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[00:00:02]

SPECIAL CALLED FINANCE

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

ADMINISTRATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER.

IT IS WEDNESDAY, JULY 26TH.

IF EVERYONE COULD, UH, STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

MY PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

ALRIGHT, PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

UM, AND, UH, ASK

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

FOR SOMEONE TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA.

I'LL MAKE TOO MUCH.

I'LL SECOND.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA? UH, NO SEEING, NO DISCUSSION.

UM, WE WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THERE'S ANY OBJECTION TO THE AGENDA.

SEEING NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED.

UM, THIS IS A TIME WHEN, UH, EACH MEETING WE ALLOW CITIZENS COMMENT.

IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE AUDIENCE OR ONLINE THAT WOULD LIKE, UH, TO COMMENT AND NOT SEEING ANYTHING OR ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UM, A STEP FORWARD? WE WOULD THEN MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA

[Items 6 - 9]

ITEMS. AND, UH, I MEAN, SO WE, WE WANTED TO HAVE THIS MEETING AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE, UM, UH, MAKING THEIR CALENDAR WORK, ESPECIALLY, UM, ALL OF OUR COUNCIL, UH, PERSONS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.

UM, OBVIOUSLY WE, ON MONDAY HAD HAD OUR SPECIAL MEETING.

AND, AND THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT CAME OUT OF OUR, UM, OUR, OUR MEETING ON MONDAY.

AND THEN, UH, WE'D LIKE TO, UH, ADDRESS THOSE ITEMS AND, UH, START THE, THE BALL ROLLING FORWARD.

SO TODAY IS, IS GONNA BE A LOT OF INFORMATION.

WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET, UM, UM, SOME ANSWERS TO THE BEST WAY FOR US TO, TO DO THIS, FOR US TO HANDLE THOSE FOUR ITEMS THAT WE'VE GOT.

UM, SO IT'S GONNA BE KIND OF A QUESTION AND ANSWER.

WE'LL BRING UP WHOEVER WE CAN THAT'S GONNA HELP US WITH SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS AND EVERYONE THEN WOULD HAVE AN INPUT ON, ON HOW WE, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.

UM, MR. ROBINSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU, OBVIOUSLY, IF ALL PEOPLE HAVEN'T, UH, HAVEN'T A CHANCE TO MEET YOU BEFORE YOU'VE BEEN ON STAFF HERE, BUT, UM, I GUESS THE, THE CORRECT TITLE IS, IS IT INTERIM OR IS IT, UH, ACTING, ACTING, ACTING ADMINISTRATOR.

SO AGAIN, WE, WE WELCOME YOU AND, AND AGAIN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING, WE'D, WE'D APPRECIATE THAT.

WELL, THANKS SO MUCH.

UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR TRUST IN ME AND, AND CARING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.

IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.

UH, I WAS BORN RIGHT HERE IN BEAUFORT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS, HAS BEEN MY FRIEND AND I HOPE TO BE A FRIEND TO, TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.

SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TRUST.

THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON.

APPRECIATE THAT.

AND HE'S STILL SMILING.

YES, .

ALRIGHT, SO, SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE, UM, TODAY AND, AND TO, TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH, WITH JUST WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

AND IT'S NOT THAT, THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, DOING A WITCH HUNT.

WE'RE NOT OUT THERE TO, TO GO AFTER PEOPLE.

WE'RE NOT OUT.

BUT AGAIN, JUST TO FIND FACTS, TO FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THINGS.

UM, IF THERE'S THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADJUSTED, THINGS THAT WE NEED TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.

UM, AND IF ANYTHING THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THIS AND, AND, UM, EVERYTHING HAS A SILVER LINING AND THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO GO BACK THROUGH IT AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE WITH EACH OF OUR, UM, UH, REGULATIONS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, WE ARE DOING THE, THE CORRECT THING.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE IS, IS TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT.

UM, AND IT'S GIVEN US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WITH THE, THE PERFECT TIMING.

SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH, UM, UM, FINDING SOMEONE TO HANDLE THESE, THESE FOUR ITEMS, UM, FROM COUNTY, UM, COUNCIL'S DIRECTION.

UM, AND FIRST PERSON I'D LIKE TO BRING UP ACTUALLY IS MR. THOMAS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP.

UM, DAVE IS OUR PROCUREMENT OFFICER.

WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE, DAVE? AS AS THE, UH, PROCUREMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR.

OKAY.

DIRECTOR.

ALRIGHT, GOOD.

UM, AND, AND DAVE, YOU'VE BEEN WITH US A LONG TIME AND COMPLETELY HAVE TRUST IN YOU.

SO, UH, AFTER LOOKING AT THESE FOUR ITEMS, KIND OF GUIDE US THROUGH WHAT THE BEST ROUTE IS, WHETHER WE SHOULD HANDLE 'EM SEPARATELY, WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE HANDLED TOGETHER.

UM, WE OBVIOUSLY, OUR, OUR BIGGEST THING IS WE WANNA DO THIS, UH, IN A VERY, VERY, UM, EXPEDITIOUS WAY SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THIS FOREVER.

BOTH, UM, IN FINDING SOMEONE TO HELP US WITH THESE ITEMS, BUT ALSO, UM, IN, IN GETTING TO ANSWERS THAT WE NEED.

SO, UM, AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

AND GO AHEAD, JUST KIND OF GIVE US AN OVERALL OF WHAT YOU'RE THINKING AFTER SEEING WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.

UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

UM, WITH THAT SAID, UH, WE BASICALLY GO BY OUR BIBLE, WHICH IS THE, UM, BEAVER COUNTY PROCUREMENT CODE.

AND IT DOES AUTHORIZE ME AS YOUR PERSONAL DIRECTOR TO, UH, SOLICIT SERVICES, WHICH THE COUNTY, UM, COMMITTEE IS ASKING FOR.

AND WE CAN DO THIS BY SECTION FIVE 15, WHICH

[00:05:01]

IS AUTHORITY TO CON CONTRACT FOR CERTAIN SERVICES.

AND IN THIS, YOU'RE ASKING FOR LEGAL SERVICES TO LOOK AT THE SCOPE THAT YOU CAME UP WITH A COUPLE DAYS AGO.

WE CAN DO THIS.

UM, WE WANTED TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT.

WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS WITH EXEMPTIONS AND NOT ADVERTISE IT AT ALL.

BUT WE ALSO LOOKED AT ANOTHER SECTION THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO AUDITING SERVICES, IT SHOULD BE ADVERTISED.

SO WE ARE GONNA ADVERTISE IT IN A VENDOR REGISTRY, WHICH IS OUR TOOL THAT WE USE FOR ADVERTISING SOLICITATIONS.

WE WILL ADVERTISE IT IN THE LOCAL PAPER, WE'LL ADVERTISE IN THE STATE PAPER.

AND I'VE WORKED WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL.

WE'RE GONNA ADVERTISE IT IN THE LEGAL, UH, ELECTRONIC REVIEW AS ASKING FOR SERVICES IN LINE WITH THE SCOPE.

AND I'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL TO PUT TOGETHER AN R F Q.

WE'LL ADVERTISE IT FOR 15 DAYS, WHICH IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR, OUR CODE.

ONCE WE RECEIVE THOSE, UM, RESPONSES, YOU'LL FORM A COMMITTEE.

YOUR, YOUR CHAIR CAN FORM A COMMITTEE FOR AN EVALUATION, DO INTERVIEWS AND SELECT A COMPANY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR SCOPE.

SO IF, IF WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT RESPONDS TO THAT, DO WE HAVE TO WAIT THE 15 DAYS OR CAN WE START TO INTERVIEW OF PEOPLE THAT ASSUME AS, AS WE NO, WE CAN PUT A DATE ON IT.

WE'RE, WE'LL ADVERTISE IT FOR 15 DAYS.

OKAY.

ONCE WE RECEIVE IT, THEY HAVE TO DO, THEY HAVE TO PUT IN THEIR RESPONSE IN 15 DAYS.

ONCE WE REVIEW THE COMPANIES, WE'LL DO A SELECTION COMMITTEE BASED ON THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, NOT ON PRICE, BUT QUALIFICATIONS.

YOU'LL, YOU'LL SELECT A COMPANY THAT'S MOST QUALIFIED.

OKAY.

AND THE WAY OUR CODE IS WRITTEN, OR THE WAY WE CAN WRITE THE, WE CAN SELECT ONE, TWO, OR THREE COMPANIES TO DO DIFFERENT PARTS, BUT IT'S BEST TO HAVE ONE COMPANY DO IT ALL.

OKAY.

SO I, I, AGAIN, MR. TABERNAC, IF YOU WANT TO, BUT I, I THINK THE QUESTION IS, IS IS WHETHER, IF WE KNOW THERE'S FIRMS OUT THERE ALREADY THAT THAT, CAN WE, AS A COUNSEL, CONTACT FIRMS AND ASK THEM TO, YOU CAN CONTACT THEM, BUT I WOULD PREFER TO GO DO THE METHOD OF ADVERTISING FOR, FOR AN R F Q 'CAUSE YOU ARE ASKING FOR AUDITING SERVICES.

NOW, IF IT WAS JUST LEGAL SERVICES, UM, IT DOES SAY THAT THERE LEGAL SERVICES ARE EXEMPT.

IT KIND OF FOLLOWS INTO TWO CATEGORIES.

OKAY.

LEGAL SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

NOW, IF IT'S JUST A LEGAL COMPANY DOING THE ACTUAL AUDITING, YOU'RE FINE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUBLICLY ADVERTISE IT.

BUT AS WE DISCUSSED, MR. KEVIN YES, GO AHEAD.

ONE TIME.

SO AS I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNSEL HAS ASKED US TO DO, UM, GOING THROUGH THOSE FOUR MOTIONS, IT WANTS, UM, THESE VARIOUS THINGS INVESTIGATING, LEMME GET MY NOTES.

SO ONCE THESE FOUR AREAS INVESTIGATED PURCHASES, UM, BY THE COUNTY FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2023 TO THE PRESENT CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, JANUARY 1ST, 2023 OF THE PRESENT REVIEW OF THE PROCUREMENT CODE AND AN AUDIT OF THE PCARD SYSTEM.

RIGHT? THERE ARE, MY, MY ADVICE WOULD BE, AND I DON'T LIKE TO GIVE ADVICE ON TV, BUT MY ADVICE WOULD BE THAT YOU HIRE A LAW FIRM TO CONDUCT THESE INVESTIGATIONS AND OVERSEE THESE REVIEWS FROM A TO Z THE ENTIRE SCOPE.

AND THERE ARE LAW FIRMS IN THE STATE, THERE ARE LARGE LAW FIRMS IN THE STATE THAT DO THIS KIND OF STUFF.

