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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.IT'S FOUR O'CLOCK AND THIS IS THE, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY THE 11TH.
UM, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.
UH, WOULD THE, SOMEONE LIKE TO DO THE, BRENDA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START THE PLEDGE? I'M SORRY.
BRENDA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START THE, THE NO PROBLEM.
AM I ALLOWED TO? ALRIGHT, PLEASE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WE'LL, NOW INTRODUCE THE, UH, THE, THE BOARD.
I AM FROM DISTRICT 10, AND I AM CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
JERRY THOMAS, DISTRICT TWO, POWELL, DISTRICT ONE, AND JOE BA, AUGUST, DISTRICT 11.
I'M VERNON JAMES, MORALE DISTRICT COX.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, AMANDA DICKMAN, WHO IS OUR LIBRARY, UH, DIRECTOR.
AND WE HAVE JOSH, WHO IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
WE ALSO HAVE LINDA FARK, WHO IS THE, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE HILTON HEAD FRIENDS.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER GUEST, BOB SPITING, WHO HAS STEPPED IN TO SEE THE MEETING AS WELL.
UM, ALL OF THIS IS MADE POSSIBLE BEHIND THE SCENES BY OUR COUNTY BROADCAST SERVICES.
WHO ARE TROY MATTHEWS AND MRS. POPE
I DON'T WANNA BUTCHER HER NAME.
AND THANKS TO YOU GUYS FOR THE GREAT JOB THAT YOU DO.
UM, I, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE LINDA FARRANT POFF AND JUST HAVE HER COME OVER HERE FOR JUST A MOMENT SO YOU CAN BE ON CAMERA.
UH, LINDA IS PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE HILTON HEAD LIBRARY AND THE FRIENDS, I'M, I'M MENTIONING THIS BECAUSE FRIENDS IS A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, SUPPORT FOR OUR, UH, FOR OUR COUNTY LIBRARIES.
THERE'S A FRIENDS GROUP IN HILTON HEAD IN BLUFFTON AND IN BUFORD, AND THE BUFORT FRIENDS ALSO OVERLOOKS THE LOCO AND THE ST.
UM, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FRIENDS GROUPS, BECAUSE COLLECTIVELY THEY PROVIDE AT LEAST $50,000 EACH YEAR TO SUPPORT OUR LIBRARY COLLECTIONS PROGRAMS, SOMETIMES FURNITURE AND BOOKSHELVES.
AND A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE EVEN, UH, THE HILTON HEAD FRIENDS WAS ALSO ABLE TO, UH, PURCHASE A BOOK MOBILE FOR THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE WOULD, WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD SUPPORT THE FRIENDS.
THAT YOU WOULD JOIN THE FRIENDS, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN RUNNING PROGRAMS. AND IT'S, IT'S NOT A LOT OF WORK, BUT YOU GET YOU VERY INVOLVED AT THE LIBRARY, SO YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
LINDA, WOULD YOU, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO I'LL, I JUST WANNA SAY I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT.
I SERVED TWO TERMS AS PRESIDENT OF THE BUFORD FRIENDS LIBRARY WHEN WE WERE RESTRUCTURING THE WHOLE THING.
AND THAT LED TO MY BEING APPOINTED TO THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
CAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
IT, IT IS, IT HAS BEEN AN ADVENTURE.
UM, I STARTED OFF AS VICE PRESIDENT, PROMISED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DO NOTHING.
THAT WAS A LIE BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT, UH, HUSBAND SUDDENLY BECAME ILL, AND I WAS KIND OF JUMPSTARTED INTO HER POSITION WITHOUT MUCH EDUCATION, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
SO, UH, THEN SHE WAS ABLE TO SETTLE BACK IN.
BUT IT HAS BEEN A LONG ADVENTURE WITH COVID AND THE CLOSURES AND BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR MONEY COMES FROM OUR BOOKSTORE, WHICH WAS CLOSED FOR SIX MONTHS, BUT WE HAVE FIGURED OUT OTHER WAYS TO MAKE MONEY.
WE SELL THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED SELL BACK YOUR BOOKS.
UM, WE'VE ARE MAKING AN EFFORT TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE THE LIBRARY NEEDS A LOT OF MONEY.
THIS, THIS LAST YEAR WE BOUGHT
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NEW FURNITURE, AS YOU SAID.WE BOUGHT NEW, UH, STOOLS FOR ALL THE CRC DESKS, AND WE BOUGHT A WHEELCHAIR FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NEED A LITTLE ASSISTANCE IN MOVING AROUND, PLUS THE USUAL PROGRAMMING AND BOOKS AND PERIODICALS AND NEWSPAPERS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IF YOU CARE TO JOIN US, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN.
YOU GET NOTHING FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP
WELL, AND IT KEEPS YOU UPDATED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE LIBRARY.
AND, AND WE HAVE A, A WONDERFUL WEBSITE THAT'S ON, THAT'S HOOKED TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY WEBSITE.
AND OUR, OUR, UH, WEBMASTER IS, IS A WIZARD AT KEEPING EVERYBODY INFORMED.
WE'RE ALSO ON FACEBOOK, AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE, ESPECIALLY IN THE BOOKSTORE, BUT ALSO IN THE LIBRARY, UH, SHE'S VERY GOOD ABOUT KEEPING EVERYONE UP TO DATE ON THERE.
THERE, FOR INSTANCE, THE, THE SALES THAT ARE COMING UP, UM, NEXT WEEK, I COULD GIVE YOU A PREVIEW.
EVERYTHING IN THE SHOP IS GOING TO BE BUY ONE, GET ONE.
SO IF YOU'RE STOCKING UP BOOKS, UH, OR CDS OR VIDEOS OR PUZZLES, BECAUSE WE ALSO SELL PUZZLES, UM, IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO COME.
SO I TALK ABOUT, TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM, SELL BACK YOUR BOOKS, SELL BACK YOUR BOOKS, IS A PROGRAM THAT STARTED WITH A COUPLE OF COLLEGE KIDS WHO WERE BUYING BACK COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS, AND IT'S A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS.
AND THEY WILL BUY BOOKS THAT YOU DOWNLOAD THEIR APP, AND THERE'S A SCANNER.
AND WE'RE SELECTIVE ABOUT WHAT WE'LL SELL THEM, BECAUSE SOME THINGS THEY ONLY OFFER YOU A NICKEL FOR.
AND IF IT'S SOMETHING WE KNOW, WE WON'T SELL IT.
BUT, UH, WE GET A LOT OF DUPLICATE BOOKS.
PEOPLE, WHEN, WHEN A BOOK IS POPULAR, WE'LL GET MULTIPLE COPIES.
AND SO WE USUALLY HAVE COPIES THAT WE CAN SEND BACK.
UM, I DID AN ORDER THIS MORNING FOR $50.
SO, UM, AND I, I STUMBLED UPON A COUPLE OF BOOKS ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
ONE WAS, IT WAS ONE THAT WE WEREN'T TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO KEEP BECAUSE IT WAS SO BIG.
UM, SO PEOPLE BRING THEIR BOOKS IN AS A DONATION.
AND THEN YOU TRY TO MONETIZE IT RIGHT.
BY SELLING IT TO SELL BACK YOUR BOOKS THE BEST WAY WE CAN, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND WITH THE EBAY STORE TOO, BECAUSE WE GET A LOT, WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE SOMETHING ON EBAY NOW, I BELIEVE, FOR $2,000.
SO WE DO GET RARE BOOKS DONATED.
ALSO, THEY, THEY'RE NOT AN EASY SELL, BUT ONCE IF WE CAN GET THE MONEY, WE SOLD A, UM, SIGNED CHILE FOR 750, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON THERE NOW FOR EIGHT.
SO, UM, THESE ARE BOOKS THAT HE'S, THAT DALE CHILE SIGNED.
WELL, I HOPE YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US ON ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE ELSE? WELL, THANK YOU, LINDA.
AND DO THANK, DO CONSIDER, IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS, I'M SURE YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LIBRARIES, DO CONSIDER JOINING THE FRIENDS.
UM, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES I MOVE TO ACCEPT? ALL RIGHT.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE HAD ANY CORRESPONDENCE.
UM, WE HAVE HAVE A COUPLE APPLICATIONS, UH, FOR DISTRICT SIX FOR TRUSTEES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO WE WON'T GET INTO THAT TODAY.
UM, UH, LIBRARY DIRECTOR'S REPORT, PERSONNEL UPDATE.
UM, THIS TIME LAST YEAR, I CAME TO YOU REPORTING THAT WE HAD 13 VACANCIES, AND TODAY I HAVE FIVE.
SO WE'RE STARTING OFF THIS YEAR WITH FIVE OFFICIAL VACANCIES ON THE BOOK, BUT TWO OF THOSE ARE ALREADY IN PROCESS.
SO A CANDIDATE HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR THOSE, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING TO WELCOME THEM AS AN, AS AN EMPLOYEE.
SO IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE, THE ONES WE HOPE TO, UH, WELCOME AS EMPLOYEES, UM, WE REALLY ONLY HAVE THREE VACANCIES THAT WE'RE SEEKING.
SO A DIFFERENT STUDY YEAR MAKES.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE, UM, ALL OF YOUR HELP IN TRYING TO, TRYING TO HELP, UM, HELP US FIND QUALIFIED CANDIDATES IN SUPPORTING US IN OUR PERSONNEL BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES.
SO THAT IS GOOD NEWS FOR US AS WE START 2023.
UM, I WANT TO DO NEXT, THE PROJECT'S UPDATE.
AND SO I'M GONNA REALLY, UH, KIND OF FORECAST FOR YOU VERY QUICKLY A COUPLE OF BIG THINGS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON FOR 2023 SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.
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SOUTH CAROLINA LENS, WHICH ARE FAMILIAR, IS A CONSORTIUM, A STATEWIDE CONSORTIUM THAT WE'RE A PART OF, WHICH MEANS WE SHARE BOOKS, BACK AND FORTH, BOOKS, DVDS, ALL PHYSICAL ITEMS WE SHARE BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE STATE.THAT ALSO MEANS THAT WE SHARE A COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE LIBRARY LINGO THAT'S CALLED AN I LS OR AN INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IT AS, UH, THE LOGO, EVERGREEN OR EQUINOX.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THOSE NAMES.
SO SOUTH CAROLINA LENS AS A CONSORTIUM, WE NEED A SOFTWARE THAT HELPS US AND CUSTOMERS, CARD HOLDERS PICK OUT THE BOOKS THAT THEY WANT AND YOU CAN SEE THEM ONLINE ALL ACROSS THE STATE AND REQUEST THEM AND HAVE IT DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME LOCATION.
ALL OF THAT IS AUTOMATED BY THAT INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM, COMMONLY KNOWN AS EVERGREEN.
AND THE VENDOR THAT WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES WITH IT IS CALLED EQUINOX.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION THAT'S ACTUALLY FROM MY SON-IN-LAW, AARON THOMPSON, WHO IS A HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
HE CALLED THE OTHER DAY AND SAID, I STARTED GETTING EMAILS FROM THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY, UH, ABOUT BOOKS AND, YOU KNOW, BEING AVAILABLE OR WHATEVER.
AND HE ASKED ME IF I WOULD ASK SOMEBODY THAT'S YOU.
UH, HOW DID THEY GET HIS EMAIL ADDRESS? OR IS IT, MAYBE IT'S HIS SCHOOL? IF, IF ALL CARD HOLDERS, WHEN THEY GET A BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY CARD THEY PUT IN AS A PART OF THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, THEY PROVIDE TO US THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS.
SO, UM, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, SOUTH CAROLINA LENS ANNOUNCED AS A CONSORTIUM THAT THEY HAVE DECIDED TO CHANGE THEIR ILS SYSTEM TO NO LONGER USE EVERGREEN, UH, AND TO MOVE TO A NEW PLATFORM, WHICH IS CALLED CERSI DEX.
