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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
I MUST CALL TO ORDER BUFORD COUNTY STORM WATER UTILITY BOARD.
THIS WAS MAY 18TH, 2022 MEETING.
FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA WILL BE THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED A SECOND.
SECOND, THAT MOTION THERE'S A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT.
NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, APRIL 20TH.
SO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 20TH.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL THE 20TH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 20TH, SAY I POST THE MINUTES OF APRIL 20TH ARE APPROVED THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS INTRODUCTIONS.
JEFF DAN SINGER, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, CANON ST.
HELENA ALAN'S EAST JAMES CLARK, OR THE CORPORATE REPORT WORLD.
I'M MARK FEINBERG AND IT'S UNINCORPORATED.
I REPRESENT UNINCORPORATED DISTRICT NINE AND THE FESCUE ISLAND ON THE ALAN SCHNEIDER.
AND I REPRESENT UNINCORPORATED SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY SEABROOK AREA FEATURE KENNEDY JOHNSON.
WE FINISHED WITH THE INTRODUCTIONS AT THIS TIME.
WAS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, ALTHOUGH HE'S NOT HERE? UH, BEFORE WE GO INTO REPORTS, UH, FOR THE RECORD, I WANT TO THANK, UH, VAN WILLIS, THE TOWN MANAGER, PORT ROYAL FOR HOSTING US IN OUR LAST MEETING AT THE CYPRESS WETLANDS.
UH, IT WAS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SEE, UH, THE MANAGEMENT OF STORM WATER, UH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT PUT TOGETHER BY A TOWN THAT KIND OF COUNTY.
SO I THINK EVERYONE THAT VISITED, UH, DURING THAT TIME, I GOT A LOT OUT OF IT AND WE ALL SAW A WONDERFUL, A PLACE THAT, UH, THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL SHOULD BE PROUD OF BEING NO OTHER COMMENTS OF, WE WILL START WITH REPORTS.
ALRIGHT, NICE TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN, MR. BUCHANAN, WELCOME TO THE BOARD.
WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE REPRESENTING, UH, ST.
THE FIRST SECTION'S A LITTLE SLOW, BUT I'VE GOT A LOT OF REALLY EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT I WANT TO BRING TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET THIS NEW STORM WATER DESIGN MANUAL ONLINE.
AT THIS POINT, BOTH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND BEAVER FOR COUNTY HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE MANUAL.
AND IN THAT TIME WE'VE BEEN ON A LITTLE BIT OF A ROAD SHOW, PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK, SO TO SPEAK, UM, ABOUT THE EFFORTS OF THIS MANUAL AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO I'M BACK IN EARLY MAY, MAY 3RD, JULIANA, AND I REPRESENTED THE COUNTY AND THE BOARD, OR I'M SORRY, THE GROUP WITH A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE MANUAL, ITS CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION AT THE INTERNATIONAL EROSION CONTROL ASSOCIATION REGION FOUR CONFERENCE.
UM, THE PRESENTATION WENT VERY WELL.
WE HAD PROBABLY THE BEST ATTENDED SESSION OF THE ENTIRE EVENT, OTHER THAN LUNCH, UM, AND GOT A LOT OF REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THAT ORGANIZATION OVER HER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THEY WANTED TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THEIR REGION, WHICH IS KIND OF THE WHOLE POINT OF WHY WE DID WHAT WE DID TO GET SOME COLLABORATION ON THE EFFORTS THAT, THAT WE AS STORM WATER PROFESSIONALS DO.
SO COMING UP ON OUR LITTLE ROADSHOW, KIM JONES, AND I WILL BE PRESENTING AT THE SCHISM MEETING JUNE 2ND, THAT'S THE, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION FOR STORMWATER MANAGERS
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ABOUT THE MANUAL.THEY PRESENTED BACK IN 2019, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUR, GETTING THE MANUAL UP AND RUNNING.
BUT NOW WE WANT TO KIND OF DO A DEBRIEF ON HOW THAT ACTUALLY WENT.
AND THEN WHAT IMPLEMENTATION IN BOTH OF OUR JURISDICTIONS WILL LOOK LIKE, UH, WE WILL BE GIVING THAT SAME PRESENTATION.
WE WERE SELECTED FOR THE SOUTHEAST STORMWATER ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE FOR HILTON HEAD IN OCTOBER SIX.
WE'LL BE DOING THAT SAME PRESENTATION THERE.
SO EXPANDING TO THE WHOLE SOUTHEAST REGION, TENNESSEE, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, FLORIDA.
SO IT WILL HAVE A LOT OF I'M SURE GOOD ATTENDANCE IN OUR SESSION.
AND THEN LAST FINALES, JULIANA, AND I WILL BE ROUNDING OUT OUR PRESENTATION FROM ASHEVILLE AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN, UH, NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND, UM, IN LATE SEPTEMBER.
SO I'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON WITH SO LOCO, UM, WE APPLIED IN THE EARLY WINTER FOR THE NATIONAL, UM, ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND THE MANUAL WAS SELECTED TO FOUR AND A 2022 ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
SO YOU FOR COUNTY AND THE GROUP THAT PUT TOGETHER THE SILVACO MANUAL HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, UM, FOR OUR ACHIEVEMENTS, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE APPLYING FOR THE BARRETT LEORA MOORE AWARD.
WELL, I'M SORRY WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THAT AWARD COMPETITION.
UH, THIS AWARD HIGHLIGHTS, THE GROWING NEED FOR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS.
AND THE STATE COMPETITION FOR THIS AWARD IS OPEN TO TWO OR MORE POLITICAL JURISDICTIONS, UM, THAT WORK TOGETHER ON A PROJECT.
SO OUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AND I WILL BE GOING TO THAT COMPETITION ON JUNE 9TH.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS ABOUT THE EFFORTS OF THIS MANUAL AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AS A GROUP.
AND I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE SUPPORT OF THE BOARD AND ALL THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAS BEEN CRITICAL IN ESTABLISHING THAT.
SO JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION, KIND OF AT THE BIG SPOTLIGHT ON STORM WATER RIGHT NOW, MOVING DOWN TO THE DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS, THE IGS WERE APPROVED, UM, AT COUNTY COUNCIL LAST MONTH, THOSE AMENDED DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE CITY OF BUFORD, UM, AND THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL STAFF FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE LEADERSHIP SIGNATURES.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE ALL FINANCIAL REPORTS EXCEPT FOR THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL.
AND, UM, THE JEFF, DID YOU SEND US YOURS? OKAY.
HILTON HEAD DECIDED I NEED TO CALL YOU OUT.
SO THE HILTON HEAD AND PORT ROYAL, BUT, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, WE'VE GOT EVERYONE'S ANNUAL REPORT IN FROM THE FINANCIAL OH YEAH, NO, NO, NOT THE MONTHLY.
