[00:00:01]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THIS MEETING TO ORDER, UM, THURSDAY, MARCH 11TH, THE MARCH MEETING OF THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LAND BOARD.UM, WALTER, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO UNMUTE, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JUMP IN AND LEAD THIS MEETING.
AS OUR CHAIR, MICHAEL IS UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE TODAY AND WALTER WILL SERVE AS OUR CHAIR.
UM, BUT IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME, I'LL HELP WITH SOME OF THE MEETING NARRATION AS WE WAIT FOR THE TECHNOLOGY TO CATCH UP.
[2. FOIA – PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT]
TO ORDER.IT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN NOTIFIED, ACCORDING TO ALL OF THE FOYER GUIDELINES AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
UM, AND WE NEED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA
[3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
THERE, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA TODAY, OR OUR ART WITH THE MOTION AND PRESS WITH THE SECOND.IS EVERYBODY IN AGREEMENT? UM, AMANDA, AMANDA, KATE, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO AS SAY, UH, THE, UH, GENDER OR THE MINUTES WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT EXCEPTION, AND THEN IF ANYONE OBJECTS AND THEY JUST NEED TO SPEAK UP, OTHERWISE YOU CAN JUST MOVE ON THROUGH.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT EXCEPTION, AND IF YOU OBJECT UNMUTE YOURSELF AND SPEAK UP, THANK YOU FOR THE ROBERT'S RULES.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – February 11, 2021]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO AN APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 11TH.WE'LL HAVE YOU DOWN AS A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MINUTES HEARING? NONE.
WE'LL APPROVE THE MINUTES WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT, PLEASE SPEAK UP NOW.
OTHERWISE THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 11TH, 2021 ARE APPROVED.
UM, AMANDA, ARE THERE ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS TODAY? NO, THERE ARE NOT.
UM, WELL FOR TODAY'S AGENDA, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ITEMS AND A QUICK EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, RELATED TO CURRENT PROJECTS.
[6. Anna Smith – South Carolina Department of Natural Resources State Wildlife Grants Coordinator (Part 1 of 2)]
WILL BE CONDUCTED BY ANNA SMITH.SHE WORKED FOR SOUTH CAROLINA DNR, UM, AND WORKS REGULARLY WITH, WITH GRANTS.
AND I SPOKE WITH AMANDA PRIOR TO THIS MEETING AND SHE IS HERE TODAY, UM, TO OFFER A PRESENTATION ABOUT HOW DNR THINKS ABOUT THEIR GRANT MAKING PROCESS OR LAND PROTECTION STRATEGY.
I THINK IT WILL BE A COMPELLING AND HELPFUL EXAMPLE AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO REMEMBER THE, THE OVERALL THEME OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IN MY MIND IS THAT WE'RE PART OF A LARGER WHOLE AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH A LOT TOGETHER.
SO I THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM OUR STATE PARTNERS IN LAND PROTECTION AND, UM, AND HELPFUL FOR ANNA TO GET TO KNOW US A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
I GAVE HER SOME INFORMATION ABOUT BUFORD COUNTY AND THIS BOARD IN PARTICULAR AND THE STRONG WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
UM, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANNA, TO PRESENT FROM THE DNR SIDE OF THINGS TODAY.
AND THEN WE'LL FOR QUESTIONS AT THE END.
UM, JUST LOST HER, BUT I THINK SHE'S CALLING IN ALL RIGHT.
AND IT'S GOING TO CALL BACK IN.
SO I'LL USE THIS TIME JUST TO SAY, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE GUEST SPEAKERS ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR THIS BOARD.
I THINK YOU ALL BRING A LOT OF, UM, KNOWLEDGE TO THE TABLE AND YOU ARE CONNECTED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN BRING KNOWLEDGE TO THE TABLE.
SO DON'T HESITATE IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA OR A THOUGHT ON SOMEONE THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE FOR US ALL TO LEARN FROM, UM, THAT IS PART OF WHAT THESE BOARD MEETINGS ARE FOR.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN APPROVE PROJECTS, BUT WE CAN ALSO LEARN FROM PEOPLE TO HELP US MAKE MORE INFORMED DECISIONS WHEN WE APPROVE PROJECTS.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR GUEST SPEAKERS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO EMAIL ME, WE'LL GET THEM ON AN AGENDA LIST.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UM, ITEMS OF INTEREST AND, AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
I REALLY SEE THIS BOARD AS A RESOURCE FOR ALL OF BEAVER COUNTY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE RECORDED AND TELEVISED.
