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WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANCE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I WANNA WELCOME EVERYONE WHO IS IN ATTENDANCE HERE.
WE DO HAVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER ONLINE, MR. LOGAN CUNNINGHAM.
UH, MR. GLOVER WILL PROBABLY BE JOINING US IN A MOMENT.
UM, THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE ONLINE, WELCOME.
TODAY IS THE FIRST OF TWO DAYS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE CONDUCTING A BUDGET WORKSHOP.
UH, THERE OUR AGENDA IS FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO MAKE SOME OPENING REMARKS, BUT I'VE ASKED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IF I COULD GO FIRST TO MAKE SOME OPENING REMARKS.
SO I'M GOING TO STEP FROM THE PODIUM TO MAKE THESE REMARKS.
SO, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE TODAY, GOOD MORNING.
WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN OUR WORKSHOP AND I'D LIKE YOU TO SEE WHAT I THINK WE'RE GONNA LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
NOW, THAT THIN GUY ISN'T ME BECAUSE I'M NOT THIN, BUT ALL OF US ARE JUGGLERS.
DURING THESE NEXT TWO DAYS WORKING WITH ADMINISTRATION, OUR COUNCIL HAS TO COME TOGETHER.
WE'RE GONNA JUGGLE A WHOLE BUNCH OF IDEAS, AND WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS TO THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING TO TAKE.
OUR ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS TO US.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THOSE PRESENTATIONS, ASK QUESTIONS SO THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER.
OUR MUNICIPALITIES ARE ALREADY STARTING THEIR BUDGET PROCESS.
SO THEY'RE GONNA SET GOALS, THEY'RE GOING TO SET THEIR BUDGETS, AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEY DOVETAIL AND WHERE THEY DON'T.
AND FINALLY, ALL OUR CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO WHERE ARE WE GOING? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN 20 YEARS? WE LOOK BACK 20 YEARS AGO, WE WERE A SMALL COUNTY GROWING.
OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, WE'VE GROWN BY MORE THAN 55%.
SO WHAT DOES THE NEXT 20 YEARS LOOK LIKE? WELL, THESE ARE MY IDEAS.
ONE, I THINK THE TOWN OF IS GOING TO BE BUILT OUT.
TWO, I THINK THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD WILL ALREADY HAVE BEEN BUILT OUT, BUT NOW THEY'RE NO LONGER GOING TO GO HORIZONTAL.
AND WHAT ARE THEY GONNA LOOK LIKE IN 20 YEARS? I THINK UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORD COUNTY WILL BE BUILT OUT.
I THINK THAT NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY IS THE LAST VESTIGE THAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED NEXT.
ALL THE MAJOR ROADS, THERE ARE FIVE OF THEM.
THEY WILL HAVE TO BE UPGRADED.
MORE THAN LIKELY WE WILL UPGRADE THEM.
CUZ THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT HERE IS A TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM TO DO THAT.
OKAY? SO WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS PROCESS? WHEN WE CAME TOGETHER THE FIRST TIME, I ANNOUNCED THAT COUNCIL NEEDS TO ASK WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS AND HOW DO WE SOLVE THEM? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS TODAY.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO LEARN? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN TODAY.
HOW MIGHT WE NEED TO CHANGE? BECAUSE WE ALL CAME IN WITH IDEAS OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO THIS YEAR AND INTO THE FUTURE.
HOW MIGHT WE CHANGE? AND TO WHOM DO WE NEED TO LISTEN? CERTAINLY, WE'RE GONNA LISTEN TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS TODAY OF WHAT THEY WANT US TO CONSIDER.
WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR CITIZENS.
CERTAINLY THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL DEBATE.
WE'RE NOT ONLY LEADERS BUT SERVANTS.
WE EXPECT TO BE, AND OUR CITIZENS EXPECT TO BE THE LEADERS TO LEAD US INTO THE FUTURE.
THAT FUTURE THAT I THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
FINALLY, WE NEED TO SPEAK OUT AND WE NEED TO LISTEN.
AND IT SAYS WE WERE ELECTED BY CONSTITUENTS IN
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A SPECIFIC DISTRICT, BUT WE REPRESENT NOT ONLY THEM, WE REPRESENT EVERYBODY.SO WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THERE.
SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT TO PLAN? WELL, WE'VE COINED THE PHRASE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND OUR ADMINISTRATION HAS EMBRACED THAT.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THINGS LIVE.
WE'VE GOTTA KNOW WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.
WE'VE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THE TYPES OF HOUSING WE HAVE CREATED, A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE OVER THE COURSE OF TIME? NOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TYPES OF RESIDENTS? IF THE ANSWER IS NO, HOW DO WE GET THEM WORK? OKAY, PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE IN THE FUTURE.
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT PLACES FOR THEM TO WORK? THOSE ARE THE SEVERAL QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO ANSWER.
AND BY THE WAY, YOU WILL ALL GET THIS SO THAT YOU CAN REVIEW THIS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.
THIS WILL BE PUT ON OUR WEBSITES OR OUR CITIZENS CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING AND PLAY.
OKAY? WE NEED PLACES FOR RECREATION.
WE LEARNED, UH, THE COMPELLING THOUGHTS DURING COVID WAS PEOPLE NEEDED TO GET OUT AND THAT RELIEF WAS TO GO TO OUR PARKS.
WE KNOW WHAT WE MAY NEED IN THE FUTURE, OKAY? OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
NUMBER ONE ON MY LIST, MAYBE NOT YOURS, BUT NUMBER ONE, MY ON MY LIST IS THE TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM IN 2024.
WE DISCUSSED IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND DID NOT DO THAT.
WE DID NUMBER TWO, THE GREEN SPACE REFERENDUM.
WE SPECIFICALLY SET IT UP FOR TWO YEARS AND TWO YEARS ONLY TO GET A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET READY FOR THE FUTURE.
THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, THE JASPER PORT, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
EDUCATION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
WE NEED TO WORK BECAUSE THOSE CHILDREN THAT ARE GRADUATING FROM OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THEM STAY HERE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
THEIR PARENTS WANT THEM TO STAY.
WILL THEY BE ABLE TO DO THAT OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS? AND YOU CAN SEE THE LIST.
I HAVE LIKE 25 DIFFERENT THINGS.
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST IS S C A C, THE SOUTH CAROLINA ALLOWANCE ALLIANCE OF COUNTIES.
THEY DO COUNTY MEMBER TRAINING.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
THAT'S HOW WE BECOME THE BEST BOARDS WE CAN BE.
SO WHAT ARE THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE? BUT WE DO HAVE PLANS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
WE HAVE THE BUFORD COUNTY ATLAS.
WE HAVE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE HAVE THE MUNICIPAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE HAVE THE PARKS AND RECREATION PLAN.
WE HAVE THE SOUTHERN ORDINANCE AND DESIGN MANUAL.
ARE THEY COORDINATED? ARE THEY UP TO DATE? ARE THEY REALISTIC? AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, DO WE NEED TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS IN THEM? AND IF WE DO, WHAT ARE THE MODIFICATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED? AND OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
OKAY? YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH OUR BUILDINGS.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? AND THAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS WHY OUR HEADS ARE GONNA SPIN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.
AND IT'S THAT BALANCING ACT THAT WE NEED.
UM, UH, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS JUST INTRODUCE SOME STAFF MEMBERS TO YOU THAT SOME OF THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH AND WHAT THEIR ROLE IS.
UH, I'M GONNA START, UH, NOT NECESSARILY IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER, BUT I'M GONNA TURN MY LEFT HERE.
YOU ALL KNOW OUR, ALL OF OUR ACAS UH, THERE, UH, PINKY AREA IN THE BACK IS OUR C I P, UH, MANAGER THAT ASSISTS, UH, ERIC LARSON WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UH, PROJECTS LIST AND THE, AND THE, UH, PROGRAMMING OF THAT.
CATHERINE MEAD RIGHT HERE, UH, IS OUR INTERIM HR DIRECTOR WHO TOOK OVER FOR SCOTT MARSHALL ONCE HE LEFT, UH, TO GO TO, UH, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
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NECESSARILY SO MUCH DURING THE RETREAT THERE.SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE RETREAT, BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WHAT YOU ALL DIRECT US TO DO WITH EMPLOYEES, UH, RIGHT BEHIND HER IS BRITTANY FIELDS, UH, WHO IS THE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM MANAGER THAT OVERSEES ALL OF OUR ROAD TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND OUR PATHWAY PROJECTS.
UH, YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH ERIC LARSON, UH, DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UH, TO HIS LEFT IS BRIAN KRONAN, WHO IS OUR BUDGET MANAGER.
TO HIS LEFT IS DENISE CHRISTMAS, WHO IS OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.
AND OF COURSE, YOU ALL KNOW HAYES AND YOU KNOW PATRICK, UH, YOU'LL HEAR FROM PATRICK SHORTLY ABOUT A BIG, UM, SOFTWARE UPGRADE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO, UH, DURING THIS BUDGET HERE.
AND OF COURSE YOU ALL KNOW, UH, MS. BRENNA AND MS. BROCK.
SO ANYWAY, AGAIN, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE FOR ME TO DO THIS WITH YOU ALL.
UH, AND THE TEAM, UH, THE TEAM HERE HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK, UH, TO PREPARE FOR THIS OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
THEY'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION.
UH, IT'LL BE OVERWHELMING INFORMATION AT TIMES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'LL BE BORING INFORMATION, UH, IN A LOT OF WAYS.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION CAUSE WE ARE GONNA NEED YOUR DIRECTION.
SO GO INTO THIS WITH A MINDSET OF THERE'S GONNA BE THINGS THAT'LL HAPPEN IN EACH ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH DURING THE NEXT YEAR.
BUT THIS IS TO SET THE OVERARCHING GOALS FOR YOU ALL AS A COLLECTIVE GROUP AS TO THE BIG THINGS THAT YOU ALL WANT US TO ACHIEVE FOR THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST NECESSARILY HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT YOUR DISTRICT.
SO, UH, HAVING SAID THAT, UM, I'M GONNA KICK IT OFF NOW WITH, UM, HAYES WHO'S GONNA COME UP AND GO OVER REVENUE FORECAST AND HISTORIC TRENDS ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UH, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT YOU ALL NEED TO CONSIDER IS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I THINK WE'VE FINISHED WITH SURPLUSES.
SO WE NEED YOUR DIRECTION ON HOW YOU ALL WANT US TO DEAL WITH THAT.
WE'LL MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU.
UH, BUT, UH, HAYES WILL COME UP AND LEAD, LEAD THE FIRST PART OF THIS, UH, SESSION.
AND IF YOU ALL EVER, IF YOU GUYS NEED A BREAK, UH, DURING THIS, JUST SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO TAKE A FIVE OR 10 MINUTE BREAK AND WE'LL BREAK.
WE DIDN'T BUILD THOSE INTO THE AGENDA.
HOW ARE Y MARIA? UH, MARIA BALL IS ONLINE, THE COUNTY TREASURER, AND, UH, SHE WAS GONNA GO OVER THE GROWTH IN BUFORD COUNTY WITH Y'ALL.
MARIA, ARE YOU ONLINE? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS MORNING.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED ALREADY, HAY AND I WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER.
VERY WELL TOGETHER, AND NIECE AND BRYANT.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP.
UM, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP.
BECAUSE THE REASON THIS CAME UP WAS THE QUESTION OF REASSESSMENT.
YOU NEED TO ASK THE ASSESSOR ABOUT REASSESSMENT.
BUT WHAT I DO, UM, HAVE AND CAN OFFER IS GROWTH HISTORICAL DATA.
SO THE FIRST THING THAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN WITH ALL OF YOU.
AND I WANT YOU TO THINK OF A TAX BILL.
OKAY? A TAX BILL IS GOING TO BEGIN WITH, IT IS GOING TO BEGIN WITH VALUES.
SO WHILE YOU ARE DISCUSSING TODAY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING TODAY, SORRY ABOUT THIS.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THIS WEEK, YOUR BUDGET, YOUR SPENDING, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COUNTY.
AS CHAIRMAN
AND THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE IS GOING TO VALUE PERSONAL PROPERTY, ANYTHING OTHER THAN MOBILE LOANS THAT CAN BE MOVED IN BEAVER COUNTY.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY IT ENDS UP GETTING A TAX RATE OR MIL RATE APPLIED TO IT, SEIZE, AND THEN THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE PURSUING.
SO WE'RE GO, I WANNA TALK HIS ASK THAT I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT WHERE ARE, WHERE ARE WE GOING? OKAY? SO FOR THE REAL PROPERTY ACCOUNT, WE'RE GROWING.
IF YOU GET ANYTHING OUT OF WHAT I'M GONNA SAY TO YOU TODAY,
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WE ARE GROWING.WE ARE GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS, AND WE'RE GROWING AT A FASTER RATE EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE START OF COVID.
SO THIS IS JUST THE TOTAL REAL PROPERTY ACCOUNT.
NOW, IT IS EASY TO ADD A VEHICLE TO BEFOR COUNTY, DRIVE IT HERE, BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE MORE DIRT.
SO WHEN A PROPERTY IS GOING TO INCREASE, WHEN YOU SEE THIS NUMBER INCREASE RIGHT HERE, YOUR, WHAT THIS MEANS IS THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE TOOK A LARGE PIECE OF DIRT AND BROKE IT UP INTO SMALLER PIECES.
NOW YOU ASK YOURSELF, WHY WOULD THAT BE DONE? MOST OF THE TIME IT IS FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SO IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, WHEN I SEE AN INCREASE IN ROYAL PROPERTY ACCOUNTS, THAT MEANS TO ME AN INCREASE IN DEVELOPMENT.
AND YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A FAIRLY BIG JUMP HERE, OKAY? SO, UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS SHORT NOTICE, BUT YOU SHOULD'VE RECEIVED AN EMAIL WITH A MAP IN IT.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T, THAT'S OKAY.
YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AFTERWARDS.
THE COUNTY IS BROKEN UP SIMILAR TO COUNSEL.
YOU'RE BROKEN UP INTO DISTRICTS, BOTH FOR TAXATION PURPOSES, WE BREAK THE COUNTY UP INTO GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS THAT WE CALL TAX, TAX AUTHORITY GROUPS.
SO THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED TODAY ALREADY BY CHAIRMAN PASSMAN OR NORTH OF BROAD, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE THREE ONE HUNDREDS TO UH, 400.
THEN YOU GET INTO THE FIVE HUNDREDS, WHICH IS HILTON HEAD AREA, GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, SIX HUNDREDS IS BLUFFTON, AND THEN YOU HAVE 700, 800 SOFSKY.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT REAL PROPERTY ACCOUNTS, REMEMBER THE DIVISION OF DIRT, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS GROWTH? AND I WILL TELL YOU, THIS IS NOT FOR THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE GIVEN THIS PRESENTATION TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND I'VE GIVEN IT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MULTIPLE TIMES.
I UPDATE THIS DATA EVERY MONTH AND YOU CAN PROVIDE IT TO YOU WHENEVER YOU NEED IT.
BUT THIS IS NOT SURPRISING, RIGHT? YOU DRIVE AROUND, YOU SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGE IN LOCKTON, NOT A SHOCKER.
THAT IS THE MUNICIPALITY OF COLLECTED.
SO SIX, I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TO YOU.
SIX 10 IS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
SO NOW LET'S LOOK AT NEW CONSTRUCTION.
REMEMBER I SAID NEW DIRT, NEW STUFF TO GO ON IT TAX HERE, I WANNA NOTE HERE, T Y TAX HERE IS NOT A CALENDAR YEAR.
IT IS THE SPAN OF TIME FROM THE TIME THE BILLS ARE SENT OUT.
NOVEMBER 1ST TO OCTOBER 31ST OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
THAT IS THE YEAR IN WHICH THE TREASURER'S OFFICE HAS TO PURSUE THAT COLLECTION.
SO YOU SEE SOME VARIATIONS HERE.
TAX YEAR 18, WE SEE A JUMP IN IN CONSTRUCTION.
SO THIS WOULD BE CALENDAR YEAR 2018 GOING INTO 2019.
SO WE DO SEE A JUMP AND THEN WE SEE, WE DO SEE A STEADY INCREASE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THIS IS TAX YEAR 2022, WHICH IS NOT COMPLETE.
BEGAN OC OCTOBER, UH, NOVEMBER 1ST OCTOBER, MY GOODNESS, NOVEMBER 1ST, 2022.
SO NOW LET'S GET, LET'S LOOK AT WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING.
THIS IS WHAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S NOT JUST BLUFF IN ACTIVITY YEAR OVER YEAR.
NOW YOU SEE FERT, YOU SEE PORT ROYAL, YOU SEE HILTON HEAD FIVE 10.
SO, OKAY, NOW THAT'S SOME GETTING A LITTLE BIT INTERESTING.
NOW, HISTORICALLY, I'VE BEEN IN BUFORD COUNTY SINCE 2007.
BLUFFTON WAS THE PLACE FOR GROWTH IN HISTORICALLY SPEAKING.
THAT'S NOT LOOKING LIKE THAT'S THE CASE ANYMORE.
NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT TRANSFERS.
AND IF YOU FOLLOW MY LINE OF THINKING FOR JUST A MOMENT, OKAY? REMEMBER I SAID YOU CAN'T MAKE MORE DIRT, MORE I TARGET HERE, BUT THERE'S NO MORE DIRT.
YOU HAVE TO BREAK IT UP IN ORDER TO MAKE MORE ACCOUNTS, MORE PROPERTY ACCOUNTS.
WELL, THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT AN ALARMING AMOUNT IN COMPARISON TO HOW MANY PEOPLE IN ROOFTOPS HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN NEWPORT COUNTY.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH INVENTORY POTENTIALLY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WANT A NEW HOME, THEY'RE GOING TO BUY THAT IN EXISTING HOME.
NOW, THIS IS WHERE YOU SEE CYS CALENDAR YEAR EVERY YEAR SINCE 2016.
AND THEN YOU GET INTO THE COVID YEARS AND YOU SEE A SIGNIFICANT TERM IN TRANSFERS ALMOST A TRIPLE FROM 2016.
BUT THAT TELLS ME IF I'M, AND I'VE
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SAID THIS IN A PRIOR PRESENTATION, IF I'M A DEVELOPER WANTING TO DEVELOP IN YERT COUNTY, I AM GONNA SEE THIS AND SEE THAT THERE IS A DEMAND THAT IS NOT YET BEING PROVIDED FOR BY THE NEW, BY NEW HOMES, NEW CONSTRUCTION.SO, OKAY, DEFINITELY AN INCREASE TO SEE A DECREASE IN CALENDAR YEAR 2022, MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO INTEREST RATE CHANGES.
UM, I DEFINITELY DON'T THINK WE BECAME A LESS DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE.
SO THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD.
AND IF YOU CAN'T TELL, I LOVE DATA.
SOME OF YOU WERE SUBJECTED TO MY EXCITEMENT EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND THIS JUST TELLS OUR STORY OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
SO YOU CAN USE IT TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING.
EVERYWHERE IS GROWING IN BUFORD COUNTY.
AND THIS GRAPH IS WHAT PROVES IT.
WE'RE TRANSFERRING PROPERTY AT AN INCREASED RATE ALMOST YEAR OVER YEAR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CALENDAR YEAR 22.
AND I MAKE THE COMMENT AGAIN, THAT'S PROBABLY DUE THE INTEREST.
AND IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE, NOT JUST IN BLUFFTON, IN THE MUNICIPALITY, NOT JUST IN THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF BLUFFTON EVERYWHERE.
LOOK AT DUSKY WHEN YOU KNOW THINGS ARE TRANSFERRING ONTO HUSKY.
YOU KNOW, BEFORD COUNTY IS HAVING A LOT OF TRANSACTIONS.
YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT HILTON TONS OF ACTIVITY.
THEY'RE ALMOST AT THE SAME TRAJECTORY AS BLUFFTON.
AND THE REMAINING AREAS OF THE COUNTY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.
WE'RE GROWING EVERYWHERE, WHICH REINFORCES GERMAN PASSES OPENING REMARK THAT BEAUFORT IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED.
SO IN MY MIND, I'M, THIS IS SCARY AND EXCITING AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE GROWING.
THE DEMAND IS THERE AND THE TRANSFERS ARE INCREASED.
SO NOW LET'S LOOK AT VEHICLES AND WHY DO I BRING THIS UP? THE LARGE PROPORTION OF YOUR TAX REVENUE AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS TAX REVENUE AS WELL, AND EVERY AGENCY IS REAL PROPERTIES.
UM, BUT VEHICLES MEANS PEOPLE.
THAT IS WHY I'M GIVING YOU THIS INFORMATION.
SO YOU LOOK AT FISCAL SCHOOL YEAR, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DIFFERENT YEARS.
FISCAL YEAR WILL BE RUN FROM JULY ONE TO JUNE 30TH, BUT THE END OF THE DAY, A YEAR IS YEARS.
12 MONTHS, YOU SEE AN INCREASE.
OKAY? WE'VE BEEN GROWING COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S THE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH THAT REQUIRES MORE AND MORE CARE IN THE MANAGEMENT FISCAL YEAR 2017 TO 18, OKAY? YOU SEE AN INCREASE, BUT NOW YOU KEEP GOING IN, THAT INCREASE IS GROWING AND GROWING.
SO FROM FISCAL YEAR 21 TO 22, WE INCREASE BY 16,000 VEHICLES.
KEEPING IN MIND, NOT EVERYBODY HAS MULTIPLE VEHICLES.
SO THERE MAY BE A HOUSEHOLD THAT HAS TWO, BUT THAT HOUSEHOLD IS SEVEN PEOPLE.
SO TO SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE.
SO NOW WHERE WERE THOSE PEOPLE GOING? EVERYWHERE.
THEY ARE NOT JUST GOING TO BLUFFTON.
HERE'S JUST AN INTERESTING THING TO NOTE.
UM, WHEN I STARTED IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, THE MAJORITY OF PROPERTY ON HILLHEAD WERE SECOND HOMES.
VERY FEW, UM, AND A AND OF COURSE THEY, THEY ARE CONTINUING TO BE THAT WAY TILL THIS DAY.
HOWEVER, MOST SECOND HOMEOWNERS WILL KEEP A VEHICLE AT THEIR SECOND HOME.
THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO ACCOUNT FOR THE INCREASE OF VEHICLES IN THOSE AREAS.
IT MEANS PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE NOT TO INVEST NECESSARILY ANYMORE AS THE FOREFRONT IN THEIR MIND, UM, OR NOT JUST TO BE SNOWBIRDS.
THEY ARE COMING AND KEEPING A VEHICLE HERE.
YOU, YOU'RE HERE, IT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTY.
SO AGAIN, REINFORCING THE FACT THAT WE ARE GROWING, WE ARE GROWING AT A FASTER RATE.
AND THIS GRAPH DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AFFECTED BY INTEREST RATES.
SO WHILE REAL PROPERTY ACTIVITIES SEEMED TO BE, UH, IT'S STILL GOING UP.
SO NOW LET'S LOOK AT LEGAL RESIDENCE.
OKAY? WHEN I BEGAN IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, THE RATIO OF LEGAL RESIDENTS TO NON-LEGAL RESIDENTS REFERRING TO THE EXEMPTION THAT CAN BE APPLIED FOR WITH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, UM, THE RATIO WAS 60 40, 60% OF REAL PROPERTY IN BUFORD COUNTY WAS NOT RECEIVING THE LEGAL RESIDENCE EXEMPTION.
OVER THE OVER TIME THAT MOVED TO 50 50.
AND NOW THAT EXCEEDS 60 40, A COMPLETE REVERSAL OF WHERE WE WERE 11 YEARS AGO.
NOW, TAX YEAR 2022, IF NOT FINISHED, BECAUSE IS
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THAT BEGAN, EXCUSE ME, THAT BEGAN NOVEMBER 1ST OF 22.SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE, YOU CAN SEE HERE A STEADY INCREASE, IF NOT IN OVERALL A CONTINUED INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.
I WOULD EXPECT AT THE, BY OCTOBER 31ST OF 23, THIS FAR FOR 2022 TO BE JUST AS HIGH IF NOT SURPASSED THE 2021 TAX YEAR AMOUNTS.
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THESE ARE, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE FULL TIME IN OUR COUNTY.
FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, THIS IS A CHALLENGE FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE OTHER AGENCIES, BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IMPACTED THE MOST.
SO WHERE IS THIS HAPPENING? AGAIN, THERE WERE VERY DIFFERENT, VERY DIFFERENT RATIOS.
IN THE PAST, BLUFFTON WAS THE PLACE TO LIVE FULL-TIME.
BLUFFTON HAS CONTINUED, HISTORICALLY HAD GROWTH AND GROWTH OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE THERE.
THE SAME CANNOT BE SAID FOR THE OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
BUT NOW LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING.
IT'S NOT JUST BLUFFING, NOT, YES, SIX 10 RIGHT HERE IS HAVING A FAR RATE, UH, FAR HIGHER RATE OF GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF LEGAL RESIDENCE PROPERTIES IN THE MUNICIPALITY IN SIX 10.
BUT EVERYWHERE IS SEEN AN INCREASE.
AND AGAIN, THAT GROUND LINE RIGHT THERE, THE LAST LINE IN EACH TAG NUMBER THAT YEAR, WE'RE JUST A FEW MONTHS IN THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE IS STILL PROCESSING THESE APPLICATIONS.
I FULLY EXPECT THAT BAR TO BE HIGHER IF I WERE TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU IN ANOTHER SIX MONTHS.
SO WITH MORE DIRT PARCELS BEING CREATED, WHICH MEANS MORE PEOPLE WITH MORE NEW CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE ALMOST MORE NUMBER OF TRANSFERS.
WE HAVE MORE VEHICLES WITH MORE LEGAL RESIDENTS.
AND SO THAT'S TELLING YOU A LOT ALREADY ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OR WHAT I BELIEVE YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR, ESPECIALLY IN A REASSESSMENT YEAR.
BUT THIS UPCOMING YEAR IN GENERAL.
NOW, LET'S LOOK AT TOTAL ASSESSMENT VALUE SAYS BY TAX YEAR ASSESSED VALUE.
REMEMBER I STARTED OFF BY SAYING VALUE DRIVES THE GLASS OF A TAX BILL.
THIS IS THE VALUE YOU START WITH.
IT IS THESE, UM, VALUES DO INCLUDE REASSESS THE REASSESSMENT VALUES FOR PRIOR YEARS AND ANY OTHER ASSESSED VALUES BY THEIR ASSESSOR AND THE AUDITOR.
WELL, YOU KNOW, A REASSESSMENT IS NOT DONE EVERY YEAR.
WHY WOULD THERE BE SUCH A BIG JUMP BETWEEN TAX YEAR 21 AND 22? YOU MAY BE EXPECT CONSISTENT GROWTH, BUT THAT'S A BIG JUMP.
THE ONLY OTHER TIME I'M AWARE OF THAT YOU, THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE IS GOING TO REASSESS OR, OR ESSENTIALLY YOUR PROPERTY, A DIRT OR DWELLING, GETTING NEW VALUE IS DURING THE REASSESSMENT OR WHEN IT'S TRANSFERRED.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN INCREASE IN EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRIPS, FIRST NEW PROPERTIES IN OUR COUNTY, WELL THEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO REASSESS THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
SO I HOPE AND, AND WOULD EXPECT AT SOME POINT THAT YOU WILL BE GETTING A PRESENTATION ON THE REASSESSMENT.
BUT SOME THINGS THAT WE TYPICALLY HEAR AND ARE CHALLENGED BY THE TREASURER'S OFFICE IS WHEN SOMEONE BOUGHT A HOME WITHIN THE PAST 18 MONTHS AND NOW THEY GET AN ENTIRELY NEW VALUE.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING.
MAYBE THEIR VALUE DROPPED, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SO MANY MORE TRANSFERS THAN WE WOULD TRADITIONALLY HAVE IN THE PAST, THAT COULD BE A UNIQUE BUT MANAGEABLE CHALLENGE THAT WE EXPERIENCED THIS YEAR.
BUT EXPLAINS WHY THERE IS SUCH AN INCREASE IN ASSESSED VALUE.
BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS THESE, THOSE REAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS AND NEW VEHICLES, AND THEN THE OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE COUNTY.
BUT THE BIG ONE, THE BIG PIECE IS GOING TO BE THE REAL PROPERTY.
SO NOW WHERE IS THAT HAPPENING AGAIN, HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTY, NOT JUST IN BLUFFTON, NOT JUST IN CERTAIN AREAS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK, UM, WHAT IS MOST INTERESTING ESPECIALLY IS THE NORTH AND THE BROAD AREAS WHEN YOU KNOW, THE MORE DEMAND THERE IS, IF YOU KNOW SUPPLY, SUPPLY AND DEMAND ECONOMICS, THE MORE DEMAND THERE IS, THE MORE PRICES GO UP.
WELL, BLUFFTON HAS HAD A DEMAND.
HILTON HEAD HAS HAD A DEMAND, AND AGAIN, FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, PERHAPS, BUT I THINK IT IS MOST
[00:30:01]
NOTABLE THAT BUFORT IS GROWING.AND IF I MAY BE SO BOLD TO GIVE YOU MY PERSONAL OPINION, I THINK ANYTIME THAT AN ORGANIZATION IS DEALING WITH CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH IN THE PAST, WHETHER BY THEMSELVES OR OTHER JURISDICTIONS, BOSTON'S GROWTH, WHAT MISTAKES WERE MADE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THAT GROWTH AND HOW CAN WE AVOID THAT NORTH OF THE BROAD.
AND NOW I'M JUST TALKING AS MARIA KNOWN AS YOUR TREASURER, BUT WHEN I SEE THIS DATA, IT TELLS ME WHAT'S COMING AND WHAT HAPPENED IN BLUFFTON, THE GROWTH, THE BUILDOUT THAT CHAIRMAN PATMAN REFERENCED.
IT IS COMING NORTH OF THE BROAD.
IT IS COMING TO BUFORD AND, AND IT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND SO THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
UM, I THINK THIS IS THE MOST RELEVANT GRAPH FOR WHAT YOU MAY BE DISCUSSING THIS WEEK.
UM, IF I CAN GIVE YOU SOME PARTING THOUGHTS, THIS IS A MOVING TARGET.
YOUR, UM, YOUR VALUE OF A MILL, WHICH YOU WILL BE DISCUSSING.
SO YOU START WITH A VALUE FOR ALL THE ASSETS, ALL OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE TAXED, TAXED.
AND THEN YOU WILL FIND OUT WHAT IS THE VALUE OF ONE MILL.
HOW MUCH CAN YOU GENERATE IN TAX DOLLARS BY ONE MILLAGE.
AND THEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET AND DETERMINE HOW MANY MILLAGES, HOW MANY MILL YOU NEED TO CHARGE TO END UP COLLECTING THE BUDGET THAT YOU INTEND TO, TO PAY FOR.
SO FOCUS ON THE VALUE AND KNOW THAT IT IS A MOVING TARGET.
IT IS NOT, THERE IS NO MAGIC BALL.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT'S GONNA SAY THIS IS WHAT IT'S GONNA BE IN AUGUST.
BUT I CAN SAY THAT THE CLOSER WE GET TO THAT END OF THE TAX YEAR START OF THE NEW ONE, WHICH WOULD BE IN NOVEMBER, THE CLOSER YOU GET, THE MORE ACCURATE PICTURE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE GOING INTO THE ACTUAL CALCULATION OF THAT TASK.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION WITH THAT.
I, UM, I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AND ALL OF THE DATA AND SPREADSHEETS BEHIND THOSE GRAPHS I, I HAVE HERE ON MY LAPTOP AND I'D BE HAPPY TO PULL UP IF YOU WANNA SEE THAT AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MARIA? MARIA, AN OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION AS USUAL.
UM, EVERY TIME YOU PRESENT MY HEAD HURTS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH DATA THERE.
BUT, UM, UH, YOU, YOU DID AFFIRM WHAT I STARTED OFF WITH, WITH WE ARE GROWING, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
UH, AND SO WE, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OBVIOUSLY THE PRESENTATION MATERIALS WILL BE SENT TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOU TO DIGEST.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AFTER THAT, CERTAINLY MARIA IS ALWAYS THERE TO ANSWER THEM.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU IN THE FUTURE WITHOUT THANK YOU.
UM, AND SHE PASSMAN I WILL INCLUDE WHEN I SEND THE PRESENTATION, THE SLIDES FROM MY PREVIOUS ONE.
SO YOU WILL SEE WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR, RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I JUST DIDN'T WANNA CLUTTER UP TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME, MR. CHAIRMAN.
CAN, CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME ON THIS? CLEARLY? LISTEN, THIS IS NEW TO ME, THIS WHOLE CONCEPT MM-HMM.
UM, HELP ME WITH THIS TOO, AS WE GET THROUGH THIS, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE I GET WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, BUT, UM, I'VE HEARD FROM THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE NOW ALL THE GROWTH THAT'S TAKEN PLACE, ALL THE BUILDOUT WITH ALL THE PLANS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTED IN TWO DAYS MM-HMM.
HOW DO WE PROTECT THE, UM, DO WE HAVE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE WITH THESE PLANS THAT ERIC WILL PRESENT TO US THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PROTECT? YOU KNOW, THE AESTHETICS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE BEAUFORD COUNTY, RIGHT? EVERYBODY CAME HERE FOR A REASON, AND I WAS A TOURIST FOR A LOT, A LOT OF YEARS.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL BLESSED TO BE HERE.
SO AS THIS NEWBIE POLITICIAN NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF ROLE COMING IN HERE ON THE MANDATE OF, UH, OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, HOW DO WE AS A COUNCIL PROTECT, UM, HOW HIGH, WHAT ARE THE ORDINANCES FOR HILTON HEAD, FOR EXAMPLE, ON BUILDINGS? HOW HIGH CAN THEY GO? DO WE,
[00:35:01]
DO WE KNOW THIS? IS THIS PART OF WHAT WE DO AS A STAFF? SO AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO LEARN.SO, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DO I REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT ELECT ME, BUT I'LL BE THE BEST EFFECTIVE COUNCILMAN FOR ALL OF YOU HERE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I MEAN, AGAIN, IT, IT DOES.
AND MR LET, UH, MR. GREENWAY START THAT AND I'LL, I'LL ADD SOMETHING.
AND I'M SORRY IF I ADD IT A LITTLE TWIST TO THIS.
IT'S A GOOD QUESTION MR. TINO.
I WILL TELL YOU THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.
YES, THERE ARE THINGS IN PLACE THAT HELPS US MANAGE THE GROWTH, UH, FOR FOLKS, UM, IN THE COUNTY, ALL JURISDICTIONS HELD THEM.
UM, THERE ARE SOME HISTORIC ISSUES THAT HAVE OCCURRED HERE IN BEAUFORD COUNTY BACK IN THE LATE NINETIES AND EARLY TWO THOUSANDS THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH.
AND THOSE ARE, UM, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT RENDERED INTO THAT, UM, ALLOWED A LOT OF DENSITY TO BE BUILT OR WAS PROMISED.
A LOT OF DENSITY DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS ARE, IS A WAY FOR A DEVELOPER TO VEST THEIR PROJECT FOR 25 OR 30 YEARS.
UM, INVESTING MEANS THAT ONCE THAT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT'S ENTERED INTO, THEY CAN IMPLEMENT THOSE PROVISIONS IN THAT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITHOUT ANY CHANGES UNDERNEATH THE STATE LAW OR UNDERNEATH LOCAL ZONING OR THE NEEDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON STAFF.
THAT'S WHY I'M NOT A FAN OF ENTERING INTO DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS FOR FOLKS MM-HMM.
BUT WHEN THOSE ARE ENTERED, ENTERED INTO BACK IN, UM, THE LATE NINETIES AND EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, IT WAS A DIFFERENT PICTURE THEN THAN IT IS HERE.
UM, I REMEMBER AS PLAN DIRECTOR OF, UM, DORK COUNTY, I WENT TO BLUFFTON FOR A CONFERENCE.
I WENT TO HILTON HEAD FOR THE, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA PLANNING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.
AND ONE OF THE SESSIONS WAS, UH, THERE WERE TWO SESSIONS THAT DAY COME TO BLUFFTON, THE LARGEST SMALL, THE LARGEST SMALL TOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND WHAT THAT FIELD TRIP CONSISTED OF WAS ME RIDING AROUND IN A BUS FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS, LOOKING AT A BUNCH OF PINE TREES AND VERY FEW HOUSES.
SO THAT WAS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE NOW AS A RESULT OF THOSE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
UH, WE WENT TO PORT ROYAL AND LOOKED IN AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT THAT THEY WERE DOING THERE, UH, IN LATE NINETIES.
BUT PORT ROYAL ALSO, IT WAS JUST BASICALLY BACK THEN THE OLD VILLAGE PART OF PORT ROYAL, UH, DOWN NEAR 11TH STREET AND BEYOND, UH, TOWARD THE WATER.
SO YEAH, WE HAVE A COMP, WE HAVE THE COMP PLAN PROVISIONS.
ALL JURISDICTIONS HAVE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS THAT TALKS ABOUT THE GROWTH.
YOU IMPLEMENT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THROUGH YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, PRO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT LIST, AND YOUR ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT CODES.
WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE HERE.
SO WE HAVE WHAT, WHAT COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SOME JURISDICTIONS HAVE A ZONING CODE AND A SUBDIVISION CODE.
SO ALL OF THOSE CODES GO INTO DE TO LAYING OUT THE GROWTH STRATEGY.
NOW, HERE'S WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN TODAY, OKAY? AND THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM, IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.
WHENEVER YOU ALL ARE IN MEETINGS AND WHENEVER TOWN COUNCILS ARE IN MEETINGS AND THEY'RE HEARING FROM DEVELOPERS AND SAYING, HEY, LET ME PUT ALL THIS DENSITY ON THIS PROPERTY, AND THERE'S NOBODY IN THE AUDIENCE TO SPEAK AGAINST THAT, IT'S VERY EASY FOR THE POLITICIANS TO SAY, OH, WELL THEN THIS ONE PARTICULAR CASE, WE CAN LET THIS REZONING GO AND ALLOW THIS DENSITY, UH, BECAUSE STAFF MADE A MISTAKE OR THEY DIDN'T DO WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THIS REZONING BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT BOUGHT THE PROPERTY REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEIR PROPERTY WERE ZONED, OR IT GOT CHANGED ON 'EM WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT ZONING IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO PUBLIC HERE SPEAKING AGAINST IT.
THEN BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THAT DECISION ADDS TO ANOTHER BAD DECISION.
THAT ADDS TO ANOTHER BAD DECISION.
AND WE GET IN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN TODAY WITH SOME OF THESE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE BY PAST POLITICIANS, SUE, WHEN WE HAVE THESE PLANS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALWAYS FOLLOW THOSE PLANS.
UH, BECAUSE YOU HAVE PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS IN ALL JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE SKILLED TO LAY OUT THOSE PLANS FOR THE BEST COURSE FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.
AND I'LL SAY THIS, AND THIS IS KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OFF TOPIC, BUT IN THIS COUNTRY, KIND OF SINCE RONALD REAGAN WAS PRESIDENT, WE HAVE TRENDED AWAY FROM DOING THINGS FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD TOWARD LEGISLATING ON THE LAST PHONE CALL.
[00:40:01]
I DEAL WITH THAT EVERY DAY.CAUSE AN ISSUE IS IMPORTANT TO ONE PERSON, DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD GO CHANGE OUR PLANS OR OUR LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TO DO IT FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE BY WORKING WITH THE STAFF.
SO I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY VERY CONFUSING, BUT, UH, WE DO HAVE PLANS IN PLACE TO MANAGE THE GROWTH.
THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA LAST YEAR WAS THE FOURTH, FOURTH FASTEST GROWING STATE IN THE NATION WHERE NEW HOUSING STARTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA LAST YEAR, WE HAD MORE DEATHS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA THAN WE HAVE BIRTHS.
THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE PERSON MOVING TO SOUTH CAROLINA IS 65 YEARS OLD.
UH, SO, AND THEN YESTERDAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE SAYING THAT WE ARE NUMBER ONE HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON AREA IS NUMBER ONE, UH, IN THE NATION OR LUXURY HOMES, UH, IN, IN THE NATION.
SO PEOPLE WANNA COME HERE, THEY WANNA LIVE HERE.
THERE'S NOTHING YOU'RE GONNA DO ABOUT THAT.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA STOP THE GROWTH.
ALL WE CAN DO IS MANAGE IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT DOES OCCUR, THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT IT.
MR. GREENWAY DIDN'T, LET ME JUST FINISH WITH THIS.
YOU HAVE NEW COUNTY OFFICIALS THAT HAVE BEEN ELECTED, AND WE ACTUALLY WERE OUT THERE CRISSCROSSING THIS COUNTY TALKING ABOUT PROTECT AND PRESERVE.
IS IT REASONABLE FOR US TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO DO THAT? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE SAY ONE THING TO THE PEOPLE AT ELECT US AND WE COME HERE.
I, I THINK WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND AGAIN, MY THING IS THAT FOUNDATION, I'M GONNA READ A LOT.
I'M, I'M DOING A LOT TO CATCH UP, BUT MM-HMM.
SO, AND I WANT TO BE AN EFFECTIVE MEMBER, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I KNOW WHAT, WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
WELL, SO YES, THERE IS, THERE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE STAFFS OF ALL THE JURISDICTIONS DO WORK TOGETHER.
WE NEED THE, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE ELECTED THAT HOLD, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL AND CITY COUNCIL POSITIONS TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AND BE PUSHING AND PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
HEY, I MEAN, I, IN YOUR PARTICULAR CASE, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND BRING IT UP, SINCE WE'RE IN THE PLAN RETREAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA DO A BRIDGE ACROSS, UH, FROM BLUFFTON, THE HILTON MAN.
WE, WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT DELAY AFTER DELAY ON THAT BRIDGE.
THAT BRIDGE IS, SOMETHING'S GONNA HAVE TO HAPPEN WITH THOSE BRIDGES.
THEY'RE STRUCTURALLY OBSOLETE.
THEY'RE STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT AND OPERATIONALLY OBSOLETE.
UM, AND WE'RE JUST SPENDING MORE AND MORE MONEY TO DO MORE AND MORE STUDIES INSTEAD OF PROGRESSING TOWARD PUTTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE PEOPLE WHO WANNA LIVE HERE AND COME HERE.
SECOND THING IS, I'LL TELL YOU ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME MOST, AND AGAIN, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
WE WILL MANAGE IT AND I WILL GUIDE THAT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
BUT YOUR COMMENT ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE, I HAVE THAT SAME CONCERN.
UM, NOT FOR OLDER FOLKS, BUT FOR YOUNGER FOLKS THAT COME HERE THAT WORK IN OUR SERVICE INDUSTRIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SET UP THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AND ALL THAT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE JUST DID AS A COUNTY IS GONNA BE HARD FOR ME TO MANAGE, IS WE JUST VOTED TO RAISE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR US TO BUY OPEN SPACE.
THOSE TWO THINGS ARE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED EACH OTHER.
IF WE'RE GONNA TAKE LAND OFF THE TABLE TO BE DEVELOPED, THAT'S GONNA CAUSE AN ISSUE ON THE AFFORDABILITY ASPECT.
CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S BASICALLY GONNA BE A SLIGHT SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
IF LANDS AREN'T AVAILABLE TO ADD MORE HOUSES, THE EXISTING HOUSES ARE GOING TO HAVE A HIGHER DEMAND, AND THE PRICES OF THOSE HOMES ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO ESCALATE.
AND IT'S GONNA BE A CONSTANT BATTLE FOR US TO MANAGE, TO PROVIDE AFFORDABILITY.
IF WE DON'T, IF WE DON'T, HOPEFULLY THE HOUSING TRUST FUND IS GONNA BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH THAT SOMEWHAT.
BUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL ABOUT BALANCE.
AND IF ONE GETS OUTTA WHACK WITH THE OTHER, THEN THERE'S NEGATIVE IMPACTS.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TO
[00:45:01]
WHAT WAS SAID AND WHAT I SAID TO BEGIN WITH.IT'S THE DELICATE BALANCING ACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.
I SAID, WE REPRESENT EVERYBODY, THE ELDERLY, THE YOUNG, THE INDIGENT, ALL OF THOSE.
AND WHAT MARIA SAID, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH DIRT.
IT WASN'T NEW BUILDINGS, IT WAS TRANSFERS.
SO MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME.
AND AS FAR AS YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID WITH HILTON HEAD, THEY, THEY'RE DONE THIS WAY.
HOW HIGH CAN THEY GO OR HOW HIGH DO THEY WANT TO GO? WE'RE NOT GONNA DICTATE TO THEM, THAT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS TO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN ON THE ISLAND, BUT THEY'RE COGNIZANT OF THE GROWTH THAT'S GOING ON.
SO IT'S ALL OF THESE THINGS WORKING TOGETHER THAT WILL ALLOW US TO PUT A BUDGET TOGETHER KNOWING THAT IT IS BUDGET ONE OF MULTI YEARS DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU Y'ALL FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I'M KIND OF GOING TO GO OVER EVERYTHING, UH, OVERARCHING.
BASICALLY I'M GOING TO GIVE Y'ALL, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE'RE GOING, UH, AND, AND WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
UM, UM, I WAS GIVEN THREE BUDGET PRIORITIES, UM, FOR US.
ONE IS OUR, OUR, OUR BUFORD COUNTY'S MOST VALUABLE ASSET, WHICH I BELIEVE IS PERSONNEL.
UM, FLAT OUT, WE CAN'T GET OUR JOB.
WE, WE CAN'T GET WHAT Y'ALL WANT DONE UNLESS WE HAVE GREAT PERSONNEL.
UM, TWO REPAIR MAINTAINED BUFORD COUNTY'S FACILITIES.
I THINK, UM, THE REPAIRS AND FACILITIES OF, OF OUR, THE REPAIR MAINTENANCE OF OUR FACILITIES HAS BEEN A FOOTNOTE.
UM, IN THE PAST, UH, I THINK, UH, ERIC GREENWAY'S HIRED ERIC LARSON TO, TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING.
UM, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT NEEDS.
UH, I DON'T WANNA STEAL TOO MUCH OF ERIC LARSON'S THUNDER.
UM, BUT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDS OUT THERE.
AND THERE THERE ARE A LOT OF CAPITAL NEEDS.
AND THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF BIG NUMBERS THERE.
AND THEN THERE ARE CAPITAL PROJECTS, ROADS, UH, BUILDINGS, UH, FACILITIES, MASTER PLANS, ET CETERA.
SO MY NEXT ONE, I WANT TO GIVE Y'ALL THIS GRAPH FIRST.
UH, AND THIS HAS, THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF OUR REVENUES WITHIN THE COUNTY AND IS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND THE, THE B THE THING THAT DRIVES A BUS IS OUR PROPERTY TAXES AND THE VALUE OF A MILL.
AND THAT, THAT IS ABOUT 74% OF OUR TOTAL.
AND THAT'S A BIG BLUE BLOB AT THE BOTTOM.
AND, AND YOU CAN SEE IT HAS GONE STEADILY UP SINCE, UH, 2018.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IT DECLINED A LITTLE BIT IN 2022.
AND YOU WANNA SAY, HEY, THAT'S TOTALLY CONTRARY TO WHAT, UH, MARIA JUST TOLD US.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, IS WE TOOK 4.6 MILLS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, AND WE PUT IT TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
SO THAT'S ABOUT 9 MILLION THAT WE WOULD'VE HAD IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN OUT THERE.
BUT IN, IN THE, THE OTHER OUTLIER IS IN 2018 AND 19, WE WERE STILL GETTING FEMA GRANTS, UH, FROM REIMBURSEMENTS FROM HURRICANE MATTHEW TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT, UH, 27 MILLION AND ABOUT 7 MILLION FOR THE, FOR ONE YEAR.
AND THEN THE SECOND YEAR, HEY, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT YOU FOR A SECOND.
FOR THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS THE CREATION OF THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING ENTERPRISE FUND.
THAT WAS BEFORE, WAS UNDER THE CURRENT OPERATIONS.
