MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PARAM. AYE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR CLOSED SESSION. GOOD AFTERNOON.
[00:00:06]
EVERYONE READY TO GET STARTED WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION FOR MAY 6TH, 2025? AT[1. Roll Call]
THIS TIME, MR. ALTMAN, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCILOR CUTHBERT HERE, COUNCILOR JONES HERE, COUNCILOR MYERS HERE. COUNCILOR WESTBROOK, PRESENT. COUNCILOR. SMITH. LEE, PRESENT.VICE MAYOR HILL HERE. MAYOR PARHAM HERE. NEXT, VICE MAYOR HILL WILL LEAD US IN OPENING PRAYER. LET US PRAY. OUR GOD AND OUR FATHER IS. ONCE AGAIN, WE COME BEFORE YOU, PRAISING YOUR HOLY AND YOUR RIGHTEOUS NAME. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF TODAY.
NOW, LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS MEETING, HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT IT BE FRUITFUL TO THY NAME. LORD, WE ASK THAT THERE BE NO CONTENTION AMONG US. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON OUR CITIZENS. HEAVENLY FATHER, BE WITH THEM, GUIDE THEM, AND STRENGTHEN THEM. HEAVENLY FATHER, LET NO HURT, HARM, OR DANGER COME. NOT NOW, NONE OF US. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON THIS COUNCIL. HEAVENLY FATHER, GIVE US WISDOM FROM SOLOMON. HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT WE WILL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS TO BE A BETTERMENT FOR THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG, HEAVENLY FATHER AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES. LORD, WE ASK THAT BLESSING UPON OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR EMS. KEEP THEM SAFE. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON OUR SENIORS AND OUR YOUTH. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BUILD A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND THEM. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF THE DAY. IT'S IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.
AMEN. CAN EVERYONE PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. NEXT IS ITEM FOUR, DETERMINATION
[5. Proclamations/Recognitions/Presentation of Ceremonial Proclamation]
OF THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. NEXT IS ITEM FIVE. PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS OF CEREMONIAL PROCLAMATIONS. ITEM FIVE A NATIONAL POLICE WEEK PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS DESIGNATED MAY 15TH AS PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY, AND THE WEEK IN WHICH MAY 15TH FALLS AS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK. AND WHEREAS, THE MEMBERS OF THE PETERSBURG BUREAU OF POLICE PLAN AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG. WHEREAS IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ALL CITIZENS KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, HAZARDS AND SACRIFICES OF THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, AND THAT MEMBERS OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RECOGNIZE THEIR DUTY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE BY SAFEGUARDING LIFE AND PROPERTY, BY PROTECTING THEM AGAINST VIOLENCE AND DISORDER, AND BY PROTECTING THE INNOCENT, DECEPTION AND THE WEAK AGAINST OPPRESSION. AND WHEREAS THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE PETERSBURG BUREAU OF POLICE UNCEASINGLY PROVIDE A VITAL PUBLIC SERVICE. NOW THEREFORE, I. SAMUEL, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 11TH THROUGH 17TH, 2025 AS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK AND MAY 15TH AS PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, AND URGE ALL PATRIOTIC, CIVIC AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO OBSERVE THIS OCCASION WITH APPROPRIATE CEREMONIES AND OBSERVANCES IN WHICH ALL CITIZENS MAY JOIN IN COMMEMORATING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, PAST AND PRESENT, WHO, BY THEIR FAITHFUL AND LOYAL DEVOTION TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, HAVE RENDERED A DEDICATED SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND IN SO DOING HAVE ESTABLISHED FOR THEMSELVES AN ENVIABLE AND ENDURING REPUTATION FOR PRESERVING THE RIGHTS AND SECURITY OF ALL CITIZENS. DATED MAY 6TH, 2025, CHIEF. CHRISTIAN CHIEF CHAMBLISS, CAPTAIN ADAMS, CUBA, OFFICER STREET, HOW ARE YOU? WE'LL SEE YOUR FRONT.BRAVO, PAUL. RIGHT HERE. RIGHT. RIGHT. CHIEF, I SHALL CALL. FOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR.
OH, YEAH. COME ON, COME ON. COME ON, GET UP HERE. HEY, YOU WANT US HERE? GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. TURN THIS WAY. LOOK THIS WAY, Y'ALL. THIS WAY. LOOK THIS WAY. YEAH, I. IT'S
[00:05:08]
RIGHT BEHIND YOU. YEAH, LOOKING THAT WAY. RIGHT THERE. ALL RIGHT. OVER HERE. YEAH. WE GOT YOU. OKAY. NO, NO. YOU'RE GOOD.NEXT ITEM, FIVE B, THE PETERSBURG GARDEN CLUB PROCLAMATION CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PETERSBURG GARDEN CLUB. AND IT STATES, WHEREAS THE PETERSBURG GARDEN CLUB FORMED ON MAY 5TH, 1925 WITH SPONSORSHIP FROM THE WOMEN'S CLUB OF PETERSBURG, CELEBRATES ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2025 AND HAS REMAINED COMMITTED TO CIVIC BEAUTIFICATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP SINCE ITS FOUNDING.
AND WHEREAS, THE CLUB BEGAN WITH 42 MEMBERS AND QUICKLY MADE HIS MARK BY WINNING THE SWEEPSTAKES PRIZE AT THE MONTICELLO FLOWER SHOW IN 1926, AND WAS ADMITTED TO THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA IN 1932, BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STATEWIDE EFFORTS IN CONSERVATION AND HORTICULTURE LEADERSHIP. AND WHEREAS OVER THE PAST CENTURY, THE CLUB HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE BEAUTIFICATION OF PETERSBURG THROUGH NUMEROUS PUBLIC PLANTINGS AND RESTORATION PROJECTS, INCLUDING WORK AT CENTER HILL MANSION, THE MEMORIAL PARK, NOW LEGENDS PARK, BLANDFORD CEMETERY, AND ALONGSIDE WASHINGTON STREET AND MANY OTHERS. AND WHEREAS THE CLUB'S DEDICATION TO EDUCATION AND PRESERVATION IS REFLECTED IN ITS STEWARDSHIP OF A REMARKABLE HERBARIUM COLLECTION FEATURING OVER 300 BOTANICAL WATERCOLORS BY BESSIE NIEMEYER MARSHALL, RECOGNIZED THROUGH MULTIPLE AWARDS AND NOW PRESERVED AT RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE. AND WHEREAS, THE PETERSBURG GARDEN CLUB HAS HOSTED STATEWIDE EVENTS SUCH AS CGV LILY SHOW, PUBLISHED THE ACCLAIMED BOOK WITH PAINT BRUSH AND SHOVEL, LED THE PRESERVATION PLANNING FOR LEE MEMORIAL PARK, AND ANNUALLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUCCESS OF HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK, DRAWING ATTENTION TO TOURISM IN THE REGION. AND WHEREAS FOR 100 YEARS, THE PETERSBURG GARDEN CLUB HAS DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CONSERVATION AND BEAUTIFICATION, ENRICHING THE LIVES OF PETERSBURG RESIDENTS AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE CITY'S LEGACY. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I. SAMUEL PARHAM, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUR GRATEFUL CITIZENS, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND THE PETERSBURG GARDEN CLUB ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY, AND EXTEND SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR A CENTURY OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. THE PETERSBURG GARDEN CLUB. ROUND OF APPLAUSE. COME FORWARD, MISS BETTY GUTHRIE, HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK. YOU. I KNOW THAT THAT'S A GOOD.
OH, GIVE IT A GO. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GO THIS WAY. THIS WAY. YEAH. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. YOU CAN JUMP OVER. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. SO GOOD. BIG SMILE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU TO THE. TREASURER. FOR. SETTING. READY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THIS IS 100 YEARS. THIS IS PRETTY MOMENTOUS. THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. IT'S AMAZING THE AMOUNT OF WORK WHEN WE GO BACK AND RESEARCH THAT WE HAVE HELPED. I HOPE, IN SOME WAY WITH THE CITY. BUT ALSO, DON'T YOU THINK WE'VE HELD UP PRETTY
[00:10:07]
WELL TO BE 100? YES. SO THANK YOU TO THE CITY FOR WORKING WITH US FOR THE PAST. MAYBE NOT 100 YEARS, BUT NOT TOO FAR OFF FROM THAT NUMBER. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT 100. THANK YOU.OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT IS THE PETERSBURG LEARNING COLLABORATIVE HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE PROCLAMATION. PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE. WHEREAS HEART DISEASE AND STROKE COMBINED ARE A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH GLOBALLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN VIRGINIA. AND WHEREAS, HEART HEALTH CANNOT BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT ALSO ADDRESSING ITS ROOT CAUSE IN THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS INADEQUATE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND TRANSPORTATION, INADEQUATE OR UNSAFE HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN, AND A NEED FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTION, EDUCATION AND LEISURE. AND WHEREAS, DATA FROM THE CENTERS OF DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION IDENTIFIES CENSUS TRACTS WITHIN PETERSBURG WITH THE HIGHEST RATES OF HYPERTENSION PREVALENCE IN VIRGINIA AND THROUGH THE CDC, NATIONAL CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND INNOVATIVE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH PROGRAMS. THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS THEREFORE LAUNCHED THE VIRGINIA HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE WITHIN CITIES AND COUNTIES WITH THE HIGHEST HYPERTENSION PREVALENCE PRIOR TO RISING PETERSBURG. AND WHEREAS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS REPRESENT THE PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK OF HEART DISEASE AND STROKE, ARE KEY ADVOCATES FOR ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO OPTIMAL HEART HEALTH AND THEREFORE DESERVE SHARED DECISION MAKING POWER IN COMMUNITY. MEMBERS WITHIN THE IDENTIFIED CENSUS TRACTS HAVE THEREFORE FORMED A COMMUNITY LED COALITION NAMED THE PETERSBURG LEARNING COLLABORATIVE HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE, AND WHEREAS, THE PETERSBURG LEARNING COLLABORATIVE HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE EXISTS TO PRESERVE THE DECISION MAKING POWER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IDENTIFY AND ADVOCATE FOR ONGOING PRIORITIES TIED TO HEART HEALTH, AND PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF PETERSBURG COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, HEALTHCARE PARTNERS, AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ADDRESS BARRIERS TO OPTIMAL HEART HEALTH. AND THE PETERSBURG LEARNING COLLABORATIVE. HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE HAS ESTABLISHED THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES ONE. INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITORING AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS 45 PLUS WITHIN THE CENSUS TRACK TWO. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HEALTHY HEARTS AMONG 18 PLUS AFRICAN AMERICANS WITHIN CENSUS TRACT THREE. CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIFESTYLE CHANGES THROUGH A HEALTH, EDUCATION, HEALTH PROMOTIONS AND PROGRAMS AND EVENTS FOUR PROVIDE ACCESS TO HEALTHY, CLEAN, AFFORDABLE, NUTRITIOUS FOODS FIVE ADVOCATE FOR SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF PETERSBURG VALUES ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND VISIONS FOR CREATING A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY, IMPROVING HEART HEALTH AND THEIR VOICE AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES, THE CITY OF PETERSBURG SEEKS TO SET AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES IN VIRGINIA BY PARTNERING WITH PETERSBURG LEARNING COLLABORATIVE HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY LED INITIATIVES, EMBRACE COMMUNITY MEMBER INPUT, AND STRIVE TO IMPROVE HEART HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. NOW. THEREFORE, IN SUPPORT OF THE PETERSBURG LEARNING COLLABORATIVE HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE, I SAMUEL, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM ON THE SIXTH DAY OF MAY 2025 THAT THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, HEREINAFTER BE A HEALTHY HEARTS CITY. THANK YOU. PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. HEALTHY HEARTS. COMMISSIONER, IS SOMEONE HERE? ANYBODY HERE FROM OKAY? YEAH, SURE. COME ON UP.
