May 10, 2021 County Council Regular Session

SHE'S CONTRACT SPECIALIST.

UM, OUR NEXT EMPLOYEE TO COME UP WITH ME, YOUR MOVIE, UH, THIS IS VICTORIA MAURIER.

VICKY IS, UM, SHE WORKS IN OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.

SHE ORIGINALLY STARTED OUT WITH US IN ENGINEERING.

SHE'S BEEN WITH US TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

UH, SHE MANAGES ALL COUNTY CONTRACTS, PROVIDES CONTRACT SUPPORT, ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS ASSIST WITH WRITING SOLICITATIONS CONTRACTS AND ASSIST IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE P CARDS, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY BIG TASK FOR US.

SHE MAINTAINS THE VENDOR REGISTRY.

SHE PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO VENDORS, WANTED TO REGISTER AS A VENDOR, AND SHE ADMINISTERS A SURPLUS AUCTION SALES PROGRAM THROUGH GOV DEALS AND GO WORLD FOR ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.

AND SHE JUST IN GENERAL KEEPS US ALL STRAIGHT, UH, IN THE PURCHASING WORLD.

UH, SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT HER IS SHE WAS ELECTED AS A PHILIPSBURG OHIO COUNCIL MEMBER IN 2006.

SO SHE KNOWS WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SIT IN YOUR SEAT.

UH, UH, FROM, FROM OHIO, SHE SERVED BEFORE YOUR TERM.

SHE MOVED TO DIFFERENT IN 2015 AND BOUGHT THE DOG HOUSE HOT DOG RESTAURANT AND RAN IT UNTIL IT CLOSED IN 2019.

IF YOU ALL ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE DOGHOUSE RESTAURANTS, THE LITTLE BUILDING ON THE LEFT, ONE OUT OF LADIES ALLEN OVER TO ST.

HELENA.

UH, SO, UM, SHE SPENDS HER SPARE TIME RIGHT NOW STUDYING FOR THE UPP CC PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC PROCUREMENT BUYER CERTIFICATION.

AND THAT IS A MOUTHFUL TO SAY SO WELCOME.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THIS IS FUN TOO.

IT'S FUN TO WORK WITH YOU.

I'VE ENJOYED IT SINCE MY TIME HERE WORKING WITH YOU SINCE 2018.

SO YOU WANT TO SEE, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS FOR BEING SUCH AN AMAZING BOSS AND MENTOR.

UM, I WOULDN'T BE, I DON'T THINK THIS FAR IF HE WASN'T THERE MEDITERRANEAN BANK COULD BE ON A PUSH FURTHER EVERY DAY.

EXCELLENT.

UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT I MISSED A DOG HOUSE? UH, UM, SPEAKING OF, UH, MR. THOMAS, HE'S OUR NEXT, UH, EMPLOYEE, AND WE RECOGNIZE THIS EVEN ALSO FOR OUR PERSONAL DEPARTMENT.

HE'S OUR PERSON DIRECTOR.

YOU ALL KNOW DAY.

WELL, YOU HEAR FROM HIM QUITE OFTEN, BUT HE HAS BEEN WITH US 14 YEARS, UH, IN DECEMBER OF 2021 SOON, JUST A FEW MONTHS SHORT OF BEING HERE 14 YEARS.

UM, AGAIN, HE'S OVERSEES ALL SOLICITATIONS RFPS.

I O B'S ARE AND REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCUREMENT CODE.

UH, HE DOES ALL THE RFP IFB MEETINGS AND BID OPENINGS AND HIS DELETING ACCOUNT LEAD COUNTING NEGOTIATOR FOR ALL CONTRACTS.

UH, HIS OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE, ALSO INCLUDES SUPERVISING THE STAFF, CONDUCTING EVALUATIONS AND OVERSEEING THE COUNTY P-CARD PROGRAM AND DEALING WITH THE, UH, SURPLUS AUCTION.

THEY'VE, UH, SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT HIM.

HE IS A 20 YEAR VETERAN.

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HE'S A RETIRED MAJOR FROM THE ARMY RESERVES, AIRBORNE QUALIFIED.

HE RECEIVED THE GEORGE C. MARSHALL AWARD AS THE TOP CADET AND ARMY ROTC IN 1983 WHILE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA COLUMBIA.

UM, IN 2012, HE RECEIVED THE MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTAL PURCHASING OFFICIALS.

AND THEY ALSO IS A LARGE, UH, HORSE, UH, PERSON, I BELIEVE.

SO, DAVE, WHY DON'T YOU SAY A FEW WORDS, UH, TO EVERYONE? UH, THANK YOU, ERIC.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND I'VE REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THROUGH THE YEARS.

IT'S JUST BEEN MY HONOR, UH, SERVING THE COUNTY AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION.

UM, OUR NEXT PERSON COMES TO US, TO US FROM BROADCAST SERVICES AS A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT, JAN, AND I'M GOING TO BUTCHER THIS LAST NAME DRE.

UM, SHE STARTED IN JANUARY, 2013.

UH, SHE, UM, HELPS.

OH, SO, UM, JAN DIRECTS MEETINGS, EDITS VIDEO RUNS CAMERA AND COORDINATES THE VIDEO ARCHIVES FOR THE COUNTY.

UH, AND SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT HER IS SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE GAS STATION ATTENDANT IN BUFORD COUNTY.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? 1973? SAY THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME WORK HERE.

THANKS FOR HIRING ME WHEN YOU, SO THAT THIS NEXT, UH, PERSON THAT I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE, UH, SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHO SHE'S GOING TO BE.

UM, SHE'S GOING TO BE HIGHLIGHTED TONIGHT, BUT I'LL WANT TO TELL YOU, I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO WORK EACH DAY, UH, BECAUSE OF HER TO HEAR WHAT HUMOROUS THING SHE'S GOT UP HER SLEEVE AND DO SAY TO ME, SO COME ON UP YOU ALL KNOW WHAT RENTA DOES, SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO ALL OF THAT, BUT SHE ESSENTIALLY ASSIST THE CARTON COUNCIL WITH DOING A VARIETY OF THINGS WITH AGENDAS AND MINUTES AND GETTING THE HOLOLENS STRAIGHT FOR THESE NIKES AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

UH, SHE INTERACTS WITH THE PUBLIC DAILY AND IS FREQUENTLY COMPLIMENTED ON HER OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS AND PLEASANT ATTITUDE.

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN BRENNA, UH, IN THE TIME THAT SHE'S WORKED WITH US.

UH, SHE WAS CAME HERE IN 2019.

UH, I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN HER HAVE A BAD DAY.

SHE'S ALWAYS IN A GOOD MOOD.

ALWAYS HAS A SMILE FOR US.

UH, SHE JOINED US FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES WHERE FOR YEARS SHE ASSISTED THE MANAGING ATTORNEY, HELPING PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES RELATIVE TO CHILD PROTECTION, FOSTER CARE ADOPTION, AND ADULT PROTECTION.

UH, SHE HAS MARRIED TO AN AVID HUNTER BRADELY OWENS AND HAS ONE DAUGHTER BRINLEY, BROS, UH, ONES WHO IS EIGHT, A FUN FACT ABOUT HER.

SHE WENT TO SCHOOL FOR MASSAGE THERAPY.

AND WHAT DOES AN OUTSTANDING STARTING SELF PLAY A PLAYER IN HIGH SCHOOL KNOWN FOR HER BASE STEALING.

SO, AND I'LL SAY ONE OTHER THING THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT BRENDA, APPARENTLY SHE'S THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE CORTISOL OFFICE THAT HAS A WATCH THAT REGISTERS A, YOU KNOW, SO ACROSS OUR, OUR COUNSEL'S OFFICE PEOPLE.

AND, UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WHEN YOU LOVE YOUR JOB, IT'S NOT REALLY FAR.

SO THANK YOU.

NOW I CAN CERTAINLY GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE ON THE DISTANT LEARNING GRANT.

AND THEN I HAVE ONE MORE THING.

THANK YOU, ERIC.

AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.

UH, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF EIGHT GRANT APPLICATIONS TODAY AFTER CAREFULLY REVIEWING ALL OF THESE APPLICATIONS, FIVE WERE DEEMED COMPLETE AND ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE GRANT FUNDING.

UH, A SELECTED, UH, SELECTION COMMITTEE READ SCORE AT EACH OF THESE APPLICATIONS, UH, SCORES WERE AVERAGED AND QUESTIONS WERE PROVIDED TO THE APPLICANTS.

IN PREPARATION FOR SITE VISITS, SITE VISITS WERE CONDUCTED AND PROVIDED THE SELECTION COMMITTEE.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING IN-PERSON OF THE WORK AND ACTION

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PLANS PROPOSED BY EACH APPLICANT.

CONSENSUS WAS REACHED BY THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND AN AWARD RECOMMENDATION WAS SENT TO AND SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

TWO WEEKS AGO, AWARDED GRANTS ARE AS FOLLOWS THE BUFORD JASPER, WHY MCA OF THE LOW COUNTRY WAS AWARDED A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 FUNDING FOR THIS ORGANIZATION WILL GO TOWARD ENSURING THAT THEY ARE, THAT THERE ARE AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF DISTANT LEARNING SITES WITH SPACE THAT FOLLOWS CDC AND COVID SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES PROVIDE FUNDS FOR GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES AND SPONSORS ARE IN SPONSOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FAMILIES WHO CANNOT AFFORD A DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM ON THEIR OWN.

THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF HILTON HEAD WAS AWARDED A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 FUNDING FOR THIS ORGANIZATION WILL BE ALLOCATED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FAMILIES WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE COST OF THEIR DISTANCE LEARNING AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAM.

YOU'VE HEARD ACADEMY WAS AWARDED A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 FUNDING FOR THIS ORGANIZATION WILL SUPPORT MUCH NEEDED TECHNOLOGY AND HARDWARE UPDATES AND RENOVATIONS ASSIST IN IMPLEMENTING A PERMANENT ONLINE OPTION FOR DISTANCE LEARNING WILL HELP WITH THE CREATION OF NEW DISTANCE LEARNING PLATFORMS THAT WILL BE UTILIZED FOR ALL DISRUPTIONS ON CAMPUS.

MOVING FORWARD, THE EXTRA MILE CLUB OF THE LOW COUNTRY WAS AWARDED A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,000 FUNDING FOR THIS ORGANIZATION WILL SUPPORT, UH, PROVIDING COMPUTERS FOR CHILDREN TO USE FOR DISTANCE LEARNING AT HOME HOT-SPOTS FOR THOSE IN AREAS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT INTERNET CONNECTIVITY ASSIST IN BUILDING CAPACITY FOR THEIR CURRENT PROGRAMS AND TO ASSIST IN BUILDING CAPACITY FOR THEIR FUTURE SUMMER PROGRAMS AND ONLINE PROGRAMS FOR KIDS DURING THE SUMMER LOVE HOUSE LEARNING ACADEMY WAS AWARDED A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 FUNDING FOR THIS ORGANIZATION WILL BE UTILIZED FOR OPERATING COSTS FOR THEIR VIRTUAL LEARNING CENTER COVERING EXPENSES RELATED TO MEETING CDC COVID REGULATIONS, INCLUDING SANITATION FACILITY MAINTENANCE SPACE, AND TO MAINTAIN STAFFING FOR THEIR ONLINE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. UH, THIS TOTAL IS $100,000, WHICH IS ONE HALF OF WHAT WAS ALLOTTED FOR THE GRANT.

