EXACTLY. ALL RIGHT, SO SO I SEE, SUSAN, YOU'VE HIT RECORD, SO THIS IS THE OCTOBER MEETING,
[00:00:09]
OCTOBER TWENTY SIX MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL SCHOOL BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE.AND SO THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 5:00 A.M.
FOR AND MY AGENDA SAYS THAT WE HAVE THE KOED UPDATE AND THEN PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS THAT IS THAT WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING? OR DID WE WANT TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE START? I GUESS WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T DO THAT, SO WE SHOULD GIVE I'M AND I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS.
MADAM CHAIR, COULD I JUST ASK FOR YOU TO READ THE THE INTRODUCTORY LANGUAGE THAT I ALWAYS LIKE TO READ. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET RID OF THAT, IT'S JUST THAT PARAGRAPH JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT.
RIGHT. SO DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EMERGENCY, THE OCTOBER 20, 20, 20 MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL SCHOOL BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE IS BEING HELD ELECTRONICALLY PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION TWO POINT TWO, DASH THREE SEVEN ZERO EIGHT POINT TO A THREE.
THE CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE TWENTY TWENTY TWENTY OR SECTION FOUR DASH ZERO POINT ZERO ONE G AND B TWENTY NINE AND B THIRTY ENACTED BY THE TWENTY TWENTY. VIRGINIA'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
CHAPTER TWENTY, TWELVE, EIGHTY THREE AND TWENTY NINE.
TO UNDERTAKE ESSENTIAL BUSINESS, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND STAFF ARE PARTICIPATING FROM REMOTE LOCATIONS THROUGH A VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL ON ZOOME.
THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD ELECTRONICALLY UNLESS A DETERMINATION IS MADE THAT IT IS SAFE ENOUGH TO BE HELD IN PERSON.
IN THE CITY COUNCIL WORK ROOM AT THREE ALONG KING STREET, ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, ELECTRONIC ACCESS WILL BE PROVIDED IN EITHER EVENT.
THE MEETING CAN BE ACCESSED BY PUBLIC, BY THE PUBLIC, WE ASSUME BY THE LINK, WHICH I WILL NOT READ BECAUSE I WANT TO DO THAT.
YES, JOANNE HAS GOT ME TRAINED.
I READ THAT EXCERPT NOW OF FAMILY ZOOM'S NOW.
YEAH, THAT'S QUITE A LOT OF QUITE A LOT OF WORDS THERE.
SO I HAVE MY YOU GOT THE FIRST ITEM IS COVID-19 UPDATE.
[I. COVID- 19 Update]
SO I DON'T KNOW MR. JINKS OR DR. HUTCHINGS WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST.THERE'S NOT MUCH EXCITING NEWS ON OUR SIDE, SO I THINK MAYBE WE'LL START WITH A KPS.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND JUST TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE US TO LAST WEEK, BECAUSE THE BOARD LAST WEEK DID APPROVE FOR US TO CONTINUE WORKING TOWARDS REOPENING OF OUR SCHOOLS, TRANSITIONING OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS.
FIRST IN ALL, OF THIS IS CONTINGENT UPON STAFFING AND BUILDING CAPACITY.
AND ONE THING THAT WE DID LAST WEEK WAS WE SHARED WITH THE BOARD AS WELL AS WITH OUR COMMUNITY SOME OF THE THE CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE PREVENTING US FROM BEING ABLE TO OPEN OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS TOMORROW.
AND IN PARTICULAR, THE BUILDING CONSTRAINTS IS AS REAL AS WE TRY TO FOLLOW OUR CDC GUIDELINES, MEANING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP SIX FEET DISTANCING AND ALL OF OUR CLASSROOMS, AS WELL AS IN OUR HALLWAYS AND THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, OF COURSE, TO TRY TO BRING EVERYBODY BACK AND ADHERE TO THOSE CDC GUIDELINES. SO THAT DOES CAUSE LIMITATIONS FOR HOW MANY STUDENTS CAN BE WITHIN OUR BUILDINGS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
ALSO, IN REGARDS TO OUR STAFFING, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US IS KNOWING THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE NOT IMMUNE TO THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE MEDICAL CONDITIONS, THEIR AGE SITUATIONS FOR SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE ABOVE AGE OR THAT AGE REQUIREMENT FALL WITHIN AN AGE REQUIREMENT OF STAYING AWAY FROM LARGE CROWDS.
WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEIR HOMES WHO MAY HAVE A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS OTHER FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES FROM CHILD CARE TO, YOU KNOW, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON TO EVEN FEAR IN SOME CASES FOR WHERE SOME OF OUR OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE PREVENTING ALL OF OUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO BE IN OUR BUILDINGS, WHICH CAUSES SOME LIMITATIONS AS TO WHAT WE CAN WHAT WE CAN OFFER.
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING IS MOVING FORWARD WITH MAKING SURE WE'RE UPDATING OUR BOARD MORE FREQUENTLY. IN AUGUST, WE HAD THE AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD COME TO THE BOARD SEVEN WEEKS INTO THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC OF REOPENING WHAT WE CALL A VIRTUAL PLUS.
AND WE REALIZED THAT SEVEN WEEKS TOO LONG TO NOT HAVE SOME FORM OF UPDATES AND COMMUNICATION. SO MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL BE UPDATING THE BOARD ON OUR PROGRESS AT EVERY PORT MEETING BETWEEN NOW AT LEAST THROUGH FEBRUARY, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE
[00:05:04]
CONSISTENTLY PROVIDING THOSE UPDATES.WE ALSO ARE LOOKING TO START OUR FIRST GROUP OF TRANSITIONS NEXT WEEK WITH OUR CITYWIDE PROGRAM OR STUDENTS WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS, WHO ARE PART OF THE CITYWIDE PROGRAM.
WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT K THROUGH SECOND GRADE STARTING NEXT WEEK, AND WE ARE FINALIZING THAT TRANSITION RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'VE ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH FAMILIES IN REGARDS TO WHO IS WILLING TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL AND IN PERSON.
AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO DETERMINE WHO'S ABLE TO TO BE IN SCHOOL DURING THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
SO MORE INFORMATION WILL BE COMING AND EVOLVING OVER TIME.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX SITUATIONS.
