May 20, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting

THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR CLOSED

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[1. Roll Call]

OPENING PRAYER. VICE MAYOR HILL WILL LEAD US IN OPENING PRAYER. YES. I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR PRAYER FOR ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. COUNCILMAN JONES MOTHER IS IN THE HOSPITAL, AND HE'S WITH HER NOW. HE'S NOT WITH US ON TODAY. SHE HAS SOME SERIOUS MEDICAL SITUATION GOING ON WITH HER. SO LET US PRAY. ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, 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 BE WITH US IN THE MIDST OF THIS MEETING AND BLESS US. HEAVENLY FATHER. GRANT US YOUR WISDOM, HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT YOU GAVE SOLOMON, THAT WE WOULD DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING IN THY SIGHT. LORD, WE ASK THAT BLESSINGS UPON OUR BROTHER WHO'S NOT WITH US ON TODAY, AND BE WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY. WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD HEAL HIS MOTHER IN THE NAME OF JESUS. LORD, STRENGTHEN HIS HEART. STRENGTHEN HIS BODY THAT HE MAY SUPPORT HIS FAMILY. NOW, LORD, WE ASK THY BLESSINGS UPON OUR CITY STAFF, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR EMS, OUR FIREMEN. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON OUR YOUTH AND OUR CITIZENS. HEAVENLY FATHER, GUIDE AND STRENGTHEN US. WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD GO WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD, HEAVENLY FATHER, AND BE WITH THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION SUPERINTENDENT ALONG WITH OUR CITY MANAGER.

HEAVENLY FATHER, TAKE US TO HIGHER HEIGHTS AND DEEPER DEPTHS IN YOU, AND WE'LL BE CAREFUL TO GIVE YOUR NAME ALL HONOR, PRAISE, AND GLORY. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY AND WE THANK YOU. AMEN.

AMEN. NEXT IS ITEM THREE, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. EVERYONE, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE. 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.

[4. Determination of the Presence of a Quorum]

[5. Proclamations/Recognitions/Presentation of Ceremonial Proclamations]

AND WHEREAS FIRE CHIEF HOOVERS REMARKED, EVERY RECRUIT HAS TRAINED WITH CAPTAIN LUCAS, HE HELPS THEM SEE THEIR STRENGTHS, BRINGS OUT THEIR POTENTIAL NOT JUST AS FIREFIGHTERS BUT AS INDIVIDUALS. WHEREAS CAPTAIN LUCAS IS MORE THAN A FIREFIGHTER, HE IS A LEADER, A TEACHER AND A STEADFAST PILLAR OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS, AS FIRE CHIEF HOOVER STATED, IN EVERY GENERATION THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO LEAVE A MARK THAT BECOMES PART OF THE CITY'S FOUNDATION. FOR PETERSBURG, THAT IS, CAPTAIN LUCAS, A MAN WHOSE ROOTS RUN AS DEEP AS HIS LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE HE SERVES. AND WHEREAS HIS SELFLESS CONTRIBUTIONS AND UNWAVERING SERVICE INSPIRE ALL WHO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE ALONGSIDE HIM AND THOSE WHO ARE PROTECTED BY HIS VIGILANCE AND CARE. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE CITY OF PETERSBURG DOES HEREBY HONOR AND COMMEND CAPTAIN JARON LUCAS SENIOR AS THE 2024 H DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR HIS

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SELF WASH THEIR HANDS CAUSE OF THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG TO FIX THIS. 20TH DAY OF MAY, 2025. I WILL FIX THAT FOR YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

VERY. YEAH, WE'LL DO THAT, EVERYBODY. COME ON. HEY, MAN I SEE. YOU COME ON AROUND HERE, FELLAS. OH MY GOSH. YES. WE GOT. THEY WANT TO BE A. AND SO I WANT TO SEE IF THEY GET RIGHT ON.

YEAH. YEAH. GREAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY, SIR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. NEXT IS WE HAVE. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK PROCLAMATION FORMALLY ADOPTED MAY 18TH THROUGH 24, 2025, AS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK AND RECOGNIZES THE DEDICATION OF OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL. WHEREAS THE CITY COUNCIL OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, RECOGNIZES THE VITAL ROLE PLAYED BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL IN PROVIDING TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL CARE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL INCLUDING EMTS, PARAMEDICS AND OTHER SUPPORT STAFF TIRELESSLY SERVE THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG, RESPONDING TO A WIDE RANGE OF EMERGENCIES WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION. AND WHEREAS, THE WEEK OF MAY 18TH THROUGH 24, 2025 HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK, A TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF EMS PERSONNEL AND CELEBRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. AND WHEREAS, THE CITY COUNCIL OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, WISHES TO EXPRESS HIS HEARTFELT APPRECIATION FOR THIS INVALUABLE SERVICE AND DEDICATION OF OUR LOCAL EMS PROFESSIONALS. AND WHEREAS, THE CITY COUNCIL OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, ENCOURAGES THE COMMUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT OUR EMS PERSONNEL DURING EMS WEEK, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES THE WEEK OF MAY 18TH THROUGH 24TH, 2025 AS EMS WEEK IN PETERSBURG, AND BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, EXPRESSES ITS SINCERE GRATITUDE TO ALL EMS PERSONNEL FOR THEIR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG, AND BE. IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION FOR EMS PERSONNEL DURING THIS SPECIAL WEEK BY PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY EVENTS, SHARING WORDS OF THANKS, AND RECOGNIZING THEIR INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS, BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED THAT THE COPIES OF THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE PETERSBURG FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND OTHER APPROPRIATE ENTITIES. ALL RIGHT. CHIEF. CHIEF. OKAY.

GREAT. THIS MAY. I'M UGLY, YOU KNOW.

BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING TO ORDER. SOMEBODY ELSE. HAVE TIME. ON. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

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[6. Responses to Previous Public Information Posted]

[7. Approval of Consent Agenda]

OKAY. YEAH, WE ALREADY DID A FIRST READING AT THE LAST WORK SESSION. OKAY. SO IT WASN'T ON THIS AGENDA, BUT IT'LL BE ON FOR JUNE 3RD MEETING. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. THOSE ARE THE ITEMS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, VICE MAYOR HILL. MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN SMITH LEE, SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND. LET'S HEAR. CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER.

WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT

[8. Official Public Hearings]

CUTHBERT. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM B, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FY 26 BUDGET, MR. COZIER. OKAY. GARY COZIER AGAIN, BUDGET MANAGER, THIS ITEM IS FOR THE FY 26. PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET. IT IS REQUIRED BY STATE THAT THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY ADOPT THE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND SO THAT SPENDING AUTHORITY, IF YOU WOULD SCROLL TO THE NEXT PAGE, GARRETT, MAYBE TWO PAGES. YES, $89,018,327 FOR SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THE $12,977,018 CONTRIBUTION FROM THE CITY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR NOW FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION. APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FY 26 BUDGET, MISS RUDOLPH. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. BARB RUDOLPH, 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET. MY COMMENTS ARE REALLY ADDRESSED AS MUCH TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AS THEY ARE TO CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A JOINT EFFORT, THIS

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THAT'S TO ME THAT'S PITIFUL BECAUSE WE TALK SO MUCH ABOUT HOW WE NEED BETTER SCHOOLS TO HELP THE CITY GROW AND MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PEOPLE TO MOVE HERE AND SO FORTH. SO I REALIZED THAT THIS AMOUNT IS WHAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION ASKED FOR. SO I'M NOT REALLY. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING I HAVE AS MUCH TO SAY TO THEM OR MORE THAN I DO TO YOU ALL, BECAUSE YOU ARE YOU ARE RESPONDING TO A REQUEST. I'M JUST QUESTIONING WHY THAT REQUEST IS SO LOW. I MEAN, THE CITY HAS GOT YOU'VE ADDED LIKE $10 MILLION. WELL, $12.5 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND REVENUE FROM THE BUDGET YOU ADOPTED A YEAR AGO TO THIS PROPOSED BUDGET. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. BUT WE'RE WE'RE COMING UP WITH I MEAN, THE ACTUAL I THINK THE NET DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE CITY PUT IN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR IS SIX IS OVER 600,000, BUT THAT'S STILL A VERY SMALL KIND OF A SMALL AMOUNT COMPARED TO HOW MUCH THE CITY IS REALIZING IS AN INCREASE. SO MY SUGGESTION AND THIS DOESN'T I MEAN, I'M NOT SUGGESTING TO REJECT THIS, BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT I JUST FEEL LIKE OUR DIRECTION NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. I KNOW THAT YOU TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THIS MONEY, THE FIXING UP THE SCHOOL SEEMS KIND OF LIKE A HOT POTATO, YOU KNOW, IT'S BACK. IT'S ALWAYS LIKE, WELL, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE CITY NEEDS TO GIVE US MONEY. AND THEN THE CITY WILL SAY, WELL, WE CAN'T HELP YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR MONEY AND YOU'RE LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE. I REALIZED THAT HAPPENED, THAT THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING. BUT YOU ALL DO HAVE A PROVISION TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND USE IT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. AND THE LAST WHEN I LOOKED AT THAT FROM A FEW YEARS AGO, I'M SORRY, I'M NOT REAL. I DON'T HAVE CURRENT ON ALL THIS STUFF, BUT IT WAS LIKE THEY HAD A LIST OF ABOUT $35 MILLION OF CAPITAL OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT THEY WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH OR MAINTENANCE. AND SO THERE'S PLENTY THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS TO SPEND MONEY ON WITH THAT LEFTOVER MONEY AND THOSE THAT'S THE ONE TIME SPENDING. BUT THIS IS THE OPERATING BUDGET. AND I BELIEVE THAT. I JUST THINK THAT IF WE ARE REALLY GOING TO EXPERIENCE THE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS, I WOULD I WOULD LOOK AND SAY, IS THERE IS THERE SOMETHING WE'RE LEAVING OUT HERE, SCHOOL BOARD, SCHOOL DIVISION THAT WE NEED, WE COULD DO MORE OF. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MAYOR PARHAM JUST TALKED ABOUT TRUANCY OR ATTENDANCE. I MEAN, THIS THERE'S THINGS LIKE THAT THAT I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS COMING TO YOU AS THE, YOU KNOW, THE BENEFACTORS AND TRYING TO BE MODEST AND CONSERVATIVE IN THEIR REQUEST. BUT I'M JUST SAYING, I DON'T THINK I THINK THEY'RE BEING TOO CONSERVATIVE. AND I THINK YOU ALL ARE TOO, BECAUSE THIS THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT IS SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND SO INSTRUMENTAL TO PETERSBURG'S PROGRESS. WE HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME. BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHERE THIS THE MONEY FOLLOW THAT IT DOESN'T REALLY FOLLOW. THANK YOU. OKAY.

SEEING NO OTHER HANDS THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. I JUST WANT TO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT CITY COUNCIL IS DEFINITELY IS FULLY FUNDING WHAT PETERSBURG SCHOOL BOARD ASKED US TO FUND THEM THIS YEAR. AND YOU KNOW, YOU'VE SEEN THIS IN OTHER LOCALITIES LIKE THE CITY OF RICHMOND. THEIR SCHOOL BOARD ASKED THEM FOR A FOR A LOT MORE MONEY THAN WHAT THEY RECEIVED.

AND THE CITY OF RICHMOND, WHICH IS A MUCH BIGGER CITY, COULDN'T MEET THAT DEMAND. SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THAT THAT CITY OF PETERSBURG IS GIVING CHAIR PRITCHETT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. AND I THANK THEM FOR ALWAYS BEING ABLE TO PURSUE THOSE OTHER FUNDS.

BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK, THE SCHOOL'S BUDGET OF 89 MILLION IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF WHAT WE DO A WHOLE CITY OF PETERSBURG FOR. OKAY, SO, SO THEREFORE THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF BRINGING THOSE FUNDS IN HERE. AND I KNOW OUR SUPERINTENDENT, MISS BROWN, IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES THERE WITH THE SOLS AND GETTING TEACHERS IN PLACE. SO I AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM VICE MAYOR HILL. YES, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND CITIZENS, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE FY 2026 BUDGET FOR THE SCHOOL. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE,

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CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PARENTS. AYE. NEXT IS ITEM C, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED CITY OF PETERSBURG. FY 26 OPERATING BUDGET, MR. COKER. OH, I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW MY NAME BY NOW, BUT GARY COZIER, BUDGET MANAGER, THIS ITEM FY 26, CITY OF PETERSBURG OPERATING BUDGET. SO TONIGHT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET BRIEFING THE FULL PROPOSED BUDGET. YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF. IT'S ALSO POSTED ONLINE. WE'VE DONE TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS RELATED TO THE BUDGET. AND NOW WE ARE AT THE STAGE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO. SO STARTING OFF WE HAVE OUR. OUR ALL FUND SUMMARY. SO THIS IS THE TOTAL PICTURE FOR FY 26 ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS AND FUNDS WITHIN THE CITY. THE BUDGET IS BALANCED, WHICH MEANS THAT ALL PROJECTED REVENUES ARE ACCOUNTED FOR TO COVER ALL EXPECTED EXPENSES. THE GENERAL FUND IS PROPOSED AT 106 MILLION GRANTS FUND AT 845,000, STREETS FUND AT 10.6 MILLION, CDBG FUND AT 583,000. UTILITIES FUND AT 15.8 MILLION. STORMWATER FUND AT 1.4 MILLION. GOLF FUND AT 1.5 MILLION, AND FINALLY TRANSIT FUND AT 6.5 MILLION. AND SO THE TOTAL ACROSS ALL FUNDS IS $144,338,153, WHICH IS AN OVERALL 2% INCREASE FROM FY 25. SO THIS BUDGET HAS A FEW HIGHLIGHTS THAT ARE WORTH NOTING. FIRST, FUNDING IS INCLUDED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED. THE IMPLEMENTATION AIMS TO ADDRESS SALARIES RELATED TO WORK DUTIES AS WELL AS ADDRESS SALARY COMPRESSION ISSUES. IT'S GOING TO COST THE CITY $3 MILLION TO IMPLEMENT ALL THE CHANGES ACROSS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS. SECONDLY, FUNDING FOR BONDED DEBT PAYMENTS HAVE INCREASED BY OVER 3.1 MILLION FROM THE FY 25 LEVEL.

THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND SUPPORTED DEBT SERVICE IS $7.3 MILLION FOR THIS ■YEAR. AND I'LL GO MORE INO DETAIL ABOUT THIS IN A LITTLE BIT. AND LASTLY, FOR THIS BUDGET, WE ARE PILOTING A NEW METHOD TO ADDRESS UNFILLED POSITIONS FUNDING WITHIN THE CITY. SO USING A STRATEGY TAKEN FROM CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, WE HAVE REDUCED ALL DEPARTMENT SALARIES BY 4% TO ACCOUNT FOR UNFILLED POSITIONS THAT MAY HAPPEN DURING THE FISCAL YEAR. AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR AND APPROACH THE END OF IT, TRANSFERS WILL BE MADE TO ADDRESS OVERAGES FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THIS HAS BEEN DEPLOYED AS A COST SAVING MEASURE, AS WE TRY TO SEE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO ADDRESS VACANT POSITIONS. SO HERE WE ARE AT THE GENERAL FUND. THE GENERAL FUND IS WHERE ALMOST ALL REVENUES AND EXPENSES FALL, SO LONG AS THEY DON'T BELONG TO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND OR AN ENTERPRISE FUND. THE FY 26 PROPOSED GENERAL FUND BUDGET HAS INCREASED BY 10.7% OVER FY 25, AND AS SHOWN HERE, 49% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS COMPRISED OF GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES. GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES INCLUDE REAL ESTATE, PERSONAL PROPERTY AND PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION OR PSC TAXES, MOBILE HOME TAXES, AND FINALLY MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAXES. THE NEXT LARGEST CATEGORY OF REVENUE COMES FROM OTHER LOCAL TAXES, WHICH INCLUDES UTILITY TAXES, BUSINESS LICENSE TAXES, MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE TAXES, LODGING TAXES, AND MEALS TAXES AS WELL. PERMITS, FEES AND LICENSES WERE PROPOSED AT 839,000, AND FINES AND FORFEITURES AT 1.3 MILLION. REVENUE FROM USE OF MONEY OR PROPERTY IS WHERE WE RECORD THE PROCEEDS FROM INTEREST THAT IS EARNED FROM THE INVESTMENT OF CITY FUNDS. THAT'S WHERE THAT GETS RECORDED UNDER RECOVERY REVENUE FROM USE OF MONEY OR PROPERTY. WHILE WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH THIS CATEGORY, THE CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION AND POLITICAL CLIMATE HAS CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY. AND SO THIS CAUSED US TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE WHILE PROJECTING INTEREST EARNED DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FLUCTUATING OR DIMINISHING RATES. CHARGES FOR SERVICES IS PROPOSED AT 3.8 MILLION, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE AT 176,000, AND RECOVER COSTS AT 60,000. YOU HAVE REVENUE FROM THE COMMONWEALTH, WHICH IS PROPOSED AT 18.3 MILLION. AND THAT'S MADE UP OF CATEGORICAL AND NON CATEGORICAL STATE AID.

SO THIS INCLUDES ALL REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE STATE'S PORTION OF APPLICABLE EXPENSES INCURRED WITHIN THE CITY, SUCH AS CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND THE DEPARTMENTS OF SOCIAL AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES. REVENUE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AT 7.3 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES

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NON-DEPARTMENTAL $0.13. SCHOOLS GETS $0.12. OTHER, WHICH IS MADE UP OF COURTS, TRANSFERS AND DEBT, GETS $0.10. PUBLIC WORKS AT $0.08 AND CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES AT $0.06. SO, AS A NOTE, THIS INFOGRAPHIC IS POSTED ON THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT LANDING PAGE ON THE CITY WEBSITE, AND IT GETS UPDATED EACH FISCAL YEAR AS THE NUMBERS CHANGE. SO HERE ARE ALL THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THAT MAKE UP THE GENERAL FUND. SO THIS IS A DIRECT CORRELATION TO THE TAX DOLLAR INFOGRAPHIC THAT YOU SAW IN THE LAST SLIDE. IF A DEPARTMENT DOES NOT BELONG TO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND OR AN ENTERPRISE FUND, THEY ARE INCLUDED HERE. THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES GO INTO EACH CATEGORY OF EXPENDITURES LISTED HERE THAT MAKE UP THE GENERAL FUND. SO STARTING WITH GENERAL GOVERNMENT THERE'S OVERALL 14% INCREASE. AS PART OF THIS BUDGET, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL SPLIT INTO TWO SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS. THE HR DEPARTMENT HISTORICALLY HAS SOME CITYWIDE BENEFIT RELATED PAYMENTS THAT WERE NOT CAPTURED AS A PART OF THE BUDGET IN PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS, BUT THOSE COSTS ARE REALIZED UNDER THIS BUDGET, AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBER IN THAT DEPARTMENT IS REALIZED. THERE WAS A REALIGNMENT IN THE CITY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE DURING FISCAL 25, AND SO THOSE COSTS ARE REFLECTED IN THE FY 26 BUDGET.

AND ANOTHER NOTABLE LINE HERE IS IT WITH THE 8% INCREASE, THEY HAVE AN ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBER INCLUDED IN THEIR LINE ITEMS AS WELL. SO. CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS HAS OVERALL 1% INCREASE. SO CURRENTLY THERE'S AN APPROVED 3% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET. THE TREASURER'S OFFICE HAS A 27% INCREASE DUE TO CONTRACTS RELATED TO FINANCIAL SERVICES THAT ARE BEING LED FROM THAT OFFICE. THIS IS A RESULT THE CITY MAKING EFFORTS TO REGAIN CONTROL OF RECONCILIATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES AFTER THE END OF OUR PREVIOUS CONTRACT. ALSO, THE CIRCUIT COURT INCREASE HAS HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS. SO AS WE REMEMBER, LAST YEAR, THE CITY VOTED TO TAKE ON MORE OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS FROM THE EMPLOYEES, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, MORE EMPLOYEES ENDED UP SIGNING FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN. SO WE HAD EXTRA COSTS THERE. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS AN 8% DECREASE, SO THERE WAS SOME LOWER COSTS FOR A PART TIME CITY FUNDED SALARIES THAT WERE NOT NEEDED TO BE REALIZED UNDER THIS BUDGET. AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THAT WERE NOT NEEDED WITH THE WITH THE NEW BUDGET THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED. SO THAT IS THAT THERE? MOVING ON TO PUBLIC SAFETY. SO PUBLIC SAFETY IS AN OVERALL 5% INCREASE. SOME NOTABLE DEPARTMENTS INCLUDE OUR VIRGINIA JUVENILE COMMUNITY CRIME CONTROL ACT, WHICH INCLUDES FUNDING FOR A PART TIME PERSON THAT WAS NOT FUNDED IN FY 25. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT INCREASE IS ABOUT. THERE.

COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS. SO THAT'S MAINLY GRANT BASED AS WELL AS VICTIM WITNESS. THOSE ARE TWO OF OUR GRANT FUNDED DEPARTMENTS. HOWEVER THE GRANT THAT IS RECEIVED FROM THE STATE IS NOT ENOUGH TO COVER ALL THE OPERATIONS OF THAT DEPARTMENT. AND IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY FOR SOME YEARS. SO WE DO HAVE A SECTION IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE SUPPLEMENT THOSE DEPARTMENTS FOR THAT. AND SO PREVIOUSLY WE HAVE WE HAD BEEN BUDGETING THE FULL AMOUNT FOR VICTIM WITNESS, BUT IT WAS NOT BEING BUDGETED FOR COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS. SO THOSE FULL COSTS ARE REALIZED HERE, AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL OPERATING COSTS THAT CAME OUT OF THERE. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT ADDITIONAL PERCENTAGE IS FROM THERE. AND SO LIKE I SAID FOR COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, IT WASN'T BUDGETED ALL THE WAY IN PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS. SO WE CORRECTED THAT WITH THIS BUDGET. MOVING ON TO COURTS. COURTS HAS A 1% INCREASE. SOME NOTABLE LINES INCLUDES THE GENERAL DISTRICT COURT AT 33%, WHICH IS DUE TO THE RETIREMENT OF THE CLERK. AND THEN THERE IS A NEW JUDGE OVER

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PUBLIC WORKS HAS AN OVERALL 3% DECREASE. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PUBLIC WORKS CATEGORY HERE THAT YOU SEE HERE ONLY INCLUDES ENGINEERING FACILITIES, MANAGEMENT GROUNDS AND REFUSE BECAUSE UTILITIES AND STORMWATER ARE UNDER SEPARATE FUNDS. SO PUBLIC WORKS WAS THE MAIN CATEGORY THAT RECEIVED FUNDING AS A PART OF THE FY 25 BUDGET AMENDMENT. AND SO THOSE ONE TIME COSTS THAT WERE APPROVED AS PART OF THE AMENDMENT DO NOT NEED TO BE REALIZED AGAIN, WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE SOME OF THESE DECREASES HERE IN THOSE LINES, BECAUSE THOSE ONE TIME COSTS DO NOT NEED TO BE BUDGETED AGAIN. SOCIAL SERVICES OVERALL 3% INCREASE. SO THIS CATEGORY INCLUDES DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AS WELL AS THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES DIVISION. LEISURE AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS HAS A 6% INCREASE FROM FY 25. THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS A 13% INCREASE DUE TO BUDGETED EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WERE NOT REALIZED UNDER THIS DEPARTMENT IN PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS, SO WE'VE REALIZED THAT WITH THIS BUDGET, WE'VE HAD ALMOST ONE FULL, FULL FISCAL YEAR WITH THE TURF DIVISION. AND SO THESE INCREASED COSTS ARE DUE TO US HAMMERING OUT COSTS FOR THAT DEPARTMENT AND GETTING AN ACTUAL FEEL FOR WHAT IS NEEDED IN THAT DEPARTMENT AND HOW THAT DEPARTMENT IS HELPING THE ENTIRE CITY. SO THERE ARE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DOING WORK IN THAT DEPARTMENT THAT ARE ALSO DOING WORK FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO THERE'S JUST BEEN A REALIGNMENT OF COSTS THERE. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CATEGORY HAS AN 8% INCREASE OVERALL. SO THIS IS MAINLY DUE TO THE INCREASED COSTS THAT ARE RELATED TO ADVERTISING IN THE CITY.

NEWSLETTER CIRCULATION THAT FALL UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, WHICH ALSO HOUSES COMMUNICATIONS, TOURISM AND MARKETING. SO HERE ARE THE DEBT SERVICE NUMBERS IN FISCAL 25. THE BUDGETED AMOUNT IS 4.1 MILLION. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, IT'S INCREASED TO 7.2, ALMOST 7.3 MILLION. THE 74% INCREASE IS BECAUSE OF THE MOST RECENT GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND THAT WAS TAKEN IN DECEMBER OF 2024 BY THE CITY LARGEST BOND THE CITY HAS EVER GOTTEN $59 MILLION TO FULLY FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW COURTS COMPLEX, POLICE STATION AND AN ANIMAL SHELTER. SCHOOLS HAS A 5% INCREASE FROM FY 25. THE STATE REQUIRED LOCAL CONTRIBUTION IS $12,765,918. SCHOOLS REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL 211,000 TO FUND ADDITIONAL SEATS AT THE CODE.

ARBOR REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, APPOMATTOX REGIONAL GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR AN ASSISTANT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. SO THAT BRINGS THE TOTAL REQUEST TO $12,977,018, WHICH THE CITY HAS FULLY FUNDED WITH THIS BUDGET. TRANSFERS ARE MADE TO OTHER FUNDS FOR VARIOUS REASONS, SO THE FINANCIAL POLICIES OF THE CITY STATE THAT AT LEAST 500,000 SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO A CAPITAL RESERVE ACCOUNT TO BE USED FOR CAPITAL OR PAYGO PROJECTS. THIS BUDGET REALIZES 765,000, BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S A SERIOUS CAPITAL NEED IN THE CITY. GOLF SEES A 28% DECREASE IN THEIR TRANSFER AMOUNT. THAT TRANSFER IS MADE TO PAY OFF BONDED DEBT THAT THE GOLF COURSE HAS, AND THAT DEBT IS STARTING TO TAPER OFF. MASS TRANSIT SEES A 58% INCREASE IN THEIR TRANSFER THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO THE TRANSFER IS THE CITY'S REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH FOR ALL OPERATING CAPITAL AND STATE GRANTS. IN PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS, THE MATCH WAS NOT BEING BUDGETED PROPERLY.

