[00:00:02]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.[I. Call to Order]
THANK YOU FOR OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, YOU HAVE COMING FROM EACH PLEDGE MINUTES.[IV. Adoption of the Agenda]
ANYTHING? NO MA'AM.MOTION TO ACCEPT OPPOSED UNANIM
[VI. Adoption of the Minutes]
[VII. Presentations, Celebrations and Recognitions]
CALLING HIM.LEFT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND A SIXTH GRADER.
IS YOUR TEACHER HERE OR PRINCIPAL? NOT THE SCHOOL.
SO, SO WE DO THIS EVERY MONTH.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOT UNDER OUR CONTROL, HAS A CHARACTER ON A TRAIT OF THE, IT'S THROUGH EVERY STUDENT IS THE DISTRICT.
SO OUR CLUSTER CAPITAL SCHOOL DISTRICT GRADE.
SO ALL THE STUDENTS AND ALL THE SCHOOLS, EACH OF THEIR TEACHERS NOMINATE A CHILD AND THEN THEY GET PUT IN THE BIG GROUP AND THEY'RE CHOSEN.
SO THAT'S WHY ALL THE STUDENTS, SO DINNER AND YOUR CHARACTER TRAIT THAT YOU WERE NOMINATED BY WAS SELF-CONTROL.
SO WE HAVE A REALLY NICE, UM, CERTIFICATE WE WANNA GIVE YOU.
AND WE HAVE A COOL DEPARTMENT AND YOUR TEACHER USUALLY WILL TALK, TALK ABOUT, OKAY, I RECEIVE THAT RECOGNITION OF SELF.
[00:05:09]
UM, UM, I DO SEE DR.PEYTON COME FORWARD TEAMS FOR HEALTHY YOUTH.
WE HAVE THE, WE'RE GONNA JUMP DOWN NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION PROCLAMATION.
DURING THE MONTH OF MAY, A NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCE IS DEDICATED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF, SORRY, AN ACTION AROUND POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE PREVENTION.
WHEREAS RATES OF SUBSTANCE USE AND REPORTS OF DEPRESSION, SUICIDAL FAULT AND ATTEMPTS IN A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESSES HAVE INCREASED INDIVIDUALS WHO SUFFERED WITH SOCIAL ISOLATION, FEAR AND ANXIETY, LOSS AND UNCERTAINTY DURING COVID 19 ARE SUFFERING FROM OR MAYBE AT RISK OR MENTAL AND ARE SUBSTANENT USE DISORDERS.
THIS NATIONAL MONTH OF AWARENESS CELEBRATES THE EFFORTS OF COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS COMING TOGETHER TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWN COUNCIL OF LOCKTON, SOUTH CAROLINA JOINS AND SUPPORTS THE EFFORTS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY ALLIANCE FOR HEALTHY COALITION IN RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION ISSUES, COMMON CONFIRMATION.
SO ALONG WITH ALL COUNSEL TO YOUR PROCLAIM MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE A SPEAK.
MY NAME IS AND I'M A PART YOUTH PROGRAM, BUT I'M ALSO THE COUNTRY ALLIANCE YOUTH, AS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE, BUT ME, BUT THE WHOLE TOWN OF, AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SUPPORTS THIS MONTH, THE NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AND NATIONAL THIS MONTH.
THIS MEANS A LOT TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR GOALS.
THANK, UM, WE ARE WAITING ON ONE NIGHT STOP IT WITH AMY AND CHLOE.
WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR TUBERCULOSIS SCLEROSIS COMPLEX AWARENESS DAY.
AND THIS YOUNG LADY HAS BEEN COMING LESS SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT FIVE OR SIX AND WE'VE JUST WATCHED HER PROGRESS AND GROW AND, AND STAY HEALTHY.
SO WHEN SHE COMES IN, I THINK WE'LL STOP WITH Y'ALL ARE OKAY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE TWO OTHER PROCLAMATIONS.
UM, ONE IS, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WE HAVE A BIG EVENT PLAN.
WHEREAS ON OCTOBER 15TH, 1966, THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF FOUR REGIONAL PRESERVATION LEGISLATION EVER ENACTED IN THE UNITED STATES WAS SIGNED INTO LAVA PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
WHEREAS THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ESTABLISHED MAY AS NATIONAL PRESERVATION MONTH FIRST CELEBRATED IS NATIONAL PRESERVATION WEEK ON MAY 6TH, 12TH, 1973 BY PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS ON JUNE 21ST, 1996, THE BLACK HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
AND ON JUNE 19TH, 2007, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON ESTABLISHED A LARGER LOCAL DISTRICT KNOWN AS THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT CURRENTLY RECOGNIZES 86 CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
AND WITHIN THE DISTRICT, THE CHURCH OF THE CROSS AND THE CAMPBELL AMA CHURCH ARE BOTH LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
WHEREAS BLUFFTON IS PRESENTING THE EIGHTH ANNUAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION SYMPOSIUM, PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF LUTON'S HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES ON MAY 18TH TO BETTER INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY IN LOCAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION EFFORTS.
THEREFORE, LISA SKA MAYOR, THE TOWN OF LEFTON ALONG THE TOWN COUNCIL DUE HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY, 2023 AS NATIONAL PRESERVATION MONTH IN THE TOWN OF LEFTON, OUR RESIDENTS TO JOIN OTHERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES IN RECOGNIZING AND PARTCIPATING IN THE SPECIAL OBSERVANCE.
OUR SYMPOSIUM IS HERE, MAY 18TH AT 5 6, 6 O'CLOCK AND THEN WE'LL WALK OVER TO THE HAMMER HOUSE.
THERE'LL BE A COMPLIMENTARY RECEPTION AND IT'S REALLY
[00:10:01]
A PACKED HOUSE.SO I HOPE THAT Y'ALL CAN COME AND, AND JUST LEARN ABOUT SOME OF OUR CHURCHES AND SOME OF OUR LEADERS, UM, IN THOSE CHURCHES.
UM, WE HAVE KIDS TO PARK DAY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT WITH THE LENGTHY COUNCIL, I WILL NOT READ THE PROCLAMATION, BUT IT'S JUST CELEBRATING KIDS IN OUR PARKS, IN OUR TOWN DOES GREAT PARKS AND WE HAVE BUILDING SAFETY PROCLAMATION AND THAT IS REALLY EVERY EVERY YEAR.
I'LL KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR HER AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
[VIII. Public Comment]
WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, EVERY MEETING IT IS A PRIVILEGE.UM, AND WE HAVE REASONABLE RULES OF ORDER AND I'LL READ THEM NOW AND THEN WE'LL CALL YOUR UP AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES DURING PUBLIC COMMENT EACH MINUTE MEMBER SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSON IS SPEAKING HELD ON BEHALF OR DONATION OF OTHERS.
MEANING ATTENDEES MAY NOT DONATE TIME, THEY MAY NOT DONATE TRANSFER YIELD OR GIVE YOU, GIVE ALL OR ANY PORTION OF YOUR SPEAKING TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON HERE TO BE CONDUCTED FROM THE PODIUM AND DIRECTED TO THIS COUNCIL.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL THOSE PRESENTING IN OR PRESENT THE MEETING.
THEY SHALL BE EXPECTED TO BE CIVIL IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND REFRAIN FROM COMMENT OR BEHAVIOR THAT INVOLVES DISORDERLY SPEECH OR ACTION AND CALLING PERSONAL ATTACKS, THREATS AT SCENE OR INDECENT NORMS. THEY SHALL YOUR COMMENTS TO THE ISSUES UNDER OUR JURISDICTION OF TOWN.
SPEAKER SHALL NOT USE THE PUBLIC COMMENT TO PROMOTE OR ADVERTISE AWARDS, BUSINESSES, SERVICES, VOTES OR CANDIDATES FROM PUBLIC OFFICE.
IF YOU VIOLATE THESE RULES, YOU'LL BE RULED OUT OF ORDER, BEEN RULED OUTTA ORDER I IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND ASSIST FROM.
SO AS CALLS YOUR NAME, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BECAUSE WE NEED IT FOR THE MINUTES, UM, THAT SHE PUTS TOGETHER IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
SO, UM, WE'LL START WITH, I'LL HAVE YOU SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE.
GOOD EVENING, MS. BROWN TO PEOPLE.
I LIVE AT 60 ROAD HERE AND HERE.
CONCERN IN REFERENCE TO THE LATIN FESTIVAL THAT WILL BE HELD ON MAY 28TH ON THE BLUFFTON EAGLES FIELD.
SO FROM LAST YEAR WHEN THE OTHER CAME, WE HAD NUMEROUS OF TRAFFIC.
IT WAS ALL TRAFFIC WAS EVERYWHERE.
LAST YEAR WHEN UH, SINGLE DE MAYO CAME ON MAY THE FIFTH, I CALLED MR. HAMILTON ASKING HIM ABOUT THE CONCERN ABOUT THE PARKING.
HE ASSURED ME THE PARKING WAS NOT GONNA BE ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT HE HAD IN CUR.
TRAFFIC WAS UP ON BALLFIELD ROAD.
AMBULANCE HAD TO GET THERE, IT WOULD BE IMPEDED AND SOMEONE WOULD'VE DIED CAUSE THE TRAFFIC WAS JUST DROPPED IN WHERE THERE WAS NOBODY FROM DIRECTLY TRAFFIC AWAY FROM THERE.
THAT FIELD IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE AS AN EVENT SUCH AS THE MAYBE TEAR DOWN SOME OF THOSE TREES BACK THERE SPACES.
WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT WOULD NOT PUT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE FRANTIC RIGHT NOW OF THIS CAUSE OF DRUNKENNESS.
NOW THIS ORGANIZATION, HEY WE JUST GONNA GET ALONG WITH THEM.
I DO CAUSE THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS ORGANIZATION PUTS THESE PEOPLE IN AND MYSELF ABOUT ANY REMORSE.
HOW COME WE MAKE THIS WORK TOGETHER? I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT COMING.
AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO LIEUTENANT FARRELL SOMETHING IN PLACE.
I SPOKE WITH A PRIVATE PROPERTY, BECOMES PUBLIC WHEN WENT THE SAME SPECIAL EVENT THAT YOU HAVE THAT APPLICATION THAT THEY HAVE RENT PLACES AROUND HERE SHOULD ALSO PRIVATE AND PUTTING PEOPLE IN HARM.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T APPRECIATE IT AND SOMETHING IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT MUCH HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
I PUBLIC RECORD THAT I HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED MY CAUSE OF MY FEAR AND MY FAMILY AND ALL KINDS PEOPLE THAT'S COMING HERE AND MORE FROM AN ORGANIZATION THAT YOU, I THANK FOR YOUR TIME IS VERY TO ME
[00:15:15]
RACHEL.MY NAME IS RACHEL AND MY ADDRESS IS 59.
GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GOVERNMENT OF TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, I LIVE IN SEAGRASS STATION, WHICH TONIGHT IS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, I'M HERE WITH MYSELF AND MY NEIGHBOR.
I'VE, FOR MY HOUSE IS FROM WHERE WE REPORT THE MAP.
WOULD IT SEND TO ONE 70? UM, I DO FEEL THAT THIS WOULD BE AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE FOR OUR CHILDREN IF THAT REALLY WERE TO OPEN TO ONE 70 AS ORIGINAL AS DRAWN ORIGINAL PLAN.
UM, I FULLY SUPPORT THE PERSON WHO HAS BOUGHT THE PROPERTY, WANTS TO PUT AN EMERGENCY ACCESS A ONLY AT THAT, UM, AREA THAT WILL LEAD INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK THAT IT IS NOT ONLY A SOLUTION, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT SINCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOTEL AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE REHAB FACILITATION FACILITY, THAT IT WOULD US HAVE AN ACCESS POINT OR EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT GETS REALLY BOTTLENECK TRYING TO COME IN AND HAVING HAVE CALLED 9 1 1 FOR MY NEIGHBOR.
THE RESPONSE TIME WAS A LITTLE BIT SLOW CAUSE WE'RE ALL WAY AT THE BACK AND THIS WOULD GIVE US AN EMERGENCY ACCESS GATE AT THE BACK.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE CHANGING OF THE MATH PLAN AND THANK YOU YOUR TIME.
WE NEED A COUNCIL TRANSPARENCY BEHAVIOR USING YOUR POLICE FORCE.
REMOVE CI A CITIZEN AND SEVERE VIOLATION OF A CITIZEN'S FIRST AMENDMENT.
JUST TO READ A THREE MINUTE COMMENT, BUT ALSO A THREE MINUTE COMMENTS OF SOMEONE ELSE WITH WITHOUT A DOCUMENT.
YOU HAVE ALSO VIOLATED SHERIFF CANNON LAW RULED HIS SOFA.
HE WARN YOU NOT TO USE POLICE FORCE AND AGAINST ANY CITIZEN WHO IS IN HIS LEGAL RIGHT TO SPEAK UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
AND IF YOU DID, YOU WOULD'VE YOUR BUT SUED ALL.
AND THIS SOFA, THE LATEST CASE JUST RULED AGAINST SKIP BY LOCAL MAGISTRATE JUDGE CLIFFORD BUSH WAS RULED AGAINST THE RULE OF LAW AND CANNOT BE LEGALLY ENFORCED AGAINST SKIP OR ANYBODY ELSE.
THIS JUDGE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF.
THIS JUDGE OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND CIVIL RIGHTS.
IN FACT, ALL LAWS AGAINST AND SKIP AGAINST YOU RULE IN YOUR FAVOR AND ALL AGAINST THE RULE OF LAW.
THIS INCLUDES YOUR INSANE MURDOCH LAWYERS FRIVOLOUS LAWSUIT THAT AWARDED YOU A 50 MILLION JUDGMENT AGAINST SKIP THAT YOU AND YOUR AMBULANCE CHASING UNETHICAL MURDOCH LAWYERS WHO REPRESENTED YOU FOR CONTINGENCIES FREE.
