May 16, 2022 Public Facilities Committee

[00:00:02]

UH,

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU.

UM, SARAH, WE DONE THE PROPER NOTIFICATIONS ON FOR YOU.

GOOD.

I NEED APPROVAL

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - APRIL 18, 2022]

UM, AND AS I GOT OUT OF WORK, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

UH, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 18TH? UH, SEEING NONE OF THOSE WERE APPROVED, UM, WITHOUT OBJECTION, UH, COME BACK TO

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

THANK YOU, MARK.

THANK YOU, ALICE.

UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA? ANY OBJECTION TO IT? UH, SEEING THEM THAT'LL BE APPROVED, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.

UH, SARAH, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON CITIZEN COMMENTS? NO, SIR.

WE DON'T.

OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

UM,

[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]

YES, SIR.

THANK YOU.

UH, CHAIRMAN RODMAN AND APPRECIATE IT.

UM, I TOLD MY WIFE, I NEED A NEW BLUE SHIRT, SO HOPE.

HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T MAKE ANYBODY DIZZY.

I'M STARING AT IT ON THE SCREEN.

SHE'S ONLY GOT SO MANY OPTIONS WHEN I GIVE HER, SHE CAN PICK ANY SEARCH YOU WANT AS LONG AS IT'S BLUE.

SO, UH, JUST A FEW UPDATES THINGS GOING ON IN INSIDE THE ENGINEERING DIVISION.

UM, ON TRANSPORTATION, UH, US 2 78, WE ARE WORKING THROUGH, UM, TRYING TO FIND AN ADDITIONAL, GET THE ADDITIONAL SCOPE FOR THE INDEPENDENT TRAFFIC GO IN.

WE HAD A GOOD COORDINATION MEETING WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD LAST WEEK AND A POTENTIAL CONSULTANT TO HELP US OUT WITH THAT.

UM, WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE ON WHAT THAT NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE AND HOPEFULLY THAT IT HITS ALL THE NEEDS BETWEEN, UM, SENATOR DAVIS AND THE TOWN AND EVERYBODY THAT'S MADE COMMENTS.

SO WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT.

UM, HOPEFULLY THAT IS GOING TO COME IN FOR A LOT LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS AND THE SIX TO NINE MONTH TIMELINE THAT WAS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY WHEN THAT WAS INTRODUCED.

SO, UM, MORE TO COME ON THAT IN CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, AS FAR AS OUR POOLS, EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THE POOL SITUATION AND SPECIFICALLY THE BOSTON POOL BEING CLOSED.

UM, WE'VE ENTERED INTO CONTRACT EMERGENCY CONTRACT AND ISSUED A NOTICE TO PROCEED WITH CONTRACT ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO ON THAT THE MATERIALS HAVE BEEN ORDERED AND SHOULD ARRIVE HERE LATER IN MAY, ONCE THEY ARRIVED, THE CONTRACTOR ANTICIPATES ABOUT A 12 WEEK CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE.

SO THAT'LL TAKE US THROUGH THE END OF THE SUMMER, UH, FOR THE, FOR BLUFFTON POOL TO BE, UH, UPDATED AND READY TO BE REOPENED.

UM, PUBLIC WORKS THIS WEEK IS AP ACCREDITATION.

SO WE HAVE ONSITE ACCREDITATION COMMITTEE HERE TAKING A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS AND OUR FUNCTIONS INSIDE PUBLIC WORKS.

UH, WE'RE HOPING FOR A GOOD REPORT ON THAT.

A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE THROUGH PREPARE FOR THAT OVER THE LAST, UH, ALMOST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON COMPILING THIS AND GETTING READY FOR ACCREDITATION IF SUCCESSFUL WILL BE THE FIFTH DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IN CHIEF, THIS RECOGNITION.

SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

UH, AND THE TERMINAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AT HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.

UM, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THAT PROJECT OUT TO BID AS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY.

UH, IT WENT OUT TO BID ON MAY 8TH AND BIDS ARE DUE BACK ON JUNE 9TH.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE OF THE OVERALL COSTS, UH, AND, AND BE IN A POSITION TO AWARD THAT PROJECT LATER IN THE FALL IN SEPTEMBER TIMEFRAME.

SO JUST A QUICK UPDATE OF OTHER PROJECTS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS MAKE IT FOR APPROVAL, BUT JUST KIND OF SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON INSIDE THE ENGINEERING DIVISION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

AND, UH, I GUESS THE, UH, YOU PUT TOGETHER THE CONTRACT FOR THE SECOND INDEPENDENT REVIEW THAT'LL COME BACK THROUGH AND WHATEVER COMMITTEE YOU CAN GET TO FIRST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE OKAY.

EVEN HERE, IT'S GO DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL.

WELL, THAT TAKES US TO

[8. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A 2022 SALES TAX REFERENDUM (TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION)]

UM, WHY DON'T YOU KICK THAT OFF? GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND AND WHERE YOU WANT TO ON THAT.

SO APPRECIATE IT.

AND, UM, SO FIRST ON THE AGENDA PACKETS, ONE THING I NOTICED THERE WAS, UH, THREE DOCUMENTS THAT ATTACK COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER.

ONE IS A MEMO FROM THE CHAIRMAN, UM, FROM DEAN MOSS.

AND HE'LL BE UP HERE IN JUST A SECOND PRESENT ON THAT.

UH, SECOND JUST WAS A ONE PAGER, UM, BASICALLY CONDENSING THE PROJECT LIST.

AND THEN THIRD IS AN ORDINANCE, UH, THERE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT ALL THESE DOCUMENTS WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE TOGETHER IN SHORT TIMEFRAME.

[00:05:01]

SO HAVE, UH, AN UPDATE AND WE'LL SHARE THIS TO ALL THOSE THAT ARE PRESENT.

UM, SO THIS IS THE MEMO WAS THE CORRECT VERSION, THE PROJECT UPDATE LIST, AS WELL AS THE ORDINANCE OR THE TWO THAT NEEDED TWEAKING.

UM, SO THEY ALL MATCH AND WE'LL SHARE THAT ON THE SCREEN WHEN DISCUSSING AS WELL AS SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT, UM, TO ALL AFTER THE PROJECT.

UM, BUT JUST TO, JUST TO RECAP OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AND WHERE WE ARE.

SO COUNTY COUNCIL COMMISSION, THE TAC COMMITTEE, UM, TO BE ESTABLISHED IN FEBRUARY, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD FOR ALMOST THREE MONTHS.

