Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

you you you Thank you. you Thank you. you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So Director Feltz and I were very pleased to be part of that summit. It was a gathering of public safety officials like fire chiefs, police chiefs, sheriffs, all from this region of Virginia. They did seven of these summits all across the Commonwealth. And they're starting to finally recognize that Virginia is not a cookie cutter state. We are very unique out here. We're not the same as Tidewater. We're not the same as Richmond or Northern Virginia. And so by them doing these seven regional summits, they were able to get a much better snapshot of what it's like here, what our challenges are, our gaps, our resources. So it was a great opportunity, and they learned a lot. And so they're actually going to do a unified summit statewide in October. And myself and Director Feltz will be attending that. And it's an opportunity for the two of us to really be that voice piece for Richmond and let them know, like, hey, we really, we're unique here. And there's something that that summit is going to do when they document all the data from that. That's how they can decide where does the funding go, what resources are needed, what training, what support. So I'm just super excited about that opportunity. And I also wanted to say one more thing. I know we're kind of running short on time, but I wanted to mention that Carroll County still has about $22,000. And it is not grant money. This is money that was donated for Hurricane Helene. And the deadline to spend that down is October. So I have spoken with my... Watson just to make sure that everything's on the up and up with that and I have created a questionnaire. And to help screen this because we really need to utilize that funding or we're going to lose it. And it's only for damage incurred from Helene. So it can't be from what happened this weekend. But if anyone knows of a citizen who has a valid issue, whether they had to do landscaping from Helene, replace gravel in their driveway, things of that nature, please have them reach out to me. I will make sure they get a copy of the survey. they can fill that out it's going to be a quick solution whether or not they qualify or not and then we can have that money immediately written to them and spend down that money that's my priority to have that done we have two solid months all of august september and then the program ends in october And I think a lot of it is people just aren't aware that that funding, they get confused with the United Way program, which is grant money and there's lots of stipulations and some people are still waiting. With this, Carroll County runs the program, has the funds right here. And Mr. Watson's given me the authority to screen and say, yes, this is legit. If I have to go out to someone's house and lay eyes on what they want to do. If they've saved their receipts and can show me receipts for money they've already spent, we really want to make sure that our citizens get this $22,000. So that's super important. Please reach out to me if you have any questions on that. And I did want to say that we will be out tomorrow at the Back to School Bash, the Emergency Management, Emergency Services, Fire and Rescue. We will be there from 4 to 7 p.m. And that's an opportunity to come out and talk to me about this other program, too, as well as letting your children and and meeting all the other folks here in Carroll County. So thank you again for allowing me this opportunity. I really appreciate it. And just reach out if you have any questions regarding emergency preparedness, and I'm happy to assist in any way.

Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you. Are you coming next month with me?

Oh, yes. So Carroll County, actually, some of you may have heard of the RAFT program. It was a grant program to help with resiliency. It was created after Helene. And the RAFT program had five different projects, one of which is to create a long-term recovery group for Carroll County. Other jurisdictions have developed these. And what it is is not to be just a one and done and do some work and then call it quits. So we've actually developed a committee to build this group, and it's going to be called CAROL CARES. And the CARES is an acronym. I don't want to spoil anything, but we're on the agenda supposedly to present next month, and I will be here for that as well. And I serve on that committee to make sure that the group gets up and running. And it's going to be a long-term recovery group for Carroll County in which citizens who want to volunteer and be part of this program can be legitimatized with it. We're going to have fundraising. We're going to have programs. It will really give us the ability to help citizens when they don't fall under any other criteria. This grant can't help them. United Way can't help them. Well, we want to make sure that Carroll Cares has a group that we can help. be a resource for that. And I think it's going to be a tremendous assistance to the county in the years to come. And in five or six years from now, after this program is fully funded and up and running, I think it'll be a really great thing for Carroll County and we'll pay dividends beyond anything we can imagine. So we'll present that next week. If you're interested in that program, please either come in person or tune in and hear all about that organization. We're still laying the foundation, but it will be forward-facing once the board, once you all approve it formally. Mike Watson has agreed to let us use this facility as a mailing address, and that way it's very formalized. We'll be meeting regularly. We'll have bylaws. We'll have financial oversight. It's going to be 100% legitimatized and make sure that we can be very accountable with every avenue of this group. So just stand by for more information on that. So thank you again for letting me speak tonight. I really appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you.

