Coraggio Consulting
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Business Meeting, Thursday, November 5, 2026

Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
Place: Loudoun County Government Center, Leesburg, Virginia
Length: 6h 16m (video)
Official meeting video (eScribe): https://pub-loudoun.escribemeetings.com/VideoStream.aspx?MeetingId=e3f455d0-966e-4b24-8d8d-cd5a02f4721c
Meeting page and agenda (eScribe): https://pub-loudoun.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=e3f455d0-966e-4b24-8d8d-cd5a02f4721c&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English

Machine transcript (speech-to-text) produced by Coraggio Consulting. Not an official county record. Names and numbers may be misspelled; check the video at the timestamp before quoting.
Speech-to-text: whisper.cpp, model large-v3-turbo. Produced 2026-11-06. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:13:11] You with me? You want to tell me? You got it. Oh, yeah. That's fine. I'm going to raise your point. So I've got a good job.

[00:13:27] You got it. Oh, amen. As long as we're in our budget. Yes. We got it. Well, good evening, supervisors.

[00:13:43] Good evening, staff. And good evening, Loudon. I'd like to call the order of the November 5, 2025, Loudon County Board of Supervisors Business Meeting. This room has a hearing loop. If you need hearing assistance, please switch your hearing aid to the telecall mode. If you need a headset, we have those available as well.

[00:13:59] Please see the clerk to my left to request one. This evening, Supervisor Umstead will lead us either in words of inspiration or in invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, Madam Chair. I would just ask God, in the aftermath of an election, there are always winners and losers, and just remind all of us that, especially those of us who might be happy with the results of Tuesday, That there are many of our neighbors who might not be.

[00:14:33] And if we could just treat everybody as a human being, regardless of how they vote or what their politics are, just recognize that there's some decency in everybody and give them respect, especially if things are tough for them after an election.

[00:14:57] Thank you. if we could all rise for the pledge of allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all okay i don't have any additions or deletions to the agenda tonight does anyone else have any additions or deletions to the agenda that they want to have to discuss tonight Okay, then I'm going to go on and read the consent agenda.

[00:15:33] It is as follows. Item 7A, resolution to recognize and commemorate the historic opening of the Loudon Freedom Center Museum at the Union Street School. That's for approval only. That is from Supervisor Glass, Supervisor Sainz, and myself. And while I'm talking about this, everyone is invited to join us for the opening of the Union Street School on the 14th of November.

[00:15:57] We'd love to have you join us. Item 7B, proclamation to recognize November 15th as American Recycles Day. That's for approval only. Item 7C, resolution to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Committee for Dulles. That's for approval only. It's from myself, Mr. Letourneau.

[00:16:13] I believe Mr. Letourneau, because I won't be able to be there, will read this proclamation at the Committee for Dulles event. Item 7D, proclamation to recognize Diwali. That would be this evening. Supervisor Letourneau, Sains, and DeCrony will join me down front.

[00:16:30] Item 11A, contract renewal, job order contract for general constructions. Item 11B, that was item 11A, the contract renewal. 11B is contract award for fiscal year 2027, capital improvement program amendment, construction of the Brambleton West Park improvements.

[00:16:53] Item 11C, contract award construction of our COLA quarters for the enslaved. Item 11D, location design endorsement for the Franklin Park to Percival Trail Park project. Item 11E, location and design endorsement Montressor Road sidewalk project.

[00:17:11] Item 11F, the space strategy update for the Eastern Service Center. Item 14A, appointments and confirmations. Item 14C, the AIR report of November 5th, 2026. Item 14D, resolution of intent to amend the DOEM 2026-0004, Loudoun County Facility Standards Manual for Gated Residential Communities.

[00:17:42] And Item 11E, authorization to advertise proposed amendments to Chapter 466 of the Codified Ordinance of Loudoun County, Operation of Vehicles. That is the consent agenda. I will make a motion to approve. Is there a second on the motion? Second. Second made by Vice Chair Turner.

[00:17:58] Discussion on the motion, I would just say for Item 11C, the contract award for the construction of Ocola quarters for the enslaved. I think construction might be the wrong word because we're not building quarters for enslaved from the ground up.

[00:18:14] It's more preservation. I do really, really appreciate the staff, Heidi Steven Trent, the Loudoun Historic Committee, and everyone who continues to work on all of our historic places in Loudoun County.

[00:18:32] but we have been talking about the ACOLA for the enslaved quarters to make sure it is preserved for a really long time, and I'm really very happy that we're just about there because we're doing the contract of work tonight. So for everyone who has worked on this item, thank you so, so much, and a special thank you to our Historic Preservation Committee.

[00:18:54] Any other discussion on the consent agenda? Mr. Crony. So 14E, Authorization to Advertise Proposed Amendments to Chapter 466 of the Codified Ordinance of Loudoun County, that is actually an ordinance to lower speed limits on residential streets to 15 or 15, 20 or 15 miles per hour, based on a new law the General Assembly passed in 2024.

[00:19:24] This is really important for resident safety. I know Middleburg has already passed a lower speed limit of 20 miles per hour, and it has really increased the safety in the town. They're seeing significant results with a lower speed limit, and the Brambleton HOA has asked to be able to reduce speeds on some roads in their community, and this ordinance, once implemented, will allow for that.

[00:19:50] So I just want to thank staff for putting this through and giving communities a chance to have a lower speed limit on their streets. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? All right. I made the motion for the consent agenda, seconded by Supervisor Commissioner Turner.

[00:20:10] All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion will pass 702. Mr. Sains and Mr. Saterno are working their way to us from D.C. They are both coming from work. I'm sure they will be here as soon as they possibly can. I have very few updates today, and my voice for a cause, I will save that to the next meeting, but just a few updates, chair's comments, updates.

[00:20:35] On November 22nd, I joined county staff, and we escorted Tim Kaine through Senator Tim Kaine through the Crisis Receiving Center. I do want to thank Margaret Graham and all the staff at the Crisis Receiving Center and the contractors at the Crisis Receiving Center.

[00:20:53] Senator Cain and I, it took like an hour and a half, two hours. And then later on that day, the Crisis Receiving Center then opened. And so now it is a fully stood up Crisis Receiving Center, so we're really happy about that. But the last visitor to escort it through was Senator Cain.

[00:21:11] On Friday the 23rd, I represented Loudon and NVTA, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, to the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance, so they're both NVTA, and I spoke on behalf of both organizations, the county and the authority, on what you need to know about transportation.

[00:21:35] It is the NVTA Alliance's annual breakfast. Keith Merlin was also the special awardee that day. And so that was a very good event. And then just this morning, I spoke at the State of the Market, the BizNow event.

[00:21:54] It was held at Loudoun Station. So I did do a couple of other things. I also want to report that this weekend many of us, not all of us, but many of us will be headed down to Bath County to the homestead for the Virginia Association of Counties year-end conference.

[00:22:14] And so I am, of course, on the board of that, of BACO, and I sit on the Health Policy Steering Committee. When I come back, I will give a full readout of everything that happened at BACO. And now I will go to Mr. Hemstreet for any comments he has this evening.

[00:22:32] Thank you, Madam Chair. I've got four comments for this evening. The first is that I'm pleased to announce that the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services has again joined the ranks of elite park and recreation agencies by successfully completing the strenuous accreditation process. PRCS had a perfect score, meeting all 154 standards set by the accreditation agency.

[00:22:53] In addition, PRCS has been honored with several awards from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society. They include the Best New Facility Award for the Ashburn Recreation and Community Center and the Best New Renovation Award for Bless Park. Details about the PRCS awards and other award-winning county programs can be found at loudon.gov slash awards.

[00:23:13] Second, applications are now open for the Loudoun County Streetlight Program. As you know, the new countywide program provides assistance to residential communities that would like streetlights to be installed where none currently exist. Communities that have a limited number of streetlights are also eligible to apply. More information is online at loudon.gov slash streetlights. Third, the Loudoun County Hypothermia Prevention Shelter will open on Sunday, November 15th. The shelter is for single adults age 18 and older who are experiencing homelessness due to a housing crisis. This temporary shelter provides a warm indoor sleeping environment and will be open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.,

[00:23:53] seven nights a week through March 31st. Details are online at loud.gov slash homeless services. And then finally, as you may have noticed, Operation Green Light for Veterans is back. The Government Center and the Charles Hamilton Houston Courthouse are both illuminated in green light and will be for the next two weeks to show appreciation and support for military veterans.

[00:24:15] The national initiative is spearheaded by the National Association of Counties, and Loudoun is proud to participate. As a reminder, Loudoun County's Veteran Services Program serves as a one-stop information outreach and referral hub for the more than 23,000 veterans who live in Loudoun.

[00:24:30] More information is online at loudoun.gov forward slash veterans. Those are my comments this evening, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Hemstreet. Supervisor, I'm going to take just two moments of personal privilege and say that, because what Mr. Hemstreet said just reminded me, this past week, and Mr. Kerser and I talked about this last night, we had a situation in Percival, in the town of Percival, so the building itself was not a county building where there was significant violations, building code and fire violations, that caused our fire and rescue to have to evacuate the building.

[00:25:08] It left, I think, 58 people unhoused. I do want to really, really thank the department, the emergency management department, Mr. Hempstreet, who I called right away, and lots of other phone calls were made. Within hours, we were able to get those residents to a safe place and to a hotel. I have been in constant contact with the town, with my colleague in the town of Percival, not with Mr. Hempstreet's colleague, but with now Mayor-elect Rainer.

[00:25:43] I have been in contact with Mr. Kirshner. I do want to say that there has been some concerns that in some way that the county will evict people from the safe spaces they are in right now.

[00:26:02] That is not true. We will not do that. We are looking, we are trying very hard to find other spaces and other revenue to help them. But until that happens, we're not going to be putting anybody out in the street. But seriously, it was kind of just an all-in effort in the middle of, I mean, you know, it happened very suddenly.

[00:26:24] So thank you to staff. Thank you to especially Mayor-elect Rayner. Thank you, Mr. Hemstreet. Thank you to emergency management. Thank you to everybody because a bad situation could have been much worse. So that's the first thing.

[00:26:40] The second thing is, I want to say happy birthday to my chief of staff, Matt Rogers. He is just a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, smart, kind, really funny young man. And he's just had a birthday, and I'm not quite sure what I would do without him.

[00:26:56] So, Matt, happy birthday. All right. Madam Chair, if I may, thank you for the acknowledgement of staff on the Percival East Departments. I just do want to add, the brunt of that work was done by the Department of Family Services. Yes, also, I'm sorry, I should have said them too. happening now. It's a combination of them with support from housing and community development. Yes, I should have said that too.

[00:27:17] In fact, I received rave reviews from my colleague in Percival about the Department of Family Service. Everyone just landed there and just worked until we got it taken care of. These things are never easy, but the response was swift and very good.

[00:27:38] All right, we now have an information item that Mr. Ernie Brown's going to come to the table. And Mr. Quintine, are you coming to the table as well? No, just to them?

[00:27:54] Okay, Mr. Brown's going to announce and talk about this, and then myself and Ms. Umstad and Mr. Turner are going to join us, join me down front in just a second after Mr. Brown talks about what this is. So thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.

[00:28:13] Members of the board, thank you. As you may know, Loudoun County is very fortunate to have more than 80 employees who serve not only our community, but also our nation as active members of the National Guard and or Reserve. Balancing these two commitments is not easy. Behind every successful citizen soldier, sailor, airman, and marine is an employer who understands the importance of military service and is willing to support it.

[00:28:38] Today, we have the privilege of recognizing someone whose commitment to supporting our service members has been truly exceptional, our County Administrator, Mr. Tim Hemstreet. To help us recognize Tim, I'd like to introduce Mr. Frank Huff, the Ombudsman Director for the Virginia Chapter of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, or the ESGR.

[00:28:58] Frank, thank you for joining us today, and I'll turn it over to you to share a little bit about the ESGR and the significance of the Patriot Award. Thanks, Ernie. Board, thank you for allowing this presentation. Again, I'm Frank Huff. I'm with Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. What is it, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve?

[00:29:15] We are a very, very small office in the Department of War. And our single purpose is to promote good employers for the members of the Guard and Reserve. It's an office of less than 20 people and an annual budget of less than $10 million. So almost very, very small.

[00:29:32] We support 800,000-plus members of the Guard and Reserve. And every once in a while, you get an excellent member of the Guard and Reserve. like ernie here who took time out to recognize his employer and why is this significant i told you we have 800 000 we only you generally give out about 8 000 of these annually so there's a very small percentage that actually take the time to recognize their employer and one other thing every employer in the united states of america is listed in the dow strategic plan because without you being a supportive employer to that member of the guard and reserve they cannot have shelter

[00:30:11] food, clothing, all those things that are very important to every member of society. So with that being said, I want to thank you, Mr. Hemstead, for what you do and how you support. It's an example to be given out.

[00:30:28] All right. So thank you, Frank. I appreciate that. And Madam Chair, if I could just take a brief moment longer to share why I nominated Mr. Hemstead for this award. Absolutely. Thank you. So I've been your Department of General Services Director for almost 12 years, and I've had the privilege of serving in that capacity, will also continue my service with the United States Coast Guard Reserve. During that time, I've been mobilized repeatedly in support of our nation's response to hurricanes, maritime emergencies, the COVID-19 pandemic, and homeland security operations.

[00:30:57] Some of those deployments lasted months. Others kept me away for almost a year. Every one of these mobilizations placed additional demands on our department, its leadership, and the employees who stepped forward to carry the load in my absence. And through every single one of them, Mr. Hempstreet's support was unwavering. He never made me feel that serving my country was an inconvenience to Loudoun County, quite the opposite. He understood the importance of that service and he encouraged it.

[00:31:24] And he made certain that our department had the leadership and resources necessary to continue delivering for the residents of Loudoun County. But what I appreciate most about Tim's concern is that Tim's concern was never limited to the operational challenges of my absence. He also cared about my family, my well-being, and the employees who assumed additional responsibilities while I was gone.

[00:31:45] And I know that that commitment extends well beyond me, but to the many other Guard and Reserve members who also serve Loudoun County. There is a significant difference between an employer who complies with the military leave requirements and a leader who genuinely values and supports military service.

[00:32:02] Tim has consistently demonstrated the latter. Mr. Emstreet, thank you for your support. It has meant a great deal to me personally, but more importantly, it reflects the culture of public service you've established throughout our organization. On behalf of the men and women of Loudoun County, who also wear our nation's uniform, thank you for your leadership, and thank you to this board who supports that, and for Mr. Hemstreet's encouragement and his steadfast support.

[00:32:27] It has been a privilege to serve both Loudoun County and our nation under this leadership. Now, Madam Chair, if you would kindly join us down front. I will, and I would like to ask our two veterans to join me as well. Yes.

[00:32:40] Would you all like to say anything?

[00:33:47] Tim, thank you. I worked with the National Guards, men and women, stationed at the Leesburg Armory a number of times in the past, welcoming ceremonies, going away ceremonies.

[00:34:07] And one of the most poignant remarks made to me by one of the moms who was there to see her son leave was her employer did not allow this. And she was going to be docked, her pay at work, but she felt it was important to come and see her son off.

[00:34:31] So it means a tremendous amount to me that you care enough about Ernie and everybody else. And thank you very much. Mr. Hemstreet, I have four items for you this evening.

[00:34:53] Number one, you're categorically one of the finest leaders I've ever worked with. You are just amazing. County staff is the best staff I've ever worked with, and I'd lay that directly at your feet for what you've done. Number two, you're incredibly supportive of veterans. I've seen it, not just on the job, but off the job, and it's a 24-hour effort.

[00:35:14] Number three, I know veterans in Loudoun County are deeply appreciative of all the work that you've done, and you are so deserving of this recognition. And number four, keep up the good work. This is phenomenal, and we really do appreciate the support. Thank you.

[00:35:30] So I'm going to speak really quick on behalf of veterans' families, because when a person serves, a family serves with them, I know that all too well. So when you say yes to the veteran or to the reservists or whomever is serving, you're saying yes to the family.

[00:35:49] You're saying yes to the family to make sure that that paycheck keeps coming, that they're going to pay the rent, they're going to be able to eat, And all the stressors that come with that are so important because sometimes families of military members are not always remembered, but they are serving right along.

[00:36:05] And so the yes is not just a yes to the service member, but to the families as well. And as somebody who is a military, quote, brat, unquote, I really recognize how important that is. The other thing is, this is a really fun moment for me because I realize how much you probably don't like this moment, so I'm having a great time right now.

[00:36:23] As is Ernie, we're having a great time right now. And we're going to take a picture. Seriously, thank you, and congratulations. This is a big deal. Congratulations. Mr. Hempstead, on behalf of the Department of War and ESTR, thank you for what you do for supporting members of the Guard and Reserve.

[00:36:45] On the evening.

[00:37:06] Laura? Me. Take a step to your left, Mr. Hempstead. I was standing here, too. All right, you ready? Three, two, one. And then three, two. Yay.

[00:37:25] Yay.

[00:37:31] Thank you.

[00:38:13] All right, we have one more information item, and we're going to go on and do that right now.

[00:38:29] And darn it, I wish Mr. Sains was here for this item, because he's done so much work on this issue, and he was the person that put some of these things in place that we're going to talk about tonight, so I really regret that he wasn't able to make it yet. Hopefully he'll be here soon. But it's the permissiveness of gas turbines, and it's just an information item.

[00:38:48] Good evening.

[00:39:07] There we go. Okay, good afternoon, Chair Randall. members of the board. I'm Teresa Miller, zoning administrator, and here with me today I have Dan Galindo, the director of planning and zoning, and today I'm here to speak to you regarding the permissiveness of gas turbines countywide. This information is being brought to the board as there have been several inquiries from various board members as well as the public regarding the permissiveness of on-site gas turbines as a power generation source, specifically for data

[00:39:44] center uses. The information item is presented as a way for all to hear the information collectively. And while this information item is an overall report on the permissiveness of gas turbines, it's also specifically addressing the gas turbines as approved at the existing VA2 Vantage data center site in Sterling, Virginia. This 18.44 acre site of the existing VA2 Vantage data center site is shown on the presented slide, located between Glen Drive and Shaw Road,

[00:40:19] south of Belfort Park Drive, and is currently zoned IP Industrial Park, pursuant to the current 2023 zoning ordinance, which was adopted December 13, 2023. There's a little bit of background. On February 22, 2023, the board approved a rezoning application, as well as a special exception, allowing a 1.0 FAR on the site to permit the development of data center and accessory uses.

[00:40:53] At the time of the rezoning, the revised 1993 zoning ordinance was in effect. The definition of data center, as shown on this slide, defined data center facility to include other associated utility infrastructure to support sustained data center operation.

[00:41:10] Site Plan STMP 2022-0023 was approved July 14, 2023, and it labeled the area where the gas turbines are located as additional equipment yard.

[00:41:27] Site plan amendment SPAM 2023-0037, submitted June of 23 and approved October 6, 2023, further clarified the additional equipment yard as a gas measurement station and associated infrastructure, accessory to the approved data center use.

[00:41:49] The gas turbines were defined to meet the definition of data center at that time, which included associated utility infrastructure to support sustained operation at a data center. With the adoption of the current 2023 zoning ordinance, the Board of Supervisors approved a change to the definition of data center, which removed the proportion of the definition related to utility infrastructure, as shown on the screen above.

[00:42:19] Unchanged from the revised 1993 zoning ordinance as well as the current zoning ordinance is the definition of electrical generating and transmission facility, utility generating plant, or transmission facility. Under the current zoning ordinance, an electrical generation plant is a principal use and is not accessory to or a component of another principal use and is only permissible by special exception in the GI General Industry and MRHI Mineral Resource Highway Industry zoning districts.

[00:42:53] The administration of the zoning ordinance is based on an opinion from July 2025 that any on-site generation of electricity is a principal use, not an accessory component of another principal use. Therefore, any proposal for on-site generation of electricity will be limited to a special exception approval from the board and only in those districts where the use is currently permissible, the GI and MRHI zoning districts.

[00:43:23] And now we're available for any questions that the board may have. Thank you. Really appreciate it. Questions for staff? If you have questions, put your light on. Ms. Bricksman? Thank you, Chair Randall. So I have been asked a number of times, and I could say it can't happen again, but I didn't quite know, you know what I mean, the details behind why it can't happen again.

[00:43:51] And so I really appreciate getting this on the record. And so the public has something to, and we have something we can point to, you know, that we have it in our policy now that this can't happen again. The DEQ process, though, wasn't described in here, but the DEQ process, is that changed because of our zoning ordinance change?

[00:44:14] No, that has not changed. The DEQ process has no impact. Our zoning ordinance doesn't have any impact on their process. Okay. But they wouldn't be able, whoever would want to do on-site power generation would not be able to even go to DEQ unless they are approved for this as a primary use.

[00:44:36] They wouldn't be able to go to DEQ for their air permit, correct? The air permit would not be able to come forward unless it was shown on a site plan. Fantastic. Okay. Shown on a site plan or approved administratively or legislatively? Shown on an approved administrative site plan, but due to the administration of the ordinance and the definitions, it would first need to be a legislative approval.

[00:45:00] Right, because we changed the rules. Correct. So, okay, fantastic, fantastic. Okay, great. That is great, and I'm so glad that we're able to now have, again, like something we can point to and be able to tell the public, definitely this can't happen again, and this is why.

[00:45:19] So I really appreciate the items. Thank you. The new definition that the board adopted, absolutely. Yes, and if I could just rephrase in case someone asks, the reason it can't happen again is because before, a definition of a data center included potentially on-site power generation, but what we did as a board is we separated on-site power generation as a primary use from the definition of data center so that they kind of have to be acted on separately.

[00:45:45] Remove the associated utility infrastructure from the definition of data center, yes. Excellent. Okay. And I also do wish that Supervisor Sains was here for this, because I know that he did a lot of work on this. So kudos to him, and thank you so much. Mr. Croning. Thank you, Chair Randall. So thank you for this. I think there are concerns out there in the public that Vantage 2 could be replicated. Just to reiterate, I think what Supervisor Brisman said,

[00:46:16] So if there's a conditionally approved by right vested application that's IP that wants to do behind the meter natural gas, they are vested under the 93 revised 93 zoning ordinance.

[00:46:33] They would have to come into the board for a legislative approval to do behind the meter natural gas turbines. If they have conditional approval, they could not add any additional aspects to that site plan. And so, yes, they would need board approval to add the utility generation.

[00:46:51] Okay. And that's all, like, fuel cells, all of that, because, you know, we're hearing about all these different technologies that could provide enough power for the high-load users. So it includes it all, right? Yes. Okay.

[00:47:07] And is that for the 72, too? Because I know we're kind of moving away from the 72, but... So a July zoning administrator opinion under the 1972 ordinance stated that use is not permitted as a principal use under the ordinance.

[00:47:24] So data center would no longer be a permitted permissible use in 1972, and most districts require a special exception for utility uses. Okay. Great. Thank you for that clarification. I appreciate it. Mr. Turner.

[00:47:40] Thank you, Madam Chair. Could you go back to the slide of the original approval from, I believe it was 2023-0002? Okay. 2022-0023. The special exception or the site plan?

[00:47:57] The site plan the board approved. The site plan or the legislative? Well, the original application that we approved did not include the word turbine in it.

[00:48:13] It was characterized as accessory use. That's what the language I want to see. I think that's it.

[00:48:33] So the definition of data center under the revised 1993, and we've kind of accentuated the and other associated utility infrastructure to support sustained operation of a data center. Okay. Nothing in this language suggests the independent baseload power generation on site.

[00:48:54] And the board approved this as this is. And subsequently, the applicant submitted what I guess was an administrative change to include utility turbines. And that language specifically said, can you go to the slide that showed the update of that language of what they were asking for?

