* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEFORE I SEE. GOOD EVENING. I'M SCOTT. GRIMSON WELCOME TO THE COUNTY CHANNEL STUDIOS TONIGHT, THE LADY'S ISLAND ACCESS ROAD, VIRTUAL TOWN HALL. WE'VE GOT JARED FREDRICKS, THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR ENGINEERING FOR BUFORD COUNTY AND JENNIFER BRAG, THE 2018 1 CENT SALES TAX PROGRAM MANAGER AND PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE J BRAG CONSULTING COMPANY. THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE EMAILS THAT WERE SENT TO US. AND WE'RE GOING TO CALL THOSE FOLKS BACK AND HAVE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS DISCUSS WITH JARED AND JENNIFER. NOW WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO JARED AND JENNIFER. WELL, THANKS SCOTT. I APPRECIATE THAT INTRODUCTION AND I'M APPRECIATE EVERYBODY JOINING US HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE LADIES OUT AND ACCESS ROUTES AS PART OF THE 2018 SALES TAX REFERENDUM. SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY GO OVER HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT AND THE HISTORY OF, OF, OF WHERE WE ARE. SO FIRST, THE, THE PROJECTS WERE FIRST DEVELOPED IN A STUDY THAT WAS COMMISSIONED IN 2017, CALLED THE LADIES OUT IN THE CORRIDOR STUDY. OUT OF THAT STUDY, NINE PROJECTS WERE DEVELOPED AND THOSE PROJECTS WERE ALL LISTED IN AS PART OF THE 2018 SALES TAX REFERENDUM IN THE SUMMER OF 2018 IN ADVANCE OF THE REFERENDUM. THE COUNTY USED OUR OWN CALL CONSULTANT TEAMS TO START THE DESIGN ON THE SANDS POINT TURN LANE PROJECT AT WALGREENS, THAT PROJECT WAS COORDINATED WITH DLT TO OBTAIN OUR ENCROACHMENT PERMIT. LATER THAT YEAR IN NOVEMBER, THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM WAS PLACED AND PASSED ON, ON THE REFERENDUM IN MAY. THE FOLLOWING YEAR 2019, THE SALES TAX COLLECTION STARTED TO DATE. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF $73.5 MILLION COLLECTED THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 21. LATER IN JUNE OF 2019, WE HELD A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH THE SUNSET AND MILLER DRIVE TO GET A FEEL AND TEMPERATURE OF THE PROJECT AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY WAS DESIRING. THE COMMENTS TO THAT, A SUMMARY OF COMMENTS ARE DESCRIBED AND SHOWN IN THE MEETINGS TAB UNDER THE, FOR AT COUNTY PENNY WEBSITE IN JANUARY OF 2020, A PUBLIC MEETING WAS HELD AT THE BEEF AT HASKELL ACCESS REALIGNMENT. THE ON-CALL CONSULTANT WAS SELECTED TO REVIEW THE OPTIONS AND PREPARE STUDY CONCEPT. THESE STUDIES, THIS AND ARE ALSO SHOWN UNDER THE RESOURCES TAB ON THE BEAVER COUNTY PENNY WEBSITE. LATER IN SPRING OF 2020, THE COUNTY BEGAN IN THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR OUR PROGRAM AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TEAM. OUT OF THAT PROCESS, JAY BRAD CONSULTANT WAS APPROVED AS OUR PROGRAM MANAGER IN THE SUMMER OF 2020. THE COUNTY ALSO ISSUED A CONTRACT TO A CONSULTANT TEAM TO START THE AIRPORT FRONTAGE ROAD. THE EARLY WETLAND DELINEATIONS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED AND THE CONTRACT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN. ALSO NEAR THAT SAME TIME, THE LADY'S ISLAND CORRIDOR STUDY WAS UPDATED AT THAT TIME. IT WAS THREE YEARS OLD. SO WE COMMISSIONED UPDATE TO MAKE SURE IT WAS INCORPORATING ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE TIME SINCE IT WAS FIRST INITIATED. AND THEN LASTLY, IN THE FALL OF 2020, WE ALSO COMMISSIONED TWO CONTRACTS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE ACCESS ROADS, THE SIX ASTEROID ASSETS ROADS THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, AS WELL AS THE U S 21 AND SEA TO TWO MAIN MAINLINE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS. IT'S INTENDED THAT THOSE