I WISH IT COULD BE AS EASY AS I JUST COME TO REALIZE THAT, HEY, EVERYBODY, THIS IS THE THING WE'RE GOING TO DO AND IT'S GOING TO WORK.
AND WE RESOLVED ALL OF OUR ISSUES AND PROBLEMS. BUT IT'S JUST NOT THAT EASY WITH SO MANY MOVING FACTORS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT WE HAVE EACH AND EVERY DAY, NOT JUST HERE IN ALEXANDRIA, BUT REALLY ACROSS ACROSS THE NATION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING THROUGH THIS AND WE'RE STILL MEETING WITH OUR TEAMS EACH WEEK AND WILL BE PROVIDING SOME MORE UPDATES.
I'LL BE SHARING SOME UPDATES THIS THURSDAY DURING MY SUPERINTENDENCE UPDATE WITH THE BOARD. BUT OUR FORMAL UPDATES WILL BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE REGARDING COVID 19.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, SENATOR? YES, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A QUESTION MORE FOR DR.
HUDGINS OR MR. JINX OR SOMEONE ELSE, BUT I GUESS CAN YOU GUYS TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT? WHAT WE HAVE EXPLORED REGARDING THE USE OF CITY FACILITIES FOR FACILITATING, REOPENING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER REC CENTERS, WHATEVER, WHAT OPTIONS DO WE HAVE AND WHAT CONSTRAINTS DO WE HAVE THAT PREVENTS US TO USE SOME OF THOSE FACILITIES TO PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, PHYSICAL CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS? DR. HODGINS TALKED ABOUT.
SO ARE SOME OF THE FACILITIES ARE BEING USED NOW AS PART OF PROVIDING SPACE FOR KIDS WHO ARE ON THEIR PARENTS, ARE ESSENTIAL AND ARE IN NEED.
WE'VE GOT A FEW OPTIONS, BUT NOT REALLY A WHOLE LOT OF A LOT OF BIG SPACES THAT AREN'T BEING UTILIZED AT THE MOMENT.
WE'RE ALSO STILL DEALING WITH WHAT WE DEAL WITH A FEW OTHER ISSUES LIKE THE WINTER WHITE WINTER SHELTER AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE TO PUT THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO I THINK IF A CPS HAS, I THINK WE HAVE SOME CAPACITY TO EXPAND, BUT NOT A WHOLE LOT.
AND I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT OUR TEAM IS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY ON ANY POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGER ISSUE FOR US AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR BUILDING CAPACITY, CHALLENGE OR CONSTRAINT IS THE STAFFING CONSTRAINT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TO REALLY WORK THROUGH.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO BEGIN BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO SET UP A STRUCTURE WHERE EVERYBODY CAN GET BACK INTO INTO OUR BUILDINGS.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, AS WE TRANSITION INTO THIS WHOLE IN-PERSON LEARNING.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY DO OUR INSTRUCTION VERY DIFFERENTLY.
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT CONCURRENT TEACHING BEFORE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NO LONGER ABOUT IN THE PAST.
BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CALLING WHEN TEACHERS ARE TEACHING STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM AND ALSO KIDS WHO ARE LIKE A XOOM AT THE SAME TIME OR SIMULTANEOUSLY IT IS NOW CALLED CONCURRENT TEACHING. I IT LAST WEEK AT OUR SUPERINTENDENTS MEETING.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS CALLED CONCURRENT TEACHING.
BUT NOW EVERYBODY'S USING THAT TERM.
SO IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT CONCURRENT TEACHING AS A TEACHER, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, OF COURSE.
BUT BUT THEN HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE TO TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT CONCURRENT TEACHING WITH FIDELITY. AND THAT DOES REQUIRE US HAVING LIVE CAMS WHERE STUDENTS CAN ACTUALLY INTERACT. IF A TEACHER WAS IN A CLASSROOM WITH STUDENTS, THAT KIDS AT HOME COULD INTERACT THROUGH THEIR VIDEO AND CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THOSE CLASSROOMS AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE TECHNOLOGY CONSTRAINTS AS WELL AND WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD AT OUR FIRST MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
[00:10:01]
WE'RE PLANNING ADVICE AND FEEDBACK ON THAT, TOO.I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD JUST FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION WITH THAT QUESTION IS WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS, LIKE MARK SAID, ABOUT THE USE OF CITY FACILITIES FOR VARIOUS DIFFERENT USES. AND IN YOUR ORDINANCE AT THE CITY COUNCIL'S GOING TO CONSIDER AS A TEXT AMENDMENT THIS MONTH AND THEN AND THEN IN DECEMBER TO THAT'S ADDRESSING BUSINESS NEEDS.
THERE'S ALSO A SECTION THAT ADDRESSES USE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR FOR MULTIPLE DIFFERENT REASONS, JUST JUST IN CASE THERE'S A ZONING REASON THAT THAT PUBLIC FACILITIES CAN'T BE USED FOR OTHER USES TO GIVE US THAT FLEXIBILITY.
SO THAT'S THAT'S ALSO ADDRESSED IN THERE.
I APPRECIATE THAT. THANKS, MS. ANDERSON. YOU KNOW, I THINK I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND MAYBE MR. JAMES WANTS TO WEIGH IN ON THIS AGAIN, BUT FROM FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY TO DR. HUTCHINS AND AND AND CHAIR ANDERSON AND VICE CHAIR ON THESE THESE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW YOU HOW YOU DELIVER EDUCATION AND ALL THAT AND HOW YOU ORGANIZE REOPENING IS ALL OBVIOUSLY YOUR DECISION.
BUT I WANT WHAT WHAT WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IS, IS FACILITIES THAT ARE NOT UNDER YOUR PURVIEW. AND THEN WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MONEY.
AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS ANY ANY REAL ESTATE THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE THAT CAN HELP YOU GUYS MAKE THE DECISIONS YOU HAVE TO MAKE.
AND IF THERE'S ANY MONEY THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO MAKE, THE DECISIONS YOU HAVE TO MAKE, THAT WE MAKE THAT AVAILABLE.
AND SO THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO, IS MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO NO ROCK.
WE HAVE TO TURN OVER TO DO THAT.