[00:49:14] On the site plan for the data center? Yeah. They subsequently revised their application to include more precise language of the gas turbines. Okay. Further described as additional utility building and a national natural gas measurement station with associated infrastructure.

[00:49:37] Nothing in this language at the time would have flagged this as an independent gas turbine structure. The point, the reason this is, I'm running out of time. The reason this is illustrative for me is this happened dozens of times over the last 25 years.

[00:49:54] No one consciously decided we're going to allow gas turbines as baseload power in the county. Language is submitted in, I think, probably manages best determination that was appropriate. And it went through the system because it was a new thing. And we approved a new thing without an understanding of the long-term consequences.

[00:50:14] We have now corrected that in our ordinance. And this will not happen again. But that process of new things that we have not seen before and then corrected subsequently is what has been taking place in the county for the last 25 years. It doesn't mean we haven't made mistakes.

[00:50:30] It just means within the context of the time with the information that we have, we made the best decisions we could. And when we make a mistake, we go back and correct it. And that's what happened here. Thank you. Well, I want to be a little more specific. When this was approved, when the data center was approved, they believed they were going to be on the grid, correct?

[00:50:49] Correct. And so it was only when the data center found out they were not going to be on the grid that the turbine come. and they never came back, they never had to come back to us for a vote on that. Correct, they came for a site plan amendment. They came for a site plan amendment, but they never come to a vote because it was part of the application.

[00:51:07] Based on the, yes, the definition of data center at the time. You got it, based on the data center. So the data center was approved, it was going to be on the grid, they found out they couldn't be on the grid, didn't have to come back for approval for this turbine.

[00:51:23] As far as I know, no other turbine has existed before this, and no other turbine will exist after this. This was almost a loophole because we'd never seen the fact that somebody couldn't be on the grid, and then they found a way to get themselves power without having to come back to this board at all.

[00:51:41] And it was Mr. Sains that was the impetus behind making sure this got changed. so sorry he's missing this meeting right now because it was him that was the impetus behind this. It was, you know, we almost could not have seen this coming because we just had no way of knowing because they thought they were going to be on the grid when we first did this. Is that correct? Yes. Everything I said is correct. All right. Thank you all so much. We appreciate it.

[00:52:10] Madam Chair, just a quick point of clarification. I agree with everything. I associate myself with all the comments. I just want to make sure we're clear that the language did say, as you see on that first bullet, they had labeled it gas generator turbine. So it was in the language.

[00:52:29] I'm not saying that we could have caught it. I'm not saying we could have stopped it. I'm just saying that the language was there, that it was a turbine and just wanted to make that point of clarification. Yes. And based on the definition in the revised 1993, it was considered utility infrastructure to support exactly exactly which a lot of things were considered that but that much exactly nothing nothing could have been because again they we thought they were going to be in the grid yes and and i truthfully i think they thought they were going to be in the grid too to be honest and then they it didn't interesting i got a call from another data center about three weeks ago and he was like do you think the board would approve i was like are you kidding

[00:53:08] me right now i mean it's like i can't it's like no sir we will not be even having this discussion No, the answer is no. I was like, don't even bring it to the board. The answer is no. And this was from a whole other data center about a couple of weeks ago. So, yeah. All right, thank you all very much.

[00:53:25] Supervisors, we're going to go on and do one more item before we think we can get a closed session in. We're going to do the item from the Finance Committee. Again, I wish Mr. Sains was here. It is the 11G, the fiscal year 2027 Supplemental Appropriation for Loudoun County Public Schools.

[00:53:46] We're going to undo that item, and then we'll try to get Ms. Burke out of the door. Mr. Govan, do you want to come down for this item? Is Mr. Govan back there? Mr. Govan, do you want to come down for this item, too? And, you know, listen, when I say that I've had this explained to me three times and I'm still asking questions, I am not joking.

[00:54:07] This is, this item is, you know, so we're going to, you're going to. Do you like my presentation? I would. As a matter of fact, I would if you do not mind. No problem. Thank you. Good evening. This item went to finance committee in October.

[00:54:26] Oh, sorry about that.

[00:54:51] This item went to the finance committee in October and the purpose of it is to provide The Board of Supervisors with a request from the school board to appropriate up to $20.2 million of additional state revenue and to increase expenditure authority in that same amount.

[00:55:11] The new revenue discussed in the item is resulting from the FY26 as well as the FY27 state budgets, which include new state revenue for the school division. The first tranche of funding is $6.2 million. That is one-time revenue to provide bonuses or an equivalent pay action.

[00:55:32] The school division will be using that funding for additional financial flexibility since their obligation for equivalent pay action has already been met. Additionally, the FY27 state budget, which was approved by the General Assembly following the board's adoption of the R-27 budget, included $14 million of likely recurring state revenue that the school division will use for expenditures authorized by the school board.

[00:56:00] In addition to the new revenue, based on lower than projected student enrollment, the school division is forecasting approximately $13.5 million of declining state revenue for FY27.

[00:56:19] This estimate is a projection. The school division works with the state throughout the year to reconcile state revenues, and so the school division staff has asked that we make it clear that this is an estimate, but it could be less than $13.5 million at the end of the year.

[00:56:39] The school board has not requested to recognize this potential loss of funding. Rather, the school division has committed to managing expenditures and to use the additional $14 million from the previous slide to deal with any shortfalls in revenue related to lower than projected student enrollment. So there are a couple issues that staff has identified for the board's consideration. Appropriating the additional revenue and expenditure authority of $20.2 million while not considering a potential loss of revenue

[00:57:14] puts the county at risk. Despite the commitment of managing its budget within expected revenues, the school board is authorized to fully expend its expenditure authority, which is appropriated by the board. And should a shortfall occur, the county would need to resolve that at the end of the year. So three alternatives were presented to the finance committee. The first alternative was staff's recommendation to the finance committee, which ultimately the finance committee is recommending to the board, this alternative would appropriate the net increase of new

[00:57:48] revenue of $6.7 million, which is the sum of $6.2 million and $14 million, but then reducing out the likely decline in state revenue to net out of $6.7 million. Approving this motion would increase the school division's total budget by $6.7 million and provide them $6.7 million of additional expenditure authority. Alternative two is county staff's recommendation

[00:58:22] on how to get to what the school board ultimately has asked for, which is to increase overall expenditure authority by $20.2 million. This alternative would recognize what we believe is likely additional state revenue of $6.7 million, but in order to get to the full expenditure authority which the school division has requested, staff would recommend that we increase the county transfer by $13.5 million so that taken together, that would increase the overall

[00:58:58] appropriation to the schools by 20.2. This was listed as staff's alternative to option in the finance committee, but following the finance committee discussion, we continue to meet with school division staff and discuss a little bit more how this alternative could play out.

[00:59:17] What this alternative would allow the school division to do is be able to spend additional state revenue, should it come in higher than $6.7 million? That way throughout the year as their revenues are reconciled, if they are able to not lose as much as originally forecasted, it would give them additional expenditure authority to spend up to $20.2 million. Additionally, the school division staff has committed to not spend any of the additional $13.5 million that the

[00:59:55] county has provided. Instead, any additional spending would be spending of actual state revenue as it comes in. So this item or this alternative as we've described it in the staff report, staff believes is a compromise that could be an option should the board wish to consider it. Would that be the second draft motion then in the package? That's correct. Okay. All right. An alternative three is that the board could take no action. You could allow the state revenue to pass to the school division without increasing their expenditure authority. Remember that the school division must spend federal and state dollars before they spend local

[01:00:35] dollars. And so if this option were taken, the school division would not be able to spend more than their adopted budget. And at the end of the year, any unspent funds would return to the county. Okay. That concludes my presentation. I'm going to make a motion. Let us talk inside the motion. I'm going to make the second motion because of what you just said, and we'll talk about that in a second. I move the board of supervisors appropriate $6.7 million of additional state revenue and increase expenditure authority in the same amount in the school's operating

[01:01:05] fund. Appropriate FY2026 year in fund balance in the amount of $13,500,000 in the general fund, increase the payment to the school division in the same amount, and appropriate 13.5 of local tax funding in the school's operating fund, and an expert expenditure authority in the same amount.

[01:01:30] All right, motions made, and I think I heard Ms. Bricksman first on that second. So that was more helpful. I don't know why this has been terribly, it's been a lot, Um, but that was more helpful. So let me just say back to you what I think I've just heard, what the motion, I believe is, is what you said. So the schools, the LCPS has to, to spend state and federal revenue before they, before they spend or expend the county transfer money,

[01:02:04] correct? Yeah. If there is any, if there is any remainder at the end of the year, it would be returned to the county as county funds that went unexpended. So, okay.

[01:02:20] So if there's any remainder of what we transfer or any remainder of any amount? They would spend our funds last. Yeah, okay. All right. So if there's any remainder of any. So then what they're really working with from us is the 6.7.

[01:02:39] No? No. The 13? Now I'm confused again. Oh, because that's state. Gotcha. Okay. I'm with you. Gotcha. with you. All right. And then when you met with them, when the two staffs met, say again what they said about they're going to try not to spend the money. Say that part again to me. So what the school division staff is concerned about is if that projection of a loss of $13.5 million, for example, ends up really being a loss of $12 million, appropriating

[01:03:13] only the $6.7 million won't allow them to take advantage of any additional state revenue that would come in higher than that net $6.7 million. They feel really, really adamant that they want to spend the state revenue should it become available. This scenario would not allow them to do that. And so our second scenario still assumes that they would get $6.7 million of state revenue and we would increase their overall spending authority to 20.2 million

[01:03:53] by increasing the county transfer. But what the school division has said is if that 6.7 million of state revenue is what the number is, they will not spend more than 6.7. If it becomes 8 million, they will spend it, but they will not spend any of that 13 and a half. This is just a way to account for their ability to spend more state revenue. And none of that changes one way or the other if the second semester of the school, the school population increases. State revenues do

[01:04:29] fluctuate throughout the year, but not likely wouldn't resolve the loss of 13 and a half million, but it could be less than 13 and a half million. Okay, I'm going to come back to that question in the end then. Ms. Fixman? Thank you Chair Randall and thank you for the explanation. It is a little bit complicated and it feels a little bit like a shell game but I think this is it's not the desired exact desired outcome that this school's wanted. I think they're going to have some complications with their ledgers and accounting but I think in the end this was the the most elegant and

[01:05:08] best possible solution. So I really appreciate staff coming up with this solution. I think that maybe recognizing that part of the reason we're in this situation is because the budget, the state budget was passed and signed so late. So hopefully in 2027, we will be more aligned. I know it's always a little bit late for our budget cycle, but at least we can be hopefully a little bit more aligned and we won't need to be having this conversation in November. But I fully support the motion. I was planning to make the motion as an alternative if the first motion was made. So

[01:05:46] appreciate it. Happy to support. Thank you. Mr. Crony. Thank you, Chair Randall. So thank you for that explanation. The $13.5 million would come out of our fund balance. Is that correct? Yes. Okay. And if it's, but it would be returned at the end of FY 2027 if it's not spent.

[01:06:06] Correct. So you were explaining that the state revenue comes in late, right? The state revenue is reconciled throughout the fiscal year based on actual revenues collected by the state and other metrics that I do not have more.

[01:06:22] It usually comes in after April, right? After we adopt our budget, it usually comes in. After, I think what you might be talking about is the state revenue for the next year. Oh, okay. Yeah, the General Assembly adopted the budget, or the governor signed the budget following the adoption of our budget, so.

[01:06:42] It always is that way, yeah. Not, it sometimes is. Okay. We usually expect it to be earlier in the year. So we anticipate a significant portion probably being returned, right, because of the declining enrollment of the $13.5 million.

[01:06:58] The school division has said they will not spend that $13.5 million. Okay. Okay. Happy to support that. Thank you. Ms. Umstead? Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Megan, if you and your staff had had all of this information before the finance committee got briefed, would you still be recommending the first motion, first draft motion, over the second, the compromise motion?

[01:07:36] I think the first motion represents what we know about revenue right now. If the board is not willing to utilize fund balance, I think that was the basis of our recommendation on going with Alternative 1.

[01:07:55] And do you recall what fund balance currently is and how much this would reduce it to? Based on our quarter three projection, we were estimating about $160 million, and that's still our estimate of today.

[01:08:13] And would that take into consideration various uses of fund balance that you may have heard board members recommend? No, that's where we're projecting fund balance to be as of June 30th.

[01:08:28] And if the school system says they will not use the additional revenue, do we believe they will stick to that? Yes. And that they will return that to the county?

[01:08:45] I do. All right. Thank you. Mr. Kirshner? Yeah, that question helped answer part of what I was going to ask. But why are we deciding this right now? Is it timely? Is this not something we can weigh in on as we get closer to the budget? Help me understand that.

[01:09:01] This is an FY27, so this fiscal year action. The $6.2 million was actually requested by the school board in May, and the $14 million was requested in September. They would like to use that funding in this fiscal year.

[01:09:17] I see. Okay. And the reason that we are seeing the $13.5 million in local funding that they're asking for is they're losing that as a result of their lack of enrollment. Is that correct? That is their forecast related to enrollment, less than budgeted enrollment for this fiscal year.

[01:09:38] Okay. But we, basically, if they don't need it, then they won't use it. Correct. Okay. All right. All right. Well, I hope that is the case. All right. Thanks. Mr. Vice Chair Turner?

[01:09:56] Hey, my chair, so I think I have this now. So the schools are anticipating $6.7 million in new state revenue, and they're also anticipating, I guess, later in the year, an additional $13.5 million in additional revenue.

[01:10:13] No. No. They are anticipating $20.2 million of additional state revenue and are forecasting a potential loss of about $13.5 million, which nets out to $6.7 million.

[01:10:32] Okay, and the potential loss is a function of our realized student census? Correct. Gotcha. So if we don't do this option and they actually come in needing the $20.2 million, they won't be able to spend anything over than what we have given them expense authority for.

[01:10:55] And so this establishes the upper cap that if all of this comes to fruition as they expect it will, then they can spend it all. And anything less than fruition, they'll spend that portion of our funding and give us the rest back. They will not spend more than whatever the additional state revenue comes in as and intend to return $13.5 million at the end of the fiscal year.

[01:11:21] Okay, got it. Thank you. I don't know that the board has ever been more roundly like, what is happening? But it feels like this is a good compromise. I actually do not believe that we're going to be in this place next year because it's a short session, and truthfully, it's an election year next year, so they all want to, like, pass the budget and get out of there so they can all go campaign themselves, and so I don't think we're going to be doing this next year.

[01:11:51] I hope not, but truthfully, I mean, the General Assembly has been late before, and our budget has ran before them. We actually do our budget. It's ours is the first in the area, and I know that for a fact, but never has anything like this happened.

[01:12:07] And I think it is because of the declining enrollment, which is why I'm curious to find out, like, if in January, for reasons that might have been impacted on Tuesday, if in January that number pops back up, what happens with all this?

[01:12:26] I mean, I guess because the enrollment is not that far down right now. I think it's like 1,700 kids down, so it's not that far down. It's not impossible to think that enrollment could not pop back up. So one more time, if it did come back, even close to what that enrollment was expected to be, what happens?

[01:12:46] I do not want to say, because I don't know specifically, but I do know that I believe the superintendent released his proposed CIP last week, and they are forecasting a continued decline in enrollment. Are they? Okay. Through the next semester and then forward?

[01:13:05] Through the longer term period. Okay, all right. Well, that's good to know. It's good to know. All right, thank you, ma'am. I made the motion. Ms. Brixman, second the motion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? That motion will pass 7-0-2 with Mr. Sainz and Mr. Laterno being off the dais and hopefully here soon.

[01:13:26] We are going to go on and do our first closed session. What time is it? Yeah. We're going to go on and do our first closed session. Mr. I know it. Mr. Turner, would you please read us in the closed session? Where'd you come from, man? New York.

[01:13:44] Quietly. We'll read into one closed session. Mr. Turner, would you read us in the closed session? Mr. Turner. You think so? You think it'd be faster? Okay. Well, then let's do that closed session. Then Mr. I'm happy to, I'm happy to, um, to grant my colleague from the Catoctin District that courtesy. We're written to that closed session. Mr. Turner?

[01:14:21] I move the Board of Supervisors recess this public meeting and enter into closed session pursuant to Sections 2.23711A3 of the Code of Virginia to consider the acquisition of a parcel of property for public use in the Catoctin Election District. I further move that the Board of Supervisors recess this public meeting and enter into closed session pursuant to sections 2.23711A3 of the Code of Virginia to consider the acquisition of a parcel of property for public use in the broad run and sterling election districts.

[01:14:48] Second. Discussion on, no. I'm sorry, did you read into both? Yes. It's just reading into the one. Wasn't that the exchange we just had? I thought, but that's okay. No, no, it's just, no, no, it's just, don't listen to Mr. Kirschner.

[01:15:07] It's just, it's just the Catoctin. You might constituents ignore that comment. It's just the Catoctin District. So that motion will fail for lack of a second. I'll make another motion. Okay, just the Catoctin District. I would never read into a closed session, but the supervisors is not here.

[01:15:23] So the Catoctin District one is what we're reading into. I move the Board of Supervisors recess this public meeting and enter into closed session pursuant to Sections 2.23711A3 of the Code of Virginia to consider the acquisition of a parcel of property for public use in the broad run of Sterling Election Districts.

[01:15:40] Oh, did I screw that up? And then he seconded it. Well, I want to do that. I'll withdraw my second. No, no, guys. We've got to blow it down. No, just withdraw the motion. I withdraw the motion. And this is not hard.

[01:15:57] It's just two of them. The amount of degrees between the two of you is, like, really high. I'm having a lot of fun. Let's try this one more time. Okay. I have a BS degree, just say. Do it again, please. For the third and final time, I move the Board of Supervisors recessed this public meeting and entered in a closed session pursuant to sections 2.237.11.83 of the Code of Virginia to consider the acquisition of a parcel of property for public use in the Catoctin Election District.

[01:16:28] Yes, thank you. Mr. Kirshen, would you like to second that? All right, that motion has been made and seconded. All in favor of discussion. No discussion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The motion passes 7-2. Jeez.

[01:49:17] So we're back. I do want to make note that Mr. Saines joined us in closed session at 519. Mr. Letourneau-Gloat joined us in closed session at 527. So as they vote out of closed session and affirm, they are only affirming and voting out for the times that they were in closed session.

[01:49:40] Having said that, Mr. Turner, would you please read us out of closed session? I move that closed session be adjourned, that the Board of Supervisors reconvene this public meeting. The minutes of the public meeting should reflect that no formal action was taken in the closed session, and further move that the resolution certifying the closed session be adopted and reflected in the minutes of the public meeting.

[01:50:03] Thank you, Ms. Glass, for a second. I had not realized that Ms. Bricksman's not here, and Ms., who sits next? And they went into closed session with us, so we can't do anything until they come back on the dais. It was closed session.

[01:50:26] All right. Motion's been made to read us out of closed session. Read by Mr. Turner, seconded by Ms. Glass. All in favor, well, any discussion? All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion will pass 9-0. Would everybody please affirm?

[01:50:43] Affirm. And I think Mr. Letourneau affirmed as well, and I affirmed too. By the way, when we affirm, what we're affirming is that nothing happened in closed session but what we went into closed session for.

[01:51:00] That's what the affirming is, so I don't know if I've ever said that before. Okay, we have one resolution tonight, one proclamation tonight, and that is for the Diwali celebration, so yay. Mr. Letourneau, Mr. Sainz, and Mr. Crony, will you all join me down front?

[01:51:18] We're doing our resolution. Would everyone here, Brother Wally, please join us down front.

[01:51:43] Come with us. Thank you. Come this way. Either way. How are you doing? Thank you for coming. So good to see you. How are you?

[01:52:01] I feel like I see you all the time. This is great. I'm going to hand the mic to Mr. Letourneau.

[01:52:23] Okay, good evening, and welcome to the boardroom. Tonight we are celebrating our proclamation for Diwali. I've been doing this so long that I did not need glasses to read the proclamation when we started, but I do now.

[01:52:40] But it's actually been well over a decade, going on 15 years, that we've been recognizing Diwali. We were the first county in Virginia to do so, which I'm very proud about. So I will go ahead and read the resolution. Whereas Diwali, which translates to the Festival of Lights, is the most important holiday and religious festival in the Hindu calendar.

[01:52:59] And whereas Diwali, which began as a harvest festival that marked the end of the growing season before winter, is observed each year by the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists throughout the United States. And whereas Diwali is a shortened version of the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which means a row of lamps, and the holiday celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance, as well as the Hindu New Year.

[01:53:25] And whereas Diwali is celebrated for five nights every year, where celebrants light small oil lamps, place them around the home along with other festive decorations, and pray for health, knowledge, peace, happiness, hope, and wisdom. And whereas Loudoun County has a large Indian American population that's actively involved in our community schools, sports, volunteer efforts, nonprofits, and businesses, and these residents will observe Diwali beginning November 6th, 2026, with main festivities occurring on November 8th. Now therefore be it resolved that the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors does

[01:53:58] hereby recognize Diwali in Loudoun County. So it's always fitting, I've always thought that Diwali falls along, usually when there's an election, because when you think about the peace and all of the things that come with this holiday, no matter whether you're very happy or very sad with the outcome or about to be the outcome.

[01:54:24] It's really a message that everybody in the entire county should get behind. And I think over the years, we've seen many residents who are not traditionally celebrating Diwali come to recognize it, come to appreciate it. Of course, the kids get a day off school now, which everybody appreciates.

[01:54:40] So it really has become a wonderful event for the community. Let me go ahead and, yeah, yes. Absolutely. You ready? Whoever, wherever you want. Which one for us? Okay. All right. Wonderful. Good evening, everyone. My name is Sambi Patel. I'm a sixth grader at Chelsea Middle School, and I am honored to share a little bit about our Hindu culture and tradition.

[01:55:07] Diwali is often called the Festival of Lights. We celebrate with glowing lamps, colorful decorations, delicious food, and time with our family and friends. But this year's theme, Light Beyond Lamps, asks us how we can bring light into someone else's life. You don't have to be a grown-up to do that.

[01:55:23] At school, it can mean inviting someone to sit next to you when they're alone. At home, it can mean helping without being asked. In Hindu tradition, we call selfless service seva. It is one way we put value into action. Diwali also reminds us to be grateful. During ankut, which means a mountain of food, is where families prepare vegetarian dishes, offer them in gratitude, and share them with visitors.

[01:55:46] It reminds us that joy grows when we share it. Hindu, Jays, and Sikhs celebrate Diwali, each with their own traditions and meanings. Everyone of every faith and background is welcome to share in its joy. Thank you for celebrating Diwali with our community.

[01:56:03] For kids like me, this acknowledgement shows that our traditions have a place in Loudoun County. My wish, this Diwali, is that we each find a way to brighten someone's day through kindness, gratitude, and service. Happy Diwali, and thank you.

[01:56:26] Oh, happy Diwali. The Diwali is actually a short form of Dipavali.

[01:56:42] Dipavali, dipam means there is lighting. I already know. So I am going to chanting some mantras for the welfare of the country or even the country and the world. Thank you for joining. And congratulations for everyone, us.

[01:56:59] Thank you.

[01:57:44] Shri Manu Mahagana Adhipatae Namaha O Mahalakshme Namaha Akchha Srakparasum Gadeshu Kulisham Padamam Dhanuskundikam Dandam Sakthimasim Chacharma Jalajam Gantam Surabhajanam Shulam Pasha Shudar Sanejadadatim

[01:58:09] Good evening, good evening everyone.

[01:58:52] My name is Rishi Patel. I'm a student at John Champ High School, and I'm honored to be here today to share a little bit more about our Hindu culture and traditions. First, I would like to talk about Unkut. Unkut literally means a mountain of food, and it is a special Hindu celebration that takes place after Diwali.

