[00:00:04]
[1. Call to Order]
MICS, PLEASE.I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UH, JASON, CAN YOU LEAD US IN THE SL TO THE FLAG PLEASE? A PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
NEED US OF PRAYER PLEASE? THANK YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? OKAY, GOOD.
LOVE YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.
DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I URGE YOU IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, TO JOIN MY STRUGGLE BY PRAYING TO GOD FOR ME AND FOR ALL THAT ARE IN THIS BUILDING TONIGHT.
DO THIS BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE FOR US, GIVEN TO YOU BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
FOR YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LIVE IN FREEDOM, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BUT DON'T USE YOUR FREEDOM TO SATISFY YOUR SINFUL NATURE.
INSTEAD, USE YOUR FREEDOM TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE FOR THE WHOLE LAW CAN BE SUMMED UP IN THIS COMMAND.
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS AS YOURSELF AS AS WE PROCEED IN THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
DEAR LORD, MAY WE SHOW THAT WE DO HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
[5. Approval of Minutes]
MINUTES.[6. Approve Administrative and Financial Report]
AND FINANCIAL REPORTS.ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[7. Presentations (Part 1 of 2)]
PRESENTATIONS? I GUESS THIS IS WHERE I COME DOWN.CHIEF, I'M GONNA NEED YOU DOWN THERE AS WELL.
THIS IS, UH, PRESENTATION FOR YES.
A PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL FIRE WEEKEND.
AND I COULDN'T ASK FOR BETTER TIME.
I HAD TWO OF THE FIREFIGHTERS AT MY HOUSE TONIGHT AT AROUND FIVE O'CLOCK AND, UH, THERE WAS A WIRE DOWN IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
SO MY NEIGHBORS APPRECIATE AND I KNOW MY DOG AND MY WIFE AND WIFE TOO.
THE CITY OF ORANGEBURG, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR PROCLAMATION FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, OCTOBER 6TH, 2 12, 20 25.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF WARRENSBURG IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF ALL RESIDENCES, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS GROW PROACTIVE FIRE PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
AND WHEREAS FIRE PREVENTION WEEK IS OBSERVED ANNUALLY DURING A WEEK OF OCTOBER 9TH, WE CAN COMMEMORATE THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE OF 1871, WHICH CLAIMED MORE THAN 250 LIVES LEFT A LASTING LEGACY ON THE FIRE SAFETY AWARENESS.
AND WHEREAS THE THEME OF FIRE PREVENTION WEEK 2025 CHARGE IT TO FIRE SAFETY.
LITHIUM ION BATTERIES IN YOUR OWN, IN YOUR HOME FOCUSES ON LITHIUM ION BATTERIES TO BETTER EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW TO BUY, CHARGE AND DISPOSE OF THEM SAFELY.
AND WHEREAS MARTINSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WORK TIRELESSLY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES AND PROMOTE FIRE SAFE PRACTICES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS RESIDENTS, RESIDENTS OF MARTINSBURG ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
[00:05:01]
FOR FIRE SAFETY BY INSTALLING AND MAINTAINING SMOKE ALARMS, PLANNING, ESCAPE ROUTE, AND ENGAGING IN FIRE DRILLS AT HOME AND AT WORK.AND WHEREAS FIRE PREVENTION WEEK PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE THE VITAL ROLE OF FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION AND HONOR THE DEDICATION OF OUR LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I KEVIN KNOWLES, MAYOR OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, WHO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 6TH TO TO 12TH 2025 IS FIRE PREVENTION WEEK IN THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION ACTIVITIES, RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR FIRE SERVICE PROFESSIONALS, AND TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES, FAMILIES, WORKPLACES FROM FIRE AND WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HERE UNTO MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF ORANGEBURG TO BE AFFIXED THIS NINTH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025.
WE JUST, ALRIGHT, NEXT ON MY LIST.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS PLEASE COME DOWN.
SO THIS IS IN, IN A COMMEMORATION OF THE 30TH ANNUAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
AND BEFORE I STARTED, I WANNA THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE YOU FOR EVERYTHING FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF MARCH.
YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB KEEPING THE CITY HOME.
30TH ANNUAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT WEEK, OCTOBER 13TH THROUGH 19TH 2025.
WHEREAS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IS THE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE AND PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN SHAPING IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION AND WEST VIRGINIA AND WHERE.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF ORANGEBURG IS PROUD TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY, WATER AND SEWER PLANNING, SANITATION, PARKS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF ITS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF.
AND WHEREAS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT WEEK NOW IN ITS 30TH YEAR, IS AN INITIATIVE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, ENCOURAGE CIVIC EDUCATION AND FOSTERS PUBLIC APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK OF CITIES AND TOWNS.
WHEREAS MARTINSBURG LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYEES EXEMPLIFY THE VALUES OF TRANSPARENCY, SERVICE AND INNOVATION, WORKING DILIGENTLY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS AND PROMOTE THE CITY'S CONTINUED GROWTH AND VITALITY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG ENCOURAGES ALL CITIZENS, STUDENTS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS, PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL DECISION MAKING, AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, KEVIN MOLES MAYOR OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, TO HEREBY COMPLE PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 13TH THROUGH 19TH 2025 AS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT WEEK IN THE CITY OF MARBURG.
AND URGE AND URGE ALL CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS TO RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IN BUILDING STRONG, RESPONSIVE, INCLUSIVE, AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HERE UNTO MY HAND, I CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF MARTIN BURG TO BE FIXED A FIXED THIS NINTH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025.
CAN YOU HOLD THAT? CAN I GET IN HERE? CHIEF, CAN YOU TAKE A PICTURE? THANK YOU.
YOU WANT TO SLATE? OH, THEY TAKE THAT
[00:10:01]
SERIOUSLY? NO.AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA ASK COUNSEL IF I COULD MOVE UP, UH, THE SWEARING INS AND THE, UH, MAKE A
[11. Report of Mayor]
MOTION TO MOVE UP 11 A TO RIGHT NOW.I DON'T HAVE A B, BUT I'LL TAKE 11.
IT'S JUST A, THAT'S WHY I SAID 11 A SIR, I'M SORRY.
THERE IS A B WE DON'T HAVE IT ON.
AND I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO, UH, MOVE UP 11 A AND 11 BI HAVE A SECOND.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.
WHAT'S THE B MOTION? SO I'M GONNA ASK, OKAY, I COME TENANT MAY AND BAILEY.
SO MOST OF YOU, ME AND KIMBERLY TONIGHT IS LIKE THE MAY, MAY, OCTOBER, YOU WANT ME TO? JUSTIN'S FATHER IS A RETIRED SOLUTION FIREFIGHTER FROM THE VA? NO, FROM D DALLAS AIRPORT.
AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA SWEAR IN, UH, JUSTIN FOR HIS LIEUTENANT.
HE'S GONNA, HE'S GONNA PUT A BADGE ON HIM AND HE ALSO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY, HE'S GONNA SEE HIS GRANDSON GET SWORN IN HERE TONIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO RAISE YOUR REPEAT AFTER ME.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR AND I'LL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
I'LL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.
THAT I POSSESS THE QUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY LAW THAT I POSSESS THE QUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY LAW TO HOLD THE OFFICE OF FIRE LIEUTENANT TO HOLD THE OFFICE OF FIRE LIEUTENANT IN THE CITY OF MARBURY IN THE CITY OF MARBURG.
I AM NOT SUBJECT TO ANY OF THE DISQUALIFICATIONS.
I'M NOT SUBJECT TO ANY OF THE DISQUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
THAT'LL HONESTLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES.
I WILL HONESTLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES WHAT THE SAID OFFICE, THE SAID OFFICE, TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT, TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT.
THAT WAS SO, HEY MAYOR, HOW ABOUT THE CHIEF? YOU WANNA GET IN THERE? HE'S ALWAYS SHY.
WHERE'S, WHERE'S MASON AT? ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO CALL AFTER THESE TWO GUYS?
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES? DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA AND THE CONSTITUTION
[00:15:01]
OF THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.I POSSESS THE QUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
I POSSESS THE QUALIFICATIONS BY LAW.
I HOLD THE OFFICE OF FIREFIGHTER.
I HOLD THE OFFICE OF FIREFIGHTER IN THE CITY OF MARTIN.
AND I'M NOT SUBJECT TO ANY OF THE DISQUALIFICATIONS.
I'M NOT SUBJECT TO ANY OF THE DISQUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
I DON'T HONESTY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES.
I'LL HONESTLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE SET OFFICE TO THE SET OFFICE TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT, TO THE BEST OF MY AND JUDGMENT.
SO THEY GET THE PICTURES WITH THE GRANDSON? YEAH, WE GET THE WHOLE CREW ON THIS ONE.
HOPEFULLY WE HAVE THE WIDE LENS PANORAMIC.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE NO, YES, IT'S OVER OVER.
FOR THE, THE TRUCK, FOR THE TRANSPORT, FOR THE, IS THERE A ANOTHER ONE? HE SAID A AND B.
AND THERE WAS THE D TO FIND OUT.
UNLESS YOU DON'T KNOW FIREFIGHTER FOR 20 YEARS TO THE CITY OF MARBURY AND HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE, UH, TRANSITION OF OUR, OF THEIR, THEIR, UH, BENEFITS RETIREMENT.
SO I'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM.
I THANK YOU FOR KEEPING AN EYE OUT.
SO I MEANT TO TELL YOU THAT YESTERDAY, THE OTHER DAY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, HUH? SOLUTION.
APPRECIATION FOR FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC TREVOR LEWIS.
MARTINSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT, CITY OF WINESBURG.
WHEREAS TREVOR LEWIS STARTED HIS CAREER WITH THE CITY OF ORANGEBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT ON AUGUST 31ST, 2005, AND WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED IN RETIREMENT, EFFECTIVELY SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2000, 2025.
FORMULATING OVER TWO DECADES OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY AND WAREHOUSE TO HIS TENURE, TREVOR HAS CONSTANTLY DEMONSTRATED UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF MARTIN, ITS RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES.
HIS CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT, ALL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL MEDICAL AUTHORITIES, AND STATE FIRE AND HEALTH OFFICIALS HAS ENSURE THE DELIVERY OF EXCEPTIONAL FIRE AND EMS SERVICES, EARNING THE TRUST AND GRATITUDE OF THE MARTINSBURG COMMUNITY AND THE BROADER BERKELEY COUNTY REGION.
AND WHEREAS TREVOR LEWIS HAS BEEN AN INDISPENSABLE ASSET TO HELP THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, THE SELFLESS COMMITMENT, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGING DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMS AND UNWAVERING PROFESSIONALISM SERVE AS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE.