SO TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR DISPLACEMENT OF OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN FACILITIES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONSIDERING THOSE BECAUSE BECAUSE QUITE HONESTLY, I DON'T I MEAN, I CAN'T COME UP WITH A LOT OF HIGHER PRIORITIES THAN THAN TRYING TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE EXHAUSTING ALL THOSE OPTIONS.
SO AND MAYBE THAT'S MORE OF A QUESTION FOR MR. JENKS, BUT.
AS DR. HUTCHINGS SAID, THE STAFFS HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER AND AS A CPS IDENTIFIES NEEDS AND WE LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES, WE'LL SEE WHAT'S SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
I THINK PROBABLY THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY FOR SPACE IN THE CITY THAT WOULD FIT CLASSROOM NEEDS WITH GOOD SPACING WOULD BE HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM SPACE.
I DOUBT THOSE ROOMS ARE BEING USED PROPERLY AT ALL.
SO WE MIGHT GET A VERY GOOD PRICE, VERY GOOD PRICE OR AN ACCEPTABLE PRICE ON THEM.
AND SOMETHING LIKE THE HILTON, THE MARKET CENTER HAS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET OF COLUMN FREE SPACE AND A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE THAN SIX KIDS IN A ROOM.
WELL, I MEAN, AGAIN, I GUESS I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT TO YOU GUYS.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP YOU GET ON THE PHONE WITH ANYBODY, I'M HAPPY TO DO IT. SO JUST LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT.
AND THEN CLEARLY TO MS. ANDERSON'S POINT, IF THERE IS ANY ZONING BARRIERS THAT WE RUN INTO, WE'LL WE WILL CERTAINLY CLEAR THOSE FOR YOU RATHER QUICKLY.
I'LL TAKE CARE. ANDERSON, DO YOU MIND IF I ASK A FOLLOW UP ON THAT ONE SINCE WE'RE ALL HERE TOGETHER? SO FIRST OFF, THERE WAS ONE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL AS YOUR SUPPORT, AS ALWAYS, TO THE YOUTH IN OUR CITY.
BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT I'VE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION, FUNNY ENOUGH, NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS. HAVE WE ALSO CONSIDERED A JOINT EFFORT IN THE SPRINGTIME OF LIKE OUTSIDE SPACES IN TERMS OF IS THAT BEEN EVER DISCUSSED ON THE TABLE WITH THAT? IT'S JUST IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ASKED FOUR TIMES TO BE IN THE LAST 48 HOURS.
I JUST THOUGHT IT'D BE SOMETHING WORTH ASKING.
I KNOW WE HAD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT OUTDOOR SPACES IN THE FALL, THIS PAST FALL, AS WELL AS DURING THE SUMMER. SO THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD.
AND I DON'T HAVE KIND OF LIKE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON WHAT THE ACTUAL SPACES ARE.
DR. HART, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S ON THIS OR NOT BECAUSE I DON'T RECALL THE ACTUAL PLACES.
BUT ONE OF THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAD WITH THAT WAS JUST TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE LOGISTICS OF OUTSIDE.
AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHEN IT IS RAINING OR WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DOES CHANGE AND STUDENTS WITH ALLERGIES AND WHICH IS A NUMBER OF THINGS WE WERE WORKING THROUGH TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, MITIGATE SOME OF THE THE CONCERNS THAT CAME ABOUT.
BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN REVISIT FOR THE SPRING.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WE DID NOT PUT THAT AS AN OPTION FOR THE SUMMER AS WELL AS FOR THE FALL.
I THINK WE CLEARLY HAVE WIDE OPEN SPACES AND HAVING CLASSROOMS ON A BASEBALL FIELD SEEMS TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN PLAYING BASEBALL.
HOWEVER, THE LOGISTICS OF DOING SOMETHING THAT IS JUST PUTTING UP A TENT AND THROW SOME DESKS AND HAVE TO BE ELECTRONICS AND SOME KIND OF TREATING THE TREATING OF THE ARED
[00:15:03]
ACCEPTABLE MANNER AND MEETING HEALTH AND SAFETY, FIRE CODE REGULATIONS, THINGS OF THAT SORT. SO I THINK IT'S LESS THE AVAILABILITY OF THE LAND AND MORE HOW THE LOGISTICS AND COSTS OF REALLY CREATING TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE FROM A NUMBER OF POINTS OF VIEW.WELL, IF I CAN, YOU KNOW, TO TO TO THAT DISCUSSION, IN ADDITION TO FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE SOME CAPABILITIES AROUND TECHNOLOGY AND I HOPE I HOPE.
ALL RIGHT. FOLKS ARE INVOLVED AND WE BRING IN COMCAST, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO KIND OF SUPPORT THIS FROM FROM OUR CAPABILITIES.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE MAKING ALL THOSE AVAILABLE.
AND AND TO THE EXTENT KNOW DR.
HODGINS AND THE STAFF IS IS MAYBE NOT AWARE OF SOME OF OUR CAPABILITIES.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE.
SO WE NEED TO WE NEED TO INVENTORY ALL THAT AND AND LET THEM KNOW.
OBVIOUSLY, THE STAFFS ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
BUT JUST I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE'RE NOT UPROOTING HERE TO TRY TO TRY TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS.
NOW, THE TECHNOLOGY STAFF ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER, PROBABLY BESIDES RPK.
IT'S PROBABLY THE DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS CLOSEST TOGETHER SINCE WE RUN THE THE FIBER NETWORK THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE CONNECTED TO.
SO THEY WORK VERY CLOSE TO I.T.
DEPARTMENTS ARE VERY, VERY CLOSELY.
GREAT, THANKS, MR. CHAIRMAN, DO YOU WANT TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON? I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, OK, ARE YOU CAN YOU CAN ASK A QUESTION LATER.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANYBODY.
SO IF YOU ARE HERE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, USE THE LITTLE RAISED HAND FEATURE OF ZOOM AND THEN WE CAN MOVE YOU OVER.
I RECOGNIZE MOST OF THE NAMES ON THERE, SO I'M NOT SURE.
