City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening and welcome to all. This Picosen City Council joint work session is called to order. Uh we have two topics tonight for discussion. Uh the first will be related to the north side of Victor Boulevard, a comprehensive plan review and this is a joint work session with the planning commission. And then we will move on to our helmet ordinance. Uh we have police chief Steven Kates with us here tonight. And Chief Kates is going to provide us with a review of state laws and local ordinances as they pertain to the use of bicycles, electric assistant bicycles, scooters, skateboards, mopeds, golf carts, and other similar vehicles on public rights away. Like to introduce our planning commissioners with us tonight. Seated immediately to my left is our chairwoman uh Heather Mlelen shot. And uh this is surreal for me. Uh I remember Heather and her family of course from Emius Baptist Church when I was growing up. And I first met Heather uh when her her head just barely stuck up above the backs of the pews. So getting to work with her with this in this capacity is is really special to me and much appreciated. Uh to He's left we have uh Commissioner David Peterson. So welcome. Thank you for being here. Uh to my right we have Commissioner George Agger and Commissioner Chaz Hartley. We really appreciate the planning commissioners coming out tonight. We also have with us our director of community development, Mr. W Horton, and our principal planner and uh commissioner of revenue elect, Mr. Thomas Canella. So, appreciate y'all being with us.

Just to provide a little bit of context for what we're talking about on the north side of Victory Boulevard, this started uh with a desire by city council to be proactive and and foresighted. Uh we determined on January 4th of this year when we had our first ever strategic plan and retreat that we we wanted to do a review of the comp plan for the north side of victory uh to make certain that our planning was was thorough and matched the the current perspectives in the city not only now uh but moving forward. Uh we've talked extensively throughout the year between myself uh staff uh council members on an individual basis. Uh we've coordinated uh with the planning commission as well. We had a a joint retreat in June which has been almost 6 months ago. Uh after a lot of contemplation since then I'm I'm certain that our perspectives have evolved a little bit. We we've probably thought of some things we hadn't thought of at that time. But this process is started from a broad perspective uh obtuse if you will and we're going to work it down to an acute perspective. We're going to get it dialed in. And normally processes like this are not uh linear uh in in nature. More times than not, they tend to to meander uh as we work our way to to where we want to be. uh as we typically do, we're employing a collaborative effort uh to get input from all involved, the community in particular. We've already had opportunities through audience for visitors and public hearings. Uh we will continue to do so to make certain that that everybody is well represented uh in this process. But

it is just that uh it's methodical. Uh tonight is just the the latest step uh as part of the process as we get it dialed in. Uh I wanted to share some additional thoughts on this and uh manager Randy Wheel and I have talked extensively about this and I asked Randy to to summarize uh the conversations that we have had regarding the north side of Victory Boulevard. Uh Randy wrote a draft and and just another indication of how closely uh we worked together. Uh I perused Ry's draft uh several times over and I realized that he had captured my thoughts to a tea and I didn't change a single word of it. So what I'm going to share with y'all tonight is the draft that Randy wrote. So I want to recognize him and uh credit his efforts. But hopefully that this will help people understand uh where we've been, where we are uh and where we intend to go with this with a lot of help from the planning commission. Uh they've done exactly what we asked do uh at at the joint retreat uh and it'll pivotal uh in in in moving forward. Just would like to share these thoughts. question that I get often from citizens of Picosen is what was the council's purpose when it established this strategic initiative of conducting a careful review of the city's comprehensive plan and supporting ordinances related to the north side of Victory Boulevard. There are many rumors around town that this is to pave the way for large development project such as another planned unit development mixeduse project. While others believe that it is an effort to reduce or eliminate current byright development rights of property owners or private property

owners. Neither of those rumors are true. Uh we believe very much in the the rights of private property owners. And uh the the tongue and cheek uh term that I use to describe this is uh the the mythical uh legacy too on the north side of Victory Boulevard. Uh, and I can tell you, I'll elaborate a little bit. Uh, there there is no such thing. I do not speak for all the other council members. Uh, they'll have a chance in just minutes to share their views as well, but I don't I don't think this is very far off because we work so closely together. I'm pleased to share my perspective on this issue based on conversations I've had with my fellow council members, members of the planning commission, and the economic development authority on this issue since I became mayor earlier this year. In my view, the primary purpose of the strategic initiative is to review the comprehensive plan to ensure that the sections of the comprehensive plan pertaining to the north side of Victory Boulevard reflect the current vision of the city of Picosen for the development of the area over the next 20 years. So this is not just, you know, for the immediate future. This is for for decades to come. The comprehensive plan language and current zoning have been in place with limited changes for more than two decades. There will be opportunities at both the planning commission and city council level for citizens to share their comments, suggestions, and concerns before any changes to the comprehensive plan are made. And right there, I I'll just offer like I said earlier, I mean, we're we're motivated to take the initiative to be proactive on this from the council's perspective with support of the plan and commission and staff. Uh nobody's

pushing us to do this. We're not on any particular time frame, but to get where we need to be. We have to start somewhere. And did that back in January, and we're progressing our our our way towards it. Uh we're going to take our time and ensure that that we have uh uncovered all rocks and uh covered all our bases on on this as we're making plans. Plenty of public input along the way. I would like the opportunity I would like the community to know that there are no current development plans or applications filed with the city relating to the development of any of the undevelopment of undeveloped properties Big Woods North. In fact, earlier this year, the city council worked with the planning commission to remove the planned unit development mixeduse category from the city's zoning ordinance is on record expressing its opposition to high density residential development in the big woods. Just for emphasis, let let me go back through that one more time just to make sure that we're clear on that. council is on record expressing its opposition to high density residential development in the Big Woods. That's pretty clear and and we're we're unified on that. This means that at present the only means for development in this area is either by right based on current zoning or through a formal reszoning process. Our efforts to review and update the comprehensive plan supporting ordinances are both timely and important. As the council working with the planning commission envisions this part of the

city developing over the coming decades, it is our desire that any development would be of high standards integrated in terms of the overall transportation network including bike and pedestrian accommodations and be done in conformance with the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinances. For this reason, again, I believe it is essential that we make sure that the comprehensive plan is up to date and reflects the city's long-term vision, that its supporting ordinances are in order. Again, Randy, thank you for your words. That that sums up my perspective uh to a tea. Uh I would like to comment as well about an ordinance that we're going to deal with during the regular session. Uh this is related to fiscal year 2026 midyear budget recommendations specifically item number four and I'll address this again during the regular session. Fourth recommendation from staff to council is to utilize $170,000 of the unassigned fund balance to have funds available for a north side of victory property acquisition. Uh earlier this year, uh city council authorized the manager uh to make an offer uh of assessed value for properties that that may uh become available on the north side of Victory Boulevard. uh when and if uh that occurs. Uh that was done to streamline the process so the manager could act quickly if something became available and not have to come back to council specifically to get authorization. Uh if if approved tonight, uh this $170,000 will be a contingency fund. It'll be

money that is set aside to support that purchase and we'll also expand the ma the manager's authorization. So now, not only will he be able to make an offer, uh, he'll be able to to to close the sale. Um, of course, under under the guidance of our legal counsel and that sort of thing. Again, is to expedite the process and make it more efficient without the hold up of having to come back to council. So, all this is being done in advance again to be proactive. Our motivation for the desire to acquire property uh if if we can is for that property to be utilized for the greater good of the citizens of Kosen uh for things such as outdoor amenities uh walking trails uh a park or also just for simple conservation preservation. So let me emphasize that as well. Conservation, preservation, uh haven't heard anybody opposed to those concepts. So this is another uh proactive uh item that that that we we hope to pursue. And again, I'll elaborate on that again when we get to it as an agenda item on on the regular session. Uh before I turn this over to uh Chairwoman um Scott, uh I wanted to offer my fellow council members uh opportunities to elaborate on my words. If if y'all have any comments, you please feel free. Uh, you know, the only the only comment I would make, Dave, is I I I thank you for making it clear that the rumor mill about what we were going to do with the property and our intentions were not as they were presented on Facebook and other media. That's for me.

Uh, thank you, Mr. South Hall. I think clarification of that was important because a whole lot of running around and, uh, none of them were true.

Uh, yes, sir. And um Heather and I we've we've spoken about this in advance and uh I wanted to do my part and uh Heather will elaborate as well. So we we like to take that collaborative approach. Uh I'd also like to welcome uh Planning Commissioner Mike Armen Trout. So I appreciate you being with us especially uh with with the weather being like it is. Uh so with all that being said at this time I'd like to turn the work session over to planning commission chairwoman Heather Mlen. So Heather was yours. Thank you.

Uh mayor uh council members uh city manager uh Wheeler staff and residents uh planning commission has met extensively on this and discussed this. Uh we did uh meet for a work session on August the 10th as well as a work session and meeting on September 15th. We held an audience for visitors at that time specifically related to this project. Um and we also had an additional meeting for a work session um on October 20th. And our concerns were just what we heard from the public were what um Mayor Hux has just covered. And I started off planning commissions addressing those concerns that the public has. You know, like you said, you praise us best. The rumor mill gets started and I I wanted to be able to tell them what planning commission was doing, what we're doing, what you tasked us to do was to look at the comprehensive plan and see if it still worked this portion of the north side of Victory Boulevard. And what we heard from you in the retreat was this. you didn't think that the uh the research and development while it was good and it had good thoughts when it was initially established it's really not working anymore. So what did we envision that and what should we as planning commission recommend to you going forward? Um we really felt one of the thing that planning commission really strive to do was get public input. We wanted to be out there. We wanted to receive feedback. Again, like I said, we've held audience for visitors uh to discuss this. We've received emails. And what we didn't receive, your staff in community development do a fantastic job in public coming in and meeting with them or answering those phone calls. So,

we are very fortunate to have them working and advising and with the planning commission. Um initially like I said we heard that the research and development didn't work and planning commission agrees. We also agree that we want to make sure we don't rush anything that we don't want to jump in feet first in and do something that the citizens don't want here. But we also respect property owners rights in doing so and having that property. So again, we were trying to balance all of that because we want to get this right to advise you of how we see this going forward. You tasked us with a project. We've del, you know, dive right in and we want to get this right for the community in which we all live and love. And that's most important to me. I've grown up here and it's important to me to get that right as well as our other commissioners. And with that, um, I would like, if it's okay with you, mayor, to give our other planning commissioners who are present, the ability to speak on this, as you also did with city council before we jump into the memo of what's before you this evening,

partly. I mean, let's be honest. We all want to move here and then we want to shut the door, right? Legacy one doesn't want legacy 2. Legacy one doesn't even want all of legacy one. I know. I talk to people. I have a lot of friends. It's just it's just the nature of living here. We love it how it is. That's why we move here and any change it's like, oh, you know, it's like we don't we moved here for a reason that changes and it, you know, it's not the same. But also and uh Mr. Mayor Heather, what you said was beautiful. Let's post that word for word out there. Okay. On social media, we need a better social media presence because when people only hear one thing over and over again, they only believe one thing over and over again. Amazing job there. I mean, you you you nailed it, uh, both of you there. So, just let's post that and get it out there. If not, I'll share it to mine. So, thank you,

