[00:00:03]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, JANUARY 22ND.UH, WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND PLEASE REMAIN FOR THE INVOCATION? STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION BY COUNCIL MEMBER PAULA BROWN, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, SUE 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 ALL.
DEAR LORD, I PRAY THAT THIS COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT AND, AND TO GIVE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AS WE DELIBERATE ON THE ITEMS. BEFORE US.
MAY WE HONOR ONE ANOTHER BY KEEPING AN OPEN MIND.
MAY WE VOICE OUR TRUTH AND LISTEN WITH AN OPEN HEART AND WITH INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DO HAVE ALL 11 MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UM, EITHER AT THE DESK, 10 OF US ARE THERE, MR. MCKELLAN IS ONLINE, SO WE DO HAVE A FULL COUNSEL TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF COUNSEL.
UH, PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
IN ITEM NUMBER FOUR.WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A COUPLE CHANGES TO THE COUNTY MEETING.
SO I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH, UH, MS. TABER, YOU'LL GO FIRST.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN PASSMAN, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE BY TITLE ONLY, A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE.
UH, THIS WILL BE ITEM 15:00 AM SORRY, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE BY TITLE ONLY, A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 15% OF STATE AT TAX FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING, SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
MR. CHAIRMAN, DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT ANY OBJECTION.
MR. CUNNINGHAM, I WILL TURN TO YOU.
UH, YEAH, I JUST NEED TO MAKE ONE LITTLE UPDATE HERE ON NUMBER 12.
UM, IT SAYS THAT IT CAME FROM THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE THE AMENDMENT THAT THAT SAYS TIME SENSITIVE ITEM FROM THE JANUARY, 2020 SECOND, UM, PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SAFETY COMMITTEE.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT CHANGE? I'LL SECOND IT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS CHANGE WILL BE MADE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
I NOW ASK FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA WITH THOSE CHANGES.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION, MR. DAWSON MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THE AGENDA AS AMENDED WILL BE APPROVED.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES- January 8, 2024]
IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 8TH, 2024.A MOTION PLEASE? SOLE MOTION, MR. RES MAKES THE MOTION.
MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
AND THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[6. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
NEXT WE TURN TO OUR ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.I WANNA START THE, THIS EVENING WITH A FEW EMPLOYEE REC, UH, UM, RECOGNITIONS.
AND THEN, UH, AND THEN A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, FIRST I WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, MS. DENISE CHRISTMAS ABOUT SEPTEMBER, UM, THIS YEAR, I, UM, ANNOUNCED DENISE CHRISTMAS WOULD BE OUR INTERIM INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
SOON AFTER THAT, SHE ALSO BECAME OUR INTERIM, UH, UH, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
SORRY, I FORGOT WHAT THE C WAS.
SHE BECAME OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
SO SHE'S BEEN DOING DOUBLE DUTY, UH, FOR ALL THESE MONTHS.
UM, WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS.
AND, UH, AS OF LAST WEEK, UH, DENISE HAS ACCEPTED THE POSITION AS OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, FULL-TIME.
UH, SHE FOUND THAT HER, UH, PROPENSITY FOR NUMBERS, WHICH SHE ENJOYS, AND HER ATTACHMENT TO THE, UH, FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS WHERE SHE CAN SERVE BEAUFORT COUNTY THE BEST.
UH, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE COUNSEL WAS AWARE.
DENISE WILL NOW BE OUR FULL-TIME, CFO.
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THE INTERIM, WHILE WE, WHILE WE, UM, UH, WORK WITH OUR HR DEPARTMENT AND ADVERTISE FOR A, UM, A DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, DENISE WILL CONTINUE TO HELP OUT IN THAT ROLE.THANKS SO MUCH, DENISE, FOR WHAT YOU DO.
THIS EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND LEADERSHIP THAT DENISE, UH, BRINGS, UM, IT'S VERY RARE TO FIND ALL IN ONE PERSON, SO SHE DOES A GREAT WORK FOR US.
WE ARE, WE ARE VERY GLAD TO KEEP HER AS OUR CFO BECAUSE THEY ARE RARE PEOPLE THAT HARD TO FIND.
THERE ARE COUNTIES STILL LOOKING FOR CFOS AFTER YEARS OF WORK.
UM, SO FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT IS, UH, THIS, THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 27TH AT 10:00 AM 1514 RICHMOND AVENUE.
UM, THIS IS AT THE, UH, PORT ROYAL CENTER.
THIS WILL BE THE GRAND OPENING FOR OUR PORT ROLE PLAYGROUND.
UH, THIS IS THE, UM, INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND.
MS. HOWARD, UH, IS GOING TO, UH, UH, SPEAK TO THE, UH, THE ATTENDEES THERE, AND I'LL BE THERE AS WELL.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU, YOU, UH, KNOW ABOUT THAT EVENT AND YOU WELCOME YOUR PRESENCE AS WELL.
UM, ALSO LATER IN THE MONTH, THE END OF THIS MONTH, UH, THE CHAIRMAN AND A FEW STAFF MEMBERS ARE GOING TO ATTEND A MEETING WITH OUR LOCAL LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION UP IN COLUMBIA.
UH, SO WE GET TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR LOCAL DELEGATION ABOUT SOME, UH, INCENTIVES THAT MAY HELP, UH, HELP BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, FOLLOWING THAT IN FEBRUARY, UH, THE 19TH THROUGH THE 20TH IS THE, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, UH, CONNECT.
IT'S A LEGISLATIVE ACTION DAY.
UH, SO THERE'LL BE SOME, SOME MORE TRAINING CLASSES FOR STAFF MEMBERS AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT GOING ON.
AND SOME MORE, UH, LEGISLATIVE AND DELEGATION MEETINGS.
I'LL BE ATTENDING THAT ALONG WITH THE SEVERAL OTHER STAFF MEMBERS AND, AND PERHAPS SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.
LET'S, UM, INTRODUCE OUR FIRST EMPLOYEE TO RECOGNIZE TODAY AS MR. MARK SUTTON.
I SAW MARK IN THE BACK A LITTLE WHILE AGO.
SO, MARK HAS WORKED FOR A BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS.
HIS ANNIVERSARY WILL BE IN APRIL.
UM, MARK WORKS, HE IS OUR SENIOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, UM, PROJECT MANAGER FOR, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
HIS DUTIES ARE OVERSEEING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF COUNTY ASSETS, RANGING FROM, UM, PARKS TO BUILDINGS, UH, SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS MARKS HAS WORKED ON OR BEEN IN CHARGE OF.
INCLUDE THE, THE VISITOR CENTER AT FORT FREMONT WHITEHALL PARK, THE ENTRYWAY IN OUR DSS BUILDINGS, UH, ON DUKE STREET, UH, BLUFFTON LIBRARY REMODEL, UH, VOTER'S, REGISTRATION BUILDING, DSN HOMES, AND NUMEROUS OTHER PROJECTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS AND, AND ASSETS ALL OVER BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, HE'S CURRENTLY WORKING ON A PORT WELL LIBRARY PROJECT, RIVER OAK PARK, UH, RIVER OAK PARK PROJECT, POOL UPGRADES, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
OUR TEAM THERE REALLY WORK TOGETHER AND GET INVOLVED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
MARK IS A GREAT ASSET TO HAVE.
UH, SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT MARK, UH,
UM, HE WORKED AS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR FOR MANY YEARS.
AT AGE 50, MARK WENT BACK TO SCHOOL, EARNED HIS MASTER'S DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE, AND BECAME A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECT.
THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT TO DO IN, IN, UH, ELEVATED AGE.
OH, YOU WENT TO A SCAD GRADUATE AS WELL.
SO, AS AN ARCHITECT, HE'S DESIGNED, UH, QUITE A FEW PROJECTS.
UH, CONSTRUCTION CITY, UH, CONSTRUCTION CITY WAS A PROJECT THAT SUPPORTED CONSTRUCTION TRAINING AND STAGING FOR A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN JENKINS, SOUTH CAROLINA.
UH, BET THAT WAS A BIG PROJECT.
UH, HE'S THE ARCHITECT OF RECORD FOR THE, HOW DO YOU, IS THAT COYO? BARINGS COYO BEARINGS PLANT, UM, THAT IS LOCATED IN, UH, COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.
LARGEST IN THE WORLD, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
LARGEST BEARING MANUFACTURER IN THE WORLD.
UM, SO, UH, MARK'S, UM, DIRECT SUPERVISOR IS ERIC LARSSON.
UH, ERIC WROTE, UH, THAT MARK HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT BENEFITS OUR COUNTY.
HE'S NEVER SHY TO OFFER HIS ADVICE AND OPINION ON PROJECTS, UH, AND TO HELP FIND SOLUTIONS.
SO WE THANK MARK VERY MUCH FOR WHAT HE DOES.
YEAH, ALL I APPRECIATE THE HONOR.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS A LONG TIME.
I DON'T SEE ANY END TO IT THOUGH.
UM, I JUST, UH, ENJOY WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, WITH THE GUYS IN OUR CREW.
WE HAVE, UH, WE'VE DONE SOME REALLY NICE PROJECTS, SOME BIG, SOME SMALL, UH, A LOT OF THE SMALL ONES YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT OR HEAR ABOUT.
[00:10:01]
LARGE PROJECT, THERE'S A HUNDRED SMALL ONES THAT WE'RE DOING.AND AT ONE POINT WE EACH HAD PROBABLY 40 PROJECTS A PIECE ON OUR, ON OUR PLATE.
AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT WE KEEP 'EM FROM DESIGN TO CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE, WE WORK BACK AND FORTH WITH EACH OTHER.
WE'LL PASS OFF EACH OTHER DEPENDING ON THE WORKLOAD.
UM, WE HAVE GREAT SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL AND FROM THE COUNTY, AND, UH, IT'S BEEN A JOY.
UH, A LITTLE WHILE AGO, WE HAD OUR, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES MEETING.
AND ON THAT, ON THAT AGENDA, THERE WERE, UH, 15 SPECIFIC ENGINEERING ITEMS ON THAT.
UM, THE ENGINEERING TEAM WORKED HARD.
UH, JARED'S TEAM INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM WORKED HARD GETTING ALL THE PAPERWORK DONE IN, IN EARLY DECEMBER TO BRING ALL THOSE THINGS FORWARD.
UM, MARK AND ERIC AND THEIR TEAM, ERIC LARSSON, THEY'RE THE OUTPUT OF THOSE.
A LOT OF THOSE, UH, PROJECTS GET MANAGED BY THEM.
SOME OF THE TRAFFIC AND ENGINEERING PROJECTS, THEY KIND OF HAVE THEIR OWN, BUT IN BETWEEN, THAT IS ANOTHER GROUP OF FOLKS THAT, THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE TO RECOGNIZE.
AND THAT'S OUR PROCUREMENT, PURCHASING, LEGAL, AND FINANCE.
ALL OF THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT IT TAKES TO GET FROM THIS CONCEPT CONCEPTION THROUGH CONTRACT, THROUGH TO CONSTRUCTION.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE GO THROUGH, UH, DAVE THOMAS, VICTORIA MOYER, AND MOST OF THEM THROUGH OUR LEGAL TEAM IS BRIAN HOLBERG.
HE REVIEWS ALL THOSE CONTRACTS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE ACCURATE.
SO NOW YOU KIND OF HAVE A WHOLE PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENS.
SO I WANT TO THANK THEM ALL FOR WHAT THEY DO.
UM, NEXT I'D LIKE TO INTRO INTRODUCE YOU TO AMBER BLACK.
AMBER, UM, IS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST WITH, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES.
UH, SHE'S WORKED WITH US ONCE BEFORE FOR A YEAR, LEFT AND CAME BACK AGAIN.
MM-HMM?
UM, SO, UM, AMBER HAS HELPED ME A LOT PERSONALLY FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, MANAGING SOME ISSUES WITH, UH, WITH DEPARTMENTS AND, UH, AND OFFERING SOME GOOD ADVICE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO, TO LISTEN MORE THAN WE SPEAK.
UH, SO I FIND GOOD, GOOD PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO.
UM, SHE HAS BEEN A KEY PLAYER IN LAUNCHING THE COUNTY'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
AM I RIGHT? UH, SO NEO GOV IS A REALLY INTERESTING TOOL TO HELP WITH, UH, TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AS WELL AS OUR, UM, EVALUATION SYSTEM, UH, WHICH IS REALLY COOL.
UH, SO SHE IMPLEMENTED NEO GOV'S LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, BECAME A CERTIFIED FACILITATOR FOR DISC TRAINING.
DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT DISC? NO.
HAVING OUR IN-HOUSE VENDOR MEANS WE JUST PAY FOR THE, SEND IT IN AND GET IT BACK, AND WE HAVE OUR OWN ASSESSMENT, UM, INDIVIDUAL RIGHT ON SITE.
SO WE SAVE A TON OF MONEY BY USING THAT PROCESS.
UH, THE DISCS, THE DISC SYSTEM HELPS OUR ORGANIZATIONS, HELPS ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE TO CREATE THRIVING WORKPLACES AND CULTURES THROUGH SCIENTIFICALLY VALIDATED UNDERSTANDING OF PEOPLE.
UH, IF WHO'S DONE A DISC BEFORE, I'VE DONE A BUNCH OF THEM.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY PRETTY MUCH NAIL YOU PRETTY, PRETTY WELL, I THINK.
UH, AMBER'S PROVIDED THIS TRAINING TO OVER 200 COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO DATE.
UH, SHE'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL, INSTRUMENTAL IN ASSISTING DEPARTMENTS WITH CLIMATE SURVEYS.
UM, PROVIDES SPECIALIZED TRAINING FOR DEPARTMENTS AT DEPARTMENTS REQUESTS.
SO DO I
UM, RIGHT NOW I HAVE THREE, AND MY WIFE WOULD GET A WHOLE, WHOLE FARM IF WE COULD, IF I WOULD LET HER, BUT NO
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, MIKE? YES, YOU CAN SAY THAT.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, THANK, UH, THE COUNTY FOR ALLOWING US THE RESOURCES AND THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THESE TYPES OF TRAINING PROGRAMS, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT IT HELPS, UM, RETAIN OUR CURRENT STAFF.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT IT HELPS WITH ATTRACTING, UM, NEW FOLKS TO COME ON BOARD WITH THE COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO SPEND JUST A FEW MINUTES AND GIVE YOU A FEW UPDATES ON OUR FUSIA ISLAND FERRY SERVICE.
UH, LAST TUESDAY MORNING, OUR NEW
[00:15:01]
PROVIDER BEGAN, UM, PROVIDING SERVICES FOUR TRIPS A DAY, OR EIGHT TRIPS A DAY, FOUR ROUND TRIPS A DAY TO FUSIA ISLAND THAT, UM, STARTED AT 7:00 AM JUST LIKE CLOCKWORK, UH, JUST LIKE NORMAL MOVING OUR, UH, DUSKY ISLAND RESIDENTS AND GUESTS BACK AND FORTH FROM THE ISLAND.UM, FIRST, UH, I, I WANT TO ADDRESS A FEW OF THE, UM, COMMENTS IN THE, THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE, IN THE NEWS.
WE, UM, THE DUSKY ISLAND FERRY SERVICE HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED AS A BEAUFORT COUNTY SERVICE.
