[00:00:03]
          CONCLUDES OUR CLOSED SESSION MEETING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE. CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR MARCH 17TH, 2026 AT THIS TIME IS HERE. 
          COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES HERE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH LEE PRESENT. VICE MAYOR HILL HERE. MAYOR PERRY HERE. NEXT VICE MAYOR HERE WILL LEAD US IN OUR OPENING PRAYER. LET US HUMBLE OUR HEARTS. LET US PRAY. ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, ONCE AGAIN WE COME BEFORE YOU, LORD, GIVING YOUR NAME, HONOR, PRAISE AND GLORY. WE THANK YOU ON THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF TODAY. NOW, LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU GO WITH US IN THE MIDST OF THIS MEETING. HEAVENLY FATHER, AND BLESS US. WE ASK THAT BLESSING UPON OUR CITIZENS. HEAVENLY FATHER, OUR SURROUNDING AREAS. LORD, WE ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. HEAVENLY FATHER, KEEP THEM FROM ALL HURT, HARM AND DANGER. BE WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR EMS AND BE WITH OUR CITY WORKERS, HEAVENLY FATHER, AND BE WITH THIS COUNCIL. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON OUR YOUTH. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE VICTORY AND WE THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US SAFE. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE VICTORY OF 52 YEARS AS WE HAVE WON OUR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GO WITH OUR YOUTH IN A SPECIAL WAY. KEEP THEM FROM ALL HURT, HARM AND DANGER. LET THEM DO WELL IN THEIR SCHOOL AND THEIR STUDIES. 
          HEAVENLY FATHER, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOUR NAME, HONOR, PRAISE AND GLORY. IT'S IN YOUR DARLING SON, JESUS THE CHRIST NAME. WE PRAY AND WE THANK YOU. AMEN. AMEN. NEXT IS ITEM THREE, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. CAN EVERYONE 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. NEXT IS ITEM 
          [4. Determination of the Presence of a Quorum]
          [5. Proclamations/Recognitions/Presentation of Ceremonial Proclamations]
FOUR. DETERMINATION OF A PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM NEXT TO ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS OF CEREMONIAL PROCLAMATIONS. WE HAVE ITEM FIVE A, WHICH IS DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED. SEE, THE LADIES IN RED HAVE JOINED US TODAY. THIS IS THE PETERSBURG ALUMNAE CHAPTER 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS CHARTER DAY ON APRIL 5TH, 2026. AND THE PROCLAMATION STATES. WHEREAS DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED WAS FOUNDED ON JANUARY 13TH, 1913 AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY, BY 22 VISIONARY, COLLEGE EDUCATED WOMEN COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. AND. WHEREAS, THE PETERSBURGH ALUMNAE CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED WAS CHARTERED 85 YEARS AGO, ON APRIL 5TH, 1941, AND HAS SINCE SERVED AS A STEADFAST PILLAR OF LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY, AND SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. WHEREAS, FOR OVER EIGHT DECADES, THE PETERSBURG ALUMNAE CHAPTER HAS DEMONSTRATED UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SISTERHOOD, SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE AND SOCIAL ACTION, UPLIFTING GENERATIONS THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS CRITICAL COMMUNITY NEEDS AND ADVANCE EQUITY, OPPORTUNITY, AND JUSTICE. AND WHEREAS THE CHAPTER'S SERVICE INITIATIVES ARE GUIDED BY DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED FIVE POINT PROGRAMMATIC THRUST, INCLUDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTING FINANCIAL LITERACY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, AND NUMBER TWO, EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, COLLEGE READINESS, AND THE AWARDING OF SCHOLARSHIPS TO DESERVING STUDENTS. THREE INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT FOSTERING GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND HUMANITARIAN OUTREACH, AND FOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGH EDUCATION, PREVENTION AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES, AND FIVE POLITICAL AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT ENCOURAGING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, VOTER EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE. WHEREAS, THE PETERSBURG ALUMNI CHAPTER HAS PROVIDED SCHOLARSHIPS, YOUTH MENTORING, HEALTH EDUCATION, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, VOTER ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND ADVOCACY INITIATIVES THAT HAVE STRENGTHENED FAMILIES, EMPOWERED INDIVIDUALS, AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGHOUT THE REGION. AND WHEREAS THE CHAPTER'S LEGACY IS DEFINED NOT ONLY BY THE PROGRAM IT HAS DELIVERED, BUT BY THE ENDURING IMPACT OF ITS MEMBERS, WOMEN OF INTELLECT, INTEGRITY, AND COMPASSION WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF HUMANITY. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PROUDLY RECOGNIZES THE PETERSBURG ALUMNAE CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED FOR ITS HISTORIC AND CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, ECONOMIC, AND CIVIC WELL-BEING OF OUR 
          [00:05:03]
COMMUNITY. NOW THEREFORE, I, SAMUEL PALMER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 5TH AS PETERSBURG ALUMNAE CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED. 85TH ANNIVERSARY CHARTER DAY. YAY! AND I COMMEND THE CHAPTER OF 85 YEARS OF SISTERHOOD, SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE AND SOCIAL ACTION AND EXTEND BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS AS IT CARRIES FORWARD ITS MISSION OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND COMMUNITY UPLIFT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. ALL RIGHT, LADIES, LET'S DO THIS PICTURE AND. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT. 
          GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SONIA PRIDE AND I HAVE THE HONOR SERVING AS THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF THE PETERSBURG. ON BEHALF OF THE CHAPTER AND MYSELF, WE WANT TO WHOLEHEARTEDLY THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING US TODAY AS WE GO INTO OUR ANNIVERSARY SEASON. AS YOU HEARD STATED, WE ARE WE WILL BE CELEBRATING 85 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR SURROUNDING AREAS. WE HAVE SIX SERVICE AREAS WITH PETERSBURG ALUMNI. PETERSBURG IS WHERE WE ARE STATIONED HERE. WE MEET HERE IN PETERSBURG. SO WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING US. WE THANK YOU FOR HONORING US, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR AREA. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN EVER DO FOR YOU, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AND LET US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW WE CAN BE OF SERVICE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT IS ITEM B 2026, NATIONAL PROCUREMENT MONTH. AND IT STATES WHEREAS THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSION PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF BOTH GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS. AND WHEREAS, IN ADDITION TO THE PURCHASE OF GOODS AND SERVICES, PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS ADD VALUE TO THE ORGANIZATION BY PERFORMING SUCH FUNCTIONS AS EXECUTING, IMPLEMENTING AND ADMINISTERING CONTRACTS, DEVELOPING STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT STRATEGIES, AND CULTIVATING WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUPPLIERS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. AND WHEREAS, PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND IN OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE ON THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH A 
          [00:10:02]
CUMULATIVE PURCHASING POWER RUNNING INTO THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND WHEREAS, THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HIGH CALIBER STRATEGIC, LOGISTICAL AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT OF ALL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. AND WHEREAS, THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG RECOGNIZE, SUPPORT AND PRACTICE THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTABILITY, ETHICS, IMPARTIALITY, PROFESSIONALISM, SERVICE AND TRANSPARENCY. ESTABLISHED BY NIGP, THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AS FUNDAMENTAL TENETS OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSION. AND WHEREAS NIGP HAS PROCLAIMED THE MONTH OF MARCH AS PROCUREMENT MONTH TO FURTHER EXPAND THE AWARENESS OF THE PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONAL'S ROLE TO GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUSINESS AND CORPORATE LEADERS AND THEREFORE, I, SAMUEL, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MARCH 2026 AS PROCUREMENT MONTH AND MARCH 11TH, 2026 AS PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS DAY IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG IN RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF PURCHASING AND MATERIALS MANAGEMENT PROFESSION WITHIN BUSINESS, INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT. MR. COZIER. 
          IS THERE A. GOOD. JUST ON BEHALF OF THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO GREAT WORK FOR THE CITY. 
          THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT IS ITEM FIVE C 2026, NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH. AND THE PROCLAMATION STATES, WHEREAS FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO ITS PRIMARY MISSION OF IMPROVING THE WELL-BEING AND HELPING MEET THE BASIC NEEDS OF ALL PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE. AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR'S SOCIAL WORK MONTH THEME OF SOCIAL WORKERS UPLIFT, DEFEND, TRANSFORM EMBODIES THE FACT THAT SOCIAL WORKERS GO THROUGH YEARS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO LEARN THE SKILLS AND EXPERTISE TO TRANSFORM THEIR CARE FOR OTHERS INTO ACTION. AND WHEREAS SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE HELPED PEOPLE GET THROUGH PERSONAL ISSUES LIKE GRIEF OVER THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE, AS WELL AS HELP COMMUNITIES EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY RECOVER FROM INCREASINGLY INTENSE NATURAL DISASTERS SUCH AS HURRICANES AND FIRES. AND WHEREAS SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN ESTABLISHING A MINIMUM WAGE AND PROMOTING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE, AND IN WORKING TO ENSURE THE EQUAL RIGHTS AND WELL-BEING OF ALL PEOPLE. WHEREAS, SOCIAL WORKERS ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF HELPING OUR CITY, STATE AND NATION SOLVE PRESSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING INCREASED NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ADDICTION COUNSELING AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT. AND WHEREAS SOCIAL WORKERS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND, WITH SOME STATES REPORTING SHORTAGES IN SOCIAL WORK STAFFING, AND THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS PREDICTS THAT SOCIAL WORK WILL BE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING PROFESSIONS IN OUR NATION DURING THIS DECADE. AND WHEREAS SOCIAL WORKERS OPERATE IN SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES, VETERANS CENTERS, CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND CORPORATIONS ALONG WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER SETTINGS TO EMPOWER PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL. NOW THEREFORE, I SAMUEL, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, ON BEHALF OF THE PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF SOCIAL WORKERS ACROSS OUR NATION AND PROCLAIM THIS MONTH, MARCH 2026, AS NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH. WE CALL UPON EVERYONE TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATING AND SUPPORTING THE VITAL WORK OF SOCIAL WORKERS WHO UPLIFT, DEFEND AND POSITIVELY TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES EACH AND EVERY DAY. ALL RIGHT, PETERSBURG DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES STAFF, STAND UP. ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE. COME ON. APPLAUD. YES. THEY NEED MORE 
          [00:15:03]
MONEY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. YES. ALL RIGHT, COME ON OVER HERE. RIGHT HERE. OKAY. RIGHT HERE. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. COUNCILMEMBER MCDONALD. OH. RIGHT. YES YOU ARE. YES YOU ARE. DON'T SAY NOTHING. YES. GOT IT. ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SAY SOMETHING MAN. SURE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I KNOW Y'ALL BE GOING ON. COME ON NOW. YOU KNOW YOU GOTTA GET. DO WE HAVE A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE? WELL. THANK YOU. AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. I WANT TO THANK MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOGNIZED TONIGHT. DURING SOCIAL WORK MONTH, YOU KNOW, OUR DEDICATED TEAM, YOU KNOW, SERVES THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. AND WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY. SO WE THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU BILL. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT IS ITEM SIX RESPONSES TO PREVIOUS PUBLIC INFORMATION PERIOD. WILLIAMS HAS IT UNDER COUNCIL 
          [7. Approval of Consent Agenda (to include minutes of previous meetings)]
COMMUNICATES. NUMBER SEVEN IS APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA TO INCLUDE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS. ITEM A MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS. MARCH 3RD, 2026. CLOSED SESSION MARCH 3RD, 2026 WORK SESSION B FIRST READING SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE VACATION OF RIGHT OF WAY TO SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW COURTHOUSE PUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD ON APRIL 24TH, 2026. VICE MAYOR HILL, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. AS READ, COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK, SECOND, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR 
          [8. Official Public Hearings]
HILL. AYE. MAYOR PARHAM, I. THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM EIGHT, OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARINGS, ITEM A, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE A REQUEST BY IBRAHIM AL TAMIMI ON BEHALF OF 601 EAST FIFTH STREET, LLC FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A STANDALONE VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP, AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION AT 601 EAST FIFTH STREET, PARCEL ID 012270012 AND THE B TWO GENERAL COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT. JERRY. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL JARED CRUZ, INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUEST FOR STANDALONE VEHICLE REPAIR OR AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION AT 601 EAST FIFTH STREET, WHICH IS IN OUR B TWO GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. IT'S LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH OLD CHURCH STREET AND EAST, WITH THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS 0.23 ACRES. AGAIN, IT'S IN THE B TWO GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO OPERATE A VEHICLE REPAIR OR SERVICE STATION, AND THE EXISTING 1500 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING ON THE SITE. THE. THAT'S BUILDING A. FORMERLY OPERATED AS A VARIETY OF VEHICLE SERVICE USES, MOST RECENTLY A CAR WASH. THE LEGAL NON-CONFORMING STATUS FOR THAT USE DID EXPIRE BECAUSE IT WAS VACANT FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS, SO THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS 
          [00:20:02]
REQUIRED TO. THAT USE AT THE PROPERTY AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE SPECIAL USE PERMITS CAN BE GRANTED IF PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE WON'T BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED AND IF SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY, PERSONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD VALUES. SO THE APPLICATION WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A LAYOUT PLAN AS WELL AS ELEVATIONS. THERE ARE SOME PROPOSED SITE IMPROVEMENTS THAT INCLUDE REPAVING, RESURFACING AND RESTRIPING THE PARKING AREA. SOME PLANTINGS ALONG THE WITH STREET FRONTAGE, SOME LIGHTING ON THE SITE, AS WELL AS SOME TRASH RECEPTACLES AND BENCHES. THERE ARE REPAIRS PROPOSED TO THE BUILDING, BUT NO EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT, AND THEY'RE PLANNING TO USE THE EXISTING SITE ENTRANCES. SO THOSE PLANS ALSO INCLUDED SOME NOTES ON COMPLIANCE AND SOME LIMITATIONS ON THE USE. SO THE ACCORDING TO THE PLANS, NO VEHICLE REPAIR WOULD OCCUR ON THE SITE, MEANING ONLY SERVICING. SO THAT WOULD BE PROACTIVE SERVICES LIKE LUBRICANTS INSPECTIONS AND SO ON. THERE WOULD BE NO OUTDOOR STORAGE OF MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT OR VEHICLES, AND THEY WOULD ONLY OPERATE DURING TYPICAL DAYTIME WORKING HOURS WITH NO VIOLATIONS OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE. THE APPLICANT. THE APPLICATION DID NOTE THAT THE USE WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE APPLICANT'S EXISTING BUSINESS AT 610 EAST WASHINGTON, WHICH IS JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BLOCK. THIS IS THE PROPOSED LAYOUT FOR THE SITE. SO AGAIN, THEY'RE THEY'RE PROPOSING TO USE THE EXISTING BUILDING WITH SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARKING AREA, SOME PLANTINGS ALONG THE STREETSCAPE, AND SOME OTHER AMENITIES THROUGHOUT THE SITE, SEATING AREAS, TRASH RECEPTACLES AND LIGHTING FOR THE PARKING AREA. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE RENDERINGS THAT WAS INCLUDED. SO AGAIN, THE EXISTING BUILDING THERE WILL BE SOME IMPROVEMENTS. THAT BUILDING HAS THE THREE GARAGE BAYS AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL AREA THAT WOULD BE USED. AS, YOU KNOW, OFFICE AND THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE USE. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARKING LOT WITHIN THAT ELEVATION. SO LOOKING AT THE ADJOINING ZONING AND USES, THE PROPERTY IS SURROUNDED BY. THE THE SAME ZONING, WHICH IS THE B2 GENERAL COMMERCIAL. TO THE NORTH OF THIS PROPERTY YOU HAVE THE ROYAL N HOTEL. THE BEST INN HOTEL IS TO THE WEST ACROSS OLD CHURCH STREET, THE KING MOTEL AND STUDIO 622 APARTMENTS ARE LOCATED TO THE SOUTH ACROSS WEST STREET, AND THEN YOU HAVE BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH. TO THE EAST OF THIS PROPERTY. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EXISTING AUTOMOBILE ORIENTED BUSINESSES, INCLUDING TIRE SHOPS, REPAIR SHOPS, SALES LOTS, INCLUDING THE APPLICANT'S EXISTING BUSINESS THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY ADJOINING BUT ON THAT BLOCK AND THE SURROUNDING BLOCKS. SO LOOKING AT THE REQUEST, COMPARED TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THIS PROPERTY IS WITHIN A COMMUNITY MIXED USE AREA ON OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP, DEFINED AS CENTERS OF COMMERCE AND AMENITIES WHICH CREATE VIBRANT STREET LIFE, CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL ECONOMY. THEY'RE MEANT TO BE WALKABLE, DENSE, AND INTERCONNECTED WITH ENTERTAINMENT, PERSONAL SERVICES, RESTAURANTS, HOSPITALITY USES LAND USES THAT ARE ENCOURAGED ARE HOSPITALITY USES, MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS, OFFICES, PERSONAL SERVICES, AND SMALL SCALE COMMERCIAL. THE PROPERTY IS ALSO LOCATED ON A DESIGNATED CORRIDOR, THE EAST WEST STREET CORRIDOR AND NEAR A GATEWAY TO THE CITY, SO GATEWAYS ARE THE COMMUNITY'S FRONT DOOR. THEY ESTABLISH OUR FIRST IMPRESSION AND REINFORCE PERCEPTIONS. CORRIDORS STRONGLY INFLUENCE ACCESSIBILITY, ATTRACTIVENESS, ECONOMIC VITALITY. AND STAFF HAVE PROVIDED SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE REQUEST. IN THE PAST, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO EMPHASIZE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MAJOR CORRIDORS IN THE CITY, PARTICULARLY NEAR THE GATEWAYS, BY LIMITING USES THAT MAY HAVE NEGATIVE VISUAL IMPACTS AND ENCOURAGING USES THAT WOULD REVITALIZE THOSE CORRIDORS. SO AS MENTIONED, THERE ARE SEVERAL EXISTING VEHICLE REPAIR AND SALTS FACILITIES IN THE VICINITY OF THE EAST WASHINGTON STREET AREA, WHICH IS LOCATED. 
          [00:25:07]
THE EXISTING BUILDING DOES NEED SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS BEFORE IT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE OCCUPIED. 
          AND THEN WE MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS SOME NEED FOR CLARITY OVER THE INTENDED USE. THE PLANS HAD INDICATED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO VEHICLE STORAGE. THE APPLICATION ALSO MENTIONED THE USE WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING BUSINESSES IN EAST WASHINGTON. THE PLANS HAVE STATED THAT ONLY THE PROACTIVE SERVICING WOULD OCCUR, WHILE THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS, THE APPLICANTS MENTIONED DESIRE FOR ADDITIONAL USES LIKE CAR REPAIR, TIRE SALES OR CAR SALES. THIS IS THE APPLICANT'S EXISTING BUSINESS. AGAIN, THIS IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BLOCK ALONG WASHINGTON STREET. WE HAD PRESENTED SOME CONDITIONS FOR CONSIDERATION. FIRSTLY, THAT THE SITE WOULD BE DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLANS AND ELEVATIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED, SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE SITE IMPROVEMENTS, ADHERING TO THOSE USE RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY HAD LISTED, RESERVING PARKING FOR EMPLOYEES AND VISITORS WITH NO VEHICLE STORAGE OVERNIGHT. AND THEN VEHICLE SERVICE USE IS OCCURRING WITHIN THE EXISTING GARAGE BAYS, ALSO IN LINE WITH THE APPLICATION, THE USE WOULD BE LIMITED TO THOSE ROUTINE SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE USES AND WOULD NOT INCLUDE VEHICLE SALES, STORAGE, TIRE SALES, TOWING AND STORAGES OR HEAVY VEHICLE REPAIR. ANY EXPANSION OF THE BUILDING OR ADDITION OF ANY USES BEYOND WHAT'S IN THE PERMIT WOULD NEED A NEW OR AN UPDATED SPECIAL USE PERMIT. LANDSCAPING COULD ALSO BE PROVIDED ALONG THE SOUTH OLD CHURCH STREET FRONTAGE, WHERE POSSIBLE AND FEASIBLE. THE PROPERTY WOULD NEED TO BE KEPT IN A CLEAN, ORDERLY MANNER WITH NO OUTDOOR STORAGE OF MATERIALS. THE EXISTING NON-CONFORMING SIGN ON THE SITE WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED AS PART OF SITE DEVELOPMENT, WITH ANY NEW SIGN COMPLYING WITH THE EXISTING ORDINANCE. ANY NEW OWNER OPERATOR WOULD BE CERTIFIED THAT THEY WOULD BE UNDERTAKING THE SAME OR ALIKE ENDEAVOR. AND FINALLY, THE PERMIT COULD BE REVOKED FOR FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THE CONDITIONS OR WITH ANY OTHER LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL LAW. SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUEST AND A UNANIMOUS VOTE. THEY FOUND THAT THE PROPOSED USE DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE GUIDANCE FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, PARTICULARLY LOCATED NEAR A GATEWAY TO THE CITY AND ON A DESIGNATED CORRIDOR. AS WELL AS NOT BEING IN LINE WITH THE COMMUNITY MIXED USE AREA PRIMARY USES. AND THERE WAS ALSO CONCERN WITH THE NUMBER OF EXISTING VEHICLE SERVICE USES ALREADY ON THE CORRIDOR AND THE VISUAL IMPACT THAT THAT'S ALREADY HAD ON THAT CORRIDOR. SO WITH THAT, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL. RIGHT. OKAY. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE TO APPROVE A REQUEST BY IBRAHIM AL TAMIMI ON BEHALF OF 601 EAST FIFTH STREET, LLC, FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE THE STANDALONE VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION AT 601 EAST FIFTH STREET IN THE HANDS IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING. 
