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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING TO ORDER.
WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE BUDGET? NOPE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, UH, CAN ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL WHO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TODAY'S AND MRS. HOUSE IS THE SECOND, SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION, THE AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
THE COUNTY CHANNEL WAS UN-MUTED.
UH, THREE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE IN THE CHAMBERS AND TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, MR. MCKELLEN ARE ON, UH, THE OTHERS.
MR. GLOVER, MR.
THEREFORE WE DO NOT CONSTITUTE A QUORUM, SO NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AT THIS MEETING.
AND THIS MEETING IS ACTUALLY TO GET SOME INFORMATION FROM ADMINISTRATION.
SO I'M GOING TO FIRST TURN IT OVER TO OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS COMING HERE IN A MOMENT OR OUR DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
HOPE YOU ALL ARE DOING WELL AFTER THE STORMS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF SEVERAL WORKSHOPS WE WILL HAVE IN THE ESTABLISHING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, 22, 23 BUDGET.
UM, AT THIS TIME WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, MISS PINKY, HARRIET, WHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY, UH, SINCE THE FALL TO BEGIN PREPARING THIS BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND SHE WILL HIT THE HIGH POINTS FOR YOU TODAY WITH THE FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH AS YOU KNOW IS OUR OPERATING FUND.
AND OF COURSE THE GUIDANCE GIVEN TO HER BY ADMINISTRATION IS TO KEEP A MILL NEUTRAL BUDGET.
IT MAY BE THAT WE JUST DIVIDE THAT MILL DIFFERENTLY AMONG SOME CAPITAL ITEMS AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT WE HAVE NOT KEPT PACE WITH TO OUR LIKING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO NO FURTHER ADO, MS. MARIA, THE SHOW IS YOURS.
AND BEFORE YOU START PINKY FOR, UH, MR. MCKELLEN AND MR. DAWSON, WE HAVE ITEMS IN FRONT OF US THAT WERE EMAILED TO YOU SO YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG AS WELL.
WELL, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE KIND OF AN INFORMAL BUDGET WORKSHOP.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY, UM, ANYTHING TIED DOWN AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL REGARDING YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND SOME OF THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER FOR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES I HAVE THERE, THERE, I DON'T THINK IT'S WORKING.
SO TODAY'S DISCUSSION WILL CONSIST OF, UM, SOME PRIORITIES THAT COUNCIL CAN LET US KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 20, 23, UM, CURRENT GENERAL FUND STATUS AND THE UPCOMING YEARS REQUESTS, UH, WE'LL GO OVER SOME NEW PERSONNEL REQUESTS, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REQUESTS, UH, AND A QUICK OVERVIEW OF OUR OTHER FUNDS, SPECIAL REVENUES, CAPITAL PROJECTS, DEBT SERVICE, AND THEN, UH, SOME SUMMARIES ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, PLEASE.
SO CURRENTLY, SORRY, CURRENTLY,
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UM, OUR, THIS IS OUR GENERAL FUND AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FIRST COLUMN IS FISCAL YEAR 22 BUDGET.AND, UH, THE SECOND COLUMN IS YOUR ACTUAL YEAR TO DATE.
SO THIS IS ALL OF OUR REVENUE CATEGORIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 SO FAR.
SO THESE ARE ALL SUMMARIZED INTO OUR, UH, VARIOUS REVENUE SOURCES.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE STAND AS OF RIGHT NOW.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, THIS WAS AS OF APRIL 5TH AND WE HAVE, UH, 93% COLLECTED SO FAR NEXT TWO QUESTIONS, VERY INFORMAL.
SO ANYONE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? OKAY.
UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, THE AD VALOREM TAXES, THIS, THIS IS, YOU SAID WE BUDGETED A HUNDRED MILLION, WE'VE ACTUALLY COLLECTED 102 MILLION.
CAN YOU GIVE SOME IDEA OF WHY THE EXTRA 2 MILLION? WELL, I THINK WE WERE CONSERVATIVE, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 22 AND THE BUDGET PROCESS.
ALSO, WE HAVE, UH, COLLECTED MORE THAN WE ANTICIPATED, SO WE KIND OF LOW-BALLED IT GOING INTO THE BUDGET YEAR.
UM, AND AS YOU, AS YOU RENT OR MS, ORIGINALLY AS PROPOSED, WE'RE DOING, UH, AN AMENDMENT OR A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO SPEND SOME OF THAT SURPLUS.
SO YES, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
UM, ALSO NOT EITHER PERCENT COLLECTED, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE BULK OF OUR AVALARA TAXES.
AND DO WE EXPECT ANY OF THE OTHERS THAT ARE SO MUCH LOWERS FOR INSTANCE, LICENSE AND PERMITS? WILL WE RIGHT.
WE'VE STILL GOT APRIL, MAY AND JUNE TO ACCOUNT FOR, AND THESE REVENUES, I'M PRETTY SURE IN HIS, YOU CAN CORRECT ME WHERE THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY, CORRECT.
IN, I WOULD S I WOULD ASSUME THAT THEY ARE, YEAH, THE INTER-GOVERNMENTAL SHOULD DEFINITELY, YES, IT WILL.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ALL OF OUR REVENUES YET, SO WE STILL HAVE AT LEAST THREE MONTHS TO GO IN THE FISCAL YEAR.
BUSINESS LICENSE, AND BE AS MUCH FOR THE BUSINESS LICENSE WILL BE IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND THEN COLLECTIONS, UH, AS FAR AS THE INTER-GOVERNMENTAL IS, WE'VE ONLY RECEIVED, UH, TWO MONTHS OUT OF OUR STATE AID.
WE WANT THREE, THE NEXT TWO QUARTERS.
WE'LL ALSO, UM, WE'LL ALSO GET, UM, THE, THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, WHICH IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WILL GO TOWARDS THAT, THAT 10 MILLION.
I FULLY SEE US GETTING THE FULL 10 MILLION.
WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE ON THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES.
I SEE US GETTING IN THE BALLPARK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THOSE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BOTTLE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, GO AHEAD, MR. DAWSON.
UM, THOSE, UM, PRESENTATION THAT'S ON THE SCREEN.
I HAD THE EXPENDITURES BY DEPARTMENT BREAK, BREAK DOWN AND BREAK OUT, BUT I DON'T HAVE THIS, UM, THIS CRAP THAT'S IN FRONT OF ME NOW.
SO YOU CANNOT SEE WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
I GUESS I CAN SEE IT ON THE SCREEN.
WHAT I, THAT THE INFORMATION YOU'VE SENT US, I DON'T HAVE THAT.
MR. DAWSON, WE CAN SEND YOU A COPY OF THIS POWERPOINT, RIGHT AFTER THE MEETING.
THIS IS A POWERPOINT, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER TWO ITEMS WE SENT YOU.
WE HERE DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF US.
WE ONLY HAVE IT ON THE SCREEN AS WELL.
MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REVENUES.
I THINK THEIR EXPENDITURES IS ON THIS ONE.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE BETWEEN THE ONE I HAVE HERE IN FRONT OF ME AND THE ONE ON UP THERE.
SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, THE GENERAL FLAG, BIG PICTURE, OUR REVENUES PROJECTED SO FAR, UM, BASED ON A SMALL 5% GROWTH IN ADVIL, ARM PATCHES SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE, IN THE PAST TWO FISCAL YEARS, OUR PROJECTED REVENUES ARE 144 MILLION, $955,069 CURRENTLY.