THE NUMBER WAS KIND OF JUST BEING ROLLED FORWARD FROM FISCAL YEAR TO FISCAL YEAR. SO WE'VE CORRECTED THAT WITH THIS BUDGET AND SHOW AN ACCURATE ACCOUNTING OF WHAT WE ARE TRANSFERRING AS A REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH. AND LASTLY, THE TRANSFER TO THE COURTS FUND IS A TRANSFER MADE BY CITY INTO A RESERVE FUND TO BUILD THE COURTS COMPLEX. AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S DIRECTED BY COURT ORDER FROM 2020. SO MOVING ON INTO NON-DEPARTMENTAL AND OUTSIDE AGENCIES, THIS SECTION IS COMPRISED OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE CITY IS A MEMBER OF, OUTSIDE AGENCIES WHO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OR FOR THE CITY, WITH CITY SUPPORT OR SERVICES OR GOODS THAT ARE SHARED BY MULTIPLE OR ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS. SO THE FUNDING FOR THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY IS NOTED IN HERE AT $3 MILLION. ONCE ALL THE DETAILS ARE IRONED OUT AND WE FINALIZED EVERYTHING,

[00:35:04]

AND SO WE'VE MADE IT HERE TO THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. HERE'S A RECAP OF ALL THE FUNDS AND ALL THE ASSOCIATED AMOUNTS BEING PROPOSED. YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE HERE BY THIS, THIS GRAPH THAT THE GENERAL FUND IS THE MEAT OF THIS BUDGET. RIGHT. THAT'S 74% OF THE TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET.

OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH IS GRANTS, FUNDS, STREETS, FUNDS, CDBG FUND AND STORMWATER FUND, THEY MAKE UP A COMBINED 9% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET. AND THEN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS BEING UTILITIES, GOLF AND TRANSIT MAKE UP THE OTHER 17%. AND SO I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY.

ALRIGHTY. NEXT WE'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED CITY OF PETERSBURG, FY 26 OPERATING BUDGET, MISS RUDOLPH. THANK YOU. MAYOR RUDOLPH, 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET. I WANT TO THANK THE BUDGET FOLKS FOR PROVIDING SO MUCH DETAIL AND EXPLAINING SOME OF THESE THINGS. AND I DID GO TO THE BUDGET BRIEFING LAST WEEK.

IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. AND I WOULD I'M GOING TO SHARE A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS THAT I MADE AT THAT BRIEFING FOR ALL OF YOU. BUT I JUST TALKED TO MR. KOZAR ABOUT THEM. THEN ONE THING IS THAT THE. AND I BROUGHT THIS UP LAST YEAR TOO. WE DON'T HAVE A WE USED TO HAVE IN OUR BUDGET A LISTING OF ALL THE FUNDED POSITIONS BY ORGANIZATION. SO THAT AND BY AND BY JOB TYPE CATEGORY. SO YOU COULD LEARN A LOT ABOUT HOW MANY POSITIONS WE HAVE. WE WERE FUNDING AND WHAT THEY WERE IN AND WHAT IT WOULD COST. SO AND I REALIZED AFTER THE FACT THAT SOME OF THAT WAS ADDED TO THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET. BUT I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE IN FISCAL YEAR 27, THAT'LL BE PART OF THE ACTUAL BUDGET DOCUMENT, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY LIKE A CRITICAL MISSING PIECE, AS YOU KNOW, A PART OF. PART OF THAT SORT OF A COMPONENT OF THAT IS THE VACANCY SAVINGS, WHICH I THINK THAT IS I MEAN, IT'S FINE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE THERE'D BE MORE TRANSPARENCY IF THOSE SAVINGS WERE DISPERSED AMONG THE ORGANIZATIONS. AND, AND ACTUALLY WITH A SEPARATE LINE ITEM. I'M JUST POINTING OUT, BECAUSE IN THE STATE WHEN WE HAD WE DID USED A SIMILAR TECHNIQUE AT THE STATE, BUT WE SHOWED WE ACTUALLY SHOWED THE FULL COST OF THE, OF THE, OF PERSONAL SERVICES. AND THEN WE THE DECREMENT THAT WOULD COME FROM LIKE THE 4% IN THIS CASE.

SO THAT GIVES YOU LIKE A BIGGER A BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT'S BEING DONE. THAT'S JUST ANOTHER FUTURE SUGGESTION. OKAY. THIS THE LAST PIECE AND I THINK I'VE ALLUDED TO THIS BEFORE IS ABOUT MONEY FROM THE CASINO. AND THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT SOURCES OF FUNDING FROM THE CASINO. ONE IS THE INCENTIVE PAYMENTS AND ONE IS REVENUE. NOW, I REALIZE THAT AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THE CASINO IS NOT OPEN, THIS IS ALL PROSPECTIVE. BUT I MEAN, CERTAINLY THERE'S OTHER THINGS IN THE BUDGET THAT ARE BASED ON ANTICIPATION OF EVENTS THAT HAVEN'T OCCURRED YET. BUT LET'S SAY LOOK AT THE INCENTIVES. I MEAN, I HOPE YOU ALL ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE LOTTERY DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO GIVE THE AN OPERATING PERMIT TO CORDISH, BECAUSE ONCE THEY GET THAT, ONCE THEY GET THAT, THEN THEY WILL BE PAYING THE CITY LIKE 15. WELL, 2 MILLION AND THEN 13 MILLION, BUT $15 MILLION TOTAL FOR THIS YEAR. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. AND SO THAT'S JUST BASICALLY OH WELL THAT'LL HAPPEN. WE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DETAILING OF THAT, OF WHAT THAT MONEY WOULD BE SPENT FOR. I MEAN THAT'S JUST A PART, A BIG PART OF THE BUDGET. SO WE'VE UNDERSTATED OUR REVENUE, OUR REVENUE SIGNIFICANTLY BASED ON THAT. AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE IS THE ACTUAL REVENUE THAT WOULD BE EARNED BY THE CASINO WHEN IT'S IN OPERATION. HERE. AGAIN, IF WE'RE CONFIDENT IN

[00:40:06]

[00:45:05]

SHE REFERRED TO IT AS INCENTIVE PAYMENT. IT'S THE CONTRACTUAL PAYMENT THAT THE CASINO DEVELOPER HAS AGREED IS TO BE PAID. HERE ARE THE TWO SENTENCES. CURRENTLY, WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE $13 MILLION WILL BE RECEIVED. WE WILL EITHER RECEIVE THE REVENUE IN THE 2425 FISCAL YEAR. THAT IS THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE YEAR THAT ENDS JUNE 30TH. JUST, YOU KNOW, FIVE WEEKS FROM NOW. SO WE WILL EITHER RECEIVE THE REVENUE THAT IS THE $13 MILLION IN THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS OR IN THE 25, 26 FISCAL YEAR. NOW, THAT'S THE FISCAL YEAR THAT WE HAVE UNDER STUDY FOR A BUDGET. SO THE CITY MANAGER IS TELLING US 13 MILLION IS EITHER COMING IN IN THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS, OR IT'S COMING IN IN THE 52 WEEKS THAT FOLLOW, THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS, $13 MILLION, EITHER THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS OR THE NEXT 52 WEEKS AFTER THAT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF WE KNOW THAT 13 MILLION IS COMING IN AND EITHER THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS OR THE NEXT 52 WEEKS AFTER THAT, WE OUGHT TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND INCLUDING IT IN THIS BUDGET, BECAUSE THAT'S COULD BE A SOURCE OF CASH THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO REDUCE OUR REAL ESTATE TAX RATE WITHOUT CRIMPING OUR OPERATIONS IN ANY WAY. LET ME TURN TO. THE CITY MANAGER AND ASK HIM ABOUT THIS 13 MILLION.

MR. ALTMAN, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN TO ME HOW WHERE THAT 13 WHAT'S THE OBLIGATION OF THE CASINO DEVELOPER TO PAY THAT $13 MILLION? AND HOW MANY SEPARATE YEARS IS THE CASINO DEVELOPER OBLIGATED TO PAY $13 MILLION? SO IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH CORDISH, THEY

[00:50:05]

WELL, YOU MAKE A NUMBER OF GOOD POINTS AND CERTAINLY CORRECTED ME IN AN IMPORTANT WAY. IT'S $15 MILLION A YEAR AND NOT $13 MILLION A YEAR. IT'S 15 TWO OF THAT FIRST YEAR, 15 WAS DUE 30, 30 DAYS AFTER THE REFERENDUM. AND THEN THE REMAINING 13 IS WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON THIS YEAR, PENDING THOSE APPROVALS. AND WE DON'T KNOW THE STATUS AT THIS POINT WITH THE VIRGINIA LOTTERY AND WHERE THEY ARE WITH THEIR APPROVAL REQUIREMENT, AND THEN THEREAFTER, FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE A $15 MILLION LUMP SUM INCENTIVE OR CONTRACTUAL PAYMENT. IS THAT CORRECT? ONCE THAT ONCE THE ANNIVERSARY DATE IS SET, THEN IT WILL BE THREE MORE YEARS OF 15 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF 60 AND THEN FIVE, FIVE, FIVE AND FIVE AFTER THAT, FOR 20 MORE MILLION, FOR THE TOTAL OF 80. THAT WAS IN THE AGREEMENT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE YOUR EMAIL EXPRESSED NO DOUBT THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE THIS 13 MILLION BALANCE OWING ON THE FIRST $15 MILLION, EITHER IN THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS OR THE NEXT 52 WEEKS THEREAFTER. BUT WE FEEL LIKE IT'LL BE. THE VIRGINIA LOTTERY HAS INDICATED IT COULD TAKE UP TO A YEAR FOR APPROVAL OF THEIR GAMING LICENSE, DEPENDING UPON WHEN ALL THE INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM CORDISH, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT IS GOING TO BE. WE WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL. WELL, IT CERTAINLY CAN. THE CASINO START OPERATING WITHOUT THAT LICENSE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET A TEMPORARY, BUT THEY WON'T HAVE A PERMANENT AND THEY CAN OPERATE UNDER A TEMPORARY FOR TWO YEARS. BUT IN ANY EVENT, YOUR EMAIL SAYS WE WILL EITHER RECEIVE THE REVENUE, THE 13 MILLION IN THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS OR IN THE 52 WEEKS FOLLOWING THAT. WE COULD. I MEAN, IF GAMING VIRGINIA LOTTERY APPROVES EVERYTHING BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, THEN WE WOULD HAVE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COLLECT BEFORE THE END OF YEAR. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT IS GOING TO BE RIGHT. WELL, NONE OF US KNOWS WHEN IT WILL BE TO THE DATE, BUT I WILL BE DUMBFOUNDED IF IT'S NOT COLLECTED IN EITHER THE OR NOT PAID IN EITHER THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS OR THE NEXT 52 AFTER THAT.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT OUGHT TO BE REFLECTED IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET. AND YOU SAY IT'S NOT A RECURRING. REVENUE STREAM, BUT IT IS A RECURRING REVENUE STREAM. FOR THE FIRST FOUR YEARS INTO THE FUTURE. AND THEREAFTER, A WE WILL BE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL FUNDS ON ACCOUNT OF THE CASINO BASED ON THE TOTAL GROSS RECEIPTS. ISN'T THAT TRUE? SO WE WILL RECEIVE GAMING REVENUE AT SOME POINT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR WHEN THEY OPEN. SO WE'LL BEGIN TO RECEIVE

[00:55:06]

FIRST WE WOULD GO TO THE BUDGET BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND, WHICH DOESN'T HAVE THAT MUCH TO COVER.

THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL AND REQUEST TO GO INTO THE FUND BALANCE TO MAINTAIN OUR OPERATIONAL ABILITY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR OR GO THROUGH CUTS. ONE OF THOSE TWO. AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I'VE TAKEN A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH. I'M NOT COUNTING ANY CHICKENS BEFORE THEY'RE HATCHED. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A REVENUE STREAM BEFORE WE REALLY START RELYING ON IT. THAT'S RIGHT. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE APPROACH I'VE TAKEN, AND I COMPLETELY RESPECT THE FACT THAT YOU MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH, AND I AGREE. I UNDERSTAND THAT. WELL, I'M THE LAST THING I AM IS A SPENDTHRIFT. I MEAN, MY CAR IS 13 YEARS OLD, BUT I MEAN, THIS LOOKS LIKE A SURE THING TO USE A BETTING TERM. AND IS IT GOING TO BE TO THE CASINO'S DEVELOPER'S BEST INTERESTS TO GET THIS PERMANENT LICENSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE, BUT THERE MAY BE REASONS FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FOR A DELAY IN GETTING THE PERMANENT LICENSE. I KNOW MR. MR. WILLIAMS HAS HAD CONVERSATIONS DIRECTLY WITH THE COUNSEL FOR THE VIRGINIA LOTTERY. WELL THEM AND AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, DANVILLE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAD AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH THE TEMPORARY CASINO OPERATED. THEY CAN GO UP TO TWO YEARS ON A TEMPORARY CASINO, WHICH COULD PLAY INTO THEIR OBLIGATION TO PAY THEIR 13 MILLION. THAT'S NOT DUE UNTIL THEY GET A FINAL AND UNAPPEALABLE LICENSE. IT TYPICALLY COULD TAKE UP TO A YEAR, BUT IN THE CASE OF DANVILLE, THEY HAD A TEMPORARY CASINO FOR TWO YEARS. WELL, THAT'S TRUE, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF THE REVENUE STREAM THAT WE CAN AT LEAST DAYDREAM ABOUT, AND I THINK REASONABLY RELY UPON. AND THAT IS THE WHAT IS IT, 6% OF THE OF THE GROSS REVENUE IN AND THAT 6% OF THE GROSS REVENUE IS NOT DEPENDENT ON HAVING A PERMANENT LICENSE, IS IT? IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT DEPENDENT ON GETTING A PERMANENT LICENSE. NOW THERE'S AN ARTICLE THAT A WE CAN LEARN FROM THE DANVILLE SITUATION. AND THERE WAS AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED ABOUT A YEAR AGO DESCRIBING THE GREAT SUCCESS OF THE DANVILLE CASINO. I THINK OUR CASINO IS I THINK IT'S FAIR TO EXPECT THAT OUR CASINO WILL PERFORM IN THE SAME GENERAL, WITH THE SAME GENERAL SUCCESS AS THE DANVILLE.

[01:00:07]

ARE WE TAKING ANY OF THAT INTO ACCOUNT? MR. ALTMAN, WE HAVE TRIED NOT TO FACTOR IN ANY REVENUE THAT WE DON'T. WE'RE NOT SURE HOW IT'S GOING TO PERFORM. WE HAVE PROJECTIONS THAT INDICATE HOW IT WOULD BE. BUT I TRIED TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION NOT TO UTILIZE AND RELY ON THE LOTTERY MONEY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU THAT I THINK 95 IS GOING TO BE A HUGE ASSET, MORE SO THAN WHAT DANVILLE HAS WITH ITS PROXIMITY TO THE CAROLINA LINE. AND THAT I THINK WILL PROBABLY OVER PERFORM. BUT I HAVE NOT WANTED TO MAKE A PROJECTION. I'D RATHER WE OUR PLAN HAS BEEN AS REVENUES COME IN IN THAT FIRST QUARTER, WE CAN THEN BUDGET AND APPROPRIATE FUNDING AS WE KNOW WHAT WE'VE SEEN. THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US AN ABILITY TO MOVING FORWARD INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR TO MAKE THAT PROJECTION THROUGH THE WHOLE FISCAL YEAR. IT'S SOMETHING WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IN ALL THE BUDGET MEETINGS WITH COUNCIL. SO I MEAN, COUNCIL, IF THE IF THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL WANTS US TO GO BACK IN AND ADD REVENUE, I'M SURE WE CAN DO THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WE'LL DO WHAT COUNCIL WANTS TO DO. UNDERSTAND. BUT, YOU KNOW, IN THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, THE ONE THAT ENDED IN AT THE END OF JUNE OF 2024, WE OVERSTATED REVENUE OR OR WE UNDERSTATED REVENUE OR OVERSTATED EXPENSES BY AROUND $6 MILLION, WHICH AT LEAST $6 MILLION, WHICH MEANS WE TAXED THE TAXPAYER $6 MILLION MORE THAN WE HAD TO TAXING. NOW I SEE MR. CROSIER POPPING UP, AND I'M DELIGHTED, MR. CROSIER, BECAUSE I GOT THE PAPERWORK HERE FROM WHEN WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE THE GENERAL FUND 2024 FUND BALANCE REPORT THAT SHOWED THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IN INCREASED BY $8.3 MILLION, AND OF THAT $8.3 MILLION. REVENUE. THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE IN REVENUE. THAT EXPLAINED $6.3 MILLION. THERE WAS OTHER EXPENDITURES OF. $4.6 MILLION THAT NEVER TOOK PLACE. AND THEN THERE'S SOME KIND OF A AN INTER BOOK TRANSFER OF $2.5 MILLION, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OF $8.3 MILLION. WE ARE TAXING THE PEOPLE OF PETERSBURG MORE THAN WE NEED TO, AND WE'RE DOING IT BY UNDERSTATING ANTICIPATED REVENUES AND OVERSTATING ANTICIPATED EXPENSES. AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT TO THE PUBLIC, SIR, IF I MAY, THAT INCREASE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT CAME IN WAS NOT ALL FROM GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES. IT CAN IT COMBINES ALL THE REVENUES OF THE CITY, WHICH IS NOT JUST GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES. SO I THINK IT IS ERRONEOUS TO SAY THAT WE ARE OVERTAXING THE CITIZENS BECAUSE OF THAT. WELL, IT CERTAINLY CAME FROM REVENUE. YES. AND THE REVENUE HAS MANY.

[01:05:02]

LAST YEAR IT WAS ONLY ONLY $28 MILLION, I THINK. LET ME FIND IT. IT'S ON PAGE FOUR IF ANYBODY'S GOT THE BUDGET. AND MR. CROSIER, I APPRECIATE YOU KNOW, YOUR POSITION AND I KNOW YOU. YOU. YOU THE REPORT THINGS AS THEY ARE. BUT ON PAGE FOUR WE'VE GOT THE AMENDED THE TOP LINE THERE REAL ESTATE TAXES CURRENT BROUGHT IN $28.8 MILLION PROPOSED 2526. IT'S EXPECTED TO BRING IN $35.3 MILLION. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF $6.4 MILLION IN REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE. THAT'S A 20 OVER 22% INCREASE IN ONE YEAR IN THE REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE. AND THAT'S GREAT. AND IT IS GREAT. AND PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING REVENUES. I MEAN, THIS IS I MEAN, IT'S A CONVERSATION.

YOU HAVE THE CITY GROWING. YOU'RE GOING TO GET MORE TAX REVENUE. COUNCILMAN CUTBIRTH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THAT WE CAN SAY IT'S A BAD THING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IN A HOLE LIKE WE WERE TEN YEARS AGO. SO, I MEAN, THANK GOODNESS THAT THE CITY IS GROWING, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN JUST. MR. MAYOR, RECOGNIZE ME TO SPEAK, MR. MAYOR? YES. AND I'M ADDRESSING.

BUT THIS THIS IS A WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND WE ALL. YOU'VE BEEN TALKING FOR TEN MINUTES NOW, AND WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TALK. WELL, FIVE MINUTES IS THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL. AND I GAVE YOU AN EXTRA FIVE. ALL ALL WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR IS THE REVENUE.

RIGHT. AND THERE'S SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS BUDGET. RIGHT. AND WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE BUDGET TONIGHT. SO LIKE I SAID WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING COMING UP. AND I HOPE WE CAN CAN CAN GET TOGETHER AND GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. BUT I HAVE SIX, FIVE OTHER COUNCIL PEOPLE OVER HERE THAT ARE WAITING TO TALK. IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS TERRIBLY IMPORTANT. IT'S ON PAGE 77. IT'S THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY IMPLEMENTATION, JUST A FLAT NUMBER OF $3 MILLION. WE DON'T KNOW WHICH WHICH DEPARTMENT IT'S GOING INTO. I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE. AND WE DON'T KNOW WHICH EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING A RAISE.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHICH MEMBERS OF CITY STAFF ARE GETTING RAISES IF THEIR BASE COMPENSATION IS ALREADY $100,000 OR MORE. BUT THIS CLASS AND COMP STUDY, I DON'T THINK THE BUDGET IS AN ACCURATE BUDGET. WE CAN'T JUST APPROVE A $3 MILLION CLASS AND COMP STUDY IMPLEMENTATION, CLOSE OUR EYES AND SAY PUT IT ANY IN ANY DEPARTMENT YOU WANT TO. MR. CITY MANAGER, WE NEED TO KNOW WHICH DEPARTMENT THAT $3 MILLION IS GOING INTO. SO POINT OF ORDER, MR. MAYOR. POINT OF ORDER. THE RULES OF COUNCIL ARE BEING VALIDATED. RIGHT NOW. WE ONLY GET FIVE MINUTES. HE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT 15 MINUTES NOW. AND IT'S PASSIONATE AS YOU ARE.

LET'S, LET'S LET'S SHARE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE. WELL, LET'S HIGHLIGHT THE ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED THIS TIME NEXT WEEK OR OTHERWISE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE MAKING MUCH HEADWAY. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE, MR. MAYOR, CAN I CAN I SPEAK NOW ON THE METROPOLITAN BUSINESS LEAGUE, WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE $65,000 WE GAVE THEM IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, AND WHAT THEY EXPECT TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, AND THE SAME OR VARIATION ON THAT FOR THE PETERSBURG ARTS COUNCIL, WE GAVE THEM IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, $50,000. WHEN WE HAVE OUR MEETING A WEEK FROM NOW. MR. CITY MANAGER, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT $50 MILLION ACCOMPLISHED. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DOUBLING IT TO 100,000. WHAT DO WE EXPECT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THAT 100,000? SO THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT I HOPE WE CAN DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL WHEN WE GET TOGETHER A WEEK FROM NOW. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR HILL. YES, AS FAR AS THE BUDGET, YOU BUDGET SO THAT YOU CAN COME UNDER SO YOU CAN

[01:10:09]

I DON'T LIKE GAMBLING. BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS. SO. SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING OFF THE BACKS OF THE PEOPLE. I AGREE WITH MOST OF YOU, SAID COUNCILMAN COPPOLA, BUT I THINK IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT FOR US TO RIGHT NOW IN THIS BUDGET, DROP OUR TAXES DOWN RIGHT NOW OF MONEY WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT WE DO NOT SEE. NOW, OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO BE A BUMP IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE HAPPY THIS DAY. BUT THEN ONCE IT LEVEL OUT, WE HAVE TO REALLY REALIZE AND SEE WHAT WHAT IS THE ACTUAL NUMBERS GOING TO BE. AND WE'RE TRYING TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE GAMING DON'T GET THEM A LICENSE OR NOT, WE DON'T KNOW NONE OF THAT. WE DON'T KNOW NONE OF THAT. AT FIRST. THE DATE WAS OCTOBER, NANCE. NOVEMBER. WE DON'T KNOW.

IT MAY BE EVEN THE FIRST OF THE NEXT YEAR. SO WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE. AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE WHERE WE ARE NOW BECAUSE WE TOOK HARD DECISIONS. I CAN I CAN REMEMBER RIGHT NOW WHEN MANY OF US WAS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, BRIAN MOORE, HE WAS ON COUNCIL. WE HAD TO MAKE SOME HARD, TOUGH DECISIONS. WE LOST ALMOST HALF OF OUR WORKFORCE BECAUSE WE DROPPED DOWN PEOPLE 10%. IMAGINE IF YOU GO HOME AND YOU GO TO YOUR JOB AND THEY'RE GOING TO DROP YOU 10% RIGHT NOW. NOW WE'RE BACK UP AND WE'RE PAST THAT. SO LET'S NOT MAKE ANY HASTY DECISIONS NOW BASED ON SOME SOME FUNDS THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN YET. ONCE IT COMES IN THE BUDGET, I'M PRETTY SURE THIS WHOLE COUNCIL WILL BE RIDING AND SAYING, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO DROP THESE TAXES DOWN TO X, X, Y, AND Z. BUT EVEN THAT HAS TO MAKE MORE SENSE BECAUSE YOU ALL KNOW THE GAMING GOES UP AND GOES DOWN, AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO. POARCH CREEK IS BEING DONE. WE JUST ALLOCATED $1 MILLION SO WE CAN SPRUCE UP THE WHOLE CITY OF PETERSBURG CORRIDOR. WE GOT PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR OUR RAMPS COMING IN, COMING OUT. I SAID THAT STUFF. YOU ARE WHAT OUR BRIDGES, FIRE TRUCKS. WE GOT A WHOLE LOT THAT WE HAVE TO DO. AND WE JUST CAN'T DO IT JUST BECAUSE WE SEE A BUMP. AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, ATTACKING MY COUNCIL MEMBER. I KNOW HE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. I KNOW HE'S DUG IN THE NUMBERS AND I KNOW HE'S SEES THINGS. BUT I SAY RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE TIME ON THIS BUDGET NOW, MAYBE NEXT YEAR, ONCE WE REALIZE SOME THINGS, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST REALLY NOT THE TIME. AND I THINK WE NEED TO STAY THE COURSE THAT WE ARE. AND EVEN IF WE'RE $20 MILLION OVER, EVEN IF WE'RE $20 MILLION OVER, THAT'S YOUR BUDGET. AND ONCE WE VOTE THIS BUDGET IN AND WE STILL TRYING TO GET WORKERS IN, NOW, ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND LIKE WE SAID, WE HAVE SOME SOME INFLATION, WHETHER YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN REALIZED. AND THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR GREAT TALENT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR GOOD TALENT. WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO HIRE ANYBODY. AND IT'S HARD TO GET GOOD PEOPLE TO WORK IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH HELL AND HIGH WATER, AND I'D BE DARNED IF WE GO BACK BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS RIGHT NOW FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR THIS MOMENT, THIS MOMENT IN TIME TO BECAUSE WE REALIZE THE MONEY MAY BE COMING OR MORE MONEYS. MAYBE SOME OF THESE MONIES ARE ONE TIME HITS, SO YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THEM DOWN

[01:15:06]

YOU ALWAYS BRING A GOOD EYESIGHT WHEN IT COME TO THE NUMBERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. NATURE.