SO THANK YOU FOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HOW YOU DOING? THANK YOU SO MUCH. HOW YOU DOING? ALL RIGHT. HEY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HELLO. HEY, MR. GOOD, GOOD. I WORK ON KEEPING MY HEART HEALTHY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NICE TO SAY HELLO. I'M CHARLIE. GOOD. YOU KNOW THAT. AND, YOUNG LADY, HOW YOU DOING? I'M FINE. I'M CHARLIE. YOU. CHARLIE. YES. OKAY, WHAT? OKAY. ARE WE GOING TO LICK THIS UP? YOU. GOING TO GIVE ME SOME? GOOD. OKAY. YEAH. YOU CAN HOLD ON TO OUR CHAIR. IS NOT HERE TODAY. SOME OF OUR. THIS IS JUST ABOUT FIVE YEARS. OKAY? OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. I'M GONNA STAY HERE, TOO, OKAY? OKAY.
[00:15:17]
OKAY. YOU RIGHT? HOW YOU DOING? I WAS JUST GOING TO COME AND SAY SOMETHING VERY QUICK ABOUT THE LITTER. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND CITY COUNCIL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PETERSBURG HEALTHY HEARTS INITIATIVE LEARNING COLLABORATIVE. THESE ARE SOME OF THE EXECUTIVE MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CHAIR PERSON, ZELDA DUGGAR TUCKER, WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE PROCLAMATION PRESENTATION. SO I AM VICTORIA SANDERS, THE CARDIOVASCULAR COORDINATOR FOR THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ALSO THE ADVISOR TO THE LEARNING COLLABORATIVE. THE LEARNING COLLABORATIVE IS MADE UP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 15 MEMBERS, BUT WE'RE VETTING OVER 125 MEMBERS FOR THE LEARNING COLLABORATIVE. AND OUR PARTNERS INCLUDE, OF COURSE, THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, AS WELL AS FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY, BUSINESS BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY, ALONG WITH CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY. AND WE ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF CAPPING THE NUMBER OF VAPE SHOPS IN THIS CITY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY SUPPORT, AND IT IS OUR GOAL TO CREATE A HEART HEALTHY CITY WITH THE HELP OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM SIX PRESENTATIONS. ITEM SIX, A[6. Presentations]
CRATER AREA COALITION OF HOMELESSNESS. CONTINUUM OF CARE CASH. GOOD EVENING. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DON SCOTT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE FAN LADY. LET ME POP REAL QUICK, OKAY? HOW YOU DOING? ALL RIGHT. SO NEXT. SO I AM THE HOMELESS SYSTEMS NAVIGATOR FOR FLAGLER BY WAY OF SAINT JOSEPH'S VILLA I WORK IN TANDEM WITH MISS WATERS, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF CASH, AS WELL AS MISS KATIE KLEIN, WHO IS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF FLAGLER. WE ARE HERE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF VIEW INTO CASH AND WHAT EXACTLY WE OFFER AND DO. FLAGLER IS A LEAD, IS THE LEAD AGENCY OF THE CASH REGION THAT CONSISTS OF TEN AREAS, WHICH IS COLONIAL HEIGHTS, DINWIDDIE, EMPORIA, HOPEWELL, PETERSBURG, PRINCE GEORGE, SURREY, SUSSEX, WAKEFIELD AND WAVERLY. OUR GOAL IS TO PREVENT, REDUCE AND ELIMINATE HOMELESSNESS THROUGH EFFECTIVE AND COORDINATED COMMUNITY WIDE EFFORTS AND SERVICES. CASH IS COMPOSED OF SEVERAL AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT OFFER RAPID REHOUSING. YOUTH AND NON YOUTH OUTREACH, PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION. MENTAL HEALTH. SKILL BUILDING HUD VASH VOUCHERS SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS, EMERGENCY AND COLD WEATHER SHELTERS, AS WELL AS DOMESTIC AND INTIMATE VIOLENT PARTNERS.I'M SORRY, INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE SHELTERS. ALL THESE AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES MOVE COHESIVELY TO CREATE A CUSTOM PLAN FOR A PERSON TO END HOMELESSNESS FOR THEMSELVES USING HOUSING FIRST, OUR GOAL IS TO EXCUSE ME. OUR GOAL IS TO HOUSE INDIVIDUALS, REGARDLESS OF LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON. THIS MEANS THAT FAMILIES ARE OFFERED HOUSING BECAUSE IT IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP, TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT HOW WE WORK AND OUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. AND I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE IT OVER TO MISS SHASTA. HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SHASTA WEATHERS. IT'S AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL OF PETERSBURG. I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE GREATER AREA COALITION ON HOMELESSNESS. CASH IS ONE OF THE 12 LOCAL PLANNING GROUPS IN VIRGINIA. BALANCE OF STATE. CONTINUUM OF CARE CASH COVERS NINE LOCALITIES, WHICH DON SCOTT, THE HOMELESS SERVICE SYSTEM NAVIGATOR, SHARED. THE SOLE MISSION OF CASH IS TO CARRY OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A LOCAL PLANNING GROUP AS DEFINED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS CALLED HUD AND WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DUTIES. TO
[00:20:03]
ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A CENTRALIZED OR COORDINATED ASSESSMENT SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES AN INITIAL, COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FOR HOUSING SERVICES.TO ESTABLISH AND CONSISTENTLY FOLLOW FAIR, EQUITABLE WRITTEN STANDARDS FOR SCREENING, EVALUATING ELIGIBILITY, AND ADMINISTERING ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AT RISK OF OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ACROSS THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA. TO DESIGNATE A HOMELESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH IS CALLED THE HMIS SYSTEM. TO COORDINATE AND IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF AT RISK POPULATIONS AND SUBPOPULATIONS WITHIN THE AREA. MEMBERSHIPS IN CASH. THE GREATER AREA COALITION ON HOMELESSNESS WILL BE COMPOSED OF INDIVIDUALS AND AGENCIES CONCERNED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND COORDINATION OF HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN AND MAY INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING DEVELOPERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, LANDLORDS, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, REPRESENTATIVES OF BUSINESSES AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, REPRESENTATIVES OF PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS AND FUNDING ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS. AT THIS TIME, I TURN IT OVER TO MISS KATIE CLAN.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION. SO I'M THE DATA PERSON. SO I'M JUST GOING TO PRESENT AND YOU ALL HAVE THIS. IT'S THE THIRD PAGE OF YOUR HANDOUT. BUT SOME NUMBERS WHAT I NEED TO EXPLAIN BEFORE I START TALKING THESE NUMBERS IS WHAT THEY REPRESENT AND HOW WE COLLECT THEM. THE PROGRAMS THAT OPERATE UNDER CASH. AND WITH THIS DATA WE ARE MANDATED BY HUD BECAUSE HUD IS OUR PRIMARY FUNDER, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW HUD GUIDELINES. AND PART OF THAT INCLUDES THE SPECIFIC DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS THAT WE HAVE TO USE. SO THE NUMBERS THAT I'M GOING TO REVIEW ARE PEOPLE WHO MEET THAT DEFINITION. SO SPECIFICALLY, THESE ARE PERSONS WHO ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS IN A SHELTER OR IN A PLACE NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION. SO THESE NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNSTABLY HOUSED. THEY DO NOT INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE COUCH SURFING OR BOUNCING AROUND, AND THEY DON'T INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN HOTELS IF THEY HAVE IF THEY ARE PAYING FOR THE HOTEL. SO WE KNOW THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW. THEY DON'T PAINT A FULL PICTURE. THE OTHER PIECE TO NOTE IS THAT THESE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO, THAT I'M GOING TO MENTION ARE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED SERVICES. SO THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO CONNECTED TO A FUNDED HUD PROVIDER DURING THE TIME FRAME. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER AGENCIES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK, BUT THEIR DATA IS NOT MANDATED TO GO INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE TO USE. SO THIS SYSTEM AND THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE IS NOWHERE NEAR A FULL PICTURE. AND SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE. BUT FOR OUR LAST FISCAL YEAR. SO THESE NUMBERS ARE PETERSBURG CITY SPECIFIC. WE WERE ABLE TO SPLICE OUT EVERYTHING ELSE. SO THIS IS JUST WITHIN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. SO. SAINT JOSEPH'S VILLA, OUR AGENCY, AND COMMONWEALTH CATHOLIC CHARITIES WHO PROVIDES OUTREACH. OH, AND I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THESE NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE VETERAN SPECIFIC SERVICES. THEY HAVE ANOTHER GROUP OF SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE AND OUR DATA IS NOT INCLUDED. SO THOSE THEY'RE EXCLUDED TOO. SO YOU EXCLUDE ALL THOSE. AND WE STILL LAST YEAR SERVED 330, 330 HOUSEHOLDS, INCLUDING A TOTAL OF 555 PEOPLE. 215 OF THOSE WERE CHILDREN WERE MINORS AND THEN 123 OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS HAD MINOR CHILDREN IN THEM. SO I KNOW THAT WAS A NUMBER THAT HAD BEEN ASKED OF US. SO WAS 123 HOUSEHOLDS WITH KIDS. SO THIS CURRENT YEAR. SO WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THIS YEAR, BUT WE ARE ON PACE TO EXCEED THOSE NUMBERS. SO ALREADY TO DATE, AND THESE ARE AS OF APRIL 25TH, WE WERE UP TO 489 PEOPLE, 276 ADULTS, 213 CHILDREN AND 118 HOUSEHOLDS WITH MINOR CHILDREN.
