* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. FOR ALL YOU VOCATION TODAY WILL BE GIVEN PASTOR JEFF FROM THE LUTHERAN CHURCH PASTOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT PSALM ONE 45 GREATEST THE LORD AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED. AND HIS GREATNESS IS UNSEARCHABLE. ONE GENERATION SHALL COMMEND YOUR WORKS TO ANOTHER AND SHALL DECLARE YOUR MIGHTY ACTS. THE LORD IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL, SLOW TO ANGER AND ABOUNDING IN STEADFAST LOVE. THE LORD IS GOOD TO ALL. AND HIS MERCY IS OVER ALL THAT HE HAS MADE. WE PRAY ETERNAL LORD RULER OF ALL GRACIOUSLY REGARD. THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SET IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY AMONG US, THAT GUIDED BY YOUR SPIRIT. THEY MAY BE HIGH IN PURPOSE WISE IN COUNSEL FROM AND GOOD RESOLUTION AND A WAIVER AND A DUTY THAT UNDER THEM, WE MAY BE GOVERNED QUIETLY AND PEACEABLY. WE PRAY IN PARTICULAR THIS DAY FOR OUR MAYOR, JOHN MCCANN AND HIS WIFE, VALERIE FOR ALEX COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL. BILL AND WIFE, MARIELLE AND DAVID AND NANCY, TAMARA THOMAS AND MARY GLENN, AND CINDY. WE PRAY FOR MARK ORLANDO AS HE CONTINUES IN HIS FIRST MONTHS AS TOWN MANAGER, LORD GRANT HIM WISDOM AND COURAGE AS HE LEADS HIS TEAM OF SERVANTS. WE GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR ONGOING PROTECTION AND CARE FOR OUR CITIZENS AND TOURISTS AS BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING MASKS AND OTHER SAFETY PROTOCOLS. FOR THOSE AT THIS MOMENT, CARING FOR THE SICK AND DYING FOR OUR SCHOOL, FAMILIES, STAFF, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND PARENTS, ESPECIALLY LORD BLESS GRADUATES. AS THEIR EYES ARE OPEN TO A NEW PHASE IN LIFE. FOR THOSE WHO PROTECT THOSE WHO CARRY YOUR WORD AND GIFTS, HELP US GRACIOUS. LORD, WE JOIN OUR VOICES WITH THE PSALMIST. YOU ARE OUR HELP. WE THANK AND PRAISE YOU, DEAR LORD, FOR ALL YOUR GIFTS OF THIS LIFE AND THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL YOUR SON IN WHOM WE TRUST FOR LIFE NOW AND FOREVER IN JESUS NAME, WE PRAY. AMEN. SO GLAD YOU CAN MAKE IT FOR LUNCH THE OTHER DAY. PLEASURE HAVING YOU HERE. AND AN HONOR. THANK YOU. DO IT AGAIN. CAN YOU APPROVE OF THE AGENDA? THE MOAT SECOND PAUL, A FAVOR. OKAY. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MINUTES. YES. MR. MAYOR, I MOVED OUT. WE APPROVED TWO SETS OF MINUTES THERE. THE ON MAY 3RD AND THE REGULAR MEETING ON MAY THE FOURTH. SECOND. GOOD. ALL IN FAVOR. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH BEFORE THE TOWN MANAGER. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY I HAVE ON HERE. PLANNING COMMISSION UPDATE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN, MR. PETER CHRISTIAN. CHRISTA IS MR. . I SEE HIM THAT AFTERNOON, SIR. THANK YOU, MARK. AND, UH, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL AND MARK, UM, WE'VE MET BEFORE, BUT WHAT WELCOME ABOARD. IT'S UH, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. AND YOU HAVE THE REPORT OF THE, OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN FRONT OF YOU. UM, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, UM, AND SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE REPETITIVE, BUT ARE WORTH REPEATING, UM, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT LIST. I MEAN, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LEVEL AND WE LIKED THE DIRECTION THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND THE TOWN MANAGER MOVING INTO THAT A YEARLY PRIORITY OR YEARLY GOAL OF ACCOMPLISHING, UM, SOME OF THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS. UM, SO WE MOVED THEM OFF THE LIST, UH, IN A REGIMENTED AND SEQUENTIAL MANNER. UM, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, UM, THE COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE DONE INCREMENTALLY AND THAT, THAT IS ON PURPOSE. SO WE TAKE STEPS SLOWLY, UM, THAT INVOLVES WORKFORCE HOUSING, AS WELL AS, UM, SOLVING THE GULLAH GEECHEE, UM, ISSUES THAT THEY GO WITH. THE TASK FORCE IS SO ADAMANT LEAVING FOCUSED ON AND TAKING THOSE INCREMENTALLY. I THINK WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS THAT OVERREACHING, WE END UP UNDOING THINGS FROM UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. SO I THINK WE ARE DOING THIS APPROPRIATELY AND TAKING IT IN A STEP-BY-STEP MANNER. UM, EVEN WITH THE WORKFORCE HOUSING ISSUE, UM, THE FLOOD MAPS, [00:05:01] I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, ADJUSTED TO THOSE AND MAY HAVE, OR CAN I, UH, APPLAUD YOUR OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY, ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE OUT OF A FLOOD ZONE. UM, MANY OF US, UM, THAT OUR, OUR PRESENCE ON THIS CALL EXPERIENCED, UH, HURRICANE MATTHEW AND KNOW FULL WELL THAT IF YOU LIVE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, ANYWHERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY, YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM FLOODING AND DROPPING THAT FLOOD INSURANCE WOULD BE A VERY, VERY LARGE MISTAKE. UM, WE CONTINUE TO TAKE ON THE QUARTER TWO 78 REVIEW PROJECT, UM, THAT IS A MOVING TARGET. AND AGAIN, WE APPLAUD THE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR BRINGING IN OTHER EXPERTS TO LOOK AT THAT AND GUIDE US THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THERE IS GOING TO BE LOTS OF COMMENTS AS WE, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THAT. AND LASTLY, JUST TO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO BALANCE, UM, TOURISM AND THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, UM, TOURISM INJECTS, UM, MUCH REVENUE, UH, INTO THE, UH, GREATER COMMUNITIES AREA AND BENEFITS ALL THE RESIDENTS. HOWEVER, UM, THERE IS A BALANCE TO BE MET. I AM PLEASED AND CONCERNED THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BANNER, A TOURISM YEAR ON, ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, WHERE BOTH RESIDENTIAL PURCHASES ARE VERY MUCH OVER THE TOP AND RENTALS AND TOURISM IS VERY MUCH IN DEMAND ON OUR BEAUTIFUL ISLAND AND BALANCING THAT CAPACITY, UM, CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE AND I'M HOPEFUL FOR THE FUTURE. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE. ALEX, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. UM, MR. CHRISTIAN, GREAT JOB, UH, HEADING UP THAT FINE GROUP YOU HAVE THERE. UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'LL BE ROLLING OFF SOON, BUT, UH, JOB WELL DONE, UH, DURING YOUR TENURE HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THE UPDATE. WELL, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN, AND I HAD A GOOD TEACHER TO FOLLOW ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU, MS. THANK YOU MR. PETERSON, CHRISTIAN. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, THE ONLY OTHER ITEM I HAVE IS I'M VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR VERY OWN, UH, CAPTAIN LEE JENKINS FROM OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS THE ROTARY CLUB. I DON'T KNOW, HAD ISLANDS FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR. SO, UH, CAPTAIN JENKINS, IF YOU'RE WATCHING, IF MAYBE YOU COULD WATCH THIS NOW OR LATER, SO PROUD OF YOU AND YOU WERE AWARDED THIS BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE DEPARTMENTS, FIREHOSE AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS AMONGST A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS. UM, DEFINITELY BECAUSE OF YOUR VISION AND LEADERSHIP AND DEFINITELY BECAUSE OF YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNITY SINCE 2006. SO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS, CAPTAIN JENKINS AND, AND, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND ROTARY CLUB FOR CHOOSING CAPTAIN JENKINS FOR THIS. UH, AWESOME HONOR. THANK YOU, SIR. COULD YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE SCOTT LIGGETT MEMORIAL? YES. WE'RE WORKING ON A DATE. UH, I HEARD FROM STEVE AND STEVE RILEY AND STEVE'S BEEN WORKING WITH, WITH SEVERAL OTHERS. HE'S GIVEN, UM, A PROPOSAL TO YOU ALL, AND YOU WILL BE ADDRESSING THIS AT AN UPCOMING MEETING, UH, TO NAME THE LAKE AT JARVIS CREEK PARK LIGATE LAKE. UM, AS WE KNOW, THAT WAS SCOTT'S VISION AND PASSION. UM, IN FACT, I WORKED WITH SCOTT ON THAT PROJECT YEARS AGO AND LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM. SO SUCH A FITTING OPPORTUNITY. UM, ANGIE, UH, KRISTA AND JEN MCEWEN ARE HEADING UP AN INTERNAL TEAM TO PLAN THE EVENT, TO WORK WITH STEVE ON APPROPRIATE SIGNAGE. I THINK, AND I KNOW STEVE'S WORKING ON A RESOLUTION TO PROPOSE TO TOWN COUNCIL, I THINK AT THE NEXT MEETING OR SOON THEREAFTER FOR YOU ALL TO, UH, EMBRACE AND ENDORSE THAT RESOLUTION SO THAT WE CAN MEET AT SOME POINT. I KNOW THAT SCOTT'S FAMILY, UM, IS, IS COMING TO TOWN. AND I KNOW STEVE IS COORDINATING THOSE DETAILS. THE ONCE WE KNOW WHAT DATE THAT IS, WE'LL PLAN THE APPROPRIATE, UM, EVENT TO HONOR SCOTT AND HIS LEGACY AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS. AND ALONG WITH STEVE IS, UH, CHARLES COUSINS AND A GREAT TO FORMER ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER AND JUST SHOUT CALLIE AND CHUCK, HOW ARE YOU? AND YOU'RE WORKING WITH A SCOTT'S [00:10:01] FAMILY TO PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW TODAY BEFORE WE ANNOUNCE IT NEXT WEEK. SO IT WAS NO SURPRISE. IF ANYBODY, ANY SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE GET BACK TO THEM ALL, COME TO IT. AND OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. YES, SIR. NO SIR. UNFORTUNATE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, ANY GENERAL REPORTS MAYOR? YES, SIR. WHICH SIR? UH, MR. MR. MS. NAMES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A GENERAL REPORT, BUT QUESTIONS FROM CONSTITUENTS. WHEN WILL COUNCIL BE MEETING IN THE CHAMBERS WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE SECOND MEETING IN JUNE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THAT ANSWERS THEIR QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE THAT MR. BROWN'S QUESTIONS IS THAT RIGHT AFTER THAT, WE WILL THOUGHTFUL AND WE'LL, UH, WORKSHOPS INTO COUNCIL AND THEY WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. SO THE PUBLIC CAN ASK QUESTIONS, BUILD THE WORKSHOP. GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, I'VE ACTUALLY GOT ONE OTHER THING. UM, I WANTED TO, UH, JUST MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE, UM, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE AT OUR DOORSTEPS FAIRLY SOON. UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A TASK FORCE MADE UP OF STAFF MEMBERS OF VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY, UH, DEVELOP AN IDEAS AND PROJECT LIST AS TO HOW THOSE MONIES WOULD BE BIT. AND, UH, WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE THAT, I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT, UH, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS. MY UNDERSTANDING THE TREASURY IS ALREADY STARTING TO PUSH SOME OF THAT MONEY DOWN, BUT, AND MORE PARTICULAR I WANTED TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION EXECUTIVE ORDER 13, NINE 85, IT'S TITLED ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY AND SUPPORT FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS IN ITS ENTIRETY, BUT THERE ARE A FEW LINES. SEE, I'D LIKE TO READ OUT LOUD TO MY COLLEAGUES AND THE PUBLIC. MR. ORLANDO, UH, SECTION ONE IN POLICY SAYS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IS THE BEDROCK OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. AND OUR DIVERSITY IS ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S GREATEST STRENGTHS. IT GOES ON TO SAY IT IS THEREFORE THE POLICY OF MY ADMINISTRATION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD PURSUE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADVANCING EQUITY FOR ALL, INCLUDING PEOPLE OF COLOR AND OTHERS WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED, MARGINALIZED AND ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY PERSISTENT POVERTY IN ANY QUALITY. IT GOES ON FURTHER TO FURTHER DEFINE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS BLACK, LATINO, INDIGENOUS NATIVE AMERICAN ASIAN-AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS, PERSONS OF COLOR AND MEMBERS OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES, LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. THE POINT I'M MAKING HERE IS WHEN THAT MONEY STARTS TO COME DOWN, THERE'S GOING TO BE GRABS FROM EVERY ANGLE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN A POSITION THAT WE ARE USING IT WISELY, THAT WE CAN FLOAT THE BOLTS. IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FLOATING BEFORE WE ULTIMATELY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE FUNDS, REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE SIT IN THEM. SO THOSE THAT ARE ASKING US TO TURN OVER MONEY TO THEM. I WANT TO BE SURE THAT THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER IS BEING RESPECTED. SO I JUST ASK THAT, UH, THAT WE ALL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT I'LL FORWARD A COPY OVER TO MR. ORLANDO. UM, SO YOU CAN SHARE WITH THE BALANCE OF COUNSEL, UM, AND AS THE MONEY STARTS TO ROLL IN, JUST KEEP THIS, KEEP THIS IN MIND. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND ALEX, I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE TOGETHER ALL OF US BEFORE THERE'S ANY JOINT BD WITH THE COUNTY OR ANY REPRESENTATIVE TO THE COUNTY IS WE SHOULD HAVE OUR POSITION LAID OUT FIRST BEFORE WE TALK TO THE COUNTY OR ANYBODY ELSE. YES, SIR. [00:15:01] OKAY. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. OKAY, MARK. YES, SIR. OKAY. OKAY. UH, REPORT BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THERE IS NOT THE STANDARD LIKE HERE, THE TOP PUBLIC PLANNING COMMISSION, NO REPORT AND THE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMISSION. UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VACANCIES COMING UP ON KEY COMMITTEES AND OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING, UH, THIS COMING MONDAY MORNING. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, AT LEAST 10 APPLICATIONS FROM VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COMING FORWARD. SO, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING THESE PEOPLE, UNDERSTANDING WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO DO, WHAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE AND, UH, RECOMMEND SAYING AS APPROPRIATE TO TOWN COUNCILS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY MATERIALS BY CITIZENS OF, UH, TODAY WE HAVE, UH, PAT ZAP THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FIRST TEETH, MR. . HELLO, GO AHEAD, SIR. THANK YOU. UH, MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MR. ORLANDO ON THE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL WONDERING WHY I'M TALKING. UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE'VE MADE A REQUEST OF COUNCIL FOR, UH, FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN THE COMING YEAR. UM, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THAT. UM, WE HAVE TAKEN, UH, UH, FORMER CONSTRUCTION DUMPSITE COVERED WITH TREES AND TURN IT INTO A REAL COMMUNITY ASSET. UH, WE'VE KIND OF THROWN OUR HAT OVER THE WALL, SO TO SPEAK AND HIRED A SUPERINTENDENT. AND WE'RE NOW GETTING COMPLIMENTS ABOUT THE FACILITY THAT, UH, COMPARED FAVORABLY WITH ANY, UH, IN THE AREA, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT THIS IS A YOUTH PROGRAM AND WE'RE SERVING WE'RE, WE'RE PROVIDING A SERVICE TO THE FAMILIES OF THIS ISLAND WHO NEED AFTERSCHOOL CARE, UH, WHO NEED SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR THEIR KIDS. UM, I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF 60% OF PARENTS SAY THAT THEY NEED THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. SO WE'RE FULFILLING A NEED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. UM, AND WE'RE REACHING THOSE KIDS THAT, UH, SOMETIMES, UH, THIS IS THEIR AVENUE FOR A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS THEIR AVENUE TO, UM, DEVELOP THEMSELVES TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS. SO AS YOU'RE DOING YOUR DELIBERATIONS, UH, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU TAKE SOME REAL THOUGHT TO NOT JUST THE AMOUNT OF THE MONEY, BUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IT'S GOING TO SERVE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND, UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MR. SETH. UH, SKIP HOAGLAND AFTERNOON, SKIP HOGAN WINDMILL HARBOR. YOU'RE IN VIOLATION OF FOYA, NO FORENSIC AUDITS. WHY DID TOWN A HILTON HEAD HIRE A NON-RESIDENT TOWN LAWYER, DIANE BUSH. IN FACT, MY NEIGHBOR AND WINDMILL HARBOR NOW TRYING TO ANNEX US. WHY DID COUNSEL HIRE BUFORD REJECT LAWYER, JOSH GRUBER, PROVEN TO BE DISHONEST AND CORRUPT. WHY DID COUNSEL REHIRE PAST TOWN COUNCIL, LAWYER CURTIS CALTRAIN, FORMER LAW PARTNER, GREG ALBERT, YOUR PLACE LAWYER ALFORD, WHO SEEMS TERMINATED FOR HIS SCHEME, ILLEGAL CRIMINAL USE OF 200,000 IN TAX BONDS, WHICH STEVE RILEY FOR PRIVATE USE BY COUNCIL MEMBER, KIM LICHENS AND CALLED IT A BANK LOAN ALSO ON ILLEGAL CRIMINAL VIOLATION OF STATE AND FEDERAL BANKING LAWS. ONE OUT OF TOWN, LAWYER WITH NO CONNECTIONS TO CORRUPTION. WHY WAS STEVE RILEY'S PERSONAL LAWYER? THE SAME LAWYERS, BILL MILES FROM THE CHAMBER CURRENT TAX CHAIRMAN DREW BROWN SERVES ON THE CHAMBER BOARD IN CONFLICT AND PASS A TAX CHAIRMAN. BRAD MARROW WAS AN ILLEGAL BUSINESS WITH BILL MILES. YOU HIRE LOCAL YOKEL CROOK, MARC ORLANDO, VERSUS AN HONEST OUTSIDER. DAD, ALL THIS INCESTUOUS, LOCAL BUDDY BATON PASSING CORRUPTION. WE JUST COMPLETED A INVESTIGATION OF THE NEW CORRUPTED FIVE-YEAR CAMBRIDGE DMO, MULTIMILLION DOLLAR EIGHT TECH CONTRACT TIME WITH BILL MILES. AND IF I WANTED TO ROB TAXPAYERS, THIS WOULD BE THE CONTRACT I WOULD USE TO BEGIN IMPORTANT. BILL MILES TOLD COUNTY OFFICIALS, ALL CHAMBER MEMBERS, ALL TAXPAYERS THAT IS USED AS MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS IS HIS SECRET SAUCE. AND NO ONE'S DARN BUSINESS. THE CHAMBER CONTRACT WAS DRAFTED BY INSIDERS, ALL CAUGHT AT ILLEGAL ACTS. ALL FRIENDS WITH BILL MILES, MOST ATTENDED THE CHAMBER BALL PARTY. AND EVERY ONE IS A CHAMBER MEMBER ILLEGALLY USING TAX BONDS. THERE'S NO ACCOUNTING WITH PROPER TERMS AND CONDITIONS NO FOUR YEAR, RIGHT FOR TAX PAYERS, PROVEN VIOLATIONS OF STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. TABORS IN VIOLATION OF FIVE OH ONE NONPROFIT TAX CODES, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA, NONPROFIT CORPORATION ACT [00:20:01] APEX LAWS. AND IN FACT, NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GMOS AND CHAMBER GOLD STANDARDS, I CALLED THEM ALL IN THEIR LAWYERS AND READ ALL THE GUIDELINES. HILTON HEAD CHAMBER IS FACTUALLY A FRAUD AND ILLEGALLY OPERATING A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS FOR TAX FUNDS TO PAY BILL MILES, $400,000 SALARY, ITALY, MCCANN, BANKER LENNOX, AND YALE HEARKENS, ALL A COMMITTED FRAUD SAYING THE SABER OFFICE, THEN FRAUDSTERS MCCANN, AND RILEY'S INSIDE THIS CHAMBER CONTRACT GAMED AND DRAFTED BY THE CORRUPTED INSIDE TOWN. LAWYERS PERT IS CALLED AND TERRY FINGER WHO WORKED WITH MARK ORLANDO AND ASSISTED BY SHYSTER BAKKER, LENNOX AND PUPPET DAVID AMES. WHAT TOWN EMPLOYEE, AND TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT ON THE CHAMBER MARKETING COUNCIL. YOU ARE ALL CHAMBER MEMBERS IN CONFLICT AND THERE'S NO CHINESE WALL. YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. YOU ALL ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THIS IRELAND AND ALL NEED TO BE BOOTED AND REMOVED FROM PUBLIC OFFICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, THIS INNERVATION OF RESOLUTION FOR MUNICIPAL CONSENT OF THE MOSQUITO CONTROL MOVE FOR ACCEPTANCE SECOND BY MR AND MRS. STANFORD ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE THEIR RIGHT HAND ON THIS DISCUSSION. UM, YES SIR. AT THE LAST MEETING, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THE IMPACT OF THIS. IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY, UM, REPORT ON THAT AT THIS TIME, MOSQUITO CONTROL ON THE LINE? WHO CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE? ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. I, I APPRECIATE THAT, SIR. AT OUR LAST DISCUSSION, IT WAS STATED THAT THIS, UH, WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON BEES AND OTHER THINGS. WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER TO THAT? YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. I APPRECIATE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE MOSQUITO PROGRAM. UM, HAS EVERYONE SEEN THE MOST RECENT, UH, MEMO FROM THE STAFF ATTORNEY TO THE TOWN MANAGER THAT MAY ANSWER A LOT OF YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE BEES, IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THAT MEMO? SO I APOLOGIZE IF YOU HAVE NOT JUST TO BE A KID MR. HUNT, SPEAK TO THAT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. UM, LET ME, LET ME JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM. SO IN 1974, UM, THE DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED SPECIFICALLY TO CONTROL MOSQUITOES THAT WERE OCCURRING DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND NOT REALLY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SO IT WAS FOCUSING ON THE, UH, MOSQUITO PROBLEMS ON HILTON HEAD. SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE HAD, UM, NUMEROUS BEEHIVES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND AS DAVID ARNOLD HAD, UM, CLAIMED, UH, DURING THE LAST MEETING THAT BASICALLY WE'D GO OUT OF OUR WAY TO PROTECT THOSE, THOSE BE COLLEAGUES OR THE BEEHIVES AS, AS THEY'RE KNOWN. UH, AND I'LL GIVE YOU SEVERAL EXAMPLES. NUMBER ONE, WE OPERATE THE SPRAY TRUCKS FROM 11:00 PM TO ABOUT 6:30 AM EACH MORNING. AT THAT TIME, THE BEES ARE IN THEIR BEEHIVES PROTECTED. ALSO WE FLY THE AIRCRAFT EARLY MORNING HOURS AT SUNRISE TO ABOUT EIGHT 30, ACCORDING TO TWO MASTER BEEKEEPERS WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA. WHAT YOU TRY TO DO IS PROTECT THE MAIN BODY OF THE BEES BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE BEEHIVE. AND THAT'S USUALLY ABOUT EIGHT 30. UM, SO AGAIN, WE GO OVER A WAY TO PROTECT THOSE. ALSO WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. WE HAVE GPS COORDINATES OF ALL THE BEEHIVES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AND WE ALSO NOTIFY THOSE BEEKEEPERS THE DAY BEFORE AN AERO SPRAY MISSION SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT MORNING ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE, ARE, UH, SET UP IN A SPECIFIC TARGETS ZONE. SO THEY HAVE NO LOCATION, EITHER EMAIL, PHONE CALL OR, OR TEXT MESSAGE. AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING THAT FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS NOW, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE BEEKEEPING ASSOCIATIONS. AND AT THIS POINT, YOUR OPERATIONAL PROCESSES ARE SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE OF, CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. I'VE JUST GOT, I'VE JUST GOT ONE MORE QUESTION, MR. MAYOR, NOT THAT, UH, MR. HUNT WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER HERE TODAY, BUT, UM, I MISSED THE DATE THAT YOU SAID THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM THOUGHT IT WAS IN 1970, [00:25:02] 1974. THE DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED, UH, TO PUT IN A PERSPECTIVE THERE WAS ONE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, ONE PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, AND ABOUT THE $78,000 BUDGET. NOW WE HAVE 13 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, FIVE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING TWO COLLEGE INTERNS, DEVIN SPRAY TRUCKS, ONE PLANE, ONE HELICOPTER IN A, IN A BUDGET ABOUT 1.8 MILLION. THIS IS NOW A COUNTY WIDE PROGRAM, CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S JUST INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE PROGRAM WAS ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED BECAUSE HOW BAD THE MOSQUITO POPULATIONS WERE ON HILTON HEAD DURING THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE 1960S AND 1970S. AND, UH, IS THERE, UH, STATISTICS THAT, UH, SHOWING THAT WE FROM YEAR TO YEAR, UH, CONSTANTLY IMPROVING ON THE PLANNING, THE MOSQUITO POPULATION DURING THE WARMER SEASON? YES. UH, VERY GOOD QUESTION. UM, YES, BUT LET ME CLARIFY ITSELF. EACH MOSQUITO SEASON IS DIFFERENT AND THAT'S BASED ON BASICALLY ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, THE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL, THE FREQUENCY OF THE HIGH TIDE CYCLES AND THE TEMPERATURE. AND AGAIN, UH, I EXPLAINED THIS SAME SCENARIO TO COUNTY COUNCIL ALMOST EACH YEAR. EACH MOSQUITO SEASON IS DIFFERENT. SO SOME YEARS WE'LL HAVE MAYBE 400 COMPLAINTS. UH, THE BANNER YEAR WAS, UH, THE YEAR OF HURRICANE MATTHEW AND, AND, UM, DO YEARS AGO, UH, WE ESTABLISHED A NEW RECORD FOR THE MOST COMPLAINTS IN ONE DAY, ONE WEEK, ONE MONTH, AND ONE YEAR IT WAS THAT BAD. UH, SOME OF THE UTILITY WORKERS SAID THEY'D NEVER SEEN, UH, DURING THE, UM, THE RECOVERY PHASE. THEY NEVER SEEN MOSQUITOES THAT BAD BEFORE IN HER 40 YEAR CAREER. AND THEN SOMEONE I WAS GOING TO MENTION THE REASON FOR THAT IS HE HAD A LOT OF VEGETATION DEBRIS IN THE STANDING WATER, AND THAT'S THE PERFECT, UH, BRITAIN HABITAT FOR THE VECTOR OF WEST NILE VIRUS. AND WHAT I HAD PREDICTED IN LATE 2016 HAPPENED IN 2017. UM, WE HAD TWO CONFIRMED CASES OF WEST NILE, NINE GROUPS OF MOSQUITOES TESTED POSITIVE, AND WE HAD NINE DEAD BIRDS THAT, UH, WERE INFECTED WITH WEST NILE VIRUS. THAT YEAR WAS VERY BAD FOR HILTON HEAD. UM, FOR THOSE WHO, WHO MAY RECALL THIS, UH, THE HOTEL MANAGERS AND RESORT MANAGERS WERE MAD AT US BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK WE'RE DOING A GOOD ENOUGH JOB AND WHAT THEY DIDN'T REALIZE. WE HAD TWO TEAMS OF SIX SPRAY TRUCKS TWICE A NIGHT, UH, EACH WEEK DURING THE OUTBREAK. AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE VARIOUS SPRAY TEAMS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE GATED PLANTATION. SO, UM, VERY BAD YEAR, VERY BAD YEAR FOR WEST NOW. AND, AND AGAIN, AS, AS MANY WOULD KNOW, MOSQUITOES HAVE, HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON A TOURISM REVENUE. AND UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE THE FIGURES TO THIS DAY. HOW MUCH MONEY DID THE RESORT MANAGERS AND HOTEL MANAGERS LOST BECAUSE OF THE WEST NILE VIRUS OUTBREAK? I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WHEN WE THINK PATIENTS WERE BEING CANCELED BECAUSE OF THAT OUTBREAK, AND YET, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WAS LOST TO HILTON HEAD, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY THERE, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, HEARING, HEARING THE PUBLIC SPEAK ON ISSUES LIKE THIS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DEALS WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND SO ON AND SO FORTH THOUGH. IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET BACK IN PERSON, BECAUSE I THINK THIS TOPIC TODAY AND I'LL BE VOTING FOR THE MOTION, BUT I THINK IT COMES, UM, AS, AS A, UH, PARTIAL, UM, UH, DISCUSSION WITHOUT THE PUBLIC'S BEING ABLE TO WEIGH IN. SO, UM, THANK YOU, MR. HUNT FOR ADDRESSING MY QUESTION. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU CALL THE ROLE? YES. YES. MR. HARTMAN? YES. MR. BROWN, MR. AMES. YES. MR. SANFORD. YES. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEW BUSINESS. FIRST READING OF PROPOSAL ORDINANCE 2021, 15 AMENDMENT TO THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP FOR APPROVAL. THERE WERE NO DISCUSSION. WE'LL GO TO A VOTE. YES, SIR. MAYOR MCCANN. YES. MR. HARKINS, MR. BROWN. YES. MR. AMES. YES. MR. STANFORD. YES. MOTION CARRIES, SIR. YOU, YOU HAVE [00:30:01] SOME COMMENTS TO MAKE ON THE CONFERENCE COMING HERE. YES, SIR. BY NOW, IF YOU HAVEN'T YET, UM, THEN I'VE GOT THEM IN MY HANDS CAUSE THEY WERE SHIPPED HERE, BUT MIFC HAS SENT THE REGISTRATION FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING MEETING COMING UP ON JULY THE 22ND. UH, TOMORROW MORNING, I'LL BE SENDING OUT AN EMAIL TO TOWN COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION. IF YOU COULD JUST COMPLETE THOSE AT YOUR LEISURE AND GET THEM BACK TO ME, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT WOULD BE HAPPY TO REGISTER YOU FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING NOTES. HAVEN'T BEEN, UNFORTUNATELY WITH WELD WILL BE SCALED BACK OVER THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S REALLY WORTHWHILE. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND WILL BE RECEIVING AN AWARD AND IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO HAVE THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL IN ATTENDANCE TO SEE US STAFF RECEIVES THAT AWARD AND AWARDS ON WHAT PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE. YES, SIR. OKAY. MR. ORLANDO, DO WE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ANYTHING? NO, SIR. THERE'S NO EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH THAT. COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN, MR. MAYOR, I MOVE FOR A GERMAN JACKET ALL IN FAVOR. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS. CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST. IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM. AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL. THIS LARRY ROLAND, AND THIS IS A BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT. THE OLD ARSENAL ON CRAVEN STREET IN DOWNTOWN BEAVER IS A VERY HISTORIC PLACE. THE BUILDING ITSELF WAS BUILT IN 1798, BUT THE PLACE IS THE SPOT OF THE FORMER BUFORD DISTRICT COURTHOUSE, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1769. THE FIRST COURT OUTSIDE OF CHARLESTON IN THIS PART OF THE COLONY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THE COURTHOUSE WAS WHERE THE ASSEMBLY MET IN 1772. WHEN GOVERNOR MONTAGUE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE CAPITAL FROM CHARLES TO DUBUQUE, IT WAS FOR FOUR DAYS IN OCTOBER 17, 72, THE CAPITOL OF SOUTH CAROLINA, OF COURSE, THAT POLITICAL MANEUVER DID NOT WORK. SO THE COURTHOUSE WAS ABANDONED. AND AFTER THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, THE GIFFORD DISTRICT COURT WAS MOVED TO COOSA. HATCHIE MORE CENTRALLY LOCATED IN THE DISTRICT. THE OLD COURTHOUSE APPARENTLY FELL DOWN AND ON NIGHTS THAT SITE AND WITH THOSE BRICKS, THEY BUILT THE ARSENAL BUILDING AS A REFUGE, A JAIL AND A MILITARY INSTALLATION FOR THE MILITARY ORGANIZATION, WHICH MADE ITS HOME IN THE ARSENAL WITH THE BUFORD VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY, WHICH ACTUALLY DATES TO 1763, MAKING IT ONE OF THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THE ARSENAL BECAME THEIR HOME FOR THE ANTEBELLUM PERIOD. IT WAS BUILT AS PART OF THE MILITIA ACT OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. IT WAS A CITADEL, A PLACE OF REFUGEE PLACE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF ARMS IN CASE OF SURVIVAL INSURRECTION. IN OTHER WORDS, AN UPRISING OF THE SLAVES, WHICH WAS ALWAYS FEAR IN A DISTRICT WHERE THE SLAVES OUTNUMBERED, THE WHITE FOLKS TEND TO BOND. SO THE ARSENAL BECAME A SYMBOL OF THE WHITE ESTABLISHMENT IN BUFORD. IT BECAME THE HOME OF MANY COLORFUL EVENTS. THERE WERE CELEBRATIONS, THERE WERE DINNERS, THE BUFORD VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY OFTEN HOSTED THOSE EVENTS. AND IN THE LATE ANTEBELLUM ERA, THE OLD ARSENAL WAS REBUILT AND REDESIGNED IN A GOTHIC STYLE. [00:35:01] THE ARCHITECT DESIGNER WAS PROBABLY MAJOR JOHN GIBBS, BARNWELL, WHO WAS MAJOR OF THE BUFORD VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY FOR THE CIVIL WAR. AND THE ARSENAL BECAME THE HOME OF THE BUFORD VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY, WHICH SERVED AT BAY POINT DURING THE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL SOUND, WHICH RETREATED DURING THE OCCUPATION OF THE ISLANDS. BUT THE ARSENAL REMAINED AS A SYMBOL OF THE ANTEBELLUM ERA OF THE TOWN OF GILBERT AND OF THE BUFORD DISTRICT. THIS IS LARRY ROLAND, AND THIS HAS BEEN A BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT TO SEE MORE BEEFER COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB. HI, I'M ANDREW STEVENS. DIRECTOR OF BEEF FOR COUNTY BUSINESS LICENSE DEPARTMENT IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR. AGAIN FOR OUR RENEWALS, YOU HAVE UNTIL JUNE 1ST TO RENEW YOUR BUSINESS LICENSE WITHOUT PENALTIES. IF YOU'RE OPERATING WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED BOUNDARIES OR PHYSICALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED BOUNDARIES OF BUFORD COUNTY, THOSE WHO PAY AFTER JUNE 1ST WILL START INCURRING LATE PENALTIES. THEY ACCRUE AT 5% PER MONTH IN BUSINESSES OPERATING IN THE UNINCORPORATED BEAVER COUNTY WHO DON'T HAVE A VALID BUSINESS LICENSE ARE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL PENALTIES. OUR BUSINESS LICENSE DEPARTMENT MAILED THE RENEWALS OUT TO ALL CURRENT LICENSE HOLDERS. IF YOU NEED ANY ADDITIONAL FORMS OR IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE YOUR FORM, YOU CAN GO TO WWW.BUFORDCOUNTYSC.GOV BUSINESS LICENSE, AND SELECT FORMS. ALSO, IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION OR YOUR RATES, PLEASE GIVE US A CALL AT (843) 255-2270. THANK YOU. IT'S CIVILIZATION VERSUS NATURE'S FURY RAGING BLIZZARDS, BURY CITIES UNDER THOUSANDS OF TONS OF STOVE. HOW MANY HURRICANES TEAR APART, COASTAL COMMUNITIES, WIND AND RAIN AND FLASH FLOODS WIPE ENTIRE TOWNS OFF THE FACE OF THE YEAR. AS THE SKY IS CLEAR. PEOPLE BEGIN TO PICK UP THE PIECES, BUT AFTER THE STORM INSIDIOUS DAMAGE IS STILL BEING DONE. OUR MOST VITAL NATURAL RESOURCES, UNRESOLVED OUR NATION'S WATERS. WE'RE AT THE CHATTAHOOCHEE NATURE CENTER. AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT A WATERSHED IS. FIRST VICTIM. I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHAT A WATERSHED IS. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, WATERSHED, A WATERSHED WHERE PEOPLE GO TO THE BATHROOM. SO I THINK, I GUESS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SWEATING, LIKE AFTER YOU RUN, WHEN YOU, YOU BOTH SPIRE. YEAH. AND THEN YOU SHED IT. WE WANTED TO ASK YOU IF, IF YOU KNEW WHAT A WATERSHED WAS, WATERSHED. YEAH. DO YOU KNOW WHAT A WATERSHED IS? SHED THAT HOLDS WATER. COME HERE FOR A SECOND. I WANT TO ASK YOURSELF, DO YOU KNOW WHAT A WATERSHED IS? NO. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? WHAT DO YOU THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHAT A WATERSHED IS? YEAH, THAT'S JUST A DRAIN POOL, I GUESS YOU'D SAY. OR THE DRAIN AREA THAT HOARD OF WATER RAINWATER GRAINS INTO THE RIVER. CORRECT. THAT'S A GREAT ANSWER. A WATERSHED IS THAT AREA OF LAND THAT DRAINS TO A BODY OF WATER, BE THAT IF IT'S A RIVER, A STREAM, THE OCEAN AND ESTUARY A BAY, WHEREVER YOU LIVE DRAINS TO SOME WATER BODY AND YOU'D LIVE IN A WATERSHED. SO EVERYONE LIVES IN A WATERSHED. AND IN THIS MODERN INDUSTRIAL AGE, OUR WATER SOURCES ARE BECOMING MORE CONTAMINATED WITH EACH PASSING YEAR. THE BIGGEST WATER QUALITY PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE NATION TODAY IS POLLUTED RUNOFF, ALL WATER EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE, DRAINS TO THE ATLANTIC WHILE WATER WEST OF THE DIVIDE FLOWS TO THE PACIFIC AND ONE DROP OF RAIN CAN CROSS MANY DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS ALONG THE WAY. AS RUNOFF FLOWS INTO RIVERS, STREAMS AND STORM DRAINS, THE WATER PICKS UP TRASH, DIRT, BACTERIA, TOXIC CHEMICALS, AND FERTILIZERS, CREATING A SOUP OF POLLUTANTS THAT IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO THE ENVIRONMENT. AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF POLLUTED RUNOFF EXIST. WORLDWIDE. UN ESTIMATE IS THAT THERE'S ABOUT A BILLION PEOPLE IN THE PLANET RIGHT NOW WHO DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO FRESH WATER. 