[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
TO CALL THIS, UH, SPECIALLY CALLED FINANCE ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.UM, MEETING TO ORDER, IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I BELIEVE INSTITU SUPPLY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS FOR ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
JUSTICE ACROSS PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREE INFORMATION ACT.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
ASK SOMEONE TO, UH, APPROVE OUR LARGE AGENDA FOR TODAY, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE.IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
AND, UM, UH, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
WE'LL APPROVE THE AGENDA AS POSTED.
AND THEN, UH, LET'S OPEN THINGS UP FOR
[5. CITIZEN COMMENTS]
CITIZENS COMMENT.I KNOW I DO HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING OUR CITIZENS COMMENT, AND THAT IS, UM, MS. UH, PEACH MORRISON.
AND, UM, SHE'S GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THE ATEX, UM, RE RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, TO COME AND SAY HEY TO EVERYBODY AND, UH, JUST REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK TOURISM JUST HAPPENS.
UH, AND WE WANNA DIRECT IT AND, AND BE SUSTAINABLE AND, AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
AND WE WORK TOGETHER VERY STRONGLY AS A COMMUNITY AND AS A GROUP.
WE, WE, UH, CROSS PROMOTE OURSELVES.
IT'S A VERY CLOSE KNIT INDUSTRY, AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT INDUSTRY FOR NOT ONLY OUR AREA, BUT FOR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
I WANTED TO SAY THAT THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENCES AND SO MANY NUANCES BETWEEN THE STATE, 2%, THE LOCAL 3%, THE H TAX, AND IT'S VERY CONFUSING.
UM, THE CODE OF LAW, OF COURSE, IS NOT EASY TO FOLLOW, BUT I, I'M VERY, UH, PROUD TO SAY THAT I WAS VERY, I PLEASED TO BE A PART OF A MEETING LAST FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS WHERE COUNCIL'S WOMEN'S, UH, TABER NECK AND HOWARD WERE THERE ALONG WITH, UH, CITY COUNCIL AS FAR AS, UH, ATTORNEY COUNCIL AND ALSO THE CFO WAS WITH US.
AND, UH, WE GOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH SOME, SOME THINGS AND, UM, TO BE THERE TO TRY TO DO SOME OF THAT EDUCATION THAT, THAT JUST IS REALLY KIND OF TOUGH AND TOUGHER WITH THE NUANCES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY AS, AS I MENTIONED, UM, TOURISM IS NOT A VERY EASY INDUSTRY.
IT'S, WE'RE ALL DUCKS ON THE WATER.
IT'S ALL NICE AND BEAUTIFUL AND HAPPY, HAPPY, BUT UNDER THE WATER IT'S PADDLING LIKE YOU, LIKE THE DEVIL, LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING STEWARDS OF THE RIGHT MONEY.
WE ARE ALSO, I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND MANY OTHERS ARE VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH STEWARDS OF THE MONEY TOO.
WE REALIZE WHERE IT COMES FROM AND REALIZE WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO, INCREASE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INCREASE THE TAX, THE REDUCTION OF TAX BASE, AND, UH, INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR CITIZENS.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THAT WE HAD TO, TO DO THAT EDUCATIONAL PIECE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING OUR CITIZENS COMMENT? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR ONLY
[6. 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]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.AND, UM, THIS IS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE AAX FUNDS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE, A TAX COMMITTEE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS.
AND, UH, AS WE SAID OUR LAST MEETING AND THEN POSTPONED THIS BECAUSE WE, WE THOUGHT, UM, THERE THERE WAS GONNA BE, UM, A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE OPTIONS.
ONE OPTION IS TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE IT AS IT IS.
AND I, I KNOW THERE'S SOME FOLKS ON COUNCIL THAT, THAT, UM, MR. GLOVER IN PARTICULAR AND MYSELF THAT HAVE PUSHED FOR THAT FROM THE START.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER FOLKS THAT WOULD LIKE TO GO IN AND AND REVISE SOME THINGS.