Mr. Edgar. I also would re reiterate that uh that letter I think can be an important message um to continue to to share with the public. Um, and I I want to I support what uh Commissioner Hartley mentioned regarding that this track of land that that is before us uh the last 6 to 8 months here that we've really studied hard on is twice the size of legacy in in regards to acreage. It's the last big piece of land really in Picose. And so it is critical that we get it correct. And I think that's been kind of our mo motto, if you will, that um we we take a very strategic, methodical look at this and that we encourage the public to provide us the feedback that's necessary to get this right. And if you go back and revisit the comprehensive plan when it was the most recent one and you look at the feedback from the community members, it it was clearly evident then and I think with the recent feedback in the last 6 to 8 months that it's the same message that we're getting what what they desire and and I think what the actions that we've taken and what city council is is supporting supports s the the desires of the community which I think is critical. So I I just would like to say we look forward to continuing this important action before us

Mr. armor trail.

Um yes um I think you know this uh property or these properties are a unique opportunity for you know it's um to really develop um an opportunity for folks to actually work here instead and go somewhere else and and then come home. So, um, I think we, as I'd like to echo what, you know, my fellow C commissioners have said is, you know, we we would weigh this time so we can um attract good businesses here and and uh but do it correctly. So, it's it's uh what the residents would like to see as well. So,

just take the opportunity to uh say thank you again to all the citizens that came out to our public session. Widespread of points of view,

excuse me, that was uh just an exception. I think that is looking forward to contin to uh further develop that private citizens may have going forward. So, thank you. With that being said, mayor, how would you like to proceed? Answer that. Can I open the floor to the staff member? Thank you. Uh staff, uh you please feel free to chime in. I'll jump in and then I'll turn it right over to Wally.

Thank you. But we would suggest allow um Mr. Porton the opportunity to sort of provide a visual context for the conversation, mostly for the people at home, and then at that point, we'll turn it back to the chairman of the planning commission and let her review the planning commission's recommendations. Thank you. Why? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yes sir.

Uh I will begin with that presentation that Mr. Wheeler just referenced. Um this is the zoning map. So uh basically the area that we're looking at is if I get my clicker I didn't worry about this before. uh not very visible, but uh north side of Victory, which is right across from City Hall Avenue and right across from Legacy on the north side. And why are we doing this? Well, among other things, after vision and missions paragraphs, strategic strategic initiative number one adopted by the city council on February 10th, 2025 uh instructs us to conduct a careful review of the city's comprehensive plan and supporting ordinances prioritizing the north side of Victory Boulevard, followed by an evaluation of the city's central business district. Now, of course, we're not there yet. We're we're doing the north side, but uh and a lot of this you saw at the retreat, but I thought it beared sort of repeating. Um the R1 area is uh the single family residence. It is low density. Uh it's about 97 acres in size. You've got research and development which is the I would say the purple uh and the uh the general well the general converters was more purple than the research and development. Research and development will be light blue. Uh those crosshatches you see are left over from the plan unit development overlay district which as the mayor pointed out we did abolish

uh first half of this year. uh April I believe it was I am really struggling with this thing I don't know why okay supposed to advance one okay area of focus I guess I was holding it wrong uh the area of focus you can see the big woods development which is indeed a big woods area and you can see what we call the short pin which is the uh the area that's in the red outline. So we took a look at R1 which is the more orange colors. Uh research and development the blue and general commercial the more purple of the colors. Uh these properties for the most part are in disparit ownership and actually on the wall it's kind of hard to see here but there is a list of property owners for each one of the parcels in the uh big woods area. And this is our future land use map in the comprehensive plan. And I will I've actually got a zoom in for that. But uh again, we're looking at the north side of Victory. Uh the area that uh that sort of yellowish color is really low density residential. The uh the blue again is research and development and the purple is general commercial. We also uh referenced some materials. You might have seen those when you looked over the packet that talked about the uh the B2 district and the B1. We included that because the general commercial district wraps up those permit uses as well.

In our conversations, there was a lot of conversation about access and Oak was part of that. This is a plat from uh Jul of 1983. So, it's a long it's an old plaque. Um, but you can see where uh you can see on the uh the picture to the left there where those roads come into the R1 zoned areas or the low density residential in terms of the comp plan. um those pro those roads were listed for further development uh to access some of those parcels. Now there are some environmental features and to be quite frank we don't know exactly where the limits of those are uh because there hasn't been any wetland studies done back here for quite a while. I can tell you from my experience, there have been three different groups of people that came to look at expanding us more and nobody's done it as of yet. Uh, and that's just an aerial roads right there. Uh, and with that, unless there are any questions, I'll turn it back over to Heather, Miss Sha.

Thank you, Wally. Appreciate it. With that being said, um, we put together and I'd like to read this so I get this correct of recommendations that we bring forth to you collaboratively as the planning commission this evening. And starting off with uh point one, the planning commission elaborated on Big Woods North distinctions by recommending references to the Big Woods North residential and Big Woods North commercial. The development style should be cohesively planned more like a master plan community than a peacemill development. This may require a joint effort by all stakeholders being the city, economic development authority, and of course the numerous property owners. any traffic into the R1 zone properties. Big Woods North residential for byight development in accord with all zoning district regulations should be off of existing public streets such as Yorktown Road and Oakmore Road and should be focused on areas where existing frontage is available or can be acquired for a new street and in any case should require a traffic impact analysis for review in order to ensure efficient traffic flow. In cases where R1 properties are landlocked or where no access exists or can be created, access to a new development from a new public street off Victory Boulevard should be in the ownership of the developer at the time of the application be limited to the new public street, be focused towards existing intersections such as City Hall Avenue, Legacy Boulevard, and Bigwoods Drive, and require a traffic impact

analysis for review in order to ensure efficient traffic flow. The research and development district in the Big Woods commercial area should be redesigned in favor of general commercial in the 2018 2038 comprehensive plan future land use map and language speaking to environmental and access issues in this area will be retained. And that is planning commission's collaborative recommendations to city council this evening. Thank you, Heather. Uh, council members, did y'all have any questions or comments? Heather, y'all need some guidance from council?

Yes, sir. We would like some guidance on how to proceed.

Okay. uh I can provide that. Okay. Uh in in keeping with our theme of being methodical, systematic, patient, uh in light of the great work that you all have done for us planning commissioners, uh we would like the opportunity to digest this information. Uh digest what has been discussed tonight. will have the opportunity to consult with staff and talk individually amongst ourselves as council members and uh we will follow up in a timely manner to to be more specific than than what we're talking about right now.

And I think that that shows the citizens that we're trying to get this right, that what we're doing is for the whole community and we're not just jumping headoot in. And I appreciate that as the planet commission chair. I'm sure the other planet commission members would agree and I'm sure our citizens that as well. I just want to ask one more time. Mr. Salaul.

Yeah, just one comment. I I I think the last suggestion that you made was really important having the accesses match up with city hall drive and and the two entrances in the legacy traffic impact studies done at the same time. Okay. Because citizens of citizens of Picosen have made many comments traffic impacts on because of legacy the new stoplight and so forth and any additional Thank you, Mel Hall.

I just want to say that I am so heartened by all the discussions and all of the the comments that everyone here has made so far today. Um I have been watching the meetings and the deliberations have been very insightful, very um intentional, very conscientious of um making it the best that it can be. And I I feel like as the commissioners went around, that was the common theme. Let's get this right. Let's make it as good as we can get it. Um, and that was really heartening to hear. Um, a quick note, I I also heard during the deliberations there was a desire to hear from VOD about the future of Victory Boulevard and the enhancements and I I know that that was heard too and and unfortunately they weren't able to be here tonight. Hopefully that'll come soon and and if that informs um any deliberations that that's um another tool in the toolbox there. Um, I know Wally had mentioned wetlands and and going back I I reprinted out the meeting minutes that we had from our initial retreat and just a thought of hey leveraging the wetlands to be an asset and um, you know, I I highlighted so many uh, phrases from the minutes from our original retreat that really uh, went handinhand with with what everybody said today and um you know I highlighted you know there's no urgency to develop this property uh we want to be the best version of what it is and the 20 plus year plan is a generational strategy and I think everyone very much

internalized that and and I think that that's that's a great um a great motivation going forward that it is generational and and I'm eager to hear how this progresses and I'm eager to hear all the opportunities to um whatever tailored approach this is. If there are, you know, if there are bespoke overlay districts, if there are tweets to zoning, I'm very eager to hear how that all shakes out through the process. Um so I think we're we're heading in a good direction. Angie, thank you very much. And and just to give credit where credit's due, for all those that might not be aware, uh, Councilwoman EMTT served for five years on on the planning commission and she is a former planning commission chairwoman, so she can speak with authority on on this subject matter as well. So, thank you, Angie. Thank you, Debbie.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I would like to thank all the commissioners for being here tonight with us um to have this work session and also thank you for your service and for the time that you have spent on this um topic and look forward to working with with each of you in the future regarding this. Thank you. Thank you, Debbie.

I was going to say I think you're all doing a great job. um watching the monthly planning commission media and televisions families highlight. Uh we we make the popcorn. We sit around the TV. It's just a just a good time to watch all my only comment to to improve it would be to make sure you speak in the microphone. It doesn't always translate when the microphone's over there. So make sure So otherwise it's great. We think you're doing a great job. Thank you Keith. If there are no other comments or questions before we close this aspect of the work session, uh would like to recognize a special guest we have with us tonight. Uh we're honored to have with us uh former council member, former vice mayor, uh Mr. Harold Quinn served many years uh on on the city council and I remember when I was a senior in high school in government class uh Mr. Quinn was an answer on a test uh because we had to identify all seven council members. Mr. Quinn, thank you for being here tonight. And with that, uh, we will close this portion of the work session and we'll move on to the next one with Chief Steven Kates. And I would invite the commissioners to to stay. Be glad to have y'all, but uh, w with the accumulation of snow. Um,

certainly understand if y'all need to head on home. We appreciate y'all being with us tonight. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Christmas party tonight. Everybody drives home.

