We are will join us. >> Yes, sir. >> I call the July 8th um Charlottesville City Council special meeting to order. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the Charlottesville um city schools facilities construction program.
Madame clerk, will you please call the role? >> Fleer here. Vice Mayor Ashan >> here, councelor Payne >> here, >> Snook >> here, >> Mayor Wade >> here. Um, uh, I'm going to turn this over now
to, um, Mr. Freeze to, um, kind of get us going. >> Absolutely. Well, uh, good afternoon, uh, Mayor Wade, members of council, members of the school board. Uh, my name is James Free, Stephanie,
city manager. Um and uh as noted this evening we're going to be talking about the the um school construction program and in particular talking about the recently passed uh local option sales tax. Um so our intention this evening is
to provide an overview of the that referendum pro the sales tax referendum process and the structure related to that. um provide you all with an update of that school construction program work. You were require recalled last August during a joint meeting with the
school board. We provided an overview of of uh our school facilities and their needs. We're going to kind of update that information. Um as work has been done on that and then we're going to look at um what the potential proceeds might look like from the sales tax
revenue um and the implementations around that. So three kind of major topics to cover then we'll go over next steps and then we look forward to questions um and your all's feedback. So are you maning this for me?
>> I thought it was stop sharing the tracking. So yeah, those are our topics. So as you all are aware, uh the recently enacted state budget includes authorization for the city to uh conduct
a referendum that would impose a local general retail sales tax at a rate not to exceed 1%. As you guys know, the revenue for that can only be used for school related capital improvements. Uh though it can be used to finance bonds um or other
loan financing uh costs for those for those projects. Um [clears throat] the work so as you know also it's not an action by council alone. It requires uh a referendum uh approved by the city's voters.
That referendum is initiated by council resolution. We have at this point in time scheduled consideration of that resolution for July 20th. Your meeting on July 20th. Um the resolution itself must identify the proposed tax, state the expiration date for the tax, and request that the circuit court order the
referendum. We're using in that draft resolution that we are preparing, we're using an anticipated um deadline of June 30th, 2046 based on the 20-year maximum that's built into the um budget um as it
was passed by the general assembly. So the process as this moves forward after we after the council adopts the resolution, we file a petition with the Charlottesville Circuit Court requesting entry of an order placing the referendum on the ballot. Um that referendum must
be ordered by the court at least 81 days before the date for which the referendum election is called. So November 3rd is the election date. And so we're looking at August 14th as the deadline by which uh the court must act.
Um and then if the majority of voters approve the referendum, uh council must then adopt an ordinance to actually impose the tax and the tax goes into effect at least 120 days after the ordinance is adopted. So that is our overall process from here
to the tax being in place. And the the clock ticking starts not when the ordinance is adopted or not when it goes into effect, but when it's >> when you pass the resolution. That's when that 20-year clock begins. Right? So that 20-year
window in which to collect that sales tax revenue would actually begin at the point at which council passes the resolution. So if just to clarify, if we pass the resolution and the referendum votes no, that clock is still ticking.
So that if we try again at a later date, >> that's an interesting question that we should look into. But I would say that's our understanding right now. >> Mr. So my question along those lines was um
referendum election day and then you've got the 120 days before you can start to uh receive um monies from that tax. So why wouldn't we push that expiration date out to at
least November, not not just based on the resolution, but when it passed andor when we started to receive the money. >> So the way that the state law is set up, the the state the the the the as this was set up by the state, it is
the resolution is the um is what starts the clock. So we didn't have a choice. It's set by the state. >> All right. Thank you. Yep. >> Good. >> Any other questions on that? >> Uh the draft resolution expiration date being June 30th, even though we wouldn't
vote on it be July 20th. Does that extra month? >> I can follow up. I think the way it's worded right now, it's we could start it uh or they we could
keep it running until July 20th of 2046, but that's just hopelessly confusing for for merchants, it seems to me. >> What do you mean? >> I'm sure that the attorney probably is tying it to the to this to the fiscal year.
>> Yeah. And do they start collecting do they stop collecting the extra 1% midway through the month and midway through the reporting period and >> Sure. Sure. Sure. >> Yeah. >> All right. Go ahead. >> Good way members of council, members of school board, Michael Gdder, deputy
director of public works. Uh, as James mentioned, I'm here to give you an update on some of our planning u procedures since last time we updated you. Um, so in the interim, uh, we've put together a school facilities working
group. Um, and we've produced this facility needs report or at least an overview of the report. Uh, it'll come out in a little more detail in the future, but we needed to rush something to you so you'd have a sense of what we've been working on. Um the working group was composed of uh staff
representing public works, capital development division, the budget office, the sustainability office, all city uh staff, and then city schools staff as well. So, uh I want to give you a quick overview of sort of what the big uh big
moving items could be and are in our CIP. So, the reason that we're talking about a project that's basically complete at this point is because it is part of that CIP picture um because we could if we wanted to use some of these
funds to pay down existing CIP uh costs that we've already incurred. Uh so, Charlottesville Middle School, uh this project is finished. Uh it's got a certificate of occupancy now, so it is uh substantially complete in in our parliament. [clears throat] Um it was a
$94 million commitment more or less. Um [clears throat] and so that's that's one of the big big items in our funding picture. We're also working on the Charlottesville Early Learning Center. Um so no pretty pictures of the design
process for this slide, but we do have some of that uh well underway. Uh we are working on the lower part of the Walker campus for the project. Um this is the early learning center. Approximately $55 million is what we think this will cost by the time we get it through
construction. Um and again we're hard at work on getting these design documents together, but this is a an expenditure that we already uh have incurred. Would >> you remind us what is already appropriated for that building?
Um, >> there was 4 million I believe in 26. There's 10 in 27 and 30 million in 28. So 46, excuse me, 36 34.
>> I'll get in a second. I don't do number 30. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. >> Um, and we >> 44. Yes. Okay. Thank you. So, we don't know where this is going to land quite yet. We're still pretty early in the
design process. We just landed back at our original site. Um, but we think ultimately somewhere south of 55 million is where we're going to end up. >> And that's keeping in mind uh your previous presentation to council with
the proposed plan C. Is that right? >> Plan C. Yeah, that's correct. So, building on the lower part of the site, demolishing the existing gym building, building a new early learning center in that location, and uh building a new gym to go along with that.
>> Thank you. >> And and for clarity sake, that leaves open the A building for future uses, which will play into our plan going forward. >> That was that was my question. So just to clarify of that 55 million, 11
million is currently unfunded and not programmed in the budget in any way. >> That's correct. >> Yep. >> Assuming the 11 million is the number which I think it will be that or less. >> So I'm going to run through um some of the ideas that our working group came up
with. Uh this is more original information. Um I've got these >> Can I interrupt you a second? >> Sure. I was actually right. I said the wrong number. So, let me clarify. 4 million was um budgeted in 26, 10
million in 27 and 20 million in 28, not 30 as I just said. So, it is in fact 34 million. >> Thank you. >> So, 20 million >> 20 million is budgeted in 28. >> Yeah. >> No, but 20 million unfunded. Yeah. and
>> 55. >> So, we'll have more information as we get a little further down the road. We're we're trying to eliminate costs on that project as much as possible, but the construction market right now is is working against us in a lot of ways, and you'll hear a little bit more about that coming up.
So, um we we set about putting together a list of the needs in the school system having to do with facilities. um and we've got a rough idea of what those needs are. Now, uh there will be some conversation about um scope and scale,
which building there will be cases where if one building gets a big project, another one doesn't need it, and we could flip-flop those schools based on planning concerns that we don't fully understand at this point. Uh there's also the the question of, you know, Charlottesville High School, is that the first thing we tackle, it being the
biggest fish, or do we get to that at a later time? Um these projects are sequenced essentially based on their value. So most expensive to least expensive but that also is more or less the sequence that we were working with in our working group. Um so that's a
conversation that can be had and I think our friends from the school board have um has some thoughts on that as well. >> So I have a quick question on that. Um um do we have um and I missed a couple of meetings, plans for those um
additions and renovations to the high school? >> No, there are no plans for any of what I'm going to talk about from here on down at this time. Okay. That's why you're looking at that not so elegant picture of the front door high school. >> Um >> that's a next step is to flesh this
stuff out. And I do think that that's something that's worth maybe exploring a little bit as we move into, you know, putting this to a public referendum. But >> as of present, no, these are ideas. They're big picture, very high level, and I'm just going to >> Yeah. I I mean, just to highlight two
points that Michael's just made. One, these are cost projections. >> Um they are very rough estimates. Um, and and second, as we and Chrissy will go into this next, as we get into a much clearer understanding of what the actual revenue stream looks like coming out of
this, we're going to have to match that to a project schedule as we're refining these costs. There's still a fair amount of work to do. the revenue from the one cent. Yeah. May I >> ask another question before we get too
much further into this for clarification because I know it seems like it waffled a little bit. I heard council and and councelor Snook even speaking to it a little bit. Just for clarifying purposes. So this sales tax, these funds
can be used for already dedicated or bonds that have already been put out or is this future stuff? because I thought I heard somebody say we could take down >> looked at that. Um there is legislative history that says that is not allowed.
