Oct 03, 2022 County Council Regular Session

RESPONSE, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO PAY, UH, FOR HURRICANE WORK.

GOOD EVENING TO COUNTY COUNCIL.

THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING US, UH, AT HOME AND ONLINE, AND, UH, THE MEMBERS WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE.

UH, MY REPORT WILL BE BRIEFED TONIGHT.

IT'S JUST, UH, WE ARE NOT DOING THE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION NIGHT CAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO DO THAT DUE TO THE SHORT TURNAROUND ON COUNCIL MEETING.

BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PARTICULARLY, UM, NEIL BAXLEY, UH, TRINITY FUNK AND HOPE ABLE AND SHERIFF PJ TANNER FOR THE JOB THAT THEY DID, AND KEEPING US ALL INFORMED AND GETTING READY FOR THE HURRICANE RESPONSE.

IT TURNED OUT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THAT WE MISSED IT.

IT BLEW BY US, AND WE GOT VERY LITTLE OUT OF IT.

OUR HEARTS GO OUT AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE STORM.

BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THEM.

I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE MOMENT TO THANK THE STAFF, UH, ON THE BEAUFORD COUNTY TEAM THAT WORKED WITH ME.

UH, DURING THOSE TWO DAYS.

IT WAS MY FIRST HURRICANE.

UH, IT WAS A GOOD, UH, EXERCISE FOR US TO LEARN WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO SO THAT WE'LL BE BETTER PREPARED IN THE FUTURE.

AND WE'VE GOT SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE UPON, UH, IN CASE WE DO HAVE TO DO A RECOVERY

[00:05:01]

AND WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT FORWARD, UH, HERE SHORTLY.

SO, UM, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH, UM, ON A DAILY BASIS.

UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A GREAT GROUP.

THEY'RE A GREAT TEAM, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT THEY ARE, THAT THEY, UM, FOR THE JOB THAT THEY DID DURING THAT TIME.

UH, I DO WANT TO INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF NEW EMPLOYEES WITH YOU.

ONE, UH, I'M GONNA INTRODUCE IS FROM THE, UH, CARTON COUNCIL'S OFFICE.

OCTAVIA EVANS, UH, HERE.

UH, SHE IS NOT A NEW ACCOUNT EMPLOYEE.

UH, SHE CAME TO SARAH'S OFFICE FROM THE, UH, REGISTERED DEEDS OFFICE.

UH, SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR, UH, SOME TIME, UH, IN THAT NINE YEARS.

UH, 11, 11 YEARS.

I KNEW WHAT WAS UP THERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, SHE DOES A GREAT, SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB UP THERE AND I KNOW SHE'LL DO IT EQUALLY WELL, UH, FOR YOU ALL AND FOR SARAH IN THE CLERK COUNCIL'S OFFICE.

UM, KYLA, COME ON.

UM, THIS IS KYLA LAST NAME.

HOPE SHE STARTED WITH US TODAY.

SHE IS A BRAND NEW EMPLOYEE.

UH, SHE'S WORKING IN AS A BROADCAST SPECIALIST IN OUR COUNTY CHANNEL DEPARTMENT.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE TALENT THAT SHE BRINGS, AND I KNOW SHE'S GONNA DO GREAT THINGS, UH, FOR US IN THAT ROLE.

WE ARE DOING SOME TRANSITIONING.

MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT WE LOST SCOTT GROOMS, UH, BACK TO WALTERBORO.

SO WE'RE DOING SOME TRANSITIONING AND USING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REORGANIZE THAT OFFICE A LITTLE BIT.

I'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED AS WE, UH, FINISH THOSE THINGS UP.

SO THERE'S TWO MORE PEOPLE I WANNA INTRODUCE TO YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE HIM COME UP, BUT MANY OF YOU IN THE BACK, UH, CORNER THERE RECOGNIZE ERIC LARSON.

UH, HE HAS RETURNED TO OUR WORKFORCE AS THE CAPITAL DIRECTOR.

UH, HE'S BEEN WITH US A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW.

UH, SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE HIM BACK ON THE TEAM AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, US MOVING CAPITAL PROJECTS AND COMPLETION OF THOSE, UH, FORWARD.

THE FOURTH PERSON TONIGHT IS BRAD, UM, MOLE.

UM, MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW BRAD, HE USED TO WORK AT BLUFFTON, THEN ALLOW FOR A WHILE, BUT HE'S BEEN HIRED BY COMMUNITY WORKS, THE AGENCY THAT WE ARE GOING TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH, UM, ON OPERATING THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.

SO BRAD WILL BE THE LOCAL PERSON HERE, UH, THAT WILL HELP US, UH, GET HUNDREDS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, UH, ON THE GROUND HERE IN THE COUNTY TO FINALLY START SOLVING THAT PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE FOR SO LONG.

SO GREAT.

UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ONLINE HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY, THANK YOU.

NEXT IS OUR CITIZEN

[7. CITIZEN COMMENTS - (ANYONE who wishes to speak during the Citizen Comment portion of the meeting will limit their comments to no longer than three (3) minutes ( a total of 15 minutes ) and will address Council in a respectful manner appropriate to the decorum of the meeting, refraining from the use of profane, abusive, or obscene language)]

COMMENTS.

WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

UM, GARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.

MY NAME IS GARY STERLING, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

UM, I AM AN ENTERTAINER AND I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE, UM, THE THEATER, THE CENTER FOR THE ODDS ON ST.

HELEN ISLAND.

AND IF THERE'S ONE THING WE NEED ON THE ISLAND IS THE CENTER FOR THE ODDS.

UM, I HAVE BEEN BACK, UH, BECAUSE I TRAVEL A LOT PERFORMING, AND I'VE BEEN BACK NOW FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND LOOKED AROUND THE ISLANDS.

LISTEN, WATCH THE CHILDREN, WATCH THE YOUTH FOR, UH, THINGS THAT THEY DO.

AND THERE'S SO MUCH THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED ON THIS ISLAND WHERE THE ARTS ARE CONCERNED.

PEOPLE WILL COME AND ENJOY THE ISLAND AND ENJOY PERFORMANCE.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT SPECIFICALLY THE, THE, THE GULLAH CULTURE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD AND DONE THROUGH MUSIC.

AND PEOPLE WILL COME AND ENJOY AND HAVE FOOD, AND HAVE ALL THESE THINGS WITH, UH, EVEN THOUGH CREATING WORK, THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE CULTURE OF THE ISLAND.

ST.

HELEN, ST.

HELEN ISLAND.

AND SO I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THAT, ASKING YOU ALL TO, WHEN YOU THINK AND, AND CONSULT ABOUT IT, YOU WILL CONSULT HONESTLY AND DEEPLY AND KNOW THAT YOU, THE COUNCIL, HAVE SUPPORTED SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE ISLAND.

AND THEY CAN SAY, YES, THE COUNCIL HAS DONE THIS FOR US, AND NOW WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THIS.

PEOPLE CAN COME AND LEARN ABOUT THIS CULTURE, BUT ENJOY THE ISLAND ALSO.

SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOT A WHOLE I WAS GOING TO SING FOR YOU, BUT, UM, THERE'S ONLY THREE MINUTES AND THAT THE MUSIC I CHOSE WAS FOUR AND A HALF.

[00:10:01]

HOW'S EVERYBODY? UM, I'M NOT GONNA SING.

UM, I THINK I CAN RAP, BUT YOU WON'T HEAR ME RAP EITHER.

I, I'M IN FAVOR OF ANYTHING GOING ON IN ST.

HELENA, CERTAINLY AS ART CENTER.

UM, JOE MACK, I LIVE AND WORK IN, UH, YORK LOVERS DISTRICT.

UM, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF BUFORT TRAILBLAZERS, UM, AND ALSO SOMEBODY THAT GREW UP IN THE, UH, CITY OF BUFORT.

UM, THIS COMMENTS IS ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE, 1 CENT REFERENDUM, AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT SPORTS AND RECREATION.

UM, THE, UH, PROPOSAL, UH, ARE GUIDELINES FOR THE GREEN SPACE THAT HAS 11 ITEMS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THAT, UH, SPECIFIC, UH, EFFORTS.

UM, THE 11 ITEMS ARE, UM, AND THERE'S ACTUALLY MULTIPLE ITEMS WITHIN THOSE ITEMS. UM, ONE OF 'EM IS, UH, THE LAST FOUR WORDS OF, OF ITEMS C OUT OF THE 11 IS PROVIDE LAND FOR RECREATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, BEAUFORT, UH, PLENTY OF PE PLENTY OF PEOPLE PLAY SPORTS.

AND EVEN SAYING IN BEAUFORT, UM, IT'S NOT A SPORTS TOWN.

HOWEVER, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONNECTION IS BETWEEN THE STATE STATUTE AND THE STATE PEOPLE, EXCEPT FOR OF THE SEVEN MEMBERS ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THAT'S TO BE FORMED AT THIS PASSES.

I, I GUESS WE'RE VOTING IN NOVEMBER, UM, IS ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS IS A, UM, A MEMBER OF THE LOCAL DELEGATION.

UM, I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER CONNECTIONS.

I I DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT IT, BUT I DID PERUSE OVER IT.

UM, AND IN THERE, IN, IN THE SEVEN PERSON ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GONNA SCORE THIS LAND, UM, IT MENTIONS THE GREEN PRINT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE GREEN PRINT OVERLAY AND THE, UH, COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

UM, YOU KNOW, THAT RELATES TO PARKS IN A WAY.

OF COURSE, I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, A FARMER WOULD LOOK AT THIS TO SEE WHAT HE COULD GROW.

I'M, I'M IN THE SPORTS, I'M LOOKING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, RECREATION ANGLE.

UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE PLAY SPORTS IN THIS TOWN.

IT, IT, IT'S, UM, WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR OPTIONS.

UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, UH, YOU HAD ALL KIND OF OPTIONS FOR LADIES ISLAND.

YOU EVEN HAD AN OPTION TO TEAR DOWN THE CRYSTAL LAKE BUILDING FOR THE ALIGNMENT TRAFFIC.

THAT WAS NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.

SO YOU, YOU HAD EVERY OPTION THERE UNDER THE SUN, EXCEPT FOR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FLYOVERS AND TUNNELS WITH THE SPORTS.

WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED, WE NEED MORE OPTIONS IN BEAUFORT, NOT LESS TO CHOOSE FROM IN DEVELOPING THINGS.

IS THAT THE THREE MINUTES YOU HAVE? UH, 25 SECONDS LEFT.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PASSIVE ORDINANCE THAT DEFINES THE ACTIVITIES THAT WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO WAS DECEMBER 10TH, UM, 2018.

UM, AND I THINK THAT JUST ABOUT COVERS IT.

SO WE, WE, THE MAIN, MAIN CONCERN IS WITH THESE LANDS, POTENTIAL LANDS TO PRESERVE AND HOW JUST THINK ABOUT SPORTS IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEARLY 75% OF THE WATERSHED IS DOMINATED BY FOREST WETLANDS OR OPEN WATER, AND IT ENCOMPASSES LAND IN BEAUFORT, JASPER HAMPTON, AND ALLENDALE COUNTIES.

UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? PLEASE COME FORWARD.

GOOD EVENING.

JESSE WHITE.

I'M THE SOUTH COAST OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE COAST OF CONSERVATION LEAGUE.

I WANTED TO THANK YOU.