WE CAN SHARE KNOWLEDGE WITH RESPECT TO LAND CONSERVATION AND LEARN A GREAT DEAL.
IS THE CALL USER, IS THAT YORK OR ANNA? YEAH, THIS IS YOURS.
WE'LL WAIT FOR, UM, ANNA TO COME BACK UP.
IT LOOKS LIKE I JUST GOT AN EMAIL.
SHE'S REBOOTING HER COMPUTER, SO WE SHOULD BE OKAY.
[00:05:01]
YEAH.[7. Greenprint Update]
IF, UM, AMANDA COULD GIVE US OUR GREENPRINT UPDATE, WE'LL SWITCH THOSE TWO ITEMS. AND, UM, OKAY.SO FOR THE GREENPRINT UPDATE, UM, AFTER YOU GUYS, UM, APPROVED IT TO MOVE FORWARD, IT DID GO TO, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WAS PRESENTED THERE.
UM, I THINK THEY GAVE A SIMILAR DISCUSSION KIND OF LIKE THEY DID TO Y'ALL AND, UM, THEY APPROVED IT TO MOVE FORWARD.
IT WILL NOW GO TO THE NEXT NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE.
UH, WHICH ALICE, WHEN, UM, WHEN'S THE NEXT MEETING WEEK AFTER NEXT.
IS THAT RIGHT? ERIC? NOT NEXT WEEK, BUT THE WEEK AFTER.
I CAN I'LL LOOK ON MY CALENDAR.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S TO GO THERE AND THEN I THINK IT'S GOT TO DO THREE READINGS AT COUNCIL.
WELL, IT DEPENDS ON HOW WE DO IT.
WE'LL PROBABLY DO IT, THE PRESENTATION, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND THEN WE'LL HOLD IT UNTIL WE ACTUALLY DO THE COMP PLAN ADOPTION.
THREE READINGS ARE FOR GOD ADOPTED AS PART OF THE COMP PLAN PROCESS.
BUT WE WILL DO THE PRESENTATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES ON, UM, LET'S SEE.
UM, IT'LL BE APRIL, RIGHT? APRIL.
CAUSE WE JUST, WE MET THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH.
I MADE IT BACK IN, BUT I CAN'T GUARANTEE IT'S NOT GOING TO FREEZE.
[6. Anna Smith – South Carolina Department of Natural Resources State Wildlife Grants Coordinator (Part 2 of 2)]
UM, OKAY.I'M GOING TO TRY THIS FINGERS CROSSED AND HIT SHARE SCREEN.
THAT'S NOT THE ONE I WANT, I WANT THAT ONE.
SO, SO, UM, I WAS ASKED TO KIND OF GIVE Y'ALL A LITTLE UPDATE ON KIND OF OUR LAND PROTECTION STRATEGY AND UTILIZING GRANTS TO DO THIS.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF OUR LAND PROTECTION GOALS.
WE KIND OF, WE AS A STATE AGENCY ALREADY HAVING WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS AND HERITAGE PRESERVES, LIKE TO BUILD ON TO EXISTING CONSERVATION LANDS, UM, WE DON'T JUST LOOK AT WHAT'S IN STATE, BUT WE LIKE TO LOOK ACROSS STATE BOUNDARIES TO MAKE SURE THAT OURS ARE MESHING WITH OUR SISTER STATES TO MAKE A, UH, A WIDER CORRIDOR OR NETWORK SYSTEM.
WE LIKE TO REDUCE GAPS, UM, IN EXISTING CORRIDORS AND CREATE NEW CORES OR HUBS AND CORRIDORS THAT CONNECT THOSE.
WE LIKE TO FILL IN HOLES IN OUR CONSERVATION LAND.
AND THEN WE ALSO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, GREEN SPACE AND CONSERVATION PLANNING BY MUNICIPALITY, MEANING AS WE OFTEN DIRECTLY ASSIST WITH READING, EDITING AND PROVIDING DATA FOR CONFERENCE OF PLANS.
SO, UM, THE BIG PICTURE IS WE LIKE HAVING EXAMPLES OF THE FULL RATE OF HABITAT TYPES IN OUR STATE'S PORTFOLIO.