[01:59:10] It is a way of thanking God for providing food and blessings to all living beings. At the BAPS Mandir, devotees bring varieties of delicious vegetarian meals and offer them to God. This blessed food is called brasat and is later shared with many devotees, visitors, and locals in the community.

[01:59:29] People come dressed in beautiful and very colorful Indian clothing. We also celebrate Indian New Year, Bikram Samha, 2083. And it's a wonderful opportunity for children like me to learn a little bit more about culture, traditions, and values.

[01:59:45] This year, the uncle will be celebrated at BAPS Mandir in Chantilly on Saturday, November 7, 2026. I would also like to share a little bit about BAPS Swaminathan Akshaddam in New Jersey. Akshaddam means the divine home of God.

[02:00:01] The Akshaddam is located in Robinsville, New Jersey, and it is one of the largest Hindu temple complexes in the world. It is a beautiful monument made from stones and marbles from countries consisting of Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, and India.

[02:00:16] Skilled artisans in India carved the stones and approximately 12,500 volunteers helped bring the monument to life. Akshadam is also a spiritual, cultural, and educational center with a Hindu cultural museum where visitors can learn about Hindu history, Hindu traditions, and Hindu values.

[02:00:36] To me, Diwali is just much more than just like lights and celebrations. It's about showing and expressing gratitude, kindness, sharing, and keeping our traditions alive for many future generations to come. I'm proud to share our culture with the wonderful and diverse community of Flatton County, Virginia.

[02:00:55] Thank you, and have a happy Diwali and a happy Hindu New Year to everyone. What time on Saturday did the celebrations begin? It should begin like noon to 6.

[02:01:11] Noon to 6? Noon to 6. Thank you. Everyone's invited. And tell us one more time where it's at. It's at the BAPS Mandir in Chantilly, Virginia. Thank you. Thank you. It's on November 7th. Thank you. I want to take one of them down. Yeah, we have a different, yeah, two programs.

[02:01:30] You want to just explain yours as well, yeah. We are from Rajdhani Mandir in Chantley, Virginia. It's a Hindu temple. And it is, I think, the oldest temple in northern Virginia. And me and my husband, we are the founding members of Rajdhani Mandir.

[02:01:54] First of all, I would just say thank you. And Mr. Trono didn't say it this year, but every year he says that when we see lights up, they're not early Christmas lights. They're Diwali lights. And so I just learned that with Mr. So I've been to many, many Diwali celebrations and ate really wonderful food, really wonderful food.

[02:02:16] It is really a holiday of hope. And I agree, Mr. Turner, especially right now in some ways, hope and love and kindness and caring and all those things is what the whole world needs. And so I'm so grateful for the community.

[02:02:32] I'm so grateful for being invited. I'm grateful for the dances and for just the camaraderie and the fun. So thank you so much, and have a happy Duale celebration.

[02:03:17] Okay, we are going to go on, and we are about three minutes early for public comments,

[02:05:47] but I think that's okay. If I miss somebody because they were not here, we'll roll back around to your name, but I'm going to go on and start because I think most people are probably here already. So just to say, Mike, Supervisor, will you please hand me that?

[02:06:07] Thank you so much. I don't know who put that there. Thank you. You will have two minutes to speak. When I call your name, please come to the podium closest to you. The timer on the front of the podium, if you look down, you can see the time that you have remaining.

[02:06:26] your time is up, please relinquish the podium to the next speaker. If you are keeping, if you're going to participate remotely and you can't see the podium in the room, you're keeping your time, please use your own stopwatch or clock because I will not stop you when you get to one minute and 30 seconds because it messes up your flow, but I will stop you when you get to two minutes. I'm going to ask that when you're speaking, you face the board while you're speaking because your comments are to the board. And I will call you about three people in advance so that you know that you're going to be up next. And we appreciate you all being here.

[02:07:02] So for our public speakers, our first person is Constantine Church, or Constance Church, followed by Mike Dempsey, followed by Carolyn McCulley. So is Constance Church here? There you go either oh by the way you can use either podium either podium is absolutely fine good evening ma'am welcome madam chair members of the board good evening my name is connie church i'm a resident

[02:07:40] of ashby ponds a senior living community in the broad run district and a 40-year resident of virginia i am from a group of concerned residents in ashby ponds i'm here tonight to ask you to include in your 2027 legislative priorities a beverage container deposit bill, also known as a bottle bill, which we expect to be introduced by Delegate Glass and Senator Graves in the 2027 legislative session. Over 50 Ashby Ponds volunteers collect and deposit glass from

[02:08:18] resident buildings and restaurants into a county purple bin, about 80,000 glass containers this year. While we thank you for funding those county sites, we know Virginia can do better with a statewide approach to recognize that many counties do not fund recycling of glass, let alone plastic or metal containers. We can turn what many now consider waste into reusable resources. That's what similar laws are doing in 10 states, shifting responsibility from government funding of or no

[02:08:57] recycling to the parties who package, sell, and use plastics in plastic, metal, and glass containers while reducing litter. We met with Supervisor Glass, who said she would advocate including a beverage container deposit bill in the county 2027 legislative priorities for state representatives.

[02:09:20] Ashby Pons intend to ask our legislators, Senators Srinivasa and Delegate Reed, to co-sponsor or at least support the bill in their chamber. Can we count on your support with our state representatives? We hope so. Thank you.

[02:09:36] Thank you. Thank you very much. Mike Dempsey, you're going to be followed by Carolyn McCulley. Good evening, Mr. Dempsey. Good evening, everyone. I want to thank you for considering this PLA threshold and supporting an affordability agenda rooted in paying people what they are worth in the construction industry.

[02:09:55] This industry is entirely overrun in the DMV with wage theft and worker misclassification targeting undocumented immigrants and driving wages down for all the CTE students and local residents that want these jobs but are never hired because it's cheaper to take advantage of an undocumented immigrant.

[02:10:15] People talk about affordability only through the lens of making things cheaper, making commodities cheaper. But nobody ever talks about raising wages, except for Loudoun County. Tonight, your vote in favor of this project labor agreement threshold is putting your values in action, supporting both union and non-union workers by raising their wages to afford to live in one of the most expensive parts of the country.

[02:10:40] Tonight, your vote in favor of this threshold is supporting even the workers who have no union, who have no voice, and who are the most vulnerable of us. Loudoun County tonight sets the future for construction workers in Virginia with this threshold, creating an example for every county to follow.

[02:10:58] Your strength is contagious, vision is contagious, and supporting workers is contagious. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Dempsey. Appreciate that. Carolyn McCulley, followed by a remote speaker, Lynn Davis. Good evening.

[02:11:14] Good evening, Chair Randall and members of the board. It's good to see you all again. I'm Carolyn McCulley from Brambleton, Virginia, and I'm here to ask you to strengthen item 14F by supporting state legislation that removes the utility obligation to serve new and expanded data centers all across the state, but especially here.

[02:11:36] Our community is already overrun. Data center growth brings demand that extends far beyond the buildings themselves. Residents are being asked to accommodate an expanding industrial footprint all around our neighborhoods. Each application may come before you all separately, but we experience the cumulative impact.

[02:11:57] So we need you to address that cumulative burden. We need meaningful limits on how much additional demand our communities are expected to support and absorb. Tonight, please give our state legislators clear direction.

[02:12:15] Loudoun needs the ability to set limits. Our neighborhoods, landscapes, and quality of life must carry real weight in decisions about further growth. Your constituents expect you to protect our quality of life.

[02:12:31] And you can expect that this will be a key factor in next year's board elections. One last comment on item 14H. I do believe that we should pay you all more competitive salaries. But in return, we should have your full-time attention.

[02:12:50] We need your full-time service because this is a complex and prosperous county. And so in order to support that, I would support having your full-time attention. Thank you for these additional comments, and I appreciate your work tonight.

[02:13:07] You made it. Thank you. Ms. McCulley, thank you so much. I appreciate that. I did forget to say, and I apologize for forgetting to say it, that we don't, by the rules of the board, not my rules, but the rules of the entire body, we neither cheer nor jeer in the boardroom.

[02:13:26] Because if we do one or the other, it can get out of control pretty quickly. You can feel free to jazz hands if you want to show support, but clapping or booing is not what we do in the boardroom. So I'd appreciate that so much. So thank you, everybody. And I forgot to say that.

[02:13:42] remote speakers, Lynn Davis, followed by Jessica Maderos. Is Ms. Davis on? Yes. The decision to examine supervisor compensation came out of the county's broader review of employee wages in comparison to the surrounding area. During that review, it became apparent that our board of supervisors members are making significantly less than the average for a supervisor in other areas.

[02:14:13] Their compensation is also substantially below the AMI. I believe members of the Board of Supervisors should be paid a living wage that reflects the time, responsibility, and commitment required to serve our community. Serving on the Board is far from a part-time job.

[02:14:32] You all are overseeing a $5.4 billion organization. This position requires long hours, attending meetings, responding to constituents, studying complex and often very complicated issues, and making decisions that directly affect the lives of residents and the future of our county.

[02:14:54] Compensation should be sufficient to allow people from all economic backgrounds to consider serving. We should not create a situation where the opportunity to serve in local government is effectively limited to those who are independently wealthy, retired, financially secure enough to work for inadequate compensation, or to be able to maintain a whole other full-time job, which four current supervisors do.

[02:15:22] Our community benefits when elective representation reflects the diversity of the people we serve, including different professions, economic circumstances, and life experiences. Paying our supervisors a fair and reasonable wage is an investment in representative government and the future of our community.

[02:15:45] I also have concerns that the chair made a comment in the past that she doesn't know how much time her colleagues work. Thank you, Ms. Davis. The next speaker is Jessica Mediros. Hi, how are you doing? You're going to be followed by Philip Emanuel.

[02:16:08] Good evening, Chair and members of the board. My name is Jessica, and I live in Sterling, right next to the Vantage V2 Data Center campus. First, though, I want to echo the last caller. I know your jobs are demanding, and you mostly hear from people only when something is wrong. I support the Table 1 compensation proposal.

[02:16:26] These positions are long overdue for pay that reflects the work they require. You have heard from us in Sterling many times now. Sleepless nights, turbines heard inside our homes, the July plant failure that left the campus running on diesel for nearly 24 hours during a code red air quality day.

[02:16:45] My health, my sleep, and my family's quality of life are suffering now, not in 2028. I understand a deal has been proposed that ties our relief to the Golden substation. With respect, I ask you to see it for what it is. Dominion waited years to act on our complaints.

[02:17:02] The moment this board showed the will to say no to Golden, a fix for Vantage appeared. But only if you vote yes. This is not a solution. It is leverage. It asks you to trade one neighborhood's relief for another neighborhood's homes. I ask for three things. First, defer Golden on its merits, as you have twice.

[02:17:20] If Dominion can bridge power by 2028 with Golden, it can bridge power without it. And if it cannot, that commitment was never real. Second, act now with the tools you already have. Review Vantage 2's compliance with its zoning approvals, air pollution, and the noise ordinance, and pursue independent monitoring, sound barriers, and operating limits.

[02:17:42] Third, whatever is agreed to with Dominion and Vantage, please include us affected residents in the process and put the commitments in writing with clear responsibilities and deadlines. Please defer Golden and keep fighting for Vantage 2. Thank you. I'd like copies of my comments distributed for the official record.

[02:18:03] Absolutely. So you can hand them to the clerk. Thank you very much. I hope I said your name correctly, ma'am. Yes, thank you. Thank you. Philip Emanuel, you will be followed by Greg Perio. Good evening, sir. Good evening. My name is Phil Emanuel, and I live in the Loudoun Valley Estates neighborhood.

[02:18:21] For over a year, but for what I am sure feels like an eternity for all of us, I have been closely following not only the Golden to Mars project, but also the larger issue of the impact of data centers upon Loudoun County. Tonight, I am respectfully requesting the board to strongly consider the following critical actions.

[02:18:40] First, I'm requesting the board to vote to defer Golden. The board previously deferred it in September over the design. The design hasn't materially changed, if at all. What appears to have changed is a deal with Vantage. Before you vote on Golden, make Dominion answer these three questions.

[02:18:59] How much load does it serve? When is that load needed, and to what will it connect? Without the answers to these questions, I do not understand how it can be determined what is and what is not an urgent land use need.

[02:19:15] Second, fix Vantage, and fix it on its own. The families next to Vantage II live with gas turbines running around the clock. In July, a failure put the campus on diesel generators for approximately 24 hours, further exacerbating the conditions for the residents around the complex.

[02:19:35] These families need a fix now. It should not depend on a substation vote. We all know this isn't the fight of just one neighborhood's residents. The Dominion Power and the data center issues have become a catalyst, uniting Loudoun voters.

[02:19:55] But make no mistake, these are two separate issues which need to be decoupled. First, with regards to Golden, the recommendation is not to deny it, but rather defer it until it's done right. Second, fix Vantage because it's the right thing to do.

[02:20:10] And third, because I have six seconds left, I think you'll need a pay raise. Thank you, sir. appreciate that. Greg Perio, Mr. Perio, you are going to be followed by Victor Block. Good evening, sir. Yeah, good evening. I'm Greg Perio, and I live near Vantage 2 in Sterling. And my neighbor has told you about the turbines and what they like over time. And I want to mention today, it was horrific. The sound was just terrible, penetrating through all my windows on three

[02:20:47] sides of my townhouse. But in terms of this agreement about getting Vantage connected to the grid, we just don't know enough about it. We haven't been presented with the details of it.

[02:21:03] We need to know. The stakeholders and residents need to know what it says. And one of the reasons is that Dominion and Vantage have no credibility. They've told us over time it would be connected in three years, connected in seven years, be connected in 12 years. Now we're saying within two years. If the board is to rely on a deal, it has to be public, and Dominion cannot walk back on it. It has to be transparent, fully released. Two, it has to be specific by what

[02:21:37] date and a firm date and when the turbines will be shut off and removed. Three, the county should have a documented legal right to enforce it with real consequences if date slips. Not a press release, not a handshake behind closed doors. We have good reason to ask this because Dominion has postponed so many of the things they promised in the past, not only in Vantage, but in other places. And I really think it's really important. Our health, our wealth,

[02:22:11] and well-being depend on it. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Victor Block, you will be followed by Lauren Lilliestolen. Good evening. Hey, good evening, Chair, Supervisors. Feels like we've been through a lot of battles over the last two years. I was watching the news this morning, and I never thought I'd be quoting the Florida governor at a Loudoun Board of Supervisors meeting. But here's what he said. When you gaslight people, they don't trust you on anything else.

[02:22:40] I sent you all an email earlier today, and I won't go through all of it. At a certain point, we're all tired. I think you are probably tired too, maybe tired of all of us. We hear one thing, and then it shifts. In January, Dominion told the SEC these power lines weren't about data centers.

[02:22:59] In May, they told this board it was all of it. Then they said 90%. Facts don't seem like facts anymore, and right or wrong keeps getting blurrier. It's a bad trade. Advantage 2 can be fixed. fix it now and put a firm deadline on it, then let Golden stand on its own. So tonight, please defer Golden and push Dominion and Vantage to fix Vantage 2. One more thing, I've already heard this a few times, but on board salaries, I'm actually against the proposal, not because I don't think you all should get a raise, but because I don't think it's enough. This is a big county and the issues are

[02:23:37] complicated. You spend a lot of time on them and you need to. This is a full-time job. It should be paid like one. At the level of the job, leading a county of this size. That would also leave no room for outside conflicts, and I think we'd all agree that's a good idea. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Laura, I'm sorry, Lauren Lilly Stolen, followed by Brian Turner. Good evening, ma'am.

[02:24:03] Actually, that was the beginning of what I was going to say. Good evening, Loudoun Supervisors. I'm taking time away from my family tonight to implore you not to lose your leverage and to continue to demand better from Dominion with regard to the Golden substation. You deferred Golden in the recent past because of an unpalatable design, and that design has not changed.

[02:24:21] The only thing that has changed is that now Dominion is linking the grid connection of the Vantage Data Center to the approval of the Golden substation. You have come this far. Don't fall victim to Dominion's manipulation and control. To have stood firm only to later give in shows Dominion that they can wear you down on any topic now and in the future. Dominion is just dangling a carrot, hoping that you lunge at it and give them exactly what they want at the expense of Loudoun residents. How do I know these promises are false? Well, I've watched these tactics play out before, and I'm capable of logical thought. The promise regarding Vantage seems suspect.

[02:24:58] How can a data center that wasn't going to be connected to the grid until 2040 suddenly become connected partially in 2028, all because a substation project wasn't delayed a few more months? And once they get what they want with respect to Golden, how will Dominion be held accountable when they don't follow through with the promises on Vantage. It may be too late for enforcement. Why is it only now that the project has been met with resistance that Dominion is linking the approval of this substation with Vantage? Why wasn't this part of the deal originally?

[02:25:29] Either Dominion could always hook Vantage up sooner or they cannot. You pushed back on the Golden to Mars transmission line and Dominion created a false Route 1F. Don't fall for a similar ploy. Dominion has the resources and is capable of doing better for both projects. Defer the Golden Substation and show them that you're not willing to cave in and trade one neighborhood for another. Vantage also needs fixing, but as someone said earlier, probably sooner than 2028, and these things should be unlinked. They don't belong together. Thank you.

[02:26:03] Thank you. Thank you. Brian Turner, you'll be followed by Ashley Wormling. Good evening, Mr. Turner? Good evening, Chair Randall, members of the board. I'm Brian Turner, an attorney in Leesburg, and I represent Lowndes Valley Estates in the HOA Roundtable, who are parties in the SEC proceeding on the Golden to Mars lines. Golden Substation is one end of that line and is on your agenda again tonight. Nine days ago, October 27th, my client and the county filed their petitions for appeal with the Virginia Supreme Court. In your petition, the county argues, quote,

[02:26:38] The Commission erred on the basis of an urgent reliability need when the asserted urgent need depended on load from uncommitted, speculative, or non-existent potential delivery points. That is a sound argument, and my clients support it. According to the record, there are 37 delivery points totaling 10 to 13 gigawatts of load.

[02:27:00] That's enough energy to supply approximately 3 million homes. For context, all of Lowndes County has approximately 154,000 housing units. I'm asking the board to apply a consistent standard here tonight. Either Golden is a reliability project or is a large distribution substation for Dominion's data center customers.

[02:27:20] We are arguing with the county that it is not a reliability project. By approving the substation tonight, it could undermine the county and my client's basis for appeal. So please do not approve this project tonight. Dominion should answer on the record how much load will Golden serve?

[02:27:35] What are the delivery points? And are they committed or speculative? And when will it actually be needed? More precisely, from a land use perspective, does the project meet the requirements that have not yet been resolved by the applicant? Our ask is simple. There is a valid land use issue concerning Golden that you and your staff has raised and that is not resolved, and you should defer approval until the land use and timing questions are answered.

[02:27:59] And please stay consistent with the positions the county and we have taken before the Supreme Court. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Turner. Hey, how are you, Mr. Wormley? Good to see you. And you're going to be followed by Vicki Hugh. All right, good evening, and thank you so much. My name is Ashley Wormling.

[02:28:16] I'm a co-chair on the Coalition to Block Valley Link North. I'm also a Levittsville resident in the Catoctin District. I want to thank you all again for unanimously passing the BMI opposing the Valley North transmission line. As Valley North progresses forward, the Valley Link Open House is scheduled next Thursday, November 12th, at the Levittsville Game Club from 4 to 7 p.m.

[02:28:40] Valley North has dropped some routes in Western Loudoun, but our community remains adamantly opposed to this transmission line. We look forward to the county's continued support, especially in front of the SCC. In Western Loudoun, we're also watching what's happening with Golden to Mars. There are some overlapping issues that we seek to understand. What are the real needs of the transmission line? What are the real timelines? From where we sit here in the public, the golden substation deal is hard to understand. How can it work? Will it happen as quickly as promised? Will a deal like this undermine the county's position at the Virginia

[02:29:18] Supreme Court? Will this in turn undermine any arguments that we might make for Valley North in the future? Loudoun County residents, whether in Sterling or Ashburn or Lovetsville, absolutely need to be heard. We appreciate that so far we've been heard on the Valley North Project as it goes on. As for the Golden Substation, I just don't understand the ramifications of any decision that's made here tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Vicki Hu, you're going to be followed by Min

[02:29:52] Peck. Good evening. Good evening. My name is Vicki Hu. I live and work in the Loudoun for the last 26 years, raising my family and running a small business here. In September, you deferred Golden because the design wasn't good enough. Thank you. That was the right call. And the design hasn't changed since. Tonight, you also take out your 2027 legislative program.

[02:30:22] It's asked Richmond to lay you way in the power grid before you approve big energy users. It's asked the cost of a new transmission for on the customer who need it, not the people who in the way. It's asked for the real transparency for the utility. Golden is a chance to hold dominion in that standard right here. So defer the golden and ask dominion the basic questions.

[02:30:48] What law does it serve? When is it needed? What connect to it? Golden is a law user decision, make it on its own and do it right. And the fixed vantage now, the family next to a vantage tool deserve relief. With the firm days in writing, the relief shouldn't depend on a substation here.

[02:31:11] I went down to the Richmond to advocate for some of these bills. JJ and Kenner carried a grid bill last section, and it still didn't pass. We need to keep fighting on all fronts, because when we don't stay strong, it causes our way to life in Loudoun County. Tonight, you can show us to stay strong what's it look like thank you thank you thank you min pack followed by joseph bono good evening sir hi good evening my name is min pack and i live in the sterling district we're asking

[02:31:49] the board to defer golden and to demand a fix for vantage two the golden substation application was deferred twice because the design wasn't good enough supervisor sane said by forwarding to December, again, this is going to show Dominion that we're not playing. They should do better with their designs. So what has changed? Why is the vote moved up a month? No written agreement has been made public. The community has been told nothing about how much power is involved

[02:32:22] or what the deal actually entails. We should know how much load does Golden serve? When is it actually needed, what connects to it? Dominion has never given a straight answer. So why approve?

[02:32:40] Who governs Loudoun County, Dominion or Board of Supervisors? You should hold yourself and the expectations to a higher standard. This is another backroom deal with Dominion. Dominion says the Vantage fix is tied to Golden. How? Golden Vantage was never directly linked until this deal. No project should be traded for another. No community should be traded for another. You will hear from Dominion and the data center industry in support of your vote. I can assure you they don't live

[02:33:17] next to a data center or a transmission line. They don't feel the pain. Communities feel the pain. Families and children feel the pain. I met with a guy outside the lobby during the September 15 BOS meeting and he stopped me and asking, what is this meeting for? He was told by the data center union to come to this meeting and he'll get paid for it we ended a conversation but he ended the conversation by saying this is wrong you deserve better we're not getting paid it's only costing us they're fur golden thank you your time's up thank you good evening mr bono how are you you

[02:33:54] be followed by william neaterhouse good evening good evening chair randall chair randall my supervisor laura tacroni and the rest of the board of supervisors my name is joseph bono and i live the birchwood community near evergreen mills road and loud county parkway my concern this evening is about limiting the further encroachment of transmission lines and substations in loudon county more specifically the power infrastructure is required to power to required by the ever expanding data centers in our county to include the demos substation i reluctantly accept how

[02:34:30] Loudoun's growing infrastructure will require enough power to power these massive generators. What I cannot accept is how the encroachment of transmission lines and substations in these ever-expanding multi-million square foot monstrosities impact the citizens of one of the most desirable counties in our country to raise our families. People moved to Loudoun County because of our schools, because of our parks, because of our medical facilities, because of community services, and because of our quality of life. I can accept if we move into a neighborhood

[02:35:05] and see power lines and massive concrete buildings, hear the noise emanating from these structures, and then decide to purchase a home. We are choosing to accept what adjoins our property and encircling our living space. What I cannot accept without public protest is after the fact of property ownership construction without considering the negative impacts these massive infrastructures will have on our quality of lives and on our citizens. Do corporate entities have a by-right authority to construct massive power infrastructures? Yeah, they probably do. The more

[02:35:43] important question is, do these corporate entities have the authority to construct massive power infrastructures, which will have severe negative effects on the lives of the citizens who live in their footprints. The authority of the government to regulate must include seeking alternative solutions to the negative impact encroachment of power lines, substations, and data centers.