Used to say in a I remember it. too. No, thank you so much. Good night. Virtual blowing up. I know. I got it here and then and then I got appointments. I had appointment. Oh, no. That was going to be happening. Got me a little confused where you were. Mhm. I got

Yes, sir. I think it got me was um if I keep I keep raming.

I can't go any further this way. I think we can go ahead and proceed with the next portion of our work session. uh like to call at this time on Chief Steven Kates to give us a presentation.

Good evening, uh mayor, vice mayor, members, council. Um, I was I've put together a presentation uh as as you'll recall earlier this this year I brought before council a proposal for uh an ordinance um to require bike helmets when operating a bicycle on public right of way uh for those age 14 and younger in in accordance with the permissibility of state code. Um and u to my surprise it spawned quite a bit of conversation uh from that which is not a bad thing. Uh so um the what I have for you tonight is is a presentation of of to go a little more in depth of what the current um state laws are regarding bicycles, electric assisted bicycles, pretty much anything that operates on our public rideways other than uh conventional automobiles. U and so that with that we'll we'll move into uh the presentation. Uh is I'm going to start off with talking about the electric power assisted bicycles and there's some definitions from state code. Um and it defines an ebike as any vehicle with three wheels in three or le fewer vehicles into contact with the ground, pedals that allow propulsion by human power, a seat for the rider, and an electric motor with input of less than 750 watts. Um and under 462100 and related sections, ebikes are treated as bicycles with some limitations rather than regular motor vehicles. U motorized skateboards um or scooters, electric scooter, electric power personal assisted mobility devices are defined in in the code of Virginia 462908.1.

uh motorized skateboard or scooter may have a speed of up to 20 miles per hour on level surface when powered solely by an electric motor. And an electric personal assistive mobility device, for example, Segways uh are subject to a 25 mph cap in some contexts and it the the state code goes into very extensive detail on on some of those contexts. uh there are limitations that are allowed to be prescribed in those contexts under local ordinance. Uh and and so and and I'll talk a little bit about that when I get to the local ordinance pieces. Um I'm not going to read the whole thing. Um for 908.1 uh discusses personal assisted mobility devices. All of these different type of equipment and what their batteries have to be have to be sealed. Excuse me. And no person shall at any time at any location operate an electric personal assisted mobility device at a speed faster than 25 miles an hour. Uh motorized skateboard or scooter more than 20 m an hour. And no person shall operate a skateboard or scooter that would otherwise meet the definition of motorized but capable of speeds greater than 20 miles per hour at more than that speed. and and so if if if they do, it's a violation of this code, which is a traffic infraction, punishable as such under the state code. Uh and nobody under the age of 14 can operate these type devices um unless they are under the immediate supervision of a person that's at least 18 years of age. Uh, so if they're riding a

motorized skateboard, a motorized scooter, or a class three ebike, which is the highest class that can go up to 28 miles per hour. And I'll talk about that a little bit more uh when I get a little deeper into the presentation. They have to be under direct supervision. Doesn't mean when we talk about a learner's permit, they the direct supervision's in the car with them. It's a little difficult on a bicycle or a skateboard, uh, but it's in close proximity. uh and and that they have to be close enough to respond and act to control the operation uh if if it gets out of control uh is what the that part of the state code means by immediate supervision. Chief,

does does this does this include like handicap scooter type devices like you'll see in food line where you know people just motor up and down things people have personal ones, right? So, it does not this part of the code does not talk about um that type of mobility device as far as u disabled scooters. Okay. Th those are governed under a totally different section. Uh and and they're they're okay on sidewalks, but you shouldn't be on the highway with them. Yeah.

Is the summary on that one. So um under city ordinance um we have definitions of motorized skateboard and scooters under 78251. uh a vehicle regardless of the number of wheels in contact with ground that has no seat designed to be stood on by the operator uh no VIN number assigned uh and is powered by an electric motor having an input of no more than a 1000 watts or a gas engine that displaces no less than 36 cubic centimeters. uh motorized skateboard uh includes vehicles with or without handlebars but does not include the electric personal mobility devices like Segways. Um violations of the article class 4 misdemeanor uh and and I was asked about that what that means. Class 4 misdemeanors are punishable by a fine of up to $250. provisions of this section of the city code apply whenever these vehicles are operated on any roadway within the city. Uh there there's no no exceptions in any particular neighborhoods. City code requires that if motorized skateboards or scooters are operated within a half hour after sunset or a half hour before sunrise that they be equipped with the same type of lighting as uh like a motorcycle would be after dark. The distance that you'd have to be able to see the light uh is is more specifically defined, but you have to be lighted if you're operating after dark. Um, they have to have warning devices.

U, skateboard, scooters equipped with a horn or a bell that can be audibly heard from at least 100 ft. We don't see a lot of these type vehicles being operated in the city. Um, riding on the right side of the rideway rideway. Um, the these type scooters, skateboards have to be operated with the flow of traffic. if they if they're operating on the public roadway, they have to be with the flow of traffic, meaning on the right side of the highway. Um, riding on sidewalks and pedestrian paths, motorized skateboards and scooters are not allowed on sidewalks in the city. If they ride a skateboard in the roadway, paved or unpaved, they have to yield the right away to pedestrians just like a vehicle would. Uh so so the the city code makes the general rules of the road that apply to automobiles apply to skateboards and scooters. Uh and including um prohibiting cleaning the vehicles. They have to wear helmets if you're operating a motorized skateboard or scooter. And you are required to have a valid operator's license from issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to operate these vehicles on the public roadway. Any any questions on skateboards and scooters?

Just a quick comment. Way back right after Christmas one year, and I don't remember the year, but there was just a rash of those little motorized with the gas motor skateboards zipping all over the place, up and down sidewalks, all over the streets with very young kids. Why we put that in there, right? and and and that's very wise because they they can be dangerous uh and it's not as easy to see uh young folks especially operating something like that especially as we get into the later hours of the day and and light is not appropriate. So we have to have some controlling ordinance. Yes.

I'll embarrass myself to my grandchildren, but hoverboards or the boards that have the one big wheel in it, is that considered as skateboard? They do fall under the same definition as motorized skateboards. Great. Chief Kates. Yes, ma'am. I'm I apologize. Uh, did I hear you say that there is a particular one um class that is not allowed at all within the city limits? Did I hear you say when you were it was an aside and you said that there was something that was not allowed at all? Maybe I misheard. I'm sorry.

I have to I have to back up. I didn't memorize it. It was the um No, it was the motorized um any of the the bikes that travel more than 28, but any of the skateboards or scooters that are capable of going more than 20 m an hour are not allowed to to be used higher than that speed anywhere in the city. Okay, thank you.

Get back to the right page. So now we'll talk about the ebikes a little bit in a little bit more detail. They the state code does divide them into three classifications. Uh, class one is pedal assisted with a motor assisting when the pedals are being operated. Uh, and so they you have to be pedaling for the motor to actually help out. Uh, and and the the motor will disengage if the bicycle reaches 20 miles per hour. So the the the motor cannot help beyond 20 miles per hour. And for the purposes of state code and traffic enforcement, they are treated the same as a standard bicycle. Um and and the it cannot operate in a throttle only operation. They have to be pedaling. Class two uh is is the same as class one with the difference being that it can operate in a throttle only, but the motor still must disengage. uh when the vehicle reaches 20 miles per hour, it cannot continue to accelerate at that point. Uh class three uh also requires that the pedals be in motion uh in order for the motor to work, but it can go up to 28 mph. The the bike must be equipped with a speedometer showing its speed in miles per hour. and riders under the age of 14 or 14 and under uh cannot operate them on the highway unless they are in direct supervision of an adult uh and and they and helmet rules apply uh regardless of age on the class 3s. You have to wear a helmet on class 3 ebike.

Uh for all classes, the motor must disengage when the rider stops pedaling or when the brakes are applied. If the brakes apply the if you squeeze the brake on the handlebar, the motor has to disengage. Um, anything manufactured after January 1st, 2021 must have a label from the manufacturer designating the classification and a top assisted speed uh, and what the motor wattage output is uh, for that bike. And they're typically uh those labels are found on the post under the seat or right on the right at the handlebar frame. Uh but most of them are that I have seen are right on the seat post uh of the bike. Any questions about the ebikes? So golf cart regulations because the this conversation has evolved quite a bit since that first meeting when we were talking about just bicycle helmets. um because there's been quite a bit of discussion about uh golf cart regulations uh and and how those are are being used and and and what's what and so I'd included those in here as well. Um, in order to operate by under city ordinance in the city of Picosen, in order to operate a golf cart on city streets, you must have a valid driver's license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Whether it's a Virginia license or another state, doesn't matter. It must be a valid current driver's license. Uh golf carts may not operate on streets uh that have a speed of higher than 25 miles per hour for the speed limit, but the golf carts themselves cannot be operated at an speed in excess of 25 miles per hour. They require an annual safety

inspection. Uh we do have facility in Picosen that offers that service. Uh it is a little bit different than the inspection of your car, but they are available uh to our residents. Um you must be able to prove that you have an liability insurance policy that has a minimum coverage of $300,000 to operate that vehicle on Picosen streets. Uh must have if you're driving between sunset and sunrise, you have to have headlights and tail lights. uh there's a decal to to prove that you're in compliance. There's an application that has to be completed and with a $10 fee attached to to filing that application at the police department. Uh and then we issue you a sticker that is displayed on the the right side, lower right side of the windshield or in close proximity to where that would be if yours does not have a windshield. Uh so some of the limitations to those operations include you cannot operate a go a golf cart within 150 foot of any intersection where the speed of the intersecting street is above 25 miles hour. So, if you can't get within 150 feet of there's about I I think we're at about six or seven streets right now that are higher than 25 and you can't be within 150 ft of any of those. U the vehicle must display a slowm moving vehicle emblem on the rear of the vehicle. U that's those orange reflective triangles. uh and they are available at most um retailers such as Walmart and uh hardware stores. U no operation during inclement weather or situations of low visibility. You can't get on a golf cart if it's foggy

outside. Uh if it's raining hard or if it is snowing, leave the golf cart at home. uh and must must not carry more patch passengers than the golf cart is designed to carry. Each person on that cart must have a seat available to them. Uh and and that seat does not qualify as someone's lap. So there golf carts by under city definitions right now are not designed or manufactured to be used on public streets. We recognize that they are designed uh to be uh used on golf courses. And so city of Picosen in no way advocates or endorses the operation on public streets or roads. And likewise, the city of Picosen assumes no liability for allowing golf carts to be operated on public streets under the special legislation granted by the Virginia General Assembly. Um, and I won't I won't read every word of this, uh, but part of what's in included in the safety inspection is the working lights, a working horn or warning device. The brakes are adequate. Um, factory installed safety mechanisms must still function. Um, must be governored with if it has a gasoline engine, it must have a speed governor installed. And they and they do come from the factory that way. safety belts, if they come from the factory, they have to be there and they have to be working. Uh, rubber tires, uh, slow moving vehicle emblem, proof of insurance, and and the owner of the golf cart has is responsible for obtaining certification of the inspection to file with the application for the city permit. Any questions about that part of the golf cart stuff?