CONTRACTS WILL BE AWARDED AND START IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021. SO AGAIN, JUST TO OVERVIEW THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING HERE TONIGHT ARE THE ACCESS ROUTES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LADY'S ISLAND PROJECTS. THE FIRST IS THE AIRPORT FRONTAGE ROAD THEN FOLLOWED BY THE BEEF HASKELL ACCESS REALIGNMENT HAZEL FARM ROAD AND GAY DRAFT LADIES ISLAND, MIDDLE SCHOOL ACCESS ROAD, THE MAE FAIR CORE EXTENSION, THE MEADOWBROOK DRIVE EXTENSION AND THE SUNSET BOULEVARD AND MILLER DRIVE WEST ALSO AT A LATER DATE IN FEBRUARY FROM FEBRUARY 8TH TO MARCH 7TH, WE'LL BE HOSTING ANOTHER VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING AS WELL AS A TOWN HALL VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE U S 21 BUSINESS AND US 21. AND MAINLINE IMPROVEMENTS ALSO UNDER CONSTRUCTION. RIGHT NOW, WE JUST INITIATED WITH A NOTICE TO PROCEED ON THE SANDS POINT TURN LANE PROJECT. THAT PROJECT IS STARTING WITH THE SIGN INSTALLATION AND THE CONTRACT WILL BE MOBILIZING IN THE COMING WEEKS AS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECTS, UH, ON THE SCREEN, YOU'LL SEE THE PROJECTS AS PROPOSED AS [00:05:01] PART OF THE STUDY THAT WAS ORIGINALLY COMMISSIONED IN 2017. A COUPLE OF CHANGES TO TAKE NOTE OF INCLUDE THE BEEF HASKELL REALIGNMENT. IN THIS OPTION. WE SHOW IN ALIGNMENT THAT ALSO PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE SEA TO, TO AT WHAT COULD BE A FUTURE SIGNAL AT THE HAZEL FARM INTERSECTION. ADDITIONALLY, THE LADY'S ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE SHOWED THE ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT SHOWN IN RED. THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL STUDY AS WELL AS A SECOND OPTION THAT WE'LL DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DETAIL IN PURPLE, ALONG US 21 ALSO TO TAKE NOTE OF, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY AND SPECIFICALLY THE WHITE HALL DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE PROS THAT ARE PROPOSED AT MERIDIAN ROAD, THOSE ARE ALL TAKEN ACCOUNT IN THE UPDATE THAT WAS COMMISSIONED FOR THE TRAFFIC STUDY PLAN. NOW TO GET A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE CONCEPTUAL EXHIBITS, JENNIFER, BRAD'S GOING TO TAKE US THROUGH THIS. THANK YOU. SO THE FIRST EXHIBIT AND THESE ARE ALL ON THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING, THE FIRST EXHIBIT IS THE AIRPORT FRONTAGE ROAD. THIS PROJECT INVOLVES A NEW ROADWAY TYING IN FROM, AT US 21, NEAR THE WALMART. IT IS PROVIDING ACCESS TO LOST ISLAND ROAD AND LITTLE CREEK ROAD. THE PROJECT IS BEING SEPARATED INTO TWO PHASES FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. AND THE FIRST PHASE WILL GO FROM THE EXISTING SIGNAL TO LOSS ISLAND ROAD. THE SECOND PHASE WE'LL GO FROM LAST ISLAND TO LITTLE CREEK AND IT IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE TWO COMMUNITIES AS THE FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE MAIN LINE, MAKING THEIR ACCESS TO RIDE IN RIGHT OUT. CURRENT STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE, WHICH INCLUDE WETLAND DELINEATIONS AND SOME OTHER, UM, NECESSARY WORK THAT'S IN PROGRESS. NOW THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS ALL OF THE OTHER ACCESS ROADS, AND I'M GOING TO START AT THE BOTTOM LEFT WITH THE BEEF AT HIGH SCHOOL ACCESS REALIGNMENT. IT IS SHOWING A NEW CONNECTION TO THE PROPOSED INTERSECTION WITH HAZEL FARM. AS JARED MENTIONED, THIS IS A FUTURE SIGNAL AND WOULD PROVIDE A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION FOR THE BUFORD HIGH SCHOOL REALIGNMENT. ANOTHER OPTION THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IS UTILIZING ROUTE A BLOCK. THIS OPTION WOULD HAVE A TRAFFIC GO DOWN COLONY DRIVE AND THEN USE ROUTE ABROAD. BUT THE CHANCES OF THAT SIGNAL OR THAT INTERSECTION BEING SIGNALIZED IN THE FUTURE MAY NOT HAPPEN. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO GAIN ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THIS OPTION SINCE IT IS A NEW ONE. AND IT IS, WAS DEVELOPED FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE JANUARY 8TH, 2020 MEETINGS, HAZEL FARM ROAD, ENGAGE DRIVE, OR AN OPTION THAT'S PROPOSED IN IT. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT FROM THE STUDY. THIS WOULD INCLUDE STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, BICYCLE AND PUTIN AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS, AND ALSO PROVIDE NEW SIGNALS. ONE ON SCA AT EIGHT OH TWO AND THE OTHER ONE ON S 21. AND THESE WOULD BE COORDINATED WITH THE MAIN LINE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUTURE FROM GAY DRIVE, WE WOULD CROSS OVER TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ACCESS ROAD. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT FROM THE STUDY AND IT WOULD TIE TO ROBIN DRIVE. THE MIDDLE-SCHOOL DRIVEWAY WOULD BE CONNECTED TO THIS NEW ROAD AND A, AND THE SIGNAL AT, UM, GAY DRIVE COUGAR DRIVE WOULD BECOME RIGHT IN, RIGHT OUT AS WELL AS DOWEL DRIVE. ALSO ON THIS SLIDE IS MEADOWBROOK EXTENSION. IT PROVIDES ACCESS FOR A FEW PROPERTIES ALONG 21. THE MAIN LINE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD CONVERT THEIR DRIVEWAYS TO RIOT AND RIGHT OUT. SO THE CONNECTION OF MEADOWBROOK EXTENSION OVER TO DAO ALLOWS THEM ACCESS FROM DOW TO LUPO BACK TO GAYE DRIVE AND THE SIGNAL ON GAY DRIVE TO TURN LEFT ONTO US. 21 MAYFAIR COURT EXTENSION WOULD PROVIDE ACCESS TO WILLIAM STREET. THIS GIVES THE RESIDENTS ALONG MAYFAIR COURT ACCESS TO MILLER DRIVE AND THE EXISTING SIGNAL ON . AGAIN, FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE MAIN LINE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD CONVERT THEIR ROAD TO RIGHT IN RIGHT OUT. AND THEN FINALLY, SUNSET BOULEVARD AND MILLER DRIVE WEST. WE ARE SHOWING THE ORIGINAL CONCEPTUAL ALIGNMENT. AGAIN, WE UNDERSTAND THAT A PUBLIC COMMUNITY MEETING WAS HELD IN JUNE OF 2019, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO SOLICIT ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS CORRIDOR. AS WE'VE GOT A FEW COMMENTS [00:10:01] FROM THE RESIDENTS FOR THE NEXT SLIDE, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WITH ALTERNATE TWO IS A SECOND OPTION WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS IS SHOWING IMPROVEMENTS ONLY ON THE U S 21 CORRIDOR. IT WOULD KEEP THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ACCESS UTILIZING EXISTING COUGAR DRIVE. THE DIFFERENCE IS LEFT. TURN TRAFFIC WOULD BE ALLOWED INTO COUGAR DRIVE, BUT COUGAR DRIVE IS CONVERTED TO RIDE OUT FOR PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO GO EASTBOUND ON US 21, THEY WOULD GO TO THE NEW SIGNAL AT GAYE DRIVE AND MAKE A CONTROLLED U-TURN TO CONTINUE TRAVELING EASTBOUND DALE ROAD OR DOWEL DRIVE WOULD REMAIN RIGHT IN, RIGHT OUT. AND WITH THIS, THERE IS AN OPTION OR POTENTIAL THAT MEADOWBROOK OR MEADOWBROOK COURT EXTENSION MAY NOT BE NEEDED AS THE FEW PROPERTIES COULD UTILIZE THE EXISTING OR THE NEW PROPOSED SIGNAL. IT COUGAR DRIVE TO MAKE A CONTROLLED U-TURN. THIS DOES IMPROVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ACCESS IS RIGHT NOW. IT IS CURRENTLY AN UNSAFE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION AND TRAFFIC VOLUMES DO NOT WARRANT INSTALLING A NEW SIGNAL WITH THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING. WE ARE PROPOSING OPTIONS FOR BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS. THE OPTION ON THE LEFT SHOWS A STANDARD FIVE FOOT SIDEWALK FOR PEDESTRIANS. THE OPTION ON THE RIGHT IS SHOWING SOME ALTERNATIVES. ONE WOULD