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EVERYONE I'D LIKE TO CALL THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, APRIL 25TH, 2022 TO ORDER, UH, ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN TAKEN ALL 11 MEMBERS ARE EITHER PRESENT NINE OF US OR ONLINE.
UH, THE TWO MEMBERS OF COUNTY COUNCIL ONLINE, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, SOMERVILLE AND COUNCIL MEMBER, FLUE WELLING.
WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? AND THEN PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION 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, FOR MINUTES.
IT'S MANY OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE 22ND WAS EARTH DAY IN HONOR OF THAT EVENT.
AND FOR YOUR THOUGHTS, I'M GOING TO QUOTE PRIOR, OH, SORRY.
SO I'LL START OVER AS MANY OF, YOU KNOW, APRIL 22ND WAS EARTH DAY.
AND IN HONOR OF THAT EVENT, AND FOR YOUR THOUGHTS, I'M GOING TO QUOTE A HINDU PRAYER.
MAY THE WATERS FLOW PEACEFULLY, MAY THE HERBS AND PLANTS GROW PEACEFULLY.
MAY ALL THE DIVINE POWERS BRING INTO US.
MAY THE RAIN COME DOWN IN THE PROPER TIME? MAY THE EARTH YIELD PLENTY OF CORN? MAY THE WORLD BE FREE FROM WAR? THE SUPREME LORD IS PEACE.
PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
MAY I HAVE A MEMBER OF COUNCIL, PLEASE MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. RODMAN MAKES THE MOTION.
MR. MCELLEN MAKES THE SECOND ANY QUESTIONS THIS WILL DEEP BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - March 14, 2022]
NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH THE 14TH.MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THOSE MINUTES, PLEASE? MR. DAWSON MAKES THE MOTION.
MR. MCELLEN MAKES THE SECOND ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE MINUTES SEEING NONE, THE MINUTES WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[6. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
WE TURN OVER TO OUR ADMINISTER MINISTRY LEADER, MR. GREENWAY FOR HIS REPORT.UM, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING US, UH, ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL AND THE FOLKS WHO MADE THE EFFORT TO COME OUT THIS EVENING.
UM, I HAVE ONE HOUSEKEEPING ITEM THAT I WANT TO REMIND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OF, UH, BEFORE I GET INTO THIS IS, AS YOU'RE SPEAKING, UH, THIS EVENING, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU HIT YOUR MIC, A BUTTON AND TURN THE LIGHT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE NECK GREEN, UH, SO THAT WE CAN PICK YOU UP.
WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST JOB TO KEEP PACE WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT.
AS WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, UH, THE FIRST THING ON MY LIST TONIGHT BEFORE I GET INTO RECOGNIZING, UH, OUR GREAT EMPLOYEES IS AN UPDATE ON HIGHWAY 2 78.
UH, WE HAD A JOINT MEETING WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND COUNCIL, UH, ON THURSDAY EVENING, UH, THAT, UH, MEETING, UM, SOME FOLKS SAID, UH, IT WAS A STALEMATE.
I TOOK IT AS SOME POSITIVE THINGS COMING OUT OF THAT MEETING.
AND, UM, WE HAD A FURTHER FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH SENATOR TOM DAVIS, UH, TODAY AFTER I HAD A CALL WITH SECRETARY HALL ON FRIDAY.
AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOME THINGS ABOUT THE END, THE END ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE GOING TO UNDERTAKE.
UM, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH US WAITING A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND DOING ADDITIONAL STUDY TO GATHER AS MUCH QUALITY DATA AS WE CAN POSSIBLY GATHER FOR THE TRAFFIC'S SITUATION AND SCENARIOS, UH, THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTED BY THE BRIDGE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS ON HIGHWAY 2 78.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE END END ANALYSIS.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT WILL ALLOW US TO BRING IN AN ADDITIONAL INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT, OUR TEAM OF CONSULTANTS TO EVALUATE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO EVALUATE THE INTERSECTION OPERATIONS, TO EVALUATE THE ASSUMPTIONS AND TO POTENTIALLY EVALUATE THE GROWTH MODELING FOR TRAFFIC ON THE ISLAND, TO MAKE SURE AGAIN, THAT THAT DATA SET IS AS COMPREHENSIVE AS POSSIBLE AND IS AS EFFECTIVE
[00:05:01]
AS POSSIBLE.IN ADDITION, IT WILL ALLOW FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THAT ASPECT OF IT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT IN DOING THE END, THE END ANALYSIS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING TO REACH OUT, TO GET A LIST OF FIRMS, UH, NAMES, AND BE REACHING OUT TO THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SUGGESTED THIS INDIAN ANALYSIS TO DISCUSS THOSE FIRMS WITH THEM.
I DO WANT TO TELL YOU ALL AGAIN, BECAUSE I MUST REITERATE THIS A LOT.
IT IS NOT A TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND PROJECT.
IT IS A BUFORD COUNTY PROJECT.
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE CARRY THIS FORWARD.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH EVERYONE INVOLVED AND ALL THE PLAYERS AND ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR PARTNERS HAVE A TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
BUT IF THIS IS A COUNTY PROJECT, AS A RESULT OF THIS INDIAN ANALYSIS, I AM ALSO AN, A DELAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
UM, HERE WITH REGARDS TO, UH, POTENTIALLY DELAY IN ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION IS I'M GOING TO IMMEDIATELY SUBMIT TO SECRETARY HALL AND THE DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTATION, UH, DOES WHAT'S CALLED A DESIGN EXCEPTION TO GO AHEAD AND BEGIN THE PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN CONSTRUCT THE SIGNAL AT WINDMILL HARBOR.
I HAVE TRAVELED THAT CORRIDOR MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, GOING TO MEET WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
EVEN THOUGH I KNOW MANY OF YOU ALL RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MAYOR SAYING THAT I HAVE NOT COMMUNICATED WITH THEM ON VARIOUS THINGS, UH, I HAVE GONE DOWN THERE A LOT.
AND INVARIABLY, WHEN I TRAVELED THAT CORRIDOR, THERE ARE CARS EITHER TRYING TO GET INTO WINDMILL HARBOR ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF WINDMILL HARBOR AND THEY OUGHT TO SIT THERE AND THEY HAVE TO SIT THERE AND SIT THERE AND SIT THERE.
UH, I THINK ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY, UH, WITNESSED THAT AND MR. PERRY, WHOM YOU WILL HEAR FROM HERE SHORTLY DURING COMMENT, UH, SAID THAT THEY HAD TROUBLE TODAY BECAUSE THEY HAD TO GO DO A U-TURN AROUND AND THEY ENCOUNTERED TRAFFIC AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO LONG STORY SHORT AS A LONG WAY TO TELL YOU THAT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT THAT DESIGN EXCEPTION AND INSTRUCT JARED FRAMEWORKS LOOKS TO WORK, UH, WITH DLT, FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT SIGNAL IN.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING WINDMILL HARBOR TO WAIT AND TELL HIM TO WAIT.
AND I THINK THE DAYS FOR THEM TO NEED TO WAIT ARE OVER WITH, AND I'M GOING TO PUSH THAT ISSUE JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT.
SO THAT'S YET, UH, I'M GOING TO PAUSE BRIEFLY TO SEE IF YOU HAVE OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT REPRESENT HILTON HEAD ISLAND OR WINDMILL HARBOR HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT DISCUSSION ON THE INDIAN ANALYSIS AND THE SIGNALIZATION.
SO MR. READ, UH, YES, A GOOD SUMMARY, UM, TWO POINTS, UM, I THINK RELATIVE TO THE DESIGN EXCEPTION, IT IS TIME.
AND I THINK WHAT CHANGED IS UP UNTIL NOW, DDOT WOULD NOT ISSUE WHAT'S CALLED A WARRANT FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
THEY'VE NOW SAID BASED IN THE PROJECT, THEY WOULD ISSUE A WARRANT FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
SO THE ONLY ISSUE NOW IS IF THEY'RE WILLING TO DO A WARRANT TWO YEARS FROM NOW, WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE WILLING TO DO ONE YESTERDAY? AND I, I THINK, UH, I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO ASK FOR THAT.
I THINK THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY RELATIVE TO THE 2 78 PORTION OF IT, UH, I THINK IN CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE, UM, AND YOU LOOK AT THE INFO INFLATION SURGE THAT WE HAVE.
UM, SOME PEOPLE SUGGESTING THAT DELAYS ARE ON THE ORDER OF A MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK IN TERMS OF THE PROJECT COST.
SO, UM, I THINK THE, I, I TOTALLY ENDORSE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN RESPONSE TO THE, UM, HILTON HEAD FOLKS.
BUT I THINK IT HAS TO BE AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE PROJECT ITSELF CAN'T BE DELAYED AND EVERYTHING I HAVE SEEN WOULD SAY, YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN STONEY A TRAFFIC STANDPOINT, BUT THAT SHOULD NOT DELAY THE PURE BRIDGE PORTION, WHICH IS THE LONG LEAD TIME AND WHERE THE, WHERE THE REAL MONEY'S AT RISK.
WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
UH, WE, WE WILL BE SPEAKING WITH THE TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROCESS CALLED THE NEPA PROCESS AND THE FONZIE PROCESS.
THERE'S ALL THESE ACRONYMS. WE MUST STAY WITHIN THE CORRIDOR THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF
[00:10:01]
THIS BRIDGE.IF IN FACT, WE GO OUTSIDE THAT CORRIDOR THAT BECOMES VERY PROBLEMATIC FOR US, WHERE WE MAY BE FORCED TO LITERALLY START ALL OVER AGAIN.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT DO.
UH, LINDSAY, YOU WANT TO COME ON UP? I JOINED ME, UM, AS I TYPICALLY DO, I'M WILLING TO INTRODUCE SOME, UH, COUNTY EMPLOYEES HERE, UH, TO YOU AND HIGHLIGHT WHAT THEY DO, UH, FOR THE COUNTY AS A PART OF OUR EXCELLENT TEAM HERE, UH, THAT I GET THE BENEFIT OF SERVING EVERY DAY AS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, THIS IS, UM, MS. LINDSAY MALPHURS, UH, SHE'S A LIBRARY SPECIALIST IN LIBRARY, MOBILE SERVICES AND OUTREACH DEPARTMENT FOR THE LIBRARY.
UH, SHE HAS BEEN BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE BOOKMOBILE FOR THE SOUTH END OF THE COUNTY FOR THREE YEARS.
UM, OF COURSE IN HER WORK AS A LIBRARY SPECIALIST ON BOOKMOBILE SOUTH, SHE DRIVES THE BOOKMOBILE ALONG THE PRE DETERMINED ROUTE TO STOP SOME BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD TO DELIVER MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICES TO PRESCHOOL CENTERS AFTER SCHOOL LOCATIONS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITIES.
UH, EACH DAY SHE ASSISTS VISITORS TO THE BOOKMOBILE BILL BY CHECKING OUT LIBRARY MATERIALS, FULFILLING THEIR REQUEST, REGISTERING NEW LIBRARY CARD ACCOUNTS.
AND AT LEAST ONCE PER MONTH, LINDSAY TAKES THE BOOKMOBILE TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY FESTIVALS, OUTSIDE OF WORK.
SHE ENJOYS GOING TO MUSIC FESTIVALS, SPENDING TIME WITH HER CAT CASTLE AND PARTICIPATING IN THEATER PRODUCTION, BOTH ON STAGE AND BACKSTAGE WITH THE MAY RIVER THEATER GROUP.
SO LET'S GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
OUR OTHER TWO EMPLOYEES THAT I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE TONIGHT ARE NOT HERE IN PERSON.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I TOOK HER FIRST, UM, LIBRARY, UH, TWO, TWO FOLKS FROM THE LIBRARY TONIGHT.
UH, SHE'S THE LIBRARY SPECIALIST.
SHE HAS BEEN WITH US FOR 35 YEARS IN TOTAL 32 YEARS AS A FULL-TIME LIBRARY PERSON AND THREE YEARS AS A LIBRARY PAGE.
SHELVER DURING HER TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL, UH, IN HER WORK IN TECHNICAL SERVICES IN BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY, RENEE DOES THE PROCESSING OF ALL THE BOOKS, AUDIO BOOKS, DVDS THAT LAND ON SHELVES IN OUR FIVE LIBRARIES ARE TWO BOOKMOBILES AND THE BUFORD DISTRICT COLLECTION.
SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECEIVING AND UNPACKING EACH BOX OF ITEMS THAT ARRIVE RENEE IS THE FIRST PERSON IN BUFORD COUNTY TO SEE THE ITEMS BEFORE THEY MAKE IT TO THE SHELF, OR FOR CHECKOUT.
RENEE IS KNOWN FOR HER COMMITMENT TO ARIF ERROR-FREE QUALITY WORK AND TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN ALL SHE DOES, UH, FOR THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY, I'VE OFTEN WONDER WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO RECEIVE ALL THE MATERIALS AND GET A LOOK AT THOSE BEFORE ANYONE ELSE GETS TO SEE THEM.
