May 16, 2022 Finance Committee

WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

SO I'M GONNA ASK THAT SAME QUESTION, EVERYBODY ELSE THAT COMES UP TODAY.

SO JUST TO MAKE SURE, CAUSE AGAIN, AS A COUNCIL AND, AND AS, AS THE FINANCE IN, IN, BEFORE ME WITH MR. HARBOR, SEAN AND, AND MR. PASSMAN, WE'VE ALWAYS TRYING TO GET MORE AND MORE TRANSPARENT AND TRYING TO ASK FOR MORE THINGS AND HAVE MORE THINGS.

SO EVERY YEAR WE KIND OF TRY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING SO AS FAR AS I KNOW WE ARE.

WE'RE GOOD.

GOOD TO GO.

UM, YUP.

WE ARE GOOD TO GO TO THE DMO ALLOCATIONS, I BELIEVE ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE, UM, IN THE EIGHT TAX ORDINANCES AND THOSE ARE PERCENTAGES THAT ARE AUTOMATIC.

SO WE WILL VERIFY THAT THE AMOUNT ON THE SCREEN HERE, UH, IS THE, UH, LINES UP THEIR ALLOCATION, UH, BASED ON THE AGE TAX ORDINANCE.

PERFECT.

GREAT.

WELL, I THINK YOU GOT OFF THE HOOK EASINESS, BERNICE.

THERE'S NO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

A GREAT PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND BRING THAT TO US AND MR. UH, MR. DIEHL, THANK YOU FOR BEING ONLINE AS WELL.

UM, GREAT PRESENTATION AS USEFUL.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.

UM, UM,

[8. DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION OF YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR FY 2022]

WILLIAMS, UH, YOU'RE UP NEXT, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER EIGHT TO DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION OF YEAR-TO-DATE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 CHAIRMAN.

HOW YOU DOING TODAY? THANK YOU.

PUT IT ALL ASIDE IF HE COULD.

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, UH, TO DEPARTMENT, UH, WE RELIED HEAVILY ON SCOTT MARSHALL'S PEOPLE TO COME UP WITH A LOT OF THE FACTS AND THE FIGURES, AS FAR AS WHO WORKED, WHAT MONTHS AND HOW IT WENT.

I WAS INSTRUCTED THAT WE NEEDED TO NOT HAVE A UNC GRADUATES ON THESE SLIDES ANYMORE.

THAT THEY'D BE PERFECTLY LEAD, BE DUKE BLUE DEVIL.

BUT ANYWAY, I HAD MICHAEL JORDAN WHO I WOULD CONSIDER THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF STUFF.

I'VE GOTTEN SOME VERY FUNNY EMAILS ABOUT THAT TODAY, BUT ANYWAYS, I'M FORMATTING THIS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TODAY.

W WE'VE HAD A LOT GOING ON.

I JUST WANTED TO HIT YOU.

THE FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS FOR, UH, UH, MARCH AND APRIL.

WE, UH, WE DID PURCHASE A DIALING ARTS FOR $1.9 MILLION, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE, WHICH WILL BE USED FOR OUR PARKING LOTS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHEN THEY BEEN THERE.

UM, WE HAD A PREMIUM PAYOUT AND THAT WAS A LOT OF WORK.

THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS A,

[00:30:01]

THE MAXIMUM PAYOUT WAS, UH, $3,000 FOR EACH EMPLOYEE.

THE TOTAL WAS $4.2 MILLION WITH THREE POINTS, THE $3 MILLION COMING FROM ARPA.

AND 1.2 COMING OUT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, IT COVERED OUT 1,294 BUFORD COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

THAT'S UNDERNEATH THIS ROOF AS WELL AS 321, UH, FIREMEN AND OTHER EMPLOYEES FROM SHELDON BURTON LAYS ALLEN ST.

HELENA FOR A POUND BLUFFTON AND THE FESCUE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

THAT WAS, UH, W W WE, WE DISCUSSED THINGS IN HERE.

WE KNOW REALLY RISE.

HOW BIG OF A LIFT THAT IS.

THAT WAS A REALLY BIG LIFT BY MY DEPARTMENT IN HUMAN RESOURCES.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR EVERYTHING THEY DID.

ALSO, Y'ALL IMPLEMENTED A 5% COLA, UH, UH, FOR THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, WHICH WAS IN OUR FIRST PAYCHECK IN MAY.

UH, AND WE'RE ALSO PLAYING, PAYING OUT SEVERAL FIRE DISTRICTS THERE.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISN'T THERE 5% INCREASE ALSO.

BUT, UM, I WANTED TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF BEAVER COUNTY AND THE FIREMAN AND BEAVER COUNTY, BECAUSE Y'ALL DID A LOT FOR US IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND THEY WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT.

UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK SCOTT MARSHALL, ALL HIS STAFF, EMILY AND KATHERINE, AND THEN MY STAFF WHO WOULD BE WHO HEADED IT UP WOULD BE DENISE AND VALERIE AND, UH, AND SUE SIMPSON FOR THOSE PAYOUTS, BUT THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB.

AND, AND, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS GOOD.

SO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE NORMALLY DO.

UM, I WANT TO KIND OF, WE ALWAYS BREAK DOWN EXPENSES BY DEPARTMENT, AND I KIND OF WANTED TO SHOW YOU AS A PIECE OF PIE WHERE EVERYTHING'S GOING.

AND SO, UH, THE 62% OR THE 61%, UH, YOU CAN SEE IS PERSONNEL SERVICES, WHICH IS ALL OUR SALARIES WAGES OVERTIME SPIKE IN MEDICARE, AN UNRELATED EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIGGEST PIECE OF OUR POWER RIGHT THERE.

UM, THE SECOND BIGGEST PIECE WOULD BE THAT 15%, WHICH SHOULD BE PURCHASED SERVICES.

AND THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN GO INTO PURCHASE SERVICES OR PROFESSIONAL FEES, PRINTING, POSTERS, TRAINING, MAINTENANCE, CONTRACTS, AND BUSINESS SUBSCRIPTIONS.

SO THEY'RE KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE.

UM, THERE'S THE OTHER REALLY BIG PIECE OF THAT PIE IS THAT 10%, WHICH IS SUBSTITUTES TO OTHERS.

AND THAT WOULD BE OUR SUBSIDY TO THE PCL AND B, WHICH IS ABOUT 2.4 MILLION IN OUR SUBSIDIES TO THE, UH, TO THE, FOR INDIGENT CARE FOR B FROM MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND B FOR JASPER COMP HEALTH.

AND THEN ALSO WHAT GOES THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM WOULD BE OUR TRANSFER TO THE, TO THE SOLICITOR, WHICH SHOULD ABOUT ALMOST $2 MILLION, BUT THAT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT KIND OF WAY OF LOOKING AT STUFF.

I KIND OF BEAT Y'ALL OVER THE HEAD WITH THE SAME INFORMATION.

I JUST THOUGHT I'D CHANGED IT UP A LITTLE BIT.

UM, HERE'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL ARE KIND OF USED TO SEEING YOU IN THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND THIS IS OUR YEAR TO DATE REVENUES, WHERE RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT 98% IN FEDERAL REVENUES, UM, YOU KNOW, W WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN AVERAGE, WHICH IS A SURPLUS, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, GOING FORWARD, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY, UH, EVEN THOUGH THAT WARM IS BUDGET, WE'RE ABOVE BUDGET, WE'RE SPENDING TO COLLECT MORE.

THERE WERE ONLY IN ABOUT 97.5% COLLECTED THERE.

I CONFIRM THAT WITH THE TREASURER, UM, AND THEN OUR OTHER REALLY HIGH ONE TOO, IS, IS A CHARGING FOR SERVICES.

AND THAT'S STILL THE REGISTERED DEEDS.

THEY'RE ABOUT $1.1 BILLION ABOVE WHERE THEY RARELY PROJECTED THEM TO BE.

BUT ANYWAYS, THAT'S KIND OF THAT.

AND THEN CAN YOU HEAR THE NEXT SLIDE? THIS IS SIMILAR, UH, THE RE THE EXPENDITURES I WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 80.41%, WHICH WERE SLIGHTLY DOWN, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING IN HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THAT'S ABOUT $4 MILLION LESS THAN WHERE WE SHOULD BE.

UH, THERE, THERE ARE SEVERAL INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE TAKEN WITH THE USE OF SURPLUS AND USE OF FUND BALANCE THAT WE WON'T TRY AND GET THAT NUMBER CLOSE TO ACTUAL BUDGET IF NOT OVER.

UM, BUT THE TWO BIG ONES THAT ARE THE HIGHEST THAT ARE ACTUALLY ABOVE BUDGET WOULD BE THE, UH, THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE PUBLIC WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH IS DOING, UH, A LOT OF THAT IS THE INDIGENT CARE IS IN THERE AND AWFUL, OR IS, IS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID OUT.

AND, UH, THE PUBLIC WELFARE HAS THE, UH, HUMAN AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE HUMAN SERVICES ALLIANCE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN PAID OUT A HUNDRED PERCENT ALREADY.

SO THAT KIND OF SKEWS THAT NUMBER TOO.

SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT I HAVE FOR THIS REPORT, WITH THE SOURCE MATERIAL.

THERE'S, THERE'S DETAILS IN THERE, UH, LIKE YOU NORMALLY HAVE FOR DEPARTMENTS AND, AND BUDGET VARIANCES AND EVERYTHING LIKE

[00:35:01]

THAT.

THAT'S IN THE BACK.

UM, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTANTS BEING ACCOUNTANTS, WE LIKE TO HAVE OUR, OUR BREAKDOWNS AND OUR BIG NUMBERS.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER TO SEE THINGS LIKE THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THEM.

AND ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS IN TODAY'S BACKUPS.

SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON IT, THAT'S WHERE THEY CAN GO SEE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE JUST DISCUSSED.

AND, AND THEN THE DETAIL AND THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES THAT ROLL UP INTO THESE NUMBERS, THEN THERE'S A SEPARATE PDF THAT WAS ATTACHED TO, CAUSE I, I KNOW A COUNCILMAN, HER RASHAAN BEING A CPA IS LIKE ME.

HE WANTS TO TAKE IN TIME TO EVERYTHING.

THAT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL.

SO GOOD.

ANY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS, UH, MANY COUNCIL MEMBER.

SO, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS AND YES, MR. WILLIAMS, I AGREE.

I MEAN, I LOOK AT WHERE WE WERE JUST A YEAR AGO WHERE WE WORKED TWO AND THREE YEARS AGO, WE HAVE COME A VERY, VERY LONG WAY WITH INFORMATION AND TRANSPARENCY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY ELSE, WE'RE GOING TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT.

NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS DISCUSSION OF GENERAL FUND BALANCE.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE HANDLING THE NEXT, UM,

[9. DISCUSSION OF GENERAL FUND- FUND BALANCE]

WE'D HAVE $31 MILLION, SO WE COULD DO ALLOCATE TO OTHER THINGS.

SO, UH, THIS IS A GENERAL FUND BALANCE DISCUSSION, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD SURPLUSES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AND I JUST, THE FIRST COUPLE OF SLIDES KIND OF TELL THE STORY OF HOW WE GOT TO BE WHERE WE ARE AND KIND OF WHERE ADMINISTRATION SEES THAT WE'D LIKE TO GO.

UM, IF YOU GO TO THE FIRST LINE, OKAY, THIS IS A LINE GRAPH.

AND THE, THE BLUE REPRESENTS THE, UH, THE REVENUES AND THE ORANGE REPRESENTS THE EXPENDITURES.

AND YOU ALL SEE RIGHT THERE IN 17 AND 18 THERE, THERE'S KIND OF LIKE, WE'RE BASICALLY WENT OFF THE RAILS.

AND THAT WAS A, THAT WAS HURRICANE MATTHEW.

AND THAT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, EXPENDITURES RELATED TO CLEAN UP.

AND THEN THE REVENUES RIGHT THERE, OR, UH, ARE RELATED TO FEMA EXPENDED REIMBURSEMENTS.

BUT IF YOU FIND OUT, HAD GONE OFF THE RAILS AND YOU LOOKED AT REVENUES, IT ALMOST BE A FLAT PROGRESSION STRAIGHT UP THROUGH 2021.

AND IT WAS A FLAT PROGRESSION GOING UP WITH EXPENDITURES UNTIL YOU GET AROUND 20, 20 AND 2021, WHICH IS RIGHT WHEN COVID HIT.

AND WE KIND OF STOPPED EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING.

AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT REVENUES ARE, WON'T FALL OFF THE CLIFF AND WE'LL HAVE TO FILL A $10 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT.

UM, BUT WE SURVIVED THAT AND WENT THROUGH IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE OUR EXPENDITURES.

WE'RE GOING KIND OF A LOT IN LINE.

THEY KIND OF DROPPED OFF A LITTLE BIT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT LINE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY DROPPED OFF, IF YOU CAN SEE YOU START AT 2015 AND HE HAD A REALLY BIG JUMP IN 2019, PART OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE LAND PURCHASE.

UM, BUT THEN IT WENT BACK DOWN AND THEN IN 2021, YOU HAD US, I MEAN, IT HIT THE LOWEST POINT SINCE, UH, 2015.

AND THAT WAS ALL DUE TO BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SPENDING ANYTHING.

UH, WE WEREN'T ADDRESSING ISSUES WITH OUR BUILDINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT TIME, UM, THIS SIZE IN HERE IS BASICALLY THE FUND BALANCE POLICIES ESTABLISHED ABOUT 2014 ORDINANCE 2014 SLASH SIX, AND IT'S UPDATED, BUT WITH 2018 SLASH 57, AND IT STATES AS THE COUNTY NEEDS TO HAVE BETWEEN 17 AND 30% OF THEIR PRIOR YEAR'S, UH, EXPENDITURES IN THE GENERAL FUND, IN AN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.

AND, UH, AND THEN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH BASICALLY SAYS WHAT IT CAN BE USED ON.

AND THAT'S STABILIZE REVENUES, UH, RETIRED A FIESTA, A ONE-TIME AN ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES AND JUDGEMENTS.

AND THAT'S REALLY FOR THE DEDICATED AT 30%.

SO, UM, AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE NOW, OF COURSE BEING A GOOD LITTLE NERDY ACCOUNTANT, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO HAVE THEIR CALCULATIONS.

SO WE HAD A PRO THESE ARE ALL 2021 NUMBERS.

OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE FOR 20, 22, BUT THE GENERAL FUND HAD TOTAL OF THE EXPENDITURES OF ROUGHLY $117 MILLION.

30% OF THAT WOULD BE $35 MILLION.

SO, AND SO WE HAD AN ACTUAL UNASSIGN OR UN-DESIGNATED FUND BALANCE OF $66 MILLION AT THE END OF 2021.

SO IF WE KEPT THAT, WHAT POLICY SAID THAT 35 MILLION

[00:40:02]

AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUR, MY, PUT MY HEAD TOGETHER WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND WE CAME UP WITH, WITH A POSSIBLE USE OF IT.

EXCELLENT.

SO WE HAVE THREE BONDS THAT ARE COMING BIG AND, UH, THIS YEAR ARE THEY'RE THEY'RE WELL, THIS YEAR IT'S 2013, A, B AND C.

UM, AND WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS MORE OF A HYBRID.

UM, IT IS, I WOULD KIND OF SAY IT'S, UH, PAY OFF SOME DEBT AND FIX YOUR ROOF.

UM, SO RIGHT NOW TO DEFEAT 2013, A AND B IS AROUND $20 MILLION IN DEBT.

AND WE COULD USE ABOUT $12 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE FUND BALANCE AND, UH, TO HELP DEFEASE THAT ALONG WITH SOME MONEY FROM THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, UH, THAT FROM, FROM THEIR FUND BALANCE.

AND THEN WE COULD USE THAT REST OF THAT 19 MILLION TO FUND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND.

SO, UH, OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, I'D SAVED THE TAXPAYERS ABOUT $3.5 MILLION IN INTEREST.

UM, IT WERE REDUCED.

SO BECAUSE OF WHEN THE BONDS ARE CALLABLE, THE COUPONS ARE CALLABLE IN MAY.

SO IT WAS PRETTY WELL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IT ALMOST THROUGH THE ENTIRE YEAR.

