* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. CLOSED [00:00:01] CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY. GOOD AFTERNOON. I NOW CALL THIS MEETING APRIL 26. IT'S 2:00 PM FOR THE BEAUFORT BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND THE ELECTIONS. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE PUBLIC ONE NATION UNDER GOD TO ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW AT PUBLIC COMMENTS. DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF SO, PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. MY MIC. IS IT? CAN YOU HEAR ME? NOT ALL SPEAK. I BRING CLOSER. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I APOLOGIZE. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? ALL RIGHT. IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. IF YOU, IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. THERE IS NO ONE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE MEETINGS FROM FEBRUARY 22ND, 2023. IS THERE A MOTION ON THE MEETING? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY. SECOND FOR THE READING OF THE MINUTES TO BE ADOPTED. MADAM CHAIR, EXCUSE ME. THE RECORD. COULD YOU STATE THE NAME OF, OKAY. UH, WE HAVE, EXCUSE ME, MR. JAMES WEDGWORTH. AND CRAIG KELLY. SECOND. OKAY. UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO COMMITTEE REPORTS, FACILITIES REPORT. UH, MS. MARIE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON FACILITIES OR YOU WANNA DO IT IN YOUR PACKAGE? I CAN REALLY DO IT IN THE DIRECTOR'S MEETING. OKAY. UM, NO, WE CAN JUST POSTPONE THAT. OKAY. UH, FINANCE, SAME. NO REPORT. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. WE DIDN'T LEAVE RERENTING COMMITTEE. THE RE PRECINCT COMMITTEE, UM, MET ON APRIL 20TH, 2023 AT THE BUFORD COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION IN ELECTIONS COMMISSION'S OFFICE AT 2:00 PM PRESENT AT THIS MEETING WERE THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF. UM, YOURS TRULY, CHAIR PERSON, JAMES WEDGWORTH, MEMBER MARIE SMALLS, DIRECTOR JEAN FELIX, STAFF VERNON KEMP, STAFF CHRIS WHITE STAFF, AND EILEEN MITCHELL, MEMBER AND BOARD CHAIRPERSON. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING WAS TO DISCUSS AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CURRENT STATUS RELATIVE TO RE PRECINCT AND EFFORTS. THE COMMITTEE REITERATED THAT THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY AGREED THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEING PROPOSED BY THE RE PRECINCT AND COMMITTEE AT THE MOST RECENT BOARD MEETING BE ACCEPTED. THAT WAS DONE AT OUR LAST MEETING. THE COMMITTEE'S GOAL WAS TO IDENTIFY THE PRECINCTS WITH OVER 1600 VOTERS AND, AND DIVIDE THEM INTO MULTIPLE PRECINCTS WITH ALTERNATIVE POLLING LOCATIONS WHEN NECESSARY. UM, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE FORWARDED TO THE APPROPRIATE AGENCY AND OR THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION. AND A LAW HAS BEEN CRAFTED, UM, TO ADDRESS THAT THE PROPOSED NEW PRECINCTS. UM, IT WAS NOTED [00:05:01] THAT THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS SKYROCKETED. THUS, MANY OF THE CHANGES BEING PROPOSED WILL MAINLY AFFECT THE PRECINCTS IN THE BLUFFTON COMMUNITY WHERE GROWTH HAS INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY, EXPONENTIALLY. THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY REASONS TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THESE PRECINCTS. THE FIRST BEING TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF VOTERS REPORTING TO A LOCATION ON ELECTION DAY. SECONDLY, TO REDUCE THE WAITING LINE AT THE POLLING PLACE, THUS MINIMIZING THE LENGTH OF TIME IT TAKES A VOTER TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY. AND THIRDLY, TO COMPLY MORE CLOSELY WITH SEVEN DASH SEVEN DASH SEVEN 10, WHICH REQUIRES A REDUCTION OF PRECINCTS WITH MORE THAN 1500 REGISTERED VOTERS. IN CONCLUSION, THERE ARE 95 EXISTING PRECINCTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND AN ADDITIONAL 33 NEW PRECINCTS ARE BEING PROPOSED. THE JOB OF THE RE PRECINCT IN COMMITTEE INVOLVES THE ENTIRE BOARD. SO WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TASK AT HAND. WE NEED EVERYONE TO START LOOK FOR POLLING PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTY, NOT LIMITING YOUR SEARCH TO YOUR DISTRICT OR YOUR AREA THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO YOU AS A COMMISSIONER. WE ASK THAT YOU LOOK AT, UH, AREAS TO HOUSE SOME OF THE NEWER PRECINCTS AND TO BRING EXISTING PRECINCTS CLOSER TO WHERE THE VOTERS ARE. UM, THIRDLY, WE ASK THAT YOU RECRUIT AND RECOMMEND NEW POLL WORKERS. FOURTHLY, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT JEAN FELIX WILL PROVIDE AN IN-PERSON POLL WORKER TRAINING THAT WILL SPARK THE INTEREST OF MANY INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN WORKING AT THE POLLS HERE TO FOUR. WE HAD TO GO ONLINE FOR THE TRAINING, AND THAT WAS NOT VERY EXCITING TO DO THE ONLINE TRAINING FOR THREE OR FOUR HOURS. BUT TO HAVE A REAL LIVE TRAINER, UM, WHO IS CAPABLE OF INJECTING SOME HUMOR HERE AND THERE, , IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE PERSON WHO CHOOSES TO BE A TRAINED AS A POLL WORKER. UM, AND SPEAKING WITH MARIE TODAY, UM, A NEW CONTACT METHOD IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE THEM TO GO TO SC VOTES.ORG TO SIGN UP, BUT A NEW PROCEDURE WHEREBY THEY MAY CALL A NUMBER OR CONTACT INFORMATION DOWN AT THE, UM, OFFICE ON JOHN GOT AND CHOOSE TO SIGN UP IN THAT MANNER. UM, WE ASK ALSO NUMBER FIVE THAT, UM, BOARD MEMBERS RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS WHO MAY WORK FOR, UH, FOUR OR MORE HOURS TO, UH, ASSIST ON ELECTION DAY. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO WORK 12 HOURS AND BE PAID, BUT PREFER TO WORK AS A VOLUNTEER FOR FOUR OR MORE HOURS. UM, WE ASK THAT YOU SPONSOR A EACH ONE RECRUIT ONE CAMPAIGN FOR CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WHO MAY WANT TO ASSIST. PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, WHO HAVE A POLL WORKER, MAY WANT TO IDENTIFY SOMEONE AMONG THEM WHO MAY BE DILIGENT AND WANT TO BE TRAINED AS A POLL WORKER OR A POLL MANAGER. SEVENTH. UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO STUDENTS WHO MAY WANT TO BECOME POLL MANAGERS BY PROVIDING MORE FREQUENT IN-SCHOOL TRAININGS AND RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES. UM, YOUR PACKET, I THOUGHT, CHRIS, YOU HAD A COPY OF THE, THE LAW. DID YOU, DID YOU NOT MAKE A COPY OF THAT? NO, MA'AM, I DID NOT, BUT I WILL SEND THAT OUT. OKAY. YOU WILL BE RECEIVING A COPY OF THE DRAFT, UM, THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THE, UM, LEGISLATORS TO LOOK AT THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE THESE NEW PRECINCTS. UM, AND ALSO YOU HAVE, UM, SOME MAPS THAT YOU MAY WANNA LOOK AT. THIS IS NOT THE ENTIRETY OF THE MAPS, BUT, UM, I HAVE A WHOLE BOOK OF MAPS THAT WE, UM, LOOKED AT AND, UM, TRYING TO, UH, RELOCATE, CREATE NEW AREAS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO VOTE. AND IT'S VERY EXTENSIVE. WE DIDN'T WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE ALL OF THIS TODAY, BUT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A FULL PACKET, UM, YOU CAN LET US KNOW AND WE CAN MAKE THIS AVAILABLE. [00:10:05] WE DO, WE DID, DID WE HAVE TWO? WE HAVE THESE TWO. AT LEAST I HAD THESE TWO. THOSE ARE THE UPDATED PAGES. OH, OKAY. MM-HMM. , BECAUSE, UM, CUZ I BROUGHT THIS ONE FROM YEAH. FROM HOME. I, I DIDN'T GET THIS ONE TODAY. THAT'S WHAT WE PROVIDED TO EVERY MORNING. OKAY. SO, SO GOOD. YOU DO HAVE, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT I HAVE. YES, MA'AM. AND, UM, I THANK YOU. UM, WE'VE REALLY HAD A MAJOR, UM, TASK TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT THE WORK IS NOT FINISHED. I WOULD THINK THAT WE ARE FINISHED WHEN ALL OF THE NEWLY PROPOSED PRECINCTS, UH, UP AND READY TO GO. AND, UM, IT'S 33 OF THOSE. SO WE'RE GONNA NEED EVERYONE'S HELP. MM-HMM. , ESPECIALLY MR. WEDGWORTH OVER HERE, WHO'S THE REALTOR. CAN I GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE? YES. UH, I'VE, UH, CONTACTED, UH, SPANISH WALES AND WE'RE GETTING IT WHERE THE SPANISH WHALES, WHICH IS OLD 10 HILL, THAT 10 IS BROKE IN TWO PRECINCTS. SPANISH WHALES COMMUNITY AND THEN EVERYTHING OUTSIDE SPANISH WHALES, THE, THE, I PRETTY WELL GOT IT SET UP WHERE WE GOT TWO VOTING PLACES WHERE THE SPANISH WHALES VOTES IN SPANISH WELLS AND WHAT THEY CALL 10 VOTES AT, UM, GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH. OKAY. UM, I'VE TALKED WITH, UH, THE HEAD OF A HILARY PLANTATION AND HE'S WORKING ON A PLAN WHERE EVERYBODY IN THE PLANTATION WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE IN THE PLANTATION. IT'S REALLY CONFUSING NOW CUZ THE PEOPLE UP AT THE NORTH ARE VOTING AT THE LIBRARY AND THE PEOPLE ON LEFT SIDE AND CYPRESS ARE VOTING AT HILTON, AT PCA CHURCH. AND WE'RE WORKING ON A PLAN WHERE EVERYBODY IN THERE CAN VOTE WITHOUT LEAVING THE DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, WHICH WILL OBVIOUSLY BE GOOD. AND I'M CONTACTED A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE AND, UH, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET SOME NEW POLAND PLACES AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SELL IT. THIS IS TO ADVANTAGE OF YOUR, YOUR VOTERS CUZ THEY CAN VOTE CLOSER TO HOME. PROBABLY WON'T HAVE STANDING IN LINE AS LONG. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ONE OF OUR OBJECTIVES AND YOU ACHIEVED IT RIGHT OFF THE BAT. BUT, UM, WE WILL, UM, INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION IN THE NOTES AND WE'LL REVIEW THIS AS A COMMITTEE AND STEPH. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SURE. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYONE ELSE? UH, BERNADETTE, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? YOU DON'T? THANK YOU. I READ THROUGH. OKAY. UH, MR. GREG, REMEMBER? NOPE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WE WILL SAY THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL REPORT. UM, CHAIRMAN, UM, WELL DONE. UH, WE WILL NOW GO TO OUR RULES COMMITTEE. UH, AND I GUESS THAT WILL BE TABLED BECAUSE THERE IS NO ONE HERE FOR THE RULES COMMITTEE. I'M MADAM CHAIR. MM-HMM. IN REFERENCE TO THE, THE RULES COMMITTEE, NOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, JEAN ON BOARD WHO IS ALSO WORKING WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, UM, STAFF IS GOING TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT ALL THE CHANGES THAT WERE PROPOSED, UM, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO OKAY. AND PUT IT TOGETHER AND COMBINED IT SO THAT WE WILL HAVE A COMPLETE DOCUMENT AND BRING IT BACK TO, TO THE BOARD OR SEND IT OUT TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW SO THAT WE CAN COMPLETE THAT PROCESS. OKAY. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY WAIT UNLESS YOU PREFER ON, UM, SOMEBODY TO HANDLE IT ON THE BOARD. STAFF WILL DO IT, GIVE IT TO YOU. ALREADY DONE. THAT SOUNDS GREAT. WE WILL ACCEPT THAT. OKAY. SECOND . OKAY. UH, ANY NEW BUSINESS? NO NEW BUSINESS. OKAY. NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR DIRECTOR, MS. MARIE SMALLS, DIRECTOR'S REPORT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, AS SOON AS WE GO TO THE NEXT SCREEN, , YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, RIGHT. UM, WITH YOU. UM, WE GONNA DO THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, ELECTION [00:15:01] UPDATES AND FACILITY UPDATES. MELISSA, YOU KNOW, SAME OLD THINGS, BUT WHAT I'VE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE, UH, UM, ARE SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, I GUESS LEGISLATIONS THAT'S BEEN INTRODUCED SINCE WE MET LAST. SO THEY'RE PRETTY EXTENSIVE, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THEM IN DETAIL. I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO HAVE THEM. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THE, UM, STATE HOUSE SC STATEHOUSE.GOV WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS ON THESE BILLS THAT'S BEING INTRODUCED. ALL OF THEM SO FAR RIGHT NOW, UH, IN THE COMMITTEE, UM, BEING REFERRED TO, TO THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE. AND, UM, SO NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. UM, THE ONLY ONE THAT, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, WE IS HOUSE 42 17. THAT'S OUR BILL FOR OUR NEW PRECINCTS. AND, UM, THAT WAS REFERRED TO THE JUDICI, TO THE DELEGATION, TO THE BUFORD COUNTY DELEGATION BACK ON MARCH THE 28TH. AND THAT WAS ALSO THE SAME DAY THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED. SO TYPICALLY WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF ISSUES WITH THESE, BUT THIS IS, THIS BILL WAS INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE, SO IT DOES HAVE TO GO TO THE SENATE FOR FINAL APPROVAL. AND, UM, ALL THESE OTHER BILLS THAT YOU SEE WERE INTRODUCED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF STUFF, A LOT OF CHANGES THAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED FOR ELECTIONS. AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW FAR THEY ARE GOING TO GO, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED AS, YOU KNOW, THINGS PROGRESSES. UM, MISS, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT 'EM, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF 'EM, IF I CAN HELP TO BETTER EXPLAIN THEM TO YOU, WE CAN DO THAT ON A PERSONAL BASIS BECAUSE I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS WHY IT'S BEING INTRODUCED. LIKE, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHY ARE THEY INTRODUCING THIS? I DON'T KNOW. SO, BUT I WILL TRY AND FIND OUT INFORMATION FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. UM, WE DID UPDATE THE POLL MANAGER'S TRAINING SCHEDULE FOR NEW POLL WORKERS AND, UH, WE ADDED TWO MORE CLASSES. SO NOW WE HAVE FOUR CLASSES SCHEDULED FROM MAY, JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST. ONE, ONE, UM, EACH MONTH. AND, UH, WE ARE DOING THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED NEW POLL WORKERS, ESPECIALLY COME 2024. SO THIS IS IN PREPARATION OF 2024. WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE IN-PERSON TRAINING, UM, SO THAT OUR POLL MANAGERS CAN BE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS OF TRAINING. AND I, WE ALL AGREE THAT DOING THE ONLINE IT WAS SUFFICIENT DURING THE TIME WITH COVID AND ALL THAT WE WERE BEING CONFRONTED WITH. BUT THE TIME HAS COME FOR US TO GO BACK TO, UM, THE OLD SCHOOL METHOD OF TRAINING IN PERSON, WHICH WE THINK WILL BE A WHOLE LOT MORE EFFECTIVE. SO DURING OUR TRAINING SESSION SESSIONS, UH, WE ARE, LIKE MS. BEVERLY MENTIONED, WE WILL BE SETTING UP ON OUR WEBSITE. IT'S ALMOST, THEY'RE NOT QUITE, WHERE YOU CAN LOG IN TO YOUR TRAINING CLASSES AND ENROLL IN ANY ONE OF THOSE SESSIONS AND YOU WILL BE, UM, SCHEDULED. WE ARE LIMITING OUR SESSIONS TO 25 IF POSSIBLE SO THAT, UM, WE CAN BETTER WORK WITH THE POLL MANAGERS. I, I THINK THE SMALLER THE CLASSES AND WHEN YOU GO OVER 30, YOU'RE GONNA LOSE SOME ATTENTION. SO WE GONNA KEEP IT DOWN TO 25 AND DEFINITELY UNDER 30. SO ALL THE CLASSES ARE BEING CONDUCTED AT THE VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE ON JOHN GAT ROAD. AND THAT IS SO THAT ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE USE CAN BE INTRODUCED TO THE POLL MANAGERS DURING THE TRAINING MARCH. AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE. SO, SO PLEASE, LET'S CONTINUE TO RECRUIT POLL WORKERS. UM, WE GONNA NEED THEM 2024. WE SENT OUT AN UPDATE TO ALL OF OUR POLL MANAGERS THAT ARE IN OUR DATABASE RIGHT NOW THAT, UM, WE WEREN'T SURE IF THEY STILL WANNA WORK. SO WE SENT OUT A COUPLE OF EMAILS YESTERDAY, ACTUALLY ABOUT 2000 OF THEM TO FIND OUT IF THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL INTERESTED IN SERVING AS POLL MANAGERS [00:20:01] IN BEAUFORD COUNTY. AND WE ARE GETTING RESPONSES AND, AND THAT'S GOOD. SOME PEOPLE HAVE MOVED OUT OF, OUT OF, OUT OF OUR COUNTY, SO THEY'RE NOT EVEN INTERESTED ANYMORE. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY, YES, I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED ON ON, ON CONT UM, CONTINUING SERVING AS A POLL MANAGER AND SOME SAID NO. SO THAT PROCESS IS BEING DONE SO THAT WE CAN, UM, FINE TUNE OUR POLL MANAGER'S DATABASE AND WHEN ELECTION COMES UP NEXT YEAR, YOU ALL WILL HAVE, UM, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK AND ARE WILLING TO WORK AND THEY WILL BE TRAINED. OKAY. SO FACILITIES, UM, I'M SO PROUD OF MR. WEDGWORTH FOR TAKING HIS ASSIGNMENT SERIOUSLY. HE DID. I DIDN'T KNOW I EVER TOOK ANYTHING SERIOUSLY. DID YOU? SO, BUT MADE AN A PLUS ON THAT ONE. SO WE ARE, WE ARE ALL BEATING THE BUSHES AND WE GONNA BE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US AS WELL. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO IT ALL. THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES OUT THERE THAT CAN SERVE AS POLLING LOCATIONS, BUT, UM, WE ARE NOT USING THEM AND, AND WE CAN'T USE THEM UNLESS THEY GIVE US PERMISSION. SO WE WANT TO HAVE, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE WANT OUR VOTERS TO HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY GO TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY. AND WE RECOGNIZE NO ONE WANNA WAIT IN A LONG LINE FOR TWO HOURS TO VOTE. SO WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING MORE PLACES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE FEWER PEOPLE GOING TO A PARTICULAR PLACE TO VOTE. AND WORKING WITH THESE, UM, DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. IF THERE'S A COMMUNITY CENTER OR EVEN A CHURCH IN A COMMUNITY THAT MAYBE YOU GO TO A CHURCH THAT WOULDN'T MIND WITH A NICE FELLOWSHIP HALL OR A TRAINING, UM, CENTER AT YOUR LOCATION, IF WE CAN USE THAT, LET US KNOW AND WE WILL DEFINITELY CONTACT YOUR PASTOR AND OR YOUR COMMUNITY CENTER LEADERS. UM, WE, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR COUNTY AS WELL TO CONTINUE USE OF SOME OF THE COUNTY FACILITIES, BUT, UM, WITH 30 NEW PRECINCTS, WE GONNA NEED A LOT OF PLACES. 