Um there may be an argument to be made for that but we feel the safest bet is to assume that it's only for new debt going forward. >> So not the middle school debt that we have. >> Well, we haven't issued 30 million of that. Great. >> So um that could potentially be in the
mix. Thank you. >> And I'm I know we won't be able to answer it tonight, but I would be in the future just interested in having a joint conversation to really get into these high school plans because I know as a council as a whole, we've received the
plans for the elementary school portfolio, but just haven't had that opportunity with the high school. So, I really don't know anything about it and I don't know is it rooted in like wanting to increase the student capacity programming. I just don't know. I would be curious to >> have a couple >> I do have a little bit of information on that that I can share and if you still
have some questions after then um then we can attack those. Um so the scope and scale of what's being proposed here is not a new high school. I want to make that very clear. A new high school I think off the top of my head would be something like a $300 million project in
the present market. I know that sounds crazy, but I think that's right. um $150 million, what we're proposing here, uh would be an addition to the high school. Um that addition is not really meant as
a capacitydriven change. It's more programmatic in nature. So, um, and and Kim might be able to speak to this a little bit, uh, but there have been some needs brought forward having to do with, uh, workplace
education type programs that might might fit into K-H if a student wanted to spend the part of the day that it takes to go to KEK. But if you only want to take a bite-sized piece, if you want to stay on your normal track, there are some educational programs that um they
could use some space for on the Charlottesville High School campus. The other thing it does for us is it frees up um each of the parts of the high school so that we can do an occupied renovation. So, uh, if we're if we wanted to just go into Charlottesville
High School as it sits today and renovate the entire school, we would have to break that project into so many tiny parts that it would take the rest of our lives. Um, a better way to to do it would be to take a third of the school, for instance, and renovate that while school continues. You never have
to empty out the school because there is no place in the city that those students could all go to be educated. Um, so the new volume becomes a swing space a lot like what we did at the middle school. Actually, that was a a test run for this type of project and it actually worked
well depends on if you were a teacher in the school how well it worked. You can ask them, but but I think it worked reasonably well. Um, and there was a lot of cooperation from the schools, but um, that's what we're proposing here is we build a new volume that has a specific need and purpose, but also in the
meantime can be used as a swing space. Uh so this becomes basically a four-phase project. It's phase one, new volume. Phase two, three, and four are going through the school in uh one-third chunks. Kind of like what we did with the roof replacement. Um because the
school is kind of neatly carved into these three semi-equal parts. Um so that's that's what we're proposing here and what what the interior looks like. So there's a new volume and then what in the schools additional windows
interior uh natural lighting has always been a complaint for the high school. We've done a few pilot projects to to demonstrate how we could improve that that situation in the science labs. I think that's very successful. Uh also if you've walked around over there the
ceilings and lighting are poor. Um so some finishes should be replaced. There will be other things we identify uh and we'll have to do our best to sort of fit this to cost, but that's what we're proposing for Charlottesville High School. >> The only things I would add what Mike shared or um when you talk about
renovating the old spaces beyond the lack of natural light, the restroom piece, we've made a big impact with the initial restroom renovation and what we call the B commons, but all the other restrooms really need to be addressed to get them to current standards. and the
high school is the place. Of course, our restrooms could use uh a lift in all of our vintage buildings. We're tackling our first elementary project right now, Greenbar, which is really exciting. But operationally, the the impact on safety and um student health and well-being and their comfort using restrooms, like
getting all those restrooms converted is huge. As we look to prioritize our next set of restrooms we're going to go after, it's really challenging knowing what may lie ahead to pick like what's the next area and how to do it because you don't want to make these big investments and not have your full plan baked out because you don't want to
invest in something and then oh well that's in the way for this bigger thing we need to do. But the restroom renovation has the biggest operational and safety and just student well-being impact at the high school. The other thing I would add is when students leave the middle school where they've got where the classes are designed for
collaborative learning and current instructional practices, when they go back to the high school, the classrooms are designed for traditional sitand kind of learning. They're not designed to accommodate breakout spaces and where students go into small groups and and
can go into different areas and learn because you the teachers just don't have the visibility and the spaces to accommodate that. So that's another um just reality of what what we've got. The the middle school Eupford was in no doubt our greatest need building. But um
that's just another feature be beyond the CTEC mentioned which is the long-term vision for what that additional volume would would allow. It'll allow um students to access workplace readiness learning and not invest a whole half of their day at KEK. That's big and that's the long term. And
then it provides that swing space to address natural lighting, to address restrooms, but then all those classrooms in addition to the natural lighting, they just aren't configured to allow for the more collaborative instructional style that that we now want to move more and more towards.
Do you mind talking a little bit more about what kind of programs would be offered for the >> So this is where so I'm the operations gal and my comp my counterpart who is the chief academic officer is at a conference right now and she sits in the same work group with me. I um I know
there are things in like the medical field for example and um some of your just tech technology type jobs where you it's not necessary to to invest half your schedule to for all the different programming that could be beneficial for those tracks. But I better be careful. I
I just I know I won't do this I won't do this answer justice. I'm sorry. And to follow up on that question, sounds like maybe it's not fully fleshed out exactly how that would integrate with KEX programming.
>> Oh, I think I'm sure that if Dr. Heltz or Dr. Eley were here, they could just give you all the information about like the types of of the classes that really don't that what makes sense at K versus what type of classes would make sense on
a more typical um you know, class block. and what that would look like. I'm just so sorry I'm not the personal to speak to that, but they can have that for you at a future competition. >> Thanks. >> So, the next U school we'll talk a
little bit about is Jackson Via Elementary School. Uh it was built in 1968. Uh this is this is the era we we talked about in our last meeting, the sort of twins of schools that we built across the system. Um, this is the era that I'm least fond of, I would say. Um,
1968, it's a interesting time in America. Um, so what we're proposing here is a new cool new school construction. Uh, now this is something that we could talk about and will talk about for sure. Uh so this is a little bit of a placeholder, but um this is the
site that is uh it would be most easy to build a new school on, assuming that there's going to be the sort of um changes in in uh cohort size that could be driven by things like low-inccome housing projects and things like that
that the city might take on. Um and those are those are generators of large uh numbers of students. So, uh, that's something that we would have to work with our friends in the planning department to to sort of, uh, work through, make sure we're planning an
appropriate, uh, size school for what's coming. The other elements though that that Jackson Vaia is not great about is natural light. Again, uh, if you've been inside of that school, all the windows are about this wide. Um, and they these Florida ceiling slits. Um, so natural
light is really non-existent inside the school. Um there are ways that we could work with that space if we needed to, but but I think that given the fact that uh there there probably will be a need in the notistant future for additional space in
our schools, this is a good opportunity. Um and this is the school that I think um at least the folks from the school staff believe is is most likely to want to be replaced. Um I would say that there is a a contender
for that title though and that green brier. Yes, please go. >> I also wanted to just confirm that's also the school that does not have a cafeteria or a kitchen. Correct. >> It's not the only one, but it is one of the ones. >> It's the only one that lacks both. >> Oh, yeah. That that is true.
>> Doesn't have either. It doesn't have either. >> It has neither a cafeteria nor It has no schoolwide gathering space really at all. >> Right. >> Um >> what were they thinking about in that >> not eating apparently.
>> What I will say is that the design I mean if you're interested the design was never to have walls at all that school. The school was originally designed to just be an open plan. So the gathering space was everywhere. You could gather everybody anywhere you wanted to because there were really no walls or doors.
Um that didn't last very long at all before they started calling uh what at the time was the maintenance folks to start building walls because the classroom noise was getting out of control. But but it was a common model during the during the period. And you know Greenbryer has the same uh problem
built in 1962. It uh it also was built with no walls. And um the reason I say it challenges uh Jackson Vaia is because one it's a less flexible building type. uh to work with. So we it would be harder to sort of work with the shape of this building and the the bones of it to
make a a new better building. Um and at at present there are a lot of classrooms in Greenbryer where you have to walk through one classroom to get to another. So that's that's a a challenge. But uh I'll leave some of those uh concerns and arguments to the folks who know more about the program uh and who work in the
schools. But uh this is another school that needs significant improvement, I would say. Um, we're proposing a $50 million project here. Uh, that's a major interior upgrade and construction of a new entry vestibule. Uh, if you've been following for a while, you'll you'll
know that we spent uh a lot of time and and some capital to put better entry sequences into our schools for the sake of safety. Uh, this is the one school that we have been really unable to come up with a good easy solution for just because of the way the entry is
designed. It's it's really challenging to to build a place to sequester people before they have access to the school. Um they work around it. It's you know it's safe for day-to-day operations, but it's not convenient at all. So um you know this plan would would propose that
we build something that's more of a permanent entry vestibular entry sequence um to the school and then reconfigure some of those awkward classroom spaces. There are also some finishes that desperately need to be replaced. And this school has a
particular problem with its uh with its plumbing system, specifically its uh waste uh removal. And that sometimes it doesn't remove the way it ought to. Uh so that's something that we would like to to address. And again, this is the era all the houses in
the neighborhood have the same issue. I can freaking say. Um the this is I think a pretty high priority school as well. Um $50 million is about what we think it'll it'll cost to address those issues. And I don't think that that's a big new volume or any real change to
what the school looks like from the outside besides maybe a few more windows, but it would take care of some of those structural issues. Now we get into my favorite uh era of schools. um Summit Elementary School, uh
previously called Clark. Uh this this school is challenged because it's on a very small site. Uh it it can't grow out really at all without impacting parking completely. Uh there's very
little parking already. The play space is already rather small for a school of its size. Um, what we're proposing here are interior reconfiguration and interior upgrades. The entry sequence here is also not
great. It's it's we've worked with it, but it's not ideal. Um, and we also have a lot of very old finishes. Now, I will say that this school doesn't have the natural light problems that some of our other schools have. Schools built during this era uh didn't anticipate having air
conditioning necessarily. So big windows were necessary. Uh and consequently we have high ceilings and and good lights in the classrooms. Now that's not true of the entire school necessarily. There was an addition put on in the 1950s which I think is of much poorer quality.