SHE HAS A WIFE, A MOTHER, AND A GRANDMOTHER WHO ALSO LOVES HER JOBS JOB AND LISTENING TO AUDIO BOOKS ON HER DAILY DRIVE AND GET A LOAD OF THOSE.
WE TALK ABOUT IT A LOT ON HER DAILY DRIVE FROM HER RESIDENCE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO THE TECHNICAL SERVICES OFFICE IN THE DOWNTOWN BUFORD BRANCH LIBRARY.
SO SHE MAKES THAT DRIVE EVERY DAY FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, ALL THE WAY INTO BUFORD.
UH, SO LET'S GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, RENEE.
UH, OUR FINAL EMPLOYEE COMES FROM A RECORDS MANAGEMENT DIVISION, MELISSA MACK.
SHE IS A RECORDS MANAGEMENT TECHNICIAN.
SHE HAS BEEN WITH US A TOTAL OF SIX YEARS.
HER ROLE WITH RECORDS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT ULTIMATELY EXPANDS AND ENHANCES THE COUNTY'S USE OF A SOFTWARE PROGRAM.
THAT IS BASICALLY THE ARCHIVE FOR THE COUNTY, WHERE WE STORE LOTS OF PERMITS, LOTS OF, UH, FORMS, UH, LOTS OF, UH, DOCUMENTS THAT WE NEED TO GO AND RETRIEVE.
AND MELISSA, MELISSA DOES THAT FOR US.
UM, HER, HER ABILITY TO MULTITASK PRODUCES A HIGH VOLUME OF DIGITALLY ARCHIVE RECORDS THROUGH THE DIGITALIZATION OF BOTH MICROFILM AND MICRO FISH.
HER WORK PROVIDES BOTH SERVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO MANY DEPARTMENTS WITHIN BUFORD COUNTY.
SHE HELPS ENSURE THAT DEPARTMENTS WILL HAVE A AND PRODUCTIVE DIGITAL EXPERIENCE, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SHE ALSO ASSISTS WITH METERING THE MAIL AND FILLING, UM, MALE JOB REQUESTS, UH,
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SO A BIG RESPONSIBILITY THERE, AND SHE LOVES TO BAKE AS HER PERSONAL THING THAT SHE DOES NOT MIND PEOPLE KNOWING ABOUT HER PUBLICLY.SO LET'S GIVE HIM MY LISA AROUND OF APPLAUSE AS WELL.
ONCE AGAIN, ALWAYS APPRECIATE ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT I WORK WITH.
EVERYBODY DOES A GREAT JOB FOR US.
UM, WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY, AND SO HONOR FOR ME, UH, TO SERVE, UH, THE CITIZENS OF BEAVER COUNTY, BUT ALSO THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS COUNTY AS WELL.
SO MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT ASKING YOU BEFOREHAND.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE? I KNOW THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO REPORT TO US COMING UP ON THE 29TH.
UM, I HAD MY INDIVIDUAL THAT I RECOMMENDED TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE THREE MORE MEETINGS SCHEDULED.
UM, SO I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY AMMO, JUST SO WE'RE ALL AWARE.
I KNOW WE WERE TOLD TO STAY OUT OF THE COMMITTEE AND LET THEM HANDLE IT UNTIL WE GET THE REPORT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE, OKAY.
YOU'RE YOU ALL WILL RECEIVE A REPORT NEXT WEEK, UH, FROM, UH, THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE, MR. DEAN MOSS, UH, DURING THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, HE'LL, HE'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THAT.
THEY ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED WITH OUR WORK.
THERE'S JUST SOME FEW MINOR DETAILS.
THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING THEN FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER AT THE PULLET FACILITIES MEETING TO RECOMMEND THE COUNCIL AND MOVING THAT REFERENDUM FORWARD.
ONE THING, ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION ON WHAT THE DUMBEST OFF THIS COUNTY'S DOING.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF, YOU HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE WHERE SOMEBODY STEALS THEIR HOME AND SO ON, AND THE COUNTY'S DOING SOME VERY INTERESTING THINGS.
SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I THINK THAT WOULD BE USEFUL TO BRING BACK TO FULL COUNTY SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS SOME NEAT THINGS.
WE'LL LINE MR. BUTTS UP TO DO THAT.
UH, NEXT, NEXT, UH, PART OF MY ADMINISTRATORS REPORT IN THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
[7. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION HONORING NOAH'S ARK RESCUE - COUNCIL MEMBER McELYNN]
RIGHT.NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION HONORING NOAH'S ARC WRECK RESCUE.
MR. MCKELLAN, WOULD YOU, UH, DO THE HONORS OF READING THAT PROCLAMATION A YEAR AND READY TO DO THAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, LET ME INTRODUCE, UH, TO EVERYONE HERE, UM, JENNIFER SMITH, WHO IS REPRESENTING, UH, NOAH'S ARC, UM, UH, RESCUE, UH, AND WE'LL BE RECEIVING, UH, THIS PROCLAMATION THIS EVENING.
UM, THIS IS A PROCLAMATION THAT STATES, WHEREAS NOAH'S ARK RESCUE IS A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS INCORPORATED APRIL 23RD, 2009 AT OCA T SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND WHEREAS NOAH'S ARK ARCS, RESCUE SUPPLIES, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SEARCH OF SURGICAL AND REHABILITATION TO ABUSE ANIMALS TO PROVIDE A SECOND CHANCE FOR ANIMALS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE HUMANELY EUTHANIZED.
AND WHEREAS KNOWERS ARC FOUNDER, JENNIFER SMITH RESPONDS TO BUFORD COUNTY ANIMAL CAMPUS FOR EMERGENCY NEEDS FOR THE HOMELESS ANIMALS IN BUFORD COUNTY.
WHEREAS THE GENEROSITY OF THE KNOWERS ARK RESCUE CONTINUES TO ENABLE BUFORD COUNTY ANIMAL CAMPUS TO BECOME A MODEL FOR INNOVATIVE LIFE-SAVING MEASURES IN ANIMAL SHELTERS.
AND WHEREAS THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR CARE PROVIDED BY NOAH'S ARK THROUGH PRIVATE DONATIONS AND PROCEEDS FROM THEIR STORE, F E T C H FETCH MARKET LOCATED ON HIGHWAY ONE 70, WHICH PROVIDES 100% OF THEIR PROFITS TOWARDS KNOWERS ARCH RESCUE.
AND WHEREAS A DAY OF RECOGNITION PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE ACTIONS, JENNIFER SMITH OF KNOWERS ARC RESCUE, AND FETCH MARKET IN THE VITAL ROLES IN ASSISTING OUR ANIMAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR THE ANIMALS IN BUFORD COUNTY.
AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL HEREBY EXPRESSES ITS SINCERE GRATITUDE TO JENNIFER SMITH OF NOAA'S ART RESCUE FOR HER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, AND MAY I PRESENT TO YOU THIS PROCLAMATION THAT YOU CAN TAKE AND HANG PROUDLY SOMEWHERE THAT SOMEONE WILL BE ABLE TO SAY IT THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
SO LET'S COME FROM BEHIND THIS.
SO PHIL CAN GET A PHOTO AND THERE YOU GO.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING AND PLEASE DO, I'M NOT ONE FOR SAYING MUCH AT ALL OVER THERE, THEY ALMOST HAD THE HOG TIME NEED TO GET ME IN HERE.
UM, ONE THING IS WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU SERIOUSLY, IF Y'ALL CAN IMAGINE WHAT SHE DOES WITH ANIMALS, WE CAN'T SAVE THE VETS
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CAN'T SAVE.SHE HAS SPECIALTY VETS ALL OVER.
SHE TAKES ANIMALS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, BUT SHE IS PERSISTENT, PASSIONATE, AND VERY PERSONABLE, BUT I COULD NOT HAVE DONE MY JOB WITHOUT HER CELL PHONE THAT I CALL CONSTANTLY.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING THERE FOR ALL OF US.
[8. CITIZEN COMMENTS]
WE'RE NOW AT THE PORTION CALLED THE CITIZEN COMMENTS.WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE LEWIS POINDEXTER, PLEASE.
WHEN YOU COME UP, MAKE SURE THAT THE MICROPHONE IS ON GREEN SO THAT YOU CAN BE RECORDED.
PLEASE BE AS BRIEF AS YOU CAN BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WISH TO SPEAK.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE BLUFFTON FIRE DISTRICT.
AND, UM, THIS LETTER WAS PROVIDED ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I DON'T THINK I CAN GET IT IN AT THREE MINUTES.
I'M JUST GOING TO SUM IT UP REAL QUICK.
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE HAD CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS USING, UH, IMPACT FEES.
AND, UH, WE SPENT $3.2 MILLION AND ANOTHER 800,000 ON, UH, JUST, UH, ONCE STATION, UH, ADDED IN WITH THE HAMPTON HALL, OUR HAMPTON PARKWAY, OUR NEW FIRE STATION, UM, THAT CHESSIE AREA FIRE STATION, THE, UM, CALTON RIVER FIRE STATION, THE PALMETTO BLUFF FIRE STATION, ALL THIS USING 8.2 $8.3 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS FROM OUR, UM, UH, IMPACT FEE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, UH, WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY WILL INCUR ANOTHER $9 MILLION IN CAPITAL EXPENSES PAYING FOR NEW THREE FIRE STATIONS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT AT THE OLDFIELD COMMUNITY WITHIN THE GATES OF SUN CITY, AND ALSO AT THE INTERSECTION OF BUCK WALTER AND HIGHWAY 46.
IF THE IMPACT FEES ARE WITHDRAWN FROM OUR BUDGET, IT'S ESTIMATED EXCUSE ME, THAT IT'S GOING TO RAISE MILITARIES BY AT LEAST 2.5 MILS TO COVER THESE COSTS.
THESE SAME SCENARIOS PLAY OUT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTIES.
DEVELOPMENT KEEPS COMING TO OUR AREA AND BURDENING OUR COFFERS TO KEEP UP WITH INFRASTRUCTURE DEMANDS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE DILEMMA POSED BY THE INABILITY TO REACH CONSENSUS WITH THE MUNI MUNICIPALITIES, THE CITIES AND THE TOWNS ON IMPACT FEES.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE FAIR FOR ALL, BUT TOTALLY ELIMINATING IMPACT FEES WILL ONLY PASS ON THE COST TO EXISTING CITIZENS WHO WILL NOW BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THIS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND GIVE DEVELOPERS A FREE RIDE.
AND THAT'S NOT A FAIR SOLUTION TO THE TAXPAYERS.
WE URGE YOU TO KEEP EXISTING FEES IN PLACE WHILE YOU CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION, FAIR TO WALL.
AFTER ALL, WE DON'T ELECT OUR LEADERS JUST TO GIVE UP AND TOSS OUT PROBLEMATIC ISSUES BECAUSE SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET THEIR WAY.
WE ELECT YOU TO HAMMER OUT THE DETAILS, NEGOTIATE AND FIX WHAT'S ON THE TABLE.
UM, I THINK THIS IS WHERE IS THIS WORKING? GOOD.
I AM, UH, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE AT WINDMILL HARBOR ASSOCIATION.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU IN THAT CAPACITY, BUT ALSO SECONDARILY, AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN OF BUFORD COUNTY, WHO'S MAYBE THE ONLY CONCERN IS IN A BEAUTIFUL COUNTY WHO PRACTICED ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FOR 45 YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT WAS A LONG TIME.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ERIC AND WE HOPE WE DO URGE THE COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN EXCEPTION, TO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THAT PROCESS.
UH, AND WE SINCERELY HOPE THAT IT WILL WORK BECAUSE IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR US AS RESIDENTS OF JENKINS ALLEN, BUT IT'S ALSO A SERIOUS SITUATION FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD THAT COMES ON TO HILTON HEAD, UH, THAT DOESN'T FLY OR GO ON A BOAT.
SO WE, UH, WE, UH, WE REALLY HOPE THAT THAT, UH, CAN, CAN COME TO FRUITION.
UM, THE SECOND THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THE SECOND SOMETHING, UH, THAT THE CHAIRMAN SAID, AND THAT IS WITH REGARD TO THE NEPA PROCESS.
UM, AND IT ALSO, IN SOME WAYS APPLIES TO THE STUDY PROCESS.
I KNOW, UH, THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, BUT THE NEPA PROCESS IS A VERY SENSITIVE ONE.
UH, AND IF YOU VARY FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RESTART THAT WHOLE PROCESS AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A VERY, VERY DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE VIABILITY OF THE 2 78 CORRIDOR PROJECT.
AND IT, YOU, YOU JUST NEED TO BE, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE, UM,
UM, THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS, UM, I'M
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HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDIES.I HOPE THEY CAN TAKE PLACE, UH, AND A VERY, UH, RAPID FASHION AND THE GATE THAT YOU CAN COME TO A CONCLUSION AND THAT WE DON'T DO STUDIES FOR STUDY'S SAKE.
UH, WHAT REALLY WORRIES ME IS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 2 78 SAFETY PROJECT AS WE CALLED IT, WHICH WAS A, UH, PROJECT IN WHICH, UH, THERE WERE TWO, ACTUALLY TWO STOPLIGHTS INVOLVED, UH, AND THAT PROJECT FAILED BECAUSE, UH, THE, THE ESTIMATE, UH, WAS LOWER THAN THE BID PRICE.