IN FACT, YOU OWE SKIP 50 MILLION AND MUCH MORE FROM THE OF BLUFF.
ALL THE LAWS AND EVIDENCE ARE ON SKIP'S SIDE, NOT ON YOUR MAYOR.
YOU'LL NEVER WIN YOUR THREE LAWSUITS.
THEY WILL BE TRIED AND THEY WILL END UP IN THE SUPREME COURT.
YOU ALSO COMMITTED PERJURY, WHICH IS A CRIME.
AND YOU CAUGHT ILLEGALLY USING TAX MONEY TOWN EMPLOYEES THAT HARMED YOUR OWN OFFICIAL GREATER BLUFF CHAMBER TO HELP YOUR CROOK KILL HIS CHAMBER OF RED MILES TO TRY AND PUT THE LEGAL BLUFF CHAMBER OUTTA BUSINESS THAT I'M A MEMBER OF.
AND I PAID FOR MY MONEY THAT SKIPS THE MEMBER OF THAT.
HE PAID HIS NOT ILLEGAL TAX MONEY THAT YOU FINGER USED ALSO, YOU DEF AND, AND, UH, DAN WOOD ALSO DEFAM BY BY ACCUSING HIM OF THE, SO I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF CHAMBER OF THE GREATER BLUFF CHAMBER.
CHAMBER GET OUT BLUFF SOME ROBBING TAXPAYERS IN PLACE, THE TAX FUNDS THAT YOU HELP THEM ACCOMPLISH, MS. SELVA.
DON'T, DON'T LOOK UP THERE LIKE EVERYTHING'S A SURPRISE FOR YOU.
YOU ARE REALLY IN BIG TROUBLE.
OKAY, NOW I'M READING THIS, BUT I'M ALSO GONNA READ ANOTHER SPEECH NEXT.
THIS IS A SPEECH I I'M READING FROM ME.
AND I'M ALSO GIVING BACK THE NEXT SPEECH WITH MS. GREELEY, WHICH IS ANOTHER THREE MINUTES WHEN SHE'S GIVING A POA TO READ.
THE REASON I READ THIS, CAUSE I, I DIDN'T AFRAID I WOULDN'T TO READ THIS AND REMOVED BY FORCE.
AND WE'RE GONNA SEE IF YOUR POLICE REMOVES
[00:20:01]
ME WHEN I'M CALLED UP TO SPEAK WITH MS. OKAY? IF THEY DO, THEN I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FINISH THAT SPEECH.UM, THE VERY FIRST THING I SAID IS YOU CANNOT DONATE TRANSFER YIELD OR GIVE ANY PORTION AND YOU SHE CANNOT DO THAT.
NOW WE CAN PUT HER PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE RECORD, I'LL MAKE THAT CHANGE.
WE CAN PUT IT IN OUR RECORD IN OUR MINUTES.
BUT SHE NEEDS TO BE HERE TO READ IT.
I APPRECIATE, I'M VERY EFFECTIVE.
UH, I'M VERY SORRY THAT YOUR LOCAL RULE WITH DEC DOES NOT, UH, PREVAIL OVER A POA LEGAL LAW DOCUMENT.
I'M VERY SORRY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU AND THE JUDGE IGNORED ON THAT AGAINST THE RULE LAW.
YOU ARE ACTUALLY A CIVIL SERGEANT, A MAYOR, OR FULL-TIME REAL ESTATE AGENT ABOUT THAT.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU'RE SERVING ALL OF US.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY TO OVERRIDE A POA DOCUMENT.
YOU DO, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU DO.
SO MS. GREELEY COMMENT CAN BE PUT IN THE RECORD.
I'LL ALLOW YOU NOT READING, READ THIS COMMENT, SUGGEST YOU DO INSTEAD OF USING POLICE, THE POLICE FOR THE FOURTH TIME REMOVING ME, I SUGGEST YOU LISTEN TO, LET ME FINISH.
I SUGGEST YOU GIVE A CITATION AND THEN INSTEAD OF YOU ACTING LIKE THE JURY AND THE JUDGE IN THE EXECUTIONER, WHICH YOU'RE NOT, YOU GIVE A CITATION AND LET HE THIS OUT IN A HIGHER COURT.
I'M SO SORRY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT POWER PUBLIC.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD, MAYOR CALLED BY MAYOR, I'M, NO, I'M GONNA READ RELEASE THREE MINUTES.
I'M SO SORRY, HUSBAND, THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING.
I'M SORRY, I'M NOT GONNA HELP.
YOU MAKE YOUR CHOICE CITATION OR POLICE HOLD.
NEXT WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS FROM HEARING.
I'M LEGALLY MAKING THREE MINUTES.
I PEE AWAY FROM I'M NOT PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME.
[IX. Communications from Mayor and Council]
GET COMMUNICATIONS FROM COUNCIL.ARE THERE ANYTHING FROM COUNCIL? I HAVE SOMETHING THERE.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, MEDICINE IS SIX A GOOD NONPROFIT TO SUPPORT AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE SOLD OUT OUR EVENT THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SUCH A GOOD CALL.
AGAIN, I'M SORRY THAT YOU FOLKS HAD TO WITNESS WHAT WE JUST HAD TO WITNESS.
UM, WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN AND WE THINK WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
SO MAYBE SOMEDAY KIDS CAN COME BACK AND MY WIFE WOULD COME BACK IN HERE AND WATCH OUR MEETINGS, UM, AND NOT HAVE, BE WORRIED ABOUT THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR.
SO BEAR WITH US AND WE'LL GET BACK.
UM, I WANTED TO READ A LETTER FROM REPRESENTATIVE OVERMAN AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD JUST BE A, A GOOD TIME TO READ IT TONIGHT.
I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL OF IT OR HE'D BE HERE ANOTHER 10 MINUTES, BUT, UM, HE READ US A LETTER AND COPIED ALL OF COUNSEL THAT HE IS.
UM, I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT THE ARPA FUNDS COMMITTEE FROM THE RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY HAS GRANTED FUNDING FOR THE SEWER EXTENSION INTO THE MAY RIVER WATERSHED.
THIS GRANT WILL PAY 75% OF THE PROJECT BUDGET.
THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, BUFORD COUNTY, AND BUFORD JASPER WATER SEWER WILL SHARE 25% MATCHING DOLLARS.
THE GRANT AWARDED IS 5.9 MILLION.
UM, THIS WORK WILL DIRECTLY IMPACT CONDITIONS OF OVER 150 HOME SITES AND ADDITIONAL 50 TO HUNDRED HOMES THAT ARE PLANNED.
IT COVERS ALMOST 800 ACRES IN THE SUNWATER SHED THAT HAS THE HIGHEST DUE COLIFORM LOAD IN THE SAMPLING CONDUCTED SINCE NOVEMBER, 2020.
THE REASON FOR THIS LETTER IS NOT TO INFORM YOU BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, BUT TO INFORM YOU ON HOW THE SUCCESS OF THIS GRANT CAME ABOUT, I HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH STEVEN
[00:25:01]
STEVE'S TOWN MANAGER, HEATHER POLAND, ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER, AND CHRIS FORSTER, ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER OF THIS PROJECT.I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WORKING WITH THESE THREE LEADERS FOR TOWN GOVERNMENT WAS, IN MY EXPERIENCE, CONCLUSIVE IN NORMAL COURSE OF ACTION OF WORKING WITHIN GOVERNMENT.
IT WAS THE CO COOPERATION THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CHANGE DIRECTION FOR THE ORON TO THE MUCH NEEDED PROJECT FOR THE TOWN.
AND THE COUNTY ASSISTANT MANAGER, HEATHER COHEN, WAS ALWAYS AVAILABLE WITH ANY INFORMATION EXTREMELY READY ON THE CALL.
COUNTY MANAGER STEVEN ST WAS AVAILABLE ALSO WITH ANY INFORMATION AND ASSISTANT TOWN TOWN MANAGER CHRIS GOK TOOK THE TIME TO COME TO COLUMBIA AND MEET WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO ACTUALLY DIRECTED THE FUNDING.
THERE WAS TRULY A TEAM EFFORT BETWEEN THE TOWN AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES OF BLUFFTON AND COLUMBIA.
I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW PROUD I AM OF OUR TOWN AND STATE WORKING TOGETHER, WHO IS MUCH NEEDED PROJECT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE HURDLES WE HAVE TO JUMP STATEWIDE.
UM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY LOCALLY, IT'S TRULY AN ACT OF CIVIL SERVICE TO PEOPLE INVOLVED BUFORD COUNTY.
AND IT JUST GOES ON WITH THE DISCUSS.
UH, BUT WHO KNOWS, BILL DOESN'T SIT DOWN TO WRITE ALL LETTERS LIKE THIS.
SO, UM, IT WAS AN IMPORTANT TOWN AND IT'S BEEN A PROJECT HEAVY ON OUR MIRACLE TOWN AND ALL THE COUNCILS, SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING NEWS AND MORE TO COME.
YEAH, WE CAN SEE A FUTURE BRIGHTER THAN THE ONE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT FOR THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS.
KIM JONES, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL DONE.
AND, UM, SO THANK THANK YOU EVERYONE AND I INTEND EVERYONE TO, TO KNOW THAT AS WELL.
OKAY, WE HAVE A BUSY NIGHT TONIGHT.
WE HAVE OUR FIRST OF OUR BUDGET.
UM, WE HAVE SOME COMMUNITY THANKS WE HAVE TO RESOLVE.
[X 1. Consideration of an Ordinance Approving the Town of Bluffton Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Consolidated Budget – First Reading – Stephen Steese, Town Manager]
GET ONTO IT.FIRST IS OUR FORMAL ITEM, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE TOWN AFTER FISCAL YEAR 2024, PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
UM, WE'LL HAVE TWO WORKSHOPS, WHICH I KNOW STEVEN, MR. CECIL WILL GO OVER DURING THE, UM, THIS PRESENTATION.
AND SECOND READING CHIEF COUNSEL.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH, UM, SOME HIGH FROM LOW LEVEL DETAIL ITEM.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE WILL, THIS'LL GET INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL, A LOT MORE OF THE WEEDS OF HOW WE PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE IT BALANCE AND REPRESENTS THE PRIORITIES OF COUNCIL IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO TO TALK ABOUT THAT FIRST READING TONIGHT IS MAY 9TH.
OUR FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP IS MAY 25TH.
THAT'S WHEN GENERAL FUND ALL OTHER FUNDS.
OUR, UH, MAY 30TH ONE IS WHERE WE WILL HAVE, UM, CHAMBERS COMING FROM TALK ABOUT, AND WE'LL ALSO GET INTO OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS DURING THAT.
SO WE SPENDING THREE HOURS HERE NIGHT, TRY TO BREAK UP AND WE THEN WE'LL HAVE US BACK IN JANUARY FOR THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND AND HOPE, WE, HOPEFULLY HOPE, HOPEFULLY FINAL READING FOR THE BUDGET, WHICH WILL START JULY 1ST.
SO AS WE GO, THE PROPOSED BUDGET, JUST A FEW THINGS THAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS ECONOMIC FACTORS FOR THE TOWN, THE BUDGET GOALS THAT WE HAD.
UM, AND THEN I'M GONNA ALSO GO THROUGH OUR OVERVIEW AND THEN THE REVIEW APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO TO GO THROUGH A FEW FACTORS.
UM, AND THESE HAVE BEEN UPDATED FOR THIS YEAR.
WE TO, UM, AREA MEDIAN INCOME, WE'VE INCLUDED THAT IN THE SHEET NOW SO WE CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR EMPLOYMENT RATE FOR THE COUNTY AND THE STATE JUST, I MEAN EVERYTHING IN THERE, UM, IS SHOWING STRONG GROWTH.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT ALSO SHOWS THAT OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE INCREASING, UM, AND THAT WE ARE, UM, SEEING THAT AREA MEETING INCOME CLIMB TO WHERE IT'S OVER 60,700 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AT A HUNDRED PERCENT RATE.
SOME OF OUR OTHER ECONOMIC DRIVERS, UH, OUR TOP EMPLOYER IS HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION.
THAT'S DOWN, UH, A COUPLE POINTS FROM LAST YEAR.
OUR ACCOMMODATIONS, FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT IS UP ABOUT THREE PERCENTAGE POINTS TO 16.5.
RETAIL IS UP SLIGHTLY FROM 12.8 TO 14.1.
AND THEN PROFESSIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND MANAGEMENT IS ABOUT LEVEL WITH WHERE IT WAS LAST YEAR.
UM, CONSTRUCTION, AS YOU CAN SEE IS, IS DOWN.
I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT WITH SOME OF OUR, UH, PERMITTING, UH, DECREASING, BUT ALSO WITH THE GROWTH IN SOME OF THE OTHER JOBS WE'VE SEEN THE PERCENTAGES
[00:30:01]
INCREASE FOR THEM AND KIND OF THE NUMBERS MAY STAY LEVEL, BUT THE REST ARE INCREASING.SO, UM, WE ARE IN AN EXCELLENT CREDIT POSITION.
WE HAVE, UM, DOUBLE A ONE BOND, UM, RATING WITH MOODY'S AND A DOUBLE A PLUS WITH STANDARDS AND POOR.
AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR, UM, PROJECTS IS TO TRY TO GET OUR BOND RATING REASSESSED.
UM, I WISH TO SAY WE HAD AN ANSWER ON THAT, BUT WE DID HAVE A MEETING YESTERDAY, UM, AND HAD WENT FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS ON A BOND RATING REVIEW.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE AN ANSWER ON THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE RELAY THAT, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER ON COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VISION AND MISSION BASED BASED.
UM, SO WITH OUR GROWTH GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, YOU SEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT INCLUDES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THAT INCLUDES, UM, WE ALSO HAVE THAT IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, BUT IT ALSO, UM, INCLUDES OUR REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AS WELL THAT WE'RE NOW A PARTNER OF AND WE'RE CONTRIBUTING FUNDS TO.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO UPDATE SOME OF OUR MASTER PLANS.
