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WE HAVE A, OUR QUARTERLY WORKSHOP, TUESDAY, APRIL 20TH.
UM, THIS WILL BE OUR LAST, UM, VIDEOING THROUGH FACEBOOK.
WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE COUNTY CHANNEL, UM, FOR EVERY MEETING AFTER TONIGHT, WHICH WILL BE ON OUR WEBSITE PLATFORM.
SO BE SURE YOU FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE TO SEE HOW TO GET ON TO THAT.
UM, WE'RE STILL TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, ELECTRONICALLY AND THEN BRING YOU IN AND HAVE YOU READ THOSE YOURSELF SO WELCOME EVERYBODY.
I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER ALL OF COUNCIL IS PRESENT.
UM, HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT WEEKEND.
UH, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS PERTAINING ONLY TO THE AGENDA ITEMS. ANYTHING KIM, NO PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED WORKING ON THREE WORKSHOP ITEMS TONIGHT.
STONY CREEK VIEW FOR CHEST FOR WATER, SEWER AND BUFORD COUNTY SOLID WASTE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR FAVORITE BRIAN MCELWEE, UM, STONY CREEK COMMENT ABOVE BLUFF SANITARY SEWER PROJECT UPDATE.
YOU ARE UP BRIAN, HOW ARE YOU TONIGHT? ALL RIGHT, SO TONIGHT WE I'M JUST HERE FOR A QUICK LITTLE UPDATE ON THE STONY CREEK PALMETTO BLUFF ROAD, A SANITARY SEWER PROJECT.
UM, MY SCREEN WOULD WORK JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND IN A REFRESHER.
THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES, UH, ORIGINATED FROM THE MAY RIVER WATERSHED ACTION PLAN.
UH, IT INCLUDED THREE COMPONENTS, POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PROJECTS.
THE POLICIES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WERE THE SEWER CONNECTION AND EXTENSION POLICY.
AND THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 2017, BUT THEN WE HAD THE SEWER CONNECTION ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 2015 AND WE AMENDED IT IN 2018.
UM, THE PROGRAMS THAT CAME FROM THAT, OR THE SEPTIC TO SEWER CONVERSION PROGRAM THAT WAS THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES TO CONNECT TO AVAILABLE PUBLIC SEWER.
AND THEN THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE ORIGINATED FROM THE, FROM ALL THIS IS THE, UH, MAY RIVER WATERSHED MASTER PLAN, UH, SEWER MASTER PLAN, STUDY, AND REPORT THAT WAS IN 2014 AND THEN PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE TOWN'S JURISDICTION INCLUDE, UM, THE ONGOING BUCK ISLAND SIMMONS VILLA NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, SEWER PROJECT PHASES, ONE THROUGH FIVE WE'RE IN THE FIFTH PHASE OF THAT PROJECT, THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS WHO ARE EXTENSION PROJECTS, THERE'S SIX PHASES OF THAT.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO COMPLETE PHASE ONE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE JASON AND ABEL STREET SEWER CONNECTIONS, AND THAT WAS COMPLETED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
UM, OUTSIDE OF THE TOWN'S JURISDICTION, THIS REQUIRES COORDINATION WITH BUFORD, JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY AND B FOR COUNTY.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO A LITTLE TONIGHT.
HERE'S A QUICK, UM, KIND OF TIMELINE OF EVERYTHING WE'VE GONE THROUGH.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT BASICALLY IT TALKS ABOUT WE'VE HAD VARIOUS, UM, JOINT COUNCIL MEETINGS BETWEEN THE TOWN AND BEAVER COUNTY.
WE'VE HAD TWO JOINT COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT INCLUDED B FOR JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.
WE'VE SENT YOU FOR JASPER, UH, SEVERAL LETTERS OUTLINING THE PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT THE TOWN WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UM, AND THOSE INCLUDE THESE STUDY AREAS THAT CAME FROM, UH, SEWER MASTER, UM, WATERSHED SEWER MASTER PLAN FROM 2014.
YOU SEE, WE HAVE THE ALL JOY AREA, BOTH TOWN AREA, CAHILL DESCO AND BLUFF STONY CREEK AND PITCHER VILLE.
SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT ORIGINATED FROM THAT MASTER PLAN.
THIS IS THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATES FROM THOSE SIX AREAS.
WE ARE ONGOING WITH THE OLD TOWN GRAVITY SEWER.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
THAT INCLUDES THAT HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, PHASES ONE THROUGH SIX.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE STONY CREEK VACUUM SEWER THAT'S ESTIMATED AT $5.5 MILLION.
THAT'S A NEW UPDATE THAT WE RECEIVED LAST APRIL ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
AND THOSE ARE THE COSTS OF SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE EVER GET TO THOSE.
AND THE REASON WE'RE FOCUSING TONIGHT ON STONY CREEK, UH, OLD PALMETTO BLUFF ROAD AREA IS THE TOWN STARTED A WATER QUALITY SAMPLING FOR, UM, HUMAN FECAL DNA DETECTION.
IT'S CALLED MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING.
AND AS WE ZOOM IN EACH OF THESE DOTS SHOWS, UH, THE LOCATIONS OF WHERE WE TEST, UH, FOR THIS HUMAN FECAL DNA, I GUESS THE BACTERIA, UM, THAT THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE WATER, THE LARGER, THE DOT SHOWS.
THAT'S HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE SAMPLED, UM, THOSE AREAS AND THEN THE DARKER COLOR.
SO THE REDS SHOW, THE HUMAN POSITIVE HITS.
SO THE CAMPGROUND IS LOCATED RIGHT IN HERE.
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YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE HAVE, UM, WE'VE SAMPLED 26 TIMES AND WE HAVE NINE HITS HERE.WE'VE SAMPLED 21 TIMES WE HAVE NINE HUMAN HITS ON HERE.
WE SAMPLE TWENTY-FIVE TIMES WE HAVE 11 HUMAN HITS.
SO THIS IS THE AREA IN QUESTION THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON TONIGHT, BASED ON THAT, UH, ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN.
THIS IS THE ENTIRETY OF THAT PROJECT AREA.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE BLACK DASH LINE, THE, UM, GRAY OR MARSHY OR WETLAND AREAS, UM, AND THE PURPLE AND THE YELLOW ARE JUST DIFFERENT ZONING DISTRICTS.
BUT BASICALLY THIS IS THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT AREA IN QUESTION, AND THE CAMPGROUND KIND OF SITS HERE FOR REFERENCE.
HERE'S ALL I'M GOING TO BLOW FOR HIS DOCTOR HERE.
OH, A QUICK PROJECT DESCRIPTION.
WHAT YOU SAID SOMETHING, IS THERE THE BOTTOM YOU SAY WAS DOWN THERE.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS PALMETTO BLUFF.
HERE'S THE OLD PALMETTO BLUFF ROAD RIGHT HERE.
SO A QUICK DESCRIPTION, AND AGAIN, THIS PROJECT HASN'T BEEN FULLY DESIGNED AS IT WAS JUST VERY CONCEPTUAL FROM THAT ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN, BUT IT WOULD INCLUDE A VACUUM SYSTEM, WHICH IS, UM, IT WOULDN'T BE FULL GRAVITY.
UM, I'M NOT REALLY GOING TO GET INTO THAT AND THAT'S NOT REALLY MY FORTE, BUT, UM, IT'S A VACUUM SYSTEM FOR 150 INDIVIDUAL CONNECTIONS WITH AN ESTIMATED ULTIMATE BUILD OUT OF 200 LOTS, UM, 700 IT'S A 747 ACRE.
UH, I GUESS THEY PROJECT AREA, WE GOT THE PROJECT BUDGET FROM DIEFER JASPER AGAIN, THAT'S $5.5 MILLION TOTAL.
YOU CAN SEE THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND THE LAND ACQUISITION COSTS, UH, AND THE DESIGN ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WHEN WE WENT THROUGH OUR BUDGETING, UM, WE WERE ASSUMING A ONE-THIRD COST SHARE WITH B, FOR JASPER AND D FOR COUNTY.
WE HAVE SUBMITTED THIS AS A PROJECT REQUEST TO DO FOR JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.
AND I BELIEVE THEY'VE INCLUDED IT IN THEIR 10 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, UH, ESTIMATED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM BUFORD COUNTY ABOUT ANY FUNDING THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, THERE IS NO SCHEDULE REALLY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL, FULL FUNDING AMOUNT FOR THIS PROJECT AND CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, OBVIOUSLY, FINANCIAL.
UM, WE NEED ALL THREE PARTNERS TO FIND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE TOWN'S JURISDICTION.
UM, BUFORD COUNTY HAS GIVEN THEIR, UH, A STATEMENT THAT THEY CANNOT USE THEIR STORMWATER UTILITY FEES TO FUND THIS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH THAT, UH, PROCURED A, A GEO BOND FOR $5 MILLION THAT WOULD HELP PAY FOR THIS, A PORTION OF THIS.
ANYWAY, ALONG WITH THE OTHER PROJECTS, UM, SOME LEGAL ISSUES, YOU KNOW, ATTAINING THE RIGHT OF WAYS IN THE EASEMENTS TO ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT A PROJECT THAT WOULD TAKE QUITE AN EFFORT.
UM, AS YOU CAN TELL, THERE'S, THERE'S A LARGE PROJECT AREA AND THEN JUST PUBLIC PERCEPTION.
UM, ANYONE WANTS A SEPTIC, THEY DON'T PAY A MONTHLY SEWER BILL.
SO THEY HAVE A PERCEPTION OF THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND THE, AND THE ADDITIONAL BILLING THAT THEY WOULD INCUR BECAUSE OF, UH, BEING CONNECTED TO THE SANITARY SEWER.
AND THEN THERE'S A CONCERN AMONGST THEM OF NOW THAT THEIR SEWER AVAILABLE DOES THAT UP TO ZONE OR ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL, UM, DEVELOPMENT TO COME IN.
BECAUSE NOW THERE IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE SEWER THAT A DEVELOPER WOULDN'T HAVE TO INSTALL IT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.
UH, THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY BRIEF OVERVIEW.
I HATE TO SAY THAT NOTHING'S REALLY CHANGED.
WE HAVE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED IT TO BE FOR JASPER.
THEY'VE INCLUDED IT AS FAR AS I'M AWARE IN THEIR 10 YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.
UM, AGAIN, WE, WE NEED BE FOR COUNTY, UM, DEFINE THEIR FUNDING SOURCE AND COMMIT FOR THAT OTHER REMAINING THIRD.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ANYMORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY IT QUESTIONS OF BRIAN.
WELL, I'LL ASK BRIAN, BUT I MEAN, IT'S GONNA FRUSTRATE YOU WITH, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS IN ANOTHER YEAR.
SO SHOULD A COUPLE OF ELECTED OFFICIALS IN YOU MEET WITH OUR COUNTY REP AND PERHAPS YOUR CHAIR GET A FEW DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY WAS A YEAR OR TWO AGO.
WE'D SPLIT ALL THESE PROJECTS AND WE'VE GOT OUR THIRD.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT GETS TO ALL OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST? OR MAYBE SCOTT COULD GIVE US A SUGGESTION, CAUSE THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR FOUR YEARS OUT
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NOW.NO, I SAID I'LL DEFER TO YOU, I THINK, CAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO HEAR WHAT, UM, YOU, YOU CAN GO AFTER ME, RIGHT? HOW ABOUT, UH, THE DIFFICULTY IS BRIAN POINTED OUT IS THE COUNTY'S FEELING RULING BASED ON THEIR ORDINANCES.
THEY CANNOT USE THEIR STORMWATER UTILITY FEES TO FUND THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL PROJECT.
UM, HOWEVER, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS THAT ALL THE LOCALITIES ARE DUE TO RECEIVE ARE ABLE TO BE USED FOR WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS.
AND SO DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT THAT THE COUNTY GETS AND IF THEY SHOULD CHOOSE TO PUT IT TOWARD THIS PROJECT, I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE A PROJECT THAT WOULD BE WORTHY OF SOME OF THOSE GRANT DOLLARS.
SO IT'S A ONE-TIME EXPENSE, WHICH MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR USE OF THE FUNDS.
THAT'S ALSO ALL THE WATER AND SEWER PROJECT, WHICH MEETS CRITERIA FOR USE OF THE FUNDS.
SO THERE ARE SOME, UH, POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP IN THE NEAR TERM WHERE THIS MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE BUMPED UP ON SOME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SCHEDULES OF OUR PARTNERS.
IF THERE HASN'T BEEN SEEN AS BASE SOLELY ON FUNDING.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UM, I MEAN WE HAVE, I'M A LITTLE FRUSTRATED JUST LIKE EVERYBODY HERE TONIGHT.
UM, WE ALL REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION AT THE SO LOCO MEETING A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN LIKE FIVE OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE SITTING AROUND THE TABLE AND SEEMED TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE MINDSET OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM AT THIS LOCATION.
UM, I DO THINK THAT MAYBE A SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE WRITE A FORMAL LETTER FROM THIS COUNCIL TO THEIR COUNCIL AND LET US SPELL OUT CLEARLY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF HITS THAT BRIAN JUST TALKED ABOUT, THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED AND WE'VE TRIED, UH, YOU KNOW, BRING THIS TO BEAR.
AND THE FACT THAT BUFORD JASPER FINALLY STEPPED UP TO THE TABLE BECAUSE WHEN THEY GET TO SO LOCAL PRESENTATION A FEW YEARS AGO, THEY WEREN'T PREPARED TO DO IT AT THAT TIME.
UM, SO THERE'S BEEN SOME, SOME POSITIVE MOVEMENT, BUT I THINK WE JUST FINALLY NEED TO JUST PRESS HARD ON ONE COUNCIL TO THE NEXT.
I THINK PRINTOUT YOUR PRESENTATION, ATTACH IT TO A LETTER AND PERSONALLY SENDING IT TO ALL OF THEM.
AND THEN I THINK WE NEED TO MEET WITH OUR REPS TO SEE WHAT QUESTIONS THEY HAVE BECAUSE THAT NORTH OF THE BROAD WAS THERE IN FULL FORCE AND AGREED WITH IT AT THAT MEETING.
AND, UM, WE WERE MISSING SOME OF OUR GUYS, SO LARRY.
UM, BRIAN AND DON'T, DON'T THINK I'M COMING DOWN ON YOU.
YOU'RE JUST THE GUY IN THE POSITION AT OUR LAST MEETING.
IT WAS AGREED UPON THIS WHOLE, THIS COUNCIL AND, AND YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT WAS THERE TO SET UP A MEETING WITH WHOMEVER, WHETHER IT'S THE FINANCE, THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER FROM BEAVER COUNTY, SINCE THEN, I'VE ASKED SEVERAL TIMES, AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN THROUGH COVID AND ALL THAT, SINCE THAT, AND, AND WITHOUT, UH, WITHOUT AN ANSWER THAT I'M SATISFIED WITH, HAVE WE CONTACTED THEM? HAVE WE TOLD THEM THAT WE WANT TO SIT AROUND THE TABLE AND HAVE THIS DISCUSSION? OR HAS IT JUST BEEN, I MEAN, I, I, THIS IS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND I'M NOT BLAMING ANYONE HERE, BUT YOU FOR COUNTY, WE, WE KNOW WE NEEDED THEIR MONEY.
WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR LAST MEETING OR THE ONE BEFORE THAT, OR THE ONE BEFORE THAT.
AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A MEETING WHERE EITHER MY STYLE FOR THE MAYOR OR DIFFERENT MEMBERS, COUNCIL, ALONG WITH YOU AND, YOU KNOW, OUR GROUP GO AND TALK TO THEM AND, AND, AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
UM, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT MEETING FIRST OF ALL, AND THEN I'LL GO ON TO MY OTHER QUESTIONS.
UH, I REALLY CAN'T TALK ABOUT LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT SPECIFIC MEETING, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS TIMELINE AND JULY OF 2020, UM, TELL ME IS ORLANDO.
WE DID SEND A FORMAL LETTER TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OF BEAVER COUNTY AND THE GENERAL MANAGER, UM, AT DEEPER JASPER REQUESTING THIS REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP FROM A STAFF LEVEL.
UH, IT ORIGINATED AFTER THAT LETTER, I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS AT THE COUNTY.
THEY, UH, TOOK THAT TO THE STORM WATER UTILITY BOARD.
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AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THAT MEETING THAT MAYBE YOU WERE REFERRING TO, BUT WE WEREN'T INVITED TO IT PER SE.WE HAVE A REP KIM JONES WHO SITS ON THAT, UM, AS A, UH, UH, SHE, SHE CAN'T VOTE, BUT SHE SITS ON THAT COMMITTEE, BUT THEY TALKED ABOUT IT.
AND THE STORM WATER UTILITY BOARD DID NOT SUPPORT SPENDING THE STORM WATER UTILITY FUNDS, UM, IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT, IT PRETTY MUCH FROM WHAT I'M AWARE DIED THEN AND THERE, AND THEN THEY GOT THE LEGAL CHALLENGE OR THEY GOT THE LEGAL, UM, UH, REVIEW THAT SCOTT JUST TALKED ABOUT.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE LAST I'VE EVER HEARD FROM THE COUNTY.
UM, SO I CAN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT A, AN ADDITIONAL MEETING.
IT PRETTY MUCH DOES THE END OF IT.
WELL, MY RECOLLECTION BRIAN IS THAT THE 2020 MEETING COUNTY AND MINISTER JACOBS WAS THERE AND VERBALLY SAID THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE THOUGHT WE COULD MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS, I GUESS, IT'S THIS DATE.
I DIDN'T WRITE THE DATE DOWN IN DECEMBER OR WHATEVER.
WHEN WE MET WITH BUFORD JASPER AGAIN WOULD BE A FOR COUNTY WASN'T THERE.
AND AT THAT MEETING, WE ALL TALKED AND AGREE TO SET UP A MEETING WITH BUFORD COUNTY OFFICIALS, WHETHER IT BE THE NATURAL RESOURCES OR WHAT COMMITTEE.
I MEAN, I REMEMBER IT VERY VIVIDLY.
UM, HOPEFULLY SOMEONE ELSE DOES, AND WE WERE WAITING ON THAT MEETING DATE SO THAT WE CAN TALK TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM BEAVER COUNTY AND, AND EXPLAIN HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND WORK TOWARDS GETTING THIS PROJECT DONE.
THE CIN YEAR THING WAS FIVE YEARS AT OUR MEETING.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT TO TIN FROM DIFFERENT JASPER.
UM, BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER, I ASKED A SPECIFIC QUESTION, WHY IS IT THAT A NEW DEVELOPMENT COMES IN AND WANTS TO BUILD A HUNDRED HOMES OR 150 HOMES? AND THEY HAVE WATER AND SEWER WITHIN A YEAR OR SO.
THEY SAID, WELL, IT WASN'T ON OUR FIVE-YEAR CIP.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS WE'RE GOING BACK.
WELL, I'LL SAY IF IT'S A DEVELOPMENT, IF A DEVELOPMENT COMES IN THAT DEVELOPER'S PAYING FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE BEFORE W WHERE WE'RE OFFERING TO PAY, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR BUFORD JASPER, MAYBE BECCA, YOU KNOW, WHEN SHE COMES ON HERE IN A LITTLE BIT, SHE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW THEY CAME UP WITH OUR PRIORITY.
WE PROVIDED THEM SIX PROJECTS THAT WE WANTED INCLUDED IN THEIR THREE, THREE YEAR CIP.
THEY CHOSE TO NOT INCLUDE THAT IN THEIR THREE, THREE CIP.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAME UP WITH IT.
WE WEREN'T INVITED ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE MEETING WHERE YOU SAID, EVERYBODY STOOD UP AND SAID, YES, WE'RE ALL FOR THIS THAT'S THAT FEBRUARY 25TH MEETING.
AND THAT WAS THAT SECOND JOINT COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE OUTLINE BELOW THAT.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT? AGAIN, I, I DON'T REALLY RECALL THE MEETING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I KNOW IT WENT TO THEIR STORM WATER UTILITY BOARD.
AND IT KINDA, THAT WAS THE END OF IT FROM A COUNTY STANDPOINT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD A TRANSITION, A TOWN MANAGER, BUT LARRY LET'S JUST DO IT NOW, GET KIM AND STOPS, SET UP A MEETING AND, AND LET'S GET A MEETING OF WHOMEVER, WANTS TO MEET WITH OUR COUNTY AND LET'S MEET BRIAN.
DOESN'T WANT TO SIT HERE NEXT YEAR.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE THREE YEARS NOW AND HE WANTS TO GET THIS OFF HIS PLATE, SO LET'S DO IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WE HAD AGREED TO AT THE LAST MEETING.
THAT'S WHY I SAID IT LIKE THAT.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO REQUEST ANOTHER MEETING.
UH, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO, I JUST, UH, I, I REALLY DON'T RECALL THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR, YOU CAN SEE THE, UM, MAYBE WE SHOULD TO COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTED OFFICIALS INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT IN STAFF'S HANDS SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SHOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT AND WHERE WE ARE.
I MEAN, IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE FOUGHT HARD TO MAKE THIS AND, UM, THE MONEY AVAILABLE, WHICH WE HAVE BASICALLY IN THE REAL WORLD, TAXED OUR OWN BLUFFTON RESIDENTS TO DO A JOB OUT OF THE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
AND FOR BUFORD COUNTY, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE, WE NEED TO, WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T NEED TO TALK TO STAFF ABOUT IT.
WE NEED TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO WILL TALK TO STAFF AND TRY TO GET IT TO THE FRONT BURNER.
BECAUSE I MEAN, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST FOUR YEARS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 12 OR 14 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN BATTLING THIS AND LET'S JUST GET SCOTT, GET
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A MEETING SET UP, BRIAN, YOU COME TO SUPPORT US AND WE'LL ASK FOR BRIAN'S COUNTERPART AND LET'S MEET.I'LL WORK THROUGH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A MEETING TOGETHER.
BUT ALSO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, BRIAN, IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, YOU SAID BUFORD JASPER A WATER SEWER, HAS THIS PROJECTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THEIR TEN-YEAR PLAN, IT'S NOT, THEY DON'T HAVE IT SCHEDULED 10 YEARS AWAY NOW.
IT'S NOT AS SOON AS WE'D LIKE I REALIZED, BUT I JUST, I JUST WANT TO BE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT I SAW THAT ON A SLIDE.
I WAS GOING TO ASK BRIAN TO GO BACK TO IT BECAUSE YOU HAD ON THERE 20, 25, BUT THE RATE WE'RE GOING, IT'S GOING TO BE 20, 25 BEFORE WE KNOW IT.
NOT YOUR FAULT, BRIAN, YOU'VE BEEN WORKING YOUR BUTT OFF ON THIS THUMB AND WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE BRIAN'S BACK.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T DO SOMETHING MORE FORMAL.
I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT THE TIMELINE.
THERE'S ALREADY BEEN THREE ATTEMPTS TO MEET WITH THE COUNTY.
AND THEN THEY HAVE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE TOWN MANAGER AND THE COUNTY MANAGER, AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYWHERE.
UM, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEND MORE PEOPLE BACK OVER THERE, LIKE BRIAN AND SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND WE STILL GOT TO GO THROUGH THE RIGAMAROLE, WAITING FOR THEM TO DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE COUNTABLE, AND PUT IT IN WRITING AND LET EVERYBODY SEE IT.
CAN WE DO BOTH? I WAS ALL ABOUT YOUR IDEA, DAN, IF THE REST OF COUNCIL WAS, AND SCOTT CAN DRAW UP A REALLY STRONG LETTER AND FOLLOW IT UP BY MEETING WITH THEM.
CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT ALL OF COUNTY COUNCIL KNOWS, KNOWS THAT WHAT THEY AGREED TO IT AND GETTING WORK DONE.
CAUSE THEY GO BACK UP 30,000 FEET AND WE STAY RIGHT ON THE GROUND.
SO LISA, THE COUPLE OF MEMBERS THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO ABOUT IT, DIDN'T HAVE A, THE FOGGIEST IDEA OF WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I'M SAYING THEY WEREN'T AT OUR, SO LOCA MEETINGS NORTH OF THE BROAD WAS HERE.
NONE OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES WERE THERE THAT DAY.
I MEAN, HE'S NOT ON COUNCIL ANYMORE, BUT YOUR UNCLE EVER BRANDS, LLEWELLYN, STEW, HOWEVER, ALICE, WAS THERE ONE CHALICE TO PAUL? WELL, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
MAY I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BRIAN CAN BRIDGE? SO, UH, THE UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO FUND A PORTION OF THIS AND WE'RE ASKING, REACHING OUT TO THE, UM, THE COUNTY TO AID IN THAT AND, UM, B FOR JASPER IN TERMS OF, UM, MAINTAINING OR THE FUNDS THAT WILL BE USED TO MAINTAIN THIS WITH DATA COLLECTION AND OTHER THINGS, WILL THAT BE A RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO SHARE WITH US ALSO? OR WILL THIS BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, BLUFFTON WILL WE'LL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR? IT WOULD BE B FOR JASPER'S INFRASTRUCTURE TO OWN AND MAINTAIN, SO THAT BURDEN WOULD FALL TO THEM ONCE IT WAS CONSTRUCTED.
SO WE DO BOTH SPELL OUT A LETTER AND MEET IS IT, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
DAN IS ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ISSUES WITH THIS? WE DO A LADDER SCOTT OR KIM GET A MEETING.
THEY CAN COME TO US, WE CAN GO TO THEM.
WE DON'T ALL HAVE TO ATTEND, BUT IF WE ALL CAN, I THINK IT'S GREAT.
I ALSO THINK BEING THAT YOU, I HAVE A, A VOICE ON THE AGENDA FOR SO LOCAL THAT WE ALL, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WE TALK ABOUT THIS AGAIN VERY SOON AS SO LOCAL.
UM, WE GOTTA KEEP, WE GOTTA KEEP THIS, UM, IN THE, UH, ATTENTION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, I KNOW THE AGENDA IS ALREADY OUT, BUT, UM, MAYBE YOU NEED TO SAY THIS IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR US TO ADD IF TIME PERMITS.
I KNOW WE WANT TO GET FUN OUT, BUT SEE IF THAT'S, IF YOU HAVE A WINDOW.
FRED, THE ONLY THING WITH THIS ONE, I SAW AN EMAIL FROM HEATHER ASKING WHILE WE MEET.
SO IT MIGHT BE OVER AN HOUR FOR THE 27TH ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN OR THE COMP PLAN.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT HARRY CAN ADD ANYTHING ELSE.
SO WE'LL BE MEETING FOR TWO HOURS.
WHAT YOU WANT ME TO ASK HIM? ARE YOU, I WOULD ASK ANYWAY, IF IT DOESN'T WORK WELL, WE TRIED ON THE LETTER.
I MEAN, MY, MY, MY CHOICE WOULD BE TO HAVE ALL THE COUNCILS SIGNED THE LETTER.
AND ONE THING, ONE MORE THING, JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT OUR WATERSHED ADVISORY
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COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING, UM, ON ALL THIS STUFF FOR, FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, THE, THE IMPORTANCE TO BRING IT TO BUFORD COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS.IF, UH, IF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BRINGS IT TO THEIR STAFF, THEN, THEN MAYBE SOMETHING WILL START.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE WAITING ON STAFF COMMUNICATIONS AND, AND NOT PLACING ANY BLAME ANYWHERE, BUT IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY BUFORD COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO EVEN, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT AWARE.
UM, AND THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO FIX.
AND I WILL SAY ALSO I WAS HERE WHEN OUR STORM WATER UTILITY FEES WERE BORN.
I GUESS I'VE USED THE TERM THAT WE'RE BORN AT THE TIME WHERE THE OTT RIVER WAS BECOMING POLLUTED FROM RUNOFF WHEN THEY CLOSED THE OYSTER BEDS IN THE HEAD OF THE OT IS WHEN THE STORM WATER UTILITY FEE WAS CREATED, WHAT THEIR WORDING SAYS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO USE IT FOR SEWER CAN BE CHANGED, OR WE WOULDN'T BE LEGALLY ABLE TO DO IT.
I MEAN, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE HISTORY OF IT.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PAYING STORMWATER UTILITY FEES WAS PROTECT THE RIVERS.
UM, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SAVE THE RIVERS, NANCY SHILLING, UM, LISA, I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER ALL THAT.
THEY CAN'T FIGURE A WAY TO PASS AN ORDINANCE CHANGE AND CHANGE SOMETHING TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE FUNDS.
SO JUST, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO OTHER THINGS, BUT ONE NIGHT I WAS TALKING TO JOE, PASS SOME ON AND ASHLEY ONE SOMEWHERE, AND ASHLEY SAID THE WAY THEIR ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN, IT DOESN'T ALLOW IT.
AND JOE PASS THEM ON SAID, WELL, THEN COUNCIL CAN CHANGE THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN.
AND IT'S JUST NOT US HELPING OUR STAFF MOVE THIS ALONG.
UM, SO WE NEED TO HELP BRIAN AND BRIAN NEEDS TO HELP US WITH THE EDUCATION SIDE OF IT AND HIT ON THAT.
ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE YOUR ORDINANCE IF NOT HELP US FEED YOU? YOU KNOW, SO, SO LOCO HAT IS NOTHING BUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, FRED, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE 45 MINUTES AND THAT'S IT.
WILL YOU GET WITH ME AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT? IS IT JUST A TOPIC OR ARE WHAT BRIAN JUST DID AS A QUICK UPDATE? WELL, WHEN WE FIRST, UM, TRYING TO PUT THIS THING IN MOTION, IT BIRTHED OUT OF SO LOCAL.