UM, BIEBER COUNTY HAS BEEN A LEADER DATING BACK OVER 20 YEARS TO THE, UM, CREATION OF THE ROLE AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE FIRST CONSERVATION FUNDING PROGRAM LOCALLY IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

AND THIS YEAR YOU ARE AGAIN LEADING THE STATE, FOLLOWING THE, UM, THE NEW CONSERVATION TOOL OF THE GREEN SPACE PENNY, WHICH IS GOING TO COMPLIMENT AND BOLSTER THE EFFORTS OF THE ROLE AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM.

THE GREEN SPACE PENNY OFFERS AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER THE SUCCESSFUL MODEL OF THAT ROLE AND CRITICAL PROGRAM, BUT AT A NEW SCALE THAT IS COMME IT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES THAT ARE FACING OUR REGION AND ALLOWS US TO ACCOMPLISH MORE, BOTH BECAUSE IT IS MORE FUNDING AT A LOCAL LEVEL, WHICH MEANS MORE CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND THAT INCLUDES PUBLIC RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES.

AND ALSO BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIMITED BY THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LINES, ALLOWING FOR A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT REGIONAL APPROACH TO LEVERAGE MORE RESULTS.

BUFORT COUNTY IS IN, IN THE HEART OF THE PORT ROYAL SOUND WATERSHED, WHICH IS A UNIQUE SYSTEM DOMINATED BY EXPANSIVE SALT MARSHES AND HIGH SALINITY WATERS THAT EXTEND INLAND 10 MILES.

[00:15:02]

SO HOW AND WHERE WE GROW WITHIN THIS WATERSHED IS GOING TO HAVE IMPACTS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WATERSHED.

LIKEWISE, LAND PROTECTION EFFORTS WITHIN THE WATERSHED ARE FELT THROUGHOUT.

PROTECTING GREEN SPACE OFFERS A CRUCIAL BALANCE, AND THE KEY IS BALANCE TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING BECAUSE WE WANNA RETAIN WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SO SPECIAL AND ATTRACTIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

DOING SO, PROTECTING LAND AT A, ON A STRATEGIC LEVEL ALSO HELPS CALM OUR FUTURE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS BY ENSURING THAT WE'RE NOT FOCUSING DEVELOPMENT IN PLACES THAT DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT IT.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT ALONG THE HIGHWAY ONE 70 WHERE OUR WATERSHED STRETCHES ACROSS MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS AND THE IMPACTS OF LAND CONVERSION TRANSCEND THOSE BOUNDARY LINES.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL ECONOMIES BUILT ON THE BACKBONE OF HEALTHY RESOURCES.

IN 2020 2.89 MILLION VISITORS CAME TO BEAVER COUNTY AND CREATED AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 1.45 BILLION.

WE APPLAUD YOU FOR CONTINUING TO LEAD THE STATE BY EXAMPLE IN LOCAL LAND PROTECTION THROUGH THE GREEN STATES PENNY, WHICH IS INFORMED BY THE SUCCESSFUL TEMPLATE OF ROLE AND CRITICAL LANDS IN WHICH WE'LL COMPLIMENT THOSE ONGOING EFFORTS WITH THE LEVERAGE NEEDED TO MAKE GENERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE.

I WOULD NEED A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE SAYING NONE? WE WILL CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENTS.

THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.

AND WE WILL GO TO

[8. LIASION AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]

OUR COMMITTEE REPORTS.

UH, ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF WISHES TO GIVE A REPORT AT THIS TIME.

OKAY, MR. GLOVER.

I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A, EXCUSE ME, I DON'T HAVE A COMMITTEE REPORT, SO I, I'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY IF YOU ALLOW ME TO WANT TO, UM, THANK MR. STERLING, UM, FOR STOPPING BY AND, AND ACTUALLY, UM, SUPPORTING THE, UH, PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.

HE'S ACTUALLY, UM, TRAVELING TO AUSTRALIA.

THAT'S WHERE HE'S LIVING.

BUT, UM, WE ARE HOPING THAT HE'S IN TRANSITION TO COME BACK TO ST.

UM, MOVING ON TO THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]

I MAKE A MOTION.

MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION AND MR. RODMAN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.

ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE.

THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTIONS.

AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.

[10. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE WORK ON PRIVATE ROADS]

ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE WORK ON PRIVATE ROADS.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT? PLEASE? MR. GLOVER MADE THE MOTION AND MR. FLEW WELLING MADE THE SECOND DUALLY MOTION AND SECONDED DISCUSSION.

UH, WE'LL BEGIN.

MR. GLOVER, YOU MADE THE MOTION.

UM, NO MORE THAN I, UH, WHAT I'VE SAID, I'VE SAID ALREADY ABOUT THE PRIVATE ROAD AND THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES AT THIS TIME.

UH, JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT THAT, UM, UM, LOU, UH, LARRY ASK, AND I THINK ERIC, UH, COMMENTED, UH, ABOUT THE OWNERSHIP OF LAND AND THAT A LOT OF THESE PRIVATE ROADS, UH, ACTUALLY AIRS PROPERTY.

THAT ALL THAT GOES BACK TO THE CIVIL WAR TIME.

UM, SO TRYING TO GET, UM, IT'S SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVING WITH, EVEN WITH, UM, GETTING EASEMENTS FOR, UH, DRAINAGE, UH, A LOT OF AIR'S PROPERTY IN THOSE AREAS.

UM, AND IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S TIME TO PAY.

UM, UH, THESE PEOPLE JUST OWNERSHIP IS JUST NOT THERE.

SO THIS WAS REALLY GOING TO HELP A LOT OF AREAS IN AT LEAST GETTING PEOPLE, UH, ACCESS TO PRIVATE, I MEAN, TO, UM, EMERGENCY SERVICES ON PRIVATE ROADS.

MR. FLYWELL.

AND YOU MADE THE SECOND YOUR COMMENT, SIR.

I HAVE NO COMMENT, SIR.

CONSIDERATION, UH, WHETHER SOME KIND OF A NOMINAL CHARGE WHEN WE DO THAT KIND OF THING WOULD BE A WAY TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN LEGALITY AND, UM, NOT A BURDEN ON THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING HELPED.

UM, MR. RODMAN? YES.

UM, I'VE OF COURSE SPOKEN IN THE PAST.

I HAVE A CONCERN THAT THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION, BUT IN THINKING ABOUT THIS, I'M WONDERING, AND IT'S JUST FILLING IT OUT FOR ERIC

[00:20:01]

SO I JUST THROW IT OUT AS A POSSIBLE, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON, ON COUNCIL.

UH, THERE'S A FEW OF US THAT DON'T THINK WE LEGALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THE FUNDS.

THERE'S SOME OF US THAT DON'T LIKE THE BLANKET ORDINANCE JUST TO SOLVE CERTAIN PROBLEMS, WHETHER IT IS AIRS PROPERTY OR, UM, MULTIPLE HOUSES SHARING ONE ROAD.

UM, WHAT LIABILITY DOES IT PUT US IN AS A COUNTY? UM, IF WE MAINTAIN THIS ROAD, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? HOW MANY ROADS ARE THERE? THERE'S A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT I THINK, UM, A LOT OF US DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GET THE ANSWERS.

MAYBE STAFF, IT'S WAYS THEY CAN HELP IT OUT.

HELP US OUT WITH THAT.

UM, SO I'M ACTUALLY GONNA MAKE A MOTION TODAY, UM, THAT I, WE, I MOVE THAT WE REFER THIS BACK TO COMMITTEE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO GET SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

UM, AND, AND SEE IF WE CAN DEVELOP IT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

CAUSE I DO THINK THERE'S SOME POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THIS, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF QUESTION MARKS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO GET ANSWERED BEFORE WE CAN CREATE A BLANKET ORDINANCE.

THAT ONE, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ROADS, WE DON'T KNOW THE LEGALITIES OF IT ALL, NOR DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST.

I I COULDN'T TELL THE PEOPLE THAT VOTE FOR ME IF IT'S GONNA COST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR $10 MILLION.

I HAVE NO, I HAVE NO CLUE.

UM, I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF US DO RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DEVELOP.

THERE'S SECOND THAT AMENDMENT.

DUALLY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.

DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS? IS TO NOW REFER THIS TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE, WHERE THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE WILL TAKE UP SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE SO THAT, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, KEN DOOLEY HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING ON THIS FACILITIES.

WHAT DID YOU, WHICH ONE DID YOU SAY? UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE SUB COMMUNITY SERVICE, PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT CAME TOGETHER.

AND THAT'S FINE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL WANNA DO, BUT THIS CAME FORWARD FIRST TIME FROM PUBLIC FACILITIES.

BUT I'M GOOD WITH HOWEVER YOU ALL WANNA HANDLE IT.

IT COULD EITHER ONE.

I JUST FIGURED COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY IF THE ENTIRE NO, THAT'S GREAT.

I LIKE IT.

FOCUS ON THE SAFETY FOR THE ROAD.

I LIKE IT.

ONE MINUTE, MR. KE.

YEAH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.

I THINK THAT'S A DIFFERENT MOTION.

UM, I THINK IF YOU, IF YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE, UM, IS THIS THIRD, WHICH IS THIS THIRD READING YES.

POSTPONE THIRD READING UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING OF COUNSEL AND REFER IT BACK IN THE MEANTIME TO COME BACK.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

THEN THE AMENDMENT, SO THAT WILL BE YOUR MOTION IS TO, UH, POSTPONE THE VOTE TODAY AND REFER BACK TO COMMITTEE ON THE TO WHICH MEET DECEMBER, NOVEMBER.

WELL, UH, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES MEETING WILL BE NOVEMBER 10TH.

I DON'T KNOW.

UH, WE CAN PROBABLY JUST GET SOME IDEA OF WHAT THE ISSUES ARE THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND THEN FIND OUT HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE FOR US TO GET THE ANSWERS TO THOSE THINGS.

SUCH AS HOW MANY ROADS, HOW MUCH WILL IT COST, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL MAINTENANCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PIZZA DELIVERIES AND FEDEX, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRE TRUCKS, AMBULANCES, AND POLICE CRUISERS.

SO THOSE WILL BE THE QUESTIONS THAT, THAT OPPOSED BY COLONEL FOOT AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY PORTION OF THE, UH, MEETING.

AND THEN WE'LL PROBABLY FIND OUT HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO GET THOSE ANSWERS SO THAT WE COULD ESTABLISH THAT.

TOM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL KNOW WHAT MEETING TO BE SAFE.

WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO IT.

THERE'S ONLY ONE MEETING IN NOVEMBER AND ONE IN DECEMBER.

AND IF WE DO THIS ON OCTOBER 10TH, I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE THE ANSWERS BY THE EARLY NOVEMBER MEETING.

SO IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO BE THE LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD, UH, MEETING FOR IT TO COME TO, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE ADMINISTRATION TO DETERMINE WANT MATTERS COMING FORWARD FOR THIRD AND FINAL READING IN THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY.

CORRECT.

DECEMBER WOULD BE OKAY.

CORRECT.

SO DOES EVERYBODY NOW UNDERSTAND THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR IS TO POSTPONE THE ACTION OF A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING UNTIL THE DECEMBER MEETING AND TO REFER, UH, THIS ORDINANCE TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES PUBLIC SAFETY AT THEIR NEXT MEETING TO HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED TO COUNSEL.