UM, STAFF WORKED REALLY HARD AT THE BEGINNING TO GET EVERYBODY, UH, MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN BASICALLY, UH, AGAIN, CHAIRMAN, DEAN MOSS, UH, REALLY TOOK CHARGE AND, AND WALKED US THROUGH AND HELP COLLABORATE WITH ALL THE, ALL THE FOLKS.

IT WAS GREAT DISCUSSION AND I THINK Y'ALL WILL BE WELL-REPRESENTED IN WHAT HE HAS IN THE MEMO.

AND WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WILL PRESENT WITH YOU HERE TODAY? SO, UH, WITH THAT NINA FEEL COMING FORWARD, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE COUNCIL.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, I'M GOING TO NOT TAKE YOU STEP-BY-STEP THROUGH THIS MEMO.

I'M JUST GOING TO INDICATE THAT THIS MEMO REFLECTS, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH AND, UH, I WILL SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS, AND THEN I THEN WE'LL WORK THROUGH THE PROJECT.

UH, FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO DO THIS.

THE FOLKS THAT WERE, UH, APPOINTED BY COUNCIL, UH, TO HELP WITH THIS WERE WONDERFUL.

THEY DID A GREAT JOB.

UM, A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF VERY GOOD THINKING WENT INTO THIS GOOD ATTENDANCE FROM MEMBERS, UH, BOTH FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES AND FROM COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES.

I WILL NOTE WE DID NOT GET, UH, BUT ONE ATTENDEE, ONE TIME FROM EMC AND NO ONE CAME FROM VILLE.

SO JUST BEAR THAT IN MIND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, UM, THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU WHERE YOU MAN, I'M HONESTLY ADOPTED BY THE GROUP.

UH, THERE WERE NO, UH, ABSTENTIONS, THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS OR A FEW THINGS WE HAD TO WORK OUT TO GET THERE, BUT AS USUAL AS YOU ALL UNDERSTAND, UH, ONCE THAT WAS DONE, UH, THERE WAS A STRONG, STRONG SENSE OF SUPPORT FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS MEMO WITH ONE EXCEPTION.

AND THIS IS IMPORTANT.

AND I WAS ASKED SPECIFICALLY BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE THIS POINT, UM, THERE WAS NOT UNANIMITY ON WHEN THIS REFERENDUM SHOULD BE HELD.

UH, APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE WANTED IT DONE RIGHT NOW.

AND THE PROBLEM IS TOO GREAT.

WE'RE GROWING TOO FAST.

WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.

AND THE OTHER HALF OF THE COMMITTEE BASICALLY SAID, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE WRONG TIME TO DO IT.

THE ECONOMY'S LOUSY, THERE'S INFLATION.

YOU HAVE A WAR, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

SO A LOT OF, A LOT OF NO, NO AGREEMENT.

IF YOU LOOK IN THE MEMO, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE LANGUAGE WE AGREED TO WAS THAT, UH, THE REFERENDUM QUESTION TO BE PLACED UPON THE BALLOT AT THE EARLIEST FEASIBLE DATE.

SO THAT'S A POLITICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES WHEN, UH, BUT ANYWAY, UM, YOUR CHARGE TO US WAS BASICALLY TO BRING YOU A PROPOSED PROJECT LIST AND OR CATEGORIES FOR THE REFERENDUM QUESTIONS THAT CAN WAIT THE AMOUNT OF THE SALES TAX TO BE COLLECTED.

AND THIRDLY, AND OR THE DURATION OF THE SALES TAX COLLECTION PERIOD, WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO YOU A 1% SALES TAX TO BE LEVIED AT THE EARLIER VOTED ON AT THE EARLIEST FEASIBLE DATE, AND THEN LEVIED, UH, TO LAST FOR 10 YEARS.

UH, WE PROJECT THAT, THAT SALES TAX OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME WILL PRODUCE ABOUT $700 MILLION.

UM, THAT'S BASED UPON AN ASSUMPTION OF THE GROWTH RATE IN THE COUNTY, STAYING MORE OR LESS WHERE IT IS AT THE SAME RATE AND THE TOURISTS POPULATION STAYING ALSO IN THE SAME RATE, I WILL POINT OUT WE DON'T HAVE PRECISE DETAIL FOR THIS, BUT THE ESTIMATES ARE THAT BETWEEN 40 AND 50% AND POSSIBLY MORE OF THIS SALES TAX MONEY COMES FROM TOURISTS AND VISITORS TO THE COUNTY.

SO, UH, WITH THAT AS A BACKGROUND, UM, AS YOU, AS YOU KNOW, WE BASICALLY, UH, WE MET, UH, 10 TIMES, UH, OVER, OVER THIS PERIOD OF TIME.

UH, AND AS, UH, JARED INDICATED A LOT OF WORK FROM COUNTY STAFF, THEY DID A FABULOUS JOB.

THEY WERE VERY, VERY, UH, VERY MUCH INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING THIS THING HAPPEN.

UM, SO WE LOOKED AND CAME UP WITH TWO CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS, UH, FIRST IN OUR SERIES OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

[00:10:01]

UM, AND SO WE WENT THROUGH THAT, UH, AND THE PROJECTS THAT WE CAME UP WITH, UH, EFFECTIVELY ARE ACROSS THE COUNTY, NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, UH, AND, UH, THEY ADDRESS THE MOST, UH, SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC ISSUES.

I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY GENERALLY FOLLOWING, UH, THE GUIDELINES FROM THE LATS STUDY, WHICH HAS DONE THAT'S THE LOCAL, UH, LOW COUNTRY AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY DONE BY LOCAL.

SO WE STAYED PRETTY CLOSE TO THEIR PRIORITY SYSTEM.

UM, AND WE, WE ARE ALLOCATING ABOUT HALF THE MONEY, UM, BUT $120 MILLION OR PROJECT SOUTH OF THE BROAD RIVER, ABOUT 115 MILLION, UH, NORTH OF THE BROAD RIVER.

UH, SECOND PACKAGE WERE A SERIES OF WHAT, WHAT ARE FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, I'M GONNA USE THE TERM BUCKETS.

UM, IT'S NOT THE TECHNICAL TERM AND WE DON'T CALL IT THAT IN THE MEMO, BUT IT IS, UH, ESSENTIALLY A COLLECTION OF ACTIVITIES WHICH, UH, CREATE POTS OF MONEY FOR COUNCIL TO UTILIZE, TO DEAL WITH SPECIFIC CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS THAT WE DON'T EVEN MAY NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND YET.

