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[7:43] Service authority, board of directors, September 8th meeting. Mr. Powell. Mr. Wingwright. Mr. Reichner. Here. Mr. Lawson. Mr. Blinden. here and Mrs. Null. Here.
[7:54] I'll call the continuation of the Jameson County Board as supervises meeting from.
[8:01] Mr. Wingwright. Here. Mr. Null. Here. Mr. Reichner. Here. Mr. Lawson. Here. Mr. Woodrow. Here. Here. Mr. Woodrow.
[8:08] Thank you all for joining us today and I appreciate, I would like to have a very pleased
[8:20] to have a delegate.
[8:45] Thank you. I'm Doug Powell.
[8:47] I am General Manager of the James City Service Authority, and, again, I want to thank you
[8:52] for your time today, especially on a dreary rainy day, sorry to bring you out on a rainy
[8:57] day, although I will say that since I have become responsible for a public water system that's
[9:02] reliant on groundwater, I look at rain a lot differently than I used to.
[9:07] So before I begin, I just want to make a couple of quick introductions.
[9:10] With me to my right is Mike Ushok. He is our chief water engineer. Our attorney Andy Dean is out in the hallway.
[9:19] And behind me is Mr. Preston Bryant. I think you all probably know Mr. Bryant. He's a former secretary of natural resources.
[9:26] Currently a vice president for government relations with McGuire Woods consulting. And he is represented at J.C.S.A. as our lobbyist for over 10 years now.
[9:35] So he's an important part of our team as well.
[9:40] We wanted to ask you here today because we anticipate that we're issues are going to
[9:45] be a focus of the 2027 General Assembly, especially ground water and especially in the light
[9:50] of the Senate Joint Resolution 25 report that was recently released on ground water, east
[9:56] of ground water supply, east of Interstate 95.
[9:59] JCASA is the largest public utility in Virginia that's rely solely on ground water.
[10:04] So obviously we are keenly interested in groundwater policy as it can potentially have a significant
[10:10] impact on JCSA and our customers.
[10:13] The purpose of this presentation is to provide a brief background on JCSA to discuss the
[10:19] importance of groundwater to James City County and to the JCSA customers.
[10:23] To highlight our efforts to be good stewards of the resource to outline our options if we
[10:28] have to reduce our reliance on groundwater.
[10:30] and then finally just to note some of the elements of SJR 25 that are relevant to us.
[10:38] So, JCSA was founded in 1969 to provide water and wastewater collection services to the county.
[10:44] We provide service in the primary service area.
[10:47] And this is a map of the county and the area that is outlined in red is the PSA.
[10:54] So you can see it pretty much runs through the center of the county from north to south.
[10:58] and that's where we try to focus our growth and development.
[11:03] The PSA is about 60 square miles, it serves approximately 80% of the county's population.
[11:10] We have roughly 24,500 water accounts and that comprises roughly 60,000 customers.
[11:17] 95% of our customers are residential and residential customers account for about 80% of our
[11:23] build consumption. So as you can see we're a heavy residential system. I've already mentioned
[11:29] that we're the largest public utility in Virginia that's reliant solely on groundwater.
[11:33] I did want to mention that Newport News Waterworks does provide water to part of the eastern
[11:38] into the county, including the brewery, Bush Gardens, the Kingsville subdivision, that part of the
[11:43] county. And I also just wanted to note that JCSA used to be a county department and a few years
[11:49] years ago, the Board of Supervisors decided to make it an independent organization.
[11:55] The Board of Supervisors appoints the Board of Directors to the Service Authority and
[12:00] they choose to appoint themselves.
[12:02] So while James City County and the James City Service Authority are legally two separate
[12:05] organizations, there's obviously a very close working relationship between them.
[12:18] Our fiscal year 27 budget is about $30 million for self-sustaining on fees and charges for
[12:24] that we charge our customers for the services that we provide.
[12:27] We don't get any contribution from the county general fund
[12:29] or property taxes.
[12:31] We do have a AAA bond rating.
[12:33] We've been rated by two of the bond rating agencies.
[12:35] And one, we received a AAA and the other AA AA plus.
[12:41] At this point, I'm going to turn the presentation over to Mr. Yusok,
[12:44] who's going to discuss a few of some of the details
[12:46] of our water system.
[12:47] Good afternoon.
[12:49] So the central water system that James C.
[12:51] that Doug mentioned, it served by the five forks treatment plant, that's our largest treatment
[12:57] plant. It serves about half of our water by milling gallons a day. It's also served
[13:01] by eight remote well facilities that could provide up to another five milling gallons
[13:06] a day. The five forks plant, it uses deep wells, so they're brackish wells, so it requires
[13:13] treatment with reverse osmosis. Our other wells are shallow wells, it's fresher water,
[13:17] doesn't require treatment, we do disinfect and add chemical for corrosion.
[13:23] One good thing about our system is we have a lot of facilities, so if we have one facility
[13:28] fail, we can still provide service, so that's a significant benefit to how our system is
[13:34] configured, whereas some systems, not to mention any names up to our north, might have one facility
[13:41] if that fails, you've got a quick problem, so we do have a significant amount of redundancy
[13:46] having a well system with multiple facilities.
[13:50] We also have six independent systems.
[13:52] Those systems range from 34th customers to 168th customers.
[13:56] They're just standalone systems.
[13:58] They have their own permits operate with their own wells.