SO WE'RE NOT GETTING THE BENEFIT OF THE DEFEASANCE UNTIL PROBABLY THE NEXT YEAR, BUT WE BE ABLE TO HAVE ANOTHER MILL THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY REDUCE THE DEBT VILLAGE BY.

UM, AND IT ALSO WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BORROW BY THE MOUTH WE PAY OFF APPROXIMATELY $20 MILLION.

UM, THE CON ABOUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, SEVEN MONTHS OF AN ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THAT WE COULD USE IN CASE OF A DISASTER, WE ONLY HAVE FOUR, BUT IT'S KIND OF WHERE YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

CAN YOU TAKE QUESTIONS? WHAT'S THE ESTIMATE OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS? I MEAN, THIS WOULD PRE UP 19 MILLION, BUT WHAT, WHAT DO WE, I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY CAPITAL IN A LONG TIME, HOW MUCH 300, THIS WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT, UH, THIS IS KIND OF A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I THINK THIS AS LONG AS ALONG WITH DEDICATING A MILLAGE, A MIL TOWARDS IT TOO, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO EVER, IT'S NEVER WANT TO STOP US FROM BONDING.

WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE TO BOND IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE ON A FAIRLY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

AND IT IT'LL, IT'LL BE A CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND WHERE WE FUND THAT PROJECT TO THAT FUNDED PROJECTS FINISHED.

IT WILL STAY IN THERE UNTIL, UNTIL IT'S COMPLETED.

SO WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK, AND THIS IS THE NEXT SLIDE OF A, OF THE PRO AND WE'RE NOT DOING THE WHOLE $19 MILLION YET.

WE'RE JUST START WITH 9 MILLION THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT.

WE THINK THAT OF PROJECTS THAT WE CAN GET ACCOMPLISHED NEXT YEAR.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EMS DESIGN, IMPOSSIBLE PURCHASE OF LAND.

UM, PUBLIC WORKS IS, UM, IN NEED OF DESIGN OF A NEW FACILITY AND STOREHOUSE AND SLASH WAREHOUSE BARN.

A LOT OF THESE WAREHOUSES THAT WE HAVE ARE NEEDED BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY EXPENSIVE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, I'LL TAKE PARKS AND REC HAVING A MOWER.

THEY CALL IT $75,000.

IT'S PARKED ON THE BACK OF A TRAILER AND IT, WE NEED TO GET, GET IT COVERED WHEN IT STARTED OUT BEING USED AND GET IT TAKEN CARE OF.

UM, THE PARKS AND REC HAS A SHED AND ALSO THE RENOVATE EXISTING POOLS OF $3.5 MILLION.

THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE $1 MILLION THAT WE'VE ALREADY PUT TO MC RILEY, BUT THIS WOULD BE PURELY REDOING AND GETTING THE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE GUTS OF THE POOL STRAIGHTENED OUT FOR ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, A PIECE, UM, PLAYGROUNDS OF ABOUT $800,000.

I THINK THAT'S ABOUT EIGHT OF THOSE.

AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER ISSUES WITH PARKS AND REC FOR ABOUT $700,000.

IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS, IF WE TAKE THIS PLAN TO SOME FINALLY IN CONCLUSION, WE NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT TOMORROW IS GOING TO LEAD US WITH, BUT WE REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH THIS FUND BALANCE TO KIND OF DO THINGS AND PUT A B FOR COUNTY ON, ON A, ON A GOOD PATH GOING FORWARD, AS FAR AS CAPITAL PROJECTS GO.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDS AND NECESSITIES IN THESE, IN THIS GROWING COUNTY IS, UH, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN HERE 50 YEARS AND AM ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT HOW MUCH IT'S GROWING IN THAT TIME.

BUT IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.

HE ANSWERED MY QUESTION, ANYONE ON UP PAUL, GO AHEAD.

I CAN SEE AN ALCOHOL, AS FAR AS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RETIRING OR THOSE REFERENDUM OR 8% OF BONDS.

UM, PART OF IT IS, IS A REFERENDUM.

UM, UH, IT, PART OF IT IS OPEN IS RULING CRITICAL,

[00:45:01]

BUT THE MAJORITY OF IT'S NOT, I I'D HAVE TO LOOK TO GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.

IT'S A, IT'S A KIND OF A MIXTURE.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MIXTURE.

THAT'S AN 8%, SOME REFERENDUM AND SOME RURAL AND CRITICAL IN IT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HURACAN.

BUT WHAT MORE, 8% THAN RUIN CRITICAL.

IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I CAN EMAIL YOU THAT BREAKDOWN WHEN I GET BACK TO THE OFFICE.

THAT'S FINE.

YEP.

GO AHEAD, CHRIS.

UM, GREAT PRESENTATION IS MY, MY QUESTION WOULD BE WHETHER OR NOT THIS GOES FAR ENOUGH AND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS CONSIDERING HOW, HOW BIG OUR NEEDS ARE NUMBER ONE, AND THEN KIND OF TANGENTIALLY RELATED TO THAT.

IS THERE MORE THAT WE CAN DO WITH PARKS AND REC BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE GOT SIGNIFICANT NEEDS THERE AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EVEN MORE NEEDS AS THIS COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW.

YES, I AGREE WITH YOU.

IT IS PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH, BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING, WE'RE STEPPING DOWN A DIRECTION THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD HAVE STEPPED DOWN IN THIS COUNTY BEFORE.

AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WE'RE, FORWARD-THINKING, UM, YOU KNOW, BASED ON WHAT MILLAGES THAT WE CAN KIND OF MOVE TOGETHER FOR THIS THING, WHETHER IT'S TWO OR THREE MILS BASED ON THE VALUE OF A MILL, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN FOUR AND $6 MILLION EXTRA A YEAR, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT WE ENDED UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IF WE HAVE A CARRY OVER AGAIN, WE CAN PUT IT DOWN IN THE CAPITAL PROJECT.

I MEAN, IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN, WHEN WE HAVE EXCESS THAT WE CAN BUILD ON BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED FOR A LIBRARY OR A PARK OR A PLAYGROUND OR A BASEBALL FIELD BASEBALL FIELD, OR A PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED FOR SOMETHING THAT PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING.

UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME THAT I WENT IN THERE AND SAW THE LIST OF THE COUNCILMAN THAT WERE ON, THERE WAS, UH, THERE WAS A RAYMOND WILLIAMS ON THERE WHO IT WAS MY DAD.

AND SO, UH, DAD CAME HERE IN ABOUT 1973.

SO THAT'S ROUGHLY 48, 49 YEARS AGO.

UM, THAT, THAT, THAT BUILDING MAY BE IN NEED OF A LITTLE BIT OF RENOVATION BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, BUT ANYWAYS, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, BUT AS FAR AS THE UPFRONT MIX BETWEEN BOND RETIREMENT AND PROJECTS, WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME, GIVEN THAT WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MECHANISM TO KIND OF FUND THAT GOING FORWARD.

WELL, WE'RE GOING TO REALLY FINANCE.

WE WON'T PROBABLY PUT THE $9 MILLION ASIDE AS, AS PART OF THIS, THE DEFEASANCE WON'T BE COMING AROUND UNTIL MARCH AND MAY OF NEXT YEAR.

SO WE HAVE SOME TIME.

I MEAN, THEY WON'T BE SEVERAL ORDINANCES.

IT WON'T BE, UH, JUST KIND OF A WAVE OF A HAND IN IT AND ALL GOES INTO ONE THING.

AND THE ONE POT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY ANALYZE IT, I THINK AFTER THE, UH, THE 20, 22 AUDITS OUT.

UM, BUT WE'RE PLANNING ON GETTING THAT DONE A LOT EARLIER THIS YEAR THAN WE HAVE IN PAST YEARS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MEET THE DECEMBER 31 DEADLINE ON THAT EASILY.

SO, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE DEFEASANCE AND MOVING AROUND EVERYTHING ELSE TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, I'LL HAVE, Y'ALL PRETTY SOLID NUMBERS, NOT FROM EIGHT MONTHS AGO.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY, SO HAYES, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR US TO DO TODAY NOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, IS THIS THE MOVE IT TO COUNCIL FOR? THIS IS JUST AN ENLIGHTENING DISCUSSION THAT I'M HAVING RIGHT NOW, THE $9 MILLION, THE LIST THAT I HAD UP THERE FOR Y'ALL THINK HE'S INCLUDED THAT ON HER BUDGET.

SO W W THAT, THAT, THAT'S THE ONE PART THAT WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH, BUT THE REST OF IT WILL BE, AS THINGS PROGRESSED, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE SEVERAL ORDINANCES AND THE LIST MAY CHANGE, AND EVERYTHING'S KIND OF IN A CONSTANT STATE OF FLUX, BUT, BUT I MEAN, THIS IS JUST A REALLY DISCUSSION KIND OF LET Y'ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE THINKING AND WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO GET, AND HOPEFULLY ALL SUPPORT US IN THIS DIRECTION.

SO YOU JUST NEED A HEAD NOD FROM US SAYING YOU'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

YOU'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

PLEASE PROCEED.

I THINK THAT EVERYONE HAD THEIR, HAS THAT SAME, UH, HEAD, HEAD, NON CF, PLEASE, PLEASE GO FORWARD.

AND LET ME JUST SAY ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S, SOME OF THE SURPLUS HAS COME BECAUSE WE DID TIGHTEN OUR BELTS FOR COVID NOT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BRING.

AND WE HAD HIRING FREEZES AND PAY FREEZES AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FREEZES, AND DIDN'T BUY ANY, ANY EQUIPMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT IT HAS COME FROM US BEING FRUGAL, UM, THAT WE NOW HAVE THIS.

SO I APPRECIATE THE STAFF AND THE SACRIFICES THAT, THAT THE EMPLOYEES MADE DURING THAT TIME.

SO YEAH, WE THOUGHT THAT REVENUES WON'T FALL OFF THE PLANET AND THEY SAY THE SAME.

AND WE, WE, WE, WE, WE HELD BACK FOR THE WORST AND IT CAME OUT THE BEST.

[00:50:01]

[10. PRESENTATION OF FY2022-2023 BUDGET REQUESTS BY LADY’S ISLAND-ST. HELENA AND BURTON FIRE DISTRICTS]

TO NUMBER 10.

UM, WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF, UH, 2023 BUDGET REQUESTS, UH, BY THE LADY'S ISLAND ST.

HELENA AND BURTON FIRE DISTRICTS.

AND WHO'S GOING TO GO FIRST, TODAY.

VERY GOOD SERVICE CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

I'D FIRST LIKE TO START BY, UH, THANKING COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR INCLUDING US IN THE HAZARD PAY AND THE 5% COLA.

SO THANK YOU, ERIC.

AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL FOR, INCLUDING US IN THAT I HAVE WITH ME TODAY, THE CHAIR OF OUR COMMISSION, MELINDA ELLIS, WHO'S SITTING BACK THERE WITH ME AND I WOULD BE REMISSED AND NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER COUNTY COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT ARE ON OUR FIREBOARD, PAT HARVEY, PALMER, ROOSEVELT, MCCULLOUGH, CHET HOUSTON, AND SCOTT, DENNIS.

THEY ALL DO A FANTASTIC JOB FOR US.

OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY 23, FOCUSES ON BRINGING OUR SALARIES TO A COMPETITIVE LEVEL AND APPARATUS REPLACEMENT DUE TO BUDGET RESTRICTIONS AND ISSUES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, OUR FIRE DISTRICT LADIES ON THE ST.

LOUIS FIRE DISTRICT HAS FALLEN BEHIND IN OUR SALARIES.

WE CANNOT POSTPONE ANY LONGER.

WE NEED AN, A SALARY ADJUSTMENT, AND WE'RE PROPOSING THAT TODAY.

IT'S IMPACTING OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN FIREFIGHTERS, THE FIRE SERVICE, OR THE WHOLE ENTIRE EMERGENCY SERVICE LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMS, AND FIRE HAS BECOME EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE.

UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DAMN NEAR A BIDDING WAR.

IT REALLY IS.

UH, AND WE'VE FALLEN BEHIND THE COMMISSION APPROVED A 2.6 MIL INCREASE THIS YEAR IN OPERATIONS WITH 100% OF THAT GOING TO SALARY AND BENEFITS WITH THIS YEAR, CPI AND GROWTH.

WE'RE ALLOWED TO GO 2.8.

WE'RE ASKING FOR 2.6 AND OPERATIONS APPARATUS REPLACEMENT.

I'VE BEEN COMING BEFORE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TALKING FLEET REPLACEMENT.

UH, AND, AND WE HAD BEEN UNABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF BUDGET.

WE ARE PROPOSING A TWO MIL INCREASE IN DEBT FOR APPARATUS REPLACEMENT.

SO IN SUMMARY, OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL IS 2.6 MIL INCREASE IN OPERATIONS, AND A TWO MIL INCREASE IN DEBT.

OPERATIONS WOULD GO FROM 41.1 MIL TO 43.7.

DEBT WILL GO FROM TWO MILS TO FOUR MILS.

I'VE SPOKE WITH BOTH OUR COUNTY COUNCIL REPS, MR. SOMMERVILLE, AND MR. GLOVER.

AND THEY BOTH ARE IN SUPPORT OF OUR BUDGET.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK PINKY AND ALL HER WORK WITH THE FIRE SERVICE.

UH, SOME OF US HAVE TO BE, UH, KIND OF HAND GUIDED THROUGH A LOT OF THIS.

AND, UH, SHE DOES A GREAT JOB FOR US.

SO I'M PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION YOU MAY HAVE.

UM, I BEGGED FOR APPROVAL WE'RE DESPERATELY NEED SALARY ADJUSTMENTS AND FLEET REPLACEMENT.

ANY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF KLEIN? NO, I DON'T NO QUESTION.

IT'S A COMMENT.

I KNOW IN PAST YEARS YOU ALL HAVE BEEN, UM, MILLAGE NEUTRAL AND YOU'VE REALLY STRUGGLED TO KEEP IT DOWN.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST IN TERMS OF COMPETITION, UH, FOR PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS AND, UH, OTHER PROFESSIONALS.

SO I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE BUDGET AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN PAST YEARS AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU'RE UNDER THE CAP, I'M ABSOLUTELY IN SUPPORT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

AND THANK YOU, CHIEF.

UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PIPELINE OF FIREFIGHTERS AND WHERE THAT IS RIGHT NOW? THE PIPELINE IS RUN DRY.

UM, THERE, INSTEAD OF SOUTH CAROLINA COULD TELL YOU IN MARCH, THERE WAS OVER 500 FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS OPEN LOCALLY.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS COUNTIES AROUND US ESCALATING THE SALARIES AND PROVIDING INCENTIVES.

SO WE'RE LOSING FIREFIGHTERS TO, TO THE COUNTIES AROUND US AND EVEN WITHIN BEAVER COUNTY, BECAUSE I HAVE FALLEN BEHIND, UM, IT'S BECOME VERY COMPETITIVE.

I'M FOUR TO $6,000 A YEAR, STARTING SALARY BEHIND.

JEEZ, ABOUT AS FAR AS FIREFIGHTERS ENTERING THE PIPELINE, GOING TO, YOU KNOW, STARTING TRAINING AND, AND WANTING TO GET INTO THE PROFESSION.

WHAT'S THAT LOOK LIKE? UH, WE, WE, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THE LAST COUPLE THAT WE'VE HIRED AND SAID TO RECRUIT SCHOOL, I'VE COME BACK WITH AWARDS AND DONE A GREAT JOB AT THE FIRE ACADEMY.

UH, BUT IF I HAVE FOUR POSITIONS OPEN, I GOT TWO GOOD CANDIDATES.

GOTCHA.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ANYONE ELSE? UH, ANY COMMENTS FOR CHIEF KLEIN, CHIEF CLIENT, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

GREAT PRESENTATION.

UM, AND NEXT UP, I THINK WE'VE GOT,

[00:55:01]

UM, UM, CHIEF ROUNTREE.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.

UH, I, TO FIRST OFF, MY NAME IS HARRY ROUNDTREE.

I'M THE CHIEF AT THE BURDEN FIRE DISTRICT.

AND I TOO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR, INCLUDING US AND INCLUDING OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN THE, THE COVID HAVER COVID HAZARD PAY AND THE 5% COLA IT WAS GREATLY RECEIVED.

