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WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF COASTLINE.
I'M SCOTT GRIM SITTING IN FOR RICK FORSSMANN, WHO IS OUT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND TODAY WE'RE TALKING COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS WITH US HERE TODAY.
AND THE FIRST IS MY GUEST ROBERT BECHTLE.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, WE, UM, I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS HERE AND YOURSELF.
YOU'VE BEEN ON BOARD A FEW WEEKS, SO I WANTED TO BRING IN, TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT FIRST.
TELL US, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
SO I AM A, UH, NEWLY AND OFFICIALLY RETIRED MARINE AS OF, UH, REALLY AS OF TWO DAYS AGO, BUT I'VE BEEN ON TERMINAL LEAVE IN, IN THE TRANSITION.
AND, UH, I SPENT 22 YEARS IN THE MARINE CORPS, UH, ALL OF THAT WITH THE COMBAT ARMS AND SOME INSTRUCTOR ROLES.
IN FACT, ONE OF THEM, ONE OF THEM BROUGHT ME HERE YEARS AGO AS A DRILL INSTRUCTOR ON PARASOL.
AND THAT'S WHEN I, I ADVERTISE AT MY HOME.
UH, MY BUFORD BECAME MY HOME, YOU KNOW, IN 2002 AND, AND, UH, BUT YEAH, UM, SPENT 22 YEARS.
I GOT, I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO EMPLOY MULTIPLE THEATERS AND, UH, AND AGAIN, TEACH, UH, AT ACADEMIES, TEACH AT THE, UM, UH, PARASITE ON THERE AND, UH, WHAT IT CULMINATED IN ME, UH, ENTERING INTO THIS DOD SKILL BRIDGE PROGRAM.
AND, UH, AND THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO SPEND THE, THE, THE LAST PORTION UP TO SIX MONTHS OF OUR, UH, CAREER LAST SIX MONTHS OF OUR CAREER, UH, IN A FELLOWSHIP CAPACITY OR INTERNSHIP CAPACITY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS UNSURE WHAT I WANTED TO DO AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, IT STRUCK ME AS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE MY SKILLSET WOULD BE GOOD AT, BUT I WAS UNCERTAIN.
SO, UH, I REACHED OUT TO, UM, THE COUNTY THROUGH HUMAN RESOURCES AND THEN ON ONWARD AND UPWARD TO, UH, TO TALK TO ASHLEY ABOUT DEVELOPING A FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR BUFORD COUNTY THROUGH ICMI.
AND, UH, AND SO I INITIATED THAT AND, UH, AND WE GOT THAT DRAFTED AND DEVELOPED, AND THEN OF COURSE COVID, UH, CAME ABOUT.
AND, AND SO I GOT DELAYED A LITTLE BIT AND, UH, WHAT ULTIMATELY I SHOWED UP HERE IN MAY WAS ABLE TO, UH, TO STEP INTO THE SEAT AND, UH, IN A FELLOWSHIP CAPACITY AND ON THE 15TH OF JUNE WHEN THE COUNTY REOPENED.
AND SO I WAS HERE FOR, UH, FROM THEN UNTIL, UH, GETTING HIRED ON, UH, AND THE FELLOWSHIP CAPACITY.
AND IT TOOK MAYBE TWO WEEKS FOR ME TO REALIZE THAT, YES, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO.
AND, UH, AND ULTIMATELY IT WAS BECAUSE I, I I'VE MET A WHOLE TON OF, UH, IN THOSE FIRST TWO WEEKS, I MET A TON OF THE EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY, THE LEADERSHIP IN THE COUNTY, UH, SPOKE TO SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND, UH, I WAS A LITTLE BIT BLOWN AWAY, YOU KNOW, AT THE KIND OF ENTHUSIASM AND THE DRIVE AND, AND, UH, I WAS UNPREPARED FOR IT.
I WAS BLISSFULLY KIND OF UNPREPARED FOR IT.
AND I TELL YOU, THIS IS A REALLY, IT IS WITH THE COVID IS A STRANGE TIME TO COME INTO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BECAUSE REALLY EVERYTHING IS, YOU KNOW, ON VIDEO AND SUCH LIKE THAT.
AND THE BUILDINGS RIGHT NOW ARE NOT OPEN AND HOPEFULLY OPEN UP EVENTUALLY HERE.
