[1:48] Good evening, and welcome city council is now in session. Please stand for the invocation by council member but good borrow, which will be followed by the pledge of allegiance.

[2:04] Thank you. Let us pray. During this year's Independence Day celebrations, let us remember and treasure these words.

[2:12] We hold these truths to be self-evident that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty,

[2:23] and the pursuit of happiness.

[2:27] Amen.

[2:34] Thank you.

[2:49] The Freedom of Information Act certification is required at this time, Madam Clerk.

[2:53] We please present the resolution for consideration.

[2:57] A resolution certifying the closing meeting of July 2, 2024, pursuant to Virginia Code Section 2.2,

[3:06] It's been presented to Council at this time.

[3:09] Now, therefore, be it resolved that the City Council, the City of Suffolk, hereby certifies

[3:13] that to the best of each member's knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted

[3:19] from the open meeting requirements of Virginia law, and only such public business matters

[3:23] as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting where her discussed, were

[3:28] considered by the City Council of the City of Suffolk in the closed meeting.

[3:32] Council on Motion will be in order, Councilman Fossett.

[3:35] I move to approve the motion for approval from Councilman Fossett, Councilman Williams.

[3:39] Second, second from Councilman Williams, there's only discussion of the motion.

[3:44] Hearing nine Council members prepare to vote, please cast your vote.

[3:49] Madam Clerk, please record the vote.

[3:55] The motion is approved by a vote of 8 to 0.

[3:58] We're now moved to approve all the minutes from the April 10th, 2024 of work session.

[4:02] In April 17, 2024, a work session and regular meeting, in a motion we'd be in order.

[4:09] Councilman Johnson.

[4:10] We have to approve.

[4:11] We have to approve.

[4:12] We have to approve from Councilman Foss.

[4:15] Councilman Rector.

[4:18] Second Councilman Rector is only discussing the motion.

[4:22] Here are nine Council members prepared to vote.

[4:25] Please cast your vote.

[4:28] Madam Clerk.

[4:28] Please, according to vote.

[4:31] Motion is approved.

[4:32] 5.

[4:33] 8.

[4:33] to zero? We do have one special presentation this evening, which is a

[4:38] proclamation and recognition of Parks and Recreation, Mr. Deputy

[4:42] Manager, please present an overview. Mayor Vice Mayor, members of

[4:45] Council, Director of Parks and Recreation, Mr. Mark Furlow, will

[4:50] approach the podium.

[4:56] Good evening. Mayor Vice Mayor, members of

[4:59] now.

[5:00] Tonight, we have several members of our Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission and our Suffolk Parks and Trails Alliance with us tonight. I'd ask them to stand to be recognized really quickly, and then we also have several members of our Parks and Recreation staff. I'd also like to ask them to rise to be recognized for Parks and Recreation Month.

[5:19] And I'm not here to announce my retirement to pursue my career in science spinning.

[5:26] This year's theme for Parks and Recreation Month is where you belong will be taking

[5:30] this sign out to a lot of our events, our parks, our recreation centers, and programs.

[5:36] And we'll be taking pictures of people with the sign because everybody belongs at one of

[5:42] suffix parks, recreation centers, or special events this month.

[5:46] Madam Clerk, we please present the Proclamation.

[5:52] Whereas parks and recreation programs are an integral part of communities throughout this

[5:59] country, including the city of Suffolk, and whereas parks and recreation departments

[6:05] encourage physical activity by providing space for popular sports, hiking trails, swimming

[6:12] pools, and many other activities designated to promote a healthy lifestyle, and whereas

[6:17] parks and recreation is a leading provider of health e-mails, nutrition services and education

[6:24] after school programming and youth sports which are critical to childhood development.

[6:30] And whereas the United States House of Representatives has designated July as parks and recreation

[6:36] month and whereas the city of Suffolk recognizes the wellness, economic, and social benefits

[6:43] derived from parks and recreation resources.

[6:47] Now, therefore, I, Michael D. Doom in Mayor of the City of Suffolk, Virginia,

[6:52] do hereby proclaim July 2024 as parks and recreation month.

[6:57] And call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens.

[7:01] A witness where I've here and to set my hand and call the field the city of Suffolk to be a fixed second day of July

[7:06] in the year of our Lord 2020.

[7:09] Thank you for that.

[7:13] Thank you.

[7:14] And we hope everybody comes out to celebrate with us this month.

[7:18] We've got a lot of special events planned.

[7:20] Like our Fourth of July stars and sights spectacular, which is this Thursday.

[7:26] Next week, we have our 50 Fest at the Brand New Festival Park on July 13th.

[7:33] And then July 20th is our Flick and Float at Cyprus Park Pool.

[7:37] And the following Saturday, July 27th, we have a movie at the Holland Ball Field, too.

[7:43] We'll be showing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

[7:47] So, where are you belong, is in one of suffix parks, recreation centers or trails in the

[7:52] month of July, and all year long.

[7:54] So, thank you.

[7:55] Thank you.

[8:00] At this time, we will consider the removal of items from the consent agenda and adoption of the

[8:05] entire agenda as presented.

[8:07] We move with any item from the consent agenda would only be necessary if any member of

[8:11] Council, wish to devote on a specific item separately, and a motion would be required.

[8:17] Questions and requests for information on specific agenda items can be addressed during

[8:21] the consideration of the consent agenda after the agenda speakers.

[8:25] Just time, a motion would be in order.

[8:28] Council, what is your pleasure?

[8:29] Councilman, Fossil.

[8:31] Who has presented, please?

[8:32] Get a motion for approval from Councilman Fossil, Councilman Bennett, second from Councilman

[8:37] Then, it is only discussed in the motion.

[8:40] Hearing none, Council members prepared a vote.

[8:43] Please cast your vote.

[8:45] Madam Clerk, please record a vote.

[8:49] The motion is approved by vote of eight to zero.

[8:52] Madam Clerk, are there any speakers at this time?

[8:55] And there's so please explain the process.

[8:58] There are no agenda speakers at this time, may or may are doing it.

[9:01] Would you please present to consent to join our agenda items for consideration?

[9:05] Item number seven.

[9:06] In order to accept inappropriate additional funds from the Virginia Department of Transportation State of Good Repair Program,

[9:13] for the Bridge Replacement on Nancement Parkway over Beeman's Mill Pond.

[9:19] Item number 8, an ordnance to accept inappropriate funds from the Virginia 911 Services Board Public Safety,

[9:26] answering point grant program for the Suffolk Police Department.

[9:32] Item number nine, an ordinance to amend Article 22,

[9:38] solar revenue share for solar energy projects

[9:41] of the code of the city of Suffolk.

[9:44] Item number 10, a resolution of the city council

[9:48] approving the city of Suffolk's participation

[9:51] in the proposed settlement of opioid-related claims

[9:56] against Croker and its related corporate entities

[9:59] And the rest

[10:00] Seeing the city attorney to execute the documents necessary to fluctuate the city's participation in the

[10:05] second and item number 11 and ordinance authorizing the execution of a communications facility

[10:13] license agreement with Cox Business. Mr. Deputy Manager, please provide an overview of the items.

[10:20] Mayor Vice Mayor, members of council, starting at item number 7. This is an ordinance to accept and

[10:26] appropriate $2,884,081 in additional funds from the Virginia Department of Transportation State

[10:35] of Good Repair Program for the Bridge Replacement on NANDS and Parkway over Beam and Smilpawn.

[10:41] Adoption of the ordinance will increase the planned revenues and expenditures of the fiscal

[10:44] year 2425 capital programs, fund budget by $2,884,081.

[10:52] dollars.

[10:57] Item number eight, the city has received $4,000 in funding from the Virginia 911

[11:02] Services Board fiscal year 25 public safety answering point, grant program and support of the

[11:09] Suffolk Police Department 911 public safety communication, education and training for emergency

[11:15] communication operators in the Emergency Communications Center. The adoption of the ordinance will

[11:20] increase the planned revenues and expenditures of the consolidated grants fund by $4,000.

[11:25] and does not require a local match.

[11:29] Item number nine, an ordinance with proposed amendments

[11:33] that align with the revenue share language

[11:36] allowed by the Commonwealth of Virginia,

[11:38] authorizing the City of Suffolk to collect revenue,

[11:42] via revenue share with solar energy facilities

[11:44] that produce less than five megawatts.

[11:47] City Council has previously adopted language

[11:49] allowing for share, revenue share,

[11:52] for solar energy facilities

[11:53] that produce greater than five megawatts.

[11:59] Item number 10 is a resolution to combat the financial impacts of opioid abuse.

[12:04] The city is adopted, the Virginia opioid abatement fund, and settlement allocation,

[12:09] memorandum of understanding.

[12:10] This action is related to the settlement agreement, pending with CROGO, which will provide

[12:15] funds to the city of Suffolk.

[12:17] Approval of this resolution, which is part of a multi-state opioid settlement, will

[12:21] funds to flow to the City of Suffolk to educate the public on the dangers of drug abuse and

[12:26] to mitigate the harmful effects of opioid abuse.

[12:31] And number 11 is an ordinance with authorizes the City Manager to execute a communications

[12:37] facility license agreement with Cox Business.

[12:41] The Virginia Department of Transportation is in the process of upgrading the fiber communication

[12:45] network that allows the City to stream various traffic cameras to their traffic monitoring

[12:50] system. Vidal is funding a dedicated Cox Business Fiber Connection that will be installed in the

[12:57] City Hall telecommunications room. The agreement allows Cox Business to install the communications

[13:04] equipment in City Hall and authorizes access to their equipment when necessary for maintenance

[13:10] and troubleshooting. If there are any items and members of the City Council,

[13:15] wish to remove from the consent agenda to be voted on separately, a motion would be appropriate

[13:19] it this time. If not, then a motion would be appropriate this time to adopt the entire agenda

[13:24] as presented, and a motion would be in order to Councilman Fossi, move to accept this

[13:29] present.

[13:30] And a motion for approval from Councilman Fossi, Council Member Butler Barlow.

[13:34] Second.

[13:35] Second from Council Member Butler Barlow was only discussing the motion.

[13:39] Hearing nine Council Members prepared a vote, please cast your vote. Madam Clerk, please

[13:44] record a vote.

[13:46] The motion is approved by vote of 8 to 0.

[13:48] We do have several public hearings this evening.

[13:51] First public hearing is an ordinance to grant a conditional use permit to establish a place of worship, small.

[13:57] Under 6,000 square feet in 9th sanctuary use on property located at 540 East Constance Road.

[14:05] Zoning map 35 D, parcel KKA, A, Astrid 1, sweet B, account number 05, 3, 4, 9, 1, 4, 0, 0.

[14:16] This is CUP 20245, Mr. Deputy Manager, please provide an overview.

[14:23] Mayor Vice Mayor, Members of Council, Planning and Community Development Director, Mr. Kevin

[14:27] Wein will provide the project overview.

[14:30] Thank you, Mr. Deputy Manager.

[14:32] Mayor, Vice Mayor, Members of Council, I stated this is a request for a conditional use permit

[14:38] to establish a place of worship, small meaning that the Sanctuary is under 6,000 square feet

[14:44] in total area at 540 East Constant Roots.

[14:48] East Constance Roots, excuse me, sweet B.

[14:51] The property that's stated is for their identified

[14:53] as tax map, 35D, parcel KKA star one.

[15:01] The property is zoned be to general commercial and its presence along East Constance Road places it within the city's special corridor over a district as well.

[15:12] The property consists of a little less than an acre point, 0.86 acres in size, and there is a three-sweet commercial building measuring to shy of 7,500 square feet on the site.

[15:26] Presently, sweet A is utilized as a home health care office and sweet C is occupied by Domino's pizza.

[15:39] So, this is a request to state it for a small place of worship.

[15:44] The property received a conditional use permit for a church in 2005.

[15:49] This conditional use permit expired in 2014 as the church vacated the premises and the two-year period lapsed.

[16:00] Currently, Hope City Church, which is the applicant for this proposal, has 20 members.

[16:07] It's a pretty small church. They plan to provide seating for 124 people in the sanctuary.

[16:14] I'll show you that on the next slide.

[16:16] with that conceptual layout looks like.

[16:19] Worship services will take place on Sundays from 11am to 2pm with musical rehearsals

[16:25] taking place on Tuesdays at 7pm.

[16:29] Based on the seats provided in the sanctuary, the use will require 31 parking spaces.

[16:33] The site does have 36 spaces, shared amongst the dominoes, and a small office use on

[16:39] the site.

[16:41] They have presented the city with a cooperative parking agreement with the property owner and the uses.

[16:50] Particularly, the peak use of the church would be on Sundays.

[16:57] At that point, the small office use is not operating so that frees up four spaces giving them the 31 that they would need to sort of

[17:06] to serve those 124 seats.

[17:14] Here you have that proposed suite layout as I noted.

[17:18] This was prepared by a register architect

[17:20] and you can see the sanctuary is proposed to hold

[17:23] no more than 124 occupants.

[17:25] However, it is important to note that final occupancy

[17:28] will be determined by the building

[17:29] official and fire marshal upon approval of a required

[17:33] change of use permit.

[17:35] This is a requirement for all change of uses

[17:38] when you're going from one building use category to another.

[17:42] However, we do detail this as a condition,

[17:46] condition number three and staff sort of port.

[17:52] Here is a picture of the existing vacant sanctuary,

[17:56] particularly the stage.

[17:58] Within staff support you will note that there is a photo

[18:01] depicting the sanctuary with seats,

[18:03] which will assist in visualizing what the space would look like.

[18:07] Should this entity use be approved?

[18:08] This

[18:12] is the site layout to pick in the parking spaces you can see there are 36 spaces located on the site,

[18:20] stripe spaces, and considering that one of the users would not be operating on the weekends,

[18:26] that gives them the needed spaces during their peak time to leverage the 31 spaces they need for the proposed 124 seat sanctuary.

[18:38] Staff has evaluated the applicant's proposal in accordance with the 2035

[18:44] Comprehensive Plan as well as the applicable provisions of the Unified

[18:48] Development Ordinance given its placement along an arterial roadway

[18:54] consisting primarily of commercial uses the uses not anticipated to

[18:58] adversely impact the surrounding neighborhood. As such, staff is recommending a

[19:03] approval of this application with the seven conditions noted in our staff

[19:07] report. Further, the Planning Commission at their meeting on May 23rd, are forwarding this

[19:13] request to you all with their recommendation of approval by a vote of six to zero.

[19:20] That concludes my presentation on this item. I will be happy to address any concerns.

[19:24] I think it concludes our public hearing. Thank you, Mr. One.

[19:27] I will be open to public hearing. Madam Clerk, please explain the timing system.

[19:31] This is a public hearing and each speaker is asked to provide their name and their address.

[19:35] We will have a ten minute period for the perponence, a fifteen minute period for those in opposition, and then an additional five minutes for a battle.

[19:45] This is a public hearing of the first speaker, please come forward and provide their name and address and that is to speak in favor of this ordinance.

[19:56] Good evening Mr. Mayor, Mr. Vice Mayor, and City Council.

[20:00] My name is Justin Goodman, and I am the senior pastor of Hope City Church.

