City Council - Regular Meeting

The order is 13 April 2026 Waynesboro City Council meeting. Mr. Slope, will you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? Yes, sir. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Mr. Slope. Item two is adoption of the meeting agenda. So, motion to adopt the agenda. So moved. Thank you, Mr. Fields. Is there a second? I'll second. Thank you, Mr. Wood. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Eyes have it, 5-0. Uh for the record, Miss the vice mayor is with us via Teams. Item three is matters from the mayor. I don't really have anything this evening. Item four is matters from City Council. I would like to um say something. Uh this is an ongoing process. I know a lot of you here to speak or here to speak and to listen about school board funding. Um some miscommunication has gotten out there. We 100% have not set [snorts] in our minds that we're we're going to set a rate or an adjustment to whatever. Uh we had a preference in mind. But we've also uh uh dedicated ourselves to continue working with the school board. We have another joint session at the end of this month. Um You know, there there's been some misconception that we're trying to cut the funding. Okay? Um That's not the case here that we're

trying to box the school out of natural growth. Um in reality, if any of you had gone back and watched any of our budget sessions from early last year, all of the growths, a majority of the growths, I won't say all, but a majority of the growths was not natural. We created it as a balancing effect for our uh police, our sheriff, our fire, our emergency medical services. Um to let you know where we set with those services in comparison to our surrounding counties, in comparison to where our school set was a drastic difference. It's why uh when Mr. Castle was up here um during his presentation of the school budget, I was curious as to where we are as far as competitive pay rate for our teachers. Kind of middle of the pack. We were not there with our emergency services. We were not there with our fire department as far as being fully staffed and being competitive for the pay. The police department, we have over the past several years been the breeding grounds for our surrounding communities in those departments. Much in the way that a long a while ago our school system was viewed. So, while we can make numbers, we can look at whatever numbers we want that gives preference to what we're trying to get across. And everybody can find numbers, you know, to support, you know, why it's not a great idea. Um the commitment of this council to make sure that the community of children gets a top-notch education. And the families that those children belong to also don't get priced out on the low end. So, it we are 100% committed. We have not set in our minds that it is going to be this way. If we had, we would have just put a motion forward

and and done it. Um there's no need for back and forth. And and if we were that stubborn-headed, we we could have just put forth a motion. But we are committed to making sure that everybody comes out in a positive way um through this. So, I just wanted to put that out there. And I encourage all of you to come to the joint session. I had some points, but I'll hold them for the joint session so that we can, you know, deliberate and kind of come to an understanding and agreement that works for everybody, um mainly the community cuz every dollar comes from them {slash} us cuz we're part of the community. So, um I'm very mindful of that. Everybody on this council is very mindful of that. We appreciate everybody coming out and voicing your opinions. It shows how passionate our community is about our children. Um just know that we are passionate about our kids, too. Um so, that that's all I got. All right. Thank you, Mr. Slope. Any comments? I'll I'll just I I echo that. I mean, thanks Sheriff for for, you know, it's uh um unscripted. I didn't I know you're going to say anything tonight, but I just want to echo that. And you know, I've had the opportunity to talk to to several folks, too. And uh um uh I don't know if I begin or I end each of those conversations by saying this, but I'll just say publicly and I'll and just to share along I'm sure is the sentiment of my colleagues. Um because we do talk about it and we do care about our school system and our collective community. And that is I would never do anything that I felt would do harm to our school division. I love public education. Um my both of my kids have gone from kindergarten all the way to graduation in Waynesboro. Love this community. Love public education. Love our faculty, our administrators, um everyone in the school. Um so, there yeah, there's nothing that I would ever

do that I thought would would would cause harm. But as we have been working uh diligently, um when I first got on council, about 70% of our job board um uh advertised pay rate pay scales that were at at or below uh the poverty line for a family of four. 7 70%. And so, we've worked really, really hard to change that narrative and to change the scope and the direction of compensation on the municipal side. And that's been slow um because it that sort of stuff takes while. We can't just sort of jump start it. Um and so, for that um with everything that we're trying to do on right sizing on the municipal side, that has a cause and effect uh because of the formula to raise additional revenue um on top of trying to make some headway in our police department, our fire department, public works, uh uh parks and rec and and beyond and all of our um even even hourlies, even seasonal. So, it's uh uh challenging and a balance, but yeah, I look forward to to all the conversations I've enjoyed, um all the two-on-twos that I've had with the school boards, my colleagues, and um and I look forward to continuing to do that. So. Thank you, Mr. Short. Well, I was just saying from the very beginning, as I said, I was never in favor of cutting funding to the school. A lot of miscommu- a lot of misinformation was put out. Don't know where it came from. Just like uh uh earlier tonight, I was told that it said we were we had that school fund- school budget stuff talking about that was reported on a particular social media site. Um as you can see the agenda back there, there is nothing on the agenda for tonight for to discuss. I invite anybody to get up and speak if they want. That's your right. Um That's partially how I ended up in this seat because I got up and spoke passionately about something I believed in. So, I encourage everybody to do that. Not just this week, not about this

subject, but we meet here the second and fourth Monday of every every month. And I encourage you to do that here. I encourage you to do that at the school board. And I encourage you to do that at the planning commission. That is what our our government is about is the citizens' voices to be heard. And I know I spoke to the news leader at one point after our first big budget. That was the first thing I said was we are not here to cut funding to the school. So, how that information um circulated the way it did, I'm not really sure. But, we're here to support our schools. We're here to support our children. Um, you know, my son went through Waynesboro public schools. Um, he was a he was a Westwood kid. And to me there's, you know, I wish we had the the the school system [snorts] that we had when I was growing up. You know, it's a it's a much better system now. And um, you know, so um, like I said, if you want to speak, please sign up and please speak. And tell us what you think because your opinions matter in decisions that we make here. And we want to make sure that we get it right regardless. Um, that that is right for everyone in our community. Thank you, Mr. Wood. And I'll just echo uh along with my colleagues that uh everything they said I agree with. Um we're trying to do the best that we can for the entire city. Uh, and that's the way that we approach what we do. So, um the school system is important and is at the top along with with some other uh divisions or offices or organizations within the city. So, uh um we're trying to do our best for all involved. Item five, consideration of the consent agenda. Is there a motion to adopt the consent agenda? So moved. Thank you, Mr. Short. Is there a second?

I'll second. Thank you, Mr. Wood. Any discussion? All in favor, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Eyes have it, 5-0. Item six, is to consider presenting a proclamation recognizing the week of April 12th as National Animal Control Appreciation Week in the City of Waynesboro. Mr. Wood. Yes, I would like to read the following proclamation. Whereas the National Animal Care and Control Association has designated the second week of April each year as National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week. And whereas various federal, state, and local government officials throughout the country take this time to recognize and commend all animal control officers for the dedicated services they provide to the citizens, public safety, and public service agencies across the nation. And whereas every day the Waynesboro animal control officer performs a critical and often under-recognized role in maintaining safe, humane, and healthy communities serving public safety, animal welfare, and community engagement. And whereas our animal control officer puts herself in potentially dangerous situations by protecting people from dangerous animals and seeks justice in case of abused, neglected, and abandoned animals by conducting humane investigations and protecting the welfare of helpless animals and pets from injury, disease, and starvation. And whereas the Waynesboro animal control officer routinely navigates complex and emotionally challenging situations with professionalism, compassion, and integrity to not only protect animals, but to contribute significantly to community safety and quality of life. And whereas the City of Waynesboro recognizes Officer Jennifer Anderson, our animal control officer, for the many dedicated and long hours of service she provides with the highest and most efficient level of customer service to the residents of our community. And now, therefore, our Mayor Kenneth B. Lee Sr., Mayor, on behalf of the City Council of the City of Waynesboro, hereby proclaims April 12th through the

18th, 2026 as National Animal Control Officers Appreciation Week here in Waynesboro. And we encourage all citizens to join us in expressing their sincere appreciation for the service and dedication of our animal control officer. In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Waynesboro to be affixed this 13th day of April, 2026. Signed, Kenneth B. Lee Kenneth B. Lee Sr., Mayor, City of Waynesboro. Officer Anderson. [applause] [applause] [applause]

Thank you. Thank you. Officer Anderson, you can have words if you'd like. Would you like to come up? Uh Thank you very much. I'm not going to say anything. [laughter]

Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate the city, you know, staying behind me. Officer Officer Anderson, thank you. Thank you. An often thankless job, but you're never not appreciated. Thank you. Item seven is to consider presenting a proclamation recognizing the week of April 12th as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in the City of Waynesboro. Mr. Sloan. Whereas across the nation in times of intense personal crisis and community-wide disasters, the first access point for those seeking all types of emergency assistance and homeland security information is the 911 center. And whereas often known as first first responder, the unsung hero, or the calm in the midst of crisis, the 911 telecommunicator is the critical point of first contact for those [clears throat] in crisis and often experiencing the worst day of their lives. And whereas the Waynesboro Department of Emergency Management Emergency Communications Center staff receives these calls and have emerged as the first and single point of contact for persons seeking immediate emergency assistance and are expected to multitask under stressful emergency conditions with compassion, accuracy, and professionalism throughout the year. And whereas this week, celebrated annually, honors the thousands of men and women who answer emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and coordinate life-saving assistance to the citizens, residents, and visitors of Waynesboro and throughout the country. Now, therefore, Kenneth B. Lee Sr., Mayor, on behalf of the City Council of the City of Waynesboro, does hereby proclaim April 12th through the 18th, 2026 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in Waynesboro and encourages all citizens to join us in expressing their

sincere appreciation for the service and dedication of our members of the Waynesboro Department of Emergency Management Emergency Communication Centers. In witness thereof, Mr. Lee has hereunto set his hand and caused the seal of the City of Waynesboro, Virginia to be affixed to this proclamation on this 13th day of April, 2026. [applause]