AND IF WE DID THAT, WE'D GO THROUGH EACH ONE A LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM OR I KNOW WE HAD TALKED BEFORE ABOUT 15% TAKING AWAY 15% FROM, FROM EACH OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
THOSE ARE KIND OF OUR THREE ITEMS THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT, LOOKING AT WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE, THE, UH, BEST THING TO DO.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE HAS BEEN SOME MEETINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, UM, BEFORE WE DO ELSE, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION AMONG THE GROUP IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK BEFORE WE, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH, WITH OUR, WHAT OUR 10 IS MS. TAVERN.
SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THE 15 PERCENT'S ALREADY OUT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WORKFORCE HOUSING, BUT SINCE I WAS ONE OF THE, UM, RABBLE-ROUSERS THAT STARTED THIS, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'VE COME.
SO I MADE THE MOTION BECAUSE I'VE SPENT MANY HOURS LEARNING ABOUT STATE A TAX FUNDS LOCAL AT TAX FUNDS, THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE, MEETING WITH OUR ATTORNEYS, REVIEWING OUR ORDINANCES AND REVIEWING THE PAST
[00:05:01]
FOUR YEARS AWARDS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE COMMITTEE.SO AFTER I LOOKED AT ALL THAT, A NUMBER OF WARNING BELLS WENT OFF IN MY HEAD WHILE GOING DOWN THIS RABBIT HOLE, AS I'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THE FIRST THING TO ME WAS WE ONLY HAD FIVE MEMBERS ON THE STATE, A TAX COMMITTEE INSTEAD OF SEVEN AS RELEGATED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE.
UH, COUNCIL APPOINTS THOSE MEMBERS.
WE ONLY HAVE FIVE, WE NOW HAVE SIX, I BELIEVE WE PUT THE SIX ONE ON AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SEVEN.
SO THAT'S OUR CORRECTION TO MAKE.
AND ON THE DAY OF THE AWARDS, THERE WERE ONLY FOUR PRESENT.
IT APPEARS THAT TO ME THAT MANY OF THE WARD RECIPIENTS ARE THE SAME YEAR AFTER YEAR.
I LOOKED AT 21, 22, 23, 24 AND I WONDERED WHY OTHER GROUPS DIDN'T APPLY.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I'VE TALKED TO A COUPLE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT THAT COULD BE EXPLORED IN THE FUTURE.
AND JUST FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW, THE COMMITTEE CONSIDERS AWARDS THAT DEMONSTRATE A REASONABLE FINANCIAL NEED AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHOW A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT WITH HOW THEY CHOOSE TO INVEST THEIR FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT DRIVE AND ENHANCED TOURISM, AS MS. MORRISON JUST SAID.
AND THE APPLICANTS HAVE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE ACCOMMODATION TAX LAW AND OUR COUNTY ORDINANCE.
AND THE COMMITTEE CAN FIND THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T NEED THOSE AND THEY CAN CHOOSE TO DENY OR, UM, AWARD A SMALLER AMOUNT.
SO I READ THROUGH ALL 37 APPLICATIONS FOR THIS ROUND AND I TOLD THE PEOPLE WE MET WITH FRIDAY.
IT WAS TEDIOUS AND CONVOLUTED AT BEST.
BULLET STATEMENTS ARE GOOD FOR ME.
MAKE IT CONCISE, GET TO THE POINT.
THESE WERE NOT, THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION FOR REVIEW BY ALL.
AND I DON'T BLAME THE COMMITTEE, I'M JUST SAYING THIS IS WHAT I REVIEWED AND ANYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO REVIEW THOSE WITH EASE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS LOOKED AT 'EM.
I KNOW MS. HOWARD PROBABLY DID, BUT YOU DON'T WANNA SPEND SIX TO EIGHT HOURS LOOKING THROUGH THE BOX.
AND HOW BIG WAS IT, JONATHAN? IT WAS AROUND 700 PAGES.
700 PAGES FOR 37 APPLICATIONS.
THE MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE IS NOT BROADCAST ON OUR TV STATION, SO IT'S NOT AVAILABLE FOR COUNCIL OR PUBLIC VIEWING.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERY OTHER BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE IS BROADCAST.
AND IF I'M WRONG, I COULD BE CORRECTED.
BUT THAT SAID, I HAVE HEARD THE COMMITTEE'S THOUGHTS LAST FRIDAY ON WHY THEY DON'T BELIEVE IT'S ADVISABLE.