SO AND AGAIN, IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO STRESS THOSE ARE JUST THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS AND RECEIVED SERVICES. THE OTHER DATA POINT THAT'S ON HERE IS THE CHRONIC HOMELESS
[00:25:02]
INDIVIDUALS. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND ALSO HAVE A DIAGNOSED DISABILITY. IT COULD BE A PHYSICAL, PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE OR A COMBINATION OF THE THREE. SO THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE CAPTURE DATA. THE OTHER WAY IS SOMETHING CALLED THE POINT IN TIME COUNT. THIS IS SOMETHING MANDATED BY HUD AND IT IS AN ACTUAL REAL TIME COUNT OF THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE. HUD TELLS US WHEN WE HAVE TO DO IT, AND IT'S ALWAYS DONE. THE THIRD WEDNESDAY IN JANUARY, OVERNIGHT INTO THE THIRD THURSDAY OF JANUARY. SO THIS YEAR WHEN WE DID IT, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER WHAT WAS GOING ON IN VIRGINIA IN JANUARY, IT WAS COLD. IT WAS VERY COLD. AND ON THAT NIGHT IN PETERSBURG, THE TEMPERATURE WAS 19, THE WINDCHILL WAS NINE, AND WE FOUND SIX INDIVIDUALS LIVING AND SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN PETERSBURG ON THAT NIGHT. NOW, SIX SOUNDS LOW, BUT WE FOUND SIX INDIVIDUALS AND 9 DEGREES WEATHER OVERNIGHT IN PETERSBURG. SO I THINK THAT'S THAT'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT NUMBER TO KEEP IN MIND. WHAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO DO IN CONVERSATIONS AND LOOKING AT NEED IS HUD ALLOWS US TO DO A SUMMER POINT IN TIME COUNT. SO SAME THING JUST IN JULY. AND SO WE HAVE NOT HISTORICALLY DONE THAT. BUT WE ARE GOING TO DO IT. WE'RE GOING TO PILOT IT JUST IN PETERSBURG THIS SUMMER. SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET A NUMBER. SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN THE SUMMER? WE'RE EXPECTING IT TO BE VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE WINTER, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO START TRACKING TRENDS TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S AN ACTUAL COUNT WHERE WE ARE OUT AND ABOUT ON THE STREETS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE. WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE FAITH COMMUNITY. WE ARE FOCUSING ON PEOPLE ON THE STREETS DOING THIS WORK SO WE CAN GET THE MOST ACCURATE COUNT POSSIBLE, WHICH IS A PERFECT LEAD IN TO WAYS TO GET INVOLVED. IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST, WE WILL BE CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT POINT IN TIME COUNT. SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS INTEREST TO YOU, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL HER. HER EMAIL IS ON THERE. MEMBERS OF CASH, YOU, EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM. EVERYONE IS AVAILABLE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF CASH. OUR WEBSITE IS CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN SO IT IS NOT UP RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WILL BE UP SHORTLY. AND THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, RIGHT AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, IS I URGE ALL OF YOU TO BECOME EDUCATED, STAY INFORMED AND ADVOCATE ON A FEDERAL LEVEL FOR HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES. THERE ARE A LOT OF PROPOSED CHANGES RIGHT NOW THAT WILL GREATLY IMPACT THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND THE NUMBERS THAT WE SEE HERE WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR. SO THERE'S A WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN CLICK THERE IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN FOLLOWING ON A FEDERAL LEVEL. BUT I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. OUR OFFICE IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. FEEL FREE TO STOP IN AND SAY HI. WE ARE VERY THANKFUL TO BE HERE LOCATED IN PETERSBURG AND DOING THIS WORK. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND NEXT I TAKE QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN MYERS, YES, I WANT TO THANK KATIE AND SHASTA AND DAWN, BUT NOT FORGET DAWN.SHE POPPED THAT FAN AT YOU, MAN. BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND PRESENTING TONIGHT. BUT YOU KNOW THE VERY NATURE OF YOU ALL BEING HERE, AND I WANT TO SAY THIS AS FAIRLY AS I CAN, IS THAT ALL THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE CHASTISED ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BEING HEARTLESS, NOT CONCERNING OF THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS. AND. NOTHING COULD BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH. NOTHING. AND WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING HERE TODAY IS THAT WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN A SUSTAINABLE ENTITY HERE AS. AND I MIGHT GO AHEAD AND ADD THAT MARY HOWARD AND I PROBABLY WERE THE FIRST VENTURES WHEN CASH STARTED AND WE STARTED THIS PROCESS. BUT I'M GOING TO SAY THAT YOU ALL ARE CONTINUING TO DO THE GREAT WORK TO SERVICE THE PEOPLE OF PETERSBURG, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR PRESENTING YOURSELVES TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN JONES.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO GET TO THIS POINT.
IT WAS. IT WAS ORDAINED THAT WE GET TO THIS DAY. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF. REQUESTS AND A LOT OF.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND A LOT OF NEEDS AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CARING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN ASKING THE QUESTION, WHY DOESN'T PETERSBURG HAVE A HOMELESS SHELTER? AND I'M
[00:30:01]
LOOKING AT AN ANSWER RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. AND AS I SAID AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD IN HERE, IT'S NOT JUST PETERSBURG'S RESPONSIBILITY. IT SHOULD NOT BE PETERSBURG'S RESPONSIBILITY. LET ME MAKE THAT CORRECTION, BECAUSE THE TAXPAYERS HERE IS LIMITED ON WHAT THEY CAN PUT OUT TO PAY FOR THAT. AND I'M LOOKING AT YOUR LIST AND THERE'S TEN AREAS. AND THIS IS PROOF THAT IT'S NOT JUST A PETERSBURG PROBLEM. AND I APPLAUD THOSE IN PETERSBURG WHO REALLY WANT A HOMELESS SHELTER.BUT I THINK THEIR CRIES HAS BEEN ANSWERED BECAUSE TO ME, AND I'M NOT GOING TO LIE TO YOU, I'M JUST HEARING ABOUT YOU GUYS AT THE LAST MEETING. SO A SLEEPING GIANT HAS BEEN AWAKENED TO HELP PARTNER WITH PETERSBURG AND THOSE THAT'S OUT THERE THAT WANT A HOMELESS SHELTER. WE. WE GOT IT, OR WE CAN GET IT. AND NOW ALL OF THESE AREAS CAN PUT IN NOT JUST PETERSBURG, BUT ALL THESE OTHER AREAS CAN HELP PETERSBURG PAY AND ASSIST AND HELP WITH YOUR HOMELESS SHELTER.
I WANT TO RECAP ON SOMETHING YOU SAID, BECAUSE IN THE HISTORY OF PETERSBURG AND EVERYWHERE ELSE, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN FOCUSED ON CIVIL RIGHTS. YOU KNOW, CIVIL RIGHTS, WHICH ARE RIGHTS GRANTED BY LAW TO A CERTAIN SOCIETY. BUT WE ALWAYS NEGLECTED HUMAN RIGHTS THAT'S GRANTED BY GOD. OUR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS. AND WHEN YOU NEGLECT ONE, YOU UNDERMINE THE OTHER. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS HERE. THAT'S WHY WE AT THIS HEAD RIGHT NOW, AND WE ALL COMING TOGETHER TODAY, AND WE SEE YOU HERE AND WE GOT, I HOPE, SOME PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE OR WATCHING THAT SEE THAT YOU GOT HELP. NOW I HIGHLIGHTED SOME THINGS THAT YOU SAID. YOU SAID YOUR GOAL IS TO PREVENT, REDUCE AND ELIMINATE HOMELESSNESS THROUGH EFFECTIVE AND COORDINATED COMMUNITY WIDE EFFORT AND SERVICES. AND THAT THAT'S THE ANSWER RIGHT THERE THAT EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING FOR AFTER THE DAY, WE SHOULD NOT BE HEARING, WHY DON'T PETERSBURG HAVE A HOMELESS SHELTER? WE SHOULD BE HEARING EVERYBODY SAY, HOW DO WE JOIN AND HOW DO WE HELP? YOU KNOW, FROM ALL THE LOCALITIES, RIGHT. YOU ALSO SAID THAT YOU'RE COMPOSED OF SEVERAL AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE HAPPENED TO MEET AT THE LAST MEETING HERE. THAT OFFER RAPID REHOUSING FOR YOUTH AND NON YOUTH OUTREACH, PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION. NOW THAT'S WHERE OUR TRUANCY COME IN AT WITH SCHOOL. A LOT OF KIDS ARE MISSING SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THAT. YOU KNOW HERE WE ARE ANSWER. YOU ALSO SAID MENTAL HEALTH SKILL BUILDING AND VASH VOUCHERS SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS. WE HAD A LOT OF VETERANS THAT SITTING OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW ON OUR CORNERS AND OUR BUS STOPS EVERYWHERE ELSE, AND THEY NEED THIS. YOU ALSO SAID YOU GOT A CUSTOM PLAN FOR A PERSON TO END HOMELESSNESS FOR THEMSELVES. AND THAT'S MY BIG THING. WE DON'T WANT TO JUST GIVE AND I'M NOT GOING TO EVEN SAY RETURN ON INVESTMENT. I'M SAYING I DON'T WANT TO JUST GIVE AND NOT TEACHING THEM HOW TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, BECAUSE ALL OF US IN HERE, I KEEP TELLING Y'ALL OUT THERE AND US UP HERE, WE A HICCUP AWAY FROM BEING HOMELESS OUR DAMN SELF. YOU KNOW WE'RE A HICCUP AWAY. AIN'T NO JOB GOING TO PROTECT US. AIN'T NO TITLE GOING TO PROTECT US. WHEN IT HITS YOU. IT'S GOING TO HIT YOU HARD. AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE OUT THERE HAS BEEN HIT HARD.