AND WE WERE VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

UH, WE HAVE KEPT OUR BUDGET AT THE SAME MILLAGE FOR THE PAST THREE BUDGET CYCLES, UM, THIS YEAR, OR FOR MANY OF THE SAME REASONS THAT CHIEF CLIENT PRESENTED, UH, WE'RE KIND OF IN THE SAME, IN THE SAME SCENARIO.

WE'VE, WE'VE BOTH HER, ALL OF OUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE LOST TO SOME OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES WHERE THEIR BASIC, THEIR BASELINE SALARIES ARE EXCEEDING SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE PAY THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL.

AND, UH, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE PUT AN OPENING OUT AN ADVERTISE FOR AN OPENING WE'D GET 20 OR 30 APPLICANTS.

I'M LUCKY AT THIS POINT TO, UH, TO RECEIVE ONE OR TWO.

AND QUITE HONESTLY, WE HAVE DONE, UH, KIND OF A LOT OF THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT I'VE HIRED RECENTLY.

UM, I'VE HAD THE LUXURY OF BEEN ABLE TO HIRE A FEW THAT HAD SOME TRAINING AND, UH, WE'VE ENDED UP TAKING THEM FROM OTHER FIREFIGHTERS OR OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE UPPER PART OF THE STATE, UNFORTUNATELY.

BUT, UH, THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET INCREASE COMES PRIMARILY FROM THE 5% COLA AND THE BENEFITS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

UH, WE DID SEE AN INCREASE IN OUR HEALTH INSURANCE AND IN OUR WORKERS' COMP, UH, THE PRIMARY LINE ITEMS THAT ARE AFFECTED THIS YEAR, UH, INVOLVE FUEL, UH, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND ANYTHING THAT'S GOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH, UH, SUPPLY, UH, AS FAR AS SHIPPING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE SAW SOME INCREASES IN THOSE LINE ITEMS. UM, WE TOO ARE BELOW THE, UH, WELL BELOW THE CAP THAT, UM, THAT THEY, THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO INCREASE.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN, WE DID SEE A SMALL INCREASE IN THE VALUE OF THE MILL, THIS, UH, THIS, THIS ESTIMATED YEAR.

AND, UH, I'M ASKING OUR OPERATIONS BUDGET IS, IS 5 MILLION, 862,577.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT WOULD REQUIRE 73.5 MILLS AT THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT AND OUR DEBT SERVICE BUDGET.

WE REDUCED THIS LAST FISCAL AND, UH, WHERE IT HAS BEEN 5.1 MILS, UH, THIS YEAR WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO WITH 4.2 MILS AND ASK THAT THOSE REMAINING MILLAGE, THAT EXTRA 0.9 BE CONVERTED TO OPERATIONS TO, UM, TO LESSEN THE IMPACT ON THE INCREASE.

UM, AT THIS POINT, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MIGHT HAVE.

I HAVE ONE QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OPEN VACANCIES NOW THAT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FILL? I FILLED MY LAST ONE TODAY.

I DO HAVE ONE FOR OUR MEDICAL TRAINING OFFICER, UM, AND WE'RE INTERVIEWING, WE, WE RECEIVE FOUR, UH, FOUR, UH, APPLICANTS FOR THAT, AND WE'RE INTERVIEWING THAT OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR FIREFIGHTING STAFF AT THIS POINT IS FULL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF ROUNTREE, UH, SEEING NO QUESTIONS.

UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY.

WE APPRECIATE THAT, UH, CHIEF ROUNTREE, UM, AND MS. HARRIET, UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU DO A GREAT JOB, SO WE'VE GOTTEN EVERYTHING FROM THEM THAT WE NEED FOR THIS BUDGET SEASON.

OKAY, GREAT.

SO OBVIOUSLY THE NEXT DID WE BE FOR US TO, UM, EITHER APPROVE OR DENY, UH, THEIR REQUESTS OF, OF, UM, MILLAGE AND, UM, UM, BUDGET INCREASE, UH, FOR THIS COUNSELING TO INCLUDE IN THE BUDGET TO PUSH IT FORWARD.

SO YOU NEED A MOTION, WE GET A MOTION OR JUST NO FINAL THING.

OKAY, GREAT.

THANKS AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

MOVE ON TO, UM, NUMBER 11, AND THAT IS THE PRESENTATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023, LOW COUNTRY, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.

ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S

[11. PRESENTATION OF FY2022-2023 LOWCOUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LRTA) BUDGET]

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME FOR A HUMAN COMMITTEE THIS AFTERNOON, AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OUR, UH, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY IS DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT WE PLAN TO DO AND HOW BEAVER COUNTY CAN PARTNER WITH US.

WE'VE GOT A PRESENTATION.

I WANT TO START BY JUST GIVING YOU A, ALL AN UPDATE, SORT OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN THIS LAST YEAR OR SO, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH DURING THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR.

AND LET ME JUST SIT INTERRUPT, MR. CHRIS,

[01:00:01]

I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE PROPER INTRODUCTION.

UM, IT'S HENRY CHRIS, AND YOUR TITLE AT THE, UM, UH, TRANSPORTATION.

THE LRTS YES, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION.

AND ALSO PRESENT WITH ME IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HAS MARY LOU.

FRIEND-ZONE A GREAT THANK YOU FOR COMING.

BUILT INTO THEM, AS WELL AS PURCHASING TWO MORE OF THOSE MOTOR COACHES.

SO WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE OUR, UH, THE, THE, THE MAINSTAY OF OUR SERVICE, WHICH IS OUR, IT'S PROBABLY A 70% OF WHAT WE DO IS OUR COMMUTER SERVICE.

AND WE RUN THOSE FIXED ROUTES FROM FAR OUT IN THE REGION, AS FAR AS ALLENDALE HAMPTON CALLED THE COUNTY DOWN INTO IF I COULD GO AND HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, INTO HILTON HEAD.

AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE THE SERVICE HERE IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, WHICH HAS A CIRCULATOR AROUND BUFORD, AND THEN THAT COMMUTER COMPONENT THAT TAKES PEOPLE TO JOBS DOWN WITH HEAD.

I MEAN, WE'RE STILL GOING STRONG ON THAT.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE OUR INCEPTION IN THE LATE SEVENTIES, EARLY EIGHTIES.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'RE REAL PROUD OF THAT WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS.

WE'VE HAD A MAJOR INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP, AND I THINK WE'D ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THE RISE IN FUEL COSTS, RIGHT? AS PEOPLE WERE HAVING TO FILL THEIR OWN TANKS TO GET TO AND FROM WORK, THEY'RE STARTING TO USE OUR SERVICE.

WE'VE HAD EXCELLENT SAFETY PERFORMANCE THIS PAST YEAR.

UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE SOME, UH, FINANCES THAT WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE FTA TO PURCHASE TWO BRAND NEW NCI MOTOR COACHES.

SO WE'RE TAKING OUR FLEET, WHICH AT ONE TIME JUST 10 YEARS AGO WAS A, AND NOT A GREAT STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.

AND WE'VE TAKEN IT TO WHERE WE'RE REALLY AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF, OF IN THE STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.

SO WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD EQUIPMENT.

WE ALSO WERE RECOGNIZED SOME OF OUR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONS RECOGNIZED IN OUR STATEWIDE, UH, TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE, WHICH WAS HELD ON HILTON HEAD THIS PAST YEAR.

TWO OTHER THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, FOR, FOR THE COMMITTEE THIS AFTERNOON, WE'VE GOT OUR BREEZE TROLLEY, WHICH OPERATES SEASONALLY ON HILTON HEAD.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OPERATE AT FAIR FREE.

UH, WE ADDED TO THE ROUTE THIS, THIS YEAR, IT CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND, UH, WE'VE HAD RECORD RIDERSHIP.

I THINK IT WAS 50 2050, 2000 ONLY PASTOR TRIPS LAST YEAR.

AND THIS YEAR WE EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO BLOW THAT OUT OF THE WATER AS WELL.

WE'VE ALREADY HAD A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST.

UM, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT INTO OUR SERVICE THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S CONTINUING TO GO.

AND THAT YOU CAN SEE FROM THE, THAT YOU CAN SEE FROM THE NEXT SLIDE WE, WE RUN FROM, UM, BASICALLY MID ISLAND, UM, UH, ALMOST ALMOST THE NORTH END ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SOUTH END.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNEW THAT TOURISTS WERE GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS.

WE KNEW THAT FOLKS WERE GONNA RIDE IT TO DINNER AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WE'VE EVEN SEEN FOLKS USING IT AND HEARD STORIES OF FOLKS USING IT TO RIDE TO AND FROM WORK.

SO PEOPLE REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, NOT ONLY AS A SORT OF A, UH, AN ADDITION TO THE EXPERIENCE OF VISITING BEAVER COUNTY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO USING IT AS A SERVICE TO, UH, TO KIND OF UNDERGIRD OUR, OUR, OUR WORKFORCE.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE STARTED RECENTLY, IT WAS WE SERVE, UH, THE GREATER BLUFFTON AREA WITH A FIXED ROUTE IN SEPTEMBER OF 21.

WE STARTED THE BLUFFTON BREEZE SERVICE.

SO IT'S A FIXED ROUTE THAT RUNS BASICALLY FROM ONE END OF, OF BLOCKED INTO THE OTHER, NOT JUST IN TOWN, UH, BUT SERVING UNINCORPORATED AREAS AROUND BLOCKED IN AS WELL.

IT OPERATES FROM SEVEN IN THE MORNING TO 6:00 PM.

SO FOLKS WERE RIDING TO, AND FROM WORK TO LUNCH TO VISIT SOME THINGS.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO ADJUST THAT WE HAD SOME INTEREST FROM THE NEW RV RESORT, WHICH CAME IN DOWN OFF OF BURT CHURCH ROAD.

AND THEY ASKED FOR US TO WORK WITH THEM.

WE'RE ABLE TO ADJUST THE ROUTE TO SERVE THAT RV RESORT.

AND WE ALSO NOW SERVE OLD TOWN.

SO THAT'S BEEN A REALLY, UH, BENEFICIAL SERVICE.

AND IT'S BEEN VERY POPULAR.

WE EXPECT LIKE THE TROLLEY, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW UP POPULARITY AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

ANOTHER THING THAT WE DO IS A SUPPORTING EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WITH, UH, WITH SHERIFF TANNER AND HIS, HIS FOLKS, UM, IN THE, IN THE EVENT OF A NATURAL DISASTER, WE, UH, PERFORM THE FUNCTIONS OF USF ONE.

WE'VE EXPANDED THAT TO COORDINATE WITH JASPER COUNTY AS WELL AS I'M SURE EVERYONE KNOWS FROM OUR EXPERIENCE HURRICANE MATTHEW, THERE ARE SHELTERS LOCATED HERE IN BEAVER COUNTY.

UM, IF WE ARE UNDER MANDATORY EVACUATION, SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH, UH, BETWEEN THE TWO EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTERS TO COORDINATE THE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE SHELTERS IN A BETTER WAY.

UM, AND IN ADDITION, WE ALSO, UH, PROVIDE OTHER SERVICES AS WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE CAN GET OUR, OUR CITIZENS CAN GET TO A SAFE PLACE IN THE EVENT OF A DISASTER MOVING FORWARD.

WE'RE LOOKING AT PURCHASING, UH, SOME MORE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES.

UM, THERE'S A SLIDE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN A SECOND, WHERE WE, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME POTENTIAL SERVICE AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.

UM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO LEVERAGE SOME OF THIS FEDERAL MONEY TO PURCHASE THREE NEW, UH, WE CALL CUTAWAYS.

SO THOSE SMALLER GREEN BUSES, AND THEY ACTUALLY ARE GOING TO BE CONFIGURED.

WE EXPECT TAKE DELIVERY PROBABLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

I MEAN, IT'S IMMINENT.

I MEAN, THEY'RE CONFIGURED TO DO THAT AIRPORT SERVICE.

WE GET SOME LUGGAGE RACKS

[01:05:01]

AND THERE'S THE, THE, OUR FUTURE PLAN.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING MOVING FORWARD WITH WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PLANNING STUDY, HOPEFULLY GET TOWARDS THE END OF IT, OF WHAT WE CAN DO AND HOW WE CAN, THE ENTIRETY OF THE ISLAND FROM THE AIRPORT.

WE WERE APPROACHED BY BOTH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND THE COUNTY'S AIRPORT STAFF AND SAID, HEY, HOW CAN WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? WE'VE GOT FOLKS WHO GET OFF OF AIRPLANES AND THEY CAN'T GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.

UM, SO WE, WE ENGAGED WITH, UH, WAS WITH A PLANNING FIRM, AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROPOSAL HERE IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS.

THAT'LL THEY'LL SOLVE SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS. UH, THE, THE LOCAL MATCH FOR THAT SPECIFIC SERVICE IS NOT INCLUDED IN OUR REQUESTS THIS TIME AROUND WE'D HOPE THE TIMING WOULD WORK BETTER.

WE'D HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION, BUT THEY HADN'T FINISHED THE PLANNING STUDY YET.

SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT WE'LL HAVE IT, UH, TO STAFF AS SOON AS WE, AS SOON AS WE HAVE THAT RESOLVED, JUST TO GIVE THE COMMITTEE AN IDEA OF WHERE OUR MONEY'S COMING FROM.

UH, THIS IS, UH, SOMETIMES A MISCONCEPTION IS THAT A LOT OF FOLKS THINK THAT OUR FARES PAY FOR OUR, UH, OUR SERVICES.

WE'RE NOT REVENUE NEUTRAL, EVEN OUR FAIRS.

UH, WE COLLECT PROBABLY ABOUT 29, $30,000 A MONTH IN FAIRS, AND WE SPEND MORE THAN THAT AT A FUEL.

UM, SO IT IS THOSE FEDERAL GRANTS, THE STATE MASS TRANSIT FUNDS.

AND OF COURSE THE LOCAL MATCH THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS PROVIDE THE, PROVIDE THE LION'S SHARE OF, UH, OF THAT, OF THAT REVENUE.

AND YOU CAN SEE OUR REVENUES ON THE RURAL SIDE.

IF I HAD THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THE, UH, THE URBAN SIDE, WHICH IS BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD.

UM, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, SHOULDERS, THE MAJORITY OF THAT, OF THAT EXPENSE WITH, UH, THE STATE AND US AND OUR LOCAL PARTNER SHARING THE REST OF IT.

SO OUR, OUR REQUEST A FOR B FOR COUNTY COUNCIL THIS YEAR, IS IT THE COUNCIL WOULD ALLOCATE 330, 7,000, UH, AND $97, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SERVICE FOR THE RURAL COUNTIES.

UM, AND THE GROWING URBAN SIDE THAT'S TO GIVE YOU THE BREAKDOWN.

THAT'S TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE, EIGHT, TWO HUNDRED, SORRY, $229,809 OF LOCAL NATIONAL RURAL SIDE, AND $107,288 OF LOCAL MATCH, UM, ON THE URBAN SIDE.

AND AGAIN, THOSE DOLLARS ARE, WE'RE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS BECAUSE THAT LOCAL MATCH.

UM, SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND IN OPERATIONS THAT WE GET FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE NEED A DOLLAR LOCALLY TO MATCH THAT.

AND IF I COULD HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, I'LL SHOW YOU.

UM, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS IN YOUR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

UH, WE TAKE AND DIVIDE THE RULE LOCAL MATCH AMONGST THE, THE FIVE COUNTIES AND THE TOWN HILTON HEAD PAYS A SHARE OF IT AS WELL, UH, BASED ON A BLEND OF THE POPULATION AND THE RIDERSHIP.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE COME UP WITH WHAT WE WOULD PROPOSE AS AN EQUITABLE SHARE FOR THE COUNTY TO PAY THEIR, THEIR SHARE OF THE RURAL SIDE.

AND THEN ON THE URBAN SIDE, IT'S MAINLY JUST, UH, THE POPULATION.

OBVIOUSLY THESE NUMBERS ARE THE LAST CENSUS NUMBERS THAT WE USE.

UM, WE'LL HAVE SOME DIFFERENT NUMBERS NEXT YEAR AND THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE, BUT THE URBAN AREA IS SPLIT OUT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF BLUFF AND TOWN HILTON HEAD.