Um and I never get tired of complaining about the fact that the floor plates don't line up, which you'll know why. You've heard me say this before, but um I think that there could be an argument made for while we're looking at all of this for removing that addition and
building a new addition uh that would be a little taller probably that would have floor plates that align that would be a little more programmatically appropriate for modern teaching um but wouldn't necessarily impact the the footprint of the school site. Um, but that's
something that we'll work through as we again as we talk to the folks who we know more about what's planned for future growth in the city. It's certainly something we would want to do some growth projections and and wouldn't want to do willy-nilly, but I do think that would be an option for
this site, but as it is, that's not what we're proposing. We're proposing an interior reconfiguration and some general upgrades. >> Wait, sorry. We're not proposing what part of that >> a a addition to replace the existing addition. This is not that. That would
probably more be more expensive. >> Thanks. >> Trailblazer Elementary. Also one of the best uh sets of bones in the city. 1925 construction. This is the oldest of our schools that are still in the system. Um
we're proposing a a general interior renovation. Uh classroom finishes. Uh again, it has good windows, good natural light already. There are some spaces that don't and we would like to remedy that. Uh but again, those are mostly addition spaces. Um
yeah, this we've done a small project that we're working on this summer to create some more breakout spaces in this school and that's really highlighting the need for more of that kind of small instructional space. You'll see that throughout the system that that that's something we don't have and would love to have. Um, obviously the ideal would
be to have all new schools that are all modern and appropriate, but when you see the total number on this packet they're talking about, you'll see that we're not even we're not going to be silly and bring that to you. >> Um, >> so with this, um, [clears throat]
I know that the auditorium needed to be improved, but I can't remember if that's already been done. >> Uh, we did replace the seats. >> The seats. Okay, that that was Yeah. Um yeah, this the only auditorium I think the only auditorium that have not had
their seats replaced, Greenbryer is one uh and it's still got the old wooden uh fold down seats that are very quaint. Um and then Charlottville High School, which we have coming up as part of our project plan already. And then we get to Sunrise Elementary
1958. Um, not ideal, but not not the worst. Um, our classroom general uh interior renovations are what we're proposing here. Uh, generally I think natural light is not ideal, but it's uh it's not
terrible either. Um, this school could use some general interior renovations, uh, some reconfiguration of space inside. The office, uh, front office sequence is not ideal. It's workable, but it's not the best. Um, so we're
proposing a general uh a little bit lighter lift than some of the other schools, but a general uplift on this school. And we think that'll cost around $25 million. And you'll see these numbers are essentially rounded to the nearest $5 million. Uh, just to be honest, it's uh
at this level, at this point in time, we just don't have enough information to get too specific. uh Tall Oaks Elementary 1955. Um very similar. This is a twin to uh to uh
>> Sunrise. Sorry, the name changes are >> um and it's a similar scale, similar scope. Classrooms need to be adjusted a little bit. Finishes need to be redone. Um all the schools need better ceiling treatments and and things like that. Um,
and of course with all these projects, there's an HVAC element. We'll have to look at the systems for all of the schools that we look at, make sure that they're up to up to the current sned and fixed and replaced. Um, but we are
at a place where we're only a few schools away from having good roofs on all the schools. Uh, we've just gone through the three-year program for CHS. That roof is all new. Um, obviously CMS has a new roof, the new school, um, the
new prek center will have a new roof. So, a lot of the exteriors and, you know, we keep up with the exterior maintenance of the buildings. So, it's not like we need to do a whole lot to the outside of most of these buildings besides in some cases cut holes for windows.
Speaking of roofs, um the uh with the new roofs going in everywhere, is there the opportunity to expand our solar PPA across to the other buildings? >> There is. Yeah. And we're we're currently working on that. So, uh both
CHS and CMS are the first step for us. Um we are looking and uh you know should invite Crystal to one of these meetings so we can talk a little bit about the plans but um there yeah we are looking at all the new schools. We plan to put
solar on all the new roofs. It's just how do we how do we do it uh with the PPAs they have certain needs to be able to make it pay off for them uh in terms of the size and the generation. So, in some cases, it's going to make sense to
do a self-funded model. In some cases, it'll it'll make make sense to do a PPA. Uh, but we are we are seeing a very successful um collaboration with with the uh provider for our PPA, the high school and the middle school. So, I think I think that is really opening the
door and allowing this to become more of a an easy route for us to take to solve these problems. So, the answer in short is yes. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Do do we already know what the HVAC situation is though or you're saying it needs to be audited or
>> um we do know what the HVAC situation is. I don't know school by school off the top of my head because we do keep up with all of them. Um you all did just provide additional funding for us to upgrade that. So that has been a problem in the past where our HVAC systems were
being held together kind of by duct tape and bailing wire. Um but um you all just uh approved some additional funding for FM staff to look at new projects that will help to over time get those things renovated and up to up to speed. Um so
they're not in dire condition. I think they're they're workable for now, but a catastrophic failure of the school HVAC system is a lot more impactful than it used to be because of the warmer weather generally and the increased summer
programming in the schools and all that sort of thing. So having it just not work is not really acceptable. Um so uh yeah, in general, I think we're in okay shape. I think we're going to be in a lot better shape once we start to spend through some of those funds over the next five years or so and get everything
up to speed. >> So when Sorry, go ahead. >> Thank you. >> So [clears throat] when we last a long time ago when we had the last work session about the elementary school portfolio, um we were presented that a lot of the elementary schools would need full HVAC replacement because those over the
summer repairs weren't working anymore or weren't really sustainable. Is this additional money? Is that no longer the case? >> Uh, I would say that it is less the case. So, it's the case today because we haven't started spending the money that
has been approved for this fiscal budget that just started. Um, but I think I guess my my takeaway message would be I think we're appropriately funded to get those systems up and up to modern spec. Um
there may be cases and I guess this was my point is that there may be cases where we get into a school and it's like oh there's just an overwhelming challenge in this school that we're going to have to put some real capital funding into as part of a bigger project or we do tend to like to you know if we do a large scale project for instance
the middle school u prek center we're planning on a geothermal system uh we're going lead with those projects so that's that's a horse of a different color and I think when you start to get into that, you're not trying to for for the most part, you don't want to just stick that
onto an existing system. You want to kind of refresh the whole system as a whole. So, you've got to, you know, one of a piece system that runs off the same geothermal wells, for instance, and all that sort of um it's a complicated answer to a simple question, but it just
depends, I guess, is the simple way to put it. Um, we don't think we're in dire straits. uh but I would say that we uh may see situations where a more holistic approach to to heating and cooling is is appropriate.
So the last item I've got on on my list of to-dos is ke. Uh and this is more of an interior modernization. Uh we're thinking this is something like a $10 million project. This is the one that I can tell you the least about today. I would say that um this is more of a
general common areas upfit is what I would be envisioning here. Um a lot of the learning spaces in KEK are over kind of regularly and there's a lot of shifting and moving of those. Uh so really I think more the common is what I would be thinking with this $10 million
um modernization project. Um, and this one, I mean, if I'm being honest, I think this is the one that I'm least uh sure is necessary. It's kind of why it's at the end, not only in terms of dollars, but in terms of timing. I think
by the time we get here, KEK will answer a lot of the questions for us in terms of how it lives as a building, what is it doing for us as a system. Um, but that's kind of um it's it's almost just a placeholder for the space because I think there will be needs at some point.
Um, but we don't really have a way of of saying what those are right now. >> I was reminded by Dr. Berling actually on text when I was bumbling my way through trying to explain the programming where we see holes in our current location CTE programming and uh, one that's sort of glaring especially on
by the what Michael started about. So we have electrical and we have HVAC but we do not have and we don't have really space or capacity at KEK for building trades at least introduction to building trades meaning the actual beyond the electrical and HVAC that all the other components of building trades and that's
a really hot area with just the actual construction and things like that. So again even in smaller spaces those type of introductory programs that we just don't have at all could be planned for in that additional space at at the high school. And again, you're not committing
half your schedule, half your day to getting that introduction. >> Is the renovation at Kex something K students get to participate in? >> Oh, sure. I I think at the middle school, they did a great job of getting students involved. That was a really fun
part of the process. We've even seen it with our elementary uh the original renovations that we went through. Um we had did this thing called Fipsy. It started back in 2017 2018 where we wanted to just give the community um Mr. or be away.
>> We wanted to give the community a taste for what it would look like to start lifting our school, our vintage schools with these like they started out a million dollars in the summer. And I'll never forget the kids at what was then Clark, they were involved with designing like what the improvements would be to their classrooms. And so we just worked with architect partners who who really
um bring that. And then at this the solar project at Ktech, the students had different levels of involvement with that. And that's a much you know recent one. Um so certainly lots of opportunities for that. >> Yeah. I mean like actually physically participating. >> Oh to do the work. Um >> as a hands-on
>> hand learning sort of situation >> that can get interesting because of the uh >> deal with the contractors. Yeah, exactly. >> But um certainly with design and just and and learning from it short of actually doing the work. I we certainly not work today. Yeah, Michael might want
to add to that. >> There there are certainly spin-off projects that we could we could make. I mean every project spins off. It's like a hurricane. It makes a little bunch of tornadoes, you know. >> Well, here's a great one. The middle school, um, we we have to reinstall the garden for the garden
program there, which we're super excited about. The students have been so active in designing that and the buildout on the new garden space at the middle school is going to be exactly what you're asking what you're looking for. Everything from the garden areas, fencing, different things like that. So that's an that's um that's an area
that's we'll see that type of learning and development happening in new green area uh middle school. So, uh, to put a a ribbon on all of this, um, the program costs that we see overall for the for the system, uh, with
with what I've just explained, uh, we've already committed about $149,000, assuming that 55 million is the number for the, uh, uh, preK center. Um, all the other things I talked about amount to $395 million. Um, so that'll become a
more, you know, keep that number in your head because what Chrissy's going to talk about, we'll, uh, put that in a little closer, um, focus. >> And that includes the 149. >> No, >> it's 395. >> Yeah, that's right.
