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WE ARE GOING TO CALL THE ROLL. CHAIR JEREMIAH BLOCKER ,
PRESENT. >> VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONER DEAN.
COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST PRESENT. COMMISSIONER JEB SMITH PRESENT.
>> COMMISSIONER WALDRON. PRESENT.
>> WILL YOU CALL OUR ROLL? >> MRS. SLOU PRESENT.
>> NOW I AM GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER JEB SMITH TO LEAD
US IN INVOCATION. >> LET'S PRAY.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.
THIS IS THE DAY YOU MADE, WE REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST AND DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION. WE ASK YOU LEAD, GUIDE AND DIRECT THIS MEETING. WE PRAY YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR WILL AND GRANT WISDOM, DISCERNMENT, DISCRETION AS YOU WOULD HAVE US DIRECTED. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PROTECTION. WE ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED GUIDANCE. I PRAY FOR EACH LEADER HERE.
I PRAY FOR YOUR HAND OF PROTECTION UPON HIM.
I PRAY FOR OUR SCHOOL TEACHERS AND THOSE INVOLVED.
PRAY FOR YOUR PROTECTIVE HAND. AND OUR KIDS.
THANK YOU LORD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE.
BLESS US THIS DAY IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.
>> MR. CULLMAN WILL YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[1. Redistricting 2021 Proposals]
>> THANK YOU. OKAY I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. FORSOME TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER.
>> THANK YOU. REDISTRICTING IS THE PROCESS OF REDRAWING BOUNDARIES EVERY TEN YEARS TO ACCOUNT FOR CHANGES IN POPULATION DURING THE PREVIOUS DECADE.
THE LAW REQUIRES BOUNDARIES TO BE REDRAWN IN ODD NUMBERED YEAR.
EACH DISTRICT MUCH BE AS EQUAL IN EACH DISTRICT.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REDUCE NUMBER OF NECESSARY DISTRICTS AND ALLOW EACH BOARD TO SHARE COST OF COMPLETING THE PROCESS.
AUGUST 25TH. BOTH BOARDS MET VIRTUALLY TO DISCUSS AND CREATE, ADOPT REVISE DISTRICTS.
TODAY'S MEETING WILL INCLUDE PRESENTATION OF FOUR PROPOSALS THAT MEET LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF REDISTRICTING AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS NOVEMBER 1ST AND NOVEMBER 2ND TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INPUT. FINAL ADOPTION DECEMBER 9TH.
TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL BE CONDUCTED BY MISS PRITI MATHUR.
A WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS WITH HEADQUARTERS BUSINESS IN STERLING VIRGINIA. ARK BRIDGE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN CENSUS BUREAU SINCE 2000 CENSUS. INFORMATION, STAFF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH 1990 CENSUS DATA.
A WIDE SPECTRUM OF CLIENTS TO INCLUDE COUNTIES, SPECIAL DISTRICTS, STATES, CITIES AND SCHOOLS.
SHE HAS MS IN GEOGRAPHY FROM VIRGINIA TECH CONCENTRATION IN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS. OVER 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CENSUS DATA AND REDISTRICTING AND FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE WORKING AT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. VOTING SECTION REDISTRICTING PLANS EVALUATED. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR CONSULTANTS POLICE PRITI MATHUR. GOOD MORNING.
I PRITI MATHUR AM I WILL BE DOING THE PRESENTATION.
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TO BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SLIDE I HAVE HERE IS CURRENT DISTRICTS AND I AM SHOWING YOU WHAT 2020 CENSUS DATA.IN 2010, POPULATION, 19 0,039. IN 2020 POPULATION GROWN TO 273,425. SO YOU HAVE HAD GAIN 83,386 PEOPLE WHICH IS ABOUT A GROWTH OF 43%.
IDEAL POPULATION 2020 NOTHING ELSE BUT THE TOTAL POPULATION DWI DIVIDED BY NUMBER OF DISTRICTS.