BE A COMBINATION OF A SHARED USE PATH AND A SIDEWALK, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD. NOW WE ARE ASKING IF THE TYPE OF OPTIONS WOULD BE PREFERRED FOR DIFFERENT FACILITIES, OR IF MAYBE EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE SHARE THESE PATHS ON ALL ROADS, THEN MAYBE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROADS. SO HOW TO COMMENT WITH THIS TONIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO CONDUCT A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION THAT WE WILL START HERE SHORTLY ON THE WEBSITE, AS PART OF THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING. WE ALSO HAVE AN ONLINE COMMENT FORM. THIS HAS A SECTION ON THE COMMENT FORM WHERE YOU CAN RESPOND TO EVERY PROJECT OR YOU CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH PROJECTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO. AND THEN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE FORM IS THE SECTION ON THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN A COMBINATIONS. AND THEN FINALLY, TWO OTHER OPTIONS ARE YOU MAY ACTUALLY MAIL IN A WRITTEN COMMENT FORM TO THE BUFORD COUNTY CAPITAL PROJECTS. AND THE ADDRESS IS ALSO PROVIDED ON THE WEBSITE OR EMAIL BY@INFOATBEAVERCOUNTYPENNEY.COM. AND WITH THIS, WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT TO THE LIVE ON AIR COMMENTS. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE ON AIR. SO IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS, MAKE SURE YOU MUTE YOUR MUTE, YOUR TV. SO WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE THE FIRST COLOR? OKAY, WELL, APPARENTLY WE'RE AHEAD OF THE ON AIR COMMENTS. JARED, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD WITH THE PUBLIC MEETING? WELL, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT APPRECIATE ALL THE PARTICIPATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR AND THAT WE WELCOME COMMENTS WHETHER TONIGHT, OR AGAIN, AS, AS JENNIFER MENTIONED, UM, FOLLOWING THIS ONLINE OR IN MAIL, UM, YOU GUYS ARE THE REASON THAT THE PROJECT EXISTS AS WELL AS THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO GET YOUR OPINIONS. SO WE CAN FORM THE DESIGN THAT MEETS THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS. SO WELL, I THINK WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUR FIRST COLOR. THIS WAS A REGISTRATION WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY SIGNED UP TO CALL IN AND WE SENT OUT EMAILS TELLING THEM THAT WE WOULD BE CALLING THEM DURING, DURING THIS MEETING. AND, UM, MAYBE PEOPLE GOT CAMERA SHY. WE'RE NOT SURE. UM, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL ACTIVELY WORKING. DO WE, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO GO OVER WITH THE, THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION HERE? DO WE NEED TO FLIP BACK THROUGH ANY OF THESE SIDES, SLIP BLACK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO PICK OUT? OKAY. WE'LL GO BACK TO THE, TO MAYBE THE OVERVIEW HERE. SURE. YEAH. ONE THING IT'S NOT SHOWN ON THIS IS THE, THE TURN LANE PROJECT. SO WE STARTED ON THE TURN LANE PROJECT BECAUSE THAT ONE WAS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. UM, I THINK EVERYBODY WAS IN AGREEMENT THAT THAT WAS OF NEED. SO, UM, IT WAS AN EASY ONE TO GET STARTED RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. THAT IS THE FIRST PROJECT THAT WE'VE STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON IN THE SALES TAX PROGRAM. SO WE'RE PROUD THAT THE GET THAT ONE STARTED HERE IN 2021. IT HAS 120 DAY CONSTRUCTION TIME PERIOD. AND SO HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF APRIL, MAY TIME FRAME, WE'LL BE READY TO HAVE THAT PROJECT COMMISSIONED AND READY AND OPEN AVAILABLE FOR BOTH. [00:15:01] AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION UPDATES THROUGH THE BUFORD COUNTY, PENNY, UH, WEBSITE. SO PLEASE CHECK ON IT AND PRESS RELEASES, UM, ARE ALSO BEING ISSUED. AND WITH THAT, UH, THE FIRST PRESS RELEASE IS GOING OUT TO THE NEWS MEDIA. THE CONTRACTOR IS MOBILIZING. THEY'RE GOING TO START SOME NIGHT WORK BEGINNING SUNDAY, AND IT WILL SO EXPECT LANE CLOSURES BETWEEN 7:00 PM TO 6:00 AM SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. AND OF COURSE WEATHER DEPENDENT. IT COULD GO A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE ABLE TO KNOCK OUT THE FIRST PART OF THE INITIAL GRADING ACTIVITIES. AND THEN I THINK FROM THERE, THEY'RE ANTICIPATED TO GO INTO MAYBE SOME STORM DRAIN. YEP. YEAH. SO ONCE THEY GET THAT SIDEWALL REMOVED, THEY'LL BE READY TO START THAT STORM DRAINAGE AND, UM, AND MOVE THROUGH THE REST OF THE PROJECT. SOME OF THESE PROJECTS. SO AS MENTIONED THAT ONE IS 120 DAYS, UM, THAT ONE IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND PRETTY SIMPLE. UM, THE, AS THEY GROW, THEY'LL GET A LITTLE BIT LARGER, BUT THESE ACCESS ROADS, UM, ARE FROM SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE. UH, ONE THING OF NOTE TO, UH, REASONING THAT WE BROKE THE ASSETS ROADS UP, HOW THEY ARE, WE HAVE A MAIN CORRIDOR AND THE ACCESS ROADS, THE THOUGHT PROCESS IN THAT IS THAT THE ACCESS ROADS, UM, ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO PERMIT, UM, AND A LITTLE BIT FASTER TO DESIGN AND GET AVAILABLE AND CONSTRUCTED. THEY'LL ALSO BE HELPFUL AS WE OPEN UP THE MAIN CORRIDOR DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS. THE INTENT IS THAT THESE ACCESS ROADS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR USE TO HELP RELIEF OFF THE MAIN CORRIDOR OR DURING THE CONSTRUCTION TIMEFRAME. AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR COMMENTS ABOUT BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN, A COMBINATION. SO WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THE LADY'S ISLAND GROUP IS LOOKING TO CREATE A WALKABLE COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE LOOKING TO BUILD THOSE TYPES OF FACILITIES WITH ALL THE PROJECTS AS WELL. AND THEN THE OTHER REASON WHY TWO SEPARATE MEANINGS IS, AS JARED MENTIONED, THESE ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT FASTER. AND THEN THE U S 21 PROJECT, WE ARE LOOKING TO GO, GO THROUGH THE NEPA PROCESS, WHICH ACTUALLY TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO DEVELOP. SO DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? WE HAVE THE PROJECT CHAMPION MORE CHALLENGING THAN OTHERS? WELL, SO AS WE DISCUSSED THE, THE ACCESS ROADS, UM, ARE, ARE NOT QUITE AS CHALLENGING AS WHAT WE ENVISIONED THE MAIN CORRIDOR. THE NEPA PROCESS IS, UH, IS A GOOD PROCESS. IT'S A LONG PROCESS, BUT IT'S A THOROUGH PROCESS IT'S INTENDED TO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. AND THE IMPACTS THAT ARE THERE AND SOCIALLY ARE ALL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. UH, IT'S THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH WITH THE U S TWO 78, UH, CORRIDOR PROJECT. UM, WE DON'T INTEND THAT THE NEPA PROCESS ON THIS WILL BE QUITE AS INVOLVED AS THE CORRIDOR PROJECT DOWN IN HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON. UM, BUT IT IS A THOROUGH PROCESS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE VOICES ARE HEARD AND THE PERMITTING AGENCIES ARE REPRESENTING AS WELL. UM, SO ONCE WE GET THROUGH THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO START THE DESIGN AND MOVE INTO THE PERMIT AS WELL AS THE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION. BUT, BUT THAT PROJECT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THE ACCESS ROADS, FOR SURE. WELL, APPARENTLY NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ON