UH, AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE RESILIENCE.

UM, WE KNOW THAT, UH, TIDES ARE GETTING HIGHER.

WE KNOW THAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING OUT THERE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF ROADS IN THIS COUNTY THAT ARE VERY LOW, VERY CLOSE TO THE LEVEL OF TIDES.

AT SOME POINT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE THOSE ROADS, WHICH ONES THEY ARE.

WE'RE NOT SURE WHICH ONES ARE MOST IMPORTANT AS THE DECISIONS THAT YOU'VE GOT.

WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE TO YOU AND THE STAFF TO DECIDE WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE ON THESE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT THERE'S THOSE THERE'S DIRT ROAD PAVING IN THE RURAL AREAS.

THERE'S REPAVING A POT FOR REPAVING ROADS ALL OVER THE COUNTY, WHETHER THEY'RE STATE ROADS, LOCAL ROADS, OR COUNTY ROADS.

UM, THERE ARE POTS FOR, UH, ESSENTIALLY SAFETY TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, SMALL PROJECTS AT INTERSECTIONS, UH, WHICH WILL MAKE THE ROADS SAFER, MAKE TRAFFIC MOVE MORE QUICKLY THROUGH THESE CONGESTED INTERSECTIONS.

SO THERE ARE A SERIES OF THOSE.

THERE'S ALSO A RECOMMENDATION TO DEAL WITH MASS TRANSIT ISSUES, UH, SPECIFICALLY BUS SYSTEMS, BUT ALSO, UM, FERRY DISCUSSIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE.

FOR FAIR, WE DO NOT HAVE PLANS FOR THESE THINGS YET.

SO ESSENTIALLY THE ESSENCE OF THE PRIORITY IS WE OUGHT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME SERIOUS PLANNING ON, ON COUNTYWIDE MASS TRANSIT PLUS COUNTY-WIDE, UH, FERRY SYSTEMS. IF THAT CHOOSES TO BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON.

UM, SO A PENNY SALES TAX, OR A 1% SALES TAX FOR 10 YEARS, LET ME GO THROUGH THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

IF WE CAN PUT THOSE UP, I'LL TAKE, I'LL TAKE EVERYBODY THROUGH THEM.

UM, SO THE FIRST PROJECT IS HIGHWAY ONE 70, UH, $80 MILLION LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE FACING FROM FOUR 60 TO THE INTERSECTION OF 4 62 DOWN TO 2 78.

I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON A PROJECT TO START AND KIND OF EXPAND AND GET READY TO THINK ABOUT THAT IN DETAIL RIGHT NOW.

SO, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S TOP OF THE LIST BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS OF TRAFFIC ON THAT SECTION OF THE ROAD.

AND THEY'RE JUST GOING TO GET WORSE.

AND WE KNOW THIS, SECONDLY, HIGHWAY 46 IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR A LONG TIME, UH, PARTICULARLY THE AREA FROM THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE OUT TO THE JASPER COUNTY, UH, LINE, BUT ALSO WORK, UH, FROM ROUGHLY A BUCK WALTER PARKWAY, OUT TO THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE, FOCUSING PRINCIPALLY ON IMPROVING SAFETY AND IMPROVING THE OPERATION OF VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS.

WE'RE VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON THE NOTION THAT THIS IS A SCENIC HIGHWAY, IT'S A DESIGNATED SCENIC HIGHWAY.

AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ON THAT HIGHWAY THAT IN ANY WAY AFFECTS THAT DESIGNATION.

SO THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME THINKING AND SOME PLANNING FROM STAFF AND ENGINEERS TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAYS TO FIX THAT.

WE'VE GOT $20 MILLION IN THERE FOR THAT.

SECONDLY, OP BLUFFTON REGIONAL ROAD NETWORK.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS ON THE LAT LIST IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.

AND, UH, MANY OF THEM ARE IMPORTANT.

SOME ARE LESS IMPORTANT.

SOME ARE ON STATE ROAD, SOME ARE RUN ON CITY STREETS, WHATEVER.

SO WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT A $40 MILLION BE PUT INTO THAT FUND AND THAT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON GO THROUGH THEIR PRIORITY LIST AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE IN THAT, IN THAT SECTION, UH, FOURTH HILTON HEAD MUNICIPAL PROJECTS, UH, AS $40 MILLION THERE, AGAIN, THE

[00:15:01]

UH, AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION AGAIN FOR US IS THAT YOU WORK WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, LET THEM DECIDE WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE COME BACK TO YOU WITH THOSE, AND THEN WORK OUT.

HOWEVER THAT BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT NEEDS TO BE BETWEEN YOU, UH, 2 78 PROJECT ENHANCEMENTS.

WE HAVE $40 MILLION IN THERE FOR THAT.

THESE BASICALLY, UH, OUR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROJECT, UH, ON, UH, THE BRIDGES PROJECT, THAT CONNECTION PROJECT BETWEEN MOSS CREEK AND, UH, AND, UH, GUMTREE ROAD AREA.

UH, IT WAS GENERALLY CONCEIVED OF AS PRINCIPALLY, UH, ENHANCEMENTS OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S LANDSCAPING, WHATEVER IT IS, IMPROVE THAT PROJECT AND MAKE IT GO SMOOTHER, UH, IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, UH, US HIGHWAY 21 AND 21 BUSINESS, UH, AND QUARTER IMPROVEMENTS.

SEVENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ON REBO ROAD, UM, FROM THE BRIDGES, UH, OVER TO PARIS ISLAND, ALL THE WAY UP TO BOUNDARY STREET, UH, AT TOWN HALL, UH, THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THAT RIGHT OF WAY.

IT'S NOT, I DON'T THINK THE QUESTION OF EXPANDING IT AS MUCH AS IT IS TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT, UH, TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE, TO MAKE IT A MORE USEFUL STREET.

I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE SINCE I'M A RESIDENT OF PORT ROYAL, UH, IN ABOUT MAN, I'D SAY RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'VE TRIED TO GET FROM, UH, FROM DOWNTOWN PORT ROYAL TO LADY'S ISLAND, YOU WILL STAND IN TRAFFIC, UH, ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN TO PARIS AVENUE.

AND IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE TRYING TO GET UP AND CROSS THAT BRIDGE.

UH, WE'VE GOT TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.

IT'S CRAZY OUT THERE.

UM, SO, UH, THAT WOULD BE ALSO INCLUDE WORK ON, UH, ON BOUNDARY STREET, WRAPPING AROUND A CARTER AT STREET, UH, WHICH WAS BASICALLY HIGHWAY 21 BUSINESS COMING IN AND IMPROVING THAT ROUTE.