AND THEN WE ASKED FOR THE MEETING WITH THE, ALL THE JOINT, UM, REPRESENTATIVE, UM, YOU ASKED FOR A MEETING WITH YOU FOR JASPER COUNTY AND THE TOWN, BUT WE, WE KIND OF GOT THE BALL MOVING THROUGH SOLO, LOCAL.
SO, UM, AND I DON'T, YOU KNOW, AND THEY HAD REPRESENTATIVES AS SOLO COMMITTEE THAT WENT BACK AND MADE THAT, UM, UH, GAVE THEIR SUPPORT FOR US TO HAVE THAT MEETING.
SO I JUST THINK, UM, TALKING ABOUT, AGAIN, AGAIN, AS SOLO COACH, UM, KEEPS THE BALL MOVING OR KEEPS THE MOMENTUM GOING.
UM, THEY CAN'T MAKE DECISION TO, BUT, BUT IT DOES GET SOME KIND OF, UM, UH, MOMENTUM.
WHEN YOU, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU COULD PUT IT, I COULD ASK THEM TO PUT IT UNDER OLD BUSINESS.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT IF THE ATTENDANCE IS SO LOCO WAS REALLY LOW.
WHEN WE BEEN DOING ZOOM, HILTON HEAD DOESN'T SHOW UP THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT WELL ATTENDED AND, BUT IT, BUT IT GETS IT ON VIDEO.
SO I WILL CALL HIM AND SEE IF HE CAN ADD IT ON ALL BUSINESS AS A, MAYBE A QUICK UPDATE.
MAYBE BRIAN, EVEN BRIAN COULD SHARE THOSE SLIDES, OR IF HE COULD JUMP ON REAL QUICK, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO DO A PRESENTATION, BUT JUST TO HIT THOSE SLIDES, THIS IS OUR CALENDAR, THIS OUR HOTSPOTS, THIS IS WHO'S COMMITTED.
AND YOU KNOW, IT TAKE TWO MINUTES IF THAT'S OKAY WITH BRIAN TO DO.
AND AT LEAST YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO INVITE MICHAEL, UM, A REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL FROM, FROM, UH, DIFFERENT JASPER.
WHAT'S HIS LAST NAME? MICHAEL BELL MAY WANT TO INVITE MICHAEL BELL TO SOLO COMMITTING TO SO THAT HE CAN
[00:30:01]
HEAR WHAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT.HE IS, HE WAS ALSO IN SUPPORT OF DOING THIS FOR US.
SO, UM, THIS WE'RE GOING TO WRITE A FORMAL LETTER FROM ALL OF US TO SIGN.
WE'RE GOING TO GET A MEETING WITH COUNTY COUNCIL AND BRIAN, IF YOU COULD HANG WITH US ON THAT, AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK HARRY, CAN WE DO A REALLY QUICK THREE SLIDE? THIS IS IT.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS AND I, AND MICHAEL BELL NEEDS TO COME.
DIDN'T WE HEAR A WHILE AGO THAT WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM BUFORD JASPER, WOULD WE WANT TO ASK THEM IF THEY HAVE ANY INFORMATION SCOTT OR BRIAN JUST SAID? YEAH.
OR BRIAN? YEAH, I BELIEVE, UH, UH, BOYER IS, UM, ON HERE FOR ONE OF THE NEXT AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THIS AGAIN.
I THINK THEY'VE INCLUDED IT IN THERE.
I THINK MORE THAN B FOR JASPER.
AND JARED HAS BEEN, HE'S THE ONE TO MAYBE BRING IT UP TO, SO LET'S LET THEM DO THEIR PRESENTATIONS AND SEE IF THEY REACH OUT TO IT.
AND THEY'LL GIVE US A REASON TO ASK THEM AND THEY'RE LISTENING TO US SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
OKEY-DOKEY WHO'S UP NEXT? ANYTHING ELSE FOR BRIAN? BRIAN? THANK YOU.
YOU GOT A FEW LESS HAIRS ON YOUR FACE.
WHO'S UP NEXT? UM, BUFORD JASPER WATER, SEWER AUTHORITY, PROJECT UPDATE AND DISCUSSION.
REBECCA BAUER, BAUER VALIER DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING.
KIM, YOU BRINGING HER IN SHE, THEN SHE WASN'T BECCA.
UH, THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.
UH, WE WANTED TO REALLY FOLLOW UP ON THE, UM, THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY WATER MAIN AND, UM, ELEVATED STORAGE TANK DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I HAVE A PRESENTATION.
I AM, I SAID I WOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE A SCREEN.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO SWITCH OVER TO THAT.
NOW WE SEE IT TRYING TO SWITCH IT TO YOU.
IS IT THE, DO YOU SEE JUST THE SLIDESHOW? I MEAN, JUST, WE HAVE A, WELL, IT'S A SLOT AND NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT, WHAT WE SEE BECCA IS YOUR PRESENTER SCREEN.
WE DON'T SEE THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU CAN SWAP THEM, DISPLAY SETTINGS, THE NEXT LINE, DISPLAY SETTINGS, UH, DUPLICATE, SWAP THAT NOW WE'RE COOKING.
UH, IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE, APPRECIATE ALL THE HELP.
SO AGAIN, TONIGHT, WE JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU GUYS ABOUT THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY WATER PROJECT AND THE ELEVATED STORAGE TANK.
WE SPOKE TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THIS, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS A STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP THAT YOU GUYS HAD BACK IN JANUARY.
UH, REALLY JUST HIT SOME BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS.
WANTED TO GO OVER THAT AGAIN WITH YOU GUYS.
WE, UM, WENT THROUGH SOME, UH, TANK SIDING EVALUATION PROCESS THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS.
I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF OUR CURRENT, UH, DIRECTION ON THE PROJECT.
UM, WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THERE'LL BE SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS AND WHAT OUR ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE IS, AND THEN REALLY GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU GUYS ON THE DIRECTION WE PLAN TO TAKE AND SEE IF WE NEED TO ADJUST OUR COURSE ANY.
SO OVERALL, THE INTENTION OF THE PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE THE WATER FLOW, UH, IN THIS AREA, UH, TO PROVIDE STORAGE, TO MEET STORAGE REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, D HECK AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, AND OVERALL USING AN ELEVATED TANK AS ONE OF THE MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO OPERATE
[00:35:01]
A SYSTEM OR A STORAGE AND A SYSTEM IT'S A LITTLE MORE RELIABLE, AND IT DOES HELP, UM, STEADY SOME OF THE PRESSURES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, ESPECIALLY AS DEMANDS, WAX AND WANE.SO THIS MAP HERE THAT YOU WERE SEEING, IT'S ONE THAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING FOR A LITTLE BIT NOW SHOWING THE OVERALL ROUTE OF THE WATER MAIN.
THIS IS THE INITIAL ROUTE THAT WAS STARTED.
SO IT REALLY GOES ALONG T HIGHWAY STARTING AROUND AND GIVE IT ROAD RUNS ALONG BLUFFTON PARKWAY.
AND THEN THERE WAS A THIRD LEG OF IT THAT WOULD RUN A LONG BOOK WALTER PARKWAY, UM, TO, TO OUR TANK SITE.
SO, UM, ONCE WE GOT THIS INITIAL INFORMATION STARTER, WE STARTED EVALUATING TANK SITES.
AND SO WE HAD A LIST OF CRITERIA THAT WE LOOKED AT, UH, ZONING WAS ONE PART OF IT, A GROUND ELEVATION, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SHORTER THE TANK, THE LESS THE COST, UH, HOW VISIBLE WAS IT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE VARIOUS SURROUNDING AREAS? WHAT OTHER POTENTIAL USES THERE WERE FOR PROPERTIES IN THE AREA, UH, THE HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE, WHETHER IT WAS CLOSE TO ANOTHER TANK OR NOT HOW IT WORKED IN THE SYSTEM, WHETHER IT WOULD OVERTURN THE WATER AND KEEP FRESH WATER IN THE SYSTEM, OUR ABILITY TO ACQUIRE THE SITE, UH, SOME, SOME SITES JUST AREN'T FOR SALE, UM, UH, ARE A LITTLE TOO DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN.
WE LOOKED AT, UM, PERMITTING CONCERNS, SPECIFICALLY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, WETLANDS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND ALSO THE AVAILABILITY OF, YOU KNOW, ELECTRICAL AND TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES THERE TO COORDINATE WITH THE TANK SCADA SYSTEM.
SO WE DIVIDED IT UP INTO FOUR AREAS, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT, UM, OVERALL WE HAD RANKINGS ON THOSE EIGHT CRITERIA.
THEY GAVE US A SCALE OF ZERO TO 20 AND OF THOSE, OUR AREA THREE REALLY STOOD OUT AS BEING ONE OF THE BETTER AREAS, UM, THAT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR THE TANK SIDING.
SO THESE WERE THE FOUR AREAS THAT WERE LOOKED AT, UH, AREA ONE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF OTT AND BLUFFTON PARKWAY, UH, TO KIND OF MIDWAY ALONG, UM, BLUFFTON PARKWAY, NEAR HAMPTON LAKES AND, UM, SUBDIVISION.
OUR AREA THREE WAS NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BUCK, WALTER PARKWAY AND BLUFFTON PARKWAY.
AND THEN AREA FOUR WAS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SOUTH DOWN, UM, BUCK WALTER PARKWAY IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE THE HIGH SCHOOL PLAYS, THE HIGH SCHOOL, UM, IS DOWN THERE AND THE COUNTY REC CENTER.
SO THESE AREAS, AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, A THREE KIND OF STOOD OUT ABOVE THE REST WHEN WE WERE RATING THEM, UH, AREAS ONE AND TWO REALLY DIDN'T PERFORM WELL HYDRAULICALLY BECAUSE THERE IS A TANK NEARBY.
SO THEY DIDN'T PERFORM AS WELL AS AREAS THREE AND FOUR ALSO AREAS ONE AND TWO SPECIFICALLY WAS, UH, CLOSER TO SOME RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
SO WE TRIED TO STAY AWAY FROM THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH WOULD DETER, UH, FROM PEOPLE WANTING A TANK THERE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AREA FOR, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER OF RANKING, UH, BECAUSE OF ITS CIVIC AND AN INSTITUTIONAL USES THERE IN THAT AREA.
BUT WHEN WE GOT TO LOOKING AT THOSE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, UH, THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH MASTER PLANS FOR BUILD OUT FOR ALL OF THOSE AREAS.
SO NOT REALLY A GOOD LOCATION ON HIGH GROUND TO INSTALL A TANK.
SO THAT REALLY LED US TO NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS A COMMERCIAL AREA THERE IT'S NEAR AN INTERSECTION.
UH, THERE'S UM, QUITE A FEW THINGS GOING ON, BUT THAT WE STARTED FOCUSING ON AREA THREE.
THERE WE'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL SITE OWNERS THERE.
UM, FOUR POTENTIAL LOCATIONS, ONE IN PARTICULAR, UM, HAS BEEN VERY AMENABLE AND WE'VE REALLY KIND OF LOOKED INTO IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
UH, THE PARTICULAR SITE IS ABOUT A HALF ACRE.
IT IS THERE ADJACENT TO THE POWER LINES, BUT WE'VE MADE SURE THAT WE CAN FIT A TANK ON IT.
AND THAT IT DOES MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF BEING 40 FEET FROM ANY OF THE POWER LINES.
UH, THE CURRENT ACCESS TO THE SITE IS ADJACENT IS FROM AN ADJACENT PARCEL.
UH, BUT THERE IS SOME CONSIDERATION FOR THE FUTURE BLUFFTON PARKWAY, EXTENSION AND REALIGNMENT OF THAT INTERSECTION THAT WOULD BE GOING THROUGH THERE.
UH, WE DID TALK TO OTHER, UH, PARCEL OWNERS
[00:40:01]
IN THE AREA.UH, BLINKER HOSPITAL IS ONE THAT'S BEING, UM, PLANNED, UH, THERE'S SOME COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY JUST SOUTH OF THIS, BUT THIS SITE, UM, SO FAR HAS STOOD OUT.
WE, WE HAVEN'T DONE SOME, I'LL SAY MORE SPECIFIC INVESTIGATION ON THIS SITE, BUT, UH, REALLY WANTED TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK BEFORE WE STARTED GOING ANY FURTHER INTO LOOKING AT THIS SITE.
SO THIS IS THE PARTICULAR SITE HERE.
SO THIS IS THE, CAN YOU SEE THE CURSOR? SO THIS IS THE INTERSECTION OF BUCK WALTER AND BLUFFTON PARKWAY.
AND THIS IS THE POWER LINES THAT GO THROUGH.
UH, THE RED AREA IS THE PROPOSED FUTURE BLUFFTON PARKWAY ALIGNMENT.
I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT SOLIDIFIED, BUT WE WENT WITH, WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED.
AND THE PIECE OF LAND THAT WE STARTED LOOKING AT WAS THIS TRACT HERE, UH, TALKING TO THE OWNER, UH, HE WOULD PREFER IT BE TOWARDS THE BACK.
HE'S GOT, UH, SEVERAL PLANTS, UH, HE'S HAD PLANNED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THESE FIRST FEW PARCELS THAT HE PLANS TO SUBDIVIDE.
SO WE REALLY CONCENTRATED ON THIS BACK AREA HERE.
UH, THERE ARE SOME WETLANDS, UM, BUT AGAIN, WE COULD MAINTAIN OUR DISTANCE FROM THE EXISTING POWER LINES.
UH, WE COULD ROUTE THINGS ALONG THE PROPOSED ROAD, UH, AS NOT TO BE IN INCONVENIENCE WHEN THE ROAD EVENTUALLY DOES COME IN.
AND, UH, THIS AREA IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DEVELOPED NOW THAN WHAT THIS AERIAL SHOWS, BUT ACCESS TO THE SITE, UH, IS THROUGH THIS COMMERCIAL AREA HERE.
I BELIEVE THERE'S THE PARKERS RIGHT IN HERE.
THAT MIGHT BE WHAT EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH, BUT THERE IS ACCESS TO THE SITE ACROSS THE POWER LINES.
SO THE FIRST THING EVERYBODY ASKS IS WHAT'S IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE? SO WE'VE GOT A FEW RENDERINGS HERE FOR YOU.
UH, THIS FIRST ONE IS FROM THE VICINITY OF BUCK WALTER PARKWAY THERE AT THE POWER LINES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE, THE HEIGHT OF THE TANK WILL BE ABOVE THE TREE LINES.
UH, THE PLAN IS FOR COMPOSITE TANK, WHICH MEANS THAT IT HAS A CONCRETE PEDESTAL BASE WITH A STEEL BOWL.
UM, AGAIN, IT IS VISIBLE, BUT, UM, NOT HIGHLY INTRUSIVE TO THE VIEW THAT YOU WOULD SEE FROM THE, THE WAY WE DID TRY TO GET SOME OTHER PICTURES.
UH, THIS WAS FROM THE TOWNS AT BUCK WALTER, WHICH IS AN ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IT DOES COME UP ABOVE THE TREE LINES.
