
VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER WAS, UH, SEEKING TO INCREASE ITS, UM, ITS, ITS BILLING TO ITS RATE PAYERS ON THE BASE OF THEIR HAVING IS, UH, ENGAGED IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT OF THEIR FACILITIES AROUND THE STATE.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT HERE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT HAS EVER INTERVENED IN A RAPE CASE IN FRONT OF STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY ENGAGED IN SOME 115 MILLION IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS SINCE THE LAST RATE CASE OF THEIRS.
UM, AND IN 2025, THEY WERE ABLE TO COMMIT GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO REMOVE, UM, THERE IS, THERE IS A STEP THAT EXISTS IN MOST GREAT CASES IN FRONT OF THE STATE CORPORATION.
THINK ABOUT DOMINION AND, AND POWER AND OR, OR APPALACHIAN POWER FOR THAT MATTER, OR COLUMBIA GAS FOR, FOR THEIR, UM, FOR THEIR RATE
[00:50:01]
CASES.NORMALLY, A UTILITY HAS TO PROVE TO THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION FIRST THAT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT THEY ENGAGED IN WERE, QUOTE, REASONABLE IMPROVEMENT.
AND THEN ONCE THEY CONVINCED THE COMMISSION THAT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY DID WERE REASONABLE, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE, UM, DONE THOSE PROJECTS, THEN THE NEXT STEP IS THEY HAVE TO CONVINCE THE COMMISSION THAT THE AMOUNT OF COST THAT THEY WANT TO, THAT THEY WANT TO PASS ALONG TO THEIR RATE PAYERS IS REASONABLE AND FAIR.
UM, SO WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT WATER AS A UTILITY IN VIRGINIA NOW AS OF 2025, IS WATER UTILITIES UNDER CURRENT LAWS DON'T HAVE TO CONVINCE THE COMMISSION THAT THEY OUGHT TO HAVE ENGAGED IN THOSE PROJECTS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THEY GET TO SKIP STRAIGHT AHEAD TO JUST CONVINCING THE COMMISSION THAT THE AMOUNT OF, THE AMOUNT OF THAT, THAT COST THAT THEY'RE GONNA PASS ALONG TO RATE PAYERS IS REASONABLE AND FAILED.
SO THEY GET TO SKIP THAT WHOLE FIRST PART.
UM, THAT, THAT IS SORT OF WHAT SET US UP TO, TO BE WHERE WE WERE IN FRONT OF, IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION WITH THIS CASE.
SO THIS IS JUST A TIMELINE OF HOW, HOW WE GOT HERE.
THEIR, THEIR ORIGINAL APPLICATION WAS IN NOVEMBER.
UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A HEARING IN FRONT OF THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION, AS SOME FOLKS HERE KNOW, UH, THE CITY SOLICITED FROM ITS CITIZENS' COMMENTS TO THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION, AND A NUMBER OF OUR CITIZENS DID PROVIDE, UH, COMMENTS TO THE COMMISSION.
DO YOU HAVE THAT NUMBER BY CHANCE OR AROUND BALLPARK? I DON'T RECALL WHAT THE NUMBER IS, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT MORE COLDWELL, UH, PROVIDED THEIR COMMENTS THAN CITIZENS OF THE OF, OF ALEXANDRIA, ALEXANDRIA DID.
UM, AND SO IF YOU LOOK, IF YOU LOOK HERE BASED ON, BASED ON THE PERCENTAGES OF RATE PAYERS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND CITY, THE CITY ALSO, UM, CONVINCED PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY TO INTERCEDE.
