Mar 05, 2024 Regular Work Session

[1. Roll Call]

[00:00:05]

EVERYONE. WE ARE READY TO GET STARTED WITH TONIGHT'S COUNCIL WORK SESSION FOR MARCH. 5TH 2024 , IT IS 5:02 P.M. AND AT THIS TIME, MISS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES, SIR.

COUNCIL MEMBER, CUTHBERT. COUNCILMAN JONES. CALCIUM AND MYERS. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK.

COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE. VICE MAYOR HU MAYOR PER HERE, SIR, YOU HAVE A QUORUM. OK? THANK YOU. NEXT WILL ROLL ON TO OUR PRAYER ITEM TWO VICE MAYOR HERE WILL LEAD US IN OUR OPENING PRAYER. LET US PRAY. YEAH, HAVING A FATHER THAT'S ONCE AGAIN WE COME BEFORE YOU, LORD.

GIVEN YOUR NAME ON APP, PRAISE AND GLORY WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF THE DAY. NOW, LORD, WE ASK THAT PRESENCE IN THE MIDST OF THIS MEETING HEAVENLY FATHER THAT WE WOULD DO THINGS PLEASING AND, UH, SIGHT HAVING A FATHER. WE ASK OUR BLESSING UPON OUR CITIZENS, HEAVENLY FATHER THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY. BE WITH THOSE WHO ARE LOST OF LOVED ONES. HEAVENLY FATHER COMFORT THEM. LORD, WE ASK OUR BLESSINGS UPON OUR OUR STAFF HAVING A FATHER THOSE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVING A FATHER GOD AND STRENGTHEN THEM. HEAVENLY FATHER BE WITH THIS COUNSEL IN A SPECIAL WAY. HEAVENLY FATHER BIND US ONE TO ANOTHER HEAVENLY FATHER LET UNITY PREVAIL WITH US AND WITH THE CITIZENS HEAVENLY FATHER WOULD BE EVER CAREFUL TO GIVE YOU A NAME ON ON PRAISE AND GLORY. IT'S IN YOUR NAME. WE PRAY AND WE THANK YOU. AMEN. AMEN. THAT IS ITEM THREE. COULD EVERYONE PLEASE ENJOY ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? THROUGH THE FLAG. OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. NATION. I THINK, UH, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. TEXAS IS ITEM FOUR DETERMINATION OF THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM.

[4. Determination of the Presence of a Quorum]

[5. Public Comments]

UM WE'LL START OFF WITH, UH, MR CHARLES FUNK. 1711 MIDWAY AVENUE. GOOD EVENING, SENATOR ALSO, THANK YOU FOR, UH, LET ME SPEAK TO YOU. MY NAME'S CHARLES FONG. UM UH, BORN AND RAISED IN PETERSBURG LOVED PETERSBURG. UH, AS YOU DO, SINCE SINCE YOU'RE SERVING, UM UH, I GOT A SMALL SECTION OF WAREHOUSE 1711. MIDWAY AVENUE UH, DAN WASHINGTON STREET IN BETWEEN. UH, THE OLD UH, SOUTHERN STATES AND OLD KINGS BARBECUE. UM IT ALSO, UH I WAS, UH, ABLE TO PURCHASE IT AND GOT A PIECE OF PARKING LOT. UH, THE THAT COMES WITH IT. A FENCE IN PARKING LOT. UM YOUNG MAN, I'VE HAD TWO YOUNG MEN, UH, THAT HAVE, UM WANTED TO GET INTO TOWING ABANDONED CARS IN THE CITY. UM AND TO DO THAT, I THINK IS WORKING WITH THE STATE POLICE. THERE IS HIS HE CAME BEFORE YOU LAST MONTH, AND, UH, HE'S BEEN THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, AND THEN YOU YOU, UM SAID NO. SO I'M I'M PLEADING WITH YOU, I. I IF YOU KNOW THAT AREA. UH I'M ONE BLOCK OFF. I'M NOT RIGHT ON THE STREET. I KNOW. YOU KNOW. I LOVE PETERSBURG, TOO. I DON'T YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T A YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A TARGET OR OR SOMETHING FANCY, BUT, UH, IT'S A PERFECT PLACE FOR IT. UM DOWN THERE IN THAT OLD WAREHOUSE SECTION IS JUST A BUNCH OF SMALL BUSINESSES. UM AND WHICH THIS CITY NEEDS. MAYBE IT'S NOT THE BUSINESS. YOU KNOW YOU. YOU THINK IT IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ONE BLOCK OFF. HE HAS HE HE HE'S STARTING HIS BUSINESS, HIS YOUNG MAN, AND HE'S GOT GREAT. UH, TOP OF THE LINE TRUCKS. I MEAN, HE'S THE DISPOSAL OF THE CARS IS RIGHT THERE BEHIND THE PROPERTY AT THE AT THE RECYCLING THE METAL RECYCLING PLACE, SO IT'S JUST A IT'S A PERFECT SPOT FOR IT. AND I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU SAID NO, BUT I'M JUST THAT AREA IS WHAT IT IS. AND I'M ONE BLOCK OFF AND IT'S BUSINESS AND IT'S MONEY FOR MY FAMILY. IT'S HIM STARTING HIS BUSINESS. AND IT'S TAX TAXES FOR THE CITY, SO I THINK IT'S A IT'S A WIN WIN. I'M I'M JUST I'M ASKING THE POLICE. UH, RECONSIDER HE HE'S GONE THROUGH THE PLANNING AND EVERYTHING ELSE. UM AND, OF COURSE, THAT'S $1500 UP FRONT AND WE HAVE A LEASE AGREEMENT ALREADY BECAUSE HE HAD TO HAVE THAT TO HE'S KIND OF IN IT

[00:05:03]

YEAH. I THINK IT'S HIS WAY, RIGHT? RIGHT UM, AT THIS TIME, THIS PUBLIC COMMENTS WE GONNA LET YOU SPEAK. AND THEN MR WESTBROOK WILL GET WITH YOU, UH, AFTER THE MEETING, OK, OK, OK.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. UH, THE LEGENDARY KIM PRITCHETT. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME APPEAR AGAIN. MY NAME IS KEN PRITCHETT, 1113 OVERBROOK ROAD. PETERSBURG. UM I'M JUST GONNA LIGHTLY TOUCH ON SOMETHING OF I'VE BEEN BRINGING UP. UH IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, UH, IN PARTICULAR THE WEST HIGH STREET. UH, AREA. UM THERE'S A LOT OF REDEVELOPMENT A LOT OF RENOVATION, A LOT OF RESTORATION GOING ON UP THERE AND I'VE HAD A HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN UNDER CONTRACT FOR SINCE LAST JULY, AND THEY HAD UH, PUT ON A, UH, A NEW ROOF. AND THE AREA. REQUIRES THEM TO GET APPROVAL FROM A RB. UH, THEY WENT TO A RB AND, UM, THAT WAS DENIED AT THE TIME, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST AS A SOLUTION, MAYBE. AND I MENTIONED THIS A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE HOUSES IN THAT AREA ARE YES, THEY ARE 1890 TO 19 TWENTIES HOUSES BUT ARE NOT THE GRANDIOSE ONES LIKE ON, UH, OTHER STREETS IN TOWN THAT THE CONSTRUCTION.

THE AMBIENCE AND SO FORTH ARE NOT QUITE THE SAME. THESE ARE WORKERS HOUSES AND THEY WERE MOSTLY DUPLEXES AND THIS PARTICULAR OWNER HAS CONVERTED THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE FROM A DUPLEX TO A SINGLE FAMILY, WHICH NOW THANK THAT, UM, THANKFUL THAT Y'ALL ARE GOING TO RECONSIDER THAT ORDINANCE TO NOT REQUIRE A HOUSE THAT WAS VACANT FOR TWO YEARS, UH, TO BE JUST TURNED BACK INTO A SINGLE FAMILY. JUST BECAUSE OF, UH THE CURRENT REQUIREMENTS. BUT ANYWAY , THIS HOUSE, UH THE BUYER OF THIS HOUSE IS READY TO MOVE ALONG. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU ALL CONSIDER MAKING SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE, UH TO THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTORATION OF PROPERTIES AND MAYBE EVEN KIND OF DOWNGRADE THAT AREA FROM BEING A FULL FLEDGED HISTORIC DISTRICT OR SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW WOULD BE AMENABLE TO BODY AND GET THE REST OF THESE HOUSES ARE RESTORED BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LIKE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE.

UH THEY'RE LACKING THE TYPES OF HOMES AND IT IS AN AREA WHERE THERE ARE MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES WHEN YOU CAN, UH, SELL A DUPLEX FOR YOU KNOW, UH, A FAMILY. AND THEN I ONLY HAVE ONE OTHER LITTLE THING, AND I WAS ABOUT PUDDLE DOCK ROAD. UH, I DON'T. I THINK I'VE HEARD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THIS IN YEARS PAST , BUT IT ONLY TOOK, UH, LET'S SEE. 13 MINUTES TO GET FROM. UH, FROM THE, UH, LOWE'S DEPARTMENT. LOWE'S TO THE LIGHT AT, UH, EAST WASHINGTON STREET AT 615, WHICH IS NOT FORT LEE HIGH TRAFFIC TIME, BUT THOSE LIGHTS SOME MAYBE CAN BE DONE TO SPEED THEM UP A LITTLE BIT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU LOOK AT THAT CLOCK RIGHT ON IT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, MISS BARBARA RUDOLPH. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. GOOD EVENING. UM BARB RUDOLPH 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT THE WHAT IS THE UNREALIZED POTENTIAL OF? WE'LL USE YOUR WORD. MAYOR PARHAM LEGENDARY EXIT 52. UM REMEMBER? A FEW YEARS AGO, WE SPENT ALMOST $2 MILLION PUTTING IN THE, UM THE BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE RED WAVES AND THE LANDSCAPING AND ALL THAT , AND I WANTED TO KNOW IF WE'D GOTTEN ANY MILEAGE OUT OF THAT.

SO I'VE JUST BEEN KIND OF THINKING ABOUT A LOT ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR AREA. AND HOW THE CITY YOU OWN PROPERTY. THE RAMADA INSIGHT IS, UM, ABOUT ALMOST FIVE ACRES AND THEN DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE INTERCHANGE FROM THAT YOU OWN THE OLD HOLIDAY INSIGHT, WHICH IS ALMOST TWO ACRES. NOW NEXT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13TH THERE'S A PUBLIC AUCTION. FOR THE HOWARD JOHNSON SITE. WHICH WOULD BE AT THE THIRD CORNER IF YOU WERE TO PICK UP ON THAT. UM AND THAT'S

[00:10:06]

IT'S CLOSE TO THE TRAIN STATION IN TRI YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN YOU THINK TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC VOLUME.

WAGNER ROAD. THE VOLUME ON 95 DOWN THERE IS 53,000 VEHICLES A DAY. AT EXIT 52. IT'S 108,000 VEHICLES A DAY. THAT'S TWICE AS MUCH. REMEMBER WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE BIG CASINO RESORT THAT WAS GONNA BE THERE BY WAGNER ROAD THAT WAS GOING TO BRING PEOPLE IN OFF THE INTERSTATE.

WELL WHEN YOU BRING IT UP HERE TO 52, YOU'VE GOT ALL THOSE PEOPLE ON 85 THAT YOU DON'T PICK UP DOWN THERE AT WAGNER ROAD. YOU'RE ALSO PICKING UP 460 EAST AND 460 WEST. I MEAN, I'M GONNA RUN OUT OF TIME BEFORE I CAN TELL YOU ALL THE GOOD STUFF, BUT THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT OCCUR TO ME. THAT TO USE THAT TO USE THAT PART OF THE CITY. I THINK REALLY ENHANCES PETERSBURG MORE THAN LETTING THIS PART OF PETERSBURG CONTINUE TO KIND OF BE NEGLECTED AND THEN BUILD SOMETHING NEW AND SHINY. THAT'S ALMOST NOT EVEN IN THE CITY. THANK YOU. NEXT, MR ROBERT ANDERSON. ROBERT ANDERSON, 549 NORTH AZALEA ROAD, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. I'M NOT MUCH OF A PUBLIC SPEAKER, SO I HOPE I GET MY POINT ACROSS. UH I WANNA TALK AND I'M SURPRISED. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT HERE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO ME.

AND THEY'RE TALKING ALL OVER THE CITY ABOUT THE NEW METHOD OF REASSESSING THE REAL ESTATE TAXES. NOW I'M GONNA FIX INCOME. MY TAXES WENT UP ALMOST 70% AS IT AMOUNTS TO ABOUT $900 A YEAR AND, UH UH, THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS, YOU KNOW, AND THE THING THAT YOU ALL CAN DO IS REDUCE THE TAX RATE TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE THIS. NOW UH, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME TAX RATE THAT YOU, UH, CITY MANAGER HAS. HE HAS ONE A DOLLAR AND 13 CENTS PER 100. WE HAVE A DOLLAR 27.

NOW. IS THAT FAIR? DON'T NEED MASTER. DON'T ANSWER THAT. THAT'S NOT FAIR. NOW IF YOU DON'T REDUCE IT, YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB AND YOU'RE DOING A DISSERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, MR GARY TALLEY. Y'ALL GARY TALLEY 2323 FORT ROSS STREET. I'M GONNA BRING UP A TOPIC Y'ALL PROBABLY HAVEN'T HAVEN'T BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHICH IS A LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE. YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT CONCEPT.

