[00:00:01]
CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.ALRIGHT, Y'ALL ARE SCARING ME TODAY.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
[1. CALL TO ORDER ]
AHEAD AND GET THE, UH, FINANCE ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, MEETING STARTED.IT IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, UM, 3:00 PM UM, IF
[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ]
EVERYONE COULD STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FIGHT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
AND I WOULD ASK FOR SOMEONE TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA TODAY.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
MOTION.UM, ANY, UH, DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE'LL APPROVE IT WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - July 26, 2023]
APPROVED OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.I WOULD ASK ALSO FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM JULY 26TH.
SOMEONE CAN MAKE THAT MOTION, PLEASE.
I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION MR. PASSMAN.
I ACTUALLY READ 'EM, SO I'LL SECOND IT.
UM, SO IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE'LL APPROVE THOSE WITHOUT OBJECTION SEEING NO OBJECTION.
[6. CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD]
A CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD.UH, SPEAKERS WILL ADDRESS COUNSEL IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER, APPROPRIATE TO THE DECORUM OF THE MEETING.
REFRAINING FROM THE USE OF PROFANE, ABUSIVE, OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY'S RULES OF PROCEDURES.
GIVING A A SPEAKER'S TIME TO ANOTHER IS NOT ALLOWED.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE IN OUR AUDIENCE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING OUR THREE MINUTE, UH, CITIZENS COMMENT? AND IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE THAT WE HAVE SIGNED UP? ANY PLACE ELSE, MS. BRIAN? NOPE.
[7. DIVISION UPDATE FROM ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S]
ON OUR AGENDA IS DIVISION UPDATE FROM ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UM, MR. DALE BUTTS AND PATRICK HILL.SO, MR. BUTTS, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, JUST A BRIEF REMINDER FROM ME, AND THEN PATRICK'S GOING TO TALK TO YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT, UH, SOME CYBERSECURITY STUFF.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD MENTIONED BEFORE, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE AT OUR COUNTY LIBRARIES, UM, BEGINNING IN EARLY OCTOBER.
SO I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THAT.
UH, THOSE WILL BE HOSTED BY OUR COUNTY ASSESSORS DEPARTMENT, LASTING FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM AT, AT, UH, EACH OF THE BRANCHES WHERE THOSE WILL BE TAKING PLACE.
IT'LL GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE, UH, STAFF OF THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND EXPRESS ANY CONCERNS REGARDING THE, UH, REASSESSMENT NOTICES, WHICH WERE MAILED OUT AUGUST 25TH.
UM, THE RESPONSE TO THOSE NOTICES THUS FAR HAS BEEN PLEASANTLY LOW, UH, POSSIBLY IN PART TO THE EDUCATION EVENTS AT A GOOD NUMBER OF COUNCIL, UM, HOSTED IN YOUR VARIOUS DISTRICTS FOR THAT ASSESSOR, EBONY SANDERS WISHES TO EXPRESS, UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE DO STILL NEED YOUR HELP IN SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT THESE, UH, EVENTS, HOWEVER, AND, UH, WE'RE ALSO DOING THE SAME THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA COUNTY'S WEBSITE, B C T V AND LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS.
UH, MRS. SANDERS TELLS ME THAT HER OFFICE HAS RECEIVED 574 APPEALS TO THIS POINT, WHICH IS LOW COMPARED TO PRIOR COUNTYWIDE REASSESSMENTS.
HOWEVER, WE DO EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO RISE ONCE, UH, TAX BILLS GO OUT.
IF SOMEONE WANTED TO APPEAL THEIR, UM, HOW WOULD THEY DO THAT? WHAT'S GO TO THE WEBSITE? THEY CAN DO THAT.
THEY CAN DO THAT, UH, THROUGH THE WEBSITE.
JUST TO GO TO, UH, TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY WEBSITE AND GO TO THE ASSESSOR'S DEPARTMENT AND YOU'LL SEE ALL THAT RIGHT THERE.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. BUTTS? NO, JUST TO COMMENT, UH, WHEN EBONY WAS GOING AROUND MAKING THE PRESENTATION ABOUT REASSESSMENT, SHE ALSO ILLUSTRATED EXACTLY THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE FOR ANYONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS OR WANTS TO, UM, HAVE THEIR BILL LOOKED AT.
MR. HILL, DID YOU ALLOW ME TO MAKE A COMMENT? I, I, I THOUGHT I, I KIND HEAR, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MINUTES AFTER THREE.
WE ALL, I DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM HILTON.
I JUST, IF, IF YOU WOULD HONOR ME AND JUST, I, IN FACT, I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES.
[00:05:01]
YOU JUST ASKING, UM, LET MR. HILL GO HERE AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE MINUTE.I'M THE A C A FOR COMMUNICATIONS IN IT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON A COUPLE THINGS WE'VE GOT GOING ON.
UH, ONE THING I WANTED TO SHARE WAS THAT, UH, WE RECEIVED THE RESULTS OF OUR NATIONWIDE CYBERSECURITY REVIEW.
AND THIS IS FOR ALL STATES AND ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
UH, AND IT'S DESIGNED TO MEASURE GAPS AND THE CAPABILITIES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CYBERSECURITY PROGRAMS. IT'S BASED ON THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGIES CYBERSECURITY FRAMEWORK, JUST SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS NIST.
UM, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE SCORE IS FIVE.
UH, OUR SCORE WAS A SIX AND THE HIGH IS A SEVEN.
SO WE WERE ABOVE AVERAGE ON THAT, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC.
UM, BECAUSE WE'VE MADE IMPROVEMENTS AND SOME CYBERSECURITY ENHANCEMENTS, WE HAVE SEEN OUR, OUR SCORE EACH YEAR, UM, INCREASE.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE OUR OVERALL CYBERSECURITY SCORE WAS, UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING THIS MONTH IS SOME DATA LOSS, UM, PROTECTION POLICIES.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS ALLOWS US TO CREATE POLICIES WITHIN OUR, OUR, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL PREVENT THE ACCIDENTAL LEAKAGE OF PRIVILEGED INFORMATION, SUCH AS HIPAA OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.
UH, BY IMPLEMENTING THESE POLICIES, UM, IF A USER TRIES TO EMAIL A DOCUMENT OR, OR EMAIL OR SHARE A DOCUMENT THAT'S GOT SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION OUTSIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION, AND THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO DO SO, UH, THE SYSTEM WILL PROGRAMMATICALLY, PROGRAMMATICALLY BLOCK THEM FROM DOING THAT.
UH, SO WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING THAT, UH, THIS MONTH.
ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TOO, REAL QUICK, WAS THAT, UM, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED, AND WE ARE IN FULL SWING OF OUR FOIA XERO SYSTEM.
UM, SINCE WE'VE MIGRATED AND UPGRADED OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO A MORE CLOUD-BASED, UM, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NEW FOIA SYSTEM CALLED XERO.
OUR PREVIOUS FOIA SYSTEM WAS, WAS JUST A MANUAL PROCESS, RIGHT? WE WOULD HAVE TO GO AROUND AND COLLECT DATA FROM DIFFERENT SERVERS.
WELL, SINCE WE MOVED EVERYTHING TO THE CLOUD, IT'S, IT'S NOT AS EASY ANY ANYMORE.
SO, UH, XERO IS A CLOUD-BASED PLATFORM THAT'LL GO OUT, SEARCH ALL OF OUR DATA SETS FOR WHATEVER QUERY IS INPUTTED, UH, BY RECORDS MANAGEMENT, AND, UH, RETURN THE RESULTS, UM, TO RECORDS MANAGEMENT TO BE DISSEMINATED, UM, TO THE USERS.
UH, XERO IS, IS EXTREMELY POWERFUL, BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT, IT DOESN'T SEARCH ALL OF OUR DATA SETS, RIGHT? SO, UH, WE STILL HAVE TO QUERY STAFF TO PERFORM FOIA.
UM, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT IS, IS WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL TEXT MESSAGES FROM CELL PHONES.
WE HAVE NO MECHANISM IN PLACE TO DO THAT.
SO WE STILL REQUIRE THE USERS TO DO THAT.
UH, SO WHEN A FOIA COMES IN FOR, FOR A DATA SET THAT XERO CAN'T QUERY, THEN WE REACH OUT TO THE USER AND EXPECT THE USER TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
SO, UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, WE DO HAVE CYBERSECURITY INSURANCE, UH, TO HELP PROTECT US IN CASE THERE'S A RANSOMWARE EVENT, AND THAT IS DONE THROUGH TOKYO MARINE.
AND, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S IT FOR MY UPDATE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? MR. HILL? YES.
UM, I WAS AT A CONFERENCE THE OTHER DAY AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A D A COMPLIANCE OF WEBSITES.
WHICH WAS LIKE, HMM, DO WE HAVE SUCH ABILITY? UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU GO ON A PARTICULAR WEBSITE THEY HAVE ON THEIR WEBSITE OF AN ICON THAT YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT AND IT WILL SAY, ARE YOU HEARING IMPAIRED? ARE YOU COLORBLIND? UH, CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH WILL ALLOW YOU TO MANIPULATE THE WEBSITE DIFFERENTLY THAN THE NORMAL PERSON WOULD DO.
UM, I DO BELIEVE WE DO HAVE SOME A D A, UH, CAPABILITIES ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, I WOULD HAVE TO GET WITH THE WEB ADMINISTRATOR.
I KNOW HE WAS MAKING ENHANCEMENTS TO THAT FEATURE PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO.
UM, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO GET WITH HIM TO SEE HOW LONG OR HOW FAR ALONG WE ARE WITH THAT.
BUT I COULD SEND THAT TO YOU IN AN EMAIL.
SO, FOR CLARIFICATION, IF A FOER REQUEST WANTS TO KNOW MY TEXT MESSAGES, YOU CAN'T GIVE HIM THAT.
YOU HAVE TO CONTACT ME TO DO THAT.
AND I HAVE, EVEN IF IT'S THE COUNTY MANAGEMENT.
EVEN IF IT'S THE COUNTY PHONE.
EVEN IF IT'S THE COUNTY PHONE, WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO THAT.
MR. HILL, I, I KNOW I'VE ASKED YOU THIS QUESTION BEFORE.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT RANSOM AND ATTACKS AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
[00:10:01]
NEED, WHETHER IT'S WHATEVER RESOURCES IT IS, WHETHER IT'S MONEY OR WHATEVER IT IS TO PROTECT THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, WE PUT YOU ON THE SPOT TO, TO HAVE YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION.AND I ASKED THAT QUESTION TO YOU LOTS OF TIMES BEFORE.
UH, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN VERY GRACIOUS TO GET US ALL THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT THE COUNTY AND CITIZEN DATA, UH, AS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE ALWAYS UNDER ATTACK.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, UM, SPARTANBURG COUNTY WAS ATTACKED RECENTLY AND THEY WERE DOWN FOR A WHILE.
UM, BUT I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT, THAT I HAVE THE COUNSEL THAT I HAVE, UM, BECAUSE, UH, THE RESOURCES ARE THERE FOR US.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. BROWN? YOU SAID WE'RE INSURED BY, UH, TOKYO.
WHAT, WHERE IS THAT? IS THAT JAPAN? UM, KYLE JACKSON, OUR RISK MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR ASKED HIM TO STOP BY IN CASE YOU HAD THAT VERY QUESTION.
I'M RISK MANAGEMENT FOR THE COUNTY.
AND SO THEY WENT OUT AND FOUND A NEW MARKET.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUR BROKER FOR OUR WORKERS' COMP, OUR AIRPORTS, OUR, OUR BOND.
AND, UH, I WANNA SAY THEY'RE OWNED BY, UH, IT'S JUST BY MINE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
I THINK THEY'RE A HUNDRED PLUS YEAR OLD NOW.
BUT WE, WE, WE HAD ANOTHER CARRIER LAST YEAR AND WE WERE PAYING MORE.
WE SWITCHED TO THEM THIS YEAR.
UH, WE GOT HIGHER SUB LIMITS AND LITTLE COST.
SO IT'S, IT'S GOING WELL SO FAR.
MR. JACKSON, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I THINK YOU'VE, UH, PRESENTED TO US AS, AND YOU'RE THE RISK MANAGER FOR THE COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR COMING, PATRICK.
ALRIGHT, MR. HOLIN, SINCE WE HAVE NOT GONE INTO OUR AGENDA ITEMS, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE FORM ON THIS FOR ME.
WE DIDN'T START, WE DIDN'T START EARLY.
WELL, I, I, I, I, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WAS THAT QUICK.