SO MOVING INTO THE MONITORING UPDATES, IT WAS A PICTURE OF JULIANA AND I FROM OUR PRESENTATION, HOW TO PLUG THAT IN THERE AND THEN THERE'S OUR ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER.
UM, SO THAT PRESENTATION OF AWARD IS IN JULY.
IF YOU GUYS WANT TO TWIST NEIL'S ARM TO LET ME GO TO COLORADO IN TWO MONTHS, HE'S STILL FREE TO, TO SETTLE.
FOR THE MONITORING UPDATE, THE LAB REPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY US CB STAFF.
UM, NEITHER OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY.
SO IF YOU DO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
OTHERWISE WE'LL KEEP MOVING DOWN THE LIST.
SO FOR THE STORM WATER IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE REPORT, UM, AT THE TIME OF THE REPORT, SOME OF THIS INFORMATION IS A LITTLE DATED.
SO I DO WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED ALL OF THE CONCURRENCE LETTERS FOR OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.
UM, AND AGAIN, THOUGH, THE MOS FOR THE EDUCATION CONTRACT WITH CAROLINA CLEAR HAVE ALSO ALL BEEN RECEIVED, I'M SORRY, HAVE BEEN APPROVED AT COUNTY COUNCIL.
LIKE WE HAVE WITH OUR EDUCATION GROUP, TURN IT OVER TO JULIE.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE KATIE, UH, I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD, UH, BOTH YOU AND JULIANA, UH, SHOULD GET GREAT KUDOS, UH, UH, FOR THE PEOPLE WATCHING THIS AT HOME, ON THEIR TVS FOR POSTERITY, UH, THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN'T START, BUT MADE SURE THAT THE SLOW CO ALONG WITH KIM GOT DONE AND APPROVED AND, UH, BY THE VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES WAS A HERCULEAN TASK.
AND AGAIN, IT'S SHOWCASING WHAT A SMALL LITTLE BUFORD
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COUNTY IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS SHOWING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY OF WHAT WE CAN DO REGIONALLY TO SAVE, UH, EFFORTS, TIME, MONEY, AND TAXPAYERS MONEY.UH, SO THANK YOU, REACH OUT GOOD AFTERNOON.
AS FAR AS STORMWATER STORMWATER RELATED PROJECTS, IT'S BEEN A BIG MONTH WITH A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING.
WE CONTINUE TO MEET ABOUT EAST MINTZ.
WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW MORNING AND WORK THROUGH PROJECTS THROUGH THAT AVENUE.
UM, THE SHELL POINT COMMUNITY, WHICH IS REALLY WHY THIS MEETING WAS CALLED TODAY.
WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH THE PROPOSALS AND WE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LATER, BUT WORKED A LOT ON THAT AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH THAT.
AND THEN ON MAY 5TH, A MEETING WAS HELD TO GET RESIDENTS THAT WE NEED AN EASEMENT FROM ALL IN ONE PLACE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED, WHY WE NEED IT.
WE'D LIKE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO KENNY AND JENNY ARMSTRONG AND MR. MICHAEL HURD, THEY PROVIDED THEIR EASEMENTS ON THE SPOT AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OTHER HOMEOWNERS TO GET THOSE EASEMENTS SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE WORK IN THOSE AREAS.
WHEN THE TIME COMES THEN THE FACTORY CREEK WATERSHED REGIONAL DETENTION BASIN PHASE ONE THAT DEALS WITH ACADEMY PARK THAT IS CLOSED, DONE AND PAID.
CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON THE GRAVES PROPERTY AND IN WHITEHALL, THE DESIGN FOR NO, NOT THE SUN TUXEDO PARK POND JUDGING.
THAT IS THE PROJECT THAT WE HAD OUT FOR BID AND DID NOT RECEIVE FAVORABLE BIDS FAR.
SO WE'RE GOING TO REWRITE THOSE DOCUMENTS.
THAT'S ON MY TO-DO LIST FOR TOMORROW.
AND HOPEFULLY GET THAT POSTED SOON TO GET BIDS MORE IN LINE WITH THE WORK WE WANT DONE AND WHAT WE EXPECT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT WAS LACKING OR WHAT THEY WAS IN THE BID PROCESS? WHEN YOU SAID YOU GOT QUOTES THAT DIDN'T MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT WERE TOO EXPENSIVE OR THEY WERE OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT SAYING SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T, UM, THE BITS WERE VERY EXPENSIVE, FAR HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR, WHICH IS ONE THING I KNOW THINGS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
THESE DAYS, SUPPLY CHAIN DOES WONDERS OVERNIGHT.
AND SO WHEN I DUG DEEPER, THE CONTRACTORS THAT DID PROVIDE BIDS WERE NOT LOCAL.
AND SO THEN THAT JUST LED US TO BELIEVE THAT THEY THREW A NUMBER AT THE BID TO SEE IF IT WOULD STICK.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE SOMEBODY MORE LOCAL TO DO THIS, AND HOPEFULLY FOR A BETTER PRICE, SOMETHING MORE ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR AND SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T CAUSE THE BID TO STUMBLE IS WE DID NOT SPECIFY A METHOD, WHETHER THAT BE HYDRAULIC OR MECHANICAL.
AND SINCE WE PUT IT OUT AS AN INVITATION FOR BID, THAT DIDN'T STICK SO WELL.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT BACK OUT AS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, SIMILAR TO WHAT WENT OUT FOR THE SHELL POINT CONSULTANT.
THAT'S OUR PLAN OF ACTION MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN HOTSPUR COURT, NORTH DESIGN IS COMPLETE AS OF FRIDAY.
AND SO I'M DEVELOPING A SCOPE TO BRING ON A CONSULTANT TO HELP US EXECUTE THIS, GET THOSE BID DOCUMENTS PREPARED AND ALSO FOR OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ON STORMWATER RELATED PROJECTS, I WILL MOVE INTO THE PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS REPORT.
CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES AND HAS REALLY RESUMED AT THE BREWER MEMORIAL PARK.
SOME SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES HAD THAT STALLED FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THINGS ARE WIDE OPEN AND WE EXPECT CONSTRUCTION TO END BEFORE JUNE 30TH AND HAVE THAT PROJECT WRAPPED UP THE UTILITY CONFLICTS AT THE EVERGREEN REGIONAL POND OR RESOLVE THAT PLAN WAS APPROVED A FEW MONTHS AGO.
THE CHANGE ORDER TO DO THE WORK HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED AND APPROVED, ADDED TO THE PURCHASE ORDER FOR THE CONTRACTOR.
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM ON A TIMELINE FROM NOW UNTIL COMPLETION WITH SPECIFIC INTERESTS TO WHEN THEY CAN GET OUT THERE AND START THAT WORK.
SO WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL ALSO WRAP UP IN TIME FOR THE FISCAL YEARS CLOSE.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FULL BIRDS ON VARIOUS SCOPES, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE.