ANYBODY? MR OMAN IS BUT I DON'T SEE MANY OTHER SHE SHAKING. THE THEME OF REQUIRED WE GET MONEY FROM FEMA EVERY YEAR. LOCALITIES DO STATES DO. ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS TO HAVE A LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE TO PLAN FOR THINGS LIKE DISASTERS, SHELTERS. WE DON'T HAVE A SHELTER AT ALL. DO WE HAVE ANY SHELTERS IDENTIFIED THERE? A BUILDING IN THIS CITY IS IDENTIFIED AS A COMMUNAL SHELTER AFTER DISASTER. I DON'T SEE ANY SHAKING HEADS. NOTHING. IT'S A REQUIREMENT. IT'S A FEDERAL LAW. AND IF THEY FIND OUT WE DON'T HAVE ONE IN ACTIVE ONE. THEN THEY'RE GONNA START PULLING FUNDS. I'D LIKE TO VOLUNTEER FOR THAT COMMITTEE. I WAS ON A GROUP TODAY DISCUSSING THESE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. NOW I'M I'M I'M NOT DISABLED. I HAVE A DISABILITY, BUT I'M NOT DISABLED. AND I CAN I I'M I'M FAMILIAR WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. BUT A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS CAN'T ONE OF THE REASONS I STAY WHERE I AM IS BECAUSE MY NEIGHBORS NEED ME. WE'VE HAD ENOUGH DISASTERS, POWER OUTAGES AND THEIR LOST THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO FIX AND FIX PRETTY SOON. BACK IN 2012. MY HOUSE SHOOK FOR THE EARTHQUAKE. I WAS AT HOME THAT DAY, AND I WAS SITTING IN MY CHAIR AND MY IT SHOOK LIKE THIS. CRACK MY FOUNDATION. THE FARM I GREW UP OUT IN IN DINWIDDIE USED TO HAVE THE BEST WATER AROUND. IT WAS AWESOME. AND NOW IT'S IRON WATER. IT. IT AFFECTED ALL

[00:15:04]

[6. Approval of Consent Agenda]

[7. Special Reports]

WE DEVELOPED THE SOLUTIONS AND WE ALSO, UM COME UP WITH COST ESTIMATES AND ALL THE REPORTING NEEDED. AND THEN WHAT THAT IS USED FOR IS THE GOAL OF THE WHOLE PROJECT PIPELINE IS TO THEN TAKE THE STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE GIVE TO PETERSBURG AND THEY WOULD APPLY FOR FUNDING. WE HAVE A LARGE FUNDING PROGRAM CALLED SMART SCALE, BUT THERE'S OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AVAILABLE AS WELL. UM, THERE IS. I THINK WE HAVE A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION. YOU GUYS WILL GET IT. BUT THERE'S A LINK TO PROJECT PIPELINE FOR MORE INFORMATION. I DON'T WANT TO BORE YOU TO DEATH ON THAT. UM SO THE STUDY AREA FOR THIS SPECIFIC STUDY? UH, AS NAOMI MENTIONED, IT STARTS JUST A LITTLE BIT EAST OF 95 AND WAGNER ROAD. GOES WEST TO SOUTH CRATER ROAD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO REEVES ROAD AND THEN ALONG REEVES ROAD, JUST EAST OF THE 95 INTERCHANGE. SO THOSE A RE THE THREE MAJOR AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? UM THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, WE'VE

[00:20:02]

WE'RE PLAYING. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, UM, BY MIDDLE OF JULY. THE APPLICATION CYCLE THAT PETERSBURG IS PUSHING FOR, UM CLOSES IN AUGUST 1ST SO WE'RE PREPARED TO HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THEM. TO DO THAT AND REAL QUICKLY. I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE NEEDS. UM LIKE I MENTIONED WE IMPROVE SAFETY, IMPROVE MULTIMODAL TRAVEL AND THAT'S PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE AND TRANSIT AND THEN ALSO REDUCING CONGESTION. AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO KRISTEN. TO GET A LITTLE MORE IN THE WEEDS. THE SPECIFIC DATA. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO AS LIZ MENTIONED, UH, THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, CONGESTION AND MULTIMODAL TRAVEL. UH, THIS SLIDE SHOWS, UH, THE CRASHES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UH, THROUGH OUR STUDY AREA, AND SO REALLY, THIS SHOWS US THAT WE'RE GONNA FOCUS IN ON THESE FOUR INTERSECTIONS.

THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING OUR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS, UM SOME A FEW AROUND THE QUARTER ALONG THE QUARTER ALONG THE SOUTH CRATER ROAD, SO IN TERMS OF CONGESTION. UH, CONGESTION IS NOT AS STRONG OF A NEED BECAUSE THE CONGESTION HERE IS RE RELATIVELY MODERATE. UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE REEVES ROAD OFF RAMP AT I 95 THAT'S REALLY THE FOCUS AREA WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO IMPROVE BOTH SAFETY AND CONGESTION OTHERWISE ALONG THE SOUTH CRATER ROAD MIDDAY, THERE'S SOME MODERATE CONGESTION . UH, AM AND PM PEAK. SO WE ARE STILL ADDRESSING CONGESTION NEEDS, BUT THE HIGHEST NEED IS AT REEVES ROAD. FROM OUR ANALYSIS. THEN THIS, I WILL NOT GO INTO DETAIL OF ALL OF THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THIS SLIDE. THERE'S A LOT OF THEM HERE. BUT THIS KIND OF SHOWS JUST A GRAPHIC OF WHERE WE'RE CONSIDERING DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS. SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE, UM TOGETHER, AND SOME OF THEM ARE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE CAN CONSIDER AT EACH OF THE LOCATIONS. SO NOT EVERYTHING ON THIS SLIDE WOULD NECESSARILY BE PROMOTED AS A RECOMMENDATION. SOME OF THEM NEED TO BE A CHOICE. ONE THING VERSUS ANOTHER. AND I'LL GET INTO THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE. SO WE'RE GONNA START, UH, BY DISCUSSING THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH RITA ROAD, UH, WAGNER ROAD AND HERE. UM WE'VE KIND OF GROUPED THE IMPROVEMENTS UNDER OPERATIONS SAFETY, AND THEN THERE'S SOME ACCESS MANAGEMENT.

UM, SOLUTIONS AND THOSE THE ACCESS MANAGEMENT MINT ONES THEY HELP WITH SAFETY AND CONGESTION.

SO UH, FOR OPERATIONS. UH, WE'RE PROPOSING A NORTHBOUND RIGHT TURN BAY HERE ON SOUTH CRATER ROAD, UH, AS WELL AS SOME SIGNAL TIMING IMPROVEMENTS. NOW THERE IS A PROJECT UNDERWAY TO REPLACE THE SPAN WIRE SIGNAL WITH MASTER ARM SIGNALS, SO SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE DONE AS PART OF THAT PROJECT. UH, ADDITIONAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS HERE WOULD BE, UM ADDING INTERSECTION LIGHTING THE CROSSWALKS PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS THAT WOULD ALL BE PART OF THAT SEPARATE SIGNAL. UH, PROJECT THAT IS MOVING FORWARD. SOME ACCESS MANAGEMENT. UM, RECOMMENDATIONS HERE, CLOSING A FEW, UH, TWO OF THE DRIVEWAYS AND RESTRICTING ONE MOVEMENT. UH THE DRIVEWAYS TO BE CLOSED ARE ONE OF THE ENTERPRISE DRIVEWAYS, ONE OF THE SUBWAY DRIVEWAYS AND THEN THE RESTRICTING LEFT OUT AT THE WW AND ALLOWING ALL OF THE OTHER MOVEMENTS. UM, INTO THE WAWA ON WAGNER ROAD. AS WE GO A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH ON SOUTH CRATER ROAD DOWN TO, UH UH, CRITTER CIRCLE. WE'RE PROPOSING, ADDING SOME UH, LIGHTING AT THIS LOCATION, SOME SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS. THIS ALSO HAS A SPAN WIRE SIGNAL THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT BE REPLACED WITH A MASTER ARM SIGNAL. UM, IN TERMS OF SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS. ADDING CROSSWALKS PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS, ADDING THE LIGHTING AND THEN CLOSING UP THAT THE MEDIAN THAT'S GOING NORTHBOUND SO THAT THE ACCESS IS, UM, IS DIRECTED THERE AND WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE CROSSING OVER RIGHT AT THE STOP

[00:25:06]

FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL AREA THAT'S TO THE NORTH OF WAGNER ROAD IN THAT LOCATION. ALRIGHT NOW WE'RE HEADED DOWN TO REEVES ROAD AND I 95 INTERCHANGE AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE A LOT OF THE FOCUS AND A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION IS IN THIS IN THIS REPORT, UM, IN THIS ANALYSIS, SO HERE WE HAVE SOME MORE OPTIONS. UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDS HERE. SO ESSENTIALLY THE TWO MAIN OPTIONS THAT WERE IDENTIFYING FOR THIS PARTICULAR STUDY. UH, WHAT ONE WOULD BE ADDING ROUNDABOUTS AT BOTH OF THE RAMP TERMINALS. SO THIS SHOWS, UH, SCHEMATIC OF POTENTIALLY WITH THE ROUNDABOUTS COULD LOOK LIKE THERE. WE WILL INCORPORATE UH, THE DRIVEWAY ACCESS AND TO FIGURE HOW THAT DRIVEWAY ACCESS TO THE GAS STATION WOULD BE. SO THERE'S SOME WORK TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF GETTING THE DETAILS OF IT. WE DON'T PLAN ON CLOSING THAT GAS STATION ACCESS BUT SORT OF INCORPORATING IT IN THE DESIGN. UH, SO WE WOULD ALSO ADD A SOUTHBOUND RIGHT TURN BAY. THE SOUTHBOUND MOVEMENT REALLY SOUTHBOUND LEFT OR REALLY THE HIGHEST MOVEMENT AT THAT INTERCHANGE, AND SO UM, SEPARATING OUT THE RIGHTS AND LEFTS IS IMPORTANT HERE. SO WE WILL ALSO ADD SOME LIGHTING AND THAT WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE SAFETY ISSUES AS WELL. NOW ROUNDABOUTS REALLY IMPROVE SAFETY AND OPERATIONS. AND SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS CONSIDERED FOR THIS LOCATION. THE OTHER OPTION HERE. IS ADDING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL ON THE SOUTHBOUND APPROACH ONLY, AND NOT THE NORTHBOUND THE NORTHBOUND DOESN'T NEED IT AS MUCH AS THE SOUTHBOUND DOES. UH, BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THE SOUTHBOUND SIGNAL ADDED, DOES ACTUALLY HELP IMPROVE THE NORTHBOUND MOVEMENT AS WELL? AND SO WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING ADDING LIGHTING FOR BOTH OF THESE INTERSECTIONS, UH, CLEARING OUT SOME OF THE, UM THE FOLIAGE AROUND THE AREA AS WELLY IMPROVEMENTS AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS. THESE ARE TWO OPTIONS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING GATHERING INPUT FROM PUBLIC GATHERING INPUT FROM THE CITY.

AND WE, UH, ANALYZING BOTH. AND SEEING HOW WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE HERE. ALRIGHT NOW I'M GONNA GO INTO A CORRIDOR WIDE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS. AND THIS IS, UH, ANOTHER BIG LIFT ON THIS ON THIS PROJECT. THE UH, GRAPHIC ON THE LEFT SHOWS THE PEDESTRIAN CRASHES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS WHERE THEY FOCUSED, SO WE WANNA FOCUS OUR EFFORTS IN THOSE LOCATIONS. UM BASICALLY, THE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS ARE REALLY REALLY EXPANDING THE SIDEWALKS, PROVIDING GOOD CONNECTIVITY ALL DOWN THE CORRIDOR, SOUTH CRATER ROAD AND THEN SOME ON WAGNER ROAD SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT. THERE'S THE GRAPHIC THAT SHOWS WAGNER ROAD THAT'S FROM SOUTH CRATER ROAD UP TO MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. UH, WE'RE ADDING A SIDEWALK ON ONE SIDE AND THAT LOCATION FOR THIS ALTERNATIVE. THEN. THIS IS BASICALLY SOUTH CRATER ROAD, SO TOP MIDDLE BOTTOM IS BASICALLY GOING ALONG THE CORRIDOR FROM THE FROM WAGNER ROAD ON THE LEFT. AND THEN AS YOU GO, RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO THE SOUTH. DOWN TO THE WALMART IS ON THE BOTTOM. AND BASICALLY, IT'S CONNECTING ALL PARTS OF THE SIDEWALK, SO WE HAVE A CONTINUOUS SIDEWALK ALONG THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR. UH, ALSO THIS THIS ALTERNATIVE INCLUDES, UM ADDING CROSSWALKS PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS AT ALL OF THE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS. THERE IS ONE ALREADY AT MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. BUT WE'RE ADDING SOME WAGNER ROAD, UM, CRATER CIRCLE AND AS WELL AS WALMART. UH, THE WALMART INTERSECTION. THEN AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS, UM I CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS, SO WE'RE GONNA BE SELECTING THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE BASED ON FEEDBACK BASED ON ANALYSIS. UM WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE PUBLIC. UH, TO GET THAT FEEDBACK. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SURVEY POSTED. ONLINE THAT SURVEY WILL RUN FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE'RE DEVELOPING A PLANNING LEVEL COST ESTIMATES. WE'RE FINALIZING THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THEN WE'RE GONNA APPLY FOR FUNDING IN THE SUMMER. UH IN JULY. THAT'S WHEN THE PORTAL CLOSES TO WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE OUR FUNDING REQUESTS IN AND THEN REEVES ROAD

[00:30:04]

I KNOW IF ANYONE GETS OFF THE HIGHWAY THERE RE ROAD IF YOU'RE HEADING SOUTH WHEN YOU WERE THAT STOP SIGN TRAFFIC. YOU CAN'T SEE THE TRAFFIC COMING UP BECAUSE THE ELEVATION OF THE BRIDGE AND THEY KIND OF LIKE RIGHT ON YOU BEFORE YOU EVEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE IT, BUT YOU DON'T AND, UH, I WAS JUST WONDERING. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL DEVELOPMENTS, UM, OR POTENTIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THERE FOR RES ROAD . I KNOW. ONE OF THEM WAS LIKE, UH, SOMEONE WANTED TO DO OVER A MILLION SQUARE FOOT OF, UH, DISTRIBUTION SPACE AT RES ROAD AND AT OPEN LAND. AND, UM ONE OF THE PROBLEMS OF WHY THE PROJECT DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD. WAS THE TRUCK TRAFFIC. OK YOU GOTTA HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRUCK TRAFFIC COUNT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT REEVES ROAD CORRIDOR TO GET ON AND OFF. UH 95 AND I SAW THE ROUNDABOUTS AND I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, POTENTIAL ROUNDABOUT THERE. SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW WOULD A ROUNDABOUT THERE AFFECT THE TRUCK TRAFFIC WITH THAT HELP INCREASE TRUCK, A ACCESSIBILITY TO, UM, BECAUSE SO MANY TRUCKS COME FROM 460 FROM THE PORT OF VIRGINIA, AND WE'LL COME UP FOR 60 CUT THE REGS ROAD TO HOP ON 95. SO UM, IS THAT ROUND IS THE ROUNDABOUT THING SAFE FOR THE LARGE 52 FT TRANSFER TRUCKS THAT ARE FREQUENTLY UP AND DOWN THAT ROAD. YES YES, THEY WOULD BE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE TRUCKS. SO WE WOULD PUT TRUCK TURN, UH, TURNING TEMPLATES ON THEM. THE CENTER ISLAND WOULD BE A MOUNTABLE CENTER ISLAND SO THAT THERE'S TRACKING THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MOUNT WITHIN THAT.