UM, BUT THE, THE VIEW IS MINIMAL OF WHAT YOU WOULD SEE OF THE TANK.
THIS VIEW IS FROM THE ADJACENT PARCEL TO THE SOUTH, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE SITE.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST PROMINENT VIEW OF THE TANK THAT ANYONE WOULD REALLY SEE, UH, ON THIS PARTICULAR, UH, RENDERING HERE.
WE'VE PUT THE BJ WSA LOGO ON IT, WHICH IS TYPICAL.
UM, OUR STANDARD TANKS AROUND THE AREA HAVE AN AWFUL WHITE BACKGROUND WITH THE BJ WSA LOGO, ONLY ONE OR TWO SIDES.
UH, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FEEL OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT WE DID WANT TO THROW OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO ANOTHER OPTION AS WELL, AND ALSO INCLUDE, UH, THE BLUFFTON LOGO, THE, THE LOW COUNTRY LOGO, OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE YOU GUYS WOULD SUGGEST WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO CONSIDERATION THERE, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, IN A RENDERING HERE.
SO THE, THE GENERAL PROJECT DIRECTION THAT WE ARE GOING IN RIGHT NOW IS WE WOULD CONNECT TO THE EXISTING 24 INCH WATER MAIN AND GIVE IT RIGHT THERE AT HOLLOWAY, THE OTT HIGHWAY, UH, WE WOULD EXTEND A 24 INCH WATER MAIN ALONG OTT HIGHWAY UP TO THE INTERSECTION OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY.
UH, WE WOULD DO A CROSS CONNECTION THERE AT OAK ACROSS OTT HIGHWAY, UH, SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF THAT INTERSECTION TO TIE TO A 24 INCH THAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEN WE WOULD EXTEND A 36 INCH WATER MAIN ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY.
UM, ALL OF THIS BEING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
[00:45:02]
AT THAT POINT, WHEN WE GOT TO BUCK WALTER INTERSECTION, UH, WE WOULD TIE TO AN EXISTING 16 INCH MAIN THERE, UH, THE WAY WATER SYSTEMS WORK, UH, THEY'RE MORE STABLE WHEN THEY ARE LOOPED.SO HAVING SOME INTERCONNECTIONS PROVIDES FOR SOME STABILITY OF THE SYSTEM, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH PRESSURES.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE FOCUSING NOW ON A TANK SIDE AT AREA THREE A, WHICH IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF BUCK WALTER AND BLUFFTON PARKWAY, UH, WE WOULD ACTUALLY ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR THE 36 INCH WATER LINE TO CONTINUE DOWN BUCK WALTER PARKWAY.
UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO CROSS OVER TO THE TANK SITE WITH THE 36 INCH WATER MAIN.
AND, UH, AGAIN, AT THIS POINT WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT A ONE AND A HALF MILLION GALLON, A COMPOSITE TANK THERE NEAR THAT INTERSECTION.
SO THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY IMPACTS, UH, WHAT WE ANTICIPATE, UH, POTENTIALLY SOME LANE CLOSURES, UH, ALONG ALL THREE HALLWAYS THERE.
UH, WE DO INTEND TO INSTALL SOME OF THE PIPE BY TRENCHLESS METHODS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE CROSSING THE HIGHWAY.
UH, BUT WE, WE COULD POTENTIALLY STILL CLOSE DOWN A LINE HERE AND THERE.
UH, FOR THE MOST PART, ESPECIALLY ALONG, UH, BLUFFTON PARKWAY, UH, WE ARE PLANNING TO GO UNDERNEATH THE TRAIL.
SO, UH, THERE WOULD BE SOME COORDINATION, UH, WITH THE TOWN, UH, FOR CLOSING DOWN THE TRAIL AND THEN, UH, RESURFACE OR ACTUALLY REPLACING THE TRAIL.
ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE, TREES ARE A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO ADDRESS AS WELL.
AGAIN, WE PLAN TO STAY WITHIN THE RIGHT RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH MINIMALIZES THE TREE CLEARING NEEDED.
UH, THAT'S A PRETTY WIDE RIGHT OF WAY FOR ALL OF THOSE ROADS.
THE MAIN IMPACT FOR TREE CLEARING WOULD BE ON THE TANK SITE BECAUSE THAT IS A WOODED SITE, BUT WE WOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE PROPER REVIEW AND APPROVAL ROUTES TO CLEAR THAT SIDE FOR A TANK.
UH, WE'VE ALSO TRIED TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF WETLANDS, UH, THAT WE WOULD BE IMPACTING.
UH, THOSE HAVE BEEN DELINEATED AND, UH, ARE PART OF OUR PLANS TO MITIGATE THOSE.
AND, UH, LASTLY, BUT NOT LEAST, OH, WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY EXTENSION PROJECT IN THE DESIGN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T IMPACT THAT FUTURE ROADWAY, UM, ONCE IT DOES COME ALONG.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS, UM, AFTER THIS INITIAL MEETING WITH YOU GUYS IS TO START STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH, UH, START, BEGAN SETTING UP MEETINGS TO GET PUBLIC INPUT.
UH, WE WANTED TO COME TO THE TABLE FIRST, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF, BUT I STILL WANTED TO GET COUNCIL INPUT ON THE DIRECTION THAT, UH, WE ARE HEADING RIGHT NOW.
AND ONCE WE GET THAT DIRECTION AND WE HOLD, UH, SOME OF THE INITIAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS TO GET INPUT FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, WE WOULD INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THE DESIGN, UH, GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS, FINALIZE THE DESIGN, AND THEN START CONSTRUCTION ON THIS PROJECT.
SO FOR US, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON TWO DIFFERENT PROJECT SCHEDULES.
UH, THE WATERMAIN WE WOULD ANTICIPATE STARTING THIS FALL, UH, IN THE SEPTEMBER TIMEFRAME AND BE FINISHED BY NEXT SUMMER, THE WATER TANK WOULD LAG A LITTLE BIT.
UH, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT STARTING CONSTRUCTION IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR AND FINISHING UP, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF LATER.
SO REALLY WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, UM, THE MAIN GOAL OF PRESENTING TONIGHT WOULD BE TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK FROM YOU GUYS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE PATH THAT WE ARE ON, UH, ACCEPTABLE.
IS THIS THE, THE ROUTE, UM, YOU GUYS ARE IN CONCURRENCE WITH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER AVENUES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO EXPLORE? WE'RE OPEN TO THAT, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, ANY SPECIAL PAINT SCHEMES FOR THE, THE TANK, UM, AS WELL AS ANY ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS WE SHOULD HAVE FOR THE WATER MAIN ALIGNMENT.
I'D LIKE TO CHIME IN, UH, BECCA.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION IS VERY THOROUGH.
UM, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE, UM, THE PLACEMENT OF WHERE YOU HAD IT AND, UH, YOU SAID THE PROPERTY OWNER WANTED IT TOWARDS THE BACK, UM, LIKE, UH, A GOOD POSITION AND EVEN SEEING THE PLACEMENT
[00:50:01]
OF IT, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, LIKE YOU REALLY COULDN'T, HE COULDN'T SEE IT UNLESS YOU WERE AN INSIDE OF, OR ON THAT PROPERTY.UM, THE ONLY SUGGESTION THAT I HAVE A QUESTION, A SUGGESTION, THE SUGGESTION I HAVE IN TERMS OF THE PAINT SCHEMES, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT ARTISTS IN THE TOWN, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD MAKE A, LIKE A TOWN PROJECT OF IT AND KNOWING THAT A LOT PEOPLE AREN'T ARE IMPORTANT ABOUT MAINTAINING, YOU KNOW, UM, THE CULTURAL EXPRESSION OF THE TOWN.
SO IF, IF SOMEHOW WE, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO GET THEM IN ON IT AND, UM, AND KINDA MAKE IT A COMMUNITY PROJECT, UM, ON THAT TO APPEASE THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND THE NEED OF THE PROJECT, BUT ALSO MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, AGAINST JUST HAVING A BIG, BULKY THING STICKING UP, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THE TOWN.
I THINK THAT MIGHT, MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO GET EVERYONE IN A BOARD WITH IT.
UM, SO THAT'S AN OPTION I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO, UM, GET COUNCIL'S PERSPECTIVE ON IT AND SEE WHAT EVERYONE THINKS.
UM, AND THEN MY QUESTION IS FOR WHERE THAT PLACEMENT WOULD BE OF THE WATER TOWER.
I KNOW ITS PROXIMITY TO THE WETLANDS.
UM, HAVE YOU INVESTIGATED HOW MANY TREES, UM, THIS WOULD IMPACT OR HOW MANY TREES WOULD, WOULD BE OBSTRUCTED IN ORDER TO PLACE THAT TOWER THERE? SO, NO, WE HAVE NOT.
UH, WE HAVE JUST BEEN IN TALKS.
WE HAVE NOT DONE SOME INVESTIGATIVE, UM, ACTIONS THERE ON THE SIDE, SO WE'VE, WE'VE NOT GONE OUT THERE AND DONE A GEOTECHNICAL BORING TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE, OH, THEY DID GO AHEAD AND HAVE THEM SURVEY THE SITE OR BEGIN THE SURVEYING WORK FOR THE SITE.
WE'VE NOT RECEIVED THAT AT THIS POINT.
UH, BUT THAT SURVEY WOULD INCLUDE THE TREE COUNT AND IDENTIFICATION FOR ANY SPECIMEN, TREES AND GRAND TREES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AGAIN, WE DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO GO TOO FAR ON THE SITE SELECTION.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO COME TO YOU AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE PICKED THIS SITE.
UM, WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE FOUND A REALLY, UM, FITTING SITE, UH, THAT, THAT RANKS HIGHLY IN OUR, UM, CATEGORIES THAT WE WERE DOING OUR EVALUATION.
AND, UH, JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T OVERLOOKING SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SITE AREA? UM, AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS.
THE ONE THAT HAD THE AERIAL OF ACTUAL SITE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT IS ON MY OTHER MAP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS FOR A, I HAVE A QUESTION PLEASE, BACK OFF YOUR SCHEDULE FOR, FOR THE, UH, I GUESS THE PIPING'S, UM, FORTUNATE THIS PROJECT IS PRETTY LIMPLY HOW MUCH, UH, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK, OR WHAT TIMES DO YOU THINK THE LANE CLOSURE WOULD BE IN EFFECT WHAT TIME OF DAY? SO THAT WILL BE DEPENDENT ON WHAT THE DLT AND THIS THE, I BELIEVE BLUFFTON PARKWAY, EXCUSE ME, THIS A COUNTY ROAD.
AND SO WE WOULD DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM.
THIS IS A DESIGN BUILD PROJECT.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THERE REALLY ISN'T A FORMAL BID PROCESS IN THE MIDDLE.
WE DON'T HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT PLANS THEN BID THE PROJECT, THEN BUILD THE PROJECT, UH, OVERALL THAT THE, THEY KIND OF MERGED TOGETHER.
SO WE ARE FROM THE DESIGN PHASE ON THE WATER MAIN, WE ARE AT ABOUT 60% PLANS, WHICH IS ABOUT READY TO GO INTO PERMITTING.
ONCE WE GET A FEW, LIKE I SAID, WE PLANNED TO DO SOME INITIAL COMMENTS HERE FROM STAKEHOLDERS IN THE MAY TIMEFRAME SO THAT WE CAN GO INTO PERMITTING AND THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS, UM, WE WOULD FIND MORE OUT ABOUT LANE CLOSURES AND, UH, ANY IMPACTS TO TRAVEL THROUGH THERE.
BUT IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC CONCERN THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, UM, ABOUT NOT CLOSING IT, MAKING SURE THINGS WERE OPEN AT A CERTAIN TIME OF DAY OR TWO.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF WE WERE CLOSER TO THE SCHOOL, I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL WOULD HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT, UM, CONTROL, UM, INGRESS AND EGRESS OF SCHOOL, TRAFFIC AND BUSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, OVERALL WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THEM, BUT I'M GLAD TO INCORPORATE ANYTHING, ANY KIND OF COMMENTS YOU HAVE, UM, INTO THE PROJECT SO THAT THEY CAN BE ADDRESSED AND THINGS CAN INCONVENIENCE, CAN BE MINIMALIZED.
[00:55:01]
OKAY.WITHOUT KNOWING, WITHOUT KNOWING, UH, YOUR FINAL PLANS, IT'S HARD FOR, TO GIVE SOME INPUT, BUT, BUT YOU MADE SOME KEY POINTS IS IT'S THERE'S SCHOOL, TRAFFIC THERE AS WELL AS A WORK, UM, COMMUTE.
UM, SO LET'S, AS LONG AS WE KEEP THOSE, UM, TIMEFRAME IN MIND, UM, A LOT OF THE ROAD WORK HAS BEEN DONE AT NIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF PIPING CAN BE DONE AT NIGHT, BUT, BUT IT, YOUR, YOUR WINDOW FOR THIS PIPING IS, IS, IS PRETTY MENTALLY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WE CAN GET CLOSER TO WHERE WE UNDERSTAND TIME FOR, I MEAN, WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO THE PROJECT.
SO, SO THE, THE PIPING WILL BE DONE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD.
SO HOPEFULLY THE ROADS WILL BE OPEN FOR THE MOST PART.
SO I'M GUESSING SIMILAR TO WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING ON 1 46.
NOW THAT REALLY DIDN'T CAUSE A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE FRAT UP NOTICE ACTUALLY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB AND IT'S BURIED AND MOVED DOWN.
I DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF WAITING IN CARS DURING THAT.
CAN I ASK QUESTION WHILE OTHERS ARE THINKING I HAVE A MAP PULLED UP, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO LINED THIS AREA OUT BECAUSE FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I CANNOT FIGURE THE FOUR PARCELS THAT AREN'T IN.
SOME KIND OF CONSERVANCY OWNERSHIP ARE NOT TIPPING INTO WOODBRIDGE.
WHO, WHO, UM, LAND THIS MAP OUT FOR Y'ALL ON BED, YOU'RE SHOWING IT WAS SOME INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THOSE FOUR PARCELS ARE THERE.
I DON'T SEE THIS, ANY OF THIS LAND THAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, THAT CLOSE TO THE PARKERS IN THAT WAREHOUSE.
I, I JUST, I DON'T SEE IT AT SAW.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD A AREA FROM, UH, THE TOWNS AT BUCK WALTER, BUT WHEN I GO ON THE MAP THAT I HAD THAT SHOWS LAND WHO OWNS LAND, YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE PUTTING IT SORT OF BEHIND WOODBRIDGE, BUT I CANNOT FIND THAT ON MY MAP.
I DON'T SEE THERE'S THAT MUCH SPACE ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF YOUR YOU'RE ON POWER LINE EASEMENT, BUT IT'S JUST ME TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT WHILE I'M TALKING TO YOU.
UM, SO MAKE SURE THAT'S RIGHT.
DID Y'ALL LOOK ON THE WESTERN SIDE AT ALL? OR IS THIS JUST CURIOUS? CAUSE THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO UNDERNEATH ROADWAYS AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE TRAFFIC, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BURROW UNDERNEATH.