AGAIN, IN MANY CASES, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THINGS HERE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAYS, UH, MORE EFFICIENT AND SAFER.

UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, ON MAJOR PROJECTS, LADIES ISLAND, CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS, 40 MILLION, UH, AS YOU REMEMBER, WHEN WE DID THE 18, UH, BOND ISSUE, UH, WE HAD A NUMBER IN THERE FOR, FOR THE PROJECT, THOSE PROJECTS IN THAT AREA, UH, THAT WAS WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT FOR THE AMOUNT OF EXPENSE THAT WILL BE INCURRED IN DEVELOPING THAT.

SO THIS ADDS TO THAT POT AND ENABLES THAT PROJECT TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT.

THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES IN AND AROUND LADY'S ISLAND THAT HAVE, IN SOME CASES MATERIALIZED SINCE 18, THAT REALLY NEED REALLY NEED ATTENTION.

SO THOSE ARE THE MAJOR PROJECTS.

UM, I THINK NUMBER I HAD WAS 310 TWENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ALLOCATED TO THOSE PROJECTS.

ALL RIGHT.

IN ADDITION, UH, AS I SAID, UH, TRACK, WHEN WE CALL THEM, I'M CALLING TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UH, MASS TRANSIT, UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, $25 MILLION IN THERE.

AND AS I SAID, UH, UH, FOCUS TO BEGIN WITH ON PLANNING AND FIGURING OUT EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS OVER, OVER THE LONGTERM USED TO BE THESE ENOUGH HERE TO DO, TO DO THE BASICS I THINK, TO GET STARTED.

BUT, UH, WE DON'T KNOW YET.

AND WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE DO SOME WORK ON THAT SAFETY, WE'VE GOT $50 MILLION IN THERE FOR SAFETY, GENERAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ALONG ROADWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS, INCLUDING PEDESTRIAN ACCOMMODATIONS.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES IN THIS COMMUNITY WHERE IT IS UNSAFE TO CROSS A STREET.

YOU CAN'T USE THE STREETS, SEPARATE PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU CAN'T GET ACROSS.

AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THESE DAUGHTERS IN AREAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE THOSE KINDS OF PROBLEMS. I MENTIONED RESILIENCE THERE'S $20 MILLION IN THERE IMPROVEMENTS TO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, TO FLOODING SEA LEVEL RISE, STORM, WATER, DRAINAGE ISSUES, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH GOING FORWARD IN THIS COUNTY, UH, DIRT ROAD PAVING $15 MILLION.

UH, AND THERE ARE DIRT ROADS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT WILL NEED, UH, SOME DEGREE OF, OF ATTENTION AND PAVING RESURFACING 60 MILLION.

AS I SAID, ALL THE STREETS IN THE COUNTY ROAD, RESURFACING PRESERVATION OF ALL ROADWAYS, STATE COUNTY, AND MUNICIPALLY-OWNED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

AND THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE OLD OVERALL PAVEMENT CONDITION OF ROADS ACROSS THE COUNTY PATHWAYS, $50 MILLION.

AS YOU REMEMBER IN THE, UM, 18 REFERENDUM, WE HAD 10 MILLION IN THERE FOR THAT, UH, THAT PROVED TO BE AGAIN, WOEFULLY SHORT OF JUST SIMPLY DOING THE LIST THAT COUNCIL APPROVED, UH, FOR THAT REFERENDUM.

UH, I BELIEVE WE WERE AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AND DOLLAR SHORT ON THAT, ON THAT ONE.

UH, IN ADDITION, THE COUNTY HAS APPROVED NOW A ROADS, UH, EXCUSE ME, A PATHWAYS AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN.

UH, SO THAT IS A FEEDER INTO

[00:20:01]

WE, WE SUGGEST THOUGH THAT PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW BE GIVEN TO THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE PROMISED IN THE 18 REFERENDUM AND HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED.

TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES, ACCESS ROADS, ANOTHER 50 MILLION, UH, THESE ARE PLANNING DESIGN, RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION OF ACCESS ROADS TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY.

IF YOU LOOK IN THE LATS PLAN, YOU WILL FIND NEW ROADS, NEW ROADS, NEW ROADS, NEW ROAD LISTED AS PROJECTS.

UH, THE THERE'S REAL ISSUES HERE TO MAKE THINGS MOVE MORE SMOOTHLY AND CONNECT COMMUNITIES, UH, BETTER AND MAJOR ROADS AND GET TRAFFIC MOVING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

UH, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE TRANS PROTECTION STATION TECHNOLOGIES, WHICH ARE COMING ALONG, UH, RAPIDLY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, SMART INTERSECTIONS WHERE THE LIGHTS ARE TIMED BASED UPON ACTUALLY THE LINE OF VEHICLES THAT AT ANY GIVEN INTERSECTION OR LACK THEREOF, WE'VE ALL SAT AT LIGHTS WHEN THERE'S NOBODY COMING THE OTHER WAY.

AND WE'RE KIND OF STUCK THERE WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE.

THE IDEA HERE IS THAT THIS KIND OF THING GETS FIXED.

AND THEN, UH, LONG-TERM DEMAND REDUCTION GREENBELTS, UH, IN THE STATUTE THAT, UH, ALLOWS US TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING.

THERE IS A USE OF THESE FUNDS FOR GREENBELTS, UM, UNDEFINED, BUT CHARLESTON'S EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE IN OTHER PLACES IN THE STATE INDICATES THAT IN THE GENERAL SENSE BUYING PROPERTY, UH, AND PRESERVING IT IS A REASONABLE EXPENDITURE OF THESE FUNDS.

WE LOOKED AT IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.

WE LOOKED AT IT ESSENTIALLY AS A WAY TO TARGET KEY PROPERTIES ALONG THESE, PARTICULARLY ALONG THESE MAJOR HIGHWAYS, SO THAT WE CAN ESSENTIALLY START TO REDUCE THE TRAFFIC LOADS, UH, AGAIN, COMPLICATED PROCESS, COMPLICATED PROJECT, BUT IT'S CLEARLY, UH, ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT COULD HELP US IN THE LONG WAY.

UH, AGAIN, WE RECOMMEND THERE AND I'LL GET TO THAT, THAT THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS BOARD THAT ALREADY EXISTS AND THE WAY IT OPERATES IS A GOOD WAY TO START TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT.

UM, WE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU.