[02:36:06] Thank you. Thank you, sir. William Needrenhaus, and you will be followed by Martin, I think it's opus that edit. Mr. Niedringhaus? Oh, he's remote. Yes, sir. Hello. I'm William Niedringhaus from Sterling. Public servants shouldn't need a second job to get by. If we truly value the principle of fair compensation for work performed and the principle that everyone deserves to make a living, this board should approve the salary structure proposed in Table 1. Thank you. Thank you.

[02:36:46] Martin, I think I'm saying your name incorrectly, and I apologize if you'd say it for me. And then you're going to be followed by Brian Spengler. Will you say it one more time for me, sir? My name is Martin Oberstadt. Thank you. Good evening, everybody. Thank you for having us. I live similar to my neighbors, Joseph and Carolyn, in the Birchwood at Bramblistan section of Ashburn.

[02:37:08] And I am here to speak for my support of the exemption associated with Planning District 8 and the must-build infrastructure law. Support for an exemption is not a ban. It's not a moratorium. Really, what it is, it's an acknowledgment that the current law is bad policy.

[02:37:27] In Birchwood right now, we live within five substations within about a mile and a half. If we build DMOs, it would be six. We live within two miles of three different transmission centers. If you build Golden, that would be four. And we are told we have absolutely no right to object to this, that this is the law, that we're stuck with it.

[02:37:49] I can't imagine that that's what we actually would have intended. We're looking for some relief to actually give us a voice back to be able to control what gets put into our community. But beyond that, I want to kind of speak to your practical side. If anybody paid attention to what happened on Tuesday during the election, there were 41 local initiatives related to data centers.

[02:38:12] The anti-data center side won 40 times, 40 places out of 41 in this country. Voters got up and they said, we want to regulate, hold back, or ban data centers in our community. Having some control come back to this group would basically show that you care about the voters more than you can necessarily care about the precedent or about the industry that's here.

[02:38:39] In addition, if anybody paid attention to the market today, betting on data centers continuously is potentially a bad bet, right? NASDAQ was down over 7% today. Anybody pay attention, roughly? Yeah, you got a pretty sense, sir. Entirely based upon technology, right?

[02:38:55] This is now a situation where we need to understand that this revenue may not be here. Sir, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Your time is up. Do me a favor. I hope you come back and speak to us in the future, but when you do, you have to just face us the entire time.

[02:39:11] Okay. Thank you. I appreciate you being here. Brian Spangler, thank you. You'll be followed by Marshall Brown. Good evening. Good evening, Chair. Brian Spangler from Ashburn. When my wife and I searched for our first home in Loudoun County, one consideration was power lines.

[02:39:28] Growing up in Philadelphia, we were accustomed to seeing them above ground. Of all the neighborhoods we visited, Ashburn stood out and became the place to raise our family. My daily commute took me along Waxpool Road and Loudoun County Parkway, and the beauties in the springtime and summer was something special.

[02:39:45] It set Ashburn apart from anywhere I'd ever lived. But much of that is gone today. The expansion of above-ground power infrastructure and data centers has transformed that landscape into an industrial park that's far more than an eyesore. With our children establishing homes nearby, my wife and I moved again to Birchwood and Brambleton, hoping it would be our forever home.

[02:40:06] Once again, the power lines factored into the decision, and we chose a home with the clearest view possible, yet nearly every walk, jog, or drive takes us beneath a web of them. I'm here today because of 14F and how it will further overwhelm an already congested area with data centers, substations, power lines, and generators.

[02:40:29] The justification cites growing power demand, but the demand clearly isn't residential. Loudoun has already contributed enormously to this industry. When will enough be enough? I appreciate the work of the county staff, the planning commission, the board of supervisors, and the endless applications you face.

[02:40:46] you should get that pay raise but these aren't simple words that are passed along paper from desk to desk each decision may stand alone but residents live with their cumulative impact we ask you to remember who we are your constituents and to consider the lasting often irreversible consequences of these decisions thank you thank you sir marshall brown good evening sir you'll be followed by lee chin good evening thank you good evening chair randall Vice Chair Turner and members of the board.

[02:41:14] My name is Marshall Brown, and I'm a Loudoun County resident, Ashburn District, and a proud representative of LIUNA, the Laborers International Union of North America. I'm speaking tonight in strong support of the initiative to attach project labor agreements to county construction contracts of $40 million or more.

[02:41:30] When Loudoun County invests $40 million or more in major infrastructure, taxpayers deserve projects delivered on time and on budget. Project labor agreements establish clear, predictable labor standards from day one. They ensure projects are built by highly trained workers who earn livable wages and quality benefits.

[02:41:49] Most importantly, project labor agreements open up careers for local men and women. And also, I'd like to finish by saying I think you guys deserve a raise as well for all the good stuff you guys do. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Brown. Let's see. Li Qin, if I set your name wrong, I apologize, sir.

[02:42:07] You're going to be followed by Monica Spengler. good evening good evening thank you uh my name is lich i'm living sterling district and i would like to repeat last time no golden to mars power line there's no need to have more substations and more data centers we already have more than enough data centers data center is just a temporary solution to modern artificial intelligence okay when mathematics changes and those data centers

[02:42:44] will be just a concrete rock to our community and stop building any data centers and i have the question here to you and the golden substation matter is just a month from now but why it's moved the vote to today, that is a month earlier, I urge you to reject everything about related

[02:43:15] data centers and wait for the new Congress to make regulations about data centers. I was told and there are 70% of the voters to against the data centers in the United States. Thank you.

[02:43:33] Thank you, sir. Monica Spangler, you'll be followed by John Myers. Good evening, ma'am. Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for being here tonight. My name is Monica Spangler. My husband, Brian, and I currently reside in the Birchwood at Brambleton community.

[02:43:52] I'm here to address the concerns under item 14F. Our community is more than a place for industry to expand. It's our home, a home that we call a little slice of heaven due to its tranquility and beautiful views. We are already burdened by power infrastructure. Continued data center growth brings more substations, transmission lines, generators, and industrial development into our neighborhoods. Loudoun County has already contributed enormously to this industry.

[02:44:27] We ask that you remember the people who call Loudoun County home. Our quality of life matters, and our neighborhoods are worth protecting. Thanks so much for listening. Thank you, ma'am. John Myers, you will be followed by Shane Crow. Good evening, Mr. Myers.

[02:44:46] Good evening, Chair Randall, members of the Board of Subvisors. My name is John Myers, President of the Loudoun Career Firefighter Association. I'm here tonight to share my thoughts on the proposed compensation structure for the next board. I want to start by saying that I believe members of this board should be fairly compensated for the work and responsibility that comes with serving Loudoun County.

[02:45:05] My concern is not whether the salary should be higher or lower. My concern is making sure we have done the work necessarily to show what an appropriate salary actually is. When Lamb evaluates compensation for a county employee, we have an established compensation philosophy. We identify comparable positions, we look at an established comparator market, and conduct a market analysis before determining what the position should be paid.

[02:45:26] I believe the same level of diligence should be applied here. The county's official employee comparator market contains eight jurisdictions. The analysis before you shows six. Alexander and Frederick County are not listed. I also believe that a comprehensive study should examine whether these positions are truly comparable, not simply whether another jurisdiction has a board or council.

[02:45:45] What are responsibilities of position? What is expected workload and time commitment? What are the benefits provided? How does the size and complexity of the jurisdiction compare? And are we truly comparing light positions? Those are the type of questions we would expect to be answered in a compensation study for our employees.

[02:46:01] While this board is not voting on its current salary, some members of this could ultimately serve during the term covered by this compensation structure. A comprehensive and transparent study protects everyone involved. It gives the public confidence in the process and it gives board members the objective information to demonstrate that they exercise proper due diligence.

[02:46:19] I'm not asking you tonight to pay the next board more or less. I'm asking you to make sure that we know what a fair and consistent compensation actually is before settling it. Use the full compared market, compare it truly to other positions and account for differences between jobs. Then let the data tell us what the appropriate number should be, thank you.

[02:46:36] - Thank you, sir. Shane Crowe, you'll be followed by Barry Wiseman. Good evening, Mr. Crowe. - Good evening, board. As always, my name is Shane Crowe from the Algonquin District, excuse my voice for tonight. Loudoun County's friendly nuisance, always advocating for ranked choice voting here in the county.

[02:46:52] Although I am continuing my gambit from before, there are a lot of good things I wish I could comment on, but tonight I'm going to focus on the proposed compensation structure for the county supervisors. Now, I will admit I felt a little bit of a conflict of interest talking about this because, let's be honest, it's a bit of an open secret that I'm interested in the position myself.

[02:47:11] And so with such an interest and wanting to remain in good faith, I found myself, as I do more so nowadays, turning to scripture for guidance. And so if you wish to go along with me, I'm going to cite it. But before I do, and in the spirit of the Diwali celebration, I just wish to share perhaps the Greek trisign before I cite scripture.

[02:47:29] So, I don't think it was a coincidence that my pastor recommended I look in the book of Nehemiah. And in particular in chapter 5, he faces complaints of excessive interest among the people.

[02:47:45] And he confronts the nobles and the rulers, saying in verse 7, And what I found beautiful was how this references the Levitical law in chapter 25, verses 35, 38, titled in common, Redemption of the Poor, where in particular, verses 35 talk about, if thy brother be waxen or grow poor and fall into the cave with thee, then thou shalt relieve him, yea, though he be a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with thee.

[02:48:10] And I think we would want to keep that in mind the next time the rental assistance program comes around. How does this connect to the salary? I'll go through this really quickly. I'm comfortable with the raises after 2028, but that first fourfold increase of 15% up front seems excessive given that affordability is on the minds and lips of everyone in mind.

[02:48:29] For me, the measurement I would use is can the salary help support a supervisor with a bed, a bath, a kitchen, a washer dry, and most importantly, a roof over your head and a key to lock your door? And with a 3% increase like the other four, I think that's acceptable. Thank you.

[02:48:44] Thank you, sir. Thank you. Barry Weissman, followed by Martin Gordon. Good evening, sir. Good evening, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Madam Chair, members of the board, thank you. My name is Barry Wiseman, sorry, I go by Walt, that's my middle name, of Aldi, the Little River District.

[02:49:02] I'm here about the 1-8th mile stretch on Oedlands Road, Route 650. It includes the curve between house numbers 21571 and 21673. This stretch is more like a maintenance access road.

[02:49:20] If you travel it, you'll understand what I'm saying. It was built to get vehicles. It seems more of like an ingress-egress, but two vehicles can't pass safely at the curve, and really for that full 8-mile stretch. School buses, fire trucks, and families like my own with young children travel it every day.

[02:49:37] It has already produced a high-angle rescue and fire apparatus that's gone off the road there. A truck tipped over there upside down a year or so ago. And even just in this last week, there's a telephone pole there that was hit by a car and has substantial damage to the telephone pole.

[02:49:54] maybe, maybe three days ago. Um, I, I think the fix is simple and I know we're all working towards a solution. So what I'm asking is, um, uh, requires a little team effort, but supervisor, um, to crony, um, thank you, ma'am, uh, for, for all your efforts and thank you everybody. Uh, please sponsor this as a board member initiative. The, maybe the board can direct staff to study the stretch as, um, as VDOT to add it to, uh, the secondary road, six-year plan under Virginia Code Section 33.2-331, and fund it with NVTA 30% local funds.

[02:50:30] The Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure is clearly a stakeholder, so maybe within 90 days, they can return with a design or at least a cost estimate and schedule maybe something programmatic or something just in terms of planning.

[02:50:46] And then, of course, VDOT is a stakeholder. So install a guardrail and curve at the curve and a warning sign, maybe before winter. Thank you. Sir, that was really helpful. Thank you. Thank you so much. Martin Gordon, you'll be followed by Gary Nicely.

[02:51:05] Martin Gordon, are you here? Mr. Gordon, going once, going twice. Gary Nicely is next. That's Mr. Nicely. That's Mr. Nicely. And Mr. Nicely, you'll be followed by James Russell.

[02:51:26] Take your time, Mr. Nicely. Take your time. Are there any more down here? Do you want me to bring them for me? That's it? Okay. Take your time, Mr. Nicely. We are in no hurry. Thank you.

[02:51:49] Thank you, Ms. Fingler. It's nice of you. Mr. Nicely, hi. Good evening. Hi. I got a question for you. Did you ever find out if we could get any ground source or geothermal for the HVAC needs of these data centers?

[02:52:08] Because it's 60% less drain on the power lines. I have sent that question to Loudon Water. I beg your pardon? I have sent that question to Loudon Water. Okay, cool. Thank you.

[02:52:26] My next subject is Midnight Hammer. My first thought was a J6 anniversary distraction. Then I thought, 1647,000-pound bombs, that is what went into the air shafts of the strategically aimed targets.

[02:52:57] No collateral damage. The second reason I supported Midnight Hammer, I knew three Iranians for five years. Never saw them smile in that whole five years. I thought, this is a dour lot.

[02:53:13] And then when Midnight Hammer, I asked them what they thought about the bombing. They all smiled. The first time in five years I ever saw those people smile. The third reason was when the Ayatollah went to the Loya Jirga in Pakistan.

[02:53:32] You know, a meeting between Amman, Muftis, Sultans, Ayatollahs, and other potentates. Not a common event in the last 50 years. I can only recall maybe six or seven Loya Jurgis. Now, if there ever was a chance to start chants of death to America, death to Israel, that was it.

[02:53:57] The Ayatollah knew he had his donkey kicked. And when it comes to the three reasons I supported Midnight Hammer. Thank you, sir. Mr. Nisley, I'm sorry, your time's up. Thank you.

[02:54:13] Thank you, sir. Boy, time flies. It does. It does. It does. Thank you, though. Mr. Russell, you're going to be followed by David Pala. New power lines for data centers.

[02:54:32] I don't think the residents of Loudoun County want more power lines for more data centers. I don't think they want any more data centers. A neighbor of ours mentioned a moratorium, an increasingly popular political move across the United States.

[02:54:50] That would be a nice development, but I don't even think the Loudoun residents want a moratorium. I think deep down what we want is the legally sanctioned demolition of these facilities. It's not our problem, and we don't want them here.

[02:55:07] And if that sounds dramatic, I'll remind you. A lot of the tech companies that use these facilities, that have servers in these facilities, contract with the Israeli government and the Israeli military as it's committing its holocaust in Gaza. These companies have no qualms about removing people from their homes through force, through violence, for money.

[02:55:32] Elderly, children, disabled people, it makes no difference to these companies how they get someone out of the house, right, as long as they get it done. Now, a lot of residents of this county might still see themselves as above the Palestinian, But I would claim that these companies, these tech companies, these data traffickers, make no such distinction.

[02:55:59] I don't think they have any problem. They've certainly tried bribing residents. I think if they make the calculus that it's in their interest, they'll remove Loudoun residents from their homes through violence as the months grind into years.

[02:56:16] If you really want to stop these data centers, I think you should look to the example of the Palestinians and the Lebanese, who have been basically dealing with this type of treatment. Mr. Russell, I'm going to ask you to face the board. They've been dealing with this treatment for 80 years, so perhaps look to them for an example.

[02:56:32] Free Palestine, free Lebanon. Our next speaker is David Paula, and our last speaker is Greg Ackerman. Good evening, sir. Good evening, Chair Randall and Loudon Supervisors. My name is David Paula, and I'm here tonight for IBEW Local 26 and all my brothers and sisters in the building trades who have already spoken tonight asking you to support item 14I, project labor agreement policy for Loudoun County.

[02:57:01] They've already done a great job of describing why project labor agreements are so important. It's really the best tool that local governments have to fight wage theft and misclassification, and we've heard why that's so bad. It's also a great opportunity to set what you're asking from the construction companies who are building your schools and your county facilities.

[02:57:22] You get to make sure that these are community benefit agreements, CBA. Speaking of CBAs, right now ours, which would be used on these types of projects, a journeyman's making, a journeyman electrician is making $62 an hour and about $20 in benefits.

[02:57:39] Those benefits include dental, vision, an annuity, three pensions, right? These are the kinds of things that workers need today to have solid retirements and to live in Loudoun County. It also provides for apprentices. We're talking about apprentices who are starting at a little over $26 an hour, right?

[02:57:58] A great wait for someone getting into the trade to learn. So I just want to talk about that. Thank you so much for bringing this proposal forward. This will be a great game changer for the people of Loudoun County, for our workers that live here. And also think about how beautiful it will be for a kid coming through high school in a CTE program, Being able to come back and maybe even work on, you know, revitalizing and rebuilding sections of the school where he went to or she went to.

[02:58:28] Thank you so much. Thank you, sir. And our last speaker is Greg Ackerman. Good evening, Mr. Ackerman. Good evening, Madam Chair and members of the board. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Greg Ackerman. I'm the president of the D.C. Metro Building Trades Council.

[02:58:45] We represent all the construction trade unions in the region. We want to thank you all for your hard work in bringing forward this project labor agreement policy before the board. Project labor agreements are becoming more and more popular throughout the region because we recognize that in this construction boom, it's really important for owners of any project to be able to guarantee a supply and access to skilled, trained workforce, and also that Loudoun County dollars should be spent to create good jobs for local residents.

[02:59:14] I think we're really proud of the work that we've done around the region with pre-apprenticeship programs, getting folks who have not historically had access to the construction trades into our union apprenticeship programs. And project labor agreements allow us to supercharge those programs to ensure that people, veterans, women, folks who need extra support services in order to make sure that they're successful in an apprenticeship can get into apprenticeship.

[02:59:42] And I also want to note just how successful that project labor agreements have been for contractors and businesses to be able to scale up their operations with, again, access to skilled trades, both union and non-union contractors, all of whom are able to work under these agreements.

[03:00:00] We've had great relationships with even non-union companies who have said, look, we don't know how we're going to get access to trained workforce, but with these agreements, we're able to call up the union and say, I need apprentices or I need skilled journey persons who can do X, Y, or Z, and so it's been a great experience, and we're excited to take that experience to Loudoun County, and appreciate this county being on the forefront, just like with other things, collective bargaining, being on the forefront of good labor policy for workers.

[03:00:30] You show you can be both pro-business and pro-worker, and we really appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Ackerman. I appreciate that. So that was our last speaker. So it is my practice to try to adjust the schedule sometime, adjust the agenda to have the people who are in the room not sit here all night with us if you don't want to.

[03:00:51] If you want to sit here all night with us, feel free. I think we're really interesting, but if you don't, we want to get you out the room. So I'm going to do two things. I'm going to take item 14G, which is the Golden Substation. And then after that, I will take item 14I, which is the BMI.

[03:01:07] Usually I do BMIs last, but I do see a lot of people in the room for this BMI, the PLA BMI. So I'm going to do those two. And then I'll kind of look at the board, see how you all are doing, see if you need a break yet. But let's go on and try to get at least a couple of these action items done before we leave the day.

[03:01:24] So we'll do 14G and then 14I. So the Golden Substation and then the PLA agreement threshold, those two things would be next. So will staff please come down for item 14G? Good evening. Good evening.

[03:01:45] So we do have a presentation. It's 12 slides long. Mr. Sains, I would like to see the presentation. Not that I haven't seen it before, I don't know it, but I do know that there are people in the room who spoke on this item today who I haven't seen come speak before.

[03:02:03] And so just for everyone's kind of the level set, we're going to go on and do the presentation. And then we will go from there. All right. We're ready when you are. Good evening. My name is Christian Maldonado with the Department of Planning and Zoning here to present the application for Golden Substation.

[03:02:21] Briefly, the application is located west of Route 28, north of the W&OD Trail and east of Pacific Boulevard in the Sterling Election District and suburban mixed-use place type. The proposal remains the same in the context that the special exceptions for the utility substation in the industrial park zoning district and parking reduction requests remain, as well as the minor special exception to permit a reduction in buffer modifications on all sides.

[03:02:53] For notes, the commission permit was accepted or ratified rather earlier this year. Some additional information regarding the proposal for the buffer includes a reduction in buffer widths and planting requirements on all sides. Depicted now is a rendering of the proposal from Route 28 facing west, as well as a table of the buffer widths, plant unit requirements, and screening provided, which include a 20-foot

[03:03:25] wall, excuse me, 20-foot tall screen wall on all sides, and supplemental plannings along the W and OD trail. County policies generally call for the co-location of this type of infrastructure with existing transmission corridors and supports their construction for the integrity and reliability of the transmission grid.

[03:03:52] Policies also anticipate periphery uses to blend with adjacent place types and encourage the preservation and protection of wildlife habitat. This is a map depicting electrical infrastructure within a mile of the subject site in the yellow dashed circle.

[03:04:13] Staff identified an issue for consideration pertaining to land use, specifically that substations are not anticipated in the suburban mixed-use place type. The proposal is for a substitution with the 20-foot-tall wall, decorative 10-foot-tall supplemental screening wall along the W and OD trail and Route 28 with supplemental plannings along segments of the trail that I just mentioned earlier.

[03:04:43] Staff raises for board consideration the screening along Pacific Boulevard and the proposed enhanced screening along the trail and Route 28 if it is consistent with the 2019 general plan. Recommended conditions of approval have not changed since the September 1st business meeting pertaining to pollinator garden, rather pollinator habitat, screening wall, screening fence, and those supplemental plantings.

[03:05:10] Staff could support approval of these specs and minor specs, subject to conditions, as conditioned, the proposal's generally consistent with county policies. Staff is happy to answer any questions. - Thank you. Mr. Sainz, would you like to go straight to a motion? I think we've had this discussion so many times, I think we could probably do this in a motion and not have to go through again.

[03:05:32] So Mr. Sainz, would you like to do a motion? - Yes, Madam Chair, thank you. I move that the Board of Supervisors approve LEGIE-2025-0012 Golden Substation Special Exception-2025-0032 Special Exception-2025-0033 and Special Exception-2025-0137 subject to the conditions of approval dated July 10th, 2026 and based on the findings for approval provided as attachments one and two to the November 5th, 2026 Board of Supervisors Business Meeting Action Item.

[03:06:04] Second. Motion's been made and seconded by Mr. Letourneau. Discussion on the motion. Mr. Sains. Thank you, Madam Chair. As been mentioned, we've been working on Golden for, seems like forever, but it's been half a year, at least.

[03:06:21] It's no secret we've asked for a lot of things that should have been part of the original application. We've had some hard conversations. I've used some not colorful language when discussing this application with the applicant.

[03:06:41] And we've had a lot of conversations, a lot of meetings regarding it. It's no secret that we have delayed this a few times to try to get a better design. And I know some people are not too thrilled with us moving the item up, you know, 30 days to bring it in November and not December.

[03:07:08] I get it. I understand it. But also, as was mentioned earlier, one resident mentioned that they live in close proximity to the Vantage site and every day are dealing with the decision of Vantage to put on-site gas turbines at that facility.

[03:07:27] So throughout my conversations with Dominion, they, along with Vantage, presented a plan to help relieve the unbearable situation that's at Vantage by 12 years.

[03:07:47] That's something I cannot ignore. This application, even if we approve it tonight, does not change what we're doing with the discussion that we're having with the power line routes over by Rock Ridge High School and those neighbors over there.

[03:08:08] This has no bearing on this, on that. We will continue to have discussions and meetings with the school board, with Dominion, regarding those routes. We filed our complaint to the Supreme Court, and we will continue to file information as they come in with that and challenge those routes.

[03:08:35] So we can still have that conversation. But in order to help relieve the situation at that vantage, that's where I'm coming on supporting this application tonight.

[03:08:52] And as I said, we will continue to have the fight and the conversation regarding the power line routes over by Rockridge and in that community. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Letourneau. Thank you. I'm supportive of the application for a couple of reasons.

