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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.THIS IS THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, DECEMBER 11TH, AND THIS IS ALSO OUR LAST MEETING OF THIS YEAR.
WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALICE HOWARD WILL DO THE INVOCATION.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR, I'D LIKE TO INVITE MY PASTOR FROM, UM, CARTER STREET METHODIST TO COME FORWARD.
PASTOR BRYON WILLIAMS IS GONNA DO BETTER THAN ME.
MR. CHAIR, THANKS FOR THE INVITATION.
ALICE, THANKS ALL THE, ALL THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
UH, GOD OF ALL OF US, UH, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR ALL THE MANY BLESSINGS YOU POUR OUR UPON US EACH DAY.
LORD, IN THIS SEASON OF HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATION, MAY WE FEEL YOUR PRESENCE AMONG US.
MAY WE KNOW GOD, THAT WE ARE PART OF YOUR GOOD CREATION, AND THAT YOU CREATED ALL OF US IN YOUR IMAGE.
MAY WE KNOW, LORD, THAT NO MATTER WHO WE ARE OR WHERE WE ARE, THAT YOU LOVE US.
WE PRAY FOR THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS, UH, TO FEEL YOUR PRESENCE AS THEY DO THIS, TO HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS FOR ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY AND ALL THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE.
GOD, AS WE CLOSE OUT THIS YEAR FOR COUNCIL, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, A HEALTHY YEAR NEXT YEAR AND, AND, AND A GOOD YEAR IN THE COUNTY.
LORD BLESS US ALL TO KNOW YOU AND LOVE YOU.
PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
UH, BEFORE WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE A MEMBER OF COUNSEL TO MAKE A MOTION TO MODIFY, MODIFY TONIGHT'S AGENDA.ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, YOU WILL SEE ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT REMOVED AND BECOME ITEM 15 A BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO DISCUSS THAT.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THE AGENDA WILL BE CHANGED TO REFLECT THAT.
NOW I WOULD LIKE A MOTION FOR THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION SECOND.
AND MR. MCKELLEN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION? SAYING NONE.
THE AGENDA IS APPROVED AS AMENDED.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES October 9, 2023, October 23, 2023 and November 13, 2023]
APPROVE THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 9TH, 23RD AND NOVEMBER 13TH, 2023.I MAKE MOTION MR. MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION.
MS. BROWN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THE MINUTES WILL BE APPROVED.
[6. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
OUR ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN AND COUNSEL.
IT HAS BEEN A BUSY YET VERY PRODUCTIVE LAST FEW WEEKS FOR OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
UH, STAFF BEGAN WORKING, UH, TOWARDS OUR, OUR BUDGET CALENDAR AND BUDGET PRODUCTION.
OUR CIP TEAM HAS MET GOING OVER SOME EXISTING PROJECTS AND FUTURE CIP PROJECTS AS BEGINNING OF THAT BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, LAST FRIDAY, WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE TREE LIGHTING EVENT HOSTED BY OUR CHAIRMAN.
UH, HE WAS OUR MC, SO IF YOU MISSED THAT, IT WAS A GOOD EVENT.
IT LOOKED LIKE WE HAD 350 TO 400 FOLKS THERE THAT ATTENDED AND LOTS OF, UM, CHILDREN'S GROUPS THAT CAME AND DID PRESENTATION AND SANG SOME SONGS.
SO THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD EVENT TO, TO, TO, UM, TO ATTEND.
UH, IT WAS, UH, PUT ON BY OUR EMERGING LEADERS GROUP.
SO WE WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO PUT THAT ON.
UM, THAT WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENING.
ON, UH, LAST SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2ND, I ISSUED AN EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCE SECTION TWO DASH FIVE 19.
THIS WAS TO PERFORM, UH, MAINTENANCE
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WORK AT THE CC HAGUE JUNIOR PUBLIC BOAT RAMP.IT'S AT NUMBER TWO, WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY.
THE ACTION WAS PREDICATED, UH, BY THE, BY, UM, OUR FAILURE TO RECEIVE A FINAL CONSTRUCTION PERMIT, UM, AT, UH, IT WAS A MARINE CONSTRUCTION PERMIT AT THE COUNTY OWNED HELMSMAN WAY PUBLIC BOAT RAMP.
UH, THAT BOAT RAMP WAS, UM, WELL STILL WILL BE, UH, OUR, UH, DUSKY ISLAND, UH, EMBARKMENT EMBARKMENT POINT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO THE WORK WAS NECESSARY, NECESSARY AT THE, UH, CC HAGUE JUNIOR SITE TO ENSURE, UM, SAFE FERRY EMBARKMENT POINT TO THE SKEE ISLAND IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH A COURT ORDER THAT REQUIRES US TO VACATE OUR CURRENT EMBARKATION POINT AT BUCKINGHAM LANDING BY THE FIRST OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AS YOU, IF YOU'VE DRIVEN BY THAT AREA, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN SOME WORK GOING ON THERE.
UM, IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WE'LL BE, UH, PLANTING, PLANTING GRASS BACK IN THE AREA, AND IT WILL BE A, A REALLY BEAUTIFUL, SAFE SITE FOR US TO OPERATE OUT AS ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
ALRIGHT, I HAVE A FEW, UH, INTRODUCTIONS, UH, TO MAKE, UM, INTRODUCING TO YOU TO SOME OF OUR STAFF AND, UH, AND ONE NEW MEMBER.
UM, THE FIRST PERSON I'M GONNA INTRODUCE YOU TO IS, UM, DOROTHY MCMANON.
DID I SAY IT RIGHT? DOROTHY? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, SO DOROTHY, UM, DOROTHY WORKS FOR OUR PROBATE COURT.
SHE IS THE DIVISION CHIEF FOR GUARDIANSHIPS AND CONSERVATORY CONSERVATORSHIPS.
SHE HAS BEEN THERE FOR 13 YEARS.
THIS IS ALSO DOROTHY'S LAST WEEK.
SHE IS RETIRING FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY ON FRIDAY AS PART OF HER JOB AS THE DIVISION DIVISION CHIEF OF GUARDIANSHIPS AND CONSERVATORSHIPS.
UH, SHE WORKS WITH THE PUBLIC TO PROTECT, UH, INCAPACITATED INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS ASSETS OF MINORS.
UH, THIS INCLUDES CONDUCTING HEARINGS, WORKING WITH ATTORNEYS THIRD PARTY PROFESSIONALS, UH, PROCESSING ANNUAL GUARDIAN REPORTS AND ANNUAL CONSERVATORSHIP ACCOUNTING.
UH, SHE ASSISTS WITH THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE PROBATE COURT PROCESS AND RECEIPTS CLOCKING IN THE MAIL,
UM, SO DOROTHY RELOCATED, UH, TO BEAUFORT.
UM, SHE CALLS IT BEAUTIFUL BEAUFORT BY THE SEA TO ENJOY HER PASSION FOR THE BEACH AND CARE FOR HER BEST FRIEND WHO WAS HER, WHO IS HER EX-HUSBAND AND THE FATHER OF HER CHILDREN.
SHE'S RETIRING SO THAT SHE'S ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM IN HIS ILLNESS.
SO THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL FOR HER TO DO.
SHE'S RECENTLY BECAME A GRANDMOTHER AND IS EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT, HER NEW CHAPTER IN HER LIFE.
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? WELL, I REALLY DON'T HAVE A SPEECH PREPARED, BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR COUNTY FOR ALLOWING ME TO TO WORK HERE ALL THESE YEARS.
I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH SOME VERY WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
AND MY MENTOR, JUDGE GALVIN, HAS BEEN WITH ME SINCE DAY ONE WHEN SHE WAS STILL THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE.
UM, SO WE'VE GONE A LONG WAY TOGETHER, AND YOU'RE ALL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL BEAUFORT COUNTY PROBATE COURT.
NEXT UP IS, UH, CARMEN GRIFFITH GRIFFITH FROM, UH, THE ST.
HELEN HELENA BRANCH PUBLIC LIBRARY.
CARMEN IS THE, UH, LIBRARY ASSISTANT THERE.
IS SHE HERE? OH, MAYBE SHE'S ON THE SCREEN.
SO CARMEN, SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT CARMEN IS, UH, SHE'S WORKED FOR OUR, UH, ST.
HENA LIBRARY, UM, WHEN IT WAS AT THE SCHOOL, UH, SO YEARS AGO.
UM, WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT HER IS SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR, FOR SO LONG.
SHE KNOWS ALMOST EVERYONE THAT COMES IN BY FIRST NAME.
UM, SHE KNOWS, UH, THAT SHE'S REMEMBERS THEM FROM WHEN THEY WERE IN SCHOOL.
SO WHEN THEY VISIT HER, NOW SHE RESPONDS TO THEM BY THEIR FIRST NAME.
SHE'S REALLY, UH, POPULAR THERE.
UH, SO YOU'LL FIND HER A LOT OF, UH, VERY OFTEN WORKING ON NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, CHECKING
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IN BOOKS AND REGULAR DUTIES, UH, THAT A LIBRARIAN WOULD DO THERE.UM, SHE'S COMMITTED TO HER HIGH DEGREE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.
UM, SHE IS A PRO AT REGISTERING NEW LIBRARY CARDS.
SO IF EVERYONE, IF ANYONE DOESN'T HAVE A LIBRARY CARD, YOU CAN GO SEE CARMEN AND SHE'LL HELP YOU WRITE OUT.
UM, SHE, UM, UM, SHE LIKES TO CALL HER PATRONS AND MAKE, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHEN THEIR ITEMS HAVE ARRIVED.
SO A LOT OF PATRONS ORDER THINGS AND THEY GET KIND OF AN EMAIL THAT THEIR, THEIR BOOKS OR VIDEOS HAVE ARRIVED, BUT SHE LIKES TO CALL THEM PERSONALLY.
IN THE PAST YEAR, SHE'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN, UM, REVIVING THE ST.
HELENA LIBRARY, UH, TEEN ADVISORY BOARD, WHERE SHE PLANS SPECIAL ACTIVITIES TO MOTIVATE TEAMS, UH, TO VISIT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE LIBRARY AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WELL, LET'S, ALTHOUGH SHE'S NOT HERE, LET'S GIVE A LITTLE ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO CARMEN FOR HER SAKE.
ALL RIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IN HER ABSENCE, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT HER IS TRUE.
UH, SHE'S A PLEASANT PERSON, UH, WITH A GREAT SMILE WHEN YOU GO THERE.
SO, AND SHE'S READY TO HELP YOU.
SO EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS TRUE, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IN HER BEHALF.
UM, THE NEXT PERSON I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT CANNOT BE HERE EITHER.
UM, BARBARA HAS, UH, IS THE OPERATIONS OR AN OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR, UH, OUR ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT.
UH, SHE'S BEEN WITH US WITH US SINCE AUGUST OF 2021.
SHE OVERSEES THE OPERATIONS IN OUR BLUFFTON OFFICE.
SHE OVERSEES THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AS THE FINANCE, THE DEPARTMENT'S FINANCE COORDINATOR.
SHE DIRECTS THE FINANCIAL SYSTEMS FOR THE BUDGET, MONTHLY REPORTS FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE.
UM, BARBARA HAS A WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOR.
SHE LIKES TO SING AND CAN MAKE ANY PHRASE INTO A SONG.
ALRIGHT, THANKS SO MUCH, BARBARA.
AND, UH, UM, FINALLY I'M GONNA INTRODUCE THE NEW EMPLOYEE.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE MET ALREADY.
UH, VINCENT IS OUR NEW, UH, DIRECTOR OF BROADCAST SERVICES.
UM, UH, HOW ABOUT TWO MONTHS? NOVEMBER 6TH.
UM, SO, UH, VINCENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO QUICKLY ASSIM ASSIMILATE TO HIS DUTIES.
I'M CERTAIN HE'LL P PROVE TO BE A GREAT LEADER FOR THE BROADCAST TEAM.
UH, VINCENT STARTED HIS CAREER IN MEDIA IN 1992.
UH, HE WORKED FOR A CITY NEWSPAPER IN VALDOSTA, GEORGIA, UH, WHILE A COLLEGE STUDENT OUT VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY.
HE ALSO ATTENDED GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY, UM, IN GEORGIA, WHERE HE GREW UP IN ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY IN ALBANY, GEORGIA.
UM, TELEVISION AND MEDIA REMAIN IN A PROFESSIONAL PASSION WITH VINCENT VINCENT.
UH, HIS EXPERIENCE HAS TAKEN HIM TO MARKETS IN ALBANY, UH, GEORGIA, TALLAHASSEE, ST.
SIMON ISLAND, UH, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, HILTON HEAD, BUFORT, BLUFFTON, AND SO ON.
UM, HE HAS BEEN FORTUNATE THAT HAVE WORKED WITH MANY NATIONAL BRANDS SUCH AS FOX, THE CW.
WHAT'S THE CW NETWORK? UH, THE, THE, THE NEWEST ONE.
UH, I, I READ AND PLAY GUITAR.
I DON'T WATCH THE NEWS THAT, THAT OFTEN OR, OR TV, I GUESS.
UH, N-B-C-A-B-C-C-B-S, SONY, MGN, UH, WARNER BROTHERS, DR.
OZ, ESPN, UH, ATLANTA FALCONS, TEMPLE BAY BUCCANEERS, THE GREEN BAY PACKERS, CHICAGO BEARS, AND MANY OTHER PRODUCTIONS.
UM, WE GOT A REALLY EXPERIENCED, UH, BROADCAST DIRECTOR, UH, DURING, UM, DURING VINCENT'S PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS OF LIVING AND WORKING IN THE LOW COUNTRY FROM 2009 TO 2013.
UM, HE WAS CRUCIAL IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BLUFFTON CHAMBER, PARTICIPATING IN MARKETING, UH, EVENTS, COMMITTEES AND, AND COMMITTEES, UM, WHERE HE CREATED, CREATED, UH, THE TASTE OF BUFORT EVENTS ALONG WITH OTHERS.
HE WORKED TASTE BLUFFING, TASTE OF BLUFFTON.
THAT'S BEEN AROUND WAY BEFORE.
WELL, I, I, I HAD, I WORKED A BOOTH THERE ONCE,
UM, HE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH MANY OF THE STAFF AT THE TOWNS AND SCHOOLS AND COVERED DOZENS OF, UH, FOOTBALL GAMES AND OTHER EVENTS, UH, UM, FOR BLUFFTON HIGH.
BEAUFORT HIGH HILTON HAD HIGH, UH, HILTON HAD PREPARATORY AND MANY MORE.
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ALSO CREATED AND PRODUCED THE BLUFFTON NEWS, THE BEAUFORT NEWS, THE HILTON HEAD NEWS, WHICH STILL AIR TODAY ON W-H-H-I-T-V VINCENT.I I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO MR. PATRICK.
I HAD THIS WHOLE SPEECH WRITTEN OUT, SO HE TOLD ME NOT TO READ THIS
SO
UH, GOOD EVENING, BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND GOOD CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT.
UH, I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL AND GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY AS DIRECTOR OF BROADCAST SERVICES TO INFORM, EDUCATE, AND YES, ENTERTAIN, UH, THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND BEYOND.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I WILL GIVE A, A QUICK SHOUT OUT.
THANK YOU TO, UH, MS. HANNAH NICHOLS.
MR. PATRICK KE, MR. SHAAK KIA, MR. AKIA POLITE, MR. DANIEL MORGAN AND MS. TAMIKA, JUDGE GREEN.
AND I WILL GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK UPDATE.
I'M GONNA JUST HAND THEM OVER HERE.
UH, WHAT'S ON BEAUFORT COUNTY TELEVISION? THERE, OUR PROGRAM SCHEDULED, IF YOU COULD PASS THOSE AROUND.
AND, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT TO MR. VINCENT.
WE HAVE A SERIES OF PROCLAMATIONS TO DO TONIGHT.
[7. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING OYSTER RECYCLING DAY - Council Member Alice Howard]
DONE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALICE HOWARD.IT IS A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING OYSTER RECYCLING DAY.
I THINK, UM, SOMEONE HERE FROM THE SOCIAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE IS GONNA ACCEPT THIS GRANT AND JUST GONNA TAKE SOME PICTURES.
AND GRANT'S ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT HELPS GET THIS DONE.
SO, UM, WHEREAS OYSTERS ARE KEYSTONE SPECIES AND A CRUCIAL PART OF OUR COASTAL AND ECOSYSTEM, AND THE POPULATION OF OYSTERS HAVE DECREASED TO A FRACTION OF THEIR HISTORIC LEVELS.
AND WHEREAS ADULT OYSTERS RELEASE MILLIONS OF FERTILIZED EGGS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, LARVAE YOUNG FREE SWIMMING OYSTERS MAY BE CARRY GREAT DISTANCES FROM WHERE THEY WERE RELEASED.
WHEN DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETE, YOUNG OYSTERS MUST ATTACH TO A HARD SUBSTRATE SUCH AS SHELL, OR IF NO SUITABLE SUBSTRATE EXISTS, THE OYSTER WILL DIE.
AND WHEREAS OVER HARVESTING POLLUTION AND HABITAT DESTRUCTION HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DECLINE OF OYSTERS AND OYSTER REEFS.
AND WHEREAS OYSTERS ARE MORE THAN JUST A SEAFOOD DELICACY, OYSTERS BUILD REEFS, UM, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL HABITATS FOR FISH, SHRIMP, CRABS, AND OTHER SPECIES, AND THEY CAN FILTER UP TO TWO AND A HALF GALLONS OF WATER EVERY HOUR.
OYSTER REEFS ALSO ACT AS A NATURAL BREAKWATERS THAT ABSORB WAVE ENERGY AND PROTECT OUR SHORELINES FROM EROSION.
WHEREAS PROPERLY MANAGING THE STATE'S OYSTER BEDS, REPLANTING OYSTER SHELLS AND MAINTAINING THESE IMPORTANT HABITATS IS AN IMPORTANT WAY OF ENSURING THAT SUITABLE HABITAT IS AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF OYSTERS.
AND WHEREAS SOUTH CAROLINA HAS A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF OYSTER SHELLS, SOUTH, UM, CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAS ORGANIZED A STATEWIDE OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM.
AND WHEREAS SOUTH CAROLINA DNR COLLECTS OYSTER SHELLS FROM OYSTER ROAST EVENTS, PUBLIC OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING, DROP-OFF BINS AND RESTAURANTS THAT PARTICIPATE IN RECYCLING SHELLS.
BEAUFORT COUNTY CERTAINLY HA CURRENTLY HAS SEVEN DROP-OFF RECYCLING LOCATIONS IN NINE RESTAURANTS, PARTICIPATE IN OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING.
WHEREAS BY GOING TO THE NEAREST SHELL RECYCLING STATION, OR A SUPPORTING RESTAURANT THAT RECYCLES SHELLS, BEAUFORT COUNTY CITIZENS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP RESTORE, PRESERVE, AND ENHANCE SOUTH CAROLINA'S OYSTER HABITATS BY RECYCLING NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL PROCLAIMS MONDAY, DECEMBER 11TH IS OYSTER RECYCLING DAY, DATED THE 11TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2023.
SIGNED JOE AT JOSEPH PACMAN, JUNIOR CHAIRMAN BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL.
I, OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION WILL BE DONE.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UH, THANK, THANK YOU FOR PASSING, UH, THE ORDINANCE AND RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING.
AND, UH, DID WANNA ADD THAT AS YOU ARE, UH, PERHAPS ENJOYING SOME OYSTERS OVER THE HOLIDAYS, UH, TRY TO KEEP YOUR TRASH SEPARATE, UM, AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE DROPPING THEM OFF, UM, AT AN OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING FACILITY.
AND, UH, YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[8. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING PAT HARVEY-PALMER - Council Member Alice Howard]
A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING PAT HARVEY PALMER.[00:20:01]
AND I WOULD LIKE MS. CAROLINE FURMAN TO JOIN US BECAUSE SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE VERBIAGE IN HERE.UM, WHEREAS PAT HARVEY PALMER IS A WELL-KNOWN AND RESPECTED REALTOR BUSINESS OWNER AND A QUIET LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY AND A BEAUFORT COUNTY TREASURER.
AND WHEREAS DURING PARADE SEASON, PAT IS DUAL HATTED.
YOU ALWAYS SEE HER HAT
YOU'LL SEE HER HAT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WHEREAS PAT HAS BEEN COORDINATING PARADES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR 20 YEARS, AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS, SHE HAS SPEARHEADED THE CHRISTMAS AND WATER FESTIVAL PARADES.
PAT ALSO ORGANIZED THE PARADE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY'S LOCAL CELEBRITY AND AMERICAN IDOL WINNER, CANDACE GLOVER.
AND WHEREAS IN 2015, PAT PLANNED AND EXECUTED THE PARIS ISLAND CENTENNIAL PARADE, CELEBRATING PARIS ISLAND'S A HUNDRED YEAR PRESENCE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WHEREAS PAT WAS RECENTLY ASKED TO TAKE THE LEAD FOR THE VETERAN'S DAY PARADE, WHICH HAD THE LARGEST PARTICIPATION IN BOTH UNITS AND SPECTATORS.
AND WHEREAS BEAUFORT COUNTY'S LOCAL LIONS CLUB HAS ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING OF PARADES.
AND AS A MEMBER OF THE CLUB, PAT TOOK THE REIGNS FEELING THE NEED FOR MORE ORGANIZED PARADES WITH PAT THE LIONS CLUB, THE BEAUFORT RADIO AMATEUR GROUP, AND THE LOCAL HAM OPERATORS OVER A 40 YEAR PERIOD HAD NEAR PERFECT PARADES HAVE BEEN ORCHESTRATED.
AND WHEREAS HOURS BEFORE A PARADE STARTS, SHE'LL FIND PAT RUNNING A TIGHT SHIP WITH HER CLIPBOARD AND A WHISTLE ENSURING EVERY UNIT IS LINED UP IN CORRECT POSITION AND ON TIME.
WHEN ASKED, WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS, PAT SAYS, IT NEVER RAINS ON MY PARADE,
AND WHEREAS EVERYONE LOVES A PARADE, AND WE THANK PAT HARVEY PALMER FOR DELIVERING PAT'S FLEXIBILITY AND INSISTENCE ON SAFETY TO ENSURE AN ENJOYABLE PARADE.
PAT'S JOYFUL MEMORIES ARE WATCHING THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AS ONE BIG FAMILY AND ENJOYING EVERYTHING BEAUFORT HAS TO OFFER.
AND WHEREAS PAT HARVEY PALMER WAS THE FIRST BEAUFORT PERSON OF THE YEAR, RECOGNIZED IN 1986 BY THE BEAUFORT REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THIS YEAR, SHE RECEIVED THE CITA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH VARIOUS AVENUES OF SERVICE AND THE LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM ATA CLUB OF BEAUFORT.
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED.
BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE PAT HARVEY PALMER FOR HER DECADES OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND HER DEDICATION AND ORGANIZING THE BREATH BEST PARADES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, DATED THE 11TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2023, SIGNED BY JOSEPH SSPA JR.
CHAIRMAN BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL.
WOULD YOU LIKE, THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING,
IT'S JUST LIKE ONE, ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.
AND I, I DON'T DO THIS FOR THIS KIND OF RECOGNITION, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I WANT TO THANK, UM, CAROLINE FURMAN FOR, FOR DOING, FOR STARTING ALL OF THIS.
BUT I REALLY WANNA THANK COUNTY COUNCIL FOR COMING TO MY LAST PARADE.
I DON'T REMEMBER EVER SEEING YOU ALL AT ONE OF MY PARADES.
AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE FUTURE.
IF ALL OF YOU COME, WE'LL GET A LARGE FLATBED.
UM, IT, IT'S BEEN A, A SPECIAL HONOR TO BE ASKED TO DO THE VETERAN DAY PARADE.
I'M, I'M SO HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT ONE.
AND THAT IS, ESPECIALLY HERE, HAVING A NATIONAL CEMETERY AND ALL THE VETERANS THAT WE HAVE ON THE MILITARY BASIS, I'M HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT ONE.
UM, I, I THINK FOR ANY OF YOU THAT SAW THE CHRISTMAS PARADE THAT WE HAD A WEEK OR SO AGO, A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, THAT IS BY FAR THE BEST PARADE I THINK WE HAVE EVER HAD IN BUFORD, IN THE WAY OF PARTICIPATION AND PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
HE DID NOT LET IT RAIN ON MY PARADE.
OKAY, SO I CAN, YES, I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD TO DO THIS.
I'M UP ALL THE WAY I GET TO READ OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION.
[9. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS LIAISON CHRIS DIJULIO-COOK- Chairman Joseph Passiment]
THIS PROCLAMATION IS TO RECOGNIZE OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS LIAISON, CHRIS DEJULIO COOK.[00:25:01]
IT.WHEREAS BEAUFORT COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS 30 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN WHICH CITIZENS VOLUNTEER TO ILU INFLUENCE POSITIVE CHANGE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WHEREAS EACH BOARD RELIES ON A COUNTY EMPLOYEE TO BE THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE CLERK TO COUNCIL'S OFFICE.
AND WHEREAS STAFF LIAISONS ARE REQUIRED TO MANAGE THE BOARD, THEY REPRESENT AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.
AND WHEREAS STAFF LIAISONS MAINTAIN ATTENDANCE, CREATE SCHEDULES, DRAFT AGENDAS AND MINUTES RECORD CONTINUING EDUCATION CERTIFICATES ASSIST DURING MEETINGS AND PERFORM OTHER DUTIES AS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD CHAIRMAN.
AND WHEREAS STAFF LIAISONS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN PROVIDING THE CLERK TO COUNCIL'S OFFICE WITH UPDATED INFORMATION IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT FOR RECORD KEEPING PURPOSES.
AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR THE CLERK OF COUNCIL'S OFFICE AND BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CHRIS DEJU COOK FOR HER EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND WHEREAS CHRIS IS A PROJECT AND DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT WHILE PERFORMING HER REGULAR DUTIES, CHRIS ALSO PROVIDES LIAISON SUPPORT FOR TWO BOARDS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THE NORTHERN REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE.
AND WHEREAS CHRIS WORKS HARD AND GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND HER BOARD DUTIES TO ENSURE THE CLERK TO COUNCIL'S OFFICE IS KEPT UP TO DATE ON THE MOST RECENT INFORMATION AND CHANGES WITHIN THE BOARD, CHRIS DOES ALL OF THIS WITH ACCURACY, EFFICIENCY, ENTHUSIASM, AND DEDICATION, AND PROVIDES EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THE BOARD.
AND WHEREAS CHRIS IS AN EXEMPLARY AND VALID, VALUED MEMBER OF THE STAFF LIAISON SUPPORT TEAM FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND THE CLERK TO COUNCIL'S OFFICE IS HONORED TO WORK WITH HER NOW, THEREFORE, IT'S RESOLVED ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, WE, WE PROCLAIM CHRIS DEJU COOK 2023 BOARD AND COMMISSION STAFF LIAISON OF THE YEAR.
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE PART OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND PEOPLE LIKE HER MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU TO VOLUNTEER FOR THEM.
[10. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM - Chairman Joseph Passiment]
THE EMERGING LEADERS.ARE THERE ANY EMERGING LEADERS HERE TONIGHT? COME ON UP.
YES, IT IS LIKE EMERGING LEADERS.
IS THAT EVERYBODY? NO, LET'S DO A FEW OF US.
SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION HONORING THE EMERGING LEADERS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED IN EARLY 2020 AS AN IDEA TO NETWORK AMONGST COLLEAGUES WITH LIKE-MINDED GOALS AND TALENTS.
THUS FAR MORE THAN 17 DEPARTMENTS ARE REPRESENTED AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE EMERGING LEADERS.
THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE CITY OF BUFORT TRICK, NONPROFIT TRICK OR TREAT IN 2022.
THEY ALSO HOSTED A TWO WEEK CREEK CLEANUP EVENT ON LADIES ISLAND.
AND IN 2023, THEY ESTABLISHED, ORGANIZED, AND HOSTED THE FIRST WOMEN'S CONFERENCE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN THE EMERGING LEADERS HOSTED A 23 20 23 BEAUFORT COUNTY TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY.
AND THE EMERGING LEADERS PARTICIPATED IN TRAININGS ON PUBLIC SPEAKING LEADERSHIP STYLES, STRESS AND TIME MANAGEMENT, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, TEAM BUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION.
AND WHEREAS THE EMERGING LEADERS HELD NUMEROUS AFTER HOURS SOCIAL EVENTS TO STRENGTHEN PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS OUTSIDE OF BUSINESS HOURS, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT BUFORT COUNTY RECOGNIZES THE EMERGING LEADERS FOR THEIR HARD WORK, THEIR DEDICATION, AND THEIR RELENTLESS EFFORTS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO PRESIDENT ADAM.
PRESIDENT I'M PRESIDENT BUTLER.
AND IF WE COULD GO OVER THERE, WE'LL HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH.
AND SHADOWS TO SIERRA FOR ORGANIZING THAT TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY LAST WEEK.
PRESIDENT, YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS? YES, YOU WOULD.
[00:30:01]
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY, UM, ESPECIALLY THE EMERGING LEADERS.UM, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO 2024, UM, DOING BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS.
UM, LOOK OUT FOR US, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TREE LIGHTING.
UM, ALWAYS LOVE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
[11. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING TAMEKIA GREEN-JUDGE - Chairman Joseph Passiment]
PROCLAMATION IS RECOGNIZING TAMIKA GREEN JUDGE, A YOUNG LADY THAT KEPT ME IN TOTALFIRST IN THE COUNTY ZONING DEPARTMENT AND THEN TRANSFERRING TO RECORDS MANAGEMENT THREE YEARS AGO, BECOMING THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR.
AND WHEREAS BEAUFORT COUNTY RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROVIDES STORAGE FOR ALL PERMANENT AND INACTIVE COUNTY RECORDS FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR ESTABLISHED RETENTION PERIOD AS APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY.
AND WHEREAS EACH YEAR RECORDS MANAGEMENT AVERAGES 15,000 BOXES OF RECORDS, OVER 1 MILLION PAGES OF DOCUMENTS SCANNED OR MICROFILM, AND 130,000 POUNDS OF RECORDS SHREDDED AND RECYCLED SINCE 2011.
AND WHEREAS RECORDS MANAGEMENT IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING MAIL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD VIA COURIER SERVICE.
AND WHEREAS IN OCTOBER, 2023, TAMIKA ATTENDED THE SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC RECORDS ASSOCIATIONS ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS BOB ROGERS LEADERSHIP INNOVATION AWARD FOR IMPLEMENTING AN UPDATED AND MORE EFFECTIVE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT KNOWN AS FOIA PLATFORM MADE EXTERRO THAT CAN PROCESS THOUSANDS OF FOIA REQUESTS MORE QUICKLY, MORE EFFICIENTLY, MORE THOROUGHLY.
AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT EUFOR COUNTY RECOGNIZES BIKA GREEN JUDGE FOR RECEIVING THE PRESTIGIOUS BOB ROGERS LEADERSHIP INNOVATION BOARD FOR IMPLEMENTING NEW FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST PROGRAM DATED TODAY, SIGNED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR RECOGNIZING, UM, THE RECI, THE RECEIPT OF THIS AWARD FOR, UM, BOB ROGERS, UM, IS GREATLY APPRECIATED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT RECORDS MANAGEMENT ACTUALLY DOES.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE'RE OUT IN THE, THE CUT IS WHAT I CALL IT THE PEACEFUL HILL.
UM, BUT WE WORK HARD AND WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO 2024 FOR ANY, UM, UPCOMING CHANGES THAT WE WOULD HAVE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
[12. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE FOR RECEIVING THEIR CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION - Vice-Chairman Lawrence McElynn]
IS RECOGNIZING THE BUFORT COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE FOR RECEIVING THEIR CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION.THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE FROM THE CORONER'S OFFICE.
WHEREAS THE BUFORT COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE SELFS SUBMITTED TO THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENSURING THAT THEIR OPERATING POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES ARE WITHIN INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES.
AND THE CORONER APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED THE FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO FUND THE PROCESS.
AND WHEREAS A PART-TIME ACCREDITATION MANAGER WAS BROUGHT ON BOARD, HE DEVELOPED THE POLICIES REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE PROCESS.
AND WHEREAS ACCREDITATION REQUIRES INVOLVEMENT FROM ALL EMPLOYEES IN ORDER TO MEET THE GUIDELINES OF THE 2 88 STANDARDS, AND THE STANDARDS ARE ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CORONERS AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS, THE ASSOCIATION REVIEWS THESE STANDARDS INCLUDING ADMINISTRATIVE, FORENSIC, INVESTIGATIVE, AND AN ONSITE FACILITY REVIEW.
AND WHEREAS HAVING ACCREDITATION STATUS INDICATES THE CORONER'S DESIRE FOR LEADING THE WAY IN SERVICE AND COMPASSION FOR THOSE THEY SERVE AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
WHEREAS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE IS ONE OF ONLY NINE
[00:35:01]
IN THE STATE THAT CARRY THE ACCREDITATION STATUS.NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, THE BUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL IS HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE CAR IN A DAVID OT AND THE ENTIRE BEAUFORT COUNTY CAR IN HIS OFFICE ON BEING ONE OF THE NINE COUNTIES IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WHO RECEIVED THIS PRESTIGIOUS ACCREDITATION STATUS DATED 11TH JAN, UH, DAY OF JANUARY, 2023.
WE'LL GET PICTURES OF IT IN A MINUTE.
LET ME, UM, LEMME JUST DO THIS.
DID, MADE, THIS IS A SURPRISE, RIGHT? THIS IS IT.
SHE'S MY RIGHT HAND
AND I ASKED HER TO COME DOWN AND BE WITH US FOR IT.
UH, AND Y'ALL, THIS IS NOT A I THING, THIS IS NOT MY NAME SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ON IT.
IT'S THE CORONER'S OFFICE IS
UM, SO IF Y'ALL WANT TO GIVE ME TWO MINUTES, I GOT SOME PHOTOGRAPHS I'D LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO SEE, UH, APPROVING OF THE CORONER'S OFFICE.
JOANIE SKIPPER TURN AROUND WHO HAS NOT MET HER.
SHE'S YOUR FOR INSTANCE PATHOLOGIST,
MAGGIE, DEBBIE, MY ACCREDITATION MANAGER TO JEFF DOLAN.
AND ANDY COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THEM.
SO, UM, Y'ALL COME AROUND AND GET A COUPLE PICTURES AND THEN IF I CAN HAVE JUST ONE SECOND OF YOUR TIME, GET IN.
THIS IS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CORONERS AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS CERTIFYING THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA CORONER'S OFFICE, HAVING BEEN ASSESSED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION, IS FOUND TO MEET OR EXCEED, MEET OR EXCEED THE REQUIREMENTS OF APPLICABLE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
THIS IS A CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION SIGNED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE PRESIDENT OF THE IAC AND HERE, GET UP HERE.
ALRIGHT EVERYBODY, AND A BIG SMILE.
3, 2, 1, TAKE YOU CONGRAT IF CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF COUNSEL, UM, WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES.
I'M GONNA SHOW YOU SOME UPDATES.
SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOWN TO THE CORONER'S OFFICE.
I WANNA SHOW YOU THE NEW AND APPROVED CORONER'S OFFICE IF YOU CAN BRING 'EM UP.
I'M GONNA ASK THAT CORONER O'NEILL SPEAK ABOUT THESE AND HOW WE COME ABOUT 'EM.
THEY, THEY CAME TO BEAUFORT COUNTY THREE.
SO DON'T GET, DON'T GET UPSET
WELL, MR. CHAIRMAN, COUNSEL, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.
IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT THE CHARLESTON COUNTY CORONER GOES TO ANOTHER COUNTY TO SPEAK.
UM, ALTHOUGH I THINK I'VE MET A NUMBER OF YOU AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES MEETINGS.
SO I THINK SOME OF US HAVE MET IN THE PAST.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, THIS NATIONAL, THIS INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.
UM, WHEN YOU HEARD THAT THERE WAS ONLY NINE IN THE STATE, THERE ARE LESS THAN 50 IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY UNDER THE, THE DIRECTION OF CORONER OTT AND HIS TEAM ARE TAKING CARE OF THOSE IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES ANYMORE.
AND THAT IS A VERY BIG JOB AND A, A BIG RESPONSIBILITY.
WE ARE NOT JUST CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WE ARE ALSO PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND SO FOR YOU TO HAVE THIS CALIBER OF A AN OFFICE WITHIN YOUR COUNTY, HE DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GONNA DO THIS.
SO, UM, AND HE DIDN'T BRING ME DOWN HERE TO DO THIS.
YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR CITIZENS AND YOUR VISITORS WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, CORONERS ARE TYPICALLY THE ONES YOU DON'T WANNA HEAR FROM AND YOU DON'T WANNA SEE PICTURES FROM.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE PICTURES MAY HAVE QUESTION, UH, BUT I LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO WORKING WITH DAVID, UH, THAT WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.
CHARLESTON COUNTY AND BEAUFORT COUNTY BEING SIDE BY SIDE.
SHOULD WE ENCOUNTER A MASS EVENT OR WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
UM, MY OFFICE GOT A, A LARGE GRANT FROM THE STATE UNDER HEALTHCARE PREPAREDNESS.
'CAUSE I MENTIONED WE'RE NOT JUST CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WE'RE ALL WITH PUBLIC HEALTH TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT THAT'S NEEDED IN PARTICULAR FOR CORONER'S OFFICES.
AS WE, AGAIN SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
WE WERE FUNDED FOR TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, ONE OF THEM
[00:40:01]
YOU SEE HERE.UM, BUT CHARLESTON COUNTY DIDN'T NEED BOTH OF THEM.
AND SO I REACHED OUT TO CORONER OTT AND SAID, I THINK WE NEED TO SPLIT THESE TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
UH, BECAUSE IF MY OFFICE GETS TAKEN OUT BY A HURRICANE, I WANNA COME HERE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND LET YOUR FOLKS HELP ME.
AND IF YOUR OFFICE GETS TAKEN OUT HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, YOU'RE COMING TO CHARLESTON.
THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT RIGHT HERE IS CALLED A LOW DOCKS.