OK, SO I DON'T SEE ANYBODY RAISING THEIR HANDS TO USE MS. NIELSEN, I DO NOT SO GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT UP IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING SUMMARY OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM
[III. Approval of September 28, 2020 Meeting Summary (attached)]
SEPTEMBER 20, AIDES MEETING.SO I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE LOOKED AT THEM, I MOVE APPROVAL MANAGER LIKE, OK, MS. KNOWLAND SECONDS, MR. WILSON'S MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING SUMMARY FROM SEPTEMBER TWENTY EIGHTH, TWENTY TWENTY MEETING. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I OPPOSED A HEARING.
NOW WE'RE ON TWO MAJOR PROJECTS AND THE FIRST ONE UP IS THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.
[IV. Major Projects]
SO, DR. HUTCHINGS.SO YES OR NO SCHOOLING IS WILLING TO SPEAK TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR HIGH SCHOOL PROJECTS IN THE SCHOOL.
THANK YOU, DR. HUTCHINGS, AND I'LL BE BRIEF.
WE HAVE THREE KEY UPDATES FOR YOU ALL.
THE FIRST BEING THAT OUR ARE AN ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERING FIRM PROCUREMENT IS FINALIZING.
WE'RE EXPECTING BOARD APPROVAL ON THAT PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 30TH, PRIOR TO THE END OF NEXT MONTH. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT GOOD DEVELOPMENT IN THIS PROJECT. THE OTHER THING IS WE KNOW LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF COLOCATION AS WELL AS THE DISPLACED FIELD USE AND REALLY NEEDING TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
WE DO HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE WHICH WILL COVER ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT, INCLUDING THOSE SET UP FOR NOVEMBER 19TH IN THE EVENING.
IT WILL BE VIRTUAL, OF COURSE, AND THEN SEPARATELY RELATED TO THAT SCHOOL PROJECT, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.
WE ARE DEVELOPING A PRIORITIZATION EXERCISE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL TO WORK THROUGH AT THE JOINT WORK SESSION RELATED TO COLOCATION, OF COURSE, THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT BEING THE MOST CRITICAL PROJECT.
THIS WILL IMPACT OR THE MOST IMMEDIATE, BUT CERTAINLY MAKING IT A DISCUSSION FOR ALL FUTURE SITES.
AND SO THAT IS THE UPDATE WE HAVE FOR YOU ON THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.
I KNOW MEMBERS OF THE TEAM AND MYSELF ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS. OK, CNN WILL MOVE ON TO THE FACILITY ASSESSMENT PLANNING.
AND THAT IS ALSO, I BELIEVE, ERICA, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED SOMEONE FROM THE CITY WAS GOING TO BE PROVIDING CATHERINE CALLAWAY IS PROVIDING.
SORRY. THANK YOU. SORRY, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS MY TOPIC.
HI, EVERYBODY. AND I APOLOGIZE AHEAD FOR THE NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT CHAOTIC IN MY HOUSE.
[00:20:01]
SO THE JOINT FACILITIES MASTER PLAN WE HAD, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR FIRST OPEN HOUSE IN FEBRUARY AND THEN WE'RE HIT WITH COVID OVER THE SUMMER, THOUGH WE WERE NOT WE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. WE WERE CONDUCTING THESE ASSESSMENTS, GATHERING ALL INFORMATION FROM EXISTING PLANS AND STUDIES BETWEEN THE CITY AND MEETING WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS IN BOTH CITY AND CPS AND SYNTHESIZING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.AND IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION BECAUSE WE AREN'T CREATING ANY WE ARE CREATING NEW POLICY.
WE ARE BUILDING ON EXISTING PLANS AND STUDIES AND POLICIES.
SO IT WAS A LOT OF WORK TO SYNTHESIZE ALL OF THAT.
AND SO WE ARE FINISHING UP THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE ALSO HAD OUR SECOND ONLINE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO ASSESS THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PROCESS AND WHAT WHAT WE SEE AS THE NEEDS AND HOW THE NEEDS HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED TO US.
WE HAD ABOUT THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY RESPONDENTS, ABOUT TWELVE HUNDRED BETWEEN TWELVE HUNDRED FOUR HUNDRED COMMENTS ACROSS THOSE THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY RESPONDENTS.
AND I WILL SAY THAT WHAT IT SHOWED US WAS THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCONNECT ON WHAT THIS PROCESS IS.
I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS ARE FEELING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING DEVELOPMENT ON A MASS SCALE FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES AND EVEN TO THE POINT OF BUILDING ON PUBLIC OPEN SPACE.
WE ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO CREATE A PROCESS BY WHICH THE STATE, CITY AND CPS CAN JOINTLY PLAN SO THAT WE ARE MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR SITES.
SO IN THE END, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AND WE'RE JUST STARTING THE ROADMAP STAGE, THE SOLUTIONS STAGE. BUT IN THE END, WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE SAYING THAT THERE WILL BE A RANGE OF OPTIONS FOR EACH SITE AND THINGS FOR THE CITY AND ASKED US TO CONSIDER WHERE, IF AND WHEN A CAPITAL PROJECT MOVES FORWARD AND THE PLANNING PROCESS.
SO THAT'S A VERY A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH IN THE WEEDS.
ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS? WELL, WE'RE WE'RE NOT PARTICULARLY INQUISITIVE ABOUT ABOUT A FEW THINGS TONIGHT, SOME THINGS YES AND SOME THINGS NOT SO, BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT UPDATE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS GARRAWAY.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE A BUDGET UPDATE AND I'M NOT SURE WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST ON THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE.
I'LL BE GLAD TO DELIVER THE NEWS.
WE HAVE FINISHED LAST FISCAL YEAR.
THE GOOD NEWS, WE HAVE A LITTLE LESS WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT.
HOWEVER, IT WAS LARGELY DUE TO MORE UNDERSPENDING THAN ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
SO WE ARE THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON AND COMPLETING PROJECTIONS OF REVENUE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AND NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND WHAT WE SEE IS WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE SHORT THIS THIS FISCAL YEAR AND WE'RE TIRED OF IT AND TRY TO NAIL DOWN THAT NUMBER WILL BE ALREADY TALK ABOUT IT WITH COUNSEL AT THE RETREAT AND WE CAN MANAGE THAT SITUATION.