AND THAT WAS IN A PERIOD OF RELATIVELY CALM INFLATION.
AND WE'RE NOT UNFORTUNATELY IN A PERIOD OF CALM INFLATION OR, OR, UH, NO INFLATION AS THAT WAS.
AND SO IT'S, IT IS, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THAT, UH, THAT THE, THAT THE COUNCIL, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT AS QUICKLY AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN SO THAT WE'RE NOT PUT INTO A SITUATION WHERE THE BID PRICES, UH, COME IN SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE ESTIMATE AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S SET ASIDE FOR THIS.
THANK YOU, MR. KERRIGAN, DO YOU WISH TO COMMENT YOU HAD YOUR TURN, SO NOW THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, JOE, I WANT TO PERSONALLY EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE IN LADIES WITH REGARD TO 2 78.
I KNOW YOU SPENT YEARS ON THIS, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED FOR YEARS.
I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION, YOU KNOW, FOUR YEARS AGO, THE CITIZENS OF BUFORD COUNTY WENT TO THE POLL AND THEY APPROVED A 1 CENT SALES TAX AT THAT REFERENDUM FOR THIS PROJECT FOUR YEARS AGO.
THAT TELLS ME THAT THE MAJORITY SILENT MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN BUFORD COUNTY APPROVES THE STEPS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE THAT CORRIDOR TO 78 CORRIDOR ON JENKINS ISLAND, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REACHED A POINT, I THINK, FOUR YEARS LATER, WHERE WE'RE SLOWLY BUT SURELY GETTING INTO WHAT SUE RODMAN REFERRED TO WHILE AGO AS PARALYSIS BY ANALYSIS, THERE IS A SILENT MAJORITY THAT, THAT WANTS THIS PROJECT GET UNDERWAY.
THERE IS A VERY VOCAL MINORITY OF FOLKS OUT THERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE THIS PROJECT INDEFINITELY UNTIL THE POINT THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THE DARN THING.
I MEAN, WE'RE LITERALLY, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
I UNDERSTAND TOM DAVIS'S NEED TO DO MORE RESEARCH AND TO DO MORE ANALYSIS.
I'VE SAT ON SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, I WAS ON THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS, BUT, YOU KNOW, IN REALITY, IF WE DON'T GET ON WITH THIS THING, THERE'S A POINT OUT THERE WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO DO IT.
AND THAT WOULD BE I THINK, A DISASTER.
I'M PRESIDENT OF THE WINDMILL HARBOR PROPERTIES OWNERS ASSOCIATION.
AND I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE, MIKE AND CHARLIE.
I JUST WANTED TO BE REAL BRIEF AND THANK ERIC FOR SUPPORTING US.
THAT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS HELP TO OUR SAFETY ISSUE.
AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE COUNCILMAN FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN ALLEVIATING OUR SITUATION THAT IS VERY RISKY FOR PEOPLE COMING ON AND GOING OFF THE ISLAND.
UM, CAROLYN, YOU WISH TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPACT FEE.
WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT WITH ITEM 12, THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR YOU TO SPEAK ON THAT.
UM, MIKE MCDONALD, ARE YOU HERE FOR THE SAME THING? OKAY.
WE'LL TAKE YOUR COMMENTS AT THAT TIME.
STEVE, ARE YOU HERE FOR THAT AS WELL? 2 78, PLEASE.
I LIKE TO SAY GOOD EVENING TO THE COMMITTEE AND EVERYBODY HERE, I LIVE IN WINDMILL HARBOR.
I MEAN A MARINER'S COVE AND I BROUGHT SOME MARINERS COVE PEOPLE WITH ME, AND WE WANT TO TELL HOW MUCH WE LOVE LIVING THERE.
AND, UM, WE SUPPORT THE ONE BRIDGE PROJECT TO TWO BRIDGES.
WHEN WE SAW THE SKETCH OF THE TWO BIG PROD, THE TWO BRIDGE PROJECT, WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
WE ALMOST FAINTED THAT IT WOULD BASICALLY KNOCK OUT SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS AND DESTROY THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[00:30:01]
SO I APPRECIATE THE COUNTY COUNCIL SUPPORTING THE ONE BIG BITCH PROJECT, AND WE WILL DO ANYTHING WE CAN TO HELP SUPPORT ANY ASPECT OF THAT, BUT IT WOULD BASICALLY DESTROY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO, TO BRIDGE PROJECT.CAUSE YOU, YOU ALL SAW THE PICTURE AND IT BASICALLY WOULD GO OVER OUR BUILDINGS AND TENNIS COURT AND IT WOULDN'T BE A MARINER'S COVE ANYMORE.
SO I JUST WANT TO PASS THAT ON.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS US ON ANY OTHER MATTER BEFORE WE BEGIN THE ACTION ITEMS? OKAY.
SEEING NONE WE'LL CLOSE THIS SESSION AND MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ACTION ITEMS. THERE ARE NO MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION REPORTS, COMMITTEE REPORTS.
[9. LIASION AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
YEAH.THE LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.
I HAVE THREE TO REPORT ON THE STORMWATER BOARD, MET ON SITE AT THE CYPRESS WETLANDS AND WE HAD AN EDUCATION ON WHY THAT WAS BUILT AND HOW WELL IT'S WORKING IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL.
IT WAS, UM, VERY HELPFUL FOR ALL THE STORM WATER BOARD MEMBERS TO SEE THAT UP CLOSE.
UH, LAST WEEK I MET WITH TCL BOARD WHERE THE REST OF THE MEMBERS UP AT THE HAMPTON CAMPUS, WHERE THEY TEACH THE CDL COURSE AND GOT TO SEE THAT CAMPUS.
AND THEN ON WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK, THE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD MEETS WEDNESDAY MORNING.
I JUST WANT TO REPORT THAT THE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING ON MAY 2ND, THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY.
AND THERE WILL BE AN AGENDA MEETING TO DEVELOP AN AGENDA FOR THAT MEETING ON THE SECOND ON APRIL 27TH, WHICH IS THIS WEDNESDAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. RODMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, COMING OUT OF PUBLIC FACILITIES.
SO WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS ALL PASSED, UNANIMOUSLY THE FLIGHT.
WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS COMING OUT OF A PUBLIC FACILITIES, ALL OF WHICH PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, ONE IS, UM, THERE'S A 5K RACE.
THIS COULD TAKE PLACE AND THEY'RE DOING A COUPLE OF THESE AT THE AIRPORTS.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY LEFTOVER, SO THEY WANT TO CHANNEL IT TO, UM, UM, AN ACADEMY THAT HELPS YOUNG KIDS GET INVOLVED IN AVIATION.
UH, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO PROVE THAT IT'S JUST A MINORITY.
ONE IS FOR ABOUT 1.3 MILLION, WHICH IS TO, UM, DO THE ROOF REPLACEMENT ON THE MAIN ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FOR THE COUNTY.
UM, SECOND IS A ONE FOR ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS REPLACING SOME OF THE COOLER AND FREEZING FREEZER EQUIPMENT IN OUR DETENTION CENTER.
AND THE LAST ONE IS ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN 300,000 TO DO A REPAIR.
ONE OF OUR BOAT LANDINGS, ALL THREE OF THOSE INVOLVED MONEY ARE WITHIN BUDGET.
AND ONE LAST THING, MR. CHAIRMAN, IT'S ALWAYS FOUND OVER THE YEARS.
IT'S, UH, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE GOOD PEOPLE GET PROMOTED.
SO I JUST LEARNED A LITTLE WHILE AGO THAT OUR TIFFANY WHO NOT TOO LONG AGO GOT A, ANOTHER DEGREE IS NOW GOING TO GO AND BE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FOR, UM, PUBLIC FACILITIES.
IF I GOT THE RIGHT PLACE WHERE SHE'S HEADED ITSELF, UM, SHE'LL BE MISSED.
SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE, BUT ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE PEOPLE MOVING ON AND WE WISH YOU GODSPEED IN THAT.
THEN WE ARE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION ITEMS. AS I SAID, ITEM NUMBER 10, UH, MATTERS ARISING OUT OF THE CAUCUS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[11. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
UH, SO I WILL SEEK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.SO MOVEMENT CHAIRMAN, MR. MCKELLAN MAKES THE MOTION.
BEFORE YOU MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, UM, THE ADDED, UM, THE ALTITUDE ACADEMY, UM, THAT'S BEEN, THAT HAS BEEN CREATED ON SEEING HELL THERE.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE, UM, FUNDING THIS GOING TOWARD THAT.
AND I JUST TO EXPRESS TO THIS COUNCIL THAT THEY ARE,
[00:35:01]
UM, IN DIRE NEED OF A LOT OF RESOURCES, AND I'M HOPING THAT THE COUNTY CAN DO A LITTLE BIT MORE IN HELPING THEM ALONG.THEY'RE WORKING WITH 30 TO 50 YOUNG KIDS GETTING THEM, UM, UH, ENGAGED IN, UH, AVIATION.
UM, AND I THINK, UM, IT COULD SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, MY COMMUNITY.
WELL, IF WE CAN JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE RESOURCES TO THEM IN THE FUTURE, NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, SEEING NONE, THE EX THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[12. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO REPEAL CHAPTER 82, ARTICLES II THROUGH VII OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, TO TERMINATE THE COLLECTION OF PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES IMPACT FEES, ROAD FACILITIES IMPACT FEES—SOUTHERN BEAUFORT County Council Agenda – Beaufort County, SC COUNTY SERVICE AREA, ROAD FACILITIES IMPACT FEES—NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY SERVICE AREA, LIBRARY FACILITIES IMPACT FEES, FIRE FACILITIES IMPACT FEES AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO]
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO REPEAL CHAPTER 82 ARTICLES TWO THROUGH, UH, ARTICLE TWO THROUGH SEVEN OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE OF BUFORD COUNTY TO DETERMINATE THE COLLECTION OF PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITY, IMPACT FEES, ROAD, FACILITY, IMPACT FEES, SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY SERVICE AREA ROAD FACILITY, IMPACT FEES, NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY SERVICE AREA, LIBRARY FACILITIES, IMPACT FEES, FIRE FACILITY, IMPACT FEES, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TO SOME OF MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION.MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND WE'RE GOING TO TURN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT WISH TO MAKE COMMENTS.
UH, CAROLYN SMITH WILL MAKE THE FIRST COMMENTS.
IS THIS SONG GREEN IT'S GREEN, BUT YES.
UM, MY NAME IS CAROLYN SMITH AND I'VE COME TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO Y'ALL AS A TAXPAYER AND A LANDLORD.
AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE PAST TWO MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE HAD ABOUT THIS IMPACT FEE.
AND WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS GOING ON, I LIKE TO STUDY IT AND BE PREPARED, BUT, UM, IT'S BEEN KIND OF HARD TO STUDY THIS WITH.
Y'ALL HAVE DONE THIS SO QUICKLY, AND THERE'S BEEN NO REAL PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO HANDLE IT.
IF YOU TAKE THESE IMPACT FEES AWAY.
AND I KEEP THINKING Y'ALL ARE WANTING, UM, LOWER HOUSING AND EVERYTHING.
SO WHAT IMPACT IF YOU TAKE THIS IMPACT FOR YOUR WAY, WHAT IMPACT IS IT GOING TO HAVE ON THE PROPERTY TAX? THEN IF I HAVE MY PROPERTY TAX GOES UP, RENT'S GONNA GO UP.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING TO GO UP.
AND I WOULD LIKE THE ANSWER TO THOSE TWO QUESTIONS.
AND I JUST THINK THAT Y'ALL HAVE GONE INTO THIS TOO FAST AND TOO QUICKLY, AND THAT YOU NEED TO, UM, HAVE SOME KIND OF PLAN OR SOMETHING BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER WITH TAKING THIS AWAY FROM BUFORD COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY DID THIS.
THERE'S JUST SO MUCH THAT IT SUPPORTS.
AND I DON'T SEE HOW THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER COULD TURN AROUND AND PAY WHAT THEY SAID THAT THEY GET FROM THE IMPACT FEE.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT IN BEAVER COUNTY FOR 43 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN A LICENSED BUILDER SINCE 1988.
AND THIS IS MY SECOND TIME, UH, ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL ABOUT THESE IMPACT FEES.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING TWO OF MY CLIENTS, AND I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO REPEAL THE $9,535 IMPACT FEE ON NEW CONSTRUCTION.
IT SEEMS TO US TO BE AN UNFAIR TAX PLACED SOLELY ON THE BACKS OF THE PEOPLE WANTING A NEW HOME OUTSIDE OF A MUNICIPALITY.
PERHAPS IT WAS ORIGINALLY AIMED AT ATTRACT DEVELOPERS WHO COULD ROLL THE FEES INTO, INTO THE SELLING PRICE OF A NEW HOME.