SO GETTING A VISUAL OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SOUTHEAST BLUEPRINT, THE TOP LEFT BLUE, UH, MAP IS THAT BLUEPRINT IT'S IDENTIFIES HIGH VALUE AREAS FOR CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE SOUTHEAST.
THESE ARE STITCHED TOGETHER FROM THE SMALLER LLC BLUEPRINT.
THAT'S LIKE THE, THE PHOTO JUST IN PURPLE.
AND SO AS ALL OF THESE ARE STITCHED TOGETHER, UM, IT SHOWS HOW OUR, EVEN OUR SMALLEST PIECES CONTRIBUTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO A LARGER HOLE.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT SOUTH CAROLINA, THE PICTURE ON THE FAR RIGHT IS NOT JUST STOPPING AT OUR BORDERS, BUT LOOKING HOW IT KIND OF BLEEDS OVER IN, UM, INTO OTHER STATES BY WATERSHED.
AND THESE ARE THE BLUEPRINT TELLS US WHAT AREAS ARE HIGH PRIORITY FOR CONSERVATION, UM, HIGHEST HIGH AND MEDIUM WITH GRAY AREAS FOR CONNECTIVITY.
AND THIS IS AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL BECAUSE WE ALSO DRILL DOWN AT A VERY LOCAL LEVEL TO PLACES THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
SO WE HAVE A HABITAT PROTECTION COMMITTEE, AND WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT PROPERTIES AND WHAT GRANTS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO FUND THOSE ACQUISITIONS, WE HAVE CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS.
WE LOOK AT FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT.
[00:10:02]
WE LOOK AT WHAT RARE THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES MAY BE THERE, OR HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE THERE IN THE FUTURE.WITH OUR HELP, WE LOOK AT ARCHEOLOGICAL CULTURAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES, ANY UNIQUE GEOLOGIC FEATURES THAT ARE THERE, THE RIPARIAN AND WATER VALUES, PUBLIC RECREATION POTENTIAL.
IS THERE AN IMMINENT THREAT OF CONVERSION AND HOW MANAGEABLE OR SUSTAINABLE IS TAKING CARE OF THAT PROPERTY GOING TO BE? SO HERE'S OUR BIGGIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS ASKED TO TALK ABOUT THE LAND ACQUISITION GRANTS THAT WE UTILIZE AND A MAJORITY OF THEM ARE FEDERAL, BUT THERE ARE SOME NON-FEDERAL ONES.
THE FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM IS VERY LARGE.
IT'S IT RUNS TO THE EFFICIENT OF THE US FOREST SERVICE.
UM, WE ARE THE AGENCY SET UP TO RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS, THE NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM AND THE, AND THE NACA GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS RIGHT BELOW.
THOSE ARE BOTH FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE GRANTS.
AND WITH THE COASTAL GRANTS, BOTH SOUTH CAROLINA DNR AND THE CONSERVATION BANK ARE THE ENTITIES SET UP TO FLAWS THOSE.
AND WE'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO ACTUALLY APPLY FOR THE GRANT.
BUT OUR PARTNERS ARE OBVIOUSLY AN INTEGRAL PART OF THOSE APPLICATIONS.
AND AS YOU GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY.
I THOUGHT SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING ANYWAY, I'M COMING ON.
SO THERE ARE OTHER GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE, LIKE THE RECOVERY LANDS ACQUISITION GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR ALREADY LISTED SPECIES THAT ARE ON SITE OR HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE ON SITE.
AND THEN MANY OF YOU ARE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONSERVATION BANK GRANT.
WE USE THAT MONEY OFTENTIMES TO MATCH, UM, FEDERAL GRANTS BECAUSE THIS IS JUST NON-FEDERAL SOURCE.
SO THE NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM, UH, LAND ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCT SHAN PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S ONLY FOR PLACES THAT ARE WITHIN THE NEAR, UM, AREA SUCH AS LIKE ACE BASIN.
AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS SMALLER GRANTS THAT CAN BE UTILIZED LIKE THOSE THROUGH NIP WITH, OR THE NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION PATIENT, AND THEN DRILLING DOWN EVEN FURTHER, SOMETIMES VERY SPECIFIC MITIGATION FUNDS THAT CAN BE USED, UM, BY OURSELVES OR PARTNERS.