AND A REQUEST WILL BE MADE LATER THIS WEEK FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE GRAND FUNDS, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE CCF FOR ADDITIONAL AWARDS.

IN ADDITION, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNICATION STAFF AND WITH CCF STAFF, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A PUBLIC RELEASE, UH, LATER ON THE ADMINISTRATOR, APPROVE IT AND, UM, DO A PRESS RELEASE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN KNOW WHAT GOOD WORD THESE FOLKS ARE DOING.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

CAN I JUST ASK ONE QUICK QUESTION? UM, HOW MANY STUDENTS, UM, DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS FUNDING? I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA.

KIDS OUT THERE IN THE RURAL AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, TO COMMUNITY CENTERS WHERE AFTER SCHOOL CARE IS, IS DOING.

I DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL NUMBER, BUT IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE IN THE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS, A LOT OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS INDIVIDUALLY WITHIN THEIR PROGRAMS. SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ONLINE PORTION, HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS.

I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT COUNSEL'S ATTENTION AND ASK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF RECEIVING GUIDANCE FOR ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED THROUGH WHAT WE CALL ARPA AND OTHER STATE, UH, FUNDING, UM, BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED.

SO I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL, IF YOU ALL HAVE PROJECTS IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT RELATE TO TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, COVID RELIEF, COVID RESPONSE, UH, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, IF YOU ALL WOULD SEND THOSE, THOSE IDEAS, UH, BE VERY CREATIVE.

THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY AND ONCE IN A CAREER OPPORTUNITY, THAT MANY ARE NEVER GET AGAIN.

AND WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL, WE ARE WORKING WITH A COMPREHENSIVE GROUP OF FOLKS, UH, FROM, UH, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, UM, OTHERS, UM, TCO, U S B OTHER AGENCIES AROUND THE COUNTY AND BUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL TO TRY TO PUT TOGETHER A PRIORITY LIST FOR YOU ALL TO APPROVE AND TO SEE, UH, TO SPEND SOME OF THIS MONEY ON BROAD BANDS, A BIG COMPONENT OF THAT TRANSPORTATION.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I'M WORKING ON, I'M CONSIDERING DOING MR. DAWSON'S DISTRICT IS SOME SORT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR AFTER SCHOOL CARE TO GET

[00:20:01]

SO THOSE ARE TYPES OF THINGS WE NEED TO, UM, NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT.

SO IF YOU ALWAYS SEND US YOUR IDEAS, WE'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

SORRY.

JUST A QUESTION ON ERIC.

UM, IS THIS POT OF MONEY FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY OR DID THE MUNICIPALITIES GET PART OF THEIR OWN POT OF MONEY AND THEIR OWN? SO OUR BOOK PROVIDED $37.2 MILLION TO THE COUNTY AND THEN ALSO ADDITIONAL MONEY TO EACH MUNICIPALITIES POUTY.

WE ALSO HAVE A HOUSE BILL 37 OH SEVEN.

UH, THAT'S A STATE BILL THAT'S GOING TO BE AROUND 60, $70 MILLION OF FUNDS ARE TO BE SPREAD OUT AROUND THE STATE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE HAVE THE RURAL BROADBAND BILL.

UH, THAT'S ANOTHER POT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, OTHER COVID RELIEF BILLS OUT THERE.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS THAT WE THINK ARE FORTHCOMING, UH, THROUGH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

SO THE QUICKER WE CAN GET THESE LISTS TOGETHER, WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE AT THE DOORSTEP WITH PROJECTS READY TO GO.

UH, WHENEVER THESE, THIS GUIDANCE COMES OUT OUR MONEY FOR THE FIRST DISTRIBUTION, WHICH HAS HALF OF THE 37 TO, UH, WILL BE DEPOSITED IN OUR ACCOUNTS EITHER TOMORROW, EITHER TOMORROW OR, UH, IT WASN'T A DAY, SO IT'LL BE TOMORROW OR SOMETIME THIS WEEK.

SO WE WILL HAVE THAT POT OF MONEY TO START DOING SOME THINGS WITH.

SO, UM, IT'S REALLY TIMELY RIGHT NOW THAT WE HEAR FROM US TO IN YOUR DISTRICT.

ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS OR IS IT JUST WIDE OPEN? THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF THE MONEY.

UH, BUT IT'S PRETTY BROAD RIGHT NOW.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WITH PARTICULARLY A FIELD TO GIVE, SAY, TO GIVE RELIEF TO THE SITUATION THAT HE'S IN WITH EMS AND DETENTION CENTER WOULD BE THE ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS THAT WE CAN MAKE, UH, FOR, UM, EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR REPORT WILL SAY LINKEDIN.

NO, NO, THAT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT.

UM, WE NOW HAVE SOME PROCLAMATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DONE.

[7. PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS IN HONOR OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK - COUNCIL MEMBER LARRY MCELYNN]

UH, THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE DONE BY COUNCILMAN MCKELLEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE GIVING EVERYONE AS A PREAMBLE TO A READING.

THE TWO PROCLAMATIONS THAT I HAVE THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT LAST WEEK WAS THE 37TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLIC PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION IN THE FACE OF UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES THIS PAST YEAR.

AND AS A LEAD IN THROUGH THE PROCLAMATION, BUFORD COUNTIES DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS HAVE RISEN TO THE OCCASION.

BRINTON SPEAKING, WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH TO JUST MUTE YOUR MICROPHONES, UH, BRINGING STRENGTH, HEALING, AND HOPE TO THIS COMMUNITY? OUR PUBLIC SERVICE ARE LIVING REMARKABLE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER.

AS WE WORK TO DEFEAT THE PANDEMIC AND REBUILD OUR ECONOMY.

IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO RECOGNIZE AND REFLECT UPON BOTH OUR COLLECTIVE LOSS AND OUR COLLECTIVE RESILIENCE DURING PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK, WE CELEBRATE AND THANK OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS IN BUFORD COUNTY WHO EXEMPLIFIED DEDICATION TO THE COMMON GOOD.

IN THAT REGARD, I HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO READ THIS EVENING WHO WOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.

UM, PERSONNEL WILL REPRESENTED THERE AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS, I'M PROUD TO STATE THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR COUNTY IS FORTUNATE AND HAVING A HIGHLY AND WELL-EQUIPPED EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE.

AND WHEREAS THIS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE IS STAFFED BY PROFESSIONALS AND EXPERIENCED EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND PARAMEDICS OR ALL ON CALL DAY AND NIGHT.

AND WHEREAS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IS A VITAL PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND WHEREAS THE MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE TEAMS ARE READY TO PROVIDE SAVING CARE.

THOSE IN NEED 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

AND WHEREAS ACCESS TO QUALITY EMERGENCY CARE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES THE SURVIVAL AND RECOVERY RATE OF THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ILLNESS OR INJURY.

AND WHEREAS THE MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE TEAMS, WHETHER CAREER OR VOLUNTEER, ENGAGE IN THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ENHANCE THEIR LIFESAVING SKILLS.

AND WHEREAS IT IS APPROPRIATE TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS BY DESIGNATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

[00:25:01]

THAT YOU'VE HEARD COUNTY COUNCIL PROCLAIMS MAY 16TH TO MAY 21ST EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK DATED THIS 26TH DAY OF APRIL.

SO PASSOVER CHAIRMAN, BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL, AND IT WAS A GREAT DEAL OF PRIDE THAT WE MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO THE MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES WHO ARE ASSEMBLED HERE THIS EVENING.

JOEL, WILL YOU ASK IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT? OKAY.

THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD WANT TO MAKE IS THAT YOU FOR COUNTY IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE BEST OF THE BEST IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE.

YOU WILL NOT FIND A BETTER TEAM.

YOU'LL NEVER FIND ANY MORE AND MORE COMPASSIONATE OR CARING OR SKILLED.

SO I CONSIDER THIS THE BEST TEAM POSSIBLE, AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE THEIR DIRECTOR.

THANK YOU,

[8. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY AS ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH - COUNCIL MEMBER LARRY MCELYNN]

MR. MATTEL, THE NEXT ONE AS WELL.

I HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION, UM, DESIGNATE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN 1977.

THE UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVES FRANK FROM NEW YORK, NORMAN MONETTA FROM CALIFORNIA, INTRODUCED THE RESOLUTION TO PROCLAIM THE FIRST 10 DAYS OF MAY AS ASIAN PACIFIC HERITAGE WEEK.

I WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER INTO LAW IN 1978, WHEREAS ASIAN-AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS WERE INITIALLY CELEBRATED IN 1978 IN 1990.

THEIR RECOGNITION EXPANDED TO A MONTH LONG OBSERVANCE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND WHEREAS ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS HAVE A RICH HERITAGE, THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD.

AND WHEREAS THE MONTH OF MAY WAS CHOSEN TO COMMEMORATE IMMIGRATION OF THE FIRST JAPANESE TO THE UNITED STATES IN MAY OF 1840 PHRASE.

AND TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE COMPLETION OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD ON MAY 10TH, 1869, BY A MAJORITY OF CHINESE IMMIGRANT WORKERS LAID THE TRACKS.

AND WHEREAS ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS BRING A DIVERSITY THAT REPRESENTS ONE OF OUR GREATEST STRENGTHS.

AND BY RECOGNIZING THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE CELEBRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSION FOR BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.

AND WHEREAS ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS HAVE ENRICHED OUR SOCIAL, INTELLECTUAL AND ARTISTIC LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND WHEREAS ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS HAVE MADE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO ALL AREAS OF LIFE IN BUFORD COUNTY, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT BUSINESS ARTS AND SCIENCES, MEDICINE, EDUCATION, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THE MILITARY FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL PROCLAIMS MAY, 2021 AS ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLAND WAS MONTH.

I BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE HERE THIS EVENING TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, CAROLYN FERMIN AND PHOEBE NIGHT.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

ERIC, WOULD YOU ASK THEM IF THEY HAVE LIKED TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS? OKAY, SURE.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT UNITY.

I CAME TO AMERICA AT 28 YEARS AGO AND 22 YEARS MOVED MY FAMILY TO BUFORD AND WE FELL IN LOVE AND WE STAYED HERE SINCE THEN.

I LOVE BUFORD.

MUST HAVE THE WATER.

MUST BE THE WATER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING FIRST OFF.

I WANT TO HUMBLY SAY HOW HONORED I AM AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, MY FATHER IMMIGRATED HERE, UM, AND THERE, UH, EARLY SIXTIES, HE FOUGHT IN THE VIETNAM WAR FOR TOURISTS BEFORE HE WAS NATURALIZED.

SO I'M A SECOND GENERATION, UM, UH, AMERICAN.

I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A ITALIAN AND TO BE AN AMERICAN.

OUR FINAL PROCLAMATION WILL BE READ BY COUNCILMAN GERALD DAWSON.

OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[9. PROCLAMATION HONORING FRIEDA MITCHELL FOR HER WORK IN CHILD CARE REFORM AND CIVIL RIGHTS - COUNCIL MEMBER GERALD DAWSON]

[00:30:01]

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, IS THE PARK COMMISSION HONORING MISS FREEDOM, MITCHELL OF THE SHELDON COMMUNITY FOR HER WORK IN CHILDCARE REFORM AND CIVIL RIGHTS.

THE PROCLAMATION READS AS FOLLOWS, WHEREAS BUFORD COUNTY COS WOULD LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF MS. FRIEDA R MITCHELL, A TIRELESS CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST, AND A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND BUFORD COUNTY AND RITA MITCHELL WAS BORN JUNE 20, 1925 IN SHELDON, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TO THE PARENTS, OR LAID A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION AND SERVICE TO THEIR CHILDREN.

AND WHEREAS MS. MITCHELL ATTENDED A PRIVATE BOARDING SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AS THERE WAS NO SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN TO ATTEND THE THEN SEGREGATED HIGH SCHOOL AND BUFORD WHERE SHE STARTED BUSINESS EDUCATION AND EXCEL WITH A PERFECT 4.0 AVERAGE.

AND WHEREAS MS. MITCHELL BECAME AN EDUCATOR INITIALLY TEACHING FIRST GRADE, SHE TRAVELED FOR A SHORT TIME AND IN SEARCH OF A GREATER PROSPERITY BEFORE IT TURNED INTO A BUFORD TO ACCEPT A POSITION AT BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS.

IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT SHE OBSERVED THE DISMAL LIVING CONDITIONS AND LACK OF POLITICAL OPPORTUNITIES OF MANY RESIDENTS IN HER COMMUNITY AND WANTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

SHE RALLIED RESIDENTS IN THE SHELDON COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZE A MASSIVE VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN.

AND THAT EFFORT HELPED ELECT THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL AND WES BUFORD COUNTY PUSHED TOWARD INTEGRATED SCHOOLS.

FREEDOM MITCHELL WAS AMONG THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES BY ORGANIZING AND SHARING A GROUP CALLED BUFORD COUNTY EDUCATION COMMITTEE.

THE CENTRAL FORCE FOR SCHOOLS, SECRETARY SEGREGATION, THE COMMITTEE'S EFFORT LED TO A LANDMARK ELECTION IN 1968 WHEN FREEDOM MITCHELL WAS AMONG THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICANS ELECTED TO A SCHOOL BOARD IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

SHE REMAINED A MEMBER OF THE BOARD IN YEARS, AND WHEREAS MS. MITCHELL SAW HER LIFE'S WORK AS SHIPPING CHILDREN AND AS CORE DIRECTOR OF A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT PENN STEM SERVICES CENTER TO USE HER POSITION TO DIRECT A SPOTLIGHT ONTO DAYCARE NEEDS FOR THE WORKING POOR.

WHEREAS IN 1970, SHE CONVENED A HISTORIC MEETING OF THE NUMEROUS PROGRAMS AND STATE AGENCIES TO ORGANIZE THE UNITED COMMUNITIES OF, UH, UNITED COMMUNITIES FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT, BETTER KNOWN AS UCCD, WHICH ALLOWED FOR STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT CHILDCARE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

AND WHEREAS THIS PROGRAM RECEIVED NATIONAL ATTENTION AND CAPITULATED FREEDOM MITCHELL INTO A POSITION AS A NATIONAL FIGURE IN MAJOR DICK AKA POLICY DECISIONS MITCHELL'S EFFORT ONCE ONLY LOCAL WERE ESCALATED THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN STATES, AS WELL AS OVERSEAS IN SOUTH AFRICA, WHEN WK KELLOGG FOUNDATION RECRUITED HER TO CONDUCT AN INTERNATIONAL TOUR.

AND WHEREAS IN 1996, MS. MITCHELL WITH THE HELP OF US, SENATOR FRITZ HOLLINGS HELPED SECURE $500,000 GRANT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A MODERN CHILDCARE FACILITY ON ST.

HELENA ISLAND, WHICH IS NAMED IN HER HONOR.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TONIC COST OF BUFORD COUNTY, THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL HEREBY WISHES TO HONOR FREEDOM.

MITCHELL'S FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FEDERALIST FELLOW CITIZENS AND HER LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS.

THIS CAMP DAY OF MAY 21ST SIGNED BY JOE PASS, ME AND BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN.

THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE PRESENTED, UH, THIS FRIDAY, MAY THE 14TH AT TCL WITH THE DEDICATION CEREMONY IN HONOR OF MS. MITCHELL, THE PROCLAMATION WILL THEN BE PRESENTED TO OUR TWO DAUGHTERS AT THAT, AT THAT DEDICATION.

THANK YOU, MS. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S ALL.

WE ARE AT THE CITIZEN COMMENTS.

[00:35:07]

CERTAINLY ALIVE.

WELL LIVE,

[10. CITIZEN COMMENTS]

IS THERE ANY MEMBER IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT IF YOU WILL STEP FORWARD? YES, SIR.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

UH, MY NAME IS JIM BAKKER AND I LIVE IN OAKLAND CITY AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS, UH, MY CONCERNS OF THE PROPOSED SALES AND USE TAX.

UM, NUMBER ONE, I'M FUNDAMENTALLY MUNCHING, FUNDAMENTALLY UPROSE TO TAX INCREASES, PARTICULARLY A REGRESSIVE TAX LIKE THE, LIKE A SALES TAX.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I AM REALLY OPPOSED TO TAXING RESIDENTS TO FUND UNDEFINED AND UNSPECIFIED PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS. UM, THE, UH, THE MUNICIPALITIES WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THIS FUNDING HAVE THEIR OWN MEANS TO GENERATE FUNDS, TO FUND THEIR OWN LOCAL PROJECTS.

UM, THERE IS ABUNDANT FEDERAL FUNDING APPARENTLY AVAILABLE.

UM, THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUST NOTED A FEW MINUTES AGO THAT THE COUNTY HAS JUST RECEIVED $37 MILLION AND AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT IS ALSO GOING TO THE MUNICIPALITIES.

SO I ACTUALLY, I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO REJECT THE SALES TAX, UH, PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME ON ANOTHER ISSUE.

I, UH, I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF MEETINGS WE HAVE.

WE HAVE PASSED.

I THINK WE'RE ON THE DOWNSIDE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.

UM, THIS, THIS GROUP DOES THE BUSINESS OF THE PUBLIC AND IT SHOULD BE IN A PUBLIC FORUM AND NOT BEHIND A CAMERA OR A VIDEO SCREEN.

SO I ALSO ASK THIS GROUP TO REJECT, MOVING TO, UM, REMOTE MEETINGS FOR ANY KIND OF PUBLIC MEETINGS.

AND WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 11, OUR LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS, UH, MS. HOWARD BRIEFLY, I'D LIKE TO MENTION THE BUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD MET APRIL 28TH, PAUL SOMERVILLE AND MYSELF ATTENDED THAT ONE THING THEY REPORTED THAT MARCH WAS A GOOD MONTH FINANCIALLY BETTER THAN IN PAST MONTHS.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE, IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC ONLINE WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT? OKAY.

WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC SESSION

[11. LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]

THEY HAVE HIRED A FULL-TIME COUNSELOR IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR THE FENTANYL PROGRAM.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO DROP DOWN TO THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR VACCINES AND 67% OF THEIR EMPLOYEES AS OF APRIL 28TH, HAD BEEN VACCINATED FOR, UM, COMPLETED VACCINATION.

I DON'T KNOW PAUL ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU.

UM, ANY OTHER REPORTS? OKAY.

SEEING NO OTHER REPORTS,

[12. CONSENT AGENDA]

WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ON THE LAST PAGE OF OUR AGENDA.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? MR. SUMMERVILLE MAKES MOTION.

MAY I HAVE A SECOND PLEASE? MR. RODMAN MAKES THE SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO DISCUSSION, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT ANY OBJECTIONS? I DO NOT SEE ANY OBJECTIONS.

THEREFORE, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.

[13. THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE PERMANENT THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED EMERGENCY RESOLUTION ALLOWING FOR ELECTRONIC OR HYBRID MEETINGS, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO]

ITEM NUMBER 13 IS A THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE PERMANENT THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED EMERGENCY RESOLUTION, ALLOWING FOR ELECTRONIC OR HYBRID MEETINGS AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TOO.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 13, PLEASE? MR. MAKES THE MOTION AND MR. GLOVER MAKES THE SECOND DISCUSSION.

BUNCH OF HANDS WENT UP.

MR. DAWSON.

YOU WERE FIRST.

YEAH, SIR.

MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, TO THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, I, I VOTED IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, ORDINANCE THE LAST TIME.

UH, HOWEVER, I'VE HAD SOME SECOND THOUGHTS.

UM, I, I PERSONALLY THINK THAT, UM, WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MEET, UH, VIRTUALLY WHENEVER CIRCUMSTANCE DICTATES IT, BUT I, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE SHOULD PUT A CAP ON

[00:40:01]

IT.

UM, ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSION ARE RESTRICTED TO, UH, A LIMIT ON HOW MANY MEETINGS THEY CAN MISS BEFORE.

UH, WE REMOVED THEM FROM THE BOARD.

SO I THINK CONSOLE AS A WHOLE, WE SHOULD CONSIDER PUTTING A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS WE CAN HAVE, UH, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

I JUST THOUGHT IT OUT THERE FOR THOUGHT.

UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU WERE NEXT, UM, AS I'VE DONE THE LAST TWO TIMES, UM, I MOVED TO AMEND AND TO REMOVE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS FROM THE ORDINANCE.

UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THAT THOSE SHOULD BE IN PERSON I'M WILLING TO MEET IN THE MIDDLE AND GO VIRTUAL FOR THE COMMITTEE AND BOARD MEETINGS.

UM, SO I'LL PUT THAT ON THE FLOOR.

THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO AMEND.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND, SIR.

UH, MR. HERVIS SEAN MADE THE SECOND.

DISCUSSION ABOUT THE AMENDMENT, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I'LL SUPPORT MR. CUNNINGHAM'S AMENDMENT.

MA'AM.

I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THE AMENDMENT.

UH, I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK MANY OF US REMEMBER DURING MATTHEW, WE WERE UNABLE HURRICANE MATTHEW.

WE WERE UNABLE TO MEET, UM, AND THAT I HOPE WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT WE, THE ONLY WAY WE COULD EVEN TALK TO EACH OTHER, CAUSE WE WERE SCATTERED ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST AT THE TIME IT WAS A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE THEN, UM, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, GARY CUBIC.

IT WAS A VERY DISJOINTED, IT WAS HARD TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING.

SO I WILL VOTE AGAINST THAT AMENDMENT BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE TIMES WHEN COUNTY COUNCIL DOES NEED TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF MEETINGS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CAN I COMMENT TOWARDS THAT? HOLD ON A SECOND, MR. HARVEY, SEAN, YOU'RE NEXT? YEAH, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

SO WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS THIS MAKES EMERGENCY RESOLUTION PERMANENT, BUT LET'S JUST SAY FOR SOME REASONS FOR A FAIL, WE COULD ALWAYS INSTITUTE ANOTHER EMERGENCY RESOLUTION PROBABLY IN ADVANCE FOR HURRICANES OR OTHER COMMON AND JUST SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT, WHATEVER, TWO WEEKS MONTH OR WHEREVER IT'S GOING TO BE, WE CAN MEET VIRTUALLY.