HOWEVER, IT AFFECTS PEOPLE WHO POSSIBLY OWN PROPERTY FOR AWHILE OR INHERITED PROPERTY, AND NOW HAVE TO PAY THIS EXORBITANT FEE.
IT AFFECTS PROPERTY IN ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALREADY IN PLACE.
HOWEVER, SOME OF THESE AREAS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER.
I RECENTLY PRICED A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR A CLIENT.
THEY WANTED TO LIVE IN IT UNTIL THEY COULD AFFORD TO BUILD THEIR NEW HOUSE.
[00:40:01]
UM, THE FRAMING PACKAGE WAS THE ONLY LINE ITEM HIGHER THAN THE IMPACT FEES.AND I'M ASKING YOU ON BEHALF OF OTHER BUILDERS IN BUFORD COUNTY, I'VE TALKED TO THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, UH, THEIR EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT REDUCING OR FINDING ANOTHER WAY TO, UH, GATHER THIS MONEY, BUT TO, TO PUT THE IMPACT FEES ON THE BACK OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY IS UNFAIR, UH, TO POTENTIAL HOMEOWNERS.
UH, BEFORE THE COUNCIL MOVES INTO DISCUSSION ON THIS, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE SEEING NONE? WE WILL CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENTS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THIS ONE.
UM, IS THERE, UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU MADE THE MOTION, UH, YOU GET TO SPEAK FIRST OR A MEN, HOWEVER YOU WISH.
UM, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AT OUR LAST COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING, WE ORIGINALLY HAD THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES AND ALL THE OTHER IMPACT FEES PUT TOGETHER AS ONE MOTION.
UM, WE WENT TO SEPARATE THEM LAST WEEK.
SO NOW THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE NOW IS THE LINE ITEM 13.
UM, AND 12 IS THE ONE WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH FIRE LIBRARY REC AND ET CETERA.
IT'S OUR JOB TO GET THE AGREEMENTS DONE WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES.
SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
SOME OF THEM FOR, UM, SOME OF THEM ARE WAY OVERDUE.
UM, BUT WITH THAT SAID, WE CAN SAY THAT MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY.
UM, OUR STAFF'S BEEN WORKING THEIR BEHINDS OFF BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS QUICKLY, UM, FOR, FOR OUR REASONS WE'VE PUSHED HARD ON THIS TO MAKE PROGRESS.
THE BIGGEST REASON I'VE BUTTED HEADS WITH PEOPLE ON IMPACT FEES IS BECAUSE I DO THINK IT SHOULD BE AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD.
UM, I THINK IT SHOULD BE EQUAL ACROSS THE COUNTY BECAUSE WE'RE ALL BENEFITING FROM WHEN HILTON HEADS IS SUCCESSFUL.
YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH ON HILTON HEAD ENDED UP BEFORE TOURISM DECIDES TO GO SPEND A DAY IN BUFORD AND THEY BENEFIT AND SO ON WITH THE FOSKEY AND BLUFFTON, WE WORK TOGETHER.
UM, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SPREAD THAT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, THAT WAS ONE OF MY BIG ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
UM, WOULD THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE BEEN MAKING PROGRESS.
UM, I THINK IT'S HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY WERE ALL WILLING TO NEGOTIATE TO GET THESE ACCOMPLISHED.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
UM, THAT'S WHY TODAY I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE IT TO JUNE 13TH, UM, AT THAT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING, BECAUSE THAT'LL GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO FINISH OUR DISCUSSIONS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES, UM, AND SEE IF WE CAN COME TO AGREEMENTS, BUT JUST KNOW THAT WHEN IT DOES RETURN TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE 13TH, IT STILL DOES RETURN AS THE THIRD AND FINAL VOTE FOR THAT ITEM.
DUELING MOVED AND SECONDED TO MOVE THIS MATTER THAT IT BE POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 13TH, 2022 COUNCIL MEETING.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENT, MR. CUNNINGHAM? YOU WISH
IT IT'S BEEN POSTPONING THE ACTION.
SO YOU CAN MAKE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE ACTION.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DEBATE NOW.
WHAT ABOUT THE ACTUAL MOTION ITSELF? YOU CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO THAT AFTER THIS.
UM, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO SPEAK NOW.
I WANT TO MAKE ABOUT THIS GENERAL TOPIC 13 OF, YOU KNOW, WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND, UH, THE FIRST THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT,
[00:45:01]
TO SOME, SOMETHING FROM ONE OF THE TOWN MANAGERS IN, I DON'T KNOW, 30 DAYS, I DON'T REMEMBER THE, EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS, BUT IT WAS JUST, THERE WAS GROSSLY DISPROPORTIONATE.I MEAN, IF I EVER, IF I EVER SPOKE TO A TOWN MANAGER THE WAY FOR AT LEAST THREE OF OUR MAYORS, BOTH OUR ADMINISTRATOR, WHEN I CAME, WHEN I REGAINED MY COMPOSURE, I CERTAINLY APOLOGIZE.
UH, HAVING SAID THAT, UM, AS YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT, I SUPPORT STRONGLY SUPPORTING BACK PAGE BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS SAID EARLIER, IF WE DON'T COLLECT THE IMPACT PAGE, IT'S A SIMPLE MATTER.
IT GOES RIGHT BACK ON THE TAX PAYERS.
SO AS, AS THE CLOCK KEEPS RUNNING EVERY DAY GOES BY WEEK EVERY MONTH, THAT THERE'S THAT MANY THOUSANDS AND ULTIMATELY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE'RE NOT COLLECTING THAT ARE GOING TO GO ON THE BACK OF THE TAXPAYERS.
SO I'M A STRONG AT AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN ALWAYS GOING TO BE A STRONG ADVOCATE OF THE IMPACT.
THESE, I DO BELIEVE, UH, I SAW SOME, I SAW SOME MOVEMENT.
I THINK THE MUNICIPALITIES ON THESE IMPACT STAGE, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT, UH, THAT, THAT WHAT I THINK I SAW US IN A MOMENT WILL TURN INTO AN AGREEMENT.
UH, THE ALTERNATIVE IS IF THE MUNICIPALITIES WANT TO GO THEIR OWN WAY, THEY CAN ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIBRARIES.
THEY COULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARKS, RECREATION.
THEY COULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ROADS AND THEY CAN, UH, THEY CAN DO A STUDY AND MAKE THEIR OWN IMPACT STATION AND WORRY ABOUT THEMSELVES.
I DON'T PERSONALLY DON'T THINK THAT'S A VERY PRACTICAL WAY TO DO IT, BUT, UH, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER SOMEBODY'S GOT TO COLLECT IMPACT BASED OFFSET COST TO OUR TAXPAYERS BECAUSE OUR TAXPAYERS ARE BURDENED ENOUGH AS IT IS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL I WANTED TO SAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT I CAN PRETTY MUCH.
UH, YES, I WOULD, UH, STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT WE DO DO THE POSTPONEMENT.
I DO THINK THERE'S GOOD WORK GOING ON.
BUT WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT PEOPLE ATTACKING OUR ADMINISTRATOR, THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY TO DISAGREE, BUT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO BE DISAGREEABLE.
AND I THINK, UH, I THINK ERIC DOES A VERY WONDERFUL JOB FOR US.
AND I THINK THAT WAS UNCALLED FOR IF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THE REASON THAT I SECOND, BOTH OF THOSE MOTIONS IS THAT I HAVE FAITH THAT THE MUNICIPALITIES WILL WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO GET THESE IMPACT FEES IN PLACE.
IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, PARTICULARLY THE LIBRARY FEE GOES BACK TO THE PREVIOUS LIBRARY ADMINISTRATOR WHO WORKED WITH TWO OF THE LOCALITIES TO COME TO SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT.
AND THAT IS WHY I VOTED FOR THE POST.
I WILL VOTE FOR THE POSTPONEMENT BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THIS TIMEFRAME.
UM, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE, UM, THE POSTPONEMENT.
UM, I GUESS I REALLY HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, IS THAT, HOW IS THE NEGOTIATION OR HOW'S THE DISCUSSION IS NOT A NEGOTIATION, BUT HOW IS THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN, UH, COUNCIL AND THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE GOING AT THIS TIME, AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? UM, I MEAN, POSTPONING, IT MEANS THAT, UH, YOU, THERE'S A HOPE THAT CONVERSATION IS HAPPENING AND SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT.
SO LET ME, LET ME MAKE SURE THE RECORD'S CLEAR IF YOU ALL WILL LOOK AT THE TABLE THERE WHERE I'M SITTING THE NIGHT, YOU'LL SEE A STACK OF PAPER THAT IS EVERY EMAIL THAT I HAVE SENT SINCE 2018 TO VARIOUS PEOPLE ON THE IMPACT FEE STUDY.
MOST OF THOSE ARE TO THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH.
SO, UM, THE, THE DISCUSSION ON THURSDAY STARTED THE BALL ROLLING.
I THINK IF WE HAVE THE 60 DAY PERIOD, UH, WE CAN FINISH THIS OFF AND GET IT TO A POINT TO WHERE WE CAN BRING A PROPOSAL BACK TO YOU ALL, BUT I WANT YOU, I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR THAT, UM, I CAN'T DO THAT ON MY OWN.
I HAVE TO HAVE SOME COOPERATION.
I HAVE TO HAVE SOME COMMUNICATION BACK.
I AM, I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO SPOONFEED AND HAND PEOPLE THE SAME DOCUMENTS OVER AND OVER REPEATEDLY AND REPEATEDLY.
UH, SO, AND WHEN I GET COMMENTS, I HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO REVIEW THOSE COMMENTS AND DO IT APPROPRIATELY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THE IMPACT FEES ARE BEING HANDLED, UM, LEGALLY.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE IN THE WORKS NOW FOR THE CITY OF BUFORD, I'VE RECEIVED SOME COMMUNICATIONS WITH TOWN, HILTON, HEAD ISLAND, UM, YOU KNOW, JAMASZI HAS ALREADY SIGNED THE IGS,
[00:50:01]
SO THEY'RE GOOD TO GO.UH, SO YEAH, I THINK THE QUICK ANSWER, YOUR QUESTION IS IF WE HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL TIMEFRAME APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS, THEN I THINK WE CAN PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND BRING A PROPOSAL BACK TO YOU ALL THAT WILL BE SATISFACTORY.
AND IF WE CAN'T, THEN YOU ALL WILL KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN, AGAIN, DURING THIS PERIOD, AND YOU ALL WILL BE FREE TO MAKE WHATEVER DECISION YOU HAVE TO MAKE, UH, TO DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO WITH THE IMPACT OF ISSUE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, SIT ON GREEN.
UM, IS THERE ANY CONCERN, I GUESS IT'S A LEGAL QUESTION WITH HAVING THESE ON THE BOOKS FOR ANOTHER SEVEN WEEKS PLUS OR MINUS? NO, THERE, THERE IS, THERE IS NO CONCERN ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT.
NO, THAT'S NO GREATER THAN, THAN WHAT MAY EXIST ALREADY.
THE QUESTION WAS, IS THERE A CONCERN BECAUSE WE'RE DELAYING THIS SEVEN WEEKS, WILL IT HAVE ANY DRAMATIC IMPACT ON WHAT WE HAVE TO DO? AND THE ANSWER IS NO, I DON'T WANT, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ALL YOU ARE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW TO DEFER BECAUSE THE SEPARATE ITEM IS THE EXISTING IMPACT FEES, RIGHT? NOT THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE, CORRECT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THE MEETING WHERE, UH, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE, UH, UH, TRIAL MANAGERS MET WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES WE MET WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, HOWEVER, UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT RECALCULATING, THE, UH, IMPACT FEES, UH, THE IGA AGREEMENTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND SO MY, MY CONCERN IS IF THE, IF THE MUNICIPALITIES, UH, HAVE BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE OF THEIR DISAGREEMENT WITH THE IGS AND THE RECALCULATION OF SOME FEES THAT, THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, HAVE THEY, HAVE THEY, OR HAVE YOU REQUESTED THAT THEY SHARE AND THE CONSULTANT DOING THE RECALCULATION? YEAH, WE WE'VE, WE'VE MET WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES BACK IN DECEMBER AND WENT OVER THE RECALCULATION OF THE FEES WITH THEM.
UM, AND ALL THE TOWN MANAGERS SAID, UH, AND BASICALLY THE DETAILS OUT OF THAT MEETING WITH THE TOWN MANAGERS.
NOW I HAVE NOT MET WITH THE MAYORS BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE A VERY CLEAR, UH, FOR THE RECORD.
I HAVE THE COMMUNICATION FOR ME IS TO THE TOWN MANAGERS.
IT'S ON THE TOWN MANAGERS TO COMMUNICATE WHAT THEIR MAYOR'S NOT ON ME.
IT'S NOT ON ME TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT'S ON ME TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND I HAVE DONE THAT IF THEY HAVE FAILED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR FOLKS, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE MAYORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD NEED TO TAKE UP WITH THEIR FOLKS THAT THEY, THAT THEY HIRE TO RUN THEIR ORGANIZATION.
