RIGHT. NEXT IS ITEM FIVE ADJOURNMENT. THAT MEETING IS ADJOURNED. NEXT WE ROLL ON TO [00:00:08] OUR RECKLESS SCHEDULE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION. FOR MAY 7TH 2024 AT THIS TIME, MISS [1. Roll Call] HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YEAH, BUT I'M GOING TO BE REMOTELY SHORTLY. HAVE AN AIRPLANE TO CATCH AND I WILL BE ON I 95 HEADED UP TO REAGAN AIRPORT. WHEN THE, UH ME AND, UH INCLUDES. I EXPECT THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS COUNCIL MEMBER WESTBROOK COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH LEE PRESENT VICE MAYOR HU MAYOR PER HERE. SO YOU HAVE A NEXUS ITEM TWO. THE OPENING PRAYER VICE MAYOR HERE WILL LEAD US IN OUR OPENING PRAYER. LET US PRAY. JOHN OF GOD, OUR FATHERS ONCE AGAIN WE COME BEFORE YOU. GIVING YOU A NAME ON APPRAISE AND GLORY. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF THE DAY. NOW, LORD, WE ASKED TO HAVE BLESSINGS UPON AS WE DELIBERATE TO DO YOUR BUSINESS HERE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU GO WITH THIS COUNCIL HAVING A FATHER GIVE US WISDOM ON HER. THAT YOU GAVE SOLOMON. WE ASKED THAT BLESSINGS UPON OUR CITIZENS. HEAVENLY FATHER. OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. OUR POLICE OFFICER. I EMS OUR SHERIFF DEPARTMENT. OUR FIREFIGHTERS HAVING A FATHER, BE WITH THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES. KEEP THEM SAFE. HAVING A FATHER WE ASK SPECIAL BLESSINGS UPON OUR YOUTH. HEAVENLY FATHER, UH, AS A DELIBERATE AND GO THROUGH LIFE HAVING A FATHER. WE ASK THAT YOU KEEP A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND ALL OF THEM. LORD WE ASK THAT BLESSING UPON ALL THOSE WHO ARE HERE ON TODAY AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVING A FATHER BE WITH US GUIDE US AND STRENGTHEN US COMFORT THOSE WHO NEED TO BE COMFORTED WHO HAS LOST LOVED ONES HEAL THOSE THAT NEED TO BE HEALED AND WE BE ABLE CAREFUL TO GIVE YOU A NAME ON THE PRAISE AND GLORY. IN JESUS' NAME. WE PRAY AND WE THANK YOU. AMEN. AMEN NEXT IS ITEM THREE. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. GIVE EVERYONE PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TWO TO THE PUBLIC FOR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. FORMATION I THINK GOD INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. NEXT IS ITEM [4. Determination of the Presence of a Quorum] FOUR DETERMINATION OF A PRESIDENT OF A QUORUM. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM AND AS COUNCILMAN CUFF STATED EARLIER, UH, ROUTE 10, WHICH IS WE HAVE REMOTE PARTICIPATION IN COUNCIL MEETINGS, INCLUDING REGULAR SPECIAL AND EMERGENCY MEETINGS AND WORK SESSIONS AND COUNCILOR [5. Public Comments] COVER WILL BE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY DUE TO TRAVEL. UM, NEXT, WE GO ON TO ITEM. FIVE, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT. FROM WE'RE GOING. TO START OFF WITH MISS SHEILA COLEMAN. HI, COUNCILMAN. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. UM THERE'S A VIDEO THAT I HAVE, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE THE COUNCIL UPDATE ON OUR PROJECT. IF YOU HAVE THE PAMPHLET IN FRONT OF YOU DO Y'ALL HAVE IT? YES, WE DO. I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. BUT UM, ON THE FIRST IF YOU GO TO THE FIRST PAGE I, I WANT Y'ALL TO JUST SEE HOW FAST THE PROPERTIES ARE MOVING IN PETERSBURG HOW LONG THEY'RE STAYING ON THE MARKET AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND BECAUSE, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THIS CITY. AND RECEIVE INCENTIVES LIKE BEING IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONES. WE WERE ABLE TO PASS THOSE SAVINGS ON TO THE BUYERS. SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR HOMES WE GIVE $5000 IN CLOSING COSTS TO OUR BUYERS. UM SOMEONE NEEDED SEVEN. WE GAVE HER SEVEN WE OUR FIRST HOME CLOSED IN NOVEMBER. AND UM, I DON'T KNOW SOMEBODY SUPPOSED TO PLAY THE VIDEO. I WANT Y'ALL TO SEE THE INSIDE. OH, THERE YOU SO, UM OUR FIRST HOUSE CLOSED IN NOVEMBER. THEN WE START ON THE NEXT ONE IN NOVEMBER. WE CLOSE ON ONE IN JANUARY, UM THEN, UM, FEBRUARY MARCH. AND SO WE WE'LL BE FINISHED ON SHORE STREET BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER. UM, BUT I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO SEE WHAT WE OFFER IN THE HOMES THAT WE ARE BUILDING IN PETERSBURG. THEY HAVE BRICK FOUNDATIONS, 16 BY 16 DECKS I PROVIDE AND THIS HOUSE RIGHT HERE YOU SEE IS LUXURY VINYL PLANK FLOORING, ELECTRICAL FIREPLACE. NOTHING IN OUR HOMES ARE BUILT A GRADE. ALL OF THEM ARE HIGH END FINISHES, AND I'M WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE [00:05:03] HEIGHTS, AND I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BY THERE AND SEE WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE LAST YEAR. UM WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY DAY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO, UM, PROVIDE FOOD AND BOUNCE HOUSE FOR THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE'RE PLANNING TO START ON SHORE STREET IN JANUARY. WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO WORK OUT WITH THE IN TERMS OF PUTTING A LOTS TOGETHER, BUT I HOPE THAT Y'ALL GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT WE ARE BUILDING IN PETERSBURG AND ALL OF OUR HOMES ARE AFFORDABLE. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE HAD A CITY POLICE OFFICER THAT'S PURCHASED ONE OF OUR HOMES. WE HAD A YOUNG LADY WORK AT CAPITAL ONE AND AT 524 SURE, THAT'S LIKE MY FAVORITE COUPLE. IT'S A COUPLE WITH KIDS. THEY WERE UNABLE TO PURCHASE A HOME, SO WE ACTUALLY LOWERED THE PRICE OF THE HOUSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GOT IN A HOME AND WE GAVE THEM CLOSING COSTS AND WE LAID THAT HOUSE OUT FOR THEM. SO I HOPE THAT Y'ALL GET A CHANCE TO SEE IT. WE'RE GONNA DO A RIBBON CUTTING AND ALLOW THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOUGHT THE HOMES ARE GONNA ALLOW PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH SO Y'ALL CAN SEE WHAT WE HAVE. IN PETERSBURG. THANK YOU. OK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS COLEMAN. SHEILA COLMAN. IS SHEILA COLUM OF COLEMAN BYNUM. CONSTRUCTION OH, SO MY CONSTRUCTION IS JC BYNUM CONSTRUCTION. I STARTED IN 2010 AND I. I REALLY HOPE THAT Y'ALL GET A CHANCE TO SEE. I MEAN, THE HEIGHTS IS TURNED INTO SOMETHING IMMACULATE. THE NEIGHBORS. THEY'RE VERY NICE TO US. WE'RE UM I DON'T. I KNOW I'M GONNA TAKE UP MY TIME, BUT I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW IT'S NICE OVER THERE. WE'RE REALLY ENJOYING BEING OVER THERE EVERY DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU, TOO. MISS COLEMAN WAVE WAVE YOUR HAND. HE'S THE ONE WITH THE RED SWEATSHIRT IN THE VIDEO. RIGHT THERE. HE'S HELPING HER. BUILD THESE HOMES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO MISS UH JULIE NICKERSON. OKAY? HI HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT? HELLO HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? I'M DOING WELL, THANK YOU FOR ASKING, UM MY NAME IS JULIE NICHOLSON AND I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THE SENIOR CITIZENS AND THE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN PETERSBURG. UM I LIVE DOWN AT, UM, THE CARRIAGE HOUSE. AND RIGHT NOW IT'S SHUT DOWN BECAUSE THEY NEED TO DO SOME ELEVATOR WORK AND STUFF. WE'VE BEEN IN A MOTEL, SO WE'VE BEEN DISPLACED FROM OR HOME. UM AND UM, THE OK, MARISE SAYS THAT WE HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE IN A HABITABLE. PLAIN. SAFE. BUILDING. IT'S NONE OF THE ABOVE. AND I AM WORRIED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I AM IN A HOTEL WHERE THEY MOVED ME. AND THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO MOVE US BACK. BUT WHAT IF THE ELEVATORS AREN'T WORKING? YOU KNOW? THE LADY THAT I SPOKE WITH THERE AND I FEEL MY LEASE OUT WITH AND PAID MY MONEY TO UM, LIED TO ME. DIDN'T LET ME KNOW THAT THERE WERE CONDITIONS. UM IT THAT SOME OF THE APARTMENTS HAVE. UH MICE, INFESTATION. UH, SOME OF THE APARTMENTS HAVE HAD BED BUG PROBLEMS. UH, SOME OF THE APARTMENTS HAVE ROACHES. I WASN'T TOLD NONE OF THE STUFF BEFORE I MOVED IN THERE. AND I FEEL THAT THAT IS NOT NOT LET ME KNOW THESE THINGS. SO IF I DON'T WANNA MOVE IN THERE, I DON'T HAVE TO. OK, UM BUT ALSO I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE FACT THAT I HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. AND THAT BUILDING HAS HEAT ON ENTAIL, LIKE JUNE. AND THEN THEY MIGHT TURN THE AIR CONDITIONERS ON THE LADY THAT IS WITH ME, UH, HAS WENT TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF THE HEAT IN THAT BUILDING. UM I PERSONALLY WENT OUT AND BOUGHT [00:10:09] THREE TOWER FANS THAT I COULD CALL MY APARTMENT WITH BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE MS AND M. NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO HEAT. OK, I DO COLD BETTER THAN I DO. HEAT. OK, AND I EXPLAINED ALL THIS TO THE LADY THAT I PAID MY MONEY TO UM AND I FEEL LIKE, UM THERE AREN'T ENOUGH HANDICAPPED SPACES IN PETERSBURG FOR THE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF HANDICAPPED PEOPLE THAT LOVE IN PETERSBURG. UM ON THE STREETS. THERE'S NO HANDICAP PARKING, UM. WE HAD TO DRIVE AROUND LOOKING FOR A PARKING SPOT BECAUSE EVERYWHERE WE PULLED, THERE WAS A NO PARKING SIGN. YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS CERTAIN ORDINANCES, HUH? I'M SORRY, MISS MS. DICKERSON CAN YOU COME BACK IN THE BACK? CAN YOU SEE OFFICER HER HERNANDEZ AND CHIEF CHRISTIAN BACK THERE AND THEY WILL GET YOU IN CONTACT WITH OUR FIRE MARSHAL BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO GET AN ACCOUNT OF ALL THOSE THINGS. SO I FIRED MARSHAL JIM REID AND GO IN THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT PLACE IS IN GOOD SHAPE WHEN YOU GO BACK THERE. OK THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR LISTENING TO ME AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND Y'ALL HAVE A NICE EVENING. OK, THANK YOU, MISS DICKERSON. ALL RIGHT. NEXT. WE HAVE MISS PAMELA STRAUSS. GOOD EVENING PUBLIC SERVANTS. CITY STAFF AND PETERSBURG CONSTITUENTS. MY NAME IS DOCTOR PAM STRAUSS. AND I, UM WANTED TO SPEAK TONIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR SACRIFICE AND YOUR INTEREST IN THE HEALTH AND MANAGEMENT OF OUR CITY AND ITS RESOURCES. WE ARRIVE AT THE SPACE BECAUSE WE ALL DEEPLY CARE ABOUT OUR FAIR CITY. AS EVIDENCED BY THE ATTENDANCE OF THE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT. YOUR COMMITMENT IS DULY NOTED. I AM A P ACADEMIC. I'M A PROFESSOR. I TEACH TRAIN ENGAGE IN RESEARCH, RIGHT AND, IMPORTANTLY, PRACTICE ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION, INCLUDING MEDIATION FACILITATION NEGOTIATION. PLUS I TRAIN IN MENTOR, OTHERS. I'VE PRACTICED AROUND THE WORLD, UM, INCLUDING IN ISRAEL. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREATER RICHMOND COMMUNITY MEDIATION CENTER. I HAVE FOUND IN ORDER TO WORK TOGETHER. WE BEGIN BY SHOWING RESPECT TO EACH OTHER'S RIGHTS TO EXPRESS THEIR UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND OPINION. RESPECT IS THE FOUNDATION OF FRUITFUL EXCHANGES. WE DEMONSTRATE RESPECT THROUGH ACTIVE LISTENING HEARING NOT ONLY THE WORDS BEING SPOKEN, BUT TONES OF VOICE, BODY POSITION AND GESTURES. IF WE WANT PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO US, WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THEM. LISTENING AS A PART OF COMMUNICATION, SO WE'RE SPEAKING OFTEN DISAGREEMENTS DISPUTES CONFLICT ARE CAUSED BY MISCOMMUNICATION. NOTHING DERAILS COMMUNICATION QUICKER THAN CRITICIZING NAME CALLING, JUDGING ORDERING EVALUATING THREATENING MORALIZING AND ADVISING AND A STRONG DISPLAY OF EMOTIONS. EACH PERSON HAS IMPORTANT, SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SAY AND CONTRIBUTE, AND WE WANT TO HEAR EVERYONE. THE BEST WAY IS, UH, ONLY ONE PERSON SPEAKS AT A TIME YELLING OUT AT OTHERS, UH, REMARKS OR SIDE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN FOLKS OUT LOUD WILL DERAIL WHAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO HERE, UNDERSTAND OTHERS PERSPECTIVES, LEARN INFORMATION AND BE PART OF A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. WE EACH ARRIVE WITH OWN UNIQUE LIFE LENS MADE UP OF OUR GENETICS, ORIGIN, PERSONALITY AND ETHICS. THE LIFE LENS IS A FILTER IN WHICH WE HEAR AND SPEAK THROUGH BECAUSE WE ARE EACH UNIQUE. WE ARE NOT GOING TO AGREE WITH EVERYONE 100% OF THE TIME. THIS IS JUST FINE OR DIFFERENCES IN UNDERSTANDING, OPINIONS AND FOCUS CAN MAKE US STRONGER IF WE'RE WILLING TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY. WHAT IS YOUR HOPE AND VISION FOR PETERSBURG? BE A CRITICAL THINKER. ASK YOURSELF WHEN READING SOCIAL MEDIA POST NEWS ARTICLES ARE LISTENING TO THE NEWS WHO IS SAYING WHAT? WHAT IS THEIR MOTIVE FOR THE POSITION OR POINT OF VIEW? WHY ARE THEY IN OPPOSITION TO WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING? AND WHAT INFORMATION DO [00:15:02] YOU NOT HAVE THAT YOU NEED AND WHERE CAN YOU FIND IT? AND WHAT IS THE BASIS OF THE DECISIONS BEING MADE? THANK YOU FOR SHOWING RESPECT AND LISTENING TO ME THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. RIGHT NEXT, MISS BARBARA RUDOLPH. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. BARB RUDOLPH 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET AND I HOPE DOCTOR STRAUSS WILL FORGIVE ME IF I DON'T OBSERVE A FEW OF THE THINGS SHE MENTIONED. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CORDISH SELECTION DECISION THAT YOU ANNOUNCED ON APRIL 24TH. THE LACK OF NOTICE THAT THIS WAS A TOPIC GENERATED NEGATIVE PRESS COVERAGE. AND PERHAPS A LAWSUIT. GOT ME THINKING ABOUT ALL THE PREVIOUS STEPS LEADING UP TO THIS, SO I STARTED LOOKING BACK. I FOUND A CONSISTENT PATTERN. OF YOUR TAKING ACTION ON DIFFERENT PHASES OF CASINO OPERATOR PICKING. THAT PATTERN IS, IT'S NEVER BEEN ON THE AGENDA. IT'S NEVER BEEN VOTED ON AT A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. BASICALLY IT'S ONLY HAPPENED WHEN YOU CAME OUT OF CLOSED SESSION. SO RIGHT THERE, FEWER PEOPLE WERE PAYING ATTENTION. THEN YOU ADDED ACTION ITEMS TO THE AGENDA ON THE SPOT. SURPRISING ANYONE WHO WAS WATCHING. I'LL RECAP WITH SOME EXAMPLES. OCTOBER 18TH 2022 EXIT CLOSED SESSION, A EXPLORE PARTNERSHIP WITH KURDISH AND EXECUTE RETROACTIVE CONTRACT WITH CONSULTANT SPELLER TO YOUR AGENDA, THEN APPROVE DECEMBER. 13TH 2022 EXIT CLOSED SESSION. ADD ACTION AN ACTION FORMALIZING CORDISH AS THE PREFERRED CASINO OPERATOR TO THE AGENDA, APPROVE. FEBRUARY. 6 2024 EXIT CLOSED SESSION. ADD ACTION FOR A EX ADD DIRECT CITY MANAGER TO ISSUE AN RF I TO THE AGENDA APPROVE FEBRUARY 9TH 2024, WHICH IS A SPECIAL MEETING, EXIT CLOSED SESSION AT ISSUANCE OF AN RFP. AND RESOLUTION ON THE USE OF THE PROPOSED UPFRONT INCENTIVE PAYMENTS FROM THE CASINO OPERATOR TO THE AGENDA, APPROVE. PUBLIC INPUT WAS NOT INVITED AT ANY OF THESE DECISION POINTS. ON APRIL 14TH 2024 SENATOR A CONDUCTED A TOWN HALL. TO PRESENT THE PROPOSALS OF THE FIVE COMPETING CASINO OPERATORS. NONE OF YOU ATTENDED THIS FORUM. YOUR ABSENCE WAS NOTED, AND DIDN'T CREATE A PARTICULARLY POSITIVE IMPRESSION ON THE PUBLIC. BUT DON'T GO BY WHAT I SAY, ASK OTHERS. THEN WE COME TO THE CORDISH DECISION ON APRIL 14TH. APRIL 12TH APRIL 24TH PARDON ME 2024, WHICH I'VE ALREADY REFERRED TO IT FOLLOWED EXACTLY THE SAME PATTERN AS ALL OF THESE PREVIOUS MEETINGS THAT I LISTED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OPEN MEETINGS WHERE COUNCIL EVEN TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU WERE ABOUT HOW THE PERSPECTIVE CASINO OPERATORS WOULD BE EVALUATED HOW YOU'D MAKE YOUR SELECTION WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO COUNSEL AND TO CITIZENS, ET CETERA. LET ALONE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK. THE BOTTOM LINE IS NO INPUT FROM US. THE PUBLIC SO NO FEEDBACK FROM YOU CITY COUNCIL. JUST YOU OPERATING IN SILENCE TRYING TO FLY UNDER THE RADAR. IT SEEMS BY REPEATEDLY ADDING TO AGENDAS UNANNOUNCED. REGARDING YOUR PICK OF CORDISH. I WASN'T SURPRISED AT ALL BY WHO? BUT I WAS SURPRISED BY THE HOW, BUT THAT'S A TOPIC FOR ANOTHER TIME IN CLOSING. IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY THE CITIZENS HAVE LOW TRUST AND IN AND RESPECT FOR COUNSEL, THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN A PERFECT EXAMPLE. THANKS, MR WILLIAM JONES. WILLIAM JONES 1504. DUKE DRIVE. FIRST LET ME START OFF BY SAYING I WANT A CASINO. EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS ME KNOW, I BELIEVE IN ENTERTAINMENT, HAVING A GOOD TIME AND BEING PROGRESSIVE. BUT I DON'T WANT IT FORCED ON US AND HIDDEN FROM US IN VIEW. ACCORDING TO YOU, MR MAYOR. YOUR EXACT WORDS. WELL, WHAT WAS PRINTED SENATOR A HAS FULFILLED HER PROMISE TO EQUIP PETERSBURG WITH THE NEEDED TOOLS TO DRIVE POSITIVE CHANGE AND FOSTER GROWTH FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. YET SHE WASN'T GIVEN THE COURTESY. OF THIS MEETING. YOU HAVE WHERE YOU MAKE THE DECISION ON K. NUMBER TWO ACCORDING TO DAVENPORT. THE REASON CURTIS ROSE TO THE TOP. IS BECAUSE RIVERS HADN'T BUILT THERE BECAUSE THEY HADN'T BUILT THEIR HOTEL. VALLEY WAS HAVING TROUBLE FINANCING. IN IN CHICAGO. AND COS. AT THAT TIME SEEMED TO BE THE STRONGEST BUT STILL UPON THEIR ADVICE TO VET FURTHER YOU WANT TO HEAR WITH THIS DECISION? THE FACT OF IT IS KURDISH HAS FAILED TO GET FINANCING ON AT [00:20:08] LEAST TWO OTHER OCCASIONS, ONE WITH DONALD J TRUMP THE HOLY CASINOS THEY EVER GO BANKRUPT IN ATLANTIC CITY. AT THE PRESENT TIME IN NORTH CAROLINA. NORTH CAROLINA IS GOING THROUGH THE CASINO. REFERENDUMS. THEY ARE NOW BEING CHARGED WITH PAY TO PLEA. THERE'S DOCUMENTATION OF KISH, MAKING SEVERAL DONATIONS TO DELEGATES IN THE IN THE, UH DESIGNATED AREAS WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING TO BUILD. THEY'VE BEEN KNOWN TO DO THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I PERSONALLY HAVE ISSUES WITH ANYTHING THAT TIED TO DONALD J TRUMP. WE ARE NOT HERE GOING TO GO INTO BUSINESS WITH TRUMP. MR MAYOR, YOU SEEM TO HAVE A AN AFFINITY FOR THINGS LEADING TO TRUMP. YOU BOUGHT YON IN HERE? Y'ALL CAN TURN US OUT TO TURN DOWN THE PAY RAISES OR MINIMUM WAGE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IN THAT HE IS DEFERRING TO LET PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE THEIR TIME TO GAIN THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE. HE SAID, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ADD SAFETY. SHE'S TRYING TO MAKE THE STREETS SAFE. BUT THEN HE TURNS AROUND AND GAVE A FULL THROATED ENDORSEMENT TO DONALD J TRUMP, WHO SAYS IF HE'S ELECTED PRESIDENT, HE WILL RELEASE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN CONVICTED OF THE INSURRECTION. JANUARY 6. UPON THE WORD OF THE SUIT. MR MAYOR, YOU'RE SAYING WELL? WE'RE GOING TO SUE BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO COST US MILLIONS. PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME THEN SINCE WE'RE GOING TO SUE THIS GUY FOR COSTING US MILLIONS THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH FIVE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS IN 10 YEARS FIVE. UM CITY MANAGERS IN 10 YEARS WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO URGENT CARES IN THIS CITY. WE HAVE MORE FUNERAL HOMES THAN WE HAVE PHARMACIES. THESE DIRECTIONS THAT NOT BY LEADERSHIP, BUT LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, LIKE A SEVEN SECONDS TIK, TOK TIK, TOK. WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL US DID THE CITY MANAGER HAVE AUTHORITY TO SIGN THIS PHANTOM LEATHER OR DIDN'T HE AND I'M NOT HAPPY WITH SCOTT A. OR LUCAS ON THIS EITHER? NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE ORIGINS OF THIS LETTER IS. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS. THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG WILL NOT VOTE FOR AN ENTITY THAT BENEFITS DONALD J TRUMP. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR JONES. NEXT UP. WE HAVE MS SHARON JOHNSON. GOOD EVENING TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR INTO THE MAYOR TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU. I WANNA SAY THAT I AM JUST AS PROUD OF THIS GROUP OF COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY AS I CAN BE. I WANNA SAY I SEE RESULTS IN PETERSBURG. I SEE THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING. IN A POSITIVE LEVEL. AS THE PROGRESS I'VE LIVED IN PETERSBURG ALL MY LIFE. SEEN A LOT OF THINGS GOOD, BAD, UGLY AND DIFFERENT. I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT NEGATIVE BECAUSE NEGATIVE IS JOB IS TO UM, DEFY THE POSITIVE. BECAUSE IT HAS NOTHING TO LOSE. WRONG. BUT I'M HERE TO, UH, EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT? AND IN MY OPINION, THIS GROUP OF COUNCIL PEOPLE, YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF THINGS, RIGHT? AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I WANNA SAY THERE IS A CLICHE, BUT IT'S TRUE. ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY. I CAN REMEMBER THE TIME THAT WE WERE IN THE NEGATIVE. WE WERE SO FAR BEHIND THAT WE COULDN'T EVEN SEE UP BUT NOW THAT WE'RE SEEING UP THE SOOTHSAYERS AND THE NEGATIVE AND THE AND THE DOWNWARD PEOPLE. THEY'RE STILL COMPLAINING. SO I WANNA SAY TO YOU ALL KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. WE NEED THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE. WE NEED THE JONES. WE NEED THE OR WE NEED. THE MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND THE AND THE SMITH LEE AND THE CUTHBERT. WE NEED THIS GROUP. STAY STRONG. STAY ENCOURAGED. IGNORE THE NONSENSE. IGNORE THE NEGATIVITY. DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO FOR THE CONSTITUENTS. YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN LITTLE BY LITTLE, EVEN IN YOUR PERSONAL BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO PLAN IF YOU WANT TO WASH AND DRYER, YOU CAN'T JUST GO. MOST PEOPLE CAN'T JUST GO AND PURCHASE THOSE THINGS. JUST YOU HAVE TO PLAN THINGS TAKE TIME [00:25:03] YOU HAVE. THERE'S A STRATEGY. AND YOU ARE APPEAR TO BE A STRATEGIZING FOR THE CITY. A BLIND MAN SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. I CAN SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND I'M GONNA SUPPORT YOU. AS LONG AS YOU'RE MOVING US FORWARD. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT YOU. I'M GONNA ALWAYS SPEAK INTO YOUR LIFE. I'M GONNA ALWAYS SHARE WITH YOU THE THINGS THAT I SEE THAT YOU ARE DOING THAT'S MOVING US IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING. ARE YOU PERFECT? NO AM I PERFECT? NO DO I MAKE MISTAKES? YES ARE YOU GONNA MAKE SOME MISTAKES? YES BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT'S GONNA COME TOGETHER, ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND SAY, LET US ALL COME TOGETHER AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE I AM PETERSBURG. RIGHT? THANK YOU. NEXT. WE HAVE MISS GENEVIEVE LO. MIGHT HAVE BEEN BETTER TO GO WITH POSITIVE AFTER MY OPPORTUNITY TO TALK. GENEVIEVE LAURA 19 GUARANTEE STREET GOOD AFTER EVENING. ACTUALLY EVERYBODY, ALL RIGHT, SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS ONE. WE CAN'T SOLVE PROBLEMS IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, AND THAT'S NOT NEGATIVITY. SO JUST WANNA MAKE THAT REALLY CLEAR? SECONDLY, UH, IF CITY COUNCIL IS AN ENGAGING THE PUBLIC THEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT WE NEED OR WHAT WE WANT. SO THOSE TWO THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN. UH, WE CAN DO THAT IN A POSITIVE WAY. BUT YOU GUYS ACTUALLY HAVE TO LISTEN. YOU HAVE TO BE INTERESTED IN WHAT WE'RE SAYING. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S 1ST 2ND. WE SPOKE ABOUT APPROXIMATELY $3 MILLION. LAST TIME WE WERE AT CITY COUNCIL FROM A TAX ESSENTIALLY A TAX INCREASE. AND THE REASON FOR THAT. CITY COUNCIL SHARED WAS TO HELP FUND PARKS AND RECREATION IN PART AND WHICH IS GREAT. IT SOUNDS REALLY WONDERFUL. HOWEVER I THEN WENT TO THE BUDGET MEETING THAT HAPPENED AND THE CITY OF PETERSBURG IS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, NOT PROVIDING CITY EMPLOYEES ANY SORT OF RAISE. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE. IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE WORKERS WHO ARE WORKING HERE. TWO YEARS IN A ROW. AND IF YOU GUYS WANTED SOMETHING TO DO WITH $3 MILLION, YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID YOU WANTED TO GIVE THE CITY EMPLOYEES A RAISE BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ON BOARD WITH THAT. INFLATION IS UP. I SPOKE ABOUT THAT LAST YEAR. LESS BUYING POWER FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES PER PAYCHECK. AT THAT TIME, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY $70 PER PAYCHECK FOR THE AVERAGE CITY EMPLOYEE THAT HASN'T REALLY GOTTEN BETTER. SO WE STILL CONTINUE TO NOT PROVIDE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. I REALIZE THERE'S BEEN SOME REDUCTION IN HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS. I THINK THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE ALSO PUT $19 MILLION INTO THE FUND BALANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 23. $19 MILLION. WHAT IS THAT 20% OF OUR BUDGET ISH. WE HAVE 20 PER CENT OF OUR BUDGET LEFT OVER IN FISCAL YEAR 23. WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THAT ADEQUATELY. WE DIDN'T REASSIGN IT. I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT A BUDGET PERSON. I'M JUST A SOCIAL WORKER. BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT OK TO NOT PROVIDE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES. YOUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE THE PEOPLE PROVIDING FIRE. POLICE YOUR PEOPLE WORKING IN THE WATER DEPARTMENT. I MEAN, ALL OF THESE THINGS RIGHT THAT WE DEPEND ON AND IT NEEDS TO OCCUR THAT THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND IF YOU WANT YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO BE HAPPY WITH THE CITY THAN THE CITY EMPLOYEES THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH THAT'S GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT PIECE PROPERLY, COMPENSATING THEM AS PART OF IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MISTER ALMAN. THE CHAIRING ON THAT PIECE, PLEASE. UH, YES, SIR. MR MAYOR. SO UH, AS MM LOWER INDICATED WE DID. COUNSEL DID TAKE THE STEP TO ESSENTIALLY CUT HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IN HALF. SO UH, THAT WAS A BIG STEP FORWARD. ADDITIONALLY WHILE THERE ISN'T A COLA OR COST OF LIVING RAISE IN THE BUDGET, THERE IS $1.3 MILLION SET ASIDE IN THE BUDGET TO BEGIN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CLASS IN COMP STUDY, WHICH WE ARE UNDERGOING, CURRENTLY, SO OUR OUR EMPLOYEES WILL BE GETTING A BENEFIT OF AN INCREASED SALARY. ONCE THAT IS COMPLETED. WE PUT THAT AS A PLACEHOLDER SO HE COULD MAKE BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION THIS YEAR DURING THE BUDGET, AND WE LOOK TO DO THAT MID YEAR SO WE ARE WE ARE LOOKING OUT. FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. IT'S ALWAYS ONE OF MY 1ST AND 1ST PRIORITIES IS TO [00:30:03] TAKE CARE OF THE EMPLOYEES, SO WE WILL BE DOING THAT. THANK YOU, MR DOMAN. NEXT, WE MOVE ON TO MISS CAROL HARRIS. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM MY NAME IS CAROL HARRIS. I AM ONE OF THE TEEN MOMS FOR THE PETERSBURG BIRD BOYS. UM I'M ALSO THE EVENT COORDINATOR FOR THE PETERSBURG BIRD BOYS. I'M COMING TO YOU ALL TODAY. BASICALLY, WE NEED HELP. UM THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. THE LADY THAT IS IN CHARGE OF THE ORGANIZATION. SHE DOES THAT EXCELLENT JOB OF RUNNING THE ORGANIZATION, BUT IT'S MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE DO THANK Y'ALL. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AS WE SPEAK, THEY ARE PUTTING UP LIGHTS, WHICH WE DEFINITELY NEED OUT THERE. SO WE DO. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. BUT ME AS AN EVENT PLANNER. I'M LOOKING AT THAT WE CAN USE CITY COUNCIL AS A PLATFORM. UM USE YOUR NAME WHEN PEOPLE SEE MR WESTBROOK, MR JONES, MISS LEE, THEY TEND TO CLING MORE THAN IF IT'S JUST ME, UH, REGULAR CITIZEN OF PETERSBURG. SO WHAT I PLAN ON DOING IS DOING AN EVENT FOR THE BARRY BOYS WHERE WE HAVE A BIRD BOYS DAY WHERE WE CAN RAISE THE MONEY. WE SET UP FOOD TRUCKS AND DIFFERENT THINGS TO NATURE SO THAT WE CAN BRING IN MONEY. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME TO YOU ALL THEY ALWAYS LIKE, OH, WE NEED WE NEED SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT YOU FINANCIALLY. THIS IF WE SET UP AN EVENT AND WE USE YOUR NAME, UM MISS WESTBROOK IS GONNA BE THERE TO CANCEL MARLO JONES. THEY'RE GONNA BE THERE OR WHATEVER. THEN I THINK IT WILL BRING MORE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND TO, UM THE EVENT WHERE WE CAN RAISE MONEY INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING TO CITY COUNCIL TO GIVE US MONEY NOW I DO WANNA TOUCH ON ONE SUBJECT. COUNCILMAN JONES WHEN YOU CAME OUT AND SPOKE TO US THE OTHER DAY, YOU SAID THAT, UH $3000 WAS GIVEN TO THE BIRD BOYS. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT MONEY YET. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN BEING HELD UP IN CITY COUNCIL OR SOMETHING, BUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT YET. AND LIKE I SAID, THE BOYS, THEY ARE OUR FUTURE. THESE YOUNG MEN, UM, THE COACHES WE HAVE OUT HERE. THEY'RE WORKING HARD WITH THESE YOUNG MEN AND THESE KIDS. THEY HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL. THESE KIDS THEY ON TOP OF PRACTICING FOUR DAYS A WEEK. UM THEY COME OUT THERE. THEY PLAY A GAME AT THE END OF THE WEEK, AND THEY'RE STILL MAINTAINING HONOR ROLL. WE JUST REWARDED. OUR, UM, TEAM, THE EIGHT U TEAM. WE HAVE 15 KIDS ON THE TEAM. 13 OF THEM WERE EIGHT HONOR ROLL STUDENTS. SO WE WANNA CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE OUR KIDS, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP TO BE ABLE TO DO IT WHEN I TALK TO MISS, UM MISS SMITH THE OTHER DAY, WE NEED PLACES TO HOLD THEIR BANQUETS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. UM WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE CAN GO. I ASKED HER ABOUT THE UNION TRAIN STATION. IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO USE THE UNION TRAIN STATION SO THAT WE CAN DO THESE EVENTS FOR THESE KIDS BECAUSE OUR KIDS NEED TO BE CELEBRATED. IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW THEY'RE GONNA BE LOST TO THE STREETS AND ME AS A PARENT. AND A PARENT OF A YOUNG BLACK MAN. I REFUSE TO LET MIS BE LOST TO THE STREET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS HARRIS. UM AT THIS TIME I WANT TO COUNCILMAN JONES TO CHIME IN BECAUSE I KNOW HE WAS JUST THERE WITH THE B BOYS AND HAD TO MISS HARRIS. MISS HARRIS. HOW ARE YOU DOING? UM, ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE BURG BOYS HERE TONIGHT? ANY OTHER PLAYERS. OH, RIGHT. STAND UP, YOUNG MAN. YOU REPRESENT THE REST OF THOSE GUYS THAT I SAW THE OTHER NIGHT PRACTICING THEIR HUDDLE. Y'ALL GIVE HIM A HAND BECAUSE THEY ARE CHAMPIONS. JUST THE OTHER DAY I CHALLENGED MISS HARRIS AND THE REST OF THE PARENTS TO COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE THEY EXPRESSED THEIR NEED AND THEIR WANTS AND WHAT THEY NEEDED FROM THE CITY. AND I CHALLENGE HIM BECAUSE I SAID, I DON'T SEE YOU GUYS HERE. AND SHE CAME, SHE ROSE TO THE OCCASION. SHE PUT HER MONEY WHERE HER MOUTH IS, AND SHE CAME HERE. UM YOU SPEAK OF A PLACE TO HAVE YOUR BAKE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I DON'T WANT YOU OR ANY PARENT IN THIS CITY TO THINK THAT YOU'RE SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE CITY. YOU'RE STANDING IN A PLACE THAT HAD YOUR BANQUET RIGHT HERE, AND ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS JUST ASK FOR IT, AND IT'S DONE. IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE. WE'LL MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS. OUR KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE, AND THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO NOT BRING THE STREETS TO THE KIDS. BUT TAKE THE KIDS FROM THE STREETS. NOW FOR THE MONEY PORTION. THAT'S PART OF YOUR ORGANIZATION BECAUSE WE DID OUR PART. YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE TO SET UP THE PROPER ACCOUNTS TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS. SO WE DID WHAT WE PROMISED TO DO. SO THAT'S YOU GOTTA TAKE THAT UP WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION. BUT WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. WE'RE HERE FOR THE KIDS, AND WE'RE GONNA ALWAYS BE INTO ANYBODY IN HERE WHO THINK WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE FOR THE KIDS? SO YOU CAN WALK OUT TOO? BUT WE'RE HERE. THOSE KIDS PRACTICING THEIR BUTT OFF OUT THERE AND THEY ARE OUR FUTURE. THESE KIDS WAS ATTENTIVE THEY IGNORED LIKE THE LADY SAY [00:35:01] IGNORED THE IGNORANCE. THEY IGNORED THE IGNORANCE. THEY IGNORED THE NEG. NEGATIVE. UH, THING. THINGS OUT THERE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND THE PARENTS AND THE COACHES AND NEXT TIME YOU COME BRING THE REST OF THEM. ALL RIGHT, SO WE CAN WE CAN, UH, SET THEM RIGHT HERE AND SEE WHAT WE DO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, GUYS. THANK YOU. NEXT. WE HAVE MISS ASHLEY SHARP. OH, YES, UM COUNCILMAN SMITH, LEE HOLD ON FOR A SECOND. STAND UP, MISS. SO I'M SO EXCITED THAT YOU CAME YOU'RE ON A MISSION. AND YOUR MISSION IS GONNA BE OUR MISSION AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE A NICE BANQUET. IN A NICE FACILITY, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO MISS ASHLEY SHARP. OK? NEXT. JENNIFER LOWRY. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. I'M JEN LOWRY. I LIVE IN WARD FOUR. I LIVE ON, UM, OLD STREET. UM, AT THE OLD APPOMATTOX BUILDING. UM I'M JUST HERE TO, UM TALK ABOUT RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG AND HOW I FEEL THAT THE CASINO IS PROBABLY NOT I KNOW IT'S A FAST WAY TO GET MONEY. BUT I FEEL LIKE PETERSBURG IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. AND THAT I'VE LIVED HERE FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS. HOWARD I LIVED IN YOUR BUILDING FOR A LITTLE WHILE. IF YOU REMEMBER ME. UM AND I FEEL LIKE PETERSBURG. WANT SOMETHING REALLY QUICK TO BUILD PETERSBURG UP AND I GET IT. BUT EVEN SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE IS REALLY GROWING, AND I FEEL LIKE THE CASINO WILL TAKE AWAY FROM OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. IT'LL TAKE AWAY FROM OUR NONPROFITS THAT ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED. AND, UM, I FEEL LIKE IF YOU GUYS WOULD THINK ABOUT HOW RICHMOND IS GROWING AND HOW THEY ARE TAKING A DIFFERENT PATH. FROM THE CASINO. THEY VOTED DOWN THE CASINO, SO IF IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR RICHMOND, I REALLY FEEL LIKE IT WOULDN'T BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR PETERSBURG. IT'S WE CAN'T PUT ENOUGH ROOTS IN THAT WE CAN'T ATTRACT A GROCERY STORE AND LIKE BECAUSE WE ARE A FOOD DESERT. I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD ESTABLISH A HUGE UNDERTAKING LIKE THE CASINO RIGHT NOW. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT SHOULD BE LE. I'M JUST SAYING IT SHOULDN'T BE RIGHT NOW . PETERSBURG'S IN THE I FEEL LIKE IT'S IN A RENAISSANCE AND THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE ATTRACTED TO PETERSBURG , BUT WE NEED TO GIVE THEM BETTER REASON TO BE ATTRACTED TO PETERSBURG. NOT A. I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE A DESTINATION LIKE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO LOOK IT UP ON THE INTERNET AND SAY, OH, I TO PETERSBURG. THERE'S A CASINO THERE. I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT PETERSBURG IS NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF. THERE'S RIVERS AND HIKING TRAILS AND, UM MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS. THERE ARE PARKS THAT ARE NOT BEING USED. THERE ARE, UM NOT JUST LIKE ANTIQUING AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THERE'S SO MANY RECREATIONAL THINGS THAT PETERSBURG IS NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF, AND IT COULD REALLY HELP BUILD OUR AREA AND, UM, ATTRACT PEOPLE THAT WOULD HELP US BUILD OUR SCHOOLS BUILD OUR COMMUNITY BUILD OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OUR DIS OUR OUR NEW OUR BILL. I'M SORRY. OUR BUSINESS DISTRICT TO WHERE, UM IT WOULD BE FINANCIALLY WOULD BE MORE STABLE THAN WHAT? UH A CASINO COULD BE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEWS TODAY. DANVILLE'S IN THE NEWS RIGHT NOW TODAY FOR THEIR CASINO, AND, UM, HOW MANY PROMISES HAVE BEEN BROKEN. SO UM , I JUST REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT IT. AND, UM MAYBE GET MORE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OK? I THINK EVERYBODY FOR THE COMMERCE FOR TONIGHT THAT CONCLUDES OUR OKAY, OKAY. [00:40:08] AND YOU GET A CHANCE TO SIGN UP, OK? THEY COME WITH THAT? GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, SIR. COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ANTHONY COLEMAN. AND I FEEL AS THOUGH THAT THE CITY REALLY DO NEED THIS CASINO THE ADDRESS, PLEASE. UH, 44 NORTH SYCAMORE STREET. THANK YOU. YEAH, I FEEL AS THOUGH THEY DIDN'T SAY THEY REALLY DO NEED THIS CASINO. I MEAN, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I'VE BEEN THERE ALL MY LIFE. THIS CITY AIN'T GOT NOTHING. AND I FEEL AS THOUGH IT POSSIBLY HAVE GOT A CASINO PETERSBURG DESERVE A CASINO PON CRIME RATE IS WAY HIGHER THAN PETERSBURG. AND I JUST FEEL THAT PETERSBURG IS I MEAN, BEING PATIENT LONG ENOUGH TO GET A CHANCE TO GET SOME MONEY, AND HE GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO GET A JOB. AND, UM AT THE END OF THE DAY. EVERYBODY DESERVE A FAIR CHANCE TO ANYTHING IN LIFE IN PETERSBURG DEFINITELY DESERVE A CHANCE TO ANYTHING TO GET SOME MONEY. BECAUSE AIN'T NOTHING ATTRACTIVE IN PETTY TO I MEAN, I'M GONNA KEEP IT REAL WITH YOU AIN'T NOTHING TO TRY TO HERE. AND, UH, APPRECIATE Y'ALL FOR DOING THE THING FOR THE BIRD BOYS AND THEM LITTLE KIDS. AND ALL THE COACHES. AND, UM I JUST TALKED TO A COACH AND HE AT WORK. I THINK THE KIDS MAY BE A PRACTICE, BUT THEY VERY APPRECIATIVE OF WHATEVER Y'ALL CAN DO FOR THEM. AND THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY. THANK YOU. OK? ALL RIGHT, MISS CHESTER, MISS PAULA CHESTER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS PAULA CHESTER. 1013 OMON. THE SPIRIT. I HAD TO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE IMPROVEMENT THAT I'M NOTICING IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. I HAVE BEEN DEFINITE ADVOCATING FOR THIS COUNCIL MEMBER FOR ME MEMBERS AND ENCOURAGE AND HOPE TO BE ENCOURAGING THAT I AM WITH EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SEEN DIFFERENT WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, SO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. STAY FAST AND YOUR SPIRIT AND TRUST GOD TO LEAD YOU. I AM ALSO IN FAVOR. OF A CASINO. AS STATED. WE HAVE BEEN IN A STANDSTILL FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS. AND IT'S NOW TIME FOR A CHANGE. AND IF WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, WE SHOULD STOP ON BOARD AND GO FOR IT. THE CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE DESERVE A BETTER FUTURE. THEY DESERVE SCHOOLS WHERE THEY CAN FEEL PROUD TO GO TO AND BE EAGER TO LEARN. WE TALK ABOUT THE TAXES ARE TOO HIGH. AND YET WE WANT NICE THINGS. THE TAX RATE HAS TO GO UP. I UNDERSTAND IT. CLEARLY I'M A RETIRED PERSON ON A BUDGET , BUT I UNDERSTAND IN ORDER TO HAVE THINGS NICE AND AAA PRO. WE HAVE TO PAY FOR BUT WE ARE A CITIZENS OF 32 NO COMPARISON TO CHESTERFIELD, RICHMOND OR PRINCE GEORGE. SO THEREFORE, WHEN WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD, I SALUTE YOU ALL TO STAY FAST AND YOUR PLANNING, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT DEPEND ON EVERY TIME YOU MAKE A DECISION TO HELP FOR THE CITIZENS TO COME IN, BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU WOULD NEVER NEVER GET ANYTHING DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK [6. Approval of Consent Agenda] EVERYBODY FOR THEIR COMMENTS THIS EVENING. NEXT WE MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX, WHICH IS APPROVAL AND CONSENT AGENDA TO INCLUDE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS, ITEM A MINUTES PAGES. 3 TO 21 MINUTES OF APRIL 16TH 2024 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING CLOSED SESSION MINUTES APRIL 16TH 2024 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES OF APRIL. 24TH 2024 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING CLOSED SESSION. MINUTES OF MAY. 1ST 2024 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING CLOSED SESSION ITEM B 2024 CPA 01 A REQUEST TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION IN IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15.2 0.22 25 OF THE COTA, VIRGINIA TO REPEAL THE CITY OF PETERSBURG COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040 ADOPT A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TITLED PETERSBURG NEXT, WHICH INCLUDES UP TO DATE DEMOGRAPHICS, TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS, LAND USE AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION. THE DRAFT PLAN CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE AT WW PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, NEXT.COM. [00:45:06] PAID IS 2246 ITEM. C VIRGINIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR LIFE GRANT FOR HIS READING. D A REQUEST TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG'S FY 2425 PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR READING. ITEM E A REQUEST TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO APPROPRIATE THE BUDGET FOR PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR FY 2024 25 FOR HIS READING ITEM FA REQUEST TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE 525776 FY 24 COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS AND PRETRIAL SERVICES, ONE TIME FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $22,793 NEXT ITEM G YOUR REQUEST TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE DAVID BTB, G GRATIN LLC AND HEREINAFTER, VIRGINIA GREEN, TWO, DONATE AND PROVIDE MAINTENANCE SERVICES TO THE PROPERTY AT THE INTERSECTION OF WOODLAND ROAD AND OAK. RIDGE ROAD. ITEM H A REQUEST TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLAN. ITEM I A REQUEST TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLAN DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA'S TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FINANCING PROGRAM TO ENDORSE A PROPOSED TOURISM PROJECT AND TO AUTHORIZE OTHER ACTIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE TOURISM GAP FINANCING. THOSE ITEMS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. VICE MAYOR HILL A MOVE THAT WE ADOPTED CONSIDER AGENDA AS RED. COUNCIL M SMITH LEE SECOND, ALL RIGHT, MISS HILL. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROAD? COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT. YOU CAN COME BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER JONES COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS COUNCIL MEMBER WESTBROOK COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH LEE I, VICE MAYOR HILL MAYOR PER COUNCIL MEMBER, CUTHBERT. MOTION CAR, OK, ALL RIGHT. NEXT ITEM. SEVEN SPECIAL [7. Special Reports] REPORTS ITEM A PRESENTATION ON THE UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM FORMALLY ADOPTED AND APPROVED ZONING ITEMS WITHOUT ORDINANCES. MISS SMA. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL, NAOMI SAY MARK DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TODAY. I WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION TALKING ABOUT SOME ADMINISTRATIVE UM, PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OUR ORDINANCES PROPERLY RECORDED AND IN PLACE. SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU. THAT VIRGINIA STATE CODE NOTES THAT ANY AMENDMENT OR REPEAL OF AN ORDINANCE SHALL BE IN THE FORM OF AN ORDINANCE. SO WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING COME BEFORE YOU, WE MIGHT HAVE THE STAFF REPORT AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. BUT WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE IN THE PACKET. A DOCUMENT CALLED AN ORDINANCE THAT FORMALLY CODIFIES AND ADOPTS ANYTHING LIKE A REZONING OR A TEXT AMENDMENT THAT YOU ALL MIGHT SEE. SO HAVE SOME ACTIONS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE YOU ALL BETWEEN 2014 AND 2022. THAT DID NOT HAVE THOSE ORDINANCES INCLUDED IN THOSE PACKETS. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS GET THOSE OFF THE GROUND AND ADOPTED AND FORMALIZED. I DID WANNA PUT A REMINDER IN HERE, THOUGH, THAT ALL AFFECTED PARTIES HAVE ASSUMED APPROVAL OF THESE, UM HEARINGS THAT YOU ALL HAD, UM EVEN IF THEY HADN'T TAKEN THE FORM OF AN ORDINANCE, SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS OR CHANGES. THESE ARE HISTORICAL ITEMS, BUT THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUE AND WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO PROPERLY HAVE THE RIGHT DOCUMENTATION FOR THESE CASES. A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE WITH THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE CITY CLERK THAT FROM 2014 TO 2021. THERE ARE ABOUT 25 OR SO ORDINANCES THAT HAD NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN PACKETS THAT CAME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEREFORE NOT FORMALLY ADOPTED. WITH THAT, UH, ONCE I HAD SOME STAFF IN PLACE, WE WORKED TOGETHER IN FEBRUARY TO DO SOME FACT FINDING AND DRAFTING OF THOSE MISSING ORDINANCES. AND TO DO THAT WE TOOK A LOOK AT AGENDAS AS WELL AS MINUTES. AND WE'D ALSO REVIEWED ANY SPECIAL CONDITIONS, A CASE MIGHT HAVE AS WELL AS ANY SPECIFIC WORDING THAT WE COULD TAKE FROM ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED, SUCH AS THE STAFF REPORTS WITH THAT WE THEN, UM, FINALIZE THOSE DOCUMENTS AND THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET. THAT WAS, UH, PRESENTED TO YOU ALL TODAY. SO HERE A RE JUST SOME EXA MPLES. THESE ARE JUST THE GENERAL TITLES OF THE ORDINANCES FROM 2014 2015 AND ON THAT DON'T HAVE OFFICIAL ORDINANCE DOCUMENTS FOR THEM, [00:50:01] THOUGH YOU'VE THOUGH, COUNCIL HEARD THEM AND TOOK ACTION. UM ON THESE ITEMS, SO MOST OF THEM ARE SPECIAL USE PERMITS. SOME ARE REZONING ITEMS. SOME ARE GOING FROM OUR THREE M ONE TO R THREE. SO OTHER REZONING SPECIAL USE PERMITS. UM SOME ACTION TAKEN FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT APPROVAL FOR A YEAR. AGAIN JUST A FEW MORE CASES HERE MOSTLY AGAIN, SPECIAL USE PERMITS A FEW REZONING. WITH THAT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS PROCESS. THE NEXT STEP IS WE'LL PUT THESE ORDINANCES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA NEXT MONTH FOR YOU ALLS OFFICIAL ADOPTION AGAIN. THIS IS REALLY JUST TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE PROPER RECORDS IN PLACE. COUNCILS OF THE PAST HAVE TAKEN ACTION ON THESE HAVE APPROVED WHAT'S IN PLACE, AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OPERATING WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE, UM APPROVED AND CODIFIED. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. VICE MAYOR HILL? YES M. SO MAYA, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEEP DIVE AND JUST CLEANING UP SOME THINGS, ARE YOU YOU YOU BEFORE YOU BRING IT TO US, YOU WILL BE RUNNING THIS PAST CITY ATTORNEY, RIGHT? MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD. YES WE'VE SPOKEN WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY. THIS IS THE PROCESS THAT WE DECIDED WAS APPROPRIATE FOR MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH I TH I THINK IT'S AD A COMMENDABLE HOUSEKEEPING EFFORT. YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE CITY FOR SOME TIME. UM IT'S KIND OF WHAT PROMPTED, UH, INITIATING ME REVIEWING THE PACKAGES. THAT WAS AROUND 2021 WHEN WE STARTED HAVING THAT WHEN WE DISCOVERED THE ISSUE, SO, UH, MISS SIDE IS CORRECTING SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP US MOVING FORWARD. OH, RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. RIGHT. NEXT MOVE ON ITEM B, WHICH IS THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PETERSBURG PRESENTATION. MR MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THIS EVENING. WE HAVE, UM KEVIN FOSTER WITH JOHN RANDOLPH FOUNDATION HERE THIS EVENING TO GIVE COUNCILS A PRESENTATION ON SETTING UP THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PETERSBURG FUND. UH, THIS IS AN I AN INITIATIVE THAT'S COME OUT OF OBVIOUSLY THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PETERSBURG. THERE ARE WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL, UH, COMPANIES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING DONATIONS TO THE CITY FOR EFFORT. SPECIFIC EFFORTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY OR PROJECTS WITH MECHANISM, RECEIVE AND USE THOSE AND WITH SIX. SNAP. DO THAT. OF THE OF JOHN RANDOLPH FOUNDATION. WE'RE JUST TONIGHT'S JUST A PRESENTATION. FORMAL ADOPTION OF THE PARTNERSHIP OF PETERSBURG FUND WOULD BE AT YOUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AT THE, UH, MAY 21ST MEETING. SO THIS EVENING AGAIN, JUST A PRESENTATION TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. DOING FORMAL ACTION WILL COME AT THE PRE NEXT MEETING. AND UH THIS IS MR FOSTER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. GOOD EVENING, MR FOSTER. HOW YOU DOING? RIGHT MAYOR PERM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, MR. ALTMAN UM MR OMAN DID A GREAT JOB WITH THAT, UH, GROUNDS. I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO SHARE WITH YOU, BUT I'M EXCITED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, UH, TO ENTER INTO A FUND AGREEMENT WITH JOHN RANDOLPH FOUNDATION. WE ARE THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE TRI CITIES AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO OBTAIN CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS TO HELP WITH PROJECTS. UM AND PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT EXCLUSIVELY THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. UH AS MR ALTMAN SAID, WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS. UH INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS. UH, SINCE SPRING OF 2023. AND WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, CREATE A PARTNERSHIP FOR PETERSBURG. FUN. UM, WHERE PRIMARILY CORPORATE DONATIONS COULD COME TO THIS FUND AND BE FULLY EXPENDABLE, MEANING THAT A GRANTS COULD BE MADE TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OF THE CITY. UH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A PERMANENT FUND. UM IT COULD VERY WELL TURN INTO A PERMANENT FUND THAT'S HERE INTO PERPETUITY WHEN WE'RE ALL GONE TO OUR HEAVENLY MAKER. UM, BUT NOW IT'S SET UP TO JUST BE A AN EXPENDABLE FUND. SO AS FUNDS COME INTO US, WE CAN WORK WITH THE CITY AND DEVELOP AND COME UP WITH PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD HELP FUND AND THE TAXPAYERS WOULD NOT HAVE TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS. UH AGAIN. YOU'RE SEEING THIS, UH, DRAFT FOR THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT. UH, THIS IS, UM OUR STANDARD FUND AGREEMENT [00:55:01] THAT'S GONE THROUGH OUR LEGAL PROCESS. UH, IT'S ALSO GONE ALL THE WAY TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND I HAD THE PLEASURE. UH, THREE WEEKS AGO, I GUESS WITH MEETING WITH MR PERM AND MR MYERS AND SOME CITY STAFF AND JUST EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE COULD COLLECTIVELY DO TOGETHER, UM, FOR THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. I'LL STOP THERE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR THE MR FOSTER. WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCILMAN JONES. HOW YOU DOING? GREAT SIR. THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR WANT TO PARTNER WITH PETERSBURG. UM I GOT A QUESTION. I THINK THIS QUESTION IS TO THIS CITY MANAGER. WHAT DO WE MEAN? WHEN WE SAY WE DON'T HAVE THE MECHANISM TO RECEIVE OR USE FUNDS. BECAUSE WE JUST HAD A YOUNG LADY. IN HERE. WHO I WOULD CONSIDER A MECHANISM AND USE FOR SOME OF THESE VINES. WHO ARE YOU? SO WHAT? WHAT DO WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM TO RECEIVE AND USE. WE DON'T HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT FOR THE FUNDS. SO A LOT OF THE, UH, ENTITIES THAT HAVE APPROACHED US CORPORATIONS ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS A IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE. SO THIS ONE ALLOW US TO HAVE A FUND THAT THEY CAN DONATE TO THAT WILL BE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. UH, IF I REMEMBER OUR CONVERSATION CORRECTLY, THERE WOULD BE A COMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE SET UP THAT WOULD ADVISE ON HOW THOSE FUNDS COULD BE WOULD BE INVESTED. SO THEN, SO FUNDING COULD COME IN AND THEN WE COULD TURN AND USE IT TO EXACTLY LIKE SUPPORT OF PROUD BOYS. UH YOU KNOW, OR ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE FIELDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT IT'S THAT MECHANISM THAT WE NEED TO ALLOW FOR THAT TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION BY THOSE CORPORATIONS. ALL RIGHT, SO TWO THINGS REAL QUICK. I WANT TO CORRECT IT. NOT THE PROUD BOYS. IT'S THE BIRD BOYS. MY APOLOGIES. WE GOTTA FIX THAT. YEAH I AM SO SORRY. I AM SO SORRY, MS HARRIS. I AM SO SORRY. I'M SO SORRY. WELL YOU KNOW, III. I KNOW IT JUST IT JUST EARLIER. NICE CATCH. NICE CATCH. THANK YOU THAT THEY HIT ME, MAN. SO UH, ABOUT THE, UH SO I'M PROUD OF