97% OF ALL WATER ON EARTH IS SALTY OCEAN WATER OF THE REMAINING 3%. IT'S FRESH OVER TWO THIRDS IS FROZEN AND GLACIERS AND POLARIZED. THAT LEAVES LESS THAN 1% OF ALL THE PLANETS WATER FOR OUR USE. OUR PREDICT, PREDICTING THE FUTURE THAT SOME OF THE U S WATERS YOU'RE GOING [00:40:01] TO COME THROUGH PIPELINE BECAUSE WE HAVE JUST OVERUSED OUR SUPPLY TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX THREATS FACING US WATER RESOURCES. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RECOMMENDS ADOPTING A WATERSHED APPROACH. WE'RE TRYING TO RECONNECT SOME OF THE RIVER. IT'S A METHOD THAT LOOKS AT EACH WATERSHED FOR ITS OWN UNIQUE SET OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS. IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE MISTAKENLY IDENTIFY LARGE DISCHARGE PIPES IN THE WATER AS THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE THE PROBLEM. IT MAY BE COMING FROM AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF. IT MAY BE COMING FROM STORMWATER RUNOFF OVER PARKING LOTS AND IMPERVIOUS SURFACES. EVERY WATERSHED IS DIFFERENT AND YOU NEED TO LOOK AT EACH WATERSHED IN ITS OWN TERMS, AND THEN THINK SYSTEMATICALLY ABOUT HOW YOU REMEDIATE, HOW YOU CLEAN UP THAT WATERSHED, CALIFORNIA, THE SANTA MONICA BAY WATERSHED DRAINS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF POLLUTED RUNOFF AFTER EACH STORM. WHEN IT RAINS, LITERALLY THE WHOLE RESIDUE OF URBAN LIVING ENDS UP GETTING WASHED INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM AND ENDS UP GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE BAY ON SANTA MONICA BAYS BEACHES WITH NO TREATMENT WHATSOEVER. SHE LIKE A GIANT TOILET FLUSHING BECAUSE ALL OF THE POLLUTION, THE DOG MESS HAS BEEN BUILDING UP AND BUILDING UP AND BUILDING OUT WHEN IT RANGES, FLUSHES INTO THE STORM DRAIN AND GOES DIRECTLY INTO THE, UH, THE CERT IN 1996, THE SANTA MONICA BAY RESTORATION COMMISSION PROVED THERE WAS A LINK BETWEEN THE CONTAMINATED RUNOFF IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY AND REPORTS OF ILLNESS, AFFLICTING PEOPLE WHO SWIM THERE. WHAT WE DID FIND WAS AT THE OUTLETS OF STORM DRAINS, NO MATTER WHERE THEY WERE UP AND DOWN THE BAY, IF THERE WAS A FLOW OF RUNOFF INTO THE SURF ZONE, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE SWIMMING IN THOSE AREAS, UH, DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED HIGHER INCIDENCES OF ILLNESSES. NO WATER AFFECTS SURFERS BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY THE INDICATOR SPECIES WITH ALL THE POLLUTANTS. UM, WHEN WE ARE IN THE WATERS, WE'RE INGESTING IT THROUGH OUR SKIN AND OUR MOUTH. EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T TAKE A SWALLOW OF WATER, IT'S STILL GETTING INTO OUR SYSTEMS, OUR EARS, ANY ORIFICE WHEN YOUR BODY AND IT CAUSES INFECTIONS, IT CAN CAUSE A COLD SORE THROAT AT THE VERY LEAST. YEAH, I WOULDN'T WANT IT. AND A LOT OF IT'S GOT THOSE DISEASES IN THERE, YOU KNOW, JUST FLOATING AROUND, MAKING MORE DISEASES. I'VE SEEN IT PRETTY MUCH AS BAD AS IT COULD BE. I'VE SEEN CRAP FLOATING OUT IN THE WATER, LITERALLY GENERIC WE CALL IT FECAL COLIFORM. MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU MIGHT KNOW ALL OF IT AS E COLI, SALMONELLA OR ENTEROCOCCUS. WHATEVER'S IN POOP. THERE'S TIMES WHERE IT TASTES FUNKY FOR SURE. EVERY DAY, THE CITY AND COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PERFORM A BATTERY OF TESTS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED ABOUT WATER QUALITY IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY, CESAR OURS ADD-ON BEGINS THE MONITORING PROCESS EACH MORNING BY TAKING A SERIES OF COASTLINE WATER SAMPLES. THEN IT'S BACK TO THE LAB FOR ANALYSIS. MOST OF THE BACTERIA THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE YOU GOING TO EAT. IT COMES FROM THESIS. AND WHEN YOU PUT IT UNDER THE UV LIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENT CAR COLOR. IT'S A FLUORESCENT SIGN THAT THERE IS A BACTERIA AND THEN WAS IT'S CALLED EQUALIZE. THAT ONE DEFINITELY EATS, UH, FECES FROM ANIMALS, OR IT COULD BE HUMAN SOURCE. THE RESULTS ARE REPORTED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND BEACH WARNINGS ARE POSTED AS NECESSARY. THE NUMBER OF BEACH POSTINGS HAS DECREASED AND 85% OF THE BEACHES THAT HAVE BEEN MONITORED IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE RECEIVED EITHER A OR B GRADES. AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN FOUR YEARS AGO. BUT WHILE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN CALIFORNIA, THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF POLLUTED RUNOFF ARE A GROWING CONCERN EVERYWHERE. SO WHAT CAN THE AVERAGE PERSON DO TO HELP REDUCE POLLUTION IN OUR WATERSHEDS? YOU APPLY PESTICIDES ARE NOT IN YOUR GARDEN, HOW YOU WASH YOUR CARS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T THROW CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT ONTO THE STREET. YOU'RE NOT DUMB THINGS ON THE GROUND, ESPECIALLY OILS OR ANY CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOGS. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS AND JUST BE A CONSCIENTIOUS CITIZEN AND DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING ON THE GROUND. I THINK ONE PERSON CAN MAKE IT AND IT NEEDS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. IF NOT, YOU COMING UP, WE'RE HEADING FOR WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE. CAN THE GULF OF MEXICO BE SAVED FROM BLUE TO RUN OFF? IT WAS A FLOOD OF APOCALYPTIC SCALE, 26,000 SQUARE MILES OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INUNDATED BY WATER. MORE THAN 200 LIVES LOST. AND 600,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES. THE FLOOD OF 1927 WAS THE MOST DISASTROUS IN US HISTORY. AND ITS EFFECTS ARE STILL FELT TODAY. AFTER THE FLOOD OF 27, MASSIVE LEVIES WERE PUT IN PLACE. AND WHILE THEY HELPED PROTECT THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN FROM FLOODING, THE LEVEES AND OTHER HUMAN ACTIVITIES WILL ULTIMATELY HARM THE WATERSHED. IN UNFORESEEN WAYS. THE GULF STATE OF LOUISIANA [00:45:01] IS THE TERMINUS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE MIGHTY WATERSHED THAT DRAINS 41% OF THE AREA OF THE LOWER 48 STATES INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO. UH, WE RECEIVE WATER FROM AS FAR AWAY AS MONTANA, MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO, IOWA, ALL THOSE WATERS DRAIN RIGHT HALF THIS AREA RIGHT HERE. BUT BY THE TIME ALL THAT WATER ENTERS THE GULF, IT IS ACCUMULATED ENOUGH CONTAMINANTS FROM POLLUTED RUNOFF TO CREATE AN ENORMOUS HYPOXIC ZONE, AN AREA OF WATER LACKING IN VITAL OXYGEN. THE SIZE OF THE LOW AUCTIONS ZONE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO IS ABOUT 9,000 SQUARE MILES. THAT'S EQUAL TO THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. THE SHORTAGE OF OXYGEN IS KILLING FISH AND OTHER SEA