HOWEVER, THE DIFFICULTY BECOMES PROJECTING THAT IN THE FUTURE AND THE FACT THAT WE HAD BET THIS YEAR THAT WE WOULD BE BACK TO NORMAL BY JULY ONE TWENTY TWENTY ONE.
AND CLEARLY THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE CASE WITH THE HOTEL AND THE RESTAURANT, BASICALLY THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE A NOTICEABLE HIT IN COMMERCIAL ASSESSMENTS, PARTICULARLY OFFICES, RETAIL, PROBABLY SOME ON THE MULTIFAMILY SIDE, SO THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE WE'VE GOT A BIG BUDGET GAP TO CLOSE FOR THE NEXT NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THE RANGE OF EARLY NUMBERS OF THE RANGE BETWEEN 30 AND SEVENTY MILLION DOLLAR GAP.
SEVENTY FIVE BEING WORST CASE.
I HOPE THAT IT'S NOT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE LESS THAN THAT.
AND AGAIN, WHEN WE GET TO THE COUNCIL BUDGET RETREAT WILL HAVE KIND OF HONED IN ON AND PICKING THE BEST ANYBODY CAN DO IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, IN PROJECTING NUMBERS, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES THAT NONE OF US HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED, HOPEFULLY NEVER WILL EXPERIENCE AGAIN.
THAT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE AND WHAT OUR TAX REVENUES END UP BEING.
SO ON THE CITY SIDE, WE'VE TOLD DEPARTMENTS TO PREPARE 10 PERCENT BUDGET REDUCTION OPTIONS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE CUTTING 10 PERCENT.
WE DON'T DO ACROSS THE BOARD INSTEAD IN BUDGETING.
[00:25:04]
THAT'S NOT A GOOD PRACTICE.HOWEVER, WE WANT TO HAVE A CAFETERIA OF CHOICES AND TO PUT IT IN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE, OUR CHOICE LEVEL WAS TWO AND A HALF PERCENT.
THAT'S WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR AND ASKING DEPARTMENTS FOR THE LIST.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR FOUR TIMES THAT AMOUNT BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALLY DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR. IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAME UP WITH STARTING LAST MAY AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSED THAT WAY.
TOO GENEROUS, BILL, FOR EVERYTHING RELATED TO COGAT.
THEY'VE BEEN STARTED AS A NEGOTIATING POSITION AND THEY'VE COME DOWN AND COME DOWN AND COME DOWN. THEY'RE DOWN ALMOST BY TWO THIRDS.
AND SO FAR THEY'VE GOT NO TRACTION WITH THE OTHER SIDE.
OBVIOUSLY, THE ELECTION'S GOING TO DETERMINE KIND OF THE POLITICS OF APPROPRIATIONS AND COVID, BUT WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL REALLY DECEMBER AT THE EARLIEST, JANUARY MAYBE.
AND WE REALLY HAVE GOT TO PREPARE OUR BUDGET.
SO I MY BUDGET MOTTO THIS YEAR IS PREPARE FOR THE WORST AND HOPE FOR BETTER.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW AND UNTIL JANUARY, WE PROBABLY KNOW WHAT WILL NOT KNOW WHAT BETTER ACTUALLY IS.
OK, WELL, THAT THAT'S ALL THE GOOD NEWS.
WELL, IT WAS IT WAS NOT GOOD NEWS NECESSARILY, BUT IT WAS IT WAS IT GAVE US HOPE.
AT LEAST IT GUESS IT GIVES US HOPE.
HEDGES, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET OR.
DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ABOUT WHAT MR. JINX'S SHARED? IT IS MR. JENKS AND I, WE DO WORK CLOSELY IN REGARDS TO OUR FINANCES FROM BOTH THE CITY SIDE AS WELL AS HE'S ALWAYS EDUCATING ME ON THE CITY SIDE FINANCES.
AND I'M ALWAYS WORKING WITH OUR TEAM TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO PREPARE FOR SOME OF THIS, THE BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS THAT HE MENTIONED.
AND WE ARE IN THE BUDGET SEASON RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS WITH OUR STAFF SPECIFICALLY WORKING TO PREPARE OUR BUDGETS BASED ON THE BUDGETARY PRIORITIES THAT THE BOARD ADOPTED LAST MONTH IN SEPTEMBER. SO WE ARE FIRST STARTING WITH OUR SIDEPIECE, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMING BUDGET, AND THEN WE'LL BE GOING INTO OUR OPERATING OR COMBINED FUNDS BUDGET EXCUSE ME, COMBINED FUNDS BUDGET AFTER THE CODPIECES.
SO NO FURTHER COMMENTS AT THIS POINT OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR THAT IS COMING FOR FCI 22 AND ONE.
I'M GLAD THAT THE CITY IS BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT.
SO IT ALLOWS US TO WORK ON OUR END TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY INNOVATIVE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR WHICH WE ALWAYS ARE ANYWAY.
BUT THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE US TO BE A LOT MORE INNOVATIVE AND BE STRETCHED MORE THAN WE'VE PROBABLY SEEN IN A WHILE.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO GET PREPARED FOR THAT.
GREAT, THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? SO CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE THE MEETINGS AND THE SCHEDULE AND ALL THAT? SO WE HAVE OUR RETREAT ON THE 7TH, IS THAT RIGHT? AND THEN YOU GUYS, DR.
YES. OK. OK, SO HE'LL BE PRESENTING TO THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A JOINT WORK SESSION WHEN NOW THE 17TH I BELIEVE IS WHAT WE'RE SCHEDULED.
BUT DO WE HAVE FINAL CONFIRMATION ABOUT THAT, MR. WILSON? I WAS TOLD YES.
SO WE HAVE THAT. AND THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE JUST SIPI.
OK, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT COLOCATION PRIORITIZATION, ASCAP, OK? ALL RIGHT, MR. TURNER IS ON THE CALL.
I WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD BECAUSE I WAS SPEAKING, BUT I DIDN'T NOTICE HE WAS ONLY UNTIL I JUST LOOKED DOWN AND SAW HIS PICTURE BECAUSE I HAVE TO TWO PAGES. SO I SEE THAT MR. TURNER IS ON THE CALL.
YES, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT.