BUT MS. HOWARD AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED FURTHER AND SHE CAN COMMENT AFTER AT LEAST ONE MUNICIPALITY IN OUR COUNTY USES A SCORING SHEET, WHICH I SAW WHEN I REVIEWED ALL THEIR APPLICATION.
I BELIEVE THAT INCREASES TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE IT'S PUT UP THERE BEFORE COUNCIL, IT'S PUT UP THERE BEFORE THE PUBLIC.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A SCORING SHEET.
I THINK JONATHAN ALLUDED TO IT, BUT WE SEE SUMMARY COMMENTS AS TO WHY GRANTS ARE RECOMMENDED OR DENIED.
SO IN AN EFFORT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS LAST FRIDAY, AS MS. MORRISON SAID, MS. HOWARD, MYSELF, MR. C, MR. HALBERT, MR. ROBINSON, WE MET WITH JONATHAN SULLIVAN RIGHT UP IN THE FRONT HERE, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE AND MS. MORRISON AND, AND DENISE CHRISTMAS.
OH, AND DENISE, I'M SORRY, I FORGOT ABOUT YOU.
AND IT WAS TWO AND A HALF HOURS.
AS MS. MORRISON NOTED, WE DISCUSSED A LOT OF TOPICS RELATED TO THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE STATE AT TAX FUNDS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY PRODUCTIVE, REALLY INFORMATIVE FOR ME WHO'S BEEN DIGGING DOWN THAT HOLE.
AND I KNOW MS. HOWARD APPRECIATED THE TIME AS WELL.
UH, JONATHAN AND PEACH, YOU WERE VERY ACCOMMODATING, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND I THINK YOU KNEW, YOU UNDERSTOOD OUR CONCERNS AND WE UNDERSTOOD YOURS.
SO AS PEACH JUST SAID, WE ALL WANNA DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT REASON AND BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS MONEY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO AFTER FRIDAY, THOSE OF US THAT MET AGREED THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW THE STATE A TAX CODE AND OUR NEWLY REVISED ORDINANCES, WHICH HAVEN'T PASSED YET, THEY'RE ON COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING AS WELL AS THEIR CURRENT PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES BECAUSE WE ALL AGREE WE WANT A SOLID, FAIR PROCESS TO AWARD FUNDS.
SO BASED OFF THAT MEETING, I, I SUGGEST THE COMMITTEE SHOULD FOLLOW UP WITH INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS ON THEIR OWN.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND, UH, MR. SULLIVAN AGREED AND THEN THEY WOULD PRESENT SOME RECOMMENDATION CHANGES TO COUNTS TO FINANCE COMMITTEE ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS.
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS MAY INCLUDE, AND I'M GONNA LEAVE IT OPEN WITH THE MAY.
SO YOU CAN ADD OR SUBTRACT, REVIEWING, MODIFYING OR CHANGING THE ACTUAL ONLINE APPLICATION, SIMPLIFYING HOW APPLICATIONS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE SUBMITTED AND REVIEWING OR REVISING THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS AS THEY SEEM NECESSARY.
THEY WOULD REITERATE TO APPLICANTS THE ACTUAL PROCEDURES IN PLACE.
FOR EXAMPLE, I FOUND THAT AFTER THEY MET WITH THE COMMITTEE, SOME OF THE GROUPS BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE GONNA GET THE MONEY AND COUNTED THEIR CHICKENS BEFORE
[00:10:01]
THEY HATCHED, AS THE PEOPLE WOULD SAY.AND UH, MAY HAVE SPENT IT OR JUST BUILT THEIR BUDGET AROUND IT BEFORE COUNCIL EVEN DECIDED.
AND COUNCIL IS THE STEWARD OF THOSE FUNDS, AS MS. MORRISON SAID.
SO NOTHING SHOULD BE FORWARDED UNTIL WE TAKE THAT VOTE.
AND ALSO THE COMMITTEE WILL PROVIDE INPUT ON, UM, CONSIDERATION TO HAVE THE AWARDS DISPERSED AS REIMBURSEMENT ON INVOICES THE WAY WE DO FOR LOCAL AT TAX VERSUS RIGHT NOW WE JUST DISPERSE THEM.
