[00:00:10]
UM, AS WE TYPICALLY DO, WE'RE GONNA GO GET RIGHT INTO IT.
UH, CUZ I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE OTHER AGENDAS AFTER THE MEETING.
UM, JUST A POINT OF NOTE, THE MEMO AND, UH, PART OF THE DISCUSSION IS ON THE FLIP SIDE OF YOUR AGENDA.
CARRIE WAS PHENOMENAL SAVING PAPER.
SO THERE, THE AGENDAS WERE ON THE TABLE AND, UH, THE, UM, THERE HAVE BOTH SIDES WRITTEN ON IT.
FIRST THING WE'RE GONNA DO AS WE DO ON A SEMI-REGULAR BASIS IS ELECT A CHAIR, CO-CHAIR AND SECRETARY.
AND, UM, I, I WILL NOTE BEFORE WE TAKE NOMINATIONS, UM, OUR SECRETARY HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, COUNCILMAN TOM LENNOX.
AND HE HAS CHOSEN NOT TO RUN AND BROKE ALL OUR HEARTS.
AND SO HE WILL BE LEAVING, UH, HIS POST AS SECRETARY AT THE END OF THE YEAR, RIGHT, TOM? UH, DECEMBER.
SO, UH, WE WILL NEED A, UH, NOMINATION OF A NEW SECRETARY.
AND, AND THESE THREE POSITIONS ARE THE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, THE EXECUTIVE, UH, COMMITTEE.
WE DON'T NORMALLY RE UH, MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT WE DO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE UPCOMING AGENDAS ARE.
SO, UM, FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS TAKE NOMINATIONS FOR, UH, CHAIR OF THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE TERRY WILLIAMS AND LISA SOKA AS CO-CHAIRS.
A STUNNING DEVELOPMENT THIS MORNING ALREADY.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? OKAY.
UH, SO NOMINATIONS BE CLOSED,
UM, WE HAVE, UH, MAYOR WILLIAMS AND MAYOR SOKA AS CO-CHAIRS OF SOLOA
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW IF, WHO, IF YOU'RE VOTING, THE MEMBERSHIP IS ON THE BACK.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, NOW I'D LIKE A NOMINATION FOR SECRETARY.
NOW, UM, IF YOU NOTICE WE HAVE HARDY BILL, WE HAVE BLUFFTON AND TOM SERVING FROM HILTON HEAD.
SO IT PROBABLY, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE NOMINATION COME FROM SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN HARDY, BILL AND BLUFFTON.
SO WE HAVE AS EXTENSIVE A REPRESENTATION AS POSSIBLE.
DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS? UM, WHO'S ADDISON?
UM, HILTON HEAD IF NECESSARY COULD BE BLUFFTON OR HARDY.
BUT HOW ABOUT MATT? I NOMINATE MATT.
YOU GOT, YOU GOTTA JUST GET THE JUDGE.
I THAT I'LL SECOND THAT NOMINATION ALL THERE.
WELL, IF ELECTED YOU WILL SERVE RIGHT.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? THEN I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF MAC GAR FROM MSC TO BE THE SECRETARY.
YOU'RE GONNA BE HERE NEXT TO YEAR, SO GET READY.
I'VE HEARD A SHOTGUN WEDDINGS, BUT THIS IS SEEMS LIKE SHOTGUN ELECTIONS.
THANK YOU MATT FOR, UH, BEING PART OF SOLO.
UM, NEXT, WE HAVE REALLY NOT DONE THIS SINCE, UM, WE FIRST STARTED IN 2017, AND THAT'S REVIEWED.
THE MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS IS WRITTEN
[00:05:01]
IN 2017.AND ALSO IT, THERE HAS BEEN SOME, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE EXPAND, SO LOCO BEYOND THE SOUTHERN BORDERS.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE A GENERAL CONVERSATION, UH, OPEN TO ANYBODY, INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE'D LIKE TO HEAR EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY THOUGHTS.
UM, NUMBER ONE ON THE MISSION, ON THE VISION AND THE MISSION STATEMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE MEMBERSHIP AND ALL THAT'S ON, ON THE BACK OF, UM, THE ONE INCORRECT THING I DIDN'T UPDATE.
UM, WE DID A COUPLE YEARS AGO VOTE, UH, EMBASSY INTO SOLO.
ANY COMMENTS ON, ON THE VISION IS VISION OF THE SOLO BOARD TO ENHANCE THE BUILDING OF RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM DIFFERING COMMUNITIES, MUNICIPALITIES, UTILITIES, AND CENTERS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO ENHANCE THE COMMUNICATION AMONG THE MEMBERS INTERNAL AS WELL AS TO SUBDIVISIONS EXTERNAL AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE SERVE.
OUR VISION IS A VIBRANT LOW COUNTRY, A UNITED LOW COUNTRY, AND A SUSTAINABLE LOW COUNTRY.
ANY THOUGHTS FROM ANYONE? IT'S A WORDSMITHING, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TWO COUNTIES THAT SIT HERE AND WE TALK ABOUT NEW MUNICIPALITIES.
SHOULD WE NOT IN THAT FIRST SENTENCE ADD COUNTIES? SINCE WE HAVE SUCH A LONG VISION STATEMENT, WE CAN MAKE IT A LITTLE LONGER THAT, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION.
OR JUST CHANGE MUNICIPALITIES TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND HARRY, I, I'D SCRATCH IN THE FIRST SENTENCE, I'D SCRATCH THE BUILDING OF AND JUST SAY TO ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WE BUILT IT, HAVEN'T WE? OVER FIVE YEARS? YEAH.
TO ENHANCE ENHANCED RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM DIFFERENT DIFFERING COMMUNITIES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UTILITIES, AND CENTERS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM, FROM ANYONE? SO, UH, THERE ARE TWO CHANGES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED.
THE FIRST SENTENCE WILL SAY TO ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS, ET CETERA.
AND CHANGING IN LINE TWO MUNICIPALITIES TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THOSE TWO CHANGES.
ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? JUST LINE ONE.
IT'LL BE THE, UH, VISION TO ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO WE'RE TAKING OUT THE BUILDING OF, OKAY.
AND LINE TWO, WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THE WORD MUNICIPALITIES TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
SO THOSE TWO CHANGES ARE MADE TO THE VISION, THE MISSION STATEMENT, TO CREATE A REGIONAL THINK TANK THAT WILL IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT FACE THE ENTIRE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY AS DEFINED BY THE MEMBERS AND REGARDLESS OF MUNICIPAL OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES TO DISCUSS THE ZONING, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIAL ISSUES, AND PROPOSE ACTION PLANS TO THE APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE BODIES.
NOW THERE'S A LOT OF SPECIFIC THINGS.
ZONING, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD ADD IN THERE OR SUBTRACT OR ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE MISSION STATEMENT? YES, JOE.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE OUT TO CREATE A REGIONAL THINK TANK.
CAUSE THAT SAYS WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED THAT MISSION.
I THINK WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
I THINK WE START OUT WITH THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO, IS TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT FACE THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO THE FIRST LINE WOULD READ, WE WOULD TAKE OUT, CREATE A REGIONAL THINK TANK THAT WILL, AND JUST SAY TO IDENTIFY MM-HMM.
[00:10:01]
AND THEN THE LAST SENTENCE, IS THAT PIGEON HOMELESS? I MEAN, IS THERE A, UM, I MEAN, I LOOK AT THE TOWN MANAGERS, I LOOK AT ERIC.IS THERE, ARE WE STAYING WITHIN THOSE THINGS OR SHOULD WE HAVE MORE OF A BROADER, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF OUR, CUZ WE DO HAVE A REGIONAL PLAN.
WE HAVE A SOUTHERN REGIONAL PLAN.
SHOULD WE BE A LITTLE MORE BROAD? WHAT ARE Y'ALL'S THOUGHTS? WE CAN ALWAYS ADD OTHER, OR OTHER, OTHER ITEMS AS OTHER ISSUE.
THEY, OR WE COULD SAY TO BROADEN IT TO MAYOR SOCA'S POINT TO DISCUSS ANY ISSUE, ANY ISSUE.
UM, WE COULD FURTHER DESCRIBE IT.
ANY ISSUE THAT, UH, AFFECTS THE QUALITY OF LIFE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EXTENT, RATHER THAN SPECIFICALLY PUT ITEMS DOWN THERE THAT WOULD LIMIT US.
ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? I THINK PROMOTING ECONOMIC WELLBEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE CATCHES EVERYTHING.
ECONOMIC WELLBEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE SHOULD CATCH EVERYTHING, UH, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT DOES.
SO IT, YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT IT WOULD READ TO DISCUSS THE ECONOMIC WELLBEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, TO DISCUSS ISSUES RELATED TO ECONOMIC WELLBEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
THAT'S WHY HE'S THE SECRETARY.
YOU KNOW, HE CAN STILL BE THE, YOU CAN STILL BE ON HERE.
AS FAST AS YOU TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES RELATING TO ECONOMIC WELLBEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE LOW COUNTRY, IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
AND PROPOSE ACTION PLANS TO APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE BODIES.
SO, SO THE FIRST LINE IS TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS, AND THEN IN THE NEXT TO THE LAST LINE, IT WOULD BE TO DISCUSS, TO DISCUSS ISSUES RELATING TO, TO ECONOMIC WELLBEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
AND PROPOSE ACTION PLANS TO, AND THEN KEEP THAT LAST PART AND PROPOSE ACTION PLANS TO THE APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE BODIES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS? PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO JOIN IN.
