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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEEFER COUNTY.
WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF COASTLINE.
JOINING ME TODAY IS JOE PASAM HEAD.
HE IS THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON, AND I PROBABLY FEEL SAFER IN THIS INTERVIEW THAN I HAVE EVER FELT IN ANY INTERVIEW ON COASTLINE BEFORE BECAUSE UH, MR. PASSMAN IS JOINING ME USING THE WEBEX INTERFACE.
SO, UH, HELLO, MR.
THIS ACTUALLY WORKS PRETTY, PRETTY WELL.
AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING SOME OF YOUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE A SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND YET BEING ABLE TO GET ALL THE BUSINESS TAKEN CARE OF USING THE WEBEX INTERFACE, WE HAVE LEARNED HOW TO ADAPT.
I ENDED UP, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MOST RECENTLY DID VIA WEBEX WAS A, UH, THREE DAY, UM, PLANNING SESSION.
AND, UH, WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT TRANSPIRED, I ASSUME YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, HOW YOU HAD, UH, MET YOUR GOALS FOR 2020 AND MAYBE SET SOME GOALS FOR 2021.
UM, WELL, LET ME GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND.
WHAT I DID WAS I TOOK A LOOK AT THE PRIOR RETREATS FROM 2016 TO THE PRESENT, WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THEM, WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THEM, WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, WHAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND IT CAME TO ME THAT WE NEEDED TO DO SOME THINGS JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CALLED BEFORE.
AND THEN WE HAD TWO DAYS AND ONE DAY WE HAD OUTSIDE PEOPLE COME IN TO RUN IT FOR US.
AND WHAT I DID WAS I STARTED WITH THE PREMISE OF LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OUR MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT IS FOR THE COUNTY, BECAUSE THAT SETS WHAT W WHAT IS GOING TO BE OUR GOALS BASED UPON OUR MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT.
AND AFTER THAT, I SAID, WELL, WE NEED A THEME.
WHAT, WHAT'S OUR THEME? SO I SAT DOWN WITH ERIC AND HIS STAFF AND SAID, THIS IS MY IDEA.
AND WE CAME UP WITH THE THEME OF THREE WORDS, LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IN GUILFORD COUNTY ALREADY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE HERE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO PLAY HERE AND WE NEED TO SATISFY ALL OF THOSE WANTS AND NEEDS FOR EVERYBODY.
AND SO OVER THE COURSE OF THREE DAYS, WE TOOK THAT THEME, TOOK OUR STANDING COMMITTEES AND SAID, OKAY, BASED UPON LIVE, WORK AND PLAY FINANCE, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO ESTABLISH GOALS ALONG THESE LINES, PUBLIC FACILITIES, NATURAL RESOURCES, COMMUNITY SERVICES.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THREE DAYS, WE HAD WONDERFUL DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.
AND HOW DO WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT? HAVE WE FINALIZED THE GOALS YET? NO, THE CULMINATION IS GOING TO BE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AS WE PUT OUR BUDGET TOGETHER, BECAUSE WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT.
AND SO, UH, I'M PLEASED WITH WHAT WE DID.
AND, UM, OUR, OUR STAFF WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT BECAUSE THIS WAS ONE OF THE TIMES WHERE THEY SAID WE WEREN'T TAUGHT TO, WE WERE COLLABORATED WITH.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE A COLLABORATION OF PUTTING TOGETHER QUALITY THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE NEXT YEAR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY WHO LIVE, WORK IN PLAYER.
SO GIVEN THOSE THREE CRITERIA LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY, UM, AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A, A PANDEMIC, UH, LET'S START WITH PLAY.
UM, THE COUNTY HAS PROBABLY EXPERIENCED SOME, UH, SHORTFALL AND PLAY FROM THE LACK OF TOURISTS, WILLING TO COME TO THE AREA.
UM, HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT COMPONENT? UH, VIS-A-VIS OUR CURRENT SITUATION AND HOPES AND DESIRES FOR A, UH, AN END TO THIS PANDEMIC WITH THE COVID, UH, INOCULATION PROGRAM? WELL, ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT PLAYING WAS, AS PEOPLE WENT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, STARTING BACK IN MARCH,
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YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE LOCKDOWN FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS.PEOPLE STARTED TO GET CABIN FEVER.