WE'RE JUST RECENTLY HAD OUR FIRST MEETING IN THE BUCK ISLAND SIMPSONVILLE TO WORK ON THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN TO UPDATE THAT
SO WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL JUST DETERMINE WHETHER WE WANNA LOOK AT GOTHY SCHULTZ OR OUR DOWN OR OUR OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN IN THE FUTURE.
BUT IT, NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE COMP PLAN DONE, IT'S TIME TO GO BACK AND REVISIT SOME OF THOSE.
UH, WATERSHED AND RESILIENCY, YOU CAN SEE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THERE THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK FOR.
AND THEN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, SOME BIG PROJECTS THAT ARE KICKING OFF AS OUR NEW RIVERSIDE BARN.
SQUIRE POPE IS NOW BACK ON THE GROUND.
BUT, AND THEN SARAH RILEY HOOKS, WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING IT DESIGNED AND READY TO START RENOVATIONS.
SEWER CONNECTIONS, WHICH WE JUST HIT WITH THE, THE GRANT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET.
UM, BOUNDARY STREET, WE'RE GONNA BE WRAPPING UP THE FIRST PHASE AND WORKING TO DESIGN, UH, OR SORRY, WE'RE WRAPPING UP.
START WORKING ON BOUNDARY STREET AND TONS OF PARK IMPROVEMENTS IN PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH, UM, ALL OF THE FUNDS.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR WE, IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD IN HOSPITALITY TAX AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
WE'RE NOW TREATING THEM AS THEIR OWN, UH, SPECIAL FUNDS.
PREVIOUSLY WE KIND OF LUMPED THEM UP WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER, OTHER FUNDS, BUT SINCE THEY'VE REACHED A POINT WHERE THEY'VE BECOME SO SIGNIFICANT, WE'RE GONNA APPROACH THEM INDIVIDUALLY, UM, WITHIN THE BUDGET.
SO OUR FIRST IS OUR GENERAL FUND.
I'M SORRY, THIS IS PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET WITH ALL OF THE FUNDS IN THERE TOGETHER.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 IS A LITTLE OVER 77, ALMOST $78 MILLION.
THIS IS ABOUT A 4.5 MILLION INCREASE.
A LOT OF THAT IS IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS WAS ZERO LAST YEAR.
WE'RE NOW REFLECTING THAT IN THERE.
SO THAT'S A $9 MILLION INCREASE.
SO IF YOU TAKE OUT THOSE FUNDS THAT WERE IN THERE, WE'RE ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHERE WE WERE THE PREVIOUS YEAR, BUT WITH THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS IN THERE, THAT'S SHOWING THE INCREASE.
UM, SO, SO THE BREAKDOWN ON THAT ABOUT 16% IS PROPERTY TAXES.
ABOUT 7% IS A LOCAL ACCOMMODATION, LOCAL, UH, HOSPITALITY AND ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES, UH, LICENSE AND PERMITS.
AND THEN A LOT OF IT'S TRANSFERS IN.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH SOME OF THAT A LITTLE MORE IN A MINUTE HERE.
SO THIS KIND OF SHOWS THAT NUMERICALLY WHERE THOSE DOLLARS SHOWS THE PERCENTAGES FROM THE OTHER BROKEN DOWN WITH THE PROPERTY TAXES, LICENSE AND PERMITS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE GROWING ABOUT, UM, ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT REFLECTS THE GROWTH IN TAX BASE THAT WE'VE SEEN.
THIS ALSO IS PRIOR TO REASSESSMENT WITH THE TA WITH THE COUNTY, AND WE WON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THE REASSESSMENT PROCESS, BUT WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT BEING SOMETIME IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, WE'LL HAVE THAT REASSESSMENT COMPLETE AND KNOW WHAT, UM, WHAT CHANGES WE MAY SEE IN OUR TAX BASE.
UM, AGAIN, LOCAL HOSPITALITY ACCOMMODATIONS TAX IN 23, WE DID NOT REFLECT THAT AS A, AS AS, UM, MAJOR FUNDS.
SO THAT IS NEW FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 IS A MAJOR FUND.
AND THEN LICENSE PERMITS STAYING PRETTY LEVEL GRANTS AND ENTITLEMENTS, UH, DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE REST ARE WITHIN NOT MUCH OF A CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO THE EXPENDITURES, UM, LITTLE, ALMOST 23% GOES TOWARDS PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS.
AS YOU CAN SEE AT LARGEST PORTION OF THE BUDGET, 37% IS FOR OUR CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR OUR PROJECTS.
AND THEN 24% IS FOR TRANSFERS OUT.
SO THIS KIND OF GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF THAT
[00:35:01]
BROKEN DOWN INTO NUMBERS SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS.I JUST POINT OUT THAT'S INCREASED BY ABOUT ONE AND A HALF, UH, MILLION DOLLARS GOING INTO FROM FISCAL YEAR 23 TO 24.
THAT REFLECTS THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY THAT REFLECTS OUR INCREASING OUR MINIMUM STARTING PAY UP.
IT ALSO REFLECTS OUR, UM, MERIT INCREASES AND COST INCREASES TO INSURANCE, RETIREMENT AND THOSE THINGS THAT CONTINUE TO INCREASE ANNUALLY.
STEVEN, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS LINE.
ARE WE TAKING QUESTIONS? I, OR HOW ARE YOU? OKAY.
Y'ALL WANT TO INTERRUPT DURING IT? JUST LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL, UM, I NOTICED THERE'S A DECREASE HERE WITH LAND ACQUISITION AND, UM, KNOWING THE TREND THAT WE WERE ON IN TERMS OF, WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF ACQUIRING IT IN THE OLD TOWN SPACE.
AND I KNOW THERE WAS A DESIRE TO LOOK AT, UH, PROPERTIES THAT BECOME AVAILABLE OUTSIDE OF THE, UM, THE ORIGINAL OLD TOWN DISTRICT MM-HMM.
UM, SO KNOWING THAT, IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON WHY WE'RE DECREASING IT AND NOT KEEPING IT THE SAME OR ALLOWING TO INCREASE? YEAH, SO THAT'S REFLECTIVE.
WE ACCUMULATED A BUNCH OF, UH, REVENUE ACQUISITION ADDED 500.
SO WE'RE NOT PRODUCING HOW MUCH ALLOCATE THERE.
I JUST REPLIED FOR THE IN HAND THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE DID THE BUDGET AMENDMENT IN OUR MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE 1.2 TO MOVE IT FROM THE, UH, MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INTO OUR LAND ACQUISITION TO COVER THE COST FOR THAT.
JUST HAD A, A QUESTION THERE AND UM, TO YOU AND CHRIS MORE SO WANTED TO KNOW, LIKE DO YOU SEE, UM, WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE IN TERMS OF THE, THE MARKET VALUE OF A LOT OF THOSE PROPERTIES? IS IT A BENEFIT TO KEEP IT THIS WAY OR DO YOU SEE A NEED TO, UM, ASK FOR AN INCREASE THERE IF WE WANTED TO ACQUIRE MORE? SO I WOULD SAY WE'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND IF WE COME ACROSS SOMETHING THAT IS OF INTEREST, WE HAVE A VERY HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
OR IF WE HAVE, UM, EXCESS REVENUE REVENUES OVER PROJECTIONS OR EXPENDITURES THAT ARE UNDER, WE CAN ALWAYS USE FUNDS THAT WE MAY HAVE TO PUT TOWARDS THAT.
BUT, UM, TO CONTINUE TO PUSH OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FORWARD AND STILL RECOGNIZE, UM, LAND ACQUISITION AS IMPORTANT WE'RE, IT'S A BALANCING ACT.
SO WE'RE STILL CONTINUING FORWARD WITH THE 500,000 INCREASED LAND ACQUISITION, BUT WE'RE ALSO, UM, KEEPING OUR C I P PROJECTS FUNDED.
IF SOMETHING COMES ALONG, WE CAN, WE CAN WORK WITH COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE WE CAN FIND THAT, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH FUND BALANCE OR WHATEVER TO ACQUIRE.
I'LL, AND I ACTUALLY THINK WE DID THAT THIS YEAR AND WE PUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN A SET OF 500,000 SO WE CAN REVIEW THAT THROUGH OUR FIRST BUDGET AMENDMENT IN, UH, MID-YEAR.
WE PUT A MILLION LAST YEAR TOO.
THE, THE CURRENT YEAR? YES SIR.
THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
YES, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
WE, WE DID THAT WITH THE BUDGET AMENDMENT BUMPING A MILLION EVERY YEAR IS WHAT I THOUGHT WE WERE.
CHRIS PUTS TOGETHER A, A CARRY FORWARD BUDGET AMENDMENT AFTER WE GET THROUGH AND WE SEE EXACTLY WHAT EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES LOOK LIKE AND THAT'S USUALLY WE PUT THAT TOWARDS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
OR LAST YEAR WE PUT A MILLION INTO LAND ACQUISITION ON THAT.
IT MIGHT BE GOOD AFTER WE GET THROUGH BUDGET OR IN BETWEEN TO START GETTING A LIST.
I THINK WE HAD, UH, KIND OF A PAPER IN THE PAST FROM PAST TOWN MANAGERS TO SAY WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THIS.
IT MIGHT BE GOOD BECAUSE WE'VE HELD A POS I MEAN WE NEED TO SPEND IT MM-HMM.
SO IT'D BE NICE TO KIND OF SEE WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AND ILL, I'LL PUT TOGETHER SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE ARE, UM, TALKING TO RIGHT NOW AND LOOKING AT AND, AND YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I THANK YOU BRIDGET, CUZ I PICKED UP ON THAT AS WELL AND THAT WAS GONNA BE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS CUZ UH, YOU KNOW, WE, AND AND TO TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, WE HAD A STRATEGIC MAP ONE TIME OF POTENTIAL PIECES OF PROPERTY TO LOOK AT AND WE SHOULD NEVER LET THAT GO AWAY.
UM, I THINK NOW IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO BE BUYING LAND CUZ WE CAN ALWAYS UTILIZE IT FOR SOMETHING OR EVEN RESELL IT IF WE HAD TO DO IT LIKE WE DID OVER AT, UH, NEAR THE POST OFFICE WE DID AT THAT TIME.
MORE THAN GLAD TO UPDATE THAT CUZ WE, WE, WE HAVE THAT AND WE CAN UPDATE IT AND WE'LL GET THAT, GET THAT TO COUNCIL.
STEVEN, IF I'M CORRECT, THIS MONEY IS, IS ALSO CAN BE USED FOR DENSITY BUYOUTS, RIGHT? UM, DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TO BUY DENSITY IF WE WANTED TO.
IF WE COULD BUY DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS AS WELL AS OR AS ACTUAL LAND.
[00:40:01]
PARTNER WITH THE PENNY, THE GREEN PEN.POTENTIALLY NOW WE HAVE GOOD TOOLS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? CAN YOU GO ON? OKAY.
THE REVENUE DOES RECOGNIZE A LITTLE BIT OF SLOWDOWN WE'VE HAD IN GROWTH THROUGH, UH, BUILDING PERMITS.
IT KEEPS THE PROPERTY TAX MILEAGE THE SAME AS I NOTED EARLIER, THAT IS PENDING REASSESSMENT.
WE'LL KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AFTER THE BUDGET'S ADOPTED, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT ANNOYING, BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS WITH THEM.
THEY HAVE TO GET IT FINALIZED USUALLY ALL IN SEPTEMBER SO THEY CAN GET TAX BILLS OUT IN NOVEMBER.
SO WE'LL KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UH, WE'RE ASSUMING THAT PROPERTY VALUES ARE GONNA INCREASE, SO WE'LL, WE'LL JUST, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AND WE'LL HAVE SOME PROJECTIONS AND ESTIMATES FOR THAT AS WE GET CLOSER.
UM, IT ALSO AGAIN FOCUSES ON TOWN COUNCIL'S PRIORITY PROGRAMS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE, AND CELEBRATING, UM, OUR COMMUNITY AND DOING OUTREACH.
UM, IT DOES INCLUDE SOME FOCUS FOR PAY.
IT INCLUDES A COST OF PERCENT OF LIVING FOR 2%, WHICH WOULD GO INTO EFFECT JULY ONE, AND THEN A 2% MID-YEAR MERIT INCREASE.
THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST.
SO IT'S A 4% TOTAL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT BETWEEN THE CLASS AND COMP WE DID LAST YEAR, THE MERIT WE DID LAST YEAR AND THE 4% ON AVERAGE DURING CLASS AND COMP, EVERY EMPLOYEE GOT ABOUT 7% ON AVERAGE.
WE DID A 2% MERIT, SO THAT WAS 9% WITHIN THIS CURRENT BUDGET YEAR.
AND THEN WITH THE 4%, UM, FOR NEXT YEAR, THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF ABOUT A 13% INCREASE OVER THE TWO FISCAL YEARS, WHICH WOULD AVERAGE OUT TO ABOUT SIX TO 7% ON AVERAGE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR.
SO TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE INFLATION AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UM, AND AS NOTED, AND WE TRY NOT TO GET TOO FAR IN THE WEEDS OR ELSE WE'LL BE HERE FOR OUR FULL HOUR TONIGHT.
UM, WE DID ALREADY, COUNCIL VOTED EARLIER DURING THE BUDGET, UM, AMENDMENT THAT WE BROUGHT TO, UH, INCREASE OUR MINIMUM STARTING PAY TO $20 AN HOUR.
AND THAT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THIS CURRENT BUDGET YEAR AND REFLECTED WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
BUT WITH THESE INCREASES THAT $20 NOW CHANGES BECAUSE OF IT BEING, WHAT'S THAT? BECAUSE IT'S A COLA, IT ADJUSTS OUR PAY BAN, SO IT WOULD INCREASE EVERYTHING BY 2% AND THEN THE MERIT MOVES YOU WITHIN YOUR PAY BAN.