AND SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO I'LL ALSO ASK THE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE PROS AND CONS OF HAVING THE MEETINGS TELEVISED.
I HEARD YOUR CONCERNS AND RECORDED FOR VIEWING BY COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY.
AND WITH ALL THAT SAID, I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE COMMITTEE'S $1 MILLION RECOMMENDED AWARDS FOR THIS YEAR.
BUT THE UNDERSTANDING WE HAD IN LEAVING IS THE PROCESS WILL CHANGE FOR NEXT YEAR.
IT'S JUST TOO LATE TO PUT THE TOOTHPASTE BACK IN THE TUBE TODAY.
SO IS THAT A MOTION THAT YOU'VE JUST MADE? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO PUT FORWARD THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND ALSO ALL THE THINGS I SAID AND THE CHANGES WILL COME FOR NEXT YEAR.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A, UH, MOTION THAT'S BEEN SECONDED.
UM, IS THERE, UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT BEFORE WE, UH, VOTE? COULD WE JUST SUMMARIZE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THEN? SIMPLE SUMMARY, IF, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, I'LL TRY TO DO THAT AND TA YOU TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, IS FACT.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH, WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STATE, A TAX COMMITTEE AS THEY BEEN PRESENTED.
UM, BUT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT REVISING THE, UM, EXISTING RULES FOR NEXT YEAR'S SUBMISSION BEFORE THE SUBMISSION HAPPENS AGAIN, WHICH I THINK IS IN OCTOBER.
WHEN, WHEN DOES THE APPLICATION START? MR. SULLIVAN, IF YOU WANT GO AHEAD SPEAK MR. SULLIVAN.
AB ABSOLUTELY TAB, TAB TOOK ALL MY THUNDER.
UM, I MEAN SHE SUMMARIZED IT VERY WELL.
UH, AND I WASN'T GONNA PUT IT IN A MOTION 'CAUSE I CAN'T, BUT WE HAD A REMARKABLE MEETING AND I THINK IT CLEARED UP A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, WE ARE, WE HAD SOME CHANGES.
UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T TAKE OVER CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE UNTIL, I WANNA SAY AUGUST OR SO.
AND THERE WERE SOME CHANGES IN FINANCE, WHICH CHRISTINE AND BRYSON HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, UH, TO WORK WITH FOR OUR COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY TO GET THIS PROCESS MOVING THIS PAST YEAR.
SO WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO IMPLEMENT ANY OF THE CHANGES THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THOSE BACK AND THE, THE CHANGES THAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, COUNCILMAN TABER AND AND HOWARD WE'RE IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH, SO IT WAS FANTASTIC.
UH, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THOSE BACK.
BUT, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE BIGGEST THING WAS, UH, HOW WE WANNA MOVE IT GOING FORWARD NEXT YEAR AND TIMING.
WE LIKE TO TRY TO GET APPLICATIONS IN REALLY BY THE END OF AUGUST SO THAT WE CAN START THE PROCESS FOR REVIEW IN SEPTEMBER TO HAVE THE MONEY BACK BEFORE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN OCTOBER.
THAT WAY FUNDS CAN START GETTING DEPLOYED, UH, IDEALLY BY DECEMBER.
'CAUSE IT TAKES, AFTER IT LEAVES HERE, IT TAKES I BELIEVE THREE READINGS.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE TWO, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND THAT ALSO WILL FOLLOW WITHIN THE CITY OF BUFORD.
UH, AND TOWN OF PORT ROYAL WILL START, START THIS UPCOMING, UH, FISCAL YEAR.
SO THEY WILL ALSO GO THAT WAY AS THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, UH, A TAX COMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE FOLLOWING.
SO WE CAN LOOK AND SEE ON THE APPLICATIONS.
'CAUSE BY STATE CODE THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE ALL A TAX REQUEST STATEWIDE.
SO EVEN IF THEY'RE APPLYING FOR AT TAX OUTSIDE OF BEFORD COUNTY, UH, THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE THAT ON THEIR APPLICATION.