2020 NUMBER IS GOING TO BE 54,685.
IDEALLY, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE EACH DISTRICT AS EQUAL POPULOUS AS POSSIBLE. BACK IN 2010 WITH THE NUMBERS WE HAD IN 2010 FOR TOTAL POPULATION, IDEAL POPULATION WAS 38,000. IN OUR IDEAL POPULATION, GAIN OF 16,000. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE RED DISTRICTS AND GREEN DISTRICTS. RED DISTRICTS HAVE MORE POPULATION THAN YOUR IDEAL POPULATION.
AND THAT DEVIATION IS GREATER THAN 10%.
WE COLOR CODED IN RED. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP ON THE SCREEN AS WELL AS I HAVE -- AS WELL AS I HAVE ON THE SCREEN.
HERE YOU CAN SEE RED ONES, DISTRICTS ONE AND FOUR ARE THE ONES WHICH HAVE THE MOST POPULATION AS COMPARED TO IDEAL POPULATION. DISTRICTS ONE AND FOUR WOULD HAVE TO SHRINK TO BALANCE OUT THE POPULATION IN THE OTHER DISTRICTS. DISTRICTS THREE AND FIVE HAVE AS LOW AS 17% AS COMPARED TO IDEAL POPULATION AND DISTRICT FIVE HAS NEGATIVE 15%. DISTRICT TWO IS PRETTY MUCH CLOSES THE WAY THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW.
ALSO HAS LESS POPULATION. WE CREATED A REPORT.
IN REDISTRICTING WE LOOKED AT MAXIMUM DEVIATION.
MAXIMUM DEVIATION IS NOTHING ELSE BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MOST POPULATED AND THE LEAST POPULATED DISTRICT.
THAT PERCENT, THAT DEVIATION SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN 10%.
BACK IN 2010, MAXIMUM DEVIATION 2.99% WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD.
NOW THE SAME BOUNDARIES WITH THE CENSUS 2020 DATA NOW MAXIMUM DEVIATION, 39.33%. THIS TELLS YOU RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT YOU DO HAVE TO BALANCE YOUR DISTRICTS AND ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, I DID SHOW TO YOU, DISTRICTS ONE AND FOUR HAVE TO SHRINK BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE POPULATIONS THAN THE IDEAL POPULATIONS. AND THIS SLIDE IS JUST SHOWING YOU THE DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION, 2020 AS WELL AS 2010.
NOW WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS WE CREATED FOUR PLANS.
FOUR OPTIONS. I AM GOING TO PRESENT THEM TO YOU. I DO WANT TO SAY YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TRIED TO FOLLOW THE THOROUGH FARES.
WE HAVE TRIED TO MINIMIZE ANY POSSIBLE SPLITS.
I AM PRETTY SURE YOU'LL FIND SOME THERE.
AND ALSO TRIED TO MAKE SURE EVERY DISTRICT HAS A HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE ALSO TRIED TO.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, I HAVE MAP AN I PUT ON THE SCREEN.
LOOK AT THE GREEN STARS, IT IS WHERE YOU, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LIVE. GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE STILL WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT. RED STAR WHERE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS LIVE 6789 THAT WAS A REQUIREMENT YOU SHOULD BE IN YOUR DISTRICT. THEN WE HAVE THE SCHOOLS DISPLAYED ON THE MAP AND ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. HIGH SCHOOLS THE ONE WE TRIED TO KEEP ONE HIGH SCHOOL IN EACH DISTRICT.
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LATER ON COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREAS TO HAVE THEM IN A DISTRICT. WHAT YOU SEE IN COLOR PROPOSED BOUNDARIES. ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, WHAT IS THE PROPOSED MAP ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE IS WHAT YOU HAVE. SO YOU CAN VISUALLY COMPARE THE DIFFERENCES. AS YOU CAN SEE, AS WE STARTED DISTRICTS ONE AND FOUR HAVE TO SHRINK.IN PLAN A, WE CREATED A PLAN, AS YOU CAN SEE DISTRICT ONE HAS BEEN -- IS BEEN MADE SMALLER. SO HAS DISTRICT FOUR.