CENTER SPACE IN THE ROUNDABOUT. UM THEY WOULD BE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THAT, AND THAT'S WE SAW THAT GOING INTO IT BASED ON EXISTING CONDITIONS, AND SO THAT'S YOU KNOW. PART OF THE DESIGN. KAY PERFECT VICE MAYOR HILL. YES UH, EXCITING. UH SO FROM START TO FINISH ONCE WE GET THE ACTUAL RENDERINGS, THE PLANS UM PHASES THE STEPS. DO WE KNOW HOW LONG IT MAY TAKE? UH, TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT TO GET IT DONE. UH, SIDEWALKS AND ALL THIS THIS START WITH CREATE A WORLD FIRST CREATE A AND WAGNER ROAD. DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE THAT OH, I MEAN, I'M FINE WITH IT, TOO.

YEAH YEAH. E EITHER WAY, SO SMART SCALE FUNDING IS WE'RE SUBMITTING IT FOR THIS YEAR. IT WILL BE ALLOTTED IN SIX YEARS. CORRECT WELL, SO THE FIRST THING THEY SPREAD OUT THE FUNDING, SO LET'S SAY THE UM, YOU APPLY FOR YOUR PROJECT, THE FIRST YEAR OF AVAILABLE FUNDING WOULD BE FY 2627. AND IT USUALLY TAKES ABOUT TWO YEARS FOR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING A FEW SEVERAL YEARS FOR RIGHT OF WAY, DEPENDING UPON HOW COMPLEX IT IS IN ABOUT TWO YEARS FOR CONSTRUCTION, SO SHE'S CORRECT ABOUT SIX YEARS OUT FROM THE FIRST AVAILABLE FUNDING. OK, UM LET'S MOVE AND THAT THAT'S THE SA ME. WITH THE WHOLE PROJECT E EACH PARTICULAR PHASE. THERE WE GO. THAT WE'RE GONNA DO. UH, IT'S THE SAME PRETTY MUCH. OK FOR SMART SCALE. THERE ARE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AVAILABLE. SMART SKILL IS THE BIGGEST FUNDING POT FOR THESE TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

SO WE GEAR THE STUDY TO FIT IN WITH THAT SCHEDULE. SHOULD SOME OF THESE PROJECTS NOT BE SUCCESSFUL IN SMART SCALE, OR IF THERE ARE SMALLER PIECES OF PROJECTS WE CAN BREAK OFF IN TO A DIFFERENT FUNDING PROGRAM. WE WOULD DO THAT, AND THERE IS A POTENTIAL TO ADVANCE THAT WAY.

BUT LIKE I SAID, SMART SCALE IS THE LARGEST FUNDING POT IN FRONT OF OUR BEST BET TO GET THESE PROJECTS FUNDED. OK ONE OTHER THING AS FAR AS REEDS ROAD, UH WOULD THAT BE CONJUNCTION WITH V? DO WE HAVE TO TALK TO THEM WITH THAT? OK AND I WILL ADD THAT FOR REEVES ROAD, THE PROCESS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE STEPS INVOLVED. SO SIX YEARS WOULD BE A LOW A LOW YEAH. BUT THE EASY FIX WELL, NOT THE EASY FIX, BUT AS FAR AS THE SIDEWALKS, THOSE ARE EASY. ITEMS RIGHT. SO YEAH, WE TYPICALLY WOULD WOULD BREAK THOSE OFF INTO SEPARATE TYPES OF APPLICATIONS. SO THE CRATER ROAD SIDEWALKS COULD BE ALL ONE APPLICATION FOCUSED SIMPLY OR MOSTLY ON, UM PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST SAFETY. AND WHEREAS THE UM REEVES ROAD PROJECT WOULD BE A SEPARATE APPLICATION, IT WOULD GO AFTER CONGESTION AND SAFETY. IT'S A BIGGER PRICE TICKET, SO IT MAKES SENSE TO BREAK THEM UP BECAUSE THE SMART SKILL IS IT'S BY COST BENEFIT, SO THE HIGHER COST YOUR PROJECT IS YOU NEED TO HAVE A HIGHER BENEFIT. AND BY BENEFIT, I MEAN IMPROVEMENT. UM HOW DO HOW CAN WE REDUCE THE CRASHES? BY HOW MANY, UM, HOW CAN WE REDUCE THE F? UM STUMBLING ON MY WORDS NOW, BUT THE ACCIDENTS AND PEDESTRIAN THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN

[00:35:05]

I KNOW WHAT WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? OH, EVERYTHING YOU SAID, IS IMPORTANT TO BE ADDRESSED.

AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR YOUR INITIATIVE. AND, UH, YOUR ANALYSIS. UM, TWO QUESTIONS ONE. WILL THE PLAN THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED FOR THE WAGNER ROAD AREA. HAVE TO BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY IF A LARGE SCALE CASINO RESORT ENDS UP BEING DEVELOPED ON WIDE THE ROAD. MY GENERAL ANSWER. I'LL LET HER BE MORE SPECIFIC. MY GENERAL GUT ANSWER IS YES. UM SHE CAN SPEAK MORE TO THE YEAH, AND AS WE WERE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES, WE HAD THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY IN THE FUTURE, AND SO RATHER THAN TRYING TO FIT SOMETHING IN AT THIS POINT THAT MAY NOT LAST THAT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY THE CASINO WOULD NEED TO UM ANALYZE WHAT THEY YOU KNOW THE IMPACTS FROM THE CASINO AND HOW THAT COULD BEST BE ACCOMMODATED. UM WITH IMPROVEMENTS BASED ON CASINO TRAFFIC, SO IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOES MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW THAT'S OF COURSE, YOU KNOW YOUR NATURAL PROCESS TO IDENTIFY WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE DONE. NEED TO BE DONE. WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR IF A CASINO DOES END UP THERE, SO RIGHT NOW, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UM ALONG WAGNER ROAD WILL SERVICE WHAT YOU WHAT YOU HAVE. UH, WHAT IS ALREADY PLANNED FOR THE AREA. SO WE DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS AT THE CASINO ENTRANCE INTERSECTION. WELL I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE REALITY THAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU. UM, BUT LET'S IMAGINE THAT WE A RE A YEAR FROM NOW. IT'S MARCH, THE FIFTH OF 2025. AND A LARGE SCALE CASINO RESORT. UM AS, UH, IS ON THE DRAWING BOARD FOR WAGNER ROAD. WILL IT BE TOO LATE? TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR UM PROPOSAL THAT WE HEARD TONIGHT. IN ORDER TO, UH TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE INCREASED TRAFFIC VOLUME THAT WE COULD REASONABLY ANTICIPATE. A YEAR FROM NOW, IF THAT IS THE REALITY A YEAR FROM NOW. I CAN KIND OF ANSWER THAT IN TWO WAYS. UM ONE IS SHOULD THE PROJECT BE FUNDED ON WAGNER? BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE IT MAY NOT BE WHEN WE APPLY FOR IT IF IT'S FUNDED UM THE FUNDING WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN FY 26, SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE STARTED IT YET. THERE'S A PROCESS WE CAN GO THROUGH AND ANALYZE AND SEE IF WHAT WE ARE PLANNING WOULD STILL WORK. AND IF NOT, WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE? WHAT WOULD WE HAVE TO DO? UM, IF IT'S NOT FUNDED, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S ANOTHER SIX MONTHS. STUDY UPDATE. MAYBE NOT. SIX MONTHS A FEW MONTHS. STUDY UPDATE TO UPDATE THE REPORT A YEAR FROM NOW, YOU'D STILL YOUR PLAN FOR WAITING. THE ROAD WOULD STILL BE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO, UH, ADJUST TO THE NEW POSSIBLE REALITY THAT I'VE DESCRIBED IS THAT ACCURATE? YEAH, MORE. YEAH, MORE OR LESS. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF LITTLE DETAILS, BUT, UM, WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND FEDERAL OR STATE DOLLARS TO BUILD AN IMPROVEMENT. THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. SO IF WE AT ALL POSSIBLE FOR US TO INCORPORATE IT, WE WOULD DO THAT. RIGHT.

UNDERSTAND? I MEAN, YOU DON'T WANNA UNDER BUILD, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO OVERBUILD EITHER. IT'S A FINE LINE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SMART SCALE BECAUSE YOU'RE IT'S A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. SECOND THING, UH, IN MY VIEW, THE MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTION IN THE ENTIRE CITY. WHERE I 85 COMES INTO. I 95 UM AND YOU HAVEN'T TOUCHED THAT AND I MEAN, YOU CAN'T DO IT ALL. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. UM BUT MY GOODNESS, I HOPE YOU WILL KEEP THAT IN, AND MAYBE IT'S IN THE

[00:40:04]

WE'RE JUST NOT QUITE THERE YET. IT'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER OF A STUDY. WELL, UM I WOULD SAY.

PLEASE PUT PEDAL TO THE METAL. ALL RIGHT, NOTED YES, SIR. BECAUSE THAT IS A DEATH TRAP. WE UNDERSTAND IT'S BEEN. I MEAN, IT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS AS A PRIORITY FOR A LONG TIME. WE'VE STUDIED IT A FEW TIMES. WE THINK THIS TIME THE WAY THAT WE'RE STUDYING IT KIND OF IN THESE SMALL HAVE SEVERAL SEVERAL SEPARATE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THEM FUNDED. THAT'S GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU BOTH. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, MR MAYOR. OK? YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU AGAIN. APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. YES, THANK YOU, OK? NEXT MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN B , WHICH IS PRESENTATION AND UPDATE ON THE 2024 EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE, MR ALMAN. MR MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UH, AS WE DISCUSSED UH, LAST YEAR, WHEN WE HAD OUR RENEWAL, WE WOULD BE PUTTING OUR HEALTH AND EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE OUT TO BID THIS YEAR AND WE HAVE DONE THAT. AND THIS EVENING WE HAVE MARY JONES AND HER STAFF FROM ONE DIGITAL HERE THIS EVENING TO WALK YOU THROUGH. UH, WHAT WE'VE ARE THE RESULTS OF OUR, UM BID AND OUR RENEWAL WHICH, UH, WITH LOCAL CHOICE, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO SAY, CAME IN AT A 0% INCREASE, WHICH IS, UH REALLY UNHEARD OF. AND SOME OPTIONS WE HAVE. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY DECISIONS THIS EVENING FROM COUNSEL. WE WILL HAVE THIS ITEM ON YOUR, UM, ACTION YOUR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING THIS MONTH FOR A DECISION AND WE'LL PROVIDE YOU ALL THE PRESENTATION MATERIAL AND IT WAS YOU REVIEW THOSE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE SEND THEM TO ME AND I'LL GET WITH, UH, MISS JONES AND HER STAFF AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET ANSWERS FOR YOU. BUT TONIGHT WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW AND PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT MEETING. ALL RIGHT, WELL, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION? I DON'T THINK WE DO. I HAVE PRINTED COPIES. YEAH.