I have one.

Yes, sir. taking the question. Recently, you and I had a conversation about golf carts and a traditional golf cart is two seats up front and a place in the back for two golf bags. Um, and the question was, because we've seen things that might uh be in the same universe as golf carts, maybe they got three rows of seats, maybe they don't have a place for uh golf bags, but maybe they've got a jump seat in the back. So my recollection of what you told me is that the state code definition and our ordinance, a golf cart is a traditional golf cart, two seats with a place in the back for golf clubs, which is not to be used for a seat. Am I correct? Correct. That that is currently the verbiage that is in the city ordinance. the the two-seater golf carts, just like what you would see if you go to any golf course around to play around. Uh you got a bench, typically a bench seat, and then two racks in the back for two sets of golf clubs. Uh and and that's the way the verbiage currently is in our city ordinance. That's the only type of golf carts that are allowed. You're saying that the four and six seat golf vehicles are not golf carts.

Under the current definition in Picosen City ordinance, they do not qualify as golf carts for the purpose of this ordinance and the operations in the city. So would they qualify as just regular vehicles if they No, because they're not legal for street operation at that point.

All right. This might not be a proper time to say this, but I'm going to bring it up so that I don't forget to say it. Uh, I have a concern for some of the golf carts at being operated at night. Uh there's been a couple of occasion where I've seen some on the highway coming at me that I am reasonably certain the light the headlights did not come with a golf cart that they look like boat light bars that had been bolted on LED lights that are extremely bright bright and blinding. He on one occasion I had to pull to the side road. I just could not see from from the from the light bar that was on the front of that cart. uh any provision for making certain those lights are approved lights.

That's part of the safety inspection. Uh there without going into the minute details of what the safety inspectors look for in that that's part of it. It's just like when you take your pickup truck for a state inspection, they check the head. They don't just check to see if your headlights are working. They actually are supposed to check how they are aimed. Uh and that that is to prevent your lights from blinding other drivers. Uh and and so it's similar process for for golf carts, the lights that are installed on them as well.

And and the other question was at least um on three occasions in the past two weeks, I have passed ebikes on the highway at night with no lights. Okay? No headlight, no tail light. Two of the occasions they were operated by young people. the third occasion they were operated by an adult. Um are officers citing those people?

So what we're trying to do at this point in time is we're trying to get educate our community about what's required. Uh and and so citations can happen. U typically uh that's actually my next slide. Um, particularly with underage violators, a lot of times what we will typically do is we will have a conversation with them, but if they're in violation of a code, um, we typically will contact a parent or legal guardian and and have them respond and we'll also explain to them uh why we're interacting with their young person.

Okay. Well, my my my uh reason for asking the question is not so much to see that they get um a ticket of any kind, but it's extremely dangerous. In one case, they were one was playing chase with the other one and they went through the intersection between Picosen Avenue and and uh uh Creek Road going down Posen Avenue, one right behind the other one. And and they just zip through there. They were both wearing dark clothes. If you didn't look in the right place, right time, you couldn't see them. I don't want to see anybody killed on those. Yes, sir. I have a question. Yes, ma'am.

Um, so the definition of a golf cart, two people and two or two bags. I can't think of any of the golf carts in town that I see fit that description. You You're correct. What happens to those people? Is there a grandfather? is I mean if it's if it's the rule of the road in Virginia that's a whole lot of hurting. Well, it's not the rule of the road in Virginia. It's the rule of the road in Picosen. Okay. It's Pos directly out of the Picosen city ordinance that was adopted I think in '08.

Yeah. Somewhere around 08 um was when council adopted the current golf cart ordinance and that's how it was incorporated. To follow up on that, the staff or any of us recommend looking at that for a rewrite? Well, yeah. To change the definition, if you leave it to a twoperson golf cart with room for golf clubs in the back, you're going to irritate a whole bunch of citizens in this city.

Maybe 15 of my neighbors. If I could add one thing that I was very surprised about when I got a little bit deeper into into this uh recently, I know just from casual observation that there are many uh what could be described as golf carts in the city. Uh not to mention uh ebikes, motorized scooters, that sort of things. but to focus specifically on golf carts. Uh as Chief Gates described earlier, uh all the requirements that must be met uh to include obtaining the annual golf cart permit uh for a $10 fee. Uh there's a grand total of nine community

that are registered that that are registered. Uh so let me let me Repeat that just for emphasis. Out of all the golf carts in town, nine of them are legal. That's it. Nine. So, we intend as the city government uh to do a much better job on informing and educating the public. And when we are satisfied that that effort has been completed as as as best we can u then then we'll leave that up to the professionals on uh on how to deal with it from there onforcement side of things. But first and foremost have to look out for the safety of all that use our street sidewalks here in Pakosa. So thank you. Okay. So, to to continue on the how we enforce a lot of the these type vehicles, um I said with underage violators, we'll contact a parent and have them come and we'll explain the the ordinances appropriate to them. Um the a lot of times we will do a a warning. We don't have a warning ticket per se. Uh but the officer will issue a verbal warning and we document that in our debate our database in what we refer to as a field interview. Uh so they document who, where, when, and why we encountered them and the result of that being a warning for whatever violation. the next step if it continues as a summons u and and if there's repeated violations that result in summons the law does allow us to impound whatever vehicle that is in violation as evidence of that violation and so that that's the

progression through the enforcement piece. Um, one of the things that we what we're looking at uh going forward uh and and and I know everybody's busy right here in the in the peak of the holidays, but we also have folks thinking about Christmas gifts uh and and so what we're planning to do uh as as we get once we get through the holidays, just after Christmas, we're going to to continue some social media campaigns that we traditionally do. Uh as far as our awareness of bicycle awareness, there's a particular time of year uh that that statewide law enforcement and other government agencies uh like to bring attention to shared use of the roadways. Um we'll continue some of those. Uh one of the things we currently do and we plan to continue is our SRO's do deliver safety uh instruction in class. um they're not just DA there. They're not just talking about resisting drugs. Uh there are other safety mechanisms that that are discussed through those classroom uh forums. Uh we recently uh got a couple more couple of our folks certified uh to to help us out to do the bike rodeos. uh with turnover and in and staff in recent years. Uh we were down to to only one instructor that wouldn't and that's just not enough to pull off a a rodeo where you're trying to to teach a bunch of young folks at one time how to how to operate safely. Uh and so we've gotten staffing back up where we need that to be. to once we get through the cold weather to where we can get out and plan these, we'll get back to putting these on for the young folks in our community. U we have we're planning to do a mail a

mass mailing after uh the holidays. We have a uh we we're developing I' I've sent it back for some corrections, a bike safety uh flyer uh pamphlet. Uh we already have one on uh parking regulations in our community and and we've got one I just I just had them I sent it back uh last week for one final correction. Uh then I'm going to let Mr. Wheeler review it, get his opinion uh for golf cart regulations. So, so my plan is right after the we get through the holidays, these three PL pamphlets with that that condense the regulations, safety recommendations, all of that. Uh, and anything that I need to change based on what council decides to do with this information. Um, we're going to put those in every single mailbox in the city of Picosen. Every home will receive a copy of this. Um, I'm also going to speak with the the school superintendent uh to put that same information in the end of the year packet that goes home with all of our students uh because it is in the summertime that we see uh an increase in and our young people inappropriately operating some of these alternative modes of transportation on our roadways. Um the then I we plan to work with uh Parks and Wreck as they publish the Island Tide to get that information out to their community. We're going to include some of this information in in the next issue of the Island Tide. Um and and of course uh like I say started out with we'll still try to uh ramp up some of our social media uh publications and and the fire department has a page and the city has a page as well and uh I usually we work with them pretty well on having them share the same data because they have

followers we don't and vice versa. Uh and so so we plan on doing all of that. And so that's the presentation I've got together and and I'll be glad to answer any additional questions or try quick comment on mayor's statement about only nine um registered or legal golf carts in the city. As many as we see I don't believe all our citizens are just you know reckless lawb breakakers. So obviously we need to step up that education with far the golf carts. Um, I don't see all that many bicycle violations, but apparently a lot of golf carts, if only nine of them are registered.

I have a question. Um, you mentioned that the electric scooters and skateboards are not allowed on sidewalks, but bicycles themselves can be allowed on sidewalks. And there was an age restriction on that. Am I right? No, there's no rage. There used to be. Okay.

Uh but that was a change legislatively uh a few years ago where they changed that. In in years past, if you were the general rule was if you were 16 or over, you had to ride on the street. If you were under 16, you operated on a sidewalk. Uh and and those that was changed legislatively just a few years ago uh to where those age restrictions were taken away. How about for ebikes? They are treated exactly like bicycles. Okay. Okay. Thank you. The legislatively was that state legislation? Yes, sir.

Will you be coming back to us with regard to uh helmet requirements? I can't answer that question right now. That'll be discussed after tonight. Got it. Any other questions from council members? I think we all learned some new stuff.

No doubt. No doubt. Chief, your presentation was spot on, very thorough, and as you can tell by the lack of questions. Uh, you pretty much covered all the bases. So, thank you for that for being with us tonight. Uh, Randy or Mr. Moore, did y'all have anything to add? One thing I would add is comment out one single golf in the city that has golf [Music] seat.