THIS IS A HALF MILLION DOLLAR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
IT'S A HALF MILLION DOLLAR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT CAME FROM FEDERAL FUNDS UNDER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
BUFORD COUNTY IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE WHO HAS THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
YOU SHOULD BE PRETTY PROUD OF THIS OFFICE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, YOU NEED TO GO BY AND SEE IT.
UM, THIS IS A FULL BODY SCANNER, UM, WILL SAVE TIME, MONEY, UM, EXPANDS FORENSIC SERVICES AND SCIENCE.
UM, AND AGAIN, VERY FEW OFFICES AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, I THINK IT'S JUST ANOTHER ONE OF IT, IT WAS JUST INSTALLED THIS PAST YEAR.
SKIPPER BACK THERE IS VERY EXCITED.
UM, AND THE NEXT ONE, AND THIS IS CALLED A RANDOX.
AND SO THIS IS THE OTHER PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY GOT THROUGH SOME OF OUR FEDERAL FUNDING.
THIS IS A RAPID TOXICOLOGY ANALYZER, WHICH DOES IMMEDIATE OPIOID TESTING.
I'M SURE BEAUFORT COUNTY IS VERY SIMILAR TO CHARLESTON COUNTY.
WE HAVE AN OPIOID PROBLEM, AND THE FASTER THAT WE CAN GET INFORMATION TO FAMILIES, TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO PUBLIC HEALTH, THE FASTER THAT WE CAN TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM.
THIS IS ABOUT A $70,000 PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
AGAIN, RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ONLY TWO IN THE STATE, ONE IN CHARLESTON, ONE IN BUFORD.
UM, SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT PARTNER IN CHARLESTON COUNTY.
UM, AND WE, UH, AGREE TOGETHER TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS, WHETHER WE CROSS BORDERS OR NOT.
UM, SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I THINK THERE MAY BE ONE MORE JUST IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE AUTOPSY FACILITY.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANNA SEE AN AUTOPSY FACILITY.
BUT, UM, IT'S BASICALLY AN OPERATING ROOM.
IT'S BASICALLY AN OPERATING ROOM.
BUT WHAT'S THE IMPORTANCE? AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE SPEAK FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
WE TAKE THE TIME, WE CARE FOR THEM.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I'VE INTERACTED WITH CORONER OTTS TEAM FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
YOU HAVE AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CARING FOR PEOPLE AT THEIR WORST MOMENT IN THEIR LIFE.
AND IT'S, SO, IT'S MY HONOR TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION,
YOU HAVE A GREAT, WE ARE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD TO BE NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY VERY MUCH.
[13. CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD - 15 MINUTES TOTAL]
FIRST CITIZEN COMMENTS.UM, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WANNA SPEAK.
SO I'M GOING TO ALLOW US TO GO POSSIBLY BEYOND THE 15 MINUTES.
UH, OUR FIRST PERSON, UH, MR. HOAGLAND, YOU WISH TO TALK ABOUT TAX SKIP HOAGLAND.
IF THE AAX COMMITTEE AND TOWN EMPLOYEES AND LAWYERS RECOMMEND THIS COUNCIL VOTE TO APPROVE A TAX FUNDS ISSUED TO CHAMBERS AND CBBS AND NONPROFITS, IT'S, AND, AND THEY SAY IT'S, IT'S LEGAL, THEY'VE LIED, AND THEY SHOULD ALL BE FIRED FOR THEIR ONGOING FRAUD AND FACILITATING MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL TAX USE.
THESE EMPLOYEES ARE ASKING ALL OF YOU TO VOTE AND RAISE YOUR HAND IN FAVOR OF ONGOING TAX THEFT.
WE ARE ALL WATCHING ON HOW AND WHO VOTES TO BREAK THE LAW ON THIS COUNCIL.
IF YOU ALL VOTE FULLY KNOWING AND EDUCATED, YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, YOU SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR TAX THEFT.
PROBLEM IS WE ARE OPERATING UNDER A FAILED POLITICAL SYSTEM WHERE LAWYERS AND COUNTY MANAGERS RUN THE SHOW.
AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PART-TIME, INCLUDING CHAIRMAN AND CO-CHAIRMAN WHO ARE ONLY, WHO ARE ONLY ALSO PART-TIME, BUT CORRUPTED BY THE TOWN EMPLOYEES AND LAWYERS WHO TELL THEM BASICALLY WHAT TO DO LIKE PUPPETS IN MY, IN MY VIEW.
SO JOE AND LARRY, TELL US ALL WHY YOU FUND ALL THE CHAMBERS WITH MILLIONS.
THAT'S ILLEGAL UNDER THE FEDERAL IRS NONPROFIT TAX CODES, NO CONTRACTS, NO PROCUREMENT, NO BIDS TO LOCAL MEDIA AND AD AGENCIES, AND EVEN THE ISLAND, EVEN THE, THE NEWSPAPERS TO BE THE DMO AND, AND, UH, VERSUS THE CHAMBER.
ALSO, WHY DO YOU ALLOW THE CHAMBER AND THE DMO TO SELL ADVERTISING ON THE DMO WEBSITES THAT WERE TAX FUNDED TO PROFIT, WHICH IS ALSO ILLEGAL.
AND WHY DOES THE TOWN AND COUNTY NOT OWN THESE WEBSITES? BEAUFORT SC.ORG, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.ORG AND VISIT BLUFFTON.ORG VERSUS THE CHAMBERS WHO OPERATE ILLEGALLY AND SELL ADVERTISING TO POCKET MILLIONS OF PROFITS.
HOW DO YOU THINK BILL MILES MAKES $500,000 A YEAR WITH THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER AND ROB WELLS AT BEAUFORT CVB? HAS ANYBODY IN THIS COUNCIL SEEN THE MILLIONS OF A TAX FUNDS AND WHERE THEY WERE USED AND HOW THEY WERE LAUNDERED BY THESE CHAMBERS AND CBBS? HOW ABOUT THE 1.5 MILLION OF SOUTH CAROLINA
[00:45:01]
PRT FUNDS SENT DIRECTLY TO THE BANK ACCOUNT OF BILL MILES AND ROB WELLS WITH THE BEAUFORT CVB? HAS ANYONE SEEN THE MILLIONS OF HOSPITALITY FUNDS THAT HAVE DISAPPEARED, USED FOR SCHOOL BONDS BY BIRTH FOREMAN, LAW FIRM CROOKS, ALSO CHA SAME CHAMBER LAW FIRM REPRESENTS THE CHA SAME, UH, LAW FIRM REPRESENT THE CHAMBER.WHAT HAS SMILING? CPA MARIA WALL TREASURER DONE WOULD HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS.
SHE JUST SUED THE COUNCIL TO STOP YOU FROM SEEING AND DOING A FORENSIC AUDIT ON HER, ON ALL HER ACCOUNTING.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE 400 MILLION SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDS CONTROLLED BY CPA? TANYA CROSBY DISAPPEARED, UNACCOUNTED FOR? WHERE'S THE BU? WHERE'S BEAUFORT COUNTY FORENSIC AUDITS PROMISED SINCE THE GREENWAY SCANDAL? BOTTOM LINE IS THIS COUNCIL IS ALLOWING US TO BE ROBBED BLIND BY ALL THESE HIGHLY CORRUPT TOWN EMPLOYEES AND LAWYERS.
ALL WE SEE IS IN-HOUSE FRAUDULENT BUDGETS AND AUDITS AND, AND THAT ONLY SHOW THE NUMBERS THESE PEOPLE WANT YOU TO SEE.
WE'LL JUST HAVE A, WE WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE MORE ERIC GREENWAY IN, IN PERPETUITY.
IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, WE MUST START FIRING AND GETTING RID OF THESE PEOPLE.
NEXT IS CSM TO DISCUSS THE FERRY.
YEAH, SHE SENT, SHE SIGNED UP SECOND.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I'M GONNA DO TODAY, MR. PASSMAN.
I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THIS SPEECH, BUT I, BUT, BUT YOU HAVE TO AGREE TO SOMETHING BECAUSE I WANNA RESPECT ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE TODAY.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THEIR TIME.
YOU DON'T RESPECT ME OR ANYBODY, BUT I WANNA RESPECT THEM.
SO IN ORDER FOR ME TO STAND DOWN TODAY WITH A POA TO MAKE MS. LYNN GREELEY'S, UH, UH, A THREE MINUTE SPEECH, WHICH I'M NOT GONNA DO, ONLY IF YOU AGREE TO GIVE ME A CITATION BECAUSE I NEED TO TAKE THIS TO COURT.
SO IF YOU DON'T GIMME A CITATION, NO, I'M GONNA STAND UP HERE AND MAKE MY THREE MINUTES.
YOU ARE NOT THE JUDGE AND THE JURY.
YOU'RE GONNA RESPECT MY POA THAT'S LEGAL.
NOW GIVE ME A CITATION AND WE CAN, WE CAN SETTLE THIS IN A COURT OF LAW.
I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO RECESS.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE MAKES THE MOTION.
WE SHOW RESPECT FOR THESE PEOPLE AND DO WHAT YOU AND GIMME A CITATION.
ANYONE OBJECT TO RECESSING? YES, YOUR HONOR.
ALL LET THIS MAN WALK OUT LOOKING FOR A GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY.
BUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA HAS SEVERAL JOB OPENINGS IN AREAS THAT WILL MATCH YOUR SKILLSET.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, DETENTION CENTER OFFICERS, STORMWATER AND GROUND CREWS, AIRCRAFT MECHANICS, ALCOHOL AND DRUG SPECIALISTS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IT SPECIALISTS, LIBRARY ASSISTANTS, BUS DRIVERS, AND MUCH MORE.
BUFORT COUNTY OFFERS COMPETITIVE SALARIES, BEST IN CLASS BENEFITS, AND A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
APPLY TODAY@BUFORTCOUNTYSC.GOV.
MOST SNAKES THAT WE ENCOUNTER ARE JUST LIKE THIS EASTERN KING SNAKE, BEAUTIFUL AND COMPLETELY HARMLESS.
IN FACT, MOST SNAKES ARE BENEFICIAL AND THEY'RE GOOD INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
ALL ANIMALS NEED GOOD QUALITY HABITAT.
JOIN US FOR COASTAL KINGDOM, A FIELD TRIP THROUGH THE LOW COUNTRY, AND A CHANCE TO MEET SOME OF THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE HERE.
AND JUDGE VOX SAID, YOUR JUDGMENT IN HER COURT APPLIED ONLY TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ONLY TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
SO STOP QUOTING JUDGE VOX BECAUSE YOU'RE QUOTING HER INCORRECT.
NOW, CAN I FINISH? SO IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU WOULD BE KIND ENOUGH TO SIT DOWN AND LET US FINISH OUR MEETING.
OKAY, NOW YOU READY FOR MY COMMENT TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID? YEAH.
JUDGE BAS RULED THAT A POA, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, A POA IS A POWER OF ATTORNEY.
A POWER OF ATTORNEY GIVES ME THE RIGHTS TO GIVE LARRY OR JOE THE RIGHT TO PULL THE PLUG IN MY DEATHBED.
IT GIVES ME THE RIGHTS TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO MY BANK ACCOUNT.
NOT A, AND IT GIVES ME THE, AND IT GIVES ANYBODY THE RIGHT TO GIVE ME THEIR THREE MINUTES POA, TO MAKE A SPEECH FOR THAT STEP.
YOU KNOW, WANNA BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF BEING A JUDGE, A PAST JUDGE.
OKAY? YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER A POA IF THEY VIOLATE, IF I LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS GUY, THE POA CAN BE DILUTED, MR. HO.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW THAT MR. BE A WAY TO BE VIOLATED.
TAKE THE DOG AND PONY SHOW SOMEWHERE ELSE.
[00:50:01]
DON'T, NO, THIS IS, I'M NOT FINISHED.I DON'T NO, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
THAT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO EVEN SAY IT.
I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A SCHOOL TEACHER.
YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE LAW.
I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? I'M QUOTING YOU THE LAW.
A SCHOOL TEACHER HAS A SKILLSET.
I WANT, I WANT RESOLVE THE POA ISSUE.
I'M NOT VIOLATE YOUR POA I'M NOT GONNA DO IT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
OUR CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS PORTION IS NOW OVER.
THAT'S A SHAME THAT YOU'RE VIOLATING THESE PEOPLE THAT WANT SPEAK.
ARE THERE ANY COMMITTED THAT'S AN ABSOLUTE CRIME THAT YOU WOULD VIOLATE THESE PEOPLE? AND I WILL HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT COMING UP ON THE LAST PART OF THIS SESSION, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO STAY HERE AND LISTEN TO MY COMMENTS AND OTHER PEOPLE'S COMMENTS AT THE
[14. LIASION AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
REPORTS? HEY, STICK THE GENERAL PUBLIC.LAST SHOWING DISRESPECT TO THE PUBLIC.
COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MET ON NOVEMBER 15TH.
THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON S-C-D-O-T PROJECTS.
UH, UPDATE ON DIRT ROADS AND UPDATE ON, UH, YEAR SIX SEVEN RESURFACING AND REJUVENATOR.
AND OF COURSE THE INFAMOUS ONE 70 TRIANGLE AND 2 78 BRIDGE.
I ALSO ATTENDED A SCHOOL BOARD REBRANDING SESSION.
THEY HIRED A CONSULTANT TO REDO THEIR LOGO AND THEIR MOTTO.
AND THEN, UM, ON LAST TUESDAY, JARED WAS KIND ENOUGH AND BRITTANY TO JOIN US.
WE HAD A COUNTY AND TOWN OF BLUFFTON COMMUNITY MEETING.
I WAS THERE AT THE BLUFFTON POLICE STATION FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FOR STATE ROUTE 46 AND NEW RIVERSIDE AREA.
THERE WERE ABOUT 75 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE BECAUSE THAT'S A HIGHLY TRAFFICKED AREA AND THERE WERE A LOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS.
UH, SEEING NO OTHER REPORTS, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FOR THE APPROVAL OF
[15. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
THE CONSENT AGENDA.MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION.
MR. MCKELLEN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
ANY OBJECTIONS? NO SEEING NO OBJECTIONS.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[5. APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE THE INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR TO NEGOTIATE AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH LOWCOUNTRY FERRY, LLC FOR THE PROVISION OF FERRY SERVICES TO AND FROM DAUFUSKIE ISLAND (FISCAL IMPACT: $250,000 in this budget year from General Fund Fund Balance. $365,000 annually beginning in the new budget year)]
NOW AT ITEM 15 A, WHICH IS ITEM FIVE.MAY I HAVE A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL FOR THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO NEGOTIATE AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH LOW COUNTRY FERRY LLC FOR THE PROVISION OF FERRY SERVICES TO AND FROM DUSKY ISLAND? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
UM, IS THERE ANY NEED FOR US TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING THIS ITEM? MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION, PLEASE? I MAKE A MOTION WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING THIS ITEM.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
MR. LAWSON MAKES A SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND IT THE, I HAVE IT HERE SOMEPLACE.
CHAIRMAN, WHAT'S THE, UH, CHAIRMAN? THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IS, UH, TO DISCUSS NEGOTIATIONS, INCIDENT TO CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS.
AND SOMEHOW OR OTHER IT IS GONE.
UH, IT IS THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 78 2.
DISCUSS OF NOTE NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSED CONTRACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE ARE NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'LL COME OUT AND THEN WE WILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WANTED TO ADDRESS US WHO WERE DULY INTERRUPTED, I WILL ALLOW YOU TIME TO ADDRESS US AT THAT TIME.
[00:55:07]
WHO'S READY FOR FOOTBALL? IT'S FALL AND TIME FOR SPORTS FANATICS TO KICK IT INTO HIGH GEAR.WHAT ELSE KICKS OFF WITH SPORTS TAILGATING? COLLEGE PARTIES AND TAILGATING ARE A RITE OF PASSAGE.
AND STUDENTS, IN ADDITION TO BEING UNDERAGE, ARE ALSO AT INCREASED RISK FOR ALCOHOL ABUSE AND BECOMING ALCOHOL DEPENDENT.
BINGE DRINKING DAY, DRINKING TAILGATING ARE ALL A RISK.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL ABUSE OR DEPENDENCE, SAY SOMETHING, SAVE A LIFE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV AND CLICK ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG.
OKAY, SO WE ARE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, WE HAVE A, UH, AN AGENDA ITEM ON THE TABLE FOR DISCUSSION.
IT IS AUTHORIZATION FOR THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO NEGOTIATE AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH LOW COUNTRY FERRY FOR THE PROVISION OF FERRY SERVICES TO AND FROM DUSKY ISLAND.
DURING OUR FIRST, UH, COMMENT PERIOD, WE HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO DID WANT TO ADDRESS COUNSEL REGARDING THAT PARTICULAR ITEM.
UM, IT WAS, UH, UH, JEN CLEMENT, NO, SORRY.
THERE, THEY'RE BEHIND US HERE FOR THE PASSIVE PARK.
IT'S CHRISTINE, RICHARD? YEAH.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME OTHER FOLKS HERE FOR THE OKAY.
I SEE BRIAN COBB FOR THE FERRY.
ITEM 16 IS THE, UH, THE, UH, IS NOT THAT IN 17.
WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THAT? GO AHEAD, SIR.
WELL, GOOD, EV GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, I'VE BEEN A FULL-TIME RESIDENT OF DUSKY ISLAND.
MY WIFE PAM, AND I OWN AND OPERATE A SMALL BUSINESS SCHOOL GROUNDS COFFEE.
WE'RE ALSO CO-OWNERS OF THE ISLAND'S LARGEST AND LONGEST RUNNING TOUR COMPANY.
TOUR DUSKY OUR BUSINESSES AS WELL AS ALL OF THE ISLAND'S SMALL BUSINESSES DEPEND ON FERRY SERVICE.
OUR FERRY IS THE LIFELINE TO THE ISLAND.
IT'S AS VITAL TO DUSKY AS THE HIGHWAY 2 78 BRIDGE IS TO HILTON HEAD.
FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS, TOURISM HAS GROWN AND FLOURISHED ON DUSKY THANKS.
IN NO SMALL PART TO THE EXEMPLARY SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE DUSKY ISLAND FERRY COMPANY, RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS ALIKE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THEIR SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF FOUR ROUND TRIPS TO AND FROM DUSKY DAILY.
IN SIX YEARS, NOT ONE SINGLE SCHEDULED RUN HAS BEEN MISSED DURING PEAK TOURIST SEASON, WHICH BEGINS WITH SPRING BREAKS IN MARCH AND CONTINUES THROUGH LABOR DAY IN SEPTEMBER.
DEMANDS FOR FERRY SEATS IS ALWAYS MET BY THE DAUFUSKIE ISLAND FERRY COMPANY.
WHENEVER DEMANDS FOR SEATS EXCEED A FERRY'S CAPACITY, THE DAUFUSKIE ISLAND FERRY COMPANY ALWAYS PROVIDES A SECOND OR EVEN A THIRD TO ACCOMMODATE THE NUMBERS OF PASSENGERS AND ALL THE LUGGAGE AND CARGO THAT GOES WITH THAT.
LAST YEAR, THE DUSKY ISLAND FERRY COMPANY PROVIDED SAFE AND EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION TO OVER 44,000 PAYING TOURISTS.