AND THEN OUR FISCAL YEAR OF 2030 PROJECTED EXPENDITURES AS OF TODAY, THEY'RE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO STILL REVIEW WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UH, UM, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GET DEEPER INTO IS 144, 9 22, 360 2.
CURRENTLY OUR SURPLUS IS 32,707.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED THE PROPERTY INFORMATION FROM THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
SO WE ARE NOT QUITE, UH, REVENUES COULD CHANGE DEPENDING UPON THE VALUE OF THE MILL.
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SEEING THIS ONLINE VOM IS VALUE OF A MIL.SO HERE'S SOME, UH, CATEGORY OF, UH, THE CATEGORIES OF EXPENSES FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.
WE HAVE GENERAL GOVERNMENT AT, UH, 50 OR 48 FISCAL YEAR 22 IS THE FIRST COLUMN IN FISCAL YEAR 23 IS THE SECOND COLUMN.
THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE DOCUMENT YOU RECEIVED VIA EMAIL AND WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU FOR THOSE HERE.
UM, THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT OR ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENT CATEGORY OF EXPENDITURES.
SO THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS A 53 TO 91, A 0 66 FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT INCLUDES SOME HIGHLIGHTS THAT I'LL GO OVER FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR COMING UP AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THERE'S A BOTTOM $11 MILLION INCREASE FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR.
HERE'S SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME CHANGES FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR NEXT YEAR.
UH, THE EXPENDITURES INCLUDE A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT I BELIEVE WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP IN OCTOBER, OUR BUDGET, UH, KICKOFF IN OCTOBER, UH, ADMINISTRATION IS PRESENTING A 3% COLA.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE 3% AS OF JULY ONE, BUT I UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOMETHING IN THE WORD FOR IT HAPPENING SOONER THAN JULY ONE.
UH, THE SOUTH CAROLINA POLICE OFFICER'S RETIREMENT HAS NOT YET CHANGED.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING IN THE HOUSE OR SENATE BILLS THAT CHANGES THOSE PERCENTAGES.
SO THEY REMAIN THE SAME AS 16.56 FOR SOUTH CAROLINA RETIREMENT AND, UH, POLICE OFFICERS AT 19.2, 4%.
UM, THIS YEAR WE HAVE SEVERAL ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PURCHASE REQUESTS, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IN DETAIL IN AN UPCOMING SLIDE.
UM, PREVIOUSLY WE HAD DEFERRED CAPITAL PURCHASES BECAUSE OF COVID.
WE WEREN'T SURE EXACTLY WHAT OUR WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT IT SEEMS WE HAVE DONE PRETTY WELL DURING THE COVID FOR THE PAST TWO FISCAL YEARS.
UH, WE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN SOME IT MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS THAT, UH, WE HAVE CONVERTED TO OFFICE 365 AND OTHER, UH, SOFTWARES.
UM, AND ALSO WE ARE, UH, REPLACING A LOT OF HARDWARE THAT WE ALSO DIFFER DURING COVID FOR, FOR IT, UM, SOME SERVERS AND, UH, I CATHOLIC SIGNALS.
I HAVE TO ASK THE ASK FOR A FRIEND OUTLINE.
AND THEN ONE THING YOU'LL NOTICE WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR, UM, EXPENDITURE DETAILS, YOUR, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CONSOLIDATED ALL OF THEIR ORG KIND OF SIMILAR TO THE FORM THAT WE DID LAST YEAR IN THE GENERAL FUND AND TO ONE ORG.
SO YOU'LL SEE IT BROKEN OUT IN 22 ADOPTED, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE IT AS ONE OR IN FISCAL YEAR 23 REQUESTED HERE IS SOME SUMMARIES OF, UH, NEW POSITION REQUESTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.
UM, SOME OF THESE WE'RE STILL KIND OF WORKING THROUGH, THESE ARE THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE REQUESTED THE POSITION AND THE FIGURES TO THE RIGHT INCLUDE FRINGE BENEFITS.
UM, SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE WEEDS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS.
UM, THE CORONER'S OFFICE, I THINK, HAD REQUESTED A POSITION.
DOES IT SHOW UP LATER? UH, YES, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF STILL KIND OF DWINDLING THROUGH SOME OF THESE.
I RECEIVED THE REQUEST FROM THE CORONER AND WE ARE, UM, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MEET WITH HIM AND ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TRY TO THINK THAT SOME OF THAT'S GOING TO BE GRANT FUNDED AS WELL.
SO WE'VE GOT TO WORK OUT ALL OF THOSE POST.
UM, SO THESE ARE THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE, UH, NEW, NEW POSITION REQUESTS FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND THE GENERAL FUND AND THE GRAND TOTAL IS $1.1 MILLION.
AND THESE ARE NOT YET INCLUDED BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS OUR VERY FIRST WORKSHOP.
WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE WEEDS, UM, ADMINISTRATION, JUST GO, UH, GETTING SOME DETAILS FROM DEPARTMENTS AND ACA.
SO, UM, THEY'RE NOT QUITE A DONE DEAL YET.
THESE ARE SOME VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REQUESTS FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND THE DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE REQUEST.
UM, IF YOU CAN SEE THE AMOUNTS ARE TO THE RIGHT, WE DID NOT PURCHASE A LOT OF CAPITAL EQUIPMENT IN THE PAST TWO FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE'RE KIND OF MAKING UP FOR SOME OF THE RETIRED VEHICLES THAT NEED TO BE, UM, NEED TO BE UPGRADED.
WE ARE, WE ARE TRYING TO CONTINUALLY TO REFINE THE FLEET, UH, SERVICES BY SETTING UP A MOTOR POOL AND ALL THAT, WHICH WILL RESULT ULTIMATELY IN REDUCED, UH, PURCHASE OF VEHICLES, UH, WHERE WE CAN, WHERE WE CAN ALLOW MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS TO SHARE VEHICLES, UH, THAT NOT ALL DEPARTMENTS NEED A VEHICLE EVERY DAY OR USE A VEHICLE EVERY DAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT AS A COST SAVING MEASURE AS WELL.
THAT WAS A PART OF THE GARAGE FUND CONSOLIDATION THAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
SO WE'RE KIND OF IMPROVING IT AS WE CONTINUE OVER THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
HERE'S YOUR SUMMARY OF OUR, UH, REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR OUR OTHER FUNDS, AS YOU CAN SEE OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH ARE MOSTLY FUNDS THAT CONSIST OF GRANT FUNDS AND ANYONE THAT HAS A RESTRICTION OF
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ANY SORT, A CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS, REVENUES, AND EXPENDITURES, OUR DEBT SERVICE FUNDS, AND THEN OUR GARAGE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR OR, OKAY.
SO, UH, WITH THE OTHER FUNDS, THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UH, EQUIPMENT, UH, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REQUESTS THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE HAVE, UM, A FUEL TRUCK FOR THE GARAGE AND A COUPLE OF TRACTORS FOR STORM WATER.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT HAS A COUPLE OF VEHICLES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE AS WELL.
PINKY, YOU FACT THAT YOU BACK THAT SLIDE UP.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN A COUPLE OF VEHICLES THAT HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, I BELIEVE THEY'RE, UH, THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF REQUESTS IN, FOR A ARF VEHICLE AND A TESTING PAD FOR THE ARF VEHICLE.
ARE THESE THINGS TO MOVE AIRPLANES AROUND OR WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY? YEAH, IT'S A PART OF THEIR FIRE.
