[00:00:01]
UH, FOR MONDAY ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, WHENEVER PLEASE ARISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.I PLEDGE ALLEG ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC NATION 100 INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY OF JUSTICE FOR PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING, UH, HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED.
UM, CAN I ASK FOR SOMEONE TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA? I'D
[3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
BE HAPPY YOU TODAY, MR. CHAIRMAN.THANK YOU, MR. ROBIN, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP TODAY.
IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND, THE MOTION.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY AMENDMENTS? SEE IF I MIGHT CHAIRMAN I HAVE YES.
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO REWORD, UH, LET'S SEE THE ITEM REGARDING THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, UM, WHERE IT HAS ITEM 10, THE LAST WORD, TWO WORDS OF PURCHASING THEIR
I THINK THEY NEED TO BE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER CFO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE AMENDMENT DEALS THANK.
SO IN THE NUMBER 10 DESCRIPTION THAT SHOULD READ INSTEAD OF PURCHASING DIRECTOR, CORRECT? I THINK MR. THOMAS, YOU PRESS THE TITLE WITH CODE.
OKAYS THE TITLE CODE ALL BRIAN.
WELL THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO CHANGE THE, UH, CHANGE ALSO THE LINE OF THE TITLE TO AUTHORITY AND DO ING DIRECTOR TO INCLUDE, UM, AND CFO, BECAUSE YOU'RE ADDING IN LENGTH WITH YOUR ENVIRONMENT PURCHASING, UH, THE CFO AND PERSON.
SO PERHAPS A TITLE TO BE CHANGED.
THAT'S, UH, POINT WELL TAKEN, SIR.
AND I IT'S A SMALL MATTER, SIR, AND I DON'T THINK IT REALLY AFFECTS AFFECTS, UM, UH, THE DECISION HERE OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REALLY WHEN IT GOES TO COUNTY COUNCIL, PERHAPS YOU NEED TO, UH, AMEND THAT AS WELL.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA ADD AND CFO, UM, AFTER PURCHASING DIRECTOR IN THE TITLE, CORRECT.
ANYBODY ELSE WITH REGARDS TO THE AGENDA? ALL RIGHT.
UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL THEN APPROVE THE AMENDED, UM, UH, AMENDED AGENDA AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE HAVE NOW APPROVED OUR AGENDA.
UM, SO LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - September 8, 2022]
SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2022.CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT? SO MOVE MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE APPROVE? ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 8TH WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UH, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO OUR CITIZENS
[6. CITIZEN COMMENTS]
COMMENT.AND, UH, MS. SARAH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE, UM, PRESENT OR ONLINE OR THAT HAS, UH, CONTACTED US THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY? UH, NO, WE DO NOT.
ANYONE, UH, IN THE CROWD THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY? YEP.
NOT LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT PERSPECTIVE, AGENDA ITEM, SO I DUNNO IF YOU'D LIKE YOU TO HOLD THAT COMMENT.
YOU GET TO THE AGENDA ITEM OR GO AHEAD AND COME ON.
UM, PROBABLY GO AHEAD AND, AND DO THAT NOW.
WELL, I'M, I'M MAYOR STEVEN MURRAY FROM THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY ON THE MYRTLE PARK, UH, FUND, UH, REQUEST.
UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I WAS THE FOUNDING CHAIRMAN OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, WORKED WITH, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE MUNICIPALITIES.
UH, ALICE HOWARD WAS A, A BIG PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS WAS, UH, COUNCILMAN RODMAN.
UH, AND WE MADE A DEAL TO, TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE CITIZENS WHEN WE STRUCTURED THE CORPORATION.
AND THAT DEAL WAS WE WERE GONNA BE, UH, VERY BUSINESS MINDED.
WE WERE GONNA BE VERY RESPONSIBLE WITH PUBLIC RESOURCE.
WE WERE GONNA REPORT BACK, UH, ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND, UH, WE THOUGHT WE COULD DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAN HOW THEY HAD BEEN DONE PREVIOUSLY IN BEAVER COUNTY.
HOWEVER, IF WE DIDN'T MEET OUR COMMITMENTS AND WE DIDN'T MEET THE GOALS AND METRICS THAT WE SET OUT AND SAID THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD COME BACK AND SAY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
THE GOOD NEWS IS I THINK MOST FOLKS WOULD AGREE THAT WE HAVE EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS, UH, WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND
[00:05:01]
WITH THE PARTNERSHIPS.AND, AND MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE RESOURCES THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS EXTENDED, UH, TO THE REGIONAL GROUP, UH, JUST OVER A QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN FIVE YEARS, OVER 1300 COMMITTED JOBS IN ALL OF OUR JURISDICTIONS ACROSS BUFORT COUNTY AND AN AVERAGE WAGE OF OVER $47,000 A YEAR, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT PER CAP INCOME IS JUST SHY OF $30,000 A YEAR.
SO I HOPE WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD AND TAKE A LOT OF CREDIT IN THIS EFFORT WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY DIVERSIFYING BAUER COUNTY'S ECONOMY AND PROVIDING BETTER JOBS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO GET UP EVERY DAY AND, AND WORK FOR A LIVING, RIGHT.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO BAUER COUNTY AND THE RESOURCES THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THE ENTITY IN THAT SPIRIT TWO YEARS AGO, UH, THE MYRTLE PARK DEAL WAS SORT OF UNFOLDING AND I GIVE JOHN OTO AND CHARLIE STONE, A LOT OF CREDIT FOR HELPING TO SHAPE THAT DEAL.
YOU'VE GOT CAPITAL INVESTMENT ON THAT SITE.
THOSE FUNDS ARE NOW, NOW BEING RELEASED BACK INTO SORT OF COUNTY COFFERS.
UH, TWO YEARS AGO, THIS COUNCIL, UH, I BELIEVE IN A UNANIMOUS VOTE, SAID THAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD GO INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP SITE FUNDS, SO WE COULD CONTINUE THIS GOOD WORK.
AND NOW OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, UH, THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION FROM YOUR STAFF THAT IN FACT THAT MONEY SHOULDN'T GO, UH, IN, INTO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPS COFFERS, AND IN YOUR AGENDA, THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT ABOUT $90,000 GO TO THE CORPORATION AND AROUND $600,000, APPROXIMATE NUMBERS WOULD BE AT YOUR, AT YOUR LEISURE OF WHERE YOU COULD DIRECT IT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO I APPRECIATE STAFF BRINGING THAT TO ATTENTION.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK TODAY THAT WE GO AHEAD AND SORT OF KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, MAKE GOOD ON THE COMMITMENT THAT THIS COUNCIL MADE BACK IN 2020 DIRECT THOSE FUNDS INTO THE SITE FUND, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PRIORITIES IN MINORITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ADDITIONAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, UH, A WHOLE HOST OF REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THIS COUNTY THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP HAS MADE COMMITMENTS OF THAT MONEY.
AND IF IT'S NOT IN PLACE, UH, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CARRY ON THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND AGAIN, FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF BURE COUNTY, MAYOR MURRAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? YEAH, SENATOR DAVIS.
UM, THIS IS, UM, IN REGARD TO, I THINK IT'S A MATTER ON YOUR AGENDA.
UM, IT'S IN REGARD TO THE HILTON HEAD NUMBER ONE PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT, UM, WANTED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT, UM, THEY HAVE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO THE SOUTHLINE RURAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY TO EXPAND ITS CAPACITY AT ITS JENKINS ISLAND RESERVE OSMOSIS, DRINKING WATER TREATMENT FACILITY FROM 4 MILLION GALLONS A DAY TO 6 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
AND, UM, I, I SUBMITTED A LETTER ON THEIR BEHALF TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY.
HOWEVER, I WANTED TO, TO KIND OF PUT THAT IN SOME CONTEXT, UM, THAT MONEY, THAT $500 MILLION THAT THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO GET A PIECE OF WAS SET ASIDE BY GOVERNOR MCMASTER.
UM, AND I'VE GOT A COPY OF, UM, THE CRITERIA THAT HE SET FORTH IN REGARD TO THE ALLOCATION OF THAT MONEY TO INCREASE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL COUNTIES, UM, AROUND TIER THREE AND TIER FOUR COUNTIES, UM, COUNTIES THAT DON'T POSSESS THE RESOURCES OR TAX BASED TO UPGRADE, REPLACE THEIR WATER SYSTEM.
SO I WANTED TO, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT AND SOME CAUTION IN REGARD TO THE RELATIVELY PROBLEMATIC NATURE OF THAT GRANT REQUEST, AS YOU CONSIDER THIS LOCAL ONE, UM, I'LL DO WHAT I CAN AS WILL THE DELEGATION TO TRY TO GET AN ALLOCATION OF THESE STATEWIDE MONIES.
I DID WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IT'S PROBLEMATIC THAT WE CAN GET THAT MONEY, CUZ THEY ARE SET ASIDE FOR THE, THE RURAL COUNTIES.
JUST, JUST WANNA MAKE YOU ALL AWARE OF THAT.
WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE CITIZENS COMMENT AND MOVE ON TO, UM, OUR UPDATE
[ 7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]
FROM OUR, UH, COUNTY ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.JUST A, UH, VERY BRIEF UPDATE FROM THE, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I WANTED TO, UH, REMIND YOU ALL.
OR IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD AT ALL THAT OUR TRANSPARENCY PORTAL IS UP AND RUNNING ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
SO IF YOU, UH, GO TO THE MAIN PAGE AT BEAUFORT COUNTY, SC.GOV AND CLICK ON TRANSPARENCY, THAT'LL TAKE YOU TO, UH, A LIST OF, UH, VARIOUS INTERESTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
YOU'LL FIND FINANCIAL REPORTS, OUR SPENDING PORTAL, BIDDING OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION.
SO, UH, YOU GUYS ARE ANY CITIZENS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THAT, THAT IS THERE AND UP AND RUNNING, UM, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS NOW INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
UH, ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN A SLIGHT DECREASE IN, UH, DEEDS FILED AND REVENUE COLLECTED VIA THOSE DEEDS WERE ABOUT 20% DOWN COMPARED WITH THIS, UH, SAME TIME LAST YEAR.
THAT'S SIMPLY INFORMATION THAT WE CAN KEEP, UH, YOU POSTED ON.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE WILL WATCH AS WE, UH, PROGRESS THROUGH
[00:10:01]
THE FISCAL YEAR.AND, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DO YOU THINK THE 20% IS CLOSER TO THE PRE COVID TIME IS THAT YOU DO SEE A BIT OF DELAY IN, UH, WHAT THE DEEDS OFFICE SEES VERSUS THE TIME THAT PROPERTY ACTUALLY, UH, CLOSES, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THERE'S, THERE IS, UH, SOME LAG THERE, BUT, UH, SIMPLY NUMBERS RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE THAT CAN CHANGE IN AN INSTANTLY.
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW IN, IN THAT MARKET, BUT WANTED TO PASS THAT ALONG TO YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. BUTTS, ANY, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, UH, FROM COUNCIL SEE ANY, SO THANK YOU.
[8. DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION OF YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR FY 2023, HAYES WILLIAMS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER]
MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS. AND, UM, OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM IS NUMBER EIGHT, DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION OF YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 AND, UH, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MR. HAYES WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. HEY, GOOD MORNING.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN AND COUNCILMAN.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL AN AUDIT UPDATE AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE, WE WE'RE SHOWING THE PROCESS OF CLOSING THE 2022 YEAR, UM, WERE, WERE YOU RECONCILING EVERYTHING? UH, BUT THE BEST WAY TO, UH, PUT A BENCHMARK TO THAT IS WE HA OUR AUDITORS HAVE A, UH, DATABASE CALLED SIR LINCOLN IS WHERE THEY REQUEST ITEMS. UH, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE'RE AT 55.3, 2% OF FULFILLED ITEMS ON THERE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS, I DON'T KNOW IS, IS WAY, IS A LOT BETTER THAN EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND PROBABLY EVER BEFORE.
SO WE'RE MAKING BIG STRIDES IN THAT REGARD.
UM, THE FINANCE HAS DONE A SOFT CLOSE FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN MUNUS, UH, FOR 2022 AND KIND OF ROLLED EVERYTHING OVER IT WHEN WE WON'T DO A HARD CLOSE, UH, CUZ THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL, UH, ENTRIES FROM THE AUDITOR OR, OR ON OUR PART, UH, UNTIL THE AUDIT'S FINISHED AND WE GET THE FINAL NUMBERS IN THERE, PRE VALUE TO DO THE HARD CLOSE.
UM, BUT WE'RE PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON EVERYTHING WE EXPECT IT TO BE DONE IN LATE SEPTEMBER, EARLY OCTOBER.
AND WE'RE HOPING THE AUDITORS WILL GOING START THEIR, UH, THEIR AUDIT PROCESS BY, UM, MID TO LATE OCTOBER AND THEN INTO NOVEMBER.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THE, THE AUDIT WITH, UH, UH, OUR ANNUAL AUDIT LAST YEAR, UH, AT EXACTLY A YEAR AGO.
UH, WE HAD AN INTERNAL AUDIT AND WE HAD, UH, RESULTS HERE, FAMILIAR DAVIS ELLIOT DAVIS GAVE US A REPORT ON PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES FOR FINANCE, PROCUREMENT, UH, DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE BSM PEOPLE OVER THERE.
HEY GUYS, AND DAVE COMMENTS BACK THERE, IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT REALLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
UH, WE HAD A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS IN FINANCE AND, AND WE'VE HAD A, A VERY BUSY TIME SINCE THEN GETTING STAFFED UP AND GETTING THINGS RIGHT.
LET, LET ME GO TO, UH, BUT, UM, RIGHT NOW WE, BEAVER COUNTY HAS EXPANDED IT'S REPORTING TO THE FINANCING COMMITTEE, FINANCE COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE REPORTS ON THE GENERAL FUND ENTERPRISE FUNDS, UM, AND, AND, UH, REAL PURCHASE AND PROPERTY.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING ON EXPANDING THE REPORTING TO INCLUDE DEBT, SERVICE FUNDS AND CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
AS TIME ALLOWS US TO GET THOSE GOING.
UM, ONE OF THE FINDINGS WAS THAT OUR, OUR FINANCE EMPLOYEES WEREN'T TAKEN OFF AT LEAST ONE FULL WEEK, A YEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE ARE PROPERLY STAFFED UP AND EVERYBODY'S TAKING AT LEAST ONE FULL WEEK OFF.