AND BASICALLY ALL OF THESE GRANTS ARE FOR THE ACTUAL POSITION OF PRIORITY HABITAT FOR SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN WITH, OF COURSE I'M CONCERNED FOR, FOR NOT ONLY THE SPECIES, BUT CAN PEOPLE ACCESS THEM, WILL IT PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS? ARE THERE CULTURAL, UM, OR, OR ARTIFACTS ON SITE THAT NEED TO BE PRESERVED? IS IT PROTECTING WATER QUALITY FOR A DRINKING WATER SOURCE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO GETTING TO THE IDEA OF MATCH, COOL, THESE GRANTS BE MATCHED FEDERAL DOLLARS TO NON-FEDERAL DOLLARS, AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES.
IT MAY BE A 75, 25 SPLIT, UM, OR MAYBE A 50 50, DEPENDING FROM ACTUAL SOURCES ARE ALWAYS LIKE NUMBER ONE CASH.
SO ANY FUNDING SOURCE WITH NO FEDERAL NEXUS COULD BE A BARGAIN SALE.
MAYBE ANOTHER PARCEL WAS PRAISED AT A CERTAIN VALUE MINUS THE SALE PRICE.
AND YOU GET A CAPTURED MATCH AMOUNT LAND ITSELF THAT WAS NOT PURCHASED WITH FEDERAL FUNDS OR DONATIONS CAN BE USED AS KIND OF AN END TIME.
AND THEN OTHER INCOME SERVICES, LIKE IF TNC WANTS TO PROVIDE MAPPING SERVICES OR STAFF TIME OR MONITORING OR CONSULTATION, OR EVEN USING EQUIPMENT, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS CAN BE CAPTURED AS MATCHED AS WELL.
AND THEN OTHER THINGS THAT WE USE, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR UNIVERSITIES IS THEY WAIVED THEIR IDC RATE AND THAT CAN BE CAPTURED AS MATCH.
SO THE BIG PICTURE IS WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR PARTNERS AND WE HAVE TO ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE, AS FAR AS WHAT OUR PRIORITIES IN OUR STATE, WHAT HABITATS DO WE NEED MORE IN THAT PORTFOLIO OF PLACES? WE CAN'T JUST ALL HAVE RIVER RAIN.
WE NEED SOME UPLAND HABITATS AS WELL.
WE CAN'T JUST BE TAKING CARE OF BIRDS.
WE NEED TO BE MAYBE AS WELL, NOT JUST THE CHARISMATIC, NOT JUST THE GAME ANIMALS, A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING TO MAKE IT ALL WORK.
SO THAT IS BASICALLY THE DOWN AND DIRTY OF OUR GRANTS SYSTEM.
[00:15:01]
OUR STRATEGY.AND I KNOW THAT THAT WAS FAST.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE THEM.
OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO ME INDIVIDUALLY, I CAN GO INTO MORE DETAIL.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE UP A LOT OF YOUR MEETING TIME.
HEY, WELDER TECHNOLOGY, BUT I'M ON BOARD.
KNOW IF WE NEED TO GO BACK AND APPROVE THE MINUTES AGENDA, WE CAN DO THAT LATER ON.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANNA? I HAVE ONE.
MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON YOUR, YOUR LIST RIGHT NOW THAT FALLS WITHIN OUR AREA THAT Y'ALL CAN TARGET OR YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'RE TARGETING OR YOU'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN, UH, ANNA, YOU'RE STILL ON MUTE IF YOU'RE WE LIVE ON AS IN YOUR PARTICULAR COUNTY OR, OR DRILL IT DOWN EVEN FURTHER JUST AT COUNTY.
IS THERE A WISHLIST OR SOMETHING YOU'RE ASKING COUNTY COUNTY.
AND ANNA, IF YOU CAN'T HEAR, UM, WITH RESPECT TO A BEAVER COUNTY WISHLIST FROM FBA DNR, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M HAPPY TO BE A LIAISON TO GET THE ANSWER TO THE BOARD, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL INFORM, UM, BE AN ADDITIONAL PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT WE CAN USE JUST LIKE WE USE OUR GREEN PRINT.