AND AGAIN, CAPITAL PROJECTS AND INVEST IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SEWER, STREET SCAPES, PARKS, AND THEN, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE THROUGHOUT OUR BLUFFTON COMMUNITY.
OUR, OUR STRATEGIC INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIPS, UH, CONTINUES PALMETTO BREEZE, UH, WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
UH, MET WITH U S C B LAST WEEK TO TALK ABOUT CONTINUING OUR, OUR WATER QUALITY LAB AND MICRO MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING AS WELL AS OUR BLUFFTON AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
ALSO, ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS WHEN WE GET INTO UH, THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, IS, UM, OUR SROS.
WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY HAVE A GRANT THROUGH THE STATE TO PUT SROS IN EVERY ELEMENT, EVERY SCHOOL WITHIN THE COM WITHIN THE COUNTY.
SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SROS THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE WORKING ON WITH WHAT'S CALLED CLASS THREE OFFICERS.
UM, THEY'RE NOT THE SAME AS FULL PATROL OFFICERS, BUT THEY HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE, OVER THE SCHOOLS AND THEY WILL WORK THE SAME HOURS AS SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, ADMIN, AND UM, SO WE HAVE I THINK FOUR THAT HAVE BEEN FINALIZED AND WE HAVE THREE MORE TO FILL OR TWO MORE TO FILL.
SO THERE'LL BE SEVEN ADDITIONAL SROS.
SO EVERY SCHOOL FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE AN SRO WITHIN IT, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO GET THOSE FILLED BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
THE THREE MAY LAG A LITTLE BIT BEHIND JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING THEY HAVE TO DO AND THE TIMING BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
BUT WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THOSE FILLED.
DOES THE GRANT YOU HAVE LOCAL PRIVATE SCHOOLS? THE GRANT COVERS ALL SCHOOLS OR JUST THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? IT COVERS JUST THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE ONE PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT WE'RE, UH, PARTNERING WITH ON A GROUP ON A CONTRACT TO DO A HUNDRED PERCENT REIMBURSEMENT TO HAVE ONE, UH, A CLASS THREE, JUST LIKE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS DO.
SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL FUND A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT POSITION.
SO THE NUMBER THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO HIRE TO PLACE INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. SEVEN, IF SOMEBODY'S OUT, WHAT DO YOU DO? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE A SCHEDULING ISSUE, SOMEBODY'S SICK, SOMEBODY OUT ON VACATION, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE A SHORTAGE.
DO YOU PULL 'EM FROM THE REGULAR FORCE? UH, SIR SUE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE HAVE A DEDICATED ADMINISTRATIVE SERGEANTS CAUSE OF THE SPAN OF CONTROL, TWO SERGEANTS IN CHARGE OF THE SROS.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL FILL THOSE.
YES, IF, IF SROS NOW WE BACKFILL WITH, SORRY, WITH ADMIN.
UM, AND THE GOAL WOULD BE IS AGAIN
[00:45:01]
TO A, AS THE, AS THE POLICE FILL THEIR POSITIONS, THAT WILL NOT BE HOPEFULLY AS BIG OF AN ISSUE MOVING FORWARD.SO LASTLY, UH, DON RYAN CENTER CONTINUES OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH HARDY BILL CONTINUES OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BLACKWOOD AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THE COUNTY AND OUR ACCOMMODATIONS TAX WITH THE HISTORIC BLUFFTON FOUNDATION AND OUR DMO.
SO I'M GONNA GET INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GROWTH OF OUR TAX BASE.
SO OUR ESTIMATED, UH, VALUE OF A MILL AND FISCAL YEAR 23 WAS ABOUT TWO POINT OR 295,000.
IT IS NOW ESTIMATED TO BE FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, AROUND 328,000.
AND THAT IS PRE REASSESSMENT LIKE I'VE SAID.
SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT PROBABLY TO GO UP WITH REASSESSMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE PROPOSING AT THIS TIME TO KEEP OUR MILLAGE RATE LEVEL, UH, FOR OUR GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS OUR, UM, DEBT MILLAGE AS WELL.
SO THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES, WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? A LARGE OF ITS LICENSE AND PERMITS, THAT'S BUILDING PERMITS, BUSINESS LICENSES, ET CETERA.
THE NEXT IS OUR PROPERTY TAXES FOLLOWED BY, UM, TRANSFER ENDS FROM OTHER FUNDS, PREVIOUS YEAR FUND BALANCE, UM, GRANTS THAT WE GET AND ENTITLEMENTS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S KIND OF BROKEN UP BETWEEN, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT SOURCES.
OUR BIGGEST BEING THE GROWTH AND THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT HELP GENERATE THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET.
THIS KIND OF BREAKS IT DOWN INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AND GIVES YOU SOME VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE AND CAN KIND OF SEE HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
YOU CAN SEE PROPERTY TAXES HAS GROWN, UM, ABOUT $900,000 IS ESTIMATED FOR IT TO GENERATE BUSINESS LICENSES IS STAYING, UM, A LITTLE LEVEL, UM, FOR THE PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
UH, SAME FRANCHISE FEES ARE DOWN, UM, AS A PERCENTAGE BUT UP A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SEEING INSURANCE TAX THAT CONTINUES TO CLIMB AS WE ADD IN MORE PROPERTIES AND VALUE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR BUILDING PERMITS, WE'RE STILL SHOWING THAT DOWN, UH, BASED ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN AND THE TREND OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
SO THAT'S DOWN ABOUT, UH, A LITTLE OVER $400,000 AND GRANTS SENT ON ENTITLEMENTS AS WELL.
AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH DOWN A LITTLE BIT, DON'T WANT TO GET BOGGED DOWN IN A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH MORE DETAIL, BUT JUST WANTED TO HIT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AS WE GO THROUGH.
SO WHERE DO THOSE GO? ABOUT 58% GOES INTO SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR OPERATIONS OF THE TOWN.
THE OTHER ABOUT 29% GOES INTO OPERATIONS AND THEN YOU CAN SEE TRANSFER OUT TO CIP P IS A LITTLE OVER JUST SHORT OF 9%.
AND THEN WE HAVE CAPITAL OUTLAY AND PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST GIVE YOU HOW THOSE KIND OF BREAKDOWN NUMBER-WISE.
AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, YOU CAN SEE OUR SALARY AND BENEFITS WITH WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED FOR MERIT AND COLA AS WELL AS THE INCREASES WE MADE PREVIOUSLY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF INCREASE OVER FISCAL YEAR 23.
UM, SHOWS THE TRUE INVESTMENT THAT COUNCIL HAS DISCUSSED DURING OUR WORKSHOPS AND HAS PUSHED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING OUR NEED FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND GETTING OUR PAY COMPETITIVE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR EMPLOYEES AT WHERE UM, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP 'EM AND ALSO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE TO LIVE AS THE VALUE OF OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GO UP.
UM, YOU CAN SEE OUR CAPITAL OUTLAY GOING UP AS WELL AS OUR PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST AND THAT PICKS UP OUR, UM, NEW BOND THAT WE ISSUED LAST YEAR AND THE PAYMENT THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT MENTIONED THE 2% COLA AND 2% MID-YEAR.
SO 4% TOTAL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UH, KEEP KEEPS OUR PTO BUYOUT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, FOR 25 HOURS.
UM, IT RECOGNIZES THE INCREASE TO OUR RETIREMENT HEALTH INSURANCE AND IT DOES INCLUDE SOME NEW POSITIONS.
UM, ONE IS A PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT'S REALLY TO HELP SUPPORT LINDY WITH ALL THE EVENTS WE HAVE GOING ON, ALL THE RENTALS WE HAVE GOING ON.
YOU HEARD SPECIAL PERMIT THAT WE ARE SHE'S WORKING WITH FOR, UM, THE EVENT THAT MS. BROWN TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT PROCESS THAT'S REALLY GROWN AND THEY REALLY, THEY THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM CONTINUE TO GROW.
AS I KNOW SOME ON COUNCIL WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE US OFFER MORE EVENTS AND EXPAND WHAT WE OFFER.
UM, IT ALSO MOVES OUR PART-TIME CUSTOMER SERVICE UP FRONT TO A FULL-TIME PERSON.
IT'LL BE KIND OF DUAL SUPPORTING OF THE FINANCE SIDE AS WELL AS THE BUILDING, AS THE PERMITTING SIDE.
UM, WITH THE NUMBER OF BUSINESS LICENSE WE HAVE COMING IN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD.
AND IF SOMEBODY'S OUT, IT REALLY PUTS 'EM, AS I WAS TALKING EARLIER, WHEN
[00:50:01]
SOMEBODY'S OUT, IT PUTS 'EM AT A DISADVANTAGE.GETTING THAT TO A FULL-TIME POSITION WILL HELP PROVIDE THEM BACK UP.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A PLAN RETIREMENT COMING UP IN FINANCE.
UM, CINDY TBE IS GONNA BE RETIRING IN THE NEXT PROBABLY 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
UM, WE WANT TO HAVE SOMEBODY IN TO GO THROUGH THE AUDIT WITH US FOR THIS YEAR SO THAT WHEN SHE RETIRES AS WE MOVE INTO NEXT BUDGET YEAR, WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S TRAINED AND READY TO STEP INTO THAT ROLE.
WE DID THE SAME THING WHENEVER, UH, VICKY WAS RETIRING AS FINANCE DIRECTOR.
SO WE'RE WANTING TO DO THE SAME THING IN THERE.
SO THIS WILL BE A ONE YEAR ONLY AND THEN WHENEVER THAT CINDY LEAVES AND RETIRES THIS POSITION WOULD GO AWAY AND JUST THEY WOULD FILL THAT POSITION.
SO THIS IS A GAP YEAR, UH, POSITION.
UM, IT ALSO MOVED THE FULL-TIME DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT POSITION OF TWO PART-TIMES.
UH, THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE FILLED IN JULY.
WE'VE BEEN PUTTING THAT ONE ON HOLD SINCE WE ADDED IN THE NEW, UH, ASSOCIATE JUDGE TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THAT COST.
SO WE WOULD, UH, HIRE THE SECOND PART-TIME ONE.
UM, IT ALSO LOOKS OF MOVING WHERE WE'RE CONTRACTING FOR PROPERTY ACQUISITION, MOVING THAT TO A PART-TIME POSITION.
WE HAD THAT KIND OF BEFORE WHEN BENNY USED TO WORK HERE AND KIND OF LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT SIMILAR.
UM, AND DEPENDING ON WHICH WORKS BETTER, WE CAN ALWAYS, WE HAVE THE FUNDING IN THERE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT EITHER WAY, EITHER CONTRACT IT OR AS HIRING A PART-TIME POSITION.
BUT WE DID GO AHEAD AND ADD IT IN IN CASE WE DO WANT TO ADDRESS IT THAT WAY.
AND WE ALREADY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SROS WITH ADDING IN THE SIX CLASS THREE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
FIVE ARE GRANT FUNDED AGAIN, ONE IS A CONTRACT FUNDED A HUNDRED PERCENT BY A LOCAL PRIVATE SCHOOL.
SO THEY WILL REIMBURSE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COST FOR THE POSITION.
ALL SIX OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET BUT ARE RE WILL BE REIMBURSED AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THERE'S NO COST TO THE TOWN FOR THOSE SIX POSITIONS.
WHAT'S THE DURATION OF THE GRANT? SO LONG AS THEY HAVE THE GRANT FROM THE STATE, WE'LL KEEP THE POSITIONS, BUT IT WAS AT LEAST THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR FIVE GRANT FUNDED, WE HAVE THREE AND THAT HELPS THEM OUTLAY SOME OF THE COSTS FOR THE EQUIPMENT AND THE VEHICLE AND THE STUFF LIKE THAT TO HELP SPREAD IT OUT OVER THREE YEARS FOR THEM.
THOSE I WATCHED, UH, INTERVIEW WHEN Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT IT ON TELEVISION WITH THE, THE SHERIFF AND, AND BEAUFORT, THE, UM, THOSE SROS, ARE THEY GONNA BE REQUIRED TO WEAR IT LIKE AFTER SCHOOL EVENTS, YOU KNOW, FOOTBALL GAMES AND, YOU KNOW, CUZ THERE'S ALWAYS STUFF OR YOU KNOW, I HEARD, I HEARD IT MENTIONED THAT THEY'RE, THE HOURS BASICALLY WOULD BE THE SAME AS THE TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, BEFORE SCHOOL LETS IN, IN A LITTLE WHILE AFTER.
SO, UM, RESOURCE OFFICER AND, AND THEY CAN DO THAT BECAUSE THEIR JURISDICTION IS ACTUALLY LIMITED TO THE SCHOOL RIGHT.
AS THE CLASS THREE AND, AND DURING, DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN THERE AREN'T ANY SCHOOL? ISN'T ANY SCHOOL THEY'RE JUST OFF.
AND THE, AND THESE ARE FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, LIKE OUR, OUR SROS NOW ARE OFFICERS.
THEY'RE FILLING IN THE REQUIREMENT OF THE ELEMENTARY.
THESE ARE GOING IN ONES WE DON'T HAVE.
SO WE HAVE LIKE, THESE WOULD HIT BOTH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD.
IT WOULD HIT LIKE BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY, MC, RILEY ELEMENTARY, PRITCHARD, THERE'S SO NOT, NOT NOT ANY MIDDLE SCHOOLS OR HIGHER UP.
THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE POSITION.
BUT THESE ARE FILLING IN MOST ARE ARE, THEY'RE THE FILL IN ONES THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE SROS IN NOW.
SO AS WE CONTINUE, UM, ALWAYS A GOAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CERTIFICATION FOR OUR STAFF, WE WANNA CONTINUE TO SEE 'EM GROW, MOVE INTO NEW POSITIONS WE'RE WORKING ON.