THEY WANTED TO BE OUTDOORS SOMEPLACE.
WHAT WAS THE BEST PLACE FOR THEM TO GO TO? THAT WAS OUR PARKS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKS AROUND GUILFORD COUNTY, AND PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF GOING TO THE PARKS.
SO THAT MADE US THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE IMPROVE OUR ARTS? DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT PARKS WHERE WE NEED THEM? WHAT OTHER SOURCES OF PARKS DO WE NEED? DO WE NEED SOME, SOME MORE IN THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH? WELL, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NEW PARKS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, A WHITE HALL IS DEVELOPING IN THE NORTH
UM, AND SO IT WAS OUR GOAL TO SAY, WE WANT TO INVEST MONEY IN MAINTAINING THE PARKS WE HAVE AND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL RECREATIONAL, UM, OPPORTUNITIES IS PROBABLY THE BEST WORD AS WE COME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE TAKING A LOOK AT WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT NOW PLAY PICKLEBALL.
DO WE HAVE ENOUGH PICKLEBALL COURTS? UH, CERTAINLY WE HAVE GOLF COURSES.
TENNIS IS POPULAR, SO IS SOFTBALLS.
SO WE WANT TO DO ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS FOR THE FUTURE.
ONCE, ONCE WE TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAD ALONG LIVE, WORK AND PLAY, WE'VE NOW ASSIGNED THEM TO THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES.
AND OBVIOUSLY FINANCE WILL, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL DETERMINE, OKAY, YOU WANT TO DO THIS.
THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST PUBLIC FACILITIES.
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE PARKS.
AND SO WILL NATURAL RESOURCES TALKING ABOUT THE PARKS IN LAND PRESERVATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.
WE'LL TALKING ABOUT HE TALKING ABOUT THESE.
AND SO EACH OF THE COMMITTEES WILL ANALYZE AND COME UP WITH THEIR STRATEGIES AND THEIR STRATEGIC GOALS MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN WE WILL PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE A QUALITY BUDGET TO PRESENT TO THE TAXPAYERS.
THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF THE TAX, UH, SITUATION, THE PROPERTY TAX SITUATION.
UH, APPARENTLY, UH, THERE WAS, UM, A SITUATION WHERE THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE AND YOU FOR COUNTY, UM, HAD A DISAGREEMENT ABOUT A MILLAGE RATE.
AND THIS WAS PART OF WHAT LED TO THE SENDING OF TEXTS NOTICES OUT LATE.
UH, THIS YEAR, THAT OF COURSE MEANS THAT PEOPLE NO LONGER HAD TO HAVE A DEADLINE OF, I THINK, MID JANUARY, BUT NOW YOU'RE GIVING PEOPLE TILL THE END OF MARCH, UM, TO PAY THEIR TAXES.
DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THIS IS GOING TO CREATE A TEMPORARY SHORTFALL? UM, OR DO YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS SAVED UP THAT YOU CAN DRAW FROM THAT, UH, GOING FORWARD UNTIL THAT MONEY STARTS COMING IN? OKAY.
THERE WAS A DISAGREEMENT OVER THE MILLAGE RATES BACK WHEN WE PUT THIS YEARS BUDGET TOGETHER, THE ONE THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, WE HAD ANTICIPATED ONCE WE WERE INTO THE PANDEMIC, THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY TAX INCREASE.
WE KNEW THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BEGIN TO STRUGGLE.
SO IT WAS THE CONSCIOUS EFFORT OF COUNTY COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT THE TAX RATE WOULD REMAIN THE SAME.
THERE IN LIES WHERE THE DISPUTE CAME IN, THE AUDITORS OFFICE MADE AN ASSUMPTION BASED UPON RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS IN SOME BONDS THAT APPARENTLY WERE NOT SOLD, UH, THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO BE SOLD, THAT HE PUT IN A MILLAGE RATE THAT WOULD INCREASE THE TAXES SINCE HE HAS A MINISTERIAL DUTY TO PUT TOGETHER THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT WE NEED.
THAT IS HIS ROLE AS AUDITOR IS TO CREATE THE TAX ROLLS.