[20:05] It's been a process getting to this moment, but I'm so grateful that I can stay in before you guys.

[20:10] It's been a privilege working with the Plain and Department of Mr. Kevin and Shannon Wolf, and we finally got here.

[20:17] And I just want to say, I love the city of Suffolk. I was born and raised here. I'm a resident here.

[20:21] I was educated in the city of Suffolk public school system. I attended Booker T. Washington,

[20:26] John of Kennedy Middle School, and I graduated from Lincoln High School, I moved the way for a short

[20:32] period of time to a timbable college in Miami, Florida, Interest in place to go to Bible

[20:36] College, but I didn't have for a short period of time, I graduated, but I love Suffolk so much

[20:41] as soon as I graduated, I came right back, and I've been a full time business owner here

[20:45] ever since. And there's no secret that Suffolk is growing drastically, and with much growth,

[20:51] there's much challenge and I believe that hopes that each church, we can be, or we can contribute

[20:56] to some of the challenges that our city face in the times to come. We've participated in the

[21:03] great stuff, a cleanup. We've been involved in the community. We've done food distribution. And

[21:08] last year we were privileged to give away a $1,500 scholarship with my nonprofit to a high school

[21:15] senior that had a parent that was incarcerated and we blessed her with a $1,500 scholarship

[21:20] And my nonprofit, we've ministered to the incarcerated community.

[21:23] And one of the things we would love to do at our location is do a criminal,

[21:27] expunge, make clinic throughout the years.

[21:31] But yeah, I love this city.

[21:33] I hope that you guys vote in favor of us coming to this location.

[21:38] And if you have any questions, let me know.

[21:41] Thank you.

[21:42] Next speaker, please, to speak in favor of this ordinance.

[21:55] If anyone else would like to speak in favor,

[22:02] not hearing any, do we have anyone who would like to speak in opposition?

[22:09] Is there anyone

[22:09] present who would like to speak in opposition? Hearing no other speakers, there's public

[22:15] hearing is now closed. Council, questions, comments or motion? Councilman Bennett. I move for approval.

[22:25] I'm going to motion for approval from Councilman Bennett, Councilman Williams. I'll second

[22:30] We're in a second from Councilman Williams, there's only a discussion of the motion.

[22:36] You know, I do have one question. Mr. Weinke, can you come forward and just answer a quick question for me?

[22:46] Number one, I want to thank Pastor Goodman for this initiative. It's enthusiasm and it's willing to give back to the community

[22:52] and to come back to the community. We're glad you're here. It is a little closely and far to right now.

[22:59] Mr. Wine, if you get very familiar with this property, in the past the church was also utilizing

[23:06] this property, and there were two issues that came to bear.

[23:13] One was parking and one was sewage.

[23:15] Both of these issues been addressed or you confident that we will not have a problem as we

[23:20] did before.

[23:23] The second part of that question, yes, we are confident based on the information submitted

[23:27] by this applicant further prior to them getting a certificate of occupancy to operate.

[23:34] Occupancy will be established by our department than the building of visual and collaboration

[23:38] with the fire marshal, as well as that CO would not be issued until the Department of Health

[23:45] has reviewed the septic tank capacity on the property to ensure that the occupant load

[23:51] aligns with what capacity is available. So those will certainly be addressed prior to the church

[23:56] be enabled to legally occupy the suite.

[23:59] Okay, thank you very much.

[24:01] Okay, we do have a motion on the floor for approval.

[24:03] It was made by Councillor BETIT, and seconded by Councillor Mewiams.

[24:07] Is there any further discussion?

[24:09] If none, Councillor members, prepared to vote?

[24:12] Please vote.

[24:14] Madam Clerk, please record the vote.

[24:17] Motion is approved by vote of eight to zero.

[24:20] Okay, our next public hearing.

[24:25] The next public hearing is an ordinance to amend chapter 31.

[24:28] of the unified development ordinance of the Code of the City of Suffolk article for zoning

[24:34] section 31-411 use patterns, subsection E, cluster pattern, subscription tan, design standards

[24:44] of the Code of the City of Suffolk Virginia. This is OTA-2024-2. Mr. Deputy Manager, please provide

[24:51] an overview.

[24:52] The Chair of Vice Mayor of Members of Council, Mr. Wine will provide an overview of the proposed

[24:56] ordinance modifications. Thank you again, Mr. Deputy Manager.

[25:00] We're mayor, vice mayor, members of council. This is an ordinance tax amendment in which we took a review of our design standards for our cluster of subdivisions that really had not been updated since the creation of unified development ordinance going back to 1999.

[25:17] 99, but just a little refresher as it relates to cluster when I know we've talked about

[25:23] clusters of divisions before, but we are authorized through state code to one we're required

[25:33] to have a cluster design pattern to allow for it because we are a high-growth locality per

[25:42] the Code of Virginia.

[25:44] Second, the same authorizing legislation

[25:48] allows governing bodies to establish design standards

[25:53] for cluster subdivisions at its discretion

[25:58] to include any provisions it determines

[26:00] to be appropriate to injure quality development.

[26:03] And that's what these are.

[26:04] These are design standards that do not exist

[26:07] for conventional subdivisions they kind of go above and beyond.

[26:10] But they've not been reviewed for a while, and I'm going to go over hopefully pretty quickly what we're eliminated and why and or what we're modifying it why.

[26:21] So we allow for cluster subdivisions and article four.

[26:26] It's one of the use patterns that's the most often leveraged use pattern that we have in the city for subdivisions.

[26:34] Beyond the conventional patterns that we see.

[26:39] They allow for an alternative lot size, alternative setbacks,

[26:45] front-age requirements and pervious cover.

[26:47] Basically, all of the dimensional standards that we have established in our unified

[26:51] development ordinance for zoning districts.

[26:54] There's some leniency there with cluster subdivisions.

[26:58] With the trade-off that we're conserving,

[27:02] And usually, environmentally sensitive areas, with the goal of preserving open space and

[27:09] perpetuity.

[27:16] So we've noted, we've talked about this in the past too, but there are a lot of benefits

[27:19] to clustering.

[27:21] One, you have this property that's held in perpetuity as open space.

[27:26] The city receives an easement over that property to ensure that it is held in open space

[27:33] perpetuity. The smaller lot sizes in general, a result in less infrastructure maintenance costs for both the city and the taxpayers alike, that does not result in an increase in density in any way. You're looking at one property that's being developed.

[27:50] The density over that entire property will remain the same, the lots would just be smaller.

[27:56] It allows flexibility, particularly when there are some environmental features present.

[28:03] And those noted minimum design standards, those are relates to community design, open space,

[28:10] recreation, design, and architectural features for residential structures that are to be developed

[28:15] within these cluster subdivisions.

[28:18] In total, the UDO establishes 33 separate design standards for cluster subdivisions.

[28:24] And that's what we revisited through discussion

[28:27] with the committee in order to, in the planning commission,

[28:29] leading up to this ordinance text amendment.

[28:35] So in total, as we reviewed these 33 design standards,

[28:40] staff has identified seven that would be appropriate

[28:43] for removal, I'll go over why, but either they were redundant,

[28:50] or we've seen some industry improvements over the last 25 years,

[28:54] particularly as it relates to building materials.

[28:57] On top of the seven that we've identified for removal, we have identified five that would be

[29:04] appropriate for modification. Once again, this is going back to improvements with building

[29:09] quality. So the first one being corner lot should have side entry garages. We have noticed

[29:18] that this is not practical all the time. Sometimes you will have a corner lot that fronts on

[29:25] interior or local streets, the other side where the garage would be required in the driveway

[29:31] would come off a much more traffic street and that's just not practical and that's not what

[29:36] we intended to accomplish. Something that builders are utilizing anyway, typically, however,

[29:44] did not believe that we needed to regulate that, due to creating a need potentially for variants

[29:51] from the BZA. If you present of the homes being one story, unless the development qualifies

[29:57] as an exam for a charming community, particularly...

[30:00] If some changes over the last couple decades, aging populations, market trends, there's a pretty

[30:06] strong demand for one story or master gown units. We've noticed that. So we do not see the need

[30:13] to keep that provision. Two story homes having a minimum square footage associated with them.

[30:21] In one story homes also having a 1, 1500 square feet or 16 hundred square feet. While those are somewhat low square footage requirements,

[30:32] we do believe that just limits development potential for more affordable units, which conflicts with the city's goals as it relates to for a while.

[30:41] and among other things.

[30:44] Trash containers and recycling bins should be completely

[30:47] screened from view of the streets.

[30:50] We looked at this one, and it's not something

[30:52] that's really been a regulatory issue for the city.

[30:56] I say that because there's some practical issues

[30:59] associated with fully scraping from the streets,

[31:02] but it also tends to be regulated really effectively

[31:05] at the HOA level, so that's something that we thought

[31:09] could be handled that way as it's not something that we've observed as an issue.

[31:14] Moving along for some of the provisions that we are aiming to eliminate here,

[31:19] fencing both on the lots and perimeter of the development,

[31:23] shall we design an article six of this ordinance?

[31:28] Well, it's regulated by article six.

[31:30] We feel it's redundant to have it in this section as well.

[31:34] So we fielded the need to remove that.

[31:40] Chimneys being constructed of brick or stone,

[31:44] most new homes are not being constructed with wood

[31:46] burning fireplaces, unless there's no associated chimney.

[31:49] So this has not been an issue for us really

[31:54] going back to trends in the building community.

[31:58] And then allowing materials to be regulated through

[32:02] restrictions that is, there's no need for us to codify that in an ordinance that is being done anyway.

[32:12] So, the five that we are proposing for modification, the first one is being, we're going to combine,

[32:18] but this relates to landings being visible from the street right of way, consisting of 24 square feet in total area.

[32:26] This has been effective, it leads to quite an attractive elevation, but we thought that could be

[32:32] combined with a separate provision that also speaks to having approaches or stupes covered

[32:43] by a roof.

[32:44] So we've combined those two new changes except for the B1 design standard now for the sake

[32:51] of simplicity.

[32:54] No less than 8% of the total area of any side or rear facade facing a public street,

[33:00] shock-insistive windows or doors.

[33:05] Right now, that is for all side or rear facade.

[33:10] We are modifying this to talk to the more prominent ones that will be visible from a public

[33:18] street, the ones that we really care about, visibly, so we have refined that to a public

[33:22] to areas visible from public view.

[33:26] The last two here, probably the most significant change is this one here is it relates to

[33:33] exterior materials and finishes.

[33:37] Currently no less than 50% of all the buildings that make up a cluster subdivision should

[33:43] consist of brick stone wood, clap boards, cedar shake, hard board, fiber cement or a similar

[33:51] material. This has resulted in most of our cluster subdivisions utilizing fiber, cement, or

[34:01] hearty plank throughout the entire community. It's led to some quite attractive communities.

[34:06] However, there have been a lot of advancements as it relates to the vinyl siding. The vinyl

[34:10] siding of 25 years ago is not the vinyl siding that we have today. We did a lot of research on this

[34:17] at the Committee on Ordnance's level,

[34:20] what are the lot of samples.

[34:22] And ultimately, you landed on premium grade vinyl,

[34:26] being a pretty compatible material to Hardy Plank.

[34:33] As such, we've modified this section to allow

[34:36] for premium grade vinyl, identifying it by its thickness

[34:40] that thickness leads to durability,

[34:43] and it does a pretty decent job.

[34:45] It's pretty difficult to tell whether it's vinyl or hearty plank, when it's a premium grade.

[34:51] I don't like that when you're a little distance away, particularly when going walking

[34:57] through the street.

[34:58] So, we've updated that to a laffer.

[35:01] Lastly, as it relates to skirting on foundations, there have been some additional innovations, particularly as it relates to porridge and stucco coatings that could be utilized on foundations.

[35:13] This would be permitted along with the brickstone or stone face block that we currently permit.

[35:20] So those are the changes. I know that's a lot of information. This has been discussed at length with our committee on ordinances and our planning commission.

[35:29] of the Planning Commission at their meeting in May, consider this item and they are recommending

[35:36] it to you today for your approval.

[35:39] That concludes my presentation on this item.

[35:42] I'll be happy to stand by and answer any questions.

[35:44] I think the conclusion of the public hearing.

[35:45] Thank you, Mr. Wine.

[35:47] Before we open the public hearing, Madam Clerk, we please explain the timing system.

[35:51] This is a public hearing.

[35:52] And each speaker is asked to provide their name and address and we'll receive three minutes

[35:57] That's all for their comments.

[36:01] This is a public hearing.

[36:02] With the first speaker, please come forward and provide their name and address.

[36:10] Have anyone present, it would like to speak to this ordinance.

[36:16] Hearing those speakers, this public hearing is now closed.

[36:20] Council and ordinances have been presented for consideration, but should you please your Council

[36:26] and Fossil?

[36:27] Move to approve.

[36:28] There's a motion for approval from Councilman Fossil, Councilman Rector.

[36:32] I'll second that motion, but Kevin, if you don't mind, can you come up to the podium for

[36:36] quick question.

[36:42] I just want to be clear on your statement about no increase in density.

[36:47] That's taking the land area as a whole, not compressing it and taking out the environmentally

[36:53] sensitive area. So the density is computed on the whole, not on the compressed area, correct?

[37:00] That is correct, yes, sir. All right, thank you. Okay, we have a motion on the floor for approval.

[37:07] I'll motion me by Councillor Fossil, seconded by Councilman Rector, is there any discussion

[37:12] of the motion?

[37:13] Very nice.

[37:14] Council members prepare to vote.

[37:16] Please cast your vote.

[37:19] Madam Clerk, please report to vote.

[37:22] Motion is approved by vote of 8 to 0.

[37:24] We'll now move to ordinances.

[37:26] Our first ordinances in order to rezone and amend the official zoning map of the city

[37:31] of Suffolk.

[37:32] To change the zoning from C.P. Commerce Park, O.I. Office Institutional, and R.U.

[37:40] Residential Urban Zoning District Conditional, to R.C. Residential Compact Zoning District

[37:47] Conditional for property located in Zoning Map 34, Parts of 3.C.

[37:55] The count number two, five, two, eight, five, three,

[37:58] zero, zero, zero.

[38:00] This is always the end, 20, 20, three, five,

[38:03] conditional.

[38:04] And this item was continued from City Council's April 17,

[38:09] 2024 meeting.

[38:10] Mr. Deputy Manager, please present it over to you.

[38:13] Mayor, by spare members of Council, Mr. Wine,

[38:15] we'll provide a staff overview on the ordinance.

[38:18] All right.

[38:19] Thank you, again, Mr. Deputy Manager.

[38:20] As the mayor stated, this is, and item that was continued from your April 17th meeting as such I'm going to try to be brief in my presentation and just highlight what has changed since then.

[38:37] But as a quick reminder, this is a proposed rezoning request for property located on pitch cattle road at the bypass of route 58.

[38:52] The request would take three separate zoning districts that exist on the one parcel.

[38:58] Are you conditional for a portion of it?

[39:01] CP and O and I, and a reason that to our C residential compact conditional zoning district?