BUT, UM, SO IT WILL BE ALMOST A SECOND LEARNING TRACK BY ACTUALLY MEETING PEOPLE FACE TO FACE.
AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, UM, AGAIN, GOT TO MEET A LOT OF THE, UH, A LOT OF THE OPERATOR LEVELS, YOU KNOW, THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, TYPES THAT ARE STILL UH ON-CALL AND, AND A LOT OF LEADERSHIP FACE-TO-FACE, BUT AS FAR AS THE, UH, GENERAL STAFF, IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING.
NOW YOU'VE BEEN IN THE AREA FOR A WHILE, SO, YOU KNOW, THE AREA PRETTY GOOD.
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR OWN HOBBIES AND ENTERTAINMENT? UH, SO LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF, A LOT OF BEING GONE, SO THAT HAS BEEN GONE QUITE A BIT, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, MY HOBBIES AS OF LATE HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, COME TO COME TO WORK AND GO HOME AND JUST REINTEGRATE WITH THE FAMILY.
SO, UH, I DO HAVE A TON OF HOBBIES AND, AND, UH, I THINK MOST OF THE STAFF HERE, UH, PROBABLY KNOWS THEM ALREADY.
I ENJOY, UH, I ENJOY SPORTS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, 22 YEARS IN THE MARINE CORPS, I'M, UM, I'M NO LONGER PLAYING THE CONTACT SPORTS I USED TO ENJOY, YOU KNOW, NO MORE OF THE, UH, YEAH.
SO, UM, BUT YEAH, ULTIMATELY, UH, JUST GETTING HOME, WHERE WERE YOU FROM INITIALLY FROM CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.
SO TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF YOUR OPERATIONAL INITIATIVES.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE? YEAH, WELL, TAKE ON THE ROLE WHAT'S BEEN, WHAT'S BEEN GREAT IS THROUGH THE FELLOWSHIP.
I STARTED A, A, MY EDUCATIONAL PURSUIT STARTED A COUPLE OF MONTHS OUT.
SO WHAT DID ALLOW ME TO DO IS STUDY THE COUNTY KIND OF THE 30,000 FOOT LEVEL AND TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, THE HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION, HOW IT'S DEVELOPED INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY, AND, UH, AND TAKE A
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LOOK AT, UH, EVERYTHING FROM BUDGETING ASPECTS TO HUMAN RESOURCES ASPECTS, AND, AND DECONSTRUCTED AGAIN AT 30,000 FEET.AND THAT WAS JUST THROUGH USING IT AS USING BUFORD COUNTY AS A, UH, UM, UH, REALLY JUST THE PROJECT, YOU KNOW, AS I, AS I WOULD CONSTRUCT PAPERS FOR, UH, MY EDUCATIONAL PURSUITS.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO COME HERE AND SEE IT FIRSTHAND.
YOU KNOW, ASHLEY PROVIDED ME A GREAT DEAL OF LATITUDE AND BEING ABLE TO GO TO, UH, LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND REALLY GET THE INSIDE SCOOP AS TO WHERE WE WERE OPERATIONALLY AND WERE, I MEAN, AS FAR AS EDUCATIONAL, UH, UM, UH, OPPORTUNITY, IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
AND, AND THROUGH ALL OF THAT, AND THROUGH THE DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THROUGH THE DISCUSSIONS WITH LEADERSHIP, YOU REALLY GET A GOOD INSIDE LOOK OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND I MEAN, IT WAS FASCINATING TO HEAR IT FROM COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS, AND TO HEAR IT FROM, UH, ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYEES AND JUST REALLY GAINED AN INCREDIBLE PERSPECTIVE OF IT ALL.
SO WHAT IT DID IS IT DREW ME IN A COUPLE OF, OF, OF DIRECTIONS.
ONE OF THOSE, AND PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, IS, UM, AS A ONE COUNTY ONE TEAM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND REALLY, AND REALLY DRIVING THAT HOME THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND THEY'VE BEEN, UH, SEGREGATED THROUGH COVID AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, THAT NOBODY'S FACE-TO-FACE ANYMORE.