[14:02] And we also have a contract with Newport News
[14:03] to purchase two million gallons of day of water.
[14:06] That contract's been in place for probably 25 years or so.
[14:10] Maybe it may be longer.
[14:12] And to date, we haven't purchased any water
[14:14] under that contract, but it's worth noting Newport News uses a different treatment technique.
[14:19] So long-term use of that water would require us to make changes in our system.
[14:26] So currently we have a groundwater withdrawal permit from the DEQ that expires in February
[14:32] 2027.
[14:34] It was a 10-year permit, DEQ has since gone through 15-year permits.
[14:39] Our current permit allows us to withdraw up to 8.4 million gallons a day on average in
[14:46] In 2025, we did 5.75 million gallons a day.
[14:50] So we're saying below sort of what we predicted 10 years ago when that permit was issued.
[15:00] Growth in the system, it's about 340 new water connections a year, been pretty steady, get some
[15:07] little ups and downs, but in general around 340 gallons a minute. And then, although the
[15:13] customer base has grown, our groundwater withdrawals have remained fairly steady. The last few
[15:19] years we've seen a slight uptick in usage, but for the last 10 years it's been relatively
[15:28] So, in terms of our new permit, again, our current permit expires in February 20, 20,
[15:35] 27.
[15:35] We submit it to application in April of 20, 26.
[15:39] It's required that we submit it 270 days prior to expiration.
[15:44] If the permit is an issued by February of 20, 20, 27, it would be administratively extended
[15:51] until the permit is issued.
[15:53] So there's a chance that it may take a little longer to get the new permit past the expiration date.
[16:00] As I mentioned before, the new permit will be a 15-year term since the EQ changed that, I think, in 2019.
[16:07] And based on our projected growth in water demands, we requested 8 million gallons as part of this permit, which is 400,000 gallons less than our current permit.
[16:18] But, you know, we have to justify the need based on our projected growth and demands and,
[16:24] you know, we settled on 8 million as the number that would take us through the next
[16:28] permit cycle.
[16:32] All right.
[16:32] Thank you, Mike.
[16:34] I mentioned that we try to be good stewards of the resource, and I wanted to highlight just
[16:38] a couple of initiatives that we've done to try to do that.
[16:41] What is our rate structure?
[16:43] We have what's known as an inclining block rate structure, which is divided into four tiers.
[16:48] The less water a customer uses, the lower their rate, and the more water they use, the higher the rate goes.
[16:55] So typical customer who uses 5,000 gallons a month for domestic purposes only, they have a pretty low bill.
[17:03] They would have the third lowest combined bill in our region.
[17:06] But if they get into the higher tiers because they're irrigating, then the rates go up pretty high.
[17:11] And obviously that's designed purposely to try to encourage conservation.
[17:15] We also have an even odd irrigation schedule where customers can irrigate Tuesday, Thursday,
[17:23] Saturday if they have an even number of address and Wednesday, Friday, Sunday if they have
[17:27] an odd number of address and nobody is allowed to irrigate on Wednesdays.
[17:32] And then third, we have a rebate program that customers can get a rebate for purchasing
[17:36] water smart appliances to replace older, more inefficient appliances.
[17:42] I did want to talk about Senate joint report 25 just briefly.
[17:49] There are several key points that I wanted to highlight.
[17:55] Not going to recap the whole report, obviously.
[18:00] But there were a couple things that are particularly relevant to JCSA that I just wanted to mention.
[18:05] And these key points are taken directly from the report.
[18:08] major users of groundwater or industrial at 35%, private domestic at 34%, and the public
[18:14] water supply at 26%.
[18:17] The private domestic use, which is not permitted, but it is lawful, is expected to continue
[18:22] to increase in major withdrawals, especially those at the paper mills near Franklin and
[18:26] West Point have caused inland groundwater levels to decline below sea level.
[18:30] And of course, James City County geographically is located between those two paper mill plants.
[18:34] and is therefore affected by those withdrawals.
[18:40] There are several recommendations in the report.
[18:43] I just wanted to highlight these two.
[18:44] And again, this narrative is taken directly from the report.
[18:48] But one of the recommendations that's relevant to JCSA
[18:51] is to clearly provide DEQ with authority
[18:54] to deny an application for a groundwater withdrawal permit
[18:57] or reduce the permitted withdrawal valve volume
[18:59] or alternative water sources, such as surface water
[19:02] or water reuse are reasonably available.
[19:05] So it is unclear at this point how this recommendation
[19:08] would be interpreted or applied,
[19:10] but depending on the specifics,
[19:12] this could have a significant impact on JCSA.
[19:15] And the other recommendation in the report
[19:17] that I wanted to highlight
[19:18] that could have a significant impact
[19:19] is the notion to clarify how a prioritization
[19:23] for human consumption and the goal
[19:25] of protecting existing uses should be reconciled
[19:27] and implemented through permanent decisions.
[19:30] This language already exists in DEQ administrative regulations.
[19:36] They've expressed in the past they're not really sure how to operationalize it.
[19:41] And so through this report, I think they're saying they would like to try to develop some more clarity on how to interpret and apply this idea.
[19:51] This idea obviously would be very important to JCCSA since we are primarily human consumption.
[19:56] And the notion of protecting existing uses is also of importance to us because we've
[20:02] invested in our groundwater system for over 50 years.