AND SO IF EVEN IF THEY INTEND TO BUT HAVEN'T FILED THEIR APPLICATION, THEY'RE STILL SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THEIR BUDGET PROCESS.
SO THAT THAT WAY, IF WE GET THIS, I THINK COUNCIL GOES FORWARD FINANCE COMMITTEE, YOU APPROVE YOUR BUDGET, UH, THE DISBURSEMENT AUGUST, AND THEN BY THEN WE'RE COLLECTING APPLICATIONS.
UH, SO BY THE END OF AUGUST, SEPTEMBER WE CAN START SCHEDULING OUR ACTUAL INTERVIEW DATE TO HAPPEN SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER.
THAT WOULD BE THE, THE IDEAL FLOW.
AND SO WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE COUNTY CAN APPLY, WHICH THEY DIDN'T THIS YEAR, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY COULD, BUT TO SUMMARIZE FOR MR. MCKELLAN, IT'S TO PUT THROUGH THEIR $1 MILLION AWARDS AND ALSO TO ASK THE COMMITTEE TO GO BACK REVISE PROCESSES AND BRING IT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE GOING FORWARD.
AND, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, ONCE YOU HAVE, OR EVEN NOW IF FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPARATE THE 15%, IF YOU RELEASE THE OTHER 15%, THEN WE CAN JUST HEAR THAT APPLICATION AND COME BACK WITH ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION TO DO THE 15% FOR THE WORKFORCE HOUSING BECAUSE THAT MONEY IS THERE FROM CARRYOVER.
SO THAT, THAT BUDGET OF DOLLAR AMOUNT, THE DOLLARS ARE THERE IN, IN THE EXISTING BUDGET.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, RELEASED AND THEN APP APPLICATION AND APPROVED OR, WELL AGAIN, WE ALREADY DID THAT.
I'M WATCHING MR. KEVIN'S HEAD.
ANY, ANY, ANY OTHER, UM, QUESTIONS OR IS THERE A LIAISON BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE AND THE COUNTY? WE, WE HAVE,
[00:15:01]
WE'VE ALWAYS WORKED WITH, WITH UH, OUR, OUR CHAIRMAN CHAIR OF FI A FINANCE, SO MARK LAWSON HAS BEEN, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR ASSIGNED LIAISON THROUGH THROUGH COUNTY COUNCIL.JUST, THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD.
AND USUALLY THAT'S BEEN, UH, WITH, UH, WHOEVER THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE WAS AT THE TIME WAS KIND OF LIKE THE INBETWEEN, EVEN BETWEEN MYSELF AND, AND THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTOOD THE, THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THE MONIES COMING IN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK MS. CHRISTMAS WOULD BE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, IN THAT AS WELL AS, AS THE, UH, ADVISOR TO THAT.
AND ANY OTHER, UH, DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS? MR. GLOVER? GO AHEAD.
UH, YES, UM, UH, I APPRECIATE, UM, WHAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
UM, AND WE CAN MOVE THIS ALONG.
THE ONLY COMMENT I'M GONNA MAKE IS, UM, COMMENTED TAB AND I AGREE WITH HER IN NORMAL SITUATION THAT, UM, EXPENDITURES SHOULD NOT BE, UH, ALLOCATED TO GROUPS UNTIL THE THIRD AND FINAL READING, UM, WOULD LIKE TO US FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO CONSIDER TO BRING FORWARD, IF NECESSARY, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXPENDITURES BECAUSE OF THE DELAY AT THIS TIME, THIS IS MARCH AND THIRD AND FINAL READING WILL PROBABLY BE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH HERE IF NECESSARY, OR SOMETIME IN APRIL.
AND THERE ARE SOME EVENTS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING, UH, SOON.
AND SO I JUST THINK WE NEED TO GIVE, UM, CONSIDERATION TO GIVING SOME FUNDS TO PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE EVENTS COMING UP REAL SOON.
THANK YOU MR. WE WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL, UM, THIRD READING UNTIL IT'S APPROVED TO AUTHORIZE ANYONE REGARDLESS, HUH? YES SIR.
SO IT, IS IT THREE READINGS OR WE GONE THROUGH ONE READING AND WE'RE COMING BACK 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T CHANGED IT.