THIS NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF ROUND TRIPS THAT APPROXIMATELY 300 FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME RESIDENTS ALSO COUNT ON TO TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE ISLAND.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS.
DOES THE FERRY PROVIDER YOU WILL CAST YOUR VOTE FOR HAVE A PROVEN RECORD OF OVER 30 YEARS OF SATISFACTORY AND EFFICIENT FERRY SERVICE? CAN THE FERRY PROVIDER YOU WILL VOTE FOR PROVIDE A FLEET OF FERRIES, NOT BOATS, BUT ACTUAL FERRIES WITH ENCLOSED CLIMATE CONTROLLED CABINS THAT EVERYONE, INCLUDING HANDICAPPED OR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, CAN WALK ONTO OR ROLL INTO WITH WHEELCHAIRS, NOT JUST BOATS THAT HAVE TO BE STEPPED DOWN INTO AND ARE A SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY FOR THE MANY SENIOR CITIZENS WHO LIVE ON DUSKY.
IF THE ANSWER TO EITHER OF THESE QUESTIONS IS NO, PLEASE DO NOT VOTE FOR THAT PROVIDER TO DO SO WILL BE A VOTE AGAINST HUNDREDS OF DUSKY RESIDENTS AND THE MANY SMALL BUSINESSES ON DUSKY, WHICH COUNT ON THESE ESTABLISHED FERRY SERVICES TO MAKE THEIR BUSINESSES SUCCESSFUL.
THE CURRENT PROVIDER, THE DUSKY ISLAND FERRY COMPANY, IS WILLING AND ABLE TO GROW WITH THE ISLAND AND TO MEET THE NEEDS OF TODAY, AS WELL AS THE NEEDS, THE NEEDS OF THE FUTURE.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION OF WHAT IS TRULY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF DUSKY ISLAND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM BEFORE WE TAKE OUR VOTE? MOVING AROUND MR. LAWSON? UH, YES.
AND, AND THIS IS A, A SUBJECT THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, UM, NEVER COMES EASY.
[01:00:01]
AND, UM, WE HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.AND AGAIN, THE, THE DUSKY ISLAND, UM, FERRY SERVICE, UM, PEOPLE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT, UM, THIS COUNCIL OF BEFOR COUNTY IS NOT OBLIGATED TO, UM, PROVIDE A FERRY SERVICE.
WE DO THIS OUT OF, UM, CONCERN FOR THE GOOD OF THE DESSICATED ISLAND PEOPLE.
SO FOR US, WE HAVE TO JUGGLE WHAT IS THE, UM, UH, THE PRICE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, STILL LOOKING AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, UM, BRIAN HAD JUST MENTIONED HERE.
UM, SO FOR, FOR US, UM, OUR INTEREST AGAIN IS, IS TO, TO TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF, OF DUSKY.
UM, SO IN, IN SAYING THAT, UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE DECISIONS, WE'RE GONNA DO THINGS WE THINK THAT IS BEST FOR DFOS ISLAND.
UM, WITH THIS, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE LOOKING AT MAKING A CHANGE, UM, FROM WHERE WE WERE BEFORE.
UM, AND THAT THERE WILL BE GROWING PAINS.
THERE'S SOME GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT AT TAKING CARE OF AND, AND MOVING FORWARD.
BUT AGAIN, IN THE OVERALL SCHEME OF THINGS, UM, UH, WE'RE GONNA ASK THAT, THAT PEOPLE HAVE FAITH IN US, LET US MAKE A DECISION THAT IS GONNA BE IN THEIR BEST INTEREST.
UH, OTHERWISE, IF, IF WE GO WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER NUMBERS WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, IT, IT BECOMES SO EXPENSIVE THAT THE, THE PEOPLE DE FUSSY WON'T EVEN BE ABLE TO RIDE THE FERRY, WOULD'VE TO RAISE FEES SO MUCH FOR JUST EVEN LOCAL PEOPLE TO RIDE THE FERRY.
THAT IT, IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
SO AGAIN, IT, IT, YOU KNOW, I I, I'VE KIND OF TALKED HERE AND KIND OF GONE IN CIRCLES LIKE A DOG CHASING MY TAIL.
BUT AGAIN, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE JUST NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, RELYING ON OUR STAFF, RELYING ON DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, JUGGLING ALL THESE THINGS, KNOWING THAT, THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA DO OUR BEST TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE PROVIDE THE BEST FERRY SERVICE THAT WE CAN.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? I I, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT, UM, I HEAR WHAT, UM, LADEN IS SAYING, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT COMPROMISING QUALITY SERVICES FOR THE FLUKY.
UM, THEY, THEY MAY BE RIDING IN A CHEVROLET, WHICH I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH VERSUS A CADILLAC, BUT IT'S STILL A GOOD CAR TO DRIVE AND IT'S PROBABLY ON THE SAME CHASTITY AS A CADILLAC.
SO WE ARE NOT COMPROMISING OUR SERVICES AT ALL.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES THIS TO BE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[16. TIME-SENSITIVE ITEM ORIGINATING FROM THE 12.11.23 PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SAFETY MEETING- APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SALES TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE (STAC) REGARDING CONSIDERATION OF A 2024 SALES TAX REFERENDUM]
WAS TIME SENSITIVE.THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE, UH, WE HEARD FROM THE SALES TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE NOW HAVE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SALES TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGARDING CONSIDERATION OF A 2024 SALES TAX REFERENDUM.
MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED.
AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[17. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE 2% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUND AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO (FISCAL IMPACT: The award will be from the State ATAX Fund 2000, Budget Line Item 2000-10-0000-55000, direct subsidies, in the current fiscal year)]
NUMBER 17 IS A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE, 2% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUND AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO.MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION? SO MOVED.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND.
MR. MCKELLEN, YOU WERE THE SECOND.
SORRY, I WAS WRITING SOMETHING DOWN.
SO MS. TABER, AS I READ THROUGH THE LIST OF WHAT WAS PROPOSED BY OUR COMMITTEE, A COUPLE OF THINGS STOOD OUT.
FIRST OF ALL, BY SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 6 4 25 WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS.
OUR ATAC COMMITTEE HAD FIVE AND ONLY THREE MADE THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND ON SOME WHEN THEY, SOMEONE HAD TO RECUSE THEMSELF, IT WAS TWO MAKING RECOMMENDATION.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHAT IS EVERYONE'S PLEASURE ABOUT SETTING ASIDE 15% OF THE STATE ALLOCATION, WHICH IS A MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH I FIND WEIRD THAT IT'S A ROUND NUMBER, BUT WHATEVER.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS THINK ABOUT SETTING ASIDE 15% OF THAT, WHICH WOULD BE 150,000 FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO USE IT RIGHT NOW.
MR. ROBINSON EXPLAINED THAT TO US.
WE ALL HEARD ABOUT IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT COUNCIL THINKS, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT BEFORE WE APPROVE THIS LIST IN FRONT OF US.
[01:05:01]
A RECOMMENDED MOTION TO AMEND THIS MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.CAN I, CAN I POINT OUT, UM, COUNCILMAN TABERNAC? YOU REMEMBER THAT THE LEGISLATURE SAID YOU, THAT COUNCIL CAN DEVOTE 15% OF ITS STATE AT AT TAX.
HOWEVER, BEFORE DOING SO, IT HAS TO, UM, PROPOSE, IT HAS TO CONDUCT A STUDY.
IT HAS TO AMEND THE COMP PLAN.
I THINK WE'RE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE A LITTLE BIT ON THIS ONE.
WELL, WHEN WE TALKED TO, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SO LOCO OR WHERE IT WAS, BLUFFTON HAS ALREADY DONE IT.
THEY'RE WILLING TO SHARE IT WITH US.
WE WOULD PIGGYBACK ON THEIR STUDY.
BUT THIS JUST SETS ASIDE THE MONEY.
IT DOESN'T AUTHORIZE US TO SPEND IT YET.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE CAN SET IT ASIDE AND IT SAYS THE BILL'S IN EFFECT TILL 2030.
WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND IT RIGHT NOW, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
IF THAT'S NOT RIGHT, YOU CAN TELL ME.
BUT WE HAVE TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE.
WELL, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT CAREFULLY AT THE STATUTE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THE STUDY BEFORE YOU SET IT ASIDE.
BUT, UM, I SO AND MY OTHER CONCERN WAS, SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN THAT IF PEOPLE WOULD DISCUSS IT.
AND MY OTHER ISSUE WAS WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS AND WE'RE GRANTING TE UM, GRANTS TO A LOT OF GROUPS THAT ARE GETTING MONEY FROM HILTON HEAD AND OTHER PLACES.
AND I'M, I'M NOT WILLING TO VOTE FOR THIS GROUP, THIS RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, DID YOU STILL WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND? WELL, I THOUGHT WE WERE IN DISCUSSION PERIOD.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT PEOPLE THINK.
MAYBE THEY'RE NOT IN INCLINED FOR IT.
MAKE A MOTION FIRST FOR DISCUSSION.
WHAT TO, TO DISCUSS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS.
WE CAN, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND IT TO INCLUDE A SET ASIDE OF 15% FROM THE STATE AT TAX TO USE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN WE DO ALL THE PHONE STUFF.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO AMEND THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT IS SET ASIDE HERE TO HAVE 15% OF IT TAKEN OUT TO SPECIFICALLY BE USED FOR, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO YOUR MOTION WOULD HAVE TO BE TO AMEND THE PENDING MOTION TO SET ASIDE 15%.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT SURE THAT COMPLIES WITH THE STATE STATUTE, BUT TO SET ASIDE THE 15% AND DO WHAT WITH THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS, RE, RE REDUCE EACH OF THEM BY 15%.
THEN I WOULD, I WOULD DO, SET ASIDE THE 15% AND RECOMMEND WE SEND THIS LIST BACK TO COMMITTEE TO CARVE OUT $150,000.
WELL, YOU COULD JUST, YOU COULD JUST RECOMMEND EVERY ITEM BE REDUCED BY 15%.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN DO THAT WITH THE D-O-D-M-O.
I MEAN, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO COMMITTEE THERE.
THREE PEOPLE DECIDED TO JUST, TO ASSIGN THIS MONEY, LET THEM FIND THE $150,000.
IT'S DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
MR. CHAIR IS MS. SECOND? YEAH.
SO I, I WILL GO AROUND, I WILL START WITH MR. LAWSON.
UH, AND, AND IT'S NOT THAT I, UM, IF YOU DO WANT TO SET ASIDE MONEY FOR THE, UM, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND THAT WE LEAVE THINGS WHERE THEY ARE FOR THIS YEAR, AND THEN WE MAKE A MOTION THAT STARTING NEXT YEAR THAT 15% OF ALL THE MONIES THAT COME IN WOULD THEN BE AVAILABLE.
SO AGAIN, THESE ONES WOULD GO THROUGH AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, BUT NEXT YEAR, KNOWING IF WE HAD A MILLION OR 1,000,005 OR WHATEVER, IF THIS COUNCIL DECIDES THEY'D LIKE TO SPEND THAT 15%, WELL THEN THE COMMITTEES KNOW THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT, THAT OUR 15% IS GONNA BE SET ASIDE FOR, UM, FOR AFFORDABLE HOMES.
SO AGAIN, MY, I WOULD PROBABLY NOT VOTE FOR WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T, UM, NECESSARILY DISAGREE WITH IT.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT, UH, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS BETTER TO GO FORWARD WITH, WITH OUR RECOMMENDED AT TAX, UM, AMOUNTS AND THEN LOOK AT THIS FRESH AGAIN FOR NEXT YEAR.
MR. DAWSON, ANY COMMENTS? I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
MR. CUNNINGHAM STILL UNDECIDED? A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, I, I'LL I'LL TELL YOU THIS, JUST GOING THROUGH, LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE IDEA.
UM, I WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DISCUSS SOME OF THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE I GOT HERE TODAY.
[01:10:01]
I DO LIKE THE LONG-TERM EFFECT THAT MR. LAWSON HAS JUST STATED.IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PUT INTO AN ORDINANCE FOR 10 YEARS, UM, INSTEAD OF AMENDING THIS SPECIFIC ONE, THEN WHY DON'T WE PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT SAYS, OKAY, FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE'RE GONNA DEDICATE 15% NO MATTER HOW MUCH THAT A AAX MONEY IS ALL THE WAY DOWN, INSTEAD OF GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON THIS ONE, UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY ON HERE THAT WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH FOR THESE FUNDING SOURCES HERE.
RIGHT NOW? OKAY, MR. GLOVER? UH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT, UM, TAB HAS SPOKEN ABOUT, UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A BIGGER PICTURE SO I CAN SEE A COMPLETE, I THINK THE COMMITTEE, UH, HAS DONE WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO.
UM, AND IT'S HERE AND I, I WANNA SUPPORT WHAT'S HERE, UM, GOING IN EVEN NEXT YEAR, IF THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO AS A BODY, THEY'LL KNOW UPFRONT THAT THEY NEED TO SET ASIDE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS FOR THAT.
SO I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION.
OKAY, MS. HOWARD, I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, 150,000 THOUSAND, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT, IT IS 15%.
AND, UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK IT THAT MONEY, UM, WE CAN SET THAT ASIDE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT BUY A SMALL PIECE OF PROPERTY OR SOMETHING TO, FOR SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOMEWHERE.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, YEAH, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
OKAY, MR. MCCULLEN? I AGREE WITH MR. LAWSON, AND I THINK WE HAVE ADEQUATE ALTERNATE FUNDING AVAILABLE THIS YEAR FOR, UH, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UH, PUT THIS THROUGH AS RECOMMENDED AND, UH, MAKE PREPARATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR, UH, WITH AN ORDINANCE.
UH, AND WE CAN MAKE IT FOR 10 YEARS, OR WE CAN MAKE DO IT YEAR BY YEAR.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE ADEQUATE ALTERNATE FUNDING AVAILABLE.
$150,000 CREATES A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ISSUES THAT WE REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
I THINK THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO A STUDY, NOT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE.
AM I CORRECT? NO, I THINK YOU, NO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE.
YES, IT'S, WELL, AND I CAN COMMENT ON IT AT SECOND READING, BUT I DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THIS MOTION, SO I REALLY DON'T WANT TO, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE, TRY TO GIVE YOU ADVICE.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A STUDY DONE.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT YEAH, THEY CAN BE DONE.
MR. BOON, I'M KIND OF LIKE LOGAN OVER HERE.
I'M KIND OF ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS.
I, I DO WANT TO SET ASIDE 15%.
YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE SHOULD RESERVE SOME OF THAT, BUT I THINK THE TIMING OF THIS, IT MAY BE BETTER.
LIKE, UH, MR. LAWSON SAID TO, TO SET THAT UP FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO ONCE AGAIN, I'M STILL KINDA ON THE FENCE ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M, UH, I'M INCLINED TO VOTE AGAINST IT THIS GO ROUND.
UM, CAN MR. CHAIR, ONE OTHER THING.
AT FINANCE COMMITTEE, I WAS NOT HERE NOVEMBER 20TH.
I WAS WHEREVER I WAS, OHIO, AND I BROUGHT UP THIS VERY THING ABOUT USING A TAX FUNDS.
SO THIS IS NOT CLEARLY OUT OF THE BLUE.
AND I ALSO DISCUSSED IT IN APRIL WHEN WE APPROVED LAST YEAR'S AT TAX FUNDS.
SO, I MEAN, WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING SINCE THEN, SO THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING IT UP.
UM, FROM WHAT I HEAR, AND WE WILL VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT.
UM, CERTAINLY IF THE AT TAX COMMITTEE HAD KNOWN THE DESIRES OF COUNSEL UPFRONT, THEY WOULD'VE BROUGHT BACK SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN SPENDING THE MILLION DOLLARS THIS WAY.
AND SO GOING FORWARD, OBVIOUSLY IT SEEMS TO BE THE WILL OF COUNSEL THAT WE DO WANT MONEY SET ASIDE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN TERMS OF 15%.
WE CAN DO THAT NOT ONLY FOR THE STATE AT TAX, WE CAN ALSO DO IT FOR THE LOCAL ATAC AS WELL, DOING A, UM, ORDINANCE THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO DO REQUIRES THREE READINGS AND A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT WOULD DEFER ALL OF THIS FOR A, AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I AM RELUCTANT TO APPROVE THIS THE WAY IT IS MYSELF.
WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE RULE? YES, SIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS ON THE AMENDMENT TO DO EXACTLY WHAT SHE SAYS, WHICH IS TO CHANGE 15% SET ASIDE AND SEND IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE TO ADJUST THE NUMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER VERNICK? UH, YES.
ON THE AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW, I ACTUALLY DON'T VOTE YES ON THE AMENDMENT.
[01:15:02]
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO.COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD? UM, YES.
PASSMAN, WHAT IS THE CURRENT VOTE? 6 4 3 6 TO FOUR.
UH, THEN I WILL SAY NO, MAKE IT SIX FIVE.
SO WE ARE NOW AT A DISCUSSION OF AMEND THE AMENDED MOTION THAT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE, UM, APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUND TO SET ASIDE 15% TO SEND IT BACK TO THE AT TAX COMMITTEE FOR THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE FUNDING, THE RECOMMENDED FUNDINGS, FUNDINGS TO REDUCE THOSE RECOMMENDED FUNDING FUNDINGS BY $150,000.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE AMENDED MOTION? SEEING NONE, DO WE NEED TO CALL THE ROLL? UH, YES.
WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON MARK LAWSON? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
I'M GOING TO, I'M SORRY, IT'S FIVE.
UM, THIS IS VERY TROUBLESOME, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY MOTION PASSES.
SO IT IS GOING TO GO BACK TO THE COMMITTEE TO, UH, HAVE THEM TAKE OUT $150,000.
[18. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE DECLARING CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2 MULLET STREET AS SURPLUS PROPERTY, AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE SALE OF THE REAL PROPERTY, AND ALLOCATING PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY (FISCAL IMPACT: Proceeds from sale of real property to be used for expansion and improvement projects to the Alljoy Boat landing and surround area, any remaining funds to be allocated to the Capital Improvement Fund for other capital improvement projects in Beaufort County)]
NEXT ONE.ITEM 18 IS A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE DECLARING CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT TWO MULLET STREET AS SURPLUS PROPERTY, AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE SALE OF THE REAL PROPERTY.
AND ALLOCATING PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THE REAL PROPERTY MAY HAVE SUCH A MOTION.
MR. LAWSON AND MS. BROWN MADE THE MOTION, DUALLY MOTION.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL SPEAK AGAIN, THIS IS IN MY DISTRICT, SO I'LL GO FIRST.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE, WE, UH, PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY AND, AND AT THAT TIME, I CALLED IT A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO BUY A PIECE OF PROPERTY NEXT TO THE CURRENT LANDING TO EXPAND A LANDING THAT, THAT IS, IS, IS VERY BUSY AND USED QUITE A BIT.
UM, AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, TO PURCHASE THE NEXT DOOR PROPERTY, WHICH HAD A HOUSE ON IT, BUT BE ABLE THEN TO EXPAND THE PARKING LOT, UM, ALSO IN THAT PURCHASE WAS TO GET A, A PRIVATE DOCK.