Sir, all right. Thank you. I'd also like to compliment uh staff for estimating the time required for the topics for the work session. They're just about spot on. So we'll So staff, thank you. my compliments once in a while. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Well done on that. Uh looks like we're about three minutes to seven. So, uh we'll we'll take a brief break. Uh we'll journ the the work session and we'll be back very shortly and we'll uh call the regular session. Thank you. Welcome.

Yes, we're ready to go.

Good evening. Welcome to all. This regular session meeting of the Picosen City Council is called to order. appreciate all y'all coming out tonight, especially with the uh snowy conditions outside. We could all please rise. I'll lead us in the invocation and pledge of allegiance. Father God in heaven, we come to you tonight in prayer to express our gratitude for the greatest gift ever ever given to mankind. Thank you for blessing us with your son Jesus whose birth we will celebrate in just a few weeks. Please help us to always remember the true reason that we celebrate and help us to follow his example and always love others as you public servants. Please lead us, guide us, direct us to do your will as we make decisions.

Christ's name we pray. Amen. Amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all.

Uh thank you all. Uh would also like to recognize tonight uh we have with us our school superintendent uh Mr. Arty Tilllet. So thank you Arty for being with us. Uh we do appreciate that. Um I know we have one speaker in just a few minutes but would also like to discuss our amended uh agenda uh just due to the the inclement weather the the presentation that we had scheduled uh from Nikki Johnson. Uh she's a regional economist with the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission. uh she had planned to be with us but uh we felt it best under conditions to to postpone that to a better night. Uh along with the the VOTE presentation we had planned related to the Victory Boulevard improvements. Uh so we will reschedu those for another night uh when the weather's a little bit better. Uh but under item C uh we still have our 2025 employee recognitions. Okay. took that one out as well. Okay, very good. Well, we will move on at this time to our audience for visitors. Uh we will open the floor for public comment uh related to the city. Uh we have one speaker tonight, uh former councilman and vice mayor, uh Mr. Harold Quinn. Uh Mr. Quinn lives at 9 Oakmore Drive. So, Mr. Quinn, welcome. Uh the floor is yours. I don't have a large staff. It's just me. So, I'm going to pass these out to you. That will help you understand

Mr. Quinn. Uh, thank you. Thank Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Tanya.

If there's not enough, I have more. On September 15th of 25, 2025, I attended the planning commission meeting. At that time, the chairman provided an open statement that the comprehensive plan ordinance was a non-bonding long range planning document for a not zoning action. City staff followed the recommendations on changing the language of the comprehensive plan. My concern is access to Yorktown Road front from Oakmore Drive for new development. Using the information available and my knowledge of the last development that was established for Oakmore Drive, I calculated that approximately there would be two homes per acre. Using the 97 acre number provided by city staff, that would specify that a minimum of 194 homes would enter Yorktown Road. The language stated in the proposed language to the comprehensive plan is to allow land landlocked properties who are not able to focus or get to Yorktown Road would be able to acquire a path on Victory Boulevard with focus on existing intersections of City Hall Avenue, Legacy Boulevard or the Big Woods Drive. I took the time to walk the Oakmore area. I found uh especially behind Oakmore Drive, I found the elevation of the land behind Oakmore Drive is 14 to 16 in lower than the top of the road. The elevation continues at this until you pass the Picosen Place Apartments. At that point, the elevation starts to gradually increase. And by the time you get to O'Reilly's Automotive, you'll find that the elevation is about the same as what you would see when you look at the uh land as you're going down Victory Boulevard. Following this, I received the properties making up the proposed

residential areas. There are three entities who control approximately 92 of the 97 acres in the residential area. Two of these entities have access to Yorktown Road without using Oakmore Drive. The third entity is landlocked, but it falls right behind one of the one of the entities that has an access to Ytown Road. Based on my findings, I proposed a I would like to propose a feeder road very similar to running man which would allow which proper planning and agreement between the land owners and city staff. The feeder road would be the beginning of the road system in the proposed residential and commercial properties. This road would provide three things. First, it would allow spur roads to access. These spur roads would allow the small residential areas with green space and access for commercial properties without access to victory boulevard. This would also ensure no land owner would be landlocked. Second, it would allow for parks and playgrounds to be in the area accessed by the citizens of Posenum without traffic going through the uh spur roads to residential or commercial areas. Finally, in the case of a natural disaster or human-caused disaster blockage, if you had a blockage at Yorktown Road above WT over Shores, it would provide easy access to to the Victory Boulevard. The same would occur if you had an access problem at the Big Woods Drive. It would allow you to move access to Yorktown Road. What I'd like to do is specify again that some serious thought be given to looking at this type of road that would link between the two. What it basically does is not only affects the people that are in the residential area, but it also would set

back and allow the commercial activity that's not on Victory Boulevard to have the capability of getting to either Yorktown Road or Victory Boulevard. What you have in front of you are the three entities that make up the 90 91 acres. And my concern is either one of those three could come in tomorrow with a production plan or a subdivision plan and say, "I'd like to provide it." If they do and it meets the zoning and your present subdivision ordinance, you're going to pass it. Even though you would like to have a long-term plan that is a master plan for the whole area, that is a major concern and why I feel that some work has to be done hopefully to resolve the issue with these three large areas that could easily be made into a subdivision. Thanks for your time,

Mr. Quinn. Thank you very much for being here and uh sharing your thoughts with us. Thank you. Yes, sir. Do we have any other speakers tonight? Very well. Uh we will close the audience for visitors. Move on to the approval of the minutes of the work session from November 10th, 2025. Uh do we have a motion in a second? So move, Mr. Mayor. Second. Thank you. Any questions or comments? Christy, call vote, please. Vice Mayor Bunting, I Councilman Fi. Hi. Councilman South Hall. Hi.

Councilman Freeman. I Councilwoman Hover. Hi. Councilwoman EMTT. I. Mayor H. I. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of 7 to zero. Thank you, Christie. Uh, next item under item E is approval of the minutes of the regular session from November 10th, 2025. Do we have a motion and a second? So move, Mr. Mayor. Second. Thank you. Questions or comments? Christie. Councilwoman EMTT. I. Councilwoman Hubard. I. Councilman F. I. Councilman South. I. Vice Mayor Bunting. I. Councilman Freeman. Hi. Mayor H. I. Mr. Mayor. The motion carried by a vote of seven to zero.

Thank you, Christie. Uh, item F on the agenda is a public hearing. And at this time, we will open the public hearing. Uh this is related to amendments to the fiscal year 2026 uh amended budget. Uh we have two ordinances tonight to discuss. Uh we have with us uh Miss Terara Woodruff. Uh she is our finance director and she's going to give us a presentation on uh the first ordinance. Uh at that time I'll provide an opportunity for council members to ask questions or make comments. Uh then I'll open the floor for public comment pertaining to that ordinance before we take a vote. So Tara, the floor is yours and thank you for being with us.

Oh, thank you. Good evening, Mayor Hux and council members. At the November council meeting, you were presented the FY25 audit and at the end of FY25, the unassigned fund balance in the general fund increased by 1.3 million to 13.7 million. So tonight we have nine recommendations to use 1.2 2 million of the general fund unassigned fund balance. So, first we are recommending that $360,000 be utilized to establish a reserve for the disabled veteran tax exemption program. We've talked about this before and as you know, the amount of tax exemptions has continued to increase substantially and this would be available if needed during a future year. The second recommendation is to utilize 180,000 to complete repairs at the community center, which involves removing the chimney, painting, and fixing siding and floors. Third, we are recommending that 175,000 be used to purchase a dump truck replacement. This was approved in the CCIP and we plan for debt issuance. However, this would allow cash funding instead of debt. So that would save the debt service associated with that. The fourth recommendation is to utilize 170,000 to have funds available for a north side of victory property acquisition. You discussed that tonight at your work session. Mr. Huts mentioned that this would allow funds to be available and the city manager could could move on that if needed. The fifth recommendation is for 100,000 to transfer to the capital projects fund for facility maintenance repairs. And recently a facility condition study was completed on the municipal building and the former police building. And it was recommended that the municipal building be demolished due to its age and condition. And the former police building needs to be painted and have new doors, windows, and floors installed.

The sixth recommendation utilizes $75,000 for a roof replacement at fire station 2. That was also part of a facility condition study um as well. The seventh item is 70,000 to replace information technology network equipment that is approximately 10 to 17 years old. This includes network cables, switches, and fiber at city hall parks and wreck and public works that need to be replaced. The eighth recommendation is to utilize $50,000 for shoreline needs at Emory's Wararf. As you know, that was a large stroll line project that was recently completed. But thereafter, there were some storms which caused sand to be overwashed. So, we need to install clean beach sand along with new Spartina sprigs um replanted. And the final recommendation is to utilize $20,000 as a local match for the Virginia Port Security Grant to purchase a new boat for the fire department. This grant provides 75% of the boat cost and this would be a local match um to support that. This would allow the fire department to deploy much faster in the event of an emergency situation. So you have a you have for your consideration an ordinance making additional appropriations and transfers to the general fund and the capital projects fund and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you Tara. Council members Jeanie, um, do we know, and this may not be for Terara, uh, do we know when the municipal building is then scheduled to be demolished based on that recommendation? I need to take care of it. The answer is going to be pretty soon thereafter. If you approve this money, after you agree with this money, there's a few things that we need to first prepare. We need preparement of department staff coming out of Munville building going into their new location. Once we make sure everything's cleared, i.e. materials, whatever we have left over there, then we'll go ahead and put that out the bid to bring the building down.

Okay. So, my follow-up question to that is um the seventh recommendation includes parks and wreck in the reabling um parks and wrecks in the municipal building. Is this to assume its new location? it it does assume the new location, but it assumes a location not only for the department, but for the use of the old police headquarters because we have not determined yet who's going to go in there. Either way, when that came out, the old police building was not factored in. So, what would be going in the municipal will go into the old police building. Okay. So, the municipal building isn't going to be slated for fiber replacement if it's going to get torn down. That is correct.

Thank you. You kind of hit on one of my questions was $100,000 to do work on the old police station library and pharmacy and whatever bank too. Okay. Um we don't know what's going to go in there. We don't

we do have some assumptions going in. We are still actively working out with the departments to make sure we have all their needs identified before releasing that information. Clearly, we do need to find space for parks and wreck. Um, we had hoped to move voter registar over to the location, but we have found out that my expectation of their needs was not nearly what they needed to make sure the early voting could happen. So, therefore, that one comes off the board. So, we're working different avenues to make sure that space is best utilized with city staff.