UM, BUT JUMPING DOWN TO SKIP NUMBER NINE FOR THE AUTHOR HORN PARK THAT THEY HAVE PREPARED A THREE 19 GRANT APPLICATION THAT WAS APPROVED IN ITS PRELIMINARY STAGE.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PREPARING A, UH, FULL APPLICATION FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT.
WE ALSO CONCERNING THAT PROJECT RECEIVED WORD ON MONDAY, NRCS, THAT THE PROJECT WAS GRANTED FUNDING FOR A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION FEASIBILITY REPORT, WHICH IS THE FIRST STEP IN A MULTI-YEAR OPPORTUNITY
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FOR FUNDING WITH THEM.SO MYSELF, KATIE AND NEIL HAVE A CALL WITH THEM TOMORROW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND WHAT IT ENTAILS, BUT WE'RE ENCOURAGED BY THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THE PATHWAY THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY EXPLORED BEFORE AND ARE EXCITED TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP FIELDWORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR SCOPE NUMBER 10 FOR THE LADY'S ALLEN DRAINAGE STUDY.
AND SO I THINK THEY'RE IN SOME QA QC PROCESS NOW, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH MODELING AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THAT STUDY BRINGS TO LIFE.
SO WITH NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL BOUNCE IT BACK TO KATIE.
SO THERE'S A, DO YOU WANT TO GO BACK ONE, JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THROUGH MEMORIAL, UM, THAT BLOCK YOU SEE ON THE POND BANK, IT'S KIND OF WHAT WAS HOLDING UP PROGRESS ON THAT, BUT NOW THAT THAT'S BEEN OBTAINED AND INSTALLED, THEY'RE BACK TO FULL SWING OF THINGS.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT BMP SHOWCASE PARK COMPLETE, AND WE'LL HAVE A ROAD SHOW THERE, WHATEVER ONE OF OUR STORM WATER UTILITY MEETINGS.
SO, UM, JUST REAL QUICKLY FOR REGIONAL COORDINATION, UM, COUNTY CONTINUES TO WORK ON THE MONITORING FOR, UH, THE MOSSY OAKS PROJECT AND WILL BE WORKING WITH US CB TO TALK ABOUT INCORPORATING MORE MONITORING EFFORTS IN THAT AREA SPECIFIC TO THE ARTHUR HORN PARK.
UM, JUST LIKE JULIANA MENTIONED, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IRONS IN THE FIRE FOR THAT, AND WE'RE FEELING VERY ENCOURAGED THAT WE HAVE SUCH ATTENTION ON THIS PROJECT AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, SO THAT THE FUNDING FOR THAT PIPHER, THAT SHE MENTIONED COMES STRAIGHT FROM THAT INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT WAS JUST APPROVED.
SO WE'VE ALREADY GOT A PIECE OF THE 1.1 TRILLION COMING RIGHT TO BE FOR COUNTY, WHICH IS VERY, AGAIN, VERY EXCITING FOR US.
SO, UM, FORM YOU, THE MUNICIPAL REPORTS OF THE TOWN REPORT WAS PROVIDED, BUT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKET THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES.
UM, I KNOW JEFF AND BILL ARE BOTH HERE.
I'LL LET, Y'ALL HAVE THE FLOOR, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
UH, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE EXCITING THINGS ALSO WITH THE, UM, THREE 19 GRANTS.
SO WE HAD THREE 19 GRAND FOR BRIDGE STREETS, STREET SCAPE.
WELL, THAT'S HARD TO SAY, UH, PROJECT.
UH, WE FINALLY GOT THAT AWARDED AND THEY SHOULD START SOMETIME NEXT MONTH, UH, WITH THE, THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THAT.
SEEING ABOUT GETTING SOME INLINE BMPS IN A LINEAR PROJECT AND THEY'LL TOWN RIGHT AT THE HEAD OF THE WATER.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT ALSO WE'RE EXCITED THAT WE SIGNED ANOTHER CONTRACT FOR A FLOW MODERN MODEL FOR THE HEADWATERS.
SO WE HAVE FOUR IN STREAM, CONSTANT FLOW MONITORING EQUIPMENT IN THE GROUND, AND THEN WE TAKE HANDHELD MEASUREMENTS ALONG THE WAY, AND WE'RE PUTTING THAT ALL INTO A FLOW MONITORING AND OUR SAMPLING FOR A LOAD, UH, PREDICTIONS.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UH, THE REST OF IT'S IN MY REPORT.
AND I'LL LET YOU PERUSE THAT AS YOU LIKE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY WELCOME TO BILL, UH, AS HE IS REPLACING KIM JONES AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, JEFF SINGER, UH, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, WE, UH, GETTING READY TO GET OUR BUDGET APPROVED OF LIVE BY COUNCIL.
THE SECOND READING IS THE SECOND WEEK OF JUNE.
UM, WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ALL TOGETHER, INCLUDING, UH, SOME MORE MODELING OF OUR WATERSHEDS IN THE SOUTH END AND SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE TWEAKING.
WHAT'S ALREADY A PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD, UH, DRAINAGE SYSTEM ON THE ISLAND.
JUST GETTING, WE'RE GETTING, ADDRESSING SOME SMALLER LINGERING NAGGING PROBLEMS WITH SHALLOW FLOODING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, NOW JACOB TERRY, ON YOUR THING, THERE IS WE HAVE A NEW COORDINATOR MS. FOUR COORDINATOR ON THAT REPORT THERE, BUT BRIAN IS STILL WITH US.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO HIRE ANOTHER STORMWATER PROJECT MANAGER TO HELP US WITH OUR CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
THAT CONTINUES TO BE THE LARGEST SINGLE SHARE OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET IS FIXING OUR DILAPIDATING SYSTEM ON THE ISLAND VIA THE, THE PARTS THAT ARE IN THE TOWN PROPER AND THE, ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO VIA OUR PARENTS MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS WITH THE VARIOUS PDS AND PLS ON THAT COMMUNITY, THAT DOWN NUMBERS, UH, 17 AGREEMENTS.
AND THAT WAS EXPECTED TO CLIMB ANOTHER SIX BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, VERY BUSY, THANKS TO JEFF'S TEAM.
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WORKING ON A PROJECT WITH THE CITY OF BUFORD AND LOOKING TO POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENT SOME TECHNOLOGY THAT THE TOWN OF HILTON HAD ALREADY UTILIZES.AND SO THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO LEND TO STAFF FOR THE FIRST HALF OF A MORNING FOR US TO SEE HOW IT WORKS, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE INSTALLED.
UM, SO THANKS AGAIN FOR, FOR LETTING US TAKE UP SOME OF YOUR TIME THAT DAY.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT TO THE MEETING WITH Y'ALL.
I HAD TO FILL UP THESE GIANT FLOATING MAN.
NO, I WAS GOING TO ASK WHAT IT IS FOR OUR BENEFIT.