          SEEING NO HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT I GO TO DISCUSSION. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. MR. CRUZ, COME UP TO THE MIC, PLEASE. NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START AT. I MEAN, YOU WENT THROUGH A LOT FOR A SERVICE REPAIR CENTER. NOW THE APPLICATION SAYS SMALL SCALE SERVICE REPAIR CENTER. BUT YOUR REPORT SAYS A STANDALONE VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP. TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU MENTIONED VEHICLE REPAIR AND A SERVICE STATION AND YOU SAID NO VEHICLE REPAIR. WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? YOU SAID VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP. THEN YOU SAID NO VEHICLE REPAIRS. WE'VE DENIED THEM BEFORE WE EVEN GOT STARTED. AND IMMA TELL Y'ALL SOMETHING, I'M 
          [00:30:04]
GETTING REAL TIRED OF ZONING. AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANT TO SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF EXISTING ANYTHING WHEN AIN'T NOBODY SAYING NOTHING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF EXISTING VAPE SHOPS, THE NUMBER OF EXISTING CHURCHES, NUMBER OF EXISTING ANYTHING. BUT WHEN SOMEBODY COME IN HERE AND WANT TO VITALIZE AN AREA SUCH AS BLANDFORD, LIKE YOU SAID, IT SAID. CITY COUNCIL HAS EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO IMPROVE MAJOR CORRIDORS GATEWAYS BY LIMITING USES WITH NEGATIVE VISUAL IMPACTS AND ENCOURAGING USES THAT REVITALIZE THE CORRIDORS. HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS AREA? HAVE ANY OF Y'ALL BEEN IN BLANDFORD BESIDE BETHANY? IF YOU GET OFF A 95 AND YOU RIDE UP THERE, ALL YOU SEE IS CRACKHEADS AND DRUG DEALS AND DILAPIDATED HOTELS. WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THAT? BUT WHEN SOMEBODY WANT TO COME AND PUT SOMETHING NEW, PUT THAT PICTURE UP ABOVE, PUT THAT PICTURE BACK UP WITH THE RENDERINGS THAT WAS ISSUED WITH THIS APPLICATION. THAT IT HAS TO LOOK BETTER THAN ANYTHING THAT'S ABOUT TO BE OVER THERE BESIDES BETHANY. BUT WE WANT TO DENY WE WANT TO. COME ON. WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? THEN WE SAID. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON A DESIGNATED CORRIDOR NEAR THE GATEWAY. GATEWAY SERVICE COMMUNITY'S FRONT DOOR, ESTABLISHING FIRST IMPRESSIONS AND REINFORCING THE CITY PERCEPTION OR THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE CITY. EVERYBODY PROBABLY GOT THE SAME PERCEPTION OF THAT AREA. I WANT SOMETHING NOW TO KEEP A VACANT BUILDING FROM SITTING THERE, FROM PEOPLE GOING IN IT LIKE THE OYO HOTEL AND ANY OTHER OTHER HOTELS THAT'S AROUND THERE FOR ZONING OR PLANNING. ANYBODY SIT THERE AND SAY NO TO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS? THAT'S CRAZY TO ME. I AIN'T GOING TO SAY WHAT I WANT TO SAY. I'LL TELL THEM TO THEIR FACE. WITH THAT SAID. AND I ALREADY GOT A FEELING ON HOW THIS IS GOING TO GO, BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. MR. MAYOR, IF ANYBODY ELSE NEED TO SPEAK, I APOLOGIZE. 
          I'LL YIELD SO SOMEBODY ELSE CAN SPEAK. BUT I THINK MY COUNTERPART WILL WANT TO SPEAK OVER HERE. I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF NOT, I WANT TO MAKE MY MOTION. MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. I MAKE MY MOTION TO APPROVE. 601 THE APPLICATION FOR 601 FIFTH STREET SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND ALL, INCLUDING ALL OF THE CONDITIONS WITHOUT TAKING ANY OF THE CONDITIONS OUT. MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY COUNCILMAN JONES. DON'T EVERYBODY SPEAK AT ONCE. ALRIGHT. NO. SECOND, THE MOTION DIES. NOW GO BACK TO DISCUSSION FOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN, COVER. I WANT TO HEAR WHAT OTHERS SAY, PLEASE. WHAT DO YOU SAY? WHAT DO YOU SAY? SAY. 
          VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALTHOUGH I DO UNDERSTAND THE PASSION THAT WE ALL HAVE IN TRYING TO BUILD UP OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER A CORRIDOR OR NOT. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE PLANNING HAVE LOOKED AT THIS PARTICULAR PLOT OF LAND, AND WE SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE IN IT. AND I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO DO NEW THINGS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THEY HAVE DONE A DEEP DIVE. SO IF I'M NOT IN, IF I'M IN ORDER, MR. MAYOR, I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DENY, AS THE PLANNERS HAVE ASKED TO DO. SO THAT'S A MOTION. 
          COUNCILOR MEYER, SECOND MOTION IN A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YES, YES. COUNCILOR JOHNSON, YOU KNOW. AS I SAID, WE'RE QUICK TO DENY. THINGS LIKE THIS. THIS IS A SMALL BUSINESS, BUT YET WE SIT THERE AND TELL PEOPLE SMALL BUSINESS LEAD THE WAY IN THIS CITY, BUT WE'RE SHUTTING THEM DOWN. WE'RE DENYING THEM BEFORE THEY EVEN GET STARTED. WE'RE INCONSISTENT. 
          [00:35:06]
INCONSISTENT. NOW, ZONING OR PLANNING, WHOEVER THEY MAY BE SAID NO, SAID IT. DON'T CONFIRM. 
          CONFORM WITH THE CITY'S. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THEN YOU SAID YES. THE THINGS THAT DON'T CONFORM WITH THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THIS IS MY WARD. PEOPLE RIDE OFF OF 95 SEEING. SO Y'ALL TELLING ME WE'D RATHER SEE A VACANT, DILAPIDATED STRUCTURE. WHERE EVERYBODY RIDE PAST COMING OFF OF I 95 VERSUS SEEING SOME KIND OF PROGRESS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC IN THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. AND WE SIT UP HERE AND BE QUIET ABOUT PROGRESS. 
          THIS PROGRESS IS WAY BETTER THAN WHAT'S SITTING RIGHT THERE RIGHT NOW. I HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE'RE NOT OKAY WITH WHAT'S WALKING AROUND IN BLANDFORD. THE IMAGE THAT'S ALREADY IN BLANDFORD. BLANDFORD IS OLDER THAN PETERSBURG ITSELF. CHECK YOUR RECORDS. IT WAS BLANDFORD BEFORE IT WAS ANYTHING ELSE. AND WE SIT THERE AND DENY AND IGNORE SOME KIND OF PROGRESS GOING ON IN BLANDFORD. EVERYWHERE ELSE IN PETERSBURG, AND BUILD. BUT WE DENY BLANDFORD. REMEMBER THIS. IT'S ALL I GOT. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, WE HAVE A MOTION. 
          A SECOND AT THIS TIME IS HERE. YOU CAN PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. AYE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR HILL. AYE. MAYOR PERA, I. THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM B, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 GRANTS FUND BUDGET. 
          GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GARY COZIER BUDGET MANAGER. SO THIS ITEM WE HAVE A FEW GRANTS. 
          YES THAT'S RIGHT. SO A FEW NEW GRANTS THAT WE'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO ACCEPT. SO IT IS ACROSS A FEW DEPARTMENTS. SO WE HAVE A GRANT. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A GRANT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES FOR $7,674 FOR A LITTLE GRANT, $750,000 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION FOR WILCOX LAKE, AND THEN THE PETERSBURG BUREAU OF POLICE HAVE A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THE JAG AWARD. SO $27,684. THERE. 
          NONE OF THESE GRANTS REQUIRE A MATCH. SO FULLY FUNDED. TOTAL COST $785,358.52. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION. AMENDMENT TO FY 26 GRANT FUND BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. UTILITIES RECEIVED $7,674.52 FROM DEQ LETTER GRANT AND A $750,000 GRANT FROM DCI FOR WILCOX LAKE IN THE HANDS. IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING, SEEING NONE, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO PASS THIS TO APPROVE THIS. BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE A MOTION WITH THAT. AND I GUESS I NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION FIRST, AND THEN WE COME BACK TO MAKE MY SECOND MOTION. THAT'S FINE. THIS IS. I ACCEPT THE MOTION NOW ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 GRANTS FUND BUDGET. SO CONSIDERING PUBLIC WORKS, IF I MAY, WE HAVE WITNESSED PUBLIC WORKS DO UNTHINKABLE, AMAZING THINGS TO KEEP THE CITY AFLOAT. AND WITH THIS GRANT, I WOULD LIKE A PORTION OF IT. IF I'M NOT. IF I'M OUT OF LINE, JUST CORRECT ME. BUT AT LEAST A 3% PAY INCREASE FOR ALL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES. RIGHT NOW. IF I 
          [00:40:04]
CAN'T DO IT NOW, I'LL DO IT LATER. SO, ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'LL MAKE MY MOTION TO APPROVE THIS. ALRIGHT. IT'S GRANT SECOND TO APPROVE THE GRANT FUND AT THIS TIME. 
          IT'S HERE. CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK, I HAD A DISCUSSION ON THAT. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO CLARIFY TWO THINGS? THE ACTUAL LETTER GRANT. I KNOW PUBLIC WORKS COULD DO IT BETTER, BUT HOW IS IT USED AND DOES IT HELP WITH THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT'S GOING ON? BECAUSE I HAVE AN ISSUE THAT'S WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP ABOUT THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT GOES ON IN SOME OF OUR APARTMENT COMMUNITIES. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS COME UP, IF YOU COULD. AND THEN THE SECOND IS HE'S COMING UP ALSO TOO. WOULD IT BE ABLE TO HELP OUT WITH WILCOX LAKE? WILCOX LAKE HAS GOTTEN GRANTS TO HELP OUT WITH THE DAM REPLACEMENT. AND I KNOW WE'VE APPROVED SOME OTHER GRANTS. SO WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING AND TELL ME NOW A TOTAL OF HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING DIRECTED TOWARDS WILCOX LAKE IN THAT RESTORATION? ABSOLUTELY. 
          YEAH. SO YOU ARE CORRECT. WE DO HAVE MULTIPLE GRANTS BECAUSE AS WE REALIZED, WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE OUT THERE. SO YES, WE DO HAVE MULTIPLE GRANTS AND I COULD BRING THAT BACK AT A LATER TIME. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE YOU. 
          MR. RANDALL. YES. YOU WALKED UP JUST IN TIME, MR. MAYOR. MAYOR, DID I CUT ACROSS THE LITTLE GRANT, IF A LITTLE BIT OF OVERVIEW FOR THE PUBLIC TO. HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK? MY QUESTION IN PARTICULAR IS HOW DOES IT HELP WITH ILLEGAL DUMPING AS WELL AS LITTERING? BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES LITTERING HAPPENS AND WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH THOSE PEOPLE ON CAMERA. WE RIDE ANNOYING PARTS OF SIXTH WARD, SEVENTH WARD, BAILEY'S LANE, DEFENSE ROAD IN THOSE AREAS, AND THERE'S LITTER ON THE SIDE OF THE STREETS THAT WE DON'T CATCH, BUT WE ACTUALLY CATCH THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT'S GOING ON. BUT THERE'S A PROCESS THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING THE REPERCUSSIONS THAT LITTERING WOULD IF SO, IF YOU COULD HELP CLEAR UP HOW THIS GRANT, IS IT JUST JUST TO CLEAN IT UP, PERIOD. WELL, OKAY, SO THIS GRANT, AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE HAVE TWO SESSIONS THAT HAPPENS. WE'VE GOT ONE COMING UP IN APRIL, TWICE A YEAR. WE'LL DO THE CLEANUPS FOR THAT GIVES RESIDENTS A CHANCE TO COME OUT TO SIX LOCATIONS AND, AND GET RID OF THEIR DEBRIS THAT THEY MAY HAVE ACCUMULATED. WE WORK WITH MERIDIAN TO PROVIDE THE DUMPSTERS. SO, YOU KNOW, $7,500, NOT NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY. 
          SO WITH THAT, SO WOULD IT BE ENOUGH TO MAYBE ADD LIKE ONE MORE TIME FOR THAT? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DO SAY IT COMES AROUND LIKE QUARTERLY, CORRECT. WE'RE TWICE A YEAR, SO IT'S USUALLY IN MARCH, APRIL, AND THEN IT'S BEFORE IT BEFORE THE WEATHER FOR THE WEATHER CHANGES. 
          IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD A THIRD DATE BECAUSE OF THIS GRANT? WE CAN. COUNCILMAN JONES, MR. KOCHER, Y'ALL HELP ME UNDERSTAND. I'M SEEING $7,674 FOR WORK, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES, AND I SEE 27,000. THE COST OF THE CITY IS 785,000. 
          SO WE ACCEPT THIS GRANT. IT'S GOING TO COST US THAT. SO IF YOU NOTICE THERE ARE ALSO REVENUE TO THE CITY MATCHES. SO THAT IS MEANT FOR IN CASE THERE WAS A MATCH FOR THE GRANT. SO WE'LL GET 785,000 AND THEN WE'LL SPEND THE SAME 785,000 BECAUSE THEY'RE FULLY FUNDED. 
          SO THE ACTUAL COST TO THE CITY IS ZERO. YEAH. IN THE FUTURE CAN WE PUT THE ACTUAL COST OF THE CITY? YEAH, WE JUST PUT IT LIKE THAT BECAUSE REALLY, I MEAN, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GRANTS, THE CITY SPENDS THE MONEY FIRST AND THEN WE GET IT BACK ON THE BACKSIDE. SO THE CITY WILL SPEND 785,000. WE'LL GET THAT MONEY BACK. SO IT'S COST TO THE CITY IS IS NEUTRAL. 
          IT'S COST NEUTRAL. I KNOW THAT ABSOLUTELY. THEY MAY KNOW THAT. SOME OF THEM MAY NOT. YES, SIR. 
          YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. NOW MY NEXT QUESTION IS ABOUT THIS DAM OVER THERE. HOW HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE? BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER US TALKING ABOUT THIS DAM. WE WENT THROUGH SO MANY SEASONS EXPANDING IT, CONCRETE EXPANDING. IT'S GETTING SMALLER. AND THEM TREES, ISN'T IT? IT'S GOING TO. I REMEMBER MR. I THINK DOCTOR LEWIS SAID IT'S GOING TO BE A WILCOX LAKE STREET OVER THERE IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING. NOW, JOANNE, IS THAT PART OF THE POOR CREEK PROJECT OR PART OF ANYTHING? NO, IT'S NOT PART OF POOR CREEK. ARE WE WORKING ON IT, THOUGH? IT'S A SEPARATE GRANT. WE HAVE ALL THE MONEY FOR IT NOW. THE 700,000 WAS THE CITY'S MATCH THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH ANOTHER GRANT. SO THERE'S NO MATCH. SO HOW LONG WE GOT TO WAIT FOR THAT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WE DON'T WIN THROUGH. I WAS ON THE 
          [00:45:01]
PHONE WITH TIMMONS TODAY IN A TEAMS MEETING. IT'S GOING TO START NOW. ALL IT HAS TO DO WITH PUTTING IT OUT FOR BID. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL I GOT, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER, CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. I. COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          SMITH. LEE. VICE MAYOR. I. MAYOR PERRY, I. THAT MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS ITEM C, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 UTILITIES FUND BUDGET AND FY 26 STREETS FUND BUDGET. ALL RIGHT SO THESE TWO ITEMS. SO WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE UTILITIES FUND BUDGET. AS A RESULT OF THE RATE INCREASE THAT WAS APPROVED EARLIER THIS YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE STREETS BUDGET TO COVER THE FUNDING THAT WE APPROVED LAST YEAR FOR OAK HILL ROAD. SO THAT NEEDS TO ROLL FORWARD INTO THIS FISCAL YEAR AS ALL THE MONEY WAS NOT EXPENDED LAST YEAR, OBVIOUSLY. SO THAT'S WHAT THESE TWO AMENDMENTS ARE FOR FOR EACH OF THE FUNDS. SO THE TOTAL COST WOULD BE $2,772,368. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 UTILITIES FUND BUDGET AND FY 26 STREETS FUND BUDGET. SEEING NO HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. VICE MAYOR HILL, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I'D LIKE TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE FY 2026 UTILITIES FUND BUDGET. FY 2026 STREET FUND BUDGET. 
          COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE. I SECOND THE MOTION. SECOND DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION. 
          COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THIS BRIDGE I SEE THAT WE GOT SOMETHING THERE. 
          WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR YEARS. IS THIS FOR THE PERMANENT BRIDGE? OR TEMPORARY OR THE ONE THAT WE GOT DOWN THERE WORKING ON? YES. SO THIS IS THE ROLL FORWARD FUNDING THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS FUNDING INCLUDED FOR THE TEMPORARY. AND THEN THERE'S THERE'S WORK GOING ON TO DEVELOP AND DESIGN THE PERMANENT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I GOT, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, IT'S HERE. WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER, CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. AYE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERIM. AYE. THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, MOVE ON TO ITEM D, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF ORDINANCE, SECTION 106. THAT'S 109. REAL ESTATE TAX EXCHANGE, ELDERLY AND DISABLED GROSS AMOUNT AND SECTION 106 THROUGH 112. CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF THE EXEMPTION. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. WILLIAMS AND MILLER. I AM BACK WITH A COMPLETED HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT THAT WAS GIVEN TWO WEEKS AGO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS FOR CITY CODE SECTION 106-109. AND FOR CITY CODE, SECTION 106-1 12. TO INCREASE THE TAX INCOME FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED. AND GETTING TO MY HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT. OKAY. SO I WAS REQUESTED AT LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO LOOK AT THE LOCALITIES WITH A CASINO AS WELL AS PRINTS, AS WELL AS FREDERIKSBERG THAT HAS A DATA CENTER. SO FOR BRISTOL, THEIR INCOME LIMIT IS 35,000 ASSETS CAP IS ONLY 50,000 AND THEY ONLY DO $200 OFF FOR REAL ESTATE TAXES AND A DISCOUNT ON THE TRASH PICKUP. I MUST SAY THE CITY OF RICHMOND FOR LAST, BECAUSE THAT WAS INTERESTING FOR DANVILLE. THE ELDERLY 65 AND OLDER, 40,000 DISABLED IS 47,500 WITH THE ASSET CAP OF ONLY 50,000. AND THEY DO A PERCENTAGE FOR THE RELIEF CAP BASED OFF OF THE INCOME. NEXT WE HAVE NORTH. I'M JUST DOING THE CASINOS AND THEN I COME BACK TO THE DATA CENTERS. 
          NORFOLK IS 67,000, BUT THEIR CAP IS 350,000 WITH A PERCENTAGE OF INCOME. 
          PORTSMOUTH 30,000 FOR INCOME, 75,000 FOR THE ASSETS WITH A PERCENTAGE OF THE INCOME. AND THEN FREDERICKSBURG, THEY HAVE A DATA CENTER. SO THEY HAVE 60,000 FOR THE CAP WITH 300,000 
          [00:50:03]
FOR THE ASSETS, WITH 300, WITH 3000 FOR THE RELIEF CAP. AND I DECIDED TO DO PRINCE WILLIAM BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE A DATA CENTER, BUT THEIR POPULATION IS WAY LARGE, BUT THEIR INCOME IS $123,903, WITH THE ASSET CAP OF 400,000 AND THE PERCENTAGE OF THE INCOME. I SAVED THE CITY OF RICHMOND FOR LAST, THAT IS THE HARDEST LOCALITY TO GET IN CONTACT WITH AND TO GET BASIC INFORMATION FROM. SO I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO DETAIL BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY GAVE ME, BUT I LISTED WHAT WAS GIVEN. SO ELDERLY, DISABLED 70,000 FOR THE INCOME. IF THEY GO OVER 70,000, THEY HAVE A FREEZE RELIEF. THAT INFORMATION COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED TO ME. 