NOW, I GOTTA ALSO SAY, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, SOME OF US ARE SOME OF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE WANT TO BE LIKE THAT. YEAH, YOU CAN ONLY HELP WHO WANT TO BE HELPED. BUT BUT YOU GOT THIS PROGRAM. SO YOU ALSO SAID, I'M GONNA FINISH UP MR. MAYOR. USING HOUSING FIRST IS OUR GOAL IS TO HOUSE AN INDIVIDUAL REGARDLESS OF WHAT LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY HAVE GOING ON. AND THAT'S JUST ANSWERED THE LAST STATEMENT. I SAID WHETHER THEY WANT TO BE HELP OR NOT, YOU WANT TO HELP THEM. THIS MEANS THAT FAMILIES ARE OFFERED HOUSING BECAUSE IT'S A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT. AND I END BY SAYING, MR. MAYOR, WE ARE. HE GOT CHOKED UP, MAN. HE TEARING UP OVER THERE. AND I SAID A HICCUP AWAY, BOY. WE HAVE IGNORED HUMAN RIGHTS FOR TOO LONG. AND COLONIAL HEIGHTS, LINWOOD, EMPORIA, HOPEWELL, PETERSBURG, PRINCE GEORGE, SURREY, SUSSEX, WAKEFIELD AND WAVERLY CAN NOW JOIN FORCES AND EVERYBODY SHOULD BE CHIPPING IN. MAYBE HAVE A REGIONAL HOMELESS SHELTER, HELP THE PEOPLE THAT'S OUT HERE THAT'S REALLY DOING IT OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS AND STRUGGLING. NOW WE GOT A SPEARHEAD TO LEAD THE WAY. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, THANK
[00:35:01]
YOU, THANK YOU. ANYTHING WE CAN DO AND ANY OF THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE CAN HELP. THANK YOU AGAIN.APPRECIATE Y'ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MY COUNCILMAN MYERS. YEAH. ONE MORE. AND MARLO, THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST STANDING THERE. THEY'VE BEEN HOMELESS ALSO. SO I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. THEY ARE DOING THE LORD'S WORK. LET ME PUT IT THAT WAY, VICE MAYOR. YES? I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KIND OF JUMPED OUT TO ME IS ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT YOU ALL INTERFACE WITH, AND YOU HELP. THIS IS A YEOMAN'S JOB THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT. BUT I LIKE THE NUMBERS BECAUSE I'M A DATA PERSON TOO, LIKE YOU ARE AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY SEE SOMEONE AND YOU MAY ASSUME THAT THEY ARE HOMELESS WHEN THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE SITUATIONS EVEN IN OUR FAITH BASED COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE USE THEY'RE PUT ON YOUR YOUR HEART STRINGS AND WHAT HAVE YOU. WE HAD A RACKET GOING ON BECAUSE I'M A PASTOR IN DINWIDDIE AND ALL THE PASTORS, WE FOUND OUT IT WAS A PARTICULAR FAMILY THAT WAS GOING AROUND LIKE A, LIKE A BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR KIDS AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET AID. AND THEN ONCE WE STARTED CALLING. SO MY, I GUESS, ASK OF YOU AND ASK OF THE PUBLIC IS THAT EVERYONE WOULD KIND OF JOIN TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S A COMMUNITY THING. IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, A PETERSBURG THING AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND BY YOU ALL KNOWING FIRSTHAND THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN. AND WHEN YOU'RE ON, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATE BEING HOMELESS, YOU KNOW, I SALUTE YOU ALL FOR THE COURAGE THAT YOU'RE DOING. BUT I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL ARE IN THIS CITY. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN MEYERS ESPECIALLY FOR BRINGING BRINGING YOU ALL UP ON TODAY SO WE CAN GET THE FACTS. AND WE KNOW, BECAUSE WE DID GO OUT ONE TIME, I THINK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MR. ALTMAN, AND WE TRIED TO PICK UP SOME PEOPLE WHO WAS OUT. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO. THEY FUSSED AND CURSED AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO YOU KNOW THAT. AND WE KNOW THAT THIS AREA IS A TRANSIT AREA. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, PEOPLE COME THIS WAY DURING THE SUMMER, DURING THE WINTER, AND THEY KIND OF STOP OFF HERE AND THEN THEY GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND WE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN AND PARTNER WITH YOU IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN, BUT ALSO EVERYBODY ELSE HAVE TO HAVE THEIR SHARE IN IT TO ALL THESE OTHER LOCALITIES, HAVE TO BE A PART OF IT TOO. PETERSBURG JUST CANNOT BE THE ONLY ONE TO SHARE THIS BURDEN BY THEMSELVES. AND THERE IS A STATE HOSPITAL THAT IS OUT OF CENTRAL STATE. THEY GOT PLENTY OF ROOM OUT THERE. YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD A NEW FACILITY.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE STATE AND US TOGETHER TO TRY TO HELP IN SOME TYPE OF WAY. IF THERE'S A FACILITY THAT NEED TO BE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GO IN FOR WRAPAROUND SERVICES. SO.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. OKAY, COUNCILMAN SMITH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. MAYOR, YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT YOUR WIFE AND I HELPED OUT A HOMELESS MAN LAST YEAR. HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY SHOES ON. WE. HE WAS UP THERE BY THE OLD TRAILWAYS BUS STATION, AND SHE AND I TOOK IT UPON OURSELVES TO GET HIM SOME CLOTHES, GET HIM SOME SHOES, AND GAVE HIM SOME MONEY TO GET A BUS TICKET TO NORTH CAROLINA. BUT AT THAT TIME, AT THE CHURCH NEXT DOOR, ACROSS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, THEY WERE HAVING SOME PICKUP, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU CAN PICK UP FOOD. AND SO I HAD SOME THINGS IN MY CAR. SHE HAD SOME THINGS IN HER CAR. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR WIFE FOR BEING THERE FOR SOMEBODY THAT WAS HOMELESS AND. I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THAT SITUATION, BUT I, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT HERE THAT JUST CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, FROM CIRCUMSTANCES. AND WE NEED TO. GOD SAID WE NEED TO ALWAYS HELP THE NEEDY, THE SICK AND THE SHUT IN. SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND ALSO FOR
[00:40:02]
MISS HAYNES AND MR. NEILL IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, THAT THAT'S REALLY BEEN HELPING THE HOMELESS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JONES. I HOPE NOBODY'S OUT THERE TIRED OF US TALKING ABOUT THIS THING. IT'S BEEN A BIG ISSUE, AND I DON'T THINK WE ALL HEARD. WHAT COUNCILMAN MEYER SAID ABOUT THESE INDIVIDUALS. THESE INDIVIDUALS HOMELESS THEMSELVES AT SOME POINT, AND THEY'RE STANDING BEFORE US. WITH OUTSTANDING NUMBERS FROM JULY 2023 TO JULY 2024, 500 PEOPLE IN PETERSBURG, 330 HOUSEHOLDS, 340 ADULTS, 215 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 AND 123 HOUSEHOLDS WITH MINOR CHILDREN. NOW, THIS YEAR, WE'RE NOT EVEN HALFWAY THERE YET, AND YOU'RE CREEPING UP ON THOSE NUMBERS ALREADY. I JUST THINK IT'S OUTSTANDING. AND THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS WHEN YOU TEACH A MAN TO FISH, YOU TEACH HIM FOR A LIFETIME. AND YOU LADIES AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME GENTLEMAN OUT THERE THAT'S HELPING TO KEEP GOING, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU. PLEASE PARTNER WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE OUT HERE.THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WANT A HOMELESS SHELTER. BUT SHOW EM WHAT YOU GOT, PUT THEM TO WORK AND PUT US TO WORK, TOO. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ITEM BE HAS BEEN MOVED TO ANOTHER MEETING. ITEM C PLANNING COMMISSION COMPENSATION PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION, MISS MARK. HELLO, MAYOR. VICE MAYOR. COUNCIL. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'M GOING TO SAY THIS BEFORE SHE STARTS. THIS IS A DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER ITEM.
SAY COME, COME COME COME IN. IT'S A RECOMMENDATION. COME IN. SO JUST JUST WHAT IT IS. THANK YOU. MARCH. SO NAOMI SIODMAK, PLANNING DIRECTOR WITH THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. SO I'M HERE BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY AT A REQUEST FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THEY'RE INTERESTED IN YOU ALL CONSIDERING COMPENSATING THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND EFFORTS. A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN PURSUING ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND SPENDING TIME REVIEWING THE DOCUMENTATION OF ALL THE ITEMS THAT WE COME BEFORE YOU ALL. WITH SO SOON, YOU'LL SEE SHORT TERM RENTALS, WORKING ON DATA CENTER LANGUAGE, ALL OF THAT THAT'S COMING BEFORE YOU ALL. I ALSO GOT SOME INFORMATION TOGETHER WITH MY TEAM ABOUT SOME NEIGHBORING LOCALITIES AND HOW MUCH THEY PAY THEIR PLANNING COMMISSIONERS. SO HOPEWELL DOES $50 PER PLANNING COMMISSIONER EVERY TWO WEEKS.