SO, CERSI DEX IS A, A WELL KNOWN, UM, I L S PROVIDER IN THE LIBRARY WORLD.
UM, EVERGREEN IS AS WELL, MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF.
UM, AS A, AS A CONSORTIUM, SOUTH CAROLINA LENS HAS DECIDED TO MERGE TO THE NEW PLATFORM.
AND SO THAT MEANS THAT EVERY ITEM RECORD EVERYTHING BEHIND THE SCENES.
ALL OF THAT DATA HAS TO MIGRATE FROM ONE VENDOR TO ANOTHER TIMES 20 PLUS LIBRARIES ACROSS THE STATE IN SIX MONTHS.
SO THE NET OF IT IS, AND WHAT I WANT TO INFORM YOU WITH TODAY IS THAT BEAUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY WILL JOIN SOUTH CAROLINA LENS, UM, IN MIGRATING ALL THAT DATA AND LEARNING A NEW SOFTWARE SYSTEM AND HELPING OUR CUSTOMERS ADJUST TO A NEW SOFTWARE SYSTEM BETWEEN NOW AND SOME POINT WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE DETAILS THAN THAT.
THE CONTRACT IS REALLY STILL IN THAT LAST FINAL FINALIZATION PIECE.
I'VE BEEN INFORMED, UH, BY SC LENS THAT A PROJECT MANAGER IS NOW BEING ASSIGNED.
SO I'LL HAVE A MORE REALISTIC TIMELINE IN THE, IN THE MEETINGS TO COME.
SO AT THIS POINT, OUR STAFF HAVE ABSORBED THE NEWS THAT WE'RE CHANGING AND THEY'RE WRAPPING THEIR HEADS AROUND CHANGE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, PREPARE, UM, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR THIS TRANSITION, BUT WE STAND TO GAIN A GOOD PRODUCT.
UH, IT MAY HAVE SOME DIFFERENT FEATURES, UH, SUCH AS A MOBILE APP OR OTHER TYPES OF THINGS THAT WOULD, WOULD ENHANCE ULTIMATELY THE, THE BORROWER'S EXPERIENCE.
AMANDA, DO THEY HAVE TO MIGRATE ALL 20 OVER THE DATA FROM ALL 20 SITES OVER BEFORE IT GOES LIVE FOR ANYONE? I DON'T KNOW.
IT COULD BE THAT, UM, DIFFERENT, UH, IT COULD BE THAT THEY CREATE A, A TIMELINE WHERE SEVERAL OF US MIGRATE IN ONE PORTION AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PHASE.
WHEN IS THAT GOING TO START? OR WHEN, WHEN ARE YOU LOOKING AT, LOOK AT STARTING THE CHANGE OR, WE'LL FOLLOW THE SOUTH CAROLINA LENS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, OF WHICH I'M A PART.
SO WE'LL WORK AS A, A TEAM OF 20 LIBRARY DIRECTORS TO COORDINATE WITH CERSI DEX ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO MIGRATE ALL OF THAT.
UM, SO I DON'T YET KNOW WHERE BEAUFORT COUNTY WILL FALL.
WE WERE ONE, WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA LENS LIBRARIES.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL FALL IN RANK LIKE THAT IN, IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZING WHICH LIBRARIES GO FIRST OR IF WE EVEN GET A SAY, I DON'T KNOW MM-HMM.
UM, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT OUR, OUR CONTRACT WITH EVERGREEN ENDS IN SIX MONTHS.
SO WE WILL HAVE TO BE TRANSITIONED.
QUESTION AT SOME POINT, WILL LIBRARY PATIENTS HAVE PATRONS HAVE A NEW INTERFACE THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO GET CUSTOMER AS SOON AS WE ARE TRANSITIONED? WILL THAT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL FEATURES? WE'RE HOPING WE DON'T.
I DON'T YET KNOW ALL THAT IS ALL THAT IS A PART OF OUR CONTRACT.
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OUT OF THE SUITE OF FEATURES THAT THEY OFFER, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE PIQUED MY INTEREST AND THAT I THINK WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO OUR BORROWERS.THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT'S AHEAD OF US IN 2023.
UM, SECONDLY, IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU, WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT WITH THE EVERGREEN PRODUCT THAT WE'RE USING, OUR ILS, I INFORMED YOU LAST WEEK OF A, AN EMERGENCY MEASURE THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE AS WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT OUR EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS WERE NOT GOING OUT TO CUSTOMERS.
SO, UM, PEOPLE WERE NOT RECEIVING, UH, EMAILS THAT TOLD THEM THAT THEIR ITEM WAS OVERDUE OR ABOUT TO BE DUE OR THAT THEIR ITEM THAT THEY HAD REQUESTED WAS AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP.
SO OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE HOW PROBLEMATIC
UM, CUZ THE, THE CARD HOLDER DOESN'T KNOW THAT THEIR ITEM IS AVAILABLE OR THAT THEIR ITEM IS DUE.
UM, AND STAFF ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
AND SO AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE, WHILE THE VENDORS ARE WORKING OUT THE TECHNICAL ISSUE THAT IS CAUSING THE DISRUPTION OF EMAILS, I, I ASKED FOR YOUR BLESSING TO, UM, INSTITUTE FINE FREE CHECK-IN.
SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ARE IN AN AMNESTY PERIOD OR THAT WE ARE SU SUSPENDED FINES, BUT WHEN ITEMS ARE CHECKED IN, THEY'RE CHECKED IN WITHOUT AC ACCRUING ANY FINES.
MAY I HAVE YOUR PERMISSION TO CONTINUE WITH THAT UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED COMPLETELY? YES.
SO AMANDA, SO PEOPLE'S BOOKS ARE COMING IN THAT THEY ORDERED AND THEY'RE STACKING UP OR YOU'RE CALLING, SO WE'VE BEEN CALLING THEM.
SO IT'S AN INCREASE IN STAFF, UM, RESPONSIBILITY, BUT IT'S A NECESSARY SERVICE AND STAFF UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT, UM, BOTH OF THE, THE PARTIES INVOLVED MAKING SURE THAT THE DATA IS GETTING WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO IN ORDER FOR THE NOTICES TO BE SENT, UM, SEEM TO HAVE IMPROVED THE SITUATION I'VE BEEN RECEIVING HOLD PICKUP NOTIFICATIONS AS OF THIS WEEK.
BUT I JUST WANT TO HAVE YOUR BLESSING TO CONTINUE WITH THE FINE FREE CHECK-IN UNTIL WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT IT'S RESOLVED WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUE.
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WE HAVE SOME, SOME GREAT PROGRAMS AHEAD.
UM, AS IS CUSTOMARY, OUR LIBRARIES WILL BE HOSTING THE FREE TAX ASSISTANCE, UM, AND IT WILL BE AT EACH OF OUR LIBRARY BRANCHES.
UM, IN YOUR PACKET IN THE LEFT HAND SIDE, I'VE GIVEN YOU THE INFORMATION FOR BOTH VIDA AND A A R P.
SO VIDA WILL BE RETURNING TO THE BUFORT, BLUFFTON ST.
HELENA AND LOCO LIBRARIES IN A A R P IS RETURNING TO THE BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD LIBRARIES TO PROVIDE, UH, FREE TAX PREPARATION FOR RESIDENTS.
WE'RE, WE'RE SO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT TRADITION OF HOSTING THIS MUCH NEEDED SERVICE.
AND THEN LAST YEAR, UM, IN 2022, WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE OUR FIRST STORY WALK OPEN IN FRONT OF THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY.
SO I'M PLEASED TO REPORT TO YOU TODAY THAT ALL OF THE STORIES FOR THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN SELECTED.
AND OUR TEAM IS WORKING TO DESIGN THE ACTUAL, UM, STATIONS.
SO THE ACTUAL PIECES THAT MAKE UP THE STORY WALK AND THE FRIENDS OF THE BEAUFORT LIBRARY STILL VERY MUCH ACTIVELY PURSUING INSTALLING STORY WALKS ALONG THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL AND, UH, THE NAVAL HERITAGE SKATE PARK IN PORT ROYAL.
AND, UM, ALSO STAFF ARE AHEAD OF PLANNING FOR SUMMER READING.
SO WE ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE USUALLY THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WE'RE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT IT.
BUT STAFF HAVE, UM, ALREADY PRETTY MUCH PLANNED THE WHOLE THING IN TERMS OF THE GAME AND, AND HOW WE WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO KEEP READING ALL SUMMER.
UM, WE WILL AGAIN, UH, BRING THE COMMUNITY BOOKMARK CHALLENGE FOR PEOPLE TO DESIGN, UM, WHAT THEY THINK WOULD BE A GREAT SUMMER READING BOOKMARK.
WE SHOULD SEE THAT LAUNCH IN MARCH, SO I SHOULD HAVE SOME NEWS FOR YOU IN OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, SUMMER READING ITSELF TAKES PLACE BETWEEN JUNE AND JULY, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT HOW THAT WILL SHAPE UP.
AND THEN LASTLY, IN THE LEFT HAND PORTION OF YOUR FOLDER IS, UH, THE FLYER FOR OUR ARTIST IN RESIDENCE.
FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY IS ABLE TO HOST AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE.
UM, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF BERET COUNTY AGREED TO PROVIDE A $1,000 STIPEND FOR THE OFF, UH, FOR THE ARTIST.
UM, A COMMITTEE OF WHICH LYNN WAS INVOLVED IN, UM, REVIEWED THE APPLICANTS FOR ARTISTS AND RESIDENCE THAT WE RECEIVED.
AND ELIZABETH MELLON, THE, UH, OWNER AND EDITOR OF PINK MAGAZINE, WAS SELECTED TO BE THE VERY FIRST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE.
AS A PART OF HER RESIDENCY, SHE WILL PROVIDE FOUR CREATIVE WRITING
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WORKSHOPS, UM, AND THEY WILL BE OPEN TO THE FIRST 25 PEOPLE THAT CALL TO RESERVE A SPOT.IT'S AT, AT NO CHARGE TO THE PERSON TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE WORKSHOPS, SHE'S ALSO GOING TO BE OFFERING OFFICE HOURS OR STUDIO HOURS TO ASSIST PEOPLE ONE-ON-ONE ON SPECIFIC DAYS AS OUTLINED ON THE FLYER.
SO WE'RE PLEASED, UM, TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS AND THANKFUL TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION PRO FOR PROVIDING THE FUNDING FOR THIS PILOT SEASON.
WE'RE HOPING THAT IT'S SO SUCCESSFUL WE GET TO BRING IT BACK AGAIN.
AND SHE'S VERY EXCITED TO DO IT.
SHE LOVES WRITING, SHE LOVES TEACHING WRITING, SO I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A, A WIN-WIN.
UM, OUR, UH, CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS JOE BOGA.
ARE YOU READY TO GIVE A REPORT, JOE? YES.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE FINANCE REPORT.
UM, AT THIS, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE SIX MONTHS THROUGH OUR FISCAL YEAR, 50% OF THE WAY THROUGH.
SO WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD HANDLE ON OUR EXPENSES AND WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE REST OF THE, UM, THE REST OF THE PERIOD.
I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE ARE AGAIN, UNDERSPENT AND APPARENTLY WELL FUNDED IN TERMS OF, UM, IMPACT FEES.
SO EVERYONE CAN RELEASE YOUR BREATH.
NOW, I KNOW EVERYONE'S BEEN HOLDING THEIR BREATH WAITING FOR A SUMMARY REPORT.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THINGS IN OUR NORMAL FASHION.
WE'LL TAKE THIS DOCUMENT BY DOCUMENT.
AND IF YOU WOULD, YOU'RE GONNA REFER TO THE SPECIAL FUNDS PAGE THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET HERE.
AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN LEFT HAND SIDE.
NOT A LOT HAS CHANGED IN, IN THIS AREA HERE.
WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS.
WE'VE HAD TWO INSTALLMENTS OF 105,000, WHICH WE'VE RECEIVED YEAR TO DATE.
OUT OF THAT, WE'VE SPENT 76,000, UM, THAT'S YEAR TO DATE.
DURING THIS PERIOD SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, WE SPENT ABOUT A 36,000, UH, 36,000 OF THAT.
NOW THAT LEAVES US WITH A CARRY FORWARD BALANCE OF 134,000.
NOW, AGAIN, JUST REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS MONEY THAT IS DESIGNATED STRICTLY FOR MATERIALS.
AND I'LL REFER TO THIS NUMBER AGAIN WHEN WE GET INTO OUR MATERIALS FORECAST AT THE, AT THE END OF OUR REVIEW, MOVING ONE COLUMN OVER INTO IMPACT FEES.
AND IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE NOW AT 6 MILLION IN TERMS OF IMPACT FEES, WHICH MEANS I CAN HAPPILY RETIRE AS YOUR FINANCE CHAIR DURING THIS PERIOD.
UM, WE HAVE HAD NO EXPENDITURES, AND THE NUMBERS I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT ASKEW FROM FROM WHAT I HAD FROM, FROM WHAT IS ACTUALLY ON YOUR PAGE HERE, BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO THIS DOCUMENT HERE.
BUT ROUGHLY WE RECEIVED A LITTLE OVER 50 52,000 IN IMPACT FEE INCOME DURING THIS PERIOD HERE.
UH, MOST OF IT COMING FROM BLUFFTON, FOLLOWED BY ST.
AGAIN, NO EXPENDITURE DURING THIS PERIOD.
I'D LIKE FOR A MOMENT TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE.
SO HERE WE ARE IN JANUARY OF 23 WITH 6 MILLION IN OUR IMPACT FEE.
SIX YEARS AGO IN JANUARY OF 2017, WE HAD 2.3 MILLION.
SO DURING THIS PERIOD, WE'VE ADDED 3.7 MILLION, AND THAT'S NET AND THAT'S AFTER ALL OF THE EXPENDITURES FOR BLUFFTON RENOVATION AND THE BOOKMOBILES AND SO FORTH.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE ON AN AVERAGE BASIS, LONG-TERM BASIS, WE'RE ADDING ABOUT $600,000 PER YEAR NET.
AND THAT'S AFTER ALL EXPENDITURES THAT, THAT, THAT WE HAVE.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT A PRETTY HEALTHY BALANCE HERE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE OF AGAIN, IS THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN FORWARD OBLIGATIONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND THAT WE HAVE TO SET MONEY FOR.
I GUESS SIDE FOUR, AGAIN, IF NOTHING ELSE, THEN SORT OF HAS A MEMO OF VALUE.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ESCROW ED, NOT ESCROW, BUT ENCUMBERED IF YOU WOULD, FOR PRITCHARD, THE RIVERSIDE, WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL THIS NEW FACILITY HERE.
AND ANOTHER 500,000 FOR DESIGN FEES FOR THAT FACILITY.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT LEFT AND PHASE TWO AT ABOUT 45,000.
AND HILTON HAD A AND E STUDY FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 50,000, AGAIN, IN THESE TOTAL, ABOUT 1.6 MILLION IN TOTAL.
UH, ALSO SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THE, THE, THE NEW PROPOSED PORT WE FACILITY WILL REQUIRE SOME FUNDING HERE.
SO LET'S AGAIN MENTALLY PUT ASIDE ANOTHER 250 QUARTER OF A MILLION FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 1.8, 1.9 MILLION THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED EXPENDITURES FOR LEAVING US A VERY HEALTHY
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OVER 4 MILLION BALANCE IN OUR IMPACT FEE NUMBERS.SO AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS VERY GOOD NEWS AND I, AND I THINK IT GOES FORWARD TO SAYING THAT THE, THE LIBRARY IS WELL FUNDED IN THIS REGARD.
AND THEN LASTLY, LOOKING OVER AT, AT SPECIAL TRUSTS.
AND WE, WE HAVE HAD, SINCE OUR LAST REVIEW OF THIS ANN NET $4 CHANGE.
WE, WE RECEIVED ABOUT $53 IN ENDOWMENT INTEREST, UH, SPENT ABOUT $58 FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY DISTRICT MATERIALS AND RECEIVED A HEFTY $1 BEAUFORT COUNTY COLLECTION DONATION DURING THIS PERIOD.
SO THAT CHANGE WAS ABOUT $4 OR RIF.
REALLY NO CHANGE, NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THIS REGARD AT ALL.
ANY QUESTIONS OR OBSERVATIONS ON THIS DOCUMENT HERE? NO.
LET'S MOVE FORWARD HERE AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BUDGET PAGE, WHICH IS WHAT I HAVE HERE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE 50% THROUGH THE YEAR, WHICH IS, WHICH IS IDENTIFIED AT THE VERY TOP AND EASIEST WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
WE ARE 47% SPENT AND EQUALLY SPENT ON BOTH PERSONNEL SIDE AND ON OPERATING SIDE.
ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS WERE REALLY REVIEWED IN DETAIL DURING THE EARLIER FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT REALLY JUMPS OUT HERE AT ALL.
UM, YOU'LL NOTICE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ABOUT 75% SPENT, BUT THIS IS THE FRONT END OF THE YEAR LOADED EXPENDITURE, NOTHING TO BE CONCERNED, CONCERNED WITH HERE.
SO WE HAVE A RE ABOUT A 3% SURPLUS, UM, UNSPENT FUNDS HERE, TOTALLY A LITTLE OVER 170,000.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT THESE NUMBERS MAY SHRINK A LITTLE BIT AS THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES CLOSE OUT AS WE GO FURTHER INTO THE YEAR HERE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, WE'RE LOOKING AT BEING UNSPENT ABOUT 3%.
ANY QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONS ON THIS DOCUMENT? NO.
AND LASTLY, IN, IN TERMS OF OUR FINANCIAL REVIEW DOCUMENTS, WE HAVE OUR MATERIALS REPORT.
AND, AND AT THIS POINT, WE ARE $195 HUNDRED $95,000 SPENT FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.
UM, MOST OF THE MONEY HERE, 71% WAS SPENT ON HOOPLA.
I'M TOLD THAT REALLY LEASE RENEWAL, LEASE RENEWAL CONTRACT WILL COME UP IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
SO WE'LL SEE THIS PERCENTAGE SHIFTING AND WE'LL SEE REALLY MORE EXPENDITURES FOR LEASE BOOKS, UM, THAN WE HAVE AT THIS POINT, WHICH IS REALLY ZERO.
THE SOURCE OF OUR FUNDS IS REALLY MOSTLY FROM THE COUNTY, 61%, ANOTHER 39% FROM STATE EIGHT.
THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE HERE, STATE EIGHT 76,000, YOU RECOGNIZE THAT AS A NUMBER WE LOOKED AT ON OUR SPECIAL FUNDS PAGE AND COUNTY FUND THE HUNDRED 18, WHICH REALLY BALANCES WITH WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR BUDGET EXPENDITURES HERE.
WHEN I SIT DOWN WITH MY CRYSTAL BALL ON MY SPREADSHEET AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE END OF THE YEAR, THE NUMBERS THAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE IS THAT WE'RE GONNA GET ANOTHER $210,000 FROM STATE A.
WE HAD TWO INSTALLMENTS OF 105 EACH, SO WE'RE GONNA GET ANOTHER 210,000.
WE HAVE A REMAINING COUNTY BUDGET EXPENDITURE FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS OF 147,000, MAYBE SIX, 6,000 FROM THE B A G FUND, 50, 60,000 FROM FRIENDS.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 134,000 IN OUR UNSPENT STATE AID.
SO WHEN WE ADD THAT TOGETHER, WE'RE ABOUT 557,000, WHICH ADDED TO OUR EXISTING EXPENDITURES IS LOOKING AT, LOOKING AT A TOP END NUMBER FOR MATERIALS, ABOUT 753,000 OR THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS SPENT ON MATERIALS, WHICH IS A VERY HEFTY NUMBER INDEED, WHICH MEANS THAT LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND HER STAFF HAVE A LOT OF CHECK WRITING TO DO WITH REMAINING SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS DOCUMENT HERE? OKAY, SO LASTLY, I'D LIKE YOU TO REFER TO ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET, AND THAT'S HERE, PHYSICAL VERSUS DIGITAL.
AND I WANNA TALK ABOUT, UH, THIS FOR A SECOND.
UM, AND LET, LET ME REFRESH EVERYONE'S MEMORY AND THAT AT THE, DURING OUR MATERIALS DISCUSSION IN OUR LAST MEETING, WE ENDED UP REALLY FOCUSING ON HOOPLA AND DIGITAL SPEND BECAUSE REALLY THE, THE, THE, THE KEY TOPIC HERE WAS THAT HOOPLA COMPOSED SO MUCH OF OUR YEAR TO DATES SPEND
[00:30:01]
THEN AS IT DOES NOW.AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL MEDIA, AND I THINK ALL OF US WALKED AWAY FROM IT.
I KNOW I MADE THE COMMENT THAT DIGITAL IS INHERENTLY A LESS EXPENSIVE FORM OF MEDIA.
YOU DON'T HAVE A BUILDING AROUND YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT.
SO ON, ON MY OWN INITIATIVE, I DUG A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BECAUSE I, IF THIS IS THE ASSUMPTION, I WANTED AT LEAST TO CLARIFY IT, TO DEFINE IT IN MY MIND, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THIS WAS IN FACT THE CASE.
AND MY CONCLUSIONS ARE A LITTLE BIT AT ODD WITH MY INITIAL INTERPRETATION.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TO WALK EVERYONE THROUGH THIS LITTLE THREE COLUMN EXERCISE THAT I DID HERE.
AND FIRST, LET'S TALK, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT IT COST US TO BUY THIS MEDIA AND TO DO THAT AND TO DO ALL OF THIS ANALYSIS HERE.
I WENT BACK TO OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 DOCUMENTATION, BECAUSE THAT'S INTACT.
IT REPRESENTS THE FULL 12 MONTHS, REPRESENTS THE FULL CYCLE OF BOWING, SPENDING, ACQUIRING.
AND WHAT I DID WAS TO TAKE A LOOK, I PULLED TOGETHER OUR CIRCULATION NUMBERS AND I PULLED TOGETHER OUR SPEND NUMBERS.
SO IN TERMS OF CIRCULATION, I HAD DIGITAL AND, AND, AND, AND PHYSICAL, WHICH IS IDENTIFIED EASILY.
AND THEN I WENT TO OUR SPEND NUMBERS AND ALSO DIGITAL AND MATERIAL AND PHYSICAL.
SO DURING THIS PERIOD, WE CIRCULATED, YOU KNOW, 596,000 PHYSICAL ITEMS, 162 DIGITAL.
SO OUR CIRCULATION WAS REALLY 79% PHYSICAL, 21% DIGITAL.
AND THEN I TOOK A LOOK AT OUR SPEND COLY, AND THAT'S HERE ON THIS DOCUMENT, 3 80, 380 8,000 FOR PHYSICAL, 400,000 FOR DIGITAL.
AND DIVIDING THIS OUT, PURE MATH, PURE EXCEL SPREADSHEET COMES OUT TO 57 CENTS PHYSICAL, 2 46 DIGITAL.
WELL, NOW AS A FURTHER CHECK ON THE VALIDITY OF THE DIGITAL NUMBER, AMANDA WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH OR MEAN ENOUGH, I DON'T KNOW THE, WHICH WAY TO SEND ME AN EARLY COPY OF THE HOOPLA.
