[00:00:10]
AND PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE THAT Y'ALL COMING, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO OFFICIALLY START THE MEETING.
AND, UM, I LIKE TO CALL A MEETING DAUGHTER AND I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE AGENDA AND ALSO THE MINUTES, BUT WE WILL DO ONE AT A TIME AFTER REVIEWING THE AGENDA.
UH, DO ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONAL A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, PLEASE? IT WAS THAT BACK.
AGAIN, NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UH, WE DID GET SOME MINUTES OF EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW.
IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTION NEEDED.
IF NOT, MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR PROVING AS MINUTES AND MAKE A MOTION? ALRIGHT.
THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
ITEM FIVE ON THE AGENDA IS A CITIZEN COMMENT.
I THINK MR. MACK JUST CAME IN.
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? UH, YEAH.
I CAME ON, WE OVER HERE MIGHT AS WELL, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND FORMAT.
AND I SEE, UH, CITY OF DIFFERENT RESIDENTS, UM, REPRESENTED AS A MEMBER OF THE BUFORD TRAILBLAZERS.
SO SOME OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR FACES THAT THEY HAVE NEW FACES.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS, HELP FACILITATE IT.
UM, WE ARE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE MONEY, UH, DONATE MONEY TO GIVE MONEY AND, AND THE VOLUNTEER LABOR IS DONE ALL OVER.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE BUFORD BE THE LAST ONE STATE TO GET THIS.
SO WE GAVE IT TO VARIOUS PEOPLE.
UM, WE GAVE TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR FIVE YEARS LAND AND THEN OTHER LANDS.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO SEE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS, GO TO SAVANNAH, I GO TO WHITE MARSH PRESERVE.
UH, IT HAS THE SAME WORD PRESERVE AS, UM, WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU ALL AT WHICH END POINT DESERVED I WENT TO THAT MEETING.
UH, IT WAS MY ONLY OTHER MEETING COMING TO YOUR BOARD.
UM, THAT TIME IS A LITTLE MORE CONVENIENT THAN THIS TIME, BUT I'M DIGRESSING, BUT WHITE MARSH PRESERVE IS 145 ACRES.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, FIVE NEW ON LADY'S ISLAND AS A HIRING 10 ACRES, UH, OURS IS OWNED BY CHATHAM COUNTY, UM, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, UM, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S AT LEAST FIVE MILES OF TRAILER.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE JUST ASKED YOU TO BE FAIR AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND IF YOU WOULD HELP FACILITATE THIS, UM, THE KIDS WOULD BE, WOULD BE VERY THANKFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE IF YOUR LAST NAME IS MURDOCH OR, YOU KNOW, STEWARD OF THE TRASH, YOU GET WHATEVER YOU WANT.
SO, UH, WE JUST ASKED YOU TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, EVERY TIME SOMETHING CLOSE, LIKE A BOWLING ALLEY, AND HE SAID, THERE'S NOTHING HERE TO DO.
UM, IT IS THE SAME TRAILS, MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS AT THE SAME SHOW THAT PEOPLE WALK ON, RUN ON, UM, AND IT CAN STILL, AND YOU STILL STARE AT THE BIRDS IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE BIRDS.
SO WE, WE ASK THAT YOU BE OPEN-MINDED, UM, WHEN YOU REALIZED THIS IS BUFORD AND, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS SPORTS HAVE, UM, BASICALLY LACK OF A BETTER WORD THAN CHOKED OUT.
SO I DON'T NEED TO BRING UP THE GREEN STREET GYM, UM, STILL DON'T SEE GOOD THINGS IN THE FUTURE FOR THAT BUILDING.
UM, SO YEAH, MOUNTAIN, I CAN TRAVEL THAT, THE CRUX OF IT.
UM, UH, IF WE, IF WE OWN THE HIRING CHECK, CAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THE TRAILS ALL THROUGHOUT THE LAND, BUT WE DON'T OWN MILLION DOLLAR LANDS.
SO, UM, WE HOPE WE THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, I'M SORRY.
UM, THANK YOU, MR. MACK, FOR MY CLARIFICATION.
THIS IS A DIFFERENT COUNTY PLACE.
YOUR TOP OF MY WHITE MARSH, NO WHITE MARSH IS THE SAVANNAH, GEORGIA AS AN EXAMPLE.
UH, SO THE PROJECT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS LOCATED WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS CLOSE TO WHERE, UH, CITY OF BUFORD IS CLOSE TO THE CITY OF BUFORD AS WE CAN.
[00:05:02]
SO FOR INSTANCE, WHITE MARR SAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU CAN LEAVE DOWNTOWN SAVANNAH, BE THERE AT FIVE, 10 MINUTES.UM, AND IT MADE A PRESENTATION OR SOME KIND OF PROJECT.
UM, SO I GAVE THE PROPOSAL BACK IN OCTOBER.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS A COPY OF THE PROPOSAL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO EMAIL IT.
UM, AND THEY CAN TAKE MY MONEY.
I CAN FINALLY PUT MY EMAIL'S UNIVERSITY BICYCLES@HOTMAIL.COM, BUT IT'S NOT ON THERE BECAUSE I PICK A ON THERE, IF YOU WANT UNIVERSITY BICYCLES OR HOTMAIL.
MS. MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? UM, I'M NOT SURE WHO TO DIRECT THIS TO AMANDA OR ROB OR OUR, UM, OKAY.
BUT IS, IS THAT OUR PURVIEW OR WOULD THIS BE BETTER? I THINK THERE'S A LEGITIMATE REQUEST TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL, UM, MILES OF BICYCLE TRAIL.
IS THIS BEFORE US OR SHOULD IT BE BEFORE PARKS AND REC? I STARTED WHEN I WAS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ME TOO.
I'M AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR A DEVELOPMENT RECREATION.
SO WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS REQUEST AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE A PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THIS GROUP TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THAT PLAN.
UH, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO OUR CONSULTANT AND, UH, WE CAN INCLUDE IT IN THE, IN THAT MASTER PLAN.
AND WE WILL ALSO LOOK AT IT AND MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR PASSIVE PARKS PROGRAM, UH, IF, IF PERHAPS SOMETHING WOULD FIT THERE.
BUT I THINK THE PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN THAT'S UNDERWAY IS THE PROPER AVENUE FOR ADDRESSING THAT.
ONE THING THAT I BRING IT TO Y'ALL BECAUSE Y'ALL YOU ALL BY THE RIVER, THE RURAL CRITICAL LAMB.
SO UNDER YOUR PURVIEW THAT, THAT THAT'S UNDER YOUR PURVIEW, THAT'S NOT UNDER THE PARKS AND REC.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE, UH, THE ABILITY TO GIVE ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY WE BUY THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT RASH WITH THE COUNTY.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK DOWN THE ROAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST, UM, MAKE ONE POINT THAT ALTHOUGH THE RULE AND CRITICAL BOARD DOES BUY PROPERTY, THEY ARE BUYING PROPERTY FOR CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION PURPOSES.
SECONDARILY FOR PASSIVE RECREATION, THE PROPOSAL IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO THE COMP PLAN TRAILS SECTION LIKE, UM, MR. ATKINSON SAID THE PARKS AND REC SECTION.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES OF PURCHASING LAND FOR ACTIVE RECREATION PURPOSES THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE THE RURAL AND CRITICAL BOARD, BUT THE ROLAND CRITICAL BOARD HAS VERY SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT THEY MEASURE AGAINST FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR,
I KNOW THE INPUT YOU START, WE HAVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
SO WE GOT SOME NEW BOARD MEMBER.
JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE, PLEASE SAY IT AGAIN.
[00:10:02]
YES, SIR.YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF? SURE.
UH, FOREIGN, HELLO, UH, LIVED IN BULLETINS FOR, FOR FOUR YEARS.
UH, I MOVED HERE TO CHICAGO, UH, UH
UM, FOR, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T HEAR PARDON ME.
I SAID, UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU VERY WELL.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE BREAKING UP KIND BAD.
SO I APOLOGIZE, BUT, UM, THAT'S OKAY.
UM, UH, WELL Y'ALL HEAR ME AND I CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, I'LL JUST, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO FORD.
UM, EARLIER THIS WEEK HE IS JOINING US, UM, AS HE SAID WITH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AND INTEREST FROM THE ADOPTIVE HIGHWAY PROGRAM, UM, AND REPRESENTING THE BLUFFTON AREA, UM, SHE'S STILL TALKING.
SO WE HAD FORD BARTHOLOW AND, UM, HE WAS JOINING US.
HE IS UP IN THE MOUNTAINS RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY HE CAN'T, UM, IS A, IS NOT GREAT, BUT HE'S ON THERE.
UM, THE OTHER GUY HAS KENNETH FRAZIER.
FORD IS REPRESENTING I BELIEVE DISTRICT.
AND THEN, UM, KENNETH SUPPOSED TO BE DISTRICT EIGHT, BUT HE'S ACTUALLY IN DISTRICT NINE AS WELL.
WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
SO, UM, ALICE IS DISTRICT EIGHT.
IT JUST, UM, CHRISTOPHER, BUT HE, CHRIS WAS FINE WITH THIS.
KENNETH GOT, IS COMING ON SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A FULL BOARD.
SO WE FINALLY HAVE A FULL BOARD.
I RECALL WHEN I FIRST CAME ON THIS BOARD, THEY HAD A SMALL WHEN EVERYBODY BOOKLET AND WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN.
AND THEN WE'LL GET THEM BOTH, UM, THE LITTLE BOOKLET WITH ALL THE INFO AND ABOUT HOW THE PROGRAM IS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, BUT KENNETH COULD NOT COME THIS MONTH.
UM, HOPEFULLY HE CAN COME NEXT MONTH AND HOPEFULLY FORWARD TO BE WITH US IN PERSON TO NEXT MONTH.
SO THERE'S AN ENJOY YOUR TIME IN THE MOUNTAIN FORWARD SO MUCH TO MOVE FORWARD NEXT TIME.
NEXT THREE, I'M PLEASED TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE NATURE CONSERVANCY WHO DAVE NAME OR THE WRONG TIME.
SO MR. MACK, WILLIAM, DO YOU WANT TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH US? SURE.
I'M GOING TO, I DID MAKE THEM AS SMALL POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO SHARE MY SCREEN AND I DON'T USE WEBEX A LOT, SO Y'ALL TELL ME IF IT DOES NOT LOOK RIGHT.
UM, THERE'S A SHARE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM.
YOU ALSO CAN SEE THE PLI AND YOUR NOTES.
I THINK THAT'S IN THE, UM, YEAH, LET ME JUST CHECK REAL QUICK SO I CAN SWITCH THAT UP.
EVERYBODY HAVE THE BOX ABOUT RESIZING TO CHANGE.
[00:15:01]
OKAY.WELL, IF Y'ALL ALREADY, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
UM, I AM THE DIRECTOR OF LAND PROTECTION FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND I'M ACTUALLY BASED IN THE MOUNT PLEASANT OFFICE, UM, CHARLESTON KIND OF REGION.
AND WE DO WORK ALL OVER THE WHOLE SKATE.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, WE ARE A 5 0 1 C THREE NONPROFIT CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION.
WE'VE BEEN IN SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE 1969, AND WE HAVE 160 EAST GATE.
AND, UH, ABOUT 180,000 ACRES OF PROTECTED LAND IS AN EASEMENTS.
WE ALSO DO A LOT OF LAND PURCHASING FOR PARTNERS.
SO FEDERAL STATE PARTNERS AND MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL.
AND, UM, WE HAVE TOTAL OF ABOUT 400,000 ACRES OF LAND WE'VE PROTECTED, INCLUDING THOSE PURCHASES.
UM, AND OUR ACTUALLY OUR FIRST EASEMENT WAS IN BUFORD AND IN BEAVER COUNTY, IT WAS ST PHILLIPS.
AND WE DID THAT ONE IN 1983, UM, WITH TED TURNER AND ALL THESE MEN ON IT WITH A PARKS, THERE'S THE LANDOWNER.
UM, BUT I THINK KATE ASKED ME TO COME IN AND, UM, LEGALLY ALL CAUSE THESE MEDS ARE KIND OF, MY JAM IS WHAT I HAVE DEDICATED MY CAREER TO, FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN CONSERVATION FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS AND, UM, OR I'D SAY PROBABLY 15, 16 YEARS, TOTAL, UH, 12 YEARS WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY.
AND MY BACKGROUND IS I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, AND I WENT TO VERMONT LAW SCHOOL AS WELL FOR A MASTER'S IN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW.
SO, UM, I DO LOVE TO TALK ABOUT ISA.
IT'S A PRETTY DRY TOPIC, BUT I'M GOING TO HOPEFULLY MAKE IT INTERESTING FOR YOU ALL.
UM, SO WE ARE ONE OF ONLY 24 LAND TRUST IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT HOLD YOUTH MINT.
UM, AND ALL OF THOSE GROUPS COLLECT, HOLD OVER A MILLION ACRES, UH, WHICH IS A REALLY BIG NUMBER.
IF YOU LOOK NATIONALLY, THEN SOUTH CAROLINA IS ONE OF THE STATES WITH THE AMOUNT OF PRIVATE LAND PROTECTION, WHICH IS THING IN THE STATE AS WELL.
UH, SOUTH CAROLINA IS ABOUT 20 MILLION ACRES AND, UH, ABOUT 3 MILLION OF THAT IS PROTECTED LAND.
SO STATE, FEDERAL, AND PRIVATE CONSERVATION EASEMENT MAKE UP THAT 3,000,008, THE WHAT IS AN EASEMENT.
UM, AND I KNOW THIS MIGHT BE RUDIMENTARY FOR SOME OF YOU ALL PROBABLY HAVE BEEN STEEPED IN THIS FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I, IT COULD BE GOOD TO JUST START FROM THE BASICS AND BUILD FROM THERE UNTIL YOU KIND OF, JUST FROM MY OPINION.
UM, SO I DEFINED THAT EASEMENT AS A VOLUNTARY LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LANDOWNER AND ATLANTA TRUST OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND IT EARNESTLY LIMITS THE USE OF THE LAND IN ORDER TO PROTECT CONSERVATION VALUES.
UM, SO EASEMENTS HAVE A CONSERVATION PURPOSE AND CONSERVATION PURPOSE AND CONSERVATION VALUES ARE PRETTY MUCH SYNONYMOUS.
SO IT'S KIND OF WHATEVER THE REASON IS THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS EASEMENT IS THE CONSERVATION WORK PURPOSE.