SO BEAUFORT COUNTY SUPPLEMENTS THIS SERVICE TO TRULY PROVIDE THIS HOLISTIC SERVICE COSTS MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
THE COUNTY SUPPLEMENTS THIS SERVICE BY ENSURING THAT OUR DFOS ISLAND RESIDENTS, OUR QUALIFIED DISCOUNTED RESIDENTS, UM, TRAVEL, CAN USE THIS FERRY SERVICE AT A, AT A LOWER RATE.
SO THE, THE COST OF THE SEAT IS MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE FOR OUR, FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THE COUNTY'S INVESTMENT HERE IS NOT TO COVER THE WHOLE COST OF THE FERRY.
WE SUPPLEMENT THE COST OF THE RIDERS GOING BACK AND FORTH ON THE FERRY.
SO THERE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE CONFUSION ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'LL TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT CONTRACT.
SO IN OUR, IN OUR CONTRACT, UM, IT REQUIRES THOSE FOUR TRIPS PER DAY, OR FOUR ROUND TRIPS PER DAY, UH, AT SPECIFIED TIMES.
THIS IS THE NEW CONTRACT IS, IS IDENTICAL TO THE OLD CONTRACT, THE SAME NUMBER OF TRIPS PER DAY, THE SAME TIMES PER DAY.
THE LOCATION CHANGE FROM BUCKINGHAM LANDING OVER TO PINK, THE ISLAND, WHICH IS A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AWAY, OR MAYBE A LITTLE FARTHER THAN THAT, BUT PRETTY CLOSE JUST THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.
UM, THE, UH, CONTRACT REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF A 40 PASSENGER VESSEL WITH A CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENCLOSURE TO PROTECT FROM EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS.
UM, AND THE, UH, TICKET SALE PRICE IS SET FOR, FOR RESIDENTS.
IT'S, IT'S IN THE SCHEDULE, AND I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THOSE.
UM, A LEVEL ONE, A LEVEL ONE RESIDENT, UH, IS A 4% TAXPAYER OWNER.
UM, AND, UM, THEIR FEE IS $4 EACH WAY.
UM, A LEVEL TWO IS A FULL-TIME RESIDENT, NON-OWNER.
SO THIS MIGHT BE SOMEONE WHO RENTS A, A PLACE ON THE ISLAND.
UM, THEIR TICKETS ARE $5 EACH WAY.
UM, AND THEN LEVEL THREE IS A 6% OWNER, UM, OR A, UM, NON FULL-TIME RESIDENT, BUT THEY OWN PROPERTY ON THE ISLAND AND THEIR RATE IS $8 EACH WAY.
AND EACH OF THOSE, UM, TYPES OF CATEGORIES HAS AN ACCOUNT.
WHEN FOLKS MAKE AN ACCOUNT, THEY ALSO IDENTIFY THEIR DEPENDENTS OF THAT ACCOUNT.
AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO WHAT A DEPENDENT IS, SOMEONE THAT LIVES WITH THEM FULL TIME.
YOU KNOW, IF MY, MY ADULT KIDS DON'T LIVE WITH ME, SO MY ADULT KIDS WOULD NOT NECESSARILY GET A FREE RIDE ON MY PERSONAL FERRY ACCOUNT BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIVE WITH ME.
UM, IF THEY DID, THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED MY DEPENDENTS FOR AN EXAMPLE.
UM, THIS IS TO MAKE SURE, OR TO ENSURE THAT OUR PROVIDER MAKES UP THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE SUPPLEMENT AND WHAT THE ACTUAL SERVICE COSTS.
SO THE PROVIDER REALLY WILL ONLY START MAKING MONEY WHEN THE FERRY BECOMES FULL IN THE SUMMERTIME, RIGHT? UM, SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, ISSUES, UM, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, THAT CONTRACT IS, I WON'T SAY WORD FOR WORD, BUT EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE 2021 CONTRACT WITH THE PREVIOUS PROVIDER.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE, UH, IN THE OLD CONTRACT AND THE NEW CONTRACT TALKS ABOUT CARGO, UM, THE CARGO, OFTEN WHEN YOU FLY IN AN AIRPLANE, IT'S CALLED BAGGAGE AND MERIT, RIGHT?
SO WHEN WE FLY IN AN AIRPLANE, WE TAKE OUR BAGGAGE, WE GET A CARRY ON, WE GET A SUITCASE, RIGHT? ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT, WE PAY EXTRA ON A MARITIME APPLICATION.
ANYTHING WE CARRY ON A BOAT IS CALLED CARGO.
SO IT STILL ALL HAS THE SAME MEANING.
YOU GET A CARRY-ON AND YOU GET YOUR, YOUR PIECE OF LUGGAGE.
THE, THE WAY BOATS ARE RATED, UM, THIS, THESE BOATS IN PARTICULAR, LET'S SAY IF WE HAD 42 PASSENGERS, THE, THE VESSEL WOULD BE RATED FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CARGO.
SO A 42 PASSENGER BOAT BOAT IS RATED FOR 2,800 POUNDS OF CARGO.
WHEN YOU DIVIDE THE TWO, IT'S 66 POUNDS PER PERSON OF CARGO THAT EACH SEAT HAULS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO WHEN A, WHEN A VESSEL TRAVELS ON THE WATER, IT HAS TO BE BALANCED, RIGHT? IT HAS TO HAVE THE RIGHT RATIO OF SEATS TO THE RIGHT RATIO OF CARGO, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THE REASON I'M TALKING ABOUT CARGO SO MUCH IS WE GOT A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT CARGO AND HOW WE'RE GONNA HAUL THINGS BACK AND FORTH.
[00:20:01]
NEW PROVIDER IN THE CONTRACT PROVIDES THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE AS CARGO AS OUR PREVIOUS PROVIDER.THEY GET A CARRY ON BAG, THEY GET A SUITCASE THAT THEY CAN BRING OR THEY CAN BRING, WE CALL THEM GROCERY WAGONS.
SO A LOT OF RESIDENTS ON THE ISLAND USE THESE KIND OF COLLAPSIBLE GROCERY WAGONS.
UH, THERE'S STILL EXPECTATION THEY CAN BRING THEIR CARRY ON AND BRING THEIR GROCERY WAGON JUST LIKE THEY HAVE BEFORE.
UM, RIGHT NOW IS A GREAT TIME OF YEAR TO, TO START SOMETHING NEW.
UH, ALTHOUGH IT'S REALLY COLD, MR. LAWSON WROTE OUT THERE ON SUNDAY, AND THE, THE WEATHER IS UNPLEASANT OUT ON THE WATER, THAT'S FOR SURE.
BUT THE RIDERSHIP IS REALLY LOW.
SO THAT WHILE IT, IT WE'RE, WE'RE LEARNING TO DO A NEW PROCESS AND LEARNING TO MANAGE IT, THE RIDERSHIP AND THE PRESSURE ON IT IS, IS PRETTY SMALL.
UM, I THINK A FEW RIDERS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, TWO OR THREE OR FOUR RIDERS AND BACK, WE'LL SEE THAT INCREASE AS WE GO ALONG.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS IS, UH, ABOUT THE SPEED OF THE, OF THE BOAT BACK AND FORTH.
UM, NOTHING IN OUR CONTRACT, OUR OLD CONTRACT OR OUR NEW NEW CONTRACT IDENTIFIED ANY MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM LENGTH OF TIME FOR THE FERRY TO GET BACK AND FORTH.
UM, THE, THE SPEED OF THE FERRY CAN BE, HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE WEATHER OF THE DAY, WITH THE, UH, MOOD OF THE CAPTAIN.
UH, IT IS THE CAPTAIN'S VESSEL WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE OPERATING THE VESSEL.
UH, SO THEY WILL OPERATE THE VESSEL IN A SAFE MANNER.
UM, NOW THE OWNER OPERATOR OF THAT WANTS AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE, AND SOMETIMES OPERATING A VESSEL THAT SIZE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, THEY MAY GET FOLKS FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER, BUT MAY BURN TWICE AS MUCH FUEL TO ACHIEVE THAT.
UM, IT IS, IT IS THE OWNER OPERATOR'S DISCRETION ON HOW TO OPERATE THOSE VESSELS SO THAT THEY'RE MAXIMIZE THEIR EFFICIENCY.
UH, SO I THINK, UM, I'VE, I'VE HEARD OR READ EVERYTHING FROM 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AND A HALF.
UM, MR. LAWSON AND I TALKED, AND I THINK HE EXPERIENCED THEM AN AN HOUR OR AN HOUR AND 10 MINUTES OR ISH IS ABOUT THE AVERAGE TRIP.
IT'S GONNA DIFFER EVERY TIME THE FERRY GOES BACK AND FORTH BASED ON WHICH WAY THE WIND'S GOING, WHICH WAY THE TIDE'S GOING, AND PERHAPS WHO'S DRIVING THE BOAT.
UM, I PROBABLY WOULD DRIVE FAST AND I'D GET IN TROUBLE, BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST ME.
WHAT, UM, I HEARD SOME, SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, THE OLD FERRY SERVICE PROVIDED THE FIFTH TRIP ONCE A WEEK.
THEY CALLED IT THE FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER CRUISE.
UM, OUR CONTRACT, UH, IS FOR THOSE FOUR ROUND TRIPS PER DAY.
UH, IF THE PREVIOUS PROVIDER WAS PROVIDING A FRIDAY NIGHT TRIP, THAT'S AWESOME.
THE NEW PROVIDER CAN DO THE SAME THING, BUT IT IS AT THE PURVIEW OF THAT PROVIDER AND OF THE VISITORS OR RESIDENTS THAT WANT TO USE THAT.
UH, I SPOKE TO THE, UM, TO THE OWNER OPERATOR THIS MORNING IS MORE THAN WILLING TO ENTERTAIN ANY OF THOSE KIND OF OPTIONS.
BUT THAT IS REALLY OUTSIDE OF THE COM, THE COUNTY'S PURVIEW AND NOT SOMETHING WE CAN, WE WOULD, WE WOULD NEGOTIATE, UH, A RESIDENT OF THE ISLAND OR A GROUP OF RESIDENTS COULD SAY, HEY, WE WANNA, 20 OF US WANT TO GO TO DINNER ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
I GUARANTEE IF THEY CALL THE OWNER OPERATOR AND ASK FOR THAT, HE WOULD NEGOTIATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, THERE, THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE MANY OTHER KINDS OF, UH, THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE GOING OUT THERE ON IN THE MEDIA.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A WELL QUALIFIED, UH, PROVIDER.
HE'S WILLING TO GO OUT OF HIS WAY AND ACCOMMODATE AS BEST PO AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
AND, UH, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO CREATE A A A BIG DISCUSSION HERE, UH, BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO, TO ANSWER NOW, UM, I'M OPEN TO YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT? NO, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM MR. LAWSON.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST HIS COMMENT SINCE I WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS GONNA VISIT OR AF AFTER CHURCH ON YESTERDAY, SO, AND I, AND I DID GO OVER AND, UM, IT, AND OBVIOUSLY THE, THE BOAT THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING USED IS A, IS A TEMPORARY BOAT UNTIL THEIR, THEIR MAIN BOAT ARRIVES THIS WEEK.
UM, AND AS, AS MR. ROBIN SAID, IT TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR, I THINK AN HOUR AND FIVE MINUTES TO, TO GET OVER THERE ONE TIME AND AN HOUR AND 10 MINUTES TO, TO COME BACK.
SO I THINK THAT IT IS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WHAT THE, THE TIMES THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY THE, THEY HAD THE, WITH HAGUE POINT AND MEETING WITH THE, UM, THE RESIDENTS OF TKI.
I WAS ACTUALLY THERE FOR AT LEAST, UH, TWO HOURS, MAYBE TWO AND A HALF HOURS.
AND WE WENT THROUGH A LIST OF THINGS AND I'VE GOT A LIST OF THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE STILL GONNA COVER.
I KIND OF SENT THOSE TO, TO JOHN AND HANK TODAY TO GO BACK THROUGH.
AND, AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ARE, UM, JUST THE, THE PERCEPTION OF, OF HOW THINGS ARE GONNA OPERATE.
[00:25:01]
THINK THAT, UH, MR. TURNER WENT THERE LAST TUESDAY AND, UM, EXPLAINED WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.AND I, I, AND I THINK IT, IT, IT CREATED SOME ANXIOUSNESS BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS DONE PREVIOUSLY, UM, AND HOW THEY DID THINGS.
BUT, UM, I TALKED TO MR. TURNER THIS MORNING, UM, AS, AS MR. ROBINSON DID THAT WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THIS LIST THAT, THAT I CREATED FROM YESTERDAY, GET ANSWERS, UM, FOR ALL THOSE ITEMS AND GET THOSE BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND, AND AS I, YOU KNOW, WAS STATED TO ME FROM DIFFERENT DUSKY, UM, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME, IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER HAG POINT TOOK OVER IN 2016, UM, THERE WERE SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THAT WENT ON WHEN IT CAME TO JUST MAKING CHANGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ARE HOPING THAT, UM, WE CAN WORK THOSE OUT, UM, FIGURE OUT THE DIFFERENCES, UM, GET WITH THE PROVIDER, UH, AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A, A SIMILAR SERVICE TO WHAT THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AND, AND TRY TO OFFER SOME OF THE SAME SERVICES.
BUT AGAIN, IT WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT AGAIN 'CAUSE WE'VE MOVED LOCATIONS.
UM, AND IT IS A, A DIFFERENT, UM, UM, UH, BOAT THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT HAVE GOING ON.
SO, UM, BUT, BUT AGAIN, TO GET THERE AND GET BACK, I THINK THE, THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS, UM, IS NOT REALLY MOVING PEOPLE, BUT IT'S GONNA BE FIGURING OUT, UM, AS MR. ROBINSON SAID, THE THE CARGO MATERIALS THAT THAT DUSKY SO MUCH RELIES ON, THAT'S HOW IT GETS OVER THERE.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE GO TO THE GROCERY STORE ONCE A WEEK, ONCE A MONTH, AND THEY NEED TO TAKE THEIR THINGS WITH THEM AND BE ABLE TO GET ON THE BOAT AND TAKE THEM.
UM, AND NOW IS A GOOD TIME FOR US TO FIGURE OUT THESE ISSUES BEFORE IT IS THE BUSY SEASON AND YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, SO MANY MORE TOURISTS THAT COME AND BRING EVEN MORE THINGS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT, THAT I WAS BROUGHT UP YESTERDAY.
A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT WE'LL GO THROUGH AND, AND TRY TO GET ANSWERS TO.
AND WE HAVE THOSE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL SUPPLY IT TO EVERYONE HERE ON THE COUNCIL.
AND, AND AGAIN, EVERYONE ON DFOS AGAIN, I PROBABLY HAD 120 PEOPLE THAT CAME TO THAT MEETING YESTERDAY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT DEF FOSTERS, THERE'S PROBABLY 400 FULL-TIME RESIDENTS THERE.