UM, I WAS TALKING ABOUT ALLIGATORS, UM, BUT NOT REAL BIG ONES OUT THERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DISCLOSE BECAUSE IT'S A CITY PROJECT, SO WE'LL CALL IT THEM TOUCH BASE ON IT.
UM, FOR THE
AGAIN, WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE RECORD NUMBERS OF PEOPLE COMING IN FOR PERMITS AND APPLICATIONS, PROJECTS HAVE NOT SLOWED DOWN IN THE LEAST BIT, AND WHICH IS ALSO KEEPING OUR INSPECTION STAFF BUSY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID ASK TO INCLUDE IN THIS BUDGET FOR FY 23 IS A SENIOR LEVEL INSPECTOR.
SO WE ARE HOPING TO ADD A FOURTH PERSON TO OUR INSPECTION TEAM TO HELP MANAGE THE WORKLOAD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, DIVIDED UP A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT POSITION TO COME ONLINE, UM, IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS, UH, ELLEN WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY SHE'S NOT FEELING WELL, BUT LAST MONTH WAS A PRETTY BIG MONTH FOR ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
I KNOW THE COUNTY PARTICIPATED IN A COUNTYWIDE CLEANUP EFFORT AND, UM, HAD SEVERAL HUNDRED BAGS WORTH OF GARBAGE, PICKED UP FROM THE RIGHT OF WAYS.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE THE COORDINATION OF OUR SOLID WASTE TEAMS. I KNOW THERE WERE SEVERAL EVENTS THAT SHE WENT TO, UH, THE, THE SOCIAL CRAB FESTIVAL WAS LAST MONTH.
I KNOW THEY HAD GREAT ATTENDANCE THERE AND SHE WAS IN PERSON AT THE, THE, UH, PUBLIC EVENT ON PARIS ISLAND.
IF ANYBODY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THERE, THAT LOOKED LIKE A REALLY FUN EVENT THAT THEY KICKED OFF.
SO, UM, LAST BUT NOT LEAST JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE MS FOR STATEWIDE PERMIT D HECK WAS REPRESENTED AT THE ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE THAT JULIANA AND I ATTENDED.
THEY ARE HOPEFUL TO HAVE THE INDUSTRIAL GENERAL PERMIT PUSHED OUT BY JULY 1ST.
UM, AND THERE HAS STILL BEEN NO PROGRESS MADE ON THE PHASE TWO MS. FOUR PERMITS.
THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE DEFINITION OF WHAT AN URBANIZED AREA IS, AND THEREFORE THEY CAN NOT DESIGNATE ANY NEW URBANIZED AREAS UNTIL THEY FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANS TO THEM.
WELL, YES, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE HOLDUP IS.
I KNOW EPA WAS AT THE SAME CONFERENCE AND THEY ARE FEELING A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM THE ATLANTA OFFICE TO GET THESE PUSHED OUT.
BUT AT THIS TIME, THE NEXT PRIORITIZATION FOR D HECK IS GOING TO BE THE RENEWANCE OF THE RICHLAND AND LEXINGTON COUNTY PERMITS.
SO PHASE TWOS ARE ONCE AGAIN, UM, KIND OF PUSHED OFF.
SO I BELIEVE THEY'RE TRYING TO USE OTHER PARAMETERS, BUT THEY DID NOT GO UNLESS I, UNLESS I'M FORGETTING SOMETHING, THEY DIDN'T GO INTO MUCH DETAIL ABOUT WHY THEY WERE STRUGGLING WITH THAT DEFINITION, JUST THAT THEY WERE STRUGGLING WITH, JUST TO MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, OR THEY'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION BECAUSE THEY ENDED UP GETTING ALONG WELL, THERE WAS NO RHYME OR REASON TO IT WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO STRUGGLE WITH.
I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON THE BUDGET.
UM, SINCE WE HAVE COME TO YOU ALL ABOUT THAT, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE TO THE COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE.
WE BUDGET ANNUALLY FOR A 3% RAISE, AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO COUNTY COUNCIL, MS. ALICE HOWARD INCLUDED THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY RAISED TO 5%.
SO WE DID HAVE TO MAKE UP THE 2% THAT WE HAD NOT ACCOUNTED FOR THAT IS COVERED BY OUR RESERVES IN THE BUDGET.
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THAT SMALL LITTLE CHANGE SINCE WE'VE LAST MET, BUT I KNOW I'M HAPPY ABOUT IT.I'M SURE IT'S SORT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU.
SO, UM, STAFF UPDATE, WE DO CONTINUE TO HIRE, WE'VE GOT FARLEIGH STATE AGENCIES THIS GO AROUND FOR WHEN YOU CAN SEE 'EM.
I KNOW WE'RE STILL ACTIVELY PURSUING THE STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNICIAN POSITION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME INTERVIEWS THAT ARE GOING TO BE SCHEDULED FOR THAT.
AND THEN, UM, REAL QUICKLY, I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE JULIANA.
UM, JULIANA HAS JUST HAD AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF SOUTH CAROLINA WATER RESOURCES FOR HER CAPSTONE PROJECT.
UH, THIS PROJECT AND HER DESCRIPTION OF HER EFFORTS REALLY KIND OF HELPED PUSH JULIANA FAR OUT OF THE CROWD.
UM, AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THAT SHE'S ON, ON BOARD ON STAFF WITH US, BUT, UH, HER JOURNAL, AND PLEASE, I'M GOING TO NEED A FEW BREATHS ON THIS ONE, THE HYDROLOGIC MODELING OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS AND LOW IMPACT DESIGN SYSTEMS ON AN UNDISTURBED, COASTAL FORESTED WATERSHED UNDER EXTREME RUNOFF EVENTS AND HYDRO MEDIAL MEDIA YEAR, A LOGICAL IN A CHANGING CLIMATE.
SO KUDOS TO JULIANA FOR GETTING THAT INTO THE WATER RESOURCES JOURNAL.
UM, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF, OF HER FOR DOING THAT, EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN'T HERE AT THE TIME.
UM, WE'LL TAKE CREDIT, UH, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S IT FOR STAFF OF GATES.
THE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
OH, WE HAD SEVERAL, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OF HIS PROJECTS COME TO COMPLETION IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
UH, TWO MAJORS AND SEVERAL MINORS.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP ANSWER.
UM, WE RECENTLY HAD OUR VACUUM TRUCK DOWN, BUT THAT SHOULD BE COMING BACK ONLINE.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR MOST UTILIZED PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT SHOULD BE COMING ONLINE SOMETIME THIS WEEK.
YEAH, WE'RE EXCITED MS. HOWARD, UM, LIKE SHE SAID, WE'RE WORKING ON OUR BUDGET.
THE FIRST READING WOULD BE MONDAY.
UH, IF YOU WANT TO WATCH IT ONLINE OF OUR BUDGET.
