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YOU GET STARTED AND CALLED THIS DECEMBER 1ST, 2021 OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER AND AS IS OUR PRACTICE.
IF WE COULD START WITH STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE, FOR ALL INTEREST FOR ALL.
AND, UM, LET'S JUST GO THROUGH THOSE, THE ZOO AND SEE WHO IS ON IF WE COULD DO THAT.
SO WE HAVE MYSELF AS CHAIR OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, MS. INGRID BOATRIGHT, UM, DAVID STRIVEN JER.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, DAVID, THAT MAY APPEAR ROBIN, AS I'M SAYING, MR. UH, PRINCIPAL TERRANCE FROM ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, CAROL CRUTCHFIELD FROM OPERATIONS, ROBERT AUDITING FROM OPERATIONS.
UM, MR. BRADLEY CARTLEDGE YEAH.
I DON'T SEE MR. SMITH HAVING JOINED US YET.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL, UM, HOPEFULLY HE CAN JOIN US SOON, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA IF MS. BOATRIGHT MR. ADI, AND YOU HAVE, AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT MR BRADLEY'S TIME, BUT I MAY MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT YOU SWITCHED THOSE TWO ITEMS BECAUSE THE EASEMENT I'M SURE HE MAY BE INTERESTED IN IT, BUT IT MAY TAKE A WHILE WHERE HE COULD GO AHEAD AND DO THE NAME CHANGE.
IF THAT WAS FIRST IT'S FINE WITH ME.
SO, UM, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION THERE? INGRID? SURE.
WE APPROVED THE AGENDA, BUT SWITCH THE ORDER OF OUR TOPICS TO DO E BEFORE D I WILL SECOND THAT ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS MS. CHRISTIAN BERRY? YEP.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND LET'S DISCUSS THIS EXCITING, UH, TOPIC OF THE ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY NAME CHANGE.
WE'D LOVE TO START THE CONVERSATION.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO START IT FOR SURE? YEAH.
SO, UM, I'LL READ THE LETTER, UM, THAT WE'VE WRITTEN, AND THEN I CAN ELABORATE A BIT MORE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE IS THAT, UM, WE'D LIKE TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE NAME OF OUR SCHOOL TO REFLECT THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR NAMESAKE.
CURRENTLY OUR SCHOOL IS NAMED AS AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.
HOWEVER, OUR NEW FOCUS IS ON LEADERSHIP.
WITHIN THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE.
I KNOW THE SCHOOL BOARD IS COMMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL CHILDREN WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, CULTURAL DIVERSITY, AND EQUALITY OF ALL OF OUR LEARNERS APPROVING THIS NAME CHANGE WOULD ALIGN WITH THE VALUES AND MISSION OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL BENEFITS TO THE MODIFICATION AT THIS TIME.
ONE BEING THAT WE'RE GETTING A NEW BUILDING, UM, TWO AS THE SCHOOL HAD THE FOCUS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT BASED ON OUR NAMESAKE OF ROBERT SMALLS.
THREE ALLOWS THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOL TO CREATE A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT MATCHES OUR OVERALL CORE BELIEFS OF LEVER LEADER IN ME AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF OUR SCHOOL AND DISTRICT.
UM, WE HAVE TAKEN THIS, UM, AND, AND, UH, INFORMALLY MET WITH, UH, THE, UH, PARENTS, CURRENT STUDENTS, THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, UM, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THIS LETTER IS FROM OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE, UH, AND THE CHAIR, JAMES MORALE, MR. JAMES MORALE.
UM, AND WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO PROPOSE THE NAME, CHANGE TO ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
UM, I BELIEVE THIS WOULD HELP WITH THE MARKETING OF OUR SCHOOL.
I BELIEVE THIS WILL HELP WITH, UH,
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UH, KIND OF GETTING A FACELIFT WITH THE NEW BUILDING AS WELL.AND IT'LL ALLOW PEOPLE TO REALLY SEE WHO WE ARE AND BECOME LEADERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY NORTH OF THE BROAD RIVER.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS MS. BOATWRIGHT OR MR. ? MY ONLY THING IS I, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT IT CAME FROM THE SIC AND THAT THE PARENTS WERE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION-MAKING AND ALUMNI.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, I TOO THINK THAT THIS IS A, A, UH, A VERY POSITIVE NAME CHANGE.
UM, DID THE QUESTION I HAVE, UM, MR. TERRANCE, W WHAT DO YOU KNOW WHY IT WAS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY MADE IT BEGIN WITH, AND IS THAT, IS THERE A, UM, WAS THAT BASED ON A CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION TYPE OF FOCUS AND HAS THAT CHANGED OR WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT? YEAH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED THE INTERVIEW COMMITTEE FOR ME, AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY THAT WAS IN THAT ROOM TO ARTICULATE THAT, UM, I DID A LITTLE BIT FURTHER RESEARCH AND THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, CURRENT STUDENTS, AND, UH, PARENTS WERE UNAWARE OF WHY IT WAS CALLED INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY.
ALSO, I DUG A LITTLE DEEPER AND FOUND OUT THAT A PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT, UM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF ANYBODY KNOWS A LITTLE BETTER THAN ME, BUT A PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT, UM, RENAMED INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY TO BRING IN INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS INTO, UH, TEACH OUR KIDS MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, UM, WITHIN THAT, AND TO HAVE INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS TEACHING, UH, OUR STUDENTS.
UM, AND, UH, WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT IN, IN, UH, AT LEAST THE PAST FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE LOOKED BACK INTO OUR HISTORY HERE.
UM, AND SO, SO RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT ONLY CURRENT PRACTICE THAT WE COULD SAY IS TIED TO QUOTE UNQUOTE INTERNATIONAL IS WE ARE A CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.
UM, AND THAT IS ADOPTED THIS YEAR ONLY, UH, PREVIOUSLY WE DID NOT HAVE THAT CAMBRIDGE, UM, THAT CAMBRIDGE TITLE COMES WITH, UM, SOME GUIDELINES AROUND CURRICULAR RESOURCES AND THAT GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE LEADERS IN THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, UH, OF OUR WORLD.
AND SO I, WE WILL CONTINUE THAT, UM, THAT CAMBRIDGE PIECE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S OUR BEST MARKETING TOOL AND WHAT REALLY IS WHO WE ARE AS GENERALS AND WHO ROBERT SMALLS REALLY REPRESENTS.
UM, AND SO I WANT TO KEEP THAT KIND OF THINKING OF THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE AND THE PARENTS THAT AGREE, YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY WANT TO KEEP THAT GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE THINKING AND LEADERSHIP, UM, AND WITHIN HUMANITY OF THE GLOW OF OUR WORLD.
BUT WHILE ALSO SAYING, HEY, LET'S REALLY HONOR ROBERT SMALLS.
AND SHE WAS A TRUE LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO LEVERAGE THAT.
THAT'S UH, IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE, MR. ADI, I SAW YOUR HAND WAS UP WHERE YOU JUST GOING TO SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION? YES.
I THINK HE, UM, UH, HIT IT ALL PRETTY WELL.
IT WAS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, WE DID THE NAME CHANGE, UH, I GUESS WHENEVER WE CONVERTED IT TO A K EIGHT SCHOOL, WHICH WAS SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND THERE WAS GOING TO BE CHINESE IMMERSION, SPANISH IMMERSION AS PART OF THAT PROGRAM, AND AS WAS ALLUDED TO IT KIND OF FELL OFF THAT PORTION OF IT.
SO THAT'S NO LONGER OCCURRING THERE.
I HAVE MORE TO SAY IT TURNS OUT, UM, I WAS THINKING AS I WAS LISTENING TO HIM TALK, IT OCCURRED TO ME, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE AN AR REGARDING THE NAMING OF SCHOOLS.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, AND THAT IS TO NAME US, ASSIGN NAMES TO SCHOOL.
THAT'S NOT CHANGING NAMES TO SCHOOL.
AND FUNDAMENTALLY IT SAYS THAT THE BOARD HAS THE FINAL SAY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WHY YOU'RE BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD.
UM, AND I HAVE NO OBJECTIONS TO THE NAME WHATSOEVER, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORTH LOOKING AT TO MAKE SURE OR AT LEAST FOR A FUTURE TOPIC, BECAUSE NAME CHANGING, CHANGING SCHOOL NAMES IS, UH, CAN BE MISINTERPRETED, UM, BY THE PUBLIC IN SOME WAYS.
AND IT'S BEEN KIND OF A HOT ISSUE.
SO WE MAY WANT TO TALK ABOUT ADDING TO THAT AR OR JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE STAYING WITHIN THE, THE AR SO THAT IF ANOTHER NAME CHANGE COMES UP, WE, WE HAVE THAT POLICY IN PLACE.
UM, MS. CARTLIDGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON YES.
UM, YES, MA'AM THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS.
I, UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF LOOKING AT THE, UM, THE ARS FOR COMMUNICATIONS, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO OLD, BUT THERE IS ACTUALLY AN IF, UM, ROBIN CAN PUT IT UP THE OH, S 28, NAMING NEW SCHOOL MASCOTS AND COLORS IT'S UM, IT SAYS HERE THAT A SCHOOL BUILT WILL CONTINUE TO BE CALLED BY ITS ORIGINAL NAME AND WILL MAINTAIN ITS ORIGINAL MASCOT AND COLORS, ABSENT BOARD ACTION TO THE CONTRARY.
