[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
[Board of Elections and Registration on February 23, 2022]
AND I HEAR BY, I CALL THE ORDER OF THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS AT BUFORD COUNTY MONTHLY BOARD MEETING.UM, AT THIS TIME WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, WE NEED TO, UM, OUR MINUTES FROM OUR EMERGENCY MEETING HELD EARLIER THIS MONTH ON FEBRUARY 8TH WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADD IT TO THE AGENDA? SO MOVED SECOND.
SO, UM, DO WE HAVE, BEFORE WE BEGIN, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? WELL, OKAY.
UM, OUR MINUTES FROM JANUARY 26TH, 2022 WERE SENT OUT VIA EMAIL.
UM, DO WE HAVE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO, ANYONE THINKS, NEED TO BE MADE TO THOSE? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES? SO MOVE BEVERLY.
UM, OUR MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 8TH EMERGENCY MEETING, UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE? SO MOON, THANK YOU, BERNADETTE.
SO UNFINISHED BUSINESS, THE ONLY IMAGE BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE IS THE POLL WORKER INFORMATION BREACH.
UM, WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH RON DAVIS, WHO IS THE CEO OF EASY VOTE.
AND HE SAID, THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AND THERE'S NO INDICATION ON WHO CONDUCTED THE BREACH OR HOW MUCH INFORMATION THEY WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE.
UM, BUT TO DATE, THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN TWO RECORDS, FOUND SOME POLL MANAGERS IN BUFORD COUNTY.
UM, AND THEY'RE SET, THEY'RE BEING SENT A LETTER THIS WEEK FROM EASY VOTE ITSELF AND THEY'RE OFFERING ONE YEAR OF CREDIT CREDIT MONITORING THROUGH EXPERIENCE AND IDENTITY.
UM, AND SO AT THAT TIME, THAT IS ALL AT THIS TIME, THAT IS ALL THAT WE KNOW, WHICH ISN'T A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN WE KNEW A WEEK AGO, BUT THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING.
THAT'S THE EMAIL THAT HOUSTON NOW THEY'RE OFFERING FROM EXPERIENCE IDENTITY WORKS ONE YEAR OF, UM, CREDIT MONITORING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR INFORMATION IS NOT BEING USED.
UM, SO ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD THAT? NOPE.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE COMMITTEE REPORTS.
UM, BEFORE WE JUMP RIGHT INTO THAT, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF CHANGES MADE TO OUR COMMITTEES.
UM, MR. WEDGWORTH IS OUR NEWEST BOARD COMMISSIONER AND HE HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE PRECINCT COMMITTEE.
UM, WE JUST NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE CHANGES TO THE COMMITTEES.
SO CAROLINE, THANK YOU, CRAIG PELLY.
SO FACILITIES COMMITTEE, MR. CLIFFORD, I GIVE YOU THE FLOOR.
UM, I CONTACTED CAREY GREEN, GREENWELL, GREEN WOOD, WHATEVER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OFFICE AND TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GO OUT AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT BUILDING THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD ALREADY LOOKED AT AUBREY, CALL ME BACK.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE GAL THAT TOOK YOU OUT THERE.
UM, AND TOLD ME THE ONE CERTAIN TERMS THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE A KEY AND WASN'T GOING TO TAKE ME OUT THERE.
UM, AND I SAID, OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
I JUST SAW SINCE I'LL BE THERE TODAY FOR A BOARD MEETING THAT I CAN MEET YOU 30, 40 MINUTES AT A TIME, I COULD LOOK AT IT.
WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU LOOK AT IT WITH EVERYBODY ELSE? ANYWAY, IT WENT THROUGH A BIG RIG AND ROLL.
AND THEN I GOT A CALL FROM ERIC REITERATING THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO CLEAN
[00:05:01]
THAT BUILDING.THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING MORE THAN WHAT'S ALREADY DONE.
THEY MIGHT, UH, HELP US IF WE WANT TO PUT A WALL IN OR DO SOMETHING.
I SAID, WELL, FROM THE REPORTS I GOT FROM THE PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICE, I'M NOT SURE WE'LL BE STORING ANYTHING IN THAT BUILDING ANYWAY.
SO I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT ON OUR OWN, FIND A BUILDING.
IF WE HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT KIND OF MONEY WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET, RENT A PLACE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO JUST GO FIND THEIR OWN BUILDING.
BUT I ASKED HIM, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUILDINGS AVAILABLE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN THOSE BUILDINGS? AND UM, HE SAID, NO, NOTHING AVAILABLE.
HE SAID, YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT ON YOUR OWN AND RENT YOUR OWN BUILDING.
SO THAT'S THE KIND OF WHERE WE ARE NOT A LOT OF HELP, BUT THAT WAS YESTERDAY WHEN I FINALLY GOT HOLD OF HIM AND HIM AND HER.
I THOUGHT WE WERE JUST WAITING ON SECURITY FOR US TO USE THAT BUILDING.
WE CAN'T USE IT AT ALL ANYMORE.
WELL, NO, WE CAN USE IT WITH, I TALKED TO WHEN WE GET OLDER, DISCUSS IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL LOOKED AT.
I KNOW MARIA LOOKED AT IT WHEN THE LOOK THAT IT BURNED, LOOKED AT IT.
EVERYTHING I HEARD BACK THAT IT WASN'T SUITABLE TO PUT ANY OF OUR STUFF IN THERE.
THERE'S EITHER SOME LEAKS IN THE ROOF.
MAYBE YOU GUYS COULD COMMENT SINCE YOU SAW IT.
FIRST THING SHE ASKED ME WHEN I GOT HER ON THE PHONE WAS WHEN DID YOU LOOK AT THE BUILDING? AND I SAID, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE BUILDING.
THAT'S WHY I'M CALLING YOU TO SEE IF I CAN GET A KEY TO GO OUT THERE AND JUST LOOK AT THE THING.
AND SHE SAID, NOPE, YOU SHOULD'VE LOOKED AT IT WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT.
SO MR. CLIFFORD, UM, UM, MYSELF AND THE WAREHOUSE CREW FROM THE OFFICE, ALONG WITH WE WENT OUT, UM, ONE TUESDAY AND WE, THE, AGAIN, I CAN SUM IT UP IN ONE WORD IS THAT IT'S UNACCEPTABLE FULLY COLLECTION, MATERIAL AND SUPPLIES.
SO I KNOW THAT MEANS WE PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO START ALL OVER FROM SCRATCH.