Thank you. Thank you, Gary. [laughter] Thank you so much for recognizing the dedicated Waynesboro public safety professionals. The work they do each and every day means so much to our community. We appreciate your support. Thank you. Thank you, Gary. [applause] Item eight is to receive an update on library operations and present a proclamation naming the week of April 19th as National Library Week in Waynesboro. So, we'll read the Do the proclamation first. proclamation first and then we'll

April's a busy month, y'all. I'm just going to say straight up, so. Um, uh my privilege. Whereas National Library Week 2026 themed for a richer, fuller life, read, is recognized as a time to honor libraries, librarians, and library workers for their contributions to communities and lifelong learning. And whereas libraries spark creativity, fuel imagination, and provide equitable access to books, digital tools, innovative programming for all individuals regardless of background. And whereas libraries and librarians look beyond their traditional roles and provide formative opportunities for education, employment, entrepreneurship, empowerment, and engagement including Nerf battles. I'm sorry, I answered that part. As well as new services that connect closely with patrons' needs. And whereas libraries play a critical role in the economic vitality of communities by providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for job seekers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. And whereas libraries are accessible and inclusive places that promote a sense of local connection, advancing understanding, civic engagement, and shared community goals. And whereas libraries, librarians, and library workers are joining library supporters and advocates across the nation to celebrate National Library Week. Uh now, therefore, be it resolved that our fine esteemed Mayor, on behalf of the Waynesboro City Council, proclaim April 19th through April 25th, 2026 as National Library Week to honor the dedication of library staff and encourage public engagement through social media campaigns using hashtags like #librariesTransform hash and #NationalLibraryWeek and #WaynesboroLibraryRocks. Now, I'm adding that one, too. I apologize. To celebrate libraries' impacts on communities, uh signed our esteemed mayor. Thank you.

[applause] [applause]

Be quick. So, thank you uh for that. And also, thank you for your continued support uh for Waynesboro Public Library. So, I just have a few highlights of where we are so far in fiscal year 2026 and then some exciting things that we have coming for the spring and summer. Hopefully, this will work. Does not go well. I can go do it the old-fashioned way. Okay. [laughter]

Okay. All right, and then I'll I'll return the favor. Okay. So, uh Leslie will assist. Um so, we're just going to do a quick overview of collections. So, this is what we have in the building and available digitally. Uh so, with a Waynesboro Public Library card, you can access not only our collection, but physical items at Augusta County Public Library and Staunton Public Library, also. We have a courier that runs between the three localities every day. Uh this is one of our greatest strengths, according to our survey. And remember that we are now fine-free. So, even if something's overdue, just bring it back. We just want you to bring it back. Um so, physical collections include not only books and DVDs, but things like book club kits, memory kits, audiobooks on CD, and things like culture passes. And we have a new one coming from the Blue Ridge Children's Museum that we'll have ready for this summer. That allows people to check those out from the library and then go visit those locations. And then we have over eight Well, I'm sorry, we have 18 databases. And those include resources like Jobs Now that help job seekers, Vet Now which assists veterans uh returning to the workforce and trying to reintegrate into civilian life. We also have Novelist. So, if you can't find a librarian and you're looking for that next great read, you can go online. And then, Creativebug, if you're still trying to learn how to knit. There are resources like Wi-Fi, computers, tax forms. We have a seed library and a hikers' corny corner. And these are resources available to anyone who comes into the building. And because of our community partnerships, we now have a caseworker from the Community Assistance Network every Monday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 at the library. And we have Revive office hours, uh which is provided by Valley Community Service Board and Central Shenandoah Health Department. So, you can go to the next slide now. So, these are some highlights of fiscal year 26 so far. And this is compared to where we were last year at this time. So, the things I want to highlight kind of show what we're doing and where we are. So, circulation that's physical only, that we're at 74%. That's right

where we should be. E-resources are up. We're at 83%. I continue to see this climbing and I think that's where circulation will continue to increase the most. People are using our building. If you look at computer use, Wi-Fi use, meeting rooms, and study rooms, those are people physically coming into the building using our computers. So, we're 87% compared to last year. Wi-Fi's at 86% usage compared to last year. Meeting rooms, we've exceeded community use of our meeting rooms at 101% at the end of uh the third quarter. And then, our study rooms are at 56%. So, they are very popular. They're at a first-come, first-serve basis, as well as reservations. Printing is at 68%. Everything is being moved online, so I expect that to stay steady. Foot traffic at 75%. Again, we expect to see a lot more people in the next couple of months as we go into spring and summer, better weather. Um new cards is at 86%. So, we have added more people to have access to the library. And then, our programs are at 78% and outreach at 68. That's the number of programs we're doing this year uh compared to last year and same for outreach. So, we're right where we should be, which is great. Okay. You can go to the next. Sure, absolutely. Yes, thank you, Leslie. Yay! Whatever you did. Um and then, none of this would be possible without our staff. And so, they've gotten some recognition recently, which is lovely. So, uh the three awards listed are from the Virginia Public Library Directors Association. So, in October, we received the Silver Standards of Excellence Award. And then, March March was very good for the library. Um we received a Marketing Public Relations Award for our library card signup month, which we did in conjunction with Kline's Espresso Bar, so a community partnership. And then, our book bike outreach program where you received a unique outreach engagement effort award. And you might see a familiar face there. And then, we just received the Nora Roberts Foundation Grant, which we are going to

use for our community read program this spring. So, that was very exciting and the staff does a lot of hard work and it's nice for them to be recognized. So, what we did this year was we worked on our strategic plan. It has been reviewed by the Board of Trustees and we're working on creating a final version, but these are our overall goals: to expand access both physically and digitally, to continue to create a welcoming, vibrant space, so to work on staff development, the physical plants of the library, and then to strengthen literacy in community. That's a big always a big thing for libraries. And then, deepen connections between patrons and staff, between patrons themselves, between anybody who comes into the library, and any partnerships we can create. And then, looking forward. So, this is, as you know, National Library Week next week. And the theme is Find Your Joy, which I just think couldn't be better. So, there are all these ways that you can find joy at the library. You can create, you can participate in lifelong learning, and you can help the community. And so, if you want to create, you can come and make do-it-yourself paper lanterns. You can come and learn about librarians in a documentary called The Librarians. You can see uh or do some armchair travel and go to Egypt or Unearth a Story and learn about dinosaurs. You can help the community with recycling bottle caps or donating to the Little Free Library or attending events like the job fest we had last week. So, libraries should be places of fun, joy, learning, and collect- connection. And that's what we strive to do every day. As we start to work on the strategic goal of deepening community connections and strengthening literacy and lifelong learning, we have two programs I want to highlight. One starting in May, and that is the Waynesboro Community Read. So, this is uh we're inviting the community to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover the power of stories through Stories That Restore, a community read hosted by Waynesboro Public Library in partnership with Stone Soup Books. We're concentrating on the books of Robin Wall Kimmerer. So, you see her three books listed there. We'll have copies of those

available for the public to pick up at both Stone Soup and the library. And the Friends of the Waynesboro Public Library has been a huge support in this program. We'll have discussions, nature-inspired programs, family activities, and they will reflect the themes in the books of reciprocity, gratitude. And you can read one book or you can read them all. And you can come and talk to your neighbors and celebrate stories that nurture connection, curiosity, and care for each other and the world around us. So, those books are for all age ranges. And that is what we will use the Nora um Roberts Grant for, cuz we will have Robin Wall Kimmerer do a um pre-recorded talk and we'll have host that at the library. And then, summer reading. We do this every year, June and July. It's for all ages. Everybody can sign Everybody can sign up for summer reading. Um the theme this year is Unearth a Story. So, come see our dinosaur, come to our programs. Uh there's an app, you track your books, and children reach benchmarks and get prizes. Adults can enter uh prize tickets for drawing for prizes. So, that is what we have planned for the next few months. And I know everybody wants to know more, so this is how you can find out. You can come to the library, come visit us. We love seeing everybody. You can go to our website, you can go to our events calendar, or you can come find us at outreach. We are out there in the community. Not all of us are on the bike yet, but some of us are. Um but we will be out there. And of course, none of this would be possible without the dedicated, tenacious staff at your local public library. So, we will be celebrating National Library Workers' Day next Tuesday, April 21st, and we look forward to seeing everybody at the library.

[applause]

Thank you, Susan. Item nine is to receive a presentation from VDOT and consider adopting a resolution of support for amending the scope of the Broad Street Improvement Project UPC 120461, [clears throat] Mr. Ham. Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. Um our friends from VDOT will do a much better job of thoroughly explaining um the question before the council this evening, but I will I will do my best to give it an introductory um intro- introductory remarks and also welcome our guests to the podium. Um the original stated objective of the project was to improve the overall operational safety of Broad Street of the Broad Street corridor. And more specifically, it's a 1.3-mile section of the corridor which runs runs from the intersection of Broad Street, West Main and Rosser to the intersection of Broad and East Main. Um this improvement was essentially be by replacing the center two-way left turn lane um with designated turn bays and raised medians. Doing so uh restricts the number of full access points onto Broad and would reduce accidents. Project also included or includes uh limited elements of pedestrian facility improvements and aesthetic improvements, but the primary objective, again, um was to improve vehicular safety by reducing conflict points. Um that original design was subject to public review and comment in August of 2025. Based in part on public comment and subsequent VDOT staff review of the comments and initial design, VDOT has developed a revised scope which provides for the desired vehicular crash improvements and additional um enhancements for bicycle and pedestrians. Uh key change in the design or perhaps even the the key change in design reduces two travel lanes, both east and

west directions, to a single lane in each direction. The change is sufficiently significant to warrant a new presentation to council. Um this evening, the council um will receive that presentation by Brad Reed, a representative from VDOT. And um Mr. Reed will do his best to explain um the project scope and respond to questions um from city council. This evening, the council is asked to consider a resolution approving the revised scope. And if approved, the project would be subject to additional public comment. Um manager's recommendation is to receive the presentation and consider the resolution. And the suggested motion um would be to adopt the resolution approving the revised scope. So, um in short, the the staff would recommend um approval of the revised scope, but I understand that aside from the technical um and transportation considerations, um there are broader considerations um and um the fact that this project was previously presented and subject to comment um makes our situation a little more nuanced. And so, um we respect the council will weigh weigh the opportunity and ultimately make that decision. And so, with that, I'd like to welcome Mr. Brad Reed from VDOT. Thank you, Mr. Hamp. Mr. Mayor, members of council, thanks for so much for having me. Uh not as fun a topic as our public libraries, but uh at least, you know, transportation is something cool we can all get behind. Um I do want to emphasize first that you all have a funded project today. We There's There's nothing that's going to change that. Um but being planners being planners, we pedal in ideas. And so, we're coming forward with an alternate idea for you um that you've had a preview of um to elaborate a little bit on it this evening um and to, as you're right, ask questions. Please interrupt if if there's anything that that isn't clear.