SO IN DECEMBER WE MET WITH THEM, WE GAVE THEM THE RECALCULATION OF THE TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE THAT INCLUDED ALL OF THEIR PROJECTS.
UM, AFTER WE HAD PAID THE CONSULTANT ADDITIONAL $25,000 TO RECALCULATE THOSE FEES, WE SAID THE PARKS AND REC AND LIBRARY FEES, THOSE PROJECTS CAN BE DONE WITH THE EXISTING FEE.
HOWEVER, THE TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE HAS, HAS JUMPED SUBSTANTIALLY.
AND THOSE MANAGERS AND JARED, YOU NOD YOUR HEAD.
NO, IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THIS, THOSE MANAGERS IN THAT ROOM AND ALSO FEEL, AND CHUCK, THEY WERE IN THE MEETING AS WELL.
UM, THOSE MANAGERS IN THAT ROOM SAID, OH, WE CAN'T CHARGE THAT TYPE OF MONEY FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO REWORK THE, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE.
AFTER WE HAD TAKEN TIME TO ADD THEIR PROJECTS TO THE LIST, AND NOW THE FEE RECALCULATE IT, THEY THEN SAID, OH, WELL, THAT'S TOO MANY PROJECTS.
SO WE GOT TO GO BACK AND REDO IT AGAIN.
SO WE BROKE IT UP IN THE NORTH OF THE BROAD AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD GROUPS WHERE JARED WOULD MEET WITH TOWN MANAGERS, NORTHERN ABROAD, MEET WITH TOWN MANAGERS, SOUTH OF THE BROAD TO FURTHER REFINE THE PROJECT LIST.
AND JARED JUST COMPLETED THAT RECENTLY AND SENT THAT OUT TO THE MANAGERS, UH, THURSDAY MORNING, JUST PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
AND THEN THEY CAME BACK AFTER HE SENT THE FEET, THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, OH, CAN WE SEE THE PROJECT LIST THAT THESE NUMBERS SUPPORT WE'D ALREADY PROVIDED THEM THE PROJECT LIST.
THEY WERE INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING THE PROJECT LIST, BUT THEY SENT HIM AN EMAIL A COUPLE OF HOURS AFTER HE SENT THEM THE NEW NUMBER SAYING, OH, WE NEED TO SEE THE PROJECT LIST THAT THESE NUMBERS RELATE TO.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THAT.
[00:55:02]
IF FOLKS AREN'T GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH THE DATA THEY'RE GIVEN.I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THAT SITUATION.
SO THAT, THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
I HOPE THAT BY US POSTPONING THIS UNTIL THE JUNE DATE THAT IS SET, UH, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THIS, UH, STALEMATE, THIS, UH, DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MAYOR'S AND, UH, UH, TOM MANAGERS, AND ACTUALLY, UH, GET THE, GET THEM ON BOARD TO, UH, UH, ESTABLISH THE, UH, THE, UH, YOUR BACK FEES.
THANK YOU, MS. SMITH, THEN SPEAKING, UH, MR. MCDONALD, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE FULL IMPACT, THESE WILL BE SEPARATE AND YOU SEPARATE THAT OUT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT IMPACT FEES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SCHOOL.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? UM, I'LL BRING I'LL I'LL SLIDE CLOSER TO IT.
SO, SO RIGHT NOW I VOTED AGAINST US EVEN THINKING ABOUT REPEALING THE IMPACT FEES, AND I REALIZED IT WAS A, A KNEE JERK REACTION.
UM, AND NOW WE ARE FOR A LACK OF A BETTER TERM, TRYING TO STRONG ARM, THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON HESITATED, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
UM, I THINK THAT WE ARE GOING DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE WHENEVER WE SIT HERE AND PUT TIMELINES ON THINGS THAT, THAT, AGAIN, THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
AND AGAIN, ERIC, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I THINK FOR US, EVEN TO CONSIDER AGAIN, TONIGHT WAS A THIRD READING.
SO WE MADE IT THIS FAR REPEALING THE IMPACT FEES.
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF BOOM THERE WOULD BE IN DEVELOPMENT? IF WE TOOK AWAY IMPACT FEES, YOU WOULD HAVE EVERY PERSON OUT THERE THAT WAS GOING TO BUILD A HOUSE, EVERY APARTMENT COMPLEX COME TO US AND WHETHER THEIR PLANS WERE DONE ENOUGH, THEY'D PUT THE PERMIT IN, UH, EVERY GROCERY STORE, UM, EVER NO MATTER WHAT IT WAS, WE WOULD SEE THE BIGGEST BOOM OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT WOULD REPEAL IT.
AND IT'D TAKE US THREE MEETINGS TO GET IT BACK.
UM, THAT WOULD COST THE COUNTY MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FACILITY WE'RE SITTING IN, BUT WITH, AND PAID FOR, WITH IMPACT FEES, THE LIBRARY AND BLUFFTON, SAME THING.
THE NEW LIBRARY IS GOING TO GO OUT TOWARDS SUN CITY OUT ON ONE 70 IMPACT FEES, THE NEW FIRE STATION, THAT'S OVER RETINUE, RIVERSIDE BURTON WELLS.
AND I CAN JUST KEEP GOING ON AND ON AND ON THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SO FOR US TO GET TO THIS POINT, I MEAN, I THINK THAT, THAT WE ARE ADULTS ENOUGH THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS WORK AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE ALL DOING THIS AND UP HERE, BUT AGAIN, UM, I JUST THINK IT WAS THE WRONG WAY TO GO ABOUT DOING IT.
UM, AND AGAIN, OUR CITIZENS ACTUALLY THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO REPEAL THE IMPACT FEES, AND I THINK THAT'S THE FURTHEST THING ACTUALLY FROM THE TRUTH.
UM, SO I'M STILL GONNA VOTE AGAINST IT, UM, E AGAIN, CAUSE I DID NOT WANT FOR US TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY TYPE OF, OF REPEAL.
UH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A, UH, A DELAY THAT'S GOING FORWARD AT A, AT A PRINCIPLE I'M JUST GOING TO VOTE AGAINST, UM, AGAINST, UH, UH, BOTH ITEMS TONIGHT, MR. FALWELL, AND YOUR COMMENT, I NEED TO HAVE ONE CHAIRMAN, BUT, UM, UH, I'LL SAY THAT I'M FOR POSTPONING.
THIS I'M NOT NECESSARILY IN FAVOR OF, UM, REMOVING BACK THESE SEPARATE MANNER.
NOW ADDRESS THAT WHEN WE CONSIDER ITEM NUMBER 13, BUT I THINK IT IS WHOLLY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO DELAY THIS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, ALLOW THE MUNICIPALITIES TO CATCH UP AND FOR US TO ASSESS THE NEEDS OF BUFORD COUNTY AND THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE IN PROTECTING THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE.
SO, SO PLEASE VOTE FOR, UM, THE, THE MOVE TO, UH, TO DELAY THIS.
WE HAD THE MEETING THE OTHER DAY, WE LEARNED SOME THINGS THAT WE REALLY WERE LACKING IN COMMUNICATION ABOUT, ABOUT THE, THE APPROPRIATENESS OF AN IMPACT FEE IS A COUNTY RESPONSIBILITY.
THE REASON YOU HAVE AN IGA IS WE CANNOT COLLECT IMPACT FEES IN A MUNICIPALITY WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT.
SO THE IGA IS THE MECHANISM WHEREBY WE WILL COLLECT IMPACT FEES.
THE REASON WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE IGA HAS, IS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE SHOULD BE IN AN IGA.
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THAT.THEY'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS A CIP LIST, A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LIST FOR THE COLLECTION OF THOSE FEES THAT WILL GO TO ITEMS ON THAT LIST.
THEY FEEL THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
AND SO I BELIEVE BY POSTPONING, THE ACTION THAT WE MUST TAKE AT THIRD READING WILL ALLOW US TO HOPEFULLY CLEAR UP THE IGA HAS SET A MEETING WHEREBY THE TOWN MANAGERS AND THE MAYORS WILL MEET WITH MYSELF AND MR. GREENWAY, WE WILL HEAR THEIR PRIORITIES FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE CAN BRING BACK TO COUNTY COUNCIL TO ADOPT AS PART OF THE IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE.
SO GIVING A TIMELINE AND DEADLINE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, I THINK IS PRUDENT AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE READY TO VOTE AND MAKE ONE FINAL COMMENT.
I PROMISE, UM, TWO WEEKS AGO, MARK ACTUALLY BROUGHT THAT SAME IDEA TO MIND AND OUR MEETING ABOUT A BIG BOOM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT AND WE TALKED TO JARED ABOUT AFTERWARDS WAS THE TIMEFRAME THAT IT ACTUALLY TAKES FOR THAT TO BECOME ACCOMPLISHED FOR AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, TO COME IN AND GET APPROVED.
IT'S GOT TO GO THROUGH PLANNING AND MULTIPLE STAGES BEFORE GETTING THEM IMPLIED FOR PERMIT, SAME THING WITH THE GROCERY STORES.
SO WE'RE TALKING SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.
UM, WITH THAT ALSO BEING SAID, LET'S SAY THIS LORD WILLING, DOESN'T GET DRUG OUT THAT LONG.
UM, I GUARANTEE YOU A MUNICIPALITY WOULD PULL TOGETHER AN IMPACT FEE REAL QUICK BEFORE THAT GETS APPROVED.
UM, I KNOW ON OUR END WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD TAKE CARE OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, CAUSE IT'D BE A HUGE DISSERVICE TO THE COUNTY, BUT WE DO HAVE TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
WE NEED TO GET THIS EQUIVALENT ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, IT IS A STRONG STANCE TO TAKE.
UM, BUT SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES.
THAT WOULD BE WHEN I WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, WE GOT TO GET SOME OF THESE THINGS ACCOMPLISHED.
MR. CUNNINGHAM ON THE AMENDMENT.
ONE, NO, THE MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL JUNE 13TH, 2022 FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THIRD READING HAS PASSED MOVING ON TO THE
[13. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO REPEAL CHAPTER 82, ARTICLE VIII OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, TO TERMINATE THE COLLECTION OF SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES, TO REFUND THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES ALREADY PAID, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO]
NEXT ITEM.NUMBER 13 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO REPEAL CHAPTER 82, ARTICLE EIGHT OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE OF BUFORD COUNTY TO DETERMINATE THE COLLECTION OF SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT, IMPACT FEES AND TO REFUND THE IMPACT FEES ALREADY PAID AND OTHER MATTERS THERE TOO.
MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION? SO MOVED MR. CHAIRMAN.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION, MR.
LET ME GO TO THE AUDIENCE FIRST.
IS THERE ANY PERSON IN THE AUDIENCE WISHES TO ADDRESS US ON THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE? SEEING NONE? WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COME FORWARD, SIR.
ACTUALLY, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT NUMBER 13, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YOU CAN ASK A QUESTION, MAKE SURE IT'S ON GREEN, PLEASE.
IF THE MUNICIPALITIES SIGN ON, WELL, THE IMPACT FEES TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY GO DOWN WELL AT ALL, WE TALK ABOUT LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
WILL IT W WILL THAT BE PART OF IT? WELL, ONCE WE CALCULATE ALL OF THE IMPACT FEES AGAIN, YES, IT WILL DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE FOR THE VARIOUS IMPACT THAT THEY ARE HAVING.
SO EACH FIRE DISTRICT WILL HAVE AN
[01:05:01]
IMPACT FEE.EACH, UM, ROAD IMPACT FEE LIBRARY IN FACT FEE WILL BE, WILL DEPEND UPON THE MUNICIPALITY AND THE PROJECTS WITHIN THAT MUNICIPALITY.
THAT'S HOW THEY ARE CALCULATED.
IT WOULD JUST, WON'T BE AS BROAD AS THE, BE MORE SPECIFIC AS TO WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON THE NP.
ANYTHING INCORRECTLY, MR. GREENWAY? NO SIR.
I MEAN THE, THE IMPACT FEES, GOOD THING.
KEEP IN MIND FOR THOSE IN THE ROOM.
AND THOSE WATCHING ON TV IMPACT FEES ARE ABOUT PROPORTIONAL SHARE.
EVERYBODY MUST PAY A PROPORTIONAL SHARE FOR THE IMPACT THAT THEY'RE HAVING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COUNTY.
SO IF MUNICIPALITIES DO NOT SIGN ON TO THE COLLECTION OF THOSE IMPACT FEES, THEN THAT CREATES A, THAT THROWS THE PROPORTIONAL SHARE PART OUT OF BALANCE FOR IMPACT FEES.
AND IT MAKES THE NEED FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL AVALARA TAXES OR ADDITIONAL REFERENDUMS AND BONDS TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY COUNTED FOR, FOR THE IMPACT FEET, UH, NECESSARY MORE QUICKLY.
SO PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING THE IMPACT FEES MAY ALSO BE HIT WITH A SIGNIFICANT HIGHER BILL BECAUSE THEY PAID THE IMPACT FEE AND MUNICIPALITIES DID NOT PAY THE IMPACT FEE, BUT THEN BONDING AND AVALARA TAXES HAVE TO GO UP ON THOSE FOLKS TO PAY THE IMPACT FEE AS WELL, TO COVER THE LACK OF, UH, A LACK OF TOWNS, UH, PAY IN THE IMPACT.