BUT I THINK NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR US TO, TO, TO DROP THOSE, THOSE TAXES RIGHT NOW. THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILWOMAN SPITZLEY. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU.

IF ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT FINANCES, IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK. JUST LIKE THE GOVERNMENT CUT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH LINE BY LINE. THEY JUST CUT. THEY JUST LAID OFF PEOPLE. BUT IF YOU KNOW, FINANCE, YOU GO TO BUY EACH LINE ITEM, EACH DEPARTMENT LINE ITEM AND SEE WHERE YOU CAN CUT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. LOWERING THE TAXES IS NOT THERE RIGHT NOW. AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IF ANYTHING CATASTROPHIC HAPPENED IN THIS CITY, NOW WE HAVE OLD PIPING AND INFRASTRUCTURE. AND IF, IF AND THEN WE'RE GETTING READY TO GET THIS CASINO THAT CAN. AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT CAN WIPE OUT ALL OF OUR FUNDS. WE HAD SOMETHING HAPPEN. WHAT WAS THAT? NOT LONG AGO, MAYBE ABOUT 4 OR 5 MONTHS AGO, WITH OUR PIPING RIGHT DOWN HERE OFF OF. HALIFAX STREET. THAT WAS $3 MILLION. HOW MANY? 4 MILLION. 4 MILLION. SO IF YOU GOT A BALANCE OF $10 MILLION, TAKE 4 MILLION FROM THAT. AND THEN IF SOMETHING ELSE LIKE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN, GUESS WHAT? YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER 4 MILLION. THAT ONLY LEAVES YOU 2 MILLION WHEN SOMETHING MAY HAPPEN FINANCIALLY WITHIN THE CITY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO NEED ANOTHER 4 MILLION, THEN YOU GOT -2 MILLION. WE HAVE TO BE SMART. WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THE TAX IS GOING TO ALWAYS BE HIGH, BUT IF WE WANT TO STAY THE COURSE, BE FISCALLY SMART ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. WE HAVE TO REMAIN THE WAY WE ARE. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK, THANK YOU, MR. DOZIER. TWO QUESTIONS. JUST A ROUNDABOUT. I KNOW YOU MIGHT NOT GIVE AN EXACT NUMBER. YOU SAID YOU HAD TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS. HOW MANY? ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED THOSE MEETINGS? COMBINATION COMBINED? PROBABLY TEN. SAY THAT AGAIN. TEN. COMBINED THROUGH TWO MEETINGS.

WHAT? 35,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY? ROUGHLY CORRECT. AND TEN PEOPLE CAME OUT. OKAY, I'LL COME BACK TO THAT. IN MY CITY. MY COMMENTS FROM THE WE'LL MAKE FOR COUNCIL PEOPLE ANOTHER QUESTION, BECAUSE AGAIN, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT, BUT WOULD YOU BE ABLE YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN PUSHING HARD FOR THE FIVE CENT PLASTIC BAG TAX FOR THE CITY. WOULD YOU BE JUST QUICKLY, QUICKLY FOR THE SAKE OF TIME BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN OUR MEETING. JUST GIVE THE OVERVIEW OF HOW THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND THEN WHERE THOSE FUNDS WOULD GO WHEN THE PROPER TIME COMES. IF THAT DOES GET APPROVED. YES. SO WITH THE PLASTIC BAG TAX, AND FORGIVE ME IF I'M NOT REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, BUT WITH THAT THE FUNDS WOULD ESSENTIALLY COME IN. THEY WOULD ONLY BE IT'S A FIVE CENT TAX. IT IS ONLY APPLIED TO DISPOSABLE BAGS AND DISPOSABLE BAGS WITHIN THE CITY. SO THERE ARE A FEW LIKE CAVEATS TO WHERE THE TAX IS NOT APPLICABLE. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE WAS AN ESTABLISHMENT IN THE CITY WHO IS MAKING A DELIVERY TO SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE CITY, THEY WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY THAT TAX BECAUSE THE DELIVERY IS BEING MADE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. BUT LIKE LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN ESTABLISHMENT IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS DELIVERED TO A CITIZEN IN PETERSBURG, THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY THAT TAX. THE TAX IS PAID TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION, WHO WILL THEN TURN AROUND AND DISBURSE THE MONIES TO US ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND I KNOW WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT. I WAS JUST MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC DOES KNOW WE ARE PUSHING AHEAD, OR AT LEAST I AM, TO GET THAT FIVE CENT TAX. AND AGAIN, IF YOU

[01:20:05]

WE'RE GOING TO SKIP DOWN TO ITEM F AND COME COME AND COME BACK TO D OKAY. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH F WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND SUBSTRATE, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 130 NORTH UNION STREET AND 122 THROUGH 124 WEST 12TH STREET, LOCATED IN PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. MISTER MOORE. THANK YOU. MISTER. MISTER MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO MOVE THIS UP TONIGHT. WE HAVE MISTER COREY AND LORI BULLOCK AND OUR NEW ONE TWO MONTHS OLD, TWO MONTHS OLD, TWO MONTHS, BABY. BRING IT BACK IN. SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN ACCESS EASEMENT AND MINOR LOT ADJUSTMENT THAT'S IN THE CITY PARKING LOT, WHICH WILL FACILITATE BRINGING THEIR NEW BUSINESS ONLINE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE HOTEL. A GREAT AMENITY. AND I'M GOING TO ASK MR. BULLOCK TO COME AND MAKE THE PRESENTATION AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE AS ECSTATIC AND EXCITED AS I CAN BE, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN LIKE A YEAR AND A HALF IN THE MAKING. BUT I GOT LIKE TWO HOURS OF SLEEP LAST NIGHT UP WITH THE LITTLE ONE. SO BASICALLY WE BOUGHT THAT BUILDING FOR THIS PURPOSE, WHICH WAS TO PUT OUR BUSINESS UPSTAIRS ON THAT LOT, BASICALLY THAT THAT DOOR THAT GOES INTO THERE. SEE IF I CAN USE THAT. OKAY. SO BASICALLY WE JUST NEED ACCESS THROUGH THAT PARKING LOT JUST SO THAT WE NEVER GET BLOCKED OUT BECAUSE THAT BUILDING'S BEEN THERE FOR THAT ADDITION ON THAT BUILDING'S BEEN THERE FOR 68 YEARS. I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL BUILDING'S BEEN THERE SINCE ABOUT 1910, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN UNENCUMBERED ENTRANCE RIGHT THERE. SO BASICALLY WE'RE JUST ASKING TO NOT BE BLOCKED OUT OF THAT AND TO BASICALLY MOVE OUR TINY LITTLE OUR LOT LINE, WHICH WE OWN, BASICALLY HALF OF THE GRASS OF THE END OF THE PARKING LOT THAT COMES STRAIGHT UP TO OUR BUILDING. IT'S ABOUT TWO AND A HALF, THREE FEET WIDE TO THE EDGE FROM THE EDGE OF THE PARKING LOT, THEN A GRASSY AREA, THEN OUR BUILDING, WHICH OUR WALKWAY IS UP TO. BUT IN ORDER TO BUILD OUR ADA RAMP FOR OUR BUSINESS, BECAUSE HAVING IT ACCESSIBLE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, HAVING GROWN UP WITH A DISABLED BROTHER, WE JUST NEED TO SCOOT THAT LOT, LINE OUT, BASICALLY JUST FLUSH WITH THE END OF THE PARKING LOT. AND PETERSBURG'S LOT LINES ARE SO STRANGE AND ARCHAIC. ANYWAY, IT WOULD JUST HELP US TO BE ABLE TO PUT A PARK, I MEAN, A STAIRCASE IN THE HILLSIDE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD OUR PATIO FOR OUR BUSINESS AS WELL. SO BASICALLY THIS IS GOING TO BE KIND OF THIS IS WHAT THE CITY APPROVED, WHICH IS OUR DESIGN FOR OUR ENTRANCE AT THE END OF THE LOT. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO THE PARKING LOT. IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ON OUR GRASSY AREA. AND THEN WE HAVE LIKE A SET OF STAIRS DOWN THE GRASSY HILL INTO OUR SIDE LOT. AND BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING HERE IS LIKE A KIND OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WINE BAR AND JUST FOOD AND REALLY WELL, WELL DONE STUFF. WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO

[01:25:04]

LIKE, I CAN'T THINK OF A TIME WHEN THAT MANY CULINARY MINDS HAVE EVER BEEN IN PETERSBURG. SO AND THE GOOD THING IS, THEY WERE ALL LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO STAY, SO THAT COULD BE GREAT FOR THE HOTEL, GREAT FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT, STRAWBERRY HILL IN BASICALLY EVERY OTHER SMALL BUSINESS AROUND HERE, JUST HELPING TO SUPPORT THEM BECAUSE WE'RE ALL LIKE ONE TEAM, YOU KNOW? BASICALLY. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THAT DOOR FOR DELIVERIES. AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT LIKE SEMIS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SMALL LITTLE VANS AND STUFF BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO USE A LOT OF SPECIALTY PRODUCE. WE DO A LOT OF FORAGED FOODS TOO, SO A LOT OF IT IS GOING TO BE GATHERED BY ME, BUT BASICALLY THAT'S IT. WE JUST NEED TO GET TO THE DOOR AND THE STAIRS THAT WILL BE IN THE HILL. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THEM RIGHT THERE, AND THAT WHOLE SIDE LOT THAT WE HAVE UP BESIDE THE WHITE HOUSE IS GOING TO BE A PATIO, AND THAT WILL SERVE. WE HAVE ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT'S COMING ONLINE PROBABLY IN TWO MONTHS. THAT'S WE ARE REDOING THE FACADE FOR. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A SHARED PATIO BETWEEN THE TWO BUSINESSES. OH THANK YOU. SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS JUST TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND NOT RUN INTO ANY PROBLEMS. I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED SO, SO MUCH MONEY INTO IT. IT'S GOING TO BE WIDE OPEN KITCHEN LIKE A SHOW KITCHEN, SOMETHING PETERSBURG'S NEVER SEEN, WHICH IS GOING TO BE EXCITING. AND WE JUST DON'T WANT TO BE BLOCKED OUT AFTER DOING ALL THAT WORK AND I'M DOING ALL THE LABOR MYSELF. SO IT'S LITERALLY BEEN LIKE TWO YEARS OF ME JUST WORKING MYSELF TO THE BONE TO DO ALL THIS. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR CHOOSING PETERSBURG. WE ARE GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR UP NOW FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND SUBSTRATE, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 130 NORTH UNION STREET AND 122 AND 124 WEST EIGHTH STREET. YES, MA'AM. YES. GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING.

I'M A LOT SHORTER THAN COREY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCILORS, I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT. ADDRESS. SORRY, KELSEY. JEWEL 271 HIGH STREET.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND FOR BREVITY, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY HUSBAND, JAMES GAYLE AS WELL. OKAY. WHO IS ALSO IN FAVOR OF THIS? MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED IN PETERSBURG FOR SIX YEARS NOW. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT INITIALLY DREW US TO THIS AREA WAS THE VAST ARRAY OF BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE AND THE NUMEROUS SMALL, FAMILY RUN, FAMILY RUN BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS. THAT WASN'T UNTIL MY GRANDMOTHER CAME TO VISIT ME FOR THE FIRST TIME. YOU SEE, MY GRANDMOTHER WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHEN MY MOM WAS SIX, AND SHE'S BEEN PARAPLEGIC MY ENTIRE LIFE. SO THE FIRST TIME THAT SHE CAME TO VISIT, I REALIZED THAT MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT HAS A GRANITE STEP IN FRONT OF THE DOOR, SMALL ENOUGH FOR ME NOT TO GIVE IT THOUGHT WHEN I VISIT, BUT LARGE ENOUGH FOR IT TO MAKE IT UNACCESSIBLE FOR HER. FOR HER. THE PLACE WE TRIED TO GO TO LUNCH THAT DAY. WHILE THE DOOR WAS TECHNICALLY WIDE ENOUGH FOR HER TO ENTER, THERE'S A BAR ON THE CORNER THAT MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER TO MAKE THE TURN INTO THE DOORWAY.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES THAT HAVE FORCED ME TO SOMETIMES HAVE TO GRAB TAKEOUT FROM A SPOT DOWNTOWN FOR US TO ENJOY TOGETHER, AND FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH HER ONE OF THE MANY REASONS THAT I MOVED TO PETERSBURG. BECAUSE, YOU SEE, WHILE THE ARCHITECTURE IN PETERSBURG IS BEAUTIFUL, A LOT OF IT'S ALSO OLD. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, AS AN ABLE BODIED INDIVIDUAL, DIDN'T INITIALLY THINK ABOUT WAS THAT THE ACCESSIBILITY OR LACK THEREOF, THAT COMES WITH HISTORIC BUILDINGS. I APPLAUD THE CITY FOR WORKING WITH THIS BUSINESS OWNER AND HIS WIFE TO FIND A CREATIVE SOLUTION OF UTILIZING AN UNUSED PIECE OF PARKING OF A

[01:30:02]

SO IT HAS BEEN PREEXISTING. JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT AND ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS DOES NOT. THE LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT DOES NOT AFFECT THE PARKING LOT AT ALL. THE LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT, IF YOU LOOK RIGHT TO THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, THE BARRICADE HAS A FENCE BEHIND IT, AND THE FENCE ON THAT OTHER SIDE IS A HILL THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER, BOBBY LYNCH, AND THE BULLOCKS HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT PROPERTY. AND THEN AS IT GOES DOWN THE SIDE OF THE HILL, IT'S REALLY JUST ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF FEET FOR THAT ADA ENTRANCE RAMP. SO IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED. IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT ANY OF THE CITY PARKING LOT. NOTHING'S GOING TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, BE BULLDOZED OR OR TAKEN DOWN OR WHAT HAVE YOU. AND ALSO BEING THAT IT'S A PUBLIC LOT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SUCH THAT IF THAT PROPERTY IS EVER SOLD, THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A FENCE RIGHT UP AGAINST THE BUILDING, WHICH I KNOW HAS BEEN DONE IN THE CITY BEFORE. SO I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.