I PLAN TO TAKE MORE THAN THAT, HOPEFULLY AROUND THE HOLIDAYS, BECAUSE I WON'T BE WORRYING ABOUT HAVING THE AUDIT OVER MY HEAD IS WHAT I'M HOPING.
UM, THERE, THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH RECONCILIATIONS NOT GETTING DONE TIMELY, OUR PAYABLES AND RECEIVABLES.
WE'RE DOING THOSE QUARTERLY AND, AND CAPITAL ASSETS.
WE'RE DOING THOSE QUARTERLY RIGHT NOW.
AND THE REASON THOSE ARE QUARTERLY OR THOSE, THOSE ARE REALLY MORE CRUELS AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAN THEY ARE ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
BUT WE'VE GOTTEN ALL OF OUR CASH RECONCILIATIONS, ALL OUR BANK RECONCILIATIONS TO BE DONE MONTHLY, WHICH IS A HUGE LEAP FROM WHEN I GOT HERE.
UM, LET'S SEE, THERE WAS A FINDING ABOUT POSTING PEOPLE POSTING THEIR OWN JOURNAL ENTRIES.
WE PUT SAFEGUARDS INTO PLACE THAT NO, NO FINANCE EMPLOYEE CAN POST THEIR OWN JOURNAL E ENTRY OR BUDGET ENTRIES THAT HAS WORKED OUT WELL.
UM, WE, WE HAD SOME ISSUES, UH, WITH RECONCILING OUR FIXED ASSETS.
SO WE'VE HIRED A FIXED ASSETS MANAGER AND HE'S RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW, HE'S IN THE OFFICE TRYING TO GET ALL THE AUDIT SCHEDULES DONE FOR THE AUDITOR SO HE CAN GET THE AUDIT DONE.
BUT AS SOON AS HE GETS THOSE DONE, HE'S GONNA GET BACK OUT IN THE FIELD.
AND HE'S GOING DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT, LOOKING FOR TAGS ON EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES AND ANYTHING THAT HE POSSIBLY CAN AND RECONCILING THEM TO THE STATEMENT.
AND SOMETIMES HE'S FINDING STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE ON THERE.
AND SOMETIMES HE'S, YOU KNOW, TAKING STUFF OFF THAT HAS BEEN THERE, THERE SINCE I WAS PROBABLY TWO YEARS OLD.
SO, UM, HE'S IN THE PROCESS OF CLEANING IT UP.
BE GIVING YOU A REPORT FROM HIM.
[00:15:01]
NEXT TIME.AND FINANCE IS CURRENTLY WORKING THERE.
THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH SOMEBODY REQUESTING FUNDS AND SIGNING OFF ON THE SAME THING.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TRYING TO AUTOMATE EVERYTHING IN MUN TO WHERE YOU HAVE A PURCHASE ORDER AND YOU JUST SUBMIT THE INVOICES AND IT'LL GIVE US A NICE AUDIT TRAIL AND EVERYTHING WILL BE DONE THROUGH MUNUS.
AND THAT WILL, THAT'LL BE A REALLY STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO THAT WAS FROM FINANCE AND THE INTERNAL AUDIT.
THERE WERE OTHER THINGS FROM DSN AND PURCHASING, BUT THEY'VE MADE THEIR CHANGES AND DONE WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO.
DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THEM? DO Y'ALL WANT TO GET UP AND SAY ANYTHING? RUSS EVERYBODY'S BEING BASHFUL TODAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR OUR CFO COUNCIL? I CAN'T, UH, SEE EVERYBODY SO, UH, SPEAK UP OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
WELL, MR. WILLIAMS, I THINK YOU GOT OFF EASY TODAY, SO RIGHT.
THE NEXT THING IS I WANNA GO OVER SOME FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN FINANCE.
AND ONE BIG THING IS WE'RE DOING A CHART OF ACCOUNTS REDESIGN AND PROBABLY WHEN I CAME ON, I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER.
UM, I THOUGHT THAT THOUGHT IT, WHITNEY DEFINITELY THOUGHT IT WHEN SHE CAME ON, OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS IS TO SAY OVERBOARD WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
IT, IT IS, IT IS WE, WE HAVE 40 DIFFERENT THINGS FOR SUPPLIES, OFFICE SUPPLIES, COPIER SUPPLIES, PEST CONTROL, SUPPLY.
I MEAN, SUPPLIES ARE SUPPLIES.
LET'S JUST PUT IN HER ONE LINE ITEM.
SO WE'RE GOING IN THE PROCESS OF REDESIGNING OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS TO MAKE 'EM MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE TRANSPARENT.
AND, AND THAT THAT'S BEEN A BIG LIFT AND, AND DENISE CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTINE WEBB HAVE BEEN LEADING THAT OFF RIGHT NOW.
AND, AND THEY'RE PIGGYBACKING OFF WHAT MS. RICHLAND AND, UH, DID WHEN SHE WAS THERE EARLIER.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON, UH, WITH IT TO DO PURCHASE CARD INTEGRATION.
SO A LOT, A LOT OF MANAGERS AND, AND THE EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A PURCHASE CARD, WHICH IS BASICALLY A CREDIT CARD WHERE THEY CAN GO OUT AND BUY SOME SUPPLIES AND WHATNOT.
AND IN THE PAST, IF YOU BOUGHT SOMETHING FROM STAPLES, IT WOULDN'T GO TO THE STAPLES VENDOR.
IT WOULD JUST GO TO THE LINE ITEM, LIKE IT'D GO TO 1011, 11, 50 10, OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
AND SO YOU WEREN'T FOR 10 99 PURPOSES, YOU HAD TO GO BACK IN AND RECREATE IT BASED ON THE, THE STATEMENTS.
THERE IS AN OPTION WITH OUR VENDOR AND MUNUS THAT NOW WE CAN UPLOAD IT AND TRACK ALL THE PURCHASES BY VENDOR.
AND IT OUGHT TO MAKE OUR 10 99 PROCESS A LOT EASIER.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING TRAINING WITH OUR EMPLOYEES ON A MONTHLY OR BIMONTHLY BASIS AND TRYING TO TEACH 'EM THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW TO HELP OUT.
UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A BUDGET MANAGER CURRENTLY, UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THAT BY THE NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, AND AS A PART OF THAT, WE'LL BE WORKING ON A BUDGET CALENDAR, WHICH I HOPE TO HAVE TO Y'ALL BY THE NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO TRAINING IN CLEAR GOV, WHICH IS HOW WE DID THE, UH, BUDGET LAST YEAR.
AND IT WAS VERY INTERACTIVE AND EVERYBODY LIKED IT A LOT.
UM, SO THAT'S ALL THE BUDGET STUFF.
AND WE HIRED A NEW GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR, UH, RYAN MO, WHO JUST STARTED A DAY.
SO HE HAD HALF A DAY OF DOING STUFF WITH HR.
UM, AND HE'S JUST GETTING HIS WHEELS FEET UNDERNEATH HIM, KIND OF GAVE HIM THE DAY.
BUT I, I, I PLAN ON HAVING OUR NEW BUDGET MANAGER AND HE TO COME THE NEXT FINANCE MEETING SO I CAN INTRODUCE Y'ALL PROPERLY.
SO ANYWAYS, THEN ANY QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING THERE? J JUST A QUESTION FROM ME, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, WHEN YOU GROUP EVERYTHING UNDER SUPPLIES, UM, DO YOU HAVE A WAY OF DOING A SUBSET BY CODING THE ACCOUNT? SO THAT SUPPLIES FOR A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT COULD BE ANALYZED IF NECESSARY? IT, IT COULD BE.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT UNDER THE, UM, THE UMBRELLA OF SUPPLIES RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT A PRIME EXAMPLE IS LIKE CAPITAL PURCHASES ARE ALL 50 FOURS AND THEN YOU'D HAVE A CAPITAL PURCHASE FOR EVERY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT YOU EVER BOUGHT EVER.
SO YOU'RE ALMOST STARTING TO RUN OUT OF 54 NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN PUT 'EM UNDER.
SO YOU, YOU'RE KIND OF DOING THAT SUPPLIES IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD, IF YOU REALLY NEED TO, BUT IF YOU'RE IN MOSQUITO CONTROL, I MEAN, A SUPPLIES, A SUPPLY, IT COULD BE A MOSQUITO CONTROL SUPPLIER OR A SUPPLY SUPPLY.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE SEE THAT THERE'S A, A REAL NEED TO SPLIT OUT, ESPECIALLY FOR GRANTS OR ANY KIND OF PURPOSE LIKE THAT, WE, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE WILLING TO AMEND THE, AMEND THE CHART OF ACCOUNTS, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO SIMPLIFY IT AND KEEP IT SIMPLE.
SO EVERYBODY CAN BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH IT RIGHT NOW IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS.
[00:20:02]
THAT.JOE HAS, WHEN YOU LOOKING AT ACCOUNT AND YOU NOT ABLE TO ENTERPRISE THAT, UM, THOSE AREAS, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO'S ACTUALLY DOING WHAT? UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY CONCERN AS WELL.
SO IF YOU THAT OUT VERY HELPFUL AND I UNDERSTAND HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF NUMBERS, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I LIKE TO KNOW MOSQUITO CONTROL IS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, OR THEY SPENDING MORE THAN THEY SHOULD BE SPENDING BASED ON THEIR BUDGET PROCESS.
AND WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY LUMP AS WELL AS WELL, THAT'S MY COMPANY.
IT, IT, WE'RE NOT, WHEN WE SAY WE'RE LUMPING TOGETHER, IT'S NOT DISSIMILAR ITEMS. UH, IT'S IT'S FOR EASE OF REPORTING.
UM, IT, IT, IT REALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS, IT'S SPECIFICALLY OUR ORG CODES.
IT, IT IS, IT IS OVERWHELMING.
I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER, BUT I COULD RUN THE REPORT FOR YOU.
AND YOU'D BE LIKE, YEAH, THAT, THAT KIND OF MAKES SENSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SIMPLIFY IT FOR ALL THE USERS.
SO, BUT, BUT THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ANYWAYS, THAT KIND OF LEADS US INTO, UM, INTO OUR, UH, UH, ACTUAL REVENUE, REVENUES AND EXPENSES IN THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE AT ABOUT 4% OF WHERE WE SHOULD BE OF, OF THE 16 POINT, UH, SIX, 7% THAT WE WOULD BE AT THIS POINT DURING THE YEAR.
AND THAT'S REALLY TO BE EXPECTED WITH, UH, ADOR TAXES, UH, BEING THE MAJORITY OF OUR REVENUE ABOUT 76%.
AND THOSE AREN'T ARRIVING UNTIL, UM, DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
UM, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE LAGS, INTERGOVERNMENTAL, UM, STUFF THAT WE GET STATE AID FROM SUBDIVISIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
ANYTHING FROM CAROLINA D OR WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT AFTER, UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST QUARTERS DONE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, FINDS AND FORFEITURES OF MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES, THEY'RE LAGGING, BUT WE'LL THINK THEY'LL COME BACK BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN THE TRANSFERS INTO THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE OTHER FUNDS.
WE TYPICALLY WAIT TO DO THAT IN THE THIRD MONTH OF THE QUARTER, INSTEAD OF THE FIRST QUARTER, TO GIVE THEM SOME TIME TO BUILD UP SOME OF THEIR, THEIR CASH.
SO THAT LEADS US TO THE EXPENDITURES.
AND, UM, TH THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WE'VE CHANGED THE FORMAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE'VE DONE IT TO SPENT ITEMS VERSE SPENT IT AND ENCUMBERED.
SO THIS IS REALLY THE MONEY THAT HAS GONE OUT THE DOOR, OTHER THAN THE MONEY THAT'S OBLIGATED, BECAUSE YOU BASICALLY I'LL GIVE YOU, FOR INSTANCE, YOU, YOU HAVE A CONTRACT THAT YOU NEGOTIATE FOR $900,000 AT AN AMOUNTS ENCUMBERED, BUT YOU MAY HAVE ONLY SPENT $10,000 ON IT.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, IT, IT, IT MAKES IT UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT HAS ACTUALLY LEFT THE BUILDING.
AND SO I JUST PUT IT TO SPENT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO STAY THIS WAY.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT BETTER, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 12.2% SPENT VERSUS 16.6%, WHICH WOULD BE TWO MONTHS INTO THE YEAR.
SO WE'RE ABOUT, WE'RE A LITTLE LOW I'M SURE.
UM, PEOPLE GONNA RAMP STUFF UP.
I SENT AN EMAIL OUT OF COURSE, EARLY JULY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALL GOT THEIR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES DONE.
BUT, UM, MOST OF THESE ARE LA PUBLIC WORKS IS LAGGING, BUT IT'LL CORRECT BY YEAR END, THE PUBLIC WELFARE IT'S LAGGING, BUT THE HUMAN SERVICES ALLIANCE HASN'T GONE OUT AND THAT'LL BE GOING OUT EARLY, LATER ON THIS FALL ALTER, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THEIR SUGGESTIONS FOR US.
I'M SURE THAT'LL BE COMING FORWARD, BUT THAT THAT'LL GET THAT BACK UP.
AND THEN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR THIS JOB AND SITE FUND IS $674,000.
AND THAT'LL BE BASED ON THE REQUEST THAT'LL BE COMING FROM Y'ALL FROM THE EDC.
SO THERE'S ALSO A NEW SCHEDULE IN HERE FOR Y'ALL AND IT'S THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUNDS, WHICH WE SPLIT OUT LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID ONE OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND THIS YEAR FOR THE BUDGET, AND THIS IS KIND OF A MULTI-YEAR CAPITAL FUND.
SO YOU'LL KIND OF SEE, WE HAVE ADOR TAXES AND WE HAVE USE OF, UH, PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE.
AND IT IS TECHNICALLY FALLS UNDERNEATH A GENERAL FUND, BUT IT'S MORE OF A COMMITTED FUND BALANCE, BUT WE HAD ORDINANCES FROM 22 22 31, WHICH IS OUR SURPLUS, WHICH WAS A PROPERTY ACQUISITION OF TCL PEPPER HALL ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, EMS VEHICLES, AND CAPITAL PURCHASES, UM, DETENTION CENTER, ARTHUR HORN BUILDING IN THE PARKS AND REC MC RILEY POOL.