IT'S NOW ITS OWN ENTERPRISE FUND.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE ELABORATED ON THAT.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, RIGHT? THAT WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT EVENT.
BUT IF IT HADN'T, I WOULD'VE HAVE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD, IT, IT WOULD'VE JUST KEPT ON GOING.
WITH ALL THE TRANSFERS AND EVERYTHING THAT HAVE GONE ON, ACCORDING TO MARIA'S, IF I WAS TO GUESS, IF YOU DON'T CHANGE THE VALUE OF A MILL, THE THE PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING TO GO UP WITHOUT TAXING ANY FURTHER.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING A GOOD ACCOUNTANT, I'M A NERD.
I GOTTA HAVE MY, MY FIVE YEARS.
SO I GOTTA, I GOTTA HAVE MY SCHEDULE.
I KNOW HERE, HERE DOESN'T LIKE SCHEDULES, BUT YOU KNOW, I, I'M AN ACCOUNTANT.
I GOTTA HAVE MY SCHEDULE IN THERE, SO IT'S IN THERE FOR Y'ALL THAT, THAT KIND OF BACKS UP THE NUMBERS.
UM, BUT YOU'LL SEE, UH, YOU HAVE 152 THOU MILLION IN 2018, 138 IN 2022, BUT 26 OF THAT WAS THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT.
SO REALLY YOU'RE ONLY ABOUT 126.
THE REST OF 'EM KIND OF STAYED FLAT, UM, YOU KNOW, EXCEPT FOR PROPERTY TAXES.
UM, AND THERE'S ANOTHER INTERESTING
[00:50:01]
THING THAT I, THAT I WILL TELL YOU TOO.I THINK THIS IS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHEN I SAID MILAGE HAVE STAYED THE SAME, THEY STAYED AROUND THE SAME, THEY, THEY'RE ABOUT, THEY'VE GONE UP ABOUT 1.4% SINCE 2018, WHICH ISN'T A TON.
AND HALF OF THAT IS REFERENDUM DEBT.
THAT WAS VIA, UM, THE RURAL, RURAL AND CRITICAL.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT IS NOT A HUGE SWING OVER THAT TIME PERIOD.
MARIA MENTIONED THE SAME THING, BUT SHE ALSO SAID THAT THE TAX YEAR IS NOT OVER.
WHEN DO YOU END THE TAX YEAR? WELL, THE, THE TAX YEAR, THE, THE, THE DELINQUENCIES STILL COME IN.
WE HAVE DELINQUENT TAXES COMING IN FROM PRIOR YEARS.
THE THE YEAR REALLY NEVER CLOSES, BUT TYPICALLY WE'RE ABOUT 99% COLLECTED BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO IS IS TYPICALLY WHERE WE ARE, YOU'RE AT 99%, OR NOT 98 TO 99 IS WHAT I, BUT I'D HAVE TO ASK MARIA ABOUT THAT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL OR CALENDAR YEAR.
YEAH, FISCAL, I'M GETTING, I'M GETTING CONFUSED.
AND BACK TO YOUR SLIDE ON THE FEMA, THAT FEMA REIMBURSEMENT WAS AS A RESULT OF THE HURRICANE IN 2015, HURRICANE MATTHEW AND ALL THE CLEANUP COSTS.
SO IF ANY OF Y'ALL WERE HERE, UH, I MEAN, BEFOR COUNTY WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN A DEMILITARIZED ZONE WITH ALL THE TREES THAT WERE DOWN, SO MM-HMM.
BUT ANYWAYS, SO THIS SLIDE JUST TELLS YOU KIND OF WHERE THE PROPERTY TAXES WERE AT 74%.
UM, THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE 10% IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES, OR 7%.
UM, I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES INCREASING THE VALUE OF A MILL BECAUSE OF ALL THE TRANSFERS.
UM, AND I'VE TOLD YOU ABOUT WHY IT DIPPED, UM, AND WHY, WHY, WHY THE DRIVING FACTORS IS, UM, ONE THING I WANTED TO GO OVER AS FAR AS, UH, CHARGES FOR SERVICES, ONE THING THAT WAS INTERESTING WAS IN 2021, WE LOST 3.2 MILLION WORTH OF FUNDING.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL KNOW WHAT THAT WAS, BUT THAT WAS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD FOR THE SHERIFF'S FEES.
BUT WHAT FILLED THAT BUCKET UP WAS, UH, THE REGISTER OF DEEDS, UH, REVENUE FOR ALL THE TRANSFERS.
SO ALTHOUGH WE LOST 3.2 MILLION, THE REGISTERED DEEDS KIND OF FILLED THAT HOLE.
NOW, IF THE MARKET, IF IF THE ECONOMY TURNS AND IT GOES DOWN, YOU WOULD SEE THOSE FEES RECEDE SOME.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA GET THE 3.2 AGAIN, BUT WE HAVE THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND SERVICES AND A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
UH, THE STATE A THE SUBDIVISIONS NEXT YEAR'S GONNA BE 8.3 MILLION, AND I WOULD SUSPECT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WILL BE FROM TWO TO 2.1 MILLION.
NEXT WE HAVE OUR EXPENDITURES AND THE, THESE ARE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, AND I HAVE 'EM BROKEN OUT BY, BY THEIR CATEGORY, BY PERSONNEL SERVICES, UH, PURCHASE SERVICES, SUPPLIES, CAPITAL OUTLAY SUBSIDIES, OTHERS IN TENNESSEE, OTHER EXPENDITURES.
AND THEY KIND OF LOOK LIKE THEY'VE, I I WANT TO LOOK PARTICULARLY AT PERSONNEL SERVICES.
CAUSE IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE WENT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND ONE REASON IN 2021 WAS WHEN WE, WE DID SPLIT OUT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND SHERIFF IN, IN THEIR, IN A SEPARATE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND THAT WAS AROUND $4 MILLION.
AND IN 2022, WE IMPLEMENTED, UH, WE, WE IMPLEMENTED SOME OTHER THINGS, WHICH I'LL GO ON LATER ON IN THE SLIDES.
BUT, UH, UH, THE, THE, THERE THERE REASONS THAT IS, IS UP.
BUT, UH, TH THOSE ARE, ARE ARE EXPENDITURES.
CAN YOU DEFINE THAT? UH, YES MA'AM.
IT'S, UH, SO IT IS, IT'S OUR PAYMENTS TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
IT'S OUR PAYMENTS TO, UH, BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
IT'S OUR PAYMENTS TO BEAUFORT COMP, GASPER COMP HEALTH, UH, L RT A ALL REC CENTER.
WE HAVE, IT'S ABOUT 10 TO $11 MILLION.
I HAVE A SLIDE THAT SPLITS OUT ALL OF THEM.
UM, SOME OF 'EM ARE BASED ON MILLAGES, SOME ARE JUST FLAT AMOUNTS.
BUT I, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL OF THE NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT THEY ARE.
UM, BUT ANYWAYS, SO, BUT, UH, YEAH, THEN IF YOU EVER LOOK AT THE AUDIT REPORT, IT'S BROKEN DOWN BY GOVERNMENT FUNCTION.
AND THIS IS GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND IT HAS IT SPLIT OUT BY THE CATEGORY.
I'LL KIND OF JUST RUN THROUGH THESE.
WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY, WHAT WORKS HEALTH, AND
[00:55:01]
THESE ARE FOR THREE YEARS, PUBLIC WELFARE, CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL.AND THIS, THIS SLIDE I, I LOOKED AT AND HAD TO DO A DOUBLE TAKE.
IT KIND OF THREW ME FOR A CULTURE AND RECREATIONAL, CUZ I WAS THINKING PARKS AND REC, BUT THAT ALSO HAS A HIGHER EDUCATION IN THERE.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT SUBSID IS OTHER IS SO BIG.
SO YOU'RE LIKE, WHY, WHY, WHY WOULD THAT BE SO MUCH? BUT IT'S LIBRARIES, PARKS, AND REC IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION.
BUT, UM, ANYWAYS, UM, BEFORD NOW, UH, BEFORD COUNTY PERSONNEL INCREASES THAT.
I WANT TO GIVE Y'ALL KIND OF A BACKGROUND ON THE PERSONNEL.
WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
IN 2021, UH, THAT BUDGET COVID 19 WAS HIT, THE BOTTOM WAS FALLING OUT.
WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, WE JUST KIND OF HELD THE LINE.
UM, IN 2022, WE IMPLEMENTED THE EVERGREEN, UH, SOLUTIONS CLASSIFICATION STUDY IN COMP STUDY.
AND IN 2023, WE INPUT MINUTE, A 5% COST OF LIVING COLA THAT WE ACTUALLY DID BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE DID IT IN MAY OF, UH, 2022.
THEN, LET'S SEE, UH, THEN THE SPECIAL PAY THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE HAD THREE, UH, PTO PAYOUTS.
UM, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 8, 812 AND 21, 7 75 AND 20, UH, 22 AND 839 AND 2022, WE HAVE THE ARPA PAYOUT OF $3,000 PER EMPLOYEE.
UM, AND SO BAY BEEF COUNTY'S BEEN VERY, UH, GENEROUS TO EMPLOYEES.
WHERE WILL WE GO, UM, FOR PERSONNEL? UM, AND, AND I, I MIGHT WANNA SEAL CATHERINE THUNDER.
UH, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF COLA'S, MERIT, PAY INCREASES, STEP INCREASES, BUT THAT'LL BE COVERED IN HER PRESENTATION.
THIS IS, THIS IS A KEY COMPONENT.
THIS IS A KEY COMPONENT OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA WANT A DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL ON.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF VACANCIES IN THE COUNTY.
UH, SOME OF THAT IS DUE TO WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO PAY FOLKS AS A MINIMUM STARTING SALARY.
AND WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE COMPETING, UH, AT THE, UH, CITY COUNTY MANAGERS ASSOCIATIONS MEETING.
UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UH, FRANK BOY RAINWATER THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, WHO DID OUR REDISTRICTING FOREST, BASICALLY SAID THAT IT USED TO BE EVEN IN RECESSION, THAT THERE WERE ALWAYS PEOPLE AVAILABLE FOR EVERY JOB, UH, IN THE AREA.
BUT NOW GOVERNMENTS HAVING TO COMPETE WITH PRIVATE, UH, FOLKS, BECAUSE CURRENTLY FOR EVERY JOB THAT'S VACANT, THERE'S LESS THAN ONE PERSON STATISTICALLY AVAILABLE TO FILL THAT JOB.
AND WE'RE HAVING TO COMPETE WITH PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.
AND IF YOU'RE DEALING WITH YOUNGER FOLKS TRYING TO RECRUIT THEM AND HIRE THEM, THEY'RE NOT REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT BENEFITS, INSURANCE, RETIREMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY WORK, CAN THEY WORK REMOTE? HOW MUCH TIME DO THEY HAVE TO WORK, HOW MUCH TIME CAN THEY HAVE OFF, YOU KNOW, FLEXIBILITY OF SCHEDULE AND THEIR HOURLY PAY.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME CLEAR DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL AS TO WHAT YOU ALL WANT US TO BUILD IN, UH, IN THE BUDGET.
UH, COMING UP IN THE NEXT SESSION.
SORRY, HAS MR. TIMMER, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? DID THE COUNTY FULLY IMPLEMENT THE COMPENSATION STUDY? I MEAN, I, I WAS ON LIBRARY WHEN IT WAS DONE.
AND WHERE WERE WE WITH THAT? WE DID FULLY IMPLEMENT, HOWEVER, THAT STUDY IS NOW OVER TWO YEARS OLD.
YEAH, I KNOW IT'S TIME TO BE REEVALUATED.
WE'LL DO THAT INTERNALLY ON THE TWO YEAR MARK.
AND EVERY FOUR YEARS IT WILL BE DONE EXTERNALLY.
SO CATHERINE CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT.
BUT WE DID FULLY IMPLEMENT, IT'S JUST WITH INFLATION THE WAY THAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.
OUR HOURLY AGES, PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO WORK EXTRA HOURS JUST TO PAY FOR THE EXACT SAME BASKET OF GOODS THAT THEY DID A YEAR AND TWO YEARS AGO.
AND, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT WITH CATHERINE.
WE'RE GONNA TAG TEAM, THE PERSONNEL PIECE, AND I'LL PULL UP SOME STATISTICS FOR YOU GUYS FROM THE EURO VIEWER OF LABOR STATISTICS.
UM, BUT THAT'LL BETTER ILLUSTRATE TO YOU SOME OF THE DIFFICULTY THAT WE ARE HAVING WHEN CHICK-FIL-A IS HIRING, SUPPOSEDLY AT $15 AN HOUR, GAS STATIONS ARE AT 15 AND 16 LOWS.
UM, AS MR. GREENWAY SAID, USUALLY THE RECESSIONARY PERIODS ARE FANTASTIC FOR GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYERS BECAUSE THERE'S THE CONCEPT OF LONG-TERM JOB SECURITY, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE ANYMORE.
SO IT'S A DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT AT THE MOMENT.
AND I AGREE, YOUNGER PEOPLE, THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THE BENEFITS AS MUCH OTHER THAN MEDICAL, BUT THEY WANNA KNOW WHAT ARE THEY TAKING HOME IN THEIR PAYCHECK BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY'RE LIVING EVERY DAY WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
AND THE LAST KEY COMPONENT IS THE ONE THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH NOW, AND THAT'S HOUSING.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[01:00:01]
WHERE YOU WORK, YOU'RE NOT GOING THERE BECAUSE IT TAKES TOO LONG TO GET TO WORK.AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM WE HAVE.
UM, THERE, THERE'S ONE THING I WANT TO BRING UP TOO THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY DEALT WITH SINCE 2020.
UM, IN THE PAST WE HAD TRANSFERRED MONEY TO DSN AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR, THEIR OPERATIONS.
AND IT WAS, UH, THE LAST TRANSFER THAT WE HAD WAS IN 2020.
IT'S 3.8 MILLION AND COVID, WE THOUGHT THE WHOLE WORLD WAS GOING END AND, AND THANK GOD IT, IT, IT DIDN'T, BUT IT CHANGED THE WAY THINGS WORK.
BUT WE'VE ASKED, THEY, THEY HAD ABOUT 5 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE AND WE ASKED THEM TO USE THEIR FUND BALANCE.
AND, AND THEY'VE DONE THAT FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
UM, IT'S LOOKING LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED, UH, TO, WE'RE GOING, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO FUND AGAIN AND IT'S GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
AND RIGHT NOW, UH, JUST TO FILL THE HOLE FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF WHAT THEIR, UH, DEFICIT WAS, WOULD BE AROUND TWO TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT, THAT'S JUST TO, IS PUTTING ALL THE CARDS ON THE TABLE, LETTING Y'ALL KNOW AHEAD OF TIME.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE SUBSIDIES TO OTHERS, AND THIS IS JUST OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE MILLAGE BASED, WHICH ARE THE HIGHER EDUCATION PAYMENTS, SO THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUFORT, UM, AND THEN THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL AND THE BEAUFORT, JASPER COMP HEALTH, THEY'RE ALSO MILLAGE BASED.
UH, BUT YOU CAN RUN THROUGH THIS LIST AND KIND OF GO THROUGH IT.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S REALLY NOT ON HERE IS THE MILLS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE JOB IN PARKS BECAUSE IT'S, IT VARIES ON, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT PROJECT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS GOING ON AT THE TIME.
AND HANK WILL BE GOING OVER THAT WITH HIS PRESENTATION.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE PROJECTED ALMOST 11.8 MILLION GOING OUT, UH, AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT Y'ALL MAY WANT TO INCREASE, DECREASE, BUT THIS IS JUST TO KIND OF LET Y'ALL KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE NEW PEOPLE WHERE, WHERE A LOT OF THE MONEY'S GOING.
BUT ANYWAYS, UM, THE BIG THING TO TALK ABOUT IS, UH, THE CAPITAL IN, UH, IN, IN THE, IN THE MAINTENANCE.
AND WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS PAST YEAR, WE'VE BEEN USING A LOT OF FUND BALANCE AND WE HAVE, WE HA WE HAVE HAD CARRYOVERS AND WE'VE BEEN USING A LOT OF THE CARRYOVER FOR, FOR CAPITAL.
WE STILL HAVE FUND BALANCE THAT WE CAN USE.
IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS IT HAS BEEN BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN USING A LOT, BUT THE, THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS TAKE TIME AND A LOT OF EFFORT, AND THEY'RE NOT QUICK SOLUTIONS.
AND SO, UM, WE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE CAN FUND SOME OF THESE WITH THAT, THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE ONE, ONE USE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO FUND WITH THAT ALSO, UH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR FUNDS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, UH, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS AND SEE IF THEY'RE APPLICABLE USES THAT WE CAN USE SOME OF THIS FUNDING, FUNDING AND, AND TAP INTO IT AND GET SOME OF THESE PROJECTS DONE.
UM, THERE'S SOME BOND PROCEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR A WHILE, AND WE'RE GOING TO RE-LOOK AT THOSE AND SEE IF WE CAN RECLASS THOSE.
AND THEN, UH, TO FUND ALL THESE PRO PROJECTS, THERE MAY BE ISSUANCE OF BONDS, BUT LOOK AT THE MASTER FACILITY PLAN IN THE PARKS AND RECS, MASTER FACILITY PLAN IN THE BOAT, LANDINGS PARK.
UM, $93 MILLION IN, IN THE 8% GEO BONDS.
IT, IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH TO GET EVERYTHING DONE.
I MEAN, WE, WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF COMING UP OUT THERE.
SO, UM, BUT THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT I HAD.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? WE WILL PRINT OUT THAT, UH, SPECIAL REVENUE FUND PIECE WHEN WE GO TO BREAK HERE AND PERSONNEL PIECE.
AND SO YOU ALL HAVE THE HISTORIC NUMBER TO WHAT WE DONE ON THAT AND HOW THATS, UH, STATIONS WHENEVER WE, UH, BREAK.
BUT IT'D PROBABLY BE GOOD TO TAKE A BREAK.
AND, AND FOR COUNSEL, ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE EVERYTHING THIS YEAR.
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE YEAR OVER YEAR.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE HERE FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
OUR OTHER THREE PEOPLE WILL BE UP FOR ELECTION.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AS WE PROGRESS ALONG THIS 20 YEAR TRAVEL ROUTE? OKAY, SO LET'S TAKE A BREAK.
[01:05:01]
20.IS THAT ACCEPTABLE TO EVERYONE? YES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR 2024.
UM, SO THE PERSONNEL PIECE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, AT THE END OF THAT LAST SESSION, AND, UH, HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT, IS OUR INTERIM HR DIRECTOR, CATHERINE MEAD.
UH, MR. GREENWAY INTRODUCED CATHERINE, UH, EARLIER, BUT SHE'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR 10 YEARS, UH, AND TWO DIFFERENT HR DIRECTORS DURING THAT TIME.
SO SHE HAS TAKEN THE REINS, UH, HERSELF NOW AND DOING A GREAT JOB, AND I KNOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO A GREAT JOB.
UH, SHE, ALONG WITH, UM, OUR DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, MS. RICHLAND WILL BE TAG TEAMING ON THIS, UH, THIS PERSONNEL PIECE'S, COMPENSATION AND, UH, BENEFITS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M RIGHT.
SO, UH, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT YOU'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS IN THIS, IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
UH, WE'VE HAD, UH, RETIREMENTS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, UH, EMPLOYEES WHO JUST DECIDED NOT TO RETURN PAST, UH, OUR POST, UH, THE HEIGHT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, UH, AN OVERALL CHALLENGE AND FILLING VACANT POSITIONS THAT WE SPOKE OF EARLIER.
BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME TANGIBLE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE TO COMBAT THOSE CHALLENGES.
AMONG THOSE, THE ARPA PAYOUT, THE, UH, 5%, UH, COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT LAST YEAR.
THIS YEAR ACTUALLY, THE, UH, SIGN ON AND RETENTION BONUSES OFFERED IN OUR PUBLIC, UH, SAFETY AREA.
SO ALL OF THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AND, UH, SOME VISIONS, GOALS AND JUST GENERAL THOUGHTS SHARED ON THAT, UH, CRITICAL PIECE OF PERSONNEL.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. MEAD.
SO WE, UH, I'VE GIVEN YOU TWO SHEETS OF PAPER FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE ROOM.
LOGAN, WE'RE GOING TO BE EMAILING YOU HAYES, THIS PRESENTATION.
IT'S GOT THE PERSONNEL STARRED ON IT AND THE PAYMENTS TO OUTSIDE ENTITY CHART ON IT.
UH, THOSE ARE GONNA BE THINGS THAT WE'LL CONTINUALLY DISCUSS, UH, OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
OKAY, I'M GONNA, WELL, HERE WE GO.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE LITTLE AGENDA JUST TO OVERVIEW WHAT WE'RE GONNA COVER TODAY.
I HAVE STATISTICS ON OUR CURRENT PERSONNEL.
IT'S GONNA INCLUDE OUR CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS IN ADDITION TO OUR VACANCIES, OUR TURNOVER RATE.
AND I'M ALSO GONNA HIGHLIGHT OUR RETIREE RATE.
I THINK THAT'S A, A NEW NUMBER WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT.
WE'RE GETTING INTO, UM, THE TIME PERIOD WHERE WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE TRANSITIONING OUT DUE TO RETIREMENT.
SO WE'VE NEVER REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT RIGHT? PRIOR, IN PRIOR YEARS.
BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FROM HERE FORWARD, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS THAT WE ARE ZONING IN ON THAT NUMBER AS WELL.
UM, I'LL ALSO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME VISION AND GOALS, UM, WITH HR AND WITH ADMINISTRATION FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY.
UM, SOME OF THOSE WILL BE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
OBVIOUSLY, THOSE ARE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITIES, UM, INCREASING OUR EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND THEN GOING OVER SOME OF OUR BENEFITS.
AND THEN WE'LL GO OVER THE ROADMAP OF HOW WE GET THERE.
SO I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE CURRENT PERSONNEL DATA THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE, UH, IS FRESH AS OF TWO FOUR.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
EVERY WEEK, THE NUMBERS CHANGE.
SO KEEP IN MIND THIS IS AS OF TWO FOUR.
AND WHAT I'VE DONE, UM, WITH OUR STAFFING LEVELS TO COMPARE OUR VACANCIES VERSUS OUR STAFF POSITIONS IS BROKEN OUT BY DIVISION THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO THE FIRST, UH, DIVISION I'VE HIGHLIGHTED IS OUR FINANCE DIVISION.
AND WITHIN THE CHART YOU'LL SEE EACH DEPARTMENT THAT FALLS UNDER THAT DIVISION ALONG WITH HOW MANY CURRENT, UM, EMPLOYEES THEY HAVE.
AND THEN THE GREEN BAR WILL DICTATE HOW MANY VACANCIES THEY HAVE.
UM, SO A BRIEF OVERVIEW ON THE FINANCE DIVISION, THERE'S A TOTAL FTE COUNT OF 76.5.
PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT POSITION NUMBER VERSUS FTE IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT CUZ YOU HAVE TWO PART-TIME POSITIONS, SO IT'S EQUIVALENT TO ONE FTE.
SO IF YOU'RE DOING SOME QUICK MATH AS YOU LOOK THROUGH MY GRAPHS, THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBERS.
THE CURRENT TURNOVER RATE, UM, FOR THE FINANCE DIVISION IS 6.15%.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS FROM JULY ONE THROUGH 23.
SO WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
AND THE RETIREE RETIREE RATE IS 25%.
SO 25% OF THE ONES THAT LEFT US WERE DUE TO RETIREMENT.
UM, WE TALKED IN PREVIOUS YEARS ABOUT HEALTHY RATES FOR RETENTION, UM, AND TURNOVER.
10% OF A TURNOVER IS YOU'RE, YOU'RE
[01:10:01]
KNOCKING OUT THE PARK, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING GREAT.UM, OVER 20% WILL IN A HR WORLD, THROW SOME RED FLAGS AND WE PROBABLY NEED TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND APPROACH THOSE ISSUES AS NEEDED.
UM, ANYWHERE IN THAT 10 TO 20 WE'RE OKAY.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANNA LET IT OUTTA SIGHT, BUT WE'RE OKAY.
SO I WANTED TO POINT THOSE OUT TO YOU AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THESE NUMBERS, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE FALLING WITH THAT.
THE NEXT DIVISION WE HAVE IS THE DEVELOPMENT AND RECREATION DIVISION.
AND JUST LIKE OUR FINANCE, YOU'LL SEE THE CHART BROKEN OUT THE SAME WAY.
UM, PARKS AND REC IS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT TO ME THE MOST.
WE HAVE 69 FILL POSITION, BUT WE, UH, DO STILL HAVE 25 VACANCIES THERE.
UM, IF MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT, MOST OF THOSE ARE RECORDS AND LIFEGUARDS.
THE TOTAL FTE COUNT FOR THIS DIVISION IS 186, AND THE TURNOVER RATE IS THAT 9.42% AND THE RETIREE RATE IS 5.88%.
NEXT WE WILL GO OVER THE INFRASTRUCTURE DIVISION, WHICH INCLUDES OUR ENGINEERING AIRPORT, SPECIAL PROJECTS AND PUBLIC WORKS.
THE ONE THAT PROBABLY STANDS OUT MOST TO YOU IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS AT 31 VACANCIES.
OUR TOTAL F T E COUNT HERE IS 180 3 WITH A TURNOVER RATE OF 8.02%.
NO RETIREES FROM THE FOLKS THAT HAVE LEFT US IN PUBLIC WORKS THUS FAR THIS FISCAL YEAR PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS IS, UM, AS YOU'VE HEARD IN PREVIOUS YEARS DURING THIS RETREAT WHERE WE ARE CRITICALLY LOW AND WE, WE HAVE GOT TO GET A HANDLE ON THIS, GET SOME STAFF IN, KEEP THEM IN.
UM, AND WE HAVE SOME PLANS TO HELP GET US THERE THAT WE'LL BE SHARING WITH YOU LATER THIS MORNING.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THE DETENTION CENTER HAS 57 STAFFED EMPLOYEES AND THEY HAVE 32 VACANCIES.
SO AGAIN, VERY ALARMING FOR OUR DETENTION CENTER.
OUR EMS IS DOING ACTUALLY BETTER.
CAN YOU SAY THAT? COULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE 57 STAFFED POSITIONS RIGHT NOW AND 32 VACANCIES.
OF THE 57, THERE ARE 32 EMPTY.
THEY HAVE A TOTAL OF, UH, 89 POSITIONS.
EMF ACTUALLY HAS IMPROVED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SOME EXTRA PAY WHEN THEY GET, UH, DOUBLE OVERTIME.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN, BEEN HELPFUL.
OF COURSE, THEY ALSO ARE, UH, IBLE FOR AS, UM, DALE MENTIONED, THE SIGN ON BONUS.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S HELPING BRING PEOPLE IN, BUT IT'S STILL A NUMBER TO KEEP IN, IN THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR MIND, CUZ WE DON'T WANT EMS TO GET ANY HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY ARE WITH THEIR VACANCIES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I JUST ASK A QUICK QUESTION.
GOING BACK TO EA THE DETENTION CENTER MM-HMM.
WHAT KIND OF STRESS IS THAT PLACING ON CURRENT STAFF? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY A LOT.
SO IS THAT A AREA OF, UM, OF, UH, HIGH PRIORITY FOR US TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING WITH AND ARE WE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT? UM, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE DETENTION CENTER AND THEY CAME BEFORE US BEFORE AND SAID SALARY WAS A ISSUE.
WE KIND OF DID SOMETHING WITH SALARY.
SO IS IT'S IT SIR, YOU YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M ASKING? I'M TRYING TO ASK.
SO, UM, CATHERINE'S PROBABLY GONNA ALLUDE TO THIS WHEN SHE GOES INTO HER NEXT SLIDE, BUT WE'VE DONE ALL WE CAN DO WITH THE DETENTION CENTER AND EMS AS FAR AS PAY AND RECRUITING RETENTION IS CONCERNED.
NOW IT'S TIME FOR ADMINISTRATION ME TO START LOOKING AT OTHER AREAS OF CONCERN THAT YOU ALL COULD SIT THERE AND PROBABLY IMAGINE WHAT THOSE AREAS OF CONCERN WOULD BE, UH, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THOSE TYPES OF DEVA VACANCIES IN THOSE TWO, UH, DIVISIONS.
WE JUST HIRED A NEW PUBLIC, UH, SAFETY ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND HE AND I AND WHITNEY WILL BE LOOKING INTO THOSE, THAT SITUATION IN MORE DETAIL.
AND, UH, BE IMPLEMENTING, UH, THINGS ONCE WE DO THAT, ONCE WE DO THAT WORK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS SO FAR? OKAY.
LET'S JUST DO A, UM, HIGH LEVEL OVERLOOK ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION.
SO WE HAVE A TOTAL FTE COUNT OF 2 23 0.5.
WE DO HAVE A TURNOVER RATE OF TH RIGHT AT 14%.
UM, AND A RETIREE RATE JUST UNDER 7.5% HERE.
[01:15:01]
AND COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION.UM, THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF YOUR IT DEPARTMENT, GIS RECORDS MANAGEMENT, YOUR PIO O AND YOUR BROADCAST.
AND HERE WE HAVE A TOTAL F T E COUNT OF 46.
WE DO HAVE A TURNOVER RATE OF 20% HERE WITH ZERO RETIREES.
SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ABOVE 20 IS WHEN WE'RE REALLY GETTING CONCERNED.
BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S, IT'S A MUCH SMALLER DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE WORKING HARD TO RECRUIT.
I KNOW SARAH'S STEPPING IN FOR US, UM, WITH THE P I O PIECE, UH, AS WE ACTIVELY RECRUIT THAT.
UM, SO I ANTICIPATE THIS NUMBER TO IMPROVE BEFORE THE END OF FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS IS, UM, SO THIS, IN MY OPINION, JUST SO COUNCIL'S AWARE, IS A COMBINATION OF TWO THINGS.
ONE IS A COMBINATION OF THE FLEXIBLE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT'S OFFERED IN PRIVATE WITH, UH, IT, UH, FOLKS HAVE TO COME HERE AND DO WORK.
SO THEY CAN BE WORKING ON PEOPLE'S COMPUTER, BUT IF THEY CAN SIT AT HOME AND WORK FOR A PRIVATE IT COMPANY, UH, THEN THAT'S MORE ATTRACTIVE TO A LOT OF THE FOLKS, UH, UH, IN THIS BRACKET IN MY OPINION.
AND THEN THE FINAL, THE OTHER REASON IS, IS THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME PERSONNEL ISSUES IN, UH, ONE OF THOSE DIVISIONS THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY, UH, BEGAN ADDRESSING.
THIS IS A NATIONWIDE TREND IN IT, JUST AS YOU SAID.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF WORKING IN IT NOW, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION, UM, THE ONE THAT PROBABLY STANDS OUT TO YOU HERE IS OUR DSN.
AND AGAIN, UM, THIS IS JUST A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL DEPARTMENT.
IT DOES REQUIRE A VERY UNIQUE SKILLSET.
WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME INTO THIS JOB, UM, AND AFTER SIX, EIGHT MONTHS, THEY JUST MAY REALIZE IT'S NOT FOR THEM.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS A PERSONNEL ISSUE, I'M NOT, NOT AWARE OF ANY ISSUES THERE.
I THINK IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE JOB HERE.
YOUR OVERVIEW LOOK ON THIS IS 157 TOTAL FTE WITH 18.24% TURNOVER IN 7.6 NON RETIREE RATE.
AND THEN OUR NEWEST DEPARTMENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE HAVE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WHO ALSO OVERSEES FACILITIES, NEWEST DIVISION RATHER.
SO THE TOTAL F T E COUNT HERE IS 26.
THEY'VE HAD ZERO TURNOVER SINCE JULY ONE, AN ADMINISTRATION.
WE HAVE ONLY ONE VACANCY AND THAT'S IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S GONNA BE THE MOST RECENT COUNTY ATTORNEY WE'VE PUT ON FOR THE GREEN SPACE, UH, PENNY.
SO WE JUST STARTED RECRUITING FOR THAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE WORK ENVIRONMENT IN THE, AT THE ADMINISTRATION IS MUCH BETTER THAN EVERY, EVERY PLACE ELSE.
WELL, I MEAN, EVERYONE'S HERE.
I'LL LET THEM SPEAK FOR THAT
UM, YEAH, SO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, I, I BUNCHED THEM TOGETHER, SO I'M SORRY IT'S A VERY BUSY CHART.
UM, BUT I DID PUT THEM ALL IN ONE.
UM, OVERALL THEY'RE DOING PRETTY WELL AS FAR AS, UH, THEIR STAFFING LEVELS.
THE SHERIFF IS YOUR BIGGEST ONE.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING 343 POSITIONS OF THOSE.
UM, AS OF SATURDAY WHEN I PULLED THE DATE OF 52 WERE VACANT.
529.5 TOTAL FTE COUNTS PER ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
TURNOVER RATE IS AT 7.3% WITH A RETIREE RATE AT 27%.
SO WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF RETIREMENT HAPPENING.
UM, I WOULD SAY MOSTLY IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
RETIREMENT RATE FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS THERE A MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE FOR, UM, SHERIFF'S? SO FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY ARE MEMBERS OF OUR POLICE OFFICER RETIREMENT SYSTEM THROUGH P A.
UM, I BELIEVE MS. HOWARD, IT'S 25 YEARS SERVICE TO, TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A FULL BENEFIT.
YOU'RE VESTED AF AFTER 25 YEARS, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE.
SO THAT'S USUALLY WHAT, UM, UH, SEVERAL OF THEM DO IS RETIRE FROM THE POLICE FORCE AND GO INTO SOME OTHER INDUSTRY.
AND I DO BELIEVE MOST OF IT IS IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
[01:20:01]
OVERVIEW, PULLING ALL THE SLIDES TOGETHER.WE JUST REVIEWED, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 1,444 FTES.
UM, A TOTAL OF 1,512 POSITIONS.
AND THEN I'VE ALSO BROKEN THAT OUT FOR YOU TO HAVE A VISUAL OF, UM, HOW MANY PART-TIME.
I, I THINK THAT'S BEEN A QUESTION THAT'S COME UP RECENTLY.
WE HAVE 136 PART-TIME POSITIONS.
I WILL ALSO NOTE ON THOSE PART-TIME POSITIONS, I THINK ROUGHLY I BELIEVE FIVE OR SIX OF THOSE PART-TIMER WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THE REMAINDER THAT BALANCE IS WITH THE COUNTY DIVISIONS.
WE DO HAVE A TOTAL VACANCY, UH, COUNT OF 252.
THE AVERAGE COUNTY TURNOVER RATE IS 10.24% WITH THE RETIREE RATE IS JUST OVER SEVEN AND A FIVE.
SO THAT JUST GIVES A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE STAND CURRENTLY WITH OUR PERSONNEL.
WE'RE GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT INTO OUR VISION AND GOALS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES IS TO BE THE PREMIER EMPLOYER.
WE'VE HEARD ALL MORNING ABOUT GROWTH.
PEOPLE ARE COMING TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE WANT TO BE THAT FORFOR FOREFRONT EMPLOYER THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME WORK FOR.
UM, SO WE ARE GONNA WORK ON A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
WE HAVE SOME IDEAS GOING WITH THAT.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA TALK ABOUT COMPETITIVE WAGES AND MAKE A COUPLE PROPOSALS, UM, FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT WITH COLAS AND MERITS.
WE HAVE ALSO IN OUR HR DEPARTMENT, UM, JUST HIRED ON A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST PO UH, INDIVIDUAL THAT'S GONNA OVERSEE A NEW PROGRAM FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S VERY KEY TO INVEST IN OUR CURRENT STAFF, GET THEM ON A, YOU KNOW, A PATH THAT THEY WANNA GET TO CUZ WE WANNA PROMOTE AND FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WE PROMOTE FROM WITHIN.
AND WE ARE HELPING UPSKILL OUR STAFF AND ALSO HE A HEALTHY WORKFORCE.
HOW DO WE GET THERE? I'LL START WITH THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PIECE.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL RECENTLY OUR PREVIOUS HR DIRECTOR COMING BEFORE YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE NEO GOV SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE NOW PURCHASED.
OUR TEAM IN HR IS WORKING WITH THEM ON IMPLEMENTATION.
WE EXPECT TO GO LIVE, UH, LATE SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER OF THIS YEAR.
AND THIS IS A RECRUITMENT AND ONBOARDING SOFTWARE PROGRAM.
SO IT'S GONNA ALLOW OUR STAFF IN HR TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN RECRUITING.
THE CURRENT APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW IS, IS A LITTLE STALE, UM, AND NOT VERY USER FRIENDLY.
SO THIS SYSTEM WILL ALSO ALLOW OUR STAFF TO PUT IN KEYWORDS FOR WHAT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT SKILLS WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO FIND RESUMES ON FILE WITH THIS SYSTEM.
AND THEN WE CAN BE PROACTIVE IN REACHING OUT TO THEM AND LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT OUR POSITIONS.
CAUSE CURRENTLY WE'RE JUST CROSSING OUR FINGERS AND HOPING THAT THE PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE.
WE HAVE BROAD, UM, WIDENED OUR CAST NET OF WHO ALL WE'RE ADVERTISING THROUGH.
UH, WE TALK TO DEPARTMENTS AND GO OUT THROUGH PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS IN THEIR FIELD.
UM, BUT I STILL JUST DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE HITTING THE, THE POPULATION THAT WE NEED TO BE HITTING.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING CURRENTLY WITH ADMINISTRATION AND LEGAL ON FORMING AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE THESE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WHITNEY HAD MENTIONED EARLIER IT'S TIME FOR US TO DO AN INTERNAL CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STUDY.
I'M CURRENTLY WORKING WITH, UM, ADMINISTRATION INCLUDING ALL OF OUR ACAS TO GET WITH THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND TELL ME WHERE, WHERE ARE WE STRUGGLING, WHAT ARE THE POSITIONS WE NEED TO GO OUT AND DO ANOTHER MARKET SURVEY ON.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS GO AROUND.
WE ARE GOING TO MARKET SURVEY NOT ONLY OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BUT PRIVATE SECTOR BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE WHERE WE'RE HITTING A BRICK WALL WITH THE COMPETITION ON, ON THE RATES.
UM, I THINK ERIC ALLUDED A LITTLE BIT TO THIS PREVIOUSLY.
WE'RE GOING TO ALSO WORK ON DOING SOME CLIMATE ASSESSMENTS.
UM, IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT TO DO STAY INTERVIEWS THAN IT IS FOR EXIT INTERVIEWS.
SO THAT IS GONNA BE A PRIORITY FOR OUR HR OFFICE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, IS TO GET OUT TO OUR DEPARTMENTS AND DO CLIMATE ASSESSMENTS.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA LET WHITNEY COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES.
SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE DO WANT TO RETAIN OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEE WORKFORCE, UM, IS TO DO ANOTHER COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
I SAID BEFORE YOU LAST YEAR IN PETITION DUE TO CONSIDER THE RISING INFLATION OR ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WERE IN.
THAT HAS NOT CHANGED UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF STATISTICS FOR YOU ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
BUT FIRST, JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T AWARE, WE OFTEN REFER TO CPI CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.
WHAT IS THAT? BASICALLY IT'S THE MEASURE OF AN AVERAGE CHANGE IN PRICES OVER TIME IN A FIXED MARKET BASKET OF GOODS.
SO THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO LIVE ON YOUR DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, RIGHT? FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER, TRANSPORTATION.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT MEANS IT MEASURES THE CHANGES IN PRICE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A GIVING STANDARD OF LIVING.
SO THIS YEAR WE'RE DOING, WE'RE PROPOSING A COMBINATION OF A COLA AND A MERIT.
AND JUST BELOW THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING A 3% COLA.
BUT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN REGION, OUR INFLATION
[01:25:01]
FROM DECEMBER OF 21 THROUGH DECEMBER OF 22, THAT'S THE MOST RECENT DATA WE HAVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME FOR OUR REGION IS 7%.NOW THAT SOUTHEAST REGION DOES, UM, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, YOU KNOW, SOUTH CAROLINA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, THERE ARE SEVERAL STATES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT SOUTHEAST REGION.
BUT OVERALL FOR ALL GOODS, NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED IS 7% FOOD.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN IT.
I PUT EGGS ON THERE FOR A REASON.
HAS ANYBODY SEEN THE PRICE OF EGGS LATELY? IT'S INSANE.
SO GROCERIES OVERALL FOR OUR REGION OVER THE LAST DECEMBER TO DECEMBER 12 MONTH PERIOD INCREASED 12.6%.
DRILLING DOWN INTO THE DETAILS, ELECTRICITY APPROXIMATELY INCREASED 15.7% FOR OUR REGION NATURAL GAS, 19.4 0.4.
IT SAYS IT DECREASED FOR THIS PERIOD IN DECEMBER OF 2022.
BUT WE KNOW THAT IT ROSE AGAIN HERE RECENTLY IN OUR AREA IN JANUARY SHELTER.
AND WE'VE HIT ON THIS SEVERAL TIMES.
A RECURRING THEME IN OUR COUNTY AND IN THE REGION IS GOING TO BE HOUSING SHELTER OVERALL INCREASED TO 9.6%.
THE RENT OF A PRIMARY RESIDENCE WAS 11.4 AND THE OWNER'S EQUIVALENT IS 9.4%.
SO THIS COLA THAT WE ARE PROPOSING DOES NOT EXACTLY KEEP PACE WITH INFLATION, BUT WE ARE HOPING THAT WITH A COMBINATION OF A COLA AND MERIT, WE WILL BE SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO THAT SEVEN.
WE'RE PROPOSING THREE AND THREE.
THIS PROPOSED COLA WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL EMPLOYEES, BOTH FULL AND PART-TIME, REGARDLESS OF DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION.
UM, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE ELECT THE EMPLOYEES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL, UM, AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THEMSELVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR ORDINANCES.
AND I, IN CASE YOU'RE REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THESE NUMBERS, I'VE PUT THE WEBSITE, UM, THERE AT THE BOTTOM FOR THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS FREE TO, UM, RESEARCH LATER IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ANY OTHER CATEGORIES THAT, BEFORE I MOVE ON, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MR. GLOVER.
UM, WHAT, UM, COVID BASICALLY CAUSED A LOT OF THIS INCREASE IN, IN, IN INFLATION THAT'S NOT GOING TO LAST FOREVER.
SO WE GOING, AMERICA'S GONNA GET BACK ON PRODUCTION.
EGG PRICE IS GONNA BE COMING DOWN, MILK IS GONNA BE COMING DOWN.
A LOT OF IT IS REALLY THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND AT THIS TIME.
THAT'S WHY THEY, YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT THE 7% INCREASE, BUT OVER TIME IT'S GONNA LEVEL OFF.
SO I'M, I'M, I'M, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, 3% CUZ I, I THINK THAT'S REALLY A VERY, UM, GOOD NUMBER TO PUT OUT THERE AND STUFF.
BUT YEAH, I'M, I'M NOT TOO LONG, BUT ABOUT 7% I, YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, ROMAINE LETTERS WERE SELLING FOR ALMOST $90 A BOX.
NORMALLY IT SELLS FOR 25, IT'S GONNA GET BACK DOWN.
THE SAME SITE THAT I PULLED THIS INFORMATION FROM ALSO HAS A, A RATHER NEAT CALCULATOR, AGAIN FOR KIND OF A MATTHEW GEEKY NERDS IN THE ROOM WHO LIKES STATISTICS AND NUMBERS.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, IF YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, ONE PARTICULAR TAB HAS THIS INFLATION CALCULATOR.
UM, I'VE PUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS IN THERE.
IT USED TO BE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.
I COULD GO TO WALMART AND BUY GROCERIES FOR THE WEEK FOR A HUNDRED BUCKS.
THAT SAME A HUNDRED DOLLARS FROM JANUARY OF 2022 IN DECEMBER OF 2022.
SO ROUGHLY A YEAR LATER THAT A HUNDRED DOLLARS IS NOW A HUNDRED AND FIVE FIFTY SEVEN.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE WORKING AT 8, 9, 10, $12 AN HOUR, YOU'RE HAVING TO WORK ALMOST A FULL EXTRA HOUR BEFORE TAX JUST TO PAY FOR THE INCREASE IN THOSE GROCERIES.
SO YES, WE DO HOPE THAT IT CALMS DOWN, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING TO HELP OUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER THIS MORNING, THEY ARE LOOKING AT THAT TAKE HOME PAY.
RETIREMENT IS GREAT, HEALTH INSURANCE IS FANTASTIC, BUT THEY NEED TO PAY THEIR BILLS MONTH TO MONTH.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, IN ADDITION TO THE PROPOSED COLA, UM, WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING A MERIT INCREASE OF UP TO 3%.
THE REASON WHY, LET'S JUST SAY YOU HAVE A DEPARTMENT FULL OF PERFORMERS NEXT, SOME ARE VERY HIGH PERFORMING, SOME ARE KIND OF JUST DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO GET BY, MAYBE OTHERS NOT EVEN PERFORMING AT ALL.
AND WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT SOME KIND OF CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR THEM SO THAT THEY START PERFORMING AT THE LEVEL THAT IS EXPECTED.
WHEN YOU MERELY DO A KOHLER ACROSS THE BOARD AND EVERYBODY GETS THE EXACT SAME THING, THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO KILL MORALE FOR YOUR TOP PERFORMERS.
[01:30:01]
NEED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO PERFORM.AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ARE ALSO IN TANDEM PROPOSING UP TO A 3% MERIT INCREASE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND EACH OF THESE WE ARE PROPOSING WOULD BE EFFECTIVE WITH THE FIRST FULL PAY PERIOD IN JULY SO THAT IT IS IMPLEMENTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL EMPLOYEES, WHETHER FULL OR PART-TIME, AND WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS SLIDE? YES, SIR.
UM, YOU HAVE THE COLA AT 3% AVAILABLE JULY TO ALL EMPLOYEES AND ALSO TO ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS.
BUT THE NEXT ONE IS JUST EMPLOYEES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT AS ADMINISTRATION, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EVALUATE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THAT IS DONE BY CITIZENS THROUGH THE FORM OF REELECTION.
SO WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO, LET'S JUST USE MARIA FOR EXAMPLE, EARLIER, SINCE SHE PREPARED, I BELIEVE THAT MARIA DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB IN HER AREA.
VERY INTELLIGENT, VERY PROACTIVE, VERY INNOVATIVE, ALWAYS WILLING TO PARTNER WITH OUR STAFF FOR ANYTHING THAT WE NEED.
WE'RE IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY TO EVALUATE HER PERFORMANCE.
SHE WOULD ABSOLUTELY HAVE MY STAMP OF APPROVAL FOR THAT 3%.
HOWEVER, I AM NOT IN THE POSITION TO DO THAT FOR HER.
UM, THAT I BELIEVE IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL CAN ADJUST THROUGH OUR OWN ORDINANCES, WHICH ESTABLISHES THEIR SALARIES AND COMPENSATION BANS.
AND WE, AND, AND WE DO, THERE IS THAT KIND OF PROVISION EACH TIME THERE'S AN ELECTION.
CAUSE WITH SOME OF THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE TO TREASURE THE AUDITOR CLERK OF COURT, EVERY TIME THEY'RE REELECTED, THEY SEE A, THEY SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR SALARY AS A RESULT OF BEING REELECTED.
AND HOW DOES THAT STATUTE CONTROL WITH WHAT STATUTES? UH, UH, I CAN'T, I I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A STATE STATUTE OR A LOCAL COUNTY STATUTE.
SOMETHING IN MY HEAD TELLS ME IT'S A STATE STATUTE, UH, THAT CONTROLS THAT, THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
BUT, WE'LL, I WILL CONFIRM THAT AND LET YOU ALL KNOW BEFORE THE DAY'S OUT, I HAVE THAT CODE SECTION I CAN PROVIDE TO YOU IN A STATUTE.
IT'S A STATE STATUTE, I BELIEVE IT IS.
I I KNOW THERE'S A COUNTY ORDINANCE.
UH, THERE ARE THREE COUNTY ORDINANCES THAT GIVE ELECTED OFFICIALS THE REELECTION BONUS.