Um, so just to throw out some risks that we see with this program. So we're not the only people who now can do what we're trying to do with taxes. Uh what I see as a person in the construction industry is a a danger of escalating costs. So uh and we see this with BOT
pouring money into our transportation program. We've gotten to the point where it's very challenging for us to deliver that program because uh we we put a price on something, but everybody else is trying to get the same contractors at the same time. So their profit margin goes way up and the cost of you know the
pay for contractors goes way up and all these things just uh we're fighting with everybody else in the state at a certain point. I don't see an option for anything we can do about that but it's just something to keep an eye on because you're going to come back to me and say you said this number now it's this number and I'm going to say uh I'm
sorry. Um also city project delivery. I mean we are what we are as a city. We have the project management resources that we have. Uh, I think they're adequate for what we're trying to do right at the moment. But I I do watch city council meetings. I see that this isn't the only
thing that city council has to gets the pleasure of deciding to try and spend money on and solve problems. Um, I'm sure that there are going to be other things. If all of those things also come to our project management team, um, that's a challenge for us. Uh so there
are reasons why we might want to think about that on the front end and come up with a project pace that uh takes that as well as our financial income from the tax into consideration. >> And hopefully that was some kind of segue for you Chris.
>> Thank you. >> So how much revenue would the additional 1% generate? Um I think just as a quick review the current statewide sales tax rate is 5.3%. um 1% of that is currently located to
the localities and 4.3 goes to the Commonwealth. Uh over the last decade, if you average out the city sales tax revenue, we've averaged a annual growth of about two just under 3%. Um in FY25,
we collected uh a little over 14 million. FY26, um our last projection was 15.6 6 million and our budget for 27 um is projecting $16 million. So per the legislation, as we've talked
about, the additional 1% um does not apply to food purchased for human consumption or essential personal hygiene products. Um the state is actually um not um our commissioner has reached out to the state. this is not
something that they routinely collect um in terms of data. So they are working through this process as well to change their forms. They'll start collecting the data. But based on um what we know from localities that already have uh this permission to assess this
additional tax and just from looking at some of our data, um we're currently estimating that this would require about a 20% haircut um off of our total tax collection. So where where we for
purposes of this conversation um we landed on about $12 million a year is um what what we're thinking would uh approximately be available for the as a result of this additional 1%.
So if you look at that um here this slide sort of gives you a range um you know if we were at 10 million 12 million or 14 million um if you were to assess all of that keeping in mind that sales
tax is very dependent on um the economy and human behavior as we saw from COVID um uh you know this is it has the ability to go up as well as down. Um if we were to look at an a tax annual tax
revenue of about $12 million, um that would at max with spending every dollar um leverage about $125 million worth of debt. Um and if you wanted to give yourself, depending on how much coverage you want to give yourself, um
you know, you could go down to about 65 million um safely. By coverage, what do you mean? >> That that revenue would actually cover your annual debt service payment. So, um, you know, on $125 million, that annual debt service payment is about $12
million a year. So, if you if you issued $65 million worth of uh debt, that payment is roughly half of that. So, you would be you would have two times that amount of revenue to cover your debt payment. Is there some sort of industry standard
that one should be looking to as a >> um rule? >> It's a good question. Definitely at least one. Um but I don't know that there is um you know I don't I don't know. I could find out if there's an industry standard for you.
>> So is this assuming $12 million times 20 years >> correct >> yields $125 million worth of bondable capacity. >> Correct. Thanks. >> So, kind of to answer that question, um,
if if we were to look at this, uh, 12 million over 20 years is roughly $240 million. If we were to sell $125 million worth of bonds, uh, with interest in everything, you're looking at about $184
million of total debt service. So, as the graph illustrates, the tan or gray, however this looks to you, um is, you know, just like your mortgage, when you start out in the beginning, you're paying um we generally our debt is
annual um equal annual principal amounts. Um and so you're paying more principal, less interest. Um and then as you go along um you will we will our debt payment will decrease and our uh
cash or payo increases over time. So what happens is over the 20 years we would end up with about $55 million of um cash that we would also be putting back into the program. So over the 20
years, by the time you factor in the interest, you end up with about $180 million that's available um for projects. So um one of the things that we have been looking at um with our financial
advisor um is what does this look like? What we do know is that um the rating agencies will look at does not look at this as a separate piece of our debt. It is considered uh part of our total debt. Um it you know obviously it has a
dedicated funding source. Um but it it it does become part of our total profile. Um, so just right now, um, without any of the extra things we've talked about today, uh, as of June 30th,
we, the city has $27 million of outstanding debt, 149ish of that is general obligation debt, which are all the things that are funded through the CIP. Um, and just over 58 million of that is what we know are
called the self-supporting utility debt from our utilities. Annually, our debt service payment um well budgeted for 27 um will be $18.6 million or 6.7% of the general fund budget. And um we'll look
at this in just a minute, but based on the current 5-year plan that you have um that is projected to increase to over 26 million or 8.4% of the um and I have the wrong date there, I apologize. Um over
the uh next five years. So, um, to recap your current CIP plan, um, we have $147 million worth of, uh, bondable projects. Um, of that, 54 and a quarter of that
was for school related projects, keeping in mind that 30 of that is for the prek center. Um, that's currently in the plan. >> Chrissy, could I ask? You mentioned there was a number there that was wrong. What's the number that's wrong? the FY28 it should have been 31.
>> Okay. I was guessing that but yes, thank you. >> Um so >> Chrissy, did you have a >> No, that was my same question. Yeah. >> Yeah. I'm sorry. >> Uh keeping in mind we do have a debt policy um that the debt service cannot exceed 10% of the general fund's total
expenditure budget and council as part of that policy imposed a target of 9%. So this table, this chart is one that we look at um and that we use, we also
present to the rating agencies. It is the way that we sort of manage all these pieces and parts um of our debt program. Um we do manage the debt and meaning that um while we have a CIP plan uh as
things fluctuate i.e. interest rates, the economy, the general fund. Um there we are issuing the debt based on what we can afford and how it applies to our policy as we've been talking about for many years now. Um you know we are we're
not reaching our sort of our target at 9% because our general fund continues to grow. Um one of the issues that we have been speaking about on a regular basis is the affordability of our current plan. Um, as I mentioned the the uh debt
ser annual debt service as you see from the third column um over on the planning side you know we're we're going from 18 to 26 million uh within the next five years which means that that those
dollars are additional dollars that have to come from the general fund. Um we have been allocating 1% of or the equivalent of 1% of meals tax uh for many years now has been going into the debt service fund to build up a debt
service fund balance. So um these increased debt service needs have been uh we've been covering sort of on an ad hoc basis annually either with debt service fund balance um the 1.4 4 million that you see there in FY26, the
second column over from the right, that was actually the gain sharing that was returned from the schools that was put in to help offset some debt service. But as you'll notice for 28 and on, um we're looking at an increased contribution
from the general fund of just over $2 million a year to keep up with the increased um debt service needs of what we're going to call the baseline um CIP, which is the current plan that was
adopted with the 27 budget. So, when you layer all this in, um, as I said, the rating agencies will look at all of this debt combined. Um, if we have the school piece, um, if we
were to issue $125 million, that's the blue line there on top of the baseline, which are the numbers that you see in that box along the bottom, um, we quickly exceed uh, the target as well as our 10% not to exceed number.
>> Um, in in every year for quite some time. Um if we um the yellow line I'm going to show you in just a second um which is the max number which right now based on just these projected numbers um
35 million would be about the number um that we would want to leverage for debt to keep at our target. Um and that would help us maintain our policy as well as um our our credit. Um
>> so that mean just to clarify because you're getting lingoy. Um it's okay. That's what you that's that's your job. [laughter] Um so I just want to make sure that I'm keeping up. So if um if the max insurance issuance is 35
million, that's annually. Um, that means we're using some amount of the 12 million in revenue to increase our debt capacity by 35 million. But we don't need all of that 12 million in order to do that. So the remaining 12 million we would use
towards >> you're stealing [laughter] >> towards paying down debt service. >> No, because the 12 million can only be used for school construction or projects and new debt. So it could not pay down existing debt.
>> Okay. >> Um so what >> except for maybe the 30th what hasn't been issued yet. >> That's correct. That's new debt >> but it's already in our plan the CIP. >> Okay. >> Yep. So I'm going to get to that in one second.
>> It's really glad I'm following along. >> Yeah. No. [laughter] So if we again if you look at this the same way again 12 million a year gives you $240 million worth of cash. If we were to bond $35
million, you can see that these gray lines or tan lines continue to to decrease, but the amount of cash that you have each year is increasing. Um, your debt service is a lot smaller. It's 52 million. That gives you 185 million
for PIGO. So, it gives you a total cash flow over the 20 years of $220 million that you can use um for school projects. Uh be it um yeah, for school projects.
>> Can you go back to the previous slide, the next one? I mean that one. So, I understand our policy. So what happens if we do you know it's 11 like 12% and then it goes down to like um 11% the
blue line essentially. So if we do go over our policy what what that means is that will impact our credit rating and when we do borrow money for schools then it'll be or not just schools but just you know projects in general. Um >> it the cost will [clears throat] be higher. Are they saying it's going to
affect, you know, >> it puts the city's credit at risk? Um, we with our, you know, we have been talking to the rating agencies for the last few years that our current existing CIP is rather aggressive. It it builds
on issuing more debt than we've ever issued in the past. Um and so when you look at our debt per capita, it's it's getting up there and and we score lower in those areas um because of that. So one of the things that this exercise
sort of proved to us and um with PFM's help in looking at this is that it does sort of confirm that our policy is sort of where it needs to be given our size, the 10%. Um, and so, um, I think if we
went to something of if we if you intentionally exceed your policy, number one, that speaks to management, which is a ding from from a rating agency standpoint. It also, as I mentioned, does put the city's credit at risk.
