Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

I'll call this uh April 7th meeting of a regular meeting of the board Supervisors to order. Roll call, please. Mrs. Null, here. Mr. Drew, present. Mr. R here. Mr. Sheepard. Mr. Shepard here. And Mr. Holoy here. Mr. Chairman, you have a quorum. Thank you. Presentations tonight. We're starting with a VOTE quarterly update and I'll call on Brian J. There. Here we go. be comfortable. Good evening.

Welcome. Thank you for having me today. Um I'm here in place of Rossy Carol. Just so everybody is aware, he is on temporary assignment um over at the Franklin residency. So if you need anything, I'm going to be your point of contact through likely June this year. Thank you.

Um so he forwarded me his format that he normally provides to y'all. So I'm going to stick to it. And if you I will tell you this. I don't have the knowledge or the information about a lot of the projects that he does, but I did pull some of the most recent updates I could find. I'll report on those. So, first off, I'll get into the work orders that we are accomplishing and over this reporting period is going to cover January 1st through March 31st. So during that time through our call center we received 420 service requests completing 352 of those for 83.8% completion rate. Now we have had a large influx of pothole repairs that we've been doing this year. Um needless to say the winter weather was a big contributor to that. uh responded to a media inquiry this past month on pothole repairs in the historic triangle, James City, and York County. Just to give you an idea, um January our crews repaired 47 potholes. February 213 and in March we repaired 288 for 548 potholes across York and James City County. Um, we also do area headquarters generated accomplishments. This is to perform activities such as that's how they capture their snow removal activities or if they come across um something that needs attention, tree down dead animals in the roadway that they'll generate their service request. And we had 80 of those this period with 77 of those completed. Um combined total between the call center and uh area headquarters generated was 500 for this period.

429 of those completed for a 85.8% completion rate. What do you what do you consider a an acceptable completion rate? So the work is done. It's completed. They're not coming back to me. No, but I mean with you say 85.5 that rate is that good? I mean I don't know. Anything over 80% is pretty good. Um okay. The the reason be and this is actually a low number of work orders and I I base that off of the fact that we had a lot of snow. So we don't we didn't get a lot of work orders during that period. Um, normally I would say we probably average about 6,000 work orders a year.

So this is just one period of 500. It's probably normally closer to 650 or so, 700.

So it's relatively low number. So it really it depends. We have seasonal things that come up that we'll we'll have more response to. It just really depends. U so a couple reminders. Our residency direct line to Williamsburg is 757-253-5138. We also have our customer service center. It can be reached at 18004. That's 1 800 3677623. Um, and I've added this in. If you're more techsavvy, you can now report your service requests online and you don't even have to talk to anyone. And that's at my.vot.vergirginia.gov. gov. Some of the highlights from this period of course were the multiple snow events that our staff responded to um close to home here we had the trench drain installation right here on Church Street where we were catching that runoff that was running it over into the private property there. Um a joint effort with the National Park Service doing the bamboo removal down on Water Street. Uh we clearcut that. I don't know if anybody's been through recently, but that grows really fast. We've already started to see some of that come back up before we've gotten the uh plant growth regulator down on it. So, we're going to have to cut some of that again before we get it sprayed. Um the tree clearing and trimming on Hampton Highway right there at K Lane. Um when I get to planned work that I'm going to refer back to that. Um, we've had multiple tree removals on Route 132 on the northern end, Lakes Head Drive, Government Road, and Airport Road. Some tree trimming work on Melissa Lane. Uh, neighborhoodwide pothole patching and Skimo Estates by our Kroker staff. Um,

some paved ditch cleaning up on Barlo Road. And our Seafford area headquarters participated this past week in the Seafford Elementary School career day. It was a nice event that they were able to take part in. Um, some upcoming plan maintenance activities. The ditch cleaning and grading that Rossy spoke with you about on Route 17 at December's meeting is scheduled to kick off next week. Um, that is 17 southbound between 173 and 105. Um, the Williamsburg crew is going to be working on some ditch cleaning on 132. They've also got some pavement repairs lined up for Corvette Drive and we have a large amount of curb and gutter replacement that is getting ready to kick off on Corvette Drive as well. The Seafford crew is scheduling some night work to do some pavement repairs at the Route 17 and Guzzley Road intersection that needs to be done at night just because of the sheer amount of traffic. And if we try to do that during the daytime, it's already uh some delays because of the signal there. And we're just trying to avoid that. Um getting ready to kick off some pipe work and repairs to the ditch there at 134 and K Lane, which is what the tree work originated from. Um crews in Williamsburg going to be working on the pipe and pasture lane. Broker's going to be working on some brush cutting in Fitton Mill Road. Marramac Trail is going to have some brush cutting performed by Williamsburg and the first motorcycle is scheduled to begin the first week of May. So that's our contracted motorcycles will start first week of May this year. Um BOT projects are on call guard guardrail repairs contractor completed 20 of 20 documented reported hits during this

period. the route 143 uh I64 bridge repair that's ongoing. Um there were some de weather delays, but I think it's going to be wrapping up fairly soon. Um they're still working on the crack repairs and I think the I think the lead and asbestous testing is complete, but I have not seen any of those results. Uh the W Creek Road project, there's no new information to report on since the December meeting. I do have some updates on the current status of the 134 bridge over 17. Um, and I sent an email out this week about some upcoming work. But, uh,

progress they've made in the over the past week. The jacking and blocking have been put in place. They're going to continue installing the deck pans. And these deck pans, they're they're sit deck pans. They are stay in place deck pans. um substructure repair at repair at Pier 2 and beam beam five and they are actively working on installing the overhangs. Um upcoming they're going to keep continue working on the deck plan the deck plan installation. Um installing the overhangs and those deck pores are coming up last week of April. Those are cons going to consist of three pores of about 70 yards each. It is going to require the bridge to be closed in both directions um for daytime operations from 7 to 5:00. There will be a detour in place. Uh but it is necessary for the equipment that they're going to be pouring with. They have to close both directions.

Do you know where that detour is going to take us? It's going to it's going to take you 17 to victory to 134. It's just going to take you a lot of choices. You cut through. Oh, that little side down parallel. That's not much of a choice. We're not directing anybody to Cardinal. Okay. One question on this. I I noticed that the completion date on this is around Well, I don't even know what the completion date is to be honest with you on this particular project. 1226 26 is what it's says here. Uh 27. So,

yeah, this is 27. And that would be about right, I would think. But I'm trying to what I'm trying to understand here. I don't know why I was under the impression that you're the work they're doing now was the work was the project. No, that was it. But it sounds like what they're going to do is jump then over to the other side and start doing that. Yeah, there's there's two parts to it. And they never no one has ever talked about two parts. It was just this is the one. So this has been going on now for two years. So that means they're going to do the same things. This bridge will be screwed up for another two years. Great. Thank the way it is. Just wanted to make sure I know the bad news. is what it is. Yeah. Well, this says completion date is going to be January January 1st of 27.

That may be the case. I Well, I'm looking at I'm talking about this is what we talking about. No, I'm talking about 134. Yeah, that should be done by the end of December, right? This the 134, but then they're going to jump over. Yeah, I was looking at the Wid Creek one. Yeah. I don't have any update on the the Wid Creek one. No, that's fine. that don't I mean it's just it it's a bridge you know bridges take forever to get done that one's been going on forever this one the bridge over 134 okay if it's fixed and completed on this portion then we're going to be another year and a half to finish the other side no he's saying that's all going to be complete by the end of this year

that's what I was asking are they going to switch over to the other side because Rossi implied to me when he talked to me about it is that last when before he left was that it were going to start over on the other sides and I'm just saying what they have to do one side and then they can shift traffic onto that side and then repair the other side. Yeah, but it's not going to be done before the 2 before December the That's what they're saying. They're saying they're going to be able to maintain that schedule. There was delays because of some things they came across. Um yeah, but you got to pull the whole thing out like you did. You're going to do exactly the same thing on this the left side of the road as you did on the right side of the road. Okay. And I mean, I've watched this thing going on for it's been over well, it's over a year. It's been about a year and a half now.

Contractor says they're going to be finished by then. Okay, I'll believe it when I see it. Thank you. Don't be a bad man. All right. Um, paving schedules. This is the same information he presented to you. Those are going to be kicked off shortly. Um, no changes to what he presented to you back in December. Um, but I'd be happy to go over it to with anybody that you'd like to. The um at the bottom of the second of the 14 month schedule, there's a couple line items. Grampton Drive, Armory Drive. What What are the pre the numbers for? Is that the right number? 621. Those are those are route numbers.

Yeah. Thought it'd just be easier to read. Everybody knows 134, but those are the the way our system breaks them down. Yeah. I just want to make sure I knew what I was reading there. What are you looking at? Below below the second chart, those two lines. Oh, down there. Okay. So, so there. So, it says a 14-month schedule. Does that mean we're thinking they'll be paved in 26 or No, no, no, no. This is getting ready to be started. Um, this was 14 months from the time of from from award. Yeah. So, so it gives them more time to do or it gives them 14 months instead of their their normal paving window. Understand? So the residents can expect to see that payment operations here in the next few months probably. Okay.

Yeah. Yeah. Cuz part of it, one of the main portions is the um water street old Williamsburg. Um okay. All the other projects we had I can give you no update on the shared use path on Victory. Nothing new on the route 17 widening the victory boulevard widening. Um it's supposed to be done in May by May that one lane they're putting in over there on one between 17 and 134. This is that one one right uh south lane.

This is this is this right there 134. Yeah. Yeah. That's supposed to be done in May. That says it starts in No, this is already done. I mean, it's already started. Well, I mean, we're looking at a different project. This is two, this is two different UPC. So, this is the turn lane extension at 134. So, on victory in 134. So, it's that extension they did and so if you're coming from the interstate, that turn lane extension on the left. Yes. Which are you talking about? That looks like a lot of work. It is a lot of work. Which UPC are you talking about? Which one are you talking about? So the turn lane extension is 113633.