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A STATE STATUTE INVOLVED THAT SUPERSEDED OUR ORDINANCE.
WE WILL CERTAINLY FOUND THAT OUT AND CONFIRM.
AND WITH THE PROPOSED MERIT INCREASE, YOU WILL HAVE THE SPECIFICITY SO THAT AN EMPLOYEE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THE CRITERIA IS.
INDEED, YOU ACTUALLY ARE SEGUEING RIGHT INTO CATHERINE'S NEXT PIECE.
UM, CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM IN PLACE.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT OUR LEADERS WITH THE COUNTY, UM, WE NEED TO GET SOME MORE TRAINING AVAILABLE TO THEM AND WE PLAN TO DO SO.
UM, SO IT'S NOT SUCH A SUBJECTIVE PROCESS.
THEY KNOW THE CRITERIA AND HOW TO PROPERLY ASSESS THEIR EMPLOYEES AND HOW TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
UM, BUT THEN THAT ALSO DOES LEAD US INTO, UM, OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY, UM, WHEN WE ARE TRAINING THE STAFF TO GO OVER THOSE EXPECTATIONS TO GO OVER THE COMPETENCIES THAT WE WILL BE REVIEWING THEM ANNUALLY IN THEIR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AS WELL.
SO I THINK THAT THAT COVERS, UM, THAT PIECE.
UM, BUT THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WILL BE MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
IT'S GONNA BE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STAFF TO INCLUDE OUR LEADERS.
UH, WE DID HAVE A LEADERSHIP RETREAT BACK IN AUGUST AND I THINK IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT.
WE'VE HEARD VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON IT.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THOSE TYPE OF RETREATS CONTINUE ON.
UM, BUT YOUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE A LITTLE MORE LOWER LEVEL, GETTING DOWN TO SMALLER GROUPS OF PEOPLE, UM, AND FOCUS ON CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE'RE HEARING THAT IS EITHER DESIRED OR NEEDED.
IT WILL ALSO BE INCLUSIVE OF OUR COMPLIANCE TRAINING THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT.
AND THEN IT'S GONNA PROVIDE SOME UPSKILLING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WANNA PROMOTE A FOSTER OR FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT AND PROMOTE, UM, GROWTH.
WE WANT OUR FOLKS TO STAY WITH US.
WE DON'T WANT THEM TO JUST PUT A DOT ON THEIR ROADMAP OF, THESE ARE ALL THE JOBS I'VE HAD.
WE WANT YOU TO MAKE THIS A CAREER WITH US.
WE WANT TO SEE YOU IN THAT RETIREE RIGHT WHEN WE TALK THIS SAME PRESENTATION 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
UM, SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE WANNA HAVE THAT PATHWAY FOR THEM TO GET THERE, TO GET INTO THE DESIRED POSITIONS IN WHICH THEY ARE HOPING FOR.
AND TO ALSO HELP WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING INTO AN ERA WHERE WE'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF RETIREES COME OUT.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE STAFF IN PLACE THAT'S READY TO HANDLE THAT.
UM, AND HOW TO DO THAT IS THROUGH A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
IT'S GONNA BE A WONDERFUL TOOL FOR OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST TO UTILIZE AND TO LEAN ON.
SO, UM, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT AS I'M STILL GATHERING SOME THINGS TO BRING TO ADMINISTRATION ON THAT LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND THE DETAILS OF IT.
[01:35:01]
YOU KNOW, I AM NOT A, UH, PROPONENT FOR MERIT PAY.I THINK, UH, SET UP ON PAPER STRUCTURED IT IS, IT IS REALLY GREAT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION IN A MARRIAGE SYSTEM.
HOW DO YOU PREVENT, HOW DO YOU MONITOR THAT? AND I GUESS THAT'S PROBABLY THE THE BEST QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT OBJECTIVITY IS BEING DONE VERSUS, UM RIGHT.
HOW DO YOU EVALUATE TO SEE WHETHER YOU HAVE MORE BUDDY-BUDDY HAPPENING THAN PEOPLE WHO DESERVE OR SHOULD GET A MERIT PAY, UH, IS NOT GETTING IT BECAUSE WHATEVER REASON.
SO THERE IS A SAFEGUARD IN PLACE WITH THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM WHERE IT DOESN'T JUST STOP AT THE BUCK WITH THAT FIRST LEVEL.
UM, WE CAN ROUTE IT UP TO MULTIPLE LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE EVEN YOUR ACAS ARE INVOLVED.
UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE INVOLVED TO ENSURE THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.
UM, AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE TRAINING THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE TO OUR MANAGERS, UM, TO GIVE THEM THE LAYOUT OF HOW TO PROFICIENTLY COMPLETE AN EVALUATION.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WE ARE CONSIDERING THE FACTORS RIGHT NOW THAT'S GONNA BE EVALUATED ON TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CLEAR, MEASURABLE STANDARDS THAT WE CAN APPROPRIATELY RATE THEM ON MORE OBJECTIVELY THAN SUBJECTIVELY.
AND ARE YOU THE PERSON THAT WOULD BE REVIEWING THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE THE SUPERVISORS, UH, DOING THEIR TORRES JOB OF GIVING MARY PAY? YEAH, SO I MEAN, ONE OF THEM, WE ARE A VERY SMALL DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND WE ARE, AS WE TAUGHT, WE HAVE 15 OVER 1500 POSITIONS.
UM, BUT YES, WE WILL WORK WITH THE MANAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE IF THERE'S ANY AREAS THAT WE NEED TO GO IN AND LOOK AT SPECIFICALLY, WE WILL BE GLAD TO DO THAT FOR THEM.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION, PLEASE? YES, SURE.
SO CATHERINE, UM, TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE, UM, I'M USED TO YOUR EVALUATION FORM CUZ I DID THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR.
I'M NOT A FAN BECAUSE SOME OF THE CATEGORIES DIDN'T RELATE TO HER PARTICULAR JOB.
BUT THE SECOND QUESTION LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS, IS THAT WHAT I'M USED TO? A SET OF MODULES THAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH, THEY'RE BASICALLY POWERPOINTS WITH SCRIPTED WHATEVERS.
IT WILL HAVE THE CONTENT, THE LIBRARY CONTENT OF THE TRAINING VIDEOS MM-HMM.
WHERE DO YOU NEED TO FOCUS, WHICH VIDEOS DO YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON? CUZ THERE'S OVER, I THINK OVER 3000 CONTENT IN THERE AND WE DON'T WANNA JUST THROW 'EM IN AND SAY, HERE YOU GO, FIGURE IT OUT.
SO THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT PIECE OF IT IS GONNA HELP ROADMAP OUR MANAGERS AND OUR EMPLOYEES TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO TO MEET THEIR GOALS.
AND, AND TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR FIRST QUESTION, UM, IT IS CUSTOMIZABLE AND, AND AGAIN, I THINK BRINGING OUR MANAGERS BACK IN FOR SOME TRAINING ON THAT SPECIFIC SYSTEM WILL, WE WILL UNVEIL THAT TO THEM.
BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, I THINK THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY KIND OF KEEP IT CONDENSED CUZ WE ARE LATE IN THE YEAR.
BUT GOING FORWARD, UM, WE CAN CUSTOMIZE THE COMPETENCIES PER POSITION CUZ THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT ALL THE SAME.
YOU'RE, YOU HIT A, AN EXCELLENT WHEN YOU'RE EVALUATING, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY AT THE DETENTION CENTER WHO'S THE SUPERVISOR.
IT IS NOT SIMILAR AT ALL AT ALL TO WHAT THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR DOES MM-HMM.
AND TO PUT 'EM IN THIS BOX, I MEAN, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR PART, BUT I COULD JUST IMAGINE ACROSS ALL OF YOUR SUPERVISORS, IT JUST, THEY'RE DE YEAH, YOU'RE, IT'S, IT'S VERY RARE.
YOU'LL PROBABLY FIND TOO IDENTICAL.
I MEAN, EVERY JOB IS, IS DIFFERENT AND HAS DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS.
UM, AND THE CURRENT SYSTEM WE USE, AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, SAYING WE WOULDN'T BRANCH OUT AND, AND LOOK AT OTHER SYSTEMS. IF THAT'S THE DESIRE OF OF ADMINISTRATION, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
THE CURRENT SYSTEM WE HAVE THOUGH IT DOES HAVE OVER, I WANNA SAY 200 COMPETENCIES AS IT STANDS MM-HMM.
AND I THINK TO MR. GLOVER'S POINT, WHEN YOU DO, WHEN I DID THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT EVALUATION ARE THE COMMENTS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE CHECK THE BOXES.
IT WAS WHAT DO I REALLY KNOW THAT SHE DOES? WHAT ARE THE COMPETENCIES THAT REALLY SHINE AND WHAT ARE THE WEAKNESSES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? SO IT'S REALLY GOING BACK TO HIS POINT, WHAT THE SUPERVISOR DOES IN THAT EVALUATION PIECE.
UM, IN FACT, PART OF THE TRAINING WE WILL ROLL OUT IS, I'M SURE YOU ARE, YOU ARE NOT GONNA JUST CHECK OFF A BOX.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, OTHERWISE YOU'RE JUST, YOU'RE PUSHING PAPERS.
I MEAN, THIS NEEDS TO BE A MEANINGFUL PROCESS.
[01:40:01]
TO UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY BEHIND WE DO IT.IT'S MEANINGFUL NOT ONLY FOR ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERS, IT'S REALLY MEANINGFUL FOR THAT STAFF, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE THOSE HIGH PERFORMANCE, THEY WANNA HEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE THEY WANT IT SUPPLEMENTED WITH, WITH A REWARD, WHICH IS USUALLY MONETARY, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEY, THEY WANT THAT FEEDBACK.
YOU, YOU SCORED A FOUR, UM, FOR WHATEVER THAT COMPETENCY IS, IS IS DEFEATING THE PURPOSE.
UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, IS IT REASONABLE TO SAY THAT THERE'S STILL A CONCEPT OF, OF TEAM BUILDING, UH, AS A, UH, SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, INCIDENT TAUGHT TO INFORM PEOPLE OF WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING SO WE CAN INCREASE COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION? I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
TEAM BUILDING SOMETHING THAT, YEAH, SO THAT IS ANOTHER AREA WITH, UM, BACKTRACKING A LITTLE BIT ON THE NEO YOGA.
IF I SPOKE ABOUT THERE, THERE'S A PIECE OF THAT FOR ONBOARDING TO HELP OUR STAFF OUT TO MAKE THAT FIRST DAY OF EMPLOYMENT, IF NOT EVEN STRETCHING INTO MAYBE THEIR FIRST MONTH OF EMPLOYMENT, DEPENDING ON THEIR POSITION TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK WITH, UNDERSTAND THE STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTY, UNDERSTAND WHO YOUR POTENTIAL TEAMMATES ARE THAT ARE IN YOUR DIVISION OR ANOTHER DIVISION.
UM, EVEN GO LOCATE THE FACILITIES.
WE, WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME NEW SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS HERE THAT AREN'T EVEN AWARE OF WHAT ALL IS A COUNTY FACILITY.
SO, BUT, BUT FOR TEAM BUILDING, YES.
I MEAN, YEAH, ONBOARDING WASN'T MY CONCERN.
AND WHEN THEY ARE THEN FULLY INFORMED, IT MAY UM, CAUSE A GREATER SENSE OF COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION.
NO, I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK INTO TO THIS TRAINING OPPORTUNITY.
I MEAN, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD DO THAT.
I'M SAYING YOU SHOULD CONSIDER IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS SO FAR? WELL, THE LAST ONE, UM, SOME WELLNESS EVENTS.
WE WANNA INSPIRE HEALTHY WORKFORCE.
YOU MAY BE AWARE, YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE.
WE CURRENTLY KICKED OFF OUR FIRST COUNTY FITNESS CHALLENGE.
UM, A STEP CHALLENGE THAT STARTED, I WANNA SAY THE SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY AND IS SLATED TO NEXT FRIDAY.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RESPONSE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
UH, WE'VE SET 'EM ALL UP AND THROUGH MICROSOFT TEAMS, THEY'RE CHATTING WITH EACH OTHER EVERY DAY.
THEY'RE NETWORKING, THEY'RE PLANNING THEIR LUNCH SCHEDULES TO GO WALK AROUND THE COMPLEX TOGETHER.
SO IT'S REALLY NOT ONLY PROMOTING HEALTHY, UH, FITNESS, BUT ALSO JUST THE COMRADERY WITH OUR STAFF.
UM, WE EN WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AS WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR ONSITE CLINICS FOR VACCINATIONS TO INCLUDE FLU AND TDAP VACCINATIONS, UM, VASCULAR SCREENINGS AND MAMMOGRAM SCREENINGS.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO BUILDING, UM, FORMING RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, BUFORT MEMORIAL TO COME IN AND TALK WITH STAFF PERIODICALLY, WHETHER IT BE MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY AND HOLD 60, 75 MINUTE, UM, HEALTH SEMINARS.
AND ALSO THERE'S SOME OTHER PLANS WITH ADMINISTRATION WITH BRINGING ON SOME, SOME MORE HELP TO REALLY BEEF UP AND GO THE NEXT LEVEL.
WITH, WITH THE WELLNESS PIECE FOR THE COUNTY.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING ALL THESE THINGS, DO THE PEOPLE WHO, OR WHO ARE THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE ONSITE CLINICS, I'M ASSUMING THEY ALL HAVE SOME KIND OF HEALTH BENEFIT FROM THEIR EMPLOYMENT, BUT WHAT IF THEY DECLINE TO ACCEPT THAT? HOW DO THEY FIT INTO THAT, UH, OFFERING OF SCREENINGS? WE STILL OFFER IT OR IT'S JUST GONNA BE FOR ALL COUNTIES, WHETHER THEY HAVE OUR BENEFITS OR NOT.
IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND MY CONTACT IS ON THE LAST SLIDE FOR YOU IF YOU WANNA FOLLOW UP WITH ANYTHING.
AND I WILL SAY ONE THING THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THIS AFTERNOON.
WHEN MR. LARSON PRESENTS HIS CAPITAL PROJECTS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF EMPLOY EMPLOYEE RETENTION IS WHERE THEY WORK.
DO WE HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO WORK IN? DO WE, ARE WE SUPPLYING THEM WITH THE PROPER TOOLS TO DO THEIR JOB THAT WE EXPECT THEM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN OFFICES WHERE THEY'RE CRAMPED IN AND TO DO THAT ON A DAILY BASIS IS A GRIND.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE MAY HAVE.
WE'RE SCATTERED ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO GO FROM PLACE TO PLACE SOMETIMES IS DIFFICULT.
SO YEAH, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR RISK MANAGER A GOOD BIT.
UM, AND WE, I HAVE SOME PLANS TO TO GET THAT MORE INVOLVED WITH MAKING SURE WE ARE GOING OUT TO OUR FACILITIES, UM, AND DOING THE ASSESSMENTS WE NEED TO DO AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL IN, IN REGS WITH THAT.
I WAS GONNA WALK OUT WITH YOU, BUT I'LL CALL YOU.
IT'S A W FOUR QUESTION, THAT'S ALL.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, ASK A QUESTION IF I COULD.
UM, SOME, UM, ONE OF THE BEGINNING SLIDES THAT YOU
[01:45:01]
BROUGHT UP WAS EXIT SURVEYS.UM, HOW CONFIDENTIAL ARE THOSE GONNA BE? AND OUR QUESTION COMES FROM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'VE RAISED THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THEY DO AN EXIT SURVEYS AND THEY SAY THAT AT LEAST WHEN I WAS TEACHING WHEN I LEFT, THEY SAID THEY WERE, UM, CONFIDENTIAL, BUT YET I WOULD GET AN EMAIL WITH THEM TELLING ME, OR PEOPLE THAT READ THEM SAY THAT, HEY, WHY HAVEN'T YOU TURNED THIS IN? SO CLEARLY THEY WEREN'T CONFIDENTIAL IF PEOPLE WERE SAYING THAT IT HASN'T BEEN, THAT HASN'T BEEN, OR WHY DID YOU ANCHOR IT THIS WAY? SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW CONFIDENTIAL ARE THESE PEOPLE GONNA BE ABLE TO THE SURVEYS, HOW DO THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING AN HONEST ANSWER SO THEY DON'T GET BLACKBALLED IN FUTURE JOBS? SURE.
UM, A COUPLE POINTS ON THAT, AND I'LL START WITH YOUR LATTER COMMENT HERE, IS WHEN WE HAVE TO DO ANY SORT OF VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT IN HR, WE ONLY RELEASE THE DATES THEY WERE EMPLOYED WITH THE COUNTY, THE JOB POSITION THEY HELD, UM, AND THEIR SALARY, IF THAT'S REQUESTED.
WE, WE NEVER RELEASE, UM, REASON FOR THEIR EXIT.
WE, WE DON'T EVEN CLASSIFY PEOPLE AS REHIREABLE.
UM, SO THAT KIND OF COVERS THAT.
BUT WE DO, WE'RE VERY UPFRONT IN OUR EXIT INTERVIEW PROCESS FROM THE GET-GO THAT IT IS CONFIDENTIAL.
HOWEVER, JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE THAT COMES THROUGH HR, IF YOU ARE GONNA BRING SOMETHING TO ME THAT'S GONNA RAISE OUR RED FLAGS OF, YOU KNOW, ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, UM, OR THINGS THAT ARE REALLY NOT GOOD FOR THE CLIMATE, WE, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REPORT THAT BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
OF COURSE IT WILL STAY AT A HIGH LEVEL CONFIDENTIALITY OF HOW MANY PEOPLE THIS GETS OUT TO, BUT WE ARE UPFRONT WITH THAT IN OUR EXIT INTERVIEWS AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO PUT A HINDER ON OUR FOLKS GIVING US INFORMATION.
UM, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE THAT EVEN WHETHER THEY WANT, THEY BELIEVE IT'S CONFIDENTIAL OR NOT, SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST STILL NOT GONNA GIVE THE INFORMATION.
AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE OTHER SIDE THAT'S REALLY GOING TO JUST HAVE THEIR WAY WITH IT AND SLING A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY OCCURRING OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
CUZ NOW IT'S LIKE THEY FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT OUT BEFORE I LEAVE.
SO IT IS, IT'S A TRICKY AREA AND IT HAS TO BE HANDLED, UM, CAREFULLY, BUT WE ARE AS UPFRONT AS WE CAN BE WHEN WE, WHEN WE CONDUCT THESE INTERVIEWS.
I MEAN, MY THING IS WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IF WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM, THAT WORK ENVIRONMENT TURNOVER IN A CERTAIN DEPARTMENT AND NOBODY WANTS TO GIVE AN HONEST EXIT, WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT UNDERLINING ISSUE IS OR IT TAKES US TOO LONG TO FIGURE OUT THAT UNDERLINING ISSUE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I I HAVE ONE MR. CHAIRMAN.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHETHER THIS WHERE TO ASK THIS QUESTION, SO I'M GONNA THROW IT OUT THERE AT THIS TIME.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES OR MAINTAINING, UM, BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES, HA HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT OR LOOK AT BRINGING BACK, UM, INSURANCE RETIREES? HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT? ARE WE NO, NO THOUGHTS ON THAT? OKAY.
UM, WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
I HAVE ASKED ABOUT IT AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT'D BE TOO EXPENSIVE TO DO IT.
BUT IF YOU ALL WANT US TO EVALUATE THAT AND GIVE YOU A REPORT, UM, I WOULD LOVE, I WOULD I'LL BE GLAD TO YOU DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A BENEFIT THAT, UM, THAT UH, WE, WE, WE SHOULD OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US AND WHO MAY THINK THAT IT'S BETTER FOR ME TO LEAVE NOW SO THAT I CAN HAVE THAT BENEFIT WITH ANOTHER COMPANY THAT'S BEING OFFERED.
I I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
UM, WE WILL, WE WILL, WE WILL DO THAT REPORT.
I WOULD CAUTION YOU ALL TO THAT.
IF WE DO THAT, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE NEEDS A BE A TIME TO RESTART THAT SO THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'VE COMPENSATED THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE RETIREES THAT LOST THAT BENEFIT.
SO IF, IF COUNCIL WOULD BE SAYING, OKAY, WELL WE'RE GONNA GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THOSE FOLKS THAT GOT PAID OUT AND ARE GONNA START THEIR BENEFIT AGAIN, THEN I WOULD RECOMMEND AGAINST THAT.
BUT IF YOU WANNA START IT FOR RETIREES FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOT BENEFITED IN FINANCIALLY FROM, FROM THAT PROVISION, UM, THROUGH WHAT YOU ALL HAVE ASKED US TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE PAYOUTS RETIREES, THEN I, I WOULD, WE CAN EVALUATE THAT.
BUT IF WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO BENEFIT EXPONENTIALLY OVER OTHER EMPLOYEES, I JUST WANT COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, I, I I SAY THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE DATA ON IT AND STUFF.
I'M JUST WANT COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT'S ALL WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT.
SEE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THAT.
YOU OKAY? ME BEING THE OTHER ONE? YEAH, WE WE CAN DO THAT FOR YOU.
[01:50:01]
NOT A, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE FOR US.UM, THAT WOULD BE RELATIVELY EASY FOR US TO PUT TOGETHER.
YOU ONLY TAKE THAT THROUGH TO MEDICARE AGE.
IS THAT THE CUTOFF WITH, UH, THE CONTINUED 65? I THINK THAT'D BE THE WAY IT WOULD SET UP.
SO, UM, THIS IS FOR Y'ALL'S OPPORTUNITY NOW TO PROVIDE US FEEDBACK, UM, WITH REGARDS TO, UNLESS WE HEAR DIFFERENTLY, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED ON WITH BUILDING IN A 3% POLL AND UP TO A 3% MERIT.
I SHARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT MERIT.
UH, PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS, IN MY OPINION, ARE AN INEFFECTIVE WAY TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE, UH, BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS THAT BENEFIT FROM PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS DON'T NEED THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS EVALUATING THEMSELVES EVERY DAY AT WORK.
UH, THOSE PEOPLE THAT, UM, NEED THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS, UH, THE MOST ARE THE VERY PEOPLE THAT THINK THEY SHOULD GET FOURS AND FIVES AND SIXES ON EVERYTHING, UH, JUST FOR SHOWING UP TO WORK ON TIME.
BUT THE WAY PERFORMANCE EVALUATION WORKS IS IF YOU COME TO WORK EVERY DAY ON TIME, YOU MET EXPECTATIONS.
UH, THAT IS NOT A FIVE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO MOST EMPLOYEES DO NOT REALIZE THAT.
SO IT CAN LEAD TO THAT, UH, DISGRUNTLED, UH, ISSUER SAYING, WELL THAT PERSON GOT MORE THAN ME AND I'M DOING THE SAME THING THAT THEY DO.
IT'S A PERCEPTION ISSUE FOR THE EMPLOYEE, UH, IN A LOT OF CASES.
BUT WE NEED TO TRAIN OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE'RE DOING THAT THERE IS A PROCESS IN THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCESS WHERE AN EMPLOYEE CAN FILE WRITTEN STATEMENTS TO, UM, ASK FOR RECONSIDERATION IF THEY FEEL THEY'VE BEEN MARKED TOO LOW IN AREAS TO SUPPORT, UH, WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR SUPERIORS TO EVALUATE, UH, THAT WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
SO, UM, LEMME MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I AM NOT AGAINST MARRIAGE.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD TOOL TO USE.
HOWEVER, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT SUBJECTIVE.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT YOU WERE AGAINST IT.
I, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THEM EITHER AND THAT'S WHAT REASON WHY WE HAVEN'T USED THEM, BUT I KEEP HEARING MORE AND MORE FOLKS IS THAT WE HAD FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FROM THE SOUTH AND UM, YOU KNOW, WE A GOOD OLD BOYS SYSTEM IN THE SOUTH.
MS. GREENWAY, UH, YOU SAY YOU'RE GONNA PUT THIS PROPOSAL TOGETHER AND COME BACK TO US ON THE RETIREES OR ON THE NO, ON THE 3% AND 3%.
THAT'LL BE ON THE BUDGET THAT YOU ALL WILL START REVIEWING, UH, SOMETIME LUMP APRIL LUMP TOGETHER AS ONE ITEM OR THERE BE TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE SEPARATE VOTE.
THERE'LL BE, THERE'LL BE TWO ITEMS. WE'LL HAVE TO, WE'LL HAVE TO BUDGET THAT MONEY DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THE MERIT IS GONNA BE MORE OF A TARGET.
SO THAT LINE ITEM COULD BE STRUCK IF THERE WAS A VOTE.
IN OTHER WORDS, EACH ITEM WOULD BE BE, BE THE SUBJECT OF A DIFFERENT ORDINANCE OR IS IT ONE ORDINANCE? NO, IT'S ONE BUDGET.
IT'S ONE BO BUDGET ORDINANCE WITH LINE ITEMS FOR THOSE CHECKER ITEMS. JUST LIKE YOU DO EVERY YEAR WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.
SO IF THERE WAS, IF THERE WERE SOME OBJECTIONS TO THE MERIT PROGRAM THAT COULD BE ISOLATED, BUT THE COLA WOULD ALSO BE SEPARATE? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO MR. GREENWAY, WOULD THERE BE A CAP ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S ALLOWED FOR THE MERIT PRO PROGRAM? YES.
THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE A HAZE AND DENISE COME IN TO, TO TELL ME WHAT THE ULTIMATE NUMBER WILL RIGHT.
SO THAT'S THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE, BUT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THE AMOUNT THAT WILL BE SPENT.
BECAUSE IT'S DEPENDENT ON THE EVALUATIONS, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO, TO DO HIS HAND UP THERE.
UM, I MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE, BUT I DO HAVE MY RESERVATION ABOUT BOTH OF THEM TO BE HONEST.
UM, ONE PERCENTAGES CAN BE TAKEN BY DIFFERENT LEVELS.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST HAD THIS DISCUSSION A COUPLE MONTHS, 3% ON A 50,000 SALARY IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN 3% ON 150,000 SALARY.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS.
UM, THE OTHER ISSUE, I UNDERSTOOD THE SAME REASON, THE SAME THING THAT AIR PRODUCT UP EARLIER ABOUT THE HOUSING MARKET.
THE MORE WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE, THE MORE THAT THE COST OF LIVING IS GONNA CONTINUE TO CATCH UP.
UM, ANYTIME IT RAISES SOMETHING ELSE IS GONNA RAISE IN THE OTHER END.
CAUSE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, WHEN IT, AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY, OKAY, WE NEED TO SPEAK AROUND OTHER WAYS TO MAKE THIS WORK? AND I'M NOT SAYING I HAVE THE ANSWER, I'M NOT SAYING I WOULD VOTE AGAINST IT, I'M JUST EXPRESSING MY CONCERN.
UM, TO BE HONEST WITH NOBODY WANTS TO SAY IT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE CHASING WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW WITH WHATEVER INFLATION COMING DOWN THE PIPE, WHETHER IT WAS FROM COVID ADMINISTRATION CHANGE, WHATEV, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
ANYBODY CAN POINT THE FINGER, BUT WE'RE THE ONES STUCK PAYING FOR THAT.
[01:55:01]
UM, SO I DO HAVE MY RESERVATIONS ABOUT WHEN ARE WE GONNA PUT IT INTO THAT OR WHEN ARE WE GONNA COME TO DIFFERENT SOLUTION.CAUSE WE'RE GOING BACK TO
UM, I DO WANNA BE COMPETITIVE BY THE COUNTY.
I DO WANNA HAVE THE BEST STAFF, UM, IN THE STATE.
UH, I I THINK THAT WE OWE THAT TO OUR CITIZEN TO BE THE COUNTY.
SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH, YOU KNOW, THE RAISE OR MAYBE IT IS THE RAISE SALARY AND COLA UH, HOWEVER, HOWEVER THAT STUDENT FIT.
BUT I JUST WANTED, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS THAT, THAT AT SOME POINT WHENEVER YOU GOTTA STOP CHASING THE TAILS, UM, CAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, UM, DOWN THE LONG ROAD.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP SPENDING MORE MONEY AND CONTINUING TO FIGHT THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.
BUT MONEY DOESN'T ALWAYS FIX PROBLEMS. THANK YOU.
I'D LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON LOGAN'S COMMENT.
UM, IN THIS MERIT INCREASE AREA, THIS DANGEROUS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND YORK PRETTY MUCH POINTED THEM OUT, BUT IN A MERIT INCREASED PROGRAM, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC WAYS THAT MERIT CAN BE RECOGNIZED WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE PERFORMING, UH, ABOVE EXPECTATIONS.
AND I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY WE NEVER HAD THAT HERE IN THE COUNTY.
AND THAT DEALS WITH SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS AND SUSTAINED SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AWARDS WHERE PEOPLE CAN RECEIVE, UH, NOT ONLY RECOGNITION IN THE FORM OF A CERTIFICATE, BUT THEY CAN ALSO RECEIVE CASH AWARDS, UH, IN VARYING AMOUNTS THAT DON'T AFFECT THEIR SALARY, UH, FOREVER.
UM, BUT THEY ARE CASH AWARDS THAT ARE GIVEN, UH, ON OCCASION, UH, AS MERIT IS DISCOVERED AND REWARDED.
AND I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY WE NEVER WERE ABLE TO HAVE SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS WITH CATEGORIES OF CASH AND THEN SUSTAINED SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AWARDS, WHICH ARE EVEN MORE.
AND THAT COMES INTO THE CONCEPT OF STEP INCREASES AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU WERE DISCUSSING.
BUT I THINK AS A, AS A START, UH, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED, UH, PRETTY SIMPLY.
BUT THEN AGAIN YORK, IT'S LEFT UP TO THE SUPERVISOR TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
UH, BUT THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO GO HIGHER THAN JUST SUPERVISE IT TO PROBABLY TWO MORE LEVELS.
AND WHAT THEY DID, UH, WITH THOSE KINDS OF AWARDS BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY WORKING SOMEWHERE,
SO THERE WERE FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE MAKING A DECISION IN REVIEWING WHAT THE SUBMISSION WAS BY THAT SUPERVISOR.
AND THEY PASSED IT THROUGH THE COMMITTEE.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT WAS GRANTED.
SO IT WASN'T LEFT JUST TO ONE PERSON, IT WAS PUT TOGE, IT WAS PUT BEFORE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE.
AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT WAY TO, TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE CUZ IT'S NOT AT A PARTICULAR TIME.
IT'S WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT DESERVES RECOGNITION AND IT CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME DURING THE FISCAL OR CALENDAR YEAR.
SO I RECOMMEND THAT YOU GIVE SOME CONSIDERATION TO PERHAPS I IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM LIKE THAT, WHICH I FOUND TO BE DURING MY TERM OF SERVICE, UM, TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE RESPONDED TO MORE FAVORABLY THAN JUST GETTING AN ANNUAL INCREASE OVER COLA BECAUSE YOU ARE ACTUALLY TAKING TIME TO RECOGNIZE 'EM FOR SOMETHING THEY ACTUALLY DID AT THE MOMENT THEY DID IT.
THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION, WHICH WAS GOOD FEEDBACK.
OTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AS WELL IS SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MENU OF BENEFITS THAT EMPLOYEES CAN CHOOSE FROM.
AND IF THEY DON'T TAKE OUR MEDICAL INSURANCE, THEN MAYBE THEY GET, YOU KNOW, MORE PER HOUR FOR THEIR PAY BECAUSE WE'RE SAVING A LOT OF MONEY, MONEY IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE.
SO, OR THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO FOREGO MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR MORE ACCRUED TIME OR WHATEVER.
SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, NEED TO EVALUATE AS WELL, UH, TO MAKE SURE OUR BENEFITS PACKAGES ARE ALIGNING WITH ACTUALLY THE DESIRES OF THE WORKFORCE TODAY.
THE MORE WE TALK ABOUT THIS, THE BIGGER THE PROJECT BECOMES.
IT DOESN'T, I'M AFRAID IT'LL NEVER BE IMPLEMENTED IF WE KEEP BUILDING AND BUILDING ON IT.
MAYBE WE CAN ISOLATE THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED IN THE SHORT TERM WE WILL.
AND OTHER THINGS THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE LONG TERM, WE WILL.
DO WE GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES A, I MEAN, EVERYBODY GETS A W2 SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY HYPOTHETICALLY MADE LAST YEAR BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT PULLED EVERYTHING OUT.
DO WE GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES A COMPENSATION PACKAGE VIEW BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH BENE THE MEDICAL BENEFITS COST OR WORKMAN'S COMP, WHATEVER, DO THEY GET THE FULL COMPENSATION PACKAGE? NOT THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE THEM FEEL JUMP FOR JOY
NO, IT ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO THINK IT WILL MAKE THEM JUMP FOR JOY.
I MEAN, IT REALLY IS A BIG PICTURE.
UH, WE, WE CONTRACTED OUT A COMPANY TO DO THAT FOR US SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT IN ONE OF OUR MUNIS RETREATS THAT WE RECENTLY WENT TO, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A CAPABILITY IN
[02:00:01]
THE CURRENT HR H R I S SYSTEM THAT WE USE THAT WILL ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO GO INTO THEIR EMPLOYEE SELF-SERVICE ACCOUNT AND SEE A TCR A TOTAL COMPENSATION REPORT.AND WE ACTUALLY ARE WORKING ON TESTING THAT RIGHT NOW IN OUR TEST ENVIRONMENT TO PUSH THAT OUT AND WILL ANNOUNCE IT TO EMPLOYEES BECAUSE IT, IT IS A VERY BIG PICTURE AND IT REALLY PUTS INTO PERSPECTIVE HOW MUCH THE COUNTY IS INVESTING IN ME, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR BENEFITS.
UM, CUZ YOU ALL KNOW, WE, WE, WE HAVE THE BEST COMPETITIVE RATES FOR THE EMPLOYEE FOR THEIR PREMIUMS WITH OUR BENEFIT PACKAGE.
BUT SOMETIMES UNLESS YOU PUT IT IN FRONT OF THE STAFF, THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO YES, WE, WE HAVE THAT CAPABILITY, WE DO IT IN OUR HOA AND WHEN PEOPLE SAW HOW MUCH MEDICAL COSTS THE EMPLOYER AND THEY UNDERSTAND, THEY GIVEN THE TAKE.
BUT I THINK IT, IT IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES.
I'M HOPING BY SPRING WE'LL HAVE THAT PUSHED OUT TO STAFF.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GOOD, LIVELY DISCUSSION.
ONE OF THE BIG, UH, ITEMS THAT YOU ALL WILL SEE IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR THAT WE HAVE TO PURCHASE IN THE WAY OF SOFTWARE IS THE UPDATE TO OUR PROPERTY TAX SOFTWARE.
UH, WE'RE WAY BEHIND, UM, ON THAT.
UH, THAT WILL COME AT A PRICE TAG OF 3.7 MILLION OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, OR BE AT LEAST 1.2 UH, MILLION IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO BEGIN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT UPGRADE TO OUR PROPERTY TAX SOFTWARE.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PLANNING TO DO, UH, KATHERINE ALLUDED TO WITH REGARDS TO PERSONNEL, IS EMPLOYING A, A HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIRECTOR, UH, TO HAVE, UM, ONSITE, UM, EXERCISE CLASSES.
UM, PEOPLE WANT TO QUIT SMOKING OR GOING TO DIET.
THIS PERSON WOULD BE DESIGNED TO HELP THEM FIND THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, IT'S HARD FOR PARENTS THIS DAY AND TIME TO, UM, TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR KIDS UP, GET 'EM TO SCHOOL, UH, WORK ALL DAY, THEN GET HOME, GET THEIR KIDS OUT SCHOOL OR TO PRACTICE AND THEN GET HOME AND COOK AND DO ALL THE HOMEWORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, MY PLAN IS TO HAVE THIS, UH, WELLNESS DIRECTOR BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN RELEASE EMPLOYEES, UH, EITHER EARLY IN THE MORNING OR MIDDAY OR IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN EX SOME EXERCISE CLASSES OR YOGA CLASSES OR MEDITATION, WHATEVER WE DEEM, UH, IS APP IS APPROPRIATE, OR A MENU OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO MAKE THEM MORE FIT.
BECAUSE MORE FIT EMPLOYEES HELP WITH OUR EXPERIENCE RATING FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE.
THAT'S A, THAT'S AN ANCILLARY FACTOR, BUT MAKES THEM MORE PRODUCTIVE, MAKES 'EM HAPPIER, MAKES 'EM HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER PEOPLE IS GOOD FOR A SOCIETY, UH, AND OUR WORKFORCE.
SO THAT'LL BE ANOTHER THING THAT WE WILL BE, UH, LOOKING AT, UH, IMPLEMENTING HERE SHORTLY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, AT SOME POINT WE'RE GONNA NEED DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL ON WHAT YOU WANNA DO WITH THE SURPLUSES, UH, THAT WE'VE HAD.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S CONCERNED ME FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.
YOU ALL JUST HEARD IN, UH, THIS YEAR'S CAF R THAT WE HAD A 15 MILLION SURPLUS AGAIN, UM, THAT IS NOT ALL FREE, THAT IS NOT ALL USABLE MONEY.
I CAN HEAR, I CAN, UH, FEEL HAZE AND WHITNEY GETTING ALL NERVOUS OVER HERE ON ME BECAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M IN DANGEROUS TERRITORY BY TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL STUFF.
SO, UH, ANYWAY, SHE MAY NEED TO HELP ME OUT HERE, BUT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO BE TALK, NEED TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH A MILLAGE ON A ROLLBACK AND POSSIBLY DOING THAT ROLLBACK AND ROLLING THAT OVER INTO CAPITAL, UH, PURCHASES.
CAUSE UH, WE HAVE NEEDED THE SURPLUSES THAT WE HAVE HAD TO DO CAPITAL PURCHASES.
SO, WHITNEY, YOU, YOU ARE HAYES ONE GOT ANYTHING Y'ALL WANNA ADD ABOUT THAT? I THINK YOU SUMMARIZED IT WELL.
UM, SOME OF OUR SURPLUSES HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT WE BUDGETED FOR CAPITAL ITEMS AND PROJECTS THAT WE WEREN'T UNABLE TO COMPLETE WITHIN A FISCAL YEAR.
CAPITAL IS THE MAJORITY OF THE OUTLAY OTHER THAN YOUR PERSONNEL PIECE, RIGHT? IT'S NOT SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS AND EVEN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT CAN BE SO COSTLY.
SO WE'VE ALLUDED TO COVID A LOT AND THE IMPACT THAT HAS HAD ON OUR ENVIRONMENT WITH SUPPLY CHAIN AND THE AVAILABILITY OF GOODS AND AVAILABILITY OF THE WORKFORCE TO EVEN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AS WELL.
UM, HAYES, I'M SURE CAN JUMP IN WITH MORE SPECIFICS, BUT IN EACH OF THE YEARS THAT WE'VE HAD A SURPLUS, WE HAVE THEN COME TO YOU WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO USE THAT.
[02:05:01]
OUT THE GATE, WE RECOMMENDED THAT WE DEFEAT SOME OF OUR DEBT, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS PAY IT OFF, PAY IT OFF EARLY.UM, THE BENEFIT OF THAT IS YOUR DEBT MILL GOES DOWN AND IT SAVES AND THE INTEREST EXPENSE OVER THE REMAINING LIFE THAT THAT DEBT WOULD HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING.
UM, WE DID THAT ONE YEAR, I THINK LAST YEAR WE CAME BEFORE YOU AND SAID, LOOK, WE HAVE A LOT OF FACILITIES THAT ARE KIND OF DEFUNCT.
WE'VE NOT KEPT PACE WITH THE MAINTENANCE ON THOSE.
THEY'VE BEEN IN THE STATE OF DISREPAIR.
SOME OF THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, FALL UNDER OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DIVISION WHERE THERE WERE POOLS THAT NEEDED IN EACH INSTANCE UPWARDS OF $3 MILLION PER LOCATION.
THAT WAS, UM, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
ANOTHER THAT, UM, JARED AND COUNCIL MEMBER RODMAN, WHEN HE WAS ON BOARD ASKED FOR, WAS THAT WE TAKE SOME OF THAT SURPLUS AND PUT IT IN A DESIGN POT.
SO ALL THESE ROAD ISSUES THAT WE ARE HAVING WITH ONE 70 AND 2 78 CAN BE ADDRESSED.
AND THOSE DESIGN COSTS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
I THINK WE PUT ROUGHLY 6 MILLION ASIDE FOR THAT.
IN ADDITION, WE ASKED FOR THINGS LIKE EMS EQUIPMENT, AMBULANCES, UM, MANNEQUINS, VARIOUS AND SUNDRY THINGS THAT WERE NEEDED BY THAT DEPARTMENT.
WE PUT IN EXCESS OF A MILLION INTO THE DETENTION CENTER.
SO THAT MAINTENANCE NEEDS THAT HAVE GONE UNADDRESSED FOR A SERIES OF YEARS WERE ABLE TO BE ADDRESSED SUCH AS A H V A C UNITS, UM, PAINT FLOORING FURNITURE THAT HAD BEEN SITTING THERE FOR 20 YEARS.
UM, OUR NEWEST PROBATE JUDGE HAS COME FORWARD AND ASKED FOR SOME OF THAT FOR HER AREA OF EXPERTISE AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE COME TO YOU FOR.
THEY ARE LARGE CAPITAL PURCHASES, UM, THAT HAVE CONSUMED A LOT OF THAT SURPLUS.
SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT WE HAVE GENERATED THESE SURPLUSES BECAUSE WE'VE OVERTAXED.
IT'S BEEN THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN CRITICALLY DEFERRED FOR TOO MANY YEARS AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE THEM WITHIN A GIVEN BUDGET CYCLE.
WE HAVE ROLLED THAT FORWARD EVERY YEAR AND ASKED FOR USE OF THOSE FUNDS, WHICH WE WILL BE DOING SHORTLY WITH THE 15 MILLION THAT MR. GREENWAY JUST REFERRED TO LAST YEAR.
ONE OF THE WAYS WE'D LIKE TO COMBAT THAT, JUST FROM AN OPTICS PERSPECTIVE, IS TO COMPLETELY SEPARATE OUT OUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES INTO ANOTHER FUND.
SO THAT IS NOT MIXED INTO OPERATIONS.
I THINK AS WE DO THAT FOR FISCAL 24 AND THAT YEAR COMES AND GOES AT THE END OF THAT CYCLE, WHAT YOU WILL NOTICE IS THAT THE OPERATING PIECE WILL BE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO FULLY EXPENDING WHAT THEY WERE APPROPRIATED.
THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS WHETHER IT'S FIVE, 10 OR 15 MILLION THAT WE'VE NEEDED FOR THE CAPITAL PIECE AND WHATEVER THAT EQUATES TO IN TERMS OF A MILLAGE, IF IT'S 3, 4, 5 MILLS, WE'LL BE IN A SEPARATE CAPITAL FUND.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THEY DON'T FIT NICE AND NEATLY INTO THE TIMEFRAME OF A FISCAL YEAR.
SO IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEPARATE THOSE OUT AND THAT HAS THE ABILITY WHEN NECESSARY AS IT CROSSES FISCAL YEARS.
IF IT'S THOSE FUNDS ARE NOT COMPLETELY EXPENDED BY JUNE THE 30TH OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER FOR MODIFIED ACCRUAL, THEN WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO EXPEND THOSE TO COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION HAYES CAN ADD TO IT, BUT I'M ALSO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THE PRACTICALITY OF THAT.
I I, I DO, I MEAN, CUZ ONE OF THE THINGS, AREAS THAT YOU DO NOT EVEN RECOMMEND OR EVEN CONSIDER IS TO, UM, RELIEVE SOME OF THE TAXPAYERS OVER THERE, UH, BURDEN OF PAYING TAXES.
SO, YOU KNOW, TO ME THAT'S A CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, UM, THE, THE, THE CAPITAL PROJECT, UM, LISTING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND WE EITHER GOTTA ISSUE BONDS FOR IT OR BLAH BLAH, THAT SORT OF STUFF.
IT'S BETTER TO PAY AS YOU GO IF YOU CAN BECAUSE IT REALLY SAVED TAXPAYERS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT I I, TO ME IT'S, IT DOESN'T SAVE OVER TIME.
I MEAN, YOU GOT THEM FUNDS NOW.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME PROJECT THAT YOU COULD DO AND, AND, AND, UM, AND, AND PAY FOR IT WITHOUT BORROWING THE MONEY.
TO BE, I THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE SUGGESTING THAT WE, THAT WE ISSUED DEBT FOR SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
THAT WOULD NOT SAVE OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY.
THERE'S ISSUANCE COST, UNDERWRITING COST, INTEREST OF SPEND.
I'M, I'M LOOKING AT SAVING TAXPAYERS MONEY.
WE HAVE, UH, RESERVE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE AUDITOR, UM, ABOUT, UM, THE, UM, THE, THE UNBALANCE YOU, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR THEY KEEP GOING UP, OH, YOU NEED TO HAVE THREE MONTHS FUND BALANCE, NINE, SEVEN AND A HALF MONTHS FUND BALANCE AND STUFF.
I GUESS, UH, IT MIGHT BE A WHOLE YEAR FUND BALANCE IF WE KEEP GOING IN THAT DIRECTION.
UM, DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M GOING AT? YOU KNOW, I DO AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO COME WITH A COMFORTABLE NUMBER TO SAY THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD FOR US FOR EMERGENCY.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF ANOTHER HUG, I MEAN NOT HUGA, BUT UH, WHATEVER THE HURRICANE WAS, MATTHEW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FUNDS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THE WORK AND THEN GET REIMBURSED.
UH, AND I THINK THAT WORKED WELL FOR US AT THE TIME.
UM, BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I MEAN, HOW MUCH DO WE NEED TO HAVE IN RESERVE AND, AND AND,
[02:10:01]
AND THEN ALLOW THE TAXPAYERS TO GET SOME KIND OF BENEFIT FROM THAT AND STUFF.YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S A LOT I COULD IMPACT THERE.
I DO AGREE WITH A LOT OF YOUR STATEMENTS IN THAT WE DO NEED TO HAVE SUFFICIENT RESERVES TO COVER OURSELVES.
AS HE EXPLAINED, FOR A LOT OF COUNTIES, THREE TO FOUR MONTHS IN YOUR FUND, RESERVES ARE SUFFICIENT.
BUT BECAUSE OF WHERE WE ARE POSITIONED GEOGRAPHICALLY AND HOW WE ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO STORMS THAT REQUIRE A MAJOR, UM, OUTLAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE STORM FOR DEBRIS THAT WE CONTRACT OUT TO BE PICKED UP OR JUST OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE, IT CAN CONSUME SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES VERY QUICKLY.
UM, AND SO FOR THAT REASON, WE HAVE A GREATER BENCHMARK IN TERMS OF OUR RATIO OF FUND BALANCE TO THE OPERATING AMOUNT FOR EVERY BUDGET YEAR.
AND AS YOUR BUDGET GROWS, THEN SO DOES THAT FUND BALANCE WITH IT.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, A PORTION OF THAT FUND BALANCE AND BEING CASH NEEDS TO BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.
AND THIS ALSO GOES BACK TO THE EARLIER QUESTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MCKALEN HAD ABOUT THE TAXING YEAR AND THE COLLECTIBILITY OF TAXES VERSUS THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO FISCAL YEAR ENDS JUNE THE 30TH.
MS. WALLS HAS UNTIL THE END, END OF OCTOBER TO FINISH COLLECTING TAXES THAT WERE ASSESSED IN NOVEMBER.
SO FOR THAT REASON, MOST OF THEM ARE COLLECTED AS HAYES SAID, BY THE END OF JUNE.
WE'RE PROBABLY 98, 90 9% COLLECTED BY THE END OF JUNE.
BUT THOSE REMAINING THREE MONTHS UNTIL THE END OF THAT PERIOD WHEN THEY ARE TRULY DEEMED SERIOUSLY DELINQUENT AND START ASSESSING THE INTEREST AND PENALTIES ON TOP OF THAT ARE NOT COLLECTED IN THAT THREE MONTH PERIOD.