AND WHEREAS TREVOR HAS DISCHARGED HIS DUTIES WITH THE UTMOST INTEGRITY, COMPETENCE, AND
[00:20:01]
TIRELESS DILIGENCE HAD LEFT AN HEARING MARK ON THE DEPARTMENT AND THE LIVES HE HAS TOUCHED.AND WHEREAS ACROSS HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE EXCEEDING 20 YEARS COVERED, POSITIVELY IMPACTED COUNTLESS LIVES WITHIN THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG AND THE BORDER REGION.
NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED THAT THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR AND THE ESTEEMED CITY COUNCIL PROUDLY ACKNOWLEDGED FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC TREVOR LEWIS.
THROUGH HIS NUMEROUS YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF WINESBURG, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND ITS STEVE CITIZENS AND ENTERPRISES, WE HAVE FINALLY RESOLVED, WE EXTEND OUR WARMEST WISHES FOR A FULFILLING, REWARDING RETIREMENT.
COUPLING WITH HEARTFELT GRATITUDE FOR, FOR TREVOR'S SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG SINCE 2005, THE WITNESS THEREOF, I, KEVIN LOLES, MAYOR OF MARTINSBURG HAVE HERE MY HAND AND CAUSED THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA TO BE AFFIXED THIS NINTH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2020.
TONIGHT, YOUR HONOR, NOT JUST A FIREFIGHTER.
TREVOR HOLMAN'S SEEN COUNTLESS CALLS ALL NIGHTS AND TOUGH DAYS, BUT HAS ALSO SEEN VICTORIES, THE TEAMWORK AND THE PEOPLE YOU'VE TOUCHED.
IT REPRESENTS MORE THAN JUST PROTECTION.
IT REPRESENTS COURAGE, LEADERSHIP, AND DEDICATION TO THE FIREFIGHTERS.
I WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS HELMET AS A SYMBOL OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE NOBODY CAN DO ANYTHING, ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THE CITY OR WE'RE LISTENING AND TAKING NOTES.
ONLY THING I HAVE TO SAY IS I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE AND HONORED TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF BURG FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS SOME GREAT PEOPLE GOING PROFESSIONAL WORK TO THE CITIZENS.
I JUST ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO HELP SUPPORT THEM SO THEY CAN DO NEW JOB.
THAT WAS MOVED BY THAT HELMET.
YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS COFFEE.
ALRIGHT, I'LL SEE IF I CAN FIND OUT WHERE I'M AT.
SEVEN ME SEVEN, SEVEN C PETITIONS FROM CITIZENS.
[7. Presentations (Part 2 of 2)]
THE SEVEN CS.YEAH, WE USUALLY, OKAY, SO I GOT THE CONFIRMATION PROCLAMATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA, ARE WE READY?
WE'RE, WE'RE ON SEVEN C UH, UNDER PRESENTATIONS.
BERKELEY COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION PRESENTATION AND UPDATE.
JOE BURTON, MARTINSBURG, BERKELEY COUNTY PARKS AND REC.
SIR, THEY DIDN'T DROP THAT NAME.
AND, AND THANKS A LOT FOR LETTING ME TO COME TONIGHT.
[00:25:01]
THANKFUL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT PARKS AND REC HAS RECEIVED IN THE CITY MARKET WORK.UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR WELL OVER SIX MONTHS NOW ABOUT A BUDGET DEPTHS THAT WE HAD OF STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH OPERATIONS, UH, ABOUT THE HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE USING OUR PARKS, WHICH IS A GREAT STORY, BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE TO, TO KEEP UP WITH THAT AND INCREASE LOAD.
SO TONIGHT I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A, A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE OF SOME THINGS THAT BEEN HAPPENING PAST YEAR.
AND AGAIN, JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT.
UH, AS WE'VE TALKED FORWARD, I'LL START WITH SOME OF OUR, OUR BIG PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN CONTINUING GOING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND, AND WE'VE TRIED TO GROW IN THE PAST YEAR.
OUR SUMMER VENTURE CAMP GOES ALL SUMMER LONG.
IT'S ABOUT A 10 YEAR PROGRAM, AND WE HOST THIS BOAT IN THE CITY AND THEN DOWN IN THE COUNTY AT THE RAIN SMITH CENTER.
WE'VE MAXED OUT OUR CAPACITY AT BOTH OF THOSE CENTERS.
THIS IS A WILDLY POPULAR PROGRAM, UH, AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT THING.
THE KIDS GET TO GO ON A OFFSITE FIELD TRIP EVERY WEEK.
THEY VISIT MULTIPLE LOCAL PARKS EACH WEEK AND SPEND TIME AT OUR POOLS AS WELL AS A LOT OF ACTIVITIES RIGHT INSIDE THE ROCK CENTER.
THE CHILDREN'S GARDEN THAT WAS IN SORT OF SAD CONDITIONS SINCE COVID AND NEEDED A LOT OF WORK.
SO WE'VE BREATHED SOME NEW LIFE INTO THIS GREAT FEATURE AT AMBROSE PARK IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
AND THIS YEAR WE OPENED IT UP TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF MINI CAMPS FAR FOR A LOT OF FREE ACTIVITIES HERE, INCLUDING SOME WEEKLY SESSIONS WITH, UH, VOLUNTEERS FROM THE
THEY COME AND DO STORY TIME AND SOME REALLY COOL ACTIVITIES IN THE PARK.
AND WE'RE EXPANDING THAT RIGHT INTO THE FALL WITH THE NUMBER OF, UH, HALLOWEEN AND FALL BASED ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
THE CHILDREN'S GARDEN WAS TRADITIONALLY LOCKED AND ONLY OPEN WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO STAFF IT.
UH, AS WE CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE KEEPING THAT STAFF AND PROVIDING THE STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES, WE MADE THE DECISION THIS YEAR TO OPEN THOSE GATES AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC WHENEVER THEY WANTED TO GO INTO THE PARK.
I'M PRETTY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ALTHOUGH WE'VE STILL HAD SOME VANDALISM.
IT'S REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS WHEN THOSE GATES WERE LOCKED.
SO WE'RE GETTING A LOT MORE PEOPLE INTO THAT PARK TO ENJOY IT.
UH, IT'S MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE AND IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT IN THE MAINTENANCE WE'VE HAD TO DO, UH, REC LEAGUES FOR, FOR BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL AND SOCCER CONTINUES TO BE SOME OF OUR, OUR BIGGEST ATTENDED EVENTS.
AND IN THE FALL THIS YEAR, WE TOOK A HARD LOOK AT SOME OF THE ISSUES WE WERE HAVING WITH, UH, BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS FROM PARENTS AND ARGUING OFFICIALS AND SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
AND WE TOOK OFF, UH, A NEW LOOK AT OUR RULES AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENFORCE THEM.
SO WITH A BIG FOCUS ON SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND SPORTSMANSHIP THIS YEAR, WE'VE TRIED TO DIAL BACK THE COMPETITIVENESS A LITTLE BIT.
AND SO FAR WE'VE HAD GOOD RESULTS SO FAR.
UM, VASTLY FEWER PROBLEMS THIS SEASON, AND WE HOPE THAT CONTINUES RIGHT TO THE END AND INTO THE WINTER WHEN THINGS REALLY PICK UP.
OUR SUMMER CONCERT SERIES ON THURSDAYS IS ALWAYS WELL ATTENDED.
THE ISSUE WE HAVE WITH THIS IS OUR, OUR, UH, AVERAGE PERSON THAT ATTENDS SEEMS TO BE GETTING OLDER AND OLDER EACH YEAR.
WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF NEW FACES COMING IN, SO WE MADE A REAL EFFORT THIS YEAR TO GET SOME FAMILIES INVOLVED TO ATTRACT SOME, SOME YOUNGER PEOPLE TO THE PARK AND SHOW THEM JUST WHAT A GREAT THING IT IS ON THURSDAY NIGHTS TO BE ABLE TO COME WATCH A GREAT SHOW FOR PARADE IN A BEAUTIFUL PARK.
SO WE DID SOME THINGS LIKE WE ADDED FOOD TRUCKS.
WE DID SOME THEME SPECIAL EVENT NIGHTS.
WE DID A FAMILY NIGHT WITH, WE SET UP BALANCE HOUSES, HAD EXTRA YARD GAMES OUT.
UH, WE'VE ADDED A BEER GARDEN ON SELECT NIGHTS.
UH, WE'VE ADDED FREE OPENING ACTS, SO FOR THE, THE MAIN CONCERT.
AND ALL THOSE THINGS DID SHOW A SLOW UPTAKE IN ATTENDANCE, AND WE DID SEE A LOT OF NEW FACES.
UH, WE ALSO WORK HARD TO GET DIFFERENT ACTS IN EVERY YEAR, AS WELL AS BRINGING BACK SOME OF THE POPULAR ONES.
I THINK A COMBINATION OF ALL THESE EFFORTS DID, DID SHOW AN IMPROVEMENT AND SOME MORE DIVERSITY IN OUR, IN OUR CROWD THERE ON THURSDAY NIGHT.
SO WE HOPE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE.
FUTURE, WE KNOW THAT POOLS CAN BE A HARDSHIP.
SO THIS YEAR I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS ABOUT THE POOLS.
AND I'LL START WITH THE GOOD NEWS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES, I THINK OUR POLLS LOOK ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
UH, FOR SOME, FOR SOME OLD POLLS WITH SOME ISSUES, OUR, OUR STAFF DID A FANTASTIC JOB KEEPING THEM PRESENTABLE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ALL SUMMER LONG.
WE HAD ONE DAY WHERE ONE OF THE POOLS AT LAMBERT WAS CLOSED THIS SUMMER, UH, WHEN A PUMP GAVE OUT.
AND OUR CREWS HAD THAT REPLACED IN 24 HOURS AND ONLY MISSED ONE DAY OF SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH FACILITIES THAT ARE AS OLD AS THESE, THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TO ME.
UH, WEATHER CAUSED US SOME ISSUES THIS YEAR, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE IN A SECOND.
BUT WE HAD SOME REAL HIGHS AND LOWS OF ATTENDANCE.
WE SET RECORD NUMBERS OF ATTENDANCE ON SOME BEAUTIFUL DAYS THIS SUMMER, AND WE HAD
[00:30:01]
A LOT OF DAYS WITH POOR ATTENDANCE THE FIRST MONTH OF THE SEASON, WHICH IS TYPICALLY OUR BUSIEST TIME WAS COLD AND DAMP AND PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T COME TO THE POOLS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.SO THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THOSE POOLS ARE SHOWN.
SOME OF THESE PICTURES, WE HAD SO MANY EVENTS THAT WERE POSTPONED OR CANCELED DUE TO POOR WEATHER, AND THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY TOO BAD WHEN MY STAFF SPENT A LOT OF TIME PLANNING THOSE EVENTS.
AND WE FOUGHT LEAKS, UH, PARTICULARLY AT WARM MEMORIAL POOL THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.
SO WE KEPT THE POOL OPEN AND USABLE, BUT THE PROBLEMS OBVIOUSLY DON'T GO AWAY.