800 TOTAL, 200 PROBABLY LIVE IN, IN HAG POINT.
SO I HAD OVER HALF OF THE FOLKS THAT, THAT PROBABLY USED THAT SERVICE ON A REGULAR BASIS BE ABLE TO COME AND VOICE THEIR OPINION AND TELL 'EM WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
UM, I DIDN'T HAVE ANSWERS FOR THEM, BUT, BUT I TOLD 'EM THAT, THAT I WAS THERE TO LISTEN, FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEEDED, AND THEN GO BACK AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE EVEN BETTER THAN, THAN WHAT IT WAS IN THE PAST AND, AND SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE THAT WE'VE GOT TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
JUST ONE LAST QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CONTRACTS BEING IDENTICAL.
HOW MANY TYPE QUESTIONS CAN WE HAVE IF THEY'RE EXACTLY THE SAME? UM, I, I CAN'T ANSWER, I CAN'T ANSWER, UH, THAT THE QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS, UH, ON WHY THEY, WHY THEY QUESTION WHEN MOST OF THESE THINGS ARE THE SAME.
UM, UH, I WILL SAY THAT THAT'S HERE ACTUALLY.
WE DO, WE DO HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE, UH, UM, HAGUE POINT POA, UM, THEIR CHAIRMAN AND THEIR DIRECTOR.
UH, THEY WERE PROVIDING A VERY GOOD LEVEL OF SERVICE, BUT IT WAS WELL BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO, UH, I THANK YOU FOR GOING OUT THERE.
I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT AND TALKING WITH THEM.
AND, UH, THE FOLKS FROM DFU ISLAND ARE LISTENING.
WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR YOU.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD AND NOW IS A GOOD TIME OF YEAR.
SO BY THE TIME SUMMER COMES, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A SMOOTH OPERATION.
UM, JUST SO YOU ALSO KNOW, THE, THE MANATEE, WHICH IS THE, THE VESSEL, OUR NEW PROVIDER PURCHASED OUT OF FLORIDA, IS IN THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY RIGHT NOW.
I SPOKE TO HIM THIS MORNING AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE DAY TRIP, BUT IT'S A THREE DAY TRIP.
UM, I LEARNED THAT, UM, ONE OF THE, THE ISSUES IN OUR, ONE OF THE, NOT ISSUES, BUT THINGS IN OUR CONTRACT AS A CAPTAIN IS MUCH LIKE A, UH, A DRIVER OR A PILOT OF AN AIRPLANE OR A DRIVER OF A SEMI-TRUCK.
THERE'S ONLY SO MANY HOURS A DAY THEY CAN OPERATE.
UH, SO THEY CAN ONLY OPERATE 12 HOURS A DAY.
SO THE, UNLESS, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT A BUNCH OF CAPTAINS ON THAT BOAT AND GET IT HERE IN A DAY AND A HALF, DRIVING IT ALL DAY AT NIGHT.
SO IT'S A THREE DAY OPERATION.
SO WE EXPECT IT TO BE HERE MIDWEEK AS SOON AS IT ARRIVES.
IT ALREADY HAS A COI, WHICH IS A CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE, WHICH IS TRANSFERRABLE.
UM, THE, THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
SO AS SOON AS IT ARRIVES, IT CAN GO IMMEDIATELY INTO SERVICE.
THE LARGE VESSEL, UM, ENCLOSED AIR CONDITIONED, HEATED BATHROOMS ONBOARD.
UM, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG MACHINE, SO.
[7. APPROVAL OF THE 2023 ANNUAL AUDIT PRESENTED BY MAULDIN & JENKINS, LLC, CPA FIRM]
OKAY, NEXT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.IT SAYS IT'S AN APPROVAL OF THE 2023 AUDIT PRESENTED BY MADELIN AND JENKINS, WHO IS OUR CPA FIRM.
THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT, AND AFTER THEIR PRESENTATION, WE
[00:30:01]
ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO APPROVE THE AUDIT.WELL, UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS DAVID IRWIN AND I'M WITH MALDEN JENKINS.
I WAS THE PARTNER WHO OVERSAW THIS YEAR'S AUDIT OF THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, UH, WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS OF THIS YEAR'S AUDIT.
UH, I, I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
UM, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS EVENING'S PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE YOU ALL AN OVERVIEW OF OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITORS REPORT.
UM, HIT A FEW OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, TALK ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE TWO COMPLIANCE REPORTS THAT WE ISSUE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AUDIT.
UH, DISCUSS SOME INFORMATION THAT THE AUDITING STANDARDS REQUIRES THAT WE COMMUNICATE TO YOU ALL.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY TO, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
NOW, UH, THE FINANCIAL STATES THEMSELVES, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU ALL, UH, ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COUNTY'S MANAGEMENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAS YOUR INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL AUDITORS.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THESE STATEMENTS.
UH, WE CONDUCT OUR AUDIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERAL ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS AND GOVERNMENTAL AUDITING STANDARDS.
AND, UH, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE ARE ISSUING A CLEAN OR UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THIS YEAR'S REPORT.
UH, THIS IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AS YOUR EXTERNAL AUDITOR.
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT, IN OUR OPINION, UH, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE FAIRLY PRESENTED IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS AND OF ACCORDANCE WITH GENERAL ACCEPTED PRINCIPLES.
AGAIN, AS PART OF THE AUDIT, THERE ARE TWO COMPLIANCE REPORTS THAT WE ALSO ISSUE.
THE FIRST OF WHICH IS A SINGLE AUDIT REPORT.
UM, A SINGLE AUDIT IS A COMPLIANCE AUDIT THAT IS REQUIRED WHEN AN ENTITY HAS OVER $750,000 OF FEDERAL EXPENDITURES DURING THE YEAR.
UM, YOU ALL HAD APPROXIMATELY $14.6 MILLION OF FEDERAL EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR, UH, WHICH AGAIN, RESULTED IN US HAVING, UM, A SINGLE AUDIT, UM, ON THE COVID RECOVERY FUNDS PROGRAM.
UM, AS WAS THE CASE WITH A FINANCIAL AUDIT, WE ARE ISSUING A CLEAN OR UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THE SINGLE LOG AS WELL.
UH, THE SECOND APPLIES REPORT IS THE YELLOW BOOK REPORT.
UM, AGAIN, THE YELLOW BRICK REPORT IS A REPORT ON YOUR, ON THE COUNTY'S INTERNAL CONTROLS AND YOUR COMPLIANCE WITH VARIOUS LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
AND, UH, I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY AUDIT FINDINGS REPORTING YOU ALL THIS YEAR, MEANING WE NOTED NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES OR SIGNIFICANT EFFICIENCIES, UM, IN THE COUNTY'S INTERNAL CONTROLS DURING OUR AUDIT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED YOU ALL BEFORE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE OBVIOUSLY A LARGE COUNTY.
UM, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL ACTIVITY THAT HAS TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR.
AND IN ADDITION, UM, WITH ALL THE NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED EACH YEAR, AND REALLY JUST HOW COMPLEX THE FINANCIAL REPORTING PROCESS HAS BECOME, UH, IT, IT MAKES IT ALL THE MORE IMPRESSIVE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT YOU ALL AN AUDIT, UH, THAT NOT ONLY IS A CLEAN OPINION, BUT WITH NO AUDIT FINDINGS.
AND, UH, THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF.
AND, UM, TO ME IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE HARD WORK DONE BY YOUR STAFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN A, WHEN A GOVERNMENT HAS TURNOVER, AS YOU ALL HAVE HAD OVER THE, OF THE PAST YEAR, IT, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO SEE SOME THINGS, UH, SLIP THROUGH THE CA CRACKS, UH, FROM AN AUDIT STANDPOINT, UM, OR AN AUDIT BE DELAYED.
UM, WE EXPERIENCED NONE OF THAT THIS YEAR.
UM, DENISE, CHRISTINE, UH, BRYSON, THE ENTIRE FINANCE DEPARTMENT REALLY DID A GREAT JOB, UM, OF GETTING EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED, ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS, AND AGAIN, UM, JUST PROVIDING US THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED IN ORDER TO MEET THE, THE 1231 DEADLINE.
SO, AGAIN, JUST, JUST WANNA THANK YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK THIS YEAR.
NOW FOR A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AGAIN, YOU ALL PREPARE WHAT IS CALLED AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, UM, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN FER.
UH, NOW A FER INCLUDES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UH, THAT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND THE BASIC FINANCIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
THIS DOCUMENT IS SUBMITTED ANNUALLY, UH, TO THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER ASSOCIATION, SO THOSE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS GFOA, UH, WHERE THEY PUT IT THROUGH A, A PRETTY STRINGENT REVIEW PROCESS.
UH, NOT ONLY THEIR PROFESSIONAL STAFF, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, A SPECIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, THAT LOOKS AT YOUR DOCUMENT.
AND WHEN THEY LOOK AT THE COUNTY'S ACT FOR, THEIR GOAL IS, IS NOT TO ASSESS THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE COUNTY.
WHAT THEY WANNA DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THE NECESSARY INFORMATION IS IN THIS DOCUMENT SO THE READERS OF YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CAN DO SO THEMSELVES.
AND, UH, PER THEIR REVIEW, UM, THE, THE GFOA HAS ONCE AGAIN AWARDED THE COUNTY, THE CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 22.
AND THAT CERTIFICATE IS INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S REPORT.
AND THIS IS THE 14TH YEAR IN A ROW, UM, THAT THE COUNTY HAS RECEIVED THE CERTIFICATE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS YOU ALL ON THAT.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A VERY IMPRESSIVE DOCUMENT.
AND, AND AGAIN, JUST, UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UH, YOU OF YOU ALL RAISING THE BAR AND, AND GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, THE BASIC FINANCIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THE, THE, THE, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, YOU KNOW, ONE SECTION I ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THE MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION
[00:35:01]
ANALYSIS.IT'S RIGHT AFTER OUR AUDIT OPINION.
AND, UM, I, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE, UH, EVERYONE TO, TO READ THIS SECTION.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE MDNA IS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR A BROADER AUDIENCE, UM, TO, TO USE AND BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND IT, IT DOES THIS BY PROVIDING, UM, A, A NARRATIVE EXPLANATION OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FROM MANAGEMENT'S PERSPECTIVE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU EVER HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ANY, ANY FLUCTUATIONS IN FINANCIAL ACTIVITY, ANYTHING UNIQUE OR UNUSUAL THAT OCCURRED DURING THE YEAR, OFTENTIMES YOU COULD FIND YOUR, YOUR ANSWER WITHIN THE MDNA.
UM, IN ADDITION, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF COMPARATIVE INFORMATION IN THIS SECTION, MEANING, UH, FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR NOT ONLY FISCAL YEAR 23, BUT ALSO FY 22, UM, IS INCLUDED IN THIS SECTION AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, TO ME, UM, IT GIVES YOU, UM, IT ADDS A LOT OF VALUE TO HAVE THAT COMPARATIVE INFORMATION.
IT GIVES YOU A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT ACTIVITY WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE PRIOR NUMBERS, UH, THERE FOR COMPARATIVE PURPOSES.
SO, AGAIN, UM, IF YOU CAN, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ THE MDNA.
NOW, THE COUNTY'S BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE COMPONENTS.
UH, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS YOUR GOVERNMENT WIDE STATEMENTS, AND AGAIN, THE GOVERNMENT WIDE STATEMENTS.
UH, THEY PROVIDE A BROAD VIEW OF THE COUNTY'S OPERATIONS, UH, IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESS.
UM, YOU ALL HAVE TWO, SO TWO, TWO, UH, TWO COLUMNS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, ALL THE FUNDS OF, OF THE COUNTY ARE COMBINED INTO TWO COLUMNS.
ONE FOR YOUR GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES AND ONE FOR YOUR BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
AND WE HAVE A SLIDE HERE, UH, THAT SUMMARIZES THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL ACTIVITY FROM THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE PERSPECTIVE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, THE COUNTY END OF THE YEAR WITH ASSETS AND DEFERRED OUTFLOWS OF RESOURCES OF 1.1 BILLION, UM, OF THAT AMOUNT, APPROXIMATELY 600, 3 MILLION, ALL YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS NET OF ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION, YOU CAN CAPITAL ASSETS, THAT'S A LAND BUILDINGS, MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA, THAT ARE OWNED BY THE COUNTY.
UH, YOU ALL ALSO, YOU ALL ALSO HAD AROUND FOUR $38 MILLION IN CASH AND INVESTMENTS ON HAND AS OF JUNE 30.
UH, TOTAL LIABILITIES AND DEFERRED INFLOWS OF RESOURCES AROUND 390 MILLION, UM, OF THAT AMOUNT AROUND 305 ARE LONG-TERM IN NATURE, MEANING THEY'RE NOT DUE, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
LOOK AT REVENUES, THEY WERE AROUND $296 MILLION THIS YEAR.
UM, THAT'S AN INCREASE AROUND $8 MILLION COMPARED TO FY 22.
UH, EXPENSES HAD A PRETTY GOOD JUMP.
UH, THEY INCREASED, UM, APPROXIMATELY $53 MILLION, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF $253 MILLION FOR THE YEAR.
THIS RESULTED IN AN ENDING NET POSITION OF APPROXIMATELY $702 MILLION, WHICH THAT'S, THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 42 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE YEAR.
AND AGAIN, NET POSITION, UH, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU ALL HAVE IN THE FORM OF CASH FOR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING.
NET POSITION, UH, IS ESSENTIALLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.
UM, SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER GOOD YEAR FOR THE COUNTY FROM AN NUY PERSPECTIVE, UM, AS YOU ALL WERE ABLE TO, TO INCREASE YOUR NET POSITION BY 6%.
SO, UM, AND, AND LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
YOU ALL HAVE A STRONG BALANCE SHEET AND, UH, AND, AND AGAIN, ARE IN GOOD SHAPE FINANCIALLY.
THE SECOND COMPONENT OF YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE THE FUND LEVEL STATEMENTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT YOU ALL TYPICALLY SEE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND, UH, THE FUND LEVEL STATEMENTS, THEY FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND REPORT YOUR OPERATIONS IN MORE DETAIL THAN THAT OF THE ENTITY WIDE STATEMENTS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OF ALL THE FUNDS THAT THE COUNTY HAS, UH, IF I'M IN YOUR SHOES, MY PRIMARY FOCUS IS ON THE GENERAL FUND.
AGAIN, THE GENERAL FUND IS THE MAIN OPERATING FUND OF THE COUNTY, AND THEREFORE, TO COUNCIL THE MAJORITY OF YOUR REVENUES RECEIVED AND FUNDS EXPENDED.
AND WE HAVE A COUPLE CHARTS OF THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES.
THE FIRST CHART, UH, BREAKS, BREAKS DOWN THE GENERAL FUND'S REVENUES FOR THE YEAR.
TOTAL REVENUES, UH, FOR THE GENERAL FUND WE'RE APPROXIMATELY $170 MILLION.
UM, THAT'S AROUND $32 MILLION INCREASE COMPARED TO PRIOR YEAR.
YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS CHART, OBVIOUSLY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE, UH, OF THE GENERAL FUND'S REVENUES ARE DERIVED FROM PROPERTY TAXES, UH, WHICH TOTAL AROUND $113 MILLION FOR THE YEAR.
AND THAT REPRESENTED AROUND 66%, UM, OF THE TOTAL REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
A COUPLE OTHER SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF REVENUE WORTH MENTIONING, UH, YOU ALL HAD CHARGES FOR SERVICES OF JUST UNDER 15 MILLION IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE OR APPROXIMATELY $10.6 MILLION FOR THE YEAR.