IT'S ONE OF THE MANY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BRING TO FRUITION DOWN TAB STREET AND NORTH MARKET. AND SO APPRECIATE IF YOU GUYS APPROVE THE EASEMENT AND APPROVE THE SALE OF THE SLIVER OF LAND WHICH I KNOW HE'S PAID MORE IN SURVEY UPDATES AND THE CLOSING ON THE LITTLE BIT OF MONEY WILL COST MORE THAN THE ACTUAL PIECE OF SLIVER THAT'S BEEN PUT OUT THERE. SO THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. BARRY. RIGHT? YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BOB JENKINS, FIVE SIX, ONE HIGH STREET. I'M ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF ON BEHALF OF MY WIFE, CINDY. WE'VE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF BEING ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE FOOD THAT LORI AND COREY PUT TOGETHER, AND IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC. BARRY MENTIONED THE AREA THERE BETWEEN MARKET AND TAB AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT BUILDING, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING UP THERE. MARKET STREET COFFEE IS TREMENDOUS. AND SO THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER ADDITION TO WHAT'S ALREADY THERE. NOW YOU GOT THE HOTEL PETERSBURG. SO. MAKING IT FACILITATING THE BUSINESS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE LITTLE BITS OF WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. I'M A HUGE SUPPORT SUPPORTER OF THAT. SO THANK YOU OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING I'M WEST CHESHIRE. GOOD EVENING. 200 NORTH SYCAMORE. I'VE KNOWN COREY AND LORI BULLOCK FOR YEARS. I MET CHEF COREY IN 2018 WHEN HE HIRED ME, WHEN HE WAS EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF FOR THE CORK HOTEL IN RICHMOND. THE CHEF WE WORKED FOR WAS AN AMAZINGLY TALENTED AND ACCOMPLISHED CHEF. WHILE I WAS THERE, I WITNESSED COREY NOT ONLY. EXCUSE ME, MY PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS. TAKE YOUR TIME WHILE I WAS THERE. NOT ONLY WITNESS CHEF COREY OPERATE HIS KITCHEN UNDER EXTREMELY HIGH EXPECTATION, BUT ELEVATE BEYOND THE EXPECTATIONS. AND THIS WILL SOUND REALLY CORNY, BUT HIS MOTIVATION TO GO BEYOND

[01:35:11]

THANK YOU WES. YEAH THAT'S NICE. EVERYBODY OKAY? YES, MA'AM. HEY THERE. I'M SARAH BARLOW FROM 253 HIGH STREET, AND I'M JUST HERE TO ALSO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT. I'M A FAN OF ADA ADA COMPLIANCE.

I'M A FAN OF SMALL BUSINESSES, AND I'M A FAN OF THE FOOD THAT COREY AND LORI MAKE. THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I'M MARY BULLOCK. I'M ACTUALLY CHEF COREY BULLOCK'S MOTHER. I'M NOT SURE IF HE WANTS ME TO TALK TONIGHT. GO AHEAD. MOM, TALK. MOM, I'M AT 311 HIGH STREET. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. THIS IS HIS PASSION. AND HE QUIT A VERY LUCRATIVE JOB IN RICHMOND AS A CHEF TO COME TO PETERSBURG AND OPEN THIS IN PETERSBURG. AND SO MANY PEOPLE SAID, WHY PETERSBURG? WHY PETERSBURG? AND HE'S LIKE, I WANT TO BRING THIS TO PETERSBURG. AND HE HAD, LIKE YOU SAID, HE HAD MICHELIN STAR CHEFS. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A MICHELIN STAR CHEF WAS UNTIL HE TOLD ME. I THOUGHT IT WAS TIRE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW? BUT AND I'M ALSO AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, AND I'VE BEEN AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST FOR 45 YEARS, AND MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF OLD BUILDINGS, AS KELSEY MENTIONED, IS VERY TOUGH. AND SO I KNOW THAT THE LAW SAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ACCESSIBILITY BEFORE A CERTAIN YEARS AND DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT THIS IS AMAZING. I HAVE A SON WHO'S TOTALLY BLIND. YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN HIM WALK AROUND WITH HIS GUIDE DOG. WELL, THE GUIDE DOG IS ALICE. NATHAN IS MY SON, BUT WE'VE KIND OF DRILLED IT INTO OUR FAMILY'S HEADS THAT IT'S. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT NATHAN. IT'S ABOUT EVERY CITIZEN. IT'S ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO'S IN A WALKER. IT'S. IT'S SOMEBODY IN A WHEELCHAIR.

SOMEBODY WHO CAN'T SEE SOMEBODY WHO HAS AN AMPUTATION, VETERANS, WHATEVER. AND IT'S SADDENS ME, LIKE WHAT KELSEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT, WHETHER IT'S A STORE, A GROCERY STORE, A RESTAURANT, AND THE ACCESSIBILITY IS NOT THERE FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT AS WE ARE, THEY JUST HAVE A DISABILITY. AND SO I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TALK AND REALLY JUST, I GUESS, ENCOURAGE OR SUGGEST OR WHATEVER THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVE WHAT SUBSTRATE AND WHAT MY SON COREY IS PROPOSING. AND I DO THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE HOTEL AND ALL THAT, BECAUSE HIS OTHER HE WAS DOING POP UPS ON CHERRY STREET AND SOME OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS AND SOME OTHER PLACES, AND THESE PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM NORFOLK AND DC AND EVER THEY STAYED THE NIGHT BECAUSE THESE, THESE EVENTS STAYED, YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN'T WILD, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO LATE TO DRIVE BACK TO DC. SO I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP WITH LODGING AND, YOU KNOW, PUTTING MORE MONEY IN THE CITY. SO THANK YOU OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET'S TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE AND

[01:40:20]

YEAH. YEAH. RIGHT HERE. YEAH. TELL THEM WHERE YOU LIVE AS THE MIC IN FRONT OF ME. YEAH. RIGHT THERE. YEP. GO AHEAD AND JUST SPEAK NOW. YOU'RE GOOD. THERE YOU GO. SO MY NAME IS NATHAN BULLOCK AND MY ADDRESS IS 311 HIGH STREET. AND I THINK MY BROTHER IS PROBABLY THE MOST DESERVING PERSON THAT I EVER KNOW. HE'S BEEN WORKING REALLY DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO OPEN THIS ESTABLISHMENT, AND I THINK THAT IT WILL BE GREAT FOR THE PETERSBURG AREA AND FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND I THINK WE HAVE A VARIETY OF RESTAURANTS, BUT WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY THAT EVEN FURTHER. MOREOVER, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBILITY ISN'T JUST FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DISABILITIES. IT'S FOR THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE SLATED TO. SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S A RAMP, SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE DIFFICULTY WALKING, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BUT THE RAMP IS EASIER FOR THEM THAN NAVIGATING STEPS. SO, YOU KNOW, OR WE MIGHT HAVE TACTILE DOMES ON THE SIDEWALK FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND LIKE ME SO THAT WE KNOW, OKAY, THERE'S A STREET COMING UP AND WE DON'T ACCIDENTALLY STEP OUT IN FRONT AND CROSS IT. SO YEAH, I'D LOVE TO COME TO A LOT OF OTHER COUNCIL MEETINGS AND DISCUSS OTHER ISSUES THAT I THINK CAN MAKE PETERSBURG A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. SO THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. AND THEN FOR MY PART, MY NAME IS SARAH AND I ACTUALLY BORN AND RAISED IN THE WEST END OF HENRICO, BUT I'VE BEEN COMING DOWN HERE FROM ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF NOW WITH NATHAN VISITING NATHAN. AND I JUST SAY THIS WHOLE FAMILY AND EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN SO WELCOMING TO ME LIKE THEY DESERVE IT. EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW, I HAVE FRIENDS WHO'LL COME DOWN AND GO TO HIS RESTAURANT AND ICE CREAM AND SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET THEM HAVE IT BECAUSE THEY THEY'RE GOING TO BE GREAT HERE AND THEY DESERVE IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT, MISS JESTER. OH OKAY OKAY OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. PAULA CHESTER, 1013 OAKMONT DRIVE. I AM IN SUPPORT OF HIS BUSINESS AND HIS VISION. AND I HOPE YOU ALL APPROVE THAT HE GET THIS PIECE OF LAND TO FURTHER THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT HE IS REQUESTING. I'M ALSO PUSHING FOR THE ENTIRE STREET OF SYCAMORE STREET TO BE BEAUTIFIED. I'VE HEARD OVER SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THERE WAS A REQUEST BY VICE MAYOR HILL TO HAVE ALL PLANTERS, NEW PLANTERS TO COME UP THE ENTIRE STREET, AS WELL AS TRASH CANS. AND AS OF YET, I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT. WE ALSO DO NEED OTHER BUSINESSES BESIDES FOOD INDUSTRIES. THERE'S A NEED FOR THE CLOTHING, FLORAL SHOPS, OTHER INDUSTRIES. THAT'S WHAT THE BUSINESS OWNERS WOULD LIKE TO BRING ON THAT SECTION OF OUR TALE. SO I APPRECIATE IF THAT WILL CONSIDER BEAUTIFYING THE ENTIRE STRIP OF SYCAMORE STREET. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

YES, MA'AM. WITH THE COWBOY HAT? YES. ANDREA MATTHEWS 250 NORTH SYCAMORE. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. I WANTED TO HI. I WANTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF COREY AND LORI AND THEIR WORK ETHIC. I HAVE KNOWN THEM BOTH FOR PROBABLY ABOUT HALF OF THEIR LIFE AS YOUNGER TEENAGERS, AND I'VE ACTUALLY WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH LORI IN THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY FOR YEARS AND YEARS. TWO INCREDIBLY MOTIVATED, DRIVEN PEOPLE WILL NOT DISAPPOINT, SO HOPEFULLY ALL WILL WORK OUT PERFECTLY FOR THEM. ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK TO THEIR SKILL SET. I HAVE ATTENDED SEVERAL OF THEIR POP UP SORT OF TRIAL PERIODS FOR THE DINNERS. ONLY FANTASTIC THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THAT, AND ALSO TO ADD IN ONE EXTRA LITTLE SWEET TWIST DURING THE GRAND OPENING. IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WILL BE ATTENDING THE GRAND OPENING, I WOULD LOVE TO PERSONALLY PICK UP, SAID COUNCIL MEMBER IN MAGGIE MAY THE

[01:45:02]

COUNCIL MEMBER. WHITE. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR PERRY I.

COREY, GET SOME REST. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PUT THE BABY TO SLEEP NOW. THE BABY DID WELL AT THIS LONG MEETING. NEXT IS ITEM D. WE'RE GOING BACK NOW TO ITEM D, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO USE THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND. MR. COZIER. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. GARY COZIER BUDGET MANAGER OKAY, SO THIS ITEM. THE REQUEST IS $300,000 TO BE USED TO FUND THE FIXING OF THE WALL BEHIND CITY HALL. THAT WALL HAS BEEN FAILING FOR SOME TIME. SO A REQUEST IS BEING MADE AS THIS IS AN EMERGENCY THAT COULD ENDANGER THE CITIZENS AND OR PROPERTY OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. LIKE I SAID, THE FUNDING THAT IS NEEDED IS $300,000. AND I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND IS AT $4.7 MILLION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. COZIER. NOW OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION. REQUEST TO USE THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND TO SHORE UP THE WALL BESIDE CITY HALL. ALL RIGHT. SO SEEING NO HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. NEXT, VICE MAYOR HILL.

MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE REQUEST TO USE THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN MYERS, SECOND MOTION A SECOND. MISS HILL, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT, ABSTAIN BECAUSE OF THE HOTEL? COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. VICE MAYOR.