UM, ONE THING THAT I'D BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION FROM THE GREENPRINT PROCESS IS THAT SOUTH ATLANTIC, NOW I CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, WE OFTEN KEEP KIND OF A WISHLIST, UM, AND, HUH.
WE LOST IT AT LEAST HERE AT CRYSTAL LAKE.
I THINK, I THINK WE ALL LOST IT.
SO WE'LL JUST, UM, WE'LL, LET'S GET A LISTING OF ALL THE QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, IF THERE'S ANY OTHERS, AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH HER AND PROVIDE THOSE, UH, PROVIDE THOSE SEPARATELY.
UH, DOES ANA HAVE A BUDGET? UH, NOT WITHSTANDING WHAT ARE ADDITIONAL GRANT MONEY HE CAN, THAT THE DNR CAN GET, BUT DID THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR THESE PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR, FOR EACH YEAR? I'M SURE THEY HAVE A, I'M SURE THEY HAVE A BUDGET OF SOME TYPE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE APPROVAL MECHANISM IS, BUT I CAN FIND THAT OUT AND SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOU ALL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, CHRIS, I HAVE ONE, UM, CHRIS MIGHT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS.
I KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN SPECIES THAT THEY'RE NOT ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST, BUT THEY'RE SPECIES OF INTERESTS.
AND I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIES OF INTERESTS, UM, IN BUFORD COUNTY OR NEARBY THAT THEIR SOUTH CAROLINA DNR IS INTERESTED IN.
I KNOW THAT DNR IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN CERTAIN GROUPS OF SPECIES SO MUCH AS, UH, HABITATS THAT HAVE SUPPORT A WHOLE DIVERSITY OF SPECIES OF SPECIAL INTERESTS.
I KNOW THAT FARMING PAINED, UH, LONGLEAF PINE FOREST, UH, IS ONE THAT'S A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THEM AND, UH, CERTAIN FRESHWATER WETLANDS, BUT, BUT THE OUTPUT FIRE MAINTAIN HABITATS, UH, THAT OFTEN OCCUR PLANTATIONS IS A HIGH PRIORITY.
WHAT ABOUT BAT SPECIES? HAVE YOU HEARD OF THAT? IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN THAT AREA, CHRIS THERE'S INTEREST IN THAT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY CAVES OR AREAS THAT THEY CONCENTRATE IN.
SO SOME KIND OF DISTRESS OCCUR, LIKE
[00:20:01]
FOR EXAMPLE, OLD GROWTH, SWAMP FOR US ARE, HAVE REALLY GOOD BATH HABITAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY DEAD BIG HOLIDAY TREES.THERE USED TO BE SOME, SOME AT LAUREL BAY, THEY FOUND NEW YEARS AGO.
I JUST WONDERED, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF SPECIES, THE NORTHERN, UH, BIGGER AND BAD IS THE ONE THAT GETS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION AROUND HERE.
UM, AND SO, BUT YEAH, IT HAS TO BE LIKE A COLONY AREA IN A, IN A GOOD HABITAT, NOT JUST ABANDONED BUILDING WITHIN THAT SURROUNDED BY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS SOMETIMES WHERE THOSE OCCUR.
THERE, THERE'S AN ABANDONED HOUSE IN THE MOVERS THAT I THINK, UH, HAS HUNDREDS OF BATS USING IT AND CRYSTAL DEAL.
I'M SURE YOU'LL KNOW WHAT KIND OF BAT SAY ALL YOU PROBABLY KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT YEAH.
THAT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN SURROUNDED BY HAVING A GOOD ROOSTING AREA, SURROUNDED BY HABITAT.
UH, THAT MAKES THAT HABITAT VALUABLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I CAN RELATE TO ANNA? IS THERE GOOD? AND I THINK THE ANSWERS WILL BE HELPFUL.
UM, ONE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IS, UM, WE'LL GET ALSO THE SLIDES, SO Y'ALL CAN SEE THE ZOOM IN OF THAT SOUTH ATLANTIC BLUEPRINT FOR SOUTH CAROLINA, EXTENDING INTO GEORGIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, THE WATERSHED MAP THAT SHE SHOWED IN PURPLE, THAT DATA LAYER WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE DATA LAYERS THAT YOU ALL ADOPTED IN THE CRITICAL HABITAT LAYER FOR THE GREENPRINT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF SYNERGY ALREADY IN THE BASE DATA THAT WE ARE USING HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY WITH WHAT DNR USES, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY TO BE COMMENDED AND IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE USING THE SAME DATA AS THE STATE AGENCY THAT WILL ALLOW US TO COMPARE APPLES AND APPLES AND AS A FUNDER, PERHAPS MATCH LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL.