[20:05] So if we have to abandon some of those investments now, it does create a financial hardship
[20:09] for our customers.
[20:12] Just briefly, I want to talk about a couple of some of the alternatives that would be available
[20:16] to us if we did have to reduce our reliance on groundwater.
[20:21] One is the Swift project, which I'm sure you all are all familiar with.
[20:25] with Swift's Sustainable Water Initiative for tomorrow.
[20:27] It's the initiative from HRSD where they take the waste water
[20:31] and instead of discharging it into the area's waterways,
[20:34] they would treat it to drinking water quality standards
[20:36] and inject it into the aquifer,
[20:38] with the idea that there would be more water available
[20:40] for withdrawal.
[20:42] So this is the option that would facilitate
[20:46] the continued use of groundwater,
[20:47] which would ultimately be the cheaper option
[20:51] for JCSA and our customers.
[20:52] The other two alternatives that are available to us are to develop our own surface water system,
[20:58] which would be very expensive. And then the third option would be to purchase water from Newport
[21:03] Newswater Works. As Mr. Yusag mentioned, we have an agreement with them currently to purchase
[21:08] 2 million gallons a day. We paid $25 million for that right, but we have not purchased any water from them today.
[21:15] But the final note there is that developing either a surface water source or purchasing
[21:21] water from Newport means waterworks, either one of those options would result in significant
[21:26] increase costs for our customers.
[21:29] All right, and this is my last slide just in conclusion.
[21:32] I didn't want to just state explicitly, JCSA enjoys a positive relationship with DEQ, and
[21:37] I didn't want anything I say to be interpreted as otherwise, we've had had a very good relationship
[21:42] with them over the years.
[21:44] Again, we expect war issues to be a focus of the 2027 General Assembly.
[21:49] And, you know, essentially really my closing remark is,
[21:52] we've just respectfully requested you to keep J.C.S.A. in mind
[21:56] when considering any legislation related to groundwater,
[21:59] just given the importance it is to James City County and our citizens.
[22:05] So that concludes my presentation and be happy to answer any questions you might have.
[22:09] We're using SWIFT now.
[22:11] No, the first SWIFT injection is scheduled to go online in just another month or two.
[22:20] It's at their James River plant in Newport News.
[22:23] But that has not begun yet, but it will be eminently.
[22:28] There was a pilot program.
[22:32] Yeah, I thought they were in the pilot.
[22:33] Yeah.
[22:34] About a million gallons today.
[22:35] Okay.
[22:35] Just double checking on the Newport News Water Works, you're currently paying 25 million for their services or you have a contract
[22:42] Should you need the 2 million per get so we pay 25 million dollars to them already for the 2 million purchase 2 million gallons a day and the
[22:50] The rate at which we the rate at which we would purchase that water was established in that contract. It goes up every year
[22:57] You know based on inflation and the current rate is a dollar 71 per thousand pounds. Okay
[23:03] Is that agreement said for a certain amount of time or is it just an opportunity?
[23:09] It was a 40-year agreement that continues unless either party wants to discontinue.
[23:17] Okay, so there's no in-term date on that contract, basically.
[23:21] I think there is the possibility that it could expire at a 40-year contract.
[23:25] Okay, gotcha.
[23:26] Yes.
[23:27] Yeah.
[23:27] It's a contract that exists that's open for negotiation.
[23:30] Yes, absolutely.
[23:31] Yes, and then going back to the Swift, you said that's like a million gallons per million.
[23:36] Well, they've been doing HRSD did a pilot project that's been in place for several years now that was a million gallons.
[23:43] Okay, but the plant that is getting ready to come online and report news is, I believe, 10 million gallons.
[23:48] Oh, okay, and then there's another one coming online several years from now that would be even more than that.
[23:55] Would we be doing down there or is that going to be done?
[24:03] That's
[24:06] correct. Yes. You know, DEQ has taken in terms of trying to model ground water
[24:12] and future supply. They're taking a wait and see approach to see how this with project.
[24:19] Is it some indication that that is maybe has regional benefits but not or local benefits but not
[24:25] and the silly regional benefits.
[24:27] It's a question of how big an impact it will have.
[24:30] I think there is that question.
[24:32] There is some fairly informative results
[24:37] from when the Franklin Mill went offline.
[24:41] And the increase in pressure throughout the region,
[24:46] even as far as here, was actually higher than what was expected.
[24:50] So I'm not a scientist or a geologist.
[24:53] So it might, I might not be the best person to explain it, but the water travels very
[24:58] slowly.
[24:59] It's not, it's not the actual water that is the benefit.
[25:03] The pressure increases pretty dramatically, pretty quickly.
[25:07] And that is a big benefit to being able to continue to withdraw groundwater.
[25:12] So it's really the increased pressure regionally that's the big benefit.
[25:16] So I guess it's the two facilities that draw the vast majority of the water.
[25:22] Is there been any conversations about options like using waste water or pipe water to feed either for both of those plants so that they would not have to do the ground water would that not be a better right economic direction?
[25:37] Yeah, yeah, I'm not aware that any of those conversations are taking place, but they may they may be and I'm not aware I'm not I'm not really privy to what the paper mill plans are, you know, discussing or reviewing as far as their options.
[25:50] Could they use that though? Is that something that might be usable?
[25:55] I know Newcastle has a small reclaimed water system.
[25:58] I think it serves a couple of golf courses and stuff, but.