THANK YOU, MR ALTMAN. UM ALL RIGHT, SO I WILL WALK THROUGH THE DATA HOUSED IN THE PRESENTATION HERE. UM SO REALLY, UM AS MR ALTMAN HAD INDICATED, UM, YOU HAVE ALL RECEIVED A, UH, EXTREMELY FAVORABLE INCREASE WITH THE PLAN THAT YOU ALL ARE PART OF THIS YEAR. UH, WHAT ARE THE EXERCISES THAT WE ALSO DID IS WE DID A MARKET STUDY? UM AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR, SO WE DID LOOK AT THE MARKET TO LOOK AT ALTERNATE OPTIONS WITHIN THE MARKET SPACE. IS THAT BETTER? IS THAT BETTER? YES, OK. UM SO WE LOOKED AT THE MARKET OPTIONS, UM, TO SEE WHAT WAS AVAILABLE OUT THERE, SO WE'LL WE'LL WALK THROUGH THAT HIGH LEVEL TO, UM GO THROUGH THE RESPONSES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE MARKET. BUT REALLY, THE FIRST PAGE IS REALLY JUST KIND OF OUT LATE OUTLINING FROM A UM, HIGH LEVEL PERSPECTIVE, KIND OF HOW THE PLAN IS RUNNING FROM A PREMIUM VERSUS CLAIMS PERSPECTIVE. UM SO YOU CAN SEE THE WHAT'S ILLUSTRATED HERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE FOR, UM, WE HAVE OCTOBER OF 23, WHICH IS, UH, DATA STRICTLY FOR OCTOBER, BUT THEN THE RIGHT HAND AND THE UPPER, UM, UPPER SIDE IS DATA THROUGH, UH, NOVEMBER OF 22 THROUGH OCTOBER OF 23. UM FROM US. IS THERE A PAGE THAT THE LADY IS REFERRING TO? WE JUST WERE HANDED THIS PAPERWORK AND I. I HAD TO. UM SO THE UPPER PART OF THAT PAGE YOU CAN SEE, UM WHAT WE'RE ILLUSTRATING THERE IS THE OVERALL LOSS RATIO. UM AND LOSS RATIO BASICALLY IS WHAT ARE YOU SPENDING VERSUS WHAT'S COMING IN? SO YOU'RE PAYING A MONTHLY PREMIUM PER COVERED MEMBER ON YOUR PLAN EVERY MONTH, AND THE INSURANCE CARRIER IS PAYING OUT DOLLARS FOR CLAIMS. UM ANY AT THE CLOSER YOU GET TO 100% THE WORST YOU'RE RUNNING. UM SO YOU ALL YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU'RE RUNNING AT A 77.3% FOR THAT NOVEMBER 22 THROUGH OCTOBER OF 23 TIME FRAME, WHICH IS A

[00:45:07]

OR UM, IF THEY'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO CONCEIVE, UM IT BECOMES A RESOURCE TO KIND OF GIVE THEM GUIDANCE. AND UM, JUST COACHING, UH, FROM THAT ASPECT. SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, WHICH IS PAGE FOUR THIS. THE NEXT TWO PAGES THAT WILL GO THROUGH ARE THE MARKETING RESULTS. UM, SO AGAIN, WE WENT TO MARKET FOR THE MEDICAL, UH, DENTAL VISION AND EAP AS WELL AS , UH, COVERAGE FOR THE, UH, POST 65 RETIREES. UM, SINCE YOU ALL COVER THEM UNDER YOUR PLANS TODAY. UM, WHAT I'M GONNA FOCUS ON PRIMARILY IS THE MEDICAL PORTION UH SO YOU CAN SEE. WE SEE WE RECEIVED SEVERAL RESPONSES. UM AETNA ANTHEM AND SOA, WHICH WAS FORMERLY OPTIMA HEALTH. ALL RESPONDED WITH BOTH FULLY INSURED AND SELF FUNDED PROPOSALS. UM WE DID GET A PROPOSAL FROM GATEWAY HEALTH. UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY DID NOT PROVIDE A REINSURANCE PROPOSAL, WHICH IS REALLY PROTECTION THAT YOU NEED, SO UNFORTUNATELY THEY THEY WERE DISQUALIFIED. UM AND THEN, LASTLY, CIGNA, UH, DECLINED TO QUOTE SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, UH, PAGE FIVE IS A CHART THAT SHOWS YOU UM, KIND OF WHERE WE STAND BASED OFF OF THOSE THAT RESPONDED, UM SO FROM A, UM, RESPONSE FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT COMPETITIVE, THE BOTH THE AETNA FULLY INSURED AND SELF FUNDED PROPOSAL. WE'RE NOT COMPETITIVE TO WHAT YOU ALL OFFER TODAY FROM BOTH A PREMIUM PERSPECTIVE AND A PLAN PERSPECTIVE. UM SAME THING WITH FULLY INSURED AT ANTHEM, THEIR PLAN, THEIR THEIR RATES WERE NOT COMPETITIVE. THEY ACTUALLY WERE COMING IN 30% HIGHER THAN WHERE YOU ARE TODAY. UM AND LIKE I SAID, GATEWAY, UM WE, UM WE TOOK THEM OUT OF THE MIX BECAUSE THEY DID NOT GIVE US THEY GAVE US AN INCOMPLETE PROPOSAL. UM AND THEN , SANA. UH THEY WERE NOT COMPETITIVE, EITHER FROM A FULLY INSURED AND A, UM, SELF FUNDED PERSPECTIVE. SO THAT BASICALLY LEAVES US WITH, UM THE LOCAL CHOICE, WHICH YOU CURRENTLY HAVE , AS WELL AS SELF FUNDING WITH ANTHEM. UM AND YOU CAN SEE THE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM. UM THE DENTAL. THE MOST COMPETITIVE WAS DELTA, DENTAL AND VISION. ANTHEM VISION WAS THE MOST COMPETITIVE OVERALL. SO GOING INTO THE OPTIONS. SO ON PAGE SIX OPTION A . UM THIS IS JUST SOLELY LOOKING AT YOUR RENEWAL. SO THE PLANS THAT YOU HAVE TODAY WITH LOCAL CHOICE TAKING THAT 0% INCREASE AND KEEPING IT AS IS SO THERE WILL BE ZERO INCREASE TO THE EMPLOYEES. ZERO INCREASE TO THE CITY. UM SO THERE THERE WOULD BE

[00:50:04]

SO EVERYTHING HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW ARE THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT IN THAT 250 PLAN VERSUS THAT 500 PLAN. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, UH, CHART. SO UH, YOU HAVE THE CURRENT TWO PLANS.

SO YOU THE FIRST, UM THE SECOND COLUMN IS THE LOCAL CHOICE. KEY ADVANTAGE, 1000. THEN YOU HAVE THE KEY ADVANTAGE, 500. SO IF YOU TAKE THAT 500 PLAN AND COMPARE IT TO THAT LAST COLUMN, THE 250. THAT'S WHAT YOU WANNA COMPARE TO SO THAT'S WHAT'S DIFFERENT. UM IN THAT 250 PLAN, ANYTHING HIGHLIGHT IS HIGHLIGHTED IS WHAT'S A DIFFERENT COMPARED TO THAT 500 PLAN. QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ALL RIGHT. UM THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM I THINK I

[00:55:04]

UM, THAT THAT 910 IS A WHOLE LOT NOW. WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE? THAT'S ON THAT 910 FAMILY PLAN. DO WE HAVE THAT NUMBER? YES, YOU HAVE CURRENTLY FOUR PEOPLE ON THE FAMILY. ONLY FOUR ON THE FAMILY PLAN. YES. THAT THAT IS SHOCKINGLY LOW. FULL ON, I GUESS, BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THE COST OF IT AND YOU. YOU, ACTUALLY, UH, YOU KNOW IF YOU LOOK AT THE EMPLOYEE'S SPOUSE, UM YOU HAVE SEVEN. ON THAT SO ON THAT 1000 PLAN. YOU ONLY HAVE, UH, 11. THE 500. BY THE WAY, WE HAVE THIS THE 500. YOU HAVE 25 PEOPLE THAT COVER THEIR FAMILIES OR EMPLOYEE CHILDREN TODAY. SAID. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? 25 YOU HAVE 25 THAT EITHER HAVE FAMILY COVERAGE OR EMPLOYEE CHILDREN. OKAY AND 30 PEOPLE WHO COVER EITHER EMPLOYEE, SPOUSE OR EMPLOYEE AND ONE CHILD. OKAY? AND, UM OUT OF THESE PLANS. WHAT WAS THE LOWEST COST? FOR THE FAMILY PLAN BETWEEN THE 250 TO 500 1000. WAS IT THE 250 WAS THE TOTAL PREMIUM. UM YES, THE TOTAL PREMIUM FOR THEIR FAMILY PLAN ON THEIR 250. IF WE SWITCH TO THE THAT THAT ACTUALLY FOR 250 WOULD GO UP TO OVER $1000 IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, YES. THE 1000 IS GONNA BE YOUR LEAST EXPENSIVE, YOUR LEAST EXPENSIVE PLAN. AND THAT'S UH $2320. BEFORE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION EMPLOYEE SPLIT. FOR THE THOUGHT HERE WAS TO ONE LOOK AT A LITTLE BIT BETTER PLAN IN THE 250 THEN SEE WHERE WE LANDED. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING SUCH A LARGE COST, AND I THINK THE REASON WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE FAMILY PLAN IS THE BASICALLY $1000 A MONTH. THAT'S A TREMENDOUS COST. SO LOOKING AT WHAT WE COULD DO TO REDUCE THAT COST. DROP BACK. STAY WITH THE 1500, WHICH WE HAVE NOW AND WHAT COULD WE DO TO MAKE THOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR FAMILIES WE GO FROM, YOU KNOW. 115 TO 500. TO ALMOST $1000. THOSE ARE SOME PRETTY BIG JUMPS.

IN COVERING COSTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WITH THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE IN FAMILY PLANS. IT'S PROBABLY REFLECTIVE OF THE HIGH COST. SO YOU KNOW IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO OUR EMPLOYEES. AND SO THAT'S ALSO A RECRUITMENT ISSUE THAT I THAT I KNOW WE'VE HAD IN THE CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME PEOPLE. AND UH, RETENTION PEOPLE WERE LEAVING. THEY GET BETTER, BETTER COVERAGE AT A LOWER RATE, SO THAT BECOMES AN ISSUE FOR US. SO WE'RE WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT STAYING AT THAT 1500. BUT WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? IF WE CAN ADJUST SOME OF THAT IMPACT COST TO OUR OUR OUR EMPLOYEES. WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER YET. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BRING BACK TO Y'ALL. UM BUT I'LL EMAIL YOU THE WE HAVE THE RATE SHEETS. IT'S JUST REALLY SO WE'LL EMAIL IT OUT TO Y'ALL SO Y'ALL CAN LOOK AT THOSE. AND I GUESS JUST TO ADD TO THAT, MR ALTMAN, UM THE OTHER THING WE WANT TO LOOK AT IS BECAUSE TODAY TODAY YOU ONLY HAVE THREE TIER STRUCTURES. YOU BASICALLY HAVE EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE OR FAMILY. SO WHAT WE WANNA ALSO DO IS LOOK AT WHAT

[01:00:01]

BUT THAT HEALTH INSURANCE IS DEFINITELY THE BALL AND CHAIN THAT DETERS PEOPLE FROM STAYING HERE. SO UM, IF YOU COULD GET THAT NUMBER TOGETHER, AND UM AND FACTOR IN WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LOOK LIKE BECAUSE THIS THAT'S THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, CONTINUE TO RECRUIT AND KEEP, UM, GREAT EMPLOYEES HERE. WE CAN DO THAT. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, MISTER WILLIAMS. AREN'T THE COSTS, AT LEAST IN LARGE PART DERIVATIVE OF THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE YOU HAVE IN THE PLAN. SO IF WE INCENTIVIZE IT THIS YEAR AND THEN ENTICED, YOU KNOW 2030 4050 MORE EMPLOYEES TO GO ON THE FAMILY PLAN THAT WOULD HELP DRIVE IT DOWN THE NEXT YEAR. IS THAT RIGHT? DRIVE WHAT D DRIVE THE COST DOWN. IN OTHER WORDS, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SAYING WE GOT THREE EMPLOYEES ON A PARTICULAR PART OF THE PLAN, AND THE COST IS EXTREMELY HIGH. WELL IF WE INCENTIVIZED IT THIS YEAR AND MAYBE NEXT YEAR AND NEXT YEAR WE HAVE 30 OR 40 EMPLOYEES ON THAT PLAN. WOULDN'T THAT LIKELY DRIVE THAT COST DOWN AND REDUCE THE NEED TO INCENTIVIZE AND KEEP IT AT THAT LEVEL? NOT NECESSARILY, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHICH WE WANT TO DO TO COME ONTO THE PLAN, WHICH MEANS THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE CLAIMS. UM WHICH IS WHY I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. YOU KNOW, ONCE WE SEE THE NUMBERS TO ADD IN THAT EMPLOYEE CHILDREN TIER UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE TODAY IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW MOST SPOUSES ARE MOST HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ACCESS TO DUAL INSURANCE. UM SO IT'S REALLY THE CHILDREN WE WANNA FOCUS ON. NOT THAT WE WANT TO EXCLUDE THE SPOUSES BY NO MEANS BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR SPOUSES OUT THERE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO CARE. SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THEM AS WELL. BUT WE ALSO GOT TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE ENCOURAGE A TON OF EXTRA FOLKS COMING ON BECAUSE IT WILL IMPACT YOUR UTILIZATION WHICH WILL IN TURN IMPACT YOUR RENEWALS.

ALRIGHT. MY CHALLENGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH THAT IS THAT WE HAVE SO MANY, UH, PEOPLE THAT START OFF IN PETERSBURG YOUNG NOT MARRIED. THEY GET MARRIED NEXT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A CHILD.

THEY HAVE THE SECOND CHILD, AND THEN WE PRICED THEM OUT ON OUR INSURANCE. I. I THINK THAT IS COMPLETELY UNFAIR. AND UM, THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING. WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CORRECT BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE WITH FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO STAY HERE IN THE CITY NOT BE FORCED OUT.

SO UM, JUST THE CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU GIVE ME ALSO A LIST OF THE, UM OTHER LOCALITIES, LIKE LIKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO, UM, INCENTIVIZE THIS WHOLE HEALTH INSURANCE THING, SO AT LEAST WE CAN BE, UH, COMPETITIVE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE REGION. OKAY. COUNCILOR CUPPER. THANK YOU, MR MAYOR. THERE'S SO MUCH HERE THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I MEAN, IT REALLY IS. THIS IS COMING ON LIKE A THE JET PLANE AND IT'S TOUGH TO KEEP UP. UM, MAYBE EVERYBODY ELSE UNDERSTANDS IT, BUT I'M HAVING A REAL PROBLEM. UM IN MY OWN LIFE. I DO NOT HAVE DENTAL INSURANCE IN MY OWN LIFE. I DO NOT HAVE VISION INSURANCE. SO YOU KNOW, I GET A GO TO THE DENTIST TWICE A YEAR.