AND THE BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO NAME SCHOOLS, NEW
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SCHOOLS, AND DETERMINING MASCOTS AND COLORS.IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD AND THAT THE BOARD APPOINTS AN AD HOC NAMING COMMITTEE TO SUGGEST NAMES, MASCOTS, AND COLORS WHEN THE NEED ARISES.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW A SUPERINTENDENT COULD HAVE CHANGED THE NAME OF A SCHOOL WITHOUT THE BOARD, GIVING THEM IT'S UP TO THE BOARD TO GIVE THAT APPROVAL TO THE CHANGING OF A NAME.
AND SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I MEAN, THE BOARD THERE WOULD BE A BOARD, YOU KNOW, NAMING COMMITTEE TO MEET WITH, UM, THERE'S DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE ON THE ADVISORY NAMING COMMITTEE, SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, COMMUNITY LEADERS, PRINCIPAL, UM, XFS FROM THE ATTENDANCE CENTER, THE DISTRICT OFFICE REP.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO THROUGH THE RIGHT PROCESS TO, UM, TO, TO CHANGE THE NAME, IF IT'S GOING TO CHANGE FROM, YOU KNOW, INTERNATIONAL TO ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
AND I THINK JUST BECAUSE OUR ARS, AND WHEN DO YOU MIGHT LOOK AT CAUSE THAT SPECIFICALLY SAYS, AND IT GIVES, LIKE, IT SAYS THAT IT NEEDS TO HAVE THE LOCATION AREA LIKE THAT KIND OF THING.
I DON'T THINK IT APPLIES BECAUSE WE'RE JUST CHANGING AN EXISTING NAME AND WE'RE NOT ALTERING IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY.
SO, BUT I THINK THAT MAYBE WHAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT, AND THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THIS PER SE, BUT IT'S ADDING TO THAT AR CHANGING THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL.
DO WE NEED TO FORM A NAMING COMMITTEE OR IN MY OPINION, THIS WAS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT.
THE PARENTS, YOU KNOW, THE SIC IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PARENTS AND STAFF HAD A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE NAME, WHICH WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, JUST THINK ABOUT, SO WE DON'T GET IN TROUBLE DOWN THE ROAD.
'CAUSE USUALLY IT'S NAMING A NEW SCHOOL.
AND I KNOW A COUPLE, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, UM, RIVER RIDGE WAS DEVELOPING MASCOT, BUT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN NAMED RIVARD RIDGE.
SO THE BOARD APPROVED, UM, MR. RYMAN HAD A DESIGN OF THE ACTUAL MASCOT AND THE BOARD GAVE INPUT ON THAT.
AND THEN THAT ORIGINAL MASCOT WAS MODIFIED.
AND THEN THE BOARD APPROVED THAT.
SO YOU ALL ARE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
SO I'M NOT HEARING ANY MAJOR CONCERN ABOUT THE COMMITTEE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD FOR THIS.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY TO MR. TERRANCE? UH, YES.
MA'AM MR. SMITH, IF YOU COULD RAISE YOUR HAND, THAT'D BE GREAT.
SO, SO WOULD THAT, WHERE THEY'RE ASKING TO CHANGE THE NAME TO THE NAMES ROBERT SMALLS, THE NATIONAL ACADEMY, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
WELL CURRENTLY IS RUBBER SMELLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY.
SO, SO WHAT WAS THE NAME BEING SHIT? WHAT WOULD IT BE CHANGED TO? OKAY.
IT WOULD BE CHANGED TO ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I DO HAVE, UM, CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY IF THE COMMUNITY HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED BECAUSE, AND IT'D BE BEYOND JUST THE SIC, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, A LOT OF TENSION WITH, UH, WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT CHANGING, KEEP, CONTINUE TO CHANGE THE, TO CHANGE THE NAME.
AND, AND ALSO THE, UH, TH THAT, THAT ONE TIME THEY'VE TOLD ME THAT THEY WANTED THE NAME TO, TO CHANGE A BATTLE CREEK HIGH SCHOOL TO MAYBE ROBIN SMALL.
SO I THINK WHAT IF WE CHANGE THIS SCHOOL NAME, THE MORE THAT WE MADE MAY RUN TO GIVE US THE WISHES WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'M A LITTLE LARRY TO SUPPORT EMOTION, TO GO TO THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ROCK, BECAUSE ROBINSON WAS, HAS A, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE A, UH, IN A ROBERT SMALLS HAS A ALUMNI GROUP AND THE ALUMNI, THERE ARE ALUMNI WHO HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN, I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THE ALUMNI GROUP ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT SOME THINGS.
SO I WOULD BE LET LARRY TO, TO, TO MAKE ANY MORE CHANGES TO THIS, UH, TO THE NAME OF ROBERT SMALLS, UH, INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY.
AND MR. SMITH, I APPRECIATE, UM, YOU JOINING THE GROUP, I'M NOT SURE AT WHAT TIME YOU JOINED, BUT WERE YOU ABLE TO HEAR MR. TERRENCE'S, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT THE REASON TO CHANGE IT TO ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, WHERE YOU, DID YOU HEAR THAT? NO, I DID NOT.
WELL, I THINK IF, IF YOU HAD HEARD SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO REALLY MAKE THE NAME, REFLECT THE LEADERSHIP THAT WAS DISPLAYED BY MR. ROBERT SMALLS BACK DURING HIS TENURE, UH, IN VIEW FOR IT.
UM, AND ALSO THE FACT THAT THE LEADER IN ME SCHOOL, IT HAS BEEN A LEADER IN ME SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND AT THE IDENTITY OF ROBERT SMALLS IS MORE IN LINE WITH A LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
UM, THEY MAINTAIN THE MASCOT NAMED THE GENERALS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS A VERY HIGH LEADERSHIP
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POSITION IN THE MILITARY.SO THE IDEA OF CHANGING IT TO ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY IS MUCH MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE SCHOOL IS TRYING TO DO.
MR. TERRANCE, I'M NOT SURE I ENCAPSULATED YOUR WORDS AS WELL AS YOU DID.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, YES, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. SMITH FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
THAT WAS ONE OF MY BIGGEST, UH, CONCERNS ALSO.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALREADY PROACTIVELY REACHED OUT TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY WITH CHARLOTTE BROWN ON THE 20TH OF SEPTEMBER.
UM, AND SHE WAS, UH, NOT HAPPY WITH THE NAME OF ROBERT SMELLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY.
SO SHE FULLY SUPPORTED THIS ALSO.
UM, AND I HAD PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS INTO OTHER, UM, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERS.
WE'VE ALSO MET WITH CURRENT PARENTS AND CURRENT STUDENTS, UM, ON THIS, UH, FOR THIS TO SEE IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY DID WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
UM, SO I FEEL RIGHT NOW LIKE THAT WE HAVE DONE DUE DILIGENCE OF GETTING AS MUCH INPUT AS NECESSARY.
IF YOU HAVE SOME, UH, ANYBODY ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO SPEAK WITH, I WOULD GLADLY DO THAT.
I WOULD GLADLY BE ABLE TO, TO, UM, UH, DISCUSS THIS LETTER AND THE PROPOSAL TO ANYBODY ELSE AS WELL.
WELL, I'M GLAD THAT YOU DID TALK TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN, THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME FOR A COUPLE OF THINGS AND, UM, HAD TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE, THEY WERE VERY, UM, VERY DISTURBED ALSO THINGS LATELY.
SO WHAT WAS GOING ON? AND SO I, I I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU'VE KEPT THEM IN THE LOOP AND I PRAY, I APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT.
SO IF THEY'RE THERE SUPPORTING THIS, THEN I DID, I HAVE NO, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
SO MS. BELT, RIGHT, I'M PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION, PLEASE DO.
AND I PUT IT IN CHAT ROBIN, I MOVED THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMEND TO THE FULL BORE, THE APPROVAL OF THE NAME, CHANGE OF ROBERT SMALLS, INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY TO ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AT THE REQUEST OF THE PARENTS AND ALUMNI COMMUNITY, AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WILL MAINTAIN THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ROBERT SMALLS IN ITS NAME.
THAT'S ONE OF THE CRITERIA FOR NAMES, MR. SMITH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND THAT MOTION? RIGHT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES, MA'AM OKAY.
UM, MY, MY, MY QUESTION WILL BE, UH, WILL THIS, WILL THIS HAVE A, I THINK W I THINK WE HAD A, WE HAVE, UM, THIS JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS NOW.
WELL, WE'VE MADE THE CHANGE OF THE MASCOT.
HOW MUCH REGIONS DO WE HAVE? DID WE HAVE ONE READING THAT WE HAD TWO, THREE READINGS WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE MASCOT, THIS, AND THAT'S NOT RELEVANT.
WELL, ACTUALLY IT IS RELEVANT IN TERMS OF THE NAME.
MY, MY, MY, MY QUESTIONS IS ASKING THAT FOR ASKING THAT, UH, WHICH IS YOUR MAIN, JUST BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD HELP WITH WOULD BE UNDER THE SAME, UM, WOULD IT BE UNDER THE SAME UMBRELLA AND WHEN WE WOULD HAVE THE SAME RESULTS WHERE WE HAVE, I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO INTERRUPT HERE AND JUST SAY THAT I BELIEVE MR. SMITH THAT, UH, BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO THE FULL BOARD, UM, THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE THREE RATINGS OF A COMMITTEE, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THIS.
AND THEN, UM, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.