SO IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THE MUNICIPALITIES GET ON BOARD WITH THIS, THE MORE CAN LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
THE MORE THAT WE HAVE TO SPREAD THAT PORTIONAL SHARE OUT OVER A WIDER AREA, THE BETTER IT IS FOR EVERYONE.
UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU MADE THE MOTION, THEREFORE YOU GET TO SPEAK FIRST.
UH, I'LL BE BRIEF NOT TO REPEAT MYSELF TO HIM TOO MUCH, BUT, UH, THE SCHOOL IMPACT, HE CAME TO US THIS SUMMER.
UM, I VOTED AGAINST IT ALL THREE READINGS, UM, FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.
I DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN.
I DO THINK $9,500 TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD JUST DEFEATED EVERY SINGLE PURPOSE THAT WE HAD FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, THE BIGGEST DISCUSSION I'VE HEARD FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES IS WE'LL AGREE TO IT, BUT WE WANT LOWER IMPACT FEES BASED ON THE VALUE OF THE HOME.
AND THE DIFFERENCE HAS TO BE PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY.
THAT CAN GO BY MILLIONS VERY, VERY QUICKLY, WHICH STILL COMES BACK TO THE TAX BASE.
THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IT.
SO IT'S COMPLETELY REPETITIVE.
UM, THIS ONE WE HAD TO SEPARATE, UM, CAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FEELINGS ON THE COUNCIL ON THIS.
I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT TIGHTER VOTE.
UM, WITH THAT ALSO BEING SAID, THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION OF MOVEMENT.
UM, THE BIGGEST BOOM IS RIGHT HERE.
AND MY DISTRICT IN BLUFFTON, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON DOES NOT SEEM EAGER TO SIGN THIS FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.
WE HAVE REASONS WHY WE'RE PUSHING FOR THINGS.
THEY HAVE REASONS WHY THEY DECIDED NOT TO, UM, COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE ON BOTH SIDES TO HAVE THOSE OPINIONS LIKE THERE'S, THERE'S NO ILL WILL.
UM, WE JUST COULDN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON THIS ONE.
UM, AND FOR THAT, I AM GOING TO SUPPORT FOR THE REMOVAL OF IT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR.
I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT AS WELL, SO I WON'T TALK ABOUT IT.
THE RIGHTNESS OF COLLECTING A SCHOOL IMPACT THE I'LL TALK ABOUT THE TIMING OF IT.
AND I JUST THINK THAT IT IS UNFAIR PLACES, BUFORD COUNTY AND OUR CITIZENS PREDOMINANTLY MY CONSTITUENTS, THE UNINCORPORATED AREA NORTH OF THE BROAD RIVER.
UM, PRIMARILY NOT EXCLUSIVELY, BUT PRIMARILY IT PLACES THEM IN A SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGE TO THEM, VERY NEIGHBORS, PEOPLE RIGHT ACROSS THE CREEK FROM THEM WHO ARE IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, WHO DON'T HAVE TO PAY IT.
AND UNTIL WE GET TO A POINT WHERE THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND ALL THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAD SIGNED ON TO THE SCHOOL IMPACT THE EAST, IT REALLY IS JUST UNFAIR.
AND WE NEED TO DO RIGHT BY OUR CITIZENS AND REPEAL THIS.
WHEN THE MATTER COMES AGAIN BEFORE COUNTY COUNCIL TO WHEN THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT SIGNED THE IGA AND AGREED TO START COLLECTING SCHOOL AND BACK FEES, THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT ANY PHILOSOPHICAL OPPOSITION.
I MAY HAVE TO COLLECTIONS, BUT THAT'S NOT TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. SUMMERVILLE.
UM, I, UH, I SUPPORT THE, UH, I DO NOT SUPPORT ELIMINATING THE SCHOOL.
IN FACT, BE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR SCHOOL IN
[01:10:01]
BACK FEES.I'M GLAD THAT EARLIER IN THIS MEETING, WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS IN THE FIRE DISTRICTS TALKING ABOUT HOW CRITICAL, NOT JUST IMPORTANT, BUT CRITICAL THE IMPACT HE IS TO THEM.
UH, YOU'VE HEARD ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I THINK, UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM OR SOMEBODY MENTIONED, ALL OF THE THINGS HAVE BEEN BUILT BY IMPACT BASED.
UH, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE, A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS JUST WHAT PASSED A $350 MILLION BOND REFERENDUM YEAR OR SO AGO.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LONG BEFORE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT AND DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN, IMPACT FEES ARE NOT DESIGNED TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE SCHOOLS HERE THEY'RE DESIGNED TO PAY FOR THE IMPACT THAT THE NEW DEVELOPMENT HAS ON THE SCHOOL.
SO IT'S IT'S, UH, BUT IT'S STILL A CRITICAL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UM, UM, I'M ABSOLUTELY GONNA SUPPORT KEEPING THE IMPACT THAT WE'VE STRUGGLED FOR YEARS, TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME WAY TO GENERATION CAPITAL MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS BEFORE THEY WERE LEGAL.
WE CAME UP WITH A CAPITAL, A CAPITAL SEED AND WE COULD, WE COULD FOLD INTO DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
AND THEN OF COURSE THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT VERY WELL, BUT WE NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET, UH, GET SOME MONEY FOR THESE IMPACT FEES.
AND I STRONGLY STRONGLY SUPPORT IT.
I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS LISTENING.
THEY, THEY I'VE SPOKEN TODAY WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THEY, UH, THEY EXPLAINED THEY NEED THIS MONEY FOR THE, FOR THE SCHOOLS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD IT.
OF COURSE, IT'S MOSTLY IN BOSTON OR THE MUSTARD AREA.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH MR. FLU, ELLIE AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT SAYS IT'S NOT FAIR THAT WE CHARGE IT IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, NOT IN THE INCORPORATED AREAS.
I THINK LONG-TERM THAT, THAT CAN'T WORK, BUT I I'VE HEARD SOME THINGS FROM THE MAYOR OF BLUFFTON.
AND THEN THE LAST FEW MONTHS THAT SOUNDED LIKE THAT THEY'RE MAYBE GOING TO ASSIGN IT.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY CONSTANTLY EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT IS, IS, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WELL, WE W WE PASSED THE ORDINANCE.
WE HAVE COMMITTED OURSELVES AS A COUNTY TO PAY 100% OF THE IMPACT FEES FOR ALL, ALL OF HOUSES THAT ARE 60% OF AMI.
AND THEN OF COURSE IT REDUCES THAT TO THAT, BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY THAT COULD BE.
WE'VE COMMITTED OURSELVES TO AN UNKNOWN LIABILITY, WHICH COULD BE HUGE, BUT I DON'T EVER HEAR US GETTING CREDIT FOR THAT.
ALL I HEAR ABOUT IS, WELL, WHAT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WHAT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WELL, WE'VE ALREADY PASSED AN ORDINANCE TO DEAL WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE'VE PUT THE COUNTY TAXPAYERS ON THE HOOK FOR WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH MONEY IT COULD BE A REALLY, REALLY BIG NUMBER.
SO I, I'M GOING TO SAY AT THIS POINT, I THINK REFERENCED TO THE, TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS, IS KIND OF A RED HERRING.
UM, AND I'M HOPING THAT, UH, THAT I HEARD THE MAYOR CORRECTLY, UH, IN THE THINGS THAT SHE SAID THAT THEY'RE ALREADY ASSIGNED THE IMPACT FEE.
I KNOW THAT AT ONE POINT THEY WANTED TO MOVE THE GOAL POSTS A LITTLE BIT FROM 60 TO 80% OF AMI.
AND I THINK WE'VE CORRESPONDED WITH THEM OR ADMINISTRATOR OR, OR COUNTY OUR CHAIRMAN CORRESPONDED WITH THEM AND SAID, LOOK, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO 80, YOU CAN PICK UP THE DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR 60 AND THEN A PROPORTION AFTER THAT.
SO THAT'S JUST, THOSE ARE JUST MATHEMATICAL ISSUES, BUT I I'M, I REMAIN OPTIMISTIC THAT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS GOING TO LEAD THE WAY TO SIGN THE, UH, THE, UH, IGA OR SOME VERSION OF IT, SOME MODIFIED VERSION OF IT.
THAT'LL BRING YOU OVER THE HEAD ONCE LAND AND HARDY BUILDING AS WELL.
THANK YOU, MR. HARVEY, SEAN, ANY COMMENTS MR. GLOVER? YEAH.
SO I'M GOING BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION AGAIN, UM, THE IMPACT FEE THAT WE, UH, ABOUT TO REPEAL, UM, DEALS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SOUTH OF THE BROAD, RIGHT? YES, YES, SIR.
AND THAT IMPACT FEE IS THE NEW AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED FOR THAT FEE, WHICH IS WHAT ABOUT $9,000.
SO $9,500 FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AND $4,500 PER MULTIFAMILY UNIT.
AND, UM, THE OLD IMPACT FEE WAS WHAT FIGURE, UH, FOR SCHOOLS ZERO, THERE WAS NO SCHOOL IMPACT FEE UNTIL, UH, LAST FALL.
FOR SCHOOLS, UM, COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT, UM, HOW IS THAT COMING OR IS IT COMING? I SENT AN, I GOT A LOW, I GOT SOME PUSHBACK FROM MUNICIPALITIES, BUT, UH, WHENEVER YOU ALL VOTED TO DO FIRST READING REPEALED, THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE AND ALL THE OTHER IMPACT FEES, I SENT AN EMAIL TO ALL THE TOWN MANAGERS AND TO DR.
RODRIGUEZ AND TO THE FIRE CHIEF AND CHIEF
[01:15:01]
THOMPSON CAN BACK ME UP ON THIS SAYING, HEY, THIS IS WHAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS DONE.IF YOU ALL WANT TO PRESERVE YOUR IMPACT FEES, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST YOU START DOING WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
UH, WITH REGARDS TO COMMUNICATIONS, TO TRY TO PRESERVE YOUR RIGHT, TO KEEP THESE IMPACT FEES IN PLACE.
WE ARE HERE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE REPEAL OF THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE AND NO ONE FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, EITHER THE BOARD OR OTHERWISE IS HERE TO ASK YOU ALL TO KEEP THE FEE INTACT.
I SAW A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND PLANET FITNESS ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO COMING OUT.
AND I MENTIONED TO HIM WHERE THEY HAD BEEN ON THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
AND HE HAD INDICATED TO ME THAT AS FINANCE CHAIR, HE WOULD BE HERE.
UH, THE NEXT TIME, THIS YEAR SHE WAS TAKEN UP.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THEM.
I'VE TRIED TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE MORE CONCERNED THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE MUNICIPALITIES SEEM TO BE MORE CONCERNED THAT I DIDN'T CALL THEM TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE, UH, A LAWSUIT REGARDING THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE HAD BEEN FILED AGAINST US, THAT THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH SO OVER FIGHTING FOR THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
SO THANK YOU, MS. HOWARD, I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THAT LAWSUIT.
IF WHAT, WHAT JEOPARDY IS THE COUNTY IN, IF AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IF WE CONTINUE TO COLLECT THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES AND THE UNINCORPORATED AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON DOES NOT? WELL, I MEAN, I THINK SO.
I DON'T KNOW THE NATURE OF THAT LAWSUIT, AND I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT THIS IN OPEN SESSION.
UM, BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT AGAIN, IMPACT FEES ARE BASED AND PREDICATED ON PROPORTIONAL SHARE.
AND THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY SERVICE AREA FOR SCHOOLS WERE INCLUDED IN THAT IMPACT FEE STUDY.
THE CREDIT WAS GIVEN FOR THE REFERENDUM THAT WAS APPROVED.
SO WITH ALL OF THAT BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, AND THOSE RESIDENTS BEING INCLUDED IN THE CALCULATION FOR PROPORTIONAL SHARE, AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT PAYING THAT, THEN I THINK THAT, UM, SOMEONE COULD ARGUE THAT THE PROPORTIONAL SHARE TEST MAY NOT BE BEING MET.
AND HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN COLLECTING THEM? COULD YOU, I THINK, I THINK IT'S US THE FALL OF 21 FALL OF 21, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO COMMENT THAT IT'S MID, MID SUMMER OF 21.
SO I'M ALMOST A YEAR WE'RE COMING UP ON A YEAR.
I I'M, I KNOW IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT FAIR TO COUNCILMAN FOILING IN COUNCILMAN SUMMERVILLE'S POINT THAT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS NOT COLLECTING THEM, BUT I FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO BOAT NOT TO COLLECT SCHOOL IMPACT FEES.
YEAH, A COUPLE OF THINGS, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I VIEW THE SCHOOLS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE HAVE IMPACT FEES FOR.
CAUSE MOST OF THOSE ARE KIND OF COUNTY RELATED.