AND IT DOES SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TO PEOPLE AND, AND REALLY GETTING THE COUNTY BACK AND JUST, JUST ONE COUNTY, ONE TEAM.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S PROBABLY MY, MY BIGGEST PUSH, UM, IN ORDER TO DO THAT THOUGH, THERE'S A LOT TO BE DONE WITH INFORMATION FLOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION FLOW, HOW WE ADJUST THAT ACCORDINGLY TO WHAT MAY BE A NEW NORMAL WITH SOME OF THIS STUFF.
AND ALSO THE, UM, AND, AND REALLY JUST, UM, UH, I GUESS YOU'D SAY, UH, MAYBE THE ADJUSTMENT OF POLICIES HERE AND THERE, OR THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY ADJUSTMENTS AND, UH, PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
UM, I'M HUGE ON THAT, HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO, MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS, UH, THAT IS CODIFIED IN SOME SORT OF POLICY, UM, AND JUST MAKING SURE, AND THEN COMMUNICATING THAT TO THE ENTIRETY OF THE ORGANIZATION AND MAKING SURE EVERY LEVEL UNDERSTANDS, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, AND, UH, YEAH, I'D SAY THOSE ARE SOME THINGS, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES, THE, UM, PAID PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY COUNCIL HAD ASKED FOR THAT QUITE SOME TIME AGO.
IT'S A GREAT THING, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S VISION OF A MORE MODERNIZED COUNTY AND MORE MODERNIZED, UH, UH, JUST EMPLOYMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
SO, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT BEING PROCESSED OVER LEGAL AND, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THAT'LL BE ON THE TABLE SOON.
THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH, UM, THE LEAVES AND STUFF.
THEY ADDED SICK LEAVE THIS YEAR AT KENYAN BOYS, WHICH REALLY WAS AN ADVANTAGE.
I MEAN, NOW, IF YOU DO HAVE AN ILLNESS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE YOUR PERSONAL LEAVE, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND THEN I FLOATING, UM, HOLIDAY, RIGHT.
AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF MORE DAYS.
OF COURSE THE SWITCH WAS, WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
AND I THINK THAT DOES A LOT FOR MORALE AS WELL.
UM, SO THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE IN, IN THE MARINE CORPS, RIGHT? TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT DOD SKILL BRIDGE IS THE PROGRAM SO DOD, UM, MANDATED OVERALL, ANY SERVICE MAY DO IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, BUT IT AFFORDS A SERVICE MEMBER UP TO 180 DAYS, SIX MONTHS, UH, TO SEEK OUT A FELLOWSHIP OR INTERNSHIP.
AND, UH, AND REALLY ALMOST, UH, ANY ORGANIZATION CAN HOP ON THERE IF THEY HAVE A TAX ID AND THEY HAVE A LEGITIMATE, UM, ONE TO SUPPORT SERVICE MEMBERS, THEY CAN DO THAT.
AND I, YOU KNOW, JUST ME OPTING INTO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
UH, THE ICM PROVIDES AN AVENUE TO THAT THERE A, A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF DARREN TANNER MAN THAT YEARS AGO HELPED HE HELPED CONCEIVE THIS WHOLE CONCEPT.
AND, YOU KNOW, SCOTT MARSHALL OUT IN BLUFFTON, HE WAS A PART OF PUTTING TOGETHER SOME OF THIS AS WELL.
AND, AND SO I DID THE SAME THING I GOT WITH THE ISMA AND I ASKED TO BE ON THEIR BOARD FOR A VETERAN.
THEY'RE A VETERAN ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH SHOULD COME OUT HERE SHORTLY.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT I SEE NOW IS THAT THE, THE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, UH, AND, UM, UH, THE LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES THAT YOU FIND IN MILITARY LEADERS, AND I'LL ALWAYS SPEAK FOR THE MARINE CORPS NOW, BUT, UM, THEY ARE EVER SO TRANSFERABLE TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
AND I HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH, WITH ASHLEY AND, AND A LOT OF THE COUNTY ROUTINELY IN MY TIME HERE.
AND THAT WAS THAT IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO ME THAT, UM, THESE CONCEPTS AND THE WAY WE PLAN THE WAY WE EXECUTE, THE WAY WE, UH, WE TASK.
AND IT'S ALSO SO EERILY FAMILIAR COMING OVER HERE.
I MEAN, I REALLY THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE A LARGER DISPARITY.