AND THEN THE TREASURER COLLECTS THE TAXES.
UH, THEY'RE IN LIKE THE DISPUTE.
AND SO WE WOUND UP HAVING TO GO TO COURT TO FORCE HIM TO CHANGE THE TEXT BUILT.
NOW IT'S NOT AN EASY TAX BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE WELL OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND TAX BILLS THAT HAVE TO GO OUT TO VARIOUS SEGMENTS.
AND SO IT TAKES TIME TO DO THAT AS SUCH WAS NOT ABLE
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TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN A TIMELY FASHION TO GET THEM OUT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT WE COULD NOT DO THAT.WE WENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND SAID, LOOK, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO PAY THEIR TAXES.
BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE TAX BILLS THAT WERE CREATED WITH THE INCREASE IN RURAL CRITICAL LANDS IS NOT CORRECT.
BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS TWO THINGS.
ONE, WE CAN SEND OUT THOSE BILLS THROUGH THE COUNTY'S, UM, WEBSITE AND PEOPLE CAN PAY THEIR TAXES, ALBEIT THEY WILL BE HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY REALLY OWE.
AND WE ACCOMPLISH THAT AT THE END OF DECEMBER.
SO THERE WERE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY, UM, BANKS WHO WERE PAYING THE ESCROW ACCOUNTS WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PAY THEIR TAXES IN 2020 TO GET THAT AS A CREDIT.
AND SO THE, THE CORRECTED BILLS WENT OUT AFTER THAT.
AND SO NOW THE COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF REFUNDING MONEY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO PAID THEIR TAXES IN DECEMBER AND ARE OWED A REFUND AND THAT'S TAKING PLACE.
UH, SO THE COLLECTIONS ARE STARTING AND THEY HAVE BEEN THE, UH, AS YOU SAID, AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY INTO MID-MARCH WITHOUT ANY PENALTY.
NORMALLY WHAT YOU HAVE IS BY JANUARY 15TH TO PAY YOUR TAXES.
AND SO WE COLLECT MOST OF OUR MONEY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO COLLECT MOST OF OUR MONEY TILL MARCH 15TH.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK MONTH BY MONTH, HOW THE CASH FLOW IS COMING IN.
AND IF WE FEEL WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME MONEY BECAUSE OF DEBT, SERVICE PAYMENTS THAT ARE COMING UP, THAT ARE DUE, WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED THE ABILITY TO HAVE A TAN, A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE, WHICH MEANS WE'LL BORROW THE MONEY, ANTICIPATING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THE MONEY THAT WE NEED TO PAY THAT OFF IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, BUT TO DO A TAN, YOU END UP PAYING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INTEREST, WHICH I IMAGINE THERE'S GOING TO BE PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL.
WELL, IT'S NOT SUBSTANTIAL, BUT YES, IT IS DEPENDING UPON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE FEEL WE WILL NEED.
SO FOR THE VIRAL $30 MILLION, IT'LL COST US ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN.
OH, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, BORROWING UPWARDS OF $30 MILLION.
WELL, WHAT OCCURRED TO ME WAS THAT, UH, THE COUNTY DOES HAVE A FUND BALANCE FROM WHICH THEY COULD DRAW FROM THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYWHERE NEAR $30 MILLION.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MAY WELL BE LESS THAN THAT.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS HEDGE.
OUR BET, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING A TAN.
WE WILL PASS THAT WE WILL HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
IT JUST MEANS THAT SHOULD THE CASE ARISE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, THAT WE'RE SHORT FUNDS.
WE CAN GET THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES THAT BECAUSE THE MONEY THAT ROLLS IN FROM TAXES TO THEM, THEY'RE A LITTLE OUT OF SYNC AS FAR AS WHEN THEY HAVE LARGE DEBTS THAT ARE DUE.
AND SO EACH AND EVERY YEAR THEY USUALLY ISSUE WITH, OKAY.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, A NEED, I SHOULD SAY, TO CALL THE TREASURER'S OFFICE RECENTLY BECAUSE I ACCIDENTALLY SHORT CHANGED MY PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT BY 74 CENTS.