UM, THERE, THE AIRPORT FIRE RESCUE, UM, HERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, 2023 ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
UM, OUR, UH, B EXECUTIVE AIRPORT HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT, OUR SOLID WASTE ENTERPRISE FUND AND OUR STORMWATER ENTERPRISE FUND.
AND AGAIN, WE CAN SEND A COPY OF THIS POWERPOINT OUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE, UH, SUMMARIZED DETAILS, ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR THAT WASN'T A VERY LONG PRESENTATION BECAUSE REALLY THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR COUNCIL TO GIVE US SOME DIRECTION AS INTO WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
JUST A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE COMING UP, UH, AS OUR NEXT STEPS.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO, UH, WORK ON OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND, UM, PROVIDE THE OUTSIDE AGENCY WITH THE VALUE OF A MILL.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN, I CAN FINISH THAT THIS WEEK.
UM, NEXT YEAR OR NEXT WE ARE GOING TO PROBABLY AT OUR NEXT FOUR TRUCKS GO OVER OUR THREE-YEAR CIP BOOK.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT AT SEVERAL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
IT IS A, THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO FINALIZE THE ADMINISTRATOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET AND PRESENT IT TO COUNCIL.
YOU WILL HAVE SOME PRESENTATIONS AT THE APRIL 18TH FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE THE, FOR JASPER COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH IS SLATED TO PRESENT, AND THE FIRE DISTRICTS ARE SLATED TO PRESENT ON APRIL 18TH AT FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN, UH, WE ARE STILL TRYING TO STAY TRUE TO OUR CALENDAR FOR MAY 9TH FOR OUR FIRST READING AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE'RE ALSO PRESENT IT BUDGET PRESENTATION AT THAT SAME TIME.
DID YOU GET ANY, UM, PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WITH REGARD TO THEIR RECRUITING AND RETENTION ISSUES IN THE BUDGET WITH REGARD TO, UH, SALARIES FOR PEOPLE THAT WILL BE STARTING WORK THERE? NO, SIR.
UH, I RECEIVED THEIR BUDGET REQUESTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
YEAH, I WOULD HAVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD HAVE IMAGINED ALL OF THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THEIR BUDGET.
WE DO NOT GET INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, UH, WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING WE'RE PERSONNEL STANDPOINT.
WE JUST ASSUME THAT THEY HAVE THOSE, UH, ITEMS COVERED IN THEIR REQUEST TO US REGARDING RETENTION, UH, AND, UM, PAY TO STAY ON PAR WITH WHAT THEY NEED TO BE DOING, UH, TO CORRECT THE SHORTAGE THAT THEY MAY BE EXPERIENCING AS, AS WE ARE, WE ARE HAVING TO DO AS WELL.
SO YEAH, I ANTICIPATED THOSE WOULD BE COMING IN HIGHER THE LEFT.
AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAD ANYTHING YET HAPPY TO WAIT, LET'S GO.
WE GET INTO THE WEEDS, AS THEY SAY, I HAD ONE QUESTION ABOUT, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION.
THE BLUFFTON INCREASE WAS QUITE SUBSTANTIAL FROM PREVIOUS YEAR, IS THAT DUE TO INCREASED, HAD A BIT OF A FOR PARKS AND REC SPECIFICALLY LAST YEAR OR IN 21, WE HAD ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT OR CODES FOR PARKS AND REC AND WE CONSOLIDATE IT INTO TWO, UM, ESSENTIALLY ONE TOP OF THE BROAD, BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T DO A LOT IN HILTON HEAD SPECIFICALLY.
UM, AND THEN ONE ESSENTIALLY NORTH OF THE BARRAGE.
SO LAST YEAR, UH, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WE DID THE CONSOLIDATION, WE ACCIDENTALLY LOVED SOME SALARIES INTO THE NORTH OF THE BROAD THAT WE ARE CORRECTING MOVING FORWARD.
WE DID A BUDGET TRANSFER, MIDYEAR FISCAL YEAR 22 TO COVER THAT.
UM, BUT IT WAS A SIMPLE OVERSIGHT AND CONSOLIDATION.
AND NOW IT'S LET ME SAY THAT I'M THINKING, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
WHEN IT SAYS BLUFFTON, IT REALLY SHOULD SAY SOUTH OF THE BROAD, AS OPPOSED TO JUST BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD OFFICE DOES A LOT
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OF THINGS THEMSELVES.SO, SO AGAIN, IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE, WELL, GEE, BLUFFTON IS GETTING ALL THAT, BUT REALLY IT'S NORTH AND SOUTH.
AND IF I COULD ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, WE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH, UM, UH, YOU ALL HAVE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK ON, UH, SENIOR PROGRAMMING AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING, UH, THROUGH THE PARKS AND REC PROGRAMMING.
IT'S BEEN ONE OF OUR GOALS WITH OUR TEAM IS TO TRY TO CORRECT THAT, UH, FOR THE, UH, SENIORS IN THE COUNTY AND ALSO FOR YOU ALL AS THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, SO THOSE INCREASES ARE ALSO, UH, RESULTING FROM NEEDING TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL IN THOSE AREAS.
SHOULD WE GET THE, FOR PROVIDING THOSE SENIOR SERVICES? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE ASKED THE TEAM TO DO, AND THEY'RE WORKING HARD ON IS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, AFTERSCHOOL CARE PROGRAMMING, UM, THAT'S BENEFICIAL AND EFFECTIVE, AND IT ALSO WILL REDUCE THE COST TO OUR EMPLOYEES WHO NEED AFTERSCHOOL CARE.
MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE TO SPEND FOUR OR $500 A MONTH OUT OF THEIR PAYCHECK FOR AFTER SCHOOL CARE BECAUSE OF THE COST RIGHT NOW.
SO I FEEL LIKE IF WE COULD DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT TO EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO CARE, TO BE ABLE TO PUT THEIR CHILDREN IN OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AND NOT REALLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT COST.
AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY WORK SO THEY CAN GET TO THE, TO THE CHILDREN, UH, MORE QUICKLY AND IN THE CASE OF A SICKNESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S WHY THOSE INCREASES ARE THERE AS WELL.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE MAKING BIG STRIDES TRYING TO, UH, IMPROVE THE RECREATION PROGRAM.
COUNTY-WIDE I KNOW IT DOESN'T APPEAR LIKE THAT, UH, IN ALL CASES AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF IMPATIENCE WITH US DOING THAT, BUT WE ARE, THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING HEAVILY ON, UM, UH, TO DO THAT.
WE'VE GOT THE MASTER PLAN GOING ON.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, TO HELP OUT WITH THAT.
SO AT THIS TIME WE JUST WANT TO HAVE A GENERAL DISCUSSION ABOUT, WE THINK, OKAY.
AND YOU HAVE YOUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT STANDS OUT THAT YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT OR NEED MORE DETAIL ON, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE.
AND THEN OTHER THAN THAT, IF THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD BEFORE WE FINALIZE THE NUMBERS FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT FEEDBACK FROM YOU.
UH, MARK, LET'S START WITH YOU.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE OR NOT SEE? UM, I'M PROBABLY THE LAST PERSON THAT YOU WANT TO COME TO CAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE FINANCE CHAIR.
SO I HAD MY OWN PERSONAL ONE-TO-ONE WITH THINKING BEFORE WE A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT, IT WAS STARTING WITH CHAIRMAN.
OH, BUT I'LL, I'LL SAVE YOU FOR LAST, UM, ALICE, WOULD YOU CARE TO ELABORATE ON, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE IN OR OUT OF THE BUDGET.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT YOU AND YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THE ONE ABOUT THE CORNER.
