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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY THE MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, WE WILL SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I, THEY USUALLY PUT THE FLUFF ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS, BUT LET'S GO AND RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND THANK YOU FOR SERVING AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO, EVERYONE SHOULD MUTE THEIR MICROPHONE AGAIN.
I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE THE BOARD TO RESIDENTS THAT MIGHT WATCH THIS.
UH, I'M ANNA MARIA TABERNAC CHAIR.
I DON'T SEE HER ON HERE, JOE BOGUS, DISTRICT 11.
RAISE YOUR HAND JUST SO THEY CAN KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
SO THEY KNOW WHERE YOU LINMAIL MILLER DISTRICT 10.
THANK YOU, BRENDA LED SOME POWELL DISTRICT ONE.
THERE SHARES TRACY ROBINSON WHO DID OUR PLEDGE DISTRICT FOUR.
AND LAURA ANNOUNCED TERRY THOMAS WILL JOIN US LATER.
I BELIEVE HE REPRESENTS DISTRICT TWO AND I DON'T SEE JAMES, BUT JAMES MORALE, UH, REPRESENTS DISTRICT FIVE.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE AMANDA DIXON, WHO IS OUR INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY SERVICES.
WE HAVE ELLIS HOWARD WHERE WE ARE VERY EXCITED.
SHE REPRESENTS US FROM COUNTY COUNCIL, DISTRICT FOUR, AND WE NOW HAVE CHUCK ATKINSON WITH US FROM THE COUNTY, A LITTLE CHUCK.
HE'S GOING TO BE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING.
SO THAT IS OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
DID WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED AMANDA? NO.
CAN I HAVE SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 4TH? YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT TO MOVE.
ALL RIGHT, JOE, AND SOMEONE TO SECOND IT, PLEASE.
BERNIE SECOND IT AND ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE MINUTES.
RAISE YOUR HAND OR SHAKE AT ME.
CAUSE IF YOU DON'T ACCEPT THEM, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU REWRITE THEM, BUT OKAY.
THERE IS NOTHING FROM CORRESPONDING MEMBERSHIP, I BELIEVE CORRECT.
SO WE GO TO THE LIBRARY DIRECTORS REPORT.
THIS'LL BE AMANDA DICKMAN, WHO IS OUR INTERIM LIBRARY DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
UM, I WANT TO UPDATE YOU FIRST ON OUR PERSONNEL.
UM, SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, WE HAVE HIRED FIVE NEW EMPLOYEES AND SO THAT LEADS OUR CURRENT VACANCIES TO ONLY FIVE OVER THE COURSE OF LAST YEAR.
UH, WE HAVE HAD A 16% TURNOVER.
UM, IT TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE A 20% TURNOVER.
SO, UM, ALL TOLD IN 2020, WE ONLY INCURRED A 16% TURNOVER RATE IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL.
UM, IT IS ALSO MY PLEASURE TO UPDATE YOU ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTS.
I KNOW THAT THIS BOARD IS VERY INSTRUMENTAL AND EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING BLUFFTON LIBRARY RENOVATIONS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT ON TUESDAY, JANUARY THE 19TH, THIS UPCOMING TUESDAY, A PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARING THE PRESENTATION BY BUFORD COUNTY ENGINEERING TO AWARD THE CONTRACT FOR, UM, THE CONTRACTOR, UH, FOR THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY RENOVATION.
SO THIS WILL BE THE FIRST HEARING AT COMMITTEE LEVEL AND THEY WILL BE REQUESTING A FOUR THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY NINE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE DOLLARS.
SO IF YOU'RE THINKING IN TERMS OF MONEY, UM, THAT'S ABOUT FOUR 80,000, BUT IT'D BE SPECIFICALLY FOUR 79, THREE 81.
THOSE ARE CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO BE PAID FROM BLUFFTON LIBRARY IMPACT FEES.
UM, THAT IS THE CONSTRUCTION COST ONLY, ALSO ON TUESDAY.
UH, DURING THAT SAME MEETING, YOU FOR COUNTY ENGINEERING WILL BE REQUESTING UP TO $20,000 IN PRE-CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THE LIBRARY TO BE ABLE TO MOVE SHELVING AND FURNITURE AND, AND ACCOMPLISHED STORAGE THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO CLEAR
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OUT WHAT WILL BE THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE.SO ALL TOLD ON THIS TUESDAY, UM, WE WILL BE REQUESTING $499,381 TO BE PAID BY THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY IMPACT FEES.
UM, TO START WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, WE WILL NEED TO GO BACK ADDITIONALLY FOR THE, THE NEW FURNITURE SHELVING AND EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO OUTFIT THE POST-CONSTRUCTION, UH, SPACE OF THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY.
BUT IT IS VERY EXCITING TO KNOW THAT WE ARE STARTING TO GET THIS, UM, PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE RELATED TO WHERE WE ARE IN THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, GO FOR THE PUBLIC FOR, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
COULD YOU JUST RECAP WHAT IT MEANS THAT WE'RE RENOVATING AT? I MEAN, WE'VE ALL SEEN THE PLANS, BUT JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, IN 2019 THERE WAS A SPACE STUDY THAT WAS CONDUCTED, UM, TO MAXIMIZE THE, THE EFFECTIVE USE OF THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT.
THAT IS THE BLUFFTON BRANCH LIBRARY.
UM, THESE PROPOSED RENOVATIONS WILL INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF SPACE SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR CHILDREN'S COLLECTION AND OUR CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING AREAS, AS WELL AS JUST KIND OF REVITALIZE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE INTERIOR.
UH, WE'RE GOING ON THAT LIBRARY IS GOING ON ABOUT A 20 YEAR, UM, SINCE, SINCE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT'LL BE A GREAT FACELIFT, UM, FOR THE BUILDING ITSELF, BUT ALSO PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED EXPANSION OF, OF SPACE AVAILABLE FOR THE GROWING POPULATION OF FAMILIES THAT THAT LIBRARY SERVES.
AMANDA, I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FOR MOVING THIS ALONG AND KEEPING THIS CALL CAM IT'S THIS CHALLENGING TIME WITH COVID AND THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.
SO HOW OLD ARE YOU? YOU'VE GOT A GREAT JOB.
CAN YOU REMIND US AGAIN WHEN THIS PROJECT WOULD BE COMPLETED? WE DO NOT HAVE A DEFINITIVE TIMELINE IN PLACE.
UM, CURRENTLY WHERE WE ARE IS AT THE, UM, AWARDING OF, UH, A PARTICULAR CONTRACTOR, UM, AND THEY WILL DETERMINE, UH, BASICALLY HOW LONG THIS PROJECT WOULD TAKE.
UM, SO MORE, MORE TO COME ON THAT AS SOON AS THAT CONTRACTOR IS ONBOARD AND, AND ABLE TO ESTIMATE A TIMELINE FOR US, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE.
AND IF WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION PRIOR TO OUR MARCH MEETING, WE'LL SEND IT OUT TO THE TRUSTEES.
AMANDA KEEPS US UPDATED PRETTY REGULARLY.
UM, WHEN I WAS IN THE LIBRARY SEVERAL TIMES, JULY AGRARIAN SAID THAT THEY WANTED A LARGER SIZE ROOM FOR CRAFT PROJECTS AND OTHER TYPES OF PROJECTS TO DO A ROOM THAT THEY CAN EASILY SEE INTO AND A ROOM THAT OF COURSE WOULD HAVE A SINK AND WATER.
AND I W I DON'T REMEMBER IF THAT WAS IN DEPLOYMENTS.
SO IN THE, IN THE DESIGN PLAN, UM, THE PRESENT EXISTING ADULT FICTION AREA, WHICH IS IN THE BACK REAR LEFT PORTION OF THE LIBRARY, UM, WILL BE THE NEW PROGRAMMING SPACE THAT ENTIRE RECTANGLE BOX, UM, TO GIVE YOU A VISUAL REFERENCE WILL NOW BECOME THEIR PROGRAMMING SPACE.
IT WAS NOT COST-EFFECTIVE TO MOVE WATER TO THAT AREA.
UH, THERE IS A, UM, UM, A RESTROOM AND A, UM, AN A, ANOTHER SMALLER MEETING SPACE THAT IS CURRENTLY OUTFITTED WITH THOSE, UM, THOSE QUALIFICATIONS NEARBY.
SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO, UM, WITHIN THE FUNDING FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT MOVE WATER TO, TO THAT BACK CORNER OF THE LIBRARY, BUT THEY ARE GETTING A SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER MEETING SPACE THAT WILL BE LARGER THAN THE CURRENT MEETING, LARGE MEETING ROOM OF THE LIBRARY.
AND IT WILL BE SEEN BY THE LIBRARIANS.
IT IS THE FRONT OF THAT WILL NOT BE WALDEN.
IT WILL BE GLASSED IN, SO IT WILL BE A GLASS WITH A HAFELE IMPLANT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE BLUFFTON REMODEL FROM ANYBODY? ONE POINT TO MENTION IS THAT THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS THAT YOU HEARD ME ESTIMATE A MINUTE AGO, THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT 479,000, THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COST.
SO THAT IS COMING UNDER WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING THERE.
PLEASE HAVE MY REPORT WOULD BE TO UPDATE YOU ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF LIBRARY OPERATIONS, JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY.
WE REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC ON OCTOBER THE FIFTH OF 2020, AND WE HAVE REMAINED OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SINCE THEN.
UM, EARLIER IN 2020, WE FACED NINE
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WEEKS OF CLOSURE, AS WELL AS PERIODS OF TIME IN WHICH WE WERE CURBSIDE ONLY.SO, UH, I AM VERY, I WOULD LIKE TO PAUSE A MOMENT JUST TO THANK OUR LIBRARY STAFF, OUR SUPPORTERS, SUCH AS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AS WELL AS OUR FRIENDS GROUPS, BUT ESPECIALLY OUR VISITORS TO THE LIBRARY FOR COMPLYING WITH COVID PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
WE THANK YOU FOR WEARING MASKS, PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND ENABLING US TO WORK AND PROVIDE LIBRARY SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AS YOU'VE SEEN FROM MY YEAR END REVIEW TO STICKS SHOW THAT THE LIBRARY IS STILL PROVIDING VALUABLE SERVICE TO A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT BY BEING SAFELY OPEN.
SO A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL INVOLVED, TO ALLOW US TO KEEP OUR, OUR DOORS OPEN AND BOOKS, GETTING INTO THE HANDS OF READERS.
UM, WE REMAIN AT PHASE THREE OF OUR PANDEMIC RESPONSE, UH, REOPENING PLAN.
SO IN THIS PHASE WHERE LIBRARIES ARE OPEN FOR QUICK BROWSING, UH, WE DO STILL OFFER CURBSIDE SERVICE.
WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMPUTERS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE.
WE ARE ENCOURAGING OUR VISITORS TO, UM, TO LIMIT THEIR TIME SPENT INDOORS.
AND THAT'S BASED PRIMARILY JUST ON THE CDC AND SOUTH CAROLINA D HAD GUIDELINES ABOUT LIMITING TIME INDOORS.
