* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:05]
          THERE WE GO, LET ME CALL THIS COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          THIS IS MONDAY, MAY THE 23RD AND 
          [1. CALL TO ORDER]
A COUNT, UH, PAUL SOMERVILLE, WHO WILL BE CHAIRING THE MEETING IS OUT OF TOWN. 
          SO PAUL, YOU HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, UH, AS WE GET STARTED BEFORE I DO THE PLEDGE AND THE INVOCATION AND I WILL PAUL, AND YOU CAN, SARAH CAN BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU, AND IF WE GET THE SPEAKERS UP AND RUNNING, THEN WE'LL MAKE THAT TRANSITION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, IF YOU WOULD, UH, RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE, THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE REMAIN STANDING, PLEASE. 
          AND IF YOU WOULD BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE BEAUTY OF THIS DAY THAT YOU'VE MADE AND THE BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE EARTH THAT WE LIVE IN. 
          THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES, LORD, WE KNOW ON AN INTERNATIONAL BASIS, UH, THE SITUATION IN THE UKRAINE, AND WE ASKED THAT THAT WOULD COME TO A, UH, A QUICK AND A GOOD SOLUTION. 
          UH, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING IN DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES AND THAT'S HURTING MANY OF OUR PEOPLE. 
          SO AS WE DELIBERATE TONIGHT, WE JUST ASK YOUR GUIDANCE THAT OUR DISCUSSIONS AND OUR DECISIONS, UH, WILL BE FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE AND PLEASING TO YOU. 
          AND WE ASK THIS ALL IN JESUS NAME. 
          AMEN. 
          OKAY. 
          SARAH, DID WE HAVE THE PROPER NOTIFICATION AND SATISFACTION OF FOYER REQUIREMENTS? YES, SIR. 
          WE DO. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I'M LOOKING FOR AN APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. 
          [4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
AND AS WE DO THAT, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN CAUCUS, UNLESS THERE'S AN OBJECTION. 
          WE WANT TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER 20 UP AHEAD OF ITEM NUMBER 18. 
          IT'S A MORE LOGICAL SEQUENCE. 
          BOTH OF THEM ARE RELATED TO THE, UH, POTENTIAL TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX. 
          SO LOOKING FOR A, UH, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. 
          THANK YOU A SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          IS THERE ANY OBJECTION SEEING NONE IN STANDS APPROVED, APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION. 
          UH, WE NEED APPROVAL 
          [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF THE MINUTES AND I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE DATE OF THOSE MINUTES, APRIL 11TH. 
          SO WE NEED A MOTION FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM APRIL 11TH. 
          THANK YOU, GERALD. 
          SECOND. 
          I'LL SECOND. 
          THE MOTION, ALICE, UH, ANY, UH, COMMENTS OR CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? ANY OBJECTIONS SEEING NONE, UH, THAT STANDARD MINUTES STANDARD APPROVED APRIL 11TH WITHOUT OBJECTION. 
          UM, MR. GREENWAY ADMINISTRATORS' 
          [6. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
REPORT. 
          WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, SO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, UH, APOLOGIZE TO, UH, BOTH THE IN-PERSON COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL ONLINE. 
          UH, WE ARE STILL, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE VERY NEW INTO THIS MOBILE MEETING, UH, ROTATION THAT WE HAVE. 
          SO WE'RE STILL, UH, TRYING TO GET THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES PURCHASED AND IMPLEMENTED. 
          UH, ALSO WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO THOSE THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR VERY WELL, UH, WHENEVER YOU'RE OUTSIDE OF YOUR NORMAL, UH, ENVIRONMENT, THINGS CAN HAPPEN. 
          AND THAT CERTAINLY, UH, WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THIS EVENING. 
          SO I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT AND WE WILL TRY TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THIS OCCUR AGAIN. 
          ONCE WE, UH, COME BACK TO THIS FACILITY, UH, AS I CUSTOMARILY DO I RECOGNIZE EMPLOYEES AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THAT THIS EVENING. 
          OUR FIRST EMPLOYEE THIS EVENING IS, UH, WAS UNABLE TO JOIN US, UH, BUT THEY ARE OWN, UH, THAT WE HAVE A PICTURE OF HER. 
          SHE WORKS IN OUR RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. 
          HER NAME IS TANYA BROWN. 
          SHE IS OUR INSURANCE AND CLAIMS COORDINATOR, UH, WITH THE COUNTY. 
          UH, SHE'S BEEN WITH US ABOUT, UH, FOUR YEARS, NOVEMBER 26TH, 2018 TO TODAY. 
          UM, SHE HAS A LOT OF JOB DUTIES, OF COURSE, 
          [00:05:01]
UH, BEING AN INSURANCE AND CLAIMS COORDINATOR. 
          SHE OF COURSE HELPS WITH OUR INSURANCE CLAIMS, UH, HELPS US GET PRICING ON INSURANCE. 
          UH, SHE ANALYZES AND PROCESSES AND FILES CLAIMS FOR US. 
          AND SHE ALSO HAS BEEN CROSS TRAINED TO WORK IN OUR WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS, UH, AREA AS WELL. 
          SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT TANYA THAT ALWAYS SHARE THAT SHE WANTED TO SHARE PUBLICLY IS THAT TANYA NEVER HAS TO PURCHASE THINGS LIKE SUPER BODY PRODUCTS BECAUSE, UH, SHE MAKES THOSE ITEMS USING NATURAL INGREDIENTS AT HER HOME. 
          SO A VERY CREATIVE INDIVIDUAL THERE. 
          UH, LET'S GIVE TANYA BROWN AROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ROB LEWIS. 
          ARE YOU COMING UP HERE? YOU STAND BACK THERE. 
          SO THIS IS ROB LEWIS. 
          YOU GUYS KNOW ROB. 
          UM, HE WORKS IN OUR BROADCAST SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND HE'S A BROADCAST SPECIALIST AS HIS CORRECT TITLE. 
          UH, HE'S BEEN WITH US FOR 13 YEARS AND HE HAS EVERY 20 YEARS OF PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE. 
          HE DIRECTS AND PRODUCES CONTENT FOR THE COUNTY CHANNEL. 
          HE SHOOTS AND EDITS THE COASTAL KINGDOM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, IS WON A FEW EMMY AWARDS AND HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR ANOTHER ONE THIS TIME AROUND. 
          GREAT, GREAT, UM, PROGRAMMING THERE. 
          UM, HE PRODUCES BRIDE BLOG CAST SUCH AS COUNCIL MEETINGS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. 
          UM, AS I SAID, WELL, SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT ROB IS THAT HE IS, UM, HE CREATED THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING PROGRAM ALONG WITH TONY MILLS, UH, UH, KNOWN AS COASTAL KINGDOM THAT AIRS ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL AND STATEWIDE ON, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA ETV. 
          UH, HE ALSO LIKES PRODUCING SHORT FILMS AND HAS A TELE FOR VIDEOGRAPHY AND CINEMATOGRAPHY MAN. 
          THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD FOR HER SOUTHERN ACCENT. 
          I THEY'D GET THOSE BIG WORDS OUT. 
          UH, ROB IS MARRIED TO BEV LEWIS, A VERY CREATIVE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL, WHO WORKS WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, AS WELL AND THE STORMWATER DEPARTMENT. 
          AND THEY HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WHO HAD BENJAMIN 10 AND MADDIE SA SEVEN. 
          AND I CAN'T, UH, LET ROB GO WITHOUT MENTIONING SOMETHING THAT HE SHARES WITH A FEW OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THAT HE ALSO USES AMAZING SMELL, GOOD HAIR PRODUCT. 
          SO, SO COUNCIL MEMBER, HARVEY SHINE, COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM, YOU ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH, UH, WITH THE MINISTER LOUIS HERE. 
          SO ANYWAY, SO, UH, THANK YOU, ROB. 
          LET'S GIVE ROB A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OH, WE ALL STAND UP PLEASE. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL THAT STUFF. 
          THAT'S THE BETTER HALF OF THE LOUIS UM, OUR FINAL EMPLOYED KNIGHT IS, UH, MR. SCOTT HANSON, COME ON UP. 
          SCOTT SCOTT, UH, WORKS IN OUR IT DEPARTMENT. 
          HE'S NOT TN ANALYST. 
          HE'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR 23 YEARS. 
          UH, HE DOES, UH, SUPPORTIVE COUNTY-WIDE SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS. 
          THOSE OF US THAT WORK AT THE COUNTY KNOWS SCOTT AS THE MUNIS GUY. 
          UH, HE HANDLES ALL THE MUNIS ISSUES. 
          WE EITHER LOVE HIM WHEN IT'S WORKING WELL, OR WE DON'T WHEN IT'S NOT. 
          UH, SO, UH, HE, HE HAS A PRETTY TOUGH JOB AND HE'S ALSO WRITTEN SEVERAL APPLICATIONS THAT ARE STILL BEING USED BY THE COUNTY, UH, LIKE OUR TAX CELL APPLICATION. 
          SO, UH, SOMETHING ABOUT SCOTT HERE IS THAT HE WAS A COMBAT PHOTOGRAPHER IN THE U S MARINE CORPS. 
          SO YOU'VE SEEN SOME THINGS I WOULD IMAGINE. 
          SO FORTUNATELY, NO I'LL KNOW. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, THAT'S GOOD. 
          THAT'S GOOD. 
          THAT'S GOOD. 
          YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? UH, JUST THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          LET'S I GIVE SCOTT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. 
          UM, TWO OTHER THINGS I NEED TO MENTION, UH, TONIGHT OR TWO ACHIEVEMENTS, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED THE, UH, ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM NEKO IN 2022 FOR THE BUFORD COUNTY SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY STORMWATER DESIGN MANUAL THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY KATIE HERRERA AND OUR STORMWATER DEPARTMENT. 
          AND ALSO, UH, WE RECEIVED AT 2022 NEKO ACHIEVEMENT WARD FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COLLECTION CENTER DECAL SYSTEM, UH, THAT REDUCED, UH, OUR EXTERNAL WASTE, UH, THAT YOU ALL RECEIVED A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT HOW A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, BUT, UH, WE, WE, UH, HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THAT AS 
          [00:10:01]
WELL. 
          THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY CINDY CARTER. 
          UH, ANGEL AND KOSKI IS HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOLID WASTE ANGEL, IF YOU'LL STAND UP. 
          UH, SHE DOES A LOT OF GOOD WORK FOR US IN SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING. 
          AND WHAT THE DECAL SYSTEM, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW, HER BY NAME, YOU MAY NOT HAVE EVER PUT A FACE WITH HER BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY CALL YOU AND SAY, HEY, ANGEL SAID, I COULDN'T HAVE A DECAL, SO I DIDN'T QUALIFY. 
          SO SHE'S THE ONE THAT DOES ALL THAT RESEARCH. 
          SO, UH, AND THEN ALSO, UM, UH, KATIE HERRERA, IF SHE HERE. 
          UM, OH YEAH. 
          HEY, KATIE, KATIE THERE WITH OUR STORMWATER DEPARTMENT, UH, VERY CREATIVE. 
          THEY'RE BOTH VERY CREATIVE AND TALENTED. 
          UH, KATIE IS DOING A GREAT JOB IN OUR STORMWATER DEPARTMENT. 
          THEY BOTH DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT AND PRAISE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO, UH, FOR THE COUNTY IN THOSE TWO VERY SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS. 
          SO, UM, THANK YOU, KATIE AND THEN I JUST HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT I NEED TO GO THROUGH THREE MORE ITEMS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL NOTICE WITH THE BUDGET TONIGHT IS AN AMENDMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO PROCESS AS A RESULT OF ADDITIONAL MONEY IN THE BUDGET THAT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. 
          MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF CAPITAL NEEDS AS IT RELATES TO BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES. 
          YOU GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF REC FACILITIES AND OTHER BUILDINGS, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, UH, THE LACK OF FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTY. 
          WE'RE GETTING READY TO UNDERTAKE. 
          IF YOU ALL PROCEED ON WITH THE BUDGET, WE'RE GETTING READY TO UNDERTAKE MAJOR BUILDING PROJECTS IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET. 
          AND WE ALSO HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THE CAPITAL, UH, FACILITIES MASTER PLAN AS WELL OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, JARED FRAELICH SAYS THIS ACA FOR ENGINEERING, AND IT RESTRUCTURE DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BURN HIM OUT IF WE DON'T GET HIM SOME HELP. 
          SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'M PROPOSING TONIGHT FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER IS THAT WE HIRE A CAPITAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR AND CREATE A POSITION CALLED CAPITAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR THAT WILL ONLY DEAL WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS RELATED TO BUILDING AND PHYSICAL PLANT FACILITIES. 
          SO THEY WOULD HANDLE ALL BUILDING PROJECTS, PERMITTING, MANAGE THE PROJECTS AND ALL OF THAT, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH TRANSPORTATION ISSUES RELATED TO THE FERRY THAT WE'VE GOT TO SOLVE RELATED TO THE AIRPORT EXPANSION RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION, THEN JARED IS GOING TO BE BEST SUITED AND MOST EFFECTIVE AND MOST EFFICIENT AND BEING DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THOSE PROJECTS. 
          SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER AS WE GET TO THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. 
          I'M HAPPY FOR FEEDBACK. 
          I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS IN ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT SECOND THING TONIGHT THAT YOU ALL SHOULD BE AWARE OF. 
          MEANING A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE HAD A DISCUSSION WHERE YOU ALL APPROVE $250,000 FOR THE HARRIET TUBMAN MEMORIAL FOR THE CHURCH IN BUFORD. 
          AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT NOW, A COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER, OR SOMEONE DO Y'ALL REMEMBER THE CHAIR, TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THAT. 
          THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT DONATING THAT MONEY TO THE CHURCH. 
          AND THE QUESTION WAS WOULD WE HAVE TO CREATE A PARCEL OF LAND THAT THE CHURCH WOULD CREATE AND DONATE IT TO THE COUNTY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO FUND THAT PROJECT? I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT DID SOME RESEARCH. 
          THEY FOUND A SUPREME COURT RULING THAT SAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT DONATION TO THE CHURCH FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE SUBDIVISION OF THE PROPERTY. 
          SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THAT FUNDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR DIRECTION. 
          I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE UPDATE THAT THAT IS GOING TO GO AHEAD AND BE DONE, AND THAT FUNDING IS GOING TO BE SENT TO THE CHURCH. 
          AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT CURRENTLY. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON THIS WEEK. 
          LAST TOWARD THE END OF LAST WEEK, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT WE HAD A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE DOCKING AT THE SANDS BOAT LANDING, WHERE THE TIDE HAD ELEVATED THE, THE FLOATING DOCK UP OFF OF THE, UH, OFF OF THE CONNECTOR TO LAND AND IT WAS UNSAFE. 
          SO WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND I JUST NEED TO NOTIFY YOU ALL THAT. 
          I AUTHORIZED AN AMOUNT IN ABOUT, UH, ABOUT $160,000 FROM A TAX MONEY UNDERNEATH THE BOAT LANDING AND WATER ACCESS PROVISION TO DO THAT REPAIR AS AN EMERGENCY REPAIR, TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT WORK UNDERWAY SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT BOAT DOCK, UH, BACK OPEN AT THAT LANDING. 
          IT WAS A VERY BAD SAFETY ISSUE. 
          I SAW PICTURES. 
          I WOULD HAVE SHOWN IT TO YOU TONIGHT, BUT I KNEW WE'D BE HERE. 
          UH, SO YOU COULD SEE HOW BAD IT WAS. 
          I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD SAW THE PICTURE AS WELL. 
          UH, IT WAS PRETTY BAD. 
          SO WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED DOING THAT. 
          I JUST 
          [00:15:01]
NEEDED FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT TO NOTIFY YOU ALL THAT I'VE DONE THAT PURCHASING NOW, IN CASE YOU ALL HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? WELL, IF I MIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT APPEARS AS A RESOLUTION ORDINANCE EXPENDITURE ON THE NEXT AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN RATIFY WHAT MR. GREENWAY HAS DONE? NO DOUBT THE, THE NEED OR THE URGENCY. 
          UM, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT GETS DONE LEGALLY. 
          NO, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR YOU ALL. 
          I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT DONE SO QUICKLY. 
          THE BOAT LINING WAS IN DANGER OF BEING CLOSED DOWN COMPLETELY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          APPRECIATE THAT. 
          UH, AND THEN, UM, TWO MORE ITEMS. ONE IS YOU HAVE FOLKS HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TCL PURCHASE, PUBLIC HEARING OF THE PROPERTY NEAR TCL. 
          I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW IN THE AUDIENCE AND COUNCIL KNOW THAT I HAVE SCHEDULED A COMMUNITY MEETING FOR JUNE 2ND, AT 6:00 PM AT THE COUNTY BUILDING IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AGAIN, UH, THURSDAY, JUNE 2ND, 6:00 PM AT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ON REBO AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR THAT COMMUNITY THAT LEAVES THE ADJACENT TO THESE PROPERTIES AND ADJACENT TO TCO FOR THEM TO COME IN AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE COUNTY STAFF AND THE UNVOICED OUR CONCERNS. 
          AND LET US HEAR FEEDBACK ON THE PURCHASE OF THAT PROPERTY. 
          I WILL STATE THAT WE HAVE NO PLANS FOR THAT PROPERTY. 
          THERE HAVE BEEN IDEAS THROWN AROUND. 
          WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO DO ANY TYPE OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING WITH A PROPERTY. 
          AGAIN, IF WE DO ANYTHING WITH THE PROPERTY, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO LIMIT THAT, UH, USE OF THOSE PROPERTIES TO A PROFESSIONAL FOLKS THAT HAVE TROUBLE FINDING HOUSING HERE IN THE COUNTY, NURSES, TEACHERS, UH, PROFESSORS, UH, ANYONE ELSE IN THAT LEVEL, THAT'S HAVING TROUBLE, UH, SERVING THE POLLOCK, BUT ALSO FINDING HOUSING, UH, IN THE AREA. 
          AND THEN THE FINAL THING. 
          AND I, AND I'LL BE QUIET. 
          UH, JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW ON COUNCIL, YOU'RE HAPPY TO CONTACT ME ANYTIME, BUT I AM SCHEDULED TO BE OFF BEGINNING WEDNESDAY THROUGH MEMORIAL DAY. 
          SO I'LL BE BACK TO WORK, UH, TUESDAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY, UH, BEGINNING WEDNESDAY. 
          SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU ALL MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          THAT CONCLUDES MY MS. JIMMY, IS THAT PUBLIC? YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          IS THAT PUBLIC MEETING ON THE SECOND? IS THAT OPEN IT UP? WILL IT BE TELEPHONE? TELL HER, TELL HER TELECAST, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE THE COUNTY CHANNEL FOLKS THERE. 
          WE HADN'T, WE HADN'T GOTTEN THAT FAR YET, BUT WE WILL, WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO MAKE CHURCH BROADCAST. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          NEXT ITEM IS 
          [7. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING CARLA ANDERSON SMITH]
A PROCLAMATION AND ALISON, DO YOU DO THAT? I APPRECIATE IT. 
          GOT IT. 
          WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION THAT, UM, MR. DAVID OD WORKED WITH OUR COUNTY COUNTY CLERK TO DO THIS AND IT IT'S IT'S WELL-DESERVED AND, AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT WE CAN DO THIS TODAY FOR YOU. 
          WHEREAS BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CARLA ANDERSON SMITH FOR HER SERVICES TO BUFORD COUNTY THROUGH HER WORK AND HELPING THE BUFORD COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE WITH THE INTERMENT OF 34 CREMATION REMAINS. 
          AND WHEREAS CARLA ANDERSON SMITH IS THE OWNER OF FOREST LAWN CEMETERY AND ANDERSON FUNERAL HOME. 
          WHEREAS CARLA ANDERSON SMITH HAS BEEN A LICENSED FUNERAL DIRECTOR SINCE 1989 AND THE DAUGHTER OF THE FOUNDER OF ANDERSON FUNERAL HOME. 
          AND WHEREAS CARLA ANDERSON SMITH ASSISTED CORNER DAVID FOUR MONTHS WITH THE PLANNING, PUTTING TOGETHER THE PROPER CREMATION BOXES ASSURING EACH PERSON WAS IDENTIFIED BY NAME AND DATE OF DEATH AND WHERE EACH CREMATION IS PLACED. 
          AND WHEREAS CARLA ANDERSON SMITH'S WORK ON THE RECORDS WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO MIGHT COME FORWARD TO REUNITE WITH THEIR LOVED ONES. 
          AND WHEREAS ON NOVEMBER 18TH, 2021, CARLA ANDERSON SMITH PROVIDED A HEARSE TO TRANSPORT FOUR UNITED STATES VETERANS TO THE BUFORD NATIONAL CEMETERY FOR A FULL MILITARY SERVICE, WHICH MANY SAYS CITIZENS ATTENDED. 
          AND WHEREAS CARLA ANDERSON SMITH FURTHER PROVIDED GRA COMPLETE GRAVESIDE SERVICES AT FOREST LAWRENCE AND METAIRIE, WHICH INCLUDED TENTS CHAIRS, AND 
          [00:20:01]
A PODIUM FOR GUEST SPEAKERS. 
          AND WHEREAS CARLA ANDERSON SMITH'S WORK WAS DONE VOLUNTARILY OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF HER HEART WITHOUT ANY COST TO THE CITIZENS OF BUFORD COUNTY. 
          AND WHEREAS CARLA ANDERSON SMITH IS A TRUE  AND IS ALWAYS WILLING TO GIVE HER LOVE TO OTHERS. 
          AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF BUFORD COUNTY. 
          THE COUNCIL HEREBY WISHES TO HONOR CARLA ANDERSON SMITH FOR HER KINDNESS, HER SELFISHNESS AND HER RESOURCES DELIGHT ARREST 34 UNCLAIMED CREMATIONS IN BUFORD COUNTY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING I'M JUST ALL CHOKED UP BY HER. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND HAVING ME HERE THIS EVENING. 
          AND OF COURSE THAT'S WHAT I DO IS MY HONOR AND MY PRIVILEGE TO DO WHAT WE DID WITH THE HELP OF CORONER OD MR. COUNSEL, WOMAN, AND CASHMAN. 
          I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THIS. 
          THAT MEANS A LOT FOR CHOLERA TO RECEIVE THIS. 
          SHE, UH, VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE INTERMENT OF THESE, UH, UNCLAIMED BODIES. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
           YOU WANT THE COUNCIL IN THE BACKGROUND? WOULD THAT BE GOOD? YEAH. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALICE. 