THIS YEAR WE DID A EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO IDENTIFY WHAT, WHAT PEOPLE WANNA GROW INTO AND HOW WE CAN HELP 'EM GET THERE.
SO AGAIN, WE ALL ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STAYS IN THERE.
UM, CONTINUES OUR GARBAGE CONTRACT FOR A WEEKLY PICKUP AND BIWEEKLY RECYCLING, UM, SUPPORTS OUR PROGRAMS WE'VE PUT IN PLACE FOR RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, AND WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE, THE PD CLASS THREE OFFICERS ALSO SUPPORTS OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAMS, OUR DON RYAN CENTER AND KIND OF TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THOSE AS WELL.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE, SOME OF THESE AS WELL FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS, UH, CONTINUES OUR VEHICLE LEASE THAT WE'RE USING FOR THE POLICE TO, UH, REPLACE THEIR VEHICLES AND HAVE 'EM ON A ROTATING CYCLE.
IT ALSO SUPPORTS OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES AND, UM, INCREASES, UH, IS, IS RECOMMENDED HAS A RECOMMENDED
[00:55:01]
INCREASE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO THE SAME FUNDING LEVEL THAT WE HAD IT AFTER THE AMENDMENT FOR THIS YEAR.SO SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, THESE ARE HOSPITALITY AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
AS I SAID, THESE ARE, THESE ARE NEW IN THE PRESENTATION FOR THIS YEAR BASED ON THEIR GROWTH.
SO THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX IS COLLECTED UM, BY THE TOWN FOR USE IN TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURES AND RELATED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
IT'S EQUAL TO 2% OF GROSS SALES ON PREPARED MEALS AND BEVERAGES.
SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, IT IS PROPOSED TO BE AROUND UM, 3.7, 3.8 MILLION.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE FOR THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF IT, THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT GOES TO, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND THEN THE REST WOULD BE TRANSFERRED OUT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THAT IS TO COVER RELATED EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT EVENTS FOR THE TOWN EVENTS THAT WE DO, UM, FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, PUBLIC SERVICES DOING UH, SET UP AND TEAR DOWN THEIR COSTS AND EXPENDITURES RELATED TO THAT FOR EVENTS.
OUR POLICE BEING OUT TO SUPPORT EVENTS LIKE, UM, ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL AND UM, MAYFEST AND DIFFERENT EVENTS LIKE THAT WHERE HE'S TALKING ABOUT PAYING THEM OVERTIME, THAT HELPS OFFSET SOME OF THEIR, SOME OF OUR COSTS THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT TOURISM RELATED EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
EVEN GOING BACK, UM, TWO SLIDES.
I HAD A QUESTION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM MM-HMM.
UM, THAT PROGRAM IS BEYOND PHENOMENAL.
I KNOW, UH, TOWN RECENTLY GOT AN AWARD FOR IT.
UM, AND I LOVE EVERYTHING THAT THE TOWN HAS DONE FOR THAT AND ALL THE STAFF THAT WORKED SO HARD, HEATHER, WITH HER DEPARTMENT TO UM, KEEP THAT GOING.
UM, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO GO IN THAT AND SEE UM, JUST HOW VAST THE NEEDS AND HOW, UM, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NOW REACHING OUT FOR THAT ASSISTANCE, IS THERE A LONG-TERM PLAN TO INCREASE IT BEYOND THAT? SEEING THAT WHAT WE ORIGINALLY, UM, BUDGETED FOR IN THE PROGRAM FIRST STARTED, UM, DOESN'T, I GUESS LIKE KEEP UP WITH THE DEMANDS OF, OF THE POPULARITY OF THE PROGRAM AND ARE THERE LIKE, UM, I SAY MULTIFACETED QUESTION.
UM, ARE THERE PLANS TO UH, TO SEE LIKE HOW WE CAN ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THROUGH ANOTHER SOURCE TO KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING? SO IT'S KIND OF A UNIQUE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR.
I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF FUNDS AND I WILL SAY THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO VICKY AND WHAT SHE'S DONE TO HELP GROW THAT PROGRAM AND GET THE WORD OUT AND, AND AND, AND SEE THE NEED THAT'S OUT THERE AND MEET IT.
UM, I WOULD SAY WHAT WE DID THIS PAST YEAR IS WHEN WE SAW THAT THOSE FUNDS WERE NEEDED, WE DID IT, BROUGHT IT TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL SAW THE, THE DEMAND, THE NEED AND WAS WILLING TO SUPPORT IT WITH THE BUDGET AMENDMENT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
UM, GOING FORWARD FOR THIS YEAR WE HAVE THE LEVEL AT WHERE WE AMENDED IT TO FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
AND I WOULD SAY IF WE MEET THAT, IT'S A GOOD POINT.
WE'LL HAVE STRATEGIC PLANNING IN UM, NOVEMBER AND TO SIT DOWN AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND SAY, HEY, IF WE ARE SEEING THE FUNDS CONTINUE TO GO THE WAY THEY'RE GOING, DO WE WANNA LOOK AT SOME MECHANISM TO HAVE FUNDING SET ASIDE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS KIND OF PROGRAM? WE CAN, WE'RE MORE THAN GLAD TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR GRANTS THAT MAY BE OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SUCH A PROGRAM.
UM, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY WITH THAT IS THERE'S USUALLY RESTRICTIONS AND SOME REQUIREMENTS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT THAT MAY NOT, MAY MAKE OUR PROGRAM A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT IF WE HAD THOSE.
UM, BUT I WOULD SAY WE'VE SEEN THE DEMAND AND REQUEST FROM COUNCIL TO FUND IT AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
WHAT'S REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET DOES THAT.
AND IF WE SEE THE NEED, WE'LL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO COME BACK AND FIND A WAY TO GET MORE FUNDING IN THERE DURING ONE OF OUR AMENDMENTS IF IT'S NEEDED AND COUNCILS DECIDES THAT'S A PRIORITY, THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE INCREASE.
DOES THAT ADDRESS MM-HMM
SO I'VE GOTTA ASK THIS BECAUSE I KNOW MY PHONE'S GONNA RING TONIGHT.
YOU JUST, WHEN YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE 2% HOSPITALITY TAX, GOING BACK TO SPECIAL EVENTS, SPECIAL EVENTS HAVE TO PAY FOR THE POLICE.
RIGHT? THAT'S NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAID
GOING FORWARD INTO THE NEXT BUDGET, THEY WILL NO LONGER DO THAT.
WE WILL NOW MOVE THE FUNDS OVER AND WE WILL DEPLETE, WE WILL COVER THAT COST OUT OF THOSE FUNDS TRANSFERRED IN.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BILLING THE NON-PROFITS FOR THAT SINCE WE'RE DOWN THERE AND IT KEEPS THE NON-PROFITS FROM HAVING TO ASK FOR THE ATAC TO PUT TOWARDS IT.
IT'S SIX OR HALF DOZEN WHETHER WE, WHETHER WE TAKE THE FUNDS AND SUPPORT THE POLICE TO COVER THAT COST OR WHETHER THE AGENCY GETS, UH, AT TAX FROM US THAT THEY THEN TURN BACK AND PAY TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S, IT, IT'S JUST MOVING IT AROUND.
IT'S FINE WITH ME TOO LARRY, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T BEFORE
[01:00:01]
FINE WITH ME TOO.IF WE ARE, IF WE ARE REIMBURSING OURSELVES FROM THE TAX MONEY, WE ARE H H TAX FROM H TAX.
SO THERE'S H TAX AND AAX THAT'S PART OF THAT.
AND CHRIS, UM, HE CAN, WHEN WE GET INTO THE BUDGET MEETING, YEAH IN A COUPLE WEEKS, HE CAN BRING OUT HIS SPREADSHEET THAT HE'S PUT TOGETHER THAT OUTLINES EXACTLY HOW WE JUSTIFY THE COSTS.
CUZ WE HADN'T REVISITED IN PROBABLY FIVE YEARS, THREE OR FOUR, FIVE YEARS.
SO GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT IT, THE NUMBER OF EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAVE FOR THE POLICE, FOR PUBLIC SERVICES, FOR OUR EVENTS NOW THAT WE'VE TAKEN 'EM ON, HAS GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO WHEN CHRIS WENT THROUGH AND LOOKED AT THAT AND SAID, WHAT IS BEING SUPPORTED BY OUR POLICE THAT'S, THAT SUPPORTS THESE KIND OF EVENTS, THAT'S WHERE THAT CALCULATION CAME FROM AND THAT'S WHERE THE TRANSFER, UM, IS CALCULATED FROM DETERMINED AND IS SUPPORTED BASED ON GOING THROUGH AND SAYING, UM, I'M CERTIFIED.
AND WE'LL GET MORE DETAIL ON WHEN YOU GET INTO THE BU WHEN YOU GET INTO THE BU HE, HE'S YOUR SPREADSHEET GUY, HE'S GOT IT ALL CALCULATED OUT TO THE, TO THE PERCENTAGE POINT.
SO, AND UH, BUT, AND WE'LL GET AN ACCOMMODATIONS TAX NEXT AND THEY BOTH ARE SUPPORTING UH, BOTH OF THOSE.
SO IS THAT ONLY WHEN THIS NEW BUDGET'S APPROVED, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE MAYFEST COMING UP.
IT'S NOT THAT WAY TODAY, RIGHT? NO.
IT WILL BE, IT WILL BE PART OF THAT AND THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, FIRST TIME I MET WITH MARY O'NEIL, SHE WAS ASKING ABOUT IT AND I SAID, LOOK, DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO GET THERE AND AND THAT WAS WAS GONNA BE VERY, WAS GONNA GET
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? CAN YOU MOVE ON? SO, UH, CONTINUING TO MOVE ON IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE.
YEAH, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS INTERRUPT ME.
UM, HOSPITALITY TAXES, YOU CAN SEE WHERE MOST OF IT GOES.
IT GOES TO SUPPORT OUR C I P WE'RE BUILDING PARKS WITH IT.
WE'RE BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE WITH IT.
THE REST OF IT IS NOW GOING, IS GOING TO THE GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
UH, THESE ARE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT THE HOSPITALITY TAXES GOING TOWARDS.
CAUSE THEY HANDLE OUR OLD TOWN.
THEY HANDLE PROJECTS, PARKS, THINGS THAT TOURISTS AND VISITORS GO TO THAT THEN, UM, IN, IN TURN PUT PEOPLE IN OUR TOWN.
UM, THAT'S THE PRINCIPAL FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, THE, UM, BRING PEOPLE IN TO SPEND MONEY TO THEN RE REPOPULATE THE HOSPITALITY TAX TO SUPPORT IT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERNEATH THAT.
SO THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX ACCOUNTS FOR 3% ON GROSS PROCEEDS FROM RENTAL OR CHARGES FOR SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS.
THIS INCLUDES AIRBNBS HOTELS, CONDOS, PLACES LIKE THAT.
UM, I WILL PUT A NOTE IN HERE THAT THE CURRENT BUDGET DOES PROPOSE REDUCING OUR CONTRIBUTION FROM LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FROM 8% TO 4%.
UM, AND THAT WOULD REDUCE ABOUT 63, 60 $4,000 THAT WOULD BASED ON OUR ESTIMATES.
UM, SINCE WE HAVE TO GET THE BUDGET BALANCED AND WE HAVE TO PREPARE EVERYTHING ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE WE PRESENT IT TO Y'ALL, WE HAD TO GO FORWARD WITH SOMETHING.
BUT IN RECENT DISCUSSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH REDUCING THAT DOWN TO ZERO.
UM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, 24 AND THE REMAIN THAT WOULD REDUCE IT AGAIN BY ABOUT 64,000.
UM, UNLESS COUNCIL HAS ANY CONCERN WITH MOVING FORWARD THAT WAY, WE WOULD THEN TAKE THAT 64,000 AND PUT IT TOWARDS C I P PROJECTS.
SPECIFICALLY WE WANT TO USE IT IN SQUIRE POPE AS WE START RENOVATING THE INTERIOR, IT WOULD GO INTO HELPING SUPPORT THE INTERIOR RENOVATIONS FOR OPERATING OUR WELCOME CENTER IN THERE.
WHEN WAS THAT DECIDED? FROM 8% TO 4%.
UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING CHRIS AND I DID.
AND TRYING TO GET THE BUDGET PREPARED, WE HAD TO PUT SOMETHING IN THERE AND, AND UNTIL WE HAD MORE CONVERSATIONS AND HEARD FROM COUNSEL, WE WERE UNSURE WHETHER WE WANTED TO GO.
WHEN YOU WANNA HEAR FROM COUNSEL, UM, NOW YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO PROVIDE NOW MY OPINION THAT WE GO TO 0% NOW.
I'M FOR THE, THE 4% REDUCTION
UM, SO HOW, HOW DO WE GUIDE HIM ON THIS? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, I, I WOULD SAY IF, UNLESS THE MAJORITY OF YOU WANT ME TO CHANGE, WE ARE GONNA COME BACK AT, WHEN WE PRESENT THIS AT OUR FIRST WORKSHOP WITH IT BEING AT 0% FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE WILL VOTE ON IT.
[01:05:01]
WE WOULD DO FIRST READING TONIGHT.FIRST READING WOULD REFLECT 4%, BUT SECOND READING, WE WOULD REFLECT WHATEVER COUNCIL'S DESIRE MAY BE.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM OUR CONVERSATION SINCE WE PUT THIS TOGETHER IS THAT IT WOULD NEED TO REFLECT ZERO.
AND SO WE WOULD COME BACK WITH THAT BEING REFLECTED WITHIN THE BUDGET OF ORDINANCE AND AT SECOND READING.
CUZ I'M SURE THERE MAY BE SOME CORRECTIONS THAT COME UP AS WE GET INTO WORKSHOP.
JUST LIKE LAST YEAR WE CHANGED SOME THINGS WITH PAY, SO WE HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING.