          SO UNFORTUNATELY I CANNOT EXPLAIN IT TONIGHT. BUT I DID MY HOMEWORK AND ASSETS OF 450,000 FOR THE ELDERLY DISABLED. IF THEIR ASSETS GO OVER THAT, THEY HAVE A FREEZE RELEASE OF 750,000 ALSO DOING A PERCENTAGE OF THE INCOME. SO I AM ASKING THAT OUR INCOME BE INCREASED FROM 45,000 TO 50,000 FOR THE INCOME LIMIT ASSETS STAYING THE SAME AT 80,000. BUT THE CAP LIMIT INCREASED FROM 1500 TO 1700. AND THIS WILL BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2026. ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? WE'LL DO QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY, MISS FLOWERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. NEXT, OPEN THE FLOOR TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION THE AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF ORDINANCE, SECTION 100 AND 6-109. REAL ESTATE TAX TO CHANGE THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED GROSS AMOUNT. AND SECTION 106 TO 112. CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF THE EXEMPTION. YES. I WAS HOPING THEY COULD GO BACK ONE SLIDE, BUT MARLOW GREEN, 301 ROFF STREET. I WAS JUST TRYING TO QUICKLY DIGEST THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED ON THE LAST SLIDE, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY THINK WE SHOULD INCREASE THE INCOME LIMIT. I AM IN SUPPORT OF WHAT SHE HAS. I ACTUALLY THINK WE SHOULD GO HIGHER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ELDERLY FOLKS WILL BE IMPACTED WITH ALL THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T DISPLACE PEOPLE. SO NOT SURE IF 50,000 IS THE BEST NUMBER. I MEAN, I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE INCREASING IT, BUT I WAS THINKING MAYBE WE MIGHT WANT TO INCREASE THAT FIGURE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER. AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT RELATES BACK TO LIKE AMI AND WHATNOT, BUT DEFINITELY THINK WE SHOULD GO HIGHER ON THAT JUST TO TRY TO HELP OUT SOME OF THE ELDERLY FOLKS, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE VERGE OF DISPLACING PEOPLE IN THE CITY WITH ALL THE NEW DEVELOPMENT AND THESE NEW HOMES BEING SOLD FOR 350 OR MORE, WHICH WE'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, WE JUST WANT TO PROTECT OUR ELDERLY FOLKS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. GARY 2323. FOR RICE STREET. THESE NUMBERS ARE INTERESTING, BUT WHAT'S THE IMPACT? HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES THIS ACTUALLY AFFECT? AND WHAT WHAT IS THIS GOING TO? WHAT IMPACT IS THIS GOING TO HAVE ON TAX COLLECTION? IS THIS A GOOD THING OR BAD THING? CAN WE MAKE IT BETTER? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY DISABLED THAT THAT WORD BOTHERS ME HAVING A DISABILITY. I HAVE A DISABILITY. I'M NOT DISABLED. AND SO MAYBE THAT NEEDS TO BE MORE CLEARLY DEFINED ALSO. YES. YES MA'AM. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TINA NOREN. I LIVE AT 120 LEAVENWORTH. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE ASSET LIMIT SHOULD BE HIGHER. WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO PUNISH PEOPLE FOR SAVING FOR THEIR FUTURE, WHICH IS WHAT I IMAGINE THAT MONEY AS A ASSET LIMIT WOULD BE THEIR RETIREMENT FUNDS AND THOSE TYPES OF CASH ON HAND AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO 80,000 IS SO, SO, SO LOW. AND IF YOU'RE MAKING 50, IF THE INCOME CAP IS 50,000, IT'S OKAY TO. GIVE PEOPLE GRACE THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAVE FOR THEIR RETIREMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL ON A FIXED INCOME. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO CONSIDER RAISING IT. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE MUCH OF A NEGATIVE EFFECT. SHE SAID. SHE SAID. OKAY, SEEING NO MORE HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. ALL RIGHT. NOW, QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MR. FLOWERS MR. TALLY'S QUESTION TO IMPACT. YEAH. OKAY. SO CAN I ANSWER MY 
          [00:55:04]
QUESTION? CAN I GO IN ORDER? SO SO MILO GREENE GREENE'S QUESTION, HOW I GOT THE NUMBERS IS BASED OFF OF THE APPLICANTS THAT DO APPLY. SO I HAVEN'T HAD ANYONE TO GO OVER THE 50,000 BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO REALIZE EVERYBODY HAS TO SUBMIT ALL THEIR FINANCIAL INFORMATION. 
          AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, UNFORTUNATELY, DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT. I AGREE WITH GOING HIGHER, BUT I'M GOING BASED OFF THE NUMBERS THAT ARE GIVEN TO ME, TO MR. TALLY, IS THAT CORRECT FOR HIS STATEMENT? RIGHT NOW, I HAVE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE SET TO BE MAILED OF 450, AND THAT IS HOPING THAT ALL 450 APPLY. SO AS FAR AS THE COLLECTION RATE, I DON'T DO COLLECTIONS FOR REAL ESTATE, THANKFULLY. SO I DO NOT KNOW WHERE WE STAND WITH THAT. I DID LOOK AT GOING AT 55,000 FOR THE INCREASE OF THE INCOME LIMIT, BUT I STOPPED AT 50 BASED OFF OF THOSE THAT WERE DENIED HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MADE. THE ASSETS IS ALL ASSETS THAT PEOPLE OWN EXCEPT FOR THE HOUSE THAT THEY LIVE IN. SO I CAN ONLY LOOK AT WHAT THEY OWN IN THE CITY AS FAR AS ANOTHER PARCEL IN ANY OTHER VEHICLES. EVERYBODY IS NOT HONEST TO SAY THEY OWN ANY OTHER PROPERTY IN ANOTHER LOCALITY. SO THAT'S WHERE I GOT MY NUMBERS FROM. 
          THIS YOUNG LADY SAID, OH, ABOUT INCREASING. I EXPLAINED THAT EARLIER. VICE MAYOR HERE, I THINK THIS. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. YOU'RE WELCOME. I THINK THIS WILL BE WILL GO MORE TOWARDS OUR FINANCE TEAM. WHAT IMPACT WOULD THAT WOULD IT HAVE TO THE CITY OR IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT IMPACT IT MAY HAVE? OR DO YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT. 
          I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IF WE'RE RAISING THE LIMITS AND MORE PEOPLE WILL BE INCLUDED HERE, THAT WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE AMOUNT OF TAXES THAT WE COLLECT FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE. EXCUSE ME, FOR REAL ESTATE PROPERTY, BUT I DON'T ASSUME THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR CHANGE OR CHALLENGE, BUT WE COULD DEFINITELY GET INTO THAT AND GET SOME EXACT NUMBERS FOR YOU. MY CONCERN IS THAT BOTH ENTITIES HAVE TO BE TALKING WHEN WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS LIKE THIS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE CITY AND THE CITIZENS, AND THEN WHERE WE MAY BE DROPPING ONE END, WE HAVE TO WE MAY HAVE TO RAISE ANOTHER TAX BRACKET IN ORDER TO GET THAT. AND WE'RE NOT INTO THAT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO LOWER REAL ESTATE TAXES RIGHT NOW. SO IF WE DO TOO MUCH TOO SOON, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY'S COUNTING ON MONIES THAT WE HAVE NOT YET AND WHAT HAVE YOU. SO WE DO WANT TO HELP OUR OUR SENIORS, WHICH WE ARE GOING TO DO. I LIKE THE FORMULA THAT YOU HAVE THE WAY THE WAY YOU HAVE IT. SEE IF YOU'VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK, AS YOU CALL IT, YOUR TASK. BUT I DO WANT TO VOTE FOR THE DEPARTMENT'S TALKING AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND SO WE CAN KNOW THE IMPACT, BECAUSE I WOULD HATE FOR US TO LOSE OR ON THIS END, BUT THEN HAVE TO RAISE ON THIS END TO THOSE OF US WHO WHO, WHO PAY INTO THE TAX BRACKET. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEYER. 
          YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD EVENING. WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THE ASSET LIMIT FOR ME AGAIN, PLEASE. SO YES, THE ASSETS IS ANYTHING THAT YOU OWN. ALL VEHICLES AND PARCELS. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE HOUSE THAT YOU LIVE IN. THAT'S WHY. BECAUSE IF SOMEONE HAS A HOUSE IT'S ABOUT $400,000. IT WOULD NOT MEET THE LIMIT. AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE LIMIT ON THAT HOUSE. NO, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE HOUSE THAT YOU LIVE IN. YES, SIR. OKAY. AND AT THE HOME. OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. OKAY. OKAY. COUNCILMAN JONES QUESTION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. SO AT THIS TIME, OUR WAS THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL ON THE. AMENDMENT TO. MR. MAYOR. DO WE, IF I MAY, SIR, DO WE HAVE TIME FOR BOTH ENTITIES TO TALK AND BRING BACK THE IMPACT OR DO. OR IS IT. OR WE CAN TABLE IT UNTIL YOU GET THE IMPACT. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO? YES, IF THAT'S OKAY. 
          YES, MA'AM. QUESTION. THESE APPLICATIONS HAVE TO BE MAILED ASAP BECAUSE THEY'RE DUE ON THE 1ST OF MAY. OKAY. SO. OKAY. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO ADD AND EMPHASIZE IT WOULD BE A VERY, VERY MINIMAL IMPACT DUE TO THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THAT SHE HAS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT THEN. WELL, IF I MAY ORDER, MR. MAYOR, I REALLY DON'T LIKE DOING THIS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE TIME, 
          [01:00:05]
STRENGTH AND MAILING AND ALL THAT STUFF, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE CODE ORDINANCE OF SECTION 106-107, REAL ESTATE TAX TO CHANGE THE ELDERLY AND DISABLE GROSS AMOUNT AND SECTION 106-112. CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF THE EXPENDITURE AS WAS STATED BY OUR COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEYERS. SECOND, THE MOTION AND SECOND DISCUSSION OF MOTION. SEEING NONE. MISS HILL CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT I. COUNCILMAN. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MEYER. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE. MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR, I MOTION. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I JUST JUST FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ON APRIL THE 13TH, I HAVE BLOCKED THE LIBRARY OFF FROM 12 NOON TO 3 P.M. SO THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED CAN COME RIGHT HERE AND GET ASSISTANCE WITH IT, BECAUSE WE ARE MAILING OUT MORE APPLICATIONS THAN NORMAL, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE THE WHOLE TIME. BUT THERE WILL BE SET UP IN THIS ROOM FOR THEM TO COME IN BETWEEN 12 AND 12, NOON AND 3 P.M. TO GET THEIR APPLICATION COMPLETED. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. GOOD JOB, GOOD JOB. 
          [9. Public Information Period]
THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM NINE PUBLIC INFORMATION PERIOD A PUBLIC INFORMATION PERIOD. 
          LIMITED TIME TO 30 MINUTES SHOULD BE PART OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AT EACH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. EACH SPEAKER SHOULD BE A RESIDENT OR BUSINESS OWNER OF THE CITY AND SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. NO SPEAKER SHALL BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION. THE MEETING AT WHICH THE SPEAKER IS TO SPEAK. THE ORDER OF THE SPEAKER IS LIMITED BY THE 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD SHALL BE DETERMINED AS FOLLOWS. FIRST, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, THE NOTICE VERSES WHO HAVE NOTIFIED THE CLERK NO LATER THAN 12:00 NOON THE DAY OF THE MEETING. B SECOND IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF THE SIGNED UP PERSONS WHO HAVE SIGNED THE SIGN UP SHEET PLACED BY THE CLERK IN THE REAR OF THE MEETING ROOM. PRIOR TO THE MEETING ROOM REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALRIGHT, WE'LL START OFF WITH MISS PRISCILLA CARTER. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE PITTSBURGH CITY COUNCIL AND FELLOW CITIZENS, I GREET YOU WITH RESPECT AND WITH GRATITUDE TO THE TO THE ONE WHO ORDERS MY STEPS. MY NAME IS PRISCILLA LEWIS CARTER AND I RESIDE AT 1116 POINTER STREET, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. 23803 IN THE SIXTH WARD, WHERE COUNCILWOMAN ANNA LEE SMITH. SMITH LEE REPRESENTS ME. I AM WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN PETERSBURG AT WHAT WAS ONCE A 34 WILCOX STREET, FORMERLY IN THE FIFTH WARD. MY EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY BEGAN IN THIS CITY AT GILES COOK SCHOOL, HENRY WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY, AND AS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST GROUP OF STUDENTS TO ATTEND THE NEWLY BUILT WESTVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I LATER GRADUATED AS A PROUD ALUMNA OF THE HISTORIC PEABODY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1965, THE LARGEST GRADUATING CLASS AT THAT TIME WITH 208 STUDENTS. PEABODY IS MORE THAN A BUILDING. IT IS A LEGACY. IT STANDS AS A SYMBOL OF PRESENCE, EXCELLENCE, AND THE SACRIFICES MADE BY THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US. IT IS ALREADY LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES, AND IT REPRESENTS A FOUNDATION THAT SHOULD CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. TODAY, I STAND WITH OVER 1000 SURVIVING CLASSMATES IN STRONG SUPPORT OF PRESERVING THE PEABODY COMPLEX BUILDINGS, NOT JUST AS A MONUMENT TO THE PAST, BUT AS A RESOURCE FOR THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. WE ENVISION THE PEABODY COMPLEX AS A VIBRANT, MULTI-USE COMMUNITY HUB, A PLACE DESIGNED TO SERVE ALL CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG. 
          MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT COULD BECOME A SHARED SPACE FOR THE MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY VOLUNTEERING AND WORKING THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. WITH THE CENTRALIZED SPACE, THESE GROUPS COULD COORDINATE SERVICES MORE EFFECTIVELY, EXPAND PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH, SENIORS, AND FAMILIES, PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL JOB TRAININGS AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT, BUILD STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS THAT UPLIFT THE ENTIRE CITY. THE PEABODY COMPLEX CAN BE THAT SPACE, A PLACE WHERE SERVICE MEETS MEETS OPPORTUNITY, AND WHERE OUR COLLABORATION LEADS TO GREATER IMPACT. IT IS MY SINCERE FAITH AND PRAYER THAT YOU, THE PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL, WILL ALLOW THIS HISTORIC COMPLEX TO BE SAVED, RESTORED AND PRESERVED THROUGH 
          [01:05:01]
THE CUSTODIAL OWNERSHIP OF THE PEABODY ACADEMIC LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, INC. PLC FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL CITIZENS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, LET US NOT BE THE GENERATION THAT LEFT. 
          LET PEABODY FADE AWAY. LET US BE THE GENERATION THAT BROUGHT IT BACK TO LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE IT WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO SERVE. IF WE STAND FOR NOTHING, IF WE STAND FOR NOTHING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND YOUR SERVICES. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. 
          THANK YOU. NEXT, MISS JUDY BAILEY. 
          FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO GREET YOU IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD AND OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. GREETINGS TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, OUR MAYOR AND THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. I AM HERE AS A RESIDENT OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. MY ADDRESS IS 1105 WOODLAND ROAD, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA 23805 OF THE THIRD WARD, REPRESENTED BY MAYOR SAMUEL PARHAM. I AM AN ALUMNUS OF PEABODY HIGH SCHOOL OF THE CLASS OF 1966. I PROUDLY SUPPORT THE PEABODY ACADEMIC LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER EFFORT TO SAVE, TO RESTORE, RENEW AND TO HAVE CUSTODIAL OWNERSHIP OF THE PEABODY COMPLEX, WHICH IS THE FIRST AND THE OLDEST PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR BLACKS IN THE NATION. IT ORIGINATED IN FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, WHICH IS THE OLDEST BLACK CONGREGATION IN THE NATION. I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, AND I AM CERTAINLY A PROUD GRADUATE OF PEABODY HIGH SCHOOL AND AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, WHICH IS THE HISTORIC CHURCH 251 YEARS OLD. I SERVED THERE AS AN ASSOCIATE MINISTER. TO GOD BE THE GLORY. RESTORING THE SCHOOL WILL STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY AS IT DID YEARS AGO, BY EDUCATING STUDENTS THAT EXCELLED IN MANY AREAS. THE SCHOOL IS A LEGACY IN OUR BLACK COMMUNITY'S HISTORY. LET US CONTINUE TO TRANSFORM THE PEABODY HIGH SCHOOL COMPLEX INTO A CENTER WHERE KNOWLEDGE, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY CAN STRIVE TOGETHER TO PROMOTE EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING, FOR JOBS, AND TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS WHILE HONORING THE LEGACY OF THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE US. THIS SCHOOL HAS TAUGHT OUR PARENTS, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR LEADERS, SO LET IT REMAIN A PART OF OUR PRIDE AND JOY. LET IT HAVE A REBIRTH TO BRING EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          BY RESTORING THE FORMER PEABODY HIGH SCHOOL COMPLEX. I LEAVE YOU WITH A SCRIPTURE THIS EVENING FROM ISAIAH, THE 61ST CHAPTER IN THE FOURTH VERSE. AND THEY SHALL BUILD UP OLD WASTE. THEY SHALL RAISE UP THE FORMER DESOLATION, AND THEY SHALL REPAIR THE WASTE CITIES, THE DESOLATE OF MANY GENERATIONS. SOMETHING TIME IS MEANT TO BE PRESERVED. THANK YOU. NEXT, MISS TINA NORAHN, LEAVENWORTH STREET. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TINA NORAHN AND I LIVE AT 120 LEAVENWORTH STREET. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING 2627 
          [01:10:01]
BUDGET, PREPARING FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR 2627 BUDGET MEANS CONSIDERING OUR CITY IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO START FIXING PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING FOR YEARS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUDGET IS UNDERWAY. CITY LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS NEED TO FOCUS ON TWO KEY THINGS ACCURATELY ESTIMATING THE INCREASE IN ANNUAL REVENUE FROM BOTH THE CASINO AND THE PROPERTY TAX. AND ALLOCATING THAT INCREASE TO DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN CHRONICALLY UNDERFUNDED. EACH MONTH, RESIDENTS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED. IN MANY CASES, THE REASON GIVEN IS LIMITED FUNDING. IF REVENUE IS INCREASING, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO START ADDRESSING THOSE NEEDS. THAT REQUIRES A CLEAR AND THOUGHTFUL PLAN FOR HOW THESE NEW FUNDS WILL BE USED, AND WE OWE IT TO OUR CITIZENS TO DO THIS TRANSPARENTLY. INCREASED REVENUE SHOULD NOT BE ABSORBED WITHOUT A CLEAR PLAN, AND IT SHOULD BE DIRECTED WITH PURPOSE. THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE CITY COULD DO WITH THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE, BUT HAS THAT INFORMATION BEEN SHARED WITH THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS? HAVE THEY BEEN ASKED TO INCLUDE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DELAYED OR PUT ASIDE IN THEIR UPCOMING 2627 BUDGET? CLEAR ESTIMATES OF EXPECTED REVENUE ARE NECESSARY AND GIVE OUR DEPARTMENT THE DEPARTMENTS THE CHANCE TO ADDRESS LONG STANDING ISSUES LIKE BASIC SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, STAFFING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. THIS. THERE IS ALSO THE ISSUE OF PAY FOR CITY WORKERS. THE CITY IS NOT COMPETITIVE IN A NUMBER OF POSITIONS. THAT IS EASY TO SEE JUST BY LOOKING AT THE JOB POSTINGS. WHEN PAY IS LOW, PEOPLE LEAVE. WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE, WORK SLOWS DOWN AND WE DON'T GET THINGS DONE THE WAY THEY SHOULD. THAT AFFECTS EVERYTHING. 
          THAT AFFECTS EVERY ONE OF US. IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT IMPROVING HOW THE CITY. SORRY, I JUST CHECKED THE TIME. IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT IMPROVING HOW THE CITY FUNCTIONS, THEN THIS HAS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. ANOTHER CONCERN IS THE TIMELINE FOR PUBLIC INPUT. WE ARE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MONTHS FROM THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. WHEN WILL RESIDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET? IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS HAPPENS WELL BEFORE THE FINAL VOTE. PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT, ASK QUESTIONS AND GIVE INPUT WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME TO MAKE CHANGES. IT MAY ALSO BE USEFUL FOR SOMEONE TO REVIEW THE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR THE PAST YEAR TO IDENTIFY RECURRING CONCERNS THAT SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN BUDGET DECISIONS. THE MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THIS TURNS INTO SCATTERED SPENDING. ONE ISSUE HERE, ANOTHER THERE, WITHOUT STEPPING BACK AND LOOKING AT THE WHOLE PICTURE, THERE'S A CHANCE HERE TO BE MORE DELIBERATE, TO STRENGTHEN FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND MAKE THOUGHTFUL, COORDINATED DECISIONS. SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, INVOLVE THE DEPARTMENTS AND GIVE THE PUBLIC A REAL WINDOW TO WEIGH IN. THAT'S HOW YOU MAKE PROGRESS WORK. THANK YOU. NEXT, MISTER JULIAN GREEN. 
          GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JULIAN GREEN JR. I'M A RESIDENT OF 1625 BLAIR ROAD, MEMBER OF THE FOURTH WARD, AND ALSO WARD CHAIR. THE PURPOSE OF MY BEING HERE IS TO INVITE EVERYONE PRESENT TO ATTEND A WORKSHOP. WHY? I SEE. I SEE, I'M PAUSING TO DO THAT. I SEE E, WHICH STANDS FOR IMMIGRATION CUSTOM ENFORCEMENT. I SEE WE HAVE THE DISTINCT PRIVILEGE TO BRING TO PETERSBURG A NATIONAL RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BRANCHES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. WHY? REMEMBER FROM YOUR HISTORY, THEY CAME FOR US. 
          THOSE OF MY PIGMENTATION. THEY CAME FOR THE NATIONAL INDIANS, OUR BROTHERS. THEN THEY CAME FOR THE AGENTS. THEN THEY CAME FOR NOW THE BLACK, THE BROWN AND THE WHITE. SAYING THAT THEY 
          [01:15:01]
ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TRANSPORTING US TO SOME PLACE WE'VE NEVER BEEN AND DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. NOT ONLY THAT, PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR LIVES FROM THIS IMMIGRATION PROCESS. SO WE'RE SAYING TO EVERYBODY IN PETERSBURG. K Y KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS AND LEGAL COUNSEL COMING, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH SATURDAY THE 21ST AT 10 A.M. IT'S A MATTER OF FACT AND KNOWLEDGE. IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO COME. WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO COME. BUT THE QUESTION IS WHEN. WE NEED TO BE READY TO KNOW OUR LEGAL RIGHTS AS IT PERTAINS TO ICE COMING AND TAKING OUR FOLKS AWAY, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LET YOUR FAMILY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. WE'VE DONE THE DUE DILIGENCE, MR. MAYOR, TO MAKE CONTACT, TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE COMING TO PETERSBURG. 
          AND IS OUR HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE THERE SO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BE AWARE AND COGNIZANT WHERE WE STAND AS FAR AS THEY COMING TO PETERSBURG AND VIRGINIA. WHY? LOOK AT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS. LOOK AT WHO OUR GOVERNOR IS. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE COMING HERE TO COME AFTER US. 