Okay. Okay. And that's saying it's supposed to be completed by the end of this year. That is the plan. And this is between Rossy told me I don't know which one this is. I have to look it up. But I mean it doesn't doesn't right turning lane. Right turn lane where? I mean is that right turn lane on to 134? Yeah. Yes. I mean that from Victory Boulevard. I was told Brosy told me that that was going to be done by May of this year. So that's like six that's like in a month. Yeah. You know I can check with you. I told you.

All I got to do is about finished all the ground work. All you got to do now is just lay the asphalt. Still looks like an awful lot of work to be done. Could be turn lane at the Shell station. Yes. be a right turn lane show station. I'd be happy to check for you. Yes, please. That's 113633. Yeah.

Okay. Next one up was the smart scale 20 route 171 capacity. No new updates on that. No new updates on May Airport Road. Um had a meeting today about the gap project on 64. Really nothing new to reported. So work continues as planned. No new info on the state of good repair for the Queens Creek bridge replacement. I know he had spoken about that at the last meeting, but I I just don't have anything new to provide. All right. Some traffic engineering. So, I've only had three studies completed this reporting period. And the first one was a left turn signal phasing review for Route 17 northbound at Martin Farm. Uh, ultimately it was not recommended to be considered for FY. Um, so that's not going to happen.

All right. Could you That's this top top here. I was going to ask you about that. Um if a signal through movement exists on approach a minimum of two per Oh yeah.

I guess I need to get back to the the the residents who were asking for this and give them some good solid what what what was the what what drove the no decision from V dot. So if you could help me I'll double traffic engineering. I appreciate that. All right. Um, next up, pavement markings for Route 134 at Route 1544, which is Upper Shower Way. Um, so that originated uh by a homeowner on Upper Shower Way. Uh, cars were overshooting the turn lane because it could just continue down to the Gddard school. So it ended up uh getting marked, installed right lane must turn right signage and installed delineators right there just past the Gddard school. Um so it doesn't give it any misleading that you can just drive straight on down.

What are you talking about? Because that approach the bridge, right? This is before you get to that. I know, but it's So why are they Okay. So what's the sign do? So the it's going to tell you right turn on the upper set. If you get in that turn lane, you got to turn that little neighborhood up in there. Okay. Yeah. Because what people were doing was overshooting going because there is a shoulder there all the way down to the gddard school. Yep.

Um and finally, the last thing that was completed by traffic engineering I can report on was the person with disability sign application was received, reviewed, and the sign has been installed. So, a couple things more than a couple things we have queued up um that are currently in the queue for evaluation is the four-way stop at Dorothy Drive and Rollins Way over in Willow Lakes. I got a general safety study for bicyclists for the intersection there of Victory Boulevard and Big Bethl Road. Oh, yeah. Okay.

I got a general safety study for the intersections on Show Walter Road. Specifically, I had a customer concerned with Hollywood Drive intersection pedestrian traffic as it relates to a completed speed study on Route 17 um or Route 718 Bat Creek Road. That is actually going to take place uh not this weekend but the following weekend. And that is going to count pedestrian traffic on that segment of roadway lane delineation markers on Roshambo right there at Capitol Landing Road where the split is.

Please explain that one. What do you mean? So right now it's just got painted center line and you if you go through there you'll see where people are crossing over and driving through the that median portion there. Um, so we're just to delineate that. There'll be some marking and if it if they deem it necessary, some type of lane delineation, whether it's markers or pole posts. Um, I think what it's a short

Yeah. Yeah. And and what happens is folks that don't know that that straight lane is either turning left towards the base or going on the interstate are cutting through and cutting in front of folks. um U-turn traffic yield signage. I I have at Route 17 southbound and Wolf Trap Road um that has arisen um because they are both green at the same time. The left turn from 17 South to Wolf Trap is green and the right turn from Wolf Trap onto 17 North is green. Um, so I got them looking at that to see if we need some restrictive signage to yield to. Well, who you going to have yield? Well, that's up to traffic engineer to decide.

Yeah. Yeah. But state, what's what's the driving rules? Don't who has the rightway? That's up to traffic engineer. What's do making the U-turn? Making the U-turn. Just don't standing standard rules. So, I'm kind of wondering if you put a sign there to stop it, then you're going to have a traffic rule issue. Okay. Go ahead. I guess it's possible. I'll let them decide that. Uh we got a speed study for 105 Fort Esuses Boulevard on the approach to 17 where we currently have a step down from 55 to 45. Have them looking at it to see if because of the what is developed there with the um town houses, retirement home, townhouse. Yeah. If that needs to be further stepped down to 35 through that segment.

Okay. Probably a good idea. um three-way stop evaluation for Heaven's Way and Polaris Drive. That's where they've built some new homes down there. Really? I I I mean, I'm not going to throw shade on this, but his the history would be on three-way stop signs. Not good. I mean, you got this is I see this as offering hope. Well, you're not going to get here. Let me throw this throw this little candy out there. you could pull it across and give if if if our citizens look it up online and they ask how to to get a sign, it says to call your local residency and I'm obligated to request a review. Sure you are. Whether or not I think it'll go through or not is irrelevant. You know, I have some

district five. I think there's in fact all the county I only know of one three-way stop that's in the Wood Lake crossing on Lake Crescent. I know I know exactly which one you're talking about. And and V all the hell's been I've asked to get three-way stops in. some of these places and it was like no no no and I see this I'm going okay good I I had one I had one done off of 238 down there in Talifero as well and that one it was okay you know in all likelihood this this probably will too but I still have an obligation to make the request to have it reviewed and if it's deemed unnecessary it won't be won't be

well if it works great and I mean whoever requested it I just you know want to give them some reality here. It's all right. And then uh last traffic engineering is we have a speed study initiated for Allen's Mail Road. Determine if the current speed of 35 mph is appropriate. Thought it was 30, but let's talk more let's talk more about that. You you're pretty famili familiar with that road? Yeah, I don't think it's I don't think it's changing. Well, just make sure you know what that is like with the Yeah, you you drive it, right? I I think some of y'all know me. I was I was in Seafford for about 20 years. Um so and I ran that area headquarters for about 12.

So you can look at the entirety of Alles Mill Road, right? Everything. Okay. Um and it's underway or queued up. What's it's in the queue in the queue? So in the queue is a long list of studies that include the ones that are going on in York County, James City County, uh Siri County. We've got a long list of them that they've got queued up. just the ones that going on and understand is is there a good way for us to know when it's it's actually kicking off and other than looking I can request I usually find out when it's done. Um I don't usually get notification until after it's completed

because I've gotten some requests from residents there for speed study. So and in fact uh Mark and I were talking about that this this evening. Um, so it'd be nice to know that in the second quarter, third quarter, just when they can expect it is all. So I I understand you got it queued up and resources limited, but just give people an idea of what what they can expect. Yeah, abs, you know, just similar to Bat Creek Road. I'll ask for an approximate time or when they anticipate it and I I'll let you know. Okay. I appreciate it. Thank you. Now, at this point, I would typically ask if supervisors have any further questions for you, but I think that it right now.

Well, and if you don't mind, I do have one more thing. Um, so coming up, April 20th through 24th is National Work Zone Awareness Week. That is not just for VOTE, that is for all road work. National Work Zone Awareness Week is the annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. The key message for drivers is to use extra caution in the work zones. Thank you,

Ron. Actually, I want to clarify something. The the Martin Farm topic that what I'm tracking is actually a little bit different. the the what I'm tracking is a u um stop intersection and stop sign safety improvements for Martin Farm and Grafton Drive. Um I actually reached out to Rossy about that on on 1st of February. Um and they were going to do a safety study then. So it may still be in in the works. So that but that's different than the Martin farmer 17 that

that's different but I'm not familiar with that one so I'll need to check on that. Okay and it may be queued up for the safety study too. He said turnaround time is 60 to 90 days. So we may be right at that at that cusp but that was a different thing. Yeah I I'll check on that for you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Yeah that that one on the smart scale 18 victory widen. Um, so from June, I look at this. It says start date was in June and I can't really really remember when they started it, but it seems like they started it before that. And uh, and then it shows a fixed completion date. So this is what, a year and a half. Is that what they're looking at for this project? And I pulled this straight from the project page. This

So that's a year and a half, right? I mean, if if I'm reading this, the fixed goes the start date and fixed completion dates is December of this year.

So, that would be a year and a half and and um I would Yeah, please go back and find take a look at that because again, Rossy told me I was looking at this road and I'm looking at the level of work they're doing. They've been going on this for quite a while now. And uh now he and he did tell me unless he we were he was talking about one other project and I was looking at another but it was May is when he said that that they should be finished paving that road. Okay. A lot of this stuff I'm looking at it on here the the undercut the removing trees all that kind of stuff installing pipes all that's done. Uh I don't all the asphalt's been I don't I didn't see just I don't see any soil stripping going on. I mean most of it looks like it's already that's all most of this has already taken place. So

and this was from this was from last week's progress report from construction but this would tell me we got another nine months to go on this thing. Nine months. I mean people that be down there with pitchforks and uh and tar uh I'll send them your way. People are getting I mean really seriously that intersection I get it that's between two really dangerous intersections and the traffic is crazy 134 yeah 134 and victory and one and 17 in victory and those things are a nightmare. Construction is is often a point of pain and you know there's no good time to do it.

Well, it's not a good time not not a no good time to do it. It's just long as the people see the work getting done. You know it's when when You know, it just seems like it takes forever. I mean, I understand you. I've been around been around long enough to understand this, but I mean, when Rossy told me, I I got my hopes up. And uh and now I'm seeing way past That's realistic. Now, that may be a buffer. Yeah. And unfortunately, I I'm just not sure what he was referring to. Okay.

