Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon, everyone.

Welcome to our meeting this afternoon.

I would officially like to call this meeting's session to order today, Thursday, August 20th. 2026 at 3 PM. The meeting is officially called to order, and we will have our invocation delivered by Mr. Tatum, followed with a pledge by Mr. Jamison. So if you'd please stand.

Good to see everyone here today. Let's pray. Our dear Heavenly Father, we come to you at this time, Lord, thanking you for the privilege and honor of serving the citizens of Franklin County. Lord, we pray that everything that we do and say in this meeting will be according to your precious will and pleasing in your sight. Lord, we pray that everything that we do, that we always look to you for wisdom and guidance in everything that we say and do. In Jesus' name I pray and ask it all. Amen.

Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Okay, thank you all very, very much. You will note at your place that we've got an amended agenda from the one initially sent out with the noted change of an item for the Boone District vacancy at the end of our workday here. But given that, are there any concerns, any additions you'd like to recommend for the agenda? Okay, hearing none, I will accept the motion to approve the agenda as submitted.

So moved. Second.

Thank you. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, likes, sign, and that carries. Okay, Mr. Sandy, we're going to begin our work sessions, and I will turn it over to you to introduce your staff and get us moving here.

All right, thank you. Yeah, we did want to take this opportunity to provide a little update on the progress and activities we're calling it weaver weaver street so this is not only the cte but you know this is referring to the magicraft former magicraft building which is located on weaver street which we intend to have more of a multi-use structure so it's not strictly the cte so so brandy's kind of going to give a more holistic update and then i know supervisor quinn had requested an opportunity to speak more specifically to the cte portion the project and so following Brandi's presentation we have another presentation that Mr. Quinn I don't know if you're gonna do it from your seat or if you're gonna go up there okay we'll make a presentation and then the expectation would maybe be any discussion or questions you know at that point that that we can work work on to address for you either today or come back with further information. And then, you know, once we complete that segment, then we plan to move forward with you with some planning updates and some discussion on a couple of plans.

Thank you.

Brandy.

Good afternoon, Brandy. Good afternoon. It's my pleasure to be here this afternoon to give you guys a brief update on the Weaver Street property. Um, progress and just very quickly to touch on the progress that we've had since our last update. Um, our site cleanup still continues with the assistance of the sheriff's office. Uh, we've removed just over 300 tons of material at this point, um, utilizing, um, labor from their trustees. So we really appreciate the partnership with them. Uh, we have continued communication with our industry experts. Um, these are the group that we interviewed previously when we were determined project delivery strategy. They consist of general contractors, architects, and owner's representatives. We have drafted a request for proposals or an RFP for owner's representative services, which I will touch on that in some future slides. We have collected sample RFPs for architecture or architect engineering services or A&E services as I'll refer to it for the rest of the presentation. We've toured additional E911 facilities, most recently the renovated facility in Pennsylvania County last week. And we are finalizing the disposition of the back parcel. You guys approved the sale of that parcel. And we're going through a little bit of due diligence on that now. We don't have a closing date at this time. So just a reminder, the project delivery strategy that was approved by the board was their traditional design bid build. I won't read through the exact description of it, but it is basically the process that you see most commonly used where you design the facility under an architect engineer, then you put it out to bid, and then you have a general contractor construct it. Looking at the order of priorities on this form of delivery strategy, you typically see cost, time, and then quality. Having quality listed as the third priority is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just the cost and the timing of the building tend to be the higher priority in this type of delivery strategy. Looking at the process under design bid build, we will issue that RFP for owners representative services. Following that, we'll have a request for proposals issued for any services or architect engineer. An architect will be selected and a comprehensive proposal developed, which will include pricing for your schematic design, design development, construction documents, construction administration and so on. We will engage a third-party cost estimator at that point to give us a very detailed estimate of what we feel the project is going to cost. We'll pre-qualify general contractors that may be interested in the project and then issue that invitation for bids for general contractor services. The contract will be awarded to the low bidder and be approved by this board and construction will begin after that. I did want to note that running concurrently with all these steps is engagement with our project partners. So there'll be constant dialogue with our school system, our community colleges, Ferrum College, businesses, economic development, everybody that's going to be key players in this process. So kind of touching on what an owner's representative is, and this is pulled out of the RFP. An owner's representative is a consultant that provides pre-construction and construction phase, construction related project management. It can also include building commission services and a variety of other services if needed. The consultant acts as the owner's project manager and provides sufficient administrative management and related services as required to fulfill the contract. So looking at the pre-construction services, and I won't read these verbatim, they do assist the owner with generating the RFP for architecture and engineer services. They review available programs, plans, specifications, cost estimates, and so on, and lead the kickoff, like the phase-in meeting between the county and our architect. They provide document reviews at various phases of design, looking at programming, constructability, scheduling, construction duration, construction cost. They manage the owner's project and construction budget, compare design phase estimates with budget cost, and prepare and update cash flow analysis. They monitor and maintain overall project master schedule, including major design and pre-construction activity, start and finish dates, review times, and key milestones. They identify potential owner direct procurement strategies and really weigh the benefits and risk of those. Excuse me. Finally, they provide contract administration support. So they're doing invoice review, pay application review, conflict resolution if needed. They do special inspections, direct procurement if we decide to do that, and so on. And very quickly, they also help prepare the potential bidders list for construction. So they'll start what's considered a bidders interest campaign where they're reaching out to contractors that may be interested in bidding the project and that'll be coordinated with our architect. On behalf of the owner, they'll review bid documents prepared by the architect, assist the owner in preparing and placing advertisements to solicit bids for owner-purchased items, and also consultant contracts if needed. They represent the owner and construction pre bid conferences that will be led by our architect, reviewing addenda that are generated during that process for constructability effect on the project, construction budgets and timelines. And finally, they'll assist the county with bid evaluations and selection. Moving to construction services, they provide and maintain onsite management for the project as an agent of the county. They provide and maintain onsite records. They verify that all required permits, bonds, and insurance have been obtained by all parties. They monitor construction contract administration by the architect. They represent the owner at progress meetings with the architect, the contractor, and any other parties needed. They established a program to monitor construction quality, really to guard the owner against any work that does not conform. excuse me, just one second, to the construction contract requirements. In conjunction with the architect and the contractor, they orchestrate a plan for successful building occupancy and acceptance. They review and certify that contractors' construction schedule and schedule of values is prepared in accordance with contract documents and industry practices. They provide regular updates to the Board of Supervisors and the school board on the construction progress. Provide monthly updates including but not limited to a brief description of monthly construction activities and financial information. And at the conclusion of the project, they prepare to deliver, prepare and deliver to the owner a final accounting of the project budget and all closeout reports. So that is my update for you. And I can either answer questions now or if Mr. Quinn would like to do his presentation, we can answer questions after that.

Thank you. Does anybody have any questions for Brandy before Mr. Quinn presents?

I have a couple, Brandy. Do you envision this owner's representative being a person or a company? And I just ask that because it's a pretty diverse set of capabilities. I'm wondering if one person can have that, or are you looking for a company where when you put all the people in that company together, they can provide that service?

I've done both. I've done a regional jail project where we used a single owner's representative that was very specialized in correctional facility design. And I've also used larger groups where if we are looking at public safety section of the building, it may be one representative from their company for that part of it. But if it's CTE, it would be somebody that specializes in that area.

And then I don't see the word quality in here anywhere except in the beginning where it's the third priority. And just wondering how we can ensure that quality is an equally important part of this, where it's almost these three objectives together and maybe quality is third, but it's a very close third to the first two.

I would absolutely agree that it ranks right up there with it. I would say the selection of the best owner's representative, architect, and contractor, they're all going to have to work together to ensure that quality. But having the owner's representative as our boots on the ground every day, truly there to represent us. They're not there to represent the architect. They're not there to represent the contractor. They're there truly to represent us and the construction of that facility. So I think quality would be ensured through that position.

And then the last question, I just wondered if you envisioned the contract with the owner's representative having performance incentives, for example, minimizing ECPs in the construction process and if they were able, cost containment, something around costs so they're financially incented to work with us to minimize ECPs?

I had not considered that, but it's certainly something that we can work into the RFP if that's the desire of the board.

I think it'd be interesting to have a variable component with them where they truly had a financial incentive to help us. It would just align them with us better if they knew that to the extent that they keep the cost where it should be and they don't have overruns and they don't have ECPs that they're rewarded for that too.

Best financial incentives always help.

OK, that's it.

Thank you, Mr. Quinn. Any other questions for Brandy? OK, thank you so much for the update, Brandy. We very much appreciate it. Mr. Quinn.

And as Supervisor Quinn is coming, I think you all have a handout of at least a portion of what he's going to present today just to have in front of you. I don't think it's the complete presentation, but it's most of it.

