[1. CALL TO ORDER – 2:00p.m]
[00:00:04]
I NEED TO CALL TO ORDER THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT UTILITY BOARD AUGUST 16TH, 2023, FISCAL YEAR 2024, WHICH ISN'T NEWS TO ME, BUT THAT'S THE WAY THE COUNTY WORKS.
UH, IF WE COULD HAVE, UH, UH, AN APPROVAL OF TODAY'S AGENDA, COULD WE, CAN I GET A, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE TODAY'S AGENDA? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
UH, NEXT WE'LL DO, UH, APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD'S MINUTES FROM JUNE 14TH.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT IN YOUR PACKET.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT? IF THERE BE NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING, UH, ARE APPROVED.
[2. INTRODUCTIONS]
DO INTRODUCTIONS AND WE WILL START WITH THIS, UH, GENTLEMAN IN THE AUDIENCE WITH THE YELLOW SHIRT, STEVEN SUPERINTENDENT COUNTY, UH, ERMO CL EXTENSION COUNTY, HERRERA COUNTY, UH, VAN WILLIS, TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, DENNIS ROSS AT LARGE ED WARNER HILTON AID.UH, I'M MARK BERG, AND I REPRESENT FUSIA ISLAND IN, UH, DISTRICT NINE.
I REPRESENT UNINCORPORATED FORT ROYAL.
ROB BU COUNTY DISTRICT EIGHT ST.
UH, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE REALLY ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING OTHER THAN WE WANNA COUNT ELLEN AS QUASI-GOVERNMENT.
BUT IF, IF THERE'LL BE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE WILL MOVE DIRECTLY INTO
[4. REPORTS]
THE REPORTS.UH, MS. HERRERA UTILITY UPDATE AT AL.
UH, I'M GOING TO, UH, BEFORE YOU SPEAK, UH, I'M SORRY, UH, IT WAS MY FAULT, BUT WE'D LIKE TO, UH, WELCOME, UH, DAPHNE BUTLER, WHO'S WORKING AS, UH, SHE, SHE WEARS SEVERAL HATS IN THE COUNTY, BUT SHE IS ALSO THE STORMWATERS, UH, ADMINISTRATOR.
IS THIS THE MICROPHONE? CLOSE ENOUGH.
SO, UNFORTUNATELY FOR YOU ALL TODAY, THERE IS NO ONE TO RELIEVE ME THROUGH THE REPORT CYCLE.
SO I'LL BE TAKING VARIOUS BREATHING BREAKS, WATER BREAKS, UM, BUT YOU'VE GOT ME UNTIL MY HEELS OR MY VOICE GIVE OUT.
SO THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL START OFF WITH THE UTILITY.
WE'LL LET STEVEN PICK YOU UP IF YOU FALL.
THOSE ARE DUE FOR EACH OF THE MUNICIPALITIES STARTING, OR I'M SORRY, BY SEPTEMBER 30TH FOR THE IGAS.
UM, AFTER SOME DISCUSSION WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES LAST YEAR, WE KIND OF DECIDED THAT UNAUDITED INFORMATION WAS FINE, BECAUSE THOSE FINAL AUDITED REPORTS DON'T COME IN TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE I G A.
SO WE WILL TRANSITION THAT INTO A, UM, NOT RECEIVE STATUS FOR THE NEXT UPDATE UNLESS WE DO GET THOSE IN.
SO THE OTHER BIG THING FOR THE UTILITY THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WRAPPING UP WITH IS THE CLOSEOUT OF FISCAL YEAR 2023.
SO THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE TO OCCUR WITHIN THE BUDGET AND WITH OUR PROCUREMENT TEAM TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING, UM, CAN TRANSITION INTO THAT 2024 FISCAL YEAR CYCLE.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE AT THIS TIME, WE'RE JUST WAITING ON A FEW FINAL 2024 TASK ORDER APPROVALS, AND THEN FROM THERE WE'LL BE ROCKING AND ROLLING WITH THE BUDGET.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE UTILITY UPDATE OR ANY REQUESTS
[00:05:01]
FOR SPECIAL PRESENTATION LOCATIONS, OCTOBER WILL PROBABLY BE FAIRLY NICE.SO IF THERE ARE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR LOCATIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
MY POINT WOULD BE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO IT, UH, THE, UH, 2, 4, 6 DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE WE HAVE, UH, PROJECTS GOING ON.
I WOULD ASK THAT, THAT YOU, YOU, I WON'T SAY YOUR STAFF RIGHT NOW, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE, AT, AT WHAT WOULD BE, UH, A SIGNIFICANT ONE THAT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY LAST FOR A WHILE THAT WE CAN SEE MAYBE NOT ONE THAT'S FINISHED, MAYBE ONE THAT'S, UH, OF BEING READY TO BE STARTED OR IN PROCESS.
GIVE US AN IDEA OF, OF, OF THE SCOPE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
CHURCH OF GOD MAY BE A GOOD ONE.
IF THEY'LL ALLOW US TO MEET KIND OF IN THAT FACILITY, WE CAN SAY A PRAYER
FEEL FREE IF YOU CAN THINK OF SOMETHING, OR, I REALLY LIKE THE CYPRUS WETLANDS.
SO THAT COULD BE AN OPTION AS WELL.
AND SINCE BILL'S NOT HERE TO DEFEND HIMSELF, I COULD JUST VOLUNTEER HIM.
SO FOR THE MONITORING UPDATE, UM, UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE TERRIBLY EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE.
WELL, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM DANIELLE MICKEL, WHO IS CURRENTLY LISTED AS OUR PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR UNDER OUR M O U, THAT SHE HAS RESIGNED FROM HER POSITION EFFECTIVE FRIDAY THE 18TH.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS THAT WE WILL NEED TO SIGN A NEW M O U WITH THE UNIVERSITY.
IF YOU RECALL FROM SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON HAS ALREADY ENTERED INTO A NEW M O U WITH THE U S C B TO INCLUDE A DIFFERENT PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR.
AND I'M NOT SURE AS TO THE REASONS WHY OUR M O U WAS NOT UPDATED IN THE SAME TIMEFRAME THAT THEIRS WAS AS, GO AHEAD.
I'LL LET YOU FINISH YOUR SENTENCE.
WELL, AS DANIELLE WAS THE PI LISTED FOR BOTH OF US, BUT WOULD IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHO THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, UH, THE M O U WOULD BE WITH THE LABORATORY? NOT, YOU KNOW, W WITH, WITH THE BODY THAT RUNS A LABORATORY, WHICH IS U U SS C B? CORRECT.
WHY WOULD IT MATTER WHO THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR IS? WELL, AND WHEN WE SAY PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LEAD MICROBIOLOGIST, IF I'M NOT CORRECT.
AM I CORRECT? NO, NOT NECESSARILY THE, THE A MICROBIOLOGIST, I MEAN, CERTAINLY SOMEONE WHO'S EXPERIENCED WITH THE ANALYSES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH D E C.
THE DANIELLE HAS BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE LAB FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
SHE'S STARTED THE LAB FROM THE BEGINNING, AND AT THE TIME, THERE WAS NO NEED IN THE COUNTY'S EYES TO CHANGE THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR TO SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THE LAB.
SO DANIELLE HAD AN EXTREME NUMBER OF YEARS VERY EXPERIENCED IN WHAT WAS REQUIRED OF THE COUNTY'S PROGRAM.
AND THE COUNTY ALSO PROVIDES THE, UM, LAB WORK FOR THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND THE TOWN OF, I'M SORRY, THE TOWN OF FORT ROYAL.
SO THERE'S A LONG HISTORY WITH AND HISTOR KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT DANIELLE HAD.
AND SO THERE WAS NO NEED IN THE COUNTY'S EYES AGAIN, TO REPLACE DANIELLE AS THE PI.
I, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND, ARE, ARE WE SAYING BECAUSE THERE'S NO DANIELLE, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE M O U WITH A LAB AND WE'RE GONNA GO TO ANOTHER LABORATORY? NOT NECESSARILY.
THERE ARE ALWAYS OPTIONS, CERTAINLY, BUT, AND THE COUNTY IS GONNA MOVE FORWARD IN THE BEST WAY.
AND RIGHT NOW THAT'S TO CONTINUE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAB.
CERTAINLY THE EXPECTATION ON OUR END IS THAT NO SERVICES WILL BE LAPSING AS IT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF OUR M O U AND CONTRACT.
SO AS FAR AS A, A WORK EFFORT FROM THE LAB, I EXPECT NO CHANGES.
[00:10:01]
BUT JUST AS A PERSONNEL CHANGE, DANIELLE IS NO LONGER AFFILIATED.SHE'S VERY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE SUPPORT THAT SHE'S RECEIVED FROM YOU ALL AS THE UTILITY BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT THAT CHANGE IS EFFECTIVE AS OF FRIDAY.
UM, AND I, WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE LAB AS TO WHAT THEIR PLAN WILL BE, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE CONTINUING AS IF THERE IS NO CHANGE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO KIND OF SOME EXCITING NEWS AFTER THAT.
IF YOU ARE GOING INTO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON FROM HIGHWAY ONE 70, YOU'LL SEE THIS ON YOUR IMMEDIATE RIGHT AS YOU CROSS OVER THE OCA T RIVER.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE LIVE DOWN THERE, SO YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE SHOULDER CLOSED THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, BUT THESE ARE SOME PICTURES THAT I RECEIVED THIS AFTERNOON FROM OUR, UM, CONSULTANT.
UH, THIS IS A WIND GAUGE, A TITLE GAUGE, RAIN GAUGE, ALL KINDS OF THINGS WILL BE, SO ESSENTIALLY WE'RE TAKING OUR LAB EQUIPMENT AND KEEPING IT SUBMERGED 24 7, UM, TO GET CONTINUOUS WATER QUALITY DATA, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
SO THE GOAL WITH THIS IS TO ULTIMATELY HAVE THIS, STEPHANIE, DO YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? OKAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE, BUT THAT THERE'S A METAL PIPE THAT COMES OFF THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE THAT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN NEXT TO THAT, I GUESS, FOOTER.
UM, AND THE EQUIPMENT IS HOUSED IN THERE SO THAT IT STAYS, AGAIN, SUBMERGED IN THE, IN THE TIDAL FLOW.
AND ONE OF THE, SO WE'LL BE DOING THINGS LIKE DISSOLVED OXYGEN, SALINITY, UM, TEMPERATURE, PH TIDAL STAGE.
ALL OF THAT'LL BE READ ON THIS.
WE'LL BE GETTING 92 POINTS OF INFORMATION A DAY.