AND THEN THE CURRENT FROM THE, THIS YEAR, THIS CURRENT PHYSICAL YEAR, 2235 HELMS AND WAY WILL ALSO SEE THE ADDITIONAL ONE FOR 900,000.
WHEN, WHEN THE ORDINANCES ACTUALLY GET SIGNED, COMES THROUGH ANOTHER 900,000 FOR THERE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGETED ORDINANCE.
SO YOUR ADVISED ORDINANCE KIND OF GETS THEM ALL TOGETHER, AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR ACTUAL, SO I, IT, THE, THE, WE HAVE ABOUT 302 ACTUALLY SPENT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S WHEN WAKE UP.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF STUFF COMING THROUGH THIS PAST MONTH, AND IT IT'S GONNA TO IT,
[00:25:01]
IT'S GONNA START WAKING UP HERE, BUT THAT'S REALLY ALL THE I HAVE FOR THE FINANCIAL BACKGROUND.IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WILLIAMS, WHAT YOU WERE GETTING OFF TODAY.
ONE, ONE QUICK, ONE QUICK QUESTION.
YEAH, GO AHEAD, MR. THANKS TOO MUCH.
UH, WHERE ARE WE AS FAR AS THE INTERNAL AUDIT PROCESS? UM, WE, WE, WE ARE, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
UM, WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH PURCHASING, WE'LL HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, I'M HOPING NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE, THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ON, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT, UH, AT, AT THE AGENDA REVIEW.
WE TOOK IT OFF, BUT WE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AGAIN.
WE'RE GONNA PUT IT BACK ON AND GET THAT UP AND RUNNING.
YOU OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. WILLIAMS, YOU DO A GREAT JOB, SO I APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR HELP AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.
[9. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE HILTON HEAD PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT ARPA PROJECTS REQUEST (FISCAL IMPACT: $1,000,000.00 FROM THE ARPA ALLOCATION)]
TO, UM, ITEM NUMBER NINE.AND, UM, THIS IS, UH, HILTON HEAD, PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT, UH, A R P PROJECT REQUEST.
UM, AND, UH, THIS WAS ON OUR AGENDA, I THINK BACK, UM, AUGUST 22ND.
AND WE, UM, KICKED IT BACK, UH, TO, TO, TO, TO YOU ERIC OR SOMEBODY ELSE TO ASK FOR MORE INFORMATION, UM, AND, UH, JUST WANNA SEE WHO WILL BE COMING FORWARD, WHATEVER INFORMATION WE'VE GOT SINCE THAT TIME.
I THINK WE'RE CHECKING ON AVAILABILITIES AND WHETHER OTHER UTILITY COMPANIES WOULD BE ASKING FOR MONEY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, ANY UPDATE FROM, FROM OUR LAST MEETING, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, I, I REC RECUSED MYSELF FROM THIS ITEM LAST TIME HE CAME BEFORE COUNSEL AND I'M DOING SO AGAIN TODAY, AND THEY'VE GOT MY FORM, SO I'M GONNA, UM, HOP OUT AND THEN I'LL, I'LL BE BACK WHEN, UH, THE AGENDA ITEM IS PASS.
THANK YOU, MR. HERON, MR. HERON HAS RECUSED HIMSELF.
SO I THINK HE DID LAST TIME AS WELL.
SO, UM, MR. GREENWAY, SO WE, WE, UH, HAVE MONEY IN THE APA ACCOUNT FOR FUNDING, THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS IN THERE.
IT'S A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UH, SO IF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WANTS TO FI RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL THAT THEY FUND THIS AMOUNT, UH, THERE IS MONEY IN THE APA ACCOUNT FOR, UH, SUCH PROJECTS.
UM, ONCE THAT MONEY IS USED UP, UH, THEN OF COURSE YOU ALL WILL HAVE TO EVALUATE, UH, WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO EXTEND THAT, UH, INTO THE FUTURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED IS THAT INSTEAD OF DOING, USING THAT FUND FOR, UH, ALLOCATING A DIRECT MONEY TO THE PROJECT IS THAT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR THE COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE MONEY FROM APA, THAT 3 MILLION FROM APA TO THE VARIOUS COUNCIL DISTRICTS GIVE EACH COUNCIL MEMBER SO MUCH MONEY PER DISTRICT TO ALLOW, UH, THEM TO FUND PROJECTS WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT ON THEIR OWN.
I, I DON'T HAVE A POSITION EITHER WAY.
WE HAVE THE MONEY TO FUND THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
WE DID NOT REACH OUT TO ANY OTHER ENTITY TO FIND OUT IF THEY WERE PLANNING TO SUBMIT A REQUEST, BECAUSE ONCE WE DO THAT, I CAN BET YOU, UH, THEY WILL.
UH, SO WE DID NOT DO THAT PART OF IT.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY REAL WAY OF KNOWING WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE IN THE WAY OF, UH, COMING REQUEST.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT WE, AS A STAFF ARE COMFORTABLE, UH, WITH FUNDING, UH, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, WE THINK IT'S A NEED, UH, IT'S WHAT THE APA MONEY WAS, UH, DESIGNED TO DO.
UH, SO, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
YOU ALL MAY HAVE A COMMENT WHEN I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY MR. CHAIRMAN.
SO LET ME JUST BACK UP REAL QUICK AND MAKE SURE WE ALL UNDERSTAND PREVIOUSLY WHAT HAPPENED, WHICH WAS, UH, THERE IS APA MONEY THERE, AND I THINK I HEARD $4 MILLION LAST TIME.
WAS THAT APPROXIMATELY? WHAT IS, BUT AGAIN, WE'VE GOT THREE PROJECTS THAT, THAT YOU YOU'D LIKE TO EARMARK THOSE FOUR.
AND, AND, UM, SO, UH, AGAIN, LARRY, I'LL LET YOU GO AHEAD AND SPEAK UP.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THIS, UM, REQUEST IS FOR ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE DRINKING WATER TO THE 25,000 CITIZENS WHO ARE SERVED BY PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT.
NUMBER ONE ON HILTON HEAD, PARTICULARLY DURING PEAK SEASON AND FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
THIS REQUEST WAS SUBMITTED, UH, EARLY ON TO THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED TO DEAL WITH THE 37 MILLION OF APA FUNDS.
UH, AND THIS SUBMISSION WAS JOINED BY OTHER SUBMISSIONS FROM OTHER PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICTS.
HOWEVER, I THINK THIS PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT HAD A SPECIFIC REQUEST, UH, WITH A DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
I BELIEVE THE OTHER SUBMISSIONS WERE FOR PROJECTS, BUT THAT THEY WEREN'T WELL DEVELOPED WITH REGARD TO WHAT THE COST
[00:30:01]
WOULD BE.UM, I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICTS RECEIVED ANY MONEY FROM THAT FIRST GO ROUND.
SO I REQUESTED THAT PSD ONE COME BACK BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE TO SEE IF WE COULD, UH, DISCUSS FURTHER WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE.
AND THERE'RE RATHER SIMPLE NEEDS.
ONE IS A PUMP TO INCREASE THE FLOW THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL.
AND THE OTHER IS AN EMERGENCY GENERATOR FOR THE REVERSE OSMOSIS DEVICE, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDE, UM, QUALITY DRINKING WATER, UM, UM, TO THE CITIZENS OF THAT, UH, DISTRICT, PARTICULARLY IN THE EVENT OF A HURRICANE OR AN EMERGENCY THAT KNOCKS THE POWER SYSTEM OUT.
SO THIS REQUEST IS BEING RENEWED ONCE AGAIN FOR, UM, ABOUT $500,000 FOR THE GENERATION PRODUCT FOR THE REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM.
AND THE OTHER 500,000 IS FOR THE PUMP TO INCREASE THE FLOW THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
I ASKED THE, UM, CHAIRMAN OF PSD ONE, FRANK TORANO TO COME TODAY.
HE'S IN THE AUDIENCE AND PETE NDI, WHO'S THE GENERAL MANAGER OF PSD.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT MR. BERNARDI WOULD BE, UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY ON COUNCIL MAY HAVE WITH REGARD TO THIS REQUEST.
I CONSIDER IT TO BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE UNION UNANIMITY, UH, ON THIS COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION OF THIS, TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR POSITIVE ACTION TO THE FULL COUNCIL AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO I BELIEVE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MR. NARDI OR MR. TORONTO, UH, THEY'D BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THOSE, ANY QUESTIONS THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
UM, AND I THINK SENATOR DAVIS, YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE WAS A FACT THAT, UM, EVEN, EVEN THOUGH THAT, THAT, UH, YOU MADE A LOT OF PROMISES TO US THAT, UH, THIS IS ONE THAT YOU DON'T THINK MONEY WOULD BE COMING TO BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE GOVERNOR'S TIER ONE, THREE, AND TIER FOUR.
UM, AND WE'RE A TIER ONE COUNTY.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THAT PROBABLY WILL NOT BE MONIES FOR ANY OF THE, THE PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICTS.
I'VE COME BEFORE Y'ALL, BEFORE AND TALKED ABOUT WHEN I THOUGHT FUNDS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR IN THIS CASE THAT EVEN THOUGH I SUBMITTED A LETTER AND I'LL DO THE DELEGATION, WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO FACILITATE THAT, THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A STRONG BIAS AT THE STATE LEVEL TO HAVE THOSE MONIES GO TOWARD TIER THREE TO TIER FOUR.
THAT THAT'S THE ONLY POINT I WANTED TO MAKE THIS CHAIR.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? JUST ASK ME, GO AHEAD.
UM, YOU SAID LARRY THAT, UH, THE TWO ITEMS WERE WORTH $500,000 A PIECE, BUT IN OUR BACKUP DOCUMENTATION, ONE IS 700 AND ONE'S 300.
IS THAT THE MORE ACCURATE NUMBER? YES.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO.
UM, THE 25,000 PEOPLE DO THEY RESIDE WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY OF HILTON HEAD, THE, UM, PETE AND ART GENERAL MANAGER, THE PSD, THE HILTON HEAD PSD SERVES UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORD COUNTY AS WELL AS TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
SO WE SERVE THE WMI HARBOR AREA, WHICH IS REMAINS UNINCORPORATED B FOR COUNTY.
UM, I, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
NUMBER ONE, UM, THEY'VE DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
THEY HAVE COME FORWARD WITH A PROJECT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THAT, UM, UM, WILL SERVE THE PEOPLE FOR WHICH THE APA FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY DESIGNATED.
NUMBER TWO, APA FUNDS ARE TO BE USED IN A TIMELY FASHION.
ONCE WE OBLIGATE THAT MONEY, THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT IN A TIMELY FASHION.
THERE IS NO REASON FOR IT TO SIT AROUND WHILE WE WAIT FOR OTHER PSDS TO COME FORWARD WITH WHATEVER THEY BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE, JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE COME FORWARD FIRST.
DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD WAIT TILL EVERYBODY ELSE COMES.
SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS TO MOVE ON.
OH, MR. COUNCILMAN GO BEFORE ME.
UM, BE, UM, I'M I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS AT THIS TIME.
UM, THERE'S REALLY, THIS, THIS, THIS BUDGET LINE ITEM WAS ABOUT 3 MILLION.
AND I THINK IF I HEARD THE, THE, THE, UM, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AT OUR LAST MEETING, HE SAID, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND ANOTHER MILLION THAT'S WHERE THE 3 MILLION
[00:35:01]
LINE ITEM.AND THERE ARE SOME RURAL INTERESTS AND I'M MUST SAY THIS, THAT, UM, IN THE RURAL COMMUNITY THAT WE CANNOT OPERATE AS FAST AS THE PSA PS PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT, UM, AND GETTING THEM REQUESTING, UM, A MILLION DOLLARS IS ACTUALLY TAKEN AWAY A 30 FOR HILTON HEAD, AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER FULL ENTIRE COUNTY TO GO, AND THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF INTEREST, UH, ON, AND IN THAT DISTRICT THAT, UM, RIGHT NOW ONE, ONE EFFORT IS ACTUALLY 2.2 MILLION, BUT THAT'S THAT'S, YOU KNOW, BUT THE, MY, MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WE ALLOCATE X AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE NOW TO THIS, A THIRD OF THAT MONEY, UH, WILL ACTUALLY BE GONE.
I COULD SUPPORT THE, UM, GENERATOR AT THE TIME WHEN IT WAS 200,009, A HALF, A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, NO LEE ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S WHERE I AM.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? I THINK I HAD THIS HOWARD, I HAD A QUESTION PROBABLY FOR ADMINISTRATION.
I KNEW THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH FIRE, UM, SERVICE ON ST.
HAVE THEY APPLIED, HAS BEAUFORT JASPER ASKED FOR MONEY FOR THAT? WE'VE HAD NO, WE HAVE, NO, WE HAVE HAD NO OTHER OFFICIAL APPLICATIONS FOR, UH, THIS $4 MILLION OTHER THAN, UH, PSD.
CM IS HOW, UM, KNOW, BUT THE GROUP WAS ACTUALLY WORKING WITH YOU FOR, AT THIS TIME, AS WELL AS DID THEY MOVING FORWARD.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? GETTING REAL HAZY OR GRILL FUZZY.
WHAT I SAID IS THAT THERE'S A GROUP THAT IS WORKING JAZZ WATER AUTHORITY AT THIS TIME.
UM, PUTTING TOGETHER SOME NUMBERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN A POSITION FOR THEIR, UM, THUS FAR, BUT THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE JAZZ WATER AUTHORITY.
JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, WELL, I, I, I WAS AGAINST THIS INITIALLY BECAUSE OF WHAT I THOUGHT NEEDED TO BE DONE ON ST.
HELEN WITH THE FIRE SERVICE, BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T SUBMITTED ANYTHING AT THIS TIME, I THINK I WILL SUPPORT THIS, THIS AT THIS TIME.
AND THEN, UH, LET ME JUST WEIGH IN AND THEN WE'LL ASK FOR A MOTION, UM, IS THE FACT THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE 11 DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY.