I wish I knew for you, but I don't. Who would he who would tell him really that I mean this you're getting a report it's an update but it's that buffer is a that's a like a nine-month buffer basically or not a nine month but at least a six-month buffer. So I get a report from the area construction engineer on ongoing projects and I pulled that data straight from there. Okay. Like I said I'm not I'm not super familiar with all the projects going on. I kind of got uh tossed into this last minute. So, I pulled everything I could, everything I could find on it. That's all I had. Okay. But I will check with Rossy and see you he can tell me what he was referring to. I appreciate that. Thank you. And I'll get back to you.

Brian, are you seeing anything for a speed study for Yorktown Road or Mark? Did did I feel like we we talked about that, Rossy? I'm trying to remember if we did or not. You recall? I remember there was a conversation about it. I'm not sure he was asked to do it. What section or of Yorktown? We're in the whole thing probably. Yeah, there was a small segment done where the I think where the crosswalk is going to come across from Smith Farm to the HRSD park. I know the big concern I get from residents out there is that that curve right past right past Bethl Baptist Church and you get that straightaway. That's the section right there. Yeah, that's that's where

that's 35 miles an hour right now. And then when you go out of it, it becomes 40 miles an hour and then 40 miles an hour team to take the rest of the way until you get to the school zone at Mount Vernon. Right. And I don't know if they I don't know if that goes down to 35 or not. And that was the criticism that we got on that was that they felt for the res a few of the residents felt like it should be 35 the whole way.

Yeah. Because they feel like it's it's 40 up to that point. We feel like people are flying at 50 55. by the time they get to that turn, they're breaking down to 40 and it's but I again I can't we we talked about a speed study. We know there was a speed study done within within the last five years. Usually you you don't do another one within five years but there been a lot of changes on that road. So we thought maybe the changes would precipitate another look at it and we we but again I don't know five years is a good guide but if there has been development or any changes to the the way the road runs to you know traffic levels then yeah we we don't wait that five years we can get one done sooner. Okay.

That's just kind of the rule of thumb. They don't they want us to waste their time. No, understand. But we we've put a lot more houses in there Smith Farm in the state. Absolutely. That last one. And then we're looking at doing a sidewalk down that one down the one side of the road. So, you know, so to be clear, are are you asking Mr. Gentry to do a speed study for the entire length of the road? I think that would be I think it would be appropriate. Yeah. I just want to be sure. He's got one half of the road. I got the other do my half, Mr. Flip. I think he ought to box it out. Have a boxing match. Does he have three supervisors supporting Thank appreciate.

It's a road that has it changes speed four times. It's a weird. It used to be 55 miles an hour. It's crazy. Think of that going that fast. And then they did a speed study between Cal Neck and Big Bethl and they got it down to 40 I think. Okay. which probably should be 35 and then but still 40. So then it goes up there and then it get to the school. You you know it can go from 25 to 35 and then it goes from 35 you come out of there and then it goes up to 40 again until you get down to Mount Vernon and then it change then it then changes again. You have that whole dip. So yeah visibility.

It should be 35 I think the whole way. All right for safety. Gotcha. Okay. Bye, colleague. Thank you. You'll put it in the queue and some make sure we can talk about it. Get it submitted. Appreciate it. Thank you. Good review. Thanks for standing in for Ross. Not a problem. Thank you. Y'all need me for anything else or do I dip out? I think you should roll. Hey, you seeing everybody? If you need anything, you don't want to hang around long. Just make sure you get in touch with me. Thank you.

Next on the agenda, we had proposed fiscal year 2027 budget items. So, two items to cover. First one is community support line items and I'll call on Dr. Waldacres, community services grant advisory comm community committee uh to report. Thank you. Hey guys, good to see you again. And uh so this is our committee this year. Most of the folks are uh the same from last year except Cheryl Fields who's new and appar Do we have two people from district one? Is that what's happened? It looks like it. Yeah, we did. So I I'm not sure. We didn't have anybody for district. What happened to district five? We didn't have anybody to apply. He's not in district two.

He used to be. He used to be in He's in district three. He's in district three now. Okay. So I need somebody from district two. You got your numbers all mixed up. Yeah. Somebody from district five wants to get in the act. All you got to do is apply. That's right. District the same. So, uh this is hard to see now because we've got a lot more stuff on it, but this is the wheel of the

wheel of community charities and they're broken out in in groups by categories of what they do. Um and you'll see more and more of this as we go through it. But when you look at these groups, each of them puts in an application. The application asks for a certain amount of money. They justify it. They tell what they do. And instead of really, you know, getting together and chewing through all of these, everybody takes the applications home. We all sit there, we look at it, we decide after reading it what we think is the right amount, then we get together and we average it all out. So there's not a not a lot that happens at the meeting. we're told how much money there is and that way everybody's actually representing uh whatever their their district they represent and it all gets balanced out.

Um so let's start at the beginning. So, this is the 1781 Foundation. Um, and this is a a new grant request for this year. And I think you guys all know Mike Steen down at the Waterman's Museum. And he's uh working to put together some events, townwide events for the Yorktown or York County 250th is coming up. And that was what the request is for. U he requested quite a bit because we balance these things across the impact they have. most of our funding goes to to help the homeless, to help the women that are displaced and all that. So, that's how much we recommended this year. Uh, and I I think that

Yeah, that's that would be a consideration because this is probably just a one-year event and it might be worth considering. Put a little more in there, I think. um that one

and this is the American Red Cross and for the stuff that they do in the county most of it revolves around uh providing notification to active duty military members which is very valuable. Uh and there's a house fires and stuff like that. They help out with that too. Uh but again the impact that they have is not as much as some of the some of the other ones. So the funding is a little less. Now, this is the Ark of Greater Williamsburg, and these guys provide assistance to to residents with disabilities. Uh, and they they give them quality of life training and things like that, and they give them instruction 8 to 10 times a uh per month. Uh, so it's a very impactful thing. They ask for 3,000. We uh recommended the entire amount. Do

you have a list? Do you have in here where you say the number of residents they're impacting? Yes, that's on that pie chart there. Blue is read it. Yeah, blue is looking at this thing. Okay. Yeah. So, blue is the people uh in the county that impacted and red is the others. Got it. All right. And then if you look at the service area over at the on the far left, that shows the entire area they're providing service to. Uh so you can see they're they're pretty much this this area and uh James City County.

So is James City County giving them money? Uh, I'd have to look at the they they list who they get money from. And if you look on the bar chart, which I cannot read from here, uh, it says other locations. Yeah. Yes. So, typically Oh, 7,000. Yeah. Typically me from somewhere else, too. So, yeah, somebody's giving some money. Uh, so that's now that's the funny thing about these things. A lot of these guys can get grants from the federal government, but a lot of them are matching grants. So, so what they raise, so they're targeting the money locally, uh, so they can match it or get the government to match it. Sometimes those matches are two to one or better.

Uh, so it's anything that you we give them. Uh, it actually goes a lot farther than you would think. Uh, and that's what you see on those charts. Okay. Now, they do, if you did want to dig down and and see all of this, it's all all on their form 990s. Uh, and you used to be able to get that from Guidear, but Guidestar changed their name to something else this year, but if you go to guidestar.org, it'll take you to the new place. I can't remember the name of it.

Uh, and this is Avalon Center. And these guys are very effective and they're very good at raising money. uh and their budget request and they provide um crisis line assistance and emergency shelter uh for battered women and families and with children. Uh so they requested 5,000 uh because of the number of people we were working with this year. We had to go down a little bit but it's actually up from last year. So that's a that's a good amount. Where are they located?

They all neck, aren't they? No, they they tend to not tell you where they're located because they don't want to be on time. So the the only one of these that I actually know where it's located is Natasha House. Natasha House, right? Yeah. The others it's a little difficult.

Uh this is the Colonial Courtappointed Special Advocates. These guys uh provide legal services for children and the number of children they served in York County this year was 13, but they're very effective at what they do. Uh and we allocated 2720 to them, which is a little more than what they asked uh because I think somebody on the committee was really uh behind them. Uh so it it ended up being a little more. the Center for Child and Family Services. They provide uh behavioral, mental health, and financial counseling services to 105 York County residents. Um their request this year was for 5,000 and we recommended 2,600 which is 100 more than uh what we did last year.

A big area. Yes. Now, this is community brain injury services. These guys, they only work with 20 residents in York County, but the service they provide is intensive. They really work with them a lot. Uh, and they have a huge benefit for those guys. Uh, so they asked for 3,000 and this year we allocated 2400, which is 100 down, but that's balanced against everything else.

So this is the DG Good Foundation. They they they first came in a couple of years ago and these are the guys that provide access to Dolly Parton's imaginary imagination library and there's quite a few kids in York County that benefit from that and I can't see the number from here. So it's the 2500 that we're allocating is less than the as board but it's more than last year and as far as I'm concerned that's money well spent. And is that is that done through our local libraries or they have a separate They're mailed they're actually mailed out through Yeah. But Kevin Kevin is very familiar with the organization as well.

We promote them and provide the literature and access to help people sign up for the program. So they can they can they can sign up for the books through the library and they'll get them through the mail. Yep. Okay. All right. So this next one is different. And this is an this is an odd request. What did they re And so the Yeah, the FS and drums are funded through the York County Arts Commission. Yes.

Uh so it was odd that we received this, but I talked to Jim Cameluchcci and and he discussed what it was and apparently the HVAC systems failed in the headquarters building. Um because this is totally out of track with what we typically do. We only allocated $1,950. But price of an air conditioning. Yeah. This is Yeah. Yeah. This is not even close. This is what I would recommend. And you guys think about it. Think about it. Um I know we can raise money. I raised $400,000 while I was in Well, you built it.

That's right. I'm thinking I re reached out to Dominion Virginia Power and to Ferguson Enterprise to talk to them a little bit about matching grants. What I would ask you guys to do is consider offering them a matching grant for either a third or a half of it contingent on them doing the fundraising work to raise the rest of the money. And that way they get back in the habit of uh of raising money because that's just that's the only way that that organization thrives is by being able to go out there and raise money. And so I think if we, you know, if we give them an incentive again to do that, I think that'll work for for all of us. How's the How F and drum are they doing?