AND, AND, AND YOU'LL SEE HERE, THEY HAVE A COLUMN HERE DELIVERING VALUE TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEY IDENTIFY THE MEDIA, THEY IDENTIFIED THE HOOPLA COST, AND THEY IDENTIFIED THE CIRCULAR TITLE.
SO I, AGAIN, WENT TO WORK WITH MY EXCEL SPREADSHEET.
AND THE AVERAGE COST PER HOOPLA DIGITAL ITEM IS $2 AND 4 CENTS, WHICH IS LESS THAN WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
BUT THEN THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS OF DIGITAL MEDIA IN OUR CIRCULATION HERE.
SO WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT THIS IS IN LINE, THIS IS REASONABLE, 204
OKAY? THEN I TOOK IT THE NEXT STEP HERE.
AND I LOOKED AT WHAT IT COSTS US IN TERMS OF OPERATING COSTS TO HANDLE DIGITAL VERSUS MEDIA, VIRTUAL, UH, PHYSICAL.
AND I TOOK OUR LIBRARY BUDGET AND THEN ALLOCATED IT ACCORDINGLY.
BUT AGAIN, CERTAIN ITEMS ARE PURELY PHYSICALLY ORIENTED, OKAY? LIKE HEAT, UTILITIES.
UM, AND I ALSO ADDED IN THE UTILITY COSTS, WHICH WERE PULLED OUT OF THIS YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH, WHICH WE HAD FOR LAST YEAR.
SO AGAIN, I DIVIDED THIS INTO CIRCULATION.
COME UP WITH A NUMBER 5 55 46 PHYSICAL, 4 57 DIGITAL.
NOW, IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS FROM PURELY STAFF ADMINISTRATION POINT OF VIEW, AND STOP RIGHT HERE, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IN TERMS OF COUNTY OPERATIONS.
SO IT'S CLEAR THAT IT COSTS US A WHOLE LOT MORE DIGITALLY THAN PHYSICALLY TO CIRCULATE MATERIALS HERE.
SO I'M TAKING IT A STEP FURTHER ON OWN INITIATIVE.
I ESTIMATED THE INFRASTRUCTURE COST, THE PHYSICAL COST.
HERE WE HAVE 111,000 AND CHANGE SQUARE FEET IN OUR FIVE FACILITIES HERE.
AND I'VE PULLED OUT A COMMERCIAL COST PER SQUARE FOOT THROUGH THAT OUT ADDED TO THAT, A ROUGH COST FOR 30 ACRES, WHICH WE HAVE OUT HERE.
ADDED TO THAT THE CONSTABLE BOOK MOBILE ADDED TO THAT, THE CONSTABLE RENOVATION.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, REALIZE THAT WE HAVE MEETING ROOM SPACE HERE.
SO WHACKED OUT TOOK AWAY 25% FOR MEETING ROOM SPACE.
SO IT COME UP ABOUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS 58 CENTS FOR PHYSICAL, WHICH OF COURSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR DIGITAL HERE.
[00:35:01]
IT COMES OUT AT THE END.LOOKING AT THIS ON AN OVERALL ENTERPRISE COUNTING WIDE BASIS, THAT PHYSICAL IS A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN DIGITAL.
LOGICALLY IT DOESN'T QUITE END THERE BECAUSE THERE'S A RESIDUAL VALUE FOR ALL OF THIS PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF THE ACCOUNTING WERE TO TURN AROUND AND SELL THIS LIBRARY AND ITS ACRE, GET A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY FOR THAT, AN ASSET.
SO THAT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
BUT WHAT IT DOES SAY IS, IS THAT IT'S DANGEROUS TO LOOK AT THINGS SUPERFICIALLY.
AND AGAIN, FOR OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE HERE, IT'S WORTHWHILE TO KNOW THAT YES, YOUR COUNTY BOARD DOES TAKE THINGS THAT DOES CHALLENGE THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND WE DO TAKE A LOOK AT THINGS FURTHER IN FURTHER IN DEPTH.
IT'S NOT REALLY AN AN EVEN PROCESS.
THERE ARE SOME DIGITAL ITEMS THAT ARE REALLY NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE HOME BOUND OR THOSE FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME INTO OUR LOCATIONS AND, AND BORROW THINGS HERE.
AND IT'S ALSO THE CONVENIENCE FACTOR.
AND, AND I THINK ALSO THE, THE KNOWLEDGE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF MATERIALS ARE BETTER DELIVERED DIGITALLY THAN, THAN PHYSICALLY MOVIES AND SUCH.
TITLES, MUSIC COMING THROUGH HOOPLA IS PROBABLY MUCH BETTER THAN DOING IT PHYSICALLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE LOSS OR DAMAGE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MEDIA ITSELF.
SO IT'S MORE OF A, MORE OF A WASH, IF ANYTHING HERE.
BUT I WENT THROUGH THIS EXERCISE HERE.
I WANTED TO SORT OF MODIFY OUR ASSUMPTIONS, THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR AND LAST SESSION, AND TO BRING EVERYONE UP TO DATE ON REALLY THE LATEST ANALYSIS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
THAT'S MORE OF A, MORE OF A WASH HERE.
WE SHOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY ASSUME THAT EVERYTHING DIGITAL IS MUCH CHEAPER.
SO I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH THAT.
AND IF ANYONE REALLY WANTS TO GET INTO THE WEEDS WITH ME ON THIS, I HAVE A HUMONGOUS SPREADSHEET THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU.
ANY QUESTION THERE? FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS,
CAUSE I I, I'M
CAUSE I DO THINK PE PEOPLE DO ASK ME THAT QUESTION.
UM, BUT, BUT THE THING THAT I THINK THAT YOU SAID THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN I TELL 'EM I'M ON THE LIBRARY BOARD SAID, WELL, WHO READS HARDBACK BOOKS ANYMORE? WHO READS PAPERBACK? DOESN'T EVERYBODY DO KENDALL? AND THE THING THAT I THINK THAT WOULD BE SURPRISING TO MAYBE NOT EVERYONE, BUT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, IS THAT WE HAVE SET, WE HAVE ABOUT 75% OF OUR ACQUISITION COSTS GOING TO THE PHYSICAL PURCHASING OF BOOKS AND VIDEOS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND, UM, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED BY THAT.
AND I THINK THAT HELPS TO JUSTIFY YEAH.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL PHYSICAL LOCATION AND THAT WE ADD MORE LIBRARIES MM-HMM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CALL THAT OUT.
AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT I, AND, AND ON YOUR POINT, AND I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE EXACTLY ON TARGET HERE, IS THAT WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR YEAR-TO-DATE SPAN, SAY 70% IS COMING FROM HOOPLA HERE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A, THERE IS A HIGHER PER UNIT COST, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS.
AND, AND, AND THIS IS REALLY AN UPFRONT COST.
BUT AT THE OTHER SIDE HERE, WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT, WE, WE DO ELIMINATE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, A LOT OF ASSOCIATED COSTS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
BUT YEAH, I, THIS IS MY OWN INITIATIVE HERE,
AND SINCE WHILE HE REFERENCED, UM, THE HOOK HOOPLA REPORTS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO LOOK AT THOSE.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERESTING TIDBITS ON THOSE FOUR PAGES.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THEM TO YOU ON THE, ON THE FIRST PAGE WITH THE PIE CHART.
UH, WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING, AND THAT I SEE YEAR TO YEAR WITH OUR HOOPLA, UM, ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH YOU'RE HOLDING, UM, IS THAT OVERWHELMINGLY 68% OF THOSE WHO ARE USING HOOPLA ARE USING IT ON AN APPLE DEVICE,
SO EITHER AN IPHONE OR A, UM, AN IPAD OR A MACBOOK.
BUT THEY'RE USING IT, UM, IN THE IOS SOFTWARE.
AND ONLY THEY'RE USING, ONLY 24% ARE USING IT ON, UM, ANDROID.
SO IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING FACTOID AND ALSO AT THE LEFT HAND PORTION OF THAT SHEET, IT, IT, I JUST THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE MOST POPULAR TIME OF DAY WHEN PEOPLE ARE BORROWING SEEMS TO BE 9:00 PM ON A MONDAY, WHICH IS JUST INTERESTING.
AND THEN ON THE, ON THE BACK SIDE OF THAT, WHAT'S UM, FURTHER INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR FORMAT, UH, FORMAT, SO CIRCULATIONS BY FORMAT, IT'S 40% EBOOK AND 43% AUDIOBOOK.
SO NEARLY THE NEARLY SPLIT ON, UH, USAGE THERE.
AND THEN THAT THE PRICE POINT THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR ON THE, ON THE INSTANT SIDE IS ABOUT TWO TO $3 PER ITEM THAT IS USED.
EACH CARD HOLDER, UH, CAN HAVE A NUMBER OF THOSE
[00:40:01]
AND SO THAT'S IMPORTANT.I ALSO THINK TO, TO SHARE ON THE SECOND PAGE, I, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I GET, A LOT OF THE VERY BACK PAGE, IT SAYS IT HAS NON-ENGLISH, UM, TITLES THERE.
BUT WHAT I WANNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IS ON THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN WHERE IT SAYS TITLES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I OFTEN GET FROM PEOPLE IS, HOW MANY ITEMS ARE IN HOOPLA? WELL NOW, YOU KNOW,
THOSE ARE THE HOTTEST, UM, FORMATS THAT WE HAVE.
YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS FOR THE OTHERS, BUT IF YOU TOTAL IT ALL TOGETHER BETWEEN AUDIOBOOKS, COMICS, MAGAZINES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THE HOOPLA APP ITSELF, OUR CARD HOLDERS HAVE ACCESS TO 1.3 MILLION ITEMS, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.
SO, SO LET'S GO, LET'S GO BACK FOR THIS FOR A SECOND, THAT THE TOP NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE BY CIRCULATION IS SWEDISH ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT.
DOES HE? BUT IT COULD BE ANY, IT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM, UH, LANG, UH, YOU KNOW, ITEMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN THE SWEDISH LANGUAGE OR LEARNING THAT LANGUAGE TOO.
HOOPLA HAS THE LEARNING LANGUAGE ITEMS AS WELL.
AND THEN THE TOP GENRE FORMAT FOR AUDIOBOOK IS MYSTERY, BUT EBOOK IS ROMANCE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU GO WITH THOSE
WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT I HAVE A MEETING WITH OUR HOOPLA REPRESENTATIVE TOMORROW, SO I'LL ASK HIM TO VERIFY.
BUT THIS WAS, THEY RAN THIS REPORT HOT OFF THE PRESS, UH, THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY, SIR.
NOW THIS IS STRICTLY FOR THIS AND ALL THE NUMBERS HERE, STRICTLY BUFORD COUNTY, STRICTLY BUFORD COUNTY, THERE WERE 600 CIRCULATIONS IN SWEDISH, UH, FROM JANUARY 22 TO DECEMBER 22.
SO EXPLAIN THE TOP 10 GENRES BY FORMAT AGAIN.
SO THEY LOOK AT, SO THEY LOOK AT, UM, WHAT WAS CHECKED OUT ON AUDIOBOOK, COMIC EBOOK, MOVIE, MUSIC AND TELEVISION.
AND SO THE TOP CATEGORY FOR AUDIOBOOK WOULD BE MYSTERY.
TOP SECOND CATEGORY FOR AUDIOBOOK WOULD BE ROMANCE.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? JOE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW THAT, THAT SOMEONE IS, I KNOW JOSH IS TOO, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COSTS AND THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
THE PUBLIC KNOWS HOW, HOW MUCH, HOW SERIOUS WE'RE TAKE THIS, IT, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO DIG INTO THESE THINGS.
UH, THE COMMITTEE REPORTS THE FOUNDATION.
UM, THERE, THERE'S NOT, I'LL GIVE THAT REPORT.