NOW BECAUSE OF A LOT OF WELL WATER USAGE IN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, THEY ONLY REPRESENTED ABOUT 4% AS BECAME ALEXANDRIA HOPEWELL AND PRINCE GEORGE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN SPENT ON FEES AND COSTS SO THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL IN PARTICULAR, WE, WE, WE HAVE SPENT $16,000 IN, IN LEGAL FEES AND COSTS, UH, UH, PROTECTING OUR, OUR RATE PAYERS HERE TO GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE, THESE ARE JUST SORT OF THE, THE, THE, THE NUMBERS, UH, IN TERMS OF WHERE WE STARTED WITH, UM, VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER'S ORIGINAL ASK COMMISSION, AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THEM DOWN TO, UM, TO BE FRANK, THE REASON WHY ULTIMATELY THIS CASE WAS SETTLED RATHER THAN, RATHER THAN GOING TO AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING AND, AND, AND TRIAL IN FRONT OF A, THEY, THEY DON'T CALL IT TRIAL IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION.
IT'S JUST ALWAYS CALLED A, A HEARING.
BUT THE REASON WE DIDN'T GO ALL THE WAY TO HEARING, TO TRIAL HERE IS BECAUSE FIRST, THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSIONS OWN THE INTERNAL, UM, OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SIGN ON TO THE SETTLEMENT.
UM, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE DECIDED THAT IT WOULD NOT TAKE A POSITION.
AND THEN, AND THEN NEXT WE SAW THAT ALEXANDRIA TOLD US THAT, THAT THEY WERE INCLINED TO AGREE TO THE SETTLEMENT.
NOW I'LL SAY THE SETTLEMENT, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH TWO ROUNDS OF SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND BROUGHT THEM DOWN, UH, TWICE ON EACH.
THE REASON WE COULDN'T BRING THEM DOWN FARTHER IS BECAUSE OF THIS LEGAL LANDSCAPE THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE, THAT WE FACE BECAUSE OF THE 2025 AMENDMENT WITH THE LAW HERE.
UM, BUT OUR INVOLVEMENT HAS DEFINITELY SAVED HOPEWELL CITIZENS, NOT JUST HOPEWELL CITIZENS, BASICALLY ANY, ANYONE, ANYONE AROUND THE STATE WHO'S, WHO'S USING VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER.
OBVIOUSLY THIS, THIS STILL REPRESENTS AN INCREASE IN, IN THAT, IN THAT FEE.
BUT, BUT, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS MONEY AND TIME WELL SPENT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOPE
[00:55:01]
WELL BEING INVOLVED AS COMPARED TO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR TYPICAL RATE PAYER IN ALEXANDRIA, UM, PAINTING A DIFFERENT DIFFERENT PICTURE TO COMMISSION AND THAT, THAT SEEMS TO MATTER IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.UH, SO HERE'S SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE, THAT WERE, UH, SUBMITTED TO THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION.
INTERNALLY HERE WE HAVE WANDA WILLIAMS FROM, UH, DIRECTOR OF DSS.
AND OF COURSE WE HAVE CHARLES BENNETT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM.
AND IF YOU KEEP GOING, I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH THESE, BUT KEEP GOING TO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UM, THESE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER, OTHER COMMENTS THAT, UH, THAT WERE, WERE, UH, SUBMITTED HERE, INCLUDING FROM SOME OF OUR, UM, AND SOME OF SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE.
IF YOU'LL CONTINUE ON AGAIN, MORE, YOU KNOW, JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF, OF HOW MUCH AND HOW AND HOW DETAILED THE, THE, THE COMMENTS THAT WE GOT CONSIDERED.
AND WE GOT, WENT TO THE COMMISSION, COMMISSION, UM, CONSIDERED ALL THESE COMMENTS.
NOW GO DOWN TO THE LAST, LAST PAGE HERE.
SO, UH, WE WE'RE RECORDING ABOUT ANDREA, PRINCE GEORGE AND OTHER LOCALITIES.
UM, WE ARE PROPOSING TO, UH, TO ASK FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES NOT ONLY FROM OUR LOCAL, UM, SENATOR AND DELEGATE, BUT WE THREE LOCALITIES ARE TALKING ABOUT GOING AND SITTING DOWN WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND SEEING IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IS WILLING TO CARRY ON OUR BEHALF AS PART OF HIS OWN LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
UM, FIXING WHAT HAPPENED IN 2025, APPLYING TO, UM, AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN TO WATER AS A UTILITY, SAME, THE SAME REQUIREMENTS FOR INCREASING THEIR RATES, THE, UH, THAT, THAT EVERY OTHER UTILITY FACES IN, IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE PROPOSE TO DO GOING FORWARD.