I NEVER WOULD'VE IMAGINED, BUT SO SORRY.
UM, LEMME TELL YOU A QUICK STORY,
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I WON AND SCARED EVERYBODY TO DEATH.
AND THE, THE ENTIRE BOARD AND THE PRESIDENT WAS OUSTED AND THEY WERE REPLACED, UH, WITH OTHER HONEST, UH, PEOPLE WHO, LIKE ME, BELIEVED IN TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE RESULT WAS THAT I NO LONGER HAD TO ATTEND MEETINGS.
I DIDN'T MAKE YOU NEED TO STAND UP, MAKE SPEECHES, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO FILE LAWSUITS, BECAUSE NOW WE FREELY GET TO SEE WHATEVER WE WANT WHEN WE SUBMIT A FOIA OR JUST ASK FOR THE INFORMATION.
WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE BANKING.
WE HAVE THE TAXPAYERS OR THE ASSOCIATION MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO EVERYTHING.
SO LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE RESULT OF THAT WAS.
COMPARING THAT H O A TO OUR GOVERNMENT, THE RESULT WAS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM NOW IS FIGURING OUT WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE HAPPY HOUR.
SO MY POINT IS THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING HAPPY HOUR WITH EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL, BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET FULL TRANSPARENCY, MOST OF US DON'T EVEN HAVE TO EVEN BE HERE.
I DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE BECAUSE I CAN GET WHATEVER I WANT.
I DON'T HAVE TO COME HERE AND ASK FOR IT OR THREATEN TO SUE OR WHATEVER.
SO, I THINK YOU'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I THINK Y'ALL ARE HONESTLY TRYING.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE UP HERE.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
MAKE SURE YOU CONTINUE WITH THE FORENSIC AUDITS.
MAKE SURE YOU FORCE EVERYBODY FOR TRANSPARENCY, AND I PROMISE YOU, YOU WILL GAIN A LOT OF RESPECT AND YOU'LL BE, PEOPLE WILL BE BEGGING YOU TO RUN FOR OFFICE AND VERSUS TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO BOOT YOU FROM OFFICE.
SO, I I, I, I THINK WE HAVE A FEW BAD APPLES ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TELL WHO THOSE BAD APPLES ARE BY THE WAY THEY VOTE AND THEY, THE WAY THEY ACT AND THE WAY THEY WANT TO HIDE.
AND THEY'LL REVEAL THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO VOTE.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CALL 'EM OUT AND ASK 'EM WHY THEY DID THAT.
I'D ALSO LIKE KEVIN AND, UH, HOLBERT TO DEVELOP, UH, TAX RECIPIENT AGREEMENTS, CONTRACTS FOR THE CHAMBERS, THE DMO, ANY NONPROFITS THAT RECEIVE OUR TAX MONEY, LET'S MAKE 'EM SIGN CONTRACTS, SPELLING OUT THE LEGAL USE OF TAX FUNDS AND HOW THAT, HOW THOSE FUNDS MUST BE REPORTED.
HOW'D I DO YOU, YOU DID YOU 30 SECONDS LEFT.
I LIKE THE KINDLER GENTLER, MR. HOLA.
[8. DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION OF YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS]
UM, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS. UM, AND THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE IS NUMBER EIGHT ON OUR AGENDA.
AND THAT IS DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION OF YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
[00:15:01]
AND MS. CHRISTMAS, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HANDLE THIS FOR US.IS THAT OUR TRANSPARENCY? ALL RIGHT, SO, SORRY.
I JUST MADE ONE FINAL CHANGE TO THE POWERPOINT THAT I, THAT I SENT, THAT I SENT OUT TO INCLUDE OUR TRANSPARENCY LINK TO OUR, TO THE SOCRATA WEBSITE, WHICH IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, SO THAT'S A, A SMALL CHANGE I JUST MADE TO THE POWERPOINT, BUT IF YOU COULD THROW UP THE ORIGINAL, THERE YOU GO.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GET RIGHT INTO IT THEN.
SO THESE ARE FINANCIALS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR SO FAR, JULY AND AUGUST.
AND, UM, THIS IS FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
SO THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
SO TO DATE, OUT OF OUR $146,645,728 BUDGET, WE HAVE EXPENDED $16.9 MILLION, WHICH IS 11.77% OF OUR BUDGET SO FAR THIS YEAR.
AND WE ARE 16 POINT, THIS IS, THIS REPORT IS AT 16.6% OF THE YEAR ELAPSED.
OUR REVENUE COLLECTED IS 5.5 MILLION, WHICH IS ONLY 3.85%, BUT THAT'S DUE TO OUR TAX NOTICES NOT BEING MAILED OUT YET.
AND EVERY COUNTY EXPERIENCES, UM, A SLOW JULY AND AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, UH, FIRST QUARTER OF EACH YEAR.
SO YOU'LL SEE IN THIS PICTURE THAT THE PERCENTAGES ARE BY FUNCTION IN THE COUNTY.
SO CULTURE AND REC HAS SPENT, OF THE 11.77% EXPENDED, THEY ARE 1.02%.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS AT 4.7% PUBLIC WORKS, ONE PUBLIC HEALTH, LESS THAN ONE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, 4.9 PUBLIC WELFARE, REALLY LOW.
AND, UM, AND THAT'S A SUMMARY OF ALL OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNTY, UH, FOR JULY AND AUGUST.
AND DENISE, EXCUSE ME, CAN YOU, UH, ANY OF THAT BE SHARED ON THE SCREEN SO PEOPLE WHO ARE ONLINE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE THAT? YES.
CAN YOU SEE IT? LARRY? CAN YOU SEE IT? OH, NO, HE MUST NOT SEE IT.
LARRY, WHAT DO YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN? ANISE AND THE AUDIENCE OH, OH.
AND I THINK BRENNA SENT IT TO YOU, LARRY.
SO WE'RE ON THE THIRD SLIDE OF THE POWERPOINT AND IT'S OUR REVENUE SLIDE.
SO OF THE 16.6% OF THE YEAR THAT'S LAST LAPSED, WE HAVE COLLECTED 3.85% OF OUR REVENUE TO DATE, UH, CHARGES FOR SERVICES THERE IS COMING IN AT 23.98% OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS ABOVE WHERE WE SHOULD BE AT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S DUE TO THE SALE OF PROPERTY OR TRANSFERS OF REAL ESTATE.
SO THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OFFICE IS, UM, TO CREDIT FOR THAT.
SO THIS IS AN ANALYSIS OR A SUMMARY REALLY, OF THE REVENUE TO DATE.
WE'VE NOT MAILED OUT THE TAX NOTICES, LIKE I SAID.
UH, TALKED WITH OUR AUDITOR THIS AFTERNOON AND WE'RE LOOKING AT EARLY NOVEMBER.
UM, THE STATE NORMALLY IS ABOUT TWO MONTHS BEHIND AND, AND IT'S REMITTANCE TO US.
SO WE SHOULD START SEEING OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE AROUND NOW OR NEXT MONTH.
SO AT, AT THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING, HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE SOME NUMBERS THERE.
UH, CHARGES FOR SERVICES, LIKE I SAID, THE REGISTERED DEEDS OFFICE.
UM, AND THEN THE INTEREST HAS NOT BEEN ALLOCATED OR POSTED FOR JULY NOR AUGUST YET.
BUT THAT SHOULD BE POSTED AT OUR NEXT MEETING, BY OUR NEXT MEETING.
SO THE EXPENDITURES, UM, AGAIN, JUST A RECAP OF THOSE.
UM, WE'VE HAD, WE HAD ONE INTRA DEPARTMENTAL TRANSFER IN THE GENERAL FUND THIS YEAR.
AND IT WAS FOR THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
IT WAS FOR TWO VACANCIES THAT THEY FILLED, UM, EARLY JULY.
SO THAT TRANSFER CAME FROM THE PAYROLL CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT, WHICH WAS NOT IN HER DEPARTMENT.
[00:20:01]
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S AN INTRA DEPARTMENT.SORRY, INTRA DEPARTMENT TRANSFER.
UM, SO THE TOTAL EXPENDED TO DATE, 16.9 MILLION OF OUR 143.6 MILLION.
AND THAT'S JUST EXACTLY WHAT I JUST SAID.
UH, ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE TRENDING ON TARGET WITH SPENDING.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A DEFICIT OF 11.3 MILLION FOR JULY AND AUGUST.
UM, LIKE I SAID, AS MOST COUNTIES DO THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY REVENUE IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND OR WE HAVE, BUT THE TAXES HAVEN'T BEEN POSTED YET.
SO THIS YEAR WILL BE THE FIRST YEAR THAT I'M, THAT I'M AWARE OF.
I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE A SHORT TIME, BUT I WAS TOLD IN THE PAST THAT THE MILLAGE AND THE OMENTUM TAX SYSTEM, THAT WE DIDN'T BREAK OUT ALL OF OUR MILLAGES FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, THE MEDICAL INDIGENT, OR THE HIGHER ED FUNDS.
I, I DON'T THINK ALL OF THEM WERE DISCLOSED.
AND SO WE'RE BREAKING THOSE OUT THIS YEAR SO THAT REVENUE CAN BE POSTED AUTOMATICALLY INSTEAD OF US HAVING TO DO A MANUAL JOURNAL ENTRY.
THAT'LL, THAT'LL BE REAL TIME POSTING FROM NOW ON.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT WORKING THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, IT WILL NOT DELAY OUR REPORTING OF THE REVENUE LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW.
SO THESE ARE EXPENDITURES FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO READ.
THERE'S A LOT OF LINE ITEMS UP THERE, BUT IN A NUTSHELL, UM, WE'VE ROLLED OVER SOME OPEN POS THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR FOR THIS FUND.
AND SO THIS ELIMINATED THE NEED FOR STAFF TO HAVE TO REESTABLISH A NEW PO FOR THE SAME VENDOR FOR THE SAME PROJECT AS WE'VE BEEN DOING YEARS PAST.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE ROLLED THE EXISTING PO OVER AND BROUGHT THE BUDGET OVER WITH IT.
SO I WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU ALL, UH, THE NEXT MEETING FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION, A, A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCREASE IMPROVEMENT FUND BY ABOUT $3.2 MILLION.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAD IN POS THAT WE ROLLED OVER FOR EXISTING PROJECTS FROM LAST YEAR.
CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS OR YOU WANT ME TO WAIT UNTIL THE END? YEP, GO AHEAD IF YOU WANT TO.
UM, CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE ROLLOVER MM-HMM.
THAT'S A THIRD LINE FROM THE TOP 817,000 MM-HMM.
SO THAT COLUMN RIGHT THERE, MS. ALICE, THE PO BUDGET ROLE, THOSE ARE THE POS THAT ROLLED IN THOSE LINE ITEMS. OKAY.
OKAY, SO YEAREND SUMMARY, UH, WE HAVE FOR, THIS IS A YEAREND SUMMARY FOR LAST YEAR.
SO I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE CLOSED OUT THE YEAR, UM, FINALLY THE FISCAL YEAR, BECAUSE WE HAD THE STORM.
I WAS SUPPOSED TO CLOSE THE BOOKS DURING THE HURRICANE, SO WE DELAYED THAT BY A WEEK.
SO WE CLOSED THE BOOKS AND THERE'S A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 11.9 MILLION.
AND IT'S ATTRIBUTED TO THE TRANSFERS TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR PROJECTS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 23.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND BUDGET.
UH, THAT TRANSFER, I BELIEVE Y'ALL APPROVED $9 MILLION, UM, EARLY LAST FISCAL YEAR.
AND THE PURCHASE OF THE HAMILTON WAY PROPERTY, I THINK THAT WAS 3.4 MILLION.
UM, SO THAT DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE IS, IS MAINLY DUE TO THOSE TWO ITEMS. AND YOU ALL KNEW THAT WE HAD SURPLUS IN THE GENERAL FUND AND WE WOULD BE USING SURPLUS TO FUND SOME THINGS.
SO, UM, THAT WAS TO BE EXPECTED.
REVENUES CAME IN FOR THE GENERAL FUND AT 139.2 MILLION, WHICH IS 79.5% COLLECTED.
AND THEN THE EXPENDITURES CAME IN AT 91.6% OF THE BUDGET OF EXPENDED AT 153.4 MILLION.
SO WE ARE STARTING OUR AUDIT NOW, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.
SO THAT CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE COULD CHANGE.
IT PROBABLY WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO WE'LL KNOW MORE AS THE AUDIT SEASON PROGRESSES.
UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SMALL, UM, BIT OF INFORMATION HERE.
SO WE STARTED OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS CONVERSION IN MUNIS LAST YEAR.
UM, IT WAS, IT'S A HUGE CHART OF ACCOUNTS,
IT'S 26,358 LINE ITEMS. SO CHRISTINE WEBB, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF COMPLIANCE AND INTERNAL CONTROLS, SHE AND I HAVE BEEN TACKLING THIS PROJECT SINCE LAST FALL.
AND WE'VE GOT IT DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF ACCOUNTS.
WE HAD FUNDS THAT WE HAD 389 FUNDS IN OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS.
SO WE'VE GOTTEN 'EM DOWN TO 180, WHICH
[00:25:01]
I STILL THINK IS, IS A LOT.SO WE HAVE, WE PROBABLY WILL GET THAT DOWN A LITTLE LOWER.
SO WE'RE IMPLEMENTING PROJECT ACCOUNTING.
THIS IS BRAND NEW TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO I USED PROJECT ACCOUNTING AT, AT MY OTHER TWO, UM, JOBS BEFORE I STARTED HERE.
AND IT IS A VERY USEFUL TOOL, UH, VERY TRANSPARENT, UM, VERY EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT METHOD TO, FOR REPORTING GRANTS AND PROJECTS AND CONSTRUCTION.
THE STAFF'S REALLY GONNA LIKE IT.
UM, CHRISTINE WEBB, I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO HER 'CAUSE WE WOULD NOT BE HERE AT ONLY 6,552 ACCOUNTS WITHOUT HER.
WE'RE 99% WITH THE CONVERSION.
WE'RE IN OUR TESTING PHASES RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE SENT AN EMAIL OUT TO STAFF, UM, ASKING THEM TO GO INTO THE TEST ENVIRONMENT TO TEST ALL THEIR TRANSACTIONS.
WE'RE GETTING A COUPLE ERRORS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS PROJECT WILL BE WRAPPED UP NEXT WEEK.
AND THEN WE'LL FLIP THE SWITCH ON FOR PROJECT ACCOUNTING AND I'LL GET WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS WHO WILL BE UTILIZING THAT.
AND SO STAFF TRAINING WILL BE SCHEDULED SOON.
AND ALSO, ANY OF YOU WHO RECEIVED ACCESS TO MUNI, WHO WANT, UM, THE TRAINING ON THAT, UH, HOW TO LOOK UP ACCOUNTS AND SUCH, LET ME KNOW.
AND WE CAN SCHEDULE SOMETHING AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, EITHER A TEAMS MEETING OR IN PERSON.
I'LL BE GLAD TO SHOW YOU HOW TO DO ALL THAT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. CHRISTMAS? NO.
SO THANKS FOR THE, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I LOVE THAT YOU'RE REDUCING THE CHARTER OF ACCOUNTS AS A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M LIKE, 26,000.
WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? SO THAT'S A GREAT BONUS.
AND, UH, THE TRAINING WILL APPRECIATE THAT SEVERAL OF US FOR THE PUBLIC, WE'VE ASKED FOR READ ONLY ACCESS TO MUNI SO THAT WE COULD WATCH HOW MONEY'S BEING SPENT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, I'M LOOKING ON THE COUNTY WEBPAGE AND THE INTERIM REPORTS.
THE LAST ONE WE HAD UP THERE IS 5 31 23.
SO IF SOMEBODY COULD UPDATE THAT AND WILL THIS POWERPOINT BE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE VERSUS SOMEBODY HAVING TO RE-LISTEN TO US DRONE ON AND ON? YES.
SO I, I EMAILED BRENNA THE LATEST ONE WITH A TRANSPARENCY LINK.
AND SO I, I WOULD LIKE THAT ONE TO BE ON THE WEBSITE.
SO YOU CAN CLICK ON, THERE'S A LINK TO OUR LIVE DATA.
RIGHT? AND THERE'S ALSO A LINK I FAILED TO MENTION OF OUR, UM, DIGITAL FOR OUR DIGITAL BUDGET BOOK, WHICH WAS JUST PUBLISHED.
THAT, THAT WAS THE NEXT THING I WAS GONNA BRING UP.
THAT'S GREAT INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC.
YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND SEE THE CHECKBOOK, WHAT THEY'RE SPENDING ON.
YOU COULD SEE PAYROLL THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THE WHOLE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF A NUMBER GEEK.
I LOVE THAT STUFF, BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR TRANSPARENCY AS WAS MENTIONED A LITTLE EARLIER.
UM, DENISE, SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED THAT OUR REVENUES WE ONLY HAD 79.5 COLLECTED? NO.
WHAT WE SHOULDN'T, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU, I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
DID YOU WANNA KNOW WHY
SO THERE'S MONEY IN OUR CONTRIBUTED FROM FUND BALANCE REVENUE THAT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GOING TO RECEIVE.
'CAUSE WE HAD TO HAVE A BALANCE BUDGET IN THERE.
SO WE HAD TO, UM, WHEN YOU INCREASE A BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO INCREASE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
SO THE INCREASE IN REVENUE IS MONEY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT GONNA GET IS GOING EAT INTO THE FUND BALANCE.
SO, NO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS SOLID WASTE AND STORM STORMWATER.
WOULD THAT BE ANOTHER DAY YOU REPORT ON THOSE TO US OR? ABSOLUTELY.
I DIDN'T, THAT'D BE GOOD JUST TO KNOW WHAT, HOW THEY'RE DOING.
YEAH, I COULD DO, I COULD DO A REPORT ON ALL THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO, AND THE GARAGE, OUR INTERNAL SERVICE FUND, I CAN INCLUDE THAT TOO.
SO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS, IF WE COULD JUST PICK AND CHOOSE AND, AND EACH DO ONE OF THOSE EACH TIME, THAT WOULD BE WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
I SHOULD HAVE, UH, CONGRATULATED YOU FIRST.
THIS IS THE FIRST THING COMING BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE AS THE DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
THANK, SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING AND WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE.
[9. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF PURCHASE AND PAYMENT OF HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT BEAUFORT COUNTY’S PORT ROYAL CENTER]
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO, UH, NUMBER NINE.I'M SORRY, ARE YOU GONNA HAVE COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA ITEMS? NO, NO COMMENTS.
UM, ON, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF PURCHASE AND PAYMENT OF HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT BEAUFORT COUNTY'S PORT ROYAL CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $799,052.
UM, AND, UH, MR. ATKINSON, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT THIS,
[00:30:01]
AND I GUESS THIS, IF THIS PASSES, THEN IT WOULD GO TO COUNTY COUNSEL FOR A, A APPROVAL.AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
UH, A HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND STRUCTURE WAS PROCURED VIA A SOURCE WELL, NATIONAL COOPERATIVE CONTRACT BECAUSE THE VALUE OF THE CONTRACT WAS $799,052.
APPROVAL SHOULD HAVE FIRST COME BEFORE COUNSEL PERSUADE THE COUNTY'S, UH, ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO PROCUREMENT SECTION 5 0 9 D FOR REASON SET FORTH BELOW IN THE, UH, THE A I S NARRATIVE AND IN MY FULL REPORT THAT IS ATTACHED, UH, IN THE BACKUP, IT DID NOT.
BUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES FIVE 10 D ALLOWS THE ADMINISTRATOR TO RATIFY CERTAIN ACTS, OBLIGATING THE COUNTY IN A CONTRACT BY ANY PERSON WITHOUT THE REQUISITE, I'M SORRY, THE ADMINISTRATOR TO RATIFY ACTS OBLIGATING THE COUNTY TO A CONTRACT BY ANY PERSON WITHOUT THE REQUISITE AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
ALTHOUGH THE CODE HAS DELEGATED TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THE AUTHORITY TO RATIFY THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT SO THAT THE COUNTY CAN PAY THE INVOICES, THE INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR CHOOSES INSTEAD TO BRING THE MATTER TO COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZATION.
GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY INVOLVED AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE ACQUISITION, THE PLAYGROUND WAS ORIGINALLY ORDERED BY A NEIGHBORING JURISDICTION, WHICH CANCELED THE ORDER WHILE THE PLAYGROUND WAS BEING MANUFACTURED BECAUSE THE SUPPLIER HAD THE EQUIPMENT IN ITS INVENTORY.
THE TOTAL PRICE OF THE INSTALLED PLAYGROUND INCLUDES A DISCOUNT OF $95,801, AND WAS AVAILABLE FOR INSTALLATION 18 MONTHS EARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY INDICATED BECAUSE OF THE TIMELINE.
UH, A YEAR AGO WHEN, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS FOR THE, UH, MANUFACTURER OF THESE PLAYGROUNDS, THERE WAS A BACKLOG IN BUFORT COUNTY'S FISCAL YEAR 23 ANNUAL BUDGET FUNDING WAS ALLOCATED FOR MULTIPLE RECREATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, PROCUREMENTS, AND INSTALLATION.
THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR, UH, 23, SEVERAL OTHER PLAYGROUND PROCUREMENTS WERE MADE AND INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
EACH OF THESE PURCHASES AND INSTALLATIONS WERE LESS THAN $150,000.
SO THEY WERE APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR PER PURSUANT CODE SECTION TWO DASH 5 0 9, WHICH INDICATES THAT, UH, THESE INDICATES COUNSEL APPROVE APPROVAL IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THOSE BASED ON THEIR DOLLAR AMOUNT DUE TO CONFUSION, RESULTING FROM MULTIPLE PLAYGROUNDS BEING, UH, INSTALLED OR PURCHASED USING THE SOURCE WALL NATIONAL COOPERATIVE CONTRACT FOR MULTIPLE SITES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND A PROCEDURAL SEQUENCING ERROR BY STAFF, THE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND WAS DELIVERED AND ASSEMBLED PRIOR TO COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVAL, UH, APPROVING THE CONTRACT.
ALTHOUGH THE ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND HAS BEEN DELIVERED AND ASSEMBLED ON SITE AT THE PORT ROYAL CENTER, NO FUNDS HAVE BEEN DISPERSED FOR THIS PROJECT, AND INVOICES ARE ON HOLD PENDING COUNSEL'S APPROVAL IN ACCORD IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION FIVE OR TWO DASH FIVE 10 E I.
THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR DEVELOPMENT RECREATION HAS PREPARED WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THAT CODE SECTION ATTACHED.
THE CODE SECTION, UH, IS IN THE BACKUP.
THE INVOICES FOR THE PLAYGROUND ARE IN THE BACKUP, AND THE FULL REPORT IS REQUIRED BY, UH, OUR ORDINANCE IS IN THE BACKUP STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE PURCHASE AND PAYMENT OF THE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, INVOICES, AND THE PLAYGROUND AT BEAUFORT COUNTY'S PORT ROYAL CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $799,052.
I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND ADMINISTRATION.
UH, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT ON THIS.
UH, IT WAS A COMPLETELY UNFORCED ERROR BY STAFF.
ALTHOUGH AFTER FULLY REVIEWING THE, THE CONTENT AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I THINK IT WAS INTENDED TO BE A GOOD THING TO EXPEDITE THE INSTALLATION OF A PLAYGROUND AND A DISCOUNT, UH, THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
BUT IN, IN INSTANCES LIKE THIS, UH, GOOD INTENTIONS DON'T MATTER.
UH, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL PLAY BY THE RULES AND WE FOLLOW THE RULES.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, THROUGHOUT STAFF, UH, WILL IS, IS TOP PRIORITY.
AND WE ARE TAKING EVERY ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO GO THROUGH MY
[00:35:01]
ENTIRE REPORT IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S ALREADY READ IT, BUT, UM, THAT I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR GUIDANCE ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.SIR, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ATKINSON? I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
THIS EQUIPMENT WAS PUT INTO PORT OIL, RIGHT? BUT WE HAVEN'T PAID THE INVOICE.
SO CAN WE ASK THEM TO COME BACK AND TO PICK UP THE EQUIPMENT AND TAKE IT OUT IF YOU SO DESIRE? OKAY.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT TAXPAYER FOOT THIS BILL.
SO TO ADD A LITTLE CONTEXT, UM, I'M GONNA COVER IT IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE, THE MONEY WAS APPROPRIATED FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLAYGROUNDS TO INCLUDE AN ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND.
OKAY? IT WAS PUT AT THIS LOCATION BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING A HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
AND WE'VE DONE CONSIDERABLE RENOVATION TO THE PORT ROYAL CENTER.
SO IN FISCAL YEAR'S 23 BUDGET, THERE WAS MONEY FOR THESE CAPITALS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING THE PLAYGROUND.