THE PLAN, UH, WILL EVENTUALLY BE TO HAVE THIS DATA LIVE STREAMED ON THE STORMWATER PAGE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE WHERE EXACTLY, UM, THE INFORMATION'S COMING FROM AND THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT IT'S GATHERING.
SO THIS, KATHY, DO YOU MIND GOING BACK ONE MORE? SO IN THE BACKGROUND OF THIS IMAGE IS KIND OF WHERE THE TWO CONFLUENCES THAT ULTIMATELY DISCHARGE TO THE OKAT T RIVER ARE, IT'S AT OKAT T EAST, WHICH IS OFF OF HAMPTON HALL ROAD, I BELIEVE, A LITTLE SIDE ROAD RIGHT AFTER YOU, BEFORE YOU GET TO THE TOYOTA.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE STUFF THAT COMES THROUGH SUN CITY AND THE REGIONAL PONDS.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE STORMWATER DATA IN REAL TIME FOR THIS, FOR THIS AREA.
UM, THE OTHER SENSOR THAT HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED YET, BUT WILL BE ONCE THEY GET THE RIGHT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THEY NEED, IS A CONTINUOUS BACTERIA INDICATOR, WHICH IS REALLY UNIQUE.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST ONE THAT'S BEEN INSTALLED IN THE SALT WATER CONDITIONS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY ALSO THE TALLEST MONITORING STATION IN THE STATE.
WHERE IS THAT GONNA BE LOCATED? THE BACTERIA? IT'S, IT'LL BE IN THE SAME LOCATION.
YEAH, THEY, UM, HE WAS EXPLAINING IT TO ME AND THIS GUY'S GOT A 25 POUND BRAIN, SO I'LL DO IT AS BEST I CAN.
UM, THE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT NEEDS TO BE MOUNTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE PIPE THAT THEY HAD ORDERED IS NOT GONNA ALLOW THE SENSOR TO SIT WHERE IT NEEDS TO.
SO THEY HAVE TO ORDER A LARGER PIECE OF PIPE, WHICH OF COURSE, NOBODY HAS ON HAND.
SO THEY'RE GONNA WAIT TO INSTALL THAT UNTIL IT'S TOTALLY READY TO BE PUT IN PLACE.
WHO FUNDED THIS? THE UTILITY? WE DID.
AND HOW MUCH, THIS WILL BE ABOUT 58 AFTER IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE.
GOT PLANS FOR MANY OTHER LOCATIONS? NO, WE WOULD LIKE TO EVENTUALLY SEE THESE IN OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE WANNA GET FAMILIAR WITH THE SYSTEM AND WHAT, WHAT WE CAN EXPECT OUT OF THE DATA BEFORE WE START INVESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
AND WHAT KIND OF TIMEFRAME ARE YOU LOOKING AT TO GATHER THIS
[00:15:01]
DATA? WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN OTHER LOCATIONS A YEAR OR TWO YEARS, MONTHS.I MEAN, IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS 2025.
IT, IT WOULD BE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
YEAH, WE'D HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THAT.
BUT AS OF, I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY BEEN COLLECTING DATA AS OF YESTERDAY, SO WE HAD THAT BIG STORM SYSTEM COME THROUGH TOWARDS THE EVENING.
AND SO IT'S ALREADY CAPTURED WHAT INFLUENCE THAT RUNOFF HAS HAD ON THAT PORTION OF THE RIVER.
YOU CAN SEE A BIG CHANGE FOR THAT.
YEAH, WHEN YOU SEE THE SALINITY DROPPING, BUT YOU SEE YOUR TITLE STAGE INCREASING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, A, A RUNOFF EVENT.
THEY PRESENTED ON THIS IN CHATTANOOGA IN MAY, AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS FOR STAFF AND ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS WAS THAT THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE CITIZENS COULD USE AGAINST US AS WATER QUALITY INFORMATION.
AND THEY ACTUALLY SAID THE EXACT OPPOSITE HAS HAPPENED.
PEOPLE ARE EVEN MORE INVESTED NOW BECAUSE THEY CAN GO IN AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON LIVE.
CERTAINLY YOU DON'T SHOW EVERY SINGLE BIT.
'CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S COLLECTING SO MUCH.
WE WOULD PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE FIVE OR SIX PARAMETERS BE LIVE STREAMED.
BUT IT IS A UNIQUE SYSTEM IN THE FIRST ONE IN OUR AREA FOR SURE.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT OVER TIME WHAT THIS IS TELLING US AND HOW WE CAN USE THE INFORMATION.
SO THE BACTERIA SENSOR DOESN'T, IT'S NOT A SAMPLE, BUT IT'S AN INDICATOR OF HOW MUCH IS PRESENT.
BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL REPLACE STAFF OR U S C B PERSONNEL.
UNFORTUNATE
ALL OUR MONITORING SPOTS ANYWAY, NOW THEY WERE TRYING TO SELL ME THIS MORNING ON A $38,000 PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT CAN TAKE BACTERIA SAMPLES IN REAL TIME IN BOTH SALT AND FRESH CONDITIONS.
UM, IT'S ON A BOAT OF LIKE A FLOATING VESSEL PLA PLATFORM.
AND IT, IT JUST TAKES THE SAMPLES FOR YOU.
YOU CAN ASK IT TO TAKE SAMPLES FOR YOU.
UM, THIS WILL BE THE, OUR CONSULTANT JUST PURCHASED THE FIRST ONE IN THE SOUTHEAST, SO THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DEPLOYING IT AND SEE WHAT KIND OF RESULTS THEY CAN GET.
BUT IT CAN TAKE UP TO 35 SAMPLES BEFORE IT NEEDS TO BE, AND IT'S ALL ON AN APP.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THE MAINTENANCE COSTS IN THE STUFF OR THE SALIN.
THE SALINE CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE ARE, BUT NEAT TECHNOLOGY.
DO YOU HAVE A MAINTENANCE CONTRACT ON THIS PUPPY? YES, WE WILL.
ONCE WE GET CONFIRMATION FROM, SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED THE HUMANS
YEAH, IT ACTUALLY DOES HAVE ITS OWN WIPER.
WHICH IS WHY THEY CAN'T, THEY NEED THAT BIGGER PIPE DIAMETER SO IT CAN WIPE THE SENSOR EFFECTIVELY.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? PLEASE DON'T CRASH INTO IT.
AND YOU'RE ON 2 78
CAN WE START A BETTING POOL ON THAT? BECAUSE IT'S GONNA
YEAH, THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU DO, IT HAS TO BE ATTACHED TO THE NON-STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE BRIDGE.
SO THAT'S WHY EVERYTHING'S ATTACHED TO A BARRIER INSTEAD OF THAT THE FOOTER.
'CAUSE I GUESS THAT CAN BE A LOT MORE, IT'S A LOT MORE REPLACEABLE THAN DIGGING AND, YOU KNOW, SCREWING IT INTO THE SIDE OF THE, THE BRIDGE FOOTER AND MESSING SOMETHING FUN FACT ABOUT INSTALLATION THAT YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR.
THAT IS IT FOR THE MONITORING UPDATE.
UM, FOR THE STORMWATER IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE.
I KNOW IN THE REPORT IT SAYS THERE WAS NO UPDATE, BUT I DID WANNA INCLUDE THAT STAFF MET LAST FRIDAY TO TALK ABOUT
[00:20:01]
THE C W I FEE REPORTS THAT WE PROVIDE EVERY YEAR, UM, TO THE MUNICIPALITIES.SO I KNOW VAN, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE IN THE ROOM, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD THIS YEAR.
SO WE, THE EXPECTATION, THOSE ARE DUE TO THE MUNICIPALITIES BY SEPTEMBER 1ST AND WE EXPECT TO HAVE THAT TURNED AROUND BY THIS FRIDAY.
SO STAFF IS WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE IT'S ACCURATE AND, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THAT OUT.
FOR THE REGIONAL COORDINATION, JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE OLD WOODLANDS.
SO STEVEN'S CREW WENT OUT LAST MONTH TO PERFORM ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IN THE AREA.
SEVERAL OF THEIR DRIVEWAY PIPES HAVE BEEN INSTA OR REPLACED, AND THEN NEW DRIVEWAYS KIND OF POURED ON TOP.
UM, THE SURVEYOR WE HAD HIRED ALSO COMPLETED THAT WORK.
THE, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE FILES TO COME DOWN FROM THEM, BUT WE REQUESTED OF, I GUESS DAVIS AND FLOYD NOW, I THINK ANDREW WAS BOUGHT OUT, UH, PURCHASED BY THEM OR ACQUIRED.
UM, SO THEIR STAFF WENT OUT AND TOOK A SURVEY OF THE MAIN DRAINAGE SYSTEM BETWEEN MARBLEHEAD AND INDIAN TRAIL.
AND SO THAT'S ALL BEEN COMPLETED.
UM, IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A 30 FOOT WIDE EASEMENT.
AND IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, NO, UM, THOSE BOUNDARY LINES HAVE NOT NECESSARILY BEEN FOLLOWED WITH, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO PINS IN THE GROUNDS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I TOLD THEM TO FLAG EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WOULD THERE IS NOW.
SO FENCES, SHEDS ALL THOSE FUN THINGS THAT HAVE ENCROACHED INTO THE EASEMENT.
WE'LL GET A FULL REPORT ON THAT AND THEN BEFORE THE COUNTY CAN BEGIN WORK, WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE THAT ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE EASEMENT.
SO HAS THERE BEEN ANY FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS? 'CAUSE I KNOW THEY WERE NOTHING THE ORRY THERE FOR A WHILE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN SEEING SOME WORK AND PROGRESS OUT THERE.
ANY POSITIVE INPUT? I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY IN GOOD, BAD, INDIFFERENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WHILE THE CREWS WERE OUT, MAYBE PEOPLE TALK TO THEM, BUT NO, I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE.
SEE WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE SINCE THEY WERE COMPLAINING THAT NOTHING HAD BEEN DONE FOR SO LONG AND NOW THAT THINGS ARE BEING DONE, I WOULD KIND OF HOPE FOR SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
WHAT YOU DO, DROP A FORM IN THEIR MAILBOX, YOU ARE YOU HAPPY? NO ONE'S, UM, YEAH.
ONE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE FOR REGIONAL COORDINATION IS THAT THE TOWN OF LUPTON, I KNOW THEY'RE NOT HERE TODAY, BUT THEY DID, WE DID HAVE A MEETING LAST WEEK ABOUT THE EFFORT THEY'RE DOING FOR THE BASELINE WATER QUALITY STUDY.
THIS, UM, IN 2024 IN PARTNERSHIP, PARTNERSHIP WITH D N R.