I MENTIONED ONE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THE OTHER DAY, I'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS.

THESE ARE REALLY, REALLY BIG LAW FIRMS. AND THESE ARE FIRMS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE IN, IN CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS OF AT, AT THE REQUEST OF GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES INTO PROCEDURES THAT HAVE GONE ON IN THOSE ENTITIES.

AND THESE LAW FIRMS ARE CAPABLE OF RETAINING OTHER VENDORS TO ASSIST THEM AS THEY DEEM NECESSARY IN CONDUCTING THEIR INVESTIGATIONS.

SO FOR INSTANCE, IF WE WERE TO HIRE A, A VERY LARGE LAW FIRM, THEY WOULD PROBABLY THROW THREE, MAYBE FOUR LAWYERS, ONE PARTNER, PROBABLY SEVERAL ASSOCIATES AT THESE TASKS.

THEY WOULD PROBABLY IN INVESTIGATE THESE TASKS CONTEMPORANEOUSLY ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

UM, THEY MAY DECIDE THAT THEY NEED TO HIRE A FORENSIC ACCOUNTANT.

THEY MAY DECIDE THEY NEED TO HIRE A DETECTIVE.

THEY MAY DECIDE THEY NEED TO HIRE VENDORS WHO HAVE WHATEVER SKILLS THEY BELIEVE ARE NECESSARY TO PERFORM THE SCOPE OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE TASKED THEM WITH DOING.

THEY WON'T RETAIN THESE VENDORS WITHOUT TALKING TO US.

'CAUSE THESE THINGS DON'T COME CHEAP.

BUT ANYBODY WHO'S EVER WORKED WITH A LAW FIRM AND A LAWYER ON A CASE, WHICH IS WHAT THIS IS, KNOWS THAT IN THE COURSE OF PERFORMING

[00:10:01]

THE LEGAL SERVICES, THEY HAVE TO HIRE OUTSIDE VENDORS TO ADVISE THEM AND TO ASSIST THEM IN THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.

THE FIRMS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UM, ARE STERLING TOP OF THE LINE, UM, FIRMS. UM, I THINK THAT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WE DECIDED WHAT WE WOULD DO IS ADVERTISE, UM, FOR THE, FOR SOLICIT LAW FIRMS TO, TO, UM, TO SEND IN A, TO TO REPLY TO WHAT'S CALLED A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO.

SO BACK TO THE CODE, THE CODE PROVIDES THAT COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO HIRE LAW FIRMS. AND THOSE, UM, RETENTIONS ARE, EXCEPT ARE EXEMPT FROM, UH, THE REGULAR PROCESS OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF, UM, AND SO THAT IS THE PROCESS THAT WE ORDINARILY FOLLOW.

BUT THE IDEA, I THINK IS THAT WHAT WE COULD DO IS PUT TOGETHER A, UM, A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.

WE COULD, I SAY, LOOK, WE NEED A FIRM THAT CAN PERFORM THE FOLLOWING AND WE WOULD FURTHER DETAIL THE MOTIONS THAT YOU GUYS PROVIDED.

WE WOULD TRY TO DEFINE THE SCOPE AND WE WOULD EX ASK FIRMS TO, UM, TO SUBMIT, UH, UM, UH, THEIR RESUMES AND LIST OF THEIR PROFESSIONALS THAT THEY WOULD ASSIGN TO.

WE WOULD ADVERTISE IN THE, THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR.

WE WOULD ADVERTISE THROUGH AN ENTITY CALLED THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYER.

WE WOULD ADVERTISE IN ANY WAY THAT WE COULD THINK OF LOCAL PAPER, STATE PAPER.

WE COULD ADVERTISE IN THE GREENVILLE PAPER.

THAT'S CHARLESTON, COLUMBIA, GREENVILLE, THOSE ARE THE BIG FIRMS AND THE COUNTY WEBSITE AND, AND OTHER PLACES.

AND WE COULD LEAVE THAT OPEN FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT.

THE LONGER IT'S OPEN, THE LONGER THE DELAY.

BUT, UM, WE COULD LEAVE THAT OPEN FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT.

BRING FORWARD, UM, SIFT THROUGH.

I MEAN, I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, RESPONSES FROM FIRMS THAT ARE MORE QUALIFIED THAN OTHERS.

WE WOULD PROBABLY SIFT THROUGH THAT, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU GUYS, ALLOW YOU GUYS TO DECIDE WHO YOU WANTED TO INTERVIEW, BRING THOSE PEOPLE IN FOR AN INTERVIEW, NEGOTIATE THE TERMS, UM, OF, UH, OF RETENTION, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.

THAT WOULD BE MY ADVICE.

YES, SIR.

DOES THAT PRECLUDE US FROM BEGINNING THE PROCESS NOW? OR IS THE PROCESS BEGIN ONCE YOU ADVERTISE THE NUMBER OF DAYS AND THEN YOU GET THE NUMBER OF FIRMS AND THEN WE START THE PROCESS? YOU CAN DO IT.

YOU CAN ASK THE, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR ANYTHING YOU WANT.

UM, THAT IS IN COUNTY'S RECORDS AND FILES.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT PRECLUDES YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN ADVANCE OF RETAINING A LAW FIRM.

UM, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT, UM, OR OUTSIDE VENDORS TO DO THIS.