UM, AND IF WE, IF WE SPEND A MILLION DOLLARS IN EACH DISTRICT THAT'S TH OR 11 MILLION, MY MATH ISN'T VERY GOOD, $11 MILLION, UM, THAT, THAT WE'D BE SPENDING FOR, FOR THOSE TYPE OF AREAS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO SEE MONEY DISPERSED EVENLY, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE FIRST ONES IN, SO DO WE, DO WE GIVE THEM THE MONEY? SO, UM, UH, I THINK THAT, THAT, UM, UH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE SPREAD EVENLY CAUSE I, I KNOW THAT, UH, MR. DAWSON AND MR. GLOVER'S AREA NEEDS MONEY, AS WELL AS MR. ING'S, UM, AREA THAT HE'S GOT SOME RURAL AREAS THERE AND HIS, THAT, THAT MIGHT LOOK AT IT.
SO AT THIS POINT, UM, WHAT'S THE WISHES THE WILL OF, OF, OF OUR COMMITTEE IS, UH, SOMEONE WANNA MAKE A MOTION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO LIKE, TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE HILTON HEAD, PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT, APA PROJECT REQUEST, UH, WITH A FISCAL IMPACT OF WHAT, $1 MILLION FOR THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS SUBMITTED, UM, BY PSD ONE FOR OUR APPROVAL.
IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THAT.
UM, IS THERE A DISCUSSION? YES, LAURA? YES.
I, UM, I, I'M HESITANT TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION, UM, FOR THE SIMPLE REASON, UM, WITH ALL THE PSDS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
I, I THINK, UM, WE MIGHT VERY WELL SET A PRECEDENT TO WHERE ALL THE PSDS WILL NOW, UM, COME FORWARD REQUESTING FUNDING OR WHATEVER PROJECT THEY MIGHT HAVE.
AND, AND WE DO HAVE, UM, UH, PROJECTS AND AREAS IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY ARE IN NEED OF, OF FUNDING AND THIS, UM, OPERA MONEY IS AVAILABLE AND WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY GET SOME THINGS DONE IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITY.
SO I'M, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PSDS, IN MY OPINION, THEY'RE CAPABLE OF FUNDING PROJECTS LIKE THIS WITHOUT, UH, ASKING FOR OUR SYSTEMS FROM THE COUNTY.
AND SO JUST BECAUSE THESE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, I, I THINK WE, WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL HOW WE OPEN OURSELVES UP TO YOU AND ACTUALLY THE FUNDING, OBVIOUSLY THIS TIME.
[00:40:01]
OTHER, UH, DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION.UH, MR. GREENWAY, DO YOU REMEMBER IN THE FIRST GO ROUND WHEN WE FORMED THE COMMITTEE, HOW MANY PSDS DID IN FACT SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE? I DON'T RE I DON'T EXACTLY, BUT ONLY ONE I RECALL WOULD BE PSD ONE.
I THOUGHT THERE WERE TWO OTHERS.
I THINK LADIES ISLAND WANTED SOME FIRE HYDRANTS, AND I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER REQUEST FROM ANOTHER AREA FOR STORM WATER RELIEF, BUT I THERE'S, NO, THERE WERE NO OFFICIAL SUBMITTALS OR PROJECTS PUT FORWARD UNDERNEATH THAT ROUND ONE, UH, SITUATION.
IT WAS TALK ABOUT THAT THE FIRE HYDRANT ISSUE ON LADIES ISLAND IS GOING TO BE MORE THAN JUST ADDING FIRE HYDRANTS THAT I'VE TALKED TO BEAUFORD JAZZ FOR WATER AND SANITATION ABOUT THAT IN ORDER TO DO THAT PROJECT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ESSENTIALLY REBUILD THE ENTIRE WATERLINE SYSTEM IN THAT AREA, WHICH IS GONNA BE, UH, UH, A LOT MORE MONEY THAN WE WOULD HAVE AVAILABLE ON THE APA ACCOUNT.
AND THEN FRI WITH THE STORM WATER ISSUE, I HAVE REQUESTED THAT I BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE FRI PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT, AND I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL, BUT FRI ISLAND PAYS STORMWATER UTILITY FEES.
UH, BUT WE DO NOT USE ANY OF THOSE FEES TO DO STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT ON FRI.
UH, SO THAT WILL BE A POTENTIAL OPTION FOR US TO WORK OUT WITH THE FRI PSD, UH, FOR DRAINAGE ASSISTANCE OUT THERE, UH, THAT WE WOULD BRING BEFORE YOU ALL AS A SEPARATE ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AUTHORIZATION.
YEAH, I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS, UM, CAR WHAT'S HAPPENING.
IS, IS THAT IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE AQUIFER AND SAVANNAH RATHER THAN, UH, USING RIVER WATER IS DRAWING DOWN ON THE AQUIFER, WHICH IS THEN, UM, REDUCING IT.
AND THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT ONE IS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES AND ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT ONES BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, BEYOND THEIR CONTROL, WHAT SAVANNAH DOING.
UM, I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROJECT.
I THINK THE FACT THAT THEY CAME IN AND APPLIED, UM, AND IT'S A GOOD USE OF THE, THE MILLION DOLLARS.
WE STILL HAVE THE 3 MILLION LEFT, UH, THAT WE CAN SPEND IN A, IN A VERY WISE WAY, INCLUDING THE, A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I DO THINK, UH, IT MAKES SENSE TO, UH, APPROVE THIS, SEND IT ON TO COUNCIL.
ANY MORE COMMENTS BEFORE WE, UH, VOTE? I THINK WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
UM, MS. BROCK, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND.
MR. LAWSON AND MR. WELL, MR. HERAN IS NOT VOTING.
[10. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PROCUREMENT CODE, DIVISION 4, SECTION 2-509, AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF PURCHASING DIRECTOR]
RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PROCUREMENT CODE DIVISION FOUR, SECTION 2, 5 0 9 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR AND THE CFO.UM, I THINK MR. THOMAS I'LL MAKE A MOTION JUST TO GET THINGS MOVING ALONG.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THIS EX WITH THE CHANGE THAT THE TITLE BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE CFO ALONG WITH THE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AT THE, UH, THE LAST PARAGRAPH, SIR.
AND ANY COMMENTS? SO YOU, NO COMMENTS.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? NO OBJECTION.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN MOTION PASSES.
HOW ABOUT THAT? LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
[11. DISCUSSION REGARDING POTENTIAL OFFER OF PAYMENT TO FINAL GROUP OF RETIREES FOR LOSS OF POST-RETIREMENT HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS]
UH, DISCUSSION READING POTENTIAL OFFER A PAYMENT TO THE FINAL GROUP OF RETIREES FOR LOSS OF POST RETIREMENT HEALTH[00:45:01]
INSURANCE BENEFITS.AND MR. KEVIN, YOU ARE GONNA BE GOOD AFTERNOON TODAY.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS ITEM.
UM, BUT BROADLY, UM, UH, YOU GUYS WILL REMEMBER THAT IN 2016 COUNCIL VOTED TO ELIMINATE A POST RETIREE, UH, HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFIT.
UM, SEVERAL FOLKS FILED A LAWSUIT COUNCIL VOTED TO SETTLE THAT LAWSUIT WHEN THAT WAS DONE, SEVERAL FOLKS WHO HAD NOT PARTICIPATED IN THE LAWSUIT CAME FORWARD ASKING TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
AND SO COUNCIL AGREED TO DO THAT IN THE COURSE OF THAT PROCESS, OTHERS CAME FORWARD SAYING THEY HAD NOT, UM, BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND THEY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE.
SO IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, COUNCIL ASKED THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND HR TO SEE WHAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT BRINGING FORWARD A PROPOSAL, UM, TO ALLOW FOLKS WHO RETIRED BETWEEN JULY 1ST, 2016, WHEN THE BENEFIT WAS TERMINATED AND JULY 1ST, 2021, UM, WHAT COULD BE DONE TO ALLOW THAT GROUP TO PARTICIPATE.
SO WORK WAS DONE TO IDENTIFY, UM, THOSE FOLKS.
UM, AND, UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE FOLKS THROUGH HR IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE THESE FOLKS, THIS GROUP, UM, ON THE SAME BASIS THAT THE LAST GROUP WAS COMPENSATED.
IT'LL COST THE COUNTY, APPROXIMATELY $186,000.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE PART OF ANOTHER ITEM.
THAT'S THE, UM, UM, AMENDED, UM, BUDGET ORDINANCE THAT IS ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KEVIN AND MR. KEVIN? SO IT, IT, THIS IS THE FOURTH GROUP I THINK IS, IS WHAT IT IS.
WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY A THIRD BATCH.
SO THE FIRST BATCH WAS THE TWO LAWSUITS.
THEN THE SECOND BATCH WERE FOLKS WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THOSE LAWSUITS, BUT COULD HAVE PARTICIPATED.
AND THE DATES FOR THOSE WERE, I THINK, AS RETIRED FOLKS WHO RETIRED AS LATE AS JULY 1ST, 2016, I THINK, IS THAT RIGHT? EMILY? YES.
SO THAT BATCH HAS BEEN COMPENSATED.
AND THEN WE HAVE FOLKS WHO RETIRED BETWEEN 2000 JULY 1ST, 2016 AND JULY 1ST, 2021.
AND THAT'S WHAT DISPATCH IS NOW.
BEAR IN MIND THAT EVEN THIS DOES NOT COMPENSATE EVERYBODY WHO WAS QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE POST RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS AS OF THE DATE THAT THE BENEFIT WAS TERMINATED, WHICH WAS JULY 1ST, 2016, ANYBODY WHO HAD WORKED WITH THE COUNTY A MINIMUM OF 15 YEARS AT THAT POINT, QUALIFIED.
SO THERE ARE MANY FOLKS WHO STILL WORKED FOR THE COUNTY WHO QUALIFIED AS OF JULY 1ST, 2016, BUT WHO HAVE NOT RETIRED AND ARE STILL WORKING.
THIS IS JUST A GROUP OF FOLKS WHO RETIRED BETWEEN JULY 1ST, 2016 AND JULY 1ST, 2021.
ALL RIGHT, ERIC, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? NO,
I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNSEL, IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS, BUT YOU MAKE THIS THE FINAL SET.
IF YOU'D HAVE JUST GONE TO COURT, EVEN IF WE'D LOST IN COURT, WE STILL WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PAYING OUT AS MUCH MONEY ON THIS AS WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO LET ME SAY THIS TOO, CAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO SAY, WELL, YOU DIDN'T TELL US THAT, BUT LET ME TELL YOU THIS, THIS GROUP THAT'S GONNA COST ABOUT $186,000 IS A GROUP OF FOLKS WHO RETIRED.
AND WHEN THEY LEFT, THEY SAID THEY WERE RETIRING.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
THERE IS ANOTHER GROUP OF FOLKS WHO LEFT THE COUNTY, BUT DIDN'T SAY THEY WERE RETIRING.
WHO KNOWS IF THEY WENT ONTO OTHER JOBS OR THEY DID SOMETHING ELSE, THAT GROUP WOULD, WOULD COST THE COUNTY.
IF THE COUNTY WANTED TO INCLUDE THOSE FOLKS WOULD COST THE COUNTY ABOUT ANOTHER 46,000, ABOUT $47,000.
IF YOU WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT GROUP IN THIS GROUP, THAT'S BEING COMPENSATED.
SO CAN I JUST ASK A QUICK QUESTION? THIS IS A, UH, THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE WERE HIRED BY THE COUNTY AT, WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT WHEN THEY RETIRED, THEY WOULD'VE HEALTH BENEFITS.
IS THAT RIGHT? IT WAS A BENEFIT.
AND WHEN THEY RETIRED, THEY WOULD HAVE THAT BENEFIT CONTINUING
[00:50:01]
IF THEY STAYED WITH THE COUNTY FOR THE REQUISITE PERIOD OF TIME.AND THEN AS A PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, THERE WAS AN ACTION TAKEN, REMOVING THAT BENEFIT.
EVEN AFTER THE EXPECTATION THAT EVERYBODY JOINED THE COUNTY WITH WAS THAT THEY WOULD CARRY THAT INTO RETIREMENT.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS COMPENSATING.
THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD THAT BENEFIT TAKEN AWAY BY THE ACTION IN JULY 1ST, 2016.
AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS DOESN'T COUNT.
THERE, THERE ARE MORE, YEAH, I GET YOU RIGHT.
THERE WERE GREAT MANY PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS.
SO, AND ALSO THIS DOESN'T COUNT PEOPLE THAT WOULD RETIRE AFTER WHAT DATE AFTER IT DOESN'T INCLUDE FOLKS WHO RETIRED AFTER JULY 1ST.
SO JULY 3RD, 2021, THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS GROUP.
SO ANYONE RETIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR OR END OF LAST YEAR OR NOT, THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN FOLKS WHO ARE GONNA RETIRE NEXT YEAR, WHO HAD WORKED WITH THE COUNTY AT LEAST 15 YEARS AS OF JULY 1ST, 2016, THIS ARE NOT COMPENSATED EITHER.
THIS CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM WITH RETENTION HERE IN THE COUNTY, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE WITH THE EXPECTATION, HAD THE EXPECTATION WHEN THEY WOULD RETIRE, THEY'D BE TREATED FAIRLY.
AND WHAT THEY WERE TOLD WHEN THEY WERE HIRED WOULD STILL BE IN EFFECT.
AND THEN THEY DISCOVERED IT WASN'T.
SO THEY MAY SPEND 20 YEARS HERE WORKING AND THEN THEY DISCOVER, GEE, I'M NOT GONNA GET ANY HEALTH BENEFITS UNTIL I'M 65.
WHAT WILL I DO FOR 10 YEARS? I'D BETTER QUIT HERE.
EVEN THOUGH I'M HAPPY AND HAVE WORKED 20 YEARS, I'M GONNA GO SOMEWHERE ELSE WITHIN THE STATE AND GET VESTED.
IF I DO FIVE YEARS THERE, BECAUSE THEIR POLICY WILL GIVE ME HEALTH INSURANCE TILL I REACH 65 AND I GET TO BE MEDICARE AGE.
SO WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM HERE WITH RECRUITING AND RETENTION, WHICH MAY EXPLAIN WHY WE HAVE SO MANY VACANCIES HERE IN THE COUNTY, AND I'M NOT DIRECTING THAT TO UTAH.
I JUST HAPPEN TO BE LOOKING AT YOU.
BUT I MEAN, THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM THAT WE'VE CREATE WELL THAT'S THAT WAS CREATED HERE BY AN ACTION BY THIS DELIBERATIVE BODY INTENTIONALLY.