THE ARCON, RIGHT? SO WITH THAT, UM, WE WILL WRAP AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE WAYS TO COMMENT. UH, THE COMMENT FORM ONLINE IS PART OF THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS. SO PLEASE VISIT BUFORD COUNTY PENNEY.COM, THE MEANINGS TAB, AND THEN CLICK ON THE LADY'S ISLAND ACCESS ROADS, PUBLIC MEETING. YOU WILL SEE THE SAME EXHIBITS. YOU ALSO SEE A RECORDING OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, AND THEN TWO OTHER WAYS WILL BE, YOU CAN EMAIL COMMENTS THAT INFO@BEAVERCOUNTYPENNEY.COM AND YOU MAY ALSO MAIL IN HANDWRITTEN COMMENTS. AND WE THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING WITH US TONIGHT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO, I WOULD SAY I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S, UH, WE, WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR COMMENTS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, MAKING THESE ALL SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS. SO THANKS AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. [00:20:05] THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO, ON DEMAND, GO TO BUPA COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM MELISSA ORDER. IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM. AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL DURING THE 1960S, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CAME TO THE PENN CENTER ON ST. HELENA ISLAND IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE GAN COTTAGE WAS DR. KING'S RETREAT, WHERE HE MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING WITHIN THESE LOW COUNTRY SURROUNDINGS, DR. KING PLANNED THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM OF AUGUST 28TH, 1963, 250,000 PEOPLE HEARD HIS, I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THAT DAY. I AM HAPPY TO JOIN WITH YOU TODAY AND WHAT WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE GREATEST DEMONSTRATION FOR FREEDOM IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION. FIVE SCORE YEARS AGO, A GREAT AMERICAN AND WHOSE SYMBOLIC SHADOW WE STAND TODAY SIGNED THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. THIS MOMENTOUS DECREE CAME AS A BEACON OF LIGHT OF HOPES TO MILLION OF NEGRO SLAVES WHO HAVE BEEN SEARED IN THE FLAMES OF WITHERING AND JUST, IT CAME AS A JOYOUS DAYBREAK TO END THE LONG NIGHT OF THEIR CAPTIVITY. IN A SENSE, WE HAVE COME TO OUR NATION'S CAPITAL TO CASH. YOUR CHECK. WHEN THE ARCHITECTS OF OUR REPUBLIC WROTE THE MAGNIFICENT WORDS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THEY WERE SIGNING A PROMISSORY NOTE TO WHICH EVERY AMERICAN WAS TO FALL HEIR. THIS NOTE WAS A PROMISE THAT ALL MEN, YES, BLACK MEN, AS WELL AS WHITE MEN WOULD BE GUARANTEED THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I MUST SAY TO MY PEOPLE WHO STAND ON THE WARM THRESHOLD, WHICH LEADS INTO THE PALACE OF JUSTICE AND THE PROCESS OF GAINING OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE. WE MUST NOT BE GUILTY OF WRONGFUL BEADS. LET US NOT SEEK TO SATISFY OUR THIRST FOR FREEDOM BY DRINKING, FROM THE CUP OF BITTERNESS AND HATRED. WE MUST CONDUCT OUR STRUGGLE ON THE HIGH PLANE OF DIGNITY AND DISAPPEAR. WE MUST NOT ALLOW OUR CREATIVE PROTESTS TO DEGENERATE INTO PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AGAIN AND AGAIN, WE MUST RISE TO THE MAJESTIC HEIGHT OF META PHYSICAL FORCE WILL SOUL FORCE. AS WE WALK, WE MUST MAKE THE PLEDGE THAT WE SHALL ALWAYS MARCH AHEAD. WE CANNOT TURN BACK. I SAY TO YOU TODAY, MY FRIENDS. SO EVEN THOUGH WE FACE THE DIFFICULTIES OF TODAY AND TOMORROW, I STILL HAVE A DREAM. IT IS A DREAM DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE AMERICAN DREAM. I HAVE A DREAM THAT ONE DAY, THIS NATION WILL RISE UP