THEY DID NOTE THAT MOST OF THEM DECLINED THIS PAYMENT. ONLY ONE OF FIVE OF THEM CURRENTLY RECEIVED THAT PAYMENT. COLONIAL HEIGHTS DOES NOT PAY THEIR PLANNING COMMISSION. THIS ONE'S A BIT OF AN OUTLIER OUTLIER, BUT I'VE HEARD OF THIS ONE FREQUENTLY. CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PAYS THEIR PLANNING COMMISSIONERS 25,000 ANNUALLY. DINWIDDIE COUNTY PAYS 150 PER MONTH AFTER TAX. SO THEY JUST MAKE SURE THAT ONCE THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS ARE PAID, IT TOTALS 150 PER MONTH. ONCE THE TAX IS PULLED OUT AND PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY PAYS 200 PER MEETING. AND THAT'S BASED ON THE ATTENDANCE OF THAT MEETING. SO IF A PLANNING COMMISSIONER DOES NOT ATTEND, THEY DO NOT GET PAID FOR THAT MEETING. SO I'LL SHARE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW THE BUDGET THAT'S COMING BEFORE YOU ALL FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE FUNDING IN THERE FOR POTENTIALLY PAYING THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS AT A RATE OF $75 PER MEETING. SO THAT'S MONEY THAT WE HAVE IN THEIR CUSHION IN CASE THERE'S INTEREST IN MOVING THIS FORWARD. AND THAT, OF COURSE, ALSO WOULD BE BASED ON ATTENDANCE AT THAT MEETING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING THE WORK TO GET THAT PAY. SO WITH THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL AS COUNCIL INTERESTED IN COMPENSATING. I SHARED WITH YOU WHAT SOME OTHER LOCALITIES ARE DOING. AND ARE THERE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW MUCH IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. AND NEXT STEPS WOULD BE IF THERE'S INTEREST IN MOVING THIS FORWARD, WE WOULD COME TO YOU ALL WITH A TEXT AMENDMENT TO ENSURE IT'S CLEAR THAT PLANNING COMMISSION, PER STATE CODE, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR COMPENSATION. I ALSO HAVE THE CHAIR HERE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONER, MARSHALL FORD. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAIR, HE'S HERE TO HELP WITH THAT AS WELL. AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY.
VICE MAYOR HILL, YES, LOOKING AT THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, AND I KNOW THE PLANNERS DO PUT IN A LOT OF WORK AND THEY DO. NOT AS MUCH AS COUNCIL, BUT THEY DO PUT IN A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF THINGS COME BEFORE THEM, BEFORE THEY COME BEFORE US. SO WHATEVER MEMORY, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT PERSONALLY. BUT WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS, WE HAVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT NUMBER WILL BE. AND YOU ALL SUGGESTED $75. IS THAT WHAT THE ASK WAS? THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC ASK. THE ASK IS
[00:45:06]
JUST COMPENSATION. BUT WE HAD IN OUR BUDGET FOR THE NEXT YEAR TO DO THAT. 75 IF THERE'S INTEREST.OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. I'LL SEE WHAT THE REST OF COUNCIL. OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT A VOTING MEETING TODAY, BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM PERSONALLY WITH COMPENSATION OF SOME TYPE.
COUNCILMAN JONES. JUST LIKE CITY MANAGER SAID, THIS IS A DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER. THING.
WELL. I HAVE BEEN KNOWN AS A SHOOTER. AND. I'M NOT SHOOTING THE MESSENGER. BUT I HAVE ISSUES AND MY ISSUES. IS THIS ANYBODY WHO SIGN UP? TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY? YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WAS GETTING INTO WHEN YOU SIGNED UP FOR IT. YOU KNEW WHAT THE PAY WAS OR WASN'T, AND YOU KNEW WHAT WAS REQUIRED OF YOU. NOW. I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY $75. NOT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHERE IS THAT $75 COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? YEAH, BUT WE CHARGE THE COMMUNITY AS WELL FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT. WE CHARGE FOR ALL OTHER KIND OF STUFF. NOW WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE THEM TO PAY SOMEBODY WHO SIGNED UP TO VOLUNTEER, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BE DOING IT OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF THEIR HEART. I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY DO IT. OR FOR THE LOVE OF THE CITY. THAT'S WHY WE DO IT. I GET PAID $400 EVERY TWO WEEKS AND IT'S GONE. IT DON'T COVER MY GAS. IT DON'T COVER MY PHONE CALLS ALL TIMES OF THE NIGHT. IT DON'T COVER ME ANSWERING ALL. AND I DON'T CARE.
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE. I'LL DO THIS FOR FREE. I RAN WITH THE EXPECTATION OF DOING IT FOR WHATEVER WAS ON THE TABLE AT THE TIME. SO I THINK. I THINK. I'M GOING TO SAY NO ON THIS. BECAUSE HERE'S THE THING. WHEN WE SIGN UP FOR THIS AND WHEN WE START PAYING, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY SAY, I AIN'T GETTING PAID ENOUGH TO DO WHAT I DO BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET STRENUOUS AT TIMES, AND I DON'T WANT TO START GETTING PEOPLE TO SAY, I'M GOING TO DO IT JUST FOR THE MONEY. WE NEED TO DO IT FOR THE DEDICATION. THAT'S WHAT I GOT, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. OKAY, MR. AHMAD, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THE HAS HAS A ATTENDANCE BEEN A BEEN A PROBLEM OR THE LACK OF HAVING A QUORUM? IS IT IS IT SOMETHING. BECAUSE I KNOW JUST LIKE MOST OF US, EVERYBODY WORK FULL TIME JOBS. SO ARE ARE THERE PEOPLE TAKING OFF WORK OR THAT CAN'T MAKE THE MEETING OR HAVE SOME, SOME OTHER ISSUES WITH MAKING THE MEETING THAT NEED SOME SORT OF COMPENSATION FOR TRANSPORTATION OR THEIR TIME? SURE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, AND I'VE BEEN GOING TO PLAN COMMISSION SINCE THIS NEW PLANNING COMMISSION STARTED, WE'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD GETTING A QUORUM.
THE MOST RECENT MEETING, THOUGH, WE STRUGGLED TO GET THAT QUORUM. WE ALMOST CALLED THE MEETING BEFORE WE HAD A QUORUM OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE. AND WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR THE AVERAGE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING? USUALLY THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S MEETINGS LAST THE ENTIRE 2.5 HOURS. YES. SO FROM 6 TO 830 WE'RE THERE. AND THAT'S ONCE A MONTH. BUT THEY'VE ALSO BEEN STARTING TO GET INVOLVED WITH OUR ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATES AS WELL. AND THOSE WILL BE HAPPENING ABOUT THE NEXT FIVE OR SO MONTHS, ADDING ONE ADDITIONAL MEETING EACH MONTH.
AND YOU SPOKE OF THE $75. IS THAT COMING OUT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S BUDGET? THE. YEAH, IT WOULD COME FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET, YES. BECAUSE WE USE OUR BUDGET TO PAY FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO GET TRAINED. SO WE WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO USE THAT BUDGET POTENTIALLY TO PAY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT 75 PER MEETING. SO IT'S AT ONE. THEY'LL BE MORE LIKE THE 150 THAT DINWIDDIE'S DOING THEN FOR A FOR A HANDFUL OF MONTHS. YEAH IT'LL BE AROUND THAT 150. GENERALLY THEY ONLY MEET ONCE A MONTH RIGHT. SO THAT'S ONE 150 TIMES 12 I MEAN IF, IF, IF YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR BUDGET, I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT JUST BECAUSE I KNOW WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN PETERSBURG NOW, ALL OF OUR MEETINGS ARE AT THE POINT WHERE THEY THEY GO LONG AND LENGTHY. AND I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S JUST MY $0.02 ON
[00:50:08]
IT. YEAH. A LOT GOING ON. OKAY. SO, MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BRING BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING FOR CONSIDERATION OR GIVE ME THE NEXT STEPS? YEAH. SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO AND WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS SOME CONSENSUS AMONGST COUNCIL. SO WE JUST DIDN'T DROP AN ORDINANCE ON YOU AND YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT INVOLVES THIS. SO COUNCIL IS OKAY. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS IT WILL GO BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THEY'LL DO THEIR PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE CODE, AND THEN IT WILL COME TO COUNCIL FOR COUNCIL'S DECISION. LET'S LET'S ASSUME IT GOES TO JUNE'S PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. IT WILL BE IN FRONT OF YOU IN JULY. OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. GOOD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM D WHICH IS PETERSBURG AREA TRANSIT DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM. MISS QUEENIE BIRD I'M COMING. AND I PROMISE I WON'T BE BEFORE YOU LONG. GOOD EVENING. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGER ALTMAN AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL PETERSBURG AREA TRANSIT PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF THE CITY. MY PURPOSE HERE THIS EVENING IS TO ADDRESS PETERSBURG AREA TRANSIT. UPDATED DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM. DBE IS A TERM FOR SMALL, FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES THAT ARE AT LEAST 51% OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS. IT IS REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AS A DIRECT RECIPIENT OF FEDERAL FUNDS, THAT WE UPDATE OUR PROGRAM EVERY THREE YEARS. OUR PROGRAM WAS LAST UPDATED IN 2022 UNDER THE DIRECTIONS OF MR. MR. AT THAT TIME, OUR NEW DIRECTOR IS MR. DARIUS MASON. DURING THE LAST SIX YEARS PETERSBURG AREA TRANSIT HAVEN'T HAD ANY MAJOR PROJECTS, SO WE WERE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT A QUESTIONNAIRE EXPLAINING THE FUNDS THAT WE EXPENDED THAT WE RECEIVED FROM FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE NEW PROGRAM. IN THE NEW PROGRAM, WE HAVE WE HAVE CITED A GOAL OF 5% USING RACE CONSCIOUS MEASURES, RACE CONSCIOUS MEASURES OFTEN INCLUDE CONTRACT GOALS THAT REQUIRE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF DBE PARTICIPATION ON PROJECTS. THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE. THAT WE HAVE COMING UP IS THE DESIGN AND ENGINEER OF THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY, AND THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY TO BE BUILT WITHIN THE UPCOMING THREE YEAR PERIOD, YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE TO REVIEW THE PROGRAM. WE'RE HERE FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO SUBMIT THE PROGRAM TO THE FTA AND HAVE IT SITED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, MISS BARRETT. AND NEXT WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN JONES. HOW ARE YOU DOING, MISS BIRD? HI. CAN YOU, CAN YOU. EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHAT EXACTLY IS A DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE? THE DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS DESIGNED BY THE FTA. AND WHAT IT DOES IS DESIGNED FOR DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE A BUSINESS THAT WHEN WE WHATEVER PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, WE WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW SOME 5% OF OUR FEDERAL MONEY FOR DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES. THAT KIND OF DOESN'T HAPPEN FOR US AT TRANSIT, BECAUSE WHAT NORMALLY HAPPENS IS WE THE CITY IS ALWAYS GOING TO GO WITH THE LOWEST BID. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS OUR CONTRACTOR NORMALLY DOES SUBCONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS ARE NORMALLY OUR DBE PERSONS, AND THOSE ARE THE PERSONS THAT WE OFFER THE 5% FOR. IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE PAPERWORK THAT WE HAVE TO FILL OUT BECAUSE THE SUBCONTRACTOR HAS TO TURN IN HOURS, WORKED TIME SHEETS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. AND IT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE FTA. SO AND I'M JUST TRYING TO LEARN, OKAY, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED. SO EXAMPLE. SO WE'RE SAYING ENTERPRISE THAT'S AN AREA OR THAT'S A PARTICULAR BUSINESS. IT'S A IT'S A PROGRAM DESIGNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT FOR AGAIN FOR PEOPLE THAT. LET'S USE DOMINION POWER. DOMINION POWER IS A BIG[00:55:02]
COMPANY THAT HAVE THAT'S THAT'S EVERYWHERE. RIGHT. OKAY. SO THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER SMALLER COMPANY UP UNDER THEIR UP UNDER THERE THAT CAN DO THE SAME THING THAT DOMINION POWER CAN DO. SO BUT WE AS, AS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN WE PUT OUR BIDS OUT AND SAY WE WANT WE NEED YOU TO DO THIS.WE'RE GOING TO ALWAYS GO WITH THE LOWEST BID. BUT THE BIG GUY, HE CAN AFFORD TO TAKE THE LOWEST BID BECAUSE HE'S GOT 5 OR 6 OTHER JOBS GOING HERE AND THERE. BUT THE DISADVANTAGE WITH A 51%.