[01:50:02]

YOU ALL HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE, BUT THE FOOD BANKS ARE PACKED. I MEAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT THERE'S LINES THERE AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING THE MONEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GIVING YOU MONEY IN THE, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR CAR AND FOR YOUR WEDDING RING. AND NONE OF YOU ALL. YOU CAN'T RELATE TO THAT. BUT BUT WHO'S REPRESENTING THOSE PEOPLE WHO WHO ARE MAKING UNDER THE POVERTY LEVEL AND HAVE TO PAY 13 TO $1500 A MONTH IN RENT BECAUSE THE LANDLORD HAD TO RAISE THE RENT BECAUSE THE TAX TAXES WENT UP BECAUSE OF THE ASSESSMENT. BUT I DON'T WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE THIS LATE GETTING IN HERE, BUT I JUST THINK I WANT TO HAVE MY SAY AND SOMEBODY NEEDS TO REPRESENT THOSE PEOPLE. SOMEBODY NEED TO YOU NEED TO GO IN THESE COMMUNITIES AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE JUST STRUGGLING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YES. MR. GANAWAY? GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALL YOUR OFFICIALS. MY NAME IS BRUNO GANAWAY. 652, OLD WAGON ROAD WITH THE GENTLEMAN JUST SAID IS REALLY TRUE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ALL WATCH A LOT OF TIMES, BUT I WATCH SOMETHING. I WATCH THESE MEETINGS AND THEY'RE NOT PLEASANT A LOT OF TIMES TO SEE. YOU CAN PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK FOR THINGS YOU HOPE TO HAPPEN.

BUT PEOPLE JUST LIKE HE SAID, IS NOT HERE TO KNOW THAT. I SEE THEY'RE SPRAYING UP A LOT OF NEW HOUSES AND DIFFERENT AREAS. I USED TO WORK LIVE IN THOSE AREAS THAT WE THOUGHT WAS WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WHAT HOME WAS. WE WERE RENTING, BUT WE THOUGHT WE THOUGHT IT WAS HOME. THE PEOPLE THAT HAD THAT, SOME OF THOSE SAME PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS NOW, AND THEY

[01:55:01]

PETERSBURG WAS BETTER BEFORE CASINO WAS EVEN CONSIDERED, AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL HERE. JUST LIKE HE'S SAYING, PEOPLE WANT TO STILL LIVE IN THIS CITY, BUT THEY WANT THEY WANT THIS CITY TO BE JUST NOT FOR ONE SIDE OF THE TOWN, FOR THE WHOLE TOWN. I KNOW SOME OF YOU. YOUR HEARTS ARE FOR THIS CITY. I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR GOOD WORKS. WORKS DON'T MAKE IT JUST. WHAT? THIS CITY. IT'S YOUR HEART AND INTENT AS WELL. SO I JUST GOT TO SAY THAT. CHECK YOUR HEART. DON'T PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK TOO SOON. THIS CITY STILL HAVE NOT ARRIVED. WE'RE ON THE WAY, BUT ALWAYS FOUND OUT ONE THING. BEFORE YOU CAN CURE A THING, YOU GOT TO TEAR IT DOWN AND BRING IT BACK UP. WE HAVE HAD SOME HARD TIMES. YES, AND IT'S STILL THERE. THEY'RE NOT THERE YET, SO DO NOT PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK YET. THANK YOU. OKAY. SEEING NO OTHER HANDS, MISS MY LITTLE GREEN. MARLOW GREEN, 301 ROSS STREET. OBVIOUSLY, I AM IN SUPPORT OF REDUCING THE TAX RATE, ESPECIALLY ON HOUSING. EXCUSE ME, REAL ESTATE TAXES.

HOWEVER, I DID WANT TO MENTION PUBLICLY THAT THERE IS A TAX EXEMPTION FOR ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS IS HANDLED BY BRITTANY FLOWERS, THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE. SO IF YOU NEED SOME ASSISTANCE, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT OR THE TAXES THEMSELVES, YOU CAN GET ASSISTANCE FROM THEM. IF YOU'RE OVER A SPECIFIC AGE. I THINK IT'S 65. SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT TO THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

RIGHT. SEEING NO OTHER HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. VICE MAYOR HILL, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE ORDINANCE OF THE FY 26 TAX RATE. COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE, SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND DISCUSSION. COUNCILMAN COOPER, I MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE REDUCE THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE BY $0.02 TO $1.25 PER 100. IT WILL COST THE CITY ABOUT $600,000. IT'S IN ROUND FIGURES. A ONE PENNY REDUCTION COSTS THE CITY ABOUT $300,000 IN REVENUE, ACCORDING TO THE ROBERT BOBB REPORT FROM 2017. WE'VE GOT TO TAKE OUR HANDS FROM AROUND THE THROAT OF THE PUBLIC. WE CAN DO IT. WE GOT THE MONEY TO DO IT. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE. A SURPLUS AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE A HUGE SURPLUS AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO MY MOTION IS TO REDUCE THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE BY $0.02 TO $1.25. THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT WAS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION. SEEING NO SECOND THAT MOTION DIES. THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH WAS TO ACCEPT THE TAX RATE OF LAST YEAR'S AS STATED. MISS, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER.

CUTHBERT? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

SMITH. LEE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERRY, I. MOTION. NEXT, WE MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC

[9. Public Information Period]

[02:00:04]

OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY'S VYING FOR THAT MONEY NOW, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY LOOK INTO CONSIDERING OUR OWN RESCUE SQUAD TO HELP OUR PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT NIGHT, JAMES DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. HE CALLED THREE TIMES, HE GAVE CLEAR DIRECTIONS, AND HE WAITED HELPLESSLY AS MY MOTHER'S CONDITION WORSENED. THE HARDEST PART IS THE FACT THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN THE AVERAGE TIME FRAME, WHICH IS FABULOUS, BUT I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED FROM THE START. AND SO FINALLY, LIKE I SAID, MY MOTHER, SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE.

SHE WAS TALKING, SHE WAS TRYING. SHE WAS FIGHTING. SHE NEEDED OXYGEN, SHE NEEDED HELP, AND SHE DESERVED BETTER. LET'S MAKE SURE NO ONE ELSE IN THIS CITY HAS TO WAIT UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE. USES CASINO REVENUE TO GIVE PETERSBURG THE EMERGENCY SERVICES IT NEEDS IN A RESIDENTS DESERVE. NATIONAL AVERAGE IS SEVEN MINUTES FOR A911 CALL. THE CITY OF COLONIAL HEIGHTS IS FIVE MINUTES. SORRY. LOOKING AT MY CHEAT SHEET AND DINWIDDIE COUNTY IS EIGHT MINUTES, CITY OF PETERSBURG IS WRITTEN DOWN AS FIVE MINUTES. ALL THIS IS FROM WTVR AND BETWEEN OTHER, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL LOCALITIES WEBSITES. SO JUST SAYING I MEAN THAT WAS OVER 20 MINUTES. SO I JUST WANT US TO FOCUS ON THAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT, MR. ROBERT ANDERSON. NEXT SALLY CARTER'S. BERKELEY AVENUE I THINK SHE'S ALREADY SPOKE. MISS KARA STEVENS.

GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR. HOW Y'ALL DOING? KIRA STEVENS TWO, TWO, SIX ROLFE STREET. TODAY I WANTED TO ASK CITY MANAGER ABOUT THE UPDATE AND THE STATUS OF REDUCING THE AREA COVERED UNDER THE GRANT IN CONNECTION WITH THE ROAD. SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO REMIND YOU THAT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE REDUCTION OF THAT AREA, EVEN IF EVEN IF IT RESULTS IN A DECREASE IN FUNDING. WHAT MATTERS MOST TO US IS THAT THE RESOURCES ARE DIRECTED WHERE THEY ARE TRULY NEEDED, AND THAT WE PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WHETHER HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT COVER THIS PART HAVE THE GRANT COVER A

[02:05:06]

GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DEBORAH BOYCE AND I'M AT 215 SOUTH JEFFERSON STREET. AND I'D FIRST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO PETERSBURG. I'M A TRANSPLANT TO PETERSBURG. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2020. I'M A PANDEMIC RESIDENT. I CAME DOWN TO PETERSBURG ON A PROMISE AND A VISION THAT SOMEONE CALLED ME LITERALLY AND SAYS, PETERSBURG IS A PLACE YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO.

I HAD NO INTENTIONS OF MOVING FROM NEW YORK. OKAY, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, NO MATTER. I FIND MYSELF COMING. IN A SANKOFA MOMENT. TO ME, PETERSBURG HAS SUCH HISTORIC VALUE, AND I SEE THE VISION OF PETERSBURG. AND I THANK YOU FOR EMBRACING A VISION. AND I KNOW EACH OF YOU HAVE COLLECTIVELY DIFFERENT VISIONS, BUT TOGETHER YOU SEE A VISION OF THE FUTURE FOR PETERSBURG. BECAUSE WHEN I CAME DOWN, I HEARD ABOUT THE HISTORY. THAT WAS NOT A GOOD HISTORY.

EVERYBODY COMPLAINED. BUT PEOPLE ARE ALSO NOW HYPING UP THE PROMISE BECAUSE OF THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING, THE WORK THAT IS PROGRESSING FORWARD IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE FUTURE FOR PETERSBURG. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. AS A NEW RESIDENT, I'M HERE BACK AND FORTH, BUT I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO BE HERE. I CAN'T GET MY HUSBAND TO GO BACK TO NEW YORK. AND THAT'S A STATEMENT UNTO ITSELF. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IS I DON'T HEAR A STRATEGIC LONG TERM PLAN.

AND I KNOW WE'RE WORKING DOUBLE TIME IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS. I WANT TO SEE A VISION THAT'S GOING TO ENCOMPASS WHAT WE ARE PROJECTING TO GET. I'M A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE TO, IF WE'RE PROJECTING TO GET A BUDGET OF 75 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS, HOW CAN WE STRATEGICALLY IMPLEMENT A PLAN THAT'S GOING TO INCORPORATE THE VISION? AND I MEAN THE VISION LONG TERM, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BEAUTIFICATION, THE INTEGRITY OF PETERSBURG AS AN HISTORICAL CITY AND THE INTEGRITY OF THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HISTORICAL COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN OVERALL SEE THAT PETERSBURG CAN BE SUSTAINED ON THE LONG HAUL. YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE HOUSING, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE FOOD DESERT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE LACK OF RESOURCES WITHIN PETERSBURG. I DON'T NEED TO GO TO COLONIAL HEIGHTS. BUT ALSO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN SUPPORT THOSE LONG TERM RESIDENTS OF PETERSBURG WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN HERE FOR GENERATIONS AND HAVE SUSTAINED PETERSBURG. HOW DO WE LOOK AT OUR INCOMING BUDGET OF PERHAPS THAT 75? WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE GET IT. SO I'M WITH ALTMAN, YOU KNOW. I AIN'T GOT IT. I DON'T HAVE IT. OKAY? I WANT IT HERE. I CAN SPEND IT WHEN I GET IT HERE. HOW CAN WE INCORPORATE THAT BUDGETARY PLANNING IN SUCH A WAY

[02:10:05]

I'M GLAD THAT IT'S BALANCED, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE AWAY WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BUILD UPON IT. AND I CANNOT REQUEST WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T HAVE, SO THAT THE REQUEST MADE EARLIER IN TERMS OF BUDGETARY IMPROVEMENTS WITH BARBARA, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF HOW BIG MY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS. SO WHEN CRIME TAKES UP, YOU KNOW, AND I'M CALLING, THEY RESPOND, BUT AM I EXPECTING MORE THAN WHAT I HAVE ACCESS TO? I CAN'T CRITICIZE IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, AND I'M NOT LOOKING TO CRITICIZE. I'M LOOKING TO BE A PARTNER IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER. AND I'M VERY PLEASED WHEN WE HAD OUR UPTICK IN CRIME, THEY RESPONDED RIGHT AWAY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, DO I HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND DO I HAVE ADEQUATE RESOURCES? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CROSIER HAD MENTIONED IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET BEING BALANCED WAS THAT THERE WERE REDUCTIONS BASED UPON ATTRITION. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT. SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE RETIRING OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, DO I STILL NEED TO HAVE THAT PERSON REPLACED? WE DID NOT HEAR IN OUR DISCUSSION LAST WEEK OR EVEN TONIGHT, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE BEING REDUCED INTENTIONALLY, AND DO THEY HAVE ADEQUATE STAFFING? BECAUSE SOMETIMES I HEAR WHEN WE HAVE OUR REPORTS IS THAT WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED. SO IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT STAFFING IS LIKE, I CAN'T ASK THE QUESTIONS AROUND, WELL, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH? IF WE HAVE TEN PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEED AND NOT JUST THE NEED TODAY, BUT THE NEED FOR OUR ANTICIPATED GROWTH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE OUR NEW BUSINESSES THRIVE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THRIVE IF WE DON'T HAVE POPULATION TO SUPPORT THEM. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THRIVE. WE HAVE TO BUILD IT UNDER THE VISION THAT THEY WILL COME. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WAYS OF HOW WE SUSTAIN THEM UNTIL THEY GET HERE. AND SO THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS AS A RESIDENT AND AS A NEW TRANSPLANT TO PETERSBURG, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING. AND I CERTAINLY FEEL I'M BENEFITING FROM ALL THE WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE SAME AS IT WAS TEN YEARS AGO AND TEN YEARS AGO. I MAY NOT EVEN CONSIDER IT. LOOKING AT PETERSBURG FOR ANYTHING, BUT I'M GLAD I'M HERE. SO MY COMMENTS ARE GOING TO GO TOWARDS. I WANT TO SEE A LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLAN, AND A PLAN THAT INCORPORATES THE ANTICIPATION. I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMP STUDY IS GOING TO INCORPORATE THAT RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, BUT EVEN LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT CITY STRUCTURE, ARE WE LOOKING AT THE ANTICIPATED GROWTH NEEDS WITHIN OUR CITY STRUCTURE AS WE HAVE IT NOW? BECAUSE DEFINITELY AS WE INCREASE OUR POPULATION AND I KNOW IT'S INCREASING, SO WILL THE SERVICE NEEDS REQUEST INCREASE? YES. IS THAT PART OF THE PROJECTION GOING FORWARD? YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS DEBORAH. AND IF YOU SEE BACK IN THE BACK, MISS JOANNE WILLIAMS WAVE YOUR HAND BACK THERE. I WANT YOU TO GET MISS BOYCE A COPY OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO UPDATE IT. SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, SHE CAN BE HAND IN HAND WITH US AS WE DO THE UPDATES, THE PROJECTING FOR THE FUTURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SHARE MY THOUGHTS TONIGHT. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