AND LIVE OUT THE TRUE MEANING OF ITS. WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. I HAVE A DREAM THAT MY FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN WILL ONE DAY LIVE IN A NATION WHERE THEY WILL NOT BE JUDGED BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BUT BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER, I HAVE A DREAM. I HAVE A DREAM THAT ONE DAY, EVERY VALLEY SHALL BE EXALTED. EVERY HILL AND MOUNTAIN SHALL BE MADE LOW. THE ROUGH PLACES WILL BE MADE PLAIN AND THE CROOKED PLACES WILL BE MADE STRAIGHT. AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE REVEALED AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER. THIS IS OUR HOPE. THIS IS THE FAITH THAT I GO BACK TO THE SOUTH. WITH THIS FAITH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HEW OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN OF DESPAIR, A STONE OF HOPE WITH THIS FAITH, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRANSFORM THE JANGLING DISCORDS OF OUR NATION INTO A BEAUTIFUL SYMPHONY OF BROTHERHOOD. WITH THIS FAITH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO PRAY TOGETHER, TO STRUGGLE TOGETHER, TO GO TO JAIL TOGETHER, TO STAND UP FOR FREEDOM TOGETHER, KNOWING [00:25:01] THAT WE WILL BE FREE ONE DAY. THIS WILL BE THE DAY WHEN ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO SING WITH A NEW MEANING. MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY OF THEE. I SING LAND WHERE MY FATHERS DIED. LAND OF THE PILGRIMS PRIDE FROM EVERY MOUNTAINSIDE LET FREEDOM RING. AND IF AMERICA IS TO BE A GREAT NATION, THIS MUST BECOME TRUE. SO LET FREEDOM RING FROM THE PRODIGIOUS HILLS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, LET FREEDOM RING FROM THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS OF NEW YORK. LET FREEDOM RING FROM THE HEIGHTENING ALLEGHENIES OF PENNSYLVANIA. LET FREEDOM RING FROM THE SNOWCAP ROCKIES OF COLORADO. LET FREEDOM RING FROM THE CURVACEOUS SLOPES OF CALIFORNIA, BUT NOT ONLY THAT LET FREEDOM RING FROM STONE. MOUNTAIN OF GEORGIA, LET FREEDOM RING FROM LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN OF TENNESSEE, LET FREEDOM RING FROM EVERY HILL AND MOLEHILL OF MISSISSIPPI FROM EVERY MOUNTAINSIDE LET FREEDOM RING. AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, WHEN WE ALLOW FREEDOM TO RING, WHEN WE LET IT RING FROM EVERY VILLAGE AND EVERY HAMLET FROM EVERY STATE AND EVERY CITY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SPEED UP THAT DAY. WHEN ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN, BLACK MEN AND WHITE MEN, JEWS, AND GENTILES, PROTESTANTS, AND CATHOLICS WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN HANDS AND SING IN THE WORDS OF THE OLD NEGRO SPIRITUAL FREE AT LAST FREE AT LAST THANK GOD ALMIGHTY. WE ARE FREE AT LAST ONE IN THREE ADULTS, AND IT'S PRE PRE-DIABETES. THAT MEANS IT COULD BE YOU YOUR DOG WALKER, CAT JOGGER WITH EARLY DIAGNOSIS. PREDIABETES CAN BE REVERSED. TAKE THE RISK TEST. I DO. I HAVE PREDIABETES.ORG SCRUBBED FOR 20 SECONDS. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CLOCK, ME OR YOU DIDN'T SING THE ABC SONG, BE SURE TO SCRUB UNDER YOUR FINGERNAILS AND BETWEEN YOUR FINGERS, DRY YOUR HANDS WITH A GREEN TOWEL OR A PAPER TOWEL. FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO DEBBIE. DEBBIE W.CDC.GOV/GREEN HANDS PUT DOMESTICATED HUMAN FAMILY. NO TO THIS SPECIES, THE BACKYARD. DO YOU THINK I SHOULD LET IT NOW SOMEONE IS ABOUT TO BURN A PILE OF DEBRIS. THAT'S SORRY, TOO HIGH. THAT THERE'S NO WIND AND TO CREATE A SMALLER. NOW YOU CAN MAKE IT BIGGER, BABY. THE BIGGER, THE OFF. I APPRECIATE IT. SMOKEY'S DONNIE. TO, AGAIN, ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT WILDFIRES. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.