33. 33 NEW PRECINCTS. WE GONNA NEED A LOT OF PLACES. OKAY. UM, SO FAR AS UP, OH, WE HAVE SECURED MR. WEDGWORTH. YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE. WE HAVE SECURED PALMETTO BLUFF. WE HAVE A FACILITY IN PALMETTO BLUFF NOW, AND WE HAVE THE BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL WHO IS ALSO GOING TO BE WORKING WITH US AS A POLLING LOCATION. SO WE ALL, WE HAVE WHAT, THREE, FOUR DOWN AND MANY MORE TO GO. SO, BUT YOU KNOW, I I I I'M POSITIVE ABOUT IT. I THINK OUR COMMUNITY, I FEEL THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL STEP UP AND HELP US IN THIS VENTURE, UM, UPDATE ON OUR FACILITY AT JOHN GAT ROAD. UM, THE PLAN IS OUT THERE, UM, WAITING TO BE BIDED ON, UM, SOMETIME AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. WE SHOULD KNOW WHETHER OR NOT, OR WHO WILL HAVE THE BID. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T KNOW A TIMEFRAME ON WHEN THE FACILITY WILL BE COMPLETED, BUT WE ARE HOPING THAT ALL OF THIS CAN BE DONE WHERE WE CAN MOVE INTO THE ADDITION TO OUR STORAGE FOR OUR STORAGE AT OUR FACILITY BY BEFORE THE END OF THE, THE YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE NEED THE SPACE AND WE KNOW IN 2024 IT'S GONNA BE A VERY, VERY BUSY YEAR. SO WE ARE TRYING TO GET ALL THIS DONE SO WE CAN GET BACK ORGANIZED AND, UM, BE READY FOR OUR VOTERS COME 2024. UH, WE MENTIONED IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING ABOUT THE POLLING PLACE, ACCESSIBILITY SURVEYS THAT WERE BEING CONDUCTED. AND I THINK ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN DONE EXCEPT TWO. SO, UM, WHAT THAT IS ALL OF OUR PRECINCTS, I MEAN, POLLING LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE OUT IN THE COUNTY, TYPICALLY EVERY TWO YEARS WE HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND EVALUATE THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLIANT, THAT THEY MEET ALL THE ADA STANDARDS. AND, UM, ALL OF THAT'S BEEN DONE FOR ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS EXCEPT TOO, SO WE ARE WORKING ON THOSE TWO AS WELL. WE'VE GOTTA GET THE HELICOPTER GO THE BUS CHECK. NO, WE GONNA TAKE THE BOAT , BUT WE ARE WORKING ON 'EM. SO JUST, [00:25:01] JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN, UM, ALMOST COMPLETED AND PRETTY MUCH THAT'S IT. YES, MS. BE IN REFERENCE TO THE NEW COWORKER TRAINING, UM, SCHEDULING. UM, HERE ARE SOME, DURING THE SUMMER, CAN STUDENTS COME AND ENROLL IN THOSE IF THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO WORK, UM, DURING THE NEXT ELECTION? CAN SOME STUDENTS COME INTO THOSE TRAININGS? YES, MA'AM. THEY WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS AS EVERY, AS EVERYONE ELSE. THEY MUST BE AT LEAST 16 YEARS OLD, RIGHT? 16 OR 17, BECAUSE 18, THEY WOULD BE REGISTERED VOTERS. RIGHT. SO YEAH. OKAY. IT MAY BE A GOOD, A GOOD IDEA TO GET THAT WORD OUT TO SOME OF THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A PRIME TIME TO BE TRAINED DURING THE SUMMER WHEN THEY'RE OUT NOT AND NOT, UM, NECESSARILY TAKING CLASSES. YES. WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR SIGNING UP OR, UM, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WE WOULD SEND THEM TO THE SE VOTES.GOV AND YOU CAN STILL GO THERE TO THE SC VOTES.GOV WEBSITE AND SAY I WANNA BECOME A POLL MANAGER AND CLICK ON BEAUFORT COUNTY. BUT WE ARE ALSO SETTING SOMETHING UP ON OUR WEBSITE TO DO THE SAME THING. BUT THEY CAN GO TO THE SC VOTES.GOV WEBSITE AND FILL OUT THE INFORMATION AND IT WILL BE EMAILED TO US DIRECTLY AND WE WILL, UM, SET THEM UP. IT'S IN MY REPORT FOR TRAINING CLASS. MM-HMM. . OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, UH, MARIE FOR THAT WONDERFUL REPORT. ANYONE ELSE? NUMBER FOUR. CRAIG, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING MR. WEDGWORTH? OKAY, NOW WE ARE DOWN TO, UH, CLOSING COMMENTS. UH, I HAVE A COMMENT. UH, I PARTICIPATED IN A NEW CLASS ON LEADING EFFECTIVE, UH, MEETINGS. AND, UM, I MUST SAY THAT, UM, WAS A VERY GOOD CLASS AND I AM NOT SURPRISED TO SEE THAT ACCORDING TO OUR INSTRUCTOR, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT BY HAVING OUR AGENDA OUT AND FOLLOWING THE STEPS THAT WAS MENTIONED DURING THE CLASS. AND I DID MAKE SURE THAT I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AND LET THEM KNOW BECAUSE, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, WHEN YOU'RE DOING THINGS RIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE IN BERET COUNTY. UH, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT BY GETTING OUT OUR AGENDA EARLY, UH, NOTIFYING, UM, THE RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORD COUNTY, ALSO ABOUT OUR MEETINGS AND WHAT IS GOING ON. UH, AND THAT IS VERY KEY. UH, IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT, UH, WHEN WE TAKE OUR MINUTES THAT WE MAKE SURE WE, UH, GRASP THE IMPORTANT TOPICS AND THAT WAY, UM, EVERYONE WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE TO READ ON AND NOT MAKE IT, UH, TOO WORDY AND GET OFF SUBJECT, BUT JUST STICK TO THE TOPIC. AND, UM, THE THREE TO FIVE DAYS, UM, MAYBE THAT WILL WORK. I DON'T KNOW. BUT SHE WAS JUST MENTIONING THAT IT'S GOOD TO, UH, GET THE MINUTES OUT THAT EARLY, BUT WE DO GET OUR MINUTES OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER, UH, SO EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK IT OVER, UH, AND THAT WAY WHEN THEY GET TO THE MEETING, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE FIGURING OUT, WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. SO, VERY GOOD JOB. UM, MS. MARIE AND THE STAFF. VERY GOOD JOB OF GIVING US A GREAT AGENDA THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD TO WORK WITH AND TO GO BY NOW. MADAM CHAIR, UM, WE WERE REMISS TO PUT ON THE AGENDA THAT WE HAVE SOME RECOGNITIONS OKAY. UM, THAT YOU NEED TO PRESENT. OKAY. AND YOU, IF YOU WANT TO DO IT AT THIS TIME. SURE. OKAY. YES, CHRISTINA. [00:30:05] NOW I HOPE EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME AS I'M STANDING AND, UM, I AM SO HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION, UH, TO SOMEONE WHO KNEW ABOUT ME BEFORE I REALLY KNEW ABOUT HIM. AND THAT PERSON IS TYRONE RON CLIFFORD. MR. CLIFFORD, WOULD YOU COME FORWARD? IT SAYS, FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND THE ELECTION OF BEAUFORD COUNTY AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FROM OCTOBER, 2005 THROUGH DECEMBER, 2022. WONDERFUL JOB. AND THIS AWARDED THIS 25TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2023. BEVERLY SMITH, DO VICE CHAIR MARIA SMALL. C E R A DIRECTOR. THANK YOU FOR SERVING SO WELL IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN OUR DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY? WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? THE POLICE? YEAH. I'LL HAVE TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS. , MIC YOU ONE. UPSTAIR, . I CAN'T SEE EVERYBODY STANDING HERE. UM, ANYWAY, I REALLY WAS TALKING TO CHRIS SOME TIME AGO AND SHE SAID TO HAVING A BOARD MEETING AND SHE SAID, ARE YOU COMING? AND I SAID, WHY AM I COMING? I'M NOT ON THE BOARD ANYMORE. SHE SAID, NO, WELL YOU COULD COME. AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE FUN CAUSE I'D LIKE TO COME AND JUST THANK EVERYBODY IN HERE. I'VE WORKED WITH EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM EXCEPT LIZ, WHO I JUST MET THIS YOUNG LADY. UM, BUT I, UH, ENJOYED THE 20 SOMETHING YEARS. WHAT IS THAT? FIVE IS EIGHT 18 YEARS ON THE BOARD, BUT ALSO ABOUT SIX YEARS AS A POLL MANAGER AND A CLERK BEFORE THAT. UM, I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH EVERYBODY IN HERE AND I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY THAT I APPRECIATE EVERY, THESE ARE SOME BOARD MEMBERS THAT I KNOW. I DON'T KNOW THE NEW ONES CUZ THEY JUST CLEANED HOUSE, BUT , UM, I, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOOD TERMINOLOGY. . HEY, I HEARD A DEAL THIS LAST WEEK. IN FACT, I'M GONNA GO FROM HERE TO SEE A PSYCHIC. THIS BUDDY OF MINE WENT, KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND THEY SAID, WHO IS IT? THEY, SO HE LEFT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T, OH MY GOD, THIS ROOM JUST SLOWS IT ALL. . I'LL EXPLAIN THAT TO YOU LATER. WENT TO SEE A PSYCHIC KNOCK ON THE DOOR. WHO IS IT? HE LEFT, RIGHT? PSYCHIC DOESN'T SEE A PSYCHIC IF SHE COULDN'T TELL. ANYWAY, SORRY. UM, I, UH, JUST WANTED TO THANK WENDE CHRIS FOR INSIDE AND MARIE FOR THE INSIDE HELP WHILE I WAS DOING THIS JOB. AND, UH, THANK ALL OF YOU AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE TIME I SPENT WITH THIS WHOLE GROUP. THANKS. THANKS FOR THIS, THIS BERNADETTE HAMPTON. COME ON DOWN. CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION PRESENTED TO BERNADETTE AURA HAMPTON FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND THE ELECTIONS OF BEAUFORD COUNTY AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FROM OCTOBER, 2018 THROUGH MARCH 23, AWARDED THIS 26TH DAY OF APRIL, 2023. ALENE MITCHELL, CHAIR MARIE AS SMALL C E R A DIRECTOR. WE THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND ALSO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? GOOD AFTERNOON. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK, UM, EVERYONE WHO HAVE AFFORDED ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THIS CAPACITY. AND IT IS MY PASSION TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I HAVE ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, [00:35:22] I'M GOING TO LOOK AROUND TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISSING ANYONE BECAUSE MY GLASSES ARE SORT OF FOUL OUT. UH, THIS IS FOR, UH, MR. JAMES W. ROWE AND, UH, HE'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT IT SAYS, FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND THE ELECTIONS OF BUFORD COUNTY AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FROM AUGUST, 2009 THROUGH MARCH, 2023, AWARDED THIS 26 DAY OF APRIL, 2023. ALENE MITCHELL, CHAIR MARIA SMALL, C E R A DIRECTOR. HE'S NOT HERE WITH US, BUT WE APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN AND DONE, UH, FOR BERET COUNTY AND FOR THE BOARD OF REG, BOTH REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT HE GET THIS. AND, UH, THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. UH, BACK TO OUR AGENDA. OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 24TH AT 2:00 PM IN COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN THE GOVERNMENT COMPLEX 100 REEBOK ROAD, BEAUFORD, SOUTH CAROLINA. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? COME MOVE. I SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVING PROBABLY A SECOND THAT THIS MEETING HAS NOW ADJOURNED AND THE TIME IS 2 37. THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND. GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST. CALL THE MEETING TO, UH, ORDER. IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM. AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL. THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. EARLY SETTLERS FROM ENGLAND BROUGHT THE TRADITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO AMERICA. TODAY MORE THAN 3000 COUNTY GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES THAT AFFECT ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN'S LIFE. SOUTH CAROLINA'S 46 COUNTIES ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS EVOLVED NATIONALLY. THE COUNTY UNIT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS A LOCAL EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S