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Business owner complains of delayed elevator inspections; residents raise AI and tax concerns
Summary
During citizen comments, a local business owner said his hydraulic elevator has gone nearly three years without inspection and described problems navigating the new inspection process; other speakers raised concerns about Governor Youngkin's Executive Order 51 on AI and about food taxes and redevelopment of a former Kmart site.
Several residents addressed council during the citizen comment period on Sept. 9, raising operational and policy concerns.
Edward Malbek (identified as representing Southeastern Virginia Powersports LLC) told council his one-stop hydraulic elevator has not been inspected for almost three years following a change in the inspection program. Malbek described filling an online permit, not receiving an invoiced fee, delays reaching Harold Roche (identified in the meeting as the director of the elevator program), and a recent fire inspection that passed despite the elevator not having a current inspection certificate. City staff offered immediate follow-up from the deputy city manager in the lobby.
Chris Bridal expressed concern about Virginia Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order 51, which he said accelerates AI adoption across state agencies and could require quick departmental regulatory changes. Bridal urged careful local consideration of any state-directed AI streamlining to avoid unintended expansions of authority.
Carol Karkov raised worries about combined state and local food taxes increasing small purchase costs and asked about plans for the vacant former Kmart property and the proposed Costco, suggesting possibilities such as a library or fire station and requesting guidance on where to find official redevelopment information.
City staff responded directly to the elevator complaint by offering an immediate meeting in the lobby with the deputy city manager to try to resolve the inspection and permitting issues. The council did not take formal action during the meeting on the other citizen comments.