CAUSE I, THAT LOOKED LIKE A LOW AMOUNT FOR WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU ON REVENUES OR EXPENDITURES, EXPENDITURES EXPENSES, BUT THAT YOU ANSWERED THAT QUESTION.
BECAUSE I THINK HE HAS A NEED FOR WANTING THE PERSONNEL INCREASE.
UM, THE OTHER ONE I HAD WAS, UH, VOTER REGISTER OTHER TO VOTER REGISTRATION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, THE INCREASES OR, UM, AND IF IT'S PERSONNEL, THEN THAT'S FINE.
I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE IN THOSE EXPENDITURES FOR THE INCREASE THAT, I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE'S SOME JUSTIFICATION OR NOT JUSTIFICATION.
UM, BUT I IT'S QUITE AN INCREASE 43 AND 49% FOR, UM, VOTER REGISTRATION.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP THIS YEAR, SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THEIR, SORRY, I'M GOING TO, IF WE HAVE ANY EXTRA NOTES THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU.
UM, BUT THAT IS THE MAJOR INCREASE FOR VOTER REGISTRATION CAUSE THEY'RE PLANNING FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION.
UM, AND FOR VETERANS AFFAIRS, I CAN DIG INTO A LITTLE MORE.
UM, SO, UM, LET ME, I CAN HELP YOU WITH THE VETERANS AFFAIR ISSUE.
UM, SO WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS THERE'S A TRANSITION GOING ON THERE IN THE DIRECTOR POSITION THEY'RE POSTING OR THEY'VE POSTED THE JOB.
UM, THEY ARE GOING TO BE HIRING SOMEONE.
SO ONCE THEY HIRE THAT PERSON, THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THAT NEW DIRECTOR
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TO WORK WITH THE CURRENT DIRECTOR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO FIND HER FEET AND UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS BEFORE THE CURRENT DIRECTOR, UH, LEAVES, UH, VETERAN'S AFFAIRS.SO WE'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DELEGATION, UH, ABOUT THAT ISSUE.
AND SO THE INCREASE THERE WOULD BE PART OF THAT, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE PAYING TWO SALARIES AT ONE TIME.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE, IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSED OUT QUICKLY.
I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO GET CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THERE'S PROBABLY SOME ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FOR, FOR PART-TIME EMPLOYEE IN THERE.
UM, I HAVE ELECTED NOT TO ALLOW THAT JOB TO BE POSTED AT THIS POINT BECAUSE UNTIL THE NEW DIRECTOR COMES IN AND HAS A CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND WHAT CHANGES MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE MORE EFFICIENT SERVICES.
UM, I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD HIRE ANYONE UNTIL THAT NEW PERSON CAN COME IN AND EVALUATE AND, UH, SEE WHAT THE ACTUAL NEEDS ARE.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE NEW DIRECTOR ON THAT.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE THOSE INCREASES ARE COMING FROM, AND THEY'RE NOT ALL GOING TO BE BORNE BY US BECAUSE OF THE TWO SALARIES THAT THE VETERANS AFFAIRS ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED ASSISTANCE, I CAN WORK WITH CHAIRMAN, UH, WITH, UH, REPRESENTATIVE NEWTON, UH, TO, UH, SEE ABOUT THE STATE PROVIDING SOME FUNDING.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR US TO, TO WORRY ABOUT AT THIS POINT, THEY'RE TELLING ME THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE OVER WITH VERY QUICKLY, BUT WE DO HAVE TO PLAN FOR IT.
AND DO YOU THINK THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE INCREASE IS, UH, IS IN SALARIES AND IT'S DUE TO THE TRANSITION PERIOD AND WE DO RECEIVE A STATE STIPEND FOR, UM, VETERANS AFFAIRS, BUT IT DOES NOT COVER BOTH.
IT JUST COVERS ONE DIRECTOR AT A TIME AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AMOUNT FOR 23 IS GOING TO BE YET BECAUSE OF THE HOUSE.
UM, MR. DAWSON, ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY, UM, TO, UH, THE ADMINISTRATOR AND HIS STAFF.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME INCREASES IN OUR SENIOR PROGRAMS, BUDGET TO BEEF UP THE SENIOR PROGRAM, THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM AND THE CARE PROGRAM.
UM, EMPLOYEES, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WOULD ALSO ASK ALL ADMINISTRATOR TO LOOK AT, UH, OUR DIRECTOR OF THE, UH, SENIORS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE MORE ACTIVITIES FOR OUR SENIORS IN THE, UH, IN THIS PROGRAM THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM, UH, TO, UH, ACTUALLY, UM, EXPEND SOME ENERGY, DOING SOME, UH, CREATIVE THINGS AND NOT CHOOSE, UM, CONTINUING ON THE, ON THE LEVEL THAT WE HAVE NOW, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN PROVIDE SOME MORE ACTIVITIES FOR THEM TO GENERATE SOME LIVE IN THIS, UH, AND, AND THEIR, UM, ACTIVITIES WHILE THEY'RE SPENDING THESE TIMES AFTER AT THE SENIORS PROGRAM.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, UH, UH, ERIC, UM, I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT TO YOU, UH, PERSONALLY, UM, UH, IF IT SEEMS AS IF MYSELF OR IN NEW YORK ARE BEING IMPATIENT, WHEN IT COMES TO RECREATION NORTH THAT ABROAD, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT I'M IMPATIENT.
IT'S JUST THAT I'M, I'M TRYING TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR, UH, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, BUT ALSO, BUT ALSO, UM, THE DESIRE FOR THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THESE, UH, UH, COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE LOCATED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, SOME ACCIDENT OF SOME LEVEL OF ACCESS INTO THE US CENTERS TO ACTUALLY, UH, DO THINGS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITIES AS HAVING LIKE SOCIAL MEETINGS, SOCIAL GATHERINGS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO I, I'M NOT AN, I'M NOT IMPATIENT.
I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU, UH, TO NH AND TO SEE IF WE CAN ACTUALLY, UH, JUST PROVIDE THE, THE, UM, THE, THE, THE DESIRES OF THE COMMUNITY.
THAT, AND I DIDN'T, UH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DOLLISON, I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT I WASN'T TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE FOR ANY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT IMPATIENCE AND IT'S WELL FOUNDED BY THE CITIZENS WHO ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE MANY OF THE, UH, AREAS HAVE BEEN, UH, IGNORED PARTICULARLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND PROBABLY MUCH LONGER THAN THAT.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER AS WELL.
AND I DIDN'T THAT TO BE A NEGATIVE THING ABOUT THE IMPATIENCE, THE IMPATIENCE FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE REQUESTING THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE WELL-FOUNDED IN A LOT OF AREAS THAT WE'RE WORKING HARD TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THAT.
SO I, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS VERY WELL.
[00:30:01]
UH, I CAN SEE THE CHAIRMAN AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, HAVE A TOUR OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION BOARD OF ELECTIONS, UH, FACILITY, UH, IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY.AND I THINK WE BOTH CAME AWAY WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS INADEQUATE.
AND I'M WONDERING PINKY, IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE BUDGET, UH, RELATED TO THAT WITH REGARD TO CAPITAL EXPENSE, UH, TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION THERE WITH REGARD TO STORAGE AND, UM, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
WELL, UH, WITH REGARDS TO STORAGE, YES, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT SOLVED.