And so um sort of to sort of summarize this um if we were to uh so two things to summarize at some point once you make a decision on what the overall plan is uh we will come to
you with a recommendation of some mix of debt versus some mix of cash. Um, if you were to assume that we would issue um 12 on the top graph, if we were to issue $125 million worth of debt, then the
little teeny blue lines are sort of the the available cash that you have. Um, your debt ratio gets you almost to 12%. Um, you have a cash flow over those 20 years of $180 million to invest um in
your program. If in this scenario, if we were to issue a $35 million bond, um you have about $185 million worth of PIGO. So, a total 20-year cash flow of 220 million. Again,
more money because you're paying less interest. Um and it does maintain the city's credit. And um it does keep our ratio within the target that has been established. >> That seems better. Still 220 is pretty shy of the number
Mike just gave us. So, >> yes, >> Chrissy, how much of a change though? I mean, the city's had a AAA credit rating since like the 70s >> and has a very strong, stable University
of Virginia employer base. I mean, what really what really are what is the likelihood of a a drop and and what would be the percentage point difference?
>> So, I can't um I can't speak for the rating agencies. Um there's a ve rather lengthy scorecard process that they go through. Um they typically look at your financials, your management,
um your your economy, uh and all of those factors weigh in. Um some of it is a mathematical equation. Um to have a policy and not follow it is a fairly serious ding on management. um also uh
to exceed sort of financial matrix that are outside the norm of your AAA peers. Um it it is a pretty strong belief of our financial advisor that we would be putting our credit at risk. In terms of
um what is the difference on percentage? Um quite frankly it it depends. Um, in a high interest environment that that is could be significant dollars. In a low interest environment, it's maybe not so
much, but it is definitely more of um sort of a status and a black eye. To to lose a AAA indicates something's not going correct. Um, and so I don't it's not it's you know financially sure it's
part of the puzzle, but it's also um it speaks to your creditworthiness and whether investors want to invest in your bonds or not. >> Yeah, I've only ever seen that change like a h like a half to one one percentage point. So I'm wondering, you
know, we're not talking about 5% difference. We're talking about a half to a one. Um, >> what percentage point are you talking >> from a AAA to a double A if if that change? But I'm hearing what you're saying. >> Interest rate change, >> right? Yeah. But I hear what you're saying. The the black eye per potentially,
>> but certainly 1% on 125 million is $12 million. >> Yeah. Project. >> I did the math wrong again. makes me feel so >> that's why God made Excel, isn't it? >> It is.
>> Michael, did did you have >> I was good. Not to minimize the importance of the bond rating piece because that is very important. Um I think the other thing that worries me even more just not not with this but just overall in planning is the
affordability piece. When we factor in our collective bargaining units both on schools end but also our city end. what's the point at which we have the cash flow to afford everything beyond even the rating? >> Um, which it sounded like I don't know
you talked about like one of those pressures is even if we're below the 10% threshold, how affordable is it through the general fund. >> Well, and it also speaks to your ability to do other things in the future because this is just based on the current plan that's in front of you, the things that
you know about. Um, you know, we've talked about a lot of other things with related to CAD and transit and affordable housing, all those things. Um, you know, those are big numbers, too. And so, when all of that's got to sort of fit in here and so it, you know,
if you, that's sort of the slide about, you know, do you leverage it all for debt service? Do you leverage do some combination of the two? Um it it does limit your ability flexibility to address other other issues that you may
have on the horizon too. Chrissy, as I'm trying to understand this graph, does this mean that if we were in the for for the example at the bottom, if we were to issue a 35 to issue $35 million worth of bonds in year
one, what what exactly are the the blue lines >> that's the cache. So it's this screen here. Your your actual debt service payment goes down a little bit each year. Um and so of the because let's say
for sake of example, you know, your 12 million stays static, then as your debt service payment declines, then you have the additional cash to use for for the projects. I mean, I guess what I was conceiving of was the
the thought that that we would, you know, issue certain number of, you know, say I pick a number $10 million worth of bonds in year one, $10 million worth of bonds year two and and always have uh more revenue coming in each year so that
we end up issuing bonds of, you know, under that scenario, $200 million. And we probably that probably is the more realistic scenario because you know this is this is a state >> we can't spend all $125 million in one year anyway.
>> Correct. And we still have to comply with IRS regulations which we have to spend the money in two years. And so we would be issuing uh you know there's a lot of whatifs in this scenario. First of all it's not going to 12 million is not going to stay static. There's going
to be some growth there. Um and so interest rates are going to fluctuate. Um so there would there will there is some timing aspect of it. Um but whatever debt you issue, just keep in mind it lasts 20 years. And so if we
issue the debt in year 10, then when this revenue falls off, we've got 10 more years. We've got to make up from the general fund. >> Can you mention the you have to spend it within two years rule again, please? >> Yes. So, um there is a if you sell
taxexempt bonds, there is an IRS regulation. Essentially, they don't want you to go sell bonds, put it in a um in an account and and draw interest off of it. Um and so there is a requirement that you must spend all of those proceeds within 24 months. And if you
don't, then you have to remit what they call arbitrage or interest earnings back to the IRS >> and have to be spent all the way, not like allocated to a project that hasn't been paid out yet. Okay? >> So now, you know, most of the time,
that's why if you go back to, you know, this chart here, um, these numbers don't actually match. If you were to go to the five-year CIP, like this year, um I think the CIP has that our bonds will be 27 million. Um, we're actually only
probably selling 20 umish because uh most of the time we're reimbursing ourselves for some expenses that have already happened, but we're also not going to sell bonds if the project hasn't started and we know we haven't spent um those dollars uh or won't spend
those dollars within the two-year time, right? An ignorant question. I so I think you've answered this before, but I just want to double check. So that assignment to capital does not include anything like bus fleet. That's not considered it's got to be building, right?
>> Um so the only thing that's in the CIP that would be included here related to buses would be school buses. >> Yeah. >> Um and that's our match. Uh or no, I'm sorry. That is um I gotta have that backwards. The only thing that's in the
CIP here is related to CAT buses, but it is our match to the federal and state dollars. >> Okay. The but the 1% cannot be it can only be used for buildings, not >> build construction or major renovations.
>> Okay. And then the earnings from the 1% cannot be invested. they can be invested and actually I mean practically speaking um let's say we
move forward uh the referendum passes council passes the ordinance we're probably looking at a year or two before we're even going to sell bonds related to um that. So you there is nothing that prevents us from investing those funds.
Um and none of those numbers are factored in here for just ease of that. But yes, >> any other questions? I think that's all I had. Just looking ahead at your immediate calendar, as we've referenced, July 20th
is when we've proposed to put the resolution in in front of council. Uh August 12th would be uh is an already scheduled joint city council and schoolboard meeting for the purposes of talking about uh the school budget and
as it relates to the city's overall budget. Um August 14th is the last day um to receive the order from the circuit court to place the referendum on the ballot. Again, that's that 81day rule we talked about earlier. And then November
3rd is of course the general election. Sometime following November 3rd, the council would adopt an ordinance to actually adopt the tax. And then 120 days after that, the tax would go into effect. So that's our chronology. That's our timeline
from here going forward. So, um it's we um for today's purposes, we're going to go to about 5:45 to kind of flesh out questions and things like that. So, I know we've been asking questions as we
as we've um kind of been presenting. So um but now we just kind of open it up to the dis discussion and and questions. So because you you all finished your formal presentation. So >> I guess I'll first off thanks for the
invitation to be here. Appreciate that. Um, but in preparation for the August 12th meetings and if we're going to talk about this, I'm curious as to at what point council makes a decision
or what that looks like as far as which option you're going to go with as far as the um the debt metrics, the debt service, how much is is that something you all have to vote on and decide or
>> what is the final decision on This is part of the budget process. >> Yeah, that's where I was. Yeah, >> that sounds >> because it seems to me that that and correct me if I'm wrong, Mike, please, that that might impact what what is being projected as far as
projects and what those projects might look like. And so, I don't know if that's going to go back to the the working committee. >> Yeah. Kind of that. >> Yeah. Let me put that in the in the other direction. Which way we go in terms of how that structure goes in terms of bonding verse uh cash
depends on it as you say it significantly influences how we structure the projects going forward. Right. If we do, if we rely more on the pay as you go approach as we if we're using more cash to pay for projects, that also says that we're going to
implies that we're going to focus more on um uh kind of an annualized the annualized set of of funds and kind of multiple projects over time as opposed to one or two larger projects. Right? If we're bonding more, that means we're probably going to go towards an approach
of of a fewer number of larger projects. Whereas that program of smaller projects might be ones that we can actually pay for most mostly out of cash over time going forward. >> That makes sense. >> It does make sense and I guess I lean into you all, you know, to kind of
present the options to the school board and to council so that we can see what that looks like and then weighing the needs of the schools, >> right? you know, and what those projects are >> and the financial constraints presented by the city and and trying to match those two things up into a into a uh
funded school capital program. So the CIP that we have now that I'm on the committee and we meet periodically um at public works does that reflect the school's um priority um for school
projects or you or there may be >> so the the committee itself we did talk and introduced this wish list or this new prioritiz prioritization list the last time we met. So I think um you know
some of those things are but aren't necessarily showing up on the spreadsheet yet, >> right? >> Um does that answer your question? >> I think that your the the work that was presented today is is the uh the staff working group that was composed of staff
from both city's capital development side as well as school staff. sustainability and budget have also been involved in that and that working group would likely continue their work using this information with feedback from council and the school board to kind of
work towards what a work program that would look like that we can then bring into the CIP. >> Right. So, um, maybe Chris, if you can help me, if we let if we're collecting, let's say, $10 million a year in
additional taxes to fund projects and, you know, let's say we choose um, one of the projects that's, you know, $50 million and we can't we have to use it within
two years. So, how how are we um because I'm I'm picturing myself now trying to explain to this to someone like in the grocery store in the street, you know, to be able to do it because we're already starting to get you you on me as well emails. It's like I'm already
taxed, you know, enough. So, um I'm just trying to understand like the the the two-year rule and then saving up for these big projects that very very few of them. Would it be helpful to use as an example the the middle school project
which was a 90 just over a $90 million project? Like how many bond insuranceances did we do for that? >> Um I think we did two but we only ended up issuing about 50 something million um on the middle school because we got the state grant.