[39:13] So there's a little bit of history to this.

[39:15] I outlined that at your April meeting, but you've noted that a portion of it is zone.

[39:21] are you conditional today?

[39:23] That was resowned as part of a rezoning request in 2007,

[39:29] where C.P. portion of C.P.

[39:32] on the property went to RU and O and I,

[39:35] and they retained a portion of C.P. as well as our commerce park.

[39:39] This would, this paved the way for development

[39:42] of up 279 age restricted town home units

[39:46] with 20,000 square feet of commercial space.

[39:49] the 179 town hominets would result in a density of 5 units per acre.

[39:56] In this case, the applicant is proposing a reason.

[40:00] The entire site consists of 63 acres from the existing CPO and I and RU conditional designations to that residential compact designation I discussed earlier.

[40:13] The applicant envisions, in this case, constructing 335 town home units.

[40:21] The construction of 335 town hominets on the site, 63 acres, 58 acres are available.

[40:29] I would result in a density of 5.7 units per acre, and that represents a modest increase

[40:35] over what is approved for a portion of the property currently.

[40:41] Here you have the layout, that was in a staff's pack as well.

[40:45] You can see how the developer envisions developing the property.

[40:49] This is somewhat consistent with the previous development proposal, obviously an expansion.

[40:57] This is not profit, however, but it is presented for conceptual purposes.

[41:04] So there are 10 profits that the applicant has provided in support of their application.

[41:10] A cash contribution to advanced capacity at the elementary school in high school levels

[41:16] to the in the amount of $5.85 million dollars.

[41:21] This includes an additional $1.05 million above what is necessary

[41:25] to adequately advance capacity at the elementary school level

[41:29] for the proposed elephants for elementary replacement

[41:33] contained within the Catful Improvement Project.

[41:37] They are proforing to construct no more than 335 town homunits.

[41:42] These would be at a minimum square footage of 1,700 square feet,

[41:48] our higher of residential space.

[41:50] There are exterior elevations and design requirements established.

[41:55] The exterior elevation profit is a part of the ordinance

[41:59] within staff's report.

[42:03] $100,000 in a cash contribution towards the city's

[42:08] Route 58 PitchCettle Road interchange project that is contained within the capital improvements plan.

[42:15] A minidies of which include a clubhouse and pool, enhanced community insurance features,

[42:24] and at your last meeting, there was project phasing presented for your consideration.

[42:29] However, there's a modification to that over what was previously considered, and I'll outline that currently.

[42:36] outline that now, so, as it relates to the phasing and what's presented for your consideration

[42:41] this evening, that is different than your previous consideration in April, is a phasing schedule

[42:49] that aligns with what you see on the screen here, but essentially over a five-year period

[42:55] that is what would be fulfilled out that would start in year 2027 in which they would be permitted

[43:04] to receive up to 48 certificates of occupancy from the city during that calendar year in

[43:13] 2028 that would remain at 4 CO's monthly allowing the, I'm sorry, that would increase

[43:25] to six, allowing them 72 units in 2028 and 72 additional units in 2029.

[43:36] You can see that on the table here, how that goes up cumulatively on an annual basis.

[43:44] In the calendar year 23, that would increase to 7 units over the course of the year, resulting

[43:54] in an 84 units total, meaning that they would eventually get to fold build out sometime

[44:01] in at 231.

[44:06] This, it's important to note, would not include potential model units that they would

[44:11] construct.

[44:12] They would be a total part of the development.

[44:14] They would not be able to exceed the 335 units, but they would be able to get COs for up to

[44:21] 7 units that would not be occupied immediately, but would serve as models for the community.

[44:28] So that is how the phasing schedule has been modified basically.

[44:34] They decrease the amount of CEOs that can be issued on a monthly basis really annually

[44:39] in those first few years to control the amount of units that come online at any given time.

[44:48] Here's that elevation exhibit provided and proper by the applicants, their proper and substantial

[44:56] conformance to this.

[45:00] So, as a reminder, the Planning Commission, at their meeting in March, considered this item, and

[45:07] they're forwarding it to you all with their recommendation of denial by vote of two six, city council,

[45:15] as we've soaked about at your April 17 meeting, considered this application and action was deferred

[45:21] for 60 days, and this is where we are tonight. A staff has evaluated this application against the

[45:29] we're going to play in the Unified Development Ordnance, and we are recommending it's a approval

[45:36] to you all this evening. That concludes my presentation on this item. This is an ordinance as the

[45:44] public hearing was closed at your April meeting. As such, there's no public hearing this evening,

[45:51] so I will stand by for any questions you may have as it relates to this application.

[45:54] Thank you, Mr. Wayne. Council, I wanted to see some of it presented for consideration.

[46:02] Question and comments or a motion. Councilman Fossi.

[46:05] Thank you, Mayor.

[46:08] This particular ordinance where we're at and how we got here from April 17 was a much

[46:14] discussion about elephants for school capacity and at the time we table this with the

[46:23] question back to the developer to come up with a scale that would virtually, as you

[46:35] have seen on the screen, come back and bring a certain number of buildings over a period

[46:43] from 27 to 31.

[46:47] So with that, it gives us a little bit of time to hopefully.

[46:53] We know that we've got to work on elephants' fork.

[46:55] It's no question about it.

[46:57] And it's probably going to come up.

[46:59] I would think rather sooner than later.

[47:03] But the point is, the development has done what we asked him

[47:07] to do to bring this back in the 60-day time period.

[47:12] So, with Adam, at the point where, if you requested him to do something, then he's met the

[47:18] demand that looks as much as close as you can get, I'm going to go ahead and move for approval

[47:26] of this ordinance request.

[47:30] Okay, we get a motion for approval, Councilman Fossic, Councilman Johnson.

[47:34] I'd like to have a little discussion first though.

[47:37] The Elevance Fork Elementary School replacement is not scheduled to be complete until

[47:42] 30, 34.

[47:45] Anyway, you look at these numbers.

[47:48] I mean, we're going to, our school's going to be overloaded by 2031.

[47:53] I'm having a hard time being responsible with this.

[47:56] If we're going to allow development when we don't have the school capacity for it, and we

[47:59] don't have it on the CIP, I thought the discussion was it would be on the CIP that we

[48:04] would have at least have those schools in focus.

[48:09] I have a little bit of a problem.

[48:10] I also have a little bit of a problem with $100,000 for road construction.

[48:14] I use pitchcattle road every day.

[48:17] 313 years.

[48:18] I have not been in favor of this from day one,

[48:20] and I don't think I can put in favor of it tonight.

[48:23] But that's a lot of traffic.

[48:26] Rob, Mr. Wood, can I ask you one question, please?

[48:29] I don't want to put you on spot.

[48:31] But just tell me briefly what the plan is

[48:34] on pitch cattle. As far as handling all of this traffic, not only this subdivision but the

[48:38] others that have not even been developed yet. Are we going to put a stop light? What's

[48:42] this solution? No, so at this point we have expanded a study that we're doing right now in the

[48:47] bypass where we're looking at the right 460 interchange and the right 10 interchange to now

[48:53] include Wilroy and pitch cattle road. At this point we have a vision that most likely that interchange

[49:00] we'll get modified to what's called a bow tie,

[49:03] so it's not traffic signals, traffic signals

[49:05] would actually MP traffic relevant and hands it.

[49:08] And part of this funding here's to help us

[49:10] do that study to help get through all the regulatory process

[49:13] so that we can then start seeking the funding for construction.

[49:17] I believe there may be already one other development

[49:20] in the area that's had to contribute to this fund

[49:23] previously and there's already some money in the books for that.

[49:28] But ideally, what a traffic generator like this is not a better place to put it in, do a high capacity

[49:35] high speed or to your highway.

[49:37] I guess my concern, though, is that it is a definitely a safety situation right now on

[49:43] that entrance from 58 getting on to pitch count.

[49:46] I mean, I'm not really seeing it, sir, it may be, but with that searching, the police, accident

[49:52] data, I travel several days a week also going to come from work and I've not seen

[49:57] a real safety issue there, but again, it would take a...

[50:00] The study to really verify that one way is going to be. Okay. Thank you. Yes, sir.

[50:07] All right. That's, that's, that's all I've got to say. Thank you.

[50:14] It's been written. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. One of the things that this ordinance does in this development does is that it settles this property for lack of a better phrase, with the three different zoning that are on this particular parcel.

[50:31] A lot of the buy-right uses that the CP and the O&I allow, I think, could potentially bring

[50:39] things into that corridor that are very much incompatible with the residential development

[50:45] that exists between the bypass and basically constant's road.

[50:50] I do have to agree a little bit with Robert Lewis.

[50:53] I travel that road probably two or three times a day.

[50:59] The traffic on pitch count of road is not a problem.

[51:04] I've been there for 30 in the afternoon and counted three or four cars on the road.

[51:08] That's not a huge amount of traffic.

[51:12] And I think one of the things that I've said this before that I really like about a conditional

[51:17] rezoning is that it does allow you and it does allow the city and it does allow the neighboring

[51:23] and residences to work with the developer too,

[51:27] for lack of a better phrase, extract certain conditions

[51:30] that make the proposed development much more palatable,

[51:35] not only to the surrounding community,

[51:37] but also to the city as a whole.

[51:40] And I think this stretching out the issuance

[51:43] of certificates of occupancy permits over a seven year period

[51:47] is a classic example of what can be accomplished

[51:51] when you work with the developer to try to bring the best project to the city that is possible.

[51:59] So having said that, I'll second Councilman Fossence Motion to approve this ordinance.

[52:07] Second Councilman Rector for approval, do we have any other discussion to the motion?

[52:15] Hearing none, I've got a couple of comments before we vote.

[52:17] But when I was initially approached with this project, my concern was absolutely the schools

[52:25] and where we are as far as elephants' fork is concerned and I spoke to the developer also

[52:32] about coming up with an option that we'd limit the number of CEOs that would be issue

[52:47] Now, there's no guarantee that the school board will keep elephants fork in place that it is,

[52:52] but I honestly believe that under the circumstances, they absolutely will.

[52:58] And with that being said, then it's incumbent upon us to, to, at least keep it within the CIP schedule,

[53:06] to Councilman Johnson's point, not that I'm, the, probably the elephant's fork is scheduled to start in

[53:15] 9.5 million, 26.2 million and 29, and actually completed in fiscal year 30, the 30, 34 is a category, so it's not, we won't go out to 34.

[53:26] It will be completed, according to the CIP in 2030.

[53:31] The development would not be built out to 20, 31.

[53:35] Another consideration is that, I think what we found is that the numbers in the UDO,

[53:41] and the projected students don't normally align with the actual number of students that end up in school.

[53:48] And the typical reality of it is that there's about the same number of students

[53:53] since public schools today, then it was 10 years ago.

[53:57] Even though we've had all this additional development.

[54:00] So the schools are concerned to me.

[54:03] As far as the location is concerned, I think the staff report probably

[54:11] The sums it up, the best we talk about, the traffic studies, I haven't looked at all the traffic

[54:16] studies, but I assume that our people have in the staff report

[54:26] states that the current

[54:30] zoning

[54:36] going to RSE, the residential compact zoning district conditional, is consistent with

[54:42] policies of the 2035 comprehensive plan and proposed density of roughly 5.7 units per acre

[54:49] would be more compatible with the established residential development patterns than

[54:54] the commercial or office uses permitted by the existing.

[55:00] Existing 01 and CP zoning districts. Therefore, the staff recommends approval.

[55:09] Some of the things that bother me somewhat is for is the OI designation and the CP.

[55:19] It allows for a few things like flex space, office, park, transitional shelters, research and development.

[55:26] which is not too bad, but I'm mainly looking at the flex space aspect of it, which is

[55:31] the flex space is not at warehouse, it's a small warehouse, it's limited in height,

[55:39] it's limited as to how many doors there are.

[55:43] I think that it's incumbent upon us to do whatever we can to keep truck traffic off the pitch

[55:51] I mean, we've got one large project on 460.

[55:57] We've got to ensure that we keep the truck traffic off of that.

[56:01] But with the number of jobs that are supposed to be created

[56:04] with the Port 460 project, and there is some huge numbers out there.

[56:08] I think realistically, it's 2 to 3,000 jobs will be created.

[56:14] At that location, we need to keep in mind that that may not be all warehouses either.

[56:20] I mean, it was zoned and tended for warehouses, but I know there's been talk of also

[56:25] a manufacturing interest, and possibly some data center interest, where these people

[56:30] were only someplace to live.

[56:33] And this housing is not extraordinarily high.

[56:38] I think it qualifies as moderate the workforce type housing.

[56:44] Another plus, I think we should take into consideration commercial versus residential and

[56:51] this particular area.

[56:52] As someone in the traffic, for the most part, it's going to take a right and get on 58 regardless.

[56:58] But by being residential, we are making huge investments downtown to revitalize downtown, huge investments.

[57:06] We've got a $25, $67 million library just on.

[57:10] We've got a festival center that is near and completion.

[57:13] We've purchased two strategic buildings on Main Street that we can control.

[57:19] We've created more parking and there will be more incentives hopefully for private investment

[57:24] downtown for some more shops, unique shops, for some more eateries, some unique eateries.

[57:31] And they're going to need individuals, they're going to need rooftops to patronize them.

[57:36] I think just development may be perfect for that.

[57:39] You want to go out and go out and go out to eat, you've got to take a left, you go down

[57:42] town and you get somebody and you come back on pitch, got to write.

[57:44] But just this my thought process.

[57:47] And once again, it's what we'll get with what we have, what we could get versus what

[57:56] this will create.

[57:57] So with the staging of the build out limited by the number of occupancy permits,

[58:07] They will, all things being equal, align with the building of elephants for a gallymetry

[58:13] because it is supposed to be completed in 2030, so it would have been, say, a support

[58:21] motion.

[58:21] Council Member Butler Voila.

[58:23] Thank you, Mayor.

[58:24] I just had a question after you started your comments, but Kevin, could you come back

[58:29] up for just a second,

[58:32] and I'm going to ask you to conjecture, and I know that's not fair,

[58:36] But so planning commission sent this to us with a two to six vote to deny.

[58:41] Do you think that the changes that have been made and presented to us tonight

[58:45] would address some of the concerns that the planning commission had?

[58:50] No, we're going back to March at this point.

[58:55] I can't definitively answer that either way.

[59:00] It probably would have made for more interesting conversation for certain.

[59:09] Council on the other questions and comments.

[59:12] If not, we have a motion on the floor for approval.

[59:15] Council members prepared a vote.

[59:18] Please case your vote.

[59:21] Madam Clerk, please record a vote.

[59:29] Council member Bennett, please.

[59:35] The motion is approved by a vote of 7 to 1 with Council member Johnson voting in opposition.

[59:42] Okay, our next ordinance is an ordinance authorizing the city manager

[59:46] to execute the paperwork necessary to effect your wait.

[59:49] to certification of the city of Suffolk in order to receive proceeds from the acquiesce film

[59:56] forming foam products liability.

[1:00:00] The litigation, class, action, settlements, and I am not going to say that one again. Mr. Gepid, you manage it please, please, please. Mayer vice mayor members of council to provide you with more information on this ordinance, Mr. Palvertale, your director of public utilities.