          UH, THAT BRINGS US TO A CITIZEN COMMENTS. 
          UM, CAN I MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE WE DO THAT? YEAH. 
          LET ME JUST THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CALL HER FOR ALL THE WORK SHE DID AND POINT OUT THAT THERE WERE FOUR VETERANS IN THAT GROUP IN THE, UH, UNCLAIMED REMAINS. 
          AND WE HAD A SPECIAL CEREMONY INCLUDING, UH, HONOR GUARD FOR THOSE. 
          AND ALL OF THAT WAS THANKS TO THE HARD WORK AND RESEARCH THAT CARLA DID TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHO THOSE VETERANS WERE AND, UH, TO, UH, PREPARE A FINAL RESTING PLACE APPROPRIATELY FOR THEM. 
          THANK YOU, CARLA. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          THAT'S ALL PAUL. 
          YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE PAUL OR YEAH, I'M ASSUMING THE NEW SPEAKERS ARE NOT IN YET OR ISN'T THAT CORRECT? NO, APPARENTLY NOT YET. 
          LET ME GO AHEAD. 
          THAT BRINGS US TO 
          [8. CITIZEN COMMENTS]
A CITIZEN COMMENT. 
          WE ASK YOU TO LIMIT THAT TO THREE MEETINGS AND WE HAVE A ONE NOW, AND WE HAVE ONE AT THE END OF THE MEETING. 
          THIS ONE, IT SHOULD BE FOR ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA. 
          UH, SOME OF YOU ALSO ARE HERE TO SPEAK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR SOME OF THE OTHER EVENTS OR SOME OF THE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. WE'LL PICK THOSE UP AS WE GO. 
          UM, BUT, UH, DO TRY TO BE BRIEF IN THE INTEREST OF TIME. 
          WE HAVE A BUSY AGENDA AND WE ALLOCATE 15 MINUTES FOR THIS, UH, RILEY CLARK, PLEASE COME FORWARD. 
          HI, THANK YOU. 
          UM, MY NAME IS RILEY CLARK. 
          I AM CURRENTLY AN EIGHTH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER AT ROBERTS FALLS AND NATIONAL ACADEMY HERE IN BUFORD. 
          AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE TEACHERS. 
          WHEN YOU GUYS GET PRESENTED THE NEW BUDGET FOR BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR A RAISE FOR TEACHERS TO GET US FROM THE 53RD RANKED STARTING SALARY IN THE STATE TO THE FIFTH STARTING SALARY. 
          AND THE MAIN REASON IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE TEACHERS IN YOUR DISTRICTS, WHAT YOU WANT IS YOU WANT SOMEONE THAT LOVES KIDS, LOVES THEIR CONTENT AND WANTS TO GROW THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND RIGHT NOW YOUR TEACHERS CANNOT EVEN BE A PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY. 
          MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE A YEAR AGO FROM KANSAS CITY, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE PERMANENT HOUSING. 
          WE ARE RENTING. 
          WE BOTH HAVE SECOND JOBS BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT ZERO MONEY INTO SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. 
          IF WE WERE, UH, IF WE WERE NOT WORKING THAT SECOND JOB, WE WOULD NOT. 
          UM, I HAVE, WE HAVE FRIENDS WHO A ROOMMATE MOVED OUT AND NOW IS LOOKING TO MOVE HOME TO OHIO BECAUSE SHE CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE. 
          AND IT BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE I HAVE A TEAM THAT IS ALL ALMOST ENTIRELY NEW TO THE DISTRICT. 
          AND WE'VE ALREADY LOST TWO PEOPLE OUT OF OUR EIGHT. 
          AND WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT MY WIFE AND I ARE NOT LOOKING AT HAVING A LONGTERM FUTURE HERE BECAUSE WE SIMPLY ARE NOT CONSIDERED A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE ARE SIMPLY TRANSPLANTS, AND UNLESS WE CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD HOUSING, PERMANENT HOUSING, NOT RENTING. 
          IF WE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE AND AFFORD TO RAISE OUR KIDS HERE, 
          [00:25:01]
THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO STAY. 
          AND SO I ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF THESE YOUNG TEACHERS WHO ARE COMING INTO YOUR DISTRICT TO SAY, WE CARE ABOUT YOU. 
          WE WANT YOU TO BE HERE AND WE WANT YOU TO BE HERE PERMANENTLY BECAUSE KIDS DON'T NEED NEW TEACHERS OF YOUR, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, I TAUGHT YOUR DAD 20 YEARS AGO. 
          I TAUGHT YOUR MOM AND BE A TRUE PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT I'M IN. 
          AND RIGHT NOW WITH THE WAY SALARIES ARE IN THIS DISTRICT, YOUR TEACHERS CAN NOT. 
          SO, UM, I ADVOCATE THAT PLEASE APPROVE THE BUDGET AND, AND CONTINUE TO APPROVE RAISES FOR TEACHERS. 
          BECAUSE IF YOU WANT A STRONG ELECTORATE AND A STRONG COMMUNITY, YOU START WITH YOUR TEACHERS. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          IT LOOKS LIKE MIKE GRILLE FROM PRONOUNCING THAT RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE IN, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. 
          I KNOW WITH ALL OF THESE DECISIONS, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THERE'S. 
          SOME OF THEM ARE DIFFICULT, SOME EASIER, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO PEOPLE GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE OR CRITICIZE YOU ALL FOR WHATEVER DECISIONS YOU DO TAKE. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW A LOT, VERY MUCH ABOUT PUBLIC SECTOR AT ALL, HAVE NO PUBLIC SECTOR EXPERIENCE. 
          UM, WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND VERY WELL AS THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND MARKETS. 
          AND, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE TODAY, UH, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE TEACHERS, UM, YOU FIRST LOOK AT THE DEMAND SIDE OF THIS. 
          I MEAN, WE'RE VERY, VERY BLESSED TO LIVE IN BUFORD COUNTY. 
          UH, THE QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IS FANTASTIC. 
          ONE OF THE REASONS WE CHOSE TO HERE, OUR FAMILY, WE HAVE THREE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS BECAUSE THERE WAS A, UH, FAVORABLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, 10 YEARS AGO. 
          AND I CAN TELL YOU OUR EXPERIENCE HERE HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. 
          ALTHOUGH WE DO SEE CRACKS, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE NORTHERNERS I'M FROM THE NORTH AS WELL, THEY FOUND US, UM, COST OF LIVING IS WAY MORE EXPENSIVE IN THE NORTHEAST. 
          IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE OUTLAST PROPERTY TAXES ARE MUCH HIGHER UP THERE. 
          SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING DOWN HERE AND THEY'RE DRIVING PRICES UP ON EVERYBODY, INCLUDING OUR TEACHERS. 
          IF YOU LOOK AT THE SUPPLY OF TEACHERS, UM, WE'RE WELL BEHIND THE CURVE, RIGHT? THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS BEHIND THE CURVE. 
          THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A TEACHER SHORTAGE. 
          AND THE REALITY HERE IS THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS GOING TO ADJUST. 
          AND IT'S GOING TO ADJUST CONTINUOUSLY. 
          YOU ALL, UNFORTUNATELY HAVE ONE TIME A YEAR TO TAKE THIS DECISION AND YOU'RE EFFECTING, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER A YEAR FROM NOW. 
          THERE ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NOW THAT ARE GETTING READY TO GO ON BREAK. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO MEET MORE PER HOUR THIS SUMMER. 
          THEN WE'RE PAYING OUR TEACHERS WITH FOUR YEAR DEGREES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE DEALING WITH WHEN THEY SHOW UP TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. 
          BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO WORK AT A GROCERY STORE AS A 16, 17 YEAR OLD WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO, THEY'RE GOING TO BUMP YOU TO A PAY RATE THAT IS MORE THAN WHERE I'M PAYING FOR PAYING OUR TEACHERS. 
          THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE VACANCY RATES. 
          THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE TURNOVER RATES THAT YOU HAVE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TODAY. 
          YOU GOTTA LISTEN TO THE ADMINISTRATORS, UH, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL, PLEASE SUPPORT IT. 
          IT'S A VERY MODEST PROPOSAL IN THE, UM, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS. 
          AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY IF WE'RE GOING TO STABILIZE THE, UH, THE SITUATION IN OUR, IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          MACK AND SUSAN WIGGINS. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          MY NAME IS MATT WIGGINS. 
          UH, I'VE BEEN IN BUFORD ALL MY LIFE, BEEN IN THE RESERVE AND HONORABLE DISCHARGE LICENSED, THEN MINISTER DO A SMALL LANDSCAPING VENICE, BUT MY PROBLEM IS MY WIFE COULDN'T MAKE IT AT A DAY CAUSE SHE HAD TO WORK. 
          SHE WORKED FOR THE KIDNEY DYING NURSES PLACE IN PORT RA. 
          WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR DRAINAGE. 
          WE LIVE AT SIX JENKINS, BROTHER ROADS AND HELENA. 
          AND BEFORE, UH, MR. , UH, I FORGOT HIS NAME, WHO WAS WORKING FOR THE COUNTY. 
          HE WOULD KEEP THE DITCHES CLEAN, BUT NOW IT HAVING A BACKED UP AND IT'S GOT PROBLEMS AND WE PAY TAXES AND WE NEED TO HAVE THE DITCHES CLEAN, AT LEAST THE ONE DITCH CLEAN BEHIND THE HOUSE. 
          AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TO SEE IF Y'ALL CAN CONSIDER THAT AND LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD MANY, A PROMISES THAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND NOBODY NEVER DID ANYTHING. 
          AND ALSO WHEN YOU'RE COMING UP, HIGHWAY 21, THE SIDEWALK LOOKED SO BAD AND AREAS, GRAPHS ALL OVER THE PLACE, THE ROAD STRUCTURE, AND, UM, SEEM LIKE IN THE MORE, UM, 
          [00:30:01]
UPPITY PLACE IT MORE TAKEN CARE OF. 
          SO I'M JUST THINKING THAT YOU SHOULD AT LEAST LOOK INTO IT AND CONSIDER IT. 
          CAUSE WE AM A US CITIZEN. 
          WE PAY TAXES AND THAT'S MY CONCERN. 
          THAT'S IT. 
          THANK YOU, MR. WIGGINS, BEFORE YOU GO, CAN YOU PUT DOWN YOUR ADDRESS SO WE CAN CHECK IT OUT WITH OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR? WAS SARAH JUST SO WE CAN GO BY, THANK YOU, BERNADETTE HAMPTON MEMBERS OF BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND GOOD EVENING. 
          I AM BERNADETTE HAMPTON, A 51 YEAR RESIDENT OF BUFORD COUNTY AND A PRODUCT OF BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          I SPEAK TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPOSED MILLAGE INCREASE. 
          I SEE PUBLIC EDUCATION AS AN INVESTMENT IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES, FUTURE SOUTH CAROLINA'S FUTURE. 
          THE NATION'S FUTURE. 
          I TAKE THE CONCEPT OF INVESTMENT. 
          SERIOUSLY. 
          AS A MATHEMATICS TEACHER, I TEACH MY STUDENTS THE VALUE OF INVESTMENT, THE CONSISTENT FINANCIAL INVESTMENT THAT INCREASES IN VALUE OVER TIME. 
          AS A LONG TIME BUFORD RESIDENT, I'VE SEEN THE VALUE OF INVESTMENT BEAR FRUIT IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE MADE BUFORD COUNTY, THEIR NEW HOME DURING THE PAST 30 YEARS HAVE SEEN IT TOO. 
          IN 1990, THE COUNTY'S POPULATION WITH A LITTLE MORE THAN 86,000 PEOPLE. 
          AND 2000, THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED BY NEARLY 40% TO ALMOST 121 PEOPLE, 121,000 PEOPLE. 
          12 YEARS AGO, OUR POPULATION INCREASED ANOTHER 34% TO MORE THAN 160,000 PEOPLE. 
          AND THE US CENSUS BUREAU ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN 195,000 PEOPLE LIVE IN BUFORD COUNTY TODAY, AN INCREASE OF NEARLY 227% OVER 32 YEARS. 
          BUT OUR MILLAGE, THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT THAT DRIVES GROWTH IN OUR COUNTY HAS NOT KEPT THE SAME PIECE FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR OF 19 93, 94, THE MILITARY AND BUFORD COUNTY WAS 111.4 30 YEARS LATER AFTER FIVE PROPERTY REASSESSMENTS, A MILLAGE RATE FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR OF 20 22, 23 STANDS AT 121.6 AND THE PROPOSED INCREASE TAKES IT ONLY TO 125.6. 
          THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE IS BY NO MEANS EXORBITANT. 
          IT IS IN FACT LOWER THAN THE RATES THAT WERE IN PLACE WHEN BUFORD COUNTY RANKED AMONG THE BEST FINANCED PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE STATE AND RECENT YEARS, WE'VE SEEN THE COUNTY APPROVED MASSIVE NEW EX EXPENDITURES FOR IMPROVED INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. 
          ALL OF WHICH SUPPORT GROWTH IN THE COUNTY, THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR PURPOSES WELL, BUT AT A MOMENT WHEN BUFORD COUNTY IS TRYING TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE VERY BEST EDUCATORS DURING A SEVERE EDUCATOR SHORTAGE AND MAINTAIN CONSISTENTLY HIGH QUALITY IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS EQUALLY ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING AND ENHANCING BUFORD COUNTY'S FUTURE IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT NO CLASSROOM TEACHER OR EDUCATION SUPPORT PERSONNEL AND BUFORD COUNTY HAS BECOME WEALTHY DUE TO THEIR CAREER AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AND IMPROVING THE PROPOSED MILLAGE INCREASE WILL NOT RESULT IN ANYONE BECOMING SUDDENLY WEALTHY IN THE EDUCATION PROFESSION, BUT IT WILL HELP YOU FOR COUNTY TO COMPENSATE LOYAL EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE DEVOTED THEIR CAREERS TO RENEWING OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION. 
          AND IT WILL HELP US ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BEST EDUCATORS, WHICH IS WHAT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE. 
          UNDERSTANDING THAT CONSISTENT FINANCIAL INVESTMENT INCREASES IN VALUE OVER TIME. 
          I'M THANKFUL FOR THOSE COUNTY COUNCIL, MEN AND WOMEN OF DECADES WHO SAW A RECENT DECADES WHO SAW THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WHO VOTED TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. 
          I'M HOPEFUL TONIGHT THAT EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS WHO STAND BEFORE COUNTY COUNCILS IN THE DECADES TO COME WILL HAVE GOOD REASON TO THANK YOU FOR APPROVING THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED MILLAGE INCREASE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IF YOU COULD REMIND EVERYBODY TO KEEP IT WITHIN THE THREE MINUTES ALLOTTED. 
          I'D APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU, ROY GREEN. 
          GOOD EVENING, CONNIE COUNCIL. 
          I'M HERE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THE GROWTH. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF BUFORD COUNTY, BUT THERE'S LITTLE GROWTH IN THE NORTHERN PART. 
          THE NORTHERN PART WAS MADE UP A LOT OF FARMLAND. 
          I THINK IF THE CONNIE WOULD LOOK AT TRYING TO PURCHASE SOME OF THAT LAND TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT WOULD HELP BALANCE THE GROWTH AND IT COULD BE, IT 
          [00:35:01]
COULD HELP WITH THE TEACHERS FIREMENS AND ALL THAT TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          UM, IT'S A LOT OF LAND OUT THERE AND IF WE CAN EXPAND THAT GROWTH, THE BALANCE OF WHAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THAT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, IT LOOKS LIKE . 
          I APOLOGIZE. 
          I DIDN'T PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT. 
          GOOD COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          MY NAME IS LAUREN BRESCHI. 
          I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE TAUGHT AND LIVED IN BUFFALO COUNTY FOR 18 YEARS NOW. 
          I'VE RECENTLY BEEN SELECTED AT BRISBANE RIDGE ACADEMIES TEACHER OF THE YEAR. 
          I HAVE HAD A GREAT SENSE OF SATISFACTION IN INFLUENCING THE LEARNING OF THE CHILDREN OF OUR COUNTY THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS. 
          AND I'M ONLY ABLE TO CONTINUE TEACHING WITH OUR CURRENT SALARIES DUE TO MY DUAL INCOME HOUSEHOLD. 
          CURRENTLY, THE COST OF LIVING IN BUFORD COUNTY IS BY FAR THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          IT IS TOO HIGH FOR TEACHERS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES ALONE ON THE CURRENT PAY SCALE WITH THE 3% INCREASE THAT IT WOULD RANK BUFORD COUNTY AS NUMBER 47 IN THE STATE FOR STARTING TEACHER SALARY, THE ACCEPTED INCREASE WELL, I'M SURE THE QUALITY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR EXISTING TEACHERS AND OUR NEW HIRES, AS WELL AS PREVENTING CURRENT EDUCATOR FLIGHT RISKS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE OVER 700 CERTIFIED TEACHERS LIVING IN THE DISTRICT WHO HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO TEACH DUE TO THE CURRENT SALARY, NOT MATCHING THE COST OF LIVING IN THIS COUNTY. 
          PROSPECTIVE RESIDENTS ARE DOING THEIR HOMEWORK AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF US ALL, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS CAN SUCCEED AND THAT THE STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST CERTIFIED EDUCATORS. 
          IT WOULD BENEFIT EVERY SINGLE PERSON LIVING IN THE AREA FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO THRIVE. 
          IT IS TIME TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND TO TAKE CARE OF US, THE TEACHERS. 
          AND BY DEFAULT ALL OF THE CHILDREN IN THIS DISTRICT, WE LOVE THEM. 
          IT'S WHAT WE DO THIS. 
          HOWEVER MANY OF US NEED THE ADDITIONAL INCOME TO STAY CURRENT, TO CONTINUE TO STAY FINANCIALLY AFLOAT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. 
          JOHN EDNEY. 
          GOOD EVENING COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          AGAIN, I'M JOHN ABNEY. 
          I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY FOR ABOUT 47 YEARS. 
          I'M A RETIRED MILITARY MEMBER, RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEE, A FORMER EDUCATOR. 
          I TAUGHT SOME FOR A FEW YEARS THERE, PARK COLLEGE ON THE AIR STATION. 
          UH, I HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS TONIGHT FIRST BEING, UH, YOU KNOW, HATS OFF TO THE MILITARY FIRST RESPONDERS AND ESPECIALLY TO EDUCATORS. 
          UM, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IS, SO WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THINGS. 
          THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT, UH, AND MAKE THIS A, A LIVABLE COMMUNITY. 
          IF WE DO NOT PAY THE SALARIES TO MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE HERE, THERE'S JUST NO WAY THAT WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY. 
          SO I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR AN INCREASE FOR OUR TEACHERS, UM, BECAUSE THEY, THEY, THEY GIVE THEIR ALL EVERY SINGLE, UH, SECOND ITEM NUMBER 19 ON YOUR AGENDA. 
          TALKING ABOUT SIDEWALKS AND MULTI PATHWAYS HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY. 
          UH, I'VE SEEN A FEW REFERENDUMS. I HAVE A MINUTE AND A HALF. 
          I SEE IN A FEW REFERENDUMS IN MY TIME HERE IN BUFORD. 
          AND THOSE REFERENDUMS NORMALLY COME AT A COST TO THE CITIZENS HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY. 
          UH, EVERY TIME THEY HAVE SAID, YES, WE'RE WILLING TO PAY THOSE AMENDMENTS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUR COUNTY. 
          UH, HOWEVER I HAVE SEEN THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING FOR THE MAJORITY OF THOSE REFERENDUMS GO TO SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY ITEMS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY THAT WERE LACKING OR NEEDED MUCH ASSISTANCE. 
          EVERY SINGLE TIME. 
          THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING WENT TO SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY. 
          EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A LIST OF ITEMS THAT ARE IN DEFAULT IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, WHAT I'M HERE TO ASK THAT AS YOU PREPARE TO ASK FOR ANOTHER REFERENDUM FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT YOU SPECIFY WHERE THOSE FUNDS CAN BE SPENT AND PLEASE PRIORITIZE NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY AND THE AREAS THAT REALLY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED HERE IN 
          [00:40:01]
NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, IF, IF WE HAVE TO DO THIS REFERENDUM AND SOMEHOW IN THE NEXT YEAR, COME UP WITH ANOTHER ONE TO GO BACK TO SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY. 
          SO BE IT, BUT WE CAN'T ALLOW NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO LEFT BEHIND YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AND GO DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO DISARRAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU, JOHN. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. 
          UH, AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO TERMINATE, UM, THIS PART OF THE CITIZEN COMMENT. 
          THOSE WE DIDN'T GET TO PLEASE HANG AROUND AND WE'LL PICK THAT UP IN THE CITIZENS COMMENT AT THE END OF THIS, AND I'LL DO IT DURING YOUR PIECE. 
          UM, AT THIS 
          [9. LIASION AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
POINT, UH, WE HAVE LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS FROM ANY OF THE, ANY OF THE MEMBERS THAT, UH, ANYBODY HAVE A COMMENT OR A REPORT THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE. 
          UH, YES, THE STORMWATER BOARD MET ON MAY 18TH LAST WEEK ON WEDNESDAY. 
          THEY'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON SEVERAL PROJECTS TO INCLUDE AWARDING THE ENGINE ENGINEERING CONTRACT FOR THE SHELL POINT AREA. 
          AND THEY'VE RECEIVED SOME PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF A PROJECT TO CLEAN UP THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE TO MATTHEW DURING HURRICANE MATTHEW AT ARTHUR HORN, UH, TO TURN, TURN IT BACK INTO WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE, WHICH WAS A STORM WATER DETENTION AREA AND PARK. 
          AND I ATTENDED THAT MEETING AS A WAY AS ON, THANK YOU, ANYBODY ELSE, ANYBODY ONLINE, UM, FROM PUBLIC FACILITIES ON THE CONSENT 
          [10. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
AGENDA, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS, ONE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF AN AWARD FOR THE HAULING SERVICES FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING. 
          IT'S 1,000,008, AND WE HAVE A SECOND ONE FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN AWARD FOR THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING OF OUR NEW RECYCLING FACILITY THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO SERVE THE COUNTY. 
          AND THAT'S FOR, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE AMOUNT IS ON THAT ONE. 
          UH, THAT WAS PROBABLY A TIME AND A COST. 
          UM, AND BOTH OF THOSE ARE IN BUDGET AND CAME THROUGH COMMITTEE ON A UNANIMOUS APPROVAL, UH, WHEN THAT WOULD TAKE US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, THOSE TWO ITEMS ARE BEFORE US. 