I'M GONNA TAKE A WATER BREAK, EXCUSE ME.
SO THE TOWN, IT HAS ASKED THE COUNTY TO PARTNER WITH THEM AND SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THOSE EFFORTS TO OTHER WATERSHEDS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
SO WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT FURTHER.
BUT AGAIN, DEFINITELY WILLING TO PARTNER WITH A LARGE SCALE, UM, BASELINE WATER QUALITY STUDY THROUGH THE STATE.
SO I DID WANT TO BRING THAT TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION.
I USUALLY HAND THIS OVER TO THE TOWNS
TERRY, I, I, JUST REAL QUICKLY, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT THREE SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THAT ARE MORE OR LESS IN THE SURVEY.
STAGE ONE IS IMPROVEMENTS TO DRAINAGE IN THE, UH, VILLAGE AREA, THE DOWNTOWN, THE DOWNTOWN OF DOWNTOWN FORT ROYAL.
WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, WEST PARIS AVENUE, UH, TYING IT WITH MADRID THAT WOULD GET IT BACK OUT THROUGH THE SYSTEM ALONG PARIS AVENUE INTO CYPRESS WETLANDS.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS, UM, A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PROJECT IN THE, UH, CASABLANCA AREA.
UH, ADDRESSING SOME OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS AND REROUTING AND ALSO GETTING IT OUT TO REBO ROAD AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE, THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE D O T DRAINAGE SYSTEM THERE.
THEN OUT TO EVENTUALLY, HOPEFULLY INTO THE OTHER BASE.
AND SO, BUT I'M SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON SURVEYING RIGHT NOW.
SO WHERE'S THE CASABLANCA AREA? UM, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE NAVAL HERITAGE PARK, IT'S THE NEIGHBORHOOD BASICALLY RIGHT ACROSS REVO ROAD.
[00:25:02]
IS IT THE VOICE BOOMING ENOUGH TO HEAR? PROBABLY NOT.ON THE MAIN FRONT, WE HAVE EXCELLENT NEWS.
WE ARE FULLY STAFFED AFTER OUR CONGRATULATIONS.
2016, WE GOT EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED.
YEAH, WELL IT IS BEEN ON AND AGAIN, OFF AGAIN.
CERTAIN JOBS DID DISAPPEAR AND THEN CAME BACK THIS YEAR, THANK GOODNESS.
SO CARRIE SCHUMAKER OR SCHUMAKER SCHUMACHER.
SO S SHOEMAKER ON MY MIND, SORRY, UM, HAS BEEN PROMOTED.
STONEWATER MAINTENANCE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR.
THINK AN ACRONYM WE'RE GONNA GO WITH IS SWAMPER.
DOESN'T SOUND TOO PLEASANT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S DOING.
WE ALSO HAVE HIRED TWO NEW STORMWATER INSPECTORS, ONE OF WHICH IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE THAT CAME FROM D H C AS WELL.
HE IS A WATER QUALITY GURU AND ONE OF THE VERY FIRST DAYS HE ASKED ME ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR WATER QUALITY DATA.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT KIND OF TRENDS HE CAN CREATE FOR THAT MUCH.
AND THE OTHER ONE CAME FROM GEORGIA.
HE HAS EXPERIENCE FROM TYBEE ALL THE WAY UP TO EFFINGHAM COUNTY, I THINK, OR CHATHAM COUNTY OF DOING STORM WEAR INSPECTIONS.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING OVER WE'RE CARRIE SCHUMAKER SCHUMACHER'S, UH, POSITION.
UM, ON JULY 1ST, WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED STORMWATER PLAN REVIEW FEES.
UM, THIS IS HOW WE'RE FUNDING THE TWO STORMWATER POSITIONS AT THIS TIME.
UM, THEY VARY DEPENDING ON SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL TO DEMOS TO GIANT LARGE SCALE PROJECTS POTENTIALLY.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT IS ALL THE NEWS, THE TOWN OF BUILDING HEAD.
HAS ANYBODY GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING? HOW MUCH DID YOU RAISE YOUR FEES? WE IMPLEMENTED FEES.
WE, WE TOOK A GOOD SURVEY FROM GREENVILLE DOWN TO CHARLESTON, INCLUDED BUFORT AND TOWN OF BLUFFTON IN THERE.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANTED TO FUND THE TWO FEES AND NOT HAVE ANY RESIDUAL MONEY LEFT OVER.
WE WANTED A NET ZERO ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO OUR STONEWARE UTILITY IN A NUTSHELL IS VERY WELL STOUT IN A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT.
AND THE MAIN GOAL WAS TO BREAK ZERO EVERY SINGLE TIME.
SO WE DID NOT HAVE ANY CARRYOVER.
ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
FOR WATER RELATED PROJECTS, FUN STUFF.
UH, FOR OUR EASEMENTS, WE LAST YEAR BUDGETED, UM, A FOR A CONSULTANT TO COME ON BOARD WITH TO HELP OUT PATTY WILSON, WHO'S OUR RIGHT AWAY AND EASEMENT MANAGER.
SO BASICALLY THEY'LL BE TAKING OVER THE LARGE EFFORT OF MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE EXISTING EASEMENTS WE HAVE IN PLACE ARE VALID AND TRUE, UM, AND ASSISTING HER WITH THE WORKLOAD OF OBTAINING NEW EASEMENTS.
SO THERE, AND THIS DOES NOT JUST INCLUDE EASEMENTS FOR STORMWATER, BUT OVERALL THE COUNTY HAS MANY PLACES WHERE THERE EITHER WERE EASEMENTS OR HANDSHAKE AGREEMENTS.
AND SO THIS PERSON HAS STARTED AS OF I BELIEVE JULY ONE, ASSISTING THE WORKLOAD WITH ALL OF THE EASEMENTS THAT THE COUNTY KIND OF HAS AND MAINTAINS.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY EXCITING UPDATE FOR EASEMENTS AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
FOR SHELL POINT, WE DID GET ONE BID BACK FOR A CONTRACTOR TO START MAINTENANCE EFFORTS IN THAT AREA.
SO ON THE 22ND, WHICH IS NEXT THURSDAY, NO TUESDAY FROM SIX TO 7:00 PM STAFF WILL BE THERE PRESENTING TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY WHAT KIND OF TO EXPECT FROM THAT GROUP AND THAT EFFORT.
SO THERE WAS AN ONSITE COORDINATION MEETING BETWEEN US, OUR CONSULTANT AND THE CONTRACTOR TO JUST TA GO AND SEE THESE SITES IN PERSON TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR WHAT THAT COULD MEAN FOR THEM AS CONSTRUCTION MOVES FORWARD.
SO THIS'LL BE A LOT OF QUESTION AND ANSWER AND JUST F Y I.
SO, UH, WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THE, THE EXHIBITS BLOWN UP FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT.
AND THEN WE'LL ALSO, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT TO MAKE SURE MAILERS ARE SENT OUT THAT SO PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THAT IMMEDIATE AREA ALSO KNOW IF THEY, IN THE EVENT THEY DON'T COME TO THIS MEETING, THAT THE WORK IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.
SO WE DON'T WANT ANY SURPRISES OR PEOPLE UPSET.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THIS WOULD BE A SURPRISE ABOUT WORK GETTING DONE.
SO, 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT FOR SOME TIME.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE JUST WANNA HAVE ANOTHER WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY
[00:30:01]
TO ENGAGE WITH US AND VICE VERSA.SO THE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THAT WAS APPROVED BUT FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM YESTERDAY, SO I'M SURE THAT'LL BE SENT OUT SHORTLY OUTTA COUNTY COMMUNICATION.
AND THEN THEY'LL, IT'LL ALSO BE ON THE SHELL POINT DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT WEBSITE.
SO HOPEFULLY Y'ALL CAN BE IN ATTENDANCE.
THE FACTORY CREEK WATERSHED BASIN PROJECT, UM, STAFF IS CURRENTLY WORKING IN MEDIATION.
UM, WE'VE MOVED FORWARD WITH EITHER GETTING REIMBURSED FOR THAT PROJECT OR GETTING THE FULL EASEMENT AS WAS CONTRACTED FOR.
AND WE SHOULD BE HAVING A MEDIATION MEETING WITH THE LEGAL TEAMS, UM, NEXT MONTH.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME RESOLUTION AFTER THAT FOR OUR ON-CALL STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES.
HUSSAH COURT NORTH HAS BEEN, UM, THE TASK ORDER FOR THAT.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT APPROVALS SO THAT WE EXPECT TO BEGIN, UM, WI WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.
THE HOMEOWNER HAS BEEN MADE AWARE KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE PROCESS AND THE, ALL THE FILES THAT THEY NEED TO KIND OF GET STARTED HAVE BEEN PROVIDED.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE READY TO GO AS SOON AS THAT TASK ORDER IS APPROVED.
THE BESSIE'S LANE PROJECT IS ALSO, UH, GOT APPROVAL AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND LAND USE MEETING ON MONDAY.
SO WE EXPECT THAT TO GO TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
NO, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO TO COMMUNITY OR COUNSEL FOR THAT.
IT'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE IT ALL GETS APPROVED CORRECTLY THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS.
UM, AND THEN THAT'LL BE ONE OF THE NEXT JOBS THAT J HIRES DOES ON OUR BEHALF.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE CHURCH OF GOD PROJECT JUST WRAPPED UP.
THAT IS ONE OF THOSE C W I PROJECTS THAT VAN WILL SEE ON HIS REPORT FOR THIS
UM, THERE WERE SOME MINOR SINKHOLE, I THINK 'CAUSE OF SOME COMPACTION THAT THEY HAVE GONE BACK OUT AND READDRESSED AND THEN THE COUNTY WILL BE HYDRO SEEDING AS SOON AS ALL THAT THE CONTRACTOR WRAPS UP THEIR WORK, SO LARGE SCALE PROJECT, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLACE 700 FEET OF PIPE IN LIKE A WEEK AND A HALF.
SO THEY MOVED VERY QUICKLY ONCE THEY STARTED.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WE JUST HAVE NO EFFORTS AT THIS TIME FOR THE PROGRESS OF ARTHUR HORN PARK.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE EFFORTS THE CITY OF BEAUFORT MADE CLEANING OUT THE OUTFALL DITCH FOR THAT DRAINAGE SYSTEM REALLY HELPED THAT AREA.
BUT WE STILL DO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A REVITALIZATION EFFORT FOR THAT PORK PARK FOR WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY CONTROL WITHIN THE CITY.
SO GOING INTO OUR PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS, WE, FOR BREW MEMORIAL, WE ARE ALMOST DONE WITH THAT.