THERE'S A SPEC, AND I DON'T WANNA GET TERRIBLY TECHNICAL RIGHT NOW IN GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING, BUT BECAUSE OF THE TAXING YEAR IN WHICH THEY WERE LEVIED WITH MODIFIED OR CRUEL, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECORD THOSE DELINQUENT TAXES THAT ARE THEN COLLECTED BEYOND JUNE BACK INTO THAT FISCAL YEAR.
SO BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT CASH RESERVES DURING THE HURRICANE PERIOD WHEN WE ARE LIKELY TO NEED IT THE MOST, WHICH IS JUNE THROUGH NOVEMBER.
AND THAT'S ON THE TAIL END OF THAT COLLECTION BEFORE WE LEVY AGAIN AND START A NEW TAXING YEAR.
UM, SO VERY CRUCIAL THAT WE DO HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AND A VERY HEALTHY CASH AMOUNT OF THAT FUND BALANCE AS FAR AS ROLLING BACK THE MILLAGE, WE HAVE NOT RULED THAT OUT.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM HERE THINKING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS THROUGH THE FORM OF PAY INCREASES OR OTHER INITIATIVES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAPITAL NEEDS.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK AT ALL THAT WE HAVE COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, RULED OUT THE ROLLING BACK OF THE MILLAGE.
THAT MAY VERY WELL BE THE CASE.
BUT THE SAME TOKEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN HAMMERED ABOUT OUR FACILITIES.
WE'VE BEEN HAMMERED ABOUT GREEN STREET, WE'VE BEEN HAMMERED ABOUT GLORIA POTS AND CHUCK COULD KIND OF GO DOWN THE LIST AS FAR AS FACILITIES THAT ARE IN NEED OF MAJOR RENOVATION, ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING NORTH OF THE BROAD, BROAD FOR PARKS AND LEISURE IS ONE OF THOSE.
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IS ONE OF THOSE.
SO IT TAKES MONEY TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND IT TAKES PEOPLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES.
SO THERE IS A, AS IT'S BEEN REFERRED TO, A VERY DELICATE BALANCING ACT ON WHAT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF MILLAGE IS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR THOSE THINGS.
SO I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT WE HAVE RULED THAT OUT.
ALL OF THAT WILL STILL BE DETERMINED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS WE HAVE THE VALUE OF THE MILL FROM OUR ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO PROJECTIONS BE ON THE TABLE FOR CONSIDERATION.
I SHOULD JUST STAYED WHERE I WAS.
UM, PIGGYBACKING OFF OF WHAT A ERIC GREENWAY A FEW MOMENTS AGO ABOUT THEN TALKING ABOUT HEALTH COORDINATOR.
UM, NOT SURE WHAT LINES THE 10, 15 MILLION FALL IN, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH AND FITNESS OF OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS OUR COUNTY AND OUR MOTTO.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, UM, COUNCILMAN, UH, GLOVERS TALKING ABOUT GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT SEEMS LIKE REC CENTERS WOULD BE, UM, AT LEAST AN OPTION TO DISCUSS IF, I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE FUNDS ARE ALLOWED TO GO FOR THAT.
THERE'S LOT OF RULES, BUT WE JUST LISTED OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING 25 MILLION THAT WE NEED FOR ALL THESE DIRECT CENTERS.
I DUNNO WHAT'S ALLOWED TO BE PLAYED WITH WITH THAT MONEY, WHAT'S NOT, WHERE IT CAN MOVE TO.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD JUMPSTART TO MAKE UP FOR SOME AREAS THAT WE'VE LOST ON IF THAT OPPORTUNITY PRESENT ITSELF.
AND HIT A LOT OF NAILS ON THE HEAD.
UH, SEGUEWAY, THAT IS, UH, GONNA BE COVERED IN THE AFTERNOON SESSIONS, UH, WITH, UH, THE FINAL SESSION BEING ON PARTS AND RECREATION.
SO WE WILL BE ASKING FOR Y'ALL'S DIRECTIONS ON HOW Y'ALL, YOU ALL WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
IF YOU ALL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THAT, UH, PRESENTATION, BUT IF YOU ALL WILL LOOK AT THIS PARTICULAR SHEET OF PAPER RIGHT HERE.
THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT AGENCIES
[02:15:01]
ON THIS LIST THAT I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK ON BECAUSE TYPICALLY WE GET INTO THE BUDGET, UH, CYCLE AND FOLKS START ASKING US A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS AND WHAT INFORMATION WE CAN GET FROM THAT, UH, AGENCY OR WHATEVER.IF YOU ALL WANT INFORMATION, I WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH THIS AND TO THIS NOW, GIVE YOU WHAT WE KNOW AND HAVE Y'ALL GIVE ME WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHENEVER WE TURN THAT BUDGET IN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING HAVING TO GO BACK AND TRY TO, UH, GATHER INFORMATION.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET IT NOW.
UH, SO WE'LL HAVE THE ANSWERS.
SO THE FIRST FOUR ON THE LIST, TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY UNIVERSITY OF, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA, BEAVER, BEAVER MEMORIAL BEAVER, JOSHUA COMP HEALTH, AS HAYES SAID, THAT'S, THAT ALLOCATION IS PRETTY MUCH SET BY MILLAGE.
UH, THAT IS IN THE PRESENTATION.
THOSE FORMULAS AND THE AMOUNTS ARE IN THE PRESENTATION THAT HAYES DID EARLIER.
UH, HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE BEEN ASKED, UH, TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE 14TH CIRCUIT SOLICITOR'S OFFICE IN THE 14TH CIRCUIT PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ANYTHING, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT DIRECTION TODAY.
UH, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? WE, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S LIKE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW IN DETAIL ABOUT MONEY BEING EXPENDED, WHO'S BEEN HIRED, WHAT PREVIOUS ALLOCATIONS HAVE GONE FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND WORK, BEGIN WORKING NOW WITH THOSE FOLKS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE WHEN WE PRESENT THE BUDGET TO YOU ALL.
SO WHAT'S THE TEMPLATE THAT THEY, THOSE TWO AGENCIES WOULD NORMALLY USE THAT, DON'T THEY MAKE A SUBMISSION KNOWING THAT THIS IS THE CYCLE? DOESN'T SOMETHING COME IN AUTOMATICALLY FROM THEM? IT DOES.
SO THEY HAVE A TEMPLATE SET UP.
SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT TEMPLATE FROM LAST YEAR RIGHT.
AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY ADJUSTMENTS WE'D LIKE TO MAKE.
AND WHAT'S THE DEADLINE FOR THE GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO YOU? UH, THE DEADLINE FOR THAT INFORMATION HAS ALREADY PASSED.
I'M NOT SURE IF FROM US NO, NOT FROM THEM.
FROM US TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL, UM, JUST BEFORE WE PER, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE SO WE CAN GET THE ANSWERS FROM THEM.
BEFORE WE PRESENT THOSE TO YOU.
WE'RE GOING, SO THEY HAVE SUBMITTED SOMETHING ALREADY AND YOU HAVE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE SUBMITTED SOMETHING ALREADY, BUT I'M NOT SURE THEY HAVE.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND ASK.
THEY HAVE NOT, NEITHER, NEITHER AGENCY HAS NEITHER DEPARTMENT SOLICITOR OR PUBLIC DEFENDER.
SO WHEN THAT COMES IN, WE COULD SEE THAT AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING IT AS WELL, TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THERE THAT WE MAY WANT TO SPECIFICALLY REQUEST IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'VE PROVIDED.
DONALD TRUMP DOESN'T HAVE IT IN THIS HOUSE.
AND IF I CAN JUST ADD TO THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY DELAWARE TOO.
WE'LL HAVE TO COVER BOTH PARTIES.
SO THINGS THAT, THAT WE'VE MISSED IN THE PAST HAVE BEEN, UM, WHAT KIND OF FUNDING THEY'RE GETTING FROM OTHER COUNTIES.
CUZ AGAIN, BOTH OF THOSE ARE PART OF A FIVE COUNTY, UM, UH, GROUP.
SO WE WANNA KNOW WHAT THE OTHER FIVE, FOUR COUNTIES ARE, ARE, ARE PAYING WHAT KIND OF OUTSIDE MONEY THAT'S COMING FROM THE STATE SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN, UH, IT, IT'D BE MORE DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT, BUT WHAT THE CASELOAD IS AND WHAT PERCENTAGE IT'D BE FOR COUNTY IS MORE POPULATION.
SO WE HAVE A LARGER PERCENTAGE, WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF CASELOAD IS FOR BUFORD COUNTIES.
THEN WE CAN LOOK AT THE OTHER COUNTIES THAT ARE PUTTING MONEY IN.
UM, THOSE HAVE BEEN THE THINGS THAT HAVE ALLUDED US IN THE PAST.
AND TO KNOW WHAT OUR FAIR SHARE IS BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT IT AND WHEN, WAIT A MINUTE, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE PAYING MORE THAN WE SHOULD OR PAYING FOR OTHER COUNTIES FOR, FOR THEIR SHARE OF THINGS.
SO HOW ARE WE CAN PUT THAT TOGETHER? THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE, IT'S GOTTEN BETTER EVERY YEAR.
WE'VE GOTTEN MORE AND MORE INFORMATION, BUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY IF WE CAN SAY THIS IS WHAT WE NEED AND ALLOW Y'ALL TO GET IT, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
THAT'S KIND OF THE INFORMATION I'M LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW.
IF WE ALL NEED THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, WE'LL SEE THAT ABOUT SOMETHING.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO TELL ME BEFORE WE TURN THE BUDGET IN.
SO OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ON, ON, UH, MARCH 20TH IS WHEN WE HAVE THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES COMING IN.
AND SO IF YOU GET A, A LIST, WHAT DATE? MARCH 20TH.
UM, A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES COME IN AND TH THEY'LL BE PRESENTING W IF YOU HAVE A LIST OF QUESTIONS, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE, WE CAN GET THEM TO REITERATE THOSE.
UH, THEN SO, BUT SOME OF THEIR PRESENTATIONS ARE WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR THE YEAR, NOT REALLY THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THEIR BUDGET.
I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST NUMBERS SEEN THEM.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST ONE NUMBER.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST ONE NUMBER THEY ASK WITH NO BREAKDOWN LINE ITEMS. THERE YOU GO.
[02:20:01]
A BREAKDOWN, THEN I NEED THAT DIRECTION SO I CAN MAKE THAT REQUEST TO THE ELECTED OFFICIAL ON YOUR BEHALF.IT'LL BE HELPFUL TO LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S SUBMISSION IF WE COULD.
LISTEN, I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY'S GONNA ASK FOR EVERYTHING.
SOME OF US MAY HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST IN ONE OR TWO OF THESE THINGS, SO WE COULD GET THAT LAST YEAR'S SUBMISSION TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
AND IF IT WAS ONLY ONE NUMBER, THEN SHAME ON US.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, I HAVE A QUESTION THEN.
UM, KIND MR. MCK AS WELL AS ERIC, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, I THINK IT WAS IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR, WAS SHIP FUNDS FROM THE ER'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING I SUPPORTED YOU ON, WHICH IS KINDA INTERESTING FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UM, I WANTED TO KNOW IF WE CAN GET THE SAME REPORT WE REQUESTED FROM THIS LISTENER'S OFFICE, FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, NUMBERS OF PEOPLE I BELIEVE THAT HAD TO DO WITH DUI.
YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL REQUEST THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU ALL.
SO Y'ALL HAVE IT AS A PART OF THE BUDGET NOW.
HEY, YOU SAID ON MARCH 20TH, ALL OF THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES, WHETHER IT'S THE SOLICITOR OR SMALL BUSINESS, BUFORD, JASPER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALL OF THOSE ARE GONNA BE COMING TO PRESENT THEIR BUDGETS.
WE'RE TRYING TO LINE THAT UP RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THAT'S WHY IS IT IS A FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, BUT IT'S, IT, IT'S WON'T BE DEVOTED TO THAT.
THERE, THERE WON'T BE MUCH BUSINESS.
IT'LL BE MORE OF A BUDGET WORKSHOP.
CAUSE WHILE, WHILE YOU'RE THERE, UM, I'M LOOKING AT THIS LIST RIGHT HERE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
AND, UM, IT IS BASED ON MILLER, UH, THE MILLS, UM, DETECTIVE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE ROYAL COUNTRY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, INCREASE THEIR FUNDING.
THE SAME THING WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN FOR BEAVER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND BEFOR JA CONFERENCE OF HEALTH.
COULD YOU LOOK INTO THAT TO SEE WHY? YEAH, I CAN TELL YOU WHY THAT I CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHY.
BECAUSE ORIGINALLY WHEN IT WAS SET UP, WE WENT TO THE HUNDREDTH OF THE MILL AND, UH, WE WERE DIRECTED BY THE AUDITOR TO DROP THE HUNDREDTH THROUGH THE 10TH OR TO THE 10TH OF THE HUNDREDTH.
JUST TO, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE PASS DECIMAL.
SO IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 6.5% AND IT WENT TO 0.6%.
SO IT DROPPED THAT ONE YEAR AND THEN IT CAME BACK UP THE NEXT YEAR IS WHAT HAPPENED.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE TWO ENTITIES.
UM, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE UNIVERSITIES.
I MEAN IT'S THE INCREASES CONSTANTLY.
I MEAN, HOW, HOW I, I MEAN, SO I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IT INDIVIDUALLY, BUT DID YOU WE'LL DO THAT.
THIS IS THE KIND OF INFORMATION I'M LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW ON THIS LIST.
CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF AGENCIES HERE THAT WE HISTORICALLY GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
THAT'S PRETTY, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH NEVER AN ISSUE.
ISLAND RECREATION IS HISTORICALLY, UH, AN ISSUE.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED WHY WE'RE FUNDING, UH, RECREATION ENTITY ON, ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WHO, WHO ASKS THAT QUESTION? UH, MEMBER COUNCIL.
I ALWAYS GET QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST ASKING FOR FEEDBACK.
IF YOU GUYS WANT INFORMATION, I NEED TO KNOW, I NEED TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION.
RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT, I'M NOT TAKING A POSITION IN ANY WAY
SO, UM, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER ONE WE'LL GET FROM THEM A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THEY WANT, WHY THEY WANT IT.
WE DON'T EVER GET A BREAKDOWN FROM ALAN REC, WE JUST GIVE THEM A STRAIGHT ONE.
WE JUST GIVE THEM A STRAIGHT ALLOCATION EVERY YEAR.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MONEY IS USED FOR.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY SPEND ON, WE JUST GIVE THEM AN ALLOCATION.
I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.
I MEAN, THIS IS, I'M SORRY, MR. CHAIR.
THIS IS WHEN THE CONSTITUENTS SAY, WELL, YOU JUST GIVE OUT MONEY AND DON'T HOLD ANYBODY ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I KNOW THAT'S FOR ATEX, BUT STILL, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE FUNDING THERE.
THERE IS, UM, GET THAT EVERY YEAR, BY THE WAY.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAS SUDDENLY BECOME SUCH AN ISSUE WITH THE ISLAND REC CENTER.
AGAIN, WE'RE GOING THROUGH ALL THE WHOLE LIST TO ASK ABOUT ALL THE AGENCIES.
IT'S NOT AN ISSUE FOR ISLAND REC TO SAY WE DON'T GET ANYTHING FROM THEM.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M SEEING THIS.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS GET THIS DOCUMENT.
DO WE GET A BUDGET FROM MY HOME? OKAY.
[02:25:01]
HOUSE, WE WILL NOT BE RECOMMENDING FUNDING FOR THAT.CAUSE THE DENTAL BUS HAS BEEN INOPERABLE FOR TWO YEARS.
UM, AND THEY, THEY'RE CURRENTLY HOLDING 200 GRAND OF OUR MONEY IN AN ACCOUNT.
SO WE'VE TOLD THEM THAT THEY WILL NEED TO USE THAT MONEY AND, AND ONCE THAT MONEY IS USED UP WHEN THEY GET THE DENTAL BUS OPERATIONAL, THEN WE WILL CONSIDER REBOOTING THEIR FUNDING.
SO THAT'LL GO TO ZERO, UH, THIS YEAR.
UH, THE MILITARY ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, A COMMITTEE OF THE BEAUFORD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE GAVE THEM A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS LAST YEAR TO HELP HIRE A CONSULTANT TO HELP WITH THE NAVAL HOSPITAL, UH, ISSUE SO THAT WE'RE IN, UM, A GOOD POSITION.
IF THE, UH, D O D DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING TO CLOSE OUT THE OPERATION OF THE NAVAL HOSPITAL, WE WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE THAT ALLOCATION AGAIN, UH, THIS YEAR.
AND I'M GONNA INTERRUPT YOU JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
FOR THOSE OF YOU HAVE, JUST COME ON COUNCIL 23 AWARD.
WE'RE IN 23, BUT WE'RE ENDING THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2223 COMING THIS JULY.
SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IS THE FUNDING FOR 24 FOR ALL OF THESE, WHICH IS NOT ANY AMOUNT THERE RIGHT NOW.
UM, BE FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION.
THAT'LL, THAT WILL NOT CHANGE.
UH, WE WILL TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE TOMORROW MORNING.
UH, LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, MPO FUNDING, HOME COSTORS.
UH, THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH THE STANDARD THINGS.
IF YOU NEED TO KNOW ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
UM, AND THEN WE AWARDED VETERANS AFFAIRS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S BECAUSE WE WERE EXPECTING THERE TO BE SOME CHANGEOVER, UH, IN THE LEADERSHIP.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT'S FAR, BUT WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT THAT'S FAR AND, UH, GIVE YOU ALL A REPORT ON THAT.
WHENEVER WE DO THE BUDGET, I MIGHT ADD ONE THING THAT THE 2023 HAVEN'T BEEN FULLY AWARDED YET, BUT THEY WILL BE.
THEY WERE BUDGETED, BUT THEY WILL BE AWARDED.
UM, CAN WE GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ON LOW CALL? WHAT YOU WANT? UM, WELL, WE HAVE THE LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THAT.
AND THE MPO FUNDING AND THE HOUSE CONCERNS, WHY, WHY THEY'RE SEPARATE FUNDS.
I THINK WE MIGHT BE READY FOR LUNCH NOW.
UM, I'LL BE AROUND, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU ALL IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER ITEMS YOU WANT TO TALK WITH ME ABOUT, UM, WHILE WE'RE AT LUNCH.
WE WILL STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 1:00 PM GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WE ARE NOW DOING THE AFTERNOON SESSION, WHICH WILL BE, UH, UH, TRANSPORTATION, CAPITAL PROJECTS, PARKS, BOTH, AND PASSIVE AND RECREATION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH YOU, JERRY.
ERIC, YOU NEED TO SAY ANYTHING? NO, WE CAN LOOK AT OUR BOOK.
SO EVERYBODY HAS A BOOK IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, I DIDN'T, I'LL TELL YOU WHY I HAD A BOOK IS I DIDN'T REALIZE TILL THE OTHER DAY.
WE SIT BACK HERE AND STUFF AND WE'VE GOT FOUR TVS AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT Y'ALL ONLY HAVE THIS ONE TV.
SO, SO EVERYBODY'S VIEWING PLEASURE.
I PRINTED OUT THE, THE PRESENTATION.
UM, INSIDE OF THAT, THERE'S ALSO PICTURES.
I DO NOT WANT YOU TO ADVANCE THE PICTURES.
SO THIS IS, YOU GOTTA PAY ATTENTION.
SO, UM, DON'T, DON'T GO TO THE PICTURES WHEN WE START TO THE PICTURES AGAIN IN, IN LIGHT OF JUST HAVING ONE TV.
UM, MY HOPE WAS THAT YOU COULD HAVE 'EM THERE AND THEY'RE TANGIBLE.
AND THEN ALSO IF YOU WANNA REFER TO 'EM LATER, YOU'LL HAVE 'EM THERE FOR YOUR PURPOSE AS WELL.
SO HOW LONG, IF YOU CHOOSE OR JUST WATCHING, LISTEN.
I KNOW WE SAY TRANSPORTATION IS WHAT WE HAD AS A HEADING, BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S GONNA GET INTO INFRASTRUCTURE OVERALL.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAPITAL PROJECTS AND PARKS.
AND JUST THIS MORNING ALREADY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF PROJECTS AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LIMITED AMOUNTS OF FUNDS AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MAJOR GROWTH.
SO ALL THESE THINGS COMBINED, IT'S LIKE, HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THIS? SO HOPEFULLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IS, IS A CONCEPT AND A PLAN FOR US TO TAKE ACTION ON EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
AND CAUSE OF THAT, WE'VE GOTTA TALK ABOUT THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
[02:30:01]
IT TODAY.BEAUFORT COUNTY IS GROWING AND I WOULD SAY LIKE WILDFIRE.
I MEAN, WE'RE GROWING LIKE WILDFIRES AS FAR AS, UH, AS THE REST OF THE STATE AS WELL.
BY A SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE MOVED HERE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY FROM SOMEWHERE GREATER THAN 50 MILES AWAY? RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.
SO, A VAST MAJORITY, WE HAVE A FEW LOCALS ON COUNTY.
WHAT ABOUT IN THE ROOM? GREATER THAN 50 MILES.
A VAST MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION THAT LIVES HERE HAS MOVED HERE.
AND GUESS WHAT? THERE IS NO MAGIC DOOR TO SHUT, EQUIP OTHER PEOPLE FROM MOVING HERE.
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE HERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
A FEW NUMBERS AS OF THIS IS ALL, AS OF THE 2020 CENSUS, SOUTH CAROLINA WAS THE 11TH, FASTEST GROWING STATE.
SO OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY, THERE'S, THIS IS A MASS MIGRATION THING THAT IS BIGGER THAN US.
WE'RE SEEING MOVEMENT FROM NORTHEAST OF THE COUNTRY DOWN TO SOUTHEAST OF THE COUNTRY AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA IS THE 11 FASTEST GROW.
MUNFORD COUNTY IS THE SEVENTH FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN THE STATE.
SO OUT OF 46 COUNTIES, WE'RE IN THE TOP PER TOP TIER.
AS FAR AS HOW FAST WE'RE GROWING FROM 2010 TO 2020, WE GREW AT 15.3%.
AND OUR POPULATION IS 187,000, WHICH IS THE 10TH RATE.
SO WE'RE STILL IN THE UPPER TIER.
MAYBE NOT QUITE AS HIGH AS WE ARE AS A RATIO OF GROWING, BUT VERY FAST TO SAY LEAST.
SO WE'VE ALL HEARD THE SAME, THAT MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVEN, RIGHT? WELL, IT'S NOT, IT'S THE LOVE OF MONEY THAT IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVEN WELL, SO GOES GROWTH, GROWTH IS NOT OUR ISSUE.
OUR ISSUE IS UNPLANNED GROWTH.
IF WE'RE NOT PLANNING FOR GROWTH, IT'S GONNA DESTROY US.
IF WE PLAN FOR GROWTH, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HOPE WE DO HERE, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
SO I HAVE AN EXERCISE, UH, FOR US.
I WAS GOING TO GET YOU GUYS DOWN.
WE JUST GOT DONE WITH LUNCH AND SIT YOU IN A TABLE AND DO A TABLETOP EXERCISE.
BUT IN, IN SPIRIT OF DOING THAT, WE'RE JUST GONNA DO IT HERE, UH, AS, AS WE TALK OUT LOUD TO ONE ANOTHER.
UM, BUT THIS PARTICIPATION, MY WIFE'S A TEACHER AND PARTICIPATION IS A GRADE.
SO IF YOU DON'T PARTICIPATE, WE WE'LL REVISE AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I NEED YOU TO THINK ABOUT A LOT OF YOU MOVED HERE FOR SOME REASON.
ONE, WHY DID YOU MOVE HERE? WHAT MADE BUFORD COUNTY COMPELLING? WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE ATTRACTIVE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY? ANYBODY? YES SIR.
BUT WHY? WHAT WHAT PART OF RETIREMENT? THREE THINGS.
ONE BETTER WEATHER THAN WHERE I WAS.
AND THREE MOST IMPORTANTLY, BEING A CAR GUY, LIVING IN THE ERA OF MUSCLE CARS.
AND WHERE I LIVE IS GOLF CART ACCESSIBLE.
ALL THOSE SOUNDS LIKE GOOD REASONS YOU MOVED HERE BECAUSE WORK AND BECAUSE WE GONNA BE GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY.
WHY DID YOU, WHY THE MOVE
SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SIT INSIDE AND LOOK OUT THE WINDOW FOR EIGHT MONTHS OF A YEAR? THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU COULD ACTUALLY BE OUTSIDE.
AND WHEN YOU WERE OUTSIDE, YOU HAD ALL OF THIS AVAILABLE.
YOU HAVE WILDLIFE, FOLIAGE, FEATURES, TRAINEES.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU REALLY DIDN'T HAVE IF YOU WERE LIVING IN DEC CANE URBAN ENVIRONMENTS, WHICH I SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE IN.
ANY OTHERS? WHY ARE THERE REASONS YOU LIVED HERE? I, UM, I CHOSE TO STAY HERE.
CAUSE IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO BE AS A FAMILY.
AND I COULD ALWAYS FIND SOME NEED TO EAT IF I NEEDED IT.
IT'S JUST A, WE'RE BLESSED TO BE IN BUFORD COUNTY.
I HAVE TO BE ON THE ISLAND, MY WIFE AND I, AND, UM, SHIPYARD.
UM, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE VERY NICE TOO.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN ARGUE WITH THAT.
SO IF WE WERE TO, UM, DRILL BACK ON THAT AND GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL, WHAT PROJECTS THAT WE COULD DO OR CAN DO OR WILL DO IN THE FUTURE THAT PLAY INTO THAT.
SO AESTHETICS OR COMMUNITY OR QUALITY OF LIFE.
WHAT, WHAT PROJECTS COULD YOU NAME THAT WOULD ENHANCE THAT REASON WHY YOU CAME TO BERET COUNTY? EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE WATER.
EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE WATER.
[02:35:01]
DON'T HAVE A BOAT.I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A FRIEND WITH A BOAT.
WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS IN OUR ONE 70 S.
THAT'S WHAT'S HINDERING SOME PEOPLE FROM REALLY ACCESSING THINGS AND ENJOYING THE FULL OFFERINGS WE HAVE.
SO, INFRASTRUCTURE ROAD NETWORK.
AND THAT'S ACROSS THE ENTIRE CAN.
WHAT ELSE? ANY OTHER ONES THAT GO INTO THIS? THE REASONS THAT YOU NAMED.
ALL RIGHT, SO OUT OF THE PROJECTS, JUST A HANDFUL OF PROJECTS THAT WE NAMED HERE.
LET'S PUT SOME PRICE TAG ON THAT.
WHAT ARE WE TALKING MAYBE 10, $15 MILLION.
I MEAN, SOMETHING IN THAT GENRE.
WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT A MASTER PLAN FOR PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND BICYCLE PATHWAYS.
UM, ONE, ONE ROAD IS TO PUT A PATHWAY ALONG ONE 70.
I MEAN, THAT IN ITSELF IS MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, LET ALONE THE REST OF THAT MASTER PLAN.
SO LET'S JUST FOR THE SENSE OF PATHWAYS, LET'S SAY 50 MILLION.
ALL RIGHT, WHAT WAS SOME OTHER ONES WE HEARD? TRANSPORTATION.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE PRICE TAG ON THAT ONE? ON THE TRIANGLE? TRIANGLE ALONE IS 81 MILLION.
THE TRIANGLE ALTOGETHER WITH THE TRIANGLE IS 1 72, 78 IN ARGENT BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENT.
ALL THREE OF THOSE IS $200 MILLION.
WE'RE NOT GETTING THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
SO WE CAN SAY THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
AND, UH, RECREATIONAL PROJECTS.
SO, UH, NEW BALL FIELDS NEWS CENTER, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEGA MILLIONS THERE.
40, $50 MILLION, MAYBE EVEN MORE.
UH, I DIDN'T JUST ADD ALL THAT, BUT JUST LISTENING OUT, THAT'S, I THINK WE'VE LISTED 300 MILLION PLUS IN A MATTER OF FIVE MINUTES JUST TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT KEEP UP.
WHAT ABOUT HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BUILD ALL THAT STUFF? SO ROAD PROJECT FOREVER, UH, WE'RE EXPERIENCING THAT ON 2 78, RIGHT? IT'S TAKING FOREVER TO BUILD, UM, RECREATION.
SO YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH ALL THIS PROCESS.
SO LET ME, I HAD A FEELING THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS WERE WORTH WHAT YOU GUYS WERE GONNA SAY.
SO LET'S TRY TO SUMMARIZE THIS.
I THINK WHERE WE NEED TO GO IS TO FIRST CREATE THE VISION AND THEN THE MISSION, THE IMPLEMENT.
SO JUST TO FIRST CRACK AT THIS, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A LONG-TERM QUALITY OF LIFE VISION FOR BUFORD COUNTY.
WE ALL MOVED HERE FOR THE AESTHETICS, FOR THE WEATHER, FOR THE, UM, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
SO ALL THESE THINGS ARE QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND I THINK WITH A LONG-TERM VISION, WE CAN START MARCHING IN A FORWARD DIRECTION IN UNISON WITH ONE ANOTHER.
SO TO TAKE THIS ONE STEP FURTHER AND TURN THIS VISION INTO A MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH IS KIND OF REITERATING SOME OF THE THINGS Y'ALL JUST SAID, IS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE HAVE.
SO, PRESERVE AND PROTECT THIS, WE MOVE HERE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE MAINTAINANCE AND, AND IS GREAT INTO THE FUTURE.
QUALITY OF LIFE AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
BOTH MR. GLOVER AND MS. HOWARD.
I MENTIONED A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY.
UH, SO A SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO IF WE USE THIS AS OUR KIND OF VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT, AS WE TALK, I THINK THIS IS GONNA GUIDE US INTO SOME INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS.
BUT YOU CAN'T TALK 2050 AND VISION WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT MONEY.
SO THESE ARE THE TYPICAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE HAVE AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL AND SPECIFIC TO BUFORD COUNTY, THESE ARE KIND OF WHAT YOU WOULD SEE, UM, AS WAYS TO RAISE FUNDS TO GENERATE THESE PROJECTS.
AND AS YOU AS FILTER THROUGH THAT LIST, OBVIOUSLY WHAT STICKS OUT AS THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL ON THAT LIST, SALES AND USE TAX, SALES AND USE TAX.
60 MILLION A YEAR IS WHAT OUR ONE PENNY GENERATES ROUGHLY.
UH, WHEREAS YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER ONES, THE USER FEE AND, AND DIFFERENT ONES ARE THREE $5 MILLION A YEAR.
SO THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALES AND USE TAX AND THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
WHY DID THE INDIANS IN ARIZONA MAKE THEIR HUTS OUT OF ADOBE HUTS? THERE'S NO MAGIC ANSWER.
THAT'S WHAT THEY HAD RIGHT THERE.
WHY DID THE INDIANS IN THE, IN THE WEST HAVE TEEPE? WELL, THEY HAD BUFFALO SO THEY COULD KILL THE BUFFALO AND MAKE THEIR THEIR HU WHY DO WE PAVE OUR ROADS WITH GRANITE? GRANITE SEEMS LIKE A VERY EXPENSIVE ROCK MATERIAL.
IT IS FOR LOTS OF PARTS OF THE WORLD, BUT NOT IN BUCHER OR NOT IN SOUTH CAROLINA, CUZ WE HAVE, WE'RE SITTING ON GRANITE, A WHOLE ROCK BED OF GRANITE.
[02:40:01]
THE RESOURCES THAT ARE LOCAL TO US TO BEST IMPLEMENT, UM, THE CAPITAL NEEDS.AND FOR US ON THIS PAGE, THE RESOURCE THAT'S MOST ABUNDANT TO US IS SALES TAX.
SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND SEE HOW SALES TAX COMPARES TO OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE AND HOW WE ARE SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT THAN OTHER AREAS OF STATE.
SO I KNOW THIS IS A REALLY BUSY SLIDE.
THIS IS FROM DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
THIS IS A SNAPSHOT IN TIME AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 22.
THEY HAVEN'T ISSUED 23 YET, BUT I'M SURE IT'LL BE VERY SIMILAR.
WHAT THIS IS DOING IS EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENT SALES TAXES.
SO THERE'S SIX DIFFERENT SALES TAXES, LOCAL SALES TAXES THAT MUNICIPALITIES ENACTED BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND STATE STATUTE.
AND THOSE ARE LOST LOCAL AUCTION SALES TAX, WHICH IS A PROPERTY RELIEF AND A REVENUE CAPITAL REVENUE FUND.
UH, TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL PROJECTS.
REALLY THE ONLY PLACE THAT'S APPLICABLE IS MYRTLE BEACH.
IT'S GOTTA MEET CERTAIN THRESHOLDS BEFORE THAT'S EVEN AVAILABLE.
EDUCATION CAPITAL, UH, AND SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THEN LASTLY NOW WE HAVE A SEVENTH ONE THAT GOT APPROVED LAST YEAR, WHICH IS GREEN SPACE, WHICH WE ARE THE PREMIER COUNTY AS FAR AS BEING THE FIRST ONES TO USE THAT, THAT PENNY.
ONE THING I KNOW EDUCATIONAL CAPITAL AND SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER.
SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A LOCAL SALES TAX THAT'S USED FOR OPERATING TO OFFSET OPERATING COSTS FOR YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, EDUCATION CAPITAL IS JUST FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION USES, UM, AS WELL AS DEBT.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE IN A MINUTE.
SO, UM, A COUPLE TRENDS THAT WE CAN PICK OFF FROM LOOKING AT THIS MAP OF, OF MANY COLORS.
UM, MOST OF THE COUNTIES HAVE EITHER ONE OR TWO SALES TAXES.
SO THE STATE SALES TAX IS SIX.
SO YOU CAN HAVE FROM SIX AS THE BARE MINIMUM WAS ZERO OR NINE, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM THAT'S ALLOWED.
SO THREE PENNIES IS WHAT YOU CAN HAVE A MAXIMUM.
SO THAT RIGHT THERE IS 85% OF THE COUNTIES ARE IN THAT SALE.
UH, THE MOST, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S INTERESTING, BUT THE, THE PART THAT JUMPS OFF TO ME IS WHAT COLOR IS BEAUFORT COUNTY? WHITE.
AND WE DON'T, THIS IS AGAIN, A SNAPSHOT AS OF MAY, WE WILL START COLLECTING ON GREEN SPACE, BUT AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2020, WE HAD JUST COLLECTED, FULLY COLLECTED OUR TRANSPORTATION.
SO IT WAS NO LONGER INTO EFFECT.
THERE ARE FOUR COUNTIES, US OCON GEORGE OR GREENVILLE AND GEORGETOWN THAT HAVE ZERO SALES TAX ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE SPECTRUM.
THE OTHER END OF THE PENDULUM, THERE'S ONLY THREE COUNTIES THAT HAVE THREE POLICE.
AND GUESS WHAT, THOSE ARE CHARLESTON, JASPER JAPER AND MYRTLE BEACH.
MYRTLE BEACH, LIKE I SAID, IS A LITTLE BIT PECULIAR CUZ IT'S, IT'S ON, UH, CHARLESTON AND THEN JASPER.
WE HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY CHARLESTON AND MYRTLE BEACH ARE VERY MUCH TOURIST DRIVEN.
UH, I DON'T THINK NOT GOING TO CHARLESTON BECAUSE THERE IS A 9% SALES TAX GOING ON IN CHARLESTON.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE NOT, NOT MOVING TO CHARLESTON BECAUSE THERE'S A 9% SALES TAX IN CHARLESTON.
OBVIOUSLY WE SHARE A LOT OF THINGS IN COMMON WITH JASPER COUNTY.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME TOURISM PROBLEM, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY HAVE THREE PENNIES AS WELL.
SO TO SAY THAT THREE PENNIES IS SOMETHING THAT IS FAR FETCHED OR UNACHIEVABLE, I WOULD BEG TO DIFFER WITH THAT.
AND I WOULD ALSO BEG THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD AT LEAST GARNER ATTENTION AND EXPLORE.
AND I WANT TO DO THAT RIGHT HERE.
SO HOW DOES OUR PENNY COMPARE? I ALREADY SAID THAT WE'RE COLLECTING 60 MILLION A YEAR.
THAT'S A LOT, RIGHT? WELL, WE ARE THE 10TH MOST POPULATED, BUT OUR PENNY IS THE FIFTH MOST POWERFUL IN THIS STATE.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHO WE'RE BUYING.
OBVIOUSLY CHARLESTON'S THE BIGGEST WITH 135 MILLION.
UH, AND THEN HORRY COUNTY'S UP THERE TOO.
THIS WAS AS OF 2021, WHICH IS THE LAST, UH, YEAR THAT WE HAD A FULL COLLECTION ON OUR 2018 PENNY.
UM, OUR FIRST YEAR OF COLLECTION IN 2019, OUR FIRST FISCAL YEAR, WE COLLECTED 45 MILLION HAD WE COLLECT, WE COLLECTED FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND WE REACHED OUR 120 MILLION.
HAD WE FULLY COLLECTED THE LAST YEAR IN 2022, WE WERE ON PACE FOR 65 MILLION.
OUR SALES TAX, UM, WAS GROWING AT 18%.
I HAVE NO EARTHLY IDEA HOW TO EXPLAIN THAT OTHER THAN LOCAL ECONOMY.
AND, AND COVID, UM, PROBABLY HAD A FACTOR IN THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE, BUT IT IS, IT'S JUST SHOCKING TO HEAR THAT THAT'S HOW IT'S GROWING.
SO REALLY WE'RE HIGHER THAN LEXINGTON, BUT THIS IS THE LAST FULL FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD DATA FROM.
[02:45:01]
CAPITA, HOW DOES IT STACK UP? WE HAVE THE SECOND MOST POWERFUL PER CAPITA.SO CHARLESTON HAS 350,000 PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE COLLECTING 135.
WE HAVE MILLION, BUT WE ONLY HAVE 200,000 PEOPLE.
SO PER CAPITA, WE'RE THE SECOND HIGHEST IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
THAT'S HOW POWERFUL OUR PENNY IS.
ALSO, ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT ON THE PER CAPITA, YOU CAN SEE CHARLESTON, BUFORD AND ORE ARE IN THE ALMOST $300 RANGE PER PERSON, WHERE THE NEXT LEVEL OF LEXINGTON RICHLAND IS IN THE $200 RANGE.
SO THOSE THREE PLACES, INCLUDING OURSELVES, ARE 33% HIGHER THAN THE REST OF THE STATE AS FAR AS THE POWER OF THE COLLECTION OF THAT PENNY.
SO AGAIN, FIFTH STRONGEST AND SECOND HIGHEST.
SO, UM, GO BACK TO THIS LAST SLIDE.
CHARLESTON COUNTY HAD THREE PENNIES.
THEY'RE COLLECTING 135 MILLION PER PENNY.
SO EVERY YEAR, YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT, THEY'RE PUMPING 400 MILLION OF LOCAL INVESTMENT INTO THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND AS OF THE JANUARY 1ST ON THIS SLIDE, WE ARE ARE COLLECTING ZERO.
SO TO SAY THAT THEY'RE PREPARING AND PLANNING FOR THEIR GROWTH IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT PLANNING FOR THIS SLIDE IS VERY ACCURATE.
SO SAME THING WITH MYRTLE BEACH.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE AT, UH, AND HORRY COUNTIES AT 95 MILLION, THEY HAVE TWO PENNIES.
SO THEY'RE STILL COLLECTING $180 MILLION A YEAR.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE COLLECTING ZERO.
UM, JUST TO PUT THAT IN ANOTHER FIGURE FOR CHARLESTON COUNTY, THAT MEANS EVERY TWO AND A HALF YEARS THEY'RE PUMPING A BILLION DOLLARS INTO THEIR COMMUNITY.
THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT A LOT OF MONEY.
SO WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE JUST COPY CHARLESTON, COPY AND PASTE? NOT EXACTLY.
THEY HAVE SOME GOOD THINGS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY OTHERS.
ONE THING THAT WE DID DO RECENTLY IS WE WENT OUT FOR A LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX THAT DID NOT PASS.
UM, BUT THERE'S VARIOUS WAYS TO LOOK AT THAT.
SO THE LOCAL OPTION IS ONE THAT ONCE IT'S PASSED, IT HAS TO HAVE MAJORITY, UM, OF, OF PETITION BY THE CITIZENS FOR IT TO COME OFF.
SO ALL OF THINGS COME OFF, IT STAYS ON THERE FOREVER.
WELL, CHARLESTON HAS A LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX.
UM, SO I, I DON'T THINK THE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX GETS YOU THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK.
THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH SIMILAR BENEFITS OF THAT.
AND I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENT MIX, UM, THAT NOBODY ELSE IN THE STATE REALLY HAS THAT I, I THINK WOULD MAKE, UM, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR US IS BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO AGAIN, TO ADDRESS OUR OWN COMMUNITY NEEDS.
SO TRANSPORTATION, WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.
UH, COUNCILMAN TAB, CABERNET, YOU TALKED ABOUT ONE 70 AND, AND EVERYTHING WE'RE WORKING ON THERE WE'RE ALREADY TRENDING ON THAT.
WE'VE TALKED LAST YEAR WE HAD A TECH COMMITTEE, WE STARTED WORKING THAT UP.
SO WE ALREADY HAD A GOOD IDEA THAT TRANSPORTATION IS NEEDED.
UH, ERIC'S GONNA BE TALKING IN JUST A SECOND ABOUT OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.
WELL, THAT FACILITY'S MASTER PLAN IS 300 MILLION.
THAT IN ITSELF IS JUST GOVERNMENTAL FACILITIES FOR THE COUNTY THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, WHICH, WHICH, UM, CHUCK WILL TALK ABOUT.
UH, IT DOESN'T ADDRESS MUNICIPALITY FACILITIES.
SO I THINK THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT PENNY THAT COULD PAY FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THAT, THAT ARE SO NEEDED.
AND LASTLY, THE EDUCATIONAL PENNY.
SO RATHER THAN THE DISTRICT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HELP PAY FOR OFFSETTING, UM, OPERATING COSTS, THE EDUCATIONAL CAPITAL PENNY.
SO THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS IS IT CAN PAY BACK SCHOOL DEBT.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, BUT, UH, ASHLEY HAD A RECENT CONVERSATION WITH DR.
PERU AND HE POINTED ME IN THE DIRECTION AT U CCP.
HE POINTED ME IN THE DIRECTION OF CORY COUNTY.
AND IN 2000, MID TWO THOUSANDS, UH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, COASTAL CAROLINA SPLIT OFF FROM USC.
AT THE TIME THERE WAS FOUR AFFILIATES.
YOU HAD, UH, OBVIOUSLY USC AND CLEMSON, BUT UNDER USC THERE WAS USC, USC, AIKEN, USC UPSTATE, AND USC WHATEVER IT WAS CALLED COASTAL CAROLINA BEFOREHAND.
UH, SO THEY SPLIT OFF FOR WHATEVER REASON AND THEY WERE ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY AND DISSOLVE IN COASTAL CAROLINA.
WELL, AT THAT POINT IN 2008, HORRY COUNTY STEPPED UP AND THEY MADE AN EDUCATIONAL CAPITAL PENNY, AND THEY MADE IT FOR 15 YEARS.
AND THAT IN ITSELF, THEY INVESTED INTO COASTAL CAROLINA AND HELPED RESEARCH COASTAL CAROLINA.
THEN THEY ALSO WON A BASEBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND GOT A LOT OF HEADLINES FOR THAT.
SO THEIR ENROLLMENT DOUBLED AFTER THAT.
BUT WITHOUT THAT INVESTMENT, THEY WOULD'VE BEEN A SUNKEN CHIP.
UH, THE FUNNY THING IS, IN LOOKING UP FOR A COUNTY, THEY SAID 80% OF IT IS GOING TO GO TO THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
16% OR 13% IS GOING TO GO TO US, UH, C OR COASTAL CAROLINA.
AND THEN 6% WAS GONNA GO TO THEIR TECHNICAL COLLEGE.
SO THEY ARE THE EXACT BLUEPRINT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THEY HAVE ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THIRD LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN
[02:50:01]
THE STATE.THEY HAVE ONE TECHNICAL COLLEGE, AND THEN THEY HAVE ONE HIGHER EDUCATION EXACT BLUEPRINT FOR US.
SO RECENTLY THEY, THEY JUST EXPIRED ON THEIR 15 YEAR PENNY, UH, LAST YEAR.
THEY EXTEND THAT PENNY AND THEY PUT A PETITION FOR ANOTHER 15 YEAR, UH, EDUCATIONAL PENNY, AND IT GOT APPROVED 68%.
AND THEY EXPECT THAT OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS THAT THAT PENNY WILL PRODUCE 2.2 BILLION THAT WOULD, THEY WILL SINK INTO EDUCATION IN OREGON COUNTY.
SO QUITE IMPRESSIVE TO SAY THAT WE COULD DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR, I THINK IS DEFINITELY IN THE ART OF THE DOABLE.
SO ONCE YOU PUT ALL THESE TOGETHER, UM, THEY'RE NOT JUST ONE PENNY OR TWO PENNIES, THEY'RE SUPER PENNIES.
THEY'RE WORKING ON SOMETHING AMAZING THAT FOR US AT 60 MILLION, THAT'S 180 MILLION A YEAR THAT COULD BE INVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO DEFINITELY SOMETHING, UM, FOR US TO CONSIDER.
SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WE NAMED SOME OF THE PROJECTS ALREADY, BUT WHAT WOULD THOSE PROJECTS LOOK LIKE? JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AND PUT SOME PICTURES WORK.
UM, SO THIS IS AN HANAHAN, THIS IS AN AMIT THEATER.
UM, I'VE BEEN TO IT WITH MY FAMILY FOR, UM, TRICK OR TREE TRUNK OR TREAT EVENTS AND STUFF.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF SETTINGS WHERE SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD TAKE PLACE.
UM, THIS IS A REGIONAL, I THINK THIS IS A DETENTION CENTER, A LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING OF LATE.
UM, SO THE IDEA THAT THIS COULD BE PAID UNDER A PENNY, IT'S ABSOLUTELY COULD BE PAID UNDER A CAPITAL PENNY.
SO AGAIN, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN SEARCH OF FINDING PROPERTY FOR MORE SCHOOLS.
THIS COULD BE A WAY FOR THEY TO FUND THEIR NEW SCHOOL PROGRAMS. UH, THIS IS A, UM, JUST A HIGH RISE BUILDING.
SO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS NOT GOING TO GET VOLVO OR BOEING.
BUT TO SAY THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE A HIGHRISE BUILDING THAT HAD A, A GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS, UH, FOR SOME TYPE OF INDUSTRY.
ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I THINK WE COULD DO.
UM, PORT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PORT AND FERRY AND STUFF.
CURRENTLY TRANSPORTATION DOESN'T ALLOW, IT'S VERY RESTRICTED.
UH, IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THERE'S ALSO TWO PIECES OF THE LEGISLATOR THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PETITION OUR STATE DELEGATES FOR AND IS OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX.
RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID, IT'S VERY RESTRICTED, BUT WITH ALL THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND ALL THE FUNDING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, OUR DEFINITION AT THE STATE LEVEL NEEDS TO MATCH THE US D O T LEVEL.
AND INSIDE OF THAT IS FERRYS, MASS TRANSIT AVIATION, UH,
SO IF WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WITH LOCAL OPTIONS SALES OR WITH LOCAL SALES TAX, THEN THIS IS SOMETHING FEASIBLE AIRPORT.
LIKE I SAID, IF WE EXPAND THAT DEFINITION, 50 MILLION AT THE AIRPORT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE PAID THROUGH SALES TAX.
UH, CHAIRMAN PASSMAN, YOU MENTIONED A PORT.
SO OBVIOUSLY THIS IS IN JASPER COUNTY.
UH, NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT WE SHOULD SEARCH FOR THINGS OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTY, BUT WITH SOME MEGA MEGA MILLIONS THAT THAT COULD BE PRODUCED WITH, WITH THESE SUPER PENNIES.