LIFE, AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE REGIONAL ECONOMY, THE LARGEST NAVIGATION PORT IN THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE WORLD. WE HAVE THE LARGEST FISHERY IN THIS COUNTRY. OH, HE WAS CRABBING A LOT OF TIMES, ALL OUR CRABS, WE THEN WE CAN'T EVEN SELL THEM. THE REASON HYPOXIA SHOULD BE OF CONCERN TO MOST CITIZENS IN THIS NATION IS BECAUSE IT'S A SIGN. IT'S A SIGN OF THE DEGRADATION OF OUR WATER RESOURCES. WE'RE HEADING FOR. WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ECOLOGICAL WELL, DISASTER CAUSED BY THE OFF SHORE HYPOXIC AREAS, THEN THAT ABSOLUTELY TRANSLATES INTO AN ECONOMIC DISASTER. SO WHAT EXACTLY IS CAUSING THIS DEAD ZONE IN THE GULF HYPOXIA DEVELOPS WHEN AN AREA OF WATER RECEIVES EXCESS POLLUTANTS, PRIMARILY AN OVERABUNDANCE OF NUTRIENTS, WHICH PRODUCE LARGE ALGAE BLOOMS THAT DIE OFF AND LEAD TO LOW OXYGEN. AND SINCE THE MISSISSIPPI GETS FED BY TRIBUTARIES, THAT FLOW THROUGH 31 STATES, THAT ADDS UP TO A STAGGERING VOLUME OF CONTAMINATED RUNOFF. YOU HAVE DRAINAGE INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM THE OHIO RIVER, THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND THE MISSOURI RIVER, GET EACH OF THOSE THREE MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS OR WATERSHEDS IN AND OF THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWN CHALLENGES AND THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAS ALWAYS DELIVERED A LOT OF WATER AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED OVER THE CENTURIES. WHAT'S CHANGED IS THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS IN THAT WATER. IN FACT, THE MISSISSIPPI'S NITROGEN LEVELS AND THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAVE TRIPLED SINCE THE 1950S AND THE GROWING HYPOXIC ZONE OFF THE LOUISIANA COAST CONTAINS THE DISTURBING EVIDENCE. IT'S LIKE A RUSTY COLOR STANKY, ROTTEN, YOU SEE FISH JUST SWIMMING, SIDEWAYS, GASPING FOR AIR AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND, UM, YOU PULL UP THE NETS, NOT A ONE SHRIMP ALIVE, ALL DEAD ORANGE, THE FISH, THEY ROTTEN LIKE MELTING AWAY AND STUFF LIKE THAT. CAN'T BREATHE, BREED STUFF. AND IT WAS JUST ROTTEN. THIS IS JUST A FACT OF LIFE. THE WAY WE TREAT OUR WATER SYSTEMS, BECAUSE WE USE THEM AS OUR GARBAGE DUMPS. WE USE THEM TO DILUTE OUR POLLUTANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND IT FLOWS DOWNSTREAM. I BELIEVE THE STATISTIC IS THAT IF YOU'RE IN NEW ORLEANS, THE WATER THAT IS GOING BY, YOU HAS PASSED THROUGH HUMAN GUT. SOMETHING LIKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES BEFORE IT GETS TO YOU, INCREDIBLY LOUISIANA BOASTS TO NATURAL RESOURCE THAT REMOVES POLLUTANTS FROM THE DRAINING MISSISSIPPI, THE ONES ABUNDANT WETLANDS, PLANTS THAT GROW IN WETLANDS PRODUCE THESE WONDERFUL FILTERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS COMING INTO THEM. THEY TRAP SEDIMENT. THEY TEND TO CHEMICALS AND WHAT LEAVES THE WETLANDS IS MUCH, MUCH CLEANER. WATER WETLANDS ALSO PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE. SADLY, THE LOUISIANA WETLANDS ARE QUICKLY DISAPPEAR. COASTAL LOUISIANA HAS LOST ABOUT 1.2 MILLION ACRES OF WETLANDS IN THE LAST 100 YEARS. WHEN WE LEAVE IT OFF THE MISSISSIPPI, IT CUT OFF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATER FROM THE MARSHAL. IN ADDITION TO THE LEVIES, A NETWORK OF MAN-MADE NAVIGATION CHANNELS IS ALSO COMPROMISING THE WETLANDS BY ALLOWING SALTWATER TO SEEP INTO THE MARSHES. ONCE THAT SALTWATER TRAVELS UP THESE CHANNELS AND OVERFLOWS THE BANKS OF THESE CHANNELS OUT INTO FRESHWATER SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE CYPRESS SWAMP, THAT SALTWATER SITS OUT THERE AROUND THE ROOTS OF THESE TREES AND KILLS THEM. THEY CANNOT SURVIVE SALT WATER, THEIR FRESHWATER PLANTS ELIMINATING THE HYPOXIC ZONE WILL TAKE MORE THAN SAVING OUR WETLANDS. REDUCING NUTRIENT RUNOFF IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATERSHED IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM. IT'S AN ISSUE INVOLVING OVER HALF THE STATES IN THE NATION AND A VAST ARRAY OF INDUSTRIES, PARTICULARLY FARMING, WHICH USES NITROGEN RICH FERTILIZER TO GROW ITS CROPS. FERTILIZERS ARE HELPING THE UNITED STATES PRODUCE THE FOOD FOR THE WORLD, BUT THERE IS SUCH A THING AS, AS OVERUSE, THERE ARE SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE DONE THE ANALYSIS AND PREDICT THAT YOU COULD REDUCE FERTILIZERS BY ABOUT 12% WITHOUT REDUCING CROP PRODUCTION AND SEE A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN GOING INTO THE MISSISSIPPI EXPERTS SAY THE FIRST KEY TO CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR IS RAISING [00:50:01] PUBLIC AWARENESS. WE ALL LIVE DOWNSTREAM OF SOMEBODY AND WE ALL LIVE UPSTREAM OF SOMEBODY. SO WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE DOES IN THEIR WATERSHED EFFECTS, THE WATER THAT I RECEIVED AND WHAT I DO IN MY WATERSHED AFFECTS THE WATER THAT SOMEBODY ELSE RECEIVES DOWNSTREAM. IF WE DON'T CLEAN UP OUR ACT, OUR WATER RESOURCES, WHICH WE SIMPLY CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT WILL BE RUINED COMING UP. CAN THE WATER SUPPLY FOR 9 MILLION NEW YORKERS SAVED FROM THE RAVAGES OF POLLUTED RUNOFF IN JANUARY OF 1996, ONE OF THE MOST DEVASTATING WINTER STORMS IN HISTORY SLAMS THE EAST COAST TWO FEET OF SNOW DUMPS ON NEW YORK AND THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SCHOOLS, AIRPORTS AND ROADS ARE SHUT DOWN BY THE TIME IT'S OVER THE BLIZZARD AND RESULT IN FLOODING COSTS $3 BILLION IN LOSSES AND 187 LIVES ARE TAKEN. AND IN THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK, THE SNOW MELT TRIGGERS ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING CRISIS, STORMWATER RUNOFF CONTAMINATED WITH TRASH, DIRT, FERTILIZERS, AND PESTICIDES FROM NEARBY FARMS AND COMMUNITIES THREATENS THE FRESH WATER SUPPLY. AND THE CATSKILL SYSTEM OF RESERVOIRS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR IT IS THE BIGGEST WATERSHED OF NEW YORK CITY PROVIDING DRINKING WATER TO OVER 9 MILLION PEOPLE. THE MIRACLE OF THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM IS LARGELY UNKNOWN TO MOST NEW YORKERS. YOU ASK PEOPLE WHERE DOES THE WATER COME FROM? OFTEN PEOPLE SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS AND SAY NEW JERSEY. I FIGURED THAT WE WERE PROBABLY OUR OWN SEPARATE WATER SYSTEM. THEN FROM UPSTATE, I'D RATHER BE DRINKING WATER FROM UPSTATE THAN THE HUDSON RIVER. I DON'T KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF HOW LARGE THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW CLOSE TO CRISIS MANY OF OUR WATER SUPPLIES SYSTEMS ARE TO PRESERVE THE PURITY OF THE RESERVOIRS AND ENFORCE THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESENTED THE BIG APPLE WITH TWO OPTIONS, EITHER BUILD AND MAINTAIN A $6 BILLION FACILITY TO FILTER ALL OF THE CITY'S TAP WATER OR FUND A $1 BILLION PROGRAM TO PROTECT THE WATERSHED FROM POLLUTED RUNOFF. WHEN IT COMES TO OUR INVESTMENT IN CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER, PRESERVING OPEN SPACE, FIXING ANTIQUATED SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, WE CAN'T WAIT. IT DOESN'T GET ANY LESS EXPENSIVE. IT GETS MORE EXPENSIVE WITH THE HISTORIC WATERSHED AGREEMENT OF 1997, AN UNPRECEDENTED UPSTATE DOWNSTATE PARTNERSHIP WAS FORGED TO PROTECT THE NEW YORK CITY WATER SUPPLY WATERSHED AGREEMENT IS SAVING NEW YORK CITY, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THE PLAN INCLUDES PURCHASING AND PRESERVING 355,000 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED WATERSHED LAND, THE UPGRADING OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS AND THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF STREAM PORTERS. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS A MAIN TRIBUTARY OF THE SOPAS CREEK. DURING THE FLOODING, WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF SEDIMENT COMING OUT OF THE STREAM. THE CLAY GETS INTO THE WATER COLUMN AND IT BECOMES VERY TURBID AND THEN IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TREAT AND CLEAN THAT WATER. SO FROM A WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT EROSION. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES FUNDING FOR FARMERS THAT IMPLEMENT AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. WELL, WE HAVE A VERY EXCITING PROGRAM WITH THE WATERSHED AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL, WHERE WE ARE WORKING WITH LOCAL FARMERS. WE LOOK AT HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THE ANIMALS, FILL THAT THE RUNOFF ASSOCIATED WITH MANURE FERTILIZER AND THAT THAT FARM ACTIVITY ISN'T GETTING THE STREAMS AROUND OUR RESERVOIRS. THIS WATER HERE IS BASICALLY THE WATER YOU'RE GOING TO BE DRINKING DOWN IN THE CITY. AND, UH, I FEEL I'VE GOT A RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY MY BEST TO KEEP IT CLEAN FOR WHEN IT GETS DOWN THERE. IT USED TO BE WHEN IT RAINED HERE ON THE FARM, THE WATER THAT RAN AWAY FROM THE BACK OF THE BARN HERE WAS FULL OF MUD MANURE, AND IT WOULD JUST RUN BROWN AND RIGHT INTO THE STREAM. TWO YEARS AGO, WE WOULD SPREAD EVERY DAY. UH, WE'D HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT, SPREAD IT ON THE FIELDS. IF THE SNOW IS DEEP, WE SPREAD IT ON THE SNOW. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF THE GROUND WAS FROZEN, WHEN THE SNOW MELTED, THE NUTRIENT VALUE OF IT FOR FERTILIZER WAS GONE. THAT WOUND UP DOWN IN THE RESERVOIR WITH NEW YORK CITY FUNDING, A SECURE ABOVE GROUND STEEL TANK THAT CAN HOLD 400,000 GALLONS OF MANURE WAS INSTALLED IN THE METADATA. THAT'S ENOUGH STORAGE FOR SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR. NOW WE CAN STORE IT, SPREAD IT WHEN IT'LL DO THE MOST GOOD TO US FOR FERTILIZER. AND, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO SPREAD IT EVERY DAY. I WORKED WITH TIM ON THE PLAN TO DEVELOP THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE PLAN REALLY BELONGS TO THE FARMER. UH, AND IT'S A COLLABORATION OF THEIR IDEAS AND WHAT TECHNICAL ADVICE WE CAN BRING TO THE PROGRAM. BUT THE FARMER MAKES A DECISION. IT'S A PROGRAM THAT SEEMS TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. THERE'S TO THE FARMERS WHO ARE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT CLEAN WATER TO PUT IN OUR CAR TO GUARANTEE THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY IS FRESH AT THE TAP. COMPREHENSIVE TESTS ARE PERFORMED BY THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, BOTH IN THE LAB AND AT OVER 1000 SAMPLING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. YEAH, CITY AS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EXTENSIVE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMS [00:55:01] IN THE NATION. IF NOT THE WORLD WE'RE SAMPLING EVERY DAY REGARDING 65 DAYS A YEAR, I'VE BEEN DRINKING THIS WATER FOR 53 YEARS. NOTHING ELSE. THAT'S WATER IN THE WORLD, NEW YORK CITY, STRAIGHT FROM THE TAP TO MY LIPS COMING UP. THE FUTURE OF OUR WATER SUPPLY REMAINS AT RISK, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT IT. FIND OUT HOW NOW TO KEEP OUR WATERSHEDS FREE OF POLLUTANTS WILL REQUIRE THE ACTIONS OF EVERY CITIZEN HUMIDITY AND BUSINESS PAVED, CONCRETE SURFACES, ASPHALT PARKING, LOTS SIDEWALKS. THE QUESTION IS, DO WE NEED TO HAVE AS MANY AS WE DO BECAUSE TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU HAVE TOO MUCH IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, THE WATER IS NOT RETAINED ON SITE. IT DOESN'T SOAK INTO THE GROUND. IT RUNS OFF, PICKS UP SPEED, CARRIES POLLUTANTS AND CONTAMINANTS INTO THE WATER BOTTLE. ONE STRATEGY FOR PREVENTING STORMWATER RUNOFF IS OCCURRING AT THE NEW FORD ROUGE CENTER IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN. THIS REMODELED TRUCK PLAN IS COVERED BY A GREEN ROOF, THE SIZE OF EIGHT FOOTBALL FIELDS PLANTED WITH A POOREST GROUND COVER. IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTED RUNOFF RELEASED INTO THE WATERSHED. THE THING THAT TENDS TO GET THE MOST ATTENTION IS THE 10 ACRE GREEN ROOF, BUT THAT'S REALLY JUST PART OF A PHILOSOPHY THAT IF AN AREA DOES NOT HAVE TO BE OR BUILT UPON, IT'S GOING TO BE GREEN SPACE AND COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING GREEN SPACE STRATEGIES, SUCH AS RAIN GARDEN. THEY SLOPED THE LIE IN SUCH A MANNER THAT ALL THE FLOW GOES TOWARDS THIS LANDSCAPING, WHERE BASICALLY THE POLLUTED RUNOFF CAN PERCOLATE INTO THE GROUND AND GET FILTERED. UM, AND THEN GOING STRAIGHT ONTO THE STREET INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM, AND REALLY A VERY SIMPLE APPROACH TO CLEANING UP OUR RUNOFF IN URBAN AREAS. BUT PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL COURSE OF ACTION IS INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION. PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STATE OF OUR WATERS AND WATER. CONSERVATION IS ONE AREA WHERE THEY CAN DO THAT AS A COMMITTED CITIZEN, ALL THOSE THINGS YOUR MOM TOLD YOU START SHOWERED. DON'T LET THE WATER TAP RUNWAY. YOU'RE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH, TAKING YOUR HEALTH SEWED, HAZARDOUS WASTE TO A CLEANUP AND RECYCLING DAY. DON'T WASH YOUR CAR ON THE, ON THE STREETS AND PUT ALL THOSE SUDS DOWN INTO THE DRAIN. WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR USE MOTOR L YOU DON'T DUMP IT INTO THE STREET. EVERYBODY'S GOT TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEIR PETS. OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A BIG CONCERN, FERTILIZERS, HERBICIDES, PESTICIDES, AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T USE THEM ANY TIME. THERE'S ANY CHANCE OF RAIN COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHEN YOU'RE IRRIGATING YOUR LAWN AND YOUR GARDEN, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT OVER SPRAYING AND CAUSING ALL THOSE CHEMICALS TO END UP GETTING INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM. THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS IF EVERYBODY DOES THEIR PART, WE ALL LIVE IN A WATERSHED. WE ALL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND WE MUST ALL PLAY A ROLE IN THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF OUR VALUABLE WATER RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND TO GET A FREE BROCHURE CALLED AFTER THE STORM VISIT EPA.GOV/WEATHER CHANNEL. . * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.