[26:01] Yeah, yeah.
[26:02] Fast is growing, counting the state that you probably start thinking about some other options.
[26:06] If I have to find the issue with reclaimed water is safe.
[26:10] You have a treatment plant in Newport News and you have a need in West Point.
[26:13] Now, you got to get the water there.
[26:14] So if the treatment plant you're at a paper mill is right next to the wastewater plant,
[26:18] It would make a lot more sense, but there's the whole distribution piece of it that often becomes very difficult.
[26:26] But the question is, I had always asked, and I never got an answer to it.
[26:29] I don't know. Is the feasibility of using basically a surface water from the New York, like for the
[26:40] salinity effects that the process or what?
[26:43] But the
[26:47] fact that the
[26:51] outsized impact on the residential
[27:12] for HRSD, I think when all is said and done on those two
[27:17] plants, they'll probably have about a billion dollars.
[27:23] Recharge HRSD recharge facilities.
[27:25] I
[27:27] think that it says that the priority is supposed to be human
[27:32] consumption, yet that's the opposite.
[27:34] So the question is that you're asking definitely need to be
[27:37] asked and answered and some attention.
[27:41] What is the answer, is it just that these two plants are going to continue to take, yes,
[27:47] and then we're, you know, for us to, what are our options, you know, one option that
[27:53] was discussed years ago was something on maybe the check harmony. That was 250 million at
[27:59] that point. I can't even imagine what it would be now.
[28:06] So it's especially if we're not 100% sure
[28:09] a swift yet, so as you all have this conversation moving forward.
[28:15] The other thought of like having a conversation with the data center's awardees is like, can
[28:19] the paper mills have a closed loop system as opposed to, just can, yeah.
[28:24] Only downside of closed loop systems, they sound great, great for water protection.
[28:30] The energy is incredibly exasperated.
[28:33] So now we're trading one concern all for another one.
[28:37] And so, because I've agreed, like, I've looked in the closed loop for data centers personally,
[28:43] and there's some concerns.
[28:45] But using untreated ones, we're trying to do like a minute.
[28:49] So that's not SWIP because the SWIP is treated.
[28:52] So that would be a different water system if it was untreated.
[28:56] So it wouldn't be, it's costly to SWIP.
[28:59] But if it had a question with the plant specifically to Jim's point, is there a reason that they're
[29:05] using what we would consider treatable water for their processes? Like is there something
[29:09] there's there a concern which I would be a question I'd ask sorry power plant specifically
[29:13] like do you need to use certain types of water? I can't really speak for the paper plants
[29:22] but I do know they do need a certain water quality for their process and you know but at all
[29:28] I think what it comes down to for all of us is cost right I mean you know we're surrounded
[29:34] by three. James City County surrounded by three rivers. We can water supply is not really
[29:40] our issue. The issue is. I think the same is true for the paper mill plants. I mean, the plant
[29:47] at West Point is right on a river. They have that option, but that option is more expensive to them
[29:53] than what they're currently doing, and which is the same issue we're facing right now. We could raise
[29:59] Is there rights?
[30:00] I just find another way to do it. I think it's important to highlight the fact that JCSA has really been working very diligently to make sure we use our similar
[30:19] growing population, the combination of our conservation program
[30:39] to grow at the same time.
[30:56] It's attributed to that.
[31:00] Years ago when I was on State Water Commission as a citizen rep, one basic conflict issue that is constantly there and never has been resolved is there are inherent
[31:13] water rights, and there's tremendous part of legal
[31:18] profession that's involved with water rights.
[31:21] And then that's in conflict with the
[31:23] essentially, in some places, with the idea that
[31:26] our priority should be for human consumption.
[31:29] You know, I know we have to have someone for our
[31:31] industry, but you know, we have plenty of water around,
[31:35] and there's just a matter of who's going to pay the
[31:38] higher price, or we're going to share that for return.
[31:42] So my last thought is, during the general assembly session, if you're considering any legislative proposals come forward, please reach out to us.
[31:52] If it is easier for you to get in touch with Mr. Bryant, he's there, obviously, we work very closely together, feel free to reach out to him.
[32:00] That's easier for you.
[32:02] But we'd be happy to engage with you.
[32:08] Thank you for your time.
[32:09] Thank you.
[32:10] Any other questions?
[32:11] Thank you.
[32:12] Yes.
[32:13] John, we go in close.
[32:14] Sorry.
[32:15] We close the GCSE meeting?
[32:17] I can.
[32:19] We leave it open.
[32:20] Thank you.
[32:21] Thank you.
[32:21] We're just thinking.
[32:21] And now, let me, thank you.
[32:24] I feel like it's downy.
[32:25] And so, Dougal, for charting us as well today, we appreciate your
[32:32] attention to the concerns
[32:33] we have.
[32:34] But we have developed a legislative program
[32:44] on the extensive list we've
[32:49] published.
[32:50] of waste lists,
[33:04] very first item.
[33:30] And thank you all for being here today as well.
[33:32] I issue this past reassessment cycle in particular,
[33:36] because our praesers and assessors went back
[33:38] and let a real focus on property.
[33:39] So we had an overall 12% increase in residential values,
[33:43] but we had a almost 1,000 residents
[33:45] who had 50, 60, 80, 90% increases in values through.
[33:50] I believe it's fair market value for their property today
[33:53] through no fall of their own.