SEEING NO FURTHER SUGGESTIONS, UM, THE, UM, I'M NOT GONNA READ IT AGAIN.
ANY, ANY, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE CHANGES? SO MOVED.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY ANYONE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND THIS IS WHERE, UH, WE NEED SOME DISCUSSION.
THE ME THE MEMBERSHIP IS, ARE THE MAYORS OF EACH MUNICIPALITY.
UM, AND I HAVE TO ADD, DO YOU SEE IN THAT, UH, THE COUNTY CHAIRS AND ONE COUNCIL MEMBER FROM BOTH COUNTIES AND ONE COUNCIL MEMBER FROM EACH MUNICIPALITY? UH, UM, EACH MEMBER SHOULD DESIGNATE AND ALTERNATE SO THAT WE HAVE ATTENDANCE FROM EVERY, UM, JURISDICTION AT EACH MEETING, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN EVERYBODY CAN'T BE THERE.
AND THEN THE COUNTY AND CITY ADMINISTRATORS, I BELIEVE THE ALTERNATE, UH, DESTINATION IS, IS REDUNDANT BECAUSE WE HAVE REPOSITION, WE HAVE THE, LIKE THE ADMINISTRATOR, WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER AND WE HAVE A, UM, A MAYOR OR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
SO WE GOT REPRESENTATION TWICE ALREADY.
[00:15:03]
IT'S A GOOD POINT.SO DO WE HAVE THERE WERE TOO MANY
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AROUND THE TABLE TODAY, UM, OUR MAYORS ARE PRETTY WELL COVERED.
I THINK MATT, WE ALL THINK MATT IS THE MAYOR, MISSY, BUT WE WON'T TELL HIS MAYOR THAT JUST EVERYWHERE.
LIKE WE DON'T HAVE HILTON HEAD.
AND YOU'RE GOING, I MEAN, I HOPE YOU BEGGED TO BE, MAYBE THEY'LL LET YOU BE THE REPRESENTATIVE AND YOU CAN BE A LIAISON WHO WE'VE GOT FOUR OUT OF SEVEN SEATS TURNING OVER.
SO LET'S, LET'S DON'T CHANGE, LET PLAY OUT AND SEE GETS THE LUCKY.
IS THIS ON THE RADAR? AND I GUESS THE NEW MAYOR, WHOEVER IT IS, KNOWS THIS IS SOMETHING THEY NEED.
IT'S A BIG TIME ON THE RADAR WHEN YOU THINK OF THE THREE THINGS THAT THIS GROUP HAS FACILITATED.
STORM WATER, UH, BUSINESS LICENSE, UH, LEGISLATION, AND NOW THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, IT'S MORE CONSPICUOUS NOW THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
BUT IT'D JUST BE NICE AND I WILL RELATE TO WHOEVER'S ELECTED THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE ARE BUSY TOO, AND I THINK THE MAYORS SHOULD, SHOULD BE HERE.
SO, UM, AND THEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, USUALLY IT'S JUST YOU, JOE.
I MEAN, WHO'S THE OTHER? AND I KNOW ERIC, SO AS LONG AS WE HAVE ONE YEAH.
WE'LL HAVE A CHANGE BECAUSE PAUL WAS THE DESTINY.
SO WE'RE, AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE EIGHT OF US ELECTED OUT OF THE 11 WOW.
UH, AND SO WE'LL LET THAT PLAY OUT.
UM, WHAT WERE YOU ASKING? I JUST, WHAT ARE YOU THIS IS, THIS AGAIN IS, UH, MEMBERSHIP.
WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY ALTERNATES DESIGNATED, BUT IN THE CASE OF HARDY BILL, WE, WE DID DESIGNATE AN ALTERNATE AND, UH, THE COUNCILMAN SPK DIED, AND MRS. CASTLE STEPPED UP.
UM, SHE WAS OUR ALTERNATE AND SHE STEPPED UP.
SO THERE'S, UM, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE, I THINK EACH SEGMENT OF THE GROUP PARTICIPATE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, IF, IF A COUNCIL PERSON CAN'T MAKE IT, THEN AN ALTERNATE COULD BE THE PERSON THAT SITS AT THE TABLE AND REPRESENTS THE VOICE.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S REALLY COMING TO PLAY THAT OFTEN, BUT, UH, SO IT'S, I THINK IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO ANY, EACH JURISDICTION TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEED IT.
LET'S CHANGE THE WORD FROM WILL TO MAY.
WHAT YOU SAY, JEFF'S CHANGE THE WORD FROM WILL TO MAY, MAY EACH MEMBER.
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION.
THAT WAY YOU LEAVE IT UP TO THE JURISDICTION.
IF THEY WANT TO HAVE SOMEBODY ON, ON CALL.
AND I, AND I DO THINK THE ADMINISTRATORS, WE ALL WORK IN A COUNCIL MANAGER FORM A GOVERNMENT IN SOME FORMAT.
EVEN COUNTIES, OUR MANAGERS NEED TO BE HERE.
AND AGAIN, WITH YOU HAVE FOUR HILTON HEAD COULD HAVE ONE COME.
JOSH WAS COMING PRETTY REGULARLY.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GO BACK TO STAFF AND WORK ON IT.
WE DON'T GO BACK TO STAFF AND TELL 'EM WHAT WENT ON.
SO IF WE CAN REALLY URGE OUR MANAGERS TO COME, UM, I THINK THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
AND IT GETS, AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ENHANCING RELATIONSHIPS.
THE MANAGERS SEE EACH OTHER FOR ONE, AND WE KEEP IT AT ONE HOUR.
SO IT'S NOT THAT LONG OF A DRAWN OUT DAY.
AND I REALLY DO THINK WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS AND YOU'RE A MANAGER, SO MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE SOME INSIGHT INTO THAT, OR MAYBE YOU COULD TAKE THAT ON AND RALLY THE TROOPS.
SO
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN THE, THE COUNTIES, JUST SO YOU HAVE A VOICE AT, AT, AT, AT THE TABLE EACH TIME.
I THINK MATT SAKA, I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT, UM, THAT AT LEAST SOMEBODY BE HERE.
AND I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MAYOR SAKA SAID, BECAUSE I THINK SHE REALLY TOUCHED ON ONE OF
[00:20:01]
THE MOST IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE'VE HAD IN, IN FIVE YEARS.AND SO IF, IF A GROUP'S NOT REPRESENTED, THEY'RE MISSING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO LINE ONE.
AND THAT'S TO, TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT THOUGHT.
UM, WE CAN COME JUMP IN AT ANY TIME, BUT LET'S MOVE THE DISCUSSION TO THE NEXT TOPIC.
IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT, UM, SO LOCO, UM, EXPAND.
WE DID A COUPLE YEARS AGOC ASKED TO COME IN AND THEY WERE, UH, THEY WERE ACTIVE IN THEIR PARTICIPATION.
SO THE GROUP SAID, YEAH, GREAT, LET'S COME ON IN.
UM, THERE WERE SOME SYNERGIES, UH, BETWEEN YC AND JASPER COUNTY AND, AND, AND THEREFORE, SO LOCO.
UM, SO I'M GONNA, THIS IS A GENERAL DISCUSSION, AND AGAIN, THE BOARD, THE PUBLIC IS MORE THAN WELCOME TO, UH, CHIME IN.
UM, DO WE AS SO LOCO WANT TO EXPAND BEYOND THE BROAD RIVER? SO FOR DISCUSSION, I'LL START IT.
UM, AND I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE MAYBE SITTING HERE THAT WAS NOT HERE AND WAS VOTED CHAIR OF THE SOUTHERN REGIONAL
ROB, THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AND I WE'RE THE, I THINK THE TWO THAT HAVE THE MEMORY.
UM, THIS WAS SET UP BY WESTON NEWTON DECADE, DECADES AGO NOW THAT OUR, OUR AREA WAS, AND IT WAS VERY PROACTIVE ACTUALLY.
AND THE NORTHERN PLAN EVOLVED IN THE SOUTHERN PLAN AND THE RIVER ALWAYS SAY THE BRIDGE, THE BROAD RIVER IS BROAD BECAUSE IT WAS A BRIDGE THAT DIDN'T CONNECT.
AND I'VE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, UM, TO LET THAT BRIDGE BE SMALLER, NOT LONGER, BUT THERE ARE TWO PLANS IN PLACE.
I THINK RECENTLY WE'VE GONE OVER SOME REGIONAL TOPICS BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY ARE A GROUP THAT ARE LISTENING AND EDUCATING, GETTING THINGS DONE.
UM, AND IT'S BECOME A POPULAR GROUP.
SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT EVERYONE ELSE THINKS.
I THINK THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WE'VE, WE'VE INCLUDED ALL OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, AND I THINK NO MATTER IF THEY'RE ON A VOTING BOARD OR NOT, EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO SEE IF IT'S MARRIAGE, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD WORK OUT.
BUT IT, WESTON EXPLAINED IT TO ME PRETTY WELL JUST FOR HISTORY, NOTHING TO DO WITH TODAY.
THE NORTHERN PLAN WAS LIKE A YIN AND YANG.
YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE IN PORT ROYAL OR YOU WERE IN HARDY OR BAUER AND THEY WERE SO CONNECTED AND CON, YOU KNOW, BY LINES AND EVERYTHING AND REALLY HAD A, AN EFFORT TO STAY A LITTLE MORE RURAL IN THE OUTLYING AREAS.