THERE'S NOT BEEN A MEETING, UM, EXCEPT FOR THE FASHION SHOW.
THE FASHION SHOW IS THEIR ONLY FUNDRAISER THAT THEY DO.
AND THE FOUNDATION, UM, PROVIDES, UH, THINGS FOR THE, PROVIDES HELP TO THE LIBRARY FOR, UH, MONEY TO THE LIBRARY FOR THINGS THAT THE COUNTY AND THE STATE DON'T PAY FOR, SUCH AS, UM, THE, UH, UH, THE WORD, THE, UM, HELPING THE, HELPING THE LIBRARIANS GO ON AND GET HIGHER DEGREES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT WE CAN, THAT THEY CAN HELP WITH THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY THE STATE OR THE COUNTY.
UM, THEY, THE FASHION SHOW, THEY'RE HAVING A FASHION SHOW AT BELFAIR COUNTRY CLUB ON TUESDAY, MARCH THE 14TH.
THE TICKETS ARE GOING TO BE $50.
AND, UM, WE ALREADY HAVE SIX TABLES OUT OF 10 SOLD OR, OR AT LEAST SPOKEN FOR.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COME TO THIS FASHION SHOW, UM, UH, WE WILL, I'LL THEY'LL BE AT CONTACT NUMBER.
CAN WE, CAN I PUT SOMETHING ON THE, UH, WEBSITE TO CONTACT? MAYBE WE'LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT.
UM, THE NEXT IS, UH, FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
DO YOU PUT BRENDA, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT? OKAY.
THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY YOU PUT MET DECEMBER 8TH, I BELIEVE IT WAS AMANDA AND I BOTH ATTENDED THAT MEETING.
THEY REVIEWED, UM, FROM THE BOOK OF SALE, THEIR MAJOR FUNDRAISERS ARE THE BOOK SALE AND ALSO BOOK SANDWICHED IN FROM THE BOOK OF SALE.
THEY REPORTED THAT THEY HAD ONLY THREE AND A HALF PALLETS OF THINGS TO GO TO THE THRIFT STORE.
SO TO MY, I WOULD THINK THAT MEANS THEY HAD MORE SALES.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE EXACT AMOUNT ON SALES FOR THIS YEAR.
[00:45:01]
REMEMBER THEIR EXACT FIGURE, BUT THEY WERE VERY PLEASED WITH THE, THE, THE SUCCESS THAT THEY HAD THIS YEAR.AND ALSO, THEY'RE DEFINITELY HOT ON THE PLANNING FOR BOOK SANDWICH THEN.
AND, UM, IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THAT, UH, THE BOOK SANDWICH THEN HAS ALREADY PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR AND MEMBERSHIP.
THEY REPORTED THAT SINCE 2020 MEMBERSHIP IS UP DECEMBER, 2022, THEY HAD PAID MEMBERS NUMBERS 270 WITH MEMBERSHIP FEES, UH, TROUBLING 14,000.
UM, BELIEVE THEY'RE TOTAL INCOME, THEY REPORTED THROUGH DECEMBER IN EXCESS OF 40,000.
NEXT MEETING WILL BE TOMORROW.
NOW THEY, AS, AS BRENDA MENTIONED, THE BOOK SANDWICH 10 SERIES IS, UM, ABOUT TO BEGIN.
AND THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THE FULL ROSTER OF THE BOOKS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THEM, UM, IS AVAILABLE ON THE FRIENDS OF BEAUFORT LIBRARY.COM WEBSITE.
AND, UM, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO, TO CHECK THAT OUT.
IT STARTS, THE FIRST LECTURE IS, UH, MONDAY, JANUARY, JANUARY THE 23RD AT NOON AT USC BEAUFORT.
I THINK WE'RE TALKING, ISN'T THERE A WEBSITE NOW? NEW AT REVISED AND BEAUFORT.
UH, FRIENDS OF THE BEAUFORT LIBRARY.COM WILL DIRECT THEM TO THE NEW NEW AND, WHICH IS QUITE LENGTHY.
UM, AMANDA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REPORT ON THE BLUFFTON FRIENDS? YES.
THE BLUFFTON FRIENDS RECENTLY MET LAST THURSDAY, JANUARY THE FIFTH.
AND DURING THAT MEETING, THEY ALSO REPORTED AN INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP.
AND HAVING HAD A SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL MEETING THIS PAST NOVEMBER, THEY ARE ACTIVELY PREPARING TO HOST WHAT THEY HAVE TERMED A MEGA BOOK SALE AND SILENT AUCTION.
THAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE FIRST WEEK, WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY.
SO THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE SECOND THROUGH SATURDAY, FEBRUARY THE FOURTH, YOU CAN STOP BY THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY, MEGA BOOK SALE AND SILENT AUCTION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT A LIBRARY DIRECTOR HAS PROVIDED A SILENT AUCTION ITEM OF ONE HOUR OF GUITAR AND SINGING ENTERTAINMENT.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BIDDING ON THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR COMING TO YOUR NEXT PARTY, FEEL FREE TO JOIN THEIR SILENT AUCTION.
THEY ALSO ARE HAVING, UM, THEY'RE WELCOMING AN AUTHOR.
SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, UNLEASH THE GIRLS.
UM, HER TALK WILL BE HELD ON NATIONAL INVENTOR'S DAY, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY THE 11TH, HER BOOK.
AND SHE IS THE INVENTOR OF THE FEMALE SPORTS BRA.
SO THAT'S HENCE THE TITLE, UNLEASH THE GIRLS, AND SHE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT HER BOOK AND HER EXPERIENCE AS AN INVENTOR.
UM, THE HILTON HEAD, UM, FRIENDS DID NOT MEET IN DECEMBER AND THEY'LL BE MEETING NEXT WEEK.
UH, POLICIES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
ROSA ROSALIE RICHMOND IS NOT HERE.
UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, IS THERE ACTION? I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, LET THE, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR, UM, I BRING BEFORE THE POLICY AND, UH, PROCEDURES COMMITTEE, UM, SEVERAL POLICIES THAT, THAT JUST NEED TO BE REVIEWED.
IT'S, UM, AS JANET HAS POINTED OUT IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, IT'S P IT'S JUST GREAT PROCEDURE AND, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE REVIEWING ON A CALENDAR BASIS THE POLICIES THAT YOU HAVE.
AND IN PREPARING FOR THIS MEETING, UM, THE FIRST POLICY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PROVIDE RECOMMENDED REVISIONS TO, UM, IS THE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY.
ACCORDING TO OUR, UM, THE POLICY ITSELF, THE LAST TIME IT HAD BEEN REVIEWED OR UPDATED IS MARCH OF 2013.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REVIEW IT, SEE IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, UM, TO BRING IT UP TO DATE.
UM, AND IF SO, I'LL BE WORKING WITH THE POLICY AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE TO TALK THROUGH OUR RESEARCH AS STAFF ON WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE IF ANY REVISIONS NEED TO BE MADE, AND THEN BRING IT BACK BEFORE YOU FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
AND THAT COMMITTEE IS, UM, ROSALIE RICHMOND, LYNN MILLER, JANET PORTER, AND TERRY THOMAS.
SO I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU AT SOME POINT IN FEBRUARY TO HAVE A MEETING TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR STAFF RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDED REVISIONS.
THE ROOM POLICY? I DID CHECK, UM, MEETING ROOM POLICY WAS LAST, HOLD ON, WAS LAST REVIEWED IN, UM, JANUARY OF 2022.
SO AS A PRIORITY, I REMEMBER WE SAID AND RE RECENT MEETINGS THAT I, I MAYBE I REMEMBER INCORRECTLY.
UM, UM, BUT, UM, WE HAVE A LOT, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT MEETING
[00:50:01]
ROOM POLICY AND I THOUGHT THE LA THAT THE LAST REPORT WAS THAT THE STAFF WERE WORKING ON, IT WAS GONNA COME FORWARD AND IT WOULD BE A PRIORITY.BUT I MIGHT, MAYBE I MISREMEMBER I DON'T THINK I PROMISED THAT PART, SO I MIGHT, WE MIGHT BE MIS I MIGHT HAVE MISCOMMUNICATED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WAS A, THAT WAS SOMETHING YOU WANTED US TO LOOK AT.
UM, GIVEN COLLECTIONS AND POLICY RELATED TO THAT AND HOW OUTDATED THIS ONE MAY BE.
WE DO FEEL THAT WE, WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE LOOKING AT THE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY AHEAD OF THE MEETING ROOM POLICY.
JUST BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UP TO DATE, BUT WE'LL GET TO THE MOOD ROOM POLICY NEXT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE NEXT, BUT AT SOME POINT IT'S ON OUR RADAR TO, TO LOOK AT.
BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH AC UH, ENOUGH TIME AS A STAFF TO LOOK AT OTHER MINI ROOM POLICIES.
I KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.
I'M JUST NOT SURE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE.
JANET, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON STRATEGIC PLANNING? WELL, ACTUALLY I JUST WOULD LIKE TO LET AMANDA DO A COMMENT JUST TO REMIND THOSE WHO, UM, ARE ON WATCHING US TODAY.
UM, THE STRATEGIC PLAN REALLY GUIDES THE OPERATIONS OF THE HOUSTON COUNTY LIBRARY.
IT'S, IT SERVES AS A ROADMAP FOR WHAT THE BOARD AND THE STAFF, ALL THE STAFF, UH, FOCUS ON.
AND, UM, WE, UH, WERE A LITTLE DISTRACTED BY THIS THING CALLED COVID IN TERMS OF GETTING THE STRATEGIC PLAN DONE.
UM, BUT, UM, I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT AMANDA AND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND STAFF WORKED HARD DURING 2022 AND WE NOW HAVE A 20 23, 20 25, UH, THREE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND, UM, THE, UH, THIS WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, UH, THE LAST, AT THE LAST MEETING.
SO YOU'VE SEEN THIS RECENTLY, BUT AMANDA HAS DONE A VERY ATTRACTIVE DESCRIPTION OF HIS PLAN.
I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY A GOOD DOCUMENT AND, UH, AND A VIDEO IS TO BE DEVELOPED.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO AMANDA WHO LED THE EFFORT.
I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY AT THIS POINT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UM, PUBLIC FACING DOCUMENT THAT WITH YOUR APPROVAL, WE WILL RELEASE.
UM, THIS IS WHAT, UM, OUR MARKETING TEAM HAS TAKEN, UM, TO GRAPHICALLY AND VISUALLY REPRESENT IN THREE PAGES OR LESS, UM, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS MM-HMM.
ONE IS TO PROVIDE LIBRARY VISITORS WITH A FRIENDLY, INFORMED, AND USER FOCUSED EXPERIENCE.
IT'S ALL, THAT'S THE FIRST GOAL IS HAVE PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
SECOND OF ALL IS AROUND COLLECTIONS.
AND WE WANNA OFFER A WIDE VARIETY OF COLLECTIONS IN A CONTEMPORARY FORMAT.
SO STAY REALLY CONTEMPORARY IN TERMS OF WHAT WE OFFER.
THAT GOES BACK TO THE DIGITAL DISCUSSION.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS SPACE AND THAT WE WANNA CREATE WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE LIBRARY SPACES.
AND THE FOURTH, UH, FOCUS IS ON STRATEGIC, IS ON COMMUNICATION.
AND WE WANNA DELIVER TIMELY, RELEVANT COMMUNICATION BOTH INTERNALLY AND EDU AND EXTERNALLY.
AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT JUST COMMUNICATION IN TERMS OF EMAILS, THAT'S, UM, COMMUNICATION TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THINGS LIKE TAX ASSISTANCE AND, AND PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'RE GIVING AND HEART HEALTH AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING TO MAKE THIS A BETTER COMMUNITY TO LIVE IN.