You want to have anything that you want to ask her? We appreciate your work. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Next on the agenda is the Ivanhoe Civic League property. Mr. Watson, I'll let you talk about what we're doing here.

We have this on the agenda tonight to let you know that there has been an interest in the property and that we will go ahead and schedule a public hearing. We had one before. However, we feel it's necessary to move forward. the public hearing. So we'll have the public hearing scheduled the next meeting.

Public hearing for?

Disposal of the additional property for the Civic League.

Behind the building? Yeah. Okay. Thank you. So we need to make a motion to have that or just advertise it for next month? That's appropriate. Motion? Yeah. Okay. Entertain a motion. We have a public hearing for the Civic League property next month. They're moved. Okay. Have a second? I second. All right. I'll start the voting. Mr. Bryant? Yes. Mr. Horton? Yes. Mr. Early? Yes. Mr. Collins? Yes. Mr. Moore? Yes. And I vote yes. Okay. Next on the agenda is repairs for the Woodlawn Ag Building. I'm assuming we still have not received any grant money. We have not received the grant money.

I did have it in the CIP as far as for funding of this project. It seems like... you know, I'd recommend that we go ahead and do the project if we don't receive the money by next month.

Okay. Well, I mean, I'll entertain a motion. I'll make a motion to move forward with it. Move forward now? Yep. Second. All right. So the motion is, Mr. Watson, we're going to move forward now.

Okay.

All right. And I'll start the voting with Mr. Early. Yes. Mr. Collins. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. Mr. Bryant. Yes. Mr. Horton. Yes. And I vote yes. Okay. Next on the agenda is the referendum for school funding. Mr. Chairman, I need to read a statement. Sure.

Today's discussion involves county budget. Discussion may include funding for Carroll County School Board. Many of you know I have a position of employment with the Carroll County School Board with regard to proposed funding of the school board. Proposed funding would affect the entire school system generally and not myself individually. As a consequence, I'm a member of a group of three or more individuals employed by Carroll County School Board, similarly affected by the decision on the proposed funding. Therefore, in this situation, exception to the Virginia State Local Conflict Interest Act, Virginia Code Section 2.2-3112B1 applies to this situation. In compliance with that section, I hereby declare that I am able to participate in this discussion and voting on this topic fairly, objectively, and in the public interest.

Thank you, Mr. Collins. Mr. Watson, I'll let you.

Okay, yeah. Is this for the... This is for the... Oh, is this for the... Referendum.

Okay.

The referendum for the 1% additional sales tax to support school capital improvements.

Okay. So this will be on the referendum for the voters to decide? Yeah, for the citizens. Okay, so the citizens decide if they want the sales tax, and that will go to the schools, correct? Yes. Okay.

Can you just explain that a little more detail, Mike?

I'll do the best I can.

Or Steve can do a better job.

I have a referendum, Mickey.

I'm not sure about that, but one of the amendments from the state budget in July was, or in June, was to allow all localities to petition the circuit court of your locality to ask that the issue be put on the ballot. for the voters to decide whether they want to adopt a 1% additional sales tax that would be used, as Mike said, solely for capital projects for the benefit of Carroll County Schools. Your action tonight would not be to impose any tax. It would just be to ask the court to put it on the ballot and let the voters decide. If the voters approve it, the 1% tax would apply for a period of 20 years, and after that it would expire. It would not apply to groceries or certain hygiene items, which are exempted, but other items it would apply, like any other sales tax, with just an additional 1%. Okay.

I have a question, Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. How many counties do this currently? Do you know?

So until this year, I think it was just localities that were planning District 8 were allowed to do that. It was Northern Virginia. So this opens it up to the rest of the Commonwealth. And to my knowledge, many localities are considering this and have asked their own circuit courts to put it on the ballot.

And there is a deadline to... To ask the court to do this?

For this year, you would have to adopt the resolution and have the court enter the order by next week.

So it would be on the referendum for the voters to decide, and if they don't understand what's on the referendum, they may be voting against it?

Yes. I mean, the circuit court, your action tonight would be to ask the circuit court to put on the ballots. Voters would have until November to decide how they would want to, whether they support this or not. If it is approved, then you would have the authority to adopt an ordinance to move forward with the 1%.