COUNTY COUNCIL SHOULD CREATE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, TO HELP YOU WITH THIS.

UH, AND I THINK IT SHOULD GENERALLY BE MIRRORED ON THE, ON, ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT YOU ESTABLISHED PREVIOUSLY.

UM, BUT THEY SHOULD MEET EVERY QUARTER OR THEREABOUTS TO HELP YOU LOOK AT THESE LOOK AT PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE GETTING TO THE FUNDING OF THESE PARTS OF MONEY, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED SOME HELP LOOKING OVER THE ALTERNATIVES AND WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO DO, BECAUSE I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, THERE'S GOING TO BE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE WANT TO DO THINGS.

YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.

UM, AND I THINK WE SUGGEST THEY MAKE A CALL EACH YEAR FOR THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS AND, UH, AND THEY CAN COME FROM, ANYBODY CAN COME FROM THE CITIES.

THEY CAN COME FROM THE COUNTY THAT YOU COME FROM FROM SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS.

IT JUST DEPENDS.

UM, AND WE SET UP SUGGESTING PRIORITY INDEXES FOR THESE VARIOUS POTS OF MONEY, UH, WHERE SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THESE BIG PROJECTS SHOULD BE REVENUE BONDED.

UH, THE, THE QUICKER WE HAVE THESE FUNDS AND WE'RE IN A POSITION, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AS WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT IS AVAILABLE OR COMING AVAILABLE, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW IS, IS HUGE.

AND TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE PROJECTS READY TO GO, WE HAVE WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON THOSE.

IT DRAMATICALLY INCREASES OUR ABILITY TO REACH THOSE, TO REACH THOSE TARGETS.

I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADD, AT LEAST AT LEAST ANOTHER, ALMOST ANOTHER A HUNDRED MILLION, UH, 200 MILLION TO THE POT.

UH, MAYBE MORE, UH, IN TERMS OF MAKING THIS WORK.

SOME PEOPLE SAY A BILLION.

I, I DON'T, UM, MASS TRANSIT, I'VE SPOKEN TO THIS BEFORE.

UH, WE SUGGEST THAT THE EXISTING TRANSPORT, TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, UH, PALMETTO BREEZE BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE AND WORK WITH THEM, UH, TO DO THE PLANNING NECESSARY AND MASS TRANSIT SO THAT WE INTEGRATE WHAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE AND WHAT WE, WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE AND WHAT THEY KNOW WE CAN DO WITH WHAT OUR LONG-TERM PLANS ARE.

UM, AGAIN, I COME BACK TO MY, MY FIRST MAJOR POINT, THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT, UH, IN THE COMMITTEE ABOUT WHEN WE SHOULD DO THIS.

SO AS YOU GIVE DELIBERATION TO LEAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE, AND THE DETERMINATION OF WHAT AND HOW WE SHOULD PROCEED, UH, I WANT JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

SO, MS. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.

I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR A VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.

UH, LET'S GO TO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DEAN CLARIFYING OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, LET'S GO THERE.

AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.

UM, BUT YORK, I SEE YOUR HAND.

UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING TO GO FIRST, BUT I'M JUST WANT

[00:25:01]

UM, I, UM, I AM ELATED REALLY, UH, WITH, UM, THE TIME IT TOOK THE SHORT TERM UNTIL WE PUT THIS TOGETHER AND TO ACTUALLY PUT SOME FOCUS ON COUNCIL, UH, IN THIS COUNTY IN A DIRECTION TO PURSUE.

UM, SO I WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITTEE WORKING WITH THIS.

THAT I KNOW IT HADN'T BEEN EASY.

UM, BUT, UM, THEY HAD THE RIGHT PERSON.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS IN HERE.

I JUST WANT TO JUST ECHO AND, UH, LIKE, UM, THE ACCESS ROAD, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE MORE AND MORE GREEN VEHICLES IN THAT SERVICE.

SO I LIKED THAT IN THERE.

UM, AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, UM, ABOUT DIRT ROADS AND RESURFACING ROADS, AND YOU USE THE LANGUAGE IN THERE.

UM, WHEREAS SPECIFICALLY TO BE DEVELOPED, UM, I DON'T LIKE THAT LANGUAGE.

I SAY THAT BECAUSE I'M IN A RURAL AREA LIKE MINE AND GERALD, THERE MAY BE GOOD ROAD NEEDS THAT, UH, SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED.

BUT GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT IT MAY GET BUMPED AND IT'S HAPPENING, AND IT PLAYS A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THAT DEVELOPER.

UM, SO I JUST DON'T LIKE THAT LANGUAGE BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ROADS IN MY DISTRICT HAS JUST EQUAL CHANCE OF GETTING PAID AS ANYONE ELSE, UM, AND NOT BE FLATTENED BY HAVING TO BE DEVELOPED.

SO, UM, THIS, SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.

THE OTHER THING THAT YOU HAVE ON THE RESURFACING $60 MILLION OF, UM, UM, PAVED ROAD, UH, IN THE COUNTY IN PARENTHESIS, YOU HAVE STATE COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITY OWN ROADS.

UM, I JUST WANT TO REVERSE THAT, UM, AS A PRIORITY, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE THINGS LISTED LIKE THAT, THE FIRST ONE GETS HEAVY PRIORITY.

I REALLY LIKED THE REVERSE, WHICH BASICALLY SAYS MUNICIPALITY COUNTY.

AND THEN IF ANYTHING LEFT OVER STATE, I THINK THE STATE HAS FUNDING FROM ALL DIFFERENT PARTS THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO THEIR OWN ROAD.

AND WE DON'T TAKE IT ON STATE ROADS IF WE DON'T HAVE TO.

SO I JUST MAKE THOSE COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, SIR.

OTHER THAN THAT, I'D LIKE TO REPORT, YOU DID A COUPLE OF THINGS, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK, NOT JUST YOU, BUT ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.

I KNOW IT WAS TEDIOUS AND LONG.

AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT YOU INCLUDED THE, UH, THE GREEN BELT PORTION IN THERE, UM, BECAUSE IT DOVETAILS VERY NICELY WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN TERMS OF PROFIT AND ROADS, BECAUSE IF WE SPEND IT WISELY, THERE'LL BE HOPEFULLY LESS TRAFFIC IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS.

SO, UM, SO THANKS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I KNOW THE LEGISLATURE IS MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION, UH, TRYING TO PASS SOME LEGISLATION THAT AUTHORIZES A PENNY OR A HALF PENNY OR A QUARTER OF A PENNY OR WHATEVER FOR, FOR THAT SAME PURPOSE, UH, STANDALONE.