[33:54] We hadn't kept that up over the years.
[33:55] and so it was a huge increase. I know of one in particular whose value increased 60% went from
[34:00] 700,000 to 1.3 million, hadn't changed in the last two cycles but all of a sudden this year
[34:06] it's a big shock and so we were trying to look for some language that might help us let the
[34:11] board set some kind of increased cap that would we're moving to fair market value over time but maybe
[34:17] we don't have to do it all in this one cycle. So we had a 12% average increase maybe it's a doubling
[34:22] of that. So over time we get to fair market value but trying to satisfy that or reduce
[34:29] for that impact on a property owner who hasn't been property assessor or value has gone
[34:33] up substantially. And when the average goes up substantially the board can make changes
[34:37] to the tax rate that help all. When you have an average of 12% and somebody has a 60 or 80% increase,
[34:43] they can't lower the tax rate enough to make it helpful to that person with a 60 or 80%.
[34:48] So that was really the request of number one is trying to work through some method that right now it says we should be a fair market value when we do our reassessments.
[34:57] How does it give the locality some ability to temper that a little bit with the goal of getting everybody to fair market value, but over something.
[35:06] Anything more on that? I think that's the issue for that.
[35:10] I was going to skip through a couple of these two, three, seven, eight, nine, and ten.
[35:15] If board members want to come back to them, but two, three, seven, eight, nine, and ten are ones that we have had on our prior legislative agenda.
[35:21] So those were sort of, we'll see every grain, but still important in our board has talked about these individually.
[35:27] They're going to maybe formally adopt these this afternoon at their business meeting, which is why draft is in the background.
[35:32] But I think we'll have a finalized copy of that for you later today as well.
[35:36] But when I look at number four, I don't know if the members were going to speak to that.
[35:40] We were talking about some with Shelvay Prime being one where we had a section of what appears
[35:44] to be a state maintained roadway that all of a sudden when we get looking on issue turns
[35:48] out not to be.
[35:49] And so residents have believed that for 30 years, I think BDOT has probably maintained it for
[35:53] 30 years and now there are sort of four or five runs on the road.
[35:56] Ms. Morrison really.
[35:57] Yes, Assistant.
[35:58] So, and I talked to Senator McKinble last year as well, but I do think it's going to take
[36:02] Someone carrying a bill asking for a B dot to take it back because the cost it would be the 2026 27 cost versus what it was whatever happened that it didn't half the street is in half the street is not and so the cost for the citizens that led there the easements that would have to be taken the road improvements.
[36:25] It essentially now is just a road without care because it will not get maintained, it will
[36:33] not get snow removal, all the things, and by no, none of us were here at the time when
[36:40] that didn't get picked up, either the developer didn't bottle through or something happened
[36:45] and the ball got dropped.
[36:46] So we really just need something that would say, hey, you maintained it all these years,
[36:52] somebody complained you started looking into it and found out oh it never got put
[36:56] into the state system and so they dropped it. There was no there was no appeal
[37:01] process and so if somebody would be willing to put it back just say please
[37:06] take it back. You've done it all these years you've been maintaining it I would
[37:11] be much appreciated and I can happy to talk to that any of you about that
[37:16] But that is it and in that show.
[37:19] This isn't a darkly district, isn't it?
[37:21] Yeah.
[37:22] Okay.
[37:22] Yes.
[37:22] Thank you.
[37:24] Number five.
[37:24] I think really, Ms. Larson might have driven that one too,
[37:27] with some of these telephone facilities, cable phones.
[37:30] They're in the right of way that get damaged.
[37:32] And they just sit in us.
[37:34] We talk to the utility companies.
[37:36] We all have government reps.
[37:37] They're responsive.
[37:38] But in terms of fixing those things,
[37:40] it is really difficult to get them back
[37:42] to clean up things that are messed up or to beat up to water.
[37:45] And I don't know if there's any way to compel that,
[37:47] but that's probably an issue across Virginia.
[37:50] It's certainly an issue with our communities.
[37:52] It was very unsightly.
[37:55] It's just broken wires.
[37:57] And we've had it on our capital trail,
[37:59] where we've big tourism driver for us.
[38:02] And it's also dangerous, frankly.
[38:04] Someone were to go off the trail and a bike
[38:06] and do a broken, for instance, for Ryzen.
[38:09] and we, I think we went up the chain finally
[38:13] and we got one or two fixed,
[38:15] but then you can't get a return call
[38:17] to get anyone to come out and fix them.
[38:20] The same thing is like things have been damaged
[38:22] like in the storms.
[38:24] No, they've been hit, or something's dropped.
[38:27] A huge tree limb is dropped on them,
[38:29] or there's one at Centerville in five
[38:35] that has been hit probably a hundred times,
[38:38] but we can't move it somewhere else for whatever reason and I'm not even sure how much
[38:42] is it awful? Are they not? Are they not? Are they not? We don't know. You don't know.
[38:47] You don't know the extent of the to get. Maybe a while they're not. We haven't been here. I haven't
[38:51] where I live too. Constantly has been talking quite a bit about the townhouse complex
[38:56] that he lives in, where there's a utility box that doesn't appear to be functioning at all,
[39:00] but it's a Verizon box. Probably was very useful for the landlines that everybody had. Nobody has a
[39:06] And the utility box is still there, and nobody can tell whether it's even awkward, it was
[39:13] even functional.