I WILL SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT WITH VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER IS THAT THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE AGREED AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT PROCESS THAT WHILE THIS IS ALL GOING ON, THAT THE NEXT TIME THEY LOOK FOR A RATE INCREASE, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY'VE AGREED TO WILLINGLY SUBMIT THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION TO THE REASONABLE AND IMPROVEMENT STANDARD FOR, UM, FOR THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
AND WITH THAT, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THEM.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS FOR QUESTIONS.
OH, GO AHEAD, COUNCILOR HARRIS, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, UH, NEGOTIATED WITH THEM TO BRING THESE, UH, PERCENTAGES DOWN, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO AS A COUNCIL TO APPLY ANY MORE PRESSURE TO HELP THESE THINGS BEING THAT ALL OF THE RESPONSES THAT WE'VE SEEN IS COMING FROM OUR CITIZENS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
I JUST WANT TO KNOW, HAVE WE MAXED OUT WHAT WE CAN DO? I, SOMETHING THAT OCCURS TO ME RIGHT NOW IS, IS THIS FALL WHEN, WHEN, UH, WE HOST A HOPEWELL LEGISLATIVE DAY OF UP AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
I SAID, WELL, I GUESS THE REALLY, THE LEGISLATIVE DAY WILL, WILL BE AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, UM, TO, TO GO AND TALK TO OUR LEGISLATORS UP THERE, FOLKS ON COUNCIL, IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN MAKE THE, THE TRIP, COME, COME TO RICHMOND, YOU KNOW, CORNER DELEGATES AND SENATORS AND TELL THEM THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT.
WELL, I KNOW I CAN, UH, SPEAK ON BEHALF OF COUNSEL WHEN I SAY, UH, THANK YOU ANTHONY, UH, TO YOU AND, UM, TO BJ IN YOUR OFFICE.
UM, YOU GUYS REALLY TOOK THE, UH, THE BULL BY THE HORNS ON THIS ONE.
AND, UM, YEAH, WE HAD TO, YOU KNOW, PAY A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE LONG-TERM BENEFIT WAS DEFINITELY WELL WORTH IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, MINIMIZING, UM, A RATE INCREASE AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUT THE SMALL BUSINESSES TOO IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD'VE, UH, THAT WOULD'VE FA FACED THIS BURDEN AS WELL.
SO I REALLY DO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DID ON THIS.
IF I MAY SAY ONE, ONE OTHER THING VERY, VERY BRIEFLY, FIRST ON IN, IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAID
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THAT THE, THE, THE AMOUNT SPENT WAS WELL WORTH IT, I MEAN, E EVERY SINGLE YEAR, THE, THE, THE, THE CITIZENS OF HOPEWELL ARE GOING TO, IN A SENSE SAVE MORE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLES OF, OF WHAT THIS OFFICE SPENT SURE.THE OTHER THING TOO, ON, ON, ON THE TOPIC OF, OF, OF BJ, I, I WANT TO, I WANNA SAY, I KNOW SHE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT, UM, I, I, I WANT TO GIVE MY, MY KUDOS TO HER.
THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY COMPLICATED AREA OF THE LAW, AND ONE IN WHICH SHE WAS NOT FAMILIAR GOING INTO THIS.
AND, AND, AND SHE, SHE KNUCKLED DOWN AND REALLY BECAME VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS.
AND DID THE CITY A GREAT SERVICE? I THINK YES.
AND NOT ONLY SAVED AND ALSO SAVED MONEY ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE FOR CITI, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, MOST CITIZENS REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, CITY HALL STILL HAS TO PAY A WATER BILL.
THE REC CENTER'S GOTTA PAY A WATER BILL.
SOCIAL SERVICES GOTTA PAY A WATER BILL.
AND, UM, YEAH, THAT, THAT SAVED A, A NICE LITTLE CHUNK OF CHANGE FOR US ON OUR SIDE TOO.
UH, WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO SECOND.