AND THE MAXIMUM DEVIATION IN THIS PARTICULAR PLAN IS 2.70.
WHICH IS REALLY GOOD. AND IT DOES PROVIDE BIGGER ROOM LATER ON AS WE START DISCUSSING AND LOOKING AT THESE PLANS.
IN THE FOLLOWING PLANS I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU, PROPOSED PLANS, WE CALL THEM A, B, C, D. PLAN ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE.
RIGHT-HAND SIDE CURRENT DISTRICTS SO YOU CAN VISUALLY COMPARE AND SEE WHAT WORKS OR WHAT IS BETTER IN ONE PARTICULAR PLAN VERSES WHAT IS IN THE OTHER.
WITH THIS I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU THE NEXT PLAN.
ACTUALLY THE REPORT FIRST. HERE WE THROW IN THE REPORT EVERY TIME SO YOU CAN SEE HOW THE DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN BALANCED SO YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL POPULATION IN EACH DISTRICT.
AND WHAT WE CALL OPTIMUM IS THE IDEAL POPULATION WHICH I DEFINED BEFORE. DEVIATION IS DIFFERENCE AND DEVIATION PERCENT. THIS IS THE FORM MAT WE FOLLOW FOR EVERY PLAN. SO WITH THIS, NOW I WANT TO SHOW YOU PLAN B. IN PLAN B, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING DOWN MAXIMUM DEVIATION TO 1.62%.
AND YOU WILL SEE DIFFERENCES IN EACH OF THE DISTRICTS AND YOU CAN SEE DISTRICT ONE AND FOUR, THEY HAVE BECOME SMALLER TO ADJUST FOR THE POPULATION THEN WE HAVE DISTRICTS TWO, THREE, FIVE. YOU CAN SEE DISTRICT FIVE IS GROWN TO BALANCE THE POPULATION IN EACH DISTRICT.
REGARDLESS, YOU KNOW, IN EACH PLAN WE MADE SURE THERE IS A HIGH SCHOOL IN EACH DISTRICT. WE HAVE DONE THE BEST TO FOLLOW THOROUGH FARES. THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO FOLLOW. AND IN HERE WE HAVE THE REPORT FOR PLAN B. YOU CAN SEE HOW WELL BALANCED YOUR DISTRICTS ARE. YOU CAN LOOK AT DEVIATIONS AND PERCENT DEVIATIONS IN THIS REPORT.
AND ALWAYS WE HAVE THE CURRENT DISTRICTS SO YOU CAN COMPARE THEM AS WE GO. THIS IS PLAN C.
IN PLAN C YOU CAN SEE HOW THE DISTRICTS ARE BEING PROPOSED.
AND HERE, IF YOU CAN SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM PART OF THE COUNTY AND ALSO IN THE MIDDLE, WE HAVE THE REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AND THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT THAT AT LEAST THERE SHOULD BE ONE PLAN WHERE THE REDEVELOPMENT AREAS LIVE WITHIN THE DISTRICTS.
WE DID TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. DEVIATION 2.70.
THE REPORT GIVES YOU THE COUNT FOR EACH DISTRICT IN THE PROPOSED PLAN. IT TELLS YOU THE MAXIMUM DEVIATION, THE IDEAL POPULATION, OR THE OPTIMUM, DEVIATION AND DEVIATION PERCENT. WE HAVE BOTH PLAN C AS WELL AS THE CURRENT DISTRICTS. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE FINAL PLAN.
PLAN D. SO HERE MAXIMUM DEVIATION.
2.62%. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE SHAPES ARE
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DIFFERENT IN EACH PLAN. AND YOU CAN ALWAYS COMPARE IT WITH THE CURRENT DISTRICTS. NOW LET'S LOOK AT THE REPORT.ONCE AGAIN WE ARE SHOWING YOU SIMILAR INFORMATION.
THE COUNT, TOTAL POPULATION IN EACH DISTRICT.
OPTIMUM POPULATION OR IDEAL POPULATION AND DEVIATIONS.