UM, AND, UM, I WAS TALKING TO THE SCHOOL FOLKS ON A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
THEY BROUGHT IT UP, UH, I SAID THE SAME KIND OF THING, AS YOU WERE SAYING, THEY DIDN'T PARTICIPATE.
THEY VIEWED THAT THAT WAS DEAD FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE ANYWAY.
UM, AND, AND CLEARLY I THINK YOU'VE MADE THE CASE THAT THEY HAVEN'T STEPPED FORWARD TO HELP US AND BEAR THE COSTS OR TO ARGUE WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES ON WHAT OUGHT TO HAPPEN.
NOW I VIEW THE, A SCHOOLS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ALSO IN THE SENSE THAT IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIBRARIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, UM, IT'S NOT A LOT OF OTHER WAYS TO DO IT'S EITHER IMPACT FEES OR AD VALOREM TAXES.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A ANOTHER MECHANISM, WHICH IS REALLY THE PREFERRED WAY TO DO IT.
AND THAT IS WHEN YOU WANT TO BUILD FIVE NEW SCHOOLS, YOU GO TO THE VOTERS AND YOU SAY, HERE ARE THE FIVE SCHOOLS WE WANT TO BUILD.
HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
HERE'S WHAT THE ATTENDANCE ZONES ARE.
AND THEY HAVE TO SELL THE PUBLIC ON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, COLLECTING A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
DOESN'T GO AN AWFUL FAR TO BUILD VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS.
SO WHAT YOU END UP WITH IS YOU ENDED UP DOING BOTH.
YOU'VE GOT A PORTION OF THE PEOPLE PAYING THE 9,500 AND FRANKLY, I THINK IT'S DOUBLE TAXATION BECAUSE THEN WHEN THEY NEED TO BUILD THE SCHOOLS, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO IT.
THEN THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AND GET A REFERENDUM PASSED.
AND SO THE PEOPLE WHO PAID, BROUGHT, YOU KNOW, BUILD A NEW HOME, PAID THE
[01:20:01]
FEE THEY GET, THEY GET DOUBLE TAXED.NOW RELATIVE TO THE CALCULATION, MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MONEY THAT WAS CALCULATED FOR THE IMPACT FEES WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD WERE COMING IN.
IF THEY DON'T COME IN AND WE STILL COLLECTED THE FEE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO RAISE IT EVEN MORE.
UM, NOW MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE, THE BLUFFTON PORTION OF IT WAS THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR VARIOUS CONDITIONS AND EXCEPTIONS.
UH, AND I THINK PAUL TOUCHED ON PART OF THAT, BUT, UH, WHEREAS MAYBE YOU START WAIVING THAT FOR CERTAIN GROUPS.
I THINK THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT WE DID NOT TOO LONG AGO IS WE SAID, LOOK, IF WE'RE GONNA WAIVE FEES, WE ACTUALLY CAN'T WAIVE THEM.
THE MOST WE CAN DO IS REPLACE THEM.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY RAISE MONEY FROM TAXPAYERS AND THEN PUT THAT MONEY IN WHEN WE, WE WAVE A WAVE OF FEE.
UM, SO FOR US TO BE DOING THAT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO THE TUNE OF THE 9,500, UH, SEEMS TO IS WAY OVER REACHING.
UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE'VE, WE'RE TRYING THE BEST WE CAN TO MAKE THINGS AFFORDABLE.
AND ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT WE'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE TEACHERS AND THIS FLIES ABSOLUTELY DIRECTLY IN THE FACE OF, OF THAT WHOLE THING.
WE WERE SAYING WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE RECRUITING TEACHERS BECAUSE OF COSTS OR BY THE WAY, WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE COST OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA PAY, UH, WHEN YOU GET HERE.
UH, SO I THINK THIS IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN ALL OF THE OTHER FEES.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, WE'RE WE NEED TO RETIRE THIS.
AND I WAS ALSO A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT I THINK IF I READ THE PAPER CORRECTLY, THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT CRITICAL OF US IN THE NEWSPAPER TOO.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE THE ONES ATTACKING YOU OR JUST HACKING US AS A BODY.
BUT IF I READ IT CORRECTLY, THEY ALSO CRITICIZED US ANYWAY.
AND I WILL, UH, SUGGEST THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO CONTINUE THIS PARTICULAR ONE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. MCCLELLAN, I'M READY TO VOTE.
SO LET ME, IF I MAY CHAIRMAN, UH, BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR COMMENT, MAKE SURE EVERYONE FOR THE RECORD IS CLEAR ON WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THIS PASSES TONIGHT, WE WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REFUNDING TO EVERYONE THAT PAID AN IMPACT FEE, THEIR IMPACT FEES BASED ON A FIRST IN FIRST OUT, UM, LINE OF ORDER.
SO THOSE THAT PAID AT FIRST WILL GET THEIR MONEY.
FIRST, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I MADE A STATEMENT AT LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT THE MONEY WOULD GO TO THE PERSON THAT PAID THE IMPACT FEE THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE STATUTE.
SO I NEED TO CORRECT THAT THE MONEY WILL GO TO THE PROPERTY OWNER AND IT'LL BE UP TO ANYONE THAT DISPUTES THAT TO DEAL WITH THAT ON A PRIVATE, CIVIL MATTER, NOT WITH THE COUNTY.
SO FIRST IN, FIRST OUT ON THE REFUNDS, THE MONEY WILL BE REFUNDED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER OF RECORD.
AND THAT'S THE WAY WE WILL DO THIS.
IF YOU ALL ARE SUCCESSFUL IN REPEALING THIS TONIGHT.
I HAVE TWO MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. DAWSON.
THANK YOU, MS. GERALD, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FUTURE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY, UH, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS LESS THAN 50% BUILT OUT.
AND SO MOST OF THAT GROWTH IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE, UH, SOUTH ABROAD IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, UH, THE IMPACT IS GOING TO REQUIRE THEM TO BUILD ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS AND WHAT THEM NOT PAYING, UH, ALL COLLECTING IMPACT FEES.
THEN, UH, THE, THE REST OF THE FOLKS IN THE UNINCORPORATED UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE COUNTY, THEN WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO PICK UP THAT, THAT, THAT BURDEN.
AND SO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THE MOTION TO REPEAL THE SCHOOL, THE IMPACT FEES UNTIL THE MUNICIPALITIES COME ON BOARD AND ACTUALLY INSTITUTE COLLECTION OF IMPACT FEES.
UM, AND THE REASON WE'RE HERE RIGHT NOW IS IN 2017, I THINK THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW THAT ALLOWED US TO START COLLECTING SCHOOL IMPACT FEES BEFORE THAT IT WAS ALL THE OTHER IMPACT FEES THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER IN THE LAST ORDINANCE.
SO, UM, WHENEVER I CAME ON COUNCIL, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY STARTED BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL AND I,
[01:25:01]
AND I DID SUPPORT IT.AND THE REASON I SUPPORT IT WAS BECAUSE WE ALL THAT BLUFFTON HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND WE CONTINUE TO NEED TO BUILD SCHOOLS.
WE'RE AT 70, 80 AND 90% CAPACITY HERE IN BLUFFTON, WHENEVER HILTON HEAD IS AT 60 AND THE NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY IS AT 50% IN SOME OF THEIR SCHOOLS.
SO IT WAS A NEED THAT I THOUGHT THAT, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, UM, AND LOOKED TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, TO TRY TO, UM, UH, GRAZE MORE MONEY FOR, FOR WHAT'S NEEDED HERE.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, UH, IN THE LAST READING THAT I CHANGED MY MIND AND HAVE DECIDED TO VOTE AGAINST THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE AND DO THE FACT THAT THOSE AREAS I MENTIONED, NORTH OF ABROAD, WEREN'T GONNA HAVE TO PAY IT.
HILTON HAD DOESN'T NEED IT AS WELL.
THEIR SCHOOL WAS NOT AT A CAPACITY THAT THEY NEED IT.
SO IT WAS GOING TO BE ONLY THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS NORTH OF ABROAD.
UM, AND THEN IT BLOCKED AND CAME ON.
BLUFFTON WILL BE PAYING IT, WHICH, UM, AS MR. MCDONALD, YOU'VE NOW STATED, UM, IT IS COMPLETELY UNFAIR THAT WE LOOK AT A $9,500 CHARGE FOR EVERY HOME, $4,500 FOR EVERY, UM, UH, A MULTIUNIT DEVELOPMENT TO, TO HAVE TO PAY THOSE IMPACT FEES.
WHENEVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY DOES NOT PAY HILTON HEAD WAS NOT GOING TO PAY.
SO AGAIN, UM, AT THIS POINT, UM, YES, I HAVE CHANGED MY MIND ON THIS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S DUE THE FACT THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS IN THE FUTURE, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO US BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AND NOT BY OUR, UM, INITIATIVE, WHICH IS WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE.
WE'RE DOING IT TRYING TO HELP THE SCHOOL BOARD OUT, WHICH THEY'VE GOT THEIR OWN COUNCIL, THEIR OWN SCHOOL BOARD AND THEIR OWN FUNDING AND ALL THOSE THINGS THERE.
SO IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS IN THE FUTURE, I AM ALL EARS, UH, WOULD NEED THEIR SUPPORT AND THEN TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY PITCH THIS AND SELL THIS TO THE
BUT AGAIN, AT THIS POINT, WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, UM, AND AGAIN, SEEING WHAT IT HAS DONE TO THE, THE STORIES THAT I'VE HEARD IN BLUFFTON, THAT I WILL VOTE AGAINST THE, UH, SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU MADE THE MOTION, YOU GET TO VOTE FIRST PULLING BEFORE WE VOTE.
UM, THIS ONE TO MAKE SURE, UH, I AM CLEAR, UM, LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHTS, BUT, UM, IT'LL COME BACK TO ME IN A FEW MINUTES, UM, BEFORE THE IMPACT FEE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THERE WAS NO IMPACT FEE AT ALL.
THE ONLY ACCESS THEY HAD TO FUNDING WAS IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY THAT WE COLLECTED AND IMPACT FEES, RIGHT? FOR ROADS IMPROVEMENT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
IF THEY PUT A FACILITY IN, UH, IN THAT AREA, THE ONLY WAY THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY WOULD HAVE BENEFITED A SCHOOL IN THAT WAY WOULD BE THAT IF WE HAD A ROAD THAT NEEDED TO BE IMPROVED ALREADY ON OUR PROJECT LIST, AND THEY BUILT A SCHOOL WHERE THAT ROAD IS LOCATED, SO RARELY DID THAT HAPPEN.
SO, YEAH, SO YOU COULDN'T UP UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU COULD NOT HAVE A SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
I WAS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR IN YORK COUNTY, AND WE ADOPTED A SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
AND BECAUSE WE ADOPTED A SCHOOL IMPACT FEE, UH, THE STATE LEGISLATURE SHORTLY THEREAFTER, MOVED TO, UM, MAKE THE ADOPTION OF NEW SCHOOL IMPACT FEES, ILLEGAL FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT CHANGED.
UM, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE HIRED A COO.
WE WORKED WITH THE CO, WE WORKED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HIRE CONSULTANT, WHO IS A PREMIER CONSULTANT, TISH WE'RE BIASED.
THEY DO THESE THINGS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THEY DID THE SCHOOL IMPACT THE STUDY, AND THEY DID OUR STUDIES TO UPDATE OUR FEE ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE, ELEMENTS, ROADS, PARKS, AND REC LIBRARIES, UM, FIRE.
AND THEN WE ASKED THEM TO DO TWO ADDITIONAL STUDIES FOR NEW IMPACT FEEDS FOR EMS AND SOLID WASTE.
AND SO TODAY WE, UH, ADVOCATING IMPACT FEES FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEY'RE NOT AT THE TABLE.
SO, SO LET ME, LET ME ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON, ON HOW THAT MIGHT'VE HAPPENED.
WE WERE AT THE TIME THAT I RECOMMENDED THAT YOU ALL GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE, WE'RE FACING A COUPLER ANNEXATIONS BY THE TOWN OF HARTVILLE.
SO THE STATE STATUTE SAYS THAT IF YOU HAVE AN IMPACT FEE ON PLACE AND A TOWN ANNEX IS A PROPERTY WITH THOSE IMPACT THESE IN PLACE, THEN THEY EITHER HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE FEES ARE CORRECT COLLECTED, OR THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
SO I RECOMMENDED TO YOU ALL THAT, WE GO AHEAD AND ADOPT A SCHOOL IMPACT FEE TO GET THAT IN PLACE.
SO THAT IF THAT, IF THOSE ANNEXATIONS DID INDEED
[01:30:01]
OCCUR, THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE SCHOOL IMPACT VM PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PRESERVED OUR RIGHT TO COLLECT THOSE IMPACT FEES IN THOSE TOWNS THAT RAN X, WHAT DO WE ADD IGS OR NOT? SO THE IGA IS DIDN'T HAPPEN.THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF REASONS WHY TO COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM'S POINT.
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR REASONS FOR NOT DOING IT.