AND MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE BUFORD COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE WAS JUST SUPERB.
I SPOKE WITH A VERY CHARMING LADY NAMED AMY, AND SHE TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM.
LICKETY SPLIT, COMPARE THAT TO A CALL I HAD TO MAKE TO THE IRS THE OTHER DAY, WHERE I WAS ON HOLD FOR AN HOUR.
I WAS JUST DELIGHTED TO DEAL WITH, UH, THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE TREASURER'S OFFICE AND HOW THEY OPERATE, AND THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T MIND YOU THROUGH COUNTY, THAT APP ALLOWS YOU TO DO WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT PAYING YOUR PROPERTY TAXES TO PAYING YOUR VEHICLE OR YOUR OLD TAXES.
UH, IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO, TO HAVE, AND THEY HAVE VIDEOS THERE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS ON A DAILY BASIS.
ONE OF THE OTHER COMPONENTS TO WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TAX SITUATION WAS HILTON HEAD ISLAND, POLICE SERVICE
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FEE.UH, WAS THAT EVER INCLUDED IN THE HILTON HEAD BUILDS OR NOT? OH, YES, IT WAS.
THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS INSTITUTED RECEIVED AS PART OF THEIR BILL, A SUM OF MONEY.
IF YOU ARE A REGULAR HOUSEHOLD OWNER, I BELIEVE IT WAS $101.
AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL AND SAY, WHAT WAS THIS? AND WE'D HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT THE SITUATION WAS AND WHY WAS THERE? UH, SOME PEOPLE SAID, OH, OKAY.
AND OTHER PEOPLE WERE ADAMANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU DOING, I THINK THE MAYOR DOWN THERE WAS A SOMEWHAT FEELING.
UH, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT? IT WAS NEVER DOUBLE TAXATION.
UM, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS WHEN HILTON HEAD ISLAND INCORPORATED BACK IN THE EIGHTIES, THEY MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION AT THAT POINT IN TIME THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE THEIR OWN POLICE FORCE.
THAT IN FACT, THEY WERE GOING TO USE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS THEIR LOCAL POLICE FORCE.
IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE 1983, IT HASN'T CHANGED.
THEY'VE BEEN PAYING FOR THOSE SERVICES.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF SERVICES THAT YOU PAY IN GUILFORD COUNTY.
IF YOU ARE A MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS YOUR OWN POLICE FORCE AS A MUNICIPALITY, YOU PAY FOR YOUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU PAY FOR SECONDARY SERVICES THAT THE SHERIFF PROVIDES THAT YOU COULD NOT POSSIBLY DO ON YOUR OWN, SUCH AS OF THE DNA LAB.
UM, AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS THAT THE SHERIFF DOES ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
THAT'S THE SAME CASE WITH HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WE'RE OUT OF TIME, MR. PAST MET, I'M SORRY.
WE COULD GO ON FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR, BUT, UH, WE WANT TO LET, UH, ERIC GREENWAY, THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, OH, QUICKLY THOUGH, UH, WAS ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS YOU HAD IN YOUR RETREAT, WHAT TO DO REGARDING A REPLACEMENT FOR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
WE DID HAVE A CLOSED SESSION WHERE WE DID DISCUSS THAT AND EVERYBODY ON COUNCIL REALLY IS APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT HE'S DOING AND HOWIE HOW HE IS DOING IT.
WE ARE GETTING THE JOB DONE, WHATEVER WE ASK OF HIM TO DO, YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THE COUNTY IS WELL RUN.
HIS JOB IS TO MAKE SURE HE RUNS THE COUNTY WELL.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S, UH, IT'S A GOOD MARRIAGE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO THEM NEXT.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, TAKING SOME TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE AND, UH, WE'LL BE BACK WITH, UH, UH, ERIC, UH, GREENWAY RIGHT AFTER THIS, WE'RE BACK ON COASTLINE.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT ERIC GREENWAY WHO IS THE INTERIM BUFORD COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN THE STUDIO, AND WE ARE, UH, SOCIAL DISTANCING ENOUGH.
I THINK THAT WE'RE SAFE, BUT, UM, UH, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU IN THE STUDIO.
