* 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 BEEFER COUNTY. GENTLEMEN, IF WE CAN CALL THIS MEETING OF THE BEAVER COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO ORDER, UH, I'M GOING TO CALL ON MY COLLEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL RIVERS FOR AN INVOCATION, UM, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. SO YOU'LL STAY ON FOR ME PLEASE. REPRESENTATIVE RIVERS. GREAT HEAVENLY FATHER. THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. REALIZING THAT EVERY DAY IS A GIFT THINKING THAT WE WILL BE DOING THE BUSINESS OF THIS COUNTY, THE DECENT IN ORDER, REMEMBERING WHO WE WORK FOR IN THE NAME OF NATURE OF JESUS, THE CHRIST. AMEN, AMEN. APPLIED TO LEGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU ALL BEING HERE THIS MORNING. I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO COLUMBIA, UM, ON MONDAY, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE CONFERENCE BUDGET CONFERENCE REPORT RECONCILED BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. SO, UM, WITH THAT IN MIND, UH, WE TRIED TO PREPARE A TIGHT AGENDA THIS MORNING. UH, YOU WILL NOTE IT DOES NOT INCLUDE, UH, AN OPEN COMMENT, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO ADDRESS US. WE DO INTEND TO COME BACK AND HAVE, UH, SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING LATER, LATER THIS SUMMER, BUT HAD A NUMBER OF MATTERS THAT HAD LINGERED BECAUSE OF COVID THAT NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH THIS MORNING AND A TIGHT WINDOW OF TIME WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT WERE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY BE PRESENT HERE THIS MORNING. IN ADDITION TO THE MAJORITY OF THE DELEGATION BEING HERE PHYSICALLY IN PERSON, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A LARGER MAJORITY, UH, INCLUDING SENATOR CAMPSEN AND REPRESENTATIVE BRADLEY, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE GIVEN PROXIES, UM, TO SENATOR DAVIS AND REPRESENTATIVE ERICSSON, UH, RESPECTIVELY. UM, UH, I WAS ELECTED, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE DELEGATION, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR. AND THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING THAT WE HAVE HAD HERE AT HOME. THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE, UH, IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES OF FEBRUARY THE 17TH. IS THERE A MOTION? SO THANKS UNDER MASON'S RULES. NO SECOND IS REQUIRED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE INDICATE. SO BY SAYING AYE, ANY OPPOSED? NO, THANK YOU. UH, CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. I THINK I'VE JUST PROVIDED THE REPORT, UH, ABOUT, UM, THE, UH, RECENT CHANGES, UM, IN OUR NORMAL ROTATION CYCLE, UM, THAT WERE MADE, UH, AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING THAT WE HELD IN COLUMBIA AT THE SAME TIME THAT OUR REQUIREMENT TO REAPPOINT A MASTER IN EQUITY WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SO WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE, UH, NEXT TO, UM, MR. WETZLER CARL WENDLER, UH, TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM OUR VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE. GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING. SURE. NEWTON, GIVE HER DELEGATION NUMBERS. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS MORNING. UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, GIVE YOU A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE OFFICE AND WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY GOING RIGHT NOW. WE, UM, WE HAVE, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A REPORT THAT THE STATE PUTS OUT THAT SAYS THAT WE HAVE 25,000 DISABLED VETERANS IN BUFORD COUNTY THAT ARE BRINGING WELL IN OVER $190 BILLION A YEAR INTO THE COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE TAX-FREE DISABILITY PAYMENTS THAT THEY RECEIVE. HOWEVER, THAT NUMBER IN MY ESTIMATION IS EXTREMELY LOW. AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS THAT BECAUSE THAT NUMBER DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DEPENDENCE OF THE VETERANS WHO ARE DISABLED. SO IF WE LOOK AT THAT NUMBER NOW WE'RE APPROACHING CLOSE TO 60,000 AND BUFORD COUNTY AND THEY KEEP COMING. THERE ARE MORE AND MORE VETERANS IN SUN CITY THAN THERE ARE IN COLLINSON COUNTY. SO FOR MY STAFF TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST THEM AND HELP THEM, IT IS A MONUMENTAL TASK AND WE DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. UH, WE HAVE BEEN, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET AN ADDITIONAL [00:05:01] FTE FOR THE OFFICE SO THAT I WOULD HAVE THREE VETERANS COUNSELORS PLUS MYSELF AND AN ADMIN PERSON, BUT, BUT JUST DO ALL KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED AT THIS POINT. THE OTHER ISSUE WAS, IS THAT ONE OF MY VETERANS COUNSELORS RETIRED OR RESIGNED. AND PART OF THE REASON WAS THAT I BELIEVE HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE READJUSTING BACK TO AN OFFICE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE OF COURSE, ALL OF LAST YEAR OR MAJORITY OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE WORKING OUT OF OUR HOMES QUITE SUCCESSFULLY. I MIGHT ADD, UM, LAST YEAR, 2020, THIS IS WHAT THREE OF US DID. WE, UH, FILED 895 CLAIMS FOR NEW CLAIMS FOR VETERANS. AND WE HAD 3000, 212 TO THE OFFICE. NOW CONTACTS ARE NOT CLAIMS THAT ARE FILED, BUT IT'S EVERYTHING ELSE. IT'S REFERRALS, IT'S PHONE CONVERSATIONS. IT'S PEOPLE WALKING IN, ASKING FOR IT FORMS. SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING. AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOING TO INCREASE. SO I AM LOOKING, I AM LOOKING FOR A NEW VETERANS COUNSELOR, AND IN MY ESTIMATION, IT WON'T BE EASY BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR A VETERANS COUNSELOR TO BE EFFECTIVE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE CLOSE TO A YEAR TO GET THEM UP TO SPEED. SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT, THAT WE LOOK FOR WHEN WE INTERVIEW FOR A NEW PERSON, I'LL GIVE YOU A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT GIVE YOU A FEW IDEAS OF WHAT WE LOOK FOR. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITIES IS THE ABILITY TO LISTEN CAREFULLY. IF YOU DON'T LISTEN CAREFULLY, YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND A LOT MORE TIME THAN YOU NEED TO WITH, WITH THAT VETERAN. SECONDLY, IT'S ABILITY TO BE GET ALONG WITH ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE. WE HAVE VETERANS WHO HAVE SERIOUS PTSD ISSUES AND THEY CAN BE VOLATILE, NOT IN A HARMFUL WAY, BUT THEY CAN BE. AND OF COURSE HAVE A DIALOGUE. SOMETHING SAID COULD BE, COULD TRIGGER THEM. SO WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM. WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT CONTROL THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AREA, AND THAT IS VERY COMPLEX. AND SO WE HAVE AN ACCREDITATION PROCESS THAT MUST BE PERFORMED. WE HAVE CONFERENCES TWICE A YEAR AND KEEP UP TO SPEED ON WHAT IS CHANGING IN THE VA. AND IT'S CHANGING ALL THE TIME. AND, UM, WE, WE SEE THE VETERANS AS BEST WE CAN. SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO SCHEDULE THEM OUT A LITTLE BIT FARTHER THAN THEY WOULD LIKE NOT BECAUSE WE WANT TO, BUT IT'S JUST DUE TO THE VOLUME THAT WE DEAL WITH THE, UM, PERSON THAT I'M LOOKING FOR, NEEDS TO HAVE EACH TO BE A VETERAN. AND THE REASON THEY NEED TO BE A VETERAN IN MY OPINION, IS THAT THEY HAVE COMMON GROUND WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WALK INTO OUR OFFICE. AND THEY, UM, THAT KIND OF BREAKS SOME OF THE BARRIERS RIGHT ON FRONT. SECONDLY, THAT PERSON NEEDS TO BE EDUCATED, BE ABLE TO BE TRAINED, TO HANDLE THE LEVEL OF WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. SO I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WITH AT LEAST A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, PREFERABLY A MASTER'S. AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF THE COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY TALK TO THE VETERANS, BUT TO DO BRIEFINGS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT GO OUT INTO THE COUNTY AND ADDRESS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. IF THE REQUEST OF THE COME THERE, COME TO THEM AND GIVE THEM A BRIEFING ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE VA. I DO MOST OF THEM, BUT SOMETIMES MY GUYS GO OUT AND LIKE PLACE AND, UH, AND IT'S JUST BEEN, IT'S BEEN STRESSFUL, BUT I THINK WE'RE STEADY. WE'RE NOT OPTIMAL, BUT WE'RE STUDYING RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE IN PLACE. UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PERSON RIGHT NOW. WE'VE TALKED TO THE TRANSITION TEAMS AT THE EARS [00:10:01] AT THE AIR STATION AT PARIS ISLAND AND THE NAVAL HOSPITAL. WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING AN ADVERTISEMENT ON THE BUFORD COUNTY WEBSITE, JULY 1ST AND WHY JULY 1ST, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ADDITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT PAYMENT BENEFITS ARE GOING TO BE FINISHED AT THAT POINT IN TIME. SO, SO WE'RE DOING THAT. UH, I'M TALKING TO, UH, MY SISTER, UH, COUNTIES AROUND HERE TO ASSIST WHILE WE'RE STILL IN THIS TRANSITION STAGE, I'VE TALKED TO CHARLESTON COUNTY TO SEE IF ONE OF THEIR VETERAN'S COUNSELORS CAN ASSIST OUR OFFICE BY TAKING SOME OF THE WORKLOAD, PICKING UP SOME OF THE WORKLOAD. AND THE BEAUTY OF THAT IS THAT THE STATE PROVIDED US WITH SOME, UH, SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS US TO, TO TALK AND WORK WITH ANYBODY OVER THE PHONE. AND IF THEY HAVE A SMARTPHONE, WE CAN FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK IN OUR OFFICE OR HOME, SEND IT TO THEM, THEY CAN SIGN IT AND IT COMES BACK TO US AND THEN WE CAN UPLOAD IT TO THE VA CHARLESTON. I'M SORRY, THIS POSITION PAY. THEY JUST HAD THIS, THE COUNTY JUST HAD A, UM, JUST HAD A, UM, UM, SALARY, UM, SURFING. AND, UM, THE MAX, THE MAX FOR THAT POSITION ON IT STARTS AT 35. THAT'S THE MEN AND THE MAX IS 55. SO, SO FOR SOMEBODY THAT HAS NO EXPERIENCE OR NO BACKGROUND, BUT