Yeah, it is the whole one, actually. OK. so anyway thank you for giving me a couple minutes on the agenda today and uh you know i think back to the zoning ordinance and the post-mortem that we did on that and i felt that we didn't have a leader we didn't have an organization in place and we didn't have clear roles and responsibilities and now that's water over the dam but we're facing a much bigger project much bigger risk much more money at stake And we're going down the same path. And we're about a year into the project. And it's not at a point where you blame anybody. It's a time where we can make a midpoint correction and do some things that will really help us assure that the project is going very well. And so there are a couple of things that it just dawned on me, I guess, is all I can say. I wish I had seen this before and I didn't. But oh, well. But I begin I've started seeing some things that that aren't being worked on as quickly as or as effectively as Brandy's piece. So Brandy's piece is like the A plus of the effort right now. And and but I'm seeing other pieces that don't feel like we're getting after them. And it could be. well we don't have a person to do the work or we don't have the budget to do the work or we're not aware that we want to do the work but i'll just give you a couple examples i think back to the presentation that i did in january and i i suggested that we look at this as an educational ecosystem that includes our schools but also the surrounding schools so patrick and henry and western virginia and roanoke and and looking at all of these as your educational ecosystem and taking into mind what you think you need to do given the capabilities that you already have at these schools. And the example I bring up all the time is the welding facilities at Patrick and Henry. And so as you may recall from our tour, it's a multimillion dollar complex. And so the question comes up, well, do we need welding facilities? And I don't have an opinion on that today. I just know it's something that needs to be looked at. And upon further thinking, I realized it's not black or white. It's not yes, we have them or no, we don't. I even thought of there could be combinations and permutations, for example, the first room they have is virtual welding. It's workstations in a classroom where you become an excellent virtual welder and you must become an excellent virtual welder before you move on to stick welding and then on to robotic welding. And so it occurred to me, wow, one solution might be, that you only have virtual welding at RCT because it's pretty inexpensive. And you're getting into the big bucks when you have the stick welding and the robotic welding. And so the kids could go in and they could learn virtual welding and decide, is this really for me? And if yes, will they go on to Patrick and Henry? So I'm not suggesting that that's the solution. I'm just bringing it up to help you understand the complexity in some of these issues because that's just one curriculum decision. The other one I wanted to mention, again, where it doesn't seem like we're getting after this as quickly as we should, when we talked to Dr. Hodges about how they came up with the curriculum, he said, we interviewed every business within 50 miles of the facility, and we asked them what they need. And that became the basis for their curriculum. And so that's a, well, for me, the light bulb went on and I thought, of course, that made sense. It was an awesome way of thinking about your curriculum. And with the Venn diagram I put up, you remember I foresaw businesses being a huge driver of our curriculum here. And you recall his degree is J-O-B, right? He's totally focused on jobs. And I even asked him with that Venn diagram, about the over on the other side where the students want it and the school can give it, but it's not what businesses need. I wondered, do you ever do any courses there? And he said, no, we don't do any courses there. The community college can do that. So as I think about that, I have anecdotal examples where We have the biggest IT services company in the county that's in my area that's 10 miles away, and they haven't been interviewed about their needs for the CTE. And so it's just an anecdotal story, but it's a big company. It's somebody that has a lot of professional services need. And so it's giving me the sense that maybe we don't have... a methodical approach to first do an inventory of all the businesses and then do a priority of all those businesses and then have a system to interview them either in person or with a paper survey. And so then I think about Brandy's way out in front and she's going to need these feeds about what is going to be in the school. She's going to hit a point where she's hitting a wall and she doesn't know the needs. And then the last anecdotal story I'll tell you is I just happened to run into somebody that is from Western Virginia Community College. And he is the person that would be their point of contact for this activity. And he said nobody had reached out to him. And I connected him with Dr. Sears. And that's great, but it makes me wonder how many more pieces am I missing? Because these are just like happenstance in my travels that I'm finding these. So with that, you could put this up. So I really, I just intend to present this one slide, but I have backup and I'll explain how this works. So the biggest part of today is I'm proposing that we should have a project executive that's overseeing all of the activities going on with the CT and that that person should report into Dr. Sears and Steve Sandy. And so this gives you a feel for the boxes of activities. And I'm not wedded to these boxes. There's no pride of authorship in this. This is what I laid out. But I would almost envision you put a project executive in place and you tell that person, what do you want? How do you see this organized? And it could very well be different than this. Maybe they combine two boxes. Maybe I'm missing a box. I've tested this on enough people and nobody's had additions to this. But the idea is you can see the breadth and scope of all the things that have to be going on here and the complexity. And there's huge risks with this project. And I just feel that without this person in place, that we're going to continue down the path with various things like Brandy's piece is going very well, but what's going on with the business community and the outreach. And so how can I change the slides? Because I wanted to go down to one more. Oh, maybe let me try this. Oh, yeah, here it is. OK. So I just wanted to show you. So if I go back here, the second from the left, business and community, is one of the most complex. Because I see it having a lot of school input and a lot of economic development input. But you can see here, I wanted to show you that I have some depth to these boxes. I actually thought about. what would go in each of these boxes. And I can tell you for sure, this isn't complete. I've tested it on a few people and nobody's had other input to it. So this is what we have today. But I would envision once you get into this, you would be tweaking some of these. But you can see, you know, I have the, you know, that inventory and engaging employees within the 50 mile radius. And all this work with the regional colleges, I think is And the marketing for the 1% sales tax referendum, the path we're going down now with that, we're not gonna get it. It's just a shame. We're not gonna, it's not, Dr. Sears, it's not a critique of him. He doesn't have enough on there. We have three town halls at the schools that need HVAC programs, and it's not enough. You're not gonna get people excited to go to a town hall and they hear about an HVAC system. And so there's work there that needs to be done. But when I talk about needing a leader, it's that project executive. When I talk about an organization, it's that executive managing those five boxes of activities that go on. And when I talk about roles and responsibilities, it's looking at each one of these points and deciding, well, first, am I going to do it or not? Or maybe I tweak the text, but who's going to do it? Who's the person? that's responsible for this bullet. That's what I mean by clear roles and responsibilities. At the end of this, every one of these has a person. The Franklin Center is down at the bottom. It's not in order of importance. They were part of my original slideshow. I see them as being an incredibly important part of this. And I'm not sure how they fit in. This is where they fit into me. But maybe somebody says, well, this should be a box all by itself reporting into the project executive. So that's why, to me, this is kind of fluid. But it begins to lay out a leadership model, an organization model, and gives you enough content so you can establish roles and responsibilities to get the work done. So that was everything I have.

okay Dan that's great thank you so much for all the work you put into this I'm gonna open the floor for questions comments mr. Carter yeah thank you thank you Dan that was a good presentation I just had a couple comments I was on the board at Patrick Henry when we started that complex and that virtual welding training piece of the puzzle I think that's perfect for the high school I don't know liability wise if they can advance to a welding booth and all that was one thing I think an IT curriculum for that school is going to be real important for future future jobs and that 1% sales tax if if we want that to pass we have got to step up some marketing for that because people are telling me they are not going to vote for that so we need to i don't know what we need to do but we need to help the school system market that to get that through and that's all i had okay thank you mr carter mr jemison

I agree with Mike on that. Weldon, virtual Weldon, I think that would work great here for the county.

You said it would work great in the county? I think so. Yeah. I had no idea, but it made me realize it wasn't black or white. It's here or not here. There are various combinations and permutations that could work.

there again you talk to the you talk to Virginia Western Patrick Henry they can give you some guides on that give the school or whoever and what they think of it get their opinion of it the the project executive what do you see Dan as far as what kind of experience uh do they need I mean what do you and management I understand how about construction I mean this is this just the Itinerary of what's gonna be taught, what you, they would be in charge of that, or are you talking about the construction also?

No, well, I think it's a very senior executive. It's not a junior person. Their management and leadership skills would be huge. That ability to manage a breadth of functions here. You can see the diversity of the functions. I feel like the facilities and construction activity that we have going on, especially with the construction manager we put here. This is excellent. This is, I have no change. I mean, I talked about a couple questions, but this is perfect. And so now you have a really strong person here reporting into the project executive. Yes, I would think that person needs some construction experience. However, their leadership and management capabilities across a wide and very diverse set of activities is more important. because because you have this area so well taken care of now so but it's mainly curriculum they're looking at right is that what you're thinking i mean that's no wrong so so let's go from the left you have operations and finance right there's this is a box where where you're looking after all of the finances for the school you need a whole separate um ledger, if you will, with revenue and income potentially where you're managing this. I don't think that we, right now, I don't think that we're managing everything under the CTE as a separate function. And we, the Board of Supervisors, should want that. We should want to know what is this costing us? What have we spent? And so this operation and finances is all about that activity. I covered business and community, but the program and the education, the curriculum, the staffing, the program development, I see a lot of that being managed by Dr. Sears. And then governance, when you look at, it's best to just go down through and look at each of the backup slides to see what's in there to really understand. But the other thing that occurred to me as I got into this was I realized it's really not, our role to say, Steve and Dr. Sears, you will have this person. I think it's our role to tell them we need a leader, a clear leader. And if Dr. Sears and Steve said, we can do that, we don't need this person, OK. But my sense is they don't have the bandwidth. I don't think Dr. Sears has the bandwidth. I haven't heard from Steve. but I don't think they have the bandwidth to be overlooking this whole project. But my sense was it's not our job to say this is how the organization should be set up, but it is our job to say you need a leader, you need an organization, and you need clear roles and responsibilities under that so everybody knows what they're doing as we build this massive program.

Mr. Tatum.

Dan, thank you for this presentation. I know you've put a lot of work and a lot of thought into this. The virtual welding, I think, is an outstanding concept, outstanding idea, and would be a great addition to the existing program. But I also think that they currently have a welding booth set up that they're currently using. They're at their current location. Granted, it is small. has its limitations I think that you know the overall setting of the curriculum and everything that's that's we can make recommendations but of course we know the school they set that and you know I don't think that we need to necessarily say well all you're going to do all we're going to permit is virtual activities at the high school level. If you want to take stick welding, you've got to go to Patrick Henry, when they're already offering stick welding in some capacity. I think we need to look at what we currently offer, and we need to look and we need to sit down with our partners on the school board and see what the students are requesting. Because we can have the Taj Mahal out there, and if the students don't want to take it, they're not going to take it. Oh, you know, we need to see where their interest is. And like you said earlier, it doesn't do us much good to train them for the skill and then not be able to use it for a job. And that is 100% true. But on the other side, if they don't have the interest in it, you can't force them to take the class. And so we need to find a happy medium somewhere in there. And I think that's gonna be all of us sitting down, putting our heads together and working with the school board. And like I said, I love the idea of having the project executive, someone as an overseer of the whole program, because that, to me, takes a whole lot of pressure off of Mr. Sandy and Dr. Sears, because they have a pretty big duty as theirself, running the county and running the school system. I just applaud what you've put together here, but I think we need to make sure that we take a look at what we have. We need to take in consideration the interest of the students. And it may be as simple as doing a poll of the students. hey, what would you like to see offered? We might be surprised. I think that's where we need to start, because that's who we're building this for, is our students. I'm not taking any classes there. I already know how to stick weld. Not real good, but I can put two pieces of metal together. We need to make sure that we keep our students involved in this, too, because that's who we're building it for. But thank you again. You've put a lot of hard work into this, and I know you've put a lot of thought into it.

A couple of points just for clarification. So I was using the welding as just an example. I wasn't saying we should have a virtual facility or not. I was just trying to point out, wow, you look at one, this is one thing, welding, right? And it's not as easy as black or white, yes or no. you all of a sudden, as you start dissecting it, you realize, wow, it could be we do virtual welding here, and we don't do stick and robotic. It could be. I don't have a recommendation there. So I just want to be clear. I'm not making a recommendation. I'm not smart enough to make a recommendation in that area. As I thought about it, I was able to do that. that I think about, so I think it's fine to interview the students, but they don't know what they don't know. You know, I think I came out of school and there were history majors, and they're bummed out that they don't have a job, and I hope nobody here is a history major, but they didn't know going into this, that's not gonna give you a job, right? And that Venn diagram I put together where you're looking at what the businesses need, if a business comes out and they say, hey, look, I'll pay you $100,000 if you do this, well, suddenly you're going to have a lot of students interested in doing that, right? They didn't even know about that. A lot of the stuff in that over on the business side is they don't know what they don't know. And so if you do the survey, they're only going to answer a question. from their small little sphere. And that's why I think it's so important to have the businesses. And it's very unclear to me so far how that's going to be done. Is it the school? Is it economic development? Is it the two as a partnership? But I would just propose it's huge. We have to have the business development. If you talk to Dr. Hodges, he couldn't even do this without the business development or the business.