UM, THIS IS, 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE COMING BACK WITH A, WELL, I'M NOT SURE WHERE COUNCIL IS IN ITS READING OF THIS ORDINANCE.
HAS IT, HAS COUNCIL UM, EVEN ADOPTED IT ON A FIRST READING YET OR, YEAH, I THINK WE DID.
THEN YOU GOT, I THINK YOU GOT TWO MORE READINGS LEFT.
RIGHT? SO THIS, SO WE NEED TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN YES, SIR.
AND IT COULD BE DONE BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
I SUSPECT WE CAN GET IT IN ON THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY, IS IT? NO, NO, SIR.
ON, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THAT COULD BE MOVED FOR THE TODAY TO EXPEDITE ON THE THIRD? SO YEAH, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TODAY TO ADD THIS ITEM TO IT.
AND THEN WOULD YOU NEED, UH, TWO THIRD OF THE, YOU NEEDED TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE PEOPLE PRESENT VOTING.
AND THAT'S AT THE COUNCIL MEETING WITH THAT.
THAT'S THE AGENDA AT THE FIVE O'CLOCK COUNCIL MEETING? YES.
AND THEN YOU'LL NEED TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING UNLESS IT'S ALREADY HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THE NEXT MEETING IS ON THE 26TH.
WILL WE BE ABLE TO GET THE, GET IT ADVERTISED? NO.
SO THEN IT HAVE TO GET THIRD READING AT, UM, THE APRIL MEETING.
SO THERE'S NO, NO RUSH ON THAT TONIGHT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TWO MEETINGS ANYHOW WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU CAN JUST REFER IT BACK TO COUNSEL ON THAT.
MAKE A MOTION TO SEND IT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR THE 26TH.
UH, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? UH, NO COMMENTS.
UM, IS JUST A MOTION TO SEND IT TO COUNCIL? WE, WELL, WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA FOR THE 26TH? NO, THE FIRST MOTION IS TO APPROVE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THEN IT'LL EVENTUALLY, IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO PUBLICIZE A, A PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WE COULDN'T DO THAT UNTIL THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL ANYHOW.
AND AT THAT POINT IT WOULD BE APPROVED.
UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? DO WE NEED TO HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
THIS WILL PASS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
SO, UM, IT IS PASSED THAT WE'RE MOVING EVERYTHING FORWARD TO COUNSEL, UM, FOR THE NEXT READING.
AND I GUESS WE SHOULD DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THERE HAS BEEN ONE READING.
IF NOT, WE NEED TO PUT IT ON TONIGHT'S COUNT TONIGHT.
TONIGHT'S, YEAH, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT'S BEEN ADOPTED AT, AT THE FIRST, AT LEAST ONE READING.
IF NOT, WE CAN PUT IT ON TONIGHT AND STILL HAVE IT.
APRIL, THE APRIL TIMEFRAME AS BEING THE, UM, OKAY.
I THINK WE, WHEN WE WERE GOING TO ADOPT IT, WE PUT IT BACK TO FINANCE AND SO I THINK WE COULD PUT IT TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST READING, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO RESEARCH THAT, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO, SEE WHAT THE MINUTES SAY.
WE ADVERTISED FOR PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING AT OUR FEBRUARY 12TH MEETING.
Y'ALL VOTED TO SEND IT BACK TO FINANCE.
WE DID NOT HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, SO IT HAS HAD FIRST READING.
IT WOULD STILL NEED SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING, SO BE SECOND READING.
[00:20:01]
ITEM.UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT, UH, THIS COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD? I SEEING NOTHING.
UM, WE, THIS IS THE SHORTEST I'VE HELPED Y'ALL KNOW THIS SHORTEST FINANCE MEETING EVER IN THE WORLD.
DON'T EVER EXPECT THIS FROM ME AGAIN OR US AGAIN BECAUSE EGS ARE TWO, THREE HOURS.
SO, UM, WE, IN ALL, I MEAN, FOR YOUR MEETING, YOU ACTUALLY APPROPRIATE A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE IN 20 MINUTES, A MILLION DOLLARS, THERE'S VERY WELL PUT.