SO IT'S BEEN GREAT COMING OVER HERE AND REALIZING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
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VETERANS TO COME INTO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AS WELL.SO, YEAH, THAT'S THE PROGRAM DOD SKILL BRIDGE AND THROUGH THE ICM FELLOWSHIP, AND THEY BOTH, BOTH THOSE PROGRAMS AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED ARE INCREDIBLE AND GETTING EVERYTHING LINED UP FOR YOU, EVEN THROUGH THE COVID, YOU KNOW, WEIRD, UH, THE DOD TRAVEL BANS AND, AND COUNTY CLOSINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND I IMAGINE THE TRAINING YOU HAD IN THE MILITARY TRANSFERS REALLY WELL TO THE COMMUNICATIONS ASPECT OF BUFORD COUNTY.
SO, SO I GUESS ALL IN ALL, I'D SAY IT'S THE LEADERSHIP CONCEPTS OR ONE AGAIN, HOW WE PLAN, HOW WE EXECUTE, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY, YOU KNOW, AS BIG, AND I DON'T MEAN ACCOUNTABILITY IN A NEGATIVE FASHION.
I MEAN, UNDERSTANDING WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE CLEARLY DELINEATED, UH, THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE THAT YOUR, UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND, AND EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT AUTHORITIES THEY HAVE DELEGATED AND WHAT THEY DON'T.
SO, UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND, AND I COULD PROBABLY LIST A THOUSAND OTHERS WERE, YOU KNOW, TH THAT WERE TRANSFERABLE THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, ROBERT BECHTOLD, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN INTERVIEW SOME MORE SOMETIME AS WE GET FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS.
DID YOU KNOW, BUFORD COUNTY HAS 29 ACTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN BUFORD COUNTY AND ALLOW CITIZENS LIKE YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ADVISE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES.
MEMBERS SERVE IN A VARIETY OF CAPACITIES FROM ADVISING COUNCIL REGARDING THE SELLING AND PURCHASING OF LAND HEARING APPEALS, ALLOCATING A TAX MONIES, ADVOCATING FOR SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS, WORKING ON STORM WATER RELATED ISSUES, ZONING ISSUES, DESIGN REVIEW, HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, YOU NAME IT.
VISIT WWW DOT BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV/COUNCIL/BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TODAY TO SEE A LIST OF OUR ACTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND FILL OUT AN APPLICATION SIGN UP TODAY.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A HAND IN MAKING OUR COMMUNITY EVEN GREATER THAN IT ALREADY IS.
NOW WE'VE GOT AN ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR ENGINEERING.
THIS IS JARED FÉLIX AGAIN, WELCOME BOARD.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
YEAH, SO I AM, UM, I'M A NATIVE NOT BE FOR COUNTY, BUT HERE LIVE LOCALLY.
UM, GREW UP IN THE AREA WHEN SCHOOL, UM, AT CITADEL.
AND THEN, UM, WORKED IN THE AREA OVER THE LAST 10, 12 YEARS, UM, DOING ENGINEERING AND OTHER CONSULTANT, UM, ENGINEERING POSITIONS.
WELL, YOU NEEDED NEW TO THE COUNTIES AS FAR AS, AS A DEPUTY, BUT, UM, AS FAR AS TELL SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU BE WORKING WITH.
SO, UM, AS A ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEERING, UM, HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UM, BUT TRANSPORTATION I'M IN SALES TAX PROGRAM.
THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF THE PRIORITIES, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, PUBLIC WORKS AND SOLID WASTE AND AIRPORTS, UH, SPECIAL PROJECTS, FACILITIES, AND CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO YOU'VE GOT A LOT ON YOUR PLATE, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD, A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN BUFORD COUNTY NOW.
SO A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, EVEN WITH COVID GOING, WE'RE STILL IN BUSINESS ENGINEERING IS MOVING FORWARD AND RIGHT AWAY, WE GOT A LOT GOING ON.
PEOPLE STILL HAVE TO, ACTUALLY ONE OF YOUR, ONE OF YOUR, UM, DUTIES IS PUBLIC WORK.
SO YOU GOT TO SAY, KEEP US AIR CONDITIONED, KEEP, KEEP THE RAIN OFF OF US.
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON IN POET WORKS? YEP.
SO PUBLIC WORKS IS OUR OPERATIONS FUNCTION.
SO, UM, THEY'RE KEEPING THE ROADS, UH, OPEN IN GOOD CONDITION, DIRT ROADS, PAVED ROADS, ALL THAT WE MAINTAIN.