SO, UM, I, I, I THINK, UH, I THINK THAT SUMMARIZES KIND OF THE, WHAT WE'RE ALL GONNA BE FOCUSED ON AS A BOARD, THOSE FOUR OBJECTIVES OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
DO YOU NEED, UM, A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE DESIGN AS PRINTED OR, OR AS PRESENTED? OR DO YOU, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE BASED ON THE PREVIOUS MOTION WHERE YOU ACCEPTED THE, THE LANGUAGE? IS THIS GOING TO BE IN THE LIBRARY OR HOW, WHAT ARE WE, SO IT'LL BE ON OUR WEBSITE AND IT WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE IF PEOPLE WANTED IT.
CAN I, UH, WE CAN DO A MOTION.
UM, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO, CAN I MAKE ONE ADDITION? SURE.
UM, WHEN WILL THE VIDEO BE DONE, AMANDA? I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC TIME.
SO BEFORE THIS GETS PUBLISHED, AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS WILL ALSO BE THE LINK TO THE VIDEO.
SO WHICH WILL BE, WHICH IS GONNA BE ABOUT THREE MINUTES.
IS THAT IT, AMANDA, YOU THINK? I THINK IT'S THREE MINUTES OR LESS.
SO WE HAVE IT, WE HAVE THIS ONCE, WE'LL PUBLISH THIS ONCE WE GET THE LINK TO THE VIDEO UP, AND THEN THIS AND THE VIDEO WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE ON THE WEB.
SO IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS? THIS, UH, OKAY.
UM, AND A SECOND, A SECOND TO, OKAY.
[00:55:01]
THANK YOU.UM, SO THIS IS TO APPROVE THAT WE USE, UM, THIS, THESE FLYERS.
UM, AND, AND THAT WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE WEBSITE.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO, I THINK THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE VIDEO, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE VIDEO YET.
DO YOU WANT, SHOULD WE WAIT TO SEE THE VIDEO? WHAT DO YOU THINK? I DON'T THINK SO.
I MEAN, I THINK THE VIDEOS, WE'VE APPROVED THE CONTENT.
UNLESS, UNLESS WE WANNA BECOME MUSIC CRITIQUES AND, AND CRITICS AND CRITIQUE THE MUSIC OR SOMETHING.
NO CRITICISM OF THE ACTORS IN IT.
SAID, NO CRITICISM OF THE ACTORS.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AGAINST NO LYNN SAYING THAT BECAUSE SHE'S ONE OF THE ACTORS IN THIS.
AND WE HAD A FUN TIME VIDEOING IT BECAUSE WE HAD TO VIDEO IT A COUPLE TIMES CUZ LYNN COULDN'T REMEMBER HER LOT SLIDES.
SO AMANDA, LYNN AND I HAD FUN WITH, WE DID LITTLE BRIEFLY OF CLIPS, JUST ONE
DO YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING, BERNIE? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE A LITTLE BIT.
AT OUR MEETING BACK IN, UH, NOVEMBER, WE THOUGHT THAT THE PROCESS MIGHT TAKE A LARGER STEP FORWARD WITH THE, UH, PRESENTATION OF THE, IN CONSIDERATION OF THE AREA FOR PRI BILL AND OKEE.
UH, THAT IS STILL MOVING ALONG.
IT'S GETTING A LOT OF HELP, I THINK FROM, UH, ALICE HOWARD, MEMBER OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND CHARLES ATKINSON, THE, UH, COUNTY GOVERNMENT HEAD OF PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS.
UH, I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME GENERAL FEELING OF APPROVAL FOR IT.
UH, AND, UH, THEN ALSO WE HAVE THE, THE ISSUE, UH, OF THE PORT ROYAL RENOVATION COUNTY PLAN.
UH, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, WE HAD AN OFFER, I THINK SPEARHEADED BY MR. ATKINSON TO TAKE OVER A VACANT COUNTY BUILDING ON, UH, THE MAIN STREET OVER THROUGH FORT LORA, PARIS AVENUE.
I THINK IT'S, AND, UH, IN A RE IN A RECENT MEETING OVER THE PHONE WITH AMANDA, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE AHEAD IS GETTING GENERAL APPROVAL, BUT BEFORE ANYTHING CAN BE DONE, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL TO THE PUBLIC, UH, FOR ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COSTS AND SO FORTH.
SO RIGHT NOW, I THINK ACCORDING TO WHAT JOE BOGA SAID IN HIS TREASURER'S REPORT, WE HAVE PLENTY OF IMPACT FEES THAT CAN BE USED FOR THIS.
I THINK JOE SAID WE HAD A LITTLE OVER 6 MILLION.
SO IF I MISQUOTED YOU TELLING ME
REMEMBER THAT'S THAT, THAT THAT 6 MILLION ALLOCATED INTO RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS AND PORT ROYAL, I THINK WE HAVE PLENTY 700 MONEY THERE.
THERE'S PLENTY OF MONEY IN THE PORT ROYAL PORTION OF THAT DISTRICT.
SO ANY EVENT, UH, IT'S SLOWLY MOVING ALONG, BOTH AS TO VILLE.
AND AS TO THE LIBRARY PROPOSAL FOR PORT ROYAL, I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
UH, I, I RUN INTO A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM PORT YMCA, WHICH I'M A DEDICATED WORKOUT FEE, MAYBE NOT QUITE THAT.
WELL, I SEE THE POPULA, I WAS LOOKING AT THE POPULATION.
I GUESS THE, THE POPULATION THERE HAS GROWN.
SO IT'S, UH, UH, MORE THAN, UH, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT NOW.
IT REALLY PROBABLY PROBABLY NEEDS THE LIBRARY.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE FOUND A FACILITY.
AMANDA, DO YOU HAVE SOME UPDATES FOR THAT? SURE.
SO, UM, PORT ROYAL, UM, I'VE, UH, I'VE TALKED WITH CHUCK EARLIER THIS WEEK.
HE APOLOGIZES FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO, TO BE HERE TO SHARE WITH, SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU.
BUT, UM, THE COUNTY IS WORKING TO REALLY FINALIZE THE CONTRACT WITH MCMILLAN PSON AND SMITH, YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT NAME FROM THE BLUFFTON RENOVATION.
THEY ARE, UM, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND SOUGHT AFTER LIBRARY ARCHITECT FIRM.
UM, AND WE'RE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM ON THIS, UM, DESIGN.
AND SO AS SOON AS THAT CONTRACT IS FINALIZED BETWEEN COUNTY CAPITAL PROJECT STAFF IN
[01:00:01]
MCMILLAN, PASAN AND SMITH WILL BEGIN A CONVERSATIONS IN ACTUAL DESIGNING OF THE INTERIOR OF THAT BUILDING TO SEE HOW WE CAN UPFIT IT FOR LIBRARY SERVICE AND THEN ULTIMATELY WHAT THE COST WOULD BE.SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO KNOW YOU, UH, TABS HERE TODAY AND SHE ASKED TO KINDA SHARE FROM A RECENT, UH, FIELD TRIP THAT COUN COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE, UH, INVITED TO TAKE TO LOOK AT THE EVERGREEN PROPERTY, UH, HERE RIGHT BESIDE N H C AND ACROSS FROM SUN CITY GATE, UM, AS WELL AS CAMP ST.
MARY'S AND A FEW OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE A PART OF, UM, A PROPOSAL THAT IS BEFORE THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS LATER COUNTY COUNCIL.
IF YOU, JUST BEFORE SHE BEGINS, JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MIND OF HOW THAT RELATES TO THE LIBRARY.
IS THAT IN THE EVERGREEN PROPERTY ALONG ONE 70? UM, LOCATED RIGHT BESIDE THE N H C UH FACILITY AND ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BACK ENTRANCE OF, OR THE SIDE ENTRANCE OF SUN CITY, UM, THERE'S A PROPERTY THAT THE COUNTY OWNS.
IT IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS A PART OF THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS INVENTORY.
A PORTION OF THAT THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE DRIVEN BY, UH, THE PROPOSAL IS THAT A PORTION OF THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED FOR A LIBRARY SITE.
AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, UH, THE PROPERTY WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED FROM RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS INVENTORY.
AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, ANOTHER PROPERTY WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED SO THAT THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS INVENTORY DOES NOT, UM, GO BELOW A, A THRESHOLD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? YEAH, WE HAVE A FIELD TRIP, WHICH JUST REMINDS YOU OF MY DAYS AS A PRINCIPAL.
UM, DO SO I'M JUST GONNA, I JUST T DREW THIS LITTLE SCHEMATIC CUZ CHUCK'S NOT HERE WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL PICTURE.
IF YOU GO ON ONE 70 PASS NHC, YOU, YOU SAW WHERE THEY BUILT A NEW RETENTION POND.
I CALL IT A LAGOON, CALL IT WHATEVER YOU LIKE.
WHEN YOU DRIVE IN THERE, IT'S ALL MUD.
RIGHT NOW YOU'LL SEE THE RETENTION PONDS.
THIS WAY THE LIBRARY, THE PROPOSED PERFECT LIBRARY WOULD BE UP AND SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT.
YEAH, YOU GOTTA GO PAST NHC, RIGHT? AND YOU'LL SEE WHERE THE RETENTION POND ENTRANCE IS.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE GOING NORTH ON ONE SEVEN TERRIBLE DIRECTIONS, BUT TAKE, GO PAST TOWARD 2 78.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE RETENTION POND ENTRANCE AND WHEN YOU GO IN, IT'S OVER HERE.
AND THEN WHAT WE'RE THEY'RE PROPOSING IS THE LIBRARY WILL BE SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT.
SO AS AMANDA SAID, THIS IS ALL THE EVERGREEN TRACK IS CRITICAL AND A CRITICAL LAMP.
SO THE PROPOSED SWAP IS CAMP ST.
MARY PUT THAT IN CRITICAL LANDS.
AND IF YOU COULD PICTURE THIS WHERE BLUFFTON EAGLES BASE, UH, FIELD IS, YOU KNOW WHERE THAT ALL IS.
UM, BUCK WALTER AT BUCK ISLAND ROAD, I GUESS.
THERE'S A FIELD THAT'S OWNED BY A NONPROFIT, BUT BEHIND THAT THE COUNTY OWNS.
IT'S A LOT OF WETLANDS, A LOT OF TREES.
AND ACROSS STREET THE SWAP WOULD BE TAKE THIS OUT OF CRITICAL LANDS AND PUT THAT IN CAMP ST.
MARY'S IN THE ISSUE COMES AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE FROM SUN CITY AND OTHER IN MY DISTRICT.
PEOPLE DON'T LIKE YOU TOUCHING CRITICAL RURAL LANDS.
IT WAS PURCHASED BY MONEY, FUNDED BY THE TAXPAYERS.
IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A CRITICAL LAND FOR THE REASONS WHY.
BUT I'M ALSO TOLD THEY'VE DONE ONE SWAP IN THE PAST.
SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY, THAT COUNCIL ROUTINELY DOES.
SO THIS IS UP FOR THE DISCUSSION OF THE SWAP IF IT'S APPROVED BY NOW.
WE'RE OWN CRITICAL LANDS MEETING.
SO I AM GONNA GO TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE THEY REALLY, REALLY EXPLAINED TO US ON THE FIELD TRIP WHY THIS IS A CONCERN TO SOME PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, THEY PUT THE LA LOLLY, IS THAT WHAT THAT ONE PLANT IS? THEY DO THE PLANTS AND SO ON.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A, A LOVE TO PUT THE LIBRARY HERE.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE IF THEY, IF WE'RE GONNA SEE IF THAT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS IT TO COUNCIL AND THEN COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO VOTE.
IF SO, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT SITE FOR THE NEW LIBRARY.
EASILY ACCESSIBLE OFF ONE 70, VERY VISIBLE.