Musically, they're doing fantastic. I wish their numbers were bigger, you know, because we had like at one point we had 80 kids in there or something. How many do we have now? I I don't uh work with them as much anymore. So I don't I don't think it's as large a group. I think uh probably in the 40s. Yeah. 30s. 40s. Really? a tremendous amount of work. Where's the 15,000 people served?

Oh, so I can tell you exactly where that is. There 15,000 people. They have uh 25 performances that they're required to do every summer for the National Park Service. For each one of those people come out and see the event. They also do the parades on all of your major events here. There'll be thousands of people at those. When you have the symphony concert, they open for that. Usually 2500 to 5,000 people down there. Any major event that you guys have, they're there. They're there for it and they have a crowd for it. Uh yeah, I mean this is an absolutely extraordinary group. It doesn't fit with community services grants, but I think they they deserve consideration. Well, they were at the Admirals game. Yeah, they were the Admirals game. That's right.

Things like opening for the concerts and so forth, do they do fundraising events those same evenings? No. An excellent opportunity to help help your local pipe and drum corp. Well, it would be, but you know, so I'm also on the board of directors of the Yorktown Foundation, right? And the Celebrate Yorktown committee uses that night to try to raise money to to pay for the concert. Uh, so they they dig up a huge amount of that. So I don't know that they would want to dilute their fundraising with the other activities. Um which which I can understand because the you know the concert cost a ton of money and they have to you know raised every year and quite a bit of it comes from the county and we appreciate it. So

yeah people think it's a free concert but it's not really free because our we're paying for part of it. That's right. It's it's free to the guests and free to the citizens and it's a wonderful event. I mean it's it's a it's a great investment because it really builds the community. Using any of our tourism funds for this that's a good thought. We do offer an honorarium when they do pay for we offer for each time they appear. Yes ma'am. Essentially yes ma'am we provide honorariums. So how much does the author honorarium that you offer?

I'd have to get back to you on that. It's a couple hundred dollars for each occasion when we do pay the honorarium. I'd have to I'd have to get back to couple hundred dollars typically. It's not for every single it's it's periodically throughout the year, but we do provide typically different private performances. So for you those of you that don't know, I was the director of the FIF and drum for about 10 years. Um so yeah, if anytime that was a nice thing about doing private performances with the county, if you've got a boat coming in or something, we'd send five or six guys down there and we get a couple hundred bucks for it and it it tends to uh uh cover expenses. So, but I would like to take up the idea of tourism fund because this seems to fit. Mhm. So,

I don't have any disagreement with that. So, are you suggesting that we should take care of it? I'm suggesting we take care of it in a in a just want to be clear in a matching matching. I think ma matching would I think do the matching part? Yeah. up to like put some skin in the game. Yeah, we Well, there's there's things in your county that that are part of your county. I mean, F and Drum been here for I was part of the original F and Drum here. My name is in that capsule out there. But I mean, well, but those things like that and it

probably got a fro back then, too. I mean what but you know just say there's these things that we take for granted like the um the waterman's museum the uh the fifman drum the uh customs house the you know these items make up the historical part and people come here because of that it's I think tourism money if we got we're going to collect tourism money besides paying for a sports center we can use some of that down here so if you would let them know they just need to contact our office and once they've made those arrangements for the grants, we'll we'll make sure they get the matching funds. I'll take care of it. You bet. All right. And the tourism funds, tourism funds does not affect the tax rate.

No. So, the one thing that the tourism fund comes from tourists. Tourists, right? So, the one thing they will need from you guys is a letter saying that that you're going to provide a match so that they can use that to leverage the other places. We'll just just have someone contact my office and we'll take care of it. Next one.

So, this is Grace Church and they use the funding that they asked for to to maintain their building as well. And this year they're asking for funding to uh to repair the steeple and and paint the steeple in the belfry. And if you've been out there, you see it needs it. Uh so, we've actually allocated the the whole amount u plus a little bit. It's a little less than what we gave them last year, but again, that's balanced against everything else. Uh this is new and I'm not going to go into too much detail about this one u until later and then I will uh but this is the uh the outreach center. We tend to have one organization this year that withdrew and but we'd already allocated funding to them. So what we did is they recommended two other organizations they thought were good. So we split the funding between the two of them and this is one of them. Uh and these guys

which one who recommended it? I so I don't want to mention their name because I I'll I'll explain that in a few minutes. Um I won't ask. No. So it's but they don't tell. Yeah. They they these guys have a food pantry and everything for uh people that are are poor

and they do a great job. They didn't put in an application so I had to go out and dig through their website uh to find out everything about what they did. And these guys have an incredible website. I mean, they have spent a lot of effort getting the details about what they do on there, and they've got a plan for the coming years. They've got reports for what they've done in the past. It was very easy to find out how good these guys were. Uh, and it's just a really good group. So, that that's the amount that we allocated to them. This his board, Virginia Land Conservancy. This one we've discussed in years past and I think we discussed it at length last year. And it's one of those things that as I said last year, it's big service area.

I don't really understand exactly the benefit that they provide. Uh and I I think uh Mr. Chairman, you asked them to send in more information this year and their application was exactly the same as last year. So this is the allocation that was provided. it. Well, I'm particularly disappointed to see them in the press this past weekend um recommending a rather large housing complex at uh Croker Road and uh Fenton Mill. They were they were Why would I don't know. And where's the land conservancy in that?

It completely blows my mind that they would have been reported as supporting an application in front of the JCC planning commission. And I thought that was for affordable housing. It's it's a lot more than affordable housing going in there. There's 700 plus units and there's um multiple amenities going in. I I just don't understand why a land conservancy is part of that effort and it just seems like they've lost their way. I was not aware of that because we made these decision months ago. Yeah. Uh but if that has any bearing on your decision, I certainly would understand it. And there are other organizations in here uh that would certainly benefit.

Yes. Talked about some 1781. I mean, if I had to put my money somewhere, I'd do that. But you you you said you're not clear on what it is they do. If you're not clear what they do, why are you recommending any funds for them? I don't recommend any funds for them. Why Why were funds recommended for them? the well the it's there's five guys on the panel. They all put in the amount that they would recommend and several of them had a recommendation and it the land conservancy in the past, weren't they involved in that preservation of that uh purchase of that

theor had that readout in it and all that. Um and that that was that was a lot of goodwill in there because it was a there was a battle historical battle there. But yeah, I what you're just telling me don't make doesn't makes makes no sense at all. I don't know why they would be involved in that.

Well, and let me say I don't want to if this sounds b I don't want to down any of these groups. These guys all do something. It's just that I just don't get this one. And I've tried I've read through their applications over and over again. So I just, you know, I wish if they had a mission, I wish they would explain it. You know, it says here services to improve citizens welfare and or quality of life. And it's also a little disappointed. You asked for more details and they just submitted the same thing they submitted. Yes. Last year. Sorry. Yeah. Beers there.

I think this is also a group that we um who was it buddy Spencer when they built that the villas of Shady Banks. He gave him 25 acres, you know, to preserve the the the marsh and that area up on the side. They got that. So, you know, they had I mean, this is kind of a real turnaround from what I mean, based on what you're telling me, this is a complete turnaround from what they their mission of what I've seen in the past. I thought what they were trying to do was conser

they were buying they were buying historical property, preserving historical property inside the historical triangle. a lot of it. You know, they're all up and down. They're down in all of Virginia and then to um you know what it sounds like to me, I've seen this happen with one of the organizations that affected York County. It's where they forget. They change out their leadership and they have and they they have no clue what's going on. They don't know what to do and they flail around and they lose a lot of their support. They need to get some kind of confirmation of what this organization does. I I agree. Yeah. I mean I I I don't I'm not going to agree to this until we figure this out.

Yeah. Just the base what you way we're talking here is this this this don't get money. We we need some clear definition of what they stand for hospice. Yes. I would have stood behind them based on what they've done historically until I saw what happened on the weekend with the JCC. Uh that doesn't even make sense. There's like a Nazi I'm fully fully supportive. If you want to pull this one, I'm okay. Yeah. Now, having said that, I' I'd like to know why they did that because a lot of times people have a good reason.

They come back and let us know. But I mean, this year they got they didn't respond appropriately to you. It sounds like you asked them for more information, they didn't give back. So, it's just and if they if it's a leadership issue, then they need to fix the leadership. I reached out to their CEO and didn't get a response. That's I reached out through him and it's you know you did not get a response. No, I didn't. I take them off your list. They don't need your money. That's Yeah. Can you take your because if if everything you give me somebody on that group is going to say I like that and and we end up with it. So 17 whatever it is that the first one.

Well, you want to wait till the end before you because there there might be might be things that'll change your mind as we go through this. Now, Hospice House of Williamsburg is excellent. They're they're great and they provide a very important service. Uh that we're giving them a little less than last year, but that that's because there were several other things that were happening and a number of new requests. Uh but I think that's that's a reasonable amount. Yeah. When you look at the you know percentage wise Yes. Yep. And Okay. Yeah. this one. Okay. Aside from the goofy name. Yeah.

Uh and I'm not judging anybody's name. Uh the and the logo. So these guys are an animal rehabilitation thing. And uh and it's funny because on the weekends and stuff a lot of times, let's say this has happened to me. You find a raccoon in your yard, a baby raccoon,

and you don't know what to do with it. and you can't really get anybody from the county out there to handle it because they're, you know, they don't the the animal guy doesn't want to work on the weekends. Um, so these guys will come out and a lot of times the county will ask these guys to come out and address the issue and they'll pick up the animals. They'll take them back and rehab them. Um, now they didn't ask for a lot. We didn't give them a lot because they're animals and most of this stuff is people. But I like the group anyway and I I really want to sing their praises even though be careful. careful what you're saying. People look at animals like they're people. Some love their animals better than the other kids. Yeah. But they help people by taking them.