UM, SO THE BENEFITS OF AN EASEMENT ARE THAT ELANA ARE STILL OWNS THE LAND AND THEY CAN SELL IT.
UM, THEY CAN PASS IT TO HEIRS.
IT'S USUALLY NOT PUBLIC, BUT THEY CAN BE.
UM, AND IT'S A TOOL THAT ACCOMPLISHES LAND PROTECTION AT A MUCH LOWER COST THAN PURCHASING LAND, AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW.
AND THEN EASEMENTS ARE REALLY KIND OF DEFINED IN THE IRS TAX CODE, UM, THAT IRS, UM, ONE 70 AGE IS WHERE PEOPLE LOOK TO, TO FIND WHAT QUALIFIES FOR AN EASEMENT FOR A FEDERAL TAX DEDUCTION.
SO THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT EASEMENTS ARE BASING ON THAT TAX CODE.
SO HOW IT WORKS IS GLITTER WILL DONATE OR SELL SOMETIMES OUT OF OUR, AGAIN, UH, AN EASEMENT ON THEIR PROPERTY TO AMTRUST THE LANDOWNER CAN RECEIVE SOME TAX BENEFIT OR A DONATION OF AN EASEMENT.
SO THOSE CAN INCLUDE THE FEDERAL TAX DEDUCTION.
UM, IN SOME CASES THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A STATE TAX CREDIT.
THERE'S A STATE TAX BENEFITS AS WELL, AND THEN THERE'S SOME PROPERTY TAX.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, POTENTIAL WAYS THAT ONLY CAN BENEFIT.
AND IT REALLY WILL DEPEND ON THE VALUE OF THAT EASEMENT, HOW MUCH VALUE THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING AND CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IS.
AND THEN ALSO ON THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THAT LANDOWNER, THE LAND TRUST.
WHEN WE USE THAT TERM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A NONPROFIT
[00:20:01]
ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A MISSION TO CONSERVE LAND.UM, SO THEY HAVE TO BE A NONPROFIT TO BE A LAND TRUST.
UM, AND THAT IS AGAIN, BACK THE IRS TAX CODE.
THE IRS IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW A DONATION OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO A GROUP THAT IS NOT A QUALIFIED CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION.
SO THEY HAVE TO QUALIFY UNDER THE IRS TAX CODE.
UH, SO THE LAND TRUSTS, THEY IN OUR STATE, OUR ROLE IS REALLY TO IDENTIFY THE CONSERVATION VALUES OF A PROPERTY.
SO, UH, ONE OF OUR WAYS WE DO THAT IS WE FIRST GO OUT TO A VISIT WITH A LANDOWNER AND SEE A PROPERTY.
AND WE MIGHT DO A AMOUNT OF MAPPING AND LOOKING AT DATA REPORTS AND ANY SORT OF RESOURCES WE HAVE AND WE'LL IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL NATURAL FEATURES OF THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
UM, WHAT DOES IT HAVE HABITAT FOR, AND IS IT PARTICULAR TO SOUTH CAROLINA? BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME UNIQUE HABITATS HERE AND B FOR COUNTY ESPECIALLY HAS THE WONDERFUL HABITAT, UM, MARSH, AND THAT'S A RARE WORLDWIDE, GLOBALLY IMPERILED HABITAT.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT FEATURE THAT WE WOULD CALL OUT IN OUR KNEES.
AND THEN WE DETERMINE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO LIMIT, UM, AND PROTECT THE CONSERVATION VALUES.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, IF WE HAVE MARSH, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT LIMITATIONS DO WE NEED TO PUT IN THAT EASEMENT TO PROTECT THAT MARKS.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL WORK WITH THE LAND TRUST ON DRAFTING OF THE EASEMENT.
AND IT'S REALLY, UM, UH, YOU'RE PASSING THE DRAFT BACK AND FORTH AND AGREEING TO THE TERMS AND THE LAND TRUST JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TERMS REALLY DO UPHOLD AND PROTECT THE CONSERVATION.
AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY REALLY WILL NOT WITHSTAND THE SCRUTINY OF THAT.
UM, THAT KIND OF LAND TRUST HAS A HIGH BAR TO GET THOSE AND EASEMENTS IN GENERAL.
UM, THEY'RE JUST ALL DIFFERENT THAN THEY HAVE TO BE, UH, BECAUSE EVERY PIECE OF PROPERTY IS DIFFERENT.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL WAY TO DO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OF FELON.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH VARIETY TO LAND IN OUR STATE.
UH, WE HAVE COASTAL PROPERTY, WE HAVE MOUNTAINS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, AND EVERY EASEMENT NEEDS TO BE TAILORED TO THE VALUES THAT ARE ON THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
UM, SO SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE MIGHT LIMIT USES OF LAND IN ORDER TO PROTECT VALUES ON A SPECIFIC PROPERTY WOULD BE, UM, IF THAT PROPERTY HAS A RIVER FRONTAGE OR A REALLY HIGH QUALITY STREAM RUNNING THROUGH IT, THEN I WOULD BE LOOKING TO PUT A BUFFER AROUND THAT STREAM OR RIVER TO PROTECT WHAT HAPPENS ALONG THAT RIVER FRONT.
SO I MIGHT SAY WE'RE GOING TO PUT A 500 FOOT BUFFER ON THE RIVERFRONT THAT WOULD LIMIT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CUT TIMBER IN THAT AREA.
YOU ALSO MADE ME NOT GOING TO HOUSE, UM, RIGHT IN THAT BUFFER BECAUSE THEN THE PUBLIC WHO MIGHT BE VIEWING THAT PROPERTY FROM THE RIVER, WOULDN'T BE SEEING THAT HOUSE.
SO THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE WOULD DO TO REALLY TAILOR, PROTECTING THE RIVER FRONT.
UM, AND WE WOULD ADD CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS IN THESE MEN TO THAT.
UH, IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE HAVE A TON OF FOREST LAND, WHICH IS A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE OR OUR STATE.
UM, THE TIMBER INDUSTRY IS A VERY IMPORTANT INDUSTRY.
ACTUALLY IT WORKS REALLY WELL TO PROTECT FOREST PLAN OR HABITAT, OR A LOT OF WILDLIFE AND BIRD.
UM, AND IT ALSO HELPS PROTECT A VERY IMPORTANT INDUSTRY FOR DATE.
UM, SO CAN WE LOOK AT A FOREST PLAN PROPERTY THAT MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE OTHER, UM, FEATURES LIKE IT'S NOT ON A RIVER? UH, WE'D BE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT IT STAYS MOSTLY FOREST? UM, WE WANT TO ALLOW LANDOWNERS TO HARVEST TIMBER, BUT WE WANT THEM TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS, UH, ECOLOGICALLY.
THAT WILL BE LIKE, SAY, WE'D LIKE YOU TO HAVE A FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN PREPARED BACK FORRESTER, AND WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO NOT CUT THE WHOLE PROPERTY ALL AT ONCE.
UM, OR WE MIGHT PLEASE, YOU KNOW, REPLANT WITH NATIVE SPECIES.
UM, SO THINGS LIKE THAT WE WRITE IN THAT WILL HELP, UH, KEEP THAT LAND IN A FOREST IT'S DATE AND KEEP IT AVAILABLE FOR WILDLIFE.
WELL ALSO LETTING THE LANDOWNER USE THE LAND, UM, AS THEY NEED.