[1:00:16] Thank you. Good evening. Mayer vice mayor members of council. Give a little background on this. That was that is a mouthful. So I'm going to hit some of this to give you a little bit of context.

[1:00:26] The litigation that we're asking the city manager to

[1:00:31] Certify that we're able to submit on.

[1:00:34] It's due to aqueous film-forming foams.

[1:00:37] A trip-a-left has been the firefighting service.

[1:00:39] People know what a trip-a-left is.

[1:00:41] It's used to put out aircraft fires.

[1:00:43] And it also a class of chemicals called performalkal substances

[1:00:47] or PFAS is the acronym.

[1:00:50] And what is occurred is across the country as these

[1:00:53] have entered into the drinking water system through the raw water sources.

[1:00:58] PFOS is found in a variety of commercial and consumer products, which we'll talk about on the next slide.

[1:01:05] PFOS is also a broader umbrella of thousands of synthetic product substances.

[1:01:10] Sometimes in the news, you may have heard as PFOS over the last few years is referred to as the forever chemicals.

[1:01:16] And the reason for that is in many cases, chemicals will break down in the environment, different organic substances and consist of carbon will break down in the environment.

[1:01:26] These synthetic chemicals do not take a very long time to break down, in some cases hundreds or thousands of years to break down.

[1:01:33] But they have found their way into our drinking water system.

[1:01:36] So if you take a look at a slide of where PFAS is found, you're really talking about some of the consumer products, commercial products.

[1:01:45] So, for example, clothing and textiles think of Gore-Tex, PFAS is in Gore-Tex, carpeting and

[1:01:52] flooring fibers, non-stick cookware, the coating that's on there, the Teflon coating.

[1:01:57] Food packaging, the carryout trays that you have contain PFAS, and of course, we've talked

[1:02:03] about the fire fighting foam, so it's used in a wide variety of substances.

[1:02:08] So, you look at the PFAS regulatory limits in drinking water, in the regulatory

[1:02:15] In the regulatory realm for drinking water, we talk about a maximum contaminant level or an MCL.

[1:02:22] So EPA recently came out and listed PFOS and PFOLA, PFOLA is another component.

[1:02:28] I won't go ahead and say, pronounce what that is, but it's limited to four parts per trillion.

[1:02:35] Now I want to give you a little bit of context to what a part per trillion is.

[1:02:39] A part per trillion would be, if you went and you were traveling up 664 and you look at

[1:02:44] North Suffolk tank that would be if I took a one part would be if I took a drop of red food

[1:02:51] coloring and dropped it into the volume of 12 of those tanks. That's one part per trillion or

[1:02:57] perhaps if you looked at if you're more familiar with the tanks that are off Holland Road to

[1:03:01] Standpipe that would be nine of those standpipes off of Holland Road to the very very small amounts.

[1:03:07] We've gotten ahead of this where we've done some laboratory testing for city water sources and as

[1:03:12] as the finished water, finished water being the term of the water that you would actually drink.

[1:03:16] Peephouse was detected below the regulatory limits in the raw surface water that we take

[1:03:22] into our treatment plant. So we're below those limits and then when it comes through our process

[1:03:26] we primarily because of the dilution there is no detection and suffoc finished water.

[1:03:31] However, even though we do not have that in our finished water because it's been detected through

[1:03:37] two rounds of laboratory sampling in 2022 and 2023,

[1:03:42] we are still able to participate in these class action lawsuits.

[1:03:46] So a little bit of background on that on the submission.

[1:03:49] They're currently four settling defendants.

[1:03:51] These are the companies.

[1:03:52] The 3M company, the DuPont, Taiko, and VASF.

[1:03:56] And again, the settlements are designed

[1:03:57] to resolve drinking water system claims.

[1:04:01] The plan for us moving forward would be that the city of Suffolk

[1:04:05] as part of the Western Thai water water authority would file the claim on Western Thai water

[1:04:10] water authority has two members jurisdictions, that's us, the city of Suffolk, and I'll

[1:04:15] of white. So then if we recouped any proceeds from the settlement, what we would do is we would

[1:04:21] handle those proceeds, those funds, and we would split them between the city of Suffolk and I'll

[1:04:26] like county under the terms of the 2009 Western Thai water water authority regional water agreement.

[1:04:32] So, tonight, the ordinance before you for consideration is to give the authority the city manager

[1:04:37] to execute those claim forms so that we can submit them for the class action lawsuits.

[1:04:43] With that, I'll stand by with any questions.

[1:04:47] Thank you, sir.

[1:04:50] Council.

[1:04:52] Councilman, follow me.

[1:04:54] They call it just want to make comment.

[1:04:58] I'm very familiar with this.

[1:05:00] Beatric Left, very familiar. Of course, predominantly, Beatric Left has been used in firefighting for a

[1:05:09] number of years, particularly in crash type situations, hangers that store aircraft. I have

[1:05:18] swam in this stuff. Believe me, over my career. So I'm very familiar with this, and throughout

[1:05:25] the country, the lawsuits on this product, is astronomical for a lot of firefighters around

[1:05:33] the country that been exposed to this for various cancer-related issues.

[1:05:42] So this, this atriple of is was never explained to us what could happen from the exposure

[1:05:51] or even though you might wear limited protection like PPE.

[1:05:59] So it's what's going on here is not just you,

[1:06:03] but it's around the country.

[1:06:06] And you identified DuPot 3M and all those.

[1:06:09] They were the big three that were involved in this.

[1:06:11] They never shared where what it could do to in the long term.

[1:06:16] They never shared but it never came out on MSDS

[1:06:19] that I was aware of, and you know what they are.

[1:06:25] So with that, I'm just going to go ahead and ask for approval of the ordinance, but I just

[1:06:29] wanted to mention that to you, since I've been involved with that short April left for

[1:06:34] a quite a long time, I'll be over 34 years of it to be honest with you.

[1:06:39] So I appreciate the presentation, Governor.

[1:06:42] We're here to mention for approval from Councilman Foster, Councilman Johnson, and Paul, I just

[1:06:48] What you're asking us to do is to allow the city to recoup the funding for the people of

[1:06:52] this city so that it can be put back to their resources.

[1:06:56] To submit the paperwork, allow the city manager to certify that paperwork and submit

[1:06:59] that to participate in this.

[1:07:01] It could be a great deal of money, so it's silly and it's not to approve this.

[1:07:04] So with that, I'll second it.

[1:07:05] Thank you for bringing it to us.

[1:07:07] And we've got a second from Councilman Johnson, Councilman Richter.

[1:07:12] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

[1:07:14] Paul, as a fellow member of the Western Toddwater Water Authority, a board along with Council

[1:07:18] and Johnson, and of course, a city manager, Almore, who is not with us this evening.

[1:07:24] First off, I just want to reiterate what I have said from this dias before, just how

[1:07:29] amazed I am at the technology that is involved and not only getting the water to our kitchen

[1:07:36] sink, but also taking it away.

[1:07:39] the facilities that the city has that govern those two processes. I've toured them. I believe

[1:07:46] they're probably second to none. Just about anywhere in the country. You and the entire

[1:07:52] utilities department. You know, I have nothing but respect for the work that you guys do because

[1:07:58] I cut on my bathroom sink every morning to brush my teeth and I do it with full confidence that

[1:08:03] getting good clean pure water to do it with. The other good news is that I think it bears

[1:08:09] repeating, is that the city of Suffolk, our water is nowhere near any of the thresholds that

[1:08:19] would cause anybody any concern. So even though we're participating in these settlement suits,

[1:08:27] it is just purely for the benefit of our water authorities. It is not not of the money

[1:08:33] I don't believe it's going to have to go towards any remediation efforts and it is that correct.

[1:08:40] That's correct.

[1:08:41] So with that, I'll endorse the ordinance and look forward to the vote.

[1:08:46] Councillor, any other questions or comments?

[1:08:48] If not, we have a motion on the floor from approval, from Councillor Fossil's second in

[1:08:53] by Councillor Minion Johnson in hearing further discussion.

[1:08:57] Councillor members prepared a vote.

[1:08:59] Please cast your vote.

[1:09:01] I'm Clerk, please record your vote.

[1:09:06] Motion is approved by vote of 8 to 0.

[1:09:08] We have no resolutions this evening, nor staff reports.

[1:09:12] We do have the motion to schedule a city council work session for Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

[1:09:18] At 4 p.m. in Los Cancels by the mayor in the city manager in the motion with the

[1:09:22] Enwater Councilman Williams.

[1:09:24] Move for approval.

[1:09:25] Motion for approval.

[1:09:26] Council Williams.

[1:09:26] Council Member Butler Barlow.

[1:09:28] Second.

[1:09:28] Second from Council Member Butler Barlow.

[1:09:30] Any discussion in the motion?

[1:09:31] Here are your non-counsel members prepared about. Please cast your vote and I'm clerk. Please

[1:09:38] record the vote. Motion is approved by vote of 8 to 0.

[1:09:43] Now, move to non-agenda speakers. Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers this evening?

[1:09:48] And if so, please explain the guidelines.

[1:09:51] Yes, Mayor Doom, when we do have non-agenda speakers this evening. The non-agenda

[1:09:56] speaker's portion is here at the guidelines as I

[1:10:00] But line in the city code, each person entitled none of participating under the item with business, entitled

[1:10:05] non agenda speakers shall limit their remarks to the services policies and affairs of city government

[1:10:10] and shall be permitted five minutes for the purpose of presenting his or her matters.

[1:10:16] Speakers participating, excuse me, appearing before city council will not be permitted to participate in the following activities.

[1:10:22] to campaign for public office, engage in personal attacks, promote private business ventures

[1:10:28] or use profanity speakers who violate these rules to be declared out of order by the

[1:10:32] presiding officer and will immediately yield the floor and be seated.

[1:10:36] Our first speaker is Judy Lawrence Lamp, 4818, Sandra Tine, Drive, Lexum, North Carolina,

[1:10:47] representing self regarding the legacy of James Wesley Lawrence.

[1:11:03] Good evening.

[1:11:26] Due to the emotional state I remain in after 38 years, I choose to write the words from

[1:11:33] a heart.

[1:11:35] A memory came back to me.

[1:11:37] I came to Daddy's office located in Cyprus, Manna.

[1:11:42] While in his office he and his secretary were lightly joking.

[1:11:46] When he spotted me standing at the counter, he referred to me as his protector.

[1:11:52] It was a joke at the time, but here, decades later, I had become just that.

[1:11:59] Not the hymn physically, but I must protect his legacy.

[1:12:03] My father instilled me the obligation to boldly take a stand for what I believed in and

[1:12:10] against the things that I didn't.

[1:12:11] James Wesley Lawrence was the win, beneath many wings. His humility and true humanitarianism

[1:12:20] may have presented the appreciation and celebration and recognition that he earned and deserved.

[1:12:28] James Wesley Lawrence was an unsung hero. Had their not been for voices left behind, technically he never existed.

[1:12:38] My father's lawyer Robert E. Gillette advised me to have my mother transfer her rights as

[1:12:45] administrator of my father's estate to me.

[1:12:49] After which he became inaccessible, I trusted him because my father did.

[1:12:55] As a result of my trauma and lack of experience in such matters, it was brought to my

[1:13:01] attention that I was spending from a railroad retirement account that was supposed to end

[1:13:06] at the point of my father's death. I reached out to Mr. Gillette with no response. My father

[1:13:14] entrusted Mr. Gillette to handle his business affair, so I had no apprehension about turning

[1:13:21] to him for counsel. His negligence to respond is questionable because as his lawyer, he had full

[1:13:28] knowledge of my father's insurance policies, investments, and real estate. I repeat, we only

[1:13:35] We see four burial plots in a casket.

[1:13:39] In regards to using the refinement, termine, fine, I was assigned a public defender and

[1:13:46] advised to plead guilty to avoiding having to leave my four children.

[1:13:52] I was found guilty of knowingly and willingly in business, even though it was neither knowingly

[1:14:00] or willful act.

[1:14:01] I served a brief sentence and was labeled a felon.

[1:14:06] Later, I was blessed to have someone assist me in helping me to make full rest

[1:14:11] institution.

[1:14:12] My dad was on the clock when he was killed on Portsmouth Boulevard.

[1:14:17] When I was a form of the inheritance that would do me,

[1:14:21] it was passed the statute of limitations.

[1:14:24] Finances were not on my mind as I had just lost the most valuable and precious

[1:14:29] seeing in my life my dad. As an overwhelmed mother of four children who had been financially

[1:14:37] weakened, I thought that we were being blessed because I was given four cemetery plants.

[1:14:44] Perhaps it was a determinant to prevent me from looking further into his insurance policies.

[1:14:51] My focus providing him, my focus at that time was providing him a proper home going.

[1:14:58] Thanks for watching!

[1:15:00] The Lawrence was vigilant in seeking solutions. Article after article in the Suffolk News Harrow Outlines,

[1:15:07] the Pacific Plans addressing vacant buildings for the homeless advocating for the city that

[1:15:13] is vulnerable to the exploitation of other municipalities in regards to what is supply,

[1:15:20] establishments for the purpose of giving our youth positive direction and many other

[1:15:27] visions. Cameras, no. He never sought to be seen. With exceptional intelligence and articulations

[1:15:35] however, he commanded to be heard. The city of Suffolk has named streets in the establishments

[1:15:41] in honor of certain citizens' contributions. However, James Wesley Lawrence, first, housing manager

[1:15:49] for the city. First, rehabilitation is special for the city. President of his neighborhood civic

[1:15:56] candidate for the City Council, President of Save Our Underground Resources, Service Rights

[1:16:04] Leader, one who endured threats from the Kukas clans in response to his taken a stand

[1:16:11] against racism, a humanitarian promoter and advocate for the well-being of the youth

[1:16:17] as well as the homeless, a visionary and an overall leader of the community.

[1:16:23] was somehow overlooked or more accurately erased.

[1:16:28] No cameras captured him grocery shopping for hungry families,

[1:16:33] buying buildings supplies and hiring workers to repair the roof of senior citizens,

[1:16:39] buying school books and supplies, having their children in Cyprus manage to pick up

[1:16:43] the litter on Davis Boulevard.

[1:16:45] Motivating tenants who live in impoverished communities to plant flowers in front of their dwellings,

[1:16:52] being instrumental and bringing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to peanut park.

[1:16:58] Selling a part of his land for $300 to a father moving to suffered with seven children,

[1:17:04] providing employment, getting citizens to get out and vote while orchestrating transportation for them to do so.

[1:17:12] His single fatherhood, which was a direct consequence of him losing the partnership of a new york wife,

[1:17:20] who struggle with her husband's dedication to making the difference among racism and token people of color.

[1:17:28] It disturbs me that I have migrant children and great grandchildren attending the schools in the city of Suffolk.

[1:17:35] Oblivious to the contributions made by their great-grandfather and great-grandfather in the city in which they live,

[1:17:43] especially considering the generations of Riddick's bird songs and various other public figures

[1:17:50] who worked alongside my father. These children are privileged to take pride in their family's history.