So I'll entertain a motion to move forward with this or move down.

I'll make that motion to ask the circuit court to put this referendum for a 1% tax on to the benefit of the Carroll County Schools on the ballot for November.

Okay. As stated in the resolution.

As in the resolution.

I have a motion. I have a second. Second.

Okay.

Any more discussion? I'll start to vote on Mr. Moore. No. Mr. Collins. No. Mr. Horton.

Yes.

Mr. Bryant. No. Mr. Early. Yes. And I vote no. Okay, next on the agenda is old business. Would you have any committee appointments that anyone would want to appoint?

Yes, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a motion for Larry Edwards to go on the EDA.

Okay, reappoint Mr. Edwards to the EDA. Do I have a second? I'll second. I'll second by Mr. Collins. I'll start the vote with Mr. Horton. Yes. Mr. Bryant. Yes. Mr. Early. Yes. Mr. Collins. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. And I vote yes. Is there any more?

Mr. Chairman, I make a motion that we reappoint Daryl Arano to the library board.

Between them? Yes. Okay. Okay. I have a motion for the library board for Daryl Arano. Do I have a second? Second. Okay. I'll start the vote with Mr. Early. Yes. Mr. Horton. Yes. Mr. Bryant. Yes. Mr. Collins. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. And I vote yes.

Is there any more committee appointments? Mr. Dixon, I'd like to make the motion to appoint Gerald Goode to the NRVRJ board. That's right. Okay. Let's see.

Is there an opening on that board right now?

It is open. I'll second it, but I just need to make the point that it is alternate. Yeah, I'm sorry. It is an alternate.

All right. Thank you. I wasn't sure if that was January or next January. All right. I have a motion by Mr. Horton and a second by Mr. Collins. And I will start the vote with Mr. Bryant. Yes. Mr. Horton. Yes. Mr. Early. Yes. Mr. Collins. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. And I vote yes. All right. I think that's all for committee appointments at this time. And next on agenda, I'll move to board member comments, and I will start with Mr. Bryant. All right.

I'd just like to say thank you to the staff and this board, and I thank all the citizens that came out tonight. Like I said, hopefully we can look into bringing out the meeting times and the agendas, you know, maybe more public there so that it's more readily available for people to see. And that's all I got.

Thank you, Mr. Bryant.

Mr. Horton. Basically, just want to thank all the citizens for coming out tonight. We welcome you guys to come out. We'd love to hear your comments and anything we can do to try to help you guys before we're here. Just want to say thank you for everything the staff's done. And want to ask for special prayers for the Mount Airy, North Carolina area that was hit so bad by the storm. Other than that, that's all I got.

Thank you, Mr. Horton. Mr. Early.

Yeah, I'd like to mention, and some of you probably are aware already if you have Facebook, that Air Care Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is going to base one of their back helicopters at Twin County Airport. I have been working with Mac Talbert from Piper's Gap Rescue Squad. He also has a directorship position with Atrium, and he and I have worked together with their attorneys, the airport, to make this happen. And it should happen in the spring of 27. So we anticipate 24-7 manning of this helicopter at the airport. Currently, they do about 200 or so missions into Carroll County and the surrounding counties to evac people to Wake Forest Baptist and other hospitals in the area. And this will cut down time significantly because currently they're coming from Martinsville. North Wilkes-Barre, and one other base. This will be their fourth base, and they have never closed a base that they have opened. So it is a huge deal for Carroll County, Grayson, and other surrounding areas. So we're very excited about that. Otherwise, thanks to the staff for all they do every day. That's all I have.

Thank you, Mr. Early. Mr. Collins? Yeah, just thank you to all the citizens for coming out.

We appreciate it. We need to hear your voices, and we hear them. appreciate that. And Mike, Crystal, all the staff, the finance department, everybody, we appreciate the hard work that you do, and it just makes life better for all of us. I do have one concern, and I would ask that Bill and Mike and I are all on the trash committee that's working. I do appreciate the fact that we've got countywide trash pickup now, and yes, we've had some bumps in the road, but it's getting ironed out slowly, but surely we're getting there, and The majority of the people are very happy and celebrating the fact that we do that. But we had an issue recently that the former carrier is sending collection notices, sending people's bills to a collection agency when it's my understanding that they weren't obligated to pay them any further.