          I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THOSE TWO ITEMS. THANK YOU. 
          AND I'LL SECOND, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU, LOGAN. 
          UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THESE TWO ITEMS, UM, SEEING NONE, UH, THESE TO PASS, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT TAKES US TO A PUBLIC 
          [11. PUBLIC HEARING OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND FUND THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 2.1 ACRES OWNED BY THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOWCOUNTRY]
HEARING IN RESOLUTION ON THE PURCHASE OF SOME PROPERTY, UH, RELATIVE TO FROM THE, UH, TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE, THE LOW COUNTRY. 
          I KNOW THERE'S THREE OF YOU HERE TO SPEAK AND WE WILL GET TO YOU ON THAT. 
          BUT, UM, ERIC, YOU WANT TO GIVE US AN OVERVIEW ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND, UH, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND AND THEN WE'LL TAKE SOME, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS ON IT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET IT RESOLVED. 
          I, YES, SIR. 
          UM, WE, UM, WE ADDED THIS TO A BUDGET AMENDMENT, A LIGHT IN THE PROCESS. 
          WE WERE AWARE THAT TCL WANTED TO, UH, DISPOSE OF THESE PROPERTIES, UH, THROUGH, UH, SOME MECHANISM WE PUR PRESENTED THE IDEA TO COUNCIL ABOUT PURCHASING THESE PROPERTIES AND HOLDING THEM FOR SOME SORT OF WORKFORCE TYPE, UH, HOUSING OR MAKING THEM AVAILABLE FOR SOME TYPE OF WORKFORCE HOUSING. 
          THAT'S A LITTLE BIT, THAT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN A RUMOR THAT CIRCULATING THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, SECTION EIGHT OR SUBSIDIZED HOUSING. 
          THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING HERE. 
          UH, THE COUNCIL, UH, CONSENTED TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY THAT IS COMPLETE, BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, UNDERNEATH OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES. 
          SO THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, IS BEING HELD THIS EVENING. 
          AND AS I SAID EARLIER, I'M HOLDING THE COMMUNITY MEETING WITH A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY THAT IS ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY. 
          AND FOR ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED ON JUNE 2ND AT 6:00 PM, UH, TWO FOR TWO PURPOSES, ONE TO EXPLAIN WHAT OUR INTENT WAS WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AND THE PROCESS AS TO WHY WITH IT BEING A TCL PROPERTY, HOW UNIQUE THAT SALE OF THE PROPERTY IS FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES TO SELL PROPERTIES, UH, IN THAT REGARD, UH, PARTICULARLY IF THEY WERE OWNED BY THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THEN ALSO TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AS TO WHAT THEY MIGHT LIKE TO SEE US DO WITH THAT, WE HAVE NO PLANS FOR THE PROPERTY. 
          WE DO THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SECURE THE PARCELS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT WE, UH, ENDED UP DOING, UH, THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT. 
          AND, UH, WE WILL DEVELOP A PLAN AND THAT WILL COME BACK AND WE WILL WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP A PLAN, HOPEFULLY 
          [00:45:01]
THAT SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE, UH, AS WE DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY. 
          SO IS ERIC SAID, WE DID TAKE ACTION ON THIS AT OUR PRIOR MEETING, BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT. 
          WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SPEAK, UH, ROBERT, BRIAN AND MATTHEW, ROBERT COME ON UP AND THE OTHER TWO, UH, BRIAN AND MATTHEW, AS YOU SEE THEY'RE FINISHING COME ON UP AND, AND SPEAK. 
          SO COME ON FORWARD, ROBERT, WE HAVE A ROBERT ROBERT LOOKS LIKE A SWARTZ, I'M SORRY, I'M BOB SWART. 
          I LIVE AT EIGHT 40 REBO ROAD. 
          I HAVEN'T WORKED FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          UH, HAVE YOU REFERRED? BUT I DID SERVE 31 AND A HALF YEARS IN THE COAST GUARD. 
          I SELECTED BUFORD AS MY RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. 
          I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE RESONANCE THAT I HAVE. 
          THE GENTLEMAN JUST EXPLAINED, UH, ANOTHER MEETING THAT'S GOING TO TRANSPIRE ON THE 2ND OF JUNE CONCERNING THE PURCHASE OF THE TLC, PAPA PROPERTY, ADJACENT TO THE TLC COMMUNITY, JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM WHERE I LIVE, I INTEND TO ATTEND THAT MEETING AND MAKE MY COMMENTS KNOWN THERE. 
          I WOULD ASK AND INVITE EACH OF YOU THAT SITTING AT THE HEAD TABLE HERE BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY TYPE OF A DECISION ON THIS, PLEASE COME PARK IN MY DRIVEWAY AND THEN TRY TO GET OUT ONTO THE RE REBEL ROAD. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE HEAVINESS TRAVELED ROADS IN THIS, IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          AND IF WE DO SOMETHING TO DEVELOP MORE BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS ON REBAR ROAD IS GOING TO INCREASE THE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS RIGHT NOW PRETTY HEAVY. 
          I HAVE A HECK OF A TIME TRYING TO GET OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT TIMES. 
          AND IF WE INCREASE THE POPULATION THAT LIVES ON REBEL ROAD, IT'S JUST GOING TO PUT A, A GREATER LOAD ON THAT, THAT HIGHWAY. 
          SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, I THINK IS WORTH CONSIDERING. 
          THE OTHER THING WE'RE LOOKING AT 600 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS AN ACRE FOR THAT LAND THAT YOU'RE BUYING THIS GENTLEMEN HERE IN MALAGA, AN EXCELLENT POINT. 
          IF WE'RE GOING TO GET BUY LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THERE'S PLENTY OF FARM LAND THAT'S AVAILABLE. 
          WHEN I DROVE OUT HERE, I CAME DOWN, UH, PARIS ISLAND PARKWAY CAME IN TO THIS FACILITY. 
          I SAW MANY, MANY, MANY AREAS OUT THERE THAT TO WOULD BE WELL-SUITED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RATHER THAN PUT MORE HOUSING INTO AN ALREADY CONGESTED AREA. 
          ONCE AGAIN, I'LL EXTEND MY INVITATION TO EACH. 
          YOU COME PARK IN MY DRIVEWAY AND THEN TRY TO GET BACK OUT ON THE REBO ROAD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, BRIAN. 
          BRIAN STEVEN. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS BRIAN STEVENS. 
          I LIVE AT 8 6 4, UH, REBO ROAD. 
          UM, BEFORE I START, I WANT TO ECHO THE, THANKS TO YOU, THIS COUNCIL, AND TO THE COUNTY STAFF FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          UM, I MUST SAY THAT I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS PROJECT, UM, YESTERDAY AND, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS PROBABLY MY NEIGHBOR, BOB THAT, UM, PROVIDED SOME MATERIALS, UM, TO INFORM ME OF THIS. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU DROPPED OFF THE MATERIALS. 
          UH, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, UM, I'M DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES THAT IS NOW BEING CONSIDERED, UM, FOR, FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          UM, IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING, I MUST SAY TOO, TO KNOW THAT THIS DECISION IN THIS PURCHASE AT THIS LEVEL OF FUNDING WAS MADE, UM, WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC INPUT. 
          UH, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE MR. GREENWAY, THE SESSION THAT YOU HAVE SCHEDULED TO ADDRESS SOME, UH, SOME OF THESE CONCERNS HERE, AND I WILL CERTAINLY BE THERE, UM, RECOGNIZING THAT I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DATA. 
          UM, I'VE GOT A LOT OF CONCERNS, OBVIOUSLY. 
          UH, THE PROPOSAL IN THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT COULD BE VERY OUT OF CHARACTER, UM, WITH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AS MANY OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, WELL-ESTABLISHED VERY MATURE NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          AND IN RECENT YEARS IT'S SEEN TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT AND PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS, ENHANCEMENTS AND BEAUTIFICATION THREE YEARS AGO. 
          UH, WE WERE ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT FOUND THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY IN THIS BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD, IN THIS PEACEFUL SETTING AND WELL-ESTABLISHED MATURE HOMES. 
          UM, SO TO THINK THAT A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS WOULD COME INTO THIS, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD MUCH LESS DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR, DEPENDING ON HOW IT DEVELOPS, UM, IS VERY, VERY CONCERNING. 
          UM, SO I WOULD ASK THAT ANY PROGRESSION OF THIS INITIATIVE BE PAUSED AT A MINIMUM UNTIL THERE IS THE PUBLIC SETTING TO HEAR INPUT AND TO, UM, GET ADDITIONAL COMMENT ON THIS. 
          UM, AND MS. HOWARD IS YOUR HOME DISTRICT. 
          UH, I HOPE WE CAN COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT FOR APPROPRIATE RESOLUTION HERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MATTHEW. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD 
          [00:50:01]
EVENING. 
          COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          I'M A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS WITH OTHERS AND I THANK YOU, SIR. 
          UM, DESPITE IT BEING RUMORS THAT IS SUBSIDIZED HOUSING OR SECTION EIGHT HOUSING, UM, MY, MY JOB, UM, IS UNDERSTANDS THE WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          WE REALLY NEED IT. 
          UM, WE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THE HEALTHCARE SETTING, NURSES, ET CETERA. 
          SO BEYOND THAT, UM, I'M NOT ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THIS PROJECT. 
          HOWEVER, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS AS, AS THE OTHER GENTLEMEN AND A LITTLE BIT CONCERNING THAT WE'VE APPROVED $1.2 MILLION IN PROPERTY WITH NO PLAN. 
          THAT'S NOT GOOD FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. 
          UM, SO I UTILIZE FOUR, 10 AND FOUR 12 REBO ROAD AS A FRAMEWORK. 
          UM, TWO BUILDINGS ON A SINGLE LOT, EIGHT SINGLE BEDROOM APARTMENTS RENTED AT 8 25 BASED ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WORKFORCE PROSPECTS. 
          UH, MOTHER PROVIDE PERFORMED ANALYSIS AT THE MINIMUM COUNTY, CORRECT 15 BUILDINGS OR 60 APARTMENTS WITH AT LEAST 60 NEW VEHICLES FOR EACH OF THOSE RESIDENTS THAT WOULD INJECT 60 NEW VEHICLES INTO OUR SMALL COMMUNITY, WHICH TRAFFIC IS ALREADY A PROBLEM. 
          SO MY CONCERNS ARE FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER, UM, AND DOING THIS, I HAVE HEARD BEAVER COUNTY IS NOT THE FIRST ENTITY TO CONSIDER THIS PURCHASE. 
          AND CAN YOU CONFIRM THE BUFORD HOUSING BEAVER HOUSING AUTHORITY TURNED DOWN THIS PACKAGE AND WHY SHAKING, SORRY, WILL THE PROPERTY INVOLVED BE REZONED FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES PRIOR TO THE COUNTY PURCHASING PROPERTY? IF NOT, COULD THIS BE A CONTINGENCY PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE? OTHERWISE IT'S JUST LAND BEING PURCHASED FOR $1.2 MILLION THAT WE CAN DO NOTHING WITH. 
          UM, THE FOURTH ISSUE, WHICH I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY HERE IS HAVE THE PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE STUDIES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED WITH REGARDS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, TRAFFIC VOLUME AND IMPACT ROAD CONDITIONS, STRUCTURAL SOUNDNESS, AND WIDENING TO ACCOMMODATE INCREASED TRAFFIC, STORM, WATER, RUNOFF CAPABILITIES, SEWER CAPACITY, WATER CAPACITY, AS LONG AS ELECTRICAL AND FIBER OPTICS. 
          I UNDERSTAND THERE IS NO PLAN, BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD BE EVALUATED PRIOR TO FUNDING A PURCHASE OF THIS MAGNITUDE. 
          IN CLOSING PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY, I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE SIGNIFICANT TRANSPARENCY, PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE STUDIES, ZONING, VARIANCE APPROVAL, AND TIME FOR THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR TAXES ARE BEING PAID ON. 
          BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST ADMITTED OUR TAXES ARE GOING $1.2 MILLION OF PROPERTY, AND WE HAVE NO PLAN. 
          WE NEED MORE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR GOVERNMENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IN CLOSING, PLEASE CONSIDER SUSPENDING THE PURCHASE UNTIL LIST ITEMS LISTED ABOVE, HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND OR REVEALED PUBLICLY. 
          I WOULD ENJOY WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU, ALL OF YOU IN ACHIEVING THESE GOALS AND MOVING FORWARD. 
          BUT THIS IS JUST DONE BACKWARDS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THAT TAKES US TO THE NEXT ITEMS. I'VE ASKED COUNCIL WOMAN. 
          HOW WAS IT MR. CHAIRMAN? I'M LIKE, BUT IT MIGHT BE, MIGHT BE APROPOS TO INFORM EVERYBODY THAT THIS DECISION HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING AND THE PURCHASE HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH, UM, IT WAS NOT A UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          UH, YOU ALL SHOULD READ THE MINUTES OF LAST MEETING. 
          SEE THE DISCUSSION ON IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEAH, BRIAN IS CORRECT. 
          UH, WE DID MAKE THE DECISION AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING TO PURCHASE IT, BUT I THINK THE TRACK THAT WE'RE ON IS TO NOW FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST USE OF THAT PROPERTY. 
          AND THERE WERE GOOD REASONS FOR US TO, UH, TO PURCHASE IT. 
          BUT THANK YOU, BRIAN. 
          YOU'RE CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          LET'S CHAIRMAN. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO COMMENT ON IT. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT IN FACT, I'D PROBABLY REMISS AND MOVING TO THE NEXT ITEM. 
          SO YES, IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO SPEAK MORE THAN WELCOME TO THANK YOU. 
          LOGIN. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          UM, UH, A COUPLE THINGS ONE. 
          THANK YOU GUYS. 
          ALL FOR COMING OUT TODAY. 
          THIS WAS A GREAT TURNOUT. 
          UM, WE ALWAYS WANT TO FILL WHATEVER ROOM WE'RE IN, BECAUSE EVERYTHING ON HERE IS IMPORTANT. 
          EVERYTHING SHOULD HAVE AN INPUT. 
          UM, I DO FIND IT KIND OF IRONIC THAT THE SCHOOL BUDGET GOES ON THE SAME AGENDA AS THIS TCL PROPERTY. 
          UM, I WATCHED EVERYBODY CLAP IN THIS ROOM. 
          THE MOMENT WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RAISING WAGES FOR TEACHERS IN BUFORD COUNTY, AND THEN CLAP AT THE SAME TIME FOR A RUMOR OF, OF TYPE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NOT GOING THROUGH. 
          UM, I STRUGGLE WITH THAT MYSELF BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE CONTRADICTING FOR US IN PUPIL COUNTY AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE STRUGGLE WITH HERE ON OUR OWN COUNCIL THAT WE GO BACK AND FORTH ON. 
          UM, I AM A FORMER EDUCATOR IN BEAVER COUNTY, UM, AND I HAVE MY REASONS FOR LEAVING. 
          AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THAT LATER ON, BUT I WILL LET YOU GUYS KNOW. 
          UM, IF YOU HAVE WATCHED SOME OF THE MEETINGS, NOWHERE IN HERE, DID ANYBODY ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL TALK ABOUT SECTION EIGHT, HOUSE OR GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, OUR OPINION BEHIND THIS AND MINE SPECIFICALLY I'LL SPEAK ON MYSELF. 
          IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO. 
          AFTER THAT, I CAN SAY WAS, IF THIS PROPERTY WAS NOT TAKEN AND PURCHASED THROUGH 
          [00:55:01]
BUFORD COUNTY, IT GOES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR. 
          WHEN IT GOES TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR, WE HAVE NO SAY SO OF WHAT CAN BE BUILT THERE AFTER THAT, AS LONG AS IT MEETS THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO RIGHT NOW THE BALL IS IN THE COUNTY'S COURT AND WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC. 
          AND THAT'S WHY WE WERE ABLE TO GO FORWARD WITH A PURCHASE LIKE THIS AND HAVE THIS DIALOGUE WHERE IF SOMEBODY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WENT IN AND PAID TWO OR THREE TIMES, AS MUCH AS WE DID FOR THAT LAND DROVE UP YOUR COST OF LIVING AND COULD HAVE BUILT WHAT THEY SAW FIT THEMSELVES. 
          AND YOU WOULD HAVE HAD NO SAY SO IN THAT. 
          AND I CAN SPEAK WITH THAT WITH QUITE A BIT OF CONFIDENCE BECAUSE I REPRESENT BLUFFED IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND I HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD WOODBRIDGE, AND IT IS ONE OF THE HARDEST NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET OUT OF AND BEAVER COUNTY. 
          UM, THEY'RE RIGHT THERE ON BUCK WALTER. 
          THEY DO NOT QUALIFY FOR A LIGHT YET BECAUSE I HAVE NOT MET THE THRESHOLD FOR DLT UNTIL SOMETHING IN FRONT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD GETS BUILT. 
          UM, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CAME OUT IN ARMS WHEN SOMETHING IN FRONT OF THEM WAS PURCHASED. 
          UM, THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT. 
          IT WAS BEING DEVELOPED, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HAD A FOR SALE SIGN ON THERE FOR 22 YEARS, THEY WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. 
          RIGHTFULLY SO IT IS WHAT THEY'RE USED TO. 
          UM, AND I'M TOTALLY ON BOARD AND I, AND I SUPPORTED THEM AND HEARD THEM OUT AND HAD FOUR DIFFERENT PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH THEM AND ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE BUILDER IN TO MEET WITH THEM, TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN WHERE EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY WITH ONE OF THE DOWNFALLS WITH THAT. 
          NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THAT PROJECT'S NOT GOING THROUGH WHATSOEVER. 
          AND NOW IT'S GOING BACK TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR. 
          AND NOW THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT A STRIPS SHOPPING CENTER GOING IN THERE INSTEAD, WHICH IS WORSE THAN WHAT THEY WERE FIGHTING BEFORE. 
          SO THANKFULLY WITH THESE TCL PROPERTIES, NOW WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE THIS COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC TO FIGURE OUT THE RIGHT THING. 
          UM, I CAN TELL YOU MY GOAL BEHIND THIS PROPERTY, IF WE DID DECIDE TO GO FORWARD WITH SOME TYPE OF HOUSING IS NOT APARTMENTS, IT IS NOT RENTAL. 
          UM, WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT, UH, LET ME REPHRASE THAT. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY WHERE WE GET FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS AND WE'VE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT ARCHITECTS FOR OTHER PROJECTS BEFORE THESE ARE CHARLESTON STYLE HOMES, THE SAME ARCHITECTURE WE HAVE IN OLD TOWN BUFORD. 
          SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR NURSES, OUR DOCTORS, OUR TEACHERS, UM, THE PERSON THAT WORKS AT THE GROCERY STORE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, I I'M, I UNDERSTAND YOUR ARGUMENT FOR FARMLAND. 
          I LIVED RIGHT THERE IN BLUFFTON. 
          UM, WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING EVERYWHERE, BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM LIVING NEXT DOOR TO ANYBODY. 
          UM, AND I WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS DIALOGUE WITH EVERYONE AT THE MEETING IN JUNE, UH, OR THE MEETING, I BELIEVE IT'S NEXT THURSDAY. 
          I WILL BE THERE. 
          UM, SO WE CAN GET MORE IN DEPTH WITH THIS. 
          I WANT THIS OPEN, THIS COMMUNICATION TO BE OPEN AND BE POSITIVE AND SEE WHAT'S THE BEST OUTCOME FOR ALL OF YOU FOR COUNTY. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          I HAVE ONE COMMENT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, AND I TALKED TO SOME OF YOU BEFORE THE MEETING. 
          THIS IS IN DISTRICT FOUR. 
          I LOOK FORWARD TO THE MEETING ON JUNE 2ND. 
          I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS. 
          UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY IDEAS YOU MAY HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. 
          AND I HAVE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF OWN LEASE TO OWN OR, UH, PRIVATE OWNERSHIP. 
          FIRST TIME BUYERS BE PUT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL HAS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED A PLAN LIKE THAT FOR THEIR PEOPLE. 
          AND THIS MIGHT GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WE'RE OPEN OF COURSE, TO ALL THE IDEAS. 
          AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING IT. 
          I HEAR YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT I GO DOWN REBOUGHT ROAD AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A DAY, UM, AS WE ALL DO WHEN WE LIVE IN THAT AREA AND WE WILL END THE CITY OF BUFORD WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS OF COURSE, BECAUSE THIS IS IN THE CITY OF BUFORD. 
          THANK YOU, CHRIS. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          UH, QUICK QUESTION. 
          WHAT EXACTLY IS OUR ACTION ITEM AT COUNCIL FOR THIS ITEM TONIGHT? AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ONE. 
          WE BASICALLY, UH, INITIATED, APPROVE THE PURCHASE PURCHASE, BUT THEN THE REAL ACTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE WHEN WE START TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT OUGHT TO HAPPEN TO THIS, MY SAYING THAT CORRECTLY. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          IF THERE'S NO ACTION ITEM OR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR SOMETHING WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN ACTION. 
          YEAH, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST, UM, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET THE 15 DAY NOTICE PRIOR TO ACTION, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. 
          THAT IS SOMETHING NOT TYPICALLY WOULD NOT NORMALLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO, UH, IN THE FUTURE. 
          AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS, IF WE'RE PURCHASING PROPERTY OR DOING ANYTHING, UH, HAPPEN, UH, BEFORE THE FINAL VOTE, UH, ON ANY ITEM, THIS ONE IS JUST A LOT OF PROCESS AND IT'S JUST A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT. 
          SO NO ADDITIONAL ACTION IS NEEDED BY COUNCIL, OTHER THAN THE EDUCATION PROCESS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY MEETING AND TO KNOW FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE PLENTY, MORE OPPORTUNITY 
          [01:00:01]
FOR THEM TO HAVE INPUT ON THIS AS WILL THE COUNCIL, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROPERTY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, I WOULD SAY SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WHICH IS ALMOST FOUR YEARS AT THIS POINT, WE'VE NEVER DONE IT. 
          THAT IT'S UNFORTUNATE. 
          I AGREE AND BACKWARDS. 
          I AGREE. 
          AND THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IMPACTS COMMUNITY LIKE THIS, THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT BEFORE WE GO AHEAD WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT I VOTED, I AGREE. 
          I VOTED AGAINST IT THE WHOLE WAY. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS FOR NOW. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          YEAH. 
