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DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, UH, WE'VE BEEN OFF AIR.
THEY SEEM TO BE HAVE, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN CORRECTED.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
YOUR NAME, WOULD YOU PLEASE ANNOUNCE THAT YOU ARE PRESENT? UH, COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM, PRESIDENT COUNCILMAN DAWSON HERE, COUNCILMAN WELLING, PRESIDENT COUNCILMAN GLOVER, COUNCILMAN, HER VISHAAN PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN HOWARD HERE.COUNCILMAN LAWSON, THE BARK LOSS IN HERE.
COUNCILMAN MCKELLEN HERE, COUNCILMAN RODMAN HERE, COUNCILMAN SOMERVILLE, PRESIDENT AND THE CHAIR IS PRESENT.
THEREFORE ALL 11, UH, MEMBERS ARE PRESENT TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS.
UM, THE, UH, INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE DONE BY A VICE CHAIR.
PAUL SOMERVILLE, WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
FOR ALL, WE PLEASE VALUE YOUR HEADS.
LORD, MAKE US AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE, WHERE THERE IS HATRED.
LET US BRING LOVE WHERE THERE IS A FENCE.
LET US BRING PARDON WHERE THERE IS DISCORD.
LET US BRING UNION WHERE THERE IS ERROR.
LET US BRING TRUTH WHERE THERE IS DOUBT.
WHETHER IT'S DESPAIR, LET US BRING HOPE.
WHETHER IT'S DARKNESS, LET US BRING LIGHT WHERE THERE IS SADNESS.
LET US NOT SEEK AS MUCH TO BE CONSOLED AS TO CONSOLE TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS TO UNDERSTAND, TO BE LOVED AS TO LOVE FOR IT IS IN GIVING THAT ONE RECEIVES IT IS IN CELL FORGETTING THAT ONE FINDS IT IS IN PARDONING.
THAT ONE IS RAISED TO ETERNAL LIFE.
UH, PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT ITEM
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
NUMBER FOUR IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.UM, W AT THE, UH, COUNTY CAUCUS MEETING, WE INDICATED THAT THERE WOULD BE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WISH TO ADD ITEMS TO THIS AGENDA.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE, MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA.
SO FOR AN ITEM TITLED ORDINANCE TO ENTER INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF FORT FREDERICK HERITAGE PRESERVE, THANK YOU.
THIS ITEM WILL NOT REQUIRE ANY FUNDING AND CAN BE DISCUSSED WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, OKAY.
UM, MAY I HAVE A SECOND PLEASE? OKAY.
IT HAS DULY BEEN MOTIONED AND SECOND TO ADD AN EVENT, AN ACTION ITEM TO THE AGENDA FOR AN ORDINANCE TO ENTER INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR FORT FREDERICK.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO DISCUSSION, THIS WILL BE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY AND ADDED TO THE AGENDA SINCE THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, UM, WOULD THE, UH, ATTORNEYS WEIGH IN PLEASE AS TO WHETHER THIS IS A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE, OR IS THIS A RESOLUTION SINCE THERE IS NO MONEY INVOLVED, IT'S A LEASE? UM, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE AN ORDINANCE.
SO WILL DULY NOTED THAT IT IS A FIRST READING.
MOU A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
BUT IT WAS STILL WILL REQUIRE THREE READINGS, I THINK, TO BE SAFE.
IT CAN, IT, IT WON'T HURT TO, TO HAVE IT NOW IT'S A LEGISLATIVE ACT DONE BY ORDINANCE.
UM, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WISH TO BE ADDED MR. RODMAN? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AN ITEM, UH, WHICH WOULD BE CONSIDERATION
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OF A TRIAL RUN WITH A PARLIAMENTARIAN FOR THREE MONTHS.IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? CHECK-IN SECOND, UM, DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED BY MR. RODMAN AND MR. SUMMERVILLE DISCUSSION.
SEEING NO DISCUSSION, THIS WILL BE ADDED AS AN ACTION ITEM.
IT WILL BE, UM, UH, FOLLOWING, UM, THE ADDITIONAL ITEM FOR FORT FREDERICK.
IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEM TO COME BEFORE MR. CUNNINGHAM? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE, UH, MOVE OUR FUTURE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND TO MR. CUNNINGHAM'S MOTION SECOND.
SO IT'S BEEN DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE WILL PUT THAT AS AN ACTION ITEM AS WELL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS, UH, MR. TAYLOR? YES, SIR.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY WE TAKE UP THAT ONE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT ADDING TO THIS AGENDA? YES.
WE NEED TO ADD, UM, ITEMS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, ONE ITEM, WHICH IS, UM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE COUNTY CAUCUS, WHICH IS A SETTLEMENT FOR, UM, RETIREES.
AND WE WILL TAKE THAT AS AN ACTION ITEM.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND TO ADDING THAT ITEM SECOND, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. FLOLAN DULY SECONDED THAT, UM, AND HE DISCUSSION.
AND THAT WILL BE ADDED ON, OKAY.
ARE YOU INTENDING ATTENDING TO INTENDING, TO ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE REMAINING EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS FROM THE CAUCUS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING? UM, THERE ARE TWO LEFT TO DO, UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, LET'S SEE WHAT THE, UH, MR. TAYLOR DOES, ARE THOSE ITEMS SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY COULD NOT WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT AGENDA? WE'LL DEFER TO MR. MR. SUMMERVILLE ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 10, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEM ABOUT URGENCY.
I HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO US AND IT WON'T TAKE LONG.
UH, THEN, UM, WE WILL ADD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE END OF THE MEETING AFTER THE CITIZENS' COMMENTS IN ITEM NUMBER 14, WE WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN COME OUT AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'LL, I'LL MOVE FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AS SPECIFIED BY THE CHAIRMAN.
MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU WOULD WANT IT TO HAVE ITEM 11 DISCUSSED.
UM, DO YOU STILL WANT TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSED OR DO YOU WANT TO CARRY THAT OVER? BECAUSE OUR LAWYERS, RIGHT.
SO WE CAN DO 10 AND 11
SO IT'S BEEN DULY MOTIONED AND SECOND IS TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ITEMS 10 AND 11 THAT WERE SCHEDULED TO BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE WAS NO SECOND IN MY MOTION.
DIDN'T INCLUDE 11, BUT I'LL AMEND IT TO INCLUDE NUMBER 11.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY? OKAY.
MR. SOMERVILLE, DOOLEY, UH, MOTION.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION SEEING NONE? WE WILL HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THIS ALONG.
I KNOW THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE INDICATE THAT THERE IS AN IMPORTANT EVENT THAT TAKES PLACE AT EIGHT O'CLOCK THIS EVENING, AND THEY'D LIKE TO BE OUT OF COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS AMENDED MAY HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE.
SECOND, MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE SECOND IT'S BEEN MOTIONED AND SECOND TO, TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED ANY DISCUSSION,
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SEEING NONE OR WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS APPROVED AS AMENDED ITEM.[5. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
NUMBER FIVE.WE WILL TURN TO THE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, FOR THOSE OF YOU ON COUNCIL, IF YOU CANNOT HEAR ME AT ALL DURING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING, UH, PLEASE VERBALLY FACEBOOK, UH, SO THAT I CAN TALK LOUDER.
I DO NOT WANT WORKWEEK MAMA HOUSE GIVEN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY, UH, THIS EVENING.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO ONCE AGAIN, INTRODUCE TO YOU ALL, SOME EMPLOYEES, UH, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO OTHER VOTERS.
WE'LL CALL THEM GETTING SOME FEEDBACK AND THAT WE'RE WILLING TO DO THIS FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY OUT EVENTUALLY.
UH, UM, PLEASE FOLLOW ON IN THE ROLE THAT I'M IN CURRENTLY.
SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT OR THE COUNTY TO FEEL LIKE THAT THESE FOLKS ARE RECEIVING INSPECTION RECOMMENDATION EVER DOWN THE HALL.
UH, THIS IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR UNDERSTANDING ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE, UH, HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY AND DENYING GUYS, EMPLOYERS YOU'RE TO INTRODUCE FUEL CANDY, GO DOWNS.
YOU ALL HAVE SEEN KATIE BEFORE.
IF YOU WATCH THE CHRISTMAS SHOW ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL, BECAUSE SHE WAS THE ONE THAT DID THE SOLO, UH, AND I'LL GET INTO THAT AND WE'LL LEAVE JAIL, BUT SHE SERVED ON MOBILE COLE.
LOOK, SHE IS A SENIOR LEAK PREVENTION SPIRITUALIST WITH THE ALCOHOL BROGAN NEWS DEPARTMENT.
UH, SHE WILL BE AND HAVE BEEN HERE AND FOR 10 YEARS, UH, AND MAY SHE SERVED ON LOCAL COALITIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND THE STATE'S PREVENTION BOARD REDUCE RECENTLY, SHE ASSISTED THE DEPARTMENT WITH WRITING AND WINNING A $50,000 ROUND OR TO DO AN ANTI STIGMA CAMPAIGN FOR BOTH THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH RIVER AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
UH, SHE DOES TEAM BUILDING FROM CHURCHES, LOCAL INDUSTRY, SOCIAL SERVICES AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
SHE CREATES AT LEAST FOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ALERT FOR THE PARK OF HER MOUTH AND FURTHER DEMONSTRATES HER CREATIVITY ON THE DEPARTMENT BULLETIN BOARDS.
KATIE ALSO DOES FOR THE FACEBOOK LIVE OF MAY NOT RELATED TO PREVENTION AND WORKS ON THE WEEKENDS, AT LEAST QUARTERLY DOING NARCAN TRAINING FOR THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING THE HONEST, OH, WE GO IN THE OVERDOSES CASE.
KATIE RECENTLY CUT HER OWN ALBUM.
SHE HAS AN ALL LOCAL GIFTED VOCALIST.
SO SHE IS KNOWN AS THE VOICE OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR TELEVISION AND RADIO RESPONSES.
UH, SHE ALSO DON'T WANT TO NATIVE SOME OF THE PROCEEDS FROM A RECORD TO A LOCAL CHARITY.
UH, KATIE, AS IT SAYS HERE, UH, IS A PERSON WHO DEALS A LOT OF OUR TIME AND RESOURCES FROM HER HEART.
UH, SHE WORKS WITH DISABILITY AND SPECIAL NEEDS.
UM, SHE'S THE HUMAN SERVICES MANAGER AND SHE'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR 16 YEARS.
SHE BEGAN HER CAREER WITH DSL AS A SERVICES COORDINATOR IN 2004, AND WAS SOON PROMOTED TO COMMUNITY TRAINING HOME COORDINATOR IN 2005, SHE WAS PROMOTED AGAIN IN JANUARY OF 20.8 TO HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR, WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SUPERVISING ALL THE DFCS CASE MANAGERS AND INTERVENTIONIST.
SHE BELIEVES THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY NOT ONLY TO OUR CONSUMERS, BUT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND RECOGNIZING HER KNOWLEDGE OF DISABILITY LEADS AND SERVICES SHARING WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, WHICH PROVIDES AS WE KNOW, MANY OF US KNOW A PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO STAY WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOSPITALIZED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND, UH, UH, I KINDA, I KIND OF FEEL, UH, UM, A LITTLE WEIRD ABOUT THIS, THE LAST TWO PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE INTRODUCED, SIR, I'VE KNOWN SINCE THEY WERE EIGHT YEARS OLD, BOTH OF THEM.