CHAIRMAN, MR. AL, YOU'RE ON MUTE.

[00:25:01]

I'LL CLOSE THIS MOTION.

SIR, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T NOW IN, IN THE FORM OF, IN ANSWERING THIS MOTION TODAY OR IN ANSWERING THE ORIGINAL QUESTION TODAY.

WE WON'T BE TRUSTING TO THE ADMINISTRATOR.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE VOTE IN IN DECEMBER, WE'RE GONNA DO THE SAME THING WE'RE DOING NOW.

THERE'S NO POINT TO THE DELAY AND I OPPOSE THE MOTION.

UH, MR. VILLE, UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I, I'M TRYING TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE HERE.

I KNOW WE HAD A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, FOR ITEM NUMBER, WHAT WAS IT, ITEM NUMBER 10? 10? UH, YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS MO IT WAS MOVED AND INSPECTED AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.

I I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE THERE OR NOT, WHETHER THIS, WHETHER WE SHOULD GO BACK AND DEAL WITH A MOTION ON 10 AND THEN GO BACK TO A SECOND MOTION OR NOT.

I'M NOT REAL CLEAR ON THAT.

THE, THE, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS THE MOTION WAS TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING, THEN WE HAD A SUB SUBSEQUENT MOTION TO, UH, POSTPONE THE ACTION.

SO WE'RE LITERALLY AMENDING THE MOTION BY POSTPONING THE ACTION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING AND REFERRING IT TO COMMITTEE.

SO THERE, YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S FINE.

SO IT'S A MOTION TO POSTPONE.

THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S WHY I WAS A LITTLE CORRECT.

THAT HAPPENED.

I THINK APPROPRIATE.

I'M, UH, I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THAT FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

UH, I, I GUESS I CAN KIND OF LIST SOME OF 'EM.

NUMBER ONE IS THAT THIS WHOLE BUSINESS ABOUT WHETHER IT'S LEGAL OR NOT, WHILE IT IS A FAIR LEGAL QUESTION, IT'S UH, IT'S EQUALLY TRUE THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AND DO WORK CONSISTENTLY ON, REGULARLY ON, ON PRIVATE ROADS ALL THE TIME.

WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOREVER, AND WE STILL DO IT.

WE HAVE A LONG LIST, WHAT WE CALL LEGACY ROADS THAT WE DON'T OWE, WE DON'T HAVE TITLE TO AND WE MAINTAIN.

SO IT'S REALLY A QUESTION OF WHO'S PRIVATE PROPERTY WE'RE GONNA DO WORK ON, AND WHO'S PRIVATE PROPERTY WE'RE NOT GONNA DO WORK ON.

AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE THAT WHEN THERE IS A PRIVATE ROAD, UH, THAT IS NOT PASSABLE BY EMERGENCY VEHICLES, AND THEN WE HAVE A, IN MY OPINION, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO A QUICK SCRAP AND MAKE IT PASSABLE.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT, AS FAR AS HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH OF THIS IS GONNA ACTUALLY HAPPEN, HOW MANY OF THESE ROADS ARE GONNA BE, THEY WILL NEVER KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

AND MAYBE PART OF ITS WEATHER RELATED.

UM, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN SATISFIED WITH THE LANGUAGE IN THIS ORDINANCE FROM THE BEGINNING BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS WELL CRAFTED.

I'M NOT SURE WHO CRAFTED WAS TOM, WHO IT WAS, BUT WHOEVER CRAFTED IT, NICE JOB BECAUSE IT, IT ALLOWS A LOT OF DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY ON THE PART OF STAFF TO SAY, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA WORK ON THAT ROAD.

BECAUSE IN OUR OPINION, YOU CAN GET A TRUCK DOWN, IN OUR OPINION, YOU CAN GET A POLICE CAR DOWN, IN OUR OPINION, YOU CAN GET A SCHOOL BUS DOWN OR WHATEVER THE QUESTION MAY BE.

SO I THINK ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, AND I THINK ANY, ANY ATTEMPT TO, UH, TO POSTPONE THIS FROM THIRD READING IS, UH, AND, AND AGAIN, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, IS JUST AN EXERCISE AND UTILITY.

WE KNOW EVERYTHING.

WE'RE GONNA, WE KNOW EVERYTHING NOW THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA KNOW, AND EITHER WE WANNA DO IT OR WE DON'T.

I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE OPPOSED TO, I CERTAINLY RESPECT THEIR OPINION.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE OF IT.

I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO BE, OR ABSOLUTELY GONNA VOTE AGAINST A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS.

UH, AND IF SOMEONE CANNOT AFFORD IT, IF THEY'RE DOING THIS WELL, THEN THERE SHOULD BE AN APPLICATION THAT THEY FILL OUT.

UH, MR. LAWSON? YES.

UH, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.

UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE KNOWS THAT I'VE BEEN OPPOSED TO THIS MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE, UM, USING, UH, PUBLIC FUNDS FOR, FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY.

UM, WHOEVER I WILL SUPPORT, UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM'S MOTION, UM, JUST BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS THINGS THAT DO NEED TO BE, UH, ADDRESSED, UM, TO MAKE THIS MORE PALATABLE.

UM, ONE IS THAT, UH, THERE SHOULD BE A INCUR OCCURRENCE AMOUNT THAT WE SHOULD SET THAT SAYS YOU ONLY SPEND SO MUCH ON EACH OCCURRENCE.

UM, THERE'S PROBABLY A LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT FOR A YEAR THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN SPEND.

AND, AND ERIC, I HAVE ALL TRUST IN YOU THAT YOU WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING.

HOWEVER, SOMEDAY I'LL BE GONE AND SOMEDAY YOU'LL BE GONE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, THE LAST THING I WANNA DO IS, IS OPEN THIS UP THAT, UH, WE START SPENDING $10,000 ON A ROAD THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BECAUSE OF IT, IT, IT'S WASHED OUT.

UM, THAT'S, THAT'S A PRIVATE, UH, DRIVE.

UM, SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I THINK THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THIS ORDINANCE.

UM, I, AND AGAIN, IT, IT, UM, EVERYTHING I UNDERSTAND THIS IS, UH, FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES, UM, TO GET A VEHICLE BACK IN.

UM, SO IT, IT DOES NOT COVER, UM, CEMETERIES, UM, TO GET THE ACCESS THERE.

UH, AND AS MR. RODMAN MENTIONED, THERE SHOULD BE A WAY THAT EVEN IF WE DO THIS, THERE PROBABLY ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA GO IN AND, AND DO THE EMERGENCY FIX THAT CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT.

UM, SO IF THEY CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A, A BILL A GOES TO, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY MORE THAN WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.

[00:30:01]

THEN AGAIN, THERE'S A, A, UM, UH, A, A WAY THAT WE CAN THEN, UM, DECIDE THAT IT IS GONNA BE PRO BONO, BE FREE FOR THEM TO HAVE THEIR, THEIR, UM, ACCESS, UM, TAKEN CARE OF.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE SAFETY SIDE, BUT I JUST STILL THINK THAT WE'RE OPENING UP PANDORA'S BOX, UM, FOR US TO START MAINTAINING ROADS ALL OVER THE COUNTY.

SO, AGAIN, I WILL SUPPORT AT LEAST PUSHING THIS OFF AND JUST LOOKING AT THIS A LITTLE CLOSER.

MR. GREENWAY? OH, I'M SORRY, MS. HOWARD.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I, I'LL, I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST THE POSTPONEMENT.

UH, I THINK THIS WAS WELL WRITTEN.

UM, AND I THINK THAT THIS COVERS THE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS EMERGENCIES.

SO I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST THE POSTPONE.

THIS PRETTY, AND, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AS, AS I'VE, AS IT'S BEEN IN MY PRACTICE SINCE I'VE BIG COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I NEVER WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT, UM, A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF COUNCIL, UM, IS IN FAVOR OF.

UM, SO IF YOU ALL WANT TO POSTPONE IT TO DO THAT, I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THAT.

THIS IS NOT A, IT, IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT IT'S A TIME SENSITIVE MATTER, BUT WE'RE CHANGING POLICY TO PROVIDE, UH, MORE SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT THEY'VE NEVER HAD.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S ANY URGENCY TO RUSH THIS THROUGH.

UH, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET IT RIGHT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ADDRESSED, THEN I'M CERTAINLY FINE WITH THAT AS WELL.

SO, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY THE CURRENT LANGUAGE IS.

THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON MY AUTHORITY BASED ON MY SPENDING THRESHOLDS, UH, IN THE, UH, PROCUREMENT POLICY AND MANUAL.

UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO OUT AND RECONSTRUCT ENTIRE ROADS TO THREE OR FOUR HOUSES, ESSENTIALLY.

IT'S JUST GONNA BE BASIC, MINIMAL REPAIR TO BE ABLE TO GET A FIRE TRUCK IN AN AMBULANCE, UH, DOWN THAT ROAD.

I WILL SAY ONE ADDITIONAL THING THAT I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF BY MY TALENTED LEGAL STAFF, UH, HERE, UH, IS THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, UH, BETWEEN DOING WORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM LAST ASKED THIS AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.

I DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB ANSWERING IT FOR YOU.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RESPONDING TO PRIVATE PROPERTY ISSUES DURING A HURRICANE OR SOME OTHER THING.

AND THE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT SAY YOU CANNOT DO WORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, BUT IT HAS TO BE FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE.

SO THE ARGUMENT HERE CAN BE MADE THAT FIXING A PRIVATE ROAD FOR AN AMBULANCE TO GET DOWN TO SERVE THREE OR FOUR HOUSES IS NOT A PUBLIC PURPOSE.

THAT'S A BENEFIT TO INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS.

SO WHENEVER YOU'RE DEALING WITH HERB CAN DEBRIS CLEAN UP AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT DEBRIS TO BE SITTING AROUND, UM, AND, UM, BREEDING SNAKES OR RATS OR CAUSING SAFETY ISSUES IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR YOU ALL THIS EVENING AS YOU HAVE A FULL PICTURE.

BUT AGAIN, I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE POSTPONEMENTS, WHATEVER COUNCIL WANTS TO DO.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS BEFORE WE VOTE? I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.

UH, MR. GREENWAY IS, DO WE HAVE A HISTORY IN THE COUNTY OF, UH, EVER PAVING ROADS FOR ANYONE? DO WE, DO WE PAVE ROADS THAT AREN'T, UH, THAT ARE PRIVATE ROADS ONLY, ONLY THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS? SO WE, WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE PAY THOUGH? WE PAY PRIVATE ROADS.

UH, NO, WE DO NOT PAY.

I'M, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY SITUATION WHERE WE PAV PRIVATE.

WHAT, TY, LET ME, LET ME ANSWER THIS BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

SO IF SOMEBODY COMES TO US AND SAYS, WE WANT THE COUNTY TO TAKE OVER OUR ROAD.

UH, WE TELL THEM, IF YOU WANT US TO TAKE OVER YOUR ROAD, YOU GOTTA PAY TO BRING THE ROAD UP THE COUNTY STANDARDS, WHETHER IT'S PAVED OR GRAVEL OR WHATEVER, AND TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNTY.

UM, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD EVER TAKE ON AN ADDITIONAL PA GRAVEL ROAD, UH, JARED.