AND WE'D ASKED THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL PROVIDE A SHARE FOR UNINCORPORATED BEAVER COUNTY.

I MEAN, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.

BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS FOR MR. CHRIS? I DON'T SEE ANY, NO, I THOUGHT GERALD HAD A QUESTION.

UM, NO QUESTIONS.

UM, AND, UM, MS. HARRIS, SO EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THEM.

SO THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR, UM, MR. CHRIS, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE.

YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB AND WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO.

I KNOW SOMETIMES SHE GOES, DON'T GET THE CREDIT FOR, FOR WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.

SO THANK YOU.

NUMBER 12, AND THIS WOULD BE A FISCAL YEAR 23 THAT DO FORT COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS.

LET'S THEN MOVE ON TO, UM, NUMBER, ITEM

[12. FY2023 BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET PRESENTATION]

SO JANET, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? MR. CHAIRMAN? I AM FULLY PREPARED TO GIVE YOU MY BUDGET PRESENTATION.

SO I'LL STEP ASIDE AND TURN IT OVER SMART MAN.

TODAY I WILL BE PRESENTING OUR FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET REQUESTS.

I LIKE TO START WITH OUR FIRST BUDGET AND THAT CONSISTS OF OUR GENERAL FUND AS HAS BEEN NOTED.

WE HAVE DECIDED TO CONSOLIDATE ALL OF OUR GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS INTO ONE.

[01:10:01]

THEREFORE, THAT'S WHY ON SOME OF YOUR PREVIOUS, UH, CORRESPONDENCE.

UH, SOME OF THE PERCENTAGES MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE OUT OF WHACK BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE GENERAL FUND ACCOUNT NUMBER.

UH, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A TOTAL OF 342 POSITIONS.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE 277 PERSONNEL ON BOARD.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE 22 APPLICATIONS ACTIVE ON FILE, AND WE ARE CHOOSING TO FUND 320 POSITIONS.

THE VACANT POSITIONS, WE ARE FUNDING AN 85% LEVEL.

AND, UM, IF YOU NOTICE THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR PERSONNEL CATEGORY, UM, ALSO I'VE KIND OF INCLUDED SOME OF THE NOTES OF WHAT WE HAVE SPENT YEAR TO DATE, JUST LIKE THE FIREMEN.

AND, UM, WE HAVE SOME INCREASES IN OUR TRAINING BECAUSE DURING COVID, EVERYTHING WAS SHUT DOWN.

WE NOW HAVE TO GET ALL OF OUR RECERTIFICATIONS UP TO DATE FOR OUR FIREARMS INSTRUCTORS OR DEFENSIVE DRIVING OR OSI SPRAY, ET CETERA.

UH, THEREFORE THERE IS A LARGE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY AS WELL WITH THE ACADEMY IS OPEN.

SO WE ARE SENDING OUR APPLICANTS THERE, HOWEVER, UNFORTUNATELY THEY DO NOT HAVE THEIR HOUSING OPEN AT THIS TIME.

SO WE DO HAVE TO PAY FOR A HOTEL RANDOM WHILE THEY ARE THERE.

UH, NEXT I LIKE TO NAME ONTO OUR PURCHASE SERVICES.

UH, PUT SOME NOTES ON TO THE SIDE WHERE SOME OF THESE LINE ITEM, ACCOUNT NUMBERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSOLIDATED WITH THE FISCAL YEAR 22 BUDGET.

UM, NOTABLY OUR GARAGE CONTRACT THAT WAS DEFINITELY CONSOLIDATED UNDER THE GARAGE CONTRACT FUND.

AND, UH, THAT JUST MOVES US ONTO SUPPLIES, OUR NORMAL SUPPLIES, WHICH CAN RANGE FROM ANYTHING FROM OUR OFFICE, FORENSIC LAB, BODY ARMOR UNIFORMS, OUR FUELS, ANYTHING, UH, TO THAT EXTENT, OUR FUELS HAVE INCREASED.

WE HAVE MORE DRIVING, MORE DRIVERS ON BOARD, AND OF COURSE THE, UH, PRICES AT THE PUMP WE'VE ALL ENDURED.

UH, LASTLY FOR CAPITAL ITEMS, WE ARE NOT PURCHASING ANY VEHICLES AT A FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET.

WE ARE REPLACING A DMS BOARD, WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE RED SIDE ELECTRONIC SIGNS THAT, UH, INFORM YOU THAT THERE'S A HAZARD, UM, COMING UP AND THAT'S ABOUT $26,000 AND THE SATELLITE DISH FOR A LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER, WHICH ALLOWS FOR OUR SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS FOR OUR PHONES AND OUR RADIOS.

UH, LASTLY, WE HAVE THREE TRAFFIC CAMERAS THAT WE'D LIKE TO INSTALL.

UH, THE LOCATIONS ARE LISTED THERE, ONE AT MIDTOWN PORT ROYAL BY THE MCDONALD'S THE SECOND SAM'S POINT ROAD AND MILLER DRIVE.

AND THE THIRD US 2 78 EXTENSION AND SUN CITY BOULEVARD.

OUR ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS A $1,690,000 INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 22.

HOWEVER, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM TODAY, WE ARE REQUESTING A REDUCED AMOUNT OF 1,365,755 GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.

SO OUR INCREASE IS APPROXIMATELY ONE POINT IS $1,365,755.

THIS GENERAL FUND DOLLAR REQUEST ALSO INCLUDES A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FUND OF APPROXIMATELY 216,000.

AND I WILL GLADLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, OR I CAN MOVE ON TO OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE, OFFICER BUDGET, ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY UP TO THIS POINT? UH, COUNSEL, HERBERT SEAN, GO AHEAD.

UM, QUESTION ABOUT THE OPEN POSITIONS.

SO YOU'RE ROUGHLY 90% FULFILLED RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT MY NUMBER MATH RIGHT THERE? CLOSE TO 2 77 ON A THREE 20? YES.

UM, AND THEN YOU WERE FUNDING THE NEW POSITIONS AT 85%, WHICH WOULD SEEM TO SUGGEST THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE FULLY STAFFED BY SEPTEMBER 1ST ISH.

THAT DEPENDS ON THE APPLICANTS AND THEIR, UM, ABILITY TO BE APPROVED THROUGHOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

WHAT SUZANNE IS DOING IS, IS, UH, CREATING A BUDGET IN THE HOPES THAT THESE VACANCIES WILL BE FILLED AND WE'RE DOING IT IN CONCERT WITH THE COUNTY BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS DOING THE SAME THING.

JUST GIVEN WHERE WE ARE WITH JUST TALENT POOLS EVERYWHERE, APPARENTLY.

UM, AND YOUR PIPELINE, LIKE, DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE FULLY STAFFED BY SEPTEMBER 1ST OR IS 85%? IS THAT A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER? I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A, GET A SENSE OF WHETHER OR NOT THAT THAT WOULD EVEN BE ACHIEVABLE, REALLY JUST GIVEN WHERE WE ARE AT THE LABOR POOL.

[01:15:01]

THEY FUND 85% OF THOSE POSITIONS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THE SAME THING.

CAN I HAVE ALL THE POSITIONS FILLED AT SHERIFF'S OFFICE BY SEPTEMBER 1ST? I DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

SHOULD WE BE PREPARED TO DO THAT? THE ANSWER'S YES.

YOU KNOW, JUST OVER THE PAST MONTH X, IF I GO BACK, I'LL GO BACK AND TAKE IN APRIL.

AND, UH, PROBABLY MOST OF MARCH TO TELL YOU THAT THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WOULD COMPENSATION AT THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE WOULD COUNTY COUNCIL NOT ONLY, UH, WITH THE, UH, PAYMENT, UH, OUT OF THE ARPA FUND, BUT ALSO THE 5% INCREASED AT COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED.

IT WENT INTO EFFECT.

OUR APPLICATION POOL HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, NOT ONLY IN THE CIVILIAN MARKET, A COMMUNICATIONS MARKET, BUT ALSO IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FIELD.

I, MY GUT FEELING BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN SINCE JANUARY, UH, IS THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS NOT NECESSARILY AT A GREENER GRASS OF, OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES.

UH, AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE, UH, THOSE APPLICATIONS COME BACK IN TO A GOVERNMENT FUNDED JOB WOULD BENEFIT RETIREMENT FORFEIT 4 0 1 AND 4 57.

SO WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE.

I WISH I COULD HAVE THESE VACANCIES FILLED, UH, BY THE 1ST OF JUNE.

UH, BUT THAT'S THAT WOULDN'T BE REALISTIC, BUT WE, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE FUNDING APPARATUS TO TAKE CARE OF US DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO DOING IT AT 85% OR, OR MODIFYING IT TO, UH, TO SUIT, MAYBE COUNCIL'S VIEW ON THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.

BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW THE APPLICATIONS ARE POURING IN, UH, FOR ALL POSITIONS AND ARE, ARE HAVING THE SAME IMPACT, UH, AT OTHER AGENCIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE COUNTY AT A TIME IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, THERE WERE 4,600, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT VACANCIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

AND THEN IT CREEPED UP TO 5,000, BUT I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, WE'RE ON THE GOOD SIDE.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO START MAKING UP THE DIFFERENCE.

THE GOVERNOR DID A GOOD JOB IN JANUARY BY SENDING A LETTER TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, ASKING FOR AN ANALYSIS FOR STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY, THEY DID A GOOD JOB.

THEY IDENTIFIED THE TRIPLE THREAT, THE TRIPLE THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

UH, IS IT NOT ONLY IS IT FINDING MEN AND WOMEN WHO WANT A PROFESSION IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH IS ONE OF THEM, BUT WHERE OUR PERCENTAGES OF RETIREES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ANOTHER FEAR AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

RIGHT NOW, I'VE GOT OVER 50 EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO RETIRE ANYTIME, ANY DAY, EITHER FOR AGE OR FOR YEARS OF SERVICE, UH, WE WANT TO RETAIN THEM.

WE WANT TO KEEP THEM AND TO DO IT AND DOING THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL APPROVED, LIKE WITH THE COLA.

THAT'S A BIG WAY WE DO THAT.

UH, BUT THE ALSO THE OTHER THING, AND, AND QUITE HONESTLY, YOU'RE USING IT HERE TODAY.

UH, WE HAVE W YOU KNOW, DURING THE COVID, UH, PANDEMIC, UH, WE TOLD A LOT OF PEOPLE TO WORK FROM HOME.

WE'RE TEACHING CORPORATIONS TODAY, NOT TO BILL, YOU KNOW, WOOD, MORTAR, AND BRICK.

DON'T HAVE TO DO IT.

YOU CAN WORK FROM HOME.

WE'VE GOT COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE TODAY THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON ZOOM, WORKING FROM HOME, AND THAT'S A BIG MOVE IN, IN THE CORPORATE WORLD, BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING AND THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AS WELL.

SO WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CHALLENGES AHEAD OF US, BUT, UH, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING ENDS MEET.

I PUT IT THAT WAY.

NOT ONLY PUBLIC SAFETY AS LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT FIRE AND EMS, NURSES, TEACHERS, ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON IN THE NATIONAL BOG HAS CREATED A PROBLEM FOR EVERYONE IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY INCLUDED.

UH, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, UH, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE, JUST VERY, VERY BROADLY OF THE PIPELINE COMING INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT, LIKE NEW FOLKS COMING INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? I DON'T KNOW IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION CAUSE I DON'T, I CAN'T HEAR YOU VERY WELL.

UM, SORRY.

UH, SO THE, THE QUESTION IS ABOUT THE PIPELINE COMING INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE VERY, VERY BROADLY.

SO WE'VE GOT A LARGE POPULATION THAT'S THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO RETIRE.

ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THOSE FOLKS FAST ENOUGH? YOU KNOW, IF I HAD 50 RETIRED TODAY, I'D SAY WE'D BE IN BAD SHAPE.

UM, THERE IS AN INCREASED A, A LOOK, TAKE THE NATIONAL POLITICS AND PUT THEM INTO THE SIDE.

THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN THE BIGGEST DEMON THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TAKEN IT ON THE CHIN FROM EVERY ANGLE, UH, AND FROM THE NATIONAL MEDIA DOWN, UH, IT'S ACTUALLY DRIVEN PEOPLE AWAY FROM PUBLIC SAFETY,

[01:20:01]

UH, I THINK THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER.

I DON'T, I, I KNOW THAT OUR EMPLOYEES AT SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SO WE'VE HAD EIGHT RETIRED AS YEAR SOME GO TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, AND SOME JUST FINALLY HAD THEIR FILL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AFTER 30, 35 YEARS AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S NOT THE SAME JOB I SIGNED UP FOR 35 YEARS AGO.

SO, BUT I THINK I KNOW IN BUFORD COUNTY, AND I KNOW IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT THE TREATMENT, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT GETS WITHIN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS AMAZING.

IT REALLY IS THE GOVERNOR OWNED DOWN.

UH, THEY, THEY, THEY REALIZED, UH, UH, WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT MEANS TO THE STATE, YOU KNOW, IN HIS OWN WAY OF DOING WHAT HE DID IN JANUARY AS PROOF THAT HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

BUT WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL DID IS ALSO PROVED, UH, BY GIVING THE STIPEND WITH, UH, WITH THE ARPA MONEY AND THE 5% COLA YOU ACTUALLY TELLING PEOPLE.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SURF THE INTERNET.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR GREAT PLACES TO LIVE, WHICH BUFORD COUNTY IS ONE OF THEM, WHAT A CRIME RATE UNDER THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND THE SALARIES BEING COMPETITIVE, NOT ONLY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T, YOU CAN'T WORK FROM HOME IN YOUR PAJAMAS WITH A CUP OF COFFEE IN YOUR HAND, BUT I MEAN, BUT YOU CAN DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT, UH, I, I THINK IT'S LOOKING A WHOLE LOT BETTER AND WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE HERE RECENTLY WITH JAWS FUNDING, UH, HAS ACTUALLY, UH, MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AND APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT IT'S LIKE AND WHAT IT MEANS TO WORK AND BE FOR COUNTY.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LONG ANSWER TO A VERY SHORT QUESTION, BUT I THINK THE PIPELINE IS OPEN, UH, AND WE'RE RECEIVING APPLICATIONS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR, UH, SHERIFF TANNER OR SUSAN? THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A BIG BUDGET.

CAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE BESIDES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH AGAIN, IT'S NOT OUR BUDGET FOR THEM TO YOU GUYS.

YOU GUYS ARE THE NEXT LARGEST, UH, AMOUNT THAT WE, BUT, UM, NO MORE QUESTIONS.

AND AS USUAL, UM, THERE USUALLY ARE SOME COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, WHAT ABOUT THIS WITH THIS? SO HOPEFULLY YOU STAY OPEN, JUST WHATEVER PEOPLE ASK.

CAUSE AGAIN, YOU ARE THE, THE, THE SECOND LARGEST OR OUR LARGEST PART OF OUR BUDGET THAT WE HAVE HERE.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

WE HAVE TWO MORE BUDGETS IF YOU DON'T.

UM, YEP.

AND TIME.

UH, UH, WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM QUICKLY.

THE NEXT TAB IS FOR OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER, BASICALLY THE INCREASES THERE OR IN THE PERSONNEL CATEGORY THAT ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE 5% COST OF LIVING.

I MEAN THE 5% COST OF LIVING IN OUR COMPENSATION PLAN, AS WELL AS, UH, MS. ROSLYN WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SEND ME SOME INFORMATION, OUR FRENCH BENEFITS AND HOW TO BUDGET THEM FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.

SO THEREFORE THERE'S SOME NOTES TO THE SIDE OF, OF THE, UM, ACTUAL EXPENDITURE REQUESTS.

THE LAST ONE, I HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AT THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

HOW MANY ARE THERE IN THE UN LIKE BATTERY CREEK, HIGH SCHOOL AND WHALE BRANCH ARE THERE USUALLY ONE ON DUTY.

WE HAVE EIGHT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS TOTAL THAT WE, THAT ANSWERS IT.

AND, UM, ANYBODY ELSE? SO THAT'S REALLY GOING TO BE RESOURCE OFFICERS, AND THOSE ARE COMING, LET ME GO THROUGH THIS.