UM, WE DO OFFER COMPLIMENTARY MASKS TO ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE ONE.
UH, WE DO PROVIDE HAND SANITIZER AT ALL OF OUR SERVICE POINTS.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE DO HAVE, UM, PLEXIGLASS FIELDS IN PLACE TOO, AND MARKINGS ON THE FLOOR TO, TO SHOW WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING SHOULD TAKE PLACE.
SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO BE OPEN.
I WOULD SAY THE LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE ONGOING CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR LIBRARY, STAFF AND COMMUNITY, AND TO SAFELY CONTINUE PROVIDING LIBRARY SERVICES.
UM, I WOULD ASK THAT, UM, AT THIS TIME THAT WE CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT WE'VE WELCOMED SINCE OCTOBER 45,753 VISITORS, WE'VE ISSUED 1,004 LIBRARY CARDS AND BETWEEN OUR DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL COLLECTIONS, WE'VE CIRCULATED 161,000 BOOKS AND ITEMS AND MATERIALS.
SO WE ARE STILL DOING A ELABORATE BUSINESS FOR BEAVER COUNTY.
THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS, UH, UP FOR A POINT UP FOR DISCUSSION IN THAT IS AS WE ROLL INTO TAX SEASON, AS WE ROLL INTO 2021 THAT I ASKED, THANK THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES WOULD AMEND PHASE THREE OF OUR PANDEMIC REOPENING PLAN TO ALLOW FOR OUR MEETING ROOMS TO USED BY BUFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND A CENTRAL LIBRARY, SPONSORED PROGRAMS, SUCH AS FREE TAX ASSISTANCE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY ARP AND BIDEN, AND THEY ARE BOTH WORKING INDEPENDENTLY, UH, TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY WILL MODIFY THEIR TRADITIONAL SERVICE OF PROVIDING FREE TAX ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH COVID RESTRICTIONS, PROTOCOLS, AND SAFETY GUIDELINES.
SO I'M ASKING THAT THIS BOARD DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ALLOWING US TO HOST DIFFERENT COUNTY GOVERNMENT PUBLIC MEETINGS.
SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED AS WELL AS FREE TAX ASSISTANCE, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.
I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT THEY, UM, THAT IF YOU DO ALLOW THE USE OF MEETING ROOMS FOR THOSE PURPOSES, THAT WE WOULD INCLUDE A CAVEAT THAT THEY NEED TO COMPLY WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES, LIMITING THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES AND THAT ALL PERSONS WOULD ADHERE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING.
AND THAT THOSE PEOPLE THAT ENTER THE BUILDINGS WILL BE WEARING A MASK, JUST THE SAME PROTOCOLS WE HAVE IN PLACE.
SO AS YOU ALL, YEAH, I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, I AM THE DISTRICT COORDINATOR FOR ARP, TEXAS.
SO I WILL EXCLUDE MYSELF FROM THIS DISCUSSION AND A VOTE, BUT I WILL BE ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS WITH THAT.
SO ANYONE WANT TO COMMENT? GO AHEAD, BERNIE.
YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING YOU'RE MUTED.
CAN'T HEAR YOU APPROVE WHAT AMANDA HAS ASKED FOR THE ADDITIONAL NEW SOURCES TO GO INTO THE LINE ALL SECOND, THAT YOU'RE MAKING A MOTION TO APPROVE IT.
SO NOW WE'LL OPEN IT TO THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE LIP, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE, UM, FOR THE TAX PREPARATION CAN MAKE APPOINTMENT POSSIBLE AND THEN THAT WAY YOU COULD REALLY LIMIT, OKAY, I'LL SPEAK ONLY
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FOR A RP RIGHT NOW.IT WILL NO LONGER BE WHAT YOU'RE ASKED TO DROP BECAUSE YOU CAN GET IT DONE.
UM, AND IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SERVICE.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TOO MUCH BACKGROUND NOISE, SO DIFFERENT SERVICE MODEL WE DON'T HAVE, AND IT WILL JUST COMING AND WAITING IN LINE.
IT WILL BE BY APPOINTMENT LIMITED CONTACT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING, MEANING THEY MAY JUST DROP IT OFF POSSIBLY, OR THEY MAY COME, WE SCAN THEIR DOCUMENTS AND THEY GO, THE PREPARATION WILL BE DONE OTHERWISE, BUT IT WILL BE BY APPOINTMENT.
SO THERE WILL BE NO, UH, GIGANTIC LINE OF TRAFFIC INTO THE LIBRARIES THAT'S AT HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON.
IF I MAY ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT, TOO.
SO EXACTLY WHAT TAP HAS SAID, BOTH, BOTH ARP AND VITA HAVE APPROACHED US WITH WANTING TO, UM, TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, BUT THE VERY FIRST QUESTION THAT BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS NEEDED TO KNOW WAS IS IT POSSIBLE, UM, WHAT OUR LIBRARIES BE ABLE TO HOST? AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, BOTH A RP AND VITA HAVE BEEN BRILLIANT AT COMING UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS TO MODIFY AND ADJUST WHAT THEY'RE USED TO DOING, UM, TO EITHER DO THIS CURBSIDE OR LIMITED CONTACT AS TABB SAID.
SO, YES, WE, UM, BOTH BOTH PARTIES IN THIS CASE, LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION, AND AS WELL AS BOTH OF THE OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS RECOGNIZED, WE DON'T WANT LONG LINES OF PEOPLE WAITING IN, IN BUILDINGS.
AND SO BOTH, BOTH ARE MAKING THE EFFORT TO ADJUST, UM, DURING THIS TIME.
AND LET ME THROW A LITTLE GLITCH INTO THE BLUFFTON SITE BECAUSE THEY RP AND BUY TO USE IT.
SO WHEN WE START RENOVATION ON THE CHILDREN'S URINE, REMEMBER AMANDA SAY WE'RE HAVING A POP-UP LIBRARY IN THE MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM THAT ELIMINATES US BEING ABLE TO DO TEXTS.
SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
UM, HOPEFULLY, UH, FOR ARP, WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THE BOOK I'LL BE OUTSIDE BECAUSE THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO AT THIS POINT.
SO AS AMANDA SAID, WE'RE, WE ARE HYPING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE PRECAUTIONS.
WE DO WANT TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO OUR PEOPLE, BUT KEEP US SAFE AND THEM SAFE.
AND VITA AND ARP ARE ALL TRYING TO WORK THIS OUT.
WE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH AMANDA AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO LOOK, TO MAKE YOUR WORK, TO SERVICE OUR PEOPLE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, TAB WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR BEING THE REGIONAL REP FOR A RP.
ACTUALLY, YOU, I WAS THE BOARD OF ANY ERP, AND THIS IS SUCH A VITAL SERVICE THAT A ARP ADVISOR PREPARE, PROVIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
THE REASON I SECOND, THAT I THINK ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO REDUCE PEOPLE'S ANXIETY DURING COVID AND HELPING PEOPLE GET THEIR TAXES DONE.
IT'S JUST ONE THING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP REDUCE PEOPLE'S ANXIETY DURING THIS TIMEFRAME.
AND SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND PROVIDE THIS SERVICE, PROVIDE THIS SPACE.
SO THE SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER TOLD YOU, BUT WE DO ABOUT 450 RETURNS AT THE HILTON HEAD LIBRARY, 500 AT BLUFFTON AND OVER 600 HERE IN SUN CITY.
SO MULTIPLY THAT BY IN MINIMUM COST TO A PERSON OF $150 TO DO A BASIC RETURN.
AND YOU COULD SEE THE SAVINGS WE'D COME BACK AND WE WANT TO DO IT.
WELL, I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, TAB THAT NATION MEDICAID, H AND R BLOCK IS THE MAJOR PROVIDER OF TAX SERVICES.
THEY, IF THEY WERE A BUSINESS, THEY WOULD BE THE SECOND LARGEST PROVIDER OF TAX SERVICES IN THE COMPANY.
WE TAKE NO MONEY, NO TIPS AS DOES VITA, NO MONEY, NO TIPS.
THERE ARE, THEY'RE LIKE OUR SISTER ORGANIZATION.
BUT THERE'S A FEW NUANCES BETWEEN ARP AND BITING IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, ONE OF THEM IS VIDA HAS INCOME LIMITS AND HAS OTHER PROCEDURES.
ARP HAS A LITTLE MORE RIGID PROCEDURES, BUT, AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO TARGET THE ELDERLY FIRST AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO DO IT.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DO IT SAFELY BECAUSE REMEMBER ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE PRETTY MUCH IN THE 60 AND OVER GROUP.
SO WE'RE AT RISK, THE TAXPAYERS, EVERYBODY.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, JANET.
LYNN, I JUST WANT TO ASK ABOUT WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE OTHER PIECE OF THE COUNTY COUNTY MEETINGS? YEAH, IT'D BE COUNTY MEETINGS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, CORRECT.
AS A, AS THE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO ASK
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FOR IN PERSON MEETINGS, WE KNOW THAT THE LIBRARIES PLAY A ROLE IN THAT.AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PREPARE THAT.
SHOULD WE BE ASKED WHAT THE BOARD'S PLEASURE IS ON THAT? THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE USE OF THE MEDIA BY THE GROUPS LISTED? OKAY.
IF YOU'D RAISE YOUR HAND, IF YOU APPROVE THAT WE OPEN THE MEETING ROOMS FOR THE SPECIFIC GROUPS LISTED.
SO AMANDA, YOU HAVE YOUR ANSWER WITH THAT.
AND IF THERE'S EVER ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO AMANDA.
IF IT'S ABOUT THE TEXT IS YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME, BUT I DID NOT VOTE.
SO SINCE I'M THE MIDDLE OF THIS, ALL RIGHT.
UM, ANYTHING ON THE FINANCIAL OR YOU WANT ME TO GO RIGHT TO JUNK? IT LOOKS LIKE BERNIE HAS A QUESTION.
AMANDA, YOU MENTIONED THAT, THAT YOU HAD ALL HAD ISSUED OVER A THOUSAND NEW LINES.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THAT WAS, UH, ALMOST AS GOOD AS BACK TO OLD NORMAL TIMES OR? NOPE.
UH, WE, UH, ONE, UH, 1000 LIBRARY CARD SINCE OCTOBER IS, IS, IS GOOD.
IT IS NOT BACK TO NORMAL LIBRARY TIMES AT ALL, BUT IT IS SHOWING THAT WE ARE STILL ATTRACTING NEW NEW CARD HOLDERS.
SO PEOPLE ARE FINDING VALUE IN THEIR LIBRARY.
AND WE HOPE THAT THAT IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO GETTING BACK TO OUR NORMAL OPERATIONS IN OUR NORMAL CARD ISSUING.
SO WE HOPE THAT THAT'S A GOOD STEP FORWARD TO BACK TO NORMAL.
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY, UH, ANY INFERENCES FROM A NEW CARD HOLDERS THERE, UH, KIND OF SOCIAL DISTANCING HAS LED THEM TO SAY, I WANT, I DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, STATISTICAL DATA TO BACK THAT UP.