THIS NEXT CHART, UH, PRESENTS THE GENERAL FUND'S EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION, UH, TOTAL, TOTAL EXPENDITURES AROUND 173 MILLION.
UM, THAT'S AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY $52 MILLION, UH, COMPARED TO FY 22.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, PUBLIC SAFETY AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT ARE YOUR, UH, UH, REPRESENTING THE MAJORITY OF THESE EXPENDITURES.
UH, PUBLIC SAFETY WAS AROUND $57 MILLION, AND IT ACCOUNTED FOR AROUND 33% OF THE GENERAL FUND'S TOTAL EXPENDITURES.
AND, UH, GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES, UH, WERE APPROXIMATELY $70 MILLION.
UH, SO IN TOTAL, UH, THE, THE GENERAL FUND'S FUND BALANCE HAD A SLIGHT DECREASE THIS YEAR, UH, OF APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION, UH, FOR AN ENDING BALANCE OF $82.6 MILLION FOR THE YEAR.
UH, THIS NEXT CHART, IT SHOWS THE, THE FUND BALANCE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE CHARTS ARE ALWAYS,
[00:40:01]
ALWAYS INTERESTING.YOU KNOW, TO ME THEY SPEAK VOLUMES.
IT IS ALWAYS INTERESTING TO KINDA REFLECT BACK ON WHERE YOU WERE, UM, COMPARED TO WHERE THINGS CURRENTLY STAND.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS CHART, YOU ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB THESE PAST THREE YEARS OF INCREASING YOUR FUND BALANCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHILE YOUR FUND BALANCE DID HAVE A SLIGHT DECREASE THIS YEAR, UM, THE, THE OVERALL INCREASE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, UH, IT IS BEEN PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
SO, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL ON THAT.
AGAIN, LIKE NET POSITION THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, FUND BALANCE IS NOT WHAT YOU ALL HAVE IN THE FORM OF CASH FOR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, FUND BALANCE IS ME.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASSETS, UM, AND LIABILITIES.
ONLY A PORTION OF WHICH IS, IS AVAILABLE CASH.
ADDITIONALLY, ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL FUND INCURS EXPENDITURES, UH, OF APPROXIMATELY $14.4 MILLION PER MONTH.
SO YOU ALL END OF THE YEAR WITH AN UNSIGNED FUND BALANCE, UM, EQUAL TO AROUND FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS WORTH OF YOUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
UM, THAT'S A GOOD FUND BALANCE.
BUT AGAIN, WITH YOU ALL HAVING A JUNE 30TH YEAR IN, UM, THAT FUND BALANCE IS, IS NEEDED, UH, TO, TO GET YOU THROUGH THE, THE MONTHS OF JULY THROUGH NOVEMBER.
UM, WHEN, WHEN YOUR REVENUES ARE TYPICALLY DOWN, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU GET YOUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
SO AGAIN, A STRONG FUND BALANCE FOR YOU, ALL FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS OF OPERAT EXPENDITURES.
UM, GFOA, THEY RECOMMEND, UH, ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE TO SEVEN MONTHS WORTH OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, YOU ALL, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT IN THAT, RIGHT IN THAT LINE? UH, A FEW OTHER FUNDS I JUST WANNA BRIEFLY MENTION ARE THE COUNTY'S FOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, UH, WHICH ARE YOUR STORMWATER FUND, YOUR BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, UH, THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT FUND, AND THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING FUND.
UM, AGAIN, ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE USED TO ACCOUNT FOR OPERATIONS IN A MANNER, SOME OF THAT OF A PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE OBJECTIVE OF THESE FUNDS ARE BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND TO GENERATE, UH, AGAIN, SUFFICIENT OPERATING REVENUES TO COVER THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES.
AND, UH, AGAIN, THE CHART ON THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOUR OPERATING REVENUES AND EXPENSES FOR THESE FUNDS.
AND, UH, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT ALL FOUR OF YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS GENERATED OPERATING INCOME THIS YEAR.
SO AGAIN, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT YOU WANNA SEE OUT OF THESE FUNDS.
AND, AND ALL OF THEM ARE, ARE IN GOOD SHAPE FINANCIALLY.
UH, ONE FINAL ITEM TO DISCUSS.
UM, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S JUST CERTAIN ITEMS THAT THE AUDITING STANDARDS REQUIRES THAT WE COMMUNICATE TO YOU ALL, AGAIN, WITH YOU ALL RECEIVING A CLEAN OPINION, NO AUDIT FINDINGS.
UH, THE INFORMATION ON THIS SLIDE IS, IS ESSENTIALLY FORMALITY, BUT, UH, WE DID RECEIVE FULL COOPERATION, UH, FROM COUNTY MANAGEMENT STAFF.
THERE WERE NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT ON ANY KIND OF ACCOUNTING OR FINANCIAL REPORTING RELATED ISSUES.
UM, THERE WERE NO UNCORRECTED MISSTATEMENTS.
AND AGAIN, WE ARE INDEPENDENT OF THE COUNTY AS REQUIRED BY GOVERNOR AUDITING STANDARDS.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, LET'S SEE IF I HAS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
BUT AGAIN, UH, AS YOU CAN TELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THIS REPORT.
UH, WHAT I'VE TRIED TO DO IS JUST HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, WANNA THANK YOUR STAFF ONE MORE TIME FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK THIS YEAR.
UH, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE TO YOU ALL AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE FUTURE.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS? HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU DONE OUR AUDIT, YOUR FIRM? I THINK THIS IS OUR SEVENTH YEAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M SORRY I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
OH, BUT YOU DON'T SEND THE SAME PERSON EVERY TIME? NO, WE, WE, WE ROTATE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY, UH, PEOPLE, PART OF OUR, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR FIRM THAT SPEND 100% OF THEIR TIME ON AUDIT STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
WE AUDIT SOUTHERN GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST.
UM, SO WHILE A LOT OF FIRMS AUDIT GOVERNMENTS AS A WAY TO, TO KEEP THEIR PEOPLE BUSY OUTSIDE OF TAX SEASON, THERE'S A CERTAIN SECTION OF OUR FIRM, WE SPEND 12 MONTHS OUTTA THE YEAR AUDITING STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN ROTATE PARTNERS, WE CAN ROTATE STAFF, WE CAN ROTATE MANAGERS THAT WE SEE FIT, UH, AND, AND WE DO THAT PERIODICALLY.
UH, JUST, JUST A COUPLE OF, UM, CONCERNS.
THEY'RE NOT REALLY CONCERNED, BUT I JUST WANNA SHARE SOME, SOME, SOME THINGS.
UM, WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY TAX, UM, I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COUNTY, UM, HAVING, UM, LEANING MORE ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX VERSUS RESIDENTIAL AS ALSO FUNDING FOR OUR, UH, FOR THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, YOU DON'T BREAK DOWN THE COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL IN YOUR REPORTS, DO YOU? WE DO NOT.
IT, IT IS JUST PROPERTY TAXES AND TOTAL, IT'S GOTTA CALL IT PROPERTY TAXES.
IT WOULD BE BE GOOD TO KNOW, UM, THE, THE DIFFERENCE, AND I GUESS WE COULD GET THAT FROM THE TREASURER'S OFFICE AND STUFF.
WE, WE COULD, YEAH, THAT INFORMATION'S EASILY AVAILABLE.
IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S NOT BROKEN DOWN TO THAT LEVEL.
YEAH, I LIKE THAT BECAUSE I WANNA SEE THIS COUNTY MOVE MORE TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VERSUS RESIDENTIAL SO MUCH.
[00:45:01]
I HAVE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UH, THE FUND BALANCE.AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT, UH, HAVING FIVE, SIX YEARS MONTHS OF, UH, RESERVE FUNDS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW, UH, THROUGH A CASHFLOW, UM, UH, EXPERIENCE, UM, WHERE IS THAT TRIGGER, UM, WHERE REVENUE'S COMING IN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT SIZE OF FUND BALANCE? I DON'T KNOW WHETHER FIVE, SIX MONTHS IS A GOOD THING OR NOT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SEE THAT FUND BALANCE JUST A LITTLE LESS, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE TO ISSUE TAX ANTICIPATION NOTES AND STUFF IS ALWAYS GOOD BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO BORROW THE MONEY.
WE GOT THE FUNDS, WE CAN USE IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU REALLY ALLUDING TO, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH FAT CASH SO THAT WE CAN HANDLE, UM, OUR EXPENSES TILL THE REVENUE START COMING IN IN JANUARY.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THAT MARK OF THE LOCATION WHERE WE CAN, UH, HAVE LESS MONEY IN OUR FUND DOLLARS, UM, UM, UM, MOVING FORWARD AND STUFF.
SO, SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY WE NEED TO HAVE IN $5, BUT, WELL, WELL, IT'S BEEN INCREASING, LIKE YOU SHOWED ON YOUR SLIDE EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I THINK I GOT ON COUNCIL IT WAS $25 MILLION, I THINK.
UM, AND IT HELPED US WHEN MATTHEW WAS HERE TO BE ABLE TO FUND THAT, UH, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, WAITING OR BARRING, UM, TILL THE GOVERNMENT MONEY STARTED COMING IN.
I JUST NEED TO KNOW A BALANCING ACT FOR US FROM ME.
WELL, WELL, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THE, THE GOVERNMENT OFFICER'S, FINANCE FI, THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER ASSOCIATION, UM, GFLA, WHICH AGAIN IS, IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU SUBMIT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO, UH, FOR CERTIFICATION.
AGAIN, THEY REP THEY RECOMMEND, UH, A FUND BALANCE ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE TO SEVEN MONTHS OF, OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
UM, AGAIN, YOU ALL HAVE AROUND FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS, SO I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF, OF WHAT THEY RECOMMEND.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR FUND BALANCE IS, IS GONNA VARY FROM YEAR, FROM MONTH TO MONTH.
UH, IF YOU ALL WERE DECEMBER 31ST YEAR, THEN I WOULD IMAGINE FOR SURE THAT, THAT IT WOULD BE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN IT BEING A JUNE 30 YEAR IN.
UM, BUT AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE GENERAL FUND ENCOURAGED EXPENDITURES OF $14 MILLION A MONTH.
SO, UH, IT IS A STRONG FUND BALANCE, BUT AGAIN, WITH YOU ALL, WITH YOUR JUNE 30 YEAR END, THAT FUND BALANCE IS NEEDED, UH, TO GET YOU THROUGH THE MONTHS OF JULY THROUGH NOVEMBER.
AND YOU ALLUDED TO SOMETHING ELSE EARLIER THAT, THAT I THINK IS, IS, IS, IS WORTH MENTIONING AGAIN, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PANDEMIC OF, OF A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN OF 15, 16, 20 YEARS AGO, WHATEVER IT WAS TO WEATHER RELATED ISSUES THAT, THAT SOMETIMES, UH, ARISE DUE TO, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL BEING ON THE COAST, UM, IF I'M IN YOUR SHOES, IT'S, IT'S COMFORT TO KNOW THAT, THAT YOU ALL HAVE A, A STRONG FUND BALANCE AS OF YOUR END.
UM, I JUST WANNA KNOW THERE, THERE'S REALLY NOT A, A RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER THERE, PER SE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I JUST KIND OF ALLUDE BACK TO WHAT GFOA RECOMMENDS AND, AND YOU ALL ARE, ARE RIGHT IN THAT RANGE.
TOM, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, SIR.
I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE A MOTION TO NOW APPROVE OUR 2023 AUDIT AS PRESENTED.
MS. BROWN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION SAYING NONE.
THIS WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AUDITORS FOR, AGAIN, DOING IT WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR STAFF FOR 14 YEARS IN A ROW OF BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE AN AUDIT.
NOW I HAVE ONE LITTLE QUESTION.
I, UM, I DO THINK THE STAFF NEEDS TO SAID THAT.
YEAH, I KNOW YOU SAID IT, BUT I THINK YEAH, WOULDN'T WANT TO GIVE THEM A STANDING ATION TOO, BUT THAT'S ALL IT IS.
CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING? SO I NOTICED YOU CHALLENGED ME A LITTLE BIT WHENEVER I GIVE FINANCIAL REPORTS OF THESE MEETINGS,
AND A FEW MONTHS AGO YOU SAID, WELL, HOW MUCH IS FUN BALANCE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH IS, AND WHAT DID I SAY? I SAID IT'LL EITHER STAY FLAT OR DECREASE.
YEAH, DECREASE THAT SHE DID IT.
[8. CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD]
OKAY.WE ARE AT OUR FIRST CITIZEN COMMENTS.
THESE ARE FOR ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
THE SECOND SESSION IS FOR ITEMS OFF AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE TWO LADIES FROM DUSKY ISLAND THAT WISH TO ADDRESS A NON AGENDA ITEM, BUT WITH COUNSEL'S PERMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEM
[00:50:01]
SPEAK NOW SO THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO STAY OVERNIGHT.AGREE AS THEY MIGHT HAVE TO AGREE.
SO, UM, WE HAVE, UH, THREE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SPEAK.
UH, THE FIRST ONE, UH, I DON'T KNOW DEBORAH DENISE, WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? THANK YOU, MR. GO FIRST.
UM, I, I WAS GOING TO PLAY A NEWS VIDEO FOR YOU.
IT WOULD SHOW, UM, A MEETING WITH, WITH OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE WHO WERE TALKING TO MR. LAWSON.
I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BRINGING TO THE TABLE.
WE, WE ALL SAW THAT NEWS VIDEO.
I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT ANYMORE.
UM, I DO HOPE EVERYBODY HAS SEEN THIS.
YOU FOLKS HAVE SEEN ME HERE BEFORE.
I'VE COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE LEVELHEADED AND, AND RESPECTFUL.
I HONESTLY WANNA CRY WHEN I SIT HERE AND I'VE HEARD WHAT MR. LAWSON HAS TO SAY.
WHAT, WHAT MR. ROBINSON HAD TO SAY.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WERE, ARE NOT CORRECT.
UM, MY PHONE IS BLOWING UP FROM PEOPLE BACK DUSKY, WHO ARE SAYING, TELL THEM THIS.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THIS FERRY SYSTEM IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE TINKERED WITH THAT WE CAN DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT BY THE SUMMER WE'LL HAVE IT, UH, EVEN BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM.
AS, AS, AS WE'VE BEEN TOLD, THIS FERRY SYSTEM IS A DISASTER.
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE CATASTROPHE AND IT IS HURTING OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU GUYS, YOU CAME, A LOT OF YOU CAME TO DUSKY THIS PAST YEAR.
YOU HAD TO SEE THAT THESE, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT THIS AFFECTS ARE NOT WEALTHY PEOPLE.
THESE ARE OUR WORKING PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND.
THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS ISLAND WORK.
WE HAVE POOR PEOPLE, WE HAVE ELDERLY PEOPLE.
THIS, THIS FERRY SYSTEM IS NOT SAFE.
WE HAVE A NEW FERRY PROVIDER WHO GAVE INCORRECT INFORMATION WHEN HE DID THE APPLICATION, INCLUDING SAYING HE HAD TWO BOATS AND PICTURES THAT CURRENTLY ARE USED BY HAY POINT THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE.