AND WE'RE STILL LIVING WITH THE FALLOUT SIX YEARS LATER, OR MAYBE SEVEN YEARS LATER.
AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LIVE WITH THAT FALLOUT BECAUSE PEOPLE KEEP LEAVING TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET VESTED SO THEY CAN GET THAT HEALTH INSURANCE TO CARRY THEM THROUGH THE TIME THEY LEAVE TILL THEY QUALIFY FOR MEDICARE.
AND IT'S JUST TO ME, AN UNJUST AND UNFAIR SITUATION.
ANYMORE, UH, ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MR. GO? YEAH, GO AHEAD, MR. JUST A COMMENT.
THIS IS AUTHORITY ISSUE AND I, AND MUDDY ISSUE.
I'M GONNA MUDDY IT UP SOME MORE.
BUT AT, AT THE TIME THAT THIS CAME FORWARD, MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT OBAMACARE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING PUT IN.
SO PART OF THE ARGUMENT WAS, UM, PEOPLE DON'T NEED IT BECAUSE OBAMACARE WILL MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
OBAMACARE DIDN'T MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
SO I THINK LARRY HAS A VERY VALID POINT THAT WE HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A MORAL OBLIGATION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS, WHAT IS FAIR FOR PEOPLE.
I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER ISSUE AND I THINK IT'S THAT GAS B 77 OR SOMETHING REQUIRED THE COUNTY TO START CARRYING THIS UNFUNDED LIABILITY ON ITS BOOKS.
I MEAN, I WASN'T HERE THEN, BUT I'VE HEARD SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO I, I THINK IT WENT EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT WHILE THE COUNTY TOOK THE ACTION THEY TOOK BECAUSE OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, THE STATE HAD TO SAY, WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND THE STATE DID NOT.
SO WHILE THIS COUNTY TOOK THAT ACTION FULLY THINKING, THE STATE WOULD ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND HARD PLACE, BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, THIS IS A GROUP, NOT THE ONLY GROUP, THERE ARE GONNA BE PEOPLE COMING AGAIN.
AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, CUZ IF WE DID IT ONCE WE'RE GONNA DO IT AGAIN.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WOULD WE BE BETTER SPENDING OUR MONEY PIECEMEAL LIKE THIS, OR TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE DO HEALTH BENEFITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THEREFORE I WOULD SUGGEST WE NOT DO ANYTHING WITH US TILL WE HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING THAT AND THAT MUDDIES UP THE WATER EVEN MORE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GETTING BEYOND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH, MS. WHITNEY BECAUSE
SO AT THIS POINT MORE DISCUSSION BEFORE WE, UM, YEAH.
UM, THERE'S A LOT THAT HAS BEEN SAID.
AND, AND I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, WHAT PROMPTED ALL THIS IS
[00:55:01]
THAT WE, THE COUNCIL REALIZED THAT WE MADE A MISTAKE WHEN WE, WHEN WE CANCEL THE RETIREES INSURANCE COVERAGE, THAT WAS OUR MISTAKE AND, AND WE NEED TO OWN UP TO IT.AND SO THAT BROUGHT US TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE NOW TRYING TO DEAL WITH THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD.
I, I WOULD SAY THAT INITIALLY WE MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOT MADE, NOT GOING OUT AND DOING A GOOD JOB OF ACTUALLY TRYING TO IDENTIFY ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY OF, UH, UH, UH, ENTITLED, UH, TO THE SUPPLEMENT OF REFUND AND, AND RATHER US THE COUNCIL, OR RATHER HR HAD RE HAD REDONE IT CORRECTLY AND REACHED OUT AND IDENTIFIED ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS, UH, REFUND.
THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE 1, 2, 3 SUBSET THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW.
AND, AND THEN, UM, HERE WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT EVEN ANOTHER SET HERE TODAY AND THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER SET AFTER THIS.
SO FOR US TO SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA CUT IT OFF HERE.
I, I THINK WOULD, WOULD, UH, AGAIN, LEAD US TO MAKE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE.
WE, WE MADE THE MISTAKE, WE SHOULD OWN UP TO IT.
WE SHOULD COVER THE COST, WHATEVER THE COST MIGHT BE.
UH, ANY ANYONE ELSE MR. GLOVER, GO AHEAD, MR. GLOVER ECHO THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT RETIREMENT.
AND ALSO LARRY, I THINK TALKED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UM, MY FEELING RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE DONE, UM, THE INJUSTICE OF NOT PROVIDING THIS BENEFITS TO OUR EMPLOYEE.
CERTAIN THAT LARRY TALKED ABOUT ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY GO, I WANNA GET PAST THIS HERE.
YOU'RE BREAKING UP MR. MOTION OF THE, I WANT GET PAST THIS.
SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT MOTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, BUT I DO WANT TO ENTERTAIN THE COM THE CONVERSATION ABOUT PROVIDING HEALTH BENEFITS FOR OUR RETIREES IN THE FUTURE.
IS THERE, IS THERE A MOTION, HAS ANY MADE A MOTION? I DON'T THINK MOTION YET.
SO, SO THE, THIS LAST GROUP HERE, 186,000, IS THAT WHAT, HOW MUCH? YES, IT'S 186,000.
SO HOW MANY PEOPLE WAS IT? I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW MANY, 80, 86, 86, 86 PEOPLE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE FOLKS WHO RESIGNED, WHO QUALIFIED.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER GROUP AND THIS IS JUST AS OF JULY 21ST, 2021.
IS ANY MORE DISCUSSION OR IS THERE SOMEONE WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? YEAH, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO MR. MCLELLAN IS PERMISSED TO MAKE THE MOTION.
IN ADVANCE FOR THAT SUPPORT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, HAVE, UH, APPROVAL OF THE POTENTIAL OFFER OF PAYMENT TO THE FINAL GROUP OF RETIREES.
AS WE KNOW IT NOW FOR LOSS OF POSTRETIREMENT HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS.
THANK YOU, MR. FOR LONG, UH, MORE DISCUSSION SEEING NO DISCUSSION.
THE WAY THIS IS WORDED, THIS IS THE FINAL GROUP.
MM-HMM
ANYONE WOULD LIKE US TO DO A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON THIS? JUST A, A COMMENT GUESS MR. ROB, GO AHEAD.
UM, LARRY, IT SEEMS TO ME, JOE RAISED AN INTERESTING POINT, UM, IF, IF, WHETHER IT'S FINAL OR NOT.
IF WE PASS IT AS FINAL, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WOULD EVER GET BACK ON THE TABLE.
SO TO ME, THE QUESTION IS, DO WE WANT THE WORD FINAL IN THERE OR DO WE WANT TO TREAT THIS GROUP AND LEAVE IT OPEN FOR SOME MORE EVALUATION TO JOE'S POINT? I THOUGHT MY ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE WOULD CLEAR THAT UP, BUT I COULD TAKE THE FINAL OUT AND SAY PAYMENT TO THE GROUP AS WE KNOW IT NOW OF RETIREES AND TAKE THE WORD FINAL OUT THE MOTION.
WOULD THAT BE OKAY? THAT WOULD BE AMENDING THE MOTION.
YEAH, I'D BE ALL RIGHT WITH THAT AMENDMENT, SIR.
SO I'LL AMEND IT, TAKE OUT THE WORD FINAL AND STILL SAY THE GROUP OF RETIREES AS WE NOW KNOW IT.
UM, AND IS THAT AN AMENDMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE VOTED ON IF YOUR MOTION AND YOU PLACE OF AMENDED HONOR? I, I AMENDED MY OWN MOTION.
[01:00:01]
YOU ALL, YOU ALL JUST PROBABLY, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS, CAUSE I KNOW WHAT'S GONNA COME NEXT.THEN I MIGHT HAVE TO SPEND OUT RESOURCES TO DO THESE CALCULATIONS AGAIN, UH, FOR ANOTHER GROUP AND THEN ANOTHER GROUP.
SO WHAT YOU ALL MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER DOING IS GONNA PAY EVERYBODY OUT THAT HAD THE BENEFIT AND IT LOST THE BENEFIT.
THEN YOU PROBABLY SHOULD JUST HOLD THIS ACTION A DATE AND TELL THE STAFF TO GO CALCULATE WHAT THE NUMBER WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR EVERYBODY THAT HAD THE BENEFIT AND LOST IT AND COME BACK WITH US PROPOSAL FOR YOU ALL, TO DO THE PAYOUT AND END AND END THIS ISSUE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING FOR THIS PAYMENT.
AND THIS COULD TAKE YEARS BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE HA THIS IS KIND OF LIKE GETTING THE PS TO APPLY FOR A GRANT.
THIS COULD TAKE YEARS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GET ORGANIZED.
THEY HAVE TO COME IN AND MAKE A CLAIM.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
WE CAN'T MAKE THIS GROUP, WHICH IS ORGANIZED AND EXPECTING SOMETHING.
I THINK EXCEPTION OF THAT, THIS IS WELL, HOW WE PAY THEM.
NO ONE HAS MADE A CLAIM IN THIS GROUP.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL ASKED US TO DO.
NO, NO, ONE'S NO ONE HAS NO ONE TO MY KNOWLEDGE, VERY FEW OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS LIST, IF ANYONE HAS MADE A REQUEST TO HAVE THIS DONE FOR THEM.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING DO IT, ALL I'M SAYING IS LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO IT IN FINALITY AND COME UP WITH A NUMBER.
THESE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING.
IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT'S THESE PEOPLE HAVEN'T MADE ANY KIND OF A CLAIM? NO, NO.
UM, WELL, I HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT FOR VERY LONG.
I KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE PERSON ON THIS LIST WHO HASN'T HAS INQUIRED ABOUT A PAYMENT AND INQUIRED ABOUT IT WHEN THE FIRST, WHEN THE SECOND ROUND WENT OUT.
OTHER FOLKS ON THIS LIST WHO, UH, ARE IN THAT, DO THIS ONE.
UH, I, I DISAGREE WITH THE IDEA OF WAITING ON THIS.
I THINK WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE INFORMATION TO APPLY THIS, UH, PAYMENT RIGHT NOW, PAYMENT.
RIGHT NOW, IF THE STAFF WOULD PROCEED WITH IDENTIFYING OTHER POTENTIAL, UM, RECIPIENTS OF, OF THIS KIND OF, UH, UH, REPARATION.
I, I HATE TO SAY IT LIKE THAT, BUT THIS KIND OF RESOLUTION OR RESTITUTION FOR, UM, FOR OUR CAREER PRIOR ACTION.
I THINK WE COULD GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AT OUR, AT OUR OWN LEISURE, AT THE STAFF'S LEISURE AT, AT THE RATE THAT THEY NORMALLY ADDRESS THIS KINDA ISSUE.
I THINK WE'VE GOT THIS IN HAND RIGHT NOW.
LET'S GET IT DONE AND MOVE ON.
AND, AND IT, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AS CHAIRMAN THAT THIS WAS A, IT CAME AS A REQUEST BY AT LEAST ONE PERSON TO A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT COUNCIL MEMBER THEN WENT AND MADE THE REQUEST TO, UM, OUR STAFF, UH, TO, TO CALCULATE THAT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THIS CAME FROM.
IT WASN'T, THERE WAS A GROUP, THERE WAS NOT, UM, UH, THAT, THAT, AGAIN, IT WAS, I KNOW AT LEAST ONE PERSON THAT CAME, CAME TO A COUNCIL PERSON AND THE COUNCIL PERSON THAT ASKED FOR, UM, FOR THIS TO, TO BE CALCULATED.
SO WE'VE GOT A, UM, AN AMENDED MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
UM, AND, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
MS. BROCK COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN.
UH, NO TWO NOS EIGHT, TWO MOTION PASSES.
SO, UM, AND NOW WE'RE NUMBER 12,
[12. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BEAUFORT COUNTY ORDINANCE 2022/33 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-23 BEAUFORT COUNTY BUDGET TO PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS TO PAY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 CARRYOVERS, USE OF FUND BALANCE FOR PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, AND THE USE OF CURRENT YEAR FUNDS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, DEFEASE/REFUND GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO]
UH, ORDINANCE TO AMEND BEAUFORT COUNTY ORDINANCE 20 20, 20 22 TO 33 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.HANG ON 20 22, 20 23 FISCAL YEAR BEAUFORD COUNTY BUDGET TO PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS TO PAY FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 CARRYOVERS USE OF FUND BALANCE FOR PROPERTY APP ACQUISITION AND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, AND THE USE OF CURRENT YEAR FUNDS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, FEES, REFUND, GENERAL OBLIGATION, BONDS, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TOO.
MR. WILLIAMS, YOU'RE BACK CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL AGAIN.
GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL AGAIN TODAY.
[01:05:01]
TRY TO SPLIT THE POT, THE PIE INTO THREE POTS, UM, FOR, FOR THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT, BASICALLY THE FIRST POT, UH, WHICH IS TWO PAGES, WHICH KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THIS.IS, IS, IS CARRYOVERS FROM, UH, THE 22 TO 23, A LOT OF THESE, UH, WE'RE STILL HAVING TROUBLE GETTING VEHICLES, UH, AND, AND BIG BIG EQUIPMENT, UM, UH, IS, UH, TIGER CATS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SOME OF THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT WERE ROLLING FORWARD THAT DIDN'T GET COMPLETED THAT NEED, NEED STILL NEED FUNDING DURING THE CURRENT YEAR.
UM, THESE TOTAL, UH, 2.5 MILLION INCLUDE BATHROOMS THAT, UH, BRUCE LEE FIELD AND OLD BURTON WELLS, UM, ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, WE ORDER, WE ORDERED A AMBULANCE FREEMOUNT LAST NOVEMBER.
THESE, THIS 2.5 MILLION IS CARRYOVERS AND THEY'LL BE USED BY FUND BALANCE.
AND SO, UH, THERE'S THE LISTING AND ALL THE POS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND THIS WILL GO TO COUNCIL FOR THREE READINGS, THREE READINGS, AND, AND THERE, THERE, THEY'RE KIND OF THREE PARTS OF THE AMENDMENT AND ALL KIND OF FLOWS THROUGH ON ONE ORDINANCE AS, AS THE THREE DIFFERENT PIECES.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE FIRST PIECE OF THE PIE.
SO WE HAVE THREE MORE SHOTS AT THIS, BUT DID ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, YEAH, BUT I GOT TWO MORE PIECES OF THE, OF THE PIE.