Wondering if the 100,000 could be kind of set aside because it may cost more, it may cost less. What we typically do, we ask for more and if it does cost less, that'll go back into the capital project reserve with an opportunity to come forth to city council to use it for other things. Just looking for this is definitely what we're going to put in there. Therefore, we need to do this. Well, we're definitely putting departments in there right now. Of course, with the municipal building needed to slate to come down, our first option is to move parks and recck, but we have to work out the logistics with their programming and how that all works out as well. But if that doesn't work out, we do have another plan. But we have not spoken to those departments. So therefore, kind of would like to hold that close to the chest.

Okay. Uh those were very insightful questions and Tanya, you feel those questions like the seasoned professional that you are. So thank you. You make it look easy.

Tanya, I'm sorry. Um, and I know you and I have spoken and I think one of the things too kind of to to piggyback on that discussion is the Odd Road Community Center. And again, if the municipal building is coming down, some of those programs may need to go to the community center, which also needs to have some structural um upgrades or some maintenance done and and that so that some of those programs can be relocated there as well.

Currently, we have a few um programs that do require the kitchen in the municipal building. So, that is part of the program is get the community center up. So therefore, those programs can go over there safely and utilize the kitchen and there's no concern. Another good one, Angie. Thank you. Uh any other questions, council members? Yeah, Keith. I've got I've got several. Okay.

Um first the first Well, all we need is three more. We have the 12 days of Christmas here. But uh first recommendation is to utilize $360,000. I was just pointing out when I was talking to the mayor today that the disabled veteran tax exemption program is really the Virginia disabled tax. It almost sound like it was because not ours. It's a state thing. Um but the $360,000 is like a first best guess chunk of money for what we're going to undoubtedly need as the years come ahead. Let me handle this one. Yes. Randy,

as as you will perhaps recall, in the current year, our uh natural revenue growth, meaning not associated with a tax increase or reassessment, was about slightly less than $810,000, of which we had to subtract $700,000 a year-over-year adopted because of the increase in this program. That meant that our net natural revenue in the current fiscal year was 109 at adoption. Since then, if you recall from the last report Steve Clark provided to you, that's gone up by an additional $200,000. So, we're actually negative natural net revenue growth in a year. But we're trying because we can't we don't have any control over this curve and it's going from this to that. We think that it's appropriate to have a reserve for a mid-year adjustment to be able to stick money in there to to offset that that cut because you may recall going back two years, we had a a significant hole associated with this. Well, in the middle of the year, but the amount of money that was in the bank and earning interest with the public safety building was our sort of saving grace. our interest earnings were substantially higher than our projected and it and but as that building has gone away in in the in the financial aspect of it uh we don't have that reserve anymore. So as things are getting tighter, this is a reserve not to get us from year to year, but to keep us healthy within a year. So that if this curve, which um it's a little bit dated, but if we had this reserve right now, um just looking at the reserve and the impact, we'd already be $200,000 into it. Um so that's that's what we're trying to protect is a

midyear hit to a budget. Um, we do a lot of together on the annual budget, but a300 or $400,000 unanticipated hit in the middle of a year is given our size very difficult to respond to. So, we're asking put a reserve in place for that um as another layer of protection.

I understand. I just want to make sure that people if anybody listens out there is is doing it and you know it's it's a good first step and congratulations for looking it forward as versus oh my gosh what happened to it. That was the first question I had. Um the community center. What's that one number two? Second one. Uh $180,000 the unassigned fund balance to eight repairs. We started repairs back in like 21 or something like that. We had like 34,000 put into it. What did we get for the 34? We I meet in there twice a month on average. Um and sometimes I want I know the HVAC was kind of a big hit, but what else is part of the 180? If you could help.

Well, so you had two questions if I may. You had the 34,000. We did not use off the complete 34,000. We still have 17,000 that continues to carry forward to go towards that building. So in addition to the 180, we also have the 17,000. So the initial money was used for, like you said, the HVAC and a couple repairs to the outside and make sure the ADA ramp was properly accessible. Right.

So with the additional funding that we're going to do, we're going to look to the roof, the siding, taking the chimney down. Since the chimney has been exposed, there has been a little bit of water damage that has gotten there. So we do have some structural issues that we need to look at. It's nothing to be alarmed. we still can have people in there. So, when I say structural, we just need to make sure they're correct as we start cysting the building back up. Therefore, we're going to take care of that. And then, because the rain has damaged some of the floor, we're looking to take out a little bit of piece of the floor and do some kind of like tile, but ultimately, we want to keep the aesthetic of the wood floor that we currently have and make sure it's current.

Improvements from the kitchen area there. We have not planned, but if there is money left over, we'll try to do our best to upgrade that as well. But what we have for the under 180 plus the 17 only identifies the roof, the siding, the painting inside, the floor, the chimney, and then underneath.

Okay, great. Thank you. [Music] What's next? You already answered the one on number five. Number eight, recommendation to utilize $50,000 in assigned fund for a transfer of the capital project for shoreline needs for Amy's Wararf. I remember this because I asked those questions a couple months ago. Uh seems like we're the numbers are getting up there and getting up there and up there again. And uh like says I I pulled up my packet from back in May when we approved the most recent one and from August of last two years ago.

Please tell me this will be the last time because I I'm I'm all in favor of the uh the living shoreline. It's just that from the original aspect of $100,000, we're now approaching $300,000. I understand it's basically given bad sand after bad sand, no pun intended, but um we were hit with some storms that we didn't anticipate. If we knew those storms were happening, of course we would have delayed putting the new sand in and the spartas that we did. This will put clean sand in and then of course we're going to work with our public works park maintenance group to maintain this location going forward. So, yes, this will be final for that. But no, I'm not not going to say I'm not going to ask for more money for Amy's worth. Is that fair?

Yep. Have we kept people from driving on it now? Yes, we have. Good. Have the boulders the boulders that we have put there have kept them from going on top of it. Great. That's all I have, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Keith. Any other questions from council members? Yes, please do. Right.

Thank you. Um Amy's work reminds me a little bit of South Lawson. uh soccer fields. Not too long after I got here, we spent the money we needed to to put good, clean, athletic field quality dirt down there. But before the grass could be completely rooted in, we had norida and it washed out and I had to stand in here and ask you all to invest more money in that. And that was a hard thing. And uh the living shoreline just had not taken enough to withstand the storm that hit it. Um, and then uh since I'm already talking, no one asked a question about the fire build, but I uh you will recall uh year and a half or so plus or minus ago, we had a canal fire, and one of the things we wished uh was that we had quicker capability. our our large firefighting boat is regularly at the uh at the marinas, which is where it needs to be because that's where the the density of boats is, but that's not the totality of the need. And so what this smaller trailerable stay on a trailer at company one fireboat will do is allow us to directly deploy from a trailered fireboat to all of those other places, the canals and the others, even if we're bringing the larger boat across. This is a SE 525 grant, yet another of the fire department successful grant awards. And to be fair, they thought they would have enough money within their budget to pay that relatively small share. They just don't right now. So that's why we're here.

Thank you, Randy. Council member, call a question. Yes, sir. No, that means we need to stop discussion.

Okay. All right. Uh, very good. Uh I would like to elaborate just a little bit on the fourth recommendation and uh Tara already teed me up. So uh thank you Tara. Just wanted to expand a little bit. Uh the fourth recommendation is to utilize $170,000 of the unassigned fund balance to have funds available for a north side of Victory Boulevard property acquisition. And just to restate uh what we had discussed during the work session earlier this year, city council authorized uh the manager to to to make offers on parcels of property uh if when they become available. uh which that would be assessed value and that would expedite the process, make the process more efficient uh and timely. The manager would be able to act on it or make an offer without coming directly back to council. Uh but that stops short of providing the ability to actually make the purchase. Uh if approved tonight, this $170,000 would be in a contingency fund to where the manager would be authorized not only uh make an offer, but to actually make the sale as well. Sometimes when properties come up, you you have to act quickly. Felt that was a prudent thing to do. Uh and hopefully we can authorize that. but wanted to expand on that a little bit just for everybody's understanding and also to share our motivation for acquiring property on the north side of Victory uh if possible. Uh, of course, it would be purchased uh to use for the benefit of the greater good of citizens

of Kosen. Uh we're thinking along the lines of outdoor amenities uh such as a park uh walking trails and also just for the simple concept of preservation and conservation. So especially for preservation and conservation just want to make certain everybody understands our motivation doing what we're doing. So all that would be tied together. Uh, with that, I'll open the floor for public comment related ordinance. Okay, seeing none, we'll close the floor. And, uh, I'll ask Christie to please call for a vote. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Yeah. Getting getting ahead of myself. Thank you. Uh, do we have a motion and a second for the first ordinance? Mr. Mayor, I propose an ordinance making additional appropriations and transfer for fiscal year 2026 in the general fund and capital projects fund. Second. Thank you. Uh Christie, call for vote, please. Councilman South Hall, I. Councilman Freeman, I. Councilwoman Hover, I. Vice Mayor Bunting. Hi. Councilman. Hi. Councilwoman EMTT. I Mayor H. I. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of seven to zero. Very well. Thank you, Christie. uh for a second ordinance. Uh Tara will be back with us again. Actually, we're gonna ask the superintendent to introduce this if that's okay.