SO A LOT OF THE COMMON TYPES OF RESTRICTIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, TO PROTECT THE CONSERVATION VALUES ARE SUBDIVISION.
[00:25:01]
SO WE MIGHT SAY VIEW, UH, MAY SUBDIVIDE YOUR PROPERTY ONE TIME.SO IT'D BE SPLIT INTO TWO PARCELS.
UM, OR WE MIGHT SAY NONE, OR WE MIGHT SAY IT'S A REALLY LARGE PROPERTY.
YOU HAVE MULTIPLE SUBDIVISION, RIGHT.
UM, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY, UM, AND WHAT'S NEEDED.
AND ALSO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE CONTEXT FOR THAT.
AND DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR IT TO BE SUBDIVIDED A LOT OF TIMES AND THEN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH AFFECT THAT WOULD MEAN HOW MANY STRUCTURES CAN YOU PUT ON THE PROPERTY? HOW MANY HOUSES AND OTHER STRUCTURES, UM, ARE SUITABLE TO BE ON THE PROPERTY AND WHERE SHOULD THEY BE LOCATED IF WE DON'T WANT THEM RIGHT ON THE RIVERFRONT, YOU KNOW, 10 HOME, LOTS BRAND NEW RIVERFRONT, MAYBE WOULDN'T BE IDEAL.
UM, AGRICULTURE IS ANOTHER BIG ONE.
UM, WE DO LIKE TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURE AND A LOT OF OUR ELEMENTS, BUT WE WANT IT TO BE DONE IN A WAY THAT ALSO PROTECTS OTHER SURVEYOR VALUES AND THE SAME THING WITH TIMBER HARVESTING.
THAT'S NORMALLY, UH, AN ALLOWED USE IN MOST OF OUR EASEMENTS.
AND WE JUST ASK THAT IT BE DONE IN AN ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE WAY AND PONDS ARE ANOTHER COMMON TYPE OF RESTRICTIONS.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF THE BASE IS MEANT TERMS THAT YOU FIND THAT THEN ARE TAILORED TO EACH PROPERTY.
SO OUR PROCESS, AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE SAME FOR ALL LAND TRUSTS IS THAT WE'LL START WORKING WITH THE LANDOWNER ON THE EASEMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF REALLY THAT SETS THE STAGE FOR OUR LAND AND EASEMENTS ARE IN PERPETUITY.
WE'RE PLANNING TO WORK WITH THAT PARTICULAR LANDOWNER AS LONG AS THEY'RE AROUND.
AND, UM, WE WANT TO ESTABLISH A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND WE WANT, UH, SUCCESSIVE OWNERS TO HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT US AS WELL.
SO ESTABLISHING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP FROM THE START WITH GOOD COMMUNICATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT ALIGNS THE LAND.
TRUST IS A, ARE VERY, VERY GOOD AT THEY'RE GOOD AT TALKING WITH WORKING WITH LANDOWNERS AND BEING FAIR AND KIND OF HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF THE EASEMENT.
SO THE LAND TRUST GOES THROUGH THEIR WHOLE PROCESS.
SO GETTING THEIR APPROVAL, THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, ALL THE THINGS THEY NEED TO DO.
UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE CLOSED THING WITH THE, UH, USUALLY A LOCAL ATTORNEY.
AND THEN AFTER CLOSING, WE TAKE THAT EXPANDED.
IT BECOMES PART OF OUR PORTFOLIO OF EASEMENTS.
SO WE'RE REQUIRED, UM, UNDER OUR POLICIES.
THEN I KNOW IT'S THE SAME FOR BEAVER COUNTY OPEN LAND TRUST, UM, TO MONITOR ANNUALLY.
UM, AND WE HAVE CERTAIN STANDARDS FOR HOW THAT'S DONE.
WE HAVE STANDARDS FOR HOW WE, UM, HOW WE DOCUMENT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH THE LANDOWNER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, SO WE DO, UM, ALL OF THAT AND IT'S ALL UNDER THAT, THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE ACCREDITATION.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE STANDARDS THAT WE FOLLOW.
UM, SO THIS LAND TRUST ALLIANCE GROUP, UM, MEO MAY HAVE HEARD OF, BUT IT'S A NATIONAL ACCREDITING BODY THAT ALL OF THE LAND TRUSTS IN THE NATION, UM, CAN GO AND SEEK ACCREDITATION FROM.
AND THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE REALLY HELPS US DEVELOP PROCESSES AND STANDARDS AND STAY ON TOP OF THE CASE LAW THAT IT'S COMING OUT ABOUT EASEMENTS.
UM, THEY PROVIDE TREMENDOUS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, UM, AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION SHARING AMONG ALL THE LAND TRUST, BUT THEY REALLY DO HELP MAKE, MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE LAND TRUSTS ARE MAINTAINING THE STANDARDS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR FIELD.
UM, SO A LOT OF WHAT THEY HELP US WITH TOO, IS JUST KIND OF KEEPING TRACK OF LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DID PHILLIPS IN 1983? WE PROBABLY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT MIGHT COME UP TODAY IN HOW PEOPLE USE THEIR LAND AND MANAGE THEIR LAND, BUT JUST BEING ABLE TO STAY ON TOP OF WHAT HAS CHANGED.
UM, AS SCIENCE CHANGES, AS WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT LAND MANAGEMENT CHANGES, AND AS CASE LAW HAS CHANGED ABOUT EASEMENTS, WE HAVE TO ADAPT OUR EASEMENT DRAFTS TO THOSE CHANGES.
AND THEN IN THIS DAY, ACTUALLY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE HAVE, WHAT'S ANOTHER ORGANIZATION CALLED THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW LAND TRUST NETWORK.
AND THAT BODY IS A WAY FOR ONLY INTERESTS JUST IN THE STATE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER AND TALK ABOUT, UH, TRENDS THEY'RE SEEING OR ISSUES THEY'RE HAVING.
[00:30:01]
IT'S AN EDUCATIONAL FORUM AS WELL.UM, SO IN THOSE EIGHT, THE LAND TRUSTS DO A LOT OF COMMUNICATING AMONGST THEMSELVES.
SO EASEMENTS JUST IN GENERAL, THEY ARE IN PERPETUITY.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO STEWARD THEM, UM, FOR THE LIFETIME OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE THEM ADAPT OVER TIME.
SO KIND OF NOW, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT DRAFTING AND EASEMENT, I'M REALLY TRYING TO BE FORWARD THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE WRITING IT.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE NITTY GRITTY AND GET SPECIFIC WITH OUR LANDOWNERS BECAUSE I MAY HAVE ONE LANDOWNER WHO PLACES AN EASEMENT WITH ME, WHO DOES, I DON'T LIKE CHICKENS.
SO I WANT TO PUT IN AN EASEMENT THAT I DON'T LIKE THAT I'M NOT GOING TO ALLOW CHICKENS ON MY PROPERTY EVER.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE OF OUR EASEMENT.
AND THEN SUCCESSIVE LATER SAY, WELL, I, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE CHICKENS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE CHICKENS.
SO THAT'S JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE OF KIND OF, WE HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE EASEMENTS WILL WORK FOR SUCCESSIVE LAND OWNERS AND CAN OVER TIME ADAPT, NOT JUST TO EACH LANDOWNER'S NEEDS, BUT TO HOW HABITATS CHANGE AND HOW, UM, THE PROPERTY MIGHT CHANGE OVER TIME.