SO WE, THE NEXT ONE IS USE OF THE FUND BALANCE FOR CURRENT YEAR EXPENDITURES.
SO THE PURCHASE OF 1505, UH, NORTH STREET FROM THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, UH, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE BY THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE, UH, WHICH, WHICH IS FOR $630,000, UH, THAT'D BE USING, AND THAT'S THE SHEET, THAT'S THE NEXT SHEET NOW ON THIS, THAT ONE RIGHT THERE.
SO THAT SAYS ONE AND THAT BE USING, UH, PRIOR YOUR FUND, THERE'S ALSO A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT FOR $6 MILLION.
AND THIS IS, UH, TO START TEEING UP SOME OF THESE PROJECTS TO GET THE ENGINEERING, SURVEYING, PLANNING WORK DONE BEFOREHAND.
SO HOPEFULLY WHEN WE GET THE FUNDING FOR EITHER FEDERAL STATE, OR IF WE HAVE A SALES TAX, WE'LL HAVE THEM TEED UP AND READY TO GO, INSTEAD OF KIND OF WE'LL WEAR ON THE BACK END OF 2018.
BUT THIS IS TO INCLUDE, UH, TRIANGLE PRELIMINARY DESIGN, SC 46 IMPROVEMENTS, REIMAGINE REBOOT ROAD SAFETY AND INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
AND THAT'D BE $6 MILLION OUT OF FUND BALANCE.
IF YOU'LL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ONE, I DO HAVE ERIC CARSON HERE, WHO WOULD, OR JARED? OH, NO.
IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY DEEPER QUESTIONS ON THIS PORTION OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, ANYBODY JUST COMMENT WE'VE BEEN TALKED.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE AND, AND I, I THINK WHAT IT DOES IS IT, IT TEES US UP TO, UM, BETTER INTERSECT FEDERAL AND STATE MONIES THAT ARE FLOWING THAT WE MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE GET, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT FAR ENOUGH DOWNSTREAM ON THE DESIGN.
SECONDLY, I THINK THERE'S A REASONABLE CHANCE WE'D GET REPAID, UM, REIMBURSED FROM THOSE AS WE GO FORWARD WHEN THOSE PROJECTS ACT AND MATERIALIZE.
AND, AND IF WE PURSUE THIS WITH A TRANSPORTATION, 1% SALES TAX IN TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, UH, WE COULD PUT A PROVISION IN THERE AND, AND LEGAL COUNSEL FEELS THAT IT WOULD BE, WE COULD GET REIMBURSED FOR THIS $6 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE GOOD.
UM, HAVE WE APPROVED THAT PROCESS FROM THE CITY OF BUFORD FOR 1505 NORTH STREET? YES.
I DON'T THINK IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN APPROVED YET.
THEY HAVE A COMMITTEE, THE PFC COMMITTEE MEETING, CORRECT.
THIS IS, IT IS KINDA LIKE I HAVE THE 186,000 IN THERE FOR THE RETIREE PAYOUT WHERE WE LET YOU KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT I I'M TRYING TO THROW BY CASHNET TO CATCH AS MANY FISH AS I CAN.
AND THIS, THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS IN HERE, BUT IT, IT WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE PFC.
AND IF IT, IF IT DOESN'T PASS THE PFC, I'LL TAKE IT OFF.
UH, I'LL TAKE IT OFF THE BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THERE'S THE, SO BOTH THOSE FIRST TWO PIECES OF THE POWER USE OF PRIOR YOUR PHONE, CAN YOU HEAR THE NEXT ONE? THE LAST ONE IS THE USE OF CURRENT, YOUR FUNDS.
AND IT KIND OF THE, THE, THE, THE FIRST LOT IS ABOUT 1.7 MILLION, AND THAT'S GONNA BE AN APPROPRIATION, OUR CURRENT, A AND H TAX FUNDS FOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
UH, A LOT OF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN THE BOUNDARY STREET TENNIS COURT.
UH, I HOPE Y'ALL HAVE DRIVEN BY IT.
UH, SHANNON HEARD AND, AND CHUCK ARE DOING AMAZING THINGS WITH THAT, BUT ONE THING THAT THEY DIDN'T LOOK WHEN THEY REDESIGN IT WAS THE LIGHT POLES AND L E D LIGHTING, AND TO GET ALL THE NEW POLES IN
[01:10:01]
AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED FOR THAT WAS, IS GOING TO BE A HUNDRED, 8,000, A HUNDRED, $8,900.ALSO THE ALL JOY BOAT LANDING, WHICH, UH, IF ANY OF Y'ALL WENT TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, SECTION AT ALL, JOY, UH, NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND WE HAVE, UH, 1.1 MILLION BUDGETED.
THAT'S NOT A, THAT THAT IS A CLOSE BUDGET, BUT THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UH, THE RAMP, THE DOCK, THE PARKING LOT, AND ALSO RE NOURISHING THE BEACH THERE AT ALL JOY LANDING.
UM, WE PUT $40,000 IN THERE FOR THE PARK PARK, AT THE WITNESS OAK, UH, RIGHT THERE BY THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE, UM, FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND THEN ALSO THERE, THERE BEEN A LITANY OF BOAT LANDING REPAIRS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE SURVEYS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE STUDY THAT WE'VE HAD.
UM, AND TO GET NEIL UP AND RUNNING ON THAT WOULD BE, UH, ROUGHLY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, UM, GOING DOWN AND THAT'S JUST FROM A AND H TAX.
SO I'M GONNA TRY AND DO THIS BY FUNDS.
THE NEXT WE, UH, NEED WE'RE WANTING ANOTHER FTE IS A TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
SO WE HAVE $90,000, UH, BUDGETED.
AND THIS, THIS WOULD BE SALARY PLUS BENEFITS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
UM, THIS IS GOING TO BE FUNDED BY GAP POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE COUNTY.
UM, THERE'S ALSO SOUTHERN CAROLINA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE, WHICH IS A CONTRACT THAT WE NEEDED TO INCLUDE FOR $120,000.
AND, UH, LIKE I SHOWED Y'ALL EARLIER, THERE'S ABOUT WHERE 12% WE SHOULD BE ABOUT 16 I'M ESTIMATING.
THERE'S GONNA BE A SURPLUS WHERE IT IS ON MONTH.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE, BUT, UH, WE'RE EXPECTING TO, UH, PAY THAT OUT OF THAT SAME, UH, WITH THE RETIREE LITIGATION CLAIMS. UM, WE PUT THE 186 ALREADY IN THAT.
SO IN CASE IT PASSED, WHICH IT DID, AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL GO TO ORDINANCE AND PASS.
UM, THE ST HELEN ISLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS, UH, NOT ACTUALLY FUNDED OUTTA ARPA.
SO WE NEEDED TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO FUND IT OUTTA ARPA FOR $66,000.
UM, THE MOTOR GRADERS, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A DIRE SITUATION ON THE HUSKY, UH, THAT MOTOR GRAS BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH BUBBLE GUM, UH, DUCT TAPE, AND, UH, AND PAPERCLIPS RIGHT NOW.
AND WHAT NEIL IS CHOOSING TO DO IS PUT A GENTLY USED MOTOR GRA FROM, FROM OUR FIVE MOTORS THAT WE HAVE OVER HERE, OVER THERE AND PURCHASE A NEW MOTOR GRA AND WHERE I'M PROPOSING OF GETTING THE FUNDING FROM.
WE HAVE TWO BONDS, A, A 13 BOND AND A 14 BOND THAT STILL HAVE BALANCES IN THEM FOR 147,000 AND 80,000.
AND TO CLOSE THOSE OUT, CUZ I KIND OF FEEL LIKE IF WE HAVEN'T USED THOSE BONDS MONEY PROCEEDS BY NOW, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD USE OF IT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A CAPITAL FUND SURPLUS FOR 18,000 THAT WOULD CLOSE THAT OUT IN THE LAST TWO ARE TO REFUND INTO FEES, BONDS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL GEO BONDS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT WE CAN REFUND INTO FEES.
AND THERE WERE SURPLUS IN THE, UH, DEBT SERVICE FUND AND THE RULE AND CRITICAL, UH, THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY FUNDS OF 1.7, 1.5 MILLION.
AND WE WOULD USE THOSE SURPLUSES TO HELP, UH, REFUND AND INTO FEES, WHICH WOULD BE COMING BACK IN FRONT OF YOU FOR BLESSING AT, AT A LATER DATE.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S THE USE OF CURRENT YEAR FUNDS, BUT ALL THREE OF THOSE TOGETHER MAKE THE BIG BUDGET AMENDMENT PIE.
SO DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS MR. DEB? THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD HAVE IS ON DECREASING OF THE BONDS.
WE'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE INTEREST RATES ARE INCREASING.
SO IT DEPENDS A LITTLE BIT WHAT THE RATES WOULD BE ON THE ONES THAT WE'D BE RETIRING.
UM, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE CLOSING THE GAP ON THE SAVINGS, PLUS IF YOU HAVE TO RE BOND, THEN YOU'VE GOT THE COST OF THE BOND.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU'VE TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS TO WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE TO DO IT IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF RISING INTEREST RATES.
WE, YES, SIR, WE WE'LL WE'LL HAVE THAT ANALYSIS BEFORE WE REFUNDER TO FEES, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE THE, AND, AND THIS IS JUST THE OPTION.
IT'S JUST, IT WILL STILL COME BACK TO YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO YOU NO QUESTIONS AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, AN ORDINANCE.
SO, UM, I NEED A MOTION THEN TO MOVE THIS TO COUNSEL FOR THREE READINGS.
NO MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THERE A SECOND, MS. HOWARD, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION SEEING NO DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? I SEE.
NO OBJECTION, WHICH MEANS THIS PASSES ORDINANCE TO COUNTY.
SEE YOU A LITTLE BIT, GET RIGHT BACK.
[13. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE VIII, DIVISION 2, SECTION 2-619]
RIGHT.UM, NUMBER 13, UH, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO BEAUFORD COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCE CHAPTER TWO.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE MS. PATSY GREEN COMING UP OR NO, YOU DON'T SORRY.
THAT'S UH, MY APOLOGIES, UH, THIS IS A SIMPLE TEXT AMENDMENT TO OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES, UH, THE TAX
[01:15:01]
MAP NUMBER ON ALL DEEDS.THERE WAS AN EXCEPTION IN THAT OLD ORDINANCE FOR QUICK CLAIM DEEDS, UH, REGISTER DEEDS SAYS, BROUGHT THIS FORWARD AND, UH, WE AGREE TO RECOMMEND THAT IT, UH, BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE QUICK CLAIM DEEDS.
ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
HAS THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT EVALUATED THIS COURT COMPLIANCE STATE LAW AND, UH, UH, SUPREME COURT OPINIONS.
IT DID GO THROUGH LEGAL REVIEW, BUT I'LL LET THEM ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING AS STATE COULD PIVOTING FROM, UH, HAVING AN INPUT.
COULD YOU HEAR THAT, MR. FLYN? YEAH, I, I COULD, BUT I DISAGREE WITH THE OPINION.
WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I, YOU MAY VERY WELL HAVE, UM, FOUND NO LEGAL OPINIONS THAT, THAT, UH, REQUIRE THIS.
THE PROBLEM OF COURSE, IS THAT A QUICK CLAIM DEED IS OFTEN TIME USED TO DIVEST ONE PERSON OF ANY INTEREST THAT THEY HAVE IN A PROPERTY, EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT PROPERTY THEY MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST IN.
I CAN POINT TO YOU AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN DEEDS.
I FOUND IN MY CAREER AS A TITLE ABSTRACTOR THAT REFERENCED ANY AND ALL PROPERTY I MAY OWN IN VIEW FOR COUNTY.
AND THE WHOLE PURPOSE IN THE QUICK CLEAN DEED IS TO JUST DIVEST THAT PERSON OF MANY INTERESTS, WHETHER OR NOT IT HAS THE ABILITY TO BE REFERENCED IN TREASURER'S RECORDS OR WHETHER IT HAS ANY BEARING ON ANY PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
THAT'S I THINK UP TO TITLE ABSTRACT PROFESSIONALS OR LAWYERS TO DETERMINE.
AND SO I I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST THIS.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, I DON'T ONLY IT'S APPROPRIATE.
I THINK IT WOULD STOP PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO DIVEST THEIR INTEREST IN PROPERTY THAT MAY HOLD UP, UM, LAWFUL TRANSFER AS A TITLE.
I THINK THIS IS JUST A BAD IDEA AND IT STOPS PEOPLE FROM DOING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, WHICH SHOULD BE ANYTHING LEGALLY ALLOWED.
IT IS LEGALLY ALLOWED FOR THEM TO, TO FILE QUICK CLAIM DE DIVESTING THEMSELVES MONEY AND ALL INTEREST STATEMENT.
SO I'M GONNA VOTE NO AND REAL QUICK AND PUSH FOR TIME HERE.
BUT THIS, THIS ORDINANCE IS, IS WE'RE NOTIFYING PROPERTY OWNERS.
IF A QUICK CLAIM DE HAS BEEN WELL, THE, THE ORDINANCE, NO, IT'S AN O IT'S A, THERE'S AN OLD 95 ORDINANCE THAT, THAT READS SIMPLY ALL DEEDS EXCEPT QUICK CLAIM DEEDS, UH, SHOULD HAVE THAT, UH, PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION OR TAX AMOUNT NUMBER ON THE DEED.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CHANGE THAT TO ALL DEEDS, INCLUDING QUICK CLAIM DEEDS SHOULD HAVE THAT ON THERE.
SO IT'LL IDENTIFY THE PROPERTY ASSOCIATED WITH IT'S A PROPERTY IDENTIFIER, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, POSSIBLE HELP TO ATTORNEYS AND RESEARCHERS.
UH, I WILL SAY MR. FLUID IS CORRECT QUICK CLAIM.
DEEDS ARE NOT GENERAL WARRANTY.
DEEDS, QUICK CLAIM DEEDS ARE OFTEN USED, UM, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER, UH, IN OTHER REALMS, UH, WHETHER IT'S A PROPERTY LINE DISPUTE OR A CONVEYANCE OF, OF AN UNKNOWN INTEREST.