[03:09:09] When I listen to some of the comments, I feel like there's this notion that this substation is leverage and some kind of other fight. The leverage is that we don't have blackouts. that's what the leverage is you're asking us to play russian roulette with the entire county and everybody that i represent um because this is not like a lot of the other substations that we deal with i mean i made a motion to deny a substation at the very last meeting but this is a reliability substation that we have simply delayed i mean i was not in favor of

[03:09:47] delaying it to this far in the first place because we have really pushed up against a problem that's coming down the road. So it would be very easy to make an emotional decision and say, no, no, no, we're going to walk away until we get something else. Well, we've explored every possible technically feasible way to make this look better. Do you not think that if they could do it, they would have done it by now? Because it's a heck of a lot cheaper than what they're doing to try to connect vantage. But they couldn't do that. And so therefore, and there's a bunch of technical reasons why, and many of us have talked to them and met with them about that, And I've become convinced that, yes, they can't do it.

[03:10:22] So here we are with as much screening as humanly possible with an application that far exceeds the vast majority of substations that have been built in the county, some of which are really problematic and we need to fix. And I know we're working on a program to voluntarily do that, but they're far worse than this one will look, for a reliability substation.

[03:10:42] So at the end of the day, we really need to move this along so that we don't have all those negative implications. Now, someone asked, well, what guarantees do we have? Well, first of all, the power availability issue is between a data center and the power company, but this is not the only substation that Dominion has in front of the board.

[03:11:03] They've got substations lined up for years, so if for some reason something doesn't come to fruition, we have plenty of leverage down the road, but I actually don't think Dominion wants to be in this position. at the end of the day, and we're going to talk about this later, the law requires them to serve customers. And so here they are having to serve customers. And so there's plenty of things about the situation with Dominion that frustrate me. But fundamentally speaking, it's not an us versus them situation. I think it's everybody who's trying to do the right thing and find solutions to problems using the leverage that we have, which is a lot less than what people think.

[03:11:42] I didn't take an oath to break the law. I can't do it. I'm sorry. I know you want me to, but I can't. I have to stick within the parameters of what the law allows us to do. And so sometimes that requires us to push as hard as we can on things as far as we can take them and then take as much of a win as we can. Because if we don't, we're not the final authority. The final authority is down the street at the courthouse and we will lose.

[03:12:10] Ms. Brooksman? Thank you. So it's my understanding that the designs and mitigation of the substation have not improved, have not been changed at all. Is that correct? There are no changes since September 1st business meeting.

[03:12:26] No changes. Okay. Which is what we asked for. The district supervisor asked for Dominion to put its best foot forward, and it appears as if that did not happen. It will be very difficult for me to support approval tonight because I've seen no significant changes in the design, no increased mitigation or aesthetics improvements.

[03:12:46] It certainly has not addressed my concerns about impacts on the WNOD trail and the surrounds. The district supervisor, as I said, demanded that Dominion do better, and they have not, and I would push back on the idea that they can't. I mean, the district supervisor presented several designs of substations that are way better than what we're going to end up with if this is approved.

[03:13:09] I don't see any real commitments from Dominion as to when Vantage will be connected. It feels more like a pinky promise to me because there's no MOU in our packet. There's nothing that's been presented that promises that Vantage 2 will be resolved. So I don't know what assurances we have.

[03:13:26] And it feels as if we are sort of pitting one community against the other, and that Dominion is using the pain of one community to get a thumbs up on Golden substation.

[03:13:43] There are real questions about whether Golden is a reliability substation, and I would agree that we are undermining our own case in front of the Virginia Supreme Court if we agree that this is a reliability substation. Our own filing says that the commission erred on saying that this was a reliability substation and that it abused its discretion in finding an urgent need for Golden to Mars.

[03:14:10] And Golden is set to serve 37 points of connection, which are basically data centers. I don't know why we would undermine our own case at the Virginia Supreme Court by approving this and agreeing that it's a reliability substation.

[03:14:27] I just don't think we should undermine our case. And also, I don't know how we're holding Dominion accountable. We've never been able to hold them accountable. At least here, maybe the General Assembly can hold them accountable. So if the district supervisor would accept a friendly, I would propose that we defer a decision on the Golden Substation until such time as our Supreme Court case has been resolved.

[03:14:54] And will it not accept? That will not be accepted. Okay, I'd like to make an alternative motion. So I would rule that motion in the exact opposite of the motion on the table. Deferring? Deferring would be, because the motion on the table is to do it, and the motion that you're saying is deferred.

[03:15:11] If this motion fails, you can make that motion, but I rule that motion the exact opposite motion. Can I defer that ruling, or can I appeal that ruling? You can challenge my ruling. Of course you can. Okay. Make a motion to challenge my ruling.

[03:15:26] Yes, I would like to make a motion to challenge that. Is there a second on that? I would like to make a motion to challenge that rule. Is there a second on that? That would die for lack of a second. Mr. Crony? Okay. I voted to defer the substation in September.

[03:15:45] I voted to support Supervisor Sains in that. And I'm kind of surprised that there have been no changes to the design at all. And we're here in November, and there haven't been any changes. Is that correct, staff? That's correct.

[03:16:02] Okay. So I heard what Supervisor Sainz said, and I thought that was pretty compelling, that, you know, you need to put your best foot forward. You've got to be looking at some enhanced designs. And I know you had some ideas, and I thought they were excellent. So, you know, what's changed?

[03:16:20] I guess what's changed is the Vantage 2 deal. And I question what that is. What is the Vantage 2 deal? I haven't seen it in writing. I haven't seen an MOU. I agree, if we can get something 12 years, that would be amazing, but it has to be in writing.

[03:16:42] You know, here on the board, we don't approve things without it being in the proper statement. We've learned that. It has to be in the proper statement for it to be legal and enforceable. So this doesn't have an agreement with it that it would be a solution for Vantage 2.

[03:17:00] So I'm not going to be willing to vote for this tonight. I think that I heard the residents, they want us to defer it. There is an appeal with the Supreme Court of Virginia, and I think Supervisor Brisman made some really strong points that we shouldn't be voting on this without an appeal.

[03:17:22] I would second an alternative motion. That's not crosstalk. Go on and finish. You have a minute and eight seconds left. So I just think that, you know, we're making a decision here without any changes.

[03:17:45] And I just, I think we can do better. I really do. And I hear from the public that, you know, they've been supporting us, that we are doing, we are making changes. We are holding our public utilities, our electric utilities accountable to listen to the public.

[03:18:08] And I don't see anything's changed here, so I'm not going to be supporting this tonight. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am. Ms. Umstead. Thank you, Madam Chair. First, I want to thank Supervisor Sains for working so hard on this and for recognizing the fundamental problem if this doesn't go forward in relation to the Vantage Data Center.

[03:18:40] So I appreciate Supervisor Sainz looking out for his constituents in that regard. I completely agree with both Supervisor Sainz and Supervisor Letourneau. From everything I have seen, this is a reliability substation.

[03:19:01] And if the board continues to delay it or votes it down, Supervisor Letourneau is right. you're going to have blackouts, you're going to have brownouts, because the entire grid rests on a functioning group of substations. So I have absolutely no problem supporting this.

[03:19:30] It is in an area, an industrial area, surrounded by data centers, and as far as I can tell, any residences are either across Route 28 or much farther to the west. So this looks to me like it's the right location for this. It has the side benefit of solving a fundamental problem facing

[03:20:02] a number of residents in Supervisor Sainz' district, and I commend him for trying to solve that problem for his people. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Kirshner. Thank you, Madam Chair. Just briefly, I'll associate my comments with Supervisor Letourneau and Supervisor Sainz and Supervisor Umstead. I think these are such difficult positions because you have, It's kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[03:20:31] And in this particular, a vote for this is going to upset some residents, and that's a hard thing. But as Supervisor Leitero pointed out and has been talked about multiple times here tonight, a brownout or a blackout or rolling blackouts would be even more problematic.

[03:20:47] And we just, it is, I think it would be politically irresponsible when all the experts are telling us this is a reliability substation to walk down a track of we're not going to approve this.

[03:21:05] We have a number of people here, but can you imagine if that scenario occurred because we failed to approve this? There would be a line out the door and around the street and around the building of people who are upset because their electricity is going on and off. And so I understand the arguments for perhaps those substations that are in the wrong place for those that may support existing data centers, but not reliability if they are in the wrong place. But this one, we have to think of

[03:21:39] the broader picture. It hurts. It's not something we enjoy. I applaud those who are supporting it because of that. And certainly the opponents of this will try to take advantage of it and say, well, you're just supporting data and not the community. But the truth is, it is a vote to support the community long-term and the reliability of the community and the services that they are provided through Dominion and our electric grid. So I will support this going forward. I do appreciate, and I did support delaying this because I felt like if Supervisor Saints and his district

[03:22:15] could utilize the delay to get more done or to improve the site. And it appears as we do are moving on a solution with a vantage. And I mean, that turbine problem has been a problem for a long time. And so he should be applauded for that, quite frankly.

[03:22:31] And if we can solve that on a sooner timetable, then we should move forward on this. So thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, sir. Ms. Glass, wasn't you like that a second ago? Or did I just think I saw something? No, I did have it on. I just wanted to say that I would agree with my colleagues, Mr. Letourneau and Mr. Saines, on the discussion.

[03:22:59] I, too, appreciate him taking the time to give extra time to talk and try to make this a better application. But we also, as Mr. Kirshen said, we also have to look at our constituents.

[03:23:25] And I have a lot of seniors in my district. And to think that there is something that I didn't do and the power goes out for someone who may be on dialysis or who may have some type of medical issue, that's on me.

[03:23:50] So I look at it that way. I take these things wholeheartedly and seriously, and I appreciate what Mr. Sains is doing regarding this. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. Vice Chair Turner?

[03:24:06] Thank you, Madam Chair. We've been talking about this now for over a year, and I would distill the arguments down into the purest advocacy argument and the practical governance argument. A year ago, we advised the community not to take a purist advocacy argument.

[03:24:25] It feels good. Emotionally, it's very satisfying. And we said you will very likely end up with the worst possible outcome for your community. The Golden's discussion has been going on now for months. Yes, you're absolutely right. Perhaps the stakeholders from the other side are lying through their teeth directly to our face.

[03:24:44] But after several discussions with them as governors of this county, if we arrive at the conclusion that they are legitimately negotiating, then we need to think about proper governance, practical governance, not purist advocacy. Because once again, if we follow the purist argument, we are very likely to end up with the worst possible outcome for Loudoun County.

[03:25:07] I have talked extensively with Dominion, and I have watched the kind of yeoman's work that Supervisor Sains has done on the Golden Substation and is going to continue to do on the Golden to Mars transmission line. If ever there was a fiercer advocate for this community on this board, I can't think of one, than Koran Sains.

[03:25:28] He has done terrific work. Despite our urging the community, the HOA leadership apparently thought the proper strategy for the Golden to Mars lines was to dig in and say no to everything. And we advised them as the county, we don't have it in control over the final outcome.

[03:25:47] And that strategy is very likely to end up in the worst possible outcome. And here we are, the worst possible outcome is now before the Supreme Court of Virginia, which has a 100% track record of siding with the SEC. It's going to be the same thing with Golden and Mars.

[03:26:08] We have an obligation to all the citizens of Loudoun County. We believe, and I believe, that this is a reliability substation. These four substations were proposed in the fall of 2022. The world as we know it flipped over in summer of 2022, and we realized the power requirements were through the roof.

[03:26:30] And this proposal has been on the books since the fall of 2022. I firmly believe it's a reliability substation. If we say no to this substation tonight, the people living near Vantage 2 can expect to live with this kind of pain. And believe me, I sympathize with that pain.

[03:26:47] You will be living with that pain for years to come. I believe that. Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe that. It is time to end the purest advocacy versus practical governance argument and accept the good over the perfect. Thank you. So I think that, first of all, I think, if possible, and I know it's hard, the temperature can go down just a little bit for everyone.

[03:27:13] Let me just start with that. I also think it's important that when we're having these conversations, we don't rewrite history in the conversations. I think it's important to remember that although the community had no idea that this was going to be a gas turbine, nor did we have any idea this was going to be a gas turbine, no one knew this was going to be a gas turbine.

[03:27:39] The community did choose to have the data center over homes. Literally, they said they wanted the data center over homes. I don't think we should forget that. The issue was that we thought it was going to be connected to the grid, and then it wasn't, and then the gas turbines came, and there's the noise, and there's the problem.

[03:28:00] And I wouldn't want to have that. I mean, I have gone out to this community at least eight times, and it's really interesting. Sometimes you walk out there, and you can hear almost nothing, and then other times you walk out and get out of my car, and I'm like, oh, my gosh. And I'm not sure if it's based on weather or if it's based on wind.

[03:28:18] I don't know what it's based on. But depending on when you go, you can think, well, I don't hear anything at all. And then other days it's like, oh, you've got to be kidding me. And so it's like every day is a, you wake up every day and wonder what your life's going to be, what's going to be about that day.

[03:28:37] I am concerned that Mr. Sains, who has done an amazing job, I am concerned that he did bring many ideas to Dominion and Dominion did not choose to do any of the ideas and without giving us a very clear explanation of why they couldn't have done anything to for the for the design of the substation so these are not easy decisions these are this is a you know 40 49 51 discussion

[03:29:12] for me. I won't vote for the motion, but it's not because I don't believe that Mr. Sains has done a very, very, has lifted heavy and tried to make this work. For me, part of it is just because when you go out to the neighborhood, as much as I have, you know, you do want to hear something, You do want to have a different experience out there.

[03:29:42] So, yeah, these are hard decisions. And Mr. Sainz, good job on the work that you've done. So Mr. Sainz made the motion. And Mr. Letourneau seconded the motion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye.

[03:29:57] I'm sorry? I'm going to close it. Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Sainz, that was my bad, my mistake. Mr. Sainz is going to do a closing, and then we're going to do a vote. I apologize. I'll try to keep my closing brief, but anyway. No, as I mentioned, these are hard conversations, hard decisions that are in front of us with all these power lines, transmission lines, data center applications, substation applications, what people are dealing with in their neighborhoods day in and day out.

[03:30:28] They weigh heavily, not just on myself, but all of us up here. I mean, we don't take these conversations, these decisions lightly. So if I can express that, please know that. I read every single email that comes in to my inbox and take the information that is shared, the concerns, the suggestions, the heartache, and the fear that people are going through.

[03:31:04] And we will continue to have tough conversations, very difficult votes up here, as we have been doing and will continue to do. I'll just say, you know, some of the folks who spoke earlier in some of the emails are saying, well, I didn't see the document.

[03:31:22] I need to see something, et cetera. I get that. These are, unfortunately, documents that are outside the county's purview. These are documents that are between two private entities. But I can say that I've been shown the documents with my own eyes and asked for them to be shown to me.

[03:31:46] So I've seen the documents. I've seen the signatures on the dotted line. So I know that's probably not going to relieve anybody, but there are official documents between the parties that say the relief will be coming in 2028 for Vantage.

[03:32:08] So as I said earlier, we will continue to fight, have conversations, continue to have meetings with Dominion regarding the transmission line routes. And as we prepare for our court case, whenever that date is issued from the Supreme Court.

[03:32:27] So we'll continue to engage with that. Thank you. Thank you. Point of information, Mr. Rogers, do we have a date yet? We do not have an argument date, no. Okay, thank you. All right, I'm sorry I did that before, let's do it again.

[03:32:44] Motion was made by Mr. Sains and seconded by Mr. Letourneau. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Aye. That motion will pass 6-3 with Ms. Bricksman to Crony and Randall voting against the motion.

[03:32:59] We're going to do the PLA item, and then if you guys need a break, you can let me know. Although I think we're good, right? I think we're good. Okay. PLA item is, so it's a BMI, and the way I normally do a BMI is that the people who bought the BMI, I'll give them, when this moment is Mr. Turner and I, about two minutes to make the case and then go straight to a motion.

[03:33:24] So it's 14-I. It's 14-9. So we start talking about PLAs in 2022. In fact, in 2022 was when the board directed staff to research the feasibility of bringing a PLA. On that day, Mr. Buffington, Mr. Kirshner, and Mr. Letourneau opposed that item. I have a feeling two of them are still going to be opposing that item. This issue has crossed terms. We are now four years in, and although we do have

[03:34:01] the pilot out, it has been four years. I don't know anything that has taken four years just to get information back on it. And this threshold is literally $5 million higher than the federal threshold so i don't believe that the that the threshold is is um is going to be an issue so i will make i'll make all my other comments within a motion unless mr turner you have any comments

[03:34:32] you'd like to make before i make the motion um i i would like if i could meta chair and if not that's okay i can do it with the motion staff's explanation of the concern they have of when they establish above or below $40 million. Staff's concern? Have you also... Staff asked for clarification in the item. Oh, okay. Would you like to answer that question? I don't know.

[03:35:00] My understanding... You can do a point of information. I'm not sure. I'm a little confused by what you're saying. Okay, point of information. In the BMI, in the item in here, if I understand it correctly, staff is saying, if you pass this BMI, we don't know how to implement it? Because the contract, does it apply to the existing projects, pilot projects?

[03:35:27] If it's below $40 million, the normal procedure right now is to come to the finance committee having already identified a contract under $40 million. Do we then retroactively go back and change it to include the PLA? So there's just, it seemed like the staff had questions about how to implement this BMI. I'd just like the staff to explain, if you could, what your concerns are.

[03:35:50] Are those, I haven't, I didn't read it like that. So I believe what the vice chair is referring to is on next week's Finance, Government Operations, and Economic Committee agenda, we have a item that provides the required six-month update to the PLA status.

[03:36:11] There is a section within that memo that assumes that this BMI passes. And so there are implementation questions that are included in that item that if this BMI passes, we will ask finance because some of the questions you just articulated are questions.

[03:36:30] Because this motion says that the $40 million, if it's below $40 million, it's applied at the board's discretion. So we don't know what that means in terms of when does the board decide that? How do we ask the board if you want a PLA on that contract?

[03:36:50] So there's things like that that just need to be worked out in terms of details. But that's below the $40 million. That would be below the $40 million. And then I think there was a clarification question in that item for next week, which says, just confirms that this is for all construction projects, both horizontal road construction as well as buildings and, you know, parks and facilities, or is it limited to just a certain type?

[03:37:18] So those are generally the clarifications we are going to request from finance next week if this passes. Okay, I'm happy to make the motion. I move the Board of Supervisors direct staff to attach a project labor agreement to any construction contract or bid that costs $40 million or more as outlined in November 5, 2026, Board of Supervisors Business Meeting Action Item.

[03:37:41] Second. Motion's made and seconded. Okay, a couple of things. One, again, this has been four years. What's coming to the finance next week is the six-month update that will keep coming. So what's coming to the finance next week will keep coming.

[03:37:58] So if we wait for every six-month update to do this, we will never do this. And so at some point, We have to establish a threshold for projects that are 40 million and above, and then we can have a discussion of finance for things that are 40 million and below.

[03:38:15] So those are two different things. Secondly, unfortunately, we are still dealing with all the issues that happen on work sites. We're still dealing with treating certain employees poorly.

[03:38:32] We're still dealing with wage theft. We're still dealing with, for lack of a better word, under the table paying. We're still dealing with all of those things. And the PLA will assist with having some limits or at least some control over some of those issues.

[03:38:51] I don't believe that a county that is actually saying, we will go $5 million. We got lots of emails today. I did read those emails. I appreciate those emails. They're the same emails we got the last time we put this forward that actually just, I think, slowed the process down and stopped it.

[03:39:13] I don't think there will ever be a time we don't get those emails. But I also believe that at some point we have to move or don't move. And after four years, it's time to move, at least on projects that are $40 million and above.

[03:39:30] It's time to move. And so that is why we are here today with this item. Mr. Letourneau, I have a feeling. Yeah, no way. But honestly, so we have two pilot projects that we voted to do.

[03:39:48] I didn't vote for it, but you all voted to do the ADC expansion and Route 15. The purpose of the pilot projects was to see what actually happens when we impose a PLA. What sort of bids do we get? What does it look like? What are the costs? are there cost savings? Which has been the argument. Does it cost more? Which is my argument, which I could give you a mountain of evidence. I know you've said you can do the same. We could have our dueling evidence or we could see what happens in Loudoun County because that's probably the best indicator. So the reason why it took four years, as you all well know, is because we tried to do it first on the government center project and that didn't work. We couldn't do it

[03:40:25] for a lot of reasons. Staff sent us a long memo explaining it, talked about it. So then we voted to do it on ADC expansion in Route 15. Why would we do a pilot project and say that we're going to use this and prove out the case and then not wait to see what the results are? It's not a pilot project then, is it? We should have just skipped the pilot and just done it because no one cares what the results are. If those projects come in way over budget, we're going to say too bad. We're going to do it anyway. We already voted to do it. So it's nonsensical to me. Don't do a pilot project if you intend to be impatient and just, you know what construction projects are like. You know how

[03:41:01] long they take that we all do so the reason I get passionate about this is because this is going to screw with our CIP and we have a lot of stuff we're trying to build and it's going to mess up the process it's going to create complications and I believe it yes it will raise prices it is also going to ensure that the people who are working on these projects in Loudoun are mostly not Virginia residents because 95 percent of Virginia construction workers are not members of a union Now, yes, if you're not a member of the union, you can still join these projects.

[03:41:31] And yes, I absolutely believe they should be paid a fair wage. No question. If that activity is happening, that is illegal. And they should call the sheriff's office right away. Do it. Call the state police. Call the sheriff's office. Make there be a criminal investigation because that's not acceptable. If there's under the table things happening.

[03:41:48] If workers are experiencing that, it's wrong. It's dead wrong. But so is saying we're going to do a pilot project to determine whether something, how it works, what lessons we can learn, how to actually implement it. And then deciding, I don't know, it hasn't even been a year, I don't think, a short time later to not do it, to just skip the result. It's like deciding who the winner of the election is before the election doesn't make sense. So I was shocked to see this item. I thought the board had agreed on a strategy, even if I didn't. And I was very surprised to see us just abandon it and throw caution to the winds

[03:42:24] and implement an absolutely impactful policy that we've heard from numerous companies, most of whom bid on our projects. The buildings that we all work and live in and our residents use are built by these companies telling us this is not workable for us. Please slow down and see what happens with the pilot project.

[03:42:41] And we're going to just ignore that for some reason. Ms. Rixman? Thank you. Well, I think, first of all, I believe in this. Let's just put that out there. I think that there's enough analysis from other jurisdictions that we talked about when we were doing the pilot projects that show if there's PLAs, the majority of the time, it comes in on time, under budget, and it's very successful.

[03:43:12] So I have one question and perhaps one suggestion. Is there any value to adhering to the federal guidelines, which is $35 million for not $40 million?

[03:43:29] Was there any discussion about that? With whom? The makers of the DMR. There was lots of discussion about that, including discussions with the unions. The unions. And $40 million was the number. You guys just settled on that? Yeah, I talked to the unions about it, too.

[03:43:45] They seem okay with it. $40 million, yes. Okay. And then secondly, I'm a little bit concerned about the language in the motion that says project labor agreement to any construction contract or bid. So does this mean that construction contracts that were already awarded now have to go back and get a PLA?

[03:44:05] No, it would not. Could we, would you accept a friendly amendment that says to any new construction? I would accept that. Okay, because I think that could just really cause... Sure, that could accept that. a nest of problems if we didn't say new construction contracts, if, if staff felt like they had to go back to the old ones. So, um, yeah, I mean, I'm generally supportive. I'm, I'm hopeful that the, the, the pilot projects are going to be fine. And, um, I'm proud that we're moving forward with this. Thank you. Mr. Kirshner. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I do have a question and I don't know who my understanding is that none of our,

[03:44:43] None of our neighboring jurisdictions who have a project labor agreement ordinance or policy, for lack of a better term, actually include road projects in that. Is that correct? Vertical projects? I mean, horizontal projects? That is my understanding.