SO, UH, IT IS A BIG TASK, BUT A LOT OF THE LAND TRUST REALLY, UM, HAVING BEEN IN IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, UM, GREAT, UH, CURRENT ADAPTING AND THINKING ABOUT EVERY EASEMENT DRAFT, YOU'RE REALLY THINKING HARD ABOUT WHAT IS THAT LAND FEED AND WHAT IS THE CONSERVATION VALUE AND PURPOSE OF THIS EASEMENT AND HOW CAN I BEST PROTECT THIS PROPERTY? UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF MY BASIC RUNDOWN OF EASEMENTS.
AND I WANT TO, IF YOU GUYS HAD ANY MORE LIKE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND QUESTIONS FOR ME ABOUT THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OR EASEMENTS OR ANYTHING YOU MIGHT HAVE, KATIE, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH HAVING A BUYER OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT HAS AN EASEMENT ON IT IN TERMS OF CONTESTING IT OR NOT, OR VIOLATING IT.
UM, WHAT'S THE PROCESS THERE, AND AS THE NATURE CONSERVANCY EVER HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME AND HIS FAVORITE? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF SITUATIONS WHERE WE'VE HAD VIOLATIONS AND WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF SITUATIONS WHERE WE'VE HAD PEOPLE REQUEST AMENDMENTS TO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'VE DEALT WITH THOSE SCENARIOS, BOTH OF THOSE SCENARIOS AND IN TERMS OF VIOLATIONS, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION.
UM, AND IT IS THE LAND TRUST RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT EASEMENT IS MADE WHOLE, LIKE, WE HOLD THOSE THE EASEMENT, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND WE HAVE TO DO SO IF, UH, FOR INSTANCE, A LAND ON OUR CUT TIMBER, WHERE THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO CUT IT, THEN WE WOULD BE ASKING THEM TO GO BACK IN AND REPLANT THE TIMBER.
UH, WE WOULD ASK FOR THE PROCEEDS THAT THEY COMING FROM THAT TO HARVEST, TO BE PUT BACK INTO SOME OTHER FORM OF IMPROVING PRETTY POTENTIALLY.
UM, AND MAYBE EVEN BEYOND THAT, WE WOULD JUST, IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE CASE AND THE SEVERITY AND OFTENTIMES VIOLATIONS ARE NOT INTENTIONAL.
AND THERE'S JUST MAYBE A LACK OF COMMUNICATION OR A THIRD PARTY MIGHT HAVE INTERFERED IN SOME WAY.
UM, SO MAKING THE PROPERTY HOLDS JUST REALLY TRYING TO ENSURE THOSE CONSERVATION VALUES ARE NOT IMPACTED OR THE IMPACT IS MITIGATED.
CAUSE THE ONE THAT CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS HAVE, IS OFTEN WITH LAND TRUST, DO THEY HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO, UH, TO DO WHAT IT TAKES LEGALLY TO, UH, NOT JUST BE INTIMIDATED OR HAVE SOMEBODY OUT LAST AND PLEASE THEY HAVE MORE MONEY WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
SO, UM, AND THAT INCLUDES BUFORD COUNTY, UM, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE WHAT SORT OF LEGAL, UM, UH, RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO BE PRESENT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY EASEMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, BE HEARD COUNTY APPROVES OR DELEGATES TO A LAND TRUST, UH, CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THAT THERE'S A, WHEN THERE'S A VIOLATION.
UM, YOU DO HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH ANY VIOLATIONS AS THEY MIGHT OCCUR.
I THINK IN MOST CASES, WHAT WE SEE AS LANDOWNERS THAT ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
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TO HAVE AN OCCURRENCE.A LANDOWNER IS, UM, JUST REALLY NOT WILLING TO MAKE IT RIGHT, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO TO COURT, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HAS SET ASIDE A STEWARDSHIP ENDOWMENT.
AND I THINK THE FIRM HAS THE SAME THING, UM, WHERE ALL EASEMENTS, WE SET ASIDE A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT GOES INTO THE STEWARDSHIP ENDOWMENT, AND THAT IS TO PROTECT OUR ABILITY TO GO AFTER A VIOLATOR IF WE NEED TO.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, UM, THROUGH THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE AND BUFORD COUNTY LAND TRUST MIGHT HAVE THIS, BUT THERE IS AN EASEMENT DEFENSE INSURANCE PROGRAM THAT MANY OF THE SMALLER LAND TRUST TAKE.
IT HELPS THEM, UM, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE UP AND DOWN MEN THAT THEY COULD THEN LEAN ON THIS INSURANCE PROGRAM TO DEFEND THEIR EASEMENTS.
WHAT'S THE SMALLEST ACREAGE THAT YOU HAVE OF EASTMAN ON HIS DOCTORAL ON, UM, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY.
WE PROBABLY HAVE LIKE A 40 ACRE EASEMENT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE DONE ONES WHERE LIKE MAYBE THE ORIGINAL LANDOWNER DONATE AN EASEMENT AND THEN WE TOOK IT ANOTHER PERSON NEXT TO IT THAT THEY BOUGHT.
AND THEN THE LARGEST MIGHT BE ABOUT 14,000 ACRES, UH, OR NO, THE GREENVILLE WATERSHED.
UM, HAVE YOU HAD ANY EXPERIENCE IN WORK THE WAY THE PROPERTY OWNER, THEY TRIED TO KILL A SECURE EASEMENT FROM THEM AIR'S PROPERTY.
UM, WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN TRYING TO WORK ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, UM, IN THE MOSQUITO BEACH AREA.
UM, AND ERA'S POVERTY IS VERY TRICKY AND I WORKED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT WHEN I WAS WITH ORGILL LAND TRUST IN SAVANNAH AREA.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD REALLY LEAVE, UM, LIKE THE CENTER OF OUR HEIRS PROPERTY PRESERVATION AND SOME OF OUR PARTNERS IN THAT CASE, IT DID HAVE A TARGETED PROPERTY THAT WAS HEIRS PROPERTY.
UM, WE HAVE NOT DONE A LOT OF THAT.
UM, THERE ARE SOME GROUPS LIKE LOW COUNTRY LAND TRUST, AND BUFORD PROBABLY HAVE A LOT MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THAT.
EXCUSE ME, MAINLY BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY WORK AND WE, UM, THE WAY THE LAND TRUST COMMUNITY WORKS TOO, IS IT USUALLY WE LOOK TO BUFORD TO BECOME THAT PERFECT BEAVER COUNTY OPEN LAND TRUST TO BE THE EXPERT IN THE BUFORD AREA.
AND SIMILARLY, LOW COUNTRY LAND TRUST IS REALLY THE EXPERT IN THE COASTAL AREA, NEAR CHARLESTON THAT WE KIND OF DEFER TO THEM AND A LOT OF SMALLER, UM, PROTECTION SITUATIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. KATIE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND, UM, STEVE, TO ME THAT OUR PHILOSOPHY AND VISION AND MISSION IS VERY SIMILAR AND HOPEFULLY DOWN THE ROAD, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.
WE WOULD LOVE THAT WE ARE BIG FANS OF THE RURAL INCREDIBLE LANDS PROGRAM AND BUFORD COUNTY OPEN LAND TRUST, UM, AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM AND THE PROJECTION PROJECTS THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, WE WOULD LOVE TO DO.