IT'S ALL ON FINE FIVE DECENT STORAGE FACILITY, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE MAY HAVE TO DO BECAUSE OUR EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES ARE TOO DELICATE AND TOO PRECIOUS TO BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT LIKE THAT.
SO I KNOW THAT SOUNDS KIND OF UNGRATEFUL.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION A WHOLE LOT MORE WAS GOING TO GO INTO THAT FIELD UNTIL I GOT OUT THERE AND WAS TOLD THAT THAT SCALE AND THE FORM THAT IT'S IN OR THE PRESENT STATE THAT IT'S IN.
UM, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE NOT ACCEPTED ACTUALLY IN RESPONSE TO THAT, I TALKED TO MARK ROSA KNEW ABOUT TWO, THREE MONTHS AGO.
AND HE SAID, YEAH, WE'VE GOT THIS BUILDING.
AND I SAID, WHEN CAN WE EAT THAT? I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE WE'RE CLEANING IT ALL UP AND GETTING IT ALL CLEANED OUT.
SO IT'S READY FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT.
HE SAID, NO, YOU'RE NOT CLEANING IT.
IS IT THEY'RE GOING TO GET RIGHT NOW? AND I SAID, OKAY FINE.
SO THE STORIES I'M GETTING FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DON'T, THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE THIS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT OTHER THAN JUST GO RENT OUR OWN BUILDING TELE FACTORY.
IN FACT, NOW SHE'S SAYING THAT NOBODY SHOULD EVEN WORK IN THAT BUILDING.
YOU CAN STORE STUFF IN THERE, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO WORK IN THE BUILDUP THAT, OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, MR. PELLI WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, MY NOTES ARE ATTACHED.
AND, UH, THE, THE DATES MISSING, WE MET ON FEBRUARY THE FOURTH AND, UH, WENT OVER THE INFORMATION WITH, UH, WENDELL THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR FOR STARTING JULY 1ST.
AND I'M LIKE I SAID, MY NOTES ARE THERE AND WE'RE ALL SET.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER, ANY COMMENTS ON THAT, ON THE BUDGET? UM, THEY'RE UPDATE YOU REMEMBER THAT $10,000, RIGHT? IT WAS ALREADY IN THE PILOT, BUT HE JUST LEVELED IT TO THE SIDE
[00:10:01]
WHEN I SAY YEAH, THANKS.UM, THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, MS. BEVERLY, OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MET ON FEBRUARY.
MEMBERS PRESENT WERE, UH, OUR CHAIR, JEAN FEEL VERY GOOD.
CAROLINE FERMIN, CRAIG PILI, MYSELF AND THE MARIE, A SMALL AS A DIRECTOR.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WAS TO DISCUSS THE 20, 22 SCALE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND VOTING LEGISLATION BEING DISCUSSED CONSIDERED DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRIORITIES WOULD ENLIGHTEN BOARD MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THEM WITH MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
UM, MARIE SHARED THAT SOME OF THE FREE PROVISIONS ALLOWED IN 2020 ELECTIONS DUE TO COVID-19 HAS EXPIRED.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN PERSON, ABSENTEE VOTERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SCAN THEIR BALLOT ON THE DAY THEY VOTE.
IF THESE PROVISIONS ARE NOT CHANGED LEGISLATIVELY, ALL BALLOTS CAST PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY WILL BE SECURED AND FIELD BALLOT BOXES AND LACKED, NOT IN A SECURE PLACE UNTIL ELECTION DAY.
THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR SCAB, WE DISCUSSED INCLUDED CHANGES TO IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO THE VOTE BEING CAST ON A MACHINE.
ALL CHALLENGES MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND ONCE BALLOTS ARE CAST, THERE IS NO WAY TO WITHDRAW THE VOTE.
NUMBER TWO, ALLOW FOR THE OPENING OF ABSENTEE BALLOT ENVELOPES TO BEGIN AT 7:00 AM THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME ALLOWED TO OPEN BALANCE AND TO TABULATE THEM AFTER THE POLLS CLOSED.
HOWEVER, BEING ALLOWED TO BEGIN TO OPEN BALANCE PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY WOULD HELP TO IMPROVE THE TABULATION PROCESS AND REPORTING RESULTS.
NUMBER THREE COUNTIES SHOULD BE RE SHOULD RECEIVE FULL REIMBURSEMENT FOR POLL MANAGERS AND ABSENTEE CLERKS.
NUMBER FOUR, IMPROVE ELECTION SECURITY BY SINKING DMV CHANGES FOR VOTER REGISTRATION.
WE ALSO DISCUSSED HOUSE BILL 46 21, WHICH REQUIRES THE SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTION COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ESTABLISH RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR BORDER REGISTRATIONS PERFORMED BY PRIVATE ENTITIES.
WE HAD A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT IS MEANT BY PRIVATE ENTITIES.
IT WAS SHARED THAT PRIVATE ENTITIES OR GROUPS THAT VOLUNTARILY REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE PAST BEFORE BOULDERS WERE ALLOWED TO DO THIS.
IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT THEY BE TRAINED BY AN ELECTION OF VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICIAL.
THIS ASSURED THAT ALL VOLUNTEERS UNDERSTOOD ELECTION LAWS AND PROP UP VOTER REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.
IT WAS ALSO ENCOURAGED TO FOLLOW THE STATUS OF VOTING LEGISLATION USING THE WEBSITE, WWW SC STATE HOUSE.GOV.
ALSO THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES PUBLISHED A FRIDAY'S REPORT THAT HIGHLIGHT BILLS BEING DEBATED AND NEW BILLS BEING INTRODUCED DURING THE WEEK.
THIS IS A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE.
THE WEBSITE IS WWW.SC COUNTIES.ORG.
UM, MS. FERMAN WAS SUPPOSED TO REACH OUT TO, UM, VOLUNTEER, TO REACH OUT TO REPRESENTATIVE NEWTON FOR A MEETING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE OR OUR BOARD AND THE MEETING WITH A JUROR AT 5:23 PM.
MS. FERMIN'S, HAVE YOU HAD OPPORTUNITY THEY'RE IN SESSION RIGHT NOW? THAT'S MY REPORT.
UM, NOW THAT WE PRECINCT IN COMMITTEE, WHICH IS MS. BEVERLY DOOR, THANK YOU.
PRECINCT COMMITTEE WAS SCHEDULED TO MEET ON FEBRUARY 22ND.
HOWEVER, THE MEETING WAS CHANGED DUE TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT TO THIS COMING FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH AT THREE O'CLOCK VIA WEBEX.
WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE AT LEAST I THOUGHT THAT IT WILL BE A GOOD IDEA IF IT'S OKAY WITH THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO OPEN UP THIS, UM, COMMUNITY SO THAT, UM, WE CAN HEAR FIRSTHAND WHAT YOUR PERCEPTIONS AND WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REGARDING
[00:15:01]
RE PRECINCT.AND, AND IF THAT'S OKAY ON FRIDAY, WHEN WE HAVE THE WEBEX MEETING AT THREE, WE'LL OPEN IT UP SO THAT ANY BOARD MEMBER CAN CHIME IN AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT, UM, INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKETS.
WE HAVE UPDATED INFORMATION ON EVERY PRECINCT IN THE COUNTY, STARTING AT PRECINCT 1 0 1 THROUGH PRECINCT 360 9.
PLEASE TAKE A VERY CAREFUL LOOK AT THIS INFORMATION.
IT GOES INTO DETAIL ABOUT HOW MANY REGISTERED VOTERS WE HAVE AS OPPOSED TO THE NUMBER OF VOTING AGE POPULATIONS WITHIN EACH PRECINCT.
THIS IS VERY INTERESTING INFORMATION BECAUSE I NOTICED THEY HAD A COUPLE OF PRECINCTS HAD, UM, MORE VOTING AGE POPULATIONS LISTED THAN IT DID REGULAR VOTERS.
WELL, THAT'S THE CASE IN MOST OF THEM, WHICH POINTS TO THE NEED TO DO MORE VOTER REGISTRATION.
BUT, UM, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE TWO, UH, CATEGORIES TO COMPARE.
YOU MAY FIND A FEW DISCREPANCIES.
AND I WAS TALKING TODAY WITH MARIE ABOUT WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THAT DISCREPANCY BETWEEN HAVING MORE VOTERS THAN VOTING AGE POPULATION, HAVING MORE VOTERS THAN WELL VOTING VOTERS THAN THE VOTING AGE POPULATION, WHICH SOUNDS ODD, BUT SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE CENSUS.
SO THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THAT DISCREPANCY TO A LARGE EXTENT, UM, ALSO INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
I HAVE, UM, UM, DO YOU EVER COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR DISTRICTS THAT ARE IN A COLOR FORMAT? I CAN SEND THIS TO YOU BY EMAIL AND YOU WILL HAVE THE COLOR, THEY HAVE THE BLACK AND WHITE VERSION, BUT I'M THINKING THAT WE'LL SEND THEM THE COLOR VERSION.
SO WE'LL GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE DISTINCTION THERE.
AND, UM, ALSO YOU HAVE ANOTHER COPY OF THE, UM, DISTRICT, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, AT THIS SENATE LEVEL SENATE AND HOUSE LEVELS, WHICH IS ALSO VERY GOOD INFORMATION AND IT CORRELATES BACK TO THE CHART THAT GIVES WHAT, UM, PRECINCT, UM, HAS, WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, NUMBER, WHAT DISTRICT NUMBER CORRELATES WITH THE PARTICULAR PRECINCT.
UM, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, JAMES WIT WEDGWORTH HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE COMMITTEE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING, HAVING HIM PARTICIPATE.
UM, SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE DIRECTION THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS HEADED IN, UH, WE KNOW THAT, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO IDEALLY HAVE ABOUT 1500 VOTERS PER POLLING PLACE PER PRECINCT.
AND, UM, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT, UM, FOR EACH PRECINCT, UM, ON THIS CHART IN THE COUNTY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU ON FRIDAY? THANK YOU.
AND MR. ROWE WITH THE RULES COMMITTEE, WHEN YOU THOUGHT WE WEREN'T HAVING HOMEWORK SO FAR TO THE MEN THAT ARE REFLECTED THROUGH THE ASSIGNMENT TODAY, THE CHANGES TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MEMBERS, UH, TO, UH, ADOPTION LAWS SINCE THE LAST MONTH, SINCE THE LAST ONE, LET ME GET ONE.
I AM COUNTING ON THE COLLECTIVE AND THEY DIDN'T COME THROUGH.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS I'VE TAKEN A BRUSH TO THIS THING, BUT I'M NOT QUITE THERE YET.
POINTY IS ANY SUBJECT, ANY PROCEDURE THAT HAS NOT BEEN COVERED IN THIS MANUAL, YOU THINK FITS INTO THIS.
[00:20:03]
SEE FREE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE OR CHANGES THAT SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE TALKING TO MY REVISIONS PAGE, BOARD MEMBERS INFORMATION ABOUT THAT BOARD AREA ASSIGNMENTS AND COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS PROVED TODAY IS REFLECTIVE OF MR. WHICH WAS MOVED OVER TO THE TWO COMMITTEES THAT HE'S BEEN SIGNED.SO AGAIN, I ASK THAT BY FRIDAY, MARCH FORWARD OR SOONER, PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS AND WHAT YOU SEE OR YOU DON'T SEE IT HERE.
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME DIFFICULTIES TRYING TO DISTINGUISH TIMES WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
RON'S NAME APPEARS IN THIS AS THE ONLY THING CRUCIAL AS THE APPROVING OFFICIAL SPEAR BACK TO 2014, THAT'S STILL HOLDS THAT AUTHORITY BREASTS.
ALL WE NEED TO DO IS TAKE A QUICK OR LONGER.
ONCE YOU LEAVE THE COMMITTEE, CONTINUE TO UNCOVER AND DECIPHER BY THE 4TH OF MARCH, PLEASE, AFTER THAT, WE'RE GOING TO PRESS ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, OBSERVATION, UM, ME AND MR. PEELEY WENT THROUGH THE TRAINING TOGETHER.
WE WERE BOTH APPOINTED THE END OF 2018, BUT I'M LISTED AS MARCH, 2018.
AND HE'S LISTED AS OCTOBER, 2018.
WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? MY LETTER SAYS OCTOBER.
IT SAYS OCTOBER 16, BUT SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHY UNTIL WE BOTH WENT THROUGH THE TRAINING AT THE SAME TIME WE CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME, NO, THERE WAS A TRAINING AT THE SAME TIME, BUT YOUR GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR APPOINTED TO YOU THAT WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE LENNON THAT YOU RECEIVED.
SO LOOK AT THE LETTER THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM THE GOVERNOR, AND THAT WILL TELL YOU WHEN YOUR APPOINTMENT IS OKAY.
I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT WHEN I GET HOME.
SO IT'S NOT THE SWEARING IN DATE.
IT'S NOT THE DATE THAT WE WERE SMELLING.
ANY QUESTIONS? GIVE ME A CALL.