I DO HAVE, I DO RECEIVE A LOT OF ANECDOTAL DATA, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF DAILY OPERATIONS FROM, FROM CARD HOLDERS WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE TOLD US THAT LIBRARIES ARE SAVING THEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, THAT READING IS THEIR ONLY FORM OF ESCAPE THAT THEY DON'T LIKE THE NEWS.
SO READING IS NOW THEIR, THEIR MAIN PASSION AND PLEASURE.
AND SO WE DO GET THAT ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, BUT NOT STATISTICALLY CAPTURED.
I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE PART ABOUT THEY DON'T LIKE THE NEWS ANYMORE.
SO I'M GOING TO GO WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SERVICES.
CAN YOU RECAP FOR EVERYBODY SINCE THAT IS A VITAL PART OF OUR SERVICE? YES.
OUR BOOKMOBILES ARE BOTH ON THE ROAD.
THEY'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD SINCE OCTOBER OF 2020 BOOKMOBILE SOUTH, WHICH SERVES HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON REALLY, UM, HAS IN THIS TIME ADDED TO THEIR ROUTE SCHEDULE.
THERE'S BEEN A FEW NEW, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE APPROACHED US FOR SERVICE AND PEOPLE ARE WELCOMING THE BOOKMOBILE, UM, GLADLY.
AND IT SEEMS THAT IN SOME PART DUE TO THE FACT THAT, UM, OUR CURBSIDE SERVICE, OUR OUTDOOR MODEL FOR BOOKMOBILES MAKES THEM MORE COMFORTABLE DURING, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID TIMES.
SO THE BOOKMOBILES HAVE REALLY BEEN, UM, A CONTINUED SOURCE OF JOY AND EXCITEMENT AND, AND TRUE OUTREACH SERVICE FOR BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY.
SO BOUGAINVILLE SOUTH, ESPECIALLY IS JUST DOING A WONDERFUL SERVICE RIGHT NOW IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BOOKMOBILE NORTH IS STILL, UM, ADDING TO THEIR SCHEDULE.
THEY, MOST OF THEIR SCHEDULE, UH, ROUTE STOPS RATHER ARE FOR ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THE LIKE, AND MOST OF THEM JUST AREN'T COMFORTABLE YET RECEIVING OUTSIDE VISITORS.
AND SO WE'RE WAITING ANXIOUSLY WAITING TO GET BACK TO THOSE CUSTOMERS WE'VE DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS WITH, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO OFFER SERVICE BY DROPPING OFF MATERIALS WHERE WE CAN.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING BACK TO FULL OPERATIONS WITH OUR BOOKMOBILES AS WELL FROM, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE SEEM TO BE FINDING NEW POCKETS AND PLACES TO STAY.
ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? UH, LIBRARY SERVICES.
I THINK THEY'VE DONE A YEOMAN'S JOB.
I KNOW YOU COME TO SUN CITY AND PEOPLE SWARMED THE BOOKMOBILE.
MS. POWELL, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES.
WITH LIMITED SPACE, IS IT ONE OF THE SITES THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR CONTINUE TO ACT? SO, SO VITA VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WOULD SERVE THE LIBIDO LIBRARY.
AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT THAT THEIR SERVICE MODEL THAT THEY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE IS A CURBSIDE IN VEHICLE
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OR AT A PERSON'S VEHICLE.THEY'RE CALLING IT VITA VALET.
I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE THAT IS WHAT THEY WILL OFFER.
WE'RE STILL IN DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS ONE OF THE SERVICE OPTIONS THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING.
SO, UM, THEY WOULD BE SCANNING THE DOCUMENTS CURBSIDE OR CAR SIDE RATHER, UM, WITH THE, UM, WITH THE CUSTOMER AND THEN PREPARING THE RETURN OFFSITE.
BUT YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION
SO I DIDN'T SEE IT ON THE UPTIGHT REPORT AND I MIGHT'VE MISSED IT, BUT I NOTICED SOME WORK GOING ON AT NICO.
WAS THAT SIMPLY COUNTY SENSE? UH, YES.
AND SO, UM, IT WILL BE GO, LIBRARY IS OWNED BY BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE HEADSTART DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THERE IS SOME EXTERIOR WORK DONE THAT WE ARE DOING THROUGH COUNTY COUNTY FACILITIES.
AND THAT IS, YOU SHOULD SEE SOME LADDERS OUTSIDE.
THERE'S SOME PAINT BEING SCRAPED OFF THE EXTERIOR WINDOWS TO BE REPLACED.
WE'RE DOING THAT IN TERMS OF COUNTY FACILITIES, BUT ONGOING, THERE IS A WATER LEAK ISSUE THAT THE, THE HEADSTART, A DIVISION OF BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS INVESTIGATING A RESOLUTION TO.
THE LIBRARY SECTION THAT I NOTICED WORK.
WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO GET THOSE WINDOWS REPLACED AND IN THE OUTSIDE SPRUCE UP FOR AWHILE.
SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT WORKING AND MOVING FORWARD.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE.
IT NEEDS A GOOD SPRUCING UP AMANDA, FOR THE OPERATIONS OR DIRECTORS REPORT.
THAT IS THE END OF MY DIRECTORS REPORT IN AS USUAL.
I TURN IT OVER TO THE FINANCIAL PART TO BE PRESENTED BY OUR FAITHFUL FINANCIAL COMMITTEE CHAIR, JOE BOUYGUES.
AND WE GET TO THE SECOND, MOST EXCITING PART OF THIS, UH, TODAY'S SESSION.
UM, FIRST OFF, LET ME, LET ME SAY THAT THE NUMBERS WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT ARE REALLY HALF YEAR NUMBERS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT REALLY OURSELVES MIDWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.
I WOULD JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND I'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS IN USUAL ORDER THAT I'VE DONE BEFORE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN FOLLOW THIS FAIRLY EASILY.
UM, BUT JUST AS AN OVERVIEW, AS YOU CAN EXPECT, WE ARE UNDERSPENT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK OUR CAPITAL ACCOUNTS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD ORDER.
UH, SO YOU CAN TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COMFORT IN THAT.
SO WHERE I'D LIKE TO BEGIN AGAIN IS WITH OUR SPECIAL FRIENDS AND WORKING TO THE LEFT HERE.
UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT AS WE REPORTED IN NOVEMBER, WE RECEIVED OUR SECOND INSTALLMENT OF STATE AID.
UH, WE SPENT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND IN THIS PERIOD HERE, WE HAVE SPENT 71,000, WHICH LEAVES US WITH A NICE BALANCE IN THE STATE AID OF 90,900, $90,879.
AND THAT IS A GOOD NUMBER AND ASKED YOU TO STARTED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN WE GET TO THE MATERIALS REPORT, BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THAT OUR SPENDING IS HEALTHY THERE, BUT YET WE HAVE ANOTHER $90,000 IN RESERVE, WHICH IS GOING TO MEAN THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY FOR BOOKS ON THE SHELVES THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S LOOKING GOOD OVER THERE.
THE SECOND COLUMN I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO IS REALLY IMPACT PHASE.
AND JUST TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, I HAVE ASKED LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION TO CHANGE THE FORMAT OF THIS REPORT FOR THIS, FOR THIS REPORTING SEASON.
UM, AND RATHER THAN SHOWING YEAR TO DATE NUMBERS, WHAT WE'RE SHOWING IS REALLY CHANGES FROM NOVEMBER.
AND I HOPE THIS IS LITTLE BIT MORE MEANINGFUL AND EASY TO FOLLOW FOR THE BOARD.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT AT THIS POINT, I KNOW THE PACK FEES IN OUR TOTAL BALANCE.
WE'RE AT $4.8 MILLION, WHICH IS A GOOD NUMBER UP FOR FOUR POINTS IN NOVEMBER, SINCE NOVEMBER, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF RED ZEROS IN THERE.
WE'VE TAKEN THEM A LITTLE OVER $59,000 IN IMPACT FEES IN THIS TWO MONTH PERIOD.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS FORMAT IS A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO FOLLOW ON A LITTLE BIT MORE MEANINGFUL FOR EVERYONE.
WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS HERE, WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT IN LOOKING AT THIS IS THAT THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR OF IMPACT FEED DOLLARS IT'S ST.
HELENA CONTRIBUTED ABOUT 32% OF ALL THE FEEDS THAT WE TOOK IN FOLLOWED BY YEAR FOUR.
SO I'M NOT CERTAIN WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION
[00:30:01]
ACTIVITY IS OUT THERE.LET ME GIVE A, GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE FOLKS IN ST HELL, I'M UP FOR BEING THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THE IMPACT FEEDS FOR THIS.
SO WE'RE AT 4.8 MILLION, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD, PRETTY GOOD NUMBER YEAR TO DATE HERE TODAY, WE HAVE EXPENDITURES ABOUT 208,175 FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT AGAIN, REFLECTED IN THE MATERIALS REPORT WHEN WE GET TO THAT AND ANOTHER 37,000, UH, $3,700 FOR THE BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING STUDY.
SO THOSE NUMBERS REALLY HAVEN'T CHANGED TOO MUCH SINCE OUR LAST REPORTING PERIOD.
AND LASTLY, THE FINAL COLUMN THERE, A SPECIAL TRUST, THE ONLY CHANGE TO REPORT IS THAT WE'VE RECOGNIZED ABOUT $2,500 IN INTEREST ON THE ENDOWMENT ACCOUNTS.
SO OVERALL LOOKING AT OUR SPECIAL FUND, SAYING THAT WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE AND FAIRLY HEALTHY, WELL, WE KNOW WHERE TO THE SECOND DOCUMENT AND THEN OUR NORMAL PROGRESSION HERE, THE BUDGET REPORT, AND WE ARE SIX MONTHS THROUGH THE YEAR.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE 44% HISPANIC.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE SHOWING A GOOD SURPLUS IN THIS, IN THIS ACCOUNT HERE.
UM, CAN WE HAVE AN UNSPENT RESERVE OF ABOUT 261,000? AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE EXPERIENCING A LIBRARY AS A MAN WHO SAT IN A VERY UNUSUAL OPERATION, ANY CONDITION.
SO THESE ARE NOT NORMAL NORMAL CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE OPERATING UNDER.
AND I SPENT THE MOUTH IS REALLY RECOGNIZABLE, UNDERSTANDABLE, ET CETERA, INTO COVID, UH, IN-PERSON PATRONAGE.
UM, THE, YOU LIKE TERRY WHO ARE REALLY EAGLE EYES DOWN THIS, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT OUR ANNUAL BUDGET WAS LOWERED BY ABOUT 146,000.
AND SO THE, SO THE NUMBER IN THE LEFT-HAND COLUMN, FISCAL YEAR 21 AND ALLOCATION, AND THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE RELOCATION OF SALARIES AND WAGES.
AND BACK TO THE COUNTY IT DEPARTMENT, AS PART OF THEIR CENTRALIZATION OF THESE FUNCTIONS, IT DOESN'T REFLECT ANY CHANGES IN THE SERVICE THAT WE'RE GETTING, BUT SIMPLY A REALLOCATION OF AND STAFF THOSE FORMERLY IN OUR ACCOUNTS OVER TO ALBERT, TO THE COUNTY.
LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO TURN OVER TO OUR MATERIALS REPORT AND YOU WILL SEE THAT HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, WE ARE AT $303,000 IN SPEND, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY HEALTHY NUMBER, UM, AND PUTS US ON TRACK FOR A NIGHT, $600,000 A YEAR.
AND I THINK YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THE SPENDERS I DO WHEN I WALK INTO THE HEALTH AND PET LIBRARY, AND I SEE THE NEW MATERIAL, NEW RELEASE SHELVES, FAIRLY STOCKED, AND THAT IS A VERY GOOD MOVE THERE.
WHAT I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE LARGEST PART OF OUR SPEND IS REALLY IN LEASE MATERIALS, WHICH AGAIN REFLECTS THE BEST SELLERS.
AND THAT, AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THE LIBRARY STRATEGY TO BANK PEOPLE IN, AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE FRUSTRATED MATERIAL, UH, THE LARGEST SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR OUR MATERIALS IS IMPACT FEES, AS YOU CAN EXPECT, UM, FOLLOWED BY STATE AID.
AND AGAIN, WE'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THEN GIVE A, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE FRIENDS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED 56,000 WAS $57,000 FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT WE'RE VERY HEALTHY AND ALL OF THESE ACCOUNTS HERE AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, WHERE THEY HAVE ONE OTHER ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, UH, THAT $4 MILLION IN IMPACT FEES, DOES THAT GET INVESTED? IS THAT GETTING INVESTIGATED THAT $4 MILLION IN IMPACT FEES? IS IT, I ASSUME THE COUNTY HAS THAT, SO DID THEY INVEST THAT MONEY AT ALL FOR US? UM, WHAT THE, WHAT THE COUNTY DOES WITH THE MONEY? I ASSUME THAT THAT IS INVESTED, I ASSUME, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T HAVE IN SIGHT.
I ASSUME THAT IT'S TREATED LIKE ANY OTHER, LET'S SAY STATE OR COUNTY, UH, ASSET AND RESERVE.
AND THAT IS PUT INTO SOME KIND OF, UH, SOME KIND OF ACCOUNTS OVER I CAN SAY IS THAT I DON'T SEE ANY INTEREST, OR IT MEANS THAT THE INTEREST EARNINGS GO TO THE COUNTY.
SO IT ALL STAYS IN THE SAME SET OF PANTS IF YOU WOULD.
THE NEXT THING I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT
[00:35:01]
THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR SENT OUT THE UPDATE, WHICH INCLUDED SPENDING AS REPORTED TO THE COUNTY.AND IF YOU RECALL THIS TOTAL $12.1 MILLION, AND I'D LIKE TO SPEND A FEW MOMENTS TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS IMPACTS HOW THIS RELATES TO OUR IMPACT FEES, PRESENT AND FUTURE, BECAUSE $12.1 BILLION IS A HUGE NUMBER.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE LOOKING AT LITTLE OVER $4 MILLION, 4,800 IMPACT FINANCES.
THIS IS REALLY ALL INCLUSIVE WISHLISTS ON THE PART OF LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION.
IT COVERS EVERYTHING FORESEEABLE THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN HERE WILL NOT COME TO FRUITION.
OTHERS, HEY, DROP OFF SIMPLY BECAUSE OF NO LONGER NEEDED.
I SEE NOW, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT DECADE, IT IS WISE TO PUT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE INTO THIS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL OF THIS WILL BE GRANT LIGHTED OVER THE NEXT DECADE AND THINGS CERTAINLY WILL CHANGE.
UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER POINT THAT'S WORTH MENTIONING IS THAT IMPACT FEES ARE NOT THE ONLY FUNDING SOURCE OR THIS MATERIAL COUNTY FINANCE HAS A BIG ROLE.
AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE DESIGNATED AS BEING FINANCED BY IMPACT FEES.
IT'S PART OF GOVERNMENT BINDS PROPORTIONALITY IS, OR WILL BE.
WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW THIS IS REALLY A PER FAIRLY HYPOTHETICAL.
UM, AND IT TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROJECTS HERE, AND I WANT TO DRILL DOWN ON TWO OF THEM TO GIVE YOU JUST SORT OF A FEEL FOR THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT THIS.
AND I THINK WILL HELP EVERYONE'S PERSPECTIVE.
AND EVERYONE'S PEACE OF MIND IN TAKING A LOOK AT THIS FIRST OFF OF THE 12.1 6.7 IS REALLY THE NEW RIVERSIDE LIBRARY AND OTHER $3 MILLION IS THE BRIGHTON WELLS BRANCH.
AND IN BOTH CASES, IF WE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT CONSTRUCTION AND WHAT REPRESENTS A PARALLEL COMMITMENT BY THE COUNTY, THE FUND, THIS IN TERMS OF SALARIES AND WAGES FOR THE STAFF AND FOR THE MATERIALS THAT GOES INTO THIS, AND THAT REQUIRES AGAIN, A BIG JUMP BY THE COUNTY.
SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THIS WILL COME OUT, OR IF IT IN FACT WILL COME OUT.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT OUR FUNDS AT THIS POINT ARE REALLY GEOGRAPHICALLY LIMITED.
SO IN TERMS OF THE RIVERSIDE, WHICH IS FREE OF THE, THE, UM, THE BLUFFTON SIDE, WE HAVE A FUN CRACK, YOU KNOW, $3.2 MILLION SITTING THERE.
AND YOU CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE EARMARKED MAYBE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OR SO FOR THE LOCKTON LIBRARY EXTENSION, AS AGAIN MENTIONED IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, WHICH LEAVES 2.8 THAT WE HAVE ON, ON, ON HAND TO FUND THIS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT 0.8 VERSUS 6.7.
SO OBVIOUSLY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME FROM SOME OTHER PLACE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, AND WELLS WELLS WILL COME UP WITH MERTON WELLS IMPACT, EFFIE FUNDING FALLS UNDER THE BLOCK, THEN THE DIFFERENT, AND AT BUFORD, WE ONLY HAVE 600,000 IN IMPACT.
SO AGAIN, IF THIS IS TO MOVE FORWARD, FUNDING HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE AND THAT FUNDING WILL CERTAINLY BE THE COUNTY.
SO WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, I FEEL, I FEEL PRETTY GOOD.
LET ME, LET ME JUST RESTATE WHAT I COMMENTED IN AUGUST WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING THE TISHA VISH STUDY.
AND LET ME READ FROM MY COMMENTS THERE.
AND I SAID TO PUT THE SET PERSPECTIVE, AND THIS WAS THE AUGUST.
WE HAVE 4.7, AN IMPACT PHASE AND TISSUE
SO THAT THING WAS ABOUT 3 MILLION.
SO 3 MILLION FROM THE 11.6 MILLION REPRESENTS ABOUT $9 MILLION THAT WE HAVE IN FREE HAND PACK, FREE SPAN OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO WHEN I TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT 0.1 MILLION, RECOGNIZING THAT NOT ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO COME TO PASS AND A BIG PORTION OF THIS WILL REALLY HAVE TO BE FUNDED BY COUNTY.
I FEEL THAT WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE, AND THAT'S THE LEAST THE, THE FINANCE CHAIR'S PERSPECTIVE ON THIS.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR OBSERVATIONS OUT
[00:40:01]
OF THIS BIG LAB TO ENTERTAIN THEM, GO AHEAD, JANET.UM, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO ME, AND I SHOULD BEEN PAYING CLOSER ATTENTION TO THIS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE PROBABLY WANT AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT, TWO MORE BOOKMOBILES TO MEET ME, PARTICULARLY IF WE KEPT THE HILTON HEAD, THE ONE SOUTH OF THE BROAD, PRIMARILY HILTON HEAD AND THEN HAD ANOTHER BOOKMOBILE, LIKE PRIMARILY IN THE BLOCKCHAIN AREA.
AND SO I ARGUED THAT SURPRISES ME, THAT'S MISSING FROM THIS LIST SEEMS TO ME, AT LEAST AT OTHER AUTHORITY OF MATTERPORT AUTOMOBILE, I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO YOU.
NO, I JUST, I HAVE THE ANSWER.
SO JANET, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING HOW MUCH I LOVE MY BOOK.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE IF THE MOST RECENT ITERATION OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS LISTED AND GET TO THE FULL FULL COMMITTEE.
IT MIGHT'VE BEEN DONE VERY LATE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, BUT I THINK AT THE LAST MINUTE, REMEMBER THAT WAS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS DUE TO THE ANTICIPATED LIFE SPAN OF OUR BOOKMOBILES, THAT WE WILL LIKELY NEED TO REPLACE BOTH.
AND SO BOTH REPLACEMENTS OF THOSE ARE IN MY TENURE WISHLIST THAT I'VE SUBMITTED TO, UM, BUFORD COUNTY FOR REVIEW CONSTANT AMANDA, THAT DOESN'T EXPAND OUR BOOKMOBILE SERVICES.
SO I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE TWO IN THERE REPLACE CURRENT SERVICES, BUT THAT ASSUMES THAT OUR MOBILE SERVICES IN GENERAL IS CONSTANT OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND I THINK IT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL AND PEOPLE, AND FROM A CONSUMER ISN'T STANDPOINT ARE SO USED TO STUFF COMING TO THEM AND THAT TREND IS GOING TO CONTINUE, RIGHT? AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE SO MUCH GROWTH IN THE BLUFFTON AREA THAT I WOULD, I'M JUST SURPRISED.
WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING OUR SERVICES IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
ALL OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, ON THE TABLE, I THINK.
UM, AND SOME OF THAT WE, WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE.
AND SO, UM, IN THE PREVIEW WHEN I'M REMINDED OF IT OR ENCOURAGED BY RATHER IS THAT IN THE PREVIOUS 10 YEAR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, BOOKMOBILES WERE NEVER LISTED THEN.
SO, UM, THINGS THAT COME UP THAT WE NEED OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PURSUE PROVIDED WE HAVE JUSTIFICATION FOR THEM LIKE WE DID WITH THE BOOKMOBILES.
UM, AND IF YOU REMEMBER BOOKMOBILE SOUTH, THE SECOND ONE WAS FULLY FUNDED BY OUR HILTON HEAD FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
SO TO REINFORCE JOE'S POINT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WE FIND THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE LIBRARY IN OUR COMMUNITY, SOMETIMES IT'S, UH, IT'S NOT THE COUNTY THAT FUNDS IT, BUT IT IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH AN OUTSIDE FUNDING AGENCY, BUT YOU ARE RIGHT OUTREACH SERVICES, UM, MAY EXPAND AND EXPLODE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR ANY AND ALL OPTIONS THAT WE MAY WANT TO INCLUDE AS LIBRARY SERVICES.
YEAH, I LIKED THAT ALSO THAT RIVERSIDE BRANCH WOULD TAKE A LOT OF THE PRESSURE OFF THAT POPULATION GROWTH, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY IT'S BEING POSITIONED THERE.
SO IF WE HAVE THE NEW RIVERSIDE BRANCH AND NOW THAT WE NEED ANOTHER BLOCK, NOW, THE BOOKMOBILE IS SERVICING THAT AREA OR JANET TAB.