Um schools also contributed some of their gain sharing to that project. But to answer your question, um, we would time the bond sale for when the project was ready or shovel ready. Um, so I
would offer that, um, rather than trying to back into the numbers that you talk about the plan and what you want the construction plan to be, um, you know, if if looking at a, you know, a $150
million high school renovation is where you want to be, um, then that would be where we would start. Um, and then we know that we have some options for affordability. We could come back to you with other plans. Obviously,
this 1% is not going to afford you that whole project either way. >> Um, but I think it's better to talk about what you want that plan to be and then we can f that we can make the financing work. I don't want you to get hung up on we can only issue $35 million
worth of bonds. Um, that's not what I'm saying. um this is based on details that we know today. It's making a lot of assumptions about things that will or won't change. Um and so I think that what is a good takeaway is that probably
it's most effective to do some mix between bonds and payo. Um but I think that depends on which projects you pick because if you're talking about $150 million project, that's probably it. If you're talking about a $30 million
project or even a $60 million project, you probably got multiples of those that you can do. >> Um, so I think I would suggest that that's probably a better discussion at this point. >> And so it's not that we have to spend the money within two years of collecting
the tax. It's within two years of issuing the bond. >> We uh correct >> those are two separate >> we have to spend the bond proceeds. >> Yeah. Yeah. I would add to what the conversation about the timing and and
all those nuances when you do a larger project like the high school and we experienced this with the middle school and you especially will experience this in a highly competitive construction bid environment. Um but we've even experienced this with our small summer renovations. We're very good and I should say we I really need to give
credit to public works and Mike's team at designing projects that have uh add alternates, you know, bid ads and and doing it in phases because the fact is you have to prepare that on bid day you may be looking at bids that aren't in alignment with what with what your
financial plans are. And so with something like the middle school to make it really concrete, I mean that whole fine arts feast was up in the air until what felt like the 12th hour whether or not we were going to be able to do it. But we knew that we had a plan where we could proceed with everything else
whether that got to go or not. And when you're looking at a very what will likely be a very similar process for the high school where you're going to have to you build a wing that you can move and use as swing space and then you're chunking that that large project into phases that allow you to not only deal
with the nuances of how the financing works and the timing requirements and all that fun stuff that Chrissy gets to deal with. But also it allows you to be responsive to whatever the realities are when in the market when you actually want to. Mike, you could say more about >> Yeah, I think I think that's mostly
accurate. I think um I in the office I like to call them valves and and you some of you will remember that we came to you when we got bids in for the middle school and the question that we brought to council was do we open or close this valve? uh meaning do we do
this additive bid item that we've got pricing for or do we trim the project down? In that case, we chose to accept all the ad bids and and do all the things that we had designed. Um that was maybe a different fiscal situation that we're going to be in when we do some of
these projects. But um that's that is the flexibility we can we can add to the project. And I do I do really like phasing large projects u because it it gives you flexibility going forward. There are unknowns that
you might not see coming. Um and it's also good to have discrete project beginnings and endings. Uh so that you can mark the milestone and say okay this this much at least is done. Um and then we can go go at it again.
But we don't ever do anything like we'll commit to half of the CHS project and two other elementary school projects. Like we like them to be full packages. I mean I know that's different than phasing, but >> it I mean we've never done that in the
past. Doesn't mean we couldn't. I think it's it's really a question of, you know, if there was something at CHS that was just at like hypothetically you love the the new u the new learning space idea, but the rest of the school seems fine. So you would say, okay, we'll do the new learning space, we won't do the
rest of the school, interior upgrades and all that stuff. >> Trick is to finding a discrete project that you could you could end and be done with. Right. >> Right. So in addition >> I mean don't tell my high school junior that I just said that. Okay. Well, take that off. Well, it's completely hypothetical, of course, [laughter] but
I mean, yeah, if you try and leave as many options available, I things change quickly both in the world of finance and in the world of running cities. So, >> so I had one more question of clarification. Lisa had you know, I asked question Lisa was like, well, it
depends on what is I understood you, Lisa. It's like you know your all's priority would may determine which one of these options we choose to follow as far as funding when we do a budget.
So I think I think we have prioritized them and there's a spreadsheet and I'm sure that you presented it to them. Um but I think we can maybe bring that back in August would be helpful. Um based on the committee I mean and based on what that that list look like looks like
right now CHS has kind of jumped to the top of that list and and there's some very important reasons and I think um hearing again from Dr. Gurley and Dr. Eley as far as the instructional piece. I think
for those of you who have had the opportunity to walk through the middle school, incredible, right? State-of-the-art. And if you haven't, we will set up a an opportunity for you to to do that. But then if you go and walk to the high school, walk through the high school. So, I mean that that's kind
of the why. I mean, and there's more to it as far as why that has jumped, >> right? and what we might be recommending. But again, we are at kind of the mercy of of the funding. Um, and so having this conversation and I think
putting it back to the committee to to let them kind of work through this with the funding options and what I mean to >> the the reason that I asked that is because we probably won't get into the this until January, February, March and
really is it April or March is like when we have those month those weekly meetings. I just wasn't sure, you know, if that's when you were talking about when council is going to, you know, talk
about that. Is that too late? Um or, you know, for the timing of everything. >> I I I I'm maybe going out on a limb a little bit, but I think we'll need to carry some of this conversation forward at your next meeting, the next joint meeting with council. I think um you the
charge of that working group was to to to put together a financially unconstrained plan for the modernization of our school facilities kind of reasonable. It wasn't and you saw you heard the
choices that uh Mike described where they where you know we didn't go crazy right it was it was reasonable but it was still financially unconstrained and now the question is now that we understand the financial constraints
where do where do the priorities lie and that's a discussion that I think has to happen with both the school board and the city council because those financial constraints as presented as we understand them kind of say you can do one maybe two big projects or you can do
a multitude of smaller projects and the the and smaller being relative because we're still talking 2530 million for most of those smaller projects. But you know that's that's a that's a priorit prioritization exercise. Which way do we
want to go? Where's the priority? I do wonder could there be some modeling in that August meeting with the prel pre preliminary draft plan to see like if if we do these smaller then this is what financial impact and bond impact looks
like or if we go in the other direction could we see some financial modeling um with those so that there's more of a conversation to see what the impact really is. I'd also like to say I'm I don't have a
card, but I'm Amanda Corman Smallchic. I'm the director of community relations for the schools. And I know that for us, it's also important obviously in passing a referendum, this is this is about engaging our voters to understand why this is such a good tool um and why this
is and and what the significant needs are, right? So really bringing everybody on board to the needs portion. And then we're already we're talking about solutions, but I think that we're interested in a community engagement process that would include involving citizens in what are the solutions that
are meaningful, most meaningful to you and what do you want to see while also sharing that this tool enables us to ask a lot less of citizens um in the long term financially. You know, I know there's a piece of this uh referendum
that we we talk about sales taxes. some percentage of it is funded not by residents at all, right? But by by visitors to the city. >> And I do thank you for for bringing that up. I mean, I wanted us to take a step back because we're we're talking and hopefully this does pass, but to your
point, um, Mayor Wade, you know, that you guys are getting emails already, um, and people sharing concerns, asking questions. And I I think it is important that we as the school division and and as the city, you know, are sensitive to the fact um of what people are asking
and just the times and the financial impacts or their their worries or fears, but to understand again the needs of the schools um and and why this is important and to Miss Somalchek's point, you know, just how
having this tool, which we've been um asking for and fighting for at the general assembly for years and years, years and years now we have the opportunity to do it and what is how does this benefit benefit the community >> so um council um do you think it would
be beneficial for Amanda to work with Afton to kind of put together some talking points or is everyone's feel feel comfortable with where we are as far as explaining it to the public if we >> I think we're I think we're not quite ready for the talking points yet
>> because I don't know what they would be >> I I would like to have policy drive the talking points, not the other way around. >> I think we could have I know Miss Smallch's developing like a fact sheet >> for us like just generally like how did
we get here? What was the process? Um >> and what and again what are the needs? What are the school facility needs that we that we know about without presenting a plan for solving them that is fully baked? although we want to get to that
point. Um that's certainly something that that we have and just even bringing the resolution on July 20th perhaps you'd like something to just have talking points about that and I and I have already had a conversation with that so we're in connection about >> well I think one of the things we have
to determine um and you know there's already kind of a inertia towards one of these options but which is um is this uh replacing anything or is it new funding? to do funding. >> Well, that's a decision we have to make is do we lower something else to
accommodate the fiscal stress on our community. >> Oh, I see. >> Like it's it's that like technically that is something that we have to determine in the next budget cycle is do we reduce something else in order to accommodate this? But then it's directed towards school funding especially. So
the inertia is that it's for new, but that's something that we're going to have to confirm. And that's a question that the public is going to ask and has been asking already is we're already spending this much. It cost me this much to go out to eat and now we have to add it more when we do have the capacity. We
do have the technically we have the ability to reduce a lever somewhere else. Um so that's something we're going to need to make sure we're all on the same page about going forward. Um, just bringing that up to clarify. I don't want that to be a question that someone asks later. Well, why didn't you guys
talk about that? >> Kind of broaching that. >> I would think that it would be useful and whether it and doesn't need to happen before August 12th, but perhaps if it if it could be developed before
then might be good is to have a sense of okay, the next project is Walker. When is it going to start? when is it going to be finished? you just sort of the I guess the gant diagram of okay now we're doing this one and then we're doing this one and then we're doing this one