Um and I'm happy to provide additional information. So, just starting off, um here is an illustrative example of of what's out there today on the top. So, you've got um two drive lanes in each direction um with a narrow bike lane in each direction, and then a center turn lane. And then below that, it is an illustration of the current funded project and what it would provide. This is what you all put forward into our Smart Scale grant funding program. That would provide a center median rather than a center turn lane um as well as a uh sidewalk on the other side of the roadway where there there is not sidewalk today, filling those critical gaps. So, nonetheless, a very important significant project you all have funded here today. Um alternate proposal here today, if we have again existing what's out there uh in the field today on top, and on the bottom is the new proposal. So, what we're showing here is one drive lane in each direction, and instead of a median in the center, a center turn lane, and then 6 ft provided for each of those bike lanes, which now were unfortunately with the previous proposal, as you can see, I did not show bikes in the current scope because we'd we're actually substandard for a bicycle lane and would have to be removing the bicycle lanes with the current scope with the VDOT project. The new proposal provide adequate width to meet uh bike lane width standards. I would also provide a buffered space between those drive lanes and the bike lanes. Um but ultimately, um the main goal here is safety. Um the reason that we're putting this forward, um not only does it uh tie in well with the funded roundabout this to the uh at the intersection of Main and Rosser and Broad with a single lane approach, you'd be narrowed down to a single lane anyway at that intersection. Um but it also provides you many other advantages. Um so, I'm just going to walk through those a little bit here. So, taking a look at

the 5-year crash history, there was a 137 crashes over 5 years. Um not insignificant for such a a small section of uh roadway in the city. Um 67% of those crashes notably occurred at intersections. So, intersections are locations where that median that runs between intersections isn't really doing a whole lot of good. It's going to help address crashes where uh you have commercial entrances and folks turning left in and out of those um where there are some conflicts between vehicles. Um and it would also help address um the bicycle and pedestrian crashes to a degree um by adding mid-block crossings. However, folks would be crossing uh four lanes of traffic um with the current proposal versus two with the new proposal. So, um by our estimate, the current scope really only addresses about 16% of those crashes. Um and really getting at the intersection crashes as well as um the side swipe and folks who are running off the road crashes are the ones that we are not addressing with that project. So, there's a lot of potential here. Um the lane lane reconfiguration uh proposal that we're putting forward um really addresses where our nodes are. Nodes are the intersections. That's where we're seeing issues. Our nodes are also where we see capacity constraint. So, we have uh fewer lanes to cross at intersections, but we're still maintaining those turning lanes and providing adequate capacity where those turning movements need to be made at those those key intersections. Um these configurations with the single lane in each direction also help what we call harmonize speeds, help normalize speeds. So, you get less disparity between people passing, speeding around each other. Um and per still provides a turning lane for folks to get off to the side, whereas the the median, you'd have to be pushed to certain locations to make your turning movements. Um with that, I mentioned shorter

pedestrian crossings and also more space for cyclists. Um and we'd also be using still a targeted median application. So, there would be five or six locations that would use a small section of median that we identified as high crash locations where the median treatment would really help with some of those commercial access points. Um we also would uh be providing more space for folks to avoid uh both side swipe crashes and running off the road crashes. So, trying to get at all those various things that are going on that we're seeing historically on this corridor. So, the big question is, well, how can we reduce four lanes down to two, right? Why why are there four lanes today? Well, many of our roadways were built at a time when we had different traffic volumes, different traffic patterns, different expectations of where growth would go in the future. Um but that does not always carry through into reality. Uh and what we're seeing in the reality here, I know there's a lot going on this slide, but I think the key points are underlined there in the middle. The actual volumes on Broad Street have decreased about 19% in the last in the last 25 years. Um by contrast with our uh evaluation of this proposal, which uh I'll I'll share the details of here in a moment, we assumed a 25% increase in traffic. Um so, you know, a pretty large dichotomy between what we've seen and what we're assuming. That assumption would take into account any kind of um you know, expected circumstances like the addition of uh the Natural History Museum, for instance, um as well as you know, revitalization of some of the shopping centers on the corridor. So, you can see at the very top, you know, the sort of what this means in terms of daily volumes of traffic. We're going from about 10 to 12,000 today um to about 12 and 1/2 to 15,000 in the year 2048. Again, forecasting is not a science, it's an art. I'm not an artist, but you know, we do our best. Um but we are we feel that this is a very conservative estimate of where we

would be in 2048, meaning that we're probably overestimating uh where it would be then. So, um what does that mean for a roadway reconfiguration? If we're going to reduce lanes, well, typically, um a roadway reconfiguration, this is from the VDOT uh roadway reconfiguration guidance, uh we have over 30 localities uh making these kinds of reconfigurations. Um less than 16,000 daily traffic is a typical sort of benchmark for, yeah, it's probably you know, probably pretty reasonable approach there. Um nonetheless, we still do an operations analysis um that goes along with that. And so, with our our work that we've done um leading up to um your preview of this at your work session and today, um we uh performed traffic modeling using those future 2048 uh forecast volumes and found that all of the intersections functioned acceptably um during your morning and evening rush hours. Um we did see some uh backup at the intersection of Poplar Avenue and New Hope Road, uh but we identified solutions to resolve that and actually make them operate uh better than what they would have with the alternate with the median solution. Poplar Avenue we'd have in the westbound direction striping a right turn lane in to provide adequate capacity that's a higher right turn volume. And New Hope Road, this is this is one that takes just a little bit of explaining. With the median concept, many folks will be coming up and making a U-turn at New Hope Road particularly as they pass Walmart neighborhood center. So, with the the center turn lane concept, we would have more access available for folks to dirt turn directly in the shopping center where those folks would not have to then come up to New Hope Road and making that U-turn or as many left turns. So, take away some of that volume and relieve pressure on the New Hope Road intersection. So, with that of course throwing in a

little a little fun here with a conceptual rendering. This is by no means you know exactly what it would look like. This is just illustrative to kind of show what this sort of roadway configuration would look like. But with this information we are approaching you with a resolution that your staff has put together to move this new proposal forward in the VDOT project delivery process. We would then revise that design showing you exactly what it would look like at each intersection, each segment of the corridor, and then host a new public hearing where we would share the results, show that design, share why the concept had changed, and then we would proceed on a similar schedule and budget. So, we do we expect this to only have a modest impact on the schedule of the project. We we're still here and committed to deliver a quality transportation project to you all. And with that I'd be glad to answer any questions you all have. I have a question. I know you have the you would be converting the single center median to your left turn priority lane. Will there be step off entrances into existing businesses? That way if if for example if you're traveling down and you're trying to pull into Willow Oak coming from Charlotte. Will there be a step over lane where you can get over or where everybody everybody pulling in be pulling in from the single lane? Everyone will be pulling in from the single lane is the plan until you get to the public street intersections where we'd bump it out and provide separate turning lanes. And it I'm No problem. That's why I'm letting

[laughter] So, you said it's a funded project fully funded? The current funded project is on is named as current scope here. That is what you all have funded and being delivered.

if we were to project or to go ahead and move forward with the following or with the subsequent be fully funded? Yes. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. We expect it would be the same if not a lower cost. What about what brought about the idea of the change in this change after we've already gone through the process of getting where we're at? Well, really so initially you all had put forward the project from the comprehensive plan, right? So, it's a concept that was put in the plan. We had not done a detailed planning study that went along with that. So, you all put it forward. Medians great idea generally, you know, adding sidewalk great idea. And then the project was funded. We went out to the public hearing and then heard from folks asking well you know, what's what's going on? You know, how are we addressing all of the crash history that's going on here? And you know, staff and VDOT talked a little bit and we thought okay, well, if we'd like to answer that question, let's go answer that question. Let's do the analysis to look at it. And that's where this came about. That was sort of the genesis of okay, well, how do we approach this if we were taking this from scratch as a planning study that was you know, with support from VDOT. And this is one of the tools this roadway reconfiguration that we have in our toolbox. It's actually being executed by about 30 localities across the state because of its performance for safety reasons. So, as I mentioned there of course there is a consideration for capacity of the roadway. How many are we still carrying the same amount of cars? Are we providing less delay or more delay? And that's when we went and did the operational analysis to follow up with that that I described towards the end of the presentation. I know it'd be hard to compare apples to apples, but the where at locally do we have a stretch of roadway that handles the same amount of traffic with the same amount of commercial on either side? Where do their crash their traffic accident rates

compared to this? Is there something that's similar that we Yes. Yeah, actually so VDOT I don't have this in my slide deck cuz I don't want to get into the weeds with you, but we have a basically a hot spot identification tool where we would take a look at intersections as well as segments of roadway and say are there more crashes than what we would expect to see on that segment based on its characteristics its number of lanes, its speed, number of the amount of traffic it carries. On this corridor we have let's see 1 2 3 4 5 6 hot spot intersections that rank up in the top 100 more crashes than expected intersections in our district. And much of the corridor I'd say probably about a third if not more of the corridor is designated as a high crash segment as well. So, from our you know, what we use typically for a screening tool to say where is a study needed. Um these these hot spots would indicate we have a lot of crash issues on this corridor relative to a similar corridor with similar characteristics. Does that include vehicle to bike crashes as well in your study? Yes. Yes, so vehicle to bike crashes we had two vehicle to pedestrian, two vehicle to bike crashes on the corridor in the five year period we looked at here. That's under the current. With the current with the existing configuration.

so to Mr. Willis' question a like corridor under the proposed do you have information on bicycle crashes or vehicle bicycle crashes? Not at the moment, but I'd be glad to follow up with that information. We do have a similar screening tool for bicycle and pedestrian safety. I'm not sure if this corridor is designated as such. You said how many crashes were in there in that five year period?