THAT'S WHAT THE WORKSHOPS ARE, ARE GOOD FOR.
SO WE WOULD HAVE THAT REFLECTED BEFORE WE HAVE SECOND READING IN JUNE.
UM, WELL I'LL, I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT.
I, I CAN UNDERSTAND THE, THE KIND OF RATIONING OFF OF IT, BUT I THINK WHEN WE WERE MEETING AND WE WERE DISCUSSING IT, WE WERE THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY THAT DOES THIS.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY WATCHING, UM, HILTON HEAD'S BUDGET WAS ON WS WSAV TONIGHT BEFORE I CAME IN AND JUST TALKING ABOUT ALL THE GOOD THINGS THEY'RE DOING WITH THEIR EXTRA MONEY.
AND I, AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF NEEDS AND THE, THE REMAINDER OF THE MONEY IS GOING UP, UP, UP, UP, UP.
AND I THINK WE CAN STILL ENCOURAGE OUR DMO TO COME TO ATEX CUZ WE ALSO HAVE A HUGE, HUGE CARRYOVER TALK ABOUT LAND CARRYOVER AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME FOR SPECIALTY PROJECTS.
SO, UM, THEY'RE ALWAYS MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO THAT.
AND WE WANT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEY'VE DONE IT ALL, BOTH CHAMBERS.
I, I HOPE A LOT MORE PEOPLE COME FORWARD, BUT, UM, I THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF WHERE WE WERE GOING.
SO I AM LEANING TOWARD JUST LET'S JUST BANDAID OFF AND REALLY WORK WITH OUR DMO ON THE EXTRA MONEY AND WHERE WE CAN PUT IT IN THE RIGHT PLACES.
AND, AND, AND I'LL JUST SAY WE, WE HEARD THAT THE DESIRE WAS TO GO TO ZERO, WHETHER THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY OR WHETHER THAT WAS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THAT'S FOR CHRIS AND I, LIKE I SAID, WE HAD TO BALANCE THIS AND GET IT READY ABOUT A MONTH AGO BEFORE WE CAME IN HERE.
WE WENT WITH THE DECLINING OVER TO ZERO.
UM, BUT IF, LIKE I SAID, WHAT I'VE HEARD SINCE IS ZERO FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, I'VE ONLY HEARD ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAD OBJECTION TO THAT.
SO IF ANYBODY, I MEAN, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE AGAIN, WE'LL, I'M ALL FOR, I'M FOR ZERO AND, AND LET'S REALLY TALK ABOUT IT AT THAT WORKSHOP.
NO, BUT WE WE'RE NOT, WE WE'RE VOTING WHAT HE'S BRINGING TO US TONIGHT.
I, I CAN TAKE, I CAN TAKE GUIDANCE WITHOUT A VOTE.
SO, WELL, I, AGAIN, I THINK THE ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO ALWAYS REMOVE IT.
THE OTHER PART OF IT IS THE FACT THAT WAS, YOU JUST STATED THE DOOR IS OPEN MM-HMM.
RICHARD, CHANGE YOUR MIND TOMORROW.
I WON'T, MY RESOLVE IS STILL THE SAME, BUT MAJORITY RULES THAT PROVIDES US EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR FIRST READING TONIGHT, YOU WANT THAT TO BE REFLECTED DOWN TO ZERO.
OR WE'LL TAKE FIRST READING AS IS.
WE'LL MAKE THE CHANGE BETWEEN FIRST READING AND SECOND READING, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE WHAT THAT CHANGE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE WHEN WE DO OUR WORKSHOP, OUR FIRST WORKSHOP.
AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHERE THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDS IS GONNA GO.
LIKE I SAID, CHRIS AND I, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, WE NEED FUNDS TO GO TOWARDS CHOIR POPE FOR THE INTERIOR RENOVATIONS.
TO ME, THAT IS AN IDEAL LOCATION TO PUT THESE FUNDS AS WE TAKE IT FROM DMO TO PUT IT INTO OUR WELCOME CENTER.
AND THAT'S NOT A MATERIAL CHANGE FROM FIRST TO SECOND.
I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY LESS THAN WHAT THE CHANGE WAS LAST YEAR WHEN WE UPPED OUR UPPED OUR MINIMUM PAY.
SO AGAIN, REASON WHY WE'RE BRINGING THIS, YOU SEE THESE REVENUES, THEY NOW HAVE TOPPED, UM, ALMOST 1.6 MILLION.
SO THEY'VE REACHED A POINT WHERE THEY'RE A MAJOR FUND, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
AND WE WANTED TO BRING THOSE TO YOU.
AS YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, THE VAST MAJORITY, ALMOST 85, 80 6% GETS TRANSFERRED OUT TO THE GENERAL, TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND TO BUILD PROJECTS.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE USING FUNDS FOR, UM, SQUIRE POPE AND OTHER PRO UM, SARAH, WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE IN A MINUTE.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE THAT TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WITH CALCULATING WHAT NEEDS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO SUPPORT THE EVENTS AND PROGRAMS THAT TAKE PLACE AND WHAT OUR, UM, WHAT OUR COST IS TO DO SO.
AND THAT JUST REFLECTS THAT IN A PIE CHART.
AND THEN THESE ARE WHERE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING SUPPO SUPPORTED BY THE LOCAL A TAX FUNDS, THE STREET SCAPES, UM, PATHWAY IMPROVEMENTS, SQUIRE POPE CARRIAGE HOUSE, THE SARA VALLEY HOOKS COTTAGE OR SHIP FACTORY PARK AND NEW RIVERSIDE VILLAGE PARK.
SO WE'RE GOING STORMWATER FUND AND WE SHOULD GO A LOT QUICKER HERE, I PROMISE.
AND AS WE GET INTO THIS IN DEBT.
SO AS YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL PURPOSE
[01:10:01]
OF THE STORMWATER FUND, SUSTAINED WATER QUALITY OF THE MAY RIVER AND SURROUNDING WATERSHEDS, UM, THIS IS OUR, UH, CURRENT ADMINISTRATIVE FEE IS $5.OUR, UM, IMPERVIOUS AREA UNIT IS $85 AND OUR GROSS AREA UNIT IS 25 FOR TOTAL FOR SINGLE FAMILY UNITS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE A LITTLE HIGHER THAN BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT WE'RE SHORT OF BEAUFORT AND THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
WE ARE PROPOSING THAT THIS STAY LEVEL FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, SO THAT GENERATES THE UTILITY FEE, GENERATES ABOUT 65% OF THE OVERALL, UH, REVENUE.
THE, UH, LICENSE AND PERMITS, THAT'S THE PERMITS, STORMWATER PERMITS, THE INSPECTIONS FEES, AND THAT GENERATES ABOUT 16%.
AND THEN AS WE'VE HAD CARRY FORWARD FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, THAT MAKES UP THE CARE THE TRANSFER IN FOR THE PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE.
SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, NUMBER WISE IS IT'S A LITTLE BIT INCREASE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR FOR UTILITY FEE GOES UP BY ABOUT $37,000 FROM THE GROWTH IN THE NEW PROPERTIES WE'VE HAD BUILT, UH, LICENSE AND PERMIT IN IS, WE'RE SEEING THAT INCREASE BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF INSPECTIONS WE'RE HAVING TO DO AS WELL AS THE STORMWATER PERMIT COST INCREASING FOR, UM, A LOT OF COMMERCIAL AND OTHER SINCE A SINGLE FAMILY IS, DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE A LARGE STORMWATER PERMIT, BUT COMMERCIAL DOES.
AND WE'RE SEEING THOSE ARE HIGHER COST.
SO OVERALL IT'S A SLIGHT INCREASE TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR BUDGET.
AND WHERE DOES THAT GO? ABOUT 50% OF IT.
ABOUT 47% OF IT GOES TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS AND OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
ABOUT THIRD OF IT GOES TO SUPPORT CAPITAL PROJECTS.
A LITTLE OVER 9% GOES TO SUPPORT DEBT SERVICE THAT WE HAVE FOR THE BOND THAT WAS ISSUED TO DO OUR, UH, PROJECTS.
AND THEN PART OF IT TRANSFERS OUT TO THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT HELPS TO OFFSET CALLS FOR PEOPLE WHO OVERSEE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR HR DEPARTMENT HAS TO DO HR FOR THEM AS WELL.
FINANCE OVERSEES, YOU KNOW, THEIR OPERATIONS.
SO THEY OFFSET A PORTION OF CALLS FOR, UH, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
THIS IS HOW THAT LOOKS LIKE WHEN PROJECTED INTO THE NUMBERS.
AND THEN AGAIN, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, UM, SUPPORTS OUR MAY RIVER WATERSHED ACTION PLAN, UM, SUPPORTS OUR DRAINAGE AND DITCH MAINTENANCE SUPPORTS U S C B WATER QUALITY AND OUR MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING, UM, SUPPORTS WATER QUALITY MODEL AND PROJECTIONS AND OUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS.
SO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, THIS IS WHERE WE GET EVERYTHING DONE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, HERE'S WHERE THE RE THE SOURCE OF FUNDS COME FROM.
IT COMES FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
YOU HAVE HOSPITALITY TAX, TIF, UM, OUR TIF TRANSFER IN OUR TIF BOND, OUR CIP P FUND BALANCE.
UM, GENERAL FUNDS TRANSFER IN OUR STORMWATER UTILITY BOND.
UM, AND AS YOU SEE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, WE WENT THROUGH SOME OF THE PROJECTS ARE SUPPORTING WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THEIR FUNDS.
SO A LOT OF OUR FUNDS COME IN TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
THIS KIND OF GIVES YOU A NUMERICAL BREAKDOWN ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, A HOSPITALITY TAX MAKES UP THE BIGGEST PORTION AS WELL AS OUR TIFF.
AND OUR TIFF IS SO BIG RIGHT NOW BECAUSE NEW RIVERSIDE BARN IS MOVING FORWARD AND WE DID THE BOND TO HELP MAKE MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT WITH THE, UM, SWOO GIO BOND AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF OUR PROJECTS TO GET THE, UM, SEWER CONNECTIONS IN OLD TOWN AND MOVING THOSE FORWARD.
SO THIS SHOWS YOU WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS WE'RE SUPPORTING.
OUR LARGEST IS PARKS FOLLOWED BY STORMWATER AND SEWER.
AND THEN AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAND ACQUISITION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ROAD PROJECTS, FACILITIES, HOUSING, AND THEN IT PROJECTS.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BREAKDOWN THAT WITH NUMBERS.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUR PARK PROJECTS AGAIN WITH NEW RIVERSIDE AND SOME OF THE OTHER ONES WE'RE DOING.
THAT'S OUR, SOME OF OUR LARGEST COST STORMWATER AND SEWER PROJECTS.
WE, UM, HAVE ON THE AGENDA NIGHT FOR PHASE FIVE FOR BUCK ISLAND AS WELL AS OLD TOWN SEWER PROJECTS.
SO A LOT OF THOSE COSTS ARE GOING UP AND WE'VE SEEN THAT REFLECTED IN THE PERCENTAGE GOING TO THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH C I P IN DETAIL AT OUR SECOND WORKSHOP.
KIM WILL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE WHEN WE GET THERE AND WHERE WE ARE.
AND AS YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FIVE TO SIX MONTHS, WE'VE AWARDED A LOT OF PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A LOT IN PROGRESS, AND AS YOU HEARD TONIGHT, WE HAVE A LOT MORE MOVING FORWARD.
SO THIS KIND OF JUST GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN ON WHAT'S IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR, UM, THE, THE, WHAT'S, WHAT'S MOVING FORWARD.
SO AS YOU SEE, THERE'S SEWER PROJECTS THERE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
WE HAVE ROADS WITH STREET SCAPES, PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS,
[01:15:01]
LIGHTING, GHOST ROAD ACQUISITION, UH, BOUNDARY STREET AND OTHERS.UH, ONE OF THE NEW ONES THAT IS IN THERE IS TO WORK ON REVAMPING, REVIEWING AND MAYBE EXPANDING OUR TOWN WAY, FINDING SIGNAGE SYSTEM AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE OUR FACILITIES, WHICH IS MOSTLY SQUIRE POPE AND SARAH RILEY HOOKS COLLEGE, UH, THE TOWN HALL IMPROVEMENTS IN THERE THAT'S HOPING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GENERATOR IN BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, BUT IF NOT, IT MAY HAVE TO CARRY FORWARD DEPENDING ON HOW WE CAN GET, WHEN WE CAN GET THAT IN IN OUR LAND ACQUISITION, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OUR PARKS, AND THEN OUR IT SYSTEMS. WE'RE A TOTAL ACTIVE OF BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION AROUND 28 MILLION.
AND THESE ARE OUR TWO NEW PROPOSED MENTIONED THE WAYFINDING SYSTEM AS PART OF OUR NEW RIVERSIDE VILLAGE AGREEMENT FOR LAND SWAP.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO, UM, PAY A PORTION OF SOME OF THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FOR THAT INTERSECTION AND AS WELL AS LOOK AT BUILDING A PARK IN THERE.
WE'RE HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD AND, UM, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE MAY WORK THROUGH ALL THOSE DETAILS.
BUT WE'LL COME BACK WITH SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
BUT WE NEEDED TO ADD THAT IN SINCE IT HAS TO BE DONE BY OUR AGREEMENT BY THE END OF 24.
SO THIS GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE OUR PROJECTS ARE THROUGHOUT TOWN, EITHER SCATTERED THROUGHOUT TOWN, AND THEN THE ONES IN THE OLD TOWN.
WE BROKE THAT IN TWO DIFFERENT MAPS SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR.
SO LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND.
THIS ACCOUNTS FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF RESOURCES THAT WE MAKE FOR INTEREST IN PRINCIPLE ON OUR LONG-TERM DEBT OBLIGATIONS.