[1:17:58] The generations of James Wesley Lawrence deserve any less, absolutely not.

[1:18:10] Our next speaker is

[1:18:15] Daryl Clemens, 230 Highland Avenue, representing self-regarding school principle and youth activities.

[1:18:25] Daryl Clemens,

[1:18:29] our next speaker is Gloria Spencer, 100 Clover Leaf Drive, representing self-regarding agenda item number 14.

[1:18:40] RZ-2023-005, Ms. Spencer.

[1:18:47] Our final speaker this evening is Selena Thornton Manual, 1921, Piedmont Road, representing

[1:18:54] Parkside at Bennett's Creek Homeowners Association, regarding Creekside Elementary School

[1:19:01] Landscaping.

[1:19:07] Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, City Council.

[1:19:09] I come before you to speak on behalf of the landscaping at Creekside Elementary.

[1:19:19] We've noticed the condition of the landscaping at Creekside Elementary over the past

[1:19:24] year.

[1:19:26] The weeds have grown up over the baseball field, benches, the BMP, luckily it was cut down

[1:19:36] two weeks ago.

[1:19:37] I appreciate that, but it still needs to be etched and trimmed and we eat.

[1:19:47] Also the sidewalks needs to be trimmed and also cut for the weeds that's growing on the

[1:19:54] sidewalk and industry.

[1:19:57] So, I'll come before you to see if we...

[1:20:00] Can get some attention on Creek's eye elementary. It seems that the library, north, south of

[1:20:08] libraries, taking care of, business Creek Rec Center is taking care of. But when you get to the

[1:20:15] elementary school, it looks pretty bad.

[1:20:21] So, councilman, I hope you can help us out with that.

[1:20:27] Just to give you a little bit of information in the library and the red center or maintained by the city.

[1:20:37] The school was maintained by the school system.

[1:20:41] So I'm sure we can make a phone call for you, but in the future you can't take the school system and talk to superintendent or your school board rep.

[1:20:50] But feel free to bring it to us if you need to.

[1:20:52] Well, yeah, I will.

[1:20:54] Okay, thank you so much.

[1:20:56] All right.

[1:20:57] I just want to get the support of my mayor, my vice mayor, my city council.

[1:21:02] I appreciate that.

[1:21:04] All right, thank you.

[1:21:06] That concludes the speaker's mayor.

[1:21:08] Okay, we're now moved to new business.

[1:21:10] Madam Clerk, are there any additions to tonight's agenda?

[1:21:13] There is one addition to this evening's agenda, a motion to nominate

[1:21:17] a point, Sherry Ann Beverly, to the Suffolk Clean Community Commission.

[1:21:23] Councillor Moshew and Beard Order, Councilman Rector, so I move to the motion for approval

[1:21:28] for Councilman Rector, Councilman Foset.

[1:21:31] Second is moved.

[1:21:32] Second from Councilman Foset, we need to discuss in the motion.

[1:21:36] Hearing none, Council members, prepare to vote.

[1:21:39] Please cast your vote.

[1:21:41] Madam Clerk, please your court to vote.

[1:21:43] I just

[1:21:46] want to say that.

[1:21:52] Chines are approved by a vote of 7 to 0 as Councilmember Williams is out of the chamber.

[1:22:00] Is there any new business that required action of City Council that a member would like to bring forward?

[1:22:06] Councilman Fossett.

[1:22:08] Yes, Mayor, I would.

[1:22:10] I'd like to make a motion that I moved that the City Manager be permitted to declare July the 5th, 2024, as a holiday for the City employees.

[1:22:18] And the city manager shall designate which city facilities will be closed.

[1:22:25] The motion on the floor from Councilman Fossett, Vice Mayor Ward.

[1:22:30] A second.

[1:22:30] A second of the Vice Mayor Warders, any discussion in the motion?

[1:22:35] Hearing none.

[1:22:36] Council members prepared.

[1:22:38] Oh, I'm sorry.

[1:22:40] Council Member Recker.

[1:22:42] Well, thank you so much, Mr. Mayor.

[1:22:44] It's very kind of you to let me speak.

[1:22:46] I was just going to ask enough.

[1:22:52] Thank you, good night.

[1:22:53] No, I was just going to ask Deputy City Manager, since this is sort of a impromptu kind

[1:22:59] of thing, if he would just kind of briefly go over what impact it might have on city

[1:23:05] services and what not, just so that people can feel.

[1:23:09] There's a little bit of a week and I'll feel good about what we're doing.

[1:23:11] I know sometimes when a Friday follows the Thursday holiday, it's hard to, I know that the

[1:23:18] community is probably not going to necessarily be engaged in seeking out city services.

[1:23:23] I think it's a good thing and I support it, but I just, I think a little explanation would

[1:23:28] help.

[1:23:30] Sure.

[1:23:31] Mayor, I remember Council, so the brief conversation we had maybe leading up to this.

[1:23:36] We had the ability to look at some of the services and programs that we want to make sure

[1:23:41] We have in place on Friday, if this mood for it and so refuse, we'll pick up as scheduled

[1:23:48] and as we have announced on Friday, we'll maintain our summer camp programs on Friday.

[1:23:53] We'll keep the cypress pool open as well.

[1:23:57] Obviously, like any other holiday public safety and things of that nature will be operation.

[1:24:03] The courts are closed.

[1:24:04] They made their separate announcement but also working through the state program as well.

[1:24:10] We will also make sure to put out a public address that this is forward.

[1:24:16] Councilman Bennett.

[1:24:18] Thanks, sir.

[1:24:19] This is a court of surprise, I guess.

[1:24:25] I did get a call about it last night.

[1:24:28] But my concern is we just had our email and was sent out and also

[1:24:36] publicized that the city would be open on the fifth, and the service was also listed to

[1:24:47] the public what the city would be doing during the holidays and after the holidays.

[1:24:54] So, to me, when you put it out to the public, that,

[1:25:00] The operation would go on on certain days. I think that's what you're supposed to do. Not go back and change some on a spirit of moment, but I'd have in some other, in my time on council, I've never seen it when we came up and changed the date like that before. I have some concern with

[1:25:24] council. Other questions or comments?

[1:25:28] I've got a question from our Deputy City Matters if you could once again go over what will

[1:25:34] be available on Friday and also I believe that and it is kind of unusual to Councilman

[1:25:42] Bennett's point.

[1:25:43] Normally, we follow whatever the state does is what we do.

[1:25:51] So I think this may be unique as to where the Fourth of July does fall on a Thursday.

[1:25:57] And not that we have to do, not that we have to do something just because everybody else does it.

[1:26:03] But every other Hampton Road City,

[1:26:08] whatever it is, every other Hampton Road City is taken off.

[1:26:12] One Friday is for our staff.

[1:26:13] We're going to win like you to reiterate again what will be open Friday.

[1:26:18] So we're not shut down on a lot of these things.

[1:26:21] that, you know, like the pool and some of the other amenities that our citizens just

[1:26:27] do have access to.

[1:26:29] So, right now, what we want to make sure that we have in place on Friday would include

[1:26:34] regularly scheduled refuse pick up.

[1:26:37] The pool, as well as summer camp programming, and we'll continue to run through any other

[1:26:44] programs and we would make sure we communicate that with the public if there's anything

[1:26:49] I'm missing at the moment.

[1:26:53] The other questions are comments.

[1:26:55] If not, we have a motion on the floor for approval.

[1:26:58] And a second.

[1:27:00] So what have been said, Council members prepared a vote.

[1:27:03] Please cast your vote.

[1:27:05] Madam Clerk, please record a vote.

[1:27:15] The motion is approved by a vote of 62 with Council members

[1:27:18] Bennett and Council members Johnson voting in opposition.

[1:27:22] Okay, we have any other new business that

[1:27:24] Council members would like to bring forward for consideration.

[1:27:29] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

[1:27:32] I'd like to make a motion regarding Village Center zoning and what I'd like to propose

[1:27:38] is I move that the Planning Commission be directed to recommend amendments to the Article 6 of the

[1:27:44] UDO that provide density and dimensional standards for residential development in the Village Center

[1:27:49] a zoning district.

[1:27:53] Council Member Butler, Boiler.

[1:27:55] I'll second that, although I was a little surprised, but I'm glad and I'll second it and support it.

[1:28:04] We have a motion in a second. Is there any discussion in the motion?

[1:28:09] Any nine council members prepared to vote? Please cast your vote.

[1:28:15] Madam Clerk, please report to

[1:28:20] all the verification.

[1:28:22] Okay. Could you read your motion again?

[1:28:31] We're directing that the Planning Commission be directed to recommend amendments to article 6 of the UDO that provide density and dimensional standards for residential development in the village center zoning district and it's my understanding of this stems from problems with infill development inside the village centers.

[1:28:52] there's not standards that cover some of these issues so we're directing the planning

[1:28:59] Department to go back and take a look and they're going to have to take it to their

[1:29:03] Committee on Ordnance's first I'm assuming in order to rise through the planning commission so I mean it'll probably be a good three months before we actually see anything

[1:29:14] They count to remember, but let Barlow could shed some more light on it. Yeah, so I made a motion back in

[1:29:23] February? Yeah. That we get a review of the village center zoning ordinance and the conditions

[1:29:32] of that motion were that we would get a review in June and it was inadvertently left

[1:29:36] off of our June Council schedule. But staff has prepared some recommendations, some things

[1:29:42] that staff can do within the existing ordinance through staff with our approval and then

[1:29:48] other long-term potential changes that they want to present to us.

[1:29:53] And I think the idea was that we would get a staff report at our July 17 meeting.

[1:30:00] And make a recommendation to staff on what next steps we think they should take.

[1:30:05] And again, this is to address the infill development in the village center zoning, which is in odd places throughout the city, but it's allowing

[1:30:15] What I would call an appropriate development within our village in particular, Oakland and

[1:30:22] Hobbson and Sandy Bottom, and this is designed to not restrict development, but to make it

[1:30:31] more compatible with the existing structures in those communities and to lessen the impact

[1:30:36] of the new construction on the neighboring properties.

[1:30:39] And, again, we'll get a staff report.

[1:30:43] It's my understanding.

[1:30:43] We'll get a staff report based on this motion tonight at our July 17th meeting, and then we

[1:30:48] will be able to have a discussion and make recommendations to the Planning Department from

[1:30:53] that.

[1:30:55] Okay.

[1:30:56] Thank you.

[1:30:57] Okay.

[1:30:57] We've got a motion.

[1:30:58] What's up?

[1:30:59] Vice Mayor Ward.

[1:31:00] Yes.

[1:31:00] Over there.

[1:31:02] What can we?

[1:31:03] What can we?

[1:31:04] What can we?

[1:31:11] So, this would cover anybody that's listed in the UDO as VC, which is village center.

[1:31:17] So, it's not necessarily, these expand outside of what we traditionally see as, say, downtown

[1:31:24] Shrokatox.

[1:31:25] They expand out farther than that.

[1:31:27] So, it's the VC village center zoning district, not a particular village.

[1:31:33] So, this is strictly, possible, UDO amendments to the VC zoning.

[1:31:42] There will still be, once the comprehensive plan is complete, we will be looking at specific

[1:31:50] village plans, because each village is somewhat different than you need.

[1:31:54] Some of us historical designations, some don't.

[1:31:57] So, that's something we're still going to do, but this is just a way to address the zoning

[1:32:04] part of it, primarily setbacks, VCC zoning has no setbacks at all, which makes it difficult.

[1:32:13] Another thing we could look at is impervious area, certain percentages limitations, as far

[1:32:19] as impervious areas concern, which would allow for more absorption.

[1:32:23] and no other thing that my wanna look at is gutters,

[1:32:26] but I mean, planning is something they've been thinking about.

[1:32:30] So Council Member Butler, Balow, brought it up

[1:32:34] and Council Member Rector's just kind of,

[1:32:36] I guess we're moving the process a little quick,

[1:32:38] but we'll get it to the Planning Commission quicker

[1:32:40] and then we'll still have our President,

[1:32:42] I wouldn't wear a presentation to live,

[1:32:44] but if we're having one, that's great,

[1:32:46] then we can do that and also that information

[1:32:48] will be related to the planning department.

[1:32:51] But we still have the individual village initiatives or plans once the comprehensive plan is done.

[1:33:00] Okay.

[1:33:01] Sorry, but this is near and dear to my heart.

[1:33:04] So one comment, if you go on the city website and go under the zoning, you can pull up just a VC zoning and see specifically where it is throughout the city.

[1:33:13] It's primarily Chuk-Tuk Oakland, Hobson, Sandy Bottom.

[1:33:17] I think there's a little bit in Whaleyville.

[1:33:20] But it's so the request is to review that because it doesn't seem to be having the desired

[1:33:26] effects from when it was put in place 20 years ago.

[1:33:31] So you can get on and look at specifically where the village center zoning is located.

[1:33:36] And I think everyone will get a one-on-one update from the city manager.

[1:33:41] I already have had one, but my understanding was that everybody with your meetings would get an

[1:33:47] review of what planning is proposing.

[1:33:49] And there's two phases to this.

[1:33:53] There is a, there are some dimensional table standards.

[1:33:58] The staff can change based on our, you know,

[1:34:01] what we direct them to do and to the mayor's point.

[1:34:06] Setbacks, heights, and impervious surface ratios.

[1:34:10] And then the second phase of this,

[1:34:12] if we decide to move forward with it,

[1:34:14] would be through the comprehensive plan and updating the village plans that we've been talking

[1:34:21] about through the comprehensive plan process that we clearly need to re-look at all of our

[1:34:25] villages and some of the standards that we've set for those areas, so that's kind of the

[1:34:30] two-prong.

[1:34:31] And if anybody has any other questions, call me, I'm up to here in this.

[1:34:37] But thank y'all.

[1:34:38] And like I said, this is just to move the process forward.

[1:34:42] this was supposed to come back to us in June and it got just kind of got

[1:34:46] laid aside and so we're kind of getting back on track with the process.

[1:34:51] So I have plenty of more time to discuss.

[1:34:54] Okay.

[1:34:55] Any questions or comments?

[1:34:56] If not, we have a motion one four.

[1:35:00] Council members prepare to vote. Please cast your vote. Madam Clerk, please record the vote.

[1:35:11] The motion is approved by vote 8 to 0. Okay, do we have any other new business that Council member would like to

[1:35:16] bring forward for consideration? Here, you know, we'll move to announcements and comments, and at this

[1:35:23] time, I've been directed that Mr. Danny Eperson from Media and Community Relations does have some announcements.

[1:35:33] Good evening Mr. Mayor, Mr. Vice Mayor, members of the City Council and Mr. Deputy City

[1:35:39] Manager.

[1:35:39] Good evening.

[1:35:40] And just to echo your comments of Deputy City Manager, we will, our office will put out

[1:35:47] that information again about the closing on Friday specifically for that tonight and tomorrow

[1:35:53] on social and online for the residents of South America, which will get out there for you.

[1:35:58] I'd like to start with some exciting news, promotions and announcements.

[1:36:02] Suffolk City Manager Al-Mor has appointed James Danny Booy, the city's new chief of police.