UM, THEY'RE KEEPING THE MOSQUITOES AT BAY.
UH, SO MOSQUITO CONTROL FALLS UNDER THAT TRAFFIC.
UM, SO THEY'RE WORKING ON OUR SIGNALS, UM, AND STORMWATER THERE'S THERE'S, UH, A LOT OF STORM WATER NEEDS IN THE LOW LINE AREAS, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, SO THERE, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THE OPERATION.
SO THERE'S THE GUYS THAT ACTUALLY KEEPING US MOVING, UM, AS A COUNTY.
AND THIS IS A BIG COUNTY, THIS IS THING MILEAGE-WISE, THIS IS A BIG COUNTY, IT'S A TALL ORDER, BUT THEY DO A GREAT JOB, BUT WHERE'S ABSOLUTELY WAY ANYTIME I DRIVE IN AND I SEE THEM IN THE PARKING LOT, I WAS LIKE, YEP, SOMETHING'S GOING ON WITH IT? THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT FIXED.
WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT STORM WATER JUST BRIEFLY A SECOND AGO.
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UM, NOW WE'RE HAVING SOME CHANGES IN SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING WITH THE DECALS AND SUCH.SO WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A DECAL SYSTEM, UM, SUCH THAT IN ORDER TO, IF YOU'RE A BEAVER COUNTY RESIDENT, ONLY BEAVER COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN ENTER THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS, UH, WE'RE ISSUING DECALS SYSTEM, UM, THAT YOU'LL PLACE IN YOUR WINDSHIELD.
AND THEN THAT WHEN THAT'LL ALLOW YOU TO ENTER INTO THAT, UM, THAT'S ROLLING OUT HERE AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
UH, WE'RE COORDINATING WITH ALL THE CITIZENS AND SENDING OUT INFORMATION, UM, ON HOW YOU CAN APPLY AND OBTAIN THAT DECAL FOR YOUR SYSTEM AND GETTING THE DECAL IS NOT GOING TO BE, AS LONG AS YOUR, A RESONANT IS PRETTY MUCH GOING TO BE AN EASY PROCESS.
THE WHOLE GOAL IS TO MAKE IT EASY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO TO LIMIT TO OUR RESIDENTS, UM, THAT THIS IS FOR RESIDENTS.
UM, IT'S NOT FOR CONTRACTORS TO COME AND DUMP ALL THEIR WASTE NOR FOR OUT-OF-TOWNERS.
SO THAT'S THE WHOLE PROCESS AND IDEAS TO, TO MAKE IT A BETTER USE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND BE FOR COUNTY.
AND I GUESS PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THESE PEOPLE WHO'VE COME IN FROM OUTSIDE AND THE CONTRACTORS THAT'S COSTING US MONEY.
SO WE HAD TO PAY FOR ALL THE WASTE THAT'S COLLECTED.
WE HAVE TO TAKE IT AND TRANSFER IT TO US TO A WASTE FACILITY.
UM, AND EVERY TON OF WASTE IS, IS DOLLARS.
AND SO, UM, HAVING ALL THIS OUTSIDE WASTE, OUR CONTRACTORS IS JUST MORE DOLLARS OUT OF OUR BUDGET.
SO, AND IT SAVES THE TAXPAYER MONEY IN THE LONG RUN.
NOW WE ARE CLOSING A COUPLE OF THE, UM, CENTERS THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE ARE TWO THAT WILL BE CLOSED.
UM, THERE'S TWO, THEY'VE KIND OF OUTGROWN THEIR, THEIR FACILITIES.
UM, THAT IS THE GATE, UH, CONVENIENCE CENTER, AS WELL AS PRITCHARD BILL.
UM, THERE'S BEEN NOTICE GIVEN THERE'S NOTICE THERE AT THE FACILITY, UM, WHERE YOUR NEARBY CLOSEST FACILITY IS ONCE THAT ONE IS CLOSED, BUT THERE'LL BE CLOSED COMING JANUARY 1ST.
NOW WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS HAPPENING AND I'VE BEEN WITH COUNTY CHANNEL.
I SEE A LOT OF THESE MEANS SUSTAINABILITY CAMPUS.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS.