THAT SEEMS TO BE A GOOD RESOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM.

I THINK IT IS A GOOD, UM, IT IS A GOOD COMPROMISE.

A LOT OF THE TIMES WE DON'T GET COMMENTS AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WHY WE SHOULD BE IN PUBLIC SO WE CAN GET A PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE CAN FACE THE PUBLIC.

YOU GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD COMPROMISE.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE DOING THIS PERMANENTLY.

I DON'T THINK IT PROVIDES FOR GOOD PUBLIC DISCOURSE.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR WHEN WE SIGNED UP FOR IT.

UH, I KNOW PERSONALLY THIS COSTS ME A LOT OF MONEY TO COME HERE.

IT'S AN HOUR UP, IT'S NOW HOUR BACK, BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT ME.

IT'S NOT THE PUBLIC AND DOING THE PUBLIC'S BUSINESS AND WE KNOW WE SIGNED UP FOR IT.

SO WE SHOULD BE IN PERSON AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

I DO.

UM, LIKE THAT, IT'S BEEN GLOVER'S IDEA OF PUTTING A CAP ON THE, ON THE NUMBER OF MINUTES OR THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS.

I THINK THAT'S INTERESTING.

I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY EXPLORE THAT.

THAT'S MY OPINION, MR. FALWELL.

AND IT WAS MR. DAWSON WHO MADE THAT BY THE WAY.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.

UM, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION TO AMEND AND ALSO SUPPORT THE MOTION SHOULD THAT FAIL.

I, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A PROVISION FOR ALLOWING MEETINGS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER, ANOTHER POSSIBLE, UM, AVENUE OR APPROACH TO THIS MIGHT BE A CASE-BY-CASE PERMISSION OR DESIGNATION FROM THE CHAIRMAN THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THIS PARTICULAR MEMBER ARE SUCH THAT IT WOULD WARRANT, UM, ABSENCE OR ATTENDANCE RATHER BY, UH, BY REMOTE VIEWING.

AND SO I'M, THAT'S SOMETHING TO THROW OUT THERE.

SHOULD THE MOTION TO AMEND FAIL.

HAVE MISSED THE SAME FOR US.

GOOD.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS MR. DAWSON? YES.

CHAIRMAN.

I, I WOULD SAY TO, UM, THE MOTION, IT WAS ONE OF THE FLOOR THAT I WILL NOT SUPPORT IT.

UM, HERE I AM SITTING, UM, AND TRIDENT HOSPITAL.

UM, UH, AND I'M A PRIME EXAMPLE THAT I'M MEETING WITH YOU ALL VIRTUAL , OTHER THAN VIRTUAL.

THIS IS A MEETING THAT I WOULD MISS.

SO IT GOES BACK TO THE STATEMENT I MADE EARLIER, WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MEET VIRTUALLY, BUT WE SHOULD PUT A STIPULATION ON THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT WE CAN HAVE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THE MOTION.

UM, I THINK, UH, GERALD MENTIONED THAT, UM, SOMEBODY MENTIONED THAT, UH, WE, UH, WE KEPT THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT COMMITTEE, UM, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I'M SORRY, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEMBERS CAN, CAN MISS THIS, WILL GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS THAT THEY, THAT THEY WOULD

[00:45:01]

I MEAN, IT WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN MEETINGS THAT WE OTHERWISE COULDN'T.

THERE ARE TIMES, UH, THERE'LL BE TIMES FOR EVERYBODY.

I SUSPECT I CAN'T.

UH, BUT ANYWAY, I, I WILL I'LL POST THE, UH, ALL THE POSTS, THE MOTION.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, MR. MCKELLEN NEXT? YEAH.

UM, I THINK THAT, UM, I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THE AMENDMENT BECAUSE I THINK THAT DUDE ON UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE WILL BE UNABLE TO ATTEND.

WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE THESE DAYS SO THAT EVERYONE CAN ATTEND ALL THE MEETINGS.

AND I THINK THIS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT TO SILENCE SOMEONE WHO CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEETING, BUT WHO COULD ATTEND, UH, THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.

AND I RESENT THE FACT THAT I WILL BE SILENCED IF THIS AMENDMENT PASSES AND THEN MY CONSTITUENTS WILL NOT BE REPRESENTED WHEN IF DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, ALL I HAVE TO DO IS SIGN ONTO THE COMPUTER.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL BE A REGULAR OCCURRENCE, BUT WOULD USUALLY JUST OCCUR IN EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND I OBJECT TO BEING SILENCED BY AN AMENDMENT THAT WILL PREVENT ME FROM REPRESENTING MY CONSTITUENTS.

MR. LAWSON.

UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND SO WE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO, UM, UH, LOOK AT OUR CONSTITUENTS.

I AM PLANNING ON BEING HERE, EVERY MEETING THAT I POSSIBLY CAN IN PERSON.

UM, BUT I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT WITH TECHNOLOGY AND ZOOM ONLY CAME ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO.

FACEBOOK HAS BEEN WITH US LESS THAN 20 YEARS.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW MUCH THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THAT TIME, THAT BY ALLOWING PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED TO, UM, COME ON ELECTRONICALLY, UH, THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE BEING MORE TRANSPARENT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE ALL 11 PEOPLE HERE AND THEY ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE NO MATTER WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IN, IN, IN THE BACKGROUND, UM, AROUND THEM.

AND, AND AGAIN, MR. DAWSON, PERFECT EXAMPLE TODAY THAT THAT THERE'S NO MASK ORDINANCE IN PLACE.

UM, AND, AND YET WE DON'T HAVE EVERYONE HERE TODAY, BUT EVERYONE'S ABLE TO ATTEND, UM, BY, BY VIDEO.

SO, UM, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, NOT VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT.

UM, AT THIS POINT AGAIN, I JUST, I WANT TO HAVE AS MUCH, UM, MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED AS I CAN AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMENTS PERTINENT TO THIS, MR. CUNNINGHAM? UM, I GUESS FIRST I'LL ADDRESS TWO THINGS THAT WERE STATED, UM, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I THINK WAS ABOUT FOUR WEEKS AGO, I'VE VOTED IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING THE EMERGENCY ORDINANCE AND BUFORD COUNTY, NOT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY OR THAT WE NEED TO EXTEND IT, BUT IT GAVE EVERYBODY THE ABILITY TO STAY VIRTUAL.

MR. LAWSON MADE THAT POINT AND IT WAS A GREAT POINT.

UM, IF WE HAVE A HURRICANE, WE DO GO INTO A STATE OF EMERGENCY THAT IS DONE BY THE GOVERNOR, AND WE ALL KNOW BUFORD COUNTY WOULD FOLLOW BEING ON THE COASTLINE THAT WOULD GIVE US ACCESS TO BE VIRTUAL IN THOSE FORMS. AND I WOULD A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORT THAT.

UM, AS TO THE SECOND COMMENT OF SILENCING AN INDIVIDUAL, I'LL GO BACK TO THE EXACT SAME THING.

I STATED I VOTED IN FAVOR OF, UM, ANY INDIVIDUALS STAYING HOME TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD BY SUPPORTING THE EMERGENCY ORDINANCE DURING THIS TIME.

UM, THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED GETTING INTO MAKING THIS PERMANENT.

SO TO MAKE A STATEMENT LIKE THAT, I DO FIND THAT OUT OF LINE AND A BIT FAR, UM, BUT TO EACH THEIR OWN, UH, THE THIRD THING IS, YOU KNOW, I GO THE SAME THING WITH WHAT CHRIS SAID.

UM, WE ALL KNEW WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR.

WE ALL KNOW THE IMPACT THIS WOULD HAVE ON US PERSONALLY, ON OUR FAMILIES AND THE BURDEN THAT IT WOULD TAKE.

UM, LET'S SAY WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION OF PUTTING A CAP ON LIKE MR. DAWSON TALKED ABOUT AND MR. SOMMERVILLE SAID HE SUPPORTED, WHEN DO WE START NEGOTIATING THAT? CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT NOW? DO WE MAKE THAT MEN, MEN AFTER THIS FAILS? BECAUSE AFTER THAT, IS IT TOO LATE? MR. ROBINSON? YEAH.

UM, I WOULD WELCOME SOME KIND OF A PERMITTED EXCEPTION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NECESSARILY NEED TO GO THE CAP ROUTE.

I'D BE VERY COMFORTABLE MAKING IT AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO, TO MAKE THAT MOTION.

UH, IN GENERAL THOUGH, I DO FEEL WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE HERE.

CONGRESS MEETS IN PERSON AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETS IN PERSON.

AND IN MY 15 YEARS ON COUNCIL, THAT THE TIMES THAT SOMEBODY HAS BEEN MISSING HAS BEEN FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

SO THERE'S BEEN A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL, UM, TIME THAT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN THERE.

BUT IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION TO THE EFFECT THAT, UH, WE COULD MAKE IT AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN, I WOULD BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

I'M WILLING TO AMEND IT TO THAT.

WELL, NOW WE'RE AMENDING YOUR AMENDMENT, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE MR. CHAIRMAN.

SO AS LONG AS SECOND DEGREES AND, UH, I GUESS THAT WAS MR. HERBERT.

[00:50:02]

SO WE AMEND IT TO MAKE IT THE DISCRETION OF YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.

COULD SOMEONE EXPLAIN THAT? WHAT DISCRETION TO DO, WHAT TO NOT BE IN PERSON FOR A COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M DIRECTING THAT TO YOU, SIR.

UM, MY UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE THAT, UM, YOU AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD MEMBER WOULD ASK PERMISSION FOR ME NOT TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING FOR WHATEVER REASON.

AND IT'S AT MY DISCRETION TO SAY YAY OR NAY.

AND IF YOU SAY NO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? OH, THEN, UM, YOU WOULD BE ABSENT FROM THE MEETING.

YOU WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE MEETING, CORRECT.

OKAY, MR. SOMERVILLE, I'M GOING TO, TO THAT AS WELL.

I THINK, UH, WE WERE ELECTED AS ADULTS, RESPONSIBLE ADULTS, ALL 11 OF US AND OUR, OUR, UH, CONSTITUENTS EXPECT US TO ACT ACCORDINGLY.

I DON'T THINK MOTHER MAY, I IS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS BODY.

EVERY TIME WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY OR SITUATION WHERE WE CANNOT ATTEND.

UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS MR. CHAIRMAN QUICKLY? UM, UH, JUST LET ME WEIGH IN ON THE, UH, ON THE ISSUE OF, UM, ATTENDINGS.

UM, I HAVE, I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO ATTEND RIGHT NOW.

UM, BUT I THINK I WOULD PROBABLY BE IN FULL STEAM AND THOSE OVER TENDANCE, UM, PROBABLY IN JUNE, JULY, UM, UM, AS, AS A LOT OF FASCINATION AND STUFF IS TAKING PLACE AROUND THE COUNTY.