Okay. Yeah, please do. Uh we have with us tonight uh our superintendent of Costa City Schools, Mr. Arty Tilllet. Uh Arty, thank you for being with us tonight.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor and members of council, Mr. Wheeler, uh citizens. It's great to be here with you tonight. Um, as you know, every year after the audit is complete, uh, at least the since I've been here, there has been a need to request carryover funds that are acred through the previous year. Most of these funds come from vacancy savings. I remind folks often that about 83% of public schools funds in um, in Picosen, and that's very typical around the country, uh, are personnel. So when you have a a vacant spot um that acrru over the year and that generates uh significant vacancy savings as that is the majority of our budget. Um we sent a uh letter to uh the city manager some um weeks ago um requesting the use of that carryover funds to be reallocated tonight uh to other projects. all um most of which um are already on our approved capital improvement plan. Um in that document, you'll notice and I'll just highlight some of the areas. The vast majority of those funds um will go toward chipping away at this next year's CIP projects, including um the high school tennis court. Uh there's been some a lot of talk about that court. If you haven't had a chance to go look at it, it's in desperate need of a um overhaul and uh we are at the stage of pulling the trigger on that as soon as these funds are approved. Um tonight um middle school gym air condition has been on the CIP for some years. We that's uh also on our carryover request and um $271 for uh a new high school um fire alarm

system. that system is aged and uh in need of repair. There are some other smaller ticket items uh in the request. Um each year that there are textbook and resource adoptions from the state. We budget that money and then we anticipate the state providing the approved list to us and generally it's done within the same FY uh budget cycle. But the last couple of years, you'll recall, we've had to come back to you and ask for carryover funds to buy those items as the state has not um uh given the vetted list until after the the budget cycle is over and the fiscal year is closed. And as you know, June 30th of every year by ordinance uh by state law, all public school funds go back to the funding partner, in this case, the city. And so we're now asking for those funds back um to buy those uh in this case math uh adoption textbooks that have um will be on our approved list uh Tuesday night for our school board. Um the two other smaller items are 47 almost $47,000 for a hot water heater replacement at the high school. It is just um decided not to operate anymore. So, we uh we need to replace that. We've we've uh put as many band-aids on that system as we can. So, this is uh something that we can't uh cover in our operations budget and would like to use carryover funds for that as well. And lastly, $25,000 for the replacement of the basketball um goal system at the high school. Several of those goals um are in illrepair and the cabling that adjusts the the uh the goals up and down on the side courts um are some frayed. So they need to be replaced as soon as possible.

So that's kind of a general synopsis of the $1.6 million uh carryover request um that's on your agenda for tonight and I'm certainly available for any questions. Thank you Arty. Council members,

I can't if I'm allowed. Beat you. Okay. Uh, I'll read this because I wrote it up. I was trying to figure out how to say it. Um, I wrote it out because I don't want to make mistakes. Um, I don't have any issue with additional appropriations. I think they're all good. I'm going to vote for them. Um, but I have a question. At the November 10 work session of the city council and school board, Tracy Spence, your executive director for finance, uh, explained, well, quote, explained that the surplus was largely attributable to staffing vacancies and filled during the fiscal year, which you mentioned. I'm assuming that the work accomplished by these missing staff members is being performed by others on the faculty and staff. I'd first like to thank those members of the Posen City Public Schools who are doing the extra work because I know what that's like. uh likely for little or no extra pay. And second, I also assume that they are working you're working on filling those empty seats. And of course with that comes and if we do fill those vacancies, will we not be able to tap the financial kind of windfall we get at the end of the year? I mean, is it kind of a trade-off?

It it is. Um we are close to fully staffed. We have a couple of um speech and language positions. They're um kind of unicorns these days. Hard to find those. um staff members. We've been advertising for some time. We're using uh contract labor services for those services now for our students, but um uh we don't anticipate seeing these kind of carryover funds moving forward because we are fully staffed and we have been using in most cases substitutes, contract labors um to uh to provide the service, but uh we don't anticipate that moving forward. And I have to put in a selfish plug to say uh uh thank you. Um I think it's in large part to the hard work this council did in the last budget cycle to uh approve um the um comp study salary adjustments that um have made a great uh difference in our recruiting efforts. So um thank you and I do think that moving forward we will see um less requests for carryover funding. I hope that answers your question.

That's all I have. I that was basically my same question is um I know that we have been in a very fortunate position as far as our staffing over the last year or two and I think especially this year um we're probably one of the more fully staffed in the region if if I recall which is great it's a good position to be in so yeah so basically the same thing as Keith so hopefully that'll kind of equalize itself self going going forward.

Absolutely. I couldn't have said it better myself. We are um in an unusual situation that we're very um proud of and thankful for. Uh that we are almost fully staffed and we're one of few school divisions maybe even in the country uh that can say that we are uh in about the fifth or sixth year of a national educator shortage that is affecting school systems all over the the country. And um uh we took our lumps a few years and now we're uh excited to be in the position we are including and I hate to even say this but we're fully staffed on bus drivers which is uh the first time and maybe we may be the only school division

you shouldn't have said that our HR director may have something to share. No you don't want to jinx Oh, I don't want to say. Okay. I didn't I was hoping you didn't. No, we um we are fortunate in that respect. We have an incredible team of bus drivers, but uh we've gone through a rough spot trying to um make sure we've cover all of our our runs and we are now fully staffed. So, yeah. I have a question. Good news. um the items that um are on the list that you had you said in the beginning that some of them were not necessarily on the plan. Right.

Right. Um which items are you bringing forward now because these funds potentially are available that that means you won't be asking for that money next year. Right. Yeah. We we don't anticipate um asking for any of these things next year. These are all one time expenditures. Right. I get that. Um I'm I'm hoping that some of these were items that were docked for next year and your hopeful ask that now if you're pulling them forward then that might mean we have less of a request on Absolutely. Yeah. These come directly off of the CIP that um you know is a five-year plan and each year um you all consider items on there. A lot of times there's you know

except the water heaters and things like that. those three items that just were not in anybody's and they were uh also uh we typically cover most of those things in our um maintenance operation costs but these are larger ticket items than we can cover in those annual costs but we don't anticipate seeing these kinds of things uh moving forward and everything else the vast majority of this was already on the CIP so yes we're paying it forward with money saved from this past year Yeah. Any other questions or comments for Arty? Uh, well done Arty. That was a a good good conversation. So, my compliments to all. Um, at this time, we'll open the floor for public comment related to this ordinance. Seeing none, we'll close the floor and move on. Uh, do we have a motion and a second, please? Mr. Mr. Mayor, I move the council approve an ordinance making additional appropriations for fiscal year 2026 in the general fund and capital project fund for the Posen City School System.

Second. Thank you, Christie. Call for vote, please. Councilwoman Huard, I. Councilman Southpaw, I. Councilman Freeman, I. Councilwoman EMTT, I. Vice Mayor Bunting, I. Councilman F. Hi. Mayor Cox, I. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of seven to zero.

Very good. Thank you, Christie. All righty. Thank you again for being here. Glad we can get this taken care of tonight and y'all can uh move ahead. Very good. Very good. All right. At this time, we will close the public hearing and we will move on to item G. Uh new business. Uh the first item under new business is an ordinance to amend the chapter 14 of the code of the city of co Virginia by amending division three section 14- 141 dangerous and vicious dogs. Uh Mr. Moore, do you have anything to share with us on this topic? We recently had incident of a potential vicious dog and when I met with the enforcement officers and we went through the city ordinances versus the state ordinances, it was pretty clear that our ordinance had not been brought up to date with some recent changes. And so this simply adopts the state ordinance dealing with vicious dogs. It doesn't add anything. It's the It's the state law that allows us to adopt it and we put it in laws that automatically update it as the state law is amended ours also stay in lock step with the state ordinance. So I do think it's a an appropriate amendment. Um we don't get this situation very often but when it does we need to have the appropriate place.

Thank you for your due diligence and for your record. My due diligence that enforcement officer came forward. we started going through what we had to do, we realized that we probably weren't where we need to be locally. We could have done something with with a state warrant, but not with local orders.

Well, that's that collaborative approach that we emphasize so much. Uh we appreciate uh the efforts of all involved. Any questions or comments from council members for Mr. Moore? So, um, just to be clear, this is bringing us in line with what's going on at the state level and it's not breed specific. We're not targeting breeds or the state isn't targeting um any specific has to do with what's defined by the state as um what you see there right under the state ordinance. Right. That's it. Okay. Thank you. I just want to be clear there.

Yes, ma'am. Yeah. Thank you for making the point. U any others? Right. We have a motion and a second. Mr. Mayor, I propose an ordinance to amend chapter 14 of the code of the city of Pakosen, Virginia, by amending division 3, section 14-141, dangers and vicious dogs. Second. Thank you, Christie. Councilman Freeman. Hi, Councilwoman EMTT. Hi, Councilman Southhaul. Hi, Councilman Fi. Hi, Councilwoman Huard. Hi, Vice Mayor Bunting. Hi, Mayor Huts. I, Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of 7 to zero.

Thank you, Christie. Uh, the next topic under new business is a resolution making appointments to the Hampton Rose Planning District Commission, the Hampton Rose Transportation Planning Organization, and the Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority. If I can elaborate just a little bit uh on this, a big part of what we do uh as city council members uh here in Pakosen uh is serve as ambassadors uh and diplomats. Uh all seven of us uh represent the city on various uh boards, commissions and committees uh at the regional level. uh sometimes at the state level uh through the the VML, Virginia Municipal League is uh is one that comes to mind. I represent the city uh in these capacities. Uh we're able to network with uh elected folks and professionals uh from other localities. uh we're able to develop relationships and we use those relationships to benefit the greater good of not only the city of Picosen but the the other cities, towns and and counties as well. We we all work together as public servants. And tonight, uh we have a recommendation for Vice Mayor Bunting, uh Councilwoman Emit and Councilwoman Huard uh to expand their horizons a little bit and establish their identity uh and their own network of relationships at at the regional level. And I can tell you from my own personal experience uh the the caliber of these three fine ladies uh the city of Picosen will be very well represent with regard to these

commissions. Just wanted to expand on that a little bit just just for the just for public knowledge. And uh with that uh do we have a motion and a second?

Mr. Mayor, I propose a resolution appointing Councilwoman Jeannie Huard to the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and Councilwoman Angie Emit to the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization and Mayor David Hu as alternate. These terms expire December 31, 2026. Becca and well, I got to finish the council and Vice Mayor Debbie Bunning to the Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility as primary and Mayor David Hu as alternate and these terms expire January 31, 2027. Second.

Uh, thank you very much. Uh, any questions or comments? I think that's a good choice. Uh, no doubt. No doubt. Uh, three of them. Chris, those are good. Councilman Fi, hi. Vice Mayor Bunting, I. Councilwoman EMTT, I. Councilman Freeman, I. Councilman Southpaw, hi. Councilwoman Huard, I. Mayor Hu, I. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of 70.

Well, very good. Congratulations, uh, gentle ladies, uh, council. We appreciate y'all's willingness to serve, sir. I know y'all will represent us all very well. So, thank you for that. All right, moving on to the third topic under new business. Uh, this is an easy one. U, anytime we can do anything to to help our staff members like this just to quality of life, I think it's a great idea. This is a resolution closing the city offices on January 2nd uh 2026 in observance of the New Year's holiday. I do motion and a second.