THE BIRD BOYS. THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. OK, OK. ALL RIGHT. SO LISTEN. UM, WOULD THAT COMMITTEE WITH THAT COMMITTEE CONSIST OF CITIZENS. IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND WHO WOULD IT CONSIST OF THE COMMITTEE THAT'S GONNA BE UP TO COUNCIL WHEN WE GO TO DO THAT. AND ALSO I WOULD LOVE FOR THE CITIZENS TO SOME OF THE CITIZENS TO BE ON IT IF THEY ASK FOR IT OR APPLY FOR IT TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SOMEBODY WANNA COME AND GIVE US THINGS THAT WE NEED FOR OUR YOUTH, OUR SENIOR CITIZENS PARKING ALL KIND OF THINGS, AND THESE ARE SMALL THINGS TO ADD UP. BUT THIS MONEY WOULD HELP US WITH ALL OF THAT. SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU. UM THAT'S ALL I GOT. YOU'RE WELCOME, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR FALA, SO WE'LL WE'LL HAVE A THE NEXT MEETING. YES SIR. WE'LL HAVE IT ON THE SCHEDULE FOR THE 21ST FOR FIRST FOR ADOPTION. OK, AND I'LL BE AVAILABLE UP UNTIL THEN. IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [9. Finance and Budget Report] ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE MOVE ON TO MONTHLY REPORTS. UM ITEM NINE. WE HAVE THE F FINANCE AND BUDGET REPORT. THIS IS THE FY 2023 24 CITY OF PETERSBURG BUDGET. THE ACTUALS. WE HAVE MR CROZIER HERE THIS EVENING TO GIVE US A PRESENTATION COUNCIL PRESENTATION. GOOD EVENING. ALRIGHT TONIGHT WE HAVE FOR YOU. THE APRIL BUDGET TO ACTUAL JUST AS A BACKGROUND. UM SINCE THE MONTH OF DECEMBER FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PRODUCING MONTHLY BUDGET TO ACTUAL REPORTS . UM THAT ARE NOW BEING LOADED TO KEEP TALKING TO YOU, MIKE THAT ARE NOW BEING LOADED TO THE CITY WEBSITE ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM SO FIRST WE'RE STARTING OFF WITH, UH, WHERE WE AT IN REVENUE . SO UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH POSTING REVENUES. UM, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH RECONCILING ALL THE ACCOUNTS. UM SOME IMPORTANT DATES TO NOTICE. UH, THE THIRD QUARTER REAL ESTATE WAS DUE ON THE FIRST OF APRIL. AND THE FOURTH QUARTER REAL ESTATE IS DUE ON THE 30TH OF JUNE. 2ND QUARTER OF PERSONAL PROPERTY IS DUE JUNE THE 10TH. SO THESE NUMBERS DON'T REFLECT A LOT OF, UH, OUR REVENUE SOURCES. UM, HOWEVER, THE NEXT FEW REPORTS THAT ARE WILL BE COMING OUT SHOULD SHOW UH, THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF REVENUE TO WHERE WE'RE TRACKING WHERE WE SHOULD BE. SO THIS IS, UM, BROKEN DOWN BY DEPARTMENT. UM YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HERE WE HAVE A FEW DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE OVER, UH, WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. UH RIGHT NOW WE ARE COMPLETED 83% [01:00:09] OF THE FISCAL YEAR. UM SO ANYONE WHO IS UNDER 83% ON THIS LISTING WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE IN A GREEN ZONE FOR SPENDING. UM AND ANYONE OVER THAT, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND KIND OF SEE WHAT WHAT THE ISSUE. IS UM, FOR EXAMPLE, BILLING COLLECTIONS, UH, IS AT 100 AND 13% RIGHT NOW, UM, AND THAT IS MAINLY DUE TO THE POSTAL SERVICES FOR QUARTERLY BILLS, RIGHT? UH, WE MOVED TO A SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE SENDING OUT BILLS QUARTERLY. UM SO THAT INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF POSTAGE UM, THAT JUST WAS NOT CAPTURED IN THE BUDGET. UM BUT WE'RE WORKING TO CAPTURE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT BUDGET, SO THAT IS REFLECTED ACCURATELY. UH ANOTHER ONE HERE IS REFUSE COLLECTION. REFUSE COLLECTION IS OVER. UM, WE'RE SITTING AT 100 AND 12% AND THAT'S SIMPLY DUE TO, UM THERE WAS NOT A CONTRACT SIGNED AT AT SOME POINT. UM SO WE ARE HOPING THAT THAT WILL START TO SITUATE ITSELF OUT WITH THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. UM, SO OVERALL TOTAL IN THE GENERAL FUND. WE'RE SITTING AT 78% EXPENDED AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, 83% OF THE YEAR IS GONE ALREADY. SO THIS IS A OVERVIEW OF THE GRANTS FUND. UM IT JUST SHOWS WHAT THE BUDGETED EXPENDITURES WERE FOR THE GRANTS FUND. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF RECONCILING THAT, UH, FUND RIGHT NOW, UM, SO WE DO NOT HAVE THE EXPENDITURES AVAILABLE. UM BUT AT EXCUSE ME, THE REVENUE IS AVAILABLE, BUT AS FAR AS EXPENDITURES, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. UM AND IT IS CURRENTLY AGGREGATE SITTING AT 77. UH, FOR STREETS FUND SO STATE REVENUE, WHICH IS WHERE WE GET ALL OF THE REVENUE FOR OUR STREETS WHEN WE'RE SITTING AT 116% SO WE'RE WELL OVER, UH, FOR THE STREETS FUND AND THEN FOR EXPENDITURES. WE HAD 66% SO THAT'S A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP THERE. UH SAME THING FOR UTILITIES. SO UTILITIES IS AT 93% OF REVENUES RECEIVED. UM 83% OF THE YEAR IS GONE ALREADY. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO RECEIVE THOSE LAST 7% WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, UH AND THEN FOR THE EXPENDITURE, SIDE, WATER AND WASTE WATERFALLS ON THE UNDER THE UTILITIES FUND. UM AND THAT'S SITTING CURRENTLY AT 71.54% EXPENDED. MOVING ON TO STORM WATER. UH, STORM WATER. WE'RE AT 82% OF REVENUES RECEIVED, UM AND NOT MUCH EXPENDITURES ON THE STORMWATER SIDE. 28.6% EXPENDED THERE. UM, SO WE'LL WE'LL BE LOOKING TO RECTIFY THIS AS WELL. FOR THE GOLF COURSE. THE GOLF COURSE IS AT 83% REVENUES, UM, IN 99% EXPENDED. UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, THE RATHER THAN THE PERCENTAGE THE AMOUNT, UH FOR THE GOLF COURSE, UH, BECAUSE THE GOLF COURSE OPERATES ON THEIR OWN REVENUES. UH, SO THEIR REVENUES ARE EXCEEDING THE EXPENDITURES RIGHT NOW, AND THEY OBVIOUSLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO ACQUIRE THINGS TO SELL AND, UM TO CONTINUE OUT THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR SO THEY WILL BE OVER ON BUDGET, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE OVERALL REVENUE. AND LASTLY, WE HAVE OUR MASS TRANSIT FUND. SO MASS TRANSIT. UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF THE MONIES OWED TO US FROM THE VARIOUS AGENCIES, WHETHER THAT BE FEDERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENTS, UM AND SO TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES THERE BEFORE WE REACH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR . UM AND THEN THE BOTTOM SHOWS THE VARIOUS SUB DEPARTMENTS WITHIN MASS TRANSIT. UM SO TOTAL . UH, WE'RE SITTING AT 56.25% THERE HAS BEEN NO, UH, ACTION ON GREYHOUND SERVICE THIS FISCAL YEAR. UM SO WE'RE LOOKING TO REMOVE THAT FROM THE NEXT BUDGET AS WELL. SO 56% OF EXPENDITURES FOR MASS TRANSIT TOTAL. AND I WILL WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS. RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. GARY AND ALSO THANK LEON. I WANT TO THANK OUR FINANCE TEAM FOR DOING AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB. UM YOU SEE, UH, REVENUES ARE ARE DEFINITELY TRADING WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME MONEY AWAY FOR A RAINY DAY FUND BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA BE IN THAT POSITION THAT MOST OF US WAS IN WHEN WE GET HERE ON COUNCIL, WHICH WAS A NEGATIVE 17 MILLION. IT'S GOOD TO SEE. UM YOU KNOW? BEING ABLE TO BE ON THE POSITIVE SIDE WITH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AS WELL, JUST SHOWING THAT THE THAT WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, UH WE DOING WHAT'S NECESSARY TO HAVE A STABLE? UM FINANCIAL MUNICIPALITY HERE IN PETERSBURG, SO IT WILL ALLOW US [01:05:08] TO DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO DO SOME THINGS. UM SOME OF THAT LONG TERM MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF VICE MAYOR HILL. NO, I WAS JUST GONNA ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS. IT'S JUST FEEL GOOD. I MEAN, I REMEMBER SOME YEARS AGO. ANY TIME WE HAD OUR FINANCES, I MEAN, WAS I MEAN, WE WAS IN DEEP, DEEP WATER, SO YOU KNOW, I JUST APPRECIATE, UH, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. IN HIS TEAM, YOU KNOW, TO GETTING US TO THIS POINT AND THE FORMER TEAMS WHO HAVE COME? UH UH, TO GET US TO THIS POINT, I WANNA THANK THE CITY ADMINISTRATION CITY MANAGER AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE, UH DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE? UH UH UH, HELPING THE CITY. THEY JUST ECHO ON WHAT YOU SAY, MR MAYOR. RIGHT UM, ALSO, UM, GARY, UH, COUNCILMAN JONES. UH, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THIS? WHAT'S THAT? THE GENERAL FUND UNDER THE, UM JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS. YES. YEAH. WE HAD THAT WAS THE $8000 8750 DOLLARS. YES, SIR. ALRIGHT KEN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS? THAT'S THAT'S FOR OPERATING THE WHOLE CORE. NO THAT THAT'S STRICTLY FOR THE COURT ITSELF. UM, THAT THAT IS THE COURT BUDGET. LIKE UM NOT, UH, LIKE STAFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT DIFFERENT OPERATING EXPENSES FALL UNDER THAT, UM, BUT IT IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH OUR JUVENILE . UH, BJCCC. A, UM, THIS IS SEPARATE FROM THAT. SO THIS IS MORE LIKE FOR LIKE OFFICE SUPPLIES. THINGS OF THAT. CORRECT YES. COURT OPERATIONS FOR THE JDR. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN JONES. WELL, JUST LIKE THAT IS CONFUSING. I READ IT, AND I THOUGHT I ASKED THE MAYOR. I SAID THIS CAN'T BE FOR SALARIES AND THE JUDGES AND WE GOT A CITY OF KIDS AND FAMILIES THAT NEED THIS COURT. PROBABLY THE MOST. AND IF IT'S JUST FOR PAPERS AND PENS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WE NEED TO PUT THAT DOWN THERE THAT IS THAT BECAUSE ANYBODY READING THIS CAN BE CONFUSED BY IT, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT IT REPRESENTS IS A ROLL UP. OF ALL THOSE BUDGET LINE ITEMS FOR THAT FOR THAT COURT. SO JUDGE SALARIES, CLERK SALARIES, UH, OFFICE SUPPLIES POSTAGE. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE ROLLED UP INTO ONE NUMBER, SO THAT'S WHAT THAT LINE REPRESENTS. IS ALL THE EXPENSES FOR SO FOR AND I DON'T MEAN THIS. BE THE FELLAS, BUT OTHER COURTS YOU GOT, UM 91,000 CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE AND ADMIN AND GENERAL DISTRICT COURT 52,000. I'M JUST AMAZED AT THIS 8000 AGAIN. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT COURT. WE HAVE FAMILIES HERE. AND EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR INK PENS AND PENCILS AND PAPER THAT 8000 IS STILL NOT ENOUGH FOR THAT, FOR THE FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR CITIZENS. G. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET BECAUSE YOU SAID SAT DOWN WITH THEM AND RIGHT IS, UH YEAH. SO WHAT? WHAT THEY REQUESTED WAS SOME I BELIEVE, IF EXACTLY SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS REQUESTED LAST YEAR. UM AND IT'S JUST THE REQUEST ITSELF THAT CAME FROM LIKE THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF JDR. UM LIKE I SAID THAT THAT ONLY INCLUDES, UH FEW THINGS THE ONLY COURT SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES SALARIES UP THERE IS THE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES AND AD UH, THE REST OF THEM ARE SPECIFICALLY JUST COST FOR OPERATING THE COURT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESENTATION. RIGHT UH, NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO CAPITAL [11. Utilities] PROJECTS. UPDATE UM NO ITEMS FOR THE NIGHT ITEM. 11 UTILITIES ITEM A NEW UTILITY BILL FORMAT. AND WOULD THAT BE MR WILLIAMS? ERIC. HOW YOU DOING, GARY? YOU AND EVERYTHING UP AND TO RUN DOWN HERE. AND THEN AF AFTER GARRETT, WE DO HAVE A PRETTY SHORT PRESENTATION FOR MR WILLIAMS. UM THIS WOULD BE VERY SHORT. THIS IS, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR QUITE A WHILE AND ACTUALLY HAD A VENDOR THAT DIDN'T GO SO WELL AND SWITCH VENDORS AND CAME UP WITH THIS. UM THIS IS A FORMAT OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THE NEW UTILITY BILL FOR THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. UM WE HAD AN OLD BILL THAT WAS A FOLD AND SEAL, YOU KNOW, PEEL THE EDGES OFF. UM, IT WAS IT WAS BLACK AND WHITE MONOCHROME. IT WAS VERY CRAMPED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PUT ANY KIND OF EXTRA DATA INTO IT. UM SO WE WANTED TO EXPAND THAT TO A MORE MODERN BILL. THIS WOULD BE A BILL THAT'S PUT IN A REGULAR ENVELOPE. IT'LL HAVE A RETURN ENVELOPE WITH A WINDOW. YOU FOLD IT UP. PUT YOUR CHECK IN, HOWEVER, YOU WANNA DO IT GO [01:10:01] AND PAY. THERE'S A BUNCH OF DATA ON THE BACKSIDE. I WON'T GO INTO ALL THAT. IT'S REALLY WANTED TO SHOW THE FORMAT. UM AND POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT PAYMENTS ARE ALL BILL DIDN'T SHOW PAYMENTS. SO NOW WE HAVE A PAYMENT CREDIT LINE. UM IT ALSO HAS PENALTIES THAT ARE ANY. UH, THE OTHER PART IS THAT WE HAVE A REALLY NICE BREAKDOWN OF YOUR USAGE LAST 12 MONTHS IN A BAR GRAPH FORM. UM AND THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS AGAIN. IT'S JUST AN UPDATED VERSION. THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK, ALL RIGHT. UM OF THE BILL ITSELF. I CAN'T SCROLL SO YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK DOWN THROUGH THE REST OF THE PACKET. UM, WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. LIKE I SAID, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR THINGS ABOUT THAT, UM I'M OPEN TO THAT. GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT THANK YOU SO MUCH. GARRETT APPRECIATE THAT, UM, NICE TO GO TO QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL COUNCILMAN JONES. HOW YOU DOING? GOOD I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT, UH, FORMAT ALLOWS THE CITIZENS TO SEE THEIR USAGE. AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. UM BUT SPEAKING OF USAGE. IS IT ANY WAY POSSIBLE? YOU CAN ADD WHEN YOU SAY 1200 RIGHT THERE. WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S 1200 CUPS 1200 GALLONS 1200 M IT ABOVE THAT IT SAYS WATER USAGE HISTORY IN GALLONS WHERE YOU SEE IT. RIGHT ABOVE THE GRAPH. I'M NOT THAT'S FOR THAT. I'M TALKING ABOUT AT THE TOP. WAS A 1200, SO WE USE IT IN GALLONS DOWN HERE IN THE CHART HERE, SAY GALLONS, BUT YOU NEED TO SAY IT UP AT YOU TALKING ABOUT IN THE OH, YOU SEE, I. I CAN ADD THAT THERE'S NO PROBLEM USAGE IN GALLONS, RIGHT? NO PROBLEM. ALL RIGHT. IT'S ALL LIKE THAT I VICE MAYOR HILL. SCARY. I WANNA THANK YOU ON THIS. UM, IS THAT A CODE THAT YOU CAN JUST SCAN ON AND PAY YOUR BILL IN THE CORNER THAT BOX . IS THAT WHAT THAT IS? WE ARE. WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT CURRENTLY. THAT'S YES. IT'S GONNA BE A QR CODE IS QR CODE UNDER TO THE TO THE PAYMENT PAGE FOR THE WEBSITE. THAT'S CORRECT. OK? THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS CURRENTLY THIS IS A MOCK, UH, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WILL DO. YEAH. UH MR UH, MR ARTMAN. IS IT? SO WE CAN CAPTURE IT. IS THIS GONNA BE BASICALLY IS IT GONNA COST THE SAME AS WE NORMALLY WOULD PAY, YOU KNOW, MAIL OUT OR WOULD IT BE AN INCREASE? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? THE POSTAGE WILL BE THE SAME, IF NOT LESS, BECAUSE THEY'RE BETTER AT AT AT NOT SENDING DUPLICATE BILLS OUT OR THINGS LIKE THAT ARE PACKAGING THEM TOGETHER. THE OVERALL COST WILL BE A SLIGHT INCREASE. I THINK I PROJECTED IT OUT AT ABOUT $6000 A YEAR, BUT I BELIEVE THAT OUR OUR TIME CAME BACK FROM NOT DOING THIS PROCESS IN HOUSE AND THE VALUE ADDED IN THE BILL IS WELL WORTH IT. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. HOW SOON DO WILL WE START OR WE'RE HOPING TO DO THIS, UH, LATER THIS MONTH. OK AND GARY, CAN YOU, UM, ADD THE BECAUSE I NORMALLY GET MY BILL AND THEY HAVE ON THERE. THE WEBSITE TO UTILITIES. IT'S ON THE IT'S ON THE NEXT PAGE. NOW IT'S ON THE NEXT PAGE NOW, OK? OKAY PERFECT. BECAUSE I KNOW AT ONE POINT IN TIME WE HAD A.ORG AND A.COM ON BOTH OF THE YEAH, THEY IT'S LIKE ONCE, SO NOW WE JUST HAVE THE ONE ALL RIGHT. GOOD. CALLS FOR A PAYMENT. IT'S ON THERE. THERE'S A BUNCH OF DATA ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE BILL. UM, IF YOU HAVE A EXAMPLE COPY OF IT THERE SO OKAY, PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GARY. THAT MAKES LIFE A LITTLE EASIER. THANK YOU, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE, UH, MOVE ON [12. Streets] TO ITEM 12 STREET WE'VE GOT YEAH. WILLIAMS HOW ARE YOU? MR WILLIAMS HAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE. JUST A QUICK UTILITIES UPDATE. UM GET GARRET TIME TO GET BACK SO HE CAN QUEUE IT UP. YOU SHOULD HAVE, UH, PRESENTATION PACKAGES. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING UTILITIES IS PROVIDE A MONTHLY UPDATE OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON. UM I'LL GO AHEAD AND OK, GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE. SO UM, YEAH, JUST A STATUS UPDATE JUST TO SHOW YOU ABOUT THE ACTIVITY OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, DID BACK IN THE MONTH OF APRIL. WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE. SO TYPICALLY, WE GET WORK ORDERS FROM CITIZENS WERE CAUGHT. PEOPLE CALLING IN, UH, WERE RECORDED FOR THINGS THAT WE KNOW NEED TO HAVE DONE OR EMAILS THAT WE RECEIVED. THAT WAS KIND OF THINGS. AND SO WE GOT WATER, WASTE WATER AND, UH, WATER METER WORK OR WATER METER WORK ORDER IS ALWAYS GONNA BE UH, THE HIGHEST NUMBER JUST BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER METERS WE HAVE IN THE [01:15:01] CITY NEXT PAGE. UH, WE HAD NATIONAL WORKS ON THE WAY THIS WEEK LAST MONTH, APRIL 15TH THROUGH THE 19TH. WE HAD THE POT . UH ANNUAL CITYWIDE POTHOLE BLITZ, WHICH IF YOU STILL HAVE AND WE ALWAYS GETS CALLS AFTER THE BLITZ, BUT WE WOULD JUST NEED CALLS. UM TO COME BACK OUT, OR WE WOULD OR YOU CAN GO TO THE CITY WEBSITE. THERE'S A FORM. UM, THERE'S A WAY THERE THAT YOU CAN, UM CAN REQUEST. UM OR MAKE A REQUEST OF THE CITY TO COME OUT AND FILL A POTHOLE IN YOUR AREA. UM WE HAD TO CLEAN UP LAST , UH, APRIL 13TH. BACK IN MARCH, WE HAD A PAPER SHREDDING EVENT. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT ALSO DOING IN THE FUTURE AND ALSO PROBABLY COMBINING THESE IN THE NEXT YEAR IS, UH, E WASTE EVENT FOR LIKE TV S BATTERIES, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT YOU JUST CAN'T THROW AWAY COMPUTERS. UH, NEXT PAGE. OK SO THERE WAS A V DOT CONTRACTOR THAT WAS DOING THAT WAS, UH PAVING AND THERE WAS A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR, PAVING PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE AND COMPLETED FOR THIS YEAR. I THINK YOU'VE SEEN THE PAVEMENT ON SYCAMORE ON WASHINGTON, UM IN VARIOUS OTHER PLACES, SO THAT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AS FAR AS VD WAS CONCERNED FOR THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WE TURNED INTO BE THAT FOR THE STATE OF GOOD REPAIR FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR HAVE BEEN COMPLETED THAT IS SEPARATE AND DIFFERENT THAN THE LIST THAT STREET OPERATIONS UH, THE LIST OF STREETS THAT STREET OPERATIONS BUDGETS AND, UH, GETS DONE SO THERE'LL BE MORE PAVING DONE THROUGH THE REST OF THIS FISCAL YEAR TO COVER THAT. AND THEN, UH, NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'LL START AGAIN WITH THE SAME THING BE THAT STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AS WELL AS CITY. UH, WAS IT AS FAR AS THE CITY GOING OUT AND GETTING A CONTRACT THAT'S ALREADY UNDER CONTRACT TO PAY CERTAIN AREAS. UM WITH STREET OPERATIONS DIVISION. WE'VE GOT LIKE SOME VACANCIES, 14 VACANCIES. UM AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE. I KNOW THAT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT THINGS. COMP STUDY WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM BENEFITS. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WILL HELP. UH, NEXT PAGE, PLEASE. JUST A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FACILITIES. UH, WE HAD GARDEN WEEK. UH, LAST MONTH, IT WENT REALLY WELL. WE REMOVED SOME DEAD TREES. WE HAD TO PARK CLEANED UP. UM, THE FOUNTAINS. WE GOT EVERYTHING WORKING AND PAINTED THERE. UH, GET SOME CHEESE. SOME MORE TREES COMING. UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE CUT DOWN IN BLANFORD CEMETERY. UM THERE'S CURRENTLY A MODERNIZATION OF FISCAL SERVICES BUILDING WITH SO I'M PAINTING CARPET AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS NEXT PAGE. UH SUGGESTED FUTURE PROJECTS AND REMEMBER, UH, COUNCILMAN JONES ASKING ABOUT, UM AND, UH, MORE QUOTES WERE ACHIEVED, AND SO WE'VE GOT TOTAL COST FOR WINDOW BLOCKING OUT 58,000 ROOFTOP AND COST 38,000. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BIDS NOW FOR SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. I BELIEVE IT WAS THE MONEY THAT WAS IN THE AMENDMENT. UH, THE BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT HAD A CONTINGENCY IN THERE AND SO PHONES ARE THERE JUST THAT WE NEED TO NEED TO WRAP IT UP AND WRAP THESE QUOTES UP AND PROCEED. ALSO JUST AS A SAD NOTE . OK SO THE ALBERT JONES FIELD PROJECTS AS YOU ARE WELL UNDERWAY OR THE OLD POLES OF DAM THEY BOUGHT. THEY'VE DONE SOME BORING UNDER THE UNDER THE END ZONE. UM THE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR IS THERE SO THEY'RE MOVING? PRETTY WELL. SO UM, ALSO SEE THE HALL YOU GOT, UM A MILLION AND PAVING IN THE IN THE PARKING LOT NEXT TO CITY HALL BEHIND THE FISCAL, UH AND FISCAL SERVICES BUILDING. UH, YOU GOT THAT GOING ON? AND SO, UM AS WELL AS ALL OF THE PROJECTS. POOR CREEK. UH, MILLION GALLON OF WATER TANK. UH, JUST A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. ALL RIGHT. I'M DONE QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. UM, THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, MR WILLIAMS. LOOK, I KNOW ON UM I KNOW IT IS GOOD TO SEE THE PAVEMENT GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN ON WAGON ROAD THE LAST FEW NIGHTS BECAUSE IT WAS IT WAS ROUGH DOWN THERE. I HAVE ANOTHER AREA TOO. THAT'S UH, ROUGH ON SYCAMORE STREET. RIGHT IN FRONT OF ABBY GATES. IS EVERYBODY ELSE STARTED ON ON THAT? THEN YOU KNOW IT'S A HUGE RATE OF THERE GOING GOING FROM ABBY GATES PASS A LITTLE BIT PAST. UM DR DEB DOLA. OK, UM, HOW ON SYCAMORE STREET? AND, UM, I'VE BEEN GETTING SOME COMPLAINTS ON THERE. ANYTHING Y'ALL CAN DO TO, UH, MOVE THAT OUT. IT WOULD BE GOOD AND ALSO OVER ON, UM, ON FLINT ROAD LIKE GOING GOING AROUND FORT DAVIS. IT'S REAL ROUGH. WE HAVE SOME SOME POTHOLES. FORMING OVER THERE. WE NEED TO CATCH BEFORE [01:20:03] THEY GET BAD, OK? UM NEXT. I'M GONNA GO TO, UM VICE MAYOR HILL. UH, YES, UM SO UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND SEE ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. UH, I KNOW WE ALWAYS THE ROLES THAT ARE MOST TRAVELED, BUT I LIKE TO GET INTO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. I KNOW WE DO HAVE A LIST, BUT WE NEED TO GET IN SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND UH BEFORE, MY COUNCILWOMAN, UH, JUMP IN, AND GRAND AVENUE STREET NEEDS TO BE DONE. I'M SORRY GRAND AVENUE STREET NEEDS TO BE GONE, DONE IMMEDIATELY RIGHT AWAY. YEAH. AND SHE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE. GRAND AVENUE STREET. AMONGST OTHERS, AND ALSO I'M NOTICING, AND I NOTICING THAT THE WEEDS ARE GROWING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE ALREADY, AND WE HAVEN'T SPRAYED. WE HAVEN'T. UH, BUT BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU SPRAY I'M TALKING LIKE IN THE MEDIA ON CRATER ROAD THAT NEEDS TO BE CUT, THEN SPRAYED LIKE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY ALREADY GROWING UP IN OUR ON OUR CURVES AND SIDEWALKS WHEN YOU GET A HOLD OF THAT, LIKE RIGHT NOW, OK? SO I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, PUBLIC WORKS THERE ON TOP OF IT. ANY TIME SOMETHING. GO ON, WE CALL THEM OR WHATEVER. UM ALWAYS RESPOND IN TIMELY MANNER. SO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. BUT YEAH, THOSE ARE THINGS OK, ALRIGHT. UH, THANK YOU, VICE FOR YOUR HILL AND ALSO GETTING INTO SOMETHING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN JONES AND I WAS JUST SAYING ABOUT THESE 14 VACANT POSITIONS. UH, MAYBE WE CAN EXPAND OUR, UM, SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM THAT WE DO HERE THAT WE THAT WE ENGAGE OUR OUR OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS. HOPE HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME, UM, EVEN FROM THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL THAT MAY NOT MAY BE ACTING UP AND WE CAN EXPAND THAT TO HELP FILL SOME OF THESE, UM THESE STREETS OPERATIONS POSITIONS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM OUR OUR OUR YOUTH COULD TAKE PART IN. AND, UM STRAIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL AND HOPEFULLY HAVE A LONG CAREER HERE BECAUSE WE GOTTA WORK ON DOING DOING OUR OWN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HERE WITHIN THE CITY. UM, NEXT, I'M GOING TO, UH, COUNCILMAN JONES. JUST PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT YOU SAID. I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE NOT JUST THE HIGH SCHOOLERS. THEY'RE GETTING READY TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL NEXT MORNING, AND LIKE YOU SAID, AN IDLE MAN IS THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP. SO WITH THESE 14 VACANT POSITIONS, I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE WHO JUST GETTING OUT OF, UH, INCARCERATION AND LOOKING AT YOUR HOMELESS POPULATION. BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA BE HOMELESS. MOST OF THEM DON'T ANYWAY, AND THAT THEY WOULD APPRECIATE A JOB, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE GOTTA MAKE SURE WE DO A CAMPAIGN REACHING OUT TO THEM REACHING OUT LIKE MARY SAID. THEY, UH ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL. UM WITH THESE 14 VEGAN PHYSICIANS SHOULD BE FEEL LIKE NEXT WEEK. YOU KNOW, UM, IF YOU DID A CAMPAIGN AND GET THEM OUT THERE, MAN, BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE WANNA WORK, YOU KNOW, AND HE'S NOT A REALLY HIGHLY CLASSIFIED POSITIONS WHERE YOU GOTTA HAVE A CLEARANCE. UM TO WORK, YOU KNOW, SO WE I SHOULD SEE AT LEAST A MAKE UP OF HOMELESS ALTERNATIVE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANNA WORK. SINGLE MOMS AND DADS . ANYBODY WANT TO WORK? UH, WE GOT 14 POSITIONS RIGHT HERE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO TO THAT TO YOUR POINT, UM, COUNCILOR WE ARE . WE CURRENTLY WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH NO WAY CORRECTIONAL AND THEY SEND US A CREW EVERY DAY TO WORK AND WE'VE GONE THERE. UH, HR AND OTHER STAFF HAVE GONE THERE TO DO JOB FAIRS TO PROMOTE JOBS HERE IN THE CITY TO INMATES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION, PART OF GETTING THEM BACK OUT AND GETTING AND GETTING THEM WORKING. UH, SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT AND WE ARE WE ACTUALLY THE PROGRAM WE HAVE WITH THEM NOW WE ACTUALLY PAY THEM A SALARY. NOT THE NOMINAL 30 CENT OR WHATEVER IT WAS THE STATE'S PAYING. WE'RE ACTUALLY PAYING THEM A SALARY AS THEY'RE WORKING, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT, ALONG WITH OUR SUMMER YOUTH JOBS PROGRAM WILL BE ABLE TO GARNER SOME INDIVIDUALS COMING OUT AND LOOKING FOR JOBS, PARTICULARLY IN PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB SUPPORTING OUR, UH, CURRENT EMPLOYEES WITH THEIR EFFORTS. YEAH. THE BIGGEST BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION THEY MADE IS KEEPING UP. UH PLAN PLAN FOR CEMETERY AS FAR AS CUTTING AS WELL AS IN IT IN THELES, TOO, AD JOBS THAT COME UP WHERE THEY CAN JUST GO OUT AND GRAB THEM. THEY GET HERE AROUND 830 IN THE MORNING, THEY'LL PROBABLY LEAVE ABOUT ABOUT TWO. AND SO, UM, ANYTIME SOMETHING COMES DOWN THE PIKE THEY THEY HELPED US WITH, UH, GARDEN. WH WHERE THEY WENT AND POPPED THE LAWN. LOT OF THAT THAT HAD OVERGROWN AND NEEDED TO BE CUT. THEY HELP WITH IT. THEY HELP WITH A LOT OF THAT STUFF, SO TO KIND OF MOVE AROUND. I'M I'M GONNA GO TO, UM TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL AND RECRUIT SOME KIDS. THAT WON A WORK AND WITH SO WE'VE DONE, WE WE'VE DONE SOME OUTREACH ON OUR CURRENT PROGRAM AND ANY ANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF SCHOOL GRADUATING THIS YEAR, WE CERTAINLY WOULD WELCOME ANYONE TO APPLY WE WANT, UM THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR COMMUNITY TO BE OUR FUTURE EMPLOYEES AND TO HELP GROW THEM IN FOSTER THEM THROUGHOUT THE [01:25:05] YEAR SO THEY CAN MOVE UP SO ABSOLUTELY ANYBODY THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT AND HELP WITH THAT EFFORT, WE'D APPRECIATE IT. AND I. I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR YOU GOT SOME WHO'S ON THE BORDERLINE. THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL. THEY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THEIR LIFE. AND WE CAN BE THAT GATEWAY TO THEM TO HELP THEM DECIDE. YOU KNOW, BY GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY. UM THAT'S ONE THING. ANOTHER THING IS ON A SIDE NOTE. 33 04, OAKWOOD AND BURGLAR MANOR. GRASS NEED TO BE CUT. UM TALLER THAN ME. HAVE YOU SEEN, UM CITATION. I HAVE NOT HAVE NOT. IS IT ONE FOR NO, I'M NOT. NO, SIR. IT'S NOT OUT THERE YET. AND BUT THIS 55 PER CENT OPERATIONAL CAPACITY, AND WE CAN ADDRESS THAT. REAL QUICK, YOU KNOW? SO THANK YOU. SO WE'LL MAKE MAKE SURE THAT GETS CITED TOMORROW AND THEN THAT THAT OWNER HAVE TWO DAYS. THE CREDIT IS NOT CUT IT TO GET ON THE LIST AND THE CONTRACTOR. ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS WITH THIS CITY WILL CUT IT. OK? ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MR COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE ASK FOR THE PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT. UH, THAT WAS THAT WAS STREETS. NUMBER 12 AS WE GO TO FACILITIES ANYTHING TONIGHT FOR FACILITIES. NO, SIR. NOT THIS. NOT THIS MONTH. ALL RIGHT. WE MOVE ON TO [14. Economic Development] ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MR MOORE ANY ANY ITEMS TONIGHT? MAY 18TH ON ARMED FORCES DAY HERE IN PETERSBURG. UM NEXT IS, UM, CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA, MR AUGMENT ANYTHING? UH, NO, SIR. UH, JUST [15. City Manager's Agenda] WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC AND COUNSEL WE HAVE OUR BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING AT THE NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR ATTENDING YOUR BUDGET, YOUR YOUR BUDGET MEETINGS WITH FINANCE AND THE CITIZENS THAT ARE ATTENDED OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS? UH, BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY OK, THANK YOU. NEXT BUSINESS OF REPORTS FROM THE CLERK MISS HILL. ANYTHING TONIGHT? ALRIGHT [17. Business or reports from the City Attorney] BUSINESS REPORTS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, MR WILLIAMS ANYTHING? UH, MAY I JUST BRIEFLY, UM MARLY INSPIRED BY ONE OF OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS, AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT I AGREE THAT IN YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBERS SELDOM HEAR THE GOOD THEY OFTENTIMES HEAR THE BAD. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY YOU KNOW MUCH OF WHAT I DO IS CONFIDENTIAL, SO I CAN'T GO INTO THE DETAILS. BUT IN 27 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, 20 OF WHICH HAVE BEEN SERVING AS CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL TO VIRGINIA LOCALITIES, UH I HAVE YET TO SEE A COUNCIL WITH MORE INTEGRITY. UH, FORTITUDE AND COMMITMENT TO DOING WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ITS CITIZENS. AND JUST I THINK THAT WANNA ECHO WHAT OUR PUBLIC SPEAKER SAID TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MS WILLIAMS. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. BEFORE WE ADJOURN. IT IS MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOTHERS. IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE FLOWERS, GO GET YOUR FLOWERS. ALL RIGHT. AND DO YOU HAVE THE MOTHER'S DAY PROGRAM THIS FRIDAY MOTHER'S DAY PROGRAM RIGHT HERE, SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GIFTS COME HERE ON FRIDAY. BRING YOUR MOTHER FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL MOTHERS GOSPEL EXPLOSION HERE IN PETERSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY ALL RIGHT ITEM. 18 IS A GERMAN ALL IN FAVOR. AH! THIS MEANS A JOURNEY. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.