[03:44:59] There are some in Maryland. I don't believe there's any in Northern Virginia. So we talk about our comparators. We talk about, and Ms. Brisbane said, well, we've looked at our neighbors. Well, they're not even doing vertical projects. We're talking about here in Virginia, obviously.

[03:45:17] And so I think that is, from the very beginning, when we kind of went down even the pilot project, that was one of my big concerns. We're jumping into an area that there's a lot of unfamiliarity. Okay, we're going to do a pilot program. We're going to look at this. I did oppose it at the time.

[03:45:33] I still have ongoing concerns. This is obviously a pilot project in my district, which of something that we're not really doing in our neighboring jurisdictions, unless we're going to count Maryland in that process. So I also think we're being, I agree with Supervisor Letourneau in the sense that we're being really impatient on this.

[03:45:50] There may be arguments to the side. I'm not persuaded by them, those arguments that have been made now. I think we're just kind of trying to ram this through and say, okay, we're going to choose this $40 million number and we're not going to really see how this works. Listen, I have an open mind about this.

[03:46:06] I am skeptical. But if these are going to be under budget and going to be delivered in a more timely manner than the process that we're presently using or have been, then I'm open to that. But not until we actually vet out the process in our pilot project.

[03:46:25] So I think we're jumping the gun. We are not ready to do it. And I think we're just getting a little impatient on this. And perhaps we could step back and be more patient. Would the chair accept a friendly to remove, I think, vertical projects from the motion itself?

[03:46:45] Well, actually, vertical projects is not in the motion, but I understand your question, and I would not. Okay. But thank you. Thank you. I understand. Yeah, horizontal. I've got to get my directions right. Horizontal. It's important to know when you're horizontal versus vertical.

[03:47:01] Ms. Umstein? Thank you, Madam Chair. I mean, I appreciate Supervisor Letourneau's frustration with not waiting until the pilot projects are seen through to the end.

[03:47:20] And I can understand that he views this as inconsistent. But this is a very good way to make sure that, At least when it comes to our projects within the financial constraints, you've got a chance for people who work hard or members of the working class to make a living wage and to have a shot at getting into the middle class.

[03:47:58] And I think one of the weaknesses we've seen in this country is the growing number of the extraordinarily wealthy and the falling down of the working class and middle class.

[03:48:14] And so for that reason, I'm going to support a proposal that at least starts getting us to a point where we're rebuilding the working class and the middle class through good-paying jobs.

[03:48:35] And I think if we don't go this route, we just add to the problem that I think is helping to tear the country apart. So I will be supporting it. Madam Chair, if I may offer a point of clarification, the Riverside Bridge over Route 7 was a voluntary PLA project.

[03:48:58] So that is a horizontal project in Northern Virginia that was accomplished under PLA. Thank you. That's a point of information. Thank you. Mr. Crony? Thank you, Chair Randall. So I heard somebody speak about this applying to school construction.

[03:49:16] Would this apply to schools? Absolutely. Oh, good. No, just county construction. We don't have authority over the schools. We don't have authority over schools. Oh, interesting. Okay, because we had a gentleman speaking about how it would be nice for union members to be building some schools.

[03:49:35] We're not building more schools. Okay. No, I just heard that. I was just curious. So, Chair Randall, do you know if every six months they're supposed to come in with an update to finance? How has that been going?

[03:49:51] We haven't had one yet. We haven't had the first one. I see. Okay. All right. Yeah, I mean, I see what your point is, that we've been waiting for four years, and we haven't even gotten a six-month update, right, on the pilots, correct?

[03:50:11] Exactly. We just started those. Yeah, I understand. So I like that this is for union and non-union workers. I hear what Supervisor Letourneau is saying that, you know, a lot of our workforce may not be union, but this could be for both union and non-union, and it prevents wage theft and pays people what they're worth.

[03:50:35] And I like the idea of a community benefit agreement. I think I heard that from some of the speakers, that you could have an agreement to have good retirement plans. And it would allow, you know, apprenticeships and give jobs to women and veterans.

[03:50:56] So I think it gives a lot of opportunity, and I'm willing to support this. So thank you. Thank you. Mr. Turner. Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe a question to staff, because Supervisor Letourneau's concerns resonate.

[03:51:16] I don't know the details, but they do resonate to the extent that do we want the pilots to run out and get the data before we implement this BMI? That, on its face, makes a lot of logic. If it's going to take 10 years for the pilot projects to complete, then I don't want to wait around, and I don't know what our options are.

[03:51:36] Is there any kind of mechanism that we can create that would allow us to continue with the pilot projects and then implement this BMI in a conditional way, in a contingent way? I don't know if that's even possible.

[03:51:52] Can I respond to that? Okay, so this is at $40 million and above. The pilot projects are not necessarily at that rate. And so they're not all at $40 million. Both of them are, but they don't have to be. they are but they don't have to be there's only two we are i know but they don't but but but they don't have to be they happen to be they don't have theory yes but those okay well then that makes it two different things okay well anyway go on they're a huge problem no that that clarified and i'm just uh the point resonates with me but so does yours which is we've waited four years

[03:52:31] it's time to move forward i'm caught between the two arguments because i think they're both reasonable arguments. It seems to me you've got a counter already, so I'm going to defer to you. I don't have a counter. So first of all, to my friend Mr. Kirshner's point, he said it seems like we are impatient. I am impatient. We're about to go through a second term, and nothing has been done. So you're not wrong if you think I'm impatient. I am impatient. To my colleague and friend Mr. Letourneau, when he says that it didn't happen because we didn't put it on the county building. Well, if I could go back and do some things differently, I probably wouldn't have

[03:53:09] made that decision. However, even that was just this year. So that means three years had passed before we even got that far. And so, I mean, three years passing is a very long time. Four years passing is unacceptable, and a new term passing is absolutely unacceptable. That's the first thing.

[03:53:28] Second thing is, and with all respect, if you don't think that law enforcement has been called and investigations have been asked for, Ms. Letourneau, I know you know better than that. I know you do. There was actually video, literally video, of a house in Manassas that was counting money and money going under the table, and nothing was done.

[03:53:51] There was begging for something to be done, and nothing was done. And you know why nothing was done? One, and that wasn't in our county, but one, law enforcement's very busy, but two, and the truth is, Sometimes the discussion is, who's being hurt? That's the discussion sometimes.

[03:54:08] Who's being hurt? Who's being damaged? So the person's getting paid under the table because of who they are. They can't always, one, report that. And two, if they do report that, maybe nothing happens. Maybe nothing happens with that.

[03:54:24] So there have been requests for investigations and calls and all that. And things did not happen. Wage theft is happening. I had a meeting with some of our larger construction companies who build in Loudoun County and what they said to me was, yes, we know what's happening, but it happens with our subcontractors, not us.

[03:54:46] And I said, well, then don't hire those subcontractors. So even in my meeting, nothing happened. And these were some of our larger construction companies, some of the very ones that are sending us emails right now. Not all of them, of course, but some of the very ones that are sending us emails right now.

[03:55:04] are saying our subcontractors are doing it, not us. So yes, there have been investigations. Yes, there is wage theft. Yes, there is under-the-table pain. Yes, some people do not get paid what they were promised, that they were supposed to get paid. And yes, this does move people into maybe a different place where they can actually have a job that they know will pay them, that will take care of their families.

[03:55:30] They're not getting rich, but will take care of their families. I'm not willing to wait any longer. And that six-months update will come every six months. So at any point, we can say, let's wait for the next update. I'm not doing that. I'm not going to just keep waiting for the next update. It is time to move.

[03:55:47] So I made the motion. Mr. Turner seconded the motion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Aye. That motion would pass 7-2. Thank you. Can you guys do one more?

[03:56:02] I still can't clap. Can you all do one more item? Can we, you want to take a break? Can you go one more? I think, no, the legislature is going to take a long time. I think we have legislative compensation. Let's do compensation and then take a break.

[03:56:18] And then we'll take a break and we'll take a break, we'll take a break to closed session and then come back and do the last item. So let's do compensation, which is item number 12H. Ms. Bricksman, I'm going to go to you for a motion.

[03:56:39] Mr. Sainz said 12H. Thank you, Mr. Sains. Oh, 14H. Mr. Sains, if you're going to help me. That was 14. If you're going to help me, be helpful. He said it with such assuredness in his voice, too. All right, 14H.

[03:56:56] Ms. Bixman, we've been here before, but if you or Mr. Crony or Ms. Glass want to take the two minutes before you make a motion, that's fine with me. I'm comfortable just going to a motion. Okay. This is the third time it's been on our agenda. Okay, I move that the Board of Supervisors adopt the 2028-22-2031 Board of Supervisors term compensation structure as depicted in Table 1 of the November 5th, 2026 Board of Supervisors business meeting action item.

[03:57:25] Motion's made, and thank you, Supervisor, the crony discussion on the motion, Ms. Brixman. Thank you. So, we have an opportunity here, and I would argue an obligation to set fair and living wages for future supervisors and chairs of this county. I'll point out once again that this is not for people sitting on this dais right now.

[03:57:43] Nobody on this dais right now is guaranteed to have a seat as of January 1st, 2028. We have two objective data points that show even with the table one proposal, the county would be still underpaying supervisors and the chair per our single head of household AMI and our comparators that are in the chart now in the item.

[03:58:08] the comparators that we use for all county employees. The community had an opportunity to oppose this at public hearing and tonight, and even the first meeting, and we really have not heard great public opposition to this, and we know that when Loudon disagrees with the proposal, we certainly hear about it.

[03:58:26] I would argue the general public understands that these are complicated jobs, managing a $5 billion budget, complex land use issues, and that they see and appreciate the work that supervisors do. I believe fair pay incentivizes quality work, strengthens accountability, and makes for better representation and helps avoid conflicts of interest.

[03:58:44] Setting a more fair wage for future supervisors is a value statement about public service and a commitment to opening the door to our diverse constituency who may want to serve someday, from single mothers who may be relying on just one income, to small business owners who want to be fairly compensated while juggling limited time, young adults who are inspired to make a difference in their communities or even seniors who may be on a fixed income who could bring their deep experience. Our salaries were adopted by a prior board. We've done this twice before. And I would just say I do appreciate Mr. Meyer's comments. I

[03:59:23] did try to put the comparators in there. I think it's a little bit different to try and do an analysis for these positions as it would be for the positions throughout the county. We actually did try to do that. Supervisor Sains and I tried to have NVRC do that last term and we didn't we weren't able to accomplish it with NVRC but I will say also these positions are defined in state code and so we really don't have any flexibility as to what the responsibilities are as defined in the state code and they're

[03:59:59] not defined as full-time or part-time. I'm not coming from a place where I think everyone who does this job should be doing it full-time. I come from a place of, you know, if you want to have two full-time jobs to support your family, that's entirely up to you. But I don't think that one of the jobs should be woefully underpaid just because you have two jobs, if that makes sense.

[04:00:22] I mean, we know plenty of people who have several jobs to support their families. So I'm hopeful that the board will support Table 1 and I'll save the rest for my closing. Thank you. So Mr. Crony and Ms. Bricksman, I'm going to ask to split out the chair's compensation from the board's compensation, from everybody else's compensation. And so for this discussion, I would like to, without objection, take out the chair's compensation for this discussion.

[04:00:53] So this is discussing everybody but the chair's compensation. So Mr. Crony, as a second of the motion, I'll call on you next. Okay, thank you, Chair Randall. I did hear from the community tonight. I'm glad we had some speakers speak about this item.

[04:01:09] I agree that this job does require full-time attention, and I think this county has gotten too big to think that you can do this part-time. We have complex issues. I spend definitely more than 40 hours a week, and I'm proud to do it.

[04:01:27] I love serving my constituents, and what we're doing tonight is not for this term, it's for next term. I don't know if I'll be blessed to be coming back, but I think we should be paying a fair and reasonable wage for a full-time commitment.

[04:01:45] And compensation is not just my motivation here. My motivation is so that we can have two business meetings during the day. I've said that throughout this item. I think when you have business meetings, that means it should be during normal business hours.

[04:02:04] And we have two of them, and I think they should be during the day. That is something that I'm not going to give up on for next term because I think it's a professional environment. It does have an impact on our staff when we go late into the night. And residents can't stay late.

[04:02:21] Nobody wants to stay late. So I will be bringing that up. I think it makes good sense. And also I think for the campaign, when we go out campaigning, I think making the point that you're going to make a full-time commitment is a benefit to the constituents.

[04:02:37] I really do. So I hope that my board will support the increase. We are actually making the vice chair and supervisor salary the same like other jurisdictions. There's no reason for the vice chair to have more of a salary than the supervisors because some supervisors chair committees.

[04:03:00] And I think it's about the same amount of work when you chair a committee. So we are doing that. We're bringing parity to that to be consistent with other jurisdictions. Again, we have comparables, and I'm glad that we do because it shows that, you know, we are competitive.

[04:03:19] I mean, we're on the low end, but we are competitive, and usually the vice chair and supervisor salaries are the same. So we're bringing the supervisor up to the vice chair salary, and then we're bringing those to parity, And then obviously the chair being like two people, I think it's two times the work, is at a different level.

[04:03:42] So I'm happy to support it. And like I said, this is not for this term. It is for next term. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Crony. I think I saw Ms. Umstadt next, but I'm not sure. I think I saw you next, Ms. Umstadt. Yes.

[04:03:58] All right. Thank you, Madam Chair. Okay. So no surprise. I'm going to oppose this. If you look at Fairfax County as a comparator, their population is over a million people, and ours is about 450,000, 460,000. So they have nine districts. We have But every one in Fairfax represents, every board member represents about 130,000 people.

[04:04:36] Each of us at the district level represent about 55,000. So basically, we should be making less than half of what the Fairfax board makes if we're looking at populations. So they make $123,000.

[04:04:53] We should be making about $61,000, $62,000. We make more than that. The people who do make around $62,000 are starting firefighters. Our starting teachers make about $63,900, and our deputies now make about $70,000.

[04:05:15] So we are now bumping ourselves all up above those folks, and per capita, we will be making more than the Fairfax County supervisors. So I've said before, 35% of the people in my district are making a good bit less than what we're making now.

[04:05:39] And I don't think there's any justification for this jump. A 3% jump, okay. Increasing board pay, you know, at the same level we increase county staff pay, okay.

[04:05:55] But this is a significant jump after we had another significant jump only a few years back. So I will be a no vote. Thank you. Thank you. Miss Glass. Thank you, Madam Chair. This proposal brings the compensation for the next board closer to the area median income and to a full-time compensation. I believe being a supervisor in Loudoun County is a full-time job. Almost all the population lives in unincorporated

[04:06:33] parts of the county, and the board is their only form of local government. There is no town council for most. That means that demands of this role are numerous, and more importantly, the constituents demand a supervisor's engagement. Compensation should be provided at an amount that recognizes that engagement gets the best candidates to run. It is the 6 a.m. meeting to observe a traffic concern because that's the only time the issue occurs. The 9 a.m. briefings with county staff

[04:07:13] to understand the proposed ordinance changes. The noon ribbon cutting to celebrate a new business and show appreciation for their investment. The 9 p.m. I'm sorry the 3 p.m. site visit with a developer to plan for their new community. The 6 p.m. HOA meeting to explain the latest road project occurring near their neighborhood. It's the 9 p.m. regional meeting to advocate for Loudoun's share of funding. The midnight public hearing to listen to the opinions of county residents.

[04:07:51] All that on top of the hours of research, outreach, reading, writing, sharing, and advocating for each district. Being a supervisor is already a full-time job and needs to be compensated as such.

[04:08:06] That will allow the entire next generation of Loudoun leaders to be able to pursue this role, not just for those who may be considered wealthy. This is not for me. This is not for us. This is for all those who are coming next. Thank you, Madam Chair.

[04:08:27] Thank you. Mr. Letourneau. Thank you, Madam Chair. Consistent with what I've said before, I respect everything my colleagues are saying. I agree with the majority of it. And I certainly ascribe no ill motives whatsoever. But I do think that 15.5% year to year is too much of an increase. I still think that people out there that we serve are not getting that. And I understand you can look at it a lot of different ways. Prince William County just sent their board of supervisors salaries for the

[04:09:06] next term and they maxed out at 84,000 and they're a larger county than ours. I think it's not always accurate to look at things that way because the workloads are very different. The hardest working board of supervisors in Virginia right now is probably Frederick County because they're the number one in growth, they make $10,000. So I don't, it's hard to do that. I'm comfortable with kind of where we've been and what our general approach is. I'm just not comfortable with this much of a jump. And I would encourage the board. I was on the board when we had day meetings and I'll tell you the thing we didn't have a day meetings were residents because they were mostly

[04:09:44] work. So I understand the frustration. No, I, well, yeah, you could, you could do all sorts of things. But I think we kind of settled on the schedule we had so that we could accommodate people that had both sort of approaches to this. And I respect the job everybody's doing and agree with what Supervisor Glass said about all that commitment. So please don't take it that way. But it's just a little too high for me. Thanks. Mr. Kirshner? Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I'm not going to support the initial jump. I think like Supervisor Umstead, I would, you know, last time we went through this process when I was on the last board, We had a fairly significant jump.

[04:10:23] I didn't vote against it. I abstained because I understood that my colleagues felt like the number should be someplace else. But I am going to oppose this at this juncture. I feel like we've bumped it up and we should just continue, like most folks, when they're in a job position to move forward on a 3% and 4% basis.

[04:10:41] I did look up what the average annual salary in Loudoun County is. It's about $91,600. I certainly don't think we should be higher than that. This certainly jumps us above that to 95,787 come 2028. When I say us, that is the board. No one knows that they're going to be here next time.

[04:10:58] I know some of us may be rerunning for office, but for the members of the board. So I certainly don't think we should be above the average, this board should make above the average. I appreciate all the arguments my colleagues have said, but I am not comfortable with that. I took on this position not to make it a full-time job, although I did figure it out recently.

[04:11:18] I probably put in 40 to 50 hours a week pretty easily between all the phone calls, the Zooms, as well as running a law firm and raising seven boys, although my wife probably does the bulk of that. She probably wishes I was home right now. But the truth of the matter is a lot of work, but I do it because I want to be a public servant.

[04:11:36] I want to make my community better. I enjoy working with people. I enjoy working with my colleagues, even though we often don't agree on things. And the truth of the matter is I think our current conversation is more than fair. And I would like to keep it where it is and maybe move up at about, you know, 3% to 4% per year.

[04:11:54] On the other hand, I know I will be – I take a different position in terms of the chair at large. I know I have watched Chair Randall for the last two terms, and maybe she's exceptional, but I do see how much extra work that position requires, especially to do it right.

[04:12:12] Not only in preparation for these meetings, but representing all of us on both a state and a national level, many of the different events that need to be attended, ribbon cuttings in all of the different districts. So I do think that that position does deserve a significant jump, probably even more than is recommended here.

[04:12:32] And I may have an alternative motion when we get to that. So that is my position on this, and I respect my colleagues. I hope they respect me. Thanks. Thank you. So, if I said this wrong when we had the last conversation, and I will apologize and correct what I was saying, or say it differently.

[04:12:51] So, there is this belief out in the world, in Loudoun, that by Virginia code, this is a part-time job. By Virginia code, this is not a part-time job nor a full-time job. The Virginia code does not say what it is.

[04:13:08] So when I said to my colleagues, make the case that this is a full-time job, it's because people think it's a part-time job. And because I don't know, and truthfully, what Ms. Glass just did is what I was saying to do. Like, talk about what you do and make the case.

[04:13:26] Because I don't think people know, and I don't always know. I know what I do. But my job's not like a supervisor on steroids, right? It's a whole different position. And so I think that making the case and telling people what you do wasn't meant to be insulting at all.

[04:13:44] It was meant to say that people believe it's a part-time job. For some people, it might be. For some people, it might not be. Make the case, because what you're doing is making the case to the people who employ you. And I think anyone, any employee, makes the case to their employer of why they deserve a raise.

[04:14:06] And so that's what I meant when I said make the case. And so if I said it differently or if I was offensive, let me openly apologize for that right now because that was certainly not my intention. No matter what we raise this to, if we did a 15%, it still would not cover the cost of my colleagues who have full-time jobs.

[04:14:26] It wouldn't cover what Mr. Letourneau brings home. It wouldn't cover what Mr. Sains brings home. It wouldn't cover what Ms. Glass brings home or Mr. Kirshner brings home. And I am not going to jump in their pockets and tell them what they should be or shouldn't be making or what they bring home. I think that they have the right to work if they want to.

[04:14:45] I think that 15% is too much. I do. I'm willing to do something, but I believe 15% is too much. I also was here when we did this, and it wasn't a couple of years ago. That was, what, six years ago, Ms. Letourneau, that we did that?

[04:15:03] The large increase? It was more than six years ago. So it wasn't a couple of years ago. That was a long time ago. And that increase had not happened, I don't know. I mean, the chair's job was 50,000 and supervisor's job was like 43,000.

[04:15:19] That had to happen. But since then, it's been better. So I do think something is needed, but I think that when I look at our firefighters, our teachers, Others, I think 15% is, it would be hard for me to go defend that.

[04:15:37] And so, and that's not meant to be at all disrespectful or disparaging to my colleagues, my supervisor. So I hope you don't feel that way. And I am willing to do something, but I can't do 15%. Who made the motion? Would you like to do a closing? Yes.

[04:15:53] I guess to some of the colleagues on the board that were, I don't want to use the word cherry picking because that's negative. has a negative connotation but i guess the reason we have comparators and the reason we came up with that concept to have comparators is because we we wanted to look globally and and that's exactly what we did in this item so i i don't think you can really compare one to one on what each supervisor does in each different county and so for me that's why this table four is so

[04:16:30] informative for me. We took the average. And again, even with table one, we would have the next board way below that average. And so that's where I'm coming from. And I agree with Chair Randall. I don't want to get in anyone's pockets either. I think that if someone wants to work 80, 90 hours a week to pay the bills for their family, and that's what they feel like they need to do, I'm not asking anyone to replace their second job with this job. I mean, if you, if that's what you feel like you need to do, my point is, I don't think that everyone should get paid, or

[04:17:07] should have to suffer not getting paid for the work they're doing, just because some folks on the board happen to have two jobs, if that makes sense, right? Like, you shouldn't be underpaid for your second job, just because some people have second jobs, if that makes sense. I just think it's a fairness thing. I think that, you know, we have a value for most of us on this board. I think maybe all of us on this board that, you know, everyone deserves to make a living wage and everyone deserves to, you know, make a salary commiserate with the work that they put in for

[04:17:42] the job that they have signed up for. And I think, again, our communities obviously are okay with this proposal because there was really very little opposition to it. So, um, I appreciate all my colleagues input. Um, and again, I, you know, the day meetings and the timing of meetings and everything that's for the next board to decide, right? Again, none of us are guaranteed, guaranteed to be here as of January 1st, 2028. So that next board is going to decide what time they want to

[04:18:17] have their meetings and where people want to sit and whatever. So I'm not going to make any comment about that. I would just appreciate my colleague's support for table one for the supervisor salaries. Thank you. All right. Ms. Bricksman made the motion. Mr. Crony seconded the motion. And this is for table one. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Nay. Nay.

[04:18:39] Okay. I think if you were opposed, raise your hand. So that motion will pass five to four with Mr. Letourneau, Chair Randall, Mr. Kirshner, and Ms. Umstead voting against that motion.

[04:18:55] All right. Are there any other motions on the dais? Well, the split motion, you split. I know. Oh, I thought you asked it first. I did. Okay. All right. Then with items done, Mr. Kirshner. Well, I was going to ask on the secondary motion if there would be...