Mr. Mayor, I propose a resolution closing city offices on January 2nd, 2026 in observance of New Year's holiday. Second. Thank you. Uh, any questions or comments on that? Christie. Councilwoman EMTT. Hi. Councilwoman Huard. Hi. Councilman Fi. Hi. Councilman South Hall. I. Vice Mayor Bunting. I. Councilman Freeman. I. Mayor Hooks. I. Mr. Mayor. The motion carried by a vote of 7 to zero.

Thank you, Christie. Thankful we can do this. And staff. I hope y'all enjoy your your day off to go along with the with the New Year's. So that'll give y'all a 4 day weekend to go along with the the 5-day weekend for Christmas. And so that's certainly welld deserved and uh very thankful. That brings to a conclusion our new business. And on item H, uh comments of the city manager, Randy. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. I usually try to lead with something informative and good news. I'll hit one of those two with informative and then I'll have to add a third thing just so I'll have some good news. Um just and we'll be posting this out on our website and social media later in the week. But uh the week of December 15th, weather permitting, that's on Monday and Tuesday. We will be doing work to replace the traffic signal pole that was not that long ago hit by a car. It needs to be replaced. that will uh require some uh some traffic shifts. Those two days um scheduled 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. sharp. We're out of the roadway for the outgoing rush hour and well out before people start coming home. But uh unfortunately, we're you know we're replacing the pole that closest to the Taylor Dentl. And um I learned this. I didn't know it. You might already, but uh the um the post goes down 19 ft deep and that's quite a quite a excavation. So uh so we will have um one lane closure. There will still be through traffic all the way. But u but we will be without a lane uh during those two construction times. And um the final thing that I have before I circle back to the good news um and this is so recent I've not had a chance to even inform all of you but um I with

with great sadness but also appreciation for her many contributions. I'm letting you know that uh Tara has given us her resignation as to the end of the month she will be going on to to be the finance director in Gloucester County. um she and her team have done extraordinary service for us and we will miss you. Uh but we wish you a lot of great success there. I know you enjoyed your time as a school finance director uh previously and I'm sure you'll enjoy it again. And so I'm going to circle back to something I wasn't going to talk about which was hey the Christmas tree lighting and the frosty fester was awesome. That's all I have sir.

I I second that. Uh thank you Randy. Also, Terara, the fruits of your labor are self-evident. Uh, actions speak louder than words and uh it it's it's plain to see what you and your staff uh have been able to accomplish and for that we're truly grateful. uh every citizen of Pakosen has benefited your high level of professionalism and that of your staff and um I know we we've had a long line of uh very fine professionals hold the title of finance director one of course is seated immediately to your left is our assistant city manager that's Tanya Oonnell but uh best wishes to you as always move On now to item I council uh directives. Uh Angie.

Oh. Um I think the only thing I have tonight is um for those at home if you can um sign up for the city's email distribution list. I know I mention this so often, but please tell your friends and your neighbors and everybody. Things like probably this this construction that's upcoming, um closures, all of that. Uh recycling, recycling bins, all comes through the email blasts and our uh Jessica, our public information officer, has been on the ball putting information out there. And I know it's hard to get to everybody. So, um if if you can get on the email distribution list and tell all your uh neighbors to do so, um that really helps just get all of this information. Um that that is of interest out there. Um and Tara, you will be that's all I have.

Thank you, Angie. Keith.

Oh, thank you. I got a few things here. uh first one attended the library advisory board meeting on the 19th of November and talk about thanking Jessica she's also the director of the library among other things uh she reported like a 23% increase in the number of visits library in the last year 31% increase in the number of library cards distributed um also kind of funny that DVDs and CDs are trending downward but there's been an increase in computer web library website mainly to make appointments for use of the the rooms that they have there as well as passports which keep growing. Um I also attended the Virginia Peninsula Community College board meeting which was held at the elementary school uh last Wednesday on the 3rd of December was set up by Mary Sandy. It went over really well. Um acoustics for those in the audience is perfect for a library but not great for those of us that were observing but for the people that were part of the board and they having things everything went really well and as soon as they ended there was bunch of camaraderie going on which was really nice to see thanks to Mary for putting that together. I think it's the first time the board has ever met off of the campus which is pretty neat. Um, Frosty Festival already mentioned uh the uh can't leave. I don't know what I'm going to say it. The kudos to the football team. I know it's hard to say uh still shortly after. I'm sure they're all still disappointed at uh the coming in second on Saturday night or Saturday afternoon. Um but they did a a great job this year. Uh just ran up against the opponent at the wrong time when they were peing. So, uh, for those of us from Cleveland always say we'll get them next year. Um, and that's usually the way it goes. And last but not least, the Picosa mobile food pantry distribution will be this coming Thursday, um, on the 11th of December. If you'd like to volunteer, we can always use volunteers, especially this late in the season. Uh, be there about 8:30. Uh the volunteer group for this month will be work with

Presbyterian Church members and we're looking forward to them coming out and getting the food out to those in need this time of year. Thank you. Uh Keith, thank you for your comments. Could you share with the public, please, what uh Mary Sandy does for us, what her role is.

Oh, I'm sorry. She is the uh the board member that represents all of Pakosen. Um and an excellent job and I've talked with her both times. I've been to their meetings and she just she has fit right in. And I mean like that missing puzzle piece uh for their board and to fit right in. So bringing good things to Picos and from from that and of course the uh the community college down there is doing good jobs. I was told that in January they're going to be having their uh their reopening the Mary T. Christian Auditorium which was the building that collapsed. It was supposed to been done in November but you know how things go when you're building the building. Yes sir.

Yeah. But Mary does is a great job. She's like such a perfect fit for that. Uh thank you for sharing that with us and we really appreciate what Miss Sandy does for us uh as well. Um hello.

Well, I would again like to thank everybody at home and who came out tonight for paying attention to the city government. I invite you all to apply to the various boards and commissions of the city. We're always in need of one somewhere. And uh thank Mr. Quinn for firstly coming out here tonight. He's he's uh obviously paying attention to the city government making this presentation here tonight. Very thoughtful presentation and because of the presentation it's obviously also pays attention to the planning commission. So thank you very much for your attention to the city government. Everyone should do that. Thank you. Thank you.

Um I just wanted to say that you know we're entering into um you know the best season um that we all know of for unity and family and Picosen does a really good job at kicking that off at the beginning year with the Frosty Fest, with the memory tree lighting, you know, with the parade. Unfortunately, sometimes things get rained out, but um this we have school concerts that are coming up and you should really go out and enjoy our young people as they share their gifts and play sleigh ride again. Um and the Virginia Coral Society of which several of our citizens are members uh their concerts this coming weekend. Yeah. Take take the opportunities to go um and and share with people who are sharing their talents um to uh celebrate this season. Thank you.

Do we have dates for those school concerts? I don't have those dates for the school concerts, but the school has been doing a really great job of um promoting all the different activities uh lately on social media. Um they've done such a great job promoting our young people who are marching in parades and um the different things that they're doing. I'm I'm I'm hopeful that that information is out there. I'm sure it's on the school websites. Thank you. We know a guy and I'm hopeful that he will send us a list and we can send it all to you. I I would be happy to send that out to

please do city manager's office and we can get that distributed but it is on our website and our schools send out a weekly newsletter each school and there's a lot of information in that. So I'd encourage folks to uh get a hold of that it and again it is listed on our website has concerts there is u my calendar is full it's going to be as you say Mr. Hover there. Um going to be uh a lot of exciting things going on in the schools in the next couple of weeks. Um enjoy it. Uh thank you Arty. Apprec appreciate your input. Freeman.

Only additional thing I have is just wish everyone a merry Christmas.

Thank you Debbie. Um, thank you, Tara, for your work with the city, um, with the school system as well before the city. Best wishes to you. Um, thank you for all all you've done for both the schools and the city. Um, and it is we're entering, we are in the best time of the year. Um, there's a lot of things going on at our local churches as well as the schools. Um, try to um, find out that information. I know at some point the city website sometimes has things churches things are going on. I'm not sure if we have anything, you know, on the website right now, but I know I've seen that in the past. If there's local churches that would like to get that word out, I'm sure um that would be an avenue. Um also just want to wish everyone since this will be our last meeting until January 2026. It sounds like really far away, but it's not. It's right around the corner. So, just want to wish everyone merry Christmas. Hope you get time. um school system, city staff, all of our cit citizens. Hope you get time to spend a lot of quality time with your family and best wishes to all for a happy new year as well.

Thank you, Debbie. Uh as usual, I like to thank Miss Alistra Barefoot uh for her IT support. Wouldn't be able to have the the meetings with without our IT professionals. So, thank you, Alra, for that. Solo tonight, too. So she gets an extra Thank you. Yes. Yeah. All by herself tonight. So be even busier than usual. So well done, Alicia. Thank you.

Uh tonight we also have a close session. Pursuant to section 2.2-3711 2-3711 A8 of the code of Virginia from 1950 is amended to consult with the city attorney on a specific legal matter. Uh do we have a motion and then a second? So move, Mr. Mayor. Second. Thank you. Uh Christie, Vice Mayor Bunting I. Councilman Fi, I. Councilman Southpaw, I. Councilman Freeman, hi. Councilwoman Hubard, hi. Councilwoman EMTT, I mayor, I 7 to zero. Thank you, Christie. We're now in close session.

Right. At this time, we'll move on to item K on our agenda, which is reconvenement and certification of our closed session. Do we have a motion in a second? So move, Mr. Mayor. Second. Thank you. questions or comments as far as certification. Uh yes, that is reconvenement and certification of the close session. Both. Yes, sir. Okay. Yeah, that that covers both of them. Christie, Councilwoman Huard, hi. Councilman Southall, I. Councilman Freeman,

I. Councilwoman, I. Vice Mayor Bunting, I. Councilman Five. Hi. Mayor Hugs, I. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of seven is Thank you, Christie. And item L is adjournment. Do we have a motion and a second? So move. Second. Thank you, Christie. Councilman South Hall. Hi. Councilman Freeman. Hi. Councilwoman Hubard. Hi. Vice Mayor Bunting. Hi. Councilman Thigh. Hi. Counciloman. Hi. Mayor Hugs. Hi. Mr. Mayor. The motion carried by a vote of seven to zero. Thank you, Christie. We are adjourned.