I, THE BEAUTY OF HAVING A LAW FIRM, IN MY OPINION, DO IT, IS IT'S ALL COORDINATED AND IT'S ALL RESPONSIBLE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THINGS RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

JUST MAKES SENSE IN MY MIND.

AND IN FACT, IF YOU TO DO IT THAT WAY.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT, THERE'S A CASE WE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S BRADSHAW VERSUS ANDERSON COUNTY.

IT'S A 2010 CASE FROM THE SOUTH KLE SUPREME COURT.

I BELIEVE WHAT THEY DID IS THEY HIRED A LAWYER AND A LAW FIRM TO OVERSEE THE INVESTIGATION AND THEN CHARGED HIM WITH, UM, MONITORING AND SHEPHERDING THE INVESTIGATION AT ALL MR. LAWS.

MY POINT WAS, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LAW FIRMS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE HUGE THAT DO THIS BY THE ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE TODAY.

MM-HMM.

, DOES THAT PRECLUDE US FROM EITHER CONTACTING THEM OR HAVING THEM CONTACT US AND BEGIN THE PROCESS WHILE WE MAY BE ADVERTISING FOR ADDITIONAL FIRMS. SO ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT WE MIGHT RETAIN ONE OF THE LAW FIRMS THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE BEEN CONSIDERING TO GET STARTED ON THIS AND THEN ADVERTISE? OR ARE YOU NOT RETAIN THEM, BUT AT LEAST START THE INTERVIEW PROCESS? YEAH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THOSE GOING.

THERE'S NO REASON TO DELAY.

YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED YOUR INTERVIEWS WHILE YOU WAIT FOR OTHERS TO, TO, TO WHOEVER RESPOND.

MR. KELLAN, GO AHEAD.

YOU'RE ON MUTE.

YOU'RE MUTE.

YOU'RE STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU SOMEHOW OR OTHER HE WE CAN SEE HIM.

WE CAN'T HEAR HIM TRY AGAIN.

NO.

STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU, LARRY.

YOU KNOW, SIGN LANGUAGE, LARRY.

OH GEEZ.

THIS ANY BETTER? THERE YOU GO.

YES.

, I CAN HEAR YOU ALL.

I JUST CAN'T USE THE HEADPHONES.

THIS A QUESTION FOR MR. C WI, HE'S AT THE PODIUM.

UM, IF WE WERE TO HIRE A LAW FIRM TO LOOK AT THE, UH, CONTRACTS AND THE PURCHASES AND TO DRILL DOWN ON THE, UM, KEYCARD, LET'S SAY ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR ALL OF THE HOLDERS, AND THERE ARE QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED.

I KNOW WE HAVE NO SUBPOENA POWER, UH,

[00:15:01]

IN THIS MATTER.

UM, BUT WILL THE, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN, UH, UH, DRAFTING THE CONTRACTS PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTRACTS OR THE PURCHASES OR THE, OR THE SPENDING ON THE PCARDS, UH, HAVE TO BE SPOKEN TO AS POTENTIAL WITNESSES IN THIS MATTER? UH, WILL WE THEN PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE SOME TRAINED INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE USED TO TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT WILL CLARIFY OR CONFIRM WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN FRONT OF US, BUT ALSO MAY LEAD US IN ANOTHER DIRECTION TO AREAS THAT WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH? SO MY QUESTION IS, UH, THE LAW FIRM WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY NOT ONLY TO HA HA HIRE LAWYERS AND ACCOUNTANTS, UH, BUT THEY COULD ALSO HIRE TRAINED INVESTIGATORS TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THESE MATTERS.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

AND THEY WILL FOLLOW THE INVESTIGATION WHEREVER IT LEADS.

RIGHT.

AND, AND WE'LL HAVE TO DEPEND OF COURSE ON THE, UH, VOLUNTARY COOPERATION OF THE WITNESSES BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SUBPOENA POWER.

THAT IS CORRECT.

BUT THEIR REPORT WILL REFLECT THAT TOM KENNEDY REFUSED TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH THEM.

UM, WITH REGARD TO THAT POSITION THAT YOU'VE JUST TAKEN, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY OBLIGATIONS AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE COUNTY TO COOPERATE IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING? I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU DO.

UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

UM, IT'S SOMETHING YOU AND I DISCUSSED ONCE BEFORE, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK INTO IT.

I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN COMPEL EMPLOYEES TO SUBMIT TO INTERVIEWS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

UM, BUT I CAN FIND THE ANSWER FOR YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MS. MCKELLEN.

AND I THINK THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR GOAL IS, IS TO NOT MAKE THIS A, UM, A HUGE OVERALL REACH THAT WE'RE GONNA GO WHERE WE THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND START OUT IN A, IN A VERY, UH, METHODICAL, UM, UH, SMALLER, UH, TYPE SEARCH.

AND THEN IF SOMETHING LEADS US FURTHER, WE, WE WILL THEN HAVE TO GO FURTHER.

AGAIN.

MS. HOWARD, UM, I APPRECIATE THE WHAT, UM, CHAIRMAN JOE PASSMAN SAID THE URGENCY TO GET STARTED, BUT I WONDER IF WE START INTERVIEWING LAW FIRMS BEFORE THE ADVERTISING PERIOD IS EXPIRED, IF WE ARE DOING PRE-SELECTION OF THE FIRM THAT WE PICK.

UM, SO I WOULD URGE US NOT TO DO ANY INTERVIEWS OF THE FIRMS UNTIL THE 15 DAYS IS UP AND THEN BE READY TO GO.