UM, WHERE, WELL, I DON'T THINK WE'D TAKE OVER SOMEBODY JUST UPGRADING A ROAD TO A GRAVEL ROAD.

UH, SO THEY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO PAVE IT THEMSELVES AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNTY IF WE, IF WE WANTED TO MAINTAIN IT.

AND IN YOUR ESTIMATION ON THAT LEGAL LANGUAGE, UH, UH, REGARDING PUBLIC SERVICE, THE DELIVERY OF A FIRE TRUCK OR AN AMBULANCE OR A POLICE IS NOT A PUBLIC SERVICE IS WELL, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A COMMUNITY.

IT'S A PUBLIC, IT'S A PUBLIC BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, NOT TO A SINGLE RESIDENT OR LANDOWNER.

AND THE ARGUMENT AND THE FEAR IS YEAH.

IS THAT SOMEONE COULD CONSTRUE THIS ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE ONLY A BENEFIT TO AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER, NOT THE PUBLIC.

UH, AT LARGE.

I FEEL LIKE IT IS PROVIDING A BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, BUT THAT'S FOR YOU ALL TO, TO VET.

AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY IT WOULD BE A

[00:35:01]

GOOD IDEA.

AND I SOUND LIKE I'M DANCING HERE AND I'M REALLY NOT.

AGAIN, I SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE, BUT, UH, IF YOU ALL NEED THAT CLARIFICATION, THEN IT WOULD BE BEST FOR YOU ALL TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF MR. CUNNINGHAM'S MOTION SO THAT WE CAN TAKE IT BACK BEFORE COMMITTEE AND WE CAN HAVE TOM AND EVERYBODY LINED UP SO THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU THE HISTORY ON THE OTHER, UH, JURISDICTIONS AND HOW THEY VIEW IT AND HOW THEY HANDLE IT.

AND WE CAN, HAVE TOM TAUGHT YOU ALL ABOUT THE LEGAL THEORY BEHIND IT? I NEVER, I ASKED THIS QUESTION ON ST.

HELEN THE OTHER NIGHT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RELEVANT.

ARE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON EAST PRIVATE ROAD SQUATTERS OR TAXPAYERS? THEY'RE TAXPAYERS.

SO THEY PAY TAXES TO THE COUNTY.

AND WE, WE PROVIDE A SERVICE TO THEM JUST LIKE WE WOULD PROVIDE OKAY.

FOR ANYONE MAINTAIN.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT OF WAY TO DO WORK ON THOSE ROADS, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT OF AWAYS OR AGREEMENTS FOR A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE OWN, THAT WE UPGRADE ROADS.

AND MANY OF YOU ALL, UM, OPPOSED ME SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN I WAS TRYING TO RESOLVE THE BOAT LANDING ISSUE FOR, AND US DOING MAINTENANCE ON BOAT LANDINGS THAT WE DID NOT OWN ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

AND YOU ALL EMPHATICALLY AS A COUNCIL SAID, YOU ARE NOT GONNA SHUT DOWN ANY BOAT LANDING IN THE COUNTY.

SO THERE'S SOME PRECEDENT FOR YOU ALL ASKING US TO DO THAT.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT COULD PROBABLY GO BACK TO WE MAINTAIN BOAT LANDINGS BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A GREATER PUBLIC PURPOSE THAN BENEFIT TO ONE OR TWO PROPERTY OWNERS.

GOT IT.

SO, OKAY.

MR. HARVEY CHEN, THANK YOU.

DON'T GO ANYWHERE.

ERIC, I I HAVE A POTENTIALLY SILLY QUESTION, AND I'M GONNA APOLOGIZE FOR ASKING IT UP FRONT, BUT I'M VERY CURIOUS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A ROADWAY AND A DRIVEWAY? A ROADWAY AND A DRIVEWAY.

WELL, THAT'S ONE THING WE MAY NEED TO CL CLARIFY IN THE POLICY.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT EARLIER, IS THAT WE NEED TO CLARIFY THAT.

IT, IT HAS TO SERVE CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOMES ON THAT INDIVIDUAL PIECE OF PROPERTY OR DOWN OR DOWN THAT ROAD.

UH, SO TYPICALLY A PRIVATE, A PRIVATE DRIVE SERVES ONE HOME.

AND A PRIVATE ROAD SERVES TWO OR MORE HOMES.

SO THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN IS ONE OR MORE PROPERTY OWNERS.

AND THAT KIND OF LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT'S ONE HOME OR MORE.

BUT I WOULD NOT EVER SPEND MONEY TO MAINTAIN SOMEBODY'S DRIVEWAY.

I GET THAT, BUT I, YEAH.

JUST TO REEMPHASIZE WHAT MARK'S SAID, BUT AGAIN, EARLIER, THAT'S THE CONFUSION THAT COULD BE CREATED.

SO, OKAY.

UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SING? NONE.

UH, WILL THE CLERK CALL THE ROLE? MR. CUNNINGHAM MADE THE MOTION AND MR. ROD MADE THE SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.

COUNCIL MEMBER FLEW EING, UH, TO CLARIFY, I DID NOT SECOND THE MOTION TO DELAY.

OH, NO.

SORRY.

COUNCIL MEMBER RODMAN? UH, I WAS GOING IN BACK.

NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER FLEW.

EING.

NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER MAGELLAN? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON.

MARK LAWSON.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD? NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER HER ON? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER.

THE MOTION IS SIX FOUR.

UM, A MOTION TO POSTPONE.

DOES IT NEED? YEAH, JUST SIMPLE MAJORITY.

SIMPLE MAJORITY.

IT PASSES.

IF, IF YES, IF I MIGHT, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEXT COMMUNITY SERVICES MEETING IS NEXT MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH.

UM, I'M AVAILABLE THIS WEEK, TOMORROW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET TOGETHER ON THE PHONE, UM, AND GET A LIST OF QUESTIONS AND ISSUES YOU'D LIKE.

WRITING THEM DOWN.

I'LL CALL YOU TOMORROW.

[11. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING 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]

ITEM NUMBER 11 IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE BEAUFORD COUNTY ORDINANCE 2022 SLASH 33 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.

20 22, 23 BUFORD 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 TO FEES REFUND, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TOO.

A MOTION,

[00:40:01]

PLEASE.

I'LL MOVE FOR APPROVAL.

MR. JONES.

MR. RAMAN MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND, PLEASE.

I'LL SECOND A MOTION.

MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE IS GOING TO BE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS THERE.

WELL HOPEFULLY BE A MEMO, AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THAT WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.

UH, SOMETIME AGO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MC, ELLEN AND I, WE STARTED DEALING WITH, UM, STORAGE NEEDS AT THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION.

SO WE, UM, I PRESENTED THEM WITH AN OPTION OF USING, UH, A BUILDING THAT WE RECENTLY, RECENTLY PURCHASED WITH THE D O D, UH, KNOWN AS HARRIS PILLOW.

UM, THE FOLKS THAT ON THE VOTER REGISTRATION BOARD WERE PUSHING FOR AN EXPANSION AT 15 JOHN GAT ROAD, WHERE THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE IS LOCATED.

SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION THAT I GAVE TO THE VOTER REGISTRATION BOARD, UH, LAST WEEK.

AND I WANT YOU TO FOLLOW ME THROUGH THIS, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS AND THEN I'M GONNA TELL YOU THEIR RECOMMENDATION.

OKAY? SO WE HAD TWO OPTIONS.

OPTION ONE, YOU CAN JUST SEE THE, YOU KNOW, STANDARD DETAILS HERE FOR 1,884 SQUARE FEET APPROXIMATELY.

WE COULD DO AN ADDITION TO JOHN GAT FACILITY, UH, FOR ABOUT $15 A SQUARE FOOT.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UM, KEEP ON GOING.

UM, YEAH, SO TOTAL COST FOR THAT WOULD BE TWO 32,950 FOR AN 1,884 SQUARE FOOT ADDITION ON THE BACK OF THE BUILDING FOR THEM TO STORE THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION MACHINES.

SO I WANNA ASK YOU ALL HERE IN A MOMENT, IF YOU ALL SUPPORT THIS, I'M GONNA ASK YOU ALL TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.

I'M, I'M, YEAH.

AMEND THE CURRENT MOTION ON THE TABLE TO AUTHORIZE AN ADDITIONAL $240,000 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS ADDITION.

SO THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST, I SAID $15 A SQUARE FOOT, BUT THAT WAS RELATED TO SOMETHING SPECIFIC.

SO $124 A SQUARE FOOT.

SO, UM, NEXT SLIDE.

AND THIS IS THE FACILITY.

YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, ONE ADDITION ON THE PROPERTY ALREADY.

THAT ADDITION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WILL COMPLETELY BUILD OUT THIS PROPERTY.

THERE WILL BE NO MORE ROOM FOR EXPANSION AFTER WE DO THIS ADDITION.

NONE, ZERO, NOT A, NOT ANY LAND LEFT TO DO ANYTHING.

WE DON'T OWN THE, WE DON'T EVEN OWN WHERE THEY PARK RIGHT NOW ON THIS PROPERTY.

THEY PARK UNDER THE POWER LINE RIGHT AWAY.

SO WILL THERE BE ANY SPACE AVAILABLE WHEN WE DO THIS ? THERE, THERE WILL BE SPACE FOR THE 1800 SQUARE FOOT EDITION, BUT THAT'LL BE IT.

SO ANYWAY, UM, THE SECOND OPTION IS, UH, UH, ALSO, UH, IS HARRIS PILLOW, UH, TO DO A 35 BY 50 CAGE SYSTEM THERE, UM, WE COULD DO THAT FOR $55,618.

SO YOU COULD MAKE THAT 70 BY 100, UH, FOR 7,000 SQUARE FEET, AND IT'D BE ONE 10 OR, YOU KNOW, 1, 1 11 OR ONE 12, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UH, SO, UM, AND THEN THE TOTAL COST FOR DOING THAT 35 BY 50 WOULD BE $80,868.

WHICH, UM, I'M SORRY, I'M LOOKING AT THE WRONG NUMBER.

LET'S SEE ALL THOSE TOTALS UP THERE, THE GRAND TOTAL WOULD BE $90,599.

SO IF YOU DOUBLE THE SPACE, YOU COULD GIVE THEM 7,000 SQUARE FEET OF STORAGE SPACE AT HARRIS PILLOW FOR, UM, 60 GRAND LESS.

AND YOU CAN ADD ON AN 1800 SQUARE FOOT EDITION, UH, TO THEIR PRESENT BUILDING.

CAN, CAN WE ASK SOME QUESTIONS? YEAH, YEAH, YOU CAN.

IS THAT OKAY? YES.

, UM, OH, GOOD PICTURE OF IT.

UH, IS THE ROOF GOOD? NO.

PROBLEMS WITH LEAKING.

ROOF IS GOOD.

IF THERE'S ANY LEAKS, WE'LL DO, LIKE WE DO WITH ANY FACILITY WHERE WE HAVE LEAKS, WE'LL FIX IT.

AND IT, IT CAN BE SECURED FROM ANYONE ELSE ENTERING THE YEAH, WE'RE GONNA PUT A, WE'RE GONNA PUT A CAGE SYSTEM AROUND.

AND WIRE CAGE SYSTEM THAT I'LL HAVE A ROOF OVER THE TOP, OR WE'LL MAKE IT TALL ENOUGH.