THERE WAS A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN OCTOBER THAT INCREASED THE AMOUNT TO BE SPENT.
AND THERE WAS, UH, AN ADDITIONAL INCREASE OF $500,000 IN A MARCH BUDGET AMENDMENT WHERE THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY BROUGHT FORWARD FOR APPROVAL.
UM, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, THE BUDGET, NOT THE CONTRACT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD.
AND THEN AS PART OF OUR MASTER PLAN, UH, PRESENTATION IN JULY, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT WE WERE WORKING ON, UH, GETTING THIS INSTALLED.
SO I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, AND I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION ON THIS.
UM, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT WAS A COMPLETELY UNFORCED ERROR.
UH, HOWEVER, IT SADDENS ME THAT AN ERROR LIKE THIS OVERSHADOWS WHAT A WONDERFUL NEEDED PROJECT THIS IS.
UM, I WILL GO ALL THE WAY BACK, SHARE MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
I SERVED ON THE PARKS AND LEADER SERVICES BOARD BACK IN THE LATE NINETIES, AND I REMEMBER VIVIDLY HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE LACK OF INCLUSIVE FACILITIES, UH, ALL THE WAY BACK 25, 26 YEARS AGO.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND, UH, THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY IS INSTALLING.
SO, LIKE I SAY, I'M REALLY, I'M UPSET AND I'M SAD THAT SUCH A WONDERFUL PROJECT, UM, IS, IS HAS THIS TO DEAL WITH.
UH, IT WAS COMPLETELY UNFORCED AIR AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE.
SO I LIKE CAN ASK MS. HOWARD, DO YOU KNOW, DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS EQUIPMENT OR ANYTHING? I, I KNEW AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, I'M GLAD YOU POINTED OUT, WHICH WAS NOT IN THE WRITTEN PART THAT I SAW.
JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN APPROVE EXPENDITURES UP TO $150,000 AS LONG AS THEY'RE BUDGETED.
SO THIS WAS BUDGETED TO ANSWER MS. BROWN'S COMMENT.
I WOULD NEVER PRESUME TO SEND IT BACK.
I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD HANG US ALL IN EFFIGY.
'CAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY SEEN IT THERE.
HOWEVER, AT A TIME WHEN THIS COUNCIL AND THIS GOVERNMENT IS UNDER SCRUTINY FOR PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS, PURCHASE ORDERS, BIDS, I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORCED ERROR, BUT THE PROCESS WAS NOT FOLLOWED.
THE PERSON, THE DIRECTOR IS A VETERAN EMPLOYEE, KNOWS THE PROCUREMENT CODE.
SO I KNOW IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED, BUT THAT IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE THAT IT DID OCCUR.
AND THE PERSON NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, UM, BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND NO, I DON'T WANNA SEND THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT BACK AND WE SHOULD APPROVE IT, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE UNDER SCRUTINY FOR.
SO THIS IS WAY UNACCEPTABLE IN MY POINT OF VIEW.
UM, I GOT TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU, MR. ESON.
UM, SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE CANNOT EVER TALK ABOUT PERSONNEL ISSUES HERE, BUT, UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT, AND THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING FROM MR. ROBINSON NOW THAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT WE CAN HELP TO NOT HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN WITH EDUCATION OR WHETHER IT IS, UH, SOMETHING, BUT AGAIN, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS, UH, SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS OR IDEAS OR, OR YOUR PLAN MOVING FORWARD TO NOT ONLY YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUES? SURE.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE MY SENTIMENT ON THAT.
AND THEN IF JOHN WANTS TO MAKE COMMENT, OBVIOUSLY HE'S, UM, CERTAINLY, UH, CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE THINGS ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, YOU KNOW, I DEAL WITH MORE THAN 200 EMPLOYEES, UH, UNDER MY CARE.
MISTAKES HAPPEN WHEN, WHEN MISTAKES HAPPEN.
MY PERSONAL APPROACH IS I WANT TO KNOW THE CONTEXT.
I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING AROUND IT.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LED UP TO IT AND WHAT THE FALLOUT FROM THOSE ARE.
RIGHT? WHAT IS THE SEVERITY OF IT? UM, IT IS, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, RIGHT? WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS, IT'S A HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND.
[00:40:01]
I THINK STAFF WAS WELL-INTENTIONED IN WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO AND CAPITALIZING.UM, WE WERE EXPECTING 18 MONTH LEAD TIME AND PERHAPS ORDERING IT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
IT CAME UP THAT IT WAS AVAILABLE.
AND I THINK THEY WERE TRYING TO CAPITALIZE, AGAIN, I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES FOR STAFF.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT ANY OF THIS WAS JUSTIFIED BECAUSE THE ACTIONS WERE NOT.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT IT, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING SINISTER ABOUT THIS.
I THINK THAT THEY WERE TRULY TRYING TO GET SOMETHING THAT WAS NEEDED DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND THEY MISSED A STEP.
I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED, THE MONEY FOR THIS, IT WAS BID OUT, AND THEN WE GOT ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WE, THE COUNTY GOT ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS DISCOUNT ON TOP OF IT.
AND THEN WE GOT A PLAYGROUND 18 MONTHS IN ADVANCE OF WHEN WE OTHERWISE WOULD'VE GOTTEN IT.
AND IN THAT TIME, THE PRICE COULD, COULD HAVE BEEN, PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GONE UP.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, HOW DO YOU PREVENT IT? EDUCATION, RIGHT? YOU GO BACK AND YOU, YOU STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE AND YOU MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND IT UNDERSTANDS THIS.
I THINK THEY WERE, IT WAS AN INTENTION BASED ON THE INFORMATION I'VE RECEIVED TO DO THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PLAYGROUND, WELL, I GUESS FORTUNATELY THE PLAYGROUND WAS ALREADY MANUFACTURED.
IT COMES IN BOXES, THEY SHOW UP.
IT'S NOT LIKE A BUILDING, RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, BUILDING A BUILDING WITH THESE THINGS.
YOU BOLT 'EM TOGETHER, THEY GO IN VERY QUICKLY AND IT, IT'S A SITUATION WHERE THEY PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE INSTANCES LIKE THIS, I THINK IT, IT BEARS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING SINISTER OR ILLEGAL OR SELF-SERVING THAT GOES ON.
AND YOU HAVE TO VIEW THOSE IN THE OUTCOMES AND THE RECOURSE, UH, AND OUR ACTIONS DIFFERENTLY.
SO YES, EDUCATION, I, I CAN'T GET INTO THE, THE, THE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
ALL THAT I CAN SAY IS WE'RE TAKING IT SERIOUS AND APPROPRIATE ACTION HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE.
AND THE SECOND PART, I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED MOST OF IT, AND, AND JUST YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, UM, ANSWER YOU JUST GAVE IS, SO IT WAS, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, AND AGAIN, IN YOUR INTERPRETATION AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE SEEN, UM, THE MONEY WAS THERE.
UM, IT'S A GOOD THING THAT THE PLAYGROUND WENT IN.
HOWEVER, UM, THERE WAS NEVER AN PO ISSUED AND IT WAS NEVER APPROVED BY, BY COUNSEL.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THE TWO THINGS I'M HEARING THAT THAT DID NOT HAPPEN WITH WHAT WENT ON.
AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE DO WANNA FOLLOW OUR PROCURE PROCUREMENT CODE.
AND GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, I AS WELL DO NOT THINK THAT, UM, I MEAN, NO ONE BENEFITED FINANCIALLY FROM THIS.
IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE TO, TO BENEFIT ANYBODY FINANCIALLY.
UM, BUT, BUT AGAIN, IT IS THINGS THAT, THAT WE JUST NEED TO FOLLOW OUR OWN CODE ON EVERYTHING.
SO IS THAT SUMMARIZING, YOU KNOW, THINGS? IT DOES, AND I DO WANNA POINT OUT, UH, IN MY REPORT THAT THOSE WHO MADE THE MISTAKE DISCOVERED IT AND AS SOON AS THEY DID, THEY BROUGHT IT FORWARD AND THEY WERE VERY REMORSEFUL OVER IT.
AND, UH, THEY BROUGHT IT FORWARD.
NOBODY JUST FOUND OUT THAT IT HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF PROCESSING, UH, PAPERWORK AS WE NORMALLY DO, IT WAS DISCOVERED IMMEDIATELY THAT UHOH, THIS IS THIS, THIS HAPPENED, AND THIS IS A BIG DEAL.
THEY IMMEDIATELY INFORMED PURCHASING INFORMED ADMINISTRATION AND, UH, ASKED WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MISSTEP.
ONE, ONE OTHER COMMENT AND, AND NOTE THAT IS SUPPORT ROYAL CENTER, BUT IS LOCATED ON COUNTY PROPERTY YES.
NEAR A SENIOR CENTER AND NEAR BALLFIELD, WHICH IS ALL COUNTY OWNED PARKS AND RECREATION.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THE CITY OF PORT ROYAL, UM, EVERYONE WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
JUST THE TOWN, MR. ATKINSON IS SOURCEFUL NATIONAL COOPERATIVE VENDOR.
IS THAT A SOLE SOURCE VENDOR FOR THIS KIND OF EQUIPMENT? HAS WE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T GO OUT FOR BID.
SO OUR VENDOR IS ACTUALLY, I'LL READ CHURCHWELL OR SOMETHING.
CHURCHWELL, RIGHT? THE, IF YOU THINK IN TERMS, AND I'M PROBABLY GONNA MESS THIS UP SO DAVE MIGHT HAVE TO COME HELP ME, BUT SOURCE WELL IS VERY SIMILAR TO LIKE STATE CONTRACT WHERE THINGS ARE BID OUT IN GROUP, BUT THIS IS DONE NATIONALLY AND IS SPONSORED BY AN ENTITY, WHETHER IT'S A STATE OR SOME OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY.
AND THEN BECAUSE IT'S BID OUT COMPETITIVELY, WE CAN USE THAT.
BUT, UH, THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR, WE'VE USED THEM ON A NUMBER OF, UH, DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND TO MATCH OUR PLAYGROUNDS.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE SPECIFICS
[00:45:01]
OF THIS CONTRACT.UH, IS $21,000 FOR SHIPPING, IS THAT NORMAL FOR SOMETHING THIS SIZE THAT SEEMS A BIT EXUBERANT.
UM, THIS IS MULTIPLE TRACTOR TRAILER.
THIS IS A VERY LARGE, UM, FACILITY PLAYGROUND FACILITY BECAUSE IT IS INCLUSIVE OR HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE, IT NOT ONLY INCLUDES THE SUPERSTRUCTURE AND THE SHADE, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES THE GROUND COVER.
ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE END USER, THIS IS NOT JUST FOR CHILDREN WHO NEED AN INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND.
THIS COULD BE ANYONE WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.
IF A GRANDPARENT HAS MOBILITY ISSUES AND THEY WANT TO TAKE THEIR OTHERWISE, UH, MOBILE, UH, GRANDCHILD TO PLAY THIS ALLOWS THEM TO DO THAT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES AND PARTS OF THIS THING.
IT'S VERY LARGE AS INDICATED BY THE, THE PRICE TAG.
UH, BUT YEAH, IT'S, IT'S MULTIPLE TRACTOR TRAILER.
IT'S, IT'S A VERY LARGE, UH, PIECE OF GEAR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, I SAW THAT AND I WAS A LITTLE BIT STICKER SHOCK WHEN I SAW THAT.
YEAH, WELL IT INVOLVES BRINGING OUT DIRT, GRADING THINGS, PUTTING, UM, MAT STEEL.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES AND PARTS TO IT.
SHIPPING AND HANDLING MR. PASSMAN.
WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
UH, AFTER READING WHAT YOU SAID, IT STRIKES ME THAT, OKAY, WE HAD A PLAN.
THIS WAS A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS WORTH OF PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, OF WHICH THIS WAS A ONE COMPONENT PART.
SEVERAL OF THOSE WERE DONE BY PURCHASE ORDER BECAUSE THEY WERE A LESSER AMOUNT.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHAT WE MAY WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE'RE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS, IS WE HAVE A MASTER PURCHASE ORDER THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING.
HAVE THAT BEEN DONE KNOWING FULL WELL THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS NATIONAL COOPERATIVE, WE WOULD NOT BE IN THE SITUATION WE'RE IN NOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE ASK? JUST A COMMENT.
UM, I'VE HEARD SOME FROM SOME PEOPLE IN PORT ROYAL.