Yes, they do. Yeah. I mean, it's a valuable service. Very good service. And if there weren't so many other worthy things, we we certainly would have given more. So that's 100 requests in the past calendar year. That's a I mean, so that's 100 requests from your county res calendar year. Yes. So, so a third of third of the year they were responding to requests. So, um, now here here's the other thing with this one. They didn't send in a formal application. Uh, so I had to go to Facebook and find all their stuff. They sent a letter and that got forwarded to us. I would ask these guys to please put in an application next year because that allows us to compare them fairly with everybody else. Well, just tell them if they don't, they're out,

right? Um, yeah. I want to I I got to come back real quick on on the whole purpose of what what you're doing here. You know, we used to do this and sit in this room and just fight over $200. I mean, in the budget cycle and we and we said you guys would do a much better decision to look at this and I want us to keep it in your lap, okay? Don't back to us to come over here and start fighting over $200,500,000 when we're looking at a hundred million $200 million budget. So, I guess that's why it's because you're giving it the attention that it needs. And so, these people these people the people that want help need to comply

with the rules. Well, I think I think these guys didn't know. They just uh I know. We see that. We see I've seen that a lot. And we've got a couple of them this year that that sort of fall in that category. Uh but yeah, for next year, I'd like them to to fill out a formal application. You can talk to these folks, right? You don't talk to these folks. can see how that buck got passed. Shove that right on over there. Another job well done already. All right, that's called delegation. Discussion and already talked to see it. Uh this is Natasha House. You guys are all aware of them and what they do. Uh and I think they may have gotten the highest amount of any of the groups this year. Great.

Uh they they've been stepping up their game quite a bit. I would like to still like to see them raise more money from other localities. They haven't really done as much of that. Um, but I'm going to talk about that when we get a little further down the road, too. Uh, and this is Score of Williamsburg. This is new. These guys provide advice and mentoring services to small businesses, and they've they provide support to 75 small businesses in York County. Um, they didn't ask for a lot, but we gave them at most of what they asked for. Part of the Chamber of Commerce. Does it work through the chamber? I was going to say this is the chamber's job. Yeah, that's what the chamber does.

Yeah. I'm not sure I'm not sure who they work through or what that, but they uh they had a nice website. They had a lot of details about the the places they were providing service to. Yeah, the chamber has the same thing. They have mentoring and provide advice on So, these guys may be working in conjunction with them. I'm not sure. Darren, do you have more information with SCORE?

Well, the chamber does provide those services. I think they're more hyperfocused on providing these services. they actually go out and hunt um uh mentors in individual fields. It's not necessarily the members of the chamber. So they could have somebody that's a head of a tech firm and they'll pair it with somebody that volunteers with SCORE. So we do partner with them with the economic development and and how we work with them and um it it seems like a worthy group from our perspective and it's it's kind of a they cast a wider net for their mentors than the local chamber does and and we believe that creates value. So it's a different they bring a different skill set and Yes sir. So they they have a vaster array of complimentary skill set to what the chamber does. Yes sir.

And this is transitions family violence services. It's one of the three uh battered women shelters that are uh provide services to the county. Uh and this year they asked for 6,400 and we met their recommendation. It's a little less than they asked for last year, but they're also they um get quite a bit of funding from other localities in the area. Uh and they're very good at uh fundraising as well. So, this is a very effective organization. Uh they don't service a lot of people in the county, but they they're important. They service over 2,000 others. So, yeah, that's still a lot of people.

Yep. Uh, so this is another strange one and I may let you explain this one, but these guys are u they're in a a relationship with your county where I believe they're providing an $80,000 or something grant uh to the county. It's some number. I can't remember what it is. I'm not familiar with it either. Well, it Oh. Oh, okay. You're right. I apologize for our housing, right? Yes. Um, they do.

They provide funding to our housing. Um, and so if if Abbott comes across somebody who needs help, he can he works real closely with United Way to help house people. Yeah. Homeless people or even students a lot of times, believe it or not, they turn 18 and parents put them out. And we've got to find a place for those children. They have they have a specific program for Yes. addressing what they characterize as the has a shortage. But yes, they turn 18 years old and that's it. Need help help in that capacity. They'll say that's it. And then we take them on and put them someplace,

help them find jobs for the summer and and then get them into college in the fall. So typically the United Way is incredible at raising funds. They have relationships with a lot of businesses. So typically we don't do a lot towards them. However, because of this effort this year and the fact that what they're asking for is is to get technology to to create a community assistant network, the the telecommunications uh uh equipment for that. We thought that was sort of a onestop thing that was a good match for our group because it's something they've got a clear problem that we can help them with directly. Uh we didn't recommend a lot for but we wanted to make sure that we knew that that they thought we thought that that was a worthy thing. Uh, this is the VFW. And for those of you that know, these guys actually there, as far as I can tell, their main role and the most beneficial thing they do is they they act as intermediaries for veterans between the veterans and the paperwork they have to fill out to get services.

And you, you guys, a lot of you are veterans. You know what I'm talking about. These forms are insane. Uh, and these guys, they've got experts on the forms, so veterans can go in there, ask for help. Those guys will help them put the paperwork together and all that and get services that they probably would not otherwise. Tremendous benefit for our veterans. This is the volunteer group is really worthwhile. Yeah. So, that's uh we recommended 4,400 for them. Uh this is the Washington Roshambo revolutionary route and they have been asking for money rather than

they have been uh and this one again when they fill out their application they use a lot of intangible and unknowable things for how many people they serve and how many people benefit. Um, and so we end up having to go through and and calculate what the number of states are and how many people we think maybe are in each one. So the numbers that they have we have up there are not numbers that they provided for the people that they serve, but numbers that we estimated based on on what they do. What's the couple that does that? I I know I'm doing this forever. Yeah. And ever

and they're great people. They're wonderful people. Uh, so you know Roshimbo Trail is very important. It is. Uh but we're we're coming, I think, to the end of where that activity is going to be done within the next year or so. Uh is that correct? I don't Well, I know they did the lights. They did 31. I think you'll have events and and things going at least till 31. Oh, wow. I thought it was going to end at the whole for 250. Yeah. 250 for 1831. I mean 1731 would be 1781 the surrender one of those years

I've been here too I was not there at that event but I was the year after that's where Washington I know they did what's it the blue light didn't it didn't that part of it the marker that this is where the route part of the route that was for Chris that was Captain John Smith that's Chris what that was Captain John Smith that was not that one no but there was a light that was I thought that's for the captain John Smith Trail. We do it. Oh, that's another trail. Not the rug trail. I was there for that. I helped them out. At any at any They're very hard workers. They're great guys. So, it's a we recommended a little less than last year, but it's still something. I hope it's good. Um

Dave Dave and Sam. Yeah. So, this is the William and Mary Foundation, and they're providing tutoring uh to 60 children that are in the York County Head Start program. Uh and it's it's a great little group. Uh so we've recommended 1450 to them. So what do they so what exactly do they do? Tutors. Students come read to the kids and help tutor the children. Okay. Part of the reading program. All right. So this is a the other uh yes one that's the half of what we were talking about. And these guys, they operate a homeless shelter. Another food pantry. Another food pantry. They've got approved that one.

Yeah, I approve these two. Y and a pregnancy center. And again, please go to their web page because these guys do so much. You would you'd never know. I mean, it's just an incredible amount of work. Apparently, uh the woman that that created this retired from being a nun and decided she still wanted to do nun stuff and there you go. and she just took off and never stopped. And it's just extraordinary work that these guys do. Over 11,000 people.

Um Williamsburg Faith and Action. We've been funding these guys for for a number of years. Uh and this this is one that falls in a different category than most of the rest of them. This is really elder uh elder independent living support. They make it possible much like Meals on Wheels does, to for people to be able to stay at home. uh after they get old. Uh they do the daily visits. They help up. They help with chores and stuff like that. So, this is really a great group. They ask for 3500 and we recommended 2920. Why is their reach so limited? I mean, yeah, they come into York County. So, it looks like it's pretty much only district one and

you see all of James City County. I'm just wonder James City County and they service Williamsburg. This is an estimate based So the map that's over there is really an estimate based on my reading of their service area. Their service area might be a little bit different than that. They're on Mertown Road. So they're actually in York County. Oh, I didn't know that. I thought they were Williamsburg. Okay. And then that comes back to my question is why is their service so limited? Why is it in New York County? I mean, is it just because of the gap between district one and the rest of the county or Well, they also have a place in Newport News and I think Newport News serves this area. Really?

Their their their portion of faith and action because it's it's based in more than one location. So, what are you saying? So I'm I'm wondering should we be giving money to the the one in Newport News or the the one in Williamsburg just because they got a they haven't asked. That's true. I'm just It's part of our responsibility giving money to Yeah. So these guys do provide a service that's distinct from anybody else that you're funding in this group. Yeah. It says transportation services too. probably due to doctors and

dental treatments. Okay. It's hard to say no to any of these things really unless you down to Yorktown Hospice House. All right. This one was a challenge. Um I love hospice house. We definitely could use a Yorktown hospice house. This group is just starting out. So, she's trying to build the thing from the ground up. Um, and so the money that they asked for was specifically uh to do marketing materials and all of that to to help with fundraising. Do we know what their total amounts? We don't know that yet.

$5 million is the amount that the total that they need to do it was what they listed. Uh, so that brings me to the recommendation that I have for these. The amount of money is fine. We don't have an educated populace in your county to fund raise. No, we don't. The people here, they they know how to ask you guys for it and they know how to ask other government entities for it, but they don't know how to write to these other organizations that give a ton of money. Mhm.

And so what I would like to see the county do, there's a so when we were raising the money for the fifon drum, there was a database that we could get that had a listing of everybody that donated money in the whole country.