WHERE ARE THEY? DOESN'T HAVE IT.
HE, THE CONTRACT WAS AWARDED TO HIM ON, IN PART, ON THE BASIS OF HAVING THOSE BOATS.
NOW WE'VE GOT A GLORIFIED PONTOON BOAT.
WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT ANOTHER BOAT THAT'S GONNA SHOW UP SOMETIME WE NEED TWO BOATS.
ANY 9-YEAR-OLD ON DUSKY CAN TELL YOU, YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE ONE BOAT TO RUN A A FERRY SURFACE.
THEY HAVE COAST GUARD INSPECTIONS, THEY HAVE INSURANCE INSPECTIONS.
ALL WE'RE HEARING IS SOMETIME WE'RE GETTING A SECOND ONE THAT'S BETTER THAN THIS.
THIS BOAT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S NOT EVEN SAFE.
THE COAST GUARD HAS HAD TO INTERVENE TWICE NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE OPEN KEROSENE AND, UH, PROPANE HEATERS 10 FEET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER FOR GOD'S SAKES ON A ROCKY BOAT.
IT WOULD, THE WHOLE THING COULD BLOW UP.
WHY, WHO WOULD DO THIS? WHAT KIND OF PERSON RUNS A FERRY SYSTEM LIKE THAT WHERE THEY HAVE THIS TYPE OF, OF SAFETY CONCERNS? MR. LAWSON SAID, I HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FIXED WITH NOODLING AWAY AT THE ISSUE.
YOUR CONTRACT HAS A 30 DAY OPT-OUT CLAUSE.
OUR ISLAND UNANIMOUSLY ASKED MR. LAWSON EXERCISE THAT CLAUSE.
UH, IT'S GONNA KILL OUR ECONOMY ON THE ISLAND BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF, OF THE, THE LACK OF RESOURCES THAT THIS CONTRACTOR HAS.
THE FEES ON THESE OTHER PEOPLE ARE BEING PASSED BY 2000 A YEAR.
THE THIS CONTRACT HAS TO BE WITHDRAWN.
A BIGGER MISTAKE IS LETTING THIS CONTRACT GO FORTH.
I'M SORRY TO BE SO EMOTIONAL, BUT IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TERRIBLE THING.
IS IS DENISE GONNA SPEAK? YES.
MY NAME IS DENISE GILBERT AND I'M THE OWNER OF AN INCOME RENTAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 92 AVENUE OF THE OAKS ON DUSKY ISLAND.
I'M SPEAKING AS A RENTAL PROPERTY OWNER TO EXPRESS MY CON EXTREME CONCERN OVER THE RECENT CHANGE ON JANUARY 16TH IN FERRY SERVICE FROM THE FERRY OPERATED BY HAGUE POINT TO SERVICE BY AN INEXPERIENCED AND UNPREPARED FERRY OPERATOR, LOWCOUNTRY FERRY, FULL-TIME RESIDENTS AND DUSSE BUSINESS OWNERS GRAVE CONCERNS OVER THEIR SURVIVAL ON THE ISLAND.
GIVEN THE FERRY SERVICE CHANGE MIRRORS CONCERNS BY PROPERTY OWNERS.
ADDITIONALLY WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT A LOSS OF RENTAL PROPERTY INCOME, PROPERTY VALUE, AND THE FUTURE OF DUSKY AS A VIABLE TOURISM DESTINATION.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE OWNER OF LOWCOUNTRY FERRY, NEIL TURNER, EVEN AFTER SIGNING THE CONTRACT, WAS UNAWARE OF THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS WHO WOULD NEED, UH, FERRY SERVICE.
THE MAJORITY OF GUESTS WHO HAVE IN THE PAST COME TO DUSKY HAVE USED THE PUBLIC FERRY AS THEIR SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION TO THE ISLAND.
WE'RE COMING UP ON THE START OF WHAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY TOURIST SEASON ON DUSKY, SEEING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS EACH YEAR, BOTH DAY VISITORS AND GUESTS STAYING AT DUSKY RENTAL PROPERTIES.
HOW THOSE TOURISTS WILL GET TO DUSKY
[00:55:01]
IS NOW IN GREAT QUESTION.THIS THREATENS PROPERTY OWNERS AND ALL DUSKY BUSINESSES IN ADDITION TO THE LIABILITY TO THE ABILITY FOR LOW COUNTRY FERRY TO EVEN HANDLE THE LEVEL OF TOURIST TRANSPORTATION.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT GUEST CARGO, INCLUDING FOOD, WOULD ARRIVE SEPARATELY FROM GUESTS ONCE A DAY AND BE DEPOSITED AS AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION.
GUESTS WOULD HAVE TO GET TRANSPORTATION BACK TO THAT LOCATION TO PICK UP EVERYTHING THAT THEY BROUGHT OVER.
THE CHANGE WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO TOURISM, ALONG WITH THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER LOWCOUNTRY FERRY CAN EVEN HANDLE THE DEMANDS OF THE LEVEL OF TOURIST TRAFFIC THAT GOES OVER TO DUSKY TRAVEL.
TIME ON THE FERRY HAS INCREASED SINCE LOW COUNTRY FERRY TOOK OVER AND THE SAFETY OF THEIR VESSELS IS IN QUESTION MARK LAWSON STATED AT YESTERDAY'S TOWN HALL MEETING ON DUSKY THAT DUSKY RESIDENTS HAD BEEN SPOILED WITH THE LEVEL OF SERVICE HAY POINT PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED.
AS A PROPERTY OWNER, I WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT SPOILED FOR ME TO WANT TO HAVE MY GUESTS HAVE SAFE, CONVENIENT, COST EFFECTIVE, AND TIMELY TRANSPORTATION FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND GOODS BROUGHT TO DUSKY.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ALL ECHO THAT THEY WOULD LIKELY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR BUSINESSES IF THE LEVEL OF VISITOR TRAFFIC TO DUSKY DECREASES.
ALL DUSKY BUSINESSES ARE TOURISM DEPENDENT, INCLUDING RESTAURANTS, ARTISTS, TRANSPORTATION, RENTAL PROPERTIES, ACTIVITIES, AND GOLF CART RENTALS.
THESE BUSINESSES EMPLOYED RESIDENTS OF DUSKY, SO THE CASCADING EFFECT IS POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING.
THE PROBABILITY OF LOSS OF REVENUE FOR BUSINESSES AND ISLAND RESIDENTS IS MIRRORED BY WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A STEEP DROP IN PROPERTY VALUES AND RENTAL INCOME FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND A REDUCTION OF TAX REVENUE PAID TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
EVERYONE'S LIVELIHOOD IS THREATENED BY THIS CHANGE.
I'M SURE THAT ALL OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT SEEMED LIKE CHOOSING THE CHEAPEST FERRY VENDOR WERE NOT EVEN IMAGINED.
RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND PROPERTY OWNERS ARE ALL ON THE PRECIPICE OF DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES.
FOR THIS ACTION, PLEASE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER CANCELING THE CONTRACT WITH
UH, MR. HOAGLAND, YOU WISH TO SPEAK TO COUNSEL ABOUT, UM, AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, SKIP HOAGLAND, UH, JENKINS ISLAND, MR. PASSIT REAGAN PRINCIPLE.
YOU AND A MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL CONTINUE TO VOTE FOR THE LEGAL ISSUANCE OF MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS THAT ALSO ARE USED ILLEGALLY BY THE NONPROFIT CHAMBERS, THE CVBS AND DS THAT ARE ALSO VIOLATING MANY STATE AND FEDERAL I, UH, IRS 5 0 1 DASH C SIX NONPROFIT TAX CODES AND LAWS.
ALSO, YOU FUND OTHER NONPROFITS AND DO SO WITH NO CONTRACTS.
SPELLING OUT THE LEGAL USE WITH PROPER TERMS AND CONDITIONS, ZERO TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROVEN PERFORMANCE METRICS, NO FORENSIC AUDITS.
AND WORSE, THESE CHAMBERS REFUSE TO SHOW THIS COUNCIL HOW ALL THIS ILLEGAL MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED.
THIS IS NOT ONLY ABSURD, IT'S A VIOLATION TO YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND YOUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TAXPAYERS PROXY WHO TRUSTED ALL OF YOU.
MY LAWYERS AND TEAM HAVE PRESENTED ALL THE UNDISPUTED EVIDENCE TO YOU.
WHY DOES THIS COUNSEL CONTINUE TO IGNORE, NOT COMPLY, AND ALLOW ALL THESE LAW VIOLATIONS TO CONTINUE? DON'T YOU THINK IT'S TIME TO STOP THE TOWN LAWYERS AND EMPLOYEES CONTROL AND YOU TAKE BACK CONTROL AND HIRE THE PROFESSIONALS NEEDED TO CLEAN THIS UP.
MASTER MR. PASSIT, DO YOU AGREE YOU WERE ELECTED TO COMPLY TO ALL LAWS, NOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT SUITS YOU.
ALSO, WHY DOES THIS COUNCIL ALLOW, ALLOW FRAUDULENT BUDGETS AND YEAR END TAX RETURNS, UH, TO BE HIRED AND CONTROLLED BY THE EMPLOYEES AND LAWYERS? THE FACT IS, YOU ARE ONLY SEEING THE NUMBERS THEY WANT YOU TO SEE.
NONE OF YOU ARE CPAS NOR UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE PRESENTED.
THIS IS WHY THIS COUNCIL MUST HIRE A TOTALLY INDEPENDENT OUTSIDE AUDIT FIRM THAT FULLY UNDERSTANDS AND SPECIALIZES IN THE PROPER AND LEGAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND CONTROLS.
I CONTEND THE BALDWIN AND JENKINS CPA FIRM IS, IS SUBMITTING A FRAUDULENT, INCOMPLETE AUDIT AND DOES NOT IDENTIFY THE NUMBERS THAT IDENTIFY WASTING CRIMES.
WE NEED A FORENSIC AUDIT FIRM, BETTER MADE UP OF FORMER FBI AGENTS TO GET THIS COUNTY BACK ON TRACK.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OUR TREASURER WHO SUED YOU MUST UNDERGO A FORENSIC AUDIT IMMEDIATELY.
THIS COUNCIL MUST BECOME A LEGALLY FUNCTIONING COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND STOP BEING CONTROLLED BY THE TOWN MANAGERS AND LAWYERS AND THE CPAS THAT WORK FOR YOU AND TAXPAYERS.
DOES ANYONE IN THIS COUNCIL OR ANY TAXPAYER IN THIS ROOM OR ANY LAWYER DISAGREE WITH MY FACTS? IF YOU CAN, THEN WHY DON'T YOU CLEAN IT UP, FOLKS.
THIS FULL POWER EMPLOYEES AND WEAK PART-TIME COUNCIL POLITICAL SYSTEM IS, IS NOT WORKING.
WE NEED A FULL-TIME, HONEST CCP, CEO TYPE CHAIRMAN WHO HAS A HIGHER THE, THE, THE POWER TO HIRE AND FIRE.
WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS WHOLE THING IS A MESS.
AND DUSKY ISLAND SHOULD HAVE NEVER
[01:00:01]
BEEN DEVELOPED.IT'S A NIGHTMARE AND IT'LL NEVER BE FICTION.
IT'LL CONTINUE TO BE A NIGHTMARE FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[9. LIASION AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
SECTION OF, OF COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS.IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL THAT WISHES TO MAKE A REPORT? JUST A BRIEF ONE, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I CAN.
MR. REEDS, UM, THE AIRPORT, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THE TERMINAL EXPANSION IS UNDERWAY AND, UH, GONNA BE GOING PRETTY WELL, I HEAR.
AND THE SECOND THING THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON THROUGH THE AIRPORT BOARDER, UM, STAFF IS, UM, ST.
IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS, IN THAT PROJECT IS MOVING PRETTY WELL AS WELL.
AT THAT POINT, I'LL TURN IT OVER YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MS. TAVERN? SO, I, I'M GONNA REITERATE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT, UH, JARED SAID.
I ATTENDED THE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AS A LIAISON.
THEY HAD UPDATES FROM S-C-D-O-T TALKING ABOUT THE COMPLETED ROADS, THE RESURFACING PROJECTS.
AND THEN JARED WENT OVER IN THE LAST COMMITTEE MEETING, THE REJUVENATOR, THE SURFACING, UH, THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, LOOKING AT A YEAR SEVEN TOTAL OF $5.1 MILLION.
THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE INFAMOUS ONE 70 TRIANGLE PROJECT.
THEY'VE EXTENDED THE LEFT TURN LANES ONTO 4 62 FROM ONE 70.
THEY STILL BACK UP, BUT DONE IT.
AND THEY ADDED A SECOND LEFT TURN LANE FROM MAR BOULEVARD.
THE NEXT FOCUS WILL BE 2 78 AND ONE 70 RAMPS INTERSECTION.
AND WHAT WAS INTERESTING IS WE PARTNER WITH S-C-D-O-T, JASPER COUNTY AND HARVILLE ON THAT.
SO THAT'S A GOOD COLLABORATION.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER AND THE 2 78 BRIDGE.
WE'VE REQUESTED MUNICIPAL CONSENT FROM HILTON HEAD DUE JANUARY 31ST.
WE DID GET THE COMMITTEE, GOT KUDOS FROM S-C-D-O-T.
THEY COMMENTED THAT THEY ARE THE, THE BEST COMMITTEE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AS FAR AS GETTING WORK DONE, BEING RECOGNIZED, THOROUGH FORWARD THINKING.
AND I'M GONNA SEND ALL OF YOU THE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR YOUR LIGHT READING WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO.
AND THEN I DID THE LIBRARY BOARD, AND I WANNA POINT OUT THIS, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, CONVERSATION ON THAT.
CURRENT IMPACT FEES ARE GOING TO BE USED FOR THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY, 4.2 MILLION PORT ROYAL BRANCHES UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
TO DATE, WE HAVE SPENT $391,034 ON MATERIALS, AND 60% OF THAT IS HOOPLA.
HOW MANY HERE HAVE GONE ON HOOPLA? YES.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GET ON IT, YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT.
UM, WE ACCEPTED REVISIONS TO THEIR BYLAWS, AND THIS IS EXCITING.
THE PICKUP LOCKERS WILL BE AT BURTON WELLS, AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE EXTERIOR WRAP TO BE APPROVED BY THE COUNTY.
IT'LL BE FUNDED BY THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION.
UH, THEY THANK COUNTY COUNCIL FOR, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE OF MAY RIVER PROPERTY.
AND JUST FOR EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE, 24,482 VISITORS TO OUR LIBRARIES IN DECEMBER, OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR SITTING RIGHT THERE.
THEY HAD 88 PROGRAMS OFFERED 41,629 ITEMS CHECKED OUT OUT OF FIVE BRANCHES.
SO OUR LIBRARIES ARE VERY INTACT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND MOVING FORWARD, AND I HAVE ONE MORE.
THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, THEY ELECTED THEIR OFFICERS.
THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE UPDATED PROJECTS AND APPROVED SOME VENDOR CONTRACTS.
AND THEY HAVE FINISHED THE REVIEW OF BOOKS.
AND THE HANDMAID'S TALE ARE GOING BACK TO CIRCULATION STAMPED.