AND, UM, THE NEXT MEETING WILL START AT 3:00 PM OKAY.
AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR CIVIC ORGANIZATION AND SOME OF OUR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION TO HELP US EDUCATE OUR VOTERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTION IN THIS PROJECT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OBSERVED IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS THAT, LIKE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, NOT AS MANY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE, ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND INVOLVED IN THE, UM, IN THE ELECTION PROCESS.
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR AND HOW DID THEY GET INVOLVED WITH VOTING AND DECIDED WE'D START THERE RATHER THAN TO START VOTER REGISTRATION WITH OLDER ADULTS.
SO WE STARTED WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE AGES 16 AND ABOVE, AND EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO VOTE AND HOW VOTING IMPACTS YOUR LIFE.
AND IN DOING THAT, WE PARTNERED WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS.
YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS OUT THERE AND WE WANNA DO OUR FAIR SHARE OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANT TO DO AS THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND WE WENT INTO TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF VOTING FROM REGISTERING TO VOTE, UM, WITH A VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE, ISSUING VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS.
AND THIS WAS ALL DONE WITH THE SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR.
SO AS SCHOOL COUNSELOR, I'M ALSO THE, UM, ADVISOR FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUPS AND FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT.
THIS SCHOOL YEAR, I WANTED TO INVOLVE THE WHOLE SCHOOL AND GIVE A REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE ABOUT VOTING.
YOU KNOW, VOTING IS LIKE A DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
THAT'S HOW WE, EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD, A LEVEL OF PLAYING FIELD HERE IN AMERICA.
SO THAT'S YOUR ONE VOICE, BUT BRINGING MANY VOICES TOGETHER, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING CHANGE.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THAT ACTUALLY ALL WORKS.
THE STUDENTS, THEY REALLY GOT INVOLVED.
UM, MOST OF THEM WERE NERVOUS AND SOME OF, WE ACTUALLY RAN A REGISTRATION PROCESS.
SO WE SAT UP IN OUR CAFETERIA MAYBE FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS, AND THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO COME OVER AND VISIT THE TABLE AND ACTUALLY FILL OUT A VOTER REGISTRATION CO CARD IS WHAT WE CALLED IT.
THIS IS A, AN ENLARGED VERSION OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION.
UM, AT THE TOP IT SAYS, ARE YOU A STUDENT AT ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY? THE STUDENT WOULD CHECK YES OR NO.
IF YES, WILL YOU BE, BE BETWEEN FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADE ON ELECTION DAY.
AND AT THE BOTTOM, THEY WILL NEED TO REVIEW ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY FILLED OUT.
AND IF IT WERE TRUE TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEY WOULD SIGN IT.
THEY BROUGHT IN FOUR MACHINES AND, AND THEY SET UP IN, UH, CLASSROOM C ONE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO FILTER THROUGH C ONE WITH THEIR REGISTRATION CARD AND WITH THEIR REGISTRATION CARD, THEY WERE ABLE TO WALK TO THE TABLE, SIGNED IN, AND THEN WALK OVER TO THE VOTING MACHINES TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, OR TREASURER.
THE KIDS WERE ECSTATIC ABOUT DOING THIS BECAUSE THEY REALIZED AT THAT MOMENT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS.
THE, THE CANDIDATES WERE CAMPAIGNING, THEY MADE POSTERS, UM, CAMPAIGN POSTERS, AND THEY WERE GOING OUT GIVING SPEECHES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS NATHAN TEET AND I'M RUNNING FOR STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
[00:25:01]
STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO CAMPAIGN.SO WE RECORDED SOME CAMPAIGN ADS FOR OUR MORNING TELEVISION NEWS SHOW, RSIA TODAY.
UM, THOSE ADS, UH, ROTATED AND AIRED DAILY JUST AS IF IT WOULD'VE BEEN FOR, FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
WE ACTUALLY GOT THE TICKET FROM THE, UH, BOARD OF REGISTRATIONS.
THEY PRINT A TICKET WITH ALL THE RESULTS FROM THE POLLS.
SO WE GOT THE POLL REPORT AND THEN, UH, AND THEN WE CREATED THAT AND TURNED THAT INTO A GRAPHIC AND, UH, SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION THAT WAY.