UH, I I'LL ALSO SAY THAT, UH, THE PRACTICE OF INCLUDING THE NUMBER ON QUICK CLAIM DEEDS IS PROBABLY PRETTY WIDELY USED.
UH, ANYWAY, I MEAN, MOST, MOST DEEDS THAT CAN COME INTO THE OFFICE, HAVE IT ON THERE ANYWAY.
I FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT INTEREST IS A, IS A KNOWN QUANTITY, WHEN IT REGARDS A SPECIFIC PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT HAS A, HAS DERIVATION, THAT THEY, THEY, THEY, THE CONVEYOR, THE GRANTOR KNOWS WHAT THAT INTEREST IS.
THEY OFTENTIMES DO PUT IN, UH, NOT ONLY, NOT ONLY A, A P I D UH, PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER P N BUT ALSO A DERIVATION, HOW THAT INTEREST BECAME THERE.
AND SO I, I JUST SEE THIS AS, AS A LITTLE BIT OF BUREAUCRACY, THAT'S QUITE FRANKLY UNNECESSARY AND, AND JUST ISN'T REALLY IMPORTANT.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE SPENDING OUR TIME DOING THIS.
WE CAN GO EITHER WAY ON ANY, ANY MORE COMMENTS.
UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, ACCEPT THE CHANGES? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY MR. FLOWING SAID HE WAS GONNA BE, UH, OBJECTION TO THIS.
IS THERE ANY REASON FOR US, ANYONE ELSE? THAT WOULD BE AN OBJECTION.
UM, MR. FLOWING WOULD, WOULD BE THE ONE VOTE AGAINST, AND AGAIN, THIS WILL MOVE ON.
LET ME JUST MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, SO THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE THEN THREE READINGS, CORRECT? YEP.
[01:20:01]
RIGHT.[14. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BEAUFORT COUNTY ORDINANCE 2022/33 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-23 BEAUFORT COUNTY BUDGET TO PROVIDE FOR DISTRIBUTIONS FROM MYRTLE PARK PHASE II FUND AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO.]
RIGHT.UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ORDINANCE TO AMEND BEAUFORT COUNTY ORDINANCE 20 23 33 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, 2023 BEAUFORT COUNTY BUDGETS PROVIDE FOR DIS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM MYRTLE PARK PHASE TWO FUND AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THERE TWO, UM, AND THIS, UH, CAME UP TO, TO COUNCIL AND WAS PUSHED BACK, CUZ I THINK SOME OF THE NUMBERS DIDN'T QUITE ADD UP THAT WERE GIVEN AND LOOKED AT.
SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDED THAT TIME AT COUNCIL TO PUSH IT BACK TO FINANCE.
AND I THINK MR. HAYES THAT, UH, UM, WILLIAMS, YOU'RE UP AGAIN HERE? MR. WARD WILL DO FIRST AND THEN, OKAY.
OVER TO HAYES AFTERNOON, I'LL MAKE THIS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
UM, THIS ITEM DID GO, UH, BEFORE COUNCIL, IT WAS THEN BROUGHT BACK TO THIS FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE PURPOSES OF STAFF, UM, PROVIDING SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THE COMMITTEE SO THAT YOU ARE FULLY INFORMED.
UH, WE ARE NOT HERE TO TRY AND, UH, REBUT ANY PREVIOUS STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY COMMITTEE, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'LL HEAR, UH, SHORTLY, UM, THAT THERE WERE PROMISES MADE.
SO AGAIN, I WANNA REITERATE THE PURPOSE OF HAYES AND I TODAY IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE FACTS BEHIND THE REQUEST, UH, THE PURCHASE OF MYRTLE PARK THAT PURCHASE WAS MADE, UH, IN 2014 WITH FINANCES FROM THREE DIFFERENT OR TWO DIFFERENT UTCS AS WELL AS THE SALE OF TWO DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT THE COUNTY OWNED THAT WERE COMPLETELY UNRELATED.
UH, ONE OF THESE FUNDING SOURCES WAS FROM A, UH, PROPERTY OVER OFF OF BUCK WALTER, WHICH THE TOWN OF BLUFF AND PURCHASED FROM US.
THE SECOND PROPERTY WAS A PROPERTY OVER ON LADIES ISLAND, WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUS CONVENIENCE CENTER.
UM, THOSE TWO PROPERTIES, THE FUNDING CAME FROM AND WAS PLACED INTO A ACCOUNT IN ORDER TO PURCHASE THE MYRTLE PARK PROPERTY.
I'M STAYING OUT OF NUMBERS WHEN I DISCUSS THIS BECAUSE THAT'S HAYES WORLD, NOT MINE.
SO HE WILL DISCOVER HE'LL DISCUSS THE, THE NUMBERS BEHIND IT.
AFTER MARCH OF 2014, UH, THE PROPERTY WAS BEING HELD.
WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
AT WHICH POINT THE COUNTY, UH, RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL AT THE TIME TO RECEIVE A LOAN AND THE AMOUNT OF $4 MILLION.
WE DID NOTHING AT THAT TIME WITH THE $4 MILLION AND HELD ONTO IT.
UH, FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS, WE WERE PAYING INTEREST ON THAT LOAN, WHICH AGAIN, HAYES WILL GO OVER THE SPECIFICS, UM, MOVING FORWARD, UH, TO MAY OF 20, 22, WE THEN SOLD THE PROPERTY, UH, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL AND AN AMOUNT AROUND $600,000.
SO THAT IS THE GENERAL BACKGROUND OF HOW WE FUNDED IT AND WHERE WE MOVED FORWARD IN THE PROCESS.
UM, I'LL ALLOW HAYES TO DISCUSS THE SPECIFICS ON THE NUMBERS.
DO, CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS NOW? UM, OR YOU WANNA WIPE? YEAH, YEAH, GO AHEAD.
IF, IF SOMETHING RE RELATED TO THE LEGAL SIDE, LE NORMALLY I WON'T SAY LEGALLY, NORMALLY WHEN YOU SELL PROPERTY, UH, GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND, CORRECT.
UNLESS IT'S OTHERWISE STIPULATED.
THANK YOU, MS. WARD, MR. WILLIAMS. SO GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL AGAIN TODAY.
UM, THIS WAS KIND OF AN INTERESTING THING.
UM, IT, IT, UH, THE MYRTLE PARK, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A 10 YEAR OVER 10 FISCAL YEARS, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'VE HAD, UH, YOU KNOW, SIX COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, FIVE DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, THREE CFOS.
I MEAN, NOBODY, I THINK REALLY HAD A REALLY GOOD HANDLE ON WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM OR WHERE THE MONEY WENT TO.
I MEAN, THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE IN THERE AND, AND THEY'RE NOT WRONG.
THEY, THEY WERE JUST, WHEN YOU PUT A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT ON YOU'RE LIKE, HUH, THEY MAKE YOU QUESTION SOME THINGS, BUT LET'S START WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY FOR 1.1 MILLION.
NOW AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS ABOUT $771,000 THAT WE'D ALREADY RECEIVED.
SO THERE WAS A SHORTFALL AND THE COUNTY USED THE PURCHASE, THE, THE SALE OF TWO OTHER PROPERTIES, WHICH TYPICALLY GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND TO FUND THE PAY PURCHASE OF THAT.
AND SO THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, SO HE GOT THE PROPERTY AND THEN WE HAD SITE DEVELOPMENT COSTS OVER THE YEAR OF 400, $10,000.
WE ALSO HAD PROFESSIONAL FEES OF 40 TO $6,000.
NOW, ONE THING IN OUR RESEARCH THAT WE FOUND THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING WAS THAT 4 MILLION LOAN FROM SANT COOPER.
IT WAS INTEREST ONLY FOR TWO YEARS.
WE HAD TWO PAYMENTS OF $80,000 FOR TWO YEARS OF INTEREST, UH, THAT WE PAID OUT.
NOW, WE DIDN'T PAY THAT OUT OF THIS FUND, WHICH I, I WOULD, IF YOU WERE DOING A PROJECT, I WOULD INCLUDE IT IN THE FUND THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO, BUT I WASN'T HERE AT THAT TIME.
[01:25:01]
BUT, UM, IT WAS PAID OUT OF THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.IT'S NOT WRONG TO PAY IT OUT OF THERE THAT'S DEBT SERVICE FUND IS TO PAY FOR DEBT SERVICE, BUT THAT'S $160,000.
SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF, YOU KNOW, TOTAL IN IT OF 1.7 MILLION.
WE HAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMP CONTRIBUTIONS UTCS AND EVERYTHING OF $1.2 MILLION, WHICH LEFTS US ABOUT 530, $9,000 IN THE HOLE, WHICH IS RIGHT ABOVE THAT BLACK LINE.
SO LOOKING AT WHAT THE COUNTY REALLY CONTRIBUTED, WE HAD THOSE TWO SALES AND ONE SALE WAS THE FIVE ACRES LOCATED IN BLUFFTON TECHNOLOGY PARK FOR $459,000.
AND THE OLD LADIES ALLEN CONVENIENCE CENTER, WHICH I WENT TO FOR PROBABLY 20 YEARS.
AND THOSE PROPERTIES WERE THE SALE PROCEEDS OF THOSE PROPERTIES FLOWED THROUGH THIS FUND.
AND ALSO THE 80,000 AND THE 80,000 OF INTEREST PAYMENTS IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, BRINGING THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE REALLY CONTRIBUTED 828,000.
NOW WE HAVE OTHER FUNDING PROCEEDS AS WE GOT THE, WE GOT THE $4 MILLION, AND I THINK WE WERE GONNA BUILD THE BUILDING AND WE DECIDED NOT TO BUILD THE BUILDING.
SO HE GAVE THE $4 MILLION BACK THERE.
THAT DECISION WAS MADE DIFFERENT COUNCIL, DIFFERENT MAN, DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION, BUT THERE'S ALSO INTEREST OF ABOUT $31,000.
NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT INTEREST FOR $31,000, THAT'S OVER THE LIFE OF, OF THE, OF THE LOAN.
AND SO REALLY WHAT WE GOT THE MAIN INTEREST WAS THE TWO YEARS THAT WE HAD THE $4 MILLION WORTH OF LOAN PROCEEDS SITTING INTO THIS FUND, WHICH IS ABOUT 91% OF IT TOTAL, THE 28,000 OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAD A LOAN THAT WE PAID $160,000 WORTH OF INTEREST THAT WE NEVER USED.
SO BASICALLY YOU COME DOWN, WE HAVE ABOUT NINE AND THEN YOU SOLD THE PROPERTY AND WE HAVE ABOUT 920,670, THAT THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANTED TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT WITH THE GENERAL FUND AND THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, YOU'D PROBABLY PUT 160 BACK INTO THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
YOU'D PROBABLY GIVE 668,000 BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THE, THE, UH, THE, THE NET OF WHAT WE SOLD IT FOR, WITH WHAT WE ACTUALLY, THE, THE 539 THAT WE HAD IN IT, IT'S REALLY ABOUT $60,000, BUT GIVE THEM THE INTEREST TOO ON THAT.
AND THAT'D BE 92, BUT THERE AGAIN, IT'S UP TO Y'ALL AS COUNCIL AND FINANCE COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND WHAT Y'ALL WANT ME TO DO WITH THIS Y'ALL COULD USE IT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
Y'ALL COULD TRANSFER THE JOB JOBS AND SITE FUND IT'S REALLY KIND OF UP TO Y'ALL, BUT THERE WERE OTHER FACTORS THAT WENT INTO THIS THAT Y'ALL NEEDED TO KNOW TO MAKE A CLEAR DECISION ON THIS PROPERTY AND THE, THE, THE ORIGINAL WORKSHEET THAT WAS GIVEN A LOT OF THESE NUMBERS ARE THE SAME.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT 'EM CLOSER, THE STORY CHANGES A LITTLE BIT, AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE RIGHT STORY, SO Y'ALL CAN MAKE WHATEVER DECISION Y'ALL WANT TO ON IT.
BUT I THINK Y'ALL NEED THE WHOLE PICTURE AND NOT JUST A PICTURE, A, A LIMITED PICTURE.
THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS IT.
UM, I, I GUESS TWO THOUGHTS, ONE, HOWEVER, WE MOVE ALL THE NUMBERS AROUND DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO ME.
UM, IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WE PUT IN PLACE A COUPLE YEARS AGO HAS FAR OUT ACHIEVED, UH, ACHIEVED MUCH GREATER THAN WE ANTICIPATED TO DO.
AND WE LOOK AT THE JOBS, THE INVESTMENT, EVERYTHING WE HAD.
SO IT, IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME IF WE WERE TO SAY, LOOK, WHETHER IT'S 500 OR 600, 700,000, WE OVER ONE YEAR OR THREE YEARS, IT WOULD BE A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR US TO PUT IT BACK INTO THAT, TO GROW THAT IT'LL CREATE JOBS ALONG THE WAY, REGARDLESS OF HOW WE DO IT WITH THE NUMBERS.
SO, UM, I I'M IN FAVOR OF SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY.
IT SOUNDS LIKE ON THE ORDER OF FIVE, 600,000 THAT WE MIGHT DO, I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE THING TO THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING THIS YEAR PROBABLY ABOUT 1 MILLION OVER 1 MILLION FOR THE EDC AND, AND BOTH, WE HAVE $375,000 THAT WE GIVE TO THEM FOR THEIR OPERATIONS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE EARMARK ABOUT 674,000, BUT FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, TOTAL SPENDING, PLUS WHAT'S BUDGETED FOR THIS, YEAR'S ABOUT 4.3 MILLION, BUT THAT'S NOT INCLUDING WHAT WE ALSO PAY TO THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ANOTHER 600,000 OVER THOSE FIVE YEARS.
SO, I MEAN, IF YOU EVER HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY PUTS THIS MONEY WHERE ITS MOUTH IS, I MEAN, WE'VE GIVEN, WE'RE GIVEN OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, ABOUT 5 MILLION TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR A QUARTER OF
[01:30:01]
A BILLION DOLLARS IN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, WHICH I SAY IS PRETTY GOOD ROI.I, I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE MONEY FROM THE SALE, THE PROPERTY AND THE INTEREST PAY, NOT, I THINK IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE GENERAL BUDGET.
UH, ANY ANYONE ELSE? UM, YEAH.
IF, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT.