TOTALLY.

YOUR DECISION.

THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN IF WE START INTERVIEWING LAW FIRMS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE PERCEIVED AS PRESELECTION.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT GETS THOSE INTERVIEWS OVER WITH.

YEAH, WELL IT DEPENDS ON, YOU KNOW, IF WE ONLY HAVE FOUR SUBMIT AFTER 15 DAYS.

SO ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW.

AND I, I THINK ALSO, ALICE, THAT THERE'S, AS I UNDERSTOOD WHAT EXPLAINED IS WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, WHERE, UM, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER TYPES OF SERVICES.

SO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CAN BE, I UNDERSTAND THAT UNDER, I THINK JUST, WE, JUST TO BE ABOVE BOARD THAT WE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THE 15 DAYS TOTALLY UP TO YOU GUYS.

I DON'T HAVE A POSITION, MR. CHAIRMAN.

GOOD.

UM, WHAT ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE DURING THE PENDENCY OF TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING IS, IS ALTERED, MODIFIED, CHANGED, DELETED ANYTHING OF THE SORT? I'M NOT SAYING ANYBODY'S GONNA DO THAT, OF COURSE, BUT WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE DO TO PRESERVE THAT EVIDENCE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CAN INSTRUCT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND HE WILL INFORM THE PROCUREMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THE IT DEPARTMENT TO FREEZE EVERYTHING, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE HARD TO DO.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT PARTICULARLY IF PEOPLE HAVE, UH, FREE ACCESS TO, UH, THE HISTORY OF THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THESE, UH, INCIDENTS AND THEY CAN BE, UM, ALTERED OR ELIMINATED OR DELETED, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO, TO PURSUE THAT.

DAVID? UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.

MR. LAWSON.

YES.

UM, I WAS GONNA ASK MR. THOMAS, BUT MR. KEVIN JUST WENT IN MORE DETAIL.

I WANTED THE PUBLIC TO TOTALLY HEAR WHY WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT TO BID FOR THE LAW FIRMS 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT CIRCUMVENTING OUR PROCUREMENT CODE.

AND TOM, YOU WENT INTO IT IN GOOD DETAIL.

SO IN, IN EFFORT FOR TRANSPARENCY, WE HOPE THE PUBLIC HEARD THAT PART.

SO SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, YOU DIDN'T TAKE BIDS, YOU DIDN'T GO THROUGH.

SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

UM, COMPLETELY.

WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT.

SO WE DON'T, ORDINARILY WHEN WE HAVE MATTERS COME IN, WE DON'T ADVERTISE FOR THEM.

WE KNOW GO THROUGH THE CODE, THE BAR, NO CODE AND TRY TO THINK OF GOOD LAWYERS WHO, IF THEY'RE NOT COVERED BY OUR APPROVED CARRIER, UM, AND THOSE, AND THAT CARRIER SELECTS OUR DEFENSE COUNSEL, WE TRY TO MATCH, UM, LAW FIRMS UP WITH MATTERS THAT COME IN.

UM, AND SO OUR CODE DOESN'T REQUIRE US TO ADVERTISE AT ALL, BUT IT'S GOOD IDEA TO

[00:20:01]

DO IT.

UM, CERTAINLY IT'S TRANSPARENT AND IF ANY OF THE LAW FIRMS OUT THERE, UH, ARE WATCHING THIS NOW OR WE'LL WATCH THIS EVER, UM, YOU KNOW, SEND US AND YOU THINK YOU'RE QUALIFIED, SEND US YOUR, UM, YOUR RESUME.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, HEY TOM, BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN, SORRY, , I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, PRESERVE HERE.

AND I THINK IT'S THE ACCESS TO MUNIS IN PARTICULARLY WHERE ALL OF OUR RECORDS ARE BEING KEPT.

AND IF, UM, IF THE ACCESS IS OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE, UH, I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS, UH, PRESERVING THE RECORDS THAT WE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.

AND I'M NOT SURE HOW WE CAN DO THAT.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? I'M NOT, UH, FAMILIAR WITH ENOUGH WITH THE SYSTEM TO EXPLAIN HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, AS SOMEONE STATED, FREEZE THAT INFORMATION.

MR. WILLIAMS CAN COME UP AND I ASSUME THAT IT HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF ALL SOFTWARE ENTRY DATA AS OF TODAY OR EVEN AS OF YOU.

YOU BACK UP.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU BACK UP TWICE A DAY.

WHAT IS IT? TWICE A DAY.

TWICE A DAY.

SO YOU CAN PICK A DATE BY WHICH YOU WANT THAT BACKUP.

IF TODAY ISN'T THE DAY, IF YOU WANT TO BACK IT UP TO MONDAY, IF YOU WANT TO BACK IT UP TO LAST FRIDAY, YOU CAN PROBABLY GET IT TO DO THAT.

BUT SO THAT'S ALREADY IN THE RECORD, THOSE BACKUPS.

IT HAPPENS.

YEAH, WE, YEAH, BUT WHEN DOES IT, WHEN DOES IT CYCLE THROUGH AND GO AWAY? UH, I THINK WE SEND UNI, BUT THERE ARE LIMITS THREE MONTHS OR SO.

'CAUSE WE'VE HAD TO TRY TO OKAY, GOOD.

DIG UP THINGS IN THE PAST, BUT YOU JUST PICK A DATE THAT YOU WANT.

SO WE COULD FREEZE IT AS OF LAST FRIDAY.