AND WHEN IT'S BROUGHT TO THE FULL BOARD, IF MORE THAN ONE READING IS REQUIRED, THEN WE CAN DO SO AT THE FULL BOARD MEETING.
MS. CARTE, LETS YOU HAVE SOME, A COMMENT REGARDING, WELL YES.
YOU'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SITUATION WITH THE RIVER RIDGE WAS THAT, UM, THE ORIGINAL DRAWING OF THAT MASCOT WAS PRESENTED TO OPERATIONS.
YOU WERE PROBABLY AT THAT, PROBABLY AT THAT MEETING.
DO YOU REMEMBER HOW, REMEMBER HOW THERE WAS A CONCERN? BECAUSE THERE WAS LIKE A, THERE WAS LIKE A, UH, LOOK KIND OF LIKE A KNIFE OR A DAGGER AND THAT DAGGER GOT TAKEN AWAY AND THEN IT WAS MADE INTO LIKE, UH, A SHIELD FOR THE MASCOT AND THEN IT WENT TO THE BOARD.
AND SO IT WENT TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE TWICE THAT NOW IN THIS SITUATION IT'S CHANGING THE NAME OF A SCHOOL.
SO THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD MIGHT WANT TO HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD WANT TO HAVE LIKE A BOARD NAMING COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER IT AND TALK.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, MR. MR. BRADLEY HAS, HAS TALKED WITH PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CURRENT STUDENTS, THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, BUT YOU KNOW, WE BRING IT TO THE FULL BOARD IF THEY WANTED, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE, UM, A COMMITTEE, THIS IS FOR A NEW SCHOOL.
BUT IN THAT AR IT SAYS HERE A SCHOOL BUILT TO REPLACE AN EXISTING SCHOOL
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WILL CONTINUE TO BE CALLED BY ITS ORIGINAL NAME AND WE'LL RE AND WILL MAINTAIN ITS ORIGINAL MASCOT AND COLORS, ABSENT BOARD ACTION TO THE CONTRARY.SO NOW ROBERT SMALLS, THE SCHOOL IS BEING REPLACED.
SO THE BOARD CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE THE CHANGING OF THE NAME TO ROBERT SMALLS LEADERS ACADEMY, AND THE BOARD MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A NAMING COMMITTEE TO, TO CONSIDER IT.
SO, OR THE BOARD MIGHT THINK THAT, THAT THE BOARD MIGHT SAY THAT BRADLEY IS PRETTY BEEN SO DILIGENT AND GETTING ALL THIS INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND THAT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD TO DECIDE TO APPROVE THE NEW NAME AS THE BOARD'S AUTHORITY.
THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, MR. BRADLEY, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SUPERINTENDENT CHANGE THE NAME, I DON'T KNOW WHO THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS THEN, BUT THAT'S THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD.
WHEN DID THE, THE BOARD DID APPROVE THE CHANGING OF THE NAME? THE SUPERINTENDENT DID IT DIG UP BEFORE THE FULL OH, AND IT WENT BEFORE THE FULL BOARD.
SO DID THEY HAVE A COMMITTEE OR DID THEY GET THE BOARD WHEN IT CAME INTERNATIONAL? THE BOARD DID DO THE APPROVAL.
THE SUPERINTENDENT DIDN'T JUST DO THAT.
BUT, BUT IT WAS THERE A BOARD NAMING COMMITTEE OR DID THEY JUST APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENTS CHANGE? DO YOU REMEMBER AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A NAMING COMMITTEE AT WHEN THEY CHANGED IT THAT TIME THERE WAS A NAMING COMMITTEE.
I'M GLAD THE BOARD APPROVED IT.
SO I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE, UM, UH, VOTE ON THIS MOTION AND, UH, THE BOARD CAN DECIDE IF PERHAPS THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE DUE DILIGENCE TO THIS NAME CHANGE COULD IN FACT, UM, BE IN REPLACEMENT OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MOTION AND LET THE FULL BOARD DECIDE ON THAT.
SO CAN WE HAVE A VOTE ON THIS MOTION PLEASE? ALL IN FAVOR.
AND UM, I JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY, UM, PRINCIPLE TERRENCE, I, I, I WANT HIM EXTRA OR MAIN CAUSE OF YOU'VE BEEN REFERRED TO AS MR. BRADLEY AND MR. TERRANCE AND I, AND I THINK, I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE OF, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYBODY, YOUR LAST NAME IS, IS TARIFFS.
AND MY FAMILY IS FROM THE HILLS OF KENTUCKY AND THEY PRONOUNCE IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT IT IS TERRANCE.
OH, WELL IT DEPENDS ON THEIR EDUCATION LEVEL.
SOME WAS TORRANCE, SO ALMOST HARD AND TERRANCE, SO THEY SPELLED US TO SISTER.
UM, BEFORE WE CONCLUDE MR. , YOUR HAND IS UP.
UM, DOES THE BOARD NEED TO VOTE ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF MR. CHAIRMAN SAYS NAME AND DO WE HAVE AN AR ON THAT? OKAY.
WE CAN ADD IT TO FUTURE TOPICS.
UM, I THINK THIS IS VERY EXCITING AND, AND UM, MR. TERRANCE, THERE HAS BEEN A, A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO BRING THIS RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD.
MAY I ASK WHAT NEXT STEPS, UH, I'LL NEED TO TAKE TO HIM TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS? UM, WE WILL BRING THIS UP AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS DECEMBER 14TH AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU WOULD BE AVAILABLE, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY ARISE AT THAT TIME.
UM, AND ALSO TOO, I THINK THE EXPLANATION THAT YOU PROVIDED ABOUT THE LEADER IN ME PROGRAM HAS BEEN AT ROBERT SMELLS INTERNATIONAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, ROBERT SMALLS IS KEEPING THE GENERAL MONIKER FOR THEIR MASCOT.
SO THAT TOO IS IMPORTANT WITH THAT WHOLE CONCEPT OF LEADERSHIP.
SO IF YOU COULD MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE FOR THAT, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME OF EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
APPRECIATE IT, MR. SMITH'S HEADS UP.
I WAS JUST GOING TO TELL THE PRINCIPALS UP.
THEY SAY, THANK YOU FOR OTHER, FOR DOING THE JUDGMENT WORK THAT YOU DIDN'T REACHING OUT TO EVERYONE AND BEING, UH, BEING FAIR AND EQUITABLE ACROSS THE BOARD TO EVERYONE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK AND THIS ENDEAVOR.
HOWEVER, I MEAN, I'LL MEET WITH YOU.
YEAH, I'LL PROBABLY DO IT BY MY TIE IN THIS.
UH, THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE EASEMENT AT WK ALLSTON.
AND UM, MR. SMITH, YOUR HAND IS STILL UP.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION OR COMMENT? OKAY.
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MOVING ON.UH, THE EASEMENT AT WK ALLSTON, UH, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS ITEM HAS BROUGHT BEN BROUGHT IN FRONT OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND THE FIRST TIME IT WAS BROUGHT IN FRONT OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UM, I DID SHARE WITH THE GROUP THAT I AM, UM, SOCIAL FRIENDS WITH ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS OF THIS.
AND SO THEREFORE I AM NOT GOING TO BE VOTING ON THIS TOPIC.
AND I THINK IT MOST PRUDENT IF I PASS THE GAVEL TO MR. SMITH, SO THAT HE CONDUCTS THIS PORTION OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO MR. SMITH OVER TO YOU PLEASE, MS. BELL, RIGHT BEFORE WE DO THAT, JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME CONFUSION THAT THIS IS, UM, THE DEVELOPER'S NOT ASKING FOR THE EASEMENT, THIS IS THE COUNTY BUFORD COUNTY, WHICH I STARTED THINKING, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT, YEAH, BECAUSE IN EFFECT IT WOULD BENEFIT IT'S IT'S THE, UM, IT WAS A REQUEST OF THE DEVELOPER IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, MS. BELL, RIGHT? ACTUALLY THAT'S NOT CORRECT.
I WOULD SAY THEY'RE RELATED, BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT EASEMENT REQUEST.
AND THE ONE FROM THE DEVELOPER, THIS IS DOWN AT THE WALMART PARKING LOT.
THE DEVELOPER IS UP NOW THEY'RE RELATED IN THAT IF ONE GOES, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO DO THE OTHER, BUT, UM, IT IS A DIFFERENT REQUEST.
SO MR. AUDITING SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT THEN BEFORE I DO THAT, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE BIT.
I FIGURED IT WAS, YOU KNOW, GOING, I THOUGHT THE EASEMENT WAS, I THOUGHT IT WAS AT THAT SAME ONE COMING BACK UP.
MR. ROTTING, IF YOU COULD GO AHEAD.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, LIBBY ANDERSON IS ON, UM, SHE IS WITH THE COUNTY AND WAS FORMERLY WITH THE CITY OF BUFORD AND ACTUALLY, UH, SHE BROUGHT SOME OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT TO GIVE YOU TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT AND I WILL GO THROUGH IN MY MEMO, THERE'S A TIMELINE THERE OF EVENTS THAT ARE RELATED TO THIS.
SO ACTUALLY THE NEW INFORMATION THAT I'M BRINGING TO YOU IS THAT, UH, IN MAY 19TH, 2009, UH, BUFORD COUNTY AND THE CITY OF BUFORD GAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, TO THE BOARD AND FOR A CONNECTOR FROM WAL-MART TO, UH, WK AUSTIN.
NOW, ROBIN, IF YOU COULD PULL UP, UM, THE MEMO BACK FROM 2009, THAT SHOWS OPTION A AND OPTION B.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN SEE IT WELL, YEAH.