SO THOSE ARE PARTIALLY FUNDED BY MCDONALD.

BLUFFTON DOES FUND SOME OF THAT MONEY THEY USED TO, OR THEY STILL DO.

OR ACTUALLY THIS IS A 75%, 25%.

AND THE ACADEMY OF CAREER EXCELLENCE IS WHERE WE HAVE ONE OF OUR OFFICERS.

THEY PAY FOR A 75% OF THAT OFFICER'S EXPENDITURES THERE, AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PAYS FOR 75% OF THE REMAINING SEVEN OFFICERS AND THEIR SPECIFIC EXPENDITURES, THE GENERAL FUND MAKES UP THE 25%.

WILL BE MADE TO THIS FUND AND REVENUES WERE COLLECTED TO COVER THOSE EXPENDITURES.

SO THAT'S WHERE THAT TRANSFER COMES IN.

SO, ALL RIGHT, LASTLY IS THE HILTON HEAD BUDGET.

AND THIS YEAR IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT IT HAS BEEN, UH, PERFORATED TO THE ITS OWN SPECIAL FUND.

UM, I BELIEVE IN FISCAL YEAR 21, I THINK THEY DID MOVE OVER THE EXPENDITURES PER SE, BUT WE ACTUALLY BUDGETED AND FISCAL YEAR 22 UNDER THIS FUND 2, 2 8 0.

UM, SAME THING THE FISCAL YEAR 22 IS YOU CAN SEE THE FRUIT INSURANCE WORKERS' COMP TORT AND UNEMPLOYMENT WAS NOT BUDGETED IN THIS PARTICULAR BOND.

IT WAS STILL POOLED AT THAT TIME.

HOWEVER, I'M SURE BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THE ALLOCATION

[01:25:02]

UM, SO THEREFORE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HILTON HEAD BUDGET, THERE'S NOT A HUGE INCREASE.

IT'S JUST BECAUSE IN FISCAL YEAR 22, THESE EXPENDITURES WEREN'T BUDGETED IN FISCAL YEAR 23, THEY ARE BUDGETED.

THAT'S ABOUT $700,000 OF THIS, UM, 1 MILLION, $249,220 INCREASE.

UM, NEXT, UM, BASICALLY THAT'S WHERE THEY EXPECT THE INCREASES ARE OR IN THE PERSONNEL CATEGORY.

UH, WE DO HAVE SOME INCREASES WITH THE FUELS, OF COURSE, BUT BASICALLY EVERYTHING ELSE IS IN MATERIAL.

IS THERE ANY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE? SO WE LOOK AT THAT BUDGET REAL QUICK.

UM, WE WERE PAYING THE OVERTIME BEFORE, BUT IT WAS JUST WASN'T IN THE BUDGET OR HOW'D THAT HOW'D THAT WORK ALL, EVERYTHING IN THERE, THE BENEFITS FOR NOT BUDGETED PER SE, HOWEVER, THEY WILL BE, THOSE EXPENDITURES WILL BE ALLOCATED TO THAT FUND, EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T BUDGETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND REVENUES WERE COLLECTED THIS YEAR TO COVER THOSE EXPENDITURES.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FISCAL, YOU LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 22, RIGHT BESIDE FISCAL YEAR 23, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A HUGE INCREASE WHEN IN REALITY IT ISN'T.

SO WHAT WERE THOSE BEING PAID ON THE COUNTY SIDE? IS THAT WHY THEY'RE INCREASED NOW? WE'VE SHIFTED THEM OR ALLOCATED THEM TO THE CORRECT? IT'S JUST A JOURNAL ENTRY.

I THINK IT WAS JUST MAYBE A PAID FROM ONE SPOT WHEN IT SHOULD BE PAID FROM ANOTHER, AND THAT WILL JUST BE CORRECTED.

UM, AND ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY, UM, REGARDING TO HILTON HEAD? I, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, PETER, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHEN IT COMES TO THE HILTON HEAD USER FEE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO RE UH, EVALUATE THAT FEE.

WE HAVE COMMISSIONED TISH OR BICE TO DO THAT STUDY, UH, TO MAKE SURE AGAIN THAT WHAT, UM, WHAT WE ARE WHAT'S COST IN THE SORT OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS ACTUALLY REFLECTED IN THE USER FEE.

AND IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT TISHA BICE WILL HAVE THAT STUDY UPDATED BY THE END OF JUNE, UH, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE WHATEVER ADJUSTMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO THE USER FEE TO REFLECT THE INCREASE BY THE SHERIFFS, A BUDGET FOR THAT, AND TO PASS THE APPROPRIATE ORDINANCE.

SO IT CAN APPEAR IN THE PA IN THE TAX BILLS.

SO THERE'S NOTHING WE NEED TO DO TODAY.

THAT'S JUST A FORMALITY THAT'S DONE IN THE BUDGET, JUST LETTING YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE HAVING TO REEVALUATE THE, UH, SHERIFF'S USER FEE FOR HILTON THAT OUT AND LET THE SHERIFF KNOW THAT AND THAT ALL OF THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE, UH, WITHIN ENOUGH TIMES SO THAT WE CAN, UH, MAKE WHATEVER ADJUSTMENTS ARE NECESSARY BEFORE TAX BILLS GO OUT.

OR SAYING ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT ANYBODY.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO ASK ABOUT ANY UPDATES ON THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TIME TODAY, SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR SHERIFF TANNER OR SUZANNE? LET ME, LET ME SAY IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE CONFUSED ABOUT, OKAY.

I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE REFERRING TO IT AS A SHERIFF'S USER FEE AND YOU CAN REFER TO IT THAT WAY IF YOU WANT TO.

BUT REALITY IS, IS I COME BEFORE THIS BODY TO GET MY BUDGET OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, WHAT REVENUES YOU CONSIDER AS A COUNTY COUNCIL THAT, THAT BUILD AND GROW YOUR GENERAL FUND.

THAT'S YOUR BUSINESS.

I'M NOT TAXING THE CITIZENS OF HILTON HEAD, A USER FEE FOR US TO PROVIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT.

I HAVE 923 SQUARE MILES OF COUNTY TO PROTECT THE GENERAL, GENERAL FUND BUDGETS.

WHAT GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY AND AUTHORITY AND THE ABILITY TO PROTECT 923 SQUARE MILES, WHICH INCLUDES THAT AND ALL THE OTHER MIDDLE SPIDERS.

NOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW WE CALL IT THAT.

AND EVERY, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GO TO DIFFERENT PLACES, UH, ON HILTON HEAD, I HAVE PEOPLE LOOKING AT ME GOING, WHY ARE YOU? SO YOU'RE THE REASON WHY MY, MY TAXES GOING UP INTO REALITY TO IT.

I MEAN, GENERAL FUND IS WHERE MY BUDGET COMES FROM.

AND, AND I'M ALSO, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY ALSO THIS YEAR, BECAUSE REIA MOVED INTO TRYING TO GET MORE FUNDING OUT OF THE STATE IN THE FORM OF TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS AND SAT ON THE SCIENCE SIDE OR OUR FORENSIC SERVICES LAB.

UH, WE GOT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS YET LAST YEAR, WHICH ALLOWS US TO GO IN AND REPLACE OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY AND OUTDATED EQUIPMENT.

UH, AND WE'RE GETTING A W W I'M HOPING WE'RE GETTING $400,000 THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING US, UH, KEEP THE LAB AND THE TECHNOLOGY STUFF, UH, UPDATED WITHOUT ASKING YOU FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY.

SO WE'RE VERY, VERY, VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.

I'M NOT PICKING ON HIM

[01:30:01]

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I PUT THAT ON RECORD, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING BETWEEN US AND THE POTASSIUM WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT.

I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TERM LAW ENFORCEMENT USER FEE.

I JUST, I USE THE WRONG TERMINOLOGY THERE LAW.

I THINK IT WAS, SHOULD BE AN ERIC GREENWAY USER.

THANK YOU, SUZANNE, IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING, UH, FROM THE COUNTY COUNTY COUNCIL, I MEAN, I'M EASY TO FIND.

YOU'VE GOT MY CELL PHONE NUMBER.

SUZANNE'S WILLING AS WELL AS I, MY CHIEF DEPUTY MIGHT HAVE FIELDS HERE.

ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AT ANY TIME BY ALL MEANS, FEEL FREE TO CALL US.

TREASURER'S OFFICE BUDGET PRESENTATION.

GOOD.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU, SAM AND MISS HARRIET WERE GOOD.

EVERYTHING THAT PROVIDE EVERYTHING WE NEED FROM THEM, SO.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, ALL RIGHT, LET'S KEEP THIS TRAIN ROLLING.

UM, AT A NUMBER 1323

[13. FY2023 TREASURER'S OFFICE BUDGET PRESENTATION]

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

THIS WALL'S, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING ON TODAY, SO THANK YOU.

AND THEN GO AHEAD.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO, UM, ACTUALLY ABNORMAL FOR ME, I DO NOT HAVE A PLAN FOR PRESENTATION FOR YOU BECAUSE I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT I WAS ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.

I BELIEVE THAT MS. HARRIET WOULD HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED OUR BUDGET TO YOU, BUT THE FOCAL AREAS, THE PRIMARY AREAS OF OUR INCREASE IS IN THE AREAS OF POSTAGE AND PRINTING.

NOW, GIVEN MY PRESENTATION, I QUITE EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION A FEW WEEKS AGO TO COUNCIL.

I DON'T THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANY SHOCK THAT WE ARE REQUESTING AN INCREASE FOR THOSE TWO LINE ITEMS, ALL AREAS, UM, ALL AREAS OF OUR BUDGET OPERATING WISE SHOULD REMAIN THE SAME.

WE EXPECT TO REMAIN THE SAME, BUT WE ARE GROWING COUNTY.

WE ARE EXPERIENCING A ABOUT SIX AND A HALF PERCENT GROWTH IN THE VOLUME OF ACCOUNTS.

THE POST OFFICE WILL BEGIN A POSTAGE INCREASE IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.

AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO RAISE POSTAGE TWICE A YEAR, BEGINNING IN JANUARY, 2023.

AND FROM THAT POINT FORWARD IN LIGHT OF THAT, OUR PRINT VENDOR IS NOTIFIED US THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT APPROXIMATELY A 20% INCREASE IN OVERALL EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING THAT POSTAGE INCREASE.

YOU WILL SEE IN OUR BUDGET REQUEST, I'M NOT ASKING FOR A 20% INCREASE.

I AM WORKING WITH OUR ONLINE PRINT, THEN OUR ONLINE BILLING VENDOR FOR EVERYONE WATCHING IT'S MY BUFORD COUNTY.

WE WORK WITH AN INCREDIBLE COMPANY AND PAY IT, AND IT PROVIDES A FREE EMAILING SERVICE, NOT JUST FOR THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO FOR OUR TAXPAYERS.

AND WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO CONTINUE ENCOURAGING THE USE OF MY BUFORD COUNTY SO THAT WE CAN COMP WE CAN MAKE UP FOR THESE INCREASED PRINTING AND POSTAGE COSTS THROUGH INCREASED ADOPTION WITH MY BEAVER COUNTY.

SO WE'RE WORKING TO OFFSET THE COSTS THAT, I MEAN, THEY'RE COMING, THERE'S VERY LITTLE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE COST OF A STAMP, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN OFFSET THE EFFECTS THAT THAT WILL HAVE ON OUR TAXPAYERS AND ON OUR BUDGET.

SO I HAVE ALL OF MY DATA IN FRONT OF ME.

I HAVE MY PRESENTATION FROM THE OTHER WEEK, AND I REALLY JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAD FOR ME.

AND, AND I, AND BEFORE YOU GET TO THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU.

I KNOW THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS IS AN ANNUAL PROCESS FOR MOST PEOPLE, BUT IT SHOULDN'T SHOCK YOU TO KNOW THAT IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, WE PLAN THREE TO FIVE YEARS AT A TIME.

AND LAST YEAR I DID REQUEST ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL BECAUSE IN THE POSITION I'M IN, I CAN SEE THE GROWTH WE'RE HAVING.

I CAN SEE IT COMING.

I CAN SEE IT INCREASING, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? NOAH DIDN'T BUILD THE ARC AND THE RAIN.

HE DID IT AHEAD OF TIME.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PERSONNEL.

YOU DID APPROVE LAST YEAR SO THAT WE COULD WALK INTO THIS CALENDAR YEAR, COMPLETELY EQUIPPED AND READY FOR THIS INCREASED GROWTH.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE READY TO KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK NEXT YEAR, TOO.

BUT I DID WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM, ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR.

AND I'M ABLE TO COME TO THIS YEAR, STRICTLY FOCUSED ON PRINTING AND POSTAGE EXPENDITURES.

GREAT.

UM, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. WALLS FROM ANYONE HERE? I GOT, I KNOW YOU CAME BEFORE US BEFORE, AND, UM, I DO MISS YOUR PRESENTATION WHEN YOU SHOW STUFF.

CAUSE IT'S SO MUCH EASIER THAN, UH, UM, YOU'D MAKE IT SO SIMPLE.

SO YOU DO A PHENOMENAL JOB.

WE ALL KNOW THAT.

SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

[01:35:01]

UM, I CAN'T SEE ANYONE ON SCREEN.

SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT HAS A QUESTION FOR MS. WALLS, I MS. WALLS.

THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

UM, GREAT JOB AS USUAL.

A BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT COMING FORWARD.

LET'S MOVE ON.

UM, AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE

[14. FY2023 BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET PRESENTATION]

UM, OUR WONDERFUL SUPERINTENDENT, MR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

AND THOSE OF YOU ONLINE AS WELL.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AND SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET.

UM, MS. CROSBY IS GOING TO TAKE US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET, BUT BEFORE THAT, I JUST WANT TO, UH, SHARE WITH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT, UH, THE FOCUS AND THE PRIORITY ON THIS BUDGET HAS BEEN, UH, SALARIES FOR TEACHERS AND TEACHER SALARIES.

UH, YOU'LL SEE, IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, UH, SOME OF THE IMPORTANT SIGNIFICANCE AROUND THAT, UH, ANOTHER FACTOR IS THE REALITY THAT IN EDUCATION, ACROSS THE NATION, UH, SHORTAGES IN, UH, TEACHERS, UH, IS VERY REAL.

WE, THIS NOT ONLY THERE IT'S, UH, IN THE STATE AND IT'S ALSO PRESENT LOCALLY, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE AN IMPACT ON THAT BECAUSE ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE COMPETING FOR THE SAME TALENT POOL AND TALENT IS SIGNIFICANT.

TALENT IS IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY AS WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE AN IMPACT, UH, ON STUDENT OUTCOMES, UH, AND FUTURE FOR STUDENTS.

AND SO OUR FOCUS IN THIS BUDGET HAS CERTAINLY BEEN ON, UH, COMPENSATION FOR OUR TEACHERS AND OUR EMPLOYEES.

AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN.

I JUST PERSONALLY SAY, I APOLOGIZE.

I CALL YOU MR. RODRICK.

IT'S TALKED TO HER ABOUT THAT, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY TANYA COMING FORWARD, UH, TANYA CROSBY IS SHE IS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING DONE.

AFTERNOONS PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.

UH, I WANT TO FIRST RECOGNIZE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF.

IF YOU ARE WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE TODAY, THERE IS A TREMENDOUS SUPPORT, UH, FOR THIS BUDGET, UM, FOR, FOR ME, DR.

RODRIGUEZ, AND, UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE A GREAT, A TREMENDOUS TEAM OF PEOPLE.

TODAY.

WE HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES, HUMAN RESOURCES, FINANCE, DR.

RODRIGUEZ, MYSELF.

UH, SO ALL THOSE REPRESENTING WANT TO MAKE SURE WE COVER ANY TOPICS, ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE TODAY.

SO, UH, WE HAVE FOLKS READY TO SHARE THEIR, UM, THEIR CHALLENGES AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WHICHEVER THAT MAY BE.

AND ALSO, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT, I SPEAK REGULARLY WITH COUNTY STAFF, WITH PINKY, WITH MR. RODMAN AS WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER, AND, UH, WITH WHITNEY AND WITH HAYES AS WELL.