WE COULD FREEZE IT AS OF ANYTIME IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS GO.

SO ANY MUNIS IS OUR E R P.

IT'S OUR, IT IS OUR FINANCIAL REPORTING SYSTEM.

AND ANYTHING THAT IS DONE WITHIN IN UNI HAS AN AUDIT TRAIL, AN ELECTRONIC AUDIT TRAIL THAT HAS WHO DID IT WHEN THEY DID IT, WHAT THEY DID.

IT'S, IT IS ALL DOCUMENTED IN THERE.

IF SOMETHING'S DELETED, IT'LL BE DOCUMENTED IN THERE.

UH, THERE ARE PERMISSIONS WITHIN MUNIS.

UH, AND THAT HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION ABOUT LIMITING, UH, PEOPLE'S PERMISSIONS THAT PEOPLE, SOME PEOPLE HAVE PERMISSIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE OVER WHAT THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE AND THEY, THEY SHOULD BE PULLED BACK.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GET WITH IT AND A LITTLE BIT OF DIRECTION FROM Y'ALL AND CIRCLE THAT UP AND THAT WAY SOME PEOPLE PE IT NEEDS TO BE LIMITED ACCESS ANYWAY.

SO ANYWAY.

SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHO DECIDES WHAT THE LIMITED ACCESS IS? 'CAUSE I HEARD YOU SAY DIRECTION FROM US, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO DECIDE WHAT THE ACCESS IS.

WHAT I MEAN DOES, DOES SOMEBODY IN SOLID WASTE NEED ACCESS TO THE HR PORTION OF THE PACKAGE? AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY DO, I'M JUST GIVING YOU MM-HMM.

FOR INSTANCE.

THEY PROBABLY DON'T.

SO MR. ROBINSON WOULD DETERMINE WHO SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO WHY.

YES.

MM-HMM.

, I WILL WORK ON THAT AND I WILL ADDRESS THOSE ACCESS LIMITATIONS.

MUNIS HAS THIS KEYSTROKE LOGGER THAT'S IN THERE.

I'LL, I'LL WORK ALONG WITH, UH, WITH PATRICK AND WE'LL SEE HOW FAR BACK THAT DATA GOES AND WE'LL PRESERVE THAT DATA AS NECESSARY.

BUT OUR SYSTEM NORMALLY BACKS UP DATA TWICE A DAY.

UM, AND, AND THERE'S A LOTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT IT HAS THE CAPABILITY OF PRESERVING.

SO WE'LL DO THOSE THINGS.

PATRICK, DO YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING THERE? YEAH.

UM, WHEN WE DO, UH, MUNIS ACCESS, UH, WE USUALLY GET, UH, UH, PERMISSION FROM THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR OF WHO ON HIS STAFF, UH, HAS ACCESS TO MUNI.

AND THAT'S RESTRICTED TO JUST WHAT THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR HAS, UM, APPROVED.

UH, AND IT'S USUALLY JUST WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT.

UM, AND SO I THINK THERE'S ROUGHLY MAYBE 60 FOLKS WITHIN THE COUNTY STAFF THAT HAVE ACCESS TO MUNI, MAYBE ABOUT 65.

UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S TIGHTLY CONTROLLED BASED ON THEIR DEPARTMENT, UH, WHAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO.

I HAD, I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.

YEP.

IT'S ALL GOOD.

UM, FOR MR. THOMAS' 15 DAYS OR CALENDAR DAYS FOR ADVERTISING.

YES MA'AM.

SO, AND YOU HAVE TO STILL PREPARE THE R F Q NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, SO, OKAY.

THAT IS CORRECT.

SO MS. HOWARD, WE, UH, WHAT WE WOULD PROPOSE TO DO IS TO, UM, GET THE R F Q UM, DRAFTED UP BY THE END OF THE WEEK, UM, AND GET IT ADVERTISED BY MONDAY AND LET IT GO FOR TWO WEEKS FROM THERE.

MM-HMM.

THANK YOU.

YEP.

SO, MR. CHAIR, I WANNA, I SAID SOMETHING ABOUT LAST FRIDAY TO BACK UP, BUT MR. BAROLO BRINGS UP, MAYBE WE SHOULD, UH, STOP THE MOMENT IN TIME AT THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR, JULY ONE FOR OTHER OBVIOUS REASONS.

SO IF PATRICK COULD DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE SNAPSHOT IN TIME.

JULY ONE.

AND, AND PATRICK, SO THAT IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, UH, WE CAN GO BACK, YOU SAID THREE MONTHS.

SO

[00:25:01]

IT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU, WE SAID RIGHT NOW WE WANT IT DONE, YOU KNOW, JULY 1ST, JUNE 1ST MAY 1ST, YOU CAN GO BACK THOSE THREE MONTHS AND THEN MOVING FORWARD TO ALWAYS HAVE A SNAPSHOT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.

IS THAT, IS THAT EASY TO DO? IS THAT HARD TO DO? IS THAT SOMETHING NO, THAT, THAT'S FINE.

WE CAN DO THAT.

YEP.

OKAY.

THANKS.

UM, ALRIGHT, SO MOVING FORWARD, UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT PROCUREMENT, I MEAN, UH, PCARDS.

MR. ROBINSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ABOUT THAT EXACTLY WAY YOU'D LIKE TO PROCEED? OH, I'LL BE, I'LL BE GLAD TO MAKE A MOTION.