AND THEN THAT SHOWS THAT THEIR LONGEVITY HERE, I THINK IS A GREAT THING.
KATIE, KATIE WAS A NEIGHBOR AND SHERRY'S MOM WORKED FOR ME FOR A LONG TIME.
OUR NEXT EMPLOYEE IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
SO BEING ON, WE'LL ASK YOU TO CALL HER AND BE WHATEVER.
I THINK SOMEONE'S ALREADY COMMENTED ON ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE SEAL A UNIQUE, UM, HOUR MAN HOUR.
IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY SATISFYING.
UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
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ISSUE HERE.I HE'S BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THAT, BUT HE'S ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS MANAGING FINANCES.
HE WORKS IN THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THESE ARE THE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER, AND HE'S BEEN WITH US FOR SEVEN YEARS.
HE DOES THE SCHEDULING OF MEETINGS, REVIEWING DATA AND COMPOSING REPORTS BY ANY MAINTAINS AND DEVELOPS GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, ANY PROVIDES GREAT INFORMATION AND REVERSE REFERRAL SERVICES TO PARTNERS AND MEMBERS.
WELL TO THE POLO, HE MANAGES THE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS AND YEAH, WE ADMINISTERED THE GRANT ALLOCATION PROCESSES, ALL MY HALF OF THE COUNTY COUNSELORS, COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE, WHICH EMBEDS ROUGHLY $400,000 A YEAR GET A LOCAL NONPROFIT HUMAN SERVICE OR, UH, AGENCIES BEING, UH, SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT HIM.
HE HAD HIS TWO RESCUE DATSUNS NAMED BONNIE AND CLYDE, AND HE ENJOYS DOWN LANE WITH HIS HOME.
OF COURSE, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THERE BEHIND HIM.
AND IT SAYS HERE THAT HE IS TERRIBLE AT BALDWIN.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT APPARENTLY HE'S NOT A GOOD OR SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THAT STORY ABOUT THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US HERE TONIGHT, MAN.
IS HE MORE ON COUNCIL AND THE SAME THING TO ME? THANK YOU.
I'VE ONLY KNOWN YOU FOR 10 YEARS, SO YEAH.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE THE SAME.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER, I KNOW, THREE THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE COVID-19 VACCINE THAT, UH, WE'RE IN CURRENTLY ON PHASE ONE A OR LEAVE IT IN A PAGE WON'T BE.
AND MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE DAY THAT, UM, THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT SOUTH CAROLINA ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13TH, OR BEGAN ON PEOPLE 70 YEARS OR OLDER TO JOIN, UM, TO START MAKING APPOINTMENTS, TO HAVE THEIR VACCINE.
UH, THANKS IN LARGE PART TO THE WORK OF SENATOR TOM DAVIS, WHO WORKED WITH GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER SHOWED AGAIN, OUR LOCAL SENATOR, UH, HAS COME FREEFORM, UH, TO PUSH THAT ALONG.
UH, FOR US, WE WILL BE POSTING THE CONTACT NUMBERS FOR THE BILLS ON OUR WEBSITE, TOMORROWS WHERE THE CALL, WHAT AGENCIES THEY CAN CALL.
AND THESE ARE THE AGENCIES AROUND THE AREA THAT YOU CAN CALL AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THAT PARTICULAR ITEM.
ALSO ONE REPORT WITH COUNCIL THAT WITH REGARD TO THE HAND REDRAWN HOUSING TRUST FUND, WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THE CONSULTANT ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 7TH, OF WHAT THE CONSULTANT AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT YOU AND THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS APPOINTED THAT WENT VERY, VERY WELL.
SO WE'RE ON THE MOODS OF GETTING THAT STARTING AND THEN THE FINAL ITEM.
AND NOW EVEN FOR YOU ALL AND FOR THE PUBLIC IS THE TAX BILLS OF THE EMAIL OR RECEIVED FRIDAY AND ARE NOW ALIGNED.
AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING THOSE BILLS.
THE MAIL VEHICLES ARE MOST LIKELY IMPORTANT TO THE TRAILER HERE IN THE POST OFFICE THIS EVENING, READY TO GO OUT TO BEAT THE MAIL NOW AND DELIVER TO FOLKS TOMORROW.
THE DEADLINE FROM THOSE PAYMENTS IS NOW ARE STARTING FIRST, MR. CHAIRMAN PROCLAMATION.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT AND I'LL LET YOU TAKE IT TO THE NEXT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, AND WITH REGARDS TO THE ROLLOUT OF THE VACCINE, YES.
UH, GOVERNOR MS. MCMASTER ANNOUNCED THAT TODAY WE RUN A MEETING, UH, JUST BEFORE WE STARTED OUR MEETINGS.
UM, COUNTY COUNCIL IS, UH, OR BUFORD COUNTY IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED HEAVILY AND COUNTY COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED HEAVILY AND GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT SO THAT PEOPLE IN FACT CAN REGISTER WITH THEIR PROVIDERS.
UH, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING COMING THIS FRIDAY, UM, AS WE BEGIN TO ROLL OUT THIS WHOLE PROGRAM.
SO THERE'S A WHOLE VACCINE PLAN IN PLACE.
THERE'S A NATIONAL SYSTEM CALLED VANS THAT, UH, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO REGISTER.
NOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE 70 AND OLDER, WHO MAY BE RETIRED, DON'T HAVE AN EMPLOYER.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW AND WHERE TO GO ONLINE TO REGISTER, TO GET A VACCINE THAT IS ALL BEING WORKED OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
UH, CITIZEN COMMENTS, UH, SARAH, DO WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO MAKE ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS AT THIS POINT IN TIME? WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY EMAILS AND I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ON THE
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CALL.[7. RECOGNITION OF GARDENIA SIMMONS-WHITE]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.UH, THE RECOGNITION OF GARDENIA SIMMONS, WHITE, WHO IS IN, UH, THE OFFICE RIGHT NOW, COMING OUT, COMING UP, UH, UH, MR. MCKELLEN, CAROLYN YOU'RE STILL ON MUTE.
IF YOU'VE NOTICED SIMMONS WHITE, VERY NICE TO SEE YOU HERE THIS EVENING.
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME IN.
UM, THERE IS A PROCLAMATION HERE THAT I'M VERY HAPPY TO READ AND I'M GOING TO DROP DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF IT RIGHT AWAY, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AS SOON AS HE CAME A VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF THE BUFORD COUNTY DISABILITY AND SPECIAL NEEDS BOARD IN 1999 AND SERVED FOR 22 YEARS UNTIL RESIGNING FROM THE BOARD THIS PAST DECEMBER.
SO THIS PROCLAMATION IS IN YOUR HONOR.
WHEREAS GARDENIA SIMMONS WHITE WAS BORN ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND IN 1934 AND ATTENDED PENN NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL, WHICH LATER BECAME PENN HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADUATED IN 1952.
AND WHEREAS UPON GRADUATING FROM PENN SCHOOL, THERE WERE NO JOB OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND FARMING OR HOUSEKEEPING.
SO HER FATHER SENT HER TO LIVE WITH A COUSIN IN NEW YORK, WHERE THERE WERE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACKS AND SEGREGATION WAS NOT AN ISSUE AND WERE AS MS. SIMMONS, WHITE SOON DISCOVERED HER LOVE OF HELPING OTHERS AS A NURSES AID AT MANHATTAN STATE HOSPITAL, AND WAS LATER ACCEPTED INTO THE THREE YEAR NURSING PROGRAM AFTER PASSING THE QUALIFYING EXAM IN THE 1950S.
AND WHEREAS MS. SIMMONS, WHITE RECEIVED A REGISTERED NURSING DEGREE WHILE WORKING AT MANHATTAN STATE HOSPITAL, AS WELL AS MANHATTAN VETERANS, ADMINISTRATION, HOSPITAL, AND RAISING A FAMILY.
SHE WENT ON TO RECEIVE HER BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN NURSING, FOLLOWED BY A MASTER'S OF SCIENCE IN NURSING ADMINISTRATION.
AND WHEREAS AFTER 33 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL IN BROOKLYN, QUEENS AND MANHATTAN, MRS. SIMMONS, WHITE, RETIRED AND MOVED TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO BE CLOSE TO FAMILY.
AND THEN AFTER A FEW YEARS BACK TO SAINT HELEN ISLAND AND WERE AS FINDING RETIREMENT BORING, THIS IS SIMMONS WHITE WENT TO WORK AT THE BUFORD JASPER COMPREHENSIVE HEALTHCARE SERVICES AS THE QUALITY ASSURANCE INFECTIOUS DISEASE COORDINATOR, AND WAS LATER APPOINTED TO DIRECTOR OF NURSING RETIRING AFTER FIVE YEARS.
WHEREAS IN JUNE OF 1999, MRS. SIMMONS WHITE BECAME A VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF THE BUFORD COUNTY DISABILITY AND SPECIAL NEEDS BOARD SERVING FOR 22 YEARS UNTIL RESIGNING FROM THE BOARD THIS PAST DECEMBER.
AND WHEREAS ALL HER LIFE GARDENIA SIMMONS WHITE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE TO OTHERS AS A NURSE, AS A MOTHER, AS A VOLUNTEER AS A FRIEND AND AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND ITS SINCERE, THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO MRS. GARDENIA SIMMONS WHITE FOR HER UNRELENTING AND OR INSPIRING COMMITMENT TO SERVICE DATA DIS 11TH DAY, JANUARY, 2021, JOE PASSAVANT, CHAIRMAN BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND MAY I ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND MY THANKS AND GRATITUDE FOR THOSE THINGS YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
AND THE SERVICE YOU'VE PROVIDED TO SO MANY PEOPLE FOR SO MANY YEARS.
LET ME SAY A FEW AMAZING, I DIDN'T KNOW ALL OF THIS WAS HAPPENING AND I AM REALLY SHOCKED, HONORED, AND, UM, WITH HUMILITY, I WAS SO SHOCKED WHEN TIFFANY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT I WAS GOING TO BE GETTING US A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
UH, I'VE ATTENDED THIS COUNCIL FOR MANY YEARS.
I HAVE WORKED IN OTHER THAN THE, UM, IF WOULD COUNT A DISABILITY AND A SPECIAL NEED BOARD UNDER THREE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REALLY LOVE, UM, WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL HAS DONE, HOW THEY HAVE HELPED US AND HOW THEY HAVE BROUGHT AWARENESS TO ALL OF OUR CLASS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND COUNTY COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY WHENEVER WE NEEDED ANYTHING, YOU SUPPORTED US 100%, ESPECIALLY IN THE BUDGET.
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BUILDING THAT WE HAVE ON CLEARWATER.SO, UH, I JUST, I'M JUST TOO FULL RIGHT NOW TO SAY TOO MUCH, BUT I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU'VE DONE.
IF IT WASN'T FOR COLLEGE, I WOULD STILL BE VOLUNTEERING AND ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I VOLUNTEER IN.
BUT AT EIGHT OR SIX YEARS OF AGE, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR ME TO SIT BACK AND SORT OF LOOK AFTER GARDENIA FOR A CHANGE.
BUT I AGAIN WOULD LIKE TO SAY ALL OF YOU.