I WAS JUST, I JUST WANT TO REMIND ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING THAT.
UM, WE HAD PLANNED TO DO A STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS THIS YEAR IN 2020.
AND WE SUSPENDED THAT BECAUSE OF COVID AND BECAUSE WE THINK THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT AND INPUT IS SO VITAL TO THE PLAN, THE PLAN WE DID THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO HAD TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FOCUS GROUPS AND SURVEYS AND COMMUNITIES.
SO MY POINT IS, I JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE'RE WHOLE LOT, HOLD ON OUR NEXT STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORT TO, UM, UH, TO GET A NEW DIRECTOR ON BOARD.
AND THIS, THIS QUESTION OF OUTREACH SERVICES VERSUS FIXED SERVICES SORT OF IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BE CONSIDERING THAT WE WOULD BE CONSIDERING AS WE GO THROUGH THAT STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
SO THIS IS JUST ONE THING I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE PROCEED, HOPEFULLY LATER IN 2021.
UM, AND AS AMANDA POINTED OUT, FRIENDS OF THE HILTON HEAD LIBRARY DID PAY FOR THE OTHER BOOKMOBILE.
HOWEVER, THE COUNTY HAS TO FUNDS FOR PEOPLE, THE BODY PART, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY ELLIS KUWAIT, BUT WITH COUNTY UNSURE OF THEIR FUNDRAISING, HOW, BECAUSE OF COVID, UM, WHO KNOWS WHERE THAT'S ALL GOING TO GO, BUT EVEN THE NEW RIVERSIDE BRING 12 COSTS, THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE FUNDS THAT HAVE TO COME FROM THE COUNTY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? ON THE BOOKLET? NO.
[00:45:02]
ON TO SAY SOMETHING THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO QUESTION DOES THE BOOKMOBILE ACTUALLY, CAUSE I THINK HE SAID IT WAS IN THEIR REPORT THAT WE WOULD NEED FIVE NEW BRANCHES.WOULD THE BUS WON'T BE, I'LL BE ABLE TO REPLACE THAT NEED, I GUESS WITH THAT, THE BOOK MIGHT BE REPLACED THAT AMANDA, SO THAT WE, LIKE IF WE HAD MORE BOOKMOBILES OR WE NEED LESS BRANCHES.
SO, UM, THE CURRENT, UH, CAPITAL OR EXCUSE ME, RATHER, THE CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT BUFORD COUNTY IS OPERATING ON IS FROM 2000 ERA.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDED A LADY'S ISLAND BRANCH AND OCA T BRANCH OR PRITCHARD HILL BRANCH AT BURTON.
WELL, IT INCLUDED THOSE FIVE EXTRA BRANCHES.
UM, MR. MCBRIDE PRESENTED TO THIS BOARD, A REVISED VERSION OF THAT, THAT ONLY CALLED FOR TO A NEW BRANCH LIBRARIES.
ONE WOULD BE IN THE NEW RIVERSIDE AREA AND ONE WOULD BE IN THE BURDEN AREA TO ADDRESS NEEDS IN BOTH LOCATIONS, UM, THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
UM, SO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS LIST THAT I WAS ASKED TO SUBMIT, UH, AS A WISHLIST, UH, TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, I CARRIED FORWARD THE TWO BRANCHES THAT WERE REQUESTED IN MR. MCBRIDE'S REVISED, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT THIS BOARD REVIEWED AND ACCEPTED.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE THE NEW RIVERSIDE AND THE BURTON WELLS BRANCH.
UM, I ALSO CARRIED FORWARD, UH, THE NEED TO REPLACE ALL PUBLIC COMPUTERS, UM, SELF CHECKOUT MACHINES.
I CARRIED OVER ALSO A NEED THAT WAS EXPRESSED PREVIOUSLY, WHICH WAS PRINT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE AND PC RESERVATION SOFTWARE.
I ADDED THE REPLACEMENT OR ADDITION OF TWO BOOKMOBILES.
AND THEN, UM, THAT IS KIND OF THE LIST THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE LOOKING FOR FIVE MORE BRANCH LIBRARIES IN THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT WE'RE JUST LOOKING ABOUT TO, UH, POTENTIALLY DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH.
THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE MANAGEABLE.
I THINK WE'RE APPROVED THAT LAST YEAR, RAY, UM, PROVIDED, WE APPROVED GOING DOWN TO TWO.
WHILE I WAS READING THROUGH THE NOTES AND IT SAID FIVE BRANCHES, BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE OLDER ONES TRUCK.
YOU HAD SOMETHING TO JUMP IN ON.
SINCE WE'RE MOVING THE FINANCE PART, I SENT OF COURSE, EMAILS TO OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT IMPACT FEE INVESTMENTS FOR MS. LYNN AND HIS RESPONSE IS THEY RECEIVE ALLOCATIONS OF INTEREST INCOME BASED ON THEIR BALANCES IN PULLED CASH TO ANSWER THE QUESTION IS YES.
IT GOES TO THE COUNTY THOUGH, RIGHT JACK TO THE LIBRARY FUND.
I MEAN, WE GET OUR MONEY FROM CATHERINE ANYWAY.
MA'AM THANKS FOR FEELING A SENSE.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR, UM, JOE, OUR STUDENT FINANCE PERSON.
THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR THAT COMPLETE REPORT.
LYNN FOUNDATION, THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION.
WHERE AM I HERE? I HOPE EVERYBODY REMEMBERED TO DO YOUR DEDUCTIBLE DONATION.
UM, SO THEY HAD THE MEETING THIS MORNING WITH, UM, THEY DISCUSSED, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DISCUSS IS LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR BOARD MEMBERS IN FRANCE.
SO, UM, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON FOR THE FRIENDS GROUPS AS WELL.
AND, UM, AND THE OTHER THING IS THEY'RE DEVELOPING A FACEBOOK PAGE.
UM, SO THAT'S TWO THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, I THOUGHT WE TALKED, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT ONE WAY THAT WE HAVE INSURANCE DON'T WE? WE DO, BUT NOT OVER THE FOUNDATION AND FRIENDS.
AND THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY DOES IT? I THINK SO.
THAT'S WHAT THE FOUNDATION DID THIS MORNING.
UM, LET'S GO TO FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
BRENDA, YOU HAVE BUFORD FRIENDS OF LIBRARY, ANY REPORT YOU'RE MUTED.
SEE, EVERYBODY'S SO EFFICIENT AT MUTING.
NOT SO MUCH OF A REPORT, BUT I'M HOPING THAT EVERYONE HAS SEEN THE FRIENDS OF LIBRARY, DISTRIBUTION, UH, EMAILS ON THE BOOK SANDWICH.
THEN BERNIE LOVES THAT WE CAN SEE THE ZOOM MEETINGS.
BECAUSE THE FIRST ONE WAS, I NEED, I MISSED BECAUSE I WAS AT WORK, BUT THAT DOES PROVIDE GREAT CONVENIENCE IN THAT WE CAN SEE THE
[00:50:01]
BOOKS.SAME WITH DAN, JUST LIKE GOING TO ZOOM MEETING.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY WEBSITE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE SCHEDULE THERE.
A VERY POPULAR THING, PRE COVID.
BLUFFTON FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY WITH US.
HOW ABOUT RA'S? DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT ONE? OKAY.
AMANDA, MAYBE YOU COULD FILL IT.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE INVITED TO ALL THE FRIENDS GROUPS MEETINGS IN THE BLUFFTON IN DECEMBER FOR THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET MEETING.
AND SO THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING, A FEBRUARY MEETING TO START.
HILTON HAD FRIENDS BACK TO YOU, LYNN.
I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THIS LAST TWO DAYS.
UM, AND UH, THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH YOU AND, UH, WITH THEIR FINANCIAL ADVISORS, SOME, UH, THEIR, EVERYTHING THEY HAVE IS NOT EVERYTHING, BUT MOST OF THEIR STAFF IS IN CDS.
SO THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT OTHER, UH, VEHICLES TO KEEP YOUR INVESTMENTS SAFE, BUT GET MAYBE A LITTLE MORE, UM, INTERESTED IN.
UM, SO THEY WORKED ON THAT AND THEN, UM, LIKE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WITH AMANDA ABOUT SETTING UP A COLLABORATIVE MEETING WITH THE OTHER FRIENDS GROUPS.
THEY, UM, I THINK SHARING INFORMATION IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT THING AND THEY FELT THAT WAY TOO.
THEY TALKED ABOUT THE KURDS SIDE SERVICE FOR THE TAXES AND, UM, AND WE ARE PART OF THE, UM, WE HAVE SENT A NOTE OUT TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS TO LOG INTO THE BOOK SANDWICH AND WE ARE, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO BE PART OF THAT AS WELL.
SO THAT, SO THAT, UH, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO SET ALL THIS UP OURSELVES ON ZOOM AND LEARN ALL OF THAT.
SO, UM, YOU FOR GRACIOUSLY, LET US BE PART OF THEIR BOOKS AND KNOW CHIN, AND I THINK WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE UPSIDES OF THE COVID MESS THAT HOW PEOPLE COULD ZOOM IN AND YOU COULD HAVE COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS WITH ALL THE FRIENDS AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS TO SHOW UP AND PEOPLE COULD ZOOM INTO THE BOOK SANDWICH.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW UPSIDES TO THE OPEN.
THEY DID A GREAT JOB WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING THERE.
NO, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS.
STRATEGIC PLANNING, JANA, YOU GAVE US YOUR UPDATE.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? I THINK YOUR COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK WITH THAT.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE JOE CHALLENGE MATERIALS.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY CONTROVERSIAL MATERIAL ON THE SHELVES.
LIBRARY FACILITIES, BERNIE, YOU'RE THE CHAIR OF THAT ONE.
ANYTHING TO ADD TO AMANDA'S REPORT ON PROJECTS.
OH, AMANDA AND I MET LAST FRIDAY, THE EIGHTH, THE 8TH OF JANUARY TO GO OVER THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LIST AND PRIORITY OR PROJECT.
AND THEN LATER IN THE DAY, AMANDA, AS SHE SAID, SHE MADE A COUPLE OF CORRECTIONS.
UH, BUT ONE THING I'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT ON THE REPORT IS NUMBER ONE, THE BRANCH LIBRARY, TO NOTE THE EXPLORATION, THE CURRENT LEASE ON DECEMBER 31ST, TWO OH TWO, FIVE 25, AND THEN REPHRASING BUFORD BRANCH LIBRARY RENOVATIONS IN ORDER TO INCLUDE PROVISION FOR RENOVATIONS OTHER THAN THE SECOND FLOOR STORAGE ROOM AND ACQUIRING PARKING, SHOULD AN OPPORTUNITY PRESENT ITSELF IN TERMS OF A PRIORITY PER ITEM IN THIS TEN-YEAR LIST.
NUMBER ONE IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
MOST PROJECTS ARE TWO, THREE, FIVE, AND SIX OH FIVE AS A ROW.