AND, UM, AS SHE NOTED, WE DID DECIDE TO 5% COST OF LIVING RAISE FOR OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO INCLUDE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PRESENTED THEIR BUDGET TO US LAST WEEK DURING WORKSHOP THERE, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION THERE TO LOOK INTO, TRY AND RAISE THE TEACHER SALARIES TO, UM, WANT TO BE ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE WE'RE BELOW THE HALFWAY MARK.
I THOUGHT WE WERE ABOVE THE HALFWAY MARK FOR A MINIMUM YES.
FOR THE MINIMUM FOR NEW TEACHERS.
AND THEN THE MEETING THAT WE HAD, UH, ABOUT EASEMENTS WITH THE SHELL POINT RESIDENTS.
UM, THEY DID A GREAT JOB, PATTY WILSON AND, AND KATIE.
I THOUGHT TO GET TWO PEOPLE RIGHT OFF THE BAT AND THEN MORE COMING TO SIGN THE PAPERWORK FOR EASEMENTS IN SHELL POINT.
AND, UM, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE AUTO HOME GRANT.
I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A, UM, AUTHOR HORN PARK.
THAT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER CYPRUS, MAYBE ANOTHER CYPRESS WETLANDS TO PART, TO EVEN EVEN BETTER.
THOSE THINGS ARE A TOURIST ATTRACTION, BLEEDER, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, LIKE CYPRESS WETLANDS THAT Y'ALL SAW.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER TO SEE THAT, UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR ME, THAT'S ALL I HAD.
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL SHOW POINT PRESENTATION? I'LL SAVE MY QUESTION FOR THEM.
ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS, THE NEXT CATEGORY BEING, THERE'LL BE NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
AND I'M ONE OF THE POINTS ON THE NEW BUSINESSES, OUR SHELL POINT CONSULTANT RECOMMENDATION, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S THE REASON FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
WE HAD FIVE REALLY GOOD PROPOSALS WHEN THIS PROCESS STARTED, THE BID CLOSED ON APRIL EIGHT.
AND SO WE STARTED WITH FIVE, WE'RE ABLE TO NARROW IT DOWN TO THREE, DID INTERVIEWS WITH THOSE THREE CANDIDATES IN LATE APRIL AND HAVE NARROWED IT DOWN.
AND WE'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO YOU ALL TODAY, THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PERMITTING PARTS OF THIS PROJECT,
[00:30:01]
WHICH IS TO INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE THINGS ON THE FRONT END, BUT ALSO A HAND IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT CLOSE OUT.THERE'LL BE WITH US THROUGH THE END OF THIS PROJECT, BUT WE'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THE AWARD OF THAT CONTRACT TO J BRAG CONSULTING, INC.
THEY ARE, WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED? THEIR MAIN OFFICE IS IN BLUFFTON.
I WOULD ASK WAS WHAT WAS THERE ONE, UH, THING THAT STOOD OUT FOR THIS BID VERSUS ANYBODY ELSE'S BIDS? UH, WHAT WAS THE DETERMINING FACTOR TO SELECT, TO RECOMMEND, UH, WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS? YEAH, SO THE NEAT PART ABOUT THAT TO ME IS THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WERE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE THAT STOOD OUT TO KATIE WERE DIFFERENT THAT STOOD OUT TO THE WHOLE COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT I THINK ONE THING THAT WE COLLECTIVELY AGREED ON WITH THIS GROUP IS THEY RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT A LARGE PORTION OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE DOCKET RECOMMENDED BY THE CURRENT STUDY DON'T NEED THE LEVEL OF ENGINEERING THAT MAYBE EVEN WE THOUGHT AT ONE POINT MORE OF THEM WERE SHOVEL-READY AND WE COULD GO AHEAD AND GET DONE.
WE WERE EXCITED BY THEIR EXCITEMENT TO HAVE THINGS DONE SOON AND GET TO WORK QUICK AND HAVE SOMETHING VISIBLE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND HOPEFULLY VISIBLE IN TIMES OF FLOODING OR LACK THEREOF.
AND THAT WAS THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT.
SO WE BUDGETED FOR AN AMOUNT, UM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 TO GET THIS DONE.
AND, UM, I'VE HEARD THAT NUMBER WAS ABOUT 800,000.
WE DON'T HAVE WHAT THEIR COST ESTIMATE IS RIGHT NOW, BUT BASED ON WHAT JULIANA SAID OUT, A LOT OF THIS WORK, NOT NECESSARILY NEEDING IT OVER AN ENGINEERED DESIGN TO TAKE IT TO FRUITION, WE ANTICIPATE NOT NEEDING TO EXPEND ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT REALLY STOOD OUT FOR ME WAS THEIR RECOGNITION OF HOW MUCH WORK IS WITHIN THE DUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEY HAD A VERY PROACTIVE PLAN ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT SO THAT THIS PROCESS GOES SMOOTHLY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
UM, THEY HAD, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A LOT OF SUB CONSULTANTS, BUT EACH OF THOSE GROUPS BRINGS AND VERY IMPORTANT AND, UM, PROACTIVE PERSPECTIVE TO WHAT, UM, WHAT THE GOALS OF THIS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ARE.
UM, THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN AT THE STATE LEVEL, SO FUNDING SECURING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE JUST FELT LIKE THEY HAD A LOT OF RESOURCES AT OUR DISPOSAL TO HELP CARRY THOSE TO FRUITION.
AGAIN, NOT TO SAY THAT THE OTHER TWO WERE NOT GREAT CONTENDERS, BUT THAT JUST REALLY SET THEM A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AHEAD.
SO WHICH WILL BRING YOU FURTHER AND FASTER, EXACTLY LESS, MORE WORK THAT WE CAN KIND OF DELEGATE TO THEM AND THEY CAN TAKE THE LEAD ON.
UM, WE HAD FIVE INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, SO THE COUNTY ON OUR COMMITTEE.
SO WE HAD, UH, PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE ALREADY WITH THIS CONSULTING FIRM.
THEY DO WORK FOR OUR ENGINEERING GROUP, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH TRACKING PROJECTS.
AND SO THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF FAMILIARITY THERE AS WELL WITH THEM.
SO WITH THAT, I GUESS WE'LL SEEK IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, STABLE COMPANY CERTAINLY CAN SAY WE'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAINTY STABLE HERE, BUT YEAH, I, I MET IN TERMS OF LONGEVITY AND BUSINESS AND OTHER PROJECTS THEY HAVE DONE.
AND I ASSUME THEY GAVE YOU REFERENCE PROJECTS TO LOOK AT.
THEY HAVE SEVERAL THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THEN THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS HAS BEEN A STORMWATER ENGINEER FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.
SO HE'S DONE, UM, ZEMAN SCOTT HILDEBRAND.
HE'S DONE, WORKED WITH OTHER CONSULTING FIRMS WITHIN THE STATE.
UM, HE'S SO HE HAS A LOT OF GOOD EXPERIENCE THAT HE'S BRINGING TO THE TABLE AS OUR PROJECT CANDIDATES.