THE D O T WENT OUT TO CLOSE OUT THAT PERMIT AND THERE WERE A FEW THINGS THAT THEY NEED THE COUNTY TO ADDRESS.
SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH, UH, WARD EDWARDS AND STAFF INTERNALLY TO JUST CHECK THOSE MINOR THINGS OFF THE LIST AND THEN WE'LL BE TOTALLY CLOSED OUT FOR THAT PROJECT WITH EVERYONE.
AND THEN FOR WILPERT, THE NORTHERN LADIES ISLAND DRAINAGE STUDY, THE DRAFT REPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED FROM THAT.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S STILL IN DRAFT FORM, BUT FROM THAT THERE ARE ABOUT SEVEN LARGE SCALE PROJECTS PRO ROUGHLY TO THE TUNE OF THREE $5 MILLION.
SO, UM, TO RE TO RETROFIT THAT DRAINAGE SYSTEM, JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, HOW LONG A A PROJECT THAT WOULD THAT SCOPE? THREE TO $5 MILLION TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS? UH, I'LL JUST REFER TO SHELL POINT.
AND HOW LONG THAT'S KIND OF TAKEN.
UM, THE GOOD THING IS, I MEAN, AND YOU'RE GONNA SPREAD THIS OUT OVER CONSUMABLE YES.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST COUNTY RESPONSIBLE AREAS.
SO COUNTY ROADS OR COUNTY EASEMENTS.
THERE WERE PLACES THAT THERE WERE DRAINAGE ISSUES, BUT THE REPORT, IF THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THE, THAT THE COUNTY COULD DO WITHIN THE, THE EASEMENT OR WORK AREA TO ALLEVIATE THE ISSUE, IT WAS NOT INCLUDED AS A PROPOSED PROJECT.
SO THERE WERE SOME PLACES WHERE THERE ARE STRUCTURES FLOODING, BUT DOING SOMETHING UPSTREAM
[00:35:01]
OR DOWNSTREAM WAS NOT GONNA ALLEVIATE THE ISSUE FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER.SO AGAIN, IT'S A VERY THOROUGH REPORT, PROBABLY 150 PAGES.
SO, UM, I HAVE TO DIGEST THAT AS THOROUGHLY AND QUICKLY AS I CAN.
DID IT COME TO YOU BY P D F? I'M SORRY.
DID YOU RECEIVE IT BY P D F? MM-HMM.
I GOT IT VIA A LINK IN A DROPBOX NOW.
SO WE'LL BE IN REVIEW OF THAT AND MAKING ANY CHANGES OR, YOU KNOW, BRING FORTH THAT INFORMATION AS SOON AS OUR REVIEW IS COMPLETE.
I ALREADY TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE RAIN GAUGE, SO THAT'S EXCITING.
OR THE TITLE GAUGE AND WATER QUALITY STATION.
UM, THE BIGGEST THINGS NOW THAT THEY ARE, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING TASK ORDER APPROVAL FOR IS THEIR EFFORTS FOR THE TAX RUN.
AS YOU KNOW, MS. CAROLYN WALLACE, OUR BUSINESS MANAGER, UM, AS OF THE END OF MAY, LEFT HER POSITION TO WORK FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS HERE AT THE COUNTY.
AND SHE WAS, SHE SPEARHEADED THE TAX RUN FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND WE HAVE DECIDED TO HAND THAT RESPONSIBILITY OFF TO OUR CONSULTANT.
SO FOR THEM TO MANAGE BECAUSE OF HOW TIME CONSUMING IT IS AT THE STAFF LEVEL, WHO, WHO IS THE CONSULTANT THAT'S GONNA DO THAT? WILBERT? WILPERT.
YEAH, SO I THINK THEIR TASK ORDER CAME BACK ROUGHLY $54,000, THE COST TO DO THAT.
SO THAT HAS TO GO TO APPROVAL THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT AND THEN FROM THERE THEY CAN EXECUTE.
BUT THAT EFFORT BEGINS AUGUST 25TH IS WHEN THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING AND IT'S ROUGHLY A SIX WEEK PROCESS, BUT, UM, WE'RE HOPING TO GET DONE IN THREE.
SO, AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON A TASK ORDER FOR IS THE PLAN REVIEW ASSISTANCE.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL SOMEONE NAMED JULIANA CORBIN NEEDS TO WORK HERE NOW WORKS FOR THEM,
UM, SHE'LL BE TAKING OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PLAN REVIEW, WHICH IS PERFECT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHE DID WHILE SHE WAS HERE.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE GETTING APPROVAL THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, TO GET THAT EXECUTED.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S SOME OF THE, THE BIG STUFF WE'RE WORKING ON UPCOMING WILL BE THE UPDATE TO THE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR D H E C, THE STORM WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLANS FOR THE FACILITIES, WHICH IS PART OF THE MS FOUR PERMIT.
AND THEN, UM, AS THEY GO THROUGH THIS UTILITY FEE EXERCISE, WE WANT THEM TO GIVE US RECOMMENDATIONS TO STREAMLINE AND BETTER IMPROVE THAT PROCESS.
SO TOMORROW ACTUALLY I'LL BE MEETING WITH THE G I S TEAM.
THEY HAVE ENGAGED SEPARATELY WITH SOMEONE TO GET THE IMPERVIOUS AREA FOR THE COUNTY DEFINED.
AND SO WE'LL BE GETTING SOME OF THEIR PRELIMINARY RESULTS TOMORROW IN A MEETING TO KIND OF COST COM OR COMPARE THE DATA THAT THEY GOT VERSUS WHAT WE KNOW WE HAVE.
SO, SO AGAIN, HOPEFULLY WE CAN KIND OF PULL THE HUMAN ELEMENT OUT OF SOME OF THIS AND AUTOMATE IT AND HOPEFULLY GET MORE MONEY FOR THINGS THAT WE MISS.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS? NOT AT THIS TIME.
ALRIGHT, FOUR, AS A SIDE NOTE, EVENTUALLY I WON'T BE DOING THIS 'CAUSE I'M GONNA HAVE TEA STAFF TO DO IT.
SO Y'ALL SOAK IT IN WHILE YOU CAN.
UM, SO IN FRONT OF YOU YOU'VE GOT THE PLAN REVIEW AND THE STORM WATER PERMIT APPROVALS.
I SIT ON THAT BOARD NOW IN PLACE OF JULIANA.
SO EVERY WEEK I GO TO S R T IN PLAN REVIEW AND TALK ABOUT ALL THE DEVELOPMENT GOING ON IN THE COUNTY.
SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SLOWER MONTH THAN PREVIOUS, BUT I DO ANTICIPATE TO CONTINUE TO STAY VERY BUSY HERE.
UM, FOR THE INSPECTIONS, LOTS OF LESS INSPECTIONS THAN AVERAGE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WITH THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS, PEOPLE TAKING OFF,
[00:40:01]
UM, THERE'S LESS, LESS FIELD TIME.UM, AGAIN, THAT WAS AN EFFORT JULIANA WAS COORDINATING IN HER ROLE WITH THAT TEAM.
SO KIND OF REESTABLISHED GOALS FOR THAT GROUP AND WHERE WE'RE HEADING AS FAR AS COMPLIANCE FOR MS FOUR.
SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE, SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE PROGRAM, UM, THERE.
KEEP THOSE GUYS ON THEIR TOES.
MY ONLY QUESTION IS, IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS WERE WAY UP IN JULY COMPARED TO JUNE, ALMOST NOTHING.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK BACK A COUPLE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, GO BACK A YEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTS TO REALLY CREEP UP AND GO DOWN AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WAS THERE A REASON FOR THAT BIG JUMP? UH, I CAN'T SAY TO ANYTHING SPECIFIC WHAT IT COULD BE.
UM, I DON'T THINK JULY WAS TERRIBLY RAINY.
UM, BUT IT, I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE CONTRACTORS TRUTHFULLY.
OKAY, JUST CURIOUS WHEN I SEE A BLIP IN THE, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD ANSWER.
ALRIGHT, SO ALL THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS WERE ON VACATION, RIGHT? UM, YEAH, MAYBE.
ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE GONNA GET A LITTLE BREAK HERE FROM ME, ME TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATION REPORT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
THIS HAS BEEN A SUMMER OF SITE VISITS FOR ME.
UM, MY PROGRAMMING HAS TAKEN A STALL BECAUSE I'VE BEEN OUT OF THE OFFICE TWO TO THREE DAYS EACH WEEK.
UH, TRAVELING TO MULTIPLICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO ASSIST HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS WITH SOME SITE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS. UH, THE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE POND BUFFERS, RIVERSIDE BUFFERS, AND HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS. UH, LUCKILY THERE IS A, UH, TRAINING THAT I WILL BE ATTENDING, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
SO I HAVE SOME BIT MORE INFORMATION TO HELP WITH HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS WITH, UM, THINGS LIKE CYANOBACTERIA IN STORMWATER PONDS.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE THINGS HAVE BEEN REALLY GREAT.
UH, WE STILL HAVE OUR MONTHLY ARTICLE IN THE ISLAND PACKET, UH, AND WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UM, I WANNA SHOUT OUT, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO DR.
JEAN FOR IN THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD FOR THE KE BROAD CREEK CLEAN FESTIVAL.
THAT IS ALWAYS A FUN FESTIVAL TO GO TO AND PROVIDE EDUCATION AT.
AND, UH, JUST LOOKING FORWARD THROUGH SEPTEMBER, I DO HAVE TWO EVENTS COMING UP.
WE, I'M GONNA BE PRESENT AT THE TOWN OF BLUFFS BEACH SWEEP RIVER SWEEP, UM, ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16TH.
AND THEN ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH IS THE TOWN OF PORT ROYALS OCTOBER FEST, WHICH I'LL BE PRESIDENT AT AS WELL.
AND SO I'LL BE THERE, BUT I WON'T BE DOING THAT.
NO, NO, HE'S JUST GONNA COME SAY HI AT MY, I WAS THINKING OF ATTENDING FOR OTHER REASONS.
NO, THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GREAT COMMUNITY FESTIVAL.
I TYPICALLY MAKE AROUND 500 CONTACTS WITH FOLKS, UM, AT THE EXTENSION TABLE.
SO, UH, I HAVE A WHOLE LITTLE COUNTRY STORMWATER PARTNERS SPREAD AND IT'S REALLY GREAT TO MEET A LOT OF FOLKS, UM, IN THE PORT ROYAL AREA AS WELL.
UM, BUT ALSO JUST TO KEEP AN UPDATE, UH, ADOPT A STREAM IS GOING SWIMMINGLY.