AND, UH, THIS IS KIND OF A NEW THING FOR YOU BEING IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A BACKGROUND IN PLANNING AND ZONING.
RIGHT? TELL, TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU GOT TAPPED FOR THIS PARTICULAR ROLE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
UM, I DO HAVE A BACKGROUND IN PLANNING AND ZONING.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE MOST OF MY CAREER, UH, WORKING IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, WITH, UM, ENTITLEMENT PROJECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'VE SERVED AS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR THROUGH NO TALENT OR ABILITY OF MY OWN FOR THE TWO FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES IN THE STATE.
AND THAT WAS YORK COUNTY INITIALLY, AND THEN BERKELEY COUNTY.
AND THEN I CAME HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT, UM, WHEN I CAME IN 2018 TO BE THE PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR HERE, THAT THIS WOULD BE MY LAST STOP BEFORE I COMPLETED MY RETIREMENT.
UM, AND I'VE BEEN IN THAT ROLE SINCE 2018 UNTIL OCTOBER WHEN COUNCIL APPROACHED ME ABOUT ASSUMING THE JOB FOR ACTING, UH, ADMINISTRATOR AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN THAT DEVELOPED INTO ME TAKING THE INTERIM ROLE AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS FROM THAT POINT FORWARD.
BUT, UH, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
UM, I'VE LEARNED A LOT, I'VE GOTTEN TO DEAL WITH SOME CHALLENGING ISSUES, UH, IN THE FEW MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
AND, UH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGING ISSUES? WELL, THE PANDEMIC, UH, DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES.
HOW DO YOU CARRY OUT DELIVERING EFFECTIVE SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC AND WHILE
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YOU'RE KEEPING THE EMPLOYEES SAFE AND, UH, KEEPING THE WORKFORCE, UM, HAPPY AND ALL OF THAT.AND EVEN AS WE SPEAK, WE'RE IN THE MUNICIPAL OFFICE AS THE COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING, BUT YOU CANNOT AS A PERSON FROM THE PUBLIC GENERAL PUBLIC WALK IN HERE RIGHT NOW.
AND DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT CHANGING ANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, EVEN NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE VACCINE ROLLOUT GOING ON, W W WE WILL NOT OPEN THE BUILDINGS TO THE PUBLIC FULLY UNTIL WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR POPULATION VACCINATED.
HOWEVER, TODAY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH, WE DID OPEN UP IN THIS BUILDING A PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN COME IN TO THE BUILDING TO A POINT AND DEAL WITH AN EMPLOYEE TO GET INFORMATION THAT EMPLOYEE HAS A PHONE COMPUTER PRINTER, WHEREBY THEY CAN PRINT OUT STUFF, LOOK UP STUFF FOR FOLKS, HELP THEM PAY THEIR TAXES, AND THEN ALSO CALL VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEYOND THEIR LEVEL OF EXPERTISE, THEY CAN CALL THAT DEPARTMENT.
THAT DEPARTMENT CAN SEND DOWN A REPRESENTATIVE TO COME DOWN AND STAND IN A COVID PROTOCOL ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S SAFE FOR BOTH PARTIES AND ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE'RE ONLY A COUPLE OF HOURS INTO IT, BUT HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY FEEDBACK YET AS TO WHETHER IT'S BEEN POPULATED? I CHECK ON IT REGULARLY A DAY.
I SPENT A LOT OF MY TIME THIS MORNING, I'M WORKING ON THAT TO GET IT ALL SET UP AND ALL, WE WORKED OUT SOME KINKS EARLY ON.
UM, BUT, UH, WHEN I LAST CHECKED ON IT, WHICH WAS ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO FROM TIME WE WENT ON AIR HERE, UH, IT WAS GOING FAIRLY WELL, AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE COME IN TODAY TO USE THAT, AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN ADVERTISED IT.
IT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC YET.
SO, UH, PEOPLE ARE DISCOVERING IT, THEY ARE COMING IN AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.
AND THAT'S WORKING VERY, VERY WELL SO FAR.
AND I THINK OUR COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, WILL APPRECIATE, UM, US DOING THAT.