THIS COULD DEFINITELY BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE INVESTED.
UM, THIS, THIS LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER, SORRY, WE TALKED ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER LIBRARY.
UM, I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE A COUPLE LIBRARIES THAT ARE PCR R SO THIS IS NEXT LEVEL.
SO TAKING OUR OUR CULTURAL BUILDINGS AND REALLY AMPING THEM UP AND MAKING THEM UNIQUE AND, AND HIGHLIGHTS, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RECYCLING IN THE PAST.
THIS IS, THIS IS STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT INSIDE OF MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY, UH, COLISEUM.
SO THERE'S NO PLACE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR A GATHERING OF FIVE OR THOUSAND PEOPLE OR GREATER.
SO NORTH CHARLESTON COLISEUM WAS BUILT IN THE NINETIES AND THEY HAVE ALL SORTS OF VENUES THAT RUN THROUGH THERE.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE.
LET'S DREAM THE POWER OF THE SUPER PENNIES.
IS THAT THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY ATTAINABLE? WELL, MAYBE THEY ARE.
NOW WITH, WITH THIS TYPE OF FUNDING, A QUIET CENTER, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A QUIET CENTER NORTH OF BROAD OR SOUTH ABROAD.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY DOABLE WITH THE CAPITAL PENNY PARKING GARAGES.
THIS IS ONE IN MIAMI THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY LOOK LIKE A PARKING GARAGE, BUT THEY CAN, THEY DON'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE A UGLY OLD PARKING GARAGE.
SO YOU CAN DO A PARKING GARAGE.
UH, I KNOW CITY OF BEAUFORT NEEDS PARKING.
HILTON HEAD PROBABLY NEEDS PARKING.
THERE'S PLACES WHERE PARKING GARAGES CAN FIT INTO CAPITAL.
UH, SO NORTH CHARLESTON AND CHARLESTON HAVE A BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THEY'RE FITTING THIS TO THEIR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
RIGHT NOW OUR MASS TRANSIT IS PRETTY SMALL.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CHARLESTON, THEY'RE HAVING TO RETROFIT A RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PLAN FOR IT.
THE COST OF THEIR FITTING 30, 30 MILES
[02:55:01]
OF RAPID TRANSIT FROM SOMERVILLE TO DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON IS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS.SO WE COULD GET IN FRONT OF THAT.
PARKS AND REC, THIS IS ALL OVER CHUCK'S AREA, BUT I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY LAND IS A CONSTRICTION THAT WE HAVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE HAD A A, UM, BUCK WALTER MASTER PLAN THAT WE WANTED TO DO THE WHOLE THING, AND IT CAME IN DOUBLE.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED.
YOU MENTIONED PATHWAYS CHAIRMAN PATE, UM, THIS IS RUDY FALLS IN GREENVILLE.
PEOPLE COME TO GREENVILLE FOR THIS.
IN FACT, MY FAMILY HAS COME TO THIS JUST, JUST FOR THIS.
SO WE COULD WALK OVER THIS PATHWAY.
SO NOW THE IDEA OF JUST COMPLETING 24 PATHWAYS IN OUR EXISTING 18 SALES TAX.
LET'S TAKE OUR PATHWAYS UP A NOTCH.
LET'S MAKE 'EM ATTRACTIONS WHERE WE CAN ATTRACT VISITORS INTO OUR TOWN, INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS GCL L'S TRAINING CENTER.
THEY WANT $26 MILLION FOR A TRAINING STAFF.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT CAN BE DONE WITH EDUCATION, SALES TAX ACROSS THE STREET.
U S C B HAS A CONVOCATION CENTER.
THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH EDUCATION, SALES TAX.
UH, THIS IS JUST BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT, UH, AND DANIEL ALLEN.
SO WE HAVE A TON OF WATERFRONTS AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T HAVE ALL OF OUR POET FACING WATERFRONTS TO LOOK THIS GOOD OR BETTER.
UH, I LOVE GOING TO DANIEL ISLAND, BUT I'D RATHER GO TO BUFORD OR HILTON OR WHEREVER ELSE.
UH, THIS IS A, THIS IS IN CHARLESTON COUNTY.
I BELIEVE THIS IS THEIR, ONE OF THEIR PLOTS.
SO I SHOWED THIS JUST, UH, SIDETRACK FOR A SECOND.
I SHOWED THESE PICTURES TO MY KIDS AS I WAS TELLING 'EM WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT TODAY, AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I'VE BEEN THERE.
THEY DID NOT SAY ONE OF THESE PICTURES.
I MEAN, THE FACT THAT ALL THESE THINGS ARE AROUND, BUT NONE OF 'EM ARE HERE, IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INSIDE OF OURSELVES AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED.
UH, SOMETIMES I MENTION BOAT RAMPS.
SO THE IDEA THAT ALL OF OUR BOAT RAMPS LOOK LIKE WHITE HALL, WHITE HALL IS BEAUTIFUL.
IT IS WHAT I THINK EVERY BOAT RAMP IN BEAUFORD COUNTY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT NOW WITH THE FUNDING THERE, I THINK WE COULD ACHIEVE THAT.
HOWEVER, I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE CHALLENGES.
I'M NOT, UH, TOO NAIVE TO REALIZE THAT THERE'S GONNA PEOPLE THAT THAT ARE, THAT.
BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT I HEAR THE MOST.
WE'VE ONLY CONSTRUCTED ONE TURN LANE IN 2018 SALES TASK.
HAVE ANYBODY HEARD THAT YET? OKAY.
IF I HAVEN'T HEARD 10 TIMES, I'VE HEARD IT A HUNDRED TIMES ALREADY.
SO THIS, IF YOU DON'T CATCH ANYTHING ELSE IN THIS PRESENTATION, THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU GUYS TO HEAR.
SO YOU CAN TELL CONSTITUENTS, THE COLLECTION TIME ON SALES TAX DOES NOT EQUAL IMPLEMENTATION TIME.
SO WE COLLECTED, UH, FOUR YEARS ACTUALLY IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GETTING ALL THE PROJECTS WE GET DONE IN TWO AND A A HALF YEARS.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY LESSON.
WHO HERE KNOWS I'M NOT ALLOWED TO ANSWER? WHO HERE KNOWS? UM, THE FIRST SALES TAX IN BUFORD COUNTY? FIRST TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX IN BUFORD COUNTY? TWO THOUSAND SIX THOUSAND SIX.
WHAT ABOUT, I THINK IT'S 2006 ALSO.
I THOUGHT IT WAS 2006 AS WELL.
SO I STARTED RESEARCHING BECAUSE I HADN'T BEEN HERE THAT LONG.
AND AT THAT TIME, TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX GOT APPROVED IN 1995.
WE TRIED IN 2006 FOR UNSUCCESSFUL TRA AGAIN IN 1998.
AND IN 1998, BUFORD COUNTY WAS A TRAILBLAZER.
ONCE AGAIN, JUST LIKE ON GREEN SPACE, WE WERE NOT AFRAID TO BE BOLD AND TRY TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX.
WE DID TWO YEARS FOR 40 MILLION DIVES.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE ROADS AT IT FUNDED? PROBABLY NOT.
CAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE, THE SALES TAX DEER BRIDGE? NO, IT HAD A BRIDGE, BUT IT WAS ONE 70.
SO THAT 40 MILLION WE STACKED UP WITH D O T AND WE WERE ABLE TO WIDEN 14 MILES OF ONE 70 SE ONE 70 FROM BLUFFTON DUB BUCHER, INCLUDING TWO BRIDGES, TWO MILES OF THE BROAD RIVER BRIDGE AND THE KAWAS BRIDGE.
ALL WITH SALES SA AGAIN, WE WERE THE FIRST ONES IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF THE TRYOUT TRANSPORTATION SALES TEST.
THE NEXT ONE, THE TRYOUT SAN TRANSPORTATION, WAS CHARLESTON COUNTY IN 2004.
THAT'S HOW FAR IN ADVANCE WE WERE OF OTHER COUNTIES.
IN 2006, THAT WAS THE NEXT SALES TEST.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW MUCH THAT ONE RAISED AND HOW LONG THAT LASTED? OH GOSH.
THAT'S, IT WAS LONGER THAN TWO YEARS.
ANYBODY ELSE? USUALLY FOUR YEARS.
[03:00:01]
INSIDE OF THAT, WE GOT SOME MAJOR PROJECTS.SO THIS HERE IS 17 WIDENING AT GARDENS CORNER.
AT THE TIME THAT THIS GOT CONSTRUCTED, THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY SECTIONS OF ROADWAY IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
THERE HAD JUST BEEN AN ACCIDENT WITH MARINE RECRUITS ON A BUS WHERE IT KILLED A BUNCH OF THOSE RECRUITS.
AND THIS WAS ON THE, ON THE NATIONAL NEWS AS FAR AS HOW DEADLY THE STRETCH OF ROADWAY.
SO WITH OUR MONEY FROM SALES TAX, WE CONTRIBUTED, UH, WE WERE NOT THE, THE ONLY PLAYER, BUT WE CONTRIBUTED.
AND THIS WAS SIX MILES OF WIDEN INSIDE OF BERET COUNTY FROM 21 TO THE COLLAGEN COUNTY LINE.
THE NEXT PROJECT WE DID WAS US 2 78.
WE WIDENED FIVE MILES OF 2 78 FROM SE ONE 70 TO SIMMONS ROAD.
SO AT THAT POINT, WE HAD SIX LANESS FROM ONE 70 ALL THE WAY TO MOS CREEK PLANTATION.
WE WIDENED TWO MILES OF OLD SAVANNAH HIGHWAY.
SO FROM THE BROAD RIVER BRIDGE AT SE ONE 70 TO PARIS ISLAND GATEWAY, THAT'S PARKER'S RIGHT THERE.
SO TWO MILES THAT WE, WE WIDENED FROM, UM, TWO LANES TO THE FIVE LANES.
WE ADDED THE SECOND ONE THERE ON THE LEFT.
THIS WAS WITH OUR 2006 SALES TAX.
WE ALSO TOOK THE FROM REBO ROAD AND WIDE LADIES ISLAND DRIVE FROM REBO ROAD ACROSS THE MCTIER BRIDGE ALL THE WAY TO SEA ISLAND PARKWAY AT WALGREENS.
AND PUBLICS ANOTHER THREE MILES OF WIDEN FROM FOUR, TWO LANES OF FOUR LANES BACK DOWN SOUTH.
WE WIDEN FOUR AND A HALF MILES OF SC ONE 70 FROM 2 78 DOWN TO 46 TRAFFIC CIRCLE.
UH, WE MADE THREE NEW MILES OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY FROM WHERE IT ENDED AT BURNT CHURCH AND TIED IT IN HERE WITH THE FLYOVER AT BLUFFTON FIVE A INTO 2 78.
WE CAUGHT SOME RF FUNDS WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS THERE.
WE HAD DONE AN INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL AND WE HAD READY TO GO PROJECTS, AND WE CAUGHT MAJOR FUNDING ON BOTH OF THESE.
SO A LOT OF GRANT FUNDING IN THIS BOUNDARY STREET.
THIS WAS THE LAST PROJECT ON 2000, UM, SIX SALES TAX.
UH, ANY GUESSES WHEN THIS PROJECT COMPLETED? 15, 14, 15.
ANY OTHER GUESSES? IT WAS, UM, 17 AFTER I GOT ON THE COUNCIL.
IT WAS AFTER YOU GOT ON COUNCIL.
SO I ACTUALLY STARTED AS THE PROJECT MANAGER ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS.
IT STARTED IN 2015 AND WAS FINISHED IN 2019.
WOULD ANYBODY SAY THAT THIS PROJECT WAS NOT A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT? WAS IT SUCCESSFUL? YES, BUT IT WAS 2006.
IT GOT, IT WAS FULLY FUNDED IN 2012 AND NOT FINISHED UNTIL 2019.
SO 13 YEARS AFTER IT WAS INITIATED, THIS PROJECT GOT COMPLETED.
ALL THOSE PROJECTS I JUST LISTED WERE ALL 2006.
MOST OF 'EM LASTED BEYOND 2012.
WAS THE PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL? ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE A BRIDGE ON 2018, FOUR MILES OF WIDENING.
UM, AND THE, AND THE 2 78 BRIDGE, THIS BRIDGE WE KNEW WAS NOT GONNA BE DONE IN TWO, 2028.
SO THE IDEA THAT WE HAVEN'T GOT IT STARTED IS NOT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.
THE SAME THING WITH LADIES ISLAND CORRIDOR.
SO THIS PROJECT WAS CONS, UH, THREE AND A HALF MILES OF IMPROVEMENT.
IT'S 72 MILLION IS THE PRICE TAG, AND WE'VE GOT 30 MILLION.
SO ON EVERY SINGLE PATHWAY, 24 PATHWAYS THAT WE HAD HAS MORE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION THAN THE ENTIRE STRETCH OF 2 78 CORRIDOR PROJECT.
WE HAVE TWO RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITIONS ON THE CORRIDOR.
AND EVERY ONE OF THESE HAS THREE OR MORE.
THESE PROJECTS ARE JUST AS DIFFICULT AS ANY OTHER TRANSPORTATION.
SO BASICALLY WE HAVE 24 INDIVIDUAL ROAD PROJECTS, BUT WE GOTTA DO RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION, UTILITY RELOCATION, AND PERMITTING ON 24TH SELECT PATHWAYS.
ARE WE GONNA GET 'EM DONE? ABSOLUTELY.
WILL WE GET 'EM DONE IN FOUR YEARS? DEFINITELY NOT.
WILL WE BE SUCCESSFUL? ABSOLUTELY.
SO DON'T LET ANYBODY TELL YOU THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN, IN IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS.
THIS OTHER STATEMENT, THIS IS REGRESSIVE.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GONNA HEAR.
WHEN YOU SAY THREE PENNIES, THAT'S EXTRA TAX.
WELL, IS IT, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND AGAIN, WITH THE SPECIAL MIX OF THE SUPER PENNIES, THIS IS HOW WE CAN LOOK AT IT.
SO JUST SAY IN THIS EXAMPLE, A, A FAMILY MAKES $40,000.
SO THIS IS THE LOW END, $40,000 AND LIVES IN $120,000 HOUSE.
SO THEY'RE FOUR PERCENTER, AND THEY LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORD COUNTY.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT $120,000 HOUSE IS IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
BUT LET'S JUST GO WITH THE EXAMPLE.
AS MENTIONED, EDUCATION, SALES TAX CAN PAY BACK EXISTING DEBT.
OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS 350 MILLION WORTH OF DEATH.
SO ON DAY ONE, IF EDUCATION SALES TAX WAS APPROVED, THEY COULD PAY OFF THAT EXISTING DEBT.
[03:05:01]
OFF THE RIP $174 DEDUCTION, COUNTY DEBT, PART OF OUR COUNTY DEBT COULD BE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN CAPITAL PROJECT SALES TAX.AGAIN, LET'S JUST ASSUME THAT HALF OF IT CAN GET ROLLED BACK.
SO ALTOGETHER, WE'RE REDUCING THIS, THIS PERSON'S TAXES BY $187 A YEAR IN ADVA LOWER.
SO THEIR NEW TAX BILL IS $526 OR 26% DISCOUNT.
SO ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS, OKAY, WELL, WHAT WOULD THAT BE REPLACED WITH THESE THREE PENNIES? SO LET'S ASSUME THAT $40,000 A YEAR, DISPOSABLE INCOME IS 20%.
SO $8,000 TIMES THE THREE ADDITIONAL PENNIES IS $240 A YEAR.
SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THIS IS THE, THE BASICALLY LOWEST WAGE OUT THERE WITH THE SMALLEST HOUSE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
HIS TAXES DO GO UP, BUT ONLY BY $4 AND 42 CENTS A MONTH.
THAT IS LESS THAN ONE CUP OF COFFEE AT STARBUCKS.
AND WITH THAT, THEY'RE GETTING THIS OVERWHELMINGLY LARGE INVESTMENT.
ALL RIGHT, JUST TO FAST FORWARD A LITTLE BIT, SAME EXAMPLE, BUT A LITTLE BIT MORE SALARY AND A LITTLE BIT BIGGER HOUSE.
SO THEIR TAXES GO DOWN TO, UH, REDUCTION 7 82.
AND YOU DO THE MATH ON BOTH SIDES.
THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY A DECREASE IN TAXES OF $2 AND 67.
UH, IT'S NOT LIKE THE LOWEST IS PAYING THAT MUCH MORE, OR THE HIGHER ONES ARE, ARE GETTING THAT MUCH LESS.
HOWEVER, LET'S GO BACK TO THE LOWEST ONE AGAIN.
SO THIS 40,000, SO THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS, THEY, THEY IN 2019 WENT OUT FOR 350 MILLION IN, IN BOND REFERENCE THAT WAS APPROVED, OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED.
THAT WAS HALF OF THEIR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.
THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THEM GOING OUT FOR THE REST OF THAT HALF, POTENTIALLY EARLY AS THIS NOVEMBER 23.
IF THEY DO THAT, THAT IS 700 MILLION OF DEBT THAT WILL BE PLACED ON AD VALOR TAXES.
SO THEIR DEBT INCREASES FROM THE 174 ON THE LAST PAGE TO 348.
SO NOW ON DAY ONE, WE COULD BOND THAT MONEY OUTTA EDUCATION ROLL BACK TO TEXAS, AND THEN THEIR, THEIR BILL IS REDUCED BY $361.
UH, AND YOU COMPARE THAT TO THE OTHER SIDE, IT STILL STATES THE SAME AT $240.
SO THIS INDIVIDUAL NOW RECEIVES A DECREASE IN TAXES OF $10 AND 8 CENTS BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF, OF THE, UM, DEBT INCREASE ON THE SCHOOL DEBT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO, I BURNED THROUGH IT KIND OF FAST.
I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE GROUND TO COVER AND I'LL GET THERE.
THIS ONE, I'VE HEARD THIS ONE.
WHEN WE'RE DOING THE, THE TAX OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THIS IS ONE THAT WE HAD.
WELL, THE CITIZENS DON'T TRUST LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING GREATER THAN FOUR YEARS OR, OR WHATEVER THE YEARS ARE.
WELL, WE JUST PROVED WE HAVE A LONG T UH, TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERING PROJECTS.
THAT IS WHY I GAVE YOU THOSE PICTURES IN HAND.
SO YOU CAN GO TELL THAT CONSTITUENT.
LOOK AT ALL THE PROJECTS WE'VE DONE.
THERE'S BASICALLY MAYBE TWO ROADS IN COUNTY THAT I CAN THINK OF THAT HAVE BEEN IMPROVED OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS OF WHICH SALES TAX WAS NOT INVOLVED.
AND THAT'S THE HARBOR ISLAND BRIDGE.
AND I THINK THE WIDENING ON SAM'S POINT FROM FROM WALGREENS TO THE CIRCLE DIDN'T HAVE ANY SALES TAX MONEY.
EVERY OTHER ROAD THAT'S BEEN IMPROVED IN THE LAST 25 YEARS HAD SALES TAX.
SO WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN, IN DELIVERING MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SECONDLY, UH, I THINK WE CAN ESTABLISH A TAX ADVERSARY, UM, COMMITTEE ADVISORY.
AND THIS IS A COMMITTEE, SO WE DID IT LAST YEAR.
THEY MADE A RECOMMENDATION AND THEY DISBANDED.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STAYS WITH THE PROGRAM, AND THEY CAN STAY FOR ALL THREE PENNIES POTENTIALLY.
SO RATHER THAN HAVE THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS, WE GOT ONE GROUP AND EVERY QUARTER WE UPDATE OR WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, WE CAN, WE CAN HAMMER THAT OUT.
ALL RIGHT, SO LASTLY, WHY, WHY THE SUPER PENNIES? SO HERE'S THE MAJOR BULLETS.
THIS IS THE LARGEST FEASIBLE, UH, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT.
NOW WE HAVE, REMEMBER THE, THE GRANITE IN OUR ASPHALT IS BECAUSE IT'S ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE.
IT MAY NOT BE CHEAP TO DO GRANTED ON IN HAWAII BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE GRANITE.
SO HERE, THIS IS OUR MOST ABUNDANT RESOURCE.
A LARGE PERCENTAGE I HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT.
AGAIN, THAT'S WHY OUR PER CAPITA WAS SO HIGHS, CUZ WE GOT A LOT OF OUT-OF-TOWNERS PLAN.
LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AND THE POWER OF LEVERAGE.
SO WHEN 2 78 STARTED, IT WAS A 240 MILLION PROJECT.
IT WAS ARRANGED BETWEEN 200 AND 400.
AND THEN AS THEY WERE FINE TUNING AT 240 MILLION, THIS WAS BUFORT COUNTY'S PROJECT.
AND IF THEY WERE DOING ANYTHING, THEY'RE ONLY GONNA DO THE ONE, ONE SPAN.
SO WE SAID, OKAY, LET'S GO PUT THIS OUT TO REFERENDUM.
WE'RE GOING TO GET 80 MILLION.
WE KNEW AT THE TIME THAT ONE, THAT WAS NOT THE COST OF THE PROJECT, AND TWO, THAT IT WAS GONNA GONNA TAKE LONGER THAN FOUR YEARS TO BUILD THIS BRIDGE.
SO WE, WE GOT THE VISION, WE SOLD IT TO THE PUBLIC, AND, AND THEY SAID, YES, WE, WE SUPPORT THAT.
[03:10:01]
WE TOOK THE D O T AND SAID, HEY, THIS IS OUR PLAN.WE'VE GOT THIS MONEY, WILL YOU JOIN US? AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE'VE GOT ONE BRIDGE THAT'S STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT, WE CAN CONTRIBUTE 40 MILLION.
SO NOW WE'VE GOT 120 MILLION HALF OF THE WHOLE PROJECT WAS.
SO THEN WE WRITE AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT THIS VISION AND WE'VE GOT THIS LOCAL MATCH.
WILL YOU COME JOIN US? AND THEY SAID, YES.
AT THE TIME, WE HAD THE HIGHEST RATE APPLICATION IN THE ENTIRE STATE WHEN WE APPLIED FOR OUR, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE BANK FUNDING.
SO NOW WE'VE GOT $120 MILLION.
SO WE'VE GOT A FULLY FUNDED PROJECT OF WHICH WE PUT IN 80 MILLION.
SO FOR EVERY $1 THAT WE PUT IN, AND $2, HOWEVER, THIS DOESN'T TAKE ACCOUNT TO OUR VISITORS.
SO LET'S JUST SAY THAT, UH, AND WE'LL GET THIS FACT, WE'LL FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THIS NUMBER.
WELL, LET'S JUST USE 40% OF THE SALES TAX IS PAID BY OUT TENS.
SO FOLLOW WE PUT THE MATH, I'LL GO THROUGH IT KIND OF QUICK, BUT JUST TRUST ME, I LIKE MATH.
SO 60% IS PAID BY US RESIDENTS.
SO 60% OF 80 MILLION IS 48 MILLION.
SO WE, BEAUFORT COUNTY CITIZENS ARE PAID 20% OF A $240 BILLION OR MILLION DOLLAR A QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.
OTHER WORDS WE'RE SAYING FOR EVERY $1 THAT WE PUT IN, WE'RE ATTRACTING $4 FROM SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND OUR VISITORS OTHER HIGHLIGHTS.
TAX IS NOT ASSESSED ON NECESSITIES SALES TAX.
SO HOUSING, GAS, GROCERIES, UTILITIES IS NOT ASSESSED ON THE BASIC NECESSITIES.
NOW, IF YOU GO TO A RESTAURANT AND PREPARED FOODS, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
BUT GROCERIES UNPREPARED FOODS IS NOT TAXED.
UH, AS MENTIONED BRIEFLY, IT'S THE SAME BENEFITS, BUT WITH LOST, BUT STRONGER AND MORE TRANSPARENT.
SO WE DO GET PROPERTY TAX ROLLBACK BY PAYING OFF OLD MILLAGE OR DEBT MILLAGE, AS WELL AS IT HAS A SUNSET, WHATEVER THE YEARS THAT WE PICKED, 25 YEARS OR WHATEVER THAT IS.
WHEREAS THE LOCAL AUCTION SALES TAX, YOU HAVE TO GET A PETITION OF MAJORITY OF OF RESIDENTS.
UH, SALES TAX GROWTH KEEPS UP BETTER WITH INFLATION AND POPULATION GROWTH THAN PROPERTY TAXES.
EVERY FIVE YEARS, WE DO A QUADRAL REASSESSMENT OF THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE PROPERTIES IN BUFORD COUNTY.
BUT THERE'S A STATE STATUTE THAT CAPS THAT AT 15%.
SO UNLESS YOU SOLD YOUR PROPERTY, YOUR TAXES ARE ONLY GOING UP BY 15%.
MY HOUSE IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS HAS GONE UP GREATER THAN 50%.
SO THAT IS NOT GETTING REALIZED ON AD VALOR TAXES.
HOWEVER, UM, AS COST OF GOODS COST MORE, UH, SO DOES INFLATION OR SO DOES SALE TAX, IT CAPTURES THAT.
AND AS MORE PEOPLE MOVE TO THE AREA, UH, SALES TAX CAPTURES ALL THEIR, ALL THEIR SPENDING AS WELL.
SO SALES TAX KEEPS UP BETTER THAN PROPERTY TAX.
UM, AND FLEXIBILITY TO FUND KNOWN UNKNOWN PROJECTS.
WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS.
HOWEVER, IF WE HAVE A FUNDING POT, WE CAN BE MORE ADEPT AND, AND MOVE WITH MORE FLUIDITY, UH, TO ADDRESS THOSE SPOTS AS THEY ARISE.
SO, UM, LASTLY, SO THIS QUALITY OF LIFE VISION PLAN, IT'S NOT JUST A COUNTY PROGRAM, IT'S A REGIONAL.
WE'D HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY COORDINATE WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES.
UH, NEXT STEP IS, IS LAY OUT THAT VISION, THAT PLAN OF ATTACK TO EVERYBODY.
UH, ESTABLISH A SALES TAX COMMITTEE AND COORDINATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE NEED HELP, UM, EDUCATING, EDUCATING FOLKS ABOUT THIS.
AND LASTLY, JUST TO END WITH A QUOTE.
SO, UM, THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S, THERE'S MANY THAT, THAT ARE STRONGER THAN THIS AS FAR AS MOTIVATING QUOTES.
BUT THIS IS A QUOTE BY JOHN F. KENNEDY, 35TH PRESIDENT, UH, ABOUT SPACE EFFORT.
AND IF YOU TAKE OUT AND REPLACE THE MOON, GO INTO THE MOON IN THIS DECADE AND REPLACE THAT WITH, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OH, AND YOU, AND YOU REPLACE THAT WITH QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, OR BE THE, IT READS A LOT DIFFERENT.
SO LET, LET ME READ IT TO YOU.
WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON IN THIS DECADE AND LEMME BACK UP AND SAY IT FOR BUFORD COUNTY, WE CHOOSE TO BE THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES AND DO OTHER THINGS.
NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD.
BECAUSE THAT GOAL WILL SERVE TO ORGANIZE AND MEASURE THE BEST OF OUR ENERGIES AND SKILLS BECAUSE THAT CHALLENGE IS ONE THAT WE ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT.
ONE WE ARE UNWILLING TO POSTPONE, AND ONE WHICH WE INTEND TO WIN.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT BETTER SUMMARIZES THAN THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL GLADLY TAKE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
AND I COULD SAY THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID WAS ABOUT THE THREE PENNIES,
IN FACT, WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT
[03:15:01]
TWO PENNIES.WHY DO I SAY THAT? BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO EXCHANGE ONE FOR GREEN SPACE.
WE ALREADY HAVE ONE PENNY BUILT IN.
SO NOW WE WILL HAVE TO DECIDE, WE WANT TO GO AFTER ONE MORE PENNY OR TWO THINGS THAT WILL BE OUR DECISION IS AS I STARTED OFF, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK LIKE IN 20 YEARS.
IT'S YOUR PRESENTATION THAT SAYS, HOW DO WE GET THERE? HOW DO WE GET THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK? THAT'S MY 2 CENT.
SOME OF THE PUSHBACK THAT I THINK YOU'LL HEAR FROM SOME RESIDENTS, IT'S, UM, IF, IF HILTON HEAD IS THE NUMBER ONE GO-TO DESTINATION COUNTY AS A WHOLE IS GROWING ONE OF THE FASTEST IN THE NATION, WHY DO WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE? THAT'S GONNA BE A, A, A KEY PUSHBACK BEHIND ON.
AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS WE'RE NOT ATTRACTING MORE PEOPLE.
PEOPLE ARE COMING WHETHER WE ADVERTISE OR NOT.
AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND REALIZE THAT.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS IN ORDER TO BE GRIDLOCK ON OUR, ON OUR ROAD NETWORK OR IN ORDER TO HAVE PLACES FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TO HAVE ACTIVITIES TO DO, WE ARE PROVIDING FOR THOSE SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT PROVIDING FOR FUTURE GROWTH AND THAT FUTURE GROWTH WILL USE THESE FACILITIES.
BUT IF NOT, THEY'RE COMING REGARDLESS.
LET'S, LET'S, LET'S THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES IF THEY STOP COMING HERE.
OKAY? THAT'S, THAT'S A KEY ONE.
IF PEOPLE DON'T COME HERE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE NO ECONOMY.
THAT IS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS TOURISM AND SERVICE INDUSTRY.
IF PEOPLE STOP COMING HERE, AS THOSE FOLKS DOWN ON THE ISLAND WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PRETEND LIKE WE CAN DO, UM, OUR ECONOMY IS NOT GONNA BE MUCH OF ANYTHING.
AND, UH, OUR TREASURER ELOQUENTLY POINTED OUT, IT'S NOT ONE AREA OF GROWTH.
IT'S NOT WOLF, IT'S NOT CLINTON HEAD.
IT IS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY THAT'S GROWING AND WILL CONTINUE THAT WAY.
SO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO ASSIST THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY DOING A TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX BY DOING A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SALES TAX OR AN EDUCATIONAL SALES TAX IS GOING TO ENHANCE THAT QUALITY OF LIFE WITHOUT BURN MEETING THE TAX PAYER.
I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT, SO DEFINITELY CHEW ON IT.
BUT AS YOU LISTEN TO PRESENTATIONS LATER IN THE DAY FROM, FROM ERIC, AS WE TALK FACILITIES MASTER PLAN AND CHUCK, AS WE TALK PARTS AND REC, THERE'S A LOT OF NEED JUST BETWEEN THOSE TWO TALK ON, ON MONEY.
AND WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A PLAN TO GET THERE.
AND I THINK THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT MAN.
YOU KEEP, UH, REALLY FASCINATINGLY, UM, UM, UM, BECAUSE OF YOUR CREATIVITY, DON'T JUST DRAW STRAIGHT LINES
C HORN AND US HAS COME HERE, T COME HERE.
UM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN BE INCLUDED IN PROJECTS.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE SITTING DOWN WITH THEM TO GET THEM TO BUY INTO, UH, THAT PENNY SALE TAX FOR THEIR PURPOSES, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA COME AND THEY'RE GONNA COME TO US FOR MONEY.
UM, USCS CONSTANTLY COMING TO US AND THEY CAME TO US FOR THAT CENTER THAT THEY WANT TO PUT OUT THERE.
SO IT'S REALLY TAKING WHAT YOU HAVE HERE, UH, AS A, AS A MARKETING TOOL, UM, AND USING IT FOR THEM.
AND IF THEY BUY INTO IT, WE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS HERE IN THE COUNTY.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, TO ME, UM, OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, THAT COULD BE A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR THE NEXT REFERENDUM IS TO COME.
UM, IT'S A MATTER OF SITTING DOWN WITH THE SCHOOL, THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SEE IF THEY COULD BUY INTO THIS AS WELL AS, UM, MUNICIPALITIES.
BECAUSE THEY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS AS WELL.
AND IT CAN BE EXTENDED FOR A WELL IS NOT GONNA GIVE, GIVE UP THEIR PENNY SALE TAX.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS.
THEY WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE AND
[03:20:01]
IT'S A GOOD REVENUE SOURCE FOR CITIZENS.BUT I TALKED ABOUT THE REDUCTION.
THE ONLY PROBLEM I, UM, I SEE THAT COULD HAPPEN TO US IS THAT, UH, CITIZEN RULES VIEW US AS GETTING A SLUSH FUND AND CONTINUE TO RAISE TAXES.
UM, IF WE CAN LEVEL OFF AND SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA BE RAISING THEIR TAXES, BUT WE GONNA ALSO IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE WITH THAT 1 CENT SALE TAX.
UM, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE LAST 1 CENT SALE TAX, I ASKED PEOPLE WHO WERE IN OPPOSITION TO IT.
I SAID, DID YOU KNOW WHEN THE LAST PENNY STARTED? THEY SAID, NO.
I SAID, DID YOU KNOW WHEN IT STOPPED? THEY SAID, NO.
I SAID, IN THAT TWO AND A HALF YEAR PERIOD OF TIME, WE RAISED 135 MILLION MM-HMM.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD SELLING TOOL IF WE CAN GET NO PARTNERS TO BUY INTO AND WE BE ALL TRANSPARENT AND EVERYBODY'S ABOVE BOARD MOVING FORWARD.
SO THERE IS NOTHING UNDERNEATH NO HIDDEN AGENDA, BUT THIS IS THE QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT.
WELL, AND THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE A KEY STAKEHOLDER TO OTHER EDUCATION HAS TOO.
ONE THING IN THE MUNICIPALITIES, WE TALK ABOUT THIS IN ENGINEERING ALL THE TIME, IS WE ARE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, IS THAT WE ARE THE BACKBONE.
WHEN YOU TYPE IN THE AIRPORT CODE TO GO VISIT ANOTHER PLACE, YOU'RE NOT TYPING IN THE COUNTY, YOU'RE TYPING IN, I WANT TO GO TO NEW YORK, OR I WANT TO GO TO CHARLESTON, OR I WANT TO GO TO ORLANDO.
YOU'RE NOT TYPING IN CHARLESTON COUNTY OR ORANGE COUNTY.
AND SO IS IT WITH OUR MUNICIPALITIES, WHEN YOU WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A BUFORD, YOU'RE GOING TO HILTON HEAD, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT OUR, THEY CAN'T COLLECT THE FUNDS THE WAY WE CAN COLLECT THE FUNDS, BUT WE CAN USE THEIR VISION TO HELP OUR VISION COME TOGETHER.
SO THE ROADS ARE MORE STUFF THAT WE PROVIDE, BUT THEY MIGHT HAVE MORE CAPITAL PROJECTS OF PERFORMING ARTS OR WHATEVER.
UM, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT ONE AND EDUCATION, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S THE ONE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THEY ALL PLAY OFF ONE ANOTHER IN A PACKAGE BECAUSE ONE ENTITY MIGHT BE MORE ATTRACTED TO ONE SOURCE OF FUNDING VERSUS THE OTHER.
DO WE NOT ALSO NEED TO INCLUDE JASPER COUNTY AS WE GO FORWARD? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THEIR TRANSPORTATION.
SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COORDINATE WITH JASPER COUNTY AND EVEN POTENTIALLY THE OTHER COUNTIES, UM, COLTON AND HAMPTON, ALL THE ONES THAT WE SHARE ANY BORDERS WITH AND AND ENCOURAGE THEM ON A SIMILAR JOURNEY.
AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME WAY TO RECIPROCATE TO SHOW THEM THAT, HEY, THIS IS A REGIONAL THING.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND A LOT OF OUR WORKFORCE COMES FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR BOUNDARIES.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO COORDINATE WITH THOSE ENTITIES AS WE DEVELOP THE LAW.
DIDN'T JASPER, SO JASPER ACTUALLY, UM, ON THIS, THEY HAD THREE PENNIES.
THEY FULLY COLLECTED AS OF DECEMBER, THEIR TRANSPORTATION PENNY, AND THEY'RE CONSIDERING A NEW TRANSPORTATION PENNY IN 24.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH OUR CONSIDERATIONS.
ONE, JARED, UM, YOUR CREATIVITY CONTINUES TO ASTOUND ME TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING THE MEETINGS THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS WITH DAVID, UM, AND MYSELF AND YOU AND THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, ABOUT DIFFERENT IDEAS FOR THE COUNTY.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAID IN THAT MEETING WITH YOU WAS, I WANTED TO GET A HEAD START ON THIS.
I WAS, I PUSHED FOR THE GREEN SPACE.
I WAS VERY SURPRISED I PASSED.
UM, BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO PUT IT TOGETHER.
UM, AND IT WAS VERY QUICK, QUICK, QUICK.
WE EVEN HAD TO CALL AN EXTRA MEETING TO GET IT VOTED ON IN TIME.
UM, I WAS AGAINST LOST BECAUSE OF NO END DATE.
AND I THINK PART OF IT PASSED TOO, BECAUSE YOU PUT IT ON WITH TWO DIFFERENT REFERENDUMS AT THE SAME TIME.
ONE FOR CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT, ONE FOR LOSS.
UM, AS WELL AS NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT THE FUNDING SOURCE WAS GOING TO, BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT GOT PASSED, I BELIEVE IN AUGUST.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IF WE ARE GONNA GO DOWN THIS ROAD, UM, OF DOING THIS, THERE IS STILL AN END DATE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN GET BEHIND.
YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON TO EVEN MAKE ME WAIVER ON SHORT TERM SALES TAXES.
UM, AND I TOLD YOU THAT BEFORE.
I DON'T GET PERSUADED VERY EASILY, BUT YOU HAVE DEFINITELY DONE THAT OVER OUR LAST COUPLE MEETINGS.
UM, SO THE END DATE IS THERE, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING GOAL IS THERE.
SO I THINK THAT CHECKS A LOT OF BOXES FOR RESIDENTS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WHEN WE CAN COME OUT AND SAY, LISTEN, THIS IS MORE THAN JUST THE SIMPLEST OF PROJECTS.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT DOING.
THERE'S NO PETITION TO END IT.
[03:25:01]
THERE IS A MAIN GOAL FOR THE CAP ON IT.WHATEVER WE'VE HAD TO PUT THAT ON BASED ON THE ALGORITHMS WE COME TO.
UM, THE ONLY WORRY IS THE TWO SCENARIOS THAT YOU SHOWED US REQUIRE THE COUNTY TO PAY OFF THE DEBT, WHICH LET'S SAY WE AGREED TO DO THAT LOWERS THE TAXES, BUT WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO RELY ON THE SCHOOL BOARD TO DO THAT AS WELL.
UM, SAYING AND DOING ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO IF THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDES TO GO FORWARD WITH THE SALES TAX THAT WE PUT FORWARD, BUT DOESN'T REDUCE THE DEBT, THEN OUR RESIDENTS ARE PAYING MORE.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING THAT REDUCTION THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, AND WE HAVE TIME, WE'RE STARTING THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW.
IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, I THINK WE NEED TO AGREE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, TO BE HONEST, AS A COUNCIL, IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANNA START GOING FORWARD WITH, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO TALK TO MUNICIPALITIES, WE HAVE TO GO TALK TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WE GOTTA IRON OUT THESE LITTLE DETAILS BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT EVERYONE ON BOARD, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN GET THIS PASSED.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, WHETHER, WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE HAVE TO GET BLUFFED ON BOARD.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JOE, ERIC OR, UH, JOE, MARK, MYSELF AND PAULA.
THAT AREA IS GONNA BE A HUGE BOATING AREA ON THIS, UM, REFERENDUM.
WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA BE ONE PENNY TUBE, PENNY, THREE PENNY, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PACKAGE WE BILL GOES ACROSS THE COUNTY.
UM, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THINGS IN BLUFFTON WE TALK ABOUT BECAUSE IT IS GROWING THE WAY IT IS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT BUCK WALTER'S ALREADY, NEW ROAD, BLUFFTON PARKWAYS AND ALREADY A NEW ROAD.
YES, WE TALK A TON ABOUT 2 78, BUT MOST OF THE PROJECTS WE TALK ABOUT ARE HILTON AND BUFORD WHEN IT COMES TO ROADS, UM, SCHOOLS THOUGH IS IN BLUFFTON.
SO I JUST WANNA FIGURE OUT HOW WE STORE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE FOUR DISTRICTS THAT I LISTED ON BOARD WITH THIS, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA NEED THAT SUPPORT TO GET THIS ACROSS THAT 50% LINE.
UM, I MEAN, IT IS JUST STATISTICS OF THE WAY THE VOTING'S GONNA GO.
UM, SO I, I REALLY AM ON BOARD FOR THE IDEA.
I TOLD YOU GUYS WHEN I FIRST GOT ON, GO BIG OR GO HOME.
UM, SO I, I'M OPEN AND WILLING TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A PLAN TOGETHER, ALL 11 OF US, UM, WITH YOUR TEAM, JARED, AND THE REST OF THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM TO GET THIS DONE.
UM, AND I THINK IF WE'RE PROGRESSIVE NOW, WE CAN MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS WITHOUT BEING THE CONGESTION AND OVERGROWTH OF MYRTLE BEACH, CHARLESTON AND GREENVILLE, BUT BE ABLE TO STILL HAVE THE BENEFITS OF THOSE AREAS.
ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? MS. HOWARD? THIS IS EXCELLENT.
YOU SURE YOU'RE NOT A BAPTIST PREACHER.
UM, THE SALES TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I THINK IS KEY TO THIS.
I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL IDEA TO KEEP THE PUBLIC EDUCATED AND TO GO BACK TO WHAT LOGAN SAID, TO GET THERE BOARD AND TO KEEP IT ACTIVE FOR 15 YEARS OR, AND REPORT BACK SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THESE RUMORS.
LIKE YOU ONLY BUILT ONE LANE SO FAR.
IT'S ALL ABOUT EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON WHAT WE'VE DONE RUNNING ABSOLUTELY.
ANYTHING? I WAS KIND OF HOPING YOU WERE GONNA TAKE A BREAK.
I, THAT'S A TO ACT TO FOLLOW ME.
UM, YOU JUST HAVE TO DANCE AROUND LIKE YOU.
ONLY WAY I COULD DO BETTER IF I HAD A UNICORN HORN ANDS, UH, PUKING RAINBOWS, I THINK.
UM, WITH ME IS PINKY, UH, HARRIET, YOU KNOW, SHE'S STANDING BEHIND ME.
SHE'S GONNA BE MY BACKUP IF I STUMBLE ON A QUESTION OR DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
BUT WHAT I WANT, DO I HAVE CONTROL OF THIS? OKAY.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF, UM, BRIEF, UH, UM, EXPLANATION OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A NEW DEPARTMENT, NEW TEAM FOR, UH, THE
[03:30:01]
COUNTY AND, YOU KNOW, SPLIT IT, SPLITTING IT AWAY FROM ENGINEERING TO PUT UP MORE FOCUS INTO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, AS YOU'VE SEEN ALREADY TODAY WITH THE MASTER FACILITY PLAN AND ALL THE OTHER PLANS THAT ARE IN PLACE, THAT THERE ARE TREMENDOUS NEEDS, UH, FOR THE COUNTY AND, AND PROJECTS THAT ARE ROLLING YEAR AFTER YEAR.SO THIS DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED IN PART TO, UH, TO WORK THROUGH THE BACKLOG AND TO START MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE IMPLE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR GOALS AND VISIONS.
WE HAVE TWO DOCUMENTS, UM, THAT WE'RE, THAT WE WORK ON AND USE AS THE BASIS OF OUR, UH, PROGRAM.
THE POLICY DOCUMENT, UH, YOU WILL SEE SOON WE'RE, WE'RE DRAFTING A, A SHORT POLICY DOCUMENT THAT YOU WILL, UH, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORWARD ON OR PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON AND ADOPT.
IT BASICALLY SAYS, THIS IS HOW WE GO ABOUT THE CAPITAL PLANNING PROCESS.
IT, UH, WILL JUST EXPLAIN THE APP, THE APPLICABILITY OF THE PROGRAM.
THE PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH IS SELECTING AND, UH, IDENTIFYING AND SELECTING OUR PROJECTS.
UH, THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING THAT AND ROLLING IN INTO THE PLAN, UH, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THAT PLAN AFTER IT'S DONE.
THE PROGRAM MANUAL IS MUCH MORE DETAILED.
IT'S A 2010 VINTAGE PLAN THAT WAS PUT ON, UH, PUT TOGETHER BY THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, UH, AGAIN, NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THAT GOES IN.
IT ROLLS IN THE POLICY DOCUMENT AS PART OF ONE OF THE CHAPTERS, BUT IT GOES INTO MUCH MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE PROCESS OF CREATING A COMMITTEE, UH, SUBMITTING PLAN PROJECTS, REVIEWING PROJECTS, RANKING THOSE PROJECTS, UH, SEARCHING FUNDING SOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THOSE PROJECTS.
AND THEN IT, IT BECOMES A, UH, INSTRUCTION GUIDE, FULLY CAPITAL PROJECTS DEPARTMENT AND PROJECT MANAGERS WITH THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND ULTIMATELY THE MAINTENANCE OF ALL THE PROJECTS, UH, THAT COME OUT OF THAT, THAT PLAN.
SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON NOW IS OBVIOUSLY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2023 PLAN.
THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THAT PLAN.
UH, WE ARE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY GROUP, UH, THAT IS THE CAPITAL PROJECTS DEPARTMENT.
NOW, UH, WE HAVE ONE FULL-TIME PROJECT MANAGER, MARK SUTTON.
WE HAVE MARK ROSENAU, OUR FACILITIES MANAGER THAT PLAYS, UH, DOUBLE DUTY AS A CAPITAL PROJECTS MANAGER.
I GOT SEVERAL PROJECTS IN MY OWN THAT I AM, UH, SUPERVISING AND, AND MANAGING THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS IN ADDITION TO SUPERVISING THE DEPARTMENT.
AND OF COURSE, PINKY IS, IS OUR BACKUP.
SHE SUPPORTS US IN SO MANY WAYS WITH KNOWING THE FUNDING SOURCES, UH, AND MAKING SURE OUR RECORD KEEPING IS THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN THAT IS IN PLACE AND, AND STAYING ON TRACK WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE THE FIRST, OUR FIRST BULLET IS TO DO THAT.
UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE CAPITAL PLAN.
I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HERE A MOMENT, THE DRAFT OF THAT AND KIND OF THE, THE, THE FRAMEWORK THAT IS GONNA MAKE UP THE 24 PLAN, UH, LONG TO TO INCLUDE IT IN THE BUDGET, EXCUSE ME.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BRING FORWARD THAT POLICY DOCUMENT, LIKE I SAID, A FEW MO MOMENTS AGO.
AND THEN, UM, STARTING IN, IN, UH, FISCAL YEAR 24.
WE'RE GONNA START WORKING ON THAT PROGRAM MANUAL AND UPDATING IT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, UH, GOING ON 13 YEARS OLD AND I HIT THE WRONG BUTTON WITH THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD MARK, EXCUSE ME, UH, YOU'VE HEARD, UH, CHUCK AND JARED BOTH SPEAK OF THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM BEFORE.
ONCE THE NEW IMPACT FEE PROGRAM GOES INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE, UH, WE WILL BE ASSISTING WITH THE MANAGEMENT RECORD KEEPING OF THAT PROGRAM.
UH, AS YOU'VE HEARD THEM PRESENT BEFORE, THERE'S A FINITE AMOUNT OF TIME FROM SPENDING FUNDS THESE IMPACTING FUNDS.
AND THESE FUNDS ARE TYPICALLY FOR EXPANSION SERVICES DUE TO GROWTH.
AND IT HAS A LOGICAL NEXUS WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, FOR IMPLEMENTATION, WE ARE ASKING TO EXPAND STAFF.
YOU SEE THAT WHEN THE BUDGET COMES OUT TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY TO DO MORE PROJECTS, UH, FASTER, UH, MORE IN-HOUSE AND LESS DEPENDENCE ON USING CONSULTANTS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
UH, WHICH WE ARE DOING CURRENTLY.
WE'RE DOING A HYBRID OF BOTH RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN, UH, WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS AS TO BE DEVELOPERS DO PROGRAM GUIDE, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE, UH, SELECTION PROCESS AND HOW PROJECTS ARE SUBMITTED, HOW THEY'RE RANKED AND SCORED, AND, UH, WHAT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO THAT PROCESS.