I HAVE SHOWN YOU FOUR PROPOSED PLANS.
IT IS HARD TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT THE DIFFERENCES OR HOW SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT THE PLANS ARE. WE PUT TOGETHER A SLIDE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM ALL IN ONE GOAL.
PLANS A, B, C, AND D ARE. I HAVE PROPOSED FOUR PLANS HERE FOR YOU. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS IS A START AND I AM LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM YOU.
AND ALL THE PLANS ARE, THEY COMPLY WITH THE REDISTRICTING REQUIREMENTS. PLUS ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW.
SO NOW YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM AND I AM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT
THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? GIVE US A MOMENT.
PATRICK? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> MR. CHAIRMAN. NOT A QUESTION, I JUST THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL, I MAY HAVE TO PULL UP THE INFORMATION MYSELF. JUST TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
INFORMATION TODAY'S OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, RIGHT.
I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE, AT LEAST TWO, I THINK COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I FORGOT TO PULL UP THE DATES.
ANYONE HAVE THOSE HANDY, TIM, NOVEMBER 1ST, NOVEMBER 2ND.
LOCATIONS FOR THOSE. THE FIRST IS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE, 40 ORANGE STREET. SECOND AT NICE HIGH SCHOOL.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> I HAVE A QUESTION ON LOOKING AT THE GRAPHS A AND B, THE REDEVELOPMENT IS ONLY IN C AND
D, WHY IS THAT NOT IN A AND B? >> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
WE HAD PREPARED PLAN A AND PLAN B BEFORE.
THEN WE WERE -- WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE STAFF AND THEN THEY TOLD US ABOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT AREAS.
SO IN C AND D, WE TOOK THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT YEAH, YOU ARE RIGHT. ON THE MAPS WE JUST PUT IT ON C AND D BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE CONSIDERED THEM.
WE CAN THROW THEM IN A AND B AS WELL.
>> CHAIRMAN? >> I AM ASSUMING IS IT ON THE
COUNTY WEBSITE? >> YOU HAVE IT.
I AM PRESENTING IT FROM YOUR COMPUTERS.
IF YOU DON'T, I AM SURE -- >> I AM ASSUMING BOTH AGENCIES WILL MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE WEBSITE.
OBVIOUSLY PRESENT IT TO YOU FIRST AND MOVE FROM THERE.
>> I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I HAVE A COMMENT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
>> WE ARE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
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ONLY ON THE AGENDA ITEM TODAY. SO LET ME SEE, COMMISSIONER SMITH, DO YOU MIND COMING OVER? DO YOU HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE AGENDA ITEM PLEASE COME FORWARD.WHEN PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSED, WE ARE BACK TO THE COLLECTIVE AWARDS. COMMISSIONER SMITH, DO YOU WANT
TO MAKE YOUR COMMENT. >> YES, SIR, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. I APPRECIATE THESE GRAPHS.
APPRECIATE VERY EASY TO FOLLOW AND DISCERN.
AND DISSEMINATE AS WELL. YOU ARE TRYING TO TALK TO SOMEBODY ELSE ABOUT IT. I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE DISTRICTS AND THE PROPOSALS. I LOCK THE BLOCKIER DISTRICTS, I DON'T LIKE THE LONG STRETCHES IN SOME OF 'EM.
I PREFER THAT. SOMETIMES IT IS -- SOME OF THOSE I WOULD GET. ALTHOUGH VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMISSIONER THAT LIVES AT THE POINT OF ONE OF THEM.
I PREFER C OR D. I WILL TELL YOU WHY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. BEING AN AGRICULTURALIST, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE AG-INTENSIVE GROUPS HERE.
THIS HERE AND A AND THIS HERE AND B CUT INTO AG-INTENSE RURAL AND FARMING AREA. WHERE THESE DO NOT.
THEY INCLUDE IT. I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR MORE PERSPECTIVE AS A PRODUCER AS A FARMER THOSE ARE KEPT IN TACT. THAT IS JUST A PREFERENCE.
