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Home My WebLink AboutVOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS SPACE UPDATEVoter Registration & Elections Space Update February 6, 2024 Monica Croskey, Assistant City Manager Tim Copeland, Real Estate Agent 1 2 The Ask •Seeking Council’s formal direction regarding purchasing property and placing ordinance on February 20 City Council meeting for formal vote Presentation Outline •Recap timeline, current spaces, and associated challenges •Review identified property, potential funding sources, and possible next steps Timeline – Select Highlights •March 8, 2023: The City of Virginia Beach Internal Auditor's Office released the findings and recommendations from its Review of Changes to Virginia Beach District Voting. The second finding from its review was that "The office size of the Office of Voter Registration and Elections is inadequate for efficient operations. The Voter Registration and Elections Office has experienced difficulties that could have been avoided if it had one large office.” •July 11, 2023: Public briefing on Office of Voter Registration and Elections space, RFI response, high-level cost estimates and concepts for various alternative location scenarios, including keeping with the current practices; leasing, buying, or building space off-campus; and building or renovating spaces on the Municipal Center Campus. •November 21, 2023, December 5, 2023, and January 2, 2024: Closed session briefings on specific real estate properties 3 Current Spaces City staff from Public Works, Information Technology, the Office of Emergency Management and the City Manager’s Office have worked with the Voter Registrar and Clerk of Court to ensure that the various sites can serve as safe sites for their operations. However, the ability to accommodate their space needs is becoming increasingly more difficult. Changes in state laws have significantly impacted the Voter Registrar’s operations and the duration of its pre- and post- election activities. 4 Current Spaces Building 14 •The Voter Registrar’s staff are located at Building 14. As well as some of the Agriculture Department’s staff. •It also serves as an early voting site. Recent changes in state law extended early voting from 7 days to 45 days prior to an election. •November 2022 election more than 19,000 people participated in early voting at Building 14. The average number of daily voters serviced was 530. •Building 14 early voting accommodations consists of using the lobby to set up seven (7) voting booths and accommodating eight (8) people waiting in the hallway. 5 Current Spaces Building 14 •Electoral Board’s public meetings held upstairs in Agriculture Department’s space. •During presidential election years, this space is used for the call center. 6 Current Spaces Building 23 •On July 1, 2020 no excuse required absentee voting went into effect. •Mail-in voting is becoming increasingly popular. •Building 23, which is a former school, is used to process mail- in ballots. This process begins approximately 40 days prior to an election and concludes approximately seven (7) days after an election. More than 20,000 mail-in ballots were processed in the November 2022 election. •A space outfitted with security cameras and other security enhancements to create a secure vault for the returned ballots. •Use of this room displaces trainings, including CDL training 23,825 22,492 9,812 5,990 3,572 3,821 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 2022 2021 2018 2017 2013 2009 Absentee Ballots Mailed/Emailed 7 Current Spaces Building 19 •Large meeting space used for the return of supplies on election night and then for the canvassing of the election. •On the night of an election, all precincts return their materials to this location (for citywide elections that is 108 precincts). For the next 7 days, the Electoral Board conducts the canvass and certification process. •The ballots remain there until after certification and until the Clerk of Court takes custody. •A small conference room within the space was outfitted with security cameras and other security enhancements to create a secured temporary vault for the returned ballots. •Other departments are not able to use the space while it is under the custody of the Voter Registrar or Clerk of Court. 8 Current Spaces Convention Center The Convention Center has been accommodating the Voter Registrar’s requests for space to conduct poll worker trainings. For the November 2022 election, 13 three- hour long trainings were conducted across five days. 9 Current Spaces Central Drive 10,000 square feet warehouse where election equipment is stored. 