BLUFF AND SOUTHERN, MY GOSH, ERIC, YOU PROBABLY HAVE NIGHTMARE OR SOUTHERN, YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU'RE IN BLUFF AND ON HILTON HEAD, YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU'RE ON HILTON HEAD AND OUTTA HILTON HEAD.
AND WE ALWAYS, ALL OF US ON THIS SIDE, INCLUDING CARDVILLE, FELT LIKE THAT WAS GONNA BE MORE OF AN URBAN AREA.
UM, SO, SUCH DIFFERENT VISIONS.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
I'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE MORE IN THE NORTHERN AS A VISITOR TO SEE WHAT THEY TALK ABOUT.
I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN MEETING, SO THAT'S MORE HISTORY.
AND I LEAVE IT JUST TO KNOW FOR EVERY, TO KNOW WHY WE'RE CALLED THE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL BOARD.
OR HIS HISTORIC FULL FACTS ON THAT.
UM, I MIGHT JUMP IN TO, TO FOLLOW UP, UM, PERHAPS, UM, THE NORTHERN PLAN, HOW OFTEN DO YOU MEET? PLEASE COME.
WHY DON'T YOU COME SEE, YOU HAVE TO SPEAK IN THE MICROPHONE SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR YOU.
AND SINCE WE ARE DISCUSSING IT, UM, CAN WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PORT ROYAL DARRELL? OH, HERE'S DAR WELL, I, I, I APPRECIATE THE AGENDA AND I, CAUSE I THINK I'M SORT OF THE ONE THAT BROKE THE SUBJECT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
UM, AND SO FIRST I JUST WANNA SAY I'M SINCERELY GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE EVEN CONSIDERING THE OPTION.
UM, AND SO I'D I'D LIKE TO, THERE'S SORT OF THREE POINTS ON WHY I WOULD
[00:25:01]
ASK THAT YOU INCUR, YOU KNOW, YOU SUPPORT, UH, THE INCLUSION OF THE CITY OF BUFORD AND THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, UH, INTO SOLO.UM, FIRST EVERY, EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE ON A WINNING TEAM.
AND, UH, AS A GUY WHO'S BEEN SORT OF PAYING ATTENTION FOR, SINCE YOU'VE BEEN FOUNDED THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UM, IT'S BEEN REALLY REFRESHING TO SEE THE MOMENTUM OUT OF THIS GROUP, TO SEE THE COMRADERY.
AND A LOT OF THAT'S TO THE MAYOR'S, THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE GROW THESE REGIONAL ISSUES, DON'T, DON'T RESPECT OR CARE ABOUT OUR JURISDICTIONAL LINES, WHETHER IT'S STORM WATER OR HOUSING OR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AND SO I MAYOR, I THINK TO YOUR POINT EARLIER ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MONTHLY, FOR EVERYBODY TO GET IN A ROOM TOGETHER AND, UH, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO MECHANISM FOR ALL OF US IN THE REGION, ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, JASPER AND BEAUFORD COUNTY TO GET IN A ROOM TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I THINK THEY'RE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS WE ALL GROW AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE, HOW WE GET ALONG, HOW WE TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, THROUGH OUR NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN, WE SAID 60% OF OUR LAND, WE WANTED TO KEEP RURAL AND THEN TRY TO FAT UP AND THICKEN UP THE URBAN CENTERS.
BUT I'D ARGUE IN JOHN O TOOL SAYS THIS ALL THE TIME, THAT BEAUFORD COUNTY AND JASPER, THAT'S A STAINED GLASS WINDOW.
AND EACH OF OUR COMMUNITIES IS VERY DIFFERENT, RIGHT? HILTON HEAD IS VERY DIFFERENT WHERE MY WIFE GREW UP THAN ST.
HELEN ISLAND OR THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFED.
BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PROBABLY MAKES US THE MOST SPECIAL IS THAT WE ARE A REALLY DIVERSE PLACE, RIGHT? WITH DIFFERENT SORT OF PHILOSOPHIES AND CULTURES.
BUT THAT MECHANISM TO GET US AROUND THE TABLE, I JUST THINK IS, IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT, WE HAVE RECENTLY ADOPTED THE STORM WATER STANDARDS, WHICH CAME OUT OF THIS GROUP.
UH, WE PARTICIPATED IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST AND, AND JUST RECENTLY PASSED THAT.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE REGIONAL INITIATIVES THAT HAVE COME OUTTA HERE.
UM, BUT WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ALSO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
AND I, I THOUGHT OKAY, NORTHERN'S FINE.
SOUTHERN'S FINE UNTIL I SAW THAT YA EMBASSY WAS INCLUDED.
AND YAI IS EVEN NORTH OF THE CITY OF BUFORD, MUCH FARTHER NORTH OF THE BROAD RIVER THAN, UH, THAN THE CITY OR THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL TOWN PORT ACTUALLY COME SOUTH OF THE BROAD RIVER, UH, WITH THEIR ANNEXATION OF, OF LEMON ISLAND.
UM, SO LIKE LISA, HER AND I HAVE LONG ADVOCATED THAT WE SHOULDN'T LET THAT RIVER DIVIDE AND THAT WE'RE STRONGER, WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER.
AND SO SINCE THE EMBASSY'S BEEN INCLUDED, I THINK THAT SORT OF OPENS A PRECEDENT FROM GEOGRAPHICAL STANDPOINT THAT THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL AND THE CITY OF BEAUFORT ALSO OUGHT TO BE INCLUDED.
AND SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR 19 MONTHS, I'VE COME TO MOST OF YOUR MEETINGS OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UM, CONVERSELY THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN HAS BEEN, THE COMMITTEE'S BEEN MOSTLY INEFFECTIVE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS.
UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN BEEN PAYING ATTENTION.
OUR LAST TWO OR THREE MEETINGS, UM, HAVE BEEN CANCELED.
THE LAST HALF A DOZEN MEETINGS I THINK HAVE FAILED TO HAVE A QUORUM.
UM, IN REVIEWING THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED MANY OF THE GOALS THAT WERE SET OUT IN THAT PLAN.
AND SO I THINK OUR GROUP IN THE NORTH SIDE, WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THAT NORTHERN REGIONAL GROUP.
I'M MAKING AN ARGUMENT THAT WE COULD PROBABLY COULD SHUT THAT DOWN AND CONSOLIDATE UNDER SO LOCO NOT EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THAT.
AND THAT THERE DEFINITELY WEREN'T FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
ANYWAYS, I JUST WANNA SAY AGAIN, I SINCERELY APPRECIATE, UH, CONSIDERATION AND THE INCLUSION OF TOWN OF PORT ROYAL AND THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
AND I THINK WHILE WE'RE MOSTLY ALL GETTING ALONG, NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S UNDER THE TENT INCLUSIVE AND A PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AS A REGION.
WHAT WAS, CUZ AND I SADLY NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT GOING OVER THERE.
I DON'T EVEN WHEN THEY MEET, WHAT WAS THE LAST MEETING ABOUT? WHAT DOES THE NORTHERN PLAN, BECAUSE YOU SAY YOU'VE MET YOUR GOALS, BUT I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT FOR A LOT OF OUTSIDERS LOOKING IN ON WHERE THE NEXT PLACE TO GO TO, TO DEVELOP.
COULD I, COULD I ADDRESS THAT CUZ I'VE BEEN ON IT LONGER, BUT SOME MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU KNOW, PLEASE, WE HAD A LIST OF OF OBJECTIVES AND IT WAS PROBABLY TOO LONG AND WE WOULD MEET ABOUT 'EM.
UM, TO BE HONEST, UH, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN WHEN I WAS AT THE AIR STATION.
UH, AND WE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OF THINGS LIKE JOINT LAND USE STUDY, THE ACUS WAS ALL DONE THROUGH THAT.
THE GROWTH BOUNDARIES, UH, WHICH WE HAVE ADHERE TO FOR THE MOST PART, THE COUNTY AND THE, AND THE MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, I DISAGREE WITH STEVEN THAT WE NEED TO DO AWAY WITH THAT GROUP.
I THINK WE COULD DO A HYBRID, BUT THAT'S NOT FOR Y'ALL'S DISCUSSION TODAY.
I DO THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR ALL OF US TO BE IN ONE GROUP, UM, AS, AS HE SUGGESTED AND AS Y'ALL HAVE SUGGESTED TO MEET FOR AN HOUR ONCE A MONTH.
I THINK THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN GROUP MIGHT END UP MEETING MAYBE ONCE A QUARTER AND TRY TO ONLY MEET FOR AN HOUR INSTEAD OF IT BECOMING, UM, JUST
[00:30:01]
SOMETHING TO SIT AROUND AND TALK.AND I THINK THAT'S WHY OUR ATTENDANCE DROPPED OFF TOO.
UH, WE ALSO HAD A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ON THAT GROUP.
AND I MAYBE THAT WAS PART OF THE HISTORY LESSON.
THE GROUP WAS MORE WAS EVERYONE WAS UTILITIES, IT WAS SCHOOL BOARD, UM, IT WAS OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
IT WAS ACTUALLY MORE, IT WAS ACTUALLY MORE NON-ELECTED THAN ELECTED.
AND I GUESS, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK THROUGH IT BECAUSE WE TOO WERE FAILING.