          I AGREE WITH YOU A COUNCIL MEMBER, BARBERSHOP, ANYBODY ELSE, COUNCIL ONLINE OR HERE NOT SEEING ANY, I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCILWOMAN HOWARD TO TAKE 
          [12. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE (CDC): SECTIONS IN DIVISION 3.2 (TRANSECT ZONES) AND SECTIONS IN DIVISION 3.3 (CONVENTIONAL ZONES) TO CORRECT AND CLARIFY PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN ZONING DISTRICTS AND THE PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENTS TABLE IN SECTION 5.5.40.B.]
          [13. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE (CDC): APPENDIX A.13.50.D (GUEST HOUSES) TO CLARIFY THE STANDARDS FOR MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENTS FOR GUEST HOUSES LOCATED IN THE MAY RIVER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION DISTRICT.]
          [14. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE (CDC): SECTION 6.1.40.G (BASE SITE AREA CALCULATIONS) TO CLARIFY THAT BOTH JURISDICTIONAL AND NON-JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS MUST BE SUBTRACTED FROM THE GROSS SITE AREA TO DETERMINE BASE SITE AREA FOR DEVELOPMENT.]
          [15. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE (CDC): SECTION 5.11.100.F.1 (TREE REMOVAL ON DEVELOPED PROPERTIES) TO CLOSE A LOOPHOLE WHICH ALLOWS SPECIMEN AND MITIGATION TREES TO BE REMOVED POST-CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.]
US THROUGH ITEMS 12 THROUGH 15. 
          THESE ARE ALL CALLED CAME OUT OF HER PUBLIC, UM, UH, HER, UH, NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, OR THEY CAME THROUGH COMMITTEE AND CAME THROUGH FIRST READING UNANIMOUSLY. 
          AND, UH, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE. 
          AND I THINK YOU HAVE SOME, ANOTHER COMMENT FROM ANOTHER ORGANIZATION I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THESE BRIEFLY AND WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE. 
          THEY SUBMITTED IN WRITING, UH, CONCERNING ALL FOUR. 
          UH, THE FIRST ONE, NUMBER 12 IS A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE CALLED THE CDC, UH, SECTIONS IN DIVISION 3.2 AND SECTIONS 3.3 CLARIFYING PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN ZONING DISTRICTS AND THE PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENTS SET IN SECTION 5.5 0.4 B OF A PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENTS. 
          NUMBER 13 IS A SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE CDC, UH, APPENDIX A POINT 13 POINT 50 POINT D GUEST HOUSES TO CLARIFY THE STANDARDS FOR MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENTS, SPECIFICALLY FOR GUESTS HOUSES LOCATED IN THE MAY RIVER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION DISTRICT THAT IS ONLY IN THE MAY RIVER COMMUNITY DISTRICT. 
          NUMBER 14 IS THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE, UH, REGARDING THE BASE SITE CALCULATIONS TO CLARIFY THAT BOTH JURISDICTIONAL AND NON-JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS MUST BE SUBTRACTED FROM THE GROSS SITE AREA TO DETERMINE THE BASE SITE AREA FOR DEVELOP FOR DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND THE LAST ONE IS THE SECOND READING OF AN IN PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE CDC SECTION FIVE POINT 11.1 HUNDRED POINT F 0.1 REGARDING TREE REMOVAL ON DEVELOPED PROPERTIES TO CLOSE A LOOPHOLE, WHICH ALLOWS SPECIMEN AND MITIGATION TREES TO BE REMOVED POST CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. 
          AND AS PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, I WILL READ THE COMMENTS FROM JESSIE WHITE, THAT SHE SENT IN. 
          THIS IS REGARDING ITEMS, PARTICULARLY 14 AND 15 CHAIRMAN PASSAVANT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF THE COASTAL CONSERVATION CONSERVATION LEAGUE. 
          IT IS MY PLEASURE TO SUBMIT COMMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED CDC TEXT AMENDMENT. 
          JUST TO CLARIFY THAT ALL WETLANDS MUST BE SUBTRACTED FROM THE DEVELOPABLE AREA OF A SITE TO STRENGTHEN BEAVER COUNTY'S TREE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS. 
          WE AGREE WITH PLANNING STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING BOTH TEXTS, AMENDMENTS, AND COMMEND STAFF FOR BRINGING THESE MATTERS FORWARD STRENGTHENING THE COUNTY'S NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION STANDARDS, PARTICULARLY PROTECTIONS FOR MATURE AND SPECIMEN. 
          TREES IN CONNECTION WITH DEVELOPMENT IS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED AS A STRATEGIC GOAL OF THE RECENTLY ADOPTED 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 
          TREES ARE BOTH AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND AN ECONOMIC RESOURCE CONTRIBUTING TO BUFORD COUNTY SENSE OF PLACE AND PERFORMING VALUABLE ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS THAT BENEFIT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, MATURE TREES EFFECTIVELY REDUCE SOLAR EROSION AND STORM WATER RUNOFF NATURALLY REMOVE POLLUTANTS FROM THE AIR AND WATER COUNTERACTING, THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT OF DEVELOPMENT AND LOWERING TEMPERATURES CONTRIBUTE TO THE CRITICAL WILDLIFE HABITAT AND DIVERSITY AND LEAD TO HIGHER PROPERTY VALUES AND QUALITY OF LIFE. 
          BEAVER COUNTY HAS HISTORICALLY SPEARHEADED EFFORTS TO CONSERVE ITS NATURAL RESOURCES. 
          THE PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE CDC FURTHER THE COUNTY STRONG TRACK RECORD AND WILL ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARDS ARE CONSISTENTLY AND UNIFORMLY APPLIED TO PRESERVE BUFORD COUNTIES, ECOSYSTEMS STRONG SENSE OF SPACE AND COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN LEADERSHIP RESPECTABLY, JESSE WHITE, SOUTH COAST OFFICE, DIRECTOR OF THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ALL FOUR OF THESE. 
          IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THE FOUR MS. HOWARD DESCRIBED SEEING NONE THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED AS THERE ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER ONE OF THESE SEPARATELY? UM, OTHERWISE I WOULD TAKE THE FOUR OF THEM TOGETHER. 
          I THINK WE HAD 
          [01:05:01]
SOME COMMENTS FROM ROB MERCHANT REGARDING THE TREE SPECIMEN PART OF IT, OR, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS? WE HAD QUESTIONS DURING THE NATURAL RESOURCE MEETING ABOUT IT VERBALLY WELCOME, ROB. 
          WELL, GOOD EVENING. 
          UM, AND I'LL BE BRIEF. 
          UM, ONE OF THE, ACTUALLY THE FOURTH ITEM THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED, UH, THE ACTUAL AMENDMENT THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD. 
          UM, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF TREE STANDARDS FOR, UM, INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS, UH, THEN WE DO FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEVELOPING PROPERTY. 
          SO IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND DEVELOPS A SUBDIVISION, WE HAVE STANDARDS FOR PRESERVING TREES ON THE SITE OR WHAT WE IDENTIFY AS SPECIMEN TREES. 
          BUT WHEN IT'S A HOMEOWNER WHO OWNS A PROPERTY AND WANTS TO TAKE A TREE DOWN THRESHOLD IS HIGHER, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE SIZE OF THE TREE. 
          AND THE IDEA IS NOT TO BECOME A BURDEN TO TWO PROPERTY OWNERS WHO MIGHT HAVE A HAZARD TREE ON THEIR PROPERTY, UM, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO SOMEBODY WHO'S DEVELOPING A PROPERTY. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE, THE AMENDMENT, UH, PERTAINS TO THESE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE FOR SPECIMEN TREES HAVE BEEN IN PLACE. 
          UM, PRETTY MUCH SINCE THE MID NINETIES. 
          SO WE'VE HAD THEM IN PLACE FOR, FOR 25 YEARS. 
          I THINK THE QUESTION WAS RAISED ABOUT, UH, PINE TREES, UH, SLASH PINE LOBLOLLY PINE. 
          WE DID SPEAK WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION, UH, ON THIS, UH, SPECIFICALLY FRANCIS WAIT, WHO IS AN URBAN COMMUNITY FORESTER BECAUSE THEY'RE DEALING WITH TREES IN DEVELOPED AREAS. 
          UM, AND THEY, THEY STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT WE CONTINUE TO PRESERVE, UH, LOBLOLLY PINES BECAUSE THEY'RE PART OF OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENTS. 
          THEY PROVIDE HABITAT FOR DIFFERENT SPECIES. 
          I WOULD SAY THAT THE, THE BALD EAGLE THAT WE HAVE OVER AT WHITE HALL, AND AT WHICH POINT THEY'RE BOTH NESTING IN LOBLOLLY PINES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY TALL TREES, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE A GOOD VANTAGE POINT FOR THEM. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S JUST, THEY'VE SENT A LETTER HERE THAT I CAN GIVE AS PART OF THE RECORD, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR INTO THE COMMENTS THAT, UM, JESSE WHITE MADE, BUT GIVEN THE EXPERTS ON MY STAFF, I HAVE AMANDA FLAKE HERE WHO IS OUR, UM, NATURAL RESOURCES PLANNER AND ALSO A CERTIFIED ARBORIST. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT TREE PRESERVATION, SHE COULD ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU. 
          BUT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS STAFF. 
          WE CERTAINLY DID NOT SEE A REASON TO CHANGE OUR DEFINITION FOR SPECIMEN TREE, BUT IF IT IS COUNCIL'S DESIRE TO DO SO, WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING FORWARD PROBABLY IN THE AUGUST TIMEFRAME WITH AN ADDITIONAL SET OF AMENDMENTS. 
          AND SO WE RECOMMEND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE, WE ADDRESS IT AT THAT TIME. 
          SO THANK YOU, ROB QUESTIONS FOR ROB OR AMANDA. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, I DO, UH, I JUST LIKE TO SEE A COPY OF THAT LETTER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, SHOULD I JUST PROVIDE THIS OR I COULD FORWARD IT TO YOU OR, YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN, I DO WANT TO MAKE A QUESTION. 
          MAYBE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HIM CORRECTLY. 
          ROBERT, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE STANDARD FOR LOBLOLLY LESS LITCHI IS LOBLOLLY PINES, AS AN EXAMPLE, ARE STRICTER FOR PRIVATE HOMEOWNER THAN THEY ARE FOR DEVELOPER? IS IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND? WELL, THE WAY IT GOES IS IF YOU ARE DEVELOPING A PROPERTY, THE SIZE THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD MAKE IT A SPECIMEN TREE IS 24 CALIBER INCHES. 
          THAT IF YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER AND YOU ARE WANTING TO GET A PERMIT TO REMOVE A TREE, OUR DEFINITION OF A GRAND TREE OR TREE THAT WOULD REQUIRE A PERMIT, IT WOULD NEED TO BE 36 INCH CALIPER. 
          SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A LARGER TREE TO, TO, UM, I GUESS BE PUT IN THAT SPECIAL CATEGORY OF, OF NEEDING TO BE PRESERVED. 
          SO WRITER'S ACTUALLY A LOWER STANDARD. 
          YES, IT'S, IT'S A HIGHER STANDARD AND IT'S A BIGGER TREE, BUT IT'S A LOWER STANDARD IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FEWER CASES WHERE SOMEBODY CAN HAVE A TREE THAT SIZE ON THEIR PROPERTY. 
          ANYBODY ELSE? DOES ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE ONE OF THESE ITEMS SEPARATELY SEEING NONE? YEAH. 
          I MEAN, I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR ADAPTION OF ITEMS, 12 TO 15. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND FROM CHRIS? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY OBJECTION SEEING NONE, THOSE FOUR ITEMS STAND APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION. 
          AND THESE WILL COME BACK PROBABLY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AT OUR NEXT MEETING. 
          THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 
          [16. FIRST READING 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]
NUMBER 16, WHICH IS OUR FIRST READING ON OUR BUDGET ORDINANCE, 
          [01:10:01]
UM, WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT. 
          AND IT'S, IT'S, WHITNEY'S COMING UP. 
          WE GO THROUGH A LONG PROCESS OF WORKSHOPS AND THEN FINANCE COMMITTEE. 
          AND THEN THAT BRINGS US HERE TO A FIRST READING OF THIS BUDGET, WHICH WILL SERVE US FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. 
          GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          YOU DO HAVE A FOUR YEAR RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT THAT CAME OUT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 22, 23 BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND, UM, AND ALL OTHER GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS THAT WE HAVE INCLUDING ENTERPRISE AS WELL. 
          UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR, THIS PART OF THE BUDGET BOOK THAT ENTAILS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN AS MR. GREENWAY ACKNOWLEDGED EARLIER, THERE ARE NUMEROUS FACILITIES ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT ARE IN DIRE NEED OF IMPROVEMENT. 
          SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS YEAR AS A SLIGHT REALLOCATION OF THE OPERATING MILLAGE OVER LAST YEAR, THE MILLAGE ITSELF DID NOT INCREASE NOR THAT IT DECREASED, BUT WE'VE SIMPLY REALLOCATED A PORTION FROM OPERATING OVER TO CAPITAL. 
          UM, HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT MODIFICATION AS THE BUDGET CAME RECOMMENDED FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT ACTUALLY RETURNED ABOUT $5,000 MORE TO A SURPLUS THIS YEAR. 
          IT WAS 1000 AT FI FINANCE COMMITTEE IS NOW A LITTLE OVER SIX. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE WOULD SIMPLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AT FIRST READING QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, SAME. 
          I DON'T LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AT FIRST, READING THAT MARK AND ALICE, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS IN COUNCIL SEEING NONE THIS STANDS APPROVED AT FIRST READING, UM, FOR THE COUNTY BUDGET AND ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS. 
          THANK YOU AS ALWAYS. 
          [17. FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE LEVY OF TAX FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2022 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2023, AND TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR SAID PURPOSES]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER 17, WHICH IS THE BUDGET FOR THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          AND IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE A TANYA CROSBY WITH US. 
          TELL US ALL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          YOU ALL ARE DOING WELL. 
          SO, UH, I WANTED TO MAKE A NOTE VERY QUICKLY THAT WE DO HAVE BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION THIS EVENING. 
          SO DR. 
          RODRIGUEZ SAYS AT NRF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE GRADUATION, AND WE HAVE A GRADUATION EVERY NIGHT, THIS WEEK. 
          SO INCLUDING SATURDAY. 
          SO WE'LL ALL BE VERY BUSY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS IN THE ROOM. 
          IF YOU WOULD RAISE YOUR HAND IF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE, SO GREAT CRAB THIS EVENING, I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE KNEW THAT, THAT WE APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT IN THIS BUDGET. 
          UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE COUNTY HAD HAD A SERIES OF MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS. 
          WE TOO, AT THE DISTRICT HAVE HAD A SERIES OF MEETINGS AND I HAVE DELVED INTO THIS BUDGET, UH, AND IT HAD, UH, A SERIES OF CHANGES, UH, AND BELT TIGHTENING AND THAT SORT OF THING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. 
          UH, AND LAST MEETING ON MONDAY WITH FINDING FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE PRESENTED, UM, SOME BASIC INFORMATION OVERVIEW TO PROVIDE, UH, WHAT OUR BUDGET IN TOTAL, SOME OF THE SUMMARIZED INFORMATION. 
          AND SO THIS EVENING, I'M JUST GOING TO HIT A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT ARE ENCLOSED IN THE HANDOUT THAT I PROVIDED. 
          AND JUST BASICALLY GIVE YOU A QUICK EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. 
          SO, UH, ON TUESDAY, MAY 17TH, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION UNANIMOUSLY CERTIFIED AND APPROVED THE FISCAL YEAR, 22, 23 GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AND THE AMOUNT OF 298.1 MILLION WITH, UH, OPERATIONS PROPOSED OPERATIONS MILL RATE OF 125.6 MILS, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF FOUR MILLS. 
          UH, THE MAXIMUM INCREASE. 
          I DIDN'T NOTE IT IN MY SUMMARY, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE MAXIMUM INCREASE THIS YEAR FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS 8.7 MILLS. 
          AND WE'RE PROPOSING AN INCREASE OF FOUR. 
          UH, WE ARE EXPECTING, UH, WANT TO PRESERVE SOME OF THAT MILLAGE FOR FUTURE YEARS. 
          WE'RE IN AN UNCERTAIN TIMES, ECONOMICALLY, A LOT OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED THAT THIS EVENING, AND WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE COVER, UH, AND ALLOW THE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY FOR THE BOARD GOING FORWARD IF NEEDED. 
          UM, THE SAME EVENING I DID WANT TO MENTION, UM, THAT THE, UH, BUDGET FOR THE DEBT SERVICE FUND WAS ALSO APPROVED AT 81.1 MILLION, UH, AND AT A RATE MILLAGE RATE OF 36.3 AND RESULTED IN NO INCREASE IN THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE. 
          SO THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN THAT MILLAGE RATE. 
          UM, SO JUST ONE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE AND DR. 
          RODRIGUEZ KEEPS REMINDING ME TO SAY 
          [01:15:01]
IT IS THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THIS TAX INCREASE IS GOING TO GO TO PAY FOR TEACHER SALARY INCREASES. 
          SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ABLE TO FUND ABOUT HALF OF THE TEACHER SALARY INCREASES THAT ARE ENCLOSED IN THIS BUDGET, AND WE DO NEED THE ADDITIONAL FOUR MILLS IN ORDER TO FUND THE REMAINING INCREASE. 
          AND THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IS THAT WE DID A COMPARISON AND WE DID SEE THAT THE BASE TEACHER SALARY OF THOSE, UM, THAT ARE COMPARED AT THE STATE LEVEL ARE, UH, WE WERE A RELATIVELY LOW IN THE LOWEST THIRD OF THE STATE IN THAT BASE TEACHER SALARY. 
          AND THOSE ARE PERMANENT WAGES. 
          SO WE'RE REALLY LOSING SOME GROUND, UM, BECAUSE OF JUST DOING THE MINIMUM OR WHAT'S MANDATED BY THE STATE AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES ARE ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN US JASPER AND ALLENDALE COUNTIES WERE ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN OUR BASE WAGE. 
          SO, UM, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE WHEN I SAY BASE WAGE THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT. 
          SO THAT MEANS, UM, SO THIS YEAR THERE ARE SOME EFFORTS TO MOVE HALF OF THAT LOCALITY INTO THE PERMANENT WAGES AND MAKE THEM SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT, WHICH WE'RE DOING. 
          UM, SO THAT WILL HELP TO, UM, BOOST OUR, UM, BOOST OUR BASE SALARY. 
          AND OUR GOAL IS TO ACTUALLY BE FIRST, IF NOT, UM, OR CLOSE TO FIRST IN TERMS OF THE BASE TEACHER SALARY IN STATE. 
          AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WHEN A TEACHER IS HIRED, UH, RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE, UM, THEY OFTEN ARE LOOKING AT THAT BASE MINIMUM SALARY TO SEE WHO IS THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE, WHO, WHO, IF I'M GOING TO COLLEGE IN THE UPSTATE, DO I WANT TO STAY THERE AND RELOCATE BECAUSE GREENVILLE'S THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE? WELL, NOW WE WON'T BE FOR IT TO BE HIGHEST IN THE STATE. 
          WE'RE COMPETING WITH OUR NEIGHBORING GEORGIA, UH, RIGHT ACROSS THE BORDER AND CHATHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS AND THEIR MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY IS 44,500. 
          SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO GET IN THE $45,500 RANGE FOR BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOLS. 
          UH, IN ADDITION, IT'S NOT JUST THE TEACHERS THAT HOLD THINGS TOGETHER AND MAKE ALL OF THE EFFORTS IN OUR SCHOOLS, IT'S CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL. 
          AND SO THERE ARE, UM, OUR PERCENTAGE INCREASES COST OF LIVING INCREASES ALLOCATED IN THIS BUDGET FOR THEM AS WELL. 
          AND IN ADDITION TO A SALARY STUDY, THAT'S ALREADY UNDERWAY AND WILL BE REPORTED OUT TO THE BOARD IN, IN THE SUMMER. 
          SO, UM, TO THERE ARE FUNDS ALLOCATED IN THIS BUDGET FOR THAT. 
          AND, UM, THERE WAS ONE QUESTION IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE MILL VALUE, UM, AND MR. LAWSON, I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED IT, UH, AND YOU LOOKED A LITTLE PERPLEXED WHEN I, WHEN I ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF, UH, THE VALUE OF THE MALWARE, INCLUDING IS 1,418,000. 
          AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COUNTIES AND ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES OPERATIONS MILLWRIGHTS ARE MILL VALUES AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND JUST, I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, BUT AS A REMINDER, SCHOOL OPERATIONS TAXES ARE EXEMPT FROM, UM, FROM OUR PRIMARY HOMES IN SOUTH CAROLINA DUE TO ACT 3 88. 
          SO THAT'S A UNIQUE LAW THAT, UH, IS UNIQUE TO SOUTH CAROLINA FROM OTHER STATES. 
          AND IT REALLY, IT BENEFITS PRIMARY HOMES IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT IT DOES PUT A LARGE AMOUNT, A LARGE AMOUNT OF THE TAX BURDEN ON OUR 6% OR NON OWNER, OCCUPIED RESIDENCES AND OUR BUSINESS BUSINESSES AS WELL. 
          SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT. 
          SO I THINK, UH, OUR SPEAKERS THERE'S TOUCHED MOSTLY, UH, A LOT ON THE COST OF LIVING ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING. 
          SO I WON'T REITERATE THAT THE SNEEZING. 
          UM, AND, UH, SO AT THIS POINT I WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. 
          YOU MAY HAVE COMMENTS FOR TIME, CHRIS, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, A COMMENT AND TWO QUESTIONS, I GUESS. 
          SO THE COMMENT WOULD BE, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT THE TOTAL INCREASE IS GOING TO GO TO THE TEACHERS. 
          I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT SHOULD GO. 
          AND I THINK THAT THAT'S GREAT. 
          UH, MY FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE, AGAIN, IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FIRST IN THE STATE OR ARE CLOSE THE FIRST IN THE STATE, BUT AT 45,000, ISN'T GOING TO BE ENOUGH. 
          AND IF NOT, WHAT ARE THE PLANS TO BE IN THE FUTURE TO ADDRESS THAT? AND THEN NUMBER TWO, WHICH MAY BE A SILLY QUESTION, BUT I'M JUST SITTING HERE WONDERING ABOUT IT WITH ALL THE TALK OF THE COUNTY, GETTING INVOLVED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HAS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSIDERED GETTING INVOLVED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, OR DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO, AND I JUST HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, RIGHT? SO THE FIRST QUESTION WAS, IS IT ENOUGH, IS IT ENOUGH MONEY? IS IT ENOUGH, UH, OF THE TOTAL PACKAGE TO KEEP THEM HERE? I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF BOTH OF THOSE. 