UM, ONE THING IS THE SUSTAINABILITY CAMPUS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE EXPLORING RIGHT NOW, UM, AND HOPE TO ROLL OUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UM, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT NO WASTE LEAVES THE LEAVES, THE COUNTY.
AS FAR AS THE BUDGET'S CONCERNED, UH, THAT'LL BE ABLE TO SAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON OUR EXPENSE, UH, AS WELL AS JUST GENERAL.
UM, I MEAN, IT'S A, A GREEN ALTERNATIVE, WHETHER WE'RE RECYCLING, UM, WHETHER WE'RE COMPOSTING OR WHETHER WE'RE INCINERATING, UM, ALL THAT IS, IS A WAY THAT WE CAN HANDLE OUR TRASH IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER.
AND THAT AGAIN IS A BIG COST SAVINGS AS WELL AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL SAVINGS.
MOVING RIGHT ALONG, YOU GOT A LOT ON YOUR PLATE AIRPORTS, A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING, HILTON HEAD THAT'S RIGHT.
SO, UM, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS AT HILTON HEAD.
UM, MOSTLY WITH THIS PAST YEAR, UM, ACCEPTING, UM, THREE MORE AIR CARRIERS.
SO WE HAVE FOUR AIR CARRIERS THAT SERVES, UM, FOR A MULTITUDE OF FLIGHTS THAT COME IN AND OUT OF THE AIRPORT.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, THE APRON EXPANSION AND THE TERMINAL EXPANSION.
UM, SO BOTH OF THOSE ARE UNDER DESIGN RIGHT NOW IN DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY GONNA ADD A LOT OF CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY TO WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE AT THE AIRPORT IN HILTON HEAD.
SO WHEN YOU GET TO THE AIRPORT, NOT ONLY YOU'LL HAVE A LARGER PARKING LOT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE GATES, SO THE PLANES CAN BE COMFORTABLE AND THEY CAN CYCLE IN AND OUT A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
AND THEN EXPANDING THAT RUNWAY LED TO FOUR AIRLINES.
IT JUST, UM, THE AIRLINE AND ARE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT MADE ALLOW FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF AIRCRAFT, UH, AND, UH, A LARGER AIRCRAFT ALLOWED MORE, MORE AIRLINES TO COME AND USE OUR SITE.
SO SWITCHING GEARS, LADIES ISLAND, AIRPORT, ANYTHING GOING ON OVER THERE FOR A FRIEND'S AND LADY'S HOUSE? UM, YES, IT'S JUST NOT QUITE AS ACTIVE AND VISIBLE.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S IMPROVEMENTS, UM, SOME DIFFERENT BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS ANGER BUILDINGS, UM, BUT ALSO COME TO FIND OUT THERE'S SOME, UM, OPEN PERMITS THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS AS FAR AS ENVIRONMENTALLY TO CLOSE THOSE OUT BEFORE WE CAN START ACHIEVING GREATER IMPROVEMENTS THERE, THE AIRPORT, THEY HAD AN AIR DAYS THERE JUST RECENTLY.
AND IT'S, IT'S AMAZING HOW, I MEAN, I HADN'T BEEN THERE IN A LONG TIME.
IT SAID THAT'S A NICE AIRPORT.
I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME SIZE AND CAPABILITY AS HILTON HEAD.
THERE'S MORE CONSTRAINTS HAS SURROUNDED BY MARSH.
UH, SO IT'S NOT GOING TO GROW INTO THAT SAME TASK, BUT FOR WHAT IT IS, IT'S A GREAT AIRPORT.
UM, THERE'S A LOT, A LOT TO BE DONE THERE.
NOW WE'RE MOVING ON, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WHAT AS THE CAPITAL PROJECTS MANAGER, UM, WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND WHAT IS ON THE PLATE? YES.
SO CAPITAL, IT SAYS, UM, REALLY BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, SO INSIDE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS IS BOTH, UM, THE SALES TAX PROGRAM WITH TRANSPORTATION, UM, AS WELL AS BUILDINGS, SO ON THE BUILDINGS FRONT, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON ARTHUR HORN BUILDING.
UM, SO THAT'LL REPLACE SOME OF OUR FACILITIES.
UM, THAT'S EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN MARCH OF 2021.