APPEARS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SITUATION, WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO START THEM AT THE MINIMUM 35. I LOST A GOOD, UM, A GOOD PROSPECT IN MAY, SIMPLY BECAUSE WHAT I COULD OFFER HIM WAS $20,000 LESS THAN WHAT HE GOT FROM PRIVATE COMPANY. RIGHT. SO, SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE. UM, WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS FILLING THAT POSITION, UM, USING HOPEFULLY USING ONE OF THE OTHER COUNTIES TO BE ABLE TO, TO ASSIST, YOU KNOW, VIA VET PRO. AND, UH, AND WE'LL JUST DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO. CARL, LET ME ASK YOUR QUESTION. I APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGE THAT GOES ALONG WITH TRYING TO FILL ANY POSITION TODAY. SO YOU ASKED FOR ANOTHER FTE FROM COUNTY COUNCIL COUNTY COUNCIL. I'M GUESSING, DID NOT APPROVE THAT IN THE BUDGET REQUEST. I STARTED WITH, I STARTED WITH THE BUDGET DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, HUMAN RESOURCE, BUNCH OF DIRECTOR OF FINANCE. UM, I DID NOT, I DID NOT PRESENT THE COUNTY. I UNDERSTAND, BUT IF YOU ASK THE COUNTY FOR IT, AND THEN IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNTY THIS YEAR, CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. SO I, HOW MANY YOU, YOU TODAY HAVE? HOW MANY FTES FOR VETERANS COUNSELORS? FOR MY, FOR MY OFFICE. YEAH. THAT'S THE ONLY OPPOSITE. THAT'S THE NAME OF, OKAY, SO YOU'VE GOT, YOU HAVE TO, I'VE GOT AN ADMIN PERSON, WOMEN DON'T GET AHEAD OF IT. YOU HAVE TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE FILLED TODAY. YES. BOTH OF THEM ARE FILLED. BOTH OF THEM ARE ONE OUR FIELD. YOU HAVE BODIES IN THOSE FTES TODAY THAT ARE WORKING FULL TIME FOR THE BENEFIT OF VETERANS IN BUFORD COUNTY. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. SO I, I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME UNDERSTANDING THAT EITHER SOMEBODY HAD LEFT OR THEY WEREN'T THERE ANYMORE, OR THEY HAD RESIGNED. I HAD, NO, I HAD A RESIGNATION, THE OFFICE, THE OFFICES TASKS FOR FOUR PEOPLE. OKAY. AN ADMIN PERSON AND THREE, THREE VETERANS COUNSELORS. I RUN A DUAL ROLE ON THE VETERANS COUNSELOR PLUS RUNNING THE OFFICE. SO A LOT OF MY TIME, THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME IS WORKING WITH THE VETERANS. AND THEN I DO THE COUNTY BUSINESS WHEN I'M REQUESTED FOR INFORMATION. OKAY. SO THE FOUR PEOPLE THAT ARE AUTHORIZED IN THE COUNTY BUDGET TODAY INCLUDE YOU FOR ONE, TWO OTHERS AND AN ADMIN PERSON. YES. AND ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE FILLED AT THIS MOMENT? NO. OKAY. HOW MANY, SO HOW MANY OPEN VACANCIES DO YOU HAVE? WHAT, OKAY. IN ADDITION, YOU'VE ASKED COUNTY COUNCIL FOR ANOTHER FTE THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. CORRECT. UM, AND HAVE YOU, DID YOU GO BACK AND TALK TO THE, UM, BUDGET DIRECTOR OR THE [00:15:01] COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR? I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY SECRET TO ANYBODY THAT VETERANS IN BUFORD COUNTY OR PERHAPS SOME OF THE GREATEST HUMAN CAPITAL THAT WE HAVE TAKING CARE OF THEM. WE ALL OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED IF WE CAN'T GIVEN WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR THIS COUNTRY, FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY. AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED BACK TO THE DELEGATION ABOUT HOW OUR OFFICE IS RUNNING THERE IS TROUBLING TO ALL OF US. UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF RESOURCES, UM, UH, SHAME ON US FOR NOT GOING TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND ASKING, BUT SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT COMING TO US TO HELP COORDINATE THAT THROUGH COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A REQUEST THAT COUNTY COUNCIL HAS RIGHT HERE IN A FEW MINUTES FOR A HUNDRED PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR TENNIS COURTS, UM, THAT THEY'RE ASKING US, UM, UH, TO FUND, UM, THE COUNTY, UH, SHARES THE SAME, UH, BELIEF IN THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR VETERANS IN VIEW FOR COUNTY. AND I KNOW MR. RODMAN IS SITTING THERE AND HOPEFULLY THAT, UH, MR. ROBIN IS LISTENING TO THAT AND APPRECIATES THE FACT THAT VETERANS COUNSELORS, UM, ARE, ARE NEEDED. UM, UH, BUT I AM, UH, YOU KNOW, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE SOMEBODY AT THE LOW END OF THE SCALE IS DIFFICULT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT AND WHERE IT IS. DO YOU HAVE DISCRETION IN DECIDING WHAT END OF THE SCALE THEY'RE ON OR IS THAT DECIDED BY YOU THROUGH SOME LAYER AT THE COUNTY? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THEIR PACER? YEAH. YOU DON'T MEAN THAT THE MINIMUM IS 35, THE MAXIMUM IS 55. UM, UH, TH THE, UH, WHO, WHO DECIDES WHERE THEY FALL WITHIN THAT RANGE? UH, IT WOULD, I WOULD PUT THE RECOMMENDATION TO A HUMAN RESOURCES. I MEAN, IF THE PERSON HAS SOME OF THE QUALITIES THAT WE NEED, I WOULD, I WOULD OFFER THEM ABOVE 35, BUT, UM, MY OTHER VETERAN'S COUNSELOR RIGHT NOW IS ONLY MAKING 41 NOW, COMPARED, COMPARED TO MY SISTER COUNTY IN CHARLESTON ARE STILL WAY BELOW. THEY OFFER TO A BRAND NEW PERSON, BRAND NEW FTE. AND THIS IS OLD DATA. I THINK IT'S HIGHER, NO STARTING $50,000. WE'RE 35. AND THEY JUST, WE JUST WENT THROUGH A, A SURVEY, RIGHT? NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND IN THE CAR WITH ME, MR. REDLAND, YOU KNOW, MY VIEW AS IS AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE, UM, YOUR BUDGET REQUESTS OUGHT TO BE INCLUDING, UM, REQUESTS FOR THESE STAFF PEOPLE, UM, TO, TO HAVE SALARY INCREASES. UM, AND YOU KNOW, I, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE OFFICES THAT'S NOT DIRECTLY RUN BY THE COUNTY. SO IT OFTEN GETS VIEWED AS BEING DISCONNECTED FROM THE COUNTY. SO IT PERHAPS DOESN'T GET THE ATTENTION FROM THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY BUDGET FOLKS THAT THEY OTHERWISE WERE PAYING TO THEIR OWN DEPARTMENTS. BUT YOU'RE THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE OFFICE. UM, AND YOU, OUR TIP OF THE SPEAR AND HELPING TAKE CARE OF THE VETERANS IN BUFORD COUNTY. SO COLLECTIVELY WE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB, MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THERE, THE GOOD PEOPLE ARE IN THERE AND THAT WE ARE APPROPRIATELY SERVING OUR BETTER RUTGERS. UH, YES, SIR. UM, WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH SECRETARY? ROOM'S VERY GOOD. I'M ASKING BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE TRYING TO CENTRALIZE AND MAKE THINGS SYSTEMATIC THROUGHOUT THE STATE. SO I WAS WONDERING, COULD YOU NOT GET SOME, UM, INFORMATION, SOME HELP FROM HIM AND TRYING TO ALLEVIATE YOUR CONCERNS BECAUSE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, HE'S AWARE OF THE SITUATION OR THE SITUATION. AND I SUPPORT, I SUPPORT HIS POSITION OF TRYING TO BRING ALL OF THE CVA UNDER HIS DOMAIN, JUST FOR CONSISTENCY STUDY. BUT, UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE MY POSITION THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, THAT POSITION. UH, I THINK, I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. OKAY. AND THEN HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN NOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN SHORT STAFFED? HOW MANY MONTHS HAS IT BEEN APRIL 1ST? IT PUT FIRST, I GUESS, ONE OF MY CONCERNS AS VETERANS, MOST VETERANS KNOW, I LISTEN AND GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE. I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR BEING A VETERAN. SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WOULD BE SOMEBODY OUT THERE WHO MAYBE IT'S BETTER ADVERTISING OR MARKETING, UM, COLBY, WHATEVER IT IS, BUT THE NEED, I THINK THERE IS THERE ISN'T A SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR THE, FOR WHAT WE NEED IN BUPA WITH VETERANS. I'M A VETERAN MYSELF. WELL, WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE LOOKING AT MR. RIVERS AND, UH, AND I'M HOPING, OH, GIVE YOU [00:20:01] AN IDEA. I'VE GOT AN ACCREDITED VETERANS COUNSELOR RIGHT NOW. THEY ONLY FLY IN THE OINTMENT IS THAT HE LIVED WITH LIZ, FORT MILLS, SOUTH CAROLINA. SO IS HE GOING TO MOVE? IS HE GOING TO SELL HIS HOUSE AND MOVE HIS FAMILY? AND TWO KIDS TO COME DOWN TO AN AREA THAT IS BURGEONING EXPENSIVE AND THE BEST I COULD MAYBE OFFER HIM IS WHAT PARALLEL TO WHAT I'M OFFERING MY CURRENT VETERAN COUNSELOR, $41,000 AND DO FOR COUNTY YOU'RE SCRAPING BY, IN MY OPINION, ONE THING THAT I'M ENCOURAGED ABOUT THE VETERANS, USUALLY IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, THEY WILL, THEY'LL FIND A SOLUTION. SO I THINK, I THINK WE'LL GET THIS WORKED OUT. IT MUST BE MUST GET IT WORKED OUT IN WE UP HERE, WE'LL HELP YOU DO WHATEVER WE CAN, BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO AS WELL. WELL, I'VE ALWAYS, EVEN MY LAST, AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT, I ALWAYS INVITED ALL OF YOU. IF YOU HAVE A VETERAN THAT HAS AN ISSUE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY, AND I PAD MR. HERB'S KURTZMAN AND I'VE HAD MS. ERICKSON, AND I'VE ACTUALLY HAD MR. WESTON CONTACT ME AND THEY GO TO THE TOP OF THE LIST WHEN THAT HAPPENS. BUT THERE'S ONLY BEEN THREE SINCE 2018. SO FINALLY GET THREE RESPONSES AND TWO FROM MY REPRESENTATIVES AND A COUPLE OF YEARS, I THINK EVERYTHING'S GOING ALONG PRETTY WELL. I'M NOT GETTING ANY FEEDBACK THAT SAYS WE GOT AN ISSUE HERE. NO, I, MY CONCERN WILL USE SAYING THAT YOU WERE SHORT STAFF, BUT SOMETIME I THINK YOU'RE THE ONE THAT KINDA, UM, COORDINATES THAT. SO IF YOU CAN LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THE STAFF SITUATION. ONCE YOU PUT YOUR BUDGET IN, THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS AND EVERYTHING, THEN WE CAN SUPPORT YOUR REQUEST, BUT I'LL TELL YOU A REQUEST IS MADE. IT'S HARD TO HARD TO SUPPORT IT. WELL, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. WEILER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK IN THE OFFICE. UM, I, I SPOKE WITH YOU EARLIER AND SAID, THE ONLY CONCERNS THAT I HAD GOTTEN WAS THE TIMELINESS OF, OF GETTING SOME OF THE