UM, BUT I THINK, UM, FOR US TO NOT EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE REALLY A DISSERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.

UM, MY, MY BROTHER TELLS ME I AM IN THE DARK AGES, SO I AM REALLY TAKING A, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, BY EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY, I WILL ATTEND COUNCIL MEETINGS, BUT THERE ARE TIMES LIKE MR. DAWSON RIGHT NOW THAT I MAY NOT BE THERE, BUT I CAN ATTEND MEETINGS.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO LEAVE THAT, UM, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I THINK WE HOLD COUNCIL AS HIGH ESTEEM IN ATTENDING WHEN POSSIBLE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THE AMENDED MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG IS TO ALTER THE THIRD READING, TO EXCLUDE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND ALLOW THE CHAIR TO DETERMINE IF A COUNCIL MEMBER IS EXCUSED FROM THAT MEETING.

IS THAT THE ESSENCE OF THE MOTION? AND THE SECOND? I THINK SO.

I THINK IT'S MORE ALONG THE LINES OF BID SHARE.

UH, HAS THE ABILITY TO ALLOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY, CORRECT? YEAH.

I GIVE THEM PERMISSION TO BE EXCLUDED FROM IN-PERSON CORRECT.

EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT.

INCLUDE BOTH POTENTIALLY THAT WOULD BE ONE DAY.

SINCE WE HAVE IT DULY MOTIONED IN SECOND, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU WILL GO FIRST.

OH, MR. FLUE WELLING.

MR. RODMAN S MR. SUMMERVILLE.

NO CHAIR VOTES.

NO, WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, YES.

SEVEN.

NO, THE AMENDMENT IS DEFEATED.

SHERRY HAD FOUR, FOUR, TWO, THREE, FOUR.

WE'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION MEMBER.

DAWSON.

OH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I WOULD MOVE TO AMANDA.

UM, UM, UM, AND THEN I WOULD MOVE TO AMEND THE MOTION, UH, TO ALLOW COUNCIL TO, UM, EXERCISE VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH THE STIPULATIONS NOT TO EXCEED, UH, UM, NOT EXCEED THREE OR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

I'LL SECOND THAT DISCUSSION, MR. HARVEY, SHAWN, DOES THAT INCLUDE COUNCIL MEETINGS OR COMEDIAN COUNCIL? WELL, SINCE THE MATTER SAYS VIRTUAL MEETINGS, IT WOULD

[00:55:01]

YEP.

MR. DAWSON, I'M SORRY.

AS A MAKER, AN EMOTION.

I WAS REFERRING TO CONSOLE MEETINGS, THREE CONSECUTIVE CONSOLE MEETINGS, CLARIFICATION, CLARIFICATION.

UM, WOULD THAT BE A MURAL BY, BY PHYSICAL YEAR OR ANNUAL JANUARY, DECEMBER? WELL, AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE MAKER OF THE MOTION TO DETERMINE WHAT IT WOULD BE IN THE SECOND.

AND THE SECOND I FORGOT THE CLARIFICATION, DAN, I WOULD SAY FROM JANUARY ONE TO DECEMBER 31ST ANNUALLY.

I'LL SECOND THAT OKAY.

CHAIRMAN, UM, MR. MR. DAWSON SAID CONSECUTIVE MEETINGS.

DOES HE MEAN CONSECUTIVE OR HE DOESN'T MEAN THREE ANNUAL MEETINGS, THREE ANNUAL MEETINGS, ONE MEETING TO A MEETING.

THREE MEETINGS.

BARRING EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION POINT OF CLARIFICATION IF I MIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. TO CLARIFY WHAT I'M VOTING YES.

FOR WOULD BE THAT THE ORIGINAL MOTION BE AMENDED TO EXCLUDE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, THE FULL COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND THAT A MEMBER WOULD BE ENTITLED TO MISS OR ATTEND, UM, UH, UH, A MEETING VIRTUALLY ON THREE OCCASIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

NOPE.

THAT'S THAT'S THE AMENDED MOTION.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, ARE THERE PENALTIES ATTACHED? I'M MISSING MORE THAN THE THREE MEETINGS? UH, NO.

YOU ARE A COUNCIL MEMBER.

YOU CANNOT BE, UH, SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE.

IF YOU MISS MORE THAN THREE MEETINGS, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU ARE ON SOME OTHER COMMISSION OR BOARD AS AN ELECTED MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL.

YOU'RE SUBJECT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE VOTERS.

IF YOU MISSED MEETINGS, THE VOTERS WOULD THEN SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT PERSON DOESN'T REPRESENT US ENOUGH TIMES.

WE'LL REPLACE THEM.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES.

ONE, GO AHEAD.

JUST AS LOVER.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

UM, AND FOLLOWING ALONG WITH WHAT LARRY JUST ASKED, UM, IF THERE'S A MEETING AND IF I MISS THREE MEETINGS AND THEN, UM, I OPT TO PARTICIPATE, UM, VIRTUALLY IN THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, I'M STILL ABSENT, THEN ALL YOU WOULD JUST EXCLUDE ME FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING VIRTUALLY AFTER THREE.

UM, IF YOU COULD NOT BE EXCLUDED IF YOU ATTEND COUNTY COUNCIL, WHETHER IT'S IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL, BY THE RESULT OF THE PASSAGE OF THIS, YOU ARE A DULY ELECTED COUNCIL PERSON, AND THEREFORE YOU ARE FULFILLING YOUR OBLIGATION, WHETHER YOU'RE ONLINE OR IN-PERSON MR. WAIT A SECOND.

IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CAP, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, A CAP OF THREE, I THINK IS WHAT GERALD PROPOSED.

THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN HAVE A CAP IS TO SAY, AFTER THREE, YOU CAN'T PARTICIPATE ANYMORE.

OTHERWISE YOU DON'T HAVE A CAP, RIGHT? IT MAKES NO SENSE.

RIGHT? BUT YOU COULD NOT EXCLUDE A COUNCIL MEMBER.

WE LIKE, WE JUST VOTE THAT YOU CAN ONLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY IN THREE MEETINGS, WE CERTAINLY ARE EXCLUDING YOU FROM THE FOURTH, THE FIFTH.

I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS MOTION IS STATING.

WELL, LET'S, LET'S BE CLEAR THAT WE'RE GETTING AS A RESULT OF THAT, OF THAT MOTION.

YEP.

ONCE AGAIN, YOU'RE EXCLUDING PEOPLE FROM FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE DELIBERATIONS OF THIS BODY.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE, THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.

UH, UM, GERALD, YOU MADE THE MOTION, THEREFORE YOU WILL VOTE FIRST.

UM, MR. .

[01:00:02]

NO, AGAIN, THE MOTION FAILS FOUR YES.

SEVEN.

NO, WE'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.

THE ORIGINAL MOTION ON THE FLOOR WAS VOTED BY, UH, MR. SUMMERVILLE AS THE MOTION R AND MR. GLOVER AS THE SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, THEN WE BEGIN WITH MR. SUMMERVILLE.

THIS WAS THE MAIN MOTION.

MAIN MOTION, MR. GLOVER.

MR. UM, UH, HARVARD SEAN.

MR. RODMAN? NO, UH, THE CHAIR VOTES.

AT ITEM NUMBER 14, A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE AS AMENDED AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY BY N S S R C.

WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, YES.

AND FOUR.

NO, THE MOTION PASSES.

WE'RE

[14. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE AS AMENDED AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A SSRC BY AND BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND PROJECT GARDEN (MATERIALS RESEARCH GROUP), PROVIDING FOR A PAYMENT OF A FEE IN LIEU OF TAXES AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO]

AND BY AND BETWEEN BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA AND PROJECT GARDEN, WHICH HAS MATERIALS, RESEARCH GROUP PROVIDING FOR A PAYMENT OF FEE IN LIEU OF TAXES AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TOO.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 14? UH, MR. MCKELLEN MADE THE MOTION AND MR. , DID I HEAR YOU SAY SECOND? YOU DID, SIR.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, PLEASE.

JULIE MOTION.

DIDN'T SECONDED.

ANY DISCUSSION, SEE NO DISCUSSION.

THIS IS GOING, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN THIRD READING OF THE ORDINANCE AS AMENDED AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF AN SSRC BY HIM BETWEEN BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA AND PROJECT BURGER, UH, AS WAS SAID BY MR. O'TOOLE, IT IS THE SALTMARSH BREWING COMPANY TO PROVIDE A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TO MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND, PLEASE.

UM, I'M YOU, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, EITHER IN PERSON OR ONLINE WHO WISHES TO A STATEMENT ABOUT THIS? MR. ROME, TOLL CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I CHOSE A MORE COMFORTABLE SEAT TONIGHT.

UH, AND I DO KNOW THERE ARE 46 COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, SO I'M LEARNING.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT.

SO I'LL JUST RUN THROUGH THE NAME OF THE COMPANY, THEIR CODE NAME, UH, AND THEN THE, UH, AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT IN JOBS.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE GO BY CODE NAMES, UH, SO THAT, UH, UH, IF IT INVOLVES EMPLOYEE MOVES AND THAT KIND OF THING, THAT THE EMPLOYEES, UH, LIVES AREN'T PUT IN, UH, CHAOS WHILE A DECISION'S BEING MADE.

SO, UH, BUT AS SOON AS WE CAN SHARE THE DETAILS WITH THE PUBLIC, WE TRY TO DO THAT.

SO PROJECT CLASS YOU'LL PROBABLY LEARN HOW WE CODE THESE THINGS.

PROJECT GLASS WAS GLASSWORKS.

UH, SOUTH CAROLINA REPRESENTS A $15 MILLION, UH, 15, JUST OVER $15 MILLION AND 55 JOBS.

A MATERIAL RESEARCH GROUP IS A, UH, GLASS COMPONENTS MANUFACTURER OUT OF NEW JERSEY, THE GARDEN STATE.

SO THEY WERE GARDEN, BUT IT IS A MATERIAL RESEARCH GROUP.

UH, IT REPRESENTS, UH, UH, JUST OVER $3 MILLION INVESTMENT AND 26 JOBS, A SALTMARSH BREWERY.

UH, WE CALLED IT PROJECT BURGER.

UM, UH, I APOLOGIZE.

AND, UH, THE, THE, UH, OWNER OF IT OWNED A BURGER JOINT IN BUFORD COUNTY, UH, THAT MAY BE, UH, PUTTING IT MILDLY.

UH, BUT, UH, IT REPRESENTS A $4.4 MILLION JUST UNDER $4.5 MILLION INVESTMENT AND 43 JOBS.

UH, AND THEN PROJECT A STONE.

WAS IT NAMED AFTER CHARLIE STONE, BUT IT WAS NAMED AFTER STONEWORKS.

UH, WE WORK HAND IN GLOVE WITH, UH, LEGAL AND, UH, WITH, UH, JOHN WREN BOLT AT THE AIRPORT, THEY WERE DISPLACED BY THE EXPANSION.

UH, THEY WERE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT LEAVING BUFORD COUNTY AND WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THEM INTO THE SEVEN 79 ROBERT SMALLS BUILDING.