SO WE HAD, WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING, WE HAD THE WORK SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE POOL SEASON.
AND ABOUT SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE LAST SWIMMER WAS IN THAT POOL, WE HAD THE POOLS EMPTY, THE LINERS RIPPED OUT, AND A FULL INVESTIGATION DONE TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR REPAIR.
UH, SO THAT SCOPE OF WORK IS, IS THE FINAL BID IS COMING NEXT WEEK.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NEARLY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN REPAIRS TO FIX BOTH POOLS AT ONE MEMORIAL AND TWO OF THE POOLS AT LAMBER.
SO THIS IS A, AN UPHILL BATTLE THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS COMING SEASON.
THESE REPAIRS WILL HAVE TO BE MADE BEFORE THE POOLS ARE OPEN IN MAY NEXT YEAR.
YOU HAPPY TO GIVE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED? BUT THE MAIN THING IS THESE ARE PLASTER POOLS THAT WERE IN FOUR SHAPE AND A DECISION WAS MADE ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO TO PUT A VINYL LINER IN THOSE POOLS.
AT THE TIME, IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION.
UH, OVER TIME THEY HAVE FAILED BECAUSE OF THE SUBSTANCE.
THE SURFACE UNDERNEATH OF THOSE VINYL LINERS, UH, CAN NO LONGER HOLD THE GLUE.
BASICALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT ONE OF THOSE SHOTS ON THE UPPER RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE WHERE THE PLASTER AND THE TILES JUST GETTING AWAY.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE VINYL LINER CAN'T STICK TO THAT.
SO IT'S FAILING WATER'S GETTING BEHIND IT AND BREAKING DOWN THE SUBSTANCE UNDERNEATH AS WELL AS CAUSING THE LINE TO TACOMA PARK LEAGUE.
BALTIMORE STREET PICKLEBALL COURTS ARE JUST ABOUT TO TURN 1-YEAR-OLD AND THEY HAVE BEEN PACKED SINCE THE VERY FIRST DAY THEY OPENED.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO GIVE A LIGHTED SURFACE TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S REALLY EXTENDED HOURS OF RE RECREATION FOR PEOPLE IN MARTINSBURG THAT LOVE PICKLEBALL.
UH, THERE'S BEEN 60 PLUS PEOPLE ON THIS COURT AT TIMES.
AND WE'VE STARTED TO EXTEND SOME PROGRAMMING TO THESE COURTS.
SO IT'S FIRST COME FIRST SERVE DURING THE WEEK, BUT WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME SPECIAL PROGRAMS COMING OUT.
WE DID SOME LESSONS OVER THE SUMMER AND WE HAVE A TERM I SEE THAT, WHO TOOK THAT PICTURE WEEK OR SO, THAT WAS LAST OCTOBER.
WE HAVE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MORE THE PARK THIS SUMMER AND MOST NOTICEABLE WAS THE NEW HALL PAVILION.
SO THIS WAS THE OLDEST STRUCTURE IN THE PARK, AND NOW IT'S THE NOSE.
IT'S GONE FROM, UH, THE PAVILION THAT NOBODY WANTED TO RENT TO ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE.
IT REALLY SITS IN A BEAUTIFUL SPOT IN THE PARK.
SO NOT ONLY IS IT A BRAND NEW STRUCTURE, BUT WE REDID THE WHOLE SIDEWALK TO IT AND MADE IT A LOT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ANYBODY IN A WHEELCHAIR THAT WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME WALKING UP THAT HILL.
THE PREVIOUS SIDEWALK WAS PRETTY, PRETTY STEEP ROAD TO GET TO IT.
UH, IT'S COMPLETE WITH POWER AND IT POSTS UP TO ABOUT 200 PEOPLE.
THIS PROJECT WAS ABOUT $125,000 AND IT WAS ALL COVERED BY FUNDS THAT THE CITY DIDN'T HAVE TO PROVIDE.
SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO REPORT ON THAT ONE.
MEMORIAL PARK ASSOCIATION PROVIDED THE BULK OF THE FUNDS TO THE, UH, PROCEEDS OF THEIR LABOR DAY BREAKFAST OVER THE YEARS.
AND WE ALSO HAD SOME LEAD FUNDS FROM SENATOR BARRETT AS WELL AS FUNDING FROM A FEW OTHER SOURCES.
THIS YEAR WE HOSTED OUR FIRST SPRINT TRIATHLON, SO IT WAS A BRAND NEW EVENT FOR MARTINSBURG AND IT WAS BASED OUT OF WHERE MEMORIAL PARK.
SO WE USED THE POOL, WE RAN THROUGH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE ALSO BIKED IN THAT AREA.
UM, HUGE THANK YOU TO THE CITY POLICE.
WE PROVIDED A LOT OF SUPPORT THAT DAY AND MADE THIS POSSIBLE AS THE ROADS ARE STILL OPEN AND YOU HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
THIS, THIS WAS A WONDERFUL POSITIVE EVENT.
EVERY, I THINK EVERYBODY THERE SAID THEY WOULD BE BACK NEXT YEAR.
I BELIEVE WE'LL SEE THIS GROW.
I REALLY PREDICT THAT'LL DOUBLE IT IN SIZE THIS YEAR AND WE HOPE TO SEE IT CONTINUE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
ALSO JUST STARTED LAST, LAST CHRISTMAS WAS CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK.
SO THIS WAS OUR FIRST HALF AFTER HOURS OF EVENT THAT WE OFFERED AT WARM MEMORIAL PARK.
AND IT WAS, UH, ALIGHTED, UH, PLAIN DISPLAY OF THESE TREES THAT YOU SEE IN THE PICTURES.
BUSINESSES AND VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS COULD SPONSOR THE TREES FOR $250 EACH.
WE PROVIDE THE PLYWOOD CUTOUT AND WE PROVIDE POWER AND MOUNT THE TREES AND THE ORGANIZATION DECORATE THE TREES.
WE HAVE TREE COUNT OF TREE COMPETITION KIND WARRIOR THE PRIZE FOR THE BEST TREE.
WE HAD A COUPLE SPECIAL NIGHTS WHERE WE HAD PRETTY HOT CHOCOLATE AND COOKIES WHERE WE HAD PICTURES WITH SANTA.
[00:35:01]
AND, UH, SOME BERKELEY COUNTY SCHOOLS, BANDS AND CHOIRS CAME OUT TO PERFORM.SO WE'RE GONNA REPEAT THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR AND WE HOPE TO GROW IT.
SO WE'LL HAVE ALL THE TREES THAT WERE ON DISPLAY LAST YEAR ARE GONNA BE IN A SPECIAL SECTION OUR CHRISTMAS PASSED AND WE'LL HOPE TO DOUBLE THE SIZE OF, OF NUTRIENTS THIS YEAR.
ALL THE PROCEEDS FROM FROM LAST YEAR, ALL THE SPONSORSHIP MONEY WILL GO INTO MORE DECORATIONS THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S ABOUT $5,000 IN NEW LIGHTS.
SO WE HOPE TO SEE THIS DISPLAY GROW EVERY YEAR.
AND WE HAD NOTHING BUT POSITIVE REVIEWS FOR THIS.
THE LIGHTS ARE ON UNTIL 10 O'CLOCK EVERY NIGHT THE ENTIRE MONTH OF DECEMBER, AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE TOOK TIME TO WALK THROUGH AND ENJOY THE DISPLAY DAY.
ALSO NEW FOR US THIS YEAR, WE'RE GROWING OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. SO THINK OF NON-ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES THAT ARE, COULD BE OFFERED BY PARKS AND REC.
WE ARE OFFERING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS IN BERKELEY COUNTY THAT ARE PROVIDING BUSES FROM THE ELEMENTARY OR INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS TO OUR REC CENTER IN THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG AND ALSO AT RANDY SMITH CENTER.
AND THE KIDS CAN STAY THERE AND DO A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES UNTIL 6:00 PM EVERY NIGHT.
WE'RE ALSO OFFERING THE SAME TYPE OF PROGRAMS ON DAYS OFF OF SCHOOL.
SO THE FIRST, NO SCHOOL DAY IS NEXT WEDNESDAY, AND WE'LL HAVE A FULL DAY OF PROGRAMMING FOR THE KIDS PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
WE'RE ALSO OFFERING A WHOLE HOST OF ACTIVITIES THROUGH HOPE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS.
SO KIDS THAT ARE DOING ANY KIND OF ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION, PRIVATE EDUCATION OR HOMESCHOOLING CAN USE THOSE FUNDS TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES WE'LL BE OFFERING.
WE JUST FINISHED OUR FIRST PILOT PROGRAM, WHICH WAS A, A HOMESCHOOL GYMNASTICS PROGRAM TO SEE HOW THAT FUNDING WORKED AND HOW IT WORKED WITHIN OUR REGISTRATION SYSTEM.
EVERYTHING WAS FAIRLY SMOOTH, SO WE'RE EXCITED AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR TO HAVE ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT PROGRAMS OFFERED THROUGH THAT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IS THE FUTURE OF MARKET PARK SKATE PARK.
I WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THAT.
SO PARKS AND REC INVESTED $30,000 IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND THAT WAS A REQUEST FROM THE SKATEBOARD COMMUNITY WHO'S BEEN TRYING TO RAISE FUNDS THEMSELVES FOR THIS PROJECT.
BUT THEY NEEDED SOME TOOLS TO DO SO.
THEY NEEDED A PLACE FOR THE PARK, THEY NEEDED ACTUAL PLANS OF WHAT THE PARK WILL LOOK LIKE, AND THEY NEEDED A LEGAL WAY TO RAISE FUNDS.
SO WE'VE NOW PROVIDED 'EM WITH ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS.
SO AS OF JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE SET UP A QR CODE FOR DONATING TO THIS PROJECT THAT'S LINKED TO THE FRIENDS OF PARKS AND REC 5 0 1 C3, WHICH ALLOWS PEOPLE TO GIVE DIRECTLY FOR THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY.
UH, SO FAR, ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS HAVE COME IN, BUT WE HOPE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
UH, WE HAD OUR FIRST EVENT DURING OUR OCTOBER FEST THAT WE DID AT FORHOUSE FARM PARK WHERE THE, SOME MEMBERS OF THE SKATE COMMUNITY CAME OUT AND SET UP A POP-UP SKATE PARK.
WE HAD RENDERINGS POSTED OF THIS NEW PROJECT AND A FEW PEOPLE DID GET DONATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE CITY'S SUPPORT ON THIS.
I THINK THE PROPERTY ALONG HOLLY TRAIL COULDN'T BE BETTER FOR THIS.
IT'S GONNA BE A WONDERFUL SITE FOR THIS FUTURE PARK AND WE HOPE THAT THE, THE SKATEBOARD COMMUNITY WILL RAISE FUNDS AS THEY SAY THEY CAN, AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT 'EM IN THAT ADVENTURE.