I completely agree. I recall some numbers that was given to this board. And I want to say it was in 2017 or 2018 that there was a study done. And there were over 10,000 job openings within a 60 mile radius of here for machinists. And those are good paying jobs. And it's a big demand.

I know. And it makes the other kind of crossover I'll talk about just is Summit View. So you have people that are looking to bring their businesses in here. And they want to know, do you have workers? lot of cases, we don't have the workers. We don't have the workforce. They're looking for an educated, skilled workforce that they can drop into this. And you think about what Patrick and Henry Community College was doing. They have rooms set up where the company can put in their equipment and be trained on their equipment. And so you say, yes, they might not be trained today, but they can be trained by the time you open up your factory. And so I think it it would make summit view in other areas in the county much more attractive if we start building that base of skills we have a really competent workforce because we don't know they come out of high school and they're not ready to do anything it's unfortunate it's not and it's not a criticism of the high school that's just how high schools are right they don't give you that degree job yeah mr mitchell um i think the biggest takeaway from this and what dan pointed out is

When you break it down into these sections, we want hard clad. We want to know who is going to be responsible for delivering this section. And we want to be able to go to that person and we want to be able to see it happening. um i would be curious and and he's also right in saying that it's not our place to set that up staff's place but it is our place to say well you know along the way we want to see this we want to see how this is progressing we want we want you to take these five pieces and we want updates on them i would be curious for staff to take this cross reference with school system and write in on these things who do you see doing this who do you see hand in the the way your vision and now who do you see handling this who do you see handling this who do you think you're going to need and you know at the end the end of the day you're going to run into this wall of the schools They're going to have this curriculum. I'm sure it's set by the state and stuff and things that have to go in the CTE. We can't decide that for ourselves, but that'd be good information too. So you go to the pieces and say, OK, so program and education, that's the school system side. Who do they see? And go down through there and show us that, who they plan on delivering it. And if they're thinking we need to work this project executive into it, we need to decide that. Because I can also see where you're looking down the line We get five years down the road and we're like, we missed this. We didn't pay any attention to this at all. And maybe if we had somebody's name written right here, we'd say, oh, well, we missed this part. Let's go find this guy and ask him, why didn't you do this?

That's exactly what's going to happen, Nick. Down the road, there's a piece missing. We didn't do this. I can see that. And why didn't we do it? And then you're blaming somebody. Right now, you have a chance, mid-course, set it up. Like you said, who's doing all these pieces? It'd be very interesting to look at.

So I would like to see staff make the changes you think. I mean, Dan's is just a template. take it and go to school systems and and see see how y'all vision these things working out

So thank you. Is that all, Mr. Mitchell? Yes, ma'am. Mr. Quinn, again, thank you for this. I have done two major middle school renovation projects in my career. And I think what you've laid out is precisely the mapping of ensuring that we will have a quality, well-executed project. This is a generational project for our citizens, businesses, and especially our students. And I really do think, you know, I've always been a big proponent of a construction project manager. This project, as I have reviewed it and when you shared your slides with me and so forth, this project is reaching beyond the more thought I've given it beyond the typical construction manager approach. They're certainly enmeshed in this. But with regard to things like curriculum, the schools are going to have to be at the table without question with Mr. Baumgardner and looking at what we're doing curriculum-wise. But to me, in developing the programmatic phase of this project, it's going to have to be that we're doing that 50 mile um you know circumference of business interviews it's going to have to be that we are trying to caucus our families and students at the high school level um and looking um you know looking beyond what we're currently doing what what with what we're doing what's working we're the waiting list etc but i also think a big piece of this because we've we've talked about this school and this project being so generationally driven I think that we've got to make sure we're doing this project with vision in mind. And that is going to come in large part, I think, from seeing what the businesses in today's world are demanding and expecting out of their employees. From the inception of this discussion, gosh, a long time ago, we talked about this business modeling approach. know to bring if it business wants to partner you know with Franklin County that we could set them up and we could bring students in on a mentoring basis and then maybe somewhere along the way we could ensure that student or that company could say if you train and you get you know you get your certification we want you you know it's more intentional right so I think I am in support of the project executive position. One question I do have is how do you see, because I'm thinking, are you envisioning this as a contractual position or a full-time employee?

I believe it's a full-time role.

And what do they do after this?

Well, so that part I'm not sure about. Because when I think about the person that I need to manage this whole project as it is today, that's one person. But then I see, OK, now the school's built, right? Brandy's box is facilities management. Brandy's box goes from a massive undertaking to a tiny piece. And so I see that that person could change over time. Or maybe Steve and Dr. Sears decide they don't need that person. I still think you'll need that person going forward. But I do see the roles and responsibilities for that person changing. And so we'd have to see if the person you put in there in the beginning was able to transition to this new role or not. I can't predict that.

Well, I've seen some localities that have a CIP, you know, project leader, if you will. You know, certainly involved at the project construction and development level. But that person continuing in an oversight role all the while, I mean, if we get this 1%, we'll be able to, you know, consecutively work on school projects that are going to require, you know, what we feel is an accountable and efficient measure. Brandy is excellent. We're so blessed to have you. And Steve has a full plate. And I think my message is we want to make sure that the burden on our staff is not so great that, you know, we're all human. And I think that this board's got a responsibility to make sure that the money that we extend on this project is money that's efficiently scoped out and that it's producing the results that we expect it to be with those expectations being put out in the front commencement of the project. So I like this very much. I do think just this is very preliminary thinking, and I don't mean to be redundant. But I do think that this position could take some roles. I mean, when I think about what's going on at the landfill, when I think about the capital improvement projects that will be going on in public safety, when we think about more infrastructure type projects at Summit View, our park system and so forth. I think that there are roles that could be redefined perhaps and utilized under the auspices of capital improvement planning. So that's kind of me just kind of taking a first blush look at that question that I asked you.

And I agree with that. Just going back for a second, how do you see this project executive evolving? One thing I would say is I see that person always being needed because you have the school and the county and lots of stuff going on in two places. And how do you have somebody at the top that's overseeing what's going on?

Yeah. And the curriculum piece, the schools should play a large role in curriculum. This is what they do. And then you've got your SOQs that have defined expectations and eligibilities for CTE programs for the students in the Commonwealth. But there's also those other avenues that we're discussing, which that to me, the curriculum piece, the program and education piece you articulate, To me, that really becomes a very collaborative discussion with the school system, with Curtis, with doing all of those exercises internally within the school division to assess where they've been, where they are, the solicitation of surveys and what have you. So I think we went into this project saying the Board of Supervisors is going to manage this project. I think this board has been very intentional about that. And the schools are our partner in this, without question. And I think the schools are going to be able to integrate and complement the work from a curriculum standpoint and for identification of need and to help put that wide net out to work with the county and economic development office and with Brandy to ascertain all of those more detailed questions. But in a model that's set up like this, um to me it gives me confidence that we'll get the overview and we'll be able to see what's balancing and what's not balanced you know and we'll have an accountability piece built in through that project executive so i like this and i appreciate your time in putting this together

In the curriculum piece, it's incredibly complicated, I think. It is. That's where a lot of decisions have to be made. I think back to my discussions with Dr. Hodges and the comment about we need to poll the students, he said, you know every year they come to me and they say they want dental hygienists they want a dental hygienist program and he said we've surveyed the whole area and we only need three yeah and so we need 12 people we need a demand of 12 dental hygienists before we will offer a course now maybe our rigor isn't exactly what dr hodges does but you can still think about it and say wow do i really want to offer a dental hygienist program if we only need three where are the other nine people going to go you know or you're are you really going to teach a program for three and and also the other kind of i i'm a huge fan of focusing on the business needs with the student demands almost being secondary and and maybe it can't be as strong as that maybe you have to build some of those student needs in but but to the extent you're doing that they're coming out of the program without a job are they okay with that you know that and but that whole the whole curriculum it's really in two boxes here and maybe maybe one box ends up being all about curriculum i'm not really sure that's why i said these five boxes are in my mind they're kind of fluid they're not fixed but that that guy at the top or woman at the top is the one that would

yeah i mean we've got to be responsive to the needs of franklin county and surrounding areas in terms of that net you know going out over the business communities and we know things here in our county that we do well and you know and i can see that maybe this new cte center and the associated curriculum could be on a continuum Patrick and Henry that you know that there is clear communication and deliberate and intentional planning curriculum to build to the secondary level so I think I think the sky's the limit in terms of what we can do but I don't think and my position is we we need as much information guidance and oversight as we can get and we'll have an outstanding generational project as an outcome anybody else have anything mr. Carter

don't disagree with a lot of what's been said here but and and I think maybe a project executive might be a good thing for this but I personally don't see us creating a full-time another growing government high paying County position when we've got brandy the school systems got Curtis and mr. law I think A project executive might be good to get us through this, but I don't see that myself as a long-term position.

Okay. I think that's a great point. That's why I started out by asking if it was your opinion that it be contractually driven or on a full-time employee basis. And, you know, I think that there are variables within that decision alone that need to be explored, you know, just so we get the outcomes we're looking for.

And I'm not trying to crush it. No, no, no. You're fine. We're growing government here and I don't much like that.

So would you be in favor of a contractual position at this level?

Probably.

I mean, we're just conjecture today. We're just in conjecture.

For me, it'd be easy to make that decision once I see Steve's thoughts on going through and seeing what they come back and say.

Absolutely. Yeah. Just there's another burden for you to carry. Do you have anything to say, Mr. Sandy?

Well, I have a lot of thoughts. I mean, I think, you know, we had talked briefly and I think he's hit a lot of those highlights and a lot of the pillars of what we need to consider through the CTE project. think I appreciate mr. Mitchell's comments I think let us let us take this and kind of work through it because I think what you'll find is we're already doing a number of these things that maybe you you just aren't aware of that are happening and so I think but I think what we will find is through this process we'll find some of those pieces and nuggets that you know either we didn't think of or we're not spending enough attention on but You know, we could come back, like I could have Danny, and probably don't want to do it today, but I could have her come up and speak to all the partnerships that are currently in place and how the high school is already working with the community college on certain programs. And so a lot of those things are, you know, already in place. So I don't want it to sound like, you know, this work session to sound like none of this is being considered or is being, you know, planned because that's certainly not the case here. And so I think great advice to take this, kind of put put the names to and the folks who would be working on these types of things and these type of activities and Kind of be able to report back to you guys kind of with some additional thoughts of of areas We need to spend more attention on in areas that maybe weren't considered and then I think that can lead us to hey We do need some help here or the school needs help over here for this particular aspect of So I think, yeah, I think a lot of great ideas. And we probably talked an hour and a half when we first looked at it, you know, with just kind of thinking through all the different things. And I'll just reiterate, it's a very complex project. And this is only the CTE part. So I don't want to also lose focus of the rest of the building that that we're also working on and developing. And so there's going to be things that we have to decide in particular with the CTE. Is this the school's facility? Is it owned by the county and the schools are leasing it? Is it a community college? Is it shared with the community college? I mean all those kind of things will have to be part of that discussion when it comes to the school system project. Typically those CTE centers, it's a school project and it's a school facility. This is a little different just because of the makeup of the property in the building. And when we start talking about having spaces for economic development and for businesses, that changes that structure a little bit, and it makes it a little more challenging when you have those different relationships. And so all those things I think we can work through, but those are the things that we'll have to consider, and that's where these folks are already working on a number of those concepts and parts of the project.