NOT REALLY CHANGES, BUT JUST ENHANCEMENTS TO THE PROCESS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE ARE, UH, THE BIG SEXY PROJECTS.
I'LL COLUMN 'EM, YOU KNOW, THE BRIDGES, THE GLORIOUS ROADWAYS, THE TWO BUILDINGS LIKE ARTHUR HORN NEXT DOOR.
AND THEN THERE'S THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO DO.
AND THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT GLAMOROUS.
THEY'RE NOT EVEN, UH, EXCITING.
BUT IF YOU DON'T MAINTAIN SYSTEMS IN THE BUILDING ROOF, H V A C, ET CETERA, IF YOU DON'T REMODEL AND REFRESH FINISHES IN THE BUILDINGS OVER TIME, THE THE BUILDINGS ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED IN, THEY START FALLING THE DISREPAIR.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT IN THE CAPITAL PLAN.
AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S JUST PART OF DOING BUSINESS.
[03:35:01]
TO HAVE THOSE, UH, RESOURCES, UH, IN GOOD CONDITION TO SUPPORT THE STAFF TO DO THEIR JOB.SO I'M GONNA QUICKLY GO THROUGH, UH, JUST, AND I GAVE YOU THIS FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.
I GAVE IT TO YOU BECAUSE IT, UH, AS JAR'S POINT OUT, IT'S KIND HARD TO SEE ON THE SCREEN, BUT IT ALSO GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO REFER BACK TO.
THIS IS, UH, STILL GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UH, BUT WE ARE, UM, WORKING, UM, TO DEVELOP THIS PROGRAM, BUT, EXCUSE ME, TO DEVELOP THIS PLAN AND GET IT TURNED IN AS PART OF THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
UH, THE PROCESS GOES LIKE THIS.
WE HAVE A CALL FOR PROJECTS, THOSE HAP THAT HAPPENED BACK IN THE FALL.
UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS SUBMITTED THEIR PROJECTS IN JANUARY.
WE FORMED A COMMITTEE USING DEPARTMENT HEADS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE CAPITAL NEEDS TO GET KIND OF THAT PEER GROUP THAT, UH, JURY SELECTIONS AS IT WERE, UH, TO, UH, LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT REQUESTS FROM THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
WE, UH, WE INTERVIEWED SEVERAL, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT CAME IN AND GAVE PRESENTATIONS ON THEIR, ON THEIR PROJECTS.
AND THEN THE COMMITTEE DID A SCORING PROCESS.
AND, AND THE PURPOSE OF DOING THIS SCORING PROCESS IS YOU HAVE ALL THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMPETING FOR FUNDS.
FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE LIMITED.
AND SO WE WANTED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF PRIORITIZATION PROCESS TO PRESENT WITH THE BUDGET SO THAT, AS YOU KNOW, THOSE LIMITED FUNDS, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'RE USING THOSE FUNDS TOWARDS THE MOST CRITICAL, THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR, IN OUR GROUP.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE COMMITTEE RANKING PROCESS.
WE PAIR THAT UP WITH REVENUE PROJECTIONS, AND THEN WE ULTIMATELY COME UP WITH A LIST OF PROJECTS TO GO FORWARD AS, AS THE APPROVED BUDGET.
THE, UH, THIS IS A SUMMARY TABLE OF WHAT THE CURRENTLY IS SUBMITTED WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS.
THAT'S CURRENT, THAT IS ACTUAL AND EXPECTED TO BE SPENT BY JUNE 30TH.
SO WE THINK WE'RE GONNA END THE YEAR WITH ABOUT 30, EXCUSE ME, 74 MILLION IN PROJECTS, UH, COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY.
UM, WELL, THAT WOULD BE THE COMPLETED PORTION BECAUSE ANY PROJECT THAT'S INCOMPLETE, THE ROLLOVER, WE GO INTO 24.
AND YOU SEE ON THE FULLY FUNDED TOP ROW THAT ARE PROJECTS THAT WE KNOW ARE FULLY FUNDED, THEY'RE UNDER, THEY'RE UNDER DESIGN, THEY'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT GET DONE BY JUNE 30TH, THEY'LL ROLL OVER.
BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES NEW PROJECTS THAT ARE FULLY FUNDED THAT AREN'T READY TO START UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
UH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A LARGE CHUNK OF PARTIALLY FUNDED PROJECTS.
WE HAVE MONEY FOR DESIGN, WE HAVE MONEY FOR RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION OR LAND ACQUISITION.
WE MAY HAVE MONEY FOR CONSTRUCTION, BUT ONLY FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE OTHER PHASES THAT HAVE COME AFTER THAT FALLS INTO THE CATEGORY OF PARTIALLY FUNDED.
UH, ANYTHING BEYOND 24, UH, IS, IS A NON-FUNDED, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THE FULLY FUNDED ROW, IS ACTUALLY NON-FUNDED AFTER 2024.
AND THOSE ARE THE ANTICIPATED, UH, NEEDS.
THEY STAY IN THAT COLUMN BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT THE FUNDING SOURCE IS GONNA BE.
WE HAVE IT IDENTIFIED, BUT AGAIN, THE BUDGET ONLY GOES OUT FOR THE, THE ONE YEAR OR TWO YEARS AT THE MOST.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF, UH, SPECIAL FUNDING CATEGORIES THAT ARE IN THE 2023, UH, UH, COLUMN NOW.
UH, THOSE FUNDING SOURCES, IMPACT FEES, PASSIVE PARK FUNDING, ROAD FUNDING, AND THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF ROAD FUNDING AAC, THOSE WILL GET APPLIED TO THE UNFUNDED IN THOSE FUTURE YEARS.
SO THEY'RE SHOWING UP IN THE UNFUNDED CATEGORY RIGHT NOW, 670 MILLION PLUS OR MINUS OF PROJECT REQUESTS, 203 PROJECTS SUBMITTED THIS YEAR.
UH, YOU'LL SEE MOST OF THEM ON THESE SLIDES.
AS COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR, WE HAD 137 PROJECTS AT ABOUT 4 60, 400 60 MILLION.
SO THE NEEDS ARE CONTINUING TO GROW.
WE ARE KNOCKING, WE ARE CHIPPING AWAY AT THE BLOCK, BUT, UH, THE, THE SNOWBALL IS GROWING AS WE, AS WE CONTINUE TO CHIP AWAY AT IT.
I PUT TOGETHER IS THE FEW SLIDES.
CAUSE I WAS INTERESTED TO SEE HOW IT KIND OF BROKE DOWN BY DEPARTMENT.
SO ON THE RIGHT, EXCUSE ME, ON THE LEFT YOU HAVE A TABLE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT SUBMITTED REQUESTS AND YOUR DOLLAR SIGNS.
AND THEN I DID A, A PIE CHART ON THE RIGHT.
UH, WHEN I DID THIS FIRST PIE CHART, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY ONE HUGE PIECE OF PIE CALLED TRANSPORTATION THAT, UH, IS GOING TO ALWAYS BE A BIG, BIG NUMBER.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, JARED SHOWED YOU SOME OF THOSE AND HE SHOWED YOU THE, THE SIZE OF THOSE PROJECTS AND THE DOLLAR SIGN ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT.
ROADS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT CHEAP.
IF YOU STRIP AWAY THAT DOLLAR SIGN JUST FOR A SECOND AND LOOK AT THE REST OF 'EM, THERE'S STILL ONE BIG HUGE, UH, SLICE OF PIE THAT'S PARKS AND REC.
AND AGAIN, YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY NEEDS AND THEIR FACILITIES, THEIR FIELDS, THEIR BUILDINGS, ET CETERA, UH, HAVE, HAVE A LARGE PRICE TAG WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING, USING AND EXPANDING THOSE AND BUILD OUT THE MASTER PLANS.
AND I KNOW, UH, CHUCK AND SHANNON ARE SPEAKING OF THAT HERE SOON, YOU STRIP AWAY THE PARSON REC, YOU START TO SEE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF, UH, CAPITAL PROJECT REQUEST THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
[03:40:01]
PRO, SOME, UH, DEPARTMENT, SMALLER THAN OTHERS, BUT THE DISTRIBUTION STARTS TO GET MORE NORMAL.SO I JUST, I, THAT WAS INTERESTING TO ME TO SEE WHERE THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF MONEY WAS GOING.
AND THEN WHEN YOU STRIP THAT AWAY, WHAT REALLY IS GETTING DONE BEYOND THOSE TWO BIG, THOSE TWO BIG, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS FOR SOLID WASTE AND STORM WATER.
I SHOULD HAVE, I SHOULD HAVE STATED THAT ALL FUNDING SOURCES, ALL CAPITAL NEEDS ARE IN THIS PRESENTATION.
THEY'RE NOT BROKEN DOWN BY FUNDS.
AND THAT GOES BACK TO YOUR PARTIAL AND FULLY FUNDED.
SOME OF THESE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, THEIR PROJECTS ARE FULLY FUNDED OR PARTIALLY FUNDED BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT DEDICATED SOURCE.
SO THE AIRPORT WOULD BE PART OF THIS AIRPORT IS IN THIS AS WELL? YES, SIR.
WHAT ABOUT THE AIRPORT? DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? IT'S CAPITAL, UH, PROJECTS AT THE AIRPORT IN BOTH AIRPORTS.
AND, AND I'LL HAVE THOSE ON SOME SLIDES COMING UP.
BOTH HILTON HEAD AND LADIES ISLAND OR BUFORD EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, THEY HAVE PROJECTS IN HERE FOR FACILITIES GROUNDS, BUILDINGS AND, AND EQUIPMENT.
AND, AND ALL OF THESE ARE, ALL THOSE WERE SUBMITTED THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND ARE SUMMARIZED ON THE SLIDES.
AND THE REQUEST IS FOR REVENUE FROM A REVENUE STREAM OF COUNTY COLLECTION.
THESE AREN'T REQUESTED ANYWHERE ELSE.
I, YEAH, THESE ARE ALL REQUESTS REGARDLESS OF FUNDING SOURCE.
AS I MENTIONED ON A SLIDE, A COUPLE OF SLIDES, WE'RE AT THE COMMITTEE RANKING LEVEL.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO PAIR UP THESE NEEDS WITH THE REVENUE SOURCES.
AND THAT'S WHEN, AND THAT'S WHEN WE'LL GO TO THAT LOGICAL STEP WHERE AIRPORT HAS DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCES COMING FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
SO THOSE WILL GET PAIRED UP WITH THEIR NEEDS AND THEY'LL SEE, THEY'LL BE A DELTA.
AND THAT DELTA MAY BECOME A, YOU DO THAT AS AN AIRPORT IN THIS SUBMISSION.
UH, THAT IS PROBABLY GONNA BE THROUGH THE AIRPORT THROUGH FINANCE.
SO THEY'LL TELL YOU WHERE THE, THEY EXPECT THE REVENUE TO COME FROM.
I'LL BE WORKING, I'LL BE WORKING EXTENSIVELY WITH FINANCE, UH, PINK, AND I'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT THE REVENUES ARE, WHERE THE SOURCE IS GONNA BE.
SO WE CAN ROLL THAT INTO THE PLAN INSTEAD OF THIS PROJECT'S PAID THIS WAY, THIS PROJECT WILL PAID THIS WAY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
CAN WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE A LIST OF UNFUNDED PROJECTS THAT ARE RANKED IN PRIORITY AND, AND YOU AS THE COUNCIL MAKES THE DECISION WHICH ONES TO FUND.
MOVING FORWARD THEN, AND I WILL, WILL NOT GO OVER EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME IN THE DAY TO EXPLAIN EVERY ONE OF THESE PROJECTS TO YOU, BUT I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW.
THESE, UH, FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES.
AS I SAID A SECOND AGO, THESE ARE THE BIG SEXES, OR THEY'RE JUST THE BIG ONES.
UH, SO YOU SEE WITHIN THE CURRENT FULLY FUNDED COMPLETION OF THE ARTHUR HORN COMPLEX, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ROOF REPLACEMENT, WHICH YOU CAN HEAR EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, UM, AND YOU SEE WHEN YOU CAME IN THE BUILDING, UH, WE HAVE THE, THE, THE THREE POOLS FOR THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
UH, THAT IS AN ONGOING PROJECT WHERE WE ARE WORKING TO, UH, FIX THE ROOFS, FIX THE BUILDING, ENVELOPES THE H V A C SYSTEMS TO, UH, CORRECT A LOT OF PROBLEMS THAT THESE POOLS HAVE WITH CLIMATE CONTROL AND, AND, UH, CORROSION, THAT SORT OF THING.
YOU SEE THOSE PROJECTS LISTED.
UH, PORT ROYAL LIBRARY IS, IS IN DESIGN.
UH, THAT'S A NEW FACILITY YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT, UH, THAT'S ON THE LIST.
AND THEN THE DUFUS FERRY PROJECTS, UH, THAT ARE ARPA FUNDED.
THERE'RE IN HERE, AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THOSE I'M SURE FROM HANK TOMORROW.
THE PARTIALLY FUNDED PROJECTS, AGAIN, THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT MAY HAVE, THEY HAVE SOME FUNDING, BUT THEY MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE FUNDING THEY NEED TO FINISH DESIGN OR FINISH CONSTRUCTION.
AND THERE'S A LONG LIST OF THOSE.
AS I MENTIONED, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS SPENT MOST OF THE TIME WITH THE PRIORITIZING BECAUSE AS THEY'RE, AS THESE PROJECTS COMPETE FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL AVAILABLE DOLLARS, UH, THESE ARE RANKED AND PRIORITIZED SO THAT YOU KNOW, WHICH ONES ARE, ARE KIND OF FLOATING TO THE TOP.
UH, AGAIN, I'LL MENTION A FEW, UH, UH, HIGHLIGHTS IN HERE.
UH, WE MENTIONED EARLIER THIS MORNING ABOUT THE RENOVATION OF THIS ROOM HERE AND THE REST OF THE BUILDING.
UH, THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, UH, OFFICE RENOVATIONS IS IN HERE.
UH, ANOTHER, I GUESS IF YOU WANNA PUT IT IN THE CATEGORY, BIG AND SEXY IS THE HEADQUARTERS FOR EMS. UH, THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN.
UH, WE'RE BUILDING A NEW OR REMODELING AN FIRE STATION IN SUN CITY.
UH, YOU MENTIONED THE AIRPORT.
THERE ARE A COUPLE, THERE'S A HANGAR AND A IN A RUNWAY TAXI WAY IN THIS LIST.
UM, THE, THE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY, UH, JERRY SHOWED A PICTURE OF ONE THAT'S DEFINITELY BIG.
IT'S BIG AND STINKY, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A BIG PROJECT THAT'S NEEDED.
AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TWO, UH, 2 78 CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT IS ANOTHER ONE THAT'S ON THIS LIST.
YOU SEE SEVERAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN THIS LIST OF PARTIALLY FUNDED THAT ARE STILL LOOKING FOR THE, THAT FULL FUNDING.
UM, AS, AS, UH, JARED WAS PRESENTING THIS A FEW MOMENTS AGO,
[03:45:01]
THEN YOU GET INTO THE UNFUNDED PROJECTS.THERE ARE SEVERAL PAGES OF THESE, AND I WON'T DO 'EM ALL, BUT SOME OF THE, UH, SKIP ON, ON PAGES ON THE TRANSPORTATION ONES.
JARED MENTIONED ANY OF THESE, I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER 'EM AGAIN, BUT HE MENTIONED THE TRIANGLE PROJECT, THE BRIDGES, THE 2 78, THE ONE 70 ISLAND.
ONE PROJECT THAT I HIGHLIGHTED, UH, BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A LARGE DOLLAR AMOUNT, IS ROT RESURFACING AS A CIVIL ENGINEER AND A TRANSPORTATION GUY MYSELF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF RESURFACING AND MAINTAINING YOUR ROADS IS JUST AS CRITICAL AS BUILDING THE NEW ONES AND WIDENING THEM AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AS A NEED THAT, UH, IS IN THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
PARKS AND REC HAS THEIR OWN SLIDE AS WELL, JUST BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THEY HAVE.
WE HAVE EVERYTHING FROM THE EXPANSION OF THEIR MASTER PLANS AT THE BUCK WALTER REC CENTER AND THE BURTON WHEELS REC CENTER.
UH, YOU ALSO HAVE, UH, COMMUNITY CENTERS IN HERE, SEVERAL COMMUNITY CENTERS.
AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT EXCITING PROJECTS.
THEY'RE NOT EVEN THAT, UH, THEY'RE NOT EVEN THAT NOTEWORTHY.
BUT IF YOU DON'T MAINTAIN THESE, THESE FACILITIES THAT ARE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND YOU DON'T KEEP 'EM UPDATED AND KEEP 'EM WELL MAINTAINED, THEY'RE GONNA FALL IN DISREPAIR.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THAT CATEGORY WHERE WE'RE DOING SOME UPGRADES OF, UH, THEIR SYSTEMS, THEIR ROOFS, THEIR FINISHES, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND YOU'VE GOT SEVERAL OF 'EM LISTED THERE, INCLUDING LYNN BROWNEN.
WE'VE GOT THAT CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN.
UM, GOING TO BID VERY SOON ON THE REMODEL OF THAT BUILDING.
THE UNFUNDED LIST CONTINUES WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS LISTED OUT.
UH, YOU HAVE THE BROAD RIVER FISHING FAIR, PROBABLY ANOTHER ONE THAT'S KIND OF HIGH PROFILE.
UM, SOLID WASTES TRANSFER FACILITY GETS TOSSED AROUND QUITE A BIT.
THAT'S A LARGE TICKET ITEM THAT'S ON THE LIST.
UH, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AT SHELL POINT.
UH, THAT'S KIND OF A HIGH PRO FOR ALL PROJECT, UH, FOR MANY REASONS.
UH, NOBODY LIKES TO SEE FLOODING.
UH, MS. HOWARD, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE.
NOT ONLY IS IT IN YOUR DISTRICT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A STORMWATER UTILITY PROJECT THAT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SEEKING FUNDING FOR THROUGH THEIR ENTERPRISE.
THEY CONTINUE ON, UH, MYRTLE PARK BUILDING NUMBER TWO IS SOMETHING THAT'S IDENTIFIED IN THE FACILITY MASTER PLAN.
SO THAT'S ON THE UNFUNDED LIST.
IT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD.
UH, HOW WE, HOW DO WE FIND THAT? WHAT'S THE NEED FOR THAT? WHEN IS THE NEED FOR THAT AND HOW ARE WE GONNA FUND THAT? UH, HIGHWAY, UH, ONE 70 CORRIDOR CAMPUS, UH, FOR AN EXPANSION OF OUR, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE OR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE'VE HAD THAT IN THE MASTER PLAN.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT BACK IN NOVEMBER.
UH, LOOKING FOR A SITE WITHIN THAT CORRIDOR THAT CAN BE USED FOR SUCH A CAMPUS.
SPANISH MOSS TRAIL, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
THAT'S ONE OF MY PROJECTS THAT I'M, THAT I'M PUSHING THROUGH BIDDING RIGHT NOW.
IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S A HIGHLY USED TRAIL.
IT'S IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S FAILING.
UH, IS IT GONNA MAKE THE FRONT PAGE WHEN WE FINISH IT, HAVE A BIG RHYTHM BE CUTTING? I DOUBT IT.
BUT IF WE DON'T FIX IT, IT'S GONNA FALL IN AND NOBODY'S GONNA BE ABLE TO USE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TRAILS.
AND THEN ANOTHER BIG PRICE TAG WENT ON HERE, CAUSE I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH MOSQUITO CONTROL IS THEIR NEED FOR LABORATORY.
AND THAT CARRIES A HEFTY PRICE TAG.
AND IT'S BEEN ON THE, THE LIST OF BEADS YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THEY CONTINUE ON, YOU GET INTO THE DETENTION CENTER.
THE DETENTION CENTER HAS A LOT OF UPDATES AND, AND, UH, JUST RESTORATION OF THEIR CURRENT FACILITY, UH, THAT THEY HAVE.
SOME OF 'EM ARE SAFETY FEATURES, SOME OF 'EM ARE SECURITY ISSUES.
AND SO THOSE, UH, ARE SHOWING, THEY SHOW ON THE UNFUNDED LIST, BUT I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED VERY EARLY THIS MORNING.
THEY HAVE A $1 MILLION, UH, KIND OF SET ASIDE THAT WAS PUT THERE FOR THEM TO HELP THEIR NEEDS FAR EXCEED A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM AND WE'RE RANKING AND PRIORITIZING THEIR NEEDS.
WHICH ONES DO WE ATTACK FIRST? WHICH ONE'S SECOND, THIRD, ET CETERA.
IT IS, THE HITS JUST KEEP COMING.
SO, UH, CA PASSIVE PARKS, UH, STEPHANIE'S STILL THERE.
I WISH I, SHE HAS SOME NEEDS IN HERE THAT, UH, GO BEYOND, UH, WHAT HER CURRENT FUNDING ALLOWS.
AND SO THOSE ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN, EVEN FINISHING UP THE LIST WITH LIBRARY, UH, SYSTEM, THEY HAVE NEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
FUNDING'S NOT COMPLETELY IN PLACE YET, BUT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, LADIES ISLAND, HILTON HEAD, UM, HANGERS MM-HMM.
UM, THEN THE OTHER COMMISSIONER, UM, FREMONT 8 MILLION.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THERE? UNFUNDED PROJECT 8 MILLION.
THAT, THAT MAY BE ONE IF WE, WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, IF WE WANT TO PULL STEPHANIE, MAYBE AN ANSWER FOR THAT ONE.
[03:50:01]
IT'S 8 MILLION ACTUALLY, THAT WE SPENT IT TO DATE OH.WITH ACQUISITION AND IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL, THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL 2 MILLION THAT WE'RE GONNA YEAH, I GOT.
AT THIS POINT, LET ME GO BACK TO A PREVIOUS SLIDE.
WHEN I SAID DRAFT BOLD AND UNDERLINED, WE APPARENTLY HAVE, UH, GOT A NUMBER IN THE WRONG COLUMN ON THAT ONE.
SO I'LL WORK ON GETTING TO THE CORRECT OKAY.
IF THAT, IF THAT IS THE CASE, I'LL WE'LL GET WITH STEPHANIE, MAKE SURE WE HAVEN'T MADE AN ERROR IN THE, UH, TRANSLATION FROM THE SOFTWARE TO THE SPREADSHEET.
OBJECTION, SHERIFF HAS SEVERAL OPTIONS OF PROJECTS AS WELL.
THE LAST SLIDES I HAVE, AND I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THESE AND WITH GREAT AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE, BUT THIS IS IN THE HANDS OF OUR FLEET MANAGER, AND TODD'S WORKING ON THOSE RIGHT NOW.
HE'S, HE'S DOING THE SAME PROCESS WITH VEHICLES THAT, THAT I JUST EXPLAINED WITH, UH, BUILDINGS AND PROJECTS.
HE'S LOOKING AT THE NEEDS, HE'S LOOKING AT THE PRIORITIZATIONS.
HE'S LOOKING AT WHAT FUNDING WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO HIM.
AND, UH, JOB IS FLEET MANAGER.
SO I'M NOT GONNA STEAL THIS UNDER AND TRY TO TALK ABOUT ALL THESE, BUT YOU GOT TWO OR THREE PAGES OF VEHICLE REQUEST AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT, AGAIN, EVEN WITH VEHICLES, YOU HAVE THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY'S EXCITED TO SEE.
NEW, SHINY AMBULANCES, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE LAWN MOS, YOU HAVE PICKUP TRUCKS.
IF THE CREWS DON'T HAVE DEPENDABLE TRANSPORTATION, YOU CAN'T EVEN GET TO THE JOB SITE TO MAINTAIN IT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF THAT ON THIS LIST.
UM, AIRPORT OPERATIONS, AGAIN, THE FUNDING SOURCES WILL BE DEFINED AT SOME POINT.
UH, WHETHER OR NOT THE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHICH FUNDING SOURCE THAT'S GONNA BE AT THIS TIME, BUT THE AIRPORT HAS QUITE A FEW, UH, VEHICLE, UH, REQUEST AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST ON HERE.
AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE THESE WITH YOU, YOU CAN LOOK AT THOSE IN, IN MORE DETAIL LATER.
AND THEN THEY CONTINUE ON, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM DUMP TRUCKS TO PICK UP TRUCKS TO, UH, AS A, AS THE FORMER STORMWATER MANAGER, I REMEMBER BUYING THE LAST VACUUM TRUCK.
IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT THE THING'S ALREADY AT ITS END OF ITS YOUTHFUL LIFE, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME PURCHASE, BUT, UH, I NICKNAMED IT SNUFF, LEUS.
BUT, UH, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THE, THE TRUCK WAS KIND OF NEAT TO HAVE.
IT WAS A BIG, SEXY THING FOR STORMWATER TO HAVE, AND IT'S ALREADY AT THE END OF ITS YOUTHFUL LIFE AND LOOKING TO REPLACE IT.
SO, UH, IT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THINGS DON'T HAPPEN.
AND THEY, THEY JUST DON'T HAPPEN ONE TIME AND GO AWAY.
THEY, THEY COME, THEY COME REOCCURRING YEAR AFTER YEAR, ESPECIALLY WITH EQUIPMENT.
SO THAT IS A DRAFT OF ALL OF THE REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
AGAIN, 6 70, 600, 70 MILLION PLUS ANOTHER NINE, EIGHT OR 9 MILLION IN VEHICLES IS FAR MORE THAN YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD.
UH, AND, AND OUR JOB AS STAFF FROM THIS POINT FORWARD UNTIL, UH, WE ADOPT THE BUDGET, IS TO HELP, UM, FINE TUNE WHAT OUR PRIORITIES NEED TO BE WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE.
YOU HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? NOW? ONE MORE QUESTION IS JIM, MR. LAWSON.
UM, SOME ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO, NO, LITTLE LONGER THAN THAT.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TOWERS AND, UM, UM, EMERGENCY TOWERS BEING PUT UP THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO START WITH A FEW, AND THEN EVENTUALLY GET THE WHOLE ENTIRE COUNTY SATURATED WITH EMERGENCY TOWER.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE IS THAT IN? THOSE ARE THE NOTIFICATION TOWERS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
HAVE THE SIRENS TO ALERT FOR POTENTIAL TORNADOES, RIGHT? UH, HURRICANE WARNINGS.
I'M, I REMEMBER THAT QUITE HONESTLY.
DON'T AN UPDATE UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE GROUP DOES.
SO I'LL GET WITH JARED AND, UH, AND, UH, PAM COBB, OUR PAMELA COBB, OUR DISASTERS RECOVERY COORDINATOR, AND I'LL FIND OUT AN ANSWER AND GET IT EMAILED OUT TO YOU.
YEAH, SHE WAS HOLDING UP HER HAND BACK HERE.
BUT ANYWAY, AWAY WE ENDED UP INSTALLING THOSE AT A LOT OF OUR FACILITIES.
SO WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE THEM THROUGHOUT 10.
IS IT FOR LIGHT? I MEAN, THEY, CAN WE GET A REPORT ON THAT? HOW MANY OF WE HAVE OUT THERE? WE'LL HAVE, UM, WE'LL HAVE PAMELA COBB, OUR DISASTER RECOVERY SPECIALIST.
I CAN GIVE YOU ALL STATUS REPORT ON THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ALL RIGHT.
MR. YORK, I HOPE I MET YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF A TYPICAL ENGINEER'S PRESENTATION.
[03:55:01]
UH, WE'LL TAKE YOU.WE'LL TAKE A 15 MINUTE BREAK AND WE'LL COME BACK AT 3 45.
MR. ATKINSON, HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING VERY WELL, THANK YOU.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYBODY.
UH, SO WHAT I HAVE ASKED, UH, OUR STAFF, UH, TO DO IN THE, UM, DEVELOPMENT RECREATION DIVISION IS TO ADD CONTEXT AND SUPPORT TO WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD TODAY.
SO YOU HEARD THE PERSONNEL PIECE, THE NEEDS, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THERE.
WE TALKED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, CHAIRED, COVERED A LOT OF THE, UM, THE FUNDING OPTIONS AND FUNDING NEEDS.
YOU HEARD FROM THE CIP P FOLKS.
YOU NOTE THAT A LOT OF STUFF IN MY DIVISION, UH, IS ON THAT LIST.
SO WHAT I'VE ASKED OUR STAFF TO DO TODAY, INDIVIDUALLY, OUR LIBRARIES, OUR PASSIVE PARKS, AND OUR, UH, PARKS AND REC FOLKS, UH, STAFF TO COME AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE, RECENT SUCCESSES AND DIVISION FOR WHERE WE'RE GOING, AND JUST TO PROVIDE SUPPORTING INFORMATION, UH, FOR WHAT YOU'VE, UH, ALREADY GOT SO THAT WE'RE NOT REPEATING WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, TO ROUND US OUT FOR THE DAY, WE HAVE OUR, UH, PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN CONSULTANT WOODEN PARTNERS HERE TODAY.
AND, UH, NE'S GONNA JOIN ONLINE.
I BELIEVE HE'S IN INDIANAPOLIS, UH, SOMEWHERE, UH, WHERE IT'S MUCH COLDER THAN IT IS HERE,
UH, AND HE IS GOING TO GIVE AN UPDATE, A PRETTY DETAILED UPDATE THEY'RE GONNA GIVE, UH, ON WHERE WE STAND.
WE'RE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO WRAPPING THAT UP.
AND INSTEAD OF GIVING ALL THAT AT ONE TIME, WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF GIVE A PRIMER WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
AND THEN WHEN WE GET THE PRESENTATION, UH, IN A FEW WEEKS, WE WILL HAVE ALREADY HEARD MOST OF IT ONCE.
I WILL ASK OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR, MS. AMANDA DICKMAN, PLEASE COME UP AND PROVIDE HER INFORMATION.
TRIED TO SCHMOOZE, YOU KNOW, LIBRARIANS DON'T COME EMPTY HANDED, SO WE ALWAYS TRY TO GIVE AWAY THINGS FOR FREE.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD, UM, OUR LATEST GIVEAWAYS THAT WE PROVIDE AT FESTIVALS AND OTHER OUTREACH EVENTS THAT WE ATTEND TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF BURET COUNTY GUESTS AND RESIDENTS TO READ.
SO YOU ALL HAVE A READ BAG THAT SAYS, READ ON THE COVER OF THAT.
IT HAS OUR LOGO ON IT, AND THE INTERIOR CONTENTS ARE OUR MOST UP TO DATE.
YOU'LL KNOW IT LOOKS, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE A KEY CARD HOLDER THAT YOU WOULD GET AT A HOTEL, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE WANTED SOMETHING VERY COMPACT VERY QUICK THAT WOULD, UM, HOLD THAT NEW LIBRARY CARD AND WELCOME SOMEBODY TO JOINING THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
YOU ALSO HAVE MY SIGNATURE, PEPPERMINT.
I DON'T BUY THOSE, BUT I KEEP THEM STOCKED IN MY OFFICE SO THAT PEOPLE WILL, NUMBER ONE, WANT TO VISIT ME.
AND NUMBER TWO, ENJOY THAT VISIT.
SO I HOPE TODAY AT TWO, TWO HOURS AND 45 MINUTES INTO THIS AFTERNOON SECTION THAT, UM, IF YOU NEED A LITTLE SHOT OF SUGAR, REMEMBER THAT THE LIBRARY GAVE IT TO YOU.
SO, AS CHUCK SAID, MY NAME IS AMANDA, AND I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY NOW FOR 16 YEARS.
THIS IS THE ONE LIBRARY SYSTEM I HAVE WORKED AT RIGHT OUTTA GRAD SCHOOL AT, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING YOUR DIRECTOR.
AND, UM, IT REALLY IS MINE NO MATTER WHAT COMES ACROSS MY DESK.
SO OUR BU COUNTY LIBRARY, UM, IS LOCATED IN FIVE LOCATIONS PRESENTLY, YOU'LL SEE IN THE MAP.
UM, NEXT THEY'RE ACROSS THE COUNTY, SPREAD OUT AND PLANNED, UH, TO BE SOMEWHAT ECO DISTANT AND CLOSE TO THE POPULATION WHERE, WHERE IT LIVES, WORKS, AND PLAYS.
WE HAVE THE DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT LIBRARY, UH, AS WELL AS ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE LOCAL HISTORY, OR THE BDC BEAUFORT DISTRICT COLLECTION ARCHIVES IN OUR BLUFFTON LIBRARY, YOU YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT HAS RECENTLY BEEN RENOVATED.
IT OPENED LAST JANUARY WITH THE NEW UPFITTING, OUR HILTON HEAD LIBRARY, VERY CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT, OUR LOCO LIBRARY, MR. DAWSON, IN YOUR AREA, AND, UM, OUR ST.
HELENA LIBRARY, MR. IN YOUR AREA.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO BOOK MOBILES BOOK MOBILE NORTH IN BOOK MOBILE SOUTH, WHO SERVE RESPECTIVELY, THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
AND WE HOPE WITH YOUR SUPPORT IN THE US COUNTY TO EXPAND THAT TO, TO BETTER SERVE OUR POPULATION.
SO WHAT MAKES THE LIBRARY SPECIAL? I COULD STAND HERE AND GIVE YOU A WHOLE BUNCH OF STATS AND FIGURES, WHICH I PROMISE I WILL.
BUT FIRST I WANT YOU TO SEE WHAT THE LIBRARY DOES.
IN THE TOP CORNER, YOU SEE SUN CITY RESIDENTS WAITING TO BOARD THE BOOK MOBILE.
YOU SEE A YOUNG, A YOUNG READER HOLDING, UH, AN ANIMAL, A CAT DOG.
WE HAVE, UH, SPECIAL STORY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHERE STUDENTS GET TO READ TO THEIR FAVORITE PET.
[04:00:01]
CORNER AT OUR ST.HELENA LIBRARY, A LOCAL LECTURE OR PERHAPS A PUBLIC MEETING, MAYBE BY YOUR GOVERNING BODY OR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ANOTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION USING OUR MEETING ROOM.
OF COURSE, IN THE BOTTOM CORNER, WE HAVE BOOKS.
AND AS, AS I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, OUR LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION, PERHAPS YOU WANNA LOOK UP AN OBITUARY FROM A LONG, LONG TIME AGO.
JUST WANNA SHOW YOU THAT THE MODERN LIBRARY TODAY IS THE ONLY PLACE I KNOW IN A COMMUNITY WHERE WIFI DOESN'T COST YOU A CUP OF COFFEE.
WHEN YOU CHECK OUT A BOOK, YOU DON'T SWIPE YOUR CREDIT CARD, JUST ASK FOR YOUR LIBRARY CARD.
IT'S ONLY PLACE THAT OFFERS A PLACE TO SIT DOWN.
YOU CAN PULL OFF THE NEWSPAPER OR A MAGAZINE AND BROWSE THAT.
YOU CAN ATTEND A STORY TIME WITH YOUR KIDS OR YOUR GRANDKIDS.
YOU CAN BE REWARDED IN THE SUMMER FOR SUMMER READING.
AND THIS TIME OF YEAR, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR TAXES DONE FOR FREE BY OUR LOCAL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT HOST THAT SERVICE IN OUR LIBRARIES.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS WAY MORE THAN BOOKS, AND I HOPE TODAY THAT YOU SEE THAT.
SO HERE'S THOSE STATS I PROMISED YOU.
LAST YEAR, WE WELCOMED OVER 240,000 RESIDENTS AND GUESTS.
WE HAVE 91,618 ACTIVE CARD HOLDERS.
IF YOU COMPARE THAT TO OUR POPULATION, THAT'S NEARLY 50% OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE HAVE AN ACTIVE LIBRARY CARD NUMBER.
WE CIRCULATED NEARLY 1 MILLION ITEMS, 666,000 PHYSICAL ITEMS YOU CAN HOLD IN YOUR HAND OR WATCH ON A DVD OR PLAY IN A CD PLAYER AND 162,446 DIGITAL OR DOWNLOADABLE ITEMS. WE ANSWERED 55,000 QUESTIONS.
OUR WEBPAGE RECEIVED 304,000 WEBSITE HITS.
WE OFFERED 50,000 WIFI SESSIONS TO USE THAT IN COMPARISON TO MY PREVIOUS EXAMPLE.
THAT WOULD BE A LOT OF CUPS OF COFFEE.
WE OFFERED 13,595 COMPUTER SESSIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO USE OUR COMPUTERS TO ACCESS THE INTERNET.
AND WE HOSTED AT LEAST 530 PUBLIC MEETINGS, NOT JUST OUR PROGRAMS, OUTSIDE PUBLIC MEETINGS BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OR GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
SO THIS IS WHO USES THE LIBRARY.
IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER, YOU SEE STUDENTS WHO ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF A BALLOON ART DISPLAY AT OUR HILTON HEAD LIBRARY, JUST COMPLETING SUMMER READING.
YOU SEE A GENTLEMAN PLAYING MUSIC FOR A LECTURE THAT WAS HELD AT OUR BLUFFTON LIBRARY.
YOU SEE A LIBRARY DIRECTOR IN A CAT COSTUME DOING STORY TIME FOR KIDS AT LACO.
YOU SEE, UM, ADULTS ATTENDING A WRITERS AND WRITER WORKSHOP AT THE HILTON HEAD LIBRARY.
IN THE UPPER CORNER, YOU SEE, UM, SOME YOUNG READERS WHO HAVE, UM, DRESSED IN THEIR CULTURAL COSTUME OR OUTFIT TO, UM, TO SHOW SHOWCASE TO OUR LARGER COMMUNITY, HISPANIC.
YOU ALSO SEE A GENTLEMAN FROM THE LOCO LIBRARY HOLDING A PUMPKIN HE'S ABOUT TO CARVE.
YOU SEE OUR STAFF IN FRONT OF THE BOOK MOBILE READY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO READ AND A TRADITIONAL PROGRAM IN THE BOTTOM CORNER WHERE WE OFFER DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THE LIBRARY CARD? WELL, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE FREE WIFI AND COMPUTER USAGE.
WE ALSO HAVE THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN IN THAT WE PROVIDE FREE FAX, SCAN OR EMAIL SERVICE.
IT'S A SELF-SERVICE MACHINE, ABSOLUTELY COSTS THE PERSON USING IT.
WE HAVE MEETING ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR NONPROFIT USE.
OUR LIBRARY SERVE AS A SUMMER FREE MEAL LOCATION.
WE ALSO OFFER FREE TAX PREPARATION.
WE SERVE AS A POLLING LOCATION WHERE PEOPLE CAN CAST THEIR BALLOT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WHEN AN ELECTION COMES UP.
WE OFTEN, WE OFFER PUBLIC TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS ON EVERYTHING FROM CANNING OF VEGETABLES OR OTHER TYPES OF THINGS TO COUPONING, TO CRAFTS, TO BEEKEEPING, WHICH WILL BE AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY PRETTY SOON.
WE ALSO HAVE ON OUR SHELVE MOVIES, TV SERIES, MAGAZINES, AND OF COURSE, BOOKS.
IN ADDITION TO THE PHYSICAL FIVE LOCATIONS AND TWO BOOK MOBILES.
WE ALSO OPERATE A DIGITAL LIBRARY THAT MAKES AVAILABLE RESOURCES 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO ALL CARD HOLDERS.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD, AND I HOPE YOU'VE EXPERIENCED JULA THAT HAS EBOOKS, AUDIOBOOKS, MOVIES, TV, MUSIC, AND NOW MAGAZINES AVAILABLE AT THE TOUCH OF YOUR APP.
WE ALSO OFFER A SEC, SECOND APP CALLED FLIP 48, ELECTRONIC OR DIGITAL AVERSIONS OF MAGAZINES.
THIS PAST YEAR, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE ADDED TO OUR COLLECTION ONLINE ACCESS TO THE NEW YORK TIMES IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND WITHIN OUR, IN THE WALLS
[04:05:01]
OF OUR LIBRARIES, YOU CAN ACCESS ANCESTRY.COM TO DO GENEALOGY RESEARCH.AND IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, WE EXPAND BEYOND BUFORT COUNTY TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO RESOURCES IN 19 COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, INCLUDING THE STATE LIBRARY ITSELF.
WE PARTICIPATE IN A CONSORTIUM CALLED SOUTH
SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CARD HOLDER IS IF YOU NEED AN ITEM FROM YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARIES, YOU CAN GET IT.
BUT IF YOU NEED AN ITEM THAT'S IN ANDERSON OR FLORENCE OR JASPER, WE CAN GET THAT FROM YOU TWO.
SO I WANT YOU TO HEAR IT FROM THE RESIDENCE WHO, WHO USE THE LIBRARY.
MY FAVORITE ONE IS IN THE MIDDLE, ONE OF THE BEST SERVICES FROM THE COUNTY.
THESE QUOTES WERE, UM, GIVEN TO US, UM, VOLUNTARILY IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THIS YEAR BEFORE MAKING A DECISION TO MOVE TO BEAUFORT, WE CHECKED OUT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM, VERY IMPRESSED.
IT WAS MAKE OR BREAK CRITERIA WHEN CHOOSING A PLACE TO RETIRE.
I THINK OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM IS AMAZING, ALWAYS SEEKS TO ADD PROGRAMS THAT HELP INFORM, ENTERTAIN, AND EDUCATE EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE LIBRARY SYSTEM IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE FOR STUDENTS, CHILDREN, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, ADULTS, ET CETERA.
THE PROGRAMS OFFER HERE ARE AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR ALL BEAUFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS, AND PERHAPS THE ONE THAT PULLS UP MY HEARTSTRINGS THE MOST.
MY LIBRARY CARD IS ONE OF MY MOST TREASURED POSSESSIONS.
I'M 94 YEARS OLD AND THE LIBRARY OPENS UP THE WORLD FOR ME.
HIS PAST YEAR, WE HAD SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH.
AND IN TERMS OF OUR FACILITIES, WE COMPLETED PHASE ONE OF BLUFFTON BRANCH LIBRARY.
TAB BEK CUTTING THE RIBBON ON THAT.
WE HAVE REPLACED PUBLIC COMPUTERS AT ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES.
WE'VE UPGRADED THE 3D PRINTER AT ST.
WE'VE ADDED TWO VEHICLES TO OUR, UM, OUR FLEET SO THAT ALL BRANCHES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE ACCOUNT TO ACCOUNT VISITS TO LOCAL SCHOOLS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THEN WE'VE CELEBRATED ANNIVERSARIES.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY'S 20 YEARS OLD.
HELENS LIBRARY JUST TURNED 10.
BEAUFORT BRANCH IS ABOUT TO TURN 30 THIS SATURDAY AT A, A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY PARTY OF WHICH YOU'RE INVITED.
UH, LOCO TURNS 20 LATER THIS SUMMER, AND HILTON HEAD RECENTLY TURNED 24.
AND THEN WE ALSO MADE SOME PROGRESS ON SPECIAL PROJECTS.
UM, WE'VE, UM, INCREASED OUR OUTREACH TO THE HISPANIC SPEAKING POPULATION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT'S A GROWING POPULATION, ESPECIALLY SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND WE HAVE MADE IT A SPECIAL EFFORT TO TRY TO PROVIDE EVENTS AS WELL AS COLLECTIONS IN SPANISH LANGUAGE TOO, SO AS TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HOSTING OUR FIRST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A WRITER, A LOCAL WRITER, WHO IS PROVIDING WORKSHOPS OUT OF THE HILTON HEAD LIBRARY RIGHT NOW.
WITH THE HELP OF THE BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD CHAMBER, UH, LEADERSHIP CLASS, UM, INSTALLED A STORY WALK.
AND OUR, OUR BENEFIT OF THAT IS THAT WE GET TO SWITCH OUT THE STORIES EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND THEN WE ALSO ISSUED, UM, A NEW E-NEWSLETTER CALLED THE CURRENT, WHICH GOES TO EVERY SINGLE LIBRARY CARD HOLDER TO LET THEM KNOW ALL THE THINGS THEIR LIBRARY'S DOING.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THIS PAST YEAR WE ADDED ACCESS TO NEW YORK TIMES AND WALL STREET JOURNAL.
WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR HOOPLA OFFERINGS, AND THEN WE ADDED ALSO ABOUT 36,000 PHYSICAL ITEMS TO OURSELVES.
SO THE IDEA THAT YOUR LIBRARY IS GROWING IS IMPACT TRUE.
WE ALSO UPDATED OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THAT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT IT.
WE WANT TO BE USER FOCUSED, FOCUS ALSO ON OUR COLLECTIONS, CREATE WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE LIBRARY SPACES, AND ALSO DELIVER TIMELY, RELEVANT COMMUNICATION.
AND THEN LAST, HOW DO WE DO EVEN BETTER? IN FISCAL YEAR 24, WE WANNA CONTINUE TO RENOVATE OUR EXISTING FACILITIES WHERE IT'S NEEDED.
WE ALSO WANT TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THOSE NEW LIBRARY LOCATIONS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND ANY THAT HAVE COME ABOUT BY HAPPENSTANCE SUCH AS THE PORT ROYAL LIBRARY TO DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO INCREASE STAFFING LEVELS TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH OF OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM, WHICH WILL GO IN LINE WITH PURSUING OUR GOALS IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, ULTIMATELY TO INCREASE COMMUNITY AWARENESS, ENGAGEMENT, AND UTILIZATION OF THE FREE LIBRARY SERVICES.
I END EVERY PRESENTATION WITH THIS SLIDE, WHICH PRETTY MUCH SAYS, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY CONSIDERED HAVING A BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY, YOUR WELCOME, THE SMARTEST DECISION YOU'VE EVER MADE.
AND IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE TO SIGN YOU UP,
MY NAME IS AMANDA, AND THIS IS HOW YOU MAY REACH ME.
I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
YOUR ONLINE ACCESS TO THE TIMES AND JOURNAL, IS THAT FROM THE, UH, EQUIPMENT IN YOUR LIBRARY?
[04:10:01]
NO, SIR.BUT I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO THROUGH OUR WEBSITE TO DO IT.
THE WAY THAT IT KNOWS THAT IT'S FREE AND UNDER OUR SUBSCRIPTION IS JUST CLICK THROUGH OUR WEBSITE.
SO BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BUTTON THERE.
SO PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIBRARY CARDS, IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T REQUIRE A LIBRARY CARD, JOSH, ISN'T THAT RIGHT? YOU CAN ACCESS, YOU JUST CLICK IT THROUGH OUR MM-HMM.
SO AT THE LIBRARY, WHEN PEOPLE COME TO USE IT THOUGH, THEY CAN ACCESS IT THERE AS WELL.
DO YOU FIND THAT TO BE SUFFICIENT? IT HAS BEEN.
MR. CHAIRMAN, HAVE A QUESTION? YES.
IT'S A LOADED QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW THIS, UM, VERY EXCITING THAT PORT ROYALS COMING ON, AND LIKE YOU SAID, THAT WAS KIND OF A LUCKY DEAL, BUT WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE IT.
UM, MY SECOND THOUGHT IS, AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE INFO, WHY WE NEED A BRANCH IN PRITCHARD BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY, WE HAVE ONE IN BLUFFTON.
WHY DO YOU NEED ANOTHER ONE? AND IT GOES IN LINE WITH ALL THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, THE GROWTH.
BUT CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A HOT ITEM ON THE TABLE FOR COUNCIL.
NOW WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, BUT THE CLIFF NOTES VERSION OF THAT IS THAT, UM, IN THE AREA THAT YOU'RE AWARE, WE'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR LAND, UM, JUST IN THAT ONE STRETCH BETWEEN 2 78 AND HIGHWAY 46.
THERE ARE OVER 13,000 RESIDENTS.
UM, AND EACH ONE OF THOSE HAS TO DRIVE 10 MILES TO GET TO THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY.
WELL, WE KNOW THAT THAT'S 10 MILES ON THE SURFACE, BUT 10 MILES IN ACTUALITY,
WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THAT.