IF YOU CAN PULL UP, UH, THE ONE THAT WAS APPROVED, WHICH IS OPTION A, I CAN SHOW YOU WHERE THIS ONE'S LOCATED.
WHAT IS, IS IT THE CONCEPT OR ROBERT SMALLS LAYOUT WITH THE, OH, I DON'T REMEMBER THE TITLE OF IT.
IT'S GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE.
SO IF YOU CAN GO TO THE THIRD PAGE, UM, KEEP GOING.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THIS IS LOCATED, UM, THIS IS A CONNECTION FROM THE WALMART PARKING LOT TO, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE SPLIT IS THAT DIVIDES THE BOULEVARD, I GUESS, OR PARKWAY, UM, AS YOU GO UP TO THE LIGHT.
SO THIS IS, AND IF YOU SEE, UM, THE ENTRANCE AND THE, UH, WHERE IT CALLS OUT ROBERT SMALLS, MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT FIRST ENTRANCE IS THE, UH, ENTRANCE THAT GOES TO THE FOOTBALL STADIUM.
UH, AND THEN THE TWO ENTRANCES THAT MAKE UP THE ENTRANCE DRIVE OR THE NEXT TWO DOWN THAT YOU SEE.
SO THIS IS ON THE OPPOSITE END OF WK, AUSTIN FROM THE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, THIS IS DOWN CLOSER TO THE EXISTING LIGHT.
SO JUST SO EVERYBODY HAS THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO BACK IN 2009, UM, THE BOARD GAY IN THIS MEMO THAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE MEMO THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD IN 2009.
AND THE BOARD WAS GIVEN THE OPTIONS OF AN OPTION A AND OPTION B FOR THE LOCATION OF THIS EASEMENT.
IT WAS PRESENTED BY BUFORD COUNTY AND, UH, THE CITY OF BUFORD AND WAS APPROVED.
UM, LET ME FIND, AND I HAVE THE ACTUAL, UH, MOTION AND WHAT WAS APPROVED AS FAR AS THE MOTION, THE MOTION THAT WAS APPROVED READ, UM, IT WAS, UH, FIND IT OKAY.
UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY MR. RONALD SPREE MOVE TO APPROVE OPTION A IS PRESENTED AND THEN A SECOND WAS RECORDED.
THEN MR. WILSON MOVED TO AMEND THE MOTION BY ADDING THE INSTALLATION
[00:30:01]
OF A STREETLIGHT AT THE CROSSWALK.THE MOTION AMEND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
THE VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION WAS CALLED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE MOTION WAS TO ACCEPT THIS EASEMENT WITH THE ADDITION OF WHAT THEY CALLED A STREETLIGHT AT THE CROSSWALK.
SO, UM, NOW THE, ON THIS, I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS, UH, ACTUALLY WHEN WE'VE MET PREVIOUSLY.
SO WE WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER PREVIOUS ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT, UH, TO THE COMMITTEE, UH, AND THE, WHAT IS CALLED A STREETLIGHT.
YOU'LL SEE DOWN THERE THAT I DID INTERVIEW WHILE SKIP DOWN TO THAT, UH, INTERVIEW PHYLLIS WHITE, WHO AT THE TIME WAS THE CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER AND HER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISCUSSION BACK IN 2009 WAS THAT IT WAS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, UM, AND THAT, UM, ON ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY AND THAT THE BOARD AGREED TO GRANT THE EASEMENT WITH THE CONTINGENCY THAT A TRAFFIC LIGHT NEEDED TO BE, UH, INSTALLED A ROBERT SMALLEST PARKWAY.
SO THE MOTION, AS YOU SAID, MENTIONED STREETLIGHT, BUT THE UNDERSTANDING I HEARD WAS THAT IT WAS THE TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT WAS REQUIRED.
AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE THERE AS WELL ON SOME OF MY ITEMS, AND I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE, BUT THIS YEAR, THE COUNTY DID INSTALL THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AT, UH, ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY AND, UH, UM, AND THE INTERCEPTION OF DEBBIE K AUSTIN.
AND IF YOU'LL ALSO REMEMBER BACK IN 2019, THE COUNTY CAME TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REQUESTING THIS EASEMENT.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS DENIED BY THE COMMITTEE AND DID NOT EVEN GO TO THE BOARD, BUT AT THAT TIME WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD'S APPROVAL.
SO IF I MADE IT CONFUSING ENOUGH, UM, AND THEN JUST THE LAST ITEM I DO HAVE THERE LISTED IS THAT WE'VE ALSO HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH THE DEVELOPER, AS MS. MENTIONED ABOUT ACCESSING WK AUSTIN, WHICH IS A SEPARATE ITEM THAT ALSO PERTAINS TO WK AUSTIN.
AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD ALREADY, UH, NOT ALL NOT APPROVED, UH, THE COUNTY'S REQUESTS.
AND WE WERE ALSO UNAWARE OF THIS, UM, UH, PREVIOUS MOTION BY THE BOARD.
I DON'T REMEMBER IF I ACTUALLY SAID THIS, BUT, UM, NOWHERE, HAVE I BEEN ABLE TO FIND THAT THAT EASEMENT REQUEST OR MOTION BY THE BOARD WAS EVER LEGITIMIZE LEGALLY, LIKE THERE'S NO LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT WE COULD FIND AND GRANTED THAT EASEMENT TO THE COUNTY.
SO IF THERE IS ONE I'M UNAWARE OF IT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE IT.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE HAS.
I WAS GOING TO PIPE INTO, I THINK OPTION A, THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO WAS PRESENTED WAS DRAWN UP IN 2008, 2009.
AND, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, MY, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE USING A 2000, YOU KNOW, A 12 OR 13 YEAR OLD PROPOSAL, UH, ON A CURRENT EASEMENT.
I DON'T, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE THE STANDARD THAT MOST CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS WOULD, WOULD USE.
AM I CORRECT IN THAT THAT'S FROM 2008, 2009 TIMELINE, THIS OPTION A YES.
I MEAN THAT I WOULD WANT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON, UM, WITH THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF ROBERT SMALLS AND THAT'S THE OTHER DOCUMENTS, IF YOU WANT TO BRING UP, UH, ROBIN, UH, THE LAYOUTS, I DON'T THE, UH, EITHER ONE WILL WORK.
UM, I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE ROBERT SMELL'S LAYOUT.
ONE IS THE, UH, UH, FINAL, UM, VERSION ONCE THE SCHOOL IS CONSTRUCTED AND THAT'S THE ONE ROBIN JUST BROUGHT UP AND I'M SORRY, THE ONE THAT ROBIN JUST BROUGHT UP IS THE ONE THAT SHOWS, UH, WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE WHEN BOTH SCHOOLS ARE EXISTING THERE.
AND IF YOU COULD, UH, ZOOM IN AND MAYBE, UM, UH, ROTATE THAT FOR US ROBIN AND THAT LETTER.
AND AGAIN, IT WOULDN'T WHEN I MOVED IT OVER, WOULDN'T DO WHAT IT NEEDED TO DO.
AND THE LETTER THAT ROBIN DOES HAVE ON THAT'S IN THE BOARD DOCS IS THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE IN 2019 FROM THE COUNTY, UH, REQUESTING THE EASEMENT THAT WAS DENIED.
IT OVER HERE, BABY, IS THERE SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY ON, WELL, I DID MISS MS. ANDERSON IS ONLINE.
I DID NOT, UH, UH, NOT LET USE WISHING
[00:35:01]
TO TALK OR, OR HAS, OR WANTS TO ADD TO THIS, BUT SHE'S MORE THAN WELCOME TO YES.MS. ANDERSON, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM.
I JUST APPRECIATE BEING INCLUDED.
UM, SO NOT LETTING ME ROTATE IT.
UM, WELL ACTUALLY, NO, THAT BUTTON TO THE FAR, RIGHT? IF YOU HIT IT.
IT GETS BIGGER AND THEN IT GETS SMALLER.
UM, BUT WHAT THIS SHOW, IF YOU COULD JUST, ARE YOU ABLE TO ZOOM IN SO WHAT THIS VERSION SHOWS, SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT IT.
IT SHOWS, UH, WITH THE ROBERT SMALLS, UH, SCHOOL THAT'S EXISTING WOULD REMAIN LETTING ME, THAT'S FINE.
AND THEN IT SHOWS THE NEW SCHOOL IN THE BACKGROUND.
UM, THE DRIVE THAT'S CLOSEST TO WHERE THE COUNTY IS REQUESTING.
THE EASEMENT WOULD REMAIN IN THE SAME LOCATION.
THERE ACTUALLY IS A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION DRIVE THAT WILL BE ADDED, UM, CLOSER TO THEIR REQUEST.
SO I WOULD ADD TO MS. BOATWRIGHTS COMMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC ENGINEERS AND OUR ENGINEERS DESIGNING ROBERT SMALLS, UM, LOOK INTO THIS AS FAR AS A LOCATION FOR THIS EASEMENT AND WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE, UM, THE COUNTIES WERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT WAS IN 2008 AND MAY STILL MAKE SENSE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT, UM, WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GOING ON IN THIS CAMPUS, I REALLY WOULD LIKE SOMEBODY TO DO SOME, UM, LOOKING INTO THAT AND TO FIND OUT WHAT THE IMPACTS GOING TO BE ON THE, THE, THE NEW FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT THE NEW ROBERT SMALL.