137. 37. And this is from this So, the analysis period we looked at we we work in five year blocks with uh for our our analysis for our projects through our grant programs. Um the the this particular project was for the smart scale looked at crashes between 2018 and 2023. And so, that's what I'm reporting on at the moment. So, you're looking at about roughly 50 crashes a year. Better than that. More like more like 20. 20 yeah. No problem. No problem. So, my concern on it is the citizens of Waynesboro with you got four lanes of traffic going, the inconvenience of taking it down to two and I'm inconvenience might not be the right word, but just the change of taking it down to two lanes versus and I don't mean to make any crash, you know, seem insignificant. It's not by any means. But for 20 a year and as busy area as that is, I would be I would be wanting to see really get more feedback from the from the community as as what they thought of taking the lanes down from four lanes to two lanes versus how many crashes there are. Did I say that right? Yeah. I mean I'm trying not to make those crashes sound insignificant cuz they're not every Absolutely. But I me myself I would before I did any resolution I think I would like to get a little more information information back from the community. Yeah, I'm trying to get my head around all the growth. Based on the growth I I'm just finding it hard to to understand that 2048 forecast that's going to for the 19% decrease since 2001. So, I'm you know, I'm sure that that was accurate, but I'm just trying to

understand accurate to this point in our history, but with all the developments going on in our area that's going to include Do we have any projected numbers of what that will increase in the next few years with those developments? So, so typically how we'd handle this is if this So, this was not a formal planning study where we went through the typical process of gathering okay, let's identify specific developments that are coming along. Let's look at you know, for instance your regional model from the MPO as all the different forecasting tools that might be available. Instead, we we took a and I actually I I apologize. We did that back when the project was funded. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was

[laughter]

I'm coming to this project sort of after some some of my other compatriots at the office. So, we did act we did actually look at the regional model and we did look at what the historical changes have been. We initially looked at okay, well, a half a percent would basically be warranted because that's our lowest amount of growth we would accept. We don't We never propose decreases in volumes just to be again conservative, consider what some growth might do to impact the operations of a corridor. We brought it up to 1% as I recall to try and take into account unknown factors. Again, Natural History Museum and the potential turnover of some of these shopping centers that would be easy to turn over. You know, that that's infill development, existing developments on the ground that could be brought back into operation. So, that was the background behind why we'd assume 1%. And I would like to add I don't Can you guys hear me? Yes, ma'am. Yeah, I would like to add that I too support you know, safety which is where this this report seems to strongly be coming from. But for me, I think I need further proof that we're not necessarily creating congestion that we can't recover from. And so if we approve this this new thing and we have so many newcomers here. So, aside from a potential museum, aside from a potential uh uh whatever growth that you were talking about the shopping center there believe you mentioned. I mean, we're just having many more families come uh increased population um that I don't think maybe you can uh anticipate from analyzing historical

numbers because I mean, I've been in the community for 30-some-odd years and this is the largest growth that I've I've seen uh in population seemingly and so uh again um I mean, is there something to account um for that as far as you know, what uh this what peak hours look like right now versus what it could look like uh if we uh considered this uh new design um and what is the the tipping point basically for when this design no longer works? You know, what is it? And so those are some of the questions that I'm kind of uh managing in my head. And so uh as far as a resolution tonight, I don't think I have that and I don't think I've gotten that from the presentation. Although your presentation was informative, I don't think I've you know, resolved the questions in my mind. And so I'll stop there. Thank you. I have to agree with the vice mayor. I think our probably our best course of action would be to table this for the time being till we do get more information. Okay, so is there a motion to table? I have another question. Okay, I'm sorry. Would there be an adjustment to the speed limit on that section if we dropped it from the four lanes with the median to the two lanes with the turn lane? Would it or would it maintain 35? We had assumed it would maintain 35, but I think uh a good next step would be for us to discuss with your staff um what additional assumptions you'd like us to consider and build into our analysis. Um we are of course on a tight deadline. Yeah, as as y'all can imagine we're we're trying to deliver the project that's already funded. Um so we would want to keep move keep this moving forward as as efficiently as possible.

So, if there is additional analysis, um that's something we can achieve. As far as pulling additional public hearings before y'all have approved it, that would take a tremendous amount of work. So, I do want to just put that out there that I think that's something we'll need to have a little bit more dialogue on. All right, and then to the vice mayor's point um in your presentation, it's uh under 16,000 daily um highly recommended kind of fits in this mold. What's the threshold if we were under that that you would say this fits the mold for going to four? Obviously won't be 16. Is it 18 or is it 20? You know, at what what is that threshold where you would say you really need to go? I know there's some there's some intermingling. You know, there's there's a buffer zone in those recommendations, but I think that would that would help clarify and I don't want to out-speaker speak over my colleagues or speak for them, but I feel like together we can get our you know, heads together and get questions that we feel need to be answered. And then we can put feelers out and anybody in the community that would like to reach out to us before the next meeting, I feel like we could we could do our due diligence and be ready to decide one way or the other whether we want to move forward with um the new recommendation or go with the current design um next council meeting barring some type of unforeseen issues. Sure thing. Yeah, in answer your question Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead.

No, you're good. I was like I I see there's a need to get a funded project going, so I appreciate that, sir. Thank you. Yeah, so um I I'll give you the the sort of the least satisfying answer which is it depends on the with the the traffic volumes. It depends on each corridor. It depends on how many intersections there are, how many traffic signals, how many turning movements are at each one of those intersections. So, that's why uh the 16,000 that is sort of a guidance um sort of I wouldn't even say it's a threshold. It's just sort of a this is generally under that volume they work well. Um if you're under 10,000, generally it's great. Go for it. Uh but tweet you know, it's not there communities who are doing these at 20,000 ADT at generally out west. But the uh you know, it all comes back down to that intersection level modeling analysis that's done for the specific conditions on this corridor. Um so that's what we can we can provide and we can we can hash that out a little better different assumptions if you all would like those. All right, awesome. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Question? Vice mayor, any questions? No, I'm fine. Thank you. I'd like to put forth a motion that we table this until we get some more information. Thank you, Mr. Witzel. There's a motion to table uh Second. until the April 27th meeting. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Mr. Cornett. Any discussion? Mr. Mayor, I was just going to abstain as an employee of the Virginia Department of Transportation. Thank you, Mr. Short. Any discussion? So, all in favor of tabling until the April 27th meeting, say I. I.

I. I. Eyes have it. 4-0 with one abstention from Mr. Short. Thank you very much. Look forward to speaking with your staff further. Have a great night. [cough]

Item 10 is to receive an update on the fiscal year 2027 proposed budget and process for adoption, Mr. Ham. Yes, sir. Um just a quick review of uh given that I was not present for the presentation of the recommended budget, I wanted to take a brief opportunity to hit some highlights and um um emphasize some key points at least from the manager's perspective to the council regarding the budget. First item is to just touch base on some key dates. We have a a busy April and May um in front of us. Um as we typically do in a budget process, we can modify the schedule according to the needs of the council. So, as we work through, if we need um if the council sees benefit and requires each budget work session, we naturally will preserve those and have those meetings um to continue our work. If we reach a point um at some time in the future where council feels like it's consideration, evaluation command of the information and or we're ready to make a decision, um it's not we're not obligated to have those. So, there's some flexibility in what is a fairly full schedule over the next month and a half. Um on Monday the 20th, we'll have a work session in which that will focus on um CIP and refinement. Um we'll start to I did we'll attempt this evening to identify gaps between uh what's been presented to council and what your expectations and preferences are. And refinement is simply the process of um narrowing that gap if one exists. And um polishing and amending the budget or recommended budget to get it to the point where the council as a body is comfortable and confident adopting. On the 27th, um we have a public hearing

on um both tax rates, utility rates and the expenditure side of the budget. Um that's a pretty important evening um not just for the council, but for our community. Um and I would note that um one of the goals for this evening is to assess alignment and confidence with um the advertisement or a tax rate that the staff will use for the public advertisement for the hearing. So, that's a a pretty important decision that we need to accomplish this evening. And then once we get to that point, um we're on a pretty typical introduce refine and adopt um plan. So, that's that's our schedule. Um the general fund overview, again, it's a $77 million budget. Um $4.95 million increase year over year. Um that's nearly a 7% change and a a key point of um, consideration and uh, feedback this evening is that the fact that the recommended budget is based on a real estate rate of 87 cents per 100 and our current rate is 82 cents. So, um, we'll ask council um, at the conclusion [snorts] of this um, agenda item to confirm to staff if you're able, are you comfortable advertising at 87 knowing that you can work down if you're so inclined? Um, but we can't work up. So, if if council has thoughts about a higher tax rate, we need to know about that tonight. Um, but that's that's the process that we've used in the past. Want to spend a minute though on um, actually, enterprise rates. Hold on 1 second, please. Concerning the general fund, uh, a couple of um, thematic um, and tech- technical notes