[04:19:15] There is no second motion yet. It's been split. I did split the motion, so there has to be... Well, there has to be a motion made. I was first going to ask if we could do a friendly on the... Well, that motion's already over, so we can't do a friendly one. No, on the second motion.

[04:19:31] Okay, the motion was split, so now... You don't have the dais, Mr. Turner. When you recapped the motion that we were voting on, you said we are voting on table one. We are voting on table one other than line one.

[04:19:47] I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that. I was trying to just pull minds out of there completely. Yeah, let's just move on. I was trying to just pull minds out of there completely. That's what I was trying to do. And you voted no. I thought we split it. You voted no. We split it, and I wasn't part of it, purposely.

[04:20:05] Chair wasn't part of it. Chair wasn't part of it. Right. So I don't even know what the chair's compensation was on that. 100. I mean, like, the percentage. I think it was actually, what was the percentage? Table 1. 6%. 6%. Where we are right now is point of clarification is we just approved table one as it is.

[04:20:25] So we approved 15% for the supervisors and 6% for the chair. Correct. That's what we just approved. I thought we split the motion between the two. That was my understanding. I was trying to take mines out completely. I understood it to be split. That's what I was trying to do, split it completely out.

[04:20:41] That was the effort. But did we split it? Well, I said I'm splitting the motion. I literally said I'm going to split the motion. You want to help me out in here? Yes. Madam Chair, you asked the maker of the motion and the seconder if it would be okay if it was table one less the chair.

[04:20:59] That's what I wrote down. Okay. All right. Can I make a motion? You can make a – well, anyone can make a motion. I'm sorry. I was going to make a motion to change the – What motion did we just approve? Point of clarification. Guys, you just approved table one minus the chair. Madam Chair, I have an alternative.

[04:21:14] You just approved table one minus the chair. Point of clarification. Yes. Normally when we split the motion, the maker of the motion then gets an opening and closing for the first part, and then the maker of the motion gets an opening and closing on the split part.

[04:21:30] So that second part of that motion is still on the table as a split. Yes. It is table one minus the chair. We passed that, but now it's just the chair. And normally I don't do for both because you've already done an opening for the first part, but I have everyone speak on it if you want to.

[04:21:46] Oh, speak on it, okay. Yeah. Okay. So, would anyone like to do anything? I would last ask for a friendly on the... What is the motion that we're talking about now? On the chair. Table one, table one for the chair. Thank you. Which is, yes, thank you. Okay.

[04:22:03] All right. Madam Chair, may I ask the maker to, for a friendly? Well, yes. I would move, ask that the friendly change the initial jump to 15%, which would be $114,434.26 in year 2028 and then progress at the same rate following the same years.

[04:22:26] I think she has to accept it as a friendly. If you accept that as a friendly, otherwise I'll make an alternative. I'm not necessarily opposed to it, I just have a point of clarification. I think that by law we have to vote on the actual numbers for every year And so I would like to maybe take a recess so staff can come up with those numbers for every year.

[04:22:47] Do we? I didn't realize that. In the table. Well. No, we have to. I changed year one, but I didn't realize that we needed to add the actual numbers. Okay. So did we need to take a break to do that then?

[04:23:05] And by the way, when we do this, I will tell you all right now, I'm going to abstain on this motion and give Mr. Turner the gavel to run this motion completely. Do we need to take a break to do that, to look at numbers? The board has to adopt a salary for every year.

[04:23:21] Yeah. Or if you adopt, so for example, if the board took no action based off of last term's decision, the chair would get one more increase on January 1st, 2027.

[04:23:37] And if no further action was taken, the salary would mean the same for next term. We need the table. So I'm going to do a recess for 10 minutes so we can work the math out.

[04:23:55] And then I'm going to hand the gavel to Mr. Turner. The math. What are we doing?

[04:39:17] I have. I have. All right. We are back. Are we all back? We are not all back. We're all coming back. All right. I'm handing the microphone. Well, not the microphone. I'm handing the gavel to Mr. Turner.

[04:39:35] Thank you, Madam Chair. Mr. Kirsten, would you like to make a motion on the table before us now? Yes, I'd like to make an alternative motion, which I've spoken with Ms. Bristman, and she's in agreement to having me make that motion.

[04:39:51] So, yes, I move the Board of Supervisors adopt the 2028 to 2031 chair of the Board of Supervisors term compensation structure as follows. The chair at large in 2028 will receive $114,434.27 per year.

[04:40:12] In 2029, it will increase to $117,867.30 per year. In 2030, it will increase to $121,403.32 per year. In 2031, it would increase to $125,045.42 per year.

[04:40:31] Motion made. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Supervisor Sainz. Opening comments. As I said before, I have watched this chair position, and also if you compare it with other local comparators, I think it is most certainly a full-time position with a lot of responsibility.

[04:40:48] If you compare them to our constitutional officers, the chair position is paid far less. I think it is—probably should be more, but I think it is a fair increase and something that we as a board should adopt, regardless of who is in that position come the next session.

[04:41:05] Thank you. Vice chair. Thank you. Comments, questions? Supervisor Briskman. Thank you. Well, this certainly gets us closer to the area median income for a single household, which is what we originally were going for when my colleagues and I put together this proposal.

[04:41:23] As Supervisor Kirshner said, the chair makes less than half of our constitutional officers. The sheriff makes $269,000 a year. Clerk of court, $262,000. Commonwealth's attorney, $262,000. Commissioner of the revenue, $246,000.

[04:41:40] And the treasurer is at $228,000. And right now, chair at large is at $96,000. So, however, I will be abstaining from this vote because I am a declared candidate with a committee filed for Briskman for chair, and so I feel like it might be a little bit inappropriate for me to vote yes on this, so I'll be abstaining from the motion, but I appreciate Supervisor Kirshner's recognition that the chair's position is full-time plus-plus-plus.

[04:42:09] And so, yeah, so thanks for bringing the motion forward, and I will be abstaining. Thank you. Thank you. Supervisor Homestock. Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. I just wanted to point out that while the figures quoted for the constitutional officers are accurate, I believe the majority of their pay comes from the state, not from the county.

[04:42:39] So anyway, their base salaries are, I think, about 10%. of their salaries come from the county. Anything above that would be optional, I guess, by the board. Thank you. Other comments? I have just a few comments. It distills down a lot simpler formula for me. When I first came into this job, in fact, I think even before I got elected the

[04:43:14] first time, I thought, how in the world is Loudoun County with a $5 billion budget paying these salaries to its elected governing officials? I don't get it. Go to any $5 billion company in the United States, and I guarantee you that the CEO makes a whole lot more than $96,000 a year.

[04:43:34] I think this is well-deserved. Any of us, I mean, we have all been on the fifth floor and watched how Chair Randall does his job. And any chair has an enormous responsibility. Loudoun County is a unique county in the United States for a whole bunch of reasons we understand, understood before but understand now.

[04:43:54] The responsibilities are enormous, and I think it is a reasonable and fair compensation for the level of work that we're asking the chair of the county to do. And so I'm going to support this motion. Closing comments, Supervisor Kirshner. Let's vote. All righty. Motion made and seconded. All in favor of the motion, please say aye.

[04:44:15] Aye. Any opposed? Nay. Was that Supervisor LeTerno? Was it no? Okay. That motion will... Did I hear an abstention? Abstention. Oh, I'm sorry. Chair Randall, are you abstain? Yes, I abstain. Okay. So that motion will pass six...

[04:44:32] Five. I was in May. Julie abstained. Two abstentions. Two abstentions, then. I'm a yes. So that's, this is, this is, can we raise this amount for the chair? Let's pay the chair more.

[04:44:49] Okay, I think where we are is, I think where we are is five yay, three nay, two nay, and two abstentions.

[04:45:07] Five yay, two nay, and two abstentions. I apologize for being confused, but I really do appreciate my colleagues' help. That motion will pass. Thank you all very much. All right, let's do, well, let's see.

[04:45:27] Well, we could do closed session, but we also can get the staff out of here and go and do the legy item. I couldn't even get it out before Mr. Prenton stood up.

[04:45:43] Okay, confident fellow, confident fellow.

[04:46:13] so good evening okay everyone we're going to do the first ledge item of the year and of course we want the presentation and i know there is um there is a motion on the dais right now that i will be happy to second from mr crony and we will uh and and some other discussions will happen so we are ready when you all are great okay so tonight we are presenting our legislative program just to review how this process works. So over the summer, we asked board members and department directors to submit their proposals for consideration

[04:46:50] in the program for the next General Assembly session. So then we meet with the legislative contacts, who are Chair Randall and Supervisor Sainz, to figure out what our priorities are. And now we present it to you for consideration and adoption. All right. Our first slide here is our legislative initiatives. So these are items we pursue legislation for, including working with potential patrons in the General Assembly. So first we have an Oak Hill language modification.

[04:47:22] Our current program has Oak Hill language. As you all know, this was included in the budget last year. The process is not finalized. There's some additional steps that need to be taken. So we just modified the language to support that process. Next, we have two that we are carrying over from last year. The first is authority to consider power for high energy land use applications.

[04:47:43] This bill did not pass last year, but we are going to try again. Same with rent stabilization, aka anti-rent gouging. This bill died fairly early in the session, but we are going to try that again. The next is a new one, a requirement for data center operators to provide lists of their tenants to local commissioners of the revenue. They tell us that this will help them with collecting their business personal property taxes.

[04:48:16] And then the local option for a data center pause, staying pausing applications. And then finally, we are looking to align local and state tax timelines, aligning the time you have to appeal errors in your local tax assessment, which is currently within three years of the last day of the tax year or within one year of the date of assessment with the state timeline, which is right now seven years from the date of assessment.

[04:48:48] So those are initiatives. So next, we're just getting into the different amendments and additions we have added to our priority and policy statements. So the first is a modification of some land use, an existing land use statement that we have right now.

[04:49:07] It just, we just put in some clarifying language explaining what the referenced code section does relating to impact fees for agriculturally zoned areas that are being subdivided for residential. Next, we have a change in our human services section. This is just to remove some language about local right of first refusal authority this past last year with HB4.

[04:49:34] Under animal services, we have some new language giving our animal services department authority to oversee rescues, boarding facilities, and other animal facilities like that. Next, we have some new elections language requesting a local option to extend early voting. Next, under employment and benefits, we have a couple things. A new collective bargaining statement.

[04:50:06] We want to add some language to add lung cancer to firefighters' workers' compensation presumptions. We also want to add animal control officers to the eligibility list for enhanced retirement benefits that other first responders receive.

[04:50:25] Next, under general government, we have a new statement allowing the courts to issue injunctive relief for violators of our noise ordinances. Under health and human services, we have several new statements related to housing, and you'll also see in there we're removing some statements relating to legislation that passed last year. There is also some language here to study the health impacts of data center infrastructure, including transmission lines and on-site generators. Under tax and revenue, we have some new language to establish personal

[04:51:02] property tax relief for residents who are elderly or disabled. Right now, this authority exists for real property taxes, so we're extending it to personal. We have some new language about new local authority to collect a tobacco products tax, so in addition to the current cigarette tax.

[04:51:22] So this would allow us to collect a local tax on things like cigars, pipe tobacco, liquid nicotine, loose leaf tobacco. There's currently a state tax for this, but no local option. There is a new proposal to increase the business personal property tax rate of data centers if they are found out of compliance with a locality's codified data center performance standards. We are also requesting to remove some language about the Landscaping Equipment Tax Classification. This bill from Delegate Research passed last year as well. Under transportation,

[04:51:59] we have some new language asking that VDOT take a look at their traffic calming guidelines to potentially open up some traffic calming measures like signs, speed bumps, additional pedestrian safety measures to other communities that don't meet the criteria right now. And I think this is our last slide. We have a new section in our program called Energy and Environment.

[04:52:23] So everything you see on the left and that bottom right bullet are all suggestions we got and adopter are included in our proposal from the Environmental Commission. We have some new language requesting local authority to limit data centers generator use. We have our bottle bill statement. We have a statement requiring DEQ to hold air permit hearings anytime there is a potential air quality impact for a project. So right now they can hold hearings with potentially large air quality impacts and for smaller projects only if certain criteria have been met. So it's

[04:53:03] opening that up a little bit. And finally, we have some new language on protecting citizens from new transmission infrastructure projects and ensuring transmission costs are covered by the high energy customer rate class. So that's a lot. I'll stop there. Happy to take any questions.

[04:53:20] Thank you. So colleagues, the way we'll do this is this. We will ask questions and then if there's any changes, motions, things that you want to remove, have discussions on, any of those things, we'll do that. And then after that's done, I will make the final motion that encompasses all the things that we discussed, Mr. Sains and I are the ledge team, so I'll make the motion.

[04:53:42] Mr. Sains hopefully will second the motion if he's fine with that, because we are the ledge team, and then we'll go from there. So if you have any motions that you're going to make right now, and truthfully, there can only be one, because we only got one in today, and that's Mr. Cronies, we'll do that right now, or any questions or whatever, we'll do that right now, and then make the motion and encompasses everything in the end.

[04:54:06] So let's first go to questions, and then I'll go to your motion, Mr. Prony. Ms. Bricksman. Thank you, and thanks for all the work. The traffic calming with VDOT, the request with VDOT to, I guess, improve their traffic calming, do we have a patron for that yet?

[04:54:26] So it's not an initiative, so we haven't been sort of actively pursuing. I'm not aware of it. I looked the past couple years of any bills. I haven't seen any. Okay. All right. I guess I don't know how detailed that request is, but what I've run into with VDOT and their traffic calming, especially when they're putting in bike lanes, is that their paving crews are not talking to their signalization crew.

[04:54:53] And so there's a delay and a complication. And so if we could have that considered, if and when we are looking at asking them to improve their traffic calming, that would be really helpful, because that's just been such a hiccup, and it causes so many delays.

[04:55:10] Did we look at all at the governor's data center framework, and have we incorporated anything in our ledge agenda according to her framework? So we did look at it. We did send out a message to the board when that was released.

[04:55:28] I don't believe we added additional stuff to the program based on those proposals. Okay, and that was a discussion with the Ledge Committee as well, whether we would add anything or oppose anything that's in that framework?

[04:55:45] No, that was not a discussion with the Ledge Committee. Okay. I guess without objection, could we ask the Ledge Committee to look it over and decide if we should either support or oppose anything that's in the governor's framework? be happy to do that. Okay, great. And then, let's see, the reproductive rights language, is that still going to be in there, or do we think it's not needed now that the constitutional amendment has passed? So it's still in there. We don't really touch it, you know, unless we get a

[04:56:22] request to remove it. Okay. I'd like to see it left in there because I don't have, I'm not fully aligned with the third trimester language um and so i think there may be still some work to do there um and then lastly um we spoke about this a little bit earlier today i had a great meeting with richard payne who is the commission on aging representative from algonkian and uh i had that pre-meeting with him before we had the meeting about the cascades senior center and and library And he handed me this Northern Virginia Aging Network 2027 legislative priorities.

[04:57:02] And I'm hoping without objection that the Ledge team, the Ledge committee, could look at these priorities and see if there's anything that the county could support or ask for based on their legislative agenda. If you could just send that to us, that'd be fine. Okay. I think those are all, I'm out of time anyway, so I guess I'm done.

[04:57:21] Thank you. Mr. Sainz? Thank you, Madam Chair. I have no real questions I should get to say, but I just wanted to say thank you to the staff for all your efforts and work on this.

[04:57:40] Making role number one, making sure everybody submits their information on the due date. I think this year we actually did pretty well. I think there was a couple of outliers, but it was definitely a lot less than what it's been in the years past. So thank you for keeping everybody honest and on track with that. Thank you for the work to getting us here to having a final package or mostly a final package in front of us because there's a lot of work that goes into this.

[04:58:05] So thank you guys for all your efforts and working with all the different departments, getting all their information, suggestions, and putting it in front of us here. So thank you. Thank you. Ms. Umstead. Thank you, Madam Chair. So I'm not suggesting this as an addition, but I am curious.

[04:58:26] We do talk about solar. We don't talk about wind, and we don't talk about the potentially new modular reactor question, and should we be looking forward and talking about those now?

[04:58:56] I know we have one of our representatives in the General Assembly put out a statement that he would oppose small modular reactors. But I don't know how the majority of the General Assembly feels about those.

[04:59:17] And those I don't think are ready to be deployed quite yet, but they may be within the next few years. So, is there a reason we aren't going beyond diesel backup generators, gas power plants, etc.?

[04:59:36] Is there a reason we're not looking at all possible energy sources? We can get back to you and take a look at that.

[04:59:52] Okay. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Turner? Thank you, Madam Chair. In follow-up with Supervisor Armstead's comments, fuel cells, long-duration energy storage because lithium-ion batteries are on the way out and new ones are coming in, all of those are viable on-site power options.

[05:00:12] Some are backup and some are baseload, but that's a good point. I have a question on the collective bargaining change, and the reason I'm asking that... I'm sorry? You're taking my thunder, but okay, go on. Um...

[05:00:28] Well, all right. I can defer to you, Madam Chair. I've got two other items if you want. Do the other items. I'd love to. Thank you. Can you tell me what injunctive relief is? It sounded to me like if we pass a noise ordinance and a data center is not in compliance and we enjoin them to cease operations until they come into compliance, that we're recommending that the district court be able to override the injunctive relief?

[05:00:52] Well, Supervisor, it would be the district court that gives the injunctive relief. we would petition as the county, and that would apply to any noise violation, pre-existing or new. I'm not sure I understood that answer. Can you say it again? Sure. The injunctive relief is a power that the general district court would have if we passed this legislation. The court already has this power for the zoning ordinance, for instance, but not for the noise ordinance. Therefore, we'd like it to apply to the noise ordinance as well. Am I correct in interpreting that basically this would allow a data center to petition for injunctive relief from the court and avoid our noise ordinance?

[05:01:32] The only people who could petition for injunctive relief, the only entity is the county. Nobody else could make this petition. Okay, so if the court enjoined us against the data center, we could petition for injunctive relief. Vice Chair Turner, general district courts are courts of limited jurisdiction.

[05:01:53] The county would be the complainant plaintiff bringing the case. we would be the one seeking the injunction against the one violating the ordinance. So what we're trying to do is give a district court the power to do that. Okay. All right. That's good. Thank you for clearing that up.

[05:02:10] And then I had one other one. So the business personal property tax contingency, which allows us to increase business personal property tax for data centers that are found out of compliance with localities, codified data center performance standards. I was kind of hoping we would go in this direction.

[05:02:26] So this means if we pass the new Phase II performance standards and a data center is not in compliance with the new standards, we can selectively apply a different tax rate, personal property tax rate, to that offender. Do I have that correct?

[05:02:41] Yes. Okay. That's good. Thank you very much. Thank you. So, Ms. Bixman, to answer your questions, there's a lot of things that are not going to have a patron right now because we haven't heard our meeting with the General Assembly. We have that meeting on November 20th, and at that meeting is where we ask people to patron bills.

[05:03:00] And so there's a lot of things that's been put forward that do not have patrons yet, and that's pretty normal. I will say, and Mr. Kirshner, I will share this with you. I did get today from Tom Donahue and the group of people who are opposing the Valley Link North Power Line.

[05:03:19] They actually have done, as you know, Mr. Kirshner, a lot of studying on some things that could help avoid maybe this one power line and other ones in the future. They have eight different requests for bills to be put in.

[05:03:39] They are reaching out to Senator Perry and Delegate McAuliffe to ask them to carry them. I did tell them that Senator Perry and Delegate McAuliffe can only carry 15 apiece, so they may not be able to carry all of them. But when we have our Ledge meeting, we could possibly ask other people to carry them as well.

[05:03:59] I'm not going to try to include those tonight because I just got them today, and no one has seen them yet, especially you haven't seen them yet. But I will make sure we get these sent out, and when we have our next Ledge meeting, try to get those incorporated in our next Ledge meeting.

[05:04:15] And I really do thank Mr. Donahue and everyone who worked on these because such great research has been done on how to address power lines. And really what it is is how to address power lines so that the cost of these and all the negative impacts don't fall on residents, but instead fall on the high energy users.

[05:04:36] And so, again, it's just, I got it too late to do anything with it today, but I will make sure that you get that and everyone gets it. Supervisors, if you go to attachment one in your package, attachment one, page 19, there is a new section on there that we just caught today, and Mr. Turner was going to talk about that, that says collective bargaining.

[05:04:57] The language in this is not correct in that it talks about including management rights and financial control and the flexibility to tailor agreements and the needs of this locality. I had not seen that before this was released.

[05:05:14] I'm going to make a motion to remove that completely right now. I will work with the staff on this language, but I'm taking that out because management doesn't actually control, doesn't have financial control. They have fiduciary responsibility, but it's the board that has financial control.

[05:05:34] And so most of that language in there is not language that I would accept as we discussed collective bargaining. And it feels like that kind of went in at the last minute, and I don't really like it. And so I will make a motion to remove that language and then work with staff on this and then put it back later.

[05:05:55] But that shouldn't stay in there right now as we vote on that. So what I will do is I'll go to Mr. Crony first for her motion, and then I'll come back out and make a motion to remove this language. And again, it's attachment one, page 19.

[05:06:12] It is in red. It's under collective bargaining. So we're going to remove that if that motion passes to take that out. But Mr. Crony, let's go to your motion first. Okay, thank you, Chair Randall. I move that the Board of Supervisors add the following policy statement to the 2027 legislative program.

[05:06:31] Support legislation removing electric utilities' legal obligation to deliver power to high-energy use facility customers over 100 megawatts that have been approved administratively or legislatively in Planning District 8 If the jurisdiction's local power grid is constrained, no viable high-voltage transmission line route and substation exists to energize the customer, and or if there is a backlog of electric service agreements for more than three years.

[05:07:00] Second. I had already said I was seconding this, so I second. Mr. Crony, would you like to open? Yeah, thank you. So I understand that Virginia is a regulated monopoly state. However, Loudoun County has a severely constrained grid. the number of data centers in the queue and the duty to provide power to these extremely high load users is unsustainable community is the community is overrun and the impact is far more than the data center campus itself there is a cumulative impact and we need to address that cumulative burden how much additional demand can loud and support expansion of the above-ground

[05:07:39] infrastructure has transformed our county. A community is burdened by our ever-expanding power infrastructure, and that includes high voltage, overhead transmission lines, and substations. It's encroaching into residential communities, near schools, and on our environmental resources. The General Assembly passed a bill to delay the provision of service if the delay is necessary to maintain electric reliability to avoid exceeding available generation or transmission capacity constraints or to ensure compliance with load interconnection policies or rules issued by the Commission or the Federal

[05:08:19] Energy Regulatory Commission. This bill is, it's my understanding that this bill expires in July 2027. I believe we need to take it a step further and deny service in Planning District 8, we may know there is a severely constrained grid, no viable high-voltage transmission line route and substation exists, and or if there's a backlog of electric service agreements for more than three years. As I said, this situation is untenable. We have, I hear,

[05:08:53] 116 in the pipeline that don't have a building permit serving this many data centers with high-voltage power lines and substations will really alter the vision of Loudoun County that we all cherish and it will impact the entire region with high voltage power lines crisscrossing neighboring counties to serve Loudoun County. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else on this item? Mr. Turner?

[05:09:22] Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a minor friendly, the end or in the last sentence I think is in precise legal language, I'd recommend or I think your intent is if any one of those three conditions is met, then they can be denied power. So I'd recommend get rid of the end or just make it or.