MAY YOU HAVE A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR AND PLEASE STAY SAFE.
WE SHOULD ALL LOOK THAT GOOD AT 86.
[8. LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
UH, WE'LL HAVE SOME COMMITTEE REPORTS.[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
LIKE TO FOCUS THE, UH, COMMITTEE REPORTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. WE ARE GOING TO REMOVE ONE ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, AND TAKE CARE OF THAT ON ITS OWN.BUT A FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL THE FORMER CHAIR AND THE CURRENT CHAIR, UH, PLEASE ADDRESS THE FINANCE ITEMS IF YOU DEFER TO A COUNSELOR IN LAW SCHOOL, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX BUDGET AMENDMENT, UH, SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ISSUE A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE, UM, DUE TO A DELAY OF TAX COLLECTIONS AND BETTER KNOWN AS A TAN, UH, CONSIDERATION OF A CONTRACT AWARD FOR RFP TO PROVIDE PHOTOCOPIER MULTIFUNCTION PRINTER LEASE AND PRINT MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO DO FOR COUNTY.
AND THE LAST, UM, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM IS CONSIDERATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF RICHARD STEWART AND OLIVIA YOUNG TO ACCOMMODATIONS TAX BOARD.
AND MR. GLOVER, DID YOU WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT ITEM NUMBER FOUR? UH, YES.
UM, I DON'T RE I DON'T OBJECT TO THE TWO NOMINEES OR TO BE REAPPOINTED.
UM, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR THIS COUNCIL TO LOOK INTO THE FACT THAT, UM, ON THE ACCOMMODATION TAX BOARD RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE PROBABLY SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVING NOT ONLY ON COUNCIL TAX BOARD, BUT ACCOMMODATION TAX BOARD, BUT ALSO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES OR ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY, UM, IT'S NOT NEPOTISM IN THE SENSE OF FAMILY, BUT IT SEEMED TO BE, UH, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SO I JUST WANTED COUNCIL TO, UM, AT LEAST CONSIDER, UM, LOOKING AT WHETHER A, A, A BOARD MEMBER SERVING ON ONE ACCOMMODATION BOARD SHOULD BE SERVING ON ANOTHER ACCOMMODATION BOARD WITHIN THIS COUNTY.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SET OF ITEMS IS PUBLIC FACILITIES, UM, ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 11, WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THOSE, IF ANY, GO AHEAD.
UH, THE FIRST ITEM HAS TO DO WITH A, UH, CONTRACT AWARD FOR SOME OF THE WORK ROAD WORK ON THAT LADY'S ISLAND, UH, ACCESS ROADS.
UM, THIS IS TO DAVIS AND FLOYD FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND SCO DLT FOR SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON RELATIVE TO THE REFERENDUM SALES TAX, UH, TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS THAT IT RELATES TO THE, UH, BOTH THE CORRIDOR ALONG US, 21, AND THE SIDEWALKS AND PATHWAYS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, THE NEXT ONE IS A CONSIDERATION OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN BUFORD COUNTY AND THE CITY OF BUFORD.
UH, SO WE CAN WORK ON CERTAIN PROJECTS AND SERVICES, UH, TOGETHER.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS CONSIDERATION OF A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT, UH, FOR VEHICLE SERVICES, UH, WITH A COMPANY CALLED FIRST VEHICLE.
UH, AND IT, IT FOR AN ESTIMATED COST OF 6 MILLION, AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY COVERS THE FLEET MAINTENANCE AND FUELING SERVICES FOR A COUNTY VEHICLES.
UH, THE NEXT IS A RESOLUTION WHICH AMENDS THE COUNTY'S PRIORITIZED FIVE-YEAR DIRT ROAD PROGRAM.
UH, WE PUT ONE IN PLACE NOT TOO LONG AGO, AND THERE'S SOME, UH, SOME MINOR CHANGES TO IT.
UH, THE NEXT HAS TO DO WITH A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONVEY A,
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A PARTICULAR ROAD RELATIVITY CALLED SUMMIT DRIVE TO THE, UH, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.AND IT'S RELATIVE TO THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS THAT ARE DOWN IN THAT AREA.
AND LASTLY, AS A SECOND READING, UH, DO, UH, AUTHORIZING A DELIVERY OF AN EASEMENT TO A BUFORD JASPER, UH, SOME PROPERTY THAT'S OWNED BY THE COUNTY AND IT'S AT THE SHANKLIN ROAD.
SO MR. CHAIRMAN, THOSE ARE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK NOW? YES.
YOU MAY SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER NINE.
UM, THIS IS THE RESOLUTION, UM, UH, ON DIRT ROADS AND WE, WE, WE, WE DID A, A RESOLUTION, UM, IN THE PAST, UM, WITH CERTAIN ROADS TO BE PAVED.
AND WITH THIS MODIFICATION NOW THIS NEW AMENDMENT, IT ACTUALLY, UM, PUSHED A LOT OF DIRT ROADS, UM, IN MY DISTRICT, UM, DOWN THE LINE, UM, MOVING IT FROM SECOND YEAR TO THE FIFTH YEAR.
AND, UM, AND, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE PLACED PUT IN PLACE, WHICH I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, BUT I THINK THAT ONCE WE MAKE A COMMITMENT TO PAVING ROADS, WHEN WE CHANGE POLICIES, THOSE, THOSE, THOSE ROADS THAT SHOULD BE BINDING, AND IT ONLY APPLIES TO THE NEW ROADS COMING IN, UM, THE, WHERE THIS IS GOING RIGHT NOW, I MAY NEVER GET MY ROADS, UH, IN MY COMMUNITY PAY BECAUSE WE ARE IN A RURAL AREA AND ALL OF THE, THE, UM, ENTITIES THAT WOULD MAKE UP, UH, A, UH, MAKING THE LIST.
UM, WE WILL NOT EVER GET A CHANCE TO GET OUR ROADS PAVED.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY HURTING RURAL COMMUNITIES MORE THAN INTER CITIES AND URBAN AREAS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE MORE AMENITIES IN THOSE AREAS.
SO IT'S REALLY A DISSERVICE TO MY COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WANT TO JUST VOICE THEIR CONCERN.
UM, CERTAINLY THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP IN THE FUTURE.
UH, MUCH THE SAME AS YOU HAD INDICATED ABOUT THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, IT'S TIME FOR US TO REVIEW POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE DO IN BOTH OF THOSE AREAS.
AND IF THERE'S CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE, SO THANK YOU.
UH, MR. LOGAN, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UH, YES.
MS. CHAIRMAN, I WASN'T SURE IF NOW'S THE TIME OR LATER, BUT, UM, I THINK MR. GLOVER BRINGS UP PRETTY GOOD POINT ABOUT THOSE, AND I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE, UM, THE SPECIFIC ROADS HE'S DISCUSSING, WHY THEY GOT MOVED FROM YEAR TWO TO YEAR FIVE, UM, FOR US TO GET SOME CLARITY ON THAT, THAT AREN'T IN THAT DISTRICT AND COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA.
I CERTAINLY THINK THAT, UM, AT THE PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE, WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, UM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE CURRENT YEAR SET.
UH, I KNOW EVEN IN MY DISTRICT ONE, THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY ISN'T GOING TO BE DONE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR.
SO YES, IT'S TIME FOR US TO DISCUSS THAT.
AND CERTAINLY YOU, YOU HAVE, WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED.
SO THAT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA KNOW? YES.
WE HAVE THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSENT ITEMS. OH, I'M SORRY.
UH, NUMBER 12 IS REGARDING, UH, THE ADOPTION OF THE SOUTHERN LOW, LOW COUNTRY DESIGN MANUAL, WHICH IS LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF PAGES IN YOUR PACKET TONIGHT.
AND THIS WILL BE THE THIRD READING TO REPLACE THE CURRENT BUFORD COUNTY BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES MANUAL.
THIS DESIGN MANUAL WAS WORKED ON BY MANY, UH, SEVERAL OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEM.
NUMBER 13 IN 14 TO, UH, OUR PARTS TO IMPLEMENT THAT DESIGN MANUAL.
UH, ONE OF THEM IS TO, TO MAKE THE CDC IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CHANGES, UH, TO THE STORMWATER IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT DESIGN MANUAL.
AND THEN NUMBER 14 IS THE THIRD READING, UH, THE REQUIRED CHAPTER 99 STORM WATER, UM, ORDINANCE CHANGES.
SO THERE'S JUST SOME RED LINE AND A FEW CHANGES IN THAT.
SO THOSE THREE ARE ALL RELATED TO STORMWATER.
NUMBER 15 IS A TEXT AMENDMENT, UH, THAT ESTABLISHES THE NEW MAPS FROM FEMA, UH, PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD.
AND IT WILL CHANGE SOME PEOPLE'S, UM, FLOOD INSURANCE,
[00:35:01]
PROBABLY TO THE BET BETTER INSTEAD OF WORSE, BECAUSE IT IS A DIFFERENT NUMBER 16, UM, IS THE THIRD READING OF A TEXT AMENDMENT FOR US.ASSESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND GUEST HOUSES.
THIS ALLOWS GUEST HOUSES TO, UH, IF THEY WANT TO HAVE LIKE A KITCHENETTE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS WITH IT.
AND, UH, THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES WHO ALSO HAVE GUEST HOUSE ORDINANCES.
THAT IS THE CONSENT CONSENT AGENDA.
WE WILL NOW TAKE ACTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. UM, THEY ARE GOING TO BE ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16, BUT WE HAVE REMOVED ITEM NUMBER TWO, BECAUSE WE WANT TO DISCUSS THAT SEPARATELY.
SO I WOULD LIKE A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT GIANT AGENDA ITEMS, ONE THROUGH 16 WITHOUT ITEM NUMBER TWO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I LIKED TO A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY.
MS. HOWARD MADE THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MAY I HAVE THAT SECOND PLEASE? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN DAWSON MAKES THE SECOND.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, MR. FLOLAN THE ITEM.
IF THAT THE ISSUE OF A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.
IT'S BEEN DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED, UH, SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY WITHOUT ANY OBJECTIONS OR EXCEPTIONS.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[Additional Item 1]
WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO THE ACTION ITEMS. WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH SOME ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ADDED TO THE AGENDA.THE FIRST ITEM IS THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE INTO ENTERING INTO AN MOU LEASE AGREEMENT FOR FORT FREDERICK.
SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT ITEM PLEASE? MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE ORDINANCE TO ENTER TO A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL FOR MAINTENANCE OF FORT FREDERICK HERITAGE PRESERVE.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND PLEASE? SECOND.
IT HAS BEEN, UH, DULY MOTIONED BY MS. HOWARD AND SECONDED BY MR. SUMMERVILLE.
UH, WE ARE NOW READY FOR DISCUSSION ANY DISCUSSION, I THINK, UH, THERE'S SOME STAFF THERE IS STAFF HERE.
UM, MR. GREENWAY, DO YOU WANT TO PRESENT OR IS MS. NACKEY GONNA PRESENT? I WOULD PREFER THAT WE LET US GIVE YOU THE BACKGROUND.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, THIS DOCUMENT IS, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THE CITY OF BUFORD FOR WIDE BALLPARK.
SO, UH, THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL IS GOING TO PROVIDE A MINOR MAINTENANCE, SUCH AS MOWING AND BLOWING OF THE GROUNDS AND THE SIDEWALKS ROADWAYS PAVILION AREA, AS WELL AS DAILY TRASH PICKUP.