um, from the manager. First, I would regard this as a level service budget, meaning um, with the exception of um, the communications manager or communications officer position, um, the funding um, preserves the current level of service. We're not introducing new programs, we don't have new departments, um, we're not elevating existing levels of service. Again, with the exception of uh, the ability to communicate uh, potentially and engage with the community in a different manner um, with that position. Um, I would I would would suppose that you could regard the investment in the high school as a level of service change, but it's a capital investment. And when we talk about level of service, we tend to refer to programs and services and um, the work that our departments do in service to the public. Um, as Cameron presented previously and I hope the council has an opportunity to reflect on um, whether or not you believe the this recommended budget meets your expectations or attends to the priorities um, that you've communicated to staff both formally at our work session and informally as we've accomplished work through the year. Um, staff is attentive to and we tend to listen to um, cues that we get from council about where you think our effort, our capacity, our strategy might need to improve. So, the budget does in that regard, I hope um, that um, the council has communicated again both formally and and informally along the way. Um, a few words about the 5 cent recommended increase in the real estate rate. Um, those 5 cents um, I think it's important to identify for the community and our taxpayers

um, why that recommendation and what that recommendation accomplishes. So, 3 cents of those five are dedicated to anticipated debt service on the high school project. Um, 1 cent is um, anticipated to uh, fund the communication position and um, continue our work in salary salary scale adjustment. Um, and kind of we heard that as a council that we felt better about um, work productivity, quality of work, speed of work um, in public works as an example now that we are achieving better um, retention rates, lowering vacancy rates and similar comments that we've heard um, in public safety, the work that the police and fire departments do, we think is being positively impacted by improvements to compensation and the ability to attract and retain um, well-qualified individuals. And then finally, um, 1 cent is dedicated to the community vitality fund. Um, during our work session, we talked about council's desire to um, at least consider if not um, fulfill an idea that that that investment in the community would be an ongoing investment and included in the operating fund and funded by recurring revenue. So, that's that's what underpins the 5 cent recommendation and I think um, we talk about or we have talked about in the past that um, it's important for the manager and for the council to communicate to the public what um, what benefit do they receive? What change do they receive? What value do we realize um, when we recommend a revenue increase? And I think this year, that's what you get for that um, increase, that marginal increase. Um,

I would note um, as a technical matter uh, and a matter of interest, Mr. Sloat um, referred to this earlier in the evening, the recommended appropriation to the Waynesboro Public School System is informed by the um, current funding formula, which has been in existence um, dates back to inception. So, there's no no modification, no change, no alteration to that. Um, that recommendation is uh, comes is born out of the system that we've been using um, heretofore for nearly two decades. And then secondly, um, referring back to the um, tax rate increase and the investment in the high school project, when that's approved and accomplished, that will likely be um, the largest capital investment on the part of the city um, in its history. And I think it's appropriate that it's the high school that's um, given the prominence of public education, the importance of public education, but um, that is um, and has been a a budget driver over the last several years and likely will be continuing to next year to some extent. That's the general fund themes um, in the enterprise funds, um, you see a 5% increase or a proposed 5% increase in the water rates and a 5% increase in proposed sewer rates. Um, those are driven um, depending on funds by different factors. The capital investment and system infrastructure um, needed um, investment in infrastructure improvements are driving the rates in sewer and water. Um, capital and equipment purchases and rolling stock um, are driving the rates in um, the refuse um, division. Um, all three funds are impacted by inflationary pressures to some extent and all three

funds carry some um, marginal increase in expense um, as we in implement um, salary scale adjustments and continue constant compensation improvements um, in those enterprise funds. It may not need to be said, but sometimes I will sleep better tonight if I say this um, for the council and the listening public, those enterprise funds, our utility funds are funded exclusively by the revenues generated through those fees that um, users pay through consumption and flat fees. There is no um, subsi- subsidization of enterprise funds um, from the general fund. So, the tax conversation and the general fund conversation are separate from rate increases and rate um, excuse me, and expenditure plans in the five individual and distinct enterprise funds. Um, I would like to note um, that in probably in the next work session or the one subsequent um, staff does need to talk to the council about um, recommendations to increase tipping fees at the landfill. Um, I think we find ourselves um, doing some surveying in the market and um, needing to fund some additional capital investment there. And I would note um, realizing that um, our public and consumers and customers are sensitive to increases in taxes, increases in enterprise funds and and potentially increases in tipping fees. Um, residents of Waynesboro can deliver refuse to the tip to the landfill in Augusta County um, at no cost. Um, so when when we talk about raising tipping fees, we're um, aimed almost exclusively at commercial haulers. So, the individual homeowner consumer that loads up the truck or the trailer on Saturday afternoon to haul

yard debris or household trash would not be impacted by those tipping fee increases. Um, and now we come to the topic of alignment. If over the course of the last month or so, or excuse me, week or so, you've had opportunity to um, survey or review, inspect um, the recommended budget and you can identify this evening um, where you have questions or concerns or where you think maybe the manager got something wrong, um, we can receive that feedback and start working on it. Um, the key piece again of alignment that we need tonight though is the council's comfort advertising a tax rate at 87 and then also I suppose advertising those utility rate increases for the purpose of a public hearing knowing that we could go down, but not up. Cameron, do you have anything that you wanted to touch on or Just the um, on the one manager recommended change, as we stepped back after the sprint to the finish to try and wrap up the manager's recommended budget over the last week or so, we looked and we felt like um, the maintenance tech in the parks and recreation department deserve more discussion and that the communications position we were probably not going to be at a spot on July 1 to hire that spot either from how staff is going to use it or how council should expect to use it. And so we worked through that and realized that if you push the hiring of that maintenance tech back almost in coordination with the raise to like November 1st, we could find both of those positions from November 1st on and that would probably be a good use of the funds that you won't use for the first couple months of the um communications position while we develop the job description get working group development with directors to make sure we're using it in the best way and then make sure that council and staff are on the same page

on how that position should coordinate through the city manager's office. One point of clarification on the enterprise funds on the stormwater we may end up in the next couple of months maybe with the budget piece if we can get it ready in time. Um we need to spend some time aligning the um late fees and penalties in the stormwater fund with how we do those in the water fund. And so we're working with council now. I think it might still be at staff level. I'm not sure if council has seen it yet. But we're working at staff level now to say, okay, how do we do late fees and how do we do collections in the store or in the water fund that works pretty well. You always have the um trigger of pulling up cutting the water off that makes it work a whole lot better. But we don't have good a good method spelled out for sending delinquent notices and things like that in the stormwater fund in terms of charging the dollar 50 fee and things like that and the rate of interest. And so we're going to spend some time clarifying that in code and then in the general fund the piece that Mr. Hamp was talking about with the communications officer and the raise most of the raise was funded through organic growth. What we ended up doing was the um communications position was about 130 to 140,000 dollars round numbers pennies about um 300. So to pull that raise back would would have probably been mid-year January 1 to pull it back to November 1 and use the difference in that one penny. So that one penny doesn't tie the half of that one penny doesn't cover the entire raise. It covers about 170,000 of about a million dollars towards it and then about a million dollar million five over the course of a full year the following year. Thank you. Yes, sir. Do you have a high delinquency rate in stormwater? We do.

Can you define high delinquency? Yes, sir. High is relative. That fund is relatively new in that it came to an inception in 2018. And so making sure that we're at trying our best to pull those down and pull all legal levers that we can to collect those funds. I would hate to venture a guess. It's probably in the 90% range in terms of what we collect which is not bad, but it can be

90 or 90%? No, we collect 90. Yeah. We collect a good chunk of the of the funds. They're just they're higher than they need to be cuz we're not pulling all the levers that we possibly can. I think that's all that I have. If we could get some consensus about 87 um that would conclude our work on the budget for this evening unless you have questions or comments. I'm I'm good with 87 to advertise. Continue the conversation. 87 What you looking at me for? If I get I'm good. We're good. All right, we'll advertise 87. Thank you. Thank you. Item 11 is to consider adoption adopt and a resolution of support for the 1030 Austin Court affordable housing project. Yes, sir. Due to recent funding reductions at the federal level of the 1030 Austin Court affordable housing project um it's a as a reminder a 36 million dollar project that will deliver 96 multi-family one and one three bedroom units finds itself with a budget shortfall of about 750,000 dollars. Um with the groundbreaking on schedule to begin later um in this summer the shortfall is likely if not remedied to postpone the project. Um the city understands that the community foundation has offered to cover 250,000 dollars of the shortfall. And then once once the staff learned of that we had some collaborative conversations about sharing an effort to make up the shortfall and currently work contemplated or the council has asked to consider contributing the remaining 500,000 dollars of the shortfall.

Um the mechanism for executing the support if it's council's pleasure would be a performance agreement through the economic development authority. Um enterprise the developer will receive payment on the following schedule 200,000 dollars in July of 2026, 200,000 dollars in July of 2027 and then 100,000 dollars in July of 2028 and performance agreement um will be written contingent on the community foundations 250,000 contribution. Excuse me. And ensuring that enterprise meets identifiable identifiable construction milestones. Um the staff contemplates using the community vitality fund to fund at least this year's um amount and then that would leverage about 5,208 dollars per unit. Based on the current timeline that the developer communicates the project is scheduled for conversion conversion completion um with rentals in spring of 2028. Happy to answer any questions you have. Any questions? You said the total budget for that project 36 million dollars. Yes, sir. I'm just curious how affordable 375,000 dollars a unit is. Um 375

I'm curious here. Um I don't think I don't think we have a unit cost on that. I think what we are just looking at is the total project budget and then the funding gap identified um by the developer and then um I think the math on I think what happens then is our contribution or the city's contribution essentially um calculates to about a 5,000 dollar contribution per unit. Is that right, Mr. Wood? Seems like establishing the community vitality fund that kind of fits the definition of what it was for. Crazy. Who could have ever imagined? Don't stop. What an opportunity. No, I mean no, I mean seriously. I mean you know, it's it it's this stuff doesn't happen with one vote. I mean you know, I'm super grateful and and but yeah, who could have who could have imagined that we would have found ourselves in this this spot a year ago. It's crazy. Yeah. And to reiterate what's in our written documents. I don't think it was said or at least my ears did not hear that this is 96 units multi-family one to three bedroom units. That's correct. Okay. And I'm just putting it out there so people can can hear in case they don't they're not able to see what we're looking at even though they can go to the site download it. So thanks. Any other questions for Mr. Hamp? No. If no other questions, is there a motion to adopt the resolution? I'll make that motion. Thank you, Mr. Short. Is there a second?