LED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PASSING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HOME RULE ACT. IN 1975, THE HOME LIFE GREATLY EXPANDED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND CHANGED THE NATURE OF COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY. BEAUFORT COUNTY WENT FROM HAVING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO A COUNTY COUNCIL. MEMBERS OF THE 1975 COUNCIL INCLUDED CHAIRMAN ARTHUR HORN, VICE CHAIRMAN GRADY THAMES, LEROY BROWN, GARY FORDHAM, WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET KEISLING, DAVID JONES, BILL MCBRIDE, AND BOOKER WASHINGTON. AS THE NEW COUNCIL SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF, COUNCIL MEMBERS DESIRED AN OFFICIAL SYMBOL THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE JURISDICTION'S IDENTITY AND UNIQUE CHARACTER COUNCIL APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND CARRY OUT A CONTEST FOR THE BEST COUNTY SEAL DESIGN. HARRIET KALIN WAS A MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL BEAUFORD COUNTY. WE MET THEN UP AT, UH, I THINK IT WAS A CAROLINA BANK AND SOME YEARS AGO BACK THERE ON WEST STREET, AND THEN WE PUT 'EM IN PILES. YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOOD, BAD MAYBE UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE NOW USE. [00:40:01] COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SEAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REFLECTED THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, TRADITIONS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY. THE SEALS COLORS OF BLUE AND GREEN REPRESENT THE COLORS OF THE COUNTY'S OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH ITS MANY WATERWAYS, MARSHLANDS, AND MARITIME FOREST. THE FIVE IMAGES WITHIN THE SEAL DEPICT SOME OF THE COUNTY'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES. ANCIENT LIVE OAK TREES, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, RICH NATURAL RESOURCES, AND A RARE MARINE ECOLOGY, LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE AND MILES OF RIVERS, CREEKS, AND INLETS. I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED. I THOUGHT IT ENCOMPASSED WHAT THE, WHAT WE AS A BODY WERE LOOKING FOR A SEAL THAT WOULD, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT AND JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, IT REALLY COVERS THE ASPECTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. SO HE DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, WHOLE SO DID. AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY. COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS IN OFFICE WHEN THE CONTEST WAS HELD AND WAS PRESENT WHEN THE COMMITTEE REVEALED THE WINNING DESIGN. I THINK COUNCIL WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT IT. UH, WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE SIMS ON THE SEAL REPRESENTED, UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BU COUNTY. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL DRAFT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY. INITIALLY, THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT YACHT TYPE BOAT. AND, UH, IT WAS CHANGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE SHRIMP BOAT WAS A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASPECTS OF BE COUNTY LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS ON THE SEAL THAT REPRESENT THE PLEASURE AND RECREATION, THE FISHING AND THE BEACH. SO THEY THOUGHT THE SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BU COUNTY CULTURE SHRIMPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME, WOULD BE REFLECTED ON THE SALE. THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST WAS AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LATE LEE PAYNE, WHOSE DESIGN WAS SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 126 ENTRIES SUBMITTED FROM AS FAR AWAY AS INDIANA IN TENNESSEE. HE WAS AWARDED $250 FOR HIS DESIGN, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE CAPTURED THE LEGACY OF OUTDOOR BEAUTY, CULTURE, AND HISTORY THAT HELPED TO DEFINE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. TO SEE MORE BUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB. UH, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. UM, GUEST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR TENNIS PLAYERS. WELCOME TO THE NEWLY RENOVATED BEAUFORT TENNIS COURT. TENNIS CENTER. YEAH, OKAY. UM, THIS ROUGHLY $700,000 INVESTMENT WILL SERVE TENNIS LOVERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY. THE RENOVATION STARTED LAST APRIL WITH D UH, DEMOLISHING OF THE EXISTING COATS AND INSTALLING ALL NEW COATS, NETS, FENCES, AND GATES ALONG WITH ADA COMPLIANCE SIDEWALKS. THE EXISTING COAT LIGHTING WAS UPGRADED AND RAIN GARDENS AND RUNOFF CONTROLS WERE ADDED TO ADDRESS THE STORM WATER ISSUES. THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED THROUGH A VERY STORMY WET SUMMER. THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY INVESTING IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT. SPENDING AROUND 2 MILLION IN PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES, THE CHARLES'S LYNN BROWN CENTER CONTINUES TO BE UPGRADED AND THE COUNTY WILL ADD MORE PICKLE BALLS AND BASKETBALL COURT TO THE SOUTH SIDE PARK WITH MUCH MORE TO COME. ALTHOUGH TENNIS IS THOUGHT TO BE A, PREDOMINANTLY A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SPORT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN 2022, MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE PLAYING TENNIS. AND THERE IS ACTUALLY A LONG, RICH HISTORY [00:45:01] BEYOND ARTHUR ASH AND THE WILLIAMS SISTERS TUSKE INSTITUTE. FOUNDED BY BOOKER T WASHINGTON ADDED TENNIS COURTS AND THE TENNIS TEAM IN THE 1890S. NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD THE STORY OF AHA GIBSON. SHE WAS BORN IN A TOWN OF SILVER IN