UH, BUT THAT REPRESENTS A $3.2 MILLION, UH, UH, A $3.2 MILLION INVESTMENT AND 21 NEW JOBS.

AND YOU CAN SEE, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, PROJECTS TAKING FORM ALL TOLD.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF, OF, UH, IMPLEMENTING PHILO'S AND SSRC THESE FOUR PROJECTS ADD UP TO $46 MILLION AND, UH, REPRESENT 145 JOBS.

AND TO DATE WE'RE AVERAGING WITH ALL THE PROJECTS.

SO WE'VE DONE AN AVERAGE COMPENSATION OF $47,000.

SO YOU START TO PUT THAT TOGETHER INTO

[01:05:01]

A DUAL INCOME HOUSE.

UH, WE THINK WE'RE IMPROVING THE LIVES OF BUFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. O'TOOLE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE VOTE? THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN.

THE PUBLIC PORTION HAS BEEN CLOSED AND, UH, THIS, I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.

THEREFORE, ITEM NUMBER 14 IS APPROVED.

ITEM.

NUMBER 15

[15. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE AS AMENDED AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A SSRC BY AND BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA AND PROJECT BURGER (SALT MARSH BREWING COMPANY) PROVIDING FOR A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO]

MR. RODMAN MAKES THE SECOND, IS THERE ANY QUESTION ABOUT THIS AT ALL? SEEING NO QUESTIONS THE PUBLIC WILL NOW WEIGH IN.

IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, EITHER HERE OR ONLINE? THAT HAS A QUESTION REGARDING THIS MATTER SINCE THERE IS NO PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, THE PUBLIC PORTION HAS BEEN CLOSED AND WE ARE NOW READY TO VOTE.

THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

SEEING NO OBJECTIONS.

ITEM NUMBER 15 IS APPROVED ITEM NUMBER

[16. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO LEVY AND IMPOSE A ONE PERCENT LOCAL OPTION SALES AND USE TAX WITHIN BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, PURSUANT TO SECTION 4-10-10 ET SEQ., OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS, 1976, AS AMENDED; TO DEFINE THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE TAX; TO IMPOSE CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS UPON THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE TAX; TO PROVIDE FOR A COUNTY-WIDE REFERENDUM FOR THE IMPOSITION OF THE TAX; TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONDUCT OF SUCH REFERENDUM; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE TAX, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERETO.]

16, A PUBLIC HEARING IN THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO LEVY AND IMPOSE A 1% LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX AND USE TAX WITHIN BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, PURSUANT TO SECTION FOUR DASH 10 DASH 10 AT SEC OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS, 1976 AS AMENDED TO, TO FIND THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE TAX TO IMPOSE CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS UPON THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE TAX TO PROVIDE A COUNTY-WIDE REFERENDUM REFERENDUM FOR THE IMPOSITION OF THE TAX TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONDUCT OF SUCH REFERENDUM TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE TAX AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TO MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION PLEASE? MR. SUMMERVILLE MAKES THE MOTION.

MAY I HAVE A SECOND, PLEASE? I'LL MAKE THE SECOND.

MR. LAWSON MAKES THE SECOND DISCUSSION, MR. HARVEY SHINE.

FIRST OF ALL, PROPERTY AND, AND A REAL PROPERTY IN BUFORD COUNTY IN THE FORM OF TAX REBATES.

I AM GOING TO OPPOSE THIS AGAIN.

I THINK THAT GOVERNMENT BY REFERENDUM IS PROBLEMATIC FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

AS SOON AS WE PASS THIS PILOT, THAT WE WILL HAVE NO INVOLVEMENT IN AID TO IT.

AND THE FACT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET A BUNCH OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO MARKET AND, UM, SUPPORT SUCH ATTACKS ON A BALLOT THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET 12 TO 15% OF THAT VOTER TURNOUT.

SO YOU, THE ARGUMENT THAT, WELL, WE SHOULD LET THE PEOPLE EXPRESS AN OPINION.

WE SHOULD LET THE PEOPLE VOTE ON THIS.

IT'S 12, 15%.

IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE, IT'S NOT THE GENERAL POPULATION.

UM, NOT WITHSTANDING ONCE THIS GOES ON AND EFFECTIVELY, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOT ANY WAY TO TAKE IT OFF.

YOU'RE GOING.

I HAVE TO GET 50% OF THE ELECTORATE, WHICH IS ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE.

SO WET SIGN A PETITION, JUST EVEN GET IT BACK ON ABOUT SO VERY, VERY DIFFICULT GIVEN WHERE WE LIVE AND THE COMMUNITY STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE.

I OPPOSE THIS AS OPPOSED IT TWICE BEFORE I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO OPPOSE IT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THE LAST ONE I CAN SAY ABOUT IT.

OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC, MR. SUMMERVILLE, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO SUPPORT THIS AS I HAVE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE MUNICIPALITY IS HAVE ASKED US TO DO THIS FOR YEARS.

AND WE, UH, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE HAVE COMMITTED TO DO THAT DIFFERENT GROUPS, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT GROUP, BUT THE MAIN REASON I'M SUPPORTING THIS IS IT GIVES RELIEF ON OUR AD VALOREM TAX BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THAT WILL GO TO THE MUNICIPALITIES AND TO THE COUNTY FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT THEY DETERMINED ALONG THE WAY IS MONEY.

THAT THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO ADD TO, TO ADD AD VALOREM TAX, TO PAY FOR.

AND 100% ACTUALLY MORE THAN 100% OF THE MONEY THAT WILL BE, THAT WILL COME BACK TO THE MUNICIPALITY AND THE COUNTY FOR, FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS TO AVOID HAVING TO RAISE AVALARA TAX WILL BE PAID FOR BY VISITORS AND TOURISTS OVER 100% OF IT.

SO TO ME, THAT'S A DEAL.

YOU CAN'T PASS UP THE RE THE 70%.

UH, SOME OF THAT IS ALSO PAID BY VISITORS AND TOURISTS WILL COME BACK TO ALL OF US WHO OWN PROPERTY,

[01:10:01]

SO I SEE THIS AS A GREAT DEAL, AND I'VE ALWAYS SUPPORTED IT AND I'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT TODAY.

ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER, MR. CUNNINGHAM? UM, YEAH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I HAVE WITH THIS, AND I'M ALL FOR GIVING THE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT IT.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST LIKE CHRIS SAID, WE'LL BE LUCKY TO GET 12 OR 15% VOTER TURNOUT.

UM, THAT'S NOT THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE, THE MOMENT THIS PASSES, WHICH I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO AS WELL.

UM, WE'RE OUT OF THE GAME AND WHOEVER HAS THE MONEY AND WHOEVER HAS THE SUPPORT BEHIND THEM CAN PUSH WHATEVER AGENDA THEY WANT.

ON 12 TO 15% OF OUR VOTERS, WE KNOW THAT'S REALISTIC AND WE KNOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY IN OUR SMALL TOWN COMMUNITY.

IF SOMEONE WAS WILLING TO MOVE THIS TO A GENERAL ELECTION, I WOULD GET BEHIND YOU TO AT LEAST GIVE THE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO LET THEM DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, BUT THAT'S NOT REALISTIC RIGHT NOW BY PUTTING IT ON THIS BALLOT.

UM, THE SECOND THING I HAVE A HARD TIME DOING IS IT IT'S NEVER GOING AWAY AND WE NEED TO BE HONEST WITH THE PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENT THAT IF THIS PASSES IN, WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU NEXT YEAR FOR A REFERENDUM, FOR OUR ROADS.

WE HAVE A BILLION DOLLARS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS FOR ROADS.

SO THIS ISN'T 7%, THIS IS 8%.

AND IF IT'S NOT 8%, IT STAYS FOR SEVEN.

THEN OUR ROADS ARE GOING TO SUFFER.

THAT IS NOT A SECRET, AND WE NEED TO BE UPFRONT WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT THAT.

UM, I, I'VE ALREADY TOLD ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE MAYORS THAT I'M WILLING TO MEET WITH ANY OF THEM AND TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS.

WE CAN GO ABOUT DOING THIS, TO GET THEM THE REVENUE THAT THEY NEED FOR THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT THEY WANT.

I'VE HAD MULTIPLE MAYORS REACH OUT TO ME AND I'M ALREADY SCHEDULING THOSE MEETINGS.

UM, ANYBODY'S MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN ME.

UH, I, I, I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS RECONSIDER TO AT LEAST MOVE THIS TO ANOTHER ELECTION, UH, WHERE WE CAN GET THE REAL PEOPLE'S VOTE, UM, TO GIVE THIS THE FAIR CHANCE THAT IT DESERVES.

UM, SO AGAIN, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO NOT SUPPORT THIS, ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER BEFORE I GO TO THE PUBLIC.

SO, UM, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT.

AND, UH, IT'S BECAUSE THE, THE, THE, OUR MISSED VALLEYS HAVE ASKED US TO DO THIS.

UM, THEY'VE ASKED US TO, TO GO AHEAD AND, AND HAVE THIS AND HAVE TO GO TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKE A VOTE.

AND WHETHER IT'S 15%, WHETHER IT'S 80%, UM, THAT IS THE CORRECT WAY TO DO IT.

UH, IT'S NOT OUR DECISION.

IT'S THE PUBLIC'S DECISION ON WHAT THEY DECIDE TO DO AND, AND, AND HOW THIS IS PRESENTED TO THEM.

UM, I'M SURE WE'LL LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT IT, BUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU LOOK AT IT BY DOING THE 1 CENT SALES TAX THAT ALLOWS SOME OF OUR VISITORS TO HELP PAY OUR TAXES, INSTEAD OF JUST BEING THE BURDEN OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.

UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, HAS BEEN MENTIONED, LIKE IS 71% OF THE MONEY THAT'S RAISED, UM, GOES BACK TO TAX RELIEF FOR OUR COUNTY COUNCIL PEOPLE OR COUNTY RESIDENTS.

UM, SO WITH THIS VOTE, UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT, THAT THE CITIZENS DECIDE IT HELPS SUPPORT OUR TOWNS.

AND I THINK PAUL MADE A GREAT POINT THAT THAT ALLOWS THE TOWNS IN TO SPEND MONEY ON THINGS THEY NEED WITHOUT THEM RAISING TAXES, WITHOUT US RAISING TAXES ON OUR OWN CONSTITUENTS, BY HAVING THIS POOL OF MONEY THAT COMES IN.

UH, AND I THINK THE NUMBER WAS 60% OR 70% WOULD BE FROM OUT-OF-TOWN PEOPLE THAT'S GOING TO HELP PAY FOR THIS.

SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT, GOING TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEM TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

I'M NOT GONNA DECIDE I'M GONNA LET THE PUBLIC DECIDE WHAT, WHAT WE NEED.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. HOWARD.

UM, I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT COUNSELING TO SOMERVILLE AND COUNCILMAN BOX AND SAID, I AGREE WITH BOTH OF THEM.

I HAVE SUPPORTED THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THIS SINCE I WAS ELECTED FIRST TIME AROUND AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM ON THIS.

I DISAGREE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A 1 CENTS ROAD TAX.

THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE WE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT.

AND I DO THINK THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON THIS, THIS TIME AND IT'S NEEDED NOW.

ANY OTHER MR. HARVEY SHINE? YEAH.

JUST SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, ACCURATE INFORMATION, 71%, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THAT'S NOT YOUR ONE.

THAT'S LIKE YOUR FIVE, IT'S MORE LIKE 65, I THINK PERCENT YOUR ONE.

AND THEN IT SCALES TO 71.

IT DOES OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.

RIGHT.

SO WE GOT TO GET INTO YOUR FILE WITH THIS ACT BEFORE IT'S EVEN 70% IS LESS THAN US.

THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT.

COUNCIL SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD JUST BE ON FRONT WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING SUCH THINGS.

SO IT IS 65% THE FIRST YEAR, 65, 64 67 TO 71, I THINK IT'S, IT GOES IN INCREMENTS LIKE THAT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, MR. RODMAN.

IT'S PERMANENT FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES.

UM, MR. , I, I HAVE, UH, CONTINUED TO OPPOSE THIS FOR A COUPLE REASONS.

ONE OF THEM POINTED OUT THERE, NO SUNSET FOR IT, AND THERE'S NO PRACTICAL WAY TO, SO

[01:15:01]

AND IT'S ALSO VERY REGRESSIVE ON THE PEOPLE THAT CAN, CAN LESS AT LEAST AFFORD IT.

UM, I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS.

WE'VE NEVER ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS THAT ARE IN OUR COUNCIL.

SO I, I DID DO THOSE SENT OUT TO EARLIER, UH, AS SARAH, CAN YOU FIND THAT THAT ONE PAGE THAT HAS LOST AT THE TOP FOR ME? UM, UM, MY RECOLLECTION AND MY, MY BELIEF IS THAT THE AMOUNT THAT THE VISITORS SAY IS MORE LIKE A THIRD, NOT, NOT A HIGHER AMOUNT, UH, FROM TWO CAPACITIES.

ONE, I HAD CALCULATED THAT MANY YEARS AGO, AND DAVID STARKEY, WHO WAS OUR CFO FOR MANY YEARS, HAD INDEPENDENTLY CALCULATED ROUGHLY AT A THIRD.

AND THAT SEEMS TO MAKE SOME SENSE, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE ARE PAYING TAXES ON A VARIETY OF THINGS, NOT ALL THINGS, BUT A VARIETY OF THINGS FOR A WEEKEND AND WEEK OUT.

UH, WHEREAS THE VISITORS ARE HERE FOR A SHORT TIME AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY BUYING A HARD GOODS AND THAT, THAT TYPE OF THING.

UM, SO JUST BY THE NUMBERS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, IN MY MIND, IF YOU LOOK DOWN AND YOU SAID, OH, A COUPLE OF TWO, THREE YEARS FROM NOW, MAYBE THE, UH, THE PENNY WOULD EQUATE TO 40 MILLION.

THAT'S PROBABLY RUNNING AT ABOUT 35 RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST PUT SOME NUMBERS ON IT.

IF YOU SPLIT IT TWO THIRDS, ONE THIRD, THE RESIDENTS ARE PAYING ABOUT 27 MILLION A YEAR IN, UH, IN SALES TAXES.

AND THEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE IT GETS DISTRIBUTED AGAIN, USING THE 71, I WASN'T AWARE OF THE 66, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT 27 MILLION IN TAX RELIEF ABOUT 7 MILLION GONNA COME TO THE COUNTY BECAUSE THAT'S DISTRIBUTED ON A POPULATION BASIS.

UM, SO HILTON IT'LL GET ABOUT TWO IS ACTUALLY A ROBIN HOOD FEATURE IN THIS AND THE STATE TAKES 5%.

SO WE WRITE THEM A CHECK FOR 2 MILLION EVERY YEAR, AND YOU CAN SEE DO FOR BOARD ROW AND BLUFFTON EACH WOULD GET ABOUT TWO THIRDS TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION A YEAR.

UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF TALKER, A SENSE THAT THERE'S NO OTHER WAY THAT THE, UH, UM, MUNICIPALITIES CAN RAISE MONEY AND THAT'S NOT TRUE.

THEY CAN DO A REFERENDUM FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, JUST LIKE WE DO.

AND JUST LIKE THE TOWN OF HAD DOES.

AND THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT IS THAT THEY'RE DOING IT ON AN AD VALOREM BASIS.

SO THEY'RE NOT ANALYZING THE PEOPLE THAT CAN LEAST AFFORD IT.

I THINK THE TWO CONCERNS ARE AS ONE IS, UH, THAT IT MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO PASS A TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX WHEN WE NEED IT.

SO THE HIGH GROWTH AREAS, I DON'T HONESTLY SEE ANOTHER WAY TO FUND THOSE NEEDS AS WE GO FORWARD WITHOUT GOING BACK FOR THAT SECOND PENNY.

UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S THE LOW END TAXPAYERS THAT, UH, BENEFIT IF YOU LOOK AT THE WINNERS, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED THAT THIS, BUT I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT MY DISTRICT IS THE BIG WINNER.

SO I SHOULDN'T BE ARGUING ABOUT THIS, BUT A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THAT, UM, UH, TAX RELIEF FALLS, UH, YOU KNOW, TO THE HOTELS AND THE, THE BIG BEACH FRONT HOMES AND THAT TYPE OF THING, UM, UH, HILTON HEAD DOES WELL IN SOUTH CAROLINA DOES WELL THAT THE PIECE I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND IS COMBINED BLUFFTON, BUFORD AND PORT ROYAL, WHICH ARE THE ONES THAT WANT TO DO THIS.

I'M GOING TO GET BACK ABOUT 5 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.

UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND QUITE WHY THEY WANT TO DO THAT.

I SEEMS TO ME TO HAVE ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE PENALIZING THEIR OWN PEOPLE.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT FIND THEM.

INTERESTING.

THANK YOU, SARAH.

ANY OTHER, UH, UH, MR. FALWELL AND YOU HAD A COMMENT.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE OF GOING TO THE VOTERS.

I'M NOT GONNA DECIDE FOR MYSELF, I'M NOT GOING TO PUBLICIZE HOW I'M GOING TO VOTE WHEN I'M IN THE, IN THE BALLOT BOX.

BUT, UM, I SUSPECT THAT YOU ALL WILL BE SURPRISED BY THE NUMBER OF VOTERS THAT TURN OUT AND BY WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO SAY IN THE BALLOT BOX ALTOGETHER.

UM, I JUST, MY PERSONAL OPINION, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO DATA FOR IT, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'VE CONSISTENTLY IN BEAVER COUNTY VOTED OPPOSED, UH, BOND REFERENDUMS THAT ARE UNRELATED TO THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS, UM, BOARD, UH, RURAL, RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM, EXCEPT FOR TWO ROADS OR BONDS.

OTHER THAN THAT, WE'VE DENIED THEM ALL.

SO WE'LL SEE HOW IT TURNS OUT.

IT'S NOW THESE DAYS AND FOREVER MORE 71%, 29%.

UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL BEFORE I GO TO THE PUBLIC SEEING NONE? YES.

CORRECT.

OH, IT DOESN'T NEED TO CORRECT THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE 71 29%.

THE WAY THE STATUTE IS WORDED IS THAT WHEN THE ACT WAS ADOPTED X DECADES AGO, DURING THE FIRST YEAR AFTER THE ACT WAS ADOPTED, IT WAS THE 60%.

AND THEN IT RAMPED UP TO THE FIFTH YEAR AFTER THE ACT WAS ADOPTED.

SO STATUTE BEING ADOPTED DOES NOT DEAL WITH THE REFERENCE.

SO IT'S,

[01:20:01]

GOTCHA.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

UH, WE WILL TURN TO THE PUBLIC.

IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN HOUSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK AND THERE IS, AND THEN WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY ONLINE.

JIM SULLIVAN HAVE LIVED IN BUFORD COUNTY FOR 10 YEARS, HAVE NEVER FELT COMPELLED TO JOIN A MEETING UNTIL TODAY.

I BET ALL OF YOU THINK CONSIDER THE TIMES WE'RE COMING OFF OF A YEAR OF COVID DR.

FOWCHEE SAYS, WE'RE LOOKING AT AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR TILL WE GET OUR FREEDOMS BACK.

SO LET'S NOT BE COUNTING ON TOURISM BECAUSE WE SAW WHAT THAT DID TO US LAST YEAR.

RIGHT? RIGHT.

NOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.

GOVERNOR MCMASTER IS TRYING TO TAKE BACK THE FEDERAL BUMP THAT THESE PEOPLE GOT, THEY GETTING PAID TO STAY AT HOME.

THEY'RE NOT STAYING HOME AND GETTING PAID THEY'RE ON NEW JOBS.

I THINK CITY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENT SHOULD START LOOKING AT THINGS THAT MATTER TO THE TAXPAYER.

THIS TAX IS LIKE A SHARP STICK IN THE EYE.

AND FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY TO ME, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR MONEY.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE PIECE OF IT BACK ON YOUR RENT.

COME, TEXAS, THAT DOESN'T WORK IS STILL TAKING MY MONEY.

YOU'RE STILL TAKING MONEY FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST JOBS, HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS AND HAVE LOST BUSINESSES.

IT'S HARDLY THE TIME TO BE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY, ESPECIALLY MORE MONEY.

THEN YOU CAN'T EVEN SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH, SO PUT IT ON THE BILL, PUT IT ON THE BOAT, SEE WHO DOES SHOW UP AND SEE WHERE IT GOES.

BUT I UNDERSTAND MOST OF THESE SEATS RUN UNCHALLENGED FOR HOW MANY YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND NOW THE TAX MIGHT JUST FIND YOURSELVES WITH SOME CHALLENGES THAT WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE.

IS THERE ANYONE ON THE LINE WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT? NO.

WE WILL, UH, CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

UM, MR. RODMAN, ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ARGUMENT FOR DOING THIS HAS BEEN THAT SOMETHING THAT THE MUNICIPALITIES WANT, UM, AND THAT WE HAD AGREED TO DO IT THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THAT HAS NOT BECOME BEFORE COUNCIL FOR US TO SAY THAT WE WOULD DO IT.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BEEN THERE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE.

UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHETHER WE HAVE A SAY OR NOT, THE MUNICIPALITY IS THERE 38% OF THE POPULATION AND THE UNINCORPORATED IS 62%.

SO WE HAVE ALMOST 50% MORE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE REPRESENTING THAN EVEN THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE.

SO IT'S REALLY A JOINT DECISION.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ARGUMENT SEEMS TO BE THAT WE SEND IT TO THE VOTERS AND LET THEM VOTE.

NO, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

UM, BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY ARGUE THE MERITS OF WHY WE SHOULD DO IT.

I JUST HAVE NOT HEARD ANY ARGUMENT OF WHY WE SHOULD DO IT.

THE 6% IS, CAN GET, IS THIS LOSS TAX? SO I'M SUPPORTING IT FOR THE 6% IS OUT THERE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE, MR. BELL? I WAS CHAIRMAN.

I DO.