If you and staff could work on that, and... I think, and then draw a comparative model from what you're going to provide that we already are doing or have scoped out and overlay that with Dan's, you know, his his chart here and in his vision for this and see where potential gaps are. One thing we in government have a really good knack at doing things at a snail's pace. And I'm feeling a little bit of a sense of urgency to get this project moving. And there are things that could be done now that's more on the research-oriented side. You know, without coming to some definite hard conclusions. But we've got to figure out the things that we can start pulling the trigger on while we're making these decisions. Because, you know, I'm not interested in waiting three or four years, you know, for this project to be built. I think we've got to get on it, and we've got to be efficient about it, and we've got to be very intentional about it. Do you agree with that, Mr. Quinn?

100%. Okay. 100%. Because I see Brandy getting to a point where all of a sudden she needs this.

Yeah, exactly.

Well, who's working on it? Well, nobody's working on that, so we'll start it today. Well, now it takes three months to do whatever that is.

And Brandy's got a job. She does a lot of other things, right?

Yeah.

And she's grinning at me. I know she's like going, yes, somebody said that. But so, Dan, thank you.

So, Steve, in addition to doing, Nick articulated that piece really well. Could you come back and tell us the leadership model that you see for this? Like, do you agree it's a project executive or not? You have another alternative. And if you did agree, what would a job description look like for that person in your ideal world?

Sure. OK. Thanks.

All right. Thank you so much, Dan. We appreciate it. Any other questions or comments before we move on?

I think the biggest, I'm probably just repeating myself, but I just want to say it again. The biggest takeaway from this is set deliverables for each section and what person is responsible for those.

That's right.

I think that's the biggest takeaway from this.

And they make it measurable and we can track progress.

And we want to know how they came to it and who did it.

Correct. Agreed upon.

I think the board, you all are in agreement with that. Mr. Carter? Yes. Okay. Very good.

All right. We're going to move on. The next item on our agenda, Mr. Sandy, did that conclude your remarks first? I may have cut you off. No. You okay? Okay. The next item on our agenda, we've got Lisa Cooper coming up. And we're going to, I know Mr. Evans is here, the chair of the planning commission. Welcome, Mr. Evans, to the meeting. And we're going to have, I believe, an overview or an update on the zoning rewrite.

Yeah, let me maybe frame just some reference. So the first thing we did want to just touch on is just I think maybe the shorter conversation is the Planning Commission did a 2232 review, a comprehensive plan review of a cell tower recently and just under state code and and Mr. Dada can jump in if I misspeak at all. But under state code, the Planning Commission decision, whether it's in conformance with the plan, stands and moves forward unless the board decides they want to hold their own public hearing and review the request. And so I think, Mr. Dadak, I think it's a 30 day that the board kind of has to decide if they want to take it up or not. You know, and so since they just took the action last week, Lisa, we just wanted to bring it to the board for the board's attention and possible direction on moving forward.

No statutory deadline absent an appeal. If there's an appeal, you have 60 days to make a decision on it. With no appeal, there's certainly no deadline. But you should act, if not at this work session, at the next public meeting at the latest, what I recommend that you all take it up.

And so really the only action would be is if the board wants to do their own public hearing directing SCAF to schedule a public hearing for that substantial conformance review.

So are the materials, Steve, that we've seen thus far, is there more material that needs to be reviewed at the board level?

If you decided to move forward with public hearing, there is some more materials. We tried to give you enough to give you an idea of kind of what's being requested. So Lisa can maybe speak a little bit more to the site, but basically it's in the Henry area of the county Blue Ridge district. Non-zoned area company is looking to build a new cellular tower. And because of that, it falls under the comp plan conformance review process. And so, Lisa, do you have some slides on this one or just want to speak to a couple of the details of the project?

It's probably still on here, maybe. If I can just speak, the Planning Commission did hold their public hearing on August 11th for a new tower that it's a vertical bridge and Selco partnership with Verizon Wireless. And it's off of Henry Road. It's Cherry Lane. It's a private road. It's about 21.259 acres. It would be about 100 by 100 least area. The tower will be 190 foot in height with four foot lightning rod. It's not high enough to have to have any lighting on the top. Your planning commission did come to the conclusion that it was consistent with your Comprehensive plan policies, goals, objectives, and strategies that it would not be detrimental to the adjacent or surrounding area. It was still in character with the future land use of the community and that such use would be in harmony with the purpose and intent of your comprehensive plan and the community's public health, safety, and general welfare. I will tell you this lot is very wooded. When the Planning Commission did the site visit, they basically went on the private road, really couldn't go any further because it is so wooded. And of course, the company will only cut down the trees that they need to get to the leased area, which was shown in your packet on... I think it was number 17. I would be glad to answer any questions. I know I was out of the office that day and one of the staff members was trying to get a hold of me with a Verizon cell phone and it wouldn't go through. so we did have a couple of one or two people that lived in the area against they didn't think that they needed a cell tower they really did not want it they had concerns from the health of it to just being there there was one gentleman that spoke in favor of it his mother lived close it will in this area and all she has is a cell phone and he's concerned when he's at work that if something happens to her, she wouldn't be able to get anybody there. So you kind of had both sides, um, of people talking. So, um, but the planning commission did, um, decide a six O vote. There was one, uh, planning commission member absent.

okay all right um does that conclude your remarks lisa uh yes ma'am okay so what i'd like to do yes open up the dais mr tatum okay i guess my question in in that area there's a cell phone tower on brown hill which is the mountain then you have the tower there at the henry fire department which is 195 foot tower that currently has nothing on it And then this tower is going to be less than a mile from that tower. Do we need that many towers within such a short span? And could the tower there at the Henry Fire Department be utilized instead of building a new tower?

I do have a map that was a couple of maps that were supplied to me by the cell. them the question of why they were not co-locating on the one at the rescue or at the Henry firehouse was this is the explanation they gave me the one that you're talking about that's north of the Henry tower that is owned by T-Mobile now and Verizon is already on it for them to locate on the tower at the firehouse would not give them the coverage that they needed. So they wanted a new tower at the location that they're posed, that they could get more individuals. Because of the two towers, of being on the one on Brown, that if they had a tower a distance away from that one, then they could get more coverage. And that was the explanation that I got. And that was the one that was given at the public hearing. even though it's just a mile yes and i guess that's up to the board of supervisors if you would like us to dig into it more deeply with the company if you want to hold a public hearing then you could do

it is your right to do the 15.2 22 32 review you don't have to accept um planning commission's recommendation but i mean correct me if i'm wrong um if this is in conformance with the cop plan um under state law it should be approved if there's alignment would that be an accurate statement

Yes, I mean it should be approved but if I will say this even though it staff supported it that was it in compliance and so did the Planning Commission if there are concerns of the Board of Supervisors I don't think it would hurt. if there was some questions that you wanted answered. Or I guess we have a little bit of time that we might be able to get answers without you having a public hearing.

Yeah, I was going to suggest perhaps if there were specific questions, we could have them maybe provide some more information before the board's next meeting and then the board could decide at that point whether to move forward with the public hearing or let it ride.

So Mr. Tatum, I want to make sure that your questions have been.

Yes, she's answered my question. I'm not sure that I'm satisfied with the answer, but I would like more information if we could get it.

Mr. Carter?

yeah thank you Lisa I was at the planning hearing and there was some discussion about an emergency module on the tower and I didn't exactly understand what all they were talking about the new tower they've got spaces for I don't know three or four modules and then if there's room they'll let us put an emergency thing but it was sort of like They didn't guarantee that. It was like if there was space, they would. And for me personally, since we don't have that on the Henry Tower, I would like for them to agree to give us space for an emergency, whatever it is.

Well, we what they what we usually are, what we have done in the past is we have always asked to have space on any tower for emergency services, and they hadn't planned For that, they had just planned for other cell companies to be on there. So what we did after the meeting is I got with Mr. Sandy and Fire and EMS to see if they wanted to co-locate on this tower. And they didn't feel that there was any need for them to co-locate on it. So that issue, I won't say has died, but it doesn't seem like the public safety wants to be on the tower that we're talking about today.

So they don't need it. Well, I can expand. They're on the Brownville Tower already. Okay. Which is the one Mr. Tatum was referring to. So it's too close to need another tower.

I didn't understand that exactly, but... I didn't want to build a new tower and then us not have an emergency.

Yeah, so we're comfortable that the fact that we have space on that tower, and then as Mr. Tatum mentioned, if for some reason that other tower went away, there is the tower at Henry that I think would be kind of our fallback option if we needed a location in the Henry area. But right now we have those facilities on the Brown Hill Tower, and we're satisfied with those.

So any other questions, Mr. Mitchell?

Did y'all say this is Verizon wanting to do this one?

It is Verizon, I guess, will be the top one. And the company that would be building it, as my understanding, would be that Vertical Bridge and Selco partnership.

So this is a. tower builder tower speculator and they're so they would be the ones building the tower i think mr quinn maybe even mentioned it at the last meeting that verizon is kind of getting away from building their own towers so this group would build the tower for verizon in this location is this group comprised of any individuals we've worked with in the past

I don't think so. The two gentlemen that I worked with and staff worked with, I had never seen them before.

Verizon's been supposed to come to Snow Creek for the last three Augusts. So I'm glad they're coming here. You know what I mean? I do. I don't have a problem with this at all. If it's going to expand service, people in Snow Creek would love to have this coming to them. And I'm not dabbling in a 22-32 conformance review. I've done learned my lesson on it. Last time I fussed that the Planning Commission didn't take the action they were supposed to, they did it this time, and I have no interest in a public hearing on this.

Okay, before I solicit that level of feedback, Mr. Jamison, did you have something?