AND IF WE CAN BE A RESOURCE AND IF I CAN ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TASK.
WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE, CAN YOU PLEASE SEND ME YOUR POWERPOINT SO I CAN DISTRIBUTE THAT TO THE BOARD? ABSOLUTELY.
MOVING ALONG, MR. WELL, THANK YOU FOR ACTING FOR OUR FINANCIAL REPORT, BUT I KNOW YOU, YOU, YOU ALWAYS ON TOP OF THAT, SO EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A COPY.
IF WE GOING TO LET THE EXPERTS TALK ABOUT THIS FINANCIAL REPORT WE HAVE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EXPERT, BUT, UM, YEAH, SO WE GOT THIS, UM, FROM HAYES, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, BACK IN AUGUST.
UM, AND SO THIS IS, UM, THIS IS JUNE, 2021.
UM, AND IF WE HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT I CAN'T ANSWER, WE CAN ALWAYS, UM, YOU CAN EMAIL THEM TO ME, NOT GOING TO ASK.
HEY, UM, BUT OF COURSE WE BROUGHT DOWN THE $25 MILLION BOND, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE EXPENDITURES.
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SOME OF THEM ARE LABELED LIKE THE LONGWOOD PIECE AND THE PORT ROLL BATTLEFIELD, FREMONT WIGEON.UM, AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE AT THE END, RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE HAD AS OF JUNE, 2021 WAS 19 MILLION, 6 54, 9 91.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR AVAILABLE BALANCE.
UM, SOME OF THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT LESS CAUSE SOME DUE DILIGENCE HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN, BUT IT'S JUST DUE DILIGENCE, YOU KNOW, NOT IN A MILLION DOLLARS RIGHT THING.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN THAT WITH DUE DILIGENCE THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THEN, BUT, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR THINK OF 'EM, YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL THEM TO ME AND, AND I'LL GET HAYES TO ANSWER THEM IF I DON'T KNOW.
AMANDA, ONE, ONE QUESTION WOULD CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ANY OUTSTANDING, UM, COMMITMENTS FOR PURCHASE OF A FISH SAMPLE OR, UM, DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.
OH, WELL YOU MEAN IN TERMS OF PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED, BUT HAVEN'T CLOSED.
UM, I GUESS THERE'S NOT A LINE ITEM ON THERE FOR THAT, THAT CRACKS.
THERE'S NOT A LINE THAT, YEAH.
SO WE CAN HAVE THAT ADDED TO FUTURE FINANCE UPDATE THOSE LINE ITEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS MONEY'S ALLOCATED, BUT NOT YET, UH, PUSHED OUT OF THE ACCOUNT.
UM, I'LL MENTION THAT BRIEFLY WITH THE HENRY FARM NORTH CLOSING AND MY MONTHLY REPORT, BUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE INFORMATIVE LINE ITEM.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S INCLUDED NEXT TIME.
AND THEN, UM, JUST TO KNOW THE THIRD, UM, LINE IN THE HEADER, UH, I ASSUME WE JUST PULLING THIS FORWARD, BUT THAT'S NOT THE PERIOD THAT YOU'RE REPORTING FOR.
SO YOU PROBABLY OUGHT TO TAKE THAT LINE OFF, ACTUALLY, THAT, THAT IS THE PERIOD THAT IT, THAT IS THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
SO THAT REPORT COMES FROM OUR, OUR FINANCE, OUR CFO.
SO THAT, THAT ITEM, THAT REPORT IS GENERATED DIRECTLY OUT OF OUR SYSTEM CALLED MUNIS.
SO THAT, THAT IS THE TIMEFRAME THAT HE REPORTED.
AND I THOUGHT THAT IT LOOKED A LITTLE WONKY BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY SHOULD BE REPORTING THROUGH JUNE 30 OF THIS YEAR.
SO FROM JULY ONE LAST YEAR TO JUNE 30 THIS YEAR, I THINK THERE WAS A DATE MIX UP.
AND SO NEXT TIME, HOPEFULLY HE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE THE FULL ACCOUNT THE FULL YEAR BECAUSE, UM, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE ARE SOME ITEMS WHERE YOU HAVE APPROVED ACQUISITIONS AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SHOW UP IN THE FINANCIALS BECAUSE HAYES WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING AMANDA AND KATE WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE AS A SEPARATE NOTE.
AND THEN ALSO THERE IS ONE PASSIVE PARK ITEM, THE FORT FREMONT ITEM THAT DOES HAVE AN ENCUMBRANCE OF 133 AND SOME CHANGE 133,000 AND SOME CHANGE THAT WAS FROM YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AGO BECAUSE WE'RE FINISHING UP THAT PROJECT.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY PASSIVE PARK THAT YOU SHOULD SEE IN FUTURE FINANCIALS.
BUT, BUT THAT THIRD LINE IS WHAT THAT REPORT IS REPORTING.
WELL, IT SAYS JUNE, 2021 ON THE TOP OF THE RIGHT-HAND COLUMN.
SO IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSION EXACTLY WHAT IT IS REPORTING ON THE TOP OF THE RIGHT-HAND COLUMN, 2021.
AND, UM, I'LL, I'LL CHECK WITH HAYES AND SEE IF, IF THE DOULA ONES ARE DECEMBER 31ST, 2020 IS INCORRECT.
OR IF THE JUNE, 2021 IS IT I'LL, I'LL CHECK ALL THAT AND MAKE SURE HE PROBABLY MEANT TO DO IT BLOCK FIRST OR JUNE 30TH, AND MAYBE FORGOT TO CHANGE THAT AT THE TOP, BUT I'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
HE MEANT TO DO THAT, BUT, BUT THESE NUMBERS DEFINITELY FROM 2020, BECAUSE TRANSFER FROM RURAL AND CRITICAL TO PASSIVE PARKS HAPPENED LAST CALENDAR YEAR.
SO, AND AS WELL AS THE TWO, UM, THE TWO PARK, THE FORT FREMONT, AND WHICH IN POINT NUMBERS ARE FROM LAST CALENDAR YEAR, THOSE ARE FROM JULY ONE TO DECEMBER, 2020, NOT ANYWHERE BEYOND 2020 THERE.
[00:45:01]
CORRECT? CORRECT.THE NEXT ONE, WHICH END POINT WON'T BE ON THERE FOR FREMONT WILL BE A DIFFERENT NUMBER AND THEN THE TRANSFER WON'T BE ON THERE BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY OCCURRED.
WE'LL GET AN UPDATE OUT DEAL AND, AND HAVE A FINANCE STAFF MEMBER AT OUR MEETING.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL AS FAR AS THE MONTHLY REPORT, UM, YOU HEARD ME COMING IN AND HOW WELCOMING OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, SO I'LL JUST SAY AGAIN MORE CLEARLY FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THRILLED THAT WE HAVE A FULL BOARD AND TWO NEW MEMBERS, UM, FROM THE BLUFFTON AREA, KENNETH FRAZIER AND FORD BARTHOLOW.
UM, SO WE'RE THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
UM, OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS, UM, LIKE TOM HAVE W TOM HAS RECEIVED, AND THE NEW MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE THE RETREAT PACKET THAT WE ALL TALKS THROUGH BACK IN JUNE, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER ONBOARDING MATERIALS.