[39:16] And it's just a matter of saying to these providers,
[39:29] a big commission of work.
[39:30] Or take them out.
[39:31] Right.
[39:34] And then
[39:36] the last time I think Mr. McLennan, where we had some drums spraying out over the waterway,
[39:42] is that permissible, you know, some concern related to that?
[39:46] You know with the face of problems that because we
[40:00] that we ought to have done
[40:19] the concern that we get
[40:30] at a state
[41:05] herbicides not pesticides these are these are
[41:19] like the hydro law
[41:21] I got that was planted at an invasive species that absolutely is taking over
[41:27] Contracting these folks to do the spraying is that best one is associations the
[41:39] only place I've seen where there's yeah
[41:40] I mean kind of already for it is like at risk with not like I mean
[41:47] I didn't do the actual spring and your code for
[41:49] I'd grow on stuff, but that was controlled by that power of authority that brings the
[41:55] loans away.
[41:57] But on our water waste, Chesapeake does it, for the, Chesapeake city does it for the
[42:03] whole city.
[42:05] And then Queen's would have to do normal basis, trying to knock out some of the algae and stuff
[42:13] like that, wherever they call it, but it seems like they've worked just to be paid foundation
[42:20] and resources protected.
[42:20] everyone to sign off when it sounds like some HOAs are not going well and I don't think there's any requirement requirement.
[42:31] The ACMRC is basically saying, well, you know, you've got to just be regular, because you want to go ahead and go,
[42:40] we don't really have control over the waterways by and large.
[42:43] And so to say that we should be enforcing it, is it?
[42:56] one or two, if I could just know, okay, time.
[42:59] So one, I just would ask that through, you know,
[43:03] I know that for instance, collective bargaining
[43:05] is a very hot button in,
[43:08] but I would hope that we could have, you know,
[43:11] that you all would reach out to us
[43:12] and talk about the impact on our tax rate.
[43:14] One thing I think that James City County has done
[43:18] have worked hard to do.
[43:20] Thanks, Mr. Stevens leadership is work on compensation.
[43:23] You know, we had quite a large reassessment year a few years ago, and we put the majority
[43:30] of that money into compensation.
[43:33] We had done a compensation study, realized we were very hard, far behind.
[43:39] People are not working for government wages that they, like maybe perhaps our mothers and
[43:46] fathers did.
[43:47] They, you know, they want to be paid a wage that is able to support their families.
[43:51] And so, we, Mr. Stevens, brought that to us and that is where we worked hard.
[43:58] We've given off-budget compensation to our firefighters and our police.
[44:04] We very much value our operators, the 911.
[44:09] We value those.
[44:11] We understand.
[44:12] We want them to be fairly compensated, but it is going to make a tremendous difference
[44:16] on our tax rate.
[44:17] That's just black and white.
[44:19] And so I would hope that we those are conversations we can have as we realize this is going to come up again.
[44:27] And so talk to us and talk to us about what that's going to do and what are we doing with compensation.
[44:33] Because this year the school system is also putting through a compensation study.
[44:39] And that is one thing as we worked through our negotiations with the city of Williamsburg.
[44:48] We tried very much to work out a contract where we stated what we would give them as far as the budget
[44:54] Realizing that they had a compensation study that their teachers are
[45:03] We need to work towards correcting that, but we need to work together before we get something down from Richmond that says you have to pay this, and we need to let you all know how that's going to impact our real estate rate. And I guess for me, too, the land, the property decent state, which I'm sure you all realize that we did have a developer that was interested and they withdrew there.
[45:30] They withdrew their application for development and I didn't know if you all had any, if you were looking to get involved in that property at all, we do have some nonprofits that are using, we have had some development on that property behind near where new town is, but didn't know if you had any thoughts on that.
[45:52] And if I could just suggest on that front in particular, one of the challenges that we've
[45:58] simply based is having the ability to get clear answers from the state agency, but
[46:12] I would
[46:13] feel like we have.
[46:36] And on that point, I will say particular agency is just,
[46:49] it's not multiple agencies
[46:50] the one we're trying to do, the cell of the park, trying to get through.
[46:56] And I would say, you know,
[46:57] one of the other aspects that you see on this and it is normally part of our agenda is we have
[47:02] several organizations that you say we like BACO, the ML,
[47:09] and I want to say that I appreciate
[47:13] the conversation.
[47:27] While several
[47:38] steps to try to address the issues relating,
[47:43] we just want
[47:44] to emphasize some of the things we've done here recently. We have done, we've approved
[47:48] the redevelopment of
[49:14] units and
[49:19] number of steps that in combination I think reflect a clear view
[49:25] that we have a responsibility to encourage opportunities for people to
[49:34] real challenge and to commute with tirees who have homes that they can
[49:40] purchase with cash and are just delighted that they can take a state
[49:53] market
[49:53] and
[49:57] come here and
[50:00] push out the ability of paying
[50:17] attention to the
[50:18] We
[50:36] have recently increased the income level for the tax relief for the property tax.
[50:44] So we are working to realize.
[50:48] Right.
[50:48] We provide an exemption, not a deferral.
[51:01] We raise the, and
[51:09] we intend to raise the,
[51:15] as well, to,
[51:27] say, property is getting
[51:31] back
[51:32] or what's, we don't know.
[51:34] We don't know.
[51:35] We don't know.
[51:36] Yes, the ability to bring it back.