          SO WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON OTHER COUNTIES, OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE. 
          AND WE KNOW THAT, UH, FOR THE MOST PART, ACTUALLY A SURVEY WENT OUT OF THE SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS TODAY, BUT I DON'T HAVE YET HAD THE RESULTS, BUT WE DID A INFORMAL SURVEY OF OUR OWN. 
          AND GREENVILLE IS ACTUALLY MOVING UP $2,000 TO 44,500. 
          UH, AND THEY'RE NUMBER ONE CURRENTLY. 
          SO FORT MILL, WHO'S JUST BEHIND THEM IS MOVING OUT $2,000 AS WELL. 
          UH, AND SO THEY ARE PROBABLY 
          [01:20:01]
GOING TO BE JUST, JUST SLIGHTLY BEHIND. 
          SO MOST OF OUR, UM, MOST OF THOSE IN THE TOP RANKING ARE 2000, BUT I CAN ENSURE THAT WE WILL, NOT THAT WE WILL, I CAN ENSURE THAT WILL BE NUMBER ONE, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE'LL BE IN THE TOP FIVE AT LEAST. 
          SO IT'S A MOVING TARGET THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MEET, BUT, UH, WE WOULD TRY TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE SURE WE GET IN THE RUNNING, UH, GET IN THE GAME WITH THE TOP, UH, TOP SALARIES IN STATE, AS FAR AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          UH, WE HAVE HAD A FEW OPPORTUNITIES OVER THE YEARS TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS. 
          UM, AND SO IT IT'S A DIFFICULT DISCUSSION BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO COME OUT AND LIVE IN AN APARTMENT AND SHARE AND HAVE ROOMMATES. 
          THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO OWN THEIR OWN HOMES AND THAT SORT OF THING, UH, AND HAVE FAMILIES AND YARDS AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE, THEY'VE LIVED THE COLLEGE LIFE IS AS MANY OF YOU HAVE AS WELL. 
          UM, SO THAT'S A TOUGH, THAT'S A TOUGH ISSUE AND WE'RE NOT TECHNICALLY EXPERTS IN THE, IN THE FIELD OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR DEVELOPMENT. 
          SO THAT'S SORT OF OUT OF OUR ELEMENT. 
          AND SO, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A SPEAKER AT A BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK THAT HAD OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISCOUNTS OF MORTGAGES OR, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH US ON PARTNERSHIP. 
          UH, WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, SOMETHING SIMILAR THAT CAME UP THIS WEEK AS WELL. 
          SO, UM, I WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE NOT ACTIVELY PURSUING LAND OR BUILDING BUILDINGS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT, WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATING STUDENTS AND NOT NECESSARILY BUILDING, UM, UH, DWELLINGS. 
          SO, UM, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE A PARTNER IN ANY DISCUSSIONS THAT MAY HAVE. 
          AND I KNOW THAT, UH, I HAVE JILL MCCADDEN HERE, OUR DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING, AND I GO TO HER ALL THE TIME WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT HOUSING AND, AND VARIOUS THINGS. 
          AND SHE'LL SURVEY TEACHERS AND SEE WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE YOU'RE INTERESTED IN? ARE YOU, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT THINGS MIGHT WORK FOR TEACHERS, NEW TEACHERS COMING OUT OF, OUT JUST OUT OF SCHOOL. 
          SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE A PARTNER WITH THAT AS WELL. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, YOUR, UM, LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. 
          UM, YOU DID SAY THAT, UM, THE BONUSES THAT IS APPROPRIATED HERE FROM COUNCIL IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BASE AND YOU'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE PART OF THAT INTO THE BASE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          AND YOU ARE CURRENTLY MARKETING YOUR BASE ON WHAT YOU YOU'RE MAKING, BUT AS A TEACHER COMING IN, DO THEY KNOW ABOUT THE BONUSES? YES, SIR. 
          YES, THEY DO. 
          IT IS LISTED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE BELOW THE LINE, BUT THE S THE SCHEDULE THAT'S POSTED ONLINE IS THAT OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SEX SCHEDULE. 
          SO WE DO MENTION IT, UH, IT IS PAID IN TWO INSTALLMENTS. 
          IT'S NOT PART OF THEIR TAKE-HOME PAY ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT WE DO INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE PACKAGE. 
          SURE. 
          AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, THE BASE TEACHER'S SALARY, IF YOU ADD THE BONUSES TO IT, ARE WE THAT KNOW BEHIND ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS? UM, NO, WE'RE IN THE 30, $42,000 RANGE AT THAT POINT. 
          SO, UM, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GET IS THE TOTAL PACKAGE TO BE, UH, OF THE BASE SALARIES TO BE ABOVE, ABOVE, OR ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE. 
          SO WE ARE COMPETITIVE, BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE NOT PERMANENT WAGES, NOT SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT, AND THEY CANNOT CONTROL THEM ON A BI-WEEKLY BASIS. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING EFFORTS TO MOVE THOSE AND TO, UM, MAKE INTO THE BASE WAGE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING CREDIT, GIVING CREDIT FOR THE TEACHERS AND ALLOWING THEM TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT SAVINGS AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR. 
          I WOULDN'T, YOU I'M NOT, UH, INCLUDE ALL OF IT IN THE BASE. 
          WHAT'S THE REASON BEHIND THAT, I GUESS THE RATIONALE, INCLUDING ALL OF IT IN THE BASE. 
          WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE, THE BASE HAS BEEN, OR EXCUSE ME, THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. 
          SO THERE IS, UH, AN EXPECTATION OF A PAYMENT OF, AT A CERTAIN POINTS IN THE YEAR. 
          AND SO, UH, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF IT MOVING AND HAVING, UH, NOT HAVING THAT CONTINUATION OF THAT PAYMENT IN THE YEARS, IN THE MONTHS IN WHICH, UH, THEY MOST NEEDED, PERHAPS IT CHRISTMAS TIME AND THAT SORT OF THING, THE IDEA WAS TO MOVE A PORTION OF IT THIS YEAR. 
          AND THERE WOULD BE CONSIDERATION FOR MOVING THE REMAINDER OF IT IN THE FUTURE IN FUTURE YEARS. 
          WHAT PERCENTAGES ARE YOU PROPOSING? MOVE? WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, ANY PARTICULAR PLANS SET IN PLACE FOR THAT. 
          UM, FOR IT DEPENDS ON THE, UH, IT IS A COST TO THE DISTRICT OF ABOUT 23% OF THE AMOUNT. 
          SO FOR THIS YEAR, IT COSTS A MILLION DOLLARS IN RETIREMENT MATCH IN ORDER TO MOVE THOSE FUNDS INTO THE BASE. 
          SO IT'S A FRIEND'S BENEFIT 
          [01:25:01]
ISSUE FOR YOU. 
          YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I HAD A QUESTION THAT I ASKED ON THE FINANCE MEETING, BUT I WANT TO, I'D LIKE FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR IT AGAIN. 
          WHAT'S YOUR DEFICIT OF TEACHERS EVERY YEAR. 
          AND HOW MANY HAVE YOU HIRED TODAY? AND WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT DO YOU STILL NEED? I'M GOING TO ASK JOE MCCADDEN TO COME UP. 
          SHE'S MUCH BETTER AT THIS THAN I AM. 
          SO I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO HER. 
          THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION. 
          I'M HERE TO RECREATE TONIGHT TEACHERS. 
          UM, TODAY, UH, THIS IS A FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT THREE 30. 
          WE HAVE HIRE 213 TEACHERS. 
          UM, AS A FRIDAY, AGAIN, WE HAVE 159 TO HIRE. 
          SO AS IT STANDS, OUR TEACHERS REPORT TO WORK AUGUST THE EIGHTH, WE ARE MISSING 48 MIDDLE-SCHOOL TEACHERS, 36 HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, 26 SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND 49 ELEMENTARY TEACHERS. 
          AND YOU USUALLY NEED 300 A YEAR, RIGHT? AND WE'RE SITTING AT ABOUT 400 RIGHT NOW. 
          AND THAT'S RIGHT NOW, JUST, I MEAN, TODAY WE HAD THREES WERE REP THREE RESIGNATIONS TODAY. 
          THEY'RE NOT IN THIS REPORT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MARK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GIVEN THE NUMBER OF TISSUES THAT YOU HAVE HIRED AND THOSE THAT YOU FIND THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THAT, THE HIRING PROCESS, WHEN YOU BRING THOSE NEW TEACHERS ON HELP, HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE TIMEFRAME WHEN YOU BRING THOSE NEW TEACHERS ON, UM, REALIZING THE COST OF LIVING IS, UH, IS A DISADVANTAGE FOR THEM THAT ACTUALLY DRIVES IN A WAY, AND YOU LOSE THEM LOOKING AT THE TREND. 
          IS IT, DO WE LOSE THEM IN THE FIRST MONTH, THE SECOND MONTH, FIRST QUARTER, THIRD QUARTER. 
          EXCELLENT QUESTION. 
          WE'RE ALL OVER THE BOARD WITH THIS. 
          UM, THE THREE THAT WE LOST TODAY, WE'RE DOWN HERE THIS WEEKEND, TRYING TO FIND AN APARTMENT. 
          UM, THE THREE THAT WE LOST TODAY CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. 
          UM, THE, WHILE THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THE ROOMMATE SITUATION AS WE JUST DISCUSSED EARLIER. 
          UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 42 NEW TEACHERS THAT ARE ALREADY HIRED THAT HAVE DETERMINED. 
          THEY CANNOT LIVE ON THEIR OWN AND THEY'RE WILLING TO MEET. 
          LET'S JUST SAY ANOTHER TEACHER WHO COULD BE A TOTAL STRANGER TO BE A ROOMMATE, TWO BEDROOM, TWO BATHROOM. 
          I'M NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF MATCHING PEOPLE UP. 
          UM, BUT I DO KEEP A LIST WITH THEIR PERMISSION. 
          SOMETIMES THIS WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. 
          UM, BUT I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, MARK. 
          UM, YES. 
          UM, AND MS. CROSBY, THANK YOU FOR COMING. 
          I'M SURE DR. 
          RODRIGUEZ HOPES THAT HE HAS A GRADUATION EVERY TIME, SO YOU CAN COME SUCH A GREAT JOB. 
          WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING. 
          UM, AND LET ME JUST SAY, MAKE A COMMENT FIRST THAT YOU POINTED OUT THAT I LIVED, I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 32 YEARS NOW. 
          IT TOOK ME 20 YEARS TO REALIZE THAT AS A HOMEOWNER, NONE OF MY TAXES WENT TO PAY FOR THE SCHOOL. 
          AND PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THAT ACTUALLY IT IS ONLY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES OR VACATION HOMES. 
          SECOND HOME PEOPLE IS WHERE WE COLLECT TAXES TO PAY FOR SCHOOL. 
          SO IF YOU'RE SITTING THERE THINKING THAT I OWN A HOME AND MY TAX IS GOING TO PAY FOR SCHOOL, IT DOESN'T. 
          AND THAT GOES BACK TO, UH, UM, ACT 3 88, WHICH AGAIN HAS A WHOLE OTHER EXPLANATION TO IT. 
          BUT, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WILL SUPPORT YOUR REQUEST TONIGHT. 
          UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, HOWEVER, I'M GOING BACK THROUGH WHAT YOU PRESENTED TO US. 
          UM, AND I THINK IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO. 
          UH, THE FIRST TIME I WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE BUDGET PROCESS, YOUR SURPLUS RESERVES, WHICH WAS IT ABOUT $15 MILLION. 
          AND SO HERE WE ARE TWO YEARS LATER. 
          WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT SURPLUS AND RESERVE? UM, FROM THE PAST TWO YEARS SINCE THAT TIME, I THINK I'VE PROVIDED, I PROVIDED A PAGE IN THE HANDOUT FOR YOU. 
          YES, THERE IT IS. 
          UM, AND SO AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 21, WHICH IS THE LAST COMPLETED SCHOOL YEAR, UH, OUR SURPLUS WAS $50 MILLION. 
          UM, THAT WAS AS A RESULT DURING THE PANDEMIC, THERE WAS A SHUTDOWN. 
          AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THERE WAS A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SAVINGS IN SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, UM, IN TRAVEL AND SO ON. 
          SO THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE IN THAT YEAR. 
          UH, WE DO EXPECT IT TO GO UP SLIGHTLY THIS YEAR. 
          UH, OUR REVENUES 
          [01:30:01]
ARE COMING IN HIGHER THAN EXPECTED. 
          AND SO WE DO EXPECT TO BE IN THE THREE TO $4 MILLION INCREASE THIS YEAR, UM, AS, AS PROJECTED CURRENTLY. 
          SO OUR BOARD HAS ESTABLISHED A FUND BALANCE IN THE 15 TO 17% RANGE, UM, THAT WILL TAKE US, UH, THE LATEST PROJECTION WILL TAKE US TO 18%. 
          UM, BUT IT COMES BACK DOWN IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS THE BUDGET GROWS, THE PERCENTAGES ARE LOWER. 
          SO WE'RE PROJECTING TO BE IN THE $54 MILLION RANGE. 
          UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, SO WE'RE BACK INTO THE CLOSER TO THE 17% RANGE. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT TODAY ACTUALLY I RECEIVED A RATING, A BOND RATING FROM OUR RATING AGENCY STANDARD AND POOR'S, AND THEY ARE, IT APPEARS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HOLD US AT OUR AA RATING. 
          AND THE REASONING FOR THAT, ONE OF THE REASONINGS FOR THAT IS THE STABLE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE SCHOOL, OF THE SCHOOL BUDGET AND THE SCHOOL POSITION. 
          SO, UH, AND SO THEY ARE LOOKING TO SEE THAT STABLE AND NOT TO DECLINE, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR ANY RECURRING COSTS THAT WOULD BE ONGOING INTO FUTURE YEARS. 
          SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT THAT WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY IN A COASTAL COUNTY. 
          WE NEED TO KEEP RESERVES ON HAND IN CASE OF ANY PARTICULAR EVENT THAT WOULD CAUSE AN EXPENDITURE IN THE MONTHS OF AS PREDICTOR, PARTICULARLY IN THE FALL MONTHS WHEN OUR CASH RESERVES ARE IN THE LOWEST. 
          UH, IT ALSO, UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD ACTUALLY HAS A POLICY AS WELL TO KEEP A MINIMUM FUND BALANCE THAT PREVENTS US FROM NEEDING A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE, WHICH IS A BORROWING WE MADE ANNUALLY JUST TO MAKE PAYROLL IN THE FALL. 
          SO AT JUNE, THESE ARE BALANCES AT JUNE 30, BUT WE GET BASICALLY NO TAX REVENUES BETWEEN JUNE 30TH AND JANUARY ONE. 
          UM, THOSE ALL COME IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY. 
          SO WE NEED TO HAVE, MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH RESERVES ON HAND IN THE FALL MONTHS IN PARTICULAR, WHICH ARE HURRICANE SEASON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COVER PAYROLL AND TO PAY THE OPERATIONAL COSTS. 
          GOOD. 
          AND I DIDN'T MEAN THAT AS A GOTCHA QUESTION. 
          UM, AND ARPA FUNDS IS THAT ARE THOSE KEPT SEPARATE AND HOW MUCH, WHAT ARE YOUR ARPA FUNDS RIGHT NOW THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN? SURE, YES. 
          UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED FOUR ROUNDS OF ARPA FUNDS. 
          I DID ANTICIPATE THIS QUESTION. 
          SO I HAVE A SUMMARY IN FRONT OF ME, A TOTAL OF OVER $82 MILLION IS THE TOTAL ALLOCATIONS EXPENDITURES THROUGH APRIL WAS 27 MILLION, ABOUT 33%. 
          WE WERE ALLOCATED THOSE TWO OF THOSE, THE LARGEST TWO POTS ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, OR NOT TODAY, BUT THIS MONTH. 
          UM, AND SO WE DO EXPECT THROUGH DECEMBER BECAUSE A LARGE AMOUNT OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOTED ARE COMMITTED IN THOSE ARPA FUNDS ARE FOR SUMMER PROJECTS. 
          SO WE HAVE SUMMER SCHOOLS, SUMMER READING PROGRAM. 
          UH, WE HAVE OUR HPAC REPLACEMENTS TO IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY. 
          SO A LOT OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE GOING ON AT THAT TIME. 
          AND IN ADDITION, THE BOARD HAS APPROVED A COUPLE OF ROUNDS OF RECRUITING AND RETENTION BONUSES, AND THEN OUR DUAL MODALITY BONUSES AS WELL, WHICH HAVE NOT YET BEEN PAID OUT AND WILL BE PAID OUT BEFORE THE END OF JUNE. 
          SO WE EXPECT TO BE AT 59% BY DECEMBER OF SPENDING. 
          AND WE HAVE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 20, 23 TO EXPEND OR TWO, AND THEN SEPTEMBER, 2024. 
          SO WE HAVE ABOUT TWO, TWO AND A HALF MORE YEARS. 
          GREAT. 
          THOSE ARE JUST THINGS I SAW THAT WERE MISSING IN YOUR, UH, IN YOUR, UM, UH, PERFORMING HAD THERE. 
          SO THANK YOU AGAIN, AGAIN, I AM IN COMPLETE SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT YOUR REQUEST IS. 
          YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU, LOGAN. 
          I NEED SOMETHING TO SAY. 
          UM, I DO WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT THIS, UM, CAME BACK THE WAY THEY'D JUST FOR THE TEACHERS. 
          THIS WAS THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAD WITH THE LAST INCREASE OF 20 MILLION LAST YEAR. 
          AND I THINK THIS ONE IS 24 MILLION. 
          YES, 24, JUST SHY OF 24 MILLION. 
          UH, THAT W THAT WAS THE BIGGEST DISAGREEMENT. 
          UM, I HAD WITH IT BEFORE WAS HOW MUCH OF IT DID NOT GO TO THE TEACHERS BASED ON THE INCREASE WE HAD WHEN OUR SCHOOL ENROLLMENT DID NOT RISE. 
          UM, LAST TIME I CHECKED, WE FINALLY JUST GOT BACK TO PRE COVID LEVELS OF ENROLLMENT. 
          UM, AND OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS WAITING LISTS ARE, IS HIGHER THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN. 
          UM, WHICH I ALSO SAW YOU PUT, I THINK 2.3 MILLION FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS AS WELL, WHICH I THINK IS FANTASTIC. 
          UM, I STRUGGLE WITH THIS A LITTLE BIT YET, EVEN STILL, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ADVERTISING TO TEACHERS THAT 
          [01:35:01]
THIS INCREASE IS GOING THROUGH AND THAT'S KNOWN BECAUSE TEACHERS ARE HERE IN THE ROOM. 
          UM, I'VE HAD OTHER TEACHERS TALK TO ME AS WELL, THAT THIS WAS WHAT'S COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE, AS WELL AS THE INTENTION OF BEAVER COUNTY, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. 
          UM, BUT EVEN WITH THAT, WE STILL HAVE AS MANY OPENINGS AS WE DO. 
          UM, I WENT ON RECORD SAYING LAST ACTUALLY, JILL'S THE ONE THAT HIRED ME WHEN I STARTED WORKING AT BEAVER COUNTY AND MY OLD BOSSES, EVEN IN THE ROOM, UM, W WITH THAT SAID, MY, MY BIGGEST ISSUE, I'VE HOPE THAT WE CAN TACKLE TOGETHER OR FIGURE OUT A WAY. 
          AND I, AND I ASKED TO SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A PLAN TO WORK TOGETHER BEFORE. 
          UM, AND I'M HOPING THIS YEAR WE CAN DO IT IS WHERE CAN WE CHECK THE MORALE OF THESE SCHOOLS FOR OUR TEACHERS. 
          UM, AND I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE SURVEYS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU CAN GIVE A FIVE QUESTION SURVEY AND THREE OUT OF THE FIVE BE TAKEN POSITIVE AND TO BE NEGATIVE. 
          AND, UM, SOMETIMES I, I GET CRAZY LOOKS FROM TEACHERS. 
          UM, I I'VE BEEN IN THOSE SHOES. 
          I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GET YOUR PLANNING PERIOD TAKEN EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE STAYING AFTER HOURS FOR A MEETING EVERY OTHER MONDAY FOR A STAFF MEETING, UM, I'VE KNOWN WHAT IT'S LIKE GOING TO A MEETING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN EMAIL. 
          UM, I, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE GETTING PULLED FROM A CLASSROOM EVERY OTHER WEEK FOR AN IEP MEETING. 
          UM, AND THESE THINGS HAPPEN. 
          SO I'M, I'M ALL FOR SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE RAISE FOR THE TEACHERS. 
          AND I THINK IT'S A START, BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT WHICH SCHOOLS WE'RE HAVING THE BIGGEST AVAILABILITY IN HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THIS SCHOOL AND THAT SCHOOL, AND WHAT'S THE REASONING FOR IT. 
          AND THEN WHICH SCHOOLS ARE HAVING THE BEST RETENTION RATE. 
          AND I THINK WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT THOSE SCHOOLS TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, HOW THEY'RE SUPPORTING THEIR TEACHERS, HOW THEY'RE SUPPORTING THEIR STUDENTS. 
          SO WE CAN RETAIN THOSE TEACHERS BECAUSE YOU SAID SO YOURSELF, AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE AROUND HERE IN THE ROOM, THE MONEY IS NOT JUST GOING TO FIX A PROBLEM. 
          JASPER PAYS MORE PER CAPITA PER KID THAN WE DO. 
          AND WE HAVE A BETTER SCHOOL DISTRICT THAN JASPER COUNTY. 
          UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT MOVE TO BUFORD COUNTY JUST SO THEY CAN PUT THEIR KIDS IN THE SCHOOL. 
          LET'S BE REAL. 
          WE HAVE KIDS, THAT'LL PEOPLE THAT WILL FAKE THEIR ADDRESS IN BEAVER COUNTY. 
          SO THEIR KIDS CAN GO TO SCHOOL AND BE FREE COUNTY. 
          UM, AND THESE ARE REALITIES. 
          I DO THINK WE NEED TO RAISE, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THAT MORALE INSIDE OUR SCHOOLS. 
          AND I PUT THAT INVITATION OUT AGAIN TO YOU GUYS, AS WELL AS THE OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. 
          HOW CAN WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO SUPPORT THESE TEACHERS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS? SO THEY DON'T GO HOME WANTING TO QUIT THEIR JOBS. 
          UM, AND I'VE BEEN THERE. 
          I LEFT TEACHING AND I, I CAN TELL YOU IT WASN'T THE SALARY. 