UH, BECAUSE PRIOR TO THAT WE JUST HAD A TENT SET UP OUTSIDE, AND WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WOULD COME UP FROM THE PUBLIC SIDE OF THE EQUATION AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOK AROUND A LITTLE UNSURE AS TO WHAT TO DO AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE FOR THEM TO TALK TO.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO INTERACT WITH, AS EMPLOYEES WOULD GO TO LAUNCH AND THINGS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC AND EXTRA QUESTIONS OUTSIDE AND STAND THERE.
SO, UH, WE DECIDED TO TAKE THIS TO HELP, TO TRY TO EASE THAT LOAD ON EVERYONE, TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE COULD INTERACT TOGETHER TO GET THE INFORMATION CONVEYED.
IN MY CONVERSATION WITH MR. PASSMAN, UH, I THREW OUT WHETHER COUNSEL WOULD BE OPEN TO YOUR, UH, THROWING YOUR HAT INTO THE RING FOR A PERMANENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, WHAT ABOUT YOU? IS THIS SOMETHING YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN TACKLING FULL-TIME? YEAH.
I MEAN, ONCE THEY NAMED THE PROCESS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO USE, IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WILL APPLY FOR.
UM, I THINK I HAVE THE SUPPORT AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
THAT'S BEEN SHOWN TO ME BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL, DURING THE TRANSITION FROM PLANNING DIRECTOR INTO, UH, THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ROLE.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND THE ASSISTANCE TO BE.
THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO ME BY EVERYONE THAT IS A PART OF THE BUFORD COUNTY WORKFORCE AND THE TEAM HERE.
THEY HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL, UH, IN ASSISTING ME, GIVING ME INFORMATION, ANSWERING QUESTIONS FOR ME BEING PATIENT WITH ME WHILE I TRIED TO LEARN SOME THINGS.
UH, AND THAT APPLIES NOT ONLY TO THE FOLKS UNDERNEATH THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT ALSO TO THE ELECTED OFFICIAL SIDE AS WELL.
IT'S JUST BEEN AMAZING AND IT'S VERY HUMBLING FOR ME.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S VERY GRATIFYING FOR ME.
SO IF I CONTINUE TO, TO CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT AND HAVE THAT ENVIRONMENT, THEN THERE WOULD BE NO REASON WHY I WOULD NOT APPLY TO BE CONSIDERED A PERM AS THE PERMANENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK IS WHAT IS YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE? AND, BUT JUST IN HEARING YOU AND GIVING CREDIT TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AROUND YOU, THAT ARE SUPPORTING YOU, UM, I SEE THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE HANDS ON, BUT ALSO BY THE SAME TOKEN, UH, YOU LET PEOPLE DO THEIR JOBS AND, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T BRO, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE YOU BROW BEAT PEOPLE.
AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN A CONCERN IN PAST YEARS AND PAST ADMINISTRATIONS FOLKS DON'T REALIZE, AND THE PUBLIC MAY NOT REALIZE, BUT SINCE 2017, UH, OUR COUNTY OR FORCE HAS BEEN UNDER FIVE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATORS IN THAT TIME, FOUR OF THOSE HAVE BEEN IN THE INTERIM SITUATION.
SO THAT CREATES A DIFFICULT WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR FOLKS AND CAN DEPLETE MORALE QUICKLY.
UM, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE IT WAS WHENEVER I CAME INTO THE ROLE.
I THINK COUNSELORS SHOWED A LOT OF FAITH IN ME TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT THAT.
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I TRIED TO DO THAT.I TRY TO DO THINGS COLLABORATIVELY.
UM, AND I GET EVERYONE'S INPUT THAT I POSSIBLY CAN ON A GIVEN SITUATION FOR THE PEOPLE THAT SPECIALIZE IN THOSE AREAS WILL CAUSE TELL FOLKS, EVEN AS A PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REQUIRED AS A PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR TO KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT OR WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW ALL THE PLANNING, PUZZLE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE SHOULD GO TOGETHER AND FIT TOGETHER.
BUT I AM REQUIRED TO KNOW WHERE TO GET THE ANSWERS AND KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THE RESOURCES AND KNOW WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.
AND I THINK THAT FITS WELL AND CARRIES OVER WELL INTO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ROLE AS WELL.
AGAIN, NOT REQUIRED TO KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF FINANCE THINGS.