UM, AND I AGREE WITH MR. RODMAN, WHAT YOU JUST SAID, AND I FEEL THAT, UM, ONCE WE VOTE ON THIS, THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE, THAT, UH, IT'S OUT OF OUR HANDS, UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE GROUPS OUT THERE THAT WILL HOPEFULLY DEBATE THIS ISSUE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ASSURE THAT TO HAPPEN, BUT IT HAS SEEMED, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UM, THIS PIECE, THIS, THIS REFERENDUM SHOULD BE DEBATED, SHOULD BE DISCUSSED THE PROS AND CONS TAKEN TO THE PUBLIC.

I DON'T KNOW SUCH GROUPS AS THE LEGAL WOMEN VOTERS COULD DO IT.

SOME OTHER GROUPS THAT'S OUT THERE, UH, COULD DEBATE THIS ISSUE GOING FORWARD.

I WILL VOTE FALLING IN FAVOR OF IT, UM, TO MOVE IT TO THE PUBLIC.

UM, I THINK, UM, SUPPORTING IT BECAUSE THE MUNICIPALITY ASKED FOR IT, BUT I ALSO SEE IT AS THE ONLY REMEDY FOR SIX PERCENTERS, UM, UH, ON THE ABALONES TAXES.

AND, UM, THAT WAS ESTABLISHED AFTER, UM, ACT THREE OF THREE 80 OR WHATEVER THAT ACT IS THREE OH EIGHT.

I CAN'T REMEMBER.

I NOTICED A THREE-SOMETHING THREE 88 WAS PUT IN PLACE AND THEY ONLY RELEASED

[01:25:01]

ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE? MR. D MR. CHAIRMAN? UM, I I'M, I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THIS.

I, UH, I TRY TO, UH, RASH ON, ABOUT PUTTING INTO THE PUBLIC TO ALLOW THEM TO MAKE THE DECISION, BUT IN GOOD CONSCIOUS, I CANNOT IMPOSE THIS ON THE CITIZENS OF MY DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT.

UM, I, I, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS.

I WON'T SUPPORT IT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, ONE LAST COMMENT, PLEASE.

CUNNINGHAM.

THANK YOU, SHARON.

UH, REAL QUICKLY, UM, SIX OF WOULD BE PEOPLE THAT THIS IS THEIR SECONDARY RESIDENCE, CORRECT? YES.

IN BUSINESS AND BUSINESS AND BUSINESSES, BUT QUITE A FEW OF THESE SECONDARY RESIDENTS.

THAT'S THOSE ARE NOT VOTERS.

IT'D BE FOR COUNTY.

THEIR REGISTRATION WOULD BE WHERE THEY CLAIM THEIR STATE.

SO WE'RE GIVING A TAX RELIEF TO SIX PERCENTERS THAT AREN'T EVEN VOTING CITIZENS HERE IN BEAVER COUNTY, SO THEY CAN NOT VOICE THEIR OPINION, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO CATCH THE BIGGEST BREAK.

JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE AND LANDOWNERS WITH AS PROPERTY.

BUT LET ME SEE IF I CAN JUST, I THINK EVERYONE GETS THE TAX BREAK.

NOT JUST 6% EVERYBODY.

AND AGAIN, THEY'RE THEY OWN PROPERTY IN, IN THE, I JUST, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD.

UH, MAYBE YOU KNEW SOMEBODY DIDN'T KNOW.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, MR. SUMMERVILLE, WE BEGIN WITH YOU.

MR. LAWSON BARK LAWSON.

MR. RODMAN? NO, THE CHAIR VOTES.

EIGHT PUBLIC HEARING, AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 SLASH 19, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING ENTERPRISE.

WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, YES.

FOUR.

NO.

THE MOTION IS SUCCESSFUL.

ITEM NUMBER 17,

[17. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020/19 WHICH ESTABLISHED THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING ENTERPRISE FUND]

MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION PLEASE? MR. RODMAN, MAY I HAVE A SECOND, MS. HOWARD DISCUSSION BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC? WELL, THIS IS INFORMATION.

THIS IS BASICALLY ESTABLISHING IT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AS A MILLAGE.

CORRECT.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC HERE WISHES TO MAKE COMMENT ANYBODY ONLINE? WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC PORTION.

ARE WE READY TO VOTE? OKAY, THEN, UM, I SEE NO OBJECTIONS, SO WE WILL DO THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE THEN ITEM NUMBER 17, PASSES ITEM

[18. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF UTILITY EASEMENTS #901550 & 901551 ENCUMBERING PROPERTY OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.]

NUMBER 18, UH, PUBLIC HEARING, AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF UTILITY EASEMENTS.

NUMBER 90 15, 50 AND 90 15, ONE ENCUMBERING PROPERTY OWNED BY BUFORD COUNTY.

MAN.

I HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT PLEASE.

MR. RODMAN.

I'LL SECOND.

I'M SORRY.

WHO MADE THE SECOND COUNSELING? LOGAN? YOU MADE THE SECOND.

PROJECT BURGER, WHICH IS SALT MARSH FOR RICK COMPANY GARDEN, WHICH IS MATERIALS, RESEARCH GROUP GLASS, WHICH IS GLASSWORKS AND STONE, WHICH IS STONEWORKS INCORPORATED.

ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC, SEEING NONE, IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HERE OR ONLINE WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT? SEEING NONE? THE PUBLIC PORTION IS CLOSED.

UM, THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT ANY OBJECTION.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? OKAY.

ITEM NUMBER 18 PASSES ITEM

[19. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, PORT ROYAL, AND THE CITY OF BEAUFORT REGARDING PROJECT BURGER (SALT MARSH BREWING COMPANY), GARDEN (MATERIALS RESEARCH GROUP), GLASS (GLASS WRX SC), AND STONE (STONEWORKS INCORPORATED).]

NUMBER 19 A SECOND.

READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN BUFORD COUNTY, FORT ROYAL AND THE SIS CITY OF BUFORD REGARDING

[01:30:01]

MAKE MOTION.

MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION.

I'LL SECOND.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. BLUE WELLING MAKES THE SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS BY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL SEEING NO COMMENTS? THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? NO OBJECTIONS.

ITEM NUMBER 19 IS SUCCESSFUL.

ITEM.

[20. PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION 2021/11: AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THE HISTORIC MITCHELVILLE FREEDOM PARK FOR THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE BEACH CITY ROAD PARCELS]

NUMBER 20 IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A RESOLUTION 2021 SLASH 11, AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BUFORD COUNTY, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THE HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK FOR THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS EACH CITY ROAD PARCELS.

MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION PLEASE? OKAY.

UM, MR. RODMAN MAKES THE MOTION.

MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND.

IS THERE ANY COMMENTS BY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL SEEING NONE? IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HERE ONLINE THAT WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT SEEING NONE? UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED AND THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NO.

OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 20 IS APPROVED.

[21. MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION]

THE LAST ITEM IS MATTERS ARISING OUT OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE CANNOT TAKE ANY ACTION IN THE CAUCUS FOR WHAT TOOK PLACE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

MR. LAWSON.

THANK YOU STILL.

WE'RE STILL NUMBER FOUR FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

NO NUMBER FOUR FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OKAY, PERFECT.

SORRY, MR. SUMMERVILLE.

I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT.

UH, THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED STAFF AND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO PROCEED WITH LITIGATION AS PROPOSED AND OUTLINED IN OUR EARLIER EXECUTIVE SESSION DURING CONGRESS.

I'LL SECOND THAT DULY MOTION AND SECONDED BY MR. SOMMERVILLE AND MR. CUNNINGHAM.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION IF I MIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.

I JUST DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE HAD ENOUGH TIME TO INVESTIGATE THESE MATTERS FOR OURSELVES AND TO, UM, TO REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.

THERE REALLY WASN'T EVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE RAN THROUGH IT SO QUICKLY AND CAME UP ON THE ENDS OF THE MEETINGS.

I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING FOR THIS ON SUCH A SHORTENED KIND OF THING.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT MATTER.

AND I THINK WE'D BE UP.

WE CAN'T GIVE A GOOD, UM, A GOOD VOTE OR A CLEAR CONSCIENCE UNLESS WE, ONCE WE HAVE CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT IT AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS COMING.

AND SO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS TO PREPARE FOR.

AND IT WAS SO OUT OF THE BLUE, IN SUCH A SHORT FUSE, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO, UH, TO ASK US TO VOTE ON THIS MATTER.

SO TODAY, SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION, SIR, THAT WE DELAY THE ROAD ON THIS MATTER UNTIL THE NEXT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT AGAIN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

UH, MR. MAKES AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.

IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? MAKE A SECOND FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE DISCUSSION.

DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED TO NOT TAKE ACTION THIS EVENING, BUT POSTPONE IT TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 24TH DISCUSSION.

MR. YEAH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR.

I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THE AMENDMENT BECAUSE THIS IS A MATTER THAT HAS BECOME CRITICAL.

ACTUALLY, IT'S BEEN CRITICAL FOR SOME TIME NOW, IF THERE IS SUCH A THING IT'S FOR CRITICAL.

SO I'M GOING TO POSE THE AMENDMENT, MR. CUNNINGHAM, UM, WITH, UM, MR. SUMMERVILLE, UH, I THINK THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH AND THE INFORMATION WE WERE GIVEN THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED A WHILE AGO, MR. RODMAN.

YEAH, I'M HIGHLY IN FAVOR THE MOTION AND IT'S IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS IF WE DO WAIT TWO WEEKS, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO IN PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANYTHING IN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE THAT WOULD SAY WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A USEFUL, A USEFUL DISCUSSION UNLESS LEGAL SAYS WE CAN'T DO THAT, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME WOULD BE WELL-SERVED GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM.

COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE ITSELF.

[01:35:01]

I'M JUST SAY IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THINGS ARE GOING TO GET MATERIALLY WORSE THAN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

AND, UM, IF IT FEELS IS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS OR PREPARE.

I THINK IT'S FAIR THAT WE SHOULD GIVE THEM, GIVE THEM THAT TIME JUST AS LONG AS YOU SOUND MORE THAN TWO WEEKS.

SO I WANT TO SUPPORT THIS, MR. DAWSON CALL THE QUESTIONS CHAIRMAN.

EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE AMENDED MOTION IS TO NOT TAKE ANY ACTION THIS EVENING THAT WE POSTPONED ANY ACTION FOR TWO WEEKS TO OUR COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 24TH, THE, UH, MOTION WAS MADE BY, UM, OH GOSH, WHO MADE THE MOTION? MR. FLOWING MADE THE MOTION AND MR. RODMAN MADE THE SECOND MR. FULL WALLING.

NOW, MR. FALWELL, I'M SORRY.

MR. .

YOU ALREADY VOTED, UH, MR. GLOVER.

NO, UH, UH, MR. SUMMERVILLE? NO.

AND THE CHAIR VOTES? NO, UH, SEVEN, NO FOUR.

THE MOTION IS DEFEATED.

WE'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, MR. SOMERVILLE, YOU MADE THE MOTION.

I'M GOING TO VOTE NOW, MR. GLOVER.

MR. LAWSON BARK LAWSON.