SIX IS KIND OF HIGH AMPLIFYING THE SKY, AND WE THINK WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY IT'S FINALLY WRAPPED UP.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT
[00:55:01]
OF THE FACILITIES PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON.THE ONE THAT'S MOST EMINENT IS THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY RENOVATIONS.
THE BUDGET, UH, COST FOR THE BID CAME IN, AS ANNA SAID, IT WAS LOWER THAN WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
AND IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE, I THINK NEXT MONDAY, IS IT COMMANDED THE NIGHT NEXT TUESDAY.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST ONE ON THE HORIZON AND THAT IS A NUMBER TWO PRIORITY.
UH, BUT GOING FAST TO A NUMBER ONE.
SO WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE APPROVED.
UH, AND I THINK AMANDA SAID, IT LOOKS LIKE AN OUTSIDE FINISH DATE OF NO MORE THAN NOVEMBER OF 2021.
I THINK IF IT GETS STARTED NOW IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO IT'LL BE FINISHED, I THINK SUBSTANTIALLY EARLIER THAN NOVEMBER, 2021, THE NEXT PROJECT AFTER THAT, WHICH HASN'T EVEN GOTTEN BUDGED OR STARTED WOULD BE THE INNOVATION PIECE FOR THE HILTON HEAD LIBRARY.
THE, UH, DESIGN PLAN WAS SUBMITTED.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AGREEABLE TO EVERYBODY, BUT MONEY TALKS.
AND SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
THE NAME RIVERSIDE, A NEW LIBRARY WITH APPROXIMATELY A $6,700,000 ESTIMATED COST IS I THINK STILL ON THE TABLE.
UH, BUT THE COUNTY IS OF COURSE, WHERE IS MONEY COMING FROM IN THE NEAR FUTURE DUE TO THE REVENUES THAT IT TAKES NOW THAT THE CON UH, THE DEVELOPER OR THE PROJECT STILL WANTS TO DO IT.
UM, SO THAT I THINK WILL BECOME A REALITY AND WE WILL HAVE OUR SIXTH LIBRARY, BUT, UH, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL POTTERING ALONG AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THE COUNTY FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO I THINK THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ALL RIGHT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS? I DON'T SEE ANY ON THE AGENDA, BUT DID WE MISS ANY THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO BRING UP? ALL RIGHT.
I HAVE NONE ON THE AGENDA UNLESS SOMEBODY WANTS TO OFFER ONE.
WE ARE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC, WE WILL COME BACK OUT.
NO VOTE WILL BE TAKEN WHILE WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE WILL THEN COME BACK OUT AND TAKE ANY VOTE NEEDED AND ALSO GO TO A GERMAN.
SO IF THERE'S, UH, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, PLEASE? ALL RIGHT.
LYNN MAKES A MOTION AND TRACY CAN SECOND ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND IF YOU WOULD NOTIFY COMMUNICATIONS TO STOP TAPING, WELCOME VETERANS TO OUR NEW HOME, I'D BE FOR CITY HALL FOR 29 YEARS, WE WERE IN THE HUMAN SERVICES BUILDING AND THEY FINALLY MOVED US TO A NEW LOCATION.
SO IN THE FUTURE, YOU NEED OUR SERVICES TO BOUNDARY STREET, CITY HALL.
ON THE FIRST FLOOR, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
BE SURE TO SCRUB UNDER YOUR FINGERNAILS AND BETWEEN YOUR FINGERS, YOUR HANDS WITH A GREEN TOWEL OR A PAPER TOWEL FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO WWW.CDC.GOV/CLEAN HANDS.
SO SHE'LL JUST, YOU JUST LET US GO ON WE'RE BACK, LIVE OR RECORDING, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY.
WE'LL GIVE A, IF YOU WANT TO JUST COUNT
[01:00:01]
DOWN TO, THEY SAID THEY NEEDED ABOUT 10 SECONDS.I'LL COME MY GRANDSON ONE, TWO, FIVE, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, 10, BOOM.
YOU KNOW, HE'S IN SECOND GRADE.
SO WE'RE COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE DID NOT TAKE A VOTE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, IS THERE ANY MORE BUSINESS ON THE FLOOR GLADLY TO MAKE A MOTION TAB? YES.
AM I MUTED OR WHERE AM I? I'M ON.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE BRING TO A CLOSE POSE, THE SOLICITATION FOR MORE JOB APPLICANTS FOR THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR, PERMANENT DIRECTOR POSITION.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD RECOMMEND A MOTION THAT THE LAST DAY OF JANUARY IS THE CLOSING DATE FOR A NEW APPLICATIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR'S POSITION.
DO I GET A SECOND TO THAT? ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO, UH, CLOSED APPLICATIONS, THE DIRECTOR POSITION ON JULY 31ST, 2021.
AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC THAT'S LET'S THINK WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS SINCE AUGUST.
SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SIX MONTH OPEN WINDOW, FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM ANY TRUSTEE.
SO LET'S TAKE A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION.
SO OFFICIALLY AMANDA, WE ARE CLOSING THE APPLICATION TIME PERIOD ON JULY POST, SORRY, JANUARY 31ST.
SO WE'LL HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR SIX MONTHS AND THEN THE COMMITTEE WILL GO TO WORK.
SO BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND US, I BELIEVE OUR NEXT MEETING IS MARCH THE 10TH AT 4:00 PM.
AND AT THIS POINT, I THINK WE'RE STILL VIRTUAL UNLESS THE COUNTY MOVES DIFFERENTLY.
COUGHED, AMANDA, THAT IS UP TO YOU.
YOU MAY CHOOSE TO MEET IN PERSON.
YOU JUST, UM, VOTED EARLIER IN THIS MEETING THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW FOR THEM FOR THE PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS TO MEET IN PERSON IN THE MEETING ROOM, UNDER OUR GUIDELINES, BUT YOU CAN CHOOSE VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON.
WHERE IS OUR NEXT? MAYBE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, I DON'T HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN B, B FOR BRANCH DOWNTOWN BUFORD.
WELL, WE'LL DO A POLL AND DECIDE IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE IN PERSON.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS FACING IN THAT ROOM.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, I MIGHT WANT TO PUT MY 2 CENTS IN ON THIS, WHICH IS, I THINK, WHERE THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WHO YOU CAN'T SEE AT ALL OR THE, WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A BIG CONFERENCE ROOM AND THEN THE RESTAURANTS WHOM I THINK HYBRID MEETINGS ARE HARD.
SO UNLESS WE CAN DRILL OUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE KNOW EACH OTHER, I THINK IT'D BE BETTER.
I'M HAPPY WITH THE ZOOM MEETINGS.
IT'S UH, IT SEEMS TO BE QUICKER BECAUSE I'M NOT DRIVING SOMEPLACE FOR A HALF AN HOUR.
CAUSE I THINK WE CAN CONCENTRATE.
I'D LIKE TO SAY GOING BACK TO THE, NO DISRESPECT TO THE FLAG, I DIDN'T HAVE ONE IN MY HEART, BUT GOD BLESS AMERICA.
THAT'S DONE IN A WE'LL GET IT RIGHT.
AND IF WE DO SIT DOWN MY SUGGESTION, LET ME SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I'M NOT SURE WHY, UH, YOU KNOW, LAST TIME THEY DID SO MANY OF THESE MEN THAT COULD WORK ON THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE? I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN UNLESS YOU WANT TO STAY ON FOR ANOTHER COUPLE HOURS.
[01:05:18]
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.
YEAH, IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL
HOW MANY HURRICANES TEAR APART COASTAL COMMUNITIES WITH WIND AND RAIN AND FLASH FLOODS, WIPE ENTIRE TOWNS OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
AS THE SKY IS CLEAR, PEOPLE BEGIN TO PICK UP THE PIECES, BUT AFTER THE STORM, INSIDIOUS DAMAGE IS STILL BEING DONE.
OUR MOST VITAL NATURAL RESOURCES UNDER ASSAULT, OUR NATION'S WAR
AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT A WATERSHED IS.
I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHAT A WATERSHED IS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? WATERSHED, A WATERSHED WHERE PEOPLE GO TO THE BATHROOM.
SO I THINK, I GUESS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SWEATING, LIKE AFTER YOU RUN, WHEN YOU, YOU BUST FIRE.
WE WANTED TO ASK YOU IF YOU KNEW WHAT A WATERSHED WAS.
IS IT KINDA LIKE THE RAIN? DO YOU KNOW WHAT A WATERSHED IS? SHED THAT HOLDS WATER RARE HERE FOR A SECOND.
I WANT TO ASK YOURSELF, DO YOU KNOW WHAT A WATERSHED IS? NO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? WHAT DO YOU THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH, UH, WHAT A WATERSHED IS? YEAH, THAT'S JUST A DRAIN POOL, I GUESS YOU'D SAY.
OR THE DRAIN AREA THAT BOARD OF WATER TO RAINWATER GRAINS INTO THE RIVER.
A WATERSHED IS THAT AREA OF LAND THAT DRAINS TO A BODY OF WATER, BE THAT IF IT'S A RIVER, A STREAM, THE OCEAN AND ESTUARY A BAY, WHEREVER YOU LIVE DRAINS TO SOME WATER BODY AND YOU'D LIVE IN A WATERSHED.
SO EVERYONE LIVES IN A WATERSHED.
AND IN THIS MODERN INDUSTRIAL AGE, OUR WATER SOURCES ARE BECOMING MORE CONTAMINATED WITH EACH PASSING YEAR.
THE BIGGEST WATER QUALITY PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE NATION TODAY IS POLLUTED RUNOFF, ALL WATER EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE, DRAINS TO THE ATLANTIC WHILE WATER WEST OF THE DIVIDE FLOWS TO THE PACIFIC AND ONE DROP OF RAIN CAN CROSS MANY DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS ALONG THE WAY.
AS RUNOFF FLOWS INTO RIVERS, STREAMS AND STORM DRAINS, THE WATER PICKS UP TRASH, DIRT, BACTERIA, TOXIC CHEMICALS, AND FERTILIZERS, CREATING A SOUP OF POLLUTANTS THAT IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF POLLUTED RUNOFF EXIST WORLDWIDE.
THE UNF IS THAT THERE'S ABOUT A BILLION PEOPLE ON THE PLANET RIGHT NOW WHO DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO FRESH.
97% OF ALL WATER ON EARTH IS SALTY OCEAN WATER OF THE REMAINING 3%.
IT'S FRESH OVER TWO THIRDS IS FROZEN IN GLACIERS AND POLARIZED.
THAT LEAVES LESS THAN 1% OF ALL THE PLANETS
[01:10:01]
WATER FOR OUR USE.PREDICTING THE FUTURE THAT SOME OF THE U S WATER NEEDS ARE GOING TO COME THROUGH PIPELINE BECAUSE WE HAVE JUST OVERUSED OUR SUPPLY TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX THREATS FACING US WATER RESOURCES.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RECOMMENDS ADOPTING A WATERSHED APPROACH.
WE'RE TRYING TO RECONNECT SOME OF THE RIVER.
IT'S A METHOD THAT LOOKS AT EACH WATERSHED FOR ITS OWN UNIQUE SET OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS.
IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE MISTAKENLY IDENTIFY LARGE DISCHARGE PIPES IN THE WATER AS THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE THE PROBLEM.