SO THAT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
UM, AND AS WELL AS OTHER VARIOUS PARKS AND, AND OTHER BUILDINGS AROUND THE COUNTY NOW, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG WHEN THE HORN BUILDING GETS SOLD, OR I
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GUESS WE ARE CALLING IT THE NEW HORN BUILDING OR THE STILL ARTHUR HORN BELT, THE ONE STORY HORN BUILDING THAT'S STILL THERE.THEY CUT THE BUILDING IN HALF.
UM, BECAUSE I GUESS WE NEEDED SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT BUILDING TO STAY OPERATIONAL.
UM, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT ONE STORY STRUCTURE.
SO ONCE THE NEW BUILDING IS COMPLETED, THAT STRUCTURE WILL BE DEMOLISHED AND, UM, AND ALL THOSE, UM, DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WILL BE RELOCATED INTO THE NEW BUILDING.
AND SO I KNOW THAT, UM, IT IS GOING TO BE IN THERE, UM, MUNICIPAL COURT AND SOME OTHER OFFICE SPACES ARE GOING TO BE IN THERE AS WELL AS SOME HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS SUCH THAT'S RIGHT.
UM, WE'VE ALL, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY DID, UH, A SPACE STUDY.
WE HAD INTERVIEWS WITH THE, UM, WITH A CONSULTANT HAS COME IN, TELL US ABOUT THE COUNTY'S MASTER PLAN AS FAR AS THEIR FACILITIES.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN IN THE SPACE STUDY WAS PART OF THAT.
SO ASSESSING WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND WHAT OUR FUTURE NEEDS ARE AS WE GROW AS A COUNTY AND AS POPULATION.
UM, SO ONCE WE HAVE THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, DO AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL OUR EXISTING FACILITIES AND BASED OFF WHAT WE'VE COMMENTED AS OUR FUTURE GROWTH, WHAT FACILITIES WILL WE'LL NEED IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DECIDE, UM, WHERE BEST THAT WE CONSOLIDATE DEPARTMENTS, UM, SHOULD MORE DEPARTMENTS BE IN THE SAME BUILDING TOGETHER, UH, AS WELL AS SPACE ITSELF.
SO ARE THERE BUILDINGS THAT WE CAN CONSOLIDATE, UM, ARE THERE BUILDINGS THAT WE NEED TO ADD? UM, BUT THE OVERALL GOAL IS THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, UM, IN OUR FACILITIES THAT WE MANAGE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LARGE COST SAVINGS TO THE, TO THE COUNTY FOR, FOR THAT STUDY THAT COMES ALONG.
AND THAT AGAIN, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO HAVING SUCH A LARGE, VAST COUNTY.
YOU'VE GOT A NORTH ABROAD AND SOUTH ABROAD THAT'S RIGHT THERE, THERE'S A LARGE, UM, UM, SECTOR THAT WE HAVE TO SERVICE.
UM, BUT THEN ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO HILTON HEAD TO BLUFFTON, TO, TO NORTHERN BEAVER COUNTY.
SO THERE'S A LARGE, UH, SPACE.
AND SO WE HAVE FACILITIES IN BOTH SECTORS.
SO, UM, IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO KEEP THOSE FACILITIES OR ADD MORE FACILITIES OR CONSOLIDATE, THAT'S WHAT THAT STUDY IS GOING TO HELP US DETERMINE.
WELL, IN THE TIME WE'VE GOT LEFT, LET'S TALK 1 CENT SALES TAX.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE ARE WE AT IN THE ONE SENTENCE? YEP.
THE SALES TAX WAS VOTED ON IN NOVEMBER, 2018 IN 2019, STARTED COLLECTING THE FUNDS.
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN IN THE DESIGN PROCESS, PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND, UM, OUR FIRST PROJECT, UM, SANDS POINT TURN LANE PROJECT ON LADY'S ISLAND.
UM, THAT ONE IS ACTUALLY UNDER A REVIEW WITH COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
UM, SO THAT'LL BE THE FIRST PROJECT OUT OF THE GATE AS FAR AS CONSTRUCTION IS CONCERNED.
UM, WE'LL CONTINUE THE FRONT, THE DESIGN ON THE LADY'S ALLEN PROJECTS.