WELL, THEN THAT WE COULD ALSO THEN HAVE A PUBLIC DOCK ON THAT.
SO HAVE A LANDING AND THEN A PRIVATE DOCK NEXT DOOR.
SO WHENEVER WE PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY, EVERYONE CAME AND SAID, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NOW WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE HOME? AND AT THE TIME, I TOLD 'EM, WE'LL WAIT FOR STAFF TO COME BACK WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND TO BE THREE THINGS.
UM, ONE WOULD BE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, TO TEAR THE HOUSE DOWN AND MAKE EVERYTHING A PARK THERE, WHICH WOULD BE A VERY EXPENSIVE ITEM TO DO THAT AFTER WE PAID FOR THE HOUSE.
THE SECOND THING WOULD BE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY PUT A RENTER IN THERE AND RENT IT LONG TERM.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING WAS, WAS TO DO WHAT STAFF HAS NOW COME BACK AND RECOMMENDED, WHICH IS TO ACTUALLY SEPARATE AS MUCH PROPERTY OUT AS WE CAN, UM, AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SELL THE HOME, UM, AS A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING TO SOMEONE ELSE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTED, BECAUSE THAT THEN CREATES THE BUFFER THAT THEY ALL WANTED AND THEY WANTED TO LEAVE THE BUFFER THAT WAS THERE.
SO, UM, I THINK THEY'VE COME BACK AND RECOMMENDED, UH, THE BEST OPTION.
AND, AND, AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA PUT THE PROPERTY UP FOR SALE.
UM, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT HAS ALREADY APPRAISED FOR MORE THAN WHAT WE PURCHASED IT FOR.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO SELL THE, THE PROPERTY, TURN AROUND AND USE THAT MONEY THEN TO, UM, ENHANCE THE LANDING AND THE, THE PARKING AND THE, UM, UH, THE, THE, THE OTHER BOAT, UM, THE OTHER DOCK THAT'S GONNA BE THERE.
SO AGAIN, UM, IN MY DISTRICT, AND, UM, I THINK THIS IS A, A WONDERFUL THING.
AND SO, UM, I THINK IN, IN THE END, IT'S, IT'S THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THIS IS APPROVED.
BEFORE YOU GO ON, UM, THIS IS A MOMENT OF
[01:20:01]
PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, MR. STEWART, UM, IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'S THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE, UH, ACCOMMODATION TAX COMMITTEE.
[19. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 39 AIRPORT CIRCLE WITH CINDY HOLLMAN (FISCAL IMPACT: Beaufort Executive Airport will receive monthly income generated through lease revenue – Tenant shall pay $69.30 (42 sq ft x $19.80/12) in monthly base lease payments for premises located at the Beaufort Executive Airport terminal. Annual Expected Revenue increase: $831.60. These lease rates are in accordance with current Beaufort County lease policies)]
THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 39 AIRPORT CIRCLE WITH CINDY HOLMAN.SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CUNNINGHAM, MR. BARGO JURY MOTION.
AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION SAYING NONE.
THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[20. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 39 AIRPORT CIRCLE WITH MATT ARCHER (FISCAL IMPACT: Beaufort Executive Airport will receive monthly income generated through lease revenue – Tenant shall pay $69.30 (42 sq ft x $19.80/12) in monthly base lease payments for premises located at the Beaufort Executive Airport terminal. Annual Expected Revenue increase: $831.60. These lease rates are in accordance with current Beaufort County lease policies)]
THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 39 AIRPORT CIRCLE WITH MATT ARCHER SALU.MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CUNNINGHAM? I'LL SECOND IT.
UH, MS. TABER NECK DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
[21. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE CONVEYING AN EASEMENT LOCATED ON A PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY AT 55 GARDNER DRIVE TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND]
NUMBER 21 IS THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE CONVEYING AN EASEMENT LOCATED ON A PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY AT 55 GARDNER DRIVE TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.MS. BROWN MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[22. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE PASSIVE PARKS DEPARTMENT PRIVATE BUSINESS USE POLICY, APPLICATION, AND FEE SCHEDULE]
IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE PASSIVE PARKS DEPARTMENT PRIVATE BUSINESS USE POLICY, APPLICATION AND FEE SCHEDULE THE MOTION PLEASE.UH, BEFORE WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, THERE WERE A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT DID WANT TO COME BEFORE US AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, CHRISTINE OR JEN, WHICHEVER WANTS TO GO FIRST.
I KNOW YOU'VE WAITED SO LONG, SO I KNOW THE THREE OF YOU WANT TO COMMENT.
ARE YOU ALL SAYING THE SAME THING? THAT'S, I'M GONNA LET JEN AND CHRISTIE SPEAK, BUT I WANTED TO AT LEAST INTRODUCE MYSELF AS SOMEONE WHO HAS REPRESENTED MY, UM, ISSUES WITH THE CURRENT PASSIVE PO PARK POLICY.
I'M JILL MOORE WITH MOR TO LIFE.
SO I HAVE A NATURE-BASED COMPANY AND UTILIZE OUR PARKS FOR PRIVATE COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS TOURISTS.
SO THEN YOU WANT TO SPEAK AFTER THEM.
WE ARE HOPING TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE'RE ROWING IN THE SAME BOAT.
MY NAME IS JEN CLEMENTON, MY HUSBAND AND JOHN AND I ARE CO-OWNERS OF BIRDING BEAUFORT, WHICH IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND COMPANY IN THIS AREA, FOCUSED ON TOURS STRICTLY FOR BIRDERS.
BIRDING IS AN EXTREMELY POPULAR HOBBY AND 45 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES IDENTIFY AS BIRDERS AND SPEND NEARLY $39 BILLION ON TRAVEL AND EQUIPMENT.
THE THING ABOUT BIRDERS IS WE SPEND MONEY ON OUR HOBBY BEYOND THE GEAR.
WE STAY IN CAMPGROUNDS, HOTELS, EAT AT RESTAURANTS, SHOP AT GROCERY STORES, AND PURCHASE THINGS WE FORGET, LIKE SUNSCREEN AND, AND UH, ET CETERA.
AND THAT ALL GOES TO SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIES.
THERE ARE LIMITED RESOURCES FOR US TO CONDUCT TOURS.
WE HIGHLIGHT OUR BEAUTIFUL SPACES.
WE TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE, WATERSHED, NATIVE PLANTS, AND CONSERVATION.
UM, WHILE I CAN RESPECT THE PROPOSAL AS TRYING TO COVER EXPENSES, UM, IT WAS A LITTLE DISHEARTENING BECAUSE FOR ME PERSONALLY, WE CHARGE BETWEEN 25 TO $35 PER PERSON.
AND TO ENACT A $100 PER USE FEE PLUS 30 DAYS NOTICE IS JUST SOMETHING THAT WOULD PUT US COMPLETELY OUT OF BUSINESS.
UM, WE ARE LEAVING LESS OF A FOOTPRINT AT ANY OF THE PARKS THAT WE USE THAN WE DID BEFORE BY PICKING UP TRASH.
UM, WE GENERALLY HAVE SMALL, VERY SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE, AND WE CONDUCT THEM BETWEEN EIGHT 30 TO NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND ARE DONE BEFORE 90 MINUTES IS OVER.
UM, ANY OF US COULD HAVE BEEN A TAPPED RESOURCE AS FAR AS TRYING TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, UM, MAKE THIS WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW, WE PAY A FEE TO DNR YEARLY.
UM, I PAY A FEE TO THE STATE AND I PAY A FEE TO, UH, HAR HUNTING ISLAND.
UH, I PROVIDE THEM WITH A COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE POLICY OF WHICH THEY'RE NAMED AS A HOLD HARMLESS.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE JUST A FLY BY THE NIGHT KIND OF AN ORGANIZATION.
UM, BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY ACTUALLY HAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND ITS TOURISM DOLLARS, ESPECIALLY IN ECOTOURISM.
UM, WE ORGANIZED A FESTIVAL RECENTLY THIS PAST SEPTEMBER THAT DREW IN 117 PEOPLE FROM FIVE DIFFERENT STATES.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO TRY TO WORK TO KEEP OUR PARK
[01:25:01]
SYSTEM NOTICED AND HAVE PEOPLE EDUCATED, ESPECIALLY AS PEOPLE, EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE, MIGRATE.UM, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO EDUCATE THOSE FOLKS, BUT IT WOULD REALLY PUT MOST OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES COMPLETELY OUT OF BUSINESS, UM, ENACTING THIS FAITH.
SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR TIME AND ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I AM A LOW COUNTRY MASTER NATURALIST.
I GREW UP, UM, ON HILTON HEAD AND IN BLUFFTON ATTENDING GRADES K THROUGH 12, UM, THERE.
AND, UM, THEN STARTED TEACHING WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY IN 2006.
I'VE BEEN A TEACHER WITH THEM AND MOST RECENTLY I WAS THE LOWER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AT CROSS SCHOOLS.
UM, I JUST RECENTLY STARTED, UM, ANGEL OAK NATURE ACADEMY, WHICH IS AN OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM.
SO THROUGH ANGEL OAKS PROGRAMS, I TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT OUR LOCAL FLORAL AND FAUNA.
I HELP FOSTER A LOVE FOR NATURE SO THAT THEY CAN GROW UP TO PROTECT THIS LAND THAT MY FAMILY AND I CALL HOME.
I STARTED THIS BUSINESS TO GIVE OUR LOCAL CHILDREN AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM BY TEACHING THEM IN A CLASSROOM WITH NO WALLS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THE SUGGESTED PASSIVE PARKS USAGE POLICY PRESENTED IS VERY CONCERNING AND WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT MY BUSINESS AS WELL AS OTHERS.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WILL TAKE AWAY THE PRICELESS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHILDREN THAT I EXPLORE WITH.
I HAVE THE SAME GOALS AS PASSIVE PARKS IN THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THIS BEAUTIFUL LOW COUNTRY THAT I CALL HOME.
WITH MY SIX STUDENTS AND I WALKING AROUND IN PASSIVE PARKS, WE ARE SURE TO PICK UP TRASH, REMAIN QUIET, ESPECIALLY IF WE SEE SOMEONE WITH BINOCULARS OR CAMERA.
UM, AND WE SHOW RESPECT TO OTHERS, UM, THAT ARE ENJOYING THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF GOD'S CREATION.
THOUGH I'M OF THE SAME MINDSET AS PASSIVE PARK, UM, THE PASSIVE PARK DEPARTMENT, UM, AND I DESIRE TO CONSERVE, PROTECT, AND ENSURE THE OVERALL ENJOYMENT OF ALL THE PARKS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE.
I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THE PRIVATE, UH, BUSINESS POLICY THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO TURN IN AN APPLICATION 30 DAYS IN ADVANCE.
THAT'S REALLY HARD BECAUSE AS NATURALISTS, YOU KNOW, THE SEASONS, THE, THE LOCAL, UM, HAPPENINGS THAT IS DICTATED BY, UM, NATURE, WE DON'T GET TO MAKE THAT CALL.
SO I DON'T KNOW THE TIMELINE UNTIL I GO OUT AND THEN I SEE, OKAY, I NEED TO TAKE THE KIDS TO GO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THIS IS.
UM, SO A 30 DAYS NOTICE WOULD BE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO HAVE TO TURN IN AN APPLICATION FOR EVERY TIME WE GO VISIT THE PARKS.
UM, AND THEN TO PAY 100, 300 UP TO $500 A VISIT, UM, DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE WANT TO BE AT THE PARKS, UH, THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY BREAK, UM, MY BUSINESS AS WELL.
SO I'M JUST, UM, ASKING THAT, UM, THIS NOT BE APPROVED BECAUSE THE CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAM WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LEARN OUTDOORS WITH ME AND THEN THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
SO I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO PAY FOR AN ANNUAL PERMIT, ALLOWING ME TO TEACH THE KIDS AT VARIOUS PARKS.
UM, THAT WOULD BE VERY DOABLE.
UM, AND I JUST AM HOPING TO, UM, FIND A COMPROMISE.
SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FEASIBLE FOR A SMALL BUSINESS SUCH AS, SUCH AS OURS.
UM, I'LL, I'LL JUST SIT IN THERE.
I LIVE IN BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CITY OF BUFORT PARKS AND TREES ADVISORY COUNCIL.
I SUBMITTED THESE COMMENTS ONLINE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEM RECORDED THE PASSIVE PARKS RESOLUTION TO CONVERT THE COUNTY'S PASSIVE PARKS INTO REVENUE GENERATING PROPERTIES CURRENTLY UP FOR VOTE NEEDS.
I ENCOURAGE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PROCEED WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE TO THIS RESOLUTION AND TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER INTO THE UNCLEAR AREAS SURROUNDING THE RESOLUTION BEFORE MAKING A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER TO PASS IT OR NOT.
THE PUSH TO PASS A REVENUE FORWARD RESOLUTION FOR OUR BUFORT COUNTY.
PASSIVE PARTS IS NOT ONLY RUSHED AND LACKS CONSIDERABLE DETAILS AS TO HOW IT WILL ACTUALLY BE MANAGED AND ENFORCED.
THE RESOLUTION AS IT STANDS TODAY LACKS DETAILS AND ACCOUNTABILITY AS WELL AS TO HOW THE FUNDS GENERATED WILL BE UTILIZED AND SPENT.
LIMITING PUBLIC USE OF THESE SPACES WILL DETRIMENTALLY IMPACT THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, AS WELL AS THE LOCAL MICRO ECONOMIES IN THE COMMUNITIES HOUSING THE PARKS.
IT WILL INHIBIT CITIZENS FROM UTILIZING AND ENJOYING THESE SPACES AND WILL BECOME AN OVERSIGHT BURDEN ON THE COUNTY SHOULD THE POLICY EVER CONTAIN SPECIFICS ON HOW IT IS TO BE ENFORCED.
PLEASE WISELY VOTE TO NOT PASS THIS RESOLUTION AS IT STANDS TODAY,
[01:30:01]
AND ENCOURAGE THE PASSIVE PARKS TEAM TO CONNECT MORE WITH THE CITIZENS AND THE NON-PROFIT GROUPS BECAUSE THE RESOLUTION DOES LIMIT THE USE OF THE PARKS TO NON-PROFIT GROUPS, UM, IN THE COUNTY BEFORE PROPOSING A POLICY THAT DETER ECOTOURISM THE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND PREVENTS OPEN PUBLIC ENJOYMENT OF THESE PASSIVE PARK SPACES.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME YOUR TIME.
UM, MR. DAWSON, YOU MADE THE MOTION, YOU GET TO SPEAK FIRST ON THIS ITEM.
YEAH, I, UM, I SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM, UH, PA PARK, UM, UH, DIRECTOR AND OVER THE FACT THAT, UM, UH, THE PARKS WERE BEING USED FOR, UM, UM, PURPOSES THAT, UM, WE FELT, UH, WEREN'T, UH, CONDUCIVE.
AND, UM, THINK, UH, WE ADVISED HER TO COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO ACTUALLY CONTROL THE ACCESS AND ACTIVITIES IN THESE PARKS.
AND I THINK THE, THE, UM, RESOLUTION THAT SHE'S PUT BEFORE US, I THINK, UH, DOES JUST THAT.
SO, MS. HOWARD, YOU MADE THE SECOND, UH, YES.
UH, I, I TALKED TO SEVERAL NONPROFIT GROUPS ONCE IT CAME THROUGH COMMITTEE AND POINTED OUT TO THEM IT THAT THE NONPROFITS CAN STILL USE IT.
I UNDER, I ADMIRE THAT THERE ARE GROUPS THAT DO BIRDING FOR PROFIT, SMALL BUSINESSES.
ECOTOURISM IS, IS A GREAT THING TO ADD TO OUR COUNTY.
BUT I, I WILL BRING UP AN EXAMPLE.
AS WE WELL KNOW, ON CERTAIN WEEKENDS, HUNTING ISLAND, THEY HAVE TO CLOSE THE GATE BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE.
AND I COULD SEE THAT HAPPENING AT SOME OF OUR PASSIVE PARKS TOO.
AND WE HAVE THIS AS A MECHANISM TO CONTROL THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MEMORIAL DAY, 4TH OF JULY, TOO MANY PEOPLE GO TO HUNTING ISLAND AND THEY HAVE TO CLOSE A GATE.
'CAUSE YOU CAN KILL A GOOD THING WITH TOO, TOO MUCH USE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE NESTING, UM, BALD EAGLES ON SOME OF OUR PASSIVE PARKS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO CONTROL IT, WHETHER YOU'RE A BIRDER OR YOU'RE DOING PHOTOGRAPHY, WHETHER YOU'RE A NON-PROFIT OR IF YOU'RE A FOR-PROFIT GROUP.
SO THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THIS, UH, GOING AROUND THE ROOM.
UM, UH, WHEN I FIRST READ THIS, I, I THOUGHT, UM, THAT, UH, I WAS GOING TO SUPPORT IT, BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT IT DOES NEED TO BE LOOKED AT AND POSSIBLY MODIFIED.
I MEAN, IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP A, UM, A PHOTOGRAPHY, UH, PERSON GOING TO A PASSIVE PARK SETTING UP AND, AND, AND KEEPING A PAVILION OCCUPIED FOR HOURS AND HOURS, OR DOING IT MULTIPLE TIMES EVERY WEEKEND.
AND, AND AGAIN, THEY'RE USING THE PASSIVE PARK AS THEIR BUSINESS, UM, LOCATION.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE LOOKED AT THIS.
BUT, BUT AS I'VE LISTENED TO WHAT Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT, THERE OBVIOUSLY MIGHT BE AN OVERREACH.
UM, AS, AS I'M LOOKING AT THIS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, BUT THIS IS A RESOLUTION.
SO IF WE PASS THIS, THIS PASSES TONIGHT, THERE'S, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT AN ORDINANCE.
WE HAVE TO PASS THIS THREE TIMES.
UM, I WILL VOTE AGAINST IT, BUT, BUT VOTING AGAINST IT, I WILL ASK TO ASK, GO BACK AND MODIFY IT, THAT IT WOULD BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF, OF ORGANIZATIONS.
MR. GLOVER? UH, YES, I'M ON THE SAME LANGUAGE WITH, UM, WITH MARK.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MARK, WE'VE PROBABLY SEEN EYE TO EYE TO TELL.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I, I AM, I, I'M NOT A NATURALIST, BUT I LIKE NATURE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, WORKING WITH CLEMSON, UM, ONE OF MY BEST PROGRAMS WAS ACTUALLY TAKING KIDS OUT IN THE WILD, UH, AND SEEING NATURE EXIST.
AND, UM, WHEN, WHEN I SEE THAT OR HEAR THAT, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO ENCOURAGE.
SO I LOOK AT THE PRICING, UH, I CAN TELL YOU THAT AT CLEMSON, UM, I COULD NOT AFFORD TO COME TO YOUR PARK BECAUSE OF THE COST.
AND EVEN THOUGH I WOULD BRING ONLY 20 OR 30 KIDS THERE, I COULDN'T AFFORD THAT PRICE.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PRICE, AND I'M, I'M, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME CONTROL, UM, ON THE PUBLIC.