SO WE DID LOOK AT THE WEST SIDE.
UM, THEY, THE OWNER ON THE WEST SIDE HAS SOME FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PLANS, UM, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE MINIMAL IMPACT.
UH, WE DID LOOK AT THE PARCEL TO THE NORTHWEST OF THAT INTERSECTION, WHICH IS THE HOSPITAL I BELIEVE HAS PLANS FOR THAT ONE.
AND THEN WE LOOKED A LITTLE BIT TO THE SOUTH OF THE POWER LINES THERE AND THAT SAME GENERAL VICINITY, UH, BUT THE, THE REALIGNMENT OF THE ROAD THERE, UH, REALLY GETS INTO THE WAY OF, I GUESS, WHAT WOULD BE A MORE IDEAL SPOT FOR THE TANK THERE.
SO I GUESS I ASKED STAFF TO LOOK AT THIS, IF IT IS LAND OWNED BY A CONSERVANCY, CAN THEY SELL THAT AND HAVE THIS IMPACT ON A AREA? IF I'M LOOKING AT THE RIGHT PLACE, WE CAN INVESTIGATE THAT.
I WOULD ABSOLUTELY DOUBLE-CHECK WITH OUR GPS, OUR SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE ALL THAT IS THERE.
CAUSE IT, I, IT'S JUST HARD TO FIND.
SO YES, I WOULD LOVE OUR LOGO ON IT.
I THINK THAT I HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN Y'ALL TALK TO US QUICKLY AT THE WORKSHOP, A LOT BRIDGES IDEA, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PUT ALL THAT ON, YOU KNOW, A BLANK SLATE, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO MAKE IT BLUFFTON.
UM, AND IT, AND MINIMAL IMPACT, UH, TO THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TWO RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES RIGHT THERE.
SO WHEREVER YOU PUT IT, IT SEEMED LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE IMPACT ACCEPTED T AND RELUCTANT PARKWAY.
W WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR THESE RESIDENTS FOR THIS? I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT NEED TO KNOW.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR WATER TOWER? SO OVERALL THE, THE BENEFITS OF AN ELEVATED STORAGE TANK OR ANY STORAGE FACILITY, UH, AND THE LOOPING THE LINES, THESE INTERCONNECTS
[01:00:01]
OF THE WATER MAIN IS THAT, UH, IT PROVIDES STEADY FLOW, UM, AND IMPROVES FLOW CONDITIONS FOR THE AREA.SO WHEN, UH, I GUESS WE SAY PEOPLE SUCK OUT OF THE STRAW.
UM, IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO PUT THEIR STRAWS IN THE CUP, THE WATER GOES DOWN REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, BUT BY HAVING THESE INTERCONNECTS, YOU, YOU DON'T HA YOU DON'T TYPICALLY SEE THE FLUCTUATION THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS YOU HAVE HIGH DEMAND USES.
UH, YOU ALSO DON'T SEE THAT THE PRESSURE CHANGES AS MUCH BECAUSE OF THE TANK THERE AS WELL.
SO IF THERE ARE CONCERNS OF LOW PRESSURE, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY ALLEVIATED, UM, SOMEWHAT WITH THE USE OF AN ELEVATED STORAGE TANK.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE FOR BECCA? YES.
MA'AM BACK TO, COULD YOU GO BACK AND PUT UP THE FOUR LOCATIONS THAT YOU SHOWED A MINUTE AGO AND NUMBER FOUR, WHERE DID IT TERMINATE THE AREA OR THE WORDS WERE YOU ANYWHERE NEAR THE COUNTY REC CENTER? W WE, WE DID CONSIDER THE COUNTY REC CENTER SITE.
AND SO NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER FOUR, OR THE ELEVATION IS BASICALLY THE SAME.
I WOULD HAVE TO PULL THE REPORT, BUT, UH, TH THE ELEVATION, UM, AT NIGHT, UH, WAS RELATIVE THE SAME CLOSE TO THE HIGHWAY.
UH, BUT THE, UM, THE SITE PLANS FOR BUILD OUT WERE BASICALLY WALL TO WALL, ESPECIALLY TO THE FRONT OF THE SITE, BECAUSE IT DROPS OFF.
I BELIEVE THERE'S MORE LOW LENDS BACK THERE.
UM, WHICH MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT ALSO TO PUT A TANK SIDE BACK THERE.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT, UM, THE HIGHER, THE GROUND ELEVATION, THE LOWER THE TOWER, IS IT, WAS THAT THE WAY IT WORKS? THE SHORTER THE TOWER? YEAH.
SO, SO THE, THE TOP OF THE TANK HAS, IS CALLED AN OVERFLOW ELEVATION NEEDS TO BE AT A CERTAIN ELEVATION.
AND SO, UH, THE HIGHER, THE GROUND ELEVATION, THE SHORTER THE TANK HAS TO BE, SO THAT IT IS THE OVERFLOW AT THE TOP OF THE TANK IS AT THE SAME ELEVATION.
IT WAS THE HIGHEST ELEVATION OUT OF THOSE FOUR LOCATIONS.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I COULD DEFINITELY GET THAT TO YOU.
IT WAS PART OF THE, THE SPECIFICS OF THE EVALUATION.
THE REASON I BRING UP NUMBER FOUR IS I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU GAVE US AN EXAMPLE, EXCUSE ME, SHOWING THE TOWNS WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE VISIBLE, BUT YOU DIDN'T SHOW US ANYTHING ABOUT WOODBRIDGE.
IS THERE A VISUAL IMPACT OF WOODBRIDGE? I DO NOT HAVE A RENDERING FROM THAT AREA.
THAT'S MY REASON FOR ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT ANOTHER LOCATION, LIKE POTENTIALLY NUMBER FOUR, IF YOU CHOSE A NUMBER FOUR, I'M JUST, I'M THROWING THIS OUT THERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DECIDE IS LIKE, I KNOW THAT I WONDER WHICH ONE WOULD HAVE THE MOST IMPACT TO A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY FROM A VISIBILITY PERSPECTIVE, THREE OR FOUR, NUMBER FOUR IS, UH, DEFINITELY FURTHER AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
UM, THE NUMBER THREE IS, UH, WHEN WE LOOKED AT ELEVATION, WE DID NOT LOOK AT ANY PARTICULAR SITES.
WE LOOKED AT THE GENERAL AREA, UH, ELEVATION, UH, AS PART OF OUR EVALUATION PROCESS.
WE REALLY DIDN'T START LOOKING AT SITES UNTIL WE SAW THAT REALLY ONE, TWO AND FOUR, UM, RANKED VERY LOW OR RELATIVELY LOW.
AND THAT THREE STOOD OUT AS THE HIGHEST RANKING OF THE SITES OF THE AREAS.
AND THEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT SITES WITHIN AREA THREE.
ANOTHER REASON I ASK IS, LET ME ASSURE YOU, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE STORAGE FACILITY ON BUCKWALTER PARKWAY, THE NEW ONE LOOKS LIKE A MONOLITHIC STRUCTURE THERE, CORRECT? WE CALL IT T TOTAL HECK ABOUT THAT.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS BASED ON VISIBILITY AND THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY IT.
AND YOU HAVEN'T ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TONIGHT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
THE NEXT ANOTHER QUESTION WAS, AND I THINK YOU MAY HAVE TOUCHED THIS ON THIS ORIGINALLY.
SO THE, UM, THIS TOWER WILL IT SUFFICE TO SERVE ALL THE NEEDS FOR LIKE THE NEXT 40 YEARS IN THIS AREA,
[01:05:01]
THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS CONDUCTED FOR THIS WAS DONE IN 2017.AND IT WAS A, UH, I PLAN, IT LOOKED AT YEARS, 20, 25 THROUGH 2040.
I JUST HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, I, I, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT.
I, I WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED TO HEAR WHAT THEIR, WHAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO SAY.
YOU KNOW, THEIR COMMENTS TO ME ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
I WON'T SEE IT FROM MY NORMAL TRAVEL, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S.
IF, IF IT WERE IN MY BACKYARD, I'D PROBABLY HAVE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS, BUT WE NEED TO HEAR WHAT THESE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA.
THINK ABOUT IT AND TAKE THAT TO HEART OUT.
I WOULD WANT TO, BEFORE I COULD SAY, OH YEAH, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT LOCATION.
AND, AND JUST ON A, ON ANOTHER, UH, QUESTION, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALK ABOUT SEWER AND WATER AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT THIS MEETING'S ALL ABOUT, HOW, HOW MUCH, HOW BIG A PROJECT DOLLAR WAS ESTIMATED PROJECT IS THIS FOR BUFORD, JASPER WATER AND SEWER, JUST ROUGHLY OFF THE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A FEW MILLION, THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION, WE DO HAVE PLANS TO START STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS NEXT.
SO THAT WOULD BE WITH THE TANK, WITH THE, UM, VARIOUS RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES.
UH, WE'LL BE GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO THEM AND SETTING UP SOME PUBLIC MEETINGS TO GET THEIR INPUT.
UM, UM, WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED TONIGHT AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOT THE DATA WE'VE GATHERED, UM, PRIOR TO THOSE MEETINGS, UH, AS FAR AS COST OF THE PROJECT, THIS PORTION IS ROUGHLY, I WANT TO SAY $18 MILLION.
THAT'S JUST THE TANK, OR THAT'S THE WATER LINE COMING ALL THE WAY, THE WATER LINE AND THE TANK.
ARE THERE PLANS TO RUN SEWER ALONGSIDE OF THAT WATER MAIN WHEN THAT'S INSTALLED? OR IS THAT GOING TO BE, THAT'S NOT EVEN CONNECTED.
IT'S ALREADY OUT THERE ADEQUATE SEWER WOULD WITHIN WATER, OR I'M JUST ASKING.
I KNOW THERE ARE SU ARE ALREADY THERE, BUT, OR THE SEWER LINES OR SEWER CAPACITIES GOING TO BE INCREASED WITH THE INCREASE AMOUNT OF WATER OR SERVICE AREA.
THESE, UH, THIS AREA HERE HAS NO PLANS FOR INCREASED COLLECTION LINES FOR, FOR THE SEWER.
UH, WE DO HAVE PLANS TO EXPAND THE PLANT ON CHERRY POINT.
WE'VE STARTED A, UM, WHAT'S CALLED A P OR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON AN EXPANSION THERE THAT, UH, THE ACTUAL COLLECTION LINES IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
NO, THERE'S NO PLANS FOR CHANGING THOSE AT THIS POINT.
IF I COULD SHARE MY SCREEN BACK OUT, I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU AREA FOUR ON A MAP I HAVE.
SO YOU CAN SEE MAYBE A POSSIBILITY.
SO IF YOU SEE, SO AREA FORWARD IS THIS CIRCLE RIGHT HERE.
AND THIS AREA RIGHT HERE WAS CLEARED ACCIDENTALLY BY BUFORD COUNTY, BUT IT SAYS BLANK, DIRT PAD, AND THEY CAN'T DO A THING WITH IT.
I LIKE THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE FAR AWAY.
I KNOW HOW TALL THESE TREES ARE.
CAUSE I RIDE THIS EVERY DAY, YOUR CLOSEST RESIDENTIAL, THERE'S A WETLAND GOLF COURSE.
AND THEN RESIDENTIAL YOU'RE IN A PARK AREA AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RESIDENTIAL ACROSS THE STREET.
MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE AT LEAST WALK RIGHT OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY CLEARED AND IT'S NOWHERE NEAR POWER LINES.
SO THAT'S YOUR AREA FOR, THAT'S JUST A SUGGESTION.
THE LAND OWNED BY THE COUNTY IS BUCK WALTER REGIONAL PARK RIGHT HERE.
AND THESE ARE SOCCER FIELDS AND THEY HAD CLEARED THIS AND FOUND OUT THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO, BUT IT'S, IT LOOKS JUST LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THEM AGAIN, BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE PLANS FOR, UH, DEVELOPING EVERY PORTION OF THAT SITE.
WELL, THEY HAVE A MASTER PLAN FOR IT.
SO, UH, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP.
AND I KNOW THAT CAUSE IT HAS TO GET APPROVED FROM THE TOWN.
I PROMISE YOU BECAUSE I TRIED TO PUT A, I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD DO MORE SOCCER FIELDS.
[01:10:01]
IT WAS CLEARED WRONGLY HERE.IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN CLEARED, BUT IT IS CLEARED.
CAN YOU NOT GO VERTICAL ON IT? YOU BEING A UTILITY AND THEM BE IN THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A WASTE OF DIRT FAR AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL.
IT'S NOT VISIBLE EXCEPT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PLAYING SOCCER AND RIDING SKATEBOARDS.
AND THEN THE OTHER AREA, THE REASON I WAS ASKING YOU.
SO I THINK THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS THE LAND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO DAN WAS ASKING WOODBRIDGE IS REALLY, REALLY BUFFERED WOODBRIDGE.
AND ONLY THIS TIP IN RIGHT IN HERE OF THE TOWNS WILL SEE IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT NEXT TO THAT BIG, TALL, HORRIFIC STRUCTURE.
SO IT JUST, AGAIN, LIKE THEY ALL SAID, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM THAT.
UM, SO IF, IF I REMEMBER WASN'T THIS, OR ISN'T A PART OF THE TOWER NOT, UM, AND ONE OF THE SOLUTION, SHE ABLE, ISN'T A PART OF IT TO, UM, INCREASE THE WATER PRESSURE IN OTHER AREAS.
SO IT DOESN'T INCREASE WATER PRESSURE, BUT IT DOES STABILIZE THE WATER PRESSURE.
SO IT KEEPS IT FROM DROPPING, FROM CHANGING SO MUCH.
UH, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE CALL PART ONE, UH LONG-TERM UH, WHICH WOULD BE THROUGH 2040 WOULD BE TO EXTEND THIS ALL THE WAY OUT.
UM, I GUESS REALLY BLUFFED AND PARKWAY TO WHERE IT TIES BACK INTO 2 74.
SO IT WASN'T THAT TO INCREASE, MAYBE USE THE INCORRECT WORDING, BUT I KNEW IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH, UH, IMPROVING THE, UM, THE WATER PRESSURES.
AND IT JUST BECOMES A PART OF, OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IN THIS AREA AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE SOME THINGS THAT WE JUST CAN'T AVOID.
AND I KNOW EVERYONE WOULD WANT TO PUT A HALT ON ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA OBSTRUCT, YOU KNOW, THEIR AREA OR, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE A GLARING SITE FOR SOME PEOPLE.
UM, AND AS ALWAYS, WE INCLUDE OUR STAKEHOLDERS OPINIONS IN IT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE NO WAY AROUND INSTALLING THIS TOWER.
AND I THINK, UM, AND CONSIDERING THAT WE WANT TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS IS WHEN PROJECTS LIKE THIS COME UP, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO PUT, UM, THE PURPOSE OF IT REALLY AT THE FOREFRONT AND KNOWING THAT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE AN AID OR A BENEFIT TO EVERYONE, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DEFINITELY BE, BE LOOKING AT, THANK YOU, BRIDGET.