TO CORRECT NOVEMBER 17TH, JOINT CIA JOINT WORK SESSION ON THIS VIP, NOVEMBER 7TH, THE CITY COUNCIL TREAT.
DR. HUTCHINS AND I WILL BE THERE TO PRESENT ON INFORMATION FOR A CPA.
AND WITH OUR BUDGET, WE KNOW THAT 82 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET IS FUNDED FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA. SO WITH THAT BEING A TIGHT FISCAL YEAR FOR THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, WE KNOW THAT THAT TRICKLES DOWN TO AS WELL.
WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
WITH THAT IN MIND, WE SENT OUT OUR BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS TO OUR PRINCIPALS AND DEPARTMENT.
[00:30:05]
WE JUST LIKE THE CITY.WE'VE ASKED FOR SOME SCENARIOS TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR ANOM PERSONNEL BUDGET, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 10 PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT BASED ON LAST YEAR'S STUDENT PROJECTIONS, THAT OUR ENROLLMENT WOULD INCREASE AS WELL.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT FINANCIAL OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO OUR STUDENTS ACROSS AICS WHILE NOT HAVING TO ASK FOR A LARGE INCREASE FROM THE CITY OR FROM THE STATE.
SO WE'VE BEEN GOING AFTER A DIFFERENT GRANT OPPORTUNITY THAT THE STATE HAS RELEASED AND WE'VE BEEN USING DIFFERENT FINANCIAL STRATEGY WITH OUR SCARCE FUNDING AS WELL.
WE JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER 2.8 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING THAT HAS TO BE USED BY DECEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE A STRATEGY TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT TO BEST BENEFIT THE STUDENTS IN THE ACT, WHILE THE THREE POINT SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE GOT IN CASE FUNDING HAS A TWO YEAR LIMIT. SO WE'RE PUTTING IN OUR FINANCIAL STRATEGY TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT IF IT'S GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY INCREASES, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE THAT FOR BASICALLY TO HELP WITH NONPERSON EXPENDITURES INTO NEXT YEAR IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS YEAR WITHOUT EXHAUSTING THAT WHOLE THREE POINT SEVEN.
SO THAT ADDITIONAL POINT EIGHT THAT WE JUST GOT, YOU KNOW, WILL PLAY INTO OUR FINANCIAL STRATEGY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR AND HOPEFULLY ASSIST US WITH WHAT WE CAN DO IN FISCAL YEAR 2020 TO.
OK, THANK YOU, MR. TURNER. ALL RIGHT, SO NO ONE HAS ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW AS WE WILL BE MEETING A COUPLE MORE TIMES THE NEXT MONTH TO TALK ABOUT IT, WE'LL GO ON TO LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE.
AND I IMAGINE SO, YEAH, SO LET ME GUESS BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS ONE, I THINK THE IS KIND OF BUILT ON SOME DISCUSSION YOU AND I HAD ABOUT HOW WE HOW WE COORDINATE THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CITY AND SCHOOLS AS IT RELATES TO DEVELOPING OUR LEGISLATIVE PACKAGES.
AND I THINK THE CHAIR, I UNDERSTAND, REACHED OUT REGARDING THE SUCCESS I THINK WE HAD LAST YEAR IN IN INCLUDING YOUR PRIORITIES IN OUR PACKAGE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ALL SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE DOWN IN RICHMOND.
AND I THINK WE WANTED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO BUILD ON THAT FOR FOR THIS UPCOMING SESSION. AND I KNOW I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS.
AND I THINK THE I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD TODAY TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN DEPTH, REALLY AROUND PROCESS AND HOW HOW WE HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE PRIORITIES YOU GUYS HAVE FOR RICHMOND ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE INCLUDING IN OUR PACKAGE AND AND THEN MAYBE BUILDING A PROCESS GOING FORWARD FOR FOR SYNTHESIZING THE DEVELOPMENT OF IT IN THE FUTURE.
AND I HAVEN'T WE DIDN'T POST THAT WITH THIS SO THAT PEOPLE COULD SEE THE TWO.
BUT DO YOU HAVE ALREADY SCHEDULED A SIMILAR MEETING THAT THAT YOU HAD LAST NOVEMBER? SO WHERE IS OUR SIRSASANA? IN THE ROOM.
AND I SHOULD NOTE, BEFORE WE ALLOW MS. TAYLOR TO START THAT IT IS HER BIRTHDAY.
AND SO IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS THAT WE'RE ASKING HER TO DO THIS ON HER BIRTHDAY.
BUT SO, SO BUT WE'LL ALLOW HER TO DO IT.
SO NO BETTER PARTY THAN A CITY SCHOOL MEETING.
WOW. SERIOUSLY, THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF WE HAVE.
SO WE WE ACTUALLY DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ON PAPER YET EITHER TO THIS POINT.
WE HAVE OUR SCHEDULE SCHEDULED.
OUR DRAFT WILL GO BEFORE CITY COUNCIL FOR FIRST READ AT THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE MEETING IN NOVEMBER. IT WILL BE ON PUBLIC.
IT WILL BE UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON FRIDAY, ON THAT SATURDAY OF THAT, THE SAME WEEK.
AND THEN IT'LL BE UP FOR HER FINAL APPROVAL IN THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE MEETING IN DECEMBER WITH THE IDEA BEING THAT IT GIVES US TIME TO TAKE A FIGURE OUT WHAT JANUARY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, MAYBE BEFORE WE SAID ANYTHING IN STONE AND GIVES US TIME TO TO ENGAGE WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE PACKAGE, INCLUDING THE DELEGATION AND YOU ALL, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN SYNC AS FAR AS PRIORITIES GO, AS FAR AS LANGUAGE CHOICES GO, AS FAR AS ANY SPECIFIC ACTIONABLE REQUESTS WE ARE MAKING OF THE DELEGATION GO AND AND WOULD BE HAPPY,
[00:35:06]
OBVIOUSLY, TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.TO THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY ACTIONABLE RELATED TO TO K-12 OTHER THAN CONTINUING TO REPEAT WHAT WE WHAT WE WE GENERALLY SAY ABOUT ABOUT K-12, MORE MONEY AND MORE MONEY FOR FOR EARLY LEARNING AND AND ENSURING THAT ANY REVENUE SHORTFALLS THAT OUR COVID RELATED DON'T TRICKLE DOWN TO LOCALITIES TO MAKE UP FOR.