[10. Business or reports from the Mayor or other Members of City Council]

[02:15:05]

WE'LL HAVE WORK SESSIONS FOR ALL OF COUNCIL IN THE OPEN FOR THE PUBLIC TO LISTEN TO, AND FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO PARTICIPATE IN AT THE SAME TIME, AND I HOPE WE DO THINGS IN A DIFFERENT ORDER. I HOPE WE DO THE TAX RATE DECISION FIRST, THEN THE ADMINISTRATION KNOWS HOW MUCH MONEY THERE IS TO SPEND, AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATION GOES TO WORK ON THE BUDGET, WORKING WITHIN THE ANTICIPATED REVENUES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. GOOD EVENING. EVERYBODY HIT MY SEVEN REAL QUICK. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO GO IN THE ORDER THAT I HAD. BUT I'M GOING TO GO OUT OF ORDER. I'M GOING TO PICK UP WHERE COUNCILMAN COMFORT LEFT OFF. I AM TOO, A LITTLE BIT YOU KNOW, WANT TO SEE THE BUDGET MOVE AHEAD. AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED MR. KOCHER ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP. AND AGAIN, TEN PEOPLE OUT OF A CITY OF 35,000 IS PRETTY MUCH UNACCEPTABLE. AND THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE FRUSTRATION, I THINK, COMES ACROSS FROM US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN WE TRY TO GET OUR WAY OR THINGS THAT WE WANT TO GET ACROSS TO THE CITY. SO I HAVE AND WE'LL BE TALKING TO OUR CITY MANAGER TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. REVOLUTIONARIES. I HAVE THE 5% TAX. I WAS LOOKING INTO WHAT'S CALLED PARTICIPATORY PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. AND I REALLY THINK THAT AS A CITY, WE HAVE TO CATCH UP WITH TECHNOLOGY AND I AND WITH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING WOULD DO IS IT'S A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THAT GIVES RESIDENTS DIRECT INFLUENCE OVER HOW A PORTION OF THE CITY'S BUDGET IS SPENT. SO IT'S NOT JUST I'M NOT I KNOW SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT BOB RUDOLPH OR ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S DOING IT, BUT EVERYBODY CAN. AND I'M REALLY HOPING THAT THE YOUTH, OUR 18 TO 25, WOULD REALLY GET IN TUNE WITH WHAT THIS IS, BECAUSE THIS PRACTICE NOT ONLY BUILDS TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST, BUT ALSO FOSTERS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE YOUTH.

WHAT IT DOES IS, AND IT'S BEEN DONE IN CITIES LIKE VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA AND DURHAM, NORTH

[02:20:04]

[02:25:05]

YOU GOTTA DO IT. COME UP WITH A PLAN. ONCE YOU GET YOUR PLAN EXECUTED. GO TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU. WE CAN'T ALWAYS DEPEND ON OTHER PEOPLE TO DO WHAT? ALSO. BUDGET FORMULATION 101. 101. BUDGET UNDERSTANDING FOR DUMMIES. NO, SERIOUSLY, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW A BUDGET IS DONE, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN LOOK UP ONLINE TO FIND OUT TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT A BUDGET IS ALL ABOUT. RIGHT, MARLO? THAT'S RIGHT. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THAT. AND WHO GRADUATED AT VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY. AND THAT'S IT. OKAY.

THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR HUGH. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I JUST WANT TO. MR. ALTMAN, COULD YOU TAKE A LOOK THERE AT THE END OF LOCK LANE? THERE'S TWO HOMES THAT I JUST GOT A CALL ON THAT THE YARDS ARE ATROCIOUS AND GRASS NEED TO BE CUT. CAN YOU SEND CODE AND COMPLIANCE ON THERE? I'M PRETTY SURE THERE ARE. KNOW WHAT IT IS? THAT'S LOCK LANE IN OAKERS BOWLING BROOK STREET UNDER THE UNDERPASS. HAS SOMEBODY THREW SOME COUCHES OR SOMETHING UP UNDER THE UNDERPASS? CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR ME, PLEASE? AND JACOB AVENUE, JACOB AVENUE, THE I GUESS THE BUSINESS THERE PUT A LOT OF TRASH OUT ON THE SIDE THERE. AS SOON AS YOU TURN, MAKE THAT LEFT OFF OF CREATIVE ROAD ON JACOB AVENUE. THEY CUT THROUGH BEHIND WENDY'S. CAN YOU GET SOMEONE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR ME, PLEASE? ALSO, I WILL BE OR THE CITY WILL BE SPONSORING A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY LEADERS ALONG WITH THE LOCAL PASTORS, LOCAL PASTORS, AND THAT WOULD BE ON JUNE THE 9TH, 10:00, RIGHT IN THIS BUILDING. SO IF YOUR PASTOR WOULD LIKE TO COME, PLEASE INVITE HIM TO THIS. IF HE'S A PASTOR OF PETERSBURG IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH ALL THE PASTORS. I SPECIFICALLY SAYING PASTORS BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK TO THE HEADS OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES AND NOT GET LOST WITH THE, YOU KNOW, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PASTORS ONLY, AND THAT'LL BE ON JUNE THE 9TH AT 10:00. IT'D BE MYSELF, THE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, POLICE CHIEF, AND OUR FIRE CHIEF. WE'RE GOING TO END OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ON ALL THE THINGS THAT'LL BE. I JUST ADDED HER. BUT ALL THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, AND ALSO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE BREAK INS WITH THE CHURCHES ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN THEY BETTER SECURE THEIR BUILDING. THE YOUNG LADY WHO CAME UP LAST, SHE WAS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FROM NEW YORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERNS. NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE GET BEAT UP AND SO MUCH STUFF IS SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO FAR FROM

[02:30:03]

AND THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH WAS JUST SAYING. SHE WAS JUST BASICALLY JUST DO THE WORK AND YOU CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. I LIKE WHAT MISS MARLO IS DOING OVER IN POCAHONTAS. YOU KNOW, SHE ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING ENERGETIC TO BRING TO US OR SHE'S ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING. SO WE DO HAVE ADVOCATES FOR THE CITY HERE, BUT I BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE TALK WELL ABOUT YOUR CITY. TALK WELL ABOUT YOUR CITY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, PEOPLE ARE STOPPING IN NOW, BUT WE WANT THEM TO RETURN. SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT ON THE DAY. I WISH YOU GODSPEED. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE YOUNG LADY FROM NEW YORK WHO'S NOW HERE WITH US ON TODAY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT DOES FOR THIS COUNCIL WHEN WE HAVE SOMEONE COME UP AND SPEAK WELL OF US BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN GETTING OUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT REP SINCE 2015, REALLY WE HAVE WE HAVE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

COUNCILMAN SMITH, YOU HAD A LITTLE TIME LEFT. YEAH, I DID, I. I'M JUST SO EXCITED. IF YOU GO THROUGH COLONIAL HEIGHTS, YOU SEE THEY HAVE THE FLAGS OF THE FALLEN SOLDIERS OR THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. WELL, MY GODFATHER'S FLAG IS UP THERE.

PORTIA L TAYLOR, JUNIOR. YES, IT'S BETWEEN THE COURTHOUSE AND. CVS. SO IF YOU GO THROUGH COLONIAL HEIGHTS, LOOK FOR PORTIA L TAYLOR'S PICTURE. I'M SO EXCITED. AND I THANK GOD. AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON FOR PETERSBURG. WE CAN HAVE OUR OWN SOLDIERS AND ALL WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY THAT CAME AND WALKED THROUGH PETERSBURG. AMEN. OKAY, ALRIGHT.

THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT AND FOR EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

I HAVE A SITUATION WITH SOME TRASH ON SYCAMORE STREET BY JAX AUTO AUDIO. IT'S A LITTLE ALLEYWAY THERE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DUMPED MATTRESSES. IF YOU CAN SEND PUBLIC WORKS OVER THERE TO CLEAN UP THAT LITTLE ALLEYWAY ON SYCAMORE STREET TOWARDS THE CRATER ROAD END, ACROSS FROM WHAT WAS THE OLD SAL'S PIZZA. ALSO, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING FOR AIRBNBS AS WELL. I MEAN, BEING THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP. AIRBNBS IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS LOOKING AT THAT AND I THINK IT'S COMING BACK TO US. IS IT NEXT MONTH, NAOMI. YEAH. NEXT MONTH. SO WE CAN HAVE WITH THE CASINO COMING. YEAH. NOT ENOUGH HOTEL ROOMS IN THE MARKET. YEAH. THAT'S GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY. AND WE NEED TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE. RIGHT. COME UP WITH A WAY TO REGULATE THAT. ALSO. YOU KNOW I HEARD ALL THE DISCUSSION ABOUT ABOUT THE TAX RATE AND THOSE AND PEOPLE WANTING TO LOWER IT. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE UPSET ABOUT ASSESSMENTS. BUT YOU'RE IN A PLACE IN WHICH THE CITY OF PETERSBURG ASSESSMENTS ARE LAID FLAT FOR OVER 20 PLUS YEARS, WHEN I KNOW AS LADY CAME UP HERE TALKING ABOUT PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, THE PRICE OF A HOME IN PRINCE GEORGE IS DOUBLE THE PRICE OF A HOME IN PETERSBURG. SO THAT'S THE CORRELATION BETWEEN TAXES, BECAUSE THE CITY, WHEN IT LOST ALL OF ITS INDUSTRY AND RETAIL, THAT THAT TAX, THEY KEPT RAISING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BECAUSE THE COUNCILS AT THE TIME WEREN'T WORKING TO BRING IN MORE REVENUE, THEY JUST TAXED THE HECK OUT OF PEOPLE. AND WE'RE WORKING TO BRING THAT DOWN, AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT DOWN NEXT YEAR WHEN THAT NEW REVENUE COME. AND FOR THOSE THAT'S BEEN HERE THAT KNOW THIS CITY HAS OVER $1 BILLION OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, DO YOU

[02:35:01]

[02:40:01]

[13. Unfinished Business]

AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERRY I. MR. MAYOR, I'M GOING TO EXCUSE MYSELF. LIKE I SAID IN THE CLOSED SESSION, MY DAD TURNED 80 TODAY. THEY'RE HAVING A. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. THEY THEY'RE HAVING THEIR BIRTHDAY FORM AND I'M. GET OUT OF HERE RIGHT QUICK OKAY. AND WHAT HAVE

[14. New Business]

NEXT, WE GO ON TO ITEM 14, NEW BUSINESS. BLESS YOU. WE'RE GOING TO TABLE ITEMS A, B AND C FOR THE NEXT BUSINESS MEETING. IN ITEM D WE DIDN'T DO CONSIDERATION APPOINTMENTS TO THE PETERBOROUGH ARTS COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN MYERS. YES, SIR. MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE FOR US TO APPOINT. KEELAN GRAVES AND ALSO DOCTOR WANDA AUSTIN. OKAY, OKAY. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK SECOND. ALL RIGHT. MISS, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. MAYOR. PARA A MOTION

[15. City Manager's Report and Special Reports]

WHAT DID YOU SAY? SO THE BUDGET ADOPTION, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS HAVE THE SPECIAL MEETINGS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE JUNE 3RD PRIOR TO THE JUNE 3RD WORK SESSION, NOT NEXT WEEK, BUT THE JUNE 3RD WORK SESSION. AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BEFORE JUNE 3RD? NOT NOTHING. THAT'S WHEN WE LOOK TO DO THE BUDGET ADOPTION ON THE JUNE 3RD WORK SESSION. NEXT, BUSINESS REPORTS

[16. Business or reports from the Clerk]