SO I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS AND CONSTANTLY COMMUNICATING BACK AND FORTH THINGS AS WE COMPARE NOTES OR INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO SHARE.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

SO, UH, I HAVE A SUMMARY TODAY, AND THEN I HAVE SOME DETAILS THAT I'M GOING TO LEAVE WITH YOU OR EMAIL EMAIL, TO ALL OF YOU.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR A LOT OF THE DETAILS TODAY, BUT THIS IS BASICALLY THE OVERVIEW OF, OF OUR BUDGET.

SO WE ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT FIRST.

UH, AND HERE ARE JUST A FEW, UM, JUST A FEW, UH, INCLUDE THE, WE RECEIVED THE MILITARY PURPLE STAR DESIGNATION, UH, IN THIS JUST FOR A YEAR ALSO, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED MANY GRANTS AND DONATIONS TO HELP US WITH, UH, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS LIKE THE MEDTECH SEVEN GRANT AT MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS, UH, TO NAME ONE, UH, WE'RE OFFERING PROGRAMS AT NO COST TO STUDENTS AND TO FAMILIES.

AND THAT INCLUDES CHILDCARE, UH, SUMMER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMPS, UH, AND EXTENDED AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND STUDENT MEALS ARE FREE UNTIL THE END OF THE SUMMER.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EITHER THROUGH OUR ESSAR OR ALSO KNOWN AS ARPA FUNDS OR OUR USDA, UH, ALLOCATIONS, ALSO COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE LOWCOUNTRY AND USC BUFORD ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UH, TOPICS AS WELL, AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

AND ALSO AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS WE'VE RECENTLY IN, UH, EMBARKED ON A PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE PARTNERING WITH LOCAL CHURCHES AND AFTERSCHOOL COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY CENTERS TO PROVIDE FREE AFTERCARE PROGRAMS TO STUDENTS AS WELL.

AND THEN WE'RE RE UH, NEARING THE REFERENDUM MIDPOINT, UH, WE'VE EXPANDED TO SCHOOLS RIGHT OFF THE BAT, UH, AND IT HAD MAJOR UPGRADES AT A COUPLE MORE SCHOOLS.

EVERY SCHOOL IS EXPERIENCING SAFETY, SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES,

[01:40:01]

AND WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THOSE.

AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE.

WE HAVE ABOUT, UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE YEARS TO COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS, BUT THEY'RE GOING VERY WELL.

SO WITH OUR GREAT THINGS ARE SOME MANY CHALLENGES AS WELL.

AND YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT MANY OF THEM TODAY.

UH, UH, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR VERY SIMILAR THINGS THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE FIRE DISTRICTS, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, WE'RE ENCOUNTERING THE SAME THING.

SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, WITH MANY OF THE TEACHERS THAT WE ATTEMPT TO HIRE AND EVEN STAFF MEMBERS, WE HAD ONE RECENTLY IN FINANCE AREA THAT THEY WERE COMING HERE.

THEY, THEY WERE ACCEPTED THE JOB AND THEN FOUND THAT THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.

AND EVEN IF THEY COULD AFFORD IT, THERE WASN'T ANYTHING AVAILABLE.

SO IT WAS IT'S THE RISING CONSTANT COST OF RISING, UH, HOUSING IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE FOR, UH, RISING HEALTHCARE.

UH, WE HAVE AN 18% INCREASE IN THIS BUDGET.

UH, SO NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE HAVING PARTICULARLY, UM, RISING COST ISSUES.

THERE FUEL WAS MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY.

THE COST OF FOOD IS UP AND WE FEED A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF CHILDREN EVERY DAY, 21,000 STUDENTS.

UH, AND SO THAT COST IS CLIMBING EVERY DAY.

CHILDCARE IS BECOMING VERY EXPENSIVE FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR OUR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE ONE OF THAT'S.

ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS TO OFFER A FREE CHILDCARE FOR OUR STAFF AND A LABOR SHORTAGE IS REALLY, UH, AN ISSUE FOR US RECRUITING AND RETAINING OUR HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL, UH, HAS BECOME ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AND FROM OTHER ASPECTS, EITHER OPERATIONALLY OR CAPITAL PROJECTS, SUPPLY CHAIN IS, IS A PROBLEM.

UH, WE MAY ORDER A SCHOOL BUS AND IT TAKES SIX, EIGHT OR 12 MONTHS TO GET HERE, UH, HPAC UNITS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REPLAY USE AS YOUR FUNDS OR, OR BONDING FUNDS TO SUPPORT, UH, AND IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS AND THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY THERE SOMETIMES TAKE A LEAD TIME OF SIX TO 12 MONTHS ANYWHERE.

SO LARGE, LARGE ITEMS, REFRIGERATION UNITS IN OUR KITCHENS AND SO ON.

SO IT IT'S ENDLESS.

AND WE, WE HOPE TO SEE IT IMPROVING SOON.

UM, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO PLAN.

WE TRY TO PLAN EARLIER TO ANTICIPATE THOSE DELAYS.

SO THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO HIRE NEARLY 300 TEACHERS, NEW TEACHERS, EVERY SCHOOL YEAR, ABOUT 500 EMPLOYEES FOR THE WHOLE DISTRICT.

AND SO 300 OF WHICH ARE TEACHERS.

UH, SO THE TIMELINE OR THE, UM, NOT THE TIMELINE, EXCUSE ME, THE, THE PIPELINE.

I THINK MR. HERBERT SEAN MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, ONE OF MY COMMENTS IS GOING TO BE THAT THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS AVAILABLE TO HIRE IS DIMINISHING.

UM, SO OUR COLLEGES AREN'T GRADUATING AS MANY TEACHERS BECAUSE THE PROFESSION IS GENERALLY, UM, NOT AS WELL PAID AS ACROSS THE NATION, AS SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, OTHER OCCUPATIONS ON THAT, ON THAT PARTICULAR POINT, SOME, UH, STAGGERING NUMBERS FOR US TO CONSIDER AND TO THINK ABOUT NATIONWIDE, 50% OF EDUCATORS LEAVE THE PROFESSION AND A COHORT OF TEACHERS LEAVE THE PROFESSION BY THE FIFTH YEAR, 50% HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, APPROXIMATELY 8% OF EDUCATORS ARE LEAVING FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, RIGHT.

AND WHETHER IT'S A FAMILY MOVE, WHETHER IT'S RETIREMENT, WHETHER IT'S LEAVING THE PROFESSION, OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE GRADUATING STUDENTS THAT REPLACED 4% RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

YOU SEE A SIGNIFICANT GAP, WHICH MEANS THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO HIRE AND EMPLOY TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS, UH, WE ARE ALSO HAVING TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I SAY TO YOU EARLIER THAT THAT NATIONWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE COMPETING ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR THE SAME TALENT POOL AND EDUCATORS, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S A REALITY.

SO, SO, UM, AS A RESULT OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING, OF COURSE, RECRUITING AND RETENTION IS ONE OF THE, IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

UM, BUT FINALLY, ANOTHER MAJOR CHALLENGE IS OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

SO, UM, THE STATE HOUSE HAS PASSED A BUDGET WITH AN INCREASE FOR TEACHER'S SALARIES OF $4,000, WHICH WOULD GET THE, BRING THE STATE MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE TO $40,000.

THE STATE SENATE HAS APPROVED A BUDGET TO APPROVE A $2,000 INCREASE, WHICH WOULD BRING THE STATE TEACHER MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE TO $38,000.

UM, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ON FRIDAY, THE LEGISLATURE CONVENED AND WILL NOT RECONVENE, UM, THE SESSION ENDED AND WILL NOT RECONVENE UNTIL

[01:45:01]

SOMETIME IN JUNE.

SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS WITHOUT A FINALIZATION OF THOSE NUMBERS.

AND SO WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, EARLY REVENUE PROJECTIONS FROM BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

THIS BUDGET IS BASED MORE ON THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET OF THE STATE BUDGET.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE'LL LIKELY GET THE BUDGET PASSED BEFORE WE HAVE A TRUE FINAL PICTURE OF WHAT, UM, OUR STATE REVENUES AND OUR STATE MANDATES, WHICH ARE ALSO A PART, A LARGE PART OF THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET, UH, BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE.

SO, UH, WE DO HAVE GONE TO THE BOARD, UH, AND HAD, UH, MULTIPLE DISCUSSIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF THE BUDGET, UH, AND SOME OPTIONS OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, HOW WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THE TEACHER SHORTAGE, THE TEACHER SALARIES AND OTHER EMPLOYEE, ALL OTHER EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AS WELL.

SO WE HAVE TALKED WITH, WE BROUGHT A GROUP OF STUDENTS TOGETHER, UH, HAD SOME GREAT CONTACT, GREAT, UH, COLLABORATION WITH STUDENTS IN EVERY HIGH SCHOOL OF THE COUNTY.

UH, VERY ENLIGHTENING ACTUALLY, UH, WITH STAFF WITH, UM, AND THEN WE HAD A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY FORUMS WHERE WE HAD TEACHERS, WE HAD ALL OTHER, OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, WE HAD PARENTS AND JUST MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ATTEND AS WELL.

SO WE HAVE RECEIVED A CROSS SECTION OF INPUT, AND WE ALSO HAVE A NEW SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE CALLED, UH, BCSD CONNECT AND WHERE WE POSTED ALL OF OUR, UM, INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, OUR POWERPOINTS, AND, UH, OFFERED THEM TO GAIN SOME INPUT AND FEEDBACK THERE.

AND SO WE CONSTANTLY ARE RECEIVING MULTIPLE COMMENTS EACH DAY, AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS OR TOPICS THAT MAY BE CONFUSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

SO, UH, THE, WE TOOK THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR BUDGET FOREMEN AND LUMPED IT INTO MAJOR CATEGORIES, AND THEY REALLY KIND OF FELL OUT IN FOUR MAJOR CATEGORIES, COMPENSATION, COMMUNICATION, CLIMATE, AND LEADERSHIP.

SO WE'RE, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, UM, WITH THIS BUDGET, THE TEACHER PAY AND THE COMPENSATION OF ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES AS WELL WITH THIS BUDGET.

UM, AND THEN, UH, COMMUNICATION, WE'RE MAKING SURE TO GET PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UM, AND THEN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CHALLENGES THEY ARE SEEING AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS CLIMATE.

UH, MANY OF THE ITEMS LISTED UNDER THE CLIMATE SECTION OF WORKING CONDITIONS, MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, AND CLASSROOM SUPPORT.

MANY OF THOSE ARE BEING ADDRESSED WITH OUR SRO OR ARPA FUNDS.

UH, SO I KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE, UM, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS AND, AND AWARENESS IN THOSE.

AND, UM, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS AREAS IN THE CLIMATE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT COMPENSATION IS IN EVERYTHING, THE CLIMATE AND THE CULTURE HAVE TO BE STRONG AND HEALTHY AS WELL AND LEADERSHIP, UM, AS WELL, THE ACCOUNTABILITY INVESTMENT IN ACTION.

AND WE CONTINUE TO, WE YOU'RE USING ESSER FUNDS TO, UM, PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR LEADERS, UH, AND TO THOSE ARE ONGOING SESSIONS THAT OCCUR, UM, MONTHLY, WEEKLY, QUARTERLY, AND ANNUALLY TO, UH, BUILD THAT LEADERSHIP, THOSE LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN OUR EXISTING LEADERS, OUR NEW LEADERS AND OUR POTENTIAL LEADERS AS THEY, AS WE BUILD THEM TO MOVE INTO OUR TEACHERS OR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS TO MOVE INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES.

SO IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT STARTING TEACHER SALARY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS EARLY ON IN THE YEAR, UM, WHEN THIS DISCUSSION OF TEACHER SALARIES HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN OUR BOARD COMMITTEES SINCE ALMOST, UH, SINCE PROBABLY EARLY JANUARY OR BEFORE.

SO IN, IN ACTUALLY OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ASKED FOR A COMPARISON OF A STARTING TEACHER SALARY IN BUFORD, AS IN COMPARISON TO STARTING TEACHER SALARIES ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

SO I KNOW THAT THIS, UH, THIS IS A BUSY SLIDE.

YOU CAN'T SEE THE WORDS AT THE BOTTOM, BUT BASICALLY THIS IS 77 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

UH, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ON THE FAR LEFT AT THE HIGH POINT IN BLUE, THE BLUE HIGH POINT IS GREENVILLE AND YORK FOUR, WHICH IS FORT MILL, UH, AND THE FAR END AT THE RIGHT HAND AND IS, UH, BAMBER SUMPTER.

AND, UM, AND SO I CAN'T READ THE OTHER TWO THAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION.

UM, SO 77 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY THAT WE BEGAN WITH IN BUFORD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WAS $37,928, WHICH WAS 53RD OF 77 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

NOW I DO WANT TO MAKE A CAVEAT THERE.

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT.

[01:50:01]

THERE IS A $5,000 LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT WE HAVE THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN BASE TEACHER SALARY.

IT SAY SUPPLEMENT THAT'S PROVIDED TWICE PER YEAR, AND IT IS PAID IN DECEMBER AND MAY.

AND SO I WILL, I'LL INCLUDE THAT NUMBER OF IN CONVERSATION IN JUST A MOMENT.

SO AS A RESULT OF, UH, LIKE THE COUNTY, THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RE UH, EXPERIENCED A LARGE SAVINGS IN OUR, UM, SALARIES AND BENEFITS IN THIS YEAR, WE'VE BEEN WATCHING IT VERY CLOSELY AS EARLY AS, UH, PROBABLY NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, I THINK DR.

RODRIGUEZ AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AS WE MOVE FURTHER THROUGH THE YEAR.

AND SO IN THE MARCH ON MARCH 25TH, THE SCHOOL BOARD PASSED A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE EFFECTIVE RETROACTIVELY BACK TO JULY ONE OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THAT BROUGHT THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY UP TO $39,066 AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO THAT WILL IMMEDIATELY INCREASE THE TEACHER SALARY, UH, BY STARTING TEACHER SALARY BY ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS.

UH, AND THEN, UM, THE PROPOSAL FROM THE HOUSE WAS A $4,000 INCREASE.

SO OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL INCLUDES A $4,000 INCREASE, UH, FROM THAT NUMBER TO RAISE 2 45, 5 56.

AND SO, UH, THAT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT THE BUDGET INCLUDES IS A $4,000 INCREASE PLUS A PROPOSAL FROM THE BOARD, UH, TO MOVE HALF OF THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT INTO THE BASE TEACHER SALARY AS WELL.

SO IT BECOMES A PERMANENT WAGE.

UH, IT IS NOT, DOES NOT REQUIRE AN ANNUAL INCREASE OF THE BUDGET.

SO THIS INCLUDES BOTH A $4,000 INCREASE AND A $2,500, UH, LOCALITY MOVEMENT FROM THE TWICE A YEAR, HALF OF IT INTO A PERMANENT WAGE.

SO I'M GOING TO PROVIDE YOU SOME MORE DETAILS ON THAT AND THE COST OF EACH OF THOSE LINE ITEMS. AND I WILL GET THOSE OUT TO YOU BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY.

AND SO THE COST FOR EACH OF THE SEPARATE ITEMS, THE COST TO THE DISTRICT OF THE $2,500 MOVEMENT IS A MILLION DOLLARS IN RETIREMENT AND THEIR RETIREMENT.

WE ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.

THE RATE INCREASED ONCE AGAIN, AS YOU ALL KNOW, BY 1% ON THE EMPLOYER SIDE AND THE, THESE ARE THE LOCALITY IS NOT CURRENTLY SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT, SO IT'S NOT PART OF THE PERMANENT WAGE OF A TEACHER.

AND SO, UH, IT IS SUBJECT TO 23.8, 6% RETIREMENT.

SO ABOUT 20, ALMOST A QUARTER OF THE COST OF THE ACTUAL LOCALITY IS GOING TO BE A RETIREMENT, UM, OF RETIREMENT, UH, COSTS FOR THE DISTRICT.

SO, UM, THE GOAL OF THESE INCREASES, SO IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT A $5,000 INCREASE, UM, TO A TEACHER SALARY FROM WHERE WE WERE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE AND WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT WE'LL TRACK THE HIGHEST QUALITY TEACHERS TO BE FOR COUNTY.