UH, WE DID OUR RECERTIFICATION IN JULY AND WE ACTUALLY HAD A, OUT OF THE A HUNDRED PLUS VOLUNTEERS WE HAD CERTIFIED, WE'VE ACTUALLY RETAINED ABOUT 50% OF THEM INTO THEIR SECOND YEAR PROGRAM, WHICH IS EXCELLENT.
SO, UM, YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN THE WATER QUALITY DATA THAT THEY ARE GATHERING.
YOU CAN ALWAYS VISIT SOUTH CAROLINA ADOPT A STREAM'S WEBSITE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT JOB.
I THINK IT'S PRONOUNCED OCTOBER BEST.
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO NO UPDATES FOR INTER GOV AND THE MS FOUR STATEWIDE PERMIT.
WE DO HAVE A STATE MEETING SEPTEMBER 7TH AT IN COLUMBIA, SO THERE MAY BE SOME MORE INFORMATION THAT COMES DOWN FROM D H AT THAT TIME, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, AS IT'S BEEN EXPIRED SINCE I STARTED WORKING, SO HAVEN'T HELD MY BREATH, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT.
DID WE EVER, EVER GET FROM D H C AN APPROVAL OF ANYTHING WE'VE EVER SENT THERE? NO.
WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE STOPPED SENDING THINGS FOR APPROVAL.
WOULD THEY EVEN KNOW? GOOD QUESTION.
THEY MAY ASK YOU WHERE IT'S AT.
NOW I WILL SAY A WAITING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE LAST ONE.
WE, WE NOW SUBMIT EVERYTHING ONLINE AND SO I THINK IF YOU DON'T MEET THOSE
[00:45:01]
TIMELINES IT SENDS UP PROBABLY RED FLAGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN BEFORE.BUT YEAH, SO FOR THE STAFF UPDATE, UH, WE, STORMWATER IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SECTIONS FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND WE ARE ALSO ONE OF THE, UM, MOST UNDERSTAFFED SECTION, BUT WE DO CONTINUE TO HOLD VACANCY.
UH, WE DO CONTINUE TO HOLD INTERVIEWS FOR VACANT POSITIONS.
UM, I THINK AT THIS POINT THE CONFERENCE ROOM IS RESERVED THREE DAYS A WEEK TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE IN.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY TRYING TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW TEAM MEMBER ON BOARD, MS. DAPHNE BUTLER.
SO FUN FACT, DAPHNE AND I STARTED AT THE COUNTY ON THE SAME DAY.
SO SHE IS, UM, WELL VERSED IN WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE AT THE COUNTY, COMING FROM THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, BUT WE ARE SAME DAY BESTIES, SEPARATED BY TWO NUMBERS IN THE CLOCK-IN SYSTEM.
SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER ON BOARD.
SHE'S A PART OF THE EMERGING LEADERS GROUP AT THE COUNTY AS WELL.
SO SHE HAS A LOT OF AMAZING SKILLS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM.
SO THE, UM, SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, OR MOST OF YOU HOPEFULLY KNOW MS. JOE, JOANNA ZORAN.
SHE HAS BEEN NAMED THE INTERIM STORMWATER BUSINESS MANAGER AS OF JULY 22ND.
SHE HAS REALLY STEPPED UP IN THE TIME THAT MS. WALLACE HAS LEFT HER POSITION, UM, TO HELP OUT ALL THE SECTIONS, NOT JUST INFRASTRUCTURE.
SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY THE SENIOR ADMIN FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP AND WILL BE FILLING THIS ROLE UNTIL WE CAN ESTABLISH A PERMANENT PERSON IN THAT POSITION.
SO MY ONLY QUESTION IS, IS SHE BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE PERMANENT POSITION? SHE, LIKE EVERY POSITION WOULD HAVE TO APPLY IF SHE WERE INTERESTED.
SO SHE'S VERY INVESTED IN THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM AND OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT SHE ALSO REALLY ENJOYS WHAT SHE WAS DOING PRIOR.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO GENTLY PERSUADE HER IN THAT DIRECTION.
BUT I WAS ONLY THINKING THAT, THAT WE'RE PAYING WILPERT.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID TO DO THAT BUDGET.
THEY'RE TAKING THE TAX RUN, BUT THEY'RE NOT TAKING EVERYTHING ELSE.
THAT IS, I MEAN, IS SHE, IS SHE GOING TO SPEARHEAD THAT FOR YOU? NO, NO, NO.
CAROLYN HAS AGREED TO DO SOME TRAINING WITH WILBERT, SO YES, THANK YOU.
NO, OTHERWISE, WILBER BE WRITING THEMSELVES BIG OLD CHECKS IF THEY'VE GOT ACCESS TO THE BUDGET AND PO APPROVAL.
THEY WOULD NEVER DO THAT FOR THE RECORD.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I AM FILLING MY PROGRAM MANAGER POSITION ON SEPTEMBER 5TH WITH MS. TAYLOR BREWER.
SHE IS CURRENTLY THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR LEXINGTON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO SHE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE MS FOUR REALM, WHICH IS EXACTLY THE ROLE THAT WE KIND OF NEED HER TO COME IN AND FILL.
SO AT SOME POINT TAYLOR WILL BE RUNNING THE PROGRAM AS I STAND HERE, SO HOPEFULLY SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT TO GET HER UP TO SPEED ON.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PACKET, SO HER START DATE IS WHEN? SEPTEMBER 5TH.
AND THEN THE FIRE HOSE WILL TURN ON.
I BELIEVE MR. CARTER, YOU'RE UP AFTERNOON AGAIN, EVERYBODY
I WAS PULLED FROM J H R OH OH BOY.
I TALK, UM, TALK TO YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS THAT STORMWATER HAS COMPLETED.
UM, IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR PACKET, I'M NOT, WELL, I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF 'EM, BUT I'LL GO THROUGH A FEW OF 'EM.
UM, IN THE PACKET YOU SEE, UM, THE COST, EVERYTHING AND SOME BEFORE, DURING, AND, AND AFTER PICTURES ON SOME OF 'EM, ON SOME OF THEM.
FIRST ONE I SPEAK ABOUT IS THE WINDY LANDING WIND WEBY LANDING ROAD PROJECT.
AND THIS PROJECT IMPROVED 1,362 LINEAR FEET OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
UH, WITH THAT, THE SCOPE OF WORK
[00:50:01]
INCLUDED UM, CLEANING OUT 1,362 LINEAR FEET OF ROADSIDE DITCH UPSIDE, A DRIVEWAY PIPE INSTALLED R WRAP AND SEEDED FOR EROSION CONTROL.AND THE TOTAL COST FOR THAT WAS $21,073.
ON THE SECOND, UM, ONE OF OUR, A FEW OF OUR MINOR PROJECTS THAT WHEN WE LANDED PROJECT, UH, PROJECT WAS A MAJOR PROJECT.
A FEW OF OUR MINOR PROJECTS, UM, THE BLUFFTON VA BLUFFTON VAC TRUCK, THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDED CLEANING OUT SIX CATCH BASINS AND THE TOTAL COST FOR THAT WAS $5,481.
THEN, UM, I HAD A CREW, WE HAD A CREW DOWN IN HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, THE BUSH HOGGING CREW.
AND, UH, THIS BUSH HOGGING IMPROVED 14,670 LINEAR FEET OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
IT ALSO INCLUDED BUSH HOGGING, UH, BUSH HOGGING.
THE 14,600 LINEAR FEET OF CHANNEL ALSO CLEARED.
THE TOTAL COST OF THAT WAS $9,475.
IF WE FLIP THE PAGE ON THE BACKSIDE, UM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME, SOME, UM, VAC TRUCK WORKING IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROW ON THIS PROJECT AND, AND IMPROVED 50 LINEAR FEET OF DRAINER SYSTEM.
THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDED CLEARING OUT FOUR CATCH BASINS, THREE CROSS LINE PIPES, TWO DRIVEWAY PIPES, AND ALSO JETTED OUT 50 LINEAR FEET OF ROADSIDE PIPE.
THE TOTAL COST OF THAT WAS $2,350.
THE LAST ONE ON THE MINOR PROJECTS I LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT IS, IS ALSO IN THE TOWN OF HIT HEAD, AND THAT'S ALSO A VAC TRUCK.
THAT PROJECT IMPROVED 311 LINEAR FEET OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM WITH THAT SCOPE OF WORK, INCLUDING CLEANING OUT SIX CATCH CATCH BASINS AND JETTING OUT ONE CROSS LINE PIPE AND ALSO JETTING OUT 311 LINEAR FEET OF CHANNEL PIPE.
IF, UM, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK IN YOUR PACKET, YOU'LL SEE THE REST OF THEM.
ANY QUESTION? I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED? NO, SIR.
WE'RE STILL TRYING, WE JUST NOT GETTING THE APPLICANTS IN, LIKE, EVERYBODY LIKE BLUFFING.
HOPEFULLY PRETTY SOON, WE'LL, WE'LL BE FULLY STAFFED.
YOU KNOW, STORM WATER IS, WE'RE USED TO, WELL, I'M USED TO BEING STAFFED TO 35 TO 40 PEOPLE.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET BACK TO THAT.
AND YOU HAVE WHAT NOW? ABOUT, UM, ABOUT 23.
SO I MEAN, WE, WE STILL, STILL GETTING THE JOB DONE.
THEY WORKING REAL HARD HELPING ME OUT.
MRS. HOWARD, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ALICE HOWARD, WHO WAS OUR LIAISON TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE.
I, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. CARTER AND, AND MS.
'CAUSE I'VE HEARD THAT THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES ARE PAYING A LOT MORE.
THE COUNTY IS, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT Y'ALL ON THE SPOT, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM? HEAVY, LIKE HEAVY EQUIPMENT? THE, I WILL SAY WE'RE VERY THANKFUL AT IN OCTOBER WE'RE HAVING SALARIES INCREASED ACROSS THE BOARD, WHICH WILL HELP GET SOME OF OUR, UM, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
WELL, I'M, I WAS THINKING IN PARTICULAR CONSTRUCTION TYPE JOBS.
I MEAN WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A C D L OR SOMETHING BETTER.
WE DO OFFER C E L TRAINING TO ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED.
UM, AND WE HAVE HAD SOMEONE RECENTLY COMPLETE THAT PROGRAM, UM, MR. MITCHELL.
BUT, BUT NO, WE ARE NOT EVEN AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THE STATE NEEDS A C DT IS PAYING 20 AND WE ARE NOT THERE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE BOARD STAFF, THE C DAY
[00:55:13]
NOW, IT EFFECTIVE FROM UM, FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR THAT IN ORDER TO, IT'S GOOD THAT STARTING DATA BECAUSE THAT COST THOUSAND IF YOU WERE GET IT ON, THAT'S, THAT'S USEFUL INFORMATION.SO, UH, WE HAVE SENT, UH, OUR, WHAT WE NEEDED TO SEND TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR THEM TO APPROVE IT.