UM, AND THEN THE COUNTY WOULD STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, ANY MAJOR REPAIRS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF A STORM COMES AND A TREE FALLS ON THE PAVILION, FIXING THE ROOF, UM, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH THE GATE OR THE FENCE, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO REPAIR THAT.
UM, IT'S A RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD, UH, DOCUMENT.
I DID NOTICE THIS AFTERNOON WHEN I WAS LOOKING THROUGH IT.
I HAD, UM, THE EXHIBIT N UH, LETTERS ARE A LITTLE MIXED UP, SO I WILL MAKE THAT CORRECTION.
AND THAT WILL, UH, THE CORRECTED VERSION ALONG WITH THOSE EXHIBITS WILL BE PROVIDED.
UM, AT THE SECOND, AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND READING, UM, LET'S SEE, THERE IS NO FINANCIAL OBLIGATION, UH, TO THE COUNTY AT THIS TIME.
UM, THE TOWN OR THE COUNTY IS NOT PAYING EACH OTHER FOR THIS AGREEMENT.
UH, WE ARE JUST, UM, EACH TAKING CARE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS DEFINED AS THEY OCCUR.
UM, I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH MR. WILL VAN WILLIS, THE TOWN MANAGER, AND HAS PROVIDED HIM THE DOCUMENT, UM, FOR MOOVEL TOWARDS TOWN OF PORT ROYAL COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL AS WELL.
[00:40:01]
THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE THROUGH FLIRT, THIRD READING AND PUBLIC HEARING BY FEBRUARY 8TH.AND I AM TENTATIVELY SCHEDULING THE PARK TO BE OPEN ON FEBRUARY 12TH.
I DO NOT WANT TO OPEN THE PARK WITHOUT SOME KIND OF MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL APPROVED SO THAT WHEN THE PARK IS OPEN, WE HAVE IMMEDIATE, UM, MAINTENANCE NEEDS TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM GLOVER.
I JUST WANT TO ASK FOR A PERSONAL TOUR.
UM, I'VE, I'VE DRIVEN BY THE GATES ARE LOCKED.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO GET A PERSONAL TOUR ANYTIME.
HAPPY TO SCHEDULE IT WITH YOU, MR. DAWSON.
SO, UM, STEPHANIE, THIS LEASE AGREEMENT IS, UM, GOOD THAT THE MAINTENANCE IS IT IN PERPETUITY.
IT IS A SIMILAR TO WHITE HALL PARK.
IT'S A 30 YEAR AGREEMENT THAT IS RENEWABLE, UM, AS LONG AS THERE'S NO OBJECTION FROM EITHER PARTY.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMENT, THANK YOU AGAIN, STEPHANIE, FOR WORKING THIS OUT WITH THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL AND, UH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT ASSET TO THAT WHOLE AREA, UH, IN THAT, AND THERE HO HOPEFULLY OTHER COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN COME WHEN THEY HAVE THE RIBBON CUTTING.
YOU'LL SEND OUT AN INVITATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM THAT HAS BEEN DULY MOTIONED.
AND SECOND, UH, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, I WOULD BELIEVE THAT WE COULD HAVE THIS DONE AS A UNANIMOUS ITEM WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT DISAGREES SEEING NO DISAGREEMENT? THIS WILL BE A UNANIMOUS FIRST READING, UM, AND IT WILL, UH, MOVE ON TO A SECOND READING AND HEARING AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THE CORRECTIONS THAT STEPHANIE WILL MAKE FOR US THE NEXT TIME AROUND.
SO ITEM NUMBER 10, THE NEW 10 HAS BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY MOVING
[Additional Item 2]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.UH, THIS WAS DONE BY, UH, COUNCILMAN RODMAN WHO WISHES TO HAVE AN ITEM TO DO A THREE MONTH, UM, TEST FOR A PARLIAMENTARIAN.
SO MR. RODMAN, YOU WILL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL MAKE THE MOTION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THERE A SECOND CHAIRMAN, MR. MCKELLAN MAKES THE SECOND, UH, DISCUSSION ANY DISCUSSION MR. HARVEY, SEAN, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I'LL JUST REITERATE WHAT I SAID EARLIER, BUT THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD, UH, JOEL, WHO IS BEING DISCUSSED AS A PARLIAMENTARIAN CAME OUT OF NOWHERE, IT WAS AT THE MEETING WHERE, UM, ALAN OURS AND, UM, JOSH GRUVER WERE DISCUSSED AS BEING THE ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, YOU AND I WERE BOTH, THERE WAS A VERY CONTENTIOUS MEETING.
I THINK THIS IS A BAD BOOK FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT IS DRIVING THE NEED FOR THIS NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE GOING TO BE EMBARKING ON AN ADMINISTRATIVE SEARCH SHARE, UH, SHORTLY PRESUME.
AND I JUST THINK THIS IS A BAD LOOK FOR THE PUBLIC, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS.
OTHER COMMENTS, MR.
AND SO, UM, AND, UM, THERE, CHRIS AND I SHARE THAT UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE, WHERE THIS IS GOING.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS CONTRARY TO OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES THAT, UM, YOU HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED A SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR IT, UM, OR THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT.
I JUST, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT LEGAL.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, UH, SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS, UM, I WILL CALL THE ROLE.
OBVIOUSLY THERE WILL BE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON THIS ONE.
IT'S BEEN DULY MOTIONED AND SECOND ARE, THERE IS SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
THIS IS TO APPROVE A THREE MONTH, UM, PARLIAMENTARIAN.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MIGHT, I JUST POINTED OUT TO YOU THAT YOU'VE NOT IDENTIFIED A SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR THIS EXPENDITURE.
[00:45:02]
LEGAL.IT IS ILLEGAL TO AUTHORIZE EXPENDITURE FUNDS WITHOUT IDENTIFYING THE SOURCE.
IT IS OUT OF, UH, UM, OUR, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ACCOUNT.
UM, IF WE'RE SPENDING THAT OUT OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ACCOUNT, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE PREVIOUSLY BUDGETED FUNDS THAT WE ARE NO LONGER EXPENDING THAT THIS WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF? WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY FUND AS WELL AS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FUND, BUT YOU JUST SAID PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT CONTINGENCY FUND.
NO, WE DO HAVE CONTINGENCY IF, AS HE, AS HE POINTED OUT, IF WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY BY THE END OF THE YEAR, IT SHOULD, WE CHOOSE TO GO ON, WE CAN USE CONTINGENCY FUNDS TO MOVE OVER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE FUNDS SET ASIDE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
COULD YOU GIVE US A ROUGH ESTIMATE FOR THREE MONTHS COSTS? UH, LET'S SEE.
I'M GOING TO, LET ME GET A QUICK CALCULATION, TWO MEETINGS A MONTH OR HOURS TO 15,000, PROBABLY $3,000.
DO I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION? WHEN YOU TALK TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OTHER COUNTIES DO SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH AN ATTORNEY FOR THEIR PARLIAMENTARIAN? YES.
AND SEVERAL OF THEM ARE CONSIDERING IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I CALL THE ROLL? OKAY.
UM, THE MOTION OR WAS MR. RODMAN.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, WAIT ONE SECOND.
I JUST GOTTA, UM, I, I, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
I MEAN, UM, CAN WE HAVE AL UM, HAYES GIVE US A RUNDOWN ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT MONEY IS? I DON'T EZION CAN STRAIGHTER VERIFY IT.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT AMOUNT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT SO FAR, UH, SHEAR AND I, AGAIN, WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT IN ANY DETAIL, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHERE THESE AUDITORS ARE COMING FROM, BUT, UH, THROUGH NO FAULT OF ANY ONE ARE, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, FIRM LEGAL, UH, IS WAY OVER WHAT WE HAD PROJECTED THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU ALL IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO TO CORRECT THAT ISSUE.
CROSS YOUR HAYES ONE, IF YOU ALL WOULD, UM, CORRECT ME IF I'M INCORRECT ABOUT THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
WE ARE INDEED WORKING ON A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO HELP COVER THE COST OF THE UNANTICIPATED LEGAL PHASE FOR FISCAL 21.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT TEAM IN FEBRUARY.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS DEFICIT SPENDING.
THEN I DON'T, I THINK THAT'S ILLEGAL KURT, CORRECT ME.
AM I WRONG? ARE WE ALLOWED TO DEFICIT SPEND, I MEAN STUFF, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A BUDGET FOR THIS AMOUNT.
I DON'T HAVE A LEGAL OPINION WITHOUT KNOWING MORE ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YEAH, I, I, IT FROM MEMORY ON THE BUDGET, BUT WE HAVE ALL, WE HAVE LOTS OF CONTINGENCIES.
THIS IS, THIS GETS LOST IN THE ROUNDING OF THE CONTINGENCY.
COUPLE THOUSAND HERE, A COUPLE OF THOUSAND THERE.
PRETTY SOON YOU TALKED ABOUT REPEAL MONEY, ANY OTHER, ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NONE, MR. RODMAN, YOU MADE THE MOTION.
HOW MANY APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY, FOUR YEARS HAVE WE HAD IN THIS PHYSICAL YEAR? WE, AS A COUNTY, I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO SOMEONE THAT MAY KNOW THAT INFORMATION.
[00:50:02]
UH, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, ROB BECHTOLD IF HE NOTICED THAT, OH, COURSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN ABOUT THREE MINUTES.MA'AM I WAS JUST CURIOUS, CAUSE I KNOW THIS TAKES TIME AND I MEAN FOUR YEARS FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY, NOT JUST FOUR YEARS FOR COUNTY COUNCIL.
AGAIN, MR. OH, MR. CUNNINGHAM.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN COUNCIL IS BEING UPFRONT WITH THE PUBLIC AND BEING TRANSPARENT.
UM, A LOT OF US DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS COMING.
UM, IT JUST GOT ADDED TO THE AGENDA WHICH WE PASSED.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING DOWN WITH IT.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT WE SHOULD BE VOTING ON THIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE THIS MANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON NUMBERS TO COME IN.
UH, WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A NUMBER OF HOW MUCH IT WAS GOING TO COST US.
WE JUST CALCULATED IT RIGHT NOW ON THIS MEETING.
UM, THAT, THAT, THAT REALLY WORRIES ME, THAT WE'RE CAUGHT OFF GUARD, UM, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND WE SHOULD BE UPFRONT WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THE ANGLE THAT WE'RE TAKING HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. BECCA, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UM, ANSWER 1,222.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? MS. HOWARD? OKAY.
UH, GETTING BACK TO, UH, MR. RODMAN, YOU'VE MADE THE MOTION MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, MR. MCKELLEN.
NOW, MS. HOWARD, UH, I AM GOING TO VOTE.
I WISH WE HAD, UM, MORE EXACT FIGURES, BUT I THINK FOR THREE MONTHS SHORT PERIOD, I CAN LIVE WITH THIS.
I AGREE WITH THE ALICE MARK LAWSON.
THE CHAIR SAYS YES, THE YESES ARE SEVEN.
THE NO'S ARE FOR THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.
[Additional Item 3]
ITEM IS, UM, FROM MR. CUNNINGHAM, A MOTION TO HAVE US DO IN-PERSON MEETINGS A SECOND, PLEASE.MR. FLU WELLING MAKES THE SECOND DISCUSSION.