I BECAME CHAIR AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING, SO I JUST CANCELED A FEW MEETINGS CUZ I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS NEW.
I WAS ON COUNCIL WITH THREE CHILDREN, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A REGIONAL PLAN WAS,
AND HANK VOTED ME IN AND THEN STOPPED SHOWING UP.
SO WESTON AND I LIKE, LIKE LET'S JUST QUIETLY STOP MEETING
AND I THINK IT TOOK, I THINK IT TOOK JUST MAYBE A NEW MAYOR HERE CUZ WE NEVER TALKED TO HARDY BILL, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, NEW, KIND OF REFRESHED THAT WITH ERIC TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS.
SO I, I ALMOST WISH WE WERE A TEMPLATE FOR OTHER, FOR THE NORTHERN OR FOR WHEREVER IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO SEE HOW GOOD THIS IS.
I JUST DON'T PERSONALLY, I DON'T WANT IT TO GET AN HOUR AND A HALF.
I THINK WE ARE GONNA FIND SOME LOCAL, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR SOUTHERN PLAN INITIATIVES, AND THAT'S WHAT HARRY AND, UM, WAS IT MAYOR MCCANN OR BEFORE MAYOR MCCANN, THE THREE OF US SAT AND TALKED REALLY ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GONNA TALK ABOUT.
AND WE LOOKED AT THE SOUTHERN PLAN, WE JUST VEERED OFF THE SOUTHERN PLAN FOR A LITTLE WHILE BECAUSE ERIC'S THOUGHT ON THE STORM WATER, WHICH WAS FABULOUS.
IF WE TRULY ARE A SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL BOARD, AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE, YOU KNOW, STRESSED ON MAYOR MURRAY AND MAYOR DEVITO AND YOU COME IN BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GONNA HIT THOSE LOCAL ISSUES.
SO WHERE, HOW DO WE DO THAT? DO WE, DO WE DATE FOR A LITTLE WHILE? SEE IF IT WORKS? DOES, I'VE GOT SOME THINGS I WANNA TALK ABOUT ON AGENDAS THAT WE ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
IMPACT FEES WERE DIFFERENT, WE GET CHARGED DIFFERENTLY, ZONING'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT.
UM, SO I JUST, THAT'S WHERE I WANNA SEE, MAKE SURE IT'S A GOOD, GOOD FIT.
THE REASON WHY WE MEETING TODAY IS BECAUSE MIKE HO AND I, IT GOT TO A PLACE WHERE BLUFFTON IN THE COUNTY COULD NEVER MIX, UM, ALL IN WATER TOGETHER, ALL IT WAS ALL IN WATER MIX.
WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE SAME TIME WHAT OUR PURPOSE WAS.
AND WE HAD REPRESENTATION FROM BLUFFTON ON THE COUNTY BOARD THAT DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE COULDN'T GET CERTAIN THINGS DONE.
SO THEREFORE, UM, WE ASKED FOR JUST ACCOUNTING MEETING WITH BLUFFTON OFFICIALS AND OUR COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SAY, LET'S, LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT.
IT'S TOO, IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED.
IT IT, IT WAS COMPLICATED, BUT IF YOU TALK, IT WOULDN'T BE THAT COMPLICATED BECAUSE NOW WE, THE LEFT HAND WOULD KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT HAND IS DOING, WHICH IS WHY THIS BOARD, UH, AND I I BELIEVE HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE LEFT HAND IS NOW KNOWING WHAT THE RIGHT HAND IS DOING ACROSS THE REGION.
SO BRINGING IN THE OTHER MEMBERS OF, OF OUR COUNTY AND, UM, CROSS THE LINE TO THE OTHER COUNTIES LIKE EMBASSY AND, AND JASPER.
IT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE ME, UM, STEVEN SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO THAT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO HAS NO BOUNDARIES.
SO TO COMMUNICATE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE SAME BO WHEN WE, WHEN WE CROSS OUR LINES, WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE A PROACTIVE APPROACH INSTEAD OF REACTIVE APPROACH TO, TO THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE ALL CALL QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE WAY WE REPRESENT OUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO I WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, IF YOU SAY DATE, MAYBE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WHO, UM, WANTS TO BE A PART BECAUSE
[00:35:01]
MAYBE SOME AREAS DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS.EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO BE A PART AND SEE THE VISION AND ADOPT THE VISION, I THINK WE CAN BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WITH ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE TOOLS IN THE BOX.
SO I WOULD KINDLY SUGGEST THAT WE AT LEAST ENTERTAIN, UM, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE OUR FOCUS BECAUSE IF YOU GET TOO MANY PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, WE DON'T WANNA GET ANYTHING DONE.
IF I YEAH, YOU DON'T WANNA DO IT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE JUST SAID ABOUT OUR MISSION STATEMENT WAS TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAD FACED THE ENTIRE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING IT, GETTING RID OF THE WORD SOUTHERN BECAUSE IT AFFECTS THE LOW COUNTRY, WHETHER IT'S NORTH OF THE BROAD, SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
THERE ARE THREE WORDS THAT WE HAVE ADOPTED IN BUFORD COUNTY.
PEOPLE LIVE ALL OVER THIS COUNTY OR WANT TO LIVE ALL OVER THIS COUNTY.
THEY WANT TO WORK IN THIS COUNTY, OR THEY DON'T, OR THEY PLAY IN THIS COUNTY OR THEY DON'T.
SO WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SOLVE THIS TODAY, BUT I SUGGEST THAT WE MAY WANT TO FORM A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WILL STUDY THIS, THAT WILL COME BACK TO THIS BODY AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE RECOMMEND BECAUSE THIS FITS OUR MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT.
I THINK THAT THIS IS TOO BIG OF AN ISSUE FOR US TO WRAP UP TODAY.
I THINK MAYOR MURRAY'S, UH, THOUGHTS ON THIS, THEY HAVE A LOT OF MERIT.
UH, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO EACH AREA, NORTHERN REGION AND THE SOUTHERN, UH, AREA OF THE COUNTY THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE FOLKS IN THE SOUTHERN AREA OF THE COUNTY NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON AQS AND LAND USE AROUND MILITARY BASES AND BRA AND NAVAL HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT UP THERE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE NEED TO TRY TO PRESERVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BE SPECIFIC THINGS, UH, IN SOUTHERN BEFORD COUNTY THAT ARE GONNA BE IMPORTANT AS WELL.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE GONNA BE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, AFFECTS, UH, ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES COUNTYWIDE AND IN AND IN BURY COUNTY AS WELL.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT HAVING A, A COMMITTEE OF MAYBE FIVE PEOPLE AND INCLUDE THE NORTHERN, UH, AREA MUNICIPALITIES IN THAT DISCUSSION TO SEE IF THAT COMMITTEE CAN VOTE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT WOULD BE STRUCTURED.
UM, IF THAT, UM, IF THAT'S UM, IF ANYBODY THINKS THAT'S BENEFICIAL.
AND UM, THOUGH WE HAVE THE DIVERSITY OR DIFFERENCES, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY SIMILARITIES AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, STORM WATER, GROWTH, TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE ALL ECHO AND SHARE THOSE SAME CONCERNS ALSO.
BUT ALSO IN YOUR CONSIDERATION ALSO, I MUST ADD THAT PORT ROYAL DALLAS DOES NOW EXPAND INTO THE SOUTHERN BU BECAUSE WE HAVE LEMON ISLAND, OF COURSE ALSO, THERE MAY MAY NOT BE A LOT OF GROWTH THERE, BUT THEN WE HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF TRAFFIC THAT GOES THROUGH THAT CORRIDOR ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND I THINK WE ARE ALL CONNECTED FROM YE C RICHMOND, HARVILLE, BEAUFORD, WE'RE ALL CONNECTED BECAUSE OF THE WORKFORCE AND THE SAME INTERESTING DESIRES.
SO IN YOUR CONSIDERATION, DO UM, BE MINDFUL THAT PORT ROYAL DOES EXPAND INTO A SOUTHERN, INTO THE SOUTHERN AREA NOW? YES, JOHN? UM, I AGREE.
MORE PEOPLE YOU GET THE BETTER IT IS.
BUT LET'S GO BACK TO THE HOUSING PART OF IT.
WE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME CAUSE IT WAS HILTON HEAD, LOFTON, JAPER AND HARD.
SO IT WAS A DIFFICULT TO GET, GET THAT MIX IN THERE.
ONCE WE PUT IN NORTH OF THE BROAD, THE WAY I, I'VE, I'M, I'M JUST TALKING FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY IS THEY HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF PROBLEMS. AND I'M JUST TRYING TO PUT A WORDING OUT THERE, IS, IF WE DILUTED SO MUCH, RIGHT, I WOULD SAY THAT WE SHOULD GO TO GEORGIA, SOME OF THE PORT ROYAL AND GEORGIA BECAUSE WHEN THE PORT COMES IN HERE, NOT IN YEARS, THEY'RE GONNA AFFECT US.
UH, HOUSING, UH, WHATEVER, HOMELESSNESS.
THAT'S BECOMING A BIG THING RIGHT NOW.
[00:40:01]
IF WE DON'T GET TOGETHER ON THAT, THERE'RE GONNA BE A MIGRATION FROM PORT ROYAL TO HARDY VILLE, BACK TO PORT ROYAL, THEN ALL OVER THE PLACE.IF WE DON'T HAVE A, AN EFFORT TO COMBINE EVERYTHING AND IT'S LIKE THE PORT OF, UH, WE NEED AN AUTHORITY FOR THE WHOLE AREA.