WHERE'S THE QR CODE GETTING POSTED? WHERE'S THE QR CODE AVAILABLE? THE MIC'S WORKING THAT FIRST EVENT.
I BELIEVE IT DID A BR, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA ONE TIME SO FAR.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE SOME MORE OF THAT.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST BEEN SINCE TWO WEEKS TOGETHER THAT WE HAD
YEAH, I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD PIN IT EVERYWHERE, BUT WE, WE WILL.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT ANYTHING RELATED TO MARK AND RECORD.
JOEL PERSONALLY, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE TRANSPARENCY OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN DOING SINCE YOU STARTED WITH THE PARKS AND REC.
AND I KNOW FOR, I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT, UH, UH, THE WORK THAT, THAT YOU'VE BEEN SHOWING MOVING FORWARD HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT EXEMPLARY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR STAFF FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO GIVE A GIVE US A PLACE TO, TO GO AND ENJOY SOME RECREATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
WE GIVE A FUN, WE GIVE A, WE'LL GIVE
DAVID'S GONNA KEEP, IT'S ON TRACK, RIGHT? THERE YOU GO.
UM, I'M GONNA SKIP OVER THIS ROUND.
I'M STEAD WITH THE, UH, ROUNDHOUSE, UH, AUTHORITY FOR A PRESENTATION UPDATE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HOW ARE YOU ALL?
[00:40:01]
MAYOR? COUNCIL, I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.VERY EXCITED TO SEE COUNCIL CHAMBER HIATUS PLACE FOR ME MY NAME AND IS MAD STEAD.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BERKELEY COUNTY ROUNDHOUSE AUTHORITY, WHICH IS, UH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE, UH, WHO MAY NOT KNOW.
YEAH, CAN YOU HOLD UP A SECOND? CAN EVERYBODY HEAR HIM? NO CHECK.
DO I NEED TO PUSH THE BUTTON? GO AHEAD.
DO I PUSH THIS? YOU DON'T THINK THEY'RE ON? OKAY.
SO, DO YOU WANT ME TO START TALKING LOUDER THAT OKAY.
TURNED FOR THOSE WHO DON'T, WHO DO NOT KNOW, UH, JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE, I'M THE CHAIR OF THE, UH, BERKELEY COUNTY ROUNDHOUSE AUTHORITY.
MY NAME AGAIN IS MATT UMSTEAD, 10 11 WEST VIRGINIA AVENUE, WAR II.
UM, JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
THE ROUNDHOUSE AUTHORITY IS A PUBLIC CORPORATION AUTHORIZED UNDER AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE IN 1999.
AND IT AUTHOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE AUTHORIZED THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HERE IN THE REGION TO COME TOGETHER AND FORM THIS AUTHORITY.
UH, IT DID GET ESTABLISHED IN 1999, AND WE ARE PASSED THE 25 YEAR MARK.
IT'S BEEN 25 YEARS, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? UH, OF, OF EFFORTS TO PRESERVE AND RESTORE WHAT IS NOW OUR ONLY NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK HERE IN THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG.
AND JUST ONE SMALL SNIPPET OF HISTORY.
UH, WE'VE HAD OVER A THOUSAND, UH, GUIDED TOURS SINCE MAY 10TH TO COME SEE THE LAST REMAINING, ONLY REMAINING CAST IRON FRAME ROUNDHOUSE IN THE WORLD.
UH, AND IT'S TRULY A ONE OF A KIND LOCATION, UH, ONE, A KIND ONE OF A KIND SITE.
THE NATIONAL AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS HAS DESIGNATED IT AS A CIVIL ENGINEERING LANDMARK.
IT'S MANY MORE CHAPTERS OF HISTORY, INCLUDING JOHN BROWN AND, UH, THE FIRST NATIONAL LABOR ACTION, WHICH WILL BE THE HUNDRED 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN, UH, 2027 OF THAT, UH, UH, WOEFUL SEVERAL WEEKS IN THE SUMMER OF 1877.
UM, VERY MANY, UH, A LOT OF VERY SPECIAL QUALITIES ABOUT THIS SITE THAT MAKE IT TRULY UNIQUE AND SPECIAL.
UH, AND MARTINSBURG SHOULD BE VERY PROUD THAT THERE WAS A DECISION TO SAVE THIS SITE AND PRESERVE IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS FROM A HISTORY, EDUCATION POINT OF VIEW, AND THE ONGOING MISSION TO ESTABLISH IT AS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SMALL BUSINESS, THE ARTS, AND OBVIOUSLY HISTORY, EDUCATION.
UH, I WANTED TO MAKE A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT, UH, THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I, I DO HAVE A FEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT I DON'T, RATHER THAN IDENTIFY THEM BY NAME, I JUST WANNA MAKE A POINT TO SAY THAT SIX OF THE 11 CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD ARE CITY RESIDENTS.
FOUR ARE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS, TWO ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND YOU ALL.
SO THE CITY IS WELL REPRESENTED ON OUR BOARD, AND WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF BEING A PARTNER WITH THE CITY.
AND WE, AND WITH THAT, I WANNA ALSO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR AUTHORIZING 10% MATCHING FUNDS TOWARD THE, UH, ELEVATOR AND STEPS PROJECT, WHICH WAS, WHICH PASSED THE INSPECTION AS OF SEPTEMBER 23RD, UH, LAST MONTH.
AND WE HAVE ALL TAKEN ELEVATED RIDES.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE AN ELEVATED RIDE, PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND TAKE AN ELEVATED RIDE.
IT, IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE WALKING ON WATER, IT'S REALLY GREAT.
OR MAYBE NOT WATER, MAYBE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE SMOOTH.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, YOU ALSO PROVIDED A 125,000 TOWARDS AN HVAC PROJECT FOR THE BUILDING.
THE BRIDGER MACHINE SHOP IS WHAT IT'S CALLED.
BUT IT'S THE TWO STORY BUILDING THAT'S PARALLEL TO THE, TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
AND THAT PROJECT IS PENDING INSPECTION HERE IN THE NEXT 10 DAYS, PROBABLY.
UH, WE'RE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO TURNING ON THE NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRICITY TO HEAT AND COOL THE BUILDING YEAR ROUND.
SO VERY EXCITING STUFF FOR THIS, THE ROUNDHOUSE, UH, AUTHORITY, BUT REALLY FOR THE CITY BECAUSE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
FRANKLY, THAT 125,000 WAS NOT THE ENTIRE COST OF THE PROJECT, BUT IT WAS THE BULK OF THE PROJECT.
THE TOTAL COST OF THAT WAS ABOUT $184,000.
UH, THE ELEVATOR STEPS ENDED UP BEING ABOUT 770, UH, THOUSAND DOLLARS, GIVE OR TAKE.
UH, YOU ALL, AGAIN, THIS COMBINED WITH THE COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY OF MAR, UH, THE, THE BERKELEY COUNTY COMMISSION EACH PROVIDED 10% MATCHES TOWARD, UH, THE ELEVATOR STEPS AND THE
[00:45:01]
BATHROOM PROJECT PREVIOUSLY, AND MADE THOSE PROJECTS HAPPEN FOR THE ROUND HOUSE.SO WE CAN'T SAY THANK THANK, THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THAT.
UM, I WAS APPOINTED TO THIS BOARD IN DECEMBER OF 2022, AND IN THAT TIME I'VE WORKED VERY HARD TO, UH, WORK TO PERFORM, UH, TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
WE HAVE FORMED KIND OF WORKING RELATIONSHIPS, PARTNERSHIPS, IF YOU WILL, IN ADDITION TO PARTNERING WITH YOU ALL WITH FUNDING, UH, ON THESE PROJECTS.
WE'VE, UH, ENGAGED IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE APOLLO CIVIC THEATER FOR THE KIDS BY GEORGE AUBREY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNER TO WORK WITH TO BRING, UH, THEATER TO THE ROUNDHOUSE AND TO BRING, UH, CULTURAL PERFORMANCES TO, TO THE APOLLO IN JOINT FUNDRAISING EFFORTS.
WE HAD, UH, 1100 PEOPLE COME TO COMIC CON TO SET THE ROUNDHOUSE THIS SUMMER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
AND THAT TURNED OUT SO WELL THAT THEY'RE, I THINK THEY'RE PLANNING TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR.
SO IF YOU MISSED COMIC GUN 2025, I THINK THEY'RE COMING BACK FOR 2026.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS BECAUSE WE REALIZE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, YOU CAN'T GO IT ALONE.
YOU HAVE TO WORK AS A TEAM AND YOU HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND WE ARE, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SAY HELL BENT, BUT WE'RE HELLBENT ALL WORKING TOGETHER AND WE'RE DETERMINED TO REACH AND ENGAGE NEW PARTNERS WHEREVER WE CAN FIND THEM.
SO THOSE ARE TWO KEY PARTNERSHIPS I'VE WORKED, UH, VERY HARD TO FOSTER AND, UH, STRENGTHEN OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED AND CONTINUE TO WORK TO GROW.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE FARMER'S MARKET.
WE ARE CLOSING ON THE CLOSING IN ON THE THIRD YEAR OF HAVING THE FARMER'S MARKET AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED IN 2005
AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 340 PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THE MARKET EACH WEEK.
UM, WE'VE AVERAGED, UH, LET'S SEE, IT'S A 28 WEEK FARMER'S MARKET STARTS AROUND EARTH DAY IN APRIL AND CONTINUES THROUGH THE END OF OCTOBER.
SO THE LAST FARMER'S MARKET THIS YEAR WILL BE, UH, THE 25TH OF OCTOBER FROM 10 TO TWO.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED IT OUT, PLEASE COME DOWN AND SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE'VE HAD, I REMEMBER, UH, THE FARMER'S MARKET MANAGER THAT WE WERE ABLE TO COMPENSATE THROUGH A, A WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GRANT.
UH, SHE WAS TELLING ME THAT THERE WAS AN, AT LEAST A HANDFUL OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT FORMED AS A RESULT OF, OF BEING ABLE TO BE A VENDOR AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
SO WE'RE SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES IN A VERY BIG WAY AT THE FARMER'S MARKET, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
UM, UH, ONCE, UH, DIDN'T MENTION IT, BUT OUR TOUR HOURS CONTINUED THROUGH THE END OF THE, UH, END OF THIS MONTH, UH, 10 TO 4:00 PM WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, NINE TO THREE ON SATURDAYS AND 12 TO FIVE ON SUNDAY IF YOU WOULD LIKE A HIGH QUALITY TOUR.
WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN NAMED LEO WHO HAS PROMPTED PEOPLE TO GIVE US DONATIONS THAT I NEVER EXPECTED WE WOULD EVER GET FROM A TOUR.
AND SO PLEASE CONSIDER TOP OF MIND WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR THAT.
JUST A COUPLE OTHER THINGS I WANT TO TOUCH ON.