[1:36:10] Effective this coming Monday, July 8th, chief Booy who has served as interim police chief since October

[1:36:17] 2023, has brings his 27 years of hard work and dedication to the Suffolk Police Department.

[1:36:24] Congratulations again, chief Booy.

[1:36:26] And also in the City of Suffolk's Fire and Rescue Department, we want to congratulate, we want to congratulate

[1:36:35] Suffolk's Fire Chief, announces Mike Broky announces that the promotion of David Harrell as the deputy fire chief.

[1:36:48] He is an effective this coming Sunday July 7.

[1:36:52] Deputy Chief Harrel's career in fire service began in 1995 and he has been an integral

[1:36:57] part of Suffolk Fire and Rescue since completing the Southside Regional Fire Academy in 1996.

[1:37:05] Congratulations, Deputy Chief Harrel.

[1:37:08] And now, he had a little preview there, and our City's Economic Development Department, Deputy

[1:37:13] city manager Kevin Hughes announced Dina Trimier's promotion to assistant director Trimier

[1:37:19] has been with the city of Suffolk since 2000 and has served the economic development department

[1:37:25] in several different capacities. Congratulations to you, Mr. Mayor.

[1:37:30] Promotions, Mark Progress and Fresh Faces bring new energy as the city of Suffolk Police

[1:37:35] Department held a badge pinning ceremony back on June 11th and the city welcomed eight new

[1:37:42] police officers who will play a vital crucial role in the job of keeping our city safe.

[1:37:49] Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner visited the city's public works department on June

[1:37:53] 25th and whether we brought a very big check.

[1:37:57] That check in the amount of $3,040,000,000 was on behalf of our Congressional Leadership

[1:38:04] for this initial phase of the King's Highway Bridge Design Project.

[1:38:08] The federal funding is to help cover 30% of the design costs associated with replacing

[1:38:14] the bridge.

[1:38:15] And for more information on the King's Highway Bridge Project, you can watch the entire

[1:38:20] presentation on our city's YouTube channel.

[1:38:24] As long as it's going to a little history lesson about the bridge as well.

[1:38:28] In our Parks and Rec department, as you heard earlier this evening, some of our events are

[1:38:31] in full swing.

[1:38:32] The Stars and Strikes Spectacular at Constance War Park in Marina is set for Thursday, July 4th.

[1:38:39] The celebration for everyone kicks off with music from the Fini's at 6 p.m. followed by fireworks at 9.

[1:38:46] So remember to bring your own lawn chair and blanket admission is free.

[1:38:50] Food trucks will be on hand and adult beverages for all over 21 with ID.

[1:38:56] So please note that parking will not be available on site at the event.

[1:39:00] And we asked that you use the shuttle stops that we will provide at the first Baptist Church

[1:39:07] lot up the street at 237 North Main, and then behind the Godwin courthouse at 1.50 North

[1:39:14] Main.

[1:39:15] Shuttles will run 5.15 pm to 8.30 pm and then they'll run again right after the fireworks

[1:39:20] display.

[1:39:23] Some important notes on some other upcoming events, the City Suffolk's TGIF Concert series

[1:39:29] will not take place on July 5th, but it will resume on July 12th at Constance Warf Park

[1:39:36] with the original Ron Nels. And starting July 26th, the series will then move to Benets Creek

[1:39:43] Park with that concert featuring the Doloreans. Also coming up this month as the city's 50th

[1:39:50] anniversary celebration continues, the city will hold its grand opening of the downtown festival park

[1:39:57] On Saturday, July 13th at 5 p.m.

[1:40:00] So, on this for a night of nostalgia and entertainment featuring food trucks and family friendly fun, the locals 70 covers band, the cover band inside out will perform, and there's a 70s themed costume contest with prizes, and after the concert, a very special screening of the 1978 film classic, like no other Superman, the movies are in Christopher Reeve, that's super-sized, indeed it's going to be on our city's 40-foot movie screens.

[1:40:28] more information on that, you can visit SuffolkParksorek.com.

[1:40:32] SuffolkParksorek.com is their site.

[1:40:35] On to see what's new in our city, the city,

[1:40:38] economic development department,

[1:40:40] announced the grand opening of three businesses,

[1:40:43] vital care of Suffolk, has been at the forefront

[1:40:46] of expanding access to state-of-the-art infusion therapy.

[1:40:50] Vital care offers its patient's quality care

[1:40:53] in the comfort of their homes through its dedicated

[1:40:55] and it's train staff.

[1:40:57] Low key restaurant and bar has opened in downtown Suffolk.

[1:41:02] This business offers up food and drink and is located right near the upcoming downtown

[1:41:07] festival park.

[1:41:09] And Burlington is now open in Suffolk.

[1:41:12] It is open in the Harborview area and the National Discount Retailer offers low prices

[1:41:19] on a name brand merchandise for the entire family, so welcome Burlington to Suffolk.

[1:41:23] Now, back here at City Hall, we had some very special congratulations the other day.

[1:41:29] The city recently honored 23 of its long standing employees, this milestone luncheon,

[1:41:34] events celebrated a combined, and you all love this number.

[1:41:38] 565 years of service to the City of Suffolk, so that's a combined total there.

[1:41:44] Again, congratulations, and thank you to all of those with their service and their ongoing service.

[1:41:50] It's the city's largest community wide event and it takes a lot of time to prepare for.

[1:41:57] So on June 24th, Suffolk's National Line Out 2024 Committee kicked off here at the city's

[1:42:04] Suffolk in right here in City Hall.

[1:42:07] We invited the community and civic leaders to register for this year's August 6th event and

[1:42:14] it will, and they came to pick up their neighborhood materials and I'm telling you, it's

[1:42:19] going to be another great year. There was a lot of energy in this room that night and so much

[1:42:25] so we just had to show you just a little smidgen here of that event.

[1:42:33] We're going to be number one at the lip chat. Keep in the community safe.

[1:42:37] My favorite event of the year. Suffolk is the porcelain.

[1:42:41] Maybe there's the best supper in the national night out.

[1:42:44] The more the better we can take number one. Can you tell I'm competitive?

[1:42:52] We're hoping that this is the biggest and best one has so far.

[1:42:55] We're looking forward to seeing you all.

[1:42:57] It's going to be some sweating.

[1:42:58] It's going to be some laughing.

[1:42:59] And it's going to be a good time.

[1:43:01] We'll see you in August.

[1:43:04] Yeah, August indeed.

[1:43:06] So again, you can see and hear that excitement and anticipation of taking first place this year.

[1:43:12] We hope to get that first place this year.

[1:43:14] Be sure to check out your local community leaders.

[1:43:17] And as them to take part.

[1:43:18] And again, that's Tuesday, August 6.

[1:43:21] Visit Suffolk-NNO.com for more details.

[1:43:25] So, great news to share from today's work session that we heard earlier today, in partnership

[1:43:31] with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, the Suffolk Public Library and the Suffolk

[1:43:36] Early Childhood Development Commission are providing age-appropriate books for each month

[1:43:41] to register children from birth to 5th to their 5th birthday.

[1:43:46] For these details, visit SuffolkPublicLibrary.com-dpil, or of course you can stop by any of

[1:43:53] of public school library locations.

[1:43:56] Some important roadway reminders now, the city of Suffolk has started its 30-day warning

[1:44:01] period for red light enforcement cameras, located at North Main and Constance Road.

[1:44:07] During this warning period, drivers caught violating red light rules will be issued a cautionary

[1:44:13] letter delivered by mail to their residents.

[1:44:15] Then, beginning on July 21st, offenders will incur a $50 fine per violation.

[1:44:23] And finally, tonight, the City of Suffolk Public Safety Committee would like to remind all citizens of the public safety portal.

[1:44:31] This online platform empowers our citizens to share their suggestions on community safety improvements and public safety matters.

[1:44:40] users of the portal will also have the option to submit anonymously.

[1:44:46] We do want to remind our residents however that the portal is not intended for reporting

[1:44:51] criminal activity, but in the event of any emergency, please dial 9-1-1 of course for

[1:44:57] more information on the Public Safety Committee.

[1:45:00] And the portal, you can visit our website, SuffolkVa.us. And of course, remember there are a number of ways that you can

[1:45:07] say connected to us if you're here in the city of Suffolk and all of Suffolk happenings from our social

[1:45:11] media, our YouTube channel where you can watch tonight's city council meeting and any of our

[1:45:16] past meetings as well. And of course, subscribe to our newsletter. Thank you all for your attention.

[1:45:21] We have a wonderful evening and independence day holiday. Okay. Thank you Mr. Apercent. We're now moved to

[1:45:26] announcements from Council, Councilman, and Rector.

[1:45:36] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

[1:45:38] First off, I'd like to say that I attended the Bill signing ceremony that was held at the Western

[1:45:44] Todd Warder Community Services Board, where Governor Yunkinside in the Bill's supporting

[1:45:49] his right-health right now, initiative that will among other things, give family members

[1:45:54] the right to visit with their family when they have been detained for some mental health issues.

[1:46:00] And then also the Suffolk Art League held an opening for the Suffolk Art League's Open Members Show.

[1:46:06] This show features works emitted primarily by members of the Suffolk Art League.

[1:46:12] The show runs through the 19th of this month.

[1:46:15] And there's an amazing variety of works that are on display at the Suffolk Art Museum

[1:46:19] and many of the works are available for purchase.

[1:46:22] I would encourage anyone who has an interest in original works of art to check out the show

[1:46:27] And if you're not already a member of the Suffolk Art League, I would also consider you would encourage you to consider joining.

[1:46:35] And then I had the privilege of attending the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce,

[1:46:40] Small Business of the Year Awards ceremony that was held at the Delta Marriott in Chesapeake.

[1:46:46] My congratulations go out to Chris Allen and Melody Brown from the Pinner House Bed and Breakfast

[1:46:51] And the cafe divina coffee and creep shop as they were honored by the chamber is suffix small business of the year.

[1:46:59] So once again, congratulations to them. It's very well deserved.

[1:47:02] It's a unique place and once again, if you have not been there, I would encourage you to stop by and get a cup of coffee and a great

[1:47:09] and let them give you a little tour of the facility. It's amazing what they've done, done with that house.

[1:47:15] And then last Saturday on the 22nd, I attended the Zoey Life Ministries steam workshop that was held at the 6th Street Recreation Center.

[1:47:27] Congratulations to Reverend Simmons and Reverend Hanano for putting on an excellent financial education exercise for the children.

[1:47:35] They set up a citizen bill where children were given some money and they had to work their way through the village paying rent and buying groceries among other things.

[1:47:44] and his mayor has pointed out to us many times, you know, the folks that do the worst job

[1:47:52] of managing their money and planning their finances often pay the highest prices for the

[1:47:59] things that they have to borrow money to get. And it's a lifetime, almost a lifetime financial

[1:48:04] penalty. So I appreciate very much what the Zoe Life Ministries did to help these children educate

[1:48:11] them about the fact that basically you're only given so much money and you have to spend

[1:48:17] it responsibly to get all the things that you need to survive in this life.

[1:48:22] I looked up the Zoey Life Ministries and there is part of their mission statement.

[1:48:28] It's a quote from the fourth chapter of Hosea, which says, my people are destroyed by a lack

[1:48:33] of knowledge.

[1:48:34] And so they're doing their best to eliminate that lack of knowledge.

[1:48:38] And then I would like to offer my congratulations to all the promotions that we've had recently

[1:48:43] within the city and chief among those chief buoy, congratulations to you and then also

[1:48:49] for the new police officers that were recently sworn in.

[1:48:55] Also, congratulations to the new deputy fire chief Harold and Deanna Trembier for being promoted

[1:49:03] to assistant director of economic development in, for past performance as any indicator of

[1:49:09] that position is in very, very good hands.

[1:49:12] And then lastly, that longevity luncheon that was referred to, I think that's a real testament

[1:49:17] to our more in the city staff, particularly in the manager's office, that we have that many

[1:49:24] people that are willing to basically devote their lives to the service of the citizens of

[1:49:30] It just goes to show the stuff because it's a great place to be, it's a great place to work and it's a great place to raise your family.

[1:49:38] And then lastly, with the Fourth of July coming up, please be careful.

[1:49:44] I'm sure that the fire and rescue we're going to have enough things to do that evening without responding to a bunch of fireworks related accidents.

[1:49:53] Personally, I'd like my house to still be standing on July of the 5th and not be burned down by an air at Bottle Rocketer Rook.

[1:50:00] And candle that somehow another finds their way into our neighborhood. But anyway, with that, I hope everybody enjoys the Fourth of July. Remember what that day is all about. It doesn't hurt to go back and read the Declaration of Independence and recognize the fact that the people that put that thing together and started this great country that we live in basically put everything that they had on the line to get this going.

[1:50:27] and if it had not been successful, probably every one of them would have been hung.

[1:50:32] So keep that in mind and just remember that, you know, the old saying goes,

[1:50:35] freedom is not free, and it's something that we have to treasure,

[1:50:40] protect, and sometimes, unfortunately, fight for, to keep.

[1:50:44] And with that, I'll say goodnight.

[1:50:46] Councilman Williams.

[1:50:49] Thank you, Mayor.

[1:50:51] First, I'd like to congratulate Chief Bowie, well deserved glad that you were in that position.

[1:51:00] I know you're going to do well, you've already started off doing such a great job.

[1:51:05] to all the people, all of us employees, and who has been elevated.

[1:51:16] Congratulations to everyone, Dana.

[1:51:18] Glad you know what, here, she's now the assistant director.

[1:51:25] Also, on Saturday, June the 22nd, I attended the EZO,

[1:51:30] like Ministry. Second, steam program event at East Suffolk Recreation Center, like Councilman

[1:51:40] Recreation Center, the program was geared towards teaching kids life skills, and I too would

[1:51:46] like to think Reverend Simmons and Reverend Halner and others for putting on putting together

[1:51:53] such a great event for our youth.

[1:51:57] On Saturday, June 22nd, I, along with Vice Mayor Ward,

[1:52:01] attended the June 10th Freedom Day celebration

[1:52:05] at Pusville Park in Pusville.

[1:52:08] They had lots of food, fun, drinks, and entertainment,

[1:52:12] because of a great event.

[1:52:15] On Saturday, June 29th, again, along with Vice Mayor Ward,

[1:52:21] I had the pleasure of attending the loss of megas

[1:52:24] incorporated, 63rd, Dora, or Mason Luncheon,

[1:52:30] where Dr. Brent and I received the 2024 Community Service Award.

[1:52:36] You know, what's interesting is, the last time that the Suffolk

[1:52:41] Chapped hosted this event was 31 years ago.

[1:52:46] And they've, like I said, been around 63 years.

[1:52:50] And for the organization to be around that long,

[1:52:52] that's a lot to speak volume.

[1:52:56] I want to thank the leaders of that organization

[1:52:58] for putting on such an awesome event and we are truly blessed to have such a great group of

[1:53:04] ladies, providing admissions of service and our city and throughout the United States because

[1:53:10] they are all over the United States this organization. So thank you, thank you for

[1:53:19] what you do in our community.