IF THERE IS NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN I WOULD, I NEED A MOTION FOR US TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE IS BRADDOCK J J BRAD
[00:35:01]
J BRAG IMPRINT AS THE CONTRACTOR.SO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR A MOTION TO, UH, RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR J BRAKE CONSULTANT TO DO THE SHELL POINT.
AND YOU LISTED ENGINEERING DESIGN AND PERMITTING DESIGN, AND PERMITTING.
WE HAVE A SECOND, THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE, AYE, OPPOSED, UH, YOU HAVE THE APPROVAL OF OUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A NOTE.
WE GOT THIS PROCESS STARTED PRIOR TO THE YEAR IT WAS BUDGETED FOR, AND SO THIS WILL SNAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS BEGINNING TODAY WITH THIS.
AND THEN WE WILL GET STARTED WITH THEM THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION WILL GO TO NATURAL RESOURCES I ASSUME.
THANKS JULIANA FOR BRINGING IT TO FRUITION.
I FORGOT TO BRING THIS UP IN MY SECTION.
UM, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR, I GUESS, NEW IDEAS AND PLACES TO HAVE THESE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD MEETINGS.
I KNOW EVERYONE HAD A REALLY GREAT TIME AT THE, UH, CYPRESS WETLANDS EVENT LAST MONTH.
AND DEPENDING ON THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS AT THE EVERGREEN POND, WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THE NEXT UTILITY BOARD MEETING THERE, UM, KIND OF AS A DUAL PURPOSE, ONE HOSTED ONSITE, HIGHLIGHT THE PROJECT AND THEN TO ALSO HAVE THE OPEN HOUSE THAT SAME DAY AS REQUIRED BY THE PERMIT.
SO DEPENDING ON CONSTRUCTION AGAIN AND HOW THAT PROGRESSES, UM, HOW DO WE FEEL? BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE MAY 18TH.
THE NEXT MEETING IS JUNE 15TH.
THAT'S LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS AWAY GET STARTED IF THEY GET STARTED, IT'S JUST ONCE THEY START, IT SHOULD NOT TAKE TOO LONG.
IT'S STILL MAY LOOK NOT TOTALLY FINISHED, BUT ENOUGH TO, TO HAVE THE OPEN HOUSE AND, AND THE BOARD OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY THING ON UNFINISHED IS JUST THE CONNECTION FROM THE DOD RIGHT AWAY TO THE POND AND LIP STRUCTURE.
I WOULD, I WOULD ASK FOR A BOARD CONCURRENCE FOR THAT.
HOW DO YOU FEEL STEVE ALLEN SWAN SONG TWICE AND WE'D HAVE TENTS? CAUSE I KNOW IT'LL PROBABLY BE HARD.
THERE ARE SOME SHADED AREAS, BUT WE WOULD, WE WOULD SET IT UP, UM, AS BEST WE COULD CONSIDERING IT'S RURAL LOCATION.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD HAS THE NEXT MEETING THERE AT THE EVERGREEN PROM POND PROJECT.
SECOND, SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, BARRING ANY UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
THAT'S WHERE THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE.
CAN I ADD ONE THING TO MINE? I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THIS AND I WILL GET IN TROUBLE WHEN I GET BACK, BUT I WANT TO MENTION THAT WITH ELLEN AND THE, UH, EDUCATION PART, WE HAD OUR MAY RIVER WATERSHED OR MAY RIVER CLEANUP, UH, HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND AND, UH, WE HAD OVER 400 PEOPLE ATTEND ALMOST 2000 POUNDS OF TRASH AND, UM, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE RECYCLE, BUT WE HAD, UH, A LOT OF RECYCLE.
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO BETH LEWIS.
SHE DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
AND FOR THE FIRST AFTER COVID EVENT, IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE GETS HER RECOGNITION FOR THAT.
NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC ATTENDING, THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE NEXT THING WE HAVE IS SOMEWHAT REDUNDANT, BUT UH, ON THE BACK YOU HAVE THE NEXT MEETINGS DRAFT AGENDA.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND IF I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE NEXT MEETING'S AGENDA, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT, IT WILL BE HELD AT THE EVERGREEN PINE PROJECT LOCATION,
[00:40:01]
YOU KNOW, FOR THE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15TH MEETING OTHER THAN THE VENUE, HOLD THOSE IN FAVOR, MOTION PASSES AGENDA.THE DRAFT AGENDA IS APPROVED FOR NEXT MONTH.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR A GERMAN? I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN BEFORE I HAVE A SECOND TO THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE GOOD OF THE STORMWATER COMMUNITY? AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFORTS OF JULIANA AND KATIE, UH, WHAT THEY'VE DONE, UH, BRINGING SO LOCO AND DO FOR KELLY TO THE FOREFRONT IN STORM WATER MANAGEMENT.
I HAVE A SECOND FOR A GERMAN OF THE MEETING MEETING ADJOURNED THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND, GO TO BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST CALL TO ORDER IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
AND THIS IS YOUR VIEW FOR COUNTY MOMENT.
OYSTERS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SOCIAL SCHEDULE DURING THE WINTER MONTHS THAT OYSTER IS, BUT FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN IMPORTANT TO OUR HISTORY HERE.
NATIVE AMERICANS USE THEM FOR FOOD.
WE USED IT FOR PROCESSING INDIGO, AND EVEN FOR FERTILIZING FIELDS OF COTTON MOISTER FACTORIES WERE USED IN THE BUFORD COUNTY AREA, ALL THREE OF THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY TO PROCESS OYSTERS AND CAN THEM AROUND TOWN.
YOU CAN SEE EVIDENCE OF TABBY ARCHITECTURE THAT'S MADE FROM OYSTER SHELLS, BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT OYSTERS DO FOR US IS FILTER OUR WATER SEVEN GALLONS OF WATER PER OYSTER PER DAY.
THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUR WATERWAYS CLEAN OF STORMWATER.
AS THESE ARE FILTERING ALL THE TIME, REMEMBER TO RECYCLE THOSE OYSTER SHELLS WHEN YOU FINISH YOUR OYSTER ROAST.
SO WE HAVE NEW PLACES FOR BABY OYSTERS TO GROW, ENJOY THE SEASON.
AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT TO SEE MORE BE FOR COUNTY MOMENTS, GO TO THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
GATES, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMELINESS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
WHY NOW 12 YEARS OF BLACK FREEDOM FOLLOWED BY AN ALT-RIGHT ROLLBACK, A PRESIDENT IMMEDIATELY, UM, FOLLOWING ABRAHAM LINCOLN, WHO REFUSED TO RENOUNCE WHITE SUPREMACY, A CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT THAT EFFECTIVELY UNDID THE POWER OF THE 14TH AND 15TH AMENDMENTS.
WHAT'S IT SOUND LIKE CONTEMPORARY TIME, CONTEMPORARY TIMES.
SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD TEACH OUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN AMERICA ABOUT THE PERILOUS MOMENT IN WHICH WE'RE LIVING BY ANALOGY, THROUGH TELLING THE STORY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND ITS ROLLBACK.
AND I FIRST STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT AFTER THE HORRIBLE MURDERS OF, UH, REVEREND CLEMENTA PINCKNEY AND THE OTHER INNOCENCE AT MOTHER EMANUEL CHURCH, BECAUSE JUSTIFICATIONS THAT DYLAN ROOF, UH, SUMMONED FOR HIS ACTIONS, UM, WERE VERY REMINISCENT OF RACIST RHETORIC ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR AND FOLLOWING RECONSTRUCTION.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A HORROR MOVIE WHEN YOU THINK THE VAMPIRES DID.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY COME UP OUT OF THE CASKET AND HE THINK, DAMN, I THOUGHT I PUT A STAKE IN YOUR HEART.
[00:45:01]
I THOUGHT THAT THE WORST AND MOST PERNICIOUS HEINOUS ASPECTS OF ANTI-BLACK WHITE SUPREMACY WERE LONG GONE.AND THAT I WAS NAIVE ABOUT THAT.
AND WE'VE SEEN A RISE IN HATE SPEECH, ANTISEMITISM, ANTI-GAY ATTITUDES AND PEOPLE WHEN PEOPLE BECOME FRIGHTENED PARTICULARLY ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURE, THEY LOOK FOR SCAPEGOATS AND ESCAPE.
SCAPEGOATS TRADITIONALLY HAD BEEN JEWISH PEOPLE, WOMEN GAY PEOPLE, AND OF COURSE IN THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
SO IT'S A, A MORAL, UH, LESSON.
UM, LET'S SIT AND GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE ROLL BACK TO RECONSTRUCTION.
RECONSTRUCTION IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY, AND YET IT IS SO MISUNDERSTOOD.
WHY IS THAT? WHY IS IT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PERIOD AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANT? WELL, W E W E DUBOIS WROTE A BOOK IN 1935 CALLED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION.
AND ONE CHAPTER IS CALLED THE PROPAGANDA OF HISTORY AND HE ANALYZES HOW WHITE HISTORIANS HAD WRITTEN ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ROLLBACK TO CREATE A MYTH MYTHOLOGY, A BLACK INCOMPETENCE THAT BLACK MEN HAD BEEN ELECTED TO OFFICE AND COULDN'T PROPERLY SERVE THAT BLACK VOTERS HAD BEEN MANIPULATED BY NORTHERN SCALLYWAGS AND CARPET BAGGERS THAT BASICALLY THEY WERE TOOLS AND PAWNS THAT THEY WERE DISHONEST OF ROBERT SMALLS.
IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST, UM, HEROES OF THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION SERVED FIVE NON-CONSECUTIVE TERMS IN CONGRESS BECAUSE HE WAS CONSTANTLY BEING ACCUSED OF STEALING MONEY AND MISAPPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THE WERE, UM, THERE WAS A MYTHOLOGY SANCTIONED BY THE DISCIPLINE OF HISTORY LOCATED AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CALLED THE DUNNING SCHOOL LED BY HISTORIAN PROFESSOR DUNNING.
AND THEY FOUND EVERY WAY TO REDUCE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK PEOPLE.
AND THAT HAS ONLY BEEN UNDONE BY HISTORIAN SINCE DUBOIS PUBLIC'S BLACK RECONSTRUCTION AND NOTABLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ANOTHER COLUMBIA PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR ERIC FONER WITH WHOM WE MADE A RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
PLUS WE HAVE OVER 40 HISTORIANS DOING MODERN, UM, CUTTING EDGE SCHOLARSHIP ON RECONSTRUCTION, WHOM WE FEATURE IN THE SERIES.
SO IT'S VERY MUCH A COLLECTIVE, UM, SERIES AND IT'S VERY MUCH A COUNTERPOINT TO THE RECEIVED INTERPRETATIONS OF RECONSTRUCTION FABRICATED BY THE DUNNING SCHOOL.
WELL, FOR US, THE PHONE OR SKYPE, THE PHONE OR SCHOOL FOR US IN SOUTH CAROLINA, IT HAS A VERY SPECIAL MEANING.
WHY IS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA? SO PIVOTAL TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF RECONSTRUCTION? SOUTH CAROLINA WAS GROUND ZERO FOR RECONSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT WAS A MAJORITY BLANK STATE.
THE, UH, THERE'S A FAMOUS 1872 LITHOGRAPH OF THE FIRST COLORED SENATOR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
AND THREE OF THOSE MEN IN THAT LITHOGRAPH WERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHEN RICHARD T GREENER GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO GRADUATE FROM HARVARD AND THE CLASS OF 1870.
WHERE WAS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY? WAS IT IN NEW YORK? WAS IT IN BOSTON? WAS IT IN PHILADELPHIA? CHARLESTON CAME TO CHARLESTON AND WENT TO, UH, COLUMBIA AND SERVED ON THE FACULTY, UM, AND TOOK LAW CLASSES THERE.
THE, UM, A BLACK MAN FROM ENGLAND, FROM LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ROBERT BROWN ELLIOTT CAME TO BOSTON IN 1867.
THE BRITISH NAVY COULD SMELL THE OPPORTUNITY HEADED STRAIGHT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND WORKED FOR RICHARD HARVEY.
CAIN'S NEWSPAPER THEN WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS, VERY ELOQUENT, MAN.
AND, UM, THIS WAS WHERE IT WAS AT.
THIS IS WHERE IT WAS HAPPENING.
AND WHEN I INTERVIEWED REPRESENTATIVE CLIBURN HIS OFFICE IN THE, IN THE CONGRESS, HE'S LONG BEEN A STUDENT OF RECONSTRUCTION.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE A MUSEUM YOU GO IN THERE AND ALL THESE BROTHERS ARE ON THE WALL.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA HAD A BLACK MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THAT NOW SOUTH CAROLINA, EVEN IN THE 18TH CENTURY, IT WAS CALLED NEGRO COUNTRY.
UM, AND VERY SOON THAT WAS DISMANTLED.
SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT MANY OF THE MOST VICIOUS BATTLES OVER RACE OCCURRED HERE BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THIS BLACK MAJORITY.
[00:50:01]
AT YALE UNIVERSITY AND JOHN C. CALHOUN WAS AN INTELLECTUAL RACIST.HE NOT ONLY WANTED SLAVERY TO CONTINUE, HE WANTED TO RESURRECT THE SLAVE TRADE.