[05:09:38] Yes, that's fine. Thank you. That's a good one. So, Mr. Crony, I appreciate that you've made this language tight. And so when you add like high energy uses and all the other language that you've added, you've made it tight. And so anyone who's reading this will know that this doesn't, this doesn't apply to any business. It doesn't apply to any home or any, just any even cluster of houses. This applies to high energy users. And so I really appreciated how tight you made that language. It's also for planning district eight, which, you know, truthfully, you know, you and I've

[05:10:15] had this discussion before. I don't like telling other jurisdictions what they should do or shouldn't do because I just don't. But I do know, and I tried to make some phone calls today to some of our colleagues in Planning District 8, that there was not, I don't know how the whole boards will see this, but there was not objection. I will say we're about to go down to Vaco this weekend, and so we can take this language back down there, and when we have our Planning District 8 meeting, which we will have on, I forgot what day, show them this language and see if they have, if there's any opposition. I mean, I do respect very much that

[05:10:53] we don't want to tell other jurisdictions what to do. I do respect that. And so we can, we can pass this, go down there and see. And then if we need to like take their jurisdiction out or something, but I, but we can have that discussion when we get down there. But my, my initial talks with some of our colleagues and like, I didn't talk to anybody from Alexandria, but I did try to have conversations and of course again not with every member of their boards but some and so and so there was a lot of agreement with how tightly this is written and so we wouldn't and you'll be at Baco with me so we will have that discussion together so I will make sure that they

[05:11:32] all have this and at least the chief electeds will have this before we go now Alexandria won't have it because they're a city and so I can reach out separately so they won't be at Baco right because I'm not a county, so I can reach out separately to them, but otherwise, I think we want to hear from our colleagues in Planned Parenthood, but right now I didn't hear any opposition, and again, part of that reason was because this is such a tightly worded item, so I appreciate how you worded that, and we'll kind of have those discussions over the weekend.

[05:12:05] All right, so Mr. Crony made the motion, and I seconded it. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Nay. That motion will pass 8 to 1. Okay, we're going to go back to the attachment 1, page 19, because I left it.

[05:12:26] And I'm going to just make the motion that, what's wrong? Oh, me? Oh, yeah, sorry. Did you have a motion? You couldn't have had a motion. No, no, no, I'm going to point out a clarification and give direction to staff. Since we have one item that's going to be worked on and come back to us, Actually, when I was reading this again, I caught there's some wording that's left out when it comes to the data center generated use and the local limits and notifications from my, because that language came from my BMI that we passed earlier, right before summer break.

[05:12:58] Some of the language is not exactly written as the BMI was intended. So we'll get with staff to fix the error that I see in here. So, colleagues, I would say this. So if you do see things that you think is written in error or just an issue overall, send it to Mr. Sains and I.

[05:13:20] Send it to staff, because at this point, the LEDS team will start meeting regularly, right through the General Assembly session, we'll start meeting regularly. So if we need to tweak language, change language, add language, you know, that type of thing, send it to us.

[05:13:36] So I will make a motion that the collective bargaining language that is under the section employment and benefits is temporarily removed until the ledge team is able to wordsmith that language.

[05:13:55] Motions made and seconded by Mr. Turner, who I know was going to talk about that earlier. So thank you for letting me take that. I appreciate that. I think I've said why already, and we can sit down in our meetings, come back and look at it, but I literally do not believe it's factually correct.

[05:14:13] That language is not factually correct, and the last sentence, and the flexibility to tailor agreements to the needs of the locality and its employees, I'm not sure what we're trying to do there, but that doesn't sound like that that is language that is discussed when you're going to do a collective bargaining agreement.

[05:14:33] agreement, because when you do a collective bargaining agreement, the management doesn't craft that language. It's discussed during the agreement by all parties at the table. And so I don't think we should say that they're going to tailor agreements to the needs of the locality and its employees without the employees being at the table for that language. And so for that reason, I'm going to take this out right now, work with people, and then put it back later after we've done some work on that.

[05:15:05] So that's the motion. That's the discussion on the motion. Mr. Turner? Thank you, Madam Chair. Staff, when I read this, I read it as a response to last year's failed motion that basically was pushed by the unions to say to all localities, all localities must allow, If the public employees seek to organize, they must allow them to have a vote to organize.

[05:15:38] And I'm viewing this language as basically saying, no, no, we support legislation that preserves county authority to say yes or no. Am I interpreting that correctly? Yes, sir, that's correct. Okay, that's what I thought.

[05:15:54] So we are essentially preemptively saying we support legislation in this session that would protect county authority and allow each county to decide whether or not they're going to draft a collective bargaining agreement.

[05:16:12] Yes, sir. And currently in our program, we do not speak to collective bargaining at all. So that was the attempt to include it. Okay. And then I have a general question, if I can ask it, Madam Chair. I've heard from several of our legislative representatives that we do this process way late in the process, that they're required to get draft legislation in front and submit it in June, July. And we always do this in the fall, and I'm just curious as to if we're out of sync and if that's accurate.

[05:16:44] So the pre-filing deadline is, I believe, November 30th. I'm familiar with the processes of other localities, and they're all doing their programs around now.

[05:17:02] Actually, ours is on the earlier side of -- Okay. So that sounds like it was a bad input from someone who said, "Oh, I've already worked on my legislative program." I mean, they do like to get bills, and, you know, they have their process. They need to submit it, but I don't think we're terribly out of step with what else is going on. thank you. All right, I think I've explained the motion enough, and I don't need to explain it anymore, and I look forward to sitting with staff and fixing this language. All the people who say aye? Aye. Opposed? That motion will pass 9-0. Now I'll make the final motion, and let's see.

[05:17:38] Okay. I move the Board of Supervisors to endorse the draft 2027 language legislative program as founding attachment one in the legislative initiative on reproductive rights, founding attachment two in the November 5th, 2026 board of supervisors' business meeting.

[05:17:58] Whoa, okay, I know. Just give me a second, guys. I furtherman the board of supervisors' direct staff to advertise the draft 2027 legislative program in the legislative initiative on reproductive rights for the December 9th, 2026 board of supervisors' public hearing as amended on the October 5th, 2026 board of supervisors' business meeting.

[05:18:19] Second. Motion made and seconded by Mr. Sains. Supervisor LeTurneau, Supervisor Kirshner, as I've always asked you all, and out of respect and respect for your positions, is there anything you'd like me to do differently in these motions?

[05:18:44] Because when you read the draft motion, is there anything you'd like me to do different? I think, Madam Chair, no. I think Supervisor Kirshner and I, I want to speak for him, but I think we may be opposing both this time. So, you know, I think that's that right.

[05:19:00] Okay. So, you're going to put... I think that's probably, it's just, it's too complicated to remove some things from, so I think probably just do an up and down vote on all of it, and I appreciate that, Madam Chair. So, then... I know you like to have a unanimous vote, but... No, I actually, it's not that I like to have a unanimous vote, but I like to respect my colleagues.

[05:19:16] No, and I got it, and I appreciate that in the past. So, I mean, yes, I love a unanimous vote on stuff. of course, but I also don't think you all want to always vote against the entire program. It's been getting there. Okay, so motions made in seconds.

[05:19:32] So this will be my opening. First of all, I would say, Mr. Letourneau and Mr. Kirshner, in all seriousness, let's sit down. We can't all sit down at once, but let's sit down two by two and discuss, I mean, because if you all are saying that 50 percent plus of this program you're you're opposing that is concerning to me and i'd like to know what i'd like to know what what is is being opposed because yeah i like of course i like but i also i mean your constituents are my constituents and so if

[05:20:09] you if you think that there's there's that much in this ledge program that is that is of concern to you that you're going to oppose the entire LEDS program, then that is something I absolutely want to know. And so if you don't mind, either Mr. Saines or myself or both of us or in some way, send us an email or something that let me know because looking at this, I can't imagine that it's like 50% of this program that you're opposing, but I do want to know what it is and all those types of things. I respect you all's position, but I'd like to know.

[05:20:46] Otherwise, I also want to say thank you to the staff. This is our first meeting of a long meeting. We will all, by the way, when we have the Ledge dinner, Mr. Turner, I'll be about 15 minutes late to that dinner, so you'll do that dinner for the first 15 minutes before I get there.

[05:21:04] We will find patrons to talk, to carry the bills. We will do all the things we do every year. So we have a long road ahead of us. The good news is, it's a short session. So maybe it won't be quite as tiring as it is sometimes.

[05:21:20] So any other discussion on the motion? All right. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? No. All right. That motion will pass 7-2 with Mr. Kirshner and Mr. Letourneau voting against the motion. All right, supervisors, if you have nominations, which I think I do.

[05:21:38] In fact, I'm making the nomination for EDAC. I'm going to nominate Alice Frazier to the Economic Development Authority. Yeah, let's do disclosures. Actually, let's just do it all. Let's just do it all before you go to closed session. So now we're done.

[05:21:54] How about that? Let's do disclosures, comments, nominations. Let's do it all. So let's first, if you have nominations, put your light on. Mr. Kirshner? Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. I nominate Jonathan Weimer as at-large representative on the Arts Advisory Committee.

[05:22:11] And again, I will re-nominate Alice Frazier to the Economic Development Authority. Any other nominations? No? Okay, let's do disclosures, and let's do board comments. Ms. Glass. Thank you, Madam Chair.

[05:22:29] You're welcome. On Tuesday, October 27th, I met with representatives from BF Saul to discuss the Dallas Technology Park application. On November 4th, I met with representatives from Cyrus One, DLA Piper, and Dominion to discuss the Broadland-Cyrus One data center site plan.

[05:22:48] On Thursday, November 5th, my staff met with a representative from Walsh-Polucci to discuss the Foxgate mixed-use application. And I wanted to -- it caught me off guard, Chair.

[05:23:12] I wanted to talk a little bit about -- I can't even find it now. Oh, yes. About the Union Street School. And I'm proud of Loudoun County for its commitment to saving and honoring the history of African Americans, of all people in our county.

[05:23:35] And I look forward to attending the ribbon cutting and open house on the 14th of November. I also am extremely excited about the turnout of the elections across the country, how we have so many people of color who have won the election, who are now governors and senators.

[05:24:05] It's so exciting to see that change. We knew, you know, when I look at the Union Street School and it opened, it said back in 1884, and I just, I can't imagine how things were back then.

[05:24:25] You know, I can, I guess I can't imagine, but to actually be there and just all of the history and trauma that people went through during those times. And as we move forward to now, how we can say that we've come a long way.

[05:24:50] We really have. And it's exciting to see the future of our country for other voices to be heard. And the possibilities that a lot of people didn't think would happen is now, you know, in their vision, and they can see that those possibilities for the future.

[05:25:22] Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, ma'am. Ms. Umstead. Thank you, Madam Chair. I have no disclosures, and just wanted to thank the chair for alerting Mayor Burke and myself about Mr. Lloyd's funeral procession from the Douglas High School out to Percival.

[05:25:52] It was, I thought, a very poignant and meaningful event. And I was glad that a number of us were able to be there, including the chair.

[05:26:09] So that's all I have. Thank you very much. Ms. Tacroni. Okay, so on October 26th, my staff and I met with representatives of Stack Infrastructure, discussed the DEMOS substation in the Shreveport Data Center.

[05:26:28] On November 4th, my staff and I met with representatives of NOVAC to discuss the DEMOS substation. So I'm glad that Supervisor Umstead mentioned Mr. Lloyd. I had the pleasure of attending his celebration of life on Saturday, and he had an amazing life.

[05:26:49] So I give all my prayers to the family, but it was a really nice celebration of life, and I want to thank Chair Randall for helping make that happen for the family. It was very well attended, and he was a Korean veteran, and I'm glad that we were able to honor him.

[05:27:11] Uh, today is actually my daughter's 25th birthday, so I want to wish Charlotte happy birthday. Um, yeah, so she's in New York City today celebrating. Um, I held a community meeting in Brambleton on October 27th.

[05:27:27] Uh, that was very well attended. Chair Randall, um, joined me. There were about 250 people about, uh, the Demos substation and Shreveport data centers. residents are were really concerned about the substation and data center the close proximity to their homes and I'd like to say that at some point the Brambleton developer considered housing at that site and I think that would make more sense and I agree that we have a paradigm shift

[05:28:00] now with with Amazon shifting course and it's a new day and I really will continue to advocate for the best outcome for the Little River District residents in that area. I'm hoping we can come up with some other ideas for those locations.

[05:28:18] I plan to host office hours on November 19th. Time and location will be announced soon, and on November 30th I will be hosting a cricket town hall with Senator Sri Avasin and Chair Randall. and we want to hear from cricket players, leagues, families, and other interested residents.

[05:28:39] The goal is to understand what the community wants and needs as the county considers opportunities to expand cricket facilities. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Brooksman. Thank you, Chair Randall.

[05:28:56] By way of disclosures, my staff attended a virtual community meeting on October 29th with the project team for residences at University Center prior to it going to Planning Commission. I also had a meeting on October 29th with Amazon and Curata partners preliminarily discussing the pending application for the GW property.

[05:29:19] I'm really proud of our democracy right now and the rebuke of the corrupt and criminal occupant of the White House that happened on Tuesday. I hope we remain strong and do not squander the opportunity to hold those accountable who have been harming our citizens and launching unnecessary wars.

[05:29:36] I really want to give a big shout out and congratulations to PRCS and the staff who worked on the Bless Park project. It was a fun project to work on, even if there was a little consternation over it last term. We got it done, and I know the community loves it.

[05:29:51] I hear comments about it all the time. I want to give a big shout out also to Justin Wilson and Nova Parks for a couple of reasons. First of all, this week, they have a sign right on Algonquian Parkway near the bridge that goes over Sugar Land Run.

[05:30:12] It's a brown sign, and there had been some graffiti on there that said vote. But then one morning this week, our neighbors woke up to graffiti on the sign that could be interpreted as anti-Semitic, and some of it was actually anti-Semitic.

[05:30:30] And so I was alerted to that, went by there. I texted with Justin Wilson, and he had a crew out there within 90 minutes to paint over that sign. So even before it got up on social media and more people of the community felt threatened, we got that taken care of.

[05:30:51] Also, I want to give a shout out to Mr. Wilson and his team, and also Lieutenant Colonel Sawyer, thanking them for fulfilling a proposal I brought to them a little while ago. I don't know if my colleagues are aware, but Algonquian Regional Park is actually a place where there are the most suicides in Loudoun County.

[05:31:17] And unfortunately, and so I went to them and I asked to work with LCSO and the parks if they would put up signs. just like with the 988 number just to maybe catch somebody um sorry to catch somebody you know when they're getting ready to use you know a final solution to a temporary problem um and i found out this week that they have fulfilled that request and those signs are up at nova parks um and i'm i also have asked parks and rec to do that as well but um algalkian regional park has

[05:31:55] been a problematic area for that. And I just really want to thank them for their cooperation on that proposal. It means a lot. Thank you. Mr. Laterno. Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to take a moment and recognize a constituent of mine who very sadly passed away recently. Jeff Clinesmith was one of the most decorated uniformed officers in the history of the Secret Service.

[05:32:24] He was a UMIS Army veteran. He joined the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service in 1990 and retired in 2020, but then continued his service at the training facility where, unfortunately, he collapsed recently. I know Jeff because he was a dedicated Scoutmaster and Cub Scoutmaster in South Riding.

[05:32:48] He was the Cub Scout leader for many years for PAC-910 and the assistant scoutmaster at Troop 1430. He touched many individuals in that role, many young people, including some of my own kids.

[05:33:05] And I know that his family is really grieving. He's got two sons who are in college now and his wife, Emily. So I wanted to pass my condolences on to the Clinesmith family. But I know that our community is stronger and better because Jeff chose to serve and dedicate his time away from work as well as his time at work in service of others.

[05:33:29] So I hope he rests in peace. Amen. Thank you. Mr. Kirshner. Thank you, Madam Chair. A few disclosures. On October 23rd, I met with the applicant for Village at Clear Springs. On October 27th, my staff met with Jack Run HOA about their fire lanes review update with the fire marshal's office.

[05:33:48] On October 29th, my staff met with High Taurus States. And on November 3rd, we met with Loudoun Wildlife about the Route 15 mini bypass alignment for Luckett. Just brief comments. I want to thank the chair and all the staff who have been involved in the emergency situation, dealing with the unsafe conditions on the Purseville East departments.

[05:34:14] We, there were 61 residents who were displaced as a result of this fire marshal call. I appreciate the fire marshal and their inspection and ensuring that no one else was, no one was injured potentially. And I know staff, I know the chair has been keeping me updated on her work.

[05:34:32] I know my staff has been very intimately involved, as have I. And I just want to thank Chair Randall, Erin Rayner, who's a councilwoman and now newly erected mayor of Percival. all her work, Elizabeth Ford, and the better and better life for all their work and what you've done on this.

[05:34:50] This is really important, and we're going to continue to make sure that these 61 residents are taken care of as we go forward as best we can in our capacities. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Mr. Sainz. Thank you, Madam Chair. First, thank you to everybody that came out and spoke.

[05:35:07] You could have been anywhere, but you chose to come here and speak of your peace, so we really appreciate that. Also, a huge thank you to Ms. Judy Brown, Ricky, and the rest of the team over at the Loudoun County Board of Elections.

[05:35:22] You guys did a bang-up job again running a fair and open elections. From all reports, everything was on the up and up. No big, huge issues, minor issues that came up.

[05:35:41] guys handled it with grace and professionalism. Thank you to all the election chief officers and election officers that staffed and ran all the polling locations around Loudoun County. There are some that do this, you know, from the 5 a.m. to when you don't leave until about 8.30, almost 9 o'clock, depending on how many visitors you have at your polls. Folks that even ran, you know, wrote half a day. We appreciate all of you and all the work that you did to run this great elections that we had here in Loudoun County.

[05:36:13] And I would also like to take a moment to remember a labor champion and hero that passed away these past, what, it was about a week and a half now, I think, or so.

[05:36:32] Miss Dolores, or her team, forgive me if I pronounce the name incorrectly, But she definitely needs to be recognized for the work that she did here in the United States for labor. She did a lot for her community, for our country, for labor workers, and endured a lot during that process as well.

[05:36:54] And I've had the pleasure to meet with her twice, the first time being in 2012. She was a very joyful, energetic person who took the time to say hello, introduce herself to everybody that was in the line to greet her.

[05:37:16] And there was a lot of people to greet her for these events, but she took the time to do so even at her young age that she was. So thank you for all your work, Ms. Dolores. We really, truly do appreciate you. So with that, thank you, everybody.

[05:37:32] Thank you. And Mr. Turner. Thank you, Chair. On November 4th, my staff and I met with representatives of Cyrus One, D.L.A. Piper and Dominion to discuss the Cyrus One application. On October 23rd, my staff and I met with Howie Adal, Antonio Calabrese, Jeffrey Ziegler, and Michael Grello to discuss the Spring Valley Tech application.

[05:37:55] I was not able to attend Mr. Lloyd's funeral, and I was very, very disappointed. I'd had surgery on Friday, and I was recovering on Saturday. I very much wanted to go, and I very much wanted to go in uniform and render honors, and I was not able to do that. If any of you have read any history of the Korean War, it was truly a filthy war.

[05:38:15] And it was populated in large measure by veterans. I don't know if Mr. Lloyd was, by veterans who had just gotten back from World War II and three years later were asked to go deploy to Korea. It was a brutal, brutal war, and it's an incredible personal honor to have participated with honor and come home.

[05:38:38] But imagine being a black man and coming home to a segregated Jim Crow, Loudoun County in 1952 or 1953 after enduring Korea. I just have enormous respect for the courage and the heroism of that kind of an individual.

[05:38:53] I wish I could have been there. I didn't want to get too involved on the election. It was a stupendous election, and I'm obviously very happy. One of the things that I am looking forward to the most, well, first of all, I've heard a lot of talk about what Democrats should focus on.

[05:39:10] The first thing that popped into my mind on election night was, step one, govern. It's that simple. Just do your job and do it the way it ought to be done. And along those lines, one of the most disturbing things that I'm hoping now we can finally rein in that's been going on for the last several years is, frankly, the abuse of active-duty military men and women and families.

[05:39:35] I want to bring that to an end. I think there's 18 deaths so far in the war in Iran, which is a completely illegal war and a war of choice. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. When I saw the Abraham Lincoln come back and saw the condition of that naval vessel, I was absolutely appalled.

[05:39:53] I have never seen a naval vessel that beaten up simply because our Department of Defense didn't have the forethought to figure out how they were going to resupply troops in the field. If this election does anything, way high on my list is stop abusing our active duty military.

[05:40:12] But step one, govern. That's the watchword. And then lastly, just a small note, my little dog Maggie's birthday was on Saturday the 24th, and she doesn't know it yet, but we will have a celebration. Thank you. So we did.

[05:40:30] We had an election, and obviously I am pleased with the results and the historic wins across the country. But I also want to point out something else that's incredibly important. In the national election where millions of people voted, where people waited in line, where people walked to polling places, all the things that happened.

[05:40:49] In the national election, where things before the election shouldn't have happened, precincts were closed largely in minority communities. There was threatening to send the National Guard, which, thank God, didn't happen. The purging of some voter rolls, including voter rolls of American citizens.

[05:41:07] With all that, in the end, our country just saw a free and fair election. There were no riots in the streets. No one died. The leadership will change hands come January. And this is the America that we know. And for all the sometimes damning of America, not every country in the world has elections that are free and fair.

[05:41:32] And where do you know that the power will change hands and nothing happens but the things that should happen. I say all the time that, you know, I may criticize the administration or people in office, as we are often criticized, but I am deeply in love with my country, and I am always deeply in love with my country.

[05:41:53] And Tuesday, we saw a voter turnout of 124 million people, and not one person died. That's what it is to be an American in this country, and it's a very proud moment. I should also point out something that's really interesting.

[05:42:09] There's still an election going on in Mississippi, and one of the candidates, Scott Collum, was only 48 votes ahead. And then there was a county called Holmes County, Mississippi, with 15,400 people that voted, and he popped up to being something like 1,800 votes ahead.

[05:42:33] If you remember, Holmes County, Mississippi is the county where we gave the fire truck to. It is literally the poorest county in America. But you know what they do have? A vote. So the thing about votes is that they are, and a fire truck, is that they are very, a vote is the great equalizer.

[05:42:54] The person with a billion dollars has one vote. The people who live in the poorest county in America have one vote. The vote is the great equalizer, which is why a vote is so important. I am so proud of Holmes County, Mississippi, and would be giving them a call.

[05:43:10] Finally, although I know when these words were first spoken, they did not apply to me or people who look like me, I still want to say the words of one of our founding fathers, John Adams. Let each citizen remember at the moment that they are offering their vote, that they are executing one of the most solemn trust in human society for which they are accountable to God and to our country.

[05:43:38] I think that's a pretty powerful statement from John Adams. So great job, everybody. Great job, America. I think all we have left is... Oh, I'm sorry. I do have a disclosure. I had a meeting with Cyrus One and officials from Cyrus One.

[05:43:56] I had a meeting with officials from Cyrus One. Okay, I think all we have left is the last closed session. Mr. Turner, would you please read us in the closed session? This is the closed session in Broad Run and Sterling, not Catoctin.

[05:44:12] The Broad Run and Sterling election district. Yes, Madam Chair. Yes, thank you very much. I am duly chastened. I move that the Board of Supervisors recess this public meeting and enter in a closed session pursuant to sections 2.23711A3 of the Code of Virginia to consider the acquisition of a parcel of property for public use in the Broad Run and Sterling election districts.

[05:44:32] Motion was made and seconded by the Broad Run Supervisor, Ms. Glass. Discussion on the motion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion will pass. Nine to zero. We are in closed session.

[05:44:47] We are back.

[06:15:35] Mr. Vice Chair Attorney, would you please read us out of closed session? I move the closed session be adjourned, that the Board of Supervisors reconvenes its public meeting, that the minutes of the public meeting should reflect that no formal action was taken in the closed session and further move that the resolution certifying the closed session be adopted and reflected in the minutes of this public meeting.

[06:15:55] Motion to remain seconded by Supervisor Sainz. Discussion on the motion. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion will pass 9-0. Would everyone please affirm? Affirm. And I affirm as well.

[06:16:11] I do believe that is all for this evening. We are adjourned. Thank you.

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