          AND YOU KNOW VERY WELL, MR. MAYOR, THE KIND OF RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH THE FORMER GOVERNOR. AND HE'S NO LONGER HERE TO SHIELD US. SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IN TERMS OF DON'T SIT ON THE SIDELINES. WE NEED TO GET UP, COME OUT AND SPEAK OUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. MISS CONSTANCE GREEN. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CONSTANCE GREEN AND I LIVE AT 3364 SEATON ROAD, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. I'M HERE BASICALLY AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS. I CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH OF MY CITY AND THE INCREASED COSTS THAT WILL BE PLACED ON CITIZENS DUE TO A DATA CENTER OR DATA CENTERS. I DON'T KNOW WHICH WE HAVE. I'M NOT CLEAR ABOUT THAT. MOST SURROUNDING COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES ARE DENYING OR BOYCOTTING DATA CENTERS BECAUSE OF THE HAZARDS. THE IMPACT OF A DATA CENTER CAUSES HEALTH HAZARDS AND AIR POLLUTION. 
          RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, CANCER AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. PETERSBURG HAS THE HIGHEST HOSPITALIZATION FOR ASTHMA IN A STATE OF. IN VIRGINIA. IN THIS STATE. SO FOR DATA CENTER TO BE PRESENT IN OUR CITY, WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS? IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THEM. WE HAD DOCTOR WEB, WHO IS VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH COMMISSIONER TO COME FEBRUARY THE 26TH, MEETING WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH STAKEHOLDERS FOCUSING ON IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION. PETERSBURG RANKED THE LEAST HEALTHY, LEAST HEALTHIEST LOCALITY IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. CITY COUNCIL. 
          IT APPEARS THAT YOU WANT TO BRING A DATA CENTER TO A VULNERABLE COMMUNITY. POLLUTION. 
          THE USE OF BACKUP DIESEL OR GAS TURBINES OR GENERATORS CAUSES CONTAMINATED AIR EMISSIONS. 
          NOISE FROM THE GENERATORS CAN CAUSE MENTAL STRESS. IN LOUDOUN COUNTY, THERE WAS A PERSON WHO LIVES NEAR A DATA CENTER, AND HE IMPLIED THAT AT NIGHT. IT KEPT ROWING AND ROWING, WHICH CAUSED HIM GREAT DISTRESS. DATA CENTERS, INCREASED UTILITY BILLS, ELECTRIC BILLS ALSO DECREASES PROPERTY VALUE DUE TO THE RISK OF FIRE, NOISE AND AIR POLLUTION. IT ALSO MIGHT CAUSE 
          [01:20:10]
AN INCREASE IN YOUR PREMIUM TIME OF INSURANCE. BE AWARE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT DATA CENTERS CAN DO AND AFFECT YOUR LIFE. THANK YOU. NEXT, KYLE DIXON. ALL RIGHT. HOW YOU GUYS DOING? SOUNDS KIND OF QUIET IN HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND ALL THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING? MY NAME IS. LET ME TAKE MY HAT OFF. EXCUSE ME. MY NAME IS KYLE DIXON. I OWN THE PETERSBURG CAVALIERS SEMIPROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM. I WANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW I WANT TO. I APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THE CITY HAS GIVEN, AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR OUR TEAM RIGHT NOW. CURRENTLY THE SEASON HAS STARTED. WE STARTED THE SEASON OFF WITH FOUR AWAY GAMES, BUT OUR FIRST HOME GAME IS THIS SEASON. THIS SEASON, THIS SUNDAY AT 5:00. RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE THAT'S 5 P.M. RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE AND EVERY RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. THEY'RE FREE TO GET IN. ALL RIGHT. BUT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WITH THAT. SO WE MADE EVERY EVERY RESIDENT IN ANY CITY FREE TO COME TO THE GAMES. WE WANT TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG. WE KNOW THAT CRIME AND VIOLENCE ARE AT A HIGH POINT, BUT IT'S BEEN GOING DOWN TO THE NICE HARD WORK OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          SO WE WANT TO PROVIDE A NICE ENVIRONMENT FOR AT LEAST TWO THREE HOURS, WATCH A BASKETBALL GAME, ENJOY THE WONDERFUL CONCESSIONS, MUSIC AND COMPETITIVE VITAMIN. AND ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE COUNCIL A LITTLE TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION. WE HAVE SOME SHIRTS. WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO COME DOWN AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS WANT ME TO COME UP. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS. GIVE IT TO HIM. SO HE'S LIKE, IT'S LIKE THE COURT SHOW. THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO SIR. IT WORKS. APPRECIATE THAT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE. I MEAN, THE LAST TEN YEARS. THIS IS OUR TEN YEAR, TEN YEARS. IT'S REALLY HARD TO START SOMETHING ON YOUR OWN AND TO GO TEN YEARS STRONG WITH THE CITIZENS AND THE SUPPORT OF COUNCIL. TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. ONLY WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR I SEE IT SO. BUT THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU CITIZENS OF CITY OF PETERSBURG. HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS ARE ALL WILL BE THERE SUNDAY, 5:00. RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE ABSOLUTELY FREE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MY TIME. OH, I'M FROM PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. 109 PERRY STREET. WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAY THAT? OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. APPRECIATE IT. THANK. NEXT IS MARLO GREEN. ALL RIGHT. LET ME GET SOME GRACE ON THIS TIME. BUT. MARLO GREEN 301 RALPH STREET. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE A COUPLE UPDATES. I'M I WEAR TWO HATS REAL QUICK, SO I SHOULD HAVE SIX MINUTES, BUT NEITHER HERE NOR THERE. SO I'M GOING TO BE OSCAR G FIRST, WHICH IS OSCAR STANDS FOR OPTIMUM RESOURCES, BUT OSCAR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GROUP IS WHAT I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT REAL QUICK. SO I WANT TO RAMBLE ON FEBRUARY 27TH. THANK YOU JARED. I THINK HE WAS HERE SOMEWHERE. WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET INTO THE JARED HOUSE. OKAY. AND WE TOOK SOME PHOTOGRAPHS AND GUESS WHO WAS THERE? PRESERVATION VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES, ALL PRESIDENTS OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW WHO WAS IN THE BUILDING ON FEBRUARY 27TH. AND SO WE HAVE A REALLY BEAUTIFUL VIDEO THAT WAS PREPARED BY A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF CAL ON YOUTUBE. SO IT'S AN INTERVIEW OF THE JARED FAMILY AS WELL. SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE WORKING ON SOME MONEY WITH THOSE PEOPLE. SO JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAD WAS ON MARCH 12TH. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR HILL, FOR BEING THERE. AND YOU SAID SOME LOVELY WORDS. 
          I GOT SOME EXTRA KUDOS WHEN YOU LEFT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT OUT VIRGINIA HOUSING THE WHOLE TEAM, A PRETTY GOOD TEAM. ABOUT 18 PEOPLE LIST VIRGINIA AND CAMERON FOUNDATION PRESIDENTS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. SO I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CITY IS TAKING UP SOME MAJOR MOMENTUM UP IN RICHMOND, NOT JUST HERE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, BUT WE DID TAKE THEM ON A TOUR WHERE WE SHOWED THEM THE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT FOR POCAHONTAS ISLAND, ALONG WITH ANOTHER OLD TOWN MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT WE ARE ALSO ASSISTING WITH. SO NOW TO SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT. AS A RESIDENT OF POCAHONTAS ISLAND, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH A LOT WITH THE TREATMENT PLANT GUYS, THESE UPGRADES ARE ANNOYING. OKAY, I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT FOR ONE, I WANT TO 
          [01:25:03]
ASK THAT WE GET A PROJECT SCHEDULE. WE WENT TO SOUTH WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND ASKED FOR THEIR PROJECT SCHEDULE LAST YEAR. WE NEVER GOT ANYTHING, NOR DID WE HEAR ANYTHING BACK. CHARLIE CUTHBERT, YOU ARE OVER MY WARD. I'M ASKING THAT YOU HELP US GET THAT INFORMATION. ALSO, THEY'VE BEEN THE ROUTE THEY'VE BEEN TAKING. THEY DON'T JUST GO DOWN TO ROFF. THEY'VE BEEN ON EVERY STREET NOW. AND I NEED YOU TO COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR ROADS. IT'S DAMAGED. YOU CAN EVEN SEE THE COBBLE ROAD. THAT'S HOW BAD THEY'VE BEEN DAMAGING OUR ROADS, GUYS. AND IT'S BEEN A NUISANCE. EVERY TWO WEEKS WE HAVE TO NOT PARK ON OUR MAIN STREETS. AND LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE TRAVELING DOWN, LOGAN. THEY'RE JUST DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO. MATTER OF FACT, OUR INDIVIDUAL GOT TO ARGUING WITH ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS. OKAY, SO WE NEED TO STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ASK IS, AS FAR AS THE TREATMENT PLAN IS CONCERNED, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE BILLING PEOPLE FOR SERVICES AND USAGE. IF WE'RE PAYING THE SAME AMOUNT, THAT IS WRONG. WHEN I SAY WE, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. THERE SHOULD BE SOME NEGOTIATIONS. SO I WANT TO KNOW, DO WE PAY WITH EVERYBODY ELSE'S PAYING AND HOW THAT WORKS? THEN ALSO WHAT ENFORCEMENT DO WE HAVE ON THE TREATMENT PLAN AS WELL FOR WHEN THEY'RE JUST DOING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO? RIGHT NOW? THEY'VE BEEN COMING TO THE COMMUNITY AT 6 A.M. BASED ON MY LAST CONVERSATION, I WAS TOLD IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 8 A.M. 6 A.M. IS PRETTY EARLY FOR A TRACTOR TRAILER TO BE COMING DOWN MY STREET. I MEAN, OUR STREET. AND SO THAT'S THAT. THEN I ALSO WANT TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE DCR GRANT, $2.5 MILLION PROJECT SCHEDULE. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT, CHARLES HARDENBERGH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. GOOD EVENING. AS QUICK AS I CAN. I'M VAN HARDENBERG AND MY LAW FIRM, CHARLES V HARDENBERG, P.C. IS AT 139 MONROE STREET. WE WERE HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO BECAUSE WE HAD A PARKING SITUATION. DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEWSE. O TAKE HOURS AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN WE WERE IN AND OUT OF HERE VERY QUICKLY. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THIS CITY COUNCIL. ALL I KNOW IS WHAT I READ ON CLEAN SWEEP, WHERE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERYBODY LIKE A BUNCH OF DOGS. 
          SO I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW WELL THINGS WENT. WITHIN SIX MINUTES WE WERE UP HERE AND SET OUR PIECE. WITHIN TEN MINUTES WE WERE OUT OF HERE. I'M USED TO COURT WHERE I'M SITTING THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST HALF AN HOUR THE NEXT MORNING. BOOM. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE'S A BUNCH OF CITY FOLKS THAT SHOW UP. THEY PUT CONES TO MARK PARKING SPOTS FOR US. AND THEN WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS, THEY CAME AND PUT UP PERMANENT SIGNS. MR. STOKE, THE THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, WAS THERE. CHIEF MILLER WAS THERE, MR. RANDALL WILLIAMS WAS THERE, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WAS THERE, EVERYBODY MAKING IT HAPPEN? I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT. AND SO MY FOLKS, IF YOU ALL DON'T MIND STANDING UP REAL QUICK, LADIES, MY FOLKS FROM THE OFFICE JUST WANT TO COME HERE AND SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB. I HOPE NONE OF Y'ALL EVER NEEDS A LAWYER LIKE ME. I WILL BE HERE JUST IN CASE. AND HOW ABOUT THOSE STATE CHAMPS? RIGHT AFTER YOU. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT WAS THE FASTEST. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, MISTER BOBBY. BEVERLY. BOBBY. BOBBY. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING. ON FEBRUARY THE 26TH OF THIS YEAR, THE HENRICO COUNTY CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED AGAINST THE BUILDING OF A DATA CENTER IN THEIR AREA. THE CITIZENS STOOD BEFORE THEM AND STRONGLY SPOKE AGAINST THAT VENTURE. IN PETERSBURG, THE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED THE OPPOSITE. THE MESSAGE WAS CLEAR TO ME. THE SEVENTH WARD AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE. WE'RE NOT IMPORTANT. ON NOVEMBER 3RD OF THIS YEAR, I ASKED THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG TO SEND A REPLY TO THE COUNCIL AT THE BALLOT BOX. YOU CAN'T IGNORE THE MASSES AND EXPECT NO RESPONSE TO YOUR ARROGANCE. LEADERS CAN'T LEAD WHEN THE FLOCK REMOVES AND REPLACE THEM WITH MORE COMPETENT AND TRULY CONCERNED LEADERS WHO HEAR THE MASSES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          NEXT IS BARBARA HOOSIER. BLESS YOU. BEFORE I GET STARTED, FIRST I WANT TO SAY I HOPE YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME. I'M A LITTLE STUFFY, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO SPEAK AS LOUD AS I CAN AND READ. 
          I'M GOING TO NEED MY THREE MINUTES, BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO SPEAK UP. I AM HERE TODAY. 
          [01:30:01]
OH, FIRST OF ALL, BARBARA HOOSIER AND I'M AT 2335 ANDERSON STREET. I AM HERE TODAY TO STAY. CONCERNS REGARDING THE PETERSBURG HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE NEED FOR BASIC EXPECTED SERVICES THAT ARE NOT OFFERED IN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OR THEY ARE NOT OFFERED CONSISTENTLY THANKS TO JOB FAIRS, WE HAVE CITIZENS THAT ARE OBTAINING JOBS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD OR CHILDCARE THAT MUST FIRST TAKE A REQUIRED TB TEST WHEN ATTEMPTING TO GET THE TEST AT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEY ARE REFERRED TO PATIENT FIRST IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS OR ANOTHER UNRELATED MEDICAL FACILITY IN OUR AREA. NOW BEING REALISTIC, MOST OF OUR POPULATION USES MEDICAID INSURANCE, WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTED IN THE COLONIAL HEIGHTS FACILITY. MOST PEOPLE BEFORE STARTING A JOB, WILL NOT HAVE CASH ON HAND TO PAY FOR A TB TEST. SO NOW THAT CREATES A BARRIER FOR THE JOB CANDIDATE. THIS IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT RIGHT HERE. WHEN IT COMES TO OUR STATE OF HEALTH, WE KNOW PETERSBURG HAS THE STIGMA OF BEING THE MOST UNHEALTHY CITY IN THE STATE. 
          ALSO, WE HAVE THE LOWERS LOWER THAN AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY, YET OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES NOT OFFER SIMPLE HEALTH SCREENINGS, SUCH AS A BLOOD PRESSURE READING. THERE ARE SENIORS AND OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WILL APPRECIATE THIS SERVICE, AS IT COULD HELP TO ALERT, MONITOR AND PREVENT A CRISIS SITUATION. WE HAVE APARTMENTS AND HOMES THAT ARE SATURATED WITH MOLD AND MILDEW. AS A RESULT, CHILDREN AND ADULTS LIVING IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF MOLD HAS CONTRACTED RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES WHICH AFFECT THEIR LIVES. DAILY CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICE REFERS US TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR MOLD ISSUES, AND FROM THAT POINT ON, YOU GET THE RUNAROUND. WITH NOTHING BEING ACCOMPLISHED, WHAT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS MUST ONE TAKE WHEN THE VERY AIR YOU ARE BREATHING AT HOME IS KILLING YOU? PEOPLE NEED TO BE EDUCATED AND DIRECTED BY THOSE IN AUTHORITY TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE TO THEIR HEALTH. AS TAXPAYERS, WE HAVE A RIGHT TO DEMAND THAT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADDRESS THE BASIC NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND STOP THE PRACTICE OF TAKING INCOME FROM THIS CITY BY REFERRING CITIZENS TO RESOURCES ACROSS THE BRIDGE. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MUST TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE WELL-BEING OF THIS COMMUNITY. HELP US TO THRIVE. PROMOTE WELLNESS BY OFFERING BASIC HEALTH CARE, NUTRITION CLASSES, WHATEVER IT TAKES, OR PRINTED INFORMATION THAT GIVES CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE AND LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE. TIME. WHILE YOU ARE REVITALIZING THE CITY, REVITALIZE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. BRING IT BACK TO LIFE THAT IT MAY SERVE THE PEOPLE THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HUJA. 
          THANKS. DAPHNE MCLAUGHLIN. ERIC SANDERS. GOOD EVENING. ERIC SANDERS, BERKELEY MANOR. I'M JUST CALLING. I'M COMING BY TO SAY THAT THE BEST THING FOR THE CITY WOULD BE TO REBUILD. 
          PEABODY PEABODY HIGH SCHOOL, DESTROYED AND REBUILD IT AND MAKE A NEW JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND A HIGH SCHOOL ON THAT LOT FOR THE KIDS. THAT'S THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. CAN YOU STATE YOUR ADDRESS AGAIN FOR US, PLEASE? 624 ROBERTSON STREET, BERKELEY MANOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, MISS PAULA CHESTER. PAULA CHESTER, 1013 OAKMONT DRIVE. I'M COMING FOR YOU ALL TO ADVOCATE FOR THE TRIANGLE OF HALIFAX STREET. AS YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS OF DISTRICTS OF THE HISTORICAL SITES. SO I DEFINITELY FEEL THE HALIFAX TRIANGLE NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED HIGHLY. THE STREETS ARE JOINED TO THE FUNERAL HOMES PLAN. THE SHORT STREET AND HARRISON STREET, THE ENTIRE STREET. THE 
          [01:35:09]
HOST, THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IS LOCATED ON THAT STREET. THE STREET. HALIFAX, COMING DOWN TO THE ADJACENT OF THE NEW GARAGE. ALL THAT AREA SHOULD BE PAVED, I WOULD THINK, AS PART OF THE HISTORIC. OF PETERSBURG AND PLANTERS RECYCLE BINS TO BEAUTIFY THAT SECTION OF HISTORY FOR PETERSBURG. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS MISS KARA STEVENS. HI. CITY COUNCIL. 
          HOW YOU BEEN DOING? TWO, TWO SIX RALPH STREET. I'M COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SPEAK ON A FEW THINGS. LAST WEEK, OUR AREA IN POCAHONTAS ISLAND HAD SIGNS UP FOR NO PARKING, WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE. IT KEEPS HAPPENING. WE WOULD LIKE IT TO HAPPEN LESS, BUT THE ROUTINE IS THERE. WE'RE. IT'S A NORM NOW. I HAVE FAMILY STAYING WITH ME. THEY'RE STAYING WITH ME PERMANENTLY. THEY'RE TEACHING IN PETERSBURG NOW, AND ONE OF THE CONSTRUCTION TRUCKS ROLLED THEIR WINDOW DOWN TO BLOCK AND YELL AT HER AT THE END OF THE STREET. SO THAT SHE IS NOT AS OUTSPOKEN AS ME. AND IT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, UNSETTLING FOR HER TO BE HOME WHERE SHE LIVES WITH ME NOW AND HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE TREATMENT PLANT OR GOING BACK AND FORTH WHO'S THERE QUITE OFTEN SPEAK TO HER LIKE THAT, AND SHE'S WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE. HE'S BLOCKING THE END OF OUR ROAD BECAUSE HIS TRUCK IS TOO BIG. I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. ALSO THE REQUEST, CAN YOU GUYS ACTUALLY TALK TO THEM WHEN HOW LONG THIS REPAIRS ARE GOING TO LAST? WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE FOR IT? BECAUSE THEY COME IN ALL ODD HOURS AND TIMES. 
          ALSO, I SAW ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GOING AROUND THE CITY FIXING POTHOLES AND DOING EVERYTHING. WE HAVE SEVERAL HUGE POTHOLES THAT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL IF THEY COULD BE REPAIRED. I'M NOT SURE. I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE OCR COMMUNITY GROUP, THE NONPROFIT FOR POCAHONTAS. THEY HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP HERE THIS APRIL IN THE LIBRARY. 
          IT HAS BASICALLY A POCAHONTAS MASTER PLAN FOR THE PARKS, AND IT HAS SECURED ALREADY $20,000 OF FUNDING. SO WE CAN COME HERE. EVERYBODY CAN HELP SUPPORT HERE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON DURING THE EVENT. YOU CAN EXPECT $100 RAFFLE MEALS. THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT ON HOW TO SHAPE THE PARK SO IT CAN BE REVITALIZED AND HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO COME TO RUN, JOG, FISH, JUST ENJOY THE COMMUNITY, ENJOY THE NICE PARTS OF PETERSBURG. BUT IT'S HARD TO DO THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE TREATMENT PLANT AND EVERYTHING THEY HAVE GOING ON DAILY. I COME HOME SOMETIMES ON BREAK AND THEY HAVE COMPLETELY BROKE. COMING FROM, I THINK IT'S THE PONY. THE ROAD THAT COMES AROUND UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE WILL BE BLOCKED WITH EQUIPMENT YOU CAN'T EVEN GET THROUGH. AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, NO LAND GUYS, NOBODY TO GO AROUND AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S NO CARS COMING ON THE OTHER SIDE. YOU CAN GO. THEY'RE STILL WORKING. LIKE THEY'RE NOT BEING A NUISANCE. 