And we went through that and we said, first of all, where's everybody? Who's everybody that's like us that's asked for money? Who did they ask for money and how much did they give them? And we asked all of those people for less. And where most of the time when you're fundraising you get about a three to five percent uh return, we were getting a 25% return. So, you know, one in four of the places that we asked came up with the money that we asked for because we targeted specifically based on on good information. What I would love to see, and now the database is not cheap. It cost us quite a bit of money to get it, but it was money well spent. What would be nice would be if the county had a subscription to that and we trained we had a program and we taught these guys some fundraising techniques. Get some guys in that know how to raise money and teach these guys how to raise money. Let them aim them at that database. Let them get out there and make some requests and see how effective it is. I bet that you would end up seeing a lot of of good happen from that. And I think that would be a modest investment. It would be some time. Um,

so do you have to get a database for the whole country? Can you just get it for like a region of the country or No, you want it for the whole country. If you could get it for the whole world, you'd want it. You want to get as large of a base of information as you can. Uh, because you just want to go through it and you know that's sortable, searchable, uh, and this was what 15 years ago and we were doing this, you know, and it just it was incredibly effective. Do you think that's something that the county should do or should something that private an organization should do? Um, so an organization could do it, but an organization doesn't run the libraries. That's

right. An organization doesn't have a place big enough for all of the people that would want to raise money to come in and look at it. So, you're thinking that that would be a charitable arm of of the county to raise money? No, I think I'm think you're not you're not raising money. What you're doing you're pro you're providing the ability to raise money. I would I would point you at your master gardener program and stuff like that. There are a lot of things that we do that are specifically designed to teach our citizens

all kinds of things. And if we can teach our citizens how to raise money, especially these organizations, I think uh I think you would be money ahead on that because instead of coming to the county, it sounds like a job for you. Uh I have a job. It's taken up all of my time at this point, but I'd be more than willing to help. Yeah, I'd be happy to help with that. But that's just an idea. I I Okay. I think that's a thought we should think about something like that because there's it would do a lot. So I'm I'm trying to picture this. You talking about a government entity? Yeah, it is. Or are you talking about what are what is what role do you see your county playing in this?

I think what I heard is that we would provide the service out of our library. The database database that's what our library does already, isn't it? Some periodic training focus on. So you do we can we come back to it? Is the Is the county getting the people to do the training or are we funding the training or No, I think we are we doing I think we'd have to think about how we implement that. Uh I I don't like spending money, you know. I'm That's a good thing. Tight.

So, I'm just trying but I'm just trying to understand the concept. I I mean I the idea Yeah. Grab a database and then train people how to how to go talk and ask for money. Right. That's right. That's and I've read a million of these books about how to raise money. Uh and they all tell you different things. So having somebody with a little experience actually doing it, they'll be able to tell you what works and what doesn't. And unfortunately

that that's a curve that changes every year because the landscape of raising money changes depending on all the economic conditions that are going on. It's not something that you just know and then you're a master for forever. Uh so you know even if if even if we had the idea of giving like quarterly seminars or something that uh organizations could come to and learn about how to raise money. Uh but who you say we give the we who's we wouldn't be us not the county. It would have to be people that do that type of work. So I don't know how I don't know. I'm trying I don't know the county.

I mean you're giving your what you're hearing is what we don't have anybody in county does. I know I that's why I'm trying to they would have the information being in the library, right? So so that people would have access to it. Yeah. So the implementation details I'm not sure of can do. So um I know our library and the Williamsburg library we have grants databases and I think it maybe it's just a matter of us publicizing the resources we have and letting the people know that they can come to the library for these grant resources. And do you have somebody at the library who could walk them through it or show them how to use We do have staff that can help do that. We can also look into maybe having some um for the citizens. See, that would be fantastic.

Yeah. I don't think we need to reinvent We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We already have the resources and we just need We just need to publicize publicized. So that's what you need. Good. Appreciate that. Thanks, Kevin. Thanks. Um so that's that. All right. So, these are the subtotals for this year, and as always, they uh they add up to $62,000. Um, and you can see that most of the funding in large part went to the the battered women's shelters. Uh, and then I can't read the rest of the stuff. So, I can't read it.

So, if anybody wants to read this up close, it's it's online. The county puts these things online. I I'll put this online as soon as I get home tonight in the county will put it up so that you can see it. Uh and and you can zoom in. But as we've increased the number of organizations, the font's gone down and down and down. Well, if you did it sideways, it'd be, you know, landscape style. At least we'd be able to Yeah. make it larger. Well, what does that growth look like? Number of organizations being serve served now through the funding. Uh I don't have the exact number on off the top of my head. four about 25% more. 25% since when I first started it. Since when?

Since No, since last year it's up about 25%. Uh but the thing is it's up much more than that over time because many of these organizations have been moved from uh our uh recommendations to the county regular budget. Uh, so it's just the the ones that are are sort of out of band that get assessed every year, that number is increased to, you know, I think close to 20 at this point.

Do you do you feel like we're approaching a point where based on the number of organizations we're trying to support that we're starting to spread the butter too thin or I mean at some point you hit a lot of different organizations, but the is is the amount that we're able to give to all the different organizations enough to make a difference? would we be better off smaller number and greater funding? It's it's a it's a hard balance, but so I I I hate to say a smaller number because I mean we talked about tonight there are a couple of them that that could probably go away, but most of these organizations do an extraordinarily important thing and the effort that they put into it, if we just have to pay a little bit of money to keep them going, they provide much more back in return.

And and I get that. I guess the question is is is the funding that we're providing across you for each one is it impactful for each one it is are we able to make a difference? Yes. Okay. Yeah. I mean now some of them it's it's not a big difference but some of the missions are not big missions. They're doing great things in a small way and so you know you do what you can there but like I said a lot of these guys leverage this money so that they can get other money and that that is really important. Uh so it it's really valuable. Uh now so let's is there any other questions? There's one last thing I wanted to talk about. Go ahead. I just make one comment that the volunteer organizations throughout the county and throughout this region are the lifeblood.

Yes. Of what makes this community work. That's right.

It's what makes it kind of a prestigious county and anything we can do to help their work I think we should support. So I would so this has been a tough year for doing this because there's been a lot of things that happened at the last minute and I would say that from my experience the people that live in York County are among the most generous people I have ever known. And I know that because I've raised a lot of money here. But there's always a handful of people and they get together and they complain about everything and they congratulate each other on their cheapness. And this year that little group, they got together and they targeted one of our charities. Now, there was nothing bad they could say about it because this group literally they feed the hungry, they clothe the poor, but they just made it uncomfortable enough that these guys withdrew their application.

What? Yeah. And I don't know about you, but that doesn't sit right with me.

So, Evelyn and I wrote a check for half of what we were going to allocate to him this year. And what I would ask is that the county think about think of that as a matching grant and consider matching it. I would also ask this organization for God's sake, please put in your application next year because if we let these hateful little men stop us from doing the right thing, then the whole world's a darker place and I can't stand that. And with that, keep on keeping the faith and I'll see you guys next year. Before you run off, don't run off.

I Yeah, don't run off. The uh you know, let me give a little history here. Okay. Before we had this organization, Yes.

Okay. It was a food fight. And we actually 25 years ago gave a lot more money. It was huge. I mean, it was about a quarter of a million dollars. So, this 62,000 is a lot less than what it was. And then we came up with a plan because things started getting tight in the county. We went through all that cycle where we we didn't get pay raises. We pulled money back out to fund the schools. We took it away from our employees and all that. And every So what we did over a four-year period, we kept cutting it in half. We kept cutting it in half. I mean, it was a deliberate plan to cut it in half that four-year period. And then it got down to around 75. And I'm really surprised to see us at 62. I don't know what happened to the extra the extra bucks that are in there, but but I know it got to 75. And then it then you guys came in

and it started doing this tremendous job. Well, remember I mean it was it was not you talk about a food fight, but it was a it was a fight of over pennies and so forth and and at one at one time we stopped giving any money and that's well I don't ever remember us not ever giving money. Oh, it was so low. And the thing of it is that's when we decided that we needed some help. The important part has been mentioned here. Um, but I don't think it's been clearly understated. Okay. Clearly stated that the these organizations when they provide a service,

okay, their volunteers collecting, you know, 400 two couple thousand from us and we put it over there. If we wanted to provide that service in government, it would cost us a ton more. You would have to pay for the employees. You pay for the retirement system goes with it. You take pay for the buildings, the equipment, all that stuff that goes in. And so this is where the as you said, the volunteers represent kind of the core. Look at me as all the other volunteer organizations.

This is why it's so important that we understand they're providing a service that they're providing service better than we in a lot of cases. So anyway, for your group, I really want to thank you for all the work you guys did, okay? And uh and look forward to this every year. I just always feel I feel disappointed that we have we can't give more. I mean, we probably can if we wanted to do it, but I mean, you guys have done a a yman's job of trying to figure out what you could do with the amount of money that's budgeted. Um, I mean, if we wanted to restrict it, we say that everything has got to be in the county. Okay? We could restrict it. It can't be dup duplicative. We could do all kind of stuff. But because that if if you want to think that's the list, the look at the United Way lists,

okay, just that list is at home in in in charities. So, anyway, we got a I think you've done a great job of doing this. We had one followup though which is how do we want to allocate the HLVI HLCVI that's the one I wanted to make sure you got the conservancy there's $1260 you got how would you recommend that we split that we pulled this put it put it on that group okay this group where where did you see which group support for the put it with this I see what you're saying on the James City County Planning Commission page.

So they so their their page said that HBLC reviewed it last past week. I think it was last Wednesday was in support of of it. Okay. I think it was in the Daily Press

and I I I I go along with Walt's recommendation is put the money over on that that group getting hammered there. Well, and I think one other thing worth mentioning, I mean, it did cause us to look internally at our own systems for how does this board work and can we approve uh funding for agencies where we might have an indirect role and that's been resolved and we now have a process that we is robust and allows us to do that and should not create a problem in the future. But clearly that led to some of these bad feelings over the past year. Thank you for all you've done. Right. Thank you. Thanks, guys. I'll see you next year. Thank you.