Verizon there at Callaway, about, I don't know, six months ago, we went with Verizon. Great. About two months. It ain't worth a crap now. We got no coverage here at all. Drop loans. You call, anybody that's called me, we'll be sitting there talking. It just goes away. And I don't know that this is going to give us any coverage in Callaway area, but like I said, it's very disappointing for us in that area now. And everybody's having the same problem in that area.

We had a tough time having a conversation. What was it? Yesterday or day before yesterday?

Yeah. Twice, three times.

Yeah. Yeah.

You know, within probably two minutes.

Yeah. So are there any other comments on this before we get to the question? Okay. So the question before us today, unless Steve, Lisa, if you have any closing remarks on this matter before we kind of give an opinion on whether we want to engage in a public hearing.

I I do not just if if you decide if you don't want to decide today if you want a public hearing, but you want additional information just right. I would like it to be. somewhat specific so that I could go back to the company.

That's fair. Okay, so what is your desire? Let's just kind of poll. Mr. Jamison, would you like to get additional information or do you want a public hearing or do you want to defer?

Like I said, I don't think it's going to affect us there any more than it is now right now, but you don't think I'd ask that we get it in Cali. I didn't build one in Cali if I had to do it in Snow Creek.

So you got to answer my question still.

I'm going to go ahead and do it. I'm pulling.

All right. So you don't want the board to conduct a public hearing?

No.

And so you're willing. I just want to reaffirm that the planning commission's recommendation stands good with you.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Mr. Tatum.

I'm not going to hold it up. There are people in that area in the lower part of this map that. will benefit from this tower and those people been living there for my whole life and they probably have never had cell phone service in their life. I'm not gonna hold up the project. Let it move forward.

Well, Mr. Tatum, what I would suggest is we'll see where we are. But there's nothing to keep you from giving Mr. Sandy some questions and Lisa some inquiries just to get your questions answered.

Yeah. And I will do that. I would like to find out what is the status of the tower at the Henry Fire Department. Since Scientech, I don't think, is no longer in existence. And they were the only ones on that tower. You know, right now I've got 195 foot tower sitting right there in the parking lot, the Henry Fire Department and not serving a purpose of an asshole.

Mr. Carter. I'm good with moving forward with no public here this man Mister Mitchell Mister Quinn agree and I'm in agreement as well on so the conclusion is that the board on supports on the planning commissions rendering and it is our desire to not have a public hearing at our level and we're going to leave it that if individual supervisors you know have additional questions Lisa hopefully between you and Steve that they can get their questions answered in the interim it does that give you what you need I think it does are you sure I think so I just want to make sure do you want me to dive in why they're building a new tower or not I would appreciate an answer okay

i mean it doesn't have to be anything formal just do you want to do you want to hold up this cons no don't hold it up are you sure yeah move forward but i would like to know why why it's more feasible for them to build a new tower than just to go on an existing one that's within a mile of where they're going to build i think that's a reasonable question okay well i'm not answering for them and victor he may remember but there was something about the elevations it it's why they

Mr. Evans, if you'd like to comment, you're more than welcome to.

Something that I didn't say, that would be great.

Madam Chair, county supervisors, that was a concern. The topography of the area is a problem. And to truly get the coverage, as Ms. Cooper had mentioned, You have to have it a little bit farther out than the proximity to Brown Hill Tower is too close to make it worthwhile. So having it further out, then you get the extension because they only go but so many miles with line of sight. So topography was the big issue as to why it wasn't effective to use the one at the station.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay, so Lisa, are you clear? If you have any questions for us or need clarification?

They have actually, the company has asked me today if I had heard anything because they're waiting. And so I can send them an email asking for some more information that maybe we can put in a Friday packet or something like that.

Okay, so you're next up with, Mr. Sandy may be opening remarks on the zoning ordinance review.

Yes, yeah, I'll open with a few comments. And you kind of already met Mr. Chair of the Planning Commission, Victor Evans. And so we wanted to have an opportunity to provide an update. So just a quick historical recap. Of course, in this room, I believe it was May 17th, We had a joint work session with the Planning Commission to really look at the first draft of the zoning ordinance that was prepared by our consultant, the Berkeley Group. At that time, the Planning Commission had requested that they be allowed to basically take that draft back and work on it some more. They weren't comfortable with where it was in that current draft form. And the board's direction to them was, Yes, go ahead and do that. Take as much time as you need. You know, when you're ready, bring it back. And so since that time, the Planning Commission has been working through what that process would look like and how they would kind of attack that, that revisiting the document, so to speak. I think in the meantime, they had two members come off and had two new members come on. And so it's been two or three months that they've kind of talked through this and worked through a possible schedule. for reviewing and updating the ordinance. And so I thought it was a good opportunity and they were at a good point that they had come up with some ideas for them to come and present kind of what they've discussed and kind of where they are at the moment. I think the plan, I think the intention is that that plan can be flexible as they move through it. but they wanted to set up a template to follow for updating the plan or updating the ordinance. I think one of, probably after Victor presents, I think one of the key things that he and I both would really love to see some interaction from the board is what does the update process look like with the board what is the level of engagement the board would like to have does that look like regular updates from from the chair and in a in a work session like this is it joint work sessions on a quarterly basis between the planning commission and board what is the expectation and what is the level of kind of interaction that the board would like to have along the way during this process i know there was concerns mentioned previously about not being updated during the two years that we worked with the consultant. And so we definitely want to make sure that you guys feel like you're part of the effort, you're understanding where it is in the process if that's where you want to be. And so I think that's some direction that I think Victor is here today to kind of seeking how that would fit into the schedule and maybe how that would modify or adjust the schedule depending on what that looks like. So with that, I'm happy to turn it over to Victor to kind of outline what their discussions have been. And there's kind of a schedule that had been floated around of some things that he had worked through with the planning commission. So unfortunately, Mr. Jefferson, I think, is out of town, the vice chair. I think he probably would have come with you and helped you with the presentation. But thank you for coming. We appreciate you being here today.

Thank you so much. The floor is yours, sir.

Thank you, Madam Chair and County Supervisors. I am the new chair for the Planning Commission, so I'm now in my second month. But since there was a joint decision that what was being proposed for a zoning ordinance didn't really meet the quality or the standards of what we wanted to be as a zoning ordinance. And we took on that task, as you requested, for us to complete a review of the proposed zoning ordinance. What you have before you is what we've determined is our current work schedule and calendar of we started on the end of June where we were trying to develop both an action plan and then what that schedule should be so that and then to present this to you so you're aware of how we want to go about doing what you asked us to do. The way to read that is we do have things in something of a sequential order from articles one through article nine in that we want to make sure as we're tackling this, and I'll tell you a little bit about how that's going, but as we're tackling the review, we're creating, we're ensuring we understand what solid foundation needs to exist and use those as building blocks as we go through the rest of the articles to see that the fundamentals are, we adhere to the fundamentals throughout the whole zoning ordinance. What will happen is with every section that we're going to look at, staff will be presenting to us pointing out three things. First of all, we want to know what it is that staff who has to work with the zoning ordinance on a routine basis to see to it that they have consistent guidance and decision making with the citizens. What is it that you really wanted in a zoning ordinance? We want to know what is it that staff wanted? Second thing, what is it that has to be in a zoning ordinance to be in compliance with the Code of Virginia? The third thing is what is it that was carried over from the existing zoning ordinance so that we know this is not new, it's what we've been working with. That leaves us with the fourth, item or component of the zoning ordinance, and that is what was proposed as best practices. Whether they're really good practice worthy of being in Franklin County, we don't know yet. So we'll know what it is that staff really wanted, what's required by Code of Virginia, what's carried over from the current zoning ordinance, and then what are best practice suggestions. In each one of those occasions, the Planning Commission will make a decision as to whether we like what's being presented as written, whether it needs to be reworded to be more appropriate, or whether it should be deleted, whether it's a best practice or a carryover or whatever. We're going to take a look at that. Obviously, if it's required by Code of Virginia, we have no say. But we want to make sure that everybody understands those three components, and the fourth being best practice as to whether we're going to add that. The way it's laid out is we decided to add two Wednesdays to our one monthly meeting. So there will be potential for a total of three meetings a month as we go about conducting our work sessions. The code there, SV, that's the day that we typically have site visits, our monthly site visit day. Followed by now we will do these work sessions in the boardroom because of this live streaming So they'll enable our residents to be able to stay involved whether they come here physically or because the live streaming So it's Wednesdays here Site visit day and we expect our work sessions to be about three hours The P slash H question mark well, that's our monthly public hearing meeting Now, there have been times where we only have to have a public hearing for one, maybe two applications, which leaves plenty of time that evening for us to also squeeze in another work session. At this point in time, it's hard to tell which one of our public hearings throughout the year are going to be light or heavy. So that's why it's the question mark there. So when it's possible, we'll squeeze in more. And then the fourth Wednesday of every month, that's that X you see. will be dedicated to work sessions when we went through the trying to come up with the schedule we anticipated how many work sessions would be appropriate given the subject matter built into that is we added the our public hearing days so there's a little flexibility in thinking that somehow or another this schedule could hold up knowing full well that no schedule last, scheduling for more than a month or two is gonna hold up. So this room has been reserved to the end of October, 2027. However, if this schedule does hold up, we think we'll have a, we've completed all the work sessions necessary to be able to conduct our own public hearing to determine whether it's worthy of adoption by the Board of Supervisors. So thinking that could be done in August or September of 2027, we would have a complete zoning ordinance proposed by us as saying it's adoption worthy for you. Not included in this work session, in this calendar, is the frequency of which you would like to be updated. Now, when we talked back in May at our joint meeting, the idea of having joint meetings to stay abreast of each other's desires and progress, or whether it needs to be a presentation like this. So two things. One, you see the calendar before you. And the other one is, how would you like to be updated? Joint meetings, which have to be scheduled. Our recommendation, if we're going to do joint meetings, is every four months. We think that's enough time for us to make some real substantive progress to have something worthwhile to come and present at a joint meeting. But if you want them more frequently or quarterly or six months, whatever. So that's my question now.

OK. Thank you, Mr. Evans. You want me just to pause here and?

And then I'm going to mention something else. But yes, I'm going to pause here.

Do you want to continue before we?

No, I'd like to know what the desire is in the board.

Fair enough. So I think what I hear you saying, Mr. Evans, is that you're recommending quarterly.

Four months.

Every four months. OK. All right. All right, so what I would like to do is poll supervisors as to what, obviously this is new stuff for us, but do you have any initial reactions to this, Mr. Jamison?

I have no problem with full modes. That's what works for the board there.

And would that be a joint session of the two bodies?

I don't really know I don't think so I think the board itself would be surprised to me

Yeah, we'll see what everybody says, but I'm just kind of looking at body language. I'm kind of thinking that these every four month updates could be you and or Ron coming and having an overview presentation to the board. We'll just stop there for the moment. Tim?