          LIKE THEY'RE NOT INTRUDING INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. LIKE THIS IS THEIR WHOLE AREA. AND THEY HAVE TOOK OVER A LARGE PORTION OF OUR AREA. SO WITH THE OCR DOING THIS AND COMING UP WITH A MASTER PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY, COME AND MAKE OUR PARKS IN THE AREA DOWN THERE. NICE. IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY IT, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NO STRUCTURE OF HOW THEY'RE USING THE AREA DOWN THERE UNTIL THEIR RENOVATIONS ARE DONE. THAT'S WHY A SCHEDULE WILL BE GREAT. ETIQUETTE ON HOW TO SPEAK TO RESIDENTS THERE WOULD BE GREAT AND POTHOLES FIXING THOSE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          NEXT, MR. LYNWOOD. CHRISTIAN. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LYNWOOD CHRISTIAN ROSATI, 633 WEST WASHINGTON STREET, APARTMENT 304. YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S INTERESTING BEING BACK AFTER HAVING HEART SURGERY AND A ROBOTIC PROSTATECTOMY, BUT I WOULD WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE THING TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, EVEN THOUGH IT DID SEE ONE OF THE MEMBERS COME UP HERE LIKE GESTAPO. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR FORMER POLICE CHIEF, KEN, MR. MILLER, ALSO OUR CURRENT POLICE CHIEF AND THE DEPUTY, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS AT A LOW POINT IN MY LIFE, PRETTY MUCH READY TO TAKE MY OWN LIFE, THERE'S ONLY THREE 
          [01:40:02]
PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG I TRUSTED ENOUGH TO CALL AND GET ME HELP. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR FORMER CHIEF MILLER, OUR COLONEL, CURRENT CHIEF COLONEL CHRISTIAN, AS WELL AS OUR DEPUTY CHIEF CHAMBLISS. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MAKE OUR PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT LOOK GOOD, DESPITE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE MAY THINK. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THIS. 2024 REALLY BOTHERED ME BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, DONALD TRUMP WAS RETURNED IN AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL APPEARED IN A BLITZKRIEG OF COMMERCIALS FOR THE CASINO. NOW, ALL OF THAT MAY BE GOOD, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE GATEWAYS TO THE CITY AND HOW BAD THEY LOOK, LET'S NOT FORGET HALIFAX STREET IS A GATEWAY TO THE CITY. AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE SCHOOL I WENT TO, ALONG WITH OUR VICE MAYOR AND A FEW OTHERS ON THIS COUNCIL, IT MAKES NO SENSE. PEABODY LOOKS THE WAY THAT IT DOES. THIS CITY COUNCIL FOUGHT, AND I COULD SAY THAT BEFORE ANY OF YOU ALL WERE ON. CITY COUNCIL FOUGHT FOR THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS, BUT YET THEY'RE LETTING PEABODY GO TO HELL. HOW DOES THAT SOUND? ALSO, WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE ALL OF THE EVERYTHING YOU ALL WERE DOING FOR THE CASINO, YOU WERE SAYING NOTHING ABOUT GETTING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE RECREATION CENTERS, MISS ANNETTE SMITH, LEE, SOME OF YOU ALL. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A FAMILIAR CONVERSATION? ALSO, WE'RE DOING NOTHING TO HELP OUR POPULATION, SUCH AS OUR SENIORS, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. BUT YET WE PUSHED THAT CASINO. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ALL ARE DOING POTHOLES, BUT THE STREETS IN THIS CITY NEED TO BE REPAIRED, PERIOD. NOT TEENY TINY POTHOLES. AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS, WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE PROBLEM THEY WERE HAVING WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE FUSSING WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION IN POCAHONTAS, I HAVE TO SAY, YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE HAD MY WARD COUNCILMAN, HOWARD MYERS, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAD THAT SITUATION ON MISTLETOE STREET, HE GOT TIRED OF US CALLING HIM ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT, TELLING HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND AFTER DOING THAT, IT WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT. SO AGAIN, I HOPE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL WILL TAKE THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION. AND I SEE YOU COMING, AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL LEARN HOW TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, 
          [10. Business or reports from the Mayor or other Members of City Council]
THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS ITEM TEN BUSINESS OF REPORTS FROM THE MAYOR OF THOSE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WILL BE HOLDING A WARD FOUR MEETING ON APRIL THE 9TH. IT'S A THURSDAY, 530 IN THIS ROOM. AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE AND ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS HERE AS WELL. THE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE A CONTINUATION OF THE AGENDA FROM OUR LAST WARD MEETING, WHICH I THINK WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE AND HELPED TO DIRECT US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE BIG ISSUE IS GOING TO THE BIG TOPIC IS GOING TO BE MASTER CHEVROLET PROPERTY. THAT IS THE PROPERTY WE BOUGHT THE CITY BOUGHT FROM THE SUBTLE FAMILY AND HOW BEST TO DEVELOP THAT PROPERTY, HOW BEST TO OBTAIN INTEREST FROM PRIVATE DEVELOPERS IN DEVELOPING THAT PROPERTY. AND WE'VE NOW GOT MR. JEFF STOKES TO HELP US, HELP GUIDE US. HE AND THE CITY MANAGER AND MR. MILLER AND CHIEF CHRISTIAN WILL ALL BE HAVE ALL BEEN INVITED AND I EXPECT WE'LL BE PRESENT. AND AS I SAY, I'D LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE AS WELL. THERE ARE TWO ISSUES. THE BIGGEST ONE IS HOW DO WE GET WHAT WE WANT? AND ONCE WE FIGURE THAT OUT, I THINK THE SECOND ISSUE, WHICH IS WHAT DO WE WANT, WILL ANSWER ITSELF. ALSO AT THAT BOARD MEETING, I EXPECT THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT MITIGATION OF SPEEDING. IT'S BEEN A REPETITIVE ISSUE AND CONCERN OF MINE AND OF MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I HOPE, MR. MILLER, THAT BY APRIL THE 9TH, WE WILL HAVE CAMERAS UP AT BLANFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE ARE AUTHORIZED BY STATE LAW TO PUT SPEED CAMERAS UP ON EAST BANK 
          [01:45:08]
STREET. WE HAVE NOT DONE IT. I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THAT TO BE DONE SINCE AT LEAST MAY OF LAST YEAR. THERE STILL IS NOT AN AREA OF CAMERA UP, AND I THINK IT'S TIME THAT CAMERAS GOT PUT UP. I'M SURE IT'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT, BUT WITH THAT MUCH TIME PASSING, I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A WAY AROUND THE ROADBLOCKS THAT HAVE BEEN ENCOUNTERED. AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO THANK MR. MILLER AND MR. JONES AND ALL OTHERS WHO'VE PLAYED A ROLE IN GETTING THOSE RUMBLE STRIPS UP. THEY'VE MADE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN MITIGATING SPEEDING. WE'VE STILL GOT A WAYS TO GO. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL LOCATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, BUT THE RUMBLE STRIPS COUPLED WITH STOP SIGNS HAVE BEEN A REAL SUCCESS IN HELPING TO MITIGATE SPEEDING PROBLEM, AND I AM GLAD TO BE PART OF THE TEAM OF MILLER, JONES ET AL WHO HAVE HELPED MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. SO THOSE ARE THE ISSUES. APRIL 9TH, PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR. I THINK OUR BOARD MEETINGS HAVE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CONSTRUCTIVE AND GOING WELL, AND I'VE LEARNED THAT EVERY ONE OF THEM, AND I THINK THE PUBLIC WILL LEARN AS WELL. MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND AGAIN, THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. I'M GOING TO BE ALL OVER THE PLACE. I HEARD A LOT TONIGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DATA CENTERS AND AND SAY NO TO THEM AND UNHEALTHINESS. AND ALSO LET ME JUST IF EVERYBODY ON THIS SIDE PAY TAXES AND EVERYBODY ON THIS SIDE DID NOT PAY TAXES, BUT EVERYBODY GOT TO USE THE SAME ROAD TO COME IN AND OUT OF HERE WHEN THOSE ROAD NEEDS REPAIR, IS IT FAIR TO RAISE THE TAXES ON THE ONES WHO'S PAYING? IS IT FAIR? WHO'S GOING TO FILL THE GAP? SO THIS IS WHY IT DON'T HAVE TO BE A DATA CENTER. WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AS A GROUP, AS A PEOPLE, AS A CITY TO FILL THE GAP, BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS GOING UP WITH A DATA CENTER OR WITHOUT ONE, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IT SOME KIND OF WAY. DON'T NOBODY GIVE US NO MONEY. THIS IS YOUR MONEY. YOU HEAR ME SAY IT A THOUSAND TIMES. IT'S YOUR MONEY. AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO SPEND IT. IT'S YOUR MONEY. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON THIS SIDE, DEPEND ON THIS SIDE. UNFORTUNATELY WE DO. WITH THAT BEING SAID, BLACK PEOPLE AND WHITE PEOPLE. YOUR SKIN IS A UNIFORM. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OFF. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT THAT YOU STUCK WITH IT. BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. YOU DON'T NEED A UNIFORM TO HAVE UNITY. I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN. YOU DO NOT NEED A UNIFORM TO HAVE UNITY. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE BLACK, WHITE, OR WHATEVER IN THIS CITY, WE BETTER TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND US. NOT JUST IN THIS CITY, BUT IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS COUNTRY. BECAUSE SOON THIS PLACE THAT WE CALL HOME WILL NOT BE A PLACE WHERE WE CAN CALL HOME IF WE DON'T GET OUR STUFF TOGETHER. BLACK FOLKS, WHITE FOLKS IN THIS CITY, IT'S DEEPER THAN THAT. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT'S GOING TO COST US. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS, I'M OPEN FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS. 
          I'M OPEN FOR ANYTHING. WE CAN'T JUST SAY DON'T BRING BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE THE SAME ENERGY ABOUT THESE VAPE SHOPS SMOKING, SMOKING, LIVING WITH SMOKERS, BEING IN SMOKING ENVIRONMENTS, THE SAME THING, SAME. IT'S JUST AS DANGEROUS GUN VIOLENCE, JUST AS DANGEROUS. COME UP WITH SOMETHING SO THE TAXPAYERS DON'T HAVE TO PAY ALL THIS MONEY. WHEN THINGS GO UP. IT'S YOUR MONEY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. NOW LET ME FINISH WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS. MY TIME. Y'ALL. Y'ALL CHILL. THIS IS MY TIME. SOMEBODY SAID LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THIS CITY. LIFE EXPECTANCY. I THINK SOMEBODY SAID IT'S NOT REACHING 60 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I THINK I, I DON'T SEE TOO MANY PEOPLE. DYING AT 60. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE. MY MOTHER IS ONE OF THEM. 74. HOW MANY 70 YEAR OLDS IN HERE RIGHT NOW? RAISE YOUR HAND. SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? AIN'T NOTHING AFFECTING THEIR LIFE EXPECTANCY BUT US. IT'S NOT ABOUT LIFE EXPECTANCY. IT'S EXPECTANCY OF LIFE. WHEN YOU CAN'T WALK DOWN YOUR STREET IN PEACE BECAUSE SOMEBODY YOU KNOW IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GOT A GUN AND DON'T MIND SHOOTING IT AT A NICE EVENT, LIFE EXPECTANCY, NO EXPECTANCY OF LIFE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT PEABODY. I LOVE 
          [01:50:10]
PEABODY, AND SOME OF YOU COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT PEABODY AS IF WE DIDN'T GO TO PEABODY OURSELVES. I WENT TO PEABODY WHEN IT WAS ABANDONED BY THE ALUMNI, WHEN IT WAS ABANDONED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. TEACHERS. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY TOLD US, I GOT MINE. YOU GOTTA GET YOURS. 
          AND WE STRUGGLED EVER SINCE, SO DON'T THINK WE DIDN'T GO THERE. I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION. 
          PEABODY ALUMNI. I LOVE YOU. I'M A LION. I'M GOING TO BE A LION FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I'M THE REASON. YOU ARE THE REASON WHY I BOUGHT THE PETERSBURG LIONS PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM HERE. AND BASKETBALL AFTER PEABODY. FROM WHAT I HEARD, NOT FROM WHAT NOBODY HERE TOLD ME. 
          NOBODY. NOBODY IN THE ALUMNI. AND I'M NOT TALKING DOWN ON YOU, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF YOU THINK THAT I'M SAYING. NOBODY CAME AND SAID HOW GREAT PEABODY WAS. WE HAD TO FIGURE THAT OUT. 
          WHEN WE GOT OUT OF THERE, ALL WE SAW WAS OLD PICTURES ON THE WALL WHEN WE WALKED DOWN. 
          NOBODY IN THAT SCHOOL THAT WAS TEACHING SAID HOW GREAT IT WAS. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. WHOEVER THE TEACHERS WERE, THEY DIDN'T TELL US THAT. THEY DIDN'T SAY, IT'S GREAT. THEY DIDN'T SAY, YOU CAN BE LIKE THIS. ANY CHILD, IF YOU TELL ANY CHILD, YOU CAN BE LIKE SOMETHING GREAT. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO REACH FOR THAT. NOBODY REACHED FOR THAT FOR ME. I HAD TO FIGHT THE POLICE AND AND THE DRUG DEALERS AND EVERY DAGGONE THING ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY. EXTEND MY TIME, PLEASE. CAN I HAVE SOMEBODY TIME? NO, NO. Y'ALL GOING TO HEAR THIS. Y'ALL GOING TO. 
          Y'ALL SEE? Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO HEAR THE TRUTH. WELL, LET ME ASK YOU THIS LAST QUESTION. 
          WHAT DID WE TAKE WHEN WE INTEGRATED WITH PETERSBURG HIGH? DO WE TAKE OUR SCHOOL COLORS? NO. DO WE TAKE OUR NAME PEABODY? NO. DID WE TAKE OUR MASCOT? NO. DID WE TAKE OUR ALMA MATER? NO. 
          WE DIDN'T DO ANY OF THAT. WE DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING BECAUSE WE WERE SO HELL BENT ON SITTING BESIDE THOSE AND INTEGRATING WITH PEOPLE WHO SPIT IN YOUR FACE. SICK DOGS ON YOU, FIRE HOSE ON YOU. AND YOU DON'T EVEN SUPPORT YOURSELVES NO MORE TODAY THAN YOU DID BACK THEN. 
          YOU DID ALRIGHT. THAT'S THE TRUTH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JONES, COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. 
          GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW HOW I DO. I TRY TO HIT YOU WITH SIX SEVEN POINTS SOMETIMES SIX THOUGH THE SEVENTH ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY FIRST OF ALL CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PETERSBURG HIGH BASKETBALL TEAM. I'M SURE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE GOING TO COME BEHIND THEM. I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT TEAM. 52 YEARS BRINGING THE CHAMPIONSHIP BACK HOME. WE'VE GOTTEN CLOSE, AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO TALK BAD ABOUT THE TEAM AND HOW THEY WERE CONSTRUCTED, BUT I'M HAPPY THAT THAT TEAM WAS CONSTRUCTED. AND COACH WHITE, I'M GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT IT BACK HOME, AND I'M GLAD THAT THOSE THEY ARE STUDENT ATHLETES, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR GPAS, THEY ARE SCHOLARS AND THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN THE CLASSROOM. AND I'D LIKE TO LIKE TO PIGGYBACK OFF THAT. JUST A SHAMELESS PLUG THAT WE'RE DOING GREAT THINGS. STILL, PEOPLE KNOW. I TALK ABOUT THE DEBATE TEAM THAT'S GOING ON AT PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL. THEY DID VERY WELL IN THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT, HAD FOUR PEOPLE TO GO ON TO STATES. SO I WILL BE UPDATING WITH YOU WITH THEIR STATE TOURNAMENT PUSH OVER THE NEXT MONTH. AND AS WELL, WHAT WE'RE DOING AT VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE DOWN FOUR OF MY STUDENTS TO ATLANTA THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE GUARANTEED RIGHT TO VOTE IN THE CONSTITUTION. WE DEBATED THAT THIS WEEKEND THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULD CONSTITUTIONALIZE THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THERE'S A LOT OF AMENDMENTS THAT STOP LIMITATIONS FROM VOTING, BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE. PROUD TO SAY VIRGINIA STATE CAME HOME FIRST IN THAT TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND TO SOCIAL JUSTICE DEBATES. SO YES, IT WAS CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND AROUND CHAMPIONSHIP MONTH. SO AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE OUR YOUTH AND LET YOU KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST ON AN ATHLETICS AND FOOTBALL, BUT THE SPORT OF THE MIND. WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS. WE'LL MOVE ON BECAUSE AGAIN, WITH THE YOUTH AND THAT THEME, IT'S HAPPY TO TAKE AGAIN STUDENTS AND GET PUBLICIZED THAT WE DID READ ACROSS AMERICA THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH. 
          PERSONALLY, I WAS OUT AT THREE SCHOOLS, BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET THE STUDENTS OUT AND THEY REALLY ENJOYED READING TO THE STUDENTS. AND WE WERE CALLED BACK FROM WESTVIEW ELEMENTARY TO SAY, HEY, COULD Y'ALL COME AND SUB VOLUNTEER LUNCH? SO TRYING TO GET STUDENTS TO REALLY, AND ESPECIALLY MY MALE STUDENTS, TO BE IN THE SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY CAN SEE REPRESENTATION BECAUSE THE STUDENTS LOVE TO SEE THE STUDENTS COME IN. AND WHEN I COME INTO SCHOOLS, THEY ALWAYS SAY WHEN YOU BRING THE STUDENTS BACK. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING OUR PART. I WON'T JUST SAY ME, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE UP HERE TO BE ABLE TO PUBLICIZE IT WITH THE YOUTH. AND PETERSBURG ARE DOING AS WELL AS THAT. PLEASANTS LANE ELEMENTARY, IT'S 
          [01:55:02]
A PROGRAM, I TOLD YOU, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE NOBEL PEACE CENTER. I KNOW THAT IT'S ABOUT TO GET HOT AND THINGS SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, TURN A TICK UPTICK OF CHAOTIC. I WON'T SAY VIOLENT, BUT WE ARE DOING PEACE TRAINING MY STUDENTS AS WELL, MYSELF. WE'RE GOING INTO ELEMENTARY, WORKING WITH THIRD GRADERS. WE BELIEVE THAT IF THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE STARTS AT THIRD GRADE, WE'RE GOING TO START PEACE TRAINING IN THE THIRD GRADE. AND SO FAR, THEY'VE REALLY TAKEN HOLD TO IT. I'D LIKE TO THANK CHIEF CHRISTIAN FOR COMING OUT THIS PAST THURSDAY, BRINGING THE K-9 UNIT OUT. I HAVE SHERIFF CRAWFORD. SHE'S GOING TO BE DOING THINGS WITH US OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AND THEN WITH EVERYTHING WILL BE HOPEFULLY SECURED ON THE FIRST MEETING IN MAY, I WILL BE INVITING THOSE THIRD GRADERS TO CITY COUNCIL TO. JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL A HEADS UP THAT WE WILL BE DEPUTIZING THEM AS PEACE AGENTS IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE THIRD GRADERS COMING. SO PLEASE COME OUT TO SUPPORT THEM. THAT FIRST MEETING OF MAY THAT WE COME OUT, AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE A PROGRAM AT THE SCHOOL FOR THE ONES WHO CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEETING TO CELEBRATE THEM. AND THEN FINALLY WITH THE YOUTH, THEY DID HAVE AN ARTS SHOW. I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE THIS PAST WEEKEND, BUT THEY DID HAD A SHOWCASE OF THEIR ARTWORK THIS PAST SATURDAY. SO AGAIN, JUST THERE IS GREAT THINGS GOING AND IT'S NOT JUST THE SCHOOL BOARD, IT'S JUST NOT THE SUPERINTENDENT, IT'S NOT THE TEACHERS, BUT IT'S ALL OUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO HELP OUT THESE STUDENTS, TO CELEBRATE THEM. OF COURSE, EVERYBODY ELSE CAN TALK ABOUT THE BAD, BUT I BELIEVE IF WE TALK ABOUT THE GOOD, WE CAN TURN THIS THING AROUND AND IT'S ALREADY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT IT CAN GO A LOT FASTER IN THAT DIRECTION. SO LET'S CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE YOUTH OF PETERSBURG. AS I WAS SAYING EARLIER, I WAS VERY HAPPY I DID THAT EXTRA I TO THE LETTERING AND THE WILCOX LAKE GRANT COMING IN, BECAUSE THOSE TWO THINGS ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. THERE'S A LITTERING PROBLEM GOING ON IN PETERSBURG. 
          I SEE IT NOW. AGAIN. IT'S GETTING HOT, PEOPLE THROWING THINGS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. 
          SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GRANTS ARE BEING USED IN THE RIGHT WAYS, THAT WE ARE CLEANING UP OUR CITY. AND I KNOW IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLASTIC BAG TAX? IT HASN'T BEEN FORGOTTEN. I JUST HAD TO UNDERSTAND THAT I'M LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE AND PEOPLE NEEDED MORE INFORMATION BEFORE THEY THINK THEY HEAR TAX, AND THEY THINK THAT THEY JUST HAVE TO GO SOME MORE MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET. SO I WOULD LIKE TO DO SOME MORE EDUCATION OVER THE NEXT 3 OR 4 MONTHS BEFORE I BRING THAT BACK TO THE COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN VOTE ON IT. BUT THE PUBLIC PLASTIC BAG TAX IS STILL IN WORKING. I JUST HAVE TO TAKE MY TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND IT BETTER. BUT AS WELL, THE WILCOX LAKE CONSERVANCY, I HOPE THAT THEY CAN COME UP HERE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM HERE OVER THE PAST PRETTY MUCH FEW MONTHS, SO THEY CAN TELL YOU WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS THEY CLEAN UP THE PARK AND UTILIZE THAT TRAIL SYSTEM. I KNOW MY TIME IS RUNNING OUT, BUT BACK TO THE PARKS I GO QUICKLY. PARKS AND RECS IS COMING UP. IT'S TIME TO REGISTER YOUR KIDS FOR SUMMER CAMP, SO PLEASE REGISTER FOR THEM. SUMMER CAMP. THE POOL SHOULD BE OPENING SOON ON FARMER STREET AND BECAUSE OF MY TIME I WILL JUST SAY CUT YOUR GRASS. SPRING STARTS THIS, THIS, THIS FRIDAY. SPRING STARTS. I KNOW I WANT MY 10S LIKE THEM. I GOT YOU SO CUT YOUR GRASS. AND I WAS PROUD TO GO TO THE SMITHSONIAN AND SEE THAT BISHOP PAYNE DIVINITY SCHOOL IN PETERSBURG THAT WAS HERE. HBCU GO TO THE SMITHSONIAN AND LOOK AT THE NEW VANGUARD EXHIBIT AT THE SMITHSONIAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN MEYERS, ONCE AGAIN, MR. MAYOR, WHY DO I HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM? DID YOU? YOU KNOW WHAT, MARLO? THANK YOU. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM EVERY TIME, BUT ANYWAY, ALL RIGHT, AT THIS TIME, THIS IS THE PART I HATE. I HAVE TO DELIVER SERVICES. AND I ENJOY DELIVERING SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG. I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS COUNCIL DOES ALLOW ME SOME LEEWAY TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I SEEM TO LOVE MORE THAN I SHOULD. AND, AND ESPECIALLY IS MY SENIORS HERE IN THE CITY OF LEESBURG. AND SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL HELP ME GIVE THEM A FRIENDLY A HAND CLAP. HE HELPED ME WITH THE DELIVERY OF FOOD TO OUR SENIORS HERE. HE'S ONE OF OUR GREATEST HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR WE'VE HAD IN A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE HIM HIS KUDOS FOR THAT. I'VE BEEN TOLD AND TOLD TIME AND TIME AGAIN, STAY OFF OF FACEBOOK. I'M NOT GOING TO PREACH. I'M NOT GOING TO PREACH, AND I'M NOT GOING TO PREACH, AND I DON'T DO IT. BUT WHEN I SIT AROUND AND LISTEN TO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, OH, THIS IS A, A MOBILE HOME OR THIS IS THIS, AND THIS IS THAT, AND IT AIN'T SITTING ON A FOUNDATION. YES, THEY SIT ON A FOUNDATION. ALL THOSE ON HALIFAX STREET, WESLEY STREET, JONES STREET AND STREET. 