I WAS JUST ASKING ANYONE ELSE.
THE, THE ACTUAL LAND YOU NEED TO DO A SITE LIKE THAT.
WHAT'S THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF LAND YOU NEED.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE ELEVATION AND WHAT'S AROUND IT.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT A HALF-ACRE SITE HERE.
NOW WE'RE SNEAKING THAT TO AN ACRE OR SO BACK TO THE REC CENTER OR THE, UH, I'M NOT SAYING IT CORRECTLY, THE COUNTY LOCATION THAT MAYOR REFERENCED A MINUTE AGO.
SO EVEN, AND I'VE HER ALSO THAT THEY WANT TO EXPAND AND BUILD THAT AREA OUT, WHICH THEY PROBABLY NEED TO DO, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE NOT TAKING UP THAT MUCH SPACE.
SO I HOPE ON THE REQUEST OF THIS COUNCIL, YOU WILL GO BACK TO REVISIT THAT.
ANYONE ELSE, BECCA, THANK YOU FOR THIS.
UM, WE'LL WAIT, WHEN, WHAT WILL, WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS? DO WE HEAR BACK FROM YOU OR WHAT IT, WHAT IS THE PLAN? SO WE WILL TAKE YOUR CONSIDERATION, UH, YOUR COMMENTS AND CONSIDERATIONS INTO DESIGN OF, AGAIN, WE PLAN TO START REACHING OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS NOW, UH, VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES IN THAT AREA AND START GETTING SOME OF THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL.
UM, UH, AGAIN, UH, I BELIEVE, UM, MRS. FRAZIER JUST SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THESE ARE UTILITARIAN, BUT THEY ARE NEEDED, UM, IN ORDER TO LIVE THE LIFESTYLE THAT WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO LIVING, BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO, UM, INCORPORATE IT.
LIKE WE SAID, WE PUT THE BLUFFTON LOGO ON THERE, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE IT A BILLBOARD FOR THE TOWN OR TO INCLUDE, UM, LOCAL ARTISTRY.
UM, IT'S, UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE, BUT YES, W W WE CAN'T, THEY, THEY DO MURALS ON TANKS.
IT'S NOT, UM, IMPOSSIBLE BY ANY MEANS.
[01:15:01]
SO WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT FURTHER AS WELL, UH, TO MAKE IT A PRETTIER THAN, UM, YOUR AVERAGE STORAGE TANK.UM, NO MATTER WHERE IT GOES, UM, W WE, WE DON'T MIND, UH, EVALUATING SOME OF THOSE STEPS.
SO, UH, WE'LL GO INTO THAT AS WELL.
UH, WE CAN, UM, THE WHOLE PROJECT, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A DESIGN BUILD PROJECT.
IT'S GOT MULTIPLE COMPONENTS AND WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP, UM, ALL OF THE AREAS, UM, UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THEIR COMPONENTS.
UH, USUALLY, UH, TRYING TO DO AT LEAST, I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY PROBABLY ANOTHER SIX WEEKS, EIGHT WEEKS OUT.
UH, WE WOULD PROBABLY PASS OUT SOME MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT WE WOULD HAVE STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND BE ABLE TO EVALUATE THE COMMENTS AND LOOK INTO SOME OF THESE OTHER CONCERNS THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO COME BACK AND GIVE AN UPDATE, WE CAN DO THAT.
OR WE CAN JUST PROVIDE A BROCHURE OR A FLOWER OF FLYER, UM, AND, UH, PASS THOSE OUT TO THE RESIDENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, TO GET CONTINUOUS INPUT.
OUR GOAL, I BELIEVE, IS TO GET ON THE ALL AUGUST, UM, PLANNING, I BELIEVE IS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FOR THE TANK EVALUATION.
SO WE WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, UH, SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS PERMITTED.
WHO'S OUR POINT PERSON FOR YOU? IS IT BRIAN, OR IS IT PLANNING? IS IT ENGINEERING OR PLANNING? WE'VE, WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING WITH BOTH, UH, HEATHER AND BRIAN THIS ENTIRE TIME.
I BELIEVE ALL THE PERMITTING GOES THROUGH HEATHER, BUT, UM, BRIAN HAS BEEN HELPING US ALONG THE WAY AS WELL.
SO BRIAN, YOU'RE HERE IN OUR, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE ON THE TANK.
THE IT'S KIND OF, IT'S KIND OF BRIAN'S PAINTBRUSH IDEA, CAUSE HE'S SO CREATIVE.
WE'LL STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM THROUGH SCOTT.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, BECCA.
NEXT IS, UH, BUFORD COUNTY RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING ENTERPRISE SYSTEM UPDATE.
HE IS HE IN THE HOUSE? HE IS COMING.
JARED, ARE YOU UP? I BELIEVE SO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME AREAS? I SEE YOU.
I'LL RETURN YOUR PHONE CALL TOO WHILE I HAVE YOU GONE VIDEO.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET ME, UH, LET ME SHARE THE SCREEN.
AND DO YOU SEE ALL OF IT? ALL OF IT.
WE SEE YOUR LEFT SIDE AND THEN THE MAIN SCREEN.
I DON'T THINK YOU'VE STARTED SLIDESHOW YET, BUT GOT IT.
UM, WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING US HERE TO TALK TO YOU TONIGHT.
UM, I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF ENGINEERING TALK, SO, UH, THAT WAS, CAN BEAR A LITTLE BIT LONGER WITH ME ON THIS AS WE TALK ABOUT SOLID WASTE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU GUYS ENJOY TALKING ABOUT TRASH, BUT OUR COUNCIL, THEY CAN TALK ABOUT TRASH ALL DAY LONG.
SO, UH, WE'LL SEE, SEE WHAT YOU GOT.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE YOU EVEN GET INTO THE ENTERPRISE FUND, UM, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THE CHANGES.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS, AS ALL LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE THE MOST USE OUT OF THE TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE ENTRUSTED TO US AND TO BE, UH, SECONDLY GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
SO THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO US AND ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO SOLID WASTE, UM, ALSO WE HAVE AN EVER INCREASING SOLID WASTE COSTS.
UM, PART OF THAT IS AFFECTED BY, UM, GROWTH, WHICH IS A GREAT THING TO HAVE, BUT IT'S ALSO, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH OUR WASTE.
UM, PART OF THAT'S ALSO HOW WE HANDLE OUR WASTE.
AS WE, AS WE, UH, IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES, HOW MUCH WASTE WE ACTUALLY GENERATE PER PERSON PER CAPITA.
SO RIGHT NOW, UM, WE, WE SEE WASTE AS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO GET RID OF.
UM, BUT THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE TO SHIFT OUR VIEWPOINT AND ACTUALLY USE IT AS A RESOURCE.
AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT.
[01:20:01]
UM, ALSO JUST REAL QUICK IS I'M, I'M NOT A, A SOLID WASTE EXPERT.I HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED WITH SOLID WASTE MY ENTIRE CAREER, MOSTLY WITH TRANSPORTATION.
UM, BUT UPON WORKING AT THE COUNTY, THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH.
UM, AND JUST TO KINDA TALK ABOUT THE CHANGES, UM, JUST WANT TO POINT OUT ONE THING, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S WORKING BACKWARDS, BUT LET ME GET TO THERE.
UM, SO WHAT IF WE JUST DID A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN HOW WE ALL PERSONALLY, UM, DEALT WITH OUR OWN WASTE AND SPECIFICALLY IF WE JUST REDUCED OUR TRASH DISPOSABLE PERSONALLY BY ONE BAG A WEEK, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE AT THE COUNTY? AND WE HAVE ABOUT 95,000 RESIDENCES AND YOU TAKE THAT ONE BAG A WEEK AND YOU MULTIPLY IT BY THE WEIGHT OF THAT BAG.
AND THAT EQUATES TO 25,000 TONS A YEAR.
THAT IS A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF WASTE AND A MASSIVE SHIFT AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY, UH, THAT COST SAVINGS TO THE COUNTY, UH, WOULD BE $1.1 MILLION.
SO AGAIN, NOT A BIG CHANGE ON HOW WE PERSONALLY TAKE CARE OF OUR WASTE, BUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES OVERALL WHEN WE LOOK AT IT AS A COUNTY.
SO AGAIN, I HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED WITH SOLID WASTE THAT LONG.
UM, SO IN SEPTEMBER I TRIED TO LET ME JUMP IN AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO THIS IS A COMPOST BIN AT MY HOUSE.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED OF THESE, UH, AT THE COUNTY FROM A GRANT.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, LET ME KNOW, I CAN HOOK YOU UP.
UM, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK THIS MAKES SENSE.
I UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S GOOD FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SO WE STARTED COMPOSTING AND DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING THERE'S INSTRUCTIONS AND, AND, UH, WALKED ME RIGHT THROUGH IT.
THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK LIKE TODAY.
AND, UH, SO THIS IS WHAT WE DID THIS PAST WEEKEND.
SO WE PLANTED SOME FLOWERS WITH OUR COMPOST.
AND THEN, UH, IT'S ALSO JUST CHANGED ME THINKING ABOUT MY COMPOST AND HAS CHANGED THE WAY I'VE, UH, HANDLE THE WASTE IN OUR FAMILY.
SO THIS IS OUR, OUR, UM, CARDBOARD RECYCLABLES, AND THIS IS OUR PLASTIC RECYCLABLES.
SO IT WASN'T A MAJOR CHANGE AND I'VE PROBABLY RE WE'VE REDUCED OUR WE'RE A FAMILY OF FIVE.
WE REDUCED OURS PROBABLY PROBABLY CLOSER TO TWO BAGS A WEEK.
SO IT'S BEEN SUBSTANTIAL THAT SMALL CHANGE.
SO BESIDES JUST SEEING WHAT CHANGES YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT MY WIFE IS IN LOVE WITH JOANNA GAINES.
WE HAVE A TON OF SHIPLAP IN OUR HOUSE.
SO, UH, ANYWAYS, SO GET TO THE POINT ENTERPRISE PUNT, WHAT IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND? SO ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE INDEPENDENT SELF-SUSTAINING, UH, FUNDS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY USERS, UH, TO PAY A FEE FOR A SPECIFIC SERVICE OR ACTIVITY.
WE HAVE TWO, UH, ENTERPRISE FUNDS ALREADY AT THE COUNTY.
ONE IS STORMWATER THAT YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
AND THEN SECONDLY, IS THE AIRPORT.
UM, THE AIRPORT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, ACTUALLY, A REVENUE BASED ENTERPRISE FUND VERSUS A FEE, BUT A IT DO, IS IT AN ENTERPRISE? SO THIS WOULD BE A ENTERPRISE FUND FOR SOLID WASTE.
SO WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT.
THERE'S BASICALLY TWO MAIN PURPOSES IS ONE TO IDENTIFY AND ISOLATE THAT COST.
UH, SO RIGHT NOW, IF SOMEONE WAS TO LOOK AND SEE HOW MUCH COST THAT SOLID WASTE ACTUALLY COSTS THE COUNTY, IT'D BE A LITTLE BIT HARD TO DECIPHER IT'S IN OUR BUDGET, BUT THERE'S ALSO PARTS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY EASY TO FIND AS FAR AS CAPITAL.
UM, HOW MUCH, UH, SOME OF THE SOFT SERVICES FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THE HR, THE LEGAL, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT PROVIDE.
SO THIS PUTS IT IN ONE ISOLATED BUCKET, EASY TO DEFEND, UH, DEFINABLE AND VERY TRANSPARENT FOR THE LAY PERSON TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND IDENTIFY HOW MUCH IT'S COSTING US AS TAXPAYERS.
UM, AND SECONDLY, IT ALSO GIVES US A PRIORITIZED EFFORT.
SO IT SETS THE FUNDS OUT THERE.
SO AT THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, EVERYBODY'S USED TO A ZERO-BASED BUDGET.
THOSE FUNDS GO AWAY AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT ACTUALLY IS VERY SIMILAR TO A BUSINESS.
SO, UH, THE ENTERPRISE IS INCENTIVIZED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS.
SO EVEN MORE SO THAN JUST THE GENERAL FUND, UH, IS ALSO, OBVIOUSLY THE GOAL IS TO BE GOOD STEWARDS WITH THE TAX DOLLARS, BUT EVEN MORE SO INSIDE AN ENTERPRISE FUND, IT ALSO, UH, PRIORITIZES THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO INSTEAD OF COMPETING WITH THE OTHER PRIORITIES THAT THE COUNTY HAS, THE ENTERPRISE FUND IS IN ITSELF A PRIORITY, UH, ALL BY ITSELF.
SO IT IS A FOCUS PRIORITY WITH ITS OWN, UH, FEE STRUCTURE.
SO JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT OUR SOLID WASTE PROGRAM AT THE COUNTY.
UM, SO WE MANAGE NINE CONVENIENCE CENTERS, WHICH YOU'RE AWARE OF.
[01:25:01]
THE SOLID WASTE PROGRAM PAYS FOR THE TIPPING FEES FOR ALL RESIDENTIAL WASTE, INCLUDING HOUSE HAUL, UH, YARD WASTE, AND CONSTRUCTION, DEMOLITION WASTE.UM, SO RESIDENTIAL WASTE THAT'S INCLUDING THE WASTE THAT'S COLLECTED AT THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS OR THE WASTE THAT, UM, IS PICKED UP DIRECTLY CURBSIDE FROM THE VENDOR.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT, BUT WHEN THEY TAKE THAT WASTE TO THE LANDFILL, BUFORD COUNTY IS PAYING THAT BILL, BUT THE RESIDENTIAL WASTE COMMERCIAL WASTE IS A PAID BY THE COMMERCIAL ENTITIES AND NOT BY THE TAXPAYERS.
UH, WE ALSO MANAGE A RECYCLING RECYCLING PROGRAMS, RECYCLING PROGRAMS ARE NOT ALWAYS COST-EFFECTIVE.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S WAYS FOR US TO GET THERE.
AND I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, WE ALSO INSIDE SOLID WASTE, WE HAVE EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM.
UM, WE OBVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL AND STEWARDSHIP AND WE ALSO HAVE A FULL-TIME LITTER CONTROL TEAM.
UM, SPEAKING OF LITTER CONTROL, WE HAVE EARTH DAY IS ON THURSDAY AND WE HAVE A COUNTY-WIDE CLEANUP STARTING TOMORROW.
UM, AND WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HELPING WITH THAT, UM, FROM COUNTY STAFF TO CITY OF BUFORD STAFF TOWN OF BLUFFTON STAFF.
SO WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S INPUT AND DOD AS WELL.
SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, UH, CLEAN UP TOMORROW.
SO WHAT ARE THE COSTS? SO OUR ANNUAL BUDGET FOR SOLID WASTE IS APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION OUT OF THAT $10 MILLION OF THE LARGE CHUNK OF IT GOES TO THE DISPOSAL FEES, THE $4.4 MILLION.