          UM, AND I HAD A GREAT, I HAD A GREAT ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE REST OF THE STUFF TOOK ITS TOLL. 
          AND I, I LITERALLY TOOK A PAY CUT TO LEAVE. 
          UM, AND SO I JUST, AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEM ANYMORE. 
          I'M NOT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT I HOPE THAT QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED FOR THOSE TEACHERS IN ACTUAL CONFIDENTIALITY, UM, WITH THOSE SURVEYS. 
          UM, AND I KNOW WE SAY, THEY'RE, THEY COME CONFIDENTIAL, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT SOMEONE WILL CLICK. 
          YES, YES, YES, YES. 
          ALL ACROSS THE BOARD JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T GET BLACKLISTED IN THEIR TRANSFER TO ANOTHER SCHOOL. 
          AND IT'S A REALITY IN THIS JOB, IN EVERY JOB. 
          AND BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO CREATE WAVES, THEY JUST WANT TO START FRESH SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          UM, SO I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THAT. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO ABOUT IT, BUT I AM COMPLETELY OPEN WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND YOU GUYS AS WELL TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN RECTIFY THAT TO BOOST THE MORALE INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF COVID. 
          UM, SO I, I WILL SUPPORT YOU TODAY ON THAT. 
          I DO HAVE QUESTIONS LATER ON, BUT I WANNA, I WANT TO DIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DEEP INTO THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS ABOUT WHICH MONEY MOVE, WHERE THAT WASN'T SPENT, UM, FUN BALANCE AS WELL. 
          I'M, I'M, I'M SURE EVERY BUSINESS DOES IT. 
          WE HAD 5 MILLION LEFT, LET'S PUT IT TOWARDS THIS AND WE WON'T PUT IT IN THE FUND BALANCE, BUT WE'LL JUST REDIRECT IT BECAUSE TECHNICALLY WE JUST APPROVE A BUDGET. 
          THAT'S A DOLLAR AMOUNT. 
          YOU CAN USE THAT MONEY, HOWEVER YOU SEE FIT. 
          UM, WITH THAT, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION TODAY. 
          I KNOW I WANTED TO ASK, I BELIEVE IN THE LAST RAISE FOR THE 20 MILLION, YOU GUYS ADVOCATED FOR 13 NEW POSITIONS ON THAT BUDGET. 
          AND I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE 30 NEW POSITIONS DID ACTUALLY GET FILLED, WHERE THEY, WHICH POSITIONS IN PARTICULAR, WHERE ARE YOU REFERRING, UM, AND YOUR BUDGET, YOU ASKED FOR FUNDING FOR 13 NEW SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. 
          AND I BELIEVE WE ACTUALLY ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD BE. 
          AND YOU SAID IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM A READING COACH TO A TEACHER. 
          UM, IT WOULD DEPEND HOW THE YEAR GOES ON, WHERE THOSE FUNDS NEEDED TO GO FOR WHICH SPECIFIC TEACHER. 
          AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS, CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SHORTAGES ALREADY. 
          HOW MANY OF THOSE 13 POSITIONS ACTUALLY GOT FILLED FOR? WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC, QUICK RESPONSE READY FOR THE SAME THING, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY GO BACK. 
          I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT INTERVENTIONISTS IN, IN POSITIONS. 
          UM, AND SO WE HAD 15, UH, SPECIFIC, UH, INTERVENTION TEACHERS, UH, THAT WERE SLIGHTED AND THE EXACT NUMBER THAT ARE FILLED. 
          I I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND BRING THAT BACK 
          [01:40:01]
INFORMATION TO YOU. 
          SO, AND I'M HAPPY TO, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ANY, ANY COUNCIL MEMBER, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY IN ADVANCE SO I CAN PREPARE THEM FOR THE NEXT TIME OR SEND THEM BACK TO YOU IN ADVANCE AS WELL. 
          SO, UM, BUT WHAT WILL, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN FILLED AND THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ENSURED THAT ANY, THAT HADN'T BEEN ALLOCATED WERE REDIRECTED TO A SCHOOL THAT WAS REQUESTING OR NEEDING THEM IN. 
          AND WE CAN SHOW YOU A LISTING OF THE INTERVENTIONISTS THAT WE DO HAVE ACROSS THE DISTRICT AS WELL. 
          SO I'D VENTURE TO SAY THAT EVERY ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL HAVE INTERVENTIONISTS, UH, AT THE LEAST, BUT WE CAN SHOW YOU SOME NUMBERS BEHIND THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, PAUL OR BRIAN, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY. 
          NOT SEEING ANY, UM, YES, SURE. 
          ONE LAST QUESTION. 
          UM, I SEE IN YOUR PROPOSAL, YOU MOVING FROM 25 STEPS TO 26. 
          UM, HOW MANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, REALLY HAVE 25 OR 26 STEPS IN THE SALARY SCHEME, PAYSCALE AND, UM, IS YOUR STRATEGY TO USE, TO, UM, GET TO, UH, THE ALTARS SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE AND STEPS. 
          WHAT IS THAT THE GOAL IS FOR NOW? UH, INTERNAL GOAL IS 28 YEARS AND THAT IS THE RETIREMENT A NUMBER OF YEARS TILL YOU WERE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 
          UH, SO A TEACHER OR ANYONE WORKING FOR THIS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ELIGIBLE AT 28 YEARS. 
          SO WE WERE AT 24, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO. 
          LAST YEAR WE MOVED TO 25 STEPS. 
          UH, AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS IF WE GIVE A STEP INCREASE, THAT'S MANDATED BY THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND WE ARE HOLDING AT 25 STEPS THAN ANYONE WHO MOVES TO THE 26 STEP OR ANY STEP ABOVE, ABOVE THOSE NUMBER OF YEARS. 
          WE HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN WITH US 40, 45 YEARS. 
          UH, THEY DO NOT RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THAT STEP INCREASE, WHICH IS VALUED AT ABOUT ONE AND A HALF TO 2%. 
          AND SO BY MOVING UP JUST ONE STEP AT A RELATIVELY NOMINAL COST COMPARED TO THE SIZE OF OUR BUDGET, UM, IT ALLOWS US TO SAY THAT EVERY TEACHER IS ELIGIBLE FOR A STEP INCREASE. 
          ALL TEACHERS ARE ELIGIBLE. 
          SO IT HAD COST OF ABOUT $200,000. 
          WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE UP ONE STEP PER YEAR. 
          AND THE GOAL IS TO MOVE UP UNTIL WE GET TO 28 YEARS. 
          AND WE ARE, WE WERE WHAT, 25, VERY LOW ON THE SCALE. 
          MANY, MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE MUCH, MUCH GREATER NUMBERS OF YEARS AT THEIR MAX STEP THAN OURS. 
          YES. 
          A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. 
          UM, I THINK SEVERAL OF THE MEMBERS SPOKE TO THE CONCERN ABOUT THE COST OF LIVING. 
          AND I THINK WE KNOW THAT HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY, WE HAVE A HIGHER COST OF LIVING THAN PROBABLY MANY OF THE DISTRICTS THAT YOU'RE COMPARING TO. 
          UM, AND YOU KNOW, MY BELIEF AND IN MY PRIOR LIFE AS A TEND TO LIKE TO PAY MORE, EXPECT MORE AND FIND THAT YOU GET A LOT, LOT MORE AND TEACHERS ARE OUR MOST IMPORTANT COMMODITY. 
          SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU ACTUALLY TAKE A LOOK AND COME BACK AS PART OF THE SUBSEQUENT READINGS ON WHAT IT WOULD REALLY TAKE TO MAKE US NUMBER ONE, INCLUDING COST OF LIVING. 
          AND MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER AS A COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING, THAT CAN'T FIND APARTMENTS. 
          SO I MIGHT ASK THAT YOU MIGHT DO THAT. 
          UH, AND NOW THAT YOU'VE CERTIFIED THE BUDGET, I'M SURE OUR STAFF WILL BE LOOKING AT IT A LITTLE BIT FOR US AND THINGS LIKE NO VALUES AND THAT KIND OF THING, BUT WE ALWAYS ENJOY WHEN YOU'RE HERE. 
          UH, I NEED TO LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SCHOOL BUDGET ON FIRST READING. 
          OKAY. 
          ALICE I'LL SECOND THAT MARK GERALD. 
          OKAY. 
          GERALD SECONDS. 
          UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS I DO WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. 
          YES. 
          PAUL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN COUNCIL ACTUALLY OWN 6% PROPERTIES THAT PAY THIS, BUT I DO. 
          AND I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          YES, SIR. 
          ONE THING BEFORE YOU VOTE, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF CLAPPING FROM THE TEACHERS HERE TONIGHT. 
          SO I DO UNUSUAL THINGS. 
          SO I THINK IT WOULD BE A NICE GESTURE ON BILL HART ON THE PART OF THE COUNCIL ON STAFF AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM TO RECOGNIZE THE JOB THAT OUR TEACHERS DO BY GIVING THEM AROUND A PAUSE. 
          [01:45:04]
OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, THAT TAKES US TO TWO ITEMS AND THESE RELATE TO THE TRANSPORTATION. 
          UM, SO DID WE VOTE ON THAT? I DIDN'T VOTE IT. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          YOU HAD A MOTION. 
          IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? OKAY. 
          STAN'S APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AT FIRST READING. 
          AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE MONTH OF JUNE. 
          THANK YOU AS ALWAYS. 
          UM, THAT TAKES US TO THE OLD ITEM NUMBER 20, 
          [20. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT ALL ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FUTURE PROGRAM AS RECOMMENDED BY THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC]
AND THIS RELATES TO THE TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX AND WE'RE TAKING IT IN TWO STEPS. 
          UM, WHAT, W W W W ONE IS THE, UH, THE WORK THAT THEY DID AND THE SECOND ONE IS RELATES TO THE ORDINANCE AND WHEN WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THE TIMING OF THIS, SO INVITE BEFORE WE GO HERE. 
          CAUSE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO RUN OVER, UH, I WOULD LOOK FOR A MOTION TO EXTEND BEYOND THE EIGHT O'CLOCK HOUR. 
          I'M MAKING A MOTION TO EXTEND BEYOND THE EIGHT O'CLOCK HOUR. 
          ANY OBJECTION WITHOUT OBJECTION? WE EXTENDED THOSE. 
          PARDON ME? YOU OPPOSE. 
          OKAY. 
          WE GOT YOU PAUSE. 
          WE GOT TWO, TWO OPPOSITION. 
          SO APPARENTLY IT'S 7 2 7 2. 
          UH, FOR THOSE THAT ARE VISITING, WHETHER IT'S, WE TURN INTO A PUMPKIN AT EIGHT O'CLOCK UNLESS WE AGREE TO EXTEND THE, UH, EXTEND THE MEETING. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          SO, UM, JARED, UH, GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE GOOD WORK THAT THE COMMITTEE DID, AND THEN WE WILL, AS I SAID, WE'LL TAKE IT IN TWO PHASES, ONE LOOKING AT THE REPORT ITSELF AND THEN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TIMELINE OF IMPLEMENTATIONS ABSOLUTELY. 
          AS IS THIS SUM. 
          SURE. 
          SO AS PRESENTED, UH, LAST WEEK AT, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE, UM, WE HAD CHAIRMAN OF THE TAC COMMITTEE, UH, MR. DEAN MOSS, HE PROBABLY DOESN'T NEED INTRODUCTION. 
          HE PROBABLY COULD INTRODUCE ME. 
          HE'S MORE WELL KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY, MUCH MORE WELL-KNOWN. 
          UM, BUT THANKFULLY, UH, HE WAS, UH, CREATED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE. 
          WE SPENT 11 HARD WEEKS. 
          UM, IF YOU CONCLUDE LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK WE GOT 13 WEEKS OF TWO HOURS. 
          SO I KNOW THE TEACHERS, UH, DESERVE A LOT OF PAY, BUT I THINK WE PROBABLY ALL START TAKING AN ACCOUNT OF OUR VOLUNTEERS. 
          AND WELL, WE ASKED SOME OF OUR CITIZENS THAT, THAT JOINED THESE COMMITTEES. 
          SO, UM, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, DEAN TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE THAT COUNCIL'S ASKED US TO TAKE A LOOK AT. 
          AND, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST WEEK AT COMMITTEE, NOT EVERYBODY WAS THERE FROM COUNCIL. 
          SO I'VE ASKED DEAN IF HE CAN KIND OF GO OVER THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT, AND WHAT'S PRESENTED TO YOU IN THE PACKET THAT YOU HAVE, UH, FOR THE SALES TAX. 
          THANK YOU, JARED MS. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. 
          UM, AS I SAID, IN MY MEMO, UH, WE MET, UH, I THINK 11 TIMES, UH, FROM FEBRUARY ON AND, UH, YOU WERE GENEROUS ENOUGH TO GIVE US ANOTHER TWO WEEKS AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THIS DONE AS QUICKLY AS WE WANTED TO, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE ACHIEVED UNANIMOUS, UM, SUPPORT FROM, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. 
          AND I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLIMENT COUNCIL ON THEIR APPOINTEES. 
          THEY ALL WORK, UH, VERY, VERY CREATIVE AND WORKED VERY HARD. 
          UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF DISAGREEMENTS AS WE'RE GOING ALONG. 
          A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE WANTED AT ONE WAY AND A LOT OF ANOTHER WAY, BUT BY THE TIME WE WERE DONE, UH, WE HAD A UNANIMOUS APPROACH TO EVERYTHING EXCEPT ONE THING. 
          AND THAT ONE THING WAS WHEN THE WHOLE, THE REFERENDUM, UM, AND IT BROKE PRETTY MUCH 50 50 IN THE COMMITTEE. 
          UH, THE GROUP OF FOLKS LOOKED AT THE SITUATION WE'RE IN AND SAID, WE CAN'T WAIT. 
          WE HAVE A GROWTH TOO MUCH GROWTH, TOO MANY CARS. 
          WE'VE GOT TO START TO DEAL WITH IT. 
          UH, THE OTHER GROUP SAID, IT'S AWFUL TIME TO HOLD A REFERENDUM. 
          THE ACCOMMODATE IS LOUSY. 
          WE HAVE INFLATION. 
          UH, PEOPLE ARE STILL FRETTING OVER THE, UH, UNSUCCESSFUL REPRE REFERENDUM WE DID, UH, PREVIOUSLY. 
          AND SO WE SHOULDN'T DO IT. 
          WE SHOULD WAIT, SHE'D SPEND MORE TIME WORKING ON IT. 
          UM, SO IN THE, IN THE LANGUAGE WE FINALLY AGREED ON IN THE MEMORANDUM, IT WAS AT THE EARLIEST FEASIBLE DATE AND THAT GETS DROPPED RIGHT IN YOUR LAPS. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          UM, YOU WANTED FROM US A PROJECT LIST AND OR CATEGORIES FOR THE REFERENDUM QUESTIONS ON, UH, AN AMOUNT OF THE SALES TAX TO BE COLLECTED AND, OR THE DURATION OF THAT SALES TAX COLLECTION PERIOD. 
          UH, SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN YOU. 
          UM, WE, UM, AND I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING HOME. 
          [01:50:01]
I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT, UH, THE STAFF WAS FABULOUS. 
          UH, THEY DID A FABULOUS JOB LED BY JARED, UH, AND A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, TO GET THIS DONE, BUT THEY DID A GREAT JOB. 
          SO WE'RE BRINGING YOU TO, WE'RE BRINGING YOU, I GUESS, A COMPLICATED SET OF PROPOSALS. 
          THE FIRST, UH, IS A SERIES OF PROJECTS, UH, SPECIFIC TO PARTICULAR HIGHWAYS, UH, WHICH, UH, GENERALLY IS THE CONSENSUS OF BOTH THE STAFF, BUT ALSO, UH, THE, UH, LATS COMMITTEE RUN BY LO KONG AND OTHER PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN SET BY OTHER FOLKS, INCLUDING THE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 
          SO, UH, WE START WITH THOSE AND THEN WE ENDED UP SECONDLY, WITH A SET OF WHAT I'LL CALL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS. UH, AND WE SPLIT THOSE DOWN THE MIDDLE. 
          WE RECOMMEND A 10-YEAR, UH, PENNY SALES TAX, UH, ESSENTIALLY 1% ON A DOLLAR, UH, AND THAT IT BEGIN WHENEVER, UH, EFFECTIVELY YOU AGREE THAT IT SHOULD BEGIN RUN FOR 10 YEARS. 
          WE'VE PROJECTED THAT, THAT SALES TAX OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME WILL COLLECT APPROXIMATELY $700 MILLION, UH, PLUS OR MINUS, UH, DEPENDING ON HOW WE GROW AND OTHER THINGS. 
          UM, AND SO, UH, WE BASICALLY, WE BASICALLY, UH, ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU A SERIES OF PROJECTS AND IMPROVEMENTS. 
          UM, THE FIRST, UH, FROM SPECIFIC PROJECTS IS HIGHWAY ONE 70, UH, FOR $80 MILLION, UH, AS DEFINED AT THIS POINT, PRELIMINARILY BY THE STAFF, BASED UPON THE WORK THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING DONE BY COUNTY, THE COUNTY OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WE EXPECT THAT WOULD BE INCREASING THE CAPACITY, THE SAFETY AND EVERYTHING ELSE ASSOCIATED WITH ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILES OF ONE 70 FROM 4 62 COMING IN FROM JASPER COUNTY DOWN TO 2 78. 
          IT'S CONCEIVABLE THAT WORKING WITH THEM, UH, WITH JASPER COUNTY, UH, WE CAN BRING IN, UH, A NUMBER OF OTHER ASSOCIATED PROJECTS, UH, INCLUDING WIDENING OF 2 78 ITSELF, UH, OR OTHER RELATED PROJECTS, UTILIZING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE FEDS AND THE STATE. 
          SECONDLY, HIGHWAY 46 IMPROVEMENTS, UH, TWO PARTICULAR SECTIONS, THE FIRST GOING FROM THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE TO JASPER COUNTY LINE, WHICH WE PROPOSE YOU SHOULD CONSIDER FOR LANDING AND EXPANDING, UH, FROM THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE BACK TO BOOK WALTER PARKWAY, WHICH IS THE, UH, SCENIC BYWAY DESIGNATED, UH, IT HAS TO BE A LOT MORE CAREFUL, UH, AND WE SUGGEST IMPROVEMENTS TO INTERSECTIONS AND OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, MAKE THE TRAFFIC MOVE MORE SMOOTHLY AND INCREASE THE SAFETY, UH, IN BLUFFTON, UH, WE PROPOSING, UH, $40 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE APPLIED TO THE PRIORITIES THAT THE LATS PROGRAM HAS IDENTIFIED FOR THE BLUFFTON AREA. 
          AND THAT THOSE DECISIONS AS TO WHICH OF THOSE PROJECTS SHOULD BE PURSUED, SHOULD BE LEFT TO, UH, THE BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL. 
          UH, YOU WOULD BE DOING THE WORK, YOU WOULD BE RUNNING THE PROJECTS, YOU WOULD BE MOVING THE PROJECTS FORWARD, BUT BOSTON TOWN COUNCIL WOULD BE THE SOURCE OF KIND OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF LET'S DO THIS ONE. 
          LET'S DO THAT, UH, ON HILTON HEAD, ALSO A SERIES OF MUNICIPAL PROJECTS BASED UPON THEIR DETERMINED NEEDS. 
          THEY HAVE PRIORITY LISTS, WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, ON SOME WIDENINGS ON SOME PATHWAYS ON SOME BEAUTIFICATION, OTHER KINDS OF THINGS, UH, THAT THEY WERE PROPOSING 40 MILLION THERE. 
          AND 2, 2 78 PROJECT ENHANCEMENTS. 
          THIS WOULD BE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE CURRENT PROJECT, UH, ON 2 78, INCLUDING THE BRIDGES, UM, UH, NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY, UH, HIGHWAY 21 AND 21 BUSINESS EFFECTIVELY LOOKING AT THE AREA FROM THE PARASAIL AND GATEWAY THE PARASAIL AND BRIDGE, UH, ALL THE WAY UP REBO ROAD UP TO, UH, BOUNDARY STREET AND FROM BASICALLY TOWNHALL AROUND, UH, ON BOUNDARY AND CARTER AT DOWN TO THE WOODS MEMORIAL BRIDGE. 
          UH, GENERALLY THOSE PROJECTS WOULD BE INCREASING SAFETY, INCREASING CAPACITY, IMPROVING FLOW THROUGH MAKING THE PLACE LOOK BETTER, JUST GENERALLY IMPROVING THAT ENTIRE ALIGNMENT. 
          UH, I LIVE IN PORT ROYAL, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREAS, UH, ON THE ACCESS TO THE W THE BIG BRIDGE GOING TO LADY'S ISLAND 
          [01:55:01]
IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, BOTH COMING FROM LADY'S ISLAND AND GOING ON TO LADY'S ISLAND EITHER WAY. 
          UH, BUT SPECIFICALLY FROM THE SOUTH, WHICH DRAINS ALL OF A SUDDEN BEAVER COUNTY HEADING ON TO LADY'S ISLAND, WHERE A LOT OF FOLKS LIVE, UM, LADIES ISLAND, QUARTER IMPROVEMENTS, UH, THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL MONIES AND SOME ADDITIONAL PROJECTS FOR THE PROJECTS APPROVED BY THE 18 REFERENDUM, WHICH WE DID NOT UNFORTUNATELY MAKE LARGE ENOUGH TO DO THE JOB. 
          SO A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT NOW THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY, ADDITIONALLY, UH, LOOKING FORWARD 10 YEARS, UH, WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEEDED OUT THERE AS WE GO FORWARD. 
          UH, AND SO WE'RE GIVING YOU AND SUGGESTING TO YOU A SERIES OF WHAT WE'LL CALL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS. THE FIRST OF WHICH IS MASS TRANSIT. 
          UM, WE HAVE MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM HERE. 
          UH, WE DO NOT HAVE, AND HAVE NOT DONE A MASTER PLAN FOR THE FUTURE FOR MASS TRANSIT IN THIS COUNTY. 
          AND IT'S TIME TO DO THAT. 
          ADDITIONALLY, UH, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INTEREST IN LOOKING AT FERRY SERVICE AND WHETHER FERRY SERVICE MAKES SENSE. 
          WE KNOW RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A FERRY PROBLEM, WHICH IS GETTING TO THE FOSKEY AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT WORK BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING WELL RIGHT NOW, UH, ADDITIONALLY, $50 MILLION FOR SAFETY PROJECTS. 