I'll second. Thank you, Mr. Wood. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I I Any opposed? All right, it's have it 5-0. Item 12 Oh, this is great. 5-0. That's great. Thank you, guys. Absolutely.

Absolutely. Item 12 is to consider adopting a resolution approving the city's participation in the proposed combined settlement agreement resolving certain opioid related claims. We'll call on our city attorney. Thank you, Mayor Lee. I have a little bit of laryngitis so bear with me. Um this is similar to other opioid settlements that I've brought before you in the past. This one is a little bit different in the fact that um the states are not participating in the settlement. So the calculation that um the opioid settlement agreement MOU that the city entered into um three or four years ago the calculation denominator has been recalculated because more money will be coming directly to the localities participating in it. It is a regional national um settlement involving six distributors of opioid medications and it's over 96 97.6 million dollars. So it's it will be a considerable national settlement. So we just need the council to consider and adopt the resolution for the city to participate in this additional opioid settlement. And I'll be happy to answer any questions. Questions? Any questions? Is there a motion to adopt the resolution? I'll make the motion. Thank you, Mr. Sloan. Is there a second? Sec- Second. Go ahead, Jerry. I'll second. Thank you, Mr. Short. Is there any discussion? All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Eyes have it 5-0. Item 13 is to hold a public hearing to consider introducing an ordinance

amending the zoning map and approving requested associated amendments of properties with tax map numbers 31-1-18, 31-1- 108B, and 32-2-1B, located at 0 Forest Drive and 0 Booker Dell Road, known as the Silver Creek subdivision. Applicant is Wells Land Development LLC. Mr. Tate. Um good evening, Mayor and members of Council. Um this is a zoning map amendment, but specifically a proffer amendment for the Silver Creek property. Um this is a map showing kind of the surrounding area and the property outlined there. You have the Creekwood Village subdivision adjacent, um the Kira Heights subdivision, and then additional um kind of older existing residential um within the community. So the applicant has requested the removal of five proffers that were approved as part of the original rezoning application for the Silver Creek subdivision. And instead of those five proffers has volunteered three proffers in their place. Um currently staff is reviewing a preliminary plat, which shows um the construction of 100 single-family residential lots on that remaining undeveloped portion of what was the original Silver Creek subdivision. So a little bit of background on the subdivision, um it was approved by Council in January of 2006, and the property was rezoned from RA1, which is now our RS12 or large lot single-family residential, to RA2, um which is now RS7, still single-family detached residential, but smaller lot sizes than the RS12. Um at that time, a CUP was also rescinded related to a planned unit development, and then five proffers were submitted by the applicant based on the conditions in

2006. Um after that rezoning occurred in 2006, a preliminary plat was approved showing 133 lots. So 34 of those lots were final platted in 2007 and 2010. [snorts]

And then the applicant that has presented this proposal acquired the property in 2025. from 2010 till 2025, there hasn't been any development um within the the community. So this is the original 2006 preliminary plat showing the 134 lots. Um so the area outlined in red is representative of the already developed portions, um and then the remaining undeveloped area um that connects out to Booker Dell Road. So this shows the zoning, um you can note here that it's RS7. Um there's RS7 within the vicinity. There's some RG5 adjacent, um and also some RS12 um developed through the cluster option, so also smaller lots with larger open spaces in the Kira Heights development. The um 2008 future land use map designates the property for low-density residential um with some adjacent mixed-use um development. So I'm going to go through kind of the five original proffers and and kind of a little bit of the analysis of, you know, why they were pro- proposed at the time and kind of staff's recommendations as they relate to the development now. So the former developer agreed to construct a road that would connect Talk Street, which was a a street named within the existing preliminary plat, down to Booker Dell Road prior to the final plat approval for any lot beyond 61. And I'll show you a map of that road connection in a moment. So at the time in 2006, some of staff's concerns were that traffic within this development would be routed to Forest and Bell View with much of that traffic going to the Northgate and Rosser intersection, and there was no light at that intersection in 2005-6. So that is kind of why we feel that that proffer um was voluntarily offered to mitigate staff concerns. So really the connection

to Booker Dell was needed at that time to really help disperse the traffic. So this shows um the area outlined in red was the portion that the developer at the time proposed to build um um prior to the 61st lot being final platted. So of the 130-some lots, they would get 61 before they would need to make this connection. So staff today feels like the requirement to connect to Booker Dell Road should definitely remain. A full public access to that um roadway should remain cuz emergency response times would increase if with our new fire station um if you were to have no connection at Booker Dell Road. Um and it makes up a portion of the planned Ludowici Boulevard-Rosser Avenue connector road that is shown on our comprehensive plan and has kind of slowly been um either platted or or right-of-way dedicated or being built with various subdivisions. And I'll show that just conceptual alignment um for you. So this portion is being built by the townhouse development here. Um this portion um is also um being built. Um this area is I think the next map or this kind of helps clip through that. Um so this portion, Creekwood Village, would be building this portion. This section is dedicated right-of-way that happened with the rezoning of Creekwood Village.

[snorts]

And then I'll show kind of the rest of how Silver Creek's development would play into this connection. So the applicant has voluntarily proffered one of their three proffers would be to build the connection to Booker Dell Road. They would dedicate the right-of-way for the unbuilt portion of the Ludowici-Rosser connector, and the bridge that would be required over Pratt's Run certainly represents an a very high cost for the developer. So rather than building that portion, they're proposing to um dedicate the right-of-way. And [snorts] so I'll show that to you here. So they would be building this portion here in yellow that would connect out to Booker Dell Road, and then dedicating um this gap right here. And then at that point, you can see kind of a majority of that road connection um would be in place. There still would be some remaining areas here around the church and down to Ludowici. Um but a significant portion would be either dedicated or built through various developments. This is just kind of a plat showing that would be the area to be dedicated and the portion to be built by this developer. So the next proffer that existed in 2006 was that the former developer agreed to contribute 26.5% to the total cost to construct a new 24-foot-wide bridge over Pratt's Run on Booker Dell Road. So kind of the analysis and what was going on at the time, as you all are aware, the bridge is a single-lane bridge crossing Pratt's Run. Um replacement has not been included in the city's capital improvement plan from 2006 until now. Um as far as I'm aware, no cost estimates for design or construction were ever completed. In 2009 and 2021, the city did complete some improvements to the bridge, not a widening, but but some improvements. Um and then the last inspection classified the bridge as being in good condition,

although, you know, not wide enough. It is a single um lane bridge. So staff's analysis today is that, you know, with this Rosser-Ludowici connector road, the plan would be to cul-de-sac um Booker Dell Road. Um so kind of eventually making that bridge not needed for vehicular traffic. And so by the applicant removing their proffer to say they would contribute 26.5%, but they are contributing, building a portion of the connector road, and contributing right-of-way for that connector road, um kind of helps the eventual plan of that connector road and the idea that um it would eventually be cul-de-sac to avoid vehicular traffic on that bridge. Um so the timeline, you know, the city does not intend to replace the bridge if the Ludowici-Rosser connector road is completed as is envisioned. Um so for that reason, staff supports the removal of this proffer as we're working towards that eventual connection. Proffer number three that existed at the time of the original rezoning was that they agreed to contribute a 0.125 acre of land to the city to be used for a new pump station. Um That And the reason for that was there were concerns at the time um about sewer capacity and and how that would be served um because the pump station was over capacity at that time. Um so this proffer is really obsolete. The new pump station was [clears throat] built on a parcel within the Silver Creek development. So it makes sense, obviously, to remove this proffer. Um proffer number four, the former developer agreed that they would minimize traffic through Forest Drive and Belle Vue Road entrances were possible. Um the existing developer has said they plan to do the same thing, you know, without having it as a proffer. It is something that staff works with the

developers on as we um identify the public improvement plans and where signage may be placed for that. Um so, the removal of it as a proffer um I would say is not the direct desire of the developer to use it for construction traffic, Forest and Belle Vue. He's actually said the opposite, that he would be using um kind of the already existing access road off of Booker Dale for for the majority of large construction traffic. The other part of proffer four was that the original developer said they would construct stormwater management facilities so that post-development runoff from a 25-year storm event would be reduced to the pre-development runoff from a 10-year event. That was the developer at the time in 2006 going above and beyond. The state has kind of taken care of that for us now, so this is um obsolete and we require more stringent stormwater regulations now that the developer would need to abide by. This just kind of details that. And then the final last proffer that the former developer um volunteered that this developer is requesting to remove would be that the development would be constructed and maintained in accordance with a submitted master plan and under the design and landscaping guidelines that were outlined in that program document um from 2006. So, the program document at that time outlined the subdivision's objectives. It went into target markets, architectural and landscaping guidelines that were going to be enforced by an architectural review board within the community. Um and staff does note that um it's unclear if the developed portion of the neighborhood really strictly adhered to that pro- program document. There has certainly been, I believe, some HOA and ARB review within the community um but I'm not sure that it was strictly adhered to that document.