even if we don't necessarily know what all of those are going to be at least to be able to say folks we can tell you we've got a plan walker is the first step and after that for example I had always assumed that the logical next step was to start working on elementary
schools that have been revised because of what has happened with Walker and and and Charleston Middle School and so on. Um I it would be nice if we could >> have a menu. So let
>> or or to give a sense that that we we actually know what we're doing and we're not just going to make it up three years from now. >> We have >> Yeah. I It's very colorful. >> Yes, we've we've seen that. I think the the difference is that that is TBD. Like
the order of things is TBD. The things are all concrete items we would like to see. >> I don't remember having >> it's in the it's in the um packet >> packet >> for today. Um I think it was the one
online. But that sort of that is a selling people on the timeline instead of selling people on these are the things we could do and we haven't determined the timeline yet. So >> first one >> I think some of it yeah Mike you know has
>> and can get for you all >> definitely to bring up >> I guess to me the the big question is you know I'm fully in support moving forward with the sales tax referendum this November. It's been long journey to get here and um no matter what we know
even with the sales tax there's going to be more needs than there exists um capacity to meet those needs so we might as well move forward with it. Um, but I guess the big question is just adding up the school projects
or the elementary school projects without K-tech and including the unfunded part of Walker, that's 255 million without cost escalations that may occur. So if we're talking about 150 and that's already above this sales tax revenue. So, if we're talking about 150
to 200 million above this new sales tax revenue, I just don't know if we're literally going to be able to afford that. Um, we've increased taxes multiple times. We have among the highest meals tax and lodging tax rates in the state. We have room to not we're still not
among the highest on real estate tax, but that comes with legitimate trade-offs. Um, we still haven't incorporated the full cost of collective bargaining on the city or schools in into our budget. As you all very well know, you have very legitimate needs for
unfunded positions that are also not incorporated into our budget. We have staffing positions on our end we need. So again, I I just literally don't know if 150 to 200 million above the sales tax is possible. So, it may be a choice between is it the elementary school
portfolio or is it the high school in this 20-year period. And um just from our last discussion among all of council, my understanding was that the elementary portfolio made more sense as a higher priority just because at least at that time it sounded like a lot of
the HVAC systems likely needed a full replacement or it may be just a good idea to do a full replacement. As well as the fact it seemed like those were the schools that had the biggest deficiencies in terms of like no cafeteria, no um schoolwide meeting space. >> They're the oldest,
>> right? and they're the oldest and those are the ages which are most critical for the achievement gap. Um, but that was the conversation at that time. Admittedly, I haven't been part of any conversations about the high school. So, honestly, that's just my perspective from having heard the past conversation
and nothing about the high school. Um, but again, that to me is the biggest outstanding question. Um, you know, if if we can't do it all, what do we do? I have a couple other questions that are a little
popery style from random parts of the different pockets we have. Um, one of the things listed on the packet was the Rose Hill entrance concept. What's that? >> The CELC move back to the >> That was um that was version B of the uh
Charlesville Early Learning Center concept. So that was the terrace scheme. Ah, >> sorry. The Rose Hill is the new scheme. That was the Gentry Lane scheme. So that that's version C, version A. >> Okay. >> Both use Rose Hill as their front
entrance as opposed to Gentry. >> Okay. Got it. Thank you. Um, and the renovation of the performing arts center at the high school, what's what is the need for that and what does that look like just separately from the rest of it? >> Mostly it's carpet and seats. Uh there's
also some lighting upgrades. uh some of the technical lighting stuff is a little doesn't work right. >> Um so replacing that but the big cost item the cost driver there is new seats. >> The seats allowed
>> they're old. >> Yeah. >> It's a lot of a lot of carpet carpet there. Um and then do we have but this is separate from what we're talking about but related. Do we have a any more idea of
what the $43 million UVA has for an early learning center is going towards? What does that look like? Are we factoring? >> Do we have anyone we're talking to about that? >> That has nothing to do with us. >> That money is not allocated. >> So, I know it's not going to us, but how
is that going to affect what we're providing, what our needs, and uh is that going to pull certain kids out of our learning center? What is the is that for just staff and it could be from anywhere. Do we know how that's going to affect what we need to provide? I know
it's not going towards us, believe me. But um >> I believe it's zero to five and it's 100 students total. >> Yeah. >> Y >> yeah. So just how what is that how does that affect our landscape is really the question. Um okay. And then um just
because it feels like the conversation about the high school is um kind of fresher to us than the rest of the things that we've been talking about. Uh can we get a little more background on um who's asking for it? Where did the
ideas come from? What's the plan? You know, those students are coming out of the middle school for the first time, the completed middle school for the first time next year. So, so how I mean are we planning on collecting data for performance once they're in the the like
does it change from the new school the shiny new school to the asis high school is that actually going to make a difference or not? I think that's stuff we need to consider before spending a lot of money on this. So just a little more background about the the genesis of of this project I think would
be helpful if you don't mind. I can say that. >> Oh, was that a question? Writing the question brief thing now if you want to do more get into. >> So when you um the the people who lead instruction for our school division >> when as they've spent more and more time
and we've now lived with the new middle school for a year. Um, and just I know this is going to sound like a fuzzy answer, but the feeling that you get and and understanding what they see with how instruction works in those spaces versus
seeing and experiencing and living what is at the high school right now. It's just a very stark difference in reality that folks who actually lead instruction should should speak to. Um, and they will, I'm sure. So, to your point, that's a question that Michael told us was sort of brewing around. I would also
say though back to um the old Fipsy thing when we were just starting to try to get u momentum with lifting our old facilities when we started and we were like okay if go into summit which was Clark back then what would a current educational space look like right we
always had the guiding principle that whatever class if we were if the project in a in a school was going to be to lift a grade level because we knew we didn't have enough money or enough time to do more than one grade level in summer, it had to be the fourth grade. It had to be the highest grade level in that
building, which was fourth at the time, because you didn't want kiddos going from, you know, a really great or, you know, a lot lot more light or different features in second or third grade or kind and then going feeling like the next year, wait a minute, this room
isn't as nice as the one I was in, you know, before. And so that's just like this fundamental guiding principle that we had all the way back into the 2017 2018 time frame when we started trying to do these little million-doll summer lifts. Um there was just this idea that you don't want as people, you know, and
even for kids just that feeling of like, oh, I'm stepping down because I I was in this really great space and now I'm stepping back. But much more important than that is the instructional piece and and the talking about like collaborative learning versus what I'll call traditional sit and gate classrooms
which is what our the time period our high school was designed in. Um is is there are some great spaces in our high school but they're the more the atriums and the common areas. That's where all the big windows are. The classrooms are just a totally different story for the
most part. I I was a CHS gra I know >> at the cavernous feel like when you go into some of those rooms off the media center where there's just no light and you're just >> and so the block walls >> I'd like to to just add to that that the
the pivot to thinking about CHS first also or it comes from the current Charlesville City Schools strategic plan one of the main pillars is about creating life ready graduates and I I think that you see a lot of, you know, a
shifting focus from just thinking about helping kids get to college to the acknowledgement that not all kids want to go to college and ensuring that we're strengthening the pathways for other routes. And so that's so Kim is referencing the interior upgrades of the
rest of the building. And then in terms of talking about the new addition that would support career and technical education, another piece that we just haven't mentioned is that Dr. girl is interested in the creation of an ROC program. >> Yes. And so those are so those are two
examples that really reflect how wanting to ensure that those students who aren't headed to a four-year college feel supported starting from 9th grade through 12th grade and and the acquisition of KEK and the and the and
ensuring the success of KEK for the future was a significant part of that ensuring our students would continue to have access to that. But as folks are saying, that's a it's about 11 different trades that are served there and it requires students to be there for half of their school day and it requires them
to want to choose to invest in one of those 11 pieces. whereas we know there's a huge much larger uh piece future focus of students that doesn't in that that isn't served by by those needs and and that that's what we
envision for CHS is really you know and then I'll also you know because I'm I'm a I'm a PR person I also just have to say that that we know that CHS is is a symbol of the city right that it's I I think that it's where it's it's the
pride of this city I think in many ways, right, that being a black knight is a proud of the city. And I think that now that we see what's possible at CMS, we know we want that for the city. >> So, it's it's all legitimately and genuinely very important. This is a
little bit of a rabbit hole, but um obviously literacy and numeracy is critical not just for those who are going to college, but to be successful in the workforce, even if you don't go to a four-year college or even associates degree, um as we all know,
you know, I think about 40% of black students pass statewide um reading standards, about 90% for white students. The achievement gap is is massive. And those critical years are K through three. and after the third grade, it really starts to compound and become
harder to solve. Um, all of which is to say, do the existing elementary school facilities for those K through five grades, are they sufficient in terms of the ability to have programming that's um best serving that
kind of need? um because I know that legitimate need exists at the high school but is it also met at the elementary schools? >> So when we have the conversations in our work group about the the programming piece which again my colleague Dr. leads a lot of that conversation. When you
hear us talk about the elementary schools, it's more about yes, we we want to lift all those restrooms, although we definitely need to prioritize all of the CHS restrooms over the remaining elementary restrooms. It's about the, you know, secure vest the lack of a security visitor vestibule, lack of natural light, all those things. I can
honestly say that in those conversations, you don't hear the same um level of concern or any level of concern necessarily about how our elementary instruction works in concert with the buildings. It's not to say that there aren't areas for improvement. Um
lack of natural light in some of the buildings, those 60s7s era things, that's that's a real thing. But um it is definitely as I listen to my colleagues who lead instruction, it's nowhere near uh it's just not the same level of concern. if any concern about the
instructional piece. It's it's more about those specific things that we listed on those two buildings and it it's just that's that's where those conversations have been and we've talked deeply about uh all these aspects of every building.