UM, WE HAVE A BUILDING THAT WE PURCHASED THROUGH REAL AND CRITICAL LANDS, UH, THAT IS A LARGE BUILDING WHERE WE CAN STORE A VOTER REGISTRATION MATERIALS, VOTER REGISTRATION, UH, DIRECTOR TOURED THAT BUILDING A FEW WEEKS AGO, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT UP TO STANDARDS THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO PUT THEIR EQUIPMENT IN.
BUT THE BUILDING IS WE HAVE, WE HAVE A COUNTY CHANNEL EQUIPMENT INSIDE THAT BUILDING IS CLIMATE CONTROLLED.
IT'S SECURED AND US ALL OF THAT.
SO WE HAVE THIS EXISTING BUILDING IN THERE AND I'VE OFFERED THEM TO HAVE THAT SPACE FOR STORAGE, BUT THEY HAVE DECLINED.
SO WE HAVE NOT PROGRAMMED ANY CAPITAL MONEY FOR VOTER REGISTRATION, BECAUSE IT'S UNNECESSARY AT THIS POINT, SINCE WE HAVE A RATHER LARGE WAREHOUSE STORAGE FACILITY ALREADY, UH, THAT THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU'RE ON MUTE.
WHAT ABOUT WHAT WE SAW THERE? UM, THE AMOUNT OF VOTING MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT THAT THEY KEEP FOR CYCLICAL USE THAT WE'LL ALL BE MOVING OUT OF THERE TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THERE COULD, IT COULD MOVE OUT OF THERE TO ANOTHER LOCATION, BUT THE VOTER'S REGISTRATION FOLKS SAID THAT THE EXISTING BUILDING, BECAUSE I, I GUESS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT NEW, UH, WAS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THEIR STORAGE NEEDS.
SO I'M STILL WORKING ON THAT WITH THE VOTER REGISTRATION DIRECTOR AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD.
UH, I TALKED TO HER JUST MONDAY, UH, BECAUSE I DID THE WELCOMING FOR THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICIALS CONFERENCE HERE IN BUFORD ON MONDAY MORNING.
AND I SPOKE TO THE CHAIRPERSON AND TOLD HER THAT I WOULD, UH, BE ARRANGING A TIME FOR SHE AND I TO GO THROUGH AND TOUR THE HARRIS BUILDING FACILITY, BECAUSE IF IT'S OKAY FOR US TO PUT COUNTY CHANNEL EQUIPMENT IN, UH, FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT, THEN IT'S OKAY FOR VOTERS, REGISTRATION, MACHINERY, UH, TO BE STORED IN THERE AS WELL.
IT'S A SECURE, IT'S A SECURE CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT.
SO IT'S, IT WOULD BE JUST THE SAME AS WHAT THEY'RE HAVING NOW WITH OUR WAREHOUSE.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE CLIMATES, THE SECURITY FOR THE VOTING MACHINES.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, UH, I'VE GOT MOST IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY IF IT'S NOT A MAN SPACE WITH REGARD TO THE SECURITY THERE, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT NEW TO WORKED OUT BY THE CHAIRMAN.
AND I WOULD JUST STRUCK BY THE LACK OF SPACE THAT RESULTED FOR THE EMPLOYEES OVER THERE BASED UPON THE AMOUNT OF SPACE BEING USED FOR STORAGE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY A LOT OF EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING IN THE STORAGE AREA.
YOU CAN RECTIFY THAT BY MOVING THOSE ITEMS. AND THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
ONE MORE, ONE MORE OBSERVATION ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC.
NOW I SEE WHAT I'M LOOK, I SEE WHAT I SEE ON THE SCREEN.
AND I SEE THERE ARE INCREASES THERE.
MOST OF THEM ARE TO BE EXPECTED BECAUSE OF A CURRENT SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE HA I HAVE SOME INTEREST IN CERTAIN OF THOSE ITEMS. AND WHEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO DRILL DOWN ON THAT AND NOT JUST HAVING NUMBERS, BUT RATHER PERHAPS HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE MONEY IS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED FOR SPECIFICALLY, WILL THAT BE COMING? YEAH, THAT'LL BE COMING ON APRIL 18TH, SIR.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UH, IN THE MEANTIME THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ANSWERS TO, UM, AS ALWAYS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF ON THE BUDGET TEAM, WHETHER IT'S AN ACA OR A MEMBER OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, PINKIE, OR ANYONE ON HER STAFF, I HAVE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT AND THEN TO SAY, HEY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS DETAIL, OR CAN YOU EXPLAIN, UH, THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE TO ME A MORE DETAILED, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT WHATSOEVER.
AND ALSO KEEP ME ON THOSE EMAILS AS WELL FROM A COPY ME ON, ON THAT AS WELL.
I FEEL VERY LIBERATED IN THAT REGARD.
I'M A, I'M NOT A LITTLE SHY ABOUT CALLING PEOPLE TO GET INFORMATION AS YOU KNOW.
UM, BUT THEN I DON'T, I ONLY REALLY DEALING WITH THE ONES THAT I HAVE LIAISON RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND NOT THINGS IN A LARGER, IN THE LARGER PICTURE.
AND I'D BE, I'D BE HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE
[00:35:01]
SPECIFIC INTERESTS IN, ON THE ITEMS THAT THEY RAISED, UH, AS A, AS AN OBSERVER AND PARTICIPANT.BUT I DO HAVE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT CERTAIN OF THESE REQUESTS THAT I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DRILL DOWN ON.
AND I WILL, UH, I'LL TAKE YOU UP ON THAT OFFER.
UM, THE COLA, I THINK IS ESSENTIAL.
I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN IT EVEN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER BASED UPON THE NATURE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEARS.
SO I COMMEND YOU FOR DOING THAT ATTEMPT TO MAKE YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE STATE HAS PROPOSED A 2.5% INCREASE, SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THE STATE THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S REALLY, AND THEN ANYTHING WE CAN DO IN THAT REGARDS TO HELP OUR EMPLOYEES, I THINK IS OUTSTANDING.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL ON OUR PLAN RIGHT NOW WAS TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE 3% AND THEN MAYBE COME BACK IN THE FALL AND DO AN ADDITIONAL, UM, AN ALLOTMENT FOR, UH, THE EMPLOYEES.
THE STATE EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING 4.9% INCREASE.
IF YOU ALL WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INCREASE THE COLA TO, TO A HIGHER NUMBER, WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT.
WE JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR POSITION WOULD BE ON THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, MIKE WAS JUST GOING OUT PROBABLY FIVE OR 6% IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL MONTHS.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP CLOSE THAT GAP, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND A BUDGET TEAM WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT AND BE IN FAVOR OF.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR Y'ALL'S FEEDBACK ON THAT.
SO, UM, YES, I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION REGARDING THAT, UM, WHAT I'M HEARING AND WHAT I'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, AND THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION ON ANYONE, BUT BECAUSE HAVING BEEN AN EDUCATION ALL MY LIFE, I KNOW WHAT IT IS FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE TO STRUGGLE WITH SCHOOL, AGE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF AN EMERGENCY, HAVING TO SHUT DOWN AND WELL, HOW IT HAS AFFECTED US AS A COUNTY.
AND THEN IT GOES AROUND THE COUNTY AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER ENTITIES THAT RELY ON WHAT IS HAPPENING.
SO I APPLAUD THE IDEA OF US PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN BEFORE SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE COUNTY.
IT IS OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF THROUGH AN INCREASE IN SALARY, THROUGH TRAINING, TO POSSIBLY HAVING THE ABILITY NOT TO HAVE TO SPEND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY SPEND FOR CHILDCARE.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT AS PART OF THIS BUDGET, I THINK THAT GOES A LONG WAY TO TELLING OUR EMPLOYEES, IT'S NOT JUST LIP SERVICE.
WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU AND WITH YOU TO MAKE YOU THE BEST POSSIBLE EMPLOYEE.
MY FINAL THING IS THAT YES, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE LET THINGS GO.
THAT WAS JUST THE NATURE OF COVID.
NOW WE HAVE A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, AND WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF OUR FACILITIES, MAINTAINING OUR FACILITIES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SETTING ASIDE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO MAINTAIN OUR FACILITIES, I BELIEVE IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY, BECAUSE IF WE LET THAT TINY LITTLE ROOF LEAK GO WITHOUT MAINTAINING THE NEXT THING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ROOF SOONER THAN WE HAD PLANNED.
SO IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK IN THE BUDGET, AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CIP BOOK, WE HAVE A LOT OF, WE HAD A LOT, WE HAD OVER 147 REQUESTS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE KIND OF RANKED HIM THE COMMITTEE, MATT AND RANKED THEM BASED ON PRIORITY AND IMPORTANT, AND A LOT OF THOSE PERTAIN TO OUR FACILITY.
SO, UM, THAT OF COURSE WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AND YOU WILL DECIDE WHETHER WHICH ONES ARE PRIORITY, BUT YOU'LL SEE THE NUMBERS OF COURSE, ATTACHED TO THEM.
AND I, I VIEW IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO ME ARE THINGS THAT I WANT TO HAVE.
I DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE THEY'RE BRAND NEW.
I'M TALKING ABOUT MAINTAINING WHAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS IN MY MIND, SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
[00:40:02]
THAT'S IT FOR ME, MR. GOOD.I GONNA MAKE SURE I'M GONNA HAD A CHANCE AND, UM, WELL, WHAT ARE QUESTIONS THEY HAD? I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND REALLY, IT'S MORE ABOUT JUST BRINGING INFORMATION TO SOMEONE ELSE WHEN WE START LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES AND ESPECIALLY ONES THAT HAVE INCREASED QUITE A BIT.
NOW I'LL START WITH MR. HILL FIRST THAT GOT QUITE A VAGUE INCREASE IN, IN YOUR DEPARTMENT NEXT YEAR.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY THAT RAISES CONCERNS.
SO W WHAT, UM, IF YOU WANT TO FILL UP, JUST LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ON THAT, UM, AND WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND, AND WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE INCREASE IS, UM, REALLY KINDA KIND OF WHAT, UM, UH, CHAIRMAN PASSMAN SAID WHERE WE ARE UPGRADING EQUIPMENT, UH, THAT WE KIND OF NEGLECTED FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE PHONES AT THE DESKS, THEY ALL NEED TO BE UPGRADED.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START UPGRADING THOSE.
WE DIDN'T DO THOSE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BECAUSE NOBODY WANTED TO GO INTO THE OFFICE AND TOUCH PEOPLE'S PHONES.
SO WE KIND OF PUT THOSE ON HOLD.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT, UH, WE'VE GOT ROUGHLY 1700 PHONES IN THE COUNTY.
WE'RE GOING TO LIKE 300 A YEAR.
UH, SO THIS WILL GO ON FOR NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TOO.
WE GO THROUGH THE WHOLE LIFE CYCLE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, ABOUT, UH, PUT ON THE BOOKS ABOUT 250 LAPTOP REPLACEMENTS TO GO THROUGH THAT SAME LIFE CYCLE.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE HARDWARE LIFE CYCLE WE'VE NEGLECTED FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN REALLY FOCUSING MORE ON CLOUD AND REMOTE WORK, BUT NOW THAT EVERYBODY'S BACK IN THE BUILDINGS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE, UH, ARE ACCESSIBLE NOW, UM, WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON THOSE.
SO, UH, ABOUT 350 PHONES, 250 LAPTOPS, WE'RE GONNA BE REPLACING 20 CISCO SWITCHES IN THE BUILDINGS.
THEY'RE UP, THEY'RE ABOUT 20 K A PIECE OR REPLACING 20 OF THOSE.
UH, IN ADDITION, ONE THING THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY DEVOTED MONEY TOWARDS IN THE PAST WAS, UM, UH, THE LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT OF OUR SECURITY SYSTEM.
SO WE TYPICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, IS WE PUT IN CAMERAS AND WE JUST KIND OF WALK AWAY.
WELL, FIVE YEARS LATER, THOSE CAMERAS ARE KIND OF OLD AND YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE OUT OF THEM ANYMORE.
SO WE HAVE TO KIND OF PUT THOSE INTO OUR UPGRADE ROTATION, RIGHT? THAT, THAT CONTINUOUS MANAGEMENT AND CONTINUOUS UPGRADE OF THE GEAR.
UH, WE WON'T BE DOING ALL THE CAMERAS.
WE JUST DO WHATEVER WAS REPLACED, WHATEVER WAS INSTALLED FIRST, WE'LL REPLACE THROUGH.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UM, WE'VE CONSOLIDATED THE SECURITY PIECE.
TYPICALLY, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS WOULD, WHENEVER THEY WANT TO DO INSTALL CAMERAS OR SOMETHING, THEY WOULD BUDGET FOR IT.
UH, WE JUST MOVED THAT UNDER IT.
UH, AND WE HAD KIND OF A SIGNIFICANT REQUEST FOR SOME SECURITY CAMERAS AT SOME OF OUR PARKS AND REC SITE.
AND I JUST PUT IT IN THE IT BUDGET AND IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE INCREASED GOOD.
SO DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE ENOUGH? CAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE, WE ARE HERE EVERY DAY FROM, ARE WE SEEING THE NEWS WHERE SOMEONE HAS A $40 MILLION RANSOM? SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE ASKING FOR INCREASE, THAT YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY, THAT YOU CAN PROTECT US.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING YOU NEED MORE MONEY OR HOW'S THAT HOW'S THAT I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, THE, THE OVERAGE, WE REALLY KIND OF FOCUS MAJORITY ON KEEPING THE INFRASTRUCTURE SAFE.
THIS OVERAGE IS JUST FOR HARDWARE UPGRADES, JUST TO KEEP THINGS GOING FORWARD, UH, IN A, UH, PROGRESSIVE WAY SO THAT WE CAN CALL AND GET SUPPORT WHEN WE NEED IT FROM THE VENDORS SO THAT WE CAN TAKE ON NEW FUNCTIONALITY FOR THE PHONE SYSTEMS, LET'S USE INTERCOMS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
IF WE WANT TO HAVE A PLATFORM TO ENABLE THOSE THINGS, WE WILL HAVE IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO UPGRADE THE EQUIPMENT HERE FOR COUNTY COUNCIL, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE ARE IN THE TECHNOLOGY AGE, AS YOU CAN SEE, COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NOT HERE PHYSICALLY, BUT THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO HAVE THEM PARTICIPATE.
AND IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MAKE SURE WE ARE IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THAT.
MY NEXT COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT DEFAULT BACK TO ERIC, BUT OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR EXPENDITURES FOR NEXT YEAR, UM, RISK MANAGEMENT IS AT 25% INCREASE.
UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERY YEAR GOING UP 25%, OR I KNOW WE JUST CREATED THIS, THIS LINE ITEM, UM, JUST TWO AGO, I THINK WE STARTED PUTTING EVERYTHING INTO RISK MANAGEMENT.
SO WE HAD A BIG INCREASE AGAIN FROM BEFORE.
IS IT INSURANCE HAS GONE UP, ARE WE INCLUDING MORE THINGS OR, OR WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? YES, SIR.