[1:53:24] With that I'll go to my word of the month

[1:53:29] for July 2024, and this Lothamigus, which means the friend in Spanish,

[1:53:40] I'd like to wish

[1:53:42] everyone a safe and happy four for July and be safe and enjoy.

[1:53:49] Thank you.

[1:53:52] Right.

[1:53:53] Councilman Fausset.

[1:53:54] Thank you, Mayor.

[1:53:56] First off, again, you won't get enough of this, but congratulations, Chief.

[1:54:02] believefully that promotion you've been here 20, some odd years,

[1:54:08] fascism, you've heard to weigh up, it's your time to shine now.

[1:54:15] So give us your best shot, keep things going, appreciate it.

[1:54:22] Also for Dave Harrow, a new district chief over at fire rescue, I've been

[1:54:27] and Dave Harrow for quite a number of years did a lot of interacting when I was with fire

[1:54:36] to interact with Suffolk. And Dave is top-notch. This man is well positioned to be in that position.

[1:54:47] And I think that I want to congratulate him and I want to say that I shed out to the fire

[1:54:54] achieve that, recognize the professionalism this man had to bring him up and to help.

[1:55:00] So, I think that's going to be pretty good. More to come on that, EDA, dinner. Since I've been on council, and she's always

[1:55:12] been at the forefront working hard in different ways. So, congratulations to her on an opportunity to move

[1:55:21] up into that deposition.

[1:55:26] The last day of the month, we retired E.C. Harris, the Sheriff of the City of Solve.

[1:55:35] E.C. had 40-plus years of police experience between his start of his career and ended

[1:55:44] up in the Sheriff's Department.

[1:55:47] He is one of the finest, finest gentlemen that I know.

[1:55:54] He is first class, he was a professional, all the way around.

[1:56:01] He enjoyed doing things and interacting with people, communities,

[1:56:07] I can't even name the countless

[1:56:08] things that that may and did for the city of Suffolk in the citizens of the city.

[1:56:14] I hate to really see him go.

[1:56:16] I've been friends with him for a number of years.

[1:56:20] I know when I went through hard times,

[1:56:22] the one thing that struck me the most about him

[1:56:24] is everything in compassion for somebody.

[1:56:28] And when I had the opportunity to end up

[1:56:31] over at Obersee for six days, every morning at 830,

[1:56:34] he'd be sitting at the couch with the paper.

[1:56:38] We're going to talk to him.

[1:56:40] I was going through a tough time,

[1:56:41] And he was right there to support me through it.

[1:56:46] So that was pretty good.

[1:56:48] I hate really seem good, but I want to congratulate him

[1:56:51] on his retirement.

[1:56:53] To take it a little further, David Miles has taken his place.

[1:56:57] He was his chief deputy and David Miles is also

[1:57:00] a first class individual that is going to push that department

[1:57:06] along and continue to do the great things they do.

[1:57:09] I know David and his staff over there are going to do a great job.

[1:57:15] I think he's left him in good hands.

[1:57:19] So, again, congratulations to David Miles for stepping into the job.

[1:57:25] And we'll look to see where things go with him.

[1:57:28] I had an opportunity to go to Burlington with the mayor,

[1:57:31] and I think Mr. Bennett was there.

[1:57:35] And I want to thank Burlington for coming from Chesapeake Square.

[1:57:42] We got it over to Suffolk, and they would over there next to where

[1:57:47] Office backs vacated a place over there in Harbor View.

[1:57:52] They kind of filled the gap.

[1:57:53] They did a nice job putting that building together and it's a good presentation.

[1:57:58] Thanks to the eight new offices that decided to come to Suffolk and make

[1:58:02] Suffolk part of their career.

[1:58:04] That's good chief. Keep cranking them out. Keep bringing them. We get those numbers up.

[1:58:09] See if we can shorten that gap a little bit. But I happened to bump into one. A couple of days ago,

[1:58:17] he was coming out of Walgreens up on the North End and we had a little chat and he just excited

[1:58:23] as he could be to be a part of it. Just about ready to get cut loose somewhere in there. So we'll have

[1:58:29] or out there to work with.

[1:58:31] Senator Warner was here, and I'm going to tell you to, you know, all politics aside when

[1:58:38] you can have somebody come to your city and drop a little almost three and a half million

[1:58:43] dollars on you to help you along.

[1:58:46] I think the mayor mentioned it earlier tonight that some of this money we get is people

[1:58:57] to get these grants and get these available funds that are through these different programs.

[1:59:04] And without these, and it goes to all the staff here, everybody that works on this stuff

[1:59:09] to get these grants to get this money is phenomenal, because that's less money that we

[1:59:13] take and have to take out of the taxpayers back pocket and out of the budget.

[1:59:19] So we want to keep that kind of stuff coming and tell the well dries up and hopefully it keeps

[1:59:24] going. As far as I want to thank the 23 employees that the milestone they have, I think

[1:59:34] we forget about how long people work and give them a little bit of recognition for their

[1:59:39] job well done. I think it was pretty great. A little lunch and goes long ways.

[1:59:48] The fourth

[1:59:49] of July coming up. This is the time people just do things sometimes. They just do things

[1:59:56] crazy. Enjoy, let the profession.

[2:00:00] Those blow things up, let the fireworks be displayed, but you'll always find that somehow they get into

[2:00:09] the area and they start doing things and they can create some real serious injuries. I mean,

[2:00:15] I've seen fingers, hands, everything burns, and everything I can imagine happened because people use fireworks and they don't know what they're doing.

[2:00:25] I would ask that they don't do that, but most of all, be safe, but also drive safe.

[2:00:34] Do not get out here and drink and drive, get you a designated driver or hire your driver.

[2:00:42] But please do not do drinking and drive during the holiday.

[2:00:49] It's not going to do you well.

[2:00:53] And I think I'm going to call it a night, because I know you pick up where I left off on some things that I might have missed, that we went to, but anyway, I know everybody wants to go home and do the vacations.

[2:01:07] I don't know if you can go in.

[2:01:09] How's it going?

[2:01:09] I don't remember about the bar there.

[2:01:11] Thank you, Mayor.

[2:01:13] So I'll save a minute and just say, I grew with everything

[2:01:16] that's been said.

[2:01:17] And congratulations to everybody that have been

[2:01:19] congratulated.

[2:01:21] The first thing I wanted to say is whether you're

[2:01:23] worried about your lawn or your garden or your whole farm.

[2:01:26] We are very thankful for the rain, the recent rain,

[2:01:30] and some relief from the heat, and some hope for a better

[2:01:34] harvest.

[2:01:34] So my just know that the whole agricultural community is thankful for the rain that we've received over the past few days.

[2:01:45] We had a lot of really great reports tonight. There's a lot of really great things going in the city.

[2:01:50] And it's wonderful to hear the news of the progress that we're making and all the positive things that are going on.

[2:01:57] I also want to encourage everybody to have a fun 4th of July and enjoy some sort of celebration.

[2:02:03] There's a big one up in critten in eclips with the parade and the fireworks and the raft race,

[2:02:08] which I've actually been in the raft race before and I didn't drown and I won't do it again.

[2:02:14] But it's fun time up there if you don't want to try to make your way downtown, although that's a great celebration too.

[2:02:20] So hope everybody enjoys their 4th and remembers the significance of the day.

[2:02:26] I'm going to try now to say a few things.

[2:02:30] On June the 24th, the city of Suffolk lost one of its finest citizens.

[2:02:37] J. Samuel Glasscock left us last Monday.

[2:02:41] And he was truly a giant among men and one of the most treasured citizens of the city of Suffolk.

[2:02:49] And in true Sam fashion, he planned most of his own memorial service and gave us all our instructions on what we were to do and not do.

[2:03:01] Up to an including a thank you note that he had read at the end of the service.

[2:03:06] And I'm going to read you one little piece of it, but I will tell you that the family is intending to ask the Suffolk news hero to publish that document.

[2:03:14] And it's worth a read, as I said, Sam being Sam continues to teach us even though he has left us physically.

[2:03:24] So I'm going to read just the end again. This is the words of Sam Glasscock on the occasion of his departing our company.

[2:03:32] He says, our country is great, truly great, but democracy is fragile.

[2:03:37] Part of our social contract is that we are to be intelligently informed, exercise, sound,

[2:03:44] critical thinking, and care about the whole country.

[2:03:48] Democracy requires us to emphasize our obligations rather than being too quick to demand

[2:03:54] our rights.

[2:03:56] Fear, hate, and greed can get us into a pack of trouble.

[2:04:02] Humility and courage are good friends on life's journey.

[2:04:05] Beware of those who spread fear, so misinformation, disregard the rules that make democracy work and promise to return to an imagined past that never was.

[2:04:18] Honestly, examine our own faults. Above all, listen. Listen to what other folks say and try to respond to their legitimate concerns. You can't solve all the world's problems, but you can affect your corner of planet Earth.

[2:04:35] Love your spouse, hug your kids, enjoy life with your neighbors, and show them all that you care about them.

[2:04:42] And he closes and says, many thanks for your caring, and for our time together, Sam Glasscock class of 2024.

[2:04:50] Thank you.

[2:04:53] Councilman Bennett.

[2:04:55] That was something.

[2:04:57] I would just like to start out by saying,

[2:05:00] I've seen clothes on that note. I've known Mr. Blaskart for, I know, better than 30 years when he was in the state senate house of delicacy, and I, he supported the city, and has always been a big supporter of the city, and he's been a great person to all of us, and he definitely will be missed, matter of fact, I have it.

[2:05:27] So I'm down at Councilman Ballows' house here,

[2:05:32] I haven't been weeks ago.

[2:05:34] And April.

[2:05:35] And he was up, walking around, having fun and everything.

[2:05:39] So I mean, he was just a jolly man, right up to the end.

[2:05:42] So I said, in my condolences out to that family,

[2:05:46] and his daughter, you know, learned a bunch.

[2:05:48] She works over there in the arts center.

[2:05:52] And she's different in my suit.

[2:05:54] And I want to send my condols out to the family and just keep them in my prayers.

[2:06:03] Also I like to say to Eric or Clark, she lost a mother-in-law and Scarlin and I like to

[2:06:13] send my condols to you and your family as well and we will be keeping you well in prayer.

[2:06:21] I want to say that Ms. Lawrence came up, and I knew Jane Lawrence for years.

[2:06:30] I remember when he got killed in the accident, when Pursum's Boulevard and suburban drive.

[2:06:39] And he was a star, hardworking, dedicated person to the city.

[2:06:48] He and Moses were handing gloves just about, and they did a lot for the citizens of

[2:06:57] Suffolk.

[2:06:58] They started to park a little bit of neighborhood over there where that public housing

[2:07:04] was out.

[2:07:05] So, his name to me still reigns, and means a lot to me in the city of Suffolk.

[2:07:11] And I'm hoping with her request that we will look at some way to try and recognize the name of

[2:07:21] James Larchs in some way where he means here in the city.

[2:07:26] So I would like to ask the City of Madison Council.

[2:07:29] Let's take a look at it and see if there's a street or a building or something that

[2:07:35] some recognition that we can do that in recognition to Mr. Jane Morse out of, I really

[2:07:43] would appreciate that. Also, I want to say that,

[2:07:52] this past Sunday, I had a visit

[2:07:55] a kangaroo, Pentecostal Holden's church, the hundredth and forty-one years, one and twenty-one

[2:08:05] years of service at the church, church being dedicated. Twenty-three years of past fifty-three

[2:08:14] years, I'm sorry, fifty-three years, of past a kendry, the in past of that church for fifty-three

[2:08:21] years. I mean, that is amazing. And guess who they had speaking for that son of service

[2:08:29] for the anniversary, none other than our own elder fellow, Zeke. And he bought the word.

[2:08:43] And he came from Roman 2nd chapter, 2nd of 1st through the 29th verse. He might want to take

[2:08:50] chance to read it sometime in your spare time. But he delivered work to me and everyone that

[2:08:57] was in attendance and I would not go into his message because I don't like to preach behind

[2:09:02] someone else after they have given the message. But he gave us all something to think about, live

[2:09:09] by, and serve others by, and serve God. So I want to congratulate you Mr. Z, job well done,

[2:09:19] And I will be back the next time, maybe when you see you go, we'll be preaching again.

[2:09:26] But y'all maybe want to take a trip out there in the country and see what's going on.

[2:09:32] But I did, Reverend Kendrick, he and I served on the housing authority together,

[2:09:37] and I've known that family for many, many years as well.

[2:09:41] And he's well-deserved and busy about there at the church and I really thoroughly enjoyed myself.

[2:09:52] And with that, let's see.

[2:09:54] I have about 10 more minutes now.

[2:09:57] I'm glad you took your time.

[2:09:59] Okay, all right.

[2:10:03] Okay, yeah, I want to give a shout out to, I went down, come from Bologna with the, I don't know if somebody has not been that too, but I didn't, I'm hoping that the Juneteenth would marry here. I mean, they put it on there, they had a real good time, they had good speakers, and all, and I think he did a great job putting that together for Juneteenth there, and also the NAACP had Juneteenth.

[2:10:33] Well, there at God is real church so anyway

[2:10:40] We've had a good time and the fourth of July is here, and I hope we're one this traveling be safe and

[2:10:46] Hope you have a good holiday

[2:10:52] Councilman Johnson

[2:10:54] And I'm gonna be a little brief, but

[2:10:57] Somebody like Sam Blaskock passes

[2:11:01] It just shows us where we're in Markable City, we live in, it's not just Sam, it's all

[2:11:05] the remarkable people, James Westinglarts, think about all the remarkable people.

[2:11:10] We had another one passed away, you know, this week and was Ellen Godwin, Ellen was married

[2:11:14] to Jimmy Godwin, he was a local judge here in town forever, she part of my life when we were

[2:11:20] growing up, she's moved on, and the list goes on and on, but that's what's so remarkable

[2:11:26] all about our city. We all have different people that have been a part of an all of them

[2:11:30] have been extremely special to us. Cheep, you know. I've already talked to you. I'm going

[2:11:38] to spend two minutes on talking about something that none of you want to hear about, probably,

[2:11:42] but it was my 50th class reunion. The class of far-skinned high school out in Hoi Nettboro. 150

[2:11:50] young people came together in the eighth grade and we went through school together and we learned

[2:11:55] to love each other and we decided we would have a five year reunion every year and we did.

[2:12:00] We just experienced our fifth year reunion, had a committee to do it and it was remarkable.

[2:12:05] Go online and look at the picture.

[2:12:07] We've got some of the most diverse people in the city of Suffolk, but we all love each other

[2:12:11] and we've just had a wonderful, amazing life together.

[2:12:14] We had it at the Cultural Arts Center, we didn't think we could afford it but when calling

[2:12:18] the Cultural Arts Center, they've changed the rules so that you can rent the place relatively

[2:12:21] cheap for a class reunion.

[2:12:23] people who went to this place through the cultural arts and had never been there before.

[2:12:27] So I want to thank them. It was a remarkable experience. We had a great great time.

[2:12:32] Theresa Earl's in tourism was a part of our situation. She helped us, Jennifer helped us,

[2:12:37] Erica helped us. We went to the school system. They let us take a tour of far as Glen High School.