I'm good with every four months, and I like the idea of

either he coming in or ron or both come in and just present and that way it doesn't tie up all the commissioners on the planning commission so often mr carter yeah i'm fine with every four months but i think if it would be possible uh if you all could email us the updates like when you go through articles one through three and that's complete if you all could email that to us so we could see it and you wouldn't necessarily have to update it but I'd like to see what's been done and I don't disagree with your four parts you started off with but you need a fifth part what the citizens want because we got a lot of feedback from the citizens and I want to make sure that you all get that in this rework

that's all i have thank you mr carter mr mitchell i'm fine with him coming every four months i've had some pretty constructive conversations with my planning commissioner already we've had some good talks about how we saw things going forward um i agree with uh mike there about the um about the citizen input but also i asked that the planning commission be very wary about not letting a few people, drag them around to decide what the future of this ordinance looks like for the county, to be mindful of the county as a whole and not a small piece of it.

Very good. Thank you. Mr. Quinn.

I think the four months works as a placeholder. One thought is I start thinking about the updates that you'll have, and you might find, wow, there's a lot of stuff here, and maybe we should do it earlier because there's so much stuff to work. And so, yes, we have it scheduled for four months, but you suddenly realize three months is more appropriate. And then the other comment I'm thinking about is how you prep us. Because I think about when the consultant wanted feedback, she handed us a 300-page book and said, do you have any questions? And that didn't work at all. I think you've talked about, I always come back to discretionary changes and non-discretionary. the non-discretionary our state mandates that you have to do or you found mistakes that have to be cleaned up those were non-discretionary but we encountered a lot of changes that were discretionary like the bees and chickens and and subdividing the farmland and i'm sure they're a lot more and those those are going to require a lot of discussions and in fact i think it'll be helpful as you look out for for you to bring stuff to us like that and almost ask us for a vote, because so many of them, they're not black and white. They're not right or wrong. I think there'll be different opinions on them. So anyway, that's more than you wanted, but yes. Just one last change. I do understand why you're using the current draft as opposed to going back to our old draft. That makes a lot of sense to me. However, it's now going to be more difficult for you to tell us what changed because you don't have that red line version to go from what it was to what it is. You only have what it is. And so it's going to be a little trickier for you to identify what changed and what are material changes that we really need to focus on.

Yeah, thank you Mr. Quinn. If I may, Mr. Evans, I think my colleagues are hitting on some really good points. I really do, I like the every four months and I definitely think that incremental updates by section would be most helpful. So it's a lot for us to just get, you know, the next draft and just be charged with, you know, sitting and reviewing, you know, copious pages of this. And we'll be able to, you know, give more direct attention to it in that way. I could envision, depending upon the Planning Commission's progress, we might want to have, I don't know, I'm thinking off the cuff here, we might want to have a joint meeting with the Planning Commission prior to the Planning Commission's presentation and recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. But that's not anything that I'm saying go do. I'm just thinking out loud a little bit. My question to myself is, is there a time where we might want to engage both bodies around the table just to cover thoughts, questions? And at that point, we would have the benefit of the full draft. Does that make sense?

I would recommend that there at least be one or two joint sessions because in that kind of a meeting, there's an open discussion and a better clear understanding of us and the entire board as to when that should be done. I guess as we proceed, it'll become more obvious as to when's a good point to request that.

Sure, and this is a fluid process, obviously, as you were saying with the work sessions and all. Golly, if we could get done before next fall, that would be fantastic, but nobody wants to meet five times a month either. And your meetings are three hours long is what you're projecting anyway. I would and I don't know what your preparation is going to be with regard to illustrating changes over the current draft because we're not working on will you tell me the changes are you are you guys looking at the changes over the current ordinance or the draft mostly we're going to use the format of what has been proposed

But the content of what's in Chapter 25 of your current zoning ordinance, I'd also like to point out, we're not going to lose track of that. But we're also, in our work sessions, we came up with a four-page action plan to account for the fact that we've received a massive amount of input from our residents. And we're going to divvy all those questions and concerns and comments up amongst all of us to see to it for all the time the citizens put into giving us feedback, to be in fact look at it, address it. And so as we're going through the entire zoning ordinance, we're making sure what it is that came up in just two of these, a lot of comments, that were they addressed? And if they weren't, we'll know which still needs to be addressed. So we're going to take care of that also. The matter of citizen participation, We have said for our work sessions we have two sign-up sheets based on the topic, people self-identify as subject matter experts, they get to speak first, and then we'll open it up to the comments from the residents. So it's like a general public comment period. because we realize that without the citizens' support and their genuine concern now to move forward without their ability to feel comfortable with it would just be counterproductive.

Well, to Mr. Mitchell's point, I want to make sure that there is very, very good fluid communication across the entire county. Yes. Making sure our residents know from every facet of our county footprint what's going on, what the dates are. Maybe if there is any way to put, you know, some marginal updates on the website. I don't know what your mechanisms in place are, but I want to make sure that we have opportunities to hear from each and every citizen across the county should they wish to do so.

Mrs. Cooper and the planning department has come up with a new system by which to alert the community. Yes, yes, yes. And they will be seeing this schedule now that you've seen it and you agree with it.

Now, Victor, I will interrupt you to say that if you're working on the emergency alert system, or I'm not even sure I'm characterizing it, that's for people that sign up. If you're not signed up, you're not reached, right?

Yes, ma'am. It is for people that have signed up.

So we're still going to miss people.

There'll be two methods. I mean, we do have a lot of public participation that they're aware of what we're doing. And they're also assisting us with getting the word out so that they know that on the county website, this schedule will be posted with topic issues. And we're working on making sure that in preparation for each of these work sessions, the company documents are well identified so people can review them too prior to the work session.

Yeah, I just don't want to take for granted that that system is adequate. You know, that was one of the big problems we had, lessons learned, you know, to make sure that we are reaching our public and our citizens. This is their, you know, documents, our guiding legal document. So I don't think we can do enough. to ensure that our citizens are being reached. Ms. Cooper, did you have something?

Yes, and we're still keeping up the page for the zoning ordinance, and that notifies individuals, too, when we put something new up there, so we'll be using that also. I thought about, too, it doesn't... Reach everybody, but we still do the planning monthly. There's always space where we could put something about what staff should know if we're far ahead or if we're running a little bit behind of what articles we would be talking about or if it's just one article. I can probably, I thought about talking to Mr. Tosh and see if he had any other ideas to be able to get the word out. I mean, we can put it on our Facebook page, have it on our website, have it on that site to try to get out to people to at least get them to look at to see what affects them.

Yeah, and I think the board's in concurrence about the communication pieces. Am I not speaking representative of everyone up here? So that's great. So Victor, back to my question. You're going to be evaluating against the draft keeping in mind what the foundational document looks like will you be able to redline your changes so that we can we don't have to read everything and look at footnotes can you redline your changes i think given what

That's challenging because the way Chapter 25 is set up versus the new format that we're using to identify via redlining process has been the challenge. My expectation is that you'll be able to, my desire is to see to it that it's obvious as to what got removed or carried over.

I would just ask you keep that in mind as a request. That's just me. I don't know what the board, you know, the board.

I think everybody wants that.

Okay. Well, my colleagues can weigh in as they wish.

We support that.

Okay. Anybody else on the board have any, Mr. Taylor?

Just one request, Lisa, if you could. When you put this information out, you may put an asterisk that this pertains to the zoned sections of Franklin County and not the unzoned sections of Franklin County. Okay. So the little lady that called me back in the spring was scared to death that she was going to have to get rid of her chickens. And, I mean, she was scared. Right. And because she didn't understand, she's probably in her early 80s, and this really worried her and assured her that she did not have to get rid of her chickens. So if you will, put that on there, that this is for the zoned area, not the unzoned area.

And my closing remark, if I could, and of course, my colleagues may have some closing remarks. I think you've heard me say numerous times, I think the board has even said it, my personal opinion on the document that we had, we want to see a document that is Franklin County centric. And I know it's helpful to do other locality comparisons to see where we to see where we sit regionally perhaps. But, you know, the focus on making sure that the needs of Franklin County are being met through the zoning ordinance and with best practices, of course, in place. Finding that balance, I think, is going to be critical.

I think what we believe you'll end up with is a document that can take on any kind of question. Yes. And have staff be able to provide leadership answers and also citizens answers because of the way it's going to be formatted. You take your specific issue or scenario and you know where those different aspects align. so that we're not talking about, well, I don't know, let's make a good guess. That's what we're trying to make happen with the new format that's possible. I do have one more thing to bring up.

Oh, please. I'm sorry. Please go ahead.

So I'm assuming right now this schedule is we can move forward with and that we're going to go ahead analyzing the format that was proposed to make sure it is very user-friendly. That's our objective.

Let's get a quick okay. Is everybody okay with the schedule and the formatting that's been discussed? Okay, there you go, Victor.

I want to take this opportunity to inform the board that our monthly meetings have several public comment recommendations that we focus our initial efforts on simply drafting an amendment to the current zoning ordinance that addresses all conditions and standards related to data centers. I thought it was incumbent upon us to make you aware I'm sure you are but that we have been asked by the citizens to instead of waiting for the entire zoning ordinance to be reviewed and proposed as adoption ready Data centers right now in this format is in during the commercial industrial section So we're talking about March We don't know what the desire is of the board. Right now what we did is we gave you what you asked us to do. This is our process. But we don't know if the board says, you know, there are certain things that we feel are so important, let's get them done first now. As you go through the process of reviewing, you can get back to that. But there's certain things you want done now. Obviously, data centers are the popular thing. So we just wanted to ask if the board wants us to proceed as scheduled, or is there something you think we should do now as a proposed amendment to the current zoning ordinance?

OK, that's a great question. Let's have some feedback. Mr. Tatum.

Personally, I think this needs to be a countywide ordinance that we need to look at. I'm sorry. This particular item needs to be looked at as a countywide ordinance similar to our solar farm ordinance that we have that limits the acreage and sets the guidelines as far as setbacks and this sort of thing. not just protection and in the zoned areas. This is something that we need countywide so that the entire county is protected because this is a major concern for everybody in Franklin County. And, you know, right now I've had I've been explaining to people left and right in my district that where we're not zoned, that we currently have no protections against data center and so that may require some some help from our our county attorney as some guidance as to where to go with this but I would like to see this expanded not just for as a zoning ordinance plan as part of our county zoning but a ordinance countywide that puts some restrictions in place that we can enforce, that offers some protections.

So, Mr. Tatum, what I'm hearing with the question that's on the table is you would like the data center ordinance to be pulled, to be worked on?

I'd like for it, it needs to be immediate. Okay, that's the feedback we need. That's important to the people and we need to get those standards in place and those protections in place.