I THINK THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT.
AND WE SAW DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE UP THE SALES TAX SHORTFALL USING MONEY FROM GRAY MACHINES TO MAKE THAT UP.
SO IT DIDN'T FALL TO US. BUT I THINK ENSURING THAT MOVING FORWARD DOESN'T FALL TO US IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
YEAH, WE I MEAN, WE HAVE, I THINK, EIGHT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, BUT I BUT I SOME OF THE THINGS AND ONE OF THE THINGS I SHARED WITH MAYOR WILSON WAS ABOUT SOMETHING I UNDERSTOOD FROM ARLINGTON, FROM FROM ACTUALLY OUR COMMUNICATIONS PERSON WHO CAME FROM ARLINGTON ABOUT THE WAY THEY WORKED TOGETHER AND AND DID SOME THINGS AROUND NET ZERO AND CHANGING IT SO THAT IT MADE IT SO THAT THEY GOT CREDIT FOR THE EXTRA ENERGY THAT THEY GENERATED. AND SO THAT MADE ME THINK WE'RE DOING A LOT OF BUILDING.
AND SO MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING EVEN TOGETHER AROUND THE BUILDING AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL KINDS OF THINGS AND THAT THE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WE COULD PUT A BUG IN THE EAR OF THE LEGISLATORS ABOUT SUPPORTING.
YEAH, WE ACTUALLY DID THE THE NONCONTIGUOUS NET METERING TWO SESSIONS AGO.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT WHERE YOU OFFSET IF YOU CAN'T APPLY THE THE FULL VALUE OF WHAT WHAT YOU'RE GENERATING AT A SITE, YOU CAN YOU CAN, YOU CAN APPLY IT TO AN NONCONTIGUOUS METER.
WE WORKED ON THAT. BUT OF COURSE IF THERE'S OTHER OTHER SPECIFICS RELATED TO THAT THAT WE CAN WORK ON, WE ACTUALLY WORKED OFF OF THE ORIGINAL ARLINGTON LEGISLATION TO GET TO WHERE WE WERE. SO THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO IN THAT AREA.
BUT CERTAINLY AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE CONTINUED TO TALK ABOUT IS, IS THE NEED FOR STATE MONEY, FOR SCHOOL RENOVATION AND AND NEW BUILDINGS WITH THE YOU KNOW, THE THE POINT IN ALEXANDER BEING NOT ONLY AN OLDER COMMUNITY WITH OLDER BUILDINGS THAT NEED TO BE RENOVATED, BUT ALSO A GROWING COMMUNITY THAT JUST NEEDS NEW FACILITIES. SO CERTAINLY THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON OUR ON OUR RADAR.
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR YOUR HOW MUCH LOLA HAS TALKED TO YOU ALL ABOUT WHAT AGE, WHERE HE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE IT'S A SHORT SESSION, SO IT'S ALREADY ONLY GOING TO BE FORTY FIVE DAYS.
THERE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY THERE ARE LIMITS ON BOTH HOUSE MEMBERS AND SENATE MEMBERS, NOT ONLY ON THE NUMBER THAT THEY CAN FILE, BUT THE NUMBER THAT THEY CAN DRAFT.
IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE SESSION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, PRACTICALLY, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE A VIRTUAL WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE A HYBRID, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE OR HOW WE AS LOBBYISTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN ENGAGE WITH LEGISLATORS.
DURING THAT SESSION, THE SPECIAL SESSION, WE JUST HAD WHAT'S PARTICULARLY SPECIAL AND GAVE US SORT OF A FLAVOR OF WHAT A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT LOOKS LIKE AND IT IS CHALLENGING AND THEN ADD ON TO IT A CHALLENGING REVENUE, THE POTENTIAL FOR CHALLENGING REVENUE ENVIRONMENT. AND I MEAN, I'VE TOLD EVERYONE IN THE CITY THAT THIS IS A YEAR FOR WANTS OR NEEDS, NOT WANTS.
THIS IS REALLY BEING VERY CLEAR ABOUT THINGS THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO DELIVER SERVICES OR LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM COVID THAT IS SORT OF SHINED A BRIGHT LIGHT ON ON KIND OF SOFT PARTS, VULNERABLE PARTS OF OUR OF OUR SYSTEMS. AND SO ANYTHING WITH A BAD NEXUS, ANYTHING SORT OF IS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM COVID IS IS GOING TO BE PRIORITY ISH.
BUT I WOULD I WOULD I WOULD CAUTION US TO TO KEEP IT VERY FOCUSED ON NEEDS AND THAT THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE YEAR FOR BRAND NEW, EXCITING IDEAS.
OK, WELL, WE CAN ADD THAT TO THE LIST OF KNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS, RIGHT.
THAT JUST IT JUST GETS LONGER AND LONGER EVERY DAY.
AND THEN THE NEXT THING ON OUR AGENDA IS THE AMAZON VIRGINIA TECH UPDATE.
WELL, BEFORE BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT OF THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE AND BEFORE MS. TAYLOR GOES, WE ARE OFF TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY.
THE SO I GUESS WHAT'S THE BEST WAY? BECAUSE THEY'RE PREPARING ON THE STEPS.
THEY'RE PREPARING THEIR THEIR THEIR PACKAGE.
[00:40:03]
NOW, SHOULD WE COME BACK NEXT MONTH AT THIS MEETING AND HAVE THEM PROVIDE KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF THOSE SPECIFIC PRIORITIES AND WE FIGURE OUT HOW WE INCORPORATE THEM, OR SHOULD WE INVITE THEM TO COME TO ONE OF OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP HERE? I THINK IT CAN GO EITHER WAY.I THINK EITHER WE CAN INVITE THEM TO COME TO A LEGISLATIVE MEETING AND SORT OF FRONT LOAD THE MEETING WITH TALKING ABOUT K-12 RELATED THINGS AND SORT OF COMPARTMENTALIZE THAT PIECE OF IT. I THINK THAT WOULD CERTAINLY WORK.