UM, I, UM, WHEN TEACHERS COME TO OUR DISTRICT, OUR TEACHERS GRADUATE FROM COLLEGES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

THEY LOOK AT THESE BASE TEACHER'S SALARY SCHEDULES, AND THEY COMPARE THEM.

I HAD A STAFF MEMBER, UH, WHO'S ACTUALLY HERE TODAY, AND SHE WAS A TEACHER COMING OUT OF COLLEGE IN THE 1990S, LATE NINETIES.

AND SHE WAS GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND THE UPSTATE, SHE LOOKED AT THE TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE AND FOUND SHE WAS EXPECTING TO GO TEACH IN THE UPSTATE AREA, STAY IN THAT AREA, BUT FOUND THAT BUFORD AT THE TIME WAS THE FIRST, UH, RANKED FIRST IN TERMS OF THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY.

SO SHE MOVED TO BUFORD AND STILL IS WITH US TODAY.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO PUT US BACK IN FIRST PLACE OF THE RACE.

IT'S A RACE WHERE IT'S CONSTANTLY, EVERYONE'S CONSTANTLY MANEUVERING, UH, IT'S A MOVING TARGET.

SO GREENVILLE AND YORKSHIRE FOUR WILL BE MOVING UP BY 2000, UM, ANTICIPATING.

UM, BUT WE NEED TO GET TO BE THE FIRST OF THE STATE.

SO IN THE STATE SO THAT WE CAN BE COMPETITIVE AND WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST PICK OF TEACHERS TO HELP US WITH THE 300 TEACHERS THAT WE'RE HIRING EACH YEAR.

SO THE BUDGET BY CATEGORY IS BROKEN DOWN, UH, IN THREE MAIN AREAS.

UM, THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE 71% INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT.

SO THE DIRECT, UH, SCHOOL-BASED POSITIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTING, UH, EITHER TEACHERS OR SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS, UH, LEADERSHIP, NEITHER OF THESE WOULD BE OUR PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND DISTRICT STAFF AND OPERATIONS.

THE ENERGY COSTS, THE CUSTODIAL, THE MAINTENANCE, THE FACILITIES THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UM, ARE BUILT

[01:55:01]

IN TO THE $53 MILLION TO TOTAL A BUDGET OF $298 MILLION.

SO 8.7% OF THIS INCREASE, UH, EXCUSE ME, THIS BUDGET IS AN 8.7% INCREASE, WHICH 79%, UH, WILL GO DIRECTLY TO COMPENSATION OF TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES PROJECTED REVENUES ARE SUMMARIZED HERE.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, 60% OF OUR REVENUES COME FROM LOCAL TAXES.

UM, THOSE ARE, UH, THE PROPERTY TAXES AND MAJORITY FROM NON OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENCES OR, UM, BUSINESSES AND VEHICLES LOCAL, UH, OUR, EXCUSE ME, OUR TIT STATE REVENUES MAKE UP ABOUT 35%.

AND SO THAT'S $105 MILLION THAT COMES DIRECTLY.

THAT INCLUDES THE FUNDS THAT ARE REDIRECTED TO THE STATE LEVEL AND, AND REDISTRIBUTED BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SUCH AS THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.

UH, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF FEDERAL REVENUE COMING IN THE FORM OF IMPACT, UH, IMPACT AID, OUR MILITARY CONNECTED SCHOOLS AND E RATE FUNDS.

AND THEN OUR TRANSFERS IN OF 12 MILLION ARE PRIMARILY EIA STATE EIA FUNDS, SPECIAL REVENUE THAT ARE TRANSFERRED IN ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.

SO IN THIS BUDGET, WE'RE PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL FOUR MILS TO HELP SUPPORT THE INCREASED COST OF TEACHER SALARIES.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS, WAS, IS ABLE TO PAY FOR, UH, APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THAT INCREASED COST.

AND WE ARE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FOUR MILLS PROPOSING ADDITIONAL FOUR MILLS TO INCLUDE, TO COVER THE COST OF THE INCREASES.

SO PROPOSED INCREASES BROKEN DOWN BY CATEGORIES HERE.

YOU SEE 19 MILLION FOR COMPENSATION INCREASES THAT IT MAKES UP 80% OF THE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET.

UM, THERE ARE SOME SCHOOL STAFFING ALLOCATIONS.

THERE ARE 24 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, NET OF DECREASES AND INCREASES.

WE HAVE ONE SIDE OF THE COUNTY THAT'S GROWING RAPIDLY.

THEY BLUFFED AN AREA, CONTINUES TO GROW IN ENROLLMENT BY APPROXIMATELY 400 STUDENTS PER YEAR, WHILE OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY ARE EITHER FLAT OR A SLIGHT DECLINE.

AND SO OVERALL, WE CONTINUE TO GROW BY ABOUT A HUNDRED STUDENTS A YEAR THIS YEAR, UM, PROJECTED AND ADDITIONALLY, UH, OPERATIONAL INCREASES OF ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS AND CHARTER SCHOOL INCREASES.

UH, CHARTER SCHOOL ARE ONE CHARTER SCHOOL THAT HIS DISTRICT SPONSORED IS, UH, THEIR REVENUES ARE BASED ON THE ESTATE FORMULA THAT REQUIRES US TO, UH, DO A PER PUPIL SHARE AND THE INCREASED COSTS TO, AND ACCORDING TO THAT, FORMULA IS 2.3 MILLION.

SO WE DO HAVE SOME DECREASES AS WELL, AND SOME OTHERS ARE NETTED AND, UH, UH, OPERATIONAL HAS SOME INCREASES IN DECREASES THAT WE'VE, UM, SHOWN THERE ARE NET HERE.

AND SO IN THE DETAILS THAT I'M GOING TO PROVIDE YOU, UM, THEY WILL, YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THAT, UM, BELT TIGHTENING SORT OF MANEUVERS TO EITHER REDUCE SOME OF THE, UH, REQUESTS IN OPERATIONAL DISTRICT OPERATIONAL BUDGETS.

AND THERE ARE SOME, UH, UTILIZING SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TO THEIR FULLEST.

SO EITHER S OR FUNDS OR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS AS WELL.

SO THE SUBTOTAL OF THE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET IS $24 MILLION.

SO BEING ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN BUFORD COUNTY, WE DO HAVE, IT IS A SIZABLE BUDGET, UH, WITH, WITH THE SIZABLE NEEDS AS WELL.

SO THE CURRENT OPERATIONS MILLAGE IS 1 21, 121 0.6.

THE PROPOSED INCREASE WOULD BRING US TO 1 25 0.6, UM, AND THERE IS NO, UH, INCREASE REQUESTED OR PROPOSED FOR THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE FUND OR A DEBT SERVICE FUND IMPACT ON THE TAXPAYER.

I HAVE TWO SCENARIOS HERE, 250,000 AND A $400,000.

THESE WOULD BE A NON-OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENTS THAT A SIX SUBJECT TO A 6%, UH, ASSESSMENT RATIO FOR ADDITIONAL MILS ON A $250 THOUSAND DOLLARS HOME WOULD BE ABOUT $60 PER YEAR INCREASE $400,000 HOME WOULD BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $96 PER YEAR INCREASE.

AND AGAIN, THESE ARE NON-OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES AND THEN BUSINESSES AND MOTOR VEHICLES, UH, BUSINESSES HAVE OTHER ASSESSMENT RATIOS AS WELL.

UM, BUT THESE RATES ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO PRIMARY HOMEOWNERS AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE EXEMPT FROM A SCHOOL OPERATIONS TAXES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

SO AGAIN, UM, I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, UH, THE TOTAL TEACHER PAY INCREASE COST IS $11.3 MILLION.

UM, SO THAT HAPPENS TO BE

[02:00:01]

WHEN, WHEN CALCULATING THE MILLS, UM, AND NEAR THE END OF THE GAME JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, I WAS THINKING NEW MILLS THAT WERE THE NEW REVENUES THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR ARE, ARE THEY ARE AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE TEACHER PAY INCREASE.

AND IT ACTUALLY ENDED UP BEING EXACTLY 50%.

SO BASICALLY WE'RE FUNDING, UH, THE EXISTING, UM, WE'RE FUNDING, THE HALF OF THOSE INCREASES WITH EXISTING LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL REVENUES.

UM, AND WE WERE, WE ARE PROPOSING FOUR MIL INCREASE TO FUND THE REMAINING SIX, $5.7 MILLION OF THE INCREASES.

AND SO OUR BUDGET SCHEDULE, UM, WE HAVE, UH, THE BOARD HAS, IS SEEING THE BUDGET AND ITS FINAL READING, UH, TOMORROW EVENING.

SO THE BOARD HAS NOT YET CERTIFIED AND APPROVED THIS BUDGET.

WE WILL BE DOING THAT, UH, ANTICIPATED TO DO THAT TOMORROW AT TOMORROW'S BOARD MEETING.

AND SO BY THE TIME OF THIRD READING, WE WILL HAVE AN APPROVED BUDGET TO BRING BACK NEXT MONDAY WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

I THINK THAT'S CROSBY.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY? JUST SPEAK UP.

I CANNOT, MR. HERBERT, SEAN, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, TWO QUESTIONS, NUMBER ONE, WHAT IS THE CURRENT AND, UH, PROJECTED COST PER STUDENT, AND THEN NUMBER TWO, THAT BAR CHART THAT YOU SHARED THAT HAS, UM, THE RANKINGS BY COUNTY OF TEACHER PAY.

I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE IF WE COULD GET THAT, UM, IN CONSIDERATION OF NEIGHBORING COUNTIES AND NEIGHBORING STATES, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, SAVANNAH, CHARLOTTE, UM, THOSE TYPES OF AREAS, THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY.

LIKE WHAT, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE CONTEXT OF NEIGHBORING CITIES, COUNTIES, STATES, RIGHT.

I DO HAVE TWO STATES WITH ME.

UM, SO THE, UM, GEORGIA IS THE MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY IN GEORGIA IS 44,500.

AND THE NORTH CAROLINA STARTING TEACHER'S SALARY WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 36,000, I BELIEVE.

SO THERE WAS, UH, A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NEW TO NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

UM, AND, UM, SEE IF I CAN FIND IT HERE JUST A MOMENT.

UM, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE, UH, PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE WITH ME.

UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY CALCULATE THAT AND SEND IT OVER TO THE COUNCIL.

UM, AT LEAST BY TOMORROW.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE QUESTIONS.

I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT.

I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING LACK OF THAT WE DON'T HAVE AVAILABLE.

THE, THE INVENTORY, UM, THE HOSPITAL HAS LOOKED IS OFFERING, UH, BEFORE MEMORIAL HOSPITALS, YOU MAY KNOW, IS OFFERING INCENTIVES FOR HOUSING, INCLUDING FIRST-TIME BUYERS.

HAVE YOU INCLUDED ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THIS BUDGET FOR, UM, INCENTIVES FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS? IT'S A REPAYABLE LOAN IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING BEFORE MEMORIAL.

NO, MA'AM WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ANYTHING FOR HOUSING IN THE, IN THE OPERATING BUDGET.

WELL, HOPEFULLY WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER THINGS, COUNTY-WIDE, WE CAN LOOK AT THE HOUSING TRUST FUNDS AS WITH INCENTIVES, FOR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

YOU SAID THAT, UM, ONE, UM, THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING ENOUGH STUDENTS COMING OUT OF COLLEGES IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO DO WHAT OTHER, WHAT'S THE HIGHEST STATE THAT WE'RE ATTRACTING TEACHERS FROM.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? I MEAN, WHO WHO'S MOVING HERE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH COMING OUT RECRUITING OFFICE AND I'M THE PROUD RECREATOR IT WOULD BE FOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I WOULD SAY I'M FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD SAY PENNSYLVANIA AND OHIO.

UM, I MUST SAY U S CB IS OUR STRONGEST HOLD.

AS FAR AS GETTING PEOPLE IN THE DOOR RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.

UM, ON CELEBRATIONS AS OF TODAY, WE'VE HELD THREE JOB FAIRS.

AND IN VIRTUALLY THAT WE POSTED, WE'VE ATTENDED OVER 52 JOB FAIRS AND WE'VE HIRED 168 TEACHERS.

THAT'S A CELEBRATION, UH, CHALLENGES AS OF THE MOMENT I LEFT THE OFFICE AND THIS COULD HAVE CHANGED BY NOW.

WE HAVE 169 TO HIRE BEFORE TEACHERS REPORT TO SCHOOL, AUGUST THE EIGHTH, WE'RE IN A CRISIS.

UM, I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU, HOPEFULLY THEY'RE SIMPLE.

ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS?

[02:05:02]

SO LOOKING AT YOUR THING, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE VALUE OF THE MIDDLE THAT YOU PUT ON THERE TO GET TO YOUR AMOUNTS? UH, 1 MILLION, 418,000 APPROXIMATELY.

SO 1.4 MILLION.

SO THAT THAT'S THE VALUE OF THE MILL? YES, SIR.

AND THEN, UM, IF, IF THE STATE LEGISLATURE DID INCREASE THE SALARIES TO 38 OR 40, HOW DOES THAT CHANGE? THE CURRENT SALARIES YOU'RE OFFERING NOW? UM, THEY HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE PROPOSED A BUDGET THAT WE HAVE.

IT'S ACTUALLY, UH, IF WE ARE ABOVE 38 OR 40, WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RECRUIT, UH, TO GO THE FULL FOUR OR 2000.

UM, OUR PROPOSAL ACTUALLY GOES ABOVE BOTH OF THOSE PROPOSALS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR ANY ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE LET THEM GO.

AND AS USUAL, I THINK YOU'RE USED TO THE ROUTINE NOW WITH CROSBY IS AS THAT, WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO SHOW UP AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, BECAUSE THAT'S, WHENEVER EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE SOME, SOME QUESTIONS, UM, OP REGARDING YOUR BUDGET.

SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, PLEASE MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE FOR THAT.

I CERTAINLY DO THAT, AND I WILL BRING FOLKS ALONG WITH ME THAT ARE ABLE AND WILLING TO COME AS WELL.

THAT'D BE WONDERFUL.

APPROVAL OF AN ARTIST TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS FOR BUFORD COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING, JULY 1ST, 2022, AND ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2023.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, SARAH.

SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE NEEDED FROM THEM FOR YOUR YES, SIR.

I THINK WE'RE WAITING FOR THE ORDINANCE AFTER THEY CERTIFIED.

WELL, YOU ARE THE MAIN ATTRACTION HERE.

SO NUMBER 15, RECOMMEND

[15. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2022, AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2023]

SO I'M OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR.

I'M JUST HARRIET IS, UH, I'M SURE WE'VE HEARD ENOUGH ABOUT NUMBERS TODAY.

SO I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS BRIEF, UM, WE HAVE SIMPLY UPDATED OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION BASED ON SOME FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM OUR LAST TWO BUDGET WORKSHOPS.

SO, UH, UM, SO A COUPLE OF THE BUDGET GOALS THAT WE HAD SET BASED ON OUR RETREAT IN NOVEMBER AND THROUGHOUT OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS, UM, WAS TO IMPLEMENT A 5% COLA ORIGINALLY.

IT WAS GOING TO BE JULY ONE, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PULL IT OFF A LITTLE EARLIER THIS YEAR, UH, PREPARE A THREE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS RECENTLY APPROVED.

AND THEN WE WORKED WITH HR TO GET AN ACCURATE FTE COUNT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET PROCESS.

OF COURSE THE MAIN GOAL WAS TO REMAIN MILL NEUTRAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.

AND OF COURSE, AS HAYES MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE WHILE AGO THAT WE WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT CAPITAL NEEDS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF POST WE'VE KIND OF LOOKED PAST FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, NOT KNOWING WHAT COVID WAS GOING TO BRING.

SO WE HAVE, UM, I'M GOING TO REPEAT IT AND JUST SHOW YOU AGAIN WHAT THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF A MILL WAS THAT, UH, BASED ON OUR REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY, UM, NUMBERS AND FIGURES THAT WE GOT FROM THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 116,000 PER, UH, MALE VALUE.

IT'S A LITTLE OVER 5%, UM, GENERATED A LITTLE EXTRA REVENUE FOR US FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 GENERAL FUND BIG PICTURE.