IT'S ALSO SUPPORTED BY OUR, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, OVER A HUNDRED COMMENTS WERE RELATED TO WHY WAS THE NEW RIVERSIDE LIBRARY OR THE PRITCHARD VIEW LIBRARY REMOVED? THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION IS THAT A LIBRARY IN THAT AREA IS NOT SUPPORTED, EVEN THOUGH IT IS UNDESIRED.
THE LIBRARY HAS A PLAN IN 2010, AND IT'S ON THE 2040 PLAN NOW.
UM, AND POPULATION CONTINUES TO EXPLODE IN THAT AREA.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, BASED ON ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE BY RESIDENTS IN THE AREA THAT THEY WANT IT.
AND WE KNOW FROM THE USAGE STATISTICS OF THE BLUFFTON BRANCH LIBRARY THAT, UM, THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY IS STRETCHED TO ACCOMMODATE THE POPULATION IN BLUFF AND PROPER, AS WELL AS THE POPULATION THAT HAS EXPANDED TOWARDS PORTERVILLE AND RIVERSIDE AND ALSO ALL THE WAY UP TO THE HARDY BILL.
AND THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY HAS THE LARGEST USAGE OF PATRONS COMING IN AND SO ON.
HISTORICALLY, IT HAS IT NECK AND NECK THIS PAST YEAR, UM, WITH HILTON HEAD IN THAT, UM, FOR PARTIAL OF THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
UM, BLUFFTON STEPS WERE A LITTLE DOWNPLAYED, UM, GIVEN THE FACT THEY WERE CLOSED FOR RENOVATION, NOT FULLY CLOSED, BUT THEIR MEETING ROOMS AND DIFFERENT THINGS DEFINITELY CURTAILED USAGE OF THAT BRANCH DURING THAT TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ENJOY YOUR PEPPERMINT AND THE REST OF YOUR AFTERNOON.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE STEPHANIE NGE, UH, TO COME SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR PASSIVE PROGRAM.
SO THANKS A RESIDENT, TAKE A LIBRARY.
DO YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER THAT? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
SO, OR AMANDA, THE QUESTION WAS, DO MUST YOU BE A RESIDENT OF BUFORD COUNTY TO GET A LIBRARY CARD? YOU WANNA EXPLAIN HOW A JASPER COUNTY COULD GET IT? SURE.
COST OF OUR PARTNERSHIP IN SOUTH CAROLINA LENS CONSORTIUM, UM, A RESIDENT IN JASPER COUNTY CAN USE THEIR ALLENDALE HAMPTON, JASPER REGIONAL CARD TO CHECK OUT PHYSICAL ITEMS. THE ONLY THING FROM OUR BRANCHES, I SHOULD BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT, OR BOOK MOBILE.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT THEIR CARD DOESN'T ALLOW THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY CARDHOLDERS CAN ACCESS IS DIGITAL RESOURCES.
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH HOW THOSE VENDORS BILL US FOR THAT.
SO, UM, IF A PERSON LIVING IN JASPER COUNTY WANTED TO UTILIZE PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL THINGS THAT BEAVER COUNTY CARD HOLDERS CAN ACCESS, THEY CAN GET A OUTTA COUNTY CARD, WHICH IS STILL CHEAPER THAN AMAZON
AND IT'S $45 THOUGH, I BELIEVE.
I DOUBLE CHECK ON OUR WEBSITE AND I BELIEVE THE FEE WAS SAID TO MIRROR WHAT A RESIDENT PAYS INTO A LIBRARY TAXES.
[04:15:01]
GOOD AFTERNOON.AND, UH, I WAS ACTUALLY, UM, VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY DURING JARED'S LOVELY SPEECH, UM, REGARDING WHY YOU CAME HERE AND WHY YOU LIKE BUFORD COUNTY.
AND THE THINGS THAT I PICKED UP WERE NATURE, WILDLIFE, AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
AND I HAVE THE AMAZING JOB OF MANAGING AND MAINTAINING ROLLING CRITICAL LANDS THAT THE COUNTY HAS PURCHASED TO BE SIMPLE FOR EXACTLY THOSE THINGS.
SO SOMETHING I WANTED TO JUST START WITH A BRIEF NATIONAL STATISTIC IS, UM, SOMETHING I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE KNOW.
UM, OUTDOOR RECREATION CONTRIBUTED 2% OF THE NATIONAL G D P IN 2021 THAT IS ABOVE VEHICLE SALES AND OIL AND GAS.
SO IT IS A VERY HIGH DEMAND NATIONAL, UM, ACTIVITY AND DEFINITELY, UM, IS A SPOTLIGHT IN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BE COUNTY.
YOU WILL ALSO HEAR, UM, COMING UP, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE ANYBODY'S THUNDER, BUT, UM, THERE WAS A PARKS AND RECREATION SURVEY AND PASSIVE RECREATION AND HIKING TRAILS WERE IN, UH, TOP OF THE, UM, RESPONDENTS FOR THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO THAT WILL GET ELABORATED ON LATER, BUT ALSO TIES INTO THE PASSIVE PARENT PROGRAM.
SO FIVE YEARS AGO, MARCH EXACTLY FIVE YEARS AGO, I WAS HIRED TO, UH, CREATE PUBLIC ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES AND PASSIVE RECREATION, OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE ACQUIRED THROUGH THE RURAL AND CRITICAL PROGRAM, AND WAS CREATED BY COUNTY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.
AS THE CASA PARKS PROGRAM, CURRENTLY WE HAVE A OVER OR JUST UNDER 14,000 ACRES OF LAND IN THAT PROGRAM, UH, IN THE PROGRAM THAT I MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THAT IS ENCOMPASSED IN 50 INDIVI DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES.
14 OF THOSE ARE ACTUALLY OPEN TO THE PUB PUBLIC RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE FOUR UPCOMING NEW PASSIVE PARKS THAT YOU'LL SEE HIGHLIGHTED HERE SHORTLY.
THAT ALSO INCLUDES 14 DIFFERENT INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS THAT I HAVE TO, UM, MANAGE AND COOPERATE WITH OTHER OUTSIDE ENTITIES LIKE THE TOWNS, THE CITIES, UM, MARINE CORPS, AIR STATION, UH, STATE DNR.
WE HAVE 11 LEASE AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE AND, UM, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
17 USE AGREEMENTS WITH DIFFERENT PRIVATE ENTITIES.
YOU TYPICALLY NONPROFIT IN INDIVIDUALS.
THERE ARE TWO ORGANIZED FRENCH GROUPS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT DID COME UP IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL FRIENDS GROUP THAT HAS JUST REACHED OUT TODAY FOR PROPERTY AND ALL OF THIS DONE UP UNTIL JULY 1ST LAST YEAR WITH JUST ME.
AND THEN, THEN AS OF JULY LAST YEAR, I WAS ABLE TO HIRE A PARK RANGER.
SO ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THESE THINGS.
WE ALSO HAVE IN THE UPCOMING YEAR, UM, SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 3 MILLION IN RURAL AND CRITICAL BOND FUNDING.
UM, WHEN I FIRST WAS, UH, BROUGHT ON BOARD, UH, THERE IS NO LINE ITEM FOR ME IN THE GENERAL REVENUE.
UM, AS OF UP UNTIL THIS BUDGET SEASON, THERE IS NOTHING FOR PASSIVE PARKS EXCEPT FOR IN THE RURAL AND CRITICAL BOND.
UM, SO THAT WAS A CHALLENGE TO TRY AND ACCOMPLISH WHAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE BOND, WITH JUST HAVING THAT BOND FUNDING.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE JUST SLIGHTLY UNDER 3 MILLION THAT IS GOING TO IN BE SPENT, UM, PROBABLY BY THE END OF END OF CALENDAR YEAR NEXT.
SO SOME OF THE SUCCESSES WE'VE HAD TO DATE, WE ARE ABLE TO OPEN UP WIDGET POINT PRESERVE.
WE DID SPEND ABOUT ONE POINT, ALMOST 1.3 MILLION ON THAT PROPERTY, UM, TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HIKING TRAIL.
UH, LOTS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE, BIRD WATCHING.
IT'S GOT A PICNIC PAVILION, A BIRD BLIND, AND, UM, SOME PORTABLE TOILET RESTROOM, UM, SHELTER.
WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO FINISH THE LOOP TRAIL AROUND CRYSTAL LAKE PARK.
SO THERE IS A TRAIL THAT GOES COMPLETELY AROUND THE LAKE OUT THERE.
UM, PRIOR TO ME COMING ON BOARD, THERE WAS SOME RENOVATIONS DONE TO AN OFFICE BUILDING THERE.
SO MY OFFICE AND ONE OF OUR TENANTS IS IN THAT OFFICE SPACE, AND WE SPENT ABOUT $400,000 ON THAT TRAIL.
THE FORT FREDERICK HERITAGE PRESERVE IS IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL.
WE SPENT JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS ON THAT.
AND THAT WAS IN COMBINATION WITH SOUTH CAROLINA DNR.
THEY PUT OUT SOME INTERPRETIVE SIGNS FOR THE FORT THERE, FORT RUINS.
AND THEN WE DEVELOPED THE ACCESS IN THE PARKING IN THE PICNIC PAVILION.
ALSO LOOKING TO THE FUTURE TO DO
[04:20:01]
A PIER AND DOCK OUT THERE TOO.WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO SPEND ALMOST 1.7 MILLION AT FORT FREMONT PRESERVE FOR THE HISTORY CENTER.
SO WE DO HAVE A, UH, LARGE HISTORY CENTER THERE THAT HAS A GREAT DIORAMA.
THERE'S RESTROOMS, THERE'S ADA SIDEWALKS, SO PEOPLE CAN VIEW THE FORT.
WE HAVE INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE AND THE FRIENDS OF FORT FREMONT, UM, MANN THE HISTORY CENTER AT CERTAIN HOURS.
AND AS THEY BUILD THEIR VOLUNTEER CAPACITY, THEY'RE OPENING IT UP, UM, FOR MORE HOURS, MORE DAYS, MORE OFTEN.
UH, SO IN MARCH WE ACTUALLY ARE GONNA BE OPEN FOR THREE DAYS OF THE WEEK, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY WITH THE FRIENDS VOLUNTEERING THERE TO PROVIDE INTERPRETIVE TOURS, DOCENT TOURS, AND INTERACT WITH PUBLIC.
SOME THINGS WE HAVE COMING SOON, AS IN, IN THE NEXT YEAR, UH, THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, UH, WHITE HALL PARK IS JUST ABOUT TO BE OPENED.
UM, IT IS CLOSE TO 1.8 MILLION FOR THE COMPLETION OF THAT PROJECT AND INCLUDES, UH, PARKING AREA, ENTRANCE GATE, MULTI-USE PATHWAY THAT CONNECTS TO THE EXISTING BOARDWALK THAT GOES ONTO WOODS MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
SO PEOPLE CAN GO FROM DOWNTOWN TO MERIDIAN AND BACK, UH, PIGGY PAVILION WITH RESTROOMS AND DRINKING FOUNTAINS AS WELL.
SHELL RING NOT ON HILTON HEAD COMING UP.
IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE OVER 200,000, UM, TO DO A VERY SIMPLE HIKING TRAIL, AN INTERPRETIVE SIGN IN SMALL PARKING AREA SO PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THE 4,000 YEAR OLD ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE THAT'S THERE.
WE HAVE BAILEY MEMORIAL PARK IN BLUFFTON THAT IS GOING TO HAVE, UM, ROUGHLY $750,000 OF IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING, UM, PARKING AND PARKING FROM GOLF CARTS, UM, AS WELL AS TRAILS AND WILDLIFE BLINDS THROUGH THE WETLANDS IN THE AREA THAT IS IN THE AJOY COMMUNITY.
AND THEN IN OAK T RIVER PARK, ALSO IN THE BLUFFTON OAK T AREA, ALMOST $2 MILLION, UM, FOR A MULTI-USE TRAIL PARKING AND A PICNIC PICNIC PAVILION AS WELL.
UH, ALSO RIGHT THERE ON THE HEADWATERS OF THE OAK T RIVER.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES, UM, PREVIOUS SUCCESSES AND COMING SOON, EVEN FOR PASSIVE RECREATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $2 MILLION MILLION AND HALF TO $2 MILLION FOR FULL PLANNING, PERMITTING, AND THEN DEVELOPMENT OF THESE PROPERTIES WITH JUST THE SIMPLEST IMPROVEMENTS TO BE ABLE TO OPEN ACCESS AND GET PEOPLE OUT INTO NATURE.
SO SOME OF THE FUTURE NEEDS, ONE OF MY GOALS FIVE YEARS AGO WAS IN FIVE YEARS CREATE A PASSIVE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE COMING TO THIS BUDGET SEASON WITH FOR START OF FISCAL YEAR 24, IS TO ACTUALLY CREATE A DEPARTMENTAL OPERATING BUDGET IN THE GENERAL REVENUE.
UM, SO THAT'S GONNA BE ROUGHLY $400,000, UM, TO BE ADDED AS A NEW DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WHEN YOU BUY LAND, YOU CAN'T JUST LET IT SIT.
SO THINGS LIKE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, TIMBER MANAGEMENT, UH, WILDLIFE AND PLANT AND ANIMAL SURVEYS.
SO WE KNOW WHAT TO TELL PEOPLE THAT WHAT'S ON THE PROPERTY, HOW TO ENGAGE THEM IN THE CONSERVATION OF THE PROPERTY, HOW TO, UM, ENCOURAGE YOUNG MINDS TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT THEY DO IN NATURE.
UH, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT'S ON THE PROPERTY AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BALD EAGLES AT WHICH POINT ARE A HUGE DRAW.
SO IF WE DIDN'T DO SURVEYS FOR ON THE LAND, THEN IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE, WHY ARE THESE PLACES IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO, TO WANT TO PROTECT THEM.
WE ALSO WANNA START THINGS LIKE PRESCRIBED BURNING OF A PRESCRIBED BURN PROGRAM THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO INTERACT MORE WITH SOUTH CAROLINA DNR AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER, UM, HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE ON POTENTIAL LARGE PURCHASES OF LAND THAT IS NOT GOING TO OCCUR ON MANY PROPERTIES IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT IN THIS AREA.
AND A DEFINITE, UM, DESIRE BY SOME OF THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THAT OCCUR.
SO IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT, WE DO NEED SOME INCREASE IN STAFFING AND VEHICLES.
UH, THE FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET, I'M GONNA ASK FOR A PASSIVE PARKS NATURALIST TO ADD TO OUR STAFF OF TWO.
SO WE'LL HAVE A STAFF OF THREE.
UH, THAT NATURALIST POSITION IS GOING TO DO, UM, MAINLY FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.
I WANNA CREATE AN ACCREDITED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
THERE'S A NATIONAL STANDARD, AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT PERSON WILL BE ABLE TO CREATE A PROGRAM AND WORK US THROUGH THAT.
UM, THAT PERSON IS ALSO GOING TO COORDINATE MORE WITH VOLUNTEERS AND THE FRENCH GROUPS AND GET
[04:25:01]
MORE VOLUNTEERS AND MORE, MORE, UM, ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING SOMETHING PASSIVELY OPENED.WE WANNA ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH PARKS.
AND THEN MAINTENANCE WILL ALSO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL PARK RANGERS, WHETHER THAT'S HIRED THROUGH MY DEPARTMENT OR PARKS AND RECREATION.
UM, I DO RELY ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS AT THIS TIME TO ASSIST IN A LOT OF THE MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THESE PROPERTIES AS FAR AS MOWING GRASS, PICKING UP TRASH, BLOWING OFF SIDEWALKS AND SIDEWALKS.
UM, SO WE WILL NEED SOME ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE FOLKS, ESPECIALLY AS MORE PROPERTIES COME ON BOARD.
SOME PRIORITY PASSIVE PARK PROJECTS COMING UP INCLUDE NEW RIVERSIDE REGIONAL PRESERVE.
THIS IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT DONATION OF FUNDS.
SO WHEN I WAS FIRST HIRED, IT WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST CONCEPTUAL PLANS I CREATED.
THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE FIVE YEARS AGO WAS 7 MILLION.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S GOING UP IN PRICE.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE IT INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF A, I THINK, SLIGHTLY OVER HALF MILE LONG ROAD TO GET FROM NEW RIVERSIDE DRIVE TO OUR ACTUAL PROPERTY.
SO FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE BEEN IN THE COUNTY HAS BEEN IN SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH ADJACENT LANDOWNERS TO TRY AND GET THAT ROAD BUILT.
UM, SO WE'RE STILL CONTINUING THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
UH, WHITE HALL PARK DOES NEED TO APPEAR IN A DOCK, SO I'M HOPING WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE VERY SOON.
PINE VIEW PRESERVE HAS A CONCEPTUAL PLAN.
WE'RE IN PHASE TWO PLANNING RIGHT NOW, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME FUNDING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
THERE ARE SOME SAFETY AND SECURITY, UM, THINGS HAPPENING AT FORT FREMONT REGARDING STAIRS AND RAILINGS AND, AND FENCING TO MAKE THE FORT, UM, SAFER FOR VISITORS.
SO WE'LL HAVE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS AT LEAST STARTING SOON TOO.
AND THEN I HAVE VARIOUS CONCEPTUAL PLANS, UM, AR IN AND AROUND PROPERTY, SMALL PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT WE OWN ADJACENT TO BOAT LANDINGS.
SO IN CONJUNCTION WITH JARED'S BOAT LANDING STUDY, WE CAN, UM, DEVELOP A NICE LITTLE PARK AT STATION CREEK, WHICH IS NEXT TO BUDDY AND ZOO AND AT JENKINS CREEK PROPERTY, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE INGS POINT BOAT LANDING.
SO HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE SOME COORDINATION BETWEEN OUR DEPARTMENTS SO WE CAN MAKE THOSE BOAT LANDINGS MORE OF A PARK EXPERIENCE AND NOT JUST A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO DUMP IN A BOAT.
HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, YOU BOAT BACK AND ENJOY THE SCENERY AND, YOU KNOW, BIRD WATCH AT THE SAME TIME.
HELEN ISLAND IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TWO.
SO THOSE ARE JUST THE TIER ONE AND TWO PROPERTIES.
UM, I ALSO STILL HAVE 14 OTHER TIER THREE PROPERTIES, WHICH ARE PROPERTIES THAT CURRENTLY HAVE NO PLAN, NO COMMUNITY SURVEY.
UM, THEY'RE VACANT LAND THAT'S READY TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE JUST NEED A VISION AND MONEY.
UM, SO IT IS DEFINITELY A LONG-TERM PLAN.
I HAVE, WHEN I FIRST STARTED, CREATED A A LONG-TERM WORK PLAN AND, UM, AND THOSE PROPERTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THAT PLAN.
THEY'RE JUST A, A LOWER PRIORITY DUE TO VARIOUS FACTORS SUCH AS INTEREST, FUNDING AND, UM, PARTNERSHIPS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN? I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, PINE VIEW, UH, YOU SAID YOU'RE IN STAGE TWO MM-HMM.
CAN YOU KIND OF TELL ME WHAT THE NEXT STEPS FOR THAT LOOK LIKE? YES.
SO PINEVIEW PHASE TWO PLANNING INCLUDES CREATING THE CIVIL DRAWINGS, AND THEN WITH THAT CIVIL DRAWING OF THE, BASICALLY THE PARKING AREA, THE RESTROOM, THE TRAIL, UM, I CAN, UM, USE THAT PLAN TO GO AND TRY AND GET GRANT FUNDING.
WE CAN KIND OF CAPITAL, UM, FUNDING REQUEST WE HAVE.
AND THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE, UH, YOU SAID YOU HAD 50, APPROXIMATELY 50 PROPERTIES.
UM, WITH 14 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WHY AREN'T THE OTHER ONES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? DO THEY JUST NOT HAVE, UH, BOARDWALKS OR, OR THERE'S NO ACCESS, IT'S JUST VACANT CAN LAND ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD.
SO IS IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH LETTING THE PUBLIC GO ON THOSE? LIKE IT KIND OF INTERACT YOUR OWN RISK THING? UM, THERE'S NO WAY TO, UM, THERE'S NO WAY TO ENFORCE ANY, LIKE IF SOMEBODY STARTS A FIRE, UM, THAT WOULD BE A HAZARD TO THE NEIGHBORS.
IT WOULD BE A HAZARD FOR US, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS LIABILITY AND INSURANCE REASONS.
AND, UM, SO THOSE PROPERTIES ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE HAVE A SAFE WAY OF PROVIDING ACCESS.
WE, WE, WE CAN'T TELL PEOPLE THEY CAN'T GO ON THERE, BUT WE SHOULDN'T TELL PEOPLE THEY CAN, I'M CURIOUS.
IF THEY GO ON IT AT THEIR OWN WRIST AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING
[04:30:01]
AB SEND THE POLICE OUT THERE AND, AND PULL 'EM OFFANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, GO QUICKLY.
UH, UM, THE OKEE PARK PRESERVE, UH, IS THAT THE ONE THAT HAS THE, UM, WOULD BE CONNECTED TO THE S PEPPER HALL? YES.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE 14 THAT IS NOT YET OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO OKEE MARSH, WHICH IS THE ONE BEHIND THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
UM, ONE THAT WE JUST APPROVED FOR THE, UH, OLD GRO, I MEAN THE, UM, OLD TREES.
UM, IS THAT, AT ONE TIME WE TALKED ABOUT CONNECTING THAT TO THE, UM, THE, UM, THE GRAYS PROPERTY, THE OGA T RIVER PARK? YEAH.
IS THAT POSSIBLE, OR WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE AS A CAUSE A PATHWAY OR SOME SORT? WE WOULD HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH, UM, D O T IN ORDER TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO PUT A BOARDWALK OR PATH UNDER THE BRIDGE THERE AT THE RIVER.
UM, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M PLANNING ON LOOKING INTO, BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE IF IT CAN, IF IT CAN HAPPEN, IT SHOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION THAT I THINK YEAH.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE OVERGROWN, I MEAN THE OVER TREES AND STUFF IN THIS PARKING ONE PLACE AND THEN WALKING.
TO ME, THAT WOULD BE A NATURAL HABITAT TO REALLY TRAVEL.
I JUST WANNA TAKE A MINUTE TO, TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND APPLAUD YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO WITH THAT STAFF OF
DISCIPLINE WHEN YOU GET IT ALL DONE AND THE RESULTS YOU ACHIEVED ARE REMARKABLE.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. SHANNON LOBAR, PASSIVE, UH, EXCUSE ME, OUR ACTIVE PARKS AND REC, A LOT OF PARKS.
SHE'S GONNA SHARE SOME, UH, CONTEXT FOR OUR ACTIVE RECREATION PROGRAMS AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
AND THEN INTRODUCE OUR, UH, MASTER PLAN CONSULTANT.
MINE SHOULD BE KAWIS WITH THE MASTER PLAN.
WHERE DO I CLICK IT AT? JUST OVER.
SO I'LL START WITH, UM, ONE OF OUR LARGER GROWING PROGRAMS, UM, THAT WE STARTED THIS PAST, UM, FISCAL YEAR IS OUR SENIOR PROGRAM.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WHEN WE TOOK IT OVER FROM COUNSELING ON AGING, WE HAD TWO ORIGINAL CENTERS, WHICH WERE BURTON I WAS IN ST.
UM, SINCE, UM, WHEN WE TOOK IT OVER, WE OPENED IT UP COUNTYWIDE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, HE, THESE ARE OUR CURRENT NUMBERS OF OUR SENIORS IN THE PROGRAMS. UM, BLUFFTON, WE HAVE 64 BOOKER T 48 BURTON WALLS, 57 PORT ROYAL, 50 SCOTT CENTER 22, AND ST.
UM, SO IT'S GROWING RATHER QUICKLY.
UM, THE NEXT IS JUST, UM, I, I PUT UP SOME PICTURES, UM, TO SHOW YOU GUYS WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THEY DO.
UM, THE SENIORS MEET EVERY DAY AT EACH CENTER MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
UH, WE TAKE 'EM ON FIELD TRIPS TO THE FAIR.
UM, WE DO COOKING ACTIVITIES WITH THEM.
UM, THE PUMPKIN PATCH, THE FARMER'S MARKETS.
UM, WE HAVE ONE OF OUR OLDEST SENIORS IN BLUFFTON THAT, UM, TURNED 104 THIS YEAR.
UM, THESE WERE INDIVIDUAL CHRISTMAS PARTIES AT EACH OF THE CENTERS THAT WE DID.
AND THEN WE HAD A LARGE CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR ALL OF THE CENTERS AT BURTON WELLS.
UM, CURRENTLY AT OUR CENTERS, WE PROVIDE FOOD THAT, UM, WE PARTNER WITH LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL, GOVERNMENTS, LOW COG, AND WE HAVE A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR, UM, GRANT THROUGH THEM THAT WE PROVIDE FOOD AT BLUFFTON BURTON WELLS IN ST.
UM, FOOD IS CURRENTLY NOT PROVIDED AT
[04:35:01]
BOOKER T, PORT ROYAL AND SCOTT.AND WHEN I SAY NOT PROVIDED, IT'S NOT PROVIDED BY LOCOG, WE ACTUALLY PURCHASED THAT FOOD AND, AND THE, UM, STAFF THERE HAS TO PREPARE IT AND FIX IT FOR THE SENIORS.
UM, WE REACHED OUT TO LOCOG, WHO WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT WE GREW AS RAPIDLY AS WE DID.
AND, UM, WE'LL BE OUT OF FUNDING FOR OUR FOOD AT OUR OTHER CENTERS, UM, BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, THE FIRST OF NEXT MONTH.
AND SO THEN WE'LL START PROVIDING THE FOOD, UM, FOR THOSE CENTERS AS WELL.
UM, I'M, I DON'T WANT TO UNDER, I DON'T WANT Y'ALL TO UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPACT THAT WHAT SHANNON AND HER TEAM HAS DONE WITH THE SENIOR PROGRAMMING IN THIS COUNTY HAS HAD FOR THEM.
UH, THE GROWTH IN THOSE PROGRAMS SINCE WE'VE TAKEN IT BACK OVER HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.
UM, WE'VE GETTING A, WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO WHAT SHANNON HAS DONE WITH SETTING UP THAT PROGRAM AND TAKING IT BACK OVER.
UM, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE DONE THAT.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALREADY SPENT, THE BUDGET FOR FOOD, I THINK SHOWS YOU ALL THAT WE'RE MEETING A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THIS ASPECT OF OUR POPULATION.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M PROUDEST OF AS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT AND THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND, OF COURSE, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, TAKE BACK OVER AND ESTABLISH.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I COMMAND SHANNON AND THE FOLKS AT PARKS AND REC, UH, FACILITIES FOR THE JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THAT PROGRAM.
AND, AND, AND I'LL SAY THANKS.
UM, ERIC'S BEEN GREAT, YOU KNOW, UM, WENT TO HIM A FEW TIMES AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE GONNA RUN OUTTA MONEY.
SO IT'S, IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PROGRAM.
UM, SUMMER CAMPS LAST YEAR, UM, AT LYNN BROWN AND BLUFFTON CENTER.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE 'EM OUT FOR BOOKER T BROOMFIELD, UM, BURTON WELLS, DALE, GLORIA POTS, UM, PORT ROYAL AND SCOTT CENTER, AS WELL AS BLUFFTON CENTER.
UM, SO WE HOPE TO HAVE SUMMER CAMP AT EACH OF THE CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THIS YEAR.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, UM, WE WILL BE, UM, PUTTING IN THE BUDGET TO REQUEST ANOTHER POSITION TO ASSIST, UM, OUR PROGRAMS MANAGER, UM, WITH THE, UM, SENIORS AND THE SUMMER CAMP AS SHE HANDLES BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS. UM, I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WITH THOSE PROGRAMS QUESTIONS? UM, THE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM, I SAW THE AD FOR THE EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY.
IS IT GONNA GO BEYOND THAT? SO WE DID, WE STARTED IT OUT AFTER, UM, UM, TALKING WITH ERIC ABOUT IT.
WE STARTED IT OUT THAT WE, UM, ADVERTISED IT FOR OUR, UM, COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
UM, THEN WE'RE GOING OUT TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO A LOTTERY SYSTEM FOR THE PUBLIC.
ANY OTHERS? I I JUST WANT TO ECHO, UM, ECHO WHAT MR. GREENWAY HERE.
UH, I'VE NOT HEARD ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE SENIOR PROGRAM.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, UM, THEY'RE VERY PLEASED, UM, TO BE UP AND RUNNING AND AFTER COVID, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY, UH, RELATED TO BE JUST BACK OUT THERE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU CUZ UM, IF THEY WERE NOT, UM, OKAY.
WITH THE PROGRAM, BUT FUN THAN RINGING, SO YEAH.
IF, IF I MIGHT ADD TO THAT, I, UM, I, I VISITED THE BURTON WELL CENTER ON, UH, SUB LOCATION, I THINK ABOUT THREE TIMES.
AND, UM, TO SEE, UH, EXCITEMENT AND THEN THE ANCY OF THE SENIORS AS THEY INTERACT EACH OTHER, THE TIMES THAT I'VE BEEN THERE, UM, UH, IT SHOWS THAT THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN REVAMPED AND YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF REVITALIZING THAT PROGRAM TO THE POINT WHERE THE SENIORS ARE, UH, UH, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING AND SPENDING THEIR DAY THERE AT BRICKING WHEELS.
UM, I HADN'T BEEN OUT TO THE BROOKER TWO WASHINGTON CENTER YET, BUT I'LL HOPEFULLY I'LL GET AROUND THERE.
UH, NOT BEFORE A WEEK, WITHOUT MAYBE NEXT WEEK, BUT, UM, TO SEE THE PROGRAM, UH, AND THE STATE THAT IT IS NOW, VERSUS BEFORE, UH, YOU PARTNERED WITH L CLARK.
AND, UM, UH, IT, THE MORALE AND THE ATMOSPHERE WASN'T, WASN'T THAT PLEASANT AS IT IS NOW.
SO I COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION, I COMMEND YOU AND, AND YOUR STAFF WILL THANK YOU ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS COUNCIL TO HELP, UH, FOSTER THAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND AND
[04:40:01]
YOUR SENIORS, THEN LET US KNOW.WE'RE GONNA PUT IN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PUT IN, UM, A LOT MORE MONEY FOR THE SENIOR PROGRAM AND THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
UM, MAINLY BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, TO KEEP THEM EXERCISING, KEEP THEIR MIND SHARP, AND WE HOPE TO GROW IT EVEN MORE.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, IT IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
IT, IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, NOW SERVE THE COMMUNITY FROM FOUR YEAR OLDS ALL THE WAY UP TO 104 YEAR OLDS.
JUST QUICKLY, MR. OH NO, GO AHEAD.
UM, WHAT TIME DO THE SENIORS COME AND HOW LATE DID THEY STAY? SO, UM, WE KIND OF DID A SURVEY WITH EACH OF THE CENTERS.
UM, BUT ON AVERAGE THEY COME FROM NINE TO 10 AND STAY FROM TWO TO THREE.
THEY ARRIVE UNTIL NINE TO 10, AND THEY STAY TILL TWO TO THREE.
SO YOU'RE JUST, WHAT ARE YOU SERVING AS FAR AS FOOD? JUST THE LUNCH SERVICE.
SO WITH ELK COG, THEY HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH A FOOD PROGRAM, SENIOR CATERING, THAT COMES OUT OF ORANGEBURG THAT BRINGS THE FOOD.
UM, SO THEY GET SERVED DIFFERENT MEALS.
UM, WELL, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FULL DAIRY AND, AND, AND NUTRITIONAL MEAL WITH THE, THE MEAT, THE VEGETABLES, YOU KNOW, UM, THE STARCHES AND ALL.
UM, AND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE SNACKS AND STUFF.
WE PROVIDE COFFEE, UM, LEMONADE AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR 'EM.
UM, BUT THEY DO, WE, WE MAKE SURE THAT CALENDARS COME TO ME, UM, EACH MONTH AND I MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A COUPLE OF CRAFTS ON THERE.
UM, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT GAMES.
UM, THEY PLAY TRIVIA WITH THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY DO A, IT'S A, THEY DO CHAIR EXERCISE WITH THEM.
UM, EACH OF THE CENTERS WE'VE PURCHASED A TREADMILL, UM, FOR 'EM SO THAT THEY, THEY'RE THE SENIOR TREADMILLS THAT THEY CAN HOLD ONTO AND WALK MM-HMM.
UM, SO WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
DO THEY, DO THEY, IF IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET IT, DO THEY, CAN THEY HAVE A BREAKFAST AND LUNCH SERVICE BEFORE THEY GO HOME? UM, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO BUDGET FOR.
BUT, UM, YES, WE DON'T DO THAT NOW.
THANK, THAT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
BUT IF YOU ALL KEEP THRUSTING, THAT'S WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS SERVICE WAS, IT'S ONE MEAL.
UH, AT THIS POINT, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'LL BE, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED PERCENT HONEST WITH YOU.
UM, SOME OF THEM DO RELY ON THAT MEAL.
THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY REALLY DO.
YOU KNOW, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DID A SURVEY WITH THEM AND, YOU KNOW, ASK, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WANTED EACH OF 'EM TO KNOW IF THERE WAS ONE OF 'EM THAT NEEDED HELP ON THE SIDE, YOU KNOW, LET US KNOW BECAUSE WE WILL STEP UP AND HELP YOU.
SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM DO.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, YOU SAID YOU TOOK A FIELD TRIP TO THE STATE FAIR IN COLUMBIA.
THEY'VE GONE TO THE FAIR, THEY'VE GONE, UM, THEY DID THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS THIS YEAR.
UM, THEY'VE GONE TO MUSEUMS IN SAVANNAH.
UM, THEY, THEY, THEY GO, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO ON THEIR FIELD TRIPS AND WE'RE NOW EVEN PLANNING, UM, TO TRY TO GIVE THEM OPTIONS OF HOPEFULLY SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE LONG DISTANCE FIELD TRIPS NOW THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF BUSES, SHANNON.
SO WE DO HAVE, IN ADDITION TO OUR MEALS THAT ARE SERVED INSIDE OF OUR CENTERS, WE ALSO ON FRIDAYS, UM, PARTNERED WITH LOCOG AND WE, UM, SERVICE THE COMMUNITY WITH FROZEN MEALS.
SO THOSE THAT ARE HOME BOUND AND CAN'T GET OUT, WE DELIVER, UM, MEALS FOR THE WEEK FOR THEM.
AND, UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, A BUNCH OF PART-TIME STAFF, UM, THAT GOES OUT AND, UM, TO DIFFERENT ROUTES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, WHEN THE, I THINK THAT I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT STORM IT WAS THIS YEAR THAT WE WERE TOLD, YOU KNOW, WE WERE CLOSED, WE GOT A SHELTER IN AND, UM, MYSELF AND, UM, MY STAFF SPENT THE DAY OUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THOSE MEALS GOT OUT TO ALL OF THEM AS WELL.
SHANNON, IF I MIGHT, UM, SPEAKING OF THE SENIORS, AND WE KNOW THEY'RE AGING.
WE GOT 104 YEAR OLD IN THE GROUP, UM, FOR SOME OF THEM, UH, GETTING ON AND OFF ON A BUS, HAVING TO STEP UP THOSE STEPS ARE PROBLEMATIC.
WHERE ARE WE WITH THE, UH, UPGRADE OF A VEHICLE WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE SIDE DOOR WITHOUT HAVING TO WALK UP THOSE STEPS? SO, UM, THE TWO NEW BUSES THAT WE PURCHASED HAVE THE RAMPS THAT COME DOWN.
UM, THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE RUNNING INTO RIGHT NOW IS CDL DRIVERS.
UM, AND THE FACT THAT, UM, I WAS HOPING THAT SOMEONE WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO COME IN, UM, AND DO THAT, BUT IN ORDER TO GET ENOUGH DRIVERS, UM, THE LAST, UM, ONE I CHECKED INTO WAS OVER $6,000 IN INDIVIDUAL TO GET A, A CDL, UM, TRAINING.
AND, UM, I MEAN, WE NEED, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY ONE AT EACH CENTER PLUS A COUPLE OF BACKUPS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE OUT.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE CLOSE TO $60,000
[04:45:01]
THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PUT IN THE BUDGET TO DO THAT.UM, I WAS HOPING FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE COULD HIRE SOMEBODY PRIVATELY TO MAYBE COME IN.
UM, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THAT.
UM, WE ALSO DID THIS YEAR ASK, UM, FOR THREE NEW VANS, UM, BECAUSE LAST YEAR THE VANS THAT ERIC GAVE US THE MONEY FOR, WE ENDED UP USING FOR THE BUSES BECAUSE WE WERE IN MORE OF A DESPERATE NEED FOR THAT.
UM, BUT WE ARE GONNA ASK FOR THREE THIS YEAR AND THEN THREE MORE AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
UM, HOPEFULLY WITH THE, FOR THEM TO GO DOWN, UM, AND PICK THE SENIORS UP.
UM, THE SENIORS, SOME OF THEM DO LIKE THE SMALLER BUSES.
SOME OF THEM DO LIKE THE VANS, UM, BUT THE NEWER VANS THAT WE DID GET, THEY WERE USED.
UM, BUT BOTH OF THEM HAVE THE, UM, WHEELCHAIR ACCESS AND THAT ACTUALLY KNOW THAT THE WHEELCHAIRS CAN BE LOCKED IN THE VANS FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UM, SO ONTO AQUATICS, UM, WITH OUR AQUATICS, UM, WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE POOLS BEING REDONE, THE BLUFF AND POOL WITH THE ROOF THAT WAS REDONE, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO ADD, NOW WE HAVE THE, UM, INFLATABLES.
SO WE HAVE A SET OF INFLATABLES, UM, NORTH OF THE BROAD AND A SET OF INFLATABLES SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY POPULAR THING ON SATURDAYS THAT WE DO.
THE KIDS CAN COME IN, UM, BOUNCE ON THE INFLATABLE SWIM, YOU KNOW, DO THE OBSTACLE COURSE HAVE BEEN PICKED UP ON FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
SO, UM, ONCE WE CLOSE IN THE AFTERNOON ON SATURDAYS, WE HAVE, UM, HAD QUITE A FEW RENTALS FOR THE BIRTHDAY PARTIES ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR PRIVATE BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
SO IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH OUR AQUATICS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AQUATICS? JUST LIKE A COMMENT.
MY GRANDCHILDREN LOVE THE ONE AT BATTERY CREEK AND WEARS 'EM NOW.
UM, THIS, YOU KNOW, I JUST KIND OF FLEW UP THERE.
I'VE GOT OUR BUFORT NUMBERS AS WELL AS OUR, UM, BLUFFING NUMBERS.
UM, I CAN GET THIS OUT TO EVERYONE, BUT, UM, BASICALLY JUST TO SHOW THE GROWTH, UM, THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IN OUR YOUTH, UM, AND ADULT SPORTS.
UM, THE SLOWEST THAT WE HAD WAS THROUGH COVID.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, EACH YEAR, UM, WE HAVE ADDED, UM, NOT ONLY HAVE WE ADDED SPORTS, BUT WE HAVE ADDED PEOPLE.
UM, AND I THINK IT WAS THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT I HAD, AND I MENTIONED THAT WE GREW JUST IN BASKETBALL THIS YEAR BY 25 TEAMS. SO, UM, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF INCREASE IN, UM, AS FAR AS THE UNIFORMS AND OFFICIAL, UM, MONEY BECAUSE OF THE OFFICIALS AND STUFF.
UM, BUT WE ARE STEADY GROWING AND, UM, ARE GONNA BE MORE AND MORE AND MORE OF NEED OF FACILITIES.
QUESTIONS ON THE ATHLETICS? I HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE USE OF OUR FIELDS BY SCHOOLS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO, I'M SORRY TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT IN LIGHT OF WHAT I JUST WENT THROUGH WITH YOU AND CHARGED ON MM-HMM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT IS, BUT IF WE WANNA BE COLLABORATIVE WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEY SHOULD BE COLLABORATIVE WITH US, AND WHEN WE SAY IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY WE CHARGE FOR THEM.
SO WE, WE ACTUALLY DON'T CHARGE FOR THE USE OF THE FIELDS.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT WE, UM, WHEN BRITTANY AND I SAT DOWN AND, UM, NEGOTIATED WITH THE SCHOOL, UM, THE SCHOOL ACTUALLY CHARGES US, AND THEY CHARGE US REGULAR PRICE BECAUSE, UM, WE WERE TOLD THAT IT'S UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL PRINCIPAL AT THE SCHOOL.
UM, SO THE ONE YEAR THAT WE ASKED TO USE THE FIELDS FOR OUR, UM, CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL GAMES, UM, WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO PAY OVER $3,000 FOR USE OF THE TWO FIELDS.
UM, WE SAT DOWN, UM, THE CONTRACT HAD EXPIRED, UM, AND WENT BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO NOT CHARGE YOU.
WHAT WE WANT TO CHARGE FOR IS MATERIALS.
SO, UM, FOR INSTANCE, OUR GUYS LINE THE FIELDS FOR THEM.
WE DON'T CHARGE FOR LINING THE FIELDS, BUT WE CHARGE FOR THE CHALK THAT WE USE TO LINE THE FIELDS.
UM, WE, UM, DON'T CHARGE FOR THE, UM, BATHROOMS, BUT WE PUT IN MONEY FOR TOILETRIES.
UM, WE PUT IN MONEY JUST FOR THE, UM, BASIS BECAUSE WHAT WE WERE DOING IS WE WERE HAVING TO BUY A SET OF BASES OR PITCH AND RUBBERS, UM, YOU KNOW, ET CETERA FOR THE FIELDS.
AND THEN IT WAS COMING OUT OF OUR BUDGET FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO USE, AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BY THE END OF THEIR SEASONS.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE ACTUALLY CHARGE FOR.
UM, WE DON'T CHARGE FOR ANY USE OF THE FIELDS.
WE ONLY CHARGE FOR THE COSTS THAT WE TAKE IN FROM THE SCHOOLS.
[04:50:01]
TH THAT'S, THIS IS ONE SMALL PIECE OF A VERY LARGE CONVERSATION AND, UH, WE HAD A CALL WITH OUR MASTERMIND CONSULTANT LAST WEEK IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING, AND WE SPENT A LARGE PORTION OF THAT TIME TALKING ABOUT FIELD USAGE AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FIELDS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE ONE ANSWER THAT MEETS CAPACITY.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CHARTER SCHOOLS AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, UM, PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHO USE OUR FIELDS.
THEY START PROGRAMS, DON'T HAVE FIELDS, AND THEN AFTER THEY STARTED THEIR PROGRAMS, THEY COME TO US AND WANT TO USE THE FIELDS.
SO AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO SAY, YOU YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE BECAUSE THESE SCHOOLS ARE FUNDED, PUBLICLY FUNDED.
WE HAVE TO RECOUP THAT SOMEHOW.
OTHERWISE, THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT WINDS UP FUNDING THEIR, UM, ATHLETICS PROGRAM IN PART AT LEAST.
SO IF THEY'RE PLAYING A GAME, THEY HAVE TO OF THE FIELD BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PREP IT.
THERE'S A MAINTENANCE THAT GOES INTO THAT.
WHAT WE'RE CHARGING THEM FOR IS JUST TO OFFSET WHAT WE, UH, IT COST US TO ALIGN THE FIELDS FROM PRACTICES.
IT HAS TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY FIELDS, WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED, HOW FAR THEY'RE WILLING TO TRAVEL.
I WILL SAY IT IS, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS.
AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY'RE PAYING IS, IS MINIMAL.
IT'S A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS A WHY.
I MEAN, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
I'M JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT BUFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE IT IS MINIMAL.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE CHARGING AT ALL, IS MY QUESTION.
THE SHORT ANSWER IS JUST FOR GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
THE SHORT ANSWER IS IT'S, IT'S PART OF OUR CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM, AND PARTLY THAT'S WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
UH, BECAUSE IF WE NEED TO USE THEIR FIELDS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE STILL GET CHARGED FOR IT.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT AS LONG AS IT'S FAIR ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN.
BUT AGAIN, MUCH LARGER CONVERSATION.
SO WE MIGHT GET TO SOME DAY WHERE WE DON'T CHARGE THEM AND THEY DON'T CHARGE US
PERHAPS IN A NICE WORLD, PERHAPS, BUT WHAT I WOULD PREFER IS THAT EVERYBODY BUILD CAPACITY FOR THEIR PROGRAMS.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE DIRECTION I'D LIKE TO, I GOT, I HOPE THAT AGAIN, REALLY IS DIRECTLY AT YOU.
SO, UM, I, I, UM, YOU TALKING ABOUT USE OF FACILITIES, UM, WHEN, UM, WHEN THEY WERE RAISING ST.
HELEN CONFERENCE OF SCHOOL, UM, FOR THE NEW FACILITY THAT'S THERE NOW, UM, THE COMMUNITY, UM, ACTUALLY WENT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ASKED THEM TO SAVE GYM FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, ET CETERA.
IT'S PROBABLY NEED A LOT OF RENOVATION, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
BUT IS THERE ANY WAY, UM, THAT, UM, THE COMMUNITY CAN GET ACCESS TO THEIR GYM THROUGH SOME TYPE OF MEMORANDUM UNDERSTANDING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? IT'S NOT BEING USED.
I DON'T THINK THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ACTUALLY USING IT, BUT I THINK THE COMMUNITY CAN REALLY BENEFIT FROM, UM, THAT, UM, USE OF THAT GYM.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING, AND I I, I'M NOT ASKING YOU FOR A, UM, DEFINITIVE ANSWER AT THIS TIME, BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I'M RAISING THAT BECAUSE IT'S THERE.
THE COMMUNITY ALWAYS WANTED IT AND IT'S NOT BEING USED AT ALL AT THIS TIME.
AND I THINK THAT'S A SHAME THAT WE HAVE THAT KIND OF, UH, IT'S AN OLD FACILITY, BUT WE HAVE THAT, AND IF NOTHING ELSE, UH, WE COULD HAVE SOME BASKETBALLS OR SOMETHING FOR OUR COMMUNITY KIDS TO BE USING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
AND, UH, I WILL, THE, AT THE LAST PARKS AND REC BOARD MEETING, THAT SPECIFIC TOPIC CAME UP AND WHAT WE TOLD THE BOARD IS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTIES AND WHAT, UM, THEIR RULES ARE ABOUT THE USE OF THEIR FACILITIES AND PUBLIC USE OF THOSE FACILITIES AND MIXING CHILDREN AND PUBLIC AND TIMES AND ALL THAT STUFF, UM, I CAN'T ANSWER HOW THEY'RE GONNA RESPOND, BUT WE ARE GONNA HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH HIM.
UM, KENNY MACK, HE WAS GONNA, HE'S GOT SOMEONE THAT HE WAS GONNA TALK TO, CUZ I TOLD HIM THAT IF HE COULD, UM, WORK SOMETHING OUT, UM, WITH IT, HE HAD TALKED TO SOMEONE ABOUT IT, THAT I WOULD PUT A PART-TIME STAFF OUT THERE TO OPEN UP A FEW EVENINGS A WEEK.
WE, WE WILL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
I'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH DR.
RODRIGUEZ NOW THAT I KNOW ABOUT IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
SOUNDS LIKE SOME MONEY'S GONNA HAVE TO BE INVESTED IN THE FACILITY, SO WE'LL,
[04:55:01]
WE'LL INVESTIGATE THAT.AND GOING BACK TO YOUR, UH, QUESTION ABOUT THE COST OF THE FIELDS MM-HMM.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO CHARGING OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES THAT COLLECT TAX MONEY TO DO THINGS, YOU'RE, TO MY MIND, YOU'RE JUST TRANSFERRING THE TAX MONEY FROM ONE POT OF TAX MONEY TO ANOTHER POT OF TAX MONEY.
SO IF YOU ALL AS COUNCIL, WANT US TO REEVALUATE WHAT WE'RE CHARGING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR HELPING THESE FIELDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT IS A SERVICE THAT WE DEPARTURE REC AS A SERVICE THAT THE COUNTY HAS DECIDED TO PROVIDE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY, WHETHER THEY'RE REGULAR CITIZENS OR PART OF A SCHOOL PROGRAM.