BUT I, I THINK THE PRICING MAY BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO RECONSIDER OR TO CONSIDER AND TALKING TO SOME OF THE, UM, NON-PROFIT GROUPS TO SEE WHAT IS WORKABLE WITH THEM AS FAR AS PRICING.
IF I, CAN I CLARIFY SOMETHING WITH, UM, IF I UNDERSTAND IT, THE, THE NON-PROFITS DON'T HAVE TO PAY, CORRECT.
BUT IT'S STILL KINDA HIGH FOR BUSINESS.
UH, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO YEAH, YEAH.
NONPROFITS DO NOT HAVE TO PAY.
[01:35:01]
UM, SORRY TO INTERRUPT, MS. TAVER.UM, I SUPPORT THE MOTION AS DESCRIBED BY, UH, GERALD AND MS. UM, HOWARD.
SAME WITH I I AGREE WITH MS. BERG.
I STILL HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS, TO BE HONEST.
WE SAY THAT IN HERE IN QUOTATIONS DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE AN EVENT.
A SCHOOL FIELD TRIP WOULD PUT MORE DAMAGE ON THIS THAN, UM, BIRDWATCHING OR EVEN A PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION.
NOW, I'M NOT SAYING I WANT SOMEBODY TO GO SIT UP IN ONE OF OUR PAVILIONS FOR FOUR HOURS DOING A, A PHOTO SHOOT.
SO LET'S ADDRESS THE ONE ISSUE WITH THE PERSON.
WE SHOULDN'T CHANGE AN ENTIRE ORDINANCE BECAUSE OF ONE BUSINESS THAT'S OVEREXTENDING IT AND RUINING IT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN A FAN OF EXTENDING OUR GOVERNMENT REACH.
AND TO ME THAT'S WHAT IT'S, WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER STEP IN OUR GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE CREATING A POLICY TO LIMIT HOW PEOPLE CAN USE OUR PARKS WHEN THEY CAN USE THE PARKS THAT ALREADY HAVE HOURS AND GATES ON MOST OF THEM TO BEGIN WITH FOR PARKS THAT THEY ALREADY PAID FOR THROUGH THEIR TAXES.
AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THEM IS ALSO PAID FOR BY OUR TAXES.
SO I HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH IT.
I, WE ALREADY HAVE AN, UH, AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR BIG EVENTS AS WE SHOULD.
UM, IF THAT NEEDS TO GET INTO PEOPLE WHEN YOU WERE SETTING UP SOMETHING STRUCTURALLY THAT'S GONNA BE HELD, THEN MAYBE THAT'S THE REQUIREMENT.
UM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I WAS TOLD ABOUT AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES AGO THAT I WAS JUST A TEACHER, SO I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ANYTHING.
BUT, UM, DEFINITELY TOOK OUR KIDS ON FIELD TRIPS AT OUR PARKS ON HILTON HEADS WHEN I TAUGHT THERE, UM, AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS OUTSIDE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO I'D HATE TO SEE WHAT THE PRICE TAG WOULD'VE BEEN FOR ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN SAID THAT NON-PROFITS, UM, DON'T HAVE TO PAY.
BUT THEN THE QUESTION COMES IN, DO THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY ARE TAX EXEMPT AND THEY'RE A NONPROFIT? UM, AND DO THEY STILL HAVE TO DO APPLICATION? YES.
SO, AND THEN, SO THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS, STILL FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK, AND THEN HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT THEY'RE TAX EXEMPT, WHICH MEANS THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF BUSINESS TO DO THAT.
THIS STILL RESTRICTS A GROUP GOING FROM SUN CITY OF GETTING 20 OF THEIR FRIENDS TOGETHER AND GOING OUT TO THE PARKS.
UM, AND IF IT DOESN'T, THEN I HAVE EVEN MORE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THAT PUTS MORE DAMAGE ON A PASO PARK THAN FIVE PEOPLE GOING TO WATCH BIRDS.
UM, SO I AM A HUNDRED PERCENT AGAINST THIS.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH TALKING ABOUT THE IDEA OF COMPANIES ARE GONNA USE IT, THAT THEY DO HAVE TO PAY FOR, YOU KNOW, A YEARLY PASS, AND THEN MAYBE THE YEARLY PASSES ARE DECIDED ON THE SIZE OF YOUR BUSINESS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU BRING OUT PER VISIT.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S FEASIBLE.
UM, AND HONESTLY, I THINK THIS PUTS MORE WORK ON OUR COUNTY STAFF, UM, THAN NEED BE AS WELL.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
UH, I PROMISE I WAS MOVED BY THE SINCERITY OF THE, UH, COMMENTS.
I THINK WE HAVE TO READJUST THIS AND WE CAN LIMIT ACCESS ON THE HEAVILY UTILIZED DAYS, BUT I THINK PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN EDUCATIONAL, I'LL USE THAT BROADLY PROGRAMS. AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE ANNUAL PASS AT A REDUCED RATE FOR PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, UH, I'LL, UH, VOTE AGAINST THIS AS WELL.
MR. BEON, I, I'LL KEEP THIS BRIEF AS WELL.
I, UH, I THINK I WAS THE ONLY ONE TO VOTE NO AT, AT THE COMMITTEE.
UH, I SAW THE ISSUES THAT I WAS GONNA CREATE WITH SMALL BUSINESS, AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO AN ENFORCEABILITY ISSUE.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE COMPELLING GOVERNMENT INTEREST FOR ADOPTING SOME TYPE OF RULES AND PROCEDURE FOR THIS, I, I THINK THIS WILL CRIPPLE SOME BUSINESSES.
I MEAN, AS YOU ALREADY HEARD, IT'S GONNA SHUT DOWN BUSINESS IF WE IMPLEMENT THIS.
I, I THINK MOST PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO THAT OWN THE SMALL BUSINESSES, I THINK THEY WOULD ACTUALLY BE ON BOARD WITH A, SOME TYPE OF, UH, PARK PASS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT CAN BE TIED TO THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE, UH, FOR USE THAT WOULD, UH, ALLEVIATE THE INSURANCE CONCERNS AND ALLOW SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME CONTROL AND OVERSIGHT.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THIS ALSO CREATES A HUGE ENFORCEABILITY ISSUE.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, A GROUP OF SIX OR SEVEN IS OUT THERE FOR A PROFIT OR NON-PROFIT? WHO'S GONNA BE GOING OUT THERE CHECKING ON THIS? AM I GONNA HAVE TO SHOW MY PAPERS IF I GET OUT THERE? I, I JUST THINK IT'S A BAD, I THINK THIS IS BAD POLICY.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO WORK ON THIS BEFORE WE IMPLEMENT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I, UH, CAN I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO SEND THIS BACK TO, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES WOULD WORK? UM, OR IF YOU WANT TO SEND IT, THAT'S FINE AS WELL TO NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO YOU, YOU ARE NOW AMENDING, I'M MAKING THE MOTION TO SEND IT BACK TO PUBLIC FACI, I'M SORRY, COMMUNITY SERVICES, NATURAL COMMUNITY SERVICES, UM, TO REVISIT THE STRUCTURE OF IT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, I'LL SECOND AMEND AND WE HAVE 82 PEOPLE THAT HAVE, UH, CHOSEN TO BE THE SECOND
WE'LL GIVE IT TO MS. BROWN WILL BE THE SECONDARY.
AND SECOND, BASED UPON THE CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD TO, UM,
[01:40:01]
SEND IT BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? JUST WANNA SAY, THE REASON I WANNA DO THAT IS 'CAUSE I THINK THIS, THERE IS A SENSE BEHIND THIS.
WE JUST GOTTA FINE TUNE THIS TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL FOR THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND NOT SHUT DOWN OUR PA PLANS.
UM, DO WE NEED TO CALL THE ROLL? NO, THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THEREFORE, WE WILL SEND THIS BACK TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE.
WE DO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.
WE DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID.
[23. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION REALLOCATING SIX-HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT REVENUE FROM INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECTS (FISCAL IMPACT: Reallocation of $600,000 of ARPA funds from infrastructure to workforce housing. Account No: 2330-10-0000-55000, with an account balance of $8,191,000)]
MOVING RIGHT ALONG.ITEM NUMBER 23 IS AN APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION REALLOCATING $600,000 OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT REVENUE FROM INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECTS.
MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION? SO MOVED.
MR. MCCALLUM MAKES THE MOTION.
MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNSEL ON THAT.
MR. WETMORE WILL ASK YOU TO COME FIRST.
I THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS A 5 0 1 C3 CORPORATION DEDICATED TO ADDRESSING WORKFORCE HOUSING IN BUFORT COUNTY.
HOW DID THIS ALL COME ABOUT? THERE PROBABLY IS ANYBODY YOU TALK TO AROUND THE COUNTY.
NO, THAT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM.
WE HAVE OUR WORKERS, MANY OF WHOM WERE VERY HIGHLY PAID, EVEN CAN'T AFFORD TO WORK HERE.
THE GENESIS OF THE IDEA CAME WHEN, UH, UH, ALAN WOLF, WHO IS THE CEO OF THE SURGE GROUP, WHO HAS SIX CHILDREN.
AND HE WAS SITTING AT DINNER WITH HIS WIFE, AND HIS WIFE SAID, YOU KNOW, NONE OF OUR KIDS ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.
AND SO ALAN FORMED A GROUP AND THEY STARTED TO STUDY THE ISSUE AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT ISN'T EXPERIENCED BY VIRTUALLY ANY COASTAL COMMUNITY OR SKI ANYTHING IN A SKI MOUNTAIN ANYWHERE.
THERE'S ACCESS IN WHERE PROPERTY VALUES SKYROCKET.
AND SO A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY HAVE SUB SOLVED THE PROBLEM.
IN, IN STUDYING THIS, UH, HE MET WITH, UH, THE HEAD OF THE, UH, COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WHO INDICATED THAT THE FOUNDATION MAY BE WILLING TO INVEST SOME OF THEIR ENDOWMENT AT A LESSER RETURN THAN THEY WOULD GET IN THE MARKETPLACE.
AND THAT SPURRED THE IDEA THAT PERHAPS FORMING A NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND SOLICITING, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM, THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GENERATE FUNDS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT A LESSER RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT DOLLARS THAN THEY COULD GET IN THE MARKETPLACE.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
IN FACT, WE ARE TRYING TO BEND THE COST CURVE ACROSS THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF OWNING PROPERTY.
AND WE HAVE ASKED, UH, RENTAL AGENTS NORMALLY CHARGE 12% TO MANAGE THE PROPERTIES.
WE'VE GOTTEN A 10% COMMISSION.
WE'D ASK PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA DO WORK ON REPAIRING THE PROPERTIES TO CHARGE LESS.
THE REAL ESTATE AGENTS ARE CUTTING THEIR COMMISSIONS.
THE LAWYERS THAT WORK WITH THIS HAVE DONE THE WORK PRO BONO.
AND SO IN ORDER BECAUSE OF THIS, WE ARE ABLE TO BUY EXISTING PROPERTIES.
THERE WERE 600 TRANSACTIONS, I THINK LAST YEAR IN, UH, THE 200 TO $300,000 SPACE IN, UH, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE ARE
SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE AN EMINENTLY PRACTICAL, DOABLE, AND IMMEDIATELY, UH, UH, PUT INTO EFFECT SOLUTION, AND WE NEED SUPPORT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND MR. STEWART, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THANK, THANK, THANK YOU FIRST.
THANKS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR YOUR SERVICE ON COUNCIL.
IT CAN SOMETIMES BE A THANKLESS TASK, BUT IT'S ALWAYS ENTERTAINING AND OFTEN INFORMATIVE.
AND IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO BE IN A ROOM WHERE YOU SAY, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO OUR FLAG AND TO OUR CONSTITUTION.
I THINK THOSE THINGS MATTER, AND THEY MATTER TO THOSE OF US WHO APPRECIATE THAT GOVERNMENT DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT YOU AND THE PEOPLE OUT HERE IN THE AUDIENCE PARTICIPATING.
HAVING SAID THAT, A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNTIL RECENT YEARS THAT, UH, ABILITY TO ACQUIRE A HOME, RAISE A FAMILY, AND PASS THAT ALONG AS INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH.
UH, THERE'S A PROCESS BY WHICH WE NEED TO RECREATE THAT.
THERE WAS A STUDY DONE IN 2018 THAT INDICATES WE'RE OVER 4,500 HOUSING UNITS SHORT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE
[01:45:01]
HOUSING.I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VALUE IS OF HAVING A TEACHER LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEIR SCHOOL IS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VALUE IS OF HAVING A HEALTHCARE WORKER LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY WORK.
BUT I KNOW WHAT THE ABSOLUTE VALUE IS OF HAVING GOOD TEACHERS AND GOOD HEALTHCARE WORKERS.
WE'RE ALL GOING TO NEED BOTH OF THEM.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL HEADLINES, IT'S NOT DIFFICULT TO THINK, BUT IF YOU HAD COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICERS LIVING IN THE COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE SOME OF THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED, AND THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE RESIDENCE AND THE ACTIVITIES, SOME OF THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, UH, AVOIDED IN OUR COUNTRY AND MAY, UH, BEEN RESOLVED IN A PEACEFUL FASHION.
HAVING SAID THAT, I'M NOW THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST, WHICH IS REPRESENTATIVE BY, REPRESENTS EIGHT GOVERNMENTS, ONE OF WHICH IS BEAUFORT COUNTY, SIX MUNICIPALITIES IN JASPER COUNTY, AND A REGIONAL APPROACH.
AND THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE IT CAN LEVERAGE A LOT OF ASSETS THAT OTHER PEOPLE WANNA BRING TO THE TABLE TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS AND ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. WHAT'S BEEN MISSING IS LEADERSHIP.
THERE IS A WHOLE ALPHABET SOUP FULL OF AGENCIES THAT SAY THEY HAVE PROGRAMS, SAY THEY'RE GOING TO DO THINGS, MANY OF WHICH NEED LEADERSHIP TO GET THEM ACROSS THE TABLE.
I'LL MENTION ONE WITHOUT MENTIONING THE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS IT, BUT THEY HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DEDICATED TO HOME REPAIR.
AND IN THE YEAR ENDING JUNE, 2023.
AND THESE AREN'T JUST IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THIS IS STATEWIDE.
THEY REPAIRED ONE HOME, ONE HOME, AND NONE OF THE REST OF THEM WOULD PASS THE REQUIREMENTS.
AND THE REQUIREMENTS INCLUDED THAT FOR $45,000, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING A HOME FROM WHATEVER CONDITION IT'S IN TO FULL COMPLIANCE WITH CURRENT CURRENT BUILDING CODES.
MANY OF OUR HOUSES HERE ARE MORE THAN 40 YEARS OLD.
AND BRINGING THEM UP TO SPEED TO BRING 'EM ALL THE WAY UP TO COAT IS JUST NOT, SOMETHING CAN BE DONE FOR MUCH LARGER AMOUNTS THAN THAT.
I THIS TO CONSIDER THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE WHAT'S BEEN MISSING IS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY LIKE THIS ONE LEADING.
SO WE CAN BRING THOSE RESOURCES TOGETHER AND BRING FOCUS ON WHAT'S NEEDED HERE.
IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE SOME REMOTE AGENCY WITH A LOT OF ACRONYMS IS GONNA SOLVE THIS PROBLEM FOR US.
IT WILL BE BECAUSE YOU AND TRUSTING IN YOUR STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER THE RIGHT REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS TO SEE THAT THIS MONEY PRODUCES THE RESULTS THAT WE ALL WANT.
WE'LL SET THE STAGE FOR OTHER FUTURE SUCCESSES IN THE FUTURE.
I HOPE YOU'LL DO THIS CONSIDERING TIME.
UM, GOING AROUND THE ROOM, UH, MR. MCKELLEN, YOU MADE THE MOTION.
ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
UM, IT'S BEEN A FLURRY OF EMAILS, UH, TODAY DEALING WITH THIS, UH, RAISING CONCERNS, UH, ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND I AGREE WITH THE CONCERNS AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE ADDRESSED THEM IN OUR CONVERSATIONS IN PREPARATION, UH, FOR THIS RESOLUTION.
UH, AS BOTH A TAXPAYER, MYSELF AND A STEWARD OF COUNTY TAX FUNDS, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY DILIGENT IN THE CARE, UH, OF THE FUNDS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS USE.
UH, WE NEED A PARTNER TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT, ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATION, UH, AND ORGANIZATION, UH, TO HELP US, UH, ENSURE THAT THIS FUNDING WAS USED PROPERLY.
AND WE HAVE SUCH A PARTNER IN THE, IN THE BUFORD, JASPER REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND, WHO HAVE AGREED TO TAKE THIS PROJECT AND TO MANAGE IT FOR US AND TO ENSURE THAT O ADEQUATE OVERSIGHT IS PROVIDED AND ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT IS PROVIDED TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR DOING THE THINGS THAT THEY SAY THEY WILL DO, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE MONEY THAT THEY RECEIVE IS ACTUALLY SPENT FOR THE THINGS THEY INTEND TO SPEND IT ON.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ARPA FUNDS THAT, UH, WE'RE USING HERE, UH, ARE FEDERAL FUNDS AND THAT WE'RE NOT USING ANY VALOREM COUNTY PROPERTY TAXES FROM THE PEOPLE THAT OWN PROPERTY HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS IS A REDIRECTION OF SOME ARPA FUNDS THAT WERE A FEDERAL GRANT TO US.
SO WE'RE NOT REACHING INTO THE COFFERS OF ANY MONEY PROVIDED THAT WE'RE AVALOR.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A PARTNER HERE WITH THE BUFORT JASPER REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND THAT CAN PROVIDE THE NECESSARY ASSISTANCE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS HONESTLY ADMINISTERED WITH A GREAT INTEGRITY.
UH, SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AN IMAGINATIVE, VIABLE, UH, MOTIVATED, TALENTED, SUCCESSFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE TO WORK THIS, UH, PROGRAM.
AND I THINK WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT IN THE, UM, COASTAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BECAUSE BASED ON THE PRESENTATIONS THEY'VE MADE AND THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT'S BEEN CONDUCTED, I THINK THEY'RE A VIABLE ORGANIZATION THAT WILL PROVIDE US WITH A, A, UH, REALITY OF HAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AVAILABLE IN THE SHORT TERM, NOT THE MEDIUM TERM AND THE LONG TERM.
AND I THINK THAT BY ENCOURAGING THEM TO PARTICIPATE WITH US AS PARTNERS, NOT AS COMPLETE FUNDERS, BUT AS COLLABORATORS UNDER THE GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP OF THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND, WE CAN MAKE GREAT PROGRESS IN THIS AREA IN THE SHORT TERM AND EVENTUALLY IN THE LONG TERM AS WELL.
[01:50:02]
MS. HOWARD, YOU WERE SECOND? UH, YES.WHEN THIS FIRST CAME FORWARD, I, I HAD GREAT OBJECTIONS TO IT BECAUSE IT WAS ONE, UH, DEN ONE ONE ORGANIZATION IDENTIFIED.
UM, I'M GLAD THAT WE WOULD USE THE BUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND IS THE ADMINISTRATOR AND OVERSEER OF IT.