I KNOW THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FOLKS ON THE BOARD INTERESTED IN TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT IT AND NOT ASKING THAT YOU BECOME PART OF THE RULES, RIGHT? NOT GOING TO LAY THAT ONE ON YOUR BACK.
IF YOU DO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE LOOK THROUGH WHAT WE PERFECT YOUR SAMPLE AND LOOK THROUGH FOR TAKES THAT APPLY TO YOU, HEARD THAT APPLY TO YOU, ET CETERA.
THIS IS A GOOD TIME, FRANKLY, TO DO, TO MAKE SURE WE CAN LOOK AT ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR.
I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH BEFORE I GO.
AND THEN WHEN HE'S SITTING RIGHT BACK THERE, ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS CHRIS WEITZ FOR THE RECORD.
HE'S PULLED ME OUT OF MORE THAN ONE.
FIRE CAN ONLY TELL YOU VERY COMMON POINT B.
THIS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TODAY OR ANY DAY IN MY ESTIMATION, BETTER THAN THIS YOUNG LADY PREPARED.
UM, YOU BUSINESS, PLEASE REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR LIST OF POLL WORKERS.
CAUSE THEY OFFICE STAFF, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT WE CAN GET THEM BEFORE THE END OF MARCH.
THEN THAT GIVES US AMPLE TIME TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS BRIEFED PRIOR TO THIS UPCOMING ELECTION.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'LL GIVE TO YOU.
OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO TALK BRIEFLY.
I HOPE ABOUT SOME OF THE UPDATES TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
[00:25:01]
IT'S NOT, WE'RE GOING TO ALSO HAVE SOME ELECTION UPDATES, FACILITY UPDATES AND MISCELLANEOUS, UM, UPDATES, NOT WHOLE LOT, BUT, UM, SINCE WE MET LAST, UM, THE BILL THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF TRACTION IS THE, UM, EARLY VOTING BILL LYNCH'S HOUSE, BILL 49 19.UM, I WOULD ADVISE YOU ALL TO GO ONLINE AND READ THE BILL INFO, BUT THESE ARE SOME SUMMARIES OF THE BILL.
UM, IT'S TALKING ABOUT TWO WEEKS EARLY VOTING PERIOD FROM MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, EIGHT 30 TO 6:00 PM.
NOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SPIN ONE OF SCARES PRIORITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IS TO INTRODUCE EARLY VOTING IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, WE OF COURSE JUST CALLED IT EARLY VOTING.
WE DIDN'T SET THE TIMEFRAME OR WHATEVER, BUT THE LEGISLATORS COME UP WITH, CAME UP WITH A TIMEFRAME, WHICH WOULD BE TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTING.
AND THAT MEANS IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING WILL GO AWAY.
AS WE KNOW IT, I MEAN A LOT OF FOLKS REFER TO IN-PERSON ABSENTEE AS EARLY VOTING ANYWAY, AND CONSTANTLY ARE CORRECTING THEM ON THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO NOW WHEN MY MAKE APPROACH US WITH THE EARLY VOTING QUESTION, WE WILL BE ABLE TO RESPOND WITHOUT ANY CORRECTION TO THAT.
NOW THERE ARE PROS AND CONS OF EVERY BILL THAT'S GOING TO BE INTRODUCED, UM, IN THE LEGISLATION, I MEAN IN THE LEGISLATURE, BUT, UM, WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE NOW, SINCE THIS BILL WAS INTRODUCED, IT'S ALREADY RECEIVED A LOT OF AMENDMENTS TO IT.
SO THIS IS THE ORIGINAL FORM AND SUMMATION OF WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED.
UM, BUT, UM, LAST THURSDAY THERE WERE SEVERAL AMENDMENTS MADE TO IT.
THE COUNTY BOARD WILL ESTABLISH THE EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS AND BASED ON OUR REGISTER, THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTER WE WILL HAVE, OR WE WOULD BE ALLOWED FOR EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS.
AND THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS BASED ON, UM, THE, THE DISTANCE, WELL, THAT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL BILL.
THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT TO THAT WHICH WOULD ALLOW, UM, THE BOARD TO DECIDE WHERE THESE LOCATIONS ARE WITHOUT THE 10 MILES RESTRICTIONS THAT WERE INITIALLY PLACED IN THE BILL.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME FLEXIBILITY ON THE, WHERE THOSE, UM, EARLY VOTING SITES WILL BE.
CANDIDATES CAN ONLY APPEAR ON THE BALLOT FOR A SINGLE ELECTION.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN INTRODUCED SEVERAL TIMES OVER, WHICH MEANS THAT A CANDIDATE CAN ONLY FILE FOR ONE OFFICE DOING A SINGLE ELECTION, AND THEY CAN ONLY HAVE THEIR NAME ON THE BALANCE BALLOT ONCE.
AND, UM, WE CALL IT FUSION CANDIDATE WHERE THEY MAY BE RUNNING IN A GENERAL ELECTION IN THE, UH, GREEN PARTY AND THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY AT THE SAME TIME, BOTH NAMES WILL BE APPEARING ON THE SAME NAME WILL BE A PAIRING IN, UM, ON THE BOTH PARTY.
AND THIS BILL WOULD ELIMINATE THAT ONLY ALLOWING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, PAIR IN ONE PARTY, REMOVE VACATION AND EMPLOYMENT AS A REASON FOR VOTING ABSENTEE.
AND THIS IS MAIL ABSENTEE, UM, AND ADD THE ELECTOR WILL BE AWAY FROM THEIR COUNTY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE DURATION OF THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD AND ELECTION DAY.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, UM, I'M GOING TO BE ON VACATION OR DUE TO MY EMPLOYMENT.
I NEED TO VOTE ABSENTEE THAT WILL CHANGE.
THOSE REASONS WILL NOT BE THERE.
THE REASON WILL BE I WILL BE AWAY FROM MY COUNTY, UM, DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD OR ON ELECTION DAY, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.
NOW, ONE THING TO NOTE ABOUT THE EARLY VOTING PROCESS, THAT WILL NOT BE A REASON FOR VOTING EARLY.
[00:30:01]
JUST GO AND VOTE.YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME UP WITH ONE OF THE 17 REASONS FOR WANTING TO VOTE EARLY ABSENTEE APPLICATION MUST CONTAIN A VOTER, UH, DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER OR SOME OTHER PERSONAL OR UNIQUE ID ASSOCIATED WITH A CURRENT GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID.
AND, UM, OF COURSE THAT SECTION OF THE BILL HAD GOTTEN A LOT OF DEBATE ON IT.