THEY SAID THEY DON'T LIKE THAT PARK BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE AN AMUSEMENT PARK.
I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE AND LOOKED AT IT, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK? I LIKE IT.
AND THIS, THE SENIOR CENTER IS ONE OF OUR MOBILE, MORE ACTIVE SENIOR CENTERS.
UM, IT'S ALSO NEAR, UH, BALL FIELDS IN THE POOR.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION NOW, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
UM, AS A FOLLOW UP TO ALL OF THIS, THERE WILL BE SOME DISCUSSION AND ACCOUNTABILITY, NO DOUBT FOR THE ACTIONS THAT WERE UNDERTAKEN.
THIS WON'T BE GOING TO COUNCIL UNTIL NEXT MONDAY.
IS THAT RIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE 25TH I THINK IS, UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION BEFORE THIS COMES TO FULL COUNSEL ON EXACTLY WHAT, UH, KIND OF ACTIONS ARE BEING UNDERTAKEN IN THAT REGARD.
I'LL DEFER TO THE COUNTY, THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ON THAT, SIR.
DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE CAN HAVE SOME, UH, LIMITED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PERSONNEL ACTIONS.
SO WE COULD MAKE A MOTION TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION RIGHT NOW TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
MIGHT AS WELL DO IT WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS.
MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, MR. DAWSON, GO AHEAD.
UM, TO, TO THE, TO THE QUESTION OF GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, I, I UNDERSTAND TABS CONCERN, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE ILL ADVISED BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AGAIN TO, UH, UH, UH, HAVE THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT HERE BRING THEM UP TO SPEED AS TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED IN THE FIRST EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO I THINK IF WE WAIT UNTIL OUR COUNCIL MEETING AND WE ALL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ONE TIME, THEN I, I THINK THAT WAS SUFFICE.
MR. DOSS, I'M GLAD YOU SPOKE UP.
I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT THAT, UM, UM, THE, WHAT THE, THE PERSONNEL ISSUES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY ISSUE ON WHETHER WE GO AHEAD AND, AND DECIDE TO, TO PASS THIS OR NOT.
SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, I'D PROBABLY ASK FOR, UM, A MOTION, UM, EITHER TO MOVE FORWARD OR TO DENY THE, UM, THE REQUEST.
I MAKE MOTION TO MOVE, MOVE FORWARD.
AND WHO WAS THE SECOND? WAS THAT MR. DAWSON? YEAH, I THINK SO.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, WE HAVE A, A, UH, MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY NO TO THIS.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT.
UH, ALL THE TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS LIKE IT, THEY WERE FORWARD.
OH, TOWN COUNCIL A PORT ROYAL MM-HMM.
[00:50:01]
ON IT.SO DO A ROLL CALL IS, UM, LET'S GO DO A ROLL CALL THEN.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE OBJECTION, BUT LET'S JUST DO ROLL CALL JUST TO MAKE SURE WHAT'S THE MOTION TO MOVE IT TO COUNCIL? TO MOVE IT TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL?
COUNCIL MEMBER BAR FOLLOW YOU? YES.
UH, VICE CHAIR KAEPERNICK? YES.
SO THIS WILL BE MOVED THEN TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING FOR APPROVAL.
[10. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT A GRANT FOR PROJECT COMIDA]
THANK YOU MR. SSON.UM, ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, NUMBER 10, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT A GRANT FOR PROJECT COMIDA.
UM, AND, UM, MR. AMUNSON, SO YOU'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND PRESENT FOR US ON THIS? YES, I'VE GOT, I'VE JOHN O'TOOLE HERE AS WELL, BECAUSE WHAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH OUR ARRANGEMENT WHERE THE COUNTY, UH, HAS THE OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS ONE THAT DEALS DIRECTLY WITH THE BUSINESSES.
SO THEY HAVE HELPED THE BUSINESS ACHIEVE A GRANT OF $50,000.
THEY NAME PROJECT COMIDA IS, YOU KNOW, THEY ALWAYS COME UP WITH, UH, INTERESTING NAMES.
THIS ONE ACTUALLY APPLIES 'CAUSE IT'S, UH, FOOD, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE OR LESS YOU'D LIKE TO SAY, JOHN, ABOUT THE PROJECT, WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T SAY AT THIS POINT.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS THE COUNTY IS VOTE TO ACCEPT THESE FUNDS, AT THAT POINT, JOHN AND CHARLIE WILL WORK WITH THE COMPANY TO SHOW PROOF OF THEIR INVESTMENT, WHICH THIS PROJECT IS SIZABLE.
IT'S $8.1 MILLION AND 40 NEW JOBS, AND IT'S TO HELP THEM WITH SOME OF THEIR UPFRONT HARD COSTS IN THE EXPANSION IN THE NEW FACILITY.
AND SO THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT HARD PROOF THAT THEY SPENT MONEY IN ORDER TO BE REIMBURSED, AND THEN WE, WE REQUEST THE MONEY FROM THE STATE AND PASS IT THROUGH TO THEM.
BUT THOSE, MR. CHAIRMAN, A QUESTION? YES, GO AHEAD.
MR. MCCALLUM, UH, HANK AND JOHN, UH, IS YOUR ASSUMPTION HERE THAT EVERYONE WHO IS SITTING ON THE, UH, DELIBERATIVE BODY TODAY IS FAMILIAR WITH PROJECT COMIDA? OR WILL YOU BE TELLING US ABOUT IT? MR. O'TOOLE, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
OH, NICE TO BE WITH YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIR, CHAIRMAN.
UM, THE, UH, UH, REALLY THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT, IS THE COUNTY, UH, UH, CONTENT OR HAPPY TO ACCEPT THESE FUNDS THAT ARE A FLOW THROUGH? SO AG WANTS TO GIVE 'EM TO THE PARTICULAR, UH, UH, PROJECT IN THIS CASE, UH, UH, PROJECT
PACKET IS THE SURGE GROUP, AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO A FOOD PROCESSING WHERE THEY WOULD USE SOUTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS.
THAT'S WHY THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM A GRANT.
THEY HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO FIND A LOCATION TO DO THIS, UH, UH, $8 MILLION PROJECT THAT WOULD EMPLOY, UH, 40 40 PEOPLE.
40 PEOPLE, AVERAGE COMPENSATION OVER $66,000.
BUT, UH, THE QUESTION TO YOU IS, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE EVERY OTHER COUNTY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, UH, EXCEPT THESE FUNDS AND THEN FLOWS 'EM TO THE TAXPAYER, UH, THE INVESTOR WHO IS A RECIPIENT OF THEM? SO I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT PART OF IT.
JOHN, MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT DO THEY DO? UH, THEY ARE GOING TO, UH, UH, ACTUALLY DO, UH, BUTCHERING FOOD PROCESSING AND PREPARED MEALS IS THE PROJECT, SORRY, I MISSED THAT.
FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR OPERATION IN THE CER FOR THEIR RESTAURANTS LOCALLY, UH, THE, UM, THE NUMBERS CHANGED, BUT I BELIEVE, UH, AND ASHLEY MIGHT CORRECT ME, BUT IT IS BETTER THAN 17 RESTAURANTS IN THE REGION.
BUT THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, UH, A PLACE RIGHT NOW ON HILTON HEAD THAT DISTRIBUTES PREPARED MEALS AS WELL.
AND, AND ONE SILVER LINING TO THIS IS, IS THAT, UH, UH, IN TERMS OF FOOD SECURITY, THEY WOULD BE PARTICIPATING, UH, WITH, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, PROVIDERS THAT PROVIDE MEALS TO PEOPLE AS WELL.
LET ME GET THE, TAKE ANOTHER SHOT AT IT.
I, I HATE TO BE DIFFICULT IF I'M MISSING THE POINT.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING A PROCESSING PLAN IN TO DISTRIBUTE TO OTHER VENDORS OR ONLY WITH INTERNAL.
IT WOULD BE LARGELY INTERNAL, BUT IT WOULD BE EXTERNAL TO THEIR OPERATIONS AS WELL.
[00:55:03]
WHAT THEY WOULD, UH, THEY WOULD BE DOING THINGS FOR THEIR OWN BUSINESS AS WELL AS FOR, UH, UH, SALES DIRECTLY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, JOHN, AT SOME POINT WILL, UH, YOU BE ABLE TO DIVULGE EXACTLY WHERE THIS FACILITY IS GONNA GO? YES.
AND, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROB THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE ANOTHER ITERATION OF THIS.
THIS QUESTION WAS TEED UP BECAUSE AG WAS READY TO ISSUE THE FUNDS.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE RELEASING THEM, BUT THE QUESTION IS, IS THE COUNTY, UH, UH, COMFORTABLE BEING THE FIDUCIARY AGENT WHEN THE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED? YEAH.
MORE WILL COME UP ON IT AS THEY DECIDE AN ULTIMATE LOCATION.
THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF, UM, LEGAL BACKGROUND CONTRACT ON ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO, UM, IN, IN, IN OUR, IN OUR BACKUP INFORMATION.
SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR US TO, UM, AGREE TO, TO BE THE FIDUCIARY OF, OF THIS AND ACCEPT THE FUNDS.
AND, UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I MEAN, IT'S $50,000 THEY'RE GIVING 'EM FOR, I KNOW, RIGHT? $8.1 MILLION INVESTMENT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS? I SEEING NO OBJECTION.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UM, AND, UH, LET'S THEN MOVE ON TO, UM, UH, NUMBER 11.
AND THAT IS DISCUSSION OF DEVELOPING SITES FOR DIVERSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
MR. HANKY UP AGAIN, INTRODUCE MY BUDDY, JOHN O'TOOLE.
AGAIN, MR. O'TOOLE, THANK YOU.
THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME HERE.
AND I, UH, UH, IT'S NICE TO HEAR HANK REFER TO ME AS HIS BUDDY.
UH, I WILL SAY THROUGH IT ALL, HANK HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, UH, WITH THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, UH, IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I HAVE, UH, COPIES OF THIS.
IT'S A CONFIDENTIAL REPORT THAT WE PUT OUT ON PRODUCT AND WE UPDATE IT ON AN ONGOING BASIS, UH, UH, BECAUSE REAL ESTATE CHANGES, PROJECTS COME OFF THE MAR ARE ON THE MARKET, COME OFF THE MARKET.
UH, BUT IN IT, AND, UH, PREVIOUSLY I'VE, I'VE PROVIDED, UH, UH, UH, COPIES OR PORTIONS OF THIS.
UH, BUT ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, SOUTH CAROLINA IS LIKE THE THIRD STATE FOR IN MIGRATION.
SO WE, UH, REMAIN A, UH, A TARGET, UH, UH, FOR, FOR INVESTORS.
UH, WHEN I DISCUSSED, UH, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, I SHOULD OPEN UP MY BOOK AND GET MY NOTES OUT.
UH, BUT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, HAVE HAD GOOD SUCCESS.
WE'RE JUST CLOSING IN ON THE END OF OUR SIX YEAR.
WE'VE SEEN $341 MILLION INVESTED.
WE HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR PIPELINE.
UH, WHAT THIS REPRESENTS TO RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, IS 1,665, EITHER, UH, NEW JOBS OR RETAIN RETAINED JOBS IN THE COUNTY.
UH, AVERAGING, UH, 40, UH, 45.9, UH, $45,900 A YEAR.
UH, ESSENTIALLY, UH, $76.4 MILLION IN PAYROLL.
UH, AND ACCORDING TO CLEMSON, OVER A, UH, UH, A THREE TO SEVEN YEAR PERIOD, A $4 BILLION IMPACT.
SO, UH, OUR RESULTS ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE THERE, THEY CAN BE MEASURED.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I'VE ALWAYS, UH, AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM US LATER, I BELIEVE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT IT AS A BALANCE WHEEL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S JUST ONE SPOKE ON IT.
THE TOP SPOKE, UH, IS THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, SO MUCH OF THE REVENUE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLY IN THIS, UH, IN THIS MEETING HAS TO DO WITH PEOPLE'S LOVE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND LOVE OF OUR REGION.
EDUCATION, WHICH THE COUNTIES CONTINUE TO INVEST IN, UH, IS A, IS THE NEXT, UH, SERIOUS SPOKE IN TERMS OF THE BALANCE WHEEL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES IN A DIGNIFIED WAY IS SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL PASSIONATELY ABOUT.
UH, WORKFORCE AND, UH, UH, T C L U, SS C B AND THE, UH, K TO 12 PROGRAM ARE KIND OF FUELING THE PIPELINE OF TALENT, HOUSING AND THEN TRANSPORTATION.