All right Mister Mitchell, thank you Mister Tatum.

So Supervisor Tatum has brought that up several times. So Mister Didak, would you please give us an answer on how an ordinance works in an unzoned area and what type of protection there is in an unzoned area for these type things.

It's going to be hard on data centers, on the solar farms. The reason the comp plan gives protection to zoned areas is a 2232 review, which gives you that enforcement mechanism where you actually have to approve a solar farm in non-zoned areas. Without that review, you could have solar farm language in your comp plan, but you have no way to enforce it because they would never have to come to you for approval. As part of this process, I will keep looking, but I'll be honest, You can enforce building code, fire code, electrical code, things that are countywide and that have statutory basis in something other than zoning. But the problem is, in terms of regulating land use, the Attorney General opinions, the law is pretty clear. It's zoning where the county can use police powers to regulate land use. We will look at every possible Avenue in terms of what other enforcement they can be but it's gonna be hard we will take a close look but It doesn't have an easy answer like the solar farms do where there is a comp plan review that requires approval So zoning being the only way to affect land use That is the only way to regulate land use. That's correct. For example, with the short-term rentals, there's a statute that talks about that you can require registration of short-term rentals. And that's how we have that in non-zoned areas. But for non-zoned areas, you have to find a statutory authority other than zoning for you to do anything in terms of land use in your non-zoned areas. Obviously, you've got building permits, all that. That's countywide. That's not zoning. But to regulate the land use, to approve a land use, that's zoning.

So that's how you have a control over short-term rentals, mobile home parks, and things like that in a non-zoned area. But when it comes to a land use, which for these examples would be solar farms and data centers, there is no protection in an unzoned.

Well, for solar farms, they're considered a utility facility. So they had a 2232 review process. But if they come up in conformance, if they come up in conformance, We're obligated by law. That's correct. So, for example, data centers right now, you could add comp plan language, but it would never come to you as a comp plan approval unless they make data centers a utility facility on 2232, but that's up to Richmond, unfortunately. So we could change that in the comp plan, and they can still get around it? That's right. Because there's no enforcement mechanism right now under a statutory scheme that Richmond's giving you.

Because like with the utility solar farms, you know, we've got a 1500 acre cap. And so because we question this fairly recently about the non zoned areas and if their acreage counted against the overall county cap of 1500 acres. And I believe if I'm correct, that the non zoned areas are included. and add it into that number. Am I correct in that?

And that's correct. And again, that's because of 2232 review. For example, you can have your comp plan and acreage limits for anything you want, right? But without you having to approve it, you can have an acreage cap for industrial stock farms, right? But poultry farms, but industrial poultry farms never come to you in a non-zone area for approval. So you just have no enforcement mechanism.

Can that cap be reduced and changed?

For solar farms, sure. Now, the only problem you'd run into if you've already approved above that cap, you probably can't take away an already approved. I assume for solar farms, the example, if you lowered the cap and you already approved a solar farm and the acreage cap exceeds that, you're going to come into a vested right issue. But yeah, you can change the cap.

I'm going to take it just a step deeper. If you went in the comp plan and decided, You want to take it down to nothing. Say we want to drop it to the amount of acres we have right now that we've already approved. I think the county, so the other night, that makes three. If we want to drop it to where those are now, how would that play out? For example, let's say there was one that already came forward, got denied, and wanted to come back and try again like the last one did. but you dropped the total acreage in your comp plan, how would that play out in court?

Oh, in court, I can't guarantee that, right? I mean, I suppose they challenge the constitutionality and whatever arguments they come up with as to the cap, but it would certainly be defensible on 2232 review for denial because it would be in your comp plan. You know, how that plays out in court, I can't guarantee you, but certainly you have an enforcement mechanism that's defensible. It's in your comp plan. Comp plan is what you look at for your 2232 review. It dictates the 2232 review. It's not a guide like in special use permits. It's the end all be all, right? So that would give you grounds for denial of another solar farm if you already hit your cap.

Does that answer the question about the non-zoned areas?

Administrator, we will continue looking at what potential enforcement mechanisms there are. There just is no easy way.

Yeah, I think you have to be careful of confusing the solar and the data centers. They're not treated the same by the state legislation. That's right. State legislation specifically considers solar a utility, which is why they're reviewed under 2232. They do not have the same language for data centers. Right, at this time. Correct.

Subject to change. Yeah.

so we need to lobby richmond yes okay yes sir and as far as the data centers we in the unzoned we have we cannot put restrictions on it as far as noise power water anything like that even in the non-zone areas you cannot put any restrictions that don't apply to

everything right you can have your noise ordinance can be non-zone areas but it'll have to be a county-wide noise noise ordinance right you can't specify for this use we have a noise ordinance of x but if i can just interrupt briefly mr jameson but to his point

the noise piece like if if the planning commission is going to articulate with more specificity then we have a noise ordinance so is it implied that the county-wide noise ordinance is implied in a data center in a non-zoned area or does it have to be spelled out as such

I think I can speak to that because it's really our current noise ordinance is really for amplified sound. So it really doesn't apply to the zoned area, to be honest, unless it's, you know, concert, amplified sound, something like that.

With power consumption, water, I mean, there's no way we can attach that to non-zones. Not that I'm aware of. You know, throughout the county.

I think as long as you're conforming with 2232 and you're conforming with the comp plan, you're done. Is that right?

where I was saying you have to be careful but mixing the two together the data centers are not subject to 2232 review solar is so that's where they're not treated the same when it comes to the comprehensive plan could we put together a countywide ordinance that limits industrial use say puts a limit on water you daily water usage and daily power usage

In the zoned areas?

In the countywide. I mean, it would have to be countywide to include the unzoned areas. They going to come count to water my cattle are drinking?

You'll have to do that, Brian.

I mean, that's just, I'm throwing out a hypothetical. Is that a possibility?

I will look into it. My initial reaction is doubtful. Okay. Because you're trying to tie it to use, right? You're for industrial use. Well, the moment you're tying it to land use, you run into trouble in non-zoned areas because you're regulating land use. But like I said, we will look into all potential avenues, give the boards feedback on that. All right. Thank you.

So Mr. Jamison, have you had your questions answered, sir? Yes, ma'am. Mr. Carter.

I would like for them to work on the data first, the data centers. And for me personally, and I don't know if we can do it, I would like to ban them everywhere in the county except where they're allowed by right at this point.

That pretty much is what we have. Right? They're only allowed in the industrial, right?

In the zoned area, but they're allowed anywhere in the non-zoned area. Correct. So I think your suggestion was ban countywide except for the, yeah, and I'm not sure we have the ability to do that.

Mr. Daddick?

I don't think so.

I don't think it's challenged. So let me rephrase. My legal advice is probably not. Obviously, it's just advice. You could adopt that ordinance and wait for it to be challenged.

OK. Mr. Mitchell, did you have anything further? Do you want to pull the data center ordinance?

I think the planning commission should make that decision itself. think that um if that's something that they feel that's something they're getting feedback on they need to do that's fine there's nothing we can do unless the unzoned areas want to become zone there's nothing we can do about that in the end there's nothing we can do about that you can't have you can't You can't have your property not zoned, but want your neighbor zoned. That's just the way it is. And as far as the zoned areas, there's only one spot in the entire county that is by right for it. So if the Planning Commission wishes to pull this and work on it separately first, I'm fine with that. However, I'm not interested in dabbling in any of the rest of it.

I understand. Mr. Quinn?

I would tend to let them proceed as they've laid out the schedule and not pull the data center forward myself. I do think it's worthwhile to have some kind of legal analysis of the regional business park designation or category for Summit View, just because there have been so many questions about, OK, what happened back in 2016? And was it done properly? And is it still valid? And I believe it is based on everything I've looked over. However, it's such a contentious area and such a contentious category that it feels like it would be worth getting some legal input on that one area, a legal analysis.

So I've got you were for it to pull the data center out. So three to pull, you were not to pull.

Doesn't matter to me. Planning Commission make that decision.

Okay. And Dan, you are not to pull? Yeah, not to pull. Not to pull. Okay. All righty then. Nick, come on now.

I say they stick to their schedule.

You know, when I talked to my planning commissioner, Ron Jefferson, and we briefly discussed this topic. My first response to him was we have a planning commission. We need to empower the planning commission to do its job. And if the planning commission feels that you need to pull certain ordinances to work on in your schedule, pull them out. My initial comment was that that's under your purview as the planning commission and you're appointed by us. And I know you all were looking for some feedback from the board to make sure that we can stay as closely aligned as possible. And we appreciate that very much. I am okay either way. I'm kind of like Nick. I want you all empowered to do what you've been placed there to do. The data center issue certainly is something that what I worry about, if I worry about anything relative to the ordinance, number one, I think that, and I told Ron this, the ordinance, I really encourage you guys to really do some due diligence in talking to surrounding localities and looking at some of their ordinances because as I work around the state, there's some differences in locality ordinances and just to kind of get a feel for are there standards or are there not? And we've got to make it fit Franklin County, of course, first and foremost. So, I encourage that. Of course, our citizens' feedback is critical. But, you know, I really want you all empowered to do what we put you there to do. I can go either way with it. If the planning commission feels that you've got enough, you know, if there's a sense of urgency within the commission to pull it. i don't think anybody on this board i think you've got the support to pull it um i don't hear anybody i mean mr quinn i think um you don't want to pull okay then i think we're very close on this so is that helpful to you victor i think we're let me tell you what i think i heard okay so um and first of all we did this in when the data center but it just blew up

We were seeking to understand political will as to desire. You're the leadership. We are comfortable with this schedule. We just didn't know whether you were comfortable with waiting that long.

No, but we understand.

And I'm not speaking now totally on behalf of the Planning Commission because I'm going to take this back to the Planning Commission to say, okay, you have a lot of trust in us. And if we can adjust this schedule, move up the data center thing soonest, you'd appreciate it. I mean, that would be welcomed. And we would get the support to adjust the schedule accordingly.

And I think what you've heard is we believe it's under your purview to make that decision. And this board will support the Planning Commission's decision.

All right. So we'll work with staff also. I've got to tell you, I hope we can have a panel discussion for the community and seek the subject matter experts that can be received as unbiased. so that we are making decisions about what's appropriate. And we will have to take a look around in other localities to find out how they have figured out proper conditions and standards that are or are not working.