UH, WE HAVE THE CABOOSE UNDER RESTORATION BY NONE OTHER THAN A CITY RESIDENT THROUGH AN EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT.
AND I'M GONNA MENTION HIS NAME NATHAN JOHNSON IN THE BACK HERE IN THE BACK, NATE, AND I'M GONNA EMBARRASS 'EM A LITTLE BIT.
BUT THEY HAVE BEEN TRULY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE ROUNDHOUSE AND NOW THEY'VE TAKEN ON THE CABOOSE AND IT'S REALLY LOOKING THE BEST IT'S EVER LOOKED.
UM, SO THANK, THANK YOU AGAIN TO THEM FOR DOING THAT AND STEPPING UP WITH THAT PROJECT.
WE ALSO HAD MARTINSBURG HIGH SCHOOL PROM AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.
WE'VE HAD SPRING MILLS PROM AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.
WE HAD WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL PROM FROM CHARLESTOWN AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.
AND THE KIDS FROM CHARLESTOWN ARE COMING BACK AGAIN NEXT SPRING.
THE KIDS LOVE IT AND WE LOVE HAVING THE KIDS BECAUSE HISTORY, EDUCATION, EVERYBODY'S LIKE, OH, HISTORY'S BORING.
THIS IS A SHAMELESS WAY TO TRY TO INTRODUCE THEM TO HISTORY.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THE KIDS.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A FIRE SERVICE HERITAGE EVENT.
FOUNDER DAY, WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO OUR FIRE, FIRE FIREFIGHTERS PEOPLE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO TRY TO BRING TOGETHER OUR FIRE SERVICE HERITAGE EVENT AT THE ROUND HOUSE WITH MAYBE A LITTLE MINI PARADE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN MAY.
WE'LL SEE IF IT COMES TOGETHER.
UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE WORKING ON THE HUNDRED 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREAT STRIKE CELEBRATION, 2027 AND THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BO
[00:50:01]
RAILROADED 2027 AS WELL.UM, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF TOURS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
WE'VE HAD PEOPLE, I THINK, FROM UKRAINE, OTHER COUNTRIES.
IT'S TRULY ON THE MAP IF WE CAN HAVE THE HOURS AND KEEP IT OPEN THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CBV.
AS WE DID THIS YEAR, THE CBV SUPPORT HAS BEEN ROCK SOLID WITH THIS DOCENT PROGRAM THAT THEY'VE HELPED US, UH, OPERATE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL STOP TALKING AND SHIVERING AND QUIVERING AND, AND SAY THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE WITHOUT RAMBLING ON FURTHER.
AND I'LL SAY ONE, ONE QUICK THING.
WE ARE PLANNING A CELEBRATION FOR THE ELEVATOR IN STEPS, AND YOU ALL OF COURSE ARE INVITED.
WE DON'T HAVE A DATE, BUT WE WILL WELL, I COULD TELL YOU, MATT, FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T, GETS VERY NERVOUS, I GET VERY NERVOUS.
AND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING DOWN THERE IS UNBELIEV.
YOU FORGOT ONE BIG EVENT THAT THEY HAVE DOWN THERE A YEAR.
UH, THE HOME SHOW, WHICH BRINGS IT.
I DIDN'T MENTION THE MARY MAKER'S MARKET EITHER.
I DON'T THINK I MENTIONED THAT.
FIVE TO 6,000 PEOPLE ON A WEEKEND, BUT YEAH.
THE, THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING WITH THE, WITH YOUR BOARD AND, AND THE TEAM THAT YOU HAVE NOW IS MOVING THAT PLACE FORWARD REAL QUICK, REAL FAST.
AND WE'RE REALLY, I'M REALLY GLAD TO, TO SEE THOSE MOVEMENTS MOVING FORWARD.
IS THERE ANY PLANS OF THE HEAT OR AIR IN THE ROUNDHOUSE ITSELF THAT IS FAR DOWN THE HORIZON? SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE OF, OF, OF ENGAGING IN THAT PROJECT AND THE REGULATORY REVIEWS AND APPROVALS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO GET IT HEATED AND COLD THROUGH THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE BE VERY CHALLENGING.
UM, WE, UH, CERTAINLY THE TOP FUTURE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT I DID NOT TOUCH ON THAT I NEEDED TO, THROUGH OUR $750,000 CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING GRANT THAT WE WERE AWARDED IN 2024.
THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR THAT GRANT EXPENDITURES WISE ARE, UH, CONCRETE FLOORS AND CEILING FAN FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET SPACE AND CONCRETE FLOORS AND THE OTHER BUILDING AS WELL, THAT'S GOT THE HVAC IN THE FIRST FLOOR.
WE ALSO WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, THE ACCESS AND PARKING AREA IMPROVEMENTS, UH, COMING INTO THE PROPERTY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME TANGIBLE DOCUMENTS IN REGARD TO THAT AS WELL WITH THE MASTER PLAN AND FURTHER EXTRA EXTRAPOLATION OF THOSE MASTER PLAN DOCUMENTS THAT WE PREVIOUSLY HAVE DEVELOPED.
UM, THERE'S A LOT, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, WE HOPE YOU ARE TOO BECAUSE WE THINK AS SOON AS THIS, UH, HVAC AND UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, UH, NATURAL GAS IS POWERED UP, IT'S GONNA BE A GAME CHANGER FOR THE PROPERTY AND REALLY BRING EVEN MORE PEOPLE TO THE SITE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COMMENT I JUST NOTED AS A RESIDENT OF THE EASTERN PANHANDLE SINCE 2001, UM, IT'S JUST IN RECENT YEARS THAT I'VE SEEN A HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.
AND MAYBE IT'S JUST A COINCIDENCE, BUT, UH, IT ALSO SEEMS TO COINCIDE FORTUNATELY WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG.
I I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
IS EVERYBODY'S MICS WORKING? UH, NOTHING'S, NOTHING'S DUMPING HERE.
NATHAN HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO WORK WITH NATHAN OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND HE'S BEEN A HUGE HELP WITH, UH, PARKING AND EVERYTHING DOWN IN THERE.
AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT KNOWS ABOUT TRAINS AT HIS AGE, IT'S HIM.
'CAUSE HE'S ALWAYS TAKING PICTURES AND HE ALWAYS KNOWS THE, THE SCHEDULE DOWN THERE SO HE CAN GET THE BEST PICTURES OF THE TRAINS COMING IN.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO GET YOUR, YOUR EAGLE SCOUT AWARD, YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALLOW ME, UH, TO BE PART OF THAT.
PETITIONS FROM CITIZENS ONE LAST TIME.
[9. Receive and File Reports––Minutes––Correspondence of The Following]
RECEIVE AND FILE REPORTS.[00:55:01]
MAYOR, YOU HAD SEVEN E MAKE COMMENT ON A, B, C, A.I'M, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GONNA START ALL OVER.
JOE, CAN YOU DO ANOTHER NO, DON'T PLEASE.
IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE FROM THAT? OKAY.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I MEAN, THAT'S ALREADY THERE, RIGHT? WELL, IT WAS THERE.
SO WE DO WE JUST MOVE THAT ON WITHOUT CHIEF IN GENERAL? I'M SURE WE GOOD.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH NO COMMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
CAN I SKIP PETITIONS FROM CITIZENS? YEAH.
UH, YOU BETTER SAY IT ONE MORE TIME.
MINUTES CORRESPONDING WITH THE FOLLOWING.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED REPORTS OF COUNCIL AS A WHOLE COMMITTEE? THERE ARE NONE.
REPORT OF MAYOR, WE ALREADY DID THAT REPORT TO CITY ATTORNEY.
[13. Report of City Manager]
TO CITY MANAGER.UM, WELL FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING.
I'M SORRY THAT THIS, UH, COUNCIL AGENDA IS SO LARGE.
IT ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF WORK AND CREDIT TO YOUR STAFF, UM, ESPECIALLY THE FINANCIAL REPORTS, UM, THAT YOU APPROVED ALL THE WAY BACK AT NUMBER SIX.
UH, YOUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTORS ACTUALLY AT OUR FIRST GFOA CONFERENCE MEETING OTHER FINANCE DIRECTORS AROUND THE STATE.
AND, UH, THE, THE DUO GOT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE ACTUARIALS ALL, UH, DONE IN TIME.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORT.
I PASSED OUT A MEMO TO YOU BEFORE, UM, THE MEETING.
I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER ALL OF IT, BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THIS MONTH MARK'S THE SECOND YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN IN THIS POSITION, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
AND I THANK COUNSEL AND I THANK MY STAFF GREATLY.
UM, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES, CHANGES, TRANSITIONS AND CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WITH KEEP PEOPLE LEAVING, PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
BUT THAT SAID, IT'S FORCED REALLY CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AND REALLY SOME STRATEGIC THINKING, I HOPE ON MY BEHALF OF PUT TO GETTING, PUTTING TOGETHER WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A REORGANIZATION PLAN.
AND THIS LARGELY FOCUSES REALLY ON THIS BUILDING A LOT AND ON THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
YOUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS VERY BUSY.
UM, THERE'S ABOUT 2,350 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN THE PIPELINE.
THESE AREN'T, THESE AREN'T PROJECTS THAT ARE THEORETICAL.
THESE ARE ACTUALLY PROJECTS THAT ARE ANYWHERE FROM THE, FROM THE SITE PLAN TO THE LAND DISTURBANCE PERMIT TO BEING BUILT.
AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE COMMERCIAL.
AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH SPECIFICS ON THIS, BUT IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND GET BACK TO ME, UM, THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, THAT I HAVE.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I MIGHT CHIME IN ON A FEW THINGS, ESPECIALLY ON YOUR GENERAL, UH, ON YOUR UH, UM, BUDGET REVISIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
WELL, LET ME SAY THAT, UH, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH ANNIE GO THROUGH ALL THIS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND, UM, YOU PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT AND HEART INTO PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
SO, UH, I SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT IT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, OR THOUGHTS ON IT, PLEASE GET WITH THEM SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
[14. Unfinished Business]
UNFINISHED BUSINESS.OKAY, THIRD AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE 2025 DASH OH NINE TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE.
20 20 20 25 DASH OH SEVEN ADOPTING CHAPTER SEVEN, ARTICLE 1 56, PRIVATE OUTDOOR DESIGNATED AREAS.
SECOND, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG, AMENDING ORDINANCE 25 0 7, ADOPTING CHAPTER FIVE, ARTICLE 1 56, PRIVATE OUTDOOR DESIGNATED AREA.
[15. New Business]
NEW BUSINESS.DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION REGARDING APPOINTMENT OF ACTING RECORDER.
UH, THERE'S, GINA HAD RESIGNED.