IT MAY BE COMING FROM AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF.
IT MAY BE COMING FROM STORMWATER RUNOFF OVER PARKING LOTS AND IMPERVIOUS SURFACES.
EVERY WATERSHED IS DIFFERENT AND YOU NEED TO LOOK AT EACH WATERSHED IN ITS OWN TERMS, AND THEN THINK SYSTEMATICALLY ABOUT HOW YOU REMEDIATE, HOW YOU CLEAN UP THAT WATERSHED IN CALIFORNIA, THE SANTA MONICA BAY WATERSHED DRAINS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF POLLUTED RUNOFF AFTER EACH STORM.
WHEN IT RAINS, LITERALLY THE WHOLE RESIDUE OF URBAN LIVING ENDS UP GETTING WASHED INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM AND ENDS UP GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE BAY ON SANTA MONICA BAY BEACHES WITH NO TREATMENT WHATSOEVER.
IT'S ACTUALLY LIKE A GIANT TOILET BECAUSE ALL OF THE POLLUTION, THE DOG MESS HAS BEEN BUILDING UP AND BUILDING UP AND BUILDING UP WHEN IT RAINS, IT JUST FLUSHES INTO THE STORM DRAIN AND GOES DIRECTLY INTO THE SURF.
IN 1996, THE SANTA MONICA BAY RESTORATION COMMISSION PROVED THERE WAS A LINK BETWEEN THE CONTAMINATED RUNOFF IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY AND REPORTS OF ILLNESS, AFFLICTING PEOPLE WHO SWIM THERE.
WHAT WE DID FIND WAS AT THE OUTLETS OF STORM DRAINS, NO MATTER WHERE THEY WERE UP AND DOWN THE BAY, IF THERE WAS A FLOW OF RUNOFF INTO THE SURF ZONE, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE SWIMMING IN THOSE AREAS, UH, DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED HIGHER INCIDENCES OF ILLNESSES.
THE PLUTONS IN NO WATER AFFECTS SURFERS BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY THE INDICATOR SPECIES WITH ALL THE POLLUTANTS.
UM, WHEN WE ARE IN THE WATERS, WE'RE INGESTING IT THROUGH OUR SKIN, IN OUR MOUTH.
EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T TAKE A SWALLOW OF WATER, IT'S STILL GETTING INTO OUR SYSTEMS, OUR EARS, ANY ORIFICE WHEN YOUR BODY AND IT CAUSES INFECTIONS, IT CAN CAUSE A COLD SORE THROATS.
I WOULDN'T WANT IT TO LIMIT A LOT OF, IT'S GOT THOSE DISEASES IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, JUST FLOATING AROUND, MAKING MORE DISEASE, PRETTY MUCH AS BAD AS IT COULD BE.
I'VE SEEN CRAP FLOATING OUT IN THE WATER.
LITERALLY GENERICALLY, WE CALL IT FECAL COLIFORM.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU MIGHT KNOW OF IT AS ECO-LINE SALMONELLA OR ENTEROCOCCUS.
THERE'S TIMES WHEN IT TASTES FUNKY.
EVERY DAY, THE CITY AND COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PERFORM A BATTERY OF TESTS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED ABOUT WATER QUALITY IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY SES, OUR OURS ADD-ON BEGINS THE MONITORING PROCESS EACH MORNING BY TAKING A SERIES OF COASTLINE WATER SAMPLES.
THEN IT'S BACK TO THE LAB FOR ANALYSIS HERE.
THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ME GOING TO EAT.
AND WHEN YOU PUT IT UNDER THE UV LIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENT KIND OF COLOR.
IT'S A FLUORESCENT, A SIGN THAT THERE IS A BACTERIA.
AND THEN IT'S CALLED EQUALIZE.
THAT ONE DEFINITELY EATS, UH, FECES FROM ANIMALS, OR IT COULD BE HUMAN SOURCES.
THE RESULTS ARE REPORTED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND BEACH WARNINGS ARE POSTED AS NECESSARY.
THE NUMBER OF BEACH POSTINGS HAS DECREASED AND 85% OF THE BEACHES THAT HAVE BEEN MONITORED IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE RECEIVED EITHER A OR B GRADES.
AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN FOUR YEARS AGO.
BUT WHILE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN CALIFORNIA, THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF POLLUTED RUNOFF ARE A GROWING CONCERN EVERYWHERE.
SO WHAT CAN THE AVERAGE PERSON DO TO HELP REDUCE POLLUTION IN OUR WATERSHEDS, HOW YOU APPLY PESTICIDES OR NOT IN YOUR GARDEN, HOW YOU WASH YOUR CARS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T THROW CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT ONTO THE STREET, DO NOT DUMP THINGS ON THE GROUND, ESPECIALLY OILS OR ANY CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOGS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS AND JUST BE A CONSCIENTIOUS CITIZEN AND DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING ON THE GROUND.
I THINK ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND NEEDS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
IF NOT YOU WHO COMING UP, WE'RE HEADING FOR, WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE, CAN THE GULF OF MEXICO BE SAVED FROM BLUE TO RUN OFF? IT WAS A FLOOD OF APOCALYPTIC SCALE, 26,000 SQUARE MILES OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INUNDATED BY WATER.
AND 600,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES.
THE FLOOD OF 1927 WAS THE MOST DISASTROUS IN US HISTORY.
AND ITS EFFECTS ARE STILL FELT TODAY.
AFTER THE FLOOD OF 27, MASSIVE LEVIES WERE PUT IN PLACE.
AND WHILE THEY HELPED PROTECT THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN FROM FLOODING, THE LEVIES AND OTHER HUMAN
[01:15:01]
ACTIVITIES WOULD ULTIMATELY HARM THE WATERSHED IN UNFORESEEN WAYS.THE GULF STATE OF LOUISIANA IS THE TERMINUS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
THE MIGHTY WATERSHED THAT DRAINS 41% OF THE AREA OF THE LOWER 48 STATES INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.
UH, WE RECEIVE WATER FROM AS FAR AWAY AS MONTANA, MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO, IOWA, ALL THE WATER'S DRAINED, RIGHT? HALF THIS AREA RIGHT HERE.
BUT BY THE TIME ALL THAT WATER ENTERS THE GULF, IT HAS ACCUMULATED ENOUGH CONTAMINANTS FROM POLLUTED RUNOFF TO CREATE AN ENORMOUS HYPOXIC ZONE, AN AREA OF WATER LACKING IN VITAL OXYGEN.
THE SIZE OF THE LOW AUCTIONS ZONE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO IS ABOUT 9,000 SQUARE MILES.
THAT'S EQUAL TO THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
THE SHORTAGE OF OXYGEN IS KILLING FISH AND OTHER SEA LIFE AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.
WE ARE THE LARGEST NAVIGATION PORT IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST FISHERY IN THIS COUNTRY.
OH, HE WAS CRABBING A LOT OF TIMES ALL OUR CRABS WE DID.
THE REASON HYPOXIA SHOULD BE OF CONCERN TO MOST CITIZENS IN THIS NATION IS BECAUSE IT'S A SIGN.
IT'S A SIGN OF THE DEGRADATION OF OUR WATER RESOURCES.
WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER CAUSED BY THE OFFSHORE HYPOXIC AREAS, THEN THAT ABSOLUTELY TRANSLATES INTO AN ECONOMIC DISASTER.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS CAUSING THIS DEAD ZONE IN THE GULF HYPOXIA DEVELOPS WHEN AN AREA OF WATER RECEIVES EXCESS POLLUTANTS, PRIMARILY AN OVERABUNDANCE OF NUTRIENTS, WHICH PRODUCE LARGE ALGAE BLOOMS THAT DIE OFF AND LEAD TO LOW OXYGEN.
AND SINCE THE MISSISSIPPI GETS FED BY TRIBUTARIES, THAT FLOW THROUGH 31 STATES, THAT ADDS UP TO A STAGGERING VOLUME OF CONTAMINATED RUNOFF.
YOU HAVE DRAINAGE INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM THE OHIO RIVER, THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND THE MISSOURI RIVER, GET EACH OF THOSE THREE MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS OR WATERSHEDS IN AND OF THEMSELVES WITH THEIR CHALLENGES AND THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAS ALWAYS DELIVERED A LOT OF WATER AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED OVER THE CENTURIES.
WHAT'S CHANGED IS THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS IN THAT WATER.
IN FACT, THE MISSISSIPPI'S NITROGEN LEVELS IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAVE TRIPLED SINCE THE 1950S AND THE GROWING HYPOXIC ZONE OFF THE LOUISIANA COAST CONTAINS THE DISTURBING EVIDENCE.
IT'S LIKE A RUSTY COLOR STANKY, ROTTEN LOOKING, YOU SEE FISH, JUST SWIMMING, SIDEWAYS, GASPING FOR AIR AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, YOU PULL UP THE NETS, NOT AT ONE SHRIMP ALIVE, ALL DEAD ORANGE, THE FISH, THEY ROTTEN LIKE MELTON AWAY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THE WAY WE TREAT OUR WATER SYSTEMS, BECAUSE WE USE THEM AS OUR GARBAGE DUMPS.
WE USE THEM TO DILUTE OUR POLLUTANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I BELIEVE THE STATISTIC IS THAT IF YOU'RE IN NEW ORLEANS, THE WATER THAT IS GOING BY, YOU HAS PASSED THROUGH HUMAN GUTS.
SOMETHING LIKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES BEFORE IT GETS TO YOU, INCREDIBLY LOUISIANA BOASTS TO NATURAL RESOURCE THAT REMOVES POLLUTANTS FROM THE DRAINING MISSISSIPPI, THE ONES ABUNDANT WETLANDS, PLANTS THAT GROW IN WETLANDS PRODUCE THESE WONDERFUL FILTERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS COMING INTO THEM.
THEY TEND TO CHEMICALS AND WHAT LEAVES THE WETLANDS IS MUCH, MUCH CLEANER.
WATER WETLANDS ALSO PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE.
SADLY, THE LOUISIANA WETLANDS ARE QUICKLY DISAPPEARING.
COASTAL LOUISIANA HAS LOST ABOUT 1.2 MILLION ACRES OF WETLANDS IN THE LAST 100 YEARS.
WHEN WE LEAVE IT OFF THE MISSISSIPPI, IT CUT OFF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATER FROM THE MARSHAL.
IN ADDITION TO THE LEVIES, A NETWORK OF MAN-MADE NAVIGATION CHANNELS IS ALSO COMPROMISING THE WETLANDS BY ALLOWING SALTWATER TO SEEP INTO THE MARSHES.
ONCE THAT SALTWATER TRAVELS UP THESE CHANNELS AND OVERFLOWS THE BANKS OF THESE CHANNELS OUT INTO FRESHWATER SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE CYPRESS SWAMP, THAT SALT WATER SITS OUT THERE AROUND THE ROOTS OF THESE TREES, UH, AND KILLS THEM.
THEY CANNOT SURVIVE SALT WATER, THEY'RE FRESH WATER PLANTS ELIMINATING THE HYPOXIC ZONE WILL TAKE MORE THAN SAVING OUR WETLANDS.