AND THE REASON I MENTION THIS TODAY IS, IS BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, UH, ADVENT OF, UH, THE GREEN PENNY, UH, THE SUCCESS OF THAT, THERE, THERE'S JUST ANOTHER POLL ON REAL ESTATE.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S A BAD POLL.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THE MAGNET THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO OUR REACH AND OUR LOVE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT HOUSING'S TRYING TO DO, WHAT RETAIL'S TRYING TO DO.
AND I THINK WE'RE AT AN INFLECTION POINT, A POINT WHERE
[01:00:01]
BEAUFORT COUNTY SHOULD TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT, AND WE HAVE SERIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT CHUNKS OF REAL ESTATE COULD BE PRESERVED, UH, FOR THIS ECONOMY.UH, WHEN I SPOKE TO THIS GROUP AT YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING SECTION, I THINK WE CAME AT A
[11. DISCUSSION OF DEVELOPING SITES FOR DIVERSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY]
JOE PASSMAN AND, UH, CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN, LARRY MCCLELLAN, UH, SAID, WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT PRODUCT, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA DELIVER ON IT? SO, UH, WE HAVE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.OUR APPROACH TO WHERE PRODUCTS SHOULD GO IS THE, I LOOK AT IT AS THE NEXUS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION, UH, COMMUNICATION, ZONING, AND OBVIOUSLY ELECTRIC AND GAS AND, AND THEN WHERE THE, WHERE IT FITS WELL WITH ZONING.
AND SO WE HAVE SOME, UH, 1500 ACRES, UH, THAT WE THINK ARE AT STAGES WHERE IF WE DON'T MOVE ON THEM QUICKLY AND WORK WITH THE COUNTY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO MASTER PLAN THESE AND, AND DO THE DUE DILIGENCE, UH, UH, ONE THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE, I KNOW, UH, NEAR AND DEAR TO COUNCILMAN DAWSON'S HEART.
UH, 200 ACRES OF THAT IS LIKO ITSELF, BUT WE HAVE SOME OTHER SITES AS WELL, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL OR THE OPPORTUNITY WILL PASS.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE RECENT UPDATE, LAST TUESDAY, I WAS AT THE CITY OF BUFORD'S, UH, TOWN COUNCIL MEETING AND A $29 MILLION PROJECT, UH, EXECUTED, UH, EXECUTED ITS OPTION TO BUY A LOT IN THE COMMERCE PARK.
AND A $34 MILLION, UH, PARCEL HAD, UH, UH, A $34 MILLION PROJECT, HAD A FIRST READING ON ITS PLANS TO PURCHASE A PARCEL OUT THERE.
SO WITH OUR SUCCESS, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK FORWARD.
AND, UH, UH, JUST SO I SOUND SLIGHTLY SMARTER THAN I AM, I WILL SHARE A QUOTE, WHICH MY YOUNG SON SHARED WITH ME.
UH, BUT HE SAYS, SOCI, IT'S NOT HIS, HE, IT'S A GREEK PROVERB, BUT, UH, SOCIETY GROWS GREAT WHEN OLD MEN PLANT TREES WHO SHADE THEY KNOW THEY WILL NEVER SIT IN.
AND SO IT IS THAT POINT IN TIME, I THINK, IN BUFORD'S HISTORY WHERE WE TAKE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FOR MEANINGFUL JOBS SERIOUSLY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND, UH, I THINK THE DETAILS OF THE PROPERTIES WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING, UH, IT'LL BE AN INTERESTING APPROACH BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UH, WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SITES WE PICK AND, AND, AND THIS IS ME BRAGGING A LITTLE, BUT IN SIX YEARS, WE'VE DONE SOME 60 PROJECTS AND WE'VE NOT BEEN OUTTA STEP WITH THE RESIDENTS IN AN AREA ON ONE PROJECT.
NOW, TOMORROW NIGHT, I HAVE A PROJECT ON HILTON HIT.
BUT, UH, UH, WE LIKE TO THINK THAT WE, UH, AND TO THE POINTS BEING RAISED EARLIER, UH, THAT WE ARE VERY TRANSPARENT.
UH, WE TRY TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED.
IN PARTICULAR, THIS PROJECT, A $23 MILLION PROJECT, LOOKING AT A HILTON HEAD AIRPORT ADJACENT TO HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.
WE'VE MET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS OUT THERE SOME FOUR YEARS AGO.
SO WE TRY TO KEEP EVERYONE READ IN.
AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, UH, PART OF OUR SUCCESS OR MR. O'TOOLE.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, DID NOT GIVE YOU THE PROPER INTRODUCTION, EVERYONE, WE JUST ASSUME EVERYONE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE, BUT YOU'RE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UM, BEFOR COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
NOW, THIS WAS JUST AN AGENDA ITEM FOR DISCUSSION, SO THERE'S NO ACTION COMING OUT OF THIS, BUT WHAT, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO RECEIVE FROM US? UM, THIS POINT, WE, WE REALLY NEED TO PROBABLY MOVE FORWARD OR AT LEAST HAVE CONVERSATIONS.
OBVIOUSLY, LIKO WILL BE ONE OF THE ONES, UH, WE'RE WAITING, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH OUT IN THE OPEN.
UH, UH, WE'RE WAITING FOR DHEC TO GIVE US US A VOLUNTARY CLEANUP, UH, CONTRACTS ON THE TWO PARCELS OUT THERE.
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN DOING THINGS OUT THERE.
IF, IF, IF NOT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I BELIEVE THE CLEANUP OF LIBI O SHOULD BE PURSUED, UH, FOR ENVIR FOR THE PURPOSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
IF THEY HAVE A MEANINGFUL REUSE, UH, THAT COULD BE A, A BOOM TO THAT DISTRICT.
BUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A, A PRE SOAKER, WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME 1500, UH, ACRES, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THE BUFFET FOR THE COUNCIL TO LOOK AT, UH, WITH PROBABLY A, A TOTAL PRICE OF $18.5 MILLION.
BUT WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM ON A PARCEL BY PARCEL BASIS.
AND I THINK WE'LL START THAT CONVERSATION TODAY, UH, LATER ON IN THE AGENDA.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE FOR MR. O'TOOLE? ALRIGHT, MR. OUL.
THANK YOU'RE ON THE AGENDA AGAIN.
BUT WE'LL GO BACK TO MR. AMUNSON
[12. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO RENEW MEMBERSHIP WITH THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE]
HERE.UM, AND THIS IS, UM, NUMBER 12 IN OUR AGENDA.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO RENEW MEMBERSHIP WITH THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE.
[01:05:01]
AND FISCAL IMPACT FUNDS FOR THIS COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND ACCOUNT.UM, 495,000 IS BUDGET FOR THE THIS FOR THE YEAR IN THIS ACCOUNT.
120,000 IS FOR THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA, 375,000 IS FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
UH, THESE FUNDS ARE ALREADY BUDGETED, BUT IT'S TIME TO RENEW OUR CONTRACT WITH SOUTHERN CAROLINA DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE.
SO I'VE GOTTEN DANNY BLACK HERE, I'LL BRING IT UP IN JUST A SECOND TO GIVE YOU, ESPECIALLY NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS A FULL BACKGROUND OF WHAT THEY DO, WE DO, JOHN DOES, AND HOW WE ALL FIT TOGETHER.
UM, THIS RELATIONSHIP, I BELIEVE, STARTED IN 2012.
AND, UH, THE MOST RECENT CONTRACT WAS SIGNED IN 17, WHICH WAS ATTACHED IN YOUR PACKET.
THAT WAS FOR TWO THREE YEAR TERMS. AND IT'S TIME TO HAVE THE RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT, NO FEE INCREASE, BUT IT'S FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM.
AND I'LL HAVE HIM TELL YOU, BUT I WOULD JUST KIND OF, FROM MY PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, I'VE SEEN IT FROM THE REGION.
UH, I THINK THAT BETWEEN THE COUNTY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE REGIONAL ALLIANCE, WE'RE WORKING BETTER TODAY THAN WE EVER HAVE TOGETHER.
UH, WE'RE HAVING MEETINGS REGULARLY WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND COUNCIL CHAIRS REGIONALLY TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON THINGS.
AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD STAFF RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO CONTINUE THE RELATIONSHIP.
I'LL TURN OVER TO DANNY BLACK.
WHO'S THE C E O? IS THAT THE PANEL? WHATEVER YOU WANT TO TALK.
HEY, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I'M NOT GONNA PASS THOSE OUT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE SHORT ON TIME, BUT I WILL LEAVE 'EM.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN.
AND OUR INTENTION IS TO FOLLOW THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND WE ARE, WE CAN GO INTO GREAT DETAIL AT ANY TIME YOU'D LIKE TO DO THAT, BUT I DO WANNA MENTION THE REASON FOR THE ROLLOVER OF THE CONTRACT.
WE DID CHANGE IT TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE A COUPLE OF COUNTIES ASKED US TO CHANGE SOME WORDING IN IT.
IT IS GENERIC IN, IN THE WORDING ITSELF.
IT PRETTY MUCH JUST LAYS OUT WHAT OUR AGREEMENT IS THAT WE WOULD DO FOR OUR MEMBER COUNTIES.
AND WE TRIED TO KEEP IT CONSISTENT.
AND EVERY TIME SOMEONE COMES UP FOR RENEWAL, WE JUST FORMED AN, UH, OR WE ASK THE COUNTY TO, TO, UH, SIGN THIS NEW AGREEMENT.
IT GIVES US THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE ARE CHARGING.
UH, WE NEGOTIATED THAT IN TWO, 2012, AND THE INTENT WAS, UH, TO CHARGE $1 PER POPULATION FOR EACH COUNTY THAT WE PROVIDED SERVICES FOR.
BUT WE NEGOTIATED WITH BEAUFORT, AND THAT'S WHY THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PRICE.
NOW, WE DON'T EXPECT ANY PRICE INCREASE WHATSOEVER.
UH, THAT IS MONEY THAT GOES INTO DIRECT MARKETING IN PARTICULAR, BUT IT ALSO GOES INTO, UH, PROJECTS WHEN WE CAN DO THAT IN INFRASTRUCTURE MATCHES AND SO FORTH.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS IT'S A FIVE YEAR, UH, TERM RATHER THAN A THREE YEAR TERM WITH THE SAME OUT.
UH, IF A COUNTY IS NOT SATISFIED, IF THE ORGANIZATION DOES NOT WANT TO CONTINUE, THERE'S AN OUT IN THE CLAUSE THAT, UH, WOULD RELEASE, UH, AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AGAIN, IT'S, UH, OF, OF THE SEVEN COUNTIES.
UH, WE DO EVERYTHING FOR FIVE OF THE COUNTIES, MEANING WE PROVIDE PERSONNEL, ET CETERA.
WE DO NOT IN BUFORD'S CASE, OBVIOUSLY.
AND WE HAVE A GREAT, AS HANK SAID, AS JOHN O'TOOLE HAS SAID, AND I'M SURE ASHLEY, WHO SERVES ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR US, AND PAULA, WHO'S ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL TELL YOU, UH, WE MET THIS MORNING.
WE WORK TOGETHER ON ALL PROJECTS AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO TAKE, UM, BASICALLY I 95 AND DEVELOP SITES IN ALL OF OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES, AS WELL AS DO SOME, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE STUFF THAT IS BADLY NEEDED IN ALL SEVEN COUNTIES AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I, ALL I WILL DO IS JUST ASK YOU TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT THAT IS IN YOUR HANDS UNDER CONSIDERATION, AND WE'LL TAKE THAT TO OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR APPROVAL AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? ANY COMMENTS? AND AGAIN, THIS WOULD THEN ALSO, THEN GO TO FULL COUNSEL.
SO, UH, IS THERE A MOTION THEN TO, UH, MOVE THIS FORWARD? I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION.
AND MR. BROWN, THANK YOU FOR A SECOND.
UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
THIS WILL THEN MOVE TO FO COUNTY FOR A VOTE.
[13. DISCUSSION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS’ COMPENSATION ]
YOU.UM, ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 13.
AND, UM, NUMBER 13 IS ALSO A DISCUSSION.
UM, AND COMPENSATION IS A DISCUSSION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMPENSATION.
DAVID, KEN CORNER, AND BRITTANY, I THINK MS. WARD, MS. WARD IS GOING TO BE, LET ME JUST GET TO, WELL, AND MS. RENICK, WAS THIS SOMETHING YOU WERE GONNA LOOK TO
[01:10:01]
MOVE FORWARD OR GO AHEAD WITH YEAH, AFTER BRITTANY TALKS.OKAY, MS. WARD, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
LEMME GO AHEAD AND SHARE MY SCREEN HERE.
CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT YOU CAN SEE MY SCREEN? LARRY, CAN YOU SEE, UH, MR. WARD'S SCREEN? UH, I CAN SEE IT.
SO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SALARIES, UH, STARTED AS A CONVERSATION YEARS AGO, SPECIFICALLY, UH, AT A FINANCE COMMITTEE AUGUST 12TH, 2019.
AT THAT MEETING, IT WAS DISCUSSED AND LARRY ACT, OR MR. MCALLEN ACTUALLY PROVIDED, UH, WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON MY SCREEN.
AND THESE ARE RECOMMENDED SALARY RATES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN READ IT.
SORRY FOR THOSE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY.
I WAS PASSING OUT A COPY OF THOSE SO THEY COULD SEE IT.
IN THAT DISCUSSION OF THE COMMITTEE OR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, THE NUMBERS WERE DISCUSSED.
IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO INCREASE THE ELECTED OFFICIAL SALARIES.
SINCE THEN, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAD BEEN RECEIVING THE RECOMMENDED RATES THAT YOU ARE SEEING IN THE VERY RIGHT HAND COLUMN WHERE IT SAYS, COUNCILMAN MC ELLEN'S RECOMMENDED SALARIES.
AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS ALSO A MOTION MADE TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE.
THE CURRENT ORDINANCE FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS ONLY ADDRESSES THE BASE SALARY, WHICH DOES NOT ADDRESS THE SALARY MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT WE'RE HERE DISCUSS TODAY IS THERE ARE TWO, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HAVE BEEN ELECTED SINCE THREE ELECTED OFFICIALS SINCE, UH, 2019.
THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS SALARIES HAVE TO BE CLEAR, ARE GOING TO BE BASED ON THE NUMBERS ON THE SECOND PAGE IN YOUR HANDOUT, AND WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN, 'CAUSE THE ORDINANCE FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, BECAUSE THE BASE SALARY WAS NOT AMENDED IT TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HAD BEEN ELECTED SINCE AUGUST 12TH, 2019, ARE NOT RECEIVING THE SAME SALARY RATES AS THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE IN PLACE AT THAT AUGUST 12TH, 2019 FINANCE COMMITTEE.
ARE THERE, I'M GONNA PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND MAKE SURE THERE'S NO QUESTIONS SO FAR.
UM, YEAH, I, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS TRYING TO ESTABLISH, I THINK WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE BACK IN 2019 FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, AND NOW IN 2023, THERE HAVE BEEN
AND WITH REGARD TO, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS, THEY ALSO GET A 5% REELECTION BONUS WHEN THEY'RE REELECTED.
SO SOME OF THEM, UH, ALL OF THEM RECEIVE THAT, I BELIEVE.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE ELECTED TO THESE POSITIONS IN ADDITION TO THE ORDER, WELL, WHO'S THE OTHER ONE? THE CORONER? THAT, THAT'S A NEW POSITION.
I MEAN, A NEW, UH, A NEW OCCUPANT, RIGHT? YES.
SO THE COALS AND THE REAL, NOW THE COALS GO TO THE POSITION, THE, UM, THE REELECTION BONUSES GO TO THE PERSON SO THAT IF THE PERSON LEAVES THE POSITION, THEN THE SALARY WOULD JUST CONSIST OF WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS IN 2019, PLUS ALL THE COLAS THAT WERE, UM, UH, GRANTED OR ANY OTHER SALARY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE GRANTED.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DEDUCT ANY OF THE REELECTION BONUSES THAT WERE GRANTED SO THAT ALL YOU HAD AS A CURRENT SALARY WAS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED 2019 PLUS THE COLAS AND SALARY ADJUSTMENTS, NOT TO INCLUDE ANY REELECTION BONUSES.
IS THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
AND I, I, UH, POINT TO THE, UM, CHART THAT I HAVE UP ON THE SCREEN HERE.
AND MR. MCFALLON, I DO THINK THIS ACT AC THIS IS AN ACCURATE DEPICTION OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, WHICH IS THAT FIRST COLUMN, IT SAYS COUNTY BASE PAY ESTABLISHED IN 2015.
AND ALTHOUGH THAT NUMBER IS NOT CORRECT, BECAUSE WE CAME BACK IN 2019.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT YOUR POINT IS, IS THAT THE COLAS, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS RECEIVE
[01:15:01]
COLAS AND THAT THEY ALSO RECEIVE, UH, A 5% FROM THE STATE, AND THEN ON ADDITION TO THAT, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A REELECTION.NO, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE.
UH, I THINK THEY GET A 5% REELECTION BONUS.
BUT WHAT, WHY ARE WE DEALING WITH 20 15, 16 AND 17? WE HAD ESTABLISHED NEW SALARIES IN 2019.
THE ORDINANCE WAS NEVER PUT INTO PLACE, BUT THE SALARIES HAVE BEEN PAID.
SO THE REASON THAT THAT FIRST BLOCK IS THERE, IS BECAUSE SINCE THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE WAS NOT AMENDED, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE BASE SALARY, THE OFFICIALS THAT HAVE BEEN ELECTED SINCE 2019, SPECIFICALLY THE AUDITOR OR THE, UM, AUDITOR IN THE CORONER, THEIR SALARIES, THEIR CURRENT TWO DAY SALARIES ARE BASED ON THE 2015 SALARIES WITH COLA'S ADDED TO IT.
SO IF YOU, WELL, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S JUST NOT CORRECT BECAUSE WE ADJUSTED THEIR SALARY IN 2019 AND KOHLS WERE ADDED TO THAT.
BUT BECAUSE IT IS A NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIAL, THE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIAL WOULD GO TO THE BASE PAY.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO MAKE.
WELL, I, I DON'T, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK THEY WOULD GO TO THE, TO THE SALARY OF THE POSITION WITH COLAS AND OTHER SALARY ADJUSTMENTS, MINUS ANY REELECTION BONUSES.
THE COLAS GO WITH THE POSITION, NOT WITH THE PERSON.
SO THE COLAS WERE GRANTED TO THAT POSITION.
THEY WOULD BE EFFECTIVE TODAY CUMULATIVELY, THE ONLY THING THAT WOULDN'T BE THERE WOULD BE ANY REELECTION BONUSES.
BUT SAY IN THE CASE OF THE SHERIFF HAS BEEN ELECTED FOUR TIMES, IF, IF SOMEONE ELSE COMES IN, UH, IN THE NEXT TERM, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOSING THOSE FOUR BONUSES AT 5% EACH AND, AND REVERT BACK TO WHATEVER THE SALARY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019 PLUS S.
SO I BELIEVE WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, AND I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE STATING, IS THAT THE AUDITOR, IF YOU'LL SEE ON THE VERY TOP HERE, BASE SALARY, WHICH IS IN THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY FOR 2015, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEIR COLAS ARE IMPLEMENTED ONTO THAT.
BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
2015 HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
A NEW SALARY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019, AND KOHLERS WERE ADDED TO THAT.
THEN REELECTION BONUSES SHOULD BE DEDUCTED TO REACH THE CURRENT SALARY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE DEALING WITH 15, 16, 17, AND 20.
I'M GONNA INTERRUPT FOR A SECOND.
THE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAD IN ON AUGUST 12TH, 2019, WAS THAT EVER ADOPTED? NO.
SO THEN THE 2015 IS THE ONE THAT WE HAVE TO USE.
IT IS IN THE ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW, AS OF TODAY.
SO, 'CAUSE WE NEVER ADOPTED THAT, LARRY, WE'RE NOW DEALING WITH WHAT TOOK PLACE IN 2015 THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL AND HAVE TO ROLL ALL OF THOSE FORWARD SO THAT WHEN WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE NOW IT UPDATES EVERYTHING FROM 2015 TO CURRENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A DESIRE ON OUR PART TO CHANGE THE SALARIES IN 2019, FOR WHATEVER REASON, COUNSEL NEVER ADOPTED THAT.
THEREFORE, WELL, I, I, I WOULDN'T GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT IT WAS NEVER PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
WELL, I WOULDN'T SAY COUNCIL NEVER ADOPTED IT.
SO I HAVE WORKED WITH CATHERINE MAID, WHO IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.
WE HAVE GONE, SHE, I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR HER HARD WORK,
SHE HAS GONE BACK THROUGH ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS, UM, GOING BACK FROM AUGUST 12TH, 2019, AND HAS ENSURED THAT THE SALARIES OF THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY PAID OUT.
AND AGAIN, WE
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PROPOSE HERE TODAY, ARE THEY BASED UPON WHAT WE RECOMMENDED IN 2019 PLUS THE COLAS AND OTHER SALARY ADJUSTMENTS PEOPLE RECEIVED? YES.
BUT I DON'T CARE ABOUT 15, 16, 17, AND 18
SO CATHERINE DOES HAVE THE NUMBERS, UM, AND CAN PROVIDE THEM FOR THE, THE, THE TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS ON HERE.
UM, IT WOULD BE THE CORONER AND THE AUDITOR THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED.
AND THE PROBATE JUDGE AS WELL.
SO THE PROBATE, WE CAN, WE'D HAVE TO RECALCULATE THAT ONE AS WELL.
SO WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WOULD BE
[01:20:02]
WOULD PAY THEM RETROACTIVELY, COMPENSATE THEM RETROACTIVELY BASED ON THESE RECOMMENDED SALARY RATES PROVIDED BY MR. MCALLEN AND THE FIRST SET OF NUMBERS.SO THEN ON THIS SHEET HERE, RIGHT, IS UM, I SEE YOU HAVE THE PROBATE JUDGE HERE.
ISN'T THE PROBATE JUDGE'S SALARY CONTROLLED BY THE STATE? YES, IT IS REC IT IS CONTROLLED BY THE STATE.
THERE IT IS BASED ON THE POPULATION, SO YES, YES, MS. SO, SO WE DIDN'T YOU NEVER ADJUSTED THE, THE PROBATE JUDGE SALARY? WE NOT, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S BY STATE STATUTE.
AND, AND IF I MAY CLARIFY, I DO, I HAVE RAN THE NUMBERS.
I HAVE THEM, I DON'T HAVE THEM HERE TODAY, BUT I'LL BE GLAD TO SHARE THAT OUT AND DISSEMINATE IT TO COUNCIL.
UM, BUT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE TWO, IF, IF WE'RE GONNA CORRECT, UM, AND GO BACK TO THE 2019, WHICH SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED MM-HMM.
I HAVE ALREADY CALCULATED WHAT WE WOULD OWE TO ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THEY, THEY'VE, THEY'VE, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN GETTING PAID THAT SALARY SINCE 2019.
WHY DO WE OWE THEM MONEY? YOU MEAN THE TWO THAT JUST CAME IN? CORRECT.
SO OUT, OUT OF THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION ITEM.
HOWEVER, WE EITHER NEED TO HAVE YOU COME BACK TO US AT OUR NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE AND PRESENT THOSE NUMBERS TO US SO WE CAN THEN MOVE IT TO COUNCIL, OR WE CAN VOTE TO MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL AND BY THAT TIME HAVE THE CORRECTED NUMBERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND HAVE THE DETAILS THAT, THAT WE NEED.
SO IT'D BE WHATEVER THIS COMMITTEE WISHES TO DO.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE OUR, UH, ACTING ADMINISTRATOR TO WORK WITH STAFF AND COME BACK AT OUR NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WE'RE GONNA PAY THEM EVENTUALLY.
IT'S, THEY'RE NOT GONNA LOSE THE MONEY.
ISN'T THIS, AREN'T THESE NUMBERS CORRECT? PARDON ME? AREN'T THE NUMBERS WE'RE LOOKING AT CORRECT.
I WAS GONNA ASK THE, THE FINAL NUMBER.
DON'T WE HAVE FINAL, THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, THE FIRST SECTION, UM, AS CHAIRMAN PASS NOTE, CLARIFY THAT THAT'S WHAT IT READS TODAY BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE WAS NOT ADOPTED.
THE SECOND SECTION IS WHERE THE, UH, CURRENT ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE CURRENTLY MAKING.
AND OUTTA THAT LIST, THERE IS TWO, THE AUDITOR AND THE CORONER THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTED SINCE WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK AND AMEND THE ORDINANCE FROM 2019 WITH THE BASE SALARY.
SO THEIR SALARIES WILL CHANGE.