UM, SO, SO YEAH, SO MOVING FORWARD, WE, WE DO NEED A MOTION THAT, THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND, AND DO THE R F Q MM-HMM.

.

UM, IT'LL BE POSTED FOR THE 15 DAYS.

UM, AND, UH, WE WILL THEN WRITE THAT UP AND I'M, I'M SURE WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND, AND, AND, AND AS WE GET THROUGH THE, UH, RESPONSES IN.

SO, UM, SO THAT IS THE, THE PROCESS WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT.

MS. HOWARD? YES.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT, UM, AN R F Q BE PREPARED, UM, PROBABLY BY FRIDAY.

AND ADVERTISEMENT WILL START MONDAY FOR 15 DAYS TO SOLICIT, UH, A LAW FIRM THAT CAN CARRY OUT THE ACTIONS THAT WE NEED TO DO BOTH AN AUDIT AND INVESTIGATION.

AND I'LL SECOND THAT.

OKAY.

ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THAT MOTION? OH WAIT, JUST ONE, ONE MINUTE.

WAS IT, IS IT THE RETENTION OF THE LAW FIRM TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION ON ALL MOTION TO COUNSEL? YES, I THANK YOU.

YES.

I THINK THAT THAT WAS YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT IT'S BETTER TO HAVE ONE FIRM, ALL FOUR, I'M SORRY, KNOW WE, WE, AND WE LOOK AT THAT AND THINK THAT WE NEED TO HIRE FOUR DIFFERENT ONES, I THINK JUST MAKES IT MORE COMPLICATED.

IT TAKES LONGER AND WILL BE A, A LONGER PROCESS THAN, THAN WHAT AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO YEAH, AND YOU DON'T WANT ANY OVERLAP ISSUES, YOU KNOW, WHO'S IN WHAT SILOED ONE LAW FIRM, ALL, ALL FOUR ONE REPORT.

AND IF THERE ARE ISSUES FROM ONE TO THE OTHER DURING THE INVESTIGATION, CAN ALL BE TAKEN CARE OF BY, DO I NEED TO AMEND THAT? UM, I DON'T, DOES THAT MEAN THAT DOESN'T NEED AMENDED? I THINK IT'S EXACTLY MOTION.

I JUST SAID THAT WE WOULD DO AN R F Q BY, UM, HOPEFULLY FRIDAY, AND ADVERTISING WILL START MONDAY FOR 15 DAYS TO RE RETAIN A LAW FIRM.

YOU IDENTIFY AND RETAIN A LAW FIRM WHO CAN DEDUCT INVESTIGATION INVESTIGATIONS.

THE FOUR INVESTIGATIONS? FOUR.

I'LL SAY FOUR.

I'LL ADD TO FOUR.

OKAY.

ANY, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? IT'S BEEN HE TALKING ABOUT WE'LL HAVE TO A BUDGET AMENDMENT AND I THINK THAT'S ONCE, UM, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S GONNA COST YET, BUT OBVIOUSLY, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'LL WE WILL GET AN IDEA THAT WHENEVER WE START TO INTERVIEW FOLKS AND, UM, WHERE WE ARE, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR A BUDGET AMENDMENT.

UM, AND THAT WILL BE HANDLED THROUGH, THROUGH, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THEN COUNCIL, UM, OBVIOUSLY FOR ONCE WE FIGURE OUT, UM, WHERE WE ARE ON, ON FINANCE, UM, WHERE WE'RE ON THE COST OF, OF THIS, UM, WELL THAT WAS SIMPLER THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE.

SO HERE WE ARE GOING THROUGH ALL FOUR OF THOSE.

UM, IS THERE, UH, UM, , ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS? AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, THE PCARDS P CARDS.

OH, YOU HAVEN'T VOTED ON THAT.

OH, OH, RIGHT.

JUST ASSUMED THAT WAS, UH, .

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT MOTION? NO, THAT SEEING NO OBJECTION.

UH, WE WILL THEN, UH, MOVE THAT FORWARD.

UM, THAT, THAT, UH, THAT, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

UM, ALRIGHT.

SO OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA TALK ABOUT PCARDS AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS ANYTHING ELSE ANYONE HAS, UM, MR. ROBINSON, GO AHEAD.

I KNOW THAT, UM, UM, THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT ESPECIALLY, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE AND WHAT WHAT WE CAN DO AND CAN'T DO.

YES, SIR.

SO I'LL JUST TALK BRIEFLY TO REASSURE YOU, UM, OUR, THE, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR PCARD AND OUR PCARD POLICIES.

UH, SO FIRST I'LL CALL IT A RESET.

WE HAVE, UH, TALKED WITH OUR, UM, PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, UH, UH, REQUESTED A RESET OF OUR PURCHASING OF OUR PCARD POLICY.

MEANING THAT, UM, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT ALL OF OUR PCARDS IN THE SYSTEM, UH, ARE USED AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR POLICY, MEANING THEIR DAILY LIMITS AND THEIR MONTHLY SPENDING LIMITS, THE EXCEPTIONS TO THOSE.

THERE ARE SOME DEPARTMENTS BE CARDS ARE USED WIDELY FOR THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY, SO WE DON'T WANNA STOP DOING OUR BUSINESS, BUT THOSE EXCEPTIONS WILL BE NOTED BY THE, UM, UM, PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.

UH, WE WILL DOCUMENT THOSE EXCEPTIONS AND I WILL APPROVE THOSE EXCEPTIONS.