UM, SO YEAH, ROBERT, THAT WAS MY CONCERN, LOOKING AT A DRAWING THAT WAS 13 YEARS OLD WHEN THERE'S ALREADY BEEN, YOU KNOW, UM, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING TO KIND OF SEE AN OVERLAY AS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, SEE WHERE THERE THAT IS NOW.
AND SO I THINK SOME UPDATED INFORMATION WOULD BE CRUCIAL FOR THIS.
UM, MS. CARTLIDGE YOU HAVE YOU WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING? YES.
SO FROM WHAT ROBERT READ TO US, THE BOARD APPROVED A STREETLIGHT AT THE CROSSWALK AND THE LIGHT THAT'S UP THERE RIGHT NOW IS TWO, IS AT THE END OF THE ROAD, IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A CROSSWALK THERE.
SO MOVING FORWARD, WE'VE GOT TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT WITH REGARD TO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE A SURVEY AND HAVE THIS ALL PROPERLY DOCUMENTED A RECORDABLE EASEMENT SURVEY.
AND AS FAR AS THE, YOU KNOW, THE LEGAL EXPENSE IN DOING THAT, I MEAN, I THINK THE COUNTY NEEDS TO HELP PAY FOR THE COSTS INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO THE ONLY STREETLIGHT THAT I'M AWARE OF RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID, IS AT THE END OF THE ROAD.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A CROSSWALK THERE AND WE WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S HOW ROBERT'S RIGHT.
WE NEED TO DO MORE STUDYING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT AN EASEMENT WHERE IT'S GOING TO INTERFERE WITH THE BUSES AND THE TRANSPORTATION TO OUR SCHOOLS.
MS. CRUTCHFIELD, UH, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD IF I'M CORRECT.
AND LOOKING AT THIS ROBERT THAT, THAT DARK SQUIGGLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD IS PART OF THE STORMWATER CONTROL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW THAT AGAIN, JUST REITERATING THAT, THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE STUDIED MORE BECAUSE THAT CERTAINLY COULD IMPACT THAT STORM WATER CONTROL, AND IT GOES A LONG WAY DOWN THAT ROAD.
THANK YOU, MS. CRUTCHFIELD, MISS ABOUT RIGHT.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS. ANDERSON.
UM, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE COUNTY, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, WHICH IS BASICALLY FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE COUNTY'S COME TO US ASKING FOR FEEDBACK OR AN EASEMENT ON ESSENTIALLY WHAT LOOKS LIKE A SOLUTION TO A TRAFFIC PROBLEM, WHERE THE SOLUTION IS TO BASICALLY RUN IT THROUGH THE SCHOOL AREA.
UH, THE FIRST TIME WAS, UM, UH, A CONCEPT DRAWING WHERE THEY BASICALLY WANTED TO REROUTE TRAFFIC.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE NAMES OF THE ROAD CAUSE I'M OVER ON HILTON HEAD, UM, UH, THROUGH BUFORD HIGH.
AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER, UH, PROPOSAL WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BASICALLY TRY TO FIX SOME OF THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS GOING OUT TO ST.
HELENA, BY HAVING THE SCHOOL BUSES TURN AROUND AND DO A U TURN TO GO BACK OUT AND TURN DIFFERENT THINGS.
IN BOTH TIMES, THE FEEDBACK WE GAVE FROM OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WAS, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON THE SCHOOLS
[00:40:01]
AND NO ONE'S GOTTEN BACK TO US ON THOSE TWO ISSUES.AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS, UM, PROCEDURE WHERE BASICALLY THERE'S A TRAFFIC PROBLEM.
AND THE COUNTY THINKS THE MOST EXPEDIENT SOLUTION IS TO BASICALLY INTERFERE WITH SCHOOL OPERATIONS.
AND THEN WE DON'T HEAR, WE GIVE FEEDBACK AND THEN WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING.
SO DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THOSE INITIAL TWO, UM, COUNTY PROJECTS THAT CAME FORWARD TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE? UH, MS. BELL, RIGHT.
I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE ON THOSE.
I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THOSE, BUT I CERTAINLY WILL PASS THAT ALONG AND TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU ALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I JUST WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THOSE ISSUES.
UH, THIS PARTICULAR ONE, UM, IS MR. SAID, AND I, I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM BRINGING THIS FORWARD HAS BEEN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, I FINALLY, AFTER THE 10 PLUS YEARS GETTING THAT TRAFFIC SIGNAL INSTALLED AT, UM, ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY HIGHWAY ONE 70 AND WOK AUSTIN WAS JUST SO VERY IMPORTANT TO THE SAFETY OF BOTH, UM, ALL THE SCHOOL TRAFFIC AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND NOW SORT OF THE NEXT AND FINAL STEP IN THAT WOULD BE TO, UM, IMPROVE, TO DEVELOP THIS CONNECTION BETWEEN, UM, THE WALMART PARKING LOT AND, UH, THE STATE ROAD THERE AT WK ALLSTON.
BUT AGAIN, I WILL CERTAINLY PASS ON THIS ISSUE OF THESE OTHER TWO, UM, CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE FEEDBACK ON.
WE'LL DO THAT, I GUESS, AS A FOLLOWUP, BUT WHAT I THINK IT JUST, WE WEREN'T INVOLVED IN WHAT THE OPTIONS WERE FOR WALMART PARKING LOT AND THOSE DECISIONS, BUT IT FEELS LIKE TO ME, UM, IT'S EASY JUST TO RUN IT BY A SCHOOL AND, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP THE SCHOOL EITHER THERE'S A SCHOOL ZONES AND THE BUSES.
I MEAN, WE'RE VERY, WE'VE ALWAYS TREATED THAT AS KIND OF A SACRED TRAFFIC SPACE BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE KIDS RUNNING AROUND.
WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE BACKUPS THAT PICK UP AND DROP OFF.
AND SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE TREND HAS BEEN, IF THERE'S A TRAFFIC PROBLEM, THE COUNTY SOLVES IT BY, BY KIND OF CUTTING NEXT TO A SCHOOL AND, UM, BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD AT THAT POINT.
I DON'T WHAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING TOO, IS WHAT OTHER OPTIONS WERE THERE BESIDES RUNNING THIS RIGHT NEXT TO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, AND SO I GUESS THAT'S KINDA MY FEEDBACK ON THAT IS I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS THAT WE NEED TO GET BACK TO TREATING THE SCHOOLS.
I'M NOT SAYING THIS SCHOOLS CAN'T HAVE EASEMENTS AND THEY CAN'T HAVE TRAFFIC RUNNING NEXT TO THEM, BUT THAT SHOULD BE AN EXTRA LAYER OF PROTECTION IN MY OPINION, FOR THOSE KIDS, MS. CARTILAGE.
WELL, I, I AGREE WITH WHAT MS. POPE WRITES SAYING, BECAUSE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR, OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF, WE'VE GOT TO BE REALLY CAREFUL WITH TRAFFIC PATTERNS.
AND I'M GOING TO GO OUT THERE.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A CROSSWORD AT THIS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CROSSWORD WALK IS REFERENCING IF IT'S ON WK AUSTIN, OR IF IT'S OUT THERE ON, UM, PROPER SMELLS PARKWAY, UH, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THAT LIGHT HAS HELPED WITH A TRAFFIC CONCERN.
I HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS THAT NOW REROUTING A LOT OF TRAFFIC DOWN WK ALLSTON, WHICH IS A CURVY ROAD.
IT'S NOT A STRAIGHTAWAY, IT'S A CURVY ROAD THERE, A SIDEWALK RIGHT ALONGSIDE IT WHERE CHILDREN WILL BE WALKING.
AND THERE'S, IT'S A VERY, IT'S A FAIRLY NARROW ROAD.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT PROBABLY MEETS CODE, BUT IN MY MIND IS I HAVE DRIVEN IT 20 YEARS.
UM, I HAVE GREAT CONCERN ABOUT DUMPING, A LOT OF TRAFFIC OUT ON TO WK ALLSTON, JUST WHEN SOME OF THE TRAFFIC MIGHT BE MITIGATED BY THE NEW STOPLIGHT THAT'S OUT ON ROBERT SMALLS.
I MEAN, THAT CERTAINLY IS HELPING WITH SOME PROBLEMS. UM, I, I THINK WE NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS.
AND MAYBE MR. SMITH, SINCE HE WAS ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UM, PREVIOUSLY, UM, IN 2019, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE CHOSE NOT TO SEND THOSE TO THE FULL BOARD.
LET ME GO BACK TO, UM, MR. IDA AND PUT TOGETHER A NICE, UH, CHRONOLOGY OF WHAT OCCURRED.
UM, HERE WE GO ON APRIL 10TH, 2019, AND BEAVER COUNTY REQUESTED THIS EASEMENT, UM, EMOTION NOT IN FAVOR WAS PASSED.
THE OPTION FAILED IN COMMITTEE.
I WAS WONDERING MR. SMITH, IF YOU COULD SAY MORE ABOUT THAT, ACTUALLY THAT IS ON THE CALL.
I WILL, I WILL, I WILL PASS THAT TO HIM CAUSE HE WAS THE CHAIR AT THE TIME.
OKAY, MR. , MR. SMITH IS ASKING FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
[00:45:01]
ANY RECALL THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH US? UM, NO, I DON'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS.I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER IF IT WAS UNANIMOUS VOTE OR A TWO TO ONE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE BOARD OR THE OPERATION SPINNING AT THAT TIME WITH, UM, MR. SMITH, MYSELF AND MR. DAN.