AND THE LOVELY BONES WILL BE IN CIRCULATION FOR GRADE SIX 12 ONLY.
AND THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER AND THE KITE RUNNER WILL BE FOR NINE THROUGH 12.
AND THEN THEY'VE DIRECTED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO REEVALUATE THIS FORM.
PARENTS CAN USE TO OPT OUT OF LETTING THEIR CHILDREN TAKE THINGS OUT OF THE MEDIA CENTERS.
AND THEN FINALLY, A REMINDER TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THIS WEDNESDAY.
WE'LL BE CHAT WITH COUNSEL ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
IT WILL BE 6:00 PM HILTON HEAD LIBRARY.
AND THEN ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH, 6:00 PM WILL BE CHAT WITH COUNSEL RIGHT HERE.
I'D LIKE TO BRAG A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND FRIENDS OF THE BUFORT LIBRARY.
DAVID BARIA AND I WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE THERE SATURDAY, UH, WHEN THEY DEDICATED THE, UM, STORY BUS
[01:05:01]
WALK ON THE SPANISH TRAILS.IT'S A GREAT STORY OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN, UM, OUR COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM, SPANISH MOSS TRAIL, AND THE FRIENDS OF THE BUFORT LIBRARY.
IT WAS COLD, BUT WE, I THINK THERE MUST HAVE BEEN 70 PEOPLE THERE.
AND, UM, I, I ATTENDED, UM, THE BEFOR BUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEETING LAST WEEK.
AND ASHLEY FESTER, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE SPOKE TO YOU AT THE CONVERGE SUMMIT.
BUT THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO APPOINT TWO MORE PEOPLE TO SCA A OR I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT.
WE ARE TAKING THAT UP NEXT MONTH.
I ALSO ATTENDED IT WITH, UH, TAB AND I FOUND AN ERROR ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
SO THERE'S STILL A DISTRICT 11 OPEN.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT A MR. DIETRICH ADVOCATE FROM DISTRICT 11 SENT HIS APPLICATION LAST MONTH, AND HE'S EXTREMELY QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION.
HE WAS WITH THE WORLD BANK INFRASTRUCTURE.
HE, UH, WORKED WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY IN THE AIRPORTS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.
UM, HE WAS A NEW YORK URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORP ALSO.
UM, HE DID PROPERTY DEVELOPMENTS OVER IN EUROPE.
HE HAS A MASTER'S IN BUSINESS.
AND, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I DO, I NEED TO SET A MOTION THAT WE ASK FOR HIS APPLICATION.
WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO WITH THAT? UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCEDURE'S GONNA BE.
YEAH, BUT DIETRICH YEAH, BUT THAT'S EMPTY.
VARO IS IN DISTRICT 10, NOT 11.
THAT TAB HAT, THAT WAS THE, THAT IT'S JUST AN ERROR.
IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
THE COMMITTEE ASKED WHAT DO YOU MEAN A SWAP? SWAP? HE WAS, HE WAS APPROVED TO SERVE OUT OF HIS OH, HE WAS APPROVED TO SERVE OUT OF HIS DISTRICT.
YES, MS. BROCK, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION THEN? OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
IF THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE DISTRICT THAT APPLIES, WHY WOULDN'T THEY HAVE PREFERENTIAL? LOOK, UM, THAT HAPPENED BEFORE THIS INDIVIDUAL APPLIED IN NOVEMBER.
THE SWAP OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER APPLICATION THAT Y'ALL SO DIETRICH DID NOT APPLY IN THE PROPER AMOUNT OF TIME, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT, BUT IN, ON A COMMITTEE, WE COULD HAVE TWO PEOPLE FROM THE SAME DISTRICT ON THAT COMMITTEE.
IF THE CHAIR, I GUESS THE CHAIRMAN APPROVES THAT, THE CHAIRMAN APPROVE.
WOULD WE WANT TO ENTERTAIN THAT THOUGH? I THINK PAUL IS ASKING TO GET DIETRICH ON AND DID CHAIRMAN BECAUSE THERE, THERE WAS NO APPLICANT FROM DISTRICT 11.
SOMEONE APPLIED, BUT THEY WERE FROM DISTRICT 10 AND THE CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT INDIVIDUAL.
WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND APPROVED THAT IN.
BUT WHO WAS IN DISTRICT 10 BEFORE THAT? YEAH, I'M PRETTY SURE THIS CURRENT COUNCIL APPROVED THAT SWAP.
THAT SWAP ALL AND IT WAS APPROVED BY, WASN'T INVOLVED AT THAT POINT THEN HE DIDN'T HAVE NO, BUT I'M SAYING THIS COUNCIL SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW APPROVED THAT SWAP.
SO IS THAT THEN DISTRICT 10 IS OPEN? NO, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO FROM DISTRICT TEN TWO.
BUT CHARLES PERRY IS DISTRICT 10.
IS THAT CORRECT? CHARLES PERRY? UH, NOT SURE.
HE MAY BE JOHN PAUL AFTERWARDS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THERE? OKAY.
WE'RE READY FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION ITEMS.
[10. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION.
SECOND, MR. BAR MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY QUESTION? SEEING NONE.
THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[11. TIME SENSITIVE ITEM FROM THE JANUARY 22ND SPECIAL CALLED FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING - APPROVAL OF THE APPOINTMENT OF TOMMY HARMON, JR. TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FIRST TERM OF 4 YEARS WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF 2028 & THE REAPPOINTMENT OF EUGENE RICHARDSON LABRUCE, TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A SECOND TERM OF FOUR-YEARS WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF 2028]
ITEM NUMBER 11 CAME FROM TODAY'S, UH, SPECIAL CALL FINANCE, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.SO I'M GONNA ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE APPOINTMENT OF TOMMY TOMMY HARMON JR.
TO THE BUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FIRST TERM OF FOUR YEARS THAT EXPIRES IN 2028 AND THE REAPPOINTMENT OF EUGENE RICHARDSON LABUS TO THE BUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A SECOND TERM OF FOUR YEARS THAT EXPIRES IN 2028.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND.
MS. BROWN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THESE TWO GENTLE GENTLEMEN WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[12. TIME SENSITIVE ITEM FROM THE JANUARY 22ND SPECIAL CALLED FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING - APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A 2024 TRANSPORTATION SALES AND USE TAX REFERENDUM (FISCAL IMPACT: If approved by Council and the electorate, the county will levy and impose a one percent (1%) sales and use tax throughout the entire county for fifteen (15) years or until the county raises $1.625 billion in revenue, whichever occurs first) - Jared Fralix, P.E., Assistant County Administrator, Infrastructure]
ITEM NUMBER 12,[01:10:01]
AS WE NOTED, REALLY CAME FROM TODAY'S PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING.IT IS THE APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE.
SO I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOTION BY A MEMBER FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A 2024 TRANSPORTATION, SALES, AND USE TAX REFERENDUM.
SO MOVE IS CHAIRMAN MR. CUNNINGHAM AND MS. TABER NECK DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
NOW, THIS MEANS THAT THIS WILL BE APPROVED AS A FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE.
WE WILL HAVE THREE READINGS AND A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THIS IS FULLY ADOPTED.
THIS IS NOT CAST IN STONE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
WE DID MAKE TWO AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY THE, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE THAT HAVE MOVED FORWARD THAT WILL BE PART AND PARCEL OF THIS AGENDA.
AND WHAT WE'VE TAKEN CERTAIN WORDING OUT, WE PUT CERTAIN MONIES IN.
UH, NEXT, MR. REED, YOU HAD A COMMENT? YES.
OH NO, I, THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE IS, UM, ON THE, UM, OUTLINE NUMBER 12 IS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
IT SHOULD BE THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
IT WAS THE PUBLIC FACILITIES ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE.
WE, WE REFERENCED THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
ANYONE ELSE? DO YOU WANT ME TO GO LAST OR JUST GO AHEAD? UH, YOU CAN CERTAINLY GO AHEAD.
UM, SO THIS JUST CAME OUTTA THE COMMITTEE TODAY.
I WANTED TO BRUSH UP ON A COUPLE THINGS.
I SAID IN THE COMMITTEE, UM, BEFORE THIS.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR YOU THAT WE'RE HERE EARLIER.
IF IT SOUNDS A LITTLE REPETITIVE, UM, JARED GAVE A PRESENTATION, UM, UH, ABOUT THE NUMBERS ON IT.
SO JUST SO FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, IT IS 15 YEARS.
UH, 1% SALES TAX, UM, AT 1.625 BILLION OR WHICHEVER ONE COMES FIRST.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, THIS ISN'T A RAISE OF ATTACKS BECAUSE THIS IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE EFFECT AFTER OUR GREEN SPACE REFERENDUM COMES TO AN END.
UM, GREEN SPACE REFERENDUM DOES NOT GO ANY LONGER THAN DECEMBER 31ST.
AND THIS WOULDN'T TAKE PLACE UNTIL MAY 1ST.
IF IT PASSES IN NOVEMBER, 2024, IT WOULDN'T TAKE PLACE TILL 2025, MAY 1ST.
UM, IF YOU GUYS GO BACK, REMEMBER ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THIS IS A LOT OF THE DEBATE WE HAD WHEN WE CAME UP WITH THE GREEN SPACE REFERENDUM.
WE ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION TAX AND THEN WE SHIFTED TOWARDS GREEN SPACE.
THE WHOLE POINT BEHIND GREEN SPACE WAS, AND LEAST MY IDEA, AND I'M SURE A FEW OTHERS HERE AGREE, WAS WE, WE'VE BEEN, I'VE SAID IT A MILLION TIMES BEFORE, WE'VE BEEN CHASING THE TAIL.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIX THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND WE CAN'T GET AHEAD OF IT.
THE GREEN SPACE REFERENDUM WE PASSED TO HELP LOWER THE DENSITY, THE FUTURE DENSITY HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I ALWAYS SAID PUBLICLY DURING THAT, THAT WE PLAN TO COME BACK IN 2024 WITH THE TRANSPORTATION TAX BECAUSE THAT'S STEP TWO.
UM, NOW WHEN WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE AND A TOOL THAT IS GONNA BE ABLE TO SLOW DOWN GROWTH, NOW OUR JOB IS TO CATCH UP ON OUR ROADS.
UM, THAT'S WHERE THIS COMES INTO PLAY.
UM, WE'RE CURRENTLY AT A 7% SALES TAX.
UM, IF THIS PASSES, WE WOULD STAY AT A 7% SALES TAX.
WHEN THAT DROP OFF HAPPENS, THERE'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE A FOUR MONTH PERIOD OF 6%, I BELIEVE, AND IT'LL KICK RIGHT BACK IN RIGHT BEFORE TOURIST SEASON.
UM, THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, USUALLY THERE'S A COUPLE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE DEBATE BACK AND FORTH.
IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 40 TO 45% IS PAID, UM, BY TOURISTS.
IT'S USUALLY WHAT WE WHAT THE RULE OF THUMB.
SO ALMOST 50% IS PAID BY TOURISTS THAT COME IN, UH, TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, UM, THE 15 YEARS IS DEFINITELY A, UH, A, A LONG NUMBER.
IT'S A BIG NUMBER TO TAKE IN, BUT THERE IS REASONS BEHIND THAT.
IF YOU LOOK IN WHAT THE PROJECT LIST ENTAILS AND HOW WE HAVE BROKEN THIS DOWN TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOW MANY BIG PROJECTS WE'RE PLANNING TO UNDERTAKE, UM, THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO GET THIS DONE, TO PLAY CATCH UP FOR THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE PRIOR TO THIS COUNTY COUNCIL.
UM, I DO WANNA MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, TO SECTION 2.3, UM, JUST TO ADDING SOME LANGUAGE INTO THAT, TO SECURE BASICALLY WHAT OUR OUTLINE IS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL AND HOW WE'RE, WE HAVE THIS SCHEDULED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MONEY IS BEING USED THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
UM, AND THAT IT COMES TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
SO IT'S TRANSPARENT FOR ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY VOTERS.
'CAUSE IF YOU'LL LOOK, THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THIS MONEY COULD GO TO.
SO THIS AMENDMENT WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT IT STILL COMES THROUGH COUNTY COUNCIL.
'CAUSE WE'RE THE ONES UP HERE ADVOCATING FOR
[01:15:01]
THIS.UM, WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA PUT TOGETHER THE TEAM TO MANAGE THESE FUNDS.
UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 2.3 AND ADD THAT ALL PROCEEDS OF THE SALES AND USE TAX, I'M SORRY, ALL PROCEEDS OF THE SALES AND USE TAX AND ALL PROCEEDS OF ANY BONDS PAYABLE THERE FROM, SHALL BE HELD BY COUNTY UNTIL THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE ALLOCATION AND EXPENDITURE OF THE FUNDS OR THE PROJECTS AND PREPARATIONS OF THE PROJECTS AS FURTHER IDENTIFIED HERE.
THE REASON BEHIND THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT BIG POPS THAT ARE PLANNING TO GO TO CERTAIN LOCATIONS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE IF WE COULD PULL THAT UP FOR THE PUBLIC, SARAH, IF NOT, I, IT IS IN THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS AND ADDING THIS LANGUAGE INTO IT, MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTY CAN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FUNDS AREN'T WASTED IN AREAS AND THAT WE ARE TRULY DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY WITH THIS FUNDS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE MONEY DOES GO TO THE APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS.
UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, THAT IS THE MOTION.
IF, UM, THAT IS ENTERTAINED BY THE COUNCIL, I'LL, I'LL SECOND THAT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MR. CONEY? I WOULD MAKE ONE POINT THE SENTENCE THAT, UM, COUNCILMAN LOGAN JUST REFERRED TO IS, UM, ADDED TO THE VERY END OF SECTION 2.3.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. CHAIRMAN? I'M GONNA VOTE IT AGAINST THIS, UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE I THINK, UM, UM, I KNOW THE INTENTION HERE, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S THE BUY-IN FROM VARIOUS COMMUNITIES INTO THIS REFERENDUM.
AND, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SUPPORT IN ALL ENTITY AND, AND ALLOWING THOSE ENTITIES SOME INDEPENDENCE AND, AND RECEIVING AND DECIDING WHAT THEY WOULD WANT FOR THEIR JURISDICTION.
SO I'M GOING TO, UM, NOT, UH, AT THIS TIME SUPPORT THIS MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.
UM, I UNDERSTAND I'M OF THE SAME MINDSET AS COUNCILMAN GLOVER.
I THINK THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE THE BEST PLACE FOR THE, ESPECIALLY REGARDING SOME OF THESE THINGS LIKE SIDEWALKS AND PATHWAYS AND OTHER DECISIONS FOR THE GREENBELTS.
UM, AT THIS, AT THIS TIME, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR THAT AMENDMENT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M GONNA HAVE TO SECOND THESE TWO HERE AS WELL.
WITH THE SAME, WE CAN'T VOTE FOR THIS.
ARE THEY, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT, RIGHT? JUST TALKING ABOUT THE AMENDMENT.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS WAS ON THE FLOORS THAT ARE IN THERE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS STATED BEFORE, UM, ANYBODY ELSE AMENDMENT CHAIRMAN, UM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. KEVIN HERE.
MR. ROBINSON, CAN, UH, MUNICIPALITIES GO OUT FOR THEIR OWN REFERENDUMS TO RAISE MONEY WITHIN INSIDE THEIR MUNICIPALITIES? SURE.
I'LL REFER TO DEFER TO OUR BOND COUNCIL, BUT I THINK THEY CAN, CAN'T SAY.
SO MUNICIPALITIES COULD DO A REFERENDUM TO AUTHORIZE LIKE THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
THERE'S NOT A MECHANISM FOR THEM TO IMPOSE LIKE A SALES TAX WITHIN THEIR MUNICIPALITY, BUT THEY COULD CERTAINLY DO, YOU KNOW, A REFEREND TO SAY CITY X IS APPROVING, UM, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50 MILLION TO DO SOME FOR A PROJECT FOR A PROJECT IN THE CITY.
SO, AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I'M ADVOCATING FOR THIS.
WE'RE THE ONES TAKING THIS STEP AND PUTTING IT OUT FOR THE COUNTY.
WE'RE THE ONES PUTTING IT ON THE LINE JUST LIKE WE DID ON THE GREEN SPACE REFERENDUM.
WILLING TO GO OUT AND ADVOCATE AND PUT SOMETHING THIS BIG AND THIS LARGE OUT HERE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE JOB'S DONE PROPERLY.
I'VE NEVER SAID BEFORE, I'VE TOLD YOU GUYS BEFORE, I'M NOT IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU HOW TO BUILD IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE KNOW WHERE, THAT WE PLAN TO TAKE THIS COUNTY AND DECISIONS WE MAKE IS GONNA AFFECT THAT.
AND WE'RE THE ONES MAKING THIS DECISION NOW TO PUT THIS ON A BALLOT.
AND WE'RE THE ONES THAT WENT TO JARED AND HIS TEAM IN FEBRUARY AND SAID, WE WANT TO GET THIS OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND GET THIS STARTING TO BE DEBATED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WHICH THEY MET THAT GOAL.
AND NOW IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS FOLLOWED THROUGH.
SO I I'M SORRY THAT I HAVE A HARD TIME SAYING MUNICIPALITY A IS GONNA GET $40 MILLION TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANNA DO WITH IT.
THAT GOES INSIDE THE GUIDELINES AND MUNICIPALITY B GETS $30 MILLION.
AND WE HAVE NO SAY SO ON THAT WHATSOEVER.
WHEN WE'RE THE ONES COMING UP HERE DEBATING FOR THAT.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE WAY IT'S WORDED WITHOUT THIS AMENDMENT, IT GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO POSSIBLY DO THAT.
IT'S MY MR. CHAIRMAN, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE WOULD BE A COMMITTEE SIMILAR SOMEWHAT TO WHAT DREAMSPACE IS SET UP CORRECT.
AND I THINK A, A NON-PARTISAN, NON-ELECTED COMMITTEE WOULD MAYBE, PERHAPS ARE NOT, THAT'S STILL TO BE DETERMINED,
[01:20:01]
UM, MEMBERSHIP TO OVERSEE IT.THAT WOULD GIVE THE COUNTY A LOT OF, A LOT OF CONTROL EVEN WITHOUT THIS AMENDMENT.
AND, UM, I I, I STILL THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO DECIDE WHERE THEIR PRIORITIES ARE AND THEN BRING IT TO THIS COMMITTEE TO BE PRIORITIZED.
YOU KNOW, STILL TO BE DETERMINED.
I I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT COMMITTEES WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SAY.
SO IN THOSE COMMITTEES, THAT IS THE POINT IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE PUT A COMMITTEE OUT THERE, THEY'RE PUTTING THAT PLACE.
THEY'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT THAT RECOMMENDATION DOES NOT HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNTY COUNCIL IF IT, IT DOES WITH GREEN SPACE.
BUT IT DOES NOT IN THIS DOCUMENT THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY.
I I I THINK A LOCAL MUNICIPALITY CAN DECIDE BASED ON THIS OVERARCHING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I'M SURE WE'LL USE THE COUNTY BEING THE DRIVER IN TRANSPORTATION COUNTYWIDE, UH, WE'LL USE THE COUNTY'S EXPERTISE IN THE COUNTY'S TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING, UM, TO ALL EVERY EXTENT THAT WE CAN WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TOO.
MR. CO, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE REC, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT COUNCILMAN HOWARD JUST REFERENCED IS IN THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE.
BUT THAT PROVISION IS NOT IN THE ORDINANCE.
WE COULD, WE COULD ADD IT, WE COULD ADD, IT COULD MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO, TO ADD THE COMMITTEE, ADD THAT KIND OF A REQUIREMENT IN HERE, I WOULD THINK.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
'CAUSE I SAID IN ON ALL THOSE, THEY RECOMMENDED AN OVERSIGHT, A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS.
BUT I'M GONNA AGREE WITH MR. CUNNINGHAM, I THINK, AND THE COMMITTEE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION IN THEIR OVERSIGHT, BUT THAT'S IT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO OUR CITIZENS TO HAVE THE FINAL CONTROL.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, YOU KNOW, DO HORRIBLE THINGS TO THE CITIES, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE FINAL CONTROL.
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT MONEY IN THE END.
I JUST, I JUST WANT SOME CLARIFICATION IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MR. KEVIN, UM, READING HERE, 3.2 SECTION 3.2 ON PAGE 2 65.
IT, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT, UH, OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE MUNICIPALITIES, UH, IF THEY'RE SET TO RECEIVE FUND FROM THE SALES AND USE TAX, THEY MUST SUBMIT THE REQUEST OF FUNDING AS IF IT WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE, THE BUDGET ORDINANCE PROCESS ANYWAY.
SO WOULDN'T THAT REVERT BACK TO THE, TO THE CONTROL TO THE COUNTY ANYWAY, WITH THIS LANGUAGE ALREADY IN HERE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M READING THAT CORRECT AND I KNOW I SECONDED THE, THE LANGUAGE ON THAT, BUT JUST WANNA MAKE SURE AGAIN, I'LL HAVE TO DEFER TO I I'M SORRY.
WHERE, WHERE, UH, SECTION 3.2 A, UH, PAGE 2 65 IN OUR MATERIAL.
IT COMES TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND EVEN PRIOR TO US GETTING IT, THE STATE TREASURER IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY COLLECTS THE MONEY AND THEN ALLOCATE IT TO QUARTERLY.
WE'RE MISSING IT TO US QUARTERLY.
SO THERE'S ALREADY KIND OF LAYERS OF PROTECTION IN PLACE IT LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
3.2 SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT THE BUDGETING.
UM, SO I MEAN, WE COULD CERTAINLY, UM, PROVIDE SOME MORE LANGUAGE FOR 3.2 AT SECOND READING IF, IF WE'RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE BOTH.
BUT, UM, TALKS ABOUT THE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE THAT'S AS CLEAR AS IT COULD BE IN TERMS OF ALLOCATION FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS, HONESTLY.
BUT FOR THOSE PROJECTS, THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO PUT FOUR.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SO BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE, SUMMARIZATION IS, THE AMENDMENT WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS THE FINAL SAY FOR THE DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO BE EXPENDED BY THE, THE OTHER AGENCIES BESIDES THE COUNTY.
THE, THE AMENDMENT ACTUALLY WOULD APPLY TO ALL EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING THE COUNTY.
COME BACK TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL, REGARDLESS IF IT'S A COUNTY EXPENDITURE OR EXPENDITURE BY DIFFERENT POLITICAL SUBDIVISION.
BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A DISTINCTION DRAWN BETWEEN, RIGHT.
FOR EXAMPLE, A CITY EXPENDITURE AND A COUNTY EXPENDITURE.
'CAUSE THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM IS A COUNTY REFERENDUM.
AND THEN IF MUNICIPAL REFERENDUM, RIGHT? EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN IF THE, UH, IF THE SECOND QUESTION, THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND IN QUESTION PASSED, THOSE ARE, UM, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF, OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, RIGHT? JUST THAT THE
[01:25:01]
INTENDED REPAYMENT SOURCE IS THE, THE SALES TAX.BUT THOSE ARE BEAUFORT COUNTY BONDS THAT ARE BEING ISSUED.
MAYBE YOU, IT SEEMS FROM WHAT IT COUNCIL MEMBER, AL YOU SAID 3.2 DOES THE SAME THING AS WHAT COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM MADE THE AMENDMENT.
I MEAN, I WOULD WANNA LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, QUITE HONESTLY.
I MEAN, 3.2 SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT THE BUDGETING.
UM, SO I, I WOULD QUESTION WHETHER A PROJECT COULD, COULD, HAD THE BUDGET APPROVED, BUT THAT THE PROJECT ITSELF HASN'T BEEN, UM, APPROVED YET, OR AT LEAST THE PRIORITY FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF THAT FUND.
SO, UM, I, I WANNA GIVE YOU THE RIGHT ANSWER.
SO I'D LIKE TO LOOK ABOUT THE AMENDMENT IN THIS, SO, AND GIVE A RECOMMENDATION BEFORE A SECOND READING IF, IF, UNLESS THE AMENDMENT, IF WE, WE CAN, UM, I WOULD LIKE BOTH OF YOU TO WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION UNTIL THERE IS A LITTLE FURTHER, UH, RESEARCH ON THIS.
WHETHER 3.2 ACTUALLY ACCOMMODATES WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, BECAUSE THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO ADD IN THE COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS PART AND PARCEL OF THE COMMITTEE SUGGESTION FOR THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
WE'VE DONE SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF IT ALREADY.
I THINK YOU NEED TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS IS ADOPTING THIS, WHICH WILL GO TO COUNTY COUNCIL'S NEXT MEETING FOR THE FIRST READING OF THIS, OR IS THIS THE FIRST READING? THIS IS FIRST.
THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST READING.
AND CERTAINLY WE CAN MAKE ANY CHANGES AFTER YOU SEE EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED, PUT TOGETHER AND CHANGED SO THAT WE HAVE IT ALL AT ONE TIME.
IF THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO MR. CUNNINGHAM AND MS. HOWARD.
UM, UH, WITH ALL YOUR RESPECT, I, I'M GONNA HAVE TO DECLINE.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE JUST APPROVED THIS EARLIER A COUPLE HOURS AGO WITH THAT DOCUMENT ALREADY IN THERE.
IF YOU GUYS BELIEVE THAT THAT DOES SATISFY THAT, THAT THEN IT DOES NOT HURT US TO ADD IT AGAIN AND REITERATE IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS CONTRACT.
SO IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT WHAT'S WRITTEN IN THERE CURRENTLY IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING, THEN US REITERATING IT AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONTRACT TO MAKE IT CLEAR DOES NOT HURT US AT ALL.
YOU ALREADY SUPPORTED IT ONCE WITH IT IN THE CONTRACT OR THE, SORRY, NOT CONTRACT.
I WON'T SAY, UM, THE ORDINANCE.
SO ALL WE'RE DOING IS REITERATING IT.
AT LEAST WE'RE CL IT'S CLEAR CUT AND IN THE OPEN AND DISCUSSED HERE PUBLICLY, BUT WE JUST APPROVED THIS UNANIMOUSLY WITH THAT ALREADY IN THIS ORDINANCE.
SO US DOUBLING DOWN ON IT IS MAKING IT CLEAR AND US OWNING UP TO OUR POSITION ON THIS IN THE PUBLIC.
SO I, I DON'T WITHDRAW MY NU MY, UH, AMENDMENT.
I THINK IT ACTUALLY STRAIGHTENED, STRENGTHENS EXACTLY WHAT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN, SO, OKAY.
FLOYD, I WITHDRAW THAT A SECOND.
SO WE NOW HAVE STILL HAS HIS MOTION.
DOES SOMEBODY WANT TO SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE STILL DULY MOTIONED.
AND SECOND IT, WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, ON THE AMENDMENT? YES.
THE AMENDMENT IS TO HAVE THE SPECIFICITY THAT HE STATED.
DO YOU WANT HIM TO STATE IT AGAIN? NOPE.
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT? LET'S GET OKAY.
YOU WANT THAT LANGUAGE IN THERE? NO.
YOU BELIEVE THE LANGUAGE IS ALREADY IN THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
I'M GONNA SAY NO, THE MOTION PASSES A THREE.
SO WE'RE BACK TO THE MOTION AS AMENDED NOW.
THERE WILL BE FURTHER THINGS THAT WE WILL WANT.
THE NEXT THING WE'LL BE, DO WE WANT AS A MOTION TO INCLUDE THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE SALES TAX? I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
AND THAT WAS MS. HOWARD'S, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION, PUT THAT IN.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, IT'S ALSO GONNA INCLUDE THE TWO THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE COMMITTEE TOO.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE OUT THE WORD REIMAGINE.
[01:30:01]
IT ALREADY IS COVERED THERE.I'LL LIKE THAT MOTION THAT WE HAVE.
IS THAT ALREADY SECONDED? YEP.
WE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE CHANGES, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT AND THE OTHER ONE, BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO ADD THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
EVERYBODY CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO? IT IS A CITIZENS' COMMITTEE.
YES, IT IS A CITIZENS' COMMITTEE.
YEAH, THE LAST ONE WORKED WELL.
AND CAN WE ASK THAT WHEN THEY CHANGE IT, IT'S RED LINE, SO WE DON'T, WE LOOK AT WHERE THEY MADE THE CHANGES.
SO THERE'LL BE FOUR AMENDMENTS, THE TWO THAT WERE TALKED TO COMMITTEE AND THE TWO THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.
ALL OF WHICH WILL BE RED LINED.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I JUST WANNA SAY ONE THING.
I VOTED NO FOR THIS IN THE COMMITTEE, BUT I'M GONNA VOTE YES FOR THIS AFTER MR. CUNNINGHAM SAYING THAT WE WON'T BE TAXED UNTIL MAY OF 2025.
AND THE GREEN SPACE TAX IS GONNA GO AWAY.
AND YOU ACTUALLY DID VOTE YES.
AFTER YOU HEARD THAT? YEAH, I KNOW.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UM, IN YOUR BACK MATERIAL, BE HERE IS THIS, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS, UH, DISTANCE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE? MM-HMM.
AND D ARE YOU JUST REFERRING TO SECTION A? I THINK SO.
AND IF IT'S INCORRECT, WE'LL, WE HAVE ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE.
SO THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
SO NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL WITH THE AMENDMENTS.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM 12? OH, NO, IT WAS MOTION.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MADE THE MOTION.
NOW, WITH THOSE ADOPTED, UH, CHANGES, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, THIS ITEM 12 WILL BE ADOPTED AS FIRST READING WITH THE ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT WERE MADE.
MR. CHAIRMAN COMMEND A ROLL CALL.
MR, ARE WE GONNA DO A ROLL CALL? YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND THIS IS, I JUST WANTED, THIS IS FOR THE AMENDMENT FOR THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT.
NO, THIS IS FOR, THIS IS, NO, NO, NO.
THIS IS FOR THE ENTIRE THING WITH THE FOUR AMENDMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE 30 SECONDS.
UM, I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MADE A LOT OF AMENDMENTS BETWEEN THE LAST ONE AND THIS ONE, BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD WANT.
THIS IS OPEN DIALOGUE IN FRONT OF EVERYONE AND US TALKING ABOUT IT RIGHT HERE.
THERE, THERE MIGHT BE DISAGREEMENTS, BUT THIS, THIS IS WHAT WORKING GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE, WE TALK ABOUT SOMETIMES WE GET CONFUSED ABOUT AMENDMENTS OR WHERE WE'RE AT, THAT CAN HAPPEN.
BUT AT LEAST IT'S BEING DISCUSSED AND THE IDEAS THEY'RE PUTTING OUT THERE, INSTEAD OF US JUST BEING A YES PERSON AND MOVING ON AND GOING OUT ABOUT OUR DAY.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK THAT MR. CHAIRMAN FOR TAKING THE TIME.
SOMETHING ELSE, WE'RE VOTING ON THIS FOR A REFERENDUM TO GO ON THE BALLOT NOVEMBER.
SO IT'S GONNA BE UP TO THE TAXPAYER CORRECT.
AND THE VOTER WHETHER IT PASSES OR NOT.
SO I, JUST TO MAKE THAT CLEAR, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I UNDERSTAND FROM CONVERSATION WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THAT SECOND READING WILL BE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT WILL BE FEBRUARY, I THINK 12TH.
[13. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF HAWKERS AND PEDDLERS LICENSE FEES (FISCAL IMPACT: minimal. In calendar year 2023, Beaufort County received $875.00 in hawkers and peddlers fees)]
13 ASKS FOR A MOTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE HAWKERS AND ER'S LICENSE FEES.JENNIFER HAWKERS MOTION PLEASE.
SOMEBODY WANTS TO HAW AND PEDAL IT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE ACTUALLY DO IT.
WHY? WHY DO WE EVEN HAVE THIS?
[01:35:01]
UH, BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO DO THIS.GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AT WORK.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS.
[14. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF TAX MAP SERIAL NUMBER TMS R600-036-000-0013-0000 AND ALSO KNOWN AS 76 MAY RIVER ROAD (FISCAL IMPACT: Southern Beaufort County Library Impact Fees; Balance - $4.2M) Vote at First Reading on January 8, 2024 - 10:1]
ITEM NUMBER 14 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY KNOWN AS 76 MAY RIVER ROAD.AND SECOND, WE WILL GO TO THE AUDIENCE.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THIS PURCHASE? SEEING NONE.
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC PORTION.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL WHO WISHES TO MAKE A STATEMENT LONG OVERDUE.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION TAB.
SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[15. RECONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL'S ACTION ON FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE 2% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUND AND FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE 2% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUND]
ITEM NUMBER 15, UH, WITH ITEM NUMBER 15, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A MEMBER OF COUNSEL MOVE TO AMEND THE AGENDA.I DID THAT IN THE BEGINNING WAS ALREADY AMENDED.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT 15 A MM-HMM.
SO I NEED A MOTION AND MR. MR. WE'RE CHAIRMAN.
I THINK THE IDEA IS 15 HAS TO BE REMOVED.
YOU NEED, UM, TO ASK FOR A MOTION TO, UM, RESCIND COUNSEL'S ACTION.
AND, AND TO BRING FORWARD THAT COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND ONCE THAT'S PASSED, THEN YOU GO AHEAD AND GIVE FIRST READING.
TO THE ORDINANCE, UH, THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO LET ME TRY, EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE SAID.
LET ME TRY TO MAKE THE MOTION.
FIRST I MOVE THAT WE RESCIND THE VOTE THAT COUNCIL TOOK ON DECEMBER 11TH YEP.
2023 IN WHICH WE AWARDED 150,000 TO WORKFORCE HOUSING FROM THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION.
SO MY MOTION IS TO RESCIND THAT.
AND TWO AND TWO, THE MOTION WILL BE TO APPROVE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM STATE AT TAX FUND AS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS.
MR. DE BARTHOLOMEW MAKES THE SECOND.
IT WAS DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK WE OWED, UH, AN EXPLANATION OF WHY I CAN GIVE IT OR MR. KEVIN.
WELL, UM, IT'S, UH, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, UM, COUNSEL IS, UM, LOOKING BACK, OR IT'S RESCINDING THE ACTION IT TOOK ON DECEMBER 11TH.
SO IT CAN THEN ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE STATE A TAX COMMITTEE.
AS A SEPARATE ITEM, ITEM 15 A, UM, COUNSEL CAN DECIDE TO APPROPRIATE 10% OF THE STATE A TAX FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. RIGHT.
SO ON THE FIRST ONE, UM, I PUT ON THERE THAT WE WILL, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS WEIRD BECAUSE I MADE THE MOTION, BUT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING AND I'M SURE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN.
SO IT IS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE MOTION.
SO IT'S DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
YOU MADE YOUR STATEMENT FIRST.
IT'S JUST MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
WE JUST GOTTA DO IT PROPERLY BY STATE LAW AND THERE'S A SUFFICIENT HOLDBACK ACCOUNT, UM, IN ORDER TO ALLOCATE THE 150,000 WHILE LEAVING THE RECOMMENDATIONS ALONE.
SO FIRST WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE A TAX AS IT EXISTS AND WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE, A TAX COMMITTEE COMMITTEE.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT ON THE FLOOR OF COUNCIL SO THAT SOMEBODY CAN THEN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO THAT'S APPROVAL OF THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE.
IT'S GETTING THE, IT'S GETTING
[01:40:01]
THE, IT'S REVERSING, UH, DECISION OF DECEMBER AND IT'S PUTTING ON THE TABLE, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE.AND IF COUNSEL VOTES TO DO THAT, THEN YOU GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO WE IT'S DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE? SEEING NONE, WILL, YOU'RE GONNA VOTE? NO, NO.
I'M GONNA VOTE YES ON THIS MOTION.
DO WE APPROVE THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS? YES.
ANYONE ELSE WANT, SORRY, REESE, MAKE THIS A NO.
DISCUSSION IS ENDED AND THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION.
NOW, MS. TABER, MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE AT TAX FUND AS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RE, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS.
SO THAT'S THAT BIG SHEET WE ALL GOT? YES.
UH, TAB, YOU MADE THE MOTION SO YOU GET TO SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT FIRST BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY 6 42.
ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE? IF YOU GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THE FINANCE SPECIAL MEETING, YOU'LL HEAR MY OPINIONS ON STATE AT TAX FUNDS AND I PUT IT ON HERE SO EVERYONE COULD WEIGH IN, BUT MY, I WILL VOTE AGAINST THIS MOVEMENT.
UM, DOES THIS, UM, CANCEL THE OBLIGATION WE MADE TO PROVIDE $150,000 TO WORKFORCE HOUSING? NO.
THAT'S COMING AS 15 A? YEAH, THAT'S COMING AS 15 A.
SO WE'RE FULLY FUNDING THE RECOMMENDATION ALLOCATED.
WE'RE FULLY RE WE'RE FULLY FUNDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE.
BUT WE ALSO ARE MAKING A MOTION THEREAFTER TO FUND THE WORKFORCE HOUSING AT THAT AMOUNT THAT WE REQUESTED ON DECEMBER 11TH.
WHEN THE COMMITTEE MADE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, WERE THEY, UM, FULLY, WERE, WERE THERE ONLY THREE MEMBERS OF IT AT THE TIME WHEN THEY MADE THE RECOMMENDATION? THERE WERE, THERE'S FIVE MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE IN DECEMBER.
WE JUST APPROVED NEW, BUT ONLY FOUR WERE THERE TO INTERVIEW THE APPLICANTS AND REVIEW IT.
AND SIX OF THE GRANTS, ONLY THREE PEOPLE VOTED.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT'S SAYING IT'S ALL IN THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS.
WELL, I MEAN, I'M, I'M JUST ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC.
YEAH, I READ MY OTHER QUESTION IS IF, IF WE VOTE NO, THEN IT, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP IF WE'VE GO NOT TO APPROVE ANY OF THIS, LIKE ANYTHING ELSE? IT WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE COMMITTEE TO START ALL OVER.
IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS I NEED TO ANSWER TO, BUT I WANTED EVERYBODY NO, NO, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
UM, WOULD YOU CALL THE, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY.
WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE PLEASE? COUNCIL MEMBER TABER? UH, YES.
I WAS DISTRACTED BY MR. LOGAN.
DON'T PUT YOUR CONFUSION ON ME.
THE REST OF THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE BY TITLE ONLY.
A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING 15% OF STATE AT TAX FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY THE STATE ATEX COMMITTEE AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS.
[01:45:01]
I, I CHANGED IT FROM THE 150,000 TO 15% BECAUSE, UM, CHRISTINE WEBER, WHO IS HERE, WE MAY END UP WITH 1.5 MILLION IN STATE A TAX FUNDS.AND BY LAW WE'RE ALLOWED TO SET ASIDE 15%.
SO WE'LL BE MORE THAN $150,000.
BUT THE ACCOUNTING DIVISION SUGGESTION IS WE WAIT TO MAKE THAT ALLOCATION UNTIL ALL OUR STATE A TAX FUNDS ARE RECEIVED.
MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU WERE SECOND? I'M GOOD MR. CHAIRMAN.
I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH TODAY.
MS. HOWARD
STATE LAW, DOES IT SAY AFFORDABLE OR WORKFORCE? OH, SO THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT EXPENDING ANY OF IT UNTIL EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAY, LAW.
YOU GOTTA DO YOUR IMPACT STUDY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HAVE A QUESTION.
MR. MCCULLEN, IT, THIS 50 15% IS APPROVED.
WILL THAT REDUCE THE AMOUNTS THAT WERE GRANTED BY THE COMMITTEE IN THE PREVIOUS, UM, MOTION? NO.
THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED AT THE MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE FULLY FUNDED AND WE WILL GET 15% OF WHAT AMOUNT, WHATEVER IS LEFT.
WELL, AND IT COULD BE A MILLION AND A HALF, WHATEVER IS LEFT.
WELL, THE COMMITTEE HAD A MILLION DOLLARS TO WORK WITH TO WHAT? YEAH, THE MILLION DOLLARS HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED.
WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WAS COLLECTED.
ONCE WE KNOW HOW MUCH WAS COLLECTED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE 15% OF THAT AMOUNT, WHICH COULD BE MORE THAN $150,000.
IS THAT A FAIR SUMMARIZATION? YES.
WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE CHAIRMAN BEFORE YOU CALL THE ROLE? UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, THE COMMITTEE, THE ATEX COMMITTEE BROUGHT THE FORCE A PROPOSAL, UH, THAT ALLOCATED ABOUT, UM, A MILLION, NO, NOT ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S GONNA MOVE FORWARD, RIGHT? YES.
THIS IS SOMETHING ENTIRELY SEPARATE FROM THAT.
BUT I WANNA SUPPORT MRS. UH, TAB, UH, MOTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
[16. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE PASSIVE PARKS DEPARTMENT BUSINESS USE POLICY, APPLICATION AND FEE SCHEDULE ]
OKAY.I WOULD ASK A MEMBER FOR THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE PASSIVE PARKS DEPARTMENT BUSINESS USE POLICY, APPLICATION AND FEE SCHEDULE.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE SEC SECOND DULY MOTION DIDN'T SECOND IT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? JUST THAT THEY DID A GREAT JOB BRINGING THIS BACK? YEP.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY BROUGHT FORWARD WENT THROUGH COMMITTEE EASILY, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PUBLIC IS HAPPY WITH IT TOO.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UH, TAKING CARE OF THAT FOR US.
AND SECOND, NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[17. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF TAX MAP SERIAL NUMBER TMS R600-021-000-0078-0000 AND ALSO KNOWN AS BARRELL LANDING ORR ]
NUMBER 17, WE'LL ASK FOR A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF TAPS TAX, UH, OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY.BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO READ THE TMS NUMBER KNOWN AS BARREL LANDING OR SO MOVE.
MS. HOWARD MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION DIDN'T.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[18. CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD]
OKAY.[01:50:01]
CITIZENS COMMITTEE.IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I'M COMING FORWARD TONIGHT BECAUSE OVER, OVER THE, OVER THE BREAK, OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO, I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL FUNERALS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
YOUNG BABIES, TEENAGERS, I MEAN, WELL NOT TEENAGERS.
MAYBE SOMEBODY, MAYBE EVEN IN THEIR, MAYBE MAYBE EARLY 19 TEENS AND TWENTIES OR WHATEVER.
BUT, BUT THE POINT IS THIS, I'VE SAT HERE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF, EVERY BIT OF 30 MINUTES TO 15, 20 MINUTES AND I'VE LISTENED TO YOU THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU'VE BEEN SPENDING AND PUTTING IN TO HELP DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE YOUNGER GENERATION BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OUTLETS TO BE ABLE TO BE IN SAFE.
WE, WE HAVE NO MOVIE THEATER ON THE SIDE OF ABROAD.
I MEAN YEAH, YOU, YOU BRINGING PLACES FOR THE, FOR TO EAT.
BUT WHERE, WHERE WILL THESE PE KIDS BE ABLE TO GO IN THIS COMMUNITY OR YOUNGER OR YOUNGER GENERATION AND BE ABLE TO BE, FEEL, UH, SAFE AND WHEN WILL THE COUNCIL STOP FOCUSING ON THAT? BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THAT.
AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ASKED ME THAT.
AND, AND IF FOR, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME, KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I FOCUS ON.
I BELIEVE IN THE YOUNG COMMUNITY HERE.
WE'RE GOOD FOR THE RETIREMENT MONEY.
WE'RE GOOD FOR, FOR CERTAIN AREAS.
UH, FOR, FOR, FOR THE, UH, THE PLANES THAT COME AND MAKE ALL THAT NOISE.
WE GOOD FOR THAT KIND OF STUFF.
BUT I'D BE DAGON IF WE, IF WE CAN SIT HERE AND FOR, KEEP FORGETTING ABOUT THE YOUNG COMMUNITY WHO LIVE HERE BECAUSE ONE DAY OR ANOTHER ONE IS ONE DAY SOON AND VERY SOON THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE, SHALL BE REPLACING Y'ALL SEATS.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THOSE PLACES.
I MEAN THAT PART THAT Y'ALL, THAT Y'ALL JUST BUILT OVER, OVER, OVER HERE.
WE AIN'T TALKING ABOUT THAT NO MORE.
IMAGINE IF WE TOOK 500,000 THOUSAND THOSE DOLLARS AND, AND PROVIDED SOMETHING FOR THE, FOR THE YOUNG COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE THE FUNERALS AIN'T STOPPING.
AND AND I, AND I HATE TO SAY IT, I DON'T SEE MANY OF YOU THERE.
THEY AFFECT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I'M LOOKING, I'M LOOKING FOR COUNTY COUNCIL ONCE AGAIN TO COME FORTH WITH SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY FOCUSING DRIVEN ON THE YOUTH IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, AND MAKE IT CLEAR.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU'RE, THAT YOU ARE MAKING THE FUNERALS AND YOU'RE MAKING US GO.
BUT WE ALL PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN HOW OUR COMMUNITY MOVES AND HOW WE SCRIBE POINT BLANK.
AND A LOT OF IT START WITH THIS COUNCIL.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU, TO SOME FROM YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE ADJOURN? SEE NO FURTHER ACTION TO COME BEFORE WE ARE ADJOURNED.