CLARATON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND MOVED TO THE, IN 1930S TO HARLEM. GIBSON WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO COMPLETE, TO COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY IN TENNIS, WINNING FIVE GRAND SLAM SINGLE TWO, UH, TITLES BETWEEN 1956 AND 1958. IF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO THE, UH, IN THE 1960S, SHE ALSO BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PLAYER TO COMPETE ON THE WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOUR. SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, AMERICAN, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE HAVE BEEN, HAVE ENJOYING TENNIS FOR A LONG TIME. AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I LEARNED TENNIS OR HOW THEY HIT THE BALL, UH, ON THAT QUOTE RIGHT THERE BACK IN THE 19 EARLY 1960, I NEVER KNEW THE GAME OF TENNIS UNTIL I GOT TO COLLEGE AND I FIRST LEARNED WHAT, UH, 15 LOVE WAS. UM, SO WE JUST PLAYED TENNIS, UH, ON THIS COURT RIGHT HERE. I HOPE THAT THIS STORY AND THESE COURTS INSPIRE ALL THE YOUTH IN BEFOR COUNTY TO EXCEL IN THEIR INTERESTS AND TALENT. AND MAYBE, YES, MAYBE A TENNIS STAR WILL START THE JOURNEY RIGHT HERE. YEAH, I KNOW THAT THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT, UH, THE BEAUFORT AREA WILL ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL FACILITY. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. HALLELUJAH. WE PRAISE GOD. I GREW UP RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. SO THIS IS THE HOOD, THIS IS HOME. UM, THIS IS BLESSED. MY GRANDBABIES, UH, ALL FOUR OF 'EM PLAYED, UH, NATIONAL TENNIS BECAUSE OF, UM, LARRY DUANE, WE JUST LOVE YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY. YES, YES, YES. AND JUST A LITTLE SIDE NOTE BEFORE I PRAY, UH, LARRY'S UH, I GREW UP ON THIS CORNER AND HE GREW UP RIGHT ON THE CORNER. HIS OLDEST SISTER WAS MY BEST FRIEND. AND WE COULD TALK FROM THE STEPS. AND I REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE, LITTLE, HE WAS, HE WASN'T EVEN WALKING, HE WAS CRAWLING AND HE HAD A TENNIS BALL IN HIS HANDS. AND I TOLD MY JULIE, HIS MOTHER AT THE TIME, I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HE'S GONNA BE IN LIFE IS GONNA BE WITH THE BALL. AND NOT ONLY DOES HE PLAY TENNIS WELL, HE PLAYED EXCELLENT BASKETBALL, BASEBALL AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT HE HAS EXCELLED IN TENNIS AND HAS GIVEN THAT GIFT BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY. HE'S SUCH A JEWEL AND A TREASURE, AND I THANK GOD FOR HIM, FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU, HALLELUJAH. SWEET HOLY SPIRIT FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN THIS PLACE. FATHER GOD, WE ANOINT THESE GROUNDS AS HOLY AND HOLOGRAM FOR YOUR SERVICE, FOR YOUR SPIRIT TO DWELL GOD. WE SAID NONE OF US, BUT ALL OF YOU, AND WE SAID, NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED HERE SHALL BE ABLE TO PROSPER. FATHER GOD, AS WE WALK THESE COURTS AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE COME, FATHER GOD, THEY WILL FIND A PLACE OF SAFETY, A PLACE WHERE LOVE ABIDES IN THIS PLACE AND WHERE SOMEBODY CAN SPEAK A POSITIVE WORD INTO THEIR LIVES. AND GOD, THOSE THAT HAVE HAD A HAND IN THIS MOMENT, GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THEM WITH A DOUBLE PORTION OF A PROPHETS REWARD. AND GOD, ORDER OUR STEPS IN YOUR WORD. HELP US TO TRU TRULY BE KEEPERS AND STEWARD OF THE GIFT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US AND NOT TO TAKE THIS DAY FOR GRANTED. LORD, THIS IS THE DAY THAT YOU HAVE MADE AND WE'VE MADE A CHOICE TO COME TOGETHER TODAY AND TO BE RE CHOICE AND BE GLADED IN IT IS IN YOUR NAME. SWEET JESUS, WE DO PRAY. AMEN AND AMEN. HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. NOW ONE OF THE GULLAH TRADITIONS IS ONCE YOU GET THE WORDS YOU HAVE TO JOIN IN, THIS IS NOT A SOLO. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. OH, Y'ALL GONNA DO THE PLEDGE. THEY GONNA DO THE PLEDGE FIRST. AMEN. OH, I, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. HALLELUJAH. HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, [00:50:02] HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT. KUMBA SAID WHISTLE, LONG FIRE. PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER. HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA SAID WHISTLE ON FIRE. HOLY SPIRIT. HOLY SPIRIT, HOLY SPIRIT. HOLY SPIRIT. I SAID WE THEM CAN PRAY. RIGHT? HOLY SPIRIT, KU HOLY SPIRIT. HOLY SPIRIT SAID WE SO CAN LOVE RIDE. HOLY SPIRIT. HOLY SPIRIT. HOLY SPIRIT. KU SAID, WE SO LONG FIRE, I SAID, WE SO LONG FIRE. I SAID, WE SO LONG FIRE. THE MANDATE IS THAT WE LOVE BETTER AND IF WE LOVE BETTER, WE'LL DO BETTER. GOD BLESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WOO. HANG TIGHT. HANG TIGHT, HANG TIGHT. OH, WHOA. NO, YOU GOT STAY BACK. YOU CAN'T CROSS. WE CAN'T CUT THE RIBBON YET. . GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MARSHALL WILLIAMS AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE NEW BEAUFORT TENNIS CLUB. THE CLUB HAS BEEN ORGANIZING OVER THE SUMMER TO BE READY TO BRING THESE BEAUTIFUL TENNIS COURTS TO LIFE WITH CHILDREN AND ADULTS FROM THIS HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF BEAUFORT. AND FROM THE WIDER AREA NORTH OF THE BROAD, AND EVEN FROM SOUTH OF THE BROAD. IF YOU CAN BRAVE THE TRAFFIC . I THINK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BEAUFORT TENNIS CLUB STEERING COMMITTEE ARE HERE THIS MORNING. AND I'LL JUST ASK THEM TO STEP FORWARD OR WAVE SO WE CAN SEE EVERYONE. JANICE JOHNSON, MARY NW WRIGHT, CHRIS PETERSON, ROB HILTON, JAN HORAN, VICKI KOWSKI, SALLY HENDRICKS, SUE RAINEY. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL. IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLUB, PLEASE SPEAK TO ANY OF US AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU VOLUNTEER ALONG WITH US. WE'LL HAVE INFORMATION AND AN EMAIL SIGN UP SHEET FOR YOU AFTER THE CEREMONIES. I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE ON OUR LIST ALREADY. THANKS EVERYONE. IT'S ALSO A REAL PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE TO INTRODUCE AND RECOGNIZE LARRY SHEPHERD. LARRY, COME ON, COME ON OVER A LITTLE BIT. MANY OF US CALL HIM COACH. HE REALLY DOESN'T NEED AN INTRODUCTION. LARRY HAS BEEN LEADING FREE PUBLIC CHI CLINICS FOR CHILDREN AT THESE COURTS, AND HE'S TAUGHT LEGIONS OF YOUNG AND OLDER TENNIS PLAYERS THROUGH THE YEARS. HE'S A GREAT COACH. HE'S HERE WITH HIS ASSISTANT DONNA WINLAND. DONNA, THANKS LARRY. GREW UP COMING HERE TO PLAY TENNIS. HE WAS BORN AND RAISED RIGHT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND CHARLES LIND BROWN WAS A MENTOR TO LARRY AS HE WAS TO SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE GROWING UP HERE. LARRY AND HIS CREW WORK HARD TO CONTINUE THAT TRADITION. HIS FREE CLASS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGE TWO TO 18 WILL START ON SATURDAY AT NOON AND HIS CLINICS AND LESSONS BEGIN TOMORROW. LARRY, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH ALL OF US SOON, AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE HERE. BUT PLEASE JUST TO HAVE A WORD FOR US. OH, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO PARKS AND RECREATION FOR GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO GIVE OUR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. UH, THANK YOU TO MY COUSIN, UH, PEARL SUE SAYING THOSE KIND OF THINGS ABOUT ME. UH, THANK YOU TO, UH, MY ASSISTANT, MS. WINLAND, AND TO ALSO MS. JANICE JOHNSON, JAN AND ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE HELPED ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. UH, I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT IT. JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS. AND ALSO I KNOW MR. LYNN BROWN'S LOOKING, WE NEVER WANT TO FORGET HIM. AND OF COURSE MY PARENTS. , THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, FOR YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. YOU SIR. THIS LAND WAS GIVEN MANY YEARS AGO TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE RECREATION OF ITS YOUNG PEOPLE. OUR GOAL AND PURPOSE IS TO SEE THESE COURTS FILL UP WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS PLAYING TENNIS AT ALL LEVELS. AND OUR CLUB WILL BE MADE UP OF VOLUNTEERS HELPING TO ORGANIZE ROUND ROBINS SPECIAL EVENTS, MEN'S AND WOMEN'S MIXED DOUBLES, [00:55:01] TENNIS UNDER THE STARS, U S T A C C T A AND OTHER TOURNAMENTS. WE CAN USE EVERYONE'S HELP AND IDEAS. THE U S T A AND COASTAL CAROLINA TENNIS ASSOCIATION HAVE BOTH SENT THEIR BEST WISHES AS WE OPEN UP. AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE PATTY LADA, WHO IS THE C C T A LEAD COORDINATOR WHO IS JOINING US TODAY. I'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT TO THANKS TO SHANNON LOPER FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY PARKS AND REC FOR GETTING US HERE TODAY TO THEIR MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR, JACK FRIPP, WHO MADE THE PARK BEAUTIFUL AND USER-FRIENDLY. AND THEIR STAFF, JEREMY AND HEATHER ARE ALSO HERE. THANKS, MR. GLOVER, AUNT PEARLY, SUE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. BLESS YOU FOR LAUNCHING THE NEW TENNIS COURTS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WELL, IN CLOSING, EVERYBODY'S KIND OF BEEN THANKED, BUT I'D STILL LIKE TO THANK A FEW MORE. UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT HERE TODAY. WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO OPEN UP THE COURTS. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND I THINK EVERYBODY CAN AGREE WITH THAT. UM, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED WITH AT PARKS AND REC TO HAVE, UM, LARRY SHEPHERD AS, UM, PART OF OUR STAFF NOW, UM, TO BE WORKING WITH US, BUT ALSO TO BE WORKING AND DOING CLINICS OUT HERE. UM, WE FEEL LIKE THAT IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BY HAVING HIM ON BOARD TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY MONITOR THE COURTS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MORE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS, FREE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS, AND TO BE ABLE TO OFFER LESSONS WITH THE KIDS. UM, WE STILL HAVE A FEW THINGS TO FINISH UP, SO IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT WE'VE COME A LONG WAY WITH IT. UM, AS WE, UM, PROGRESS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, YOU'LL SEE SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHTING, UM, THAT'LL BE DONE. UM, SOME WATER FOUNTAIN CHANGE OUTS, UM, MESSAGE BOARDS ADDED AND, UM, JUST ODDS AND ENDS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. WE'LL HAVE, UM, MORE SIGNS, WE'LL HAVE THE COURTS NUMBERED. UM, BUT WE WANTED TO GET EVERYBODY OUT HERE AND, AND START PLAYING TENNIS WITHOUT ANY MORE HOLD UP. UM, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR OVERSEEING THE PROJECT. UM, I REALLY THANK ERIC LARSON FOR COMING OUT HERE ON THURSDAY WHEN I WAS IN A HUGE PANIC OF HOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA GET THIS RIGHT AND HAVE HIM CALL EVERYBODY THAT HE CALLED OUT TO, UM, GET THE, UM, EVERYTHING COMPLETE AND LOOKING GOOD. THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR BRINGING ALL THEIR CREWS OUT. MY MAINTENANCE CREW WHO'S BEEN OUT HERE SINCE THURSDAY, UM, CHUCK, UM, ATKINSON WHO SUPPORTS ME IN MY ROLE AS THE PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR, AND ALSO WHAT I CALL OUR DYNAMIC DUO, ERIC AND WHITNEY, FOR BRINGING, UM, THE OLD PARKS AND REC BACK TO LIFE AND REALLY SUPPORTING US, UM, IN PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT. SO, UM, IF EVERYBODY IS READY, WE'RE GONNA CUT THE RIBBON AND, UM, EVERYBODY CAN SERVE UP, START SOME MATCHES AND HIT THE BALLS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.