I SAW MR. RODMAN'S HAMAN FIRST THEN MR. MCKELLEN, AND THEN IT'S HOWARD, GO AHEAD, MR. RODMAN.
UM, I WAS IN FAVOR OF THIS, THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW ANY MEMBERS OR ANY STAFF THAT ARE UNCOMFORTABLE TO STILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WITH US, UM, THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.
BUT I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS, FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO COME OUR CURRENT SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN ALLOWS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO EITHER ATTEND IN PERSON OR TO ATTEND REMOTELY.
WE DID THAT WITH THE INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS.
SO IF WE WANT TO DO HYBRID MEETINGS IN THE FUTURE, WE CERTAINLY CAN.
MR. MCKELLEN, A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND VACCINATIONS BECOME MORE WIDELY AVAILABLE.
I THINK IT'S FOOLISH TO PROCEED WITH THIS WITHOUT HAVING A HYBRID OPTION AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WISH TO ATTEND A MEETING IN PERSON MS. HOWARD.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THE MAKER OF THE MOTION WE WOULD BE AMENABLE TO CHANGING IT SO THAT IT STATES HYBRID MEETINGS.
I THINK, UH, THAT IS REASONABLE, UM, TO, TO HAVE HYBRID MEETINGS.
I THINK SOME OF US ARE MORE COMFORTABLE THAN OTHERS MEETING IN PERSON.
SO, UH, CAN WE, CAN WE JUST DISCUSS THAT IF THE MAKER OF THE MOTION WOULD BE AMENABLE TO THAT, UH, I'M WILLING TO DO THAT.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE OUR COUNTY OFFICIALS THAT ARE WORKING IN OFFICE.
UM, OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKING FACE TO FACE.
[00:55:01]
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM INSIDE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS DONE DUE DILIGENCE AND SET UP DIVIDERS FOR US.UH, THOSE DIVIDERS ARE IDENTICAL TO THE DIVIDERS THAT ARE INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, IF NOT MORE, UM, PROTECTIVE, UM, OUR TEACHERS ARE IN PERSON AND SO ARE THE REST OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
I KNOW EVERYBODY HOUSE HOUSEHOLD SITUATION IS DIFFERENTLY, BUT FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE ABLE, I HOPE THAT THEY TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY, UH, AND CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE SHOULD BE LEADING BY EXAMPLE WITH THAT I BELIEVE TO GO HYBRID I'M, I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW EVERYBODY'S SITUATION INSIDE THEIR HOME.
MR. GLOVER, UH, IS CHAIRMAN M DID I NOT UNDERSTAND YOU TO SAY THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A HYBRID SITUATION? WE DID A HYBRID SITUATION FOR THE, UM, COUNCIL PEOPLE WHO WERE ELECTED.
SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO HYBRID MEETINGS AND DID WE NOT DO A HYBRID? UM, UH, THE FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER, UH, WAS THAT THE, WE, WE DID AN IN PERSON MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
THAT WAS THE LAST IN-PERSON MEETING WE HAD.
UM, MR. DAWSON AND I JUST CHOSE TO NOT ATTEND IN PERSON.
AND SO WE DID IT BY, RIGHT? YES.
AND YOU STILL WOULD BE ABLE TO AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING AS IF YOU WERE IN FACT PRESENT.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN AND TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON CONSOLE, UM, I, I JUST CAUTION AND ALL OF US, I, I, I PREFER TO CONTINUE, UH, VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND SO I WILL REMAIN VIRTUAL, BUT I CAUTION YOU BECAUSE, UH, JUST TODAY AND THE NEW NEIGHBOR, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS 400 CASES, UH, IN, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND, UH, NATIONWIDE, ESPECIALLY IN, UH, THE VIRUS, THE CASES AND THE VIRUS IS CONSTANTLY ON THE RISE.
AND, UH, I JUST CRUSHED US TO TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T EXPOSE OURSELVES TO THE POTENTIAL OF PICKING UP THIS VIRUS BY TRYING TO COME BACK INTO CONSOLE AND CONTINUE OUR IN-PERSON MEETING.
SO, UH, WITH THAT IN MIND, UM, I I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THE MOTION.
MR. CHAIRMAN WOULD, UH, THE MAKER OF THE MOTION HAVE TO AMEND IT IF HE WANTED IT TO BE HYBRID.
IS THAT THE RIGHT STEP OR WOULD ONE OF US MAKE A MOTION? I THINK HE WAS AMENABLE TO THE CHANGE TO MUTE.
IF THE MOTION IS AMENABLE TO THE CHANGE IN THE SECOND IS AMENABLE TO CHANGE, THE DISCUSSION WILL BE AROUND A HYBRID TYPE MEETING.
SO YOU CONSENT, CORRECT? I DO.
I'M FOLLOWING LOGAN'S, UM, LEAD ON THIS ONE, SO, OKAY.
SO NOW WE'RE DISCUSSING THE IDEA OF HAVING A HYBRID MEETING FOR COUNCIL MEETINGS, MR. HARVEY SHY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN COMMENT QUESTION, BUT I THINK I'VE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR FORMAT LEADS TO GOOD GOVERNMENT.
UM, WE HAD TECHNOLOGY PROBLEMS TODAY.
WE HAD A TECHNOLOGY PROBLEMS LAST TIME WE MET, UH, DOESN'T OFFER GOOD PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WE'VE PROVEN THAT WE CAN GO BACK TO EITHER IN-PERSON OR SOME SORT OF HYBRID AND DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THE QUESTION IS, WILL THIS FORMAT STILL ALLOW FOR IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT? OH YES, WE, WE WOULD STILL, BUT WE STILL WOULD HAVE THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, IN THE ROOM, BUT CERTAINLY, YES, WE, WE WANT TO PROTECT EVERYBODY, BUT CERTAINLY WE WOULD HAVE THOSE KINDS OF RESTRICTIONS, UH, BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THE EVENTUALITY OF THE VACCINE, ALLOWING US TO GO BACK TO WHAT WE DID 10 MONTHS AGO.
UM, IF I, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, WE ALREADY HAVE A HYBRID SYSTEM.
I MEAN, YOU'RE YORK ASK A QUESTION A MINUTE AGO, WAS OUR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY A HYBRID MEETING.
UM, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY AUTHORED, SO I THINK MAYBE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING SOMETHING CORRECTLY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE,
[01:00:01]
WE'RE TRYING TO, TO VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY VOTED ON.WE ALREADY HAVE A HYBRID SITUATION.
THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST COMMENT.
THE SECOND THING IS, UM, IS WE ARE, I THINK IN THE BACK OF ALL OF OUR MINDS IS THE VIRUS.
WELL, IT'S, WE'RE JUST ALL ABOUT THE VIRUS, BUT EVENTUALLY THE VIRUS IS GOING TO GO AWAY.
SO ARE WE, SO ARE WE REALLY SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HYBRID SITUATION FOREVER MORE UNTIL WE CHANGE IT? UM, WHETHER THE VIRUS IS HERE OR NOT, AND, UH, THAT HASN'T REALLY BEEN ADDRESSED.
SO I THINK GIVEN WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED.
I DON'T THINK WE APPROVED THAT CONTINGENT TO CHECK THE RECORD, PROVED IT CONTINGENT UPON THE EXISTENCE OF, OR FEAR OF THE VIRUS.
SO WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT FOREVER UNLESS WE COME BACK AND AMEND THAT.
BUT AS FAR AS THE HYBRID, WE CAN DO IT.
NOW, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SHOW UP IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, THEY CAN.
SO I DON'T KNOW, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND WHAT WE WHAT'S ON THE TABLE.
I MEAN, AM I MISSING SOMETHING? UM, OH, GO AHEAD, LOGAN.
UM, I KNOW THAT OUR FIRST MEETING HAD AN INVITATION FOR IN-PERSON.
UM, THERE WAS NO OPTION FOR US TO MEET IN PERSON.
THIS, UH, PROTOCOLS WERE NOT TAKEN AT THE CHAMBERS TO PREPARE FOR US TO BE THERE IN PERSON AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING SARAH AND HER TEAM WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO PREP FOR IN ADVANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING IN, THAT THEY ARE SAFE AS WELL AS THE CONSTITUENTS THAT WANT TO COME IN THAT THAT THEY CAN BE CHECKED AND MONITORED AS WELL.
UM, SO WHETHER WE HAVE A HYBRID SYSTEM IN PLACE OR NOT, IT WAS MOST DEFINITELY NOT OFFERED TO US TODAY.
UM, FOR THIS MEETING, BRIAN, WELL, THAT'S ADMINISTRATIVE THAT'S ADMINISTRATIVE THOUGH.
I MEAN, I HAVE, HOLD ON PAUL, GO AHEAD, BRIAN.
THE ONLY REASON WE'RE ALLOWED TO MEET VIRTUALLY IS BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE IN PLACE WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY ORDINANCE WE'RE REQUIRED FOR IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE.
THIS MOTION THAT I UNDERSTAND LOGAN IS MAKING IS ALLOWING US TO HAVE A HYBRID SYSTEM.
UM, AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, REQUIRING YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, TO CALL THAT MEETING IN A HYBRID SITUATION.
AND SO I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THIS.
I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S THE TIME TO START MOVING FORWARD OUT OF THIS STATE OF WHAT'S CALLED EMERGENCY, BUT IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY ANYMORE.
AND, UM, I AM FOR GOING TO A HYBRID.
HOWEVER, I CAUTION US TO BE VERY CAREFUL.
I AM ONE OF THOSE FOLKS WHO, UM, GOT COVID FOR CHRISTMAS.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT I HAD MINOR SYMPTOMS. HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT, UM, I DID PET TEST POSITIVE.
SO, UM, I ALMOST THINK THAT WE'RE JUMPING INTO THIS TOO EARLY.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE LOGAN'S COMING FROM.
UM, HOWEVER, IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT AND ON A, ON A MEETING BY MEETING BASIS AND NOT JUST JUMP FORWARD TO, TO PROVE THAT WE CAN MEET, UM, IN PERSON, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK TO MEETING IN PERSON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT AGAIN, THE THREAT IS REAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE MASS, BUT I WEAR MY MASK ANYTIME I GO SOMEWHERE.
SO, UM, I, AGAIN, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE STILL IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION WHERE WE ARE, AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS MR. RODMAN? UM, UM, I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS WOULD RUN CONCURRENTLY WITH OUR EMERGENCY ORDINANCE, WHICH IS REALLY ONCE THAT THAT'S OVER, WE SHOULD GO BACK TO FULL-TIME.
SO IS THAT INHERENT IN THIS, OR DO WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO SAY THIS SUNSETS WHEN THE EMERGENCY ORDINANCE SUNSETS, UM, MR. TAYLOR? YES, SIR.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT THE HISTORY ON THE MEETING VIRTUALLY IS THAT WE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION IN MAY THAT ALLOWS FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS, THAT IT ALLOWS FOR IT UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, WHICH ALSO ALLOWS FOR ELECTRONIC MEETINGS.
THE RESOLUTION THAT WE ADOPTED THOUGH, DOES RUN ALONG WITH, OR CONCURRENTLY WITH THE STATE OF EMERGENCY.