UM, THEN THE NEXT BIG CHUNK IS FROM OPERATION OF THE CONVENIENCE CENTER.
SO THE HAULING THAT'S A CONCERN, THE TRANSPORTATION FROM THE CENTERS TO THE LANDFILL, AND THEN EVERYTHING INVOLVED WITH THE OPERATIONS OF THOSE CENTERS.
UH, PERSONNEL IS 1.5 MILLION, AND THEN THE RECYCLING PROGRAM IS APPROXIMATELY A MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, SO THE TWO THINGS THAT WE REALLY CAN'T CONTROL IN, IN SOLID WASTE IS TONNAGE.
UM, IN REGARDS TO GROWTH, WE CAN CONTROL TONNAGE.
AS I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ON HOW WE PERSONALLY BEHAVE AND, AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT WE PRODUCE.
BUT AS FAR AS GROWTH, THAT'S JUST A NUMBER THAT'S GOING TO GROW WITH POPULATION.
UM, AND THAT'S PART OF THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE INCREASED GROSS.
I DIDN'T INCLUDE HERE, UH, SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS BUDGETS, BUT OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, IT'S GROWN FROM, FROM UNDER $8 MILLION TO 8, 9, 10, UM, AND A LITTLE BIT OVER $10 MILLION IN OUR CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO THE ENTERPRISE FUND FEE OPTION.
SO WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE OPTIONS LOOK LIKE? UH, SO THE FIRST IS THE FLAT FEE.
UM, THIS IS A FEE THAT ALL TAX PAYERS OR RESIDENTIAL TAX PAYERS WOULD PAY.
UM, IT DOESN'T JUST PAY FOR THE CONVENIENCE CENTER, UM, BUT IT PAYS FOR ALL PROCESSING OF ALL RESIDENTIAL WASTE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THE, ANY, THIS IS PART OF THE DECAL SYSTEM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
SO THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE A DECAL THAT ARE, UH, RESIDENTIAL USERS WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
THOSE WOULD BE THE ONES THAT WOULD BE CHARGED THE FLAT FEE.
OTHER WAYS TO PAY FOR ENTERPRISE FEE IS MILLAGE.
SO SIMILAR TO AD VALOREM TAXES.
THIS WOULD BE BASED OFF, UM, YOUR PROPERTY VALUE.
UM, AND IT'S A, IT'S A ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY OR ANOTHER OPTION AVAILABLE, UM, TO COVER THAT ENTERPRISE FEE THAT, UM, SO THAT STANDALONE ENTERPRISE COST, AND THEN THIRDLY, THE THIRD OPTION IS A PAY FOR USE.
SO THIS IS AN OPTION THAT YOU PAY FOR THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT YOU USE.
THIS IS WHY I'M NOT PAYING A EXTRA FEE, WHY MY TAX IS GOING TO GO UP.
UH, THE PAY FOR USE IS A REALLY GOOD OPTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE JUST NOT QUITE THERE.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF STEPS TO GET WHERE WE WANT TO GET TO, UM, BUT WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO, TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WE SHOULD CHARGE FOR THAT TYPE OF PAY FOR USE.
UH, THAT'S PART OF THE DECAL SYSTEM IS HELPING US ESTABLISH THAT DATA.
UM, SO THEN WE CAN MAKE IT A MORE EQUITABLE PROCEDURE AS FAR AS THE PAY FOR USE, BUT IT'S A REALLY GOOD OPTION, BUT IT'S JUST NOT AN OPTION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT.
SO WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS? SO LAST YEAR IN JUNE COUNTY COUNCIL ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE TO CREATE THE ENTERPRISE FUND AT THE TIME WHEN THEY ADOPTED THE ORDINANCE, THEY LIFT THE FEE STRUCTURE OUT OF THAT.
UM, AT THAT TIME WE ALSO, UH, HAD TISCHLER BICE WHO WAS OUR CONSULTANT THAT HELPED PERFORM, PERFORM THE FEE STUDY, UM, PUT TOGETHER THE FEES THAT ARE, THAT WERE PRESENTED.
[01:30:01]
AND WE MADE OUR FIRST PRESENTATION TO PELLET FACILITIES IN JANUARY WITH THAT FEE STRUCTURE.SO FROM THE PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE, IT WAS MOVED TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
SO ON MARCH, IT WAS APPROVED IN THE FIRST READING, UM, AT MARCH.
UH, I'LL TELL YOU NOT ONLY WHERE WE ARE, BUT KIND OF WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THOSE MEETINGS.
UH, THERE WAS A FEE PROPOSED OF $169 COUNTY-WIDE, UM, FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ENTERPRISE FUND.
AND THERE WAS SOME MIXED REVIEWS FROM COUNCIL.
SO THEY ASKED US TO STUDY SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
SO WHEN WE CAME BACK FOR, BUT THEY DID APPROVE IT AND MOVE IT ON TO THE SECOND READING.
SO THE SECOND READING, UM, IT WAS DISCUSSED FURTHER AND THE OPTION OF THE MILLAGE OPTION CAME OUT AND AVAILABLE.
UM, AND SO COUNSEL WAS MORE FAVORABLE ON THAT OPTION TO, TO ROLL OUT THE ENTERPRISE FUND AND ASKED US TO GIVE SOME MORE INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE THIRD READING, UM, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONDAY, THE 26.
SO AT THE THIRD READING, THEY'VE ASKED US TO GIVE THEM SOME OPTIONS ON THE FULL COST.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE AT $10 MILLION, THE $669 FEE, UM, ALSO INCLUDED OTHER THINGS BESIDES BASIC OPERATIONS.
IT INCLUDED, UM, UM, THE RESERVE A THREE TO SIX MONTH RESERVE FOR, FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS.
IT INCLUDE CAPITAL FOR ITS OWN, UH, STRUCTURE.
SO IT PAID FOR ITS OWN PROJECTS, SOME PERSONNEL COSTS, AND ALSO SOME PERSONNEL COSTS BACK TO THE COUNTY FOR GENERAL OPERATING AGAIN, THE, THE LEGAL AND FINANCE AND HR, UM, UM, THE, THE, THOSE FUNCTIONS THAT THE COUNTY IS PROVIDING TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
SO THESE ITEMS, UH, UM, WERE DISCUSSED.
AND SO THE COUNTY WILL BE TAKING IT UP FURTHER, UM, ON MONDAY THE 26TH TO DISCUSS WHAT VALUE THEY INTEND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IF, IF AT ALL.
UM, BUT THAT IS WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
AND JUST, WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? SO FIVE, 10 YEARS, 25 YEARS OUT.
SO FIRST OF ALL, OUR RECYCLING EFFORTS, UM, AGAIN, TO MAKE IT A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER SO WE CAN PRODUCE, UH, AND, AND TAKE IT MORE TO EVERYBODY.
SO WE CAN BE MORE RESPONSIBLE AND, AND REALLY MAKE A BETTER EFFORT AT WHAT WE'RE DOING ON OUR RECYCLING.
SECONDLY, DEVELOP A LONG RANGE PLAN.
UM, THAT'S A MORE SUSTAINABLE MANNER.
SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT NOW, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE COULD HOST ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT MAKE US A MORE SUSTAINABLE, UM, CAMPUS.
AND THEN THIRD PROVIDE A MORE COST EFFECTIVE AND OPERATIONALLY EFFICIENT CONVENIENCE CENTER SYSTEM.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE A NINE, WE HAD 11 PREVIOUSLY, UH, TWO ARE CLOSED EARLIER IN THE YEAR, UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDERSIZED AND THEY WERE IMPROPER DUE TO SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS TO EXPAND THOSE.
SO, UM, PER REPORT AND GUIDELINES, WE WERE GIVEN BY A CONSULTANT ON THE MASTER PLAN OF THOSE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
UM, WE ARE AT NINE FACILITIES RIGHT NOW, BUT TO COME UP WITH A COST EFFECTIVE APPROACH FOR THE LONGTERM FOR THOSE CENTERS.
AND THEN FOURTHLY IS TO IMPRO LINT, A ZERO WASTE INITIATIVE.
SO, UM, IT SOUNDS A LITTLE KIND OF PIE IN THE SKY, ZERO WASTE THAT WE CAN'T HAVE.
UH, WE WOULDN'T SEND ANYTHING TO THE LANDFILL, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE BIG DREAMS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYWHERE.
SO, UH, EVEN IF WE GET FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, BUT WE DON'T MAKE IT A ZERO WASTE, WE'VE STILL GONE A LOT FURTHER THAN WE ARE TODAY.
SO, UM, THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'VE MADE UP.
THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT'S ACTUALLY WORLDWIDE AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES HAVE TAKEN A HOLD OF IT.
AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN BEAVER COUNTY.
AND, AND AS WE'RE TALKING IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE TO EXPLORE AND, AND PUT OUT THERE AS SOMETHING TO MARCH TOWARDS IN THE FUTURE.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S AGAIN, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE IN REGARDS TO, UH, SOLID WASTE.
I HAVE, UM, TWO, UM, FIRST, UH, CAR.
I HAVE A COMMENT ON, UM, I THINK, UM, IN, IN WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A COMPONENT OF EDUCATING PEOPLE ON RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE, I KNOW THERE ARE, UM, SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE I THINK ARE UNSURE AND THE PURPOSE OF THE, UM, THE YELLOW TOP RECYCLING BIN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, RESIDENTS WERE PROVIDED WITH SOMETIME LAST YEAR.
UM, I THINK ON THE PURPOSE OF IT, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ALSO COMPLAINED
[01:35:01]
THAT, UM, THEY WILL HAVE IT FILLED MAYBE WITH THE LOOM CANS AND PLACE IT NEXT TO THEIR, UH, TRASH BINS FOR PICKUP ON THE SCHEDULE THAT CAME OUT, BUT, UM, TO NO AVAIL.SO I KNOW THAT'S DISCOURAGED A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM RECYCLING.
SO I DON'T KNOW, UM, WHAT THE PLAN TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THOSE BINS ARE FOR AND HOW TO USE IT.
UM, I THINK IF, IF A MESSAGE FOR THAT COULD BE A LITTLE MORE EXPLICIT, UM, I THINK COULD YIELD MORE RESULTS AND BY, IN WHAT'S RECYCLING.
UM, AND THEN MY QUESTION WAS, UM, FOR THE ENTERPRISE FUND, UM, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE YOUR DESCRIPTION WAS A LITTLE VAGUE AND I WAS JUST A LITTLE LOST ON EXACTLY WHAT, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND, UM, IS GOING TO BE FOR.
ERIN, LET ME JUMP IN ON THE YELLOW THING, BRIDGET.
WE HAVE A RECYCLING PROGRAM, JARED, AND I THINK WE NEED TO SIT WITH SCOTT ON BETTER EDUCATION ON THOSE BINS BECAUSE IT IS CONFUSING.
SO I NEVER CARED TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD ON THAT, RIGHT? YEAH.
THAT, THAT IS PURELY A, UH, A TOWN FUNCTION.
UM, I CAN GIVE YOU A CALL AND, AND CAPTURE ALL YOUR CONCERNS AND WE CAN TAKE ACTION AS NEEDED.
I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD AN EXTENSIVE, EXTENSIVE, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ON THE USE OF THOSE RECYCLING CONTAINERS AND SCHEDULES AND WHATNOT, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY WE CAN'T REFRESH IT.
I'D LOVE TO GET THAT TO CAUSE THAT YOU CHAIRED YOU'RE OUT ON THAT ONE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT ONE.
I RE-READ THE SECOND READING, CAUSE I COULDN'T QUITE FIGURE OUT WHAT AN ENTERPRISE FUND WAS EITHER.
SO I'LL GO, UH, LET ME EXPLAIN A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO RIGHT NOW, UH, SOLID WASTE IS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S WRAPPED UP INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, SO AN ENTERPRISE FUND IS WE TAKE THAT, THAT OPERATION BUDGET AND WE ROLL IT OUT TO A SEPARATE, UM, LINE ITEM.
SO WHEN YOU GET YOUR TAX BILL, UM, YOU'LL SEE THE, THE DIFFERENT, THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT LINES ON THERE AND YOU HAVE YOUR GENERAL, UM, OPERATIONS, SO MANY MEALS, AND THEN YOU HAVE, UH, A DEBT SERVICE AND THEN A FIRE SERVICE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A STORMWATER UTILITY AND IT HAS ITS OWN FEE IN THERE.
SO THIS WOULD BE A SEPARATE LINE ITEM ON THE TAX BILL.
UM, IT'S NOT AN ADDITION TO, IT'S A, BASICALLY A REAPPROPRIATION.
SO WE TAKE THAT $10 MILLION AND IT'S MILL EQUIVALENT AND MOVE IT OVER TO A SET ASIDE.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE ON YOUR TAX BILL EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT COST IS TO OPERATE SOLID WASTE.
AND WHAT THAT DOES FROM A PERFORMANCE IS IT SEPARATES THAT, SO, UM, IT'S ITS OWN STANDALONE ENTITY KIND OF BUSINESSLIKE ENTITY INSIDE THE UMBRELLA OF THE COUNTY.
AGAIN, MUCH LIKE THE AIRPORT AND THE STORM WATER UTILITY IS.
AND SO IT FUNCTIONS WITH A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND PRIORITY THAT IS NOT MIXED WITH THE OVERALL PRIORITIES, WHICH I THINK YOU GUYS CAN UNDERSTAND.
THERE'S A TON OF COMPETING INTERESTS, UM, COME BUDGET TIME ABOUT WHERE THE APPROPRIATE FUNDS, UH, AND PRIORITIZE IN OUR FUNDS.
SO THIS SPECIFICALLY PRIORITIZE IT A SOLID WASTE.
SO NO MATTER WHAT COUNCIL'S THERE, OR, OR IF THE PRIORITIES CHANGE THAT STAYS A PRIORITY AND IN THE MAIN FOCUS, DOES THAT, DOES THAT HELP? YEAH, I LIKE, I GOT A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THAT.
JARED, IF I HEARD YOU JUST RIGHT, YOU SAID THAT THE TAX BILL WILL NOT CHANGE TO THE RESIDENT.
I MEAN, I HEARD YOU SAY THAT IT WOULD JUST BE ALLOCATED FOR THOSE FUNDS, BUT THE, THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASE TO THE SIDE POTENTIALLY THAT THAT'S, WHAT'S UNDER DISCUSSION WITH COUNSEL RIGHT NOW, PER THE, UM, STUDY THAT WE HAD A CONSULTANT DO A WHOLE FEE STUDY ON THIS.
UM, AND IN ORDER FOR THIS ENTITY, THIS KIND OF STANDALONE ENTITY TO FUNCTION AS A STANDALONE, UM, THERE ARE COSTS ROLLED INTO THE COUNTY OPERATING THAT ARE SUPPORTING THIS DEPARTMENT.