10 Review by City Auditor’s Office March 8, 2023: the City of Virginia Beach Internal Auditor’s Office released the findings and recommendations from its Review of Changes to Virginia Beach District Voting: “The office size of the Office of Voter Registration and Elections is inadequate for efficient operations. The Voter Registration and Elections Office has experienced difficulties that could have been avoided if it had one large office. Currently, its staff is dispersed, working in four different buildings. Training for election officials needed to be conducted offsite at the Convention Center over multiple days, adding more work and logistical inefficiencies. The inadequate office size was clearly manifested when significant delays were encountered during the submission of ballots. All the election officials reported to a conference space in Building 19 to turn in their materials, which was overwhelming for this location. Election officials had to wait longer to ensure that the ballots from their respective polling location were properly accounted for because the space limited how many Office of Voter Registration and Elections staff were positioned to help with the turn-in process.” 11 Virginia Beach Elections Profile # Precincts # Registered Voters Space Profile Virginia Beach 108 327,658 Multiple sites Norfolk 48 137,678 Multiple sites Chesapeake 64 175,635 Consolidated Loudoun County 107 290,134 Consolidated Richmond 72 157,699 Consolidated 12 Explored Needs and Options •Worked with stakeholders and consultant to document and discuss space needs •In January 2023, released a Request for Information (RFI) to test local real estate market; received four RFI responses in February 2023 •Stakeholders’ desired variables: •As much of consolidated space as possible •On or near municipal complex •Near bus lines 13 DISCLOSURE •500 Studio Drive (District 3) •Owner: Michels Family LLC (Paul Michels) •Registered Agent: Thomas R. Frantz (Williams Mullen) •Listing Firm: Divaris Real Estate, Inc. •Listing Agents: Michael Divaris, Vivian Turok, Marci Phillips •City’s Architectural Consultant: HBA Architecture 14 Location 15 •LakeView Corporate Park •Intersection of Holland Rd. & S. Independence Blvd. 500 Studio Dr. Property Overview – 500 Studio Dr. 16 •Owner: Michels Family, LLC •65,700 SF •43,500 SF office •22,200 SF warehouse •2 loading docks •Approx. 200 parking spaces •Access via signalized intersection Quick Facts Property Overview – 500 Studio Dr. 17 Property Overview – 500 Studio Dr. 18 Property Overview – 500 Studio Dr. 19 Property Overview – Needs Assessment 20 •50,000 SF of contiguous space •35,500 SF office and support space •14,500 SF of fully conditioned warehouse space •Direct access and visible from a public collector or arterial highway •Direct, convenient pedestrian/voter access •At -grade/recessed truck access •Parking •50 staff and volunteers •150 visitors •Queuing area for drive-up voting •Location considerations •No APZ-1 or Clear Zone •Bus line •Emergency back-up power •Fire detection/fire suppression •Conduit for security system installation Voting Age Population 21 Pricing 22 •Pending purchase price •$14.25M with additional vacant land bay of approx. 3.28 acres •LOI and ROE accepted on 12/22/23 •Approx $3M build out, including IT Process 23 •Due Diligence •Building condition assessment •Survey •Environmental assessment •Contract negotiations •Ordinance to fund and acquire •City Council approval •Amend restrictions •Condo association approval •VBDA approval •Planning Commission hearing •City Council approval •Close •Buildout •Office and precinct relocation •Electoral Board vote •Public hearing •Adoption of ordinance •Submit request to Attorney General’s Office •Submit request to Virginia Dept of Elections •Public notification •Newspaper advertisements •Mailed notices •Move post-November 2024 election Possible Funding Sources 24 •General Fund Debt Service and fund balance of the General Fund recommended •Due to timing of next bond sale, $11.5M in capacity available to cover majority of the purchase: •$59.0M – FY24 debt service budget •$47.3M – FY24 actual debt service expenditures •Remaining $5.75M •Current fund balance percentage slightly above 8-12% policy (13.9%) •Would not materially change the percentage •Anticipate there could be potential to reallocate $2.6M in ARPA funding from nonprofit grantees unable to fully execute original award to cover some of the expenses •Ongoing costs for operating the building would be included in FY2025 and beyond operating budgets •Alternatively, Public Facility Revenue Bonds (PFRBs) •Typically, not programmed within the CIP without a dedicated funding source for repayment 25 The Ask Seeking Council’s formal direction regarding purchasing property and placing ordinance on February 20 City Council meeting for formal vote Voter Registration & Elections Space Update February 6, 2024 Monica Croskey, Assistant City Manager Tim Copeland, Real Estate Agent 26