IT'S NOT JUST LOW COUNTRY, IT'S GEORGIA, BUFORD AND ALL THAT.
BUT THE WARNING IS IF YOU DILUTE IT, THEN IT BECOMES HARD AND THEN MAYBE WE DON'T GET THINGS DONE.
SO I THINK THE, THE, THE IDEA OF PUTTING A COMMITTEE TOGETHER AND SAYING HERE THE PARAMETERS, CAUSE IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
UH, I DON'T GET YOU WRONG, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ONCE WE GET THOSE PARAMETERS WE CAN FOLLOW THEM.
SO IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR US TO GO THROUGH THE FUTURE.
THAT'S, ANY, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? HARRY? ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT IS BELOW THE SURFACE THAT WE DON'T ROUTINELY SEE, BUT IT IS ONGOING, IS THE EROSION OF HOME RULE IN THE STATE.
UH, THERE ARE TWO ISSUES THAT WILL BE ON THE RADAR SCREEN WHEN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETS NEXT YEAR, SHORT TERM RENTALS AND BUSINESS LICENSES.
AGAIN, THEY'RE COMING BACK AND GONNA WANT TO TAKE AWAY OUR ABILITY TO REGULATE SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THEY'RE GONNA WANT TO CHANGE BUSINESS LICENSE CALCULATION FROM GROSS INCOME TO NET.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGHT THAT BATTLE AGAIN.
AND I THINK THIS GROUP, UH, WAS VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE THE FIRST TIME BUSINESS LICENSE ISSUES CAME UP.
AND I THINK BY ADDING ADDITIONAL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UH, IN THE LOW COUNTRY MAKES US STRONGER.
HOW WE MANAGE THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M SURE YOU, YOU ALL WILL DO A REAL GOOD JOB, BUT I THINK IT MAKES US STRONGER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS STATEWIDE THAT SPEAKS WITH ONE VOICE REPRESENTING TWO COUNTIES AND MOST OF THE MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THOSE COUNTIES.
I SEE IT AS BEING A VERY, VERY STRONG ADVOCACY GROUP.
I'LL ADD, MAYBE YOU'LL MAKE SOMEONE THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, LISTENING TO YOUR THOUGHTS, UH, NEAR MARIN, I TALK ABOUT EVERY WEEK OR SO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOGETHER AND WE DO SO WELL ON SO MANY OTHER COMMITTEES.
UM, IF WE DID A SUBCOMMITTEE OF FIVE, IT'S EVERYONE THAT'S IN THE ROOM CUZ WE ONLY HAVE FIVE OR SIX THAT SHOW UP.
SO PERHAPS A THOUGHT WOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO INVITE, GET ON THE AGENDA LIST REALLY OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.
YOU HAVE UPDATE, I THOUGHT YOU HAD SOMEWHERE.
WHAT ARE OUR NEXT, I THOUGHT WE HAD, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NEXT? BUT THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR AGENDA ITEMS ARE AND REALLY LOOK AT OUR SOUTHERN PLAN.
SO BEAUFORD AND PORT ROYAL, WE'LL SEE KIND OF WHERE OUR, OUR GOALS ARE.
AND IT MAY BE, I DON'T KNOW, PATHWAYS AND HARDY BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD.
IT MIGHT NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PORT ROYAL OR BEAUFORT.
HOWEVER THEY CAN LEARN TO TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR PLAN TO SAY, HEY, THEY'RE DOING IT.
IF WE DID IT REGIONALLY, IT'S GONNA BOG US DOWN AN HOUR.
WE GOTTA LOOK AT, WE NEED TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, DO WE KEEP IT SOUTHERN IN TERMS OF WHO RUNS THE MEETING? I MEAN, WE WANNA KEEP IT, IT STARTED OUT SO GREAT.
I WANNA KEEP IT GREAT AND I DON'T WANNA DILUTE IT, BUT AS LONG AS EVERYONE'S AWARE WHO COMES TO THIS TABLE EVERY MONTH, WHAT'S GONNA BE DISCUSSED, UM, AND PARTICIPATE WITH IDEAS OF HOW IT WAS RIGHT, WRONG OR IN DIFFERENT ON HOW EACH OF OUR TOWNS SIT.
I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF KIND OF DATING.
I THINK YOU SAID IT AND FRED SAID IT.
LET'S SIT AND DISCUSS, LET'S SEE WHERE WE ARE AND LET US GET PROFESSIONAL ENOUGH TO KNOW KIND OF WHAT OUR NEXT YEAR AGENDA ITEMS ARE GONNA BE.
SO EVERYONE CAN KIND OF SEE HOW IT, HOW IT AFFECTS EACH OTHER.
UM, HE SAID SOMETHING JUST ONC AND THE DEFENDANT MSC IS SO SPLIT BETWEEN BEAUFORT AND JASPER AND WITH JASPER BEING ON THE SOUTHERN REGIONAL, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY YOUNG C WAS INCLUDED BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE ASKED HAMPTON, HAMPTON COUNTY, NOT JASPER.
OH WELL WHEREVER THEY ARE, THEY WERE, THEY WERE HOMELESS AND WE TOOK 'EM IN.
SO, BUT ALSO TO ADD TO THAT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A PART OF THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN AND THEY WERE ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THEIR BROKE BOUNDARY SET OUT IN THE NORTHERN RE SO THEY, THEY HAVE SEATS ON BOTH COMMITTEES.
I'LL, I'LL BE GLAD IF, IF IT SUITS EVERYBODY THIS MORNING, I'LL BE GLAD TO SCHEDULE A MEETING
[00:45:01]
WITH STEVEN AND, UH, BILL AND VAN, UH, TO SEE IF WE CAN SIT DOWN AND COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL TO BRING BACK NEXT MONTH ON EXPANDED MEMBERSHIP.SO THEY'LL KEEP US FROM NOT GETTING BOGGED DOWN, UH, AND ALLOW US TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON THIS.
ONE THING I LIKE ABOUT, UH, SOLO IS IT GENERALLY, UH, GOES ONLY AN HOUR.
SO YOU KNOW THAT, THAT YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOU CAN ADJUST.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN, I DO NOT ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS CAUSE I DON'T HAVE TWO AND A HALF HOURS TO, IT'S LIKE A MINI DAY CONFERENCE WHENEVER YOU GO TO NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN MEETING.
AND IT'S USUALLY DISCUSSING, UH, STUFF RELATED TO LAISE ISLAND AND HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TIRED OF LA ISLAND, YOU KNOW, REALLY.
SO, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T GO ANYMORE.
BUT IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYONE, STEVEN, BILL AND VAN AND I, I THINK COULD MEET AND BRING BACK A PROPOSAL FOR THE, THE EXPANDED MEMBERSHIP NEXT MONTH AND LET YOU ALL, UH, AS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE COMMITTEE HERE LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF WE COULD GET, UH, EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
CAUSE I DO THINK, I DO THINK IT'S TIME, UH, FOR THE, UH, SOLO CODE ROLE TO BE EXPANDED, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GONNA HAVE GREAT IDEAS ABOUT THAT.
AND UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT SINCE YOU ALL PAY US TO GET THE WORK DONE ANYWAY SO WE CAN, WE CAN BRING BACK A PROPOSAL IF THAT'S OKAY.
I I HAVE A, I HAVE A SUGGESTION, A LITTLE DIFFERENT OKAY.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF POSITIVE, UH, FEEDBACK TO EXPAND AT THE SAME TIME.
AND I SHARE THE CONCERN THAT WE GET UN WHEELING, IF THAT'S THE PROPER WORD.
MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE DO NOT MAKE THE DECISION TODAY, BUT THAT WE OPERATE AS IF WE EXPAND MEANING RATHER THAN A COMMITTEE, THE, THE NORTH OF THE BROAD BE INVITED AND SIT AS PART OF THIS BOARD EACH MONTH WITH THE SAME ME, MEMBERSHIP ADMINISTRATOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYOR, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BRING TO THE TABLE.
AND WE OPERATE AND DATE AN INDETERMINATE AMOUNT OF TIME.
IN THE MEANTIME, YOUR SUGGESTION OF, OF COMING UP WITH OTHER SUGGESTIONS WE CAN DISCUSS OVER THE COURSE OF TIME BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE PERSPECTIVE, A COUPLE, COUPLE OF MONTHS MAY GO BY AND POOR ROYALS OR I DON'T WANNA BE PART OF THIS.
SO IT GIVES, IT GIVES BOTH SIDES THE ABILITY TO OPERATE AS IF IT'S ENFORCE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE NOT CHANGING THIS OR CHANGE IN ANY WAY.
THAT'S ONE POSSIBLE WAY TO PROCEED.
SO WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, BUT NOT A PART OF THE MEMBERSHIP FOR VOTING BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE A VOICE.
AGAIN, I'M, I'M OKAY IF YOU'RE AT THE TABLE AND YOU'RE GIVEN INPUT, WHAT WE VOTE ON IS, YOU KNOW, ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS WE HAVE A VOTE ON WHO'S, WHO'S THE CHAIR.