UM, AND I, I DON'T REMEMBER THIS, NO, I'M GENERALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, MISSPOKEN, RIGHT.
THAT WE WERE RELUCTANT TO ADD ANY TRAFFIC.
UM, BUT I, I REALLY CAN'T SHARE I CAN'T SQUARE.
I DID GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE MINUTES OR, UM, APRIL 10TH, 2019.
UM, AND THERE WAS NOT, IT WAS NOT DETAILED EITHER AS TO THE DISCUSSION OR THE REASON FOR THE REJECTION.
WELL, UM, I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO READ, I DON'T KNOW IF MY MINUTES ARE THE SAME AS YOURS, BECAUSE THESE ARE SOME INTERNAL ONES, BUT IS IT, IF I, IF I MAY, I'LL JUST READ WHAT WE HAD IS THE HIGHLIGHTS.
SO THAT DISCUSSION, UM, BACK IN 2019, WAS THAT THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL FROM MR. WEST CAMPBELL CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, BUFORD COUNTY.
THE REQUEST IS TO OBTAIN PRELIMINARY APPROVAL FROM DIFFERENT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WRITING TO SEE IF THE ORGANIZATION THAT TENDS TO GRANT OR DENY THE NECESSARY LEGAL INSTRUMENTS NEEDED TO CONTINUE WITH THE WK ALLSTON ROAD CONNECTOR PROJECT, THE PROJECT BETWEEN WK AUSTIN DRIVE AND THE WALMART PARKING LOT.
MR. DALLYING MADE THE MOTION TO REMIT RECOMMEND, NOT IN FAVOR OF THE EASEMENT.
THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY MR. WILLIAMS, THE MOTION PASSED THREE OH, THE RECOMMENDATION WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD TO THE FULL BOARD.
SO THOSE WERE THE NOTES I HAD ON.
THANK YOU, MR. , UH, MS. BOATWRIGHT, AND WANT TO ADD SOME MORE, SORRY.
SOME PEOPLE ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE, SO IT GOT A LITTLE HECTIC.
UM, THE ONLY THING IS I WATCHED THAT COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, IT'S AVAILABLE ON COUNTY CHANNEL AND I WENT TO THE RELEVANT POINTS AND BASICALLY IT WAS, UM, WEST.
IT WAS AT WEST CAMPBELL, SAID THAT HE COULDN'T THINK OF A GOOD OF A REASON WHY THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE STUDENTS.
MR. AUDIENCE SAID, HOW WOULD THIS EASEMENT BENEFIT THE STUDENTS OF BUFORD COUNTIES? HI, OUR BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOLS.
AND HE SAID THAT HE COULDN'T THINK OF ONE.
AND IN FACT, YOU COULD THINK OF 12 REASONS WHERE IT WOULDN'T BENEFIT, UM, BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I THINK IT WAS PRETTY SIMILAR SUMMARILY DISMISSED IN ON APRIL, 2019, BUT THAT IS ON THE COUNTY.
I REVIEWED THE WRITTEN MINUTES, BUT I DID NOT REVIEW THE, UM, VIDEO OF THAT.
UM, MS. CARTILAGE, I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN DOWN MY HAND.
UM, MR. STRINGER, UH, THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS TO WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN, UM, WHAT'S BEFORE THE CREEK RIGHT NOW IS, IS NOT COMPLETE.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION HERE TO MAKE A DECISION.
I THINK IT'S ALREADY BEEN DECIDED THAT THIS NEEDS MORE WORK.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST, THIS IS WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU NOW, AND IT'S JUST NOT WRITTEN FOR PRIME TIME.
YES, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
I, UM, WAS DRESSED, TRYING TO MAKE ENSURE THAT WE HAD THE WHOLE BACKSTORY, UM, REGARDING THIS.
SO I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, UH, MR. ARBINGER, MS. BOATWRIGHT, AS YOU INDICATED EARLIER, IT JUST DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION, UM, IN A, YOU KNOW, COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION TO BRING THIS FORWARD.
UM, SO MR. AUDITING, IF WE NEEDED MORE INFORMATION, SINCE WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP? WELL, I HEAR LISTENING TO YOUR CONVERSATION.
UM, MY QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE, UM, WHAT WAS SAYING IT NEEDS MORE WORK.
WHAT DIRECTION WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GO IN? AND I ASKED THAT AND SAYING THAT I COULD GO IN THE DIRECTION OF, FOR THE MOST PART, WORKING WITH THE ENGINEERS, YOU KNOW, DO SOME, YOU KNOW, GO AS FAR AS EVEN A TRAFFIC STUDY AS NEEDED TO SEE HOW TO MAKE THIS WORK, OR DO I NEED TO GO ABOUT IT IN A WAY, UM, IS I GUESS WHERE YOU FINDING, YOU KNOW, DOES THIS WORK FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? AND OF COURSE THE DILEMMA HERE FOR ME IS THAT SO A PREVIOUS BOARD APPROVED IT OR APPEARED TO APPROVED IT.
SHOULD I GO FORWARD IN GOOD FAITH? LIKE WE'RE GOING TO DESIGN IT OR FIND, OR CONTINUE ON THE RESEARCH ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ANY BENEFIT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, I KNOW THAT THERE'S, THERE'S NOT BENEFIT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
[00:50:01]
SO I NEED SOME DIRECTION, I GUESS, ON WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO RESEARCH AND BRING BACK TO YOU.WELL, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IS THAT THE ORIGINAL EMOTION, UM, TALKED ABOUT A, WAS IT A STREETLIGHT VERSUS AT A CROSSWALK? I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT PLAYS INTO THE TRAFFIC LIGHT.
SECONDLY, I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE THE COUNTY THAT WOULD HAVE TO PROVE, YOU KNOW, AND SHOW MORE INFORMATION INSTEAD OF A LINE DRAWING, UH, OPTION A OPTION B WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE'S SKETCHED IT OUT.
AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 15 YEARS AGO.
AND I THINK THAT IF THE COUNTY WANTS THIS TO HAPPEN, IT, THEY WOULD PROVIDE US WITH SOME UPDATED INFORMATION.
UH, DAVID AT INGRID, I SAW YOUR HANDS WERE UP.
UH, MY, I TRUTHFULLY, I DON'T THINK THAT THE 2009 MOTION HAS A WHOLE LOT OF WEIGHT.
I MEAN, A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE 2009.
I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY FEEL COMPELLED BY THAT MOTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY WRITTEN, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT IS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WHEN WE MAKE A MOTION, THE INTENTION IS TO BE HELD YOU AT 13 YEARS LATER.
AND WE'VE CERTAINLY MADE THAT ARGUMENT ABOUT OTHER THINGS.
SO I DON'T FEEL COMPELLED BY THAT MOTION.
IN ADDITION TO WHICH THE ONLY WAY I WOULD APPROVE THIS EASEMENT AND MY INCLINATION WOULD BE TO SAY, ABSOLUTELY NOT BECAUSE I DROVE DOWN WK ALLSTON TODAY.
LIKE YOU SAID, MS. GOODRICH, IT IS TIGHT.
THERE'S A SPLIT THERE WHERE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, THERE'S A CROSSWALK JUST ABOVE THAT SPLIT.
AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THREADING A WALMART PARKING LOT THROUGH THAT CROSSWALK AND A GROUND.
AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT AND OVER THAT THERE, THAT TREE MEDIAN THERE THEY'D HAVE TO COME THROUGH THERE.
SO, UM, THEY ARE GOING TO, IF YOU WANT TO DO MORE WORK ON IT, WHAT I WOULD NEED TO KNOW IS WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ANY OTHER OPTIONS, IF THIS IS THE ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO BASICALLY CONVINCE ME THAT THEY COULD DO IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WOULD PROTECT THE SCHOOL AND THE STUDENTS.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS I'D BE LOOKING FOR.
ONE, WHAT OTHER OPTIONS WERE CONSIDERED.
AND IS THIS THE ONLY POSSIBLE OPTION? IS IT ESSENTIAL? AND THEN IF THOSE TWO CRITERIA MET, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO PROTECT THE STUDENTS? THANK YOU, MR. .
UM, YEAH, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING INGRID JUST SAID, UM, OUR FOCUS IS ON STUDENT SAFETY.
UH, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.
WE DON'T CARE ABOUT TRAFFIC PATTERNS OTHER THAN HOW IT AFFECTS STUDENTS' SAFETY.
WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT BOUND BY SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED 12 YEARS AGO.
I WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BOARD AND, UH, THE WHOLE AREA HAS CHANGED.
UM, TRUCKS HAVE GOTTEN BIGGER.
UM, YOU KNOW, W AND WE KNOW THAT ROAD, BUT, BUT WE'RE NOT EXPERTS ON TRAFFIC, BUT WHAT WE ARE EXPERTS ON IS KEEPING THE STUDENTS SAFE.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST PROBABLY WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR DIRECTION, YOU WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AND SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO PROVE TO US THAT IT'S SAFE FOR THE STUDENTS.
THERE'S AN OPTION THAT IS SAFE, THE STUDENTS, AND THAT THERE'S SOME ADVANTAGE TO US, BECAUSE BACK IN 19, YOU SAID, THERE'S, THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO GRANT THIS AS FAR AS A BENEFIT TO THE DISTRICT.
AND THERE'S 12 REASONS NOT TO.
UM, SO SOMEHOW IN MY MIND, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO NEGATE THAT ASSESSMENT THAT YOU DID BACK THERE IN 2019.