[51:37] If it would have been denied, it would have been a one year wait.
[51:41] And so because he withdrew his proposal, he can come back to the table.
[51:46] He just has to start over.
[51:49] Yeah.
[51:51] Seriously.
[51:51] Yeah.
[51:52] Those.
[51:53] Never know.
[51:54] Never seen him.
[51:56] Is there any specific organizations that are interested?
[51:59] And I know Jim actually took me kind of a little tour of the area, but of the state-owned
[52:04] facility in the eastern state location that is very dilapidated and questionable whether
[52:10] or not it is even cable being renovated or reused in some form without condominants.
[52:17] So is there any particular groups that have shown any public interest in that building?
[52:22] I don't think in the actual building.
[52:24] I think hope village was interested in getting some property, was interested in getting some
[52:30] property with the developer that was working and then of course you have I think you on the
[52:37] other side we have Colleen you'll be able to help right but so I think a village but it took
[52:42] around shoulder the three the three story with the windows all beat out I've torn it up and
[52:46] everything would be nice and you know it's it's it's it's I'd be quite honest with you I don't think it's
[52:54] for them. The state has a cost involved in tearing down, but it just sits there, and
[53:03] it's like a festering sore. But it's on the land that is being retained by Eastern
[53:10] State. So that's not part of the property that the developer wants to develop.
[53:15] Right, it's not part of the Rachel's apartment. It's part of it, like, independent, okay.
[53:19] So that was, you know, and I think it's a pretty massive structure.
[53:24] It would take a lot of a lot of money and I'm not sure if there are any organizations
[53:27] that have any interest in it.
[53:29] It's just that it's something that we look at every day when you drive by on the pew.
[53:37] Okay, that's probably one of those structures that would be cheaper to go with.
[53:40] It would be cheaper to go with green, to the small structure.
[53:44] But they're keeping it anyway, right?
[53:46] Yeah.
[53:48] I think we're going to go towards the first rate.
[53:53] Yeah, that is.
[53:55] Just a question number three.
[53:58] What do you think the
[54:01] county is?
[54:02] $7.7.
[54:05] Which is about four cents on our tax rate.
[54:07] Not quite four cents, but very close.
[54:11] And that's been escalating.
[54:15] I think it was a couple of years ago.
[54:18] It was up to $4.8.
[54:19] dollars. The last year was six. More people retiring here, or they have the property rates
[54:25] going up. I think you're getting more people that qualify and better actually applying.
[54:32] And right. Yes. The number of people that are qualifying. It's a lot easier to qualify
[54:37] today than it was. And we have a lot of. So I was looking at the numbers this morning and
[54:44] and Suffolk and Ola White have almost 1,000% jump.
[54:48] And that's because they have really started cultivating
[54:51] the retirement communities.
[54:53] So yeah, the one that gets wicked
[54:56] worse than anybody is because on the back,
[54:58] 30 or 40% of their budget.
[55:00] Yeah.
[55:01] So this is, you know, yes, for Jameson County
[55:03] and it's very difficult because of course,
[55:05] we so appreciate the service that we have veterans here.
[55:09] I'm sitting at this table.
[55:11] We so appreciate the service.
[55:12] So it's very hard, difficult to have that conversation, but it's a very, it's great.
[55:17] It was a referendum, but then it was like, oh, okay, well, now it's you.
[55:22] And so if we stand with our big co-brothers and sisters, because this is a huge impact,
[55:28] seven million, four cents on our tax rate, but as Jim says for a place like the coast,
[55:35] and, oh, my goodness, so it really needs to happen.
[55:40] I think you see anywhere up and down the 9564 quarter.
[55:46] It's pretty substantial.
[55:50] There's staff for this possibility.
[55:51] Yeah, there's staff for this really bad.
[55:53] Yeah, there's staff for
[56:01] this really bad.
[56:01] So we're going to number eight.
[56:04] I think we...
[56:05] Amy.
[56:06] Where are we?
[56:07] I don't know.
[56:10] Okay.
[56:11] Do you know?
[56:12] You know.
[56:13] That's just putting the escalation on one on it.
[56:16] I
[56:19] can just put something out here, but we're talking about taps.
[56:21] This is interesting, because I lived in Pennsylvania for a while.
[56:24] Do you know that they do attacks when you sell your house?
[56:27] We're selling pace attacks, and the person moving in pays the transfer tax.
[56:32] It goes to the county, I guess, and part of it to the state.
[56:36] So that's interesting because we have all these people moving in, and
[56:40] they're not paying anything upfront.
[56:42] I mean, they're buying the house at the cost of the house, but
[56:46] But then the owner also is making money.
[56:50] If I go to sell my house in Pennsylvania, I had to pay a tax when I saw my plan.
[56:56] But the people buying it also had to pay a tax.
[56:58] So it was like two or three percent, but it was substantial.
[57:01] Something to think about.
[57:04] I just thank you for everything that you do in your company service.
[57:07] It's much appreciated.
[57:09] Just hope there can be some conversations during that.
[57:13] and I know you work 365. I see her every day at the gym and I know that the effort that you all put in every day and I appreciate it very much because we much do the same.
[57:25] We all appreciate you.
[57:27] Of course.
[57:29] A lot of work around here as well.
[57:32] Oh yeah.
[57:33] Thank you.
[57:34] All right.
[57:35] Of course.
[57:36] I just had a question for your friend.