SO THIS JUST INCORPORATES IT INTO SOMETHING ELSE, WHICH IS, AS YOU SAY IS PERMISSIBLE.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KIND OF, I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE RESILIENCE CATEGORY ON THERE.

I HAD OCCASION TO GO OUT ON ST.

HELENA ISLAND AND WITH A FULL MOON SATURDAY WATCHING THE WATER RISE PAST HUNTING ISLAND.

UM, AND I'VE SEEN ON THE NEWS LIKE TYBEE ISLAND, THEY'RE HAVING TO RAISE THAT ROAD TO TYBEE ISLAND.

I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHAT THIS MONEY COULD BE USED FOR.

WOULD THAT WITH THOSE KINDS OF SITUATIONS? I WOULD THINK SO.

I THINK, I THINK IT, AGAIN, IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT THE INTENT WAS TO WAS TO PROTECT US AND FOLKS LIVING IN, IN THE COUNTY AGAINST THE FLOODING OF STREETS AND THE ISSUES THAT, THAT COME FROM THAT, UH, THE RUSTING VEHICLES THAT THE RISKS, THE DANGER, UH, AND IN CASES OF BIG STORMS, THE CONCEIVABLE PROBLEM, THAT FOLKS COULD BE ISOLATED AND NOT BE ABLE TO GET OFF SOME OF THESE REMOTE ISLANDS.

AND I WANTED TO ALSO, I KNOW THE COMMITTEE WORKED VERY HARD AND LOTS OF HOURS AND STAFF DID TO WANT TO JUST SAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT IN PARTICULAR OF THE ITEMS FOR THE, FOR THE GREEN GREEN SPACE, KNOWING THAT IT COULD BE SMALLER PARCELS THAN WHAT WE USUALLY DO WAS WE'RE ON CRITICAL LANDS AND ALSO THE MASS TRANSIT.

UM, WE, WE REALLY NEED TO EMPHASIZE, UM, THE MASS TRANSIT AND GLAD TO SEE SOME DOLLARS THERE TO, OKAY.

OTHERS,

[00:30:03]

YEAH, DEAN, UM, KUDOS TO WHAT OTHERS HAVE, HAVE ALREADY SAID.

I KNOW IT, WASN'T AN EASY TASK FOR YOU TO CHEER THAT GROUP OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU WERE WORKING WITH, BUT, UH, THROUGH IT ALL, UM, YOU ALL WORK TOGETHER AND HAVE PROVIDED.

UH, WHAT I THINK IS A, IS A GREAT LIST OF PROJECTS.

UM, MY ONLY HOPE AND CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS THAT I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A DOLLAR FIGURE PROVIDED FOR EACH, UH, EACH ITEM.

AND I, AND I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE THIS TIME THAT WE MADE IN THE FIRST REFERENDUM AND TO THE POINT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO CALL IT A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, AND THE SPIN IS PACKAGE.

SO, UH, TO YOUR, TO YOUR CREDIT.

GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU, GERALD.

THANK YOU, JOE.

I'LL GO TO AHEAD.

AND I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.

I WASN'T SURE WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU PUT YOUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, BUT, UM, IT, IT IS SO SIMPLE, BUT SO DETAILED.

EXACTLY.

YOU'RE DONE.

SO I COMMEND YOU AND I KNOW BILL FUSE WAS ONE OF MY APPOINTEES AND, UM, HE, HIS EYES WERE OPENED WHENEVER EVERYONE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT.

SO OBVIOUSLY WE'VE SPREAD THIS OUT OVER THE COUNTY.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S, THERE'S MORE STUFF I'M FROM BLUFFTON.

MORE THINGS GET SPENT IN BLUFFING CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE NEED IS COMING UP.

UM, BUT, UM, WHEN YOU STARTED WITH THE, THE GREEN BELTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE THERE WAS ANY DISCUSSION OF, OF, OF TRYING TO GET MORE GOLF CARTS, SILAGE STYLE KIND OF TRIPS, AS OPPOSED TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE ROADS, OR I THINK THAT THE, WE DID NOT DISCUSS GOLF CARTS SPECIFICALLY, BUT I THINK THE NOTION ON, UH, THE TRAILS FUNDING, UH, IS, IS IT'S A BROAD ENOUGH CATEGORY.

SO THE, TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE PLACES WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, A GOLF CART, A GOLF CART TRAIL IS, YOU KNOW, THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL FOR EXAMPLE, IS 12 FEET WIDE.

AND THAT'S USED BY BIKES AND PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.

THAT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR A GOLF CART, UH, FOR, TO BE ABLE TO GO THIS WAY.

UH, YOU DON'T WANT TO MIX THOSE WITH THE BIKERS IN THE WALKERS, BUT AGAIN, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE.

AND I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S MONEY IN THERE FOR THAT CAN BE DEALT WITH FOR SOME OF THAT.

BUT WE DID NOT DEAL WITH SPECIFICALLY.

AND THEN ONE MORE QUESTION, AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE SAYS WE NEED IT, WHICH THAT'S SOMETHING THAT BILL FUSE HAD SAID WHEN I SPOKE TO HIM.

UM, AND I THINK WE, WE LOOKED AT BEFORE THAT, THAT WE WANTED TO DO, TO DO IT DURING A, A, A, A MIDTERM OR, OR ELECTION YEAR.

SO IF WE DIDN'T DO IT THIS YEAR, IT ALMOST WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE PRESIDENTIAL, THE 24.

IS THAT KINDA WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE? IF IT WASN'T DONE THIS YEAR? AGAIN, NOBODY TALKED ABOUT THE 23.

OKAY.

BECAUSE I HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THAT AND IT DIDN'T WORK.

SO I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES.

IT'S EITHER GOTTA BE NOVEMBER OR WE GOT TO WAIT TWO YEARS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ANYBODY ELSE? A COUPLE OF COMMENTS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UM, WE GO BACK TO THE BLUFFS AND PIECE.

AND IN THERE YOU SAID IT WOULD BE DETERMINED A LOT BY THE BLUFFTON COUNCIL.

I'M SORRY.

NO, THE BUFTON COUNCIL.

UM, DO YOU ENVISION THAT THAT WOULD STILL COME BACK TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL? ABSOLUTELY.

AND I MEAN, THE WAY I SEE IT, IT WOULD BE, YOU'D BE SPENDING FUNDS.