UM, AS WELL AS THE PATHWAY PROJECT, THEY'RE UNDER DESIGN, WE'RE WORKING TO FACILITATE SOME, UM, PUBLIC INPUT ON THAT AS WE'RE DEALING WITH OUR COVID, UM, CIRCUMSTANCES, AS WELL AS THE, OBVIOUSLY THE LARGE PROJECT, THE TWO 78 BRIDGE PROJECT, UM, VOT CONTINUES TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THAT AS THEY WORK TOWARDS A PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
UM, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR, FIRST PART OF NEXT YEAR, THEY'LL HAVE THAT, UM, ONCE THAT PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE IS ESTABLISHED, UM, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THE PLANS INTO AN, A FULL DESIGN AND THEN OBVIOUSLY MOVE TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION.
WELL, I IMAGINE A LOT OF YOUR, UM, TIME HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO MAKING OUR BUILDINGS COVID SAFE.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY AFFECTED A LOT OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THE PUBLIC WORKS SIDE.
SO HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE RESPONSE? YEAH, YEAH.
SO A LOT OF THE, UM, COVID RESPONSE AS FAR AS OUR FACILITIES RUNS THROUGH FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, UM, WHICH IS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, ANOTHER DEPARTMENT THAT'S UNDER MY PURVIEW.
UM, SO THERE'VE BEEN EXCELLENT.
UM, AS SOON AS WE IDENTIFIED ANY, ANY, UM, ISSUES, AS FAR AS COVID, UM, THEY'VE COME IN AND, AND, UM, THEY CLEANED THE FACILITIES, UM, UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB WORKING OVERTIME TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE CLEAN, UM, BOTH FOR WHEN THEY'VE BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN THE PAST, AND NOW JUST FOR OUR WORKING, UM, OUR COUNTY WORKERS.
SO THEY'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE HAVING YOU ON I'VE FINALLY GOTTEN TO MEET YOU.
WE'RE WE ARE SIX FEET APART, BY THE WAY, WE DON'T HAVE A MASCOT, BUT WE ARE SIX FEET APART.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE 1 CENT SALES TAX.
NOW CAN PEOPLE GO TO A WEBSITE? YEAH.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY A, THERE IS A SALES TAX WEBSITE PRIOR TO THE REFERENDUM.
UH, WE'RE UPDATING THAT WEBSITE NOW, AND IT'LL BE A WEBSITE I'LL LAND IN SPOT WHERE YOU CAN LOOK AT ANY OF THE THREE PROJECTS, THE TWO 78 BRIDGE THAT LADY'S ISLAND WORK OR THE PATHWAY PROJECTS.
UM, THERE'S A SPECIFIC WEBSITE ALREADY FOR THE TWO 78 THAT DOD MAINTAINS.
UM, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THE OTHER TWO COMPONENTS, UH, AND SPECIFICALLY THE PATHWAY COMPONENTS.
SO AS I MENTIONED, UM, THE PATHWAYS WE'RE WORKING ON THE PRELIMINARY LAYOUT AND DESIGN AND WE NEED PUBLIC INPUT.
[00:25:01]
UM, SO THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.ONCE WE ROLL OUT WITH THAT WEBSITE.
UM, AND ONCE WE GET THAT INPUT AND THEN WE CAN PUSH FORWARD WITH THE FINAL DESIGN.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OF ENGINEERING, JARED, FOR ELYX.
WE HOPE WE CAN HAVE YOU BACK ON SOMETIME WHEN A LOT OF THIS GETS DONE.
WELL, THANKS FOR JOINING US ON COASTLINE.
I'LL BE SURE TO JOIN US NEXT MONTH.
WE'LL HAVE FRANK RODRIGUEZ FROM THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL.
THEY'VE BEEN GOING UNDER A LOT OF CHANGES TO COMPLY WITH COVID AND WE'LL CATCH UP WITHIN, FIND OUT HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
NEXT TIME ON COASTLINE, THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO, ON DEMAND.
GO TO BUFORD 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 CALL TO 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.
WHAT IS THE 2020 CENSUS? THE CENSUS COUNTS EVERYONE LIVING IN THE COUNTRY AND IT RECORDS EVERYONE WHO LIVES AT YOUR ADDRESS.
ON APRIL 1ST, THE DATA CAN BE USED TO INFORM IMPORTANT FUNDING DECISIONS THAT AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY.
VISIT 2020 CENSUS.GOV
YOU STARTING TO THROW YOUR CIGARETTE BUTT OUT THE WINDOW.
THAT'S LITTER IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU HAVE YOUR LICENSE, REGISTRATION INSURANCE.