HIS 51%, HE CAN'T AFFORD TO SAY, I'M GOING TO TAKE THE LOWEST BID BECAUSE HE IS HE'S DISADVANTAGED. HE'S DISADVANTAGED BY THE BIGGER PEOPLE THAT THAT CAN DO THE SAME THING HE'S DOING. BUT IN MASS. EXACTLY I UNDERSTAND NOW. THANK YOU. OKAY, OKAY. QUESTION QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. I'M GOING TO GO HOME NOW OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT WE
[7. Public Comments]
MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. TONIGHT WE'LL START OFF WITH MISS PAT GRIFFITH. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING I'M PATTY GRIFFITH I LIVE UP IN WALNUT HILL. JUST A LITTLE OLD LADY WHO HAD AN IDEA LAST YEAR. I PLANTED A SEED. CAN YOU STATE YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? IT'S 1152 OAK RIDGE ROAD. THANK YOU. LAST YEAR, I PLANTED A SEED IN OLD TOWN AND I DEVELOPED AN OUTDOOR MUSIC PROGRAM THAT WAS FREE TO THE PUBLIC THAT RAN ALL SUMMER.AND IT WAS AMAZING. PETERSBURG HASN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. YOU KNOW HOW THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE SAYS THAT WE HAVE A RIGHT TO PURSUE HAPPINESS THAT NIGHT, FRIDAY NIGHT, ALL SUMMER LONG, FROM 630 TO 830, THE RESIDENTS OF PETERSBURG GOT TO PURSUE HAPPINESS, AND I HAD THE WHOLE TOWN DANCING IN FRONT OF THE STAGE, AND IT TOLD ME PETERSBURG WANTS TO DO THIS.
THEY WANT A SAFE CENTRAL LOCATION WHERE THEY CAN GATHER, SHARE COMMON GROUND AND HAVE GOOD OLD FASHIONED FUN WITH LOCAL MUSIC. DANCING AND THE SUPPORT OF THE MERCHANTS AND RESTAURATEURS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M COMING TO YOU TONIGHT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE ENERGY IS BUILDING. A TEAM HAS FORMED AND WITH THE HELP OF A JOHNNY SACK, WHO RUNS THE ART EXCHANGE DOWN ON OLD STREET, HE HAS TAKEN OVER THE IRONWORKS FOR FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAYS FROM JUNE UNTIL SEPTEMBER FROM 5 TO 9:00. I AM BRINGING MY PROGRAM ON FRIDAYS, A FAMILY FREE. MUSIC VENUE, LIVE MUSIC TO THE IRONWORKS ON FRIDAY NIGHT. WE HAVE GATHERED A TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SUPPORT THIS. LAST YEAR MY MUSICIANS CAME AND PLAYED FOR FREE AND THEY WERE SO HAPPY. THEY ALL WANT TO COME BACK THIS YEAR. THAT'S FOR FREE. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHO'D WE GET IF WE OFFERED THEM $100? DO YOU KNOW THAT LAST YEAR IF I PAID EVERY MUSICIAN THAT TOOK THE STAGE $100, IT WOULD HAVE COST $2,500. HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE YOU SPENT ON YOUR EVENTS THAT GAVE YOU THAT KIND OF BANG FOR YOUR BUCK, THAT ADDRESSED ALL THE DIFFERENT FACETS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS THAT BROUGHT FUN TO YOUR CITY? THIS YEAR I CAME FORWARD. I'M NOT A POLITICIAN. I DON'T KNOW MOST OF YOU GUYS SOMETIMES. YOU CAME ON THAT BUS IN AUGUST, YOU KNOW, AND CAME TO THE BARBECUES. BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW YOU AND I DON'T POLITIC. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT
[01:00:05]
PETERSBURG IS HUNGRY FOR THIS KIND OF SPACE. AND IT HAS GOTTEN SUCH SUPPORT THAT CURRY BRANCH IS HERE TONIGHT. BRANCHES FROM THE ARTS. HE'S A NONPROFIT. THE BRANCH BROTHERS ARE BEHIND THIS.YOU MIGHT KNOW SOMEBODY NAMED PLUNKY PLUNK. HE'S COMING THIS SUMMER. YOU WANT PLUNKY TO COME TO PETERSBURG? THEN YOU ALL GOT TO GET BEHIND THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS GRIFFITHS. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE MR. COREY HARRIS HERE. MR. COREY HARRIS, COME ON UP FRONT. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK MR. COREY HARRIS FOR ALL THE DONATIONS HE'S BEEN MAKING TO PETERSBURG PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HE'S BEEN OUT HERE STOMPING A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR COREY BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN GIVING THEM LOTS OF HUGE DONATIONS TO THEIR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENTS. AND COREY, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. AND I THINK YOU ALSO HAVE A PODCAST. YOU'RE STARTING AS WELL, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. PERFECT. YES. IF I COULD BEFORE HE STARTS, I ALSO WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THE DONATIONS HE'S MADE FOR LIGHTING AND OTHER THINGS IN THE CITY. SO WE DO APPRECIATE THAT, MR. HARRIS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ONE YEAR AGO.
CAN YOU JUST STATE YOUR ADDRESS? APOLOGIZE. COREY HARRIS, 2316 ANDERSON STREET. THANK YOU. ONE YEAR AGO, I SPOKE TO A WOMAN. SHE WAS FRIENDS WITH, DOCTOR FARLEY, AND SHE IS FROM ROANOKE, VIRGINIA. AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT DOCTOR FARLEY WANTED WAS TO FOCUS ON AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. THERE'S SO MUCH ABOUT OUR HISTORY WE DON'T KNOW.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES. YOU KNOW, WE CELEBRATE THE PRESIDENT, FORMER PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA. BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT JARED FAMILY, THEY ALSO WENT TO LIBERIA AND THEY BECAME MAYORS OF CITIES. DID YOU KNOW THAT WE HAD A LOT OF PRESIDENTS OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG? DID YOU KNOW THAT DURING THE LATE 1800S, AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE QUITE WEALTHY? HERE'S THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE. WE DON'T LIVE IN A CITY THAT FOCUS ENOUGH ON TECHNOLOGY.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH IN THIS CITY. THE POVERTY RATE HAS BEEN OVER 20% FOR DECADES. JOBS HAVE COME TO THE CITY, JOBS HAVE LEFT THE CITY. BUT STILL THE POVERTY RATE HAS PRETTY MUCH REMAINED STAGNANT. AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE DON'T EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY. NOW, MY NONPROFIT WENT TO ANOTHER CITY, AND WE HELPED ROUGHLY WELL, I HELPED ROUGHLY 500 YOUNG PEOPLE, 500 YOUNG PEOPLE TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS ONLINE. AND ONE THIRD OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOW MAKING OVER $50,000 A YEAR. AND IT TOOK ME ROUGHLY SIX MONTHS TO DO THAT. BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I AM MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I'M NO LONGER GOING TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, AND THE VERY REASON WHY I'M NO LONGER GOING TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MUCH CHAOS, THERE'S TOO MUCH STUFF THAT'S GOING ON IN THIS CITY THAT WE NEED TO FIX. A YOUNG MAN 12 YEARS OLD, TROUBLED. I SAW ALL THE CRITICISM ABOUT THAT YOUNG MAN I SAW. I SAW THE CRITICISM OF THAT YOUNG MAN FAMILY BEING CRITICIZED. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT THAT MOTHER OR FATHER IS GOING THROUGH, BUT WE'RE SO JUDGMENTAL. WE CRITICIZE EACH OTHER, AND THERE'S SO MUCH IN THIS CITY THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, AND I'VE HAD ENOUGH. I'VE TRULY HAD ENOUGH. BUT BEFORE I GO, I DON'T HAVE A FEW MINUTES. THERE'S TWO THINGS I WANT TO SAY. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS HELP SOMEONE IN THIS CITY. AND HIS NAME IS BOBBY BEVERLY. BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK ANOTHER PERSON. YOU, COUNCILMAN CUTHBERT. WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW? FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I'VE DEALT WITH A LOT WHEN IT COMES TO LOSING MY FATHER, AND MY MOM STRUGGLED FOR YEARS TO DEAL WITH IT. BUT WHEN MY FATHER DIED, THAT MAN SENT ME A CARD. I WAS SHOCKED, BUT HE DID IT. HE ALSO REACHED OUT TO ME. THIS MAN ALSO TOOK A CHANCE
[01:05:09]
WHEN IT COMES TO MY TALENTS AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT I CAN NO LONGER BE IN A CITY THAT WE IGNORE THE SUFFERING. AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES. I WANT TO BE CLEAR. SO NO, I'M NOT BEATING UP ON YOU. BUT WE CAN'T KEEP IGNORING THAT CORPORATE AMERICA WILL NOT FOCUS ON US WHEN THEY SEE THAT POVERTY RATE OVER 20%. AND TECHNOLOGY IS THE KEY OF HELPING THIS CITY. YOU GUYS TAKE CARE. THANK YOU. NEXT, MISS BARBARA RUDOLPH. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL JUST WORKING, I GUESS. BARB RUDOLPH, 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET. BUDGET. I THINK THAT'S WHAT I PUT AS THE TOPIC. SO I SEE THAT OUR BUDGET FOLKS ARE HERE. I'M HOPING WHILE THERE'S NOTHING ON THE AGENDA, I'M HOPING THAT WE MAYBE WILL LEARN SOMETHING MORE ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS TONIGHT. IT IS THE BEGINNING OF MAY, AND YOU ALL NEED TO PASS A BUDGET BEFORE THE END OF JUNE. SO THERE'S ONLY A FEW MORE MEETINGS, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY MORE ABOUT COMMUNITY MEETINGS OR ANY OF THAT. NOW, I BELIEVE THAT THOSE OF YOU ON COUNCIL HAVE HAD YOUR TWO ON 2 OR 1 ON ONE OR WHATEVER YOU'RE CALLING YOUR INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE FINANCE PEOPLE, WHICH IS ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE US WE THE CITIZENS, WE HAVE NO INSIGHT INTO WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE AND YOUR INTERESTS. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, AS OF WHATEVER THIS IS MAY 6TH, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT OTHER THAN INDIVIDUAL ITEMS THAT COME UP. WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT YOUR OVERARCHING VISION IS AND WHERE YOU WANT TO GO WITH THE BUDGET. AND PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1ST, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY WILL BE ENJOYING SOME MONEY FROM FROM THE CASINO DEAL DURING FISCAL FISCAL YEAR 26, INCENTIVE PAYMENTS, POSSIBLY SOME REVENUE IF THE CASINO OPENS IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER. SO ALL OF THOSE ARE UNKNOWN ISSUES. AND I KNOW I'M JUMPING AROUND A LITTLE, BUT I WANT TO THROW OUT THERE THAT IN OTHER LOCALITIES SUCH AS DANVILLE, THEY THEY ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED A CITIZEN COMMISSION EARLY ON THAT HAS A ROLE IN HOW THAT CITY SPENDS THE MONEY THAT COMES FROM THEIR CASINO. I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPEN IN PETERSBURG, AND I DON'T HAVE TIME IN THIS VENUE TO ELABORATE ON THAT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T BELIEVE I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO ADDRESS THIS. I'M STILL WANT TO. I JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IT YET. I APOLOGIZE, LET ME JUST ADD A BRIEF COMMENT A LITTLE ON THE MICRO SIDE OF THE BUDGET, BECAUSE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE PROPOSAL FOR THEM TO GET COMPENSATION. I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCILOR JONES. I THINK THAT THE DESIRE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE EXISTS IN MANY OF OUR CITIZENS AND CAN BE FOUND AND THEY AND THEIR FOLKS WHO WANTED TO BE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, REAPPOINTED OR APPOINTED TO THIS PLANNING, CURRENT PLANNING COMMISSION, WHO WEREN'T WHO I BELIEVE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY GLAD TO SERVE WITHOUT A THOUGHT OF BEING COMPENSATED. THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS ITS PRECEDENT SETTING. YOU ALL HAVE QUITE A FEW BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE CITY. I KNOW THEY DON'T ALL COME UP ALL THE TIME, BUT IF YOU GO AND DIG THROUGH ALL OF THEM AND FIGURE OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE, I'M SURE IT'S AT LEAST A COUPLE DOZEN, IF NOT MORE. SO ALL OF THEM, I MEAN, RIGHTFULLY SO, WANT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD ALSO BE COMPENSATED AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS I MEAN, I BELIEVE THEY PROBABLY MEET AT LEAST AS FREQUENTLY AND DO AS MUCH. YOU'VE GOT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD, YOU'VE GOT THE SOCIAL, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD, YOU'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF BODIES. SO I THINK, I THINK PLEASE GIVE THAT A LOT OF THOUGHT AND I'LL SAY MORE IF IT EVER COMES UP IN A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYWAY, I'M OUT OF TIME. THE TIME HAS GONE FAST FOR ALL OF US UP HERE TONIGHT. I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER MORE THAN I ALREADY HAVE, SO THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING. THANK YOU. RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES[8. Approval of Consent Agenda (to include minutes of previous meetings)]
OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. NEXT WE MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT. APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS. MINUTES OF APRIL 15TH, 2025. CITY COUNCIL CLOSED SESSION MINUTES APRIL 15TH, 2025. CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES APRIL 17TH, 2025 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL CLOSED SESSION MEETING MINUTES APRIL 23RD CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL JOINT MEETING WITH THE PETERSBURG CITY SCHOOL BOARD ITEM B FY 25 PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET AMENDMENT COMPLETE ORDINANCE[01:10:07]
ITEM C FIRST READING AND SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT TO THE FY 25 GRANTS FUND. ITEM D FIRST READING SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO USE THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND. ITEM E FIRST READING SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED FY 26 PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET F FIRST READING SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF FY 26 OPERATING BUDGET. ITEM G FIRST READING SCHEDULE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE OPTION BETWEEN THE PETERSBURG CITY, BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND SUBSTRATE, LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 130 NORTH UNION STREET AND 122 124 WEST FIFTH STREET. ITEM H FIRST READING SCHEDULE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FY 26 TAX RATE ITEM A ITEM I, WHICH IS AN APPROPRIATION OF 300,000 TOWARDS THE STADIUM ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE. THOSE ARE THE ITEMS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. MR. WILLIAMS, I THINK YOU NEED TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADD THAT ITEM. PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. AND I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO FIRST OF ALL, WE'LL APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED THROUGH ITEMS H. COUNCILMAN MEYERS. SO MOVED. COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE SECOND.MOTION AND A SECOND. MR. MAYOR, I DON'T UNDERSTAND EIGHT G OKAY, THERE IS NO PLAT OR MAP ATTACHED TO IT WHEN THIS COMES BACK TO US. I GUESS TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT, WHICH WOULD BE MAY THE 20TH. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU SEE THAT A PLAT, A MAP, SOMETHING VISUAL IS IN THERE SO THAT WE HAVE SOME IDEAS TO. WHAT THE FOOTPRINT OF THIS PROPERTY IS AND WHERE IT'S LOCATED, BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD LEGAL DESCRIPTION IN THE, IN THE AGENDA. BUT IT'S HARD TO ENVISION EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS. ABSOLUTELY. WE CAN HAVE A MAP OR IF THERE'S A PLAT AVAILABLE, WE'LL HAVE BOTH THE LEGAL PLAT IF IT'S AVAILABLE, AND A MAP SHOWING THE GENERAL VICINITY THAT IT'S IN. THAT'LL HELP US. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. MR. ALTMAN, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MR. MAYOR? COULD WHO WHO MADE THE MOTION? WHO SECONDED IT? COUNCILMAN MYERS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN SMITH. LEE. COUNCILOR CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCILOR. JONES. I, COUNCILOR. MYERS. COUNCILOR.
WESTBROOK. HI. COUNCILOR. SMITH, LEE I VICE MAYOR. HILL. MAYOR. PARHAM I THEN WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL ITEM FROM THE STADIUM ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE THAT'S BUILDING THE SPORTS TRAINING FACILITY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND THAT'S THE FINAL APPROPRIATION OF THE $300,000 THAT WAS LEFT OVER. RIGHT. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN SMITH. LEE, SECOND MOTION IS SECOND TO ADD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MR. ALTMAN, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCILOR CUTHBERT I. COUNCILOR JONES. COUNCILOR MYERS, COUNCILOR WESTBROOK, A COUNCILOR SMITH. LEE I MAYOR PARHAM. ABSTAIN. NEXT, WE HAD A MOTION TO ADD. MR. WILLIAMS WE GOOD? YEAH. YES. AND IF YOU WANT TO APPROVE IT WITH THE REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, MOVE FORWARD. I WOULD DO THAT NEXT. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE TO ADD TO THE REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. COUNCILMAN MYERS SO MOVED COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK SECOND. ALL RIGHT. MR. ALTMAN, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCILOR CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCILOR JONES.
AYE. COUNCILOR. MYERS. COUNCILOR. WESTBROOK. COUNCILOR. SMITH. LEE, I MAYOR PARHAM, I
[9. Special Reports]
ABSTAIN. NEXT, WE HAVE ITEM NINE SPECIAL REPORTS. NO ITEMS TONIGHT. MR. ALTMAN. WE HAVE FINANCE TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THE QUESTION ASKED BY MRS. RUDOLPH. WE'VE SCHEDULED SOME PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. YES. SO NO REPORT TONIGHT. BUT WE DID WANT TO SHARE AN UPDATE. AND WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY, BUT WE HAD SOME SCHEDULING LOGISTICS ISSUES. BUT THE FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING FOR THE BUDGET IS SCHEDULED FOR THIS THURSDAY. IT IS VIRTUAL OKAY. IT'S GOING TO BE ON ZOOM. THE ZOOM LINK IS POSTED ON THE CITY WEBSITE[01:15:01]
THURSDAY AT 5 P.M. THEN THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY, MAY THE 15TH AT 4 P.M. IN OUR TRANSIT CONFERENCE ROOM, WE WILL HAVE A IN-PERSON BUDGET MEETING AND THEN, AS WE KNOW, THERE WILL BE AN OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING RELATED THE BUDGET THE FOLLOWING WEEK. ON THE 20TH OF MAY. SO THOSE ARE UPDATES. SO LIKE I SAID, IT IS POSTED ON THE CITY WEBSITE. THE BUDGET IS UP THERE FOR REVIEW AS WELL. YES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT MOVE ON TO ITEM TEN MONTHLY[10. Monthly Reports]
REPORTS. ANY ITEMS TONIGHT WE HAVE WE HAVE A PUBLIC WORKS REPORT FOR ITEMS 12 1314 AND 15 OKAY. FINANCE AND BUDGET REPORT. THERE'S NO ITEMS TONIGHT. NEXT MOVE ON CAPITAL PROJECTS UPDATE[Items 13 - 15]
NO ITEMS. SO NOW WE MOVE ON TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES. REPORT FOR UTILITIES, STREETS AND FACILITIES. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PARHAM.COUNCILMAN BRIAN KOPPELL, CITY ENGINEER A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO ON THE PUBLIC WORKS REPORT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO IT IN THE SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS TO COME IS TELL TELL YOU GUYS TELL COUNCIL WHAT PUBLIC WORKS IS DOING. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH JOANN, IS LIKE NEXT MONTH, WE DO HAVE WHAT THE TANK RACING FOR THE 2 MILLION GALLON TANK THAT WILL BE WELL PUBLICIZED, I THINK EVEN THE GOVERNOR'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE HERE, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ALL THE GRANT MONEY, THE, YOU KNOW, OVER THE FIVE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE GOT FOR PUBLIC UTILITIES AND WASTEWATER, IT'S RIGHT AROUND 48, $49 MILLION THAT WE ARE ADMINISTERING, YOU KNOW, JUST THROUGH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. SO AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT THE KICKOFF MEETING FOR THE OAK HILL BRIDGE THAT'S GOING TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK TO GET THAT GOING AS WELL, TOO. THE COURTHOUSE PROJECT IS NEARING THE END OF LIKE THE FINAL SCHEMATIC DESIGN. WE'VE HAD A KICKOFF MEETING FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER, WHICH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SCHEDULING THROUGH JOANN WILL HAVE A DEFINITE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THAT WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO THIS REPORT, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, FURTHER INFORM COUNCIL AS FAR AS SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE ADMINISTERING A LOT OF THE FUNDING AND GRANTS THAT WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN RECEIVING. ANY QUESTIONS UP HERE? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MR. KOPPEL DOES THAT IS COMPLETES THE PRESENTATION NEXT. I KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS. WHERE ARE WE ON THE FARMER STREET POLICE STATION, BECAUSE YOU SAID THE COURTHOUSE IS MOVING FORWARD.