[2:12:42] We used to be far as Glen High School, far as Glen Middle School now. Preacher Ray Bagley from

[2:12:46] our class gave us a sermon and made us all feel good about the world again.

[2:12:51] The last reunion is a pretty important in a community like Suffolk, so it brings everyone

[2:12:56] together, and it meant a great deal to me, and I think for everyone in that class,

[2:13:01] we were really proud of each other.

[2:13:04] And with that, everybody's been thanked.

[2:13:06] Everybody's been recognized.

[2:13:07] I'm going to say goodnight.

[2:13:09] Thank you.

[2:13:10] For his mayor work?

[2:13:12] Yes or like, I've been to so many places and everybody have mentioned about it.

[2:13:18] But I did go to Mr. William Cosmo Williams to see the award for his community work,

[2:13:26] what he does in City of Suffolk.

[2:13:29] And I really enjoyed myself the first time I really heard about this group.

[2:13:34] And I was very impressed with the group.

[2:13:36] and also Dr. Brink was there, so it was rewarding and event to just to see people that

[2:13:47] you know from the city of Suffolk getting awards for what they do in their life to try

[2:13:53] to help people from our really, really do. Thank you. Thanks again, it's like I say it's good to

[2:14:04] that. And by so ministry I've been dealing with a passive Simmons for a while and you always

[2:14:09] try to do reach back to the community, him and Mr. Hannah. So I did attend that so and please

[2:14:18] see Boy already congratulate you on we all know that you respect you do a good job.

[2:14:26] I have to challenge you on that because I think people who feel good job.

[2:14:34] I mean, I'll probably feel, this is the second time I've seen it every time I just

[2:14:39] look and said, thanks for being my girl.

[2:14:42] It's not a competition, but I just want to make sure I feel they number one, but that's

[2:14:47] all right.

[2:14:48] And I just want to thank Rob Lewis for the Puzzle job we're doing here.

[2:14:58] It's funny, it's happening.

[2:15:01] We were, we were, they were see what we was doing and what they waited and I think we were doing, they'd be happy with that.

[2:15:09] And I want to thank my follow, he's gone, but thank him for coming to make know your part.

[2:15:15] It was a crisis, it was something going on and when the community got on, we're talking about it and they respond pretty well.

[2:15:22] And I think he's going to take care of that. I'd like to see that, because this one first time I really walked around, ignore your part.

[2:15:29] And that's a nice part. It really nice, and I even told one of the

[2:15:33] sickly people, wow, I mean I've got to spend more time here,

[2:15:36] go to barbecue, and eventually you just stay on one or two places, but it's a good part.

[2:15:42] And I think the people in that community will enjoy that. Like I said, first of all,

[2:15:48] I want to thank God, and thank the Nazmir Barrel allow me to serve them four more years.

[2:15:55] and one of the things I've seen my news people,

[2:15:59] and that's before this habness said, I'm not done yet.

[2:16:03] So thank you so much and God bless.

[2:16:07] Okay, I'll go ahead and wrap it up.

[2:16:09] Try to get out of here by a quarter of 10 in a half.

[2:16:13] It has been a month.

[2:16:14] It has been a month since we've had a meeting,

[2:16:17] and that's been a lot that's gone on the month.

[2:16:19] But most of us have been say, so I'll just skip over,

[2:16:22] but I do want to start with also,

[2:16:23] for Mark and Don't want to just do a city clerk

[2:16:26] and her family on the passing, her mother-in-law, Caroline.

[2:16:30] We missed it last week.

[2:16:31] I think Tracy missed you.

[2:16:34] But anyhow, I'm glad you're back.

[2:16:35] We made it back in one piece.

[2:16:39] A lot's been said about Sam Glasscock.

[2:16:41] I mean, I've got to say something about a fellow

[2:16:43] Chuck and Toki and Chuck and Toki, and I guess we would be.

[2:16:48] And I too had just seen Sam out of the council member

[2:16:52] of Butler's House a couple of months ago.

[2:16:56] And I regret that I was not totally playing or going to his funeral Saturday, regret that

[2:17:02] I couldn't make it.

[2:17:04] I was kicking myself all day and I'm a waste of what you're problem.

[2:17:07] I said, well, I really wanted to get out to Mr. Glasscox funeral and it bothers me that

[2:17:11] I didn't get there.

[2:17:15] But obviously, I mean, he was a very dedicated public servant.

[2:17:19] He not always served our city, he served the state and he served our country as well.

[2:17:23] all with honor and distinction.

[2:17:26] I never heard him say a disparity word about anybody or anything really.

[2:17:31] He graduated from Chocolate Talk High School.

[2:17:35] Hampton Sydney, UVA Law School served in the Jag Court, US Army.

[2:17:40] Practice law with who became governor of Mills, got one.

[2:17:45] Practice law with him.

[2:17:47] was on the board for 25 years on the Louise OBC Hospital Board of Directors.

[2:17:53] Matter of fact I think he was still on the board when we did the transfer from OBC to

[2:18:00] Centering and the land and he was an integral part of that I think right it's about the

[2:18:04] time he was getting ready to retire and he served on many other numerous boards and commissions.

[2:18:09] He was selected as Suffolk for a citizen in 1994 and as Councilman Bennett stated he was in the general assembly and served in the Virginia House of delegates from 69 to 91 Mr. Glasscock obviously lived an honorable life of service and he would be missed to all had the good fortune to know him

[2:18:31] And it has been a month since our last meeting, I'm not going to unbolt through this stuff real quick.

[2:18:35] We had a lot going on in the stuff, anybody thinks you didn't?

[2:18:38] And I hope everybody goes back and looks at our work session to take a look at these CIP projects.

[2:18:43] I thought we were, I thought the whole thing was impressive last year, this year, it's just off the chain.

[2:18:48] And the good part about, from now on the next 18 months, we're going to see a lot of these project, large projects,

[2:18:54] done the fruition and the money has spent in almost all areas of our city and all sectors

[2:19:01] from parks and wrecked to rose the buildings. I think we've got it all covered and done

[2:19:08] exceptionally well with it. This was Juan Pedro and your meeting at Center for Culture Arts

[2:19:16] on the 7th and 1 by there. It's always good to kind of hear what they got going on. The police

[2:19:22] on the 11th, what they do officers is always welcome, follow up the next day, Suffolk keeps

[2:19:30] Suffolk beautiful volunteer appreciation event that was also held at the Center for Cultural

[2:19:35] Arts and was pretty well-attended, I think we had about five council members there, maybe even six.

[2:19:41] And then the next day we had Governor Yunkin at the Western Time Water Community Service

[2:19:44] and board office in Northern and Northern Suffolk with an official signing of some multiple

[2:19:49] bills related to addressing mental health issues on a 19th or two as in Hubson, on Juneteenth

[2:19:57] or a event hosted by Mary Hills.

[2:20:00] I think one thing about marriage events where I always have a Wester so that's pretty cool.

[2:20:04] They're her Wester's and I guess they just plucked them out of the water there today before.

[2:20:09] That's always good. Chamber of Commerce, small business in the year award council,

[2:20:14] I mean, rector alluded to, congratulations to the Pinterhouse.

[2:20:17] I was hoping they'd win the whole thing.

[2:20:19] I mean, I looked at the competition and I thought they could take the whole thing.

[2:20:22] I think if they taken those that judged it out there, they probably would have other than seeing the video.

[2:20:28] I mean, the video is good, but it really doesn't do the place justice, and for you folks

[2:20:33] that have not been there, I mean, it's kind of a gem just hidden back there in a corner

[2:20:38] around me.

[2:20:38] You just blow by it, don't even think about it, but you've got to get out, and a really cool

[2:20:42] thing is that huge Magnolia in the front, actually you could go around the back of it and

[2:20:48] there's like an archway there, and there's tables, literally underneath that Magnolia,

[2:20:54] there's about four tables under there, so that's pretty cool too.

[2:20:57] The 25th, as we mentioned, we hosted Senator Mark Warner at the Public Works Center, picked up a chapter for 3 million, just kind of designed the start, the design of the Kings Highway Bridge.

[2:21:08] I mean, 3 million dollars ain't Trump changed, but it's a long way to go to what we're going to need, but like they say, you can't finish what you don't start, so I guess we just started.

[2:21:16] So, we'll see where that takes us and then we had a bonus announcement that we got the five,

[2:21:21] about 5,000, 3,019,000, 3,060 dollars for the construction of the Suffolk Seabord,

[2:21:27] Coastline Trail, and that's covered in our work session as well, another 5,000 dollars.

[2:21:33] And then we got another million dollars that's going towards the water treatment plan that was arranged by

[2:21:41] Congresswoman, Jane Kagan.

[2:21:43] And so we've got a great support, I think, at this state, and especially the federal level.

[2:21:49] I mean, I interact well, not interact with them on a regular basis, but maybe we kind

[2:21:53] of do either.

[2:21:55] Here's representatives, but I mean, Keynes, OK, Warner's Super, Keynes, the Super, they've

[2:22:01] been to town, they listen, and they've actually produced, and that's what it takes to make

[2:22:06] things happen.

[2:22:08] Because, unfortunately, the city doesn't have the latitude to print money, but you've

[2:22:11] keep a balanced budget, not tax or citizens of the death. So these other sources and the

[2:22:18] relationship you build to acquire those findings is essential in our deputy city manager

[2:22:24] and really our manager and the staff all together have worked on the state and federal level

[2:22:29] and they've been doing it for a while so they know them, they trust them, we give them what they want

[2:22:34] so we can make their decision easy and that's what it is, they have to justify their decisions

[2:22:38] And we try to give them the information that they need to make it a no-brainer.

[2:22:43] This one got the eyes crossed as a tease and, you know, it's the way to go.

[2:22:48] A national light out kickoff was good, hopefully it won't be 100 ECs, retired, we used to

[2:22:53] always joke about how ECs are wanted to determine how how it's going to be, one national

[2:22:58] light out, but hopefully it'll say a little prayer force, and it'll be under 90 maybe.

[2:23:02] Yeah, he'll call.

[2:23:05] Bromentian ribbon cutting, a renowner suffoc,

[2:23:08] this was a word when we went to this one too.

[2:23:11] The ribbon cutting from math and nasium.

[2:23:14] Anybody heard of math and nasium?

[2:23:18] I wanted to say, I want to exactly show you

[2:23:19] what I thought it might have been something

[2:23:20] that you needed in nasals spray for or something,

[2:23:22] but it's actually a bad tutoring service.

[2:23:26] Not just for kids that need help,

[2:23:29] but even on advanced levels in their franchise.

[2:23:32] So, you know, the parents can drop their kids off and I could use one of those when I was

[2:23:37] in school.

[2:23:38] We had to take answer for one, two times.

[2:23:42] And we talked about working together all the time, I had to privilege to attend also the

[2:23:49] loss of megas event, but I was there at Thursday night.

[2:23:53] I think Councilman Williams and Councilman Vice Mayor Ward went Saturday to get you

[2:23:57] But I was there Thursday night myself, a mayor Alexander and a couple hundred people to do their welcome and I was there representing the city and bringing greetings from the city and our city was very very well represented Mr. Ross Boone was the MC for that event.

[2:24:14] And as Councilman Weems mentioned, it's the first time

[2:24:18] of long, long time, the Suffolk chapter was the host.

[2:24:21] So like I told Mayor Adams and her city and think,

[2:24:24] I told him I said, this event may be in your city,

[2:24:27] but I can tell you the suffix in the house.

[2:24:30] It's where you and I'm covered all the way around.

[2:24:34] And that's your great group.

[2:24:37] They do community service projects, partnerships with schools,

[2:24:41] senior citizens, organizations, homeless shelters,

[2:24:43] of advocacy groups, public safety, and much other worthwhile causes.

[2:24:48] We also mentioned so ministry, which I didn't get a chance to go to that.

[2:24:51] I understand my friend, Reverend Simmons, I'll put that on.

[2:24:55] He's a great guy, too.

[2:24:56] I've had a lot of really good discussions with him, and then on Saturday.

[2:25:00] I went to a lunch at the Bishop of Obedaya, Co-Lendor, Outreach and Faith Temple Church.

[2:25:07] And they too were hosting something very similar to it. They do a lot of work, financial advice, tutoring.

[2:25:14] They have what's called Nisi House, which is kind of like a Geneva shelter.

[2:25:19] type house right next to them, where they provide shelter for domestic abuse victims, food

[2:25:26] clothing, and credit counts on tutoring and a bunch more.

[2:25:32] And it's these that kind of organizations, I mean, this is what it takes to make things work.

[2:25:37] Just get people involved, get churches involved, get civically involved, get individuals involved.

[2:25:43] And we are certainly doing that throughout the city.

[2:25:48] Because we get too long enforcement officers are getting recognized the night, retirement of my good friend,

[2:25:54] E.C. Harris.

[2:25:56] The only thing I can say about E.C. is he absolutely brought severe engagement to a new level.

[2:26:03] I mean, I'll remember after you got elected sheriff the first time.

[2:26:06] I mean, he was two out there every day and I said, E.C., the elections over.

[2:26:10] You can turn it off now.

[2:26:11] Because of it, he was at everything doing everything.

[2:26:13] And he said, no, no, no, that's what I do.

[2:26:17] And that is what he did.

[2:26:18] He had a passion to serve.

[2:26:20] And he is indeed set the bar high for major miles.

[2:26:23] But I'm sure he'll fill in the shoes, he had a good teacher.

[2:26:28] And Chief Billy, I can't say enough.

[2:26:30] I'm not going to kill the rest of 30 minutes talking about what you've done since

[2:26:35] you've been in the city of Suffolk.

[2:26:37] But the bottom line is you've earned it through the respect that you've been able to

[2:26:44] or not only from the individual that made the decision to give you that job, but also the men and women that you command and I see it at events, you've also earned a respect of your citizens.

[2:27:01] Because when I see you interacting with them, you're on the same level, you know, they consider you a citizen just like themselves.

[2:27:10] So, keep up the good work and congratulations, and that's it, so I'm going to go to my quote

[2:27:17] of the night, my quote of the night has to do with

[2:27:23] civic engagement and what we're able

[2:27:25] to do, we have a bunch of folks working the same thing.

[2:27:29] And that is, and I'm not sure who this quote is from, but anyhow, I didn't write it, it's

[2:27:34] But we cannot live only for ourselves, a thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.

[2:27:44] The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.

[2:27:52] One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals.

[2:28:00] Ross. With that, I would say good evening and as for a motion to put a German. Councilman

[2:28:05] frost it.��

[2:28:08] maybe go. Councillors

[2:28:09] say, answer me a word. Second

[2:28:11] Secretary foramo horsepower wore in discuss some emotion. Anyway, don't miss it now. I'm

[2:28:15] not Councillor Member Perrival. Please guess you vote. Madame clerk, please you're

[2:28:20] calling the vote.!! The

[2:28:21] motion

[2:28:22] is a prime by vote of 800여. This meeting

[2:28:24] is hereby adjourned.

Suffolk City Council Meeting - Jul 2nd, 2024

Agenda

Transcript