MONEY'S ALREADY STARTED COLLECTING AND IN TWO MONTHS THE COUNTY FROM THE BEST ESTIMATE IS COLLECT, NOT THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE'S COLLECTED ABOUT $5 MILLION.
SO, UH, THEY WILL REACH OUR A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PRETTY RAPIDLY.
BUT PROJECTS, UM, THAT MIGHT BE BE BENEFICIAL TO STORMWATER COULD ALSO COME THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, POSSIBLE FUNDING OR PARTIAL FUNDING SOMETHING.
AND, AND, UM, MS. SARAH'S BEEN COMING TO OUR MEETINGS SO SHE'S FULLY AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITIES, MEANS WE CAN JUST EXPAND WHAT WE CAN DO POTENTIALLY.
MAYBE THAT'S ALL I HAVE, UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME.
ANYTHING FOR OUR COUNCIL PERSON? THANK YOU.
[5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
WE MOVE INTO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE ANYTHING OUTSTANDING.
UH, IS THERE SOMETHING, WELL, I JUST ADDED IN 'CAUSE I KNOW I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THE BOARD CONSOLIDATION EFFORT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA TALK IT ON, TALK ABOUT IT UNDER UNFINISHED OR I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST PLACE YOU'RE UP THERE SO WE
SO JUST TO LET Y'ALL KNOW, THEY, AGAIN, THERE ARE THREE BOARDS THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM REPORTS TO.
STORM WATER UTILITY SOLID WASTE RECYCLING, AND KEEP BEAUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL.
AND IN WORKING TO CONTINUE ALL OF OUR IMPORTANT EFFORTS AND JOBS AND MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF REPORTING AND GROUPS WE MEET WITH, WE'VE BEEN FIGURING OUT THE BEST WAY TO CONSOLIDATE THE BOARDS INTO ONE.
UM, THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING BOARD CURRENTLY ONLY HAS TWO ACTIVE MEMBERS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE BOARD IS NO, THERE'S NEVER GONNA BE A QUORUM AT THAT LEVEL.
SO THE BOARD IS NO LONGER MEETING.
UM, THE KEEP BEFORD COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK, UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.
BUT WHAT WAS DETERMINED THROUGH THE STATE IS THAT THAT BOARD CAN MEET ON THEIR OWN.
THERE'S NO, AND THEY CAN POTENTIALLY BE A LIAISON TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD, BUT THERE'S NO REASON NE THAT'S REQUIRED THAT STAFF BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT EFFORT.
SO, UM, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE STORM WATER UTILITY.
SO I REALLY ENJOY COMING TO THIS BOARD.
I LET, I THINK THAT WE DO A GREAT JOB HERE.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE HERE IS VERY INVESTED IN OUR GOALS, AS ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE OTHER BOARDS.
I SHOULD DEFINITELY INCLUDE THAT.
SO THE PLAN WILL BE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EFFORTS OF THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING TEAM AND THE STORM WATER TEAM TO ONE COUNTY SANCTIONED BOARD.
UM, NO NAME, NO NAME DETERMINED, BUT IT WOULD BE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FOCUSED BOARD.
THEY WOULD STILL APPROVE ALL OF THE BUDGETS PROJECTS, UM, AND RECEIVE THEIR REPORTS FOR ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT THOSE TEAMS ARE, ARE DOING.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.
WELL, I I WILL GO ON THE RECORD OF, I GUESS AS FAR AS THE BOARD MEMBERS WE HAVE RIGHT HERE, I'M PROBABLY, UH, MAYBE SENIOR IN TERMS OF TIME ON THIS BOARD.
AND I PERSONALLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THAT,
[01:00:01]
UH, JOINING OF EFFORTS AND STREAMLINING GOVERNMENT WHERE WE CAN, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA FOR THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS AND THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD TO BE COMBINED.I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THEIR BOARD.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE FILLING THE SLOTS.
YEARS PAST, I WAS ASKED TO JOIN THAT BOARD AT THE SAME TIME I JOINED THIS BOARD.
BUT, UH, UH, WE, YOUR, YOUR STORM WATER UTILITY, UH, WE INSPECT THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
UH, WE PROPOSE THEY CLOSE A FEW OF THEM BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T MEET MS FOUR REGULATIONS IN THE PAST AND THEY DID, THE COUNTY CLOSED TWO OF THEM, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE COST INEFFECTIVE TO BRING THEM TO MS FOUR STANDARDS.
UH, I'M NOT SURE COMBINING THAT MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME.
I KNOW IT MAY MAKE SENSE TO THE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORTS.
I WOULD THINK THAT THE COUNTY SHOULD DO A PUSH TO FILL THAT, UH, THOSE BOARD SEATS AND, AND, AND NOTIFY THE PUBLIC THAT THEY'RE OPEN, UH, AS OPPOSED TO JUST LETTING IT GO, BASICALLY SAYING THEIR BOARD IS NON-EXISTENT OR NOT EFFECTIVE.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL COMBINE IT.
I'M NOT SURE THAT'S THE, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THE, THE BEST ARRANGEMENT FOR THE FUTURE, UH, FOR EITHER GROUP, JUST MY OPINION.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OTHER PEOPLE HERE AND THEIR THOUGHTS.
I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO SEE THE STUDY YOU DID TO SHOW THE COST EFFECTIVENESS, UH, WHAT, WHAT THE PUBLIC IS GONNA REALIZE.
ARE WE SAVING MONEY? ARE WE SAVING PERSONNEL? ARE WE COMBINING PERSONNEL? UH, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING PRESENTED, UH, YET THAT THERE WAS EVEN A STUDY AND MY MANY, MANY YEARS IN CORPORATE LIFE, BEFORE WE DID ANYTHING LIKE THIS, THERE WAS A VERY ELABORATE STUDY, UH, PRESENTED TO TOP MANAGEMENT.
AND WITHOUT THAT WE NEVER WENT FORTH.
SO I WOULD PERSONALLY, BEFORE I MAKE A COMMENT, AGREE TO IT OPPOSED TO IT, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE STUDY THAT, UH, WAS CONDUCTED.
I CAN TELL YOU THERE HAS BEEN NO STUDY.
THEN I THINK YOU GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
UM, I WOULD HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH THE WHOLE APPROACH BASED ON MY CORPORATE LIFE AND KNOWING THAT WITHOUT A STUDY YOU HAVE NOTHING.
IT'S JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND THEIR, THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS, AND IT MAY BE GOOD, IT MAY NOT, BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC DESERVES A STUDY TO, TO VERIFY THAT IT IS GONNA BE BENEFICIAL TO THE POPULATION.
SO BASICALLY YOU'VE GOT TWO NON-FUNCTIONING BOARDS.
YOU'VE GOT, YOU'RE UNDERSTAFFED RIGHT NOW AND YOU'RE HAVING TO PRESENT THREE DIFFERENT TIMES BASICALLY USING, UTILIZING THE SAME STAFF TO THOSE THREE GROUPS AND TWO THAT ARE ON FUNCTIONING.
THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME THAT, YEAH, I CAN SEE WHERE YOU PROBABLY WANNA DO SOME CONSOLIDATION.
SO THE INFORMATION PRESENTED TO EACH BOARD WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AT ONE BOARD.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE BUDGET CONFIRMATIONS, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE PROJECT APPROVALS.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE EVERYTHING THAT OCCURS AT ALL OF THOSE BOARDS OCCURRING AT A SINGULAR BOARD.
I COULD SEE THE EFFICIENCY OF THAT, AND I THINK IT WOULD DEFINITELY FREE UP YOUR TIME AND THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL TO FOCUS ON NOT HAVING TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION THREE TIMES IF IT'S ESSENTIALLY GONNA BE THE SAME INFORMATION WITH A FEW TWEAKS.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT MARK, I THINK, BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE MEMBERS ON THE BOARD SO THAT WHEN ALL THESE ISSUES COME UP, WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS TO DETERMINE WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG.
WELL THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I OPEN IT UP.
AND, AND I DON'T DISAGREE THAT THAT, THAT THE IDEA OF, OF COMBINING, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, MANAGEMENT ASSETS IS A GOOD THING.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WORK IT TAKES TO GO AND PUT THIS TOGETHER EVERY MONTH.
AND IF THEY'RE PUTTING THE SAME KIND OF EFFORT, UH, OR SOMEBODY'S PUTTING THE SAME KIND OF EFFORT BEFORE, UH, MS. HERRERA TOOK OVER, UH, THE, THE, THE, UH, CONVENIENCE CENTERS, UH, SLASH RECYCLE CENTERS.
UH, IT IT, IF, IF, IF, IF THAT MUCH EFFORT GOES INTO THAT BOARD, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE, THERE'S PROBABLY SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS OF TIME AND ENERGIES.
[01:05:01]
WE'RE SAYING IS THAT, THAT THIS BOARD WOULD MEET AND THERE'D BE 12 PEOPLE UP HERE INSTEAD OF EIGHT PEOPLE.UH, YOU KNOW, THE VAN WILLIS', YOU KNOW, HE'S GONNA BE DUAL HATING YOU DOUBLE MY PAY, I'LL DO IT.
HE'S SOLD BECAUSE YOU ATE ZERO.
YOU KNOW, AND HILTON HEAD'S GONNA BE HERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT A CONVENIENCE CENTER DOWN THERE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THE SIMILAR PLAYERS MAY NOT BE THE IDENTICAL PLAYERS IN THIS MEETING, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A SOLID WASTE CHAIRMAN SITTING HERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOLID WASTE AGAIN, CUT DOWN HALF THE MEETINGS.
BUT IT WILL JUST BE ONE CHAIRMAN.
IT'LL BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHAIR.
SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IS THAT THE BOARDS WOULD BE NOTIFIED THAT THEY WOULD BE, WE DI WE DECIDED THAT THE, IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ADMINISTRATION'S BLESSING, THAT ADMINISTRATION, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT COUNSEL, RIGHT? YES.
UM, AT LEAST THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MS. HOWARD.
UM, THE BOARDS WOULD BE NOTIFIED THAT THEY WOULD BE ENDING AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, AND THERE WOULD BE AN OPEN APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD.
AND THEN AT THAT TIME, SO THE BOARDS WOULD END DECEMBER 31ST, AND THEN JANUARY ONE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD WOULD BEGIN CONVENING, JUST TO GIVE YOU, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S OCTOBER WHEN PEOPLE ARE MADE AWARE.
'CAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO HAVE A THOROUGH VETTING PROCESS IF THAT'S THE DECISION THAT THE ADMINISTRATION MOVES FORWARD ON.
BUT THAT WOULD BE WHAT HAPPENS.
SO THE, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT, BUT STILL, I GO BACK TO MY, MY WHOLE CAREER BEFORE WE MERGED, JOINED, OR DID ANYTHING, WE STUDIED A TO Z.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T STUDIED, I I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN PROCEED WITHOUT, WITHOUT A STUDY.
WHAT IS THE COST EFFECTIVENESS? I REALIZED THE REPORT.
BUT IN OTHER AREAS, AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'M JUST THINKING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UH, JUST MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS DONE IN CORPORATE WHERE YOU JUST BOOM AND THAT'S IT WITHOUT A STUDY.
AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A STUDY WITH SOME NUMBERS AND I, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SAME TOO.
WHAT WOULD YOU, THE CO WHAT COST EFFECTIVENESS EFFECTIVENESS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE BROKEN DOWN? I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT PARAMETERS THAT YOU SHOULD BE PROVIDED.
'CAUSE THE COUNTY STAFF HAS ALREADY BEEN REORGANIZED IN, INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, SO I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT, AGAIN, I'M, I, THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF IT AND, AND MY FIRST THOUGHT IS YOU JUST DON'T COMBINE, MERGE JOIN GROUPS WITHOUT STUDYING TO SEE IF IT'S EFFECTIVE.
AND I HAVEN'T EXCEPT FOR THE, THE REPORTS THAT YOU GIVE EACH GROUP.
I HAVEN'T HEARD WHERE THE EFFECTIVENESS IS COMING.
IS THERE A LOT OF REDUNDANCY FOR EACH GROUP THAT YOU PRESENT IN THESE REPORTS? WELL, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THIS EVALUATION OF THE BOARDS IS THAT THEY'RE VERY INCONSISTENT THROUGHOUT.
SO WHAT THE STORM, WHAT THE STORMWATER BOARD DOES, AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS THE BEST BOARD, UM, IS VERY DIFFERENT
AND I HAVE STAFF THAT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM, SOLID WASTE.
UM, AND I MEAN STORM WATER, I PRETTY MUCH REPRESENT MYSELF.
BUT WHERE IF THERE'S FEEDBACK, IS IT GIVEN AND IF WHAT ARE, WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON THESE REGULATING BOARDS EVEN INVOLVED IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND SO IF TO MY TEAM IS PROVIDING INFORMATION TO GROUPS THAT ARE GIVING NOTHING IN RETURN, THEN ASIDE FROM APPROVING MY BUDGET, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE GO THROUGH? BECAUSE AGAIN, I WOULD WANNA SEE A BOARD THAT IS PRODUCTIVE AND ON BOARD WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING PROVIDES GOOD FEEDBACK, NEGATIVE FEEDBACK, WHATEVER.
BUT, UM, THERE, SO THERE'S A LOT OF INCONSISTENCIES ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, WHEN WE BEGAN DIGGING INTO THE K B C B BOARD, KEEP BEFORD COUNTY BEAUTIFUL.
WHAT WE REALIZED AT THAT POINT WAS WHAT THE BOARD WAS
[01:10:01]
ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO DO, JUST TO HELP FOSTER SOME OF THE ADOPT A HIGHWAY STUFF.SOME OF, A LOT OF WHAT THAT BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED TO DO ARE NOW RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNTY STAFF.
AND SO WE BELIEVE IN THE EFFORTS OF THAT BOARD, BUT THERE ARE ALSO RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNTY STAFF THAT WE RUN THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY KIND OF INITIALLY HELPED SET UP.
SO IS THERE A REAL NEED TO HAVE COUNTY STAFF OR THE BOARDS TEAM DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT IF THEY FUNCTION SEPARATELY? SO SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING IS VERY FOCUSED ON THEIR, THE FINANCES OF IT ALL.
WHICH OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE'S INVESTED IN THE FINANCE OF THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY, UM, AND I HAVE LESS WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THAT BOARD BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT MET DUE TO MEMBERSHIP ISSUES.
UM, THEIR, THEY'RE, THEY, THEY THERE'S JUST NO, THE BOARD'S THERE TO SUPPORT STAFF AND THAT BOARD RIGHT NOW IS NOT IN SUPPORT OF STAFF.
IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS YOU FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL CAPACITY YOU WILL HAVE IF YOU'RE NOT SPENDING TIME PREPARING FOR THOSE OTHER BOARD MEETINGS THAT OF TWO BOARDS THAT BASICALLY DON'T HAVE QUORUMS. MM-HMM.
LET, LET ME JUST SAY FROM, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I, WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT WE DO HERE, WE, WE WERE CREATED BECAUSE OF, I BELIEVE, UH, UH, TWO ASPECTS.
ONE, ONE IS, UH, WE ARE SUPPORTED BY A FEE AND NOT A TAX.
UH, ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND NOW RECENTLY BECAUSE OF DECALS AND, AND, AND I DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY DECALS, BUT PROBABLY SOMEDAY THEY WILL BE PURCHASING DECALS TO TAKE THE STUFF TO THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
SO THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN FINANCIAL, UH, PIECE.
BUT BECAUSE WE WERE A FEE AND NOT A TAX AND WE WERE NOT FUNDED BY THE GENERAL FUND, THOSE IN, IN POWER FELT THAT SOMEBODY NEEDED TO BE THE OMS OMBUDSMAN FOR THE PUBLIC FOR THESE FEES BECAUSE THEY BASICALLY WORK OUTSIDE OF THE, THE BASIC COUNTY BUDGET STRUCTURE.
SO THIS BOARD WAS, WAS FORMED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE GOT, UH, WHAT THEY EXPECTED OUT OF THOSE FEES BECAUSE IT WASN'T A TAX AND DIDN'T GO INTO THE GENERAL TREASURY.
SO THAT'S MY POINT, THAT THIS WAS CREATED FOR A SPECIFIC REASON.
AND NOW YOU'RE MIXING A LITTLE BIT.
I, I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE TIME THAT I THINK THEY CAN PUT NUMBERS BEHIND AND SHOW THE SAVINGS.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO THAT PRETTY SIMPLE, UH, AND SHOW A SAVINGS, BUT IT'S THE, THE VANGUARD OF WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, WHY WE WERE CREATED HAS, WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MARK AND I, AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT PARADIGM SHIFT AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE STREAMLINING.
IF, IF, IF THIS IS GONNA MOVE FORWARD, NO DOUBT AND BE PRODUCTIVE, NO DOUBT IT WOULD STILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT BOARD TO ENSURE THE PROPER MANAGEMENT OF THAT FEE THAT IS NOT GOING AWAY.
I PUT A LOT MORE THERE, THERE, OBVIOUSLY, IT'D BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN ONUS ON THE BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE OF DIVERSITY OF WHAT THEY WOULD'VE TO DEAL WITH, LIKE YOU SAID, A FEE STRUCTURE, TAX STRUCTURE, AND THE BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE GONNA BE CONCERNED WITH ALL OF THOSE.
I I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'D CREATE SUBCOMMITTEES, LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GO OUT, LIKE WE WE'RE SAYING, WE NEED TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S GETTING THEIR BANG FOR THEIR BUCK.
SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO GO LOOK AT CONVENIENCE CENTERS AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS REALLY POORLY RUN.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING THEIR MONEY'S WORTH OR THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, NOT ALL A NEGATIVE, IT'S, IT CAN BE POSITIVE, BUT SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO GO DO THAT.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT, IT ALL, IT FITS UNDER A, A, A WORD ENVIRONMENTAL UMBRELLA THAT I ASSUME THAT, EXCUSE ME.
THAT, THAT THE COUNTY'S TRYING TO, TO SHIFT THE PARADIGM, AS YOU SAID, RIGHT, RIGHT.
TO MORE ALL ENVIRONMENTAL VERSUS SEGMENTED.
THEY WENT TO THE NEW UMBRELLA ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM.
WE WOULD FALL UNDER THAT PROGRAM, UM, SOLID WASTEFUL FALL UNDER THAT PROGRAM, ALONG WITH ALL THE LITTLE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF OVERSEE.
[01:15:01]
DEPARTMENT FROM WHAT WE ARE TODAY AND WHAT THIS BOARD WAS CREATED FOR.IF
IF THERE WAS A SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT OR MANAGER THAT JUST CAME TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD AND PRESENTED JUST LIKE YOU DO AS A PART OF OUR MEETINGS MM-HMM.
SO THERE WOULD BE, I I'M IMAGINING A SECTION WHERE THE STORM, THE STORM WATER PROGRAM MANAGER GIVES THEIR UPDATES.
THAT WOULD BE ALL INCLUSIVE OF WHAT WE NEED TO REPORT ON.
AND AGAIN, THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE REPORT NOW THAT YOU'RE LIKE, I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD RATHER HEAR ABOUT X, Y, Z MEAT AND POTATOES.
UM, SAME THING WITH THE SOLID WASTE BOARD.
THE PROGRAM MANAGER WOULD PROVIDE THEIR UPDATES.
THAT'S ALSO A PROGRAM BASED ON A FEE, UM, FROM, ON THE TAX BILL.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFIT TO, TO COMBINING IN LIKE WHAT YOU MENTIONED, HAVING EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS BE AT THE TABLE AT THE SAME TIME.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE A LOT OF EFFORTS THAT THE SOLID WASTE TEAM WOULD LIKE TO BE MAKING WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITIES, BUT THERE'S NO, WE, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE SUPPORT IS THERE FOR LIKE, HOW WE HAVE IT AT THE UTILITY BOARD.
SO IT MAKES SENSE FOR VAN TO CONTINUE TO BE AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER JUST VOLUNTEERED YOU BECAUSE VAN'S THE TOWN MANAGER.
SO VAN HAS ALL ASPECTS OF THAT.
WE, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER TOWN MANAGER AS AN EX-OFFICIO.
AS AN EX-OFFICIO, I DON'T, WELL IDEALLY THAT WOULD BE A HIGHER ROLE WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITIES LEVEL.
SO SOMEONE THAT HAS THAT OVERSIGHT OF MORE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS OVERALL.
'CAUSE THERE ARE CONTRACTS, THERE ARE DEALINGS WITH BOTH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT REQUIRE INPUT AND SHOULD HAVE INPUT FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES.
SO REALLY WE'RE JUST TAKING THIS BOARD AND ADDING A BUNCH MORE MUSCLES.
BUT AGAIN, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO, I HAVE IT THIS TIME.