ARE WE THINGS MOVING FORWARD WITH FARMER STREET? YEAH, THE FARMER STREET POLICE STATION. WE ARE WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE NEARING COMPLETION OF LIKE THE SPACE NEEDS AND THE PROGRAMING. AND THE NEXT STEP IS FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO GIVE US A FINAL ESTIMATE OF COST SO WE CAN FINALLY ENTER INTO A CONTRACT. WE'RE EXPECTING THAT THIS WEEK. OKAY, I GOT IT. ALL RIGHT, MISTER COUNCILMAN JONES. MR. MAYOR. OLD WAGNER ROAD. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THE LIGHT THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. TWO AREAS ON OLD WAGNER ROAD. THE NEW SECTION OF BERKLEY MANOR. THERE'S NO LIGHTING ON OLD WAGNER ROAD. EXACTLY WHERE THIS FLOODING IS HAPPENING. AT THAT YOU SAY THAT YOU GUYS ARE RESPONDING NOW, MR. CITY MANAGER, IS THAT THE SAME AREA THAT I REPORTED TO YOU THAT FLOOD ON OLD WAGNER ROAD OUTSIDE OF BROOKLYN MANOR? I SENT PICTURES, SO THAT WAS. YEAH, I THINK IT'S DOWN FROM THE NEW SECTION WHERE YOU ENTER THE NEW SECTION OFF OF OLD WAGNER OR THE SIDING ROAD THAT, YOU KNOW, COMES DOWN ALONG 895, CORRECT? I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT. AND THEN I THINK WE, WE, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT THE LIGHTING REQUEST WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION ON THAT SECTION. I THINK THAT WHAT I IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE SECTION THAT WAS DEVELOPED, THERE WASN'T A REQUIREMENT BY COUNCIL FOR THAT SECTION, BUT THE FUTURE SECTIONS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE LIGHTING WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THAT WAS DONE WHEN THE I. SO THE AREA THAT WAS CLEARED THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AREA WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE
[01:20:02]
LIGHTING WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION. BUT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH GETTING THE LIGHT RESTORED, THE DOMINION TO RESTORE THE LIGHT ON OLD WAGNER ROAD. THAT AREA GETS A LITTLE DARK AND GOING BACK TOWARDS THE RAILROAD TRACKS GETS A LITTLE BIT OF DARK. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DOMINION ON TRYING TO GET SOME LIGHTING OUT THERE, BECAUSE WE KNOW ONE OF THOSE LIGHTS WAS AN EXISTING LIGHT THAT HAD BEEN PLACED BACK IN SERVICE YET. YES. AND THEY TOOK THE POLE DOWN. THEY DIDN'T PUT THE LIGHT BACK UP. YEAH. AND THE CONSTITUENTS ARE I MEAN, THEY'VE BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW. SO THAT'S THAT THING RIGHT THERE. RIGHT. AND THE LIGHTING IN THE NEW OLD WAGNER ROAD, BERKLEY MANOR DIVISION, IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. WE GOT INCREASED TRAFFIC IN THE CITY. THAT IS A DARK ROAD. AND HONESTLY IT'S AN IT'S A MAGNET FOR BURGLARIES. IF WE DON'T HAVE LIGHTING ON THAT BACK ROAD, ANYBODY CAN COME IN AND GET OUT WITHOUT BEING SEEN, YOU KNOW. SO WE NEED THAT LIGHT RIGHT THERE. OKAY. AND I WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR ADDRESSING THAT DRAINAGE. NOW, THE THING ABOUT THAT DRAINAGE, THERE'S A RETENTION POND RIGHT THERE. THIS IS FAIRLY NEW WHEN A NEW SUBDIVISION WAS BUILT AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT ROAD FLOODED UNTIL NOW, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN OUT THERE FOR 20 YEARS, AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN OLD WAGON ROAD FLOODED ACROSS. YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FLOODED ON THE OPPOSITE END, WHERE THERE'S AN ACTUAL LAKE AT. SO THAT'S WHAT I GOT FOR THAT.MR. ENGINEER. WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY. FACILITY? THE FACILITY. GROUNDS AND GROUNDS HIGHLIGHTS WHAT? WHEN WE SAY HIGHLIGHT IS THAT SOME. YEAH WE DID IT. IS THAT WHAT HIGHLIGHTS MEAN TO. I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TO LET YOU LET COUNCIL KNOW THE PROJECTS THAT OUR FACILITIES AND GROUNDS CREW HAVE UNDERTAKEN. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING WITHIN OUR OUR BUILDINGS AND OUR PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A RAH RAH KIND OF THING, BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, RESPONDING TO AN ISSUE WITH AT CITY HALL, WE ADDRESSED THE BATHROOMS, WHICH WERE ONGOING. SO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GETTING AT THEN, BECAUSE I JUST DON'T SEE UNCLOGGING TWO TOILETS AS A HIGHLIGHT, AND I DON'T SEE REPLACING A TOILET SEAT AS A HIGHLIGHT. THAT'S THAT'S UNLESS YOU RAN OUT OF TOILET PAPER WHILE YOU WAS USING THE TOILET SEAT. AND I AGREE WITH YOU REPORTS THAT, I MEAN, IT'S BASED ON THE NUMBER OF WORK ORDERS THAT FACILITY MANAGEMENT RECEIVES. AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, USING YOUR EXAMPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN JUST SHOW THE NUMBER OF WORK ORDERS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND THAT WE FULFILLED, RATHER THAN LISTING THEM INDIVIDUALLY. ARE WE NOT TAKING EIGHT HOURS TO CHANGE A TOILET SEAT? AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS THIS THE REPORTS KIND OF WORK IN PROGRESS? WE'RE TRYING TO TWEAK IT TO BE HIGHLIGHT MORE OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING, NOT I MEAN, AND I'M NOT I'M GOING TO SAY THIS WITHOUT TRYING TO ALIENATE MY FOLKS IN FACILITIES AND GROUNDS. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REPORT THE MUNDANE THINGS THAT WE DO ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS, LIKE CHANGING SOME OF THIS STUFF WE'RE TRYING TO BRING A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A LIGHT ON SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DO, PROBABLY BIGGER PROJECTS, BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE CATCHING THEM OFF GUARD WHEN YOU SAY, TELL ME WHAT YOU DID. AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, WE CHANGED THE TOILET SEAT. WE PLUGGED TOILETS, YOU KNOW, BUT KEEP AT IT. KEEP HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE, KEEP ASKING THEM WHAT THEY DID. SO MAYBE WE CAN MOVE FROM TOILET SEATS TO SOME DOORS AND WINDOWS AND STUFF.
YEAH. WE CAN, WE CAN ASK THEM WHAT THEY DID, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE LIST.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I GOT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. KOPPEL, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. NEXT MOVE ON ITEM 16, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MR. MOORE. ANYTHING
[17. City Manager's Agenda]
TONIGHT? ALL RIGHT. NEXT ITEM 17. CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA. MR. ALTMAN. MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO THE COMMUNITY. WE REAL ESTATE BILLS WENT OUT AND WE HAD A AN ERROR IN CUSTOMER CARE AND COLLECTIONS. WE USED THE WRONG UPDATED FILE WHEN WE SENT THOSE BILLS OUT. SO I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THE MISTAKE AND ANY CONFUSION THAT HAPPENED. IT'S AFFECTING ABOUT 500 BILLS, SO WE WILL BE REISSUING THOSE 500 BILLS TO THE COMMUNITY. SO IF YOU RECEIVED A BILL ON A PROPERTY THAT YOU SOLD, YOU DON'T OWN IT ANYMORE.YOU DON'T NEED TO PAY THAT BILL. IF THERE WAS A CHANGE OF ADDRESS, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK AND FIX THOSE THINGS IF WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE. SO, AND PUT IT ON OUR WEB PAGE, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL THE CUSTOMER CARE DIVISION FOR TO DISCUSS THIS WITH ANYONE. BUT WE'LL BE REISSUING BILLS IN ABOUT NEXT WEEK OR TWO. BUT I
[01:25:03]
WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW WE DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE AND WE ARE WORKING TO FIX IT, NOT JUST IMMEDIATELY, BUT FROM A PROCESS AND PROCEDURE PERSPECTIVE HERE ON OUT. SO WE DON'T MAKE THIS MISTAKE AGAIN. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I HAVE THIS EVENING, MR. MAYOR. OKAY.THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM IS BUSINESS REPORTS FROM THE CLERK. MISS HILL IS OUT SICK THIS EVENING. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WE WISH HER THE BEST IN GETTING WELL. SHE IS SICK THIS EVENING. NEXT, MOVE ON TO BUSINESS REPORTS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, MR. WILLIAMS. ANY ITEMS TONIGHT? NO REPORT, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS ITEM 20. ADJOURNMENT. ALL RIGHT,
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.