I, I MADE THE SECOND BECAUSE I DO, AS EVERYONE PROBABLY KNOWS ME, UH, FROM FOR, SINCE I WAS ELECTED, I'VE BEEN ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING IN THE RESOLUTION ONE PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION TO TAKE OUT WORDS.
COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
IT'S, IT'S IN THE, OH, IN THE RESOLUTION.
I, AND, AND SAY, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECTS PERIOD.
IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY AND LET THEM GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY COULD GO TO THE BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND.
I THINK THEY ARE THE RIGHT ORGANIZATION TO GET US THROUGH THIS.
AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL USE MORE OPERA MONEY FOR, UM, AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, OKAY, SO THAT'S YOUR MOTION IS TO REMOVE THE, UM, COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN AS, AS IDENTIFIED IN THAT RESOLUTION.
'CAUSE IT WASN'T IDENTIFIED THERE.
MR. GLOVER WILL BE THE SECOND.
IS THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY ON COUNCIL? YEAH, I, I HAVE, I HAVE COMMENT.
UM, THIS RESOLUTION WAS SPECIFIC TO THAT ORGANIZATION, UM, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
AND THE HOUSING TRUST FUND HAS INDICATED THEY WOULD TAKE THE ARPA FUNDS AND ISOLATE IT FROM THE FUNDS THEY'RE RECEIVING FROM THE COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE MEMBERS THERE.
UM, BECAUSE THE, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS AN APPLICATION IN WITH THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND AND WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE COLLABORATING TO GIVE THEM THE FUNDING THEY NEED TO PUT PEOPLE IN HOUSES.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BENEFIT WOULD BE OF REMOVING THE RECIPIENT'S NAME, BECAUSE THAT'S THE GROUP THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RECEIVING THE ARPA FUNDS TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE WORKFORCE.
SO I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BENEFIT WOULD BE OF TAKING OUT THEIR NAME AND SENDING THE MONEY THERE IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT.
WELL, OTHERS CAN APPLY FOR IT.
AND TO BE FAIR TO OTHER GROUPS THAT MONEY WOULD BE SET ASIDE AND IT'S, IT OTHER GROUPS DID NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS WHO'VE APPLIED TO THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND.
AND WITH OUR ARPA MONEY INCORPORATED, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEBATE.
I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THIS IS $600,000.
THERE'S ANOTHER FOUR AND A HALF WAS PROBABLY FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE THAT NO ONE HAS YET ASKED FOR.
AND THIS MONEY WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM TO UNDERTAKE IN COLLABORATION WITH ALL THEIR OTHER DONORS, THE WORK THEY'VE IDENTIFIED TO ALLOW THEM TO PUT PEOPLE IN WORKFORCE HOUSING.
MAY WE HAVE A MOTION? AND SECOND, I'M GONNA GO AROUND THE ROOM.
MR. LAWSON? UM, I AM, UH, FOR THE ORIGINAL, UM, RESOLUTION AND I SAY THAT, UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A, A QUALIFIED ORGANIZATION AND AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE DOING IT THE PROPER WAY.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UM, I THINK I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD AND MY ONE AUNT WHO WAS VERY COLORFUL, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE PG VERSION.
SHE SAID EITHER DEFECATE OR GET OFF THE TOILET.
AND FOR US IT'S TIME TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP, UM, FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
UM, AT THIS POINT, WE DO HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE.
I WILL PROBABLY NOT VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT, NO OFFENSE.
UM, AND GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, UM, UH, REQUEST, WHICH WAS TO GIVE THE MONEY, UM, AS, AS AS DEFINED.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I PLEASE? YES.
CAN SOMEBODY RESTATE WHAT THE AMENDED MOTION IS? THE AMENDMENT MO MOTION WAS TO REMOVE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FROM THE RESOLUTION.
AND THAT'S FROM THE NOW, THEREFORE, OKAY.
I, I SUPPORT ALICE'S, UH, UH, AMENDMENT.
MS. TABER, I, BECAUSE MR. MCKELLAN TALKED ABOUT THE HOUSING TRUST WILL SORT OF BE THE GOVERNING BODY OF THIS.
THAT'S NOWHERE IN THE RESOLUTION.
THIS RESOLUTION SAYS WE'RE GOING TO WRITE $600,000 TO CCDC.
I WOULD PREFER THAT IT DOES WHAT MR. COUNCILMAN MCKEWAN SAID.
THAT WAY THE HOUSING TRUST FUND IS OVERSEEING IT.
THEY WILL MAKE SURE THEY ADHERE TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND THEY HAVE THEIR LENDERS AND THEY'RE
[01:55:01]
IN CHARGE OF THE MONEY THAT'S NOT LISTED IN THIS RESOLUTION.SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT ALICE SAID.
BUT THE HOUSING TRUST FUND NEEDS TO BE IN HERE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE SOMETHING.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO THE LAST COUPLE DAYS IN MY CONSTITUENCY IN MY DISTRICT WANT ME TO VOTE NO FOR THIS.
I'VE MET THE CAMPBELL'S AND OTHERS THROUGH THIS.
I'D LIKE YOUR THINKING AND ALL.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS LIKE TAB BROUGHT UP.
THERE'S IS THIS, COULD THIS BE PUSHED BACK TO BE REWORKED? I MEAN, I SENT JOHN, UM, A TON OF QUESTIONS TODAY ABOUT THIS THAT I WANT TO GET SOME ANSWERS TO FOR MY PEOPLE.
HOW DO WE DO THAT? I MEAN, WHY DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS RIGHT THIS MINUTE? OKAY.
I MEAN, AND IF I WAS GONNA VOTE OR NOT, HE'D SAY NO.
I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE SINCE I WAS FOR EIGHT YEARS ON COUNCIL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I'VE WATCHED YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
PEOPLE SIT UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT IT AND DRAGGED THEIR FEET AND NOTHING REALLY IS GETTING DONE.
AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON RUNS ON THE SAME CAMPAIGN OF DOING THE EXACT SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UM, I'M HOPING THIS COUNCIL'S DIFFERENT.
UM, IF I DON'T DO THAT, I LOSE NEXT YEAR.
BUT I'M NOT A FAN OF KICKING THINGS DOWN THE ROAD.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE OF A GROUP THAT WE LIKE THE WAY THEY DID IT, THEY PRESENTED, CAME TO US ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE OTHER MONEY IF PEOPLE WANNA APPLY.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM PUTTING THE REST OF THE MONEY OUT FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR IT.
AND HONESTLY, I'D RATHER NAME THE COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO IN PUBLIC 'CAUSE THAT'S MORE TRANSPARENT THAN US SEEING SEVEN OF 'EM.
AND THEN BE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA BRING THESE FIVE FORWARD.
SO IF, IF IT'S SO THAT WE BRING EVERY SINGLE ONE FORWARD WITH THEIR NAME IN THE TITLE, TO ME THAT'S MORE CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAN US GETTING A BUNCH OF APPLICATIONS AND DECIDING WHICH ONES WE'RE GONNA BRING FORWARD.
SO I ACTUALLY LIKE THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN, UM, WITH TABS POINT.
UM, IF WE DO NEED TO ADD SOMETHING WHERE IT IS STATED THAT IT IS MANAGED BY THEM, I'M, I'M ALL ON BOARD WITH THAT.
UM, I LIKE THE PLAN THAT THIS COMPANY DOES.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE'D MOVE FORWARD TO WITH AND CLARIFICATION, HOW MUCH FUNDS DO WE HAVE LEFT FOR THIS? DO WE HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER? WE HAD LIKE THREE DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
IT'S IN THE A IS 8,191,000 IN THAT ACCOUNT.
AND PEOPLE ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO APPLY FOR.
JUST WANNA CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC.
OH, SO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, THIS WAS SOME, UM, I WON'T SAY UNUSED, BUT AVAILABLE ARPA FUNDS, AND IT WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 4 MILLION, 5 MILLION.
WE HAVE A MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY TO GO THROUGH THE, THE EXACT AMOUNT, THE BALANCE OF THE ARPA FUNDS.
BUT AS FAR AS THE $600,000, WE STILL HAVE OVER THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS LEFT IN THAT ACCOUNT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M MORE THAN WILLING FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD WITH IDEAS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THINGS HERE AT THE COUNTY TO PURCHASE LAND, TO START GETTING THINGS GOING.
WE BROUGHT GROUPS IN THAT CAME AND TALKED TO US, GAVE US PRESENTATIONS.
WE JUST SAT IN ONE LAST MONTH FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF.
AND UNTIL WE DO SOMETHING, IT ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.
MR. CHAIRMAN, SO I SUPPORT YOU, MR. MCKELLAN, YOUR ORIGINAL STATEMENT.
HOLD ON, MR. GLOVER, YOU'RE NEXT.
UM, CHAIRMAN, I AM SUPPORTING THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION COMING FROM MADAM CHAIR, UM, HOWARD AT THIS TIME, UM, I AM FOR DOING SOMETHING.
UM, SO THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
I, I ALSO THINK THAT WHEN WHATEVER WE DO WITH COUNTY FUNDS, UH, IT NEEDS TO BE, UM, OUT IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY, UH, IS FAIR TO ALL, UM, A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION COMING FORWARD WITH, WITH GUIDELINES ON WHO THESE FUNDS ARE GOING TO AND SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN IDEA, UM, UM, WHO THE ORGANIZATION THAT'S RECEIVING IT.
UM, AND IT'S FAIR, UM, IT WAS RAISED TO MY ATTENTION TODAY, AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, SO I'M GONNA PUT IT ON THE TABLE, THAT, UM, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UM, HAS A, UH, EXCLUSIVE LIST OF PEOPLE THAT THEY WOULD HELP, UM, WITH THIS, UM, THAT PERSON MUST BE WORKING FOR CERTAIN COMPANIES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
IT DOESN'T OPEN UP TO ANYBODY WHO'S NEEDING, UH, A, A, A HOME OR WORKFORCE, UH, PLACE TO STAY, UH, IN THAT COMMUNITY AND STUFF.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, I THINK, UM, I DON'T WANT TO BE A PARTY OF EXCLUDING ANYBODY, BUT ALLOWING EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY AND TO GET A HOUSE.
'CAUSE THEY WANT A HOME, UH, AT THIS TIME.
MS. BROWN, I'M JUST CONCERNED HOW THE CCDC, HOW ARE WE INSURED THAT THEY'RE GONNA SPEND
[02:00:01]
THE MONEY PROPERLY? AND WHAT INSURANCE DO WE HAVE THAT OKAY, THEY HAVE $600,000.THEY GAVE IT OUT TO SIX PEOPLE, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THEY BOUGHT A CONDO OR SOMETHING.
OR THEY RENTED A PLACE FOR TWO YEARS OR SOMETHING.
WHAT INSURANCE DO WE HAVE? OKAY, MR. BERTONE ADDRESSING THE IMMEDIATE MOTION ON THE TABLE, UH, MS. HOWARD'S MOTION.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THE LANGUAGE AT THIS POINT IN TIME AS FAR AS REMOVING THAT LANGUAGE, BUT MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THIS, I, I THINK WE, I THINK WE NEED TO PUT UP A SHUT UP.
I REALLY WANNA BE PART OF A COUNCIL THAT TAKES ACTION AND, AND DOES SOMETHING.
HOWEVER, IN READING THIS, I I, I'VE KEPT SCROLLING BY IT AND I KEPT WAITING FOR MORE TERMS TO BE EXPLAINED.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, LARRY EARLIER TODAY AND, YOU KNOW, MADE ME FEEL A LOT BETTER AFTER HEARING HOW IT'S GONNA BE SPENT, BUT NONE OF WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT WAS ACTUALLY IN, IN WRITING.
AND SO MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO RUSH THIS THROUGH WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING THE PROPER TERMS AND, AND, UH, THE TERMS AND EVERYTHING IN PLACE THAT WE NEED TO DO.
MR. UH, MCKELLEN, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UH, MR. UH, MR. GLOVER'S COMMENT, I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'VE SAID, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S PRESENT.
BUT THIS IS AN APPROPRIATION TO GET THE MONEY OVER TO THE BUFORD HOUSING TRUST FUND.
AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS DEVELOP FOR US A WRITTEN MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT INDICATING VERY CLEARLY WHAT THEY WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE HAPPEN.
AND THERE WOULD BE NO RESTRICTION ON THE PEOPLE WHO COULD APPLY FOR THIS TYPE OF, UH, OF, UH, ASSISTANCE FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND IT CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO EMPLOYEES OF THAT ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE IF IT DID, WE WOULD NOT, WE WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN THIS, UH, IN THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY WITH THEM.
AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR IN OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT IT HAS TO BE OPEN TO EVERYONE WHO APPLIES.
THERE WAS JUST TWO POINTS OF CLARIFICATION.
I THINK, UH, LARRY JUST ADDRESSED ONE, THE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
BUFORD WILL BE MANAGING THE OVERALL FUNCTION OF THIS.
AND THE OTHER POINT OF CLARIFICATION THAT I THINK SHOULD BE IN, AND I SUPPORT DAVID AS WELL, HAVING THIS IN WRITING, IS, UM, NO TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE GONNA BE USED FOR THIS.
IT'S GONNA COME FROM ARPA FUNDS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
CAN I, I'D LIKE TO AMEND MY, AMEND MY MOTION THAT WE, THAT, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO STATE THIS, BUT I, TO TABS POINT SOMEWHERE IN THIS RESOLUTION, WE NEED TO SAY THAT THE MONEY WILL GO TO THE BUFORT JASPER, UM, HOUSING TRUST FUND.
I THINK ALL THIS EVOLVED PRETTY QUICKLY TO, TO WORK WITH THEM ON IT.
AND PERHAPS IT WASN'T KNOWN WHEN THIS PACKAGE WAS PUT TOGETHER LAST, LAST WEEK.
UM, SO I'M LOOKING TO THE ATTORNEYS ON HOW TO ADD THAT TO THE LANGUAGE AND I'LL, I'LL RESEND MY PREVIOUS MOTION TO TAKE OUT THE LANGUAGE FOR THE CCDC, BUT HOW CAN WE FIX THIS? YEAH.
YOU COULD CHANGE, YOU COULD AMEND YOUR MOTION, I SUPPOSE.
UM, TO, UM, REMOVE REFERENCE TO THE CCDC AND SAY INSTEAD HOUSING PROJECTS, UM, OVER, UH, OVERSIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECTS THROUGH THE BUFORT JASPER TRUST.
THAT WOULD, SO YOU'D PUT IT INTO THE BUFORT JASPER TRUST FUND? I REMOVED THE PREVIOUS PART OF MY AMENDMENT.
WELL, WELL, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE.
I MEAN, WE WERE, WE'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THEM ALREADY, AS ARE THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE.
THAT'S, THIS IS GONNA BE A SET ASIDE FOR THAT'S FINE.
WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
BUT WORRY, WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET THAT IN WRITING AS WELL.
IT'S GONNA GO OVER THERE FOR WHOSE USE? WELL, LET'S SAY IT THAT WAY.
WE'LL BE SET ASIDE PERHAPS THE BETTER THING.
IF YOU LISTENED CAREFULLY TO WHAT MR. STEWART SAID, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GOVERNING AUTHORITY.
WHAT'S LACKING IN THIS RESOLUTION IS OUR SETTING UP THAT GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY OR GOVERNING AUTHORITY, WHICH IS THE HOUSING TRUST FUND THAT WILL SET THE EXPECTATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS OF WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS LOOKING FOR.
SO THAT'S HOW I SEE WE HAVE TO ALTER THIS RESOLUTION.
SO THE POINT IS, TO DAVE'S POINT AS WELL, WHY WE, THIS COUNCIL'S GONNA BE INCREDIBLE WITH A LOT OF CHANGES AND DOING THINGS AND GOING FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA BE AGGRESSIVE ON THAT WITHOUT A DOUBT.
BUT WHY RUSH THIS THROUGH WITH A VOTE TONIGHT WITHOUT HAVING IT IN WRITING AND HAVING THINGS CHANGED
[02:05:01]
THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE SO THAT WE, WE OWE THIS TO THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS, UH, FROM MR. CAMPBELL AND THE GROUP AND ALAN WOLF.BUT DON'T WE OWE IT TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT TO HAVE THIS IN WRITING? WHAT'S A HANDSHAKE OR A WINK? I MEAN, ARE WE GONNA GO DOWN THAT SAME PATH OF HAVING SOMEBODY COME HERE AND SAY, HEY, FORENSIC ACCOUNTING, WHY CAN'T WE DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE? YOU A QUESTION.
YOU WANT TO HAVE THE MOTION IN WRITING.
IS THAT IT? NO, I'M SAYING WHAT THE, WHAT, WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE.
NOT THE MOTION, BUT WHAT WELL SPECIFY CERTAIN THINGS.
WE WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON SOMETHING HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE REPRESENT THE PEOPLE, UH, THEY GOTTA KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WELL, CAN WE ADD ANOTHER, WHEREAS THAT THE, THIS WILL BE, UM, ADMINISTERED BY THE BEAUFORT CASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND.
MR. CHAIRMAN, BEFORE WE GO ANY FARTHER, IF WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THIS, I'M WILLING TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU JUST STATED AT THE END, BUT IF IT'S BEING ATTACHED TO THE OTHER AMENDMENT, I'M NOT.
SO I WOULD, IF WE'RE GONNA REMOVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT, SEND THAT, AND THEN THE SECOND HAS NOT REC RESIDED THEIR, WE HAVE THE SECONDS, SO WE NEED TO HAVE THAT STILL, BUT THEN YES, I AM.
THAT'S, I JUST WANTED TO CLEAN IT UP SO WE DON'T HAVE A MESSED UP BY THE END OF THIS ROAD.
THIS IS A WORKING DOCUMENT AND THIS IS A WORKING AMENDMENTS ON THE FLOOR.
UM, UH, SENDING MY SECOND, UM, IF WE CAN CLEAN THIS UP.
I WAS GONNA ASK MR. KEVIN TO GIVE US A, UH, A LANGUAGE HERE ON WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE VOTING ON.
WELL, I'M NOT WHAT THE CHANGE WILL EVENTUALLY BE.
WHAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD WAS, WHAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD WAS THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE, UM, AND TO ALLOCATE THIS MONEY TO THE 5 0 1 C3, WHICH IS THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
NOW, WHAT COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN DOING IS, UH, IS SENDING THIS MONEY TO THE BEAUFORT JASPER TRUST TO HAVE THEM USE THESE FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING? NO, NO, NO.
THEY'RE GOING TO MANAGE, ADMINISTER, ADMINISTER FOR THE CCD ON BEHALF OF BUFORD COUNTY.
THAT $600,000 THAT IS GOING TO BE USED BY THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN UNINCORPORATED BUFORD COUNTY.
THEY WILL SET UP THE M-O-A-M-O-U, HOWEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, WITH CCDC AS TO THE EXPECTATIONS, PERFORMANCES, RULES, REGULATIONS, HOWEVER YOU WANNA STATE THAT SO THAT WE, THE COUNTY ARE GETTING WHAT WE WANT IN WORKFORCE HOUSING.
IN UNCAP, UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORD COUNTY.
DO YOU HAVE THIS WORKABLE FOR YOU? YES, SIR.
WE'RE PERFECTLY HAPPY BRINGING THOSE DOCUMENTS.