>> How is that going to change with fifth grade moving? >> So, you make a good point because those collab that collaborative instruction breakouts does play more of a factor with the older students and you're correct. We are moving the fifth graders in. So again, um
>> the school in elementary school >> our elementary schools are going to get a little older, right? Um so I would think yesth graders would think, right? >> Well, no. What we did um this is we're living this right now. So we took preschool out and put fifth grade in and
um we've moved the grade levels around within the the buildings. This is the summer of reconfiguration. Um a lot of moving parts, but we we basically swapped uh preschool classrooms for fifth grade classrooms. Although we had to reconfigure within the building and
bump grades around, but it wasn't a space issue. >> How do the numbers work out? I mean, how many fifth graders versus how many preK were swapping? >> So, when we did the um elementary resoning that we did a little while back, um we factored in reconfiguration
and we ensured that we have adequate space in all of our elementarymentaries and all public schools right now are being helped by the declining birth rate which is across the nation. So, um, we don't have, um, capacity concerns this time. The only one that I'm still keeping a close eye on is honestly
Jackson Vio with the South First Street opening. I was surprised we didn't do that. The consultants work didn't reflect a need to do more uh, >> moving there. But we also have some special needs programs there, the LEAP program, which we had some flexibility to move classrooms to other elementary schools to balance out capacity. In all
in all honesty, managing capacity across six elementary schools in 10 square miles is not for the faint of heart because there's a lot of movement going on in a small area and getting it to land right and maintain our neighborhood elementary schools is challenging. But so far, you know, we're okay and capacity is not
really a a feature of these conversations we're having either with this. We have to keep we clearly have to be mindful of it. And if you if you followed our um redistricting work from a year or so ago, really a lot of that's about the intensity of high density
development around Summit, our school on a postage stamp, and then the domino effect that that sets into play across the city because Summit simply cannot hold what is happening in relation to the um the affordable housing developments and other just housing developments uh higher density
developments that are going on in that particular zone. And so that calls just to happen. So, we just got a few more more minutes. Um Um Jen, did you have any comments? I mean, we're going to have another opportunity. This is a good, you know, starting off point to
get, you know, some idea of what what we're doing. I know we have a a timeline, but we just have a few more minutes for today and then we're going to talk about I don't think you heard this, Michael and Lord. Maybe you you did, but we're going to spend just a few minutes to talk about different projects. I mean the different our
committees that we're we're on. >> So >> we got two minutes per. >> Yeah. >> Um yeah. So >> I don't have anything else except or sorry. Go ahead. >> Oh the um the questions I have are really about can we get more can we get
more visibility on like the rubric of the prioritization for schools because I'm can I don't know I'm not sure I know what our goal is. Is the goal to close an achievement gap or is it to get more work ready students in the next
20 years? Because we're thinking of this kind of in a vacuum like we don't have any idea what AI impacts any of those this algorithm. We don't have a sense of what does you know what an environmental diaspora will look like. We just don't you know there's so many unknowns at the moment.
So, >> if we could get a sense of like what are we aiming for with these with with the redesign or you know with the priority list and what the rubric is for how things popped to the top. it would kind of help us I think it would help us
understand what we're really aiming for and we may because I think on a base level investing full stop in elementary as Michael's saying is like statistically your better achievement gap priority but if we're saying you know that's not the goal of re doing
these schools it's a different goal then it's easier to frame it that way and so I kind of just need some guidance there >> I think both can be true right one is about instruction one is about facilities and so can We continue to work on robust instructional goals and
um you know continue Dr. Gurley and his team to do that work. Yes. And we can also build state-of-the-art facilities that reflect where we see a trend in better outcomes.
We are seeing a trend in better outcomes. If we go back and look at some of that data um from last year in our younger grades, so we are seeing the achievement gap um some changes in those K through three
spaces even up to fifth grade right now. Um and so I think both can be true and both are part of the strategic plan. >> Yeah. And that's reassuring that either that it's a win-win when you're investing like this, right? I think we're gonna have to decide but who goes
first, right? And so that piece of the rubric would be helpful to know. Um, >> don't ask Theo Fisk. He's going to tell you the high school the floor drives him crazy, you know, like but but there it's for real. It's it's it is hard to know. >> We're going to have to make a really
tight decision based on the lack of cash. And so anything that can help make an informed decision that way would be helpful knowing that we're going to win no matter what we invest in because it will create those benefits. Yeah. >> Yeah. And I've been trying to and I wasn't ignoring you Natalie when you
were talking. I was writing your question down so that you know trying to try and prepare us so that we can bring some of this back to our next meeting together. So >> So just a any last question here before we go into our rec um recap of of
different committees and things that we sit at. So I think we got some good questions um started this dialogue. I think will be prepared. Um the meet joint meeting on August the 12th will be fruitful. So
James before we go to any other questions you have to wrap this up before we >> I think we're good. >> Okay. Um >> you're welcome to stick around if you're recent. >> Um Jen, I think that you said you didn't have you you know you didn't have any meetings. Um
>> yeah, Natalie reminded me I did have one that does not match was not with one of the other of you that so most of my commissions were took a summer recess for um June or July and >> the one we did work on was the planning and um development work group worked
with the Stribbling Avenue neighbors on their sidewalk project. So, we're working together to determine how to how to best meet their needs um for safer streets and uh for all users and within
the constraints of funding and >> limited resources there as well. >> Limited resources. So, those that's an ongoing conversation that we're working on with public works and the neighbors themselves and has been pretty productive subject. >> Um that one.
>> Sure. Um, I had the pleasure of joining Michael at the Fightville Habitat for Humanity dedication. Um, three homes, three families got homes in the neighborhood and they had a lovely um, ceremony at Fville Park. Um, I went on the neighborhood walk. It was Locust
Grove last month. Um, this weekend it's going to be um, a meeting over at UVA and we're doing Lewis Mountain neighborhood. Um, I met with Delegate Collison. We talked about some state advocacy opportunities. Um went to the
planning development meeting with councelor Fleer to to work on the shling project with um those neighbors. It's been a a great partnership so far. Um I attended uh the decarbonization webinar study webinar and the meeting last night
that C3 hosted in this room um with the consultant to um provide community opportunity for community feedback and updates on um how that's going. Um, and then at MO, we got um, Smart Scale and
STARS project pipeline updates as well as updates from both city and county staff on what's going on uh, in our region. And then had the pleasure of joining some our mayor and some uh, some other folks at the um, Weiwayi Tanango
events last week, the 50th um, downtown mall birthday party in the heat. And then um it was great to see the seagull spectacular fireworks. That's not >> it's busy. >> And on a high note. >> Yeah. >> Um Lily
>> uh well the only meeting that of a regular board of commission I've attended in the last few weeks was Water and Sewer Authority where it was largely just sort of a checkin on on the the kinds of things that that they're doing. And I'm not sure there's any great news
that hasn't been out public uh in in the world about about the construction projects that are going on. Uh another meeting that I was involved with uh that I'm on the uh Virginia Municipal League legislative committee and we had a a
statewide Zoom meeting uh on June 24th. Unfortunately, it was almost entirely devoted to what the heck's the budget going to be. Uh we were at that point still a day or two away from knowing whether there was even going to be a
budget. And so I I was trying to rack my brain to think, was there anything that we actually talked about that's still a live issue today to to report back on? And not really. Um, I also enjoyed the 50th birthday party and the uh the the
snaky thing that was going down the mall. That was kind of cool. Um, I'm not quite sure I understood the light show at the end. I thought it was more an homage to the vape shops on the on the mall these days than anything else. But
it was fun. >> That's [laughter] wonderful. for boards and commissions. Um, CRA has obviously had very fun uh
events recently, but um the CRA board is interested in moving forward with creating a subcommittee to put out an RFP for um an organizational assessment of CRA, looking at um other housing
agencies, other housing authorities, what can they do to improve where is customer service in administrative ative capacity lacking. Um um so hopefully that'll be good. Local energy alliance program leap um have
also you know in a in in fun times having uh new programs at the state level will be coming on later this year but funding through bipartisan infrastructure law and inflation reduction act programs have been cut. So they're still really trying to figure out basically how to get bridge capital
between now and when those new programs will begin. Um finance committee met in addition to the recent meeting we had about the inclusionary zoning tax revenue that will be coming in and possibly suspend it. Our most recent one was about potential financial impacts of
collective bargaining on the city end. Not all of which we've budgeted for yet um and are going to be um substantial going forward. Um and it's a regional housing partnership meeting. Nothing too substantive or new was discussed there
honestly. Um that's about it. >> Yeah. So it's a lot as well. I Israel were talking remembering just different things just over the last few weeks. um had a meeting with the executive director of the center um after a TAI,
one of my TAI classes helped me um and had a meeting this week with the climate collaborative um and um you went to the dinner last night or yeah um had meetings I'm on a committee with the National League of Cities um and also
next week meeting with Virginia Municipal League. I'm on an infrastructure committee with them and we're meeting next week. Of course, met with Katrina. Today I had a meeting with the chamber policy meeting where we got an update from Katrina and Creed. Um
have the Java meeting um um big convention um Charlottesville Abom um convention and tourism board meeting and had a great time with our friends from Guatemala. They safely got back on
Monday. Um they came here during the hottest spell that we've had, but they still were smiling, but we we changed some things so that it can go back and cool off and and rest. and he would he liked the fact that um they were at
Hampton Inn that everything was pretty close whether it was Cardon Hall, downtown mall or everything was close um except for um when we went down to Scotchville on for Yeah. So they got full Americana and
um so did I say that? I'm sorry. Um so um >> taking vista [laughter] yeah um um had um a city county meeting where we talked about the followup for the chamber and chamber and chamber visit that we had to
chapel here where we're looking at how we're going to follow up on those things and I think the public should know that Natalie and I meet with the chair and the vice chair of the county board to supervisors um Ned and Fred on a monthly basis where we talk about um issues um
and um and so that's um we did that. >> Great. >> Yes. And you know, I did a lot of it, but met with countless constituents and um but I think it's healthy that we do this so the people know that in addition to the
two meetings that we have on Mondays um and now this meeting that it's tons of other things that that we do where we really um are getting down to the grand granular level. Yes. >> Um there being no no other businesses,
can I get a motion to adjurnn? So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor, please say yes. >> Yes. Thank you.