Um so, in place kind of of that proffer, the applicant has voluntarily proffered that the phase two of the subdivision will be based on and look like the preliminary plat that they have proposed. So, this really provides certainty about what the undeveloped portion would look like in terms of lot sizes and number of lots um and the layout is very similar to that of the original Silver Creek preliminary plat. So, this is um the one that is under review. It shows 100 additional lots in the phase or the undeveloped portion of Silver Creek. You can see there are connections to Forest Drive, Belle Vue Road, and Booker Dale Road for those um units. Um and this just shows uh kind of a little bit of the difference. Same connections that existed for the original 2006 preliminary plat and roughly the exact same, give or take a couple number of lots. So, staff did note in our staff report that residents of the original Silver Creek may have bought into the neighborhood with an understanding of the types and styles of homes that would be built and kind of what the neighborhood would look like per that program document, although it may not have been strictly adhered to. Um so, staff did have um just note some general concern um about kind of removing all of those uh does take away any ability for the city to really review or um require any type of architectural styles. So, the proffers that were approved in 2006 really did address concerns you know, at that time, 20 years ago. So, in the 20 years since, things have certainly changed. The replacement of the pump station, newer more restrictive stormwater management requirements, significant progress has been made on the plan Ludowici Ross Road connector, although it is unfunded to completely uh make the full connection at this time. The city has made some repairs to the

Booker Dale Road bridge um and then staff does note some general concerns overall about how the new and old parts of the subdivision will blend together. Um so, there have been some revisions in the submitted proffer letter. The applicant did submit a revised letter after the original planning commission meeting. Um But in the end, the planning commission did recommend approval of the request with the amended proffers. But then since the planning commission meeting, um even proffer number two was further amended. So, the first proffer um for this specific request this evening is that the development of the property will be in general conformance with the preliminary plat that they've submitted. The second proffer says that the Everett Street road connection to Booker Dale Road shall be phased during the buildout of the subdivision. At the planning commission, it said prior to the final platting of lot 119. That has since been amended to prior to the final platting of the 31st lot. A fire apparatus rated all-weather gravel road will be created to coincide with the final locations of Everett Street and Hawk Street. This road will be used solely for construction and emergency services traffic and would not be open to the public until construction of section four occurs. Everett Street with its connector to Booker Dale Road would be constructed to city street standards and made available to the general public. And then proffer three is the proffer that shows the dedication of right-of-way for the connect future connector road. So, this is the last slide that I have that just kind of shows you that phasing. So, section one has 25 lots. Section two is proposed to have 24 lots, section three 31 lots, and section four 20 lots. So, the portion of Silver Creek Drive that would be build built with section one, you can see there in

yellow. They could have, you know, phase one or section one done and five lots within section two before they would need to have an emergency access constructed to and then the um full access for public um use would be at the completion of section four. So, that's all I have prior to the public hearing unless you all have any questions. So, now they moved that emergency road till after they finish section two? No, it would be um at the 30th lot. So, they could do all of section one and they could do five lots in section two to get them to 30 before they'd have to have it in.

have done it earlier. Yes, it was at the planning commission they were talking about at lot 119, which would have given them half approximately of section two. So, this is pushing it even earlier. And the reason 30 is the number is because that is in fire code that after 30 lots, you would have a secondary access. So, that is where that comes from. So, what was he going to but you can still build one, two, and three and never build four and never have a public access. If they stopped, that is possible, yes. So, the emergency access would still be there. Yeah, but then you have all of those homes in one, two, and three being pushed through Forest. Yeah. Yeah. But for traffic, yes. Right. Am I hearing that right? They could stop at three lots and not add the emergency road? No, they'd have the emergency road, but

he yeah, he's saying public access, one, two, and three, all of those homes, 75 homes, would have to go Yeah. through the neighborhood. Yeah. All the way around to go shopping or anything else. Any other questions? Questions? Thank you, Lindsay. Thank you. I hereby open the public hearing. [clears throat]

Mr. Mayor, no one has signed up to speak. I hereby close the public hearing. Is there a motion to introduce the ordinance? Um Mr. Mayor, I I I'd like to uh to to table consideration um for the following reasons. I I I feel like staff has uh reached out to the applicant and had conversations or attempted to have conversations relative to proffer five as it relates to the architectural um design criteria established. And so, uh given that the size of the development and and that we there is an existing proffer associated with the land, that there should be an additional attempt at least an acknowledgement uh of of of uh if if there's um cuz as I read the staff report, um there had been uh attempts to ascertain whether or not the applicant would be willing or unwilling to consider or provide design uh standards for um the homes and uh that had that uh has been met with no response. And so, I'd like to afford the applicant an additional opportunity to respond in the affirmative or in the negative as to whether or not there was an interest in in doing that. Given that again, I believe that the first phase uh did purchase their homes with anticipation that it would meet some some scale of design criteria. Um and to the point to this point um as mentioned um uh that that has not been uh uh provided either in the affirmative or in in the negative uh by the applicant. So I I'd like to afford some additional time to for staff to coordinate. Thank you, Mr. Short. And then second I second reason is I'm concerned about um the uh the the phasing of

uh um particularly since you've we've we we had a a development that was active and stalled with a sizable number of balance of of of proffers associated with it. That connection to Lew DeWitt is crucial. And uh to have 75% of the development built and with no assurance of public access would would be made to Lew DeWitt is concerning. So I'd like to have the up the applicant work with staff to um again have some conversations either in the affirmative or in the negative of their willingness or unwillingness to participate that. Um I think it to the city city to the city's position um we uh um there are existing proffers that are in place. Um the development could the the property could be developed in conformance with the proffers as they exist today. So um we'd just like to to see if uh if if uh I I'd like to to to afford additional time for the applicant to work with staff. Any other comments? I think that's a fair request. Mr. Short has uh made a motion to table. Is there a second? I'll second. Thank you, Mr. Slope. Can I Can I ask a question before we um So if those are the concerns and maybe again I need a greater understand standing um then how come how come is sitting in front of us? How come the planning commission didn't handle these perceived concerns? I mean isn't that their role to handle all the concerns uh It is. before they get before they get to us? And so they they approved it and they pushed it here and now we got some concerns. And so my question is how come

how come I mean what's the role of the planning commission if this thing ain't settled by the time it it comes in front of us? That seems Well, the planning commission like an obvious question. I'm sorry. Well, yeah. So the planning commission uh heard from the applicant. They asked a lot of questions. It was a a um 4-3 vote. 4-3 vote um to move that forward to to council. So Okay. Yeah. Okay. And there So there were concerns at the planning commission as well. And And I would just extend As indicated by the Yes.

Okay. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Madam Vice Mayor, I might also just offer, you know, in in in my time on the planning commission for for eight years, uh we had oftentimes we would put we would bring something you know, we would provide something to council that council went a different way. Um and or they had other questions. I mean that's the that's the beauty of this public process is that lots of folks can bring different perspectives. So So we have a motion that was duly seconded. Point of order. May I ask a question? Yes, ma'am. In your motion Councilor Short, table it to a certain date or do you just continue it in general? Um [snorts] well, I mean I I'm I'm certainly willing to bring it up to the next the count the next meeting but I think should the applicant decide to uh uh um uh consider alternatives in the affirmative um to both of those concerns, then I imagine you probably going to need more than 2 weeks. So um to to bring some So I'd table it generally. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. So we're going to table with not a a date in mind. Okay. All in favor of tabling. I'm not I'm not in favor of tabling it not with a date in mind because then what does that mean? I mean there needs to be some I mean you either or get off the pot. So it's like what date do we want? I I think there needs to be a date to add pressure for us as well as you know, the the applicant. So we can get this thing resolved. Yeah, the thing is that

I got to imagine that for the applicant it's it's costing money. So some pie in the sky unknown date I that doesn't fly right with me. Vice Mayor, is it common um practice to table something generally that um Miss Tate in the community development department can bring it back before council once either the developer or the staff has an opportunity to have conversations and if they reach an end point to those conversations where it's either going to be a affirmative or negative to Mr. Short's concerns, then she will know at that time to bring it forward. That's why um staff will be able to direct, you know, whether it's 2 weeks, next month, or June, you know, we will be tracking it to ensure that it comes back to city council at appropriate time. Who was speaking? That's the city attorney, Ms. Mickelson. Okay. I I couldn't tell. I'm sorry. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. I got it.

[laughter] Any other questions?

Jagodzinski. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Any other questions uh Vice Mayor for the the city attorney? Or the or the group? No. And so basically I I guess what she said to summarize is that uh we going to go with a a pie in the sky date. And those are my words. Yeah. Ho- hold on. Uh Okay. Ms. Tate is going to speak. S- So um Miss Akande, we have been working um uh very uh in touch with the applicant and so we will certainly, you know, reach right out to them and this week if they're available, have a meeting to kind of discuss and finalize things. I think the main concern about tabling it just to 2 weeks from now is if the developer was to propose um some additional proffers to address some of the concerns raised, it might take him and staff a little bit more time to work through those. And so then we would

Yes. if we would kind of miss that opportunity. But you have, you know, my commitment that as soon as, you know, the applicant would like to meet with us and work through those, me and my staff are available. Okay. And And we'll bring it back as soon as possible.

collaboration between the two parties. Yes. Okay. Thank you. I don't see any other Mr. Wells has done uh a a lot of lot of developments in the city and so, you know, I think in this in the spirit of cooperation I I certainly I know staff will do a great job of coordinating with them. Okay. So the motion is to table. What date that will be uh established between community development and and the applicant. All in favor, say I. I. I. Any opposed?