HAVE MY TEETH CLEANED, EVEN IF I DID HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE INSURANCE THAT COVERED DENTAL, IT WOULDN'T PAY. CORRECT. SO IT'S KIND OF A FEEL GOOD MY IMPRESSION. IS. IT'S A FEEL GOOD KIND OF A COVERAGE. OH, WE'VE GOT DENTAL COVERAGE. WELL, IT DOESN'T PAY ANYTHING. THAT ANCHOR WELL, I GUESS. LET ME REPHRASE. UH, SO THE DENTAL THE BENEFITS ACTUALLY ARE PRETTY GOOD. YOU KNOW, THEY DEFINITELY CAN GET TWO CLEANINGS AT NO COST EVERY YEAR. UM THEY CAN GET, UM BASIC SERVICES, WHICH IS THINGS LIKE FILLINGS, UM, ROOT CANALS. WHICH IS COVERED AT 80. UH, NOW THERE'S AN ANNUAL MAXIMUM LIMIT. FOR THAT BENEFIT, SO IT ONLY PAYS A CERTAIN AMOUNT EVERY YEAR. OR ARE WE PLAYING HERE? UM BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT BECAUSE YOU DEFINITELY HAVE UTILIZATION. WELL, I REALIZE IF I HAD ALL MY TEETH KNOCKED OUT TO HELP, THE

[01:05:01]

AND BUT THE ONLY THING I WOULD CAUTION AGAINST IS YOU'RE GONNA DEFINITELY GONNA BE BELOW THE BENCHMARK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S A STANDARD CORE BENEFIT IN MOST UM EMPLOYERS.

OKAY LET ME THROW A REAL, UH, MONKEY WRENCH INTO THE MACHINE. HOW DOES OBAMACARE INTO ALL THIS STUFF? OR DOES IT OBAMACARE OBAMACARE. I MEAN, IS THAT IT? COULD THAT COULD WE SOMEHOW COORDINATE WITH OBAMACARE. I MEAN, YOU OBAMACARE IS BASICALLY OUT THERE OR, UM OR THE MARKETPLACE IS OUT THERE REALLY? FOR UM FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INSURANCE FOR THE MOST PART. FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INSURANCE IS WHAT SHE WAS SAYING. WELL, YEAH, BUT I MEAN, I THINK, AS READ SOMETHING IN THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD CHANGED THE REGULATIONS. SO THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE EMPLOYER DID OFFER INSURANCE. THROUGH THE JOB. UH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR OBAMACARE. I CERTAINLY RIGHT. NO THAT THAT HOLDS TRUE. UM AS AN EMPLOYER, UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET IN ORDER TO, UH, BE COMPLIANT WITH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. UM, BECAUSE YOU ARE CONSIDERED, UH THEY CALL IT AN APPLICABLE LARGE EMPLOYER. OR AN A L THAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER.

MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE AND IT HAS TO BE AFFORDABLE. OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE PENALIZED FOR EVERY PERSON EVERY EMPLOYEE, NOT DEPENDENTS. BUT EVERY EMPLOYEE THAT LEAVES YOUR PLAN TO GO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE MARKETPLACE. UM SO YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH THAT. UM, BUT THE DEPENDENT ABSOLUTELY. WELL, CAN WE EXPLORE. COORDINATING. THE CITY. UH, PLAN. HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN WITH OBAMACARE FOR THE REST OF THE FAMILY IS THAT SO THERE'S I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE. SO BEAR WITH ME, BUD. I JUST WANNA GET SOME INSIGHT. SO THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT EMPLOYERS CAN DO. UM, WELL, I GUESS FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU CANNOT NOT OFFER COVERAGE TO CHILDREN. THAT'S NOT EVEN AN OPTION. UM, BUT SPOUSES THERE ARE EMPLOYERS THAT DO EITHER ELIMINATE SPOUSAL COVERAGE ENTIRELY. OR THEY ONLY ALLOW SPOUSES TO COME ONTO THE PLAN IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO CARE SOMEWHERE ELSE THROUGH AN EMPLOYER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO SPOUSES WE CERTAINLY CAN. DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM I DON'T KNOW TO BE THE MOST FAVORABLE DECISION. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. BUT BUT WE HAVE EMPLOYERS THAT DO IT. I CERTAINLY ELIMINATING IT, I THINK IS, UM A BIG STEP THAT'S GONNA CAUSE A LOT OF HEARTBURN.

WE THERE'S A LOT TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID. AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT UM IS THERE. AWAY. WHO SAY FOR THE CITY TO SAVE SIGNIFICANT MONEY. AND COORDINATE WHAT WE OFFER.

WITH OBAMACARE. SO THE BENEFITS WILL NOT COORDINATE. I'M SORRY THE BENEFITS WOULD NOT WHAT THEY WILL NOT COORDINATE. YOU EITHER CORRECT. SO EITHER YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THIS POLICY. OR THIS POLICY . YOU'RE EITHER GONNA HAVE A MARKETPLACE THROUGH OBAMACARE, OR YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IT THROUGH THE CITY. YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE BOTH. BUT THAT'S FOR SPOUSES, ISN'T IT? I MEAN, IT WOULD BE THE SPOUSE WHO HAD THE OBAMACARE. IT WOULDN'T BE THE EMPLOYEE WHO HAD THE OBAMACARE IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. SO WOULD IF WE I AM SO FAR BEYOND WHAT I UNDERSTAND HERE. I MEAN, I REALLY AM. BUT, UM I MEAN, IS THERE A WAY FOR THE CITY TO SAVE SIGNIFICANT MONEY? AND

[01:10:04]

UM, WE DO SPOUSE AUDITS FOR A LOT OF OUR CLIENTS WHERE THEY WILL UH, ASK US TO BASICALLY ASK ALL OF THE SPOUSES DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER CARE? IF THEY DO THEN THEY ARE NOT NOT ALLOWED ON. THAT EMPLOYER'S PLAN, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE NOT TAKING, RECRUITING AND RETAINING INTO ACCOUNT SO IT COULD BE. IT COULD CERTAINLY BE A CHALLENGE FROM A CULTURE PERSPECTIVE CAN CANNOT CHIME IN FOR A SECOND COUNCIL SMITH LEE WANTED TO CHIME IN. IF, UH, EMPLOYEE SIGNS UP FOR INSURANCE. AND DO THE FAMILY PLAN BUT DON'T HAVE THEIR SPOUSE ON IT. AND THEN THE HE HE ? HE'S SAYING THAT THE SPOUSE CAN APPLY FOR THE OBAMACARE. BUT GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA END UP PAYING MORE ANYWAY. SO THAT WOULDN'T WORK IN A LOT OF CASES, CORRECT. YEAH, BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THE UM, PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION THAT THE CITY WILL GIVE IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE LESS EXPENSIVE FOR THEM TO BE ON THIS PLANET ANYWAY. SO IT WOULD SAVE THE CITY MONEY, BUT IT WOULD NOT SAVE THE EMPLOYEE. IN THAT SCENARIO, RIGHT? SO THE COST OF THAT IS NOT NOT WORTH PURSUING FOR THE EMPLOYEE BECAUSE THE BECAUSE IT'S DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET INSURANCE, OK? OKAY? UH, VICE MAYOR HILL. YES, UH I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL I WANNA THANK US FOR HAVING THIS CONVERSATION EARLY INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO THE NINTH HOUR. THANK YOU. UH UH, MR ALTMAN, UM AS A CITY. WE MAY JUST HAVE TO UH AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD DO THIS. I KNOW WE BUDGET FOR IT, BUT WE MAY JUST HAVE TO BUDGET IN SUCH A WAY TO. WHERE IS WE HELP OUR OUR EMPLOYEES. WHAT THEY CALLS AND WE SAVE WE SAY MEANING THE CITY SAY SO. WE CAN HELP OUR EMPLOYEES SO WE CAN GET THAT RETENTION. UM, I'M I DO WANNA SEE, UH, MR ART MEANT HOW THE OTHER LOCALITIES ARE DOING IT

[01:15:05]

HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE? MISSISSIPPI MANAGER OH, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I IT'S WE HAVE AROUND 500 EMPLOYEES AROUND 500 EMPLOYEES, AND I'M HEARING TONIGHT THAT WE GOT 25 ON ONE PLAN SEVEN ON ANOTHER 14 AND ANOTHER ONE. A TOTAL OF 36 PEOPLE. OUT OF 500 EMPLOYEES.

BUT WE DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE MORE TO BE ON THE PLANET WHERE IT BALANCES IT OUT. 36 PEOPLE.

$570,000 TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM RIGHT NOW. OF HEALTH INSURANCE, IT COULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE DISCUSSING THIS ANY FURTHER. WE JUST BUCKLE UP. PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND MAKE THESE EMPLOYEES SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT. MAKE THE PEOPLE SPECIAL AND REALLY MAKE PETERSBURG BE THE DAGGONE PLACE TO BE. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. $570,000. WE GOT IT. I KNOW WE GOT IT. I KNOW WE GOT IT. BECAUSE WE WASTED IN OTHER PLACES THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE WASTING IT AT WE HAVE IT. AND WE DON'T GOT IT. WE NEED TO GET IT. THIS IS WHERE THESE EMPLOYEE PEOPLE COME TO WORK. TAKE CARE OF FAMILY. THEY LOVE SOMEBODY SAID UP HERE. THEY LOVE WORKING FOR PETERSBURG. I LOVE WORKING FOR PETERSBURG. PEOPLE RISK THEIR LIVES. WORKING FOR PETERSBURG. AND WE WORRIED ABOUT HOW MANY CLAIMS THEY'RE GONNA HAVE. THE HELL HOW MANY CLAIMS

[01:20:02]

[01:25:05]

DEGREE IS WHAT YOU'RE IN TODAY. BECAUSE TECHNICALLY, THE LOCAL CHOICE PLAN IS A SELF FUNDED PLAN, BUT UNFORTUNATELY TO YOU ALL AS A CITY AND THE EMPLOYEES. YOU DON'T REAP THE REWARDS OF SELF FUNDING. UM WHICH IS WHY WITH WHEN YOU'RE, UM, LOOKING AT SO FUNNY, WE WOULD PUT THOSE PIECES IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE PLAN. ALL RIGHT. OKAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

WE'LL DO THIS DEEPER DIVE. AND, UH AND I'LL GET THE INFORMATION TOGETHER. SET UP. UH, ONES, AND WE'LL WORK TOWARDS, UH, THE NEXT MEETING. COUNSEL FOR A DECISION WE HAD BY JUST FY I WE APRIL 1ST. EXACTLY RIGHT. THAT IS OUR RENEWAL DATE WITH, UH, LOCAL CHOICE, SO WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION. IF WE DON'T. THEN WE WILL LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE LOCAL CHOICE AND WE'LL HAVE TO GO WITH THE OTHER ANTHEM. RIGHT HERE. JUST VERY QUICKLY. I'M GLAD. UH UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION NOW BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN IT WAS JUST TOO LATE TO EVEN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GETTING IN FRONT OF IT. THE BEST THAT WE CAN NOW. THANK YOU, MISS MAYOR. ALRIGHT UM AND AS THE WHERE ITEM SEVEN, C, THE CITY MANAGER SAID THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE RENEWAL IS THE SAME. YEAH, IT'S

[01:30:04]

[14. Economic Development]

[01:35:03]

AND THEN THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT BOTH SUPPORTING EXISTING BUSINESSES WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, BEYOND RETAIL RETENTION. ALSO LOOKING AT ATTRACTION. SO UM, SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO INVITE NEW BUSINESSES TO THE DOWNTOWN. THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION CHAPTER, UH, FOCUSES ON THE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT. SO RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THERE'S ABOUT 2000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE DOWNTOWN OR ROUGHLY 6% OF THE POPULATION OF PETERSBURG AND, UM, REALLY, FOR THE BUSINESSES TO THRIVE AND FOR THE SOCIAL LIFE TO, UM, CONTINUE TO GROW AND STRENGTHEN. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THERE TO BE MORE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE DOWNTOWN.

AND SO THIS WILL WELCOMING MORE RESIDENTS WILL HELP TO AGAIN PRESERVE THE HISTORIC BUILDING.