SO ONCE THE STATE OF EMERGENCY IS OVER THE NET RESOLUTION EXPIRES AS WELL, AND WE WOULD SIMPLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ELSE TO ALLOW FOR THE CONTINUATION OF HYBRID MEETINGS, BUT RIGHT NOW IT RUNS CONCURRENTLY WITH THE STATE OF EMERGENCY.
SO, SO MR. CHAIRMAN, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE ACTUALLY ALLOWS US TO HAVE THE HYBRID MEETINGS UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE EMERGENCY, UH, GOES AWAY EITHER AT THE STATE LEVEL OR SOME REASON WE TAKE THEY GET BACK.
SO I DON'T THINK I'M NOT SO SURE WE NEED THIS.
UM, I'M MISSING SOMETHING AS TO WHY WE NEED IT AT THIS POINT.
[01:05:01]
UM, OKAY.NOW WE CAN JUST DO THIS, IF I CAN ANSWER STU DIRECTLY.
THIS, THIS REQUIRES THE CHAIRMAN TO PROVIDE THAT OPTION RIGHT NOW.
HE DOESN'T, HE'S NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE OPTION.
THIS WILL REQUIRE HIM TO DO THAT.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE WILL OF COUNCIL.
UH, AND, AND SO, UM, NOW I KNOW THE WILL OF COUNCIL IS SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO MEET IN PERSON.
UH, AND WITH THAT AUTHORITY IN MIND, I CAN MAKE EVERY MEETING TO BE A HYBRID MEETING BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT SAYS WE ARE ALLOWED TO MEET ELECTRONICALLY.
WE KNOW THAT IN THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, THAT THIS WILL EVENTUALLY GO AWAY AT SOME POINT IN TIME AND WE'LL ADDRESS THE ISSUE DOWN THE LINE.
BUT NOW THAT I KNOW THAT IT IS THE WILL OF THE MEMBERS, NOT NECESSARILY ALL MEMBERS OF COUNTY COUNCIL, BUT MEMBERS OF COUNTY COUNCIL THAT WISHED TO MEET IN PERSON SHOULD BE ABLE TO MEET IN PERSON.
WE HAVE THE PRECAUTIONS IN PLACE.
WE'VE DONE IT TWICE, UM, NOW, AND IT HAS WORKED.
SO, UM, UH, D TO HAVE YOU WEIGH IN, DO WE, DO WE NEED TO, UM, TAKE ACTION ON THIS OR BECAUSE WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS AND I KNOW THE WILL OF COUNCIL, I CAN JUST AUTOMATICALLY DEEM THAT OUR FUTURE MEETINGS WILL BE HYBRID MEETINGS.
THE WAY IT STARTED OUT WAS A MOTION TO MANDATE.
AND IT'S THE WAY I TOOK IT, AT LEAST MANDATE IN-PERSON MEETINGS.
SO THAT'S WHY IT NEEDED TO BE DISCUSSED, WHETHER IT WAS INTENDED TO BE HYBRID OR A MANDATE.
NOW THAT I THINK IT'S CIRCLED BACK AROUND TO BE A HYBRID MEETING.
IT WOULDN'T HURT YOU TO GO AHEAD AND FINISH THE VOTE ON THIS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AS YOU SAY, YOU UNDERSTAND THE WILL OF COUNCIL.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, DO I NEED TO CALL THE ROLL ON THIS OR IS THIS WILL BE A UNANIMOUS DECISION THAT WILL JUST MAKE THIS A HYBRID MEETING FROM NOW ON, BUT JOE, DOES THIS GO AWAY? DOES THIS, IS THIS EFFECTIVE? IS THIS RUN WITH THE EMERGENCIES OR ARE WE APPROVING SOMETHING BACK AND UNDO? YEAH.
WE MAY HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO IT IN THE FUTURE.
ONCE THE, UH, EMERGENCY IS OVER, WE MAY SAY, LISTEN, THE EMERGENCY IS OVER, BUT NOT EVERYBODY ON COUNTY COUNCIL HAS BEEN FASCINATED.
AND THEREFORE SOMEONE MAY SAY, LISTEN OUT WITH THAT IN MIND.
WELL, FOR THE TIME BEING, IT RUNS WITH THE ORDINANCE THERE WITH THE EMERGENCY ORDERS.
IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT, SIR? OKAY.
SO, UM, I WILL, AFTER IT'S BEEN DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED AND DISCUSS, I WILL INDICATE THAT THIS WILL BE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY TO GO TO A HYBRID MEETING FOR THE UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS.
UH, AND THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, UH, HENCEFORTH UNTIL THE, UM, EMERGENCY IS OVER TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE HYBRID MEETINGS.
[Additional Item 4]
UH, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ONE, UH, FROM THE EXECUTIVE SECTION SESSION IN COUNTY CAUCUS, WE HAVE AN ITEM TO BE APPROVED OUT OF THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH IS THE SETTLEMENT OF A LAWSUIT, UM, FOR CLAIMS BY CURRENT EMPLOYEES REGARDING, UM, UH, BENEFITS.IS THAT AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO PUT IT? YES, SIR.
UH, DO I NEED TO INDICATE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY? YES, SIR.
AND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS IN THE AMOUNT OF 125,000 COVERING 83 CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO THAT? PERFECT.
MR. MCKELLAN MAKES THE MOTION.
MS. HOWARD WILL MAKE THE SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. YES.
JUST TO REMIND COUNCIL THAT, UM, THIS IS NOT SETTLED.
[01:10:01]
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER SENTENCE.THERE'S JUST ANOTHER SETTLEMENT WITH ANOTHER GROUP THAT HAS, UH, BROUGHT FORTH LITIGATION.
UH, SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, UM, THIS WILL BE DONE UNANIMOUSLY IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS, THE SETTLEMENT IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS MR. CHAIRMAN.
BEFORE WE GO FROM THERE, COULD I JUST ASK ONE QUICK QUESTION, UM, FOR THIS STAFF, BECAUSE THEY'RE, UM, S A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, COULD WE CROSS REFERENCE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO DUPLICATION IN THIS PROCESS? WE HAVE DONE THAT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. AND COUNCIL.
YEAH, WE KNOW WE KNOW WHO THE NEXT GROUP IS.
[2. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ISSUE A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE (TAN) DUE TO A DELAY OF TAX COLLECTIONS]
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE TAN.IT WAS ORIGINALLY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS A SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ISSUE A TAN ANTICIPATION NOTE, UH, DUE TO A DELAY OF TAX COLLECTIONS.
SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT ITEM, PLEASE, PLEASE.
SOME OVER AS THE CHAIRMAN MAKES THE MOTION AND MR. GLOVER MAKES THE SECOND DISCUSSION REGARDING THE TAN AS TO THE AMOUNT, THE NECESSITY, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
MR. RODMAN, YOUR FIRST, I WILL SPEAK TO IT.
I DID ASK THAT IT'D BE REMIT REMOVED.
UH, I THINK WHEN WE TOOK THIS UP BEFORE, UH, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT OF IT WAS GOING TO BE BECAUSE SOME OF THE TAXES WERE GOING TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT.
UH, I THINK WE'RE NOW IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE PROBABLY QUITE A BIT SMARTER AND ESSENTIALLY YOU CAN BREAK THE MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE INTO TWO GROUPS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD ABOUT A THIRD OF THE PEOPLE PREPAID IN, IN DECEMBER FROM CARS, STILL FLOWS.
THE MONEY FROM BOATS ARE FLOWING.
THE MONIES FROM AIRPLANES ARE FLOWING.
THE MONEY FROM ESCROWS THAT PEOPLE HAVE COLLECT THROUGH THEIR MORTGAGES IS FLOWING.
THE INSTALLMENT PROGRAM IS STILL IN PLACE.
THE FEDERAL MONEY IS STILL FLOWING.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA MONEY IS STILL FLOWING.
THE TREASURER HAS RESERVES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS RESERVES.
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PRETTY MUCH WHERE THEY WOULD NORMALLY BE.
WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE IS ONE GROUP, AND IT'S A LARGE GROUP, BUT IT'S A LARGE AMOUNT, WHICH IS THE TWO THIRDS THAT, UM, HAVE SOME RELIEF ON WHEN THEY HAVE TO PAY IT.
AND THEY CAN, THEY CAN TAKE IT UP UNTIL THE END OF, UH, END OF MARCH.
SO, UM, SINCE WE'RE BASICALLY COLLECT MONEY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO TAKE US THROUGH THE YEAR, UM, HAVING THAT CAUTION MOVE OUT SEVENTY-FIVE DAYS, PROBABLY LESS THAN THAT ON AVERAGE, I DON'T THINK ANY ENTITIES THAT WE NORMALLY DEAL WITH WOULD BE HURT OTHER THAN POTENTIALLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND, AND THE REASON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PIECE COMES INTO PLAY IS THEIR PRACTICE IS, UH, IN, DURING THE SUMMER, DO ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT THEY NEED TO GET THROUGH THE YEAR.
AND THEY PUT IN PLACE WHAT'S CALLED A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE SELF, UH, AND THEN THAT'S PAYABLE, UH, AFTER THE MONIES ARE COLLECTED AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
SO, UH, ESSENTIALLY ALL OTHER ENTITIES OTHER THAN THE SCHOOL SHOULD BE OKAY.
AND THE SCHOOL WILL BE OKAY GOING FORWARD, UH, BECAUSE THEY'LL GO THROUGH THEIR NORMAL PROCESS OF PUTTING A PAN IN PLACE IN THE SUMMER.
SO HE, THE ONLY ISSUE BEFORE US IS WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THEY ARE GOING TO RUN OUT OF MONEY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO REPAY THE TAN, UM, IN, UH, AND THEN OUT OF THE CURRENT CURRENT RECEIPTS.
UM, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UH, THAT THEY'RE CLOSE TO, UH, RUNNING OUT OF MONEY.
UH, AND SO FOR THAT PURPOSE, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO IT, BUT IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THEY'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF DOING TANS, THAT'S THEIR NORMAL WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
SO IF THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP SHORT, THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE BETTER ONES TO DO THE TAN RATHER THAN US, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ENTITIES THAT REALLY NEED IT.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THEY HAVE SAID THAT, UH, UM, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A TAN AND THEREFORE THEY WANT TO SUE US.
SO MY POSITION IS, FIRST OF ALL, UH, THAT THEY, I THINK THEY WERE WAY OUT OF LINE TO ESSENTIALLY SAY THEY WANTED TO SUE US, BECAUSE I THINK IN REALITY, IF THEY NEED TO INCUR SOME EXPENSES TO BORROW, TO, UH,
[01:15:01]
TAKE CARE OF THE SCHOOL KIDS, CERTAINLY WE, WE OWE THAT, OR AT LEAST THE AUDITOR SHOULD, BUT WE ENDED UP PROVING THAT THE, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO STEP INTO THE MIDDLE OF IT AT THIS POINT.SO I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE I JUST DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO IT.
THIS DISTRICT CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
AND I REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN A CASE OF WHY THEY NEED THE MONEY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. GLOVER? YES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND STAFF MADE A RECOMMENDATION FOR US TO, TO, TO ISSUE OUT THE, UH, UH, THE TAX ANTICIPATION NOTES, UH, JUST IN CASE THE MONEY IS NEEDED THAT TO SAY THAT WE WILL EXERCISE IT, BUT THAT IT WILL, IF IT'S NEEDED, UM, WE WOULD HAVE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE THIRD AND FINAL READING SO THAT THEY WILL GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO MOVE FORWARD.