AND THE, I THINK ONE OF THE CATCHES IS THIS WOULD BE THE LIBRARY DOWN HERE.
THEY PROPOSED THREE ATHLETIC FIELDS.
BECAUSE THIS COULD BE A PASSIVE PARK UP HERE.
THEY'RE CONNECT TO THESE OTHER PLACES.
BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE TAKING LAND THAT'S IDENTIFIED AND PURCHASED WITH TAXPAYER MONEY AS CRITICAL LAND HERE'RE TAKING IT OUT AND SWAPPING
[01:05:01]
IT WITH THE CAMP ST.SO TAB, COULD YOU DESCRIBE, AND I DON'T HAVE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT COULD YOU DESCRIBE HOW THE COUNTY, WHAT, WHAT CRITERIA YOU THE COUNTY USES TO DECIDE SOMETHING IS A CRITICAL IS CRITICAL LANDS.
WHAT, HOW DOES THAT WORK? I MEAN, YEAH, THEY HAVE CRITERIA, BUT THEY DO HAVE A COMMISSION, RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS COMMITTEE, COMMITTEE, COMMISSION.
I GIVE 'EM BACKWARDS AND THEY IDENTIFY THESE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES AND THEY EXPLAIN TO US ON THE FIELD TRIP WHY THIS PROPERTY IS A CRITICAL LAND.
SO IT HAS TO DO WITH PRESERVING, UM, THE AREA FOR THEY PLANT CERTAIN TREES AND PLANT OTHER THINGS AND PROTECTING THE MAY RIVER AND PROTECTING THE FLOW.
THAT'S WHY THIS RETENTION POND WAS PUT IN FOR STORM WATER.
BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS TO PROTECT ALL OF THIS.
SO SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT AND TOUCHED BECAUSE IT'S IN THAT BANK, THE CRITICAL WORLD.
AND OTHER PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WE COULD MAYBE DO A SWAP, SO WE'RE GONNA HEAR WHAT THE, UM, COMMITTEE SAYS TOMORROW.
THEY'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL.
BUT THIS WOULD BE THE SITE WE LANDED ON.
AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT HAVE ASKED, WELL WHY DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS AT ALL? JUST GO BUY PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE HERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS AN ACRE JUST TO BUY PROPERTY.
AND RIGHT NOW WE OWN THESE PROPERTIES.
SO IT'S KIND OF A, IT'S A, A EBB AND FLOW BECAUSE THIS, THIS GROUP REALLY BELIEVES IN WHAT WE HAVE IN CRITICAL LANDS AND SWAPPING OUT IS SOME ANGST.
AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT REALLY SURE.
THERE'S A A LOT AVAILABLE WHERE WE, WHERE WE REALLY NEED IT.
AND THIS JUST SEEMED LIKE JUST A GREAT, A GREAT PLACE JUST RIGHT WHERE WE RIGHT.
ALL OF THE AREA THAT'S NOT SERVED AND MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO.
CUZ YOU KNOW, YOU NEED LIBRARIES CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE.
REMEMBER THIS CRITICAL RURAL L COMMITTEE ISN'T CONCERNED WITH WHAT'S THE BEST PLACE FOR OUR LIBRARY.
THEY'RE NO, I, I REALIZE THAT.
I REALIZE, BUT I, BUT I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO PUT THIS IN CONTEXT FOR PEOPLE ON WATCHING, WHICH IS THAT, UM, OUR BLUFFTON BRANCH IS BY FAR OUR GRIZZLIES BRANCH BY FAR.
AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SERVE THOSE WEST OF BLUFFTON BETTER.
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN JUST TALKING FOR YEARS ABOUT WHAT ELSE WE COULD DO.
CUZ EVERYBODY WATCHING PROBABLY KNOWS THAT'S RAPID, VERY RAPID POPULATION GROWTH.
RIGHT? AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY BEING PROPOSED TO SERVE THAT AREA BETTER AND TO ALLEVIATE THE INCREDIBLE DEMAND ON THE BLUFF AND BRANCH.
NOW REMEMBER ORIGINALLY WE WERE LOOKING AT A PLACE AT NEW RIVERSIDE.
UM, THIS EVERGREEN TRACK IS IN DISTRICT SEVEN, SO IT'S REALLY, NOW I'M DISTRICT SIX, BUT WE WERE LOOKING AT NEW RIVERSIDE AND I BELIEVE WE EXPLAINED WHEN CHUCK WAS HERE, THE COST OF IT WAS REALLY EXORBITANT AND ALSO IT'S IN AN HOA AND THEY COULDN'T GUARANTEE US PARKING.
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE ALL PROHIBITIVE FACTORS.
IF YOU CAN'T GET TO PARK, THEN WE'RE BACK TO BEAUFORT LIBRARY, RIGHT? YES.
THERE COULD BE ADEQUATE PARKING SPACES, YOU KNOW, PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO SIT OUTSIDE.
BUT AGAIN, IT IS A DESIGNATED LAND.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE, THE BOARD SHOULD DO TO HELP THIS SITUATION ALONG? I, I MEAN, THE ONLY THING YOU COULD ATTEND THE ROONE CRITICAL LANDS COMMITTEE TOMORROW IS AT TWO O'CLOCK AT CRYSTAL LAKE.
I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY MADE IT VERY CLEAR FROM THIS BOARD.
UM, AND THEY'VE HEARD FROM ME BECAUSE I WAS ON THIS BOARD AND THEY ARE FROM ALICE AND CHUCK REALLY BELIEVES THIS IS GOOD.
I MEAN, AND, AND AMANDA, SO THEY GET IT.
THEY UNDERSTAND WHY WE WANT IT.
WE GIVE YOU THE MONEY, YOU BUY THE LAND YOU PRESERVE FOR CRITICAL, NOW YOU WANNA TAKE IT OUT.
SO, BUT THEY'VE ONLY DONE ONE SLAP IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S AN ISSUE OF TRUST.
AND SOMEBODY ELSE STOOD UP AND SAID, ARE YOU GONNA DO THE SAME WITH THE GREEN SPACE TAX? SEE, NOW WE'RE GONNA GENERALIZE.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY TOUGH DECISION.
SO WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY SAY TOMORROW, THEN IT GOES TO COUNCIL.
AND IF IT, AND IF COUNCIL DOES CHOOSE NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT SWAP, THEN WE CONTINUE LOOKING FOR LAND.
BUT, BUT, BUT TAB IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE HEARING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO VALUE THE YES.
CRITICAL LANDS, BUT ARE THEY HEARING VOICES FROM THOSE WHO ARE SAYING, WE NEED A LIBRARY OUT HERE? FRANKLY, WHEN I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE BEFORE, IT WAS SWORN AND I COUNSELED THE ANSWER'S.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I, I ACTUALLY CITED OUR
[01:10:01]
STATISTICS.AMANDA GAVE ME WHY WE ARE, SO WE'RE THE BUSIEST LIBRARY IN BLUFFTON, AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT ALL THE GROWTH IN DISTRICT SIX SEVEN RUNNING RIGHT DOWN ONE 70 AND AROUND BLUFFTON, YOU GET IT.
AND MANY OF THEM ARE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.
LIKE WHEN I WALKED IN HERE, THERE WERE CHILDREN GOING TO THE CHILDREN'S HOUR.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY UNDERSTAND.
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS YOU NEED ANOTHER LIBRARY TO JUST ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, COULD BE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BUT, BUT THE LOUDEST VOICES IN THE ROOM OFTENTIMES PREVAIL.
WELL, AND WE'VE GOT PEOPLE ADVOCATING BASICALLY AGAINST WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND WE HAVEN'T ACTIVATED OR DONE ANYTHING TO GET PEOPLE WHO WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE NEED AND STAND UP FOR THE CHILDREN IN THAT AREA.
I'VE HAD, UM, PETITIONS FROM SUN CITY NOT TO SWAP THE LAND.
REALLY? WELL, PEOPLE, THEY BELIEVE IN THE RURAL CRITICAL LAND PROGRAM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL DO.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST A, A VERY TOUCHY SUBJECT.
AND THE PUBLIC TRUST IS THERE, AND NOW THEY'RE SAYING TIME INTO GREEN SPACE.
SO I HAVE NOT HEARD, I MEAN, IN MY DISTRICT HAVE NOT HEARD EVERYBODY SAY, YEAH, WE REALLY NEED TO SWAP THE LAND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE HEARD, BUT THAT'S NOT A VOICE I'M HEARING.
UM, I'VE HEARD MIXED OPINIONS.
UM, AS A STAFF PERSON, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN ADVOCATE YEAH.
OUR STARTER PETITION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON, ON OUR OWN.
AND I HAVEN'T FELT, UM, ETHICALLY CONVICTED TO DO IT, TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IT.
I DON'T, IT JUST PUTS ME IN AN AWKWARD POSITION.
UM, NO, BUT NO, BUT I THINK THAT'S OUR JOB, AMANDA.
I MEAN, IF THIS, ASSUMING THIS DOESN'T GO THROUGH, GIVEN HOW HARD WE HAVE TO WORK ABOUT WORK ON THIS, I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE, UM, GET MORE CHAMPIONS OF THE LIBRARY WHO ARE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THOSE IN, IN WEST OF BLUFFTON AND THEIR NEED FOR A GOOD LIBRARY CLOSE TO THEM AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CHILDREN IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN.
WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THIS TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND FOUR YEARS FROM NOW AND SIX YEARS FROM NOW.
IF THERE AREN'T PEOPLE STANDING UP FOR GETTING A LIBRARY IN THAT AREA.
AND I SPOKE AT TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS, I THINK WHERE, AND ONE YOU GAVE ME THE STATISTICS SO THEY KNOW WHY WE NEED IT.
THAT'S NOT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.
THE ISSUE IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA PUT IT.
SO I THINK WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO GET ONE.
YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO SHOW UP AT RURAL CRITICAL AND TOMORROW, 2:00 PM CRYSTAL LAKE OR THE COUNCIL MEETING WHEN IT HITS, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY DO TOMORROW, IT MIGHT COME UP ON THE 23RD.
SO I, I'M FOLLOWING IT DEFINITELY SO THAT I CAN INFORM YOU OF WHAT'S HAPPENING MM-HMM.
AND IF THERE'S A CHANCE THAT, THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME INPUT, YOU WOULD LET US KNOW.
SO I RELY ON, I RELY ON, UM, OUR COUNCIL LIAISONS AND CHUCK TO ADVISE ON HOW TO ADVISE YOU BECAUSE I GUESS IF IT COMES TO COUNCIL ON THE 20, 30 JANUARY, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW, YOU CAN FEEL FREE OR OTHER PEOPLE FEEL FREE TO COME AND TALK IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHERE'S THE MEETING BEFORE THEY TAKE? IT'S THE 23RD WOULD BE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
YEAH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS ADMIN BUILDING.
BUT YOU COULD FEEL FREE TO COME, I MEAN, IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
I KNOW YOU WERE READ THE OTHER ONE, BUT YOU HAD TO LEAVE.
ALL RIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH J I'M, I'M GLAD YOU HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE, SEE THE LAND.
SO I HOPE THAT, UH, IT'S VERY, IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT, I'LL MEET YOU ON ONE 70.
WEAR YOUR BOOTS BECAUSE IT RAIN THE DAY BEFORE AND I'M LIKE, EVEN, I MEAN, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT OFF ONE 70.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK.
DO YOU SEE THE RETENTION PLAN? AND JUST LOOK THIS WAY AND IT WOULD BE WHERE THE LIBRARY WELL, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, BUT ONLY IF THEY THINK THERE'S A CHANCE IT'S GONNA BE APPROVED.
WELL THANK YOU YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOU.
UM, WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE HOLIDAY CLOSURES FOR 2023, AUGUST THROUGH DECEMBER.