UM, BUT TO THAT POINT, I THINK WE SHOULD, UM, SET A GOAL TO HAVE ANOTHER FULL BOARD RETREAT TYPE CONVERSATION, UM, AT ONE OF OUR FUTURE MEETINGS.
AND MAYBE WE WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN ON SITE, ON A PROPERTY IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO BE THINKING ABOUT, UM, ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS GETTING TOGETHER NOW AS A FULL BOARD, UM, TO THAT POINT, OH, THIS IS ANOTHER CALL FOR BOARD BIAS.
UM, GAIL RESPONDED LAST TIME AND HER BIO HAS BEEN UPDATED ON THE WEBSITE, MACK.
I THINK YOUR BIO HAS BEEN UPDATED ON THE WEBSITE, BUT IF YOU, UM, YOU THINK YOU HAVEN'T SENT IT TO ME, PLEASE DO IT PROBABLY MEANS YOU HAVEN'T, I'M NOT GONNA CALL YOU OUT BECAUSE, UM, I MIGHT MIX UP YOUR NAME, BUT, UM, I MIX UP MY MEMORY OF WHO HASN'T HAS NOT, BUT GO AHEAD AND, UM, GO CHECK THE WEBSITE.
I'M SURE THERE'S SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT'S HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU WANT YOUR BIO UPDATED ABOUT.
UM, SO PLEASE SEND THAT BIO INFORMATION TO ME SO WE CAN GET THAT OUT THERE ON THE RURAL AND CRITICAL WEBSITE.
UM, AND, UM, ALL RIGHT, SO A COUPLE OTHER PROGRAMMATIC THINGS, UM, AND I'M JUST GOING TO DO THEM IN THE ORDER OF TIME.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION IN PENROSE, NORTH CAROLINA, HENDERSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA IS CONTEMPLATING A RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS TYPE PROGRAM, UM, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND THE LAWS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THE FUNDING IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN NORTH CAROLINA, BUT IT IS A RECOGNITION OF THEIR COUNTY AND THEIR RURAL COMMUNITIES TO COME TOGETHER AND PROTECT LAND.
AND SO THEY'VE INVITED, UM, SOME FOLKS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO, UM, BE, AND, UM, IT IS A WORKSHOP ON SATURDAY WITH MEMBERS OF THEIR PLANNING COMMISSION AND MEMBERS OF THE CITIZEN COMMITTEE THAT ARE LEADING THIS COMP PLAN EFFORT.
AND Y'ALL MAY REMEMBER, UM, A WOMAN BY THE NAME OF NINA DECORDOVA.
HELENA FOR HE IS SPEARHEADING THE CITIZEN EFFORT, AND NINA THINKS SO HIGHLY OF THE EFFORT AND THE BEACH ART WORK THAT SHE INVITED A BEEFER, UM, REPRESENTATIVE.
SO WE ALL WERE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION, SOUTH CAROLINA CHAPTER THIS MORNING, AND THAT ENDED UP GETTING CANCELED.
UM, BUT IT IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE THE SAME TOPIC BEING DISCUSSED IN NORTH CAROLINA.
SO WHAT WAS THE, UM, HENDERSON COUNTY IT'S RIGHT OUTSIDE OF HENDERSONVILLE? UM, YEAH, SO THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOME SIMILAR GROWTH PAINS AS WE ARE HERE.
UM, WHAT NINA SHARED WITH ME ON THE PHONE AND I'LL PROVIDE A GREATER UPDATE AFTER THE MEETING, OBVIOUSLY, UM, BUT THEY CAN ACCOMMODATE THEIR EXPECTED POPULATION GROWTH WITHIN THE URBAN AREAS.
AND THEIR GOAL IS TO DO THAT AND NOT TO HAVE IT BLEEDS INTO THEIR RURAL COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES AND ROWS THAT NINA IS WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH, UM, IS, IS LEADING THAT CHARGE.
SO, UM, IT'LL BE EXCITING TO LEARN FROM THEM AND I WILL REPORT BACK, UM, AND WE MAY HAVE SOME ADMIRERS AND FRIENDS ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER THAT CAN SHARE LESSONS LEARNED AS WELL WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I THINK IT'S JUST RECOGNITION AND YOU'LL HEAR THIS A LOT, BUT BUFORD AND CHARLESTON ARE THE TWO COUNTIES.
THE STATE THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TYPE OF LOCAL FUNDING.
THE LONGEST WE ARE LOOKED TO AS AN EXAMPLE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE REALLY PROUD OF.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE PRESENTATION, WELL, YOU KNOW, HOW THE CONVERSATION WILL GO AND EXCITED TO RECONNECT WITH NINA AND LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE.
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THE 25TH, UH, WE'LL CLOSE FORMERLY ON THE HENRY FARM PROPERTY AND THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT WILL BE RECORDED AND PERPETUITY, UM, PROTECTS THAT PROPERTY.SO THANK YOU ALL FOR AFFORDING THE COUNTY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, THAT CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITY OF PRIME FARM LAND ON ST.
HELENA, UM, CENTER FOR AIR TITLE, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF, ALL OF US, ALL OF YOU, UM, CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY WILL TAKE TITLE AND, UM, AGAIN, TO BUILD AN EVEN STRONGER BRIDGE, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO MAY NOT YET HAVE CLEAR TITLE ON THEIR PROPERTY, BUT MAYBE VERY INTERESTED IN AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY AND LAND PROTECTION, AND REALLY SERVE AS A PLACE TO LEARN, UM, HOW TO SOLVE MANY CHALLENGES WITH GREAT SOLUTIONS.
SO I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING YOU ALL SHOULD FEEL VERY PROUD OF AND BE FOR COUNTIES SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CLOTHING.
J UM, AND THEN FINALLY, OUR NEXT MEETING IN NOVEMBER, UM, WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR VETERANS DAY, NOVEMBER 11TH AND VIA POPULAR VOTE.
WE'VE MOVED THAT TO NOVEMBER 4TH.
SO PLEASE LET THIS SERVE AS A REMINDER THAT OUR NEXT MEETING IS IN FACT, A WEEK EARLIER THAN NORMAL.
THIS IS NUMBER FOUR, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE, WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A WORKSHOP AT OUR NOVEMBER 4TH MEETING.
SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT OUR RETREAT, OUR WORKSHOP FOLDS REALLY NICELY INTO YOUR RETREAT OR THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO RESCHEDULE? ALL RIGHT.
WE MAY, WE'LL SEND IT UPDATE ON THAT.
STAY TUNED BOARD Y'ALL ARE A FLEXIBLE PEOPLE.
UM, IF WE, UM, PLEASE HOLD NOVEMBER 4TH.
UM, AND, AND THAT MEETING AGAIN, UM, AND LAST YEAR SOCIAL CALENDAR IS, HAS CHANGED FROM THE LAST TIME WE TOOK THIS FALL, NOVEMBER 4TH WAS EVERYONE'S PREFERENCE.
WE WILL HOLD A ROLE IN CRITICAL BOARD MEETING.
THEN IT MAY, IT WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING A WORKSHOP WHERE WE GET INTO OUR POLICIES AND TALK WITH OUR COUNTY COUNCIL COUNTERPART, THEN, UM, REALLY PUT OUR COLLECTIVE STAMP ON THE PROCESS.