THERE ARE LEGITIMATE REASONS TO NOT DO IT BY ALL THOSE JURISDICTIONS, BUT THE TIME HAS COME NOW FOR US TO, AS A COUNTY TO STOP COLLECTING IT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD HERE, PUSH THEM FOR IT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT HERE PUSHING THEM APART.
AND THAT'S FINE IF THEY MADE THAT DECISION NOT TO DO THAT, THAT'S FINE, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT.
MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU VOTE FIRST.
THIS IS TO ELIMINATE THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE.
MR. GLOVER, BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD.
[14. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOCATE 2018 ONE CENT SALES TAX ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE SIDEWALKS AND MULTI-USE PATHWAYS PROGRAM ($15,449,734.75).]
AT THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOCATE 2018 1 CENT SALES TAX, ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE SIDEWALK AND MULTI-USE WAGE PROGRAMS IN THE AMOUNT OF 15 MILLION, $449,734 AND 75 CENTS.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I LIKE TO SECOND, THE MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR.
THIS, THIS INCLUDE THE MATTER I DISCUSSED WITH YOU EARLIER TODAY WITH REGARD TO THE WET PATHWAY ON BURNT CHURCH ROAD.
UM, WE HAVE PATHWAY ON BURN SURFACE.
WE HAVE PATH PATHWAY BURNT CHURCH ROAD.
UM, AND THIS WOULD, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN ON THAT PROJECT.
UM, BUT THE, THAT WILL BE PART OF A ROAD, PROJECT WIDENING PROJECT.
SO THIS WOULD NOT INCLUDE, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT AS THAT'LL BE PART OF THE ROAD PROJECT.
AND WHAT WHAT'S THE, UM, ALL RIGHT.
I CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT LATER.
SO THIS WOULD NOT INCLUDE A, UH, INSTALLATION OF A PATHWAY ON BURNT CHURCH, BUT THAT PATHWAY IS BEING CONSIDERED WITH REGARD TO ANOTHER PROJECT THAT'S PENDING OR ALREADY APPROVED.
IT'S ALREADY APPROVED FOR DESIGN, BUT NOT APPROVED ON CONSTRUCTION YET.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON DESIGN RIGHT NOW FOR ABOUT 12 MONTHS OR SO, AND THEN CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMING FOR, FROM THERE.
IS THERE ANY REASON NOT TO PUT IT IN WITH THE OTHER $15 MILLION? WELL, AS FAR AS THE DESIGN IT'S, IT'S INCLUDED IN THE ROAD DESIGN, WHETHER WE WANT TO CONSTRUCT IT SEPARATE FROM THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION, THAT COULD BE DETERMINED, BUT THE LAYOUT WOULD BE PENDING THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE'RE NOT PUTTING IT IN THE WRONG PLACE TO MOVE IN IT TWICE, SEPARATING IT OUT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO CAUSE IT TO HAPPEN ANY FASTER.
I HAD A QUESTION, MR.
UM, GENERALLY SUPPORT THE PROJECT LISTS.
HOWEVER, GIVEN THAT THE REFERENDUM SAID NOT TO EXCEED 120 MILLION, ISN'T IT INCUMBENT UPON US TO BASICALLY RETURN THOSE DOLLARS TO THE TAXPAYERS? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO BASICALLY THE STATE STATUTE ON, ON COLLECTION OF SALES TAX STATES THAT IF ANY EXCESS, UH, SALES TAXES COLLECTED BETWEEN THE TIME WE REACHED THE POINT AND THE END OF THAT QUARTER, THEN THAT OVERAGE NEEDS TO BE SPENT ON, UM, PROJECTS.
PERFECT TIME OF THE REFERENDUM YOU WANT NOW PROJECTS ON THE ROOF CHOP PROJECTS ON THE REFERENDUM.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS CAUSE IT'S NOT IN MY DISTRICT, BUT I HAVE BEEN ASKED ABOUT IT, JOE FRAZIER ROAD, THE STATUS THAT JOE FRAZIER ROAD, IT'S OUT NEAR, IT'S OUT NEAR HABERSHAM AND BETWEEN HABERSHAM AND LAUREL BAY, I THINK THAT'S IN COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'LL HAVE TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF THAT ONE.
UM, FIRST WOULD BE THE PRIORITIZATION OF THE ONE, THE 14TH, THOSE THAT WAS IN ENCUMBERED.
[01:35:01]
UM, SO I'LL GET YOU AN ANSWER TO THAT.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. RODMAN? YEAH.
UM, I'M SENSITIVE TO THE TIME, UM, I'M IN FAVOR OF DOING THIS, BUT I'M NOT CONVINCED YET THAT WE SHOULD PUT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF IT INTO THE TRAILS AND PATHWAYS.
UM, AND, AND HERE'S, HERE'S MY THOUGHT ON, I WAS PROBABLY VERY EARLY ON, WAS ONE WHO SAID THAT W WE MISSED, UM, THE ABILITY TO DO ALL OF THE ONES THAT WERE ON THE REFERENDUM AND THE FAILURE TO PUT SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY, EVEN IF IT CAME OUT OF THEIR OTHER POCKETS, UH, WOULD HINDER OUR CHANCES TO DO FUTURE REFERENDUMS. SO I'M IN FAVOR OF PUTTING SOME MONEY INTO THE TRAILS.
HOWEVER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE PUT 30 MILLION INTO THE LADY'S ISLAND, VARIETY OF ROAD PROJECTS.
THOSE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT ARE GOING TO REQUIRE SOME MORE MONEY.
UM, WE HAD THE 80 MILLION THAT CAME FROM THE REFERENDUM FOR THE 2 78 CORRIDOR.
AND OF COURSE WE HAVE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THERE, BUT CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME MORE MONEY THERE.
AND, UM, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PROJECTS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE, THE TOWNS CONSULTANTS, UM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE, THERE'S NO DISAGREEMENT ON, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THOSE THAT MAY REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.
AND, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE FALLING IN THE AREA OF BEAUTIFICATION, WHICH NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS DONE WITH THE TRAILS.
THERE WAS AN ABSOLUTE PROMISE THAT IT WOULD NOT BE JUST A REGULAR INTERSTATE TYPE OF BRIDGE, BUT IT WOULD BE A VERY, UH, NICE ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE.
SO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS SO THAT WE MOVE IT FORWARD.
BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO GIVE US A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW AT SECOND READING AS TO WHERE WE ARE ON THE OTHER PROJECTS AND WHETHER WE SHOULD ALLOCATE SOME MONEY.
SO I GUESS MY SENSE IS IF THE OTHER PROJECTS HAVE SOME NEEDS, DO WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT WAS ON THE BALLOT THAT WAS 10 MILLION AND MAKE IT 25 MILLION AT THE, UH, ELIMINATING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE PAID, UM, AND WERE PROMISED, UH, AND PAID FOR ACROSS THE COUNTY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS MR. LAWSON AND GLARE FOR CITY TO BRING UP WORK ROAD, WHICH IS NOT MY BIGGEST PRIORITY AT THE TIME I HAVE MY MIC ON, AND I WILL SAY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP BURNT CHURCH ROAD.
CAUSE I THINK THAT WAS, UM, THE NUMBER ONE OF ALL PATHWAYS ON THAT LIST.
AND WE COULD GO AHEAD AND DO BURNT CHURCH ROAD, AS THEY MENTIONED, HOWEVER, WITH THE WIDENING, THEY JUST COME BACK IN AND RIP IT RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT IS A ROAD THAT DEFINITELY IS NEEDED BECAUSE MC RILEY SCHOOL THERE, ALL THE CONNECTING ROADS IN THERE.
SO, SO AGAIN, IT WILL BE COMPLETED.
IT MIGHT TAKE A BIT LONGER, BUT IT IS ON THE SCHEDULE AND, AND IT IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN.
YEAH, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANY OF THAT, BUT I THINK THERE'S A, UH, A KNOWLEDGE VACUUM HERE.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT SOMEBODY, UM, YOU KNOW, PIO MIGHT BE THE PERFECT SELECTION TO JUST INFORM THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
EXACTLY WHAT THE MR. LAWSON WAS REFERRING TO BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT THERE'S A VOID AND A GREAT WONDER ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
AND I THINK WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET A COMMUNICATION OUT AND I'LL REACH OUT.
LET ME JUST SAY ONE THING FOR COUNSEL'S BENEFIT REGARDING, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RODMAN'S COMMENT.
UH, ONE, I DON'T THINK I KNOW ENOUGH AT THIS POINT TO KNOW WHAT THE COST OF THE THINGS ON 2 78 IS GOING TO BE.
UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU THAT, UH, EVERYONE THAT I'VE TALKED TO REGARDING 2 78, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE STATE LEVEL, UH, AT D O T THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ENHANCEMENTS ARE GOING TO COST ADDITIONAL MONEY.
I WOULD JUST, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE, YOU KNOW, TRUST THAT PROCESS, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OKAY, THAT WHENEVER WE GET TO THE END OF 2 78, AND WE NEED THIS MONEY, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE FUNDING AND NOT TIE SECOND READING TO ME DOING SOMETHING THAT WOULD JUST BE A SHOT IN THE DARK, UH, AT THIS POINT ON WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE FROM A COST STANDPOINT.
CAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN THE PROJECT, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT BRIDGE PROJECT IS GOING TO BEGIN AT THIS POINT FROM A CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT OR WHAT THE COST WILL BE AT THAT POINT.
IT MAY BE A SIMPLE WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE I REMEMBER FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THERE WERE FOUR OR FIVE ITEMS THAT CLEARLY REQUIRED SOME MONEY, BUT NOT A LOT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BUMP-OUTS AND MAKING THE
[01:40:01]
TRAIL ACROSS THE BRIDGE WIDER AND DOING THE BUMP.YEAH, WE'RE COVERING, WE'RE COVERING THAT WITH THE CURRENT PROJECT FUNDING, BUT TO YOUR POINT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE HERE IN A REFERENDUM RECOMMENDATION HERE SHORTLY, UH, THAT MAY INCLUDE MONEY TO DO THOSE ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS AS WELL.
SO, OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I, IF I MIGHT, UM, IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE A $15 MILLION, UH, SURPLUS ALL, UM, UH, OR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE ONES THAT SALES TAX, UM, AND THAT WOULD AFFORD US TO DO, TO COVER SOME OF THE SIDEWALK PROJECTS THAT THE INITIAL $10 MILLION DIDN'T COVER.
AND, AND I THINK FOR US TO NOT USE THAT THOSE, UH, FUNDS TO COVER THE, UM, THE ADDITIONAL SIDEWALKS, I THINK WOULD BE A GRAVE MISTAKE ON OUR BEHALF.
THERE'S A LOT OF ANGRY PEOPLE OUT THERE AT THIS VERY MOMENT WHO ARE UPSET OVER THE FACT THAT, UH, UH, WE PUT FORTH 24 PROJECTS AND THE $10 MILLION DIDN'T EVEN COVER THE, THE, UH, 14 PROJECTS THAT WE PRIORITIZED.
AND SO WHAT THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDS I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE CONSOLE TO SUPPORT, UH, USING THIS ADDITIONAL $15 MILLION TO USE IT ON, UH, SIDEWALKS, UM, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SHOWING, UH, THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY THAT, UH, THEY'RE NOT FORGOTTEN, UH, THEY'RE NOT BEING NEGLECTED.
AND, UM, THESE FUNDS, UH, WILL PROBABLY NEVER, UH, COME AGAIN.
SO WHILE WE HAVE IT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO USE IT FOR, FOR THE SIDEWALKS.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WANTS ME TO CALL THE ROLE OR, UH, WILL WE SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FIRST READING WITHOUT OBJECTION, WITHOUT OBJECTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THE FIRST READING IS APPROVED AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS THAT TAKES US TO ITEM 15
[15. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS COMMISSION FOR BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT EMERGENCY GENERATOR.]
IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS COMMISSION FOR BUFORD EXECUTIVE AIRPORT EMERGENCY GENERATOR.UH, MR. HERVIS, SEAN SAID FIRST AND MR. FULL WELLING WAS SECOND.
UH, ANY SIR, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT? IF NOT, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[16. CITIZEN COMMENTS]
COMMENTS.IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE CITIZENRY WHO WISHES TO COMMENT AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND A MARIE TABERNAC ANNAMARIE TAB.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT MR. LAWSON SAID ABOUT THE LIBRARIES.
I'M THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE BUFORD COUNTY JUST HIT IT ONCE.
OH, I'M THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
WE HAVE BENEFITED GREATLY FROM IMPACT FEES.
AND AS HE NOTED, WE RECENTLY REDID THE CHILDREN'S ROOM AT BLUFFTON LIBRARY.
I'D PUT IT UP TO ANY LIBRARY AROUND HERE.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO USE IMPACT FEES, CREATE ANOTHER BRANCH AS MR. LAWSON SAID IN THE PRICHARD VILLE AREA ALONG ONE 70.
SO IMPACT FEES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE LIBRARY.
OH, AND AS A SUN CITY BOARD MEMBER, I APPRECIATE CHIEF THOMPSON BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE A FIRE STATION IN SUN CITY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS SEEING NONE.
ALL BUSINESS HAS BEEN CONDUCTED AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.