SO VOTING'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE, BUT IF WE, WE GIVE YOU A SEAT ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, AN INTERIM BASIS KIND OF THING AND OPERATE, AND IF IT ALL GOES WELL AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN AT SOME 0.1 MONTH, SIX MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS, WHATEVER, WE'RE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH IT, THEN WE CAN MAKE THE CHANGES ON, ON THE MISSION TO FROM SOUTHERN TO JUST LOW COUNTRY, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE ALL THINKING ON HOW THAT DOES.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, IF YOU ALL COME AS IF YOU'RE PART OF IT, YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GIVE YOUR INPUT.
YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GET COMFORTABLE, WHETHER CUZ I KNOW STEVE YOU ARE, BUT THE REST OF YOUR GROUP MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HERE AS OFTEN AS YOU HAVE.
AND THAT GIVES US A OFFICE WHERE A LITTLE BIT OF DATING TIME BEFORE WE, WE TIE THE KNOT.
IS THAT, SO WOULD YOU BE DOING LIKE, I WAS GONNA SAY LIKE A SIX MONTH TRIAL, LIKE A TRIAL APPOINTMENT OR WHATEVER, AND THEN WE CAN REVISIT IT AFTER SIX MONTHS OR SO OR WHAT? I WOULD, WOULD YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT AND OR WAIT TILL NEXT MONTH OR JUST, I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE THE MOTION NEXT MONTH.
THAT WAY NOBODY HAS TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT HERE ON, ON THE SPOT.
BUT I WOULD LEAVE THE TIMEFRAME IN DETERMIN MM-HMM.
[00:50:01]
IT BECOMES A VOTE AT ANY TIME.AND I HONESTLY THINKING BACK, I THINK THAT'S HOW MATT WAS NEW AND MATT JUST STARTED SHOWING UP, RIGHT? AND, AND WE JUST FINALLY ASKED HIM TO COME SIT AT THE TABLE FOR A WHILE.
AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD WAY TO, I MEAN WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER, BUT LET'S REALLY LOOK AND SEE WHERE OUR ISSUES ARE GOING.
UM, GET DEVITO, ME DEVITO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN NEED A COUNCIL MEMBER AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD STEP.
IT KIND OF GOES IN WHAT FRED WAS SAYING JUST TO, LET'S, LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE HOW WE BLEND THE, WE, NONE OF US WANT THIS TO FAIL.
I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, I MEAN, I SEE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT COME TO THESE MEETINGS, UTILITY COMPANIES AND USC YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE BOARD, THEY'RE HERE.
SO IT'S REALLY, IT GOES BACK TO OUR FIRST SENTENCE, JUST NETWORKING.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ANOTHER THING THEY SHOULD DO IS, UH, CREATE A COMMITTEE AND SAY, THIS IS THE FIRST EXPANSION.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WE SHOULD INCLUDE? I MEAN, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT, THAT, SO WHEN PEOPLE COME, WE AT LEAST HAVE SOME IDEA RATHER THAN THEY COME IN, WE SAY WHAT WE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
SO, YOU KNOW, SET A FRAMEWORK UP TO SAY, OKAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT MAYBE HAMPTON COUNTY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF THE HAMPTON COUNTY DECIDES TO COME DOWN HERE AND SAY SOMETHING OR DO SOMETHING, ASK US TO BE IN PART OF THIS.
DO WE SAY YES? DO WE SAY NO? I MEAN, WE HAVE BEFORE THOUGHT ON WHAT TO DO.
I'M GONNA, WE HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT BY MAYOR MARY AND THIS CASTLE, MISS CASTLE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE REAL, REAL QUICK COMMENT AND I, UM, I THINK THERE'S A GREAT DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING.
UM, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WHAT ISN'T, UM, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND PORT ROYAL, BOTH PART OF BEAUFORD COUNTY THERE, MUNICIPALITIES OF BEAUFORD COUNTY.
UM, SO AS MUNICIPALITIES, JUST AS, AS HARDY BILL AND, UH, RIDGELAND ARE, UH, MUNICIPALITIES OF JASPER COUNTY, I WOULD THINK THAT IT, THE NATURAL PROGRESSION WOULD BE THAT THOSE MUNICIPALITIES BE INCLUDED.
UM, BUT MY, MY CONCERN IS, IS WHEN WE HAD OUR CONSULTANT HERE FOR STORM WATER, WE ALL HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO OUR COUNCILS AND WE ALSO HAD TO BUY IN OUR, PER OUR PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
AND, AND I, AND I CAUTION THAT IF THESE ARE JUST GONNA BE SITTING AT THE TABLE WITHOUT HAVING BEEN A MEMBER, THEY WOULD NOT SHARE IN THEIR PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF WHATEVER WOULD COME UP THAT WE WOULD NEED TO GET APPROVED BY OUR COUNCILS AND GO FORWARD ON.
SO I, I, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA AND I, I CERTAINLY, I CERTAINLY AGREE THAT THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WILL DILUTE, UM, AS THE WORDS HAVE BEEN USED.
I THINK IT WILL JUST ONLY ENHANCE EVERYBODY'S, UM, ABILITY TO HAVE SEAT AT THE TABLE, HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD, AND SOME, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT AT SOUTHERN, UM, SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO YOU, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE NORTHERN PART MAY BE APPLICABLE TO US.
SO I THINK IT'S A GENERAL SHARING OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S JUST LIKE WEDNESDAY JUST TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THAT.
THE REGIONAL PLAN HILTON HAD NOR RIDGELAND PAST THAT, SO IT'S NOT LIKE WHATEVER WE AGREE, BUT BUFORT DID AND PORT ROYAL DID, AND THEY WEREN'T AT THE TABLE, BUT STEVEN'S LIKE RELENTLESS AT THE MEETING.
SO HE WAS VERY, UM, EDUCATED ON IT.
THE, UM, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING WE DID WELL, THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, IF ONE DIDN'T PASS IT, IT DIDN'T MEAN WE WERE STOPPING.
SO WE ARE TRULY AN ADVISORY BOARD ADVISORY.
WE GO BACK TO OUR COUNCILS THAT FIRE TOWN MANAGERS AND OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS HERE BECAUSE THEY RUN THE DAY TO DAY, UM, TO KNOW WHAT GOES ON HERE.
SO JUST BE, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE COULD BE HERE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE ALL HAVE TO PASS IT RIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO, UM, THAT'S MORE JUST VERY, VERY, YEAH.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF MAYBE RESPONSES.
I I AGREE AND THAT THE LARGER GROUP GET THE UNWIELDY IT, IT GETS TO GET ANY KIND OF SENSE OF DIRECTION.
UM, AND SO I, I DO THINK THAT THE TOWN OF PORT AND CITY OF BEAUFORT SHOULD, SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
AND THAT PROBABLY BE IT FOR A WHILE UNTIL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME OTHER LARGER DEVELOPMENTS HAPPEN LIKE THE JOSH REPORT.
UM, SO I WOULD SAY THAT WITH THE ADDITION OF THOSE TWO MUNICIPALITIES, IT'D BE SET FOR A WHILE.
WOULDN'T GET ANY LARGER THAN THAT.
UM, IN RESPONSE TO SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY.
UM, IF YOU TAKE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, A 40,000 FOOT VIEW, CHARLESTON CONSIDERS THEMSELVES IN THE LOW COUNTRY, THE THE TRI-COUNTY AREA.
UM, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE, OF WHICH WE REMEMBER, THERE ARE SEVEN COUNTIES, SOUTHERN CAROLINA.
UM, I WONDER IF IT'S TIME FOR US TO, TO CLAIM SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY AS, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING SORT OF SOUTH OF THE COE RIVER.
UM, AND I THINK TO TOM'S POINT THAT WE'VE GOTTA START ADVOCATING AS A REGION BECAUSE WE OFTEN GET LEFT OUTTA CONVERSATIONS IN COLUMBIA.
I'M ON THE MAYOR'S ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I'LL BE IN COLUMBIA TOMORROW, UH, BECAUSE WE, AGAIN, WE OFTEN GET FORGOTTEN ABOUT.
UM, AND THEY THINK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE RICH DOWN HERE.
UM, SO I THINK THE MORE WE CAN
[00:55:01]
ADVOCATE TOGETHER, THE THE BETTER.UM, I WAS HOPING TO BE WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS TODAY.
UM, BUT I'M GLAD THE DOOR IS STAYING OPEN.
WE WILL CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE AS FORMAL OR INFORMAL MEMBERS JUST BECAUSE I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT WHILE NONE OF US HAVE THE ANSWERS TO ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT OUR COMMUNITY'S FACING, THE ONLY WAY WE SOLVE 'EM IS BY TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER.
UM, AND SO I APPRECIATE THIS MECHANISM FOR US TO DO THAT.
UM, THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE AS I'M SURE FOR FORT ROYAL WILL.
AND AGAIN, I JUST APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION FOR INCLUDING US AT, AT THIS TABLE AS, AS MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL, THE REGIONAL GROUP.
SO WHAT I SUGGEST THAT WE DO IS NO DECISION HERE TODAY.
AND THE, THE BOARD CAN MAKE, WILL, WILL, UH, PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AND WE WILL ACCEPT THE NOMINATION.
THAT NOMINATION COULD BE, OR THAT PROPOSAL COULD BE, UM, THAT WE, WE EXPAND THAT PROPOSAL.
THAT, UH, PROPOSAL COULD BE THAT IT, IT'S A THREE MONTH TRIAL OR WHATEVER, BUT SOMEONE WILL COME IN.
ERIC, JOE, YOU HAVE THE, YOUR IDEA OF A SUBCOMMITTEE.