Can I say something? They're billing them ahead. I had a call about that today. I think Mr. Early got one.

I got one. I got one.

And I got one. But they're billing ahead, so they're billing you from July through September. If you pay your bill, they're going to pick your trash up. I mean, a lot of people just paid their bill. But if they've not been picking your trash up, and I had a call today, and Meridian's already been picking up Mr. Overstreet's. So there's no point in her paying the bill. And they're billing ahead, so I don't see how they can put a collection on it. She called and told them that, and they dropped it.

They sent me one for August, which I went ahead and paid mine, but you go ahead. Well, they quit serving me at the end of April and would not pick me up any further, but I got a bill today that was sent to the collection agency.

Well, see, mine went through GFL collection when I called it. Did you call it? No, I haven't. Okay, so I called and they sent me back to GFL. I chose to pay mine just... I'd have trash through August. And my trash is being picked up.

Mine's being picked up. I didn't have trash from April until the first of July. And then Meridian started picking me up. Then I got a bill for late notice from DFL.

Can I chime in on that? Because I'm in the same boat with you guys. Mike, I think you were going to check to see if my street was currently being served by Meridian, and then I could just call up DFL and cancel. Did you get anything on that?

Staff has received a lot of calls on this, just as well as y'all have. Today, we had several people that reached out to us as well. I guess the collection notices are going out. When you call the number on the collection notice, while they're on the phone, they'll transfer you over to GFL, and we've received several people that have said that they've waived those fees and that they've taken care of it so you wouldn't receive a bill anymore from the collections.

GFL told me I had to pay it, and it was at a collection agency already. After two weeks, I'm not paying it.

I've had several citizens reach out to me and tell me the GFL's got nasty with them over collections.

Maybe if we could check in the legitimacy of it going to a collection agency when it's services that have not been rendered.

I'm just going to say something before Steve. I would refrain on giving legal advice to a person on a separate contract. It'd be like me telling you not to pay your electric bill or not paying your water, we can sort it out for you. I'd recommend anybody who's going through this procedure call the number on your notice.

But I have a major problem with that. If we're giving free trash collection to people that Meridian are picking up and GFL is still picking other ones up and then collecting.

And from what I understand... We can discuss that, but That's probably a closed session discussion. All right. Thank you.

That's all I have.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Collins. Mr. Moore?

Yeah, I'll echo what the rest of the board said. Thank all of our employees, Mike, and his staff for all they do. Felicia has done a wonderful job with our budget and making sure the bills are paid on time. Thank her for that. Thank you. The board member said to remember our neighbors in Surry County for all their damages and ask for prayers for them and plus some of the citizens in Carroll that received flooding and issues. Look after our neighbors. I will remind everybody that the Carroll County Agricultural Fire is August 26th through the 30th. That is correct, isn't it, Ms. Leonard? And I look forward to I know they do a wonderful job. They've spent a year planning every once a month on Mondays and probably twice and probably two or three times a week that we don't know about to make sure that our citizens have the best experience. I want to thank that group, the fire staff, for all they do. I think school starts back this week, so everybody be attentive of the kiddos out there at the bus stop. And other than that, thank Mr. Durbin for all you do, keeping us in line sometimes.

That's all I have. Thank you, Mr. Moore. I'd just like to thank the staff and all the employees we have. I thank everyone for coming out. And as always, if you have any questions, you can reach out to any of us via email or phone. You don't have to be in our district. We'd be glad to talk to you if you have any questions. The trash from reading is getting, I mean, the JPL, You brought up a good point, but it is getting a lot better, and I appreciate y'all's work on it, and I've noticed Meridian is already starting to put out new trash cans. So in a couple more months, it'll be good, and it'll be a countywide thing. But other than that, that's all I have. I'll ask Mr. Watson, do you have any comments?

No, I have nothing.

Okay, Mr. Durbin? Nothing this evening, Mr. Chairman. Okay, with that, I'll entertain a motion for adjournment. I'll make that motion. Mr. Collins, we'll have a second. Second. Second, Mr. Bryant. I'll start the voting with Mr. Moore. Yes. Mr. Early. Yes. Mr. Collins. Yes. Mr. Horton. Yes. Mr. Bryant.

Yes. And I vote yes.