AND, UM, THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT PROPOSED, UM, THING THAT ALSO HAPPENED LAST THURSDAY.
AND THAT WILL BE IT'S NOW WHERE THEY WOULD JUST NEED TO USE, UM, THE LAST FOUR DIGIT OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND SOME OTHER SPECIFICATION.
I DON'T REMEMBER ALL THE DETAILS BEHIND THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST BEING PROPOSED.
NOTHING HAS BEEN FINALIZED YET AUTHORIZED RETURNEE MUST PRESENT PHOTO ID.
THE FORM WILL HAVE A PLACE TO SELECT WHAT TYPE OF ID IS BEING PROVIDED.
SO IF SOMEBODY IS BRINGING THE BALLOT AN ABSENTEE BALLOT OR RETURNING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT TO THE OFFICE, THAT PERSON WHO'S RETURNING THE BALLOT MUST PRESENT SOME FORM OF ID TO WHOEVER IS ACCEPTING THE OFFICE STAFF THAT'S ACCEPTING THAT BALLOT.
UM, MALE BELL WITNESS MUST BE SIGNED AND THERE MAY MUST ALSO BE ON THE ENVELOPE OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOT.
THERE WAS ANOTHER BILL AND THAT'S HOUSE BILL 49, 19.
UH, IT'S A PRETTY BIG BILL HOUSE, BILL 41, 50 AND 33 72, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE SAME.
UM, BILL HAVE SOME OF THE SAME PROVISION AS 49 19, UM, HOUSE BILL 48, 82 IS REQUIRING THAT THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, UM, TO DEVELOPS, UM, CERTAIN SECURITY PROTOCOLS FOR ITS ELECTION EQUIPMENT.
AND, UM, THAT'S A LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY, UM, OUTLINE ON THAT.
AND ONE OF THE FEATURES, OR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ALL SCORE ALSO ASKING IS THAT THE BALLOT CARDS, UM, TO BE SOLE SOURCED BY, UM, THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION.
AND WHAT THAT MEAN IS THAT ALL COUNTIES WILL BE GETTING THEIR BALLOT BECAUSE FROM THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION AND WE CAN'T GO, WHICH RIGHT NOW IS PRETTY MUCH A SOLE SOURCE, UM, PRODUCT, BECAUSE WE CAN ONLY GET IT FROM THE COMPANY THAT WE USED, UM, THAT WE HAVE OUR VOTING MACHINE THROUGH, WHICH IS ESNS.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW ALL THAT WOULD WORK.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
UM, WELL, ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BE ON THE BALLOT CARS TO BUY, LIKE CARS ARE REALLY LATE TO THAT CLASS.
SO WILL THERE BE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? THEY JUST READ THE REGULAR BALLOT CLUB? WELL, THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I'M INCLUDING IN THIS.
THEY ALSO WANT A CERTAIN SPECIAL PAPER FOR BALANCE TO BE PRINTED ON.
UM, BUT THE BALLOT CARDS RIGHT NOW, WE ORDER OUR BALLOT CARDS THROUGH ESNS.
THEY WANT US TO ORDER IT THROUGH THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW ALL THAT WILL WORK, BUT IF IT'S PASSED AS A LAW, WE WILL FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, POLL, BOOKS, SECURITY, UM, ALL THESE ARE STANDARDS, PRETTY MUCH BILL 48, 82 IS TALKING ABOUT, UM, PROCESS PROCEDURES AND STANDARDS, UM, THAT SPIN, UM, RE AS BEING REQUIRED BY THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION.
AND ONCE THOSE THINGS ARE DONE, THEY WILL BE PASSED ON TO THE COUNTIES LIKE, UH, HERE GO THE BALLOT SHALL BE PRINTED ON SECURITY PAPER THAT INCORPORATE FEATURES THAT CAN ONLY BE USED TO AUTHENTICATE THE BALLOT AS AN OFFICIAL BALLOT.
SO THAT'S, TO ME, IT'S LIKE SOME KIND OF WATERMARK OR SOMETHING MAY NEED TO BE ON THE BALLOT.
SO YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE THEM PROBABLY WHEN YOU NEED TO GET EYES, BUT THEY WILL BE SOME KIND OF WAY TO IDENTIFY THAT THIS IS AN OFFICIAL BALLOT.
AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE HOW ALL THAT WILL WORK AND WHEN WILL IT GO INTO EFFECT, BUT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED BY OUR LEGISLATORS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, MOSTLY BY ONE IN BEAVER COUNTY, MR. BELL, UM, FIRST THE NEWTON, THIS IS MOSTLY HIS FIELD,
[00:35:03]
UM, VOTING EQUIPMENT.CAN'T BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET OR HAVE THE CAPACITY OR THE CAPABILITY TO BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T CONNECT, UH, ANY OF OUR VOTING EQUIPMENT TO THE INTERNET, BUT THIS IS JUST, I GUESS, REAFFIRMING AND CONFIRMING THAT WE DON'T DO IT ALL AFTER OPTICAL SCAN SYSTEM HAVE TO KEEP AN IMAGE THAT IS MAINTAINED BY YOUR SUBSYSTEM, INDEPENDENT AND DISTINCT FROM THE MAIN VOTING DETECTION VOTE DETECTION.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS.
I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT THAT'S HOW IT'S WRITTEN AND I'M NOT SURE HOW, WHAT IT MEANS BY THAT.
I CAN ASSUME THAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT, UM, WE KEEP AN IMAGE OF ALL THE BALLOTS.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT IF IT'S PASSED, WE WILL FIGURE IT ALL OUT.
ALL THE ELECTRONIC LAW, UM, RECORDS OF CONFIGURATION, SOFTWARE, LOGS, SECURITY DEVICES, UM, BALLOT IMAGES, HARDWARE, AND VOTING SYSTEM FIRMWARE MUST BE PRESERVED FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME THAT STATE OF FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES FOR ALL OTHER ELECTION RELATED MATERIAL.
AND, UM, WE PRETTY MUCH DO THAT ALREADY, BUT AGAIN, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT WE, WE DO THAT ALREADY.
UM, WITH, UM, NOW WE ARE MOVING ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE, UM, BILLS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE THOSE WEBSITES THAT, UM, IS IN FOR, UM, BERNADETTE'S REPORT.
AND, UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT EVERY FRIDAY LET'S GO TO THE WEBSITE AND LOOK AT WHAT'S BEING INTRODUCED ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
THE FRIDAY REPORTS, WHICH IS SPONSORED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, THEY UPDATE US ON, UM, ALL THE BILLS THAT ARE, UM, BEING PROPOSED DURING THE WEEK.