YOU CAN TALK AND THEN ONE MEMBER OR MORE OF THE BOARD COME IN NEXT MONTH AND MAKE A, UH, MAKE A PROPOSAL FOR, OH, I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA TRY IT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
NO, WELL AGAIN, THAT'S UP TO ME.
IT'S, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD, BUT OKAY.
MAKE, MAKE THE VOTE NEXT MONTH YOU WOULD, UM, THAT YOU WOULD DO TO TRIAL AS WE WERE WORKING ON.
THAT'S WHERE I CALLS WE WERE GOING TO.
NOT NOW LISTEN, I'M JUST THROWING OUT IDEAS OUT.
SO, UH, WE'RE SOMEBODY MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT.
UH, JUST THAT, WE'LL, WELL I MOVE THAT WE OPEN THE DOOR FOR OUR NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES OF PORT ROYAL AND BEAUFORT TO BE INVITED TO SIT AT THE TABLE ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS.
AND ANY POINT IN TIME THERE COULD BE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD FOR FULL ACCEPTANCE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THAT MAKES SENSE.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
OKAY, SO, UM, BUFORD PORT ROYAL, PLEASE UH, TAKE THAT VOTE AS A WELCOMING GESTURE.
UM, BUT IT IS 1101, SO SEE WHERE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT
CAN I JUMP ON HATE CRIMES PLEASE? AND I'M ONLY GONNA TAKE A MINUTE.
I THOUGHT I'D HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES.
BUT THE HATE CRIME BILL HAS FAILED IN THE SENATE.
UM, SENATOR DAVIS CAME TO PARTY BILL, UM, AT OUR LASSO LOCO MEETING AND I PULLED HIM ASIDE CUZ HE WAS BIG ON THIS WHOLE PENNY LAND THING.
AND I SAID, HOW ABOUT THE HATE CRIMES BILL? AND HE SAID, SENATOR MASSEY AND THREE OR FOUR OTHERS IN THE SENATE ARE HOLDING THIS UP.
SO I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND I WILL SEND IT OUT TO THE GROUP.
THERE'S A WEBSITE CALLED STAMP OUT HATE SC AND OF COURSE THEY ASK FOR DONATIONS, BUT THEY ALSO WANT SUPPORT.
I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THIS GROUP COULD DISCUSS IT AND NO VOTE TODAY.
BUT, UM, I'D LOVE YOUR THOUGHTS.
THERE'S SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
UM, WE'RE ONE OF TWO STATES THAT DON'T HAVE THE HATE PROMS BILL, THAT'S PITIFUL.
UM, WE ALL KNOW WHO THE EMANUEL CHURCH SHOOTING, UM, CAN'T DO A THING ABOUT THAT YOUNG MAN.
HE'S GONNA SIT THERE AND WHO KNOWS, COULD GET PAROLE WITHOUT THIS HATE CRIMES SPILL.
THERE WAS NOTHING TO KEEP HIM THERE FOREVER TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HE DID AND MAYBE HE DOESN'T CARE.
UM, IT'S AN INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES FROM 16 TO 18.
THEY REPORTED, UM, IN 18 111 CRIMES, WHICH ARE UP FROM 87 IN 17 AND 23 AND 16.
IT'S A BILL THAT'S HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT.
UM, I TALKED TO BARBARA NIELSEN WHO USED TO BE OUR SECRETARY OF EDUCATION AND SHE THINKS IT GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE STARTED PUTTING THEIR OWN LITTLE WISHES AND SHE IS REALLY PUSHING TO HAVE A STREAMLINED BILL THAT CAN'T UPSET ANY FACTION OR GROUP.
UM, I THINK THIS GROUP SHOULD TALK ABOUT IT MAYBE NEXT MONTH AND IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A LETTER TOGETHER FROM MAYBE WE BRING IT UP TO OUR MUNICIPALITIES IN COUNTY.
I THINK A LETTER, UM, SHOWING INTEREST.
WE HAD BOTH HERSMAN AND NEWTON BE SPONSORS OF THE BILL, BUT SOMEHOW REACH OUT TO THE SENATE.
THE STAMP OUT SC IS HOPEFUL THIS YEAR THEY CAN PUT ENOUGH PRESSURE ON THE UPSTATE, UM, TO GET THIS THING PASSED.
BUT I WILL BE GLAD TO SEND YOU ALL INFORMATION
[01:00:01]
ON THIS.UM, IT'S, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US TO HAVE THIS AND IT'S PITIFUL THAT OUR STATE OF GEORGIA CAN PASS IT AND WE CAN'T.
ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL LET ME KNOW.
I'LL SEND OUT ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE.
SO, UH, BECAUSE WE DID MAKE THAT REALLY FAST, I'LL, I'LL, SHOULD I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR, FOR A DISCUSSION RATHER THAN OPEN UP FOR A DISCUSSION NOW? LET'S PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH.
UM, AND THAT'LL LEAD US INTO THE LAST ITEM.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE AGENDA NEXT MONTH? UM, I'M GIVEN OUT FOR THE REGIONAL HOUSING COOK.
UM, MAYOR, I ACTUALLY HAD A GOOD COFFEE WITH ERIC AND WE WERE TALKING JUST ALL ACROSS THE PLACE.
EVERYTHING AND SOMETHING, SOMETHING CAME UP AT A TOWN AT OUR TOWN WE'RE A DEVELOPER WAS TRYING TO ANNEX LAND INTO THE TOWN BECAUSE THEY APPARENTLY DIDN'T LIKE THE ZONING IN THE COUNTY.
AND OUR STANDARDS ARE SO OPPOSITE.
I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE MIGHT THINK THE TOWN UP ZONES HONESTLY JUST ON MULTIFAMILY WHERE, AND I MIGHT BE OFF ON THE NUMBERS WHERE THE COUNTY MAY HAVE 10 PER BUILDING AND I'M JUST THROWING AT A NUMBER, THE TOWN ALMOST HAS TRIPLED THAT PER BUILDING.
SO OF COURSE YOU SEE PEOPLE TRYING TO ZONE SHOP AND ERIC AND I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT HAVING A SOLO CO UM, DESIGN STANDARDS AND HOW WE ALIGN OUR GUIDELINES.
SO WE ARE AGAIN, WORKING TOGETHER, PARTNERING TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY IN THIS WORLD OF GROWTH WHERE HOUSING DEVELOPERS ARE STRESSED AND OF COURSE THEY'RE MOVING WEST AND THEY'RE GONNA MOVE TO ST.
HELEN AND I AND THEY'RE GONNA MOVE INTO TRAILER PARKS AS WE SEE IS HAPPENING ON HILTON HEAD.
BUT ON WITH ALL THE OTHER INITIATIVES IN THE PAST, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.
UM, IT DOESN'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD BE THE PERSON TO DISCUSS THIS, UM, BUT IT'S JUST A FAULT.
IT, IT'S A GOOD THOUGHT BECAUSE I KNOW TARDY VILLAGE AND JASPER COUNTY HAVE BEEN AT CROSS HAIRS, LET JUST PUT IT, PUT IT OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN A DONUT HALL OF THE CITY THAT THE CITY WAS CONCERNED ABOUT AND KIND DID IT ANYWAY.
SO, UM, AND THAT OF COURSE CAUSES DISSENSION AND, AND THAT'S NOT A, NOT A HEALTHY THING.
SO IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A GENERAL STATEMENT ON HOW THAT SHOULD WORK AND SOME SORT OF PHILOSOPHY THAT WE COULD RECOMMEND TO THE JURISDICTIONS, I WOULD, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT CONVERSATION IN A HEART.
AND WAS I PRETTY THOROUGH ON THAT? I DO MIND.
WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? WE WERE, I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING AND I COULD, THERE WAS ONE THAT CAME UP AT OUR, UM, MAYOR'S MANAGER'S MEETING ABOUT LOOKING AT TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES AND LOOKING AT A REGIONAL, LIKE MAKING STANDARDS FOR TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME SUGGESTION.
CAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH A SITUATION RIGHT NOW WITH HILTON HEAD WHERE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S COMPLAINING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT ON A COUNTY MAINTAINED ROAD AND COUNTY HILTON HEAD MAYOR HAS KICKED THOSE PEOPLE TO THE COUNTY STAFF, UH, TO DO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COUNTY ROAD BECAUSE THEY ALLOW DEVELOPMENT ON THAT COUNTY ROAD THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE THE DEVELOPER TO DO ANY IMPROVEMENT.
SO, UM, I I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION TO DISCUSS.
AND I THINK WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IN JASPER AND BUFORD WITH BILLY MARK.
WE, WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH LOTS OF MULTIFAMILY COMING UP AND I DON'T, WE'RE, WE'RE CONSIDERING THE TIA SORT OF IN ISOLATION AND NOT LOOKING AT IT BROADLY.
AND THERE'S A DEBATE ABOUT OUR DISCRETIONARY BOARDS AND WHAT THEIR PURVIEW IS.
AND SO WE, WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE A CONVERSATION AND SOME IDEAS FROM THE OTHERS.
WHAT, WHAT RANKS HIGHER OF THOSE TWO? WHAT WOULD HELP THE OTHER, I DON'T KNOW, CAN'T DO BOTH OF 'EM IN ONE MEETING.
WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT? I THINK THE ANNEXATION WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT.
E T I CAN BE TAKEN UP AFTER THAT.