SO WHAT WAS THE NUMBER WE RECOMMENDED FOR THE AUDITOR IN 2018? IN 2019? 88,000? IT STARTED AT 88,000, BUT SINCE THEN IT HAD
DON'T, ALRIGHT, I DON'T NEED TO GO BACK TO THAT.
JUST GO BACK TO THE ONE THAT WAS UP PLEASE.
SO IF WE RECOMMENDED 88 1, YOU SAY CURRENT EO COUNTY SALARY IS 78, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
IF RECOMMENDED 88, WHY WOULD IT BE 78? THAT'S THE CURRENT, THAT IS WHAT THE AUDITOR CURRENTLY MAKES BECAUSE THE AUDITOR WAS GIVEN THE PAY OF HOW THE ORDINANCE READS TODAY, WHICH IS BASED ON THAT FIRST SECTION OF THE SPREADSHEET.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE NEVER WAS ADOPTED.
THEY HAD TO GO BACK TO 2015 AND START AT 59.
NINE 15 AND MOVE ALL THE MONEY FORWARD.
SO NOW WHAT WE'RE TELLING THEM TO DO IS START WITH WHAT WE WANTED TO HAVE DONE IN 2019 FOR THE CORONER AND THE AUDITOR MOVE THE MONEY FORWARD, WHICH WILL CORRECT THEIR SALARIES, AND THEN WE'LL ADOPT THAT.
AND MINUS, MINUS ANY REELECTION BONUSES.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS TO CHARGE THEM TO COME FORWARD WHEN WE PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER TO ADOPT IN THE BUDGET ALL OF THIS INFORMATION SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT OF WONDERING DID WE UPDATE AN ORDINANCE? WE CAN TAKE CARE OF IT ALL AT ONCE WHEN WE DO THE BUDGET.
SO YOU SHOULD COME BACK TO FINANCE WITH THE THE FULL NUMBERS.
THE CORRECT NUMBERS, AND THE BUDGET ACCOUNTING WHERE YOU'RE GONNA TAKE IT FROM THE BUDGET AND THEN WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD TO COUNCIL AND THEN WE HAVE TO RECTIFY IT IN THE NEXT YEAR.
NOW THEY'VE ALL, YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE IT WITH HER, BUT YOU DON'T, DON'T HAVE IT WITH HER.
DIDN'T GET THAT FAR INTO THE DISCUSS TODAY, BUT YES, I HAVE THE WORK COMPLETED AND I CAN HAVE IT.
SO MR. ROBINSON WILL MAKE SURE IT COMES FORWARD? YES.
WOULD IT BE, AND A FINAL QUESTION, THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE GETTING RETROACTIVE PAY IS THE AUDITOR IN THE CORONER, RIGHT? RIGHT.
EVERYBODY ELSE IS PAID ACCORDINGLY BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR THOSE NUMBER OF YEARS.
[01:25:01]
WASTE A MONTH GOING BACK TO FINANCE FOR SOMETHING THEY ALREADY HAVE.WE CAN MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL, GET THE INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME AND APPROVE IT ON MONDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING.
MR. ROBINSON, WOULD YOU HAVE THAT READY? YEP, WE CAN DO THAT.
IF YOU CAN GET IT DONE, THAT'S FINE.
ALRIGHT, SO THEN I NEED A MOTION THEN THAT MR. PASSMAN, THAT, UH, TAKE COUNSEL.
SO I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE SEND THIS TO COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL, UH, AT MONDAY'S MEETING WITH THE CAVEAT THAT THE SALARIES OF THE AUDITOR AND THE CORONER BE REDONE TO AFFECT A CORRECT, YEAH.
TO TO BE CORRECTED TO THE DESIRED SALARIES.
AND I WOULD ASK, I'LL SECOND THAT MS. BROWN.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION MS. WARD WANTS TO SAY? OH, I'M SORRY.
IF WE CAN JUST MAKE IT EXTREMELY CLEAR IN VOTING THAT THAT SALARY CHANGE IS TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE ELECTED.
WELL, WHEN YOU, UH, PRESENT THE A I S YOU'LL HAVE THAT IN THERE.
AND SO THE MOTION WILL BE MADE AT THAT TIME AND SO THAT THAT'LL TAKE CARE OF AN ISSUE IF THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE GETS REELECTED.
SO THAT NEW BASE SALARY IS GONNA BE THEN EFFECTIVE FOR THE NEW WAS ELECTED OFFICIAL.
WE WILL HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR YOU TO MOVE IT FORWARD, WHICH WILL RETROACTIVELY ADDRESS THE PREVIOUS OKAY.
ISSUES AS WELL AS MOVING FORWARD.
AND THIS WILL AUTHORIZE THE, UH, SALARIES FOR ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THERE EXCEPT COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY RECEIVING THEM BUT NEVER HAD THE AUTHORITY BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE WASN'T PRESENTED RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO MOVING INTO THE FUTURE, THIS WILL BE PART OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET ORDINANCE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ELECTION CYCLES OR WORRY ABOUT SOMETHING BEING MISSED PART OF OUR BUDGET.
SO MY OTHER QUESTION IS, WHEN THESE TWO PEOPLE PAID A FILING FEE, LIKE SOME OF US DID, IT'S BASED ON YOUR SALARY WAS THEIR FILING FEE, CORRECT? I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT.
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT I'M THROWING IT OUT.
I DISCUSSED THAT, THAT WITH THEM, IT WAS JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
IT WAS WHEN DAVID KAD PAID, THAT'S JUST WHAT HIS SALARY SHOULD BE.
SO I DID REACH OUT TO MAURICE SMALLS OVER OUR VOTER REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT AND YES, YOU'RE CORRECT.
IT'S BASED ON SALARIES AND I ASKED HER WHERE SHE, WHERE THE INFORMATION CAME FROM AND SHE SAID THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION.
SO THEN I FURTHER ASKED HER IF SHE COULD SEND ME, YOU KNOW, THEIR INFORMATION OR A LIST OF OFFICES WITH THE BASE SALARIES, YOU KNOW, JUST TO VERIFY.
SO I'M WAITING ON THAT INFORMATION, BUT I'LL, I'LL FORWARD IT OR I'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS, 'CAUSE THEN IF THEY WERE CHARGED A PROPER AMOUNT TO FILE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE SITTING IN THE BOAT WE'RE IN.
'CAUSE WE NEVER ADOPTED AN ORDER.
BUT THEN WHY ARE THEY CHARGED THAT AMOUNT? YEAH, I'M LIKE, I I DO WANNA KNOW WHAT THEY BASED IT ON.
SO AS SOON AS I GET THAT, I'LL, I'LL LET YOU THEY WOULD'VE BASED IT ON THE PERSON HOLDING THE POSITION, THE VOTE.
IT'S A STATE ELECTION COMMISSION.
AND LEMME JUST POINT OUT WHAT, UH, MR. MCKELLEN HAD SAID IS THE FACT THAT THIS IS ONLY FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS LISTED HERE, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH COUNTY COUNCIL.
WE HAVE TO FOLLOW A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SET OF RULES.
TO CHANGE ANY TYPE OF, OF SALARY FOR, UM, A COUNTY COUNCIL.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR MR. UH, PASSMAN? OH YEAH.
AND IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? NOPE.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
THIS WILL WE MOVE THEN TO THE NEXT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING? THANK YOU MS. WARD.
THANKS FOR DOING ALL THE BACKGROUND WORK, LADIES, AND, UH, THANK YOU.
[14. DISCUSSION AND REVIEW OF COUNTY COUNCIL'S RULES AND PROCEDURES DRAFT DOCUMENT]
ONE MORE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.UM, AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, UH, DISCUSSION, REVIEW OF COUNTY COUNCIL'S RULES AND PROCEDURES, DRAFT DOCUMENT.
AND THIS IS FOR, UH, THERE'S NO FISCAL IMPACT FOR THIS.
UM, SO AGAIN, UM, AND WHO'S GONNA BE PRESENTING THIS? THIS IS, UH, THAT WOULD BE ME.
THE RULES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL HAS BEEN ADOPTED FIRST IN 1985 AND UPDATED PERIODICALLY.
THE LAST TIME IT WAS ACTUALLY UPDATED WAS IN 2015.
THE PRIOR COUNCIL WA A COMMITTEE WAS FORMED TO UPDATE THE RULES AND PROCEDURES.
IT DID NOT FINISH ITS WORK AND LEFT IT TO THE NEXT COUNCIL.
THE NEXT COUNCIL DID NOT DO THE COMPLETION OF THIS.
[01:30:01]
I SAT WITH MR. KE AND OUR CLERK TO COUNSEL TO GO THROUGH VARIOUS ITERATIONS.WE TOOK THE DOCUMENT FROM 2015, ANALYZED IT, MADE SOME RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
WE ANALYZED IT AND MADE CHANGES.
WE GOT THAT DRAFT, ANALYZED IT AND MADE CHANGES.
WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS A COMPILATION OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME COUNSEL IS SEEING THIS DOCUMENT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO.
SEVERAL OF THE ITEMS THAT WE REQUESTED CHANGES FOR DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THIS ITERATION.
AND IT WAS SCRATCHING OUR HEAD SAYING, WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THE WORD CHAIR WAS MISSPELLED.
WE DISCUSSED, DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THE ENTIRE SECTION ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENTS HAD TO BE REWRITTEN BECAUSE THE 30 MINUTES IS THE BEGINNING, 15 MINUTES AND THE ENDING 15 MINUTES, AND IT ISN'T CLEAR IN THERE.
SO ALL OF THIS IS TO SAY, HERE'S YOUR FIRST CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT EVERYTHING.
NOW AS TRUE TO FORM AS SHE DOES, MS. TABER NECK HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH IT AND SENT SEVERAL COMMENTS SAYING ON THIS PAGE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WE'VE TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD AGAIN.
SO YOU'RE GONNA GET ANOTHER ITERATION OF THIS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY HAVE AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION BEFORE WE ADOPT THESE RULES.
ANY QUESTIONS? AND DON'T PRESUME I CAUGHT EVERYTHING, SO FEEL FREE.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, MR. PMU THERE FOR US ASSIST TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS LIKE, UH, MS. TABER NECK, DID SHE SENT THOSE, UH, WE'VE TAKEN THOSE, TAKEN THIS LAST ITERATION.
WE'LL NOW GO BACK AND DISCUSS THAT BECAUSE WE DO WANNA HAVE A GOOD PRODUCT.
WE WANT IT TO HAVE IT ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE WANT IT TO BE PUBLISHED SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW WE OPERATE.
SO THERE IS NO ACTION TO TAKE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND, UM, SO THEN, UH, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, A NEED FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND, UM, PURSUANT TO SOUTH DAKOTA CODE SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO, UM, WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS. UM, AND, UH, THOSE FOUR ITEMS WE DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATIONS.
UM, INCIDENT TO PROPOSED CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS AND PROPOSED PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY.
SECOND WOULD BE TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS.
INCIDENT TO PROPOSE CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENT, BER FOREMAN ANNUAL LOBBYING CONTRACT.
THIRD ONE TO WOULD BE TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS, INCIDENT TO PROPOSE CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS, LOW COUNTRY INSIDE TRACK L T D.
AND THE FOURTH WOULD BE, UM, TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE WHERE THE ADVICE RELATES TO THREATENED OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION, UM, FROM FORMER EMPLOYEES AND FORMER INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.
AND THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE, UM, MATTERS ARISING OUT OF THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS THERE SOMEONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION SO MOVED.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
WE WILL THEN MOVE TO, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
HEY, HOW'S IT GOING? MY NAME IS DEPUTY KLAUS FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
MY DAD WAS A POLICE OFFICER FOR I WANNA SAY 26, 27 YEARS IN CANTON, OHIO.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I JUST GREW UP AROUND THE, THE PROFESSION AND, AND HOW MUCH, I GOT TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU GOT TO GIVE BACK TO PEOPLE.
I'VE BEEN COMING DOWN HERE FOR, WHAT, 20 YEARS? SINCE I WAS A KID.
MY, UH, DAD'S SISTER LIVES ON THE ISLAND.
SO WE'D COME HERE ON VACATION AND THEN AFTER MY BROTHER GRADUATED COLLEGE, HE MOVED DOWN HERE AND STARTED WORKING FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND THEN AFTER I FINISHED COLLEGE, I DID THE SAME.
[01:35:01]
HAS EACH OTHER'S BACKS.IS THERE ANY ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THIS COMMITTEE? THAT WAS THE ONE SEEING
[19. MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
NO ACTION.