AND I USUALLY GO THROUGH IT, PULL OUT THE ONES THAT ARE ELECTION RELATED AND, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, OF COURSE WE ARE INTERESTED IN, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS TOO AS WELL.
UM, THE, THERE WILL BE, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT YOU WILL KNOW NOW THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL ELECTION.
UM, ON MAY THE 31ST, THIS WILL BE WITH THE HILTON HEAD PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT VOTING DISTRICT.
NUMBER FOUR, ONE OF THEIR MEMBERS WILL BE RESIGNING ON MARCH THE FIRST.
AND IF THAT DOES HAPPEN, THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL ELECTION.
THEY ALREADY SIGNED THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE MOVING OUT OF THAT DISTRICT AND THEY WILL NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE TO REPRESENT THAT DISTRICT, WHICH WILL, UM, EFFECT A SPECIAL ELECTION.
AND IF THAT DOES HAPPEN ON THE FIRST, THE ELECTION WILL BE ON THE 31ST OF MAY.
AND, UM, UM, THE STATUS SUMMARY DISTRICT, MS. BEVERLY DID A, UH, WONDERFUL REPORT ON REDISTRICTING, UM, AND THE REDISTRICTING.
UM, IT HAS A LOT OF FACET TO IT.
SO THE COUNTY COUNCIL MET, I THINK, SINCE Y'ALL MET AND APPROVED THE, OR HAD THE THIRD READING FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS ON REDISTRICTING, AND THAT'S ALREADY A DONE DEAL IS PASSED AND APPROVED AND HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE FISCAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT UP INTO, IN COLUMBIA.
AND, UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH, UH, GIS DEPARTMENT WHO THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB GUYS.
UM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL THE DISTRICT INFORMATION, NOT JUST FROM COUNTY COUNCIL, BUT THE HOUSE, THE SENATE AND THE CONGRESSIONAL, UM, MAPS THAT WE NEED TO COMPLETE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR VOTERS ARE RECORDED AND THE CORRECT DISTRICT, UM, ON THAT REPORT FROM MS. BEVERLY, YOU WILL KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN, IN THE PRECINCT, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THE DISTRICT INFORMATION FOR THOSE PRECINCTS AS WELL, WHICH INCLUDES THE COUNTY, THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, THE SENATE DISTRICT,
[00:40:01]
THE HOUSE COUNTY COUNCIL, THE SCHOOL BOARD, ALL OF THAT'S INCLUDED ON THAT REPORT THAT MS. BEVERLY, UM, SHARED WITH YOU ALL NOW TO THE AVERAGE PERSON, THOSE NUMBERS PROBABLY DON'T MEAN A HILL OF BEANS OF ANYTHING, BUT THAT'S WHY WE GAVE YOU THE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH THEIR DISTRICT NUMBERS AND THE SENATORS AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE WITH THEIR DISTRICT NUMBERS.SO YOU WILL KNOW WHO AND WHO REPRESENT WHAT DISTRICTS AND THAT WILL HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT REPORT IS.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS CODES THAT, UM, MOST PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT IT MEANS, BUT WHEN YOU ARE ISSUED A VOTER REGISTRATION CARD, ALL OF YOUR DISTRICT INFORMATION IS ON YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION CARD.
UNFORTUNATELY, MOST PEOPLE WILL TEAR OFF THAT DISTRICT INFORMATION WHEN YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION CARD COMES OUT, YOU HAVE A BLUE SECTION AND A WHITE SECTION, AND THE, AND IT'S PREFORMATTED, UM, BETWEEN THE BLUE AND WHITE AND MOST PEOPLE WILL JUST DISCARD THE WHITE INFORMATION AND KEEP THE ONE WITH THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS AND THEIR POLLING LOCATION ON IT, BUT THROW AWAY THE DISTRICT INFORMATION.
WELL, THE DISTRICT INFORMATION IS THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION BECAUSE IT TELLS YOU WHO REPRESENTS YOU IN WHAT DISTRICT.
SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING TO, TO, TO, TO EDUCATE OUR VOTERS ON IS WHETHER OR NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO REPRESENT THEM.
SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE SIDEBAR THERE.
UM, SO WE HAVE MADE OUR CHANGES, UM, NOT ALL WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING OUR CHANGES TO OUR STREET FILES AND OUR STREET FILES IN OUR COUNTY, UM, HOUSED ALL OF OUR DISTRICT INFORMATION.
THAT'S HOW A VOTER IS ASSIGNED TO THE DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE A PHYSICAL ADDRESS FOR EVERY PHOTO WHEN THEY REGISTERED TO VOTE, NOT A POST OFFICE BOX OR A UPS BOX, WHICH WE FOUND THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL VOTERS AND OUR COUNTIES LAST YEAR WAS REGISTERED AT A POST OFFICE ADDRESS UPS OR MAIL SERVICE ADDRESS, WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE YOUR RESIDENTS, YOUR RESIDENTS WILL DETERMINE YOUR STREET HOUSE, YOUR HOUSE NUMBER, AND YOUR STREET NAME WILL DETERMINE THE PRECINCT AND THE, UM, THE DISTRICTS THAT YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN YOUR DISTRICT INFORMATION.
SO, UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING ALL OF OUR STREET FILES, UH, ALONG WITH THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION AND STAFF WILL BE DOING THOSE THAT ARE WHAT WE CALL SPLIT PRECINCTS SPRIT SPLIT PRECINCTS MEANS THERE'S MORE THAN ONE COUNTY COUNCIL, MAYBE IN A DISTRICT OR MORE THAN ONE HOUSE SEAT IN A DISTRICT.
AND SO WE HAVE TO PHYSICALLY GO INTO OUR STREET RECORDS AND MAKE SURE THOSE HOUSE NUMBERS ARE CORRESPONDING WITH THE CORRECT DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING RIGHT NOW.
IT WILL BE DONE BY THE TIME CANDIDATE FILING BEGINS, WHICH IS MARCH 16TH.
EVEN IF WE HAVE TO PULL IN OVERTIME TO DO IT, IT WILL BE DONE.
HOW MANY PRECINCT DOES IT PSD? A SPECIAL ELECTION.
HOW MANY PRECINCTS ARE IN THE SPECIAL, THE FREE PSD? UM, PROBABLY ABOUT SEVEN IS THAT SEVEN SOMEWHERE AROUND NOW.
IT'S A GOOD MANY OF THEM, MOSTLY ON YOUR SECTION ON THE SOUTH END, YOU CAN ALWAYS SOLICIT MR. WEDGWORTH TO HELP YOU OUT ON THAT DAY.