          I'VE GOT NINE FOLKS THERE. AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALL INCLUSIVE, TAKING CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN. DO YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE GOT 250 FAMILIES, AND I'M GOING TO SAY 250 FAMILIES RIGHT NOW BOTHERS ME EVERY DAY. AND I WORK EVERY DAY. THIS IS NOT A CAMPAIGN SPEECH OR ANYTHING. I GOT 250 FAMILIES, ALL OF US UP HERE, 250 FAMILIES LIVING IN HOTELS WITH SCHOOL AGED 
          [02:00:07]
CHILDREN. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THAT. YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO GROW UP IN A HOTEL? NO YOU DON'T, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS THE REALITY THAT WE HAVE TODAY. AND THIS IS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS COUNCIL, TO ALLOW ME TO DO WHAT I DO AND TO BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE TO THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. WE ALL DO IT HERE TOGETHER. AND SO I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT, HOWEVER, THESE HOUSES ARE BROUGHT HERE ON A TRUCK, THEY ARE MANUFACTURED HOMES, THEY SIT ON A FOUNDATION, AND THEY'RE JUST AS VALUABLE AS ANY OTHER HOMES SITTING THERE. THAT WAS STICK BUILT EVER. SO I WANT TO CLEAR THAT UP FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ALWAYS WANT TO CRITICIZE WHAT THE CITY OF PETERSBURG DOES FOR ITS CITIZENS, I ALSO WANT TO THANK RICHARD HARRIS FOR WHAT HE DOES FOR THE WORKS DEPARTMENT. BILL, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALWAYS BEING A PART OF THAT TEAM, HELPING OUR FOLKS GET INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, KEEP IT FROM BEING EVICTED, PEOPLE'S ADVANTAGE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION MAYOR AND I LOVE PEOPLE'S ADVANTAGE. I GOT TO TELL YOU, THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR US WHEN WE NEED THEM. THEY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO ARE MARGINALIZED AND MAY NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A REGULAR BANK, BUT THEY MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF. CHIEF MILLER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO. WHEN I GOT A REGULAR HOUSE, YOU TEAR IT DOWN. I GOT ONE ON GUARANTY STREET. I'M STILL WAITING FOR YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOT ANOTHER ONE ON HALIFAX STREET. I'M STILL WAITING FOR YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF IT FOR ME. THIS IS HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE. CLEAN UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MAKE IT A BETTER NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HERE IN PETERSBURG. YES, THIS COUNCIL DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO. I DON'T LIKE READING FACEBOOK. I DON'T CARE ABOUT IT. I JUST PUT MY FOOD AND MY DOGS AND MY CAT ON THERE. THAT'S ABOUT IT. AND THAT'S ALL I LOVE TO DO. BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. AND I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO TALK ABOUT ANYMORE. AND I DON'T HAVE A BOARD MEETING COMING UP IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, BUT I WILL BE IN MAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILWOMAN SMITH. LEE. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CITY GETTING THE WORK DONE HERE. I APPRECIATE YOU. NORMALLY I DON'T REBUTTAL ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS, BUT I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW I WAS INDUCTED INTO THE PETERSBURG ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME AS A CONTRIBUTOR AND ALSO AS A PERSON THAT PLAYED BASKETBALL AND SOFTBALL FOR THE CITY, PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOL SYSTEM. WITH MY CONTRIBUTED, I GAVE OVER $30,000 TO THE KIDS HERE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR THE KIDS HERE IN THE CITY AND MR. CHRISTIAN, I HAVE HELPED YOU AND YOUR SON SO HOW DARE YOU GET UP HERE AND AND CHASTISE ME? YES, AND I SAID IT. 
          SO AFTER THAT NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL CRIMSON WAVE BASKETBALL TEAM FOR BRINGING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HERE FOR THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. 
          IT'S BEEN OVER 52 YEARS. THOSE GUYS PLAYED THEIR HEART OUT THE WHOLE SEASON. AND YES, I SUPPORTED NOT ONLY THEM, BUT THE FOOTBALL TEAM, THE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM, THE GIRL SOFTBALL TEAM AND THE TRACK TEAM AND ANY OTHER FOR ANY OTHER PERSONS THAT PLAYED IN HERE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. SO I KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO. HOW ABOUT ALL OF YOU? HAVE. ALL OF YOU HAVE COME TO EVERY SINGLE GAME. SO DON'T TELL ME ABOUT WHAT I HAVE NOT DONE OR WHAT I STATED. THANK YOU, COACH WHITE AND YOUR STAFF AND YOUR BOYS FOR DOING WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. AND ON ANOTHER NOTE TOO, ON SUNDAY, THE COMMUNITY GAVE A PICNIC FOR 
          [02:05:03]
THE KIDS, FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE WIN AND ALL THE FALSE NARRATIVE ON FACEBOOK. THERE WAS NOT A SHOOTING AT LEGEND PARK. IT HAPPENED ON CHUCKATUCK AVENUE, NOT AT THE PARK. SO WE NEED TO TO UPLIFT THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING IN THE CITY INSTEAD OF ALWAYS PROMOTING BAD THINGS. IT DOESN'T. IT'S NOT RIGHT. IT'S NOT RIGHT. WE HAVE POSITIVE THINGS GOING ON IN THIS CITY ALL THE TIME. WE'RE NOT PERFECT, BUT DID Y'ALL FORGET WE WERE $19 MILLION IN THE HOLE OVER EIGHT NINE YEARS AGO? AND LOOK WHERE WE COME. COME TO. WE'VE DONE WELL WITH WHAT WE HAD. THE EMPLOYEES HAD TO TAKE A 10% CUT. 
          BUT WE PRESSED ON TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. ARE WE PERFECT? NO, BUT WE TRY. WE ARE TRYING. LOOK AROUND THE CITY. LOOK. BE A POSITIVE NOTE ABOUT THE TRASH. I GOT A TRASH BAG IN MY CAR THAT I GO AROUND AND PICK UP TRASH IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. PICK IT UP? YES. 
          GET SOME GLOVES IN A TRASH BAG. PICK IT UP. BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE. STOP TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE ABOUT EVERYTHING HERE IN THE CITY. PROMOTE SOMETHING GOOD. SPEAK LIFE INTO YOUR CITY AND YOUR CHILDREN. MAYOR. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LEE, VICE MAYOR HILL, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. WE THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TODAY. 
          I WANT TO CONGRATULATE PETERSBURG HIGH, MY MOST OF OUR ALMA MATER, FOR WINNING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. I WANT TO THANK OUR PR TEAM, MISS WILLIAMS AND HER STAFF. OUR NEWSLETTER CAME OUT. WE HAD MANY SMALL BUSINESSES, WHICH WE DO SAY IS THE BACKBONE OF OUR CITY. BUT YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO WELCOME ALL, ALL, ALL BUSINESSES, BUT SOME BUSINESSES JUST DOESN'T FIT TO WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO. BUT WE THANK ALL BUSINESSES. WAS TRYING TO COME HERE. I DID RIDE AROUND THE CITY AND I SAW SOME AND IT'S FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND FOR OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT. I SAW SOME AREAS WHERE WE HAD SOME VACANT LOTS THAT WERE PRIVATE, LOTS THAT WE NEED TO GO AND LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THEY HAD A LOT OF TRASH THERE. THERE'S ONE ON SYCAMORE STREET NEAR. BEFORE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT TURN ON TO GO TO FOOD LION, THERE'S A LOT RIGHT THERE NEAR THE FISH PLACE. THEY GOT A WHOLE LOT OF TRASH RIGHT THERE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMEBODY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. AND JUST AS COUNCILMAN ANNETTE SMITH LEE SAID, IF YOU SEE ANYTHING, PLEASE TRY TO PICK IT UP OR AT LEAST CALL SOMEONE AND LET US KNOW AND WE'LL GET SOMEONE OUT THERE TO PICK IT UP. SO I WANT TO THANK THE PUBLICATION THAT CAME OUT A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, HIGHLIGHTING HOW OUR SMALL BUSINESSES OR OUR BUSINESSES IN GENERAL THERE, THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS THAT'S GOING ON AND WE CAN'T TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT THEM RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S AN EFFORT TO TRY TO REVITALIZE THE TRIANGLE AREA WHERE WE HAVE THE JAZZ FESTIVAL. SO THERE ARE PLANS TO MOVE ALL OUR THE PAVING AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE SEEN AND, AND THE PARKING AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE SEEN DOWN IN DOWNTOWN TO MOVE UP THAT WAY, TO DO SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE, BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING UP THAT WAY. THERE ARE ALSO THINGS IN THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO INDIVIDUALS, IN PARTICULAR, COUNCILMAN MYERS EVEN HE HAS NOT SAID ANYTHING ABOUT PEABODY, HOW WE CAN TRY TO REVITALIZE PEABODY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE PUT OUR HEADS IN THE SAND AND WE JUST DON'T SEE THE EYESORE. I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT WE WE UNDERSTAND THE PLIGHT. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. THERE'S SOME, SOME IDEAS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO REVITALIZE THAT THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. WE UNDERSTAND THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROPERTY AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND WE HAVE HEARD ALL OF YOUR VOICES, MORE ESPECIALLY THE PEABODY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. I'M GLAD WE KIND OF I WAS OUT THERE ON SUNDAY AND I LEFT PRIOR TO 
          [02:10:05]
THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED, BUT THAT DID NOT HAPPEN AT THE PARK, AT LEGENDS PARK. ACTUALLY, FROM WHAT I'M TOLD, IT HAPPENED IN SOMEONE'S HOME, BUT THEY JUST HEARD THE GUNS AND EVERYBODY STARTED SCATTERING. I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS LEGISLATION. OUR DELEGATE WAS OUT AT THE PARK AT THE TIME, AND THERE'S LEGISLATION TALKING ABOUT HOW THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THESE MAGAZINE GUNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I AM A FIRST AND SECOND AMENDMENT ADVOCATE, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY NEEDS AN UZI OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THAT HAPPENS AT THE STATE AND ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. BUT IF YOU HAVE ANYONE IN YOUR HOME, ANY YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR RELATIVES, AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE ABOUT THAT LIFE IS UP TO ALL OF US TO TRY TO POLICE OUR, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. LIKE, LIKE WHAT WE SAID, WE NEED TO TALK MORE POSITIVE THAN NEGATIVE. IT'S JUST LIKE TURNING THE SHIP IN THE OCEAN. 
          IF ANY OF YOU ALL BEEN ON A CRUISE BEFORE, WHEN THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP TURNS THE SHIP, HE TURNS WAY BACK HERE AND IT DON'T ACTUALLY TURN UNTIL IT GET FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. WE'VE BEEN TURNING THE SHIP AND WE'RE HEADED TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY CAN SEE THE PROGRESS IN WHICH WE'VE MADE. THEY CAN SEE THE HOMES BEING BUILT, THEY CAN SEE EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO MOVE IN. WE HAVE SMALL FAMILIES TRYING TO MOVE IN, AND WE STILL HAVE TO GET FAMILIES THAT ARE LIVING IN HOTELS OUT OF THOSE HOTELS OR MOTELS RATHER, SO THAT THEY CAN BE IN HOMES. SO WE'RE WORKING HARD FOR YOU ALL. WE UNDERSTAND THE PASSION THAT ALL OF YOU ALL HAVE FOR YOUR CITY. IT'S OUR CITY AND MOST OF US BORN AND RAISED HERE TOO AS WELL. SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT, HOW YOU CONTINUE TO COME UP WITH US WITH IDEAS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE JUST NEED FOR EVERYONE TO BE PRAYED UP DURING THIS TIME BECAUSE THE ENEMY IS TRICKY AND THERE'S AN ELEMENT THAT'S STARTING TO COME IN THIS BUILDING THAT WAS IN THE LAST BUILDING, AND WE HAVE TURNED THE PAGE ON ALL THAT NEGATIVITY. WE HAVE TURNED THE PAGE ON THAT. WE'RE NOT DOING THIS. WE'RE NOT DOING THAT JUST TRAIN STATION ANYMORE. WE'RE IN A NEW BUILDING, NEW IDEAS, NEW WAYS, NEW VISION. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF. I WANT TO THANK, FIRST OF ALL, BY THANKING JOANNE WILLIAMS AND HER STAFF FOR THE NEWSLETTER. 
          WE GOT A NEWSLETTER THAT JUST CAME OUT AND IT'S JUST SO VERY INFORMATIVE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I ALWAYS WANTED AS A TO KNOW AS A KID HERE WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE CITY. AND WE THANK JOANNE FOR EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG GETTING THAT NEWSLETTER. AND SO MANY PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY, I LOVE Y'ALL SENDING THAT OUT. SO JOANNE, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO WITH SOME GREAT STORIES IN THERE. ALSO FROM NICOLE LOVING. SHE WANTED ME TO, TO REMIND YOU ALL ON COUNCIL THAT YOU HAVE REVIVED TRAINING TOMORROW AT 230 AT THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING. SO I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE. SHE'S DOING A REVIVE, WHICH IS LIKE A CPR TRAINING. OH, THAT. NEXT, I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON SOMETHING THAT COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE SAYS AS FAR AS POURING INTO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M GROWING UP HERE. AND MOST OF US BEING FROM HERE HAVE MADE IT OUR PRIORITY TO INSPIRE OUR YOUNGER GENERATION OF STUDENTS AND KIDS HERE IN PETERSBURG. 
          AND JUST HAVING THAT POSITIVE ENERGY THAT IS GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN THEM. I WANT TO THANK MY CITY COUNCIL FOR FOR SUPPORTING US IN BRINGING TY WHITE BACK HERE. HE'S ANOTHER HOME GROWN. YES. PETERSBURG, BORN AND RAISED IN PETERSBURG, AN EXCELLENT COACH. AND HE POURS INTO THOSE KIDS. AND HE STARTED WHEN WE GOT INTRODUCED, HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF TELLING THE KIDS IN PETERSBURG, IT IS OUR TURN NOW. AND WHEN HE SAID THAT, IT'S OUR TURN NOW, ALL THOSE KIDS IN PETERSBURG SCHOOLS BOUGHT INTO THAT JUST BY HAVING A LEADER WITH A VISION TO, TO, TO BELIEVE IN THE STUDENTS IN PETERSBURG. AND WE JUST NOT TALKING ATHLETICS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS WE GOT AN ACCREDITED HIGH SCHOOL NOW IN PETERSBURG BECAUSE THE KIDS SAY IT'S OUR TURN NOW TO GO TO SCHOOL AND DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO LEARN. WALNUT HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACCREDITED COOL SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACCREDITED. AND IT ALL IT ALL STEMS FROM HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN THEM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL KIDS IN THIS CITY. AND, AND I WAS OUT THERE SEEING THEM AT THAT PARK. THEY CAME OUT THIS SUNDAY AND ATE CHIEF MILLER. THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING TO YOU BECAUSE THEY LOVE THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. I HAD A HALF A DOZEN OF THEM SAYING, LOOK, I WANT TO BE IN THE 
          [02:15:05]
INTERNSHIP PROGRAM THIS YEAR. I TOLD THEM TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION BECAUSE WE WANT YOU HERE AND HIRED TO EXPOSING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR CITY. 
          THAT'S THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP. IF WE BUILD IT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HAVING WHAT WE HAD TEN YEARS AGO, WHICH WAS A FINANCIAL COLLAPSE IN WHICH EVERYONE THOUGHT THE CITY OF PETERSBURG WAS GOING TO BE BANKRUPT. YOU WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. WE HAD TO PUT UP CITY HALL TO BUY FIRE TRUCKS. THEN WE HAD TO ACTUALLY MORTGAGE A BUILDING TO BUY FIRE TRUCKS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MORE MONEY. AND NOW WE ARE HERE TODAY AND NO ONE TALKS ABOUT. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, NOW THAT WE HAVE A NEW WALNUT HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN DESIGN PHASE, YOU GOT A NEW $80 MILLION COURTHOUSE BREAKING GROUND. YOU GOT A SPORTS TRAINING FACILITY OVER THERE, $6 MILLION FOR OUR KIDS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL WHO NEVER HAD A FIELD HOUSE OR AN ADEQUATE PLACE TO HAVE PRACTICE, THE CITY COUNCIL FOR PUTTING IN THAT TURF FIELD AND THAT NEW TRACK, BECAUSE NOW OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOL, ALL THOSE KIDS USE THAT FACILITY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IT'S OUR TURN NOW AND WE KNOW WHAT'S NECESSARY AND TO BUILDING, BUILDING THIS CITY FOR THE FUTURE. AND SO MUCH OF WHAT CITY COUNCIL DOES NOW IS PUSHING THINGS INTO THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. HERE ALSO, WE HAVE A JUST TO GO DOWN THE LIST, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S QUESTIONS OF WHERE YOUR TAX DOLLARS GOING. WE GOT A NEW ANIMAL SHELTER THAT'S BEING BUILT ON PLANK ROAD. WE HAVE WE HAVE THE POOR CREEK AND WATER SEWER SYSTEM, $50 MILLION. 
          LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT GOING ON IN THE CITY'S HISTORY. YOU. WE HAVE OUR POLICE STATION, WHICH IS GOING TO BE MOVING OVER TO THE FARMER STREET, WHICH IS THE OLD SOCIAL SERVICES. THAT'S A $10 MILLION DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OUR POLICE STATION IS IN HORRIBLE SHAPE AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE THERE FOR OUR POLICE. ALSO, FARMER STREET FIRE STATION IS ISN'T ADEQUATE ANYMORE. IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. WE'VE ORDERED ALL NEW FIRE TRUCKS WHICH ARE GOING TO BE COMING IN. WE FINALLY GOT UP TO TO A POINT THAT WE CAN ORDER NEW POLICE CARS. SO EACH POLICEMAN HERE WILL HAVE NEW POLICE CARS FINALLY, AND HAVE TAKE HOME VEHICLES, WHICH IS WHAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS NEED TO RESPOND TO OUR EMERGENCIES. 
          WE ALSO WAS ABLE TO INCORPORATE A STEP PLAN FOR YEARS. PETERSBURG POLICE PETERSBURG FIRE WERE NOT PAID COMPARABLE TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS. WE GOT THE PAY IN IN LINE. AND SO WE DON'T SEE THE OUTFLOW OF LOSING PEOPLE TO THESE OTHER JURISDICTIONS. SO MY TIME IS UP. 
          BUT JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO THAT CASINO TALK AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF IS, IS SMALL POTATOES COMPARED TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO I THANK CITY COUNCIL FOR FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND FOR STEERING THE SHIP. AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT MOVING. ALRIGHT. NEXT WE 
          [12. Finance and Budget Report]
HAVE ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. NO ITEMS TONIGHT. ITEM 12 FINANCE AND BUDGET REPORT. WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE MONTHLY UPDATE, MR. GARY COZIER. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. JUST A QUICK UPDATE FOR YOU. SO THIS UPDATE SORRY GARY COLE'S YOUR BUDGET MANAGER. THIS UPDATE IS JUST GOING TO COVER BUDGET TO ACTUALS THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY. SO ROLLING RIGHT INTO IT 67% OF THE YEAR HAS BEEN EXPENDED THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY. AND OVERALL WE ARE AT 64% OF SPEND. SO STILL ON TRACK. SAME THING WITH OUR OTHER FUNDS. 
          SO ALL THE FUNDS ON TRACK AND YOU WILL SEE A YOU JUST APPROVED A AMENDMENT TO THE UTILITIES FUND TONIGHT. SO THAT WILL BRING THAT ON TRACK. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYBODY ELSE IS ON TRACK THERE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT'S IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS KOCH, I APPRECIATE IT. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 13, UNFINISHED BUSINESS. NO ITEMS 
          [14. New Business]
TONIGHT. ITEM 14, REPORT FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR POTENTIAL PROACTIVE REZONING. 