SO WE HAVE SOME SPOTS THAT WE HAVE TO FILL AND I BELIEVE, ANDY, YOU
[01:00:01]
WANNA SPEAK TO THAT? SURE.SO AS YOU KNOW THAT THE RECORDER IS POSITIONED WITHIN YOUR CHARTER THAT IS FILLED BY THE COUNSEL TO, UM, FULFILL STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.
IT IS BOTH YOUR LAWYER AND I'S OPINION THAT YOU NEED TO NAME AN ACTING RECORDER.
UM, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN AN ACTING MANNER BECAUSE WITH GINA'S DEPARTURE WE HAVE ASSUMED MANY OF THOSE ROLES BECAUSE BUSINESS HAS TO KEEP ON GOING.
UM, CRYSTAL HAS STEPPED UP AND I'M RECOMMENDING AN ACTING ROLE TO NAME CRYSTAL.
SO AT LEAST SHE HAS SIGNATURE AUTHORITY AND THAT WE ARE COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW AND THE CHARTER, WHICH THEN WILL LEAD TO 15 B, WHICH IS YOUR PROCESS FOR SELECTING A PERMANENT RECORDER, WHICH WE CAN TALK ABOUT AFTER WE TAKE CARE OF 15 A.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPOINT WITH HER APPROVAL, UM, CRYSTAL CUMMINGS AS THE ACTING RECORDER.
AND WITH ALL THOSE DUTIES, I RECOMMEND SHE GET A NICE COMPENSATION FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND THAT I CAN, AND THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
WELL THEN I BETTER ANYBODY AGAINST
DO NEED TO DO HERE THE INTERIM? YES.
NO, WE PROBABLY CAN GO AHEAD AND SWEAR AS AN INTERIM.
BECAUSE SHE HAS TO CERTIFY CERTAIN RECORDS.
I MEAN HER, HER DUTIES, THE ONES THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ARE THINGS WHERE SHE CERTIFIES CERTAIN RECORDS.
I WOULD RECOMMEND HER BEING SWORN.
CRYSTAL STAND AND TAKE THE POSITION.
CHIEF, GET READY TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HERE.
UNITED STATES DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.
I POSSESS THE QUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
I POSSESS THE QUALIFICATIONS BY, BY LAW THE OFFICE, BY ACTING COURT.
HOLD THE OFFICE, ACTING COURT IN THE CITY OF MARCH.
AND I'M NOT SUBJECT TO ANY DISQUALIFICATIONS AND I'M NOT SUBJECT TO ANY DISQUALIFICATIONS BY LAW.
BY LAW I'LL HONESTLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE SET OFFICE.
I'LL HONESTLY DISCHARGE THE BEST OF MY JUDGE.
ALRIGHT, DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION REGARDING THE PROCESS OF SELECTING, APPOINTING A RECORDER.
AND YOUR HONOR, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THIS SELECTING OF THE RECORDER, THE COUNSEL NEEDS TO DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT THE DUTIES OF THE RECORDER ARE GONNA BE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THE DUTIES THAT WE HAVE HAD TRADITIONALLY IN THE RECORDER ARE NOT STATUTORY REQUIRED DUTIES, BUT DUTIES THAT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED BY TYPICALLY THE CITY MANAGER, LIKE THE INSURANCE CLAIMS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, RECORDERS AN INTERESTING POSITION THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
A LOT OF CITIES, THEY ELECT THE RECORDERS AND THE RECORDER IS A VOTING MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BODY.
SOME RECORDERS ARE ALSO ELECTED AS THE TREASURER.
UM, A LOT OF CITIES HAVE TOWN CLERKS THAT, THAT FILL FUNCTIONS.
SO NOT ONLY IS THE SELECTION PROCESS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT ACTUALLY THE FUNCTIONS OF WHAT THE ACTUAL RECORDER IS GOING TO BE VERSUS WHAT TRADITIONALLY OUR RECORDER HAS DONE.
YEAH, AND I BELIEVE, UH, STEVE, HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THAT? YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES, SOME JOB DESCRIPTION, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST BASICALLY STRIKING OUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
NOW KEEP IN MIND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE DUTIES WERE ADDED.
ADDITIONALLY OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, GINA HAD TAKEN ON, UM, I THINK AMY AND I HAVE CAME TO A GOOD, UM, SOLUTION.
BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, PULLING BACK SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL DUTIES THAT WERE JUST KIND OF ASSIGNED OVER TIME.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE, THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR, UM, FOR THE ACTUAL CITY RECORDER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE UPDATED TO, TO MAKE IT MORE STATUTORY COMPLIANT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? MAY I MAYOR? YES.
WHERE'S THAT POSTED? SO THERE'S A MEMO IN YOUR PACKET, WHICH DELINEATES THE STATUTORY DUTIES FROM ANCILLARY DUTIES.
ALSO, THE MEMO I HANDED OUT TO YOU ALSO EXPLAINED SOME OF THIS AS WELL.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS YOUR PROCESS,
[01:05:01]
BUT IN CONSULTATION WITH STEVE AND I, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION IN THE MEMO TO PUT OUT THE AD FOR THE RECORDER WITH THE JOB DESCRIPTION WITH THAT'S COM CONSISTENT WITH THE MEMO THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET.UM, FOR THOSE APPLICATIONS TO COME IN, LIKE A EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG, SCREEN, THOSE.
AND THEN FOR THE COUNCIL, WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE TO YOU.
AND FOR COUNCIL TO SELECT IF YOU WANT TO IN A, UH, SPECIAL, UM, COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE TO INTERVIEW THREE TO FIVE, UH, CANDIDATES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PUT OUT ADS FOR, UM, POSITIONS, WE GET, WE A LOT OF TIMES GET BOMBARDED WITH APPLICANTS THAT ARE NOT QUALIFIED WHATSOEVER FOR, FOR POSITIONS AND STEVE AND HR SCREENS THOSE.
AND I THINK THAT IN OUR PROPOSAL, I THINK THAT WE WOULD TAKE JOB ADS.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE NOVEMBER 4TH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY MAYBE ABOUT DECEMBER, JANUARY TIMEFRAME YOU HAVE A PERMANENT RECORDER.
I WOULD SAY THAT ANYBODY WHO IS PROBABLY QUALIFIED IS PROBABLY GONNA HAVE A PROFESSIONAL POSITION THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE NOTICE TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT YOU'RE REALLY NOT GONNA KNOW WHAT CALIBER APPLICANTS YOU GET UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THEM.
SO THAT'S JUST OUR SUGGESTION.
YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT, BUT WE'VE TRIED TO LAY OUT A LITTLE BIT OF A BLUEPRINT TO TRY TO HELP YOU OUT MAKING THAT DECISION AND GIVING YOU SOME PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT.
BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IN WORKING WITH YOUR RECORDER HAND IN HAND OVER THE LAST, THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL POSITION, CRYSTAL AND I HAVE LEARNED
AND LIKE I SAY, LIKE ALL OF US, YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG, YOU KINDA GET A HODGEPODGE OF DUTIES AND WE TRY TO PULL SOME OF THOSE OUT AND TRY TO PLACE THEM TO WHERE THEY, WE THINK THEY BELONG.
SO I GUESS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TONIGHT IS FROM US SOME ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTION OF WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE US TO GO, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'D LIKE TO POST THE JOB FOR ADVERTISEMENT, SCREEN THEM PROVIDE TO YOU THEN UM, THREE, THREE OR THREE OR FIVE FOLKS AND THEN WE CAN SET UP INTERVIEWS FOR YOU TO, TO SELECT.
I, I, I THINK THAT IT'S CALLED SEQUENCE OF EVENTS.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE STREAMLINED, UH, THE JOB TO MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR WHAT IT IS AND PUT THE ANCILLARY, UH, DUTIES IN THE RIGHT CATEGORIES REORGANIZING IT.
SO AM AM AM I HEARING FROM THIS COUNCIL TO GO AHEAD AND PLACE THAT AD, HAVE HR AND ANDY, UH, COME TO THE COUNCIL WITH THREE OF THEIR TOP THOUGHTS AND THEN WE WOULD INTERVIEW LIKE FIVE.
I THINK THAT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THAT WOULD BE THE ROUTE TO GO.
SECOND, WE ALLOWED CITY MANAGER AND HR TO LIMIT THREE TO FIVE.
IT'S UP TO YOU IF YOU WANT 10, WE'RE PUTTING 10 IN THERE.
I UNDERSTAND GETTING RID OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT QUALIFIED THROUGH THE JOB, BUT I HAVE A REAL ISSUE LIMITING IT TO THREE FIVE.
I MEAN, FOR 50 PEOPLE THAT APPLY THAT MEET, YOU KNOW, I'M OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, BUT I HAVE, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ISSUE WITH THAT PART.
SO I'M NOT SAYING INTERVIEW, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE MUCH MORE OF AN ACTIVE PARTNER ON THIS.
AND I FEEL LIKE ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE, I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH YOU SCANNING THROUGH THOSE AND GETTING THROUGH THE CRAP, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT AT LEAST THOSE APPLICATIONS SHOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR US TO REVIEW.
I THINK A, A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT WOULD BE IDENTIFY, I MEAN, TAKE A LOOK AT THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND YOU KNOW, ONE FIRST SCREENING WE COULD DO IS JUST SIMPLY IDENTIFY WHO DOES NOT MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB.
SO THAT COULD, THAT COULD ALLOW US TO SKINNY IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, UM, MINIMIZE IT AND THEN, AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
BUT, AND THEN THAT'S, AND THAT BRINGS UP THE OTHER THING ABOUT MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB.
I MEAN, OUR CHARTER'S PRETTY CLEAR.
THERE REALLY ISN'T ANY AMERICAN CITIZEN, RIGHT? KEN? YEAH.
I WILL SAY YOU HAVE A HISTORIC JOB DESCRIPTION IN THE PAST WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
YEAH, I MEAN THERE, THERE, THERE'S NOT A, A HUGE LINE OF, OF CHARTER OR STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF WHO, OTHER THAN BASICALLY BEING AN ADULT AND US CITIZEN IN OUR CHARTER, YOU HAVE TO BE AT LEAST 18.
BUT I THINK WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO
[01:10:01]
IS, I MEAN, THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST ROUTINELY WILL THROW AN APPLICATION INTO ANYTHING.AND THEY MAY BE PEOPLE THAT ARE GROSSLY OVER, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY SEND AN APPLICATION THAT SAYS, WELL, I WANT A JOB THAT PAYS $150,000 A YEAR.
WELL, THERE'S NO REASON FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT THAT PERSON 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT PAYING THE RECORDER.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE APPLYING THAT HAVE NO QUALIFICATIONS.
SO I, I DO THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST A MINIMAL SCREENING AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS CAN LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW MANY YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO PULL IN.
BUT THERE, THERE SHOULD BE A MINIMAL SCREENING BY ONE OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
THERE HAS TO BE QUALIFICATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MET.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T JUST THROW ANYBODY OUT THERE.