REDUCING NUTRIENT RUNOFF IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATERSHED IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM.
IT'S AN ISSUE INVOLVING OVER HALF THE STATES IN THE NATION AND A VAST ARRAY OF INDUSTRIES, PARTICULARLY FARMING, WHICH USES NITROGEN RICH FERTILIZER TO GROW ITS CROPS.
FERTILIZERS ARE HELPING THE UNITED STATES PRODUCE THE FOOD FOR THE WORLD, BUT THERE IS SUCH A THING AS OVERUSED.
THERE ARE SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE DONE THE ANALYSIS AND PREDICT THAT YOU COULD REDUCE FERTILIZERS BY ABOUT 12% WITHOUT REDUCING CROP PRODUCTION AND SEE A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE
[01:20:01]
IN THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN GOING INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER EXPERTS SAY THE FIRST KEY TO CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR IS RAISING AWARENESS.WE ALL LIVE DOWNSTREAM OF SOMEBODY AND WE ALL LIVE UPSTREAM OF SOMEBODY.
SO WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE DOES IN THEIR WATERSHED EFFECTS, THE WATER THAT I RECEIVE AND WHAT I DO IN MY WATERSHED AFFECTS THE WATER THAT SOMEBODY ELSE RECEIVES DOWNSTREAM.
IF WE DON'T CLEAN UP OUR ACT, OUR WATER RESOURCES, WHICH WE SIMPLY CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT WILL BE RUINED COMING UP.
CAN THE WATER SUPPLY FOR 9 MILLION NEW YORKERS BE SAVED FROM THE RAVAGES OF POLLUTED RUNOFF IN JANUARY OF 1996, ONE OF THE MOST DEVASTATING WINTER STORMS IN HISTORY SLAMS THE EAST COAST TWO FEET OF SNOW DUMPS ON NEW YORK AND THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SCHOOLS, AIRPORTS AND ROADS ARE SHUT DOWN BY THE TIME IT'S OVER THE BLIZZARD AND RESULT IN FLOODING COST $3 BILLION IN LOSSES AND 187 LIVES ARE TAKEN.
AND IN THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK, THE SNOW MELT TRIGGERS ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING CRISIS STORM WATER RUNOFF CONTAMINATED WITH TRASH, DIRT, FERTILIZERS, AND PESTICIDES FROM NEARBY FARMS AND COMMUNITIES THREATENS THE FRESH WATER SUPPLY.
AND THE CATSKILL SYSTEM OF RESERVOIRS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR IT IS THE BIGGEST WATERSHED OF NEW YORK CITY PROVIDING DRINKING WATER TO OVER 9 MILLION PEOPLE.
THE MIRACLE OF THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM IS LARGELY UNKNOWN TO MOST NEW YORKERS.
YOU ASK PEOPLE WHERE DOES THE WATER COME FROM? OFTEN PEOPLE SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS AND SAY NEW JERSEY.
I FIGURED THAT, UH, WE WERE PROBABLY OUR OWN SEPARATE WATER SYSTEM THEN FROM UPSTATE AND RATHER THAN BE DRINKING WATER FROM UPSTATE AND THE HUDSON RIVER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF HOW LARGE THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW CLOSE TO CRISIS MANY OF OUR WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS ARE TO PRESERVE THE PURITY OF THE RESERVOIRS AND ENFORCED THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESENTED THE BIG APPLE WITH TWO OPTIONS, EITHER BUILD AND MAINTAIN A $6 BILLION FACILITY TO FILTER ALL OF THE CITY'S TAP WATER OR FUND A $1 BILLION PROGRAM TO PROTECT THE WATERSHED FROM POLLUTED RUNOFF.
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR INVESTMENT IN CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER, PRESERVING OPEN SPACE, FIXING ANTIQUATED SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, WE CAN'T WAIT.
IT DOESN'T GET ANY LESS EXPENSIVE.
IT GETS MORE EXCITING, EXPENSIVE WITH THE HISTORIC WATERSHED AGREEMENT OF 1997, AN UNPRECEDENTED UPSTATE DOWNSTATE PARTNERSHIP WAS FORGED TO PROTECT THE NEW YORK CITY WATER SUPPLY.
THE WATERSHED AGREEMENT IS SAVING NEW YORK CITY, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THE PLAN INCLUDES PURCHASING AND PRESERVING 355,000 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED WATERSHED LAND, THE UPGRADING OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS AND THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF STREAM PORTERS.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS A MAIN TRIBUTARY OF THE SOPAS CREEK.
DURING THE FLOODING, WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF SEDIMENT COMING OUT OF THE STREAM.
THE CLAY GETS INTO THE WATER COLUMN AND IT BECOMES VERY TURBID AND THEN IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TREAT AND CLEAN THAT WATER.
SO FROM A WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT EROSION.
THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES FUNDING FOR FARMERS THAT IMPLEMENT AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
BUT WE HAVE A VERY EXCITING PROGRAM WITH THE WATERSHED AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL, WHERE WE ARE WORKING WITH LOCAL FARMERS.
WE LOOK AT HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THE ANIMALS, FILL THAT THE RUNOFF ASSOCIATED WITH MANURE FERTILIZER AND THAT THAT FARM ACTIVITY ISN'T GETTING INTO THE STREAMS AROUND OUR RESERVOIRS WATER HERE IS BASICALLY THE WATER YOU'RE GOING TO BE DRINKING DOWN IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, I FEEL I'VE GOT A RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY MY BEST TO KEEP IT CLEAN FOR WHEN IT GETS DOWN THERE.
IT USED TO BE WHEN IT RAINED HERE ON THE FARM, THE WATER THAT RAN AWAY FROM THE BACK OF THE BARN HERE WAS FULL OF MUD MANURE, AND IT WOULD JUST RUN BROWN AND RIGHT INTO THE STREAM.
TWO YEARS AGO, WE WOULD SPREAD EVERY DAY.
WE'D HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT, SPREAD IT ON THE FIELDS.
IF THE SNOW IS DEEP, WE SPREAD IT ON THE SNOW.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF THE GROUND WAS FROZE, WHEN THE SNOW MELTED, THE NUTRIENT VALUE OF IT FOR FERTILIZER WAS GONE.
THAT WOUND UP DOWN IN THE RIVER WITH NEW YORK CITY FUNDING, A SECURE ABOVE GROUND STEEL TANK THAT CAN HOLD 400,000 GALLONS OF MANURE WAS INSTALLED IN THE METAL BROOK FARM.
THAT'S ENOUGH STORAGE FOR SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
NOW WE CAN STORE IT, SPREAD IT WHEN IT'LL DO THE MOST GOOD TO US FOR FERTILIZER.
AND, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO SPREAD IT EVERY DAY.
I'D WORKED WITH TIM ON THE PLAN TO DEVELOP THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE.
PLAN REALLY BELONGS TO THE FARMER.
UH, AND IT'S A COLLABORATION OF THEIR IDEAS AND WHAT TECHNICAL ADVICE WE CAN BRING TO THE PROGRAM.
BUT THE FARMER MAKES THE DECISION.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT SEEMS TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
HERE'S TO THE FARMERS WHO ARE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT CLEAN WATER TO PUT IN THERE.
COFFEE TO GUARANTEE THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY IS FRESH AT THE TAP.
COMPREHENSIVE TESTS ARE PERFORMED BY THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, BOTH IN THE LAB AND AT OVER 1000 SAMPLING STATIONS
[01:25:01]
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NEW YORK CITY, HE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EXTENSIVE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMS IN THE NATION.IF NOT THE WORLD SAMPLING EVERY DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR, I'VE BEEN DRINKING THIS WATER FOR 53 YEARS.
THAT'S WATER IN THE WORLD, NEW YORK CITY, STRAIGHT FROM THE TAP TO MY LIPS COMING UP.
THE FUTURE OF OUR WATER SUPPLY REMAINS AT RISK, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT IT.
FIND OUT HOW NEXT
THE QUESTION IS, DO WE NEED TO HAVE AS MANY AS WE DO BECAUSE TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU HAVE TOO MUCH IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, THE WATER IS NOT RETAINED ON SITE.
IT DOESN'T SOAK INTO THE GROUND.
IT RUNS OFF, PICKS UP SPEED, CARRIES POLLUTANTS AND CONTAMINANTS INTO WATER BODY.
ONE STRATEGY FOR PREVENTING STORMWATER RUNOFF IS OCCURRING AT THE NEW FORD ROUGE CENTER IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN.
THIS REMODELED TRUCK PLAN IS COVERED BY A GREEN ROOF.
THE SIZE OF EIGHT FOOTBALL FIELDS PLANTED WITH A POOREST GROUND COVER.
IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTED RUNOFF RELEASED INTO THE WATERSHED.
THE THING THAT TENDS TO GET THE MOST ATTENTION IS THE 10 ACRE GREEN ROOF, BUT THAT'S REALLY JUST PART OF A PHILOSOPHY THAT IF AN AREA DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID OR BUILT UPON, IT'S GOING TO BE GREEN SPACE AND COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING GREEN SPACE STRATEGIES, SUCH AS RAIN GARDENS.
THEY SLOPED THE LIE IN SUCH A MANNER THAT ALL THE FLOW GOES TOWARDS THIS LANDSCAPING, WHERE BASICALLY THE POLLUTED RUNOFF CAN PERCOLATE INTO THE GROUND AND GET FILTERED.
UM, AND THEN GOING STRAIGHT ONTO THE STREET INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM, AND REALLY A VERY SIMPLE APPROACH TO CLEANING UP OUR RUNOFF IN URBAN AREAS.
BUT PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL COURSE OF ACTION IS INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION.
PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STATE OF OUR WATERS AND WATER.
CONSERVATION IS ONE AREA WHERE THEY CAN DO THAT AS A COMMITTED CITIZEN, ALL THOSE THINGS.
YOUR MOM TOLD YOU TO TAKE A SHARD SHOWER.
DON'T LET THE WATER TAP RUNWAY.
YOU'RE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH, TAKING YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE TO A CLEANUP AND RECYCLING DAY.
DON'T WASH YOUR CAR ON THE, ON THE STREETS AND PUT ALL THOSE SUDS DOWN INTO THE DRAIN.
WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR USE MOTOR L YOU DON'T DUMP IT INTO THE STREET.
EVERYBODY'S GOT TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEIR PETS.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A BIG CONCERN, FERTILIZERS, HERBICIDES, PESTICIDES, AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T USE THEM ANY TIME.
THERE'S ANY CHANCE OF RAIN COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHEN YOU'RE IRRIGATING YOUR LAWN AND YOUR GARDEN, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT OVER SPRAYING AND CAUSING ALL THOSE CHEMICALS TO END UP GETTING INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM.
THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS IF EVERYBODY DOES THEIR PART, WE ALL LIVE IN A WATERSHED.
WE ALL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND WE MUST ALL PLAY A ROLE IN THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF OUR VALUABLE WATER RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND TO GET A FREE BROCHURE CALLED AFTER THE STORM VISIT EPA.GOV/WEATHER CHANNEL.