AND THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF THIS IS OUR PROPERTY TAXES.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE ON OUR DEBT SERVICE.
WE HAVE A DEBT SERVICE LIMIT THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO MEET UNLESS WE GO TO A BOND.
UM, BASED ON OUR INCREASE TO OUR ASSESSED VALUE, THAT, UH, 8% INCREASE WENT FROM A LITTLE SH SHORT OF 24 MILLION TO A LITTLE OVER 26 MILLION THIS YEAR.
UM, WITH THE DEBT WE'VE PAID OFF, OUR DEBT, UM, MARGIN ACTUALLY INCREASED BY ABOUT 3 MILLION OR AS A PERCENTAGE OF DEBT LIMIT IT WENT DOWN.
WE ARE LEVERAGED ONLY AT 28.6% OF OUR ELIGIBLE DEBT THAT WE COULD TAKE ON IN OUR GENERAL, IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD STEWARDS OF NOT LEVERAGING OURSELF TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE GETTING ANYWHERE CLOSE TO OUR 8% WHILE WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT MAKES THAT UP? WE HAVE TWO GEO BONDS, ONE FOR STORMWATER AND ONE THAT I THINK WENT FOR FACILITIES.
SO, UM, THAT OUTLINES YEAH, FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE IN 23, WE HAD ABOUT 7 MILLION OUTSTANDING BETWEEN OUR TWO GO BONDS AND FISCAL YEAR 24 WILL PAY OFF ABOUT ANOTHER $300,000, OR EXCUSE ME, $400,000 OF THAT OUTSTANDING DEBT.
UM, THE OTHER ONES ARE TIF BONDS.
THE FIRST ONE WAS DONE FOR PROJECTS IN 2006.
UM, THE SECOND ONE WE JUST FINANCED FOR THIS, THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WILL GO TOWARDS THE NEW RIVERSIDE BARN.
YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES.
THE NEXT COMES FROM PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE BEING TRANSFERRED IN AND THEN LICENSE PERMIT AND SOME STORM WATER FUNDS.
GIVES YOU THE BREAKDOWN FINANCIALLY OF THAT FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 7.5 MILLION THAT GOES TOWARDS OUR DEBT SERVICE.
THIS GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE EXPENDITURES AND IT TELLS YOU WHERE OUR FUND BALANCE SITS AS OF FISCAL YEAR 23 ESTIMATE.
IN GENERAL FUND, IT IS ESTIMATED TO GROW BY A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UM, HOSPITALITY TAX, YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT STANDS.
LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS, AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE'VE CARRIED FORWARD QUITE A BIT USING THAT FOR PROJECTS.
SAME WITH STORM WATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND DEBT SERVICE.
UM, ONE OF THE ONES I WOULD POINT OUT IS WITH OUR C I P FUND AS WE'RE MOVING PROJECTS FORWARD.
YOU CAN SEE OUR 23 ESTIMATES AROUND 15, BUT OUR 20 FOURS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND THREE AND A HALF.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THOSE THOSE SPENT AND MOVE FORWARD.
THERE'S OUR CONSOLIDATED BUDGET TO KIND OF WRAP US UP ON GENERAL FUND SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, CIP P DEBT SERVICE, AND STORM ORDER.
TONIGHT'S FIRST READING, UM, MAY 25TH.
WE HAVE A FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP.
WE'LL GET INTO MORE DETAIL, ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL TAKE SOME OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT AND BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS LIKE I SAID IN MAY 30TH.
WE'LL GET INTO THE C I P DETAILS AND ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE DURING THE FIRST WORKSHOP AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK IN JUNE 13TH AND HOPEFULLY GET A BUDGET READY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD FOR JULY ONE.
[01:20:01]
SO IF THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNSEL WOULD BE ASKED FOR Y'ALL TO MOVE TO APPROVE FOR FIRST READING.UM, FIRST, FIRST, LET WE QUESTIONS OF COUNSEL, THEN I'LL YOU SAY ANY QUESTIONS OF COUNSEL ON THIS SIDE? GOOD, GOOD PRESENTATION.
I HAVE, UM, MADE SURE I WAS LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY AND I JUST, UM, SPOKE WITH CHRIS.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS BUDGET THAT IS CURRENTLY EARMARKED FOR ANY EXPENDITURES AT THE OYSTER FACTORY BUILDING AND CHRIS CONFIRMED TO ME THAT IT WAS NOT.
SO THERE'S NO NEED FOR MR. UM, TUMOR AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO CONSIDER ANY TYPE OF RECUSAL ON THIS FIRST READING THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
SAME ONE TERRY? HUH? OH, OKAY.
THERE, THERE, THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE FOR ANY OF THE BUILDINGS.
WELL, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTION, THIS IS FIRST READING.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS FY 2024 PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET ON FIRST REUNION
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT THANK FINANCE.
CHRIS, NATALIE, EVERYONE, SHANNON, EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED.
HOW MANY SHANNONS DO YOU, YEAH.
UM, ALL YOUR STAFF THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
THE FINANCE, THE, THE DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR US TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATEMENT SAYING AYE.
THE WORKSHOPS WILL BE HERE AND THEY'LL BE ON OUR, UM, MAY 25TH, MAY 30TH.
AND THEN OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS JUNE 13TH.
[X 2. Approval to Authorize a Construction Contract to Jordan Construction of Hilton Head, Inc. for Phase 5 of the Buck Island/Simmonsville Sewer Extension Project (Fiscal Impact - $2,412,559.70) - Kimberly Washok-Jones, Director of Projects and Watershed Resilience]
NEXT, ON ITEM NUMBER TWO, FORMAL ITEMS APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO JORDAN CONSTRUCTION OF HILTON HEAD, INC.FOR PHASE FIVE OF BUCK ISLAND SMITHVILLE SEWER EXTENSION.
THIS IS A FISCAL IMPACT OF $2,412,559 AND 70 CENTS TO THE PENNY.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
HAPPY TO BE HERE TO BRING THIS CONTRACT FORWARD TO YOU.
UH, THIS IS IN SUPPORT WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO FINALIZE THE LAST BIT OF BUCK ISLAND PHASE FIVE SEWER EXTENSION FOR APPROXIMATELY, UH, 3,800 LINEAR FEET OF SEWER MAINE AND ABANDONING 33 SEPTIC TANKS.
THIS IS A, HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING PROJECT WHERE THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR WAS REMOVED FOR FAILURE TO PERFORM BY BUFORD JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY.
WE BID IT, WE GOT NO RESPONSES.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT AND MADE US REBID THE PROJECT.
SO WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF DELAYS.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEFORE US RIGHT NOW A CONTRACT FROM JORDAN CONSTRUCTION OF HILTON HEAD, WHICH IS WITHIN BUDGET AND IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW AND APPROVAL ANTICIPATED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FOR THEFOR.
SAID MENTIONED AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
SO OUR REQUEST IS ONCE WE GET THE OFFICIAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE IS FOR Y'ALL TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO GO AHEAD AND EXECUTE THIS CONTRACT WITH JORDAN CONSTRUCTION ALONG WITH THE 20% CONTINGENCY.
I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED ON OTHER PRIOR PROJECTS WHY THE CONTINGENCY VARIES.
THIS IS ONE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING INTO A CURE PROJECT, LOOKING AT SOMEBODY ELSE'S PRIOR WORK THAT WE MIGHT BE GETTING INTO SOME UNFORESEEN THAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO FIX.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S A HIGHER LEVEL.
NEXT STEPS, AGAIN, AS I SAID, WAITING ON CHAMBER, UH, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND EXECUTE, GET THE TITLE, UM, GET THE, THE TITLE, GET THE, UM, SCHEDULE MOVING FORWARD AND DISCUSS PROCUREMENT AND BEGIN MOVING THIS FORWARD.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME WAITING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO FINALLY HAVE THIS FINAL PORTION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR KIM? KIM? I HAVE A, WE HAD QUESTION, BUT WHEN WE HAVE NO BIDS LIKE THAT, DID IT, DID IT, WOULD THAT GIVE ANY CONCERN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE? BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A ONE BID.
SO WHEN WE GOT ONLY ONE BID BACK THE FIRST TIME, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE DID NOT TAKE THAT AS A COMPETITIVE BID AND MADE US PUT IT BACK OUT AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS AND SAID IF YOU CAN, IF THERE ARE CONTRACTORS OUT THERE WHO HAVE NO INTENTION OF BIDDING, SO THAT MEANS WE'VE ADVERTISED IT, WE'VE ADVERTISED IT CORRECTLY, AND THERE ARE JUST CONTRACTORS OUT THERE WHO DO NOT WANNA TOUCH THIS WORK, PLEASE ASK THEM TO SUBMIT A NO BID RESPONSE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE GOT THE TWO OFFICIAL, HEY, WE KNOW IT'S THERE, WE DON'T WANT IT.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S CUSTOMARY.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION.
IF THE STATE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING, YOU ALWAYS SEND IN A NO BID.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IS, UH, THERE A MOTION FOLLOWING
[01:25:01]
A NOTIFICATION OF DEPARTMENT OF CONTRACT COMMERCE CONTRACT APPROVAL TO APPROVE THE AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH JORDAN CONSTRUCTION OF HILTON HEAD, INC.FOR PHASE FIVE OF THE BUCK ISLAND VILLE SEWER EXTENSION PROJECT FOR $2,412,000 FI $412,559 AND 70 CENTS AND A 20% CONTINGENCY.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATEMENT SAYING AYE.
NATALIE, IF I HAVE TO READ THIS WHOLE THING IN A MOTION, I'M GONNA WALK, I'M GONNA GIVE THE GAVEL LATER, I HOPE.
GIVE THE RECORD FOR THE NUMBER WORDS.
AND IT STILL DIDN'T GET RELEASED REDUCED.
[X 3. Consideration of Ordinance Amending Chapter 6 – Businesses and Business Regulations to add Division 1 – Local Business Licenses and Division 2 – Business Licenses for Insurers, Brokers, and Telecommunication Providers to Article II – Business Licenses and Regulations, Authorizing and Directing the Town of Bluffton to Enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement Relating to South Carolina Revenue Services; to Participate in one or more Local Revenue Service Programs, to Execute and Deliver One or More Participant Program Supplements, and other Matters Relating Thereto - Second & Final Reading - Natalie Majorkiewicz, Assistant Director of Finance]
THROUGH ITEM NUMBER THREE IF Y'ALL, OR CONFUSED AFTER I READ IT.IT IS A SECOND READING CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER SIX, WHICH IS BUSINESS AND BUSINESS REGULATIONS TO ADD DIVISION ONE, LOCAL BUSINESS LICENSE AND DIVISION TWO BUSINESS LICENSE FOR INSURERS, BROKERS AND TELECOMMUNICATION PROVIDERS TO ARTICLE TWO.
UM, TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OR MORE LOCAL REVENUE SERVICE PROGRAMS TO EXECUTE AND DELIVER ONE OR MORE PARTICIPANT PROGRAM SUPPLEMENTS AND OTHERS MATTERS RELATING THERE TOO.
SHE WENT OVER IT IN DETAIL LAST MONTH.
SO IF Y'ALL ARE CURIOUS, WE HAVE A YOUTUBE, Y'ALL CAN WATCH HER TALK OR NOT
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS SECOND AND FINAL READING.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL ON THIS? HEY, IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON? CODE OF ORDINANCES? CHAPTER SIX, ADDING DIVISION ONE AND DIVISION TWO IS LISTED ON THIS MOTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT RELATING TO SOUTH CAROLINA REVENUE SERVICES TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OR MORE LOCAL REVENUE SERVICE PROGRAMS TO EXECUTE AND DELIVER ONE OR MORE PARTICIPANT PROGRAM SUPPLEMENTS IN OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATEMENT SAYING AYE.
CHRIS, YOU SEE HOW SHE DID THAT, DIDN'T YOU? NO.
KEVIN, DID YOU SEE HOW SHE DID THAT?
AND YOUR ORANGE TIE DIDN'T WORK.
[X 4. Consideration of Approval of an Amendment to the Master Plan for Village at Verdier within the Village at Verdier Planned Unit Development to Remove a Previously Approved Residential Access Point on Approximately 124.2 Acres Located East of SC Highway 170 at Seagrass Station Road - Kevin Icard, Director of Growth Management]
WE ARE AT OUR LAST ITEM, WHICH IS A CONSIDERATION OF AN APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE MASTER PLAN FOR VILLAGE AT VERDIER WITHIN THE VILLAGE AT VERDIER PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO REMOVE A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED RESIDENTIAL ACCESS POINT ON APPROXIMATELY 124 ACRES LOCATED THE EAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA, HIGHWAY ONE 70 AT SEAGRASS STATION.OKAY, SO I'M JUST GONNA, SO THIS WAS, WE HAVE RESIDENTS HERE.
THIS WAS, UH, THIS WAS, YES, THIS WAS A, UH, TABLED ITEM FROM THE MARCH 14TH TOWN COUNCIL MEETING WHERE YOU, UH, REQUESTED, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND THEN ACTUALLY HAVE A, UH, ATTEND ONE OF THE, UM, THE PO'S MEETINGS TO, TO GET MORE INPUT FROM, UH, FROM THE, THE, THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE OUT THERE.
THAT MEETING WAS HELD ON APRIL 27TH.
UM, IT WAS, UH, PUT ON BY THE, THE POA STAFF WAS IN, UH, ATTENDANCE, DID A PRESENTATION.
UH, THERE WERE 19 INDIVIDUALS, UH, INCLUDING APPLICANT AND THE DEVELOPERS.
UH, AND EVERYONE THAT WAS THERE SPOKE IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE FULL ACCESS THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO, UH, AND THEN HAVING IT AS EMERGENCY ACCESS POINT.
YOU'VE ALREADY HAD ONE RESIDENT THAT, UH, GOT UP AND SPOKE AT PUBLIC COMIC.