WELL, THE LAST, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S BE SERIOUS.
THE LAST CITY REPORTERS WE HAD DIDN'T START THEIR JOB WITH THE COLLEGE DEGREE.
WE, I WOULD THINK THAT AT THIS POINT WE'VE PROBABLY ALMOST ASSUMED THAT CITY RECORDER WOULD'VE A COLLEGE DEGREE.
THE LAST TWO THAT THEY'VE HAD, PRETTY MUCH THE TWO THAT HAVE BEEN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
NEITHER OF 'EM STARTED WITH THE COLLEGE DEGREE.
I MEAN, JUST TO PUT AN EXAMPLE IS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE MINIMUM, WHERE WOULD THOSE QUALIFICATIONS START? AND CHARTER DOESN'T JUST TELL US THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE OR MM-HMM
10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OR, OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
WELL, WE, WE DO HAVE A, AND I, I GET WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING.
YOU GUYS ARE ALL GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
BUT WE HAVE A PROFESSIONAL HR DEPARTMENT THAT HAS PUT TOGETHER A, A GUIDELINE TO HELP YOU IN MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.
WHETHER YOU WANT TO INTERVIEW 50 OR FIVE, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL UP TO YOU ALL.
BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO, THEY'RE IN THAT REALM EVERY DAY THAT THEY CAN PICK OUT THE ONES THAT THEY FEEL WOULD BE BEST SUITED FOR YOU ALL TO, TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN POSITION THAT CAN MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
AND WE HAVE TO RELY ON THOSE PEOPLE TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO MAKE OUR DECISIONS AND WE HAVE TO RELY ON THEM.
AND IT MAY NOT SAY SOMETHING IN THE CHARTER, LIKE, NEEDS TO SPEAK WELL, NEEDS TO WRITE WELL, NEEDS TO HAVE PEOPLE SKILLS.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL SOME REAL BASIC FOUNDATIONAL THINGS THAT I WOULD WANT THE HR DEPARTMENT TO COME UP WITH BEFORE I INTERVIEWED SOMEBODY.
IF WHEN THE CHARTER WAS CREATED, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN, THERE WAS A REASON THAT THAT APPOINTMENT CAME THROUGH THE COUNCIL.
IT WAS NOT MADE FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S POSITION.
IT IS, IT IS OUR POSITION FOR US TO CONTROL, FOR US TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND TO THIS POINT, WE HAVE NOT MADE THE DECISIONS TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AS A GROUP, AS A WHOLE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING TO DISCUSS WHAT, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING TO DISCUSS THE QUALIFICATIONS WE REALLY WANT.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO BE TALKED TO IN A MEETING ABOUT IT.
AND IT, IT'S PROBABLY, IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE CHART THERE'S A REASON THAT IT'S OUR DECISION.
DID YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO, TO THAT POINT? I, I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT AS A QUALIFICATIONS FOR OUR CITY REPORTER IS OUR DECISION.
AND I'M NOT, AND THAT'S NOT ANYTHING STEVE OR ANDY, BUT IT, IT, THIS IS A, THIS IS A CLEAR DUTY OF US.
SO WHAT'S THE COUNCIL FEEL ABOUT THAT SPECIAL MEETING? DO I NEED TO GET A CONSENT? DO YOU WANT ME TO GET A CONSENT? PERSONALLY, I'M SATISFIED WITH WHAT ANDY AND STEVE HAVE DRAWN OUT HERE.
I'M CONTENT WITH BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT FIVE OR SIX, UM, QUALIFIED APPLICANTS, THE BEST OF THAT OUR HR DEPARTMENT COMES UP WITH.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE OUR DECISION AFTER THAT.
I TO RUN IT THROUGH HR TO, TO, TO ESTABLISH.
AND IF IT'S, IF, IF, IF THERE'S ACTUALLY 12 PEOPLE THAT ARE HR FIELDS THAT ARE QUALIFIED, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, THE COUNCIL IS STILL MAKING THAT DECISION FROM THE 12 IN MY MIND THAT WE'RE OUTTA THOSE.
AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S ONLY THREE PEOPLE, THEN WE, THEN WE INTERVIEW THOSE THREE PEOPLE.
I MEAN, WE'RE DEPENDENT UPON HR, THEY'RE PROFESSIONALISM.
AND IF THEY CAN HONE IT DOWN TO WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS, THEN I SAY WE GO WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE HR DEPARTMENT TO OUTLINE THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS, UM, TO KEEP THE, THE LIST FROM BEING TOO LARGE.
I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE A LIMIT TO THE, THE AMOUNT OF APPLICANTS THAT ARE BROUGHT TO US, BUT IF THEY'RE QUALIFIED, I TRUST THEIR JUDGMENT.
[01:15:01]
SO WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP HERE? WE JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.DO I NEED A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, THE SCREENING OF IT? WELL, A CONSENSUS OF DISCUSS USING THE, I I THINK THERE'S A CONSENSUS, BUT IF WE WANT A, A MOTION TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, IT'S CLEAR SO WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY CONFUSION OF FUTURE MEETING.
THE MOTION WOULD PROBABLY BE TO ALLOW, UM, STEVE TO POST THE JOB, SOLICIT THE APPLICATIONS SCREEN FOR QUALIFICATIONS, AND THEN SUBMIT THE REST TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE ONES THAT MEET THAT MINIMUM REQUIRE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO GO TO COUNCIL FOR THEIR REVIEW.
I MOVE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE DIRECTOR OF HR SCREEN APPLICANTS FOR THE POSITION OF CITY RECORDER AND PRESENT TO COUNCIL THE BEST OF THOSE APPLICANTS SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AND HIRE THE PERSON WE WISH.
ANY QUESTIONS? JASON? ANYTHING MORE BEFORE WE GO FOR THE VOTE? AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHERE WE'RE AT NOW.
GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BERKELEY COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG FOR EMS EQUIPMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED APPROVE AND DENY FUNDING.
REQUEST FOR THE KIDS BY GEORGE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
$25,000 COLE SEVERANCE FUND MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING REQUEST FOR, UH, THE KIDS BY GEORGE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
MOTION PROVEN TO DENY RESOLUTION.
2025 DASH DASH 17 20 25, 20 26.
GENERAL FUND BUDGET REVISION NUMBER TWO, MOVE TO PROOF SECOND.
ANDY, THERE'S A MEMO IN YOUR PACKET.
I'M NOT GONNA DESCRIBE EACH ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY.
THERE'S A MEMO IN YOUR PACKET, WHICH, UH, STEPHANIE AND I HAVE PUT TOGETHER TO TRY TO SUMMARIZE ALL OF YOUR, UM, BUDGET REVISIONS, UM, INCLUDING WHAT THE UNASSIGNED BALANCE WAS, ET CETERA.
UM, JOE WAS HERE FOR MARTINSBURG PARKS AND REC AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE POOL.
UM, IN YOUR BUDGET REVISION, THERE IS, UH, $482,000 IN THERE TO REPAIR WAR MEMORIAL AND LAMBERT POOL.
THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS USED AS A COMBINATION OF MOVING SOME FUNDS AND YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER EVERYTHING BUT IT, THERE IS A MEMO IN YOUR PACKET AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, UM, FOR THEIR INPUT ON THIS.
THIS TRIES TO FUND, UM, SOME NEEDED ITEMS AS YOU DO EVERY YEAR AFTER THE, THE, UM, BUDGET REVISION.
2025 DASH EIGHTEEN, TWENTY TWENTY FIVE, TWENTY TWENTY SIX.
CALL SEVERANCE BUDGET REVISION.
2026 SALES TAX BUDGET REVISION NUMBER ONE.
2026 POLICE LEVY BUDGET REVISION NUMBER ONE.
2026 SANITATION BUDGET REVISION.
STORMWATER BUDGET REVISION NUMBER ONE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
PARKING BUDGET REVISION NUMBER ONE.
THOSE OPPOSED, PROVEN AND DENIED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED ANDERSON, DAVID.
AND ON ALL THIS, DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION REGARDING ST.
JOE'S REQUEST FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AND PROPOSED AGREEMENT.
I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION DOWN AT THE,
[01:20:01]
AT ST.JOE'S THAT HAVE ADDED, UH, NOW A, A HIGH SCHOOL WITH FRESHMEN COMING IN AND THEY'VE MADE THIS REQUEST.
UM, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE TO SPEAK TO THAT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS MARIA BUR AND I'M THE PRINCIPAL IN JUSTICE SCHOOL.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, OUR LITTLE SCHOOL HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND I APOLOGIZE FOR ALL THE TRAFFIC TROUBLES.
WE HAVE LOST
UM, WE ARE NEAR ALMOST 500 STUDENTS, STUDENTS, AND AS WE THIRD LADY UNFORTUNATE, UM, INCREASING NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS ON SCHOOLS PROBABLY IN PRIVATE OURS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THE MOST RECENT BEING IN AUGUST 27TH WHEN THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND ASSOCIATION CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN MINNESOTA, UM, YOU KNOW, ENDED UP IN TWO TRAGIC EVENTS OF EIGHT AND A 10-YEAR-OLD.
THIS WAS INSIDE CHURCH, DURING, UH, MASS SERVICE.
DEAR, MOST, VERY COMPARABLE TO US OUTSIDE STUDENT MANUAL AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
JOSEPH'S SCHOOL, UM, TO CHURCH.
SO WE HAVE BEEN FOR HUNDRED 42 YEARS.
UM, TWICE A WEEK BECAUSE WE USED TO HAVE, BECAUSE WE GROWN SERVICES.
SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY, UM, ALMOST TWO BLOCKS OF DISTANCE BACK AND FORTH WITH CHILDREN.
AND OUR COMMUNITY, SINCE I AT ST.
JOE'S, UM, I HAVE RECEIVED AN COUNTLESS REQUEST TO HAVE AN ARMED OFFICER IN THE SCHOOL, BUT OUR BUDGET CANNOT NOT AFFORDED.
SO WE NEVER BROUGHT THAT REQUEST FORWARD AT THIS POINT.
AND CONSIDERING THE RECENT EVENTS, WE WOULD LIKE TO, CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WE STARTED RESTART OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING 10TH GRADERS IN 11 AND 12 WITH THE HOT IN THE STATE.
THIS HAS BEEN SCHOOL OF CHOICE FOR MANY FAMILIES.
WE'RE HOPING, UM, TO CONTINUE GROW AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SATISFY OUR BEST AND PROVIDE, UM, THIS SAFETY.
SO WE'RE REQUESTING, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE 50 UM, S CURRENTLY AND IF YOU CAN MAKE MORE POLICE AND IT'S, IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU GUYS WILL BE, WILL BE, UH, SUPPLYING THE FUNDS FOR THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
SO WE DO HAVE CURRENTLY A SAFETY AND SECURITY FUND THAT WE HAVE USED TO, UM, UM, TO INCREASE THAT IF NECESSARY OR TO RAISE THE FUNDS.
AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO, UM, TO PAY FOR THIS POSITION, WHICH IS LIKE A PARTNERSHIP.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I WOULD WANT TO THE CHIEF, WE'RE GONNA CALL THE CHIEF.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IF THE CHIEF, THE CHIEFS COME.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? UM, NOW I'M IN FAVOR OF IT.
THAT RIGHT NOW, AND COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING TO OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE AREA, WE HAVE HAD, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF THREATS TO THE SCHOOLS AND TO, OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, DAYCARES.
UM, WE'VE SEEN A HEIGHTENED, UH, LEVEL OF THREATS TO THE SCHOOLS.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AT MARTINSBURG HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT IS OUR BIGGEST, I WOULD SAY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, UM, UH, LOCATIONS TO WHERE WE ACTUALLY GET THREATS, UM, AND OR FIGHTS OR LARCENY.
SO WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF CALLS FOR SERVICE AT MARTINSBURG HIGH SCHOOLS.
IT IS INCREASING, IT BECAME INCREASING TO NORTH AND SOUTH MIDDLE.
SO NOW WE HAVE THROUGH THE BERKELEY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, WE HAVE SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICERS IN BOTH OF THOSE SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE FORMING A SORT OF TRIFECTA.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO INCLUDED A SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICER AT ORCHARD VIEW.
SO NOW THERE'S A SCHOOL SAFETY O OFFICER AT, UM, ORCHARD VIEW.
AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE CALLS OF SERVICE THAT STARTED INCREASING, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE INCREASE FOR, NOT NECESSARILY FOR THREATS, BUT JUST SIMPLE CALLS FOR SERVICE AT ST.
AND, UH, WHETHER IT'S, WHETHER IT'S A, A TRAFFIC COMPLAINT, UH, FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS OR FROM A LARCENY.
AND WITH THAT, THE, THEM ALREADY HAVING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND NOW GOING TO A HIGH SCHOOL, I DO SEE A BIGGER NEED FOR A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AT ST.
AND, UM, PROVIDING FUNDING FOR THAT OFFICER IS A, IS
[01:25:01]
AN ADDITIONAL PLUS.SO I HAVE A QUESTION AND JUST, WOULD YOU, IT BEING A PRIVATE BUSINESS MM-HMM
'CAUSE WE'LL THROW SCHOOL IN DAY TO DAY.
IT'S A PRIVATE BUSINESS, OBVIOUSLY IT'S MARTINSBURG HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
WOULD YOU BE FOR, IF WALMART CAME TO US AND SAID, WE WANT A POLICE OFFICER HERE BECAUSE THERE'S A TON OF CALLS FOR SERVICE AT WALMART, ALSO, WOULD YOU BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT PRIOR IDENTITY OR, BECAUSE WE THROW SCHOOL IN FRONT OF, I'M NOT SURE I PUT YOU ON THE SPOT IN PARTICULAR, BUT IT WAS ANY KIND OF POPPED IN MY HEAD IS WELL, THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE THOSE SITUATIONS TO WHERE WE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR A FULL-TIME OFFICER AT WALMART, VERY SPECIFICALLY, WHETHER IT'S OFF TIME, ON TIME.
BUT I THINK PUTTING A LITTLE BIT HIGHER PRECEDENCE ON OUR KIDS IS, IS HIGH PLACES A HIGHER VALUE ON ME.
NOT THAT KIDS DON'T GO TO WALMART, BUT EVEN HAVING THESE EXTRA SECURITY DETAILS OUT AT DELMORE ORCHARD WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASKING US FOR A PRIVATE ENTITY IS ASKING US FOR A FULL-TIME OFFICER OUT HERE AT DELMORE ORCHARD AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITES, THAT'S WHEN I SAY, NO, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY NEED FOR IT, JUST LIKE PUTTING A TRAFFIC, UH, STOP SIGN ON WILSON STREET.
I'M GONNA IMMEDIATELY GO INTO THE CALLS FOR SERVICE AND THE CAD CALLS AND SEE HOW MANY CALLS WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING TO THOSE AND IS IF IT'S A NEED.
NOW IT'S NOT JUST SPECIFICALLY ST.
WE HAVEN'T WORKED OUT THE MOU OR THE AGREEMENT, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT FOR OUR FUTURE AGREEMENTS FOR THE SSOS AND OUR SROS, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE SSOS OR THE SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICERS, DEAN OLAC IS LEADING THAT PROGRAM.
WE WANT TO KIND OF MIRROR AND CHANGE THE MOU SO IT'S NOT JUST, EVEN THOUGH THEY'LL BE HOUSED AT ST.
JOE'S, THEY'LL BE HOUSED AT MARTINSBURG HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE AT NORTH MIDDLE, SOUTH MIDDLE, THEY'LL BE COVERING ALL THE SCHOOLS IN THE ENTIRE CITY AS CITY.
SO THOSE FIVE OR SIX SSOS AND SROS WILL BE COVERING ALL THE SCHOOLS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'LL BE HOUSED AT ST.
JOE'S AT MARTINSBURG HIGH SCHOOL.
MOST AT, UH, NORTH AND SOUTH MIDDLE ORCHARD VIEW.
UM, WE WANT TO COVER ALL THE SCHOOLS.
I, I DON'T COMPARE IT TO WALMART AT ALL.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE DO GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR SERVICE ME PER PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT I I, I WOULD AFFORD ONE OF MY OFFICERS DOWN AT, AT TAKING CARE OF OUR KIDS OVER WALMART IN A HEARTBEAT.
WE HAVE ANY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE GETTING THESE THREATS LIKE THESE TO THESE.
UH, JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE FUNDING AGAIN.
SO THE FUNDING PROVIDED BY ST.
JOE'S WILL BE SIMILAR TO WHAT MARTINSBURG IS DOING? MARTINSBURG HIGH.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, WILL THEY COVER A MAJORITY PORTION OF THE SALARY FOR THE OFFICER ITSELF.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GET THAT OFFICER FOR A QUARTER OF THE YEAR.
SO YOU GET 'EM IN THE SUMMERTIME AND MM-HMM
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO WITH OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FROM MARTINSBURG, IS WE THROW 'EM ON TRAFFIC DETAILS.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WOULDN'T THIS ALSO PUT US UP TO ISSUES IF OTHER SCHOOLS, OTHER NOMINATIONS COME IN AND NOW WANT POLICE OFFICER OFFICER? SO WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AND WHEN, WHEN THIS FIRST BROUGHT UP, WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK THE ONE THING THAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES IT SO THAT THE CITY SHOULD PARTICIPATE OR COULD PARTICIPATE IS THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOW ADDING A HIGH SCHOOL TO IT AS OPPOSED TO JUST DAYCARES, PRIVATE DAYCARES OR, OR, OR PRIVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND I THINK THAT WAS THE TRIGGERING POINT.
AND, AND THE WHAT PUSHED OVER THE EDGE OF THINKING THAT YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE AN OFFICER DOWN THERE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS NOW GOING TO BE A HIGH SCHOOL DOWN THERE.
AND I WILL ADD IN, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH A, WITH A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MOST OF THE 10, 11, 12 YEARS OLD, THE, THE, THE, THE ADMINISTRATION CAN HANDLE THOSE COMPLAINTS.
ONCE THEY, ONCE THEY START GETTING A LITTLE BIT OLDER, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT.
THERE'S MORE LARCENY, MORE BATTERIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I GUESS I WAS GOING MORE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T HAVE IT CURRENTLY, BUT IF OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS, JEWISH ISLAM STARTED OPENING, WOULDN'T WE BE, WOULDN'T THIS OPEN IT UP TO IF THEY REQUEST, WE ALMOST BE FORCED INTO ALSO
I THINK, I THINK IF YOU GET A 500 STUDENT HIGH SCHOOL OF A DIFFERENT DENOMINATION OR A NON-DENOMINATIONAL, YOU PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT HAVING THEM FUND ANOTHER OFFICER THERE.
THE OTH THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT THE CITY'S NOT FUNDING THIS OFFICER.
THIS THE, THE SCHOOL, JUST LIKE
[01:30:01]
BERKELEY COUNTY IS FUNDING THE OFFICER, THIS IS NOT DOLLARS NECESSARILY THAT ARE COMING OUT OF, OF OTHER, UM, NEEDS OF THE CITY.SO I THINK IF THERE WAS ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL LIKE THAT OF PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL, THEN IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
AND IF THEY WANT TO FUND AN SSO, WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE? AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
AND I, I GET YOUR POINT COMPLETELY, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE FINANCED THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THOSE SSOS THIS, THIS WAS, THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO PROVIDE AN SSO TO ST.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
UH, WE, UH, WE APPROVE THIS, UH, RESOURCE OFFICER FOR ST.
THEY'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH THE, THE DETAILS AND EVERYTHING ON THAT PROVEN AND DENY MOU, CITY OF MARTINSBURG AND ITS FIRE DEPARTMENT AND BERKELEY COUNTY QUICK RESPONSE TEAM TO PROVIDE CERTAIN HIPAA CO COMPLIANT INFORMATION.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED PROVEN AND DENY HFS COLLECTIONS CONTRACT.
MOVE TO APPROVE HFS COLLECTIONS CONTRACT.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
AN IEMS BILLING POLICY FOR HARDSHIP.
REQUEST FOR DISCOUNTS AND OR PAYMENT PLANS.
CHIEF, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON BOTH OF THESE TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE INTO PLACE.
PROVEN DENY COWS CONTRACTORS' FINAL PAY APPLICATION NUMBER 29 FOR PUBLIC WORKS EXPANSION PROJECT $123, $967 AND 89 CENTS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? APPROVE, DENY INNOVATIVE QUOTE FOR IT EQUIPMENT FOR WATER AND SEWER.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE INNOVATIVE QUOTE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
CEC TASK ORDER NUMBER 30 TO CONSOLIDATE OUTSTANDING RAISE, BUILD, GRANT, TASK ORDERS AND AUTHORIZING ANY P 325,000 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND.
MAYOR, BEFORE WE GO ON THIS, I WANNA RECUSE MYSELF FROM MOVING.
I DO SOME CONSULTING WORK FOR CEC.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR A AYE AYE.
PLEASE MAKE NOTE THAT, UM, STEVE KNIGHT, STEVE, STEVE KNIGHT HAS REFUSED.
SIX OH VOTE MS. PROVEN TONIGHT.
JOINT FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MARTINSBURG, THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, VAW, WEST VIRGINIA WATER SCIENCE CENTER, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR FOR WATER RESOURCE INVESTIGATIONS.
TUS AURORA CREEK STREAM GAUGING $7,230.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? A.
[16. Executive Session]
WE WE'RE GONNA NEED A MOTION TO GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO TALK ABOUT, UH, STREETS.