SO WE HAD 47 PRECINCTS THAT HAD, UM, DISTRICT CHANGES TO IT OUT OF OUR 95 PRECINCTS.
WE HAD 47 THAT HAD DISTRICT CHANGES TO IT AND 48 THAT THEN, SO, UM, THAT'S THE STATUS OF REDISTRICTING, EVERY PRECINCT THING.
UM, MS. MS. BEVERLY MENTIONED THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL PRECINCTS.
I THINK SHE DID THAT OVER THE 1500, UM, REQUIRED BY LAW.
WE DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THIS BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO MOVE THESE PEOPLE.
EVEN IF WE SPLIT THESE PRECINCTS, WE DON'T HAVE POLLING LOCATIONS TO RELOCATE THEM.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE,
[00:45:02]
UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS FOR US TO LOOK AT THESE PRECINCTS THAT ARE OVER THE 1500 AND DETERMINE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UM, HOUSED.YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE IDEA IS NOT TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE REPORTING TO ONE LOCATION, BUT IN SOME CASES WE CAN'T HELP IT.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE PLACE TO TAKE.
SO EVEN IF WE SPLIT THE PRECINCT, THEY MAY END UP STILL BEING IN THE SAME FACILITY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE NEED TO TALK TO OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT IS MAYBE CHANGE THAT LAW THAT RE MAKE THE 1500 A REQUIREMENT.
AGAIN, ALL CHANGES IN PRECINCTS MUST GO THROUGH, UM, THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, WHICH MEANS WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT STILL HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
AND IT'S USUALLY INTRODUCED AS A BILL BY OUR LEGISLATORS, OUR DELEGATION.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WILL WORK IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND DO THIS BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION AND THE PRE-SURGERY PRECINCT AND REDISTRICTING MEETING ON FRIDAY.
I'M HOPING THAT, UM, WE FIGURE OUT A WAY, UM, ON WHEN WE WANT TO MAKE THESE CHANGES.
IF WE TRY TO DO IT BEFORE NOVEMBER, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE, UM, THE SESSION AND SOMETIME IN MAY.
SO IF WE DON'T GET A BILL TO THEM OR GET IT INTRODUCED BEFORE THE SESSION ENDS, IT WILL BE NEXT YEAR BEFORE IT'S DONE.
SO WE JUST NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
AND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE FACILITY AND MY ONE WORD IS UP THERE IS UNACCEPTABLE.
ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
OH, NO, IT'S NOT THIS A MISCELLANEOUS UPDATES.
UM, THE SCARE MID-YEAR CONFERENCE, PLEASE CHANGE.
YOUR CALENDARS HAS BEEN CHANGED TO APRIL THE THIRD THROUGH THE FIFTH AND NOT THE 10TH THROUGH THE 12TH.
AND, UM, W WE ARE LOSING ONE OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, MS. LATERA GRANT.
SHE IS BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE, UH, M I S I T DEPARTMENT.
SO WE WILL HAVE A VACANCY IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
IS THAT GOING TO BE, THAT ENDS MY REPORT, RIGHT? THANK YOU.
OH, NO, I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE.
AND I THINK, UM, MR. PELLI MENTIONED THIS, THAT THE 2023 BUDGET HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD AND SUBMITTED, UM, TO THE COUNTY FOR REVIEW.
THE LAST MINUTE, WHERE DID WE SAY THE SKIRT CONFERENCE? WHAT I SAID, GOING TO BE VIRTUAL OR IT'S IN PERSON, CORRECT.
THIS GARY, THE MID-YEAR CONFERENCE IS WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE? IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE HOLIDAY INN, HOLIDAY INN IN BUFORD OR BUFORD.
BUFORD IS HOSTING THE MEDIA CONFERENCE AND, UH, YOU WEREN'T HERE THE LAST TIME, SO I'M SORRY.
UM, DIFFERENT, WE'LL BE HOSTING THE MEDIA CONFERENCE AND IT WILL START ON SUNDAY.
UM, I STILL HAVE THE WRONG DATE ON NOW.
YOU CAN PLAY, I THINK YOU PULLED UP THE WRONG REPORT.
UM, THE LINEAR CONFERENCE WILL START ON A SUNDAY, THE 3RD OF APRIL, AND IT WILL GO THROUGH TUESDAY AT NOON ON THE FIFTH.
AND, UM, YOU WILL BE GETTING AN AGENDA IN A TENTATIVE AGENDA BECAUSE IT STILL BE WORKED ON, BUT WE WILL HAVE ALL DAY ON THAT MONDAY, WE WILL HAVE SESSIONS WHICH WILL INCLUDE, UM, THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS AND NO CLASSES.
THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES AT THE SCAM AT YOUR CONFERENCE, AND HOPEFULLY A PRESENTATION FROM THE POST OFFICE AS WELL.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? UM, REMINDER THE ETHICS FILINGS ARE DUE PRIOR TO MARCH 30TH, 2020.
UM, IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS LOGGING IN, UM,
[00:50:01]
YOU CAN ASK CHRIS, BUT THEY'VE GOT A NEW WEBSITE.SO IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE THERE'S PHONE NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN CALL, UM, I LOOKED AT IT TODAY.
I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN DOWN THE PHONE NUMBER, BUT THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL AND THEY CAN HELP YOU GET IN SO THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR ETHICS FORM DONE TO FILE ELECTRONICALLY.
UM, OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 23RD, AT 2:00 PM HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UM, AND IF NOBODY HAS ANYTHING TO ADD, CAN I GET, I THINK THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING, CRAIG? THANK YOU, MR. WOODWARD.
SECOND, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.
GO TO BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM BLISS CALL TO ORDER IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THIS IS THE BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT.
THE SUBJECT OF THIS MOMENT IS THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY LOST TO FOLKS TODAY, BUT THE ARTIFACTS, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY ARE AROUND US.
IF WE LOOK FOR THEM, PHOSPHATES WERE KNOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.
THEY WERE FIRST DISCOVERED UP AROUND SOMERVILLE AND NORTH OF CHARLESTON.
IT'S KNOWN AS MORAL AND BENEATH THE MORAL WAS THE PHOSPHATE ROCK GEOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS KNEW ABOUT IT.
PHOSPHATE WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE AGRICULTURAL OF THE SOUTH BECAUSE IT IS THE BASIS OF MOST FERTILIZER AND MANY OF THE COTTON LANDS OF THE OLD SOUTH, WHERE MUCH EXHAUSTED BY THE COTTON INDUSTRY BEFORE THE WAR.