[57:38] No, I was just asking how, like, the preschool buildings, how those are coming along.
[57:42] They are coming along very well.
[57:45] The
[57:57] station is the redistricting part.
[58:00] That's why I asked about the preschool.
[58:02] Yeah.
[58:02] But with, rather than having a
[58:07] $38 degree school.
[58:38] And I know you...
[58:55] We just sent some tourists over there.
[58:58] We have a friend that has an Airbnb and we were hanging out with them.
[59:01] And they're like, everyone to visit or center tomorrow.
[59:03] I'm like, you've got to stop in.
[59:04] our sports and events that are quite impressive.
[59:07] I just want to go with Ruth for the Williamsburg, and you guys were hopping, there was two of
[59:13] other events like being hosted downstairs or a big sale.
[59:20] My question is, and I'm genuinely curious, and I would love this information because obviously
[59:25] collective bargaining, I don't think conversation-wise is going away, I don't know what it's going
[59:29] to look like, or if it's going to look like anything in 27, I'm not the carrier of that bill.
[59:33] I just, I know that it's still having behind the scenes.
[59:37] What is the, I would really love to know an estimation of what you think as a, as a
[59:41] locality that I represent what the impact on the tax rate would be directly.
[59:45] Like if you could give me an estimation based on the language in the bill and the last origin
[59:50] of it.
[59:50] It was 26 cents is what we estimated between, between the county and the schools, okay?
[59:58] It's going to be a 26 cent.
[1:00:00] In fact, so I don't, we have to look at the language, and then see, but last, when we were calculating it last year, it was 26 cents on our real estate tax. It's got a, like, a breakdown of how you got, came to that number that you could send to me that I just look at.
[1:00:17] I'll be happy to send it to all of you.
[1:00:18] It's a very high level conversation with MAKO,
[1:00:22] and certainly what you'll be able to find is legislation
[1:00:24] that is forward and so on and so on and so on and so on.
[1:00:26] The only other comment I would make
[1:00:27] that in talking, we've had a lot of conversation
[1:00:29] in the manager world about it,
[1:00:31] listening to some of those that are already there.
[1:00:33] The one downside that I hadn't considered beyond cost
[1:00:35] is it starts siloing our employees.
[1:00:38] We already do that some with public safety
[1:00:40] and everybody else,
[1:00:41] but now public safety gets more siloed,
[1:00:44] how the works becomes a bargaining unit.
[1:00:45] all these different bargaining units get different deals and what I found with some of them I had a
[1:00:50] manager say in one community his public works folks did so poorly in their negotiating that he
[1:00:55] reopened the contract to get them caught up and so we as an organization try to be cohesive
[1:01:00] were together he just starts siloing our groups and employees at a separate places and that is
[1:01:05] one thing I hadn't thought about the cost that find those parts are real for us but breaking up our
[1:01:11] employees of their different units that sort of, I don't want to say I, but don't feel
[1:01:16] like the part of the organization anymore that that is concerning.
[1:01:20] They talked about that of the legislative, my work in Richmond and people were saying,
[1:01:25] you know, find out from your county what it's going to cost.
[1:01:28] So I did ask Scott to look it up and it was like $400 million correct.
[1:01:32] I'll share this with you as well.
[1:01:34] And it was a substantial, sustained perspective, 26 cents would be approximately a 30 percent increase in our taxes.
[1:01:45] What are you sure tax rate now?
[1:01:47] 80 cents.
[1:01:55] Currently.
[1:01:58] This year.
[1:02:08] What is the
[1:02:14] real estate value for residents?
[1:02:19] steadily and
[1:02:23] I can see people from my own personal experience on that front so yeah
[1:02:26] yeah so the market schooling the market schooling and like the prices are not the prices for that
[1:02:31] so I think this time last year it was like thank
[1:02:45] you very much for the
[1:02:45] update thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you I know it's always crazy
[1:02:52] this
[1:02:56] is much better because by time don't get to that point Richmond so much is already moving
[1:03:02] And with the different timeframes of filing now, it's more important to do this earlier.
[1:03:10] I really appreciate you guys being here because having this early is really important.
[1:03:18] It's an opportunity to get us what's important out there.
[1:03:20] And then we can keep coming back and feed more information to our communities as we go.
[1:03:25] And I'll try not to, I'll try to sit on my hands at the chamber for this year.
[1:03:31] I'll do my best.
[1:03:32] You don't need to thank me.
[1:03:35] Could we get a phone with you?
[1:03:38] I don't know.
[1:03:38] I'd love to have all of you together.
[1:03:40] Yeah.
[1:03:41] Can we close the meeting?
[1:03:43] Yes, so.
[1:03:44] As for motion to adjourn.
[1:03:48] So moved.
[1:03:49] So moved.
[1:03:50] So moved.
[1:03:51] Ms. Wayne Wright.
[1:03:52] Hi.
[1:03:53] Ms. No.
[1:03:53] Hi.
[1:03:54] All right.
[1:03:55] We close the james together.
[1:03:57] We close the james together.
[1:04:01] Is there any service authority?
[1:04:03] All right.
[1:04:04] Chair.
[1:04:04] Thank you.
[1:04:04] All right.
[1:04:05] Is there anybody?
[1:04:07] One next to the floor.
[1:04:09] Can I come in?
[1:04:09] On to our chair.
[1:04:12] So, probably we're going.