SERVICES AND THE ANSWERS. AND I BELIEVE YOU'VE ANSWERED THAT WITH THE DIFFICULTY OF THE CASELOAD THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE CARRYING IN YOUR OFFICE. I'M VERY HEARTENED TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE REACHED OUT AND CAST YOUR NET WIDE OR FOR, UH, UM, FOR STAFFING. DO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN THAT PAY SCALE, YOU AS THE DIRECTOR TO BUMP UP THE PERSON WHO'S THERE NOW AND, AND, AND RE LEVEL REALIGN, WHAT YOUR STARTING SALARY MIGHT BE TO, TO BAIT MAKE IT, I MEAN, I'M HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS, THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES RIGHT NOW. AND, AND LAST YEAR THEY CAME TO ME WITH A VERY SIMILAR SITUATION AND THEY'VE PUT IN PLACE THE ABILITY TO MOVE WITHIN SCALES A LITTLE BIT BETTER TO HELP US KEEP THOSE, THOSE FRONTLINE SERVICE EMPLOYEES. CAN YOU DO THAT WITHIN THAT 35 TO 55? IS IT A, SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUMP THAT AND, AND THE COUNTY HR WILL TAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND DO THAT. OKAY. SO IT'S POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO MOVE SOME SALARIES AROUND IF YOU NEED TO, TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN SOME FOLKS WHO MIGHT HAVE THE SKILLS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, THAT I UNDERSTAND ARE, ARE PRETTY SPECIFIC FOR THE CONTACTS THAT YOU NEED. WELL, UM, YES, I, YOU KNOW, I CAN DO THAT. I HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO, TO MAKE THAT. NO, UM, I'VE JUST DONE A PERFORMANCE REVIEW ON MY ONE VETERAN'S COUNSELOR RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW. WELL, WE'VE GOT A SALARY ADJUSTMENT, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE THE PLACE. SO ANY TYPE OF MIRROR AND INCREASE, I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD AND, AND MR. RODMAN, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THERE, UH, FOR 2021, THERE'S A HIRING FREEZE. IS THAT CORRECT, SIR? SO, WILL THAT AFFECT, I MEAN, HE GOT TO COME TO THE MICRO. IT'S NOT ON TELEVISION. IF YOU WANT TO ASK MR. ROBINSON, LET'S LET MR. BOB STORY THE PODIUM. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'LL JUST LET US FIND OUT OR WILL, CAN YOU PLEASE FIND OUT IF THAT WILL AFFECT YOU IN A HIRING OF A POSITION THAT'S ONGOING NOW? NO, I'M REPLACING, I'M REPLACING A PERSON, SO THAT WILL NOT AFFECT THAT. OKAY. SO IT'S JUST A, THIS NEW FTE POSITION THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE, COULD NOT BE PUT IN PLACE, BUT NOT THE ONE THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY REPLACING. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. OKAY. GOT IT. ALL RIGHT. JUST POINT OF CLARIFICATION, CAUSE I MAYBE DIDN'T HEAR THE ANSWER THE SAME WAY YOU JUST ANSWERED, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ERICKSON, THIS PERSON IN YORK THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED [00:25:01] IN, OR ANY OTHER PERSON YOU DO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO OFFER THEM A SALARY, AS LONG AS IT'S WITHIN THAT RANGE, OR YOU DO NOT. I CAN'T JUST BRING SOMEBODY IN AT LIKE WHAT THE MIDPOINT OF THAT RANGE WOULD BE. WELL, HOW, HOW DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW MUCH YOU CAN OFFER THEM THEN? UM, I MEAN, YOU JUST SAY, WE'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU A JOB, BUT I'VE NO IDEA WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PAY YOU. NO, NO. UH, YOU KNOW, I, MY OFFER, I MEAN, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO HR, BUT I'D OFFER THEM THE SAME THAT I'M PAYING MY EXPERIENCE VETERAN COUNSELOR RIGHT NOW, 41,000, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY TELLS YOU IS THE MAX I'LL LET YOU, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S FRUSTRATING. THE GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY IS TYING THE HANDS OF TRYING TO GET APPROPRIATE PEOPLE IN PLACE TO SERVE THE VETERANS OF BUFORD COUNTY. AND IF YOU HEAR MY FRUSTRATION IS THAT I'M JUST, I'VE GOT, I HAVEN'T CALLED YOUR OFFICE AND COMPLAINED. I WASN'T WORRYING ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR SINGLE INDIVIDUAL. I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER THE NUMBER IS 25,000 OR 45,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY THAT ARE VETERANS AND DESERVE A WELL-STAFFED WELL-RUN AND APPROPRIATELY MANAGED OFFICE TO SERVE THEM. AND WHETHER IT'S OUR ROLE OR COUNTY COUNCIL'S ROLE OR YOUR ROLE, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S BEING DONE TO THE GREATEST EXTENT THAT WE, UH, THAT, THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. UH, ONE LAST QUESTION THEN MS. ROBIN MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT UNLESS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THERE'S A WRITTEN REPORT THAT YOU OFFICE PUTS OUT. W WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THAT REPORT'S BEEN PUT OUT, OH, THIS HAS TO GO TO THE STATE TWICE A YEAR. RIGHT? SO WHEN'S THE LAST TIME I'M JUST TRYING TO, THAT IT HAS GREAT INFORMATION IN IT ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SERVED, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN PROCESSED THROUGH YOUR OFFICE. OKAY, GREAT. HERE'S A 7 31, 20 20 THROUGH 12 30, 1, 20 20. THE NUMBER OF CLAIMS PROCESS WAS 435 INTERVIEWS, CONSULTATION AND CONTACTS, A THOUSAND SPECIAL ED QUARRIES, 55 EDUCATION AND TRAINING INQUIRIES NINE, AND THEN 474, OTHER, OTHER BEING PEOPLE COMING INTO THE OFFICE TO ASK A QUESTION, GET A FORM, GET AN INCOME VERIFICATION, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES. SO THAT WAS JULY TO DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. CORRECT. OKAY. AND SO WHEN IS THE NEXT TIME YOU FILED A REPORT WITH JUNE? UH, THIS MONTH FOR JANUARY TO, THEY HAVEN'T ASKED FOR A JUNE REPORT YET BECAUSE THE MONTH ISN'T COMPLETED, BUT I'M SURE IN JULY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING, WE WILL HAVE A REQUEST FOR A MONTH FROM LAW GENERAL BRIMS LEE'S OFFICE TO PROVIDE A SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT. YOU KNOW, IT'D PROBABLY BE HELPFUL TO DO SOME ANALYSIS AS TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE PROCESSED THROUGH THE OFFICE IN BEAVER COUNTY, RELATIVE TO SOME OF OUR, UM, UH, PEERS IN OTHER COUNTIES, UM, TO, TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION, TO THEN SUPPORT THE REQUEST, UM, FOR AN ADDITIONAL FTE, IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S WARRANTED BASED ON THOSE NUMBERS, BUT ALSO, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE SALARY ADJUSTMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ONLY GOT ONE VIEW IN ONE PERSON THAT ARE THERE, UH, ONE COUNSELOR TODAY, YOU KNOW, BUT PROBABLY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN THE RIGHT LOCATION, UM, ON THAT, WITHIN THAT RANGE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DELEGATIONS WILLING TO HELP YOU, UH, INTERFACE WITH COUNTY COUNCIL TO GET THE APPROPRIATE TOOLS, UM, THAT YOUR OFFICE NEEDS, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THE, YOUR APPOINTMENT, THE DIRECTOR'S POSITION IS UP AND OPEN AT THIS TIME. THAT'S NOT ON THIS AGENDA TODAY. WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THAT. UM, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, OBVIOUSLY YOU CONTINUE TO, UM, SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR UNTIL WE'VE DONE SOMETHING. TYPICALLY WE GO THROUGH INTERVIEW PROCESSES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, WHICH, UM, W YOU KNOW, ISN'T ON OUR SCHEDULE TODAY AND WE DON'T INTEND TO DO SO, BUT, UM, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO ALL, UH, DOUBLE DOWN OUR EFFORTS IN MAKING SURE THAT THE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE IS RUNNING AS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. ANYBODY ELSE GOT A QUESTION FOR MR. WELDON, CARL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I APPRECIATE IT, MR. ROBIN, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT MS. ERICKSON OR OTHERS MAY HAVE ABOUT THE FUNDING THAT YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT OFFICE IS APPROPRIATELY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, ERIC GREENWAY IS RELATIVE TO THE OPERATING STAFF HAS FROZEN THE TOTAL, BUT THERE'S STILL PEOPLE BEING HIRED IN OTHER AGENCIES, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UH, HOWEVER, UM, NOTHING WOULD GIVE ME GREATER PLEASURE THAN HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE SOMETHING FROM THE DELEGATION THAT SAYS WE NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. AND AS A VETERAN AND AS AN ARMY BRAT, I, IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE TO HELP SHEPHERD THAT THROUGH THE [00:30:01] COUNCIL AND, UH, FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU IN THIS REGARD. THANK YOU. SO WHEN WE REVIEW THE COUNTY, COUNSEL'S REQUEST FOR $175,000 AND A FEW MINUTES TO DO REDO A PARK FACILITY THAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY. PERHAPS WE CAN INCLUDE A FOOTNOTE IN THAT LETTER THAT SAYS I'M INVITED TO HELP YOU ADDRESS THIS. AND THEN WE EXPECT, UH, THAT OUR CITIZENS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AS IN THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AREA AS WELL. AND THEY WOULD PROBABLY PAY US EVEN MORE ATTENTION TO THAT. COULD WE DO, I THINK MAYBE THE MOTION WILL COVER THAT. THANK YOU, MR. ROBIN, ALWAYS A PLEASURE. UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT BRINGS US TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS THE PARK AND REC, UH, DEVELOPMENT FUNDS AS INDICATED THERE ARE TWO REQUESTS. ONE IS THE BLADE IN THE STREET TENNIS COURT, UH, REQUEST BY THE BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. UM, THE SECOND IS THE SOUTH SIDE PARK AMENITIES. UM, UH, CITY OF BUFORD. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANY HISTORIC INFORMATION IN FRONT OF US WITH REGARD TO, UM, UH, HISTORIC AND BEYOND THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS GRANTS AND WHERE THEY WERE, UM, ALLOCATED. UM, MS. MAXINE, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2018 AND 2019 FUNDING WHERE, WHERE THOSE FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED? ANYBODY HAVE ANY RECALL? I REMEMBER THE LAST COUNTY GOT 50, 50,000 BELIEVE FOR THE SWIM GREEN STREET, FULL IMPROVEMENT, AND WE GOT 36, I BELIEVE. , I BELIEVE 2019. THERE WAS NOTHING. YEAH. SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN 1819, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 78,000 AND THEN AN 18, THEN THE 76,000. IT JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IN ALLOCATING THESE FUNDS, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LOOK OUT FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. UM, AND SO WHEN WE CONTINUE TO SEE REQUESTS THAT ARE BUFORD COUNTY, BUFORD CITY, W YOU KNOW, IT BEGS THE QUESTION. W WHAT ABOUT PORT ROYAL? WHAT ABOUT THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD? WHAT ABOUT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON? UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE CAN'T FORCE THEM TO MAKE A REQUEST. UM, BUT, UH, AND THEY'VE GOT THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE REQUESTS AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE. UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR CONCERN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TREATING EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY FAIRLY BECAUSE THESE MONIES DIDN'T JUST COME FROM ONE PARTICULAR PLACE. RIGHT. AND OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY THE COUNTY COUNSEL'S REQUEST IS EVEN THOUGH THESE PARTICULAR FACILITIES ARE LOCATED IN ONE PLACE IN THE COUNTY, IT ULTIMATELY BENEFITS, UM, THEIR JURISDICTION IS COUNTY-WIDE. SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYBODY HAVE ANY, THERE'S TWO REQUESTS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US, OR 175,000 760, 24 THAT'S COUNTY COUNSEL'S REQUEST WITH REGARD TO THE, UM, FINISHED COURTS. UM, AND, UM, IT'S PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL PROJECT, UM, AND THAT THIS FUNDING DOESN'T COVER THE WHOLE PROJECT, BUT A CERTAIN WAY OF PERHAPS A CONTRIBUTION TOWARD THAT. AND THEN THE CITY OF BUFORD REQUEST IS FOR SOUTH SIDE PARK AMENITIES. UM, AND THAT, I'M SORRY, MR. REQUEST FOR BY BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL WAS 175,000 7 60 24. UM, WHICH IS, UM, WHICH IS THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE 2020 AND 2021 FUNDING. UM, AND THE CITY OF BUFORD HAS A $50,000 REQUEST, UM, FOR SOUTH SIDE PARK, UM, IMPROVEMENTS. UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR 20% FROM THE CITY, 80% FROM PARD, UM, AND, UH, FOR SOME PARK BENCHES, TRASH CANS AND SWING SETS, UM, AT THE PARK. ANYBODY GOT ANY QUESTIONS? THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES. MA'AM. UM, THE NEW MONIES WILL BE ALLOCATED JULY 1ST. SO THERE'LL BE ANOTHER SET OF FUNDING THAT ROLLS AROUND ON, ON JULY ONE. UM, THE COUNTY'S REQUEST IS THE FULL TOTAL, UM, OF THE, THE REQUEST. NOW, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST TO OUR DELEGATION IS THAT WE FUND THE COUNTY'S REQUESTS AT $125,760 AND 24 CENTS, [00:35:02] UM, AND FUND THE CITY'S REQUEST, THE $50,000. AND THEN WE NEED TO REACH OUT SPECIFICALLY TO THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED FUNDING IN THIS PARTICULAR ROUND FOR THOSE MONIES THAT ARE COMING FOR US IN JULY AND PARTICULARLY ASK IF THEY HAVE NEED IN THOSE DIRECTIONS FOR OUR NEXT DELEGATION, UM, AWARDS. ALL RIGHT. UH, YES, SIR. I WOULD TEND TO AGREE WITH MS. ERICKSON. I THINK THE, UH, THAT'S INCUMBENT UPON THE MUNICIPALITIES TO REQUEST IT. I MEAN, YOU CAN'T STAND UP HERE AND ASK THEM TO REQUEST IT, SO, SO, NO, I AGREE. DON'T ASK YOU DON'T GET THE COUNT THE TOTAL. DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE COUNTY PROJECT IS? UH, YES. OR IF JUST IN HERE, SORRY, I DIDN'T WRITE THAT ONE DOWN. I ADDED IT UP, UM, IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE $400,000 RANGE. SO THEIR REQUEST IS FOR 30% OR MAYBE 40%, THE CITY'S REQUEST IS FOR 80% PROJECT. IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR. OKAY. UM, WELL, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE BASED ON THE REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, UM, IN FRONT OF US DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE BOTH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. WELL, ALL THREE, UH, PORT ROYAL BLUFF AND, UM, HILTON HEAD TO BE AWARE OF THESE, UM, GRANTS AND TO PURSUE THE SAME. I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NOTE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE TRANSMITTAL LETTER, ASSUMING THAT WE ALL VOTE AND APPROVE THIS, THE KIND OF FOOTNOTE THAT MR. RODMAN SUGGESTED THAT IN MAKING THIS FULFILLMENT AS GRANT REQUESTS OF THE COUNTY, WE'RE REMINDING THEM THAT WE NEED HELP IN THE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE AND WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK AND AN APPROPRIATE ATTENTION TO SERVE THE VETERANS IN BUFORD COUNTY. UM, , WE'RE NOT TELLING ANYTHING WE'RE KINDLY ASKING THAT IT BE DONE. UM, BUT CONDITIONING THAT ASK ON ON $125,000. SO, ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, I THINK MS. ERICKSON DID ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE. AYE. BOTH. UH, ALL GOOD. NEXT IS, UH, DNR, UM, WATER REC, UM, GAME AND FISH BOND REQUEST. GOOD MORNING, SIR. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, HOW ARE YOU? I'M WELL, GOOD TO BE GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY. YES, SIR. SO OUR REQUEST THIS YEAR, UM, WE'RE REQUESTING $70,500 FOR A NEW PATROL VESSEL FOR OFFICERS HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY. WE HAD ONE THAT WAS, UH, INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT AND, AND WE HAD TO TURN IT IN. WE WERE ABLE TO SALVAGE THE MOTOR OFF OF IT AND PUT IT ON ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PATROL VESSELS, BUT WE'RE GETTING A FEW MORE OFFICERS DOWN HERE. AND, UM, WE GOT TWO RIGHT NOW IN TRAINING THAT ARE COMING TO THE COUNTY. AND THEN, UM, HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO GET THINGS ABOUT NEXT YEAR BUDGET AND I'M GOING TO BE FIGHTING FOR GETTING SOME, EVEN, YOU KNOW, EVEN MORE OFFICERS DOWN HERE. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRYING TO GET THEM IN AND BETTER WORK, MORE RELIABLE WORK PLATFORM THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO WORK WHEN THEY GO OUT. AND, UM, THAT'LL INCLUDE A BOAT MOTOR TRAILER AND ELECTRONICS PACKAGE FOR THAT VESSEL. UH, THE NEXT REQUEST FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, I'M THE HUB CHAIRMAN FOR THE WHOLE, I GUESS, REGION FOR THE COASTAL SECTOR. SO I DO MRD OUR MARINE RESOURCES REQUEST AS WELL, BUT THE NEXT LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, REQUEST IS A FOUR WHEELER. UH, THE PHOTO WE HAD WAS STOLEN IN 2015 AND WE STILL HAVEN'T REPLACED IT. UM, WE HAD IT IN THE COMPOUND AND SOME OF MY BROKEN TOOK THAT SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS FROM THE COUNTY AS WELL. UM, AND WE JUST HAD TO REPLACE IT. THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE, UM, CRITICAL. WE DON'T USE THEM ON THE BEACH AS MUCH AS WE USED TO OBVIOUSLY CAUSE THE SALT WATER DOES TEAR THEM UP. SO WHAT, WHAT WE FOUND THERE, UH, PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN HIS SEARCH AND RESCUES AND OUR WOODED AREAS, UM, DURING A STORM, ANY KIND OF FLOODING OR HURRICANE, UM, THEY HELP US MOVE OFFICERS IN AND OUT OF THE AREA. UM, AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE IN BUFORD COUNTY RIGHT NOW. SO I USUALLY TRY TO STATION STUFF IN ONE NORTH AND ONE SOUTH BEND. SO THAT'S AN $8,000 REQUEST OUT OF THE GAME AND FISH. UH, THE MARINE RESOURCES SECTION IS REQUESTING AN OYSTER SHELL, UM, TO RESTOCK SKULL CREEK AND WALLACE CREEK, UM, SHELLFISH GROUNDS. WHAT HAPPENS OVER THE YEAR TO OUR STATE SHELLFISH GROUNDS. WE HAVE A TON OF THEM DOWN HERE IN BUFORD. [00:40:01] YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TAKE THE OYSTER, YOU'RE TAKING THE WHOLE RESOURCE, THERE'S NOT LIKE TAKING A FISH. THE FISH IS JUST GOING TO TAKE OYSTER, THE WHOLE HABITAT AND EVERYTHING'S GONE. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE GO AND PLANT THE SEED AND SHE'S LIKE SPAT FROM, FROM ALL THE OYSTERS OR, UM, OR WHATEVER. AND SO IT REPLANTS THESE SHELLFISH GROUNDS, THESE STATE SHELLFISH GROUNDS, WHICH ARE OPEN TO PUBLIC RECREATIONAL HARVEST. AND, UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE BEHIND ON THIS AND, AND TRYING TO GET SOME MORE SPAT PUT OUT IN THOSE AREAS, UH, TO ALLOW FOR MORE PUBLIC RECREATIONAL HARVEST. THOSE ARE TWO PRETTY GOOD AREAS FOR RECREATIONAL HARVEST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT FAR FROM BOAT LANDS THERE THEY'RE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AS WELL. SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO CATCH UP. WE'RE WE'RE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL AND WE'RE TRYING TO CATCH UP COAST-WIDE, BUT PARTICULARLY DOWN HERE AS WELL. UM, THIS IS A EVERY YEAR PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE REDOING THESE BEDS UP AND DOWN THE CASE, BUT, AND IN DIFFERENT AREAS, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR I'D PROBABLY, THEY WOULD PROBABLY ASK FOR MORE AND BE FREE COUNTY FOR BROAD RIVER OR WHEREVER ELSE. UM, AND THEN THE LAST REQUEST IS $500 FOR A MONITOR RECYCLING STATION, WHICH IS WE PUT THESE AT BOTH ATLANTA. AND SO IF A FISHERMAN'S OUT FISHING THAT DAY HAS A PRESCHOOL TECH LINE, HIS THING HAS TO CUT HIS LINES. UM, WHEN THEY GET BACK IN, INSTEAD OF THROWING THAT STUFF IN THE WATER, WE GIVE THEM A PLACE TO THROW IT ON THE BANK, LIKE A RECYCLING TYPE STATION. UH, AND JUST IN MY DIGGING, OBVIOUSLY I DO SOME HOMEWORK BEFORE COMING TO THE, BUT THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE REQUESTING THE MONITOR. THEY PRETTY MUCH LIVE OFF OF GRANT MONEY OR ANY KIND OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THEY REALLY HAVE VERY LITTLE FUN. SO I KNOW $500 IS A MINIMAL AMOUNT, BUT THEY REALLY DO RELY ON THAT FUNDING JUST IN ORDER