UH, WE DO HAVE TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HERE THAT ARE RESIDENTS.
UH, THEY'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SPEAK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
IF NOT, UM, WE CAN GO FORWARD.
UM, WE CLEANED UP THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY SHOWN TO YOU.
UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS WAS THAT, UH, ROAD IN BETWEEN THE TWO ACCESS POINTS.
UH, WE PUT THAT ROAD BACK IN THERE.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE I'M HIGHLIGHTING ON THE SCREEN ALSO THE CONNECTION TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.
WE PUT THAT CONNECTION BACK IN THERE AND THEN JUST CLARIFIED, UH, THAT POINTS THERE.
HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
IF NOT, I'M HAPPY TO GO TO THE, UH, MOTION AT THE END.
UM, KEVIN, THE, THE PARCEL THAT'S LABELED X, WHICH WOULD BE THE MIDDLE ROAD YES SIR.
SO THAT ROAD, WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING THAT ROAD? WHOEVER DEVELOPS THIS, THAT X, SO THEY GO TO DEVELOP X, THEY'RE GONNA BE BUILDING THAT PORTION OF THE ROADWAY.
AS WELL AS THIS PORTION OF ROADWAY THAT CONNECTS TO ONE 70.
WELL THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.
THERE IS I THINK LONG TERM, BECAUSE THE PIECE THAT WE'RE HERE DISCUSSING TONIGHT IS AN OBSERVATION.
[01:30:01]
CITIZENS OR THE, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, SPOKE.I JUST NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE AN ACCESS FOR THEIR OWN SELVES SINCE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A GATE THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULDN'T WANT IT, WHERE THEY COULDN'T HAVE AN ACCESS OUT OF THERE.
I MEAN, THAT TO ME MAKES SENSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHATEVER THE ONLY ISSUE WITH AN, WITH AN AN OUT ONLY, UM, EXITING STANDPOINT, THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE STILL HAVING PRETTY MUCH ALL TRAFFIC WOULD THEN HAVE THAT ABILITY TO EXIT OUT AT THAT SITE.
SO ANYONE THAT'S IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX COULD STILL POTENTIALLY, NOW WOULD THEY DO THAT? MOST LIKELY NOT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE INTENT.
QUESTIONS ON THIS SIDE? ANYONE? UM, THE WAY I'M SEEING IT HERE, THIS IS THE ACTUAL WAY THAT IT'S BEING PROPOSED TO BE BUILT.
IT IS A, A ROADWAY AND, OR A DRIVEWAY.
LIKE YOU, IF YOU WERE GOING THROUGH A PARKING LOT, YOU HAVE TWO-WAY ACCESS.
SO ROUGHLY 24 FEET IN WIDTH, UH, EMERGENCY VEHICLE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THERE WITH NO PROBLEMS. SO IF IT'S GATED AND THE EMERGENCY VEHICLE NEEDS TO GET THROUGH THERE, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO? GET OUT AND OPEN THE GATE AND YES SIR.
IT'S ELECTRONIC AND THEY ALL HAVE THE, THE, THE, UM, OVERRIDE.
SO BASICALLY THE ONLY CHANGE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE ACTUAL IT BEING GATED AND NOT OPEN TO CORRECT EVERYONE.
BUT THE ROAD IS TO BE BUILT AS A ROAD.
NOW AGAIN, IT'S, IT IS, IT IS A, IF YOU WERE IN A DRIVEWAY GOING INTO, UH, TARGET OR PUBLIX OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT'S A, IT'S A TWO-WAY ACCESS ROAD.
IT IS A PAVED TWO-WAY ACCESS ROAD.
IT WILL BE PAVED ALL THE WAY TO THE BEGINNING OR END, WHICH, WHICH I GUESS WOULD BE THE END OF THE EXISTING ROAD.
AND SPEAKING WITH THE P O A, THEY ARE WILLING TO PROVIDE THAT, UH, CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT TO ALLOW THAT CONNECTION TO THE PAVEMENT THAT'S IN THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF IT.
AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH ALL THAT DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS.
AND ALL THAT WILL BE DONE BEFORE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF, OF THEIR SITE.
YOUR QUESTION WAS WHETHER WE'LL HAVE THAT IN PLACE BEFORE WE'LL HAVE IT BEFORE DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS FINALIZED AND PERMITTED.
WE'LL HAVE THE TALKING ABOUT THE E THE CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT.
CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT OR EMERGENCY.
IT'S GONNA BE BOTH IS IT? I GUESS? YES.
WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE PLANS SHOW THE, THE ACCESS EASEMENTS AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS.
SO THAT WOULD BE A WRITE IN AND A WRITE OUT OFF OF ONE 70.
SO AT A LATER DATE, UM, IF THESE PROPERTY OWNERS, AFTER THESE OTHER PARCELS ARE DEVELOPED AND YOU'VE GOT AN EXTRA A HUNDRED PEOPLE OR 200, WHATEVER THE NUMBER MAY BE TRYING TO GET OUT ON ONE 70 AND THEY SAY, WELL, WE NEED THAT EXTRA.
WE CAN'T GET TO SCHOOL IN TIME OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A BACKLOG.
I, I, I JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE IF THERE'S ONE THING I HEAR AT MY POSITION EVERY WEEK IS ROADS.
WE NEED MORE ROADS, WE NEED MORE ACCESS POINTS.
WE, YOU KNOW, I HEAR THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC TELLS ME AND THAT'S WHAT THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT THE WAY WE DO THINGS.
WE DON'T, WE GOT TOO MANY HOUSES AND NOT ENOUGH WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND WELL, THERE IS A CURRENT IN TURN TO GO TO SCHOOL.
SORRY, THERE IS A CURRENT ACCESS POINT HERE.
THE, THE ISSUE WAS THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT PUBLIC ACCESS POINT THAT ALLOWS SO MUCH THROUGH TRAFFIC TO COME IN AND OUT OF THERE.
BUT IN, BUT THE OTHER, CAN YOU PUT THAT BACK UP THERE? YES SIR.
SO, SO THIS, THAT'S THE GREEN LINE IN BETWEEN EIGHT AND X Y THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IS THAT, YEAH.
WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT A THANK YOU.
SEE WHAT I MEAN? RIGHT THERE WHERE THE GRAY ENDS, THE, THE, THE GREEN LINE TO THE LEFT COMMON AREA, IS THAT A LANE OR IS THAT A THE GREEN? YEAH.
NO, NO, THE GREEN, THE GREEN DOESN'T REPRESENT REALLY ANYTHING IN THIS, THE, THE, THE ROAD.
UM, I HAVE A COPY OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT PLAN IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
IF SOMETHING'S GONNA BE BUILT THERE.
LET, LET'S GO YOUR QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE.
BUT YEAH, I'LL HOLD OFF FOR A MINUTE.
SO I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP WITH HIM.
AND IT WAS A QUESTION I HAD DOWN THE ROAD.
[01:35:01]
ACCESS.IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S THE SAME WIDTH THAT THAT HAGGAR ROAD IS.
IT'S THE SAME INTERNAL ROAD THAT'S GOING OUT AND THE RESIDENTS, THEY DON'T GET THE RED LIGHT LOOK LIKE IT'S COMING ANYTIME SOON.
AND THEY WANT IT TO NO LONGER BE AN EMERGENCY ACCESS.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS OF THOSE RESIDENTS HAVING THAT GATE REMOVED OR, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A GATE AT THE BEGINNING OF SEAGRASS LONG, LONG, LONG AGO WHERE THE TOWN HOMES WERE.
THEY ALSO COULD COME TO US AND ASK US THE GATE, THAT COMMUNITY WILL THEY THEN HAVE ACCESS TO GO IN AND OUTSIDE THAT GATE? I, I DO NOT KNOW THE LEGAL ANSWER FOR THAT.
I, I BELIEVE WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU TO, TO GIVE PERMISSION.
I JUST DON'T WANNA PUT UNDUE BURDEN ON MY PRESENCE.
YOU KNOW, WE, I GUESS I'M, I MEAN I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC TO RESIDENTS THAT OTHER ROAD'S GONNA HAVE TO BE PUT IN THERE.
WE WOULD'VE NEVER ALLOWED THIS MANY HOMES BUILT THERE.
I MEAN, THE TRAFFIC STUDY BEFORE ONE PERSON MOVED IN SAID, Y'ALL GOTTA HAVE TWO WAYS IN OR OUT.
AND APPARENTLY THEY SAID THREE.
SO HAVING IT PAVED AND GIVEN RESIDENT THE ABILITY ONE DAY TO COME BACK, CUZ IT IS GONNA BE A PAY ROAD, BUT THIS OTHER ROAD IS GONNA HAVE TO BE BUILT BECAUSE THERE'S NO RED LIGHT IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
AND WE'VE ALREADY CUT OFF AN ACCESS TO THE COUNTY LAND, WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BUILT THAT HOUSE THERE EVER.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN IS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ONE AREA AND NO RED LIGHT.
AND, AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE, AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE APPLICANTS AND THEN MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT OWN THAT OTHER PROPERTY, THAT, THAT, THAT CONNECTION ROAD HERE, I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO COME BACK TO US AGAIN WHEN EVERYONE WOULD, SHOULD BE VERY PRO FOR THAT.
AND IT IS, IS AND IT'S GONNA CAUSE SOME OTHER HOMEOWNERS UPSET, BUT I, IT, IT'S GONNA BE A MESS AND MAYBE WE'VE CAUSED A MESS, BUT IT WAS ALREADY PLANNED TO BE A MESS BEFORE SEAGRASS BUILT THERE.
SO IT, IT'S JUST BEEN AN ORGANIZED MESS.
BUT, UM, JUST SO THEY HAVE THAT ABILITY.
SO IS THAT KIND OF WHERE YOU WERE GOING IF THEY WANTED TO CHANGE THE MIND? WELL, I THOUGHT BEFORE THIS WAS, THAT WAS PROPOSED BEFORE LAST TIME WHEN WE TABLED IT TO BE A WALKING PATH OR RIGHT.
LIKE SO THIS IS, THIS IS BASICALLY WHERE THE ROAD IS.
SAME PLACE THAT IT WILL WAS ON THE ORIGINAL PLAN, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO IT'S KEEPS UP, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOW IT'S JUST GATED AND GOING.
AND THEN YOU SAY GATED ENTRY, BUT THE GATED ENTRY IS GOING INTO Y AND Z.
WHERE'S Y THAT GATED ENTRY, ISN'T THAT CLOSE TO ONE 70, IS IT? NO MA'AM.
IT'S THE, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S, SO THERE'S THE INITIAL GATE LOCATED HERE.
UM, AND IF YOU WERE TO, IF I WERE TO SHOW YOU THE, THE, THEIR, UM, THEIR SITE PLAN, IT'LL MAKE MORE SENSE.
THEY HAVE AN AREA THAT'S UM, OFF TOWARDS THE FRONT FOR, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC, PUBLIC PARKING AREA.
AND THEN THEY HAVE A GATE THAT THIS GATE RIGHT HERE WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE BY THE PEOPLE THAT OWN IN THIS, THIS DEVELOPMENT.
THE, THE, THE CONDOS, THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THIS GATE, BUT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS GATE.
NOW EMERGENCY VEHICLES WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO BOTH GATES TO GET THROUGH THEM.
NO PROBLEMS. UM, SO, BUT THE PLAN IS, IS THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A PROPOSED BUILDING AT THIS LOCATION HERE, HERE AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE.
UM, SO IT KIND OF, IT IT RESTRICTS TO THOSE THAT ARE, ARE PART OF THIS, UH, THIS CONDO REGIME THAT THEY HAVE THE ACCESS INTO THIS DEVELOPMENT.
UM, BUT THEN NOT ACCESS FURTHER ON, I HOPE YOU'RE NOT GONNA LOOK AT GATES ALL THE WAY DOWN WITH THE NEXT DEVELOPER THAT COMES IN IF IT'S THE SAME ONE.
HOW ABOUT ALL THESE, THESE OTHER PARCELS, ALL THESE BEES.
THOSE ARE ALL, THOSE ARE ALREADY DEVELOPED.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS, UH, REPRESENTING THIS, THE AERIAL, YOU CAN SEE THAT ALL OF THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IS, IS ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED.
AND WHAT'S THAT NUMBER? ONE 19.
I KNOW I ASKED THIS LAST MEETING LIKE OVER ONE 90.
I THOUGHT IT WAS AT ONE EIGHTY HUNDRED NINETY.
RESIDENT PHONES, RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I APPRECIATE THAT.
MY, MY, I GOT, I HAVE A, THIS, THIS, UM, PROPOSED, UM, IS ALREADY AGREED BY THE PUA AND THE, AND THE DEVELOPER, RIGHT? WHICH IS THE EVIDENCE EVERYTHING IS AGREED TO, RIGHT? YES.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THE ROADS GOING BACK IN.
[01:40:01]
THE CONNECTIVITY.IS THERE A MOTION TO CONDITIONALLY APPROVE THE REQUEST TO AMEND THE MASTER PLAN FOR A VILLAGE AT, FOR DEER CONSISTING OF 1 24 0.2 ACRES LOCATED EAST OF HIGHWAY ONE 70 AT SEA GRASS STATION ROAD AND IS OWN VILLAGE AT FOR DEER PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITION, REPLACE A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED RESIDENTIAL ROAD CONNECTING PARCELS Y AND Z WITH THE GATED EMERGENCY ACCESS ROAD SHALL SECOND.
YOU NEED DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[XI. Consent Agenda Items]
OKAY, HERE'S A CONSENT AGENDA WITH REALLY GREAT INFORMATION ON IT.I WOULD URGE EVERYONE TO OPEN THAT UP ON OUR TOWN WEBSITE UNDER AGENDA CENTER.
UM, ANYTHING THAT HELPS LIKE PULL OFF OF IT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA? YOUR SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
SO IS THERE A MOTION TO ADREN? SO.