THIS NUMBER LOOKED REALLY DIFFERENT LAST TIME YOU SAW IT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE DECIDED TO CHANGE SOME THINGS UP.

UM, IT TOUCHED ON A LOT OF THIS A LITTLE BIT, WHAT A WHILE AGO.

SO WE HAVE, UH, SHIFTED AROUND SOME OF OUR REVENUES SINCE WE SAW A MIDDLE VALUE INCREASE.

AND, UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE A SURPLUS OF LITTLE OVER $1,300, NOT A WHOLE LOT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE DECIDED TO IMPLEMENT SOME OTHER THINGS THIS YEAR.

UM, THESE ARE JUST SOME UPDATED NUMBERS BASED ON WHAT YOU SAW AT THE LAST TWO BUDGET WORKSHOPS TO REFLECT SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL, UM, CHANGES THAT WE MADE TO THE FISCAL YEAR OF 23 BUDGET, OUR REVENUES BASED ON OUR GOVERNMENT, UH, TYPE OF, UH, COLLECTION THAT THERE IS OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.

OF COURSE, THESE ARE JUST THE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT YOU ALL RECEIVED IN YOUR BACKUP LINE ITEM DETAILS FOR EVERY FUND THAT WE HAVE WITH HEARD.

THAT WAS SOME WONDERFUL READING, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.

UM, AGAIN, JUST GOING OVER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DECIDED TO INCLUDE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE HAVEN'T, I THINK FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE ONLY INCREASED, UH, ALLOWED NEW POSITION REQUESTS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY FUNCTION.

BUT THIS YEAR WE'RE KIND OF LETTING SOME OF THE OTHER REQUESTS, UH, FLOW THROUGH OUR BUDGET.

OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT THE CORONER'S REQUEST IN HERE.

UM, AND WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENT REQUESTS AND PARKS AND REC, UM, AS WELL UM, HERE'S SOME, UH, VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 20 THREE'S BUDGET.

SOME OF THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF DEFERRED, UM, ON PURCHASING IN THE LAST

[02:10:01]

COUPLE OF, UH, BUDGET CYCLES.

SO WE HAVE INCLUDED THEM NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU SAW PREVIOUSLY.

THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE ADDED SOME THINGS FOR SOME OF OUR NEW PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE INCORPORATED IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, A QUICK OVERVIEW OF OUR OTHER FUNDS.

UH, THE VERY FIRST ONE YOU'LL SEE IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.

I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DETAIL SLIDE ABOUT THAT, UH, COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES, BUT, UM, UPDATED NUMBERS FOR OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

UM, THOSE HAVE GONE UP OF COURSE, WILL REFLECT OUR ARPA FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR OR EARLY THIS YEAR.

UH, OUR CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS OUR DEBT SERVICE FUNDS, WHICH WILL LOOK DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR, UH, AND OUR GOOD GARAGE, INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.

ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? HI, HERE'S UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION FOR OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND HAYES'S UPSIDE AND FUND BALANCE.

A PRESENTATION TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, UM, DUE TO THE EXTRA REVENUE AND SURPLUS THAT WE'VE HAD, WE DECIDED TO USE, UH, AS HE SHOWED YOU EARLIER, A LITTLE OVER 9 MILLION OR $9 MILLION FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 21 GENERAL FUND SURPLUS.

AND THEN ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR ORDINANCE, WE SHIFTED A ONE MILL OVER TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

WE WERE DEUCED OPERATIONS BY ONE MIL.

WE INCREASED OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.

MILLAGE WAS PREVIOUSLY 0.6 MILLS THIS YEAR.

WE DECIDED TO INCREASE THAT TO A 1.6 MILLS.

OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE'VE SEEN A GROWTH IN OUR VALUE OF A MILL.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A, UH, SURPLUS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, INCLUDED IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UH, FUND FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

UM, A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT WE DEFERRED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

WE WANT TO TRY TO ADDRESS THEM.

OBVIOUSLY, ADA MODIFICATIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR FACILITIES.

UM, WE ARE PLANNING TO DO THE MS HEADQUARTERS PLANNING AND DESIGN.

WE'RE GONNA, UM, INSTALL SOME POLE BARNS FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

UH, WE HAVE A NEW PUBLIC WORKS COMPLEX THAT WE'RE PLANNING THE PLANNING AND DESIGN FOR.

WE HAVE AS HAYES TOUCH ON THIS.

WE KIND OF HAVE THE SAME LIST, BUT LOTS OF PARKS AND REC IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE NEXT, HOPEFULLY THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

UM, ALL OF THE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REQUESTS THAT YOU SAW PREVIOUSLY ARE ALSO IN THIS FUND.

UM, WE HAVE SOME EQUIPMENT OUT AT MOSQUITO CONTROL THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, HOUSED PROPERLY.

AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS IS REQUESTING A FUEL TRUCK FOR, UM, DISTRIBUTING FUEL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

AND WE ALSO HAVE AN INOPERABLE GARAGE BAY DOOR THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, FIXED AND USED IN OUR GARAGE.

AND THEN, UM, ONE OF THEM, ONE OF THESE IS FOR THE GENERATOR AT THE, AT BUCK WALTER, WHERE OUR NATIONAL GUARD IS NORMALLY HAS DURING A NATURAL DISASTER.

SO, UM, WE NEED THAT TYPE OF, UH, EQUIPMENT OUT THERE AT PARKS AND REC.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REQUESTS FROM THE OTHER FUNDS.

UM, WE, WE GOT SOME REPLACEMENT VANS THAT WE KIND OF, UH, OVERLOOKED OR KIND OF FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND, UM, SOME EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDS OR VEHICLES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED IN STORMWATER.

AND THEN A COUPLE OF, UM, TRUCKS FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT.

HERE'S A SUMMARY OF ALL OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.

YOU'VE GOT YOUR BEAVER EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, YOUR HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UM, AND OUR SOLID WASTE, WHICH WE BROKE OUT LAST YEAR TO AN ENTERPRISE FUND.

AND OF COURSE OUR STORM WATER UTILITY FUND.

ALL RIGHT, SAY, THAT WOULD MAKE THIS QUICK, YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ENOUGH ABOUT NUMBERS TODAY.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THE NEXT STEPS ARE, UM, FIRST RATING FOR THE BUDGET ORDINANCE IS NEXT MONDAY AND THEN THE 13TH AND THE 27TH FOR FINAL, THIRD AND FINAL READING.

UM, I'M OPEN TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? I HAVE A QUESTION.

IT'S APPARENT TO ME THAT THIS PILOT PROJECT, WE FIND THAT HE'S NOT WORKING AS INTENDED, BUT I THINK IT'S TIME WE DEFUND THE PROJECT AND SEARCH FOR AN ALTERNATIVE THAT WILL REDUCE THE BACKLOG OF CASES PENDING AND MAGISTRATES' COURT SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

GOOD PRESENTATION.

YOU'VE MADE WHERE YOU'VE PLACED SO MANY OF THESE TOGETHER.

DOES THAT INCLUDE THE SUBMISSION FROM THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE? OKAY.

IN, UH, FISCAL YEAR 20 COUNCIL FUNDED A PILOT PROJECT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE HERE THEN, AND NOT WITH AN AGREEMENT OF THAT OFFICE TO HIRE ATTORNEYS, TO PROSECUTE DUI CASES IN BUFORD.

IN BLUFFTON, WE FUNDED THE PROJECT AT ABOUT $189,000 A YEAR, INCREASING THE BUDGET, UM, IN EACH OF THOSE FISCAL YEARS, 2021 AND 22, AND THE SOLICITOR RECEIVED $567,000.

OVER THOSE YEARS, DESPITE THIS FUNDING OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS AS OF THIS PAST FRIDAY, THERE ARE PRESENTLY 344 CASES IN A BACKLOG OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE THAT ARE AWAITING DISPOSITION IN BUFORD COUNTY MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

SOME OF THOSE CASES DATING BACK TO 2019,

[02:15:01]

AND CERTAINLY WELCOME FROM THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE, BUT WITH THE SOLICITOR'S OVERALL BUDGET REQUEST AT THE SAME AMOUNT AS LAST YEAR, HE'S REQUESTED ONLY $73,000 FOR DUI CASES AND TERMS OF REDUCTION OF $116,000.

HOWEVER, HIS TOTAL REQUEST IS STILL THE SAME AS IT WAS IN THE PAST THREE FISCAL YEARS.

SO I'M AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FUNDS WE PROVIDED DURING THE PAST THREE FISCAL YEARS THAT WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT THIS PILOT PROJECT AND WERE TO RESULT IN A TEAM OF ATTORNEYS DEDICATED TO ASSISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICES IN ADDRESSING THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.

BUT I LEAVE THE, I BELIEVE THE BUDGET SHOULD BE, UM, ADJUSTED HERE AND THAT WE SHOULD DEFUND THIS PILOT PROJECT AND PERHAPS REDUCE THAT BUDGET REQUESTS BY THE AMOUNT WE WERE FUNDING IT OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WHICH IS $189,000 A YEAR.

AND THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO, UM, SEARCH FOR A PROGRAM THAT WAS POSITIVE RESULTS IN ADDRESSING THE WHITE CASES IN BUFORD COUNTY.

I HAVEN'T EVEN ASKED ABOUT THE OTHER CASES AND THE OTHER FOUR COUNTIES IN OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE WE ONLY MADE THE ARRANGEMENT WITH THE SOLICITOR FOR PROSECUTIONS AND THE MAGISTRATE'S COURT IN BUFORD AND IN BLUFFTON, BUT HAVING A BACKLOG OF 344 CASES, UM, WITH SOME GOING BACK AS FAR AS 2019, PRETTY MUCH INDICATED TO ME THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO FAILURE.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MS. HARRIET CAN, CAN ANSWER AND WOULD HAVE TO GET THE SOLICITOR TO, UH, ANSWER THOSE, THOSE QUESTIONS.

SO, UM, MR. MCKELLEN, I THINK AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY IS, IS LOOKING AT, AT, UM, TRYING TO MOVE THE BUDGET FORWARD.

UM, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS THREE TIMES.

SO I WOULD, I WOULD THINK THAT WE COULD ASK THE SOLICITOR TO COME TO OUR, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

AND, UM, DURING A COUNCIL MEETING, WE CAN ASK THEM THOSE SAME QUESTIONS AND HAVE THEM HAVE TIME TO PREPARE, UH, HIS ANSWER, BECAUSE I DO REMEMBER WHENEVER YOU AND I BOTH FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL AND WE APPROVED THAT EXTRA MONEY THAT WE HAD.

SO, UM, UH, I MEAN, ANY OTHER COMMENTS REGARDING THAT FOR ME TO STAFF OR FROM ANYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL, WOULD THAT BE, UH, ACCEPTABLE? OKAY.

GOOD.

YEAH, I THINK THAT WE JUST HAVE TO PRESENT THIS TO THE FULL COUNCIL AT A, AT AN ASSEMBLAGE AND PERHAPS AT THE FIRST READING, IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO DO THAT.

AND NOW WE CAN SEEK SOME ANSWERS BEFORE WE GET TO THE WORD READING TO SEE IF ANY ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE, OR IF AN ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM CAN BE DISCUSSED AND DEVELOPED BECAUSE THIS ISSUE HAS TO BE ADDRESSED BY SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE.

UM, AND APPARENTLY IT'S NOT BEING ADDRESSED IF WE CAN HAVE A BACKLOG THAT LARGE OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD.

SO KNOWING MR. MCCONNELL'S GOING TO BRING THAT UP TO NEXT COUNSELING, AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE CAN BE THERE TO THEN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.

WE WILL MAKE THE REQUEST, BUT, UM, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, RICK SHALANDA IS ALSO AWARE AND FAMILIAR WITH THE SITUATION.

SHE'D BE ABLE TO ELABORATE AND GIVE DETAILED ACCOUNT.

SO WHENEVER YOU ALL FELT SUPER BRIT, I THINK THAT, UM, AS OPPOSED TO DOING IT TODAY, I THINK IT'D BE BETTER IF WE DID GIVE THE SOLICITOR A CHANCE THEN TO BE HERE, TO SPEAK FOR HIMSELF, AS OPPOSED TO IT WOULD.

AND THAT WOULD BE ALSO MORE BENEFICIAL.

I THINK IF WE HAD, UH, THE FULL COUNCIL HERE SO THAT THEY CAN HEAR THE DISCUSSION.

AND I WASN'T SUGGESTING ANY WOULD TAKE ANY ACTION TODAY.

I WOULD JUST LIKE THIS LOOKED AT AND CONSIDERED AND REVIEWED AS WE MOVE THROUGH THESE THREE READINGS I WAS LOOKING AT AS A MOTION, LARRY.

SO THAT'S WHY I WAS KIND OF WAITING FOR SOMEONE A SECOND.

IT'S OKAY.

WE'RE GOOD.

AND I'M WAS BRINGING IT UP AS AN ITEM FOR SOME DISCUSSION AND FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS.

AND OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S OTHER PLACES IN OUR BUDGET THAT WE NEED TO BRING PEOPLE FORWARD, WE NEED TO KNOW THOSE, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WITH ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT HASN'T COME FORWARD TO US SO THEY CAN BE PREPARED AND WE CAN BE READY FOR THEM AS WELL.

SO IF THERE'S ANY OTHER REQUESTS OUT THERE, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY GET THAT TO MYSELF OR SARAH OR MR. GREENWAY, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO THEN ADDRESS WE'RE RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE ONLY AWARE OF ONE OTHER SITUATION POTENTIALLY WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, BUT WE'LL WORK THROUGH THAT.

AND WE WILL, UH, HAVE, UH, DETAILS FOR THAT AT FIRST READING ON MONDAY AS WELL.

UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR MS. ERIN, MR. CHAIRMAN, GO AHEAD.

SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR, OUR BUDGET? AND OBVIOUSLY TODAY, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS, UM, THIS, THIS COMMITTEE MOVING IT FORWARD TO FIRST READING FOR COUNTY COUNCIL, AND WE SAW THE, THE TIMELINE THAT ASSESSED TO BE DONE BY THE END OF JUNE.

UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, UH, THAT, THAT WE NEED TO GET THIS THROUGH.

SO,

[02:20:01]

I'M SORRY, MR. GLOVER.

I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD TO SAY I SUPPORT LARRY'S POSITION AT THIS TIME.

GOOD.

THING ELSE THAT I'VE GOT, UM, IS THE FACT THAT I KNOW THAT, UM, WE'RE, WE HAVE OUR NEED OF, UM, UM, BOARD ASSESSMENT APPEALS, PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE ON COMMITTEES FOR THOSE.

AND LIKE I SAID, IT WAS ANYTHING ELSE.

I MEAN, MR. GREENWOOD MENTIONED THE, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE OUT THERE THAT WE NEED TO GET ANSWERS ON, WE NEED TO KNOW NOW BEFORE THE FIRST SCREENING SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW UP, GET THE INFORMATION DATED, OR HAVE THEM COME IN AND BE THERE IN PERSON TO, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS THAT, THAT ARE GOING TO BE TOUGH QUESTIONS.

SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON OUR BUDGET, WE'RE LOOKING THEN TO HAVE SOME EMOTION TO PUSH US FORWARD TO FULL COUNCIL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO MR. ROBIN HAS MADE THE SECOND.

UH, SO, UM, ARE, IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS OUT THERE? ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NO OBJECTION.

WE WILL MOVE THIS FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR A FIRST READING.

THANK YOU, MS. HARRIS.

AND THEN, UH, THE ONLY

[16. AGENCIES, BOARDS, AND COMMISSIONS VACANCIES Board of Assessment Appeals - 6 Vacancies]

SO THAT IS NOT DISTRICT SPECIFIC.

SO IF WE DO HAVE ANYBODY IN THE COUNTY THAT WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER THAT THEY CAN GET A HOLD OF US, SARAH, OR ANY OF THE STAFF HERE AND SEE WHAT THAT ENTAILS AND HOW MUCH TIME IT WOULD BE.

BUT AGAIN, WE DO NEED FOLKS FOR SOME REASON, WE'VE HAD A VACANCY OF THOSE, BUT, UM, WE ARE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED AND WE WILL RECONVENE IN FIVE MINUTES.