And Victor, just as a side, since data centers in Southwest Virginia are now a very prevalent topic for the localities here, There's so much rhetoric out there and nonfactual information. I personally think some of it perhaps originated maybe back 10 or 15 years ago, and as Northern Virginia has increased its data center density, basically, and I use loosely a data center on every corner, and then residential neighborhoods have just been built around some of these data centers. you know if you've got a conglomeration of data centers in my logic tells me that if there's any adverse consequences they get magnified simply by virtue of density and I also know from you know some research that I'm doing and working across the state you know there are things are not the same way today in terms of how data centers function, their efficiency or lack thereof, et cetera. What are the consequences, pros and cons? And when I talk to Ron, I express that because I think what for me and my colleagues can speak for themselves, I think we really need to structure our ordinance around what we know today. And I think we've got to really take the rhetoric out of the picture and we've got to look objectively. at what it is. And then you'll be able, and through your research of doing that, you'll be able to craft and adjust that ordinance, I think, accordingly. Mr. Carter.

Yes. Steve, could you maybe contact Jim Hutzler, the board I serve on at VACO, Energy and Agriculture, and get some of those PowerPoint presentations they've had on data centers and get it to Victor and the Planning Commission?

That's a great idea. Certainly, and I've already been in conversation with them, and we have some information compiled, and I think we can help with setting up that panel you're talking about.

Yeah. That concludes my comments.

Is this giving you the guidance that you need, Mr. Evans? Yes. No.

Thank you.

Well, we appreciate. And please convey our gratitude to the Planning Commission. Will do. We know you're going to be working really hard. And you all are volunteers. And you step up and you give of your time. And that does not go unnoticed. And we are very grateful for that.

Appreciate it. Thank you for your support. Of course.

OK, our last item on our agenda is to discuss the Boone's Mill vacancy that we have. I have given each of you just a version of guidance, and it's a draft. What you have in front of you, Mr. Nguyen and his associates, they drafted the second document, which is in chart form. They have drafted these timelines based upon deadlines. The piece that I have given you is more specific. What I will say, what I will do is just briefly run down this. And what we're going to, the outcome of today, we need to set some dates given what's on this. And so just let me just run down for public record that we've got one month under statute To fill this vacancy.

I apologize. Madam Chairman, it's 45 days.

It's 45? Yeah. Nobody has said that to me.

It's actually 45. Is it? Yes. I apologize. I believe Mr. Gwynn's chart is assuming you wanted to appoint someone by your next meeting. You technically do have more time.

Okay.

But that was the assumption was that you want to appoint someone by next meeting, but you have not much more, a little bit more time.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay. 45 days to make the appointment. And the timeline began yesterday, Wednesday, August 19th. And so the statutory time that Mr. Gwynn has given us is September 14th for the appointment to be made. Are you in concurrence with this chart, Mr. Dadak? So that's... That's my question.

This throws all this out in... You have 45 days to appoint someone under a statute. The assumption was, I apologize, it wasn't part of the conversation, but this chart is, as you described, an aggressive timeline to appoint someone by your next meeting. I think under the statute, you have 45 days to appoint someone.

But I still think, Lori, what we should do is try to stick to this timeline and hope it works out. I agree. And just not worry about the 15 days unless we have to.

I agree.

Yeah. If we've got to add 15 days later, that's fine. But for the time being, let's still just leave it.

I think this is doable. That's what we're going to work through today. Yes. Mr. Daddick, thank you for that clarification. So what we are going to do is the Board of Supervisors is working with staff to post a notice for application submittal and we will do so electronically and via print media and we will have that out on or about this friday tomorrow august 21st the notice will announce the vacancy and it'll provide application instructions excuse me we are going to do our best to make sure that the links are on this announcement excuse me, and places that you can pick up applications and so forth. The deadline to apply for the vacancy is Wednesday, September 2nd. And all this is going to be in the announcement for guidance for potential applicants. What we as a board need to do today, if you wish to proceed under the initial assumptions that I was working under, the first item, and let's just work by this for each event and look at our calendars concurrently. The first is a special called meeting. And I am, and these are just suggestions, gentlemen, would be held Thursday, September 3rd, understanding that the deadline is September 2nd for submittal. So September 3rd, we are required to hold a meeting and publicly announce the applicants in open session and that we would have closed meeting discussion after that. So I'm going to stop there. Is everybody okay for September 3rd for a special called meeting?

What's your time?

That's for you guys to tell me what you would prefer. I've got your note, Mr. Quinn. Thank you. What time do you all prefer on the 3rd?

I prefer going around 6 p.m. 6 p.m.?

Mr. Jamison?

I can make it work.

You don't like 6 o'clock?

I don't really like it, but that's fine. Earlier would be better for me, but like I said, I'll make it work.

Mr. Carter?

I'm flexible. 6 is fine.

OK. Mr. Mitchell?

Earlier would be better for me, but I can make 6 work.

You want to find a happy medium of 5?

No, if Tim needs it at 6 for him to be here, that's when we need to do it.

Is that with your work schedule?

I mean, no, I can be here earlier, but my preference would be to later on in the evening. So if we need to go earlier to accommodate... Marshall, I can do earlier. Six works the best, but I'm flexible. Like Mike said, I can go earlier.

Mr. Jamison, I want to make sure if we do it at 6 that we'll be.

That would probably be better for the public, right?

Pardon me?

That would probably be better at 6 o'clock.

I think it would absolutely help the public at any time after 5 o'clock, I think. So do you all want to go with 6? OK. I'm putting that down. My pen would work. Okay, thank you. I think we're okay. So the next item is a called meeting to be held the next week, the week of September 7th through, this says the 11th, but I would really say, as you'll see, we need to conduct the interviews between the 7th and the 10th. And those interviews would be scheduled accordingly after we get the applications and to see how many applicants we have. The deadline to interview is September 11th, but as you'll see, the next item is that we would have another called meeting that week where on September 11th, we would let's see, we would go, we have to vote on the selected candidate on the 11th. So we interview that week, we have discussion that week, and we have to vote on the candidate by the 11th, which is that Friday. So between the dates, and this is going to be predicated, of course, on the number of applicants we get. If we get two applicants, then our interview schedule will not be too complex. if we have five applicants six applicants you will have to work accordingly so what i would suggest is that we consider earlier in the week to start the interview schedule in case we need extra time after we see how many applicants we get so with that said um does does anybody have uh available the seventh is labor day yeah let me just say that right off hand um What is your pleasure for the eighth, ninth, and tenth for interviews?

I'll make it work. I'm good.

Mr. Jamison? Mr. Mitchell? Yeah. OK. And I've got you covered, Mr. Quinn. Thank you. OK. I've got to be out of town Tuesday for a UVA appointment for my daughter. So I would like some grace there if I could get some. Could we start interviewing on the 9th, starting right after lunch? How does that work for everybody? Mr. Jamison?

Start on the 9th.

Start on the 9th. And start maybe at 1 o'clock? How's that work for you, Mr. Mitchell? It's fine. Mr. Carter?

I'm fine. What's up?

OK. And then if, again, we'll have to evaluate how many applicants we get. And we'll know that very soon. And we will adjust the interview schedule. If we can get the interviews done in an orderly manner, depending upon number, we might be able to complete them on the 9th. But if we need extra time, we've got that cushion day of the 10th in there. So I would ask you to hold the 10th open if you can, if we need that. Is everyone okay with that? So interviews on the 9th at 1 p.m. that cool all right um and so that'll move us into friday the 11th which is when um you know as we have those interviews we'll have closed session time you know during this week to deliberate um you know after the interviews and so forth as a board um and then on friday the 11th we need to vote on the selected candidate in open session so what i would ask is what is your pleasure on Friday the 11th to make the announcement of the candidate that we would like to see voted on. Time.

Can we do it that morning? Because I might be leaving to go out of town that evening.

And I know there's a Ferrum anniversary water quality monitoring dinner that night, if anybody's interested in going to that. You want to do it in the morning?

That would work good for me, so we can leave that evening.

OK. Mr. Jamison? We will be voting.

We have to.

Well I think the statute lines us up to vote by the 14th.

By the 11th.

Yeah. Mr. Tatum.

I'm good. Just whatever time you say be here.

Okay. Mr. Carter.

I'm good but I would prefer morning.

Okay. And Mr. Mitchell you said you were okay correct? Morning. Alright so for the 11th what if we set this at 11 a.m., 10 a.m.?

How about 10? 10? 10. Okay. Seven.

All right, so we are not doing seven. Okay. All right, so 10 a.m. on the 11th to have a public vote on the selected candidate. And if things go according to plan, you know, this is coming on us very quickly. And, you know, I've been trying to throw this stuff together with Mr. Gwynn. So, again, some grace trying to get everything lined up. It would be fantastic. Our board meeting in September comes early on the 15th. the way the calendar lies. So it would be fantastic to get our candidate awarded on the on the 11th. And then our board meeting is the 15th the following Tuesday. So it would be fantastic. I think, moving forward, unless the board objects, we could possibly maybe get this individual sworn in at our board meeting and have the judge or the circuit court clerk here to do so, so the applicant's family could be here and so forth. But that, again, is a board decision for you all to give me guidance on. So is there anything, what we'll do is I will get you a memorandum of confirming these dates and times. Of course, there will be appropriate public notice given through Steve and his staff, the three-day public notice that will go out to the citizens and so forth to announce the meetings. and the appropriate times where we'll have to go into closed session with those code sections properly announced with that. And I think if this was not as painful as I thought it was going to be, thank you all for your flexibility. And I will get out confirmations on dates and times and what those are for, just so you can have that information moving forward. Do you all have any comments or questions?

I have a question, Lori. So this appointment will just be for three and a half months. Will there be a special election in November?

This will be on the ballot next November.

Oh, next November. Yes, sir. Oh, so not like the school board position that's on this November?

No, sir. Mr. Dadak, I know Jim and I have talked about that twice. Next general election, yes. That would be next November. So thank you for bringing that up, Dan. That's a really good point. And of course, the applicants, the application will go through a lot of this. But you have to be a resident of the Boone District in good standing. All of that will be articulated for your reference points. And, of course, if any applicants that you know of or friends or neighbors in that district have any questions, please feel free to call myself, Mr. Sandy, or Clark, Samantha, and we are happy to help you walk you through any information that you need. So am I clear that you all don't have any further questions or comments on the process? Mr. Dadak, do you have anything to add?

Not unless someone has questions. No, thank you.

Okay, Mr. Sandy. Okay. Is there any other business to come before the board this afternoon? Anything on your mind?

I have one item, Madam Clerk. I'd like to wish Mr. Sandy a very happy birthday.

Are we supposed to sing to him? Happy birthday. Please don't. You don't want me singing to you. But happy birthday. Very happy birthday. Okay, so I think we're good, and I'm going to adjourn the meeting until, well, I guess our meetings that'll be, let's see, the first one's.

You would have to open a meeting and then go into closed session.

Yeah, so we're going to adjourn until September 3rd. So thank you all very much for your time and your attention.