SOME OF OUR TORT LIABILITY HAS INCREASED AND OUR WORKERS' COMP HAS ALSO INCREASED.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR CYBERSECURITY THAT WE'RE ADDING ONTO OUR POLICY WITH THE, UH, UM, IRF LEAVE.
SO THAT, THAT ACCOUNTS FOR A LOT OF THAT INCREASE, SO IT HAS GONE UP.
[00:45:01]
US ALSO TO UNDERTAKE A REVIEW OF OUR INSURANCE POLICIES, MAKE SURE WE HAVE EVERYTHING COVERED.SO THAT WILL REQUIRE SOME RESOURCES AS WELL TO MAKE SURE OUR COVERAGE AMOUNTS ARE ADEQUATE, YOU KNOW, A 25,000 POLICY LAST, YOU KNOW, THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE TO COVER A LOSS OF SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH WITH YOUR CAREER.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COVERAGES MATCH WHAT IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY COST TO DO THE WORK OR TO REPLACE SOMETHING TO STAY IN TIMES.
AND THEN THE ONE THAT HAS, HAS GONE UP QUITE A BIT, AS WELL AS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, WE'VE GOT A $4 MILLION INCREASE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL INCOME FROM IT, IT STAYS THE SAME AT ABOUT $4 MILLION.
AND WE'VE GONE FROM EXPENSES AT 10 MILLION TO 14 MILLION.
SO IS ANYONE THAT CAN GIVE US A, I KNOW WE INCREASED THE SALARIES FOR, FOR THE MEDICAL STAFF.
SO I STRUGGLE WITH FEEL ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, ASK HIM FOR MONEY AND THAT HE DOESN'T NEED SOMEONE THAT IS VERY MUCH IN, OKAY.
IT WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT PARTY.
I CAN PUT ME ON THE SPOT AND THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ON THE INCREASES IS OUR SALARIES ARE FIRST NOW FOR YEARS AND YEARS, UM, THE PERSONNEL BUDGET HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG ISSUE WITH EMS AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS PROPERLY FUNDED THROUGH THE YEARS.
AND SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A SHIFT AND MAKING SURE THAT THE FUNDING IS PROPER FOR THE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL THAT WE DO HAVE.
AND SO ALSO THROUGH THE YEARS, WE HAVE ALSO INCREASED OUR PERSONNEL NUMBERS BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD TO PUT ON ANOTHER AMBULANCE.
AND SO WHEN YOU PUT ON AN AMBULANCE, YOU'RE TALKING SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ADDING 12 MORE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, UH, TO THAT, JUST THAT ONE AMBULANCE TO BE PUT ON 24 7.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF THE INCREASE IS THERE.
UM, THERE MAY BE SOME INCREASE TO, UH, WITH OUR AMBULANCES, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ON OUR REPLACEMENT CYCLE WITH AMBULANCES.
UH, WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BACKED UP.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT, UH, IF YOU KNOW THIS OR NOT, BUT, UM, VEHICLES ARE HARD TO COME BY AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF GETTING BEHIND THE SCHEDULE HERE.
WE'RE KIND OF GETTING BACKED UP THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THESE VEHICLES THEN BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING ON VEHICLES TO BE BUILT WITH NO TIME LIMIT AT THIS POINT.
UH, WE'RE BEING TOLD EVERY TIME WE CALL, UH, WE'RE WAITING ON THE CHASSIS AND THE CHASSIS IS WAITING ON A CHIP.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING WAY BACK ON OUR RECYCLE HERE.
AND SO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP.
LUCKILY WE HAVE A FEW FEELERS OUT THERE, THE PROBLEM WITH CHASSIES AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND AMBULANCE CHASSIS.
IT'S NOT JUST A NORMAL CHASSIS.
IT LOOKS LIKE A NORMAL FOUR 50 CHASSIS, BUT THOSE CHASSIS ARE SPECIFICALLY BUILT.
THOSE CHASSIES ARE SPECIFICALLY BUILT FOR AMBULANCES.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A STAMP ON THE DOOR THAT SAYS FOR AMBULANCE USE ONLY.
SO THEY'RE SPECIALLY BUILT OUT AND THEN WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY THAT ACTUALLY BUILDS THE AMBULANCE.
SO IT'S NOT FOR THAT, A SUPPLYING THE AMBULANCE, THEY JUST SUPPLY THE CHASSIS.
SO THE THIRD PARTY WHO BUILDS AMBULANCES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THERE'S ONLY A FEW OF THEM THAT EVERYBODY'S VYING FOR.
EVERYBODY'S GOT POS LINED UP TO GET NEW AMBULANCES AND THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU MAY SEE SOME OF THOSE INCREASES COMING IN.
PLUS WE ARE TRYING TO UPDATE ALL OUR TECHNOLOGY, UH, YEARS AGO.
AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT REMEMBER WE BOUGHT A BUNCH OF LUCASES AND I'LL REMIND YOU TO LUCAS'S ARE THE AUTOMATIC CPR MACHINES THAT WE USE AND THEY'RE REGULAR EXPENSIVE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ABOUT 12 TO $15,000 A PIECE, AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 15, UH, VEHICLES THAT NEED THOSE REPLACED.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE COSTS AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE YOU MAY SEE SOME OF THOSE RISING COSTS IN OUR BUDGET, BUT PERSONNEL IS THE BIGGEST PART OF IT.
IF YOU DON'T MIND FOLLOW UP ON PERSONNEL, WHAT'S YOUR TURNOVER RETENTION RATE AND HOW MANY VACANCIES DO YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW IN EMS? WE ARE DOING MUCH BETTER.
I'M GLAD TO REPORT, I THINK, UM, WITH ALL THE HELP FROM ERIC AND WHITNEY AND PEGGY WITH TRYING TO, UH, GET OUR SALARIES ADJUSTED AND GOING THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS THAT I THINK WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF DOING BETTER THAN WHAT WE WERE.
UH, AT ONE TIME WE WERE REALLY HURTING VERY BAD ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT SHUTTING
[00:50:01]
DOWN AMBULANCES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE PERSONNEL TO RUN THEM.UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE BETTER OFF.
WE'RE PROBABLY AT ABOUT FIVE PARAMEDICS SHORT RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS NOT THAT BAD.
UM, WE HADN'T BEEN DOWN AS, AS LOW AS 12 TO 16 AT ONE POINT.
SO LUCKILY WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE STEPPING UP INTO THAT FIELD.
I JUST WISH THEY WOULD STEP UP IN A FEW OTHER FIELDS, BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING GROUND ON EMS AND I'M GLAD TO REPORT THAT BACK.
IF I MIGHT CHIME IN, UH, PHIL, UM, I CONGRATULATE YOU ON, UM, UH, FIGHTING FOR THE INCREASE IN THE SALARIES FOR EMS WORKERS, UM, FRONTLINE WORKERS, EMS PERSONNEL, UM, THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB AND TRYING TO RESPOND TO THE EMERGENCY CARE FOR THE CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY.
AND, UM, THE SALARY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE, UH, UH, BACK IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES WHERE I STARTED WORKING WITH EMS ON THE ENTRY LEVEL.
AND THEN I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND, UH, STARTED WORKING AS A PARAMEDIC.
BUT EVEN AT THAT, I STILL WASN'T ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.
AND SO IT CAUSED ME TO LEAVE, UH, B OF A COUNTY EMS, AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SEEK ALL THEIR EMPLOYMENT.