Next up is Brian Fuller on the community agency support. Uh deputy county administrator. I haven't met him yet. Not Brian. I think I think he's with JCC. I don't know how to follow that act. Um, so I won't try. Possible. So don't try. I'm not going to try. Okay, that's good.

And I would state just before we start um that Walt Walt's group has done always a great job and give it a lot of thought. And over time when we've had some of those larger organizations, we've moved them out of of his um grant applications and that's allowed him to serve more people. We've taken groups like Gaki out.

Um I think two about two years ago we took out the food pantries um three or four of those. It freed up about $15,000. So that's allowed him to serve more groups uh as well with with keeping that same amount of money because we've we've put those in other places. So, uh, he's talked out about all the, uh, the groups. I'm going to talk tonight about some of the remaining groups that we do with community support. Um, and just to remind everybody of our strategic priorities, um, all of we look at that as we're looking at our our community partners. And I'm going to be very brief tonight. This this thing could go on for hours, but we won't. So, what we're talking about here um is in a couple different categories. It's it's $9.3 million, 40 different 46 different agencies. You can see how the funding's divided up as it relates to our your strategic priorities as we fund those. And here's really a breakdown of the money. And it it goes from funded in FY26, what is proposed in FY27, and you'll see a difference of uh increase in $558,000. And I'm going to go through this in great detail, not great detail, but in some detail, and then answer any questions. But it's really two categories. We have our cong contractual obligations and these are groups that we fund either we have an actual contract with or a funding formula and they provide service account and you see that's where a bulk of the increases are. So we really don't have control over those. The other $2 million is only got a $46,000 increase and that's where there is more discretion. So we'll go

through those. So, as far as the contractual funding, start with

thing to keep it up, baby. I do credit me coming to the Y and doing exercises with, you know, with at least getting me a little bit better in shape so that when I did get the heart attack, um, I was able to recover a little bit faster. I think all special thanks to the water. Reed is autistic. It was wonderful. By the end of that first lesson, Reed was jumping in the pool with that life jacket. I could see that he was making progress. And as Mr. Sheepard said, that's just one example of where if we tried to provide that service, uh the cost would be exponential to what community groups and partnerships can do. So on this part about the exemplary public safety, some of the groups in here, Colonial Community Connections, Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter, Middle Peninsula Juvenile Center, and Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail make up 4.1, which is almost half of the funding. And they were $200,000 increase in those. And those were all based on contracts uh and funding formulas and things like that where we don't really change. It's based on past experience and performance. So Ryan, when we talk about

contractual funding, contractual between the county and these organizations, it's either contractual either, sometimes it's actually a physical contract, other times it's regional agreements. Most of these are like regional agreements. Regional jail, it's between other teams. So we have a regional agreement. There are funding formulas in those agreements. They go up by the, you know, certain costs per year. So the regions got together to provide this service like the regional jail and we and the different

locality decided on funding. So that's what mean that's what mean by contract. There's another well there's also another aspect of this when we agree to that there's an out but when we agree to provide funding to an organization for example the YMCA is a great example of this we give them money we say we're going to do this they then take that money that commitment of them we don't maybe like give them a million dollars or $2 million we don't give it to them all at one time we give it over over a many year period and then they go build they take that and they go build stuff. So now we just, you know, you can imagine what would happen if you go, "Man, sorry, you can't have it." After they've already committed, got a building built and they they're on the hook for that. So I don't know if that's on a contract or just, you know,

agree some sort of agreement though. I know we have agreements with the Y. It has to be something formal knowing they need from lending lending sources. They couldn't just Well, no, that's different than the county. Okay. I'm talking about when the county I don't the county handles that differently than if you went to a bank and you I understand it but but I would imagine the wise taking that money and going to other lending sources like I got this already I need you to help me with the rest but they got to have real commitment from that first source otherwise the lending institutions are going to back them if they use the lending institute

if they do yeah that's each one of them are different but but for the county itself you know we have the regional agreements and then we have the you the the other bigger u organizations that we give money to. Right.

Okay. So some of the examples of the excellent educational opportunities CDR colonial juvenile uh community services uh Williamsburg regional library and here's where the regional library or the YMCA's are as well and that total was 1.6 with a $30,000 increase. valuedriven economic development. This is Eevee RIFFA, the Hampton Roads Alliance, all HD uh Hampton Roads um planning district commissions, the workforce development, WA. So in these categories, it was a $296,000 increase on

So that's a lot. Um is it mainly water? Mainly water. And I think you remember as as when Matt um Scalia came and talked about the cost of Wada the funding uh the increased routes in in the county and it's based on the mileage for those routes and the hours of service in the county. You're buying a couple buses and stuff like that.

The Northern Transfer Station is going to open up later this year in the upper county. Here we have a couple increases in some of the other priorities. Peninsula Health District, Mayor's Chairs Council on Homelessness, Arts Commission, and the HYP PDC, which is a small increase. Now, we get to the discretionary funding. Um, and some of these are like Lackey. Uh, I've been coming to Lackey Clinic for close to five years now and I'm so pleased with everything they have done for me. They have helped me so much. I had mouth pain for 20 years. I've had to get uh, I guess three extractions, maybe nine fillings. I've got the dental scalings. uh three different times. They've helped me with a gigantic cyst on my face that I was embarrassed to show my face for years. And they helped me with every medical need. I I hadn't even had a blood test to find out if anything was wrong with me since I was probably 20 years old. So, in every way, Lackey takes care of me. Thank you so much. You're a true blessing for helping all everyone who can't afford it otherwise. Wacky Clinic has taken care of me.

So, here we have some of those discretionary fundings here uh with communications, customer service. Lackey clinic as we mentioned, Colonial Behavioral Health, Oldtown Medical Dental Center, Virginia Food Bank, and New York Hearts Foundation.

There again, here's we gave 100,000. Yes. Yes. So, some that are related to um economic development and tourism. Jamestown, Yorktown Foundation, Launchpad Incubator, Chamber of Commerce, Waterman's Museum, and the Yorktown Foundation. A lot of a lot of the increases here are the for the tall ships events this year and the 250th event. I was going to ask, is this enough for the VA 250 year? I would have expected a higher budget.

Don't hurt your neck, Darren. Seriously, which one are you talking? It's It's an increase of 22,000 on 300. Oh, I see that. Yes. It's It's basically cost of inflation and and this is a big year. It's a big year. We should be seeing a higher budget. Well, some of that is captured in our Fourth of July budget. Okay. Um and and we have a large Fourth of July budget. Now, now we did increase they twisted my arm and and we're spending a good amount of money more this year on that event. got past me, right? And it got past me. Yes, it did. So, so fundamentally do

So, we are and then it's coming from a different couple different pots and some of that is some of that like the sale event this year is in this year's budget. So, that increase was last year. So, that the Fourth of July is always kind of wonky because it happens on the fourth day of the year, but we we've got to procure everything in the prior year. Okay,

here we are. We're gonna have people all over the world here. Yes, we are. In the next couple, three months. So, not only do we want to do it right, but those people will be here spending money, too. Right. In the county. Yeah.

So, a lot of the other discretionary funds, uh, because we knew where the budget was this year and there was no contractual agreement or, um, agreement to raise them, we did level fund a lot of those community groups this year that were discretionary. So this kind of breaks down a summary of those charts that we just went through. And and as you can see over, you know, almost all of that increase was on the contractual side where we didn't have uh ability to change that and very small on the discretionary side.

Right. What's what's the interaction with the county and and the Peninsula Community College? Um, we have members I think you have two members on their board. Um, and and we've had lots of meetings over the last I think we've had more meetings with Dr. Batton um than we've had or in a long time. So, we we've had a lot of discussions with them. Uh, they've been a very good partner in some of our economic development projects providing workforce development uh and working with that. So, so they're helping us develop talent talent that's using the county. Is the community college tied to the U governor school?

I don't think I don't think so. New horizons or anything like that? New horizons is another one that comes out of the Okay. So really that's a very quick but but overview but like we said a lot of this is just tied up with the contractual agreements.

Great questions but you raised you raised a good you raised a good uh good point here. I think um I don't have a I know I get all of us get swamped with a lot of reading material and stuff like this and I just feel like I may have missed something but are we going to get like a the layout of exactly what we're going to do for 250? Yes. Somebody going to come in and brief us on all Yes, we have them coming. It's next next board meeting or the first meeting in May.

I believe it's in May. Okay. May. But we we are also we're we're working on two this isn't budget related but but for both sale 250 um and for the town sale festival and the Zybrooken visit which will be over the 4th of July. We're working on a detailed kind of question summary of where everybody needs to be. Got it. Okay. But in my mind there's because I live in Yorktown or York County, there are two there are two similar points. One's the fourth of July which we sell celebrate and then there's the battle, right? So So which one we focused on?

That's what I wanted to hear.

So So this year we're celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, of course. So it's important to mark that. Um so um what's even more important for her in York County is the victory which happened in 1781. So we have an opportunity to do both this year. So we're going to celebrate the 4th of July have some enhanced activities as well as sell Yorktown festival June 12th through the 14th. Fast forward to victory weekend which is the weekend of October 19th and we're going to note and highlight that this is now the five-year countdown to the victory at Yorktown. So there's a lot of things to really incorporate with this. I think something really important that gets lost. I think a lot of people think that, you know, 250 efforts over in 2026. It's absolutely not true. Um the VA 250 commission has been extended to 2031 just for the celebration of the victory at Yorktown. Something else really important to to think about as well, and I've already communicated with county leadership and we're already situating this. You know, every 50 years, every every semiquentennial of the victory at Yorktown, a sitting president has come to Yorktown. You go back to 31 it was Hoover. 81 was Midan and Reagan and we fully intend to to uh approach that angle for 2031 and do it the justice it it deserves. So where everybody's talking about, you know, Philadelphia, America 250, our eyes are absolutely on 2031 and it's not about just say, hey, it's we're doing something every single year building up to that. And we've been doing it for a couple years. Started with the 250th anniversary of the Yorktown Tea Party. Something that was a little known Tea Party that happened to show solidarity solidarity with the other colonies. But it's these breadcrumbs we're dropping and and these are all breadcrumbs leading up to our big event which will be October 19th, 2031, the semiquin centennial over the victory of Yorktown.

I just Yeah, I we can get so involved in our daily lives, especially in government here, you kind of sometimes, at least I do. I just forget about the significant events. I mean, it just happens. You know, you were constantly dealing with it. But there was a time and I can't remember which event it was. I don't know if it was Lafayette when he came in at the Grand Tour or if it was something. They had 10,000 reenactors out here. They built the train trestle. That was 20 that was for the two 200 200 I mean they put on

I mean when they built when they built the monument you know they had the raising the monu monument was they didn't start building it till 100 years after it had already been approved. But they they had a stage out there, you know, they put that whole I mean the whole thing it was there was no dirt grass. You walked on it was actually a whole stage and and I'm sitting here thinking, okay, 250 like a firecracker going off instead of a a cannon. I don't know.

Obviously, we've we've been thinking about it behind the scenes um because it's we know it's 5 years away and that'll happen like that. Um but you know we're focusing now to get through this July and and the sale weekend but we've been in discussions with the park service and some of the national leaders um because funding for that will be you know not not can't fall on the county um we funded the service I will never forget the park super superintendent coming in and said and you I won't say who he was not going to talk to people but he came in he says the only thing he says I don't care about the 4th of July Oh yes, I remember that day.

The only thing he cares about he cared about was the uh we've heard that before. The only thing he was responsible for Yorktown day that was that okay I won't get back. I mean we got we had the ambassador talk about the past you know we always have that that was the only thing federal government felt that they were responsible for except get other than getting in our way for the 4th of July. So, so the point is yes, if they're going to do something, it would be nice to, you know, understand they're going to give us some money for for all this stuff. Yeah. And we've been we've been working with discussions with that with the current superintendent and and also with when we talked to Representative Whitman and all, we've been talking about that because funding will come, I would assume, from the federal level for this event.

There's congressional funding for these types of events and we have to be very strategic when we're approaching 2031. Right now the attention's on the the 250th. So we have to be very if we go all in right now for that it's going to get lost in the noise of the other 250 which is great. It's a fantastic thing. But we're being very strategic in and really highlighting 2031 and we will have a full court press in all angles and and uh really make it a special occasion. So five years. Yes sir. All we got and having the state extend the commission. Yeah. Having the state extend the BA250 commission to 2031 is a huge step. Oh, so we don't have to recreate that. I was very glad to see when they announced that because

First of all, I want to say how nice the new logo is that we're having on our stationery and on our magazines. Move us on now. Thank you, Brian. I'm trying. And we're going to move on to the consent calendar and then you can come to matters before the board.

I have other things to talk about. So, briefly reviewing the consent calendar, we have item number three, approval of the minutes. There are four sets of minutes here, January 30th, February 3rd, February 17th, and March 3rd. Item number four, authorized participation in an opioid settlement. Uh, resolution 26-42. Uh, does anyone wish to discuss or pull either of these? I'd like to actually hear on the opioid uh settlement because we've had several.

So if Richard if you could just run us through this one. So, um, this is most of the settlements that we have had to date in the opioid arena have been ones that have come down as a result of our participation in a stateou with the state of Virginia attorney general's office and a variety of other localities. And all of these settlements have been managed as multi-dist litigation and we get a basically a set of settlement amount. This one's a little different in that it was it it was proposed by uh and it came down from a from a a different multi-ifferent district litigation. uh and it's only localities and basically they're asking localities to participate in it as an opt-in settlement. Um and the whether or not the settlement is finally approved and comes about will depend upon the level of participation by the localities. Uh I think I we set forth in the memorandum approximately how much money we would be in line to get. It's about $15,000 um roughly as a flat amount, which isn't a lot of money, but it's not nothing. And um you know, we we probably would not be participating in direct litigation against any of these companies if we did not opt in. So I certainly recommend that we participate in this and indicate our desire to participate in it and then depending on whether there's full participation we'll

we'll determine whether or not it goes forward and if it doesn't go forward because there's not sufficient level of participation then we can we can re-evaluate and there may be additional tracks but certainly it would probably not be efficient for us to file our own separate case against these particular companies. And my other question was, are we likely to see more of these?

Probably depending on on how these go. I mean, you know, we have companies coming out all over the place that are that are have exposure in these opioids and they're they're seeing the levels of settlements that are that are I mean, the Sackler family was probably kind of the the high end of of what was happening and that went all the way to the Supreme Court. Um, and so my guess is that other companies are would see an incentive to try to settle these as efficiently as possible. But in this particular case, I think it's in our interest to to participate. So that's why I'm recommending it.

Okay, there's nothing else. Mrs. Null's already put more forward a motion for a roll call. Motion made by Mrs. Null is to approve the consent calendar as submitted. Mrs. Null. Yes, Mr. Drury. Yes, Mr. Rome. Yes, Mr. Shepard. Yes, Mr. Holoy. Yes. Motion carry. No. I call on each board member to raise matters before the board. And I'll start with Mrs. Dole. This is a good magazine.

I don't Isn't that That's really marvelous. But what what else is marvelous, let me tell you, is about a high school senior who won a $25,000 scholarship for the design of the cover for a phone. And it was a it was national, not just here. It's done by Cox Communications, their foundation arm, and they've been really involved with the Boys and Girls Clubs across the country. And not only did he win $25,000 scholarship, but our Boys and Girls Club is getting a check for $25,000 as well. But he he is the winner, the national winner. Can you imagine? See what your county produces.

He's a wonderful young man. and I will only use his first name, David, because I don't want anybody to contact him. But anyway, kudos. Thank you, Mr. Jury.

Yeah. So, um, just a quick update on all the businesses going on as you run up and down 17. You see quite the progress going on. Chipotle is rounding the corner. I think they're on their way from third base to home. And uh looks like Chipotle's um on their way as well. Um Cookout's got some of the structure up that they're doing some um ground work over there as well. And um of course down at the pub, that work is coming along very well. And it looks like it's going to be done here in I'd say a month or two. And um I guess um there's a couple of other things getting ready to happen at the Virginia Beer Company I rode by on the way here and the parking lot was half full already and um Q Daddy's is always full. So um everybody's doing a great job. So other than that, we're good. Okay,

Mr. Rome. Well, that's too much pollen in the air. No, it's all over my car. So, we got better after the rain

and and in our throat and our lungs. So, I'll just be real brief here, just remind everybody that next Saturday, April 18th from 10 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon is the National Healthy Kids Day event, uh, sponsored by the YMCA. Um, so our local YMCA down on 134, Victory YMCA is going to be a big participant in that. It's been a big event the past few years. We're going to have a lot of representation from the county there. Service department will be there, fire department will be there, parks, recreation will be there. this year. Um we depending on their um their tournament schedule, the CNU basketball team should be there to participate with the kids and all kinds of other local community and business and sponsors will be there as well. So if you have a uh especially a pre pre-teen kid and looking for some time and some activities, see what's happening around the county, this is a great spot to come stop, spend uh spend a little bit of time, check things out and um and visit with us. So, I hope to see you there. Uh again, April 18th from 10 to 1,

Mr. Sharper. No, I've talked enough. Thanks. That's a first. I can talk more.

As for myself, I'll turn to Darren. We've got two events coming up. The uh French Market Days and the Boots, Brews, and Barbecue. I'd like to know a little bit more about both of those. Uh so the French market is uh it's uh it's an organization that's the French sister cities organization that basically uses this market to kind of highlight their organization. They do a suare and blancc which we are not involved with to raise money for the foundation but it's an opportunity to highlight our French sister cities. Now, Boots, Brews, and Barbecues, not to be confused with the previous year's Blues Brews and Barbecues, is undergoing a transformation this year and pivoted from blues music to country music. So, you have country move music performers, breweries from out throughout the region, bunch of fantastic food options, and just a good time to head by all. So, but just to note that is a ticketed event. Most of the events in Yorktown are free. However, this one and the wine festival are a ticketed event. Just want to make sure that that people are aware of that.

And those dates are April 18th and May 2nd. Yes, sir. And this weekend we have our go green and garden market. So come on down, get some information on bees, gardening, and recycling. So love to have you here. So after healthy kids day, swing by the these other events down here in Yorktown. Yes, sir. If you're sober enough. That's why we do healthy kids day early. And uh my last comment is go blue. Mhm. Anybody watch a good basketball game last night? Was there a basketball on last night? No, no, no. With that, Mr. Shepard, I'll ask you to take us into a closed meeting. Mr.

Chairman, uh let's see. In accordance with section 2.2-3711A1 2-3711A1 of the code of Virginia. I move that board supervisors convene a closed meeting to consider a personnel ma personnel matter involving appointment of individuals to board commission. Also in accordance with section 2.2-3711A7 2-3711A7 the code of Virginia. I move the board of supervisors convene and close meeting to consult with legal counsel consultants andor staff on a matter of probable litigation in which the county may become involved and I we need a roll call on that. Yes, we do. Mr. Yes. Mr. R. Yes. Mr. Sheepard.

Yes. Mr. Wood. Yes. Oops. M is null. Yes. Motion carried. And I have here the next regular board meeting on April 21, but we have a board meeting on Thursday evening, I believe. Work session. Work session. The next regular meeting of the board is on Thursday, April 9th. At 4 at 4 p.m. here your call. And it's a budget work. Yes, it's a work session. Heat. Heat.