          AGAIN, THESE ARE PROJECTS WHICH MAY OR MAY POP UP ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME, UH, AT INTERSECTIONS OR OTHER, OTHER PLACES ALONG THE, THE ROADS AND STREETS THAT WE NEED TO FIX. 
          WE CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE, BUT WE BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE MONEY ALLOCATED TO THAT SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE A DECISION AS FUNDS ARE THERE TO DO JOBS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE. 
          THE SAME THING REALLY APPLIES TO WHAT WE'RE CALLING RESILIENCE. 
          UH, WE ARE IN A MODE RIGHT NOW OF CLIMATE CHANGE. 
          SEA LEVEL IS RISING. 
          UH, I DUNNO IF IT RAINED IN AFTER I GOT IN HERE, BUT IT WAS LOOKING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO END IT CONCEIVABLY A LOT OF RAIN. 
          AND SO, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF STREETS OUT THERE, PARTICULARLY IN NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY AND THE VERY OLDER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT ARE VERY LOW AND WHICH ROUTINELY FLOOD. 
          AND THERE ARE PLACES IN ENTIRE COMMUNITIES WHICH GET BASICALLY BLOCKED FROM GETTING OFF, UH, OFF ISLANDS AND OTHERS. 
          UH, MY, BY THE ROADWAYS COVERED WITH WATER. 
          WE'VE GOT TO START TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE DEAL WITH THAT. 
          THERE'S $20 MILLION IN THERE FOR THAT ADDITIONALLY DIRT ROAD PAVING. 
          THIS PARTICULARLY IS APPLICABLE IN NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, UH, IN, UM, IN BOTH, UH, ST HELENA AND THE OTHER PARTS OF LADY'S ISLAND, AS WELL AS SHELDON TOWNSHIP. 
          UH, LOTS OF DIRT ROADS OUT THERE. 
          THE COUNTY, I THINK HAS ENDURED, FORGET TO TELL ME WHAT A BACKLOG THE COUNTY HAS IN TERMS OF PROJECTS FOR THOSE DIRT ROADS. 
          THIS MONEY'S, THAT'S $50 MILLION THERE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT. 
          ADDITIONALLY, AS A $60 MILLION POT FOR RESURFACING ROADS AND STREETS ACROSS THE COUNTY, REGARDLESS OF OWNERSHIP ON MUNICIPAL STREETS, STATE ROADS, COUNTY, COUNTY ROADS, UH, THOSE ARE, UH, OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO KEEP THESE STREETS IN GOOD SHAPE THAT WE HAVE, AND TO ENSURE THAT WE DO THAT AND HOW TO DO THAT. 
          AND WE CAN PAY FOR THAT. 
          WE'VE PUT $50 MILLION IN THERE FOR PATHWAYS AND PATHWAY IMPROVEMENTS, UH, IN THE 18 BOND REFERENDUM. 
          UH, THERE WERE A LIST OF, I FORGET OF EXACTLY HOW MANY COUNCIL, UH, OVER 25, I THINK COUNCIL APPROVED 14, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, THERE WERE $10 MILLION THERE. 
          WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EVEN DO THE 14 THAT YOU, THAT YOU APPROVED. 
          AND SO WE RECOMMEND, UH, FOR TRANSPORTATION AND FOR PATHWAYS, $50 MILLION, LOOKING AT THE PLAN THAT COUNCIL HAS APPROVED, UH, PREPARED BY THE STAFF FOR THE, UH, BUFORD COUNTY CONNECTS BIKE AND TED PLAN. 
          UH, BUT ALSO PUTTING A PRIORITY ON WORKING ON THOSE PROJECTS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE VOTERS AND NEED TO BE DONE. 
          UH, FINALLY, IN THIS PACK, TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY, ACCESS ROADS, ABOUT $50 MILLION, UH, ALL THE WAY FROM IMPROVING THE BEHAVIOR OF LIGHTS, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE MAXIMUM TECHNOLOGY WE CAN TO MOVE TRAFFIC THROUGH LIGHTS. 
          I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SAT AT STOPLIGHTS WHERE THERE'S NOBODY COMING THE OTHER WAY, AND YOU'RE SITTING THERE SAYING, COME ON. 
          I WANT TO GO WELL USING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY. 
          NOW WE CAN FIX THAT PROBLEM, AND THERE'S NO TRAFFIC THERE. 
          THE LIGHTS CAN CHANGE. 
          AND THERE'S OTHER, ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ACCESS, ROADS, CONNECTION, ROADS, OTHER KINDS OF THINGS. 
          THERE'S $50 MILLION IN THERE FOR THAT. 
          AND FINALLY, A LONGTERM DEMAND REDUCTION PROBLEM. 
          THE STATUTE, UH, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH DEFINES AN ALLOWABLE EXPENSE AS GREEN BELTS, DOESN'T DEFINE WHAT THAT IS. 
          UH, BUT WE WERE TAKING OUR CUE FROM WHAT CHARLESTON 
          [02:00:01]
IS DOING, UM, AND THAT IS USING FUNDS TO ATTEMPT TO REDUCE, UH, FUTURE TRAP, FUTURE TRAFFIC BY EFFECTIVELY TRYING TO BUY UP PROPERTIES, REDUCE DENSITIES BY, UH, DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, ET CETERA, TO CUT BACKS ON OUR CURRENT STREETS AND ROADS. 
          UH, THERE'S $60 MILLION IN THERE FOR THAT. 
          WE ALSO ADDED A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          UH, WE SUGGEST THAT YOU CREATE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, GENERALLY CON I THINK CONFIGURED AS THE TAC WAS, UH, TO MEET QUARTERLY OR WHATEVER, TO ADVISE YOU ON THIS, TO HELP YOU SET PRIORITIES AND TO DO OTHER THINGS. 
          UM, I THINK YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD MAKE IT PUBLIC AND MAKE IT A CALL AND SAY, HEY, EACH YEAR, OKAY, BRING FORWARD SOME PROJECTS. 
          WE THINK FOR THE BIG PROJECTS, YOU OUGHT TO ISSUE A REVENUE BOND, UH, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE MONEY IN HAND AND MOVE IT THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE OUR FUNDS AND TO MATCH THOSE WITH FUNDS, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY COMING, ARE AVAILABLE AND COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT, I THINK IS AN ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR US. 
          WE CAN DOUBLE THIS MONEY WITHOUT A PROBLEM. 
          I BELIEVE. 
          UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, MASS TRANSIT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK THE PRIORITY ON MASS TRANSIT RIGHT NOW IS PLANNING AND DEVELOPING SCHEMES AND PLANS. 
          AND THEN TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE'S PROPERTY THAT NEEDS TO BE ACQUIRED OR OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE AND GET THE PROPERTY PURCHASE THAT YOU MAY NEED FOR THE FUTURE. 
          UM, IT WAS, UH, A AS I SAID, IT WAS AN INTERESTING, AN INTERESTING PROJECT FOR ME, AS YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A TRANSPORTATION PERSON, NUMBING WATER AND SEWER GUY. 
          UM, BUT A LOT OF THE THINKING I THINK IS LARGELY THE SAME. 
          AND, UM, I DO WANNA, I DO WANT TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. 
          THE, THE MOST QUOTED LINE IN, IN THIS MEMO HAS BEEN, UH, THAT WE ARE NOT BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL. 
          WE'RE UNDER THE EIGHT BALL. 
          I WANT TO ATTRIBUTE THAT TO MORRIS CAMPBELL, WHO TOOK MY MEMO AND MADE SOME EDITS TO IT AND PUT IT IN THERE. 
          SO, UH, THAT'S HIS LANGUAGE, NOT MINE, BUT IT'S, BUT I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD LINE. 
          UM, BUT I WANT TO, ON BEHALF OF THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL, UH, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND, UH, AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY WHAT A, WHAT A GREAT JOB, UH, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE DID. 
          AND, UH, WE WERE PLEASED TO BE ASKED AND WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU THIS PRODUCT. 
          SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, DEAN, WE ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. 
          ARE THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS, UH, OF DEAN OR OF STAFF RELATIVE TO THIS? AND AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT AND APPROVE THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT NOT ADDRESSING THE DATE. 
          OKAY. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, FROM, FROM BRIAN, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND YOU WORK SECONDS. 
          I MAY OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSIONS, QUESTIONS, ANYBODY. 
          IF I, IF I COULD, I THINK THE COMMITTEE DID A WONDERFUL JOB AND I APPRECIATE THEIR HARD WORK, AND I CAN'T REALLY QUIBBLE OTHER THAN MAYBE SOME DOLLAR AMOUNTS HERE AND THERE, THE PRIORITIES THAT THEY'VE SAID, AND THE PATH FORWARD IS REALISTIC. 
          AND, UH, THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT IT'S DOABLE, I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY, MS. CHAIRMAN, IF I MIGHT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT TO FOLKS THAT THIS SALES TAX DOES NOT APPLY TO FOOD. 
          IT DOES NOT APPLY TO FUEL. 
          AND THERE, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT IT DOES NOT APPLY TO. 
          SO IN TERMS OF HOW THIS TAX WOULD IMPACT THE SITUATION OF MANY OF OUR LOWER-INCOME, UH, COUNTY MEMBERS, I THINK THAT THIS IS A PRO, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE CAN EMPHASIZE AND LET THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO IMPACT THEM DIRECTLY, UH, BY DOING THIS. 
          SO THANK YOU JUST A QUICK QUESTION. 
          AND, UM, THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DID, BUT THE QUESTION IS, HOW DID YOU FACTOR IN INFLATION TO THE AMOUNTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE PACKET? WE QUITE FRANKLY, DID NOT FACTOR IN INFLATION. 
          WHAT WE FACTORED IN WAS TAKING THE EXPERIENCE OF THE 18 REFERENDUM LOOKING AT, AT THE TIME THAT IT TOOK TO RAISE THE MONIES THAT WE WANTED TO RAISE IN THAT REFERENDUM. 
          AND THEN LOOK AT THE GROWTH PROJECTED GROWTH RATE IN THE COUNTY AND THE PROJECTED INCREASE IN VISITATION AND TOURISM. 
          UM, IT'S HARD TO PROJECT WHAT THAT INFLATION WOULD BE. 
          ONE OF THE, I GUESS, ONE OF THE BEAUTIES IS HERE AND, AND I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT IS THIS COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO, AS WE GO 
          [02:05:01]
FORWARD, IF THIS PASSES TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN THESE AMOUNTS. 
          SO THAT, TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE A MAJOR PROJECT AND IT ENDS UP COSTING MORE THAN WE THOUGHT MONEY FUNDS CAN BE MOVED AROUND FROM THESE POTS TO ACCOMMODATE THAT. 
          AND IT MEANS THINGS THAT WE HAD WANTED TO DO. 
          WE MAY NOT WANT BE ABLE TO DO WITH THIS REP WITH THIS. 
          WE MAY HAVE TO GO BACK AGAIN, BUT THERE'S ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY IN HERE, I THINK TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, WHAT INEVITABLE INFLATION IS GOING TO BE. 
          WE KNOW IT'S THERE AND I MEAN, WE COULD HAVE SAID 500 AND RECEIPTS RECEIPTS GO UP WITH INFLATION AT THE SAME RATE AS THE COST WILL GO UP. 
          SO, NO, YEAH, THAT'S KINDA MY KINDA MY QUESTION. 
          UM, SO BASICALLY THE RATIONALE IS THAT THE VALUE OF THAT PENNY WILL INCREASE OVER TIME AND THAT AN INFLATION WILL BASICALLY OFFSET EACH OTHER. 
          RIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK I SAID EVERYTHING I WANTED TO SAY AT THE PUBLIC FACILITY COMMITTEE IS RECORD, BUT, UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK DEAN AND THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE, UH, THOROUGH REPORT, UH, IN DOCUMENT THAT YOU BROUGHT TO US AND TO A POINT WHERE I BELIEVE PERSONALLY, THAT IT'S VERY SIMPLE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SOLD TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, AND THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHETHER THEY AGREE WITH IT OR NOT. 
          IT'S WRITTEN TO A LEVEL THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN IT. 
          AND SO FOR THAT AS A THANK YOU FOR, YES, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE WORK. 
          I THINK THE ONE THING THAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT THAN THE, THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE WE HAD, WE ONLY HAD IT FOR FOUR YEARS AND WE SAW THAT WE COULDN'T GET THOSE PROJECTS ACHIEVED IN FOUR YEARS. 
          IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. 
          I LIKED THAT THIS ONE IS 10 YEARS AND I DO THINK WE'RE UNDER THE EIGHT BALL TO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          UM, FIRST THING, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS DID. 
          I HOPE PENNY WASN'T TOO MUCH OF A HANDFUL. 
          I KNOW SHE CAN BE A LITTLE FIRECRACKER. 
          I FIGURED I'D SHAKE YOU GUYS UP A LITTLE BIT. 
          WE ENJOY HAVING HER, UM, THE OPPOSITE OF ACTUALLY MS. HOWARD. 
          UM, MY BIGGEST ISSUE IS THE 10 YEAR, UM, THAT I STRUGGLE WITH. 
          UM, AND THEY'LL GIVE YOU THE REASON FOR THAT. 
          WHY IS WE CAME FORWARD WITH LAST, LAST YEAR? UM, IT DID NOT PASS 70 SOME PERCENT OF THE COUNTY VOTED. 
          NOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I CAME OUT AGAINST IT AND VOTED NO IS IT HAD NO END DATE AND THE REBATE ONLY WENT TO HOMEOWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS. 
          AND THOSE ARE MY TWO ISSUES I HAD WITH IT. 
          I THINK THAT'S THE REASON WERE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL OR UNDER THE EIGHT BALL, ESPECIALLY IF WE TRY TO PUT THIS ON A 22 REFERENDUM IS BECAUSE WE TRY TO DO THAT THIS SUMMER INSTEAD OF STARTING THIS COMMITTEE IN THE SUMMER A YEAR AGO. 
          AND WE COULD HAVE HAD A LOT MORE TIME TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON WHAT'S ON HERE. 
          UM, AND TAKE TIME FOR THAT. 
          UM, EARLIER TODAY IN OUR CAUCUS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AND FOUR MEMBERS, FIVE, INCLUDING MYSELF SPOKE ABOUT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE IF WE WAIT UNTIL 2024. 
          SO WE SURE AS HECK DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. 
          IF IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS ON THESE PROJECTS, UM, I WILL SAY I DO LIKE THAT. 
          IT GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY, BUT THAT ALSO SCARES ME, SCARES ME FOR THE REASON THIS GENTLEMAN OVER HERE SAID JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO THAT, UM, PROJECTS WERE PROMISED THAT STILL AREN'T DONE. 
          UM, THIS IS A VERY, VERY BIG LIST. 
          UM, AND I KNOW WE HAVE IT SHORTENED IN HERE, BUT IF THESE EACH HAD TABS WITH THE DOWN ARROW, THIS WOULD GO ANOTHER 10 OR 15 PAGES FOR WHEN YOU PUT IN ONE 70, WHEN YOU PUT IN BLUFFTON, WHEN YOU PUT IN HILTON HEAD IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAS THIS INTERSECTION, THIS SIDEWALK, AND IT'S JUST GOING TO GO DOWN. 
          I'VE SEEN THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LATS, FOR BLUFFTON AND I BELIEVE ALONE. 
          THEY WERE AT 57 PROJECTS ON THERE. 
          UM, AND WHILE WE'RE ON LATTES WITH THAT, I SAW THAT YOU GAVE BLUFFTON THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE HOW THEIR MONEY GETS USED. 
          THAT WORRIES ME. 
          THAT IS MY BIGGEST ISSUE. 
          AND I'LL SAY IT, CAUSE YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW FIVE B IS ON LATS. 
          IT IS ON LADS. 
          IT'S ACTUALLY THEIR NUMBER TWO PRIORITY. 
          LAST TIME I CHECKED. 
          UM, AND, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR ME. 
          I MADE IT VERY CLEAR AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING, UH, OR BEGINNING OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS OR COMMITTEE STARTING THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR IDEAS. 
          UM, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT ANYTHING. 
          THEY GAVE ACCESS TO FIVE B AND THIS DOES THAT, UM, NOT DIRECTLY, BUT IT DOES GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO DECIDE THAT. 
          AND I'M SURE THAT'S WHY YOU'RE BLUFFED AND MEMBERS WERE NOT ABLE TO AGREE TO GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO COUNTY COUNCIL TO SEE HOW THAT FUNDS WOULD BE USED BECAUSE THEY WERE PROBABLY SPLIT ON WHICH PROJECTS THEY WANT TO DO IN BLUFFTON. 
          AND THAT'S NO FAULT TO YOU. 
          UM, I JUST KNOW THE PEOPLE IN BLUFFTON, THEY'RE VERY, VERY SPLIT ON THAT. 
          [02:10:01]
UM, I STRUGGLE WITH THE 10 YEARS, BUFORD COUNTY CHANGES A LOT AT ONE POINT BUFORD COUNTY DID PUSH FIVE B AND SAID, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. 
          AND 14 YEARS LATER, HALF OF BLUFFTON AND WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. 
          UM, AND THAT KIND OF WORRIES ME AS WELL. 
          I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO DO SOMETHING ALONG FIVE YEARS. 
          UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE UNDER THE APRIL FOR 2022. 
          I'M SURE THAT WE WILL NOT GET 11 MEMBERS TO AGREE TO LOWER THAT. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE MY BIGGEST STRUGGLE SELLING TO THE PUBLIC. 
          WE HAD TROUBLE BEFORE WITH LOST 77%. 
          I THINK, I THINK 2 77 OR 76 VOTED. 
          NO. 
          UM, I HOPE WE CAN. 
          I MEAN, WE HAVE THE ABILITY, WE WE'VE CREATED THIS COMMITTEE TO GIVE US IDEAS AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THIS AND NEGOTIATE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST ROUTE TO GO. 
          I THINK THE IDEAS AND THE THINGS WE'RE DOING BEHIND IT ARE SPOT ON. 
          UM, IT SPREADS MONEY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY. 
          IT GIVES EACH TOWN COUNCILS THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR OPINION, AND IT MAKES SURE THAT SOME PROJECTS DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND. 
          UM, BUT WHEN WE OVERLOAD OURSELVES WITH PROJECTS, SOMEBODY IN THE END IS GOING TO BE MAD THAT THIS SIDEWALK DIDN'T GET DONE. 
          WILL YOU PROMISE ME WHEN I VOTED FOR IT, THAT MY SIDEWALK WAS GOING TO GET DONE, BUT YOU WERE SO FAR DOWN THE LIST. 
          IT DIDN'T GET DONE. 
          UM, I'LL LEAVE THOSE AS MY COMMENTS. 
          UM, I HOPE WE CAN NEGOTIATE THE YEARS DOWN. 
          UH, I'M ALL ON BOARD WITH THE PROJECTS THEMSELVES THOUGH, OUTSIDE OF BLUFFTON, HAVING THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE. 
          AND THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE. 
          AND IF I WAS VOTERS, I WOULDN'T BE HAPPY WITH THAT. 
          EITHER YOUNG COLLEGE JARED'S ABOUT TO SET ME STRAIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          I JUST LIKE PROVIDE TWO COMMENTS TO THAT. 
          UM, FIRST OF ALL, THE 10 YEARS, A LITTLE BIT OF FLAVOR WHERE THAT CAME FROM, UH, WE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT MODELS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, DIFFERENT COUNTIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED SALES TAX PROGRAMS. UH, BEAVER COUNTY IS ACTUALLY THE LOWEST ONE ON YEARS WOULD FOUR YEARS. 
          UH, THERE'S A LOT OF MODELS THAT HAVE SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, 10 YEARS, AND EVEN CHARLESTON COUNTY HAS 25 YEAR. 
          THEY ACTUALLY HAVE 2 25 YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN SPLIT UP INTO HALF CENTS. 
          SO THEY HAVE A 35 YEAR HORIZON. 
          UH, RICHLAND COUNTY HAS A 22 YEAR HORIZON. 
          UH, SO THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE, THE STAFF OR THE, UH, THE COMMITTEE WENT BACK AND FORTH AND THAT'S WHERE THE 10 YEARS CAME FROM. 
          SO IT WAS, UH, THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THAT CURRENTLY IN A FOUR YEAR, WE HAVE THREE BIG PROJECTS ARE TWO BIG PROJECTS. 
          AND THEN A LOT OF PATHWAY PROJECTS THAT EQUAL A BIG PROJECT. 
          UH, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DELIVERING THOSE PROJECTS. 
          UM, EVEN THE, UH, PATHWAY SEEMS LIKE A SMALL PROJECT. 
          IT HAS THE SAME DELIVERY TIME AS A LARGER PROJECT, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF THE DELIVERY TIME, JUST SO LONG ON THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. 
          SO THE INTENT WITH A 10 YEAR, IT WAS ONE TO MEET THE MIDDLE ON THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AROUND THE STATE, AS WELL AS PROVIDE TIME BECAUSE SUCCESS BEQUEATH SUCCESS. 
          SO, UM, A LOT OF SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS, YOU WEREN'T BEING THE MODEL IS A SEVEN OR EIGHT YEAR PROGRAM, UH, THAT GIVES THEM ENOUGH TIME TO GET THE PROJECTS DONE. 
          SO THEY CAN BE AT A PLACE WHERE THEY PRESENT BACK IN ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. 
          SO THEY'RE ON THEIR FOURTH PAINTING RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, AS FAR AS THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND BACK TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS RATHER THE COMMITTEE TO COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL CAN TAKE THESE COMMITTEES. 
          THEY CAN TAKE, OR THE RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          THEY CAN TAKE THEM AS, SO THEY CAN MODIFY THEM. 
          THEY CAN ADJUST THEM WHETHER THE, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL GIVES TOWN COUNCIL, THAT AUTHORITY THAT'S WITHIN YOUR RIGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION. 
          AND THAT'S JUST WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE OUT OF THE COMMITTEE. 
          SO, UM, WITH THAT, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHERE THOSE COMBINATIONS CAME FROM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND LIKE I SAID, I APPRECIATE THE WORK. 
          I REALLY DO LOVE WHAT'S ON. 
          THERE IS JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS LITTLE DETAILS. 
          I THINK WE NEED TO DISCUSS, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME AND VOLUNTEER HOURS, MARK. 
          AND THEN GERALD, DO YOU WANT TO TALK TO MARK? YES. 
          YES. 
          MR. MOSS, THANK YOU. 
          WHENEVER YOU GUYS WERE FIRST TASKED WITH, WITH THIS, I WAS THINKING HOW IN THE WORLD AND WHAT WILL YOU COME BACK WITH? UM, IT WAS HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE. 