          JARED STEPPED OUT. ALRIGHT, HERE HE COMES. YOU COMING? YES. RIGHT HERE. APOLOGIES. JOEL MOVED QUICKER THAN I THOUGHT. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. SO, AT THE FEBRUARY 3RD JOINT MEETING YOU ALL HAD WITH OUR PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU HAD REQUESTED THAT THE COMMISSION 
          [02:20:01]
LOOK IN THE CORRIDOR IN THE VICINITY SURROUNDING OUR IRC DISTRICT OR OUR CASINO AND RESORT DISTRICT, AND POTENTIALLY IDENTIFY ANY PROPERTIES THAT MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO BE PROACTIVELY REZONED OR THAT'S TO SAY, THE CITY WOULD BE INITIATING THOSE REZONINGS. SO THE QUESTION REALLY WAS IF REZONINGS WERE APPROPRIATE, AND IF SO, WHICH DISTRICTS MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO BE REZONED TO? YOU ALL HAD ASKED FOR A FOCUS ON REDEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, AS OPPOSED TO FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON THE EXISTING USES IN THAT AREA. 
          SO OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS TAKEN A LOOK AND CONSIDERED LOOKED AT THE AREA, WEIGHED SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS AGAINST OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP. 
          THE EXISTING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA CONSIDERED WHETHER ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES BEYOND REZONING MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE. SO THIS IS A PICTURE OF OUR ZONING MAP CITYWIDE. I'VE CIRCLED. IF YOU SEE IN THE GREEN THERE, THAT'S THE IRC DISTRICT, THAT'S THE CASINO PROPERTY. SO WE WERE PARTICULARLY LOOKING IN THAT IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING AREA WHERE YOU SEE SOME OF THOSE LIGHTER SHADES KIND OF JUMP OUT AS MAYBE NOT MATCHING WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE ON THE ZONING MAP. SO TO START OFF, THERE ARE SOME PROPERTIES THAT ARE ON OUR ZONING MAP. THEY'RE SHOWING UP AS EITHER AGRICULTURAL OR SINGLE FAMILY ZONING. THIS IS ACTUALLY A MISTAKE ON OUR MAP. THOSE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN REZONED. 
          SO THESE WERE A FEW ALONG THE CRATER CORRIDOR AND ALONG MEDICAL PARK. SO I SAT DOWN AND GOT SOME DIRECTION FROM THE CITY MANAGER, AND WE HAD IDENTIFIED FOR PROPERTIES OR AREAS THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, CANDIDATES TO LOOK AT IF THIS PROACTIVE REZONING IS APPROPRIATE. SO AGAIN, THE FIRST LENS THAT WE KIND OF LOOKED THROUGH IS OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP, WHICH IS PART OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AGAIN, I'VE GOT THE AREA CIRCLED HERE ON THIS MAP, LOOKING A LITTLE BIT CLOSER ON THIS IMAGE. YOU SEE THE DARK RED THAT YOU'RE SEEING. THAT'S A CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL DESIGNATION. THE LIGHT SHADING THAT'S A COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL. AND THEN THE BLUE THAT YOU SEE IS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. SO LOOKING AT WHAT THESE DESIGNATIONS MEAN AND VERY GENERAL WAY, OUR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, THOSE ARE MEANT TO BE MAJOR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS WITH A VARIETY OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT USES, SOME LIGHT INDUSTRIAL OFFICE AND MEDICAL USES ARE ENCOURAGED. 
          THE CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL IS JUST WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE ALONG OUR MAJOR CORRIDORS, WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL USES, AND THESE ARE MEANT TO PROVIDE GOODS AND SERVICES SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY. COMMERCIAL USES, HOSPITALITY, RETAIL, RESTAURANT, PERSONAL SERVICES ARE ALL ENCOURAGED. AND THEN FINALLY, THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL IS DESCRIBED AS MORE SUBURBAN IN CHARACTER. SO LOWER DENSITY WITH A VARIETY OF RESIDENTIAL USES BEING ENCOURAGED. SO LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT THE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED, THE FIRST IS 300 POPLAR DRIVE. THIS IS IT'S CURRENTLY THE THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. 
          IT'S A TEN ACRE LOT. IT'S GOT FRONTAGE ALONG BOTH POPLAR DRIVE AND MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. THAT CURRENT ZONING DESIGNATION IS R-1, WHICH IS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT. SO THE RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY USE IS PERMITTED BY RIGHT, BUT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALIGN WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION, WHICH IS THAT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AREA. 
          SO IF THIS PROPERTY WERE TO BE REDEVELOPED, IT WOULD BE LIMITED TO LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES. SO ESSENTIALLY ANOTHER PLACE OF WORSHIP OR A SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING. NEXT WE LOOKED AT 230 MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. THIS IS CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED. IT'S ABOUT A 25 ACRE LOT, BUT IT'S WORTH NOTING IT'S MAJORITY WETLANDS. SO 
          [02:25:08]
THERE'S APPROXIMATELY THREE ACRES ALONG MEDICAL PARK THAT ARE READILY BUILDABLE. THIS PARCEL HAS R4 MULTIFAMILY ZONING, BUT IT'S ALSO WITHIN THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. SO WE DO HAVE PLANS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH REVIEW FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A 76 UNIT APARTMENT ON THIS SITE. SO WHEN PLANNING COMMISSION WAS LOOKING AT THIS ONE, WE'RE REALLY CONSIDERING WHETHER THAT USE WOULD BE THE BEST AND HIGHEST USE OF THE PROPERTY. AND IF R4 ZONING IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE KIND OF ANTICIPATING DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA, THAT WILL LIKELY FOLLOW THE CASINO DEVELOPMENT. NEXT. WE LOOKED AT 27 CEDAR DRIVE. 
          THIS IS ANOTHER CHURCH. THIS IS A 2.1 ACRE LOT. IT ACCESSES ONTO CRATER SOUTH CRATER ROAD. 
          THIS ALSO HAS R4 MULTIFAMILY ZONING. THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR THIS ONE IS CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL BECAUSE IT'S GOT THAT FRONTAGE ALONG SOUTH CRATER. SO THE CURRENT USE IS RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY. BUT AGAIN, IF WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS OF REDEVELOPMENT THAT ARE FOR ZONING WOULD ALLOW A RANGE OF RESIDENTIAL USES UP TO MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS ON THAT PARCEL. FINALLY, WE LOOKED AT CEDAR DRIVE ITSELF AND THE I THINK IT'S THE NORTH WOOD, MAYBE NORWOOD SUBDIVISION, SO TA COMPLETELY BUILT OUT WITH SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED. IT REACHES TO MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD, BUT THE STREET DOESN'T ACTUALLY CONNECT AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT ZONING IS R ONE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION IS COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL, WHICH WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE LOW DENSITY DEVELOPMENT CURRENTLY THERE. I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT THE STREET IS VERY MUCH A LOCAL STREET. 
          IT'S NOT CURRENTLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT HEAVIER TRAFFIC, BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS PARCEL, WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT A MORE AND MORE COMMERCIAL USE WILL LIKELY SURROUND THIS SUBDIVISION. SO WE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF POSSIBLE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THOSE ZONING DISTRICTS. THE FIRST WOULD BE OUR B TWO GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. SO THAT PERMITS A RANGE OF COMMERCIAL USES AS WELL AS SINGLE. AND TWO FAMILY DWELLINGS ARE ALLOWED BY RIGHT MULTIFAMILY, AND SOME OTHER MORE INTENSIVE USES CAN BE REQUESTED THROUGH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS. SOME OF THE PROS OF THE B2 ZONING. THAT COMMERCIAL FOCUS ALIGNS WITH WHAT I THINK WE WOULD ANTICIPATE TO SEE FOLLOWING THE CASINO DEVELOPMENT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A RANGE OF RETAIL AND SERVICE USES, HOSPITALITY USES, AND THE EXISTING USES ARE IN THAT AREA ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN B2. SO THEY WOULD NOT BE BECOMING NON-CONFORMING. THE CONS WOULD BE THAT IT DOESN'T ALIGN COMPLETELY WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, WHICH EMPHASIZES THAT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AREA. ANOTHER CONSIDERATION WOULD BE THAT SINCE THIS WAS A CITY INITIATED REZONING, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PLACE PROFFERS OR CONDITIONS ON THAT REZONING WITHOUT THE OWNER'S CONSENT. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STRIKE ANY USES FROM THE DISTRICT AS PART OF THAT REZONING. THE NEXT DISTRICT WE LOOKED AT WAS MXD3, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR MIXED USE DISTRICTS. IT ALLOWS OFFICES, CLINICS, EDUCATIONAL USES BY RIGHT, AND A RANGE OF COMMERCIAL AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL USES COULD BE REQUESTED THROUGH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. SO THIS DESIGNATION DOES ALIGN WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP. AND THIS DESIGNATION WOULD THE CITY WOULD HAVE REVIEW AUTHORITY BECAUSE MOST OF THE USES COMING THROUGH WOULD GO THROUGH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS. 
          SOME OF THE CONS WOULD BE IT IS LESS COMMERCIAL THAN THE B2 DISTRICT, AND SOME OF THE EXISTING USES BECOME NON-CONFORMING. OKAY, SO FINALLY, THE RECOMMENDATION 
          [02:30:02]
FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AT THIS TIME THEY RECOMMENDED CONSIDERING THE MKD, THE MIXED USE ZONING FOR ALL OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES THAT I COVERED. AGAIN, BECAUSE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USES AND RESIDENTIAL USES AREN'T INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT, THE PROPOSED USES WOULD BE SUBJECT TO COMING THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW APPROVAL, AND YOU WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO PLACE CONDITIONS ON THESE USES WITH SOME ASSURANCE THAT YOU COULD. THAT THE BEST AND HIGHEST USES WOULD BE UTILIZED ON THESE PROPERTIES. SO WHILE WE DO ANTICIPATE THE USES BEING COMMERCIAL IN NATURE IN THAT AREA, THERE WAS CONCERN OVER THE RANGE OF USES THAT ARE ALLOWED IN B2. AND AGAIN, I, I DON'T BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROHIBIT ANY OF THOSE USES. SO SOME OF THE MORE INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL USES COULD COME WITH THAT B2 ZONING. THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED SOME ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS BE PUT IN THE ORDINANCE FOR THAT NORTHWOOD SUBDIVISION IF IT WERE REZONED, FOR INSTANCE, A SPECIAL EXCEPTION PROCESS THAT WOULD APPLY IF, SAY, AN EXISTING HOUSE BURNED DOWN. WE WOULDN'T WANT TO ELIMINATE SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO REBUILD. SO FINALLY, SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS. SO WHEN AND IF A PROACTIVE REZONING PROCESS IS INITIATED, WE WOULD GO THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS WHERE I WOULD TAKE IT AS A FORMAL HEARING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WITH THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS BEING NOTIFIED, AND THEN IT WOULD COME TO YOU ALL FOR A VOTE. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE ZONING ORDINANCE REWRITE IS GOING. SO JUST WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT PROACTIVE REZONINGS THAT THERE'S NOTHING CHANGING BETWEEN OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE AND THE NEW ORDINANCE, THAT WE WOULD BE MIS ALIGNING ON. WE'D WANT TO JUST BE AWARE OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES HAVING LEGAL NON-CONFORMING USE. IF ZONING CHANGES, ONE KIND OF BIGGER PICTURE QUESTION WOULD BE, SO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE CASINO DEVELOPMENT. SO AS PART OF A LARGER CONVERSATION, IT MAY BE WORTH LOOKING AT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP ITSELF AND REVISITING THAT DESIGNATION. AND FINALLY, DUE TO JUST THE SCOPE OF THE REQUEST AND THE RESEARCH INVOLVED, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID ASK IF SOME ADDITIONAL TIME COULD BE PROVIDED TO CONSIDER THESE REZONINGS BEFORE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION IS MADE. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. CRUZ, GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU SIR. I KNOW THIS REPRESENTS A LOT OF WORK BY YOU AND BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY ON COUNCIL APPRECIATES IT. ONE QUESTION HAS COME UP AMONG SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND ME, AND THAT IS WHETHER THIS REZONING WOULD PROHIBIT THE PLANS, THE LOW INCOME HOUSING PLANS FOR 230 MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD GOING FORWARD. I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO, BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED AN ENTITLEMENT AS A MATTER OF RIGHT TO THE R4, WHETHER COUNCIL LIKES IT OR NOT. I'VE TALKED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. MR. CITY ATTORNEY IS WHAT I JUST SAID ACCURATE? I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE A PRETTY GOOD ARGUMENT TO THAT EFFECT IF IF WE WERE TO TRY TO EVEN IF WE WERE TO START RIGHT NOW TO INITIATE A REZONING, THEY'VE ALREADY HAD THEIR PLANS APPROVED. THEY ALREADY I THINK THEY GOT THE LAND DISTURBANCE PERMIT AS WELL. SO YEAH, I THINK THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE A LEGAL NON-CONFORMING OR GRANDFATHERED. YOU KNOW. PUSH YOUR BUTTON THEN WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. WELL, IT DOESN'T COME ON. YOU SEE IT. YEAH. GO AHEAD. I DON'T SEE IT. ALRIGHT. WELL ANY EVENT I GOT MY HAND ON THE BUTTON. OKAY. SO WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR WHETHER WE DON'T LIKE IT. THE WODA PROPERTY AT 230 MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. WOULD COULD GO FORWARD AS A MATTER OF RIGHT WITH LOW INCOME HOUSING. THIS IS. AND WE'LL GET TO THAT VOTER PROPERTY IN PART 
          [02:35:11]
B OF 14. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REZONING. 
          SO IF WE DID REZONE THE PROPERTY AT 230, THE CITY ATTORNEY BELIEVES THAT THE CURRENT OWNER WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN AND COULD GO FORWARD WITH HIS PLANS. AND WITH THAT, AS KIND OF BACKGROUND, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, MR. MAYOR, IF I MOVE, IF I MAY. YES. AND I MOVE THAT WE DIRECT THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO HAVE A DRAFT ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON PAGE 138 OF TONIGHT'S PACKAGE AGENDA PACKAGE, AND THAT THIS BE PRESENTED FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION ON COUNCIL'S SECOND MEETING IN JUNE. THAT WOULD GIVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE A STUDY OF THIS AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING, AND CONSIDER THE COMMENTS OF THE PUBLIC, AND THEN GET BACK TO COUNCIL AT THE SECOND MEETING IN JUNE. SO THAT'S MY MY MOTION, AS I SAY, AS AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE WATER GROUP'S INTENTIONS WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN, EVEN IF THIS LAND WERE REZONED TO SOMETHING MORE COMMERCIAL AND NO LONGER ARE FOR. SO I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO SECOND MY MOTION, PLEASE. VICE MAYOR, SECOND, THE MOTION AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? YES, COUNCILMAN JONES, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WHAT EXACTLY IS PROACTIVE REZONING? SO THAT'S JUST A TIP. OR MORE COMMONLY THE REQUEST COME FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER. THEY'LL FILE AN APPLICATION TO ASK YOU ALL TO CONSIDER A REZONING FOR A PROACTIVE REZONING. YOU ALL ARE INITIATING THAT PROCESS. AND IT'S THE CITY. YOU WOULD BE PROACTIVELY SORT OF APPLYING ON THEIR BEHALF TO CONSIDER THE REZONING. SO BASICALLY, THE CITY IS JUST STARTING THE PROCESS AS OPPOSED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER COMING AND FILING AN APPLICATION. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE ON ONE HAND, YOU SAY THE PROPERTY OWNER WANTS TO DO IT, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'RE SAYING THE CITY IS DOING IT FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER. WHY THE PROPERTY OWNER CAN'T DO IT ITSELF ASKS US TO DO IT HERSELF. WHY? WHY HE CAN'T DO THE PROPER PROCESS LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS. 
          THEY WANT TO MOVE IN THIS CITY. THEY GOT TO GO THROUGH REZONING PROCESS. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL OR SPECIAL ABOUT THIS PROPERTY OWNER? YEAH, I'M SORRY, I MAY HAVE MISSPOKE IN THIS CASE. 
          THIS DID NOT COME FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS. THE COUNCIL ASKED PLANNING COMMISSION TO STUDY THESE PROPERTIES. SO WE'VE NOT HAD THE PROPERTY OWNERS COME TO US AND SAY THAT THEY WERE SEEKING THESE REZONINGS. YOU SAID. THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE CASINO. NOW HOW OLD IS THAT MAP NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, THE CASINO HAS BEEN IN TALKS FOR YEARS. WHY DIDN'T IT ACCOUNT FOR THAT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? SO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN SPRING OF 24. AT THAT POINT, THE LOCATION OF THE CASINO HADN'T BEEN DETERMINED, SO THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO PINPOINT IT IN THAT MAP. FAIR ENOUGH. SO WHO OWNS THIS PROPERTY THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO REZONE? IS THAT CITY PROPERTY OR SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY? THESE ARE UNDER PRIVATE OWNERSHIP. VARIOUS DIFFERENT GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS OWN THESE PROPERTIES. PRIVATE OWNERSHIP. BUT WE BUT YOU SAID THE CITY IS INITIATING, NOT THE OWNER. YES, SIR. WHY IS THAT? I THINK IN THIS CASE, THE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE. THE IDEA IS KIND OF LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE AND THE REDEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL IN THAT AREA WHERE WE HAVE THE CASE HERE, WHERE WE'VE GOT. INCOME RESTRICTED APARTMENTS GOING IN ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WILL VERY LIKELY BECOME PRIME REAL ESTATE. AND IT MAY BE A CASE WHERE THE LOW INCOME APARTMENTS AREN'T THE BEST AND HIGHEST USE OF THE PROPERTY FOR THE CITY. SO IT'S LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT COULD HAPPEN ON THESE PROPERTIES WITH THE 
          [02:40:11]
EXISTING LOW DENSITY OR MULTI-FAMILY ZONING. HOW CLOSE IS THAT WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED? HOW CLOSE IS THAT TO GENTRIFICATION? THE DEFINITION, BECAUSE WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, THE SKATING ON THE LINES OF IT, IT'S NOT OUR PROPERTY. WE'RE INITIATING IT. AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANT OR SOMEBODY DON'T WANT CERTAIN PROJECTS THERE BECAUSE OF LOW INCOME. THAT SOUNDS LIKE GENTRIFICATION TO ME. AND IF IT'S ON US AND SHAME ON US. MR. MAYOR, MY NEXT QUESTION. YEAH. WHY DO WE WANT TO REZONE NOW VERSUS REZONING IT EARLIER WHEN WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO. YOU PROBABLY CAN'T ANSWER THAT BECAUSE YOU JUST GOT IT SERVED TO YOU. I UNDERSTAND, MR. MAYOR. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. RIGHT. VICE MAYOR HERE. SO THE THING THAT BROUGHT THIS UP WAS ON SALE DRIVE OR SLATER LANE. THE RESIDENTS GOT SOME INFORMATION THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX COMING THERE. AND I'M THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR WARD TWO. I TOLD HIM I WOULD LOOK INTO IT. THEY CAME TO ME AND DROVE, SAYING THEY DID NOT WANT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN THEIR BACKYARD LIKE THAT. SO I LOOKED AT IT AND I'M LOOKING AT THE AREA. THIS IS OUR MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. IF YOU DRIVE AROUND THAT CORNER DOWN THERE, YOU HAVE MEDICAL. ONE TYPE OF HOSPITAL, A MENTAL HOSPITAL TO HELP PEOPLE PROPERLY SPRINGS. 
          THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU HAVE DENTISTRY, YOU HAVE YOUR DMV, YOU GO AROUND, THEN YOU HAVE YOUR HOSPITAL, THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS YOUR ASSISTANT, YOUR REHAB CENTER. 
          THAT IS NOT THE BEST SUIT. WHETHER IT WAS MARKET RATE, WHETHER WHETHER IT'S LOW INCOME, WHETHER IT'S MIDDLE INCOME, THAT IS NOT THE BEST SUIT. THAT'S WHY I SAID WE HAVE TO GET AHEAD OF THESE THINGS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN. NOBODY'S TRYING TO GENTRIFY ANYTHING, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IS NOT THE BEST SUIT YOU YOU GOT. AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE THE, THE, THE CASINO IS COMING OR THE CASINO IS THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR OWN LIVING QUARTERS OVER THERE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS WHERE AMBER LAM'S FIRE TRUCKS AND EVERYTHING WILL BE COMING THROUGH THERE. AND THEN YOU GOT APARTMENTS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MAYBE OVER 300 APARTMENTS OVER THERE OR MORE COMING OUT RIGHT ON MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. 
          SO I WORK FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND ALL OF US ARE FRIENDS UP HERE. ALL OF US LOVE EACH OTHER. 
          BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I ANSWER TO THE PEOPLE OF PETERSBURG AND I ANSWER TO THE PEOPLE IN WARD TWO. SO I ASKED CITY LEADERS TO LOOK INTO IT. BECAUSE WE DIDN'T EVERYTHING. 
          THAT'S WHY I KEPT ON SAYING TO US, LET US GET READY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO. LET US STAY READY SO WE WON'T HAVE TO GET READY. I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT SINCE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR THREE YEARS, AND HERE WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE GOT THIS ZONING AND OUR WHOLE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO BE REZONED. YOU GOT SOME PEOPLE WHO WANT A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND WANT A HILL. YOU GOT OTHER PEOPLE WHO WHO DON'T WANT THIS. OUR WHOLE CITY IS WE ARE ANTIQUATED AND WE ARE BUILDING AND WE ARE MOVING FAST AND WE JUST CAN'T LET ANY AND EVERYTHING GO. 