AND THE QUESTION WAS CHRISTMAS.
OH, UH, THE, THE CLOSINGS OVER CHRISTMAS AND WE WERE CONCERNED THAT IF THEY CLOSED FRIDAY, THAT WE WOULD BE OPEN ON SATURDAY AND THEN WE CLOSED SUNDAY AND MONDAY.
AND, UM, WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, HOW, HOW THE COUNTY WOULD HANDLE THAT.
SO WE TABLED IT AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THE COUNTY WILL NOT BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, SATURDAY.
WILL THEY CLOSED ON SATURDAY? NO.
SO THEY'LL BE CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY AND TUESDAY OVER CHRISTMAS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
[01:15:01]
WE ALSO WILL BE CLOSED.SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
DECEMBER'S NOT THE QUESTION, THE QUESTIONS, THE QUESTION WAS WHAT WOULD THE COUNTY WHAT IN, IN YOUR, IN YOUR NOVEMBER MEETING, UH, THE COUNTY HAD NOT RELEASED THEIR APPROVED HOLIDAY CLOSURES.
AND SO WE WERE ESTIMATING BASED ON PREVIOUS YEARS WHAT THEY MIGHT WOULD DO.
UM, AND SO NOW WE KNOW, AND YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET THE OFFICIAL, UM, CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, UM, PER THE COUNTY, AND THEY ARE NOT, UH, THEY ARE GIVING, UH, EMPLOYEES MONDAY, CHRISTMAS DAY AND TUESDAY THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS AS THE HOLIDAY.
SO THEY, IT DOES NOT, WE DO NOT HAVE TO ADDRESS SATURDAY, THE FRIDAY OR SATURDAY PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS.
SO THE ONLY LIBRARY CLO CLOSURES NOW FOR THE, THAT WERE, THAT YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT MM-HMM.
YEAH, THEY, THEY TOTALLY MATCH.
WE ARE NOW CONGRUENT WITH THE COUNTY.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CLOSING? THANK YOU, BRENDA.
SO IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS CRYSTAL? NO.
SO, UH, OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 8TH AT 4:00 PM AT THE BLUFFTON BRANCH LIBRARY.
AND THEY WILL, THERE WILL BE NO, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO COULD I HAVE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? SO MOVED.
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.
GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST CALL MEETING TO, UH, ORDER.
IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES.
EARLY SETTLERS FROM ENGLAND BROUGHT THE TRADITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO AMERICA.
TODAY MORE THAN 3000 COUNTY GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES THAT AFFECT ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN'S LIFE.
SOUTH CAROLINA'S 46 COUNTIES ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS EVOLVED NATIONALLY.
THE COUNTY UNIT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS A LOCAL EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S LED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PASSING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HOME RULE ACT.
IN 1975, THE HOME RULE ACT GREATLY EXPANDED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND CHANGED THE NATURE OF COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY.
BEAUFORT COUNTY WENT FROM HAVING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO A COUNTY COUNCIL.
MEMBERS OF THE 1975 COUNCIL INCLUDED CHAIRMAN ARTHUR HORN, VICE CHAIRMAN, GRADY THAMES, LEROY BROWN, GARY FORDHAM, WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET KEISLING, DAVID JONES, BILL MCBRIDE, AND BOOKER WASHINGTON.
AS THE NEW COUNCIL SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF, COUNCIL MEMBERS DESIRED AN OFFICIAL SYMBOL THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE JURISDICTION'S IDENTITY AND UNIQUE CHARACTER COUNCIL APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND CARRIE OUT A CONTEST FOR THE BEST COUNTY SEAL DESIGN.
HARRIET KALIN WAS A MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL, AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD
[01:20:01]
SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL COUNTY.WE MET THEN UP AT, UH, I THINK IT WAS THE CAROLINA BANK, AND SOME YEARS AGO, BACK THERE ON WEST STREET, AND THEN WE PUT 'EM IN PILES, YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOOD, BAD MAYBE UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE NOW USE.
COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SEAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REFLECTED THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, TRADITIONS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY.
THE SEALS COLORS OF BLUE AND GREEN REPRESENT THE COLORS OF THE COUNTY'S OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH ITS MANY WATERWAYS, MARSHLANDS, AND MARITIME FOREST.
THE FIVE IMAGES WITHIN THE SEAL DEPICTED SOME OF THE COUNTY'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES, ANCIENT LIVE OAK TREES, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, RICH NATURAL RESOURCES, AND A RARE MARINE ECOLOGY, LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE, AND MILES OF RIVERS, CREEKS, AND INLETS.
I THOUGHT IT ENCOMPASSED WHAT THE, WHAT WE AS A BODY WERE LOOKING FOR A SEAL THAT WOULD, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT AND JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, IT REALLY COVERS THE ASPECTS OF BEAUT COUNTY.
SO HE DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT WE OF WHOLESALE THERE AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BEFOR COUNTY.
COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS IN OFFICE WHEN THE CONTEST WAS HELD AND WAS PRESENT WHEN THE COMMITTEE REVEALED THE WINNING DESIGN.
I THINK COUNCIL WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT IT.
UH, WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE SEMIS ON THE SEAL REPRESENTED, UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEFOR COUNTY.
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, DRAFT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY.
INITIALLY, THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT YACHT TYPE BOAT.
AND, UH, IT WAS CHANGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE SHRIMP BOAT WAS A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASPECTS OF YOUTH COUNTY LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS ON THE SEAL THAT REPRESENT THE PLEASURE AND RECREATION, THE FISHING AND THE BEACH.
SO THEY THOUGHT THE SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BU COUNTY CULTURE SHRIMPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME, WOULD BE REFLECTED ON THE SEAL.
THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST WAS AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LATE LEE PAYNE, WHOSE DESIGN WAS SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 126 ENTRIES SUBMITTED FROM AS FAR AWAY AS INDIANA AND TENNESSEE.
HE WAS AWARDED $250 FOR HIS DESIGN, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE CAPTURED THE LEGACY OF OUTDOOR BEAUTY, CULTURE, AND HISTORY THAT HELPED TO DEFINE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
I WOULD SAY DO SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE, RIGHT? SO YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE OVERWHELMED.
I WANNA SHOW YOU A COLLEGE RESEARCH, RESEARCH WEBSITE.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT BALANCE IS BEST TO BE A SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD'S LIFE EVERY DAY.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE VERY CREATIVE, SO I CAN SEE YOUR, YOUR JUICES ARE ALREADY GOING AND TO DO THAT, YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE CHILD.
AND SO EVEN ON YOUR WORST DAY, YOU JUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE STILL SOME CHILD'S BEST HOPE IN HELPING THEM OVERCOME BARRIERS.
AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, I FEEL LIKE MY NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS AND TO HELP THEM LEARN HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.
IT MEANS A LOT TO ME TO BE A SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
THE ABILITY TO IMPACT STUDENTS, UM, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BARRIERS TO LEARNING, IS ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES FOR ME.
ALONG WITH WATCHING STUDENTS SET GOALS FOR THEMSELVES, BE IT PERSONAL, SOCIAL, OR ACADEMIC CAREER.
SO THIS FINDING COLLEGES, NOT EVERY COLLEGE IS FOR EVERY STUDENT.
SO YOU WANNA FIND WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU.
THE THING THAT, THAT I REALLY ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT COUNSELING IS THE ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTION WITH OUR STUDENTS.
AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO PRIME THOSE STUDENTS AND REALLY START THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO AS A, AS A A GRADUATE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, WE REALLY WANT TO HELP THEM TRY TO FIND THEMSELVES AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR PLACE IS IN THE WORLD.
SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE OFTEN THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL.
WE WORK WITH EVERYONE, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND WE OFTEN HAVE OUR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITHIN THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND CAN HELP BRIDGE GAPS AND MAKE CONNECTIONS THAT OVERALL ARE THERE TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS.
YOU GOTTA BE READY AND PREPARED FOR A NEW CHALLENGE.
IT, IT IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.
AND I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S AWESOME.
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IN AND DOING THE SAME THING EVERY DAY IS PROBABLY KIND OF MUNDANE, BUT YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT ABILITY TO CHANGE UP AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TALK TO EVERYBODY INDIVIDUALLY AND MEET, MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE IS, IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE ON A DAILY BASIS.YOU ARE A MEDIATOR, YOU ARE AN ADVOCATE, YOU ARE AN ACADEMIC ADVISOR, YOU ARE A STUDENT CHAMPION, AND YOU ARE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
THERE IS NO TYPICAL DAY FOR A SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
IT MAY BEGIN WITH A SCHEDULE IN PLACE, BUT MANY TIMES THAT SCHEDULE IS GOING TO BE INTERRUPTED BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS GOING TO PUT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS FIRST.
AND IF I HAVE A STUDENT SHOW UP IN MY OFFICE IN TEARS, I'M GONNA DROP WHATEVER I'M DOING AND HELP THAT CHILD.
I THINK THE PERSON WHO IS A GOOD SCHOOL COUNSELOR IS COMPASSIONATE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYONE'S GOING THROUGH WHEN WE SEE THEM, AND THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN.
THEY MAY NOT BE WILLING TO SHARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.
SO MAINTAINING THAT COMPASSION, EVEN WHEN SOMEONE'S DOING SOMETHING THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING, I THINK IS KEY.
PATIENCE, UH, WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE AND WORK WITH ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE, STAKEHOLDERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARENTS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENT IS GETTING WHAT THEY NEED.
THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME DAYS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FIX EVERYTHING, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A NEW DAY TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT SITUATION.
YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT BE THAT YOU FIX IT THAT DAY, BUT HAVING THAT STUDENT COME BACK, THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST CHALLENGING, THAT YOU CAN'T FIX IT RIGHT THEN.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN'T FIX IT RIGHT THEN.
ONE OF THE HARD THINGS RIGHT NOW ABOUT BEING A SCHOOL COUNSELOR IS JUST HAVING ENOUGH TIME TO HELP ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT SINCERELY NEED HELP.
C O V HAS PRESENTED CHALLENGES TO EVEN OUR STUDENTS THAT TEND TO BE WELL ADJUSTED.
SO THERE IS A NEED FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS EVERY DAY TO HELP THE STUDENTS WORK THROUGH ANXIETY, WORK THROUGH ANY CHALLENGES THAT ARE COMING THEIR WAY RIGHT NOW.
KIDS ARE VERY HONEST AND THEY ASK HONEST QUESTIONS AND THEY LOOK TO YOU FOR, FOR GODDESS AND THEY PRETTY MUCH HANG ON TO YOUR EVERY WORD.
SO IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING, BEING ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THERE ARE ALWAYS STUDENTS THAT NEED YOUR HELP AND NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE AND YOUR GUIDANCE, BUT NOT ONLY STUDENTS, THERE ARE TEACHERS, PARENTS, ADMINISTRATORS THAT NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP AND GUIDANCE.
I DO THINK PART OF THE JOB OF A COUNSELOR IS HELPED BY THE STAFF THAT WE WORK WITH.
IF ANY ONE PART OF THE CHAIN IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR US TO DO OUR JOB.
SO WHEN WE CELEBRATE NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK, I THINK IT'S REALLY A CELEBRATION OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL TEAM BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, WE AREN'T ABLE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR STUDENTS.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, WE COME IN EVERY DAY, UH, WITH OUR HEADS UP, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DO THE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR SCHOOL AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND I THINK THAT PARENTS REALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND THEY'RE LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR KIDS AND SO ARE COUNSELORS.
THAT'S JUST WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR EVERY DAY.
IT ALLOWS YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD.
AND THAT IN ITSELF IS JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING.
AND I TOLD YOU IT WILL WORK ITSELF OUT.
EIGHT IS A MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE LIST.