I. Any opposed? Eyes have it 5-0. Item 14. Communication correspondence and calendar, Mr. Ham. I don't have anything this evening, sir. Item 15. Citizen comment period. Yes, sir. Mary McDermott. So as as uh Ms. McDermott comes to the podium, I would remind all we've had a very busy um agenda tonight and I would uh ask all to observe and adhere to the lights so that I do not have to cut you off. All right. I am a senior citizen living here in Waynesboro. My two children are grown and they're long gone from Waynesboro. Why should my tax dollars go to support the Waynesboro schools? I'll tell you why. Because a quality school system is vital to the economic health of the city. Good schools are key to attracting new businesses to our city. Particularly businesses that offer high-paying jobs. Businesses want to know that their employees will be able to send their kids to good schools. But our schools get low ranking from the sources people use when they consider buying or renting a home. And for businesses located here in Waynesboro, our schools must produce a workforce uh with the skills that businesses need or they'll expand elsewhere. And I know that from experience. Lumos and Intelos expanded into North Carolina because Waynesboro did not have the workforce skills needed to fill our jobs. I'm a member of the GO Virginia Region 8

board and I can assure you that counties and cities throughout Virginia are fiercely competing to get businesses to locate in their area. The quality of the school system is a major factor in those decisions. Waynesboro falls short. I'm also a member of the Shenandoah Valley Angel Investors. We invest in startups trying to encourage entrepreneurs coming out of JMU and UVA to remain here in the valley. Having an educated workforce is key to their business plans and Waynesboro falls short. I didn't vote for you to mindlessly follow a formula to fund our schools. I pray that you think about what you're doing. Please make a decision for the long term good of the city of Waynesboro. If we can build a robust business community with high-quality jobs, those businesses will relieve the tax burden on all of us. Uh and I just want to end, I know it's late, with a quick personal story. Our younger daughter, Elizabeth, joined our family through adoption. And people in our family said, "What a shame. Two Harvard Law School graduates have to settle for a little Mexican baby." Lizzie graduated with honors from UVA and with honors from Stanford Law School. Her starting salary at a national law firm was $250,000, which is obscene, but that's another issue. I know we have children in Waynesboro with that same potential, and we have a moral duty to them to realize that potential, and it would also make sense

for our economy. You must work with our school board to ensure our schools have the funding they need. Uh and I will also just say I am totally shocked that we are making a half-a-million-dollar donation to a private housing developer. Uh I I just can't imagine what's in your head doing that. But our schools need improvement, they need funding. I You need to invest more in them, not less, or we are going to fall behind other localities in economic development because we don't have the people they need to fill their jobs, and our schools are not good enough for them to feel comfortable sending their children there. Thank you.

[applause]

Ashley Short Good evening. I'm Ashley Short, and I live at 1001 Fairway Drive. I'm a former Waynesboro teacher and a parent of three kids in the school system here about the school budget. I was glad to hear the acknowledgement that the council doesn't intend to harm schools and sees value in public schools, but I want to be clear that changing the formula to a cap is still something I want to discourage. And I'm here tonight because a cap is a cut, and the people who feel it aren't abstractions on a spreadsheet. They're my kids, they're your neighbors' kids. One of my children receives special education services. I have watched my child struggle. I have also watched their growth because they have access to qualified, trained teachers using the specialized reading program that my child needs. That progress isn't luck. It's the result of the right staff with the right credentials in a system that can afford to keep them. A 3% cap in a year where costs rise faster than that doesn't hold the line. It cuts positions. And the positions that go first are exactly the ones that my child depends on. Another of my children is in theater at the middle school, and I've been able to supplement their experience with private lessons, community theater, things that cost money. Not every family in this city can do that. For a lot of kids, WPS theater isn't enrichment on top of something else. It's the only door. It's where kids who have something in them find out what that is. You cut the arts budget, and you don't hurt every family equally, you hurt the ones who have no other option. And all three of my kids are in sports. I know what it looks like when athletic

programs are well resourced and when they aren't in equipment and staffing and whether a coach has what they need to actually develop a kid, not just field a team. I'm not here just for my children, I'm here for every student in special education programs whose IEP depends on a position they didn't get cut. For every kid who finds themselves on a stage or a field and discovers they're capable of something they didn't know. For every teacher still in this system who chose to stay even when they could have left for higher pay somewhere else. I was one of those teachers. I left. Waynesboro lost me, and it didn't have to. The 42 and 1/2% formula has worked. It's not even generous, but it's functional, and it's a promise the city made. A cap is a cut, and the kids who can least afford it will pay the price. Thank you.

[applause]

Myella Hilker Hi, I am Myella Hilker. I live at 766 Pine Ave. I'm in sixth grade at Kate Collins Middle School. I'm concerned about school funding. One of the reasons being I want extracurricular activities to stay because they have been a big part of the reason why I enjoy school so much. There are a lot of really neat ones that I want to be continued, including the school musical, garden club, art club, and book club. Each one presents different and cool activities to do and opportunities to connect. I think that is important for learning and creativity. I'm concerned that with a cut in school funding, these may be discontinued. I am also concerned about my teachers having to buy many classroom supplies out of their own money that they work hard to earn. Capping the school's budget will only make it harder for teachers to want to stay in Waynesboro. And with less teachers, there will be a lower quality in education.

[applause]

Eric Hilker Thank you. My name is Eric Hilker. I live at 766 Pine Ave. Mayor Elly and members of council, um I understand it uh your struggle that you struggle with the 42.5% funding model um as you reference is that each time you want to fund something in our city with an additional tax revenue, for example, uh more personnel for police force or emergency services, you need about, and this is my own calculation, $174 in new revenue for every $100 you want to spend on something other than schools. And I can see how that would present barriers uh to funding other priorities, and those are important things that Waynesboro needs. Teachers are not the only Waynesboro employees that are underpaid, and schools are not our only institutions that could use more funding rather than less. I appreciate the work that you all do for our city. I know that you're working for the best uh for our city, and that the work you put in is significant, especially on long nights like tonight, and I really do appreciate that. The citizens that are assembled here want what is best for Waynesboro as well. Um and we don't think that a 3% cap would support that, and I appreciate you um all making some comment this evening and saying that you're open to thinking about other funding models and maybe even resisting the idea of a cap, and I would really appreciate. I think there is some anxiety uh because the idea of a cap seems to really limit schools in terms of how their funding could grow along with Waynesboro. So, the more you're able to kind of tell us about that, I think that'll be really helpful for us. I'll say that removing the 42.5% funding model of appears short-sighted to me because

cutting school funding is expensive in the long run. A weaker school system leads to higher crime in our community and persistent inequality as wealthier families send their kids to private schools, and poor families get inferior education. A weaker school system fails to support a skilled workforce to supply local businesses and attract new companies. We've heard others say this. And a weaker school system cannot build a strong community of invested citizens, the sort of people who have turned out here tonight. A weak school system cannot support the long-term flourishing of the city. When, according to the Virginia Department of Education School Quality Profiles, our English writing performance lags behind the state average by 21 points, our reading performance lags behind by 13 points, and our math performance lags behind by 13 points, Our science performance lags behind the state average by 18 points. This is not the time to reduce the resources of our schools. This is the time to invest in the sustainable long-term growth of our city by investing in the future of our kids. In a city like ours, in every city really, there are never enough public funds to go around, never enough to fund everything at the levels we would like. There are always difficult decisions to be made. I appreciate you all taking on the responsibility of doing that for us as citizens. The wisdom of the 42.5% model is that it ensures our schools do not get left behind or put on the back burner. It's a form of chaining ourselves to the mast. It forces us to keep our priorities in order, to continue to invest in the future of our city despite whatever else might feel pressing in any given fiscal year. Decoupling the growth of the school budget from the growth of Waynesboro misplaces the priorities of our community. There is little that would be as damaging to the long-term success of our community as underfunding the schools. Now, I would hate to look back 20 years from now and see the long-term effects

of an ailing and underfunded school system in our city. Our ask is that you protect the future of the city and of our kids by keeping that 42.5% funding model in place. Thank you. [applause]

Adam Seiple Cole Hello, I'm Adam Seiple. I live in Ward D and I'm a lifelong learner. Earlier this evening, I heard members of the council assure me that they fully support our schools and that there has been a misinformation um running rampant in our community recently. Um as a as that lifelong learner, the product product of a family of nearly 20 educators like like like my music teacher Grammy, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, and my wife, a former Waynesboro educator, um I'm committed to learning and admitting when I'm wrong about something and when I need to learn because I have new information. I eagerly await learning what the truth of your proposal is and the extent of your stated commitment to our schools, what those are as well. Um Six years ago here, a community member stood at this podium and spoke about what it means to be a citizen of Waynesboro. He spoke about the difference between a loyalist and a patriot. He said that the loyalist simply follow the status quo, but patriots have a vision to create a better nation. He told us then, get off your butts and do something. Be a voice in your community. Stand up where you live. I'm here tonight because I took that advice to heart. But I'm not here to talk about the issues of 2020. I'm here to talk about the our city our city thriving in 2026 and beyond. I admit that I frequently take my children to Waynesboro football games where we hear the voice of the little giants at the stadium. We hear you celebrating third down tackles and game-winning touchdowns under the lights. I even remember the excitement of the best football game I have ever seen in my life when we recovered three

consecutive onside kicks, converting touchdowns on all three. Your voice excited the crowd that night and I remember Saturday morning going to my backyard neighbor's house, he happened to be the coach at the time, and just going on and on about what an amazing community and what an amazing evening I'd had at the football field the night before. Tonight, I remind you all the little giants need your voice here in these chambers on Monday evenings just as we do on Friday evenings. I'm inviting you tonight you all to be the voice of those little giants here, too. I even brought shirts like my own for each of you if you would like one that says, "We're the voice of the little giants." And then list all the other schools you are also the voice of by supporting them as you claimed earlier tonight. So, if any of you would like these shirts, I will be happy to give you one either now or after we adjourn in a few moments. In this town, we proudly call our students little giants, but a giant can only stand tall if we provide a solid foundation. We are the voice for all 3,100 little giants. I'm asking you to join us. And as you said earlier tonight, you're already standing there. I'm asking you to have a firm foundation and a resolute voice as you stand firm for our little giants through school funding. I challenge you to stand up for our schools, to stand up for our students, to stand up for Waynesboro, and to properly fund our schools' budget. Thank you.

[applause]

Thank you, everyone. Item [snorts] 16 is a motion to adjourn. I'll make the motion. Thank you, Mr. Snow. Is there a second? I'll second. I second. All in favor, say I. I. I. We are adjourned.