SO WE START ON DAY ONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH POLICY AND EVERYTHING DOCUMENTED.

SO, UH, THE BEST WE CAN DO, WE HOPE TO COMMUNICATE THAT, UH, TO ALL STAFF BY THIS FRIDAY.

[00:30:01]

OKAY.

GOOD.

ANY, ANY QUESTIONS MR. ROBINSON ON THAT? NO, THANKS SO MUCH.

THAT WAS EASY.

GOOD.

UM, ANY OTHER, I I GOT ONE MORE THING, BUT THERE'S ANYTHING, ANYTHING ELSE THAT SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP REGARDING, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

AND AGAIN, WE ALL WISH THAT WE COULD DO THIS QUICKER, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO AS QUICK AS WE CAN AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH EVERYTHING.

BUT, UM, ANY OTHER THING TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD, DO YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA GET QUOTES ON THE PCARDS MONTHLY AND THEY'RE GONNA DO SOME CHANGES, BUT, AND, AND AS, AS PART OF WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AS, AS, UH, MR. UH, PASSMAN HAD HAD JUST, UM, UH, REMINDED ME OF IS THAT WE ARE ASKING, UH, NOW FOR A MONTHLY REPORT OF THE PCARD AND WHO'S SPENDING WHERE THEY'RE SPENDING IT, UM, AND, UH, OUT FROM DEPARTMENTS.

SO THERE'LL BE A REPORT THAT COMES OUT AND NOT THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING OVER EVERYONE'S SHOULDER, BUT AT LEAST THEN THAT, THAT THERE IS A, A STOP, UM, THAT WE CAN SEE ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

AND, UM, AGAIN, THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ON, ON OUR SIDE TO BE MAKE US MORE ACCOUNTABLE, MAKE US HAVE A PART IN THIS AND, AND, AND, AND AGAIN, MO MOVE FORTH EVERYTHING.

AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S LOTS OF RUMORS OUT THERE AND, AND PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE'VE SEEN THINGS AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL WITH, WITH REGARDS TO INVESTIGATION.

UM, AGAIN, THERE'S NO NEW NEWS FROM US THAT WE CAN MENTION OR, OR GIVE YOU.

UM, BUT I WANNA LET EVERY COUNTY EMPLOYEE KNOW THAT, THAT, OBVIOUSLY IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOU THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE, MAKE, BE MADE AWARE OF, THERE'S 11 COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN GO TO ANY ONE OF THOSE 11 COUNCIL PEOPLE AND, AND BRING THAT TO THEM.

UM, YOU CAN BRING THAT TO, UM, UM, MR. ROBINSON AS, AS OUR ACTING, UM, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR ANYONE ELSE THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.

UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE OUT LOOKING FOR THINGS, BUT AGAIN, THE, THE MORE THINGS THAT THAT, THAT WE'RE AWARE OF, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, I DON'T, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ALL THIS, WITH EVERYONE'S THINKING THAT THERE'S, THERE'S THESE HUGE THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT, BUT, UM, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE COVER EVERY BASE THAT, THAT WE'RE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING SOMETHING.

SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, AS I MENTIONED, THE SILVER LINING IN THIS IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DRILL DOWN AND WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE CHANGES AND WE ARE ABLE TO DO A BETTER JOB, UM, FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC AND, AND WITH REGARDS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, I THINK EVERYONE UP HERE, THAT'S ALL WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS, IS, IS, IS TO MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT FOR EVERYBODY AND, AND TO FOLLOW THE RULES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.

UM, AND, AND FOR US TO BE ABLE AT THE END OF THE DAY SAID THAT, THAT WE HANDLED IT CORRECTLY AND WE DID, WE DID THE RIGHT THING.

UM, ANY, ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO SAY, IF NOT, WE WILL ADJOURN AND, UM, WE'LL SET A TIME THAT IN TWO WEEKS, UM, THAT WE WILL GET BACK TOGETHER.

UM, IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL, I WILL SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT, UM, UH, IN THAT TWO WEEK PERIOD, IF NOT BEFORE, UM, WHAT OUR NEXT, UM, PLAN OF ACTION IS.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS.

MR. PASSMAN.

WHEN IS THAT? 14TH, AUGUST 14TH.

AUGUST 14TH.

SO THAT IS IN A, A MONDAY.

TWO AND A HALF.

YEAH, TWO, TWO WEEK PERIOD.

SO THAT'S AROUND THAT SAME TIME AS WELL.

SO AGAIN, UM, WE'LL BE MINDFUL OF THAT.

AND WE HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE HAVE A SECOND SESSION BEFORE WE HAVE ADJOURNED TIME.

UM, NO, I DON'T THINK THAT TO GET LEGAL ADVICE.

UM, ONLY IF YOU NEED TO.

I DON'T, I MEAN, UM, NO PROBLEM.

I DON'T, I DON'T THINK, I MEAN, WE HAD IT ON OUR AGENDA JUST, BUT, BUT I, BUT, BUT AS YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE MEETING JUST MENTIONED THAT, TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT LAW FIRMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO, UM, UH, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY NEED FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I THINK WE'VE ACTUALLY COVERED EVERYTHING THAT, THAT WE NEEDED TO, TO COVER TODAY.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT, UM, IS, IS NEEDED FOR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.

SO, UM, I THINK, UH, WE, WE ARE ADJOURNED.

WE ARE ADJOURNED.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'RE, WE'RE ADJOURNED.