I DO NOT KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TAX ISSUES.
UH, SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE TO REACH OUT AND GET ASSISTANCE ON THOSE THINGS FROM THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE HIRED, WHO ARE PROFESSIONAL, WHO ARE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, VERY TALENTED FOR US TO, UM, TO HELP ME ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST PATH FORWARD.
AND AS TO KIND OF THE APPROACH I'VE EMPLOYED SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE.
SO IF YOU CHOSE NOT TO THROW YOUR HEAD IN THE RING, OR IF YOU DID, AND SOMEBODY ELSE WERE TO BE GIVEN THE POSITION, UH, WERE YOU TOLD THAT YOU'VE STILL GOT YOUR JOB BACK AT THE ZONING, UH, AND DEVELOPMENT THEN, AND YOU'D BE COMFORTABLE WORKING UNDER, UH, A NEW ADMINISTRATOR I'M COMFORTABLE WORKING IN ANY ROLE ON SERVING THE COUNTY AND ANY ROLE THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME SERVE IN.
UM, I HAVE A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR OUR COUNCIL.
I THINK EVERY ONE OF THEM, ALL 11 OF THEM HAVE SPECIAL GIFTS AND TALENTS IN THEIR OWN, RIGHT.
THEY'RE RESPECTED OBVIOUSLY BY THEIR CONSTITUENTS OR THEY WOULDN'T BE IN THE POSITION THAT THEY'RE IN.
UH, SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO SERVE WITH THEM IN THIS ROLE OR ANY OTHER ROLE THAT THEY MAY ASK ME TO SERVE IN UNTIL MY TIME HERE AT BUFORD COUNTY IS COMPLETE.
YOU ONLY HAVE ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR MONTHS IN WHAT HAS BEEN OFFERED YOU, UM, DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY OPPORTUNITY TO SET SOME IMMEDIATE GOALS ON WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO? AND IF SO, WHAT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE GOALS? SO, YES, THE ANSWER IS, YES, IT DOES GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS AS THAT WAS STATED, WHENEVER I TOOK THIS ROLE IS THAT I WOULD ADD THE ABILITY TO, TO ACT AS ANY OTHER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD ACT.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS THAT WE HAVE, OF COURSE THE COMING UP IMMEDIATELY WILL BE THE BUDGET, UH, FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE START THAT HERE IN FEBRUARY, WE'LL START THAT PROCESS.
SO THAT'LL BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'LL TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MY TIME OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WORKING WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM AND THE COUNCIL ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF ACCOUNT.
SO THE OTHER GOAL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF SET IS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION, UH, COMING OUT OF THE RETREAT, WE HAVE SOME BOLD IDEAS THAT WERE UNVEILED OR REQUESTED BY COUNCIL, UH, DURING THOSE SIX SESSIONS LAST WEEK IN THE PLANNING RETREAT.
UH, SO IT'S OUR JOB NOW AT THE ADMINISTRATION LEVEL WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM AND THE OTHER TEAM TO DEVELOP AN IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE FOR THOSE VARIOUS GOALS, UH, THAT DEFINE THE STEPS FOR CARRYING OUT AND IMPLEMENTING THOSE GOALS OR INITIATIVES, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING A WORK PLAN TO KEEP US ON TRACK, TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE PROGRESS SO THAT WHENEVER THOSE THINGS ARE DUE TO HAPPEN, WE'RE READY TO ACT QUICKLY AND ADJUST TO THEM.
THE THIRD THING IS TO CONTINUE THE STABILITY FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND TO IMPROVE THE MORALE.
SO, ALL RIGHT, WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THAT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF TIME, BUT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET TOGETHER AGAIN AND ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE COMING ALONG.
UH, AS YOU START IMPLEMENTING WITH THE COMMITTEES, THE LIFE WORK AND PLAY, UM, PRIORITIES THAT WERE SET BY MR.
SO, BUT THANK YOU, UH, ERIC GREENWAY FOR JOINING US ON THIS EDITION OF COASTLINE.
THAT'S ANOTHER COASTLINE UNDER OUR BELTS.
WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US IN THE MONTH OF MARCH AS WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER RIVETING GUEST HERE.