CAUSE NOW I START TO REMEMBER IT, UM, NOW THAT YOU READ IT SO WELL.
UM, AND I DO REMEMBER YOU SAYING THAT, I REMEMBER YOU SAYING THERE'S NO ADVANTAGE TO THE DISTRICT TO DO THIS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DISADVANTAGES.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE APPROACH THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE, UM, GET OVER THOSE DISADVANTAGES AND PROVE TO US THAT THIS IS NOT COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS.
I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT.
NO, IN MY, ON UN UH, INFORMED KNOWLEDGE THAT TRAFFIC, I JUST CAN'T SEE HOW THIS WOULD BE OF ANY BENEFIT TO OUR STUDENTS.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOU HAVE TO APPROACH IT.
AH, YES, I CONCUR AS WELL AS MY, MY, MY, MY MAIN QUESTION WOULD BE TO THEM.
IT'S NOT REALLY, UH, WHAT WOULD BE TO THEM AS WELL AS TO, IN TERMS OF WHY, WHY BRING IT TO US AND HOW, HOW, HOW WILL IT IMPACT HOW ALSO, HOW WILL THIS IMPACT US AS, AS, AS A DISTRICT? UM,
[00:55:01]
AND WHAT THEY, WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY EXPECTING FROM US? UM, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN PRESENTING THIS TO US, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME OTHER, VERY OTHER VARIABLES THAT WE DID NOT DISCUSS, UH, ABOUT THIS AS WELL, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE THEM TO TELL US MORE ABOUT WHY, WHAT, WHAT EVEN GAVE THEM THE MOVE TO BRING IT TO US, UH, BEAT ME BEYOND JUST, UM, BUT YEAH, I, I JUST WOULDN'T WANT TO KNOW FROM THEM, WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY EXPECTING IT ALSO ON THE, ON THE PAST THEN COULD THEY GIVE US AN UPDATE ON DAY? THANK YOU.THANK YOU, MR. SMITH, MR. STREET NINJA, AND ONE UP ONE OTHER THOUGHT.
UM, ROBERT WAS, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU BROUGHT THIS FORWARD FOR THE APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT OR AT THE END OF THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, YOU SAID THAT, THAT, UH, THAT ONE EASEMENT APPROVAL WOULD KIND OF SET THE TONE FOR THE OTHER EASEMENT APPROVAL.
UM, AND IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, IF WE'D LET THIS ONE GO, THEN THE OTHER ONE'S GOING TO GO ON.
THE OTHER ONE TO ME WAS JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THERE WAS ANY WAY THAT COULD, THAT COULD BE A GOOD THING.
UM, SO THAT'S THE OTHER THING WE TO KEEP IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND IS THIS, THERE'S THE SHADOW EASEMENT.
THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO TRAVEL ALONG WITH THIS, MS. BOATWRIGHT.
UM, AND I WAS, I THINK MR. SHEBEENS WAS RIGHT ON.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO, UH, SEND BACK TO THE COUNTY IS, LOOK, WE WANT TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE COUNTY.
WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO BE ADVERSARIAL WITH THE COUNTY.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS ON THE OTHER HAND.
UM, THE MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO ROUTE TRAFFIC, UH, CUT THROUGH WHATEVER IT IS THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE, COME TO US WITH ALL THE OTHER OPTIONS EXPLAINED TO US WHY THIS IS A, THIS IS THE ONLY OPTION BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE THE LAST RESORT, IN MY OPINION, TO REROUTE TRAFFIC ADJACENT TO A SCHOOL.
AND IT USED TO HAVE WHEN, UH, WE USED TO TREAT SCHOOLS LIKE THAT.
AND IN FACT, I KNOW THE OSF NOW HAS THE SCHOOL ENVELOPE.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WITH REQUESTS, FOR EASEMENTS, WE SHOULD HEAR THEM.
AND WE SHOULD PARTNER WITH THEM AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL KIND OF IN THIS TOGETHER, TRYING TO SOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE COUNTY, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S GOTTEN TOO CONVENIENT TO JUST KIND OF ROUTE THINGS AROUND THE SCHOOL.
AND IT REALLY SHOULD BE A, AN EXTRA LAYER IF YOU'RE, IF WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED THAT WAY, THAT, WHERE THEY NEED TO PRESENT.
HERE'S WHY WE THINK THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE OR THE ABSOLUTE BEST OPTION WE HAVE.
UM, AND NOT JUST THE ONE THAT WAS THE MOST CONVENIENT, BECAUSE I KNOW WITH SOME OF THE FRUSTRATION WITH THE VIEW FOR HIGH ONE WAS THAT THEY DID A TOWN HALL AND THE PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP AT THE TOWN HALL, UM, DIDN'T WANT IT TO RUN DOWN MERIDIAN.
I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THAT.
AND SO THEY JUST RAN IT BY THE SCHOOL.
I THINK THAT THE COUNTY REALLY NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THAT RUNNING TRAFFIC AROUND A SCHOOL IS A BIG DEAL AND THEY NEED TO BE, THEY NEED TO CONVINCE US THAT IT'S THE BEST OPTION.
THANK YOU, MS. BELL, RIGHT? MR. SMITH, MR. SMITH.
UM, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS.
I'M NOT GOING TO, UH, REITERATE ANY OF THEM.
AND ROBERT, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FEELING OF THIS COMMITTEE? NOPE.
I BELIEVE I'VE GOT MY MARCHING ORDERS.
UM, SO WE WILL ANTICIPATE HEARING BACK FROM YOU AT A LATER TIME.
UM, AND ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS TOPIC, SEEING NONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. ROTTING FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, MS. ANDERSON FOR BEING ON AND, AND HEARING OR CONCERNS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WENDY, AS ALWAYS.
AND THE LAST TOPIC ON AGENDA IS TO DISCUSS FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO START OUT BY SAYING THAT WE HAVE A LENGTHY, UM, LIST OF ITEMS THAT, UH, WE HAVE TO DO AT OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING IS DECEMBER 7TH, BUT I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BREAK THAT UP INTO TWO, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY ITEMS. UM, ROBIN, DO YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THE LIST OF ITEMS THAT, UM, WE HAD, I THINK THERE ARE AT LEAST, UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL AAR'S, UM, CONSTRUCTION UPDATE, SEVERAL OTHER THINGS.
[01:00:01]
OKAY.UM, AS WELL AS ROBERT, UH, MS. BOATWRIGHT BROUGHT UP THE, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THE REDESIGN OF THE ENTRANCE TO BUFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT'D BE IMPERATIVE TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT.
YES, I, I, ONE OF THE, I GUESS THE CHARGE THAT I GOT OUT OF OUR LAST DISCUSSION WAS TO READ, REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY AND, UM, HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT, IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL THREE, UH, WK, AUSTIN, UH, BUFORD HIGH AND, AND LADIES OUT IN THE MIDDLE.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT IS WHAT, UH, WOULD MORE INFORMATION AND THEN SOME SPECIFIC REQUESTS THAT, UH, UH, W K AUSTIN.
SO THAT, THAT IS WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THE CONVERSATION.
UM, AN ADDITIONAL, UH, TOPIC, UM, WHERE ARE WE WITH THE BIKO PROPERTY, ANY UPDATES ON THAT MR. SMITH OR MS. BOATWRIGHT, OTHER FUTURE TOPICS.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A PRETTY FULL LIST OF WHAT WE NEED TO GET DONE BEFORE THE 14TH, RIGHT? THE OES AND THE, I, I AGREE.
UM, I THINK THAT W WE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE THAT WE'VE JUST RAISED, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AT THE VERY NEXT MEETING, BUT JUST ADD INTO THE FUTURE TOPICS.
UM, ROBERT, PERHAPS, UH, ROBIN AND I CAN DISCUSS WITH YOU, WHICH OF THESE ARE CRITICAL, ARE ALL OF THESE ANTICIPATED OR HOPING TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE OCTOBER 14TH MEETING AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, UM, I WILL ACTUALLY NEED TO, I BELIEVE WENDY, UM, HAS MORE OF THESE ITEMS THAN I I'M IN.
NONE OF THESE ARE ONES THAT I'M DIRECTLY OVER.
SO, UH, WENDY, CAN YOU COMMENT ON YES.
SO, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH CANDACE BROODER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION RIGHT NOW, AND SHE IS WORKING ON THE SUPERINTENDENTS INTERPRETATION OF THE MONITORING FOR THE OES THAT YOU SEE THERE.
THAT'S, SHE'S WORKING ON GLOBAL OPERATION EXPECTATIONS, SUPERINTENDENT, SUCCESSION PLANNING, TREATMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, ALL WE FOUR THAT'S MS. WALTON.
UM, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON, OH, WE 10 WITH THE BOARD.
OH, 11 COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC, AND THEN O E 15, UM, MR. GRISSOM'S WORKING WITH HIS COMPLIANCE REPORT, HIS MONITORING COMPLIANCE REPORT.
SO I'LL HAVE THAT READY FOR YOU.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT WE WERE DOING, BUT, UM, BOARD MEMBERS IS IF WE NEED TO WAIT ON THIS, WE CAN, IS THAT THE E THE COMMUNICATION, THESE E ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS? THEY'RE JUST SO OLD.
LIKE, THEY'RE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, PARENTAL RIGHTS RESPONSIBILITIES.
THIS IS FROM SEPTEMBER OF 2021, AND WE HAVE DONE SOME, UM, REVISIONS TO THESE.
AND SO WE'LL BE MEETING WITH, UM, CANDACE AND KRISTEN CASPER.