FIELD THEM, YOU GUYS SPEAK UP.
THE DISTRICTS FOR SOLID WASTE AND STORMWATER ARE BOTH THE SAME.
THEY'RE, SO THERE'S NO CHANGE IN DISTRICTING.
THEY DON'T ALIGN WITH THE VOTING DISTRICTS
UM, SO THE PLAN WOULD BE TO EMULATE THE STRUCTURE OF THAT, THE BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEN HAVE THE MUNICIPALITIES REPRESENTED AS A, WITH EX OFFICIOS AS WELL.
HAVE YOU ALREADY, HAVE YOU ALREADY STRUCTURED OUT ON PUT PEN TO PAPER TO WHAT YOU ENVISION GOING FORWARD? I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE IDEAS OF WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF DOING? AND THIS KIND OF GOES IN LINE WITH WHAT HE'S SAYING HERE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOING A LITTLE BACKGROUND RESEARCH JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE COGS IN THIS CAN ACTUALLY FUNCTION WELL GIVEN THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE TO COLLATE AND THE INFORMATION THAT ANY INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YES, WE CAN SEE LIKE ALMOST LIKE A WHITE PAPER ON, ON WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE.
'CAUSE WE WON'T MEET AGAIN UNTIL OCTOBER.
SO THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY CHUNKS OF EACH ORDINANCE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CORRELATED.
UM, SO THAT ALL THE MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE BEING MET BY THAT BOARD.
UM, WE HAVE REQUESTED FEEDBACK FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE SOLID WASTE BOARD TO GIVE US WHAT THEY WANNA SEE.
'CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S VERY, THEIR REPORTING IS VERY FINANCIAL DRIVEN.
WHEREAS I WOULD THINK I'D, I WOULD WANNA SEE AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, THE ACTUAL TONNAGE AND EFFORTS THAT THE CREWS ARE DOING, THAT THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS ARE WORKING THROUGH.
LIKE, THERE'S A COST TO ASSOCIATED WITH EVERYTHING.
BUT WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL REDUCTIONS AND TONNAGES OR INCREASES TO RECYCLING? WHAT IS DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR OUR COMMUNITY? WHAT ARE THE EFFORTS THAT THE ADOPT A HIGHWAY TEAMS ARE MAKING? UM, AGAIN, THAT WOULD ALL BE FUNNELED THROUGH THEM.
I CAN TELL YOU AS, AS A LEADER OF AN ADOPT A HIGHWAY GROUP FOR FIVE YEARS, UH, WE, UH, HAVE VERY LITTLE, UH, INTERACTION.
UH, WE GOT, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN ADOPT THE HIGHWAY GROUPS GET STARTED, THEY GET SOME OVERSIGHT, UH, UH, BY THE COUNTY REP RIGHT AFTER THAT.
[01:20:01]
SUPPLIES, RIGHT? THAT'S IT.WE GO PICK UP OUR BAGS, OUR FIRST AID KIT, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TO GO AROUND.
SO WE SHARE THEM AND THE SIGNAGE FOR THE HIGHWAY, UH, THAT'S ABOUT IT.
AND THEN WE DROP THEM BACK OFF AFTER OUR CLEANUPS.
THAT'S ABOUT THE TOTAL INTERACTION, EXCEPT ONCE A YEAR WHEN THEY ANNOUNCE WHICH TEAMS WIN THE BEST PICKUP GROUP OF THE YEAR, WHICH WE WON IN 2022, BY THE WAY.
UH, BUT WAS NOT ANNOUNCED BECAUSE THE PERSON LEFT THE, UH, A POSITION.
BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT FOR THE COUNTY'S INVOLVEMENT IN THAT.
I GOTTA TELL YOU, OTHER THAN THE STARTUP.
ONCE, ONCE A GROUP STARTS UP, THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT.
NOW WHETHER THERE NEEDS TO BE, IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
I WOULD RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THAT OPINION.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES ON AT THE COUNTY LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROGRAM IS RUNNING.
AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO, FOR STATE COMPLIANCE, FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY, THEY, THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORT.
THEY USE THE MONEY TO BUY THE SUPPLIES.
AGAIN, HAVING RUN THE PROGRAM FOR FIVE YEARS, I'M COMMITTED TO IT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE, MEANING THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE WORK, INTERACT WITH THE COUNTY.
NOW BEHIND THE SCENES, THE COUNTY MAY SPEND SOME HOURS IN THAT REALM.
AND AGAIN, FROM A HISTORICAL STANDPOINT, THEY REALLY WANTED TO, UH, THEY FELT THAT THESE PICKUP GROUPS, UH, WOULD DIMINISH THEIR AMOUNT OF WORK THEY NEEDED TO DO IF THE COUNTY WENT TO CURBSIDE PICKUP AND THEY CLOSED ALL THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
AND THAT WAS A MOVEMENT FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO WITHIN THE COUNTY, AND IT WAS VOTED DOWN RIGHT BY COUNCIL.
SO THERE, THERE, THERE, THERE ARE OPTIONS, UH, TO THE CONVENIENT CENTERS.
BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT FITS ANYWHERE WITH STORMWATER.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT TRYING TO FIT IT INTO STORMWATER, IT'S MAKING IT ALL ENVIRONMENTAL.
I I AGREE THAT IT DOES HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT IS COMBINED ALL INTO ONE? I HAVE NOT DONE THAT RESEARCH.
IT'D BE NICE TO SEE THAT, SEE IF IT WORKED OR IT DIDN'T WORK.
OR, OR EVEN SOMETHING SIMILAR WITHIN THE STATE.
YEAH, I DO KNOW CITY, COUNTY, ANYTHING TO SHOW WHERE IT WORKED, WHAT FAILURE THEY HAD, HOW THEY CORRECTED IT.
IT, UH, YOU, YOU PLAN, YOU CHECK YOUR PLAN, YOU INITIATE, AND THEN YOU SAY, OOPS, AND YOU MAKE A CORRECTION.
UM, MOST LARGE CORPORATIONS DO THAT WITHIN THE PROGRAM.
I, I THINK GOES BACK TO MY, WHAT'S THE COST? UM, YOU KNOW, YOU TYPICALLY LOOK AT THE MARKETPLACE ON THE CORPORATE SIDE AND SAY, HAS ANYONE TRIED THIS? DID IT WORK? WHAT HAPPENED? I THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE IT TO THAT, EVEN IF IT MEANS DELAY INTO THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR BEFORE THE IMPLEMENTATION.
I THINK WE NEED SOME FACTS AND INFORMATION.
AND I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS THE SAME INFORMATION.
I I THINK IT WOULD BE, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
I REALLY DO UNDERSTAND WITH THE BUDGET AND WITH THE MANPOWER ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT I, I THINK IT, AS I'M SITTING HERE CONTEMPLATING AND LISTENING THESE COMMENTS, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE FAIRLY AGGRESSIVE TO TRY AND GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED BY ONE JANUARY WITH NOT ONLY THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE, BUT WITH SOME OTHER MEMBERS THAT THE OTHER BOARDS HAVE.
AND OBVIOUSLY WITH COUNTY COUNCIL WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE AS FAR AS QUESTIONS.
BUT I DO THINK, AND AND I AGREE THERE, IT DOES NEED TO BE A LITTLE RESEARCH GOING FORWARD.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S A WHITE PAPER TYPE OF THING.
WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF, WHAT OTHER COMPARABLE SIZE COUNTIES THROUGHOUT SOUTH CAROLINA HAVE, IF THEY'VE TRIED IT, IF IT'S WORKED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BUILD EVERYTHING FROM THE GROUND UP.
I'M, I'M A, I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF STEALING FROM FOLKS.
LET'S JUST USE THEIR IDEAS YEAH.
AND THEN GO FORWARD WITH THEM.
SO I AGREE WITH YOU, IT MIGHT NOT BE THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT PERHAPS THIS, THIS FISCAL YEAR.
IT MIGHT VERY WELL BE AN OPTION.
BUT I THINK THERE IS SOME DUE DILIGENCE AND RESEARCH THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
MS. HOWARD, CAN I DEFER THAT TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION STAFF? CAN I DEFER THE BOARD RESEARCH ACROSS THE STATE TO THE, I'M
[01:25:01]
SORRY.THE ONLY PLACE THAT I KNOW OF, 'CAUSE I HAVE WORKED VERY FAMILIARLY WITH STORMWATER PROGRAMS IN THE SOUTHEAST THAT THEY'VE COMBINED SOLID WASTE AND STORMWATER IS THE CITY OF CHATTANOOGA.
UM, I, I'LL ASK, BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW, I MEAN, IN MY EXPERIENCE, EVEN AT THE STATE LEVEL, GOING TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR MANAGERS, FOR STORMWATER MANAGERS THAT EVEN OTHER PLACES HAVE UTILITY BOARDS.
IT'S, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE HOW MANY OF 'EM ARE, ARE, ARE ALLOCATED FUNDS THROUGH FEES AS OPPOSED TO GENERAL TAXES THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF IN THE STATE THERE.
YEAH, THERE ARE PLENTY OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT IMPLEMENT THE STORMWATER FEE, BUT HOW THEY REGULATE AT THEIR MUNICIPAL LEVEL, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD INSTITUTES A FEE, BUT IT'S MANAGED BY THE COUNTY.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN UTILITY BOARD.
SO IT, IT, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
AGAIN, I HAVE THAT STATE MEETING AT IN COLUMBIA ON THE 7TH OF SEPTEMBER, SO I'LL DEFINITELY RAISE MY HAND TO ASK THAT QUESTION TO THE CROWD.
YEAH, I THINK WE'D ALL LIKE TO SEE SOME, SOME INFORMATION ON IT.
I THINK WE, WE KNOW WHERE WE NEED TO GO AT THIS STAGE, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, UH, AND WE COMMUNICATE THAT BACK TO NEIL.
UH, ANYTHING MORE FROM YOU GUYS? I SAID ALL HERE.
DOES ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WANT TO COMMENT? 'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE AT THE PLACE WHERE PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT HILTON HEAD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REPRESENTED HERE.
ANY COMMENT? ANY BUFORD? BUFORD.
ANYTHING FROM BUFORD? PARDON? ANY COMMENT ON THIS? ANYTHING ELSE FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? OKAY.
[8. NEXT MEETING AGENDA]
NOW WE HAVE, UH, THE NEXT MEETING AGENDA.UH, ON THE BACK OF YOUR CURRENT AGENDA, IT SAYS THAT IT'S HERE ON OCTOBER 18TH.
UH, NOTWITHSTANDING A CHANGE IN VENUE.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE NEXT MEETING AGENDA? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.