UM, AND IF IT IS NOT THAT TYPE OF MEETING, WE WILL STILL HAVE A MEETING BECAUSE WE WILL NEED AN UPDATED FINANCIAL REPORT AND WE'LL HAVE OTHER WORK TO DO.
AS WE'VE LONG TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS AT THE RICH GREAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, UM, AS STAFF CONTRACTORS, AS BEAVER COUNTY STAFF, AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE UPHOLDING THAT THEIR WISHES TO GROW IN CRITICAL FUNDS IN ANY EFFICIENCIES, ANY THOUGHTFULNESS WE CAN ADD TO THE PROCESS WE SAID DO, UM, AND SO AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DIVE DEEP INTO THAT SIDE OF THINGS, UM, MAYBE ON THE HORIZON, BUT, UM, I WILL CONFIRM THAT.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA SAY Y'ALL, UM, IF YOU'RE ON, IF YOU WILL PLEASE MEET ME AT YOURSELF, EVEN IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE, WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S JUST OUR SYSTEM OR WHAT, BUT, UM, ANYWAY, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE SPEAK YOURSELF SO WE CAN NOT HEAR SOME OF THE FEEDBACK.
UM, I WENT OUT AND WALKED THE TRAIL AT WIDGET POINT THIS MOMENT, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND WELL KEPT.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO STEPHANIE AND HER GROUP.
AND, UH, BUT WE SAW A COUPLE OF ADULT BUMBLE EAGLES THAT WILL TOLERATED US, SAID, LET US WALK RIGHT UNDER THE TREE WHERE THEY WERE.
AND, UH, SO IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S GREAT PRESERVE AND GOOD STANDING FOR THIS GROUP AND FOR THE COUNTY.
THAT, THAT PAIR OF BALD EAGLES IN THE NEST ON THE PARKING LOT OF WHICH IN POINT HAVE RETURNED.
UM, SO THEY ARE OUT THERE, UH, DOING THEIR MATING RITUALS ABOVE THE LAGOON.
ONE MORNING, I WOKE UP ABOUT 10.
I HAD TO BALDY OR FIGHTING IN MY YARD.
[00:55:01]
YOU SO MUCH.UM, AND, UM, WE CAN TRANSITION INTO OUR, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM, WHICH, UM, I HAD INTENDED IF NEXT MONTH WAS A WORKSHOP THAT WE WOULDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME FOR PROJECT REVIEW.
SO I WANTED TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU WITH EXPEDIENCE.
UM, CAN I JUST MAKE ONE QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE WE LEAVE? UM, GENERALLY.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD WITH RESPECT TO PASSIVE PARTS UPDATES? UM, I'D LOVE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER COMPLETELY.
SO PLEASE DO, UM, JUST ONE QUICK THING.
UM, BECAUSE I WAS THERE ALL MORNING TODAY TO CLEAN IT UP IN PREPARATION FOR A, UH, TOUR TOMORROW, BUT THE FORT FREMONT HISTORY CENTER IS GOING TO HAVE ITS GRAND OPENING ON NOVEMBER 9TH FROM THREE TO FIVE.
SO IF ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS CAN ATTEND, UM, WE'LL BE SENDING OUT A FORMAL PRESS RELEASE AND AN INVITATION ON OCTOBER 26TH.
UM, SO AMANDA WILL GET THAT SO THAT SHE CAN FORWARD IT TO Y'ALL.
BUT I WANTED TO JUST PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR.
UM, NOW, SINCE YOU'RE, SINCE WE'RE ALL HERE AT THE MEETING, THAT'S PERFECT.
NOVEMBER 9TH FROM THREE TO FIVE.
Y'ALL HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OUT THERE AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT'LL BE ANOTHER GREAT RECOGNITION OF THE SUCCESS OF THE PASSIVE PARKS PROGRAM.
WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO GO IN.
IT'S LIKE, OH JERRY, ARE WE GETTING READY TO MOVE IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION OR HAVE THE BULLSHIT? THE SECOND, SECOND, THE MOVE, THE BOAT HAS BEEN MOVED AND MOTION THAT WE MOVE INTO THIS
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THEN, UM, WE WILL NEED A MOTION AND THEY COME OUT TO VOTE FOR THAT.SO WE'LL NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND AND A VOTE.
I THINK YOU CAN DO THE, UM, WHAT IS IT? Y'ALL DO ALICE.
SOMETIMES THEY DO THE VOTE WITHOUT OBJECTION, WITHOUT OBJECTIONS.
UM, I HAVE A COOL ONE QUESTION.
I MEAN, OR STANFORD, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, BASED UPON A PREVIOUS CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD, THE STAFF IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF DOING DUE DILIGENCE.
THAT'S WHAT I HEARD IS THAT CORRECT? ABSTRACT.
THE PHASE ONE IS NOT BACK YET.
IT WOULD BE CONTINGENT UPON DUE DILIGENCE IS COMPLETED IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER.
IS THAT THE WAY TO WORD THAT? OKAY.
I, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT, UH, THIS RECOMMENDATION AND A CONTINGENT UPON SATISFACTORY SET OF SATISFACTORY, UH, RESPONSE WITH COMPLETING DUE DILIGENCE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDARY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT THAT MAC PENDING A SATISFACTORY DUE DILIGENCE, ALL IN FAVOR, ALL OPPOSED, NONE MUCH.
THERE'LL BE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS GREAT MEETING.
UM, THAT'S IT JUST A REMINDER AGAIN, THAT NEXT MONTH IT'LL BE NOVEMBER 4TH HERE.
YOU'RE GETTING THE CRYSTAL DAY FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO COME, I WILL STILL DO THE WEBEX FOR THOSE WHO DON'T WANT TO COME.
AND, UH, WE'LL STILL HAVE THAT OPTION.
UM, UH, AMANDA, WHERE WOULD THAT MEETING BE HELD HERE AT CRYSTAL NIGHT.
UH, ALSO, I JUST WANT TO SAY IT WAS FUN TO SEE THE ARTICLE AND I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE BLUFFTON SUN ABOUT THE PATH OF PARKS UNDERGOING THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, PROGRESS.
AND THEN I THINK A BUNCH OF Y'ALL WERE ON THE COVER OF SOME MAGAZINE AND PAPER, WHICH I DIDN'T GET A COPY OF YET, BUT IT LOOKED REALLY FUN.
I'LL UM, I'LL SHARE THE BLESSED INCEN ARTICLE ON THE RURAL AND CRITICAL FACEBOOK PAGE.
UM, AND YES, I HAVE BEEN LAND TRUST WAS FEATURED ON THE COVER OF THE BEAVER LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE.
UM, A FOUR YEAR OLD AT MY DAUGHTER'S PRESCHOOL SAID HE SAW ME ON A MAGAZINE AND I THINK, UM, THAT'S JUST GOOD NEWS THAT LAND CONSERVATION IS REACHING THE YOUNGEST MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, WELL I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO WAS OPPOSED TO ATTENDING AND FOR YOUR WORK OR YOUR PASSIONATE TYPE OF WORK IN HERE AND STAFF AND I'M INHERITING
[01:25:01]
THAT.MAY I HAVE A MOTION BEFORE WE CONCLUDE? CAN WE OFFICIALLY, UH, COMMAND ROB MARSHA FOR HIS NEW PROMOTION? CONGRATULATIONS, TRUMP.
SO WHAT WAS THAT GOING TO BE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.