NOT THAT ANY OF THESE I HAVE -- THAT IS SOMETHING I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAIR.
>> COMMISSIONER WALDRON? >> ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE NOT EVEN MY DISTRICT. IT IS DISTRICT FIVE.
IF YOU LIVE WHERE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LIVES, IT WILL TAKE AN HOUR TO GET TO THE OTHER END OF YOUR DISTRICT OR BETTER.
I LIKE MORE SQUARED OFF. IF YOU LEFT COMMISSIONER DEAN'S HOUSE AND GO TO THE COUNTY LINE, IT WOULD TAKE YOU AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF. YOU HAVE A LOT MORE RURAL AREA.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE CITIES.
I DON'T SEE HOW WE GET AWAY FROM DISTRICT TWO BEING REALLY LONG.
THANK YOU. >> I WANT TO THANK THE CONSULTANT FOR JUST A GREAT PRESENTATION.
GREAT MATERIAL FOR US TO STUDY. I AGREE, WE NEED TIME TO DIGEST.
I ALSO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER WALDRON, PREFER C AND D.
YOU ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN BEACH PORTION AS WELL AS KIND OF, PROBABLY THE MOST SIMILAR TO EXISTING BOUNDARY LINES.
I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. EACH DISTRICT HAS A DIFFERENT COMPONENT THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMISSION AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT WORK HERE. ANY FURTHER COMMENT? QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SMITH?
>> JUST EXCITING TO GET TWO HIGH SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT TWO.
THAT IS EXCITING. >> MR. COMRADE, COMMENTS,
QUESTIONS? >> NO FURTHER COMMENTS.
I THINK TO YOUR POINT IS, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AS COMMISSIONERS AND CERTAINLY OUR SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS.
APPRECIATE THE PERSPECTIVES. >> SURE.
ANYTHING FROM STAFF? MR. MCCORMICK.
>> I THINK IT WAS A GREAT INTROTO SOME PROPOSED DISTRICTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FOR THE RECORD IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HAD AN ALTERNATIVE DISTRICT THEY WANT TO PROPOSE, THEY CAN DO THAT. THIS WAS A VERY GOOD FIRST MEETING ON PROPOSED DISTRICTS, THANK YOU.
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>> THANK YOU. >> MA'AM, ANY CONCLUDING
COMMENTS OR? >> I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING US AND BEING ABLE TO PRESENT THIS IN PERSON SO
THANK YOU. SO OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE --
>> NEXT FORMAL MEETING FOR ADOPTION DECEMBER 9TH.
YOU DO HAVE TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, BOTH NOVEMBER 1ST AND 2ND. MAY I ASK ONE QUESTION REGARDING JUST MAKING SURE INPUT FROM STAFF AND FROM THE OFFICIALS GETS TO THE CONSULTANT IN A WAY THAT IS DONE.
WE'LL DO THAT. I AM LOOKING AT BOTH NICOLE AND HUNTER AS DIRECTLY OUR ELECTED BOARDS THROUGH OUR STAFF.
THE PIECE OF THAT IS, MAYBE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND DIFFERENT PROPOSALS ALONG THE WAY.
INTERNALLY, WE ARE COMMUNICATING WELL ENOUGH SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT MIGHT BE PROPOSED OR WHAT THINGS MIGHT BE PROBLEMS FROM ONE AGENCY TO THE OTHER SO THE OTHER CAN HAVE THAT LOOK AND MAKE SURE WE'LL BE COMMUNICATING CLOSELY AND SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE WE NEED TO BE ATTENTIVE TO, JUST TRYING TO BE THOROUGH IN
THAT PROCESS. >> THANK YOU, MR. MOORE.
I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, STAFF AND ALSO EVERYONE WORKED HARD PUT IN A LOT OF THE OF LONG HOURS.
PUBLIC DOESN'T ALWAYS SEE THAT. WORKING WITH THE GREAT CONSULTANTS. THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF AND OTHER HARD WORK AS WELL, APPRECIATE IT.
NOTHIN
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.