UM, AND IF THAT IS ALL GEARED TOWARD THE SAME END GOAL OF THE CRITICAL HABITAT PROTECTION, I THINK WE'RE REALLY IN GOOD SHAPE TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE FOR CONSERVATION HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY AND THEN BY EXTENSION THE REST OF THE STATE.
SO I WAS ENCOURAGED, UM, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DNR ACQUISITION PROCESS USING THAT DATA SET, AND THEN TO SEE THAT DATA SET IN OUR OWN GREENPRINT.
UM, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM OUR GUEST SPEAKER AND FROM THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ITEM WITH THE GREENPRINT UPDATES, WE'LL TRANSITION TO
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR, UM, UH, CRIME PROJECT UPDATES.AND THIS WILL INCLUDE THE DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR ACQUISITION 2020 B.
UM, AND OTHER CURRENT PROJECTS.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? AND SECOND, THANK YOU.
AND I'M GONNA, UM, SHARE MY SCREEN, I THINK, OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS TODAY BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
[Additional Item 1]
UM, I GUESS SINCE EVERYBODY'S ON OUT, I FEEL HEARD IN THE BEGINNING, BUT, UM, TERRY HILL HAS HAD TO RESIGN FROM THE BOARD, SO WE ARE GOING TO MISS HIM AND, UH, WE WILL WORK ON GETTING HIS, UM, POSITION FILLED.IT SAID IF THAT'S DISTRICT SIX THAT'S, UM, SHALL PASS HIM IT'S DISTRICT WITH RIGHT WITH SUN CITY AND THAT AREA, RIGHT? YEAH.
I SENT YOU AN EMAIL REGARDING THE ITEM YOU ASKED ME ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
THEY'RE WORKING ON ANNOUNCEMENT.
I'M RELUCTANT TO DO THAT PRIOR TO THAT.
SO BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FROM ON BEHALF OF THE BEAVER COUNTY OF FINLAND TRUST OR ENTERING NOW, OUR FIRST MEETING UNDER OUR NEW, UM, OR WE'RE FINISHING UP OUR TEMPORARY CONTRACTS, OUR CONTRACT WAS RENEWED AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE WITH THE DISCUSSION, UM, TO CONTINUE PROTECTING LAND IN DIFFERENT COUNTY WITH YOU ALL.
UM, AND SO IF YOU HAVE FEEDBACK FROM THIS MEETING OR ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
[00:25:01]
OKAY.DID IT MOSTLY, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME.
WE KNOW IF THE TECHNOLOGY HAD ALLOWED YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH MORE COMPETENT LATER, THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOLLOWING MY CLUMSY, MY CLUMSY LAID HERE.
UH, YOU, YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB FROM THAT ROOM.
[Additional Item 2]
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR YOU ALL.WE WILL BE REOPENING THE COUNTY FACILITIES HERE AT THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND THE OFFICE IN MYRTLE PARK ON MONDAY, MARCH 15TH.
SO IF YOU NEED TO DO ANY COUNTY BUSINESS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO COME INTO THE BUILDING ONCE AGAIN.
SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO HELP THAT DAY HERE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE MEETING IN PERSON WITH YOU ALL IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
SO DO YOU, DO YOU THINK WE'LL HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING IN PERSON, ERIC? UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH CHAIRMAN.
AND WOULD YOU ALL PREFER TO HAVE A MEETING IN PERSON NEXT TIME AROUND, I MEAN, I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU ALL AS FAR AS WHAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL SHOOT FOR THAT.
AND THEN, UM, UH, MEN, THOSE THAT DON'T WANT COMFORTABLE YET, WE WILL, UH, WE WILL STILL THE RIVER RESERVE, UH, THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO JOIN US EITHER BY ZOOM OR WEBEX.
WE DO HAVE ZOOM ACCOUNTS NOW, SO WE CAN, UH, SWITCH OVER TO THAT PLATFORM OF MORE PEOPLE OR MORE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN AND GO MOVE AND WELFARE.