          I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT YOU DID. 
          THE LONG-TERM THINKING. 
          I ACTUALLY DISAGREE WITH MR. CUNNINGHAM. 
          I THINK 10 YEARS IS IF ANYTHING IS TOO SHORT. 
          UM, IF, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. 
          AND AS YOU SIT IN YOUR COMMITTEE, IT WAS UNANIMOUS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. 
          IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF FACT OF, OF WHERE AND HOW WE, WE ASKED FOR THE MONEY. 
          SO AGAIN, JUST WANNA SAY AT THIS POINT, I KNOW WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, OUR NEXT STEP IN THE, IN THE NEXT, UM, UH, NEXT AGENDA ITEM, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UH, WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          UM, I THINK YOU HAVE MADE IT VERY, VERY CLEAR AND MORE THAN THAT, MADE IT VERY, VERY SIMPLE THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. 
          SO THANK YOU, GERALD DEAN. 
          UM, LET ME START BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE DID IN, UH, DEFINING 
          [02:15:01]
THESE PROJECTS, BRINGING THEM FORWARD, GIVING US A BASIS TO WORK FROM, AND YOU BEING THE CHAIR. 
          I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY JOB, SO, UM, BUT YOU GOT IT ALL DONE. 
          AND SO NOW YOU CAN SIT DOWN SOMEWHERE AND TAKE A BREAK AND JUST RELAX IN WALL. 
          UM, MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY FOR JARED. 
          SO JARED, IF YOU WOULD, AS, AS WE SIT HERE AND CONSOLE TODAY, WE CAN HEAR THE RAIN POURING ON THE TOP OF HIS BUILDING. 
          AND SO OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES AS DRASTICALLY AFFECTED AND CLIMATES LIKE THIS, WE ALLOCATED $50 MILLION FOR DIRT ROAD PAVING. 
          MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, AND YOUR BEST ESTIMATE, DO YOU THINK, OR YOU, CAN YOU GIVE SOME ASSURITY THAT THIS IS ENOUGH TO FINISH PAVING THE AMOUNT OF UNPAVED DIRT ROADS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR, IN OUR COUNTY? I THINK IT IS. 
          I THINK IT'S REALLY CLOSE. 
          IF NOT, UM, LIKE YOU'VE ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION BEFORE, AND THE ANSWER WAS ABOUT 37 AND A HALF YEARS AT OUR CURRENT FUND RATE. 
          SO THIS SHOULD CUT IT IMMENSELY. 
          UM, THE ONE THING WE'D HAVE TO JUGGLE WITH THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY VERSUS THE AMOUNT OF PROJECT OUR CONTRACTORS CAN HANDLE. 
          SO THIS WOULDN'T BE, WE GET ALL THE REMAINDER ROADS DONE IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. 
          WE WOULD TAKE THE FULL 10 YEARS TO IMPLEMENT THIS, BUT, UH, THIS DEFINITELY, UH, AN IN CONNECTION WITH THE TAG FUND PROGRAM THAT WE USE TO DIRT ROADS. 
          UM, WE'LL GO A LONG WAYS, IF NOT ALL THE WAYS TO COMPLETE THE ROADS THAT ARE DIRT ROAD THAT WOULD BE IN NEED OF PAVING. 
          IT'S AN IT'S IN TIMES LIKE THIS, UH, INCLEMENT WEATHER LIKE THIS WHEN, UH, ERIC AND, UH, OUR PUBLIC DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, NEIL DECIDE THIS IS WHEN THEY GET ALL THEIR PHONE CALLS AND ALL THE HEADACHES. 
          AND, AND I KNOW US TROUBLESOME SOMETIME, BUT THE FOLKS IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES, THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS WITH THIS SITUATION. 
          AND SO THE SOONER WE GET THESE ROLES PAY LESS HEADACHE, IT WILL BE FOR ALL OF US. 
          THANK YOU, PAUL. 
          YOU'RE THE ONLY OTHER ONE YOU GOT ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY? WELL, AND THEN JUST TO REITERATE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS SAYING, HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE WHAT THE COMMITTEE DID AND WHAT A GREAT JOB THEY DID AND ALL THE EFFORT THEY PUT INTO IT. 
          WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THIS SURE. 
          WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THE DIRT ROAD ALLOCATION. 
          UM, AND YOU SAID THAT IT WILL PROBABLY DO THAT. 
          AND I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT, UM, WHAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED CURRENTLY ABOUT TWO TO $3 MILLION A YEAR. 
          SO OVER 10 YEARS AS ABOUT $80 MILLION, IF YOU TOLD IT ALL UP, UM, AND WE HAVE ABOUT EIGHT 80,000, 8,000, I MEAN, 808 80 MILES OF DIRT ROADS AS UNPAID RIGHT NOW, 79. 
          YES, SIR. 
          79. 
          SO THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY DO A GERALD. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, THE, THE, THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, UH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. 
          UM, WHEN, WHEN JARED MADE HIS PRESENTATION, ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, HE WAS ASKING FOR A BILLION DOLLARS, THEN YOU ONLY CAME UP WITH 700. 
          SO THAT'S A 30% DISCOUNT RIGHT THERE TO THE TAXPAYERS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I LIKE YOUR POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON THAT. 
          THAT'S LIKE SAYING YOU GOT A QUICK QUESTION AND IT'S JUST TO EDUCATE MYSELF. 
          UM, PEOPLE COME AND GO AND JOBS. 
          WE COME AND GO ON COUNCIL PEOPLE COME AND GO INSIDE THE STAFF BUILDING WHO HAS THE ULTIMATE DECISION OF WHICH PROJECTS GET PICKED, WHAT NEXT, WHEN THE MONEY GETS RAISED. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD COME FROM. 
          UM, THE GOAL WOULD BE THAT IF SUCCESSFUL, THAT A COMMITTEE WOULD GO ALONG WITH THIS, SO IT WOULDN'T BE A ONE AND DONE WHETHER IT'S THE SAME MEMBERS OR NOT, BUT SOME TYPE OF COMMITTEE TO HELP OVERSEE. 
          SO, WELL, IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL WITH THE COMMITTEE WAS NOT JUST THE COUNCIL REPRESENTATION, BUT THE DIRECT REPRESENTATIONS FROM THE AMISS MUNICIPALITIES. 
          AND WE HEARD THEM TALK THEM BETWEEN TALKING WITH STAFF AND TALKING WITH THE MEMBERS. 
          UM, SO HAVING A FORUM LIKE THAT, WHERE WE CAN SAY, OKAY, THIS IS, THIS IS THE PROJECT LIST AND HOW DO WE PUT THEM ALL? BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS EASY AS PICKING THIS. 
          ONE'S MY FAVORITE PROJECT. 
          LET'S MOVE IT UP BECAUSE THERE'S FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT IT'S, SOMETIMES IT MAKES SENSE FOR THIS PROJECT TO FIT BECAUSE THERE'S A DIRECT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY VERSUS THIS ONE, AS WELL AS THESE NON-SPECIFICALLY PROGRAM PROJECTS. 
          UH, THE INTENT AS, AS PRESENTED IN THE MEMORANDUM IS THAT THERE WOULD BE A PRIORITIZED LIST AND RANKING SYSTEM THAT THE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL AGREE UPON. 
          AND THEN WE BASICALLY HAVE A CALL FOR PROJECTS AND FILTER THOSE PROJECTS THROUGH THAT PRIORITY LIST. 
          SO THAT WOULD HELP PRIORITIZE, UM, WHICH PROJECTS COME FIRST VERSUS THE OTHER ONE. 
          AND THEN THOSE 
          [02:20:01]
RECOMMENDATIONS TO COME TO COUNTY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON AN ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS FOR THOSE SPECIFIC PROJECTS. 
          YEAH. 
          SO THIS WOULD NOT BE A ONE-TIME AFFAIR. 
          THIS WOULD BE A CONTINUAL UPDATE AND PROCESS THAT STAFF AND, UH, SEC COMMITTEE WOULD COME THROUGH COUNCIL FOR INTERACTIVE UPDATES AND, AND APPROPRIATION. 
          AND ARE YOU GOING TO SIGN A 10 YEAR CONTRACT TO STAY HERE TO SEE THIS THROUGH? NOT YET THOUGH, BUT I GLADLY, I WANT TO STAY HERE AND SEE IT FOR SURE. 
          OKAY. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS SEEING NONE? IS THERE ANY OBJECTION WHICH WOULD BE TO ACCEPTING THIS AS A RESOLUTION PROVIDES A, A PATH FORWARD DOESN'T BIND FUTURE COUNSEL? SO WE WOULD LOOK FOR A RESOLUTIONS COMING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE RELATIVE TO PRIORITIZATIONS AND COMMITTEES, BUT IN TERMS OF THE GOOD WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE. 
          SO IS THERE ANY, ANY OBJECTION TO THIS, A RESOLUTION HEARING? NONE, UH, THIS STANDS APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION, THAT'S ITEM NUMBER 20, THAT NOW TAKES US TO THE OLD ITEM NUMBER 
          [18. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A 2022 TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX REFERENDUM]
18, WHICH WAS FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR THE REFERENDUM ITSELF. 
          AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT IT, UH, AT CAUCUS, I THINK THE SENSE WAS TO NOT MAKE A DECISION THERE, OF COURSE, BUT PERHAPS WITH TWO OF OUR MEMBERS GONE, THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO ACTUALLY DEFER FINAL, UM, VOTING ON THIS AS A FIRST READING UNTIL OUR, OUR NEXT NEXT MEETING. 
          SO, UH, IS THERE, UH, A MOTION TO EITHER DO THAT OR TO DO SOMETHING ELSE RELATIVE TO THIS FIRST READING? PARDON WAS POSTPONED? UH, CHRIS, UH, MAKES A MOTION TO POSTPONE CONSIDERATION OF FIRST READING UNTIL OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ALICE SECONDS. 
          IT, IS THERE ANY, UH, ANY COMMENTS THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE LOGAN, UH, QUICK COMMENT, I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF. 
          UM, AT FIRST, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO POSTPONE. 
          UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES I DO HAVE WITH THAT IS IF WE ARE GOING TO TRY THIS, GET THIS ONTO A 22 REFERENDUM, UM, WE'RE ALREADY TWO WEEKS BEHIND BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE WAS GETTING DONE. 
          THEY HAD A DOT, THE I'S CROSS THE T, UM, WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T START DURING THE SUMMER, UM, POSTPONING IT AND OTHER ACTUALLY AS IN OUR NEXT MEETING, THREE WEEKS AWAY. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER THREE WEEKS. 
          UM, I JUST THINK WE'RE COMING UP WITH LESS AND LESS TIME TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC. 
          IF WE DECIDE TO GO THROUGH 22, UM, I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THE POSTPONEMENT ONLY BECAUSE I THINK WE COULD ACTUALLY VOTE ON THIS TODAY. 
          UM, AND THEN IF WE WANTED TO POSTPONE ON THE SECOND OR THIRD READING, WHEN THE REST OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE TO NEGOTIATE AND TALK MORE, WE MOST DEFINITELY CAN, BUT AT LEAST THAT DOESN'T PUT US BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL LATER ON. 
          WE CAN'T MAKE THAT TIME BACK UP, BUT WE CAN DECIDE ON THE SECOND AND THIRD READING TO POSTPONE IT AT THAT TIME AS WELL. 
          YEAH. 
          AND FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT, WE'RE JUST CONCERNED THAT IF, IF IT'S GOING ON NOT GET FIRST READING TONIGHT, THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER DELAY IF YOU ARE NOT OPPOSED TO GIVING IT FIRST READING TONIGHT. 
          CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OKAY WITH YOU GOING FOR FIRST READING AND HAVING THE DISCUSSION AT SECOND READING FOR WHATEVER YOU ULTIMATELY DECIDE TO DO. 
          BUT IF YOU TURN IT DOWN TONIGHT, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD TO BRING IT BACK WITH ENOUGH TIME. 
          SO, YEAH, I JUST, UH, JUST THINKING ABOUT THE STAFF, WHAT A, WHAT A BOX WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM IN IF WE POSTPONE THIS AT ALL, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE 22 REFERENDUM OR NOT, BUT IT MIGHT BE. 
          AND, UH, AND IF IT IS, I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD WITH FIRST RATING AND WE HAVE TWO MORE RIGGINGS TO CHANGE ANYTHING WE WANT OR DO ANYTHING WE WANT WITH IT. 
          AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE, UH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT TWO OF OUR MEMBERS ARE NOT HERE TONIGHT. 
          THEY'VE HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT ON IT. 
          SO I, I WOULD PERSONALLY SUGGEST THAT WE GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON IT TONIGHT. 
          AND, UH, AND WHEN THE OTHER TWO MEMBERS ARE HERE, WE CAN DISCUSS IT IN GREAT DETAIL AT OUR NEXT MEETING, AND EITHER CHANGE THE DATE TO THE, TO THE POINTY FOR REFERENDUM, LEAVE IT AT THE 22 REFERENDUM OR WHATEVER ELSE WE'LL WANT TO DO WITH IT. 
          THEN WE'LL HAVE THIS OTHER TWO FOLKS WITH US. 
          YEAH, JUST, JUST SO COUNCIL'S CLEAR THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE REFERENDUM COMPLETED AND IN THE HANDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION BY AUGUST 15TH. 
          SO WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. 
          WE'VE GOT TWO MEETINGS IN JUNE. 
          WE HAVE ONE MEETING SCHEDULED IN JULY. 
          IF WE DELAY SOMETHING AGAIN, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING IN JULY TO DEAL WITH THAT PARTICULAR ITEM. 
          BUT I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THE SCHEDULE. 
          SO IT'S JUST 
          [02:25:01]
A MATTER OF WHATEVER YOUR COMFORT COMFORTABLE WITH DOING, UH, THIS EVENING, UH, WITH WHETHER OR NOT YOU GET FIRST READING OR POSTPONE TO JUNE 13TH, EITHER WAY, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO BE FINE AT THE STAFF LEVEL. 
          AND WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL A SPECIAL MEANING EARLIER IF WE WANTED IT IS CORRECT. 
          WE DO HAVE THREE MEETINGS FOR THREE WEEKS TO OUR NEXT MEETING THAT DOES NOT PRECLUDE US FROM CALLING A SPECIAL MEETING AND TALKING ABOUT IT. 
          IF WE WANT TO OTHER COMMENTS, MARK, I ACTUALLY, UM, AGREE WITH W WITH LOGAN AND I, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN THIS COUNCIL MANY, MANY TIMES A VOTE, UM, ON FIRST READING OR SECOND READING, KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SECOND SHOT IN THIRD SHOT AT THIS AS WELL. 
          UM, AND AGAIN, I WOULD, UM, I, AT THIS POINT, UM, WE ALL KNOW WHERE WE STAND, BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT IS GOOD. 
          WE HAVE OUR MISSING COUNCIL, UH, PERSONS AT THE NEXT MEETING. 
          AND AGAIN, THERE WAS NO REASON WHY, UM, IT WOULD DELAY US FROM, FROM VOTING FIRST READING TONIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          OTHER COMMENTS, CHRIS, WOULD YOU CONSIDER WITHDRAWING YOUR MOTION AND THE SECOND YOU WITHDRAW OR SOMEBODY COULD MAKE A MOTION TO MEN? EITHER ONE. 
          I'D RATHER NOT. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT THOUGH. 
          I'D RATHER NOT. 
          I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND. 
          OKAY. 
          SO ALICE MAKES A MOTION TO AMEND, TO DO WHAT TO HAVE FIRST READING VOTE AT FIRST WEEK. 
          OKAY. 
          WE COULD JUST VOTE TO DENY THE MOTION TO POSTPONE THAT'S THE SAME EFFECT AND DOESN'T REQUIRE ADDITIONAL JUDICIARY JUDICIAL ACTION, SIR. 
          JUST BOTH THE MOTION UP OR DOWN AND THEN PROCEED ON WITH FIRST READING. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU'RE SAYING THE MOTION IS TO DENY NO. 
          TO EXTEND TWO STEPS. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL MOTION. 
          SO IS THERE A SECOND FOR ALICE'S MOTION? YOU DON'T NEED THEM. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER HERBER. 
          SEAN MADE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THE COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD SECONDED IT. 
          AND WHAT HE'S STATING IS THAT WE SHOULD VOTE ON THAT BEFORE WE DO ANOTHER ONE. 
          YEAH. 
          RIGHT. 
          I UNDERSTAND. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE HAVE BEFORE US A MOTION TO POSTPONE. 
          OKAY. 
          IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL? OKAY, SO WE, UH, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL CAUSE I THINK IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE A SPLIT VOTE. 
          UM, YOUR MOTION YOU'LL GO FIRST. 
          CHRIS ALICE? NO, UH, YORK, NO LOGAN, NO GERALD. 
          NO, NO, NO, NO. 
          OKAY. 
          MARK. 
          MARK LAWSON. 
          NO. 
          OKAY. 
          BRIAN I'M GOOD. 
          GOOD. 
          OKAY. 
          PAUL, NO GERALD CHERYL VOTING. 
          NO. 
          SO THAT IS A EIGHT TO ONE. 
          STILL LOVE YOU BROTHER. 
          SO W WE'RE WE'RE BACK NOW TO THE, TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION, UH, WHICH WE STILL NEED A MOTION. 
          I BELIEVE THEM EXCEPT FOR THE FIRST READING AS FIRST READING. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE HAVE LOGAN AS A MOTION ANALYSIS A SECOND, AND THIS WOULD BE TO VOTE ON FIRST READING OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION PENNY SALES TAX. 
          OKAY. 
          OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MIGHT REAL QUICK IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS ONLY SO I CAN POSSIBLY VOTE AGAINST IT AT SECOND READING, BUT LET'S JUST MOVE THIS WORK. 
          IF WE COULD PLEASE GET UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO GET US TO THE SECOND READING. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, TO THAT POINT, IS, DOES ANYBODY OBJECT TO APPROVING THIS AT FIRST READING? SO WE THEN WE'LL MOVE IT FOR FORWARD FOR DETAILED DISCUSSION. 
          AT SECOND READING, YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION. 
          OKAY. 
          WE HAVE AN OBJECTION. 
          DOES ANYBODY ELSE OBJECT? OKAY. 
          HEARING NONE. 
          OTHERS WE'LL TAKE THAT AS AN EIGHT TO ONE, UM, APPROVAL OF FIRST READING OF ITEM NUMBER 16. 
          UM, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH 17. 
          THAT TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER 19, WHICH 
          [19. THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOCATE 2018 ONE CENT SALES TAX ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE SIDEWALKS AND MULTI-USE PATHWAYS PROGRAM ($15,449,734.75).]
IS THIRD READING, UM, TO ALLOCATE THE ADDITIONAL MONEY COLLECTED 
          [02:30:01]
IN THE REFERENDUM, THE CURRENT, THE ONE THAT JUST EXPIRED TO DIRECT IT TOWARDS SIDEWALKS AND MULTIPLE PATHS, UH, BECAUSE THEY WERE, UM, MORE THAN THE REFERENDUM THAT WAS APPROVED, THEN THERE WAS MONEY TO DO IT. 
          UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S UNANIMOUS. 
          SO I'D LOOK FOR A MOTION ON THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          WE GOT, UH, BRIAN AND GERALD. 
          IS THERE ANY, ANY DISCUSSION? DOES ANYBODY OBJECT OKAY. 
          THAT IS APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION. 
          THAT'S NUMBER 19. 
          IT TAKES US TO OUR LAST ITEM, WHICH IS NUMBER 
          [21. 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]
21, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH SOME RIGHT-AWAY NEEDS ON THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY. 
          UM, SOMEBODY WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT GERALD? I MEAN, JARED SURE. 
          THIS IS, IT HAS TO DO WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE SIGNAL, UM, BLUFFTON PARKWAY IN RIVER RIDGE, UM, AND HAMPTON LAKE THERE. 
          SO IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE SIGNAL, WE DID A WARRANT ANALYSIS. 
          THE WARRANT ANALYSIS CAME BACK THAT IT WAS REQUIRED. 
          UH, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH A DESIGN TO EXPEDITE THIS PROJECT AND CONCURRENTLY WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS RIGHT AWAY TO GET PERMISSION. 
          UH, WE'RE FINALIZING THE ACREAGE AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE APPRAISAL AMOUNT, BUT THIS IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, BOTH ON THE SCHOOL PROPERTY. 
          AND THEY'RE IN FRONT OF THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF HAMPTON LAKE. 
          SO THIS IS TO GIVE THE ADMINISTRATOR THE APPROVAL TO EXECUTE THOSE RIGHT AWAY DOCUMENTS. 
          I'LL MAKE THE MOTION DISCUSSION, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN LONG OVERDUE, AND I'M GLAD WE ARE GETTING IT DONE QUICKLY. 
          IT'S A, UH, A DEFINITELY A HAZARD SPEEDING THROUGH THERE, ESPECIALLY DURING THAT SCHOOL ZONE WHEN THEY'RE CROSSING OVER TWO LANES. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THE CITIZEN COMMENT 
          [22. CITIZEN COMMENTS]
AND A CLICHE Y'ALL BEING PATIENT. 
          IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? WE HAD TWO THAT WERE LEFT OVER FROM THE, UH, THE FIRST SESSION. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL HERE OR NOT. 
          UM, BUT, UH, WELCOME YOU AGAIN. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          ONCE AGAIN, UM, AS HE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THESE PROJECTS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS NOT MENTIONED IS SAFETY THROUGHOUT BUFORD COUNTY ONE, UH, THROUGHOUT BUFORD COUNTY, WE HAVE PLENTY OF CAMERAS GOING AROUND BUFORD COUNTY. 
          HOWEVER, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THEY DO NOT RECORD. 
          UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ON THAT LIST OF ITEMS THAT WAS JUST BROUGHT UP, UM, IS THAT THERE'D BE SOME TYPE OF FUNDING TO INCREASE SAFETY THROUGHOUT BUFORD COUNTY, UH, BY ENSURING THAT THOSE CAMERAS HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECORD. 
          UM, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENHANCING BUFORD COUNTY OVERALL, THAT WOULD ENHANCE SAFETY AND EVERYTHING ELSE THROUGHOUT BUFORD COUNTY. 
          SO I'M ASKING THE COUNTY, UM, COUNCIL TO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT AS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS YOU DO YOUR SECOND AND THIRD READINGS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS LOOKED AT AND POSSIBLY ADDED TO YOUR LIST. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? UM, HAVING COMPLETED ALL OF OUR BUSINESS, THIS MEETING NOW STANDS ADJOURNED. 
          THANK YOU.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.