IF YOU ALL DESIRE FOR US TO LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME MODIFICATIONS WE CAN MAKE TO THAT.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF TODAY IS FOR YOU ALL TO GIVE US THAT DIRECTION SO THAT WE CAN GO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CARRIED OUT FOR THE COMING YEAR.
WELL, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHY I BROUGHT IT UP.
IF COUNCIL AGREES, I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK INTO IT, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING TAXES.
THEY ARE PART OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE SHOULD BE COLLABORATING AND SUPPORTING THEM, AND I GET IT.
WE SUPPORT 'EM, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHY.
IF THEY'RE MINIMAL FEES, WHY WE EVEN DO THAT IN A GESTURE OF GOODWILL, WE COULD ELIMINATE THOSE FEES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THE BUDGET IT IS THOUGH.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT.
IF ANYONE ELSE IS ON BOARD WITH THAT, I'M, I'M WITH YOU.
AND THERE USED TO NOT BE ANY FEES FOR THAT.
A A LOT OF THAT CAME FROM, FROM THEM ASKING US WOULD WE DO THAT, UM, BECAUSE THEY, THAT THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM HAVING TO BUY EQUIPMENT, BUY THE TRUCK AND ALL THAT.
SO THEY ASKED US WOULD WE DO IT? AND WE JUST SAID 25 BUCKS MINIMUM.
I WILL, I WOULD WANT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING THAT MAY NOT GET PRECIPITATED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, FOR WHAT THEY CHARGE US TO USE, UH, THEIR, THEIR FACILITIES WHENEVER WE NEED THEIR FIELDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO AS LONG AS COUNCIL IS AWARE OF THAT AND IS OKAY WITH THAT, THEN WE AS COUNTY ADMINISTRATION WILL GO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT WE CAN DO THROUGH OUR PARKINSON RIGHT.
I THINK IF WE REACH OUT AND SHOW A LITTLE COLLABORATION, I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO COLLABORATE BACK.
AND IF NOT, SOME OF US CAN PUT THE HEAT ON 'EM TO DO THAT.
AT THE SAME TIME, MR. JIM, I, WHEN WE LOOK AT FACILITIES, UM, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING AND, UM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS THE BETTER FACILITY AS FAR AS HOLDING A LARGER CROWD.
THEY CAN'T HAVE A, THE USE OF THAT FACILITY FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND STUFF.
SO I I'M HOPING THAT YEAH, THAT CONVERSATION CAN HAPPEN AND WE CAN FURTHER, UH, A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SHANNON, WE'RE ROLLING OUTTA TIME.
I KNOW, I'M, I'M GONNA JUST FLY THROUGH THE, I THINK, I'M SORRY.
AND WHILE ARE WE DOING MS. DUPER, I JUST WANNA SAY I COMMEND YOU FOR OPENING UP THOSE, UM, CENTERS.
UM, AND I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THOSE SITES, UH, AS WE MOVE, UM, PROGRAMMING, UM, UH, IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AND STUFF.
SO YEAH, I THINK ERIC AND ERIC ARE WORKING WITH GETTING THAT DONE.
SO, YEAH, LAST THING, UM, I WAS JUST GONNA, UM, LET, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE INVESTED IN THIS YEAR AND WE'RE LOOKING AT INVESTING IN, UM, FOR THE FUTURE IS, UM, WITH OUR MAINTENANCE IS, UM, OUR ROBOTS TO CUT EACH FACILITY.
UM, THESE, UM, HAVE THE ABILITY TO CUT UP TO AN ACRE.
UM, WE'VE STARTED OUT WITH SIX SITES.
UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT'S GONNA DO IS ELIMINATE, UM, THE WEEDS WITH THE CROSS CONTAMINATION BECAUSE THAT MOWER WILL BE SPECIFIC TO THAT SITE SO IT WON'T GO OUT, BRING IN THE WEEDS AND COME BACK.
SO IN THE LONG RUN, UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT NOT ONLY WILL IT SAVE, UM, SO THAT THE GUYS CAN GO OUT AND DO OTHER THINGS, BUT IT'LL SAVE AS FAR AS, UM, THE CHEMICALS AND STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO SPRAY OUT CONTROL THE WES.
[05:00:02]
THE OTHER THING THAT'LL DO IS PROVIDE AMUSEMENT TO CHILDREN WHO SEE ITUM, WE HAVE IS, UM, ON ZOOM OR DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE, UM, UM, LET, UM, HOW MARK CAME UP WITH WOODEN PARTNERS? UM, THEY'VE GOT THE MASTER PLAN NOT COMPLETE, BUT IT'S GETTING THERE.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL STAFF, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY.
GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE PARKS MASTER PLAN, UM, AND THEN ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
WE'RE ABOUT, LET'S SAY TWO THIRDS, THREE QUARTERS THE WAY THROUGH THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS, BUT WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN, WHICH INCLUDED A NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AS WELL AS A PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY.
WE'LL SHARE THE RESULTS OF THAT WITH YOU.
UM, AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE PART INVENTORY, THE ASSESSMENT.
YOUR STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB HELPING US WITH THAT.
SO THANK YOU TO SHANNON AND CHUCK AND OTHERS.
UM, AND THEN LATER WE'RE GONNA DEVELOP A LEVEL OF SERVICE, UM, AND EQUITY MAPPING.
WE'LL TELL TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PROCESS, UM, AND THEN WRAP UP WITH SPORTS TOURISM AND AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT, UM, AND ULTIMATELY LOOKING AT RECREATION PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PRESENTATION WITH NEXT STEP.
WE ARE A SOUTHEAST REGIONAL LAND PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRM.
WE INVESTMENTS, UH, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO BE WORKING IN SEVERAL PARKS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUCKWALTER, OSCAR FRAZIER, BURTON, WELLS, WHITE HALL PARK, NEW RIVERSIDE.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING IN BUFORD COUNTY.
UM, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO BE, UM, A PARTNER WITH YOU ON MANY OF THOSE.
UM, AS WELL AS PARK AND RECREATION EASEMENTS, UH, EASEMENT THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST CHARLESTON COUNTY, COLUMBIA, UH, RIDGELAND COUNTY, UM, AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, RICHMOND COUNTY.
WE'RE CURRENTLY JUST WRAPPED UP ONE IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, GEORGIA, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, PASSIVE AND, AND ACTIVE YOUTH USE RECREATION, WHICH GIVES US OUR PART DESIGN.
SO IT GIVES US THE FOUNDATION FOR UNDERSTANDING THE MASTER PLAN AND THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, UH, WORK.
I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEXT PRACTICE AND PRO CONSULTANT, CONSULTANT.
UH, AS HE SAID, MY NAME'S NI ELI HUT.
I AM THE FOUNDER AND C E O WITH NEXT PRACTICE PARTNERS.
UM, ALSO HAD THE PROS CONSULTING TEAM AS A PART OF THIS IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE.
UM, OVER THE LAST 16 YEARS, I'VE DONE A COUPLE HUNDRED OF THESE PLANS, UH, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND HAVE WORKED A LOT WITH THE WOODEN PARTNERS TEAM AS WELL.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO SHARE OUR SORT OF NATIONAL EXPERTISE TO COMPLIMENT THE REGIONAL EXPERTISE THAT WOODEN PARTNERS HAVE AS WELL.
UH, THE NEXT, UH, TEAM ON THIS AS WELL IS E T C INSTITUTE, AND THEY ARE A STATISTICALLY RELIABLE SURVEY FIRM.
SO THE, THE SURVEY RESULTS WE'RE ABOUT TO SHOW YOU, THEY INDEPENDENTLY ADMINISTER THAT, GATHER THE DATA, AND THEY'VE DONE OVER A THOUSAND OF THESE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SO THEY ARE THE LEADING EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEYS THAT TRULY REPRESENT THE OVERALL COMMUNITY.
LOGO WISE, UH, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE PLACES FROM ANCHORAGE, ALASKA TO ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN WITH NATIONALLY ACCREDITED AND GOLD MEDAL AGENCIES.
UH, OUR TEAM HAS HAD A ROLE IN EVERY ONE OF THESE PLACES THAT YOU SEE.
SO WE HAVE A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH NILAY AND HIS TEAM, UH, TOGETHER WITH E TC WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY BRING A LOT OF EXAMPLES OF WHAT COMMUNITIES ARE DOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE THAT AS A PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, WE START BY LOOKING AT WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.
TODAY, KYLE'S GONNA TALK A LOT ABOUT TODAY, UH, THE INVENTORY OF YOUR EXISTING FACILITIES.
WE, WE REALLY ANALYZE, UH, WHAT YOU ARE AND WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE START TALKING ABOUT WHERE, AND THINKING ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHERE YOU KNOW, WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL
[05:05:01]
BE, AND THEN WE DEF DETERMINE HOW DO WE GET THERE.UM, AND SO THAT'S SORT OF IN A, IN A NUTSHELL, THERE ARE MANY STAGES OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, ONE OF THESE PIECES IS A, UH, WEBSITE THAT'S UP AND RUNNING NOW, RIGHT? NE YOU'RE MUTED.
IF I HAD A PENNY FOR HOW MANY TIMES I'VE SPOKEN ON MUTE, I COULD RETIRE NOW.
UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY INPUT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
AND JUST PROGRESS ON THE PLAN.
WE WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE, SO WHEN ALL THESE REPORTS ARE DONE, WE WILL ALSO BE UPLOADING THEM ON THE WEBSITE SO THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE THEM AT ANY TIME AND SEE THE PROGRESS OF THE PLAN AS WELL.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOG IN TO THE PLAY BUFORD COUNTY WEBSITE WE GO, WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT, UM, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE DATA THAT'S BEING GATHERED THERE, AND ALSO, UM, ADD YOUR COMMENTS AS YOU GO FORWARD.
UH, SO DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS ARE A BIG PART OF THE STUDY.
UH, LOOKING AT CENSUS DATA, YOU ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES AND SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, JUST FOR CONTEXT NATIONALLY, THE GROWTH RATE IS ABOUT 0.7 TO 0.8% IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, BARRING THIS BLIP, AND AGAIN, IT, IT SEEMS MORE LIKE AN ESTIMATION THAN THE REALITY THAT YOU SEE FROM 2022 TO 2027.
BUT THE OVERALL TRAJECTORY, IF YOU SEE FROM 2010 TO THE 2020 CENSUS AND THE NEXT 15 YEARS, YOU ARE GROWING ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT FASTER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGES.
SO EVERYTHING THAT I HEARD SHANNON TALK ABOUT EARLIER, EVERYTHING I HEARD ABOUT YOU IN THE OPEN SPACE SIDE AS WELL.
UM, KUDOS FOR YOU ALL STARTING TO THINK AND PLAN AHEAD BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE COMING AND THEY LOVE WHAT THEY SAY IN BUFORD COUNTY.
THAT'S WHY MORE OF THEM WANT TO BE THERE.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED TO SEE YOU DO IS THE SENIOR PROGRAMS THAT YOU JUST DISCUSSED AS WELL, BECAUSE AS YOU SEE FROM THE EIGHT SEGMENT STANDPOINT, THE YELLOW AND THE LIGHT BLUE ON THE EXTREME RIGHT, AND I REFUSE TO CALL THEM SENIORS, THEY DON'T BEHAVE LIKE IT.
IT'S REALLY AN ACTIVE ADULT POPULATION THAT'S GONNA BE THE SINGLE LARGEST GROUP IN BUFORD COUNTY.
AND IT'S PROJECTED TO BE OVER 40% OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION, MORE THAN TWO OUT OF FIVE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY RACE.
AND ETHNICALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CONSISTENT SENSE OF DIVERSITY IF YOU WOULD.
UH, OVER TIME THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION IS REDUCING AND THOSE THAT IDENTIFY AS TWO OR MORE RACES CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND THE HISPANIC LATINO POPULATION IS ABOUT 13%, ROUGHLY ONE IN SEVEN IN THE COUNTY AS WELL.
WE ALSO DID INCOME CHARACTERISTICS.
AND YOU KNOW THIS ON A PER CAPITA INDIVIDUAL BASIS, THAT'S THE BLUE BAR.
THE ORANGE IS THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME, EVERYBODY LIVING UNDER THE SAME ROOF, AND BOTH OF THOSE ARE HIGHER THAN STATE AND NATIONAL AVERAGES, WHICH IS A GOOD SIGN IN TERMS OF DISPOSABLE INCOME, BUT IT ALSO MEANS WHAT'S GOOD ENOUGH IN MOST PLACES IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND THERE IS CERTAINLY A HIGHER EXPECTATION OF QUALITY.
THE NEXT THREE SLIDES ARE REALLY ABOUT RECREATION PARTICIPATION TRENDS.
THE RED LINE IS A NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 100.
ANYTHING ABOVE THAT MEANS IT'S HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE DOES MEAN THAT'S ALL PEOPLE LIKE TO DO IN THE COUNTY.
IT JUST MEANS THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY LIKE TO DO.
SO GOLF AND TENNIS ARE BOTH HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGES WHEN IT COMES TO GENERAL SPORTS.
THE NEXT ONE WITH FITNESS IS MUCH MORE, UH, PREVALENT AS WELL.
ANYTHING FROM WALKING, SWIMMING, PILATES AND WEIGHTLIFTING ARE ALL AT OR HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGES.
AND THE
SO IN A NUTSHELL, A GROWING COMMUNITY AGING, UH, DIVERSE AND SORT OF SAYING STEADY IN THE DIVERSIFICATION HIGHER THAN AVERAGE INCOME LEVELS AND CERTAIN AREAS MARGINAL GROWTH IN PARTICIP.
SO, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF RECREATION MASTER PLANNING NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, UH, AND CERTAINLY HAS BEEN INTEGRAL.
UM, IN THIS STUDY, UH, WE'VE, UH, CONDUCTED AND HOSTED A NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AT BUCK.
WALTER BIRDWELLS, DALE SCOTT, LYNN BROWN, A GREAT ATTENDANT AT THOSE CENTERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF OPINIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE HEARD AND LISTENED, UH, TO THAT.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD WAS THAT YOU NEEDED MORE SENIORS PROGRAMMING.
UH, SHANNON'S ALREADY HEARD THAT AND TAKEN ACTION ON THAT.
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TO SEE ACTION ITEMS COME OUT OF, UH, THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED.AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY.
SO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS BOTH, BOTH IN PERSON AS WELL AS DIGITALLY ON THE WEBPAGE AND IN PERSON.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH STAFF.
UH, WE MET WITH THE DUSKY ISLAND COUNCIL, UH, VIA ZOOM, BEAUFORT COUNTY SPORTS COUNCIL.
GAVE US A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.
UM, AND THEN THE PARK ADVISORY, WE ASKED THE PARTICIPANTS THREE QUESTIONS.
FIRST, UM, WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS OF THE CURRENT OFFERINGS AND, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM? AND WE PROBABLY HAVE 20 DIFFERENT, UH, 30 MAYBE DIFFERENT INPUT LEVEL, UH, BULLETS FROM THAT, UH, FROM THOSE, UH, RESPONSES, DIVERSITY AND OFFERINGS.
THE COUNTY DOES A GREAT JOB IN OFFERING A BROADLY DIVERSE RANGE OF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES.
A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS ON YOUR STAFF, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
UH, HARDWORKING PEOPLE, UH, REALLY DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY SERVICES.
THE FIELDS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION.
UH, YOUTH ATHLETICS AND, UH, ACTIVE SPORTS GOT, UH, HIGH MARKS FROM PARTICIPANTS.
UM, AND THE SCHOLARSHIP, THE RECOGNITION THAT THEIR SCHOLARSHIP, UH, AVAILABILITY FOR PEOPLE, UH, TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE ACTIVITIES.
AND THEN PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER GROUPS.
UM, THE SECOND QUESTION WE ASK IS, WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT? WHAT CAN BE DONE BETTER? UM, HONESTLY, SOME OF THE FACILITIES ARE OUTDATED AND NEED TO BE UPDATED.
UH, WE KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OVER THE YEARS, UM, AND PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT.
UH, CONSIDER, EXCUSE ME, CONSOLIDATING, UH, SOME OF THE WIDELY DIS DISPERSED PLAYING FIELDS.
YOU'VE GOT PLAYING FIELDS THAT ARE, UM, REALLY IN A VERY WIDE SORT OF GEOGRAPHIC AREA, UM, AND HARD TO PROGRAM AND OFF OFFER SERVICES THROUGH.
UM, WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT WHEN WE GET INTO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW FACILITIES.
I CONSIDER DEVELOPING FACILITIES THAT SERVE, UH, LOCAL RESIDENTS THAT ALSO SERVE AS TOURNAMENT FACILITIES.
YOU'VE GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE TO BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT OFFERING SOME TOURNAMENT SPORTS.
UH, WHAT ARE THOSE, UM, AND HOW DO YOU NOT COMPETE WITH OTHER TOURNAMENT SITES THAT EXIST?
UM, MORE YOUTH AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
UM, ARTIFICIAL CURVE, UH, THE COUNTY'S ALREADY MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, WITH THAT.
WE WE'RE CURRENTLY PLANNING, UH, ADDING ARTIFICIAL PERF TO TURF, UH, PARK, UM, INCREASED OFFERINGS FOR SENIORS.
AND AGAIN, SOME OF THOSE ACTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE NOW.
A LOT OF THE RURAL AREAS IN BUFORD COUNTY ARE PRETTY FAR AWAY, RIGHT? AND THE POPULATION IS, IS, HAS A LOWER LEVEL OF DENSITY.
SO HOW DO WE SERVE THOSE? UM, AND THEN HAD A NORTHERN, UH, BUCK CULTURE TYPE FACILITY SOMEWHERE, UH, IN NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
AND THEN WE ASK PEOPLE, IF YOU COULD JUST DO ONE THING, WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU WOULD DO TO IMPROVE PARK AND RECREATION SERVICES AND FACILITIES IN THE COUNTY? AND WE GOT A RIDE WIDE RANGE OF ANSWERS THERE.
AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS FOR ALL, UH, CONVENIENT PARKS, LESS TRAVEL TIME, LESS DIFFICULT TO DO RIGHT IN THIS COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHY AND THE CREEKS AND, UH, STREAMS AND RIVERS, UH, THAT EXIST.
UH, THE MARSHES, UH, DEVELOPED DEAL WITH ARTIFICIAL TURF, UH, DEVELOPED A CENTRAL AQUATICS FACILITY.
UH, WE THOUGHT THAT WAS, UH, HURT THAT IN A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.
IT AGAIN, REPEATING THAT, UM, AND PROVIDE MORE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, UM, OPEN THE CENTERS UP THAT ARE CLOSED.
SO I THINK WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE SOME OF THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE COUNTY.
THEN CUSTOMIZE SERVICES AND FACILITIES TO REFLECT DIFFERENT NEEDS FOR NORTH OF THE BROAD AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD RECREATION USER PATH.
RECOGNIZE THAT RECREATION USER PATTERNS ARE DIFFERENT.
UM, AND THEN ESTABLISHED DEDICATED FUNDING, UH, FOR THOSE OUTLYING AREAS.
HELEN LADIES, ALLEN HUSKY, UH, ET CETERA.
NEXT IS PARKS AND FACILITY ASSESSMENT.
I LIKE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THE DATA WE GATHERED FROM PUBLIC AND CAN YOU INPUT, WE ALSO DID STARTED US VISITING ALL OF THE ACTIVE, UM, PARTS IN FACILITIES THAT SHANNON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
UM, I'LL, I'LL REITERATE WHAT MARK SAID THAT WAS VERY OBVIOUS TO US, IS THE IMPACT THAT GEOGRAPHY HAS ON HOW RECREATIONS, UH, SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED TO, TO THE COMMUNITIES.
BECAUSE WHILE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING OR IT SEEMS ON A MAP LIKE IT'S VERY NEARBY, YOU MAY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CONCERN YOURSELF WITH RIVERS AND STREAMS, MARSH GET FROM POINT B, AND THAT HAS A BIG EFFECT ON THE ABILITY TO DELIVER PREPARATION SERVICES.
UM, IN ADDITION, AS I MENTIONED, INVENTORY, WE
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WENT TO EACH OF THE PARK AND FACILITIES.WE LOOKED AT ITS USE, IS IT LIGHTLY USED, ELY USED HEAVILY USED.
AND WHAT SORT OF CONDITION IS IT IN? IS IT GOOD AIR OR FOUR RAIN PARKS? UM, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE QUANTITIES OF THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN EACH OF PARKS.
YOU KNOW, HOW MANY WALL FIELDS CAN WE, HOW MANY COLLECTS VENTS, EVERY LITTLE PIECE COUNTED.
SO WE'VE COLLECTED ALL THAT INFORMATION.
AND JUST AS AN OVERVIEW, WHAT WE OBSERVE, UM, AS I MENTIONED, UH, THE GEOGRAPHY PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN HOW THESE SERVICES ARE ABLE TO BE PROVIDED AT.
MANY FACILITIES ARE OLD FOR DAMAGED FORMS AND THIS REPAIR, UM, AND NEED BE RENOVATED OR PLACED AND SOME FACILITIES ARE USED AND ANY UPGRADE, UH, TO EVERYDAY USE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE RURAL AREAS ARE UNDERSERVED DUE TO GEOGRAPHIC CONSTRAINTS.
THEY ARE BASED, AND IN TOTAL WE LOOK AT 40 PROPERTIES AND THOSE ARE THEIR AMOUNT OF USE, LIGHT, MEDIUM OR HEAVY.
AND WHETHER THEY WERE IN, UM, THE NEXT STEP WAS TO DEVELOP, RECOGNIZE THE PARKS THAT BEAVER COUNTY SERVICES.
AND IT CONSISTS OF FIVE PARK MODELS.
NE'S GONNA TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE IN A MINUTE.
UM, BUT NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IS THE FIRST AND THE SMALLEST ARCHETYPE EXCUSE BY THE COUNTY.
UM, IT SERVES THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN MANY INSTANCES IT HAS A PARKED COMMUNITY CENTER ARCHITECT.
SOME EXAMPLES OF, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS OR SHE PARKS, SCOTT COMMUNITY CENTER.
THE PARK CENTER, UM, THE NEXT LARGEST PARK IS THE COMMUNITY PARK.
AND IT INTRODUCES AN ACTIVE USE COMPONENT BY THE BALL FIELDERS SOCCER FIELD, UH, BASKETBALL INTO THE, INTO THE MIX.
AND SOME EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY PARKS ARE CORSON PARK, EXCUSE ME, CORSON TAPE PARK, UM, LEFTON CENTER OR WESLEY FELIX ST.
AND THEN THE LARGEST WAS THE REGIONAL PARK.
AND THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF PARKS THAT, AS MARK MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, FOLKS MAY COME TO OUR AREA TO PARTAKE IN.
SO THEY SERVE THE LOCAL CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY ALSO MAY DRAW THOSE FROM OUT COUNTY.
UM, EXAMPLES OF THOSE ARE URBAN WELLS, AKIN HOSPITAL PARK.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF PASSIVE USE ARTS, UH, STEPHANIE HAS HIT ON THIS EVENING.
EVENING, UM, THE NATURAL OR CULTURAL RESOURCE PARK, THAT'S THE FOURTH PARK TYPE.
UM, IT'S DRIVEN BY THE SITE OR A UNIQUE NATURAL RESOURCE, MAYBE A CULTURAL RESOURCE.
UM, EXAMPLES OF THOSE ARE WHITE PARK, CRYSTAL LAKE PARK, OR THE TWO PORT OR GREEN FREMONT, OR NEVER PASS BEFORE.
AND LASTLY IS THE SPECIAL PURPOSE SITE, WHICH ARE SITES THAT DON'T FALL INTO THESE PREVIOUS CATEGORIES.
FOR THE MOST PART, THEY ARE A SINGLE PURPOSE OR A SPECIALIZED FACILITY SUCH AS SENIOR CENTERS AND AQUATICS FACILITY OR TENNIS COMPLEXES.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE ARE THE LECTIN BEAVER POOL, UM, BEAVER TENNIS, SOUTHSIDE TENNIS, OR RIGHT BEHIND PARK.
SO ONE OF THE NEXT STEPS IS TO, UM, DEVELOP EQUITY MAPPING.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE TAKE ALL OF THE INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT WORK THAT COLLEGES REVIEWED WITH YOU, UM, AND LOCATE THEM ON A MAP AND THEN BEGIN TO APPLY, UH, THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AND THE PAR, UM, THE PRIORITY SYSTEM.
BEGIN, BEGIN TO SEE WHERE THOSE GAPS ARE.
UM, AND THE EQUITY MAPPING WILL HELP US MATCH PARKS, FOOD POPULATION.
UM, AND NEELA, YOU WANNA MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS REGARDING THE EQUITY MAP? NO, I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO THE EARLIER DISCUSSION AS WELL OF QUANTITY D VERSUS ACCESS.
SO I THINK THE MAPS WOULD ALSO HELP YOU BETTER DEFINE ACCESS AND NOT JUST THE QUANTITY OF AMENITIES THAT YOU HAVE.
AND IT BEGINS TO ASSESS WHERE THERE ARE GAPS OR WHERE THERE ARE OVERLAPS.
SO THE DECISION, SO JUST A QUICK, YOU KNOW, BUILDING ON THE, THE PARK AND FACILITY INVENTORY ASSESSMENT, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE CORE PROGRAM AREAS, UH, THAT SHANNON AND HER TEAM, UH, PROVIDE AS WELL.
AND SO THESE ARE SOME THAT WE'LL BE PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR.
AND THE IDEA REALLY BEING THAT FOR FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE PROGRAM NEEDS FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THESE TRENDS CAN HELP DRIVE PARK AND FACILITY DESIGNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, THE CRITICAL ELEMENT HERE, THE PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY, OUR GOAL WAS 300.
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SHOWED UP, THE COUNTYWIDE COMMUNITY SHOWED UP IN GREAT NUMBERS.WE HAD OVER 350, UH, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
AND ALL THIS STUFF AT THE BOTTOM RALLY MEANS THAT FOR ANYTHING TO BE STATISTICALLY RELIABLE, I CAN REPEAT THE PROCESS AND 95 OUT OF A HUNDRED TIMES THE RESULTS YOU SEE ARE IN A MARGIN OF ERROR OF PLUS OR MINUS 5.2%.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR ENTIRE CONSTITUENTS AND NOT JUST A VOCAL USER GROUP.
SO WE ASK THEM FOR USAGE NATIONALLY, THIS IS 82%.
BUFORD COUNTY IS MUCH HIGHER FOR VISITATION INTO ANY PARKS OR REC FACILITIES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE ALSO ASKED THEM ON THE NEXT SLIDE ABOUT PHYSICAL CONDITION.
AND THIS IS WHERE ONLY ABOUT 7% RATED THAT AS POOR IF I'M BEING NITPICKY.
WHAT I WILL SAY THOUGH IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FUTURE IS HOW DO WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SAY FAIR AND GOOD AND GROW.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SAY EXCELLENT, SOME OF THE WORK THAT MARK AND KYLEN THEY'RE DOING WILL OBVIOUSLY CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
AND THERE IS MORE TO COME IN TERMS OF REC PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, THE WAY PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT IT, WORD OF MOUTH IS THE BIGGEST FOLLOWED BY SOCIAL MEDIA AND FACEBOOK IS THE LARGEST FOR THAT, FOLLOWED BY THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
THE NUMBER ONE WAY THEY WOULD PREFER TO FIND OUT ABOUT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES IS SOCIAL BY THE KEARNEY WEBSITE.
AND THEN EMAILS WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE, YOU KNOW, AT ALL AGES, UH, ACCESS TO SOMETHING THAT'S ONLINE, UH, IS DEFINITELY A PREFERRED MECHANISM AND IT'S MORE COST EFFECTIVE RECREATION PROGRAM PARTICIPATION.
THIS IS RIGHT AT NATIONAL AVERAGE 30.
I THINK PART OF THE HINDRANCE IS IN THE LIMITED NUMBER OF REC FACILITIES THAT YOU HAVE OR THE SPACES OF SOME OF THEM THAT REALLY DON'T ACCOMMODATE A MUCH LARGER AUDIENCE OR A MULTI-GENERATIONAL AUDIENCE THAT YOU WOULD NEED.
UH, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE CURRENT PARTICIPATION NUMBERS.
IN TERMS OF QUALITY, SAME THING.
THE EARLY ENCOURAGING SIGN IS ONLY 4% OF RATE OF THE QUALITY IS POOR.
THE ONES THAT COME OVER, ALMOST 80% HAVE SAID IT'S GOOD OR EXCELLENT, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
UM, AGAIN, LET'S GROW THE ONES THAT SAY WE'RE EXCELLENT AND SHRINK.
THIS IS A BIG PIECE, RIGHT? 54% NATIONALLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE TOP THREE REASONS.
THE LARGEST IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ON AVERAGE IS 30%, 54% DON'T PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS BEING OFFERED.
UH, THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SO MANY NEW PEOPLE COMING IN ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THAT.
AND THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ADDITIONAL CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN MARKETING STORYTELLING AND A MARKETING BRANDING PLAN AS WELL.
THIS IS, THESE ARE SOME OF THE NEXT OF THE CRITICAL QUESTIONS, RIGHT? WHAT ARE PEOPLE MOST WILLING TO FUND CONNECTIVITY AND INDOOR AQUATICS MAKE INDOOR RECREATION AND AQUATICS MAKE UP THE TOP FOUR HIGHEST ONES.
THE POOL, OF COURSE NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE NEW TRAILS, WALKING, BIKING TRAILS, INDOOR REC CENTERS AND REPLACING THE SMALLER, OUTDATED ONES ARE THE TOP FOUR PRIORITIES.
NUMBER ONE HERE, 29, ALMOST 30 OUT OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
THEY WOULD WANT TO FOCUS ON, IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN WHAT EXISTS, FOLLOWED BY ACQUIRING NEW PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACES.
ALL THE REST FOLLOW WITH INDOOR REC FACILITY, RENOVATING EXISTING CENTERS, AND THEN NEW POOL OR AQUATIC FACILITY AS THE NEXT.
IN TERMS OF VALUE, ABOUT 17% ARE DISSATISFIED, 44% ARE VERY, ARE SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED AND NUMBER ARE JUST NEUTRAL.
I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE WITH ALL THE INVESTMENTS YOU ARE MAKING IN THE SYSTEM TO CONTINUE LETTING PEOPLE SEE THE VALUE THAT THEY GET THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
THIS IS NATIONALLY A REALLY ENCOURAGING TREND.
50% OF YOUR RESPONDENTS HAVE SAID THAT IN THEIR MINDS THEY VALUE PARKS, TRAILS, OPEN SPACES, RECREATION SOMEWHAT OR SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THEY DID BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
ONLY 7% FEEL THE PERCEPTION OF VALUE HAS REDUCED.
SO BASED ON THAT, WE ASK THEM ABOUT FUNDING AND A MAJORITY, 52% WOULD WANT TO INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR P RECREATION TRAILS AND OPEN SPACES.
AND I PROMISE YOU SHANNON HAS NOT GIVEN ME ANYTHING TO SAY THAT.
BUT THIS IS REALLY A HUGE, HUGE BOOST FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR
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PEOPLE TO NOT JUST SAY, I NEED SOMETHING, BUT TO SAY I WANNA FUND THIS AS WELL.BECAUSE THEY SEE THIS NOW AS ESSENTIAL TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND NOT JUST A NICE TO HAVE AMENITY.
SO THESE ARE REALLY ENCOURAGING SIGNS AND THE PRIORITIES THEY HAVE, UM, ON A NUMBER OF THEM FROM NATURAL AREAS, UH, I KNOW YOU'RE INVESTING IN BOAT RAMPS, KA CANOE KAYAK LAUNCHES AS WELL, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
TRAILS PAVED, HIKING, BIKING, WALKING, NATURE CENTER, ALL OF THOSE ARE VERY, VERY HIGH PRIORITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY AS WELL AS INDOOR AQUATICS, FISHING AREAS, SHOOTING RANGES, OFF-LEASH, DOG PARKS, UNPAVED, HIKING, WALKING, JOGGING TRACKS, COMMUNITY GARDENS, AMPHITHEATER, SENIOR CENTERS, OUTDOOR AQUATIC FACILITY GYM AND INDOOR REC COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SPLASH PADS.
ALL OF THESE ARE VERY HIGH PRIORITIES.
AND PICNIC SHELTERS AND PICKLEBALL ARE RIGHT BELOW ON THE HIGH END OF THE MEDIUM PRIORITIES.
SO A LOT OF IT YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK PROGRAMMATICALLY, AS YOU CAN SEE THE TOP FOUR OF THE TOP FIVE.
AND IN SOME WAYS ACTUALLY EVEN THE DAY TRIPS, ALL OF THESE ARE LOOKING AT ADULT OR SENIOR FOCUSED PROGRAMS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE COMMUNITY POPULATION'S GROWING AND THAT'S WHERE THEY HAVE A LARGER UNMET NEED BECAUSE THE ONES THAT ARE LOW PRIORITY ARE ONES THAT ARE MET TO A MUCH HIGHER DEGREE NOW ACROSS THE COUNTY, WHICH A LOT OF THE YOUTH SPORTS AND DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL SPORTING PROGRAMS. SO THAT IN A NUTSHELL IS THE OVERARCHING SURVEY RESULTS.
I KNOW WE'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT VERY, VERY FAST AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, SO THESE, THESE TWO CHARTS, UM, ARE WHAT WE CALL THE P I R CHART PRIORITY INVESTMENT RANKING.
THESE TWO CHARTS ARE GONNA FORM THE FOUNDATION FOR GOING FORWARD AND IT'S A, IT'S A SORT OF OUTCOME AND THE, THE, UH, THE COMPRESSION OF ALL OF THE SURVEY DATA BEGIN TO INDICATE WHERE THOSE PRIORITIES ARE HIGHEST.
UM, AND THAT'LL HELP INFORM, UM, OUR WORK AS WE BEGIN TO COMBINE THE INPUT FROM THE, UH, PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY TOGETHER WITH THE, UM, THE, UH, MAPS, UM, AND LOOK AT PRIORITY GAPS THAT THE GAPS IN RECREATION SERVICES AND THE ASSESSMENT FACILITIES.
AND WE'LL TAKE THAT AND, UM, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEXT STEPS.
SO NEXT STEPS IS THAT WE'RE GONNA FINALIZE THE SPORTS TOURISM STRATEGY ASSESSMENT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE SHORT AND LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, UM, USING ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE JUST REVIEWED.
UM, AND THEN THE, THE END RESULT OF AEDO SIGN, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UM, COST, UH, TO EACH OF THOSE ITEMS SO THAT WHEN WE BRING BACK TO YOU, YOU'LL NOT ONLY HAVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, IN THE BACKING OF THE PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY, A LEVEL OF SERVANT, UH, ASSESSMENT, UM, AND THE MAPPING.
UM, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE COST AND THEN WE'LL PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER AND DEVELOP THE VISION AND ACTION PLAN.
UM, SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OF, OF KYLE OR MYSELF OR DELAY YOUR REPORT DONE IN SUFFICIENT TIME FOR US TO PLAN FOR THIS BUDGET YEAR COMING UP FOR ASK THAT WE WANNA MAKE QUESTION FOR OR SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WITHIN ABOUT THE NEXT 60 DAYS, 60 TO 90, YEAH.
SO IT'S BEEN INDICATED TO US THAT BETWEEN 60 AND 90 DAYS THE PLAN WILL BE COMPLETE.
A LOT OF THESE, UM, ARE LONG RANGE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN GIVEN WITH THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS ARE SORT OF THE PRIORITIES.
THIS WOULD BE MORE OF A LONG RANGE ALTERNATE FUNDING, UH, WHICH IS WHAT JARED WAS TALKING ABOUT, CUZ THESE NEEDS GET INTO MANY, MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER YEARS.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE SORT OF THE GPS, THE GUIDING SYSTEM FOR US MOVING FORWARD.
UH, WILL IT BE READY BEFORE WE GET INTO FIRST, SECOND, THIRD READING? PROBABLY YES.
BUT WHETHER IT WILL, UH, REALLY AFFECT WHAT WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
PROBABLY NOT AS, AS MUCH AS WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DESCRIBED.
YOUR SHORT, SHORT TERM GOALS, SIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE WRAP? MR. CHAIRMAN? I, UM, MR. YES.
I, I'M GLAD YOU SIT IN MR. ACKERSON.
I, UM, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS STUDY FOR, FOR SOME TIME TO FURTHER IMPROVE IN THE RURAL COMMUNITY, UH, RECREATIONAL PROGRAM.
AND NOW I'M HEARING THAT IT IS NOT GONNA BE READY, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THE RURAL COMMUNITY, UM, MAY TAKE ANOTHER YEAR OR SO, HIT THE BUDGET CYCLE.
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YOU KNOW, I'M SORT OF DISAPPOINTED TO SAY THE LEAST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HOPING FOR SOMETHING, UH, FOR MY COMMUNITY AND THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.UH, RECREATIONAL SERVICES, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETHING THINGS ARE COMING UP AND THAT'S FINE, BUT, UM, UM, I, I NEED TO HAVE A SIT DOWN TALK WITH STAFF, I GUESS TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING PLANNED FOR, UM, MY COMMUNITY, UH, AS IT RELATES TO RECREATION, UH, ACTIVITIES OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST SAY THAT, UM, BUT UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REPORT.
UM, I'M, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REPORT CUZ I'M HOPING FOR SOME DIRECTIONS AS FAR AS RECREATION WAY OUT INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, YOU'RE JUST NOT ADDRESSING THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO, UH, ASCERTAIN PAUL ST.
SO WITH THAT, IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND COMMENT.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UH, ABOUT, UM, ONE OF, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, UM, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY IS VERY POPULAR, UH, IN NORTHERN BURE AS WELL AS IN SOUTHERN BURE, UH, IS SKATE PARKS AND NORTHERN, I MEAN SOUTHERN BEAUFORD HAS SKATE PARKS, UM, NORTHERN BEAUFORD, RIGHT? UM, AS FAR AS THE COUNTY'S CONCERNED, DOESN'T HAVE SKATE PARKS, BUT THERE IS A SKATE PARK IN PORT ROYAL.
NOW ARE Y'ALL LOOKING AT UM, UM, BELIEVE, UH, THAT ACTIVITY, PORT ROYAL, DOESN'T THAT ACTIVITY SHOW UP? WE LAY ON OUR, UH, PRIORITY INVESTMENT RANKING? YEAH, IT'S THE, IT'S IN THE LOW PRIORITY LIST IN THE SURVEY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR SOME OF THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE A SMALLER SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION WHICH SHOW UP IN THE LOWER PRIORITY LIST.
UM, AND THEN IT'S UP TO THE COUNTY TO BEGIN TO EVALUATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU BELIEVE THOSE NEEDS ARE.
BUT IN TERMS OF, OF THE OVERALL THAT ONE IS SHOWING UP, I, I PROBABLY CAN TELL YOU THAT THE UM, SKATEBOARDERS WHO WERE PROBABLY, UM, YOUNGER KIDS WERE NOT AT THE PUBLIC MEETING.
UH, LIKE THE KICKBALL GROUP THAT WAS THERE, THEY WERE THERE YESTERDAY, THEY WERE THERE IT OUT THAT SKATEBOARDING IS REALLY A POPULAR THING.
UM, SOUTH OF BROAD, UM, IN THE BUCK WALTER, UM, COMMUNITY, THERE IS THE SKATEBOARD GOLDEN PARK THERE.
IT'S A COUNTY PARK IS REALLY ACTIVELY YOU BEING USED AND THE PORT ROYAL ONE IS ALSO VERY ACTIVE, UH, BUT IT NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF UPGRADING STUFF.
WELL THANK YOU THERE SOME THINGS DEFINITELY.
MR, COULD YOU BACK UP ONE SLIDE PLEASE? I'M LOOKING AT THE ESTIMATE, SO IF I'M LOOKING AT THIS, I'M READING IT RIGHT AND YOUR LOW PRIORITIES GREEN, LOOK AT THE ONES ON THE BOTTOM.
SOFTBALL PROGRAM, FOOTBALL PROGRAM, VOLLEYBALLER, YOU'RE SAYING THOSE ARE VERY LOW PRIORITIES AND THEN I'M GOING UP AND I SEE GOLF LESSONS AND LEAGUES ARE A HIGHER PRIORITY.
DO WE HAVE ANY GOLF COURSES IN BUFORD COUNTY THAT I MISSED THAT WE OWN? I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND GOLF IN THERE.
PICKLEBALL THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT.
TALK LITTLE BIT ABOUT, AS YOU JUST SAID, BUT IT'S IN THE BLUE, NOT THE RED.
SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BY THIS CHART.
YEAH, LIKE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PRIORITY.
SO THIS CHART'S A COMBINATION OF TWO THINGS.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE AND FROM THAT, WHAT'S AN UNMET NEED? THE SPORTS PROGRAMS YOU SEE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
THEY ARE A MUCH LOWER UNMET NEED.
THE PICKLEBALL ONES, IF YOU SEE ON THE PREVIOUS ONE, THESE ARE PICKLEBALL PROGRAMS. BUT IF YOU GO ONE CHART BACK PICKLEBALL IS ALMOST HIGH PRIORITY.
IT IS LITERALLY THE SECOND HIGHEST IN THE MEDIUM PRIORITY FOR PICKLEBALL COURTS.
SO THAT IS AMONG THE HIGHEST NUMBERS I'VE SEEN FOR PICKLEBALL.
WHEN FIVE YEARS AGO IT WASN'T ON THE RADAR.
SO I WOULD GUARANTEE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, IF YOU DO IT AGAIN, IT'S GONNA GET EVEN HIGHER.
SO THE TRAJECTORY IS TRENDING UPWARDS.
IN THIS CASE, THIS IS A MORE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOCUSED PRIORITY AND YOU CAN SEE THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE MUCH HIGHER.
GOLF COURSES ARE NOT THAT HIGH HERE.
GOLF COURSES IS VERY MUCH IN THE MIDDLE TO THE LOWER END.
WHAT IS HIGH IS TRAILS AND CONNECTIVITY, OPEN SPACES, BOAT RAMPS CAN CANOE KAYAKING, DOGS, CENTERS AND SENIOR CENTERS.
SO THE REASON I SEE MORE OF THOSE ALSO IS LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS.
THERE IS A LARGER OVER 55 POPULATION THAN THERE IS AN UNDER 18 POPULATION.
WHICH IS ALSO WHY IN MANY OF THE SPORTS ACTIVITIES THOUGH THERE IS A, AN ACTIVE PARTICIPATION GROUP.
OVER TIME THAT PORTION OF THE POPULATION IS NOT GROWING
[05:35:01]
THE SAME WAY AS YOUR 55 PLUS POPULATION IS GROWING, WHICH IS WHAT IS INFLUENCING MANY OF THE HIGH PRIORITIES YOU SEE HERE.THE THE OTHER THING WE'RE GONNA DO IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE UM, THE MAPPING, WE LOOK AT THE GAPS AND WE LOOK AT, UH, DISTRIBUTION.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE FOUND IS THAT YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF BALL FIELDS IN THE COUNTY, BUT THEY'RE NOT PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES AND THEY'RE MORE RURAL AND CHARACTER.
SO HOW DO YOU DELIVER YOUTH ATHLETICS, UM, IN THOSE AREAS WHEN WE CAN BE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE GAP ANALYSIS, UM, AND ANALYZE WHAT YOUR CURRENT, UM, ENROLLMENT AND ENGAGEMENT IN THOSE PROGRAMS ARE, WE CAN BEGIN TO FORECAST OUT WHAT THOSE NEEDS WILL BE.
THIS IS ONE PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, AND WE'LL BEGIN TO FACTOR ALL OTHER OTHER QUESTION? YES, I HAVE QUESTION FOR YOU.
UH, THANK YOU SAID 351 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY.
IS THAT CORRECT? SURVEY? THE SURVEY, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, DO YOU, YES SIR.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE, BUT IS THAT A, A GOOD CROSS SECTION OF A POPULATION OF ALMOST 200,000 TO ACTUALLY GET AN ACCURATE REPORT AND GENERATE THAT? IT IT IS.
SO E TC, THE SURVEY, UM, UH, THEY GET A 10 TO 15% RESPONSE RATE.
SO THEY SEND THIS TO MAYBE THREE OR 4,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
UH, FOR THAT SIZE, 350 IS A STATISTICALLY RELIABLE SAMPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE ENSURING THAT THE SURVEY SAMPLE CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO IN THE ENTIRE SURVEY REPORT YOU'LL SEE IT'S A PRETTY EVEN GENDER SPLIT.
IT'S A PRETTY DISTRIBUTED AGE SEGMENTS AS WELL.
AND THE RACE AND ETHNIC PROFILE ALSO MATCHES THE LARGER COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY.
I HAVE FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY.
DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS TODAY, THE FOLLOWING TOPICS SAID ADMINISTRATION NEEDS.
WHERE DOES COUNTY WANT TO SIT WITH THE FOLLOWING SURPLUS? WHERE DO WE THINK SURPLUS SHOULD BE BASED UPON THE SURPLUS WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND PROJECTING FOR THE FUTURE? SECOND, WE WANNA DO SOMETHING WITH OUR PERSONNEL.
YOU HEARD STATISTICS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL WE HAVE, HOW WE'RE ATTRACTING THEM, HOW WE'RE KEEPING THEM, AND THEY THINK IT IS A COLA MERIT COMBINATION.
THIRD MILLEDGE MILLAGE IS THE KEY TO RAISING TAXES.
WHAT DO WE WANT THE MILLAGE TO BE? WHAT DOES A MILL EQUATE TO THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED FURTHER.
WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE THESE DECISIONS TONIGHT BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO COME TOMORROW.
NUMBER FOUR, PARKS AND RECREATION.
YOU JUST HEARD THIS, YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT PARKS AND RECREATION FROM OUR STAFF.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT OUR ACTIVE PARKS, OUR OTHER PARKS, OUR CENTERS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR THE FUTURE? AND DEALING WITH OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION AS FAR AS WHAT IS AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF USAGE OF THEM AND PAYING FOR THE USAGE OF THEM.
WE CAN'T GIVE THEM EVERYTHING FOR FREE AND THEY CHARGE US.
FINALLY, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE EXPENDITURES FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO OUTSIDE ENTITIES.
WE WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GIVING FOR THE MONEY WE'RE GIVING THEM.
SO A LETTER IS GOING TO GO OUT FROM US THAT SAYS WE WANT SOME SPECIFICITY FOR THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
WE KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE BASED UPON MILLAGE ONLY AND OTHERS ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDED IN OUR GENERAL BUDGET.
BUT FOR THE DOLLARS WE'RE GIVING, WE'LL WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GETTING.
SO THOSE ARE THE FIVE TAKEAWAYS I HAD FROM HERE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT HAD SOMETHING SPECIFIC? OKAY, SO TOMORROW WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GONNA SOLVE THIS TOMORROW EITHER.
IT IS A DIRECTION FOR OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO BEGIN TO PUT TOGETHER WHAT THEY BELIEVE
[05:40:01]
ON THE BASIS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TELL THEM ABOUT THESE FIVE THINGS IN PARTICULAR, WHAT A BUDGET'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.AND I SAID THAT MY OPENING REMARKS, THIS IS NOT A ONE YEAR DEAL.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF THIS COUNCIL THAT WAS ELECTED WITH SPECIFICITY TO MEET THE NEEDS TO HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE DESERVE IN THIS COUNTY.
WE ALL SAID WE CAME HERE FOR A REASON AND THEY'RE ALL GREAT REASONS.
WE ALL WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT AND GROW BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GROW BUT THE RIGHT WAY.
SO IT'S THE FIRST YEAR OF A MULTI-YEAR PLAN.
WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY OTHER THING TO COME BEFORE US MR. YES SIR.
FOR YOUR, UM, LAST CYCLE OF COUNCIL, UM, SOME OF US WERE, UM, ASSIGNED, UH, DIFFERENT AGENCIES YES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU SIR, DISCUSS THAT THAT'S COMING UP.
WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM THAT WE HAVE TO FILL, BUT I, I'M GIVING SOME INFORMATION FROM THOSE PARTICULAR AGENCIES OF THE NUMBER CUZ THAT HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER ACTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED.