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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER BEAUFORD COUNTY STORMWATER MANAGEMENT UTILITY BOARD MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 15TH.
UH, FIRST ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE A, TODAY'S AGENDA.
I HOPE IF YOU CAN SEE IT UP ON THE BOARD, IF YOU HAVEN COPIED IT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RECORD.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR APPROVE TODAY'S AGENDAS IF I WERE SAYING AYE.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING'S MINUTES OF DECEMBER 14TH.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I HAVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR ARE APPROVING THE MINUTES.
UH, SET FORTH FOR DECEMBER 14TH, 2022 WITH SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MINUTES ARE APPROVED AS SUBMITTED.
NEXT ITEM IS INTRODUCTIONS, AND I GUESS WE CAN START.
JEFF NINGER, STORMWATER MANAGER COUNTY, HILTON ISLAND.
BILL BARR, WATERSHED MANAGER FROM TOWN OF BLUFFTON, DENNIS ROSS, REPRESENTATIVE AT LARGE, JAMES CLARK, REPRESENTING UNINCORPORATED PORT ROYAL MARK FEINBERG REPRESENTING DISTRICT NINE AND UNINCORPORATED DISTRICT NINE AND SKEE ISLAND.
UH, PATRICK MITCHELL, REPRESENTING LADIES ALLEN.
ED WARREN, REPRESENTING HILTON.
STEVE ANDREW SEABROOK AREA, UH, VAN WILLIS, 10.
JOHN SPENCER, SENIOR ADMINIS, FORWATER.
ALICE HOWARD, DISTRICT DEPUTY SIR NORTH BLOODS OFFICE.
CITY OF BUFORD, WATER SUPERVISOR JAKE HEAD, NPSS ADMINISTRATOR, JULIANNA FORK, BUFORD COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING AND ESPECIALLY HAVING A FULL UTILITY BOARD TODAY.
UH, THE FIRST ITEM, UH, IS, IS BEFORE WE GET INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, WE DO NOT HAVE VERY MANY PEOPLE HERE TODAY, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC.
BUT, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC COMMENT, EVERY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WAS RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK SHALL LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES AND OBSERVE, UH, UH, PROTOCOL AND DECORUM IN IN THEIR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO THE UTILITY BOARD.
UH, IN THE PAST, UH, WE, WE'VE NOT SET A TIME LIMIT AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE YOU SERVED OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME.
SO WE ARE SETTING A THREE LIMIT, THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT UNLESS THE PERSON COMES FORTH AND ASKS FOR MORE BECAUSE THEY HAVE, UH, INFORMATION THAT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE PRESENTED WITHIN A THREE MINUTE TIMEFRAME.
UM, I WOULD ASK IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, NOT HAVING ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC HERE.
ANYONE ELSE WISHES TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? NO ONE'S STEPPING FORWARD.
WE WILL MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR REPORTS.
SO YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED ON THE AGENDA, WE'VE KIND OF FLIP FLOPPED SOME OF OUR ITEMS SO THAT JULIANA AND I DON'T HAVE TO PLAY PING PONG WITH OUR SEATING ARRANGEMENTS.
SO I'M GONNA GET THROUGH MY HALF OF THE PRESENTATION AND WE HAVE REALIGNED THE SECOND HALF.
SO THAT JULIANA'S THE ONE UP HERE SPEAKING.
SO, UM, MINOR, MINOR CHANGES, BUT JUST WANTED TO, TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
IF YOU NOTICE SOMETHING MIGHT BE OUT OF ORDER AS IT'S NORMALLY PRESENTED.
SO, JUMPING RIGHT INTO THE UTILITY UPDATE, THE BIGGEST
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ITEM TO BRING Y'ALL UP TO SPEED ON IS THAT THE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY DESIGN MANUAL WAS APPROVED AT COUNTY COUNCIL YESTERDAY UNDER ITS SECOND READING OF THE TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE STORMWATER UTILITY CODE THAT GOES FOR A THIRD AND FINAL READING DURING THE NEXT COUNCIL SESSION.UM, AND THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
SO I THINK WE SET OURSELVES A DATE FOR MARCH 1ST, GOING LIVE WITH SOME OF THOSE AMENDMENTS.
IF YOU REMEMBER THIS, THESE AMENDMENTS CAME OUT OF A DISCUSSION WITH THE PARTICIPATING JURISDICTIONS WHO HAVE IMPLEMENTED IT AT THE TIME AND REALLY WANTING TO JUST CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS NOT ONLY FOR INTERNAL STAFF, BUT ALSO EXTERNAL USERS OF THE MANUAL.
AND SO I THINK THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 10 CHANGES THAT ARE BEING, THAT ARE A PART OF THAT TEXT AMENDMENT.
SO AGAIN, THOSE CHANGES SHOULD BE GOING LIVE, UM, MARCH 1ST, PENDING THIRD AND FINAL APPROVAL AT COUNTY COUNCIL.
SO WE ARE PLANNING, HOPEFULLY AS EARLY AS APRIL TO HAVE THE NEXT UTILITY BOARD MEETING AT BREWER MEMORIAL PARK.
THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT, UH, JULIANA WILL PROBABLY EXPAND ON A LITTLE MORE THAT WE'RE WAITING TO WRAP UP.
EVERYTHING'S BEEN COMPLETED WITH OUR CONTRACTOR.
UM, THESE ARE JUST SOME OPEN LAND TRUST, UH, TICKET ITEMS AS WELL AS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS A SMALL PROJECT ASSOCIATED.
BUT HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER WILL BE NICE ENOUGH THAT WE CAN MEET, UH, ONSITE AT BUR MEMORIAL PARK.
THIS PARK PROJECT ALONG WITH THE EVERGREEN PROJECT.
WE'LL BE SUBMITTING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC WORKS, UM, TO, FOR A PROJECT AWARDS FOR THIS LAST YEAR.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THOSE WILL BE HANDED OUT.
WE'RE SUCCESSFUL WINNERS OF THE, THOSE AWARDS AND THOSE WILL BE HANDED OUT AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, APWA CONFERENCE IN CHARLESTON IN EARLY JUNE.
SO IF YOU DO HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ABOUT FUTURE MEETING LOCATIONS, WE ARE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THOSE AS WELL.
SO ALONG WITH ANY SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS.
UM, AS A REMINDER, THE FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE DUE.
THOSE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PROVIDED YET ARE LISTED, UM, ABOVE.
AND AGAIN, PER THE IGA, THOSE ARE REQUIRED FOR SUBMISSION.
UM, UN UNAUDITED NUMBERS ARE ACCEPTABLE.
SO MOVING INTO THE MONITORING UPDATE FROM THE LAB, UM, WE HAVE HAD A RELATIVELY DRY JANUARY AND THEN OVER THE WEEKEND WE HAD LOTS OF WET WEATHER COME THROUGH OUR AREA.
SO I KNOW THAT U S C B WAS BUSY TAKING SAMPLES, UM, AS, AS APPROPRIATE IN, IN OUR JURISDICTION.
SO QUARTER ONE WRAPS UP AT THE END OF MARCH AND WE SEE NO ISSUE WITH OBTAINING ALL THE NECESSARY SAMPLES AT THAT TIME.
THE SWIC MEMBERS WE MET TODAY AND THE LAB FEES FOR NEXT YEAR HAVE NOT CHANGED.
AND SO WE FEEL THAT THAT FUNDING IS STILL APPROPRIATE TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS OF THE MONITORING PROGRAM.
IS IS THAT ASSUMING THAT, THAT WE TAKE THE SAME AMOUNT OF SAMPLES, I TAKE IT THEY'RE CHARGING US PER SAMPLE ANALYZED AND A REPORT? THEY YES, THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY BUILT INTO THAT.
UM, WE DO HAVE, IN THE EVENT WE NEED SPECIAL MONITORING DONE, THERE IS ROOM IN THAT BUDGET TO GET TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS.
IF WE HAVE AN ILLICIT DISCHARGE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SAMPLED, THERE'S ALSO ROOM TO TAKE CARE OF OF THAT AS WELL.
IS THAT IN A CONTINGENCY FEE THAT YOU PUT ASIDE OR IS THAT JUST KEEPING YOUR FINGERS CROSSED? THAT DOESN'T GO OVERBOARD.
UH, IT'S IN OTHER WORDS, 170,000 IN YOUR BUDGET FOR THAT.
DO, DO THEY, IS IS IT A FIXED NUMBER OF SAMPLES THAT THEY WILL ANALYZE FOR $170,000? THERE IS THE ASSUMED AMOUNT BASED ON THE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE PREVIOUS ASSUMED, AND THEN THERE IS A CONTINGENCY FOR AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF SAMPLES NEEDING TO BE DONE.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE NEVER EX, EXCUSE ME, IN THE PAST, THERE'S NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE WITH US TAKING TOO MANY SAMPLES AND THEN HAVING TO BE BILLED SEPARATELY.
BUT I'M SURE IF THAT WERE THE CASE, THE LAB WOULD LET US KNOW.
THERE HAVE BEEN, WE HAD ONE ILLICIT DISCHARGE WHERE WE NEEDED TO OUTSOURCE THE SAMPLE JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT COULD BE, UM, NOR WHAT TO TEST FOR BECAUSE IT WAS COMPLETELY UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE.
AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN SOMETHING THAT WAS
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NOT INCLUSIVE OF WITHIN THE US CB BUDGET THAT WOULD'VE GONE HANDLED THROUGH TEST AMERICA AND SAVANNAH.SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN AN ADDITIONAL FEE FOR US TO INCUR, BUT ANYTHING THEY CAN HANDLE IN HOUSE IS TAKEN CARE OF WITH THEM.
I'LL ASK MR. WALLACE LATER ABOUT CONTINGENCY FEES.
I KNOW
SO FOR THE WIC REPORT PER THE IGA, THE UM, 20 FY 24 MANAGEMENT FEE MEMO WAS PROVIDED ON TIME TODAY TO THOSE MEMBERS.
WE ACTUALLY MET, UM, PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, JUST TO GO OVER THOSE, SOME OF THOSE BUDGET ITEMS AND TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS AS A GROUP.
UM, SO LOCO THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO AGAIN, PER THE IGA THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THEM ON TIME, UM, YEAH.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE, WE DID DISCUSS WAS THE FUTURE OF SOME OF THE STORMWATER UTILITY FEES AND WHERE WE WANTED TO SEE THOSE RATES GO TO IN THE NEXT YEAR AS THIS IS THE LAST, THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE IS THE NA THE LAST YEAR OF THAT $100 FEE SET FORTH BACK IN 2019.
SO, UM, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO REEVALUATE IN THE COMING YEAR FOR IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE FOLLOWING TAX YEAR.
SO COST SHARING ON THAT ITEM WAS, WAS DISCUSSED GOING TO REGIONAL COORDINATION.
UM, THE AGENDA CALLS TO SEE ITEM NUMBER NINE UNDER STORMWATER RELATED PROJECTS.
ITEM NUMBER NINE IS ABOUT THE ARTHUR HORN PROCESS.
AND SO I'LL LET LET JULIANA DISCUSS THAT.
BUT WE DID GET TO MEET WITH NRCS STAFF ON FEBRUARY 6TH.
THEY CAME DOWN, THEY WERE CONTACTED BY THE GUAG GEECHEE COMMUNITY TO SEE IF THERE WAS AN A, ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR STORMWATER RELATED PROJECTS.
THEY HAD SIX ITEMS, KIND OF CALLED OUT.
AND SO NRCS AND THE TEAM FROM COLUMBIA WANTED TO COME DOWN AND EVALUATE THE VALIDITY AND EFFICACY OF WHAT THEY WERE BEING PROPOSED.
SO WE HAD A REALLY NICE, UM, ONSITE VISIT.
TALKED TO 'EM ABOUT THE DRAINAGE STUDY THAT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED, AND THEN WHAT WE THOUGHT SORT OF WA WOULD AND WOULDN'T BE FEASIBLE FOR THEIR PROJECT.
SO THEY'VE TAKEN THAT INFORMATION, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO THE STATE, UM, TO KIND OF MAKE A DETERMINATION BASED ON OUR SITE VISIT AND DISCUSSIONS.
BUT IT WAS A A NICE MEETING TO SEE THEM AND GET SOME MORE PLUG TIME FOR ARTHUR HORN PROJECT.
SO ARE YOU EXPECTING A REPORT FROM NCRS TO COME TO YOU? I AM NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING BACK FROM THEM.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE TAGGED TO GO DO THIS FROM A LEVEL ABOVE THEM.
I CAN'T RECALL SPECIFICALLY WHO TASKED THEM WITH THAT.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO REPORT THEIR FINDINGS BACK TO THEM, BUT I'M SURE IF I ASKED, THEY'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO INCLUDE ME IN THEIR REPORT.
WELL, I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE FOR YOU TO BE INVOLVED
THEY'RE, UM, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO YOUR GLOVER TO HAVE ANOTHER COMMUNITY MEETING FOR THE ST.
HELENA AREA AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THE FINDINGS OF THAT DRAINAGE STUDY.
SO, UM, WE'RE JUST WAITING TO HEAR BACK WHEN WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR HIM TO OKAY.
AND WILBERT IT WOULD BE COMING DOWN FOR THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL.
AND FOR THE MUNICIPAL REPORTS, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR TO MY COLLEAGUES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS.
SO WE'RE, UH, SUBMITTING OUR PRELIMINARY BUDGETS FOR NEXT FISCAL SCHOOL YEAR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
THAT'S BEING REVIEWED BY SENIOR STAFF.
UM, THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS THERE, WE'RE ADDING, WE'RE ASKING FOR NEW STAFF ALSO RELATED TO CONTEMPLATION AND A PROPOSAL TO ADD FEES FOR PLAN REVIEW AND INSPECTION FOR OUR M P D S PROGRAM.
CURRENTLY, WE DON'T CHARGE A FEE, BUT IF WE HAD, IF WE ADD THAT WE'RE GONNA EXPAND OUR INSPECTIONS TO INCLUDE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, WHICH WE DO NOT DO AS PART OF OUR MONTHLY INSPECTIONS AS WE DO TO COMMERCIAL SITES, BUT THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF IF WE IMPLEMENT THAT.
BUT THE COSTS COULD BE COVERED BY THE PROPOSED FEES OR, UH, INSPECTION AS
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WELL.SO LOOKING TO RECOUP SOME OF THAT COST WE'RE INCURRING, UM, AND, UH, CONTINUING TO BUDGET LARGE AMOUNTS OF, OF, OF OUR BUDGET TO REHABBING OUR, OUR PUMP STATIONS.
WE'VE DONE TWO AND, AND WE HAVE, UH, TWO MORE TO GO.
UH, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE CONSIDERING, UH, ADOPTING THE SOLO MANUAL, SO WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THAT TO DATE.
WE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE EFFORT TO HAVE THE DOCUMENT CREATED, BUT WE ARE NOW BEING ENCOURAGED TO LOOK AT IT AND CONSIDER ADOPTING IT AT SOME LEVEL.
SO THAT'S ALSO ONGOING AT PRESENT.
UM, BIG THINGS WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR BUCK ISLAND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT IS ONGOING.
AS WE, UH, TALK RIGHT NOW TONIGHT, THEY'RE DOING LOW, UH, LANE CLOSURES TO REMOVE THE, UM, PIPING AND PUT IN.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL LEAVE A LOT OF THE FLOODING.
UH, THE OLD TOWN COMPREHENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE DRAINING STUDY IS WINDING DOWN.
THEY'VE DONE ALL THEIR FIELD INSPECTIONS AND, UH, WE'RE WAITING ON THE, UM, UH, STORMWATER MODEL TO COME IN TO, TO FINALIZE THE, THE DRAINING STUDY.
UH, BRIDGE STREET IS IN THE MIDDLE OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE, UH, IMPLEMENTING NEW, UH, UH, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG BRIDGE STREET TO HELP, UH, PROTECT THE, UH, UG CODE.
UH, THE NEW RIVERSIDE BARN PARK, UH, CONSTRUCTION STARTED, UH, THIS WEEK.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE PUTTING IN NEW L I D STORMWATER PONDS, ALONG WITH THE NEW NEW PARK AND EM AMPHITHEATER THAT'S GOING ON OUT TO THE BARN.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, OUR WATER QUALITY MANAGER HAS STARTED THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE, UH, CONTINUOUS FLOW MONITORING OF, UH, THE, UH, SONY CREEK AREA.
UH, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA START, UH, MONITORING FLOW 24 HOURS A DAY WITH CONTINUOUSLY UPDATES.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET IT THROUGH, UH, CELL PHONE DATA SO WE CAN LOOK AT IT AT ANY TIME.
BUT THAT'S GOING INTO THE HEADWATER, UH, COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE STUDY THAT'S COMING ON NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THAT.
UM, ALSO THE US S C B LAB WOULD LIKE TO, UH, UH, LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THEIR M T LAB WITH THEIR MICRO SOLAR TRACKING OR THEIR DNA TRACKING LAB IS UP AND RUNNING AND, UH, READY TO, UH, START DOING BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE, MORE REPORTS FOR THEM ON THAT.
UM, THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE, THANK YOU.
IS IS, IS THAT DNA TESTING TO, TO BE, EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE BEING ABLE TO TELL WHERE THE FECAL COAL FORM COMES FROM, NOT WHERE IT COMES FROM, BUT WHAT IT DOES IS TELLS US WHETHER IT'S HUMAN DOG OKAY.
UH, ANT DEER, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT.
YOU, YOU, YOU CAN TELL WHAT SPECIES YEAH.
WHAT SPECIES IT CAME, CAME FROM.
AND IT, IT'S MORE OF TELLING WHAT'S NOT THERE THAN WHAT IS THERE.
SO, LIKE IN THE MAY RIVER, WHEN WE GO OUT AND TEST THE DNA SAMPLES IN THE MAY RIVER, WE CAN TELL WHETHER IT'S COMING FROM DEVELOPMENT OR FROM WALLA.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AT THE LAB.
MR. WILLIS? I JUST, A FEW THINGS.
UH, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON, UH, SOME ANSWERS TO A COUPLE OF GRANTS THAT WE SUBMITTED.
ONE FOR THE CASA AND BLANK AREA THAT WE'VE ALREADY SCOPED OUT.
AND THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER ONE THAT WE ARE HOPEFULLY GONNA GET DONE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UH, WE'RE ABOUT TO INSTALL THE WATER CONTROL STRUCTURE IN CYPRESS WETLANDS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE, THE, THE BIRDS TO BE BORN.
SO WE DON'T WANNA INTERFERE WITH THAT PROCESS WHATSOEVER.
UM, SO THAT IS GOING, UH, PRETTY WELL.
AND I THINK THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING.
OH YEAH, THE LAST MEETING I DID MENTION THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO ADOPT THE SOLO MANUAL THAT EVENING WE DID ADOPT IT.
SO WE ARE PARTICIPATING OFFICIALLY.
UM, REAL FAST, I'LL KIND OF JUMP BACK TO REGIONAL COORDINATION.
NEXT MONTH, MARCH 6TH, THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ARE GONNA BE MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS OF OLD WOODLANDS TO DISCUSS THE DRAINAGE, UM, COMPLAINTS AND KIND OF GIVE OUR, GIVE OUR FORMAL RESPONSE TO THE GROUP AS A WHOLE ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN CAN AND CANNOT DO FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THAT AREA.
SO THAT WILL BE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING ON AND WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THEM MARCH 6TH.
IT'S ON MY CALENDAR, BUT WHERE IS IT BEING HELD? TOWN HALL.
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AND I THINK WITH THAT, JULIAN'S TURNED GOOD AFTERNOON FOR STORMWATER RELATED PROJECTS.WE'VE SLIMMED THIS DOWN AND I AM STILL GONNA SKIP AROUND IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, I'LL START WITH THE SHELL POINT PROJECT AND WITH THE DISCLAIMER THAT EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THIS REPORT, WHICH IS GOOD, THAT MEANS PROGRESS.
THE INTERGOVERNMENT INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH S C D O T, UM, WAS UPLOADED FOR LEGAL REVIEW, AS YOU SEE IN THE PACKET.
AND LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON IT WAS APPROVED BY COUNTY STAFF.
SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH GETTING THAT, UH, SIGNED BY BOTH PARTIES AND INTO EFFECT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEY SCOPE AND FEE WAS APPROVED AND THEY HAVE SINCE STARTED WORK ON THAT.
SO IF YOU'VE BEEN IN THE AREA, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN FLAGS OR PEOPLE OUT.
AND SO WE ARE EXPECTING THAT PORTION OF THE PROJECT TO BE COMPLETE BY FEBRUARY 20TH, AND WE'LL HAVE THE RESULTS OF THAT SOON THEREAFTER.
WE'RE LOOKING TO SCHEDULE A TASK FORCE MEETING SOON IN MARCH, SO FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF MARCH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO GIVING AN UPDATE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS THERE.
MOVING DOWN TO HUS COURT NORTH IN BESSIE'S LANE, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, KATIE AND I HAVE WORKED A LOT ON THIS LATELY.
NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR ON-CALL CONTRACTOR, J HIERS ON BOARD, WE MET OUT THERE ON THE SEVENTH, SO I THINK THAT WAS LAST WEEK, TO DO A SITE VISIT WITH THEM, GET BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND COMPARE THE PLANS TO WHAT WAS OUT THERE ON HOSPICE COURT.
WE'VE OPTED TO USE PLASTIC PIPE INSTEAD OF REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE BECAUSE THAT AREA DOES NOT SEE ANY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
AND SO THAT PIPE HAS BEEN DELIVERED AND WE ARE WAITING ON THE JUNCTION BOXES, WHICH SHOULD BE HERE IN NOW ABOUT 10 TO 12 WEEKS, INSTEAD OF 12 TO 14 THAT YOU SEE IN THE PACKET.
SO WHEN THAT PROJECT OR WHEN THOSE MATERIALS ARE DELIVERED, WE WILL HAVE THE ESTIMATE BACK FROM J HRS.
WE EXPECT IT BY FEBRUARY 24TH PER AN EMAIL TODAY.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT PROJECT WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, MOVE SOME DIRT SOON.
BESSIE'S LANE IS A SIMILAR PROJECT SCOPE.
WE ALSO DID A SITE VISIT OUT THERE.
IT DOES NOT NEED THE MATERIALS THAT HOSPA COURT NEEDS, AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT ONE CAN HAPPEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
KATIE REALLY HIT ALL THE POINTS I HAD ON ARTHUR HORN PARK.
THERE HASN'T BEEN TOO MUCH OF AN UPDATE AS FAR AS THE APPROVAL OF THE PIF R DOCUMENT, AND IT STILL REMAINS FOURTH IN THE PRIORITY RATING THAT THE STATE HAS.
SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I'LL MOVE TO PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
WE MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, GRAVES PROPERTY PEPPER HALL.
WHAT, WHERE, WHERE DOES IT STAND? IT IS ONGOING, VERY MUCH ONGOING.
THAT'S A BUSY SITE IF THERE EVER WAS ONE.
AND JUST LESS THAN AN HOUR AGO, I SIGNED THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PHASE OF THE PROPERTY.
SO THEY'LL BE SCHEDULING THEIR PRE-CON HERE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO GET STARTED WITH THAT.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT 35 ACRES UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THAT EFFORT.
AND, UM, LET'S SEE, THE END MARKET STATION TOO IS BACK UP AND RUNNING PLANNING WISE.
MY MY OTHER QUESTION IS, I REALIZE THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON IN THAT AREA.
IS THE ROADWAY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC PARK AREA? UH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
LAST TIME I WAS THERE, IT WAS HARD TO GET BACK THERE.
THE COUNTY ROAD WAS OPEN GRAVES ROAD CERTAINLY, BUT, UM, AS FAR AS ACCESS TO THE PARK, IT, IT DOESN'T SCREAM OPEN.
THERE IS A TERMINUS AND IT DOES NOT MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THAT, THE BACK JUST YET.
AND I DUNNO, WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING ON HAVING THAT OPEN, ARE THEY, ARE THEY GIVING YOU UPDATES AS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND FOR THAT? NO, WE'VE, WE WERE ONLY INVOLVED FOR THE COST SHARE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO THE INSTALLATION OF THE ROAD.
AND SO NOW THAT OUR COST SHARE PORTION IS COMPLETE, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THEM AS FAR AS PERMITTING AND APPROVAL IS CONCERNED.
BUT AS FAR AS THE COST SHARE AND WHAT THE UTILITIES FUNDING THAT IS, THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD THAT WILL GO FROM GRAVES ROAD TO THE COUNTY PARCEL IS PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION IN THIS SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
THEIR MAIN INGRESS AND EGRESS IS SALTWATER COWBOY WAY, WHICH IS THE MAIN INGRESS AND EGRESS OF
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THAT COUNTY PARCEL.I, I, I GUESS THE REASON I'M ASKING, UH, UH, MRS. HOWARD AND I WERE INVOLVED IN THIS PLAN AND, AND IT TOOK, TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION, UH, THE COUNTY WAS, WAS ON THE HOOK.
THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD WAS DEFINITELY ON THE HOOK FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THEIR STORM WATER, UH, RETENTION AREA IN PERPETUITY.
UH, SO THAT'S WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT TOO.
SO I I I'M JUST CURIOUS, WHEN, WHEN WE MAKE THE STATEMENT THAT THAT WE'RE DONE, I DON'T THINK WE'RE DONE.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS NOT BEEN HANDED OVER TO US FOR MAINTENANCE.
AND, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING TO.
WHEN WHEN DO WE EXPECT THAT TO BE HANDED OVER TO US? AND ARE WE, BECAUSE WE'RE COST SHARING THAT, ARE WE OVERSEEING THE BUILDING OF THIS RETENTION? WE ARE, ARE OVERSEEING THE BUILDING, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A PARK PROJECT, I THINK THAT IT'S IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE TO APPROVE AT FOR FINAL PERMIT COM COMPLETION.
DID SHE SPEAK WITH THE MIC SO THAT PEOPLE HEAR? I CAN HEAR.
SO DID YOU HEAR THE QUESTION? I HEAR, OKAY.
SO THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE COUNTY PARK HAS OPENED AND IF POND CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE, AND THEN HOW LONG WE'LL BE KEEPING OR WHEN WE EXPECT THAT PROCESS TO CLOSE.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, IT, IT, IT, IT'S NOT JUST CLOSURE, IT'S, IT'S OPEN-ENDED, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WHEN THIS WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL, IT WAS STATED THAT THE STORM WATER UTILITY BOARD WOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE, ALL RIGHT.
FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE STORM WATER RETENTION POND, BACK THEN IT WAS PONDS PLURAL.
AND THAT OVERSIGHT, AND, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO IN OUR BUDGET, WE WERE EXPECTED TO PUT AS MUCH AS $500,000 PER YEAR IN BASICALLY ESCROW INTO OUR BUDGET PROCESS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THAT AREA.
SO WHAT WE, THE BUDGET FOR THE MAINTENANCE WOULD JUST BE PART OF OUR NORMAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE, WE WERE BUDGETING IN THOSE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF IT IS COMPLETED.
NOW, IT HASN'T CLOSED OUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE UNLESS YOU KNOW OF ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE IT'S TECHNICALLY A STORMWATER PROJECT ON A COUNTY PARK.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COUNTY PARK WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE IT TECHNICALLY COMES INTO OUR INVENTORY SYSTEM.
SO IN THE EVENT THERE ARE ISSUES, THE CONTRACTOR WILL, IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT MAINTENANCE.
AND IT'S AN, BECAUSE IT'S AN ONGOING AND ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SITE, WE DO HAVE INS AN INSPECTOR OUT THERE FREQUENTLY.
I, I UNDERST I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I, I, I'M, I'M SOMEWHAT CONCERNED AND I WOULD ASK MS. HOWARD AND HER NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER BECAUSE WELL MAYBE IN THE NEXT MEETING WE COULD GET, UM, AN UPDATE MS TOO ABOUT WHEN SHE TAKES TURNED OVER.
YEAH, THE COUNTY PART HAS NOT COME THROUGH FOR FINAL SRTS.
SO, UH, JUST KNOWING OTHER PROJECTS IN THE TIMELINE THAT TAKES, THERE ARE A FEW MONTHS FROM HAVING THEIR PERMITS TO CONSTRUCT.
SO THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO CONSTRUCT AND CLOSE OUT THAT PROJECT, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT YEARS BEFORE THE BONDS ARE TURNED OVER INTO OUR INVENTORY OFFICIALLY WITH THE CFC.
AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, I WOULD ASK MS. HOWARD TO, TO TAKE THAT UNDER ADVISEMENT UNDER THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE.
WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET AN UPDATE CAUSE THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE BEFORE THE NEXT DOOR, SO WE'LL GET, SO THANK YOU.
AND I'M ACTUALLY MEETING WITH STEPHANIE ON FRIDAY ABOUT A DIFFERENT INITIATIVE, SO I CAN ALSO TOUCH BASE WITH HER AT THAT TIME.
SO MOVING INTO PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS, THE BREW MEMORIAL PROJECT IS STILL AN OPEN PROJECT.
THEY ARE WORKING THIS WEEK TO CORRECT THOSE IRRIGATION ISSUES AND GET IT UP TO SPEED WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE TO KEEP THOSE PLANTS AND THAT INVESTMENT ALIVE.
UM, SO I'LL BE OUT THERE TOMORROW TO MEET WITH THAT CONTRACTOR AND LEARN HOW TO WORK THE SYSTEM,
[00:30:01]
SEE WHERE THOSE LINES ARE AS WE LOOK TOWARDS CLOSING OUT THAT PROJECT.THE OTHER FACET OF THAT PROJECT THAT KATIE ALLUDED TO EARLIER IS A PATHWAY FROM THE HANDICAPPED SPOT TO THE COUNTY FISHING PIER.
AND WE ARE SEEKING AN UPDATE AS TO THE TIMELINE OF THAT, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT TO YOU ALL WHEN WE RECEIVE IT.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH WILPERT AND LOVE WORKING WITH WILPERT.
THEY, UH, COME IN ON TIME UNDER BUDGET AND WE'RE JUST REALLY GRATEFUL TO WORK WITH THEM.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE NORTHERN LADIES ISLAND PHASE ONE, WHICH WAS THE SURVEY DATA AND INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE GOING INTO THE MODEL THAT THEY'RE CREATING IN PHASE TWO THAT IS OPEN, BUT THEY PROJECTED $150,000, JUST OVER $150,000 THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THAT PHASE ONE.
AND THE SCOPE WAS CLOSED OUT AT $101,661 AND 72 CENTS.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THAT THEY'RE COMING IN ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET.
THE OPEN SCOPES ARE SEEN HERE, AND I WON'T HIT ON ALL OF THEM.
I WILL JUMP TO SCOPE NUMBER 11, WHICH IS ITEM C, NORTHERN LADIES ISLAND DRAINAGE STUDY PHASE TWO.
KATIE AND I HAVE COMPARED THEIR PRELIMINARY DATA TO THE COMPLAINTS THAT ARE LOGGED IN THE BC CONNECT SYSTEM.
AND SO WE'VE DONE SOME QA QC ON OUR SIDE.
THEY CONTINUE TO QA QC ON THEIR SIDE, AND SO WE'LL MEET WITH THEM TOMORROW AND GET A NEW UPDATE THERE.
WE'VE RECENTLY COMMISSIONED A WATER QUALITY MONITORING STATION AND RAIN GAUGE AT THE HEADWATERS OF THE OKEE RIVER.
AND WILER WILL BE HANDLING THIS EFFORT FOR US IN TERMS OF SECURING THE EQUIPMENT, GETTING IT INSTALLED, AND THE PERMITS NEEDED THEREIN.
UH, WE RENEWED A SCOPE FOR MS FOUR GENERAL PERMIT ASSISTANCE FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2023, AND THERE ARE $40,000 ALLOCATED TO THAT EFFORT.
AND THEN PENDING APPROVAL IS SCOPE NUMBER 14 FOR WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS AT RIVER'S END.
AND THIS SCOPE INCLUDES DATA COMPILATION AND INVENTORY ANALYSIS AND SURVEY IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL BNPS, OF COURSE, A MODEL DEVELOPMENT.
THEY'LL LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES AND THEN ULTIMATELY PROVIDE A DRAINAGE REPORT THAT WE CAN USE TO MAKE EFFECTIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN SIMILAR TO THIS, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A MIRROR EFFORT TO THAT IN MINT FARM, BUT WE'RE GONNA PURSUE THE RIVERS END THING FIRST AND THEN PURSUE THAT FARM.
SO IF THO THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL MOVE TO THE MS FOUR REPORT.
UH, LET ME JUST ASK A QUESTION ABOUT RIVERS INN.
IT IS A COMMUNITY WITH COUNTY OWNED INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE OKEE AREA.
IS, IS THERE AN EXISTING PROBLEM THERE OR ARE WE DESIGNING TO TO YES, SIR.
ARE WE TRYING TO REMEDIATE A PROBLEM? WE ARE.
THE WATER QUALITY DATA CONSISTENTLY HAS BEEN REALLY HIGH THERE FOR BACTERIA, AND THAT'S THE IMPAIRMENT OF THE OKEE RIVER.
AND SO SINCE THAT IS A COMMUNITY WITH COUNTY OWNED INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE AN IMPROVEMENT, THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS AS WE LOOK TOWARDS FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WATER QUALITY ISSUES? WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WELLS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU SAY WATER QUALITY, THE NUMBERS FROM THE SAMPLES WERE REALLY HIGH, AND THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT WE KNOW.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY SOURCE TRACKING YET.
BUT CONSIST CONSISTENTLY THOSE NUMBERS WERE HIGHER, BUT WE ARE GOING TO YES, SIR.
THAT'S AN ASPECT OF THIS SCOPE.
SO AT, WHEN THE COUNTY REDID ITS WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM, WE ARE FOCUSING ON AREAS WHERE THERE'S A COUNTY CONTRIBUTION TO, OR AN MS FOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEGRADATION OF WATER QUALITY.
SO WE HAD TO GET BASELINE INFORMATION AND THEN FROM THAT BASELINE INFORMATION OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS, WE THEN PULLED FROM THAT DATA AND SAID, WHERE CAN WE, WE WANNA BE SAMPLING WHERE WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO IT REPRESENT THE DISCHARGE POINT OF THEIR STORMWATER POND IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR OF BACTERIA TO THE OKEE.
AND BECAUSE IT IS A COUNTY OWNED ASSET AND COUNTY CONTRIBUTION, TRUE MS FOUR CONTRIBUTION, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE AND WE CAN MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S THE TASK OF THE PERMIT ITSELF.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH WILBERT IS NOT ONLY RETROFITTING THE BM P TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, BUT THERE ARE ALSO COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE ROADWAY ISSUES AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
SO IT'S, IT'S A DOUBLE HITTER SO TO SPEAK.WE CAN MAKE AND IMPROVE IT TO DRAINAGE AND WATER QUALITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE TAKING A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THE SYSTEM TO FIND OUT WHAT IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE.
UM, CERTAINLY WE CAN JUST RETROFIT THE POND, BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER WAYS TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR WALPERT TO TELL US THAT.
SPEAKING TO THE MIC SO I CAN HEAR YOU.
ARE YOU TALK, ARE YOU TALKING TO ME? YES, SIR.
YOU OKAY? SORRY, I CAN, WE'RE WE'RE GOOD NOW.
THOSE NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED THIS MONTH, AND ALONG WITH THAT THE PERMITS HAVE DROPPED, ALTHOUGH I'M LOOKING FOR THAT TO RAMP BACK UP HERE.
AS WE HIT THE SPRING MONTHS, OUR INSPECTORS STAY BUSY AS EVER AND THEY'VE BEEN CLOSING OUT A LOT OF PROJECTS AS WELL.
AND IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE INSPECTIONS THEY'VE DONE, I SEE THE NUMBER, THERE WAS 700 PLUS INSPECTIONS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
THEY ALSO RECEIVED THEIR OSHA CERTIFICATIONS AND SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THEM FOR BALANCING ALL THAT THEY DO AND GETTING EVERYTHING DONE THAT THEY DO AND ARE GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
THEY'VE ALSO DEALT WITH A FEW IDDS, MOST OF WHICH HAVE BEEN, UH, RELATED TO SEPTIC TANKS BEING CONNECTED TO A DRAINAGE CONVEYANCE, AND THEY'VE DEALT WITH THOSE APPROPRIATELY.
THE PUBLIC EDUCATION REPORT WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION AND, UM, SO WE WILL SKIP THAT FOR THIS BOARD MEETING.
WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT WORKING WITH INTER GOV AS FAR AS STAFF REVIEW TEAM IS CONCERNED, AND ZONING IS TAKING APPLICATIONS AND PAYMENTS VIA INTER GOV.
BUT THE STAFF REVIEW TEAM PROCESS HAS NOT SHIFTED TO USING THAT SOFTWARE YET.
WE DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE MS FOUR PERMIT AS IT PERTAINS TO DHEC, BUT WE WILL BE GOING TO THE QUARTERLY ASSOCIATION OF STORMWATER MANAGERS MEETING IN COLUMBIA THE FIRST WEEK IN MARCH.
AND SO ARE CERTAINLY HOPING TO HEAR SOME POSITIVE NEWS ABOUT THAT NEW PERMIT THEN.
AND WITH THAT, I HAVE THE STAFF UPDATE.
WE CONTINUE TO INTERVIEW FOR ALL VACANCIES.
WE HAVE SOME REGULATORY VACANCIES AS WELL AS, UM, A NUMBER OF INFRASTRUCTURE VACANCIES.
AND SO WE'RE HIRING WHERE WE CAN WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO KATIE, I THINK TO STEVEN CARTER FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE REPORT.
AGAIN, I'M STEVEN CARTER, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR PEOPLE COUNTY STORMWATER.
I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT, UM, ABOUT THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE AND SOME OF THE MINOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED.
UM, IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET, NO, I'M NOT.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH A FEW OF 'EM.
UM, WANNA MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO COME UP HERE BEFORE I GO THROUGH, THROUGH ALL OF EM.
YOU CAN TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU NEED.
UM, THE FIRST ONE I WANT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS, UM, THE LIGHTSY ROAD CHANNEL, UH, CHANNEL CLEAN OUT.
UM, THIS PROJECT IMPROVED 3,383 LINEAR FEET OF DRAINER SYSTEM.
THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDED CLEANING OUT 3,383 LINEAR FEET OF CHANNEL OF CHANNEL DITCH.
AND THE COST OF THAT WAS, UM, 15 MILLION.
NO, NOT QUITE A MILLION, HUH? OH, FIF, OH, EXCUSE ME.
I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT COMMENT THE WRONG SPOT.
YOU, YOU JUST BROKE THE BUDGET.
AND, UM, UM, THE SECOND ONE OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT IS, UM, THE OLD JERICHO ROAD AND, AND TA STREET FROM, UH, IN, UH, PORT ROYAL ISLAND DISTRICT.
UH, THIS PROJECT IMPROVED 1,330 LINEAR FEET OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDED CLEANING OUT 1,300 LINEAR FEET OF ROADSIDE DITCH AND JETTING OUT SIX DRIVEWAY PIPES.
ALSO A HYDRO SEEDING FOR EROSION FOR EROSION CONTROL.
I, UH, GOING INTO SOME OF THE MINOR REPORTS AND THE MINOR AND ROUTINE PROJECT, UM, THE FIRST ONE I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT IS THE BE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ON
[00:40:01]
CAMP ST.AND, UH, THAT SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDED GRADING THE ROAD TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE AND, UM, THAT IMPROVED BECAUSE DURING HEAVY RAINS, THE, THEIR PARKING LOT WOULD FLOOD, UM, TREMENDOUSLY, AND, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET IN AND OUT OF THEIR GATE.
SO WE HELP WITH THE DRAINAGE, UH, TO ALLEVIATE THE WATER FROM FLOODING IN THEIR PARKING LOT.
AND, UM, ANOTHER, THE, THE MINOR ROUTINE PROJECT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT IS, UM, THE BURKES BEACH, UH, HEAD ISLAND.
THE PROJECT APPROVED 1,762 LINEAR FEET OF JAN'S SYSTEM.
AND THE SCOPE, THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDE INCLUDED CLEANING OUT 1,762 LINEAR FEET OF ROADSIDE DITCH AND ALSO JETTING TWO DRIVEWAY PIPES.
UM, I HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR, UM, ONE MORE OF THOSE ON IN, UM, IN BLUFFTON.
UH, WE ALSO DID WORK ON SAILORS CHOICE IN BLUFFTON.
AND THIS PROJECT IMPROVED 178 LINEAR FEET OF DRAINING SYSTEM.
THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDED CLEAN OUT 178 LINEAR FEET OF ROADSIDE DIPS TO ALLEVIATE THE WATER FLOODING IN THE DITCHES.
THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME OF, SOME OF THE PROJECTS MINOR ANIMATOR THAT WE HAVE DONE.
IF YOU ALL TAKE, UH, GET A CHANCE, YOU CAN LOOK IN YOUR PACKET AND IT HAS, UM, SCOPE OF WORK AND THE BEFORE ENDURING PICTURES.
AND, UM, THE ARROW POINTING WHERE THE SCOPE OF WORK WAS, WAS, UM, FINISHED AT, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU MR. CARTER, FOR FILLING IN FOR MR. ROSH.
SECONDLY, UH, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UH, SINCE YOU'RE OUT THERE DOING THE WORK OR OVERSEEING THE WORK, UH, ARE YOU GETTING ALL THE HELP AND ASSISTANCE YOU NEED TO GET IT DONE? YES, SIR.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, UM, AS, UM, JULIANA SPOKE, YOU KNOW, WE A LITTLE SHORT STAFFED, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DEALING WITH IT, UM, GETTING THE PROJECTS COMPLETED AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS WE CAN RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE COULD USE A LITTLE MORE STAFF WORK, BUT WE'RE RIGHT NOW WE'RE GETTING THE PROJECTS COMPLETED.
UH, THE OTHER ITEM I WOULD ASK IS, UH, SINCE WE'RE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, UH, DO YOU HAVE ALL THE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED TO DO THE JOB? I THINK THAT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
I CAN'T HELP YOU WITH STAFFING, BUT, UH, MAYBE WITH EQUIPMENT, DO YOU HAVE THE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED TO DO THE JOB? UH, WE COULD, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, FOR THE STAFF, WE HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, AND I KNOW, UM, ONCE THEY TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FISCAL YEAR, NEXT YEAR, I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'RE GONNA INCLUDE THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE, UH, WE WOULD BE GETTING.
AGAIN, I KNOW, UM, AS OF TODAY WE GOT IN A NEW, UM, LOW BOY TRAILER AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE NEW LOW BOY IN WILL BE, WILL BE COMING IN FOR US TO TRANSPORT OUR LARGER EQUIPMENT.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE, THE DUMP TRUCKS AND THE, UH, TAG ALONG TRAILERS TO MOVE MOST OF OUR SMALLER EQUIPMENT.
UM, WE CAN, AS OF RIGHT NOW, I'LL GET WITH KATIE AND, AND MATTHEW AND, UH, AND MS. CAROLYN TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, TO, TO SEE WHERE WE STAND WITH OUR OTHER EQUIPMENT.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? NO.
GENERAL COURT, UM, NEXT, UH, UNDER, UM, LIAISON REPORT, MS. HOWARD? SURE.
WE HAD OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP LAST WEEK FOR TWO DAYS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT STORMWATER COURSE DURING ONE OF ONE OF THOSE SESSIONS.
AND, UM, I THINK WE DID TALK ABOUT EQUIPMENT NEEDS, UM, MENTIONED THAT WAS ON THE LIST.
AND ALSO, UH, WE HAD, WHAT DAY WAS THAT? THE CONVERSATION WAS SENATOR GRAHAM'S OFFICE.
UM, I FORGET SHELL POINT, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN TOLD THERE WAS FUNDING BY CONGRESSMAN MASON'S OFFICE, BUT ACTUALLY IT WAS JUST AUTHORIZED.
THERE'S NO MONEY YET, SO IT'S LIKE A PROMISE.
UM, ONE OF THE STAFFERS IN SENATOR GRAHAM'S OFFICE, HE DESCRIBED IT AS, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO DAD AND HE SAID, SURE, YOU CAN HAVE $20, BUT THEN YOU GO TO MOM AND SHE WON'T OPEN HER POCKETBOOK.
SO THE POCKETBOOK HAS NOT OPENED YET.
SO WE HAD A CALL WITH SENATOR GRAHAM'S OFFICE.
I I SHOULD SAY MR. HERRERA DID.
AND I, I LISTENED IN AND, UM, IT, IT WAS GOOD, A GOOD CONVERSA A GOOD CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT, SO THE MONEY'S NOT THERE FOR SHELL POINT, BUT OF COURSE, THE OTHER WORK THAT D
[00:45:01]
O T'S DOING IS GOING ON.SO THAT WAS SOME HAP NOT GOOD NEWS, BUT NOT, NOT BAD NEWS, I GUESS.
UH, THE OTHER, ARE THEY, EXCUSE ME? ARE THEY SAYING THAT THE MONEY IS FORTHCOMING? NO, IT'S NOT.
SO
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME OR NOT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UM, BECAUSE HE CAME IN A LITTLE BIT AFTER INTRODUCTIONS.
UH, MR. WILLIAM SMITH IS HERE AND HE'S ON THE SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTING ST.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? WE'LL BE DOING OUR FINALIZING OF OUR BUDGET, UM, LATER ON, BUT THIS WAS LIKE THE WORKSHOP TO GET READY TO DO OUR BUDGET.
NO, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK MS. HOWARD FOR BEING A, A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD, UH, ON COUNTY COUNCIL, AND WE'RE, WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'RE STILL THERE.
WELL, UH, THIS, THIS IS MY LAST TERM, SO YOU GOT ME FOR FOUR MORE YEARS,
UH, RIGHT NOW WE, WE, WE GO BACK INTO, UH, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, AN UPDATE BY MS. HERRERA ON THE LAND SWAP AGREEMENT.
SO LAST MEETING I SPOKE TO YOU ALL ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME OF THE PROPERTY THAT WAS UTILIZED FOR THE OKAT EE WEST AND THE EVERGREEN REGIONAL BMPS BEING PROPOSED AS PART OF A LAND SWAP FOR, WITH THE OPEN LAND TRUST TO GET TO HAVE BUILT ON THE EVERGREEN PROPERTY, A LIBRARY, AND THEN IN A SECTION AND ANOTHER PART OF BLUFFTON.
UM, THERE WAS A PIECE THAT WAS ALL GONNA BE ALLOCATED FOR SOME SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING EFFORT.
AND SO WE MET ONSITE WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE OPEN LAND TRUST AND NATURAL AND THE OPEN LAND TRUST BOARD, EXCUSE ME.
AND AFTER THEY MET, THERE WAS A PUBLIC MEETING IN, I BELIEVE, EARLY JANUARY, AND IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE BOARD WOULD NOT SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE AND EFFORT OF THE PROPOSED LAND SWAP.
AND SO FROM THERE, UM, I KNOW WE DID COST SHARE IN THE PURCHASE PURCHASE OF ONE OF THOSE PROPERTY, BOTH OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND SO THE QUESTION WAS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE UTILITY FUNDS? BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THAT AGREEMENT IS NO LONGER FORTHCOMING, IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AT THIS TIME.
BUT BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS STILL PENDING AS OF LAST MEETING, I DIDN'T WANT BRING IT TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION THAT IT HAS BEEN DECIDED TO NOT MOVE FORWARD.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LAND SPOT? NO, I KNOW IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS IN THE ISLAND PACKET, SO THANK YOU.
UH, NOW WE MOVE INTO NEW BUSINESS AND, UH, I SORT OF T Y 23 MANAGEMENT MEMO.
SO EVERY YEAR WE PROVIDE A MEMO TO THE MUNICIPALITIES.
TALKING ABOUT THE PREVIOUS TAX YEAR AND THEN WHAT, WHAT WAS, CAN YOU SCROLL DOWN THESE? PERFECT.
SO THESE ARE THE, UM, NUMBERS FROM PREVIOUS TAX YEAR 21, WHAT WAS BILLED, WHAT WAS COLLECTED JUST FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE JURISDICTIONS THAT WE ALL SERVE UNDER THE UTILITY.
IT'S A BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF THE ACCOUNTS, UM, HOW MANY OF THE ACCOUNTS PAID, AND HOW MANY OF THE ACCOUNTS ARE STILL WE'VE COLLECTED ON, AND HOW MANY ARE STILL SORT OF IN ARREARS.
SO THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES TO HAVE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT FUNDS CAME IN AND OUT OF THE UTILITY, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS.
AND THEN WE USE THESE NUMBERS TO PROJECT WHAT NEXT FISCAL YEARS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
AND FROM THERE, BECAUSE WE DO COST SHARE ON SEVERAL ITEMS, AND THE MUNICIPALITIES DO COST SHARE IN THE MANAGEMENT BUDGET OVERALL FOR MS. CAROLYN AND MYSELF, UM, THEY, THEY'RE PROVIDED ALL THAT INFORMATION.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE? THIS IS PER THE IGA THAT WE ALL HAVE IN PLACE WITH EACH OTHER, UM, JUST TO GIVE THEM AN IDEA OF WHAT THE FEE FOR THE NEXT TAX YEAR IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
SO THIS IS THE LAST YEAR OF, I THINK I SPOKE ABOUT IT EARLIER.
THIS IS, THIS COMING YEAR IS THE LAST YEAR UNDER THE RATE MODEL WE ADOPTED, UM, FI ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO NOW.
[00:50:01]
IN THIS, IN THIS COMING YEAR, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO WORK TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE NEED TO BE FOR THOSE RATES AND POSSIBLY LIKE YOU'RE ALLUDING TO INCREASE WHAT THE UTILITY FEES ARE.SO, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE JUSTIFIED IN THOSE DECISIONS AND WE WILL, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE, UM, SOLICITING THE ASSISTANCE OF A CONSULTANT, WHETHER THAT'S, UM, AN EXISTING CONSULTANT OR AN ADDITIONAL, UM, OUTSIDE RESOURCE TO MAKE SURE WE DO THIS APPROPRIATELY.
UM, JOHN, CAN YOU KEEP SCROLLING DOWN PLEASE? THAT'S JUST THE BREAKDOWN OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT FOR EACH JURISDICTION.
AND THEN UNDER MONITORING, YOU SEE THAT HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON DON'T COST SHARE IN THOSE EFFORTS.
THE COUNTY DOES THE MONITORING IN THE CITY AND THE TOWN, AND SO THERE IS A SMALL PORTION ALLOCATED FOR COST SHARING FROM THOSE JURISDICTIONS.
AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE FINAL PAGE, THAT'S THE BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF THE EXPENSES GO UP A LITTLE BIT.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THE TOTAL MANAGEMENT COST FOR THIS YEAR HAS GONE DOWN TO $284,000.
THAT'S THE BREAKDOWN OF ALL THAT INFORMATION AND THEN WHAT IT IT'S ALLOCATED TO AND WHAT THE MANAGEMENT COST SHARING FEES ARE FOR EACH ACCOUNT, UM, FOR THE, FOR THAT.
THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE ALSO PROVIDED, GOSH, CAROLYN, HOW MANY SHEETS IS THAT ON THE, THE RATE MODEL, LIKE 29 DIFFERENT SHEETS JUST ABOUT IN AN EXCEL FILE THAT WE UPDATE AND THEN, UM, GET THE, GET THIS INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S ALL PROVIDED TO, TO THE MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL AS BACKUP INFORMATION TO THIS DOCUMENT.
SO AGAIN, WE ALL MET ABOUT IT THIS MORNING SLASH AFTERNOON, AND IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
I THINK IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR EX OFFICIO MEMBERS WHO DO THIS COST SHARING AND WE'VE, UH, HAD A CONVERSATION THIS MORNING ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT ON OUR COST SHARING RIGHT NOW.
SO IN THE EVENT OUR BUDGET CHANGES FOR ANY REASON, THEY WILL RECEIVE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS DOCUMENT AND THEY ARE REQUIRED PER THE IGA TO PROVIDE APPROVAL OR DENIAL OF WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING BY APRIL 1ST.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT'S THE MANAGEMENT MEMO.
I'M SORRY, I HAVE, I DID NOT SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.
MR. CAROLYN WALLACE, WE'LL PRESENT.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW THIS, THIS LOOKS VERY FAMILIAR, FEEL THAT ATTACH ME NOW, THIS SHOULD LOOK VERY FAMILIAR TO A LOT OF YOU.
SOME OF YOU ARE FAIRLY NEW, SUE, SO YOU'LL UM, MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH THIS.
AND SO I'M GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THIS.
UM, I HOPE EVERYONE HAS HAD, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE, UM, BUDGET.
UM, SORRY IT CAME OUT A LITTLE, JUST A LITTLE LATE.
UM, BUT WE DID TRY TO GET IT TO YOU AS QUICK AS WE COULD.
UM, ACTUALLY WE ARE, UH, AHEAD OF MOST SECTIONS BECAUSE OF OUR FEBRUARY 15TH DEADLINE TO THE MUNICIPALITIES AND FOR ALSO TRYING TO GET THIS PRESENTED TO YOU AND HOPEFULLY GETTING YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON TODAY BEFORE, UM, IT GET MOVED UP, THE, UM, THE, THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
AND, UM, SO AS, UH, COUNCILMAN HOWARD, UM, ALLUDED TO EVENTUALLY THIS WILL GET, UM, REVIEWED BY SENIOR STAFF MEMBERS AND THEN PRESENTED TO, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL.
BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, WE WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS BUDGET WITH YOU AND HOPEFULLY GET YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
I'M NOT GONNA COVER EVERYTHING.
I HAVE PROVIDED YOU ALL OF MY NOTES ON THIS.
UM, HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, SO YOU CAN, UM, GET A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT WE, OR HOW WE ARE STRUCTURED AND HOW WE ARE ANTICIPATING, UM, OUR BUDGET TO LOOK FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
AND SO I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE, UH, EFFORTS OR OUR PROPOSED EXPENSES FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT, YOU'LL SEE THAT I'M COMPARING THE BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR, OR I'M SORRY, THE CURRENT YEAR THAT WE ARE IN APOLOGIZE, UM, TO WHAT WE
[00:55:01]
ARE PROPOSING.THAT'S THE COMPARISON THAT, UH, THAT THIS IS, UM, PROVIDED ON HERE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES AND I WANT TO GO THROUGH MORE SO THE CHANGES, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THOSE.
ONE OF THE MAJOR CHANGES IS THAT, UH, WE HAD A VERY ROBUST C I P PROJECT OR WATER QUALITY RETROFIT PROGRAM.
UM, AND UM, THIS YEAR WE ACTUALLY HAVE NONE PROGRAMMED FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, WE'RE, THERE'S A FINALLY A, A YEAR THAT WE'RE SKIPPING, AND SO WE'LL HAVE SOME THAT WILL COME INTO PLAY IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, BUT NONE FOR THIS YEAR.
BUT IF YOU DO NOTICE THOUGH, IT'S SHIFTED TO OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, A GOOD BIT OF IT.
NOW WE HAVE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE, THAT WE DON'T CONSIDER QUALIFIED FOR.
WHAT THE PURPOSE OF WHAT THIS WAS, UM, CREATED FOR OUR C I P PROJECTS.
THOSE ARE WATER QUALITY RETROFIT PROJECTS, BUT THESE ARE MORE WATER QUANTITY ISSUES, DRAINAGE, FLOODING, UM, HISTORIC ISSUES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING.
AND, UM, ONE THAT KATIE HAS ALREADY TOUCHED UPON.
AND, UM, JULIANA WAS RIVERS INN AND SHE MENTIONED MORE SO CUZ THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED WITH THAT, WITH THE WATER QUALITY ASPECT.
SO WE HAD TO DECIDE WHICH AREA WE WOULD EVEN PROGRAM THAT PROJECT IN, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THE MAJORITY OF THE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE, UM, USED TOWARDS THE WATER QUANTITY PROBLEMS. AND SO THAT'S WHY IT IS NOT IN THE C I P PROJECTS.
IT'S LISTED, UM, IN THE OPERATIONS, UM, AREA.
SO OUR EFFORTS ARE, WE HAVE THREE SECTIONS.
AND SO I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH THIS REALLY BRIEFLY.
WE HAVE THE MANAGEMENT SECTION AND THAT INCLUDES ME AND KATIE, THE STORMWATER MANAGER, THE STORMWATER BUSINESS MANAGER, AND JOHN SPENCER WHO'S LEFT US HALF OF HIS, UM, EFFORT FTS ARE TO SUPPORT US.
AND THE OTHER HALF IS REGULATORY.
AND IN REGULATORY WE HAVE, UM, SEVEN AND A HALF FOLKS IN THERE AND I'VE LISTED THOSE OUT TOO.
AND THAT WOULD BE JULIANA, OUR INSPECTORS, OUR SENIOR INSPECTOR AND OUR INSPECTOR, UH, TECHNICIANS.
AND THEN THE BULK OF, UM, THE EMPLOYEES, OF COURSE THE PERSONNEL IS WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP, WHICH THERE'S ABOUT 40, UM, FTES IN THAT SECTION.
AND LIKE, UH, THEY'VE ALREADY ALLUDED TO, WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES THERE.
UM, AND SO NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT, WE HAVE A ON-CALL CONTRACTOR AND THEY'VE ALREADY MENTIONED JH HIRES, UM, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO NOW LOOK AT GETTING SOME OF THESE MORE LARGER PROJECTS TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED, SO THEY'VE ALREADY MENTIONED BESSIE LANE, UM, I THINK THEY MENTIONED CHURCH OF GOD, NO, IT WAS HUS COURT.
AND THEN THERE'S THE, UM, CHURCH OF GOD PROJECT ALSO THAT THEY'RE HOPING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED IN THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ROLLOVER CUZ WE, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THEY WON'T GET THOSE COMPLETED UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
BUT WE HAVE A FEW OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING ON BOARD, UM, NEXT YEAR.
SO OUR MANAGEMENT BUDGET, KATIE'S ALREADY MENTIONED IT IN OUR, UM, IN OUR REPORT TO THE MUNICIPALITIES THIS WEEK.
THE, UM, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET.
UM, YOU SEE 1.9 MILLION JUST IN CONSTRUCTION THAT WE ARE THIS HOPEFULLY ANTICIPATING, UM, FOR FY 2024 AND THEN ANOTHER 635,000 FOR ADDITIONAL STUDIES, UM, FOR THE SHELL POINT PROJECT.
AND THE SHELL POINT PROJECT IS ALREADY ONGOING.
WE ALREADY HAVE, THEY'VE SHALL ALREADY KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE SOMEONE HIRED A CONTRACTOR DOING THAT.
UM, AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THAT TO TAKE A FEW YEARS.
UM, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UM, BUDGET FOR THAT EACH YEAR.
AND THEN IN REGULATORY, UM, YOU CAN SEE BASICALLY WHAT THEY WENT OVER WITH THE CAR SHARE, THE WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION AND OUTREACH AND THEN OUR STAFF AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM.
PLUS WE HAVE, AND IF YOU LOOK UNDER THERE IS 354,000 FOR STONEWATER CONSULTING SERVICE, THAT'S WILK.
AND THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THEM TO HELP US WITH IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
NOW IF YOU GO BACK TO THE REVENUE, YOU SEE THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE A SHORTFALL COMPARE IF WE LOOK AT THE REVENUE VERSUS THE EFFORTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND WE NEED TO USE ABOUT $2.8 MILLION OUT
[01:00:01]
OF OUR RESERVES, UM, FOR NEXT YEAR.AT, AT OUR LAST, UM, AUDITED ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, WE HAD OVER $9 MILLION LEFT IN RESERVES OR WHAT I, WHAT I CALL IT RESERVES, WHAT IS CALLED UNRESTRICTED NET ASSET.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR STATEMENT.
AND OF THAT 9 MILLION PLUS DOLLARS, 5 MILLION OF THAT OF COURSE IS THE BOND MONEY.
I'M SURE SOME OF Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT FROM A FEW YEARS AGO.
WE HAVE NOT EXPENDED IT YET AND IT'S BEEN, WELL FOUR YEARS.
IT, IT COINCIDES WITH, UM, THAT FIVE YEAR BUDGET.
UM, AND SO THAT LEAVES US ANOTHER $4 MILLION WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT USING THAT BOND.
AND THE REASON WHY WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT THE, THE, THAT DIFFERENCE IS BECAUSE REALLY THAT BOND WAS TAKEN OUT FOR OUR CIP P PROJECT PROGRAM, OUR WATER QUALITY QUALITY RETROFIT PROJECT.
SO WE'RE, UM, GOING TO BE REQUESTING, IF YOU CONCUR WITH US, $2.8 MILLION AND IF YOU LOOK, UH, WE HAVE ABOUT $2.8 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE, UH, UH, TO CONTRACT OUT FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, THE ONLY PROJECT, MAJOR PROJECT THAT I KNOW OF THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP TO DO IS ALL THE PROJECTS THAT CAME OUT OF THE ST.
UM, IF WE, I DID NOTE IT IN HERE, SO IF WE CAN HIGHLIGHT THAT, BUT THAT'S, UH, BUT, BUT OF THESE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT I KNOW OF, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WE ARE ASKING THEM TO COMPLETE.
BUT THE OTHERS WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT USING OUR OWN CALL CONTRACTOR, UM, TO COMPLETE FOR US.
UM, NOW THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS JUST BECAUSE Y'ALL TALKED TO STEVEN TOO ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE THE, WE ARE REPLACING THREE PIECES, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, UM, DOWN TO THE BOTTOM.
UM, THE JOHN DEERE LOADER I THINK MIGHT BE PUSHING NOW LOADERS LAST A LONG TIME, SO THIS WILL, UM, I WANNA SAY THAT LOADER'S PROBABLY GOING ON 20 YEARS OLD.
IT'S TIME FOR US TO, TO UPGRADE THAT.
UM, THAT 3 0 8 D CAT EXCAVATOR, WE USE SMALLER EXCAVATORS QUITE A BIT AND MATTER OF FACT, WE DON'T EVEN WANNA REPLACE THIS WITH A 3 0 8 D THAT WE ARE REPLACING IT, BUT WE WANNA REPLACE IT WITH A 3 0 5.
WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE SMALLER COMPACT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
THEY NEED MORE
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GET SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT SMALLER.
HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE JUST GOT IN A LITTLE BOY TRAILER INFRASTRUCTURE DIDN'T PURCHASE THAT, BUT THEY DO HAVE A, A NEW, UM, BILLBOARD TRAILER THAT HAS COME IN.
HE TALKED ABOUT OUR TAG ALONG TRAILERS, BUT ONE THING WE ALSO NOTICED IS WE'VE KIND OF LOST FLEXIBILITY WITH THE CREW BEING ABLE TO TAKE THEIR OWN LIGHT EQUIPMENT OUT.
UM, OUR BOBCATS, UM, AND SMALLER EQUIPMENTS LIKE THAT, WE USED TO HAVE SMALL TRAILERS THAT WE PURCHASED WITH THE BOBCATS, BUT THEY HAD THOSE WING WELLS AND THEY GOT BANGED UP.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO PURCHASE THEM A SMALLER ONE SO THAT A F TWO 50 OR A F THREE 50 CAN PULL A, A BOBCAT RATHER THAN US HAVING TO HAVE ONE OF OUR CDL DRIVERS WITH THEIR DUMP TRUCK TO PULL IT.
SO WE TRYING TO GIVE THEM SOME MORE, UM, VERSATILITY IN, UM, IN WHAT THEY'RE NEEDING.
THIS IS FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING FROM THEM THAT THEY NEED TO HELP GET THESE PROJECTS COMPLETED.
ANOTHER AREA IS THE VAC TRUCK.
UH, I THINK IT'S A 2018 VAC TRUCK.
UM, AND SO RATHER THAN REPLACE IT, WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING A VACUUM TRUCK AND WE CAN DEFINITELY KEEP IT MOVING.
UM, IF THEY, IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET THAT FROM THEM.
AGAIN, THIS IS FEEDBACK FROM THEM THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THEM TO HAVE A SECOND VACUUM TRUCK CUZ THEY CAN, UM, HAVE A CREW FOR THAT AND BE ABLE TO GET MORE DONE IN THAT VEIN.
SO THOSE ARE THE, UM, THE CAPITAL ASSET PURCHASES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE NONE FOR MANAGEMENT AND THERE'S NONE FOR, UM, REGULATORY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PLUSED UP PRETTY GOOD NOW.
WE HAD A CAMERA TRAILER IS OBSOLETE, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE THAT OUT OF THIS YEAR'S FUNDING.
SO THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNCIL FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND PURCHASE.
THAT'S THEIR BIGGEST NEED AND WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT THIS YEAR.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I I HAVE, I HAVE ONE.
[01:05:01]
THE VACUUM TRUCK LOOKS LIKE IT'S THE BIGGEST EXPENDITURE IN THIS, IT, IT'S ALMOST ALL THE REST OF 'EM COMBINED.I, I, I IS IS THE VACUUM TRUCK.
WE HAVE MAINTENANCE INTENSIVE THAT IT'S ALWAYS, ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, IT'S DOWN A LOT SO THEY NEED A SECOND ONE SO THAT THEY HAVE ONE RUNNING.
SO WHEN ONE'S BEING REPAIRED, ONE'S OUT THERE WORKING.
IS THAT THE IDEA? THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF IT, UM, IS THE FACT THAT EVEN IF IT WAS UP, IT WOULD BE HARD TO, TO, UM, WE SEE THE NEED REGARDLESS.
EVEN IF IT WAS UP, WE WERE STILL, WE SEE WHERE WE COULD USE A SECOND VACUUM TRUCK.
BUT ALSO IT'S THE FACT THAT WHEN IT'S DOWN, IT, IT CAUSES ISSUES.
SOMETIME WE USE THAT TO GO OUT AND EXPLORE AN ISSUE AHEAD OF TIME.
UM, AND IT, IT IS A, IT IS A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED FOR THAT TOO.
SO YOU COULD IMAGINE IF THERE'S A DRAINAGE ISSUE AND IT'S AN UNDERGROUND ISSUE, UM, OF COURSE THE SAFEST WAY TO DO THAT SOMETIME IS TO, UH, EITHER EMPLOY THE BACK TRUCK, THEY, IT CAN DO SOFT DIGS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THEN THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE WITH NOT HAVING A CAMERA, UM, CAPABILITY BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DE DEPLOY AND BE ABLE TO KIND OF DO SOME INVESTIGATION.
SO, UM, THAT'S MY TAKE ON THE VACUUM TRUCK.
Y'ALL WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? I'M JUST, I I I'M JUST TRYING TO, TO TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GIVE, UH, IF WE GIVE OUR RECOMMENDATION, YOU KNOW, WHAT QUESTIONS WE THINK COUNCIL WILL HAVE ABOUT THESE, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD USE MY EQUIPMENT EXPERIENCE, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
IN 40 PLUS YEARS, THE VACUUM VACUUM TRUCK IS KNOWN AS A SELF-DESTRUCTING PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
UH, IT, IT IS TYPICALLY WHEN YOU'RE DESIGNING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, YOU LOOK AT THE B 10 LIFE, AND THAT'S THE FAILURE.
HOW MANY FAILURES YOU'RE GONNA HAVE IN 10,000 HOURS.
THE B 10 LIFE ON A VACUUM TRUCK IS THE TOP OF THE SCALE.
IT'S LIKE I SAID, IT IS SELF, UH, DESTRUCTING.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU'VE SEEN FROM OVER A DOZEN MANUFACTURERS DOWN TO A HANDFUL BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THEIR COST IS SO HIGH AND THEY CAN'T KEEP WARRANTIES AND ALL THAT.
SO IT IS, IT IS A SELF-DESTRUCTING PIECE.
I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON I WANTED TO JOIN THIS BOARD.
I, I DO HAVE, BEING AN EQUIPMENT GUY, I DO.
HAS THERE BEEN A COST ANALYSIS ON THE CAT OR THE DEERE? AND WHY WOULD YOU REPLACE, WHY WOULD YOU REPLACE WITH A CAT OR A DEERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE OTHER MANUFACTURERS THAT HAVE A BETTER MAINTENANCE COST, LOWER MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE.
UH, AND THERE'S ACTUALLY IN THE WHEEL OWNER, THERE'S ACTUALLY A MANUFACTURER THAT IS SOUTH CAROLINA BASE.
WOULDN'T WE WANT TO SUPPORT ONE OF OUR OKAY.
AND I EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS.
THOSE ARE EXCELLENT QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL THAT JOHN DEERE IS WHAT'S BEING REPLACED AND IS ACTUALLY WHEN WE, WE, WE LOOK AT A, A FEW THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE, WE LOOK AT, WE GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR CREWS, OF COURSE, UM, BUT WE ALSO RELY ON THE FLEET MANAGER TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE IT EVALUATED BY FIRST VEHICLE SERVICES.
SO IN THAT EVALUATION, THEY WILL PROVIDE US HOW MUCH WE HAVE, UH, SPENT IN MAINTENANCE OF THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
WE WILL ALWAYS ALSO GET A COST ON REHABBING IT.
IF WE WERE TO KEEP IT, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO REHAB IT? AND THEN THE OTHER, UH, AND THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AT AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS AS THE FINANCE PERSON, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CRUCIAL TO ME TOO IS HAS IT BEEN FULLY DEPRECIATED? YES, WE CAN, WE CAN SELL A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT HAS NOT BEEN FULLY DEPRECIATED, BUT I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THAT.
HA, I DON'T LIKE TO SEE WHAT IT HAPPENS TO MY STATEMENT.
BUT, SO WE, OF COURSE, WE, WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO HOLD ONTO A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT UNTIL IT AT LEAST IS FULLY DEPRECIATED.
BUT LOOKING AT THAT JOHN DEERE, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED LOOKING AT QUOTES, AND WE DO USE, WE TRY TO USE THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE CONTRACT WHEN WE ARE, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT QUOTES AND PURCHASING.
SO WE WILL DO THAT, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT.
JOHN DEERE IS ACTUALLY PROBABLY GOING TO BE REPLACED WITH A CAT LOADER AND THAT, BUT WE WON'T REALLY KNOW UNTIL, AGAIN, THE FISCAL YEAR COMES IN AND WE HAVE TO GET FRESH QUOTES.
BUT WHAT WE WILL LOOK MORE SO AT THE SPECIFICATIONS OF WHAT WE NEED AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
NOW, I SAY THAT, BUT THERE'S A CAVEAT TO THAT.
THE CAVEAT IS WE USE FIRST VEHICLE SERVICES TO TAKE CARE OF, TO MAINTAIN OUR EQUIPMENT.
[01:10:01]
IT IS SOME SAVINGS WHEN YOU, UM, PURCHASE THE SAME EQUIPMENT FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER.SO THEY'RE USED TO WORKING ON CAST, THEY'RE USED TO WORKING ON JOHN DEERE'S.
UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE, AND INTERNATIONAL TRUCKS, THEY LOVE INTERNATIONAL TRUCKS.
OUR GUYS DO, I'M TALKING ABOUT FIRST VEHICLE SERVICES, BUT OUR GUYS LOVE THEIR DUMP TRUCKS BEING INTERNATIONAL.
SO ALL OF THAT IS TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION.
IT IS, UM, WE HAVE, UM, KAATSU, WE HAVE BOBCAT, WE HAVE KAT, WE HAVE JOHN DEERE.
UM, WE HAVE, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT OTHER MANUFACTURERS WE USE FOR OUR EQUIPMENT.
I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME OF IT RIGHT NOW, BUT AGAIN, WE, AND THIS, A LOT OF THIS IS DRIVEN BY OUR PURCHASING POLICY TOO.
SO IF WE HAVE A PURCHASING POL, IF WE PUT IT OUT FOR SPECIFICATIONS, AND IT'S, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO TAKE THE LOWEST BID, BUT THEY WILL WANT US TO.
BUT THEN THERE ARE, SOMETIMES WE CAN USE JUSTIFICATIONS IF IT'S WITHIN REASON, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, THE VENDOR THAT HAS BEEN VETTED BY THE STATE AND THIS ON THE STATE CONTRACT.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, MR. WARNER? I WANNA DO A GOOD JOB BECAUSE YOU HELPED ME OUT JUST NOW TOO.
THEY'RE NOT JOHN DEERE KNOWN AS THE, IN THE TOP, UH, TOP TIER OF EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS.
THEY'RE GREAT IN AGRICULTURE, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO EQUIPMENT, I CAN'T, I CANNOT DISAGREE WITH YOU.
WE, OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR CREW, THEY LOVE THE JOHN DEERE BUSH HAWK, WHICH IS A TRACTOR WITH THE REAL MOORE AND A AND THEY DO LOVE THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANY LAW.
I THINK THEY MORE SO LEAN TOWARDS FOR EXCAVATORS.
THEY SEEM TO REALLY LOVE CATS.
AND I KNOW A WHILE BACK, WE, THE, WE, WE ENDED UP PURCHASING A COUPLE VOLVOS.
THEY SERVED THEIR PURPOSE, BUT I'M JUST, NOW, I DON'T WANNA SAY ANYTHING AGAINST THEM, BUT IT DOES SEEM THAT THEY FAVOR CATS WHEN WE CAN GET 'EM ALSO FOR, UM, EXCAVATOR.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE LEANING TOWARDS, BUT I DO KNOW WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE GUYS ARE LEANING TOWARDS.
ANY OTHER FEEDBACK FROM ME, MR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. WARREN? GENTLEMEN HERE, I WANNA JUST MAKE A STATEMENT THAT, THAT, UH, I KNOW HE IS NOT HERE, BUT JONATHAN SPENCER FOR GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT TO US.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE HAD TIME TO LOOK AT THIS THIS WEEK WHEN IT CAME OUT IN THE PAST.
UH, I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT, THAT THE FIRST TIME WE SAW IT WAS WHEN MS. WALLACE STOOD IN FRONT OF US AND PUT IT ON THE BOARD, AND WE HAD TO DO IT ON THE FLY.
WE'RE TRYING AND GIVES ALL OF US, AND I WOULD HASTEN NOT JUST THIS YEAR, BUT NEXT YEAR, THAT WHEN IT COMES TO YOU, YOU KNOW, START LOOKING AT IT VERY CLOSELY, UH, UH, WITH QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, UH, THAT WE CAN BRING UP TO MS. WALLACE.
UH, WE RECOMMEND, UH, OR DO NOT RECOMMEND, UH, THIS BUDGET, UH, REQUEST GOING FORWARD.
WE, WE DO NOT GET THE FINAL SAY HERE, BUT, UH, THE, UH, COUNSEL WANTS TO KNOW WHERE WE STAND ON IT.
AND, AND, AND OUR RECOMMENDATION GOES A LONG WAY, UH, WHEN MS. WALLACE, UH, FORWARDS THIS TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES ABOVE HER.
SO, UH, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, TO LOOK AT IT AND, AND, AND PROPOSE QUESTIONS WHEN WE HAVE THIS TYPE OF MEETING.
UH, SO, UH, I KNOW, UH, IF, IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE THIS WEEK OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, NOW IS THE TIME TO ASK THEM BEFORE I'M ASKED FOR A MOTION TO RECOMMEND ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, UH, WE WANT TO THANK JONATHAN, EVEN THOUGH JONATHAN, JONATHAN SPENCER, WHO'S NOT HERE FOR GETTING THIS OUT, BECAUSE EVERY MONTH HE SENDS OUT, UH, BEFORE THE MEETING, UH, UH, A VOLUMINOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION TO US.
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE DON'T MEET EVERY MONTH BECAUSE IT WAS SO TIME CONSUMING TO GET ALL THIS INFORMATION OUT.
UH, AND I'LL SPEAK TO THAT LATER.
BUT IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. WALLACE, I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THIS BUDGET.
I MOVE THAT WE, UH, APPROVE, NOT APPROVED.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE RECOMMEND MS. WALLACE THAT THIS GO FORWARD AS PRESENTED.
[01:15:01]
UH, AT THIS POINT WE HAVE ONE MEMBER, UH, OF THE COMMUNITY.UH, IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, SIR, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
OH, HOW Y'ALL DOING? ALL GOOD.
UH, THANK, THANK, THANK YOU GUYS FOR SERVING AND TAKING THE TIME OUT WHEN YOU CAN BE SO ANYWHERE IN AMERICA.
BUT, SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR SERVING.
UH, AND ALSO LIKE TO THANK MRS. HOWARD FOR DEFINITELY DOING, KNOWING ME BEFORE BEING IN THIS MEETING, BUT MORE SOLELY TODAY, I'VE CAME TO YOU BECAUSE, UH, ON ST.
HELEN ISLAND, WE HAVE A LOT OF ROADS,
AND WE, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR AND WHILE NOW, AND THE PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE REALLY WONDERING ARE, ARE WE BEING IGNORED FROM THE STORMWATER DEPARTMENT IN ALSO BU COUNTY? UM, AND I'M SURE THAT, UM, I, I'LL REMEMBER HER NAME, BUT I REMEMBER, EXCUSE ME, UM, WHAT'S YOUR NAME AGAIN? KATIE.
I, I HEARD, SPOKE ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS COMING UP, I REMEMBER WHEN KATIE AND THE, UH, GROUP CAME BEFORE THE COMMUNITY A WHILE BACK ON ST.
HELEN ABOUT THE WATER AND, AND THE BASICALLY OFFERING THEM SOME PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BE, TO TAKE A PART IN THAT STUDY.
AND I WAS KIND OF DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT THAT STUDY WOULD NOT BRING BACK THE RESULTS THAT PEOPLE WERE THINKING, UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF RESULTS.
AS IN, I NORMALLY WILL TELL YOU, I DON'T BRING YOU A PROBLEM WITHOUT A SOLUTION.
AND TODAY I DO BRING YOU A SOLUTION.
THE SOLUTION IS WHAT IS THE STORM WATER? WHAT IS THE STORM WATER PLANS TO HELP GET THE WATERS OUT OF THE DITCH ON ST.
HELENA IN LADIES ISLAND AS WELL, AREAS AND IN THIS COUNTY? BECAUSE IF YOU DRIVE AROUND ON THE ISLAND, UH, IN JUST VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS, EVEN RIGHT NOW, THE, THE, THE DITCHES ARE FLOODED FULL OF FULL UP WITH WATER.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES SOME OF US LIKE TALKING ABOUT WASAW, BUT IT'S, IT IS MORE THAN JUST WASAW.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE, UH, IT IS AFFECTED, UH, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN IT RAIN, WHEN IT RAINS HEAVY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS, THAT THAT IS, IT IS SERIOUS, YOU KNOW? UH, BECAUSE OVER, OVER, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING LAND BECAUSE THEIR, THEIR YARDS ARE BECOMING WETLANDS BECAUSE OF THE DITCHES ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND SO WE ALL PAID, WE ALL PAY TAXPAYERS.
SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, NOW WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS STORM WATER GONNA DO ABOUT THAT? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN WAITING A WHILE, YOU KNOW, COMING TO THE MEET, COMING AND HAVING MEETINGS.
WE JUST DON'T WANNA BE COMING JUST TO HAVE MEETINGS, UH, JUST TO SAY HI.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT RESULTS.
SO IT IS TIME TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, I, I HEARD Y'ALL GO OVER BUDGETING AND WHAT YOU NEED.
I HOPE Y'ALL, I HOPE Y'ALL ARE GETTING SOMETHING TO PUMP THESE WATERS.
WHEREVER YOU PUMP 'EM IN THE TRUCK AND YOU TAKING 'EM BACK TO THE OCEAN OR WHEREVER YOU'RE TAKING THEM, I HOPE WE'RE COMING UP WITH THE PLAN TO, TO UNCLOG OUR DITCHES BECAUSE IT'S BEGINING TO AFFECT OUR PROPERTY, AND WE PAY TAXE ACTUALLY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WANNA HEAR MORE ABOUT.
I WANNA BRING THAT TO THE, BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTIONS FIRST AND GIVE YOUR TIME OR NOT, WE'RE WILLING TO GO AS FAR AS WE NEED, AS WE NEED TO GO TO GET SOME ATTENTION, TO GET, TO, GET, TO GET A, A HANDLE ON THE SITUATION.
AT THIS, AT THIS STAGE, UH, WE, WE'VE GONE THROUGH OLD BUSINESS, NEW BUSINESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, I WOULD ASK THE, THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR EX OFFICIO MEMBERS.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TIME.
UH, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT RUNNING TOO LATE ON TIME TODAY.
UH, IF ANYBODY, UH, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD HAS, UH, HAD DIFFERENT, UH, PERIODS FOR WHEN WE MEET.
UH, WE, WE'VE MET QUARTERLY, WE'VE MET MONTHLY, AND NOW WE'RE MEETING EVERY OTHER MONTH.
AND WE'RE SAYING THAT ON THE ODD MONTHS, UH, WE WOULD MAKE, UH, VISITS, UH, EARLY ON WE WERE SAYING THAT WE WOULD HAVE A FORMAL IN-HOUSE MEETING LIKE THIS ONE, ONE MONTH, AND THEN WE'D HAVE A VISITATION ON THE ODD MONTH.
UH, I REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE BELIEVE THAT OUR CURRENT SCHEDULE IS APPROPRIATE? SHOULD WE CONTINUE WITH IT, UH, IN THE, IN, IN, IN THE NEXT YEAR? AND IS THERE ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS? WE CAN START WITH VAN.
I MEAN, IT'S MORE BEING ABLE TO ATTEND EVERY OTHER MONTH IS FINE.
I MEAN, I THINK AS, AS LONG AS WE'RE ESPECIALLY GETTING STUFF DONE WITHIN A TWO HOUR PERIOD, I, I DON'T SEE A NEED
[01:20:01]
TO, TO DO IT EVERY MONTH PERSONALLY.I KNOW ED, YOU'RE NEW HERE, BUT I'M NEW.
I'M STILL, YEAH, I'M, IT'S FINE WITH ME, STEVE.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE A WHILE, SO JUST BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS REALLY BUSY TO NOT HAVE A MEETING IS A BLESSING.
SO IF WE CAN GET IT, I, I'D RATHER MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH AND THAT MEETING TIME BE LONGER THAN TRY TO FIT IT IN EVERY MONTH.
SO I'M GRATEFUL TO DO IT EVERY OTHER MONTH AND JUST STRETCH OUT THAT MEETING LONGER IF NECESSARY.
IT'S, UH, MORE EFFICIENT EVERY OTHER MONTH LIKE THIS, AND THAT LEAVES IS OPEN TO BE ABLE TO DO A SPECIAL BY SCHEDULE IF WE SO CHOOSE TO HAVE ONE.
I THINK IT WORKS OUT BEST LIKE THIS.
HUH? I TEND TO AGREE WITH IT TOO.
I, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM MY SHORT TIME HERE, I THINK THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT WE GET IS A LOT OF INFORMATION BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF COMPRESSED INTO THAT EVERY OTHER MONTH'S SCHEDULE.
I THINK A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON MS. HERRERA AND MS. CORVIN AND WHAT THEY NEED TO EXPRESS TO US TO GET OUR APPROVAL, TO KEEP THINGS MOVING ALONG SLOWLY SO THERE'S NOT A, OR, OR, YOU KNOW, MOVING ALONG AT A GOOD PACE SO THAT THERE'S NOT A BACKLOG OF ISSUES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, AND COMPRESS IT AND MAYBE NOT GET THE, THE, THE ATTENTION THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE IT THOUGHT OUT IN A GOOD MANNER.
SO YOU'RE OKAY WITH THE WAY IT IS? YOU'RE OKAY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'D OBVIOUSLY BE UP TO MISS HERRE, THE STORMWATER FOLKS, YOU KNOW, IF THERE NEEDED TO BE AN AD HOC MILL MEETING, JUST TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A, A QUORUM PRESENT TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH WHATEVER NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF DRAGGING IT OUT OR HAVING THAT SIT ON HER PLATE.
I, I'M SURE THAT IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENT, UH, THING THAT NEEDED TO BE CONSIDERED, WE, WE, WE, WE COULD CALL A MEETING SURE.
AND, AND HOPEFULLY GET A QUORUM AND, AND, AND MAKE WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS OR DECISIONS WE WE NEEDED TO MAKE.
GENTLEMEN, I'M FINE WITH THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S, UH, I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT, I'M NOT RIGHT AMOUNT THERE.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY IT'S OVERWHELMINGLY WE'LL, WE'LL MAINTAIN, UH, EVERY OTHER MONTH'S SCHEDULE, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WHEN, UH, UH, UH, THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT GROUP, UH, DECIDES, UH, THAT THERE'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO SEE ON SITE THAT, THAT, THAT HAS SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES, UH, THAT WE GO DO THE VISIT.
UH, I THINK THE VISITS THAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT AND, AND GIVEN US A, A REAL GOOD SENSE OF WHAT THE STORMWATER GROUP IS DOING.
UH, AND THE PEOPLE, UH, OF BUFORD ARE GETTING THE BANG FOR THEIR BUCK.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME BACK MR. WILHELM, THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM IN A WHILE, SO WELCOME.
UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD BY ANYBODY? SO, JUST A QUESTION EXCEPT FROM, FROM WHAT WE HEARD FROM A CITIZEN, A REPRESENTATIVE OF SEVERAL CITIZENS ON ST.
HELEN ISLAND AND THE FLOODING, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO AS THE BOARD? HOW CAN WE RESPOND TO THAT? WHAT CAN WE DO TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER TO HELP? I THINK FROM, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, UH, I THINK WE, WE THROW IT BACK TO, UH, MS. HERRERA'S OFFICE TO SAY, UH, WE NEED AN INVESTIGATION BY MATT, UH, TO GO OUT, UH, LIKE WE DID, UH, ON SEVERAL OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, WHEN, UH, THEY'VE COME FORWARD AND SAID, UH, THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE.
UH, WE'VE SENT PEOPLE OUT THERE, UH, UH, FROM OPERATIONS TO LOOK AT THE DITCHES AND TO SEE BEFORE AND AFTER RAINFALLS WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I WOULD, UH, HIGHLY RECOMMEND, UH, THE MEMBER OF THE BOARD HERE WHO HAS THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, TO KEEP FOLLOWING UP.
UH, I MEAN, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DIFFERENT AREAS OF CONCERN AND, AND IF, IF MINE WAS, WAS ON DUFUS, IF MINE WAS DUFUS ISLAND AND THERE WAS SOMEBODY HERE, I'D BE SURE TO, TO CIRCLE BACK WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT KATIE AND HER GROUP AND THE OPERATIONS GROUP ARE TAKING A LOOK AT IT TO SEE, UH, UH, NOT IF IT'S REAL, BUT, BUT IS IS IT A CAUSATIVE THING WITH STORM WATER? UH, WE'VE GOT CERTAIN AREAS WITHIN THE COUNTY WHERE IT IS NOT STORM WATER RELATED, ALTHOUGH PEOPLE THINK IT IS AND IT'S RISING TIDE ISSUES OR, UH, LOW LEVEL BUILDING, UH,
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UH, WE HAVE AN ISSUE IN WOODLANDS THAT, THAT HASN'T GONE AWAY YET.UH, THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING OUT TO ADDRESS.
AND WE MAY NEED TO DO THE SAME THING, UH, WITH THAT AREA.
AND YOU ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ACTUALLY COUNTY OWN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S CAUSING ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S DITCHES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OR IF IT'S S E PT O S E T O T INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN MORE THAN JUST THIS ORGANIZATION.
AGAIN, IT MAY NOT, IT MAY NOT BE JUST WITHIN OUR, OUR PURVIEW.
THERE, THERE ARE OTHER AGENCIES THAT MAY NEED TO BE INVOLVED.
AND FOR THAT GENTLEMAN, UH, WHO'S COME FORWARD, UH, WE, WE NEED TO, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, IT'S NOT JUST US OR IT ISN'T US AT ALL.
THAT, THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS A PLAY HERE.
AND, AND DIDN'T THE, I KNOW Y'ALL DID A STUDY RECENTLY WHERE YOU HAD AN ENGINEERING FIRM EVALUATING A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THERE AND THERE WAS A DETERMINATION MADE, THERE'S AN ACTUAL STUDY REGARDING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF ST.
SO THAT INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED DURING THE DECEMBER BOARD MEETING, AND THEN WE MET, UH, MYSELF, MR. BUCHANAN AND YORK GLOVER MM-HMM.
UM, THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT STEMMED FROM THAT STUDY THAT ARE BEING SPREAD OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT OVERALL THE INFORMATION FROM THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE.
THE FACT THAT IT'S FLOODING, BA PUTTING IN A BIGGER PIPE ISN'T GONNA REDUCE THE FLOODING THERE.
SO, UM, IT MAY HAVE AN IMPACT.
AND SO WE DO WANNA INVEST THOSE DOLLARS BECAUSE IF WE CAN MAKE AN IMPROVEMENT, WE WANT TO MAKE AN IMPROVEMENT.
BUT OF THE ROUGHLY 24, UM, STUDY AREAS BASED ON COUNTY OWNERSHIP OF RIGHT AWAY AND OR EASEMENTS, THERE WERE ONLY SIX PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
AND OF THOSE SIX PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UM, THEY WERE ONLY RATED AS A, MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE AN IMPACT.
DOING THIS WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.
THEY'RE JUST RANKED AS MAYBES.
AND SO WE ARE WANTING TO TAKE THAT INVESTMENT, UM, TO, FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBERED THAT.
SO, STEVE, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK WE NEED TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN, UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT OR BOARD AND COMMENT, IF NOT MEETING ADJOURNED.