STOCK THAT SUCH A FLAG, UH, SHIP OF THE OF SIGNATURE OF THE OF THE DOWNTOWN. IT WILL HELP, UM DRIVE MORE PEOPLE TO LOCAL BUSINESSES CAN HELP RETAIN THOSE RECENT GRADUATES THAT WE'D LIKE TO KEEP IN THE CITY BY PROVIDING A VIBRANT PLACE FOR THEM TO LIVE AND, UM MOVE AFTER COLLEGE, AND IT CAN HELP AGAIN MAINTAIN THE CITY'S TAX BASE. AND SO THE STRATEGIES IN THIS CHAPTER, UH, LOOK AT UM, PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES THROUGH REHAB AND ADAPTIVE REUSE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THINK IS JUST SO CRITICAL. UM IN THE NEXT CHAPTER OF DOWNTOWN, UM, DOING A BETTER JOB OF TYING THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EXISTING DESIGN STANDARDS, UM, BUT ALSO INVITING SOME NEW HOUSING TYPES. WE HAVE VACANT LAND OR UNDERUTILIZED LAND HERE. AND SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME, UH NEW FORMS OF HOUSING, AND THEN IT ALSO ADDRESSES NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING PARKING. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE RESIDENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN WE KNOW WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE ARE GONNA PEOPLE ARE GONNA PARK AND, UM WHAT TYPES OF, UM AMENITIES ARE THEY GONNA NEED AS UM RESIDENTS OF DOWNTOWN? THE CHAPTER. UH WANDER AND WONDER, LIKE I SAID, IS REALLY LOOKING AT, UM BUILDING ON THE WALKABLE NETWORK STREET NETWORK THAT DOWNTOWN HAS AND ENSURING THAT THE PEDESTRIAN, UH EXPERIENCES UM REALLY COMPELLING AND BEAUTIFUL AND COMFORTABLE, AND SO, UH, IMPROVING. THE PUBLIC REALM INVOLVES MAKING STREETS SAFER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING, UM ADDING BEAUTY AND CONSISTENCY TO THE STREETSCAPE, ADDING SHADE, UH, LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO CAPTURE STORM WATER SO THAT IT DOESN'T RUSH STRAIGHT INTO THE AGING SEWER SYSTEM AND CREATING SPACES THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. AND SO THE STRATEGIES IN THIS CHAPTER UM THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR HAS A LOT OF COMPELLING GRAPHICS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT, BUT THEY ADDRESS UM, IMPROVING THE SIDEWALKS. SO PEOPLE ARE WE HEARD ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN JUST LIKE THE BASICS, MAKING SURE THAT THE SIDEWALKS ARE SAFE AND EASY TO NAVIGATE. UM IT LOOKS AT DRESSING UP SOME OF THE ALLEYWAYS THAT CREATE REALLY INTERESTING PATHS THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND KIND OF AN OFF THE OFF THE BEATEN PATH. UH, EXPERIENCE. UM THERE ARE TWO BIGGER IDEAS FOR PUBLIC SPACES IN ICONIC DOWNTOWN LOCATIONS, SO THE IMAGE ON THE SCREEN IS LOOKING AT CONVERTING THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF THE STEPS, UH, IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE INTO A PARK SPACE INSTEAD. AND THERE'S ALSO A RECOMMENDATION FOR, UM, A MORE CONNECTED WATERFRONT. UH,

[01:40:01]

[01:45:03]

MR. MAY I THANK YOU FOR THE REMARKABLE, UH, WORK PRODUCT THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED TO US IN DRAFT FORM. YOU'RE WELCOME. YOU REPRESENTS A LOT OF CAREFUL THOUGHT ON YOUR PART, AND IT'S NOT COOKIE CUTTER. BASED ON AN EARLIER PLAN. BUT THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT THAT'S UNIQUE TO PETERSBURG THAT'S IN HERE. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW WE ALL DO. UM, A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. ON PAGE 36 YOU REFER TO THE 2023 CITYWIDE DRAINAGE STUDY IS THAT A COMPLETED STUDY? TO MY KNOWLEDGE. IT'S ONGOING. UM AND. ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE TIMMONS COME IN AND PRESENT TO YOU TO COUNCILS AS THE CITYWIDE DRAINAGE STUDY THAT WE'RE WE'RE WORKING ON. SO IT'S ONE OF THE UPCOMING ITEMS WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE APRIL MEETING WELL, UH, I THINK I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT I'VE GOT SOME AREAS THAT UM DEFINITELY NEED SOME ATTENTION, AND I'M HOPING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IN THAT. STUDY BEFORE THE STUDY GETS. COMPLETED. IS IT TOO LATE FOR? WELL I THINK WE'LL WE'LL BRING IT TO COUNCIL FOR A PRESENTATION. IT'S WE'RE NOT.

WE'RE NOT. WE WOULDN'T BE THE APRIL MEETING LOOKING FOR ADOPTION. THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITY JUST LIKE THIS TO PROVIDE COMMENT. WE CAN GO BACK AND TWEAK IT BEFORE WE PRESENT A FINAL COPY. SPECIFICALLY I'VE GOT CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE A REAL DRAINAGE PROBLEM ON TERRACE AVENUE. AND, UM THE WATER JUST COMES. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF SPRINGS IN THE IN THE BANK.

THE HOUSES BACK UP TO UM AND I. I DON'T WANNA MISS THE CAROUSEL. I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO LATE. UH, IN HAVING THAT ISSUE ADDRESSED. I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE IF IT'S IF IT'S THERE, IF IT IS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT. IF IT ISN'T WE, WE'LL REVISIT IT. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S GREAT. AND WILL THE DRAINAGE STUDY ALSO ADOPT THE FLOODING A T THE LOW POINT ON UM BANK, IS IT? BANK STREET IS IT WITH? IT'S WITH STREET AND BANK. I THINK WE HAVE WE HAVE FLOODING. DEPENDING UPON THE AMOUNT OF RAIN WE GET, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE DO HAVE FLOODING. WE GET FLOODING IT WITH BANK AND THEN FLOODING BACK INTO, UM THE AREA THERE, HOWEVER, WHERE WE HAVE THE GRAPES AND HEARTS, AND THAT'S THE RESULT OF THE YOU KNOW THAT'S A RESULT OF THE DRAINAGE PIPE UNDERNEATH THE ROAD, THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD TRACK, SO ALL OF THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE JOURNEY OF STUDY. IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, YOU ALSO HAVE THE FLOOD PLAIN STUDY THAT WAS DONE, UH, FOR FLOODPLAIN MAPS. WE'RE WORKING TO GET DC R HERE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH COUNSEL. ABOUT THE UPDATED FLOOD STUDY AND THE FLOOD FEMA FLOOD MAPS AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, ALSO, SO WE'RE TRYING TO COORDINATE THOSE EFFORTS. AS I SAY, JUST I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO SEE THE DRAINAGE STUDY ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEMS THAT

[01:50:02]

[01:55:04]

AT A FUTURE DATE. OK BUT, UM, I'M DELIGHTED THAT TO HEAR THAT YOU WOULD BE AVAILABLE, UH, TO HELP US UM ASSESS. THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR MAYOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN JONES. HOW YOU DOING? FINE. THANKS. AND YOU GOOD, GOOD. I LIKE THE TERM. UH R DIET. AND ACCORDING TO YOUR DEFINITION THAT SHOULD TAKE A

[02:00:08]

MM-HMM. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT THAT? UM AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN YOUR PLAN TO GET RID OF THAT, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME WORK BEING DONE RIGHT NOW IN THE CORNER OF SYCAMORE AND WEST STREET, AND THEY JUST MADE THAT THING JUST RIGHT FOR WHEELCHAIRS TO BE IN THE ROOM, RIGHT ON UP AND IT LOOK PRESENTABLE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS IN FRONT OF THE FISCAL MANAGEMENT BUILDING, BUT IT NEED TO BE GOTTEN RID OF. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A DRAWING IN THERE, BUT WE COULD ADD THAT, UM, I. I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT THAT IS WE UNDERSTOOD WHEN WE GOT HERE, AND WE SAW THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THE INTENTION WAS TO MAKE IT A SHORTER CROSSING DISTANCE AND SAFER BUT IT WAS. IT STRUCK US AS AN UNUSUAL DESIGN AND SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IMPROVED. MY LAST QUESTION DOWNTOWN. WHERE DOES IT START? AND WHERE DOES IT END? AND WITH THIS PLAYER UM DO YOU MEAN THE PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES OF THE PLAN? SO THE STUDY AREA THAT WE WERE TASKED WITH GOES FROM THE HIGHWAY OVER TO SO 95 TO, UM, MARKET AND FROM THE RIVER DOWN TO, UH, WITH AND HALIFAX OKAY, SO THAT'S INCLUDING THE AVENUE AND EVERYTHING RIGHT? A SEGMENT OF SEGMENT. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE TRIANGLE? THAT INCLUDE THE HALIFAX DRAWING. IT DOES YEP. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU. OK? ALL RIGHT, VICE MAYOR HILL. NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION, BUT LIKE MORE OF A COMMENT. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PARK AND I KNOW YOU SPOKE TO THE PARKING DECK. AND I KNOW WE NEED MORE GREEN SPACE SOMEWHERE DOWN IN DOWNTOWN OLD TOWN. HOWEVER, YOU WANNA CALL IT UM JUST TRYING TO IMAGINE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. AND I SAW WHERE YOU PUT IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE, BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER DOWN THAT WE NEED BECAUSE IT'S GROWING. AND UH, I THINK WE CAN. WE JUST NEED TO REIMAGINE IN SUCH A WAY THAT, UM IT'S MORE INVITING. SO, UH, MORE OF A COMMENT. I GUESS I'M JUST PROCESSING OUT LOUD. YEAH, I THINK YOU KNOW. PARKING IS ALWAYS A CONCERN. ONE OF THE YOU KNOW, DEFINING FEATURES OF A DOWNTOWN IS THAT IT'S MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE, AND THERE'S YOU KNOW, COMPETING DEMANDS ON A LIMITED SPACE. AS YOU KNOW AS IMPROVEMENTS UNFOLD. UM PEOPLE ARE MORE WILLING AND EXCITED TO WALK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, BECAUSE IT'S A BETTER WALK, AND THERE'S MORE TO SEE AND THERE'S MORE PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT AND, UM THE MORE BUSINESSES THAT ARE OPEN, AND SO I DO THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE NORMS AROUND PARKING AND WALKING CHANGE WITH TIME AS DOWNTOWN'S EVOLVE, UM BUT I THINK ONE THING THAT REALLY STRIKES ME AS AN OUTSIDER. WHEN YOU COME HERE IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF LAND. I THINK IT MUCH OF IT IS AVAILABLE FOR PARKING. BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO READ THAT AS SOMEONE WHO'S NOT FROM HERE. UM AND SO, UM TO FORMALIZE , REALLY AND HAVE SIGNAGE.

[02:05:07]

LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE OVER, UH, LEFT OVER FOR REALLY RECONSIDERATION AND ACTIVATION OF THE DOWNTOWN AND SO, REALLY, WE FOUND THAT A THIRD OF THE DOWNTOWN IS DEDICATED TO EITHER VACANT SPACE OR PARKING. AND SO THAT REALLY HAS A AN EFFECT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF WALKING BLOCK TO BLOCK AND SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY PARKING, AND I THINK THAT THE IDEA OF A PARKING DECK IS POWERFUL BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO REDISTRIBUTE AND BUILD UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN FREE UP SOME OF THOSE OTHER PIECES OF LAND THAT ARE SORT OF INFORMALLY USED AS PARKING OR AVAILABLE, BUT HARD TO RECOGNIZE . AS SUCH, AND TO SAY, THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT REALLY SERVES OUR CITY AND OUR DOWNTOWN BETTER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND FOR THE PRESENTATION. IT WAS DEFINITELY DEFINITELY VERY, VERY WELL RECEIVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

UM, NEXT. UH, WE'LL MOVE. RIGHT ALONG TO ITEM 15 CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA. WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION

[15. City Manager's Agenda]

[02:10:05]

UM, THAT'S THAT'S REQUIRES A LOT OF WORK AND THINKING MISSISSIPPI MANAGER FOR STAYING ON TOP OF THIS PROJECT MY QUESTIONS. UM AND I KNOW IT WAS EXPLAINED THE LAST TIME BUT HELP REFRESH MY MEMORY. THE LOW BIDDER. WHICH IS LANDMARK. WHY DO WE CHOOSE A LITTLE BIT AGAIN? YES SO TYPICALLY LOW BIDDING IS THE, UM IS THE CONTRACT THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN, HOWEVER, IT'S THE LOW RESPONSIVE BIDDER. SO PART OF THE PROCESS IN AWARD IS REVIEWING THEIR BIDDING DOCUMENTS THEIR REFERENCES AND VERIFYING THAT THEY MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS AND THAT THE CONTRACTOR SOUND SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S LOW, BITTER, IT'S A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY LOW MEANS. LESSER QUALITY OR WORSE. SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THIS LITTLE BITTER NOT SOMEBODY THAT WILL BE CUTTING CORNERS, NOT ANY HIDDEN COSTS DOWN THE LINES AND WE FORGOT TO ADD THIS AND FORGOT TO ADD THAT ALL WE NEED MORE OF THIS. WE NEED MORE OF THAT.

YEAH, WE'RE WE, THE BY DOING LOW BID MAKES US GO THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE BUT THE CRITICAL PIECE TO YOUR QUESTION IS THE BLOWS RESPONSES OF BITTER AS WE GO THROUGH AND CHECK REFERENCES AND LOOK AT THAT WE WILL LOOK AT THOSE ITEMS. SO DO IS THIS SOMEONE THAT COMES IN LOW ALL THE TIME, AND THEN HITS YOU WITH A TON OF CHANGE ORDERS THAT REALLY DRIVE THE COST OF THE PROJECT. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOUR BACKGROUND CHECKS YOUR REFERENCE CHECKS ON THOSE TO SEE HOW THEY PERFORMED IN OTHER OTHER LOCALITIES, PROJECTS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ENTER THE CONTRACT TO FIX A FIXED FIXED SPACE CONTRACT, AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE NUMBER UNLESS SOMETHING TRULY UNFORESEEN COMES UP THAT WE DIDN'T NO ONE PLANNED WHEN WE START DIGGING DOWN AND FIND SOMETHING. THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED AS A CHANGE ORDER, BUT WE DON'T WE WANNA MITIGATE AS MUCH OF THAT UP FRONT AS POSSIBLE. THAT'S THE KEY TO THE IS THE LOW RESPONSIVE BIDDER. UH THAT'S THE KEY TO RESPONSIVE PIECE THAT WE LOOK AT. SO WE'RE NOT. WE'RE NOT BOUND BY JUST UM ALTMAN CONSTRUCTION THAT BUSINESS PROJECT AT $1000. SO I'M I'M CURIOUS. GOT 222 ITEMS. UH, SURE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT UNFORESEEN WHEN YOU DO YOUR PRECONSTRUCTION MEETINGS OR YOUR YOUR PRE BID MEETINGS AND ALL THAT, DO Y'ALL. GO THROUGH ALL OF THE POSSIBLE UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. UH, UH, SITUATION THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN WITH YOUR BIDDERS TO SAY THIS MAY HAPPEN OR THIS MIGHT HAPPEN OR THIS COULD HAPPEN. YOU GO DOWN THE LIST TO SEE IF THEY COVERED WITH THAT, SO WE YOU DO GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF TRYING TO MITIGATE AND PLAN FOR SOME OF THOSE COSTS. BUT LET LET'S JUST SAY AND I'M JUST MAKING THIS UP THAT YOU GET TO A POINT AND WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE DIGGING OUR, UM SEWER LINE, AND WE GET TO A POINT AND WE HIT BRO THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WAS GONNA BE THERE.

WELL, THAT'S GONNA BE UNPLANNED FOR HIM. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET IN THERE AND TAKE THAT OUT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT FORWARD. BUT YOU DO GO THROUGH LIKE IN THIS CASE BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WERE DEALING WITH HISTORIC PROPERTIES. UH, THE BATTLEFIELD. UH, GOING UP.

CRATER ROAD, SO WE HAVE BOTH, UH PEOPLES AND BLANDFORD CEMETERIES. WE HAVE BUILT IN THE THOUGHT THAT WE MAY HAVE TO DO SOME, UH SOME ADDITIONAL WORK IN THOSE AREAS TO HELP MITIGATE ON WHAT COULD BE AN UNFORESEEN. WE'VE PLANNED FOR SOME OF THAT. BUT YOU REALLY CAN'T ALWAYS YOU CAN'T PLAN FOR SO THERE'S A CUSHION. FOR UNFORESEEN STUFF. SOME OF IT ANYWAY. ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE HAVE A WE HAVE A BUDGET, BUT THE BUDGET BUILDS A CONTINGENCY IN SO IF SOMETHING COMES UP THE MONEY IS THERE TO ADDRESS IT. IT'S NOT WHERE WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR MORE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. COOL, COOL, SO I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. IN THE LOW, RESPONSIVE BIDDER. IN THE HIGH RESPONSIBILITY. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN COST? SO FOR THE WATER TANK, THE LOW BIDDER WAS 8.3. THE SECOND BID, I THINK WAS AROUND 9 MILLION, THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE WITH CONTINGENCY, UM WAS OVER 8.8. AND THAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE ED A GRANT

[02:15:01]

MY CONCERN. REGARDING A LAST MINUTE SUBMISSION FOR APPROVAL AT THIS COUNCIL MEETING. THIS RUSH TIMELINE DISREGARDS THE NECESSARY DELIBERATION AND REVIEW THAT SUCH IMPORTANT DECISION DESERVES. THE LANGUAGE AND THE RESOLUTION RAISING SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS FROM BOTH A COUNCIL STANDPOINT AND A CITIZEN STANDPOINT, AND IT APPEARS TO IMPOSE A STRANGLEHOLD ON THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. FROM A COUNCIL STANDPOINT. THE FOLLOWING ISSUES ARE PARTICULARLY TROUBLING LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. NUMBER ONE. THE SUDDEN SUBMISSION OF THIS RESOLUTION DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ADEQUATE TIME FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE ITS IMPLICATION THOROUGHLY. TRANSPARENCY IS ESSENTIAL AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES IN THIS RUSH APPROACH UNDERMINES THE PRINCIPLES OF OPEN GOVERNMENT. NUMBER TWO FINANCIAL BURDEN THE 10% COMMITMENT OF IMAGIN AMOUNT. UH, THIS PROJECT RAISES QUESTION ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THE CITY. WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT TIME TO ASSESS BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES. THIS DECISION COULD PLACE AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THE CITY'S RESOURCES NUMBER THREE UNCLEAR CONDITIONS, THE VERBIAGE AND THE RESOLUTION REGARDING THE CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ON THE ALLOCATED FUNDS IS VAGUE AND OPEN TO INTERPRETATION. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, BUT I HOPE I'M SPEAKING FOR EVERYBODY. COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED CLARITY ON HOW THESE FUNDS WILL BE MANAGED AND UTILIZED TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH FEMA REQUIREMENTS AND TO PREVENT ANY MISUSE OR MISALLOCATION FROM A CITIZEN STANDPOINT. FOLLOWING

[02:20:02]

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE GOT SOME LAST MINUTE STUFF, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. AND I DON'T LIKE THE LANGUAGE OF THAT. I DON'T I I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH WHAT THEY NEED FOR THIS GRANT. BUT THE LANGUAGE IN THIS THING, IT CRIPPLES US AND IT PUTS US IN A STRANGLEHOLD. I DON'T WANNA HEAR ANY EXCUSES. I'M JUST I'M STATING MY POSITION ON THIS THING. IT PUTS US IN A STRANGLEHOLD LAST MINUTE STUFF AND THINK WE'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY YEAH, LET'S DO IT. ONLY BECAUSE THERE'S A NEED FOR THEM. BUT THE LANGUAGE IN HERE THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT. AND I'M GONNA SAY NO BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE. THIS IS MONEY THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE EITHER. WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT. YOU SAID WE CAN'T BE. INTERRUPTED WE CAN'T MESS WITH IT. IT'S LIKE PUTTING US IN A STRING HOLE. YOU GOT TO HAVE THIS MONEY AND YOU CAN'T TOUCH IT. FOR THIS FOR THIS BRAND. WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT WE CAN DO. BECAUSE IF WE SAY NO TO THIS IT'S NOT GONNA STOP YOU FROM DOING IT AGAIN IN TIME AND ON TIME. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A TIMELINE FOR THESE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE ON TIME. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN READ ABOUT THIS. SO I COULD HAVE TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS LANGUAGE SAY AT LEAST WE COULD CHANGE SOME STUFF. YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT GONNA CRIPPLE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR US TO SAY NO RIGHT NOW. IT'S NOT IS THAT GONNA SHOW YOU GONNA STOP A DRIVER FROM TURNING IN THE WRONG STREET? WHEN THEY SHOULD BE GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE. IN AN EMERGENCY. WHEN PEOPLE LIVES ARE ON THE LINE. WE CAN'T SAY YES.

TO THIS. I'M NOT GONNA SAY YES TO IT, NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED IT, BUT IT'S THE LANGUAGE IN IT IS TOO STRONG. AND IT'S PUTTING U SI N A STRING OF NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED IT.

LET'S MAKE THAT CLEAR. FIRE DEPARTMENT. IF YOU AIN'T HERE, DON'T GO BACK HOLLERING ABOUT COUNCILMAN JONES SAID. WE DON'T NEED THIS AND WE DON'T NEED THAT. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT MESSAGE. I'M SAYING THE LANGUAGE IN HERE. IT WAS GOING TO DENY Y'ALL TO GET THIS THIS GRANT.

AND IF I GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. GOOD EVENING. I WROTE THE RESOLUTION AND THE LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION IS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES, SO THAT IS FROM FEMA OR WHAT IT WOULD BE FROM EPA OR ED. A. WE KNEW ABOUT IT. I KNEW ABOUT IT AT A LATER TIME BECAUSE I LIKE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME UP HERE. WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN WHO STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE TO WRITE THIS GRANT . AND I APPLAUD HIM FOR THAT. HOLD ON, HOLD FOR THEM TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THAT. OKAY? THE MATCH. LANGUAGE IS LANGUAGE REQUIRED BY FEMA. IT ISN'T SOMETHING SHOW ME WHERE IT IS REQUIRED. I KEEP HEARING Y'ALL TELLING ME EXCUSES JUST TO REQUIRE REQUIRED. THIS IS HERE. THIS IS THAT AND I DON'T SEE NO REQUIREMENTS IN FRONT OF US. SO WE GOT TO WRITE IT LIKE THIS ON THERE. LISTEN, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST RESOLUTION I'VE SEEN. BUT THIS IS THE FIRST ONE I'VE SEEN WITH THIS KIND OF LANGUAGE THAT CRIPPLES US. WHAT? SO WHAT WE WOULD DO? WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE COMMITTING TO MAKE THE SO 10% MATCH YOU'RE COMMITTING TO MAKE A $30,000 MATCH. WHEN THE GRANT COMES IN, AND UNTIL THE GRANT COMES IN. IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AT THAT POINT IN TIME , WE WOULD BUDGET IN APPROPRIATE FUND. SO LET'S PAUSE RIGHT THERE YOU SAID $30,000 DO Y'ALL SEE $30,000 WRITTEN HERE? IT'S NOT EVEN WRITTEN IN HERE. WELL 10% OF THE 300,000. WELL, YOU SEE 300,000 THERE DID I MISS THAT. 23 EMERGENCY SERVICE PROJECT CORRECTED OK, OK, BUT STILL THE LANGUAGE STILL PUT US IN A STRING OF WELL, GO AHEAD, CHIEF

[02:25:03]

WHAT MAKES US DISTRESS? MISS WILLIAMS? THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS, INCLUDING POVERTY. UM, OUR, UM POVERTY IS A BIG ONE. THE HEALTH FACTORS, UM THE FINANCIAL CONDITIONS. THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, INDICATORS FOR DISTRESS OF FEDERALLY DISTRESSED CITY. AND WE ARE LISTED AS ONE MEETING HOUSEHOLD INCOME INDIVIDUAL INCOME. SO YOU'RE SAYING THIS LANGUAGE. PROJECT ABOVE. THE PHONES WOULD BE AVAILABLE AS NEEDED. WHICH WILL NOT BE CONDITIONED. WE CAN'T PUT ANY CONDITIONS ON IT BECAUSE Y'ALL SAYING THIS REQUIRED AND OR ENCUMBERED IN ANY KIND OF WAY. SO IT WOULD BE LIKE MAY WE BUILD WE LET'S SAY WE BUY A FIRE TRUCK. SO THOSE DOLLARS WHEN WE COUNCIL APPROVES THE PURCHASE OF THE FIRE TRUCK. AND WE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATE THOSE FUNDS.

THOSE FUNDS SIT IN A BUDGET LINE ITEM SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURCHASE OF THAT FIRE TRUCK. WE CAN'T GO AND WE DON'T WANT TO GO AND SPEND IT ON SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE WE NEED IT TO BUY THE FIRE TRUCK. WHAT WE'RE SAYING. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS IT CAN'T BE CONDITIONED OR ENCUMBERED IN ANY WAY TO PRECLUDE ITS USE CONSISTENT WITH FEMA, WHICH WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GRANT FUND. SO YOU WOULD BE UTILIZING THE MATCH TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE OVERALL PROJECT.

SO WE'LL WE HAVE A LINE ITEM. WITH 10. THEY CAN'T BE TOUCHED, IF WE WERE TO GET THE GRANT YOU WOULD SET UP AN A LINE ITEM FOR THE GRANT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WOULD HAVE THE THREE THE $300,000 AWARD AND THE MATCH INCLUDED THERE. FOR THAT PROJECT, BUT NOT FOR ANY OTHER PROJECT. THAT'S WHAT TRYING TO SAY. YOU CAN'T USE IT. TO GO AND DO SOMETHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE DEDICATED TOWARDS THIS PROJECT HERE. WHAT I'M ASKING IS THE 10% IF WE GET THE GRANT HIS LANGUAGE HERE. THIS LANGUAGE HERE. WE'RE SAYING THAT WE HAVE A LINE ITEM WITH THAT 10. IF WE GET IT. AND THAT'S FOR THAT. THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO IT IF IT REQUIRES MORE MONEY ABOVE THE 10% OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S IN THAT LINE. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. SO UM, WHAT THE LINE ON IT WOULDN'T JUST HAVE THE 10% IN IT. IT WOULD HAVE THE TOTAL BECAUSE ONCE WE GET THE GRANT YOU BUDGET AN APPROPRIATE ALL THE FUNDS TO INCLUDE THE MATCH INTO ONE LINE. CHIEF AGAIN. THE C AD SYSTEM. IS THAT WHAT WE USED TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE USED TO USE WHEN THEY CALL COME INTO THE STATION, RIGHT? THEY'RE CALLED THE STATION ALERTING SYSTEM. SO THIS IS HOW WE RECEIVE THE ALERT FROM DISPATCH. SO RIGHT NOW OUR DISPATCHERS HAVE TO GO IN AND LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, A STRUCTURE FIRE COMES IN. RIGHT NOW A DISPATCHER HAS TO GO IN AND MANUALLY CLICK EACH STATION TO KNOCK THEM OUT. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS IF THAT DISPATCHER DOESN'T GO IN AND MANUALLY CLICK THAT STATION AND THEY MISS ONE BECAUSE IT'S A LIFE SAFETY CALL OR WHATSO. IT THAT THAT STATION MAY MISS A KNOCKOUT. UM AND NOW ALL THAT'S HE. HE'S DONE A OUTSTANDING JOB AT WITH THIS GRANT, AND IT'S UM ANOTHER THING IS JUST TO REMIND YOU IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING. AS FAR AS THE FUNDS CAN'T BE USED I. I KNOW NOBODY ON THIS COUNCIL RESPONSIBLE OR NOBODY IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BUT I KNOW YOU REMEMBER A WHILE BACK. OUR AIR PACKS KIND OF GOT REPOED AT ONE TIME BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PUT IN OUR MONEY FOR THE MATCH OF THE GRANT. JUST THE SAME THING. WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT MONEY SAYING IF WE RECEIVE THIS GRANT, BECAUSE IT'S A AFG GRANT THAT WE'RE GONNA MATCH IT THAT IT HAS TO BE SPENT FOR THAT. SO WITH THIS GRANT, WHAT SYSTEM ARE WE GOING TO DIDN'T WE JUST WE JUST BEFORE YOU CAME IN, WE CHANGED OUR ALERTING SYSTEM. SO THERE WAS UNDER THAT THERE'S AC AD SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE JUST CHANGED AND WENT TO. THIS IS THIS IS THE STATION ALERTING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE C AD SYSTEM. UM SO AND I'LL LET HIM EXPLAIN IT. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE. UH, THIS IS FIREFIGHTER SANFORD HE TOOK ON THE PROJECT. HE'S DONE A LOT OF

[02:30:03]

TO ADD IT TO THE A GM. MR WILLIAMS? YES SUSPEND THE RULES, UH, FOR THE THREE THAT ARE LISTED ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA, BUT THIS ONE'S NOT EVEN LISTED. SO I THINK YOU NEED IF YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS ONE AND ADD IT, YOU NEED TO ADD IT SEPARATELY. IN ADDITION TO THOSE THREE, OK ALL RIGHT. UM AT THIS TIME, I WILL, UM, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO SPIN THE RULES AND ADD A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL , THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, COMMITTEE, SUPPORT FOR EMERGENCY C A SERVICE UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE PETERSBURG DEPARTMENT OF FIRE, RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF ALL PETERSBURG CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES. VICE MAYOR HILL. SO MOVE. COUNCILMAN JONES SECOND ALRIGHT MISS HILL, YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. YES, SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER CALLED THIS IS A THIS IS A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD IT TO THE AGENDA. THEN WE CAN AGAIN. IF THIS IS WHAT COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, I THINK YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, COUNCILMAN JONES' POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN ABOUT THINGS NOT HAVING ADEQUATE TIME FOR COUNCIL TO PREPARE. BUT IF THEY ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY NEED THIS TO GO FORWARD, AND IT'S A COUNCIL'S DISCRETION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU CHOOSE TO GO FORWARD ON IT. COUNCIL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, WILSON SMITH. I. THAT'S OK. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH LEE. I VICE MAYOR HILL. I MAY APPEAR A THE MOTION. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW THE MOTION HAS BEEN ADDED TO ADD THIS TO THE AGENDA. NOW IT'S ON THE AGENDA. UH, COUNCIL FOR COVER. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR, UM, BEFORE? IS THE DO WE HAVE TO OPEN THIS UP TO A PUBLIC COMMENT, SO? YES. YES, WE WILL. IF, UM ENTERTAINING. UM A MOTION AND THE SECOND AND I THAT IT OPENED UP A PUBLIC COMMENT. I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED OK? WELL. MOTION COUNCILOR JONES SECOND, A MOTION TO SECOND ALL

[02:35:03]

RIGHT HANDS SEE NO HANDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT AT THIS TIME BACK TO, UM, COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL C. IF YOU I HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD, OKAY? COUNCILMAN JONES. CHIEF CHRISTIAN WITH THIS NEW UPGRADE. HOW WOULD THIS AFFECT THE DISPATCHES THAT YOU HAVE NOW AND THEIR OPERATION. WOULD IT HELP? POLICE AND FIRE OR JUST FIRE EVEN THOUGH CAUSE THE CAUSE IS COMING TO YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE GONNA BE DISPATCHED TO THEM. HOW WOULD THAT HELP? DISPATCH AS A WHOLE. GOOD EVENING. MAY I? VICE MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I THINK ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE AN AUTOMATED SERVICE THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF OUR DISPATCH AND WILL DEFINITELY IMPROVE. UH, THE SERVICES WE'RE ABLE TO RENDER FOR THE CITIZENS. SO MY COMMENT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT. OH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR HARD WORK, I. I DO HAVE TO SAY ONE THING. I APOLOGIZE.

UM, AS YOU SEE ON THE CURRENT QUOTE THAT YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING ACTUALLY STARTED, THE VENDOR EMAILED ME A NEW QUOTE. HE HAD ACTUALLY MESSED UP THE QUOTE THAT GRANT WILL HAVE TO BE CHANGED. HE ADDED SOME EXTRA STUFF THAT HE DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR. SO IF YOU ACTUALLY READ THE QUOTE, I JUST WANTED TO LECTURE. LET YOU KNOW IT WASN'T ACTUALLY THE RESOLUTION WASN'T CORRECT. HE LITERALLY CHANGED IT BEFORE WE WALKED IN THE DOORS. SO THAT IS THE UP TO DATE. QUOTE THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL. SO IT'S 324,000 SO I WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST THE GRANT FOR THAT, AND IT'LL BE SUBMITTED AS THAT. MRS. DID YOU KNOW THAT BEFORE WE VOTED I APOLOGIZE. YES, IT WAS ON THE IT WAS ON THE QUOTE, SO I ASSUMED THAT WE WERE GONNA OK? OKAY? UM MM, THE CITY MANAGER? YES, I. I WOULD SAY YOU YOU YOU HAVEN'T REALLY VOTED YET. NO, THE ACTUAL APPROVAL. SO UH, WE VOTED TO, UH, ADD IT AND WE PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND TO OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SO NOW WE NEED TO, UM, AMEND THIS RESOLUTION RIGHT TO WHAT 3 324,000 TO BE. THE ACCURATE COST IS THAT IS THAT WAS THAT WHAT WAS JUST SAYING? YES, SIR. IT'S IN ONE OF THE SECOND TO LAST PAGE FROM THE END OF THE QUOTE. YES, SIR. RIGHT? YEAH, TO AN INSTRUMENT. 10% OF 300. YEAH, WE JUST DO WE DOUBLE CHECKING BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND.

YEAH. THE A MOUNT. THE A MOUNT IS 324,000. $359.10 ALL RIGHT.

MISTER THE MANAGER IN THE FUTURE CAN WE AT LEAST JUST GET A HEADS UP THAT THIS? WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE? THIS IS WHERE THE GUY IS LOOKING FOR AND GIVE US SOME KIND OF NUMBERS TO BE ABLE TO SEE AHEAD OF TIME, YOU KNOW, SO WE WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. YOU KNOW, WE'LL WE'LL ABSOLUTELY HAVE IT IN ADVANCE. YES SIR. OK COVER. ARE YOU OK WITH AMENDING THAT AMOUNT IN THE RESOLUTION 324,010 CENT? NOT RIGHT. COUNCILMAN JONES, WE GOOD ? YES SIR. SECOND OK, ALL RIGHT AT THIS TIME IS HILL. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROAD? YES, SIR. COUNCILOR CUTLER. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS COUNCIL MEMBER WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH LEE. VICE MAYOR HU MAYOR PER I THE MOTION HERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT NEXT. WE'LL, UH, MOVE ON TO, UM, ADDING TO THE AGENDA. WE UM, NEED TO ENTERTAIN EMOTION NOW TO, UH, SUSPEND THE RULES TO ADD TO THIS AGENDA. UM WHICH WAS A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION COMMITTING SUPPORT FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS AND SUPPORT OF ALL PETERSBURG CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES. UM B WAS CONSIDERATION OF AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR STATE AID TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES, REVENUE FUNDS AND THE AMOUNT OF $34,450 AND C CONSIDERATION OF APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR THE DONATION TO THE PETERSBURG LIBRARY AND THE AMOUNT OF $19,620. UM VICE MAYOR HILL SUMO COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE. SECOND ALL RIGHT. MS. HILL. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER, CUTHBERT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH LEE, VICE MAYOR HU MAYOR PERA, SIR, THE MOTION, ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE ADDED THOSE THREE THINGS TO THE

[02:40:05]

IT REALLY IS THE 11TH HOUR AND, UH SO A LOT OF TIMES IT'S WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GIVE YOU IF THIS IS COMING DOWN THE PIKE. UM BUT THIS IS FOR MORE POOR CREEK UPGRADES AND FOR BUSINESS WATER METERS. OKAY? ALL RIGHT, VICE MAYOR HILL. SO MOON. I LIKE COUNCILOR SMITH LEE SECOND, ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO SECOND. NOW I OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE RESOLUTION. FOR THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, COMMITTING SUPPORT FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS AND SUPPORT OF ALL PETERSBURG CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES. ANY HANDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT SEEING NONE. THIS PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSE. NEXT I GO BACK TO ANY DISCUSSION, MY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ON THE MOTION. COUNCIL. NO, NO. OK, COUNCILMAN JONES. MS WILLIAMS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME AND THE PUBLIC WHAT EXACTLY DO WE MEAN BY CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION COMMITTING SUPPORT FOR WATER SLASH WASTE WATER UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENT IN SUPPORT OF ALL PETERSBURG CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL SEVEN WARDS.

ALL BUSINESSES UPTOWN, DOWNTOWN EAST AND WEST END. REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY MAKE WHAT WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? YES SIR. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THIS POOR CREEK UP. THE POOR CREEK UPGRADE SERVES COVERS 31% OF THE CITY. AND, UM THIS IS THIS IS AN ONGOING PROJECT THAT WHEN IT'S FINISHED IS PROBABLY GONNA BE AROUND $70 MILLION AND WE HAVE DONE QUITE WELL TO GET MOST OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. SO YES, IT IS A BENEFIT TO CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES. OKAY SO THIS IS TIED INTO THE POOR CREEK? YES, IT IS. OK, OK. THANK YOU. RIGHT? THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION A T THIS TIME WITH A MOTION THE SECOND MS HILL. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROOM COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT COUNCIL MEMBER JONES COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER WESTBROOK, COUNCIL MEMBERS SMITH AND LEE, VICE MAYOR MAYOR AYE, SIR. THE MOTION HERE. ALL RIGHT. NEXT. WE HAVE A CONSIDERATION OF APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR STATE AID TO PUBLIC LIBRARY REVENUE FUNDS AND THE AMOUNT OF $34,450 THIS WAS THE SECOND READING. RIGHT, VICE MAYOR HILL. SO MOVE. RIGHT COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE SECOND, ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ON THE $34,450. ALL RIGHT , OUR NEXT OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC . ANYBODY WHO WANT TO COMMENT ON THE STATE AID, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY REVENUE FUNDS AND THE AMOUNT OF $34,450 SEEING NO HANDS. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON IT. NEXT, I'LL GO BACK TO DISCUSSION FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT, SEEING NONE. MISS HILL. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES, SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS COUNCIL MEMBER WESTBROOK COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH LEE, VICE MAYOR HILL MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

NEXT WE MOVE ON TO ITEM C, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF THE APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR THE DONATION TO PETERSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,620 COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE. SO MOVE.

COUNCILMAN JONES SECOND ALL RIGHT MOTION TO SECOND ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE $19,620 DONATION TO THE PETERSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE IS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED. UH, NEXT, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION FOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL SAYING NO.

MISS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT COUNCIL MEMBER JONES COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER WESTBROOK COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH LEE, VICE MAYOR MAYOR, SIR, THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU NEXT ONE. WE WANT TO, UM, THE STAR ANYMORE. FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, OK? ALRIGHT YES. BEFORE WE LEAVE THE CITY MANAGER AT TWO TOPICS I'D LIKE TO RAISE IF I MAY. UH, MR CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU BRING US UP TO DATE ON THIS? UH FINANCE COMMITTEE. WE'VE BEEN WAITING SINCE I THINK IT WAS JULY, THE FIFTH OF 2023 TO GET THIS FINANCE COMMITTEE IN GEAR. UM AND, UH I ENVISION IT. WE LOSE MONEY EVERY DAY. UM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT INVESTED IN THE LG IP PROGRAM. UM AND A INTEREST RATE EXCEEDING 5. AND THAT'S

[02:45:05]

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AN OVERALL STRATEGY OF HOW WE CAN DO THIS. HOW MUCH WE NEED, WE CAN WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP AND ON OUR SIDE OF THE TOWN TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY, SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT, AND WE'LL BE PRESENTING SOMETHING TO COUNCIL. UH, MY HOPE IS, UH, WITH LET'S SEE. IN LATE A THE APRIL LATE LATTER APRIL MEETING OR THE FIRST MEETING OF MAY. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO INCREASE THE R PM ON THIS? WE CAN CERTAINLY RANK, RAMP IT UP AND GET THEM TO WORK FASTER IF THEY IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. YES SIR. WELL WE WANT THE INPUT OF EVERYBODY IN THE SPECIAL WE WANT. I KNOW THE INPUT OF DAVENPORT. UM, BUT, UH THEY'RE THE KEY DRIVER IN THE WHOLE THE WHOLE PIECE. UH, WE WERE IN MARCH. IT SURE WOULD BE GREAT AT THE BUSINESS MEETING IN APRIL.

OH, LET'S SHOOT FOR THAT. AND WOULD YOU PASS THAT ON TO DAVENPORT AND MAYBE THAT WILL HELP THEM. MOVE THIS UP ON THEIR LIST OF PRIORITIES, AND MAYBE IT WON'T I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH FLEXIBILITY. THEY THEY THEY ARE QUITE BUSY, BUT CERTAINLY WE CAN . WE CAN PUSH IT ALONG A LITTLE BIT TO GET THE DECISION. I APPRECIATE THAT. THE SECOND THING, UM I WORK. UM, I WENT TO, UH, THE UNION TRAIN STATION. UH MOST OF THE DAY TO GET SIGNATURES ON PETITIONS. AND I GOT BLASTED. BECAUSE CONSTITUENTS WHO SAID I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CALL THE CITY MANAGER AND I CAN'T GET HIM GET THROUGH TO HIM. NOBODY ANSWERS HIS PHONE. CAN YOU HELP US? ABSOLUTELY. UH, SOMEBODY SHOULD BE ANSWERING THE PHONE. IF THEY'RE NOT AT THIS. WE'RE UNAWARE. SO UH, YEAH. WE CAN MAKE SURE WE ANSWER THE PHONE AND GET MESSAGES TO ME. I HAVEN'T. UH, UNFORTUNATELY. UH, WITH DEPARTURE OF ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS. THERE HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT BUT WE'VE GOT, UH, MISS HILL HERE. HE'S GONNA BE FILLING IN AND BOTH CLERK'S OFFICE AND IN OUR OFFICE TO HELP, UH, WITH THAT, BUT IF ANYBODY HAS BEEN TRYING TO CALL AND HASN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL, CERTAINLY CONTINUE OR SEND AN EMAIL DIRECTLY TO ME, AND I'LL RESPOND. RIGHT, GREG? WELL, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE PERCEPTION IS THAT THE AND YOU KNOW WHO CATCHES THE COMPLAINT AND THE COUNCILMAN IS THE CARTILAGE TO ALL THESE BUMPS IN THE ROAD, YOU KNOW? I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BUMP. BUT YOU KNOW, I GET I GET HELL OF RESPONSIBLE. OK, GOOD. WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU DOING WHAT YOU CAN UH, AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COVER UM, THAT THAT, UM, THAT LEADS TO, UM,

[16. Business or reports from the Clerk]