WELL, I, I THINK OF, WHEN I THINK OF POLICY STATEMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AMONG EVERYBODY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE OUR PROPERTY IS, IS LOCATED, IF IT COMES AND SURROUNDED BY A, THE, A MUNICIPALITY AND A MUNICIPALITY DOESN'T WANT SOMETHING, SHOULD THAT TAKE PRECEDENT OVER THE COUNTY'S DECISION AND THAT THAT'S
[01:05:01]
RHETORICAL, I'M NOT ASKING ANYBODY, BUT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY COMING UP AND WILL COME UP MORE BECAUSE OF THE, THE DEVELOPERS WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.SO I THINK IT WOULD BE A HEALTHY CONVERSATION IF, IF, IF WE AT LEAST PUT IT OUT THERE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION AND ENHANCE THAT, THAT COMMUNICATION AMONG, AMONG THE WHOLE GROUP, AND MAYBE WE CAN ALL LEARN SOMETHING FROM IT.
BUT IN THE MEANWHILE, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO BE AN ANNEX INTO YOUR, INTO YOUR MUNICIPALITIES, FIND OUT WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO, WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SAYING WHATEVER YOU COULDN'T DO THERE, YOU CAN'T DO YET.
SO WHO WOULD YOU SEE DOING LIKE THE PRESENTATIONS LIKE JASPER COUNTY, VILLE RIDGELAND, AND THEN BUFORD COUNTY, BLUFFTON, HILTON HEAD? I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO, I, I HAVE NO SET.
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DID WHEN WE DID STORM WATER.
REMEMBER WE DID, EACH OF US SAID WHAT OUR OWN GUIDELINES WERE AND THEN IT KIND OF MORPHED INTO WHAT WE PASSED.
AND I WAS GONNA SAY, I THINK, I KNOW WE'RE PUSHING TIME AND WE WANNA KEEP IT SHORT.
AND PLUS WE NEED TO UPDATE ON THE REGIONAL HOUSING IS WE CAN MAKE THAT NEXT MONTH'S MEETING IS TO TALK ABOUT MAYBE THOSE TWO AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO MOVING FORWARD.
AND WE WANT TO CREATE SOME COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEES LIKE WE DID FOR REGIONAL HOUSING OR THE, UM, THE STORM WATER.
WE CAN MAYBE DO THAT COULD BE A SUB SUBCOMMITTEE.
STEVE, YOU, STEVEN, YOU'RE KNOCKING IT OUTTA THE PARK MAN.
TWO GREAT SUGGESTIONS IN A ROW.
ONE CAME, HE'S BEEN, HE'S BEEN BAPTIZED.
I'M GONNA LEAVE THIS UP TO THE BOARD'S DISCRETION.
DO WE, UH, ERIC'S PASSED OUT THE, UM, THE RE THE ORDINANCE, UM, WE CAN PUT THIS ON NEXT MONTH AGENDA BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL, WE HAVE PASSAGE OF ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES RIGHT NOW, AND EXCEPT FOR ONE, WHICH, WHICH IS ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE HAVE PASSED IT.
UH, BEAUFORD COUNTY STARTED, UH, THEIR ADOPTION LAST NIGHT.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE ORDINANCE AND THE OPERATING AGREEMENT FOR COMMUNITY WORKS, UH, ALSO, UH, COUNCIL APPROVED THE IGA, UH, FOR THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AS WELL.
WE DO NOT HAVE JAPER COUNTY RESPONSE YET.
SUE, UH, I'VE REACHED OUT TO ANDY, BUT HE AND I HAVE NOT MADE CONTACT YET FOR THEM TO TAKE UP THE IG AS WELL.
SO OUT OF THE EIGHTH PARTICIPATING MEMBERS, WE HAVE, UH, SEVEN THAT HAVE PASSED THE IGA.
UM, JOHN, WOULD YOU PLEASE, UM, TAKE THE, TAKE THE BALL AND, AND ASK, FIND OUT WHEN JASPER COUNTY WILL, OR IF PASS THE IGA.
SO, AND APOLOGIZE IF, IF EVERYBODY APPROVES IT AND WE SIT BACK IN HERE NEXT MONTH IS THE GOAL FOR OCTOBER MAYBE TO COME BACK WITH WHO, OUR BOARD OF APPOINTEE OR RECOMMENDATIONS OR WE WANNA SET A DATE TIMELINE ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THE NEXT STEP IS TO GET THE BOARD CREATED AND I THINK WITHIN SIX MONTHS GET THE BYLAWS AND THE, AND EVERYTHING IN PLACE.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WANTED TO KIND OF SET A DATE AND TIME ON GETTING THOSE, THAT BOARD PUT TOGETHER.
I THINK, I THINK EACH, UH, JURISDICTIONS, UH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS FREE TO GO AHEAD AND START, UM, MAKING THEIR BOARD APPOINTMENT OFFICIAL.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING AS TO WHO THAT MIGHT BE FOR EACH ENTITY.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO, I KNOW DEADLINES WERE GOOD WHENEVER HARRY KIND OF PUT THE DEADLINE.
LET'S HAVE A VOTE THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
KIND OF WORK GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.
WELL, I MEAN WE CAN BRING IT HERE AND WE NEED TO GET IT TO YOU, RIGHT ERIC? OR WHO DO WE GIVE OUR, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL DO IT THIS POINT.
SO BASICALLY WHEN WE GET THE AGREEMENT WITH COMMUNITY WORKS DONE, UM, I WILL BE, YOU KNOW, BEAUFORD COUNTY, I'LL BE OUT OF THE PICTURE FOR, UH, FOR THE MOST PART.
AND TAMMY HOY, WHO RETIRED FROM COMMUNITY WORKS, BUT HAS BEEN RETAINED AS, UH, BY COMMUNITY WORKS TO, UH, MANAGE OUR REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
AND A PERSON THAT THEY'VE HIRED THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED LOCALLY HERE IS BRAD MOLE, WHO USED TO BE WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
UH, HE'LL BE THEIR, UM, LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND THROUGH COMMUNITY WORKS TO, UH, MANAGE THAT.
SO WE'LL NEED TO GET IT TO, TO COMMUNITY WORKS SO THAT THEY CAN START SCHEDULING THE BOARD MEETINGS AND DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
[01:10:01]
TO HOLD US ALL ACCOUNTABLE CUZ WE ALL HAVE A MILLION OTHER THINGS.I THINK BY THE NEXT MEETING WE SHOULD ALL COME UP WITH OUR NAMES AT LEAST TOGETHER.
I, SO I THINK I SHOULD HAVE YOUR NAMES BY, BY THE NEXT MEETING IN OCTOBER.
SO WE'LL HAVE, UM, WE'RE GONNA ASK EVERYONE TO HAVE THEIR REPRESENTATIVE NAMED FOR AND BRING IT TO THE NEXT SOLO MEETING.
AND JOHN, YOU'LL FIND OUT THROUGH JA.
NOW IS THE, THE NEXT STEP, ONCE ALL THE IGAS IN, UH, DO THE JURISDICTIONS HAVE TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE? THEY DO NOT.
WE HAD TO, BEFORD COUNTY HAD TO PASS THE ORDINANCE.
OUR, OUR, OUR IGA KIND OF SAID THAT THEY'RE GONNA HANDLE THE MONEY.
AND WE WOULD APPOINT THE BOARD.
THERE, SO THERE'S SO TO THAT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
AND OUR, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THOSE JURISDICTIONS THAT, UM, HAVE ALREADY SIGNED ON TO DISCUSS WITH THEIR, WITH THE RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS FINANCES ON EVERYONE MAKING THEIR ALLOCATION SO THAT WE CAN SET UP THE APPROPRIATE FUND, UH, SO THAT EVERYBODY WILL KNOW HOW THAT'S DONE SO THAT COMMUNITY WORKS CAN START ACCESSING THAT MONEY.
DID YOU, UH, WITH THAT, I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT,
SO, UM, FOR NEXT MONTH THEN THE AGENDA WILL BE AS FOLLOWS.
WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON THE DISCUSSION OF THE HATE CRIMES BILL.
BE, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE DISCUSSION CONGRESS AND QUESTIONS.
UM, THE, THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW UP TO THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
UH, AND EACH JURISDICTION WILL BRING THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR NAMING THE BOARD REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, AND WE'LL TAKE ANY, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN WE WILL, THERE'S A CONVERSATION, UH, ABOUT FORMING A SUBCOMMITTEE TO WORK ON THE MUNICIPAL SLASH COUNTY, UH, CONVERSATIONS.
I'LL PUT IT AS A GENERAL WORD, UH, AFFECTING, UM, AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT.
YOU'RE, I'M TRYING TO KEEP ALL THIS STUFF IN SO I CAN SEND THE MINUTES OUT.
THE, THAT'S WHY HE WAS WILLING TO SECRETARY.
THAT'S WHY THERE WAS NO OTHER NOMINATIONS FROM THIS, BUT CHAIR TOM NEEDS TO, AND, UH, I, I THINK THAT IS ALL.
JUST ONE FURTHER QUESTION FOR NEXT MONTH AGENDA.
DOES ANYBODY WANT, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT ONE WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO HEAR FROM ANYONE? MM-HMM.
REGARDING THE REFERENDUMS OR ANYTHING ELSE, OR NO, JUST STAY AWAY FROM THAT.
THAT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION HERE.
I THOUGHT THIS AGENDA OH, WILL BE OUT EARLY TODAY.
UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? YOU'RE IN HARDY NEXT MONTH.