SO, AND, AND HOW OFTEN, WHAT, TWICE A YEAR THEY'LL HAVE TO ACCESS IT, OR I THINK PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT TO CHECK.

BUT THEY, THEY CLAIM THAT THEY CLAIM THAT THERE'S A SECURITY CONCERN WITH THIS FACILITY HERE AT HARRIS PILLOW.

UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO ISSUES.

SECURITY OF THE MACHINES.

THEY CAN'T GUARANTEE THE SECURITY.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SECURITY SYSTEM MM-HMM.

, UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE MORE SECURITY IN HARRIS PILLOW THAN THEY HAVE WHEN THE VOTING MACHINES ARE SETTING OUT FOR A FEW WEEKS IN EARLY VOTING, UH, AT VARIOUS PARKS AND REC CENTERS OR WHEREVER THEY HAVE THEM.

UM, AND, AND NOBODY ELSE USES THE BUILDING FOR ANYTHING? WELL, WE HAVE SOME STORAGE GOING ON STORAGE.

WE USE IT FOR STORAGE.

WE PUT SOME PARKS AND I HAD TO GET THE, UH, WE GOT THE, UH, FOOTBALL PADS AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT OUTTA CHARLES LYNN BROWN IN THE BIGGER ROOM BACK THERE AND NEAR THE KITCHEN.

SO THAT'S BEING STORED THERE.

WE'VE STORED SOME BROADCAST,

[00:45:01]

UH, STUFF.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A BROADCAST EQUIPMENT MUSEUM HERE AT BEAUFORD COUNTY, UH, OF ALL THE OLD THINGS THAT WE CHOSE TO KEEP.

SO WE STORE IT, WE STORE IT THERE.

SO, UH, ANYWAY, UH, SO THAT WAS A LITTLE TUGGED CHEEK.

I'M SORRY.

AND THEN ALSO THEIR CONCERN IS THE DOD HAS A RESTRICTIVE EASEMENT ON THIS PROPERTY THAT SAYS WE CAN ONLY HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THERE PER DAY.

WORKING INSIDE THE BUILDING.

SO THEY THINK, THEY SAY THEY NEED TO GO IN THERE AND WORK ON THE MACHINES TO PROGRAM 'EM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I DON'T THINK THAT'LL BE A PROBLEM, UH, WITH THE DOD, CAUSE IT WON'T BE THAT MANY PEOPLE.

BUT THEY CLAIM THAT THERE'S LOGISTIC ISSUES WITH THEIR OPERATION BY STORING THE MACHINES AT THIS LOCATION.

SO I'M NOT HERE TO DEBATE THAT ISSUE.

I'M WANTING TO PAINT A CLEAR PICTURE FOR YOU ALL SO YOU ALL CAN DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE BUDGET AMENDMENT.

CAUSE WE NEED TO APPROPRIATE SOME MONIES TONIGHT FOR THIS ISSUE.

UH, THIS IS THE WHY, WHY DO WE NEED TO APPROPRIATE IT TONIGHT? TONIGHT? WHY THIS CAN'T BE IN THE, IN THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR.

UM, BECAUSE THEY, THEY, THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT THEY'RE OUTTA SPACE NOW.

SO I WAS, I WAS, UH, ASKED TO WORK ON THIS, UH, WITH THEM.

AND I'VE DONE THAT.

AND IF YOU ALL WANT TO DO IT NOW, THEN I WAS THINKING THAT WOULD BE BETTER TO TRY TO AMEND THE BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT WE'VE GOT GOING FORWARD, UH, ON SECOND READING AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO DO IT AT THIRD READING.

BUT IF COUNCIL DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT TONIGHT, I HAVE NO ISSUES.

WE'LL WAIT UNTIL THE NEW BUDGET HERE.

IF YOU ALL PREFER TO DO THAT.

I'M GOOD WITH THAT.

SO WHAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION BY STAFF? UH, AND DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED TIME OF HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO BUILD THE EXPANSION COMPARED TO THE CAGE SYSTEM? UH, THIS WOULD BE, THIS WOULD BE A MATTER OF A FEW WEEKS.

UH, YOU'RE LOOKING AT DESIGN PERMITTING, CONSTRUCTION.

SO IT'D BE PROBABLY A YEAR, UH, BEFORE THE ADDITION COULD BE COMPLETED.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF MONTHS ON, ON THIS.

SO ABOUT WHEN YOU MADE THIS PRESENTATION TO THE, UH, TO THE BOARD, WHAT WAS THE RESULT? THE BOARD MADE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE GET THE EXPANSION.

THAT THEY DO THE EXPANSION FOR 240 AT THEIR PRESENT LOCATION.

AND I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR, I, IT DOES NOT MATTER TO ME WHICH ONE WE DO.

UH, IF THERE'S LOGISTICS ISSUES HERE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO FIGHT THAT BATTLE, UH, FOR VOTER REGISTRATION.

CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICER, VOTER REGISTRATION PROCESS.

UM, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME WHAT I DO, BUT I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR HERE TONIGHT TO THIS COUNCIL THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE OUTTA ROOM AT THAT, AT THAT SITE IF WE DO THIS ADDITION.

AND MY FEAR IS THAT SOMEBODY'S GONNA BE COMING BEFORE COUNCILING TWO OR THREE YEARS TO SAY, OH, VOTER REGISTRATION IS OUTTA ROOM.

WE WANT YOU TO BUILD US A NEW OFFICE BUILDING.

THAT IS NOT IN MY PLAN TO RECOMMEND THAT TO COUNCIL AS LONG AS I'M COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE ADEQUATE SPACE WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.

AND WE JUST NEED TO BE SMART HERE AS TO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.

AND WHENEVER, IF WE DECIDE TO ADD ON TO THE EXISTING LOCATION, WE NEED TO LET THAT BE IT AND SAY, THIS IS YOUR STORAGE.

THIS IS WHAT YOU TOLD US YOU WANTED BACK IN 2022.

YOU'RE NOT GETTING A NEW BUILDING.

YOU'RE NOT GETTING A NEW LOCATION.

THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE.

SO, AND THAT'S BASICALLY, THAT'S BASICALLY IN A NUTSHELL.

SO, AND IF YOU ALL DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH THIS TONIGHT, I'M HAPPY I FULFILL MY OBLIGATION TO THE VOTER REGISTRATION FOLKS TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO COUNTS OF YOUR CONSIDERATION.

UH, I'M, I'M, I'M GOOD MR. HAN.

I'VE GOT TWO QUICK ONES, BUT DID I HEAR CORRECTLY THAT YOU THINK THAT THEY'VE GOT ADEQUATE STORIES RIGHT NOW? THEY DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE STORIES RIGHT NOW? THEY DO.

THEY DO NOT.

AND THEN CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW WE CAME TO OWN THE HARRIS PILLOW BUILDING? WE BOUGHT IT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THROUGH RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM.

CAUSE THAT'S THE PORT WELL BATTLE FILM.

SO THE FRONT OF THAT BUILDING, UH, WHERE THE GLASS, UH, WINDOWS ARE, UH, WILL BE USED FOR AN INTERPRETIVE CENTER FOR THE, UH, FOR THE, UH, REVOLUTIONARY TRAIL.

I, I CAN'T CALL THE NAME OF IT NOW, BUT, UM, BUT LIBERTY, LIBERTY TRAIL TRAIL.

WON'T HAVE TO EXPAND THE SPACE.

UM, THEY'RE THE FRONT PORTION OF THAT, THE FRONT OF IT.

AND THEN THE WAREHOUSE IS BACK BEHIND.

YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE THAT FROM GOTCHA.

FROM, FROM THE FRONT, SO.

GOTCHA.

YEAH, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.

I, IT, I DON'T FEEL SO GREAT ABOUT PUTTING THIS ON R AND C PROPERTY.

I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT'S WITHIN THE, THE CHARACTER OF THE PROGRAM.

PERSONALLY, I'M, I'M NOT ABOUT SPENDING MONEY.

I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW THAT, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IT'S AN APPROPRIATE USE OF THAT PROPERTY.

COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

GO AHEAD.

UM, THE MAIN HEADQUARTERS FOR THE, UH, VOTER REGISTRATION BOARD OF ELECTIONS IS THE BUILDING ON JOHN GOLD.

THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT'S WHERE THEIR MAJORITY OF THAT STAFF IS.

THAT'S WHERE IT'S THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE.

SO IF, IF THEY MOVE ALL OF THIS EQUIPMENT OUT OF THERE, YOU

[00:50:01]

AND THERE'S NO EQUIPMENT COMING TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR AS WELL FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION.

I UNDERSTAND.

SO ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT WOULD MOVE TO A SPACE WHERE THERE IS NO ONE THERE PERMANENTLY STATIONED THAT'S CORRECT.

SO EVERYTHING WOULD BE THERE IN A SECURE PLACE.

THAT'S CORRECT.

SO THE PEOPLE AT JOHN GAUL, IF THEY HAD TO GO AND SERVICE THIS EQUIPMENT, THEY WOULD'VE TO LEAVE THEIR PRIMARY WORKSPACE AND GO THERE TO DO IT, AS OPPOSED TO BEING ABLE TO DO IT IN THE EXPANDED WORKSPACE WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY? THAT'S CORRECT.

UM, THIS COVENANT FROM THE DOD, DOES IT RESTRICT THE NUMBER OF HOURS PER DAY AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE? OR JUST THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE? JUST NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

AND WHAT'S THE NUMBER? I THINK IT'S LIKE 22, 22 AT A TIME.

22 A DAY.

A DAY.

BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO, I MEAN, I I, I'M SPEAKING, THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO GO.

THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S IN THE FLIGHT PATH.

IT'S IN THE EXIT POTENTIAL, HUH? YEAH.

SO IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO THAT BUILDING, ALL OF OUR VOTER REGISTRATION AND BOARD OF ELECTIONS, IT'S VERY EQUIPMENT WOULD BE DESTROYED.

IT'S VERY GOOD ONE.

IS THAT, IS THAT TRUE? IF A, IF A, IF A, YEAH, I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE IF AN L 35 LANDS ON THAT BUILDING, ALL THE VOTER REGISTRATION STUFF IS GOING BE DESTROYED AND ALL THE FOOTBALL PATHS.

YEAH, I CAN SAY THAT WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE.

I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT .

SO THEN, UH, ALL OF THIS EXPANSION RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU GO TO SEE WHAT'S IN THOSE BUILDINGS, ALL OF THE VOTER, UH, MATERIALS ARE STACKED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

AND FOR THE PEOPLE TO WORK ON IT, THEY HAVE TO UNLOAD IT AND THEN GO AND WORK ON IT.

BUT OVER AT THE OTHER PLACE, AT THE PILLOW FACTORY WOULD ALL BE AVAILABLE ON FLOOR LEVEL, AT EYE LEVEL, SO TO SPEAK.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO UNSTACK IT ANYMORE.

BUT IF WE EXPAND THE SPACE, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO UN, THEY COULD UNSTACK EVERYTHING AND JUST DO THE WORK RIGHT THERE AT LEAST TEMPORARILY UNTIL THEY ASK FOR A NEW BUILDING OR UNTIL THEY, OR UNTIL THAT SPACE FILLS UP AND THEN THEY GET MORE STUFF.

SO, WELL, I THINK THEY ANTICIPATE, AND I MAY BE WRONG, THAT THE AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT COMING IN ISN'T, UH, GOING TO BE OVERWHELMING AND THAT IT WILL ALL FIT WITH THE EXISTING MATERIAL INTO THE EXPANDED SPACE.

AND I, I'VE HEARD THAT AS WELL.

AND YOU, I I HAVE NO OTHER, I WOULD RELY UP THEM FOR THAT INFORMATION.

MR. C, GOOD.

YOU'RE FIRST MR. GLOVE? NO.

IF WE DO THE EXPANSION ON THAT BUILDING, WE OWN THAT BUILDING, SO THAT'D BE IMPROVEMENT TO OUR OWN PROPERTY.

IF WE EVER NEEDED TO TRANSFER THAT BUILDING AND PUT UP OUR SALE, WILL WE BE ABLE TO GET OUR MONEY BACK OUT OF IT? OH, ABSOLUTELY.

BRIAN, SAVE HIS HAND.

UH, MR. GLOVER.

AND THEN MR. LONGS, UM, THE PRESENTATION YOU JUST MADE A FEW MINUTES AGO MM-HMM.

, UM, YOU WAS WHITE.

UM, THE BLACK DIDN'T SHOW UP THAT WELL.

OH, OKAY.

UM, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT IS NEEDED BY VOTER REGISTRATION, UH, IS WHAT, UH, THEY SAY THAT THEY CAN, UH, LIVE WITH THE 1,884 SQUARE FEET THAT WE'RE GONNA ADD ON TO JOHN GAT.

NOW, THAT'S AN APPROXIMATE NUMBER, BUT RIGHT.

WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE AROUND 1800 SQUARE FEET.

AND THE BUILDING THAT WE, THAT'S THERE, THE WAREHOUSE IS ABOUT HOW MANY SQUARE FEET? UH, CURRENTLY AT JOHN GAT? YEAH.

NO, NO, NO.

OR HARRIS.

HARRIS PILLAR.

UH, IT'S PROBABLY 30, 35, 40 FEET.

35 SQUARE FEET.

3,500 OR 35.

35 OR 40,000 SQUARE FEET.

OH, OKAY.

IT'S BIG.

UM, I, I REALLY, UM, LIKE THE PROPOSAL FOR HARRIS PILLOW, UM, AS A WAREHOUSE FOR THEM TO, THEY GOT ENOUGH SPACE TO WORK ON, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

YOU CAN ALMOST CARVE OUT A SPACE FOR THEM TO DO THAT.

UM, BUT I'M LIKE, BRIAN, UM, UM, THE BUDGET PROCESS WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD TIME FOR THIS TO BE BROUGHT FORTH IN, IN THAT THE VOTER REGISTRATION BOARD, UM, PREFER THE 1800 AT JOHN GOLD.

AND I THINK THAT IT'D BE A GOOD TIME FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY SETTLE DOWN AND MAKE THAT REQUEST.

MAKE THAT, YEAH.

SO I'M, I'M FINE.

I'M, I PREFER TO WAIT UNTIL THE BUDGET PROCESS ALLOW, ALLOW THEM TO COME THROUGH.

MR. FLYWELL.

THEY HAVE A VERY COMPLICATED QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

I BELIEVE, UM, WASN'T THIS MATTER DISCUSSED IN THE FACILITIES NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WE COMPLETED A COUPLE OF MONTHS, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO OR YEAR AGO? WASN'T THIS, WASN'T THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED? I WASN'T, UM, THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN THAT THE ISSUE OF VOTER REGISTRATION, UM, EX UH, NEEDS WAS ADDRESSED BUT NOT A STORAGE NEED.

WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FACILITIES NEEDS ASSESSMENT? UH, I'M SORRY.

COUNCIL MEMBER FLEW.

WELL, AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT RIGHT OFF, RIGHT OFF HAND, BUT THAT'S A GREAT, WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I'M, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY ATTUNED TO WHAT THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION WANTS AND, AND THEIR NEEDS.

I I PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY ASK FOR, AND

[00:55:01]

AND WHILE I THINK IT WOULD'VE BEEN APPROPRIATE FOR THIS TO BE HANDLED IN THE, UH, THE REGULAR BUDGET, UM, DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE EVERY YEAR, I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE POINTING OUT TO US THAT IT'S A, AN ACUTE NEED AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M WILLING, I'M WILLING TO SUPPORT THIS AS A BUDGET AMENDMENT.

AND I, I AGREE WITH THEM THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE LOCALLY.

AND THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO HANDLE THIS.

ONE WOULD BE TO POTENTIALLY MOVE THE ENTIRE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION UP THERE.

AND WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE OF OUR, UM, RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS WITH THE, THE AIR STATION.

AND SO I THINK THE ONLY THING FOR US TO DO IS TO BUILD AN AMENDMENT, UH, BUILD AN ADDITION, UH, ON THEIR PROPERTY RIGHT THERE ON THEIR LOCATION.

AND SO I, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY WAY AROUND.

AND SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT IT TODAY.

I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WORK AT THE JOHN GAL? LIKE, UH, I MEAN, THERE 20, THERE'S, UM, YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S PROBABLY 15, 16 EMPLOYEES THERE.

AND, AND DURING A, DURING THE ELECTION CYCLE, IT'S EVEN MORE YEAH.

YOU GET VOTER ARREST, VOTER PEOPLE COMING IN ALL THE TIME.

UH, SO IF YOU ALL WANNA DO THE ADDITION NIGHT, I WOULD JUST REQUEST THAT, UH, SOMEONE WILL MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE BUDGET TO APPROPRIATE AN ADDITIONAL $240,000 FOR AN, UH, AN 1800 SQUARE FOOT EDITION FOR THE VOTER REGISTRATION FACILITY LOCATED AT 15 JOHN GAT ROAD.

I'LL, I'LL, UH, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION, MR. GREENWAY, FOR THE $240,000 FOR THE 1800 SQUARE FOOT EDITION TO JOHN GAT ROAD.

I'LL MAKE THE SECOND.

SECOND.

YEAH, SIR.

DUALLY MOTION IN SECOND.

MR. HERAN BEAT YOU TO THE PUNCH, MR. FLU.

ELLEN, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, COMMENTS, MR. RODDEN? YEAH, MR. CHAIRMAN.

UM, I, I KIND OF LIKE THE HARRIS PILLOW PIECE FOR A COUPLE REASONS.

IT SEEMS TO ME WE'RE GETTING TWICE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE AT HALF COST.

UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S A REASONABLE EXPENDITURE.

SECONDLY, THAT, UM, FACILITY, AS I REMEMBER, HAS ASBESTOS PROBLEMS. AND SO THEREFORE, I THINK USING IT FOR STORAGE IS THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN REALISTICALLY DO THERE.

AND IF WE GO TO TEAR IT DOWN, THEN WE'VE GOT ANOTHER LARGE BILL.

AND SO IT'S ALWAYS SEEM TO BE THAT THAT LENS ITSELF FOR A BASIC STORAGE FOR THE COUNTY.

UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACE THERE TO ACCOMMODATE THIS PLUS THE OTHER.

UM, AND, UH, SO THEREFORE, I TEND TO THINK THAT THAT'S A MUCH BETTER USE OF THE MONEY ALSO BE DONE, UH, DONE QUICKER.

AND I DO BELIEVE WE'LL NEED MORE SPACE.

BUT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU GET TO BILL THAT AND WEALTH DOUBLE THE SIZE OF THE POPULATION SO THAT, SO YOU'RE A NO SIZE, YOU WOULD BE A NO.

OH, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE WE READY? I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE READY TO VOTE.

YEAH, WE'RE READY TO VOTE.

ALL, UM, UH, FROM WHAT I SEE, UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD VOTE? NO.

SO WE HAVE THREE NO'S, UH, ONLINE.

IS EVERYONE IN APPROVAL OF THIS? SO WE WOULD WIND UP SEVEN YES.

AND THREE NO.

AND WE WILL ADD THE 240,000 TO THE BUDGET.

I'M A NO.

YOU RIGHT.

MR. GLOVER IS A NO.

MS. HOWARD IS A NO.

AND MR. RODMAN IS A NO.

ALL OTHERS ARE? YES.

NOW WE WILL TURN TO THE PUBLIC.

IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT'S BEFORE YOU, INCLUDING THE NEW $240,000 AMOUNT TO BE ADDED? I HAVE ONE QUESTION.

UM, WITH THE ADDITION, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE THE OPTION IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE A TWO STORY IF NEED BE? YEAH.

YOU'RE THINK I LIKE, UH, MS. RICHLAND OVER THERE.

SO SHE JUST ASKED THAT QUESTION AND WE'LL, WE'LL EVALUATE THAT POSSIBILITY.

UH, TO DO THAT, UH, YOU COULD PROBABLY DO THE SECOND STORY WITHOUT, WITHOUT VERY MUCH MORE MONEY, SO, RIGHT.

ONE THAT I MADE, UH, PRIOR, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY WHITNEY CALLED IT THEIR ATTENTION EARLIER IN THE PUBLIC FACILITIES MEETING ABOUT WHETHER WE REALLY WANT TO DEFEAT BONDS, BECAUSE IN REALITY, THE IN MODE OF INCREASING INTEREST RATES, SO INCREASING INTEREST RATES REDUCE THAT AMOUNT, AND AT SOME POINT THEY'RE GONNA CROSS OVER, YOU KNOW, CREDENTIAL WISDOM HAS BEEN LOOKING AT ANOTHER ONE AND A HALF HUNDRED 50 BASIS POINTS, 1.5%.

SO THE AMENDMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED.

WE'RE NOW BACK TO THE, THE MAIN MOTION, UH, THE PUBLIC HAS HAD A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN, HAS SAID NOTHING.

SO NOW WE WILL TAKE A VOTE.

A COUPLE COPIES.

GO AHEAD.

UH, TWO COMMENTS.

[01:00:01]

UH, PLUS IF WE THEN, UH, DO THIS AND THEN HAVE TO BORROW THE MONEY, THEN WE GOT THE FEES TO DO IT.

SO I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO DO THIS.

THEN IF SOMEBODY COULD MAKE A CASE THAT IT DOES MAKE SENSE, I, WE DELIGHTED TO LISTEN TO IT, BUT IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT IT'S, UH, IT MAY NOT MAKE SENSE.

LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GONNA, AND, UM, YES, THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS TO HAVE YOU GUYS AUTHORIZE US SO THAT SHOULD THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT DROP AGAIN AND IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO THE FEES, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT WITHOUT COMING BACK TO YOU IN SUBSEQUENT MONTHS AND ASKING FOR THAT.

BUT BY AUTHORIZING IT, IF STAFF KEEPS AN EYE ON INTEREST RATES AND SEES THAT IT IS NOT BENEFICIAL TO THE FEES, BECAUSE BORROWING RATES IN THE FUTURE WOULD OUTWEIGH THE INTEREST RATES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PAYING ON DEBT, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO DO THAT, THEN WE WOULD NOT DO THAT AT ALL.

BUT THE POINT NOW IS JUST TO HAVE THAT ABILITY IF THE CLIMATE IS RIGHT FOR IT.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DEFER TO MR. WILLIAMS. WELL, IT JUST GIVES US THE AUTHORITY SHOULD IT THE SITUATION ARISE THAT WE CAN, NOT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO, THAT IS CORRECT.

I CAN'T TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHAT OUR CURRENT INTEREST RATES ARE, BUT LET'S JUST SAY THEY'RE AT 3% AND RATES ARE CLIMBING TO FIVE AND 6%.

THE MUNICIPAL MARKET IS USUALLY NOT QUITE AS HIGH AS THE REGULAR ONE.

SO THAT IS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US.

BUT IF THEY'RE CLIMBING, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO BORROW AT A HIGHER RATE IN THE FUTURE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF WOULD EVALUATE.

NOW, IT ALSO SEEMS TO ME THEN FOLLOWING THE LOGIC OF SOME OF OUR EARLIER DISCRETION ON OTHER ITEMS, TO JUST HAVE AN OPEN ENDED THAT WE CAN DO IT.

AND I THINK IT LENDS ITSELF TO COME BACK AT A FUTURE BUDGET, UM, AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING IT IN AND TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF IT.

BUT IT SOUNDS, WELL THE REASON WE WERE REQUESTING THIS NOW AS PART OF THE AMENDMENT IS PART OF THE AMENDMENT IS OUT OF EFFICIENCY, BUT WE DO HAVE THREE ISSUANCES THAT ARE ABLE TO BE DEUS AND I BELIEVE IT'S MARCH.

OF 2023.

OKAY, SO YOU COME BACK TO THIS.

SO WE KEEP THIS, THE PHRASE TO THAT.

YEAH, WE, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW, BUT WE NEED THE AUTHORIZATION OF PART OF THIS.

AND SO THE, CAUSE THE CONDITIONS GET RIGHT, WE MAY NOT HAVE TIME TO GET YOU ALL TO DO FREE READINGS BEFORE THE CONDITIONS, YOU KNOW, CHANGING OUT.

SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE GIVING US AUTHORIZATION NOW AND RELYING UP ON, ON THESE VERY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH FINANCE STUFF TO, TO TELL, TO TELL ME WHEN THE TIME'S RIGHT.

SO THAT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE TIME WAS RIGHT.

WANNA TAKE A, BE ON WHAT THE INTEREST RATES ARE GONNA BE .

OKAY? UM, THE SECOND ONE, THIS IS ONE THAT CAME UP A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN PAID OFF, BUT IT IS ONE THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER DOING.

KIND OF GOES LIKE THIS BACK, UH, IN 2006, IT WAS A TIFF FOR THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, FOR TCL AND FOR USCB.

UM, AND THE TCL PIECE OF IT, UM, IT WAS A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS OF EXTRA COST OVER AND ABOVE WAS WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED.

SO WHAT THEY DID AT THAT TIME IS THEY ENTERED INTO, THEY BORROWED THAT MONEY FROM THE COUNTY.

SO THERE WAS A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS 20 YEAR BOND THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER AT A, IN A CERTAIN INTEREST RATE ABOUT NINE YEARS AGO.

UM, WE REFINANCED THAT PARTICULAR BOND AND GOT A LOWER INTEREST RATE, BUT WE DIDN'T PASS THAT INTEREST RATE SAVINGS ALONG TO TCL TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE.

SO IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT WOULD BE THE BEST OF INTEREST OF EVERYBODY IF WE COULD TIE YOU THAT UP.

I'M, I'M GUESSING THEY'RE DOWN TO MAYBE A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF STILL OUTSTANDING PRINCIPLE.

MAYBE THERE'S AN ADJUSTMENT ON THE INTEREST RATES.

UM, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THEY'RE TRYING TO PAY BACK OUT OF, UH, STUDENT FEES.

AND TCL I THINK DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB THIS COUNTY IN TERMS OF JOB GROUP TRAINING AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO, UH, I JUST RAN ACROSS THAT IT MIGHT BE WORTH TAKING A LOOK AT, SEE IF IT IS HAPPENING IN SOMEPLACE, WE COULD SQUEEZE THAT IN AND GET THAT BEHIND US.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO TCL AND TO THIS POPULATION IN GENERAL.

SO YOU MIGHT LOOK AT THAT COURSE AND IF THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY, WE COULD STILL SAY IT INTO THIS AND THIRD READING.

SECOND READING HAS BEEN, UH, HELD.

ARE WE, UH, NOW READY TO VOTE? SO THE, UM, PUBLIC HEARING AND

[01:05:01]

UH, MR. RODMAN MADE THE MOTION AND MS. HOWARD MADE THE SECOND, AND THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH THE AMENDMENT OF THE 240,000 WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SAYING NONE? UH, ITEM NUMBER 11 IS APPROVED.

WE GO TO 12,

[12. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE SALE OF COUNTY OWNED REAL PROPERTIES IDENTIFIED AS 1407 KING STREET AND 600 WILMINGTON STREET, CITY OF BEAUFORT]

WHICH IS A SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE SALE OF THE COUNTY OWNED REAL PROPERTIES IDENTIFIED AS 1407 KING STREET AND 600 WILMINGTON STREET, CITY OF BEAUFORD.

SO MOVE MS. JIM, MR. GLOVER MAKES THE MOTION.

I'LL SECOND.

MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND QUESTIONS.

SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.

MR. HERAN, YOU WILL OBJECT.

ANY OTHERS SING THAT? NONE.

UH, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH EIGHT.

NUMBER 13 IS THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE BEAUFORD COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES.

TWO.

NO.

MR. HERAN AND MR. FLU WELLING VOTING? NO.

ITEM

[13. SECOND READING READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE VIII, DIVISION 2, SECTION 2-619 TO REQUIRE A PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON QUIT CLAIM DEEDS]

CHAPTER TWO, ARTICLE EIGHT, DIVISION TWO, SECTION TWO DASH SIX 19 TO REQUIRE A PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON QUICK CA QUIT CLAIM DEEDS.

SO MOVE MR. CHAIRMAN.

MR. GLOVER MAKES THE MOTION.

I'LL SECOND.

MR. RODMAN MAKES THE SECOND DUALLY MOTION AND SECONDED.

I KNOW THAT WHERE MR. FLOWING STANDS ON THIS, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT? SO THAT PRECLUDES MY COMMENT? NO, SIR.

YOU CAN CERTAINLY MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

ITEM NUMBER 14 IS A SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE BEAUFORD COUNTY ORDINANCE 20 22 33 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 22 23 BEAUFORD COUNTY BUDGET TO PROVIDE THE DISTRIBUTION FOR MYRTLE PARK PHASE TWO FUND AND AMOUNT OTHER MATTERS THERE TOO.

I'M JUST ASKING.

NO, YOU CAN SOUND LIKE I WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO TALK.

OH, NO, NO.

YEAH, I KNOW WHAT YOUR COMMENT IS GOING TO BE, BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

NO, NO.

I'LL, I'LL WITHHOLD IT.

THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH ONE OBJECTION.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER OBJECTIONS SAYING NONE? THIS IS APPROVED WITH 10 YES.

ONE, NO.

MR. FLOWING.

9 9 9 9 9 1.

UM, WITH MR. FLOWING BEING THE NO.

UH,

[14. SECOND READING 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. (FISCAL IMPACT: Beaufort County put a substantial amount of capital into this project $828,576. Staff feels that the County should be reimbursed for its investment in the property)]

MOTION PLEASE.

SO MOVE MR. CHAIRMAN.

MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND.

SECOND.

MR. RADEN MAKES THE SECOND DUALLY MOTION IN SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS? THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.

MOTION PASSES.

ITEM

[15. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO AN EXCHANGE, PURCHASE AND/OR SALE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR THE SALE AND PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY CONSISTING OF 68 HELMSMAN WAY, 43 JENKINS ROAD, 70 BAYGALL ROAD, AND 152 WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY]

15 IS THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO AN EXCHANGE, PURCHASE AND OR SALE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON NET ISLAND FOR THE SALE AND PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY CONSISTING OF 68 HELMSMAN WAY 43 JENKINS ROAD 70 BE ROAD, AND 1 52 WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY.

NEXT IS A SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AND OTHER MATTERS THERE TOO.

MR. RAMAN MAKES THE MOTION.

I SECOND ON HERE.

MR. GLOVER MAKES THE SECOND DUALLY MOTION.

AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.

[16. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO]

WE'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION.

SECOND.

MR. GLOVER MAKES THE SECOND DUALLY MOTION AND SECONDED.

ANY COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.

QUESTION, SIR? YES, SIR.

IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING? NO.

ITEM NUMBER 17 IS THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PROCUREMENT CODE DIVISION FOUR SECTION TWO DASH 5 0 9 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF A PURCHASING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

OCTOBER .

YEAH, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.

UM,

[17. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PROCUREMENT CODE, DIVISION 4, SECTION 2-509, AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF PURCHASING DIRECTOR AND THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER]

MOTION, PLEASE GO JUMP ALL AT ONE.

[01:10:01]

SO MOVE MR. CHAIRMAN.

MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION.

SECOND, MR. RAMAN MAKES THE SECOND DUALLY MOTIONED IN SECOND.

IT IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE? THIS WILL BE DONE WITH WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.

OUR

[18. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE II, SECTION 2-28 REGARDING COUNCIL SALARIES]

FINAL ITEM IS A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE BEAUFORD COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES.

CHAPTER TWO, ARTICLE TWO, SECTION TWO DASH 28 REGARDING COUNSEL SALARIES.

I CAN MAKE THAT MOTION.

MR. MCALLEN MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND, PLEASE.

I'LL SECOND.

MR. CHAIRMAN.

MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE SECOND DUALLY MOTIONED IN SECOND DISCUSSION.

MR. MCLELLAN? YEAH.

UM, MIKE? YEAH.

EVERY, UH, TWO YEARS, UM, THIS DELIBERATIVE BODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE THE, UH, SALARY LEVELS FOR COUNCIL, UH, THE VICE CHAIR AND THE CHAIR.

UM, AND THAT, UH, IF THEIR SALARY ADJUSTMENT IS MADE, IT'S EFFECTIVE.

UM, THE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF TERMS OF AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ELECTED AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION, WHICH WILL BE THIS NOVEMBER FOLLOWING THE ENACTMENT OF THE ORDINANCE, AT WHICH TIME THE AMENDED SALARY RATES WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE FOR ALL MEMBERS.

SO WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY EVERY TWO YEARS TO VISIT THIS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE, UH, AS A BODY THAT THE SALARIES ARE ADEQUATE, UH, FOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

FOR THE VICE CHAIR AND THE CHAIR.

UH, THIS YEAR WE WE'RE INTRODUCING A, UH, AN ORDINANCE TO CHANGE THE SALARY, UH, OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR, AND THEY WILL INCLUDE THE, UH, SALARY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2020.

THE COLA THAT WAS GRANT, I'M SORRY, THE COLA THAT YES.

IN 2020, THE COLA THAT WAS GRANTED, UH, JULY, UH, JULY 1ST, 2019, BUT WASN'T EFFECTIVE UNTIL JANUARY OF 21.

AND THE 5% COLA THAT WAS GRANTED TO THE OTHER EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY IN APRIL OF 2022.

THAT IS NOT EFFECTIVE UNTIL JANUARY OF 23.

SO IN THIS AMENDMENT, OR THOSE TWO KOHLERS ARE INCORPORATED TO REACH THE SALARY LEVELS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT.

THE SALARY LEVEL FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, IS 30,000.

UH, $4 FOR THE COUNCIL, VICE CHAIR IS $32,006.

AND FOR THE COUNCIL CHAIR, 35,000, $22.