TO BUY THE MATERIALS, BUT TO, TO CREATE THE, THE BOXES, I GUESS, ARE THE RECYCLING STATION. UM, SO THAT THAT'S THAT REQUEST IS THERE. OKAY. KEVIN PAUL. YES, SIR. I'M NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE, UH, THE FOSKEY FIASCO, ASK HIM FOR A DESTROYER. SO YOU'D BE ASKING FOR A DESTROYER. YEAH, A HELICOPTER. YEAH. I HEARD ABOUT THAT. I WAS UP IN, I WAS NOT DOWN HERE THAT WEEKEND, BUT, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A FEW LITTLE AREAS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON SOME COMMUNICATION STUFF WITH US IN THE COAST GUARD. WE WERE RIGHT THERE, BUT THE COAST GUARD DIDN'T HAVE A WAY TO GET LIKE IMMEDIATELY IN CONTACT WITH US. AND I'LL TELL YOU, HOPEFULLY PREVENT YOUR PRESENCE OVER HERE IN THE MAY. RIVER HAS BEEN EXCELLENT, SIR. UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON TOGETHER HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. UH, UH, AND I KNOW THE MORE OF YOU PROBABLY SEEN MORE BOATS OUT THERE THIS YEAR THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN IN SOME WAYS, I MEAN, IT'S UNBELIEF, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU RIDING AROUND LOCAL BOAT DEALERS HERE, YOU, YOU, I MEAN, THEIR, THEIR INVENTORY IS COMPLETELY GONE. IT'S JUST, EVERYBODY HAS A BOAT NOW. AND, AND YOU KNOW, OUR LOUNGE, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY WORKING WITH YOU, BUT CHAIRMAN NEWTON AND EVERYBODY ON THE DELEGATION, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, POINTING OUT THESE HOTSPOTS. YEAH. WE'VE PRETTY MUCH GOT OUR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND IN OUR COUNTIES, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING, WE'RE WORKING WITH A LOT OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND A LOT OF LOCAL LEADERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO IDENTIFY THESE PROBLEMS AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT AHEAD OF TIME. YOU KNOW, WE STARTED IN MARCH DOING SOME OF OUR INCREASED PATROLS AND SOME OF OUR HIGH ACTIVITY AREAS AND HOPEFULLY LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OUT. YEAH. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET COMPLAINTS, I MEAN, THAT'S VERY FEW PEOPLE COMPLIMENT, BUT YOU'VE GOT YOU WELL, GOTTEN A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS THIS YEAR ON A PRESENCE IN THAT. WE'LL TAKE THEM. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, KEVIN. COOL QUESTION. IF YOU WILL, THE $500 FOR THE RECYCLING STATION, IS THAT FOR ONE BOAT LANDING, UH, IT WOULD BE FOR ONE BOAT LANDING. I BELIEVE SIR. I CAN DOUBLE CHECK THAT AND LET YOU KNOW, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT'S ONE BECAUSE THE SAME, UM, THE SAME SECTION AND INDIVIDUAL HE'S REQUESTED PRETTY MUCH ABOUT SEVEN THEM UP AND DOWN THE COAST, EVEN, EVEN, YOU KNOW, FOR BERKELEY COUNTY, WHICH I'M, WHICH I'M THE HUB CHAIRMAN FOR TOO. UM, YOU KNOW, HE'S REQUESTED LIKE ONE FOR EACH COUNTY. AND, UM, SO I'M ASSUMING IT MAY, IT MAY BE MORE THAN ONE ACTUAL BECAUSE I THINK THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR, OH, AND PUT THE PLC, I MEAN, THE MATERIALS AREN'T THAT MUCH, BUT THE LABOR OF HAVING SOMEBODY TO GO OUT THERE AND DIG A HOLE AND SECURE IT AND ALL THAT STUFF. NO, HE DOES IT, HE DOES ALL THAT. SO I THINK WE CAN SAY THAT AND YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. IT'S JUST A POLE WITH A, LIKE A, YOU KNOW, SIX INCH PVC PIPE, YOU JUST SHOVED THE LINE DOWN IT AND THEN HE GOES . SO IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE MORE THAN ONE. I MEAN, I GUESS MY CONCERN AND WE HADN'T OBVIOUSLY VOTED ON THIS AND APPROVED IT, UM, IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD FROM FISHERMEN AND OBVIOUSLY LIVING HERE AND OBSERVING AND GROWING UP, UH, IN AND AROUND THE LANDING AND OBSERVING THERE'S A LOT OF THIS STUFF JUST GETS THROWN BY THE, WE OUGHT TO ENCOURAGE THIS TO BE DONE AT EVERY ONE OF OUR BOAT LINES. RIGHT. NOT TARGET ONE BOAT LANDING. SO PERHAPS A COMMUNICATION BACK TO THESE FOLKS THAT HAVE ASKED FOR THIS THAT SAYS THERE'S STILL MONEY IN BUFORD COUNTY IN THIS WATER REC FUND. UM, AND, UM, THEY ARE ALL ASSUMING MY COLLEAGUES AGREE THAT THIS IS A GOOD ACTIVITY. WE OUGHT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME ASK FOR MONEY, TO PUT IT IN EVERY BOAT LANDING THAT WE OKAY. I CAN CERTAINLY RELAY THAT MESSAGE. AND I [00:45:01] CAN GET YOU SOME STATS TOO, ON HOW MANY LANDON'S HABIT, YOU KNOW, IN THIS COUNTY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT AND HOW MUCH ONE COST OR WHATNOT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE PUT UP SIGNS, INFORMATIONAL SIGNS A LOT OF TIME, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DURING THE BEGINNING OF COVID, WE WERE HITTING EVERY LAND AND IN THE COUNTY. SO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY ASSIST OUR MARINE RESOURCES SIDE WITH, BUT I'LL GET THAT MESSAGE TO HIM TODAY. AND THEN I'LL, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU AS WELL. I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, WE'VE OBVIOUSLY PROCESSED THE REQUEST AS FAST AS YOU DON'T MAKE IT TWO WEEKS AFTER THE UPCOMING DELEGATION. MAYBE LAST QUESTION, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHY IS THE FOUR-TRACK WHY'D, Y'ALL ASKED FOR THAT FROM GAME AND FISH FUNDS INSTEAD OF WATER RAT. I MEAN, THERE'S STILL A BALANCE LEFT AND MORE REC, UM, IT'S JUST CURIOSITY, RIGHT? UH, WELL USUALLY WE CONSIDER, UM, YOU KNOW, FOUR WHEELERS GAME OF FISH FUND, JUST OUR UPLAND, OUR INLAND TYPE STUFF. SO WATER REC, WE TRY TO DO FOR OUR FISHING. WE ACTUALLY PUT OUR FISH AND RADIOS AND GAME AND FISH TOO. UM, AND ON THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T USE THE FUNDS LAST YEAR, OBVIOUSLY FOR COVID, BUT WE DO STILL HAVE THEM THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PLANNING ON MOVING FORWARD ALL THAT NEXT YEAR FOR US, OUR EFFICIENT RADIUS. BUT, BUT, UH, WE, ONE PART OF YOUR, ONE PART OF YOUR ANSWER WOULD BE TRADITIONALLY THAT'S WHERE IT'S BEEN PUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I CAME INTO THIS, EVEN, EVEN, YOU KNOW, 10, 15 YEARS AGO, BUT WE DO CONSIDER ENOUGH ON GAME FISH. WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A GOOD BIT OF HUNTING, UM, ON THE NORTHERN END OF THE COUNTY. AND, AND, UM, AND THOSE OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, GET OUT AND CHECK FOR TURKEY BAIT DEBATE AND WHATNOT AS WELL. AND IT WILL BE UTILIZED IN SOME ENFORCEMENT STUFF AS WELL. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS. OKAY. WELL, ANY, ANY, UH, ANY ISSUES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT BOARD MEMBER NAME? UH, WE, UH, I HAD SENT HIM OFF SHORE FISHING TODAY, SO RIGHT NOW WE THINK HE DOES A GOOD JOB YESTERDAY. THANKS. I'LL JUST INTERJECT. THANKS. I REALLY ECHO THE CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE, THE MONOFILAMENT LINES. YES, MA'AM. I MEAN, WE HAVE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TURTLE PATROLS OUT, UM, ON ALL OF OUR BEACHES AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC THINGS THAT THEY PICK UP AND, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT THAT GETS AROUND OUR, OUR TURTLES AND OUR VISION AND DESTROYS WHAT WE, WHAT WE WANT TO PRETEND. I LOVE SEEING THOSE AT OUR BOAT LANDING AND THEY'RE VERY WELL USED. SO I GOT TO THANK OUR CITIZENS WHEN THEY ARE THERE AND ALWAYS SEE SOMEBODY WALK UP AND, AND USE IT WHEN THEY FINISHED. SO AS MANY PLACES AS WE NEED THEM, PLEASE LET US KNOW. I WILL, I'LL, I'LL GET ON THAT TODAY. AND WE'LL TRY TO GET THEM UP ON SOME PRICE AND SOME STATS ON IT. AND THEN I WILL TRY TO GET THEM IN EVERY NIGHT. WONDERFUL. ANYBODY GOT ANY OTHER, UM, QUESTIONS AND CERTAINLY FOR PASSAGE UNDER MASON, THE RULES, NO SECOND IS REQUIRED. A QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL. SAY ANY OPPOSED. THANK YOU, SIR. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. THANKS FOR Y'ALL SUPPORT. ABSOLUTELY. NO. SHANNON, JUST TO COMMENT ABOUT THE FACILITIES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THEM BEING AT THE BOAT. LANDINGS KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK HAS BEEN DISCUSSED OVER THE YEARS, BUT NEVER REALLY ACTED ON IT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, RESTROOM FACILITIES AT MANY OF THE BOAT LANDINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. UM, AND I DO KNOW THAT I, THAT I BELIEVE THAT WHEN REC LINES CAN BE USED FOR THAT, AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR THAT. AND I SUSPECT PART FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR THAT. SO IT MAY BE WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION. I KNOW MR. ROBBINS, LISTENING TO THAT AS WELL, BUT PERHAPS A COALITION OF THE WILLING TO HELP LOOK AT WHETHER BATHROOMS ARE ABLE TO BE BUILT AT . NO, SIR, JUST MAKING SUGGESTIONS, THE BRIGHTER PEOPLE THAN ME, MR. RODMAN, UM, TO DO THAT, KEVIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I THINK THE NEXT TIME WAS THE RESERVE. OH, I'M SORRY. YEAH, LAST YEAR TOO. SO YOU WANT ME TO ROLL RIGHT INTO THIS? THIS IS, THIS IS A, UM, UH, SHOOTING PRESERVE REQUESTS ON SOME LAND OFF OF SECONDARY 33, WHICH IS RIVER ROAD OFF OF HIGHWAY 17 AND NORTHERN BEAVER COUNTY. IT WILL BE A PRIVATE PRESERVE AND WHAT THE PRESERVE DOES ALLOWS THEM TO SHOOT LONGER THAN THE, THAN THE STATE, UM, SEASONS. AND IT DOES NOT ELIMINATE, THEY USUALLY THEY'RE PUTTING OUT THEIR OWN QUAIL. THIS IS JUST A QUAIL REQUEST. UM, THEY'LL PUT OUT THEIR OWN QUILL, THEY MANAGE THEIR, THEY MANAGE THEIR OWN HARVEST AND, AND, UM, KEEP RECORDS. AND THEY SIT IN A RECORD BACK INTO IS WE SENT AN OFFICER OUT. UH, THIS ONE HAS SO MUCH LIFTED A CRACK, BUT WE WERE OPPONENT. NOW IT PASSED OUR INSPECTION. THERE WAS A CHURCH THAT WAS CLOSE BY THE CHURCH HAS NOT HELD ANY SERVICES SINCE COVID STARTED. AND THE OWNER OF THE PRESERVE IS NOT PLANNING ON HUNTING ON SUNDAY MORNINGS OR ANYTIME THAT THE SERVICE MAY BE GOING ON. BUT THAT'S THE ONLY, THAT WAS THE ONLY CONCERN IS OFF THE HIGHWAY. UM, SO NO, NO ISSUES ON OUR END. UM, AFTER OUR INSPECTION, I THINK WE INCLUDED A MAP IN [00:50:01] THE PACKET THAT WE MAY HAVE SECOND Y'ALL. UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM ANY QUESTIONS, ANYBODY ON THE, UH, REQUEST COMMENTS, MOTION. THANKS. NO SECOND REQUIRED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, SIR. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING, UH, FOCUSING BEAUTIFUL KIM. WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU AND YOUR GUYS ARE DOING. OKAY. UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE NOW, UH, MOVING INTO OUR, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, APPOINTMENTS. UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, WITH REGARD TO VARIOUS APPOINTMENTS, UM, INCLUDING ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE, UH, BEING CONSIDERED, UH, TODAY NOTICE, UM, I THINK THAT DURING COVID, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ADDITIONAL NOTICE, BUT I KNOW THAT NOTICE WAS PUT OUT ON MAY THE 11TH, UM, SEEKING SOLICITATIONS FOR THE VARIOUS, UH, BOARDS, AGENCIES, AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE EITHER APPOINT OR RECOMMEND TO THE GOVERNOR, UH, TO APPOINT. AND, UH, MS. MAXIE, I THINK WE WILL CONFIRM THAT THE, UH, REPRESENT ALL OF THE RESPONSES THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FOR THOSE OFFICES, FOR WHICH THERE ARE APPOINTMENTS OR REAPPOINTMENTS, UM, THAT ARE OUT OUT THERE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, GETTING THAT TOGETHER. UH, FOR US LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FIRST WE HAVE IS THE BROAD PRE PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT. UM, THERE ARE TWO VACANCIES, ONE AS A RESULT OF A DEATH TWO AS A, UH, WITH THE SECOND WITH REGARD TO A RELOCATED MEMBER. AND WE HAVE ONLY TWO APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE, UH, BEEN RECEIVED. UM, WE HAVE MR. DEAN LEIGHTON, UH, AND, UH, MR. GLENN, FRANKLY, UM, I DO IT IS, IF YOU ALL LOOK ON YOUR SUMMARY SHEET, THERE IS A DISTINCTION AS TO WHEN, BECAUSE OF COVID THESE TWO SEATS, UH, WOULD START, UM, UH, AS NOTED IF I MISS, IF NOMINATED, MR. LAYTON WOULD BE COMPLETING MR. DOUGAL'S THREE-YEAR TERM THAT BEGAN JULY 11TH, 2019 AND EXPIRING JULY 11TH, 2022, THAT MR. LEIGHTON WOULD BE COMPLETING THE PARTIALLY UNEXPIRED TERM, UM, JULY OF NEXT YEAR. THE NEXT ACTUALLY SAYS THE TERM EXPIRES JULY 11TH, 2021. IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S MAXIMUM. OKAY. UM, SO CAN WE APPOINT HIM TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM THAT EXPIRES JULY 11TH, 2021 AND APPOINT HIM TO A SUCCESSIVE THREE-YEAR TERM AFTER THAT? I MEAN, IT SEEMS SILLY THAT WE'RE APPOINTING SOMEBODY FOR THREE WEEKS, THE HOSTED, YOU PROBABLY WON'T EVEN GET INTO COLUMBIA, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE BY THAT TIME. I WILL NOTE THAT ON OUR, I BELIEVE I CAN NOTE THAT. AND IF THAT'S THE MOTION THAT YOU MAKE THAT WOULDN'T MAKE BE DELIGHTFUL. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE BROAD CREEK PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT, UM, CONDUCTS AN INTERNAL REFERENDUM, UM, AMONG THEIR, UH, CUSTOMERS, UM, TO PROVIDE US RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THESE TWO GENTLEMEN, UM, UH, ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE MEETINGS NOW, UM, THEY TREAT THEM AS COMMISSIONERS ELECT AND THEY ARE THE FOLKS THAT GOT THE LARGEST NUMBER OF VOTES AT THE, UH, UH, REFEREE 2020, UH, REFERENDUM. AND THERE'S A LETTER FROM CARRIE GRIFFIN, WHO'S COUNSEL FOR BROAD CREEK PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT AND OUR PACKET AS WELL AS THE APPLICATION. SO IT'D BE APPROPRIATE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION CHAIRMAN. I WOULD MOVE THAT. WE ACCEPT THE TWO NOMINATIONS AND, UH, ADD THE CONSECUTIVE TERM FOLLOWING FOR, UH, MR. FRANKLY, FRANKEL, UM, MR. GLENN FRANKEL, UM, FOR THE BROAD CREEK PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT. THANKS. NO SECOND REQUIRED QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, THOSE IN FAVOR APPROVAL OF BOTH, UH, NOMINATIONS TO BE RECOMMENDED TO THE GOVERNOR, INCLUDING, UH, THE ADDITIONAL FULL THREE-YEAR [00:55:01] TERM FOR MR. FRANKLY. UM, PLEASE INDICATE SO BY SAYING AYE, ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. NEXT IS THE BUFORD. DID YOU ASK FOR A HIGHER ED, UH, COMMISSION? WE HAVE, UH, ONE VACANCY, THREE, UH, ONE VACANCY AS A RESULT OF A RESIGNATION THREE, UM, SEATS THAT ARE OPEN AND, OR TO BE OPEN, UM, BECAUSE OF, UH, EXPIRED TERMS WITH WILLING INDIVIDUALS SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT, UM, BEFORE YEAR, UM, TERM OR THE RESIGNATION BEGAN JUNE 30TH, 2020 EXPIRES JUNE 30, 20, 24. THAT WAS JOHN MCKINSEY OR BUBBA MCKINSEY. FOR THOSE OF US, WHO'VE KNOWN MR. MCKENZIE FOR A LONG TIME. HE RESIGNED AND DR. BRENDA C LITCHFIELD, UM, HAS APPLIED FOR THAT POSITION. HER RESUME IS IN THERE ALONG WITH, UM, I THINK SOME, UH, RECOMMENDATION INFORMATION, UH, FOR HER OTHERWISE. THE OTHER THREE, UM, ARE INDIVIDUALS WE WERE AWARE OF THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED IN OUR SEEKING REAPPOINTMENTS THOSE BEING JANE KAISER, SIMON FRAZIER, AND LARRY ROLAN, OUR LOCAL HISTORIAN. YES, SIR. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR MOTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN? I WOULD MOVE THAT. WE ACCEPT THE FOUR APPLICANTS FOR THE FOUR POSITIONS AVAILABLE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE. AYE. YOU POSED YOU GUYS HAVE IT. NEXT IS BUFORD JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY. WE HAVE A RESIGNATION, UH, APRIL OF 2020, UM, MR. DONALD MANSON ONE APPLICATION RECEIVED FROM MR. ROB MICK FEE, AS YOU ALL WILL NOTE IN THE PACKAGE, APPARENTLY COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, ATTEMPTED TO NOMINATE, UH, MR. MCPHEE DIRECTLY WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE LAST FALL, UM, AND WAS ADVISED THAT THAT'S NOT WITHIN THE PROVINCE OF COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, TO MAKE THAT NOMINATION. UM, THE LAW ACTUALLY PROVIDES A COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, US OF THREE PERSONS WHO MAY BE IN TURN RECOMMENDED BY THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, UM, OF BUFORD TO THE GOVERNOR FOR APPOINTMENT. UM, THERE IS ONLY ONE, UM, RECOMMENDATION THAT IS BEFORE US. AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, MR. MCPHEE FOR MANY YEARS, UM, WAS THE, UM, UH, WITH THE COUNTY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. SO WITH THAT, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR MOTION CHAIRMAN. I ADMITTED, WE ACCEPT MR. MURPHY'S APPLICATION AND THANK HIM FOR HIS CONTINUED SERVICE. HE HAS MOVED AROUND AND HAVING HIM ON THE WATER AUTHORITY WILL BE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO THE BOARD. NO SECONDS REQUIRED. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, SAY, AYE, YOU POSED AS HABIT NEXT, LOW COUNTRY RESORT AND ISLAND TOURISM COMMISSION. HELLO, MS. MORRISON, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? UM, WE HAVE THREE, UM, VACANCIES AND THREE APPLICATIONS. UH, WE HAVE ONE SOMEBODY WHO'S NO LONGER WITH THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER. WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT RETIRED, UH, OH, EXCUSE ME. WE DO HAVE ONE THAT IS SEEKING A, UH, REAPPOINTMENT WHOSE TERM EXPIRED JUNE OF 2019. WE WOULD BE APPOINTING REAPPOINTING HIM TO A TERM EXPIRING IN JUNE OF 2023. UH, APPROPRIATE INFORMATION FOR ALL OF THE CANDIDATES WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET, AS WELL AS THE SIGNED APPLICATION. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR MOTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE LOW COUNTRY RESORT ISLAND AND TOURISM COMMISSION AS CHAIRMAN, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT A SLATE OF THE THREE NOMINEES AND, UM, ALSO NOTE THE WONDERFUL SERVICE OF, UH, MR. JACK REED AND MS. JEAN GRAM WILLIAMSON PREVIOUSLY ON THE BOARD. WE'LL MISS THEIR SERVICE, [01:00:01] UH, GREATLY, BUT, UM, HAVE WONDERFUL APPLICANTS THIS TIME AS WELL. SO FOR PASS ALL THOSE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE, IT'S HABIT, SOUTH ISLAND, PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT, UH, COMMISSION. UM, WE HAVE, UH, THREE, UM, OPENINGS, UH, ON THE BOARD, MR. JAMES RICHARDSON, JOHN FELON AND ALAN JACKSON, UM, REAPPOINTED, MR. RICHARDSON, FAILING AND JACKSON WAS SERVE A THREE-YEAR TERM BEGINNING JULY 1ST, 2021, WHICH WILL EXPIRE JULY 1ST, 2020 FOR EACH OF THEM, OR THERE TODAY AND HAVE BEEN APPOINTED AND SERVED, UM, MORE THAN ONE TERM. UH, HOWEVER, THE, UH, THESE, UH, THEY'RE UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT IN JULY, UM, THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE THREE APPLICATIONS. SO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. YES, SIR. CHAIRMAN. I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE, UH, DIVIDE THESE OUT, DIVIDE THE QUESTION ON HERE FOR RICHARDSON AND JACKSON, BECAUSE MR. FALLON IS A RELATIVE OF MINE. I'D LIKE TO RECUSE MYSELF ON THAT MATTER. AND SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH, HE'S VERY QUALIFIED. I MEAN, FOR A RELATIVE OF MINE TO BE QUALIFIED SAYING, BUT, BUT I THINK IT'S INAPPROPRIATE THAT, UH, I NOT VOTING FOR MR. FALLON. YOU WANT US TO VOTE ON THE ISSUE OF QUALIFICATION NO, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO MY ATTENTION. UM, THE, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, DOES MR. FALLON KNOW THAT HE IS JUST POTENTIALLY ARMED HIS CHANCES OF PASSING. SO AT THIS POINT, IT'D BE APPROPRIATE FOR A MOTION WITH REGARD TO MR. RICHARDSON AND MR. JACKSON AND THEIR REAPPOINTMENT FROM JULY 1ST, 2021 TO ON JULY 1ST, 2024. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE, ANY OPPOSED AS HABIT, UM, MS. ERICKSON, I UNDERSTAND YOU NOW HAVE ANOTHER MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE NEXT NUMBER, SIR, UH, WOULD VOTE THAT WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, UH, MR. FALLON'S APPOINTMENTS. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR RECUSALS EXCUSAL. THANK YOU, MR. CARSON, AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ONE REFUSAL TO BE NOTED ON THE FORM, MS. ERICK, WHEN I GET TO THE FORM, I GET IT. UM, NEXT IS THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY AREA COMMISSION. UM, WE HAVE ONE RESIGNATION DUE TO A RELOCATION. UM, THE, UM, UH, MS, MR. BILL BOODLE, UM, HIS TERM CURRENTLY EXPIRES, UH, JUNE 30, 22. SO THIS NOMINEE AND, UH, IS TO SERVE THE UNEXPIRED BALANCE OF THE TERM UNTIL THAT POINT IN TIME, WE HAVE TWO NOMINATIONS BEFORE US. ONE IS MR. RICHARD K TO ME AND THE OTHER IS RICHARD E. ROSS INFORMATION REGARDING BOTH OF THOSE GENTLEMEN ARE INCLUDED ALONG WITH, UM, THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE TC L COMMISSION, UH, AS IS IT'S A ROUTINE, UM, RECOMMENDING ONE OF THE TWO CANDIDATES FOR APPOINTMENT, UM, TO THAT BOARD. THEN THERE IS THE SECOND, UH, APPLICANT DOES NOT BAYER THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE TCL COMMISSION, BUT DOES INCLUDE, UM, A NUMBER OF LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION, UM, FROM FOLKS ON, UM, UH, LESCHI ISLAND WHERE THAT INDIVIDUAL, SO, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ABOUT THE TWO CANDIDATES AND OR MOTION MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD MAKE A COMMENT THAT EMOTION, UM, BOTH CANDIDATES ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO HAVE AN OPTION TO HAVE A CHOICE, UM, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION FOR THIS SPECIFIC POSITION, UM, I FIND THAT, UH, [01:05:01] DR. RICK TO ME IS THE MOST, UM, SPECIFICALLY QUALIFIED FOR THIS, UH, BOARD APPOINTMENT, UM, GIVEN THAT OUR UNIVERSITY AND OUR TECHNICAL COLLEGE, UM, IS WORKING SO, SO HARD ON OUR MEDICAL, IN OUR, UH, HIGHER ED SITUATIONS. UM, AND THAT IS MR. TIMMY'S BACKGROUND AS FORMER CEO OF, BEFORE A HOSPITAL AND DIRECTOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA, D HECK HE, HIS, UM, HIGHLY AND UNUSUALLY QUALIFIED TO BE ON THIS POSITION. SO THAT WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE MR. TOOMEY'S DENOMINATION, BUT ALSO, UM, THANK OUR OTHER APPLICANTS AND HOPE THAT HE WILL OFFER HIMSELF FOR ANOTHER POSITION OR THIS ONE. SHOULD THERE BE ANOTHER OPENING? THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM NO. SURE. THESE ARE KIND OF LIKE FOUR, UM, SPOTS THAT ARE, ARE, ARE COUNTY WIDE. UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I SHOULD NOTE ALSO THAT THE, UH, MR. BILL BOODLE, WHO HAS RESIGNED, UM, WAS AN EXEMPLARY MEMBER OF THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY. AND, UM, HAD, HAS ONLY RESIGNED DUE TO HIS RELOCATION, WHICH, UM, CAME TO BE NEAR FAMILY AS HE AND HIS WIFE ARE AGING. AND AS A DECORATED MILITARY VETERAN, UM, HE WAS A VERY FINE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW EVERYBODY HATES TO SEE THAT BILL IS GONE. UM, HE, HE, HE SERVED, UM, THIS COUNTY IN MANY, MANY CAPACITIES AND IN FACT, OUR REGION. SO THANK YOU, MS. ERICKSON, MR. HUB GROSSMAN, TO YOUR POINT WHILE THAT NOT GEOGRAPHIC REQUIREMENTS, IT'S, IT'S APPROPRIATE. JUST TO NOTE IN REVIEWING THE APPLICANTS THAT, UM, FROM THE FOUR MEMBERS FROM BUFORD COUNTY, WE HAVE ONE FROM HILTON HEAD, ONE FROM BLUFFTON. UM, UH, AND MR. BOODLE WAS, UM, FROM THE BUFORD AREA, UM, AS WELL AS MR. BOOZER. SO, UM, UH, BUT THOSE AREN'T PRESCRIBED. I KNOW, BUT I THINK THAT AT THE SAME TIME WE TRY AND KEEP IT PRETTY FAIR THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LARGE AND DIVERSE COUNTY AND, UH, COMMUNITIES ARE, ARE, UH, ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT, UM, IN, IN THE COUNTY. SO IT'S APPROPRIATE TO NOTE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND, OR MOTION YOU ALREADY MADE THAT, UH, NO SECONDS REQUIRED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE, NONE, UH, AS HEAVEN, THE LAST, UM, UH, NOMINATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FOR GOVERNOR APPOINTMENTS WE HAVE TODAY, OR THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION, UM, FOR BUFORD COUNTY, UM, WE HAVE ONE VACANCY. WE HAVE, UH, THREE EXPIRED TERMS, UH, BY SITTING MEMBERS. UM, THE, UM, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED, UH, SIX APPLICATIONS TO, UH, NEW APPLICATIONS. AND LET ME MAKE SURE THIS IS RIGHT AS I'M READING THIS, UH, THREE, THREE NEW APPLICATIONS, UM, AND THREE WHO ARE, UH, SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT. UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THIS IS A NINE PERSON BOARD. UM, THAT GENERALLY IS, IS GEOGRAPHICALLY BALANCED. UH, THE STATUTES GOVERNING APPOINTMENTS, UH, DO PROVIDE THAT AT LEAST ONE APPOINTEE MUST BE A MEMBER OF A MAJORITY POLITICAL PARTY. ONE APPOINTEE MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE LARGEST MINORITY, UH, POLITICAL APPOINTEE. AND, UM, THE APPOINTMENTS GENERALLY ARE, UM, SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. UM, WE HAVE ONE VACANCY AND THAT IS THE SEAT THAT WAS FORMERLY HELD BY, UH, FLO ROSSI, UM, WHO RESIGNED IN DECEMBER. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THREE, UM, UH, MEMBERS WHOSE TERMS ARE EXPIRING, UH, MISS AYLEEN MITCHELL, UH, FROM THE BLUFFTON AREA, MR. CRAIG KELLY, UM, WHO IS FROM THE BLUFFTON AREA AND MISS JEAN FELIX, WHO IS FROM THE BUFORD AREA. UM, THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT AT THIS TIME, UM, ARE FROM, UH, HILTON HEAD, [01:10:01] UH, BUFORD, BUFORD, BUFORD, AND B HAVE THE REMAINING, UM, SIX APPLICATIONS, DAVID LUCAS, JAMES WEDGWORTH, UH, MATTHEW SWEENEY, ALL THE THREE NEW APPLICATIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED, UH, WITH THEIR, UH, INFORMATION AND SIGNED APPLICATION IN PACKAGES. UM, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, UM, I WILL NOTE MS. ROSSI WAS A RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UM, UH, WHO RESIGNED? YES. MA'AM IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THE INTEREST IN THESE POSITIONS. UM, WE DID HAVE TO POST THESE POSITIONS SEVERAL TIMES, UM, FOR THESE, THESE PARTICULAR VACANCIES, BUT, UM, GIVEN AS MR PERSON SAID A MOMENT AGO, THAT WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE OUR COUNTY IS REPRESENTED IN A, IN A FULL AND FAIR MANNER, AS OFTEN AS WE CAN. UM, I WOULD OFFER THAT WE REAPPOINT, UM, IS ALLIE MITCHELL, MR. CRAIG PELLI AND MS. JEAN FELIX TO SERVE IN THE NEXT TERM IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CATEGORIES. UM, MS. MITCHELL AND MR. PELLEY SERVING THE BLUFFTON AREA. AND, UH, I BELIEVE THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER MEMBER OF THIS GROUP THAT SERVES IN THE BOSTON AREA. UM, MS. FELIX IS A BEEF HERD RESIDENT. UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND AND MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE MR. JAMES WEDGWORTHS, UH, APPOINTMENT TO MS. ROSSI SPOT, GIVEN THE HILTON HEAD, UM, DESIGNATION AND HIS COMMUNITY WORK AND ACTIVITY MOVING FORWARD PAST THAT PRESENCE. THANK YOU, MS. ERICKSON FOR YOUR COMMENTS TO ONE OF THE, ACTUALLY THE ONLY TWO MEMBERS ON THE BOARD FROM BLUFFTON ARE MR. PELTIER AND MS. MITCHELL, THAT THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO, ALL THE REST ARE FROM OTHER, OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY. UM, EACH OF THOSE THREE INDIVIDUALS, IF I'M CORRECT, UM, HAVE, UH, COMPLETED ONLY ONE TERM OF OFFICE. YES. LET ME MAKE SURE THAT'S CORRECT. UM, AND THEN AS YOU KNOW, UM, AND AS THE DELEGATION IS DISCUSSED IN THE PAST, WE DO HAVE SOME MEMBERS THAT HAVE SERVED, UM, MULTIPLE TERMS, UM, THAT ARE NOT UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT TODAY, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY AN ISSUE WE ALL NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF WHEN WE'RE, UM, CONSIDERING APPOINTMENTS. UM, LET ME SEE. OKAY. UM, UH, DID YOU MAKE A MOTION? I DID. YOU KNOW, WHAT? YOU JUST SO SMOOTH ABOUT IT. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT. UM, BUT THANK YOU. AND I'VE, I'VE LEARNED FROM YOU. SO THE THREE REAPPOINTMENTS AND MR. WEDGWORTH TO FILL MS. ROSSI'S VACANCY WAS MY MOTION HE'S HILTON HEAD AND SHE WAS HILTON HEAD. GOT IT. I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE. YEAH. UM, MS. CHAIRMAN, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TROUBLE FILLING THESE AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH, UM, A COUPLE OF THESE, A COUPLE OF APPLICATIONS. YES, SIR. AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME EXTREMELY QUALIFIED PEOPLE FOR THE, I MEAN, REALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BEAR IN MIND THAT WE HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT. AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, IS THAT RIGHT? RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR OR TWO, UH, UM, AND JUST MOVING INTO 2022, WE'LL HAVE, YEAH. WE'LL JUST HOPE THAT WE, YEAH, WE JUST HOPE THAT WE, UH, KEEP THE INTEREST UP. PERHAPS WE COULD KEEP THESE APPLICATIONS AND ASK THOSE APPLICANTS IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO HOLD THEM OVER FOR THOSE NEXT POSITIONS. YEAH. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE. I MEAN, YOU'LL KNOW SOME, WELL, ALL THESE APPLICATIONS ARE, UH, RELATIVELY RECENT. SOME ARE, UH, CERTAINLY IN THE CASE OF MR. WEDGWORTH, UM, THERE WAS A PRIOR APPLICATION FOR THE OPENING AND NO ACTIONS TAKEN ON THAT, UH, DUE TO COVID, UM, AND, UH, THE DELEGATION NOT HAVING A MEETING. UM, BUT I, I DO NOTE THAT MR. CARSON, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT NO, FORTUNATELY WE'VE GOT, UH, INTEREST, UM, UH, SURPRISINGLY THE FOLKS ON HILTON HEAD, THEY'RE NOT SURPRISING, BUT THE FOLKS ON HILTON HEAD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB, UH, FINDING AND ENCOURAGING CANDIDATES TO APPLY THAN IT APPEARS TO HAVE COME FROM THE BLUFFTON AREA AT THIS POINT. UM, AND, UH, [01:15:01] AS THE APPLICANTS THAT WE RECEIVED, OTHER THAN A REAPPOINTMENT, WE RECEIVED NOBODY FROM THE BOSTON AREA. UM, SO, UM, WITH THAT, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, IF NONE, UM, CALL THE QUESTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY, AYE, ANY OPPOSED THE AYES HAVE IT. AND ANY OF THOSE FOLKS, IF YOU'RE HERE, CONGRATULATIONS, I KNOW THAT I SEE AT LEAST ONE OF OUR APPLICANTS HERE, RECENT APPLICANTS, AND THEN ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE. WE'VE GOT OTHER APPOINTMENTS COMING UP AND SOME OF THOSE VACANCIES ARE HILTON HEAD VACANCIES. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND BE A PART OF THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT THIS GROUP DOES. UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I DO NOT KNOW OF ANY NEED FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, THAT NEED TO BE SHARED WITH THE DELEGATION OR THE PUBLIC? IF NOT, I APPRECIATE YOU. ALL'S TIME AND EFFORT AND BEING HERE, LOOK FORWARD TO TOM Y'ALL ARE HEADED BACK TO COLUMBIA ON MONDAY AS WELL. UM, HOPEFULLY WE'LL ALL BE THERE FOR A BRIEF TIME AND GET THAT BUDGET DONE AND THEN GO BACK, I GUESS, ON THE 29TH TO DEAL WITH BUDGET VETO TUESDAY. SO, UM, WITH THAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU. WE ARE ADJOURNED SINCE 2007, THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS BROUGHT MEETINGS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND EVENTS TO BEAVER COUNTY. NOW THE COUNTY CHANNEL HAS A NEW WAY OF INFORMING YOU OF HAPPENINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY COUNTY CHANNEL RADIO, BRING YOU ALL THE FAVORITES OF THE SIXTIES, SEVENTIES, AND EIGHTIES. PLUS THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW TO LISTEN, GO TO BC GOV.NET AND CLICK ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL RADIO LOGO COUNTY CHANNEL RADIO, YOUR SOURCE FOR INFORMATION IN DIFFERENT COUNTY. THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND, GO TO BUFORD COUNTY SE.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS. CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM BLISS CALL TO ORDER 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 IS LARRY ROLAND. THIS IS A BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT. ONE OF THE GREAT CHARACTERS OF RECONSTRUCTION BUFORD WAS A FELLOW NAMED THOMAS IS THE KILLED MILLER. THOMAS MILLER WAS BORN IN FREEBIE VILLE IN WHAT IS NOW JASPER COUNTY IN 1849. HE WAS A FREE BLACK. IN FACT, A LOT OF PEOPLE COULDN'T TELL THAT HE WAS BLACK. HE WAS VERY MUCH MIXED BLOOD GENTLEMEN, AND HE WAS SENT NORTH TO LINCOLN UNIVERSITY FOR HIS EDUCATION SHORTLY AFTER THE CIVIL WAR. HE WAS A BOY DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND HE RETURNED TO BUFORD JUST AS THE RECONSTRUCTION PROSPERITY WAS BEGINNING. HE READ THE LAW WAS ADMITTED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR WAS A PROMINENT ATTORNEY IN BUFORD FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS. HE WAS ELECTED TO THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE STATE SENATE. HE BECAME A PROTEGE OF ROBERT SMALLS WHO WAS 10 YEARS, HIS SENIOR, AND HE FOLLOWED ROBERT SMALLS IN MANY OF HIS POLITICAL POSITIONS IN THE STATE HOUSE IN THE STATE SENATE. AND THOMAS MILLER WAS IN THE 1890S. AFTER ROBERT SMALLS LEFT THE UNITED STATES. CONGRESS, THOMAS MILLER SERVED A TERM IN THE U S CONGRESS IN 1896. THOMAS IAN MILLER WAS SELECTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNOR TO BE THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY OPENED IN 1896. HE REMAINED PRESIDENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY. IN FACT, THE FOUNDER OF THE INSTITUTION, THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTION FROM 1896 TO 1913, WHEN HE RETIRED, MOVED TO CHARLESTON AND DIED IN 1933, THOMAS MILLER HAD A VERY INTERESTING HISTORY AND IT'S VERY REFLECTIVE OF RECONSTRUCTION OF BUFORD BECAUSE HE WAS MIXED BLOOD. HE COULD NEARLY PASS AS A WHITE [01:20:01] MAN WHEREVER HE WENT, BUT THIS TURNED OUT TO BE A POLITICAL LIABILITY FOR HIM. IN LATE TIMES, HE WAS NICKNAMED BY HIS POLITICAL ENEMIES, THE CANARY BIRD, AND WHEN HE DIED AND WAS BURIED IN BROTHERHOOD CEMETERY IN CHARLESTON, HE HAS INSCRIBED ON HIS TOMBSTONE, AN INSCRIPTION THAT SAID NOT HAVING LOVED THE WHITE MAN LESS, BUT FEELING THE BLACK MAN NEEDED TO BE MORE. THOMAS MILLER WAS A MAN OF TWO WORLDS. THIS IS LARRY ROLAND. THIS HAS BEEN THE BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT TO SEE MORE BUFORD COUNTY MOMENTS, GO TO THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB IN HERE. IT'S STILL ACTUALLY A STRIDOR MARICULTURE AND OH SEVEN. THEY LOVE THE BUFORD SINGLE OSTER. THE MOTHER NATURE ONLY GIVES YOU A FEW OF THEM, BUT WE KNEW WE HAD TO ACTUALLY START GROWING THEM TO MEET DEMAND. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING EVER SINCE. WE'RE ACTUALLY FROM MARYLAND, VIRGINIA AREA, CHESAPEAKE BAY, AND JUST AS A KID MESS AROUND WITH OYSTERS ALL THE TIME. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU DO. THERE'S PROBABLY 40, 50,000 OYSTERS THIS YEAR. WE SHOULD BE UP AROUND QUARTER MILLION, GET A LITTLE SHOW AND TELL HERE, WE'RE PULLING THESE BIGGER ONES OUT AND THEY'LL GO INTO A BIGGER MESH BAG IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS, USUALLY THREE INCHES, AND THEN A ROLL BAR AND TROUGH, RIGHT? LET ME HAND YOU THESE BACK, RIGHT? YOU DON'T WANT TO DROP THAT. THE FINAL PRODUCT IS A THREE INCH OYSTER, WHICH WE'RE ABOUT TO GO GET YOU IN A LITTLE BIT. WE GOT ACCOLADES ALL DAY LONG. IF THE PEOPLE IN BUFORT LOVE THEM BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW OYSTERS AND THEY SAY, THEY'RE GOOD. THEY'RE GOOD. UH, FRANK BRUNEI FROM THE NEW YORK TIME HAD OYSTERS AT THE ORDINARY, WHICH IS A FINE RESTAURANT. JAMES BEARD AWARD-WINNING CHEF. THEY HAD EIGHT OYSTERS ON THE MENU. HE ATE, ATE ONE OF EACH. WHEN HE CALLED CHEF LOD OVER AND, UH, POINTED TO OUR OYSTER AND SAID, THIS WAS THE BEST CHOICE I'VE EVER EATEN. AND HE WENT AND ATE THREE DOZEN MORE AND THEN WENT ON TWITTER, 300,000 FOLLOWERS AND SAID, CONNIE, EAT THESE OYSTERS. THEY'RE THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD. A LOT OF PHONE CALLS CAME FROM OUT OF STATE AND WE'RE JUST NOT SET UP TO SHIP OUT OF STATE YET. WE'RE WORKING ON IT. WE'VE GOT TO SATISFY THE NEEDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. FIRST WE'LL DROP THE TANK AND THE WATER WILL PASS THROUGH THIS SHIFT, BUT THE RV IS GOING TO 70 A MICRON. SO THERE'LL BE CAPTURED ON THE SHIP. IT LOOKS LIKE COFFEE GROUNDS IN HERE. THEN WE'LL TAKE THIS. THAT'S CAPTURED HERE, PUT THEM IN THESE CUPS WITH FILTERED SEAWATER. THEN WE'LL TAKE A SAMPLE OF THAT AND PUT IT UNDER THE MICROSCOPE, THE SIZE AND HOW MANY WE HAVE DETERMINES HOW MUCH FOOD THEY GET BACK IN THE TANK. WHEN WE RELOAD THE TANKS WITH FILTERED WATER, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR AT LEAST 21 TO 25 DAY CYCLE. IT'S LIKE HAVING A LOT OF LITTLE PUPPIES. I LEARNED PRETTY QUICKLY THAT I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE RAN OUT OF OYSTERS IN THE WILD. IT TAKES TOO LONG FOR OUR MARKET DEMAND TO GET A SINGLE WILD OYSTER. SO I WENT TO UP HATCHERIES AROUND THE EAST COAST, LEARNING FROM THEM, HOW THEY DO IT. AND EACH HATCHERY HAS ITS OWN LITTLE WAYS OF DOING IT. WHAT WORKS IN A HATCHERY SAY IN NORTH CAROLINA MAY NOT WORK IN A, FOR A YEAR. THE WATER BODY'S DIFFERENT. WHAT WE DO HERE MAY NOT WORK SOMEPLACE ELSE. SO YOU HAVE TO FIND YOUR OWN LITTLE NICHE. PURPOSE OF THE SINGLE GRAIN IS A SINGLE OYSTER. UH, IF THE, IF THE GRAIN OF, IF THE CRUSHED SHELL IS TOO BIG, WE'LL GET MULTIPLE SETS ON IT. THEN WE'LL GET A CLUSTERED OYSTER. WELL, WE GET THOSE IN THE WILD ALREADY. SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GROW A CLUSTERED OYSTER. ONCE THEY SET, THEY CAN ONLY DO IT ONE TIME. SO THEY, THEY SUBMITTED THEMSELVES TO THAT PIECE OF A CRUSHED SHELL. THEN THEY START GROWING THEIR OWN SHELL. WE DO A LOT OF RESEARCH WITH DNR, UH, D HECK, UH, FDA, UH, OVER IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER HATCHERIES, UH, WEATHER CHANGES THINGS. WE JUST HAD A COLD SNAP THE OTHER DAY. UH, IT SLOWED DOWN OUR GROWTH OR OYSTERS. ONE OF THE NECK OR EXTERNAL RFA WANTED AN EXTRA FIVE DAYS BECAUSE OF THE DROP IN TEMPERATURE. THIS IS A REFRACTOR METER AND I'M MEASURING THE SALINITY IN THE WATER. LOOK UP INTO THE SUN. APPLE CULTURE [01:25:01] IS FROM OUR DEFINITION IS IMPOUNDMENTS ON LAND SHRIMP FARMS, CATFISH FARMS, THAT'S AGRICULTURE. THIS WAS MARICULTURE, WHICH IS IMPOUNDMENTS AND AT SEA, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? THERE'S ABOUT, THERE'S ABOUT 1800 OYSTERS IN HERE. THESE ARE READY FOR MARKET . WE'VE GOT WATER COMING IN FROM ST. HELENA SOUND. THAT'S GOOD OCEAN WATER. AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THAT NICE BRINY, BRIGHT FLAVOR. YOU TASTED AT THE OCEAN, TASTED THE SEAT. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT. NICE CUP, GOOD FAN. THESE ARE GOING TO BE PROCESSED TONIGHT TOMORROW MORNING. AND BY MID MORNING, THEY'LL BE ON THEIR WAY TO CHARLESTON AND THE RAW BARS. THEY TYPICALLY CALL THIS THE SINGLE LADY. THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT. YOU WANT TO SEE THAT NICE CHINA, WHITE KIND OF BODY. AND YOU WANT TO SEE THAT LIQUOR IN THERE. AND YOU'RE JUST WANTING SOMEBODY CUT THE BOTTOM OF THAT MUSCLE. AND THIS OYSTER IS READY TO BE EATEN. I LOVE HIM. I LOVE HIM RAW COOKED, STEAMED ANY WHICH WAY I CAN GET THEM. UH, SOMETIMES I PUT A LITTLE BIT OF LEMON ON THEM OR A MINION NET, A LITTLE BIT OF HOT SAUCE I JUMPED AROUND, BUT I'LL TAKE HIM ANY WHICH WAY I CAN GET THEM. BUFORD COUNTY IS REALLY UNIQUE AND IT'S WATER. WELL, THEY CALL OUR RIVERS RIVERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY RIVERS. THEY'RE ACTUALLY TITLE ACTUARIES THAT HAVE FLOW IN AND FLOW OUT FROM THE OCEAN. THEY'RE NOT FROM WAY UP IN COLUMBIA PASSING BY ALL KINDS OF RIVERS AND TOWNS AND WATER TREATMENT PLANTS. UH, BUFORD COUNTY GETS IT. THEY UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUENESS OF OUR WATER QUALITY AND THEY, THEY PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO ENSURING THAT OUR WATER STAYS CLEAN. CLEAN WATER IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE AND DIRTY. WATER IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. OUR CONNECTION WITH THE WATER BODY WITH THE MARSH IS, IS DEFINES WHO WE ARE. AND, UH, AND THEY'RE REALLY, UH, REALLY GOOD AT PROTECTING * 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.