IF IT'S NECESSARY, IF IT'S NOT NECESSARY, THEY WILL NOT EVEN ISSUE IT.
AND THIS IS THE SECOND READING ON THIS, RIGHT? UH, YES IT IS.
I WILL MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
YOU'RE RIGHT ON, ON TARGET WITH THIS, UM, WHITNEY, DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND IN ANY WAY TO WHAT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THIS IS AN ANTICIPATION? THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IF WE IN FACT APPROVE IT AT THIS READING THAT, WELL, OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT UNTIL THE THIRD READING, BUT EVEN AT THE THIRD READING, IF IT IS APPROVED, IF YOU DO NOT NEED THE TAN, THEN YOU WOULDN'T ISSUE IT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MIGHT CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON SAID EARLIER, OTHER QUESTION ABOUT OUR TAN, UH, I DON'T WANT TO CREATE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS VOTED TO SUE THE COUNTY.
THIS IS LOOKING TO US FOR COST ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, POTENTIALLY HAVING TO DO A TAN, WE'RE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM STAFF AND, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT ON FRIDAY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO ASSIST AND COOPERATE WITH THEM ON THEIR NEED AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THEM DOING TAN, GIVEN THE TAX SITUATION HERE IN THE COUNTY, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED THE COUNTY TAN.
WHAT CALLS ME OUT SOME THAT COME AND DO I HEAR SOON, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT MONEY, UH, BY A CERTAIN DATE.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO WHITNEY NOW AND LET HER RESPOND AND, UH, ADD TO, OR CLARIFY ANYTHING THAT I JUST SAID.
UM, LOTS OF COMMENTS ALL AROUND.
AND, UM, YES, I WOULD LIKE TO AFFIRM WHAT MR. GREENWAY HAS JUST SHARED WITH YOU.
WE DO HAVE ABOUT $23 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS THAT ARE INDEED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1ST AND MARCH THE FIRST.
UM, AND FOR THAT REASON, AND ALSO BECAUSE OUR AVERAGE PAYROLL AND AP CHECKS CUT EACH MONTH, TOTAL AROUND 8 MILLION.
UM, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT PAYMENTS BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND MARCH IS TEXAS CONTINUE TO ROLL IN IF YOU AVERAGE THE 8 MILLION EACH MONTH AND ADD AT 16 FOR TWO MONTHS TO THE 23 WERE AROUND $40 MILLION THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE WHEN WE NEED IT.
UM, BUT HAVING SAID THAT THE, THE COMMENTS ALSO CORRECT, IF IT'S NOT NEEDED, THEN WE CERTAINLY WILL NOT INCUR THAT COST TO THE COUNTY OR OUR TAX PAYERS, BUT WE SORT OF WANTED TO PROCEED WITH THIS PROCESS.
UM, JUST IN CASE THE COLLECTIONS WERE LESS TO BE.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT TREASURER WALZ HAS MADE SOME ADVANCED PAYMENTS TO OTHER ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY, UM, AS THEY HAVE REQUESTED IT BASED ON THEIR NEED FOR LIQUID MONIES.
UM, HOWEVER, UH, WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE CHANCE, UM, IN FOREGO THESE READINGS IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEEDED THE MONEY AND THEN COME UP SHORT.
SO THAT IS THE REASON WE HAVE ASKED, UM, FOR THESE READINGS TO CONTINUE.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO REASSURE YOU THAT IF WE DON'T NEED THE MONEY, WE CERTAINLY WON'T DRAW IT DOWN, BUT OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE MR. FLORA, THANKS.
I'M GOING TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS AT SECOND READING.
UH, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE HAVING THE TREASURER AVAILABLE TO TALK TO US AT THIRD READING REGARDING NOT ONLY OUR CURRENT SITUATION.
UM, I'M THANK YOU, WHITNEY, FOR HAVING, UM, UH, EXPLAINED OUR, OUR, UH, OUTFLOWS.
WELL, BUT I'D LIKE AN UP-TO-DATE, UM, IMPRESSION OF THE INFLOWS, WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING ON THE GROUND IN TWO WEEKS, HENCE PLUS A DIS UH, DESCRIPTION OF ANY LIQUID ASSETS THAT WE COULD
[01:20:01]
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AS OPPOSED TO BORROWING MONEY AND PAYING INTEREST ON IT.SO, MR. YEAH, THIS WAS CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG WITH GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
HOWEVER, TO BE AT SECOND READING, WE, WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING RELATIVE TO THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE.
SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE POSTPONE FOR TWO WEEKS AND WE'LL BECOME A LOT SMARTER.
AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T, AREN'T READY FOR A SECOND READING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PROPOSED DOLLAR AMOUNT.
I'LL SECOND THAT IF I'M, IF I MAY, THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY STANDS IS THAT YOU WOULD AUTHORIZE MR. GREENWAY AND STAFF TO WORK WITH COUNCIL BOND COUNCIL TO ISSUE A TAN IN AN AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED 15 MILLION.
SO THERE, NOW THERE IS AN AMOUNT THERE.
UM, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, WE, WE, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF BOND COUNSEL ADDED THAT EXTRA $10 MILLION TUITION ABOVE AND BEYOND THE 40 THAT I JUST EXPLAINED IN CASE THERE ARE ANY UNFORESEEN ITEMS THAT, THAT POPPED UP OR IN CASE ANY CAPITAL PROJECTS, A MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS PAYMENTS BECAME DAY SINCE THOSE ARE TYPICALLY LARGER THAN JUST OUR OPERATING COSTS.
SO, UM, I DID WANT TO JUST CLARIFY THAT IN CASE YOU HAPPEN TO MISS THAT.
SO WITH, WITH THAT EXPLANATION, MR. RODMAN, WOULD YOU WISH TO WITHDRAW YOUR AMENDED MOTION AND MR.
SO WE, UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OKAY.
SO THIS IS THE SECOND READING OF A TAN IT'S IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE KNOWLEDGE FROM BOUND COUNSEL AS TO THE EXACT AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT IT COULD BE UP TO $50 MILLION.
UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO PASSING THIS UNANIMOUSLY OR DO I NEED TO HAVE A ROLL CALL, VOTE, VOTE AGAINST IT.
SO THE MOTION WAS MADE BY YOU, MR. RODMAN AND SECONDED BY, I THINK, DID I WRITE DOWN WHOSE SECOND? OH GOSH, GERALD JEREMY, THE MOTION.
SO, UM, MR. DAWSON, YOU'LL GO FIRST.
MS. HALLWARD MS. HOWARD WAS STILL ON MUTE, THUMBS UP IF HE SAYS YES.
[10. LOWCOUNTY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS NEEDS ASSESSMENT]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, 10, UM, THE LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS NEEDS ASSESSMENT.UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT? I BELIEVE SHE'S ALL INTO PRESENT.
SO I'LL DO THE MOTION IN SECOND AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE PRESENTATION.
THE PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE DONE BY WHO? OH, KIMBERLY.
UM, THIS IS FROM THE LOW COUNCI LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE FOR LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS, AND I WANT TO GO THROUGH OUR PRESENTATION.
I CAN GO THROUGH IT FAIRLY QUICK.
IT IS IN YOUR AGENDA PACKAGE AS WELL.
THERE ARE SOME CHANGES TO IT THIS YEAR THOUGH.
AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE MY SCREEN AND GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
[01:25:01]
NOW.CAN YOU MAKE IT FULL SCREEN? YEAH.
SO I'M TRYING TO, ALL RIGHT, THERE WE GO.
THIS IS THE PRESENTATION THAT WE DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, AND FAIR HOUSING IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.
AND IT APPLIES TO ANY OF THE GRANTS, NO MATTER WHAT THE, UM, WHAT THE PROJECT IS ABOUT.
THE TITLE EIGHT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT DOES APPLY, AND IT AFFECTS ALL OF OUR HOUSING PROJECTS PLUS WATERLINES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, THE PROJECT WAS DESIGNED BY HUD, MAINLY FOR THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME AREAS FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND FOR, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BUFORD COUNTY.
THESE ARE OUR LOW INCOME NUMBERS.
SO FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, THE FAMILY WOULD NEED TO MAKE LESS THAN $65,200 TO QUALIFY IN ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO HAVE TO BE IN LOW TO MODERATE INCOME AREAS.
SO THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS YEAR FOR BUFORD COUNTY HAMPTON COLLEGE, AND JASPER HAS DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
UM, THE PROGRAM WAS FUNDED BY HUD.
WE ANTICIPATE TO HAVE AROUND $20 MILLION FOR THIS PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE AN ACTION PLAN THAT IS UNDER REVIEW.
YOU CAN MAKE COMMENTS TO IT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
AND WE'VE GOT THREE CATEGORIES THAT WE NORMALLY WORK WITH.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AND REGIONAL PLANNING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS WHERE MOST OF OUR ACTIONS COME THROUGH BIG DATA COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM, WHICH IS IN THE SPRING.
AND THAT AFFECTS ANYTHING WITH WATER, SEWER, DRAINAGE, AND ROADS.
AND THEN IN THE FALL, WE CAN DO COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT, WHICH IS THINGS LIKE DEMOLITIONS, STREETSCAPES, LIBRARIES, PUBLIC FACILITIES, THAT TYPE PRODUCTS.
THEN WE'VE GOT A SPECIAL PROJECTS WITH, WHICH IS ALSO IN THE FALL.
AND THAT CAN BE, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS OF THAT TYPE ALSO.
SO IN THE FALL WE'VE GOT NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT REVITALIZATION, WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE BASED ON A SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THEN YOU CAN GO IN AND DO THINGS SUCH AS INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC FACILITIES, HOUSING, DEMOLITION, TYPES OF PROJECTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEN YOU CAN HAVE A READY TO GO.
YOU CAN DO ANY TIME DURING THE YEAR, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A LOT OF THE ENGINEERING, THE UP FRONT WORK DONE AHEAD OF TIME.
AND ANY OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE TO BENEFIT THE LOW INCOME, LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PERSONS OR ELIMINATE SLUM OR BLIGHT, OR MEET SOME OTHER URGENT COMPELLING NEED.
WE'VE ALSO GOT A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND A REGIONAL PLANNING PROGRAM.
UM, UM, THEN WE'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITIES ZONES, WHICH WE ACTUALLY GET BONUS POINTS FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE APPLY FOR.
IF THEY'RE LOCATED IN THE OPPORTUNITIES ZONES, AS FAR AS THE THRESHOLD WHERE YOU CAN HAVE THREE OPEN GRANTS AT ONE TIME RIGHT NOW, BUFORD COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING THE BON AIR PROJECT.
AND YOU'VE GOT A DETOUR ROOM, HAVE ALL BEEN AWARDS.
SO YOU COULD DO SOMETHING IN THE SPRING AND OR THE FALL.
YOU CAN HAVE ONLY ONE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECT AT A TIME AND ONLY HAVE ONE READY TO GO PROJECT AT THE TIME.
AND YOU CANNOT TARGET THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE SAME TIME.