RIGHT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY, THEY THEY'D COME TO YOU AND SAY, OKAY, WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF OUR LATS PRIORITIES AND OUR PRIORITIES ARE A, B AND C OR D OR WHATEVER.

AND THEY WOULD COME BACK TO YOU THAT WOULD GO INTO YOUR NORMAL ENGINEERING REVIEW PROCESS, WORKING COOPERATIVELY WITH THEM, BUT THE PROJECT WOULD BE DRIVEN FROM HERE.

UH, THAT'S HOW I ENVISIONED IT.

I CAN'T GET TO IT.

YOU CAN DO ANY DAMN WHERE YOU WANT, BUT, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE, THAT WOULD BE THE WAY I WOULD EXPECT YOU WOULD PURSUE IT.

TH THE ONE THAT'S COME UP THAT WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT IS THE FIVE B AS WE'RE ALL AWARE.

AND I DO KNOW FROM SPEAKING WITH ERIC, I KNOW HE HAD, I BELIEVE, I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION'S STANCE WOULD BE IF FIVE B WAS IN THERE, IT MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PASS THE REFERENDUM.

SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, IN YOUR THEORY OF THEY DECIDE LATER ON, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DECIDED BEFORE WE GO TO REFERENDUM OR THAT'D BE ON THE RUN? OH, NO, THIS WOULD BE AFTERWARDS.

OKAY.

I MEAN, THE BOTTOM LINE WAS WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE WAS WITH FIVE B AND THAT'S WHY IT DOES NOT SAY FIVE B UH, IF THE COUNCIL, IF, IF PORT ROYAL TOWN CA I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL DECIDES THAT'S A PROJECT THEY WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON.

WELL, THAT'S A DECISION FOR THEM.

I D I DID NOT WANT IT TO BE, HAVE TO BE A DECISION FOR Y'ALL BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF STRONG FEELINGS ON IT, AND WE DON'T NEED THAT FIGHT RIGHT NOW.

I THINK HE

[00:35:01]

UM, I GUESS I'LL ALSO WONDER IN MY MIND, GIVEN THAT TIME'S A LITTLE BIT SHORT AND THAT ONCE WE APPROVE IT, WE CAN'T ADVOCATE FOR IT, BUT UP UNTIL THE TIME THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR IT, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT PUBLICLY, LIKE WE'RE DOING NOW.

SO SOMETHING I THINK FOR STAFF TO THINK ABOUT, AND, UM, PAUL IN JOE'S ABSENCE IS WHETHER WE WANT TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE TYPICAL PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE HAVE WITH AN ORDINANCE, WHETHER IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE, OR DO THEM GEOGRAPHICALLY SOME FORM, UH, AS A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION.

UM, I THINK LASTLY, I THINK YOU'VE SET UP THE 22 VERSUS 24 IN A VERY CREATIVE WAY.

UM, AND, AND MY SENSE IS THAT AS A COUNCIL, WE'D BE BETTER TO WAIT INTO THE ORDINANCE AS YOU HAVE IT, KNOWING THAT AT SOME POINT, BUT PROBABLY NOT AT FIRST READING, WE WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT BY ADDRESSING IT LATER IN THE SEQUENCE, WE'D PROBABLY BE SMARTER.

UH, THAT WOULD BE MY SENSE, BUT PEOPLE MAY WANT TO DO IT.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

UM, SO I THINK THE QUESTION ON THE TABLE IS, ARE WE PREPARED TO ADVANCE THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND SALES TAX REFERENDUM TO, UM, COUNSEL FOR FIRST READING AND CONSIDERATION, UM, NEXT MONDAY.

SO I'LL LOOK FOR A, UH, A MOTION ON THAT IN A SECOND.

I'LL MAKE EMOTIONALLY MOVE IT FORWARD TO FULL COUNCIL.

OKAY, WELL, WE HAVE TWO SECONDS.

UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT, RECOGNIZING THAT OUR, MOST OF OUR DISCUSSION WILL TAKE PLACE AT COUNCIL.

AND, UH, IT ALSO STRIKES ME THAT IT MAY BE NECESSARY, UM, AS EVERYBODY GETS INTO THIS TO HAVE MORE, HAVE ANOTHER POTENTIALLY A WORKSHOP OR A PUBLIC FACILITIES MEETING, JUST SO WE CAN GET INTO MORE DETAIL THAN THEY MIGHT OTHERWISE DO AT A, AT A COUNCIL MEETING THAT I SEE A YORK.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

UM, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION TO BRING IT FORWARD TO COUNSEL.

AND, UM, ALSO WANT TO SAY, UM, THAT IF WE DO IT PUBLIC AND I SUGGEST THAT WE DO A PUBLIC MEETINGS ACROSS THE COUNTY, UM, AT LEAST THREE, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTY.

AND IF MORE, BUT I, UM, I LIKE THE LANGUAGE THAT, UM, DEAN HAS IN HIS MEMO.

UM, WE ARE NOT JUST BEHIND THE APRIL OR WE UNDER IT.

SO WITH THAT STATEMENTS, THAT'S WHERE I STAY IN AT THIS TIME.

WE ARE UNDER THE APRIL.

WE NEED TO GET OUT OF IT.

THANK YOU.

I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD HEAR EVERYTHING ON THAT, BUT AS FAR AS GETTING THE WORD OUT AND TALKING AROUND THE COUNTY, THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT AS STAFF.

SO, UH, IN ADDITION TO THIS MEETING, AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED AS THREE READINGS IN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ORDINANCE, UM, STAFF WOULD MOST LIKELY COORDINATE WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND, UM, AND TAKE THE, THE MEMO THAT'S BEEN WRITTEN BY THE TAC COMMITTEE AND GO PRESENT THAT AS EACH OF THE MUNICIPALITIES OVER THAT SAME SIX WEEK TIME PERIOD.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INTERNALLY.

UM, WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED THAT, BUT THAT WAS OUR STRATEGY.

UM, AS FAR AS MAKING SURE ALL THE PARTS OF THE COUNTY ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S BEEN CONSIDERED, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO MOVING THIS FORWARD AS MOTION SEEING NONE, THIS STANDS APPROVED FOR MOVEMENT TO COUNCIL NEXT MONDAY FOR CONSIDERATION THAT A FIRST READING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE TEAM THAT WAS THERE.

I SEE CRAIG'S HERE.

I SEE DEAN'S HERE.

UM, FRANK IS HERE IF I'M MISSING ANYBODY THAT WAS MEMBERS, I KNOW THE MUNICIPALITIES HAD AN INVOLVEMENT IN THAT PEOPLE THERE THAT THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

OKAY.

LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM IS

[9. UPDATE ON THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN]

YEAH.

SO THIS IS OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REVIEW PERIODICALLY AND UPDATE.

SO WITH US AS CINDY CARTER, AND SHE'LL BE TAKING US THROUGH SOME OF THE UPDATES OF CHANGES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND MAKING SURE WE'RE PLANNING FOR THE HORIZON.

SO CINDY, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

UM, THE SOUTH CAROLINA SOLID WASTE POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1991 REQUIRES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAINTAIN A SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANT.

UM, OUR MOST RECENT PLAN IS NINE YEARS OLD.

SO AS SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, THE NEEDS IN BUFORD COUNTY CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.

WE ELECTED TO UPDATE THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

SO IT WOULD BE REFLECTIVE OF OUR VISION AND GOALS MOVING FORWARD.

SO WE RETAINED ABBY GOLDSMITH RESOURCES.

[00:40:01]

WE PROVIDED A COPY OF THAT DRAFT TO OUR SOLID WASTE RECYCLING BOARD IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.

AND THEN SUBSEQUENT TO THAT HAD A WORKSHOP IN MARCH.

UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HOWARD AND COUNCILMAN YOUR GLOVE, OR FOR A 10 IN THAT WORKSHOP.

UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMENTS AND EDITS AND WE'VE GOTTEN BACK THE, WHAT WE HOPE TO BE THE FINAL DRAFT DATED MARCH, 2022.

UM, WE, WE WANT THIS TO BE A WORKING DOCUMENT.

UM, MS. GOLDSMITH DID USE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR SOME OF THE INFORMATION, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE.

UH IT'S IT'S USER-FRIENDLY.

AND WE ALSO TALKED TO THE BOARD ABOUT THE FACT THAT IF, UM, THEY WANTED TO REVIEW IT EACH YEAR IN MARCH, UH, TO MAKE SURE WE DID HIT THOSE GOALS, OR IF HAD SOMETHING THAT IS STILL OUTSTANDING.

SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE STAND ONCE THIS IS FINALIZED, WE'D SUBMIT IT TO SOUTH CAROLINA D HAT AND, AND THEY WOULD HAVE, UM, A TEMPLATE OF WHAT WERE PLANS ARE.

ANY QUESTIONS, I GUESS A QUESTION FROM MY STANDPOINT, UH, CINDY, ARE THERE SOME THINGS THAT YOU NEED FROM US, OR YOU WANT US TO LOOK AT IT AND VOTE ON SOMETHING AT POINT IN TIME, WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS TO HELP WITH YOU HELP YOU NOT AT ALL, SIR, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, WE WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, THE PLAN HAD BEEN UPDATED AND OBVIOUSLY JARED WILL MENTION, UH, THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE TOWARDS OUR MURPH.

YEAH.

SO IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL HAS OF THE PLAN, UM, THOSE WOULD ALL BE WELCOMED.

AND THEN PART OF THE STEP SAYS, WHERE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT NEXT IS OUR MIRROR FOR MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY.

SO ALL THIS OUTLINED IN THE PLAN, SO, OKAY.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'D MAYBE LIKE TO COME BACK AND FINALIZE COMMENTS THAT MAYBE OUR NEXT PLC, IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR ANYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO READ IT, UM, AND PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS WE'LL TAKE, INCORPORATE THAT AND MAKE THAT A FINAL COPY.

UM, AND CINDY, DOES THAT NEED TO COME BACK FOR ANY APPROVAL OR IS THAT A, A, JUST SAY FINAL COPY? UH, THAT WOULD BE JUST A FINAL COPY.

SO IF NOBODY HAS ANY COMMENTS, WE WILL SUBMIT IT AS HE IS.

OKAY.

SO I THINK HAS WHAT IT SAYS TO EACH OF US IS WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT RELATIVELY SOON IF WE HAVE SOME COMMENTS, PASS IT ALONG AND WE'LL YEP.

WE CAN GET THOSE COMMENTS EITHER DIRECTLY TO ME OR TO CINDY AND WE CAN FACILITATE.

OKAY, GOOD.

ANY OTHER, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE SOLID WASTE PLAN? SAY NONE.

UH, THE NEXT ONE IS

[10. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY NEEDED FOR THE SIGNALIZATION OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY AT RIVER RIDGE DRIVE AND FLAT CREEK DRIVE]

ALL RIGHT.

SO THIS IS THE RESOLUTION FOR SOME RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION AT BLUFFTON PARKWAY AND RIVER RIDGE AND FLAT CREEK DRAFTS.

SO THIS IS AS YOU TURN OFF ONE SET AND THEN YOU GET ON THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY.

UM, THIS IS THE INTERSECTION AT THE NEW SCHOOL THERE AT RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY, UH, IN HAMPTON LAKE SUBDIVISION.

SO WE WERE REQUESTED A AWHILE AGO AND PROMPTED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF INSTALLING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THIS LOCATION.

THIS IS PART OF OUR, UM, ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLAN.

THERE IS A SIGNAL SCHEDULED TO BE AT THIS LOCATION ONCE IT MEETS THE WARRANTS.

UM, SO THEY ASKED US TO DO A SIGNAL WARRANT ANALYSIS OF WHICH WE DID.

UM, AND THERE ARE A FAIR NUMBER OF KIDS THAT ARE CROSSING THE ROAD RIGHT THERE.

THERE'S ACTUALLY A, UH, UM, A GUARD THAT'S THERE PART OF THE TIME TO HELP THAT CROSSING.

UM, SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND IT DID MEET THE WARRANTS, NOT NECESSARILY ON THAT SPECIFIC WARRANT, BUT ON OTHER WARRANTS.

UM, SO OUR GOAL IS TO MOVE FORWARD.

ONCE YOU HAVE A WARRANT IN PLACE, THE GOAL IS TO MOVE FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

SO WITH THAT, WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN WITH OUR OWN CALL TRAFFIC, UH, ENGINEERING CONSULTANT, AND ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT THIS HOPEFULLY PRIOR TO THE START OF NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

UM, WE'RE GOING TO USE A PHASED APPROACH IN THAT.

UH, THERE'S A LONG LEAD TIME WITH THE ACTUAL MASTER ARMS. UM, NORMALLY IT'S A SIX TO NINE MONTHS LEAD TIME, BUT IT'S MUCH LARGER THAN THAT DUE TO THE CURRENT CONDITIONS IN THE ECONOMY.