THE VOTES ARE IN, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S MAYBE NOT SURPRISING, IT KIND OF REINFORCED THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE THAT ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THEY'VE EITHER LOST FAITH IN THE SYSTEM OR THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEIR VOTE COUNTS AND THEY PASS THAT ON TO YOUNG PEOPLE SUCH THAT YOUNG PEOPLE NOW FEEL AS THOUGH WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF I VOTE ARE NOT VOTE? AND THAT'S WHO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH.
SO WE CAN CHANGE THAT KIND OF THINKING AND PERHAPS EVEN GET THEM TO REENGAGE THEIR CAREGIVER OR THEIR PARENTS OR OTHER ADULTS IN THE WHOLE PROCESS.
I WANTED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I WOULD'VE BEEN A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT.
SO I RAN AND I HAD TO DO A SPEECH FOR, UM, TO GO ON OUR DAILY NEWS.
AND SO AFTER I DID THE SPEECH, I WAITED ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AND THEN WE VOTED AND I GOT THE PAPER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DID, AND I HAD TO DO THE PAPER AND I GOT MY CARD AND WE WENT TO GO VOTE.
AND OBVIOUSLY I VOTED FOR MYSELF.
SO I USUALLY SEE, LIKE, MY PARENTS USUALLY TELL ME, OH, I'M GONNA GO VOTE.
AND I ALWAYS WONDER LIKE, WHAT IS IT LIKE? SO TO ACTUALLY GET THE EXPERIENCE AND ACTUALLY USE IT, IT FELT, IT FELT REAL DURING THE PROJECT.
UM, THE STUDENTS WHERE I WAS KIND OF HELPING OUT AT, AT THE BOOTH, THEY KIND OF CAME OVER AND ASKED, UM, WAS IT THE POLE THAT THEIR PARENT ACTUALLY USED? SO IT KIND OF GAVE THEM THAT REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT MOM AND DAD DO DURING THE VOTING, VOTING TIME.
IN THE PAST, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WORK WITH, UM, OUR AGING POPULATION.
WE WENT OUT TO, UM, NURSING AND ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, REGISTERING PEOPLE, EDUCATING THE RESIDENTS THERE ON UM, VOTING REGISTER, UH, IN OUR COUNTY, AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE ALL READY FOR MAJOR ELECTIONS.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND WE ARE ALSO PLANNING TO DO IT, UH, CONTINUE TO DO IT FOR OUR, UH, CITIZENS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL DOING GENERAL ELECTION YEARS.
WE GO OUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS, AND WE TRAIN THEM ON BECOMING POLL MANAGERS AND THEY PARTICIPATE WITH US DURING OUR GENERAL ELECTIONS, WORKING THE PRECINCT AS A POLL MANAGER.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST KIDS, UM, THAT WE HAVE WORKING AT THOSE PRECINCTS, WORKING WITH OUR CITIZENS.
BUT THE PART THAT WAS MOST, I THINK, IMPORTANT FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WAS TO ACTUALLY HAVE THEM VOTE.
MANY OF THEM HAD NEVER SEEN A VOTING MACHINE.
THEY OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF THEIR AGES HAD NOT VOTED.
SO WENDELL WAS VERY ACCOMMODATING AND COMING IN AND DOING A TUTORIAL WITH THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AND EXPLAINING THE PROCESS, THE STAFF, UH, THEY WERE JUST EXCITED.
THE STUDENTS, UM, THE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH SOME OF THE LESSONS.
UM, AND JUST TO SHOW WHERE THINGS WERE IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES AND HOW VOTER VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES CAME ABOUT.
UM, IT TAKES EVERY, EVERY VOTE THAT'S OUT THERE VERSUS JUST ME SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE TODAY.
SO WITH US INSTILLING, UM, THIS AUTHENTIC LESSON IN LIFE OF BEING ABLE TO VOTE, UM, WE HOPE THAT IT RESONATES THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES SO THAT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO VOTE AT 18, THEY MAKE IT AS MEANINGFUL AS POSSIBLE AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY SO THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM AND FOR THE COUNTRY.
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