AND WE'VE ALSO GOT THE BUFORD COUNTY, LOW COUNTRY, REGIONAL HOME CONSORTIUM, AND THAT IS ALL FOUR COUNTIES AND THE MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THEM AND THEIR OBJECTIVES ARE FOR THE SUBSTANDARD HOUSING AND ACCESSIBILITY TO ADEQUATE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND DEVELOP SAFE, DECENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THEY ARE WORKING ON AN ACTION PLAN FOR THAT THIS YEAR.
THAT WILL BE READY IN THE SPRING.
[01:30:01]
IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH THAT, YOU CAN WORK WITH BARBARA JOHNSON, WHO IS OVER THE HOME CONSORTIUM.ALL OF THAT IS OUR NORMAL CDBG INFORMATION.
NOW, ALSO THIS YEAR, WE'VE GOT A NEW PROGRAM CALLED CDD CDBG CORONAVIRUS CARES MONEY, AND WE'VE GOT A POSSIBILITY TO DO SOME PROJECTS, EITHER COUNTY WIDE OR REGION WIDE.
WITH THIS INFORMATION, IT STILL HAS TO MEET THE SAME NATIONAL OBJECTIVES.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WILL STILL APPLY, BUT THERE IS NO THRESHOLD ON THE CDBG PARKS AND THERE IS NO MATCH REQUIRED FROM THE LOCALITY.
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THE CDBG S C.COM WEBSITE.
THEY ARE NOT QUITE READY TO, UM, PUBLICIZE ALL THE, THE AUNTS AND OUTS OF THIS PROGRAM.
YET THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON HAVING A CONTRACTOR TO COME IN AND HELP ADMINISTER SOME THINGS.
BUT BASICALLY WITH THIS CORONAVIRUS, YOU NEED TO PROVIDE NEW OR QUANTIFIABLE INCREASED PUBLIC SERVICES TO BENEFIT THE LMI INDIVIDUALS IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR RESPOND, TO OR PREVENT THE CORONAVIRUS.
AND WHAT THEY'VE SET ASIDE HERE IS $214,621 PER COUNTY.
OR IF IT'S A REGION WIDE BETWEEN BUFORD HAMPTON COLLEGE AND JASPER, IT WOULD BE 858,000.
THE DEADLINE FOR THIS IS MARCH 1ST, AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE OUR PRIORITIES TURNED IN AND IT'S GOT SOME POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES THERE.
NOW, WHENEVER YOU'RE RANKING YOUR CDBG, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE NUMBERS IN THERE AND THE TOP THREE IS RESPONDING TO ANY OF THE CORONA VIRUS NEEDS.
THIS WILL NOT GO BACK AND DO ANY REIMBURSEMENT, BUT IT WILL BE FOR, UM, FUTURE PURCHASES.
KIMBERLY, I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT YOU FOR A SECOND BECAUSE WE ARE APPROACHING EIGHT O'CLOCK AND I NEED TO EXTEND THE MEETING.
SO I'M GOING TO NEED A MOTION.
AND SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS TO EXTEND THE MEETING.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME OF THE MEETING PAST.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO EXTENDING THE MEETING BEYOND EIGHT O'CLOCK I'LL OBJECT, SIR.
THEREFORE, I MUST HAVE A ROLL CALL, VOTE I'LL OBJECT ALSO.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU DO NEED TWO THIRDS.
IT'S BEEN DULY MOTIONED AND SECOND, MS. HOWARD, YOU MADE THE MOTION.
MR. SUMMERVILLE, MR. CUNNINGHAM.
MR. DAWSON, MR. FALWELL AND NO, MR. GLOVER.
NO, UH, MR. LAWSON, MARK LAWSON.
NO, WE ARE EXTENDED BEYOND THE EIGHT O'CLOCK HOUR.
I'M SORRY TO HAVE INTERRUPTED YOU.
UM, THIS IS NEXT TO THE LAST LOT, I BELIEVE, BUT IT'S ABOUT PUBLIC FACILITIES AND THIS IS TO RETROFIT OR REHABILITATE ANY OF THE PUBLIC FACILITIES, UM, WITH CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION, WHICH WOULD BE LIKE MAKING CHANGES TO THE HVAC SYSTEM OR STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, DO YOU HAVE $3 MILLION FOR THE STATEWIDE COMPETITION AND THOSE ARE DUE ON JULY 1ST AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE, NO, THAT, THAT WAS MY LAST SLIDE.
[01:35:05]
OKAY.UM, ANYWAY, WHENEVER YOU GO BACK AND YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR NEEDS AND THE COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, UM, IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT HAVING YOUR, YOUR NEEDS AS FAR AS, UM, TYPES OF PROJECTS OR AREAS, ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN RANK FOR THE YEAR.
I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT ARE POSSIBLE, AND WE'LL BE TALKING TO YOUR STAFF AS FAR AS GETTING ANY DETAILS TOGETHER ON THAT, BUT PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THAT CORONAVIRUSES IS IN THE TOP THREE.
AND AS FAR AS THE COUNTY APPLICATION, THAT WOULD COVER THE COUNTY AND ANY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THAT COUNTY.
SO IF ANY OF YOUR TOWNS COME TO YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED AS WELL, CAMERON KIMBERLY, IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC ACTION THAT THIS COUNCIL MUST TAKE AT THIS MEETING? NOT AT THIS MEETING, BUT WE DO NEED TO TURN THOSE PRIORITIES IN BY MARCH 1ST.
SO IF YOU CAN DO IT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, AS FAR AS GETTING US SOME PRIORITIES, AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF BETWEEN NOW AND THEN AS WELL.
I HAD A QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. HOWARD, WILL THIS BE ON COMMUNITY SERVICES AGENDA AND THE 1ST OF FEBRUARY TO DISCUSS THE PRIORITIES, WE ARE EVALUATING THAT CURRENTLY WE'RE WORKING AND WE DO PLAN TO READY FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER ALL OF THAT PARTICULAR AGENDA SO WE CAN SEND IDEAS TO YOU, MR. GREENWOOD.
SO THERE IS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[11. A REQUIRED ANNUAL APPROVAL OF THE FEES FOR A PEDDLERS AND HAWKERS LICENSE]
CHAIRMAN.AND EMOTION MOVE THINGS ALONG.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL PEDDLERS AND HAWKERS LICENSE.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND MARK.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO DISCUSSION THAT THIS WILL BE APPROVED? UNANIMOUSLY ITEM NUMBER 11 IS APPROVED ITEM NUMBER
[12. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AND DOCUMENTS FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF LITIGATION WITH WHITEHALL HOLDINGS, LLC REGARDING THE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT KNOWN AS "WHITEHALL" IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.]
12, JEREMY, IF I MIGHT AGAIN INTERRUPT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE, UM, AND DOCUMENTS REGARDING THE SETTLEMENT OF LITIGATION WITH WHITE, ALL THE HOLDINGS, UH, FOR THE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT KNOWN AS WHITE AND INCLUDES A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND EASEMENT AGREEMENT AND ORDINANCE PROVING EASEMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AGREEMENT, AND APPROVAL OF A PAYMENT OF $42,000 AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT MOTION MADE.MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT MR. UH, OKAY.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION, SEEING NO DISCUSSION.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
NOW GO AHEAD, MR. GLOVER, WHERE WE'RE STILL AT THE DISCUSSION PHASE.
I, I, UM, I REALLY HAVE TO VOTE AGAINST THIS, UM, THAT THE, UH, THE AGREEMENT EXTERRO EXTERNAL CETERA, BUT THE SETTLEMENT AMOUNT OF 42.
SO I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO I JUST REGISTERED A VOTE OF NO FOR THAT.
AND YOU CAN MOVE ON WITH THAT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE YOU'RE RECORDING ME AS A NO, AND THAT'S FINE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO VOTE? NO.
OTHERWISE IT WILL BE MRS. MS. HOWARD.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL YOU TO HAVE TO CALL, CALL, CALL THE ROLE, THE ROLE, UNLESS, UH, MR. TAYLOR, CAN I JUST ANNOUNCED YOUR NO VOTES TO NO VOTES? YES, SIR.
I BELIEVE YOU CAN BELIEVE YOU CAN.
MS. HOWARD IS HOWARD MR. SOMERVILLE AND MR.
[01:40:01]
SAY AGAIN.NO, ANY OTHERS? I HEAR MR. DAWSON.
MR. DAWSON IS A NO, THAT'S CORRECT.
OKAY, SO THAT'S FIVE NO'S SIX.
[13. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REPLACING BEAUFORT COUNTY ORDINANCE 2020/36 REGARDING NOISE]
IS THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REPLACING THE BYFORD COUNTY ORDINANCE 2020 SLASH 36 REGARDING NOISE.MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE SECOND RATING? SO MOVE WITH THE CHAIRMAN.
MR. MCKELLEN MAKES THE MOTION.
UM, MR. SOMERVILLE, YOU WERE THE SECOND ANY DISCUSSION I INTEND TO VOTE? NO.
YOU CAN JUST RECORD ME AS A NOTE IF EVERYBODY ELSE AGREES.
AND, UH, MR. HARVEY, SEAN IS A NO.
MR. GLOVER IS A NO CUNNINGHAM CUNNINGHAMS AND NO, MR. CHAIRMAN.
YOU, YOU, UM, WE'RE ALL AT THE STAFF WHEN IT, UH, PARTICULARLY ME AS ADMINISTRATION, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, US BEING ABLE TO KEEP AN ACCURATE COUNT OF THE VOTE.
SO, UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU ALL DO AN ACTUAL ROLL CALL VOTE FOR THESE ITEMS, JUST SO GIVEN THE SENSITIVITY TO THEM, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY CLEAR.
IT WOULD BE A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE IF THERE HAD A CLEAR RECORD OF EACH INDIVIDUAL VOTE, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.
UM, SARAH, ON THE ITEM, NUMBER 12, DO YOU HAVE THE FIVE, NO VOTES RECORDED? YES, SIR.
WITH THE ITEM NUMBER 13, THERE WERE, UH, MR. HARVEY.
MR. FLU WELLING WASN'T NO, MR. GLOVER WAS A NO.
AND MR. CUNNINGHAM WAS A NO, ALL OTHERS WOULD BE A YES.
AND THAT WOULD BE PASSED AT SECOND READING.
UM, CITIZEN COMMENTS, DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS? W W WHAT? I DO NOT HAVE ANY EMAILS AND I DON'T SEE ANYBODY.
SO I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS TWO SPECIFIC ITEMS, UM, THAT WERE ON THE CAUCUS AGENDA SEVEN TO FOUR.
YOU KNOW, W W W W WE'RE RUSHING AT THIS POINT IN TIME? UM, I, I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE LEFT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION NEED FOR US TO HANG AROUND FOR ANOTHER 15 OR 20 MINUTES, A HALF AN HOUR.
IS THERE ANYTHING PRESSING ON THOSE, UM, ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IS WHAT CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? YEAH, I, UM, I, I WANT TO HAVE SOME IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THAT.
UM, I THINK IT'LL KEEP THEM, THAT'S NOT GOING TO GO ANY PLACE, BUT I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WELL, LET'S SEE IF WE, UH, IF WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO GO IN AND CLOSE SESSION, YOU MAY, UM, HAVE YOUR WISH.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WILL MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? SEEING NONE? WE WILL POSTPONE ANY ITEMS THAT WERE TO BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING, UH, SEEING NO OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL, WE WILL BE ADJOURNED AT 8:10 PM.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO THE MEETING.