          PEOPLE HAVE DEEP POCKETS. THIS IS NOT LIKE THE MOM AND POP PERSON THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO. THESE ARE BIG CORPORATION INDUSTRIES THAT DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. EVERYBODY WANT TO COME AND BRING THEIR THEIR IDEAS TO US. AT ONE TIME WE HAD TO CATCH EVERYTHING TO COME. YEAH. JUST COME TO PETERSBURG. NO, WE'RE NOT THERE. WE'RE NOT THERE ANYMORE. WE'RE AT A PLACE RIGHT NOW THAT WE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE THE DIRECTION IN WHICH WE WANT OUR CITY TO GO. NOW, OUR WORK FOR THE PEOPLE IN WARD TWO. AND THEY CAME TO ME AND SAID, NO, I DON'T WANT THAT. THEY'RE JUST LIKE, WE GOT SOMETHING ELSE THAT MAY BE TRYING TO COME UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE'S A DENSE AREA. NOBODY WANTS TO BUILD A PLACE SO THEY CAN BUY. EVERYBODY WANT TO RENT BECAUSE THERE'S PLENTY OF MONEY IN RENTING. SO. MR. JARED, THANK YOU AND YOUR AND YOUR TEAM. MR. MAYOR, YOU HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. THIS IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR ON APPROVING. PAGE 138 IS WHAT IT WAS. COUNCILMAN, YOU WANT TO RESTATE THAT MOTION FOR ME? YES. THE IDEA IS TO DIRECT THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO 
          [02:45:01]
PRESENT A DRAFT ORDINANCE TO COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON PAGE 138. 
          THAT MEANS THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS GOING TO NEED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING. AND THEN IN LIGHT OF THAT PUBLIC HEARING OF CRAFT A AN ORDINANCE, AND THEN PRESENT THAT ORDINANCE WITH ITS RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL AT THE SECOND MEETING IN JUNE. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. AND AT THIS TIME, MISS HILL, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, I. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. I. VICE. MAYOR. HILL. I. MAYOR. PARENT. I. MOTION. CARRIES. B IS RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE A BONA FIDE OFFER TO PURCHASE 230 MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD FOR POLICE SUBSTATION, MR. WILLIAMS. HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR SITTING THROUGH THIS RATHER LONG EVENING TONIGHT, AND THIS IS PERFECT ITEM TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MR. WHAT JARED JUST PRESENTED. FIRST, LET ME START OFF BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, AS YOUR ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW, YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, AND I TRY TO FIND THE LEGAL WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO IF YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO ACQUIRE THAT, SPEAKER, I'M GOING TO TRY TO TELL YOU HOW TO DO THAT LEGALLY. YOU MAKE THE DECISION ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. 
          AND THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE VERY PROPERTY THAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT. 230 MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD, AS YOU KNOW, AT 235 MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD, WE ARE CONSTRUCTING A NEW FIRE STATION, AND THAT PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE CITY. AND WE'RE PROCEEDING WITH THAT WITH ALL DUE DILIGENCE. WELL, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND FIRE APPARENTLY GO HAND IN HAND BECAUSE I'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH THE IDEA OF WE WANT TO PUT A A POLICE SUBSTATION RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AT 230 MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. THE PROPERTY YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT NOW, BASED ON PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD WITH THE CURRENT OWNER AND THE FACT THAT THEY'VE GOT A NEW DEVELOPMENT, GETTING READY TO GO IN THERE RIGHT NOW, AS I MENTIONED WHEN WE WERE TALKING WITH JARED EARLIER, THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THEIR LAND DISTURBANCE PERMITS. 
          THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD. IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THE OWNER IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUST SAY, OKAY, I'LL JUST SELL IT TO YOU. AND SO WHILE THIS RESOLUTION AUTHORIZES THE MANAGER TO MAKE AN OFFER, IT ALSO IS THE FIRST STEP TO ENABLE US TO PROCEED TO ACQUIRE THAT BY OTHER MEANS. IN THE EVENT THAT HE IS UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO CONVEY THAT PROPERTY. AND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE ACQUISITION OF THAT PROPERTY THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF EMINENT DOMAIN, BEFORE YOU CAN GO AND ACQUIRE SOMEONE'S PROPERTY BY CONDEMNATION, YOU FIRST HAVE TO MAKE WHAT'S KNOWN AS A BONA FIDE OFFER OF PURCHASE BASED ON AN APPRAISAL OF THAT PROPERTY. SO THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. THE RESOLUTION WILL ACTUALLY AUTHORIZE THAT FIRST STEP TO BE MADE AND ATTEMPT TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY. 
          THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I FIND IT VERY STRANGE. AND AGAIN, SKATING ON TWO LINES. YOU KNOW, IN TRAFFIC, WHEN YOU GOT TWO SOLID LINES, THEY TELL YOU YOU DON'T CROSS IT. IT'S A TICKET. ILLEGAL. IT'S A TICKET. THE FIRST LINE IS, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I THINK IT'S JUST MY OPINION, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT MY FRIENDS SAY UP HERE, LIKE I SAID, WE DON'T HATE EACH OTHER. WE JUST HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. AND MINE IS THAT FIRST LINE IS THE LINE OF GENTRIFICATION. AGAIN, THE NEXT LINE IS THE LINE OF GANGSTER, BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING HERE. TALKING ABOUT 235 POPLAR DRIVE. I THINK THAT'S THE ADDRESS WHERE THE FIRE STATION IS GOING. BUT YET 230 IS THE ONE WHERE WE WANT TO BUILD A SUB POLICE STATION. NOW, I GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A BUILDING THAT'S ALREADY UP AND ERECTED FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR FIVE YEARS, AND AIN'T ANY YET. BUT HERE WE ARE. WANT TO TAKE OR OFFER OR SOMEBODY MONEY TO BUY THE LAND SO WE COULD BUILD A SUBSTATION. OR ELSE WHAT IS THE. OR ELSE YOU SAID IT YOURSELF OR ELSE WILL TAKE IT BY EMINENT DOMAIN. NOW WE REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY. THEY DON'T LIKE THEIR STUFF. TAKING NO MORE THAN WE LIKE OUR STUFF TAKING. IT'S WRONG AS TWO LEFT SHOES. AND IT'S WRONG ON ALL 
          [02:50:09]
LEVELS OF PRINCIPLE. I'M GOING TO SAY NO TO IT WHEN THE WHEN THE TIME COMES UP. BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. NOW, WHO OWNS THIS PROPERTY? I ASKED THE QUESTION BEFORE WHO OWN IT? I THINK COUNCILMAN CULVER SAID IT. HE SAID THE VOTER GROUP. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID. IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE, STILL UNDER CONTRACT. THEY HAVE IT UNDER CONTRACT AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE OBTAINED THE THE LAND DISTURBANCE PERMIT. BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN A RECORDED DEED. SO IT'S ACTUALLY THE PRIOR OWNER THAT STILL OWNS IT, I BELIEVE, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE CLERK'S RECORDS, YOU KNOW. THIS GROUP HAVE BEEN BEFORE US BEFORE AND HAVE BEEN DENIED AND GANGSTER. AND HERE WE ARE AGAIN, READY TO DO THE SAME THING TO HIM AGAIN. AND IT HAPPENS TO BE A MINORITY GROUP. WHAT PITCH ARE WE PAINTING HERE? LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO DO DEVELOPERS LIKE THIS? SOME DEVELOPERS GET A FREE PASS AND SOME OF THEM GET BEHIND KISS. IT'S BEEN SAID, GET AHEAD. SO WE WANT TO STAY AHEAD. BUT THIS IS PUTTING US BEHIND MORALLY. I DON'T REPRESENT JUST WARD ONE. I REPRESENT WARD ONE THROUGH SEVEN AND ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES REPRESENTS WARDS ONE THROUGH SEVEN. I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO DO THE SAME THING. IF I CAME UP WITH SOME MESS LIKE THIS. IT'S WRONG. I DON'T CARE WHAT BACKLASH I GET FROM IT, I DON'T CARE. LET ME TELL Y'ALL SOMETHING. I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT WINNING NO ELECTION. LET ME EXPLAIN THAT TO YOU. THIS IS HARD WORK. THIS IS HARD WORK. LOTS OF SLEEP LOST, NO MONEY MADE. SO IF ANYBODY THINKS THAT I'M DOING IT TO WIN IT, LIKE, NO, NO. I MISS MY FAMILY. I MISS BEING ABLE TO GO IN THE STORE AND NOT STAY IN THERE FOR TWO HOURS TALKING. BUT I WILL NOT LET NOBODY GET MISTREATED. 
          MY PROPERTY OR ANYBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY. AGAIN, THIS IS YOUR MONEY. THIS IS THEIR MONEY, THEIR PROPERTY. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT BEFORE WE EVEN BOUGHT IT. THAT'S ALL I GOT, MR. MAYOR. Y'ALL. RIGHT? VICE MAYOR HILL. YES, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE FIELD OFFER TO PURCHASE 230 MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD. COUNCILMAN, COVER. I SECOND THE MOTION. MOTION A SECOND DISCUSSION. SEEING NONE. MISS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MYERS. 
          ABSTAIN. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PAIR. NO. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO IT PASSED. NEXT IS C TRAVEL N SITE D RESTRICTIONS. YES, SIR. MR. MAYOR. MINE'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER IF IF THE CITY MANAGER WERE HERE. YES, HE WOULD ASK THAT COUNCIL WOULD APPROVE A RESOLUTION FOR TRAVEL IN AS IT RELATES TO A DEED RESTRICTION. A LITTLE BACKGROUND, MR. MAYOR. THE CITY RECEIVED AN IRF GRANT FOR $750,000 FOR THE DEMOLITION OF TRAVEL IN THE CITY. USED THE ACQUISITION AS A KIND OF A GRANT MATCH, IF YOU WILL. THE DEED RESTRICTION IS SIMILAR TO THE SAME ONE THAT WE HAD FOR THE RAMADA INN, AND IN ESSENCE, WE CAN'T USE IT FOR ANYTHING ELSE BUT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MOVE. SIR, THAT WAS THE EASY ONE. OKAY. ALRIGHT, VICE MAYOR HILL. YEAH. I'M SORRY, MR. MAYOR. I WAS TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUE. SO THE TRAVEL IN TRAVEL, PAGE 152. THAT WE APPROVE THE TRAVEL IN SITE D RESTRICTION. THAT'S IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN JONES, A 
          [02:55:05]
SECOND A SECOND. MISS HILL, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT, I COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. I. VICE. MAYOR. HILL. I. MAYOR. PAIR. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM D PRESENTATION UPDATE ON THE 2026 EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. 
          GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MR. WILLIAMS AND MR. MILLER. SO WE HAVE MARY JONES WHO IS OUR MANAGING CONSULTANT FROM ONE DIGITAL, AND SHE'LL BE STANDING BEFORE US PRESENTING FOR THE 20 2627 RENEWAL FOR OUR HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS. GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING. SO I AM MARY JONES WITH ONE DIGITAL. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY FOR A FEW YEARS NOW IN REGARDS TO THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. AND IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR FOR THE RENEWAL WITH THE LOCAL CHOICE. SO THE RENEWAL IS JULY 1ST. BEFORE I GET INTO THE ACTUAL NUMBERS AND THE IMPACT, JUST WANT TO IDENTIFY A COUPLE CHANGES BECAUSE AS I STATED, YOU CURRENTLY THE BENEFITS ARE OFFERED THROUGH THE LOCAL CHOICE, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY ANTHEM BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD. THE RENEWAL IS CALLING FOR 13.2% INCREASE, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATELY, AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SAY, IT IS MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUT IN THE MARKET OUTSIDE OF LOCAL CHOICE, THE MARKET OUTSIDE OF LOCAL CHOICE FOR EMPLOYERS, UNFORTUNATELY, IS CALLING FOR AN 18 TO 30% INCREASES IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW. FOR JULY 1ST EFFECTIVE DATES. THERE'S A COUPLE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE PLANS AS OF JULY 1ST, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH DEL MONTE AND HIS TEAM TO PLAN EDUCATION FOR THE EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT THIS WILL HAVE TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY. 
          ONCE THESE CHANGES GO INTO PLACE. THE MEDICAL PLAN ITSELF, AS FAR AS MEDICAL COVERAGE, WILL NOT CHANGE. EVERY CHANGE THAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS GOING TO IMPACT THE PHARMACY. SO THE PHARMACY PROGRAM THAT IS OFFERED TODAY HAS FOUR TIERS. SO IT HAS TIER ONE, TWO, THREE AND FOUR TIER ONE. YOU THE FOLKS WILL NOT SEE ANY IMPACT. SO ANYBODY WHO'S TAKEN A GENERIC MEDICATION WILL CONTINUE TO PAY A CO-PAY MUCH LIKE THEY DO TODAY, SO THEY WILL NOT HAVE ANY IMPACT. HOWEVER, TIER THREE AND TWO, YOU CAN SEE THERE WILL BE A $150 DEDUCTIBLE IMPLEMENTED, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO MEET THAT DEDUCTIBLE FIRST, AND THEN IT'LL CONVERT TO A COPAY PLAN. SAME THING WITH TIER FOUR. THEY WILL HAVE A TIER. THEY'LL HAVE A CO-PAY. I'M SORRY, A DEDUCTIBLE FIRST $150 DEDUCTIBLE. AND THEN THEY WILL PAY 20% OF THE COST OF THAT MEDICATION UP TO A MAX PER PRESCRIPTION OF $200. THE LAST ITEM THAT IS IMPACTING THE THE PRESCRIPTIONS IS THE GLP ONE MEDICATIONS. SO CURRENTLY FOLKS ARE ABLE TO GET THE GLP ONE MEDICATIONS FOR WEIGHT LOSS ONLY AS OF JULY 1ST. THAT WILL NO LONGER BE THE CASE. THEY WILL. FOLKS CAN CONTINUE TO GET THE GLP ONE MEDICATIONS. 
          HOWEVER, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A DIAGNOSIS ATTACHED TO IT, SUCH AS DIABETES OR OTHER THINGS THAT THE THE DRUGS ARE ACTUALLY APPROVED FOR. SO THAT WILL CERTAINLY BE A CHANGE FOR SOME FOLKS. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR THE EAP. THIS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE TO ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY. CURRENTLY, THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO FOLKS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THE LOCAL CHOICE PROGRAM. HOWEVER, LIKE I SAID, AS OF JULY 1ST, THIS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY REGARDLESS IF THEY ARE ENROLLED OR NOT. THE RENEWAL SELECTIONS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE LOCAL CHOICE BY APRIL 1ST OF 2026. THIS NEXT PAGE. SO WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY. SO THE FIRST OPTION OR OPTION A IS KEEPING THE PLANS WITH LOCAL CHOICE AS IS AND KEEPING THE CONTRIBUTION STATUS QUO TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY. SO WE WOULD SHARE THE INCREASE WITH THE EMPLOYEES. YOU CAN SEE TO THE FAR RIGHT THE TOTAL INCREASE TO THE PREMIUM IS ABOUT 830,000. WITH THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO, THE IMPACT OF THE CITY WILL BE 704,000. AND THE IMPACT TO THE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE 126 UP IN THE COLORED SECTION. SO THE YELLOW HIGHLIGHTED AREA IS WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE PAYING TODAY ON A MONTHLY BASIS. FOR EACH PLAN, THE ORANGE SECTION IS SHOWING YOU WHAT THE THEY WILL PAY AS OF JULY 1ST WITH THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO, AND THEN 
          [03:00:06]
THE GREEN HIGHLIGHTED AREA AREA SHOWS YOU THE DIFFERENCE IN PREMIUM FROM WHAT THEY'RE PAYING TODAY VERSUS WHAT THEY WILL BE PAYING AS OF JULY 1ST. THE SECOND SCENARIO, OUR OPTION B BASICALLY THE SAME THING. HOWEVER, THIS IS HAVING THE CITY ABSORB THE ENTIRE INCREASE. 
          SO THE CITY WOULD ABSORB THE 830,000, ALMOST 831,000, AND WOULD KEEP THE EMPLOYEES FLAT. 
          BASED OFF OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. SO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE HR TEAM, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO GO WITH OPTION B, WITH THE CITY ABSORBING THE INCREASE, KEEPING THE PLANS AS IS. AND AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER THAT DECISIONS ARE DUE TO THE LOCAL CHOICE BY APRIL 1ST. MAKES SENSE. ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE. THAT'S GOOD. OKAY. QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YOU ASKED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS. YOU YOU WERE SAYING THE 13% INCREASE THAT WE COVERED IT. RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THE MONTHLY INCREASE TO THE CITY. YOU SAY $704,000. THAT'S INCREASING TO THAT. FROM WHAT NUMBER? WHAT WAS IT BEFORE? AND THE SAME SAME QUESTION FOR THE INCREASE TO THE EMPLOYEES. YOU GOT INCREASED TO 127,000. 
          BUT FROM WHAT I DO NOT HAVE THAT. WELL, I UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT HAVE THAT. SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE ALARMING. BUT WE NEED TO KNOW DID IT INCREASE $5. I MEAN FROM FROM WHAT NUMBER TO THIS NUMBER THAT THAT'S. SO WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT WHEN WE GET A CHANCE. OKAY. ONE OF MY QUESTIONS I GOT MR. MAYOR OR MR. CITY MANAGER, SOMEBODY CAN HELP ME WITH THIS. WE GOT A PHARMACEUTICAL POLICE HERE. MAYBE WE CAN ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, DO THEY MIND HELPING OUT COVERING THIS, THIS INCREASE IN THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AS FAR AS FEES, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I'M THROWING OUT THERE. BUT SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. MY LAST QUESTION, DOES THIS STILL INCLUDE WHAT WE SET IN PLACE FOR THEM? THE LAST GO ROUND, WHICH WE COVERED HALF OF THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE THE CONTRIBUTION STRUCTURE FOR THE THE VARIOUS TIERS? YES, WE, WE, WE VOTED TO COVER THAT 50% OF THE HEALTH CARE. IS THAT STILL IN PLAY? YES. OKAY. YES. THAT'LL BE STILL IN PLAY. PLUS YOU'RE ASKING US JUST TO ABSORB THE 13%. CORRECT. WHICH IS A TOTAL OF $700,000. NO. THE TOTAL FOR YOU TO ABSORB IT IS 830,830. AND BUT WE DON'T KNOW FROM WHAT. WELL, BECAUSE THE TOTAL INCREASE IS 830,988 ON OPTION B, YOU WOULD ABSORB THAT WHOLE INCREASE ON OPTION A IS WORTH 740 IS. BUT WE CAN GET YOU WHAT IT IS CURRENTLY. IF NOBODY HAS GOTTEN THROUGH. MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO THE. THE CITY ABSORB THAT 13%. OKAY. DO YOU NEED A MOTION OR HAS THE CITY MANAGER. 
          IS THIS JUST US NOT CHANGING FROM HIS OPTION B THAT THE CITY MANAGER ALREADY. I THINK HE'S LOOKING FOR COUNCIL TO DIRECT HIM EITHER OPTION A OR OPTION B. IT SOUNDED LIKE COUNCILMAN JONES MOVED TO DIRECT HIM TO GO WITH OPTION B. ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN JONES, THAT'S A MOTION THEN. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. SECOND, SECOND BY VICE MAYOR HILL. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT SEEING NONE, MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT. AYE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. VICE. MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. 
          [15. City Manager's Report and Special Reports]
THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT IS CITY MANAGER'S REPORT AND SPECIAL REPORTS. MR. MILLER, THANK YOU FOR SITTING IN TONIGHT. THANK YOU. AND MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY, OUR EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MAYOR. YOU SAID IT EARLIER ABOUT THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM. IT'S WIDE OPEN NOW. I'M ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE, FOLKS THAT ARE TUNING IN. OUR SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM IS KICKING OFF, AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL FOR THAT AS WELL. IT'S TAKING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND FROM COLLEGE AND INFUSING THEM INTO THE WORKFORCE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. QUESTION, COUNCILMAN JONES. YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO. I MISSED THE FINANCE GUY WHEN HE CAME UP. I WANTED TO ASK, BUT I'M GONNA ASK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. AND I ASKED COUNCIL IF WE CAN DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO FACTOR IN OR FINANCE OR BOTH, 
          [03:05:04]
TO FACTOR IN AT LEAST A 3% PAY INCREASE FOR PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. I THINK THAT TOTALED TO $100,000, I THINK. AM I CORRECT? CAN ANYONE OF YOU ANSWER THAT FOR ME? GO UP SOME MORE? IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR PUBLIC WORKS. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. CAN WE LOOK AT THAT AND FACTOR INTO IT. CAN WE ASK THEM TO FACTOR THAT INTO THE BUDGET? MR. MAYOR, MR. COUNCIL MEMBER, WE CAN DO THE RESEARCH AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK BEFORE COUNCIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WHEN. I'M SORRY. WHEN WILL WE GET THAT BACK? NEXT MONTH. I'LL BRING IT BACK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN. MR. MAYOR, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A CHANGE TO THE BUDGET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET YEAR, RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL JULY 1ST? IS THAT IS THAT RIGHT, COUNCILMAN JONES? NO, I DON'T THINK WE WAIT UNTIL JULY 1ST, BUT THE BUDGET IS NOT. JUST FOR JULY 1ST. FOR JULY 1ST IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. OKAY. I UNDERSTAND, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. GET IT IN THERE 
          [16. Business or reports from the Clerk]
NOW. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. NEXT, WE HAVE BUSY REPORTS FROM THE CLERK, MISS HILL. ANY ITEMS? YES, SIR. I WANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON MARCH THE 24TH AT 5:00 PM. IT WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE TAX ASSESSMENT. ALSO, THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL JOINT MEETING WITH PETERSBURG PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THE FY 27 WORK SESSION. THAT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 31ST AT 6:30 P.M. AND BOTH MEETINGS WILL BE HELD HERE IN THE EVENT CENTER. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MISS HILL. NEXT VISIT REPORTS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, MR. WILLIAMS. NO REPORT, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. 
          NEXT IS ITEM 18. ADJOURNMENT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THIS MEANS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.