ANYTHING UP? OKAY, SO WE CAN ADD EZ HAVE TWO MOTIONS TO AMEND THAT ARE ON THE TABLE.
WE, SO WE'RE, WE, WE, WE'VE GOT THE AMENDMENT TO TAKE CC DC OUT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER AMENDMENT.
NOW WE ARE ASKING A MEMBER OF COUNSEL TO MOVE AND SECOND TO AMEND THIS MOTION TO PUT IN A, WHEREAS TO ALLOW THE BUFORD JASPER HOUSING TRUST TO BE THE ADMINISTER, UH, ADMINISTER OF THIS PROGRAM WITH CC DC.
ANY DISCUSSION? NO, JUST QUICKLY, MR. CHAIRMAN, DOES IT IMPLIED THAT, UM, UM, THAT IT WILL BE FAIR AND OPEN TO EVERYBODY? OH YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
MO A THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE MO A'S NO DOUBT.
MAKE SURE WE'LL GET TO SAY THAT YOU RECALL, YOU RECALL THAT THE COMMITTEE MOVED THAT AN MOA WOULD BE, UM, DRAFTED, UH, BY ADMINISTRATION THAT WOULD SET TERMS THAT THAT WOULD BE APPLICABLE, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE 99 YEARS AND THAT KINDA STUFF.
SO THAT'S ALL IN, THAT'S ALL IN THE MINUTES MEETING.
TRUST FUND WILL HAVE ALL OF THAT DOCUMENTATION.
WE WILL SEE ALL OF THAT DOCUMENTATION IN THE FUTURE.
IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH WHAT HAS BEEN STATED AND HOW IT'S BEEN STATED? DO I NEED TO CALL THE ROLE? NO, JUST ONE LAST THOUGHT SINCE I'M NEW TO THIS.
THIS MOA THAT TOM WAS TALKING ABOUT, WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH THAT TOGETHER BEFORE THAT BECOMES A FINAL DOCUMENT.
[02:10:01]
NO, SIR.JUST GET NO TO THE ADMINISTRATION? NO, YOU CAN GET A COPY, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, RIGHT? NO, BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE DICTATED TO THEM EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
WELL, WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE MOAI.
LISTEN, I, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, THIS IS NEW TO ME.
I'M A NEW GUY HERE WITH THIS PROGRAM.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT I WAS ELECTED FOR, IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER MONTH ACCOUNTABLE.
EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIRMAN, GO AHEAD.
WAS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, I SUPPORT THE PASSION OF ALAN WOLF AND CAMPBELL AND EVERYBODY.
BUT WHEN WE'RE SITTING HERE SAYING, WE BELIEVE YOU WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA TAKE YOU AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH WHAT YOU GUYS APPROVED, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT? THAT THEY JUST TRUST US? NO.
I MEAN, I LISTEN, I'M HERE TO REPRESENT PEOPLE.
I'M NOT HERE TO ASK THEM TO GO ON BLIND FAITH.
IF THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, WHY DON'T WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, MR. I MEAN, I SUPPORT ALL OF THIS.
I SUPPORT EVERY IDEA THERE IS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT WHY APPROVE SOMETHING? WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE APPROVING.
LISTEN, YOU WANNA RUSH IT BY ALL MEANS DO.
I WAS GONNA SAY, THE POINT IS WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE HOUSING TRUST FUND TO OVERSEE THE ENTIRE THING.
WE BELIEVE IN THEM BECAUSE WE PARTICIPATE WITH IT AND WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM.
SO IF YOU TRUST THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, THEY'RE GONNA DRAFT THE MOA AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE WHAT WE WANNA GET.
IT'S OTHERWISE WE DON'T TRUST THEM AND WE REVIEW IT.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CONGRATULATORY PROCLAMATION FOR ALL THOSE HIGH QUALITY EMPLOYEES AT THE BEGINNING, THE MEETING AND EXTEND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNTY THAT WILL BE NEGOTIATING WITH ME.
THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE DOING THAT.
HIGH QUALITY PEOPLE CURRENTLY CAPABLE REFLECTING THE OMISSION.
DO I HAVE TO SAY THE NAME ERIC GREENWAY HERE TO ANYBODY? DOES EVERYBODY REMEMBER THAT JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO? HE'S AN EMPLOYEE.
HE WAS AN EMPLOYEE, WASN'T HE MR. CHAIRMAN? YOU WANT I MEAN, WE COULD, WE COULD DO THIS ALL NIGHT.
DAVID, MR. I I JUST HAVE A CLARIFICATION JUST FOR PROCEDURAL WISE.
WHY IS THIS A RESOLUTION OR NOT? AN ORDINANCE IS THERE.
OH, BECAUSE COUNSEL BY ORDINANCE ALREADY APPROPRIATED THE $37 MILLION TO THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES.
AND ONCE IT'S BEEN APPROPRIATED JUST A RESOLUTION REALLOCATED THROUGH RESOLUTION.
UH, WILL THE CLERK COUNCIL CALL THE ROLE? EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
WE'RE ADDING THE WHERE YOU WANNA SAY IT AGAIN SO EVERYBODY GETS IT.
WE'RE ADDING THE WHEREABOUTS THAT THE HOUSING TRUST FUND WILL BE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THIS PROGRAM.
THEY WILL DEVELOP THE MOA WITH CCDC AS PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF COUNTY COUNCIL AND HOW THE MONEY IS GOING TO BE UTILIZED IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY CHAIRMAN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YEP.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY CAN'T AGREE ON A MOA? THANK YOU.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE'RE TRUSTING THEM, WHICH WE'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF MANAGING HOUSES.
WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING HOUSES.
SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM PUTTING FUNDS INTO AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES THAT IF WE BELIEVE THEY'RE DOING IT THE PROPER WAY AWAY.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT 600,000 IF YOU AND THE OTHER GROUP CANNOT COME TO TERMS THAT YOU GUYS ARE FINED? DOES THE MONEY COME BACK OR DOES IT SIT THERE? IT'S REALLY THE ONLY, THOSE ARE TWO OPTIONS.
WELL THINK THE MONEY'S NOT THERE UNTIL THE MOA, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THERE UNTIL AN MOA IS, THERE IS NO AGREED UPON MOA, BUT THE STANDARDS WE'VE SET, THE MONEY DOES NOT GO THERE ANYWAYS.
I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THE MR. CHAIRMAN.
DO ALL GO AHEAD AND SPEAK PLEASE.
I GONNA SAY THE FUNDING STAYS WHERE IT IS UNTIL THE M OAS IS.
NO ONE GETS ANY MONEY UNTIL, THAT WAS JUST MY ONLY QUESTION.
BUT WE DON'T GET A, WE DON'T GET TO APPROVE THAT MOA NO, WE'RE TRUSTING THEM TO DO IT WHEN THEY'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF MANAGING PROPERTIES AND BUILDING HOUSES.
I'M NOT, OTHER THAN A HAMMER AND A NAIL AND MAYBE A SQUARE.
THAT'S ABOUT ALL I GOT FOR YOU.
IT'S 'CAUSE YOU'RE JUST A TEACHER.
YOU MAY WANNA MENTION THAT, RIGHT? YES.
THE, THE, THE TRUST WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS ENTITIES.
BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THE TOWN OF HILTON
[02:15:01]
HEAD, EVERYBODY APPOINTED MEMBERS TO THE TRUST.AND MR. STEWART, I THINK IS THE CITY OF BUFORD'S.
SO THESE ARE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN VETTED BY THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES FOR THIS PURPOSE, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
THIS IS THEIR EXACT JOB TO DO THIS.
WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE PLEASE? COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS THE AMENDMENT.
I'M GONNA SAY YES, BUT I'M RELUCTANT TO DO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON, MARK LAWSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
NOW WE HAVE TO DO ITEM 23 AS AMENDED.
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL DI COUNCILMAN MCALLEN? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
UH, I WOULD ASK A, UH, A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MOVE AND SECOND TO EXTEND US.
MR. CHAIRMAN, PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK.
ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
UNFORTUNATELY WE WILL GO PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK A SECOND.
[24. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK]
ALL RIGHT.UH, ITEM NUMBER 24 IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE BUFORT COUNTY EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK.
SO, MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CUNNINGHAM.
SECOND THAT MS. BROWN DUALLY MOTION AND SECONDED.
ANY QUESTIONS? I, THIS WILL BE, BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.
I, I APPLAUD THE ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WE HAD ASKED FOR, UM, SUCH AS BETTER PROTECTION FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS AND OTHER THINGS IN THERE.
I WON'T GO INTO DETAILS, BUT THANK YOU.
[25. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION FOR COMMISSIONED PUBLIC WORKS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS]
APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION FOR A, FOR COMMISSIONED PUBLIC WORKS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.MS. TABERNAC AND MR. MCKELLEN DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[26. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION FOR AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH BEAUFORT-JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON TO JOINTLY FUND THE INSTALLATION OF SEWER FACILITIES IN THE STONEY CREEK AREA FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING FURTHER CONTAMINATION OF THE MAY RIVER HEADWATERS (FISCAL IMPACT: $1,250,000.00)]
ITEM 26, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION FOR AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUFORD JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON TO JOINTLY FUND THE INSTALLATION OF SEWER FACILITIES IN THE STONY CREEK AREA FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING FURTHER CONTAMINATION OF THE MAY RIVER HEADWATERS.MR. LAWSON MADE THE MOTION AND MS. HOWARD MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
CAN I JUST MAKE COMMENT PLEASE? I READ THROUGH THIS AND I, EVERY TIME I READ SOMETHING, I LEARN SOMETHING NEW LIKE SEPTIC TANKS AND SOME OTHER FUN STUFF IN THERE.
BUT WHAT I REALLY APPRECIATED WAS THE TIMELINE DETAILS ON PAGE TWO 13 OF THE PROJECT.
AND IT SAYS IT WILL BE DONE BY MAY, 2026.
I LIKE WHEN WE KNOW WHEN THE END OF THE PROJECT'S GONNA BE SO IT DOESN'T GO ADD INFANT ITEMS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SAYING NONE THAT
[27. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION REPEALING AND REPLACING COUNCIL’S RULES AND PROCEDURES]
IS APPROVED.ITEM 27 IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION REPEALING AND REPLACING THE COUNTY'S RULES AND PROCEDURES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CUNNINGHAM MADE THE MOTION.
MR. BARTHOLOMEW MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.
[28. APPROVAL OF THE 2024 COMMITTEE AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE]
UH, ITEM NUMBER 28 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE 2024 COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE.AND YOU RECEIVED TWO SCHEDULES.
THE UPDATED SCHEDULE IS THE ONE WE'RE VOTING ON.
I MOVE MR. MCKELLEN MADE THE MOTION.
SECOND THAT MS. BROWN MADE THE SECOND DO THE MOTION DIDN'T SECOND IT.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO HANGING OUT WITH Y'ALL AGAIN.
[02:20:01]
WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.[29. APPROVAL OF AN RFQ TO SOLICIT RESUMES AND QUALIFICATIONS FROM EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRMS TO ASSIST IN THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR (FISCAL IMPACT: the projected fiscal impact will be determined during the firm selection process)]
APPROVAL OF AN RFQ TO SOLICIT RESUMES AND QUALIFICATIONS FROM EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRMS TO ASSIST IN THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.MR. CUNNINGHAM MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.
NOW WE TOO HAVE TWO EXECUTIVE, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS THAT WE'LL NEED TO GET TO.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
WHO WANNA SPEAK AT, AT THE UH, SECOND ONE.UH, IS TID HERE PLEASE COME FORWARD.
NO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GO OUTTA ORDER.
I'M NOT GONNA ALLOW YOU TO ABUSE ME ANYMORE.
MR. FIRST OF ALL, THE WORKFORCE HOUSING USING TAX FUNDS IS ILLEGAL.
IT SHOULD BE PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AND YOU'RE GONNA BE SUED PERIOD.
MR. PASSIT JUDGE BOX RULED POA AS LEGAL BASED ON YOUR ILLEGAL VOTES TO APPROVE AND ISSUE TAX FUNDS.
YOU ALSO DISRESPECT PROFESSIONAL CITIZENS WHO TAKE THEIR TIME TO COME HERE AND HELP THIS COUNCIL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
YOUR UNCONTROLLED TEMPERED TANTRUMS, YOUR ATTEMPTS TO INTIMIDATE CITIZENS AS WELL AS FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU ARE NOT FIT TO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN.
YOU AND LARRY MCALLEN WERE TARGETED TO BECOME SECRET MEMBERS OF THE GIC, THE GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL THAT HAS NOW BEEN EXPOSED AS A SECRET UNDERGROUND GOVERNMENT MADE UP OF MANY BEAUFORT COUNTY OFFICIALS TO INFLUENCE OUR ABOVE GROUND DULY ELECTED OFFICIALS.
VOTES YOU BOTH KNOWINGLY KEPT SECRET AND KNEW THIS WAS A CONFLICT.
YOU BOTH ALSO REFUSED TO GIVE US THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO CALLED YOU TO BE AHEAD OF THIS SECRET ORGANIZATION WHO ASKED YOU TO DO THAT.
FURTHER REPORTED YOU BOTH WITH OTHER LOCAL OFFICIALS WERE INVITED TO ATTEND THE CHAMBER BALL PARTY AS A FREE OR ILLEGAL TAX PAID CHAMBER CHAMBER MEMBER, WHICH WAS A QUID PRO QUO.
YOU BOTH CERTAINLY KNOW THAT USING TAX MONEY TO PAY YOUR CHAMBER MEMBERSHIPS VIOLATED CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS.
ADDITIONALLY, ON MY WAY BACK HOME TO HILTON HEAD, AFTER ATTENDING A COUNCIL MEETING A NUMBER OF WEEKS BACK, I JUST CROSSED OVER THE BROAD RIVER BRIDGE.
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60 MILES AN HOUR AND NOTICE PASSIT IN HIS CORVETTE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, FLY BY ME AT 85 TO 90 MILES AN HOUR.
MR. PASSMAN IS NOT ONLY AN OUTTA CONTROL ELECTED OFFICIAL.
HE IS AN OUTTA CONTROL ON HIGHWAY HESS ACTING LIKE A MISFIT TEENAGER BEHIND THE WHEEL OF HIS CORVETTE.
HE NEEDS TO GO TO THE RACETRACK BEFORE HE KILLS SOMEBODY AND KILLS HIMSELF.
I GUESS HE JUST FEELS SINCE HE'S CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, HIS POWERS WILL PROTECT HIM ON AND OFF THE HIGHWAY.
ALSO, THIS 15 MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR CITIZENS ALLOWING ONLY FIVE CITIZENS TO SPEAK MUST END.
I'VE BEEN TO THIS COUNCIL FOR MANY YEARS AND THIS NEEDS TO END.
THIS JUST SHOWS MORE RESPECTIVE CITIZENS TO SHUT DOWN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS BY PASSMAN WHO PAYS HIS SALARY.
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY SIT ON THIS DAES LIKE PASSMAN.
THEY GET A FALSE SENSE OF KNOWLEDGE OVER THOSE PROFESSIONALS FROM THE PODIUM.
MR. PASSMAN, YOU WERE ELECTED TO APPROVE, SPEND AND GUARD OUR TAX MONEY LIKE YOUR OWN.
YOU HAVE VIOLATED YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND YOUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES BECAUSE PASSMAN AS WELL AS LARRY'S BAD ACTIONS AND THE SECRET GIC, THE CHAMBER INVOLVEMENT, I ASKED YOU BOTH TO BE AS REMOVED AS CHAIRMAN AND CO-CHAIRMAN IMMEDIATELY AND VOTED OUT OF OFFICE.
HONEST PUBLIC SERVICE IS APPRECIATED.
THIS IS GONNA BE A LAWSUIT ON THIS WORKFORCE HOUSING.
IT'S ILLEGAL TO USE PUBLIC MONIES FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES, NOT FOR THE PUBLIC.
YOU ALL VOTED TO BREAK THE LAW AGAIN.
MY NAME IS TODD OMI AND I'M WITH COMMUNITY COALITION ACTION NETWORK OF ST.
AND WE ARE A NEW NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT JUST HAD OUR GRAND OPENING ON ST.
AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY HERE TO INVITE YOU ALL OUT FOR A PRIVATE VIP TOUR AND DISCUSSION TO SEE HOW WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TIGHTLY TO SUPPORT ST.
SO I WON'T KEEP YOU VERY LONG.
I HAVE SOME INFORMATION IF I APPROACHED BENCH AND GIVE IT TO YOU, MR. UM, YES.
THANK YOU FOR ALL PRIVATE BENCH.
SO THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND WE HAVE A LOT COMING UP.
AND WE HAVE A COMMUNITY COLLABORATION CENTER
[02:25:01]
THAT JUST OPENED UP ACROSS FROM EXXON.SO WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH EMAILS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL.
YOU HAVE ONE MORE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MAKE SURE MR. GLOVER GETS ONE PLEASE.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A, A LONG NIGHT AND A LONG YEAR AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT JOB.
SO THE UH, PREVIOUS SPEAKER, UH, REPRESENTS AN ORGANIZATION WE CAN'T FIND A RECORD OF.
HELENA KNOWS WHO'S FUNDING IT.
ALL THE ADS, HER COMPENSATION, THE LEASE FOR THE BUILDING, ON AND ON AND ON.
THE WHOLE PINE ISLAND THING, STARTING TO FEEL LIKE FOURTH GRADE.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE CPO AND STRENGTHENING THE CPO THIS YEAR.
IT'S A VOTE THAT MANY, MANY YEARS FROM NOW YOU'LL RECOGNIZE WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE CONTINUITY OF THE GOOG GEECHEE COMMUNITY.
AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND SUPPORTING IT AND PROTECTING IT AND DO SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY TRULY SIGNIFICANT.
FINALLY, THE SEARCH COMMITTEE.
YOU HAVE A SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
ADD SOME PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY ON THERE.
I THINK IT'D BE A GREAT THING IF YOU ADD SOME CITIZENS TO IT.
AND FINALLY, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
ROBERT.OKAY, I WOULD LIKE A, UH, MOTION AND SECOND FOR OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO.
WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE WHERE THE ADVICE RELATES TO PENDING LITIGATION, THE COUNTY VERSUS THE BROAD CREEK DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, INQUIRIES AND INVESTIGATIONS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA SECTION FOUR DASH NINE DASH SIX 60.
SECOND, MS. TABER, MAKE THE MOTION.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, UH, WE WILL BE IN EXECUTIVE SECTION SESSION WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE ONE STOP SHOP IS LOCATED IN THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN ROOM 2 25 BEFORE THE ONE STOP SHOP.
PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE THAT YOU HAD TO GO UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, AND POSSIBLY ONCE YOU WERE UPSTAIRS YOU HAD TO GO BACK DOWNSTAIRS TO SEE ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO WITH THE ONE STOP SHOP, WE CONSOLIDATED THOSE.
SO IT'S ONE LOCATION, THE BUSINESS LICENSE DEPARTMENT AND THE BUILDING COAST DEPARTMENT.
IT'S LITERALLY ONE STOP FOR YOUR PERMITTING AND LICENSING.
[33. MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION]
WE HAVE RETURNED FROM OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.THERE ARE NO MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THIS SHORT MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.