HE WAS, HE WAS A ROUGH BROTHER.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT AND MOST SIGNIFICANT, UH, ASPECTS OF RECONSTRUCTION? THE REAL POSITIVES, THE ESTABLISHMENT, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BLACK SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, UM, PARTICULARLY THE CHURCHES, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF THE SLAVES WANTED TO GET MARRIED AND LEGALIZE THEIR LOVER RELATIONSHIPS, THE, UM, THE TAKING OUT OF ADS IN NEWSPAPERS TO REUNITE FAMILIES AND THE FACT THAT 80% OF THE ELIGIBLE BLACK MEN IN THE SOUTH HAVE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN WHAT I CALL THE FIRST FREEDOM SUMMER, THE SUMMER OF 1867 AND 500,000 OF THEM CAST THEIR VOTES IN THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 1868 FOR ULYSSES S GRANT.
AND PEOPLE FORM SCHOOLS HISTORICALLY BLACK.
WHAT WE NOW CALL HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LIKE SHAW AND HOWARD, BUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA, ALLEN AND BENEDICT AND CLASS.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT THE SLAVES HAD A HUNGER FOR LEARNING BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THE MOST VALUABLE THING THAT HAD BEEN KEPT FOR THEM WAS KNOWLEDGE OF READING AND WRITING.
AND THEY KNEW THAT WAS THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS.
ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION GREW OUT OF THIS PERIOD AND PARTICULARLY, UH, WAS SPEARHEADED HERE IN OUR STATE, BY ROBERT SMALLS, RIGHT THERE WEREN'T PUBLIC STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THE RECONSTRUCTION GOVERNMENTS, PARTICULARLY, UM, IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND PARTICULARLY AS DESIGNED BY ROBERT SMALLS, UM, ESTABLISHED STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, WHICH HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE, WHICH IS A SHOCK TO PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF EDUCATION.
IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THOUGH, THAT THINGS LIKE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CERTAINLY, UH, ENFRANCHISEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALL THESE POSITIVES THAT GREW OUT OF THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD ARE STILL UNDER ASSAULT IN MODERN TIMES.
AND IT'S, WE HAVE TO, UM, ANY SOCIETY IS JUDGED BY THE QUALITY OF ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND WE, AS AMERICANS SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED AT HOW WE'VE ALLOWED OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE POPULATED BY BRILLIANT TEACHERS ARE SO MOTIVATED, BUT THEY'RE UNDERPAID AND UNDER-RESOURCED, AND, UM, WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE, UM, A GENERAL IDEA THAT THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS SOLELY IN THE HANDS OF THE CELL.
SO THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN ECONOMIC INTERESTS AND POLITICAL INTERESTS IN THE NORTH AND IN THE SOUTH, THEY SAID 12 YEARS IS ENOUGH.
THERE WAS A PA ECONOMIC PANIC OF 1873, WHICH WAS CALLED THE FIRST GREAT DEPRESSION.
AND PEOPLE LOOKED AROUND AND SAID, WHY DON'T WE SPEND ALL THE MONEY ON THESE NEGROS IN THE SOUTH, LET THEM THRIVE.
AND THEY ACTED BARREL AS IF 200 YEARS OF SLAVERY COULD BE WIPED OUT WITH NO REPARATIONS WITH, WITH, WITH, UM, NO BENEFITS GIVEN NO 40 ACRES AND A MULE, NO HELP, UM, THAT EACH OF THESE PEOPLE ARE ON THEIR OWN.
NOT ONLY THAT NEW FORMS OF OPPRESSION WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED, THAT PNH SHARECROPPING THE RISE OF THE KLAN, THE RISE OF THE COOK TERRORISM.
AND SO VERY MUCH A RECONSTRUCTION IS ABOUT ISSUES THAT STILL ROYAL OUR SOCIETY TODAY, WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE A CITIZEN WHO HAS A RIGHT TO BE AN AMERICAN.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY? AND WHAT IS THE ROLE OF TERRORISM IN THE HEALTHY FUNCTIONING OF A DEMOCRACY? WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN, IN THE FACE OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF TERRORISM? HOW CAN WE HAVE THIS VERY BLATANT REMINDER FROM 150 YEARS AGO AND NOT BE MINDFUL OF ITS IMPACT TODAY? THAT'S WHY DYLAN MCGEE AND I MADE THE SERIES AND WITH PBS, WE'LL GET, AND I AM ON THE ROAD.
YOU KNOW, I FLEW DOWN TO BUFORD FROM HARVARD.
UH, I DID MY OFFICIAL DUTIES ON JUMPED ON JET BLUE AND CAME DOWN HERE BECAUSE I'M WANTING TO SOUTH CAROLINA SCREENING TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THIS IS GROUND ZERO, THAT THEN IS NOW, AND I WANT TO DO ONE IN CHARLESTON, AND
[00:55:01]
I WANT TO DO ONE AT THE PENN CENTER, UH, AS WELL.IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNTRY UNDERSTAND THAT WE MADE THIS SERIES ABOUT THE CURRENT RACIAL CLIMATE IN THE UNITED STATES, THOUGH IT'S THROUGH THE MIRROR AND THE ANALOGY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND IT'S ROLLED BACK CALLED REDEMPTION.
WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR YOU FOR THIS SERIES? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES.
I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES TO BE CREATED IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO THAT RECONSTRUCTION IS AS CENTRAL TO A COURSE IN AMERICAN HISTORY AS A CIVIL WAR IS OR WORLD WAR ONE AND WORLD WAR II RECONSTRUCTION WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIMENT WITH INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND IT WAS CRUSHED.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE AS A SOCIETY IS IF WE FASHIONED FORUMS OF INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND COLLABORATION THAT ALLOW A MULTIPLICITY OF VOICES, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ET CETERA, GENDER IDENTITIES, TO THRIVE AND LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE.
THAT'S MY GOAL IN CREATING THIS SERIES AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL WATCH IT.
I CAN TALK TO YOU ALL DAY, ALWAYS IN PLACE.
UH, THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR AS MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY.
WE, UH, WE LOOK UPON THIS LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE DECIDED TO COME HERE, TO BEGIN WITH AND ALSO TO STAY AS LONG AS WE DO.
UH, WE'RE FROM CANADA, EASTERN CANADA, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR.
AND, UH, WE SEEK AT, UH, LENGTHY STAYS EACH WINTER WHERE TO GO IN LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
IN FACT, IT'S EVERY TURNS OUR FOURTH YEAR, UH, WHERE WE CAN ENJOY AN EXTENDED PERIOD, BUT ALSO HAVE FULFILLING EXPERIENCE.
AND FOR US BEING MY WIFE AND I LYNN, UH, BEING AVID READERS, WE FIND THAT THIS LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE BEST EQUIPPED, UH, THAT WE'VE EVER RUN INTO.
UM, IT IS, WE'VE NEVER YET NOT BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN A BOOK THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
AND THIS LIBRARY, PERHAPS DOESN'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THE ROLE THAT PLAYS IN THE COMMUNITY AND ATTRACTING PEOPLE NOT ONLY COME HERE, BUT JUST SAY LONGER AND, UH, THEN PROVIDE A WONDERFUL, FULFILLING EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO DO THAT.