THE FLIP SIDE WOULD BE TO COME TO THE NEXT ONE OF THESE MEETINGS AND TIMING WISE, THAT WOULD WORK. IT WOULDN'T BE TO IT WOULD OUR THIRD PROCESS WOULD ALREADY BE INVOLVED, BUT NOTHING WILL HAVE BEEN FULLY BAKED AT THAT POINT.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE GOTTEN SOME INPUT FROM THE DELEGATION AT THAT POINT.
AND SO WE MIGHT HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR WHAT THEY'RE THINKING PRIORITY WISE AND WHAT THEY'RE THINKING. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE THE ELECTION THE ELECTION ENVIRONMENT HAS ALREADY STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE IDEA OF OF INVESTMENT IN K-12 BEING A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, PERIOD OF TIME.
AND SO WE MIGHT HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR WHAT ELSE WE NEED TO KNOW FROM THAT.
BUT I THINK I THINK IT COULD REALLY GO EITHER WAY AND EITHER ONE WOULD WORK AND BE AND BE PRODUCTIVE AND BE A GOOD WAY TO APPROACH THE THE CREATING SOME SYNERGIES WITH OUR PACKAGES.
OK, SO I GUESS WHAT WE COULD DO IS, IS SEA BASS IT MAYBE UNAVAILABILITY OF PEOPLE BEING AVAILABLE AND THAT ON THE DIFFERENT DATES.
DO YOU THINK? I MEAN, I THINK I THINK MAYBE THE BEST BET IS WE GET THEM A SECTION AT THE FRONT END OF A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING AND INVITE THEM TO SEE IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE, IF THEY'RE IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE, GREAT. THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT, WE'LL WE'LL FIGURE OUT A PLAN B.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. THE REAL NITTY GRITTY DEVELOPMENT OF THE PACKAGE AS IT IS.
IT'S SORT OF ONE IN THE WEEDS HASHING THINGS OUT.
I WILL GET, THOUGH, THE NEXT DATE AND TIME THE DATES, THE TIMES TO FOLKS AT THE BORDER AND SEE IF THEY IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN FRONT LOAD UP AN AGENDA TO INCLUDE DISCUSSION OF K-12 WITH THEM, PUT THEM RIGHT AT THE END AFTER THE STORM, WATER BILLS, THE FIREFIGHTER PRESUMPTION BILLS, ALL THE ALL THAT STUFF.
MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD ALL THE FUN STUFF.
ALL GOOD CONVERSATION BEFORE WE GET THE SCHOOLS.
THEY'LL BE UNDER NO CONVERSION.
TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A FEW HOURS BEFORE THEY GET THERE.
WE'LL PUT THEM AT THE FRONT AND WE'LL PUT THEM UP WITH ZOOM.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN JUST GO AT YOU GOT TO GET OFF. NOT THE SAME AS SITTING THERE FOREVER ON THOSE HARD BENCHES VERSUS WHEREVER WE WANT AS AS WE CHECK IN.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND THANKS FOR PUTTING THAT ON.
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
WE WOULD WE WOULD SING TO YOU, BUT YOU MAY NOT YOU MAY NOT LIKE THAT.
I'M GOING TO GO EAT ALL THE CUPCAKES NOW.
NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE AMAZON VIRGINIA TECH UPDATE.
I'M NOT SURE WHO'S TAKING THAT.
I KNOW AT THIS TIME, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE WOOL ON OUR END, WE DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES IN REGARDS TO THE AMAZON, VIRGINIA TECH SINCE OUR LAST SESSION, BUT NOTHING ON OUR END.
I DON'T KNOW. THE CITY HAS ANY UPDATES, THOUGH.
PROBABLY THE PRIMARY UPDATE IS COUNCIL APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL USE PERMIT, WHICH IS THE DESIGN, THE LAYOUT OF NORTH POTOMAC YARD, INCLUDING VIRGINIA TECH'S BUILDING, ALSO VERY INNOVATIVE IN ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN TO GO ALONG WITH IT.
SO WE ARE THE STAFF WORKED ALL THROUGH ALL THROUGH THE SUMMER AND WORKED OUT ALL THE DETAILS. SO THEY'RE RIGHT.
THEY'RE RIGHT ON SCHEDULE. WE HOPE THEY KEEP THAT WAY AND CAN GET THEIR BUILDING UP AND RUNNING. THEY HAVE A NEW MEMBERS TITLE, DEAN OR PROVOST OF VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CAMPUS.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A PERSON WHO'S NOW IN CHARGE, WHO'S ACTUALLY LIVES IN THE CITY AND IS HERE. AND I THINK THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES BEFORE.
WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH A COMMITTEE COMMITTEE DOWN IN BLACKSBURG, AND NOW WE'VE GOT A PERSON WHO HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, WHO COMES FROM CORNELL AS DEAN OF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, AND HE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND AND I THINK IT'S IT'S WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH US IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS.
[00:45:02]
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH DR.COLLINS NOW A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND HE IS I KNOW THAT HE IS EXCITED ABOUT THE THE OPPORTUNITIES OF WORKING WITH OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I KNOW HE'S ALREADY HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH YOU GUYS AS WELL.
AND HE JUST SEEMS VERY ENERGIZED BY THE COLLABORATION ON THE SCHOOL SIDE.
SO I THINK I THINK WE GOT A GOOD PARTNER THERE, WHICH IS GOOD.
GREAT, AND I THINK MAYBE SINCE THE LAST THREE DAYS AND THEN WHEN WE GOT THE DONATION OF THE OTHER MICHAELIDES.
DR. HUTCHINGS, YEAH, FROM AMAZON.
YEAH, SO I THINK THAT I THINK THAT HAPPENED PROBABLY EARLY THIS MONTH.
SO WE DID A PRESS RELEASE, BUT I THINK THE PRESS RELEASE WENT OUT EARLY IN THE MONTH.
ALL RIGHT. SO ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? I THINK THAT'S THE LAST THING ON OUR AGENDA, SUMED.
OK, WELL, THEN THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS WE HAVE TO GO FOR AN HOUR, RIGHT? WE CAN GO FOR 15 MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE I GUESS YOU NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THEN, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE DON'T LIKE IT SO MS. NO ONE SECOND MR. WILSON'S MOTION TO ADJOURN AND SO WE WILL ADJOURN AT FIVE FIFTY.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE. LATER, A.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.