SO WE HAD, WE'D WORKED ON ADMINISTRATIVE REG E THREE PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE WORKED ON RELATIONS WITH PARENT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WHEN DO, EXCUSE ME, I DON'T MEAN ROGER YOU, BUT ARE THOSE THINGS, ARE THEY NECESSARY TO BE DONE BEFORE THE DECEMBER 14TH MEETING? HERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO IS BECAUSE THOSE ALWAYS ARE LIKE THE PRIORITY ITEM.
WE WERE TRYING TO BE IN SYNC WITH THE OLD E N UH, UH, REVISING SOME OF THESE ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS SO THAT THEY WOULD BE CONSISTENT TOGETHER.
WE CAN, WE CAN WAIT TO DO THAT IN JANUARY, IF YOU ALL WERE LIKE, I MEAN, THAT'S OKAY.
I JUST, I JUST, I REALLY WANT THESE THINGS TO GET UPDATED BECAUSE THEY'RE SO OLD.
UM, BUT THEY, IT'S NOT, I MEAN, THEY THEY'VE BEEN, THEY MAY BE UPDATED FOR A LONG TIME, SO WE WERE JUST TRYING TO BE CONSIDERED OF YOU ALL WITH THE OES, BUT IT'S GOING, GONNA TAKE A LONG TIME TO GO OVER ALL THOSE ZOE'S.
AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE, THAT MONITORING UPDATE ON O E 15 TO SAFETY AND SECURITY THAT WE NEED TO DO, UM, AT OUR MEETING NEXT WEEK, BECAUSE MS. THAT WILL BE GOING TO THE FULL BOARD, I GUESS, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA DECEMBER 14TH.
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THE, OKAY.
SO MY BASIC QUESTION THEN IS EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR ROBERT, THE ATHLETIC AR IT HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE DECEMBER 14TH.
IS THAT CORRECT? CAN WE GET CANVAS IN HERE? WELL, I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET CANVAS IN HERE REAL QUICKLY.
WELL, IT WAS REQUESTED THAT ABUSO, SO I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE DECEMBER 14TH.
EVERYONE SENT IN THEIR REQUESTS SO THAT IT COULD BE DONE.
SO, SO INGRID, UM, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO, UH, MR. SMITH, WE NEED TO ESTABLISH ANOTHER MEETING DATE, UM, BEFORE THE 14TH.
UM, IN ORDER TO SPLIT THIS LIST MAYBE IN HALF
[01:05:01]
AND, UM, TO HAVE IT, SO IT COULD BE PRESENTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.SO WHAT DATES ARE YOU AVAILABLE? YOU COULD, IF YOU COULD MUTE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
I'M I DO WANT TO JUST CLARIFY, MS. DR.
BRUDER DID SAY THAT THOSE ARE SLATED FOR RIGHT SO-SO MADAM CHAIR.
MA'AM ARE THE WEEK IS PRETTY MISERABLE LIKE THIS WEEK, TOMORROW THERE'S TIME, BUT I'LL BE IN CHICAGO, I GUESS I COULD ZOOM IN FRIDAY, BUT YOU LOAD THAT NEXT WEEK.
SO MONDAY THE SIXTH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT TRYING TO SCHEDULE IS IF THAT'S GOING TO LAND ON THE SIXTH, BUT WE'VE GOT THE SECOND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, THEN WE'VE GOT THAT WORK SESSION ON THE EIGHTH.
THEN WE'VE GOT TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCE AND A STUDENT ADVISORY ON THE NINTH.
SO I GUESS WE COULD DO FRIDAY THE 10TH.
UM, AND THEN MONDAY THE 13TH, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T AVAILABLE.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, I MEAN, I COULD DO MONDAY THE 13TH, BUT THE CONSTRUCTION ONE QUESTION, I HAD THE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE.
WHEN IS IT GOING TO THE CLOCK ON WEDNESDAY? THE EIGHTH? IS THAT WHAT I REMEMBER? YES, THAT'S MY ROBERT.
I, I, IT IS GOING TO THE CLOCK ON WEDNESDAY, THE EIGHTH.
THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION DATE IS WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO A MONTHLY AND WE'D MISSED LAST MONTH.
SO THAT HAS ME, UH, A LITTLE CONCERNED.
SO NO, WE ARE DEFINITELY KEEPING THE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE.
I MEAN, FOR ATHLETICS CAN COME OFF.
WELL, WHAT I WAS WONDERING IS IF WE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE EIGHTH, BECAUSE IT HAS, IT DOESN'T USUALLY GO CLOCK OPERATIONS BOARD.
ISN'T THAT SORT OF BEEN THE, YEAH.
YOU'RE GOING TO GO BOARD THEN CLOCK.
CAUSE THE BOARD MEETINGS ON TUESDAY AND THE CLOCK MEETING IS ON THE, I MEAN, I'M SORRY.
OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, YOUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT, IF WE WOULD DO, WE'D BE BETTER DOING THAT AFTER THE CLOCK OR NOT.
UM, WE'LL BE PREPARED EITHER WAY.
SO, SO ROBIN, SINCE YOU'VE GOT THE CALENDAR IN FRONT OF YOU, WHICH W AND YOU HAVE THE RESPONSES FOR THE EMAILS, WHICH DATES SEEM TO BE THE MOST OPEN.
RIGHT? I, NOW I HAVE NOT, I HAVE NOT GOTTEN RESPONSES FOR EVERYONE ON THE EMAIL.
UM, THE STUDENT HEARING IS A PRIORITY, AND UNFORTUNATELY I'VE ONLY GOT LESS THAN HALF OF YOU ALL WHO HAVE RESPONDED.
AND THE DAYS THAT FROM THE ONES THAT I DID GET RESPONSE, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
UM, I, I THINK THAT WE COULD HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE AFTER CLOCK.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, INAPPROPRIATE.
SO WHAT ABOUT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10TH? UM, QUESTION FOR YOU, HOW EARL, IF YOU DO IT ON THE NINTH, CAN YOU BE AVAILABLE IN THE MORNING ON THE NINTH? SO WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, ROBIN? UM, TECHNOLOGY'S AT TWO O'CLOCK FINANCES AT FIVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WANT TO DO THE NINTH AT 10 O'CLOCK.
I WILL SAY I WAS HOPING TO DO THE STUDENT ADVISORY AT BATTERY CREEK.
I WENT TO IT BEFORE AND IT GOT MOVED.
UM, BUT I DON'T HAVE TO, BUT I WAS PLANNING ON DOING THE STUDENT, GOING TO THE STUDENT ADVISORY AT BATTERY CREEK, BUT THAT'S AN 11.
SO WHAT IS ON THE SCHEDULE? I JUST DON'T HAVE MY CALENDAR OPEN HERE.
I'M ON TWO COMPUTERS RIGHT NOW.
WHAT DOES, WHAT ARE YOU ON THE 10TH? ON FRIDAY? THE 10TH.
THERE IS NOTHING ON THE SCHEDULE.
INGRID, I THINK YOU MENTIONED THE 10TH WAS OKAY FOR YOU.
FOR YOU AND THE TIP OF THE FRIDAY? YES.
UM, YEAH, I, I, I THAT'S FOR EVERYONE.
I DON'T MIND WORKING WITH EVERYONE.
I CAN MAKE SURE I MAKE SOME CHANGES.
WE'D LIKE TO MAKE IT SO WE CAN WORK WITH YOU TOO ON THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE THE 10TH AND SO IS INGRID, I TOO CAN MAKE SOME CHANGES.
MR. AUDEN, DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? OH, I CAN.
UM, THE STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR WELL BRANCH IS THAT 11 ON THE 10TH.
SO IF IT'S NOT BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 11 AND ONE, I WOULD SAY I CAN MAKE IT.
UM, SO HOW DOES A, HOW DOES A TWO O'CLOCK TIMEFRAME SOUND ON FRIDAY THE 10TH? UM, YOU WOULD JUST NEED TO BE DONE BY, UH, BEFORE FIVE O'CLOCK.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE THAT OUR GOAL TO LESS THAN THREE HOURS.
[01:10:02]
OKAY.I'M SO SORRY FOR FRIDAY THE 10TH AT TWO O'CLOCK.
AND THEN HOW ABOUT MR. ? HOW ABOUT YOU AND I AND ROBIN? UM, MS. CARTLIDGE WE'LL KIND OF TRADE SOME EMAILS ABOUT THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA FOR TUESDAY AND FOR THE SEVENTH AND THE 10TH.
I DO HAVE ONE MOTHER ITEM, UH, JUST WHILE YOU'RE TALKING SCHEDULES AND WHATNOT.
THE ROBERT SMALLS GROUNDBREAKING IS THE FIRST ON TUESDAY.
SO PLEASE DON'T FORGET THAT YOU SAID THIS THE FIRST SEVEN O'CLOCK.
I WAS LOOKING AT A ONE AND CALLING IT THE FIRST, SORRY, SEVENTH AT ONE O'CLOCK UM, IT'S A QUESTION I'M JUST CHRISTIAN.
MAY I USE YOUR OFFICE OR TO SEND OUT A, UM, A DATE FOR THAT? THE CALENDAR IT'S ALREADY BEEN SENT OUT MR. SMITH.
SO, UM, WE'LL BE MEETING AT THREE O'CLOCK AFTER THAT GROUNDBREAKING.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE HEARING? NONE.
I DON'T HEAR MR. SMITH SECOND YET.
SO I'LL SECOND IT SO ALL IN FAVOR.