AND SO I KNOW WHAT THE EMS WORKERS GO THROUGH AND FOR US TO CONSIDER, UH, TRYING TO MAKE THEIR SALARIES APPROPRIATE FOR THE LEVEL OF WORK DISTRESS THAT THEY GO THROUGH THE TIMES AWAY FROM THE FAMILY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I THINK WE NEED TO CONSTANTLY KEEP LOOKING AT SALARY AND MAKE IT, MAKE IT APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING.
SO, UM, WE, WHERE WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR EMS WORKERS, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF COUNCIL FOR ALL THEIR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
UM, GETTING US NEW EQUIPMENT, KEEPING US WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY ABOVE EVERYBODY ELSE TO HELP US SAVE THOSE LIVES OUT THERE EVERY DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PAST YEAR WE RAN 16,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE WITH 11 AMBULANCES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY, UM, IS, IS PRETTY MONUMENTAL WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN TO, UM, HOW MANY OF THOSE RUNS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE AMBULANCES? THAT'S A LOT OF RUNS AND IT'S CONTINUING TO CLIMB AS LONG AS PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE, UH, TO BEAVER COUNTY AND, AND COME LIVE, WORK AND PLAY, UH, AND ENJOY OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTY.
AND AS MORE PEOPLE MOVE IN, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO HAVE MORE CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SO AGAIN, I APPLAUD ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND SUPPORT.
UH, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
AND, UH, MR. DAWSON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME BACK, WE'LL TAKE YOU WITH OPEN ARMS SERVED.
COULD I ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE INCREASE AT THE DETENTION CENTER OR A SET OF $600,000 PRIMARILY PERSONNEL ISSUES THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH OR ARE THERE OTHER CONTRACTS IN THERE THAT WE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THERE'S OTHER CONTRACTS WITHIN THAT BUDGET? UM, AS YOU WELL KNOW, MEDICAL IS ALWAYS CONSTANTLY RISING.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A MEDICAL CONTRACT, WE HAVE A FOOD SERVICE CONTRACT AND A FOOD SERVICE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT ROSE UP REALLY LARGE.
THEY LOOK AT THE CPI AND IT JUMPED A HUGE, AND WE NORMALLY DON'T ALLOW THOSE JUMPS TO GO LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, IT'S HARD TO DENY THAT THE FOOD COSTS HAVE NOT RISEN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT CPI JUMPED UP TO 6.1%, I BELIEVE, UH, JUST SINCE DECEMBER.
AND, UM, SO YEAH, A LOT OF THOSE COSTS ARE GETTING PUSHED OVER TO US.
SO SOME OF IT IS PERSONNEL, SOME OF IT IS OUR MEDICAL AND SOME OF IT IS OUR FOOD SERVICE CONTRACT AND ALSO, UM, DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES TO, YOU KNOW, I, I THOUGHT ALL OF THOSE THINGS ENTERED INTO THAT.
AND I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT BASED UPON ALL OF THE ISSUES YOU'RE FACING IN THAT REGARD, THAT YOUR REQUEST WAS RATHER REASONABLE AND KEPT IN CHECKS OR CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AGAIN, FOR, UH, FOR ALL THE STAFF THAT ARE IN PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, GONE THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES, TELL BANDS REBELLION, YOU SURE DID.
UM, ONE MORE WOULD BE, UM, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A LARGE INCREASE IN THE, UM, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT.
NOW, IS THAT PART OF SOME OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OR, OR
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ACTUALLY MAINTENANCE OR, OR THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT, OR IS THAT ACTUALLY IN SALARIES? ONE THING THOSE FROM TOGETHER.SO THEY ASKED YOUR QUESTION IS YES, IT'S, UH, IS TO START THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE, UH, FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, UH, THAT WE'VE DONE.
THERE WERE THERE'S THREE OR FOUR PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED FOR US TO START MOSTLY OUT AT THE PUBLIC WORKS, UH, AREA ON SHANKLIN.
UH, THE OTHER THING WOULD BE INCREASED FUNDING FOR MAINTENANCE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS, UH, FOR COUNTY BUILDINGS, COUNTY WIDE.
AND WE'VE GOT TO, UH, GET ON TOP OF THAT, PROVIDE THE STAFFING AND RESOURCES NECESSARY IN ORDER TO BRING THOSE FACILITIES BACK UP WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, UH, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES OR AT LEAST ADEQUATE, UH, WORK ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
THE BUILDING, UH, THE ROOFING IS GETTING READY TO START ON THIS BUILDING.
SO NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, YOU SHOULD SEE CRANES OUT HERE WITH A REFILL MATERIALS AROUND AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO START REPAIRING THE ROOF ON THOSE THAT'S DOING, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN FUNDED THROUGH A PARTICULAR GEO BOND THAT WE DID A FEW YEARS AGO.
UH, SO YEAH, I'VE SAID ALL, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? YEAH.
SO ABOUT $1.8 MILLION SPECIFICALLY IS, IS BUDGETED IN THIS GENERAL FUND BUDGET, JUST FOR FACILITY MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES THAT WE HAVE ALSO DIFFERED IN THE PAST TWO FISCAL YEAR.
SO 2 MILLION OF THAT IS JUST FOR OUR FACILITY.
SO WE HAVE INCLUDED THAT IN THE UPCOMING YEAR, AND OF COURSE A SMALL INCREASE FOR SALARIES AND WAGES AS WELL.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT I'VE GOT TO ADD IS OBVIOUSLY I DO WANT TO COMMEND STAFF THAT OBVIOUSLY WE'VE STAYED CONSERVATIVE, UM, AND STILL BEEN ABLE TO PAY PEOPLE AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AND, AND TAKE CARE OF OUR, OUR FACILITIES.
UM, BUT, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALL FOCUSED ON, AND JOE'S MENTIONED A COUPLE, I THINK ALICE MENTIONED SOME OTHER THINGS AND, AND EVEN MR. DAWSON IS THE FACT THAT WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
MORE IMPORTANTLY PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS.
UM, YOU KNOW, KEEP OUR BUILDINGS UPDATED AND MAINTAINED.
UH, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD SOME SURPLUSES.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR SURPLUSES AND, AND HOW WE HANDLE THINGS, WE NEED TO DO WHAT'S BEST TO PAY DOWN OUR DEBT OR END UP GIVING BACK IT OR LOWERING TAXES AND, AND TRYING TO, UM, UH, BRING, BRING THAT BACK TO THE CITIZENS THAT PAY THE MONEY AND WE HAVE THE MONEY HERE.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF MY PRIORITIES OF WHERE WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M COMPLETED.
SO YOU'VE KIND OF GOT A FEELING OF WHERE WE THINK WE SHOULD GO.
UM, UH, I COMMEND YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE CITIZENS.
I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF EVERYBODY.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND HOW WE GET TO MOVE THIS COUNTY FORWARD.
UH, AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS THOSE WHO LIVE HERE, THOSE WHO WORK HERE, THOSE WHO PLAY HERE, THAT IT IS THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, YES, MR. DAWSON, IF I MIGHT, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A, UH, UH, OPEN DISCUSSION AS FAR AS THE SAFETY AND PROTECTION OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT IS, UH, PROVIDING SECURITY FOR THE ADMIN BUILDING.
I KNOW WE'VE TOUCHED ON IT IN THE PAST, AND THEN THERE'S KINDA LIKE TELL BY THE WAYSIDE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY OF THE ADMIN BUILDING AS WE CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION, WE WILL MAKE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE PRESENTATION TODAY? NO.
SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
IS THERE ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS? OKAY.