AND I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IN THOSE SALARY STRUCTURES ARE, UH, QUITE APPARENT FOR THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT BOTH THE VICE CHAIR AND THE COUNCIL CHAIR DO THAT IS IN EXCESS OF WHAT I BELIEVE THE AVERAGE COUNCIL MEMBER DOES.

SO IT'S 30,000, 32,000, 35,000, UH, WITH SOME ODD DOLLARS THERE AS WELL.

UH, WE WOULD HAVE REACHED THE NUMBER OF ABOUT $29,200 WITH BOTH OF THOSE KOHLERS BEING INCORPORATED.

SO THIS, UH, GIVES THE RAISE TO COUNCIL OF APPROXIMATELY $800, UM, AND TO THE COUNCIL VICE CHAIR OF, UH, $2,006.

AND FOR THE COUNCIL CHAIR, UM, ABOUT $4,000.

SO THE TOTALS ARE 35 0 2 2 32 0 0 5.

I'M SORRY, 0 0 6 AND 30,000 0 0 4.

UH, DON'T FORGET.

YEAH, WE HAVE TO, UM, THERE'S SOME OTHER LANGUAGE HERE FOR THE, UM, UM, COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS THAT TAKE PLACE, UH, AS THEY ARE GRANTED TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY.

UM, WITH REGARD TO COUNTY COUNCIL, THEY'RE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.

SO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ANY SUCH COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL SHALL BE THE 1ST OF JANUARY FOLLOWING A GENERAL ELECTION WHERE TWO OR MORE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE BEEN ELECTED.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, MS. HOWARD, MR. CHAIRMAN? UM, BACK WHEN WE DID THIS BEFORE WE GOT RID OF THE STIPEND, AND THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON I VOTED FOR IT, THEN BECAUSE WE GOT RID OF THE STIPENDS, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR THIS, THIS INCREASE, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE.

WE'RE HERE TO SERVE.

UM, SO I WILL BE VOTING NO.

ALTHOUGH I DID VOTE YES WHEN WE DID IT THE LAST TIME BECAUSE THESE STIPENDS WERE ELIMINATED.

OWN THEIR OWN BUSINESS OR DUE TO SOME TYPE OF FREELANCING OR CREATE THEIR OWN SCHEDULE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO EVEN DO THIS JOB, PERIOD.

OTHER COMMENTS? JUST, JUST CUNNINGHAM FIRST AND THEN MR. GLOVER? OH, NO.

THEN MR. ING, THEN MR. GLOVER.

UM, I HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION AND TAKE ON THIS.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S JUST BECAUSE OF MY AGE ASPECT OR BEING NEW ON COUNTY COUNCIL, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAME ACROSS RUNNING WAS HOW LIMITED IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO RUN FOR COUNTY COUNCIL.

AND BY THAT I MEAN, ANY PERSON THAT WORKS IN 95 USUALLY CAN'T DO THIS JOB.

UM, SO MOST PEOPLE ARE EITHER RETIRED,

[01:15:01]

UM, I'M A BELIEVER IN OUR SYSTEM FOR OUR ELECTIONS AND FOR THE BEST CANDIDATES TO RUN.

I DO THINK THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF FORM OF COMPENSATION TO BE ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THEM MISSING OUT ON WORK.

UM, SO I DO SUPPORT THIS.

I THINK IT'S A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.

UM, WE HAVE ELECTIONS THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE ELECTIONS IN TWO YEARS.

UM, I DO THINK IF WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB ADEQUATELY, IF WE'RE NOT DOING THE WORK THAT THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED US IN WANTED US THERE, THEN WE SHOULD BE CHALLENGED AND SOMEBODY SHOULD RUN AGAINST US AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES BASED ON OUR TRACK RECORD OR ALONG THOSE LINES.

BUT FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO RUN FOR OFFICE, UM, THERE IS FINANCIAL COMPENSATION TO IT AND, AND NOBODY LIKES TO TALK ABOUT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.

SO HE IS A TOUCHY SUBJECT.

UM, BUT I DO THINK THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

UM, I REMEMBER WATCHING THE MEETING TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS RUNNING, WHEN THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS OF DIFFERENT DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND PEOPLE KIND OF LAUGHED AT THE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT PUT THAT FORWARD, BUT THERE IS LOGIC BEHIND IT.

UM, TO GET THE BEST REPRESENTATION FOR THE COUNTY.

SOMETIMES THAT PERSON CAN'T RUN, SO THE PERSON THAT COULD TAKE MY SEAT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO RUN BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FREEDOM IN THEIR HOURS, THEIR DAY TO DAY LIVES OR ANY ONE OF US.

UH, SO I WILL SUPPORT THIS.

UM, I THINK IT'S A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.

UM, IT, IT IS JUST A ROUNDING OF AROUND $800 FOR 10 OF, OR NINE OF US.

UM, AND THEN DOWN THE ROAD, WHATEVER PATH WE DECIDE TO TAKE, WE HAVE MULTIPLE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS COMING ON NEXT YEAR.

UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED BECAUSE I, I DO THINK WE SHOULD BE PUSHED ON COUNTY COUNCIL TO DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE.

I THINK IT'S OUR JOB TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT.

THANK YOU, MR. FLYWELL, AND YOU WERE NEXT.

I, I, YOU KNOW, I OBJECT TO THIS FOR OR SEVERAL REASONS, BUT, UM, PRIMARILY, UM, MY, MY PROCEDURAL OBJECTION IS THAT THIS HAS NOT GONE THROUGH A COMMITTEE HAS NOT RECEIVED A FAVORABLE VOTE OF ANY COMMITTEE OF COUNTY COUNCIL TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE A COUNTY COUNCIL.

AND I, SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF OUT OF FORM, AND I THINK SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED AT COMMITTEE.

SO THAT QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE RAISED TODAY CAN BE DISCUSSED.

ANOTHER THING THAT GOING TO A COMMITTEE WOULD DO, IT ALERTS THE COMMUNITY, OUR CITIZENS OF BEAVER COUNTY, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING COUNTY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS ON TRACK.

IF IT RECEIVES APPROVAL TODAY TO BE DONE BEFORE THE ELECTION, THAT'S IN THREE WEEKS, THAT'S UNHEARD OF THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RUSH SOMETHING THROUGH COUNTY COUNCIL IN THREE WEEKS.

AND ESPECIALLY SOMETHING THAT REALLY, THE PUBLIC LOOKS AT THIS AND LOOKS CAREFULLY AT THIS.

SO I CAN ONLY ONLY THINK THAT THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS RUSHING IT THROUGH IS TO AVOID PUBLIC SCRUTINY.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DON'T WANT FOLKS.

UM, AND SO I'M, I OBJECT TO THIS VERY, VERY STRANGELY.

ALSO, THE LANGUAGE IS VERY SLOPPY AND I THINK IT CONTRADICTS THE LANGUAGE THAT'S, THAT'S THERE STATE LAW AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WERE, HOW WERE THESE AMOUNTS DERIVED? IT'S, UM, THE COST OF LIVING PLUS SOME AMOUNT.

HOW DO WE COMPARE THE SALARIES OF COUNTY COUNCIL TO OTHER TIER TWO COUNTIES, UM, RIGHT NOW? AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S MORE, MAYBE IT'S LESS.

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT WE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND GET THIS KIND OF INFORMATION.

THIS SUBJECT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR IN ORDER TO GET IT APPROVED.

THAT'S ALL.

I STAND OPPOSED TO THIS.

OKAY? I'M GOING TO CORRECT YOU ON THE TIMING OF THIS.

THIS HA REQUIRES AN ORDINANCE, REQUIRES THREE READINGS IN A PUBLIC HEARING.

THIS IS THE FIRST ONE.

THE SECOND ONE WILL BE IN NOVEMBER, AND THE THIRD ONE WILL BE IN DECEMBER.

SO IT CAN'T OH, SO IT WON'T BE AFFECTED FOR JANUARY, 2023.

NO, IT WON'T.

SECOND ONE WILL BE IN NOVEMBER.

AND THE THIRD ONE, HAVE THEY, THEY NEED TO BE ELECTED BEFORE, UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER GENERAL ELECTION BEFORE THIS COULD TAKE EFFECT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, JIM? MR. GLOVE? I, UM, I DIDN'T SUPPORT THE, UM, THE INCREASE, UH, THE LAST TIME.

UM, AND SO I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS AT THIS TIME.

YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE COLA ARE AN AUTOMATIC BY LAW? SURE.

[01:20:01]

MR. HARON, THANK YOU.

I SUPPORTED THIS LAST TIME.

FRANKLY, I REGRET IT, AND I THINK THAT IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT I'M THE COUNCILMAN THAT, UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM REFERENCE WAS LAUGHED AT LAST TIME.

UH, I THINK THAT IF WE REALLY WANT TO DO THIS RIGHT, THAT WE SHOULD, THAT COUNCIL SALARY SHOULD RISE TO THE LEVEL OF THE TREASURER AND THE AUDITOR.

THE REASON BEING, FOR ALL THE REASONS MR. CUNNINGHAM SAID, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO ATTRACT THE BEST CANDIDATES, IT REALLY, IT'S MORE THAN A PART-TIME JOB FOR SURE.

IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO, UM, HOLD A FULL-TIME JOB, OPERATE A BUSINESS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UH, WITH JUST THE SALARY OF COUNCIL.

SO FOR THAT REASON, UM, ALONE, I WOULD, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT THIS.

I DO THINK IT SHOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH COMMITTEE LIKE, UH, MR. ING SAID.

UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, I'M JUST NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS.

I WOULD SUPPORT THIS IF IT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE SOMETHING WHERE SOMEBODY COULD LIVE ON THE WAGE THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WOULD NEED, BUT NOT AS WRITTEN.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? YEAH.

MR. LAWSON? YES.

UM, THANK YOU.

AND, AND I DID SUPPORT THE, UH, LAST PAY INCREASE ON THIS ONE.

I AM NOT GOING TO, I, I LOOK BACK THAT, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO, UM, THE COUNCIL'S SALARY WAS 8,000 PLUS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MEETINGS, WHICH MADE IT, YOU KNOW, 14,000.

AND WE, WE DOUBLED IT IN THE LAST, UM, TIME THAT WE VOTED.

UM, I JUST THINK THAT, UM, THIS IS, UH, TOO MUCH, TOO QUICK.

UM, I, I DO, UM, I DO THINK THAT, THAT IT IS A FULL-TIME JOB.

AND, AND AGAIN, I'VE BEEN VERY BLESSED THAT I CAN DO MY JOB AND, AND, UM, ALSO, UM, BE A, A SUCCESSFUL, UM, COUNCILMAN.

SO, UM, I, I WILL NOT, UM, SUPPORT THIS AT THIS TIME.

I JUST THINK THE TIMING IS, IS WRONG WITH THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH, UH, WITH, WITH THE COUNTY.

COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.

UM, DUALLY MOTION DIDN'T SECOND IT.

WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? MR. MCLEAN WAS FIRST.

MR. CUNNINGHAM WAS SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER.

MIGUEL? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER FLEW.

ELING? NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON.

MARK LAWSON? NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD? NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER? RODMAN STEIN.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAR ON NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? NO.

VICE CHAIR SUMMERVILLE? YES.

CHAIRMAN PASSIN? YES.

MOTION IS DEFEATED.