I, I THINK WHEN WE, UM, WHEN WE BOUGHT THE TWO PARCELS AT MYRTLE PARK, UM, I, AND I, I DIDN'T DO THE RESEARCH TO TRY AND PULL UP ANY OF THE, UM, DOCUMENTS FROM THE TIME THAT WE, UM, UH, VOTED ON THIS.
BUT IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, I, I THINK WE MADE THE AGREEMENT THAT IF THOSE TWO PARCELS WERE EVER SOLD, THAT THE FUNDS FROM THE PARCEL WOULD GO TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT STU, UH, WAS GETTING AT, UM, IN HIS OPENING STATEMENTS.
AND, AND I, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE SAID.
AND IF THAT'S WHAT WE SAID, THEN I THINK WE OUGHT TO HONOR WHAT WE SAID NOW, IF THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SAID, THEN SOMEBODY'S TELLING ME, TELL ME, OTHERWISE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN WRITING, IF THAT WAS NOT JUST THAT WE PROMISE, BECAUSE I, I, THIS WAS ALL DONE WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL.
UM, SO I, I MEAN, I, I STARTED IN 2015, SO, AND LIKE, YOU I'VE HEARD THAT WE HAVE PROMISED, BUT I I'VE HAD NOAH'S GOING WITH THE DATE YET, OR THE MEETING OR, OR ANY MINUTES THAT, THAT BACKED THAT UP.
MM-HMM,
UM, BUT, UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, BRIAN, MR. FALLOWING GO AHEAD.
AND MR. GLOVER, YOU'LL BE NEXT.
I REMEMBER IT EXACTLY AS GERALD, UH, DOES, IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A PART OF ANY PARTICULAR MOTION, BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS A MATTER, A MATTER OF DISCUSSION.
UH, HAD SEVERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT THIS WAS MONEY.
WE WERE, WE WERE GIVING OVER TO THE, UM, TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER, UM, TO US THAT WHEN IT, WHEN IT GOT SOLD, HOW MUCH, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL GOING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, MR. GLOVER, I, UM, I, I DO REMEMBER JUST LIKE GERALD AND BRIAN SAID THAT, UM, IT'S TRUE THAT WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE ECONOMIC THAT WE'LL FUND THEM, UM, AND INVEST IN THEM FORWARD.
AND WE STARTED WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUNDS, AND WE BASICALLY SAID, AS YOU WE'LL REINVEST IN YOU.
SO I REMEMBER THAT THIS DISCUSSION DID COME ABOUT AND THAT WE SAID, OR WE DID REINVEST THOSE.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.
I WAS TRYING TO PULL UP THE EXACT MINUTES.
UM, SO FINANCE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 18TH, 2020, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION HELD NO PROBLEM.
AND WHERE THESE FUNDS WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED AT THAT TIME, 600, UH, IT WAS STATED BY COUNCIL THAT THE FUNDS, UM, ACTUALLY COUNCIL MEMBER RODMAN STATED ANY USE OF THESE FUNDS WOULD COME BACK THROUGH US FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME, THE FUNDS HAD NOT BEEN, IT HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED BY COMMITTEE OR COUNCIL FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY BE PLACED WITH THE, UM, EDC, BUT IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDS WERE GOING NOW, AGAIN, IN THE MINUTES, AS WELL AS WATCHING IT AT THAT TIME, THE DETAILS OF HOW THE PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED AND WHERE THOSE FUNDS CAME FROM.
I DO NOT BELIEVE WERE PRESENTED, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY, SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE A FULLY INFORMED DECISION RIGHT OR WRONG.
MM-HMM
THANK YOU, MR. OTU WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND, UM, CUZ AGAIN, THE BIGGEST THING, THE REASON THAT CAME BACK TO FINANCE WAS, WAS FOR US TO GET ALL THE ANSWERS AND GET ALL THE, UM, DOLLAR AMOUNTS AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
CUZ IT WAS SO LONG IS MR. WILLIAMS HAD SAID, AND, AND THINGS HAD, HAD, HAD PROGRESSED SINCE THAT TIME.
SO MR. TOOL, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
UH, THANKS FOR, UH, ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND UM, I, I AM GONNA REALLY, UH, TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT I JUST STICK TO THE FACTS AND AM CONSTRUCTIVE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
IT WAS AN 11 OH, VOTE BY THE COUNCIL
[01:35:01]
THAT SITS HERE TODAY, UH, TO MOVE IT TO THE FULL COUNCIL.ONCE THE SALE WAS MADE, UH, THE OPENING COMMENTS SAID THAT THE, THE NUMBERS DIDN'T ADD UP.
NOW THERE'S NO WAY TO INTERPRET THAT.
OTHER THAN IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME SOMETHING SHADY WAS GOING ON, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WE RELIED ON ALICIA HOLLAND TO GIVE US NUMBERS AND I CAN HOLD THESE UP.
UM, AND IF YOU COULD, UH, IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE LAST SLIDE THAT, UM, HAYES HAD UP THERE, BUT, UH, ALICIA HOMANS HAD PROVIDED US NUMBERS.
AND EVERY TIME WE PRESENTED THOSE TO YOU AND IN 2014, THE REVENUES THAT CREATED MYRTLE PARK WERE ALWAYS SHOWN TO THIS COUNCIL.
THEY WERE ALWAYS SHOWN TO YOU IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH I DON'T THINK I'M OUT OF ORDER NOW BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S COME OUT.
UH, BUT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN AUGUST, 2019, WE CONSISTENTLY SHOWED YOU THAT THE FUNDS USED TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY WERE PAID FOR, BY A PR A SALE OF OTHER COUNTY PROPERTY.
AND SO YOU CAN EXPECT THAT THE WISDOM OF THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME WAS TO SAY, LET'S TAKE OUR ASSETS AND ROLL THEM INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WHEN YOU VOTED ON FEBRUARY 18TH, YOUR THOUGHT WAS THE SAME.
LET'S, LET'S TAKE OUR CHIPS AND ROLL THEM INTO THE NEXT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROJECT.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT'S BEING ADDED IN NOW, WHICH IS A LITTLE SHOCKING TO ME BECAUSE IT'S A MANAGEMENT DECISION THAT WAS MADE IN 2016 AND 2018 BY DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATORS.
AND SO NOW THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SUBJECT IS INTRODUCED AS, UH, THE NUMBERS DIDN'T QUITE ADD UP.
BUT WHAT I THINK STAFF IS TRYING TO DO IS DING US ANOTHER $160,000 BY SAYING THEY DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE MANAGEMENT DECISION THAT WAS MADE AT THE TIME TO BOOK THOSE, TO, UH, UH, UH, TO, UH, UH, THE, UH, UH, DEBT SERVICE FUND.
AND, AND HERE'S THE OTHER CATCH BECAUSE IF, IF YOU COULD, OH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY STAFF HERE TO SHOW IT.
BUT IF YOU PUT UP THE PIECE THAT HAYES HAD SHOWN YOU EARLIER, IT SHOWED THAT THE, THE, UH, POOLED CASH IS NOW 920,000, BUT I CAN SHOW YOU ON THREE OCCASIONS WHERE I'VE, I SAID, PLEASE CONFIRM THE MATH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA, I DIDN'T WANNA PUT THE COUNTY IN A DIFFICULT SPOT OF, OF USING UTC FUNDS THAT DIDN'T EXIST.
UH, SO I, I ASKED HAYES THREE TIMES AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THE POOLED CASH WAS 727,000.
AND, AND TODAY YOU CAN SEE IT'S 920,000.
NO, YOU, ON FEBRUARY 18TH, YOU SAID ON 2020, YOU SAID THAT, UH, YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE PROCEEDS AND ROLL THEM INTO THE SITE AND JOB FUNDS.
I THINK FOR THE REASONS THAT COUNCILMAN RODMAN LAID OUT, BECAUSE WE ARE GOOD FIDUCIARIES OF THE COUNTY'S MONEY AND WE ARE LOCKED INTO CREATING INVESTMENTS AND GOOD JOBS FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS.
AND, UH, FOR THAT, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE PUNISHED.
THE OTHER PIECE WAS THAT WHEN YOU DID YOUR LAST BUDGET, WE WERE DINGED ON THE SITE AND JOB FUND BY A HALF A, A, A HALF OF, OF ONE MILL, UH, NO, A, UH, FIVE TENS OF ONE MILL.
AND, UH, THE ADMINISTRATOR EXPLAINED THAT HE FOUND OUT THAT YOU CAN'T DO MILLS ON THE HALF.
SO AT YOUR RETREAT LAST NOVEMBER, YOU SAID, LET'S TAKE THE BALANCE OF POOLED FUNDS AND MAKE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHOLE, OR YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR COMING OUTTA LUNCH SAY, AND YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE VIDEO.
THE, THE ADMINISTRATOR SAID THAT WE'LL MAKE YOU A WHOLE WITH THE BALANCE OF POOLED FUNDS.
SO OUR REQUEST WOULD BE AS, AS WE, AND WE MADE THIS AIS, WE MADE THIS REQUEST ON JUNE 10TH OF THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE ALMOST INTO OCTOBER AND WE'RE, WE'RE FIGHTING.
AND, AND IT THAT'S THE WAY IT FEELS TO ME.
I FEEL LIKE I'M RUNNING BACK FOR YOUR TEAM.
I'M RUNNING WELL WITH THE BALL AND I'M GETTING TRIPPED UP AND I'D LIKE TO RESOLVE IT, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND WILL ACCEPT YOUR GOOD JUDGMENT.
THANK YOU, MR. ROBIN, GO AHEAD.
AND THEN WE WILL, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN TWO PARTS.
ONE IS THAT WE RETURN THE MON TO THE VARIOUS FUNDS AS, UM, HAYS HAS SUGGESTED.
AND SECONDLY, WE TAKE, LET'S SAY $600,000 AND ADD IT TO ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH IS
[01:40:01]
THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH TO AMEND, TO INCLUDE A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS.AND I THINK THAT'LL GET TO WHERE WE NEED IN 600,000 FOR THE EDC.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GET TIED UP IN ALL OF THIS BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHO SHOT JOHN AND WHERE THE MONEY WAS.
AND WHO'S ENTITLED TO ALL RIGHT, MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE, UH, A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I'LL SECOND.
MR. FLOWING IS ANY MORE DISCUSSION.
UM, AND AGAIN, ANYTHING THAT PASSES, WE'LL HAVE TO GO TO COUNSEL FOR THREE READINGS.
UM, SO, UH, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE, A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? I DON'T SEE OR HEAR ANY OBJECTION.
SO THE, UM, ORDINANCE PASSES TO SEND TO COUNSEL, WELL, THAT'S THE AMENDMENT I WAS SUGGESTING.
I WAS SUGGESTING THAT WE FOLDED, WE CAN, THEY CAN DO IT LATER.
I WAS SUGGESTING WE JUST FOLDED INTO 12 ITEM 12, WHICH IS AN ONGOING ANYWAY, THAT'S FINE.
AND LET IT STAND JUST THE WAY WE VOTED.
[Items 15-17]
15, NOR ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AND OTHER MATTERS, UH, RELATED THERE TOO.AND, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT $600,000 TO GIVE THE JOBS AND JOBS AND SITE TRUMP FUND, AND THE REST OF IT WOULD GO TO THE PAY.
THEN YOU PAY BACK THE DEBT SERVICE FUND AND THE REST WILL GO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, TO, TO PAY BACK ALL THE FUNDS THAT, THAT WERE, WERE LISTED THAT YOU HAD THERE, BUT THEN ADD $600,000 TO OUR, UM, WE GOT IT.
OUT OF, OUT OF, UH, SEVERAL FUNDS, IF IT PLEASES THE COMMITTEE, WE CAN DATE THESE X THREE ITEMS ALL AS ONE.
THAT'S TOO BAD, BUT WE DO NEED TO CORRECT ITEM 16.
UH, THAT'S A MISTAKE BECAUSE CURRENTLY ON THE AGENDA ITEM, 16 OF 17 READ IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME ITEM, UH, ITEM 16 SHOULD.
AND IT'S CORRECT IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL.
OTHERWISE I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
IT SHOULD BE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH COMMUNITY WORKS, TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR A DESIGNATED REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
SO IT'S TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH COMMUNITY WORKS TO ACTUALLY OPERATE THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON ESTABLISHING, UH, REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND TO DEAL WITH WORKFORCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES.
AND WE HAVE FINALLY, UH, REACHED THAT POINT FOR DECISION FOR YOU ALL NOW.
AND THAT IS TO THERE'S THREE ITEMS RECOMMENDED AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION.
AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH COMMUNITY WORKS TO OPERATE THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AND A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ENTER TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT WITH BURY COUNTY TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, TOWN OF BLUFFTON TOWN OF PORT ROYAL CITY OF BEAUFORD, CITY OF HARVILLE CITY, UH, UM, TO JOINTLY CREATE FUN AND OPERATE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AGAIN, ANOTHER TYPO IN THAT TITLE AS WELL.
BUT WE'LL CORRECT THOSE FOR THE AGENDA.
UM, AND EVERYBODY WHO IS MENTIONED HERE IS CONTRIBUTING 3% OF THEIR ALLOCATION OF OFFER.
IN YEAR ONE AND, AND DUER COUNTY IS CONTRIBUTING 1.1 1 9 5 2 3 YEAR ONE.
MM-HMM
TO RAISE 2 MILLION, YOU LOOK AT THE CHART, BUT LET'S LOOK AT THE CHART AND THE BACKUP MATERIAL.
UH, THE TOTAL WOULD BE, UM, PAGE 52, RIGHT? THE TOTAL IN YEAR ONE IS 3 MILLION, $443,127.
ALL RIGHT, MR. YOU SAID THAT WE'RE HANDLING ALL THREE OF THESE AT THE SAME TIME, TWO, OUR ORDINANCES, AND ONE IS A RESOLUTION THAT'S CORRECT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PASS ALL THREE, PLEASE.
UM, ANY DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE A, UH, MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON CITY OF BUFORD AND THE TOWN OF FORT ROYAL HAVE SHOWN THEIR SUPPORT BY VOTING LAST WEEK.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO US PASSING 15, 16, AND 17.
DO WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL? NO, I DO NOT THINK SO.
SO WE HAVE ONE OBJECTION, MR. HERON,
[01:45:01]
OTHERWISE, UM, IT'S ALL.ANYTHING ELSE NEEDS TO COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE SEEING NONE? WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE TODAY.