SO AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY WAS INTRODUCED FIRST IN CHARLESTON IN 1867, AND THEN LOOKING FOR BEDS OF HIGH CONTENT PHOSPHATE ROCK.
THESE PHOSPHATE EXPLORES AND ENTREPRENEURS DISCOVERED BUFORD COUNTY.
THE NEXT 30 YEARS, BUFORD COUNTY BECAME THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF PHOSPHATE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND ONE OF THE RICHEST SOURCES OF PHOSPHATES KNOWN IN THE WORLD BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900.
THIS BECAME THE OF THE MINING PART OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY.
MANY OF THE FERTILIZER FACTORIES WERE IN CHARLESTON, BUT THE MINING AND THE PHOSPHATE WORKS AS THEY CALL THEM WHERE THEY BROKE THE ROCK DOWN INTO POWDER AND THE PURE PHOSPHATE AND SHIPPED IT OUT.
THOSE INDUSTRIAL CENTERS WERE MOSTLY IN BUFORD COUNTY AT THE HEIGHT OF THIS INDUSTRY IN THE 1880S, 3000 BUFORD TONES WERE EMPLOYED IN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS.
IN MANY CASES WAS A RULE OF THUMB WHEN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS BEGAN IN THE 1870S, THAT THE RICHEST VEINS OF PHOSPHATE WERE UNDERWATER UNDER THE COOSAW RIVER UNDER THE BUFORD RIVER UNDER BATTERY CREEK.
SO INITIALLY LOCAL SEA ISLANDERS WOULD DIVE DOWN FOR THE ROCK AND FILL UP BASKETS AND THEN GET PULLED UP IN A ROPE, NOT ONLY LIMITING THE DEPTH TO WHICH THEY COULD MINE AT, BUT LIMITING THEIR HEALTH AS WELL, GOING UP AND DOWN, BUT VERY QUICKLY IN THE 1870S ENGINEERS DISCOVERED THAT THEY COULD BUILD VERY LARGE UNDERWATER STEAM POWER DREDGES ON FLOATING BARGES.
AND SO THEY BEGAN TO MECHANIZE THE INDUSTRY AND RATHER THAN EMPLOYING FEWER PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY EMPLOYED MORE, MORE THAN HALF OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES AND 80% OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN SOUTH CAROLINA CAME FROM BUFORD COUNTY.
THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900 WAS THE LARGEST INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF BUFORD COUNTY AND THE LARGEST MINING INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
[00:55:01]
AND PEOPLE HAVE PRETTY MUCH FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS THE SOURCE OF GREAT PROSPERITY IN BUFORD COUNTY, BETWEEN 1870 AND 1890.THE POPULATION OF BUFORD COUNTY GROUP BAY STREET BECAME A FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTER.
PHOSPHATE WORKS IN OTHER WORDS, FACTORIES WHERE THEY BURN THE PHOSPHATE ROCK AND BROKE IT DOWN INTO POWDER.
WE'RE LOCATED ON SPANISH POINT.
WE'RE LOCATED, UM, LUCY CREEK AND THE LARGEST WAS LOCATED FIRST ON COOSAW PLANTATION.
AND THEN OUT AT THE END OF CHISHOLM HIGHLAND ON SUMMERHOUSE POINT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COOSAW RIVER, SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES AND PHOSPHATE RIDGES AND THE TUG BOATS AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT HAD TO SUPPORT THIS INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS WERE AN ENORMOUS BOOM TO BUFORD COUNTY.
EVENTUALLY THE SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES WERE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE VERY LARGE COMPANY CALLED THE COOSAW MINING COMPANY.
THE KUSAMA MINING COMPANY BY 1892 WAS THE LARGEST PHOSPHATE MINING COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT IN THOSE SAME YEARS IN 1888, RICHARD VEINS AND PHOSPHATE WERE DISCOVERED NEAR TAMPA, FLORIDA.
AND DURING THE 1890S, THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE EXTRACTED FROM BUFORD COUNTY DECLINED AND THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE DISCOVERED AND EXTRACTED FROM FLORIDA AND OTHER PLACES LIKE NEAR NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE WAS RICHER PHOSPHATE.
AND EVENTUALLY IT PUT THESE PHOSPHATE MINES OUT OF BUSINESS PHOSPHATE AND BUFORD COUNTY.
THE RIVER ROCK AS IT WAS CALLED IN THOSE DAYS WAS 60% PURE PHOSPHATE, WHICH IN 1870 WAS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
BY 1888, THE FLORIDA ROCK WAS 80% PURE PHOSPHATE.
AND THE ECONOMICS OF THAT SIMPLY PUT THE RIVER COUNTY PHOSPHATE BUSINESS OUT OF BUSINESS.
COOSAW MINING COMPANY STOPPED MINING IN 1905.
THE VIRGINIA CAROLINA COMPANY TRIED TO CONSOLIDATE SOME OF THE OLD WORKS AND FINALLY WENT BANKRUPT IN 1914.
AND THAT WAS THE BITTER END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS CONSEQUENCE OF THE END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT EXODUS OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION OF THE SEA ISLANDS WITHOUT GOOD WAGE JOBS BEGAN TO MOVE NORTH AND DEPOPULATED MUCH IN BUFORD COUNTY.
BUT THE OTHER EVENT WHICH HASTENED THE DEMISE OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY IN BEAVER COUNTY WAS OF COURSE THE GREAT HURRICANE OF 1893, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE 10 LARGEST HURRICANES AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANES EVER TO HIT THE UNITED STATES KILLED AS MANY AS 2000 PEOPLE ON THE SEA ISLANDS AND WRECKED THE PHOSPHATE FLEET.
SO THE INVESTORS IN PHOSPHATE FLEET MOVED THEIR CAPITAL TO FLORIDA AND THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS DECLINED B FOR COUNTY.
THIS HAS BEEN A BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT TO SEE MORE, BE FOR COUNTY MOMENTS, GO TO THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB, LIVING A HEALTHY LIFE AND BEING SMART AND STRONG IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3 BEING SMART MEANS GOING TO SCHOOL, DOING YOUR HOMEWORK AND GETTING AN EDUCATION.
BEING STRONG MEANS EAT THE RAINBOW LIKE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WITH A LOT OF COLOR IN THEM.
GET 30 TO 60 MINUTES OF PLAY TIME, EXERCISE OR SPORTS IN EACH DAY AND GET SIX TO EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP EACH NIGHT.
SO REMEMBER LIVING THERE LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3