SO IF THEY NEED TO GO, UM, PURCHASE A NEW, UM, PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, CAPITAL OUTLAY, WE WOULD EITHER DO THAT THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND
[01:40:01]
OR THROUGH A GEO BOND.SO THIS ENTITY TO SET IT UP IN THAT SITUATION, THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE RATHER THAN JUST ROLL OUT THE 10 MILLION.
UH, THERE'S A PROPOSED $16 MILLION ALLOCATION TOWARDS THIS ENTITY IN THE FEE STUDY FROM THE CONSULTANT.
UM, IN THAT SCENARIO, THERE IS A $6 MILLION INCREASE.
UM, IT'S NOT A FULL $16 MILLION.
SO THE $10 MILLION IS ALREADY BAKED INTO, UM, THE OVERALL BUDGET.
IT GETS SEPARATED AND $6 MILLION GETS ADDED THAT $6 MILLION COMPONENT RIGHT NOW IS UNDER, UNDER DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNCIL.
SO, BUT THE PROPOSAL ON WHAT'S ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW IS TO INCREASE THE TAX COLLECTIONS 6 MILLION A YEAR.
SO, AND THAT IS JUST PART OF WHAT THE OVERALL, SO COUNTY COUNCIL COULD CHOOSE TO INCREASE MEET THE WHOLE 16 MILLION, SO INCREASED, UH, SOLID WASTE OPERATIONS IN ESSENCE BY $6 MILLION AND COULD DECREASE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY BY $6 MILLION.
SO THE OVERALL TAX BILL IS THE SAME, UM, OR THEY COULD, THEY COULD ROLL IT OUT FOR THE FULL $6 MILLION OR THEY COULD ROLL IT OUT WITH JUST THE SIMPLE $10 MILLION.
BUT IF THEY ROLL IT OUT LESS THAN THE $16 MILLION, IT WILL NOT FULLY SUPPORT ITSELF, UM, RIGHT AWAY.
UM, THERE WOULD BE SOME, EITHER GEO BOND AND FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, THERE'LL BE SOME, UH, FUNDING THAT THE, THAT THE GENERAL FUND WOULD STILL SUPPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, I GOTTA THINK ABOUT ALL THIS AND YEAH, I KNOW IT'S A LOT THAT WE'VE TALKING ABOUT IT FOR, WELL OVER A YEAR.
SO TRUST ME, YOU GUYS ARE ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, MY OFF THE CUFF OFF MY FIRST THOUGHT IS IT'S BASICALLY JUST LISTING A, ANOTHER PLACE THAT YOUR MONEY IS GOING WHEN YOU PAY YOUR TAXES.
UM, SEEMS LIKE TO ME, I WOULD WANT TO THINK THAT THAT COULD BE DONE IN HOUSE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IF IT TAKES 10 MILLION FOR YOU TO RUN AND YOU NEED A COUPLE OF EXTRA MILLION OR 6 MILLION OVER TO, TO MAINTAIN, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT, THAT COULD BE DONE WITHOUT LISTING IT AS A SEPARATE ENTITY OR A SEPARATE TAX, YOU KNOW, AS THE, BUT, UM, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST ME THINKING THAT'D BE EASIER TO SELL TO THE PUBLIC IF THERE'S JUST TAKING CARE OF THEM INSTEAD OF JUST ANOTHER LINE ITEM FOR $169.
UM, I'VE GOT A TAX BILL PULLED UP, SO IT KEEPS GETTING ADDED TO IT.
WE'VE ADDED A TAG FEE, ALL THAT AT A TAG FEE, WE HAVE ALL THESE THINGS.
SO YOU'RE SAYING COUNTY OPERATIONS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY 53.0 5, 3 9.
YOU'D HAVE PART OF THAT, COME OUT AND GO INTO ANOTHER LINE ITEM OF A ENTERPRISE, SOME.
SO THAT MIGHT TURN TO 0.052, AND THEN YOU HAVE ENTERPRISE ZONE THAT TAKES SOME OF THAT MILLAGE.
AND THEN YOU ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE IS WHAT I'M HEARING THAT'S RIGHT.
SO THE GENERAL OR THE OPERATING FOOT, AND I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
SO THAT WOULD BE REDUCED TO SAY 50 MILS SAY IF THAT IN MILLION EQUIVALENT TO THREE MILS.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE REDUCED BY THREE MEALS.
AND THEN ANOTHER LINE ITEM FOR ENTERPRISE FUND FOR SOLID WASTE WOULD BE ADDED.
AND INSTEAD OF IT JUST BEING THREE MEALS, IT WOULD BE FOUR AND A HALF MEALS OR FIVE MEALS, WHATEVER THAT EQUIVALENT OF $6 MILLION, IF, IF IT WAS FULLY FUNDED.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S THE DISCUSSION THAT COUNCIL IS, IS, UH, IS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
THEY COULD POTENTIALLY ROLL IT OUT, UH, AND IT REDUCED FROM 53 TO 50, AND THEN THEY JUST SHOW THAT THREE MILL, UM, DOWN BELOW.
UM, IT, IT DOES GET US IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION AS FAR AS, UH, SEPARATING THE FUNDS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENT FOR THE LAY PERSON TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH IS COSTING THE COUNTY.
UM, IT ALSO IN, IF IT WAS JUST TRANSFERRED OUT THAT, THAT 10 MILLION EQUIVALENT, UM, IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF SAVINGS THERE ARE, UM, IN SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE PROPOSED.
SO AGAIN, COUNCIL IS, IS CONSIDERING
[01:45:02]
THE, THE, THE PROS AND CONS OF, UH, SEPARATING IT COMPLETELY.AND THEN HOW MUCH DID THEY SEPARATE, UH, EITHER A STRAIGHT, NO MILLAGE INCREASE OR DOES THE MILLAGE INCREASE BASED OFF? AND ONE AND ONE LAST QUESTION.
AND I THINK I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE IT DOES MAKE YOU SEE WHERE IT'S GOING AND EVERY BUDGET YEAR, IF THERE'S AN INCREASE, THEY GOT TO DISCUSS IT EACH ITEM, A MILLAGE.
SO I KIND OF GET THAT, BUT, UM, HOW DO YOU, DO YOU DO IT ON SIX PERCENTERS AS WELL AND A LOT AND PEOPLE WHO ARE 6% OR SO, ARE THEY GOING TO SEE, UM, SO IT'S ON ALL RESIDENTIAL LOTS, 6% AND 4%.
JUST REALIZE THAT PAY THIS COUNTY STORMWATER FEE ON THE SAME PARCEL OF LAND I LIVE IN BLUFFTON.
I DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS GETTING TWO TAXES ON THAT.
WELL, I, I CAN'T ANSWER EVERYTHING ON THAT TAX BILL.
SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF JARED ON THIS? YES, MA'AM UM, JARED, ONE THING I'M CONFUSED ABOUT IS, UM, SO THIS IS TO COVER SOME OF THE COSTS AT THE, AT THE ACTUAL, UM, SENATORS, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE COME TO THE CENTER, YOU'RE TRACKING IT.
SO DO YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN PEOPLE THAT BRING A BAG OF GARBAGE VERSUS LANDFILL ITEMS? SO AT THE CENTER, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT COME THROUGH LANDFILL.
SO YOU HAVE, UM, YARD WASTE, YOU HAVE CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS, AND THEN YOU HAVE MUNICIPAL WASTE THE WHAT'S, YOUR, YOUR GARBAGE BAG.
UM, SO ALL THIS WOULD, THE COUNTY PAYS THE COST FOR ALL THAT.
SO, UM, IN THIS SETTING, EITHER WITH THE FEE OR THE MILLAGE, THERE'S NO DISCERNMENT OF THAT.
IF AT A LATER DATE, IT WAS PROPOSED TO GO TO A PAY FOR USE.
THEN THERE WOULD BE SOME APPROPRIATION.
UM, SAY IF YOU BRING A TRUCKLOAD OF, OF LIMB DEBRIS VERSUS TWO TRASH BAGS, THERE WOULD BE SOME DIFFERENCE IN COST MEASURE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION AND DATA TO EVEN KNOW WHAT THOSE FEES NEED TO BE TO, TO, UH, MAKE SURE IT COVERS THE COSTS FOR SOLID WASTE.
SO WE'RE NOT AT A POSITION TO MAKE THAT PROPOSAL.
I MADE THREE TRUCKLOADS YESTERDAY OF YARD DEBRIS.
UM, SO HURRICANE SEASON, WHAT EVERYBODY HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF YARD DEBRIS, WILL IT BE SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS FOR PERIODS OF TIME LIKE THAT? OR HOW WILL THAT WORK DOWN TO? YEAH, SO DARREN, DARREN, UH, DARREN STORM DEBRIS CLEANUP, UH, WE HAVE A DEBRIS HOLLER CONTRACTOR ON CALL, AND SO THEY MAKE OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST PASS AND THEN THEY COME BACK WITH SUBSEQUENT PASSES, BUT THEN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ALSO DROP OFF AT THE CENTERS DURING THE STORM OR BREE, WE SEPARATE THAT TRASH, ADD THE CENTER SAY IS NOT IN THE NORMAL PLACE, SO IT CAN BE QUANTIFIED BECAUSE THERE'S A, A REIMBURSEMENT THAT WE GET FROM FEMA, UM, FOR THAT STORM DEBRIS TONNAGE.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE, IT WOULD DEFINITELY OPEN IT UP AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS TO WHATEVER'S MOST AVAILABLE FOR THOSE LIVING NEARBY.
I THINK EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT THIS TO SOME DEGREE, UM, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT RECYCLING AND I THINK MOST OF US REALIZE BY NOW IT DOESN'T REALLY PAY FOR ITSELF, BUT YOU ARE HOPEFUL THAT MAYBE WE'LL YOU HAVE MORE TO SAY ON THAT AT SOME OTHER POINT.
SO RECYCLING, UH, I GUESS THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO HOW IT GOT THERE.
I CAN JUST TELL YOU WHERE WE ARE IS, UM, OUR COSTS FOR RECYCLING ARE TRIPLE THE, WHAT IT COSTS TO TAKE STUFF TO THE LANDFILL.
SO THERE'S NO INCENTIVE INCENTIVE TO RECYCLE FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE.
UM, NOW THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THEN WHOEVER HAS A YELLOW TOP CONTAINER.
UM, THEY'RE NOT SEEING THAT COST, BUT, UM, THE COST TO RECYCLE IS REALLY IN THE NUMBERS.
SO THE MORE VOLUME THAT YOU HAVE, THEN IT ACTUALLY BECOMES, UM, A NUMBERS GAME TO MAKE THE RECYCLING WORK.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN VOLUME TO REALLY MAKE THAT NUMBER COME DOWN.
UM, HOWEVER, WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN IN THE CURRENT SITUATION.
WE ACTUALLY JUST PUT OUR RECYCLING, UM, SERVICE OUT TO BID.
UM, SO ALL THE RECYCLABLES THAT ARE DROPPED OFF AT THE CONVENIENCE CENTER RIGHT NOW,
[01:50:01]
WE'RE UNDER CONTRACT, UH, WITH ONE VENDOR TO TAKE THOSE SUPPLIES AND THEN PROCESS THEM.AND THEN WE SPLIT SOME OF THE RECYCLABLE, UM, REVENUES THAT ARE, THAT ARE GENERATED.
AND LAST TIME WHEN WE BID OUT, I BELIEVE IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO.
UM, THIS TIME IT JUST CLOSED ON FRIDAY, WE HAD SEVEN VENDORS.
SO WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME COST SAVINGS JUST BY SWITCHING VENDORS AND, AND SHARPENING THE PENCILS ON THE RECYCLING FRONT.
BUT YEAH, THE RECYCLING IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING, UH, THIS, UH, WAS GEARED MORE TOWARDS THE ENTERPRISE FUND, BUT, UM, I'M DEFINITELY, IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE, CAN COME BACK AT A LATER DATE, EITHER MYSELF OR DAVE WILHELM, WHO'S KIND OF SPEARHEADING OUR SOLID WASTE, UH, SUSTAINABLE IDEAS, UH, TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER MEASURES THAT WE PLAN ON IMPLEMENTING IN THE COMING YEARS.
HOW DO I GET ONE OF THOSE COMPOST BIN STARED? SO IF YOU CONTACT OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, UM, THERE'S A, A $50 CHARGE FOR THAT BIN.
UM, WE HAD A GRANT THAT HELPED US SUPPLY THOSE AND, UH, THEY HAVE, I THINK ABOUT, UM, A HUNDRED OF THOSE IN THE WAREHOUSE.
SO I MIGHT, I MIGHT GET ONE, TWO, THEY'RE ACTUALLY REALLY EASY.
UH, AGAIN, MY KIDS ARE INTO IT NOW, SO WE ACTUALLY FOUND A WORM WHEN WE'RE DIGGING UP FOR FLOWERS AND THEY WANTED TO GO PUT THE WORM IN THE COMPOST BIN.
CAN KIDS COME WITH IT? NO, BUT WE CAN ARRANGE, WE CAN TALK ALL QUIT OFFLINE LATER ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW IT WAS A, IT WAS A GOOD WORM.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IF I GET ONE OF THOSE, WHO'S GOING TO TEACH ME HOW TO USE YEAH.
IT COMES WITH INSTRUCTIONS AND A YOUTUBE VIDEO AND ALL SO PROMISE ME ALL RIGHT.
AND, UH, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING IT IN RURAL BAMBER BRAD, I'LL LEARN IT AND COME OVER AND TEACH YOU $50 TO BRIDGET.
THIS SITE, WE MIGHT ASK YOU TO SEND US THE LINK I WOULD, UM, I WOULD OFFER, WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON AT THE COUNTY, UM, UH, AND I'M INVOLVED WITH, UH, PRETTY MUCH MOST EVERYTHING CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO ANYTHING FROM AIRPORTS TO SOLID WASTE TO, UM, TRANSPORTATION.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING OF INTEREST, YOU GUYS WOULD LIE, A PRESENTATION ON, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AND ME SPECIFICALLY ON, ON THOSE CAPITAL ITEMS. AND WE CAN COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU AGAIN ON SOLID WASTE AND GIVE YOU SOME MORE COMPLETE PLANS OF, UH, OF FUTURE ENDEAVORS THAT WE PLAN TO EMBARK ON.
AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT, UH, THAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ON GARRETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE, WE TALK TRASH TOO, IS YOU JUST SAW THAT'S GOOD.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A SUBJECT PEOPLE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, SO IT MAKES GOOD PUNS.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING FOR JARED? THANK YOU SO MUCH, JARED, FOR BEING PART OF OUR WORKSHOP, WE GOT THROUGH A LOT OF, LOT OF ITEMS AND I KNOW YOU'LL BE PART OF A LOT MORE, MANY MORE DISCUSSIONS ON MANY OTHER TOPICS.
AND YOU'LL HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
IS THERE ANYTHING ANYONE WOULD LIKE BEFORE WE ADJOURN? IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THEIR SECOND I'LL SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION WE'RE ADJOURNED.