9. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BEAUFORT COUNTY BUDGET ORDINANCE 2023/22 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 TO APPROPRIATE AND TRANSFER $250,000 FROM FUND BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND TO THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND (2546) TO COVER UNBUDGETED COSTS FOR THE DAUFUSKIE ISLAND FERRY OPERATIONS; TO INCLUDE THREE (3) SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS’ County Council Agenda – Beaufort County, SC BUDGETS (FUNDS 2230, 2252, AND 2255) IN AN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF $402,918 WHICH WERE CONVERTED TO THE GENERAL FUND DURING THE CHART OF ACCOUNTS CONVERSION PROCESS; TOTAL AMENDMENT OF BUDGET ORDINANCE 2023/22 IS $652,918 (FISCAL IMPACT: An increase in the County’s operating budget of $652,918) - Denise Christmas, CFO

[9. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BEAUFORT COUNTY BUDGET ORDINANCE 2023/22 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 TO APPROPRIATE AND TRANSFER $250,000 FROM FUND BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND TO THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND (2546) TO COVER UNBUDGETED COSTS FOR THE DAUFUSKIE ISLAND FERRY OPERATIONS; TO INCLUDE THREE (3) SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS’ County Council Agenda – Beaufort County, SC BUDGETS (FUNDS 2230, 2252, AND 2255) IN AN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF $402,918 WHICH WERE CONVERTED TO THE GENERAL FUND DURING THE CHART OF ACCOUNTS CONVERSION PROCESS; TOTAL AMENDMENT OF BUDGET ORDINANCE 2023/22 IS $652,918 (FISCAL IMPACT: An increase in the County’s operating budget of $652,918) - Denise Christmas, CFO]

NINE ON OUR AGENDA AND NUMBER NINE AND THIS IS RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BEAUFORT COUNTY BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR 2023 2223 TO 24 TO APPROPRIATE AND TRANSFER 250,000 FROM FUND BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND. YES.

SO THIS CHRISTMAS YOU'RE UP AGAIN. YOU CAN JUST ENLIGHTEN US ON THAT. YES. SO SURE SO BACK IN JANUARY WAS IT JANUARY YOU REMEMBER WE BROUGHT FORWARD WE HAD ON OUR COUNCIL AGENDA AN ITEM WHERE COUNCIL APPROVED USE OF $250,000 FOR THE FIRST AREA OPERATIONS FROM GENERAL FUNDS ON BALANCE. SO IS THE ORDINANCE AMENDING OUR BUDGET ORDINANCE AND IN ADDITION TO THE HUNDRED AND $50,000 FOR THE VERY OPERATIONS IN THE IN THE MIDST OF US CONVERTING OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS CHRISTINE AND I WE DISCOVER THAT THERE WERE THREE FUNDS THAT WERE CLASSIFIED AS SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED UNDER OUR GENERAL FUND. SO WE TOOK THOSE THREE FUNDS AND ROLLED THEM INTO THE GENERAL FUND, CONVERTED THEM TO GENERAL FUND ACCOUNTS AND THOSE FUNDS ARE SPELLED OUT IN THIS ORDINANCE TO BE TRANSPARENT. SO IN 30, 22, 52 AND 2255, TWO OF THESE FUNDS WERE DONATIONS ACCOUNTS THAT HAD BEEN KEPT SEPARATE AS SPECIAL REVENUE FOR YEARS AND THAT WAS WRONG. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER THE GENERAL AND THE OTHER FUND WAS ALSO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FOR THE SHERIFF AND AFTER MEETING AND TALKING WITH THAT WITH THEIR STAFF THEY AGREED THAT IT SHOULD BE GENERAL FUND AND KEPT SEPARATE WITH THE PROJECT CODE SO FUNDS CAN BE SEPARATED JUST FOR THEIR USE ONLY AND WE'VE DONE THAT FOR THEM AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY PURCHASING SOME CAPITAL ITEMS FROM FROM THOSE FUNDS THAT WERE LEFT OVER . SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE AMENDMENT WILL $652,918 THAT WILL INCREASE THE GENERAL FUNDS BUDGET IN REVENUE AND IN THE LINE ITEM.

SO IT'S BALANCED AND WE'VE DONE THAT ADJUSTMENT AND WE ARE WAITING TO POST UPON YOUR APPROVAL ALL RIGHT SO THIS WOULD BE A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT WE WOULD MOVE ON TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR A READING AT THE MARCH 11TH COUNCIL MEETING. IS THERE ANY FOR MISS CHRISTMAS ON THIS MATTER? DO I HAVE A MOTION IF I MAY, YES.

BUT IN AFTER THOSE 24 HOUR LONG TRANSFER WHAT WOULD BE THE BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND? IT STILL MEETS OUR REQUIREMENT OUR VOTE BALANCE POLICY RECORD THERE.

BUT I WILL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS THIS IS OVER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IF I CAN THEN HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL, SOME OF THE INCENTIVES ARE SECOND AND SECOND. THANK YOU MR. ABBOTT.

AND IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO US MOVING FORWARD SEEING NO OBJECTION THIS WILL THEN MOVE TO COUNCIL FOR A FIRST READING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MISS CHRISTMAS.

[10. PRESENTATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S FY25 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PLAN (FISCAL IMPACT: BCEDC is asking the council to consider creating a revolving fund of $19,070,000 to seize short, medium, and long-term development opportunities. The funds would reside with the county and will be requested for specific acquisitions and infrastructure build out as the opportunities arise. Proceeds realized from the sales will replenish this fund) - John O'Toole, Executive Director, Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation]

ALL RIGHT, MOVE ON THEN TO NUMBER TEN ON VISION OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND MR. O'TOOLE AND IMPACT FOR COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ASKING THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER CREATING A REVOLVING FUND OF $19,070,000 TO SEIZE SHORT AND LONG TERM

[00:15:04]

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THE FUNDS WOULD RESIDE THE COUNTY AND BE REQUESTED FOR SPECIFIC ACQUISITIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDOUT AS THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES AND O'TOOLE, THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN, COUNCIL MEMBERS IT'S A PLEASURE TO WITH YOU TODAY SARA THANKS.

FORGET MY PRESENTATION UP ON SHORT NOTICE MY BED BUT THANK YOU.

LAST YEAR AT YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED WELL WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE THE BIG ASKS? SO IT'S HERE TODAY AND I'LL JUST GO OVER OUR THOUGHTS ON ON PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WE'RE LOOKING FOR $19 MILLION 70,000 AND WE HAVE A PLAN INCLUDES SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS MEDIUM TERM AND LONG TERM INVESTMENTS AS WE CAN SEE AT THE BEAUFORT COMMERCE PARK AND I'LL BE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TOMORROW ON THAT THEY BOUGHT THAT LAND FOR $11,000 AN ACRE AND TODAY WE SELL IT FOR $40,000 AN ACRE SO WE COULD EXPECT TO EXTENT MAYBE NOT YOUR ENGINEERING AND LEGAL COSTS TO BE REPLENISHED BUT THE SALE OF THE LAND, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WOULD MAKE ON LAND AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SITES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT COULD BE ASSEMBLED NOW AS WE LOOK AT THE OVERVIEW OF OUR PRODUCT PLAN, YOU KNOW WE'VE CONSISTENTLY ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY GOOD PUBLIC POLICY HAVING SIX STRONG SPOKES AND OBVIOUSLY LAST YEAR THE RESIDENTS SPOKE VERY LOUDLY ON ENVIRONMENT THE OR TWO YEARS AGO LAST YEAR THE RESIDENTS EDUCATION VERY STRONGLY BUT YOU CAN'T JUST A GOOD WHEEL WITH ONLY TWO STRONG SPOKES AND THINK THERE'S REASON TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ECONOMIC FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND THIS GROUP BEFORE QUOTE MY SON INTRODUCED ME TO THAT IT WAS WISE MEN PLANT TREES WHO SHADE THEY'LL NEVER SIT UNDER AND THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT I'M SUGGESTING TODAY FOR THE BENEFIT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS WORKFORCE HOUSING AND WORKFORCE TRAINING AND THEN TRANSPORTATION BEING THE OTHER IMPORTANT SPOKES AS WE LOOK AT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SAY OH THAT'S A WONDERFUL SITE SOMETIMES YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT IT IN THE NATIONAL SENSE. PEOPLE TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PERHAPS BIASED HAVING WORKED 18 YEARS IN THE ELECTRIC AND GAS INDUSTRY, I THINK THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF LAND AND THEN THE COST TO DEVELOP DEVELOPING PRODUCT YOU REALLY WANT TO BE WHERE THE THAT NEXUS OF ELECTRIC GAS COMMUNICATION LINES TRANSPORTATION AND WHERE IT FITS WELL WITH ZONING AND AS YOU KNOW IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WHEN WE ARE WORKING AT ODDS WHAT THE RESIDENTS EXPECT OR WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE IT'S A LOT OF A LOT OF WASTED TIME SO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IS IN WITH WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS AND AND TO DATE I THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF BRAGGING AND I SHOULD INTRODUCE MY NEW COLLEAGUE THAT'S KELLY BRUNSON BACK THERE. WE'RE NOT TO MISS A BEAT WITH KELLY.

SHE'S SHARP AS A TACK SO WE'RE REALLY LUCKY THERE. BUT TO DATE WE'VE DONE 65 PROJECTS HAVEN'T BEEN OUT OF STEP WITH THE NOT MY BACKYARD GROUP OR AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP YET WE A PROJECT UP AND BENTSEN AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT IT'S AN AIRPORT PROJECT OUT AT HILTON HEAD AND WE MET WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THAT ARE AFFECTED BY IT AT PALMETTO HALL AND PORT ROYAL PLANTATION AND AND BY WORKING SLOWLY AND IN SYNC WITH THE COMMUNITY WE CAN DO THAT FIT IN WELL AND DON'T REALLY UPSET THAT THAT THAT SPOKE I ALWAYS PUT AT 12:00 WHICH IS THE ENVIRONMENT AND SO AS YOU LOOK AT LAND IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE REGION OBVIOUSLY WITH OUR OWN GREEN AND STATE LAND BANK'S EFFORTS THE OPEN LAND TRUST COASTAL CONSERVATION ALL THE GROUPS CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

THERE'S LESS LAND, IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE A SCARCE COMMODITY. SO YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SOME AS I HOPE YOU WILL AGREE THAT AS A COMMUNITY WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME EFFORTS TO PRESERVE SPACES AND ADD TO THAT IF YOU LOOK AT AND I JUST PULLED THIS OFF THE INTERNET LAST NIGHT BUT YOU LOOK AT THE DOLLARS THAT A HOMEBUILDER CAN MAKE IF YOU LOOK AT IN 2019 WE WERE AT THE MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE IN THIS COUNTY ACCORDING TO REDFIN WAS 375 AND NOW IT'S JUST UNDER 600

[00:20:08]

K HOMEBUILDERS PEOPLE WHO WHO BUSINESS IT IS TO MAKE A PROFIT BUILDING HOUSES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE SO YOU'VE GOT THAT CRUNCH COMING IN FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS YOU HAVE THE DEVELOPERS AND SO I THINK IT IS A CRITICAL TIME HAVING GIVEN THE THOUGHT THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THIS OVER SIX YEARS TO MOVE FORWARD IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY AND SO THE WAY THAT WE SEE IT AND I DON'T WANT TO SPELL OUT ALL THE DECISIONS THAT WOULD BE SHORT TERM ACQUISITIONS MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT THOUGH UP IN UP IN GMC.

THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A TRUE MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK AT THE GO WE'VE BEEN TELLING THE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A RESPONSE BY BEAUFORT COUNTY SO TIME TO DO SOMETHING THERE AND THERE'LL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT.

THE CAMP THAT IS BUILDING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE I THINK THAT IF YOU IF YOU ENTERTAIN A PLAN LIKE THIS AND YOUR QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU PAY FOR IT AND THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S FOR YOU TO DECIDE AND STAFF TO DECIDE BUT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A POOL FUNDS SO THAT YOU COULD PRESERVE LAND THAT TODAY YOU THINK MAKES AND THEN AS WE GO THROUGH ASSET I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN IN TOTAL ANY TRANSPARENCY LETTING THE COMMUNITY SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HAVING THAT BUY IN AND THEN IF WE MOVE ON ANY PROPERTIES THEY WOULD ALL COME BACK TO COUNCIL THE FUNDS WOULD ACTUALLY RESIDE WITH THE COUNTY AND I THINK WE COULD DO SOME GREAT THINGS WE OF HAVE A PROCESS OF OF HOW HOW WE THINK THAT WOULD UNFOLD WITH THE SOME OF THE SITES ARE MENTIONED THERE AND HOW WE COULD GO ABOUT IT SOME OF THEM ARE COMPLICATED WITH BIKO BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE IT'S A BROWNFIELD I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS TO DO SOMETHING AND AND AGAIN WE'VE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL IN PARTICULAR COASTAL CONSERVATION AND THE OPEN LAND TRUST BUT THAT'S AN AREA FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SHOULD BE DONE THERE SOONER THAN LATER. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEYS AND COUNTY STAFF TO GO THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY CLEANUP CONTRACTS SO WE LEAVE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES IN PLACE TO CLEAN UP THOSE BUT THEY'RE NOT ONLY WOULD WE BE USING RESOURCES BUT WE WOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THE NATION TO LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDS AND THAT WOULD BE OUR OUR FRIENDS AT THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE OR THE UTILITY TAX CREDITS DOMINION PALMETTO ELECTRIC CAR GREAT HAVE ALL BEEN GREAT PARTNERS SO I DO THINK WE HAVE A A PLAN AT THIS POINT I ALL THIS ISN'T MY BUT THEY SAY TO THOSE WHO MUCH IS GIVEN MUCH EXPECTED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID WELL WHY HAVE WHY DIDN'T DO THIS FIVE YEARS AGO I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT WHEN HAVE A DEMONSTRATED A PROCESS AND RESULTS AND THEN YOU MARKET AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK AT THIS JUNCTURE IT'S IT'S KIND OF CRITICAL AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE UP IN THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COUNTY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ACROSS JASPER HAMPTON BEAUFORT COUNTY TO PRESERVE AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE NET NUMBER BUT BETTER THAN 29 ACRES OF WHICH 500 WOULD BE CARVED OUT FOR THIS MULTI THE DIFFERENCE OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY VERSUS 2014 ONE OF MY MENTORS USED TO SAY POWER WHAT YOU EXERT LESS RESISTANCE I THINK WE HAVE LESS RESISTANCE BECAUSE WE'RE IN STEP WITH THE CRITICAL AND SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT I DON'T KNOW WHAT DO YOU GUYS WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING MY I'M LIKE I'M WONDERING IF I HAD AN ANGEL MY SHOULDER OR WHAT OKAY THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE SAYING OKAY VERY GOOD. I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR A SHORT WHILE. RIGHT SARAH OKAY. WELL ANY QUESTIONS WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. YEAH, SORRY AND I GET ALL THE OTHER ACRONYMS BUT THE COG IS THAT THAT'S A COG UP IN THE UPSTATE THAT ACTUALLY ADMINISTERS AND WORKS WITH OUR OWN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT TO ADMINISTER BROWNFIELD CLEANUP FUNDS.

OKAY YEAH THAT WAS MY CONFUSION BECAUSE I KNEW THEY WEREN'T HERE EXACTLY.

YEAH. SO THEY WORK WITH THE LOCAL LOCAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS BUT THEY THEY HAVE A YEAH THEY AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FUND WHICH YOU BAR AND OKAY YEAH ALL

[00:25:06]

ALL THE BROWNFIELD PROJECTS COME THROUGH ON TOP OF COG AND THEN I'LL CALL ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AND WE'VE GOT THEM FOR A LITTLE BIT. NO WE HAVEN'T WORKED TO APPLY THEY'VE BEEN THEY TO APPLY SO OKAY I KNOW WHO WOULD DO THAT APPLICATION.

WE'D WORK WITH HANK EDMONDSON ON THAT. OKAY YEAH I WILL SAY AND YOU KNOW I'M NOT OR PUTTING MORE WORK ON HANK BUT WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY SO HANK CAN LEAN ON US AND WE CAN LEAN ON THE IT'S A NICE TIME I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AHEAD TOLL YOU HAVE ON YOUR WEB SITE OFFICE SITE FOR SALE 4810 BLUFFTON PARKWAY BLUFFTON WAS THAT ONE OF YOUR PROJECTS? WHICH ONE IS THAT? OFFICE PADS? NO, THAT WOULD BE DR. PATEL.

HE'S GOT A MEDICAL CENTER THERE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE COUNTY BUILDING.

OKAY. SO I'M THINKING THE WRONG PLACE DID.

YOU DEVELOP THE PLACE BEHIND THE AUSTIN COUNTY BUILDING. WE DID NOT BUT WE WORKED WITH COUNTY COUNCIL TO HAVE TIM DOLNICK DEVELOP THAT OH SO THAT WAS ON VIEW FOR COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. YOU SAY IT IS BECAUSE WE HAD THE COUNTY HAD SOME AND WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT BUT WE HAD $577,000 OF UTILITY TAX CREDITS SITTING WITH THE ON THAT THE BOUGHT THROUGH UTILITY TAX CREDITS AND COUNTY FUNDS AND SO WE WERE UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE UTILITIES TO EITHER DEVELOP IT OR RETURN TO THE UTILITY TAX CREDIT IT SO A PROCESS IN PROCESS BUT I THINK IN RETROSPECT THE OUTCOME THE BUILDING IS GORGEOUS THE DEVELOPMENT IS BUT A BIG BELIEVER WHERE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN DO THINGS WE CAN DO IT BUT I WENT BY THERE YESTERDAY A BUNCH OF OFFICES THAT PEOPLE ARE LEASING OR BUYING OR WHATEVER I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE THEY'RE THERE.

THEY WERE TO CREATE 85 JOBS THEY MET THAT SO THERE WERE THEN THERE MIGHT BE 160 JOBS THERE AND THE THERE WAS $10 MILLION. SO WE THINK AND AND BY ALL ALL DEFINITIONS OF ECONOMIC THE JOB CREATION AND THE INVESTMENT ARE ECONOMIC.

OKAY. SO SO EVERY COMPANY THAT SPACE IN THAT AND THAT AND THERE'S BUILDINGS THERE'S TWO OF THEM RIGHT THEY ARE ACQUIRED OR WERE REQUIRED TO CREATE 85 JOBS EACH WE HELP TO DEVELOP OR TWO THAT WE HAD A LETTER A CREDIT HERE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YES BECAUSE THERE IS A PAINTING COMPANY AND A BUILDING COMPANY SO THEY ARE OH OKAY.

INTERESTING. I HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS. SO THIS MONEY WELL SOME OF IT TO BE BOUGHT TO BUY LAND WAS ALSO YES WHY WHY YEAH BECAUSE THE COUNTY IT WOULD BE CHEAPER FOR TO MY MY OPINION IT WOULD BE FOR THE TAXPAYER IF WE WERE TO EXPLORE THE LAND THE COUNTY ALREADY OWNS SO WHY BAUM WHY BUILD OR BUY MORE LAND A LOT OF THE LAND THAT WE'VE ASKED THE PLANNING TO LOOK AT THAT FOR EITHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR WORK THAT WAS OR WAS SEEN AS SURPLUS I BELIEVE OVER THE SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE THE COUNTY HAS HAS SOLD BUT NOT NOT TO THE SCALE. I MEAN ONE TRACT WE'RE LOOKING AT 500 ACRES ANOTHER TRACK WOULD DELIVER 70 ACRES FOR DIVERSE OF IF YOU LEAVE BEAUFORT COUNTY TO ITSELF AND LET THE PRIVATE SECTOR DO IT. SO IF YOU DO THAT YOU WOULD YOU WOULD PROBABLY END UP WITH A LOT OF I WON'T PICK ON ANY NAME BRANDS BUT YOU'D PROBABLY END UP WITH A LOT OF ANYWHERE RETAIL THAT YOU SEE YOU KNOW LONG ISLAND OR ON THE STRETCH LEADING INTO DALLAS WE DO THINK WE HAVE A SPECIAL IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THOUGHT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE FOLKS WHO BROUGHT ME IN SET UP THIS ORGANIZATION THAT YOU HAVE BLUE CHIP INDUSTRY $2.5 BILLION, RIGHT? 2.6 YOU HAVE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM BUT. YOU REALLY ONLY HAVE TWO TWO LEGS ON THE STORE. SO IF WORKED NOW YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO JUST HAVE TWO STOCKS.

[00:30:04]

YOU'D WANT TO HAVE A DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO SO THERE AND THAT THE MAYORS AT TIME AND THE COUNTY GOT TOGETHER TO FORM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS TO DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMY AND THEN BACK TO THE MYRTLE PARK DEVELOPMENT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NEAR THE COUNTY BUILDING IN BLUFFTON THERE ARE THESE JOBS THAT ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF OUR INDUSTRY THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A PLACE OPERATE FROM OTHER THAN IN CALL IT TEN OR THE FURTHER REACHES OF JASPER COUNTY IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE FOR OUR WORKERS TO LEAVE THERE. HOW THE WOULD STORE ON YOUR ROADS PEOPLE HEADED TO SAVANNAH WHEREVER RIGHT SO WHY NOT HAVE THE COMPANIES THAT MOVE HERE FINE BY THEIR OWN LAND? BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA OF BETTER FOR COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP TO BUY AND SELL IT TO THEM? IS THAT THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT? YES. OKAY.

BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR AND IF YOU JUST TAKE SOME PROJECTS BUBBLE THROUGH YOUR FREE COUNTY IN THE LAST THREE YEARS IF YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY HERE'S AN ENGINEER AND THEN GET A LOT OF MONEY. AND THE MORE THAT HAPPENS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE OFF OUR BRAND IS AND THEN WHEN YOU THINK OF THE DELICATE OF LAND IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WE SHOULD BE VERY WHERE WE WANT TO SEE INDUSTRY BE DISTURBED WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THE DELICATE OF THE GOVERNMENT HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SO BELIEVE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHERE WE EXPECT TO SEE DEVELOPMENT AND THAT'S WHY YOU GET IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND DO EVERY CAR HEALTH CARE WHICH WAS CARE OF CORE NATIONAL WHEN I WENT THERE IN 2014 PART OF THAT DON RYAN WHO BROUGHT THE COMPANY IN FROM NEW YORK AND COLORADO HE WAS ON A FAST TRACK TO BUILD THAT COMPANY AND HE WAS REQUIRED AT THE TIME THIS IS AND YEARS AGO SAYING YOU HAD TO HAVE JOBS IN $50 WORKED OUT WELL AND IT STILL DOES BECAUSE NOW CIGNA CAME DOWN AND PURCHASED IT. YOU'RE YOU KNOW CIGNA WELL BECAUSE YOU'RE FROM CONNECTICUT . SO WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM OTHER PEOPLE AT, SOMEONE THAT I USED AND EVERY IT TOOK HIM THREE YEARS SO THE PROCESS THE ZONING PROCESS IS IS IT'S A HUGE HURDLE AND NEEDS TO BE THERE'S HE SAID THERE NEEDS TO BE THE RULES NEED TO BE CHANGED REGARDING THE ZONING BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THREE YEARS WHEN DON RYAN CAME DOWN HERE LIKE THAT CREATED A COMPANY WITH GREAT PAIN AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO AS WELL MYSELF BUT THE ZONING ZONING RULES WELL I WILL TELL YOU LAST WEEK AND AND KELLY YOU'LL HAVE MY NET A DEFENSE CONTRACTOR SITE THEY'RE AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE THEIR WEB SITE BEAUFORT DOWN WITH MERCHANT AND AND HILLARY FROM HIS STAFF AND WE HAD A VERY MEETING WHERE THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL THE YOU KNOW WHAT WE FIND SOMETIMES IS PEOPLE WILL SUBMIT THEY'LL SAY OH THE PLANNING STAFF IS AND WENT TO IT AND THAT ACTUALLY COMPLETED APPLICATION. TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY SAY THAT THE GENTLEMAN TIM WHO WE BROUGHT IN TO MEET WITH THE PLANNING STAFF ALL YOU CAN IS SIMPLE, SWIFT AND CERTAIN AND I THINK THE STAFF LIVED UP TO THAT IN THE MEETING HE WANTED TO BUILD 45 AND THEY SAID WELL YOU PROBABLY CAN GET TO 25 LIKE HE FOUGHT THAT PROPERTY, HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S UP AGAINST.

SO I THERE IS A HEALTHY PROCESS IT'S PEOPLE TRY TO STRETCH THE ZONING RULES THAT IT SOMETIMES GETS AND COME AND THAT'S AGAIN WHY WITH INDUSTRY REALLY WANT TO GET AHEAD OF IT TODAY TODAY WE ENTER A WELL WE WENT THROUGH SEVEN PROPOSALS FROM ENGINEERING FIRMS BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE THEM TEED UP TO START PROJECTS AS THEY ARISE SO DO YOU.

OUR WORKERS ARE NOT ECONOMIC IN SOME PART THE TARGET ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IF WE'RE IN A RURAL

[00:35:06]

COMMUNITY BE A SELF-STORAGE GAS STATION. I I I'M AMAZED AT HOW MANY GAS STATIONS ARE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE FOCUS ON.

SO THIS MONEY WILL BE USED FOR BUYING LAND AND WHAT ELSE BUILDING OUT THE DESIGNING THE MASTER PLANNING THE LAND BUILDING OUT IN PLANNING OH MASTER PLANNING BUILDING IT OKAY BUILDING THE BUILDING LIKE NO NO NO NO BUILDING THE BUILDING NOW FOR INSTANCE UP IN GMAC WE UTILITIES ARE IN GAS WATER SEWER ELECTRIC AND THERE COULD BE SOME BUILD OUT THERE IT COULD BE ROADS, CURB CUTS AND THINGS OR NOT WE DON'T BUILT THERE HAVE BEEN CASES WHERE WE AS AN INCENTIVE TO GET A FOUNDATION BRING IN THE RIGHT QUALITY DIRT AND THE COMPACTION SO WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF DIRT? YES NO I DON'T I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. I WILL DO THAT. SO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WE GOT A PAD BUILT IN THE COMMERCE JUST IN 33 TO GET HAVING MEETINGS WITH A COMPANY THAT PLANS TO INVEST $35 MILLION ON THAT AND A NEXT NINE MONTHS. SO THEY WANT TO BE OPERATIONAL AT 28. THAT'S WHERE ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN AND NOW THE COMPANY SEE THEM GETTING IT OPEN ON TIME OKAY. AND THEN ONE MORE QUESTION YOU JUST MENTIONED 29 ACRES UP AND YOU MUST BE SOMEWHERE 2900 2900.

WHAT DID I SAY? I'M SORRY I YOU SAID 29 OH 2820 900 YEAH SO YOU SAID 500 ACRES IS WHERE INDUSTRIAL PARK WHAT HAPPENS THE ON 2400 IT'LL IT'LL IT'LL BE A A YOU ADD A HABITAT YOU SEE THERE CONSERVED LAND YES YES YES OKAY WHICH I YOU KNOW THIS PROJECT YOU KNOW REALLY COULD BE A NET OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EVEN WORKFORCE HOUSING HOUSING CLOSE TO WHERE THE WORKERS AND IT'S A VERY NEIGHBORLY PROJECT IN THAT WE'RE GOING TO WE WE EXPECT TO PARTICIPATE EQUALLY WITH AND HAMPTON COUNTY MR. GLOVER OH OKAY EVENTUALLY I THINK YOU. MR. O'TOOLE FIRST OF ALL I WILL APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE THE COMING FROM MRS. BROWN BASICALLY EXPLAIN EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW AND I DO AM WANT TO SAY THAT I DO SUPPORT YOU AND YOU ARE RIGHT NOW AND THEN CONNECT WITH THE GOVERNMENT BEAUFORT COUNTY THE QUESTION I HAVE IS REALLY FINANCIAL QUESTION AND TERMINOLOGY FOR YOU SHORT TERM MEDIUM TERM LONG TERM MEANS WHAT IN YEARS KNOW AND I WANT TO BE INSIST SO I WANT TO BE CONSISTENT SO A SHORT TERM COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN 24 MONTHS. OKAY A MEDIUM TERM WOULD BE 48 MONTHS OR FOUR YEARS AND A LONG TERM WOULD BE SIX YEARS. THANK YOU.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT RALEIGH AND THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE, RIGHT? THAT WAS AN SUCCESS IN 50 YEARS.

YOU IT IT WAS OUT THERE PERCOLATING AND YOU THE LATE NINETIES IT WAS IT BUT IT WAS OUT THERE SINCE YOU KNOW JUST WANT TO SEE THAT AND I'M HOPING WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT THE MESSAGE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT 2000 ACRES OF LAND PRESERVE CONSERVING PRESERVING MOST OF THAT ACREAGE IS TOUGH. I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE THE APPROACH THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO SEE AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE INDUSTRIAL PARK BEING HERE BUT OF WITNESSING I'VE SEEN A SITE IN FLORIDA ON THE WEST COAST WHERE THEY ACTUALLY CONSERVE ALMOST EIGHT AND AND

[00:40:08]

THEN THE DEVELOPMENT CAME FROM THAT IS JUST AN AMAZING SITE TOO I WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE THERE BUT I VISITED IT YEAH WELL I THINK THIS COULD BE NICE AND I THINK WHEN WE START WITH 500 I BELIEVE ONCE WE DO THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN I THINK EVEN MORE OF THAT JUST I THINK I CAN PRONOUNCE THE NAME RIGHT DOWN NEAR THE OAK AND CALICO AND THINGS LIKE THAT I COULD SEE US STAYING EVEN FURTHER AWAY FROM IT THAN PROJECTED AND IT WILL STAY VERY FAR AWAY FROM HAVING IMPACTS ON THE EAST BASIN. DEFINITELY NOT SO GOOD. YEAH IF I MY JOHN AS BEFORE ASKING US TO APPROVE A $19 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTY WE ALL KNOW THAT COUNTY IS GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS AND HAVE THE THE GROWTH BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM AND AT THE LOWER END TAXES AS FAR AS SUPPORTING THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THE COUNTY AND. SO THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CONSERVATION ELEMENT PAYS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHERE I JOHN TO CONSEQUENCE GLOVER POINT JOHN IS AT THE POINT WHERE HE HE HAS DEVELOPED A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OPEN LAND TRUST AND THE WISDOM LAND WHERE THEY ARE WORKING JOINTLY TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT SITES AND THEN A PLAN TO ACTUALLY CONSERVE AND PRESERVE ALSO SET ASIDE SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK I THINK JOHN AND HIS STAFF IS DOING A GOOD JOB AS FAR AS WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PAST AND I THINK WE WE OWE THEM THE SUPPORT TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO DEVELOP PAYING JOBS HERE AND BECAME NOT ONLY FOR THE RESIDENTS LOCAL RESIDENTS BUT FOR THOSE RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO MOVE THE PEOPLE, THE COUNTY AND MAKE THIS A PLACE OF RESIDENCE FOR THE FUTURE AS WELL. SO I SUPPORT YOUR REQUEST.

THANK YOU. I MOVE THOSE THINGS JOE ALL KNOW THIS ONE JUST ONE MORE.

OKAY. MR. O'TOOLE, YOUR PLAN B IF THE COUNCIL DOES NOT APPROVE THIS REPORT WILL CONTINUE TO CHIP AWAY AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE WILL.

WE WILL. I I KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING WON'T BE FUNNY YOU NO.

LOOK HERE WE'LL KEEP WE'LL KEEP CHIPPING AWAY AT IT. YOU KNOW WE HAVE MORE SITES IN THE BEAUFORT COMMERCE PARK BUT LOOKING THE SUCCESS WE'RE HAVING THAT WILL THAT WILL GET EXHAUSTED WE'RE DOING INTERESTING PROJECTS WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SO WE'LL CONTINUE WORK ON ON ON ON PRIVATE PROPERTY BUT SOME OF OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE LAST SPEC IF WE HAVE PRODUCT WE CAN GET GREAT JOBS BEAUFORT COUNTY WE JUST NEED MORE PRODUCT. THANK YOU SO YEAH THERE'S THERE'S A WAY AT YOU KNOW BUT IT'S IT'S A LITTLE INCREMENTAL THEN I THINK YOU KNOW WE COULD IF WE HAD THIS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT TAKING THIS MONEY AND BUYING WILL I RUN BY A CHANCE BECAUSE YOU YOU TALK TO COUNTY STATE AND BLUFFTON STAFF AND FEARS THAT THERE MIGHT BE BLUFFTON IN THE COUNTY WORKING ON IT BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK IT WOULD BE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITE TODAY BUT IF WE HAD THIS FUND AND WHEN THE TWO STAFFS WORK AT IT PORTION OF IT COULD BE AVAILABLE WE'D LOOK AT IT BUT IT MIGHT BE MORE LIKE A CARVE OUT LIKE MYRTLE PARK OR OR THE DEVELOPER IS NOW AND IT OFF OF BUCKWALTER RIGHT NEAR THE POLICE STATION WELL AFTER WHAT BUT I MORE MORE I HEAR ABOUT THIS AND AND THIS NEEDS TO BE THAT MIGHT COST YOU KNOW $6 MILLION OR OR $7 MILLION AND WHAT IS IT FIVE B AND ALL OF THESE OTHER THAT COUNCILMAN GLOVER ASKED ME TO DEFINE SO BUT WE WOULD WANT THESE FUNDS AND AND SEE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT THEM.

THERE'S THE ENTITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES WE WOULD BRING THEM TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL I

[00:45:01]

WAS HOWARD AND THEN I HAD AND I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED THIS QUESTION WHEN I FIRST INITIALLY READ THIS IS LIKE OH MY GOSH $19 MILLION AT ONE BUDGET AND JUST MY BIG QUESTION FOR MR. CHRISTMAS THIS WOULD BE AS IN AS A REQUEST WE WOULDN'T SET UP OR WOULD WE SET $19 MILLION OUT OF THIS COMING UP? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE OUT OF OUR MONEY IS THAT WILL? I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM. YEAH, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN I KNOW THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID THEN. I DON'T KNOW THE OPTION TO ADD IT TO A YOU KNOW WITHIN A PENNY TAX OR I DON'T KNOW THE VEHICLES AVAILABLE TO YOU BUT I'VE I'VE BEEN IN COUNCIL MEETINGS I BELIEVE WHERE COUNCIL FOR RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS SET ASIDE A A A SOURCE OF FUNDS AND THEN AS THEY HAVE PROJECTS THEY BRING THEM TO YOU. YEAH THAT WAS A REFERENDUM. YEAH WHEN I RENT HERE THIS IS NOT A REFERENDUM I DON'T I'M I'M DEFERRING JUST FOR I GOT TO KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT I CAN HEAR MR. HERBERT HONOR OBVIOUSLY POLITIC HIS SPOT WHERE HE ALWAYS SAID SO WHAT'S THE FUNDING SOURCE THAT'S COMING SO THAT'S MY QUESTION TO YOU RIGHT RIGHT BACK RIGHT BACK TO SCHOOL AND MY I'M SORRY YOU KNOW I HAVE A DEFINITION OF THE TIME ONCE RIGHT.

$19 MILLION IS AN OVERALL REQUEST. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE $19 MILLION SET ASIDE RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. BECAUSE AS YOU SAID IN YOUR PRESENTATION IT IS A REVOLVING WHEREBY MONEY CAN GO BACK INTO THAT.

I WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO FOCUS ON YOUR FIRST TWO YEAR SHORT TERM PLAN OF KNOWING ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU COULD BRING TO COUNTY COUNCIL WAS WHAT WE DID AT CONVERGE. YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB OF EXPLAINING THE TARGET ORGANIZATION USE THAT BROAD BASED TERM THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO BRING TO GUILFORD COUNTY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE LAND SURROUNDING COUNTIES SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD THE CAR INDUSTRY. WE'RE GOING TO GO IN OTHER INDUSTRIES BECAUSE WE HAVE SMALLER OF PROPERTY. SO I THINK THAT'S ESSENTIAL FOR YOU TO BRING THAT TO AND THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION OF HOW ARE WE WILLING TO PUT FORWARD FOR A TWO YEAR PLAN TO BE ACCEPTED AND AS WE GO ALONG THAT'S GOING TO BE IN MY VIEW WHAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE $19 MILLION. WE DON'T HAVE $19 MILLION ALTHOUGH IT'S A WONDERFUL PLAN TO GET RIGHT AND THAT'S SO AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE PLAN I MEAN TO TO THE CHAIRMAN'S POINT WE CAN AS THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES PICK THE ONES THAT YOU THINK MAKE SENSE IF YOU IF YOU DON'T ASK YOU DON'T.

SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT. SO OBVIOUSLY YOU COME IN HIGH AND LOOK FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

SO AS WE JUST FOUND OUT FROM EARLIER THAT YOU KNOW, OUR OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS ABOUT 143 MILLION A YEAR. SO LET'S START TALKING ABOUT 19 MILLION.

THAT IS A HUGE, HUGE CHUNK DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY TO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SO AS AS MR. SAID THAT WE'D LOOK AT IT OBVIOUSLY WE WANT YOU TO SUCCEED WE WANT THINGS TO WORK OUT WELL AND WE DO WANT TO FUND YOU. BUT AGAIN, IT'S GOT TO BE A REALISTIC AMOUNT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. SO OBVIOUSLY WE JUST CAN'T FOR TOO TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND ASK FOR 19.5 MILLION. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF ON ON WHAT OUR NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I WE HAVE TO PART OF WHICH COULD BE FUNDED BY US THROUGH THE FIRST TWO YEARS OR SOME OF IT AND ANY OTHER MONEYS OUT THERE THAT MATCHING FUNDS THINGS LIKE THAT WHATEVER WE PUT OUT THERE. SO AGAIN YOU GET US AS ORGANIZATIONS OR REVENUE SOURCES YOU HAVE TO BESIDES JUST YOU KNOW SAYING WE NEED 19.5 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY ITSELF FOR A FOR A FIVE YEAR PROJECT BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WOULD BE THE LARGER BUCKET THAT WE COULD GO TO AND THEN SCA WHICH HAS OUR PROVISO MONEY EACH YEAR WE CAN PORTION OF THE AS WELL TO THE CHAIRMAN'S POINT YOU HAVE THE SITE AND JOBS FUND SO IF ANY PORTION OF THAT COULD WE'RE NOT LOOKING ASKING FOR AN INCREASE

[00:50:02]

IN OPERATIONS BUDGET THE NEXT ARE WE NOT LOOKING AT AN INCREASE IN THE SITE FUNDS BUDGET BUT IT IS I I DIDN'T KNOW HOW YOU WERE GOING TO FUND THIS BUT SOME WHATEVER YOU FUND COULD GO INTO THAT AND THEN WE COULD BRING THE PURCHASES WHEN WE BUY LAND OWNED BY YOU YOU KNOW THE CORPORATION DOESN'T OWN PROPERTY SO I WOULD THINK YOU DID THROUGH THE JOB SOME PORTION OF THE PLAN AND WE COULD PROBABLY LOOK AT CONTACTING THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO SEE WHAT PORTION OF OUR SHORT TERM PLAN AND THIS GENTLEMAN GETS GOOD OUT OF THE 93 WHICH IS TWO YEARS WOULD THE UMC PROJECT BE A PART OF THAT OR IS THAT UMC PROJECT IN THE LONG TERM AND DO YOU THINK IT'S PROBABLY IT'S PROBABLY IN THE NEAR TERM IF WE'RE GOING TO SEIZE THAT PUNITIVELY GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT IN THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS OR IT'LL PASS, THE CHAIRMAN SAID IF YOU WOULD GIVE US A NEAR-TERM INCLUDE THE SITES SORT OF PROJECTS THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE IN THERE YOU KNOW THAT GIVE US SOMETHING TO CHEW ON.

OKAY. YOU KNOW, I YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WHAT SCA IS DOING IN THAT AREA WITH WITH JOHN.

RIGHT. THE BINGO SITE GOES I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS WE LEARN THE FOR US TO DO THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING A WHILE AGO SO WE NEED TO MOVE ON THINGS BECAUSE TIMING IS EVERYTHING IN LIFE THINGS ARE CHANGING AND I WILL TELL YOU THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT'S GOING TO COME IS I-95 AS IT BEGINS TO BE WIDENED. ALL OF THAT LAND ALONG I-95 IS RIGHT FOR DEVELOPMENT.

I FROM TODAY OH ASKED IF YOU WOULD YOU KNOW TO DIRECT STAFF WORK WITH MR. O'TOOLE TO COME BACK WITH SOME KIND OF PROPOSAL AND A FUNDING SOURCE FOR US JUST KIND OF NIBBLE ON THE MOVING FORWARD STUFF. I'M LIKE MR. CHAIRMAN THERE SOME I'M REALLY SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING IN THERE FOR THEM TO BUILD AND I THINK THE AREA THAT HE'S TARGETING IS WHERE WANT TO PLANT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE A NUMBER TAX SO I'M TO MOVE FORWARD WE HAVE MR. GLOVER ASSISTED BEFORE BUT THAT'S NOT AN ACTION TO MOVE IT TO. ALSO WE'RE GIVING DIRECT TO STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD. YES MISS CHRISTMAS MR. WHO IS CORPORATION IS 5A13 YES IT IS IT IS HAVE HAS THE 523 EVER PURCHASED PROPERTY IN ITS NAME? WE HAVE NOT WE'RE I THINK OUR BYLAWS PROHIBIT US FROM INCURRING DEBT. OKAY.

OH I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT. OKAY, GREAT.

WE CAN APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE SOME IDEAS THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND SO WE'LL WORK STAFF IF EVERYONE'S AMENABLE TO THAT AND COME BACK WITH A PLAN THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE DIRECTION THAT WAS UNANIMOUS THE HOUR OR SO. ARE YOU SURE AT ALL? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL LET'S MOVE ON THEN THE NEXT UP IS NUMBER 11 AND THAT IS DISCUSSION OF ADDITIONAL

[11. A DISCUSSION OF ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL PAY FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY POLL WORKERS (FISCAL IMPACT: The request from the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County is a total of $80,000) - Don Lucas, Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County]

SUPPLEMENTAL PAY VIEW FOR COUNTY POLL WORKERS. NO NUMBER TEN? NO, IT'S 11 IN DUE TIME. WE JUST FINISHED THAT WAS THAT. AND SO YOUR DOCUMENTS CONVEY A PORTION OF PROPERTY OWNED BY COUNTY YOU KNOW OH ONE ARE YOU LOOKING AT YOUR PLAN FOR THE FACILITY? OKAY KEEP GOING. WE'LL IGNORE THAT.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW I'M OVER HERE. YEAH.

NUMBER 11 IS READY TO DISCUSS. WE'RE READY TO GO. DISCUSSION OF ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL FOR VIEW FOR COUNTY POOL WORKERS AND MR. DON LUCAS BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION ELECTIONS OF COUNTY I RECUSE MYSELF AND I'LL BE IN THE OTHER ROOM.

MY HUSBAND IS A POLL WORKER SO I CAN'T I CANNOT BE PART OF THIS ISSUE.

[00:55:03]

ARE YOU GOOD OR WHAT DID YOU OH THE TRUTH IS THAT I SHE'S IT. OH I NEED I NEED ONE ANYBODY ELSE? OH IS YOUR WORK DAY? SHE'S DOING A CIVIC DUTY.

OH OKAY. OH OKAY LIMIT YOU'RE YOU MISS MR. GREAT DISCUSSION TO YEAH I'LL GET RIGHT NOW THANK YOU SHALL WAIT ANYTHING OUT MR. RECUSE THEMSELVES NO I THINK JOE JUST LOOK I'M GOING TO LOOK AT LUCAS THANK YOU FOR COMING GO AHEAD THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE REST OF MY TEAM. I AM DONALD LUCAS AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE ORDER VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS BOARD WITH ME I HAVE ELAINE MITCHELL WHO IS OUR CHAIR. I HAVE EVERY DOOR ELIZABETH JOHNSON IF EACH OF YOU WOULD RAISE YOUR HANDS I IMAGINE THOSE WITH JOHNSON JIM BAKKER AND MATT SWEENEY AND WE HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF OUR ELECTIONS OFFICE WITH US MARIE SMALLS ALSO A MILE OKAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY. LET'S ABOUT REQUEST FOR SUPPLEMENTAL PAY FOR POLL THANK GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER TODAY WHAT'S WHAT IS IT THAT THEY DO WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT TO THE ELECTION PROCESS? WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR THE POLL WORKERS. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CRITICAL FACTORS AND ARE DRIVING AN INCREASED NEED FOR OUR POLL WORKERS. WE'RE GOING TO TALK BIT ABOUT THEIR CURRENT COMPENSATION SCHEME. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME COMPENSATION WE DID TO SEE HOW WE COMPARED TO A NUMBER OF SURROUNDING WITHIN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. WE'RE ALSO TO LOOK ABOUT A NUMBER OF RECRUITING AND RETENTION CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING THAT ARE MAKING IT MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING TO RECRUIT AND OUR POLL WORKERS. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE CRUX OF THE MATTER AND MAKE A REQUEST OF Y'ALL. FIRST OFF, HOW MANY DO Y'ALL THE 2016 AND THE 2020 ELECTIONS I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU IF YOU VOTED I'M GOING TO PRESUME YOU ALL DO.

I'M NOT GOING ASK YOU RAISE YOUR HAND. HOW CAN YOU WELL LOCATION YOU PROBABLY MET THE AT THE DOOR SOMEONE WHO GREETED YOU AND ASKED YOU IF YOU HAD A GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHOTO ID AT THIS HOUSE. ARE YOU SHAKING HAND? YOU'RE THERE PLEASE HAVE THAT READY THEN THEY TOOK YOU TO THE REGISTRATION DESK WHERE THEY VERIFIED YOUR ID, YOUR ID AND YOUR ADDRESS AND THEY PROBABLY PRINTED A PAPER BALLOT HANDED IT TO YOU, ESCORTED YOU TO THE BALLOT MARKING DEVICE YOU FED THE BALLOT THEIR MAJOR SELECTIONS AND SOMEBODY TOOK YOU TO A BIG BOX AND FED THAT BALLOT INTO IT AND RECORDED YOUR VOTE AND THEN YOU GOT TO THE PART THAT EVERYBODY LOOKS FORWARD TO.

THEY GAVE THE VOTED STICKER AND YOU STUCK THAT PROBABLY ON YOUR SHOULDER, WALKED OUT THE DOOR.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT THOSE WERE OUR POLL WORKERS YOU TALK ABOUT WHY THEY DO IT, WHAT THEY DO IT, WHY THEY AND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT NOW OUR POLL COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

THEY'RE STUDENTS, THEY'RE WORKING PEOPLE AND THEIR RETIREES.

IN FACT, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR POLL WORKERS TODAY ARE RETIREES.

THESE ARE ALL CIVIC MINDED PEOPLE WITH A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT THEM THEY'RE ALL REGISTERED TO VOTE PRECINCTS IN OR NEAR WHERE THEY WORK OR WHERE THEY LIVE. OUR POLL WORKERS TYPICALLY WORK ONE OR TWO DAYS PER YEAR AND THEY DO THEIR JOBS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.

OF COURSE THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS FOR EXAMPLE ON DECEMBER 12TH IN BEAUFORT WE HAD A SPECIAL ELECTION THEY ELECTED A MAYOR ALSO FEBRUARY 15TH WE HAD A SPECIAL ELECTION IN BLUFFTON WHERE THEY FILLED A VACANT COUNCIL SEAT. SO OF COURSE EXCEPTIONS THIS NOW AND LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR FOR THIS YEAR WE HAVE FIVE ELECTION INNS ON THE SCHEDULE THAT ANY POTENTIAL RUN OFF SO LET'S HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO COVER THOSE NOW WE HAVE TWO PRIMARY CLASS VACATIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE POLLING LOCATION ALL CLERKS AND A POLL MANAGERS A POLL CLERKS ARE THE ONES ARE RUNNING THE SHOW AND IN POLISH I'M IN SOME IN SOME LOCATIONS WE HAVE MULTIPLE PRECINCTS VOTING UNDER ONE ROOF AND IN THIS CASE WE'LL A LEAD CLERK WHICH RUNS THE SHOW NOW THE LEAGUE LEAD ALL CLERK WILL THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE OTHER POLL MANAGERS THEY ARRANGE THE POLLING LOCATION TO ENSURE AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE FLOW TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE THEY COMPLETE AND VERIFY ALL THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND REPORTS. AND THEY ALSO ACT AS A LIAISON TO THE COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE PRIMARILY MARIE SMALLS AND HER STAFF DURING THE ELECTION DAY IN CASE THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UP. THEY ALSO PICK THE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES REQUIRED TO EXECUTE THE ELECTIONS ON ELECTION.

[01:00:05]

NOW WHEN I SAY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES I'M TALKING EVERYTHING FROM THE BALLOT FROM THE ELECTRONIC POLE BOOKS THAT THEY USED TO REGISTER YOU AND VERIFY YOUR YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS TO PENCILS TO PROVISIONAL BALLOTS AS AS TO THE EMERGENCY BALLOTS. SO AS YOU CAN TELL, THIS IS NOT A POSITION TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. YOU'RE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING UP THE EQUIPMENT PROPERLY IN THE MORNING AND CLOSING IT IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER AT THE END OF THE DAY AND THEN AFTER THAT DELIVERY A NUMBER OF ELECTION RELATED MATERIALS TO MARIE SMALLS AND STAFF ALL MANAGERS THE OTHER CLASSIFICATION THESE ARE THE WORKER THAT I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO AND THE ONES THAT GREET YOU AT THE DOOR AND THE ONES THAT GIVE YOU THE VOTES TO CORRECT THE END OF THE PROCESS . THEY MONITOR THE LINES.

THEY PROCESS THE VOTERS ANY RESOLUTIONS THAT NEED ANY ISSUES THAT NEED A RESOLUTION AND THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED DURING THE ELECTION DAY THEY HANDLE THE OVERSEAS BALLOT MARKING DEVICES IN THE SCANNERS AS I MENTIONED. THEY ALSO PROVIDE CURBSIDE VOTING PROCESS. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THIS.

SO VOTER ID PHYSICALLY ABLE AND GOING INTO THE POLLING LOCATION AND SO WE HAVE A PROCESS WE CAN BRING A VOTER A VOTING MACHINE OUT TO THE CAR AND THEY CAN CAST THEIR VOTE SITTING IN THEIR CAR SO EVERYONE TO VOTE THEY ALSO MONITOR THE EXITS AND THEY ALSO POLL CLOSINGS SUPPORT . NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR POLL MANAGERS 2020 FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION ANTICIPATE HAVING THE HIGHEST TURNOUT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY HISTORY WE ANTICIPATE HUNDRED AND 40,000 PLUS REGISTERED VOTERS WILL TURN OUT AT A RATE OF ABOUT 75%. WE ANTICIPATE 60% OF THIS TURNOUT WILL BE ON ELECTION DAY. NOW THAT 60% IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING NORTH OF 84,000 VOTERS. SO THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE QUITE A FEW POLL MANAGERS TO IT TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY EXECUTE THE VOTING PROCESS AND TO BE THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED ACT 82 WHICH INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY BY 33%.

WE WENT 95 TO 126 PRECINCTS FOR THIS YEAR THE LARGEST KNOWN SINGLE YEAR INCREASE IN SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORY. WE'RE ALSO NOTICING UNPRECEDENTED SCRUTINY THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC NOW GIVEN THE ISSUES WE SEE ON THE NEWS EVERY DAY ACROSS THE NATION THIS SHOULD NOT COME AS ANY SURPRISE. WE ALSO HAVE A VERY HIGH POLITICAL PROFILE ACROSS THE NATION RIGHT NOW. ALSO AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE HAD THE FIRST IN THE NATION DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE OF PRIME MONTH.

WE HAD THE FIRST IN THE SOUTH REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY JUST THIS PREVIOUS SATURDAY.

SO BOTH OF THESE ARE ADDING TO THE SCRUTINY THAT WE'RE RECEIVING THE ELECTIONS PROCESS. WE ANTICIPATE THE NEED FOR ABOUT 800 POLL WORKERS FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS DUE TO A VARIETY OF REASONS WHICH I JUST MENTIONED NOW ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING IN OBTAINING AND THESE 800 POLL WORKERS IS WE'RE NOTICING THAT A LOT OF OUR CURRENT POLL WORKERS ARE AGING OUT. WE HAVE AN DOING THIS FOR YEARS NOW THEIR APPROACH IN YOUR SERVICES AND IN SOME CASES THE EARLY EIGHTIES SO GETTING UP AND REPORTING TO THE POLLS AT 6 A.M. WORKING AT 13 TO 14 HOUR DAY AND THEN CLOSING DOWN THE POLLS AND GOING HOME. IT'S NOT AS EASY AS IT USED TO BE AND SO KNOW A NUMBER OF THEM ARE OPTING OUT NOT TO DO THIS ANYMORE NOW GIVEN LANDSCAPE WE KNOW FROM PAST EXPERIENCE RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT THAT POLL WORKER PAY IS A KEY COMPONENT OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AS NEEDED FOR AN EFFICIENT ELECTION AND A FAVORABLE VOTER EXPERIENCE.

NOW I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THIS IN A NOW IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR WE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION ELECTION DID OUR OWN SURVEY.

WE TALKED TO THE 20 LARGEST COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. WE WERE ONE OF THEM TALKED TO THE DIRECTORS EACH ELECTION OFFICE AND WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT IF THEY WERE PAYING A POLL SUPPLEMENT OR NOT IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS THE ISSUE OF POLL WORKER PAY WAS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN ON ALL OF THEIR MINDS. NOW RIGHT HERE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COUNSEL ON BEHALF OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RELEASED THIS REPORT. NOW SURPRISINGLY IF YOU HAVE A READ THIS IS ACTUALLY VERY INTERESTING TO YOU THEY RELEASED THIS REPORT IN THAT STATEMENT YOU SEE THERE IN OUR SURVEY OF COUNTY ELECTION DIRECTORS INSOFAR INSOFAR AS

[01:05:02]

IT'S DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT OVER A PAGE 107 OF THIS REPORT. SO THAT REPORT IN OUR SURVEY LAUGHS NO NO BUT THAT IS A CONCERN EVERYONE NOT SURPRISINGLY THAT OTHER STATEMENT RIGHT THERE ONLY FROM POLL WORKERS AND WE ALL WORKED WITH THE SURVEY OUR CONVERSATION OVER AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO POTENTIAL POLL WORKERS THE SAME THING WE HEAR THE SAME CONCERNS. THE CURRENT RATE OF PAY IS NOT REALLY AN INCENTIVE FOR SOMEONE TO COME OUT AT 6 A.M. AND WORK A 13 TO 14 HOUR DAY NOW LET'S ABOUT THE DETAILS OF SOME POLL WORKER COMPENSATION NOW. THE STATE REIMBURSES US NOW FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE POLL WORKERS WORKING DAY OUR POLL WORKERS OUR POLL CLERKS RECEIVED $60 FOR ATTENDING A 2 TO 3 HOUR MANDATORY TRAINING SESSION PRIOR TO THE ELECTION AND THEY RECEIVE ANOTHER $135 FOR WORK IN THE ELECTION ITSELF. SO THAT'S A COURSE GOING TO RECEIVE $195. NOW REMEMBER POLL CLERKS ARE THE ONES RUNNING THE SHOW.

THEY'RE THE MANAGER OF THAT PRECINCT. POLL MANAGERS RECEIVE $60 ALSO FOR COMPLETING A MANDATORY 2 TO 3 HOUR TRAINING SESSION PRIOR TO THE ELECTION $70 FOR THE DAY. SO THEIR TOTAL IS $135 FOR WORK IN THE ELECTION PROCESS STATEMENT ESSENTIALLY INCENTIVES MAY OFFER A POLL WORKER SUPPLEMENTAL PAY USING FUNDS THE IDEA OF SUPPLEMENTING POLL WORKERS IS NOT IN ORDER. ANYTHING NEW NEW THERE ON PAGE 107 OF THIS REPORT ALSO IS WHERE THAT STATEMENT CAME FROM. THAT REPORT THEN GOES ON TO BRIEFLY OUTLINE 11 OTHER COUNTIES THAT THE STATE ELECTION IS AWARE OF THAT PAYS A POLL WORKER SUPPLEMENT. THOSE SUPPLEMENTS RANGE FROM $25 TO $125 DEPENDING ON THE COUNTY. NOW AS I MENTIONED, WE DID SOME COMPENSATION SURVEYS ON OUR OWN OUR OUR SURVEY WAS RANKING COUNTIES ONLY BY NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS.

THIS WAS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID IN ADDITION TALKING TO THE 19 TO THE OTHER ELECTION OFF WE'RE ALSO IN CONTACT WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FROM OTHER COUNTIES AND WE ALSO HAD WITH THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION STAFF THESE HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH TO COLUMBIA SEVERAL THE FOOTAGE OF LAST YEAR FOR TRAINING SESSIONS AND ELECTION RELATED AND WHEREVER THERE WAS THE REST OF THE ROOM IF IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS IF SO WE'D ASK THEM MUCH AS DO YOU THINK. IT'S EFFECTIVE.

IS IT WORKING? WE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE COMMISSION.

ARE WE SEEING WHO ARE THEY AWARE OF THAT'S PAYING A SUPPLEMENT? HOW EFFECTIVE THAT WE ALSO DID A WEBSITE SEARCH OF THE 46 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO SEE OVERALL WHO WAS PAYING WHAT AND HOW MUCH I MENTIONED THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COUNCIL. A REPORT THAT WE HAVE ALSO IS ANOTHER DATA SOURCE NOW THIS LAST BULLET WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT OF OUR CONVERSATIONS IN TALKING WITH THE DIRECTORS, THE 19 OTHER ELECTION OFFICES THAT WE SURVEYED IT JUST TOYS TO WORK ON ELECTION BEING CHARGED A VACATION DAY PAID AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT THIS IS A BRILLIANT IDEA BECAUSE COUNTIES HAVE ALREADY MADE SORT AND YOUR POLL WORKERS THEY GO TO THE WORK, THEY GO TO THE OFFICE ON MONDAY THEY WORK THE POLLS ON TUESDAY THEY GO BACK TO THE OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY.

SO IT'S A READY MADE SOURCE OF POLL WORKERS AT NO ADDITIONAL TO THE COUNTY.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY A LITTLE ON NOW IF WE LOOK ALL 46 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, HALF THEM ARE PAYING A POLL SUPPLEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTS RANGE FROM DOLLARS TO $125. YOU CAN SEE BEAUFORT COUNTY JUST TO THE RIGHT OF CENTER THERE. CURRENTLY WE ARE NOT PAYING A SUPPLEMENT IN OUR SURVEY OF THE OTHER 19 LARGEST COUNTIES I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE DIRECTORS WERE ALL IN AGREEMENT WHEN.

WE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF THIS IF THEY WERE PAYING A SUPPLEMENT, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF THE SUPPLEMENT STILL WASN'T ENOUGH.

EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS FACING A STRONG IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING THEIR CURRENT POLL WORKFORCE. NOW IN THIS REPORT THAT THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COUNCIL

[01:10:06]

RELEASED IN JANUARY ON PAGE 105 IT TALKS ABOUT EIGHT COUNTIES THAT WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN RECRUITING ENOUGH POLL WORKERS FEAR OR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS THAT THEY HAD TO CLOSE SEVERAL POLLING LOCATIONS AND CONSOLIDATE THESE WITH OTHER POLLING LOCATIONS.

NOW THE DOWNSIDE THIS WAS IT ADDED MUCH MORE WAIT TIME TO THE LENGTH OF THE LINES AT THE VERY LEAST AS WELL IS IT A LITTLE BIT OF THE DIMINISHED IN THE IN THE DEMOCRAT SYSTEM AMONG THOSE THAT THEY TALKED TO THAT HAD TO TRAVEL AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE IMPACT THAT THIS COULD HAVE ON VOTER TURNOUT. IT PEOPLE DON'T MIND GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY TO VOTE BUT IF YOU ASK THEM TO GET IN THE CAR ,DRIVE TO THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE MILES DOWN THE ROAD SO FADED AND IN SOME CASES THEY DIDN'T VOTE SO. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO AVOID AS WELL AS THE INCREASE IN ANY POTENTIAL WAIT TIME.

NOW YOU KNOW THE TOP 20 COUNTY A POLL SUPPLEMENT INCOME OF REGISTERED VOTERS AND THIS IS WHAT WE SHOW HERE YOU CAN SEE BEAUFORT COUNTY RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE YELLOW AGAIN THE POLL SUPPLEMENTARY FROM $20 TO $125 AS I BEFORE COUNTY IS HIGHLIGHTED SO THE STATE AVERAGE AVERAGE IS ABOUT 70,000 VOTERS AS YOU CAN SEE 14 OF THESE ON THIS GRAPH 14 OF THEM HAVE 70,000 OR MORE REGISTERED VOTERS.

ALL BUT FOUR OF THEM ARE PAYING A SUPPLEMENT AND BEAUFORT COUNTY IS ONE OF THAT FOUR THAT IS CURRENTLY THIS IS A BIT OF A DIFFERENT LOOK IF YOU RANKED THE TOP COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA BY A PER CAPITA INCOME YOU CAN SEE BEAUFORT COUNTY COMES IN AT NUMBER TWO RIGHT THERE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW. NOW THE AVERAGE OF THE 11 COUNTIES THAT ARE KNOWN TO LESSERS NOW THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE PER INCOME PER CAPITA $53,618 AND LOOKING AT THIS GRAPH NINE COUNTIES MEET OR EXCEED THAT OVER THOSE NINE COUNTIES THAT MEET OR EXCEED SEVEN OF THEM ARE PAYING A POLL SUPPLEMENT. AS YOU CAN SEE, BEAUFORT COUNTY IS ONE OF THE TWO THAT IS NOT YET WE ARE THE SECOND RATED SECOND RANKED HIGHEST PER CAPITA INCOME. NOW I MENTIONED RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CHALLENGES UP TO THIS POINT COMPENSATION THE PAY ISSUE THERE NO OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ISSUE ALSO. ONE OF THEM IS A TRAINING TIME COMMITMENT.

I MENTIONED THAT EVERY WORKER HAS TO ATTEND A MANDATORY 2 TO 3 HOUR TRAINING SESSION TO WORK IN THE ELECTION IF THEY DO NOT COMPLETE THIS TRAINING SESSION THEY CANNOT WORK THE ELECTION NOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TRAINING SCHEDULED OVER A NUMBER OF DAYS AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TIMES TIME TO COME TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR SCHEDULES.

HOWEVER, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME THAT CAN'T MAKE THESE TRAINING SCHEDULES OR THESE TRAINING MEETINGS FOR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE. IT MIGHT BE TRAVEL BE ILLNESS.

A LOT OF THEM ARE STILL IN THE WORKFORCE. TO MEET THIS WE HAVE RESORTED IN A COUPLE OF CASES TO A BOARD OR TWO MEETING WITH A HANDFUL OF POLL WORKERS TO, WALK THEM THROUGH THE TRAINING IN ORDER TO GET THEM CHECKED OFF SO THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO WORK DAY.

THAT'S HOW CRITICAL THE NEED IS. I MENTIONED LONG AT THE POLLS THIS COULD BE A 13 TO 14 HOUR DAY SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERNS CONTINUE TO BE ASKED.

IT'S NOT UNUSUAL WHEN WE GO IN CHECK THE POLL LOCATIONS ON ELECTION DAY PEOPLE ASK ABOUT SECURITY, THEY ASK ABOUT SAFETY, THESE KIND OF THINGS. AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LANDSCAPE THIS SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE. OUR POLL OF ACTIVE REPEAT WORKERS IS SHRINKING DURING THE EIGHTH DUE TO A AS I MENTIONED SEVENTIES AND EARLY EIGHTIES.

IT'S NOT AS EASY FOR THEM TO DO THIS ANYMORE. COUNTY POPULATION GROWTH WAS MENTIONED A LITTLE WHILE AGO IN A PREVIOUS PRESENTATION. THIS GROWTH RATE SHOULD NOT AS ANY SURPRISE TO ANY OF US. AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE HAD A 33% INCREASE IN A NUMBER OF PRECINCTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY THIS YEAR 95 TO 126. THIS IN AND OF ITSELF AS TO A HUGE IN THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL POLL WORKERS FOR COUNTIES PER CAPITA INCOME ALSO SURPRISINGLY IS A DETRIMENT IT'S ONE THING IF YOU ASK SOMEBODY TO DONATE THEIR TIME FOR TWO OR 3 HOURS ON ANY GIVEN DAY CHANCES ARE THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO DO THAT. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM AND SAY WE WOULDN'T WE NEED YOU TO WORK A 13 TO 14 HOUR DAYS TIME PUTTING US YOU NEED A LITTLE

[01:15:06]

BIT MORE OF AN INCENTIVE THROWN IN TO GET THEM TO AGREE TO THAT .

SO TO THAT END, AS I MENTIONED THIS YEAR WE'RE EXPECTING EXTREMELY HIGH NUMBER EXPECTING RECORD NUMBERS IN NOVEMBER NOVEMBER CRYSTAL LOCATIONS AND PRECINCTS IS A CRITICAL NEED ENSURE A SMOOTH, EFFICIENT AND A TIMELY VOTING PROCESS LONG LAND, LONG LINES AND DELAYS IN OUR EYES ARE UNACCEPTABLE. WE WANT TO HAVE ENOUGH POLL WORKERS.

WE WANT A PROPERLY POLLING LOCATION SO WE CAN EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY GET THESE PEOPLE IN AND CAST THEIR VOTE AND HAVE THEM EXIT DEPRESSING TO THAT END WE WOULD LIKE TO PAY IN A SUPPLEMENT TO EVERY POLL WORKER OF $100 PER PERSON. NOW AS I MENTIONED, WE ANTICIPATE NEEDING A 100 OVER SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A REQUEST FOR ABOUT $80,000.

THIS IS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AND WHAT I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT CURRENTLY A POLL WORKER OR MANAGER IS RECEIVING $135 $60 FOR THE MANDATORY TRAINING AND $75 FOR THE DAY OR OR THE SUPPLEMENT WOULD TAKE THEM TO 235 FOR WAS CORRESPONDINGLY A POLL CLERK IS THE 195 LEVEL IF WE GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL $100 SUPPLEMENT THEY'LL BE MAKING 295 POLLS.

NOW WE ASK THAT REVIEW THIS REQUEST AND APPROVE IT BEFORE THOSE FOR SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET TO FUND THE SUPPLEMENTAL PAY FOR WORKERS WE HAVE DISCUSSED AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER WE'D LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL REGARDING WHAT FLORENCE COUNTY AND SUMTER COUNTY DOING BY HAVING SOME TYPE OF SCHEDULE WHERE COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE ABLE TO WORK THE POLLS ALSO THIS IS A READY MADE POOL OF POTENTIAL POLL WORKERS AND WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS TRYING TO TAP INTO THAT NOW BEFORE WE TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MY COLLEAGUE MATT SWEENEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A TWO MINUTE CLOSING COMMENT COMMENT.

YOU STAY HERE. I AM MATT SWEENEY, A FELLOW BOARD MEMBER ON THE BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. FIRST I WANT TO COMMEND THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS STAFF FOR SUCCESSFUL PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY ELECTIONS ON FEBRUARY 3RD AND 24TH OVER A 30 DAY PERIOD, MARIE AND HER STAFF RAN FOR ELECTIONS WITH OVERLAPPING EARLY VOTING PERIODS SO IT WAS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT. THE STAFF OPERATED WITH NO AND A LOT OF STRONG COFFEE AND DO HAVE STAFF OF 20 THAT'S TO SERVE 140,000 VOTERS IN COUNTY ONCE TWICE A YEAR THAT STAFF COUNT GOES UP TO 500 AND AS MR. LUCAS SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSER TO 800 IN NOVEMBER AND IT'S A VERY UNIQUE IT'S A ONE DAY JOB ONCE YOU HEAR THESE 800 CITIZENS SHOW UP AND THEY'RE EXPECTED TO WORK ON ONE DAY OF EXCELLENT SERVICE INCLUDING SERVICING THOUSAND CUSTOMERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE VERY EMOTIONAL ELECTION DAY THEY'RE EXPECTED TO HAVE FLAWLESS OPERATION OF DEVICES THEY MIGHT BE USING FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

THEY HAVE A VERY RANGE OF DUTIES EVERYTHING FROM SECURITY TO PARKING TO RESOLVING ISSUES IN THE POLLING PLACE AND THEY HAVE TO DO THAT OVER A 14 HOUR WORKDAY WITH JUST A FEW TEN MINUTE BREAKS. SO IT'S A SITUATION THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. WHEN I FIRST GOT INVOLVED WITH THE ELECTIONS I HAD A VERY IDEALISTIC PERSPECTIVE ON THIS. I THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE FOR WORKERS FOR THE CIVIC DUTY TO HELP THEIR NEIGHBORS AND DO THE RIGHT THING. AFTER ALL, DON'T PAY A LIVING WAGE AT $8 AN HOUR TO WORK THE ELECTIONS. IT'S NOT A LIVING WAGE SO WHY PRETEND LIKE WE DO? BUT AS I GOT MORE INVOLVED I REALIZED THAT THE STIPEND THESE WORKERS RECEIVE IS A FORM OF APPRECIATION AND AS MR. LUCAS POINTED OUT AS THE HIRED PER CAPITA INCOME IN SOUTH CAROLINA, OUR CITIZENS HAVE VERY HIGH OPPORTUNITY COSTS FOR WORKING THE MANY OF THEM ARE RETIRED SO THEY VALUE THEIR LEISURE TIME.

IF THEY'RE NOT RETIRED THEY'RE WORKING AND THEY HAVE A VERY HIGH INCOME IT'S DIFFICULT FOR

[01:20:03]

THEM TO FOREGO. SO WE NEED MORE THAN 400 NEW POWER.

I SUPPORT WORK THAT MR. LUCAS AND THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS DONE ON BEHALF OF THE REST OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU.

WHAT QUESTIONS I OR ANY. BUT WHEN YOU SAY 800 POLL WORKERS BUT PEOPLE WHO WORK EARLY VOTING THEY MAY BE WORKING TWO, THREE, FOUR TIMES. RIGHT.

WHEN I SAY 800, I'M TALKING ABOUT ELECTION DAY. YEAH.

EARLY VOTING IS A SEPARATE ISSUE BUT THAT'S INCLUDING IN YOUR 80,000.

NO. SO HOW MUCH IS THE REAL CONCERN BECAUSE EARLY VOTING IS GOING TO BE PUT IN THERE AND I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE WHO DO IT EARLY VOTING AND ABOUT $100 A DAY BUT . HOW MANY EARLY VOTING WORKERS ARE THERE THAT ADD TO THIS $80,000 FEE? ALL OF THEM. ALL OF THEM ARE WORKERS THEY JUST WORKING THE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION AND ON ELECTION THEY WORK AT THE POLLING PLACE SO THEY DON'T GET PAID TO DO EARLY VOTING. YES, MA'AM.

YOU PAY $100 A DAY. OKAY. SO YOU'RE YOUR TOTAL IS 80,000 WHICH IS PERFECTLY REASONABLE I THINK I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID.

I THINK WE NEED TO PAY MORE FOR OUR POLL WORKERS. PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO WAIT IN LINE. PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL THAT IT'S A SECURE VOTING SITUATION.

I'M IN SUN CITY AND I'VE SEEN SOME LONG LINES AND PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THAT WE CARE ENOUGH IN THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE A GOOD POLLING SERVICE. SO I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS.

IF THE TWO COUNTIES FLORENCE AND SUMTER THAT ALLOW THEIR EMPLOYEES TO TAKE SAY I DIDN'T SEE MR. ROBINSON'S FACE SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT US BUT THE GREAT WAY LET PEOPLE DO THE BEING TRUSTED EMPLOYEES AND NOT TAKE A VACATION THEN WE MIGHT BOOST YOUR POLL WORKERS. I LIKE THAT. I DO TOO.

AND MR. ROBINSON DIDN'T FALL OFF HIS CHAIR SO OH HE'S HE'S UP NOW.

WHAT WHAT IMPACT DO EMPLOYEES TO BE POLL WORKERS ARE NOT TAKING MEDICATION.

WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO THAT WE CAN DO. I WAS JUST DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THAT BEFORE BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER YET. THAT'S OKAY. OKAY.

SO YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT THE THE $80,000 COST AND WHERE THAT WOULD COME FROM.

SO OF A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT THERE WAS ABOUT $5,000 LEFT IN THAT PERSONNEL LINE ITEM FOR POLL WORKERS THIS LAST ELECTION PUT THAT NEGATIVE SO IT'S NEGATIVE ABOUT $47,000 RIGHT NOW AND THAT WILL THAT WILL COME BACK WHEN WE GET OUR STATE REIMBURSEMENT THAT SO WE'LL EXPECT THAT TO INCREASE A LITTLE BIT.

WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT FROM OUR PAYROLL CONTINGENCY WHICH WE PLAN TO DO ANYWAY. SO AFTER ALL THAT WORK WITH MARIE AND WE'LL MAKE THAT ACCOUNT WHOLE. SO THE ADDITION OF THAT $100 PER POLL WORKER REALLY DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF POLL WORKERS JUST COUNT OR THE LAST PAYMENT THAT WAS THE REQUEST AND AND THIS MONTH THE ELECTION WAS 311 POLL WORKERS AND THAT WASN'T THE ONE FROM FRIDAY IT WAS THE PREVIOUS ONE. SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE OVER TIME.

311,000 OUR 311 EMPLOYEES PLUS OUR TIME'S $100. SO THE SHORT VERSION HERE IS THAT IF WE CHOOSE TO SUPPORT OUR POLL WORKERS WITH THE ADDITIONAL $100 OUR NEXT ELECTION IS IN JUNE. SO JUNE WE CAN WE CAN SUPPORT THAT DOLLARS NOW FROM OUR PAYROLL CONTINGENCY DOESN'T EVEN NEED A VOTE THAT I CAN APPROVE NOW AND I WOULD REQUEST THAT FOR THE 2025 HERE THAT THE BUDGET FROM THE VOTER REGISTRATION BOARD INCLUDES THAT NEW AMOUNT AND THE EXPECTATION OF THE NUMBER OF ELECTIONS THAT WE HAVE AND THE NUMBER OF POLL WORKERS ARE NEEDED AND AND SOME FUNDS FOR PROBABLY A SPECIAL ELECTION BUT IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SPECIAL ELECTION THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE CREATED CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN WE CAN COVER AS THEY AS THEY COME SO AND RIGHT NOW OUR PAYROLL SO YOU CAN EXCUSE ME OUR PAYROLL CONTINGENCY SHOULD BE A LITTLE NORTH OF MONEY THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THERE. SO IT'S DOING EXACTLY WHAT IT'S

[01:25:07]

SUPPOSED TO DO IS MAKING SURE WE CAN TAKE CARE OF EMPLOYEES AND AS THOSE NEEDS ARISE CAN I GET THERE? WELL YEAH JUST A QUESTION ON OUR ON MY SIDE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THESE NUMBERS. SO IF YOU LOOK AT 80,800 POLL WORKERS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR WE HAD TO THE PRIMARIES IS FOUR DAYS AND THE THE ELECTION THE GENERAL ELECTION IS GOING TO OCCUR AFTER OUR FISCAL YEAR STARTS SO THAT NEXT YEAR YOU'RE GOING TO BE USING NOT AS MUCH MONEY NEEDED BUT I LOOKED YOUR AVERAGES AND THE AVERAGES IS AROUND $50 FOR WHAT MOST COUNTIES ARE PAYING IF YOU'RE LOOKING AND WHAT ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS ARE THERE AND THEN WE WILL BE IMPORTANT THAT'S SOMETHING WE STILL PAY THEM OR THAT THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO WORK AND WE PAY THEM THEIR NORMAL PAY I DON'T THINK WOULD A DOUBLE DIP AND GET PAID AS A POOR PLUS ALSO GET PAID THERE NO AS A DAY OFF WE CAN'T DO THAT THAT WOULD THAT WOULD BE ILLEGAL WE GET IN TROUBLE. WELL YOU CAN'T PAY TWICE FOR WORKING AT THE SAME TIME SO WE COULD NOT DO THAT RIGHT AND SEE IF THERE'S AN OPTION FOR EMPLOYEES OR COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO DO THAT AS AN ASSIGNMENT FOR THE DAY PERHAPS SO I'M NOT SAYING NO BUT I'M NOT SAYING YES THAT IS OR AT THIS MONEY FOR FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR WE DON'T NEED JULY 31ST WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THIS FALL BE THE FIRST TIME WE'D LOOK AT IT IT WOULD SO THE SUGGESTION IS TO PUT THAT IN THE BUDGET FROM THE VOTER REGISTRATION TO BRING THAT FORWARD IN THE BUDGET FOR YOU TO EXAMINE AND APPROVE PART OF THE BUDGET AS FAR AS THIS YEAR ONE ELECTION REMAINING AM I RIGHT JUNE ONE IN NOVEMBER OR SO WE'RE ROLLING WE'RE ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT FY 24 COULD FUND THE COMMIT MENT OF FOR FY 24 RIGHT NOW FROM OUR PAYROLL CONTINGENCY AND PART OF THAT AFTER AFTER THE FUNDS COME BACK FROM THE STATE WILL COME FROM THERE FROM THE LINE ITEM. SO THAT'S SOMETHING JUST AND WORK AND PROBLEM SOLVING JOBS GOING INTO NEXT YEAR IT WOULD BE BUDGET YES SIR I JUST RECOMMEND OUT OF ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION ASKING FOR EMOTION AND ASKING COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THIS CERTAIN TIME PAY AND THEN OF COURSE IF COUNSEL APPROVES THE BUDGET THEIR BUDGET WITH THIS MONEY IN IT IT'S TAKEN OF . I'LL JUST RECOMMEND THAT FOR YOUR SAKE. SO I'LL MAKE THE MOTION AND I'LL SAY IT TO EVEN A SECOND THAT THAT WOULD JUST BE SOME ENGINE. YEAH RIGHT RIGHT.

AND JUST TO CONFIRM FLORENCE AND SUMTER COUNTIES THAT ARE ALLOWING THEIR COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO WORK THE POLLS THEIR WORKDAY FOR THEM NOT PAINTING. RIGHT.

YOU KNOW THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER COUNTY IT GAVE THE 100 ARE READY SO WE'RE NOT DOING RETROACTIVE BUT EVEN IF WE TAKE IT TO 100 WE CAN STEAL SOME OF THEIR BORDERS BECAUSE THEY MIGHT LIVE BUT I'M SORRY THEY MIGHT MOVE POSITIVE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN MY SON I CAN'T REALLY COMMENT ON THAT. I'M JUST SAYING IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.

OKAY, BUT WE HAVE THE MOTION IS SECONDED SO THE VOTE AND SO THE MOTION IS TO INCREASE TO GIVE A $100 SUPPLEMENT TO REMAINING FISCAL YEAR RIGHT YEAH. AND THAT WE WILL BUDGET 100 COMING BACK. WELL CAN WE JUST ONE AT A TIME AND IF COUNCIL WANTS TO DO THE BUDGET THEY CAN DO THAT THAT'S WELL THAT'S LATER AND WE'LL DISCUSS THAT WE'RE ONLY THE $100 SUPPLEMENTAL PAY FOR THE REMAINING FISCAL YEAR WHICH THAT'S THE MOTION ON THE TABLE.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S BEEN SECONDED.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION SO NO MORE DISCUSSION. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION INITIALLY THAT BE APPROVED NOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEED TO GO FOR THE AMENDMENT HERE.

THAT IS NOT A BUDGET AMENDMENT BUT I'D LIKE YOU TO GET THE VOTE OF COUNCIL.

OKAY. AND THAT WOULD THEN MOVE TO COUNCIL.

AND ONE OTHER COMMENT, THE ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON ALL THE DATA YOU DID BECAUSE WHEN IT IS A TEAM EFFORT EVERY WORD OF IT I THINK GREAT I'M LOOKING AT THE MAP HERE LOWCOUNTRY SUPPLEMENTS OF VISUAL MAP IT WAS GOOD AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL OF OUR PRESENTATIONS FROM NOW ON ALL GREAT JOBS. THANK YOU, MR. LUCAS.

THANK YOU, MR. SWEENEY. APPRECIATE YOUR COMING FORWARD BEING HERE.

ALL RIGHT. I'M LET'S THEN MOVE ON NEW ORDINANCE AND REMEMBER AND

[01:30:09]

AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THINGS ALL RIGHT LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 11 AS WELL AH

[12. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 66 TAXATION, ARTICLE V HOSPITALITY TAX OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES - Brian Hulbert, Deputy County Attorney]

12 EXCUSE ME DISCUSSION OF ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENT PAY FOR VIEW FOR NOTES AND 12 RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDED CHAPTER 66 TAXATION ARTICLE FIVE HOSPITALITY TAX OF THE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES THEN MR. BRYANT ALBERT BRYANT IF YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND UNLESS NOTED BUT OBVIOUSLY FOR FIRST TIME SO YEAH WE MAY HAVE TO POSTPONE THE VOTE AT THIS TIME YES SIR I GAVE A NEW VERSION OF THE LOCAL HAS EACH MEMBER THAT YOU HAVE AT YOUR TABLE THERE AND THAT'LL BE UP ON THE SCREEN. WELL AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SOME HOUSEKEEPING MATTERS TO MAKE LOCAL ORDINANCE MATCH WHAT THE STATE LAW PROVIDES IN 2020 THE STATE MADE AMENDMENTS TO THE STATE STATUTE IN WRITING IN THE LANGUAGE TO INVOLVEMENT AND HOUSEKEEPING TO MAKE OUR LANGUAGE MATCH THE STATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THE.

THE FIRST IS THAT UNDER THE DEFINITIONS I'M REMOVING PARAGRAPH WHICH IS THE PARAGRAPH THAT IMPOSES THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX AND IT HAS NO PLACE TO BE IN THE DEFINITION PARAGRAPH. SO I'M MOVING THAT DOWN TO THE PAYMENT OF HOSPITALITY TAX TAXES THE FIRST TIME IN 533 AND 533 TO MAKE A MATCH UP THAT MAKES THEN IF YOU GO TO THE PERMITTED USE OF HASKELL CLEAN THE AUTHORIZED USES ONE THROUGH SIX TO MAKE THAT LANGUAGE MATCH THE STATE. SO THAT'S WHY I TOOK OUT THE LAND ACQUISITION AND THE RIVER AND THOSE TWO PARAGRAPHS THERE BETWEEN SEVEN AND EIGHT ADDING TO OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE AND SEVEN IS THE CONTROL THE REPAIR OF FLOODING AND DRAINAGE WITHIN OR ON TOURISM RELATED LANDS OR AREAS AND THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT IS WITHIN OR ON TOURISM RELATED LANDS.

OKAY. AND EIGHT IS THE SITE PREPARATION FOR ITEMS AND THE ENTIRE SECTION INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DEMOLITION REPAIR OR THAT THE REF SEVEN ABOVE IN PARAGRAPH C IF YOU LOOK AT THAT RESULTED EXCLUSIVELY ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE OR MITIGATE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF RECURRENT NUISANCE FLOODING INCLUDING WHICH IS ATTRIBUTED TO SEA LEVEL RISE RECURRENT FLOODING IN SUCH ADVERSE EFFECTS INCLUDING ROAD CLOSURES ,OTHER TRANSPORTATION DISRUPTIONS, STORMWATER DRAINAGE ISSUES AND, COMPROMISED PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO THAT'S WHAT THAT NEW USE CAN BE FOR. IT'S GOING TO BE TOURISM RELATED LANDS FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS OF HOSPITALITY FUNDS.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? AND THEN I'M REMEMBERING PARAGRAPHS FIVE I'M SO SORRY.

I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT LANDINGS THAT MAY SEA LEVEL RISE OR BOAT RAMPS OTHER AREA FOR THERE. OKAY SO ALL RIGHT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN AUTHORIZED AND ALTHOUGH WE TOOK OUT RIVER IF IT'S A BEACH AREA ON THE RIVER OR BOAT LANDING WE CAN USE HOSPITALITY FUNDS IF IT'S EVEN IF IT'S ON QUOTE A RIVER RATHER A BEACH.

YEAH, IT'S IT SAYS BEACH ACCESS. IT DIDN'T SAY OCEAN BEACH.

THIS IS BEACH ACCESS. OKAY. OH GOOD.

OKAY. 536 HAS BEEN CHANGED IN 530 535 WORD NATURALLY FLOWS THE PERMITTED USES 535 IS MANAGEMENT OF THAT AND I'VE CLEANED UP THE LANGUAGE UNDER PARAGRAPH I'VE TAKEN THAT LANGUAGE OUT BECAUSE I TALKED TO DENISE AND FOR THIS HOSPITALITY TAX AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX SHE COULD FIND NO REASON WHY THAT WAS IN THERE. WE DON'T SEPARATE THAT MONEY OUT THERE WE'VE NOT BEEN USING THAT TO FUND THAT ACCOUNT SO. I'VE JUST TAKEN THAT LANGUAGE OUT AND I'VE MADE IT TO WHERE ALL HOSPITALITY FUNDS WILL BE ALLOCATED THROUGH THE BUDGET ORDINANCE PROCESS.

SO THAT'S QUICK AND SIMPLE. WE TALKED OF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS.

THE QUESTIONS IS A MOTION I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS AND I WANT TO THANK BRIAN FOR ALL THE WORK HE DID ON THIS. I KNOW IT TEDIOUS AND THIS DOES THAT GO TO COUNCIL TOO? YES, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THIS FOR THREE REASONS SECOND SOUND ART ANY DISCUSSION. SO I SHOULD ADD TO MOVING THIS TO COUNCIL SEE NO OBJECTION THEN LET'S MOVE ON. BRIAN, I THINK YOU'RE UP HERE AGAIN.

I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING OOP NUMBER 13 AN APPROVAL FIRST

[13. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 66 TAXATION, ARTICLE II ACCOMMODATIONS TAX BOARD, DIVISION 1. GENERALLY AND DIVISION 2. ACCOMMODATIONS (3%) TAX - Brian Hulbert, Deputy County Attorney]

[01:35:04]

READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 66 TAXATION ARTICLE TWO ACCOMMODATIONS TAX OR ONE GENERAL AND DIVISION DIVISION AND NUMBER TWO ACCOMMODATIONS TAX 3% TAX STROBER GO AHEAD. OKAY. SO IN THIS EXHIBIT A I STATE 2% LOCALLY TAX AND OUR LOCAL 3% TAXES TOGETHER THE FIRST PART IS THE STATE 2% TAX FROM THE STATE LANGUAGE AND THE SECOND PART IS OUR 3%. THERE'S TWO ORDINANCES THAT WE DEAL WITH TOGETHER HERE THEY FLOAT IN THE SAME ARTICLES I KEPT THEM TOGETHER.

THE FIRST CHANGE THAT'S OCCURRING IS THAT WE'RE CHANGING THE NAME OF THE BOARD TO REFERS TO IT AS THE STATE ATTACK COMMITTEE NOT A BOARD. I'M NOT SURE WHY WE EVER CALLED IT A BOARD SO WE'RE MARRYING UP WITH THE STATE LANGUAGE AND EVERYBODY ELSE USES AND THAT'S COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? OKAY THEN I'VE ADDED IN THE STATE DEFINITIONS UNDER THE STATE STATUTE AND THE KEY DEFINITIONS THERE ARE CULTURAL HOSPITALITY TRAVEL AND TOURISM CULTURAL PLAYS INTO ONE OF YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE TO REPRESENT THE ARTS HISTORICAL PRESERVATION MUSEUMS AND FESTIVALS.

HOSPITALITY IS VERY AND THE LODGING FACILITIES, RESTAURANTS, ATTRACTIONS, RECREATIONAL AMENITIES TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES SERVICES AND TRAVEL INFORMATION AND PROMOTION ENTITIES. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AS FAR AS THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? BECAUSE A TOURIST FOR THE TOURISM EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE AT THE STATE AND THEY OVERSEE THE STATE LOCAL 2% FIND A TOURIST IN SOMEONE THAT TRAVELS 50 MILES OR MORE TO THE DESTINATION SO OUTSIDE THEIR COMMUNITY AND TRAVEL 50 MILES AND THAT'S BASED ON STATE PARKS AND REC AND THE FEDERAL PARKS DEFINITIONS AS WELL. THAT'S TRUE. OKAY.

THE REST OF IT IT TALKS ABOUT THE HOUSING COSTS HOUSING COSTS FOR RENTAL AND THEN THE MAIN DEFINITION THAT WAS ADDED THE NEW DEFINITION AT THE STATE LEVEL WAS WORKFORCE HOUSING AND WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT THAT FOR THE PAST EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS AND NOT PRETTY.

BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT THERE IS DEFINITION OF WORKFORCE HOUSING AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR STATE TAX AND LOCAL TAX IS THE SAME AND IT'S SOMEONE WHOSE INCOME FALLS IN THE 30% 120% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR THE LOCAL AREA. AND THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE WHAT'S THE LOCAL AREA? IS IT COUNTY? IS IT HILTON FOR HILTON HEAD AND NORTH? THE BROAD FOR NORTH IS A BROAD BUT THE LOCAL AREA THAT'S THE MEDIAN TO BE USED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING. OKAY SO WHAT CHANGES DO THEY ADD THE NEXT SECTION IN COMMITTEE THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTION AS TO HOW MANY MEMBERS HAVE TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE. WELL, THE STATE SAYS SEVEN AND A MAJORITY OF THOSE SEVEN MEMBERS HAVE TO COME FROM THE HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHY I GAVE YOU THE DEFINITION AS FAR AS THE HOTELS DURING THE RESTAURANTS ARE BROAD IT WAS THERE AND IT SAYS THAT A MINIMUM OF THOSE MAJORITY AT LEAST MEMBERS HAVE TO COME FROM THE INDUSTRIAL HOTELS. SHORT TERM RENTALS KIND OF VARY THE LODGING.

OKAY BUT ONE MEMBER HAS TO BE AN INTEGRAL AND THAT'S WHY I GAVE THAT SORT OF CULTURE BEFORE AS FAR AS THE ARTS HISTORICAL PRESERVATION MUSEUMS AND FESTIVALS SO ONE OF THE MEMBERS HAVE TO REPRESENT THOSE AND THEN WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS SOMETHING I THINK BEEN OVERLOOKED AND WASN'T IN OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE BEFORE FOR THE STATE TAX AND THAT IS NUMBER FOUR UNDER SECTION 28 MEMBERS SHALL REPRESENT THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE REVENUES DERIVED OF THE MEMBERSHIP SHOULD COME FROM THE RURAL COUNTY AREA WHICH IS WHERE OUR REVENUE OR STATE TAX COMES ANYWHERE UNINCORPORATED IS SO LIKE A PEARL HARBOR OR IF THAT TALK ABOUT THE FIVE SKI AREAS OKAY SO THAT'S WHERE THE MEMBERSHIP SHOULD COME FROM OAK MEETINGS THEY TO MEET AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR AND THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR AS MANY MEETINGS AS IT TAKES TO MAKE AT LEAST ONE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL PEOPLE CAN BE MORE MEETINGS AND BE MORE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT THEY HAVE TO MEET THE MINIMUM MAKE A RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATIONS ONCE A YEAR BECAUSE KEEP IN MIND THE FUNDS HAVE TO BE SPENT WITHIN THE FIRST TWO YEARS MOST OF THE OKAY THE POWERS AND DUTIES THAT'S JUST TO MAKE IT MATCH WITH THE STATE LANGUAGE BUT YOU LOOK AT PARAGRAPH THREE A UNDER SECTION 30 THEY'RE POWERS AND DUTIES THIS SEPTEMBER FOUR WHEN THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT THE COMMITTEE THERE'S ONLY ONE COMMITTEE MEETING IN AUGUST EASIER TO DO IT IN THE TWO MEETINGS IN SEPTEMBER ALREADY AGREED UPON OKAY THE FUNDS CAN

[01:40:06]

USED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COUNTY SERVICES I THINK WE'RE FAMILIAR THAT THAT JUST MATCHES UP THE LANGUAGE THAT MEANS WE CAN USE TO PAY FOR POLICE AND STUFF LIKE THAT FOR THE PORTION TO SERVE THE TOURS AND SO IF WE HAVE TOURS IT REQUIRES MORE POLICE PRESENCE WE CAN PAY FOR IT WITH STATE TAX FUNDS. OKAY NUMBER NINE UNDER PARAGRAPH B IS THE KEY ONE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST ARE THE ON THE GO OVER OKAY WE'RE DOING OUR OWN STUDY OF THAT RIGHT? THAT'S A HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON TOM'S WORK WITH STAFF TO GET THAT GOING THERE.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT SECTION THERE WILL BE WE'RE GETTING IT GOING RIGHT NOW.

I'M HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MISS HAWKINS BUT I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION SINCE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS BY LOCAL AREA MAYBE, COULD WE WRITE THE AG AND GET AN OPINION ON HOW WE DEFINE LOCAL AREA? I THINK WE WOULD SAY A LOCAL AREA FAR AS THE RURAL BEAUFORT AREA LOCAL AREA IS RURAL BEAUFORT COUNTY IS THAT'S WHERE FUNDS CAN BE EXPENDED UNINCORPORATED. I'M FINE WITH THAT. I JUST YOU KNOW THAT'S THAT'S IF WE KEEP IT IN HILTON HERE I WAS LIKE THEY WOULD WANT TO KEEP IT TO THE LOCAL THAT AREA BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THEIR FUNDS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUTSIDE THERE'S NO REPORTS OF THE BROAD FOR THOSE AREAS. OKAY. NOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A TWO YEAR REQUIREMENT TO EXPEND THE MONEY BUT COUNCIL CAN DECIDE TO ASK FOR AN EXTENSION OF ONE YEAR FROM TERM IF THEY VOTE ON IT AND SEND IT UP AND TERK APPROVES AND MOST OF OUR FUNDS CAN BE EXTENDED FOR A YEAR PARAGRAPH C TWO ALLOWS FOR IF THERE'S A TWO THIRDS OF THE ENTIRE BODY OF COUNCIL SO EIGHT OF 11 VOTE YOU CAN EXTEND IT BEYOND THE TWO YEARS IF YOU'RE GOING TO DEDICATE IT TO WORKFORCE HOUSING, BEACH RENOURISHMENT OR WATERFRONT EROSION. SO IF WE HAVE FUNDS LEFTOVER THAT ARE GOING WITHIN THOSE TWO YEARS YOU CAN VOTE BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE ENTIRE BODY OF COUNCIL AND ALLOCATED TO THOSE THREE PURPOSES. OKAY THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF BE I'M SORRY I SEE AND THOSE AND YOU HAVE TO REPORT ANNUALLY TO TERM IS FOR MONEY IN THE COUNTY EXPENDITURES YOU'VE MADE IN THAT REGARDS SO CHURCH WILL HAVE OVERSIGHT OF ALL THAT MONEY THAT YOU DEDICATE FOR THOSE THREE PURPOSES BEYOND THE TWO YEARS. I MEAN LET ME ASK ANOTHER NUMBER WHO IS THIS QUESTION RIGHT. WHAT HAPPENS WHAT CAN BE DONE IN? THE CASE OF FUNDS BEING ALLOCATED IN TIMELY MANNER BUT BECAUSE OF THE COVID SITUATION FUNDS COULD NOT BE UTILIZED BECAUSE OF THAT IS THERE ANY SALVATION EVENT AT ALL AT THIS TIME? NOT THAT HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS BUT YOU DO HAVE THE BUILT IN KIND OF THAT YEAR WHERE COUNCIL CAN DECIDE THAT ALL RIGHT THEY DIDN'T GET THE MONEY SPENT IN THOSE TWO YEARS. SO FOR THOSE FUNDS FOR THOSE PURPOSES THAT BEEN OBLIGATED, WE'RE GOING TO ASK TO EXTEND THE FOUR YEAR AS TERM FOR IT AND THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY LENIENT GRAHAM YOU GO THROUGH THAT PROCESSES GOING TO REPORT THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT BE MADE AWARE THAT THEY COULDN'T SPEND THAT MONEY.

WE WEREN'T GOING TO MEET THEIR OBLIGATION. THEY COME TO COUNCIL, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT. WE SEND IT UP FOR A REVIEW AND TAKE ACTION TO EITHER PROVE THAT YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY, THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION IS NEXT PAGE THERE PARAGRAPH D THIS IS IN THE STATE STATUTE BUT GOT GO UP THROUGH THE EVENT OF THAT TO STATE ORDINANCE. IN THE EXPENDITURE OF THESE FUNDS THE COUNTY'S REQUIRED TO GROW TOURISM AND MAKE TOURISM RELATED EXPENDITURES PRIMARILY IN THE AREAS OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE PROCEEDS OF THE TAXES ARE COLLECTED WHERE IT IS PRACTICAL. THIS IS THE BASIS OF MISS TAVERN S DECISION TO REVIEW EACH OF THE APPLICATIONS IN THE NEXT SECTION UNDER 14 FOR EACH GRANT THAT'S BEEN THIS IS THE BASIS OF HER OPINION IS WHY SHE'S CONCERNED AS FAR AS THOSE WORDS IT COMES FROM THE STATE LAW WHERE IT SAYS THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT WHERE IT'S COLLECTED IN WORDS PRACTICAL.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? THE NEXT ONE IS THE HOUSE AND THEY'LL ACQUIRE THAT AND THEN WE'LL GET THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS BACK. OR HAVE THE ORDINANCE CHANGED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR YOU CAN SEARCH TO APPROPRIATE AND HAVE THAT MONEY FOR USE THAT MONEY FOR WORK FOR FACILITIES. OKAY.

AND THAT'S STRAIGHT OUT OF THE STATE STATUTE. THE LANGUAGE IS COPY RIGHT FROM THERE. SO THAT ENDS FOR THE STATE 2% TAX AND ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT

[01:45:04]

FOR THE LOCAL ACT OF 61 BEGINS THE LOCAL COMPANIES IS TAXED AT 33% TAX BY DEFINITION UNDER 6642 PARAGRAPH C IS WORKFORCE HOUSING EXACTLY SAME DEFINITION USED IN THE STATE 2% TAX SAME STANDARD AS FAR AS 30% 120% FOR THE MEDIAN INCOME TO BE USED. AND AGAIN IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT'S WORKFORCE HOUSING PROVIDES HOUSING. OKAY PARAGRAPH C THE ONE THAT'S LINED OUT THERE I'VE TAKEN THAT OUT BECAUSE THAT IS DECENT. IT DOESN'T BELONG THE DEFINITIONS SO I MOVED IT DOWN TO 6643 THE NEXT PARAGRAPH MAKING THE FIRST ONE THAT'S WHERE WE IMPOSE THAT 3% TAX THAT'S THE MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE THE IMPOSITION OF THE TAX. OKAY AND THEN EVERY NUMBER EACH OF THOSE PARAGRAPHS ACCORDINGLY PARAGRAPH D THE NEW PARAGRAPH D I JUST MADE THAT LANGUAGE READ EXACTLY THE STATE STATUTE SAYS FOR PARAGRAPH E THAT'S NEW LANGUAGE INFORMATION EXCEPT TO GO BACK TO THAT'S THE SAME ACCOUNT ANY ONE THAT LANGUAGE MATCHED THE STATE DOES HOUSE KEEPING MATTERS HERE IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS TOURISM RELATED CULTURAL RECREATIONAL HISTORIC FACILITY SO IT'S GOT TO BE TOURISM RELATED WHEN WE USE THAT NUMBER IS THE NEW DEFINITION THAT THE ADDED FOR THE USE THAT'S THE WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SAME AS IN THE STATE EIGHT TAX.

THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS PRIOR TO THE LOCAL 3% YOU CAN USE THAT WITHOUT THAT EXACT ANALYSIS AND IN PARAGRAPH NINE I DELETED THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A STATE STATUTE THAT WAS JUST SUPER EFFORTLESS LANGUAGE THAT WAS IN OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE. THERE'S NO PURPOSE YOU ONLY THINGS WE CAN SPEND THE MONEY ON OUR ONE THROUGH EIGHT THAT THE STATE IS AUTHORIZED TO SPEND THE MONEY ON.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE WHERE THE CRITERIA NUMBER SIX AND 46 TO 47 AND THAT'S BECAUSE AND THE NEXT 6647 I REMEMBER THAT THE 45 TO MOVE THAT UP TO NATURALLY FLOW FROM THE PERMITTED USES TO THIS IS THE MANAGEMENT THE FINE SO IS MORE ACTUAL INFORMATION FOR COUNCIL THE REQUEST WAS MADE TO DELETE ALL OF PARAGRAPH A AND B IS WORDING I ORDINANCE THE AMOUNTS TO THE DESIGNATED MARKING ORGANIZATIONS THE GREATER BEAUFORT PORT ROYAL CONVENTION AND AND THE BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT'S NOT REQUIRED BY STATE LAW. THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE LOCAL ORDINANCE AND THE REQUEST WAS MADE TO REMOVE THAT AND THE $50,000 TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS HAVING NO PLACE TO BE PART OF THE ORDINANCE HERE DOES MEAN THEY CAN'T APPLY FOR IT BUT THEY DON'T WANT IT TO BE AUTOMATIC TOWARDS GOING INTO THERE. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO REMOVE PARAGRAPHS A AND B AND MAKE PARAGRAPH C THE NEW PARAGRAPH A I HAVE MADE THAT FIRST SECTION READ SIMILAR TO THE STATE STATUTE IS WELL KNOWN. WHAT I'VE DONE IS THE REQUEST WAS AS FAR AS THE EMERGENCY FUND AND THE DISCUSSION WAS SHOULD THERE BE A CAP ON THAT EMERGENCY FUND? SO THE FIRST 20% GOES TO THE EMERGENCY FUND OVER $1 MILLION.

SO ONCE THAT FUND EMERGENCY FUND REACHES $1,000,000 WE DON'T PUT ANY MORE MONEY IN THERE. IT FALLS BELOW THAT $1 BILLION CAP AND THEN WE CAN CONTRIBUTE THE 20% OR REACH THE $1 MILLION CAP AGAIN. SO THAT'S WHAT THE FIRST PARAGRAPH IS THE SECOND ONE IS THE REMAINING 80% OR IF IT'S CAPPED BETWEEN 100% CAN BE USED HOWEVER YOU WANT RELIEF AUTHORIZED PURPOSES IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION SO YOU WOULD COUNTENANCE FOR ANY AUTHORIZED PURPOSE PATIENT FOR 20% RIVER BEACH ACCESS UNDER THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH TWO AND THE 64 TOURISM RELATED BUILDING. WE'VE TAKEN THAT OUT SO NOW IT'S GOING TO BE AS SAID 20% TO THE EMERGENCY FUND UNTIL IT REACHES MILLION DOLLARS AND THE INTO JUST A GENERAL LOCALLY TAX TAXABLE AUTHORIZED BY THE ORDINANCE AND STATE LAW.

I HAVE A QUESTION YES MA'AM. NO THE OLD VERSION DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE HISTORY ON WHY WE DID

[01:50:03]

THAT? 20%. 60%? I DON'T I DON'T HISTORY? NO. OKAY.

IT WAS JUST IN OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT THAT WAS IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT A PREVIOUS COUNCIL DECIDED TO PUT IN ORDINANCE. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN THERE FOREVER 2005 AND THEN THE EMERGENCY I'M ASSUMING WOULD BE LIKE IF WE HAD A HURRICANE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE URGENCY MONEY FOR TOURISM YOU COULD YOU COULD DO THE ADVERTISING SAYING HEY, WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS OR YOU'D SAY HEY, WE HAVE TO FIX FOR WHICH WE HAD HEARD AND SEEN EMERGENCY BASIS IT WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT .

THEN THE PARAGRAPH B WE DO EITHER THE ALLOCATIONS TO THE LOCAL DEMOS THERE'S NO REASON FOR PARAGRAPH D AND THEN IT JUST WASN'T NECESSARY AND I'VE MADE IT TO WHERE THIS ORDINANCE WOULD BE APPROVED UPON THE SO KNOW YOU MAY RENEE YOU MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO KEEP IT TOWARDS APPROVE IT'S EFFECTIVE UPON APPROVAL AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE YOU MAY WANT TO GIVE THE CHAMBER SOME NOTICE FAR AS HEY YOU'RE NOT GETTING THIS AUTOMATIC MONEY THAT'S A REDUCTION BY THE PLAN, THE BUDGET AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT PERIOD IS BUT THAT'S FOR DISCUSSION OF COUNCIL. I NEED GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL. THIS HAS TO GO.

YES SIR. YES SIR. THEN WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION OR THE LOCAL WAY TAX . WE APPRECIATE HARD WORK IN THIS ROOM. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, SO THIS HAS TO GO.

WE APPROVE. SEND THIS. THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS TO GO THREE READINGS. YOU KNOW IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION OF A MOTION MOVED TO MOVE IT THE COUNCIL SECONDED ANY MORE DISCUSSION SEEING NO DISCUSSION IS THERE ANY OBJECTION SO YOU NO OBJECTION WE WILL THEN MOVE TO COUNTY COUNCIL.

[14. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE A-TAX FUNDS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE A-TAX COMMITTEE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENT OF SC CODE OF LAWS]

THANK YOU RYAN. GREAT JOB REALLY BEGAN I THINK HAVING FOUR ITEM NUMBER 14 I'M MOVE TO POSTPONE THE ACTION OR ANY ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON THIS UNTIL THE NEXT PAYMENT FINANCE COMING INTO SESSION THAT'S ALL RIGHT AND SO IT'S MOTION HAS BEEN MADE HAS BEEN SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION ON IT. I I THINK THAT'S A GOOD MOVE IF I YEAH BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WHAT WAS WHAT WAS EXPLAINED THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IS EITHER WE WE APPOINTED THREE OPTIONS ONE WOULD BE EITHER TO ACCEPT TO PUSH IT BACK TO COUNCIL IT WOULD BE TO TAKE A 15% CUT ACROSS THE BOARD ON EVERYTHING OR GO THROUGH THEM LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM.

AND I THINK THAT I THINK THAT IT SOUND LIKE THERE WAS A CONSENSUS THAT WE WOULD GO THROUGH THE BY LINE ITEM. SO YES SIR I WAS ASKING TO SPEAK THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE. OKAY SORRY IF I DON'T KNOW AND I WOULDN'T SAY ADJOURNED THE LAST 2 HOURS ALL I KNOW IS GOING TO I GUESS THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE THE WAY STATE STATUTE WORKS. THE MONEY IS ALREADY THERE FOR 250,000.

THE. THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE COMMITTEE MADE BACK TO FINANCE IS YOU ALREADY HAVE THE 15% IF YOU JUST RELEASED THAT FIVE AND THEN YOU CAN THE COUNTY CAN PUT FORTH AN APPLICATION AND THEN THE COMMITTEE CAN REVIEW THE APPLICATION OR RECOMMEND THOSE FUNDS BACK SO THE HUNDRED $50,000 THERE AND THEN MOVE FORWARD THE AWARD THEY'RE ALREADY BEEN GRANTED ARE RECOMMENDED ON AND FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THAT ALL BECAUSE REALLY YOU HAVE YOU HAVE THE MILLION DOLLARS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY FINANCE WELL LAST YEAR BUT THEN YOU STILL HAVE $150,000 ROLLOVER CARRYOVER SO REALLY YOU HAVE TO JORDAN SO I NEED DO IS SEND THE RDA GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN READ AND APPLIED AND RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE SEND THAT BACK TO COUNCIL AND THEN THE SECOND IS A FINANCE COMMITTEE WANTS TO APPROVE THE HUNDRED AND $50,000 THAT THAT IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTY'S BUDGET AND GIVE THAT BACK TO THE EIGHT TAX COMMITTEE AND THEN WE CAN JUST REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND BRING IT BACK NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER AND RECOMMEND IT, YOU KNOW, AS THE CHAIRMAN. YES, CHRIS AGAIN SO COUNCIL SEVERAL PROBABLY MONTHS AGO ON AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE THAT IS THEY LEFT THESE FUNDS, THIS MONEY, THIS MILLION DOLLARS ALONE AND THEY ADOPTED ACTUALLY THERE'S A THIRD READING TONIGHT ALLOCATING 15% OF THE STATE TAX FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING. SO THEY'VE ALREADY CARVED ISSUE OUT.

YES, YOU'RE OUT OF THIS ISSUE. SO HERE'S THE CHALLENGE THIS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO THE FINANCE TEAM IS YOU REALLY YOU HAVE YOU HAVE A WRITTEN PROCESS AND THE WRITTEN PROCESS IS APPLICATION WINDOWS OPEN STATE AND THEN ALL THOSE YOU REALLY YOU'RE CIRCUMVENTING

[01:55:05]

YOUR OWN FROM THE STATES IF YOU GO BACK AND SAY WELL THE COUNTY NOW WANTS TO PUT HIS OWN APPLICATION IN EVEN THOUGH THE APPLICATION WHEN IT WAS CLOSED AND YOU STILL HAVE YOU STILL HAVE THE 15% AVAILABLE OF THE STATE TAX IN THE BUDGET IF YOU WANTED TO LISTEN AS I SAID WHEN I SPOKE BACK IN DECEMBER AND AGREES THAT WORKFORCE NEEDED AND WE WOULD SUPPORT IT THE FUNDS ARE STILL AVAILABLE AND STILL THERE SO YOU CAN STILL MOVE BOTH ITEMS FORWARD.

IT WAS A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE. THIS WAS NOT GERMANE TO WHAT I CHOSE NOT TO POSTPONE.

I THINK THINKING WHAT YOU MISSED WAS WE LOOKED AT YOUR COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

YES, MA'AM. SO OUR FIRST CONCERN WAS THERE WEREN'T SEVEN MEMBERS ON THAT COMMITTEE. THE SECOND CONCERN WAS ONLY CAME TO THE MEETING AND THEN SEVERAL OF THREE VOTED BUT AREN'T IN BRIAN TALK ABOUT THESE FUNDS RATED UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT AND WHEN POSSIBLE SHOULD BE SPENT INCLUDING FOR EACH OF YOUR 37 ITEMS AT LEAST HALF ARE NOT IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT SO THE POINT WAS WE WANTED BRING THIS TO THE NEXT FINANCE TO VOTE ON EACH ONE TO LOOK AT YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

LOOK AT WHAT I SAID. WE ALL GOT THE DRAFT, DECIDE DIRECTLY AND WISH TO ALTER IT.

THAT'S WHAT'S ON THE TABLE. KNOW WHAT'S ON THE TABLE. OH THIS DISCUSSION TO DO THE NEXT MEETING THAT'S WHAT'S ON THE TABLE NOTHING ELSE. FORGET WORKFORCE HOUSING.

YEAH. OKAY. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT AND I HEARD BRIAN'S PRESENTATION SO THAT'S THE NEW STATUTE EVEN THREE WORKFORCE HOUSING DEFINES A COUNTY AS A GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE COUNTY NOT JUST CABELL UNINCORPORATED. ALL RIGHT. I WOULD CAUTION YOU AGAINST THAT HAVING SERVED ON THE CITY OF BEAUFORT STATE TAX AND HAVING SERVED AND NOW CHAIR OF THE COUNTY'S EIGHT TAX ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES CONTRIBUTE TO OMNICORP RELATED EVENTS AS WELL. YOU COULD BE PUTTING YOURSELF IN A POSITION NOW EVERYBODY'S GONNA START FUNDING THEIR OWN. I THINK THE REALITY IS IN THE WAY THAT THESE THINGS ALL SERVE ONE ANOTHER IS YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LODGING JUST IN THE COUNTY YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LODGING JUST IN YOUR MUNICIPALITY AND YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EVENT SPACE AND ALL THOSE EITHER SO THEY ALL HAVE TO COHABITATE CONCURRENTLY AND TOGETHER AND BE SOME COUNTY AS A WHOLE CONTRIBUTES TO EVERY COUNTY. I MEAN THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT AND. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO START TO PAY A LITTLE BIT AND I THINK TO DO SO AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND TO AND AND AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO AT THIS POINT IS THE EARLY OBJECTION TO POSTPONING IT. YES, I DO AND I WOULD ALSO OBJECT TO THAT.

BUT OBVIOUSLY MISSOURI AND EVERYONE HERE WOULD AGREE THAT WE POSTPONE THIS AS MR. GLOVER AND MYSELF THE TO POSTPONE HAS BEEN PASSED SO WE'RE GOING TO POSTPONE IT TO OUT WE HAVE A FUNDING DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS EVENTS ARE COMING UP PRETTY SOON WE NEED THREE READINGS SO I'M JUST ASKING THIS BODY HERE TO DO WHAT THEY CAN IS IS COULD CAN BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WAITING WAITING FOR FUNDING I MEAN THE EARLIEST WE COULD DO WOULD BE DO IS AT THE BEFORE THE I THINK THE 11TH IS IS THE NEXT MEETING PEOPLE MEETING TWO WEEKS WE COULD DO A SPECIAL FINANCE MEETING BEFORE THESE FUNDS RELEASED. LET'S LOOK AT DOING A SPECIAL FINANCE MEETING THEN BEFORE THAT WHATEVER COMMITTEE AND WE NEED SERVICES AND THAT WILL BE THE ONLY DOCUMENT THAT'S THE DEAL BEFORE WE'LL ADJUST THE TERMS. RIGHT. SO IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT SO THEN THAT HAS BEEN THEN JUST A COMMITTEE MEETING OF FINANCE BEING MARCH 11TH MY HEAD WOULD BE YES.

[15. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO EXECUTE A PURCHASE OF A BUCKET TRUCK FOR TRAFFIC OPERATIONS (FISCAL IMPACT: $165,436)]

LET'S NOW MOVE ON THEN TO OUR FINAL TWO AGENDA HOPEFULLY IS A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD YES YES

[02:00:01]

EXECUTE A PURCHASE OF A BUCKET TRUCK FOR TRAFFIC OPERATIONS. FISCAL IMPACT IS UNDER 65,000 $6,000. IS THERE A MOTION TO DO THAT? I THINK IT'S OUR SECOND TIME REACT ANY OBJECTION TO THAT SEEING NO OBJECTION THAT WILL BE MOVED FORWARD? OH THIS IS THIS IS BEFORE YES SIR IF THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA IS RECOMMEND

[16. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF CISCO ENTERPRISE SUPPORT AGREEMENT RENEWAL. (FISCAL IMPACT: Funding will come from IT Systems Management maintenance budget 51110 $161,371 annually over the next 5 years) - Shakeeya Polite, IT Director]

OF CISCO ENTERPRISE SUPPORT AGREEMENT RENEWAL OF FISCAL IMPACT OF UNDER ONE THROUGH $71 ANNUALLY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND THAT IS FOR FUNDING FOR I.T ME IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE? THANK OUR SECOND SECOND THAT ALL RIGHT ANY MORE DISCUSSION DISCUSSION IS ANY OBJECTION SEEING NO OBJECTION WILL BE MOVED FORWARD.

[17. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS]

COUNSEL YES AND THEN THE FINAL IS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND OR THE COMMITTEE HAVE RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED REAPPOINTMENT OF BRUCE DONNA TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEAL ACTION DATE OF FEBRUARY 2028 ON DISTRICT EIGHT TERM TO BE SERVED THREE THIRD AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF REAPPOINTMENT STEVEN COUCH TO COUNTY BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF FEBRUARY 2028 DISTRICT EIGHT IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT BOTH OF THOSE A BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. IT WAS AN HOUR AND A SECOND WAS IT MR. DAWSON ANY OBJECTION AS ANY OBJECTION? NO, NO OBJECTION THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND PASSED WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR MEETING HOW MUCH TIME MR. CUNNINGHAM RIGHT.

SO